Published: June 5, 2020

A/N: For once, I don't have much to say. Enjoy this longer chapter :)

Chapter Nineteen: Taking Flight - Part 2

"Where am I?"

"The Vancouver General Hospital. Do you remember what happened before you blacked out?"

"I was, uh... I jumped off stage. And I hit my... my head? How long have I been out for?"

"Just over an hour. You can be discharged after a couple of tests."

"Huh. So what's the damage, doc?"

"You have a concussion, though it's not too serious."

"Shit."

"You really scared me, bro."

Gar propped himself up on his elbows to look at his best friend. He could hear the beeping of machines in the otherwise quiet room. The air was stale and overly antiseptic. He scrunched up his nose in disgust. Hospitals creeped him out, their off-smells and depressing vibes being two of the main reasons.

"My bad."

"You're an idiot," Victor responded with a heavy sigh, "Well, you're my idiot."

"I honestly thought the crowd would catch me."

"I guess you thought wrong. But if you had actually pulled it off... that would have been dope."

The two men grinned at each other. It looked like things were back to normal between them. After being friends for almost a decade, it didn't take much for small conflicts to be resolved. The door opened to reveal a relieved Dick and an anxious Kory following behind him.

"Good to see you awake," said Dick.

"Are you going to be all the right?" Kory asked worriedly, unable to take her eyes off of the giant bruise on his forehead.

"I'll be okay. Sorry for making you worry. How are you guys holding up?"

"Not bad, all things considered," Raven replied.

She had entered the room last. Her face was tight, though Gar couldn't tell if it was with concern or frustration.

"Can you give us a moment alone?" she requested the others.

The band members nodded and walked out to give them privacy. Raven pulled a chair up to the bedside and sat down. He figured that she wasn't too thrilled with his aerial stunt, but he hoped that she would take pity on his damaged condition.

"Gar... What exactly were you trying to prove? That you're some badass rock star?"

"It felt like the right thing to do at the time," he answered sincerely.

Raven buried her face in her hands with a groan. He tried to lighten the mood.

"I'll be fine once you nurse me back to health. A kiss would do a lot to help me feel better right now..."

He flirtatiously reached out to her but she avoided his touch.

"Is everything a joke to you? Is life just one big prank?"

"Huh?"

"Nobody is laughing right now, Garfield. Especially not at the medical bill."

He attempted humour again, "Isn't healthcare free in Canada?"

Unfortunately for him, Raven wasn't in a joking mood.

"Yeah, for Canadian citizens, you moron. If I didn't get us travel insurance, we'd be swimming in fees right now. And I would have no qualms about deducting the amount from your royalty cheques."

"Why does it always come back to that for you?" he asked sulkily.

"Come back to what?"

"I just got seriously hurt and all you can talk about is money or business."

"You got seriously hurt because you did something totally reckless," Raven pointed out.

Yeah, it was reckless, but she didn't have to be so brutal about it. Her pragmatism and lack of sympathy was discouraging. His temper flared as she continued her rant.

"You should thank that lucky penny of yours that it was only a concussion. What if you had broken something? What if you landed on your hand, or your arm? How would you expect to play for the rest of the tour?"

"So am I just a cash-cow for you to milk?" he questioned back angrily, "Is that all you care about, my ability to play?"

"Obviously, I'm concerned for you-"

"Actually, it's not obvious. If anything, it feels like things between us are still one-sided. I thought we were taking a serious shot at this. Right now, I need the support of a girlfriend, not a manager."

"I'm not your girlfriend."

The words stung even though Gar knew that she was technically right.

"No, you're not. But that is the end goal."

Raven had nothing to say back so he carried on,

"Look, I don't want to fight right now. I'm tired and the pain meds aren't helping. I'm sorry for the inconvenience and I'm sorry for putting the rest of the group on hold. But what's it going to take for you to show at least a little sympathy for me?"

"Maybe I'd have more sympathy if you didn't insist on being such a liability."

"Is that what I am? A liability?"

The hurt was evident in his voice and Raven flinched, a flicker of regret passing through her eyes.

"Gar, listen to me. You probably didn't notice at the time... but I screamed when you hit the ground. And I was terrified when I saw you unconscious on the stretcher. I care about you, whether it's obvious or not. So don't be such a numbskull and put yourself in danger like that again, okay?"

She hesitantly reached out for his hand. Gar might have moved it away out of pettiness if he had more energy. In the end, he was glad that he didn't. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed it gently. The act was stereotypical for a gentleman showing affection to his lady. But there was something so romantic and tender in the gesture that Gar didn't really care. As they sat together, they brushed their thumbs against the others' skin.

"Are we okay?" he asked quietly.

He was referring to all of the stupid shit he had done in the last couple of days. The passport, the border, and of course, his failed attempt at crowd surfing. He silently apologized for it all. To his relief, Raven understood. Her indigo eyes stared right through him, as though she could read his inner feelings like a book.

"What you did wasn't okay," Raven answered, "But yes, we're okay."

Their heart-to-heart was interrupted by a polite knock on the door. They quickly released their hold on each other's hands, worried that one of the other band members might see. However, it was just the nurse on duty. She looked through Gar's chart and asked him some questions. After confirming that his pupils weren't dilated and he was able to walk on his own, she gave him the okay to leave. It was already past midnight, but the hospital made an exception to discharge him early. Their flight to Toronto was that same morning at 7 am. The five of them went back to the hotel, only to leave for the airport just a few hours later.

The highway was silent and empty, eerily so. The sun had yet to rise and the sky was overcast with clouds. While Raven drove, Gar slumped in the passenger seat next to her. The other three sat quietly in the back. He struggled to stay awake, slipping in and out of consciousness. The pain medication hadn't quite worn off and it made him feel disoriented. He dozed off after a few minutes, but his slumber was interrupted by a blood-curdling scream. His eyes shot open at the familiar voice.

"Kory? Are you okay?"

He blinked rapidly to clear the grogginess from his vision and observed his surroundings. For some strange, unknown reason, their vehicle was at a standstill. The van seemed to be stuck in a ditch by the side of the road. The driver's seat and back doors were wide open. Raven, Victor and Dick were nowhere to be seen. Up ahead, he could see two bodies sprawled on the ground. At this sight, his heart began to beat faster with panic.

"W-what happened? Kory?"

The woman's screams quieted down to whimpers and she rocked herself back and forth. She didn't look at Gar. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the figures that lay on the pavement.

THUD.

Through the open back door, a disembodied hand gripped the floor of the van. Victor's head emerged and he had dirt smeared all over his face. He looked just as terrified as Kory.

"Vic? What the hell is going on?"

The large man struggled to hoist himself into the vehicle from the ground. One of his prosthetics was missing and it looked like he was in great pain.

"Holy shit! What happened to your arm?"

"Th-they tried to turn me, but I escaped."

"They? And what do you mean, turned?!"

Gar's worst nightmare was coming true. Was this... the apocalypse?

"They got Dick first, then Raven. Oh God, they're coming!"

Far away, the two bodies rose from the ground. Their heads and limbs were bent at awkward angles and they approached the van with a steady pace.

"We gotta go, man, we gotta go! Drive!"

Without thinking, Gar crossed over the center console and into the driver's seat. He slammed the door shut and went to turn on the engine. The keys weren't there. The whole time, Kory continued whimpering to herself.

"The end times have arrived," she muttered, "We are going to die. Oh great X'hal, make it swift."

BANG.

Gar almost wet himself out of pure, unadulterated fear. Dick had come out of nowhere, his body flailing against the hood of the van. Gar's heart raced violently and he could hear his pulse pounding in his ears. Suddenly, another body hit the driver's side door. At that, Gar completely lost his shit and screamed. It was Raven. She had a crazed, faraway look in her eyes. She ripped the door open and bared her teeth. Gar was frozen in place, unable to move as she leaned into the van. She brought her lips to his ear and whispered creepily,

"Fooled ya."

The four of them were still shaking with laughter at Garfield's reaction by the time they pulled into the airport.

"You should have seen your face, green bean! It was absolutely priceless. I wish I had recorded it," Victor cackled. He wiped the dirt from his cheeks and clicked his arm back into place.

"I can't believe I've been out-pranked," Garfield replied shakily.

"You have Raven to thank," said Richard, "it was her idea."

"I couldn't have done it without your acting skills," she added slyly, "or Gar's gullibility."

Garfield looked at her with both disbelief and admiration. While he was consulting with the nurse, Raven banded the team together to pull off the prank. She knew it was childish. Reckless, even. But she wanted to show him that she wasn't as uptight as people made her out to be. A smug smile remained on her lips long after they entered the building and went through security.

The roadies had arrived earlier since they were responsible for the instruments and equipment. Raven had upgraded the entire team's tickets so they wouldn't have to wait or sit with the other passengers in Economy. It was expensive, but Raven was concerned that the band might get recognized by fans. She didn't think they would get swarmed or anything, but it didn't hurt to play things safe. That being said, the Titans weren't quite famous enough for a private jet or even First Class. For now, Business Class would have to do.

While the group waited in the business lounge, Raven scrolled through online newspapers. So far, no one had reported on Gar's accident. Good. She was even more pleased when she found reviews for both their Vegas and Portland shows. The critics liked the band for their humble, homegrown origins. They attested the Titans' authenticity to their choice of signing with an independent label. Their performances were described as "earnest", "energetic" and "all-around, a good time." She smiled with pride. It was nice to get positive recognition from the public.

Finally, it was time to board. The team was ushered to the gate by a cheerful flight attendant. Although it wasn't as luxurious as First Class, the business section of the plane was nice and spacious. The seats were arranged in rows of two and were much wider than those in Economy. There was also more leg room and they would receive higher quality options for their in-flight meal.

"I'm in Row 1, seat D. You?" Garfield asked.

"Row 1-C," answered Raven.

He went in first to sit by the window while she took the aisle seat. The pair were placed at the very front of the section. The tall backs of their seats created a barrier which made them barely visible to the people behind them. The aircraft went into taxi, rolling slowly towards the runway. As a pair of flight attendants went through the safety regulations, Raven noticed Garfield's legs shake. He fidgeted with the sleeves of his jacket and he glanced shiftily out the window.

"You mind sitting still?" she murmured, placing a light touch on his thigh to steady it.

"Sorry. I'm, uh, a little nervous."

"Are you scared of flying?"

"Not exactly. I'll be fine once we're in the air. I just don't like the beginning or the end."

"How come?"

Garfield averted his gaze from the window to look at her. One of his hands had moved from playing with his sleeves to rubbing the lucky penny that hung around his neck. The other gripped the armrest between them.

"When my parents died, I had to take the plane back to America by myself. Since I was so young, there was a flight attendant assigned to me. But during take off, she had to sit further away. I probably would have been fine but... there was a lot of turbulence. It was, uh, kinda scary."

He blushed in embarrassment while Raven's heart broke. For a six-year old child who had just lost his parents, it must have been a terribly traumatic and lonely experience. She wanted to reach out and hold his hand to comfort him, but the space was too public. Instead, she thought of something that could be a helpful distraction.

"When I get nervous, I say a little mantra."

"What do manta rays have to do with anything?" he asked quizzically.

"Man-tra, not man-ta. It's like a saying or a prayer."

"I thought you weren't religious."

"I'm not, but I find it helps. Want me to teach you mine?" offered Raven.

"Sure, why not?"

He seemed reluctant, not quite believing that simple words could calm his nerves. She said the Latin phrase slowly so that he could hear each syllable. He repeated it a few times, trying to get the intonation and rhythm right.

"What does it mean?" he wondered, "It sounds like something Gandalf would say."

"I can assure you it's not Sindarin."

He gaped at her, clearly surprised that she knew such nerdy Lord of the Rings trivia.

"I read the books," she said matter-of-factly.

"Of course you did."

"It means 'Calm my soul'. Say it with me now."

"Leniret animam meam... Leniret animam meam."

As they whispered it together, Raven saw Garfield instinctively close his eyes. The plane jets fired and the aircraft shook as it began to pick up speed. Through it all, Garfield continued to chant with his eyes screwed shut. His thick, blonde eyelashes brushed the tops of his freckled cheeks. Interesting, she had never noticed how long they were before. Raven averted her gaze so that he wouldn't catch her admiring his face from up close. Once they were airborne, he exhaled slowly and re-opened his eyes.

"Thanks. That actually helped a little."

The plane steadied in the air, now travelling upwards of 500 miles per hour. The "seatbelts required" light turned off and a flight attendant came by to offer them drinks. Garfield asked for a drop of coffee with his sugar while Raven requested a strong cup of black tea. As they sipped on their hot beverages, Garfield made small talk.

"What do you plan on doing during the flight?"

"Not sure yet. I'm definitely not falling asleep. Toronto is three hours ahead of the West Coast and I'd rather not make the jet lag worse."

"Makes sense. Are you gonna read then?"

"Well, I was wondering if, um..." her voice trailed off and Garfield leaned towards in an attempt to hear the rest of her speech.

"Speak up, Rae."

"IwaswonderingifIcouldplayonyourSwitch," she mumbled quickly.

"You need your Pokémon fix, huh?" he said while wagging his eyebrows, "Sorry, I forgot to charge it before we left."

Raven tried not to let her disappointment show. It had been a couple of days since she had checked on Garfield the Eevee. The human namesake had another suggestion.

"What about a movie?"

"I don't have headphones and there's no way I'm paying for a pair of overpriced junk on this plane."

"Easy, we can share mine!"

Garfield clicked on the little remote embedded in the armrest between them and flicked through the channels. She cringed when he briefly considered a B-grade comedy and was relieved when he skipped over the 'Horror' options. Despite her zombie act earlier that morning, she wasn't a fan of the genre at all. To her surprise, he chose a film from the "Classic Cinema" section. He took out a pair of earbuds from his pocket and handed one of the silicone nubbins to her. The wire was a little short, so Garfield lifted the armrest.

"Scooch over, you'll get a better view."

The film opened with a cheerful, orchestral piece. There was a variety of shots of a European city that Raven guessed to be in France. Her suspicions were confirmed when the narrator announced in an old-timey voice,

"This, is Paris. And I'm an American who lives here."

"This is one of my favourites," Garfield whispered, "It's probably one of the best movie musicals ever made."

The story centered on an ex-soldier who settled down in Paris after World War II. His goal was to start a painting career. Along the way, he found love in the romantic city. The main character was extremely persistent in pursuing the leading lady, reminding Raven of a certain someone sitting next to her. Sure enough, Garfield hummed along when the protagonist broke out into spontaneous song and dance on screen. The jazzy tune made Raven tap her foot to the beat.

I got rhythm / I got music

I got my gal / Who could ask for anything more?

Who could ask for anything more?

At "my gal", Garfield playfully nudged her foot with his own. Raven was acutely aware that he was breaking her rule of not showing PDA, but she didn't move away. She reasoned that no one could really see and the poor guy was basically begging her for some form of physical contact. Over the course of the film, their bodies edged towards each other until their arms and thighs brushed. Raven felt her stomach fill with butterflies as they pressed closer together.

Halfway through, a flight attendant stopped by to serve them breakfast. Garfield paused "An American in Paris" and they moved apart. While they ate their meals, they discussed the film's music and aesthetic. He gushed over George Gershwin's composition skills while she praised the art direction and choreography. As soon as their plates were cleared away, Garfield resumed the game of "footsies" until the end credits rolled. With a satisfied grin, he said,

"This was kinda like our first date."

"That's a bit of a stretch."

"Think about it. We ate food and watched a movie. I even got to hold your hand."

"No you didn't-"

He interrupted her by intertwining his fingers with hers. Raven looked around nervously but didn't let go. Garfield grabbed the "complimentary" blanket from underneath his seat and draped it over them. The fleece fabric covered everything from the tops of their shoulders to the bottom of their knees, effectively hiding their clasped hands.

"I'm pretty sure they don't wash these," Raven said, pointing down at the blanket with her eyes.

"Whatevs, it's good enough for me!"

He cuddled up against her and leaned over so that his head rested on top of hers. Raven would have pulled away if not for the soft snores that escaped him. Through her peripheral vision, she could see that his body slumped in exhaustion. Remembering his eventful night in the hospital, she figured that he deserved some real rest. She tucked her head further into the crook of his neck. If he was going to sleep, she may as well get comfortable too.

Gar woke up with his nose buried in Raven's hair. He breathed a lungful of the fresh, floral perfume before his mouth stretched into a wide yawn. Glancing at the screen in front of him, he could see that they were about 45 minutes away from landing.

"My bad, I didn't mean to pass out."

"It's okay," Raven replied, "You probably still have pain medication in your system. To be honest, I'm surprised you were able to stay awake for the whole thing."

"I would never disrespect Gene Kelly by falling asleep. He's a legend."

"You say that about a lot of people."

"It's true; he's a triple threat. A singer, dancer and actor all rolled in one!"

"You forgot 'butcher of the French language'."

Gar laughed at Raven's comment. As legendary as the Hollywood icon was, he had a heavy American accent when he spoke.

"You know, hearing people speak terrible French always reminds me of my dad."

"Steve?"

"No, my birth father. He was never able to roll his R's properly. My mom would make fun of him all the time. When we moved to Upper Lumumba, we did our best to integrate into the culture and community. My mom and I picked up the language pretty quickly, but my dad was a little slower. It didn't stop him from trying though."

"He was persistent, like you," she said, "Can you... tell me more about them?"

As Gar recalled the few memories that he had of his dearly departed parents, he felt at peace. Their absence still hurt, but it was no longer as painful as it used to be. Instead, he took his own advice and focused on the good instead of the bad. He recounted the happy moments from his childhood, of playing with the village children and exploring through the tropical forest. His mother let him lick the spoon when he helped her cook. His father gave him piggy back rides when he got tired from climbing trees. One time, he got bit by a rabid monkey and his parents stayed up all night fighting away the fever. He remembered his father singing and playing the guitar to comfort him while his mother dutifully fanned him with a banana leaf.

"You're lucky," she remarked, "I can tell that they really loved you."

"I guess they did," he replied with a wistful expression.

"And not everybody is lucky enough to have that experience."

"I suppose. What about you?"

Gar knew that family was a difficult subject for Raven, but he wanted to learn more about her. He had opened up to her; perhaps she was ready to do the same. She didn't respond at first. She bit her lip and looked to the floor. He patiently waited for her to start talking, not pushing her further than he already had.

"I was brought up by a single mother," she finally said, "Well, 'brought up' is a bit of an exaggeration. She wasn't really fit for motherhood. She suffered from mental health issues and wasn't in a position to care for me."

Gar strengthened his grip on her hand beneath the blankets with a reassuring squeeze.

"That must have been hard."

Raven nodded slightly. Her words were slow and deliberate, as though she was considering how many details to reveal. Gar didn't mind. He appreciated that she was beginning to trust him, little by little.

"I would have been put in foster care if not for the intervention of someone who knew her. They sponsored me so that I could get a private education."

"Was it a family member?"

"Something like that," she confirmed hesitantly, "Anyway, that's why I was sent to Saint-Azare."

"A boarding school all the way in Switzerland seems a little extreme to me."

Raven shrugged and said, "They wanted the best for me and apparently, that was it. My mother died from her mental illness when I was 16. I still had a couple of years at the academy left, but I decided to return to Gotham permanently to help settle her affairs."

He was curious about her father, but he knew better than to bring him up. It was clear from her story that he was no longer in the picture. Instead, Gar asked,

"So who took care of you?"

"I did."

In the various stages of their relationship, Raven represented a lot of different things to him. At first, she was a mysterious stranger, a puzzle that he wanted to solve. Then, she was his manager who expected him to work hard and perform well. Over time, became close friends and more recently, she was the subject of his affections. However, this new information told him something else.

Looking at the woman next to him, he saw a survivor. Someone who had lived through hardships and tragedy, but came out stronger in the end. Just like him. He felt like he had found both a kindred spirit and a hero he could look up to. He deeply admired her independence and the fact that she always seemed to have her shit together. And underneath her tough exterior, there was another lonely, lost soul looking for their place in the world. Looking for something, someone to belong to.

"Rae, do you believe in soulmates?"

"Define soulmate."

"The person who was made for you. The one you were meant to love."

"Then no, I think that's total nonsense."

Gar was taken aback. He felt like they were having a moment and he didn't expect her to disagree so vehemently. She followed up her declaration by reasoning her beliefs.

"The idea that there's just one person who's your perfect match? I don't buy it. Love isn't that simple or straightforward," argued Raven, "Someone recently told me that we are free to choose who we love. Consider our parents. My mother carried me for nine months and birthed me, but she didn't love me."

"You don't know that for su-"

"No, I do," she interrupted, "Just because you're made up of half of someone's DNA doesn't automatically mean that they love you. Look at Rita and Steve. They adopted you, they chose you. They had no obligation to care for you, but they did. That's love."

"But this is all irrelevant because family is different," Gar countered while shaking his head, "I'm talking more about a romantic partner. My biological dad always said that he and my mom were star-crossed lovers. I didn't understand it as a kid, but now that I'm older... I want that. I want a strong, emotional connection with someone who just 'gets' me. I want what they had."

"I don't doubt that they loved each other, Gar. But I think you're being a little naive."

"I think you're being a little close-minded. You're not even considering that I might be right."

Raven shrugged and replied, "If you wait around for your 'soulmate' to show up, you're going to be waiting for a long time."

He really hadn't expected their conversation to take such a turn. He understood where she was coming from, but he didn't totally agree either. Gar wanted to keep debating his point, but he was cut off by the P.A. system.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now approaching Toronto where the local time is currently 2:30 in the afternoon. The weather is overcast and rainy with a temperature of 3 degrees Celsius or 37.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Please fasten your seatbelts as we make our descent."

Raven took the blanket from their laps and folded it up into a neat rectangle. Gar shivered, immediately missing the warmth from both the blanket and her hand in his.

"It's going to be a lot colder when we land. I hope you brought a thicker coat than that."

She motioned to the red and white racer jacket that he always wore. The familiar piece of clothing was like his lucky penny; there was no way he would leave home without it.

"I'll be fine. I packed a lot of layers."

The nose of the plane tilted downwards and his ears popped at the change of air pressure. He tensed up and his heartbeat quickened. He felt Raven link her pinky with his and start chanting her mantra. The two voices whispered in unison as the flight came to an end. After retrieving their luggage, the entire Titans entourage waited for a taxi to bring them to their hotel. Raven was right, the air that blew through the revolving doors was cold. He noticed her shiver as well. He unzipped his carry-on suitcase and drew out two hoodies, offering them both to her.

"Take one."

The first was white with the red "Nintendo" logo written on the front. The other had a purple body, with a black hood, pocket and sleeves. It was the one that she had borrowed and returned to him in the past. She took the second one without protest or hesitation. When she raised the black hood over her head, he noticed her trying to hide a smile that rivalled one of his own. He loved it when she wore his clothes. The sight of her petite body in his large sweater made it feel like she belonged to him. In a way, he was marking his territory.

However, everyone changed into more formal attire once they settled in at the hotel. They were supposed to meet the other band and their manager for the first time that evening over dinner. It felt good to take a hot shower after being in the hospital overnight and travelling all day. Gar carefully styled his hair with a generous amount of gel, although it wasn't nearly as much as what Dick would normally use. He put on a nice pair of black pants and a slim-fit dress shirt. On his way to the elevator, he inadvertently passed by a room where he heard familiar voices. The door was slightly ajar and he peeked inside.

"That looks great, Raven."

"You think, Cassie? I feel... uncomfortable.

"You said you wanted to expand your wardrobe."

Gar knocked on the door even though he was already halfway through the threshold. The Titan's stylist sat on the bed while Raven stood in front of a full-length mirror.

"What are you wearing?"

He didn't really have to ask. He could see that she wore a tight red dress that fell just above her knees. The neckline was square-cut and the silky fabric was held up by thin spaghetti straps. He was accustomed to her business suits and casual wear, but nothing like this. She looked absolutely ravishing.

"I-stop staring at me.

"I'm just not used to seeing you look like a normal-."

"I don't recommend that you finish that sentence," interrupted Raven with a cold glare.

"I think what he meant to say," Cassie cut in, "is that he's not used to you looking so sexy."

The blonde woman sent a saucy grin in Raven's direction before giving Gar a look of appraisal. She picked up her things and left right after saying,

"See you two lovebirds upstairs."

Gar walked further into the room and sat down on the bed where Cassie was before. He leaned back on the mattress with his hands in a relaxed pose.

"Did you tell her?" he asked.

"Of course not. But that doesn't keep Cassie from being cheeky. She said she's been 'shipping' us for a long time, whatever that means."

"It means she wants us to get together. Too bad she doesn't know that she's a few steps behind."

"Gar, it's only been three days since we started dating. And we're already getting lax on the 'discreet' part."

"I don't wanna be discreet. In fact, I want people to know that we're together. Especially with you looking like this. There are wolves out there, remember Little Red?"

He shifted his weight and reached over to play with the hem of her scarlet-coloured dress.

"Down, boy," she said while backing away from his wandering fingers, "We need to get going. Our reservation is in 10 minutes."

"We don't even have to go that far, what's the rush?"

She rolled her eyes and reached down to grab a black shawl from the floor. The silk became taut against her body as she bent over, giving him an excellent view of her lovely backside. He broke out of his trance when Raven cleared her throat. She had already made it to the door.

"Are you coming, or what?"

The pair walked down the hallway and entered the elevator. Raven punched the button for the 31st floor. When the doors closed, Gar slipped his hand around her waist and whispered into her ear,

"Cassie was right, you look stunning. A total knock-out."

"I'm flattered."

Her tone was sarcastic but her cheeks coloured to match her dress. When they arrived on the restaurant floor, they saw the rest of the gang milling around the entrance.

"The others should be here any minute," Raven said, "Be polite, okay? We'll be working with them for the next couple of weeks, so we need to make a good impression."

The elevator "dinged" again and a party of six stepped forward. A lean man about Gar's height led them out. He had a shock of ginger hair, bright blue eyes and a charismatic grin. He walked straight towards them with the rest of the group following suit.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to one of my old classmates from business school," Raven announced.

"Hi there! I'm Wally West and these guys," he said while gesturing to the five people behind him, "are Honey and The Bees."

A/N: Next chapter will be more detailed introductions :) Do you like the name I picked out for Titans East? I thought it was pretty cute. Their inspiration is the band No Doubt in their 1995 "Tragic Kingdom" era.

Did I fool anyone with that zombie apocalypse prank? I hope I got at least one of you! There's a great Teen Titans AU based off of the Walking Dead. It's called "Deadman Wonderland'' by Louddragon. If you're into the horror/adventure genre, I highly recommend it. It's BBRae centric with RobStar and Flinx. The plot gets intense right away!

I hope you enjoyed the fluff in this one. That little moment with the red dress came from Geoff Johns' Teen Titans, Issue #20.

Last thing: Sindarin is the language that the Elves speak in "The Lord of the Rings". That trilogy is amongst my favourite films, in addition to "An American in Paris". If you haven't figured it out already, all of these pop culture references are just me sharing my personal preferences.

Till next time, Lily Timbers

Replies

I dont even really know: Aaaaaah your words are too lovely and kind! The last thing I want to do is bore people haha.

AlexSpence: Yay! More love for "Into The Woods"! It's in my top 5 musicals and it was the first one I ever got to see live. It was a small local production but it was so good. I was hooked after the Witch's rap. J'apprecie ton appreciation ;) Gar speaking French is mostly headcanon, but I thought it would be fun to incorporate it anyway.

Kid Walker: For your analogy of the bull and the bullfighter: He was able to "catch" her in this chapter!

Hairul The Nightrage Beast: Us Canadians are definitely used to crowd surfers (at least in my city!). But the ones in the story just weren't expecting it, lol. I think it all depends on the venue. It also reminds me of Dave Grohl breaking his leg in Sweden back in 2015.

vi: No problem :) I hope you're still enjoying the story!

uglyygurl22: Your reaction killed me, haha! I seriously started cracking up when I read it. Sorry for the second-hand embarrassment! Even I cringed when I wrote that scene, but it seemed like something dumb that BB would do.

Angl0002: Hi there! Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Right now, I have no plans to bring up Nicolas Gantry again. I mentioned him briefly as Gar's "deadbeat uncle" back in Chapter 15, but that's pretty much it. His character just doesn't fit in with this story. Sorry!

Golem XIV: You made such a good point about videos hitting the Internet! Originally, I didn't even think about the media repercussions, so thanks for that. I'll address it in the next chapter for sure.

Guest (Chapter 17 and 18): I'm glad it helped you smile :) Dick and Kory's elopement was very whirlwind, but I didn't want to drag out the drama for too long. Other than with Gar, my favourite Raven-relationship has been her friendship with Kory. I want to keep things wholesome with healthy female empowerment. As always, your words are so kind. Thank you!

LowkeyLowC: I'm an old lady, so I had to consult both Urban Dictionary and my gamer husband to get your message, lol. But yeah, Gar got pwned by the floor.

starpana: I'm so glad! My writing habits are both really intense and super unhealthy. I usually stay up till 4 or 5 in the morning, take a nap, and then wake up to do actual "work". I really don't recommend it, lol. My mom once thought that she lost all of my family's passports. When she stepped out of the car to check the trunk, they all fell out. Turns out they had slipped out of her purse and into the space between the seat and the door. Whenever I travel, I check everything at least 10 times out of paranoia. Thank you for reading!

LightNS: (Chapter 17 and 18): Yay, I'm glad you like what I did for Dickory. Those two definitely deserve better than what the comics gave them. And yeah, I was happy to finally have an opportunity to write about what a dumbass Gar can be. I love him to bits, but he's a real doofus at times. Thanks for reading :)

Chibi1309: Wow, thank you so much! I feel like a blushing Japanese school girl that just got noticed by her senpai, haha. Coming from an author that I really respect, your feedback means the world.