AN: Here's Chapter 15! Hope you guys enjoy it. Also, I always use guys in it's generic form.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans

"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."

Allan K. Chalmers

Chapter 15 – Too Close, Too Late

Raven sat on the common room couch, a book in her hands, reading. She bounced her leg against the cushiony surface in anxiety. The other Titans still hadn't arrived back yet, and it was already way past noon. Could something have happened to them? She hoped that Beast Boy was okay… Raven looked up from her book, at the sun, trying to purge any incoming thoughts of the changeling. The sprightly boy kept bouncing back and forth through her head, and it was driving her nuts. It wasn't so much the fact that she was thinking of Beast Boy, but more the fact that she couldn't control it. She saw the door to the Tower slowly open, revealing four figures. Raven drew in a shuddered breath, as she saw Beast Boy.

Beast Boy was covered in blood, his face almost unrecognisable under the layers of thick copious blood flowing from what seemed to be every pore of his face. He was being held up by Robin and Starfire, who carefully placed him on the couch. Raven looked at him, her heart pounding painfully against her chest. He couldn't be dead, could he? Raven shut her eyes, trying to block out the image of the shattered changeling, but the picture of Beast Boy shone through her mind. It was all her fault, if she had helped the others out then none of this would have happened. Instead she was content to sit on her arse and worry about herself losing control. How selfish could she be? She opened her eyes, again unable to tear her gaze from Beast Boy's closed eyes.

"Raven…" murmured Robin softly, as if trying to wake her from a trance.

"What happened?" whispered Raven, her voice layered with aching pain and emotion.

"He's not dead" said Robin, trying to sooth Raven.

"I'm not sure. It looked like he was fighting some kinda black... thing, I couldn't really make what it was out from far. After I shot the thing it just became mass of black goo" replied Cyborg quietly.

"Whatever it was, it beat him up pretty bad" muttered Robin.

"Will our friend be alright?" asked Starfire concernedly.

"He will be. But it will take a while, Cyborg will have to nurture him back to full health" said Robin, his face darkening.

Raven looked at Beast Boy. Memories of him flooded through her mind. Their arguments. Their talks. His anecdotes. His sprightly nature. His smiling face. His deep green eyes. His soft lips. Their near-kiss. She felt her breath shudder as sorrow overwhelmed her. Raven forced it back, she had to remain in control.

"I can heal him" murmured Raven to the congregation.

"Raven, we can't let you do that. The strain on you're body could kill you" muttered Robin sternly.

Raven turned back to Beast Boy, and held out her hands, summoning her power to her mind. Robin flinched, as if halting an attempt to restrain Raven. The others watched on, powerless to stop the proceedings. Raven felt her energy flow out from her, feeling no effect, though she knew that the toll would come as soon as the healing was complete.

It had been almost half an hour. Raven still stood, her healing energy seeping steadily from her, flowing over Beast Boy's body. The other three Titan's watched wearily. Raven suddenly stopped. It had been done. Beast Boy was healed. Her breathing was heavy against her chest, the strain of her heavy use of her power finally taking its extreme toll on her. She could feel her energy, her strength seeping away from her, until she thought that she couldn't lose anymore, but still it slipped away from her. She slumped to the ground, fainting as pure fatigue overwhelmed her. Everything had gone black, and she hit the floor.

Robin jumped up quickly, running over to Raven. She stirred slightly, letting out a soft groan.

"Raven are you okay?" asked Robin, standing beside the fallen Titan.

"I need to rest" she croaked, standing up unsteadily.

"Yeah…" muttered Cyborg.

"I'm going to my room" Raven said, "and I'll take Beast Boy to his room" she added.

"Raven, you cannot…" cried Starfire, her voice trailing off as Raven levitated out of the room, carrying Beast Boy in a ball of black energy.

Raven had reached a new level of fatigue. She couldn't walk, she knew that, but her mind powers were still intact. She was thankful that her telekinesis used the energy of her mind, rather than that of her body. It would have been horrible to have had her friends carry her to her room. She was almost too weary to think, her thoughts giving way to the feeling of pain and fatigue in her limbs, and body. Raven slipped into Beast Boy's room, hoping he wouldn't mind. She placed him gently on his bottom bunk bed, and sat tiredly on the mattress.

Raven reached out to her telekinetic powers, using them to dissolve the blood and dirt that had hardened on Beast Boy's green face. She looked at him, severely glad that he looked better now. If Beast Boy had been hurt beyond repair she would have been haunted forever with her own guilt and regret. Not that she already wasn't. Raven still blamed herself for Beast Boy's misfortune, knowing that she could have helped him, like old times. She sighed, gazing at Beast Boy's closed eyes. He looked so peaceful when his intense green eyes weren't burning into hers. Beast Boy's eyes flickered open, emerald green stabbing into violet.

"Raven…" he whispered, his voice filled with emotion, care, and tenderness. His eyes replicating the tone of his voice, though there was a touch of sadness there.

Raven's stomach lurched as she heard his soft voice. She hadn't been ready for it, and when his voice had washed over her ears with its pleasant tones her heart quickened.

"Sleep" murmured Raven, as she watched Beast Boy's eyes close. She sighed, floating out of the room and heading for her own. She hadn't felt the strange mix of nervousness, excitement, euphoria and breathtaking exhilaration that had gripped her when she had heard Beast Boy's voice. Maybe she really did have feelings for him? But they were so mismatched, it couldn't make sense… could it? Maybe she was wrong in thinking that they were so different. Or maybe she was wrong in thinking that so different people could ever be together. But she was a demon, she was not supposed to love or be loved. Raven slumped pathetically onto her bed, wondering about Beast Boy. The thought of her being with Beast Boy sounded absurd in her head. She closed her eyes, preparing herself for sleep. Raven and Beast Boy, she thought to herself. The concept wasn't one that bothered her much at all.

Outside in the common room, the three Titans discussed what had happened, each looking concerned.

"Do you know what happened to Beast Boy?" asked Robin darkly.

"I only just arrived before that black thing I was talkin' about finished Beast Boy off. I couldn't really make it out" answered Cyborg, looking down.

Beast Boy can handle himself fine. What was it that overwhelmed him but was taken down by just one sonic blast?" wondered Robin aloud.

"I dunno" shrugged Cyborg, hoping the team leader would come up with one of his trademark revelations.

"Raven was quite distressed upon seeing Beast Boy" said Starfire.

"Can't be surprised though. He was beat pretty bad" replied Cyborg.

"It was lucky you arrived in time" muttered Robin.

"I got there as fast as I could, as soon as you called for my help I revved the T-Car to its max" said Cyborg.

Robin looked down at his watch. "You guys wanna go get some pizza?" he asked abruptly, breaking the mood of the conversation.

"Yea, I'm dead hungry" answered Cyborg, rubbing his metal stomach.

"Will our friends be okay without our assistance?" questioned Starfire concernedly.

"They'll be fine, they just need to rest" replied Robin, already heading out of the tower with Cyborg. Starfire joined them, looking back at the common room doors before flying to Robin's side.

Raven woke up, having only had an extraordinarily short sleep. She could never sleep after waking up, so she stepped out of bed. Her limbs ached, and she still felt fatigue in her chest, but she could walk. Slipping out of her room, she entered the common room. No one was there. Raven let out a sigh of relief, she really hadn't been looking forward to the cries of worry and concern from her friends, which she knew would come. She left the common room, heading for the roof, where she could relax while watching the sun set.

Raven stepped out onto the roof, sitting cross-legged on the edge of the platform. The sun was beautiful today, slowly bowing below the horizon, its pink and orange rays splurging the skies with stunning hues. She gazed at the clouds, their fluffy exteriors dissipating into the colourful light. Without warning she felt a sudden recoiling from her mind as if it were attempting to escape an oncoming shadow stretching out to envelope it.

"Hello Raven" whispered a voice in her head.

Raven gasped, her heart bursting into action, fear gripping her mind and body like a vice. A white-masked and clothed man appeared in front of her. Though no eyes pierced through the white mask, Raven felt as if a malicious glare was issuing from the villain's eyes. The Telepath was back.

"What do you want?" cried Raven, her voice shuddering slightly at the end of her sentence.

"Vengeance" screamed the voice in her head, blasting through the canals of her thoughts and shattering the solitude of her mind. She closed her eyes as the ear-splitting thought projected by her enemy, flooded through her mind. She felt a sudden pain at her chin, as the telepath landed a hefty kick to her face, knocking her across the roof.

"Raven, Raven, Raven… it's a lovely day to die"

Beast Boy opened his eyes, stepping tiredly out of his bed. He felt his face, there was no blood, no damage. His mind was in disarray, what had happened since he had blacked out? Why was he… unharmed? Tiredly, he walked out of the room, sweeping into the common room. He looked around, finding it odd that no one was around. Beast Boy sighed, completely disoriented. He sniffed the air, picking up Raven's recent scent, and he followed it hoping she could deliver some answers on what was going on.

Raven stepped back, her foot finding the edge of the roof. She could not retreat any further. The Telepath grabbed her by the throat, holding her up in the air. She was choking, she couldn't breathe, her lungs burned for air but none came in. Instinctively she kicked out, forcing the villain to release his grasp on her. Raven rubbed her neck, still feeling the burn of the man's iron grip around her throat. Could she fight him? She couldn't, he was the one she had lost control to, and she had nearly destroyed the entire block. If she lost control now, she'd destroy the Tower… and kill Beast Boy. No, she couldn't fight, at least not with her powers.

"Little demon, I will get my revenge" muttered the voice maliciously in her head. The telepath launched himself at Raven, landing punch after kick, and kick after punch. She wanted to kick him, to block his attacks but she was too tired. Her fatigue from healing Beast Boy still remained heavy in her chest and she did not have the strength to fight back. She was weak and weary. Each hit that exploded into her added to her accumulating pain. Sorrow and anger grew in her, and she fought to keep them at bay.

"It's over" muttered a quiet voice in her head. The telepath swung around, landing a final kick to her chest, and she flew across the platform.

"Raven!" came Beast Boy's voice, as he appeared on the roof, watching her fly off. She caught a glimpse of the green changeling engaging the telepath before she dropped past the roof. And she was falling, falling for what seemed an eternity. Her body and mind were battered and weary. She didn't care anymore, she just wanted to sleep, to end it all. What was the point of fighting the inevitable, one demon lost is no loss to anyone, she thought to herself, as she closed her eyes awaiting her doom.

Her back smashed against the top layer of water, and she drifted down, her cloak wrapping around her back, as she fell deeper into the water, deeper into the darkness. Beast Boy flashed through her mind. The conversations they had had. The care he showed her. His selfless acts. His handsome features. His unforgettable face. His heart-warming smile. His breathtaking eyes. Those consuming emerald eyes that she loved and hated. She would never see him again. Never hear his voice again. Never look into his eyes again. Never touch him. Never hold him. Never kiss him. Silent tears flowed from her eyes, as water engulfed her, and she felt her heart painfully beat against her chest as it called for air. She was going to die in the darkness of the water. She was going to die before saying goodbye to her friends. She was going to die… alone. She felt something, but she could no longer hold her breath any more. Her lungs filled with water. And all went black.

AN: Oh no! Will Raven survive? Tune in next week for our weekly broadcast. Thanks for the reviews guys, and have a lovely day - I'm dead tired.