Raven had visions.

It wasn't a big part of her life with the Teen Titans, where it was generally more critical that she could use energy shields and hit villains with telekinetically-thrown cars. But it was a important part of her self. Sometimes the visions were prophetic, sometimes part of a spell she was trying to learn.

Sometimes they were about Azarath.

She had never talked to anyone on the Titans about them. Only Malchior had seemed interested, and Raven had talked to him for hours, pouring out her thoughts, asking him questions. Though she still felt a burning mixture of embarrassment and shame at the thought of him, Malchior had helped her understand and recognize her different types of visions, which had helped her when she was confused by a spell or an illusion.

Because of that, Raven had known right away that the encounter with Beast Boy hadn't been a dream. It had been a shared vision, probably because of the time she had spent in his mind earlier in the day.

Why did I lie to him?

She had been asking herself that question for hours. Lying awake in bed as the day and evening dragged by until she finally fell into a restless, broken sleep free of dreams and anything else. Rising an hour before dawn, showering, getting dressed, and going up on the roof for her morning meditation. And now, expected in the common room for breakfast and possibly a meeting, Raven still didn't have an answer.

Why did I lie to him?

It wasn't really a lie, she told herself for the ten thousandth time. She told him that maybe it was a dream. He had assumed it was a dream.

If he had known it wasn't a dream, had known that they were having a shared experience, would he have said what he said? Would he have accepted her help? Would he have ki -

She cut that thought off (also for the ten thousandth time.) There was no use thinking about it. She had to pretend it never happened, keep going, and figure out what was wrong with Beast Boy. This was about him, this wasn't about her, it was -

We have to talk about this.

Raven glanced across the room to where her soul mirror hung on the wall, and found herself looking at Wisdom. No.

You will not even speak to us? You will not let us help you?

Raven raised her hood and went to the door. Not this time.

As she stepped into the hall, Raven could hear Wisdom sigh, then Joy interrupted. Timid is hiding, she said. We can hear her crying but we can't find her. Raven, we can't protect you from this fear unless you let us

I have to help Beast Boy, Raven interrupted, and headed for the common room.

She got there late enough that breakfast was over for the rest of the team. Starfire and Robin were still sitting at the table, chatting. Beast Boy and Cyborg were, as usual, sitting on the couch playing video games. Raven started making her usual tea and toast, and had just put the bread in when the game ended. Beast Boy looked backwards over the couch at her. "Hey, Raven, check out this new -"

She met his eyes and he stopped in midsentence, staring at her for a moment. Then he blushed crimson and looked away. Remembering, Raven decided. With his green skin and the embarrassed flush on his face he looked like a half-ripe tomato.

Raven hadn't known if he would recall. For him it had been a dream, and like a dream it could fade away and be forgotten. The screaming in his mind, the intrusions of the Beast, even the sedatives Cyborg was giving him – it could have all buried the experience he and Raven had shared.

But it hadn't. (Damn it.) And now Raven had to bluff it out. "What's wrong with you?" she asked as coolly as she could.

"Oh, um – swallowed the wrong way." Beast Boy banged on his chest. "Wrong pipe," he said hoarsely.

The toast popped. Raven put it on a plate and fixed her tea, then took her breakfast to the table where Cyborg and Beast Boy joined her.

"He had a good night," Cyborg said. "Slept for sixteen hours."

Robin finished his conversation with Starfire and turned to them. "Raven, I didn't want to wake you, but we did a scan while he was asleep. There's definitely increased neural activity. We can't tell why, and we can't tell if it's telepathic or something else. But there's something going on."

Raven looked at Beast Boy, who was still having trouble meeting her eyes. He looked much more awake than he did yesterday. "Did you give him sedatives?"

"Quarter dose. That seems to be the best balance between keeping him upright and keeping the edge off." Cyborg lightly biffed Beast Boy on the back of the head. "Not that I minded dragging him everywhere."

Beast Boy grinned weakly and elbowed him, then, with an effort, looked at Raven. "Raven – I saw the Beast. I had a dream about him."

Robin said suddenly, "Raven? Did you get any sleep? You don't look rested."

"I'm fine," Raven said. Why did Robin have to look at her so closely? "Just a little tired."

Beast Boy half-rose. "We don't have to –"

Raven glared. "Yes. We do. Go play another game and let me finish eating, then we work."

It was actually another two games as Raven slowly finished her tea and toast, talking to Robin and Cyborg, answering questions from Starfire. They decided that if they got any calls today that Raven and Beast Boy would stay behind, and that Raven's first priority was to help Beast Boy get the voices under control so Cyborg could stop the sedatives.

Finally her breakfast was gone and she couldn't wait any longer. Wishing she were anywhere else, Raven took the remote and turned the television off, then sat on the couch beside an apprehensive Beast Boy.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to him and said, "Tell me about the dream."