"Hold still," I say as I kneel in front of him and gently stretch his scalded arm out. "I need you to stay calm and keep from moving as I attempt to heal the burn…."

Beast Boy winces, his green limb twitching ever so slightly in my grasp. "Nnngh… …I-I seriously can't believe Dr. Light gave us such a beating a that time…."

"Believe it," I drone. I briefly murmur a magical chant under my breath and meditatively flex my fingers as I cover Beast Boy's arm from wrist to elbow with a faint, black aura. "Dr. Light is anything but the chump of a robber we used to face. I'm surprised he didn't burn you to a crisp out there."

"Yeah, well—" Beast Boy winces again. "H-He almost did…." We are seated on a wing of the T-Ship parked… …somewhere. I swear, we've gotten so very lost on this 'Titan Induction' trek Robin's sent us on. I could have sworn we were in Russia last week, the North Pole the second-- "You think Robin and Cy will be all right?" Beast Boy asks, interrupting my momentary ponderings.

I continue administering to his arm as I reply: "Most certainly. They know what they're doing… …even if they're idiots."

"Hehehe…," Beast Boy sighs. "Safe idiots…."

"They've got plenty of reason to be cautious," I say. "The only reason Dr. Light made his comeback so soon after the incident at the North Pole is that he had help. Undoubtedly assistance from the Brain and his Brotherood. Robin and Cyborg are officially in detective mode, and you…." I stroke a finger across his relatively 'clean' arm and move it back towards his chest. "…..are in a lot better shape than you were a few seconds ago, if I do say so myself…"

"Hmmm….," Beast Boy smiles in such a fashion that the slightest glinting hint of an underbite shows under his left lip. "Guess if I didn't have you around, Rae, I'd really be suffering for all my bad scrapes…"

"As much as I really….really should be scolding you right now….I digress," I stand up and pull the hood over my blue head. I shuffle around the far end of the parked T-Ship towards where a few supply crates full of rations await. "You don't nearly get into the same 'bad scrapes' that you used to, Beast Boy…."

"I-I don't?" He blinks curiously at me through the corner of his emerald eyes.

I slowly shake my head and rummage through the rations for…

Tea… ….Tea… ….Tea(!)(!)(!)…..

"There was a time….," I mutter with the slightest touch of a smile appearing and fading in a blink. "…when you squealed and sobbed from a single one of Cyborg's routine vaccinations."

"How couldn't I squeal?.?.?" He…squeals. "Those things hurt! They were electrified and stuff! I tell you what—a check up with Cyborg is like a visit to Dr. Frankenstein!"

"Actually, any 'electrical' iconography associated whatsoever with Dr. Frankenstein is superficially associated only with the cinema—"

"Yea, Yes, I KNOW," Beast Boy rolls his eyes. "You've only given me that rant a MILLION times….."

"Hmmm ….. ….I suppose I wanted to teach somebody the truth to Mary Shelley."

"Yeah… …. …"

"… …. … ….," I finish rummaging and settle on a juice box. Juice Box. How 'kindergarten'. Heh…..good thing Cyborg's not here to see me drinking and call me—

"I'm sorry, Raven…."

"… … …?" I turn. I crane my neck. "Beast Boy….. …?"

He isn't looking at me. He hugs the far end of his shoulder with his opposite arm. It's his good shoulder. He takes a deep breath and repeats in all solemnity: "I-I really mean it… … ….I'm sorry….."

"… … …," I lean my head to the side. "For what?"

He looks up at me. Thin eyes. No smile. Just: "For everything I'd ever done to—ya know—tease and annoy you. Even the early days when—heh—I maybe even flirted with you… …" He runs a hand through his green hair and adds: "And being all cuddly and lovey-dovey with Terra right in your face was probably not very polite either."

"…. … … ….you've changed, Beast Boy…."

It's his turn to blink and crane his neck curiously. "Hmmm?"

I nod. Juice Box in grasp, I shuffle around the T-Ship again. "You have. After all the battles with Slade… …the battle for the Doom Patrol.. … ..the rise of the Brotherhood… .. …You have most definitely changed, Beast Boy…."

"For the better, or—"

"You're less annoying," I punch the little plastic straw in and sit on the wing again. "Dare I say, you're almost rivaling Robin in your leadership skills."

"Heh….Me? A leader?" Beast Boy folds his arms. "You sure somebody didn't just slip some beer into that juice box or something?"

"I haven't taken a sip yet."

"Y-You really think I've changed?"

"Yes, Beast Boy… ….It's inevitable. If we live, we change. And if we die, then that's a pretty fair change in and of itself."

He shudders. "Gotta leave it to you and the way you bluntly define things, Rae…."

"I try not to make a show of that habit.. … …"

"S-So….," he shifts nervously where he sits. "… .. ..Y-You do forgive me?"

I roll my violet eyes. "Beast Boy, what was my answer to you the last time you made the earth-shattering 'forgive me for everything' apology back when my father was terrorizing the earthly realm?"

"Erm… ….'quit it'?"

"… … …did I really say that?"

"Erm… …heh-heh….Yeah."

"Mmm….," I sip from my juice box and let my legs dangle. "… ….I guess some things don't change," I drone.

"Hehehehehehehe…."

I run a hand through my blue bangs, sport a curve…. …..and sip.

Proud?

Proud.