Alright, so, this should progress things. And my story is probably going to end up shorter then intended. Oh well. It'll still be pretty long anyways, just not, like, 20 chapters long like my other stories. Enjoy! IT WAS SO ANNOYING TO WRITE IN STARFIRE'S THOUGHTS! UGH! NEVER AGAIN!

Chapter 10
"Not A Secret Anymore"

My friend has been missing for many days now. In Earth-terms, it is estimated around 20,160 minutes. In my Tamaranian terms, there are far too many characters in which you would not understand, and therefore, these shall not be mentioned.

Although Raven and I might not have seemed close to an outsider, like the people who inhabit this city that do not understand us, but friend Raven and I had an . . . as the people of this planet would say, 'intricate' or 'delicate' situation in which have, so to speak 'implanted ourselves into'. Friend Raven was- is one of my very first and very closest of companions. Although an outsider would have seen the cold, distant female in which friend Raven had resigned herself into becoming, I saw the hurt that was hidden somewhere inside of the anatomy she wore. Or, her 'soul' as Robin taught me. Since I have known my friend, she has distanced herself from us. She has tried to hide some secret that she wishes no other but herself to know, or maybe someone who is not me, but I believe . . . she has hidden it poorly. I do believe the others believe this facade, but as a former outsider myself, someone who is not from this planet has noticed that she does not act as other happy, cheerful Earthlings. She acts, as I have said before, very distant and fearful of something.

I cam to learn of the tragedies my other fellow 'teammates' as they are referred through the people themselves. I was humbled and honored to be trusted with such secrets, and took it upon myself to listen without 'biased' (I can not say that I truly know what this word means) or 'pre-set' opinions. I believe there are few Teen Titans left that have not shared with me their past stories. One of them being friend Raven, and the other the enchantress (I do in fact know what this word means; Robin explained it to me) named Jinx. Even her significant other (I believe he is) Kid Flash, has shared with me his story. Quite freely, I must say. He does not seem ashamed that he was once, how the Earth adolescents say, a 'dork'. He has said that he "grew out of it" and that the cruel children have "got what was coming to them".

But now, I shall resume my opinion of Raven and I's relationship. I did share things with my friend, testing the areas that I found she was comfortable with and the areas that she most clearly was not. The one subject she would simply have nothing of was pasts. When I asked to share my past with her, however horrible it would seem to the inhabitants of this small planet, she simply stated that if I were to share it with her, not to expect her to share back. I asked, in turn, was she uncomfortable with this topic? The only response I got was her pausing and then responding with a curiosity as to whether or not I was to continue with my story, or wished to speak of something else. It was somewhere around that time accumulation that I realized Raven was hiding something.

I am shameful to admit I . . . how you say, 'snooped' into her life, without her knowledge to this fact. I even went so far as to ask her very respectable mother, Miss Arella, of my friend's past, who was like an Earth-sister to me in many ways. Not anything like a Tamaranian sister, which I do have (I am hesitant to admit). Those are far from the sometimes irritating but most normally loving kin that Earthlings have the opportunity to enjoy. I was shocked and somewhat disturbed to find out that friend Raven, as a small child, was tricked into running all over the world from very bad men who wished her harm. As to why this was, Arella claimed no knowledge over. I did not press further, for she seemed uneasy on the subject. I was careful to change the topic onto something I was more interested in. What had changed my adopted-sister from a open and carefree child, to someone so secluded and wholly unfriendly towards others. To this, Arella said something . . . most intriguing.

"I don't really . . . have an answer to that." Arella said after a moment, to answer my question. She was very quiet. Ever since Raven had disappeared (and we'd had yet to find any trace of the monster or her, for that matter, which troubled us greatly) she had been most troubled, however she tried to hide it and indulge herself into work, much as Robin has when he is troubled. But as Miss Arella looked off through the window, she seemed to be thinking of something, so I made no move to interrupt my well-respected adopted mother. "Although I do remember that when she was little . . . she came home one day, from the woods, somewhere in Africa . . . she was quite happy." The thought brought a smile to my troubled caretaker, and so I smiled as well in sympathy. Miss Arella seemed so engulfed in her memory I did not wish to disrupt her with the troublesome reality she faced. Although I have bore no children, I do believe that to lose ones child is not a pleasant experience. Especially when that child has, although very powerful, made no contact with us in any way.

Miss Arella continued with her story in humble pride and satisfaction. "She kept going on about this boy she met, and how he was an outcast, 'like us!' she'd said." Arella said this rather sadly, which brought the smile on my face to a slight frown. But at this she shook her head. "But when I asked her about this later, she said, hesitantly before smiling at me, that she'd made her friend up. And . . . it was around that time she started becoming the way she is now."

Regrettably, I had not so much as payed attention to the story as I had that she was becoming gradually more 'depressed' as Earthlings call it. I have learned from my own experiences as well as the unfortunate mishap of seeing others in the same state that it is not an enjoyable thing to feel. Such an emotion on my planet would result in a near death or possibly something worse. I did leave Tamaran, after all, for the dangers there. It is not a place for the weak-hearted or spirit-bound.

But now, as I look in hand at the picture of my friend, on the few occasions I got something of a smile out of her (although the hood she often dawned in front of us was currently upon her head), I must admit that I am . . . sad for her. Tears form in my eyes at the mention of her now, and I can no longer bear to hear her name. I fear, deep within my torso, I believe is the phrase, that I may never see my friend again. But, as I try to find the good side of that, I hope that although I may not see my departed adopted-kin, that she lives well and is as happy or possibly happier then she was here with myself, her friends, and her mother.

I feel that hope is somehow not in vain.

Raven:

"There's really no avoiding it now, I guess," I answered with a sigh.

Beast Boy frowned as well. "I just wish there was." He shot a side-long, knowing glance at me. "You know they aren't going to let us live this down. Ever."

I smirked before further laughing a little. "Isn't this supposed to be, you know, a good thing? How exactly did it turn into something neither of us are looking forward to?"

Beast Boy gave me a grin that seemed more . . . alluring then happy. My brow rose at it. It was then Beast Boy leaned over my frame, placing one gloved hand against the couch to support his weight so he didn't fall on me. I leaned back a little as he did so, my eyes widening. He winked at me suggestively.

"When did I say I wasn't having fun? I had a lot of fun yesterday." He said, still giving me that smile.

I blushed at the thought, remembering just how forceful I had been upon receiving my first kiss. But I stand by the fact that he made no objection and therefore was as much entitled to embarrassment as I was. So there!

"Shut up." I snapped, trying to hide the coloration and placing my hand on his chest, shoving him to the couch. I tried to glare at his now laughing form but I found I simply couldn't get really mad and so the glare did nothing. I settled into pouting, to which he eventually stopped and gave me a sympathetic look.

"Aw come on Rae, you know I was kidding, right?" He said, on his stomach with his chin resting on his hands as his legs kicked back in forth in the air. He seemed to genuinely want to know the answer and with a sigh, I nodded.

"Yes, I know." I answered, leaning back and staring out the window. I was having a little thinking moment and Beast Boy made no move to interrupt it. Instead I heard the TV flick on and my ears, although I did not have Beast Boy's hearing, I'd know that word anywhere, apart from the mindless chatter of commercials and other various shows.

"-Arella-."

I jumped and snatched the remote from him, flipping it back. He looked at me confused, but I ignored him, my eyes absolutely huge. Without questioning me upon my actions Beast Boy just turned back to the screen, deciding to see for himself rather then have me explain. I listened to the man with complete interest as stupid words I didn't care about for other events ran across the bottom. I'd missed his whole introduction from Beast Boy's channel surfing and now the 'main event' was on.

"-This is her now, on the subject." The man said with finality before the screen flipped to the face that made my heart crack inside of me. It did not shatter, there was now just a little piece ripped out of it. Quite painfully, really. The camera zoomed in at request of another reporter, watching as well.

The woman's beautiful and normally vibrant features were now dead and lifeless. I gagged a little, silent the whole time.

"Raven?" Beast Boy asked beside me, concern radiating off of him. I couldn't answer him.

She cleared her throat before speaking, in a calm but once again emotionless voice. "As you all know . . . a tragedy has been placed upon the Teen Titans." I heard Beast Boy's breathing hitch and he no longer tried to revive me as we both listened to the words spoken. "My daughter, Raven, has been kidnapped and we have yet to-." She cleared her throat again before continuing. "We have yet to receive any type of contact from her whatsoever. As we continue the search all we can really do is hope we find her before harm comes her way, if harm has not yet already come to her . . ."

As she continued I saw the rest of the Titans, lined up in the back behind her. All had their heads hung, including Jinx and Kid Flash, although I could tell they were trying very hard to look solemn when they were feeling something else. Emotions were always on someones face, some people just hid it better then others. I then saw Starfire. Robin's mouth was a tight line and Speedy's face matched his leader and my former one. But Starfire wasn't as composed. She was making the effort, that much I could tell, but her eyes were watering. No one seemed to notice, as all eyes were on my mother, but I couldn't take my eyes off the alien. As her eyes watered, tears began falling down her cheeks, leaving a glittering trail as they went. She quickly wiped them away but as more replaced it, she quietly made her way off the stage, unnoticed. Robin gave a dodgy expression before Speedy, also conspicuously, shoved him toward where she'd run off. Without another hesitation he also left the stage. That over with, I turned back to my mother.

". . . Do hope that whoever has done this . . . please," She looked dead into the camera. I'd never seen Arella look so sad and broken then that moment. She was actually begging, a thing I thought her above my whole life. But she may as well have been on her hands and knees, sobbing and praying. Yet she remained composed. It was just her eyes that showed what she felt. "Just return my daughter back to us."

I had not noticed the calling from the other side of the door. Apparently our friends had arrived but they remained ignored. I jumped to my feet, shaking my head in disbelief as I stared at the screen in horror. I had made Arella practically beg for the life that I owned that was safe. I'm made no attempt to tell them otherwise. I couldn't for my own selfish reasons.

"Raven?" Beast Boy had tore his gaze away from the TV, also stunned, but his worry overrode that completely. I felt it. He stood, a hesitant hand out towards me.

"Yo, guys, you in there?" The voice on the other side of the door asked, but still it went unanswered.

"No," I shook my head vigorously, my eyes squeezing shut as I tried to block out that image. My hands clenched into fists on the sides of my head but the effort was in vain. Those eyes were now scarred into my mind and would haunt me forever. "No!"

"Raven, is that you?" Another voice called, a little worried this time. "Raven?"

"Rae-?" Beast Boy began, taking another step towards me. I took one back, crying now in shame and anger towards my actions.

"Yo, we're coming in!"

"Rae, wait-!"

That did it. The door opened just in time to see my tear streaked face, the television ignored, Beast Boy reaching a hand out towards me, and then finally me, my terror of people coming back for a visit, racing out of the room and slamming my bedroom door behind me, falling on my bed and sobbing into my pillow as I did so.

Beast Boy:

I'm not mad at Raven and I really can't blame her for leaving me in such a . . . compromising position with everyone else. Actually it's probably physically and mentally impossible for me to be mad at Raven. The only person I blame right now is me for not being able to prevent her from such an embarrassing situation.

But now I looked like I'd done something. And I couldn't care less. My mine was totally focused on the female crying (from what I could hear through the door) in the other room.

Red X broke the silence first. "What's with her?" He deadpanned, not truly interested but only being polite.

Immediately, Kole tore her gaze from Raven's door and to me, a stern expression replacing her shocked on. "Alright Beast Boy, what did you do to her?"

"Yeah man, what'd you do?" Cyborg asked me.

With a sigh and grabbing the remote, I rewound the news report to a few minutes before Arella showed up. I highered the volume and tossed the remote to Jinx, who caught it easily as she watched me with a raised brow. I ignored them all as I headed to Raven's room and saw them, with a last glance, focused on the channel. Shaking my head in dismay I knocked lightly on Raven's door before entering the room, shutting the door behind me.

Raven had closed the curtains at some point, leaving the lights off. The only light was the gray crack from the curtains not being closed just quite all the way. To my sadness, I saw Raven was now unmoving and simply lying on her side, possibly staring at the slit of light that was on the other side of the room from me.

"Rae?" I asked, quietly. The room was so . . . dark.

She didn't answer me. If it weren't for my hearing, I would wonder whether or not she was still alive. But I could hear her breathing, however slow it was, so I wondered over to her side, sitting next to her frame as I stroked her hair in silence. After a moment or two of that I found her arms around me as she cried into my shoulder. I didn't mind. I continued to stroke her hair in silence, her back facing the door somehow and my direction pointed right at it. It was this advantage that kept Raven from moving when the door, completely silent, opened a sliver a few minutes later. I'd heard the mutterings of shock and pity and expected this, deciding being embarrassed would do nothing.

Cyborg's red eye and human eye were at the top, Mammoth's directly underneath, then Kole's, and Gizmo's. I was proud of the others for not being so nosy, for, if they had wanted to, there was still space in the human tower. I saw of their eyes widen at the same time, from the corner of my own eye, but ignored them as I pretended not to notice, looking out at the window instead. Now this would have only gotten a few teasings had Raven continued crying rather then speaking. My ears went up at the statement and I blushed in the darkness, my eyes forcing themselves to stay on the window.

"I love you." She breathed into my shoulder, wiping some of her tears away with her hand as she kept crying. The silent but heard by only me gasps of shock from the other side of the door made themselves known. But there was no way Raven would have known. Ever.

"Love you too," I answered instead, careful to keep the embarrassment out of my voice. Instead, after a moment, I turned to the door with my brow rose and saw all of those eyes widen at my notice. I smirked at this and they ducked out of the room, closing the door completely silent still as they went. I looked down at Raven. "You knew they were there, didn't you?"

She laughed through her tears.

Jinx:

Rolling my eyes at the people, huddled like children watching their parents wrap Christmas presents through a crack in the door, I turned my attention to Red X. Even through his mask I could tell his expression matched mine somewhat and we both had our arms crossed, leaning against the wall where the bathroom door was for support. It was then everyone squeaked, completely silent, in surprise. But both I and Red X had heard it, so we both shared another look of mild surprise.

"I love you," Raven's voice said from within the walls.

After a pause, I heard Beast Boy reply, "I love you too."

It was then, after another moment or two, I saw them all jump a little and then shut the door behind them. But instead of stopping there they continued to race out of the house and into the backyard, covering their mouths the whole time. Red X looked just as flustered as I and we followed.

We then nearly fell over as their screams filled our ears. However sly they had been in the room was now ruined do to their idiocy. I sighed, shaking my head as I placed my head in my hand and stood by the teenagers gossiping like little children.

"Did you hear that!?" Kole said, positively glowing with joy. "They said they love each other!"

"What happened last night?" Gizmo asked, confused. "Not even that barf-colored squirt can say something like that for the first time without looking flushed. They must have said it before, right?"

I pondered that, my fingers upon my chin. "It's possible." But even with that, Gizmo looked triumphant. I rubbed my ears indignantly. "You guys do realize that they heard you scream, right?"

"Oh no they didn't," Argent said, waving it off like nothing. Aqualad was not present today. He was on patrol. It was his turn. Ha.

Red X gave her a look. "Gotham probably heard you scream." Once again she flicked her hand, saying she did not care nor did she believe it. However true it was.

"Well we know one thing," I said, examining my nails. I felt all eyes on me. I said nothing.

"And what's that?" Kole finally asked, sick of waiting.

I looked up at them, smirking. "There little secret is hardly a secret anymore."

My communicator beeped then, and I sighed. Kid Flash was calling.

"Gotta go guys," I said, beginning to head into the forest. "Harass them for me!" I shouted before running off. The responding calls that promised to do so made me feel only a little better though.

Raven wasn't the only one who felt bad about her mother's fear and sadness. And she didn't have to see it ever day.

?????? . . . :

I've been watching them very patiently and very quietly. I know he loves her and I know she would rather die then be sent back home to where she belongs. She hardly matters to me, but could be helpful to my task. A pawn in the game the boy and I play.

He's become paranoid for her.

Every time they leave the house, although I'm no sure no one, not even the boy himself, notices how his eyes look around wherever they are before focusing on Raven and then looking for the thing he is unaware he searches for. Something inside him that is not in full consciousness knows that I am there, waiting for him to change and scare the girl before she runs off and leaves him, broken, to pick himself back together. That will be my time to strike.

The pink one is a traitor, I know that as well and have for a long time. It's very interesting to see how she plays this game without getting caught. But I could use this knowledge as blackmail against her for my plan, although I doubt it will work. She's a runner, as is her little boy-toy she has wrapped around her finger. At the first mention of blackmail she'd make up the perfect excuse for herself him to leave and then track my person until she found me, which I have no doubt she would somehow. And I would be no match for both her and the boy combined, for I'm older then I used to be, and have not changed back in a long time. That does things to the bones.

Now, as she runs off and the others laugh about this obvious news while I roll my eyes, I cannot help but smile a little to myself. The time for his end is nearing. All I have to do is wait a little longer.

Just a little longer . . .

Did you like it? Yes? (Yay!) No? (I dislike you)

Here are my responses to your comments for this week!

Saffire55

Wow, you even hate Rosaline and you made her up! LOL! And I stand by my review, she is a tramp, bitch, slut, and whore and much more! I knew Raven would win, I just knew it! And I don't think this sounds like a Disney Movie, if it was it would be rated PG 13. What? There is cussing in here! And I don't get 'You show her woman' either. Anyway, where was I...oh yah. AWESOME CHAPTER! I just have one question...why does Beast Boy want Raven to go home? I know about the beast and stuff but still! She doesn't have to leave! God. Anyway, make some more chapters soon and check out my stories!
Cya!
~Saffire

If anyone does like Rosaline they are like her, and therefore I hate them. And to answer that question its right up there ^. I can't tell you but your all like, who the fuck is that guy/girl?

Dude Your Awesome8

Uh, just by saying that Raven can totally win against Rosalinda AND SHE DID! BOOYAH~
I can't imagine what Raven might say in the next chapter. Will she agree to go, or not? Will she just get up and leave? Oh, I can't wait to find out! Great job with this chapter, 'cause now I can't wait for the next one! Like I said before, this story gets better and better by each chapter.
LATERZ!

Well, that was in the last chapter, so there ya are!

LoveBassClarinet

I liked this chapter too.
Anyways the classic Disney movie feel was when Raven and Beastboy were in the forest and she was singing. It reminded me of Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. But it's cool because I like classic Disney movies.

Yeah, me too! I love those movies! I was forced to watch them all through childhood and even now by my Disney obsessed mother! And I feel honored that my story was compared to Disney. Thank you.

LaughingAngelGibberish

I love love love your story. Please update soon. -LAG;p

Here you are! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.

Later!