AN: Chapter 12 uploaded. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the reviews, keep it up.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans (No apostrophe)

The difficulty it takes to open oneself up to another is underestimated by the common folk. To open up is to unveil your very being, and to who would you entrust the entirety of your self but the person who you would trust with your life.

Chapter 12 – Exposed

Raven stood irascibly in her room, wondering what she could do to pass the day's time. She never realised how much time her meditation took up until now when she was unable to do it. Suddenly there came a tapping at her chamber door. She turned around, facing her door. She knew it was Beast Boy and nothing on earth or below it would make her answer the door.

"Raven I… need to talk to you" murmured Beast Boy. His voice was so soft, so quiet as if it were smoke dissipating into the air. His tone bespoke of great severity, which scratched at Raven's mind. Could she deny that voice? It sounded so solemn, as if coming from a man standing before death's door. Perhaps something else was wrong, Raven thought to herself. Silently she glided towards her door, unsure if she had made the right decision. Using her powers, she opened the door to a crack, the mere shadow of her face piercing through the bare gap.

"Beast Boy?" whispered Raven, quietly. He appeared quite okay to the eye, she thought to herself. She looked into his jade eyes, seeing past the layer of green that had for long haunted her mind. There were a mixture of emotions clashing, none that she could make out. His eyes pierced her own, and she knew that something was deeply troubling him.

"Please…" breathed Beast Boy, his voice like the midnight breeze, wisping ever so softly past Raven's ears. There was something in his voice that dug into Raven's mind. It wasn't his usual whining plea, not a simple cry. She could feel the emotion, the pain behind his voice. It tore at her heart hearing Beast Boy like this. She couldn't deny him what he wanted, not when he was like this.

"Let's talk…" murmured Raven, opening her door, an unspoken invite. Beast Boy stepped in cautiously. Raven didn't want Robin and Starfire to come back and catch them in a conversation. Something told her that what they were going to talk about was something that shouldn't be overheard. She had let Beast Boy into her room, she thought with disbelief. Beast Boy walked past her, his shoulders slumped, as if bearing an immeasurable weight.

"Sit down" muttered Raven, motioning to her bed. Beast Boy sat pathetically on her bed. Raven sat opposite him, so they were looking at each other.

"Beast Boy… what's the matter?" asked Raven softly.

"You are" murmured Beast Boy gazing into Raven's eyes.

"What?" said Raven confusedly.

"Raven… we've known each other for years, yet you still won't open up to me. Why won't you even let me help you?" said Beast Boy quietly.

Raven remained silent. Was this what had caused Beast Boy's dismal state before? If it was, she was shocked that she had hurt him so.

"Is it… because you think that I can't help… because I'm not good enough?" whispered Beast Boy, looking down.

"No! It's not that" replied Raven, startled by the depressive nature of Beast Boy. Since when had the happy boy ever had thoughts of self-doubt?

"Then what is it?" asked Beast Boy, looking at Raven's violet eyes.

"I…" stammered Raven, not sure how to answer. She couldn't tell the truth, could she? She had never revealed herself to anyone, she couldn't start now. But she couldn't lie to Beast Boy. It was clear that he would go on with his false notion of everything being his fault. When did Beast Boy care so much about helping her? When did Beast Boy place himself below her…?

Beast Boy looked down at the bed sheets, taking her silence as admittance. So he wasn't good enough for her. Her opinion mattered so much to him and he wasn't really sure why. He liked her, and he had hoped that she might one day like him. What a fool of a wish. He would never be good enough for her. She was pretty, elegant and smart. And he was… green and useless. His heart was pounding painfully at his chest and he closed his eyes, the silence between the two tearing at his soul.

"I never wanted you to help me because…" started Raven, looking past Beast Boy, afraid to see the person she would be confessing to.

"Because I didn't want you to waste you're time on me. You're a great person. And I'm just a demon" murmured Raven softly.

"Raven… you're not a demon" whispered Beast Boy.

"I am and always will be" muttered Raven.

"Not to me" Beast Boy said, his voice softer than the silence of midnight, softer than the still winds of dawn, softer than the hollow light of the moon glowing from the sky.

Raven looked into Beast Boy's eyes. They were a blazing green, as if emerald fires flickered from them. He stared into her own eyes with such power that she felt his gaze pierce through her, brushing past her heart and seeing into the depths of her soul. She gasped, as if stabbed yet she did not flinch from the intense pair of green eyes. She was lost in them, the emerald had consumed her and she was wandering the confines of green beauty.

"Raven let me help you" breathed Beast Boy, his voice dancing silently through Raven's ears. She no longer had any doubt that he could help her, she had seen the depths of hell and light of heaven in his eyes.

"What troubles you when you're alone? What nightmares weave through your sleep? What makes you moan in terror, and cry out in fear? What words do villains speak that would shatter your mind, and burn your soul? Tell me Raven. Tell me" whispered Beast Boy, his voice held the intensity of fire, and the softness of water.

Raven couldn't hold the truth back any longer. She could no longer deny the deepest of her wishes. All she wanted was to be comforted, to be cared for. All she wanted was to let out the things that had stayed in her mind, and clung there for years. She told him everything. Her fears. Her nightmares. Her thoughts. Beast Boy just sat, taking it all in, his face darkening at each passing sentence. And when everything was said there was silence. It had been much easier to let everything out, than keep them in. Her emotions flowing through her voice rather than through her powers. She felt empty, a hollow vessel. It was horrifyingly alien, yet remarkably wonderful.

Beast Boy remained silence. What was there to say to something like that? He had known Raven had harboured deep feelings, and now she had opened up it had only made things more complicated. But he was happy, happy at last that Raven had opened up to him.

The two sat facing each other. Raven was breathing heavily, Beast Boy was right, he could help her. By just saying all the trappings of her mind to someone who wouldn't scorn her, she felt better. She looked at Beast Boy. His green eyes swirled with compassion. His face was etched with concern. He was handsome no doubt, but it wasn't really his looks that made him. She sighed, wondering why she was thinking about Beast Boy so much.

"Raven… are you… okay?" murmured Beast Boy, concern layering his voice, shattering the silence.

"Yes. Yes I am" replied Raven softly.

The two lapsed into silence once more. They hadn't noticed how close they were. Raven could feel Beast Boy's warmth, and it was comforting. She looked up at his face, noticing the way his hair was ruffled and unkempt. She could feel the slightest touch of his breath. Beast Boy stared into Raven's eyes, the captivating violet consuming him. He saw her violet hair, flowing lustrously down the sides of her face, stopping short. She was so pretty, he thought to himself. They didn't know how long they sat their staring at each other.

"This was the first time you've ever let me into you're room" whispered Beast Boy. Raven remained quiet. Beast Boy moved forward, slowly, his face nearly touching Raven's. He could see every tiny detail, her eyelashes, the smooth surface of her skin, the cracks in her lips. He could feel her breath on him, as soft as autumn leaves drifting down from trees. His heart was racing, his mind urging him on.

Raven could see the tense muscles on Beast Boy's face. She could feel the warmth emanating from his chest, as he leaned over her. She didn't push him away, she didn't repel him nor turn away from him. Her heart was on fire, pounding irascibly against her chest, she felt as if she couldn't breathe. She stared back into his eyes. All she could think about, all she could hear, and the only thing she could see was Beast Boy. She glanced at his lips, closing her eyes and leaning in on him. Suddenly the screeching sound of sirens blared, rousing the pair from their world. Beast Boy looked down.

"I've… got to go…" whispered Beast Boy, glancing at Raven's eyes, before turning away, and leaving her room.

"Bye" murmured Raven to nothing but the air. She sat their confusedly trying to sort out her thoughts and emotions. Images of Beast Boy wandered through her head and Raven sighed. Silently she perched on her bed wondering what the hell had just happened.

AN: What the hell just happened indeed. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and have a good day. BTW, I love British accents.