Sting

)O(

Raven felt like hitting her head on her book repeatedly.

She knew that school was hard (although significantly less hard for someone who had spent most of her childhood in solitary study), but how in the world was she supposed to know that writing a twenty page paper was about as exhausting as trying to win a 200 meter dash against Kid Flash? She sighed and closed her book, throwing it into the corner of her L-shaped sofa and glaring at it.

It didn't matter how interesting the topic was, she just couldn't focus.

She leaned back into the cushions and stared at the ceiling, feeling strange. She was irritable, she knew that at least, and something inside her ached violently as the silence wrapped around her like the cold, November air outside her apartment. Across the stretch of the city, far away from her own neighborhood, Raven knew the team was fighting what was left of the HIVE. And while the HIVE was usually fairly easy to bring down (Gizmo's ego was their biggest flaw), sometimes they put of a pretty good fight. Raven had sustained a few broken bones and concussions from the force of some of their attacks.

Ignoring the strange, cold feeling in the pit of her stomach, she stood up and turned on her stereo (a vain and pointless purchase, she knew, but music was said to sooth the soul so she justified it somehow) to listen to soft jazz. She let the slow, warm sound of piano slide over her as she looked out her dirty windows to the stretch of street below her. Once in awhile a siren pierced the soft, raspy cadence of Billie Holiday's voice.

At wail of the fifth siren, she began to pace, her bare feet cold and quiet on the hardwood.

An hour passed and she picked up her phone to check the screen. No calls. No messages. Not that she expected there to be messages, especially since he was in the heat of battle, but something about not having any notification worried her. Shaking her head, she sat back down on the sofa and pulled her knees to her chest.

She was just being paranoid.

Raven had spent over four years of her life fighting beside the Titans, she knew that they could handle themselves against a bunch of upstart punks who thought the world belonged to them. They were strong and determined, they knew what they were doing. Hell, it was their job to save the world. Besides, Jinx and Kid Flash had proven themselves over and over again. It was fine, she had nothing to be worried about.

But still…

That sinking feeling in her stomach persisted.

A brief moment passed where she considered doning her uniform again. Stupid, silly idea. She'd promised herself never to do that again, that she had given up that part of her life. But then again, she had never been in a position where she was so helpless. She'd never been on the other side of the fence, waiting to see what would happen during a battle. Who would make it home and who wouldn't.

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on her knees, whispering her mantra as if it were a prayer.

A slow, tired knock resounded from her door.

Raven jumped up from the sofa and stood in the living room as if time had stood still, and stared at the door. The knock came again and she moved towards the worn wood door as if it were the lid of a coffin. Taking a deep breath to still her nerves, she opened it slowly. Beast Boy leaned against the frame, gasping for air as blood spilled from gashes and cuts spread across his body. His eyes were closed as he fought against pain wracking his body.

"You're home."

"Gar, what in the hell are you doing here!" Her arms wrapped around him and she helped his shaking body into her small apartment. She set him down on her sofa, her hands instinctively going to pull the shreds of his uniform off his body. She had to see how bad the damage was before she could try to help him. "You should be in the infirmary, not at my apartment. What were you thinking?"

"I had to see you." His hands buried in her hair and he tilted her head up to look at him, eyes dark and hollow. "I had to see you," he repeated. "I…" His voice trailed off and he sealed his lips around hers, desperately seeking solace and comfort in her kiss.

Raven could taste blood mingled with the deepest, bitterest sadness in his kiss. Salt and dirt from tears slid from his cheeks to hers. His hands went to her waist, and he pulled at her clothing, trying to reach out and touch every inch of her he could.

He wasn't fiery and forceful with her, but slow and insistent, as if being with her body was the only part of peace and relief he had left in the world. He said nothing to her as his hands tightened on her hips and moved her body to the plush area rug beneath them, pulling off the rest of his clothing. Raven stared up into his face, letting him take his time as he undressed her, running his fingers over her skin as he kissed down her sternum, his lips lingering over her heart. He touched and caressed her, but never met her confused stare.

He entered her body without a sound, burying his face into her neck as he made love to her. It was slow and careful, as if she was something precious that should be cherished and handled with care. Like she was breakable. It was nothing like the last time they had sex, hard and fast on her office floor, both seeking release for the fire burning white-hot inside them. He had done such delicious and forbidden things to her then, but now he was cradling her soul, running his hands over her body to just touch her.

It felt like hours before his body gave into pleasure and he released himself, whispering into her neck, as sweat, tears, and blood mingled together between their skin.

"Gar…" Her fingers ran through his hair and he pulled away to look at her. Raven could feel the hollowness inside him consume her, claw against her powers like needles, and she knew that something terrible had happened. Her eyes searched his, and she leaned up to kiss him, trying to erase whatever darkness was wrapping around him now.

"I lost her." His words were almost silent as he whispered into her shoulder, looking away from Raven's stare. "She died in my arms. I tried to save her, tried to… I tried everything I could think of, but she still died."

Raven felt his limbs tremble around her, and she ran her fingertips slowly down his back. Collateral damage was always something they had to contend with as superheroes, and death came with the job. It was rare, but when it did happen, and innocent bystanders lost their lives, the team as a whole took the hit. Beast Boy always took deaths the worst; he always had the fantastical idea that every life could be saved.

It was a fairy-tale notion, and tonight was proof of that.

"It's not your fault, Garfield," she whispered into his ear. "You tried to save her, that was all anyone could ask for. You did the best you could."

His body shook as his arms tightened around her, silent sobs wracking his body as tears crashed against the bare skin on her shoulders. "She shouldn't have died. I shouldn't have let that happen. She was so young. Too young."

"Shh." Her hands ran down his back again and she kissed his neck, blood and sweat mingling with loss and love on her tongue. Her own heart twisted under the force of her emotions, and she knew what she had to do to make this right. "Stay here tonight. In my arms. I'll comfort you, I'll keep you safe."

He nodded, his arms tightening around her as Billie Holiday continued to serenade their war-torn souls.

Our love is different dear / To me it's almost heavenly / Let us guard it ever preciously / Even jealously / While we may / A love like ours dear heart / The angels send / And as I know dear heart / That it won't ever end

)O(

I thought it was time that this story had something with a little more substance, I hope I didn't disappoint. The song was Our Love is Different, by Billie Holiday.

Anyway, thanks for reading and let me know what you think!