"Us?" The changeling squeaked.

As she nodded her affirmation the changeling felt a cold, metallic hand grab his upper arm. He protested loudly as he was unceremoniously dragged away by Cyborg, who paid no heed to the complaints until they were outside the infirmary and the sliding doors slid shut with a dull thud. Beast Boy squirmed free from the tin man's now relaxed grip, and glared at his friend.

"Dude! We were talking!"

"I know, and I told you she needs to sleep, which she will be in a minute since I pumped her full of sedatives."

"Couldn't it wait?"

"No, salad head, it couldn't. She needs to rest, like right now. Don't get your spandex in a knot; you'll get to talk to your girlfriend later, after she's rested."

The changeling appeared startled upon hearing the remark, but quickly recovered.

"She isn't my girlfriend, you can ask Star. She and Robin had front row seats when I got shot down."

"I heard about that. You seem to have that problem with the ladies, avocado brain."

"Very funny, chrome dome. I thought it was my job to tell the bad jokes."

Cyborg smiled at his friend.

"Relax B, you heard what she said. I think your luck with the ladies might finally be about to change."

The changeling did a double take when he heard those words.

"Cy … you aren't joking this time … are you?"

-( scene break )-

The sorceress almost broke out laughing when she saw Cyborg drag the startled changeling out of the room. She was feeling a sensation of … happiness? Was that even possible for her? Or was it just the sedative that Cyborg introduced into her I.V.? Before she could answer her question she dozed off, and would remain asleep until the next morning.

-( scene break )-

Beast Boy trudged off to his room in a huff. He hated it when Cyborg bullied him like that. It wasn't as if he couldn't fight back. He had seen the video footage of when he single handedly, in the form of the Beast, manhandled his buddy, along with Starfire and Robin. What really got to him was that Cyborg was right; his violet headed crush did need to rest. But did he have to be so heavy handed about it?

And then there was that other remark. It reminded him of another time, on board a space station, when Cyborg told Robin the same thing, using those two words. Beast Boy couldn't think of another pair of words that at the moment were so enthralling and at the same time terrifying:

"Your girlfriend"

Robin was quick to deny that assertion back then, mostly out of his lack of self confidence, at least in matters involving … girlfriends. He considered ladies as something so perplexing that he once wished that a monster had eaten him as a preferable alternative to dealing with Starfire's scorn and ire.

But that wasn't the case with Beast Boy. Unlike his masked leader, the green Titan had been ready to have a sweetheart for a long time. So much so, that he fell head over heels for a psychotic traitor. And then there was the luck factor. Cyborg was right on the money regarding the changeling's luck. What happened after he won Terra back, pulling her from the abyss of evil? She turned into stone. And after she was mysteriously turned back into flesh and blood? She dumped him. What kind of loser did you have to be to get dumped by the same girl twice?

As the door to his room slid shut behind him, the answer became self evident: he was a desperate loser.

This time Cyborg was wrong. Raven wasn't changing her mind. She was going to wrap up the unfinished business at the restaurant. If he was lucky she would apologize about rejecting him in front of their friends and maybe tell him that if "things were different" she would perhaps be more open and then try to sugarcoat it by saying something like "I'll always love you".

Garfield collapsed onto his lower bunk while moaning his despair. Typically, male superheroes had no trouble attracting pretty girls, which made sense, since they usually had athletic builds, and they were … well … heroes. But Beast Boy was different. He was green and had pointy ears and fangs. He remembered how the girls at the pizzeria laughed at him. But even worse than that, he even once overheard Robin tell Starfire that he smelled like a wet dog and she agreed. He might as well have a great big "L" tattooed onto his forehead. Maybe, he thought, he should move to Japan.

The truth was a bitter pill to swallow. He was freak and girls don't like freaks. Not even freakish girls whose fathers were terrifying demons … especially not them.

He buried his face in his pillow and moaned: "Why did that monkey have to bite me?"

-( scene break )-

"Raven, you have completed your healing trance."

Starfire smiled as her friend opened her eyes.

"How do you feel? Have you repaired your damage?"

The sorceress sat up, allowing a small groan to escape her lips.

"I've been better … my feet?"

"The burns have fully healed. I have removed your I.V. Cyborg said that you could leave the infirmary once you woke up."

The sorceress swung her legs over the edge of the bed and hopped onto the floor. Her legs felt strong and sturdy. She also felt a draft from behind.

"I thought Cyborg was going to get us some new hospital gowns, the kind where your butt doesn't stick out in the back." She growled.

The princess giggled.

"He says they are the 'back ordered', but do not worry, for I have brought you a fresh change of clothes."

"Thanks, but before I change into them I need a shower in the worst way possible."

The princess crunched her nose.

"Uh, yes … I had noticed … I have also brought your toiletries from your bathroom, so that you may wash in the infirmary bath … but tell me Raven … why do you have a razor? It is my understanding that human females do not have the facial hair … must you shave because you are half demon?"

Instead of giving Starfire a glare, she smiled.

"I use it to shave my legs. When you wear a leotard and ankle length boots it really isn't an option."

Starfire looked puzzled. "So you are saying that human females grow the facial hair on their legs?"

The sorceress laughed. "Sure, something like that … wait … you mean that you don't have to shave your legs?"

The princess shook her head.

"You lucky duck."

"Are ducks considered good luck charms on Earth? Earth culture can be so complex …"

The violet haired girl shook her head, and then paused as of deliberating whether or not to ask the next question.

"Starfire, does hair grow on any part of your body other than your head?"

Again, the princess shook her head. "Raven, does it on your body?"

"Uh … yeah."

"Really? Please tell me where, I am most curious!"

"Uh, how about I tell you some other time … I need to shower … remember?"

Starfire giggled.

"Forgive me. While you clean and groom yourself I will inform your boyfriend that you will soon be ready to see him."

After heaving a loud sigh, the gray girl replied.

"My boyfriend? Have you forgotten that I rejected him at the restaurant?"

Starfire became crestfallen. "But Cyborg told me that …"

"Starfire, how about you wait until I tell you that Garfield is my boyfriend, OK?"

The princess perked up.

"So it is true, you are reconsidering."

"Yes, but please don't tell anyone, I want Garfield to hear it from me first."

Starfire was now beaming.

"Oh yes, I will tell no one Raven, this is glorious."

The gray girl smiled. "I think you're right, I think it will be 'glorious'."

-( scene break )-

Beast Boy was sitting on the Tower's roof, his legs dangling over the edge, staring at the shimmering bay in the late afternoon sun. He was watching a pod of dolphins dart across the bay, intermittently leaping out of the water.

"I wonder what it would be like if I morphed into a dolphin, swam away and never came back?" He murmured to himself.

"Well, for starters, you wouldn't get to go out to eat with me anymore." A gravelly monotone surprised him.

Startled by the unexpected company, the changeling tried to stand up and lost his balance, falling off the ledge. Before he could morph into a bird he was caught in dark energy field and was returned to the rooftop.

"Raven! You're OK!" He shouted as he wrapped his now more mature and muscular arms around her. To his immense surprise and delight she returned the hug.

"Nothing a long healing trance can't fix."

He grinned. "You look great, good as new … say … you said earlier that you wanted to talk … about us."

"I did, and I still do. Let's go someplace … quiet and private … I'm starving … I haven't eaten in days."

"I know just the place. Do you have a taxi?"

"One taxi, coming right up."

She extended her arms and a black disk formed. They both hopped on it and flew away together.

-( scene break )-

The setting was the changeling's favorite eatery. It was in a way his equivalent to Raven's "depressing café". It was a small establishment, one that looked worn and rickety, the upholstery on the seats looked threadbare and the wallpaper looked old enough to be from the Carter administration. But the food, there was no doubt in the changeling's mind; this was the best vegetarian restaurant in town. Its name was unusual; it was called "The Flying Saucers"; not that the name scared anyone away. It was the first place he took Raven out to eat after her "conversion".

They were seated opposite each other in a small booth at the rear of the restaurant. Having quickly made his choice he put his menu down and looked up at his companion, who was still studying her menu.

They had all changed since first meeting five years ago. He was now almost 18 and she had turned 20 just a few months before. He smiled as he looked at her. Her face was a little less round than it used to be and it was now accented by her now shoulder length hair. But today there was something different about her … she seemed to be so relaxed.

The waitress came and took their order and as wait staff are wont to do she quickly vanished into the kitchen. The changeling wondered when his companion was going to bring up the dreaded subject. She didn't make him wait long.

"Garfield … I … I owe you an apology."

Well, he it comes, he thought to himself. He was ready. He would play his part, accepting her apology graciously and he would tell her that it was no big deal. It's what losers did, after all.

"It's cool Rae, at least now it's resolved. I know where we stand."

She shook her head. "No, it's not cool. I humiliated you in front of our friends."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's OK; I mean … it was Star who brought it up. What were you supposed to do? Lie and tell her I was your boyfriend?"

"No Gar … you see … I did lie when I …"

She paused, and looked as if she was about to cry.

"Raven … are you OK?"

Using her napkin she wiped away a stray tear and quickly regained her composure.

"Gar, when I was trapped in Slade's lair I was certain he was going to kill me … you know that I don't fear death, but there was one thing that I was afraid of."

His eyes were as wide as saucers, as he waited for her next words.

"I was afraid that I'd never see you again … knowing that has made me rethink a lot of things, about who I am, who I want to be and … who I want to be with."

"Who do you want to be with?" He asked, sounding slightly confused.

She frowned at him. "With you, stupid."

"But, you said …"

"I was wrong."

The changeling leaned back, looking completely blown away.

"Earth to Beast Boy?" She teased him.

"Oh, yeah, right … so … what do we do next?"

"That's up to you." She replied in her monotone.

"Up to me?"

"Yes, it's up to you. I've already told you how I feel."

He sweat dropped while he scratched the back of his head. "Oh yeah … that's right."

"Garfield?" She asked in a slightly impatient tone. "What are you waiting for? I'm not going to say no."

He gulped. It was now or never.

"Raven … will you be my … girlfriend?"

She smiled. "I would love to be your girlfriend."

The changeling leaned back into his bench seat in the booth and exhaled a huge sigh of relief. "Uh, is this gonna be like a secret relationship?"

"No, we will tell our friends when we get home … but Gar … aren't you forgetting something?"

"I am?"

She leaned over the table. "You just asked me to be your girlfriend and I accepted … where is my kiss?"

The changeling blushed while he grinned sheepishly. He leaned over the table and closed his eyes. This time, Slade wasn't there to interrupt the moment, and their lips touched.

-( scene break )-

Slade sat at his throne like chair, reading a datapad. Slade-bot production was exactly where it should be, the warehouse was bulging with the new Mark IV models.

Wintergreen approached with a tray loaded with sandwiches and a tall glass of iced tea, which he placed on a nearby table. Slade rose from his seat. He wasn't wearing his mask. His platinum blond hair and goatee stood in sharp contrast to his dark eye patch. He picked up a sandwich and quickly wolfed it down before consuming a second one.

"Things are proceeding as planned, Wilson?"

"Did you expect anything less?"

"Well, the Titans do have a knack for being unpredictable."

"Not this time, Wintergreen. This time I have all the bases covered. Now all we have to do is wait."

-( scene break )-

So, does BB's luck sound too good to be true? Were you expecting Slade to show up in the restaurant and thwart their first kiss?

And now the mail bag:

TheBlindRaven

What do you mean 'once again?' Has she being tortured before? And also she escaped to easily. Surprised you didn't put anything in the walls that would not allow it. Maybe she has a little robot in her body that will come out or something. Good chapter though.

Sorry for the confusion. What I meant to say was she had been in captivity for a few days and that Slade began torturing her as soon as she was captured.

RascalKat

Hmm.. Something tells me this isn't over yet... And ouch! Torture through shocking the soles of the feet? This is beginning to remind me of Criminal Minds, if you know what I'm talking about :) This is great so far, I can't wait to see how the rest of it plays out!

Slade is sinister. They sanitized him a bit in the show, but he was very vicious in the comics.

Anoymous136

Slade let her escape. He would have known that would have happened and planned. He already had what he wanted.

It sure seems that way. But why let her escape? She is an extremely valuable hostage after all.

gabylokita41

Awesome loved it . merry christmas! Anyways awesome cliffhanger cant wait to read what comes next

Thanks! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

Curse you Perry the Platypus

Coolio this was awesome

Thanks!

titanfan45

I'm a bit suspicious of Raven's easy escape, it's not like Slade for a small detail such as electric shock knocking out the collar. I'm betting things are still progressing according to Slade's plans.

Don't they always go his way? But he always overlooks something.

discb

Welp, as someone who has had serious burns all over me feet, I know the nexts few weeks of walking will be brutal for Raven.

Maybe she floats around the way she does in the shorts? Did you see the one where Trigon shows up and gives her a plush bunny?