Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. Seriously. Like, if I did, BBrae would totally be everywhere in DC.

*Sorry for not updating. But I hope to be updating more, because like I said, the story is about done. And I've been with this story for a long time, and I just need to finish it.

Recap:

Raven's eyes shot daggers at Gar's ex. "Gar's my fiance. I love him. And I'm more guaranteed of loving him than you ever were. You're just pathetic Tara. I feel sorry for you." She again, was calm.

Tara furrowed her eyebrows, and slammed her fist on the table. "You effing witch!" That's when Tara picked up her glass of wine, and threw the remaining wine out towards Raven. "You're just like your crazy mother. I don't blame your dad for leaving your cuckoo mom."

CHAPTER 20: It Just Is

Tara smirked mightily, with her arms crossed. She sat back in the chair. Raven on the other hand, was at a loss for words. She looked down at her clothes that were nearly stained by the leftover wine.

The authoress was close to tears.

"Don't you say that to her!" Everyone jumped and looked at Gar as if he'd grown a third head. He didn't look too happy. In fact, he looked extrememly pissed. "Tara, you're such a, such an ugly and heartless person!"

Tara wasn't smiling anymore. She was startled, and didn't seem to know the guy who was talking to her right then and there any longer. But for Gar, it was like-wise. Who had Tara become? She didn't used to be so...he couldn't find a word for it.

Raven looked at Gar with concern, but he wasn't looking at her. He was staring at the blonde who wasn't getting the hint to leave now. Rita was smirking, as she refilled her glass. Steve clinched his fist. "Gar don't speak that way to her! She's your wife!"

Gar looked at Steve with a frown. "Excuse me?"

Wife? He and Tara were no longer husband and wife. What the heck was Steve talking about?

Steve shrugged, and feigned a look of carelessness. "I said Gar, that you shouldn't speak that wa-"

"I heard what you said Steve!" Gar's voice showed more signs of frustration. "But you've got it all wrong. Raven is who I'm engaged to, got it? A-an And I think you should respect that. I'm not saying you have to like it, and I can't make you. But-"

Steve didn't look happy-Well, when did he ever? Anyway, Gar's surrogate father didn't like Gar's boldness. It didn't look good on him he decided. "You shut your mouth damn it!" He was now standing up, pointing at Gar. "I'm just telling you what's best Gar! Tara told me you and her just had a misunderstanding!"

Gar looked over at Tara, with one eyebrow raised. She blushed and put her head down in shame. Because she and Gar both knew that their falling out hadn't been a 'misunderstanding'. She had left him. She hadn't wanted to stay in the marriage any longer, despite the fact that he hadn't thought so.

"That's terrific," Gar said almost quietly. "You got him on your side Tara. And I don't know how to feel about that. But you know what Steve?" He looked at the headstrong man, who wasn't ever going to be backing out of this argument it seemed. "That's really effed up. You know all of this is effed up! My family is against me it seems! Just because I fell in love with Raven! That's it! Just because I was finally able to move on from Tara!"

Gar grabbed at his hair and put his hands up out of frustration. "I'm done!"

"You listen to me-" began Steve.

Gar laughed, pointing at his "father". "Steve just stop it! I've made up my mind..." He looked at Raven, and everyone knew something the two themselves didn't seem to know. Even Steve knew, but he was just in denial.

Gar had really moved on.

"C'mon Rae," He said with a smile on his face. Raven smiled back.

They both got up from the table and held hands.

The thing was though, Gar was scared.

He had never really stood up to himself. And now that he was. It felt quite scary and there was some uncertainty on whether or not he should just walk out the house like he and Raven were about to do just then.

Rita glared at Tara. Gar's former wife feeling the glare, shrunk under Rita's gaze. Cliff and Larry got up from the table and looked at each other. Trying to think of someway for things to not get out of control.

It was too late.

Steve didn't like not getting the last word. So, quickly, very quickly he got up from the table and went after the couple. "You aren't going to walk away from me!" Steve said through gritted teeth. "Garfield!" He grabbed Gar's shoulder and turned him around, separating him from Raven.

Then did an altercation break out between father and son. Due to how good hearted Gar was, he wasn't trying to fight Steve as much as he wanted to. He possibly could've even beaten Steve in the scuffle, but Steve soon did get the upper hand.

"Now you listen to me!" Steve yelled in his face. "You aren't gonna talk to me that way, without expecting something in return."

Gar was red in the face because Steve (he was using the back of his right arm) was choking him. It's very uncertain whether or not Steve knew what he was doing to his own son. Raven didn't know what to do. She looked at Cliff and Larry who looked quite uncertain and scared themselves. She swore-especially with the help of Cliff-that they could stop this. Gar's face was turning white; with tears at his eyes.

She realized exactly then how intimidated everyone was of Steve. But she did admire how much strength Gar was showing just then; she wish she had his strength.

Steve proceeded to speak. "You don't talk to your father that way, son!"

Gar's face was wet with tears and Steve's spit. Barely he could get out, "Father's don't do this!"

Raven was about to do something, she really was. But Rita beat her to it. With a strength that Rita, nor anyone else, didn't know she had, she grabbed Steve and pulled him away from Gar. Steve looked flabbergasted at what Rita had done.

She gave him a good slap on the face. "You're fighting our son! Do you see what you're doing? You're fighting our son!" She was red in the face, but she wasn't crying.

Steve was grave faced. "Rita, damn it. He isn't our son."

Tears sprang at Rita's eyes, and this time. Very quickly and hard, she slapped him again. "You, Steve, are dispacable! I can't believe you could ever say that! An-and you kept Gar away from us! From me! - she motioned to herself - I can't believe you! You knew I'd like Raven. You know what kind of person I am! Just...Just leave! Just leave!"

She was now sobbing, and she sunk down to the floor. Larry and Cliff looked at each other shocked. They stood stock-still.

Raven's family was dysfunctional; and that my friend was a fact. But, seeing another family's dysfunction and drama was overwhelming. She looked at Gar who looked calm. He walked over to Rita without making any eye contact with Steve, and came down to her level. "Rita, I'm sorry about everything..."

"Garfield, don't be sorry, please..."

"I know Rita, but just know I love you. And you know what?" Gar looked at Steve. "Raven and I will leave. Thanks for dinner."

With that, Raven and Gar left the house. Soon after, Tara and Steve left.

Once those four people left, Rita went up to her bedroom and cried herself to sleep. And Cliff and Larry cleaned up the dinner table and the kitchen, and they went back to doing their respective things; Cliff watched a game that was on the TV, and Larry organized his vintage plane models, he collected, that were on the shelf in the garage.

(Next scene)

"I'm sorry about what happened..." Raven said quietly. "I wanted to impress them. Or...I wanted you to, to finally stand up to Steve, and you did that..." She didn't look at Gar, and was frustrated at the fact that she was having a hard time finding her words.

Gar looked at Raven, and what was once a sad face, was now a smiling face. "It's all right. I mean, I had to finally stand up to him. So, there was some letting go I had to do."

She nodded. "But, what about Tara? I mean..." Again, she had a hard time finding her words.

Gar shrugged. "I told her the truth about a lot of things, okay? Raven, I'm fine." She nodded and sort of smiled.

"Okay, Gar. I understand."

They had been parked outside the apartment building. Turning the ignition off, Gar looked at Raven. "Uh, Rae?"

"Yeah?"

Gar touched her cheek, and brought his face closer to hers. They stared at each other, and for a moment, it seemed as if something was actually there.

Gar then gave her a chaste kiss, and before she could even respond. He was opening the door, and got out the car.

(Next scene)

When Gar and Raven entered the apartment they were surprised to find Kory and Richard sitting on the couch talking and laughing.

Gar and Raven quickly tried mustering up a bit of composure. They were surprised to find Kory and Richard sitting on the couch; being quite friendly towards each other.

Kory had leaned in and kissed Richard on the cheek, and must've heard the door because she turned to where she saw Gar and Raven. She stopped holding Richard's hand, got up from the couch, ran over to the taboo pair, and hugged them both separately. "Gar, I'm so glad you came home with Raven," she said earnestly whilst hugging the blond young man. "I mean! I thought someone did you the beating of up again! But Richard told me you were the k.o. — or, is it okay? Yeah, okay. Because he likely most reasoned that you were with Raven! Also, me and Richard are going out tonight, and we want you and Raven to come along!"

Gar was already shaking his head. "Can't tonight Kor, gotta get enough sleep tonight for work tomorrow." He looked at Raven who gave him a look of indecision. "Besides, Rae was just giving me a ride home. She might have things to do too."

Kory's face became solemn. "But, I wanted us all to go out and have fun. You see, Gar, I wanted to make it up to you. You seemed so down lately, and so stressed- I barely get to see you anymore." The water works started and she sagged her shoulders in what appeared to be defeat. "Also, me and your betrothed haven't even gotten to talk, I just want to be nice, and get to know her."

Richard shook his head frustratedly. "Raven, what is it you gotta do tonight? Write more with your A-hole father, or talk to Toni about a book release or somethin'?"

Raven resisted the urge to roll her eyes. So what if she didn't want to go out partying with him and Kory, it's not like she'd have much fun? It also didn't make it fair for him to just assume her decision. It kinda hurt her feelings that Gar would too.

She looked at Gar, who looked a little frazzled and helpless, especially when he was trying to explain himself to Kory as she continued to cry. "I mean, am I not the star friend anymore? Are we not friends anymore?" Kory asked him.

"Kor, we still are friends," he said in a helpless tone, "It's just..."

Raven shook her head in contempt for a second, but immediately put on an enthusiastic face expression and walked over to Kory. "Um, Kory," she said to the former village girl, "Don't be upset, I'm just having problems due to the fact that I, um, didn't bring any partying clothes."

Kory put on a smile, and the tears literally did stop. "Oh, I know how to fix that problem!"

As Kory took Raven to her room to get her dolled up for the club, Gar went to his room and changed into some clothes he'd normally wear to go out. Once dressed, he took a pair of sunglasses and a hat off his dresser, and after putting those two things on, his outfit was complete.

Exiting his bedroom, he walked into the living room and figured Kory wasn't done with getting Raven dolled up because was just him and Richard.

Things were going to be rather awkward.

When Gar sat down on the couch, Richard started to laugh hysterically. It was so random; and out of nowhere. "Dude, I'm glad you beat the crap out of your perpetrator. Hell to him! Man, you are so on my cool list now!" The playboy patted him roughly on the back, and he even gave him a brotherly punch on the arm.

Gar laughed nervously, and raised his eyebrow. Why was Richard acting so nice towards him now? Did the famous guy want something from him?

"Hey, do you know how to dance?" Richard asked, "'cause I'm smooth on the dance floor...if you want any tips."

Gar nodded politely. "Sure, I mean there's always a time to learn more."

Richard stood up, walked with the kind of swagger that mimicked any young man that was overly confident and rich, and then stopped. He put his hands in his pocket, didn't move his legs, and simply nodded his head as if he were moving it to the beat of the music.

Gar didn't know whether or not to take Richard seriously at first. "Are you sure that's gonna make me look cool on the dance floor? I mean, I'm not even moving around or anythin'!"

Richard smiled confidently, and nodded. "Just trust me. Ladies will totally be turned on. But if you get too comfortable with those ladies that want to 'dance' with you, I'll kick your butt! Because, you are Raven's fiancé, right? She's like a sister to me, and if you'd ever cheat on her, I swear you'd regret it."

Gar nodded respectfully; he got Richard's point.

But Richard knew he didn't really have to tell Gar that.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading, reviewing, and favoring.

Replies:

JP-Ryder: Thanks for reading. And hopefully I can update my other stories. :)

rosie jc: You might just be right about that. BBRae forever. Thanks for reviewing.

Johnny Beast: Steve and Tara? I'm not sure. But he is a little too comfortable with her. Rita isn't dumb. Thanks for your comment.

Artemis Raven Courtney: Maybe Steve is a narcissist, and he has too much of a superiority complex. I think he means well trying to pair Tara and Gar together again, but he can't accept the truth. I think there's a deeper reason for why he doesn't like Raven. But he might just be judgmental. You'll know soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

ForgetfulDaffodil: Thanks! And you now know the answer: Rita did do something.

JasonVUK: Thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Yeah, Gar and Rae finally kissed.

YoungBlood23: *laughs nervously* yep, I have updated. And this time there is no cliff hanger! Haha. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Whoelsebutme11: Thank you for the lovely review. I'm glad you have enjoyed the story so far! :D