I am so sorry about the messed up underlined dialog near the end. For some reason won't let me upload the doc properly and won't even let me fix it once it is loaded. Just pretend you don't see the technical difficulties!

Disclaimer: No amount of begging got me the rights...so I still don't own these guys/gals

ON WITH THE STORY

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The Next Move
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*Check*

Dark blue eyes narrowed at the chessboard and the figures still in play, weighing the possibility of sacrificing her knight in a last ditch effort to save the king or perhaps trapping her monarch in the snare her opponent had set for her. Knowing the inevitable outcome of this game but not willing to give up without at least a token of resistance, Raven sighed as her slender fingers slid the only black knight left of the field to his doom.

Sure enough her adversary swept forward with his queen and took out her last defense.

*Checkmate*

Grimacing slightly at the decimation of her troops, the empath gently flicked the crowned chess piece and watched it topple over to lay at the feet of the white queen.

"Sigh Good game Joseph."

Scooping together all of his white players, Joey smiled but let his concern touch her senses, knowing she will open a mental link with him so that they could talk without having to sign long sequences and interrupt their game. Even though he was mostly known for his ability to possess people by making eye contact, Joseph Wilson, aka Jericho, also had latent telepathic abilities courtesy of the medical experiments his father subjected himself to in order to become the perfect soldier. It wasn't until he met Raven, though, that he got a chance to use and get used to them.

"What is the matter Joseph?"

Lining up his pawns before dealing with the heavy hitters in the back row of the board, Joey shared the reason for his concern for her.

"I have defeated you twice now."

Glancing at the blond man seated across from her, Raven quickly averted her eyes back to the placement of her knights and bishops. Those two sometimes got mixed up in formation.

"Then it must just be your lucky day."

Soundlessly chuckling, the male Titan made the first move with his knight's pawn.

"Either that or you are terribly distracted...as you have been for the last two days."

Ignoring her companion as best she could, Raven started at a faster pace by letting loose her queen's knight. He had opened the conversation but knew that only Raven could continue it, so Joey just concentrated on the game at hand.

Five moves in the half-demon had her first casualty, but she quickly took revenge for her pawn by displacing one of Joey's.

"Has it been that obvious?"

The quiet mental question caused Joey to pause as he was contemplating his next move. Raven would not meet his gaze, instead casting her head down to look at the worn wooden pawn still in her hand.

"Only to those who care to look and wonder at your unusual behavior."

Raven let the relief trickle down her body, easing the tension the thought of all the other capes and tights knowing she was not her usual sharply observant self had built up. The game continued for a bit longer with no further captures on the board.

Then Joseph's bishop got the jump on Raven's rook.

"Koriand'r has been depressed."

Despite the nonchalant delivery, light green eyes watched in muted wonder as both a blush and scowl made appearances on Raven's face. Her hand faltered on its way to the black bishop in danger and instead fell on the dark queen poised to do some damage.

"I know. Richard is an Idiot."

There was a considerable amount of venom attached to the last half of that statement and it took her opponent aback.

"I have spoken with her a few times already before you all arrived, trying to help."

Joey frowned as his knight was captured and quickly retreated to regroup before launching another skirmish.

"Has it helped?"

Grimly Raven watched as her line of infantry was all but destroyed.

"She told me it has. But...this gathering has not allowed her sufficient time to..."

Raven struggled to explain but Joseph understood.

"Enough time to recover."

There went her last rook.

"Exactly."

There was another lull in game play as both players contemplated their next moves.

"I suppose Richard bringing a date did not help matters."

Telepathy was not needed to interpret the look Raven balefully sent his way but she felt a need to articulate at least some of her feelings on this subject.

"Richard is an Ass."

Joey tried to stifle a chuckle but it leaked out around the edges of his smile.

"Soon enough I'll get you to tell me how you really feel about our fearless leader."

Plonking down her second to last pawn in its new space, Raven dryly replied.

"Foolhardy, Joseph, not fearless."

Smile widening just a bit, Joey took his move.

"You are right. Koriand'r is gorgeous inside and out. He is a fool to have broken things off."

The empath let out an agreeing hum as she aligned her bishop up with its next target. With fewer players left, the two Titans were more cautious with their movements so the time lengthened between assaults and strategic placement.

"I wonder if she would like to go out on a date with me sometime this week now that she is free."

If he had not been watching carefully out of the corner of his eyes, Joey would have missed the startled panicked look Raven gave him as her head snapped up from the wooden playing field.

"...W-wha...I..."

For just a moment her thoughts were a jumbled mess, racing in no coherent order, before she reigned her shock in.

"I did not know you were...interested in Koriand'r that way Joseph."

Her knight was wide open and soon snatched up.

"I believe every male Titan with a pulse and not gay is interested in the lovely Starfire."

Raven fidgeted in her seat but her tone was slightly scathing before she absently shoved her bishop too close to the final white rook.

"I know."

Joey felt the heat from her glare and fought to ignore it as he took her unconscious offering.

"Do you believe I should ask her, Raven? You are her closest companion and know her best. Would she possibly say 'yes'?"

Having shifted her hot gaze back to the pieces in play so she could scowl fiercely without too much question as to why, seeing as her troops were in big trouble once again, Raven missed the fond smile the blond man threw her way.

"I do not know what she will say Joseph."

"True. But do you think I should ask?"

Before she could reply Joey's large hand reached across the field to cover her fingers as they rested on the folds of the queen's headdress.

"Tell me truthfully Raven. Do you want me – or anyone else for that matter – to ask Koriand'r out?"

Not bothering to shake off his touch, Raven viciously swooped in with her most versatile player and made a last ditch effort to salvage a victory.

"No."

His hand left hers as soon as she let go of the black queen. His move was made in silence and now there was only one solitary black piece left to capture. This battle was lost, but before Raven could once again topple her king as a sign of defeat, Joey gently picked it up and examined the fine lines in the dark wood.

"Chess is a game of strategy, of logic with rules and certain patterns to follow to ensure victory. It is a wonderful game. Luckily life is not so predictable."

Setting her swarthy king next to his pale queen, Joey raised his light green gaze to find Raven's dark azure eyes riveted to his, searching for what he knew. Smiling softly, the young male Titan began to rise from his chair.

"Take a chance Raven. She would say 'yes' to you."

The empath sat frozen as the telepathic link was cut after that last thought as Joseph exited the living room of the Tower in search of their teammate who were just returning from their shopping trip in the city if the rising noise level in the lobby was any indication. Breathing was difficult and fears began to cloud her vision, but a very familiar voice caused those paralyzing thoughts to come to a screeching halt.

"Raven! Did you have a restful afternoon? I heard from Joey that you defeated him in battle on the field of chess. Congratulations!"

'She is so happy to see me...'

Soundlessly standing, Raven walked to Kori's side and corrected her knowledge of the game's outcome.

"Actually Koriand'r, Joseph outmaneuvered me today, but your sign language is improving immensely."

The Tamaranean beamed at the empath, allowing the complement to augment her good mood and settle the warm feeling in the pit of her stomach that rose when Raven moved nearer to her.

"Thank you Raven. And do not fear for your past winning streak; there will be many more battles to wage another day. For now, would you like to hear about our shopping excursion? I promise a very amusing tale involving Garth, Roy and a speedo."

Shaking her head in amusement and letting loose a short laugh, Raven reached for one of the numerous bags hanging from Koriand'r's forearms.

"I would enjoy that Koriand'r."

Together the pair left the outer gathering room for the halls that led to the private quarters of the residential Titans. The only evidence that anyone had been in the large living room was the unorganized chess board with the white queen and black king still standing side-by-side in the middle of the wooden field.

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Chess is awesome! Woot!

Sadly I'm a complete amateur so if the game play sounds a little unrealistic, forgive me.

Read and Review Please!

ToaR