Hey guys! Since I've already come up with a song concept for this chapter, I'm going to use two songs for this chapter, due to the fact that I got a suggestion in the reviews! (Thanks, Nightwing2013!) Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

-Much love, Rae1399

"And like the autumn leaves, I just can't help myself/ I'm falling, there's no doubt/ It's you and no one else/ Is there any chance for this dream romance?/ Should I just give up? What's a fool to do?/ Could you fall for me like I fell for you?" -Jeff Williams, "Not Fall in Love with You", suggested by Nightwing2013.

"You are the stars in the sky/ You are the sound of the rain/ You are the strong sense of calm/ That takes away all the pain/ You are the rush of the wind/ I'm just a man on his knees/ Praying to God to grow old/ With the girl of his dreams/ You've got my heart in your hand/ You've got my hand if you want/ So please love me forever." -Front Porch Step, "If I Tremble".

The rest of the pair's night was spent as a lazy day, watching TV and discussing conspiracy theories, with the occasional opinion from Cyborg. The three ate chicken salads (Gar used tofu, obviously) and finished their night with a few rounds of Mario Kart, in which Raven remained victorious. Each team member slept in their respective rooms that night, and Raven was the first one awake in the morning.

I open my eyes, and they adjust to the darkness of my room. I grab my phone to check the time, and the screen temporarily blinds me. It's 7 AM, and I decide to get an early start on my day. I stand up, stretch, and crack my back. I make my way toward the bathroom, and luckily, I don't hear any commotion indicating that anyone else is awake yet. I open the bathroom door, close it behind me, and strip. The shower is welcoming, and I forgot how nice hot water feels on my skin.

I finish my shower, and the entire bathroom smells of lavender, the way I like it. I grab a comb from one of the drawers in the vanity and run it through my hair. I take some deep breaths, and I realize that relaxing in the early morning is one of the best forms of meditation. I walk out of the bathroom wrapped in a soft white towel, and I make it to my room without running into anyone. I put on a bra and underwear, and pull on an oversized black shirt and a pair of grey leggings. Currently, I feel at peace.

I make my way to the kitchen, where I brew a cup of earl grey tea to start my day. I carry my mug with me to the living room, where I stand in front of the window. The sun has risen, and the water reflects its rays. Me and the boys definitely live in the most beautiful part of Jump City, I decide. I'm focused on watching the waves crash against the rocks on the base of the tower when I feel a hand gently curl over my shoulder.

"Morning, gorgeous." A tired voice says behind me. I turn around, and a shirtless Gar is standing behind me. I look up and smile at him, to which he responds by tucking a piece of my still-wet hair behind my ear. "Good morning, sunshine." I say, and he bends down and plants a kiss on my forehead. "Damn, since you've moved in, my mornings have gotten 500% better, coincidence?" he asks. I chuckle, and he grins so wide that his bottom fang shows. We look out the window together and take in the scenery. "You know, I eventually want to move into a house of my own, but I don't think I'll ever beat this view." I sip my tea and nod. "I've always wanted to live in the middle of a forest; nothing but trees and wildlife. Glass walls, huge patio, whatever else I need to be happy." He says, and I honestly wouldn't mind that kind of life either. I feel myself blush at my own thoughts, and I really hope he doesn't notice.

"I mean, I also would want a wife and kids, but that's gonna wait." He says, and I almost spit out my tea. I try not to choke, and succeed, but just barely. "Honestly, Gar, I never pegged you as the type to settle down." I say. He glances in my direction, then returns to looking out the window. "I used to think that I was going to be a bachelor for life. When you have powers, girls want to be with you, but that's just because they want to say they've slept with a superhero. They don't want to settle down, they just want gossip, so I figured I'd never find someone to marry." He shrugs, and I fully understand what he's talking about.

"So, why don't you make it happen? Why don't you go look at houses? You have the money, and crime has almost stopped in the area." I ask, and he looks at me. "Well, I started looking at some houses before Toni came along, but she convinced me to stick around. Stupid decision." He sighs, so I turn to look at him, and he meets my gaze. "Who gives a shit? That's in the past, and something that minor shouldn't influence your future." I say, and after a few seconds, the changeling smiles. "You're so wise, Rae." He then stands behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, and kisses the side of my face.

We stand there for a few minutes before he finally breaks the silence. "Oh, I forgot to not tell you this, but Cy has a surprise for you. It's Dick and Kori, they're coming over and bringing the kids around noon. It's nine, so I figured I'd give you enough time to mentally prepare for that." I'm glad Gar told me, because I do need to mentally prepare. Starfire (Kori) had another baby almost six months ago, and I've only met her new son once, and haven't really been in the picture due to Aqualad's restrictions. I feel like a terrible friend, but I'm excited to see my goddaughter. Their oldest child, Ellie, is three. When she was born, Gar and I were chosen as her godparents. When their son, Wayne, was born, they assigned Cy and Roy (Speedy) as his godparents. I'm excited to see all of them, but I feel bad that I wasn't around.

I think that Gar can feel my nervousness, because he squeezes me tighter. "Hey, it'll be okay. They're family, they'll understand. And plus, our goddaughter is really cute." He says, and I feel myself blush. Something about the word 'our' makes my heart race, and I'm not exactly sure why. "C'mon, I'll make us some breakfast. How about fruit salad?" He says as he unlatches from me and walks toward the kitchen. "Sure, sounds good." I say, and I follow him.

We chop up some pineapple and strawberries, and we throw them in a bowl along with some grapes and blueberries. Gar adds some watermelon, and I can't help but feel like we're only eating healthy because the kids are coming over, which gives me a thought. "Hey Gar, wanna make a big lunch for all of us today? I'm not the best at cooking, but I feel like it would be nice." I look at him, and he nods. "That's a great idea! What should we make? We have some time to go to the supermarket." He says. We continue talking, and decide to make another fruit salad, some roasted vegetables, and for our main course, we decide on baked chicken breasts (and tofu). We walk down to the garage and get in the T-Car. The ride to the supermarket is filled with singing along to Def Leppard and jokes, and we finally arrive.

We get out of the car and grab a shopping cart; which Gar pushes through the aisles. We grab all of the fruit, vegetables, and other produce we need quickly, and we thankfully do not see any fans or anyone we know. Our shopping trip is quick, thankfully, and we carry our groceries to the car with ease. As we're getting in the car, I get a text in a group message that includes Cy, Gar, and I. The text reads 'where are you?' from Cy, and I respond 'with Gar, grocery shopping for lunch'. I swear, sometimes the half-robot is the most motherly member of the team.

We eventually pull into the garage at the tower and haul our groceries to the kitchen. When we get to the kitchen, Cy is waiting for us, wearing a white apron. "So, I assume we're cookin'?" He asks, and I can't help but smile at his efforts to help. We unload the groceries together, and start to prepare the meal. I decide to make the chicken, Gar takes over fruit salad operations, and Cyborg begins to prep the roasted vegetables. I season the chicken to perfection, and am able to put the chicken in the oven at around 11:30, right about when Cy finishes the vegetables. Gar has finished the fruit salad and placed it in the refrigerator, so now all we are doing is waiting for the guests to arrive.

After some time, the timers we set for the food go off, and we begin to finish cooking. We put the food on our nicer set of plates and dishes, and set the table for seven. We finish getting ready when the elevator doors open, and a family enters the living room. Star looks radiant, wearing a purple v-neck top and light jeans, and Dick is wearing black pants and a blue shirt. Kori is toting around a baby carrier, and a small girl holds her other hand. Dick is carrying a diaper bag, and a plate covered with foil.

"Friend Raven!" Kori says, and she gently puts everything she's holding on the floor, and runs toward me and captures me in one of her bone-crushing hugs. I hug her back, but I'm out of breath. She eventually releases me, and I can see tears in her eyes. "We've missed you! Dick, Ellie, Wayne and I have been wondering when we'd see you next." She says, and I can tell that she's excited, yet hurt. "I'm so glad to see all of you, too. I'm sorry I wasn't around, guys." I say, and I genuinely feel bad. Dick walks over and pulls me into a hug, and he whispers in my ear. "We understand, Raven. We're glad you're back." I hug him back, and when we release, I feel a small grip on my leg.

I look down and see Ellie standing beside me, arms curled around my leg. I reach down and grab her by the underarms, and pull her to my side. I hold her close to me, and I can't help but smile when I see her green eyes light up. "Hi, Auntie Rae!" she says, and she instantly reminds me of her mother; so incredibly sweet. "Hi, Ellie! I like your dress!" I say, and I mean it. Her dress is light purple, and she's wearing matching shoes. Her red hair is pinned out of her face with a purple hair clip, and she looks adorable. "Thanks! Mommy says Uncle G got it for me!" She says, and we simultaneously look at Gar. He smiles at me, and she starts wiggling, so I put her down.

Ellie runs toward Gar, and he catches her and lifts her into the air. She laughs, and he smiles up at her. She loves him so much, and it's adorable. He brings her to his eye level, then hooks her to his hip. "Miss Ellie, how are you today?" his asks in a silly voice, and she giggles. "I'm good! Happy! Kitty?" She says, and I'm confused by the last part. That's when Gar puts her down on the living room floor, and she sits. He crouches down with her, and transforms into a green cat. "Remember Ellie, be nice!" Dick says, and she gently pets the cat version of Gar on the back. He purrs and rubs against her hand, and she smiles. I look around the room, and everyone is smiling. I never realized how good Gar is with kids until now.

She eventually stops petting him and she backs up, and Gar transforms back into his human form. He's sitting on the ground with her, and she tackles him. He catches her and holds her, and everyone can see how happy she makes him, and vice versa. Cy interrupts the moment. "Hey guys, we made lunch if y'all wanna eat." He says, and the family nods. "Of course, we brought cookies. Thanks, everyone." Dick says, and we all walk toward the table, with Gar carrying Ellie. Before sitting, Kori walks over to the pantry and grabs a highchair, which I didn't know we have. She sets Ellie's highchair up between where Gar and I are sitting, and then Kori sits next to Dick.

Cy begins cutting up the food, and we all dig in. Gar grabs a little bit of each food for Ellie, and he cuts each portion into smaller sizes for the toddler. We all begin eating, and I have no shame admitting that the three of us did a pretty good job. "This is most excellent!" says Kori, and we all nod in thanks. We're almost finished eating when Wayne begins crying, and Dick gets up to attend to his son. I finish my food first, so I walk my dishes over to the sink, then I walk over to check on Dick. He's holding his son in his arms, trying to calm his anger. "He notices me, then looks back down at Wayne. "He's been so fussy lately, and he doesn't seem hungry, doesn't need changed, nothing." I nod at him, and without thought, I hold my arms out.

Dick looks at me, then back down at Wayne, then at me again. He gently moves Wayne from his arms to mine, and the screaming baby fits comfortably in my arms. I start rocking the boy, and I think I hear his cries start to calm. Within thirty seconds, Wayne is silent. His eyes start to close, and Dick mouths 'thank you' at me. I nod, and continue holding the small human. I still can't believe that a human being can be this small; it's crazy. I run my thumb over the baby's cheek gently, and am surprised by how soft he is.

Dick walks toward the table to finish his dinner, leaving me to continue soothing Wayne, which I don't mind. "Look, he likes you." A whispering voice behind me says. The changeling steps out from behind me and faces me, a huge grin on his face. We're both looking at Wayne, and the baby is sound asleep. "You can probably put him back in his carrier, if you want." Gar says, but I shake my head. "No, I wanna hold him for a little longer." I say, and Gar looks at me with a hint of surprise. "I thought you didn't really like babies?" He asks. "People change. And frankly, these children are what changed my mind. Soon as Ellie was born, I got over my fear of children. I know I can't hurt them, so why be afraid?" I say, and Gar smiles. "I'm glad. You're gonna make a great mom someday, Rae." He says, and I feel myself blush. "I mean, if you want kids." He stammers.

I definitely want kids someday, but he doesn't need to know that right now. I hear the rest of the adults cleaning up, and decide to join them. I gently and slowly hand Wayne to Gar, then walk over to the table. I carry the remaining plates to the sink, where Cy is washing the dishes. Dick is wiping the table, and I see Kori walking away from the kitchen area. She catches my eye, and she motions for me to follow her. We walk toward my room, and I open the door for us. The door closes behind us, and she takes a seat on my bed. "So, friend Raven, what brought you back to our old home?" she asks, and I shrug. "I was just getting tired of Aqualad, I guess." I say, and she nods. "I was hoping you would realize that there is someone better for you than him." She says, and she smirks at me. "What?" I ask, and she chuckles. "I'm not the stupid, Raven. You and Garfield, you remind me of Dick and I." She says, and I feel myself blush.

"It was meant to happen, and I think you know that." She says, and I know that she's reading me like a book. "Well, it is happening, Star." I say, and she lights up. She springs up from the bed, and she grabs my hands in hers. "How joyous! Finally!" she says, and I can't help but smile. She may be married and have children, but she's the same Starfire. She lets go of my hands, and pulls me into another hug, this one more gentle than before. "Dick and I have known for years how much Gar loves you, Raven." She whispers, and she hugs me tighter.

Out of the blue, we hear a knock at my bedroom door. Kori releases me from her embrace, and I walk to the door and open it. On the other side of the door stands Gar, holding a smiling Ellie in his arms. "Someone wanted to have some girl time with her Auntie and Mama, huh?" he says, and Ellie nods. Gar passes Ellie into my arms, and I hold her on my hip. "Too much time with Uncle G, right?" I say, and Ellie laughs and nods again. He smirks at me, and I return the favor by sticking my tongue out, and Ellie follows suit. Gar laughs, and then walks away.

"Auntie Rae, has Uncle G always been green?" Ellie asks, and Kori shrugs. "Pretty much." I say, and she seems satisfied with that answer. "He's my favorite." Ellie says, and I nod. "You're his favorite." I say, and she smiles. "Really?" she lights up, and I nod. "Yes, Ellie." I say. She smiles even wider, and she looks exactly like her mother. "Auntie Rae, I want a cookie." Ellie declares, and I look at Star. She nods in approval, and we parade out of my room and into the kitchen. Gar is already at the plate of cookies, snacking away. "Uncle G! Cookie!" Ellie yells, and he gives her a grumpy look. "What do you say, Ellie Rae?" He says, and I have somehow forgotten that her middle name is Raven. "Pleeeeeeeeeease?" the toddler asks, and Gar grabs a cookie, then walks over to where the toddler and I are standing.

"Okay, because you asked so nicely." He says, and he hands Ellie the chocolate chip cookie. She eats the cookie, and she looks like she's enjoying it. "Want a cookie, Rae?" The changeling asks. "Sure." I reply, and he returns to where I'm standing with another cookie. "What do you say, Rae?" He's staring at me, a smirk plastered on his face. I roll my eyes. "Please." I say, and noticing that both of my hands are occupied, he puts the cookie near my mouth so I can get a bite. I mentally hope that nobody is paying attention. I eat another bite, and he pops the rest of the cookie into his mouth.

I glare at him, and he laughs at me. "Your Uncle G is a meanie, Miss Ellie." I say, and Ellie glares at him. "That's mean, Uncle G!" she yells, and I smirk at Gar. "I'm not mean, Ellie! You know that." He pleads, and she gives him a confused look. "I dunno, she's never been a meanie to you. That's why you love her, Uncle G." She says, a-matter-of-factly. Gar's mouth opens, and his face blushes. He looks at me, then at the ground, then at Ellie. "Kids say the weirdest things, don't they?" He stammers. "No, you said that, silly!" Ellie says, and Gar looks at the floor. "You got me, Ellie Rae." He says quietly as he walks away from us.

"Where's he goin'?" the toddler asks, and I shrug. "I don't know, I'll go look, okay?" I say, and she nods. I put her down on the floor, and she walks over to her father. I take one look back at the group of people in the living room before walking in the direction the changeling went.