Hey yo, author here! Less action heavy chapter incoming once again! Probably a few more of these before things pick up again, but really want to drive this part home considering I was building towards it pretty much from the start! Decent number of new follows and favorites over the last few days so much love! Another pretty heavy BBRae chapter, but might be the last for a little but so enjoy! Not much else to say, enjoy the chapter!

I don't own Teen Titans or any DC propertes mentioned. If I did, the Cyborg design from the animated show would have been seen again in either live action or DCAU.

Ch. 22 Reunion

Raven had read plenty of books on theology and philosophy in the past and she couldn't help but vaguely remember a quote that went "every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven." Unfortunately for her, as well as the other four occupants of main ops, they'd got the death part pretty spot on when they had last all been together…as for the reunion, with no one having said a word for at least fifteen seconds at this, Raven was pretty sure that they were far closer to purgatory than heaven.

She'd sighed when Beast Boy had shown his usual aptitude for not being able to deal with silences, but now, she was getting equally annoyed at all four of them for being so slow on acting. The only reason she targeted Beast Boy was because he was the only one in arms reach. She sidled over beside him, digging an elbow into his ribs. Beast Boy, jolted by the surprise, turned to Raven in confusion. Raven simply motioned at the three onlookers, who were proving as useful as Beast Boy in breaking the tension. Beast Boy, finally understanding the message, gave Raven an appeasing gesture, as if trying to tell her through telepathy, "I've got this." Beast Boy turned back to three titans, who were still clearly waiting for something…anything to happen. Beast Boy cleared his throat.

"So…how have you all been?"

After everything that they had been through, that single moment may have been the closest she came to actually killing Beast Boy.

"Beast Boy, for the love of Azar…"

"What!? I've never been good at the-"

"Beast Boy…is it truly you?"

Raven would have to remind herself to treat Starfire to a day at the mall for being the resident Titan to finally ask something sensible. Beast Boy turned away from Raven to face Starfire, who had floated just a few feet closer, her eyes still holding unshed tears, but also holding a certain degree of hope. Beast Boy couldn't help but give the slightest hint of smile at the Tamaranean.

"Ehm…yea…it's me…back in Jump chasing Slade…or Deathstroke…you know how it is…hero business."

"Raven said that you had gone to follow Deathstroke's robots?"

Nightwing had finally managed to find his voice and had moved to stand beside Starfire. Raven, turned to Beast Boy, also only thinking about if for the first time that he couldn't have followed up on that if he'd had time to procure a motel room. Beast Boy's face darkened.

"I did…but some of you probably saw how they were rising in the sky. As soon as they reached a certain height, they also started blowing up. I'm guessing Deathstroke put in a self-destruct sequence. Means you don't have as many remains to study on the island and I wasn't able to learn anything about where the bastard is hiding."

Nightwing nodded, seemingly satisfied with Beast Boy's reasoning, before he looked at the changeling again. Raven could feel the nerves rolling off of him, a very uncommon occurrence for the leader of the Titans.

"So…did Raven make y-…um…why have y-…"

Starfire saved Nightwing from his apparent struggle with phrasing his question.

"Beast Boy…are you returning to the tower…permanently?"

Nightwing nodded at Starfire with gratitude before turning to Beast Boy, who didn't seem to be enjoying the spotlight he was under. Cyborg still stood a few feet behind Starfire and Nightwing, remaining uncharacteristically silent, something that had not gone unnoticed by Raven. Beast Boy shuffled on his feet slightly, casting his eyes around the room in an effort to not look at anyone in front of him.

"About that…Raven and I…well, when she found me…or I found her, I don't know, we...ehm…talked about it. At least in the short term, it doesn't make sense for all of us to be fighting Deathstroke and not working together so…I thought it would be easier if I came back…well here, if that's okay? Unless you all want to pitch up in Jump City Motel with me? The room only sleeps two people though."

Raven rolled her eyes. Beast Boy just couldn't help ending on an attempt at humor. In this instance though, she let it slide. Humor…or attempted humor was something he could rely on.

Nightwing seemed slightly taken aback by Beast Boy's apparent nervousness. "Beast Boy…this is your home…you don't need to ask permission to stay here?"

Beast Boy nodded, although didn't seem in anyway more comfortable with the situation. "Okay…cool…we're all on the same page then."

Just like that, Raven felt like they were all back in purgatory. Any onlooker would be able to practically taste the tension in the room. There were so many unsaid statements hanging in the air…so many emotions flying about, Raven could barely keep track.

However, Starfire had never been complicated emotionally, at least when it came to being able to know what she actually felt about a situation. On Tamaran, the people of the planet were taught to embrace their emotions as a source of strength. This teaching had not left Starfire, despite her many years on Earth. She hadn't looked away from Beast Boy, from the second she had laid eyes on him upon entering Main Ops. She floated forwards, despite Nightwing's attempt to grab her hands. Beast Boy noticed her movement and looked at her warily.

"Starfire? What are you doing?"

Starfire either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him and simply continued to float towards the changeling and the empath. Raven, sensing what Starfire was feeling and what that was probably going to lead to, stepped further away from Beast Boy, much to his alarm. When Starfire was within ten feet of him, Beast Boy himself took a step back.

"Starfire, can you say something? You're kind of freaking me out a bit?"

Starfire paid no attention to his request and kept moving forward, causing Beast Boy to keep stepping back, until he could feel the cool glass of the main ops window against his back. He turned to face Starfire, who had just landed on her feet a few feet in front of him. Beast Boy, tired of whatever Starfire was playing at, stepped forward, a determination in his eyes for the first time since the other three titans entered.

"Look Starfire, I don't know what you're trying to do but I wo-"

Beast Boy was stopped abruptly by Starfire grabbing either side of his face in her hands. He stared at her, wide-eyed an unsure of what was happening. He could see the tears welling up in Starfire's eyes.

"It truly is you…Beast Boy…"

Starfire let go of Beast Boy's face and threw her arms around the changeling, encapsulating him, not in one of her trademark, bone-crunching hugs, but a far more gentle embrace. Beast Boy completely froze, his arms at his sides. Raven could practically see the cogs turning in his head. Starfire didn't seem to notice.

"For months…we all dreamed of the day we would see you again. We were such clorbag's Beast Boy…we didn't trust you as we should have I…I…I didn't trust you like you deserved…there aren't enough words in the language of this planet and my own combined to truly tell you how sorry I am…for everything…on Tamaran, a betrayal of a comrade is one of the most reviled acts that can be committed…but it is nothing compared to my revulsion at myself for what I did to a friend…a brother."

Beast Boy could have had a thousand guesses at what Starfire had been going to do and he wouldn't have been able to imagine the situation he currently found himself in. He raised his arms slightly, then lowered them, then raised them again, caught in two minds.

"Starfire, it's okay…you guys probably did the right thing and anyway, you only doubted me because I didn't have control. If I was simply a bit better, I coudl ha-"

Starfire pulled back and held Beast Boy firmly at arms-length. The abruptness of the break in contact cause Beast Boy to lose his balance and for a brief second, Starfire simply held him in mid-air before he found his feet again. Raven couldn't help but smirk. Beast Boy was about to get a tongue-lashing that was at least partially deserved…and very much needed.

"Beast Boy, don't you dare even think of finishing that sentence! You are in no way to blame for what happened and I will not even allow you to entertain that idea for a single second! It is us, the Titans, who let you down. We were supposed to be a team…a FAMILY! But we failed…we failed you and we failed ourselves…I am still ashamed of my actions. I do not blame you for not returning immediately, no matter how much it hurt us to know you were okay, but actively choosing to stay away. If the reason you should choose to leave again is because you no longer feel like this is a home for you, than so be it, but if it is because you do not believe yourself good enough, I will simply not allow it! I refuse to let you think this way, do you understand?"

Beast Boy had been looking at Starfire wide-eyed for the majority of her speech. Whether it was due to the nature of how Raven and him had come into contact or the fact that it was just the two of them talking it out at the time, their conversation had progressed far more naturally. Part of him was probably aware that if Raven had just found him lazing about in the motel, their conversation would probably have gone on in a manner far closer to what was currently happening. Beast Boy licked his dry lips and met Starfire's furious gaze, her green eyes glowing just ever so slightly.

"Just before you came in, I said to Raven that it felt right being here…like I was doing the right thing…I don't think that would've been the case if I had come back earlier but…okay Star…I understand."

Starfire nodded before pulling Beast Boy back into another hug, not waiting for the changeling to give her any sort of permission. Starfire was still a little bit taller than Beast Boy, so their heads were side by side, but Beast Boy's eyes reached Starfire's mouth. Beast Boy once again, surprised by the contact, had his arms raised as Starfire sniffled beside his ear. However, after only a few seconds, it became pretty clear to Beast Boy what he should do. He didn't need to be an empath to see that Starfire's words and feelings couldn't be anymore genuine.

Slowly and tentatively, Beast Boy wrapped his arms around Starfire, returning the hug. It only took a moment of returning the contact the realise he had made the right decision and he doubled his efforts, squeezing the Tamaranean in an imitation of one her bone-crunching hugs. Starfire responded in kind by increasing the strength of her grip. Beast Boy couldn't help but smile.

"You always had a way of keeping things simple…I missed you Star…I missed you all…so freakin' much."

"I missed you too fri-…Beast Boy."

"It's okay Star…you can say friend."

"I missed you too friend Beast Boy…so very dearly."

The two shared their embrace for a few seconds longer before Beast Boy gently pushed Starfire away. Starfire raised a hand to wipe away a tear before smiling at Beast Boy. Raven had been watching the scene with fondness when movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention. Raven could only watch in confusion as she saw Cyborg disappear out of Main Ops, the sliding door closing behind him. Beast Boy and Nightwing both seemed to notice the departure of the largest Titan.

Nightwing turned to the group. "Give me a few minutes, I'll go ge-"

Nightwing was cut-off by a cough from Beast Boy. "Hey uhm…let me go talk to him…or try and talk to him. I know where he's gonna be…we can talk in a little while, I promise."

Nightwing looked at Beast Boy only for a second before nodding his head in approval. "Up to you Beast Boy…and yes, I'd like that if you're okay with it."

Beast Boy nodded back, before looking back towards Raven and shooting her a reassuring smile and heading for the main ops door that Cyborg had just walked out of. Once Beast Boy left and the door slid shut behind him, Raven's focus turned to Nightwing who was looking at her with an eyebrow raised.

"No communicator…no notice…do you know how worried we were Raven?"

Raven looked Nightwing up and down before meeting his stare, defiance in her eyes. "I'm sorry for the stress it caused, but I'm not sorry I did it…that is the best you're going to to get from me. If you want to punish me in some form or another, so be it."

Nightwing held Raven's gaze for only a few seconds before he broke into a chuckle and looked towards the main ops door. "I think I'll let you away with it on this occasion…having Beast Boy back in the tower should be enough of a reminder of what you did. Have you missed your dinner calls?"

Raven smirked at Nightwing before she too focused on the sliding door, her features morphing into something just ever so slightly warmer. "I didn't really know how much I would miss them until they were gone."

Beast Boy found Cyborg exactly where he expected him to be. The metallic Titans legs stuck out from underneath the T-car, his upper half hidden beneath the vehicle, lying atop a creeper board so he could work on the underside. Beast Boy walked forward silently before leaning nonchalantly against Cyborg's main work bench.

"So have you gotten a few upgrades to bulk you up or have you been hitting breakfast too hard again?"

Beast Boy got the desired result, as the sound of Cyborg's metal head meeting the underside of the T-car rang out through the garage.

"Son of a –"

"Dude, potty mouth!"

Cyborg rolled out from underneath the T-car with an annoyed expression on his face. "You called Deathstroke a bastard upstairs."

Beast Boy raised his hands in fake innocence. "Yea, but in fairness, Deathstroke is a bastard, ain't any son of a's in this garage, are there?"

Cyborg looked at Beast Boy like he wanted to disagree with him before an annoyed look crossed his features and he got up from the ground grumbling, grabbing an oil cloth from the floor as he did so to wipe his hands.

"Why did you come down here Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy suddenly found himself nervous. He'd been hoping to break the tension somewhat with his opening remark, but Cyborg didn't seem interested in getting rid of it anytime soon. He wrung his hands together.

"Well, I was hoping to talk to you upstairs but I didn't even get a chance to finish talking to Star before you had left the room."

"You could've talked to me, or any of us, anytime over the last two months. It's not like you didn't know where we were."

Beast Boy had noted Cyborg's tone already. It wasn't outright hostile or aggressive, but there was a certain shortness to it. He couldn't help but think about that cliché phrase, "I'm not angry, just disappointed." He almost felt like a child who could tell he was about to be scolded. Beast Boy decided to proceed on carefully and hoped Cyborg would change his attitude and that hopefully he could placate the metallic titan. He was here to mend bridges, not burn them further…

"You make it sound so simple. Dude, we both know it was more complicated than that, so don't try and make it sound like it was."

"Was it not that simple?"

Beast Boy tilted his head at Cyborg, who had dropped his oil cloth onto his work bench and was now stood in front of Beast Boy with his arms folded. Beast Boy looked at Cyborg expectantly. Cyborg rolled his eyes.

"You knew we were tricked and we knew we messed up. You knew we were doing everything to find you. You stayed away. You didn't have too. Am I missing something?"

Beast Boy's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing slightly. "Dude, I don't know if you're choosing to leave stuff out or if you actually don't even know why I didn't come back?"

Cyborg didn't let up. "Okay then, explain it to me. Explain why you left the four of us to defend Jump City for two months while you took a sabbatical to Alaska. Explain why you left us here dealing with Deathstroke's little minions while we all knew that he was targeting Raven. Any of the rest of us would have come back, but no, you chose to run away, to leave Raven suffering for months, to leave all of us in the dark. So go on, what have I missed?"

Beast Boy very quickly found his patience running thin. "It's easy for you to say that any of the rest of you would have come back so easily. Firstly, you weren't the one blasted out of the tower. Secondly, the rest of you don't have a track record of not being trusted by the other Titans. Thirdly, at the time, I didn't owe any of you anything. I went away for me, and you first thought is how my actions after you all mistakenly tried to kill me, affected you? Dude, wake up."

"No, you wake up. Stop acting like a martyr. Nightwing was fooled by the gas before and none of us could figure it out. Yes, we were tricked and yes, of course I'm sorry. We're all sorry. I'm sure you don't want to hear all of saying that over and over. But what, your best idea was to send the Herald to tell us you were fine? I thought you'd think more of us Beast Boy."

"Sounds like you wanted me to come back to clear your conscience."

Cyborg went to take a step forward in anger, before calming himself, turning back to his car. "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what we did…what I did to try and fi-"

Cyborg's head jolted up as Beast Boy's hand slammed down on the hood of the T-car. Beast Boy had walked around to the other side of the car. "Look, I'm sorry for what I put you guys through…I am, truly…but I'm not sorry I did it. You guys didn't trust me…hell you never trusted me and as long as I couldn't prove I had the Be-"

"Beast Boy, stop we this we didn't trust you crap! Of course we trusted you! You were every part of the team that any of us were. We've all got our own issues, but we've always dealt with them together."

Beast Boy snorted. "Really? Robin went through his little Red-X phase, we all got mad at him for a little bit and moved on. Raven's mere existence has in the past and currently threatens the end of the world, we stand by her no question. Meanwhile, the first time my beast gets out, Robin threatened to send me to jail. Then two months ago when you were tricked, what did you say? Finally landed a hit? Doesn't sound like I was getting the same benefit of the doubt."

"We thought you ha-"

"You didn't think! Dammit, you had antidote's in the med bay if it was actually me!"

"You had been acting weird for weeks! Since we'd gotten back from the brotherhood, you'd been in a different mood! You were different! That's how it started with the Beast the last time!"

Beast Boy looked at Cyborg in disbelief. "Dude…did you even know me at all? All my life, all the Titans have been telling me to grow up. Then, the Brotherhood happened and guess what? Months of working alone and fighting a global battle made me grow up! Then I come back to the tower, the first thing I did when I saw you was hug the living hell out of you by the way, and you start giving me stick, because what? I didn't argue about meat at breakfast? Was that me acting weird?"

"I don't know! I thought it was! Your entire persona had changed! I was worried about you! Also, you'd turned into the beast that day! If it wasn't for Raven after Malchior, who knows how we would have brought you back!"

Beast Boy slammed his fist down on the front of the T-car leaving a dent. Cyborg's eyes widened. "Raven was able to bring me back because unlike any of you at the time, she trusted me! The person! The goddamn man behind the beast! Every time the rest of you went for weapons, she put her faith in me! Even when you guys sent my ass flying, she was the only person to pull back. Not the rest of you though…didn't even cross your mind."

Cyborg eyed the dent in the car before turning his attention back to Beast Boy. "So what…you expect me to trust you now? I don't know where you've been. Jump's been attacked by Phobia, by Rancid. What did you achieve by running off to Alaska for two months?"

Beast Boy didn't even hesitate. In a split second, the Beast stood on the other side of the T-car, causing Cyborg to jump backwards in shock. In another few seconds, it was gone, replaced by Beast Boy once again, his arms folded. "That's what I achieved. The Beast and I aren't two different entities. We're one and the same. Two sides of the same coin. I've learned to understand it and take what makes it strong."

Cyborg composed himself quickly. "Was it worth it? Leaving us all in the dark? Putting Raven through what she did? Are you okay with that?"

Beast Boy's ears drooped. "Like I said…I'm not sorry I did it…I'm sorry for the pain it caused."

Cyborg snorted. "So you're not sorry."

Beast Boy's nostrils flared. "Oh Cyborg get off your high horse! While you fought Phobia here, I was following the Cult of Trigon! While you fought Rancid, I fought Deathstroke! When you put out the Calling All Titans, I answered the call! Even after all of this, I never once didn't consider you the closest thing to family I have. Of course I'm sorry!"

Cyborg looked unimpressed. "You're past families can't offer much competition then."

Silence. Cyborg glanced at Beast Boy after a few seconds, the younger titans face having gone unnervingly neutral. When he spoke next, his voice was quiet.

"Not a road you want to go down Cyborg."

"Oh really? Why? Did you run from them too? Well we know you ran from the Doom Patrol and I've seen your medical records. Who were you with before them? Did you run from them t-"

Cyborg stopped in his tracks, noticing Beast Boy's hands. His new uniform didn't have gloves so Cyborg was able to notice Beast Boy's claws for the first time, which were currently pressed so hard into his palms that they were starting to draw blood. Cyborg found the sentence he was about to say die on his tongue.

"…Sorry…that wasn't fair."

Beast Boy remained quiet for a moment, his eyelids closing tight as if he was trying to focus on his breathing. When he next spoke his voice was measured and cold.

"I left the Doom Patrol because Mento would rather sacrifice the team for the sake of the mission. If Nightwing asked me to sacrifice any of you for Slade in the past, I wouldn't have been able to do that either. You don't get to say another damn thing about me or where I came from. Maybe if you had ever bothered to ask about where it, you'd have an easier time trusting me."

Cyborg's face dropped. "Beast Boy, I-"

Beast Boy moved from the other side of the T-car back towards the entrance he came in, not look at Cyborg as he went. "We're both looking to stop Deathstroke and keep Raven safe. We can work together for that. If you want to keep it there, so be it. I'm done trying to get people's approval."

"Beast Boy, wai-"

But it was too late, Beast Boy had already left, closing the door to the garage behind him. Cyborg stared at the closed door for a few seconds, before he became aware of a wetness on his cheek. He wiped his face, before turning back to the T-car. He'd seen how Beast Boy had been upstairs, how quickly he'd forgiven Starfire. He was supposed to have been his best friend. He didn't deserve his forgiveness…he didn't know if he'd ever deserve it and he wasn't going to let Beast Boy give him something he didn't deserve…not until he thought he'd earned it anyway. What he'd just done…even though he didn't want to do it…it was for the best…he was sure of it.

All three of Raven, Starfire and Nightwing began to get a bit nervous after Beast Boy hadn't returned to Main Ops with or without Cyborg after an hour had passed. They figured the two had some things to work out for sure, the same way Nightwing knew he still had to speak to Beast Boy, but Cyborg's abrupt disappearance had certainly raised the eyebrows of the three remaining Titans. Starfire, still slightly emotional from her own heart to heart with Beast Boy, was the first to crack.

"Friends…it has been an awfully long time since Beast Boy followed after Cyborg…perhaps we should go see if everything is okay?"

Nightwing, who had taken to his default task when trying to pass the time as of late of scouring mission logs and news sources for any hint of Deathstroke's whereabouts raised his head from his computer at the kitchen table. "You may have a point Star…it has been a while. I know they could be trying to hash things out but…well emotions are high and I don't want either of them saying something…regretful."

Starfire, who had been doing the hovering equivalent of pacing by the main ops door, flew over to Nightwing at his response. "Yes, my thoughts exactly. We have only just seen Beast Boy return home and although I know it is not as simple as acting how things used to be, I believe that it is important to ensure that we all get off on the correct foot."

Nightwing currently didn't have the heart to correct Starfire's terminology. "Exactly. If we're going to work as a team again, we can't have anything simmering beneath the surface."

"We don't know where they are."

Starfire and Nightwing turned to Raven, who had remained silent until this point, as she had elected to take some time to meditate by the window. Her feet gently touched the ground as she left the lotus position. "Beast Boy said he knew, but we don't know if he was right…or if they even stayed there if he found him."

Nightwing looked thoughtful at Raven's sentiment, but only for a moment. "Well, we just need to check on them, right?" So we'll each wander through a section of the tower. If we find them still talking, then there's no worries. If not, one of us can step in. Also, there are still a few honorary titans about. Somebody has to have to seen where either of them went."

Starfire, who had started flying over to Raven when she stopped meditating was about to say something to the empath, when her eyes were drawn to something outside the window. Raven noticed the shift in Starfire's demeanor and was about ask her what was wrong when Starfire beat her to it.

"Friends…I don't think the conversation between Cyborg and Beast Boy went very well."

Raven followed Starfire's gaze and immediately spotted the cause of her dismay. It almost felt like an alien sight, seeing Beast Boy sat amongst the rocks down by the foot of Titans Tower. She could only assume that his habits hadn't changed, which meant Starfire was most likely right and that something had gone wrong between the changeling and the largest titan. Raven was quick to act.

"I'll go down to Beast Boy. Starfire, Nightwing, go find Cyborg, see what happened when the two of them talked. Whatever happened, we fix it tonight."

Starfire simply nodded, a forlorn look on her face. Raven proceeded to move towards the main ops door, while Nightwing and Starfire exited via one of the side entrances. Raven didn't want to portal down to Beast Boy. In situations like this, approaching on foot always seemed more natural to her. The descent down to the main entrance of Titans Tower was not a long one and Raven figured her movement would go uninterrupted. What she hadn't been expecting was to come around the corner to the main entrance hallway to find Melvin peering out the main entrance, under the watchful eye of the Herald. The trumpet player heard Raven's arrival, the two exchanging a glance before Raven turned her attention to Melvin.

"Melvin? What are you doing? Where are your brothers?"

Melvin jumped at Raven's voice and turned around to face the empath. Raven did not need to use her powers to detect Melvin's emotions. The worry the girl had was written all over her face. "Timmy and Teether are with Bumblebee in her room. I was coming back from the bathroom when I thought I saw Beast Boy down the hall and…well…he looked really upset, so I followed him but he went outside before I could ask what was wrong. Mal said I should give Beast Boy some space."

Raven's heart sank at the young Titan's words, although she didn't let her face show it. "It's okay Melvin. Why don't you head back to your brothers and Bee? I'll speak with…Mal… and see if I can have a talk with Beast Boy."

Melvin looked up at Raven with concerned eyed. "I wasn't too harsh on him earlier was I? I didn't mean t-"

Raven got down on one knee and gently raised a hand to the girl's face. "No Melvin, not at all…Beast Boy's just been through some tough times recently. He hasn't been in the tower for a while and I think he's still getting used to it again. You didn't do anything wrong, I promise."

That seemed to appease Melvin a little bit, although the concern hadn't completely disappeared from the young girl's face. "Okay, but please make sure he's okay…otherwise I'll have to send Bobby out after him."

Raven almost laughed at the idea of Bobby trundling down to Beast Boy's chosen spot for reflection but still graced Melvin with a small smile. "I'll be sure to deliver the warning to him. Now head on back to your brothers and Bee, before she comes looking for you."

Melvin nodded, before giving the empath a quick hug and heading off down the hallway. It was only when Melvin had completely disappeared from the corner and Raven could no longer detect her emotions did she turn her attention to the other occupant of the hallway. "I didn't realise you were one of the Titans who was still here…Mal?"

The Herald let out a chuckle. "I don't like using my hero name with those three kids…feels too formal. Although, I should probably start being more careful, can't afford to have people blabbing my identity to everyone and anyone. As for still being here…I found out Beast Boy had come back during Deathstroke's assault after he had saved Nightwing's life. I was hoping to talk to him but…well seems like something's happened to complicate matters."

Raven absorbed the Herald's words. Beast boy had certainly been busier during last night's battle than she'd realised. "Cyborg's behavior when he saw Beast Boy upstairs was…unexpected. Beast Boy insisted on going to talk to him but…it seems the situation has only gotten worse."

The Herald seemed to take the information in his stride. "I'll have to speak him another time so. I'll still be around the tower for a while, but I'm not the person who should go see him right now."

Raven raised an eyebrow at the Herald, who merely glanced back out the main entrance of the tower. "You know Ravem…when Beast Boy made the decision to leave when all this started, I tried to talk him out of it, I really did. At one point, I swore he was about to cave. I pointed out what he was gonna leave behind…who he was potentially leaving behind…what he might be throwing away…I didn't need to say it, but he knew who I was talking about…and I'm pretty sure you know too."

Raven swallowed. "He left anyway."

The Herald nodded, but didn't leave it at that. "Yea he did…but he came back…and who did he do that for? I'll take my leave…but think about it Raven."

With that, the Herald slipped past Raven without another word, leaving Raven in a state of slight shock at how much knowledge the Herald seemed to have. She suddenly felt far more nervous about heading outside to talk to Beast Boy and that was before she took into consideration the moment they had shared in Main Ops before it was interrupted.

Raven, ever so quietly, walked out the main entrance of the tower into the dim light cast by the moon on what was a beautiful, cloudless Winter night, knowing that with his enhanced hearing, he was already probably aware of her presence. She gently probed for his emotions when she was still a distance away. Raven's brow furrowed in confusion. Beast Boy was feeling…guilty? There was no anger, no rage…nothing that would suggest that Cyborg and him had had a fight. She took a breath and gently approached Beast Boy. Beast Boy's ears perked up when she was nearly behind him and his head raised slightly in acknowledgement when she took a seat on the rock beside him. It was a cold night and Raven, still not changed from her earlier escapades in the city, found herself glad to be in jeans and a jacket rather than her cloak which would have left her legs exposed.

She felt the spike in Beast Boy's nerves when he took a breath, like he was preparing to say something, but didn't know how to start. For a few seconds, she didn't think he was going to go through with it, but Beast Boy's voice eventually creaked out of his mouth. "I'll find Nightwing and talk to him in a bit Raven…I just don't want to talk right now."

"Nightwing isn't my concern at the moment Beast Boy."

"Well, I still don't want to talk right now."

Raven knew what he was feeling…how he was feeling…and she had already told him she wasn't going to stand for it. "Beast Boy, I told you at the motel that I'm not going to let you feel guilty or doubt yourself for something that's not your fault. So either we sit hear in silence for the foreseeable future, or you can tell me what happened."

"Raven, I just don't want to-"

"Beast Boy, you've been back in the tower an hour and the last time I saw you, you seemed pretty happy. I don't know what happened with Cyborg…but we both know at this stage keeping it to yourself isn't the way to go about it. I trust you…can you trust me?"

Beast Boy looked at Raven, and she couldn't help but feel a little satisfied by the expression on his face. He was shooting her a dirty look, which just a certain degree of indignation. She had him cornered.

"I do trust you…you're only gonna be able to pull that card so many times, you know that right?"

"I don't know…you're pretty sentimental."

Beast Boy snorted. "Yea…probably too a fault."

Raven frowned at his tone as Beast Boy slumped on the edge of the rock. This was a far stretch from the Beast Boy who had said he felt like he was in the right place earlier that night. Raven glanced downwards at Beast Boy's hands, which were between his legs and noticed he was holding the same picture she had seen him with in his room earlier. Raven motioned at the photo.

"Want to talk about it now? You said it's a long story…we have time."

Beast Boy didn't respond this time and Raven couldn't help but let out a sigh. She was starting to piece things together. The images she had seen when she made her connection with Beast Boy, his family in the photo…the guilt…they were all connected. She could only assume that Cyborg had said something out of line that had caused Beast Boy to close in on himself. Well, she wasn't having it. She was going to get Beast Boy to talk…even if she had to take the first step.

"If you want…I'll start?"

Beast Boy turned his head towards Raven in confusion. "Start? Start what?"

Raven looked at Beast Boy with a sad smile before turning her attention to the Jump City Bay. The moonlight glistened against the water, the waves were gentle against the rocks, the currents calm. The dark waters may as well have been a mirror reflecting the night sky. Raven felt that if she so wanted to she could move out into the centre of the bay and fly into the water, but rather than being submerged she would merely appear under the same sky on the other side of the water line. An appropriate location for the story she was about to tell.

"Talking about my family."

Beast Boy's confusion didn't falter. "Eh…Raven…I know who Trigon is…you don't have to bring him up again."

Raven smiled sadly. "You know my father…you don't know of my mother…no one does."

Beast Boy's confusion melted away into surprise before he found himself struggling to string a sentence together. "Raven you don't have to-…I mean don't feel like-…I know it can be-"

Raven silenced the struggling changeling with a raised hand. "Thank you for your concern but I think you should know at this stage that you could never make me do something I didn't want to do…and I want to do this. I know you trust me…and I trust you…so listen."

Beast Boy abruptly shut his mouth, his eyes still wide from Raven's words. Raven paid no heed to him as she started her story.

"My mother's name was Angela Roth and she was human…just a regular human, born in Gotham City. When she had just turned eighteen, she found herself homeless and borderline depressed, wandering the streets with no real way out…that's when she was found by the Cult of Trigon. She obviously didn't know who they were or who Trigon was at the time but…they took he in…gave her a home, fed her…she thought she had found a place to call her own with people who cared about her. The one condition of their kindness was that she was expected to assist in a ritual in honor of their deity. What they didn't tell her was that the ritual was actually one of marriage. Trigon appeared before her, in the form of a human and they were wed. It was only after she left Earth with him did he reveal his true form...Angela tried to flee but Trigon wanted a child…a portal to have on Earth for when he came to claim it it…so Trigon…had his way with her…"

When Beast Boy's voice came out, it was barely a whisper. "Raven…I'm so sorry…you don't have to-"

Raven cut him off with a deep breath. "I want too…and I'm not finished."

Beast Boy immediately stopped talking. Raven continued, her voice just slightly shaky. "Trigon then returned her to Earth. The Cult abandoned her, in the knowledge that they had successfully carried out their duty. Left alone on the streets alone, pregnant, and with nowhere to go…Angela tried to take her own life…but she was stopped by a group of monks who had come in search of her. It was them that took my mother to Azarath, where she took on a new name…Arella, which meant Messenger Angel to the people of Azarath. When I was born, my mother gave up her maternal responsibilities and I was left in the care of Azar…the high priestess…I only ever saw her a few times after that."

Beast Boy waited a few seconds before speaking this time. "Where…where is your mom now?"

Raven could feel the wetness on her cheek but made no effort to wipe it away. "She died on Azarath with the rest of the monks when Trigon invaded…Trigon came for me and when he discovered I was gone…his rage was unparalleled."

Raven was vaguely aware of the hand that wiped away whatever amount of tears she had shed. She turned to look at Beast Boy, who looked absolutely devasted. "Raven…I'm so sorry…to think of what she had to go through and then…I couldn't imagine it."

Raven smiled at him sadly. "It's okay Beast Boy…for years I resented my mother…for leaving me in the care of another. Now I can't help but see her in a different light…she knew I was going to have trouble dealing with my powers…my emotions. Whether she wanted to raise me or not, I'll never know, but she undoubtedly put the world ahead of herself…even after everything she went through…I don't know if I, or any of us, would be here today if she hadn't made that decision."

Beast Boy grabbed onto Raven's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm happy that you've been able to find some kind of takeaway from what happened. I really am."

Raven didn't let herself get distracted by Beast Boy's warm and calloused hand on her small, petite one. "It felt good to talk about…to hear myself say it out loud…I can't recommend it enough."

Raven felt the spike in Beast Boy's nerves once again and couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed when she felt his hand retract. Beast Boy brought his knees underneath his chin. "Yea…well some of us haven't found a takeaway from their family histories yet."

Raven took a deep breath. She knew she was about drop a bomb shell on the poor changeling, but it might have been the only way she was going to get him to open up.

"Beast Boy…when I formed a connection with Nightwing when he was seeing Slade…I never told any of you what exactly that entailed."

Beast Boy glanced at Raven with curiosity which Raven took as a sign to continue. "The bond that's formed…to create it…I essentially get a snapshot of a person's very being…their emotions, their thoughts, their feelings…their memories. When I formed it with Nightwing, I saw some of the events that…shaped him…do you get where I'm going with this."

Raven didn't need to ask the question because for a person who was almost entirely green, Beast Boy was doing a great job at turning white with how pale he suddenly looked. He looked away from Raven, focusing on the ripple of the waves against the rocks.

"…what did you see when you formed this bond with me?"

Raven decided it was time she returned the favour, scooting slightly closer to Beast Boy and grabbing one of his hands of his knees and giving it a firm squeeze. "Only flashes of images…but I could feel how you felt…how you still feel…I've come to terms with my family history…you're still dealing with yours…talk to be Beast Boy…trust me like how I trusted you."

Beast Boy looked down at Raven's hand holding onto the back of his own and then back at the picture of his family between his legs. His head dropped and he let out a huge sigh, as if his very essence was being drawn out of his mouth and escaping into the crisp, Winter night.

"My parents were Mark and Marie Logan…and they were biologists…and good ones at that. They were involved in a research project in upper Lumumba in Africa when I was born."

Raven didn't want to interrupt Beast Boy, as he had given her the courtesy of letting her tell her story mostly uninterrupted, but at heart, Raven was always a curious person. It was why she read so much. Raven loved figuring out how things work, how stories unfolded, how history shaped the world today. She couldn't help it. It was simply in her nature.

"You were born in Africa? I never would have guessed."

A fond smile crept across Beast Boy's face. "Yea, I was always so disappointed when we were all away following up with honorary Titans for the Brotherhood that Nightwing never sent me to Africa…always had me in cold places."

"Now that I think about, it seems obvious…it suits you."

"Yea? I'd guess your right. The US is great and all and some of the places we've been too have been awesome but…those savannah's, the way the golden grasses flowed in the breeze, the way animals migrated across the plains following in the footsteps of those that came before them…I've never been somewhere that felt so much like the wild's beating heart…sounds like me. I can be a bit feral at times."

Raven smiled at Beast Boy speaking so fondly about where he came from until a thought crossed he mind. "I've read about Lumumba. They don't speak English there, or at the minimum, very few people speak it."

Beast Boy looked at her, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Uko sahihi. Lugha pekee niliyoitumia nikiwa huko ni Kiswahili."

Raven's eyes widened. "You speak Swahili?"

Beast Boy nodded in approval. "Of course you'd recognize Swahili. Yep, it was the only language I knew till I was eight. That's when I started learning English for the first time."

"I swear the more I ask about you, the more surprises I get."

"Oh you want to hear facts about me you don't know? Okay, my height never really stays the same, I'm actually a decent act-"

Beast Boy laughed at the jolt he received from Raven as she dug her elbow into his rubs, albeit quite gently. "Don't get sidetracked now, you were telling a story."

Beast Boy raised his hands in a show of mock innocence. "Yea, yea…so anyway, life was good. We got to know the locals, I played with the children of the villages we travelled too and my parents worked with the adults who knew the land. Then, one day, while my parents were doing some field work and I was about seven, I was left by myself…only for like two minutes…and I came across this monkey. It was green and of course, I, being a child, wandered towards it with my arms out."

Beast Boy, who was wearing his hoodie, pulled his right arm out of one of the sleeves and pointed to a spot on his upper bicep. Raven peered over and saw it immediately. The delicate tracery of a scar from what was clearly a set of teeth marred his otherwise clear, green skin. At two points along the long-healed injury, there were subtle indentations where Raven could only assume a pair of canines had sunk into flesh. Raven reached a hand out and gently brushed the permanent reminder that had been left on Beast Boy's skin, eliciting a shudder from the changeling. When Raven withdrew her hand, Beast Boy moved his sleeve back over his arm.

"Yea, the monkey gave me a pretty nasty bite…and an even worse side effect. Have you ever heard of Sakutia?"

Raven's fore head creased as she tried to think if she'd heard of the term anywhere before. "I think so…it's an illness, isn't it?"

Beast Boy nodded. "Yea…and a bad one. It's a virus that messes with the genetic code of people infected. It has a 100% fatality rate and it's main symptom is…well…it turns the victims hair and skin green…forever."

Raven did her best to remain clam on the inside, while on the inside, she could feel her emotions raging. "ASK HIM HOW HE'S ALIVE!" Raven grimaced. Knowledge always wanted to know the answer to the newest mysteries…but Azar, could she not wait five minutes? Raven instead chose to play it slow.

"So I take it you were infected with sakutia…and yet here you are."

Beast Boy nodded, absentmindedly picking up a rock and throwing it into the water of the bay. "Yea, you're looking at the exception that proves the rule. My parents were geneticists at heart and when they realised what happened too me and the fact that I didn't have much time…they decided to screw the rules and gave me a serum that they had been working on, but had never been tested, to try and save my life. It worked…as you can tell…the side effect being…well…all the green…and my ability to change into animals."

Raven acknowledged Beast Boy's words with a subtle tilt of head. "When did the second side effect first come up?"

Beast Boy gave Raven a bashful smile. "That actually wasn't for a few days…I was up and moving by myself again and I really wanted to climb this tree. There was fruit at the top! But anyway…I couldn't do it, but on my last attempt, I took a running jump and…well I've only been told this, but I left the ground as me but latched onto the tree as a squirrel…my mom, who had been watching me reportedly, freaked out."

"That must have been a surprise for you."

"I don't remember it if I'm being honest…I think for a while, I was basically just…a squirrel, but when I fell asleep, I reverted back."

"Hmm… I don't know…I've seen you when you're hungry and determined…it's a dangerous combination…I'd believe you were just too focused on food."

Beast Boy gave her a deadpan look. "Ha haha ha ha."

Raven shot Beast Boy a small smile, before her mind went to work again. "Okay…so that sounds like it worked out…at least somewhat in the end?...So where is the part that you are so reluctant to talk about?"

The effect was instantaneous. Beast Boy, who's mood had seemed to have been lifted somewhat since the start of their conversation, visibly shrunk in on himself on the rock he was perched on. His eyes, which had been shining only seconds before, looked just slightly more dull, the shadows from the tower and the descending sun suddenly far more prominent on his face.

"It did…for a time. But like most things I'm involved with seemingly…it all went to hell. A fe-"

Raven cut him off. "Don't say that about yourself…please." Her voice was quiet, but firm. Beast Boy looked at her as if he was debating whether to argue the point or not before he, wisely, nodded and moved on."

"A few months after my incident, my parents had needed to head north from Lumumba to another research site. So my parents charted a boat so we could head up rive-"

Raven missed the next few seconds as she felt her blood run cold, her mind focusing immediately on the images she had seen before. A solitary boat…a river running into a waterfall. This was it.

"-ad been sailing for a few hours. I was below deck when the whole boat shook. When I ran upstairs to check what had happened, my parents were both stood together…like they had just finished talking. My mom was the first to see me. She seemed so calm…I never guessed that anything was actually wrong. I had managed to get a better grip of my powers over the months beforehand and my parents had made up a bunch of games out of it. Anyway…she told me to transform into a bird and fly to the river bank and find some fruit…I'd done it so many times before. I didn't even question the size of the hugs that my dad and her gave me…or how much they told me they loved me. I flew off anyway, and it wasn't till I was flying back that I realised the boat was heading for –"

"-a waterfall".

Raven finished Beast Boy's train of thought. Beast Boy, for his part, didn't even seem to upset by the revelation that Raven had worked out where the story was going. "So you saw that part…"

It wasn't a question. It was an admission of defeat…in Beast Boy's mind, someone had seen now seen the worst moment of his life. Raven licked her lips, trying to stay calm.

"Fleetingly…not the full extent, bu-"

"But nothing. When I realised what happened, it was already too late. I flew back as fast as I could, but I could only watch…I saw them tumble out of the boat, holding each other's hands, plummeting hundreds of feet downwards…I searched the waters for them…nothing…and it was all my fault."

Beast Boy didn't even jolt at the contact on his hand. Raven for her part, had abandoned all attempts to remain calm. When she next spoke, there was a tinge of disbelief in her voice. "Gar…surely you know that that isn't your fault…you were only a child…what else could you have-"

"I could have been better! It's always the same with me, isn't it! It's like it's goddamn inevitable! Anyone I care about, I'm gonna let them down! I let all of you down! I let the Doom Patrol down! I left my parents to die! I had superpowers dammit! I could've done something! I should've done something!"

Beast Boy's tirade began to trail away at the end, his body shuddering as he desperately tried to hold back tears, tears that he had withheld for years at this stage. "I could save every person on the planet Rae…I'm always gonna be two people short."

Beast Boy hadn't been expecting anything…if anything, he'd expected disdain…agreement that he was, in fact, not the hero he could be or was. As such, he couldn't help but flinch, every so slightly, when he felt the contact come from beside him. Without uttering a single word, Raven had enveloped Beast Boy in a tender embrace. At a time when he was feeling so cold…her warmth cut through it like a ray of sunshine. While he was initially caught off guard, he gradually leaned into Raven's arms and after another few seconds, he simply allowed himself to be sad, his body wracked with sobs as Raven wrapped her other arm around him. It was a moment that transcended all the complexities of being teenage superheroes and simply exposed the raw humanity underneath it all.

Eventually, Beast Boy pulled away, giving Raven a silent acknowledgement as he did so. However, Raven was far from finished with the topic at hand. "Beast Boy…I know it's hard to think about all the things you could have done…or should have done…or what you wished your parents hadn't done…I know. Look at my mom…Arella made the decision to give me up and I resented her for it…for so long…I hated her…but now, I can see her for what she was…a single mother doing her best for the daughter, that I think she loved. Your parents did the same for you and look at all the good it's done…you could have all died on that boat…but in a split second, they realised that you could live…that you could be so much more…they sound like pretty good parents to me."

Beast Boy looked unconvinced. "I let them down Raven…I could have-"

"Anyone can dwell on the what if's Beast Boy…it's such an easy way to drown in the past…look at it from your parents point of view. They managed to save their only son…who went on to become a superhero who has saved hundreds of lives and put countless criminals behind bars…I don't know about you Gar…I think they'd be pretty damn proud."

"…I miss them Rae."

"I know…but think about it like this…whenever we miss someone, don't think about the sadness that brings…missing them simply means that you were fortunate to have them in your life at all…you spoke so happily about them and your time in Africa when you were young…you wouldn't trade those moments for anything, would you?"

"Never."

"Exactly…so hold on to them…cherish them…and think about how proud they would be of you…I don't like how much you've been down on yourself since you came back but…I think you're more than good enough."

Beast Boy glanced down at the photos between his legs, tracing a finger across his parents faces. When he looked up at Raven again, there was just the smallest hint of his usual brightness in his features.

"Thanks Rae."

"Anytime Gar."

Silence fell on the pair for a moment, before Rave's brow furrowed. "Wait though…if this is what you were thinking about when I came out here…what happened between you and Cyborg to bring that up?"

Beast Boy looked away from Raven almost instantly. "Oh…I went down to try and talk to him and…he's not exactly happy with me…I don't blame him…but it got a little heated. He said some things he didn't know about. It's alright, I'll try talking to him again in a bit…probably."

After a few seconds, Beast Boy began to question whether Raven had even heard him. He risked glancing over and became slightly alarmed at the look on Raven's face. Her indigo eyes, normally serene, glowed with an intensity that Beast Boy found unnerving. Beast Boy was about to to try and calm the empath when her face changed again to one of confusion.

"I spoke with Cyborg…about you…a lot. He never once expressed anything like that to me…and I would have been able to tell if he was lying."

Beast Boy shrugged. "Maybe he was telling a half-truth…either way, he doesn't want to be around me right now."

Raven's mind raced through her interactions with Cyborg while Beast Boy had been away. The first time she'd talked to him, he'd been down on the rocks that her and Beast Boy were sat on at that very moment. Starfire and Bumblebee had tried to talk to him but he'd pushed them away…

Raven would have facepalmed if she wasn't so composed. "I'm going to slap that boy into an outer circle of hell for being this stubborn."

Raven stood up abruptly, surprising the changeling who promptly scrambled to his feet as well. "Raven, it's fine, really! I'll sort it out with Cyborg my-"

"I'm going to talk to him now. You're coming with me."

Beast Boy raised his arms into the air. "Raven, we didn't exactly end on a good note last time, I don't think he wants to see me anytime so-."

Raven raised her hand, silencing the changeling immediately. She had a slightly mischievous expression on her face, like she had just finished concocting an evil plan, but there was a fire in her eyes that screamed how determined she was.

"And who said Cyborg is going to see you?"