"Come on, Rae," Richard laughed from his place on the fancy chair, adjusting his sunglasses.

"Would you like a beverage, sir?" one of the female employees asked for the umpteenth time. She batted her eyes and unbuttoned the top of her shirt to show her cleavage. She was overtly flirting with him. Had their roles been reversed, he'd be fired for sexual harassment. "I'm not thirsty, but I would like to speak to whoever is in charge," he smiled. Her face outwardly paled as she went to find her boss. "Rachel!" he called her by her civilian name.

"It's not fair," she complained from behind the curtain. "Guys have it so easy. They try on one outfit, and then they're done."

"I'll have you know, I tried on three suits," Richard smiled.

"Why can't we get the first one I tried on?" she complained.

"It wasn't…you."

"It was black, long, and had no sparkles," she moaned.

"We can do better. Now come out, or I'm coming in."

"Excuse me, Mr. Grayson," an elderly man approached him, "I was told you wanted to see me."

"Yeah, one of your female employees won't stop harassing me. I've rebuffed her advances multiple times, but she doesn't seem to take the hint."

"Again?" the manager said, squeezing his eyes shut and pinching his nose. "This is the last time I do a favor for family. My apologies, sir, she will be dealt with immediately." Richard nodded as the manager shuffled away, holding back his rage for his employee. "Raven," Richard said again, once the coast was clear.

"I'm coming," Raven sighed as she drew back the curtain. Richard could only stare. She wore a long-sleeved, light-blue, sparkly gown, dipping dangerously low in the back. Jewel-like necklaces drooped gracefully, covering her bareback partly. "Wow," Richard heard an employee say from behind him. He turned and glared at the guy. "Sorry," the employee said before scurrying away. Richard couldn't fault the guy for saying 'wow'; but 'wow' didn't do her justice. "So…?" Raven said, unsure of herself. A stylist came over and oohed and awed over the dress which was named after some designer. Richard wasn't listening. Her magically blue eyes seemed to hold him captive. "If you wear this dress," the stylist was saying, "you should pin your hair up like so. May I?" the stylist asked. Raven briskly looked away from Richard with color coming to her cheeks. She nodded. Not even five minutes later, Raven's hair was up in a makeshift bun, showing off her graceful neck, making it look longer than it was. Richard swallowed hard. All he wanted to do was lay gently kisses up and down her soft skin. "What do you think?" the stylist asked him.

"I like it," Richard said, "a lot. Like a lot. What do you think, Rae?" Raven turned to face the mirror. She gasped when she saw her reflection. It was her, but it wasn't her. "Wow," Raven breathed. She barely recognized herself.

"We'll try another one," Richard said.

"What?" Raven whirled around, facing him with slight horror on her face. "What's wrong with this one?" she asked.

"Absolutely nothing," Richard smiled. "You're gorgeous. But you need two dresses. And…I may or may not have promised to send pictures to Kori." A black spark flickered in Raven's eyes as he laughed. "I'm going to get you for this," Raven pointed a finger in his face. Richard winked at her before she slowly made her way back into the dressing room. He smiled to himself. He promised Starfire no such thing, he just figured, when was the next time he'd get to see Raven in a dress. His phone alerted him to a message, just as he was sitting. A large email from Cyborg. Don't know how this is going to help, but good luck. "What's wrong?" Raven asked. Richard looked up at her. "I sensed a shift…"

"Nothing. Cyborg was just doing something for me." An employee walked by with an armful of dresses. "Try on the pink one," Richard smiled.

"I will kill you," Raven said seriously. Richard only laughed at her.

Three hours later, Richard and Raven were finally finished. "Well, that was fun," Richard said cheerfully as they both entered his car.

"Fun?" Raven turned to look at him with large eyes, "I tried on 15 dresses."

"You looked great in all of them."

"Fifteen," her body seemed to quake with rage.

"Relax," Richard said, "Why didn't you let me see the last dress?"

"No," Raven said firmly.

"But I- "

"No. I'm mad at you," Raven folded her arms in anger.

"Oh, relax," he laughed, "I have a surprise for you back at the manor."

"It had better be a good surprise," she mumbled.

"It will be, but first…sustenance."

"Sustenance?" Raven asked.

"Do not worry. You will love this café."

The bell rung as Richard and Raven entered the quaint café. The inside was warm, cozy, and inviting. A realistic, mechanical fire place rested in the corner where a few small bookshelves sat on either side. A few couches and loveseat sofas were spread throughout while small tables for two were set in the middle. The café looked smaller on the outside. Soft colors painted the walls, and the gentle smell of coffee filled the air. The place was not too packed, thankfully. "Wow," Raven said. "I was expecting you to take me to some rich, expensive, over-the-top restaurant where the prices are huge, but portions are small." Richard laughed quietly. He placed a hand on her lower back and led her to a place by the window where they could watch the snowfall. The chairs were so close together, either their elbows or knees bumped each other. "Bruce has taken me to those kinds of restaurants. Alfred usually has food at the manor for us," Richard picked up a menu that was already on the table.

"So how does this work?" Raven asked, staring at her own menu.

"Figure out what you want; order and pay at the counter; grab a number; they bring the food out," he answered.

"Hmm…"

"Teas are on the other side."

"I think I'll order something venturous," Raven said.

"Really?" Richard looked at her from over his menu.

"Yep. I'm going to order a hot chocolate."

"Woah. Calm down, party girl."

"Shut up," Raven smiled, kicking him gently under the table."Imma need you to calm down, you little daredevil," he continued, attempting to block the barrage of kicks he was receiving under the table. Raven shoved his soldier playfully. "Okay, okay, I'll stop. You know what, I'm gonna do something a little crazy, too. I'm going to order a coffee with one pack of sugar instead of none." He laughed as Raven began hitting his shoulder. Both birds stuck in their little world, oblivious to the person watching them from the window.

Raven and Richard left the café in high spirits, joking with each other, walking close to each other, their hands brushing now and then.

"I wish we had time to look at those books on the wall," Raven looked up at Richard, "the atmosphere was so calming and relaxing."

"Yeah," Richard agreed, "if you are someone who talks loudly and loves guffawing with friends, that café is not the place for you." Raven nodded. "Now," she said, "what big surprise do you have…" her voice trailed off, and she stopped walking. Richard stopped also when he saw why she stopped. "Is that a…" Raven began.

"Yep." On the hood of his car sat a small gift in red and green wrapping paper addressed to Richard. "It could be from one of your many fangirls," Raven offered.

"True." The two heroes slowly crept towards the car. "What do you want to do?" Raven asked.

"I don't want to touch it because I don't know what it is," he said. "In the Batcave, there's a small room where we put items that may be explosive. The material it's made of is alien. Can you teleport it into that room?"

"Richard," Raven looked at him, "I have to know exactly where that room is for that to work. I haven't been to the Batcave."

"What if I let you in mind? You can see exactly where this room is." A pained look crossed Raven's face. Richard didn't understand why his request seemed to make her so uncomfortable; it wouldn't be the first time she entered his mind.

"What if I send it to a pocket dimension?" she asked. "That way, I won't have to mess with your mind."

"Raven," Richard turned to her and held her hand, "I trust you. You know this." Raven looked down at their joined hands, biting one side of her lip. She was uncomfortable, and Richard couldn't for the life of him figure out why. "I don't want to accidentally teleport it into Alfred's kitchen," Raven looked up at him, almost pleadingly.

"Okay," Richard said, not comprehending the emotions she seemed to be emitting.

"Okay," she relaxed with a smile. Checking to make sure the coast was clear, Raven quickly said her mantra, and the gift disappeared. She smiled at him, and Richard couldn't help but return it. "Let's head back," Richard said. The two spent the drive to Wayne Manor in silence, alone with their thoughts.

Richard led Raven to the Batcave as soon as they entered the manor, barely greeting the butler. Raven didn't have time to wonder at the massive cave as Richard was in a hurry to get the package in some…container. "Here it is," Richard stopped in front of a clear, square 10 × 10 × 10 clear container. Raven's hands glowed black before the green and red wrapped present appeared on the floor. "What is going on?" they heard Alfred ask from behind them.

"Someone left a gift on the hood of my car. I want to make sure it's not explosive," Richard answered. "Suspicious gifts have been being sent to me since the beginning of December."

"Robin or Richard?"

"Both."

"My word," the butler's eyebrows raised. "Someone knows who you are? Have you told Master Bruce?"

"I'm handling it, Alfred," Richard walked over to a nearby computer and began typing in commands. "It's going to scan the item," he told Raven. She made a small 'oh' with her mouth. "Should I be concerned?" Alfred asked as beams of light began scanning the small item on the floor.

"I don't know," Richard said. "I've been very indifferent in my approach, but that changes now." The computer beeped. "Not an explosive. No fingerprints. Hmm," Richard stared.

"According to the computer, it's safe to open," Raven said.

"Computers can be hacked," Richard said.

"You really think someone hacked Batman's computer?" Raven asked.

"Well, when you say it like that…" Richard's face turned red. He opened the small door and grabbed the gift. The box was small…10 inches. He began unwrapping the present. Of course, there was a card. On the Fourth Day of Christmas My True Love Came to Me. "I'm missing something big here, aren't I?" Alfred asked.

"I'll fill you in later," Richard stated dryly as he opened the tiny box. Inside was a black, origami bird, its wings spread out in mid-flight. A tiny name tag was attached to its foot. "Call me Colly?" Richard read. "What's a colly?"

"It's a black bird," Raven answered. "I think," she said with a blush.

"In the song," Alfred began, "people used to sing 'colly birds' instead of 'calling'. And it was more about the bird's color rather than voice."

"How do you know this, Alfred?" Richard asked.

"I'm old," he answered.

"But this is just one bird," Raven spoke, "does that mean you should expect more…here?"

"I suggest you alert Master Wayne. Maybe he could shed some insight on…this," Alfred said.

"I had Cyborg send me copies of our security videos, namely the ones outside my bedroom," Richard said. "Bruce's computers are better than ours at the tower."

"Don't let Cyborg hear you say that," Raven came to stand by him.

"The library was supposed to be your surprise," Richard looked at her, "I'm sorry I can't give you the tour, maybe Alfred can."

"That's okay," Raven gave a tentative smile. "Just point me in the right direction." Richard rattled off directions to the library. "Thank you," Raven said before disappearing into a black hole.

"Well played, Master Dick," Alfred stated sarcastically with an eyeroll.

"What?" Richard asked the butler, bringing up security tapes on the big screen. "She'll be fine. She'll be in her element. She won't even notice my absence." Alfred fought the urge to slap himself and then the young man in front of him. "Walk me through everything that has happened with this 'secret admirer,'" Alfred sat in a computer chair, daring Richard to deny him his request.

"Fine," Richard groaned, leaning against the desk. "It started with apples…"