Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the Teen Titans or any characters in the DC Universe.

"You mean right now?" He said as stood back up.

The sorceress nodded silently.

"So, what do I do?"

"Just lie on down on your bed, facing up."

He complied with her request, his hands folded across his navel.

"I'm going to place you in a trance. It'll help calm your mind and make my job easier."

"So you're going to be inside me, right?"

"My soul self will be in your mind."

Beast Boy looked apprehensive. "So how long is this going to take?"

"I'm not sure, but you won't be aware of it. You'll fall asleep and wake up. You'll be fine, nothing will happen to you."

"I know Raven, it's not that."

She raised one of her eyebrows.

"I feel like I'll be naked, you know, exposed."

"Garfield, I've already seen you naked, and you've seen me as well."

"But that was in the infirmary. This is different, it's very … intimate. You'll know me better than anyone."

"Don't I already?"

He sighed. "I suppose so. I'm just afraid of what you'll find in there."

She absentmindedly ran her fingers through his hair. "Don't worry. I can handle anything I find in there. Now close your eyes and relax."

"Ok." He said submissively. "See you on the other side."

He closed his eyes and Raven placed her right hand on his forehead, and a purple glow emanated from it. He suddenly felt drowsy and within 5 seconds he was asleep.

Pleasant dreams green bean.

Raven stepped back, admiring her green friend. She then sat on the floor in the Lotus position and began to softly chant her mantra. Soon enough her soul self emerged. She could see her physical body, still as a statue while she floated over to Beast Boy's sleeping form, hovering over him.

Raven was having strange feelings, but shook them off.

Stick to the task Raven.

Raven then plunged into Beast Boy's mind. At first everything around her was a swirl, like a dark whirlpool. She forced her way through it and soon she began to see blurry images and hear muffled sounds, many were jumbled together and overlapped.

The darkness lifted and she saw some children playing in a stream, laughing and giggling. All of them, except for one were African. The lone standout was a small blond boy, no older than six or seven. They were chatting away in a native tongue Raven did not recognize. She turned around, surveying her surroundings and saw a village not too far away. She was enjoying the happy emotions that she sensed from the children, until they were suddenly shattered. The children's laughter was replaced with terrified screams. Raven turned around just in time to see a green mandrill leap in the air and land on the blond boy, sinking its huge fangs into his left shoulder.

It grew dark again and when the light returned she was levitating above a canoe, which carried a small green boy, who she recognized as the blond boy in the previous vision. The current in the river was swift and two Caucasian adults were paddling frantically, trying to reach the river bank and failing. The thunderous sound of a waterfall could be heard not too far away.

"Garfield, change into a bird and fly away!" The woman shouted at him.

"Do what you mother says!" The man ordered him. "Fly away!"

The little boy looked confused, but obeyed. He morphed into a hummingbird and flew to the riverbank and resumed his human form. He watched in horror as the canoe went over the waterfall.

"Mommy! Daddy!" He screamed in terror as he saw them for the last time.

The curtain of darkness returned and when it lifted she saw a very young Beast Boy, surrounded by the Doom Patrol. Mento stood in front of him with an angry look on his face.

"I'm sorry Garfield, but you going to have to leave."

The changeling removed his mask, revealing his tear stained face.

"You're kicking me off the team?"

"I'm sorry Garfield, but you've become a liability."

"What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go?" the boy sobbed.

"Here's airfare to Jump City. Once you're there, you're on your own…."

It then became dark once more and she felt fear, rejection and a sense of despair so intense that she herself almost began to cry. The despair began to consume her as if it were her own.

Why didn't you ever tell us Garfield? Why didn't you ever tell me?

With no warning the darkness vanished. She saw Titan's island, right after the Gordanian attack. Then she gasped as she saw herself smiling gently.

"You're funny!"

"Wanna hear a joke?"

Raven choked back a happy sob as the scene changed again, once again becoming pitch black. This time she saw quick flashes, all of herself.

"To beat up the idiot telling jokes."

"Beast Boy has a brain?"

"You're still not funny."

"She thinks I'm funny!" - "Statistically, someone had to."

"You're green, your ears are pointed and you have fangs!"

Raven closed her eyes and wiped away the tears from her face.

I'm so sorry Garfield. Please forgive me.

Raven suddenly felt a presence behind her and before she could turn around she heard a voice.

"He forgave you a long time ago, Raven daughter of Trigon, even though you never deserved it."

She shrieked as she spun around.

"You're the Wild Man!"

"Why do you seek me, demoness?"

The accusation caught Raven off guard, but she quickly recovered. "I'm not a demon, I'm a girl." She challenged him.

"Are you?" He replied. "Whatever strand of humanity that existed in your soul is lost, unrecoverable."

"That's not true!" she protested.

"And what do you call the darkness that dwells within you?"

"Garfield!" She cried. "Why are you doing this to me? Stop it!"

"You have hurt him Raven; you have treated him like dirt for years."

"You think I don't know that?" She screeched. "I have to live with that guilt every day! I would take it all back if I could."

"What's done is done."

"GARFIELD!" She screamed. "I'm sorry, I really am! Please forgive me."

"He cannot hear you. Ask him again when he is awake. Now I ask you again, why do you seek me?"

Raven composed herself before answering.

"What's happening to Garfield?"

"Nothing that shouldn't be happening to him."

"Don't tell me that! In less than a week he's gone from being a boy to becoming a man! And I know you have something to do with this."

"I am not the root of his change, he is."

"How can that be? He doesn't understand what's happening."

"He doesn't need to."

Raven was growing frustrated with the shrouded stranger who insisted on speaking in riddles.

"Then explain to me how this all happened."

"It's quite simple Raven. It all began when you drowned and he saved you. He felt powerless and had to let the monster out and become the Beast. He rightly fears the mindless predator and wanted an alternative."

"And that's when his subconscious found you."

"That is correct. He will no longer need the Beast or any of his animal forms, for he has found his true self. Primal but not mindless, wild but not brutal, noble but not tame."

"He's becoming a Wild Man. But how can that be? When he becomes the Beast it's only temporary. This transformation is … permanent. " She asked.

"The Beast is temporary because his animal forms are temporary. His new form is permanent because it is him, his true self that's been struggling to emerge."

Raven was troubled by where this conversation was going, but wasn't quite ready to walk away yet.

"It's more than his appearance that's changed. He's on the verge of becoming a carnivore. At first I thought it was the Beast coming out, but I think you are behind this as well."

"You are perceptive Raven." He replied. "The hunter's instinct in him is human, and not animal in its origin."

"As is all this nonsense of finding his mate."

"It is not nonsense. A truly primal man needs a mate. One who will make him whole and complete, who will become one with him in mind, body and soul."

"But he's still a boy!"

"Your own feelings betray that you do not believe that Raven!"

Raven stepped back in shock. "How do you know?"

"Do you really believe that your actions have gone unnoticed? The way you look longingly at him?"

"You're exaggerating!" She replied in a feeble attempt to discredit him.

"If I'm wrong then you won't be upset with what I am about to tell you."

"About what?" Raven snapped. His riddles once again were getting to her.

"That he has not chosen you to be his mate."

Raven felt a cold shiver go down her spine.

"Why?" She replied without thinking.

"Because Raven, you are not worthy of him."

Raven pointed at the man, who remained shrouded in the mist. Her face was contorted in unfiltered anger.

"That's a lie!"

"He will never be yours Raven. You are wrong for him. You do not respect him and have always bullied him. He will become stronger than you, stronger than any of the Titans. He deserves a mate who will be his complement. You do not complete him Raven. The most you can ever be is his friend, nothing more."

Raven was fighting back her tears, but wasn't about to give up without a fight.

"You're wrong. He's mine. I won't let you take him away from me! Who the hell are you to tell me that I'm wrong for him?"

The Wild Man stepped forward out of the mist and revealed himself fully. His skin was green and between his beard and hair she recognized his face, his unmistakable eyes pierced her soul as if he had thrust his spear into her.

"No, it can't be!"

"Yes Raven, it can. I am Garfield, for he and I are now one and inseparable."

"Raven?" Beast Boy moaned as he woke up. He slowly propped himself up by his elbows and scanned his room.

"Raven, where are you?" He asked again as he sat up, swinging his legs around and placing them on the floor. He felt unusually groggy and his surroundings were blurry. As the room came into focus it was evident she was gone.

Beast Boy glanced at his clock and saw that 4 hours had passed since Raven entered his mind. He was ravenously hungry and decided to try the common room, as it was dinner time. He trudged out his door and made his way down the hallway. He stopped by Raven's room and knocked on her door, but there was no response. He listened carefully and heard nothing in her room, not even breathing.

The double doors in the common room slid open as the changeling entered. His nostrils were greeted by the aroma of a pot roast Cyborg had made for dinner, and he savored the fleshy scent as he made his way in. Robin and Starfire were already seated at the table and were beginning to serve themselves.

"Yo Grass Stain! I didn't know you'd be joining us. Sorry man, you'll have to make your own dinner."

"All we have to sup on is the roast of the pot, the name of which confuses me as friend Cyborg did not roast it nor cook it in a pot."

Beast Boy sat down and helped himself to a large helping of the tender beef, skipping the potatoes and vegetables and drenched it in a rich brown gravy. He sat down and began to eat it.

"Beast Boy!" Robin shouted. "You know that's meat, right?"

The changeling nodded silently as he continued to eat. He quickly cleaned his plate.

"Damn that was good. Thanks Cy."

Starfire looked astounded. "Beast Boy, since when do you partake of the eating of the meat?"

"Since now Star." He replied between gulps of lemon-lime soda. "Anyone seen Raven?"

"We thought she was with you. You guys hang out all the time now." Robin answered.

"Oh yes!" Starfire chimed in. "Are you now the boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Beast Boy pondered the question for a moment before deciding to disregard it.

"I need to find her."

"What is the matter, friend Garfield? Is Raven OK?"

"I don't know." He replied absentmindedly as he left the room. "I'll be back later."

"Would you like another cup of tea Miss Raven?" the waiter asked.

Raven looked up from the book she was pretending to read.

"No thanks. I'd like the check please."

Raven had been hiding at the "depressing café" since she ran out of Beast Boy's room earlier that afternoon. She had spent the past 3 hours trying to reconcile with what she had experienced in her green friend's head, and was failing.

The rejection had stung her like a whip, and she refused to believe that the Wild Man had told her the truth. She was certain that somehow she was a threat to him but try as she did she couldn't figure out why. She was certain that she wasn't an impediment to Beast Boy's transformation, if anything she had been its catalyst.

The sorceress paid her tab and left the café, and began to wander aimlessly downtown, drawing stares from the local citizenry who were not used to being this close to the mysterious Titan. She lost track of time as she crisscrossed the city's center, until she was snapped out of her trance by a familiar voice.

"I've been looking everywhere for you."

She looked up at his now rugged face.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself. Where did you go? I've been worried sick looking for you."

She gently stroked his forearm, almost apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to worry."

"Why didn't you answer my telepathic calls Raven?"

She sighed softly. "I needed to be alone."

He regarded her with suspicion.

"What happened in my head? Something bad happened in there. Tell me."

She looked deep into his eyes before responding.

"Walk with me." She requested him. "Please."

"Sure." He replied as he took her hand in his. "So did you find him?"

"I did."

"So what happened?"

"I didn't learn much." She lied to him.

"So what did you find out?"

"That you need a mate."

"Huh? I do?"

"Apparently so. The wild man appears to be taking over your whole person. It's like you're becoming him."

"I ate meat for dinner. And I liked it."

She looked at him with an alarmed expression. "Garfield, are you OK with all this? The changes have been coming fast and frequently."

They had reached a small park and he led her to a small bench. He motioned her to sit down and joined her, both gazing at the shimmering bay that was visible from the bench.

"I kind of like it, but you're right about the changes coming quickly. Still there are some things that are bugging me."

"Like what?"

"Robin and Cyborg are getting on my nerves. They keep bossing me around and I don't like it."

"I don't think their behavior has changed."

"So it's all in my head? I dunno."

She shook her head. "I didn't say that you were imagining it. What's happened is that you've changed. You used to be content with your place on the team, but I can see that's no longer true."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe understanding what's happening will help."

The changeling sighed. "I'll try to no let them bug me. So why did you run away? You seem … disturbed Raven. Did something happen to you while you were in there?"

She nodded and began to sob.

"I'm so sorry." She whimpered. "Please forgive me."

"For what?"

"For everything mean and cruel I've ever done to you."

"That was a long time ago Raven. We were kids. Kids do things like that. It's no big deal."

She choked a sob before rebuking him. "Don't lie to me Garfield. I was in your mind. I know how much I hurt you. And don't say it was nothing!"

He stroked his jaw, processing what she had said.

"OK, it's true, you did hurt me. But it's alright Raven, I've already forgiven you."

"Why?" She asked incredulously.

"Because you've always been special to me, that's why. I always knew that the angry girl on the outside wasn't the real you."

She took his now large and beefy hand with hers two small hands and squeezed it.

"Do you love me Garfield?"

She saw the look of surprise on his face.

"Well yeah, sure I do. You're my best friend."

Of course.

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh." He fumbled for his next words. "Gee Raven, if you mean romantically, then uh... gee, uh"

"The word you're looking for is 'no'." she deadpanned.

"I'm sorry Raven. You wouldn't want me to lie to you, right?"

She wiped away a few tears. "No, of course not. But it still hurts."

Beast Boy grimaced. "I wish it could be different Raven."

"I know, and that's why I love you."

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead, gently rocking her.

"You hungry?"

"I thought you just ate."

"Yeah, but I'm still hungry. I'll let you pick."

"I wouldn't mind some Chinese food." She sniffled.

"Sound's great to me. I've always wondered what Kung Pao Chicken tastes like."

"Not like tofu." She chuckled.

"And how about a movie after dinner?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Then it's a date!" He smiled.

"I didn't know that best friends went out on dates." She smiled bravely.

He hugged her again.

"Romances come and go, but best friends, they last a lifetime."

Sorry for this shorter update. I've got some busy days up ahead, and don't know when the next update will be.

And for all you lurkers our there (you know who you are!), thanks for reading, but please post reviews! They're the currency of fan fiction, and from my calculations only 1 out of 100 of you are posting a review.