Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any characters from the DCU. I do own Amara though, please don't steal her!

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Chapter four

Gar awoke the next morning with a strange twist in his gut as he acclimatised to his surroundings. The room that he would call home for the next five days was the size of a small apartment. It had a plush four poster bed, fireplace in the corner, huge bay window with a seat which overlooked the gardens and an ensuite bathroom. Being in such luxurious conditions felt strange and alien somehow after all the years he had spent in the wild.

He pressed his palms into his eyes and sat up in the bed. His green hair was ruffled, and he ran his hands through it haphazardly. Gar couldn't remember the last time he had woken up green. The holoring had become like a new best friend in his life, and it was almost believable that the peachy skin he saw each morning was his. Sighing, he swung his legs out of the bed and stood up. He stretched, walking over to the window and looking outside. There were droplets of rain pattering down the glass, and the garden was gratefully sucking up the water. It was colder here than in Africa, and his body was struggling to adapt. Whilst he was used to rain out there, the milder conditions were starkly different from the cold, biting winds and darkened skies of Gotham.

Gar shuddered involuntarily, reaching for a towel from the neatly stacked pile that was on the side, so he could go and take a shower. At least under the hot water and steam, he could pretend that he was back somewhere that felt more familiar. As he turned the taps on, he caught sight of himself in the large mirror and almost recoiled in shock. Pausing, he put one hand up to his face and dragged his fingers across his cheek before brushing them down his jawline. The changeling twisted his head from side to side, examining himself and his verdant skin. Blinking a couple of times, he shrugged.

It's not so bad. I remember this face. Hello, old friend.

Gar smiled at the sentiment, his fang poking out into his lip. He played with its sharp corner on his tongue, as the steam began to rise. Stepping under the warm water, he felt soothed. The sound of the droplets hitting the floor of the bathroom and running down the drain made him instantly relaxed. He remembered Amara telling him about an article she had read surrounding the psychological properties of water. Research had been done which suggested that it had a positive impact on human mental health, she had told him. Gar smiled, recognising that it didn't just work for humans. The animals within him were all relaxing too as the warm water bathed his skin. Even before Amara had told him about the study, he'd always believed in the meditative properties of a shower. He always used to have them after a battle with the team to help himself calm down.

God. There were so many battles with the Teen Titans.

They all seemed a long time ago. Garfield wracked his brain to try and remember the last time that he had been involved in a fight of some kind. It was six months ago, maybe more. With Amara around, it was more difficult to engage in superhero activity - even when sneaking around out of sight. Besides, with her calm and peaceful lifestyle, it seemed somehow wrong of him to even participate in those kinds of violent actions anymore.

Amara.

The name stuck in his awareness, her face becoming clearer in his mind's eye. His thoughts were immediately cast back to his conversation with the empath the previous evening. Gar knew that seeing her again was going to be problematic. He just didn't realise how problematic it would be. Raven was intoxicating in a way that the changeling couldn't describe. Her scent was still resting in his nose, and he couldn't deny the excitement that rose in his chest at the realisation she was probably here in the mansion somewhere. With her long, lilac hair and those deep amethyst eyes.

Was she thinking of him?

Dude, stop. Gar commanded himself, firmly. You're not a seventeen-year-old kid anymore. This has to end. We're here for the conference and to see our friends, that's all. You're not that person anymore. She's not that person anymore. She never was. Let it go.

Chiding himself, the changeling turned the taps off and stepped out into the misty room. The steam from the shower had risen high in the air, but he noticed how disturbed his mind was despite the nice, calming shower. Every time he and Raven were together, this was how it was for him. It was why he had left in the first place.

Pushing the feelings away, he grabbed a towel and went to get dressed. Gar knew that he couldn't change his decision at this late stage. Like it or not he was here, and he needed to get himself through the next few days. Then he could go back to his life. His lovely Ammi. The wilderness. His new home.

As he tugged some clothes on, the shapeshifter wondered why he couldn't shake the strange feeling that twisted in his gut as the thoughts drifted through his mind. Those were all good things. Healthy things.

So why were they filling him with such dread?

Gar set foot outside of the room a few minutes later, feeling uncomfortable. He was wearing a jumper and some trousers, casual attire that he was used to. Somehow it made him feel more normal. His emerald eyes swivelled from left to right as he tried to remember how to get back downstairs.

This place is like a freaking maze.

"Uncle Gar!" came a loud voice from his right. His eyes widened in surprise, yet he recognised the tones almost immediately. He noted it was strange that his hearing hadn't picked up any footsteps. But he smiled as he saw Mar'i; she was floating towards him in a manner that was not dissimilar to her mother. Her dark hair hung around her, green eyes wide. The changeling suddenly noticed that they were pupilless. As Mar'i was a hybrid between alien and human physiology he wasn't surprised, but instead stunned that he hadn't noticed their unusual appearance before. She beamed at him, bobbing towards him slowly.

"Did you sleep okay, Uncle Gar?"

"I slept well, thanks," smiled Garfield, reaching out to her in a friendly way. Mar'i took his hands, but swivelled over and landed on his shoulders, still grinning. Gar groaned. "Come on, mdogo. You've got to direct me downstairs. I keep getting lost in this place."

Mar'i laughed jovially and pointed down the left-hand corridor. "I know everywhere in Grampie's house! It's this way!"

Mar'i gently tugged on his left ear, as though she was guiding a horse and kicked with her heels for good effect. Gar laughed, before emitting a whinny and trotting slowly down the corridor which caused the small girl to cackle with delight. Although he hadn't shifted into a different form, the pretence seemed enough to amuse her.

Gar took a moment to consider the fact that Mar'i had just referred to Bruce Wayne as Grampie. He could barely smother the grin that appeared on his lips at the idea of Batman being anyone's grandfather. The pet name had clearly been concocted by the girl on a whim, and he could only imagine the Dark Knight's chagrin. Pushing his amusement to one side, he spoke to the girl again.

"Where are you taking me, Miss Grayson?"

"Breakfast!" exclaimed Mar'i, kicking her heels again. She stuck her tongue out in an irate manner before speaking again. "I've not eaten yet. Mom says I have to wait for the guests."

"Oh, so that's why you came to help me is it?"

"No! Well maybe a little bit," admitted Mar'i, her pale cheek colouring slightly. "But I wanted to find you too!"

"So that you could get a free pony ride?" chortled the shapeshifter, spinning around the corner so Mar'i almost fell off. She laughed again, her bright spirits lifting Gar's mood instantly. She bent over his head to look him in the eyes, her dark hair dangling down over her forehead.

"Uncle Gar, why do you never come visit anymore?"

Uh oh.

"Because," tried the changeling, gently. He paused. "Where I live in Africa, it's pretty far away. So I can't just come and visit like I used to when I still lived in America."

"Oh," replied Mar'i, lifting her head back up and directing him to a corridor on the right. Her voice sounded sad and small. "I understand."

Garfield bit his lip, fang digging in. Suddenly inspiration hit. "I'm sorry, Mar'i. But Aunty Raven said she comes to visit you a lot, right?"

"Yes!" exclaimed the girl, brightening right away. There was no denying her mother's influence. Her small fingers played with his green hair as they walked more slowly towards the staircase. "I like it when she comes to play."

"To play?" parroted Garfield, raising an eyebrow. He felt Mar'i nodding above him.

"Mmhmm," she replied, happily. "She always plays with me when she comes to stay."

Gar felt his stomach twist again. He couldn't imagine the half-demon playing with a small child. He'd seen that Raven had a fondness for the girl when he'd seen them together the previous evening, but to hear that she had been actively engaging her in play astounded him. There was also a smaller emotion within himself which he couldn't name, but the intense sadness that surrounded it nearly took his breath away.

"What kind of things do you play?" he managed weakly, not wanting the young girl to sense something was wrong. Mar'i continued obliviously, counting things off on her fingers.

"Well, sometimes we play tag. Sometimes we play hide and seek – Aunty Raven is really good at that one," Mar'i added, shaking her dark hair. "And sometimes, she sits and reads me one of her stories. I think I like that best."

"Ah," replied Gar, feeling some semblance of normality returning to him. Reading was something he could certainly envision Raven doing. With her amethyst eyes trained on the page. The way her lips lightly curled at the corners when she...

"What does she read to you?"

Gar needed to distract his thoughts. They were approaching the breakfast room - he recognised the large hallway that he had seen the previous evening.

"Normally it's the stories about the faeries and the far-away lands," replied Mar'i, sounding wistful. "Or about the prince and the princesses that fall in love. I like those ones the most."

"I see," responded Garfield, his throat feeling tight and dry. He swallowed. "Maybe she'll read you something today, if you ask her nicely."

"Yeah!" exclaimed the girl, sounding buoyant. Gar reached up, gently gripping her under her arms and dropping her onto the ground. She turned to grin at him, grabbing his hand and walking with him into the hall.

The changeling could feel his heart hammering. All the build-up of the morning; the thoughts, the feelings and the memories. They were starting to tear him up inside. He didn't want to eat, although his animal side was telling him that he needed nourishment. He wanted to turn and run for the hills. Run back to Africa. Away from the sorceress and the cruel spell she had over him. Never mind fairy tales, he was living in a walking nightmare.

"MAR'I!" came a shout from next to them as they entered the room. It made the pair jump, as Starfire flew over to the young girl looking cross. "Please do not drag friend Garfield around the house like that! It is most rude."

The girl looked crestfallen, letting his hand go and averting her green eyes to the floor. "Sorry."

"It's fine, Star," intercepted Gar, trying to remedy the situation. "I got lost upstairs, and Mar'i helped me out."

He ruffled her hair affectionately, feeling pleased when her green eyes looked back up at him full of thanks. "She's a real little hero."

Starfire's own jade eyes softened, and she whisked the girl into her arms. "Well done, my little bumgorf. But please do not do the dragging from now on, okay?"

"Okay," agreed Mar'i, as her mother peppered her face with kisses, and she squealed with delight. Starfire put her daughter down before turning to look at the changeling with a smile. Mar'i dashed off towards the buffet of food, clearly ready for her breakfast.

"I am sorry, she is rather a handful at times," explained Star, fixing her hair with one hand and looking sheepish. "You are very good with her, you know?"

"Thanks," replied Gar, feeling equally as awkward for no discernible reason in particular. "It's really no problem, she's a sweet kid."

"She is," agreed Star, her eyes finding her daughter across the room as she smiled. She quickly turned back to the shapeshifter, gesturing across at the extensive breakfast buffet. "Did you sleep well? There is plenty of food and I even ensured that Alfred brought in the vegan options for you."

"Great, thanks. I'll probably just grab a juice or something first," Gar nodded, still feeling the horrible gnawing pain in his stomach. He risked a glance across the room briefly. "This isn't everyone, right?"

"Oh! Not all of the Titans are staying here. Many have booked into the hotels and various things," replied Starfire, as they walked towards the table and she poured him a fresh glass of orange juice. "It is only the six of us staying with Bruce."

Five plus Mar'i. The original team were all staying, then. Even...

Gar couldn't bring himself to look across the room again. Instead he focused on his orange juice, pleading with himself just to think of Amara and Africa. Star sensed his tension and wrapped her arm around him.

"Friend, are you well? I'm aware that the flight was only yesterday – perhaps you need more rest?"

"No," replied Gar, feeling tired but knowing that wasn't the source of the problem. "I'm fine, Star."

"Ah," replied Starfire, her eyes looking over to Mar'i as she plonked herself down next to the other Titans, her plate full. "It is...difficult for you to be here. There is a lot of...history."

Gar looked up, their eyes meeting for a moment. He gave a brief nod, and Starfire looked at him with a deep empathy.

"This will be good for us all, you will see," she reassured, rubbing his arm softly. "We have all missed you. It is never the same when you do not come."

"I'll be okay," smiled Gar, trying to provide some reassurance of his own. "I'm just adjusting."

"I understand," replied Star, releasing him and stepping back. "Perhaps if you sit for a while, you will feel better."

Gar nodded, walking over to the table and taking a seat next to the large cybernetic man. His face lit up, seeing an opportunity for himself to hide behind his humour. It was like an old friend. "Hey bud. So, what did you kill today for breakfast?"

"Oh man, I've missed this," shot back the larger man, sarcastically. He shovelled some more bacon into his mouth in protest. "Being out in the wild hasn't knocked any sense into your vegan brain then?"

"Not even a little bit," replied Gar, smiling openly. "Besides, once you've seen a gazelle torn to shreds by a lion, it's intestines leaking all over the—"

"Man stop your shiiiii-shenaningans," amended Cyborg, suddenly remembering the bright-eyed, perceptive young girl who was sat opposite them. He reigned in his profanities before proceeding. "Some of us are trying to eat, dawg."

"Hey, it's just nature," laughed Gar, patting the metal man on the back as he glared towards him. Gar smiled wider. "Enjoy your breakfast."

Cyborg snarled something under his breath inaudibly, before tucking into his food again. Garfield chortled, reaching over and grabbing a piece of toast from the rack. Nightwing looked over his paper at them both, amusement on his lips as he sipped his coffee. "Some things never change, huh?"

"Unfortunately," replied Cy, still grumbling to himself as he ate. Garfield elbowed him in a friendly way, eliciting a small smile from his friend. Mar'i spoke between mouthfuls.

"I...wove...waffles," she drawled, syrup running down her face. She swallowed, wiping the mess with the back of her hand and grinning. "They're the best, right Aunty Raven?"

"Right, Mar'i. At least some people here have good taste," responded the empath quietly, her eyes never leaving the pages of her book. She had her legs folded on the chair, her tome open across them. Her herbal tea was in her hands, the steam steadily rising as it always did. Mar'i giggled, pleased that she had received some approval from Raven. Gar noted how he clearly wasn't the only one who enjoyed the Azarathian's attention.

"See, told you!" exclaimed Mar'i, waggling her fork at Cyborg and Garfield knowingly. "Aunty Raven is always right."

"Says who," grumbled Cy, shooting his former team-mate a teasing look. The empath wrinkled her nose at him, looking up towards him for a moment. Though her face remained impassive, there was a small glint in her lilac eyes.

"Says me and I'm always right."

Nightwing chuckled into his coffee mug, looking back down to the paper and ruffling Mar'i's dark hair affectionately. Starfire landed next to Garfield with a can of mustard in her hand and sat down. Her expression was full of youthful joy, as though she hadn't aged a day.

"So, friends! What shall we be doing on this glorious day?"

"I want to go to the park!" exclaimed Mar'i, excitement evident in her voice. Nightwing shot her a stern look.

"Mar'i, remember we have to think about what the guests want to do too."

The young girl pouted and folded her arms, looking fed up. Rolling her eyes, she turned towards the others and mumbled resolutely. "Okay. What do the guests want to do?"

Garfield snorted with laughter at Mar'i's clear impersonation of her father. Next to him, Cyborg also chuckled in his deep tones. The metal man poured himself some more coffee and sat back in his chair, pushing the now empty breakfast plate away. "Well, I'm happy to go to the park. I could do with a bit of exercise. Some of us still need to keep in shape, ya know!"

Turning, he poked his metallic finger into Gar's ribs. Scowling, the changeling snarled at him. "Hey!"

"Yay, Uncle Vic!" said Mar'i, leaping up and down in excitement. Her green eyes shone hopefully as she looked between the other two former Titans. "Uncle Gar? Aunty Raven?"

Garfield looked over at Raven, as her eyes left the page once more and locked onto his. He could have sworn she gave a small, almost indiscernible smile but then wondered if he had imagined it. She brushed her violet hair out of her eyes and turned towards the young girl. Gar noticed a twinge of sadness in his stomach as she looked away.

"We can go to the park, Mar'i. As long as I can bring my book."

"Okay!"

"And I'm cool with whatever you guys want to do," replied Garfield, struggling to think straight after his brief interaction with the empath. He blinked, running his hand through his green hair slowly. "I'm not on this time-zone yet."

Nightwing nodded, understandingly. He looked at his daughter and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, Mar'i. It looks like you've won the vote. Park it is."

"Hooray!" exclaimed the girl, leaping to her feet and charging off down the corridor. Her voice tinkled as she vanished out of view. "I'm going to get my things!"

Starfire shook her head, resting her chin on her hand. Her jade eyes glared at Nightwing playfully. "She gets this stubbornness from you, my love."

"Stubbornness? She called a vote and won everyone on side!"

"And her controlling tendencies," chipped in Raven, her eyes firmly on the page. She was definitely smirking this time, her lips clearly upturned at the corners.

Nightwing's face coloured red in an instant. "Wha-hey! I am not controlling, Raven! Take that back!"

"And your temper," added Garfield, delighted to be playing along. It was like coming home again, and he felt comforted. All of the earlier anxiety he was experiencing seemed to melt away as he interacted with his oldest friends. Nightwing put the paper down, glaring at the changeling but offering no response. Eventually, he looked at Cy expectantly.

"Anything you want to add, seeing as everyone's has it out for me today?"

"And your suspicious mind," replied the cybernetic man, never missing a beat. Everyone at the table burst into laughter, the atmosphere shifting in an instant.

Nightwing couldn't help but smile, even if the laughs were at his expense. It was good to have his family back together after all this time.

The park near Wayne Manor wasn't far, and it was clear that Mar'i had been several times before. She dashed over to the children's play area, her dark hair flowing behind her. Starfire was hot on her heels, watching that she didn't create too much of a fuss given her powers.

Nightwing, Cyborg and Garfield walked slowly down one of the many paths watching the young girl's antics as her mother tried desperately to contain her excitement.

"Nothing quite like an excited Tameranean," said Nightwing, a slight tinge of tiredness in his voice. Cyborg guffawed, clapping the dark-haired man on the back.

"Well, maybe it's a bit of payback for all the times we had to supress Kori over the years."

Nightwing snorted, shaking his head. "Whilst that's true, now I have two of them to contain at any given moment."

Gar chuckled appreciatively but didn't offer any comment. He was taken with how beautiful and peaceful it was at the park given how close they were to Gotham. There were small birds chirping in the trees, a bunch of them all clustered together in a lower hedge. The changeling paused, suddenly engaged with their talking until a quiet voice at his side broke his thoughts.

"Can you understand what they're saying?"

Gar turned quickly, ears twitching at being caught off guard. Raven's pale face was tilted inquisitively, her amethyst eyes curious. She held her book in her arm, her hood down on her cloak to reveal her lilac hair. When he didn't respond, she gestured to the hedge line with her free hand. "The birds, I mean."

"Huh? Oh, uh...y-yeah," stammered out the shapeshifter, feeling crimson rising to his cheeks. It was almost as though he had reverted to being sixteen years old in an instant. Taking a deep breath, he straightened his back and tried to regain some semblance of control. "They're arguing."

"Really?" replied Raven, sounding genuinely interested. "What are they arguing about?"

"Well," began Gar, pointing at the red berries that were protruding on the ends of each branch. "They're all claiming dibs on the food and are arguing about who it belongs to."

Raven let out a light laugh, her eyes shining. The sound was like music to the changeling's ears. She pointed to a smaller yellow bird, who was nipping at a few berries. "This guy has the right idea. Less arguing, more eating."

"Right."

There was a silence between them as they watched the interplay between the birds for a few moments. Gar would almost have felt at peace next to her, if it wasn't for the strange emotions and thoughts biting at his mind. Clearly sensing the strain of the quiet moment Raven cleared her throat, tucking a strand of violet hair behind her ear absently.

"So, yesterday," she tried, her voice still low and still without emotion. "You mentioned Amara."

Gar felt his stomach plummet. Whilst he'd known this was coming, he still felt the awkwardness seeping over him and crawling up his spine. Yet he couldn't gauge why he was reacting in this way. It was as though he was disgusted with himself but couldn't pinpoint why. He swallowed. "I did."

"You said you'd learned to meditate," pressed Raven, turning her eyes away from the birds and looking at him. Gar nodded, not meeting her eye.

"I did."

"So I was right," countered the empath, raising her eyebrow. "You were just messing with me."

"I wasn't, Amara did teach me to meditate!" exclaimed Gar looking at her, realising a moment too late that he'd fallen straight into her trap. A ghost of a smile passed her lips as she claimed her victory. He let out a deep sigh and brushed his fingers through his hair. "Damn it, Rae."

"You're getting slow."

Gar snorted, before blinking at her and putting his hands in his pockets. They turned and started to walk towards the rest of the group slowly. He tried to formulate the words in his mind. Stick to the facts, that was the best. No emotions. "All right, yes. Like I said, Amara taught me how to meditate."

"Hmm."

Gar glanced at her, his emerald eyes flashing. "What, you want me to give you a lesson?"

Raven looked back at him, the amusement evident on her face. "Garfield, in the nicest possible way, I'm certain there is nothing you could teach me about meditation."

"But you still don't believe me?"

"No comment."

Gar rolled his eyes again, chuckling under his breath. "You always were hard to please."

"And you always played pranks," shot back Raven, quickly. She switched hands with the book, still keeping pace with him.

"Not anymore," laughed Gar, openly. He looked up to see the other two men with Star at the edge of the play area. Mar'i was on the swings, kicking her feet up and laughing joyfully. The sight brought happiness to his chest. "Amara taught me some mindfulness meditation. It helps with my...innate animal problems."

Raven was silent, looking over at him again and then back to the floor. "I see."

"They were a bit out of control after I left," explained Gar, feeling the awkwardness creeping up his neck again. "But I've found it helps me to keep a check on things."

"I see," repeated Raven, impassively. Despite being void of emotion, interest was still in her voice. "What do you do?"

"Well, I get into a comfortable position and focus on my breathing. I think about what I'm feeling where and why. Then I follow my breathing for five minutes or so. I try to close with kindness to myself and each and every animal that's with me."

Raven's eyebrows raised. "Hmm."

"Ah," replied Gar, understanding her reaction in an instant. "I forgot you're not good at being kind to yourself at the best of times."

Raven rolled her eyes at his comment, but a small smile was on her face nonetheless. Gar knew he had entrapped her just as she had done to him earlier and tried not to look smug. Instead, he silently waited for her reply.

"Well, that's not important. It sounds like it works for you," the woman eventually replied, brushing her hair out of her eyes as a breeze blew past. "And that's all that matters."

"I guess so."

Another tense moment of silence. They were almost with the group, and both of them knew that Gar had still evaded explaining who the mysterious meditation teacher was. As they approached the gathering, Raven made a final comment.

"Well, Amara sounds like a good teacher. I'm glad she was able to help you where I could not."

Gar felt a pang in his chest, as though the empath had taken a blade and stabbed him with it. The iciness of the comment wasn't lost on him, and he felt as though he deserved it in some ways. Still it made him feel angry and sad all at the same time. He abruptly stopped walking, and Raven also stopped looking over at him.

"That wasn't fair, Raven," Gar replied, quietly. His emerald eyes fell onto hers, and for a moment all of the strange feelings dissipated. "You know it wasn't."

"Wasn't it?" replied Raven, her eyes full of a sadness that was so tangible he could almost reach out and touch it. Gar shook his head resolutely, as the empath spoke again. "You left us. Left me. I couldn't help you. That's what happened."

Oh Raven, you'll never understand this.

"It wasn't like that."

"Wasn't it?" asked Raven, her voice lifting slightly with a hint of anger. "Then how was it, Gar?"

"Look, Rae. Don't blame yourself for my choices. You didn't fail me because you couldn't help me control my powers. There was a lot going on back then."

Raven's eyes faltered, her nose wrinkling as she frowned. "I'm an empath, a healer. I should have been able to help you."

Gar suddenly became aware of the guilt she was carrying and felt his own sadness rising up. "It wasn't your fault."

"Somehow I know it was," muttered Raven, her eyes looking up to his. She shrugged, violet orbs brimming with tears. The sight surprised the changeling slightly. "You left and you never even said goodbye. You never wrote and we barely saw you ever again. You just...disappeared."

Gar sniffed, feeling his own emotions surfacing. He pushed them down resolutely. There was no way to make her understand. It would only hurt her further. There was nothing to do now but to alleviate her guilt. "I'm sorry. But if anyone here is at fault, it's me. Not you."

Raven gave a smirk at the sentiment, the tears vanishing as she pulled her metaphorical mask firmly back on. As if to emphasise the point, she reached out and pulled her hood up. Gar gave her a soft look, knowing she was trying to regain some composure. She took a breath before speaking again, voice monotone and low. "It's just...I thought we were friends."

"We were...we are friends, Rae," amended the changeling, reaching out and placing his hand on her shoulder, unsure who he was reassuring. He let out a deep breath of his own. "The truth is Amara was only able to help this past year. I've spent a long time trying to work everything out. I'm sure she wouldn't have been able to help me out ten years ago either. It was really, really complicated."

Raven shrugged, eyes looking down again. The glimmer of authenticity was gone, as quickly as it had appeared. "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better anyway. That's all that matters. And I'm happy you met someone like Amara to help you when you needed it most."

"She's been...pretty great," admitted Gar, although the words felt like poison on his tongue. He couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that rose in him as he mentioned her name. He tried to remember her face, her hair, her eyes. Focus on the affection he felt for her. Anything to take away the grimy feeling seeping over him.

"You love her," said Raven suddenly, as though she had read it on a piece of paper. Gar felt his heart hammering, as he released her shoulder and the empath glanced back upwards. "She's your...partner?"

"Girlfriend," amended Gar, feeling sick. Raven's eyes were looking at him intently, and he felt himself drawn back into those strange emotions again. The way her pale skin glowed, her full, peachy lips, her scent...

Raven nodded, dispassionately. Her words broke the spell. "You deserve to be happy, Gar."

"Hey, look at me!" came a cry from the play area, causing both the empath and the changeling to look over in unison. Mar'i was sending the swing over the top of the bar, doing full 360-degree rotations as she squealed in glee. Starfire leapt over the gate and ran across to chide her as the other parents and children looked aghast. The sight was one of hilarity, but all Garfield could feel was the intense pain in his chest, as though it was tearing in two.

Although Raven hadn't said it openly, she seemed troubled somehow. But as the changeling's memories of ten years ago resurfaced, he buried his guilt instantly. This was how it needed to be, for both of them.

It was for the best.

Review replies:

OfHerDarkWays: Thank you!

Mr. Ursine: Yes - fairly so! I will my best to update it as often as I can alongside my jobs/family life. Hope you enjoyed this installment :)

TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne: That made me chuckle! :D

TomoMoon1: She is! I hope you enjoyed the chapter :)

GolemXIV: Absolutely adorably terrifying - agreed! Imagine what puberty will be like...! So glad you're in for the ride :)

Sanzojoe: Thank you - hope it feels a little more intense after this chapter too :)

Chaotic Ecstacy: Haha, don't die from suspense! Hope you enjoyed.

teamLiEvansDragneel: Ah, Amara is there for the angst. I'm a sucker for happy endings, all will be revealed, don't worry! :)

Eris: Thank you so much! I can neither confirm nor deny anything you've said...yet :) Hope you have enjoyed this chapter.

emaribermudes0: Thanks. I hope you enjoyed the update :)