So this is something a little special I've been preparing for several months dudes and dudettes. This was originally a collaboration work between me and SoulSurfer2112 that we worked quite a bit on. Though I haven't heard from her since late October. For the most part, this is written by me, with her influence in it throughout.

Just know, there are lyrics to the song this fic is based off throughout. They are not owned by me. They are merely to help you, the reader, to have a better experience throughout each scene the words are based off of.

Hope you all enjoy the hard work me and Hannah put into this fic! Shout out to you Hannah when you kick college in the rear and have the time to check the site again!

Disclaimer: I do not own these lyrics, nor do I own the Teen Titans. Too bad. So sad.

Arms

I, never thought

That you, would be the one

To hold, my heart

"Hey Rae."

Beast Boy gave the half-demoness on the couch a little nudge. He could barely contain his excitement. "Do you know why the aardvark crossed the road?"

Raven was already annoyed. "To beat up the idiot telling jokes about it." Raven replied in her monotonous voice.

"Ha ha, very funny, Rae."

"It's Raven, not Rae." Raven corrected him. She didn't even bother to gaze up from her book when she spoke.

"You know Rae, I won't ever stop trying to get you to laugh." Beast Boy said to her from where he was sitting on the couch. Raven rolled her eyes.

"I don't even know why you try. It's not like you're even that funny." Raven said flatly.

There was silence on his end for a few seconds. "Maybe it's because, I like it when you laugh. It sounds… nice." Beast Boy said in a shy tone.

Raven finally looked up from her book, taking in his gentle words. That was the last response she had ever expected him to say. And with such sincerity...

"Whatever." She said after a brief silence, before she returned to her book. While on the inside, she was secretly blushing at his comment. It was just a silly comment. Raven reasoned that he didn't really mean it. Even though it was honest on his part, she thought it was merely a joke, and she surely didn't think it was funny when people messed with her.

Raven pretended to go back to her reading whilst her mind was clouded with doubt.

Beast Boy sighed, and he looked away. He wondered what else it would take to get Raven to laugh. Or maybe smile. It seemed like that joke had no effect to her so he was determined to find another one.

"So, why did the cookie go to the doctor?"

"Oh Azar, not another one…" Raven complained.

Little did they know how much it really meant to them.

But you, came around

And you knocked me

Off the ground, from the start

"Hey Rae!"

"What is it now Beast Boy? And it's Raven, not Rae."

Beast Boy had a wild grin on his face. "I got you a little something-something Rae Rae."

Raven rolled her eyes as she sipped her tea. "Oh boy, let me guess, another stuffed chicken." Raven said in a sarcastic voice.

His smile grew a little bigger. "Not quite." He said, as he pulled out a purple, poorly wrapped box from behind his back. Beast Boy gingerly set it on the table in front of her and then he backed away so she could see it.

Raven looked closely at said box, wondering if it was somehow a prank or not. But the emotions coming off of Beast Boy didn't suggest any mischief or excitement. Rather, he seemed a little… nervous about it. Could it be true? Was Beast Boy really nervous to present something like this to her? But why? It was just a box. A poorly wrapped one at that.

"Well, are you gonna open it?" Beast Boy asked curiously.

Raven shrugged and then she used her powers to unwrap the almost one-foot-by-one-foot box. Once the wrapping was off, she used her hands to open the box itself. Revealing...

A stuffed animal… of a green raven.

Raven stared at it for a few seconds, and lifted it up. Beast Boy started to rub his neck from nervousness when she didn't say anything. "I know it isn't as big as the stuffed chicken was, but I thought you would probably like it a lot better. Since, you know, it is the bird you were named after. And it's green like me!... Heh… heh..."

Raven still didn't say anything.

Beast Boy let out a small sigh of defeat. He had messed up again. "Well, I guess I'll go see what Chrome Dome is doing. Hopefully he's up for a round or two on the console!" He said in a chipper voice to hide his sadness. Beast Boy started to walk out of the room, mentally berating himself for his dumb mistake.

When another voice spoke.

"Beast Boy."

Beast Boy turned around, expecting her to have hated the gift, only to be stunned at the small smile that was on her face. A crack appeared in the window behind her, but neither of them noticed.

"Thank you. I… really do like it… Thank you, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy didn't say anything. At least, anything intelligent, as he moved at a dazed walk out of the room. He was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. Too stunned to say anything.

Raven chuckled a little at the sight of him stumbling around like a drunk idiot out of the room. And her hand unconsciously started to stroke the plumage of her stuffed namesake.

'That was… nice.' She thought to her mind. The emoticlones in her mind soundly agreed.

Once Beast Boy was out of the room, he allowed himself to celebrate. He did a few quiet 'Go Beast Boy. Go Beast Boy.' To himself. Along with a little dancing to the mix.

He had made her laugh and smile at last.

...

Chuckles counted as a laugh, right?

You, put your arms

Around me

And I believe, that it's

Easier, for you, to let, me go

"C'mon Rae! I promise you'll really like this one! I swear!"

Raven was sitting on the couch in the Common Room, a bored look in her amethyst eyes. Beast Boy was across from her, begging on his knees.

"You said the same thing about the last two, Beast Boy. And how many times do I have to tell you it's Raven?" She said stoically as she crossed her arms over her chest.

The last two movies had indeed been boring, at least to her. The Avengers had been kind of bland to watch, while Suicide Squad had been a poor knockoff of the villains they knew at best. She just didn't get why they tried to make movies based off heroes. Or how they were supposed to be better than what they dealt with on a daily basis.

Beast Boy pouted. "Yeah. But this is Wicked Scary Two we're talking about here! Ten times as scary as the previous one! Three times as gory! And guaranteed to give anyone who isn't blind nightmares for weeks on end! Dude, you just can't say no to this! And I know how much you like scary movies. Rae… ven."

Raven raised her eyebrow at that. He had said her whole name that time. "Don't you remember what happened the last time I watched the first one Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy grinned widely. He stood up again and puffed out his chest. "Of course! That's why your green dude himself will be sitting next to you the whole time! If you ever get too scared, then I'll be there to remind you it's only a movie!" He said in a happy voice.

Raven secretly blushed underneath her hood, but she kept her voice stoic. Even though her emoticlones were going crazy about that last comment for some reason she didn't know. Besides, she didn't want to cause anymore damage to the Tower. Cyborg was still mourning the loss of his toaster from the last outburst.

"That is highly unlikely to happen." She retorted. "But fine. We can watch it. Just this once… but no putting your arm over my shoulder. Or I will cut it off and send it to Outer Perdition." She said in a slightly threatening tone at the end.

Beast Boy shrugged at the threat, as he put the movie into the DVD player. He then sat down a couple feet away from Raven on the couch.

The movie started to play.

The words Wicked Scary 2 appeared as blood red letters on the screen, before it showed a scene of a old woman entering her old house. Completely unaware of the many tentacled monster that was hiding in it.

Thirty minutes later, Raven was indeed looking away from the movie. And had seem to forgo her earlier threat to the green boy. As not only had the space between them disappeared, but she had his arm over her, and his other arm around her front. Her fear had driven her to the safety of the green boy's arms. Raven's face was buried into Beast Boy's shoulder while she trembled with fright. There was a maelstrom of items flying in the air above them, but neither had noticed.

Timid had clearly made an appearance.

"Please don't leave me alone. I can't watch this anymore. Please don't leave me to watch this." Raven said in a voice so quiet that only Beast Boy could hear. He was smiling widely as he gently rubbed her shoulder blades through her cloak.

"Don't ya worry Rae, I'm not going anywhere." He said in a calm voice to her. Even though his eyes were bugging out at the current scene in the movie. Which was too gruesome to be described in his opinion.

Let's just say all the animals in him were screaming to run, hide, play dead, or attack the freaking bloody screen before he was eaten alive!

Beast Boy braved through the rest of the movie that night. He'd have nightmares for a whole month after that experience. And Raven would act like nothing had ever happened that night between them. His instincts would have problems whenever he turned into an octopus for sometime after that.

But in his opinion, it had all been worth it.

You put your arms

Around me

And I'm home

The movie was long over, yet Beast Boy didn't move from his spot.

He had been watching Godzilla tonight with the rest of the team. All of whom had fallen asleep near the end.

Cyborg was all by his lonesome, snoring away on the left side of the couch. Due to his position, his neck was likely to be sore in the morning. Beast Boy chuckled at the thought of it.

Starfire and Robin were cuddled into each other. Both fast asleep, yet both had smiles on their faces. Even in their sleep, they somehow managed to hold on tightly to each other. It was like their love became more and more obvious each day.

Finally, Beast Boy looked down on his lap. Where the resident empath had turned his left leg into her pillow. She had fallen asleep halfway through the movie.

He studied her sleeping face for a moment. Taking in the beauty of the moonlight reflecting off of her peaceful pale skin. He brushed a lock of violet blue tinted hair away from it, as he gently palmed her pale cheek.

Beast Boy smiled. Yet, he didn't think her position had to be very comfortable. Si he allowed his arms to bring Raven up to a more comfortable position. Resting her violet haired head against his chest.

Sure, Raven would probably kill him in the morning when she woke up in such a position, but he didn't care. He cared about her. He really did. Heck, he'd die a thousand times over if it meant he could hold her like this every night. He didn't know why. But something about the empath just drew him to her like a moth to a light.

Whatever it was though, he hoped to figure out soon. With one last breath, Beast Boy fell into dream land.

But little did he know the empath did know what he had been doing.

For she had been awake when he made his move.

Yet she decided to let it go just this once, acting on the outside as if it hadn't really mattered.

On the inside though, she smiled to her different selves. 'Okay, I guess I can admit it to myself now.' She thought to her emoticlones, as she too fell asleep on the green man's chest.

How, many times

Will you let me

Change my mind, and turn around

A car was covered in dark energy, before it was hurled at the infamous Doctor Light. He easily blasted it out of the air with a laser from his hand.

"Foolish girl, how can you expect darkness to conquer the light!" He yelled, as he fired another blast at Raven, who swerved to the left and dodged it.

Raven looked around, seeing all of her teammates lying on the ground. This always seemed to happen when they faced the villain, and she didn't know why. Her gaze fell onto Beast Boy, and anger stirred in her.

"Maybe because my darkness is greater than any light." Raven monotonously replied. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" She chanted, before she sent another car at the villain.

He blasted that one too, and then hit Raven in the abdomen with a blast before she could shield herself. She fell to the ground holding her abdomen.

"Foolish bird! My light is far greater than any darkness you can hope to conjure! Now prepare to meet the true power of the light!" Doctor Light said, as he prepared another blast from both hands. He launched a blast of white light at her, smiling at the thought that the half-demoness who always appeared in his nightmares would finally be defeated.

But then a dark tendril grabbed the blast out of the air, and then a sphere of darkness consumed it. The light was extinguished as easily as a flame from a candle.

Doctor Light paled as he saw Raven float up from off the ground. Except for it wasn't Raven anymore. No, this hooded, four red eyed being was the dark tentacled form of Rage.

"What's the matter Light, I thought you were no longer scared of the dark." Rage taunted the now cowering villain. Who whimpered at the sight of his nightmares come to life.

"Not again. No, not again."

Rage sent a wave of darkness at Doctor Light. He screamed in fear, but didn't move from the wave of energy. It hit him, and launched him back into a building. He fell groaning to the ground. Rage cackled as she floated towards him.

'Prepare to meet your Maker foolish mortal. You should have been wiser in the darkness you put yourself against.'

Her previously downed teammates stood in stunned shock as they watched what was unfolding. Well, all except for one, who had moved quickly to now stand between Rage and the knocked out Doctor Light.

"Raven! You have to snap out of it!" Beast Boy yelled at her. Rage only cackled.

"Step aside foolish one. Me and this mere mortal still have some business to discuss." Rage said in a chuckling tone.

"No! This isn't you Rae! Please come back to me! I know you don't want to do this!" Beast Boy yelled at her.

"You will move now! Or I will make you Beast Boy!" Rage yelled back in a demonic tone to Beast Boy. Who stood unflinching.

"Come on Raven, look at him, he's beat. Let it go." He said simply.

"NO! HE DARED TO THINK HE COULD BEAT ME! NOW HE MUST PAY THE PRICE! MOVE!" Rage howled.

Her powers suddenly lifted Beast Boy and threw him into a lamppost. Beast Boy screamed in pain as he felt something in his shoulder shift with the contact. He fell groaning to the ground. His teammates still stood in shock some feet away.

Rage looked in stunned shock at the pained changeling. And then she realized what she had done. She looked down at her hands.

"No…" The voice was a normal gravelly tone again.

Rage's many tentacled form shrunk back down into Raven.

Beast Boy looked up from the ground at her, his gaze locking with pure amethyst. Tears were already forming in her beautiful eyes.

He opened his mouth to say something.

And then a portal enveloped her, taking her away from the scene.

I, can't decide

If I'll let you

Save my life

Or if I'll drown

Knock Knock Knock

"Raven?"

…

"Go away, Beast Boy."

...

"Are you okay Raven? I know it's been a few days, but what happened out there?"

Raven had curled herself into a ball. She was seated at the base of her bed, tucked away in the far corner of her bedroom. She covered her ears with her hands as Beast Boy pounded on the door. Between the noise Beast Boy was making and the commotion in Nevermore, Raven didn't know what to focus on.

"Nothing happened Beast Boy. Just leave me alone please. I just need some time..." Raven said in as stable a voice as she could manage.

Pause

Beast Boy had enough. "Raven! Something did happen! Let me in!"

Raven raised her gravelly voice. "No! Nothing happened! Just leave me alone!" She yelled.

"Well I'm not leaving here until you let me in!"

"Please, just go away!"

"What happened out there Rae! Just tell me! I'm supposed to be your friend! And you threw me into a lamp post! So what the heck happened!?"

Raven broke. "For once in your stupid Azar ridden life Beast Boy, just leave me alone!"

The knocking on Raven's bedroom door abruptly ceased. Raven lifted her head to peek. She was expecting to hear Beast Boy say her name. That her door would open, flooding the room with light, and she would be humiliated when he saw the sight of her broken form on the ground.

Only, the door didn't open. And no sound came from behind it.

'Good,' she thought. 'He's gone… he's finally gone.'

But Raven's words didn't match her thoughts. As she started to cry on the floor.

I hope that you see right

Through, my walls

Beast Boy still stood behind her door, behind her walls so to say. They were supposed to be soundproof, just like the rest of the Tower.

But to his ears, it did nothing to hide the cries from the beautiful girl behind the door. No. It was almost as if she was crying next to him.

But she wasn't.

She was behind her walls. Wanting to keep to herself so she could be broken all alone. So lonely, afraid, and alone. Always to be alone.

He didn't want her to be alone. He didn't care that Robin had said to give her her space. That she needed some time to herself was all. He didn't care that the others had decided to let her be.

She was alone. She should never feel like she was alone. She had dealt with it for most of her life. She didn't deserve that.

'You think you're alone Raven, but you're not.'

Beast Boy changed his form, morphing into a small green fly. He didn't care what Raven would do after this. He didn't care that his wing hurt him as he flew. He just knew she felt guilty for what had happened out there, and he was determined to help her. Even though she hurt him.

Beast Boy flied through the small crack of the sliding door, coming out on the other side into Raven's room. His vision took in the sight of all the items in the air around Raven, who laid broken on the ground. Even in his fly form, he felt his heart tear a little inside. Raven was too beautiful to be so broken to him.

He morphed back into himself.

"Raven?" He said lightly.

Raven gasped as she looked up at him. Her wide amethyst eyes filled with fear and humiliation. She went to cover her face with her hands, but Beast Boy quickly walked through all the flying debris caused by her emotions to crouch to her level. He took her hands in his, coaxing them off her face.

She was forced to look into his sad looking green eyes. Even as she continued to let the tears fall. Now that she had been caught.

"Oh, Beast Boy… I'm so sorry."

I hope that you catch me

Cuz I'm already falling

Beast Boy pulled the broken Raven to him. This beautiful demoness needed comfort, and he was willing to give it.

She wanted to push him away, but instead, Raven wrapped her arms around his neck as Beast Boy sat next to her on the floor. He supported the demoness as she sobbed.

One hand was rubbing small circles into her back. While the other simply held her to him.

"Shhh. It's okay, Rae. It's okay. I got you now. Everything will be okay. It's fine now." He said as he comforted her.

Raven continued to cry into his shoulder, not even bothering to correct him for saying her name wrong. She felt like she didn't deserve his attention. She didn't deserve him as her friend. She didn't deserve his comfort.

She didn't deserve him.

She just wanted him to go. To leave her alone to herself. To leave her behind her walls. Just like all the others had done when they got back to the Tower.

But Beast Boy didn't do that. He stayed in that dark room with her. Holding her in the middle of the storm that was her emotions. While her walls came crumbling down...

…

"I fell to my Rage Garfield." Raven finally managed to sob out.

Beast Boy only continued to hold her.

"Yes…"

…

"I almost killed someone…"

"Yes…"

…

Raven cried a little harder. "And she hurt you. Rage hurt you!... I never wanted to hurt you."

"Yes…"

That was all he said, yes. That was all he needed to say.

And fortunately, that was all she needed to hear.

I'll never let

Our, love

Get so close

It took a few moments, but Raven eventually started to sob less and less. Until finally, she had calmed down and just sat in her spot on the floor. Still holding on to that green man on the floor next to her. Beast Boy heaved a humongous sigh of relief inside his mind.

He had done it.

She stayed in his embrace for a moment more, and then tried to push him away. Suddenly embarrassed by what she was doing. But she pushed against his hurt shoulder, causing him to wince slightly in pain at the injury he still held. He tried to hide it, but she was able to tell immediately.

She pulled back to look at him. Her violet eyes full of guilt again.

"No, it's okay, Rae. It barely hurts anyway." Beast Boy tried to say with a big smile. Even though his shoulder was protesting against what he said. He winced again at a spike of pain that came from it.

Raven looked down at her hands, shaking her head. "Idiot." She quietly muttered to him. But in an endearing sort of way.

Quietly, Raven extended her pale hand back to his shoulder, and let her blue light envelop the area where Beast Boy had been injured. It was tiring, and there was a lot of ligaments and tendons she ended up having to heal, but the look of relief on his face was more than worth it. A small smile came onto her face as he sighed heavenly.

After she was done, her head started to fall forward from exhaustion. Beast Boy caught it with one hand though and raised her head with it to look into her tired eyes.

"You didn't have to do that." He said to her.

"And you wanted me to hear you bitch and whine for days on end about much your shoulder was killing you?" Raven asked sarcastically.

Whatever tension that had remained was melted at the reappearance of her old self.

Beast Boy laughed lightly at that. "Hey now, I wouldn't have complained… too much."

Raven rolled her eyes."Yeah, and Starfire doesn't like mustard either. Guess that makes us both liars." She said jokingly.

Beast Boy laughed.

She let herself sink back into his embrace. The events of the past few days now long forgotten as the two simply enjoyed each other's company in her dark, foreboding, yet comfortable room.

You put your arms

Around, me and I'm home

She didn't know how long they had talked for after that. She couldn't have said any of what they talked about. Because she was simply too tired mentally to remember any of it.

But she would always remember how it had ended.

Eventually, at around 11:00 that night, Beast Boy had carried Raven's limp form onto her heart shaped bed. She had let out a deep sigh at the feel of the mattress beneath her, and the comforter pulled up to her chin.

It had been a long day indeed. And Azar knew how much she needed her rest.

She was vaguely aware of the green set of arms that was still wrapped around her waist from the side. And of the heat from how close Beast Boy was to her. He said he hadn't wanted to leave her alone that night, and fell asleep beside her.

She should have been mad, or embarrassed, or something.

But she wasn't.

Even though she wouldn't admit it. He was her anchor now in the midst of her life. He helped to keep her calm when she was in his embrace. He was her guide where her walls had been torn down.

In his green arms, Raven felt only one thing that she could describe. One thing that didn't cause her powers to go haywire.

Content.

The world is coming down, on me

And I can't, find a reason

To be loved

"Hey Rae."

Raven sighed, as her meditation was once again interrupted by her annoying, yet gradually maturing green friend. She floated back down to the ground to stand level with the changeling. Even though she acted like nothing was different between them, she couldn't help but let her violet eyes linger a little longer than normal on his rather lean, yet good looking body. And on the fact that he was now level with her in height.

"What is it now Beast Boy?" She asked in a monotone voice. Choosing to keep her hood down in his presence instead of raising it back up above her head like she had before.

"Oh, nothing really. Just wanted to talk to ya was all." He said, as he stood next to her by the window.

Raven rubbed her forehead in frustration. "So you basically interrupted my meditation, the one thing I do to keep my powers under control, for nothing? Great, just great." She said in an irritated voice.

Beast Boy had the gall to look indignant. "Whattttt? Are you saying I'm worth nothing Rae Rae?" He asked with a fake pout on his face.

The half demoness sighed again at him. It seemed no matter how much time would pass, Beast Boy would never get her name right. He would always retain a bit of his childishness, no matter how old he got. Not that she minded, as she was, Azar forbid, finding that side of him a little endearing. Along with the nickname… as long as it wasn't Rae Bear.

"No Gar… I just don't see why you're bothering me now. I need to keep control of myself. Otherwise, bad things happen." Raven said simply.

Beast Boy shrugged."Can't help it if I like talking to ya Rae. You're an easy person for me to talk to." He said to her.

Raven only stared out the window at the bay down below. "I don't see why you would like talking to me. I don't see why anyone would like to talk to me. Not when I'm so… bland." She said, almost to herself. Monotone, besides the tint of sadness in the background of it. A sadness that wished to be expressed freely, yet couldn't.

Beast Boy tore his gaze from the window to look at the beautiful unhooded empath next to him. The empath who he was starting to feel closer and closer to with each passing day.

He sighed at the way the sunlight traveled through her hair. Making it sparkle in his eyes. He didn't look at her curves, or her body. He just looked at her for what she was.

Beautiful.

'If only you knew Rae…'

…

'If only you knew.'

I never want to leave, you

But I can't, make you bleed

If I'm, alone

"C'mon Rae! That movie was just beginning! Weren't you enjoying it like me?!"

Raven stopped in the middle of the parking lot at his voice.

"I can't Beast Boy. I just can't…" She said as she tried to keep a clamp on her powers.

"Can't what?" Beast Boy asked curiously.

"I just… can't watch it is all." Raven said in a small voice.

"Why not?! Star Wars: Rogue One is supposed to be the best movie this year! It received five stars from every critic who's watched it so far! Audiences worldwide have said that this movie is to die for! How can you possibly want to miss and not enjoy this!?" He asked unbelievably.

Raven sighed to herself. It wasn't that she didn't want to watch it. And there wasn't too many people in the theatre tonight either who were trying to bother them. It was just…

She turned around, seeing Beast Boy in a normal shirt and jeans. His green skin and other features was clear for everyone to see. She looked down at herself, seeing a normal black tank top and a pair of thigh length shorts. Besides the rather obvious features on them both, the two of them could have passed for a normal… couple.

Her head fell down to her chest. "I'm losing control of my emotions Beast Boy. I know you wanted to see the movie with someone. That the others couldn't come so you asked me… and I was enjoying it... but it's making me lose control. I can't stay here with you. It's just too much for me." Raven tried to explain in a shaky monotonous voice.

She expected him to complain about it. Or to just shrug and walk back into the movie theatre. Leaving her alone in that small desolate parking lot… she expected him to do something that would hurt her, just like what everyone else did.

"Okay."

She felt a hand on her back. Raven looked up at him in surprise. He was beside her now. Walking the two of them in the direction of the T-Car at the end of the parking lot. It had taken him hours of begging his best friend for him to give the keys to his baby away to him to see the movie.

"Wait? But what about your movie Gar?" She asked in a surprised yet flat voice.

He shrugged. "Eh, it will come out on Blu-ray eventually. I can always watch it then." He glanced slightly down to her. "For now though, I would rather see that you were okay. My friends are far more important than any movie." He said in a serious voice, before he returned his gaze back to the car.

Raven didn't know why, but that comment alone had calmed her. She moved his hand from her back to her hand, and gripped it.

"Okay. Whatever. You're only missing out on the best movie of the year to make sure I'm alright. Your loss." She smirked as she said it, trying to act like it was nothing but a meaningless gesture.

If only it hadn't meant so much to her.

You, put your arms

Around me

And I believe, that it's

Easier, for you, to let, me go

"Hey, um, Raven."

Raven regarded him warily from across the table. The book she had been reading as she sipped her tea now to the side of her. She was able to sense how nervous her friend was. Not that she hadn't been able to tell with the way he had spoken to her.

"What is it Garfield?" Raven asked monotonously. Though she was curious as to why he was so nervous.

Beast Boy tugged at the collar of his uniform. Looking everywhere but the violet haired empath in front of him. "We're friends… right?" He asked.

Raven's left eyebrow raised up. "I could have sworn that was what you would call us Gar." She said with a tint of sarcasm. "Why do you ask?"

Beast Boy chuckled a little too loudly at that, he really had to have been nervous. But then he became deathly silent. Raven felt all the nervousness suddenly drain from him. She didn't know how to feel about the determination that took its place.

"Could we be, more than friends, by any chance?" He asked boldly.

Raven's breath caught in her throat, and she found herself unable to speak for a moment. "Uh… um…" Raven was speechless. She didn't know what to say.

Beast Boy should have backed off then.

"Well Rae. What is it?" He pressed.

Raven coughed into her shoulder, even as she raised her hood over her head. "I'm not sure what you mean by that." She said flatly to try and get him to go away.

He should have backed off.

"Do you think of us as more than friends Raven?" He asked in a more determined voice. His body leaning over the table now. His chair fell behind him with a clatter.

Raven backed up nervously from the table at his forwardness. "Well I think we're good friends." Raven answered again in a flat voice.

He should have backed off.

"That isn't what I meant Rae." He pushed on.

Raven felt her powers starting to slip. "Then what do you mean?" She asked to try and deflect the question again.

He should have backed off.

He growled. "Do you like me?" He asked.

Raven backed up a little more. Her eyes widening under her hood. A crack appeared in the window behind her.

"Of course I like you Garfield. You're my friend-"

And he should have backed off.

He jumped over the table, landing in front of her. His form towered over her small cowering form. "Damn it Raven! It's just a simple question! Are we more than friends!? Could you see us as something… more than what we are now?! Do you freaking like me enough for it! Answer me!" He yelled down at her.

The window behind her shattered, along with all the others in the room. Yet neither of them noticed. Raven's breathing was labored.

Raven looked up into his eyes, his fiery, yet still loving green eyes. All he wanted was a simple answer. He wanted to know if they could get closer than they already had. She wanted to say yes… she wanted to say it so badly...

But she was afraid of what would come if she said it. Afraid for some reason that she would lose him after she said it. Or what if he grew bored of her? What if he were to hurt her? She couldn't just say yes to him. Not when it risked so much...

But she couldn't say no either. He would be able to smell the lie a mile away. There was no way for her to answer without losing in her mind...

So she did the only thing she could think of in that situation.

She took the cowardly way out.

"I need to meditate."

She disappeared into a black portal instantly after saying that. Leaving an astounded Beast Boy standing alone in the Common Room.

It was only a moment later before he realized what he had done. And he put his head in his hands as he sat back in her chair. Her lavender scent still hung in the air around him.

"I should have backed off." He mumbled to himself.

Yes, he should have.

I hope that you see right

Through, my walls

"Hey Chrome Dome! What's on the menu for today!?"

"Morning grass stain! Are you ready to try some of my delicious, apple smoked, hot off the oven bacon!" Cyborg boisterously said, as he took the pan off the stove to shove into Beast Boy's face.

Beast Boy paled at the sight. "Dude! I turn into that!" He shouted in an indignant tone as he pushed it away with his free hand.

Cyborg sucked one right off the pan, and he thought on it as he chewed. "Mmmm, could you turn into some more then so I can have more bacon with my breakfast." Cyborg said in a joking voice. Before he started to laugh.

"You know what? Cereal sounds really good this morning." Beast Boy said in a deadpan, before he dumped soy milk into his bowl of Captain Crunch. Cyborg snickered at him.

"Cereal Killer." Cyborg whispered with a giggle.

"Animal killer." Beast Boy said back with a harrumph.

"Grass eater!" Cyborg retorted back humorously.

"Dead meat cannibal!"

"Lawn mower!"

"Rust Bucket!"

"String Bean!"

"Mother of all fatness!"

"Tofu Lover!"

Beast Boy was about to retort again...

The common room doors slid open. He tensed up, his nose already smelling who had came in. He stopped what he had been doing, and turned his head slowly, just to make sure if it was her.

The empath herself had stopped in the doorway, and her wide violet eyes were looking right at him from under her hood. She opened her mouth, as if to say something. And then she closed it, thinking on it. And then she opened it again.

But Beast Boy wasn't having it now. Even though it had been a few weeks ago, her rejection still hung fresh in his mind. He turned back to Cyborg, his former cheerfulness and demeanor gone.

"If you need me, I'm going to eat in my room... See you at training Cy." Beast Boy said in a flat voice, before he picked up his bowl and walked towards the left hallway away from the sliding doors.

Before he entered it, he took one last glance behind his shoulder at the floating and trembling empath, and shook his head. He disappeared into the hallway towards his room.

Cyborg scratched the top of his head at his friend's sudden turnaround emotionally. Having not noticed the tension between the two. "Man. What was that about? We were just having our usual banter… and then he just… is there something going on with him Rae?" He asked.

Raven's reply was strained as she sat at the table to read. "I don't know. And I don't care."

Too bad her powers said otherwise. As they took themselves out on the pan Cyborg was holding. Melting it, and the bacon on it into a black tar like substance.

Cyborg forgot all about what happened with Beast Boy.

"My bacon! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

I hope that you catch me

Cuz I'm already falling

"Great. Just great."

Raven was pinned down in the remains of a building. In the middle of a fight against none other than Cinderblock. Who was fifty feet away from her, battling her friends. She tried using what little strength she had in her arms to push the concrete from off her, but it hardly budged. She was starting to count herself lucky it had trapped her body in a small alcove in the rubble, otherwise she would have been crushed.

"Why didn't I choose to meditate before this? Stupid. Stupid." She repeated to herself. Her powers briefly flickered over her hands as she tried to work them, before they sputtered out. Instead, they jumped over to a lamp post, and twisted it into the shape of a pretzel.

She had little to no control over her powers at the moment. All because it had gotten so hard for her to meditate lately.

"This couldn't possibly get any worse." Raven said to herself.

She looked up just in time to see Cinderblock swat Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg away with one swipe of his arm. The three heroes went flying into the side of a building and crashed into the ground. Beast Boy was nowhere in sight.

Cinderblock turned his rocky head, seeing the trapped demoness. A rocky smile came over his face as he lumbered towards her.

"Correction, this can get a lot worse." Raven muttered to herself as she started struggling even harder, yet futilely to move the piece of concrete off her. She really should have put more training into something other than her powers.

Once over her, Cinderblock raised his two arms up. His fists clenched above his head, ready to pound the half-demoness into the Earth. Raven, seeing the inevitable, closed her eyes and waited.

Slam!

And waited.

KaThump!

And waited…

…

She opened her eyes in confusion, and saw Cinderblock's prone form on the ground in front of her. The green changeling himself was standing on his rocky chest. Grinning widely at her as if nothing was wrong. As if the last couple months hadn't happened.

"But…" Raven trailed off. What had happened?

He morphed into a sasquatch, and moved to help shift the debris off Raven, while all she did was stare at him. Her mind was in a frenzy. Once the slab of concrete was off, he turned back into himself and helped her to her feet. All with that same smile on his face.

"You okay Rae?" He asked.

Before she could answer, the others had approached Beast Boy, congratulating him on the epic takedown. He received a hearty slap on his shoulder from Cyborg, congratulations from his leader, and a nice death defying hug from Starfire.

Besides the hug, he merely brushed their praise off. "C'mon guys, it was nothing really. I just got old blockhead while he was in a vulnerable state with his arms up like that." He joked.

He was still being his laughing and smiling self. The old him that she hadn't seen in so long… and she stood behind him. Silently, like his shadow, while the others congratulated him.

Finally, the others had left to do clean up. And Raven was left standing in her spot, still facing the smiling green boy she had tried to avoid, yet talk to for the last couple months.

"Why?" Raven finally asked.

Beast Boy looked to her, still smiling. "Why what?" He asked.

Raven gulped. "Why did you save me? After how I've treated you for the past while? After the way I tried to push you away?" She finally asked.

Beast Boy's smile disappeared. He looked away. "That's what friends are for Rae. They look out for each other. No matter how much… they might have been hurt by the other's actions over something trivial."

Raven could still hear the hurt in his voice. And she felt guilty as she finally saw how much pain she had caused to him by her actions. He didn't think of what happened as trivial. It had to have been really important to him. She wanted to comfort him. To say something…

But then he morphed into a bird. A green raven to be exact. And flew off towards the Tower in the distance at a quick rate.

Raven followed his green form in the sky. A single tear formed in her eye at the sight. She supposed she found it ironic.

The raven itself was a solitary creature. Raven herself was a solitary person. She didn't trust many people to be close to her... But right now...

"What if… I wanted us to be more than friends Gar?" Raven finally admitted to herself in a small voice.

I'll never let

Our, love

Get so close

Sigh…

Beast Boy was up late again, lying on his top bunk bed, reading a random comic book about some random hero. By the look on his face though, he really couldn't care less who he was reading about. Much less, what he was reading about in general. His face was still slightly crestfallen from the incident a week earlier.

Though the tension between him and Raven had disappeared somewhat, to the point where they could at least be civil again. He couldn't help but feel that something had been off about her lately. What with all the odd looks she kept on giving him lately when she thought he wouldn't notice.

On the couch in the Common Room when he played with Cyborg.

At the table during mealtimes when he talked to Robin and Starfire.

When they were training/kicking vallainy butt together.

She always seemed to be peering at him. As if she was contemplating something.

'What's going on with her?...' Beast Boy thought sadly to himself.

Beast Boy was suddenly drawn out of his thoughts when he heard his door slide open. He looked up from his bed, wondering who would be visiting him at this time at night.

Even though it was dark beyond his reading light, and out in the hallway, he could see Raven was standing in his doorway. Her head was down, with her hood hiding her face and hair. He could see beneath her cloak she was trembling.

Beast Boy's face instantly changed to one of concern. "Raven, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

She didn't respond at first. She instead walked in and let the door close behind her. Beast Boy's reading light was still on. But Raven was hid in the darkness of the room. Her back was still to him, and she was still trembling.

"Beas-... Garfield… we're still… friends… right?" She asked in a stoic, yet slightly unsure voice.

Beast Boy gulped on his bed. A bead of sweat traveled down his forehead. "Yes… I mean… if that's what you want… I… if you didn't want it… I could back off… or… um..." He stopped talking, and bit his tongue instead to keep from making a bigger fool of himself than he already had.

Though he couldn't see it, Raven's lips had slightly upturned at his stuttering. So he was still nervous around her too. Her trembling stopped, and she allowed herself to relax at last.

'Alright. I guess it's time… Azar help me.'

Her hood fell back, revealing her violet blue tinted locks to the darkness. Her hands moved over the clasp to her blue cloak.

"About your earlier offer…" Raven trailed off, as she steeled her nerves. "What about… if I wanted us to be… more than friends too?" She asked quietly.

Beast Boy's brain stopped. He seemed to forget how to breath. It didn't seem possible. Raven had probably said something else… right?

Then she let the clasp of her cloak fall, and her cloak trailed behind her to the ground. She was still in her leotard, but without her cloak… without her way of hiding from the world... she was… she was…

Beast Boy gaped at the sight of this magnificent creature. He had thought she had been beautiful before. But now… with her dropping her cloak in his room… allowing him to really, see her...

'She's angelic...'

Raven turned around, her face flat. Her front was even better looking than her back. Beast Boy was ogling so hard, that it was almost impossible for Raven to keep the blush off her pale face. A stack of comics fell over from a spark of black power, but neither of them noticed.

"Would it be okay with you… if I tried sleeping with you tonight Gar? Just as a test." She asked softly.

Beast Boy was shocked on the inside, but on the outside, he nodded his head. Almost a little too vigorously. Raven smiled lightly and floated up into the air next to him, and he numbly made room for her on the small bed. He saw she wasn't wearing any boots, before she settled into the bed. She scooted her body up to his chest.

He slowly, and hesitantly put his arms around her, wondering if it was okay or not. But then Raven scooted back even closer into him. Letting out a small sigh of content as she put her arms around his, bringing them closer to her body. Her legs, her long graceful pale legs, intertwined with his.

She fell asleep in his embrace before he could even say a word. Her soft snores were like a melody to his ears. 'Holy… if this a dream...'

Beast Boy, despite his confusion, decided not to think about it now. He had a hot girl he liked asleep with him in his bed. And she wanted to move past the friend stage now. He was not going to ruin this chance by being an idiot.

He would wait till later to ask about it.

He turned off his reading light, then cuddled his head into Raven's violet hair. He fell asleep, smiling more genuinely than he had in a long time.

You put your arms, around me

And I'm ho-o-o-ome

Yawn…

Raven blearily opened her violet eyes to the world around her.

The room was slowly being lit by the light of the rising sun outside. A sign that she had slept in, and had missed part of her morning meditation already. Yet strangely, she felt… oddly refreshed. As if she didn't need to meditate that morning.

She heard a soft snore behind her, and then she registered the pair of green arms still wrapped around her torso. Along with the light rustle of her hair as the man behind her breathed into it. The memories of the night before suddenly raced through her mind.

Yet, she didn't panic. Or feel embarrassed.

She felt… happy.

She had done it. And the world hadn't ended in the process.

She looked past his bed frame, and saw a couple more stacks of his comic books had been knocked over. But nothing too serious.

She softly turned herself around to look up at Beast Boy's peaceful sleeping face. He had a small smile on it, and at her moving around, he snuggled up closer to her to breath in the smell of her hair while he still slept. It made the feeling in Raven grow on the inside.

Raven couldn't believe it. After so many months of not having this feeling, after so many months of thinking she could never have this moment, much less deserve it, there she was. Lying in bed with the one person who was making her feel happy.

She had a very small smile appear on her own pale round face as she snuggled back into his chest. There was a small part of her that said this was wrong. That she was still going to be hurt later. But for now, she'd rather sleep in her friend's, and hopefully more embrace, than let her thoughts dwell there.

For it was truly here where she felt at home.

Ho-o-o-ome

"Hey Raven."

The empath sighed softly at her meditation on the roof being interrupted. Not in annoyance though, like she had done many times before. Ever since that night, it had been harder and harder now for her best friend to annoy her.

Unless he started spouting off jokes that is.

A pair of green arms wrapped around her clothed stomach, and she set her feet on the ground as she leaned back into the green man's embrace. If anyone else had done this, she would have thrown them out into the bay. But not him. Not her best friend. Though they had slept in his bed together a couple times since that day, they were only calling it that for now.

The two said nothing, choosing to merely watch the sun set in the distance. And listen to the lull of the ocean down below. In the distance, a flock of seagulls could be seen flying over the water.

Some time passed…

"You know Rae, I can see why you like it up here." Beast Boy finally said.

"Why is that Gar?" She hummed curiously.

"It's just so… I don't know…"

"Calming?... Peaceful?... Relaxing?" Raven supplied.

He grinned behind her. "I was going to say beautiful, like you. But yeah, I guess it's all those things too."

Raven rolled her eyes, lightly blushing at his comment. "Please, I'm not that beautiful." She said.

Beast Boy also rolled his eyes behind her. "And you call me blind." He said with a chuckle.

…

"I'm really not that beautiful Gar." Raven said with a sigh at the end.

...

"Not to me you aren't." He said truthfully.

The two stayed silent for a while after that, with Beast Boy nuzzling her hair.

"Do you really mean it?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Of course." He replied honestly.

Raven felt that part of her, that part that said this was wrong, shrink a little under his words. A slightly bigger smile came onto her face, and though she felt it touch something in the distance, she kept it on.

The two watched the sunset together as best friends. Before heading back in, feeling better than they had before they went up there.

Ho-o-o-o-ome

"Rae! Wait!"

Raven looked back at Beast Boy at the entrance of the alleyway. Tears were falling from her violet eyes.

"I knew it! You told me it wasn't true! Yet I knew it!" Raven yelled at him in an angry stoic voice. The trash can next to them was encased in black and went flying out into the street.

"Rae. Just chill. That girl was just being a jealous idiot, and-"

A black band of magic covered his mouth, cutting him off. "Don't try to lie to me Gar! I've known for a while now that I don't look good to anyone! I've known it for so long! And I'm sick of you trying to convince me otherwise!" Raven yelled as her eyes flashed red. Another trash can went flying out of the alley into the street.

The black band disappeared off his mouth. "But Rae." He said to try and get her attention.

"Just let me go back Gar. It's obvious your fan club just doesn't want to see me. I'm too hideous to be seen without my cloak. I don't even know why you wanted us to go out in out civies in the first place. There's no way for me to hide myself in this." Raven said sadly, pointing down at herself with her hands.

Beast Boy looked out at the street again. Where he knew his fangirls were outside hiding, waiting for him to come out so they could ambush him. To try and take him away from his best friend, whom some of them hated with a passion.

He looked down at themselves, in their normal clothes and not their uniforms. He was stupid to have thought they could just go on a walk through the town without getting the attention of the blonde jealous sluts that were a part of his fanclub. Stupid. Stupid!

He sighed. Raven thought he was going to walk off then. But then he turned around to hug the shaking girl to him. The girl who he was still unsure about whether she was more of a best friend to him or not. Even though this had technically been their second date. A night out on the city.

"Dude, I'd rather be hanging out with you than with a bunch of blonde air headed sluts." He said in a soft voice.

Raven wanted to shove him away, but she chose to let him hold her.

Her anger didn't ebb away. At those girls. At herself. At Beast Boy for setting her up for betrayal later. But she allowed her best friend to hug her, and she hugged him back. Wondering just how much longer they could last.

"Why did I have to be born ugly? Why couldn't I look just like everybody else? Why did Trigon's taint have to ruin me?" She shakily asked him. A dumpster went flying out into the street. Almost hitting the area where one of the girls outside had been hiding.

"Witch!"

"Whore!"

"Demon!"

Beast Boy, not wanting to spark her anger this time, simply held her tighter as he heard the girls outside shout all sorts of names and obsceneties.

"Take us home Rae. We can hang out there together." He whispered to her.

Raven felt a tear fall from her eye. How long would it be until he shouted such hateful things at her?

"Okay Gar."

A dark portal opened up around them, taking them away from the alley.

I tried, my, best, to

Never, let, you

In, to, see, the, truth

"How about this Beastie!"

A black hand wrapped itself around Beast Boy, before it sent him smashing into a wall. Beast Boy groaned as he got to one knee and looked up.

There was a black barrier dividing the Common Room in half. His teammates were on the other side of it where the TV and couch was, banging on the field of energy. While on his side…

"You will die for your comments Beast Boy!" Rage shouted, as she sent another black wave of energy at Beast Boy.

Beast Boy quickly changed into a hummingbird and flew over the wave, before he morphed back into himself standing on the ground. He didn't know why Rage had come out. All he had done was ask Raven if she wanted to watch a movie with him.

Apparently, that hadn't been the right thing to say.

"Raven, please! You have to snap out of it-"

A dark hand suddenly slapped his body like a rag doll across the room. He oomphed as he made contact with the field of energy.

"B!" Cyborg was barely heard as he shouted on the other side and pounded the field with both hands.

"I will not snap out of it Beast Boy! This is what I really am after all! A witch! A demoness from hell! Everyone else saw it! So why in the nine hells can't you!" Rage shouted as she picked up Beast Boy's limp form again in her powers and sent him flying up into the ceiling. He was lowered from it, still in her grip.

"Rae... please-" He was smashed back up into the ceiling again. Turning his small speech into a cry of pain.

"I am half-demoness with no place in the world Beast Boy! I am hideous! I am ugly! All I have is my power! So the only thing I can be is to be feared for my power!" Rage shouted as she smashed him over and over again into the walls, the ceiling, and finally the floor.

Beast Boy weakly lifted his head weakly from off the ground. Rage had her black tentacles swirling all around her on the bottom. But without her hood up, he was able to see her red face. The white mane of hair that traveled down her head. The white canines that were her teeth. She truly did look like a demon in that moment.

Yet he only looked deep into the blood red eyes of Rage. There was malice and anger in them, yet there was also pain, fear, suffering. Blood red tears were falling from her eyes.

It was hurting her to do this to him.

"I will make you see the real me! I will make you give up your foolish advances! You will fear my darkness! Or you will die Beast Boy! For no one could ever love a creature like me! " Rage shouted, her hands ablaze with dark ethereal energy.

His teammates continued to try and get his attention behind the force field.

And I never, opened, up

I've, never, truly, loved

A brief memory clicked in his mind. It was a time long before, when he had first seen Raven. How closed off she had been from everyone, how she had always hid herself from the world. He had always wondered why she had her cloak around her body. Why she always pushed everyone at arm's reach. Why she was so scared to let anyone in to see.

Yet even now, with her in her real form… he saw her.

She truly believed she was nothing but a vile creature. She was a human, yet she was also a demon. She was an enigma in both of her species. No one could like her, no one could love her.

'Except me.'

Much to Rage's shock, Beast Boy got up off the ground, facing her. He had several scratches bleeding on parts of his body, lots of bruising, maybe even a broken bone or two. Yet he stood, facing her.

Then limp step, after limp step, he started to walk slowly over towards Rage.

She was thrown off by the fact that he was shuffling to her. That his green eyes were focused on hers. That there was no fear, or hate, or anything vile in them. But something else, something…

'No! Stay back! You'll fear me! You'll hate me! Just like everyone else!' She threatened him again, she raised her hands and covered them with more of her energy, but he said nothing. He only continued to shuffle closer.

His teammates continued to try and grab his attention, to tell him to run. Yet they were far in the back of his mind. All his attention was focused on her. The half demoness in front of him.

Finally, he was standing one foot in front of Rage. And she saw nothing but that emotion in his eyes. A single tear fell from one to roll gently down his face. His hand reached out and gripped both of hers, causing the dark energy in them to dissipate.

"Why? Why don't you fear me!? Why don't you hate the darkness that is me?!" Rage shouted in a mad, yet heart-rending tone. If she wasn't feared, if she wasn't hated, than what use did she have? Pity?

He was silent for a moment. Before he painfully raised his other hand to cup her red, yet still round face. The face that had mesmerized him from day one. She may have looked like a demon now, but it was still the same face to him.

The dark tentacles were already retreating back under her red cloak, and she became level with him.

"Why?" Rage whispered.

Beast Boy coughed into his arm. "Because... because it's impossible to hate you... since I love you." Beast Boy whispered in a soft voice.

Then before she could react, he pressed his lips to hers.

To say Rage was shocked would have been an understatement. She was completely frozen.

This hadn't part of the plan! She was supposed to push him away! She was supposed to make him hate her now so he wouldn't hurt her later when he eventually left hating her!...

But he was kissing her now. Even in this vile form, he kissed her. And not just any kiss.

It was their first kiss.

Slowly, she started to kiss him back, with tears falling from her eyes.

"I love you."

Kiss

"I love you."

Kiss

"I love you." He kept on whispering like a mantra into her mouth.

That was when she finally saw it.

He loved her. Even in this vile hideous form. He really loved her. Rage felt happiness fill her...

But then she suddenly felt horrible for what she did. She had hurt her love. She had tried to push away, to make him hate her. And he was repaying her with this. With so much affection. With so much kindness.

She didn't deserve it. Any of it.

Slowly, she allowed Raven to take back control, as she let herself sink and be chained up back inside Nevermore. All want to do evil now taken away by Beast Boy's confession. The chains that held her before clicked in place around her. Yet she didn't feel them. All she felt was guilt… guilt… and love.

The two continued to kiss away on the floor, even as Raven turned back to her normal self. Her white hair turned violet again, her skin turned back to its pale tone, her cloak turned back to blue, and the black barrier from before that sheltered the two from the outside world shattered like thin ice.

Along with about all the windows in Titans Tower.

"I love you too." Raven finally whispered into his mouth, tears falling from her eyes. Before again losing herself to the kiss.

Their teammates stood in their exact spots behind where the barrier had been, but they weren't scared anymore. It didn't even seem to matter to them that Raven had just been in the form of a demon just seconds ago.

Rather, like the happy couple, they were happy.

"It's about damn time." Cyborg mumbled to himself.

Till you, put your arms, around me

And I believe

That it's, easier, for you, to let, me go

Even though it was late in the evening, there was still a lot of activity to be found in the Jump City Park. It was the middle of summer vacation for everyone, so many of small families and couples had decided a day at the park had been in order.

The kids played different games with or against each other on the grass or in the trees. From soccer, football, tag, freeze tag, and so much more. Every one of them could be seen having a blast with their friends.

Their parents were in the background, sitting on benches. Some had a book out to read in their downtime, while others chatted with each other about the latest gossip, how great their kids were, etc.

Some benches held couples, both young and old. Some simply held hands. While others were more… active in what they were doing.

On one secluded bench though, by the pathway in the middle of the trees, rested a rather odd looking couple.

The man was as green as the leaves of the trees around him. He had pointy earsl, and eyes that looked to speak nothing but mischief. He had the same pointed fang sticking out of his mouth . Yet his face looked more mature, and his build was slightly bigger than that of what he had in his youth.

He wore a simple white version of the old Doom Patrol uniform with red stripes along the wrists, thighs, and chest of it. He looked to be about 5'10", and between a light and medium build. Finally, he had an arm over the shoulders of the young pale woman next to him on the bench.

She was smaller than he was. About 5'6" to be exact. Unlike him, she hadn't changed as much in the past couple years. She was still pale skinned, still violet haired/eyed, and still a little round in the face. Her figure had filled out a little more, her cheekbones were a little more prominent than when she was younger, and she had allowed her violet hair to grow to her shoulders. Other than that, there wasn't really that big of a difference.

That is, if you didn't count the white leotard and cloak she was now wearing. Along with the small soft smile resting on her face as she leaned her head over onto her boyfriend's shoulder.

Yeah, they made for a rather odd couple to any passerby that happened to jog along here. But they were rather odd alone already by their appearance. So as her boyfriend liked to joke, why couldn't they be odd together… yeah, his joking skills still hadn't improved all that much over the years.

"Hey Rae, ever wondered about the real reason why the aardvark crossed the road?" Beast Boy asked.

Raven rolled her eyes playfully. "Wasn't it to beat up the idiot telling jokes about it?" She said back monotonously, with a tint of amusement.

"Nah, it was to go to the idiots house." He said back playfully.

The girl was silent, pondering how a joke like that could be funny.

"Knock knock." He suddenly said.

"Who's there?" Raven automatically replied.

"... The aardvark."

…

Raven finally got it.

On the inside, Happy was curled over on the ground. Laughing her head off at the joke. As was every other emoticlone inside her mind. On the outside though, Raven merely smiled a little bigger.

"Okay, I admit that was a little funny." She said to him.

So not all his jokes were that terrible.

Beast Boy smiled a little wider. "I know more! Wanna hear them!?"

Raven moved her head from off his shoulder to blankly look up at him. "Don't ruin the moment Garfield."

He nervously put his hand behind his neck and chuckled lightly. "Yes mama."

Raven sighed again, but put her head back on his shoulder. Her boyfriend really was one of a kind. The two remained silent for a couple moments. While the sounds of nature went on around them.

"Can you believe it Rae?" Beast Boy finally asked.

"Hmmm." Raven hummed back.

"Just seven years ago on this day, we all met for the first time… and now, this is the last day we have as Titans. When we get back, we'll have to pack up the rest of our stuff, and leave the Tower for the new group." He said in a somewhat sad tone.

Raven merely shrugged. "It's not like we're all splitting away forever Gar. We still get to keep our communicators so we can contact each other. And we'll have to check in now and then with the new team to make sure the new Robin has everything under control." She said in a comforting voice to him.

He chuckled lightly at that. "Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how these noobies hold up Rae. But Star and Dick are going to Bludhaven together. And Cyborg is being officiated as a member of the Justice League tomorrow. It just seems like they're all moving on to whole different worlds… and we're still stuck here." He said lightly.

They were silent for a couple moments. "It's not like we'll forget all the good times we had together though." Raven sagely said.

Beast Boy thought on it. "You mean like the time Cyborg inhaled a jalapeño pizza with ghost pepper sauce on it as a bet. And his face turned so red that you could feel the heat coming off it from about three dozen feet away." Beast Boy said.

Raven had to suppress a laugh at the memory. "Or when he ran out into the streets, screaming how his tongue was on fire. And how to try and quench the flames, he jumped into the city fountain to chug from the faucets at the top. Only to find that had been the day sulfur had been added to the water supply." Raven added on.

Beast Boy laughed at the memory. "Dude! That was one of the funniest things I have ever seen!... it was too bad I couldn't use my pictures of him vomiting everything up as blackmail. Everyone in the city practically saw it. It made headlines for weeks."

Raven chuckled at that. And Beast Boy looked to her in slight shock. Even though she had accepted her emotions for the most part, to get her to laugh was still a treat to his ears.

"How about the time when Silkie got loose and ate all your precious five star comics in your room?" Raven said a little playfully.

Beast Boy's face scrunched up. "That stupid worm still owes me the thousands of dollars those freaking issues were worth!" Beast Boy said in a fake mad voice.

"Oh really? Thousands of dollars? For a couple comics on a boy who shot webs from his hands?" Raven questioned sarcastically.

"Hey! Spider Man's the best!" Beast Boy said indignantly.

"I thought it was the Wolverine who was the best?"

"Well… um… uh…" Beast Boy couldn't find a retort to that. Raven chuckled a little more. Causing Beast Boy to smile in response.

The two continued talking about some of the things the team used to do for a while. Memories of the good times. Like when Nightwing and Starfire finally got engaged after four years of dating. When Cyborg made Beast Boy his own B-Car after he wrecked the T-Car.

But it mainly stuff that involved the two of them. Like the first time they came to this spot at night and someone tried to mug them. Or when they had stayed on the roof of the Tower late into the night to watch the meteor shower together.

Which, under very tight secrecy from the Justice League, had been the remains of a Gordanian invasion fleet. But it looked enough like a meteor shower to anyone else who had been watching.

There was other, more melancholy things they talked about too. Like how they wouldn't have to buy mustard by the crate again for Starfire. Or how they'd miss the sounds of a hammer being pounded against something in the garage. Beast Boy was going to miss not being able to argue to anyone now about why tofu was better than meat. Raven was going to miss being surrounded by her friends, her family.

They talked about some of the old villains they used to face...

"And the look on Doctor Light's face when he saw you on the oil docks that one day!" Beast Boy laughed long and hard.

Raven rolled her eyes. "You'd think he would have chosen to give up the criminal life to become an inventor after that experience." She said sarcastically.

"Nope. It took you having to go all rage on him all over again before that happened." Beast Boy joked.

Raven suddenly looked sad. Beast Boy realized what he had said. "Hey, look here."

She looked up at him. "I do not, in any way, shape, or form, mind that side of you at all Rae. Not one bit. You still know that, right?" He said seriously to her.

She sighed. "I know Beast Boy… it's just… I have to live with what she did. What she made me do." She said sadly, and then looked away.

...

"She made a criminal turn his whole life around." Beast Boy suddenly said.

Raven looked back up to him in surprise. "She motivated you to do good. She helped you to take down your dad. She fought against you and made you stronger for it. She gave you her power when you fought against Trigon." He raised a hand and cupped her pale cheek. "But most of all. She helped me to see how much you really meant to me that day Raven. I seriously can't thank her enough for all that she's done for us."

Raven felt a tear gather in her violet eye. And she pulled him in for a hug so he wouldn't see it. "How can you always manage to find good in every part of me, even when I can't see it?" She asked.

He pulled back and smiled toothily at her. Even as he wiped away the tear from her eye. "Because I love ya Rae. That means I love every single part of you too."

Raven blushed lightly at that, but her smile was as clear as day. "I love you too Gar."

They had a blissful silence after that for a while. And settled back into their original positions on the bench.

"Gar, what are you going to do now?" Raven asked.

Beast Boy looked at her curiously. "What do ya mean Rae?"

"Well… we both know what Nightwing, Starfire, and Cyborg are doing after today… but what are you going to do?"

Beast Boy put his hand to his chin in thought. "Well, now that Jump City doesn't really need us as heroes anymore, and since the other Titans worldwide have everything under control. I was thinking about claiming my parent's inheritance money, and then settling down… maybe in a house by the ocean… a good place where I could stay with my future wife and kids."

Raven felt slightly sad about that, but kept it to herself. "That sounds… nice. I'm happy for you Garfield." She said in a soft voice.

...

Suddenly, Beast Boy looked to her, a gleam in his green eyes. Raven looked up at him in confusion at how intensely he was staring at her.

"Would you want the same thing Rae?" He asked.

She looked at him in shock. 'Holy Azar!... Is he… doing what I think she is!?'

"Why?"

Beast Boy got off the bench at last, and bent down on one knee in front of her. From the belt of his uniform, he pulled out a small black box, and he opened it. In it was a beautiful silver ring, with an amethyst as the gemstone on the middle of it. And on the amethyst, a small green raven was engraved on it.

"Because if you didn't, then I would feel really stupid right now for asking you if you'd marry me." Beast Boy said in as confident a tone as he could muster.

…

…

Raven was still sitting on the bench, staring down wide eyed at the changeling. Who was growing a little nervous with each passing second. Thoughts passed through his mind, each one darker than the last as the silence continued. Was it too soon? Did he not time it well enough? He knew he should have done it when he said he loved her! Stupid! Stupid! Now it looked like a scene from one of those cheesy romance novels!

"Um… Rae?... Are you okoomph!" Beast Boy was suddenly on his back, as the half demoness tackled him to the ground whilst kissing him deeply.

"Yes! Yes! YES!" Raven yelled happily into his mouth. Not even stopping to break the kiss. A tree behind them toppled over from the amount of emotions she let off. But other than that, no other damage was done.

Beast Boy, after recovering from her very enthusiastic response, laughed into her lips as he slid the ring onto her finger. And then held her to him while still on the ground.

Looks like cheesy romance scene worked in his favor after all.

Point, Beast Boy.

I hope that you see, right

Through, my walls

"Gathered representatives of the couple, we are here today…"

Beast Boy sighed happily to himself. The day he had waited a year for had finally come. They were finally going to do it...

He felt a gentle squeeze in his hand, and turned his head slightly away from the monk to glance at his beautiful, yet nervous bride. He smirked. He could have sworn he would be the one who would have the jitters today. Not strong and proud Rae Rae.

"Are you okay Rae?" He whispered out the side of his mouth.

"... Yes… it's just… why did so many people have to show up for this?" She whispered back.

Beast Boy chuckled lightly to himself. "Don't you remember Dick and Kori's wedding? How many reporters there were alone for that?" He whispered.

"Yes. But we weren't the center of attention there. And they both looked so good. While I…"

He pulled her closer to him. Allowing him to feel the folds of her white cloak against his own green cloak. "Hey, just because we're dressed differently, doesn't mean we aren't just as good looking."

He could tell she was smiling now. Even though he wasn't looking at her. "Besides, me and you are totally rocking the outfits."

He could tell she rolled her eyes at that, yet she was still smiling. She also wasn't jittery like she had been before. Now that she felt she was ready too.

The old monk, an old friend of Azar before her death as Raven had told him, had continued his speech to the crowd whilst Beast Boy had helped Raven to relax. And after a minute more, he looked down at Beast Boy.

"Garfield Mark Logan, resident of the dimension of Earth. Do you take Raven of Azarath, princess of Outer Perdition, the savior of our world, and Azar's only heir, by the laws of your dimension, to be your wife in both body and mind? To forever be connected to one another, through thick or thin?" Though the words had to be modified for the Azarathian ceremony, they held just as much power coming from the old man.

Beast Boy nodded his head. He had never been as confident as anything else in his life. "I do."

The old monk nodded his head in return, and looked to Raven. His old face became soft and kind.

"I always knew you would find yourself young one. The people of Azarath are so proud of you. And I know Azar would be too if she were still around." He said in a soft old voice to her.

Raven had tears falling down her face, yet she stepped forward and gave the monk a small hug. The monk was surprised for a moment, and then he smiled and hugged her back.

"Thank you." Raven whispered.

The old monk smiled. "No, it is I who should thank you."

He let go. Raven did the same. The old man had to compose himself, as small tears had gathered in his eyes.

"And do you Raven of Azarath, take Garfield Mark Logan, the only living son of Mark and Marie Logan, and the only Beast of his kind, by the laws of both our people, to be your husband in both body and soul, to forever be connected to each other, no matter what may come your way?"

Raven had never been so confident of anything in her life as she answered. "I do."

The old monk raised his hands then, touching the hooded temples of the couple, as he whispered under his breath.

"Azarath, Terion, Azar." The old man chanted.

His home, his real name, and the one person he had cherished above all.

A wisp of power drew into each of them, and after a moment, the binding ritual was complete. The old monk raised his hands high above the two.

"Heroes of Earth! I present to you, Garfield and Raven Logan!" The old monk proudly said.

The couple turned around then, to face the assembly of different heroes. They were smiling widely as they let their white and green hoods fall back, revealing their faces at last.

The crowd of heroes jumped off their chairs, cheering for the new married couple on the roof of Titan's Tower. Members of the Titans, the Justice League, and the Doom Patrol alike were smiling widely. And their cheers echoed across the bay. Where the reporter's that had been banned from the event tried to get a glimpse of the new couple from miles away.

The new couple then faced each other, smiled, and sealed the deal with a deep and passionate kiss.

Most of those cheers from before turned into cat calls from the younger heroes. Though that didn't drown out the cheers of some of the older heroes. Especially a very happy Rita Dayton.

But out of everyone there, none was smiling as widely, nor was as happy, as the old monk himself. Who turned around to make his portal back to Azarath. It was good for him to see that the Earth still had good in it. Even though he sensed it still had lots of evil left to defeat. But as long as there was good, there was still hope.

'And now I can die in peace. Knowing that my promise to Azar has been fulfilled.' He thought happily to himself, as he stepped into the blue portal and disappeared.

I hope that you catch me

Cuz I'm already falling

"Ahhh…"

Beast Boy was sitting in a nice comfortable massage chair. One of the best choices he ever made in his opinion. It was almost as if he was melting into it… his unstable DNA made him check just to make sure.

Yep, he was still solid.

Outside, he could hear the sound of wave after wave landing on the beach a few hundred feet away. He tuned into it, allowing the noise of nature to tune him out from his surroundings. The hum of the fireplace in front of him, the water running in the pipes, and so on.

He had done it. After several weeks of hard work, many sleepless nights staying up late surfing the net, and after some near endless grunt work, he had finally gotten him and his wife moved into their new home. And boy was this massage chair making it feel worth it. He'd have to tell his wife to try it out, after she was done meditating in their room of course.

Beast Boy was content at last. It didn't seem like there was anything that could make his life more perfect.

"AUGH!" A very loud scream suddenly came from upstairs. Where their room was.

There was, however, ways where it could get a lot worse.

He was instantly a snarling green wolf, his animal instincts kicking in faster than a Ferrari reaching 60 miles an hour. He was out of the chair and bounding up the steps in long strides, heading for their room within a couple seconds of the scream. He was sniffing out for whatever had made his wife scream as he reached the top.

He got nothing, but his senses remained sharp. Many threats could have no scent on them. He had to be ready.

But when he knocked down the door to their room as a bear, he was met with… a very happy Raven. As in, it was like Happy had taken her place.

She was actually flying around the room, twirling around and around in circles. She had what looked like a look of pure joy on her face. She was giggling non stop, and she hadn't even seemed to notice he had just broken down their bedroom door. Beast Boy turned back into a human, his face beyond confused.

'Did my wife just trade places with Starfire mentally or something?'

"Raven?"

Raven saw him then, and even though he had just broken down their door, the smile on her face got even wider. She flew right into him, kissing him passionately as she did so.

It took Beast Boy several moments of confusion before he finally managed to get himself to pry his wife off him. "Raven! What the hell is going on with you?!" He yelled disbelievingly.

Raven was smiling. "Thank you Gar. Thank you so much." She said to him in a soft voice."

'Huh?'

"What?"

Then she lifted something in front of her face, and he had to squint to see what it was in her pale hand. It was white, but there was markings on it. Beast Boy had to chuckle to himself in his mind, for a moment, he had thought it was…

His eyes then widened comically. His eyes weren't deceiving him. In his wife's hands was a pregnancy test. And it was… was… positive.

'... … … (I'm sorry, due to lack of oxygen, I will now do what any other brain that has ever been shocked speechless has ever done)'

Beast Boy fainted in his wife's arms.

I'll never let

Our, love

Get so close

"Wa… Wahhhh…"

Raven hummed softly as she rocked back and forth in her rocking chair. Trying her best to quiet the small bundle in her arms. On the other side of the room by her bed, she could hear Gar humming some weird tune to the little bundle in his arms. As he walked back and forth in front of their bed.

Raven returned her attention back to the bundle below her, as her small crying picked up. "Shhh, it's okay Lilith. Mommy's here. Mommy's got you." Raven murmured to the baby girl she was holding.

"Sniff… wa… wa..."

Raven lifted her a little higher, allowing her baby to rest on her shoulder as she gently patted her back. She hummed gently as well whilst she continued to rock.

Eventually, Lilith let out a small burp, and then her cries lessened. Raven pulled her back to look into her tired violet eyes. Raven smiled gently down at her daughter.

It was hard to believe. Only a week ago, she had been in the hospital, with her stomach about the size of a blimp. And now, she was back home, awake at three in the morning, trying to get her daughter to sleep. While Garfield put their son Mark back into his crib.

"Wa… mmmm…"

"Let me tell you a story little one. Would you like that?" Raven whispered.

Lilith was silent now, staring up at her mommy.

"Once, a very long time ago, there was a little girl your age. She was just like you. She was afraid of the world around her. Yet she constantly yearned for some attention. It was natural, for she was very small, and fragile."

Raven continued to rock back and forth. Her daughter's violet eyes were looking up at her, yet her pale green eyelids were drooping "She was so little, so innocent, so curious… and yet her mother hadn't wanted her. Her father had merely wanted to use her for his own gain. She was never loved since the day she was born."

Raven sniffed this time, her baby yawned in her arms. "Her mother gave this sweet little newborn girl to a group of people she hardly knew. And this group of people from that day on taught this innocent little girl to hide that innocence in herself. To always guard her everyday life with the strongest of walls. Some of which she built herself. And others that the group of people had made by the way they treated her. In ways both good, and bad."

A tear fell from her eye. "This girl was never allowed to cry for attention. To never know the joy of looking in awe at a butterfly. To never make friends, to never know how beautiful she really was… she had her curiosity for the world crushed, all her hopes and dreams stored away in a locked box with the key thrown away… she was never allowed to even love... she was forced to grow up too fast… she was… she was..."

A hand gripped her shoulder. And Raven looked up at her husband. He was smiling sadly at her. He came down to her level to pull her into a hug.

Raven let a tear leak from her eye, and she looked down at her now sleeping daughter. "That little girl was me Lilith… and for so much of my life, I let all that I had learned block me from really living my life… I'll never be able to take that part of my life back again..."

…

"But I swear Lilith, that I will make sure you never grew up the way I had to… I will make you and Mark the most loved children to ever walk the dimensional plane… I won't suppress you two the way I was... no matter what… I'll let you two live your lives the way they should be lived..."

Raven felt Beast Boy wrap his arms a little tighter around her shoulders. And she leaned her head into his shoulder to cry softly into it.

"Thank you Gar." She whispered hoarsely to him.

"Always Rae."

...

"Always."

You put your arms

Around, me

And I'm home

Raven snuggled up into her green husbands chest. Now that their daughter and son laid in their cribs asleep.

She looked up into his face, his matured, slightly lined, heavily snoring, yet still handsome green face.

'From your very first comment, you had managed to make a dent in my walls Garfield.'

…

"If you like sunshine, and the beach."

...

'Too think, I thought I would always be alone… yet you were the one who never gave up on me.'

…

"Hey Rae, it's movie night, wanna join us?'

…

'Like an undesirable little brother, you weaved your way into my heart. Going through the mazes of my walls with the grace of an animal.'

…

"You think you're alone Raven, but you're not."

…

'You shattered me Garfield. You shattered my perception of what I wanted.'

...

"Don't ya worry Rae, I'm not going anywhere."

…

'You made me feel things, things I thought I'd never be able to feel.'

…

"That's what friends are for Rae. They look out for each other. No matter how much… they might have been hurt by the other's actions over something trivial."

…

'And you were the one that finally made me see.'

…

"That means I love every single part of you too."

Raven smiled, even as she felt the very things that started it all wrap more tightly around her. Bringing her closer to the sleeping figure next to her.

'Who would have thought that it would be your arms that broke through all my walls.'

He'd die a thousand times over if it meant he could hold her like this every night.

Raven snuggled up into his chest, allowing that same feeling that always came from his embrace to fill her. It had started that night on the couch, and this was how it would end. This was how it would always end. With her, in his strong green arms.

For it was in his arms, where she felt the most at home.

"I love you Gar." She whispered into the night.

You put your arms

Around, me

And I'm home

Author's Notes

Well, this was… I'm not really sure what to say. I mean, what can I say? I've just submerged myself in these two people's minds throughout the whole fic. And came out smiling, crying, and with yet understanding yet more about them. I love it!

So everyone, today's a special day for me. And this fic was my way of expressing my gratitude to all of you. Because on this day, one year ago, I published my very first work ever on this site. I cannot believe all the support I've gotten since then, and all the different people I've gotten to talk to. Some good, some bad.

Again, to all my readers and followers. Thank you for making my time on this site worth it. I hope you all enjoyed it! It really did take me a good while to work and plan this! So please, review what you thought!

Till Next Time

Allen