Welcome to Taming the Beast, the newest story chosen by my voters. The style will be slightly darker than my previous fanfiction, but naturally there will be humor as well. I hope you all enjoy it!

"Team, we've got a problem." The Titans looked up from their everyday activities to focus their attentions on Robin. Their leader stood in the ops room's entryway with his arms spread out to the sides, having forced the doors open in his haste to reach his team. The exigency in his stance told the Titans to drop whatever they were doing, and they did so immediately, getting to their feet. Robin fixed his eyes on the teenagers, apprehension in his expression. He took a deep breath before relaying the emergency to his team.

"Adonis is angry."

The ride to Adonis's sighting was silent, and filled the T-car with tension. The witnesses to Adonis's transformation had said nothing concerning the cause of his anger, but the possibilities were so endless that taking him down without anyone getting hurt was the Titans' first priority. The team could figure out the reason to his change sometime later, after dealing with Adonis.

Many of the Titans in the car were lost in their own thoughts regarding their first serious encounter with the villain. Along with Adonis's original transformation due to chemicals, it had also been the first time the Titans saw the darker side of Beast Boy through his form of The Beast. Adonis, in his monstrous form, had broken into the tower to attack Beast Boy, and crossed paths with Raven by accident. He'd injured her, but Beast Boy had managed to fight the rival Beast off in the end. Anger was what provoked The Beast, and while Beast Boy had been administered medicine for his monster inside -as had Adonis, though against his will- it was possible to draw the creature out if either Beast Boy or Adonis became enraged enough. Although they were able to stay in control during the change into The Beast –for the most part, - neither could restrain their actions once in the animalistic state.

Ten full minutes of silence was broken by Robin, and the Titans' leader looked at Beast Boy through the rearview mirror. "I know what you must be thinking, Beast Boy," he addressed the green teenager, "but don't worry. If you feel yourself getting mad, duck out before you change."

Beast Boy was staring out the window at the indigo sky filled with stars. He nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Robin directed his attention to his communicator, pointing down an alleyway, and Cyborg turned the wheel. Raven glanced at the shape-shifter who sat quietly beside her. Under normal circumstances, she would be grateful for such silence from him, but thanks to their last encounter with The Beast and Adonis, she worried for how he was handling the situation. The emotion brushing off of him was faint, but it was enough that she recognized traces of restraint and self-discipline. She, along with the rest of the team, hoped nothing would happen to cause his Beast's appearance.

"There he is, man," Cyborg muttered, alerting everyone to Adonis's presence. The villain was at the end of the alleyway, crouching over the remains of a trash bin. A giant furred hand dragged something mushy from the mound of destroyed garbage, the pulp dripping from large claws. In the faint light provided by the stars, a sharpened canine tooth glinted as the hunched creature flung rubbish to the side. Cyborg flicked the vehicle's headlights down to low and sent the T-car crawling closer.

"Easy," Robin whispered. "We don't want to provoke him." Even though he'd already been aware of what Robin was telling him, Cyborg nodded tensely in response. He knew his leader was saying it more for himself than the rest of the team so to keep his nerves calm. They drew nearer to Adonis with extreme caution, and everyone in the vehicle jumped when he suddenly whipped his head toward the T-car. Growling so loud that the terrifying sound could be heard even through the vehicle's frame, he faced them and crept over the ground in their direction. The fur on his back bristled.

"Turn around!" Beast Boy shouted, uncaring how loud he was being. He recognized the coiling before the spring in the Beast's stance and knew they had seconds before the attack. Adonis was controlled by instinct, and, being a trapped animal, he was given the choice to fight or flight. His decision was obvious.

"I can't!" Cyborg cried, struggling to shift into reverse as fast as he could. "We're in an alleyway! I can only just fit the car through here to begin with!" Adonis's beastly shadow stretched far over the ground, and -in the same moment that Cyborg jerked into reverse- the beast sprung with extended claws. Raven grabbed Beast Boy and Starfire by the arms, and fazed through the roof. Robin dove out of the side door, and, following his example, Cyborg abandoned the wheel. Adonis crashed through the windshield, glass shards spraying everywhere like glitter. Cyborg's non-electronic eye widened. The pane had been top of the line, and Adonis's attack had shattered the window with a single stroke. As if to prove his strength more, Adonis flipped off of the T-car with amazing agility and then flung the automobile further down the abandoned street. None of the Titans were in its path, and, as the car exploded in a detonation of orange flame, Robin stepped in front of his team.

"Titans, go!" he commanded, extracting a pole from his belt. Cyborg cocked his hand cannon and let lose a barrage of blue beams, accompanied by black blasts from Raven. Adonis howled, glaring at the two, but before he could move, Beast Boy morphed into a tiger and sprang onto his adversary. Roaring, Adonis hurled the shape-shifter through the air. Starfire flew after Beast Boy, catching him as Robin launched an attack of his own.

Cracking his staff against Adonis's great hide had little effect, so the leader quickly changed tactics. Three flat disks appeared between his fingers, and, after dodging a slash of Adonis's claws, Robin let them fly. The round projectiles connected with the beast's chest, but once the smoke cleared it became obvious that Robin had proceeded only to make Adonis angrier. The animal knocked Robin back into Cyborg with a swipe of his hairy arm, and then whipped his head around to search for what else was in killing range.

Starfire and Beast Boy swooped in, Raven right behind them. Adonis snorted and abruptly jumped against the alley's wall. Ricocheting off of the brick side like a bullet, he crashed into Starfire and pulled her to the ground, shoving her head into the dirt. Beast Boy transformed into a hawk, tearing at Adonis's face with bright talons, who then moved away from Starfire to grab onto Beast Boy's leg and throw him against the wall. Back in human form, Beast Boy fell to the ground, wincing at the sharp pain in his knee. A new target in sight, Adonis had started advancing on the shape-shifter when Raven melted up through the ground in between them.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" At her words, two black projections extended from her hands and collided into Adonis's chest, shoving him back several feet. Adonis dropped down, growling as he examined her, and Raven floated above him, her arms glowing with magic. However, the sorceress had underestimated his agility, and she'd scarcely blinked when he was suddenly in front of her, dragging her from the air to the floor. Raven grimaced as her head cracked against the hard ground, and the world around her turned black for a fleeting moment as Adonis proceeded to bash her into the wall. Dragging her limp body closer to him, the creature's teeth flashed.

"No! Let her go!" Beast Boy's thin voice shouted from where he stooped, filled with panic. Out of the corner of her eye, Raven saw him struggling to his feet with excruciating movements, using the wall for support. Adonis didn't respond, and Raven was pulled nearer to his threatening teeth. She fought the urge to flinch away. "Let-," Beast Boy spoke again, this time with a low growl that made Adonis pause, "-let her go!"

Robin looked up from where he was entangled with Cyborg at the change in Beast Boy's voice. "Beast Boy, no!" he cried. "Don't!"

It was too late, for Beast Boy couldn't hear his leader anymore. He hunched over, the rumble in his throat escalating to a roar. The shape-shifter's purple Doom Patrol uniform tore apart from the back, and his teeth extended into fangs, his fingers developing claws. Green fur sprouted all over his skin, and his body expanded in size.

Starfire blinked, placing a hand to her head. "I-is that The Beast?" she whispered, disoriented from Adonis's earlier attack on her.

Beast Boy, or The Beast, snarled at Adonis, who dropped Raven as he recognized an old enemy that he had scores to settle with. Growling, Adonis sprung headfirst. He collided with The Beast, and they flew out into the street, rolling around on the pavement with howls of rage. Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire ran to the entrance of the alleyway, watching as the two fought viciously.

"This is bad," Cyborg said.

Starfire observed at him. "But is it not good if friend Beast Boy is victorious over Adonis?"

"Yes, but what happens after that?" Robin asked beside her, grim. "What's going to stop Beast Boy's Beast from attacking the rest of us? Or civilians?"

"Nothing." The Titans turned around to find Raven limping out of the alley, leaned against the brick side for assistance. Starfire flew over, concerning for her friend, but Raven waved her off. "Nothing will stop Beast Boy or Adonis if they get out of hand. We have to make sure they don't go berserk." She tried to walk forward, but her knees buckled and she sank to the ground. Starfire grabbed her. "Don't worry, Starfire," Raven assured weakly. "I'm fine. Go after Beast Boy; he's more important to deal with right now." She looked at Robin with meaning, and, after a conflicted pause, he dipped his chin.

"I hate to leave you like this," he stressed, "but Raven's right, Star. Beast Boy could kill someone once he's done with Adonis. We can't let that happen." Starfire's eyes grew wide.

"Go," Raven insisted. "I'll catch up with you." She glanced down the street where Beast Boy and Adonis had disappeared, their fighting leading them further into the city. Their snarls could be heard from where the Titans stood. "And hurry."

Robin nodded to her again, and then ran off in the direction they'd last seen the two beasts exchanging blows. After a moment of hesitation, Cyborg and Starfire followed their leader, leaving Raven to somehow find them later on her own. She touched the bloody gash glistening on the side of her head, inflicted from when Adonis had smashed her into the wall. Raven knew she needed healing, but, upon hearing a familiar howl a few blocks away, she knew there were more pressing tasks to be dealt with first.

Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire found Beast Boy and Adonis wrestling each other in the middle of the street several blocks away beside a small abandoned convenience store. The building was missing a large chunk of the front wall, and a heavy indention was in the center of the road, looking very similar to either Adonis's or Beast Boy's face. With both in beast form, it was hard to tell who was who, save for a slight shade of green that tinted one's coat. In the current lighting though, it was almost impossible to distinguish such a small difference. The Titans caught up to the two beasts just as one was pounding the other hard against the cement. In response, the creature on the ground rolled to his feet and tackled his adversary into an empty building. People nearby screamed and ran out of the monsters' fighting range, and soon the Titans were the only ones left on the road besides Beast Boy and Adonis. Starfire started to move, but Robin placed a hand on her shoulder.

"If we interfered now, we'd be torn to shreds," he told her. "Let's have them wear each other out first." Starfire appeared doubtful but obeyed, descending back onto the sidewalk. Robin considered themselves lucky that most of the fight was contained inside one store instead of all over Jump, and, though the structure before them was in terrible shape, it was better than the entire city.

The team had to wait but a few minutes for a winner to emerge from within the shop. Still in the form of a beast, Beast Boy dragged Adonis's limp body out of the building, and then howled to the sky. He spotted the Titans, and Adonis was dropped to the ground, forcing a small moan out of the unconscious human.

"Get ready, y'all," Cyborg murmured, preparing his hand cannon. "Come on, Beast Boy!" he called, louder. "Snap out of it, man! You won! It's time to stop!" The Beast's dark eyes glittered, and his response was a heavy growl. He was too far under. Leaping at them with impressive agility, he brushed the teenagers aside with a massive forearm, and the Titans were knocked to the ground, all save for Starfire who'd managed to dodge by taking flight. She conjured a glowing starbolt in her hand, but, reluctant, looked at Beast Boy with pained eyes. To her, he was still her friend, and she did not want to harm her teammate even if he was in the form of a monstrous beast.

The Beast, however, held no such concerns, and seeing her hesitation, snatched her by the leg and flung her fiercely over the buildings. She didn't crash into any structures due to pure luck, but did suffer a rough landing.

The Beast had faced the street with the clear intentions to sprint away when Raven materialized up through the pavement in front of him. She was perspiring, bleeding, and barely able to stand straight thanks to the throbbing pain throughout her body, but she still faced Beast Boy's Beast form devoid of any trace of fear in her expression.

He snarled at her with brilliant fangs. Raven didn't flinch. "Stop fighting," she commanded, squinting through her swimming vision at him. "You won. You can stop."

His enormous body tensed, and the dark eyes narrowed. Not moving closer, Raven held her hand out to him, and he sniffed the air. His expression shifted a little. "Do you remember me from before?" she asked, half wondering herself. "You saved me then, from Adonis, which is why I'm safe now." She took a patient step forward, and The Beast growled in warning. Raven waited as he took his time drawing near, snuffling in her scent. Slowly, he lowered his haunches and, lumbering closer, dropped to all fours. Raven watched, aware that he could kill her without a second thought if provoked. The Beast was close to her now, within the space someone might offer another person a handshake. He cautiously touched his cold nose to her palm.

"Do you remember me?" Raven repeated softly.

A sudden wave of lightheadedness claimed the girl, and before she could prevent it, her legs crumpled beneath her. She managed to catch herself before hitting the ground, landing on one knee instead. The Beast's fur bristled, and the air held its breath for a moment before he lowered himself to sniff the side of her head that glistened with blood. A strange sound came from his throat, like the deep whining of a puppy, and Raven lifted her chin. Her eyes fell to a gash on his shoulder, damaged during his fight with Adonis. Breathing heavily, she moved her palm to his injury with care, and this time The Beast gave no indication that she should to stop. A blue glow enveloped her hand, drawing away the pain from The Beast's injury.

"You know who I am," she murmured as The Beast's eyes closed at the soft healing sensation. The wound began to seal itself little by little. "Change back. Change into Beast Boy."

As if in a response to her words, The Beast began to shrink, his claws and fangs retracting and fur reducing to normal size until it was a human Beast Boy in tatters who stood in front of Raven. He swayed and collapsed with a groan, and Raven caught him before he landed. After lowering him to the ground, she finally allowed her dizziness to overcome her, and she too passed out, the last thing Raven saw being her friends running toward her and Beast Boy's unconscious forms.

"He's dangerous."

"The shot that I administered works though, man! With the exception of like one percent of the time, he can control himself!"

"One percent. That's only most of the time. That's the issue. What about the rest of the time? What about in other situations?"

"But did we not see how friend Raven was able to return him to his human form? Perhaps if we tried to-?"

"No. It would be too risky, and we don't know if she would be able to do it again. We need to take action. We can't ignore this anymore."

Raven blinked her eyes open to the voices of her teammates. She was in the Titans' medical center, floating above a bed with cool white sheets and a smooth pillow. Outside of the room, Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire's words reached her ears, their discussion spoken in serious tones. Raven tried focusing on their conversation, but a slight yet insistent headache proved doing so to be too difficult for her. Sighing, she allowed gravity to kick in and floated down so that she was resting with her back on the bed. A window on her left revealed that the sun was just about to rise above the horizon.

"Hey, Rae."

Raven turned her head to the side. Lying on another bed in a position similar to hers, Beast Boy watched her with heavy green eyes. He smirked at her with his familiar crooked grin, revealing the canine tooth protruding from behind his lower lip. "You're up after the sun is. I'm surprised."

She scanned over him with her eyes. Bandages were swathed over his upper arm, knee, and forehead. Small scratches graced his face, but otherwise he seemed alright. "And you're awake before noon," she replied in her trademark sarcastic tone. "The feeling is mutual."

Beast Boy gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I've been up for a while." He gestured to the door. "They've been talking almost the whole time we've been in here." Raven stayed silent, waiting for him to speak his thoughts. Having known Beast Boy for several years, she knew that he would do so in due time, and all she had to do was be patient. He breathed out, staring at the ceiling. "I'm sorry," he apologized with sudden melancholy. "If I hadn't lost control last night, then I wouldn't have attacked any of the team, and we could have taken Adonis down together. I could have- I should have prevented The Beast from coming out." Raven listened in silence. Her headache had escalated momentarily, and she placed a cool hand to her forehead where she discovered soft strips of cloth wrapped around her hair. Glancing down, she saw that bindings also covered her right leg and shoulders. Beast Boy looked at her, and then shifted his gaze back to the wall. "I'm sorry," he repeated softly.

"What for?" Raven asked, lowering her arm. The Beast always brought out Beast Boy's serious side, and -unlike during normal circumstances when he apologized out of fear of punishment after a prank or something similar- now he thought through what he was going to say, and really meant it. His words weren't just the result of nervous ramblings at moments like this.

"It's just-," he breathed, swallowing. "I saw that he was going to kill you and that he'd hurt you so much, and I couldn't let that happen anymore. I didn't want anyone to get hurt… but I should have kept my anger inside. The Beast wouldn't have come out." He peered again at the door where Robin could be heard speaking in hushed, muffled tones, and the shape-shifter's long ears twitched. "They've been talking about what to do. They say that The Beast is too dangerous to have around, which means so am I. They haven't decided how to deal with it yet, but Robin seems to have an idea."

Raven shifted her position. "You can't blame this on yourself, Beast Boy. You saved me again, and no one was killed."

"Yeah, but…" Beast Boy turned his head to her. "What happened last night? After I fought Adonis, how did I turn back? I can't remember anything, and the others didn't tell me."

Raven glimpsed toward the door, fiddling with the bandages that she could reach on her arm. It made sense that he couldn't remember; that's what had happened the first time he'd transformed. What surprised her was that none of the team had explained what transpired afterwards. "When you had defeated Adonis, you knocked the others out of the way and were going to run off. I wasn't with the team at the moment." Beast Boy looked at her, but she ignored his expression, continuing. "I teleported to you and calmed you down. I imagine that The Beast recognized me because he didn't attack, and eventually you relaxed enough to revert." She shrugged, stopping at the dull pain that the movement brought. "That's it."

Beast Boy thought over the information for a moment, and Raven couldn't help but glare at the exit once more. The emotions that had formed behind the wall were building an uneasy churning in her stomach. Conflict radiated from her teammates like heat off of a sun. Their words were less and quieter now. "So," Beast Boy started, drawing her attention back to him, "how did you calm me down? What did you say?"

Raven shook her head. "Nothing. I told you to stop fighting and to turn back."

Beast Boy nodded, biting his lip. The soft hiss opened hallway door a margin, and the two Titans in the room glanced at it. Beast Boy grinned nervously. "Well, I guess we get to see what happens now. But Rae," he said, and she looked at him. He smiled. "Thanks."

The door slid opened, and Robin stuck his head in. Behind the mask, his eyes fell on Raven. "Good, you're awake. We need to talk. Can you stand?" Raven sat up, lowering her feet to the ground. Robin nodded, and he held the door open for her as she walked out into the hallway. Cyborg and Starfire were there as well, both with a bandage or two wrapped around minor wounds. They were waiting with quiet and unreadable expressions as the door glided shut behind Robin. Starfire approached Raven.

"Are you feeling the better, friend Raven?" she asked, concerned.

Raven dipped her head, facing Robin. "What's this about?" she asked, getting straight to the point. She was not one to put things off for long.

The Titans' leader didn't try to dodge the question. "Beast Boy. He's getting too dangerous." Raven crossed her arms, waiting. "So we've decided that The Beast has to be dealt with somehow." He fixed his gaze on Raven pointedly.

She stared at him, trying to keep an impassive look about her. "What are you saying?"

Robin sighed. "Beast Boy is too risky to keep around without some form of restraint in case The Beast appears again, so we've decided-."

Raven interrupted, her shoulders ridged. She'd heard enough information to know where he was heading with this. "We aren't kicking him out. He's done nothing wrong."

Not backing down, Robin shook his head. "No, we aren't kicking him out; that would be too hazardous. We have to keep him here where he can't hurt anyone. We're going to keep him in the tower, in a place we can watch over him until a better solution presents itself."

Unable to believe what she was hearing, Raven's eyes flashed white for a moment, and she lowered her voice, speaking in a dangerous tone. "In a cage, right? Like a disobedient animal? He saved my life, and you're punishing him for protecting me?"

Robin stood his ground. "No. I'm taking precautions so he doesn't hurt anyone. This is not up for debate. Cyborg and Starfire agree with me." Beside him, the two Titans studied the floor. It was obvious that neither concurred with Robin's proposition, but they could not think of a better option.

"No, this is not up for debate," Raven said, suddenly stoic. "He stays without a cage. You aren't locking Beast Boy up for no reason."

"Raven, this is not your decision alone to make," Robin snapped. "You are not the leader of this team."

"Then do a better job leading," Raven growled. More often than not, she and Robin saw eye to eye, but she couldn't understand why he was being so stubborn and obstinate about this. And to make such an important decision rash because they couldn't think of anything else at the moment?

"He is dangerous," Robin pronounced each word deliberately, his voice rising with anger.

"So am I, and you've never locked me up."

"Because you can control yourself!" Robin took a deep breath, running a hand through his dark hair. "Listen to me; this is the best possible solution that we've come up with, and I hope just as much as you that it will be temporary. Whenever Beast Boy sees you, just you, in danger, that is when The Beast comes out. It's for your protection as well as ours. What I say goes." Robin crossed his arms, making his decision final.

"Goes?" Raven stepped back, fists clenched for a brief moment. "Fine." She brushed past him. "Then I'm going."

Robin stared at her in shock, unable to grasp what she'd just said, and Starfire flew up to Raven, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Wait, friend Raven, where are you going? To meditation?"

Raven looked at her with a determined expression, the smallest trace of sadness in her eyes. "No, I'm leaving, Starfire. If Beast Boy doesn't see me in danger, then he can't become angry, and The Beast won't come out. He can stay with the team this way."

Cyborg cut in, protesting. "But Raven, you are the only one who can calm him down! Stay and we'll figure this out! BB'll only have to stay locked up until we decide on somethin' better!" He spat the last sentence out so fast that Raven wondered how bitter his words had tasted.

"Robin seems to have made up his mind." Raven glared at her leader. "And I'm the only one who has been able to draw The Beast out, Cyborg. He doesn't ever live in a cage my way."

"But friend Raven-," Starfire began.

Raven cut her off. "He needs this team more than I do. You are his family here; I've survived on my own before and I'll do it again." She stalked down the hall.

Starfire called after her. "But you are so damaged. Can you please wait until-?"

"No."

Robin felt powerless to do anything but watch as Raven disappeared down the hallway, Starfire calling out to her without a response. Cyborg glanced at him, but Robin put his hand up. "Don't say anything, Cyborg. This… is her decision, and also a solution to our problem with Beast Boy." Robin turned to the side, hiding the sickened feeling in his stomach. Had he really driven Raven away from the team so easily?

Cyborg shook his head, rubbing the top of his skull. "I never expected her to defend him like that, man. I mean, she and Beast Boy have had their good times in the past, but this…"

Starfire flew back to Robin, clutching her hands to her chest, still peering over her shoulder where she'd last seen Raven. "Friends, I am wishing for the news that Raven was merely doing the joking please!" At Robin and Cyborg's somber demeanors, tears built up and threatened to spill over from the alien princess's eyes.

Robin tried to comfort her, placing a hand on her arm. "It's alright, Star; this is like when Cyborg left once. She'll come back after a while when she's had time to cool down and think."

"I don't think so, man," Cyborg murmured. "When I left, it was because I was mad. She's leaving because of an entirely different reason."

The door to the infirmary cracked open, and Beast Boy slipped out. "Hey dudes, is everything okay out here? I heard yelling." He was greeted with sullen expressions from Cyborg and Starfire, whereas Robin couldn't even bring himself to look at Beast Boy straight. The shape-shifter's ears drooped a little. "W-what's going on, guys? What happened?" He scanned past the teenagers in front of him. "Where's Raven?"

Robin faced away from the shape-shifter, so Cyborg answered for him. "She's gone, man," he mumbled.

Beast Boy froze, shrinking under the taller man in shock. "W-what do you mean gone?"

Starfire bit her lip, holding back her tears. "Friend Raven has decided to take 'the leave' of our team."

An alarm went off in Beast Boy's head somewhere. He drew back. "What? Why would she do that?" He swung his pleading expression over the team, landing on Robin. "Dude, Robin?" He grabbed his leader's shoulder, rotating Robin to face him.

Robin cleared his throat, not meeting Beast Boy's eyes. "Because we thought The Beast was too dangerous, we were going to place you inside a… containment… of sorts, so you couldn't harm anyone when you got angry." He felt guilty even saying it now. But what else was there that they could do?

Raven had solved that problem.

Beast Boy blinked, dropping his hand. "Like… all the time?"

Robin nodded, again clearing his throat. "Yes, but Raven disagreed. She said that if she left, then you wouldn't turn into The Beast anymore, and you could live in the tower with us like you normally do."

"And she left?!" Beast Boy cried, stepping away from him. A whine rose in his voice. "What the heck, dude?! Why didn't you stop her?! What kind of a leader are you?!" He spun around, morphing into an eagle, and soared down the hall in the direction of Raven's room. He flew past a corner, and Cyborg faced Robin.

"You messed up big time, man," he rumbled, shaking his head, and then walked through the corridor on the same path Beast Boy had flown over. With Starfire placing her hands on his shoulders, Robin pressed his palm against his eyes, squeezing them shut. What had he done?

"Raven? Raven! Raven, come on, please open up!" Beast Boy pounded on the door to her room. "Raven, it's me! You can't leave! Please, you gotta let me in!"

When he wasn't granted access, he took matters into his own hands. Growing into a gorilla, Beast Boy pried the door open, flinging it to the side with an animalistic grunt before he caught sight of what was inside. He shrank back into his human body, staring.

The place was empty, bare like a band of thieves had stolen every possession and then some. Raven's bookshelves, creepy decorations, and even the clothes in her closet were gone. The sole object in the room was her mattress, the sheets and pillows neatly arranged and awaiting Raven's arrival for when she returned for sleep. Little did the bed know, but she wasn't coming back anytime soon. Beast Boy walked inside slowly, desolation –the one other thing in the room besides the bed– pressing down on him. He glanced at the window. Even the violet curtains were absent.

Beast Boy approached the bed hesitantly, unwilling to confirm what he saw as real. Lying in the center of the sheets was a small, circular object lined with yellow and black hues: her communicator. It was the last hope Beast Boy'd had for contacting Raven. He touched the blanket with his index finger, and then clenched it in his whole fist. Dropping to his knees, he crossed his arms over the mattress and buried his head in them. He was exhausted, in pain, and had just lost one of his closest friends because she was protecting him. He didn't move for several minutes, inhaling sharp breaths every so often, and might not have risen for a long time had Cyborg not entered. The robotic man absorbed the sight before him for a moment, and then walked over quietly, placing a large hand on Beast Boy's shoulder.

Beast Boy swallowed the lump in his throat, not moving. "It's my fault, all my fault," he whispered. "She's gone because of me."

"You know that's not true, man," Cyborg murmured, squeezing his shoulder slightly. "Raven chose to leave. You couldn't have made her stay."

"But now we have no idea where she is." Beast Boy pressed his head deeper into his arms. "It's my fault. …She's not coming back, is she?" Cyborg didn't respond, but they both knew the answer. "She left so my life could be normal," the green boy whispered, "but it's not when she's not with us. We're supposed to be a family, all of us! This is all my fault!" Beast Boy choked again.

"It's not; stop sayin' that," Cyborg commanded firmly. He pulled Beast Boy back to stare him in the eye. "Raven's a tough girl and can take care of herself better than any of us. We don't know how far she's gone, but even if we have no idea where she is, she knows how to find us. Now come on," he continued, more gently, "let's take those bandages off of you. You'll need new ones soon. After that, we can play some video games: one-on-one! I know you've been dyin' for a rematch ever since our last game." Nodding, Beast Boy rubbed his eyes, trying to convince himself that playing mind-numbing video games would remedy all his problems. Maybe that, and a lot of tofu would help him feel a little better. He got to his feet. Cyborg exited ahead of him, but Beast Boy paused in the doorway.

"I wish you would have at least said goodbye, Raven," he breathed, wiping his cheeks again, and then walked out into the hallway.