It has been a while hasen't it? This next chapter should answer a question that has been on your mind! Hope you enjoy! Thank you for reading and for your reviews!

Chapter 13: The Weakness In Me

Raven woke up the next evening at around 2 p.m. She was surprised to find Richard sitting next to her reading a book. Once be noticed that she was awake, Richard pried his eyes from his literature and greeted her with a smile.

"Glad to have you back."

Raven tried to sit up but was in too much pain.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

"Several hours. We were all worried about you."

"Why? It was nothing. Healing just takes a lot out of me is all." said Raven dismissively.

'Still," said Richard, "we were all worried about you. Garfield was with you all night."

"Oh." said Raven, "where is he now?"

"He fell asleep at about 11." He smiled before he continued. "Should I get him? I know he would love to know that you're awake and asking for him."

"Shut up Richard." said Raven clearly irritated.

Richard's smile grew knowing that he had successfully aggravated his friend.

"We were all worried about you though Raven" he said, "There was no reason for you to do what you did. I would have been okay."

"I did what I did Richard," said Raven with determination, "because you are no use to Star when you're in a hospital, wounded, and covered in blood."

"You were thinking of me?" said Richard, truly touched.

"Who else?" said Raven who was surprised they were even having this conversation. "Now be a good boy and take Star out for a night she will never forget."

"Raven are you sure -"

Richard never got the chance to finish. With one look he knew that this conversation's outcome had already been decided.

"So?" asked Cyborg as Richard walked in the living room, "what did Star say?"

"Well, she agreed to have dinner with me tonight." said Richard sitting down.

"What's the game plain for tonight then?" asked Cyborg, "It's not like we have any leads or anything."

"Well I was thinking that we would all take the night off," said Richard, "I'll have a date-night with Star, you can go visit Karen, and Beast Boy can spend the night waiting on Raven."

"You serious?" asked Cyborg in disbelief.

"Never more serious in my life." said Richard getting up to leave the room with a smile on his face.

"Wait! What are you going to do with Star?"

"Probably the same thing you're going to do with Bee." said Richard before he left the room.

Victor had missed seeing Karen over these last few day but he had to admit, he was a bit nervous.

The Jump City Police Department was not about to let Karen (a.k.a Bumble Bee) out of protective custody. However, they were willing to let her and her husband have a romantic 'conjugal' visit.

As soon as Victor stepped within eye shot, Karen had him in a death-grip and dragged him off to her room. When he entered, Victor noticed a romantic dinner set out for him and his wife. They two of them, sat, ate, and spoke of the 'adventures' they had since they were separated. It wasn't until dessert and coffee that Karen began the inquisition.

"So..." she started, "Have you given any thought as to what I said?" asked Karen as Victor had a fork-full of cake in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully for a while and swallowed before he answered her.

"Are you kidding," he said after a short pause, "it's been all that I've been thinking about."

"Well?" pressed Karen.

"I got into this long talk with Beast Boy-"

"You're getting your advice from Beast Boy?" said Karen, not feeling optimistic.

"Afraid so. To be honest with you Bee...I was terrified of the idea of having children-"

"I figured so much." said Karen disappointed.

"-but when I talked to B.B, he let me see all the great things I would be missing out on if I wasn't a father."

"Are you saying..."

"Yes Karen. I'm ready to start a family with you."

Karen jumped up and gave her husband a loving embrace. Karen looked Victor dead in they eye and asked a very serious question.

"You want to get started now?"

Richard had convinced Kori to come out with him to dinner, but that didn't mean that Kori was entirely impressed with him. Despite pulling out all the stops: getting dressed up for her, getting her flowers, and taking her to the best restaurant in Jump City, Kori spent the night with her arms crossed. When they reached the restaurant, they sat and ate the entire meal in silence. Needless to say, Richard didn't have a good feeling about tonight. He was having a hard time thinking of how to start talking to his girlfriend of eight years. Once they had finished the meal, silence consumed their table.

"If this is all Richard, I think I will go." she said getting up to go.

This is it, thought Richard, now or never.

In an amazing act of desperation, Richard fell to his knees and shouted in a panic "KORIWILLYOUMARRYME".

Everyone in the restaurant turned their attention to the pathetic man making a scene, including Kori who couldn't believe her ears.

"Richard," she said feeling self-conscience. "I do not think this is the time...or place."

"Kori," said Richard scooting over to her on his knees, "I love you. I'm sorry I was a jerk. I would be lucky to marry you Kori. I can't even begin to think of a life without you."

All eyes were on Kori as this crazed man grabbed her hand and fumbled in his pocket. Kori looked around the restaurant and was aware that every eye was on her.

Finally finding what he was looking for in his pocket, Richard pulled out a tiny box and placed it in Kori's hand.

"Kori, I promise to put you before everything else. Before my job and myself, including Nightwing. Please," said Richard opening the box, "please say yes."

With Richard, Kori, and Victor out, and with Raven resting, Beast Boy decided to do the few dishes that were left in the sink. He was about half way through when Raven walked in the kitchen/living/dinning room, wearing her long black dress and cape looking tired. She looked at Beast Boy, shocked maybe because he was there or that he was cleaning, he would never know.

"I thought everyone had left." she said.

"Nope. I'm here." he said upbeat.

It was at this point that it sunk in: everyone was gone, meaning that they were alone, in the entire tower.

"I was just going to make up some tea." said Raven.

"I'll do it." said Beast Boy.

"No, really, it's fin-"

"Raven, I'm right here. That and I've done it like...a thousand times before. Besides," he added with a smile, "I really don't mind."

Raven watched as her green team mate set the kettle. An awkward silence filled the room. Beast Boy had so much to say but didn't know where to start. Raven was uneasy.

"How've you been?" asked Beast Boy.

"I've been worse." said Raven rubbing her arm.

"I meant...over the last five years."

"Oh...I guess my answer still stands."

Beast Boy smiled "You haven't changed a bit have you Rea."

"I've changed more than you think." said Raven sternly.

A silence filled the room again.

"Rea I-" Beast Boy was interrupted by the kettle hissing. He quickly turned off the kettle, pored the boiling water into a cup, added one of Raven's tea bags, and handed the cup to her.

"Thanks Garfield." said Raven as she turned to leave the room.

"Wait Rea!" exclaimed Beast Boy. Raven turned around and looked at him with a questioning look.

"Why don't you stay for a bit. We can catch up."

"I don't think that's a good idea Garfield." said Raven turning back to the door.

"Come on Rea, I promise I'll behave."

"Garfield..."

"Come on Rea." said Garfield seriously, "I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm not even asking for you to like me. Just sit and talk to me. Please."

"Garfield, I have to-"

"Have to what! I know exactly what you are going to do! You are going to go into your room, drink your tea, read, meditate, and think about what would've happened if you stayed and talked to me. Five years will go by and the same question will still be in your head! All the little voices in your head will ask more questions: What would he have said, what would you have said, would anything have changed...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…and you will drive yourself crazy! Next second later your head will explode, and all of this because you wouldn't take five minutes to sit and talk with me!"

Silence took over the room.

"That was a good speech Garfield." said Raven.

"Does that mean you will have a conversation with me?" said Beast Boy hopefully.

"It means," she said as she made her way to one of the tables and sat down, "that it was a good speech." Beast Boy happily took the seat across from her.

"So...how do you think dinner is going with Dick and Kori?" asked Beast Boy, trying to start a cheery conversation.

"Good I should think," said Raven, "Dick's proposing."

"REALLY?"

"Well, unless his nerves get the better of him, yeah. I helped pick out the ring last night."

Garfield sat back for a minute in wonder.

"Wow...Dick and Kori are getting married...Vic's going to have a family..."

"Well, that's what happens when people grow up Garfield." said Raven, taking a sip of her tea.

"I know that!" exclaimed Beast Boy, "You and me should do something."

Raven eyed him suspiciously. "You can do whatever you want Garfield, I'm not holding you back."

Beast Boy scratched the back of his head and wore a bashful expression on his face.

"What about you Rea?"

"What about me?" pressed Raven.

"Well," pried Beast Boy nervously, "do you ever think about you and me?"

"Garfield, I haven't thought about you and me for five years."

"Really? Because I think about you all the time. I think about US all the time." said Garfield.

"Seriously Garfield," said Raven standing up in a huff, "you need to stop this, its been five years."

"You want serious Rea," said Beast Boy who followed suit and stood up, "I'm not over you, I've never got over you, and I never will."

They stared at each other for several seconds before Beast Boy continued.

"I'm in love you Rea. I'm in love with you for real."

"You have no right to say that to me." said Raven storming away.

"Why," said Beast Boy who was on his last nerve, "Why can't I tell you that I fucking love you?"

"Because!" said Raven with fire in her eyes, "you LEFT me!"

Beast Boy was taken aback but Raven continued.

"We were together for almost three years! We where LIVING together! But as soon as the Doom Patrol calls you, you drop everything and run off!"

"Is this what everything is about?" said Beast Boy; yelling back, "you've been mad at me for five years because I had to save the world?"

"No Garfield!" Raven shouted back, "I'm not even mad that you left, I would have done the same. The difference is that I would have at least TOLD YOU that I WAS GOING! What do you think was going through my head when I came back from school to find you missing! You were gone for SIX MONTHS GARFIELD! AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME!"

Beast Boy knew he had this coming, but he never anticipated the all the hopes he had of him and Raven getting back together fade away into oblivion.

"I thought that you DIED! but six months later you walk into the front door expecting everything to go back to the way it was!" Raven stood staring down at Garfield who had his head bowed down in shame.

"I-I'm sorry." said Garfield in barley anything other than a whisper.

"Is that all you have to say?" said Raven.

Garfield stood silently with his eyes towards the ground. It was clear to Raven that there was nothing else to say.

Angered by the turn of events, Raven turned and left the room in a huff, leaving a downtrodden Beast Boy in her wake.

Raven needed to step out of the tower to cool off. Through all of her anger, she felt bad for making Garfield feel the way that he did, but there was no avoiding it. The truth had to come out eventually. Sitting on a rock and looking out into the ocean, Raven came to terms with the idea that she was truly meant to be alone. The thought lingered for a while as she felt a shiver of regret. Raven turned away from the dark ocean and looked up to the tower, thinking of Beast Boy. Feeling clam, Raven got up from the rock and started to walk back into the tower. She was almost at the door when she caught sense of something...strange...and yet familiar. Whipping her head around, she gasped at what she saw, but didn't get the chance to say anything as a cloth was placed over her mouth. Once she was unconscious, Raven was dragged away.

End of Chapter 13