Purgatory

Chapter Eleven: Tearful Goodbyes

Expiration:

1. The act of coming to a close; termination.

2. The act of coming to an end or the fact of having come to an end.

3. Death

"Mr. Logan is all right," the doctor said in a ruff voice, "yet only physically. It seems he's hit his head rather hard and was knocked unconscious. We did try administrating some fainting salts, but it hasn't worked. Yet that is nothing too serious to worry about, all though we would like to keep him until he wakes up, just to be certain there was no trauma."

The worried group let out a breath of relief, and Robin asked if they could see BB.

"Yes, of course, but please tell one of the nurses when he happens to wake up." The others voiced their agreement as the old doctor led them to BB's room.

"Thank you again, Doctor," Cyborg said as the others entered. The old man nodded. "We don't know what we would have done if we lost him." Cyborg then turned and walked into the room.

Beast Boy lay silently in a white colored bed. A pale cotton sheet was tucked up under his arms, and his skin was a sickly pale green. A breathing tube was connected to his nose, and an IV was in his arm. A machine to the side of the bed counted his heartbeats with a loud gong like noise.

"Beast Boy, can you hear me?" Starfire asked, taking his hand into her own.

"We're all here for you, B," Cyborg said loudly, as if he were talking to someone half deaf instead of someone out cold.

"You did good Beast Boy; Adonis is in jail because of you," Robin reassured the shifter.

Raven moved to the side of Beast Boy's bed and stared at his face, thinking over their last conversation that had turned into a fight. "I'm sorry, Beast Boy," Raven said as the others stared at her curiously, "I'm so sorry."

Beast Boy slept though the morning, and the afternoon. The Titans had to leave immediately after Raven's apology. Their enemies seemed to have heard about the missing shape shifter and were using it to their advantage. Two Titans down and three to go made the gang a much easier target, which meant all the bad guys were not missing a beat on their corrupted duties.

Thus, Raven was the one who mostly sat with Beast Boy. Being dead made her a perfect sitting mate. Reliable and patient, that is as patient as Raven could ever be at being left behind.

As she watched the wall clock strike six in the afternoon, she got a surprise of her life; Jinx knocked shyly at the door and walked in. She looked around the room, and then set the bouquet of flowers she had been carrying on the nightstand. She stared at Beast Boy's face and sighed, then sat down on the window seat that faced the parking lot and city. Raven had no idea on why Jinx was here, that is until Cyborg walked cheerfully into the room.

"Hey, Rae," Cy piped walking over to sit next to Jinx, whose eyes were wide.

"She was here the whole time," Jinx whispered. Cy grinned and nodded his head. Jinx face turned from surprise to anger, and she punched him in the arm. "Jerk," she mumbled. Cy chuckled and rubbed his accused arm.

"What's Jinx doing here Cyborg?" Raven asked, falling into her curiosity.

"Are you sure you're all right, Star," Robin asked, cutting off Cyborg's answer as he and Star walked into the room. Robin holding a can of pop and Star, juice.

"Of course, friend Robin, it is nothing but a mark upon my skin."

"Bruise, Star, and it looks really bad." Indeed it did. A black and blue bruise this was definitely not. It looked as if someone had used a whip to her.

"Well, Gizmo's little zap thing did sting painfully, but I am sure this bruise will heal," That quieted the two down long enough for Cyborg to answer Raven's question.

"She came to see how BB was," he said, grinning.

"We met her outside," Robin put in, watching Jinx carefully. Jinx herself crossed her legs and stuck out her tongue.

Starfire began to chuckle, and then the others joined in, all except Raven.

"Why's everyone laughing?" Beast Boy asked softly beside her.

"They're idiots," Raven replied. She was out of Beast Boy's eyesight, so she glided closer. That's when he yelped in surprise.

"Friend Beast Boy, you are awake, but tell me, why are you making such a strange sound?" Beast Boy was staring at Raven with round eyes and his mouth was open slightly like a fish swallowing water.

"Raven, did you learn a new spell or something?" he asked as he scratched the back of his head in confusion. Everyone else stared back at him confused.

"Beast Boy, what are you talking about?" Cyborg asked as Robin nudged Starfire to slip out of the room to fetch a nurse.

"I mean, why can I see through Rae?" he asked, "Rae, are you sick?"

"What's all this?" an elderly nurse asked, coming in after Star.

"He can't seem to remember anything," Cyborg answered.

"I can, too!" Beast Boy cried, then angrily tore off his breathing tube. The nurse stared at the others in confusion. Robin leaned in and whispered something into the old woman's ear. Her eyes widened, and she nodded her head at what she was hearing. She muttered something too low for Raven to hear and then nodded one last time before leaving.

"What's going on?" Beast Boy asked curiously and apprehensively. Robin and Cyborg exchanged looks.

"Beast Boy, we think you have amnesia," Robin supplied after a moment of tense silence.

"Amnesia, how?" he asked confused.

Raven immediately understood what had happened. When Adonis had knocked out Beast Boy, it had given him amnesia. He must not have been able to remember when she died, or anything after. To prove her theory she asked, "What is your last memory?"

He stared at her and then said, "It was when I woke up. It was sunny out, and I had asked if we could go swimming." He crumpled his face in thought, "But, that's all I can remember."

The Titans sighed, and even Jinx had enough sense to follow along on what was happening.

"Why? How did I end up here? Isn't today the end of August?" he asked.

Robin shook his head, "No, it's October 29th."

"What?" Beast Boy cried once more.

"I died," Raven told him bluntly. Beast Boy looked shocked, and stared from one face of his friends to another. They were all serious. "That's why you can see through me."

"You died?" he asked hoarsely, "How?"

And so the Titan's told him the story. How they had all tried to save her, how they were still trying. And how tomorrow would be her final day on earth, unless they could fine someone to love her.

"Have we…" Beast Boy trailed off.

"Have we what?" Starfire asked back.

"Have we found anyone that loved her?"

"If they had, you'd think I'd be back to my normal body, wouldn't you?" Beast Boy frowned at Raven's sarcastic reply. Just then, there was a knock on the door, and the old nurse was back.

"How are we doing then?" she asked.

"He's all right now," Robin said, "we told him everything."

"Right, then, I talked to the doctor," she explained to Beast Boy, "He wants us to keep you here for the night, just for observation you see. Then, you can leave in the morning if everything else checks out all right." Beast Boy nodded his head. "I'll bring you some dinner. You kids should get going soon. Visiting hours are almost over." She then turned and left.

"Man, I don't want to stay here by myself." Beast Boy immediately began to complain as the door shut.

"Friend Raven can stay with you then," Starfire replied gleefully, "They won't be able to see her."

Cyborg smiled, "That's a great idea, Star." He motioned to Jinx to follow him. "Well, I guess we'll come get you in the morning." Jinx and him left, followed by Star, who waved, and Robin.

"Are ghost as entertaining as they are on TV?" Beast Boy asked smiling up at Raven. Raven just sighed, and knew that tonight would be a very long night.

"All your paper work has been filled out, Mr. Logan, so if you could just get into the wheel chair I can wheel you down to your car," the cute candy stripper said, patting the seat of the chair. Beast Boy blushed as he sat in the little chair and was rolled out of his room and down the hall. Raven frowned and followed like a moping puppy.

"Howdy, BB. You're looking better," Cyborg cried, seeing Beast Boy, a moody Raven, and the very cute candy stripper coming towards him. Cyborg immediately went into flirt mode, and it was a good five minutes before Beast Boy or Raven could get Cyborg to take them back to the tower.

"So, where are Starfire and Robin?" Raven asked from the back seat.

"We had another call as we were getting ready to come over. They went to go take care of it." Raven nodded and leaned back comfortably. Today was her last day, and she could definitely feel it in her bones. It was as if all the sleep she had missed the past month had finally caught up with her. She felt so tired and even a little weak. She didn't really want to move.

"You okay, Rae?" Cyborg asked as he stared out at her from his rearview mirror. Raven nodded with her eyes closed, and missed the worried glance Beast Boy and Cy shot her.

Once they reached the tower, Raven had the hardest time getting to the elevator, and then once they reached the living room, she had the hardest time walking to the couch. It was as if every move she made was of excruciating pain.

Raven watched sleepily as Beast Boy went to go take a shower, and Cyborg began to play a video game. Usually, his playing a game would annoy her to the extremes, but now, she was just so tired, the crashing and music from the game made sweet music of a lullaby. She never noticed when Beast Boy came back in and started to play, too.

"Raven, do ghost sleep?" he asked as Cyborg logged him onto the game. She nodded her head, lying, and so he turned back to play.

It was nearing six in the afternoon before Robin and Starfire came home. "Sorry it took so long," Robin said as he spotted Cyborg, "the police had a few more problems that they needed help on." Cyborg didn't say a word but waved his hand in reply, his focus however remained entirely on the game.

"Hello, friend Raven, how was the night with Beast Boy?" Starfire asked, joining her on the couch. Raven didn't say anything. "Raven!" Starfire cried.

Beast Boy jerked their head to look back at Rae while Cyborg quickly paused the game and joined Robin, BB, and Star, who were gathered around her.

"What's wrong with her!" Beast Boy asked panicking, "I thought she was just sleeping. I didn't know if ghosts slept or not."

"Raven, Raven wake up," Robin called to her. Raven's eyes slowly opened, and she quickly sat up as she focused on the group.

"What are you doing?" she asked her friends.

"You were sleeping," Cyborg said softly. Raven didn't say a word but felt the air tense as everyone sat down on the couch and chairs and turned off the TV.

"How long until your times up?" Starfire asked. Raven looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It was an old grandfather's clock that chimed. Starfire had gotten it at the antique store in the mall.

"Six and a half hours," Raven supplied.

"Maybe we should try jogging Beast Boy's memory," Cyborg said getting up and pulling on BB's arm.

"Why? Shouldn't we be trying to help Raven" Beast Boy asked innocently. Cyborg rolled his eyes.

"Come on, get up," Robin said and then turned to look at Raven, "You, too."

"Me?" Raven asked motionlessly.

"Yes, you. I don't want you falling asleep again, so you're going to help us."

"How is that? Am I going to frighten him enough so that he'll remember?" Robin gave her a sour look, and he, Star, Cyborg, and Beast Boy headed for the infirmary while Raven followed slowly behind.

"So we took her body here after we stole it from the morgue," Beast Boy asked, eyes wide. They were standing outside the infirmary door as they explained what was inside, and how it got there.

"Yes, and we nearly got caught, too," Raven replied, looking slightly tired.

As they entered, Beast Boy's eyes got wider and wider as he saw Raven's body lying underneath the glass.

"Is that what you wore to the beach?" he asked, a smile turning up his lips. Raven body just happened to still be clad in its bathing suit. Raven the ghost gave him a glare that promised much pain. "I was just asking," he said, laughing, "No need to get embarrassed; you have a nice body."

"Yeah, I agree," Cyborg said, "I just don't look at it in that perv kind of way."

"I'm going to kill you both," Raven muttered.

"Do you remember our trip to the beach?" Starfire asked, clasping her hands in front of her.

Beast Boy studied Raven's body a little longer, and then shook his head no. "I can't remember anything at the beach."

The others sighed and tried to think of another way to jog Beast Boy's memory. Beast Boy was curious to why they were trying so hard to help him when they should be putting all their energy to helping Raven. While Raven, being pessimistic, thought they were wasting their time.

"Why don't we just spend the rest of the day doing normal things, having fun?" At least, what you guys consider fun Raven asked, and then thought to herself.

"But, we do not want to see you die, Raven," Starfire said once more.

"Technically, I won't be dying since I'm all ready dead," Raven said monotonously.

"You won't be dead to yourself, but you'll be dead to us." Starfire snapped back, and Raven stayed quite.

"I can't think of anything. Can you?" Robin asked Cyborg and the girls. All of them shook their heads. What could possibly trigger Beast Boy's memory? Was there anything?

"Let's go back to the living room; let's sit down," Raven was the one to make that proposition, which worried the others. Unless she was in desperate pain or about to faint would she ever complain. That's why they all did as she asked, and they headed back to the living room.

The others had fallen asleep. All except for Beast Boy. Robin and Starfire sat next to each other with their heads butting, both slightly snoring. Cyborg was curled up in a chair, nuzzling his arms and smiling.

"I think I'm going to go to the roof," Raven said slowly, getting up and ignoring her persistent heavy eyelids.

"I'll go with you," Beast Boy said, jumping up.

"Who will warn me when it's getting to be midnight?" Raven asked.

"I have a watch," Beast Boy slyly said, holding up his wrist.

"Aren't you tired?" she tried once more.

"I've been lying in a bed for the past day; I couldn't fall to sleep if I had to."

Raven gave up on getting rid of BB and shrugging, made her way to the roof.

"How come you're going up here?" Beast Boy asked as he watched Raven slide through the door with amazement.

"I don't want the others to see me disappear." Raven replied solemnly.

"Why's that?" he asked curiously.

"Because I can't stand goodbyes."

Beast Boy walked over to the edge of the building and sat, dangling his legs freely. There was a silence for a moment only broken when Raven asked for the time.

"11:50" Beast Boy croaked, and kept staring at his watch afterwards.

"Beast Boy, I…" Raven began, but then stopped and looked up at the sky. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what," he asked surprise.

"You and I got into a fight right before you got amnesia. We yelled, you were mad at me, it was my fault, and I started it," she sighed.

"I'm sure I wasn't mad," Beast Boy said, turning his head up to look at her.

"How do you know that?" Raven whispered.

"I don't. I can't remember," he said, frowning, and turned to look out at the city.

"What time is it now?" she asked.

"11:55," he replied, "You know, maybe we should head back in. The others will be mad if they don't get to say good bye," That's when he noticed Raven's eyes had silently been filling with tears. Although she didn't let them fall, the moonlight proved that they were there. He quickly stood up and stared, surprised at Raven. "Don't cry," he said softly, not knowing what else to do.

"Beast Boy, I have to tell you something, but I'm afraid to, to do it." Beast Boy felt a cold knot in his stomach tighten, and his own eyes fill with tears. She was acting so out of character it frightened him.

"What is it?" he asked, deadly serious.

"I…" She took a deep breath, and then felt a sob rise up her throat and break through. All Beast Boy could do was stare in surprise and concern. "I love you," she croaked.

He watched, numb as she ran through the roof's door as her words hung heavy in the air. But then, as if her words had been a magic spell, he could remember everything! Her death, his grief, their fights, his love.

He remembered swimming after Raven; he remembered crying over her body. He could recall stealing Raven's body from the morgue, and searching for the glass to keep it from decomposing. He remembered that he had tried to tell Raven's body that he was in love with her. So in love with her that it hurt him not to say it.

He felt tears fall from his eyes as he cleared them, and began to race after her, but as afterthought he instead glanced down to read his watch once more. It read 12:01 a.m.

Beast Boy hadn't bothered to wake the others. Let them sleep in peace he thought. He instead went to the infirmary.

Raven's body was still lying where it had for a month. He went over to the computer and pressed a button, the one he had seen Cyborg mention to Robin. Immediately, a loud hissing came from Raven's tomb as the glass slid out of view, and cold frosty mist rose from inside.

When he touched her cheek, it was as cold as ice. Her lips were still blue from the lack of oxygen she had received from dying. Her hair was grimy and crusted from the dried sea water, but her skin was still as pale as it had been before she died. It was as smooth as Beast Boy had thought it would be. He could feel his tears slide down his cheeks and drop onto her dead body. They lay there silently, as if mocking him.

"I'm so stupid, Rae," he told her, "I should have told you. I should have never forgotten. How could I have forgotten that I… love you, too?"

He fell to his knees and clasped her cold, frozen hand in his own. He sobbed at the realization that he would no longer be able to see her when he woke up. No longer be able to teaser her for being so grumpy in the mornings. Ask her to try some of his vegetarian food, and watch as her face frowned in disgust. They'd never be able to go on a date, or kiss, or ever make love. Nothing would become of their friendship, their romance, their future.

It was at this moment that something once more miraculous happened. Something that only can happen in novels or dreams. But when Beast Boy bit his tongue, he didn't need to wake up, he was all ready wide awake.

Raven's chest was moving up and down with the breath of life. Her hand was clutching his just as tightly as he had been clutching it only moments ago. She was alive; somehow, she had come back to him.

"Raven," he whispered, "Raven, how…?" Slowly, with the help of Beast Boy, Raven sat up. Her body felt stiff and sore and cold. She began to shiver as her body rushed to replace lost blood. Beast Boy quickly went to one of the drawers and drew out a wool blanket. He quickly pulled it around Raven, happy that he could touch her, having missed her touch for a month.

One moment, she was shivering, and he was rubbing his hands up and down her arms as her teeth chattered, and the next thing he knew, she was in his arms. He was hugging her, and he never wanted to let go, and he didn't, not until her teeth stopped chattering.

When he did pull away, he was surprised to find that Raven was blushing and staring nervously at her hands.

"How did you come back?" he asked, staring at her, drinking her in.

"I don't know, "she said in her same monotone voice, "One minute, I'm sitting in my room, and then the next I was in pain, lying down, and you were next to me."

"Can you stand?" Beast Boy asked.

"I can fly if I wanted to," Raven said smartly. Beast Boy grinned, and a canine tooth appeared.

"Come on. Let's go down to the others." He helped her up and began to walk towards the door, but she stopped him.

"Beast Boy, wait," Beast Boy stared at Raven as her whole face turned bright red, "Thank you, you saved me." Beast Boy blushed and then blushed harder as Raven kissed him on the cheek.

"That wasn't a kiss," Beast Boy said softly, and leaned in to give her a gentle kiss on her lips, a real kiss. He felt her stiffen for a moment before she gave in. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her closer to him. When they finally broke apart, and that was only because the bottles of medicine had shattered from Raven's powers, both were flushed and breathless.

Raven pulled further away and stared at him with her usual neutral mask, but all ready Beast Boy was beginning to read her and knew she felt just as much emotion in that kiss as he had.

"Come on," he said, flashing a mischievous grin, "Let's go surprise the others."

The old chiming of the grandfather clock shook the three teens from their sleep. Starfire jumped up and turned to Robin, "She is gone! It is the turning of midnight, and she is gone, and we did not even get to say our goodbyes?" Starfire began to cry.

Robin looked at his watch and then the kitchen clock, and then the old grandfather. All read the same time, 12:02 a.m. Robin frowned in thought and went to look at the newspaper that was sitting on the kitchen table.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed and came back to the living room, "She's not gone yet. Tonight is when you have to set back the clocks an hour, Star. It's daylight savings time. She still has an hour. Speaking of Raven, where is she, and where is Beast Boy?"

"Why, she was sitting right there before I fell asleep," Starfire said, sniffing slightly and wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Come on, we should go and find them," Cy suggested. Since the other's wanted to find her too, they agreed and were led into the bedroom's hall. "Err where should we try," Cy asked bashfully.

"Let us try the roof. Is not Beast Boy always hunging out there?"

"Hanging out there, Star, and that's a good idea." Robin said, so they went up to the roof. But once they were there, it was obvious that Raven and Beast Boy were not, so they thought of another place: the infirmary. But as they reached the infirmary, they were shocked to see Raven's body missing.

"Should we be worried?" Cyborg asked, thinking something awful. Starfire, who had paled from shock, nodded her head.

"Let us look harder for them now!" she exclaimed. And so they began to rush around the tower, crying for BB and Raven. What surprised them again was Beast Boy jumping out of a corner with a huge grin on his face.

"Come on, come on!" he cried to the three.

"Beast Boy, where is Raven's body? What has happened!" Starfire cried.

"Just come on! It's a miracle." So, with their hearts nervously rising in hope, they followed Beast Boy to the living room. There, they got another shock: Raven sitting with her usual perfect posture on the couch, looking very much solid and alive.

"Raven!" Starfire sobbed and ran to the girl and engulfed her in a hug. The boys cringed and almost thought they heard the sound of a bone breaking or two.

"Star, you can let go now. I'm not leaving anytime soon," Raven said softly as she tried to inch herself out of the Tamaranean's grip. Starfire smiled and obliged her by letting her go, and instead sat next to the Goth.

"So," Cyborg said slyly, "how did this happen?" Although everyone in the room knew exactly how Raven was alive, they seemed very interested to hear it for themselves. Raven and Beast Boy both turned pink, only confirming their conclusion.

"We don't know. I mean it was after midnight when I…," he blushed and shifted uncomfortably and mumbled, "admitted it."

"Well, that's because it's only 11:30 right now," Robin said.

"Huh?" Beast Boy cried.

"Well, it's daylight savings time. You have to set the clock back an hour," Cyborg put in, "It must have slipped our minds to mention it. I mean, I thought everyone knew about it," Raven glared at them spitefully, but thought no more of it when Beast Boy plopped down on her other side.

"Isn't that great Rae? We still had plenty of time," Raven blushed but didn't say anything. Sighing happily, Beast Boy wrapped his arm affectionately around her shoulders. Raven felt a blush creep up her neck and fill out her pale cheeks.

"Is it not the cutest couple you have ever seen?" Starfire cried, grabbing onto Robin, sobbing from happiness.

No one missed Raven rolling her eyes at Starfire's reaction; neither did they miss as Raven shifted more comfortably in Beast Boy's arms.

"I guess this means we're together now," he said, giving her his canine grin. Raven allowed a small smile to appear at her lips as she sarcastically replied, "I guess it does…for now."

Beast Boy's smirk got bigger as he shrugged her answer off, "For now and for always," he replied back.

And somehow, deep in their hearts, they knew it would forever be now and for always. That they would never feel any different from what they felt right now at this moment. That they would always love each other and be in Purgatory, the place between earth and Heaven.

I want to thank everyone who's helped me writing this story and encourgaing me!

I want to also say thanks to all the reviews I received but couldn't answer to b/c of Sorry but I love you: A. Nonymous (I heart you darling), TheWatcherandReader, UrbanOphelia (you stuck with me through the end, the begining, the hard time, sniff, I love you!),AiOrikasa, andJojo. I love all my wonderful reviewers!

So one last time I have to ask!

PLEASE REVIEW!!!