Fan Fiction ❯ Another Way to See Things ❯ Comfort and Confrontation ( Chapter 3 )

Another Way to See Things
Chapter 3:
By: SamishiiHanyou

Raven listened to the sharp beeping of the monitor that measured Beast Boy's fragile heartbeats. Normally the sound of something beeping constantly would annoy her but in this case it comforted her. It served as a reminder the changeling was still clinging to life. Her fingers were in twined with his, making an odd contrast between green and pale grey, as she tried to warm his cold skin. The tears had stopped for now at least, but the sorrow was clearly evident in her Amethyst eyes. He looked so young and helpless lying there that, had she not seen it herself, she never would have thought that he had help save the world more times than they could count. She ran her hand through his forest green hair; it surprised her a little at how soft it was. As she stroked his hair her thoughts began to wander to all the times Beast Boy had been there for her. The ordeal with the manipulating dragon Malchior, Beast Boy had been there to comfort her and help pick up the pieces of her broken heart. The events with Trigon and the supposed "End of the World" he had tried to assure her there was hope and that she could do it, which meant more to Raven than anyone else knew. But her musing led to a gut-wrenching conclusion; she had never really been there for him. She had been too caught up in her "I-told-you-so's" and thoughts of vengeance against Terra to even consider to comfort him when the blonde, geo-mancer broke his heart or afterwards when she apparently reformed only turned to stone saving the city. The only time she could remember attempting him was when chemicals had unleashed Beast Boy's primal form, the Were-beast.

Raven was startled out of her thoughts by a light tapping at the door. "Raven may I please enter?"

"Yes, Starfire." Came the monotone reply.

The infirmary doors slide open revealing the Tamaranean Princess. "Cyborg said I may see Beast Boy now. Please friend, is going to be OK?"

"I don't know Starfire. His condition hasn't changed in the least." She told her solemnly.

"Do not worry Raven, Beast Boy is strong he will be fine."

"I can't help but worry about him Starfire, I mean look at him. What if he doesn't.....? "

"Please friend do not speak of such unpleasant things. Beast Boy will recover and return to the telling of the of the jokes I do not always understand." Starfire Interrupted.

Raven sighed Starfire was right Beast Boy would be just fine and then he would go back to telling his lame jokes. 'His lame jokes, what I wouldn't give to hear one right now.' she thought.

Starfire stood beside her fallen comrade's bedside and spoke softly to her injured friend as if he would break if she spoke too loud. "Friend please get well soon I miss you already, we all miss you, and even Silky misses you. Perhaps when you are well we may take Silky on a walk through the park like we always do." Her voice cracked and a few tears made their way down her tanned cheeks. She wiped her jade eyes and turned giving Beast Boy one last sorrowful look. "I must be retiring to my sleeping chamber. Good night."

"Good night, Starfire." the Tamaranean turned to leave the room when Raven remembered a question that had been bothering her. "Starfire wait!"

The alien girl looked at her friend in confusion, "Yes, friend what is the matter?"

"Has Robin come back yet?"

"Oh, yes he returned about an hour ago."

"Where is he now?"

"I believe he went to his sleeping chamber."

"Oh, Ok good night." She turned her attention back to the sleeping, young man in front of her.

"Good night my dear friends." She said quietly and exited the room leaving the sorceress to her thoughts.

'Why hasn't Robin come to check on Beast Boy?' She thought some what angry. 'Maybe he wanted to let him rest but still he could at the very least ask if he was alright' Raven let the issue drop for the moment and resumed her earlier activities. She gripped his hand tightly, listening to the beeping monitors, and his ragged breathes. Soon she had fallen asleep her head on the pillow next to his, her hand still clutching his.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The door opened and Cyborg surveyed his surroundings, the room was dimly lit and had the smell of antibacterial solution. The infirmary of Titan's Tower was one of Cyborg's least favorite places because every time he came here it meant one of his friends were hurt, but the little green dude lying in that bed was more than a friend he was more like a brother than anything else.

Cyborg crept his as quietly as he could trying to keep his titanium feet from waking the sleeping form of Raven. The half-man, half-machine stopped on the opposite side of the bed Raven was on. He took a deep breath and started to speak in a hushed voice full of emotion, "Hey B, I don't know if you can hear me or not but there's something I gotta tell ya. Man, you have to get through this, I mean what would I do without you? Who would play Gamestation with me and let me win when I'm feeling down? Who would fight with me in the mornings about which is better tofu or meat? Who would watch dumb movies with me? Who would do all of those meaningless things with me that are only fun just because I'm with my best friend?" Cyborg's voice cracked and he took a shuddering breath before continuing. "You're the first person I met who didn't care about how I looked and never thought of me as a robot but as a person and that means more to me than anything. You're like the brother I never had and......I love ya, man." A shuddering breath startled Cyborg and he realized that Raven had awoken. He quickly turned his head to hide his tears for her. "Umm....how much of that did you hear?"

"I woke up when you came in. I didn't want to interrupt you." Cyborg was so incredibly embarrassed that his tough guy image had been broken because of her hearing his heart-felt speech that he didn't respond. "Cyborg I'm so sorry."

The apology snapped Cyborg out of his embarrassed stupor, "What? Why?"

"It's my fault Beast Boy is like this. If I had done something...anything I could have stopped Cinderblock and all of this would have never happened! "

"It's not your fault Rae, its Cinderblock's."

"Yes, but I could of stopped him! But I was too scared to do anything! That makes it my fault too!"

"Rae, he caught you off guard it happens to all of us at some point."

"But Beast Boy is the one paying for my mistake." She said her voice laced with sadness and guilt, her Amethyst eyes were brimmed with unshed. Several objects in the room had exploded and others were caught in a vortex of black energy. She took a deep breath and they slowly drifted down.

Cyborg stepped forward and wrapped his large, metallic arms around the dark girl in a gentle embrace. "Believe me Raven, I know BB better than anyone, and I know that he has no regrets about what he did for you. He would have felt horrible if you had been hurt; it would have hurt him far worse than any physical wound ever could. If he had the chance to go back and do it again he would have saved you all over again in a heart beat." He whispered softly, releasing her from his comforting hug. "He cares for ya Rae, that’s the reason for half the things he does. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself over this."

"Thank you Cyborg. I think I feel a little better."

"Good now you go get some rest, I'll take over here."

"No, that’s ok. I want to be here when he wakes up. And I really want to apologize for that argument we had before this happened. But I could use some herbal tea."

"You want me to go get it for you?" Cyborg offered.

"I need to stretch my legs a little, so I'll get it." She let go of Beast Boy's hand and took one last look at him before the door open and she left the infirmary headed for the common room.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The hallway was devoid of light, but it didn't bother Raven she spent most of her time in her room which was always dark. As she approached the common room she heard mumbling and the constant clicking of computer keys. The door slide open to reveal Robin furiously typing on the main computer.

"What was he doing?" He asked himself.

"Robin?"

"Oh, hi Raven." he said never turning from the computer monitor.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for clues to what Cinderblock was doing. so far I've come up with nothing."

Raven was stunned that their team leader sat apparently unconcerned for his green friend lying motionless in the infirmary. "Why haven't you gone to see Beast Boy?" She asked with a twinge of anger in her voice.

"I told you I was busy." He snapped at her oblivious to her rising anger. Beast Boy had risked his life to save her and was critically injured because of it, and Robin seemed like he didn't care. Robin was both Beast Boy's teammate and friend and he hadn't even asked if he was ok. Objects in the room were flying in her vortex of power and the computer screen cracked grabbing the masked teen's attention.

"Hey! Raven what did you do that for?" he yelled finally turning to face her, he soon realized however it was a bad idea when Raven's open palm connected with his cheek leaving a full hand print on the side of his face. He looked at her utterly shocked, his eyes wide behind the confines of his mask.

"How could you not check on him?! He's your friend and he is lying close to death in that horrible room and you're in here looking for clues that don't exist!" Her monotone voice had risen to an all new high and was full of disgust, the windows cracked and glasses shattered. She was angered beyond words so she merely disappeared in a haze of black energy, leaving the "Boy Wonder's" mouth agape and giving him a guilty feeling in the pit of his stomach.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Raven reappeared in the infirmary scaring Cyborg. "Whoah Rae what's......?” His voice trailed off when she sent him a glare that burned into him. "Yo, what's wrong?"

"Robin." Was her only response, the name itself was laced with so much venom it could of killed an elephant.

A confused look came over the cybernetic teen, "What's wrong with Rob?"

"He's an inconsiderate jerk!" She said viciously. "He's been looking for clues about what Cinderblock was doing and didn't even attempt the short walk to the infirmary to even see if Beast Boy was alive!"

Cyborg couldn't believe what he was hearing. He thought Robin would be in the infirmary first thing when he got back from taking Cinderblock to jail; after all he was Beast Boy's friend and Leader of the Titans. What was he thinking, wasn't Beast Boy his friend? For that brief instant Cyborg was glad Beast Boy wasn't awake, that way he couldn't see the thoughtlessness of their so-called leader. Thoughtlessness that would be sure to crush the changeling.

Raven and Cyborg were awoken for their thoughts as the doors opened and Robin stepped in. "Listen, Raven I....." He was cut off as he was slammed into the wall of the hallway incased in Raven's dark energy.

Cyborg walked over to the door, "I don't think she wants to talk to you and right now neither do I!" He said coldly and sending one last glare at the masked boy, he pressed the button closing the doors.

Raven's and Cyborg's anger was forgotten instantly, as Beast Boy began to cough violently. Raven rushed to his side and felt his forehead, "He's burning up."