AN: Hey there everyone! Well, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it! Please R&R. No flames.
Also, I'm still having a hard time coming up with a title for the story and am all ears for suggestions from my wonderful readers! You guys rock! So, either PM me your story title ideas or just add them in your review. =) This also goes for who Stephen should actually be – Malchior, only in another form, or Slade's newest apprentice? Once I get enough input, I'll make my decision.
And remember, you guys are the ones that keep me writing. If I didn't have your support, well, I wouldn't be able to write. So Thank You!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, I just own the idea for the story. Damn...
Raven traveled through Nevermore, hoping to find answers. How was it possible that Beast Boy, of all people, would have such feelings for her? Until his accident, she'd done nothing but put him down, push him away, threaten his life, and other terrible things.
"Heya, Ravey!" came the all too enthusiastic tone of Happy. "I knew you'd be stopping by sometime soon."
Raven sighed. "Hi, Happy. I was, uh, wondering..."
"Knowledge is where she always is, sitting with those big stacks of books, reading and reading, and never setting aside time to have fun." Happy's smile grew. "Speaking of fun, you've been indulging yourself in a bit of it lately, Ravey."
Raven crossed her arms over her stomach. "Yeah, Stephen's a nice guy. Not to mention intelligent, sweet, kind...."
Happy giggled.
A brow quirked upwards. "And what's so funny?"
"Silly, silly, Ravey. I wasn't talking about him."
"Then who were you talking about?" Raven asked, her brows knitting. Stephen made her feel...happy and content.
Happy rolled her eyes. "I'm talking about Beast Boy, of course!"
"Excuse me?"
Happy smiled. "You have fun with him. You always have, you just never began to truly...enjoy it until lately." Before Raven could speak, she continued, "But Knowledge can explain it better than me, so go find her." And then Happy disappeared.
Raven looked around the brightly colored landscape that was Happy's dominion. The emotion was right, even if it pained Raven to admit it. She had been having fun with Beast Boy...not like the others had known. If anything, Robin had only confronted her about the sudden change in the way her and the changeling interacted and she'd simply said that a middle ground had been found. Her leader had been content with the explanation.
She sighed deeply as she walked the long path through the domain. What was the real difference between having fun and being happy? Raven stopped walking, pondering the question. Perhaps it's because one triggers the other, thereby causing them to practically be intertwined. That was a reasonable explanation, was it not?
Take her first date with Stephen, she'd had fun and had been happy.
Raven had headed to the bookstore after receiving instructions on how to get there from Star. She'd heard of the shop, but had never ventured into it. As with most of the bookstores she'd gone to, Raven knew that it had closed early, since it was a Sunday evening.
Over the last couple of years, she'd acquired more civilian clothing. Cyborg had made her one of his nifty hologram rings so that she could blend in with a crowd, her violet hair turning into luscious black locks, her eyes turned to an incredible shade of blue, her pale skin actually held a bit of a tan to it, giving it a much healthier glow.
Having never been on a blind date – or any date for that matter – Raven had been stumped about what clothing would be appropriate. She highly doubted that the date would go as well as it went, so her wardrobe had been casual. Black cargo pants with a belt that almost matched the one she wore with her uniform, a dark navy blue tank top with a black raven tribal design on the front, with a black leather walking coat over it, and tasteful boots made up her outfit. The cargo pants allow for her to carry around her communicator in case some evil villain decided to reap havoc up Jump City occurred and the team needed her.
She'd landed in an alleyway less than a block away from the shop, her hands diving into the pockets of her jacket as she exited the alleyway, and soon she stood at the entrance to the bookstore. Raven bit her lower lip, feeling nervous, and then walked into the shop. A bell rang as the door closed behind her and a tall, good-looking man looked up from what appeared to be a ledger. They held each other's gazes before he smiled warmly and came out from behind the counter.
"Raven, I presume."
She nodded, extending her hand. "And you must be Stephen."
"I am." He took her hand, shaking it gently, and his eyes swept over her. "You look great."
"Thank you," she replied, a slight blush rising to her cheeks.
Stephen chuckled a bit. "This may seem, odd, to you, but, I'd like to see the real Raven. Don't get me wrong, you look great..." A blush began to creep into his own cheeks. "But you look absolutely beautiful without that facade."
Raven's blush deepened and she fiddled with the hologram ring on her finger for a few minutes before slipping it off. She looked up to Stephen and his smile had grown. He mentioned something about needing to finish something up and that she could look around while he did so. Raven took him up on his request. And as she wandered through the bookshelves, peeping out around the corners of a few to take a look at the 6'0", athletic built, dark brown haired, and bluish-gray eyed Stephen, a smile slipped to her lips.
From there the night had been perfect. And when his lips had connected with her forehead as he dropped her off on the beach, the large T shaped tower in the background, heat had risen to her cheeks. And then she'd agreed to meet him again, a few nights later.
Coming out of the memory, Raven began her journey once more, passing through Happy's domain, than Timid's, then Brave's, and so on. Searching for when she'd had fun with Beast Boy.
"Is it not obvious?" came a voice from her left.
Raven turned to face Knowledge. "If I knew, I wouldn't be here, now would I?" Raven countered.
Knowledge sighed heavily, moving to sit in a not so crowded area, and motion for Raven to sit down as well. Once she had, Raven ran a hand through her hair then let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.
"I'm not sure how to go about things. I agree that my friends need to meet Stephen. It's only right after he and I have been going out as long as we have."
"But?" Knowledge asked.
"Now that I know how Beast Boy feels, or at least I have a good guess of how he truly feels, I..."
"You do not wish to hurt him any further." Raven nodded. "Raven, while he does love you, Beast Boy is doing what is right. Perhaps he has to convince himself that Stephen is in fact a suitable partner for you. Do not forget, his animal instincts tell him first and foremost to protect those he loves."
"I'm more worried about him being jealous."
Knowledge nodded. "And your concern is warranted. A man who has lost that which he wishes for most to another can act or will be jealous. But this is not all you are worried about."
"I don't know what you mean," Raven replied, glancing away, looking to the dirt floor.
"Raven, do not try to fool those who are what makes you." Knowledge removed her glasses, cleaning them, and then placing them back on. "The fun Happy was talking about, was what you've felt and are still feeling with Beast Boy. Your middle ground has been found, which has lead to plenty of wonderful conversations and the like."
"That doesn't mean I'm attracted to him or anything."
Knowledge sighed then stood, reaching her hand out to Raven. "Come with me. It seems the only way you will understand is to see."
Raven took Knowledge's hand and then began to follow her. "See? See what, exactly?"
"And she just agreed to ask him?" Robin said, rather surprised at how smoothly everything had gone between Beast Boy and Raven.
Gar nodded. "Yeah. Rae said that she'd ask him."
"Wow, B. I thought for sure that she would've yelled at your or something," Cyborg admitted.
"Yes. I even prepared the bandaging for any wounds that she might have come to inflict upon you," Star added.
Gar frowned. So much for his friends having faith in him. "She agreed that we needed to meet him. Mission accomplished."
"Don't you mean phase one is accomplished?" Robin asked, meeting Gar's gaze.
"Well, uh...." He sighed. "Doesn't hurt to run a background check, right? I mean, Cy, could check the Jump City High data base for any Stephen's in their Senior year there who'll be going on to Jump City Community College. And, I could use my hologram ring to maybe go see if that bookstore really exists..."
Robin's hand rubbed his chin, before he gave a nod. "I suppose that'd be fine. Just be careful. If this guy does pose a threat, well..."
"I know," came Gar's voice. "It'll take a lot of convincing to get Raven to believe it." He turned his back to them, looking out the large window in the Common Room. "Take it from someone who knows..."
A robed figure moved down the old, cobblestone steps with haste. His hands fumbled with the keys to open the old door, but once the right one was found, he slid it into the lock, and the click that occurred told him the door was unlocked.
He stepped inside and then shut the door behind him. Eyes gazed around at the many burning candles set in a perfect circle around the outlined area, each one hitting one point of the pentagram. He moved over to a table, pouring the final ingredients into a bowl. A whimper sounded and he looked to his left, a steely cold look upon his face as he gazed over at the bound and gagged girl in the corner.
"Do not worry," came the voice, just above a whisper, and he moved towards girl, the bowl in his hand. "This will all be over soon." He set the bowl down the bowl onto the cobblestone floor, then reached behind him, producing a ceremonial dagger. The girl's eyes widened, but before she could do anything, the man's lightning fast reflexes slit the girl's throat, and then moved the bowl to catch the right amount of drops.
A satisfied smirk formed on his lips, placing the bowl on the floor once again, before taking the dagger and carving a pentagram into her forehead. Picking up the bowl once more, he moved back over to the table, stirring and mashing everything.
Soon, he thought. Soon.
Dun! Dun! Dun! Cliffy, I know. So, what'd ya think? Please R&R! No flames!