"Beast boy, don't argue with me." Raven said, looking at him through the dim, city street light. "You have to go. Go find the Titans, and stay with them. Help them figure out a way to stop this. I can't stop Trigon from using me as his portal, but maybe you can figure out how to stop me."

He was running out of things to say… running out of ways to tell her that he was not, in any way, interested in the idea of leaving her. He wasn't about to let that monster kill her. Gar saw her pleading eyes, now knowing that there was only one way to get that across to her.

Gar offered his hands. This was it. He finally got the right idea that he could not stop what was going to happen to her, and this was goodbye. She reached out her trembling hands and took his, using his strong grip to try to steady herself. Raven was terrified of what was about to take place. Thinking of all the words she never got to say to him, and thinking of all the times they never got to share, her eyes began to sting. No use trying to hold her emotions at bay anymore. Maybe now, before the powers of darkness overtook her, she could finally…

"Raven…" His voice was deeper this time, looking her dead in the eyes. "It's true that your powers could kill me. It's true that your father, Trigon, could kill me. But I'm a hero. It's my job – my duty – to protect those who need my help, and to assist the people who might not be able to make it through something on their own." He watched her face carefully, as a river of tears ran down her cheeks. He felt her grasp on his hands tighten as she grimaced, the red, stinging marks of Trigon spreading further over her body. Her pain broke his heart, and he swore that it was almost as if he could feel Trigon's curse with her. He paused to make sure she was okay, but when her grip returned to normal, he continued. "If I left someone in need of my help, I would be like a villain. If I left someone I could've helped to die, I would be evil. And not only do I protect the innocent public, but also my friends, and… the ones that I love."

The look in his eyes was so familiar. She knew it from all the times she would catch him looking at her after a fight, out on a Titan pizza run, or right before she would retire to her room late at night. But now, she didn't know how to tell him to leave her behind, because her empathic powers were letting her feel what he was feeling for her. She had always felt the same for him. Her throat caught, and she couldn't speak. Raven felt more tears well up in her eyes, and the force of Trigon getting stronger within her. She didn't want him to die, and the thought of him dying at her own hands made her stomach churn, but she knew that he would never leave her.

He was ready to say it. After so many years, he would tell her now. He almost felt like kicking himself for waiting for so long, and that it took the possibility of being separated forever to get it out there, but he took a deep breath. "I'm willing to take the risk of losing my life. Because I…"

"I know." She said, interrupting. "I've felt it off of you before, and I've always felt the same, but I just don't know if I can bear to hear it spoken right now. I'm sorry." Her head instinctively lowered, and she could feel his breaking heart. Hers felt the same way.

He slid his hand under her chin, and lifted her head back up, trying to smile for her. "Hey, it's okay. Don't be sorry. I should've thought about the situation more, before deciding to tell you something like…"

"Gar…" She could feel Trigon's power trying to rise to its breaking point. There wasn't much time left, which meant it was time to try to come up with something meaningful to say. "Remember that time when you came and visited me in my room, and you fell asleep in my lap?" Raven smiled through her tears, looking deeply into his eyes, making sure he understood her. "I liked that. It was lonely before you got there."

Gently wiping the tears from her face, his voice softened as he said, "I did too. But don't worry, we'll get to do that plenty more times." He heard her take in a quick breath, followed by a choked off sob. As much as he wanted to make her feel better, even for just a second, he knew she didn't believe him. In her mind, tonight was the end. And maybe it was, but he would do everything he could, one-hundred times over, to fight for a sunrise with the both of them still alive. He saw that more red marks had appeared on her skin, and knew that if he didn't ask now, he might never get the chance again. "Before all this has to happen, and I'm fighting to get you back, can I give you just one thing?"

For a moment, she and Beast Boy were standing together in normal time. Then suddenly, time was seemingly distorted, and it happened without her quite knowing what was taking place at first. She felt his muscly arms wrap snugly around her waist, pulling her in closer to him. Chest to chest with him now, she wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up into his green eyes. Ever so slowly, he leaned his head down, while she leaned a bit forward. And under the flickering street light, in a city about to be invaded by the demon king of Azarath, Gar kissed Rachel with all the love he had ever felt for her.

After what felt like years (but a very good few years, not miserable and dragging years) they looked at each other when the kiss had ended, knowing that if they made it through this night, things would never be the same between them. They would always have that kiss, that very special kiss shared at the slippery edge of doom and death, to look back on. She let go of his neck, and he of her waist, but as they looked out over the deserted streets, they took each other's hand.

"So, I take it you're staying with me?" She asked with a slight, quiet chuckle.

"I'll never leave you, that's a promise." He said confidently, picking up on her nervousness. "We'll see this through together… to the end." Gar squeezed her hand tightly.

Squeezing his hand in return, Raven replied, "…To the end."

AN: Hey guys! I hope you liked the first chapter of 'Her Saving Grace' chapter 2 should be up soon. Please leave a review and tell me how you liked it!