AUTHOR'S NOTE: Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season, as did I, fortunately! And if not, perhaps this little update can help cheer you up, at least a bit! Anyways, enjoy, and I'll see you again down at the bottom!

CHAPTER IX

Raven looked up from the words that seemed to blur endlessly on the pages of her book. She'd made an honest effort to try and focus on the story, but for some reason, the struggle of the Dashwood sisters simply couldn't capture her attention.

Instead, her eyes, much like her mind, were preoccupied with the green changeling sitting on the opposite end of the couch, watching some nature documentary on… possums?

Whatever the subject of the show, he seemed truly captivated by it. She'd sensed the awkwardness and discomfort when they'd first sat down on the couch, after their little morning "chat". She didn't need her empathic powers to sense the tension between them. But after the first hour, which she'd spent resolutely attempting to finish at least one chapter, the tension had faded somewhat.

She glanced over at Beast Boy, trying to do as her emotions had begged her to do. To see. And she saw. For the most part, she saw the same green-skinned crime-fighting teenager she'd seen since they'd formed the Titans so long ago. But emboldened by her emotions' attempts at seeing Beast Boy in a new light, she tried to see the differences as well.

And though she knew he'd been casting furtive glances at her during the first hour they'd sat together, probably trying to figure out when she'd decide to teleport away, or maybe toss him around the room, he'd eventually relaxed. Probably because she hadn't done anything other than try to read her book in silence.

He seemed different, but not in a bad way. He seemed to have relaxed to the point where he almost seemed himself. Raven had no idea what Beast Boy was like when he was being "himself". But she imagined it must have been something similar to his present state.

Instead of fidgeting nervously or bouncing off the walls, he merely lay sprawled on his side of the couch, long, lean limbs spread about haphazardly. Every now and then he'd shift his position, taking care not to bother her too much (she assumed, based on his worried glances in her direction), and then relax as he paid rapt attention to some guy named Attenborough ramble on and on about some animal or other.

For probably the twentieth time since they'd sat, she reached out towards him with her powers, trying to get a sense of what he was feeling.

For probably the twentieth time, she was taken aback by the range and depth of his emotions. Now that he'd relaxed, the most prominent thing she could sense was unbridled curiosity and a primal sort of pride. She'd been confused at first, but then she realized that technically, every animal that appeared on the television, was part of Beast Boy. Not everyone could sit down and watch a documentary to learn more about themselves. Or at least, that was the conclusion she'd arrived at after half an hour of observation and introspection.

Yet, as always, just below the surface, she sensed the emotions hiding deep within his subconscious. She had avoided Beast Boy for years now, and as a result, she'd done everything in her power to avoid his emotions as well. But now, that she was actually interested in her animalistic teammate, she found a depth of emotions that seemed to rival even hers.

She felt deep pain and grief, along with the sharp sting of guilt, all buried beneath a maelstrom of vicious, primal emotions. That, she realized, was Beast Boy's animal side. The instincts of the entire animal kingdom floating around in his head. It was impressive, to say the least, but it didn't quite pique her curiosity as much as those deeply-buried emotions did. Maybe she had more in common with Beast Boy than she'd ever thought possible…

The familiar whoosh of the elevator doors opening caught her by surprise, and she felt a blush creep across her cheeks. No one could have possibly guessed she'd been spying on Beast Boy's emotions, yet she still felt the guilt and embarrassment as though she'd been caught.

Her expression must have been a strange one, indeed, since when she looked up at Beast Boy, he gave her a questioning look before turning around to catch sight of the newcomer. She didn't need to turn to identify which Titan was back. His voice was clue enough.

"Hey! I'm back!" Cyborg thundered as he made his way into the kitchen. "I brought pizza! Thought you guys might be hungry!"

Raven looked back towards Beast Boy, and immediately she knew they were both thinking the same thing. She noticed the sparkle in his eye that she recognized as the herald of yet another Beast Boy – Cyborg battle, and graciously allowed him the first bout.

"So." Beast Boy said, "Last Titan, huh?"

Raven almost smiled at Cyborg's stunned expression, a slice of pizza hanging limp in his cybernetic hand. "Wha… What do you mean?"

Raven wasn't buying it, and neither was Beast Boy. She remembered the uncomfortable laundry encounter earlier in the morning, and felt the urge to exact revenge on who she assumed could be nothing less than one of the co-conspirators. But she'd patiently wait her turn with Starfire. She was having fun watching Beast Boy make Cyborg squirm.

"Funny thing happened. Turns out Star told Raven she was Last Titan." Beast Boy said, an accusatory glare growing on his face as Cyborg gulped.

"Huh. Really? That's, uh… weird…" Cyborg stammered, promptly shoving the slice of pizza into his mouth. He didn't finish swallowing as he attempted to defend himself. "Star told me Raven had left. My bad, y'all."

Raven turned her gaze towards Beast Boy, waiting for the inevitable outburst from the changeling. It shocked her when he simply shrugged, and vaulted over the back of the couch, joining Cyborg at the table and grabbing a slice of mushroom pizza.

She looked at Cyborg who seemed to be having the same thoughts, cheese dripping from his mouth. He wasn't about to waste a free pass, however.

"So," He said, a smirk adorning his pizza-stained face. "You two seem to have made up."

Raven took note of his suggestive tone and the knowing smirk he cast her way. Their little chat had certainly prodded her in the right direction, but she wasn't about to give Cyborg the satisfaction of knowing that. She opened her mouth to retort, but Beast Boy beat her to it.

"Misunderstanding," He said, his eyes boring into Cyborg with fiery intensity. Raven narrowed her eyes, watching him carefully. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought he was warning Cyborg. "Right, Rae?" He asked, his eyes never leaving his cybernetic friend.

"Right. A… misunderstanding…" She muttered, watching the strange interaction between the two men in the room. As they communicated through what appeared to be a staring contest, she floated off the couch and joined them at the kitchen counter, far on the opposite side of either of them, and levitated a slice of pizza towards her.

Something was going on, but she'd had enough complications for the day. She quietly ate her share of the pizza while the two men glared at each other and cast inquisitive looks. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought they were the ones with psychic powers instead of her.

Lunch was over almost as suddenly as it had started, and with Cyborg back in the tower, things shifted back towards normality. Despite the awkwardly tense silent lunch, it took only the mere mention of the GameStation to thrust the two heroes into a ferocious virtual battle on the couch. Raven accepted it as an excuse to disappear, and so she did. Her powers were back under her control, though a little frizzy. Which meant there was only one thing to do. Meditate.

The roof had been her favorite place of meditation for years, her room a close second. After Trigon's defeat, everything had become easier, including meditation. She could tune out the outside world without much difficulty, and the salty ocean breeze and the sound of the waves far below created the perfect atmosphere.

Thankfully, no one interrupted her meditations this time, despite being an almost natural occurrence. Usually it was a green-skinned, pointy-eared natural occurrence, but this time he was surprisingly absent. In any case, it was yet another thing to meditate on. Ever since her daydream during breakfast she hadn't really had a chance to properly meditate. Now, her mind was clear, her thoughts focused, and even her wildest emotions were calmer, more manageable.

She had no idea what she should do regarding her newfound situation with Beast Boy, but it no longer scared her. With her mind seemingly floating in the ether, she could analyze the problem as though it were a puzzle, objective and without the interference of useless emotions.

That didn't make it any easier, but it did allow her to recognize some of the facts.

For example, she did feel something towards Beast Boy. What it was, she wasn't sure yet, but denying it would be of no use. Not anymore. She knew whatever it was, she'd been feeling it for years, and it had slowly but steadily been growing to the point where it apparently reached its limit.

So like any problem, she had to find a solution. First off, identify what it was she felt towards Beast Boy. Then, decide whether or not to act on it.

So how was she supposed to know what it was she felt for him? She knew part of her thought it was love. Another part of her thought it was lust, and an even bigger part of her figured it was plain and simple annoyance. But thinking clearly, she knew it was much more complicated than any one of those emotions. So how…?

Her meditation came to an abrupt end with the increasing hum of an engine, and she opened her eyes just in time to watch the T-Jet glide into the bay, hovering just above the tower before dropping down towards the base of the tower and into the hangar.

Robin was back.

The sun was almost setting, and the wind had started to pick up, numbing her fingers. The cold hadn't bothered her while she was in her trance, but now she began to regret her choice of clothing. Wrapping her cloak tightly around her shivering frame, she quickly phased back into the common room, a fraction of a smile adorning her face, glad to have regained control over her powers.

Robin marched into the common room, the data drive clutched firmly in his grip. Trips to Gotham always left him a little shaken, due in no small part to his ex-mentor. But this time was different. He'd known Batman for years. He could hide his emotions almost as well as Raven, but Robin had learned most of his tells. And for the first time in many years, Robin could have sworn he'd sounded almost… worried.

The first person he spotted was Cyborg, sprawled out on the couch with a tub of popcorn on his chest. By the time her reached the sofa, the hulking cyborg had sat up to attention, and his attitude changed in a fraction of a second. His team always knew when it was time for business.

Raven teleported into the room a second later, floating next to cyborg, her face schooled into a neutral expression, but Robin was almost certain he spotted a tiny smile for just a split second. He archived that particular thought for later analysis and cleared his throat as Starfire flew into the common room.

"Right. I assume you all know where I've been today." Robin paused to confirm as his teammates nodded. "Batman's been tracking an odd wave of…"

"Whoa, hold up." Cyborg interrupted him, raising his hands. "If this is a briefing, shouldn't Beast Boy be here, too?"

Robin narrowed his eyes in thought. His friend was right, Beast Boy should be present, but he was hardly ever missing from briefings, even unannounced ones like this one. Fortunately, he hadn't trained under the world's greatest detective for nothing, and he realized exactly where Beast Boy was before any of the other Titans could grow suspicious of his silence.

"Don't worry, I'll brief him personally when he comes back." Robin stated in his most commanding voice. He looked at every one of his friends, gauging their reaction, while letting them know that it was a subject best dropped. Cyborg shrugged, though he could tell the cybernetic hero wasn't convinced. Starfire looked worried, and while Raven's expression hardly ever shifted, he caught the slight narrowing of her eyes and tilting of her head. Suspicion. He'd have to talk to Beast Boy about it; eventually he'd have to tell them the truth.

"Now, back to the task at hand." He tossed the data drive towards Cyborg, who expertly caught it in one hand and hooked it up to the main screen. Instantly, the screen was filled with crime reports, statistics, graphs, and maps of several large metropolitan cities, all littered with tiny red dots that looked like the cities had developed measles.

"Batman, along with some of the other Justice Leaguers, have noticed strange outbursts of criminal activity in several major cities across the US." Robin explained, using his remote to switch between maps of Gotham, Central City, Blüdhaven, and others. "The activity surges for a while, and then disappears. So far, Jump hasn't been affected as far as we can tell, but it makes sense to assume that we'll be targeted as well eventually."

"What do you mean by, strange outbursts?" Raven asked, edging closer to the maps.

"From the data we gathered, it seems that most of the people committing the crimes were first time offenders. Normal, average, law-abiding citizens acting completely out of character. In fact, we went over several interviews conducted with these people, and most didn't seem to understand why they'd done the things they did." Robin explained, frowning at his own inability to figure it out. The fact that Batman couldn't figure it out either was more worrisome than alleviating.

"So you think someone, or something, is turning people into criminals?" Cyborg asked, a hint of disbelief evident in his voice. Robin simply nodded, pressing a button on the remote and bringing up the profiles of the main suspects he and Batman had discussed.

"It's a theory, but yes, I think so." Robin switched between the profiles Batman had complied. "These are some of the villains Batman is considering, but he's asked us to compile our own list of potential suspects. Cyborg?"

"On it." Cyborg said, drawing up a keyboard on his forearm and tapping away on the holographic keys. Soon enough, a different list of criminals popped up on the screen, all of them familiar faces. "Ok, so these are all the baddies that aren't locked up."

"Good, let's go through the list, see if any of them match the MO." Robin commanded, and soon enough, they set to work.

Filtering out the villains was a difficult task, seeing as how not even Batman was certain how the strange crime wave was caused. Mind control was a possibility, as was hypnosis. But as Cyborg pointed out, a large scale brain-wave modifier could also be the cause. So tech-savvy villains were also a possibility. Motive was always a variable when it came to villainy, and after an hour of brainstorming, they were all mentally exhausted, and with a list only slightly shorter than before.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today," Robin said, stretching out his legs as he stood from the couch, his fellow Titans mirroring his movements. "We have the advantage knowing that whoever's doing this will probably target Jump City eventually, so we'll be expecting it. Training tomorrow at six, get some rest guys."

Raven and Cyborg were the first to abandon the common room, the latter stopping by the refrigerator to snatch late-night snack. Robin looked back towards the screen, focusing on the case. Batman had called him to Gotham to discuss a threat. He knew the brooding detective well enough to know that whatever this was, it was bad enough to worry Batman. And if it worried Batman, it was bad.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a soft hand landing on his shoulder, and Robin turned to find Starfire watching him with concern shining in her bright eyes.

"Robin, are you alright?" she asked, offering a warm smile. Robin couldn't help but return her gesture, grabbing her free hand between his.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just…"

"I have not seen you this concerned since… Slade." Starfire said, her voice dropping to a whisper when she named his most notorious adversary. Robin chuckled bitterly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Slade is ancient history. This… this is new, and big, and I just…" Robin was about to start venting, already pulling away from Star when the sound of her laughter stopped him in his tracks, as it always tended to do.

"Robin, you must not do the obsessing," Starfire said, her fingers toying with his hands, threatening to crack his brooding expression. "Whoever this villain is, we will stop him, as always. You must not worry so much like the Batman."

Robin flinched involuntarily, a reflex to being compared to the caped crusader. He knew she was right, but obsessing over villains had always been his flaw. Still, Starfire's bright smile and caring eyes seemed to be the antidote to that particular venom, and he felt himself softening under the alien princess's presence. He dropped his shoulders with a sigh and one of those rare smiles he reserves solely for her.

"You're right, Star. I'm sorry." He pulled her closer in a tight embrace, letting her absorb his stress in the way only she could, and stole a quick kiss. "Why don't you go get ready for bed, I'll be up in a bit."

Starfire took a few steps back from him, and awarded him with her all-too-familiar, I-don't-believe-you glare. He deserved it, for sure. It wouldn't be the first time he'd lied to her and stayed up all night investigating some criminal or other. But not tonight.

"I just wanna wait up for Beast Boy. As soon as he comes back, I'll go to bed. Promise." He said, raising his right hand in the traditional Boy Scout hand signal. She knew that gesture meant a promise, and as good as a guarantee as he could provide, so she visibly relaxed, already floating a few feet above the floor.

"Very well, Robin. I shall wait for you in our bedchambers." She said, her voice more than a little suggestive, especially if her bedroom eyes were anything to go by. Robin shivered, and giving her a smile, crossed his fingers that Beast Boy would return sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, Robin busied himself with the investigation once more, never one to waste any time available to him. There were so many things to worry about, yet he was on Starfire's side this time. It would be of no use to drive his head into the wall over something even Batman couldn't figure out. Sure, it would give him eternal bragging rights over the Bat if he figured it out first, but at what cost?

No, Starfire was right. And he'd changed. Over the years, he'd learned what was truly important, usually the hard way, but still. He had friends, he had Star, and he wouldn't give all that up just to be a better hero based on Batman's standards.

Still, he could never resist a puzzle. Glancing at the clock, he figured he could spare a few minutes perusing the files while he waited for Beast Boy.

Predictably, he gained nothing other than a slight headache for his troubles by the time his green teammate walked through the door. It was as good an excuse as any to drop the matter, and Robin quickly stood to greet his friend. He froze when he saw his face.

Beast Boy was synonymous to a joke and a smile around the tower, no matter how dire the circumstances. Yet the grim face of his teammate was almost as alien to Robin as the tear tracks that seemed to be tattooed to his skin. Their eyes met, and the green changeling offered a trembling smile.

"Beast Boy… how… how was it?" Robin asked, knowing at least in part the pain his friend was going through.

"It was… tough, but i-it gets easier every time…" He replied, his voice quiet and very much unlike him. Robin nodded, keeping his distance. He knew his friend needed his space, and probably would have preferred to be alone. Just the fact that he was talking to him was a big improvement from last year.

"You wanna talk about it?" Robin offered, already knowing the answer before Beast Boy shook his head.

"Nah. Maybe some other time, yeah?" Beast Boy said, though his eyes spoke differently.

"Yeah," Robin whispered, watching his friend turn around with a half-hearted wave. "Some other time."

There would be no other time. Robin knew that. Still, it was his duty as a friend to offer Beast Boy the chance. He knew having someone to talk to would have helped him tremendously when he'd lost his parents. Just like him, Beast Boy hadn't gotten the chance to do that when he was younger. Robin still had a hard time believing someone as upbeat as Beast Boy had gone through as much tragedy as he'd told him. And he doubted Beast Boy had told him the whole truth.

But unlike him, Beast Boy had the cosmic misfortune of losing his parents twice. And Robin had done everything in his power to help his friend through that difficult time. He knew it still hurt him. He could barely imagine what he must still be feeling.

Robin sighed. Two years simply wasn't far enough away yet.

The girl in the mirror stared back at her, expressionless as always, yet taunting her all the same. Once more she was clad in her silk nightgown, now cleansed from the previous night's… incident. If only her mind could be washed as easily. So far, it had only been through the spin cycle.

A few hollow knocks on her door distracted her from her thoughts. She stood, instinctively rolling her eyes as she made her way to open the door. She'd been expecting Starfire's inquisition since she'd returned from her trip to Gotham, based on the alien's constant glances in her direction throughout the briefing. That didn't mean she was looking forward to it.

As her door slid open, she offered her best pointed glare, only to step back in surprise when she was met with the last person she'd expected.

Beast Boy stood sheepishly at her door, his head low between his shoulders as he glanced up at her with a shaky smile. He pulled one of his hands from behind his back to offer a small wave in greeting while she simply stared at him, her face a blank slate once more.

"Hey, Rae," He muttered, shuffling his feet. Raven might not have been paying much attention to Beast Boy over the past few years, but she still knew him well enough to notice that something was wrong. Even if she lacked the Boy Wonder's detection skills, it was obvious that Beast Boy was not well.

"Hey. You okay?" She offered quietly. They hadn't been the best of friends lately, but that didn't mean they didn't care about each other. His smile grew a fraction of an inch, and he nodded. A lie, but a lie she respected. Especially since her empathic senses were being flooded by the terrible emotions he was clearly struggling with.

"Yeah, fine, I just…" Beast Boy scratched the back of his neck with one hand while the other left his back, revealing a small, timeworn book in his grip. He held it out to her, offering her a good look at the discolored cover. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. "Here. I thought you might wanna read it… if you haven't…"

Raven hesitated, and she saw him pull away almost immediately. Before he could retract the offer, she reached out and carefully pulled the book from him. Her fingers brushed his, and she tried to pay it no mind, despite the small blush spreading on her cheeks.

"No, I… thank you." She said, looking back up at him and offering a small grin. It was the most expressive gesture she could manage without blowing something up, but he seemed to brighten exponentially, and even his somber emotions faded for a few seconds to reveal something much brighter.

"Cool. Just… you gotta promise to take good care of it." He whispered, only half-jokingly. The remark caught her off guard, and he seemed to notice, as he immediately took half a step back as his eyes widened, waving his hands defensively. "Not that I think you won't! It's just… it's my favorite book, you know? And besides, it's probably one of the only things I own that doesn't have pizza stains on it!" He chuckled nervously, once more shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Very well." She muttered, looking down at the book in her hands. For some reason, it suddenly felt much more important. It was obvious that the book was old, possibly older than she was, and despite the usual wear and tear that was present in a frequently-read book, it was clearly cared for intensely. It had been patched up numerous times, but Beast Boy was right. There wasn't even the slightest hint of stain or any other sign of neglect.

"Anyways… 'Night, Rae." He said, taking a few steps back as he headed towards his room. She watched him go from her threshold, still holding the book close to her chest.

"Goodnight, Gar."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, how'd you like it? I'd love to hear any and all thoughts, good or bad! Remember, the longer and more in-depth your review, the happier I am! And the happier I am, the faster I type! No pressure though, I appreciate every single one of your reviews, and I'd like to thank everyone that welcomed me back so easily to the community! Hopefully this time I won't let you down, and I promise to do my best to keep this going till the bitter end!

Anyways, yeah, a short, character-development chapter this time, but not to worry. Coming up next: A little hand-to-hand combat, and most DEFINITELY something citrus-y! ;)