Hey yo, author here! Been a little longer than I thought but I've been surprisingly busy. I got a new job over the last two weeks and everything happened pretty quick with a bunch of interviews, technical stuff to prep, etc. so had to put most of spare time into that, but well worth it and am super psyched with that I got. Also, have two weeks off between leaving the current place and starting in the new one, so plan to use that to do some serious work on this.

Anyways, this is a slower chapter compared to some of the others recently, but it is 100% a necessary one. Want everything set up for the plan I have, so had to be done. Also, thanks for all the feedback on the Q's I asked last day. Based on that, finishing this first before starting anything else and most likely gonna be going the AU route. As usual, thanks for all the reviews/favorites/follows and hope you enjoy the chapter!

As always, much love - Seadavid41

Ch. 31 Hangfire

The room was silent, coated in a shroud of darkness, where the only sliver of light that was able to permeate the all-encompassing depth of shadow could be found creeping out from underneath an oppressive fabric that hung from the ceiling like the banners of a grand dining hall. With the miniscule clarity provided by the light's glow, certain features of the room lost their obscurity. Book shelves stood tall and imposing, the tomes that resided within their care carrying the knowledge of the arcane that had been collected over thousands of years. A large ornate chest had been pushed to one side, it's carved wood so carefully crafted, it's iron padlock dense and unyielding. Unlit candles stood side by side, the wax melted down to a different degree on everyone, a symbol of times when they had been needed before. At the back of the room, a large bed took up the entire back wall, it's headboard rising up against the confines of the room, seeming to almost disappear into the darkness. Entangled within the purple sheets on the mattress, two forms were intertwined. Both of them had their backs to the window, with one having an arm wrapped protectively around the other. It was a scene that encapsulated peace…not a noise to be heard…not even a trace of conscious life…

However, if the light poking out from the bottom of the curtains had been on the other side of the room, the face of a sleeping empath…who was the perfect encapsulation of serene sleep…and that of a changeling and his dopey grin would have been revealed to the world.

Beast Boy had always been the kind of person to hear a question and then accidently dwell on it for hours. His mind just tended to wander like that. He could remember a time when Cyborg and him were playing gamestation and the metal titan had asked him off the cuff what video game world he would live in if he could. He had had no immediate answer…resulting in him mulling it over in his for a solid day and a half. When he entered the kitchen nearly two days later and proudly proclaimed Shadow of the Colossus after much thought, Cyborg had looked at him as if he had two heads, having completely forgot the completely innocuous question that he had posed to the changeling.

It was only nine in the morning and Beast Boy knew he should have been more tired. He knew he should have gone back to sleep when he woke up…but for the love of God, how could he when he woke up with one arm wrapped around Raven while the empath held it against her chest. He had gone from being drowsy to bolt-right awake almost instantly at the realisation of where he was and who he was with, resulting in the dopey grin that was now plastered across his face. He had found himself thinking back over the questions Raven's emoticlones had asked him, specifically the question of a pink-cloaked emotion. While he had rattled off a few options at the time and gave a definite answer eventually, a very large part of him now wondered if that had changed.

How could waking up like this for the first time not be the happiest moment of his life?

He hadn't moved a muscle since he'd woken with the exception of the smile that had formed on his face. With the way Raven and him were positioned, her hair was splayed out and practically in his face and he couldn't have avoided breathing her in if he wanted too. She completely filled his senses to the point of overload. He wanted this moment to last forever. He never wanted it to be disturbed. He'd stay completely still for as long as he ha-

"You know I'm awake Gar, right?"

Beast Boy lifted his head out of Raven's hair with a look of dismay as he peered over the empath's shoulder. "What? Why? How? I swear I didn't make a mo-"

Raven reached her arm up from Beast Boy's and gently pulled Beast Boy's head back down. The changeling did not resist, nor did he have any inclination too, despite his disappointment of his perfect moment being over. Raven reached down and grabbed the changeling's hand, before bringing it up to her face and gently kissing the back of his hand.

Okay, maybe he was still in the perfect moment.

Raven brought his arm against her chest. "I know you didn't move, but the burst of emotions you had when you woke up was enough for me to detect even in my sleep."

Smooth…real smooth.

Beast Boy made an indignant face that Raven couldn't see. "Well…it's not like I've been able to wake up like this before…I was enjoying the moment."

Raven squeezed his arm. "And I brought you back down beside me because I was enjoying the moment too."

Beast Boy's mouth opened again…and then closed…and then opened…and then he realised he was wasting time and promptly buried his face into the empath's hair, eliciting a roll of the eyes and a small smile from the empath. Raven heard Beast Boy say something, but his voice was muffled due to where had had positioned himself. She sighed.

"For me to hear you, you're going to have remove yourself from my hair."

Raven was pretty sure she heard something along the lines of but I like it in here before Beast Boy's head rose with a groan. "I said we probably need to think about getting up soon…as much as I don't want to."

Raven's face turned sombre. She knew he was right…that didn't make it any easier. Why did all of their so called moments have to be so damn fleeting? Beast Boy let her go when she began shuffling in bed and Raven rolled over to face the changeling.

"I know you're right…Azar, I haven't had to say that much…but you are."

Beast Boy gave her a sad smile and pulled her closer, with Raven bringing her arms close to her chest to accommodate him.

"I'm right more than you give me credit for, bu-…don't look at me like that…but duty calls."

Raven counted down from five in her head, as if in preparation, before her eyes opened. "Duty calls."

With that, Raven removed herself from Beast Boy's arms and rolled out of her bed and headed for her closet in search of a clean uniform. When she emerged, uniform in hand, she caught Beast Boy eyeing her cockily from his standing position on the other side of the bed, his arms folded across his chest. Raven raised an eyebrow.

"What are you so smug about?"

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow right back at her. "What made you think I would wear a band t-shirt Beast Boy?"

Raven looked at him in confusion before she froze, glancing down at the Blue Öyster Cult t-shirt she was wearing…the one he had given her. She looked up again and simply shrugged her shoulders.

"They're…tolerable."

Beast Boy smiled at her, his fang glinting in the morning sun that was now peaking higher up through the curtains. "I like it on you."

Raven gave a small smile back. Just as she was about turn back to the bathroom, a thought came to her mind and she turned back to the changeling. "Beast Boy, I'm going to go shower and change. For now…it might be better if you were to sneak out of here so as to not raise any suspicions from the others. I…I don't really want to deal with that right now."

Beast Boy nodded, not seeming to take any offense to Raven's request, as he moved away from the bed. "It's all good Rae. I was gonna ask if you wanted me to leave so we could come to Main Ops separately anyway."

Raven gave him a thankful smile as Beast Boy walked towards the door, but as she watched him leave, she couldn't help herself. Just as he put his hand on her door, she took a step towards him.

"Gar, wait."

Beast Boy turned to her, confusion apparent in his eyes as the empath approached, a certain nervousness to her demeanour that didn't suit her normally confident style. When she arrived, she reached out and grabbed both of his hands with her own.

"I just wanted to say…thank you for last night…for everything. I've never…I couldn't admit what I needed or wanted, but you just understood it."

Beast Boy smiled at Raven with all the warmth in his eyes that he could muster as he squeezed her hands back. "No need to say thanks…trust me…I never had any complaints. Although…I gotta ask one question."

"Of course, anything."

Beast Boy looked at the empath, a child-like hope in his eyes. Raven felt her heart flutter as the same emotion emanated from Beast Boy that she had felt the night before.

"Are we…sorry, can I call you…god, that sounds so lame…are we-"

"A couple?"

Beast Boy nodded sheepishly and in response, Raven rose up on her tip toes and gave him quick kiss.

"Yes…I believe we are…"

The two stared at each other as Raven reached for the key pad for her room, both completely caught in the moment, but subconsciously knowing that they had to keep appearances. However, in that split second, critically, both of them dropped their guards. Raven was not supposed to be beside Beast Boy when her door opened…Beast Boy was supposed to have shifted and snuck out unseen, but in that split second, they both briefly became unaware of their surroundings, or how compromising the situation they were in would look to someone on the other side of the door in the hallway at that very moment.

Surely they couldn't be that unlucky…

The resounding gasp that came from the hallway was enough to make both Raven and Beast Boy completely freeze in place. Slowly and carefully, both their heads turned towards the now open door. Starfire had clearly just been passing by on her way to Main Ops. She wasn't even near Raven's door, walking along the wall of the far-side of the hallway. It was pure chance. All three titans were like deer caught in headlights.

Raven saw it first…the noticeable changes of Starfire's expression changing slowly from shock to unadulterated joy. Her hands, that had closed into fists, were on the verge of shaking excitedly in front of her. She saw the rumble in her throat…the telltale sign of a Starfire scream…a scream that would alert every occupant of the tower. Raven reacted on instinct.

"Grab her."

Within a second, a tendril of dark magic had woven it's way around Starfire's mouth and the large hand of a sasquatch had wrapped around her waist, yanking her out of the hallway into Raven's room, where the door promptly slid closed again. It was like there had never been anything there at all. Only if someone were to press their head against Raven's door would they possibly have any chance of detecting the faintest sounds of struggle from within.

Raven knew that if Starfire truly wanted to break free of Beast Boy she would. For the moment, she only struggled against his grip, her eyes wide. Raven held up her hands in an appeasing manner.

"Starfire…I'm going to remove my magic…I need to keep your voice DOWN…okay?"

Starfire's eyes flicked from Raven to the magic currently around her face and back to Raven before she nodded hurriedly. Raven sighed and with an imperceptible nod, she motioned for Beast Boy to release her. The changeling acquiesced, lowering the Tamaranean to the floor, where, with a look of general apprehension and acceptance, Raven let the magic around Starfire's mouth dissipate, a certain trepidation to her actions. During this, Beast Boy shifted back and took a step around the Tamaranean to stand beside Raven. Starfire opened her mouth and closed it a few times, like a fish out of water, before taking a deep breath.

"Apologies friends…I was simply not expecting such a sight at that moment…while I knew of your recent closeness, I was not prepared for such an obvious display of affection."

Raven's brow furrowed immediately. "You were aware of our closeness? What do you mean by that?"

Starfire looked at Raven, confusion marring her otherwise still obviously excited features. "Well, I mean, I have spoken to both of you about the other and you both seemed to understand the point I was conveying…also…you are not the most subtle."

Now, it was Beast Boy's turn to look confused. "What? But we've barely done anything yet!?"

Starfire merely smiled at the changeling. "Friends, since Beast Boy returned…you did the long talking in a motel in the city…and on the roof…and in the Med Bay…and in the gym…this is not a difficult observation to make for a Tamaranean…we are very much in touch with our emotions you know."

Starfire finished her statement with a wink and couldn't help but giggle at the very obvious blushes that had adorned both of her friends faces. "It has been most wholesome to observe, but friends, this is such joyous news! Why would you want to keep this a secret?"

Beast Boy got over his embarrassment first. "Star…it's all still very..ehm…new for both of us and well…there are bigger things going on at the moment. Yea, it's been nice…no, not nice…the best thing ever…but even though we haven't actually talked about it yet, I think Raven and I would prefer to keep this quiet for the moment…Raven?"

Beast Boy cast his eyes over to the empath, who nodded in agreement. "Beast Boy is right…maybe once things settle down and we…come to a better understanding ourselves…we'll tell the others, but for now…please keep this to yourself…although, I will say is it is nice to hear Beast Boy call this the best thing ever."

Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly while Starfire look between the pair of them warmly, before her expression turned just the slightest bit more serious. "Friends, I will of course keep your secret. This wonderful news is yours to distribute, but please…don't think for a second that just because we are unsure of the future means that you shouldn't view this as the same importance. Beast Boy, whether there are other things going on at the moment or not…this always matters."

Beast Boy smiled at her words. "Trust me Star…I know how lucky I am…I know how much this matters."

Starfire beamed at him while Raven could only stare and do her best to hide her surprise at the strength of his statement. It's not like she didn't know how he felt but…it was certainly nice to hear out loud. Beast Boy looked over at Raven with a small smile and Raven couldn't help but return it before turning back to Starfire. "Thank you for your understanding Starfire. Beast Boy, could you go and get Nightwing and Cyborg? I'll come meet you all in Main Ops in half an hour? We've got to talk about what Deathstroke showed me."

Starfire's face darkened immediately. "Deathstroke? What? What happened?"

Raven grimaced. "I'll tell everyone in Main Ops Star…I don't really want to have to go over this more than once for my own sake but…safe to say he understands Melvin's value…to me anyway."

Beast Boy wordlessly nodded and with a slight look of hesitation that said he probably wanted to say something else, he gave both the girls a reassuring smile before disappearing from the room. Raven's eyes lingered on the door as it slid closed as her mind drifted to the night before…the morning after…and the future that lay ahead. She was so lost in her thoughts, that for a brief moment, she forgot there was still another occupant in her room. Turning her gaze back, she locked eyes with the inquisitive, large green eyes of her Tamaranean teammate. Raven felt her blood run cold. She knew that look.

"Raven…talk of girls…now."

"Oh Azar…"

Nightwing stared at the image on the screen in front of him. Truly, the design was remarkable and the leader of the Titans didn't even attempt to hide how impressed he was from Cyborg. Like most mornings, Nightwing had been the first to rise, taking a brief moment to enjoy the morning Winter sun on the roof before heading to the kitchen to prepare the jet fuel that he knew as how he liked his coffee. He'd expected a moment of peace to himself where he could go over the events of the last few days, begin investigating schematics of the old library downtown…typical Nightwing antics. However, his morning musings had been interrupted by an awake and surprisingly alert Cyborg, who had brought him down to the garage, an excited smile on his face. Refusing to say what he had in store for the Titan leader, it was only when the metal Titan presented him with his computer screen did Nightwing gain an understanding of what Cyborg had been wanting to show him.

"Jesus Cy…how long have you been working on this idea of yours?"

Cyborg smiled with pride. "Ever since the Brotherhood wrapped up. Over the years, we've met some bad guys with size behind them. If we knew this was gonna happen…why wouldn't I think about a solution like this, ya'know?"

Nightwing looked at the project title at the top left of the screen in front of him. "Bionic Armour Designed Against Super-Size." His brow furrowed. "You could've come up with a catchier name though…"

Cyborg's face went from excited to borderline mischievous. "Okay World's Greatest Detective…have another look and take a guess why I went for that."

Nightwing looked at the name again, his eyes tracing the curvature of the letters. the phrasing…and then it clicked…the capital letters. He rolled his eyes at Cyborg.

"Seriously…"

"Damn right seriously…it's B.A.D.A.S.S!"

Nightwing resisted the urge to smile and turned back to analyzing the schematics. "I mean, in theory…this could be a massive asset for us. Deathstroke definitely won't see it coming…hell, I didn't see it coming. You have a working version?"

Cyborg nodded and began crossing the room, Nightwing following in his footsteps. On the opposite side of the T-car, obscured by boxes of spare parts and electrical equipment, a massive form was covered with a white tarp. Cyborg put both his hands on the cloth and yanked it away, revealing the mystery that lay beneath to Nightwing, who looked at it appraisingly.

"So how does it work practically? What's the method of deployment?"

Cyborg pointed to a screen on the front of the large rectangular object that had been covered by the tarp. "I've calibrated it so when it's deployed, sectors will break off automatically and begin seeking the parts of me they've been synced too. For example-"

Cyborg slapped the bottom of the object, where a clearly defined divide could be seen in the surface of the metal, almost as if it had been clicked into place.

"-this section, has been calibrated to my right arm, and will simply latch on. I've adjusted my own systems to be able to incorporate the parts as they arrive."

Nightwing rubbed his chin. "Transport?"

"Attaches to the T-car. While it's heavy, the T-car has more than enough power to drive with it attached like a trailer. If we're planning an assault on Deathstroke's hideout, we'd have time to drive there, no issue."

"You've tested it?"

For the first time, Cyborg's smile faltered. "Well…no. I've run simulations with a 95% success rate on the assembly process. With even just a full day of working on this, I could get it as close to field ready as it will ever be."

Nightwing looked at the gargantuan piece of technology in front of him. There wasn't really much to think about in all honesty. If it didn't work in the field and Cyborg wasn't lying, then he could simply abandon it…but if it worked…even Deathstroke wouldn't have a contingency plan for this thing.

"I mean…I can't see why you shouldn't try it…benefits of it working way outweigh the negatives of it failing. Is it operational now?"

Cyborg smiled now that Nightwing had given him the all clear. "Nearly, I'll need a day to run some basic configuration tests, final checks, etc., but besides from that, it's good to go. I'll also need Kilowatt again. It takes a bigger power source to run it, but I've incorporated charging cells into it. Just need him to juice it up to full capacity."

Nightwing nodded, seemingly satisfied with Cyborg's request. "Well…I've got to say, I haven't had to many nice surprises recently, but this…this is pretty-"

"Badass?"

Nightwing could only raise an eyebrow at Cyborg's antics and grinning face before he sighed. The big man probably deserved it for something as ingenious as this.

"Alright…yea…it's pretty badass."

"What's pretty badass?"

Cyborg jumped and turned around as a new voice sounded from almost directly behind them. Nightwing, on the other hand, calmly turned around, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth at Cyborg's undignified reaction to the new arrival.

"Good morning Beast Boy."

Beast Boy was staring up at the object of Cyborg and Nightwing's interest with his forehead creased in concentration, like he could ascertain exactly what he was looking at just by sizing it up. Cyborg, who was still coming down from being startled, ignored Beast Boy's question.

"How the hell did you get in here without making a sound? Dammit, none of the doors even opened!"

Beast Boy didn't tear his gaze from the tech in front of the three titans. "Spider to get under the door, snake along the floor. Now, what the hell is this thing?...and good morning to you too Nightwing."

Cyborg grumbled to himself as he directed Beast Boy towards the computer screen, with a lightly chuckling Nightwing following in their footsteps. Cyborg wasn't actually annoyed at Beast Boy, but even if he was, his anger would have disappeared immediately once he saw the look of awe on Beast Boy's face when he realised what it was Cyborg had built.

"Dude…you're gonna be like…the iron giant or something…alright, I'll give it to you…that's badass."

"Don't I know it and Nightwing has given me the all clear for it to deploy when we go sauntering into Deathstroke's little hideout. Gonna send his ass to hell with this bad boy."

Nightwing's amusement with the antics of his teammates had faded once a thought had crossed his mind. "Gar, it's only 9:30 and you had a rough day yesterday. Why are you up so early?"

All traces of warmth left Beast Boy's face immediately, his features visibly darkening and Nightwing could feel his own shoulders tense. Something had happened…something dark.

"Deathstroke delivered another one of his little messages to Raven last night…seems like he's gonna be using Melvin against us. Rae wants to meet us all in Main Ops in twenty minutes to go over what Deathstroke said and what she saw."

Nightwing nodded, his face just slightly paler than it was a few seconds ago. He wasn't surprised that Deathstroke was using Melvin as a bargaining chip, but God, Raven just couldn't catch a break at the minute and every inch she was pushed was potentially an inch closer to her utilizing that backup plan. Nightwing knew she was still thinking about it. Raven was smart and annoyingly selfless…if anything, Melvin potentially lowered her chances of her pursuing that path…but it was definitely still looming in the darkness.

"Right, of course….wait, did Raven come to you? How did you find out so early?"

Beast Boy didn't hesitate in his response. Not because he was quick on the fly with a story, but because the thought had occurred to him that the annoyingly insightful Nightwing may wonder about the exact question he had asked and as such, he had prepped an answer ahead of time.

"No, she didn't come to me. Animal senses dude. I don't like mentioning it, but I've always been able to detect when anyone on the team has a nightmare or is scared of something and it's only gotten more sensitive since the Beast and I sorted our differences. Feels like it's an invasion of privacy or something, but I literally can't help it. Anyway, last night, there was a spike from Raven's room at about six in the morning that was so strong that it woke me, so I went to check on her."

It was the perfect combo. A truth based in reality combined with a slight change of a minor detail. Beast Boy wasn't a skilled liar when improving, but he could absolutely fool anyway when he had time to plan. Nightwing didn't suspect a thing.

"Fair and don't worry about invading our privacy. There isn't exactly a way to turn that off."

Beast Boy smiled thankfully. "Thanks, but anyway, what Deathstroke told her has really seemed to shake her so probably for the best we hear what she has to say soon…the more time we have to plan…better chance we have of not needing...an alternative."

The atmosphere in the room seemed to darken and all three new why. It wasn't only Nightwing that was thinking of Raven's plan B…it was on all of their minds. Cyborg shook his head.

"She's not going to have to resort to that Beast Boy…we'll make sure of it."

Beast Boy nodded, although didn't seem convinced. "I really hope so Cy…God, I really do."

The mood in the room only continued to fester as the three boys fell into silence. Nightwing, never one for letting morale if he could, cleared his throat. "Well, I've seen everything I think Cy wanted to show me, so I'm gonna head up to the kitchen and wait for Raven and Star, make some coffee. You guys are more than welcome to join."

Beast Boy gave Nightwing a grateful smile. "I'll come with you…I know I said I shouldn't, but for once, some caffeine might do me good."

Nightwing smiled at Beast Boy before turning to Cyborg, who shook his head. "You guys go on ahead. I just want to check one or two more things down here, but I'll be up in a few minutes, don't worry."

With a quick set of goodbyes, Beast Boy and Nightwing slipped out of the door of the garage, leaving Cyborg to his own devices. Once he was sure that the two Titans had left, his attention turned to his computer screen, minimizing his badass project and instead opening the security hub for the tower. Since the demons had infiltrated the tower, Cyborg had taken a few personal measure to ensure that he always knew what was going on within the Tower walls. Nothing invasive to his friends, but he had implemented a new system which would alert him to irregularities, such as out of place activities during the night, doors being accessed, windows being opened and things of the like.

Raven's door hadn't opened at six in the morning. Not that he'd been alerted of that, but he'd gone through the logs when he woke up, thoughts of demons still on his mind. The last time her door opened was just after half three. So Beast Boy had lied…or at least not told the truth fully. His curiosity had got the better of him as he sorted through files, looking for the CCTV footage from the hallway from the night before, a grunt of satisfaction when he found it.

"Why would Beast Boy lie about this…?"

Cyborg had been in the Med Bay when Raven had retired for the night, so he skipped ahead until he saw Raven enter her room. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he most certainly didn't have to wait long, as not soon after, the grainy image of Beast Boy appeared on the tape, knocking on the empath's door. Cyborg could only watch in silent shock as transformed into a cat and when Raven opened the door, her head sticking out into the hallway, he slunk into her room around her legs. Cyborg watched the door close and waited…for Beast Boy to be forcibly ejected, for the door to dent as Raven threw him into it…but nothing came…and as Cyborg fast forwarded the tape it became more and more apparent that nothing was going to come. That is until he got to nine in the morning and Raven's door opened, catching a bewildered Starfire by surprise, who's face showed pure joy before she was yanked inside by a tendril of magic and a massive green arm.

Cyborg's brain was going at a thousand miles an hour. "Beast Boy never left Raven's room, which means he spent the night there. But there's no way he just hid in there, because he knows about Raven's dream, so Raven must have talked to him, but why-"

Cyborg thought he felt himself short-circuit. The world around him seemed to stop as the sudden realization may as well have slapped him across the face. His expression of clarity quickly turned into one of indignation.

"Dammit, no one in this tower tells me anything!"

Raven had excused herself to have a shower. Starfire said she would wait. Raven said she needed a minute to get changed. Starfire had politely responded with that's fine. Raven had emerged from her bathroom dressed and refreshed and said she needed time to meditate. Starfire drew the line there. Raven had hoped she could stall a bit longer.

"Starfire, I could really use a moment to gather my tho-"

Raven was cut off abruptly when her Tamaranean teammate promptly put her hand over her mouth, much to the empaths surprise. For Starfire's part, she seemed entirely non-plussed.

"Friend Raven, when you thought I was going to speak loudly and out of turn earlier, you put a stop to it in a manner like this. I am no extending you the same courtesy, as I believe the excuses you are currently producing are equivalent to the excrement of a flarnop."

Raven didn't know what a flarnop was. Raven didn't want to know what a flarnop was. Raven didn't want to have this conversation, but as she locked eyes with the Tamaranean, she knew there was no getting away from this.

She was going to have to have girl talk.

Raven offered Starfire a thumbs up, to which she calmly removed her hand from Raven's mouth and looked at her expectantly. Raven sighed.

"…so what do you want to know?"

Starfire squealed and before Raven knew it, she had been whisked into the air and lifted backwards onto her own bed. Starfire promptly deposited her there before floating opposite her in mid-air on her stomach, her hands under her chin, her legs bent at the knees and her feet interlocked, as if she was flicking through her favourite fashion magazine.

"When did it happen? How did it happen? Has it been going long? Who made the first mo-"

Raven held up a hand. "Starfire…"

Starfire stopped mid-question and only then seemed to realise how quickly she had been speaking. In her defence, she had kept this bottled up for a really long time. There was only so many times she could take to either Raven or Beast Boy individually about their blossoming relationship when it was so obvious.

"Apologies friend…okay, let's start at the beginning as they say. Did it happen on the roof on Christmas like I thought it would?"

Raven was still adjusting herself on her bed after being haphazardly deposited by Starfire in her flurry of excitement. "Yes…Beast Boy got me this-"

Raven gently touched the silver raven pendant which she had put back on after having a shower. She would never wear it into battle. She simply thought it was too precious for that…but anywhere else…it was never coming off.

"-and he talked about his past Christmas's with the Doom Patrol…I talked about Melvin and her brothers and…it kind of spiraled from there. We actually got buzzed on the communicators because of the cult of Trigon but…well…Beast Boy decided he was done waiting."

Starfire beamed at her. "So it has only been official for a few days! Oh Raven, this is wonderful! I am so happy for the both of you! I am…"

Starfire was a being of emotion. All of her powers depended on her being able to express every ounce of her being at a moments notice. It was her greatest source of strength and had undoubtedly saved both her own life and the lives of many others in the past. As such, she had managed to pick up a few tricks when it came to realizing how someone may truly feel beneath the surface.

She did not need these tricks on this occasion.

"…I am sensing you are not as happy about this as I thought you would be."

Raven almost seemed to be startled out of her thoughts at the change in Starfire's tone and question. She hadn't realised it, but a frown had formed on her face as Starfire had spoken. She should have been as happy as Starfire thought she would be…but she just couldn't be.

"I'm just…I'm…Starfire, can I ask you something?"

Starfire leaned in and floated down to land on the bed, eyes earnest, placing a hand over Raven's as she did so. Raven swallowed.

"As much as you don't want to hear it…there is a chance I don't make it past the new few days…with that possibility in mind…is pursuing this with Beast Boy selfish? Especially if the decision to remove myself from the playing field is my own…how can I do that to him?"

Starfire moved up from her lying position and sat cross-legged in front of Raven, and grasped the empath's hand with her other hand as well. "You know Raven…I had a conversation with someone about a similar topic just before Deathstroke's first attack on the tower and they gave me a suitable piece of advice. They said that they lived by a phrase, "love until you're in the coffin". At the beginning, the idea terrified me...but the more I've thought about it since…the more it has done the sticking with me. Beast Boy put his life on the line to save me from Adonis…and then when he fell, I did the same for him. You, yourself, risked your life to save Beast Boy using your bond. No matter what we see or do…in those moments, we must never forget what we are fighting for…who we're fighting for. You don't think Beast Boy hasn't thought about what could happen in the coming conflict? For sure, he has…and yet he pursues this with you regardless. He has made his choice…he knows what he is fighting for…and he knows the risks."

Raven looked at Starfire with wide-eyes as the Tamaranean gave her hand a squeeze.

"Deathstroke would have you think you were just a demon…the gem…but emotion…feelings like this…it is not just proof of humanity…it is proof of life…the experience of living. You asked was it selfish? No friend Raven, it is not selfish…if anything it is vital…X'Hal it may as well be the most important thing in the world."

Starfire's words swam around Raven's head in a constant loop, seeping into the empath's mind like water soaking into soil. The Tamaraneans words were almost the exact opposite of Deathstroke's message. While he'd said she was merely an asset, Starfire, rather than choosing to argue Raven's potential fate, had urged her to simply find the joy in being alive…and Azar, that was a beautiful way to think. Raven wiped an eye with her free hand.

"Starfire…I…that was….thank you."

Starfire smiled gently at her. "Anytime friend…now, what have you and Beast Boy been speaking about so much? I do believe you have been having the private conversations all over the tower."

Raven couldn't help it as she let out a slightly broken laugh, as she genuinely had no idea what to feel in the current moment. She glanced at the clock beside her bed. They still probably had ten minutes before they had to meet the others in Main Ops. Starfire probably did deserve some girl talk…

"Well after we kissed on the roofto-"

"YOU'VE KISSED!?"

Beast Boy didn't like the way Cyborg had been staring at him when he arrived in Main Ops after Nightwing and himself. It wasn't a critical gaze or a judgmental one…it was far worse than that. It was a knowing look…the kind of look that the metal Titan often had on his face when he'd set up a prank where Beast Boy was the unfortunate planned victim but the changeling had yet to discover that he was, in fact, doomed. But there was no prank…there couldn't be. The three of them had been talking shop only ten minutes ago and now hardly seemed to be the time for pranks…which could only mean one thing…Cyborg had discovered something…it put Beast Boy on edge.

However, he was able to put the thoughts of his potential impending interrogation to the side when Raven and Starfire both glided in, Starfire glowing as if she had just received the best news in the world and Raven looking…somewhat content. Beast Boy didn't know the reason for her apparent happiness, but he wasn't to question it. The Titans hadn't had enough reason to be happy recently. However, like it always seemed to be at the moment, the mood darkened when Nightwing brought up Raven's dream, resulting in the empath recalling what she'd been shown. After ten minutes of storytelling by Raven, the atmosphere had declined…noticeably, to say the least. While it wasn't news to Beast Boy, watching everyone else's first time reactions was borderline soul crushing.

Nightwing brought a hand underneath his chin, his expression forlorn and pensive. "I suppose it makes sense. Deathstroke's attempts to get at Raven while she's been in the tower have failed again and again. If he believes he has the resources to have an advantage if we mounted an assault, it would seem a lot easier for Raven to come to him."

Cyborg threw his arms in the air in frustration. "Yea yea…Deathstroke's perfected the art of being a bastard…nothing new there."

Nightwing gave Cyborg a pointed look, but he couldn't help but understand his frustrations. Even for superheroes, there was a point were things could become too much…and Deathstroke's most recent plot had been relentless. He turned his focus back to Raven, choosing to ignore his teammates outburst.

"Raven, before Deathstroke talked to you, you said you had glimpses of the future? What did you see?"

Raven's brow furrowed and for anyone looking on, it most likely looked like she was trying to remember what she saw. Only Raven knew that she was just terrified of what she remembered far too clearly for her own liking, the image of Beast Boy falling, apparently by her own hand…it was ingrained in her memory, etched into it, like someone had carved the image onto stone in her mind.

"I only saw glimpses…they were like flashes of moments. I don't even think it was Deathstroke's doing but it still offered valuable intel. If what I saw is true, Ternion is under Deathstroke's command, a difficult opponent at the best of times."

Raven turned towards Beast Boy and Starfire. "Adonis is still lurking about as well and from what I saw…the two of you are going to cross paths with him one more time."

Beast Boy's face darkened as he rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles. "Good…I owe him one. Star?"

Beast Boy had turned to look at Starfire in anticipation, but had been caught entirely off-guard by the concerned look on her face. Suddenly realizing she was under the spotlight, Starfire brushed off Beast Boy's concern.

"Oh it is nothing Beast Boy. I am just being thoughtful about the battle to come."

Beast Boy's eyes lingered on her and he made a mental note to ask her what was on her mind before the day was out, away from the others. Nightwing, also noticing his girlfriend's apparent change in mood, tried to move the topic on.

"Was that it Raven?"

"There were some other flashes, but nothing that I could make sense of and nothing that would help us further now."

She hadn't lied. The other Titans knowing that about what she saw wouldn't help them…at least that's what she told herself. No one seemed to have conned onto her slight deceit.

Cyborg put his hands above his head as he took a seat on the couch. "Okay, so we know about a few baddies we're gonna have fun dealing with, we know where Deathstroke is hiding and we know he needs Raven. I can send out the Calling All Titans call. We get everyone to mount an assault. We save Melvin and we take down Deathstroke once and for all. Am I missing anything?"

Nightwing shook his head. "While it sounds simple when you say it like that, the main problem we have is still dealing with Deathstroke himself. There's no way for us to detain him…Titans don't kill, but I don't think we even could if we wanted too. I'm not even quite sure if he's still human. The only plan we have means Raven has to get close to him and the only way Deathstroke can win is if he gets Raven. He'll be waiting for her at the heart the tunnels."

"That's making the assumption that I even figure out how to do what is needed of me."

Everyone turned to look at Raven as she pulled her hood up, her expression now hidden by the shadow cast by her hood. Nightwing couldn't help but sympathize for his teammate. All the pressure was on her to figure out the power that lay dormant within her and now the time she had to do it had been drastically reduced.

"You'll find away Raven. You've beat the odds every time before."

Raven gave a sharp, humorless laugh. "Most of those times have required no small amount of luck. I've got twenty-four hours to undo years of teaching and discipline, which-"

"-is exactly why it'll be so much sweeter this time when you pull it off."

Raven turned towards Beast Boy, who was staring at her, arms folded across his chest. "Who cares about odds and luck. We've fought devils and dragons before. Now we're going up against a cult who's being conducted by some old dude past his expiration date and an ex-servant of your demon father. I never even believed in any of this stuff before I met you guys. But I'll tell you one thing. I know you're gonna pull it off, cause if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that I believe in you."

Nightwing could only look on at Beast Boy in silent approval. He'd never say it, but part of him couldn't help but wonder if his time away really had been for his benefit, but not in the way Beast Boy thought it would be. He'd gone away to try and control the Beast and yet, Nightwing wasn't sure that Beast Boy knew how different the man who came back was. His teammate had become a leader in his own right. Starfire beamed at the changeling, while Cyborg's suspicious look had once again appeared on his face. Raven, for her part, didn't show any acknowledgement of Beast Boy's words. If anything, she pulled her cloak tighter around herself.

"I hope that will be enough…"

Raven turned to Nightwing. "If Cyborg is going to call all the Titans in again, I would like some time to go meditate. I feel that will be the only way to try and address this issue. If anyone needs me or you need me for planning, I will have my communicator with me."

"Of course Raven, take all the time you need."

Raven nodded at the leader of the Titans and cast a quick glance at the others. For a split second, Beast Boy caught her eyes from underneath her hood as she shot him a small smile before she turned on her heel and exited Main Ops via the main entrance. Unbeknownst to the other Titans, as soon as the door closed behind her, Raven took out her communicator and sent a quick private message on her communicator. There was someone she needed to speak to and it absolutely could not wait.

Back in Main Ops, Beast Boy could only look at the now closed Main Ops door, obvious worry in his eyes. He could vaguely hear Nightwing and Cyborg discussing something with purpose in the background, but his brain wasn't really registering what they were saying. The transition of Raven's mood from seemingly content to somber had shaken him and nothing was going to take his mind away from the empath for the foreseeable future. That was until a gentle touch on his forearm caused him to jump in surprise. He turned to see Starfire staring at him with wide-eyes, a hand over her mouth.

"Sorry friend Beast Boy, I did not mean to startle you. You were simply doing the staring into space and I was worried."

Beast Boy's features relaxed and he shot Starfire a small smile. "All good Star…just got a lot on my mind."

Starfire nodded knowingly. "I understand…Raven…she does not make things easy for herself. The pressure is great enough without the additional weight she places upon herself."

Beast Boy was about to agree when he remembered Starfire's apparent discomfort from earlier. "Hey Star, what was up with you when Raven mentioned Adonis? You know we can take him, right?"

Starfire's eyes widened ever so slightly before her hands started fiddling with some of her which cascaded down over her shoulder. She looked away from Beast Boy's earnest, green gaze. "Oh it nothing friend. I am just over-thinking about the battle to come. I was simply…"

Beast Boy looked on at Starfire with concern as she struggled to find the right way to phrase whatever she was thinking. "…it is just that when we fought Adonis last time…you got hurt protecting me and-"

"Stop."

Starfire's words fell away with how much force Beast Boy put into that one word. "Star, I went down because I went too far. I went too far because Adonis went too far. He got the jump on us last time. It won't happen again. If I had to fight him again, there is no one I would rather fight with."

Starfire gave him a small smile. "Thank you Beast Boy…your words really do mean a lot. I think I am going to try and spend some time with Nightwing before the other Titans arrive. It has been too long since we have had some time to ourselves."

"That sounds like a great idea Star."

Starfire gave Beast Boy a quick hug before turning away. Beast Boy turned his attention back to Main Ops to see Nightwing disappearing into his office, with Starfire now heading in that direction. That only left Cyborg sat at the kitchen table, leaning over his communicator, no doubt prepping the call for all Titans to assemble at the tower. Beast Boy walked over and took a seat beside his best friend.

"So how long do we got before the masses show up?"

Cyborg answered without looking up. "Well last time, the quickest of the honorary titans got here within a few hours and pretty much everyone was here within a day. Most of them are still on high alert from the tower assault, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was even quicker this time."

Beast Boy nodded but his attention had been drawn to that stupid look that was once again plastered across Cyborg's face. It had been plaguing him from the moment the metal titan had entered Main Ops. He had to know what he knew.

"Okay dude…what is it? You've been looking at me suspiciously all morning, what's up?"

Cyborg looked up from his communicator, just as he pressed send. Beast Boy felt the buzz of his own communicator in his pocket as he received the message. "Oh nothing BB…just wondering…do you sleep better as a cat? Or is it just something you do every so often?"

Beast Boy was about to ask Cyborg what the hell he was talking about when his mind caught up with what the metal Titan had said and any hope of forming words vanished into thin air. Cyborg couldn't help but chuckle at his expression. "You may have told a good story to Nightwing earlier, but after those demons, I've taken extra security measures and well…your story didn't quite add up."

Beast Boy opened his mouth and closed it. He licked his lips. He cleared his throat. He swallowed. He effectively did everything except formulate any kind of coherent response. The larger Titan smiled at his friends antics.

"It's okay B. Secret's safe with me. Titan's honor….but man that was a surprise to see on the security cam feed….so…you and Raven?"

Beast Boy finally found the ability to form words again.

"Yep…me and Raven."

"I'm happy for ya B, I really am…but if you hurt her, I'm going to go full protective big brother on you…and to be fair, that won't be until after she's through with you anyway."

"Message received."

"You know you're a lucky guy, right?"

Beast Boy looked up at Cyborg and for the first time in their conversation, he smiled at him. "The luckiest in the damn world."

Cyborg smiled back for a moment before his face turned serious. "I know it ain't just me but…surely you've been thinking about what Raven might do if she can't figure out how to draw on that power that banished Trigon."

Beast Boy's expression changed to mirror Cyborg's, although there was something else to it. A furrowed brow, a slight look of concentration almost. Cyborg recognized the look as when Beast Boy had an idea…and that was always dangerous. Beast Boy folded his arms.

"Of course I have and I think we all know that if she truly wants to…we're not gonna be able to stop her giving herself up…but she said that takes a bit of time…and well, I have an idea."

Cyborg raised an eyebrow just as Beast Boy started explaining his thoughts. Cyborg's face went through a true myriad of changes, from shock, to understanding before finally settling on dubious concern at best.

"Gar…that is absolutely batshit crazy. None of us even know how Raven's transformation would even work and whether that would even have a chance of being effective at all. Also, if it came down to trying that and it went wrong or didn't work…there's every chance we'd lose both of you."

Beast Boy's face didn't change. "I know…but if it comes to that, I promise you…none of you will be able to stop me from trying."

Raven waited patiently on the roof of Titans Tower, her eyes cast over the bay. She loved everything about this setting. The gentle wind, the still early morning sunrise, everything was so pristine, which was in sharp contrast to the events that had been happening recently. She pulled her cloak around her slightly tighter as the Winter breeze picked up for a moment. Behind her, she heard the telltale sound of the roof door opening, signaling she was about to be joined by the Titan she had requested. They had been away from the Tower when the demons broke in, off to pursue her own business in the city, but that very much seemed her style. She waited until the sound of footsteps grew louder until they joined her at the edge of the roof. Raven cast an eye over and gave a nod to the newcomer, who dipped her head in return before looking out over the bay themselves.

Ravager sighed. "I'm not really one for views…but this ain't half bad."

Raven gave an almost imperceptible smile. "It's one of my favorite places in the tower…it's like a reminder that not everything is completely going to hell."

Ravager gave a small chuckle before her face turned serious. "So…I'm guessing this wasn't a social call. Not often we talk when it isn't a team meeting."

Raven nodded. "You're right of course. I have something to ask of you."

Ravager's eyebrow raised in interest as she shifted to get a better look at the empath. "Well then…fire away."

Raven closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "Cyborg sent out the call for all Titans to gather here at the tower so we can plan an assault on Deathstroke's base. Nightwing will undoubtedly want to split the Titans into different groups like he did for the defence of the tower. When he does, I'm going to ensure that aryou and I are in the same unit."

Ravager turned fully to face Raven, her arms folding across her chest. "What do you want from me Raven?"

Raven motioned to Ravager's katanas which were in their sheaths in a cross pattern on her back. "You are on of the few Titans who wields weapons which could be lethal if necessary and also…you seem like someone who would be willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure your father never gets his hands on the power he wants. We're the same in this way. My goal in this is to get Melvin out of there safely. If I can find balance amd tap into the power I need in the next day…great. However, if I can't, once I know Melvin is out of harm's way, to ensure Deathstroke can't control Trigon's armies, I will give myself up. It'll take time for me to lose myself to my demonic side, but it is time I will be able to buy myself. However…I need someone to strike the killing blow when that is complete."

Ravager's eyes widened in realization at what Raven was asking of her. "You want me…to kill you."

Raven nodded. "There's no point in dressing it up. Yes, I do. I don't believe there is another Titan who would be able to do it in the heat of the moment, without hesitation. I can put a forcefield around us that should buy myself the time needed to draw on my demon side and give you the time to carry out the act unimpeded by both Deathstroke, or any Titans that would try to stop you. I know it's a lot to ask…but there is no one else that I believe would be able to do this."

Ravager's eyes softened just the slightest bit. "Raven…I'll level with you. Yes…I can do this for you but…just be sure this I what you want. I want Deathstroke gone just as much as anyone, trust me…but if I can avoid killing a friend I will."

Raven didn't back down. "I understand what I'm asking and hopefully, it doesn't have to come to that…but I need to know ahead of time that I have someone I can depend on to do what's best for the world."

Ravager nodded in understanding. "Hopefully it doesn't come to it…but yes…you have that in me."

Raven nodded, before turning back to look at the bay. "That's all I can ask."

Ravager turned to look out at the bay as well as the two fell into silence, the air around the pair of them suddenly feeling just that little bit colder.