AN: Thank you for all you're reviews, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans

"A little less conversation, a little more action please"

- Elvis

Chapter 28 – Casual Conversations

Raven woke up suddenly, her eyes flickering open. Another day, another nightmare. They were always the same now, always about her killing Beast Boy. Just another reminder of why she had to do what she was doing. Raven stepped out of bed, walking into the common room. She had to go to Simon's house today, and she wasn't really sure what to make of it. Did this mean they were stepping up the relationship? She didn't know, she had no experience in relationships whatsoever… only Beast Boy's. She reflected on their confrontation the previous night. He had been disbelieving that her relationship with Simon was genuine. He was right of course, but she couldn't let him know. How could she convince him otherwise and force him to throw her away? Raven lifted a cup of tea to her lips, taking a sip of the warm liquid.

Robin walked into the common room, surprised at seeing Raven. It had been a while since she had actually stayed in the Tower after waking up.

"Good morning Raven" greeted Robin, looking at her.

"Morning Robin" replied Raven quietly.

"Glad that you're actually here in the Tower" said Robin.

Raven remained silent. She didn't know what time Simon expected her to be at his place, but she presumed it would be before lunch. She sighed as her mind drifted back to Beast Boy. She had hurt him deeply the night before, but she had her reasons. She was doing the right thing, she told herself. Somehow she had to convince Beast Boy that her relationship with Simon was genuine. She had to become more dedicated, put more effort into him, maybe that would prove to Beast Boy the verity of their relationship. Raven sighed. Could one force themselves to love? She wasn't sure, it was all a grey area for her. Sure she had forced other emotions but love? She wasn't even sure if she'd experienced it, maybe with Beast Boy but she couldn't be sure. How could anybody be sure, she thought to herself. She looked at the clock hanging in the common room.

"It was nice seeing you, but I'm leaving now" muttered Raven to Robin.

"Oh, you heading to that place that I'm not supposed to know about to do things that I'm not allowed to be aware of for reasons that are unknown to me?" asked Robin, raising an eyebrow.

"Basically" replied Raven, before walking out of the Tower.

Robin watched her cloak trail out of the Tower. He had given up trying to get answers from Raven. The only possible source of information he could break would be Beast Boy, and there was no point wasting his time upon the unmovable wall that was Raven. Still he sat down pondering where she always went during the day, opening up the newspaper.

Raven walked briskly through the streets of Jump City. Morning at the city was always enjoyable for her. The fresh air, and soft light of the sun combined to give the entire city a uplifting feel about it. She headed towards Simon's house, trying to recall the brief instructions that he had given her. She hoped they would be doing something other than talking, since she didn't know how she'd ever force herself to love someone who consistently started up pointless conversations. With a sigh she continued walking down the streets of the city, glad that the hustle and bustle that usually afflicted the roads was not present.

Beast Boy opened his eyes sluggishly, enjoying the brief moments after sleep where one's memories seem to fade behind them. Etchings of the past returned back into his mind, ending his reprieve to his disappointment. His thoughts wandered back to the night before, to his conversation with Raven. She had rejected him, thrown him away for another guy. Surely she couldn't really like this Simon, he thought to himself. She had to be trying to force him to turn away from her. It sounded like something Raven would do. Beast Boy sighed, there had to be a way to convince her to return to him, but he had no idea what. When Raven made a decision no one else could possibly force her to change it, not without pure reasoning. And what Beast Boy had in his advantage wasn't reason. He walked slowly out of his room and into the common room, where three heads rose looking questioningly at him.

"Hey dudes…" muttered Beast Boy cautiously, eyeing the looks they were giving him.

"Hello Beast Boy" replied Robin, looking ready to pounce on him.

"Yes indeed, morning of goodness Beast Boy" added Starfire.

"We've been chatting B" started Cyborg.

"And we'd really like to know what you were talking to Raven about yesterday" muttered Robin. He knew it was going to be something about their relationship, but he was sick of being left in the dark.

"We were sorting out a few issues between us" replied Beast Boy, biting into a tofu sandwich.

"That sounds wonderful" cried a delighted Starfire, whose grin faded at the serious looks of Cyborg and Robin.

"Sorting out a few issues?" inquired Robin.

"Yeah" muttered Beast Boy in response.

"What kinda issues?" asked Cyborg.

"Oh you know… the usual, like arguing and stuff" lied Beast Boy.

"Oh really?" replied Robin, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah…" replied Beast Boy.

"And now will you stop the arguing?" asked Starfire.

"Uh…" started Beast Boy.

"Where were you yesterday Beast Boy?" asked Robin, overriding Starfire's question.

"I was um… at the mall watching a movie" lied Beast Boy.

"What movie?" asked Cyborg.

"Oh, one of the new ones, you guys probably wouldn't know it" replied Beast Boy.

"Try me" muttered Robin.

Beast Boy attempted to look at his watch surreptitiously. "Oh, speaking of movies, looks like I've got to go and watch one now!" cried Beast Boy, getting up from the table and heading for the exit.

"Beast Boy we haven't…" exclaimed Robin.

"Sorry dude, I can't miss this movie" called out Beast Boy, before closing the door to the Tower. The other Titans glanced at each other, before returning to their normal activities, their minds still pondering on the many questions that lay there.

Raven sat meekly on a sofa inside of Simon's house. They had had polite conversation, and a little bit of coffee, but otherwise nothing interesting had occurred, not in Raven's books at least. She still didn't know if someone could force love or not, or replicate in any way. But surely there was another way to convince Beast Boy of her and Simon's relationships genuineness. Perhaps she was thinking too practically about love... Raven shook away the thought and looked up as Simon returned from the kitchen with a cup of water for the two of them. He sat down next to her, handing her a glass of water.

"Hi again" said Simon cheerfully, smiling at Raven.

Raven remained silent, taking a sip of water.

"You know, I can't believe that I'm actually going out with you" stated Simon happily.

Raven raised a brow.

"You're like a Teen Titan, one of the coolest. I've got to be one of the luckiest guys out there" continued Simon with a smile, attempting to flatter Raven.

Raven looked him dead in the eye. "You better not be dating me to have me as some sort of prize that you can show off to your friends" muttered Raven, her voice deadly.

"No! No, of course not, I was just saying that I'm really lucky to have such a great girl like you" cried Simon, reassuring Raven.

Raven took her eyes away from Simon's, taking another sip from her glass. She scolded herself in her head. She definitely wasn't helping their relationship look genuine, way to go Raven, she thought to herself. She had to be nicer if she were to stand any chance of convincing Beast Boy to back off, and live his own life.

"Uh… you know when I told my parents that you'd be coming over they were pretty excited" murmured Simon, trying to recover their conversation.

"Really?" said Raven, trying to sound interested.

"Yeah! My mum was going crazy. She's gonna be back from her part-time job in an hour or so. I reckon she's gonna be all over you" continued Simon with increased confidence.

"Oh…" replied Raven, unsure how to respond.

"So you wouldn't mind heading out to the park or something so we can avoid her?" asked Simon cautiously.

"Sure, that's fine" answered Raven.

"Great, let's go" said Simon, standing up. Raven followed suit, ready to head out.

Beast Boy walked swiftly through the mall. Walking always helped him think, but there was never really enough space in the Tower to walk. He preferred the loud ambience of the mall to hang around, it always helped him drown out any unwanted thoughts. Yet still he was unable to throw Raven from his mind. It was like some kind of disease that had formed on his brain, something that couldn't be thrown off unless he cut off a bit of himself. Inadvertently he bumped into someone, and he looked up.

"Sorry" he muttered.

"That's okay" said the girl he had bumped into. She was wearing a black shirt and pants, and her long, dark, silky hair hung abundantly down her back. Beast Boy took a good look at her. Her face was pale, and seemed to accentuate the darkness of her eyes. She was pretty… but not beautiful.

"You're Beast Boy aren't you?" asked the girl with a British accent.

"Uh… yea" replied Beast Boy.

"I don't think I've really met you before. I'm Lenore, but most people call me Len" greeted Lenore.

"Hi Lenore or Len" said Beast Boy.

"I don't mind either" stated Lenore.

"Oh okay…" replied Beast Boy, unsure what to say to the stranger.

"You're quite popular among my friends" said Lenore.

"Oh really?" asked Beast Boy.

"Yes… I'm glad I met you" answered Lenore.

"Uh… me too" said Beast Boy, taking her statement as signal of their parting. He walked off wondering at the strangeness of the moment. It wasn't often he got random people trying to make conversation with him, most people stayed well away from him because of his strange complexion. Beast Boy shrugged it off, for some strange reason Lenore reminded him of Raven, and he really didn't know why. He sighed, his thoughts returning to the violet-haired girl that always seemed to haunt his mind. How could he convince her to return to him? Could he at all? He decided to head back to the Tower, still pondering the questions.

Raven walked next to Simon in the park, the green luscious grass reminding her of her nightmares. She shook the thought from her mind, knowing it would be no good to think of the horrors of her sleep. She wondered what they would be doing at the park, if anything at all.

"I'm glad you decided to come here, it's a great place" said Simon.

"It is, I've always liked it here. Thanks" replied Raven, forcing herself to become involved in the conversation. This was the only way she could ever force herself to like him, let alone love him.

"You want an ice cream?" asked Simon.

"Um… no thanks" replied Raven. Sure she wanted to express the genuineness of her and Simon's relationship, but she had her limits. She had always hated ice cream.

"Oh, okay" muttered Simon, looking a little disappointed.

"Sorry, but I've never really liked ice creams that much" explained Raven.

"That's okay" replied Simon.

"You know, I think it's about time you met my friends" piped up Raven abruptly.

"Your… friends?" inquired Simon.

"The other Titans" extrapolated Raven.

"Oh. I guess that'd be great meeting them" replied Simon.

Raven nodded. "I better go and tell them then" she said, asking permission to leave.

"Sure, go ahead" said Simon.

Raven slowly walked out of the park, her head swirling. She couldn't believe what she had said. She had actually invited Simon to meet her friends. She had to reveal her secret to everyone, all the Titans. Raven shook her head, disbelieving of what she had done on impulse. But surely the other Titans wouldn't mind so much… except Beast Boy. She thought about, if she did tell the others surely that would convince Beast Boy that her relationship with Simon wasn't just a charade. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. Her thoughts flipped to Cyborg and Starfire. Their reactions would be easy enough to handle, and she knew Cyborg would be too afraid to jab her about it. But Robin, he was the only one besides Beast Boy who knew about her relationship with Beast Boy. He would probably see the entire ordeal as something negative, like she had cheated on Beast Boy. Raven sighed, this was her sacrifice and there was no stopping it now.

AN: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and have a lovely day. I've been a fan of Edgar Allen Poe's poems, btw.