Authors Note: This chapter, I want to call it one of those "Down Times" before the excitement starts. Yeah, one of those chapters. There's still important info in this chapter that will lead up to things in later ones, so pay attention! I don't know why I had so much trouble finishing this one up. My laziness knows no bounds obviously, I could not sit still long enough to get to writing. So forgive me for the slight wait. I hope this chapter won't be too boring, I think part of the trouble was trying to find the right words to put into what I envisioned seeing.

I do not own the Teen Titans in anyway. They belong to the brilliant people of DC.


Chapter 3: Cast Your Fate to the Wind

The dark silence did nothing to quell Raven's concerns for the plans Nightwing had established for both she and Starfire. This was absolutely ludicrous. Beyond anything Raven could of ever conjured up in her own mind. What made it worse was that it wasn't even spawned by her fearless leader. Rather by the green animal morphing man that constantly had her heart pounding at the rate of an early morning jogger. He had meant it as a joke, but low and behold Nightwing had taken the time to actually humor the idea by going along with it. The audacity of it all. The world must be on an awkward tilt that some how made what little sense Nightwing held inside his head dissolve.

Raven lay on her bed, head resting on the pillow as her hair pooled around her. She sighed, laying her hands on her stomach as she went over the many reasons why she had come to hate this mission.

1. Beast Boy thought it up

2. The possibility of her getting gussied up in every kind of way

3. The hoards of snotty, up tight woman she would encounter

4. Her being completely out of her element

This society was like a club right? The only kinds of clubs she's ever seen where in a deck of cards. Well there was that one time years ago when she met that goth boy. But like she said, that was years ago. This club came nowhere near the clubs Beast Boy and Cyborg frequented. She was sure she wouldn't come back reeking of alcohol and stumbling around searching for her equilibrium. She hated those nights when they would come home dead drunk after a "Much needed pick me up after a hard days work." Beast Boy would be twice as annoying and worst of all, he was one of those 'touchy feely' kind of drunks. She made herself scarce, avoiding him as much as possible during his inebriated groping sessions. Poor Starfire.

The clock on the nightstand read 1:54 am. Sleep was being a little bitch tonight, all thanks to the 'Plan That Will End Raven's Sanity.' Growling in frustration, Raven kicked at her blankets until they pooled at her feet. Throwing her legs over the side, she stood up to levitate herself to the center of her room. Assuming the lotus position she hummed her mantra to help ease her rapid thoughts.

"Azerath...Metrion...Zinthos." She continued this for a few minutes as a gust of wind blew harshly at her windows. Opening her eyes, she saw the window panes shutter by the force of another gust of wind. Arching her eyebrows in a curious manner she stopped her chanting and floated toward her window. The curtains had been closed to help keep some of the cold from seeping through the glass. Despite the enhanced heating system Cyborg had upgraded the tower with, some areas refused to stay warm. Raven's room being one of those areas. She had thought it funny concerning her not so sunny disposition, but it wasn't funny anymore. Again the wind pounded on the windows, this time more fiercely. Brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, Raven couldn't help the slight suspicion of the pounding being something other than wind. When you've been with the Teen Titans long enough to out grow the teen years and have fought a number of villains who held powers that could even control the weather, you come to suspect and look at certain things differently.

Raven now stood in front of her windows, taking a firm hold onto the curtains as her eyes became slits of intimidation. With a quick yank she pulled them apart.

She thought she might see some hideous creature, or a fool who wanted to infiltrate the tower as the Titans slept. She would have been prepared to even see Dubson leering at her wanting to retrieve the device they confiscated. Instead she saw something completely different.

Snow.

It was snowing. A small gasp left Raven's lips as she peered out of her window, hands pressed against the cold glass to see more. It continued to fall down in small clumps. Her breath began to fog up the glass as she was pressed flush against it. Something about snow always touched Raven in a profound way. Be it because of its chilled beauty or the power it possessed to eat all sound and render it mute. But this seemed strange. Blinking away the strain to her eyes as she had been staring at the night sky and falling snow without a wink, Raven pushed away from the window and rubber her numb hands together. The heated fog that formed around her hands left a print showing where her fingers splayed across the glass.

"Is it really snowing? This early?"

It didn't seem right. Jump City was not known for its early snow fall. In fact, the winter chill was usually late. The weather broadcasters had said nothing about this on the news and they were usually spot on. Boy, were they going to have a field day in the morning. She watched a bit longer, wrapping her arms around herself as the snow continued its silent decent to the icy waters below and looming buildings afar. Softly, her feet padded away from her windows to walk back to sit at the edge of her bed. Taking one last look at the white wonders that fell from the clouds above, Raven wiggled into her covers and rested her head on her fluffy pillow. The covers caressed her cheeks as she curled into a little ball to keep the heat inside her blankets. Slowly her eyes began to flutter shut as she forced sleep to take her away letting a sigh escape as she cuddled closer into her mattress.

Just as she had finally started to drift, a sharp icy cold pain shot through her spine making her arch backward as the pain continued up into her head. She sucked in a guttural shriek as her back froze from the pain keeping her locked in an awkward position as she tried to kick her legs away from the covers. She could feel her eyes shift wildly in her sockets as the pain had her completely paralyzed from the neck down. Then, like a whisper somewhere deep within her mind, she heard a tiny voice.

"Please...let me...go."

Raven bolted from her bed as the pain vanished quickly as it had come. Freeing her from her paralysis. Her lungs burned as her breaths came in short and sporadic. A sudden pang of fear engulfed her as she pushed herself against her headboard. She drew her knees up to her chin, ignoring the slight chill to her exposed legs while trying to come to terms with what had just happened.

"What the hell?" Her words were a whisper dissolving into the quietness of her room. Reaching a hand behind her back she touched the spot where the pain had started. There was no soreness. Nothing. A shaky gasp of breath vibrated in her throat as she brought her fingertips to press against her temples. There was such a thing called Night Terrors and Sleep Paralysis. But this...this was just...

"It felt too real." That pain was like nothing she has ever felt before. "That voice."

She could have sworn she heard a voice. But it was so tiny, almost muffled.

"Please let me go." She repeated the words that had pierced her mind. Deeply inside of herself, she could feel the one emotion that voice had carried. Despair. She couldn't feel it anywhere in the tower or anywhere in the city. It had all but vanished with the pain. But it was so pronounced. So powerful that she could feel it inside her still. The voice remained in her head as she tried to make sense of its meaning.

"Let you go from what?"

Laying her head back onto her pillow, Raven curled herself around her blankets trying to silence the voice that had filled itself with sorrow. It wasn't until an hour had passed that sleep finally claimed her and she drifted into a dreamless slumber.


The morning sun bathed whatever area it could reach in Raven's room with its warm rays, the bright light stinging at her closed eyes. Groaning she turned away and brushed at her hair that swept across her face. Slowly she opened her eyes to look at her clock dreading that she had woken up too early. The hands of the clock pointed at 9:16 am. Not her normal wake up time but close enough that she felt ready to start her day. She threw her covers off of her and softly touched her feet to the floor. Making her way to her closet she caught a glimpse of herself in her small vanity mirror. She never really took much time looking at that thing. Usually she spent about two minutes staring at herself as she brushed her hair and made sure there were no wrinkles in her cloak. That was it. She wasn't like Starfire who spent almost an hour fixing her hair and applying makeup, debating if one uniform looked better than the other. She shook her head as she grabbed the edges of her nightgown and drew it over her head, discarding it into her clothes hamper and rummaged her closet.

Once fully dressed, Raven walked to her vanity watching as her hips swished with every step. Her lips curled into a slight scowl as she had always held a form of animosity at how wide they were. They certainly held most of the hurt whenever her horrid little friend would pay her a visit. That alone was enough reason to hate them. But oh, she could go on and with not just her hips. She growled and plopped herself down on her little chair to brush out the knots in her hair. She wasn't about to open that land of the giants can of worms.

With her hair brushed and uniform neat, she walked over to her bed and tidied it up. The sun cast a warm glow around her room, making the dreary domicile look less imposing despite the many abstract items she hand hanging around. Once everything was in place, she made her way to her window wondering as she walked how much snow had collected around the city as she slept. She also began to wonder about the experience she had. That horrible paralyzing pain and strange of all, that mournful voice that haunted her even now. Coming closer to her window, she looked out and was shocked at what she saw.

There wasn't a trace of the snow she had witnessed late last night. No piles of it had formed on the rocks bellow and the rooftops of the buildings held no trace of the icy residue. Pressing herself against the glass she tried to catch even the slightest glimpse of white frost. Where had it all gone? Judging by how much it had snowed and how cold it had gotten over night, there would at least be piles of the stuff around the base of the tower or even on the arches of the Jump City Bridge. But there was nothing. Even touching the glass as she was now, it wasn't as cold as it had been before.

"Was it a dream?" No. There was no way. It all felt too real. She could tell dreams from reality and last night was no dream. Then what could possibly explain the disappearance of all that snow? The sun was shining but had only been up for about two hours. Not enough time to melt all the snow.

But it's not like she was some expert in understanding the weather. This was out of her field of knowledge. Slipping into her black flats, she quietly mad her exit from her room and padded down the hall to get to the roof of the tower. Everything was still, and she could faintly hear Nightwing in his exercise room doing his early morning workout routine. Cyborg would be joining him shortly and the other two remaining Titans were still asleep. She was coming up to one of the sleeping team members room and slowed her advancement to not make a sound. This was silly and unnecessary as she knew there was nothing she could possibly do that would rouse the changeling from his slumber. Still, she silently passed his door and heard the loud snoring coming from within. A smile graced her lips as she felt the blissful emotions coming from him. He slept like a hog, ha ha, but he slept like a peaceful hog.

The smile faded as she remembered the events that transpired between the two of them last night, before her fate was set for the coming mission. How Beast Boy had returned her book.

She said thank you.

He asked what was wrong.

She said nothing was wrong.

He blamed himself.

She said it wasn't him.

He was relieved.

She was relieved.

He asked what was really on her mind.

She froze.

He held her hand and caressed it giving her a heart melting smile. He said such comforting words that had broken her resolve and almost had her spilling her hidden thoughts about him that she had specifically said she was going to keep to herself and-

Her brain needed to take a breather from that long tangent. She brought her fingers to her temples and massaged them. Her mind begged for this day to be more forgiving and less confrontational. She also begged that Beast Boy would not press the issue about what she had almost confessed to him. Hopefully he had already forgotten about it. Making it to the end of the hall, she came to the doors that led to the roof. The handle was cold to the touch as she pulled it toward herself. Perhaps the roof had gathered some snow and it was still there? Marching up the steps one by one she wondered what she would find once reaching the top. Opening the next set of doors yielded the same results as what she saw out her window.

Nothing.

Then maybe...the whole thing had been a dream. She dreamed of the snow, and the pain she felt could just have been a muscle spasm. A horrible one that had her paralyzed from it. The voice could have been a dream too. Now she felt foolish. The stress from the coming mission was already starting to effect her. That must be it. She couldn't handle the coming stress and her powers had yet again slipped, causing her to inflect pain on herself. Shaking her head in affirmation, she made her way to the ledge and peered out to the rising sun. Not being bothered by the bite of the chilled air, she assumed the lotus position and began to meditate.


"Many people who had witnessed last nights unusual flurry of snow are left baffled by its sudden disappearance this morning. It was reported around one in the morning by a concerned civilian that they felt a spontaneous drop in temperature and then snow began to fall from the sky. Despite our meteorologists confirming a clear week and snow not being forecast until early January. The circumstances for this sudden snow fall has many wondering 'Why now?' and what has caused the amount of snow to vanish? No evidence of melted snow has been discovered as of yet. More on this story as it develops."

Nightwing sat on the couch, disgruntled by the strange weather that had presented itself. He was just as confused by these events as the reporters on the news channel were. He and Cyborg had finished up their workout and went about doing their own morning rituals after that. He watched the morning news while Cyborg fawned over his beloved car. Raven had entered the common room as Nightwing flipped through channels searching for anyone else who might be on this story. Raven had caught the last bits of information from the reporter and halted her approach to the kitchen.

Her eyes were wide. It really wasn't a dream. Other people had witnessed this snow. She was somewhat relieved at not being the only one who had been conflicted by this. But was still left feeling unsatisfied at there being no known reason. Turning a burner on from the stove, Raven reached for her tea kettle and filled it with water. Her eyes remained focused on her task while her thoughts refused to rid itself of that damn little voice. Usually simple things like this never lingered too long inside her. She did not allow it, yet it was there. Ringing constantly somewhere deep in her subconscious like a whisper in a quiet forest. She wasn't aware that she had grabbed a tea cup and was just staring down at it until Nightwing turned his head toward her, arching his brow as he watched her blank face unmoving.

"Raven?" His voice shook her from her stillness as she jolted. She gripped her cup and blinked over at him. The concern on his masked face had her quickly covering up her oblivious slip in character. He turned more of his body toward her to get a better look. "You ok?"

"Yeah. I'm alright. Just woke up on the wrong side of the bed." The hissing of the kettle alerted Raven that it was ready to be poured. Putting a tea bag in her cup she poured the hot liquid in and a puff of steam rose from the cup. The sweet aroma of her herbal tea wafted into her nose as the leaves swirled with the hot water turning it golden brown in color. Nightwing did not turn away, a look of uncertainty shrouded his features as he drummed his fingers on the back of the couch. Narrowing her eyes at him she walked to the dining table and took a seat. "Really Nightwing, I'm fine."

"You're not still ticked about what happened yesterday are you?"

"Oh please." Raven blew at her hot beverage before taking a sip.

"Then is it the mission that's bothering you? I know it's not something you'd ever do, but we really need to figure out if Dubson has any kind of connection with this place and since you and Starfire-"

"Nightwing." Her voice was stern, yet level as she cut him off from his rant. "Although I don't find this mission ideal to my own standards, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to bring in Dubson. If I'm a little peeved by this, sorry. I make it a habit of showing my displeasure by staring off into space like a cow." That last sentence dripped with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes and turned her head to look at absolutely nothing. Nightwing smirked and turned back to his channel surfing, propping his feet on the table in front of him. Raven shifted her gaze to stare at the back of her leaders head. He was much like Beast Boy where she had let him in to examine the blueprints of her entire being and know when she was not being all too truthful. But unlike Beast Boy he hardly ever probed her for a straight answer. Choosing to respect her privacy while Beast Boy tried to kick her privacy in the ass.

The sound of the doors alerted the two Titans of another presence in the room. A light squeaky yawn echoed around the room as Starfire stretched her body, popping her back and scratching her head. It seems today she had chosen to wear civilian clothes which consisted of a red halter top with white flowers and a small denim skirt. Her hair was pulled into a low side ponytail with her bangs twisted into a braid and tucked behind her left ear. Her cute look confused Raven and stunned Nightwing.

"Wow! Uh...Star. You...look great! But..." Nightwing's eyes could have bulged out of his sockets if it were not for his mask.

"Why?" Raven had to admit, she looked adorable. But did she really expect to go out in that? She understood that she did not get easily cold. Her Tamaranian race could withstand the harshest of conditions, but come on now. Starfire twirled on her foot, a bright smile on her face as she showed off her new look. She blew a flirty kiss at Nightwing who swallowed the lump in his throat as he blushed a shade of red. She giggled as she placed her hands behind her back.

"Is it not glorious? Hee hee! Since Raven and I are to investigate this society of women, I found it ideal to traverse to the mall of shopping and acquire a whole new wardrobe best suited for this affair." She did another twirl and smoothed out her top.

"I don't think that would be appropriate to wear at the society Starfire." Raven frowned and downed the rest of her tea. Nightwing nodded his head in agreement. "If you're not careful, your unmentionables will show." She then pointed at the space bellow Starfire's skirt and shook her head. This statement had Nightwing blushing even more causing him to quickly turn his head away and back to the TV to hide his expression.

"I assumed as much. Do not fear! I acquired many outfits. Including evening dresses, a gown, new shoes, and undergarments!" Both woman heard a sputtering noise as Nightwing spit out most of his coffee. He hacked and coughed trying to play off his discomfort by regaining his composure and returning to his TV viewing. For as long as he had been with Starfire, which has been a while now, he still could not contain the bashful side of himself that erupted into fits of awkward fidgeting and blushing. It was as if each smile on her lips or sway of her hips had him tripping all over himself. He hated and loved what she did to him. She was the only one who caused the leader of the Titans to lose that calm, tactful facade he always flaunted.

"Well, i-it's good to know you're taking this mission in stride." His voice resonated with confidence, yet Raven could still sense a small hint of embarrassment. A tiny grin curved at her lips.

"Of course! I feel that this experience shall prove to be most educational. I have never associated myself amongst hordes of earth women, and there is much I wish to learn from them." Starfire beamed with excitement as she imagined herself engrossed in many conversations and activities. Raven almost didn't have the heart to inform her that this society may not live up to her expectations. Starfire stopped her twirling as she remembered her reasons for being here. Not just to fill herself up with a hearty breakfast, but to finish preparing for the mission. "Although, I am not quite finished. There are still things that need tending to." A smile graced the young Tamaranian woman's lips as she tapped her chin in mock thought. Many ideas began to brew inside her head while looking at Raven from her head down to her toes. "Dearest Raven."

The sweetness in Starfire's voice alerted Raven to something hidden much deeper in that sugar coated tone. She was no fool. She had a sinking feeling as she saw the jubilant princess oogle her with bright lush green eyes. Sensing some form of a plan weaving webs in that head of Starfire's.

"What?"

"It would give me great pleasure to accompany you to the mall of shopping to guide you in choosing new garments!" Raven closed her eyes and let her head lull to the side with a groan. Raven was not a mall person. She did not care for the mall, and the place could burst into flames at any time and she would be the one in the background chuckling as it came down to swim in it's own ashes. But...her favorite cafe' was in that pit and she could really go for a late' right about now. And...maybe a cookie. A Red Velvet cookie.

"Fine. But don't expect me to like anything." Starfire rejoiced by stuffing her mouth with an assortment of food and downing it with her personal bottle of mustard. Raven covered her mouth to suppress the gag in her throat.

"Oh! Go change into your civilian clothes!"

"Why?"

"So that we may blend in with everyone else! It is not often that we join in with the everyday lives of humans. Go change!" Starfire hefted Raven from her seat and pushed her toward the sliding doors.

The empath tried to dig her heels into the floor to halt her advancement towards the doors, but Starfire was a power house, her pinky alone could bring the small Raven down. She was completely helpless. The sound of the doors opening startled Raven who's feet hitched on the ground, tripping her over and sending her hurtling forward. She heard Starfire yelp as she tried to reach for her falling friend. Closing her eyes, Raven braced herself for the impact to the hard ground, instead she collided with something warm and firm. Her body molded into whatever she had landed on as her arms draped over what felt like shoulders. Arms warped around her to steady the shocked woman. Realizing that one of her friends had caught her, she was about to thank them. Until she also realized that these arms were not cold and made of durable metal. It could only be one other person and her heart kicked into gear.

"Whoa! Raven, what happened? You ok?" Beast Boy held her by her arms, looking down to see her face pressed into his hard chest. Mortified, Raven felt her breasts had pushed themselves against his stomach and he froze. Looking up into his face she saw the burn of a blush smear across his cheeks, almost engulfing his entire face and run down to his neck. She gasped and pushed away from him. The two could only stare dumbfounded at each other as their words were all but lost somewhere in their brains. The urge to maul Starfire was almost too great to contain.

"Hey you two! Do I need to get the hose?" Cyborg, who had entered the room along with Beast Boy laughed as he pointed to his green friends face. "You look like you're on fire B!" Beast Boy swatted at Cyborg's finger and rubbed fiercely at his cheeks to rid himself of his blush.

"My apologies friends! I was too hasty! Let us depart now Raven before I cause us anymore discomfort." Without another word, Starfire grabbed Raven's hand and flew out the door while the empath remained limp. She cast a forlorn look at Beast Boy who followed with a wide eyed stare.

"What just happened?" Nightwing said as he walked over to the other men, casting them a confused look. Cyborg shrugged and looked over at Beast Boy, still frozen from the impact.

He couldn't get over how she felt. How soft and warm she was. She fit so...perfectly in his arms. Oh god, how amazing it felt to have her pressed against him and having her brea-

"I need a drink." Beast Boy almost shouted as he pushed past Nightwing and Cyborg. They followed his shaky retreat with blank stares.

"Ok then. This day is starting off on a weird note." Cyborg shook his head and made his way to the kitchen to cook up some breakfast.

"You're telling me." Nightwing walked back to the couch and took his seat. The news was ongoing with the early snow that still had him scratching his head. But it wasn't just because of the snow.


Why did that have to happen in front of everyone? Why? She could still feel his arms around her. She wanted to crawl back up to her room and lay on her bed. The worst part of it all was that he just stood there like a huge idiot. Did the feel of her against him revolt him so much that he remained frozen in fear? This is exactly how she wanted to start her day. Be confused by stupid snow and be humiliated by a stupid man. Groaning, Raven opened the drivers side door of the T-car as Starfire wanted to go all out "Act like a normal person" today. Starfire had also been the one to ask for the keys to Cyborg's baby who went through the complete rules and proper care instructions before placing that silver and blue beauty in her hands. Raven had snatched the keys from Starfire before she could wrap her fingers around them because to be perfectly honest, she was not a good driver. For the safety of the team and all of Jump City, never allow the alien princess to drive. Ever.

After what seemed like a long morning and even longer time spent finding something to wear as Starfire had shot down every outfit she presented, the two woman buckled themselves up into the car and adjusted their seats to better accommodate themselves. The outfit Starfire insisted that Raven wear was one that did not feel right on the empath at all. She wanted to dress warmly, and had practically begged Star to at least put on a jacket if she really wanted to fit in with society. Imagine the many looks she would get at wearing that absurd top and short skirt in weather like this. Slightly cold or not. Raven took one glance down at herself and wanted to rip the clothes right off of her. But ripping ones clothes off was looked down upon and she just wanted this day to be over without anymore awkward moments. Her outfit consisted of skinny black jeans held up by a white belt. She couldn't even feel her legs...they were so tight. Apparently they made her butt look glorious. A long sleeved white shirt lay underneath a thin gray short sleeved sweater which was made out of a lose fabric. Her hair was left the same. Blargh. This felt so wrong. Short black high heeled boots finished off her look. Raven tried to wriggle her toes around in them, but the poor things were bound together by these atrocious traps. This mission was going to be utter hell, look at what it's already done to her.

"To the mall of shopping! Away!" Starfire pointed ahead, jumping in her seat as the garage door slowly opened allowing the sun to shine through. It warmed Starfire who basked in it's glow and blinded Raven who squinted her eyes. Putting the car into first gear, Raven stepped on the gas and drove them away. The car was blissfully quiet up until Starfire leaned forward and turned the stereo on. A female voice infiltrated their ears and Starfire could not hold back the excited gasp as she recognized the song. Smiling she began to sing-of key-along.

I never seen it, but I found this love, I'm gonna feed it. You better believe I'm gonna treat it better than anything I've ever head 'cause you're so damn beautiful.

Shaking her head Raven endured the wholehearted emotions of joy radiating off of Starfire as she continued to follow along with the song. The weather was clear with no signs of snow anywhere. Blue skies hung over their heads and the waters bellow sparkled as the suns rays danced on its surface. Crossing the bridge was quick and uneventful as Raven leaned her arm on the door and rested her head on her opened palm.

The Jump City Mall was the headquarters to human life forms consisting mostly of the teenage kind. The two young woman who exited their vehicle and marched into the large and wide building had left their teenage years not too long ago. Although they frequented the mall just as much as anyone else did. Well, Starfire and Beast Boy did. Today being Saturday meant more people would be around, and more noise would be vibrating on every wall until Raven's eardrums burst inside her head. A cluster of people gathered around different stores, walked amongst their friends and other patrons. Laughter and conversations went on as Starfire and Raven navigated around the many people who walked amongst them. Different smells loomed in the air from the small venders who offered sweets and stores that sold perfumes and lotions. Many people sat resting on couches and benches as mountains of bags threatened to topple over at any given time.

There was much to take in, the architecture of the mall was as glorious as the casino the Titans had been in three days ago. The well polished tiled floor lay in colorful patterns to create an artwork of swirls and abstract icons that had enticed Raven the first time she laid eyes on it. Pillars that looked like they've been cut from stone of the finest quality supported the building in a style similar to the handy work of Greek sculptors. But the most infamous and breathtaking of all was the mosaic dome above the wide opened center of the mall where room was made for events. The small pieces of colored glass assembled themselves into a picture of Jump City with the bridge shying behind. The glass that formed a picture of the sun hung high above and took on a somewhat childish yet alluring interpretation of itself. The real sun cast it's rays through the dome and made the many colors paint across the tiled floors and the people who passed by it. There were children dancing around beneath it trying to catch themselves in the rays of colors as they laughed and chased each other.

Raven Smiled as they passed them, enjoying the mirthful chatter of the little ones as they reminded her of her own little team of three she had come to hold close to her heart.

As they continued on their way peering into the different stores, Raven noticed the many eyes that lingered on Starfire and her choice of clothing. Her alien friend either did not notice or did not care as she kept a smile on her lips, holding her head high as she walked. Despite the chill outside, the alien woman flaunted her skirt and top without a care in the world choosing to wear what she felt like without the fear of someone looking down on her. One of the reasons why Raven loved her friend so much.

"Oh! Let us start here! These garments are most luxurious and satisfying to the touch." Starfire skipped inside the small unit which made Raven stop in her tracks as the overwhelming smell of perfumes mixed into the air almost suffocating her as her eyes were assaulted by the dizzying and nauseating sight of pink.

"Uh...Victoria's Secret?" Yes. Raven loved her friend, embarrassing behavior and all. Looking around just in case someone she knew saw her, she slowly walked in ducking her head as she went. It was like every mans dreams had formed together to create this...this...ball of sexual wrongness. Everything was provocative, pink, and frilly. This did not scream 'Wear me Raven!' this screamed 'Do me.' Starfire rummaged through the many bins in the front, picking up a number of pieces that would make any man drown in his own drool.

"What is your take on these Raven?" As soon as Raven came up, Starfire leaned down and held a pair of panties against the empath that was adorned with lace of red and black. Gasping, Raven quickly snatched the ridiculously tiny little number in her hands and buried it back into the frilly pit it emerged from.

"Don't do that Starfire! And no." Gritting her teeth, Raven took herself deeper into the store to avoid any outside eyes to catch her. As if she was expecting to run into someone she knew and spiral into the swirling vortex of humiliation.

"But we are amongst other women. What is causing you so much discomfort?"

"It's not that. I just...really don't see myself in any of these things, Star. This mission already has me all worked up about what we're going to do. I've never...done things like this before." Raven crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at her boots. Many things would soon have her changing herself in ways she was not looking forward to. It wasn't like she was loosing a sense of herself, it was more like she was losing her sense of security. She was going way out of her level of comfort with all of this. What exactly would she be up against? The other women she could handle. Probably. But what exactly was it that they did? What if she didn't know what to do or how to present herself? She already had a tough time expressing herself to her friends. The closest people in her life. But throw her in a room full of strangers who she knew nothing about and expect her to associate with them? Hell no. Let Nightwing go undercover with Starfire. He could cross dress for all she cared.

"Discuss your troubles with me Raven. If you are so conflicted by this mission, perhaps it is best to express your worries with Richard." While Raven had been at war with herself, Starfire had acquired a few more undergarments she thought more suitable for her sensitive friend. Her green eyes shown with worry as she stood by her side. Slowly, Raven shook her head and inspected the items bunched in Starfire's hands.

"No. This is something I need to get over. I'm not going to run away like a scared child."

"And you should not feel so afraid! I will be with you and I will not leave your side!" The warm smile on Starfire's face fought away the doubts in Raven's heart for the moment, filling her with a sense of peace. She returned the smile and tried to release the slight stress from her shoulders as she looked around the rest of the store. Like Nightwing relied on the love and strength of the gentle and kind princess, so to did Raven. The sisterly love she held for her was truly a special one. She trusted Starfire with her feelings and thrived in the wisdom she would offer her. Wisdom only Starfire held that Raven wished she could posses.

The rest of their time was spent wandering into many different clothes stores. Some that appealed more to Starfire than Raven and that was only because Raven had no real idea in what she should be looking for. A dress was a dress, a shoe was a shoe. But this did not seem so, not in the eyes of the fashion savvy Tamaranian woman. Every outfit was greeted with enthusiasm while Raven huffed and rolled her eyes. She tried-she really did-to get involved with the shopping, but she could not express the same exuberance that Starfire showed. This was new and hard. Also exhausting. Raven's feet were hurting something fierce and they've only bought about two bags worth of clothes. To Raven it was enough, but to Starfire it looked more like a weak start.

Soon her mind began to wander back to late last night and what had transpired. The mournful little voice had long been etched into the back of her head and the pain she had felt was all but a dream. It still troubled her to know that she could not come up with a plausible reason for it. She was also troubled by the disappearing snow. It had been freezing cold last night, but now it was actually warm. In the years that had past this has never happened. Not even once. If only the answers would be easy to find.

"Raven, I do not wish to alarm you, but that gentleman sitting on the bench outside has had his eyes lingering on you for quiet a while. I find it most unnerving."

Blinking back into reality, Raven followed where Starfire was pointing outside the store. Waiting for the crowd of people to pass by, she could see a man who looked no older than they did sitting on one of the benches which had plants resting on each side. His dark hair was wispy and favored the left of his head. He had his arms draped over the back of the bench and had his legs lazily crossed. His eyes were also dark as they locked onto her. Then he smiled. She quickly turned away, looking left and right to see if his look had been meant for someone else.

"Maybe he was looking at you Star." The alien woman shook her head and handed Raven the dress she had taken from the clothes rack.

"I do not think so. He seems to only be following your movements." Nodding her head back to the man, Raven peered at him from the corner of her eye. She couldn't really tell if he was looking at her. She walked to another isle of clothes and peeked her eye at him. He was looking. She walked back to Starfire and peeked again. He was still looking at her.

"Ok, that's kind of creepy." Raven returned the dress to the rack and hooked her arm with Starfire's. "let's go." The slight protests of her friend went unheard as she didn't dare a look at the man as they walked out of the store and down the opposite way of the man.

"What if he follows us?" Starfire brought her free hand to hold onto the arm Raven had hooked around hers and turned her head around to catch a glimpse of the man.

"He better not. Or else he's getting an earful from me."

"Ear full of what?"

Sighing, Raven took them into another store. She brought them near the corner to look out without being seen. Thankfully he hadn't followed. His stare felt odd to her, just not right. It was the kind of look she would see men give to other woman. Never did she see a man give her that look. She let out an eck as she and Starfire continued with their shopping.

"How odd. He obviously does not know how to keep his eyes trained elsewhere." Starfire's voice was harsh as she pursed her lips out and furrowed her brows. She practically huffed as she flipped through rows of dresses startling a few women who were near.

"That's for sure." Raven also busied herself looking at dresses trying to forget that flirtatious way that man had been staring at her. She thought if she were ever looked at in a certain way, it would make her feel like she was floating. Like how Beast Boy would look at her. Kind of stupidly and he would usually have tofu stuffed in his mouth. But because it was Beast Boy it didn't matter if he looked at her with food, paint, or mud all over his face. As long as he had a smile, that's all she really cared about.

"What are you smiling for?"

The dreamy cloud she had been floating on suddenly popped and it was like she had fallen on her face. She felt herself turn red as she looked over at Starfire who arched her eyebrow at her.

"Nothing! I-I just dazzed off. Beast Boy's bad habits are starting to rub off on me." Raven flinched as she said his name, thinking she had confessed that he was on her mind. She quickly turned away and pretended to rummage through some dresses, trying to rid herself of the many funny images of Beast Boy in different smiling faces. Starfire continued to look at her before a knowing smile stretched across her face. Raven was good at hiding things, but not all things.

"Oooh. I see. Continue with your blissful thoughts then." A giggle escaped the jubilant princess and Raven slowly turned to look at her.

"What?"

"What, what?"

"What did you mean by that?" Raven turned fully around, glared and placed her hands on her hips.

"I meant nothing by it! You seemed happy with whatever it was you were thinking of. I merely suggested you return to them." Starfire rummaged through more dresses and giggled again.

"Starfire." Raven's voice was low and commanding, but Starfire did not seem threatened by it in the least. Her smile refused to leave her as she spotted a dress she found very promising.

"Do you think Beast Boy would find this dress attractive? Oh! Along with Cyborg and Richard." Starfire handed Raven a strapless dress and wriggled her eyebrows at the frown she was receiving.

"...Why would they?" The suspicion was bubbling up inside Raven as she continued to glare. Something was amiss.

"I was only wondering."

"Starfire."

"Let us be on our way! There is still much to do!" Starfire retrieved the dress and hooked her arm with Raven's as she took them deeper into the store. There was a sparkle in her eye as she surveyed the many outfits while Raven continued to glare. The empath had the strangest feeling that the young Tamaranian woman knew something that Raven would rather she not know about. Yet again, she was being too transparent. Starfire couldn't help the overwhelming joy she was feeling as she looked down at her bashful little friend. For all the time Raven had spent at building a wall around herself to protect against the harshness of the world, Starfire found some pride in knowing she had chipped a little away at it and found something beautiful hidden on the other side.

"Do you think Beast Boy prefers strapless over off the shoulder?"

"Starfire!"


Authors Note: I just want to thank all the wonderful people who have taken the time to read this story so far and review. It really keeps me going! The fun is about to start in the next chapter as the girls head out to the woman's society. Raven's having doubts, how will this play off in the coming chapters? This chapter is named after a very nice piece that I found suited the background music as the girls walked around in the mall. My favorite version is played by Vince Guaraldi. Also, that song Starfire is singing along to is Colbie Caillat's Brighter than the Sun. I think this song fits perfectly with Star and Nightwing's relationship. Whew! I feel like the ending could have been better. Well, until the next chapter. Thanks again!