Tears Never Dry in Azarath

1. A Midnight Visit

No soy dueño de los Teen Titans.

This could be considered a Season 6 or 7 episode; that is the time frame.

It was almost midnight as Raven nervously walked down the darkened hallway to Beast Boy's room. She had only been down here a few times. In the past, it was always he who had been seeking her out - either knocking on her door almost every day, interrupting her mediation, or pestering her with silly remarks when she was in the common room trying to read. Although he had sort of cooled down in the past few months, she realized.

But tonight, she needed him. She knew it was going to be awkward, and she was more than a little apprehensive.

It is just all the stress I've been under, she told herself as she came to his door. He won't say no.

She paused in surprise, expecting the sign to say BEAST BOY, but now it said CHICO BESTIA. Looks like his trip to Mexico had a big influence on him. She smiled slightly at that, and then, hesitantly, knocked.

The door slid open. Raven cautiously entered the dimly lit room.

Beast Boy was slouching back in his desk chair with his shirt off, and holding an acoustic guitar. He was sideways to the door, and didn't bother turn his head to see who entered.

"Dude, I don't think I want to watch an episode tonight. Just about to go to bed," he said.

Raven cleared her throat. "Uh, Beast Boy…" she began tentatively.

He whirled his head around in shock. "Raven?"

"Uh, hi," she said.

"What are you doing here?" Then, perhaps realizing that sounded a little harsh, he continued, "I mean, you never come to my room. I thought you were Cyborg."

She noticed, uncomfortably, that he wasn't wearing any pants either, just his underwear.

He also became aware of that fact.

"Uh, you mind if I put some pants on?"

"Please," she deadpanned.

He set the guitar down and quickly scooted through the large doorway into the bathroom area.

"What's on your mind, Raven?" he called out.

She hesitated. "I just need to talk to you about something…"

"What is it?"

"I'll wait until you come back," she replied, looking around his room.

It really had been a while since she had been in here. She remembered a bunk bed, empty pizza boxes strewn about and childhood toys and clutter everywhere. He still had the bunk bed, but now it was used to store the toys, such as the infamous talking monkey that cried out at random times for help. (Help in learning to count). Hopefully he has taken the battery out, she thought.

But now Beast Boy had a new, larger bed that he slept in. The clutter on the floor was largely picked up, although she did see one empty pizza box on the floor near his desk.

Wait, Beast Boy has a desk? He had a huge computer monitor and keyboard on it, and some art supplies scattered about. And several guitars, an electric one as well as the acoustic one he had been holding when she entered.

She remembered pictures of animals on the walls, and they were still there, but now there were many posters of scantily clad girls. All blondes, she noted dryly.

But what was really shocking to her was that he had a bookcase, filled with books. There was even one on the night stand next to his bed. She walked closer. What was he reading…?

"So, what's up Raven?" he asked, as he walked back into the room, fully dressed in his standard outfit.

She quickly stepped back from his bed. "Umm…," she fumbled for something to say. "So you and Cyborg sometimes watch movies in here at night? On the computer?"

"Yeah…Lately we're been watching the original Star Trek episodes." He paused. "That's a television show from the 1960s".

"I know what Star Trek is," she said.

"It spawned a bunch of other TV shows and movies…"

"Yes," she said, agreeing with him, but intending to stop this topic of conversation.

There was an awkward moment of silence.

"Um…You still haven't told me why you're here."

"I need to ask you for something…A favor."

Her voice was deathly serious. His eyes studied her carefully for a moment.

"Sure," he said softly. "What is it?"

"I'd like you to come to Azarath."

"Azarath?"

"It's where I'm from," she said gently, without any trace of sarcasm like 'why don't you know that after all these years?'

"I know," he replied. "You want me to go to Azarath?"

"Yes, with me. Tonight."

"Why?"

"I'd rather not go into details now."

"Hold on. This isn't that thing where you take me to another dimension and strand me there, is it?" he said with a slight smile, but also a trace of concern.

"No, Beast Boy."

"You promise?"

"Yes," she said with exasperation. "Look, when have I done anything that would actually hurt you?"

It was true. Over the years she had battled him with a lot of dry humor, cutting remarks and sarcasm, but never in a truly mean spirited way. And she'd beaned him with the occasional couch pillow, or given him a wedgie via dark energy when needed, but nothing more.

Except for the one time...

The time they never talked about. Now, for a moment, they both uncomfortably recalled it. They were alone in the kitchen, verbally jousting about some little thing. He had been teasing her, and crossed the line on a sensitive subject. As tears formed in her eyes, her powers picked him up and threw him backwards into the wall at full force.

Horrified, she rushed over to see if he was OK, before storming out of the room with her tears. Beast Boy had always felt the look of pain in her eyes after his remark had hurt worse than the bruises. Later, she had done what she could to heal him and they lied to Robin and the rest of the team as to how the dent got in the wall.

That event had led to one good thing, their unspoken truce. Not wanting to ever fight like that again, they had both been a little bit kinder and gentler in their remarks, and Beast Boy stayed away from some subjects entirely in his joking.

...Back to the present:

"I'm still not clear on what this mission is about and why you want me to come," he persisted.

"It's not a mission," she replied. "Look, if you don't want to go, fine."

The degree to which something was upsetting her was apparent in her voice.

"I'll go, Raven. I'm happy to help." He smiled to try to lighten the mood. "But you can't even give me a hint?"

"It's a family thing," she said, after a moment. "It's a thing in my family. I received a letter and I have to go home to Azarath to fulfill an obligation."

"Wait a minute. This isn't going to be some kind of an arranged marriage, is it? That's where I think this is going…" he said, mostly joking.

"No, Beast Boy."

"Good, because I'm a handsome young man, still playing the field. I'm seeing a lot of girls!"

"Yes, no doubt you are looking at pictures of a lot of girls on your computer," she deadpanned.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, with a quick glance to make sure the computer was turned off.

"Can we go now?" she asked.

He nodded, and she led the way as they walked out his door and headed to her room.

.

.

They arrived at the door to Raven's room, and she opened it.

"Wait, I don't have my communicator," he said, as he started to turn back.

"You won't need it. There is no way to get a signal transmitted from Azarath."

They entered the room, and Beast Boy looked around. Stone gargoyles seemed to stare at him from the tops of her many bookcases. Raven's room used to be off limits to every one, although in the last year she had loosened up a bit and did allow visitors in occasionally, like Starfire. She usually talked to him in the hallway.

In the center of the floor was a circle of flickering candles. White sand had been poured on the floor in a circular pattern, but the pattern wasn't complete. Raven picked up the urn of sacred sand and prepared to complete it.

"Shouldn't we tell the others?" he asked.

"I left a voice message for Robin," she replied, as she poured the sand.

"And it has to be right now, in the middle of the night?"

"Yes."

"You're sure this isn't some kind of an arranged marriage? I mean, I saw this episode of Star Trek where they beam down to Spock's planet because Spock is supposed to marry this girl and Kirk and Spock end up in a fight to the death with these big axes…"

She started to give him a withering look, but softened it. She didn't want to do anything to potentially make him decide not to go.

"I'm pretty sure that is not going to happen. We are not going to fight to the death in Azarath, and we are not going to get married."

"Good, because I am not looking to marry you," he said. Then, remembering their truce, added, "Not that there is anything wrong with someone marrying you."

"It's time," she said, and indicated for him to step into the circle with her.

"But, seriously, why me, Raven? I mean, I'm totally willing to go, but, uh, given our …history…wouldn't you maybe have a better time with Starfire? Or Robin?"

"I've thought about all that," she said and then added, hesitantly, "You're the best choice, Beast Boy."

They stepped into the circle, and she turned so they were facing each other. Beast Boy was feeling a little awkward at standing so very close, but Raven was too preoccupied with worry to think about that.

"We have to hold hands," she said, as she clasped both his hands as if they were going to pray together. She closed her eyes and prepared to enter a meditative state and focus her energy.

"Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos…"

They were engulfed in a swirl of colored light, and then they were gone.

The candles flickered in the silent, empty room. The gargoyles stared at nothing.