"Casey."

It had been a while since he'd said her name out loud. Raven usually kept that part of his history deep down inside his artificial heart. But tonight, he let himself relax at the bar and had a drink. Maybe one too many. Now he was sitting in a field, thinking about people from his past.

He leaned back into the grass and covered his face. Why did things turn out the way they had? So many little choices he could have made, might have made all the difference... Maybe she'd still be here, alive. Maybe she'd be with Brave Vesperia.

"Argh!" He yelled into the darkness and punched the ground, "Damnit, why?! Casey..."

"Casey, that's the friend you had from the Great War, correct?"

Raven jumped. He wasn't expecting Judith to show up out of nowhere, although that was how her usually entrances went. He could never hear her approaching.

Judith draped her arms around his neck from behind and held onto him, "You seem suprised that I'm here."

"I just... didn't expect you... I'm not really... in a good position," he slurred, an effect from the alcohol.

Judith sighed, "How much did you have to drink, Raven?"

"Not that much... just a lot."

She drew a circle on his rough cheek with her slender finger, "Hmmm, so drunk and thinking about past loves, then?"

Raven shook his head, "She's not... She was... a good friend. Someone I was close to and respected."

His speech seemed very solid towards the end. Judith wanted to use this moment to her advantage and find out more about the woman she'd been curious about, and maybe a bit jealous of...

"You never told me much about her."

He groaned, "It's... a long and painful story..."

It seemed like she'd have to try harder to get it out of him, even with the alcohol in his system. She moved in front of him, laid her head on his lap, and stared up at him with big eyes, "Not even something to tell me?"

"Why do you do this to me, Judy."

"You'd never bring this up sober, old man. I'd like to have some idea who she was."

"Mmm."

He wasn't budging, but this had been bothering Judith for a while... Just who was Casey?

"Raven."

"Hmm?" He looked down and saw her still watching him.

Her finger reached up to touch his mouth, then moved down his chin and neck, to his chest, making him feel a shiver. She stared at him again, "I just... want to know if there is someone else who has your heart."

Wait, was Judith actually insecure? That didn't seem to make sense to Raven, and he wondered if it was the alcohol. He didn't say anything, and she looked off to the side with a sad expression on her face.

Yes, Judith was insecure.

He touched her face and turned her to meet his gaze, "Are you serious, Judy? I mean, she and I were close, but... She was with Yeager. I looked up to her as a knight. I've never met anyone like you. Are you really worried what an old man like me thinks?"

Her face was flushed and her eyes seemed watery.

"Wh-what's wrong, Judy?"

She covered one eye with her hand and laughed, "This is so unlike me, isn't it?"

"Uh, I guess..."

"I must sound ridiculous. Getting jealous of someone you lost..."

"N-no... I can understand why you have... questions..." he cleared his throat, "what sounds ridiculous is that a beautiful young woman like you cares what a useless old man feels and thinks."

She tried to interject but he kept talking, "She was a very dear friend to me. Even if she were still here today, I'd still introduce you as the woman of my dreams and hope that you two wouldn't gang up and be too hard on me."

Judith laughed softly, "Would we get along?"

He leaned down to kiss her neck and murmured, "Oh yes, I know you would."

They shared a kiss and Judith kept her hands behind his head, so he couldn't break eye contact with her.

"I'm sorry... I feel a bit selfish."

He shook his head again, "It's okay to ask and be curious."

They spent most of the night in that field, not saying a word. Just staring at the stars, wondering about things of past times.

Raven wondered, maybe someday he would be able to introduce Judith to Casey, long after they left the living. He wondered if Judith would stay with him for that long.

He looked down and saw her with her head still on his lap, eyes closed shut, breathing lightly, asleep. He stroked her hair.

He'd have to wait and find out.