She sat up suddenly. "Let's go somewhere."
"Hmm?" I looked at her.
"It's October. Let's go see the fall colors." She was completely serious.
"Raven, that's ridiculous. We can't just leave-"
"There hasn't been a major problem in the city in weeks. It's just minor bank robbers with no powers that the police could handle anyway. We've been just running around doing all this useless crap- and I've had it. Come on, let's go."
"Okay… but what will the others think?"
"Forget about the others, Robin!" She said impatiently. "There's too much stuff around. I need to get away. I want you to come with me." Raven looked at me sincerely. "Please."
I smiled ruefully. "Okay, okay. But you're doing all the planning." I never really could say no to her.
"What planning?" She grinned mischievously. "We'll catch a bus or something and go north and look at the trees and visit small towns or something. You have clothes other than that outfit, right? We'll tell the others we went on a last minute top secret mission from the government and any communication could blow our cover. Well, what are you staring at? Go pack! Don't forget money!"
Sometimes, she amazed me.
The others had bought her story, hook, line, and sinker. I wasn't surprised, really. Raven didn't seem like the type who would make up stories like that. I like to think that I wouldn'tve fallen for it. I knew her much better than the others.
"I've never been on a bus before." She admitted as we climbed on a big Greyhound.
"Yeah? It's been awhile for me, too."
Her eyes glinted with a faint smile. "Then I get the window seat."
"Oh come on…" I sighed in mock annoyance. She did her best imitation of a puppy dog looked, and I laughed. "Okay, fine."
I watched her as we talked. She would look out the window occasionally, the crisp fall light making her hair and face shine with some ethereal light, even in a bus. She was wearing a short black skirt, a long sleeve indigo shirt and low top black sneakers. She looked beautiful, yet completely effortless. I, who had thought I knew so much about her, realized even I had never seen her like this. She looks just fine to me.
I woke up in the night. It was pitch black in the room at the little bed and breakfast she had chosen to stay at. A small sound had woken me up. I soon realized, however, it was only Raven murmuring in her sleep.
I felt her next to me. I was noticing so many new things about her, like how small she seemed here. She was breathing quietly, and it was at the same time comforting and relaxing. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and make sure that she would always be this way, safe and quiet. She feels just fine to me.
"Robin, when people say forever, they don't know what they're talking about, do they?" Alone in a small café, she didn't care about using alter ego names.
I stopped and thought about what she was saying. "No, no I suppose they don't."
Raven sipped her cup of tea. "I mean, look at me. I've never believed in forever, and now that Trigon's gone it's not impossible. But, what can survive forever?"
"I don't know. But we can always aim for forever. We don't need to reach it, but it doesn't hurt to try, does it?"
She smiled quietly at me. "I think you're right, Robin. Nothing is impossible for us and that includes possibilities of forever."
Raven continued to amaze me. I loved having these conversations with her.
We were at a small poetry reading party in the same café later that evening. We were sitting and talking, listening to the speakers, when it hit me, in the deepest way. It was the biggest realization of my life, that I feel my best when I'm with her, that I'm always thinking of her. That I love her. She is just so fine to me.
She looked at me, seemingly realizing my thoughts. She smiled at me in the most genuine way, warming my inside. "You and me, we will find a way." She whispered, and kissed me.