Chapter 20: Aftermath part 2

Garfield went to his room and got some sleep, but as soon as he woke up, he went back to Raven's room. Day after day, Garfield stayed with Raven until his eyes were so heavy that he couldn't stay awake. Each time he went, he talked to her about his feelings, about what he did in the five years they were apart, and thoughts he had about his future.

"I have a feeling that Dick wants the Titans to reassemble as a team. I mean, I understand why: we work really well as a team, we solved this huge case, and we make the world a little safer. To tell you the truth though, I think I'm done fighting crime. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I've been thinking about acting again." He said excitedly, "I've also been thinking about moving out to Metropolis. There would be bigger opportunities for me there. They just put up a new subdivision near the park on Millard street. The houses are really big, and they have back yards, hardwood floors, and everything! I think I would be happy there. I think you would too. I always thought you were a good writer, and there are a lot of opportunities there. It would be just as we always said it would. Well...almost."

It felt good to have one-sided conversations sometimes, but Garfield now craved Raven's input. He couldn't talk about these things with anyone else; Raven would always listen without scrutiny and gave her honest opinion. He looked at his watch: it was almost two in the morning. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Garfield got out of his seat.

"I should be getting to sleep now. I hope you wake up soon. Think about Metropolis, okay?"

With that, he went off to bed.

It was a restless night for Garfield. It was hard on him to live the same day over and over again, and always with the knowledge that if Raven did wake up, his reason for waking up every morning was gone. It felt strange to be making plans without Raven; everything he had ever done had Raven in mind. With all these conflicting emotions distracting him from his sleep, Garfield decided to get up. Finding himself to be the first one awake, Garfield made himself up a cup of coffee, and made his way to Raven's room. Still half asleep when he reached her door, Garfield greeted her with his usual: "Good morning Sunshine-" but was cut himself off.

The bed was a mess, and Raven was no where to be found.

Garfield dropped his mug of coffee and rushed to Raven's bed. There was nothing there. Garfield panicked. The first thing that came to mind was that someone had taken her, so Garfield transformed into a bloodhound and sniffed around the room. As soon as he picked up her sent, he bolted.

Twisting and turning around the tower, Garfield followed Raven's sent all the way up to the door way to the roof. Transforming back into a human, Garfield sprang to the door and threw it wide open. He rushed out onto the roof and looked around. Standing on the edge of the tower looking at the rising sun, was a small frail figure with long black hair.

"RAVEN!" exclaimed Garfield.

The figure turned their head around to see the green man run up to her.

"Garfield." she said softly.

"Raven," said Garfield, running to stand beside her, "what are you doing here? You should be in bed!"

"You will find me to be quite alright." said Raven monotonously.

"No, seriously Raven, you need to get back to your room. You've been out of it for weeks! You can't just run around the tower like this!"

Raven ignored him and looked out into the golden sunrise over the shimmering water.

"It's beautiful, isn't it."

"Raven…" said Garfield.

"Garfield, I know how you hope this conversation will go. But I'm not going back."

Garfield looked at her, trying to get a good read off of her. He never could.

"You don't just mean to the room, do you."

"No Garfield. This whole experience has shown me that I'm a greater burden on the team than I am helpful."

"Raven, don't say things like that! We captured the Brotherhood of Evil, and Blood, and Phobia. You're safe now!"

"I'm afraid that there are other ways I can be used." said Raven.

"Come on Rae-"

"No Garfield," she said whipping herself around to come face to face with him. To Garfield's great surprise, she had tears building up in her eyes, "I care too damn much about you, all of you, to let you put your lives on the line for me again."

"Rea, come on. It's not an experience I would look forward to repeat anytime soon, but I would do it for you Rea, I would do it for you in a heartbeat. All of us would."

"That's what makes it worse."

"Oh, come on. You can't be serious."

"Garfield, I can't risk you getting hurt. Any of you."

She was growing further away from him every second they stood there. Perhaps if was his fear of loosing her, his longing to hold her, or because he knew she felt just as lonely as he did, but Garfield pulled her into him, and held her. There, in his arms, Raven wept. Garfield waited for something to explode, but it never came. He held Raven tightly, and waited for her to calm down.

"Raven," he said to her, "you can't go. What would we do without you Rae? What would I do without you?"

Raven looked up at Garfield with tearful violet eyes. A warmness filled both of them; it was a feeling that they hadn't felt in over five years. Garfield got lost in those eyes for the hundredth time. He didn't know what came over him, but he kissed her.

Her lips felt like fire warming a block of ice. All those years apart made Garfield forget exactly what it felt like to be alive, and here it was, everything that he could ever wish for was in this moment. The world stopped for them in that one instance. Nothing else mattered, and in this fleeting moment, Garfield felt happy.

Raven slowly parted form Garfield, her eyes fluttered open to look up at him. She seemed to be torn in two directions, and for the first time ever, it showed across her face.

"Raven, please don't-" but Raven resisted his advance and tore herself away from him. The moment was gone, and she had now made up her mind.

"I'm so sorry Garfield, but I have to go."

It happened so fast. One second Raven was in his arms, and the next she consumed in black and evanesced.

Garfield couldn't believe she did it. She actually did it.

Left alone on the edge of the tower, Garfield did the only thing that he could do. Summoning all of his anguish, his voiced pierced through the morning air:

"RAVEN"

Garfield never received a reply.

End of Chapter 20 part 2