New Years Eve, Titans Tower …

The sound of running footsteps echoed in the hallway. A blue cape flapped behind them, as its owner ran to her room. The door whooshed open and Raven dashed into her room, the door sliding shut behind her.

It was just after 11 PM, and the Titans annual New Years Party was in full swing in the common room. Nightwing invited the entire extended Titans community to the party, and it was a full house that night.

Raven sat down on the edge of her bed and leaned her head back as she fought to hold back the tears that were welling in her eyes. It was an exercise in futility and the water works broke loose and she began to sob.

"How could you do that to me in front of everyone?" She continued to cry.

The last time she felt that humiliated was when Malchior betrayed her, revealing his deception while mocking her.

But this was worse, far worse.

Just as with Malchior, she should have seen it coming, the signs were all there in plain sight. The nights when he would mysteriously disappear, always with a perfect alibi of course, became more and more common. And lately, when they were together, he seemed distracted, as if he were somewhere else, and he always seemed eager to leave early.

"Why didn't you tell me you were unhappy?" She whispered, having stopped her sobbing.

He never did explicitly tell her that he was unhappy, though he did by becoming distant and disengaged. Was it because she refused to sleep with him? She did make it clear that she simply wasn't ready, and asked him to please be patient with her. And he did say that he would wait, but just last week he reminded her that six months had passed. Again, she asked him to be patient, eventually she would be ready. He shrugged his shoulders and said "OK".

What happened just moments before was unexpected. She had spent hours in meditation, preparing herself. Even though she wasn't completely sure of her decision, she was going to invite him to share her bed that night, and her body as well.

After completing her meditations she had walked to the common room, more than an hour late for the party. She knew that it would be going strong by that time, with everyone socializing and having a good time.

She stopped in front of the double sliding doors and paused. She was going to go straight to him and after pulling him aside, let him know that she was ready, or at least as ready as she would ever be, and that after the party was over he could come to her room.

Raven saw him as soon as the door parted.

And her heart sank.

He was kissing a shapely blond, a non Titan. She quickly figured out that she was his date. She stood, petrified at the scene before her. Starfire was the first to notice her presence. She ran to her dark friend and teammate.

"Friend Raven ..." She spoke, but immediately stalled, unable to find the words to say.

That was when Raven turned and ran back to her room.

"Why didn't you tell me." She whispered as the tears flowed down her gray cheeks. "I was almost ready. Why couldn't you wait?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on her door. She reached out with her senses, but they were so muddled that she couldn't tell who was there.

"Not now, Starfire; I … I just want to be alone now."

"It's me." A voice replied.

She leaped to her feet and ran to her door, which slid open, revealing a very concerned looking changeling.

"Garfield?"

"I'm sorry, Raven."

She turned away from him. "For what? You didn't make me look a fool in front of everyone."

"I know, I'm just sorry that your heart was broken … again."

She turned back to face him. "You are? After what I did to you?"

"Hey, you were honest and open about it."

"I dumped you for Aqualad. How can you not hate me?"

"I could never hate you."

"I'm such an idiot. I dumped you for a jerk who just wanted to get me into bed … and I know you're wondering … no, I didn't sleep with him."

"Good, because if he had pumped and dumped you, I would have killed him."

"I feel so humiliated … did you see that bombshell he brought to the party."

"He told us that he broke up with you."

She shook her head. "No, he didn't."

A frown formed on his face. "He's an asshole. He's always been one. I'd love to turn the Beast loose on him."

She shook her head. "No, that's what he would like. He loves being the center of attention, and he knows we would stop you."

Gar looked at Raven. She was the mightiest of the Titans, yet she now looked so weak and fragile, like a porcelain doll that would be broken if not handled with care. He gently wrapped his arms around her and she reciprocated.

"So, you're my girl again, right?"

She looked up at him with astonished eyes.

"After what I did, you'll take me back?"

"In a heart beat … so, am I your boyfriend again?"

She didn't answer immediately, but instead buried her forehead in his chest.

"Only if you forgive for being so selfish and stupid."

"Consider it done."

He gently lifted her chin and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She felt timid at first, but soon the floodgates opened and the passion began to flow. With super human strength she lifted him and dropped him on the bed, falling on top of him.

"I'm yours, Gar; do with me as you please."

She was leaning over him, her violet hair hanging down into his face.

"Not tonight. I want our first time to be special, perfect. I'm not letting you get away again, Raven Roth."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. That's a promise."

He pulled her into a kiss. "Good, now let's go back to the party."

"Back to the party, are you serious?"

"Of course I am. Don't you want to show the fish stick that you traded up?"

"He won't care, you saw his date."

"I did, she's stacked, she's almost as hot as you are; but she's a ditz, a total airhead."

"Really?" She smiled.

"Really and it's not surprising; you're way out of his league. She's the perfect date for a loser like him. So, shall we head on back?"

"Let me wash my face first. I ... I don't want to look like this."

"No problem."

Raven dashed into her bathroom and Beast Boy heard the sound of water running. After it stopped he heard her say her mantra a few times. She then came out.

"I wanted to get the red out of my eyes too. How do I look?"

"Beautiful." He smiled as he offered her his arm. They walked out of her room, arm in arm.

-( - )-

The conversations in the common room varied between awkward and nervous. Garth looked pleased with himself. Nightwing did not. He finally decided to have a word with the Atlantean when the doors swished open. He smiled when he saw that the Chromatically Challenged Couple were back together. He forgot about Aqualad and ran towards them. Starfire was standing next to Cyborg and she cleared her throat before speaking to him.

"It is about the damn time."

"You got that right, little lady. It's way overdue."

They glared at Aqualad, who ignored them as he walked over to Raven.

"OK, I'll admit I went too far, Raven; I'm sorry, but you were stringing me along, but I did get your attention, didn't I? Now how about you ditch the green sprout and we can pick up where we left off?"

"What did you say?" Gar snarled.

"Look, I already took her away from you once, and I can do it again. You couldn't keep her, loser; so she never was yours to begin with, so ..."

Aqualad never saw the fist that hit him square in the face. He saw stars and hit the ground with a thud. He shook his head and tasted blood in his mouth, and his nose was a mess, clearly broken. Still blinded by the punch he snarled.

"You green twerp, I'm gonna teach you a lesson you'll never forget."

As his vision cleared, his eyes opened wide in surprise.

Raven stood over him, her bloodied fist still clenched.

"I was never yours, you stuck up pretty boy. And no one insults my boyfriend … my real boyfriend. As for lessons, I'll be the one teaching them tonight."

She snapped her fingers and a black portal formed under Aqualad. He fell in, his screams echoing until the portal closed. As she looked back up, she saw that all the others were staring in a combination of horror and disbelief.

"He'll be fine. I sent him home to Steele City." She muttered in her monotone.

Gar took her bloodied hand. "Are you OK?"

He wiped it clean with a serviette. She smiled. "That felt good, really good."

She turned to the awe struck mob.

"Is this a party or what?"

Cyborg restarted the music and after an awkward moment some couples began to dance. Gar took her hand.

"Wanna dance, mama?"

She leaned over and whispered in his ear. "I already said that I'll sleep with you, tonight if you want; I'll even marry you if you ask me. But always remember this, Gar … I don't dance and I never will."

Gar nodded. He had been able to get her to smile, to be his girlfriend and kiss him. And she had for all practical purposes asked for his hand in marriage. But she still wouldn't dance or laugh at his jokes.

Every man needs a challenge in life, he thought as he poured her a glass of iced tea.

The End