I am simply revising all the Author's Notes, typos and some minor things contained in the story. Nothing major was changed. Chapter 8 was added on January 26th, 2007.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or places contained in the story.

Began with a Laugh...
The sun was barely above the horizon, shooting pale fingers of light across the sky in shades of pink, purple and red. The bay seemed unnaturally calm and there was a faint warm breeze blowing. It was a perfect morning.

Raven breathed in deeply of the morning air and closed her eyes, lifting her face to bask in the morning breeze and faint rays of sunshine seeming to reach out to her from the horizon. Her eyes closed and her breathing became slow and deep, her mind relaxed and her emotions calm. The world around her melted away as she found her soul's centre, the place of utter calm she had discovered since Trigon's defeat.

Nothing seemed to stir as she sat on the edge of the tower, her feet dangling over the edge and her cloak thrown back over her shoulders. She and the World were one. Nothing could disturb them. She was free. Free from the shackles of rage, free from her heritage. Her "creator" was destroyed, banished by the powers of hope and love. Love for her friends, for her adopted family and home. She didn't know where the power came from, but she could feel it resting inside of her, waiting to be called on once again when needed. It was like a warm pool of liquid silver just out of her reach, beckoning her to dive in, to tap it and glory in the power that was her own. She was a little frightened of the power; it was stronger than anything she had ever dealt with before and while it was not evil, it was frightening in its intensity and she shied away before she could touch it.

Robin stood by the doorway leading down into the Tower, not wanting to disturb Raven's enjoyment of the morning. It was rare to see her so relaxed, even with the destruction of her father. It had been eight months since the destruction of Trigon and Raven was slowly allowing her emotions some freedom. The control was still prevalent in everything she did, but it was lessening. When Trigon had first been destroyed Raven had shown signs that she didn't quite believe it. It had taken weeks for her to believe that she could now show emotion, even the greater emotions including anger and happiness. Slowly but surely she was realizing just what she was now capable of showing. She smiled, albeit only small smiles, but she did smile. She was spending more time with Starfire at the "mall of shopping" and the "painting of the toes". She and Cyborg had outfitted the T-car with the latest technology, yet again. Even Beastboy had convinced her to play a game with him on the game-station. Only once, but she had done it. In fact, it seemed the only person she wasn't spending more time with was Robin himself.

He pondered that for the 100th time while he memorized the sunlight hi-lighting her face, making her skin seem like fine porcelain and her hair like shining silk. He memorized the slight tilt of her lips, the look of utter peace and contentment on her face. She was finally happy and she was breathtaking.

He had become aware of her one day, about four months ago, on a level he had not allowed himself to notice before. Always before he had passed his attraction to her off as appreciation of a friend, for a teammate. After all, he wasn't blind and she was very beautiful, but he had simply played it off as what any male would notice. But then she had laughed. A genuine laugh that lit her face like the morning sun and he had found himself staring at her, transfixed by the smooth sound escaping her smiling lips. Her eyes had been lit with amusement and her lips curved upward, captivating his attention with their allure and he found himself wondering why he had never noticed them, noticed her before. Until a little voice in his mind reminded him that he had noticed, and simply chosen to ignore it.

He had noticed how her eyes lit up when she was amused, even if her lips didn't show it; how the left side of her lips would smirk up when she called him the "Boy Blunder"; how her hair fell like a soft curtain of silk, obscuring his view of her perfect profile. He often felt the urge to push her hair back, to keep it from disturbing his memorization of her features. He noticed the way her cloak fell around her, emphasizing her hourglass figure. The figure that he had held on her birthday, the day Slade came for her. The feel of her against him was imprinted on his memory and Robin would often find himself thinking about that day, how it felt to be able to hold her, even for such a short time and for such a reason. He had pushed it off like he had his attraction to her.

But then she laughed and his entire world had come to a screeching halt as he drowned in the sound of it. He remembered the urge to go to her, to catch her in the circle of his arms and never let go. He had taken a step forward before the hand on his arm, belonging to Starfire, had stopped him. He had tried to shake her off, his desire to go to Raven overriding his brain, but Starfire's grasp would not easily be let go. He had turned to her, about to demand that she let him go, but with Raven out of his line of sight, like a wave crashing over his head, he recalled where he was, and what he was doing. He had muttered a quick apology to Starfire and retreated to his room, Raven's laughter echoing in his ears. Since that day he had found himself drawn to her. Regardless of what she was doing, he wanted to be there. To be able to experience each new emotion with her as she discovered what it was like to be able to feel; what it was to be free.

Now he stood on the roof, categorizing each of her facial features, memorizing the soft wind blowing through her hair, the dark crescent's cast on her cheeks from her thick, black lashes, the lush bottom lip that he discovered he'd very much like to taste and as soon as possible. Robin admitted, to himself and only in the privacy of his room late at night, that he may very well be in love with the dark goddess. Why else would he go to the bowels of hell to bring her back? Yes she was his friend, his teammate, but a world without her in it had seemed bleak and desolate. A world without her would have been incomplete, HE would have been incomplete without her there. He respected her intelligence, her common sense and level thinking, but he would have missed her sass, her sarcasm and calming presence. She was his rock, his hope, his beacon in the fog…..

He was knocked out of his mental musings by Raven turning and staring him in the eye. Like she had always known he was there and was waiting to see what his next action would be.

'She probably did know I was here. She's not the easiest person to sneak up on…' Robin's internal voice was laughing at him, at his inability to do something about this growing attraction. Although attraction seemed too shallow a word for what he felt for her. She was quickly becoming his obsession. He just hoped it would have a more positive outcome then his previous obsessions.

He pushed himself off the wall and walked towards her, noting the peace had not left her features; she looked like an angel, exuding calm and tranquility. His worries seemed to drift away as he walked towards her, this dark goddess who radiated light. His muscles relaxed and his breathing slowed as the feelings surrounding her flooded into him through their bond. He found himself smiling and she tilted her head slightly in question, her lips smiling slightly in response. He didn't say anything. He simply walked up to her, and after pulling her to her feet, enfolded her in his embrace. Robin buried his face in her hair, inhaling her fragrance, cataloguing it away with all his other observations. He noticed that she didn't stiffen, didn't try to pull away, in fact Raven had put her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest, her head tucked into his shoulder.

They stayed like that for awhile. Neither saying anything, just enjoying the feel of being against each other, with someone they trusted implicitly, with nothing big waiting in the background to destroy their moment. They relaxed against one another, the wind blowing softly against them, tossing their cloaks around them, tangling around their legs. They didn't notice. The only thing they concentrated on was each other and the feeling of being complete. Perhaps for the first time.

"Robin?" Raven's query was quiet, so as not to disturb the tranquility around them.

"Hmmmm?" Robin murmured against her neck, unwilling to move from his position, the most relaxed and safe he had felt since his parents' death.

"Are you alright?"

"Never better" his warm breath on her neck made her shiver slightly as goosebumps traveled down her back. She snuggled her head into his shoulder a little farther and he tightened his grasp on her.

They didn't say anything else, choosing to stay in their safe haven until the world forced them back to reality. They had no need for words, everything that needed to be said was done through the easy way they stood together, no tension between them, no awkwardness. Her arms wrapped around his waist, gently massaging his back spoke of her concern and caring for him. His strong grasp around her shoulders and back spoke of his protection of her, his devotion to keeping her safe. The minimal space between their bodies spoke of trust and love. This is where they wanted to be; safe and loved and free of the cares of the world, if only for a little while.

The sound of the morning fight over tofu or meat from the kitchen stirred Raven from her reverie.

"We should go in. They'll come looking for us soon." She was disappointed by the idea of leaving and let her voice show it.

"Just another minute. Give us this minute and then we can go in and take up our responsibilities again. It's moments like this that make the fighting bearable." He whispered his response into her hair, unwilling and unable to let go of this moment, or her, yet. This perfect moment that would stay with him always. The smell of her hair, the feel of her body against his, her trust in him to keep her safe. This was why he fought, She was why he fought. His inspiration.

He felt her pulling back and was disappointed, but at the same time understood why she must. She who was unused to such physical contact, such displays of emotion, and had allowed him a lifetime in that moment. He looked down at her as she leaned back to look up at him. The slow smile on her face and the look in her eyes would stay with him forever. She had never looked more beautiful to him as she did in that moment.

She reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes, her touch soft and gentle.

"Maybe…" She trailed off, as if slightly uncertain about what she was going to say. He gazed at her in silence, his embrace not lessening as she shifted her stance, leaning slightly back. "Maybe we could do something, later…..together?" Her soft voice was full of emotions he couldn't name, and didn't bother to analyze.

His smile was small but sincere, the usual cockiness missing. He squeezed her one more time before allowing his hands to slide to her face, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"I'd like that." They gazed at each other, feeling everything that needed to be said through their bond, through their understanding of each other that went far deeper than mere friendship.

"C'mon. It's time for reality to kick in. I'll make you some eggs." Robin looped his arm around her shoulders, gently bringing her with him as he made his way to the door.

"Eggs. How very…..appetizing. How about French crêpes with strawberries and cream?" Raven looked up at him, a small smirk across her lips as she invited the subtle flirting they had perfected over the nearly five years they had worked together.

"Crêpes? You want crêpes? How about eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce?" Robin slid his arm from her shoulders as he held open the door for her, his own smirk a return to his usual cockiness.

"Well I wouldn't want to tax your limited cooking skills Boy Blunder. Maybe we should stick with eggs, or someone could get hurt." She replied over her should as she moved down the stairs into the tower.

"Limited? I have limited cooking skills? Did you try your pancakes? And you have the nerve to criticize my cooking skills. Listen here Raven, I'll have you know that I was trained by the very…" His rant cut off as he heard her laugh once again. A soft, genuine laugh that seemed to wrap around him and comfort him with its warmth. His heart swelled upon hearing it and just about burst with the fact that he had been the one to make her feel happy enough to make that sound.

They had reached the bottom of the steps, and before moving into the living room and joining the others, stopped to look at each other again. She was still laughing slightly and his breath caught in his chest at how beautiful she looked. He would do anything to keep her laughing like that. Anything to see her so happy. He smiled back at her and bowed with state grace.

"As my lady wishes. Crêpes with strawberries and cream it shall be." Her smile grew and she reached up and stroked his cheek, setting his skin to tingling everywhere she touched.

"Thank you…..Richard." Turning she walked into the living room, leaving a stunned and happy Boy Wonder in her wake, the sound of his real name echoing in his ears.

'Richard. It's been a very long time since I've been Richard. I think I might enjoy it.' Smiling softly he walked after her, content for the first time in a very long time.