Author's note: Not really my best chapter so far, but that's just me. As always, constructive criticism is welcome and I look forward to writing the next chapter. Maybe I'll talk some more there.

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything, but I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Chapter 6

He was going crazy. Quite literally, actually. Beast Boy was beginning to see the ocean whenever he stared at something for to long, hear the sea, smell the salt air, and the singing was worse than ever. There were times when it was almost irresistible, at which point he would find himself moving slowly to the nearest exit. Once the yellow eyes opened, well, the singing was irresistible. But there was always someone around to stop him, someone there to bring him back to reality. He couldn't help but find that very convenient. Not that he was complaining, these weird hallucinations scared him right out of his uniform, but he when he began finding Cyborg waiting for him in his room before bed, or Starfire at the bathroom, he began to feel a little… restricted. It was also, he wasn't sure what. Beast Boy felt comforted by his friends concern, though it was driving him crazy. There was something else though, something with in him. The yellow eyes found these restrictions annoying, even infuriating.

He could tell the others were worried about those eyes too. When he would be wondering off, able to hear nothing but the song, he could still feel their tension. Sometimes, when the eyes were open in his mind, he would even snarl animalisticly at them, like a wolf held captive, trying to reach its pack. It scared him, he had no clue where he was trying to go and really didn't want to hurt anyone along the way. But, as strange as it may sound, he honestly wanted to go. One would think that he would be even more intent on staying in the Tower than Robin was to keep him there. However, Beast Boy wanted to find this voice, wanted to go wherever it wanted him to go, help this creature if he could. The song sounded so sad, so lonely. It needed him, truly, deeply, needed him. That was something he had never experienced that before and he… liked it.

The Doom Patrol had liked him, but he was dispensable, just like everyone else. That was how that group worked, not as a deeply bonded team, but as a machine that could still function without most of its limbs. The Titans liked him well enough, they were almost as close as a family, but they could get along just fine without him. He knew this, though he hated to admit it, and he knew that they were capable of turning on him; well, as capable as he was of turning on them. His parents he had never learned much about. They had died before he realized how much children meant to their parents. At the ripe age of five, he had been a bit too engrossed in his own loss to think about how much his parents wanted him to survive. Now that he was older, he knew that his he must have meant more to them than their own lives, that the truly needed him to live. But they certainly didn't need him now, the dead need nothing. No, the closest he had been to being needed by someone and realizing it was when he was with the jewel thieves. Now they had needed him, but not in any type of way he wanted to be needed. He had been the perfect little helper to steal the 'Easter eggs from the Easter Bunny'. Yeah, Easter eggs. Well, look what happened to those two. No, he was knew to this whole being needed thing. This person, whoever he or she was, might even die if he didn't do something to help them. He liked that feeling.

"Yo, B!" A voice called, a bit too loudly for his tastes, jerking him from his musings. Beast Boy looked up at his cybernetic friend, grinning. "Are you ready for another butt-whopping at Super Mega Ninja Monkey? I just got the sequel" Cyborg was waving the video game under his nose as if to taunt him with food.

"Whatever!" His voice was its normal, shrill tone, his eyes sparkling emerald as he dove for the controller. "You only win because you cheat!"

"I don't cheat," said Cyborg indignantly as he bent over to insert the game.

"Dude, you so cheat!" Beast Boy was grinning wildly now, his eyes glued to the screen enthusiastically. This was the first time in a week that he had been treated normally. Seriously, he was almost missing being called a grass stain or getting tossed into the wall. Everyone was treating like he was made of thin glass and that was helping more than a little bit to his decreasing sanity.

"That's not cheating, man," Cy argued, plopping down next to him, the controller clutched in his metal hands like his still beating heart was inside and he would die if he let go. "That's skill."

"Skill my green butt!" Beast Boy shot back, eyes still fixed on the screen.

"Face it, you are going down."

"So not gonna happen!"

"Excuse me," said Robin from right behind the couch, causing both teens to jump about two feet in the air. Beast Boy even let out a short, glass breaking shriek. "Sorry to interrupt," he apologized, looking uncomfortable. "But the training course just started shooting plastic disks at the training room. Cyborg, could you take a quick look?" It wasn't quite an order, but it was definitely not a question.

"AWWWWW!" wined Beast Boy, resembling a seven year old. "Come on Rob! We just got started!!!!!"

"No," muttered Cyborg, clearly defeated and annoyed about it. "I didn't design that course to go easy on anything. It could have the training room in ruins in ten minutes if I don't get down there." Beast Boy sat pouting as he got up and left, but didn't try to stop him. It was a moment before he realized that Robin was still standing behind him.

"Is there a reason you're watching me?" He didn't mean to snap, but he couldn't help it. He was mad about loosing his play mate to a machine. Robin didn't say anything, but sniffed the air meaningfully. Beast Boy frowned.

"When was the last time you took a shower?" After a moment of contemplating the question, Beast Boy raised one arm and inhaled deeply. Clearly, the answer was a long time ago. He grinned over his shoulder, his fang poking out nervously. Robin raised one eye brow and nodded, the smallest grin playing on his lips. "Maybe you should go take one."

"Mk," he mumbled, getting up and heading towards the doors. To his surprise, Robin followed him. At first he didn't comment, merely kept walking, his eyebrows raised in an 'ooooooookkkkkkkkkk' kind of way. He was ok with being followed down the hall, even when Robin trailed him down to the bathroom, But when he began walking into the actual room with him, he had to say something. "Dude! You're freaking me out here. No offense or anything, but aren't you kind of involved."

"Excuse me?" Robin sounded shocked at the inference.

"You know," Beast Boy persisted, completely oblivious. "With Starfire."

"Beast Boy, what are you-"

"You're following me into the bathroom. I'm going to be taking a shower." There was a strange, 'no-duh' quality to his voice that caused Robin to frown in annoyance. "People don't take showers with their clothes on."

"Beast Boy, regardless of what you're thinking, I'm just here to make sure you don't jump out a window or something."

"Dude, it would be media suicide to put a window in our bathroom. You know how many pervert want pictures of us in showers?" Robin's frown deepened, his annoyance only increased by the dead serious expression.

"You've been doing some pretty weird stuff lately," pointed out Robin.

"And watching me shower is totally normal."

"Fine, I'll be out here. Just promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"Please," smiled Beast Boy as he slid into the bathroom. "When have I ever done anything stupid?" The door was closed and the water started before Robin could even start his list.

On the other side of the door, Beast Boy was chuckling to himself, grinning at how humiliated Robin must have been feeling. Seriously though, he was only willing to play this never being alone game so much. There were reasons he hadn't taken a shower in a week. Perhaps there were people who didn't mind being watched as the washed, but he was not among them. As far as he was concerned, anyone who wanted to stare at a showering person was a pervert and shouldn't be allowed within twenty feet of the bathroom. As soon as the water was hot enough, he slipped into the shower, relishing the heat and moisture. There was just something relaxing about a hot shower, especially after a stressful week. The water beat rhythmically against his body and the wall, like a steady pulls, steam rising to veil the room. Man, this was relaxing. He placed his hands on the wall, leaning his forehead against the tile. His eyes fell closed, his breath sliding over his lips. The water beat around him, like a steady drum… or a bass line. It was nice to be alone, if only for a moment.

Usually, he preferred to be surrounded by people, preferably laughing and having a good time. But every now and again, even he needed a break. Just some time to think, relax, listen… e could hear it, the singing. All the tension he hadn't realized he was holding left his body. His muscles relaxed into the hot water, his lungs welcoming the steam. How long had it been since he had felt water on his skin? Song filled his ears, blending with the steady beat of the droplets. Too long. He's missed it, the feel of water against him. Too long had the water surrounded him, but never touched him. Too long had he been held by the Gods. His heart beat with the water, rhythmically, pulsing to the song in his head. Too long had he been kept from the life he was born to. There was nothing but the song, it was in him, around him, his reason for existing. She was there. No longer would she be held beneath the waves, no longer would she be trapped. She had found her salvation, and he would come.

Beast Boy's eyes snapped open. The song halted, its purpose fulfilled. His eyes were no longer green, or even human. Their pupils were mere slits, their yellow color contrasting sickeningly against his skin. He reached behind him, shutting of the water. Several droplets ran down his back, like fingers tracing his spine.

"Hey, Beast Boy," Robin called from outside, still annoyed. "You done?"

"Not quite yet," he called back, pushing himself up and staring coldly at the door.

"Then what's up?" For a moment, Beast Boy thought about telling him the truth, just for laughs. But no, their brave and fearless leader would insist on stopping him, and he just couldn't allow that.

"I think I want to take a bath," he proclaimed loudly, walking over to the tub and turning on the water. "I smell really bad."

"A bath? But you don't have time for that!"

"Where am I going to go? Unless you've finally decided to lift this house arrest thingy."

"Fine," Robin said after a minute, his voice slightly bitter. "Just try and get out sometime before noon to morrow."

"I'll try, but I can't make any promises," he replied in a joking tone, but his words were serious. "Do you plan on standing guard at the door the whole time?" He heard an exasperated sigh and footsteps. As the sound faded, Beast Boy grinned triumphantly, slipping into the hot water. He would have loved to have just sat there for hours on end, maybe even take a nap like he usually did when he made it into the bath tub. But there was no time for that now. He had somewhere he needed to be and was finally going. There were plenty of creatures who could navigate the Titans water pipes, animals that could find their way out of the Tower easily and quickly. Plenty of animals that could fit through the drain in the sink. As soon as he was sure that Robin was far enough away from the bathroom that his pathetic human ears wouldn't hear the splash as he got out of the tub and made his way to the sink. After one quick look at his reflection, he shifted and was gone. The rest of the Titans all thought he was far from the cold waters of the Pacific, safe and clean in their bathroom. Too bad they were wrong.