CharmedPrincess101: I hope this chapter lives up to expectations!
Guest: It makes me so happy to hear that my story is worth a re-read. That's a great compliment.
AwesomeRockStar101: I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much! And yeah, Cyborg just ruined the proposal, but don't worry, I have something very special planned for that. Something very special indeed… You'll just have to keep reading to find out what.
FanficsOP: It does feel like this year went by so quickly! It's hard to imagine I only have one more month after this! I'm going to miss this story. But yay for binging!
Raven and Garfield had been back in the field for a little over a month now, and things had been going almost perfectly. They'd been adapting to their new powers quite well. They'd been assisting in hostile situations and earning their place on the Titans' roster once again. It had been a good month…until now.
Raven brushed debris, sweat, and blood out of her right eye as she stared up at the wreckage of what was once a bank. Her entire body ached as she struggled to get herself back onto her feet. All she wanted was to lie down, to catch her breath for a few minutes, but her dust-hazed eyes caught sight of Robin through the rubble.
He was on his own, battling Cinderblock as best he could. But she could tell he was exhausted, that each block came slower than the last. It would only be a matter of time before he mis-stepped and took a bone-crushing blow.
Starfire was buried under rubble to Robin's left, where Cyborg was desperately using every last reserve of energy to dig her out. The cybernetic powerhouse was cursing, his arms trembling as he attempted to lift a support beam out of the way.
And Garfield…where was Garfield? She hadn't seen him since the explosion that had taken down half of the two-story building. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stumbled, fell to a knee, and forced herself upright again. Where was Gar?
Through the dust, she saw a swirl of blackness and realized it was Garfield's soul self. He was using it to help Cyborg free Starfire. So he was all right. Her other half was okay. She breathed a sigh of relief and the fear in her chest eased as she caught sight of him in the doorway to the bank's restroom.
That was right. As the bomb went off, she remembered seeing him thrown back into the bathroom, his body going through the door. It was the last thing she'd seen before part of the wall came down on top of her.
None of them had been expecting what they faced today. A group of no named thugs had decided that the best way to rob a bank was to lure Cinderblock in to do damage. Once the massive villain was in destructive mode, they could blow a hole in the bank's vault and make off with the money.
Only they hadn't expected the Titans to arrive so quickly. And they hadn't tested out the strength of their explosives. It had been too much explosion, not enough control. Total chaos had ensued. And the (for once) innocent villain was now nothing more than a violent distraction. He was flailing about in a panic, destroying anything in his path. He'd obviously not been a part of the heist and was confused by the explosion. In a panic, he was more violent than ever. And Robin was having a hard time restraining the giant.
Now that she knew Garfield was safe, Raven was able to better focus. She pushed a large chunk of cement away from her leg and started in Robin's direction. He seemed to be the teammate that needed the most assistance at the moment.
When she was only a few paces away, she shifted into the shape of a panther. Timing her jump, she managed to run up the villain's thigh. She jumped to his arm, then raced up his shoulder. Once near his ear, she growled, hoping the aggressive sound would distract him.
It worked.
Cinderblock's attention was suddenly riveted on her, giving Robin a chance to breathe. The villain spun in a circle, his massive arms reaching, trying to dislodge her.
Raven held on with all of her might, merely attempted to keep him busy while the others regrouped. Knowing she needed more than a panther to stall Cinderblock, she transformed into a gorilla.
The gorilla had really been Garfield's signature move, so she tried to avoid it when possible, but he was right—it was so dang useful!
Now in gorilla form, she pounded at Cinderblock's head, smashing bulky fists down at his skull…or what she assumed would be a skull if he had one. She wasn't quite sure.
While she had Cinderblock distracted, Robin did a back handspring, flipping away from them. In an instant, he was beside Garfield and Cyborg, helping as they pulled an unconscious Starfire from the rubble.
Raven momentarily froze, shocked by the sight. What manner of force would it take to knock Starfire out? The woman was immeasurably strong. A building falling on her, Raven thought dryly. That is the type of force.
But, thankfully, Starfire was stirring. She blinked her eyes open, then sat up with a gasp.
Robin had her by the elbow, helping her as she forced herself to her feet. "Are you all right, Star?" There was worry in his voice, the type of worry only expressed by someone in love.
Starfire reached out and cupped Robin's cheek. "I am fine, Robin. Do not worry." With that, she flitted into the air, zooming off to assist an elderly woman trying to make her way to the exit.
Robin nodded, the tension easing from his face. An instant later, he was back to being their leader instead of a concerned boyfriend. He turned toward Raven, intent on returning to help, but then his eyes widened. "Raven, look out!"
Before she could reaction, one of Cinderblock's massive hands wrapped around her neck. With a roar, he hurled her through the air. Her body collided with Robin's, returning to its human form due to her being startled—just as Gar had assured her it always would—and the two of them toppled to the ground. "Sorry." She panted out an apology, embarrassed at having been distracted by the sight of an unconscious Starfire. But then again—so had he.
"It's fine. Let's just…"
She was already climbing to her feet, turning toward Cinderblock.
But Robin reached up and grabbed her arm, halting her. "No." He shook his head, his eyes on the villain as Cinderblock lumbered toward the exit. "This wasn't his fight. He's just trying to get out of here like everyone else. Let him go." He inclined his head toward the crumbling building. "Work on helping civilians make it outside. This whole building is structurally unsafe. Get everyone out. That's our new mission."
Raven stared after Cinderblock, her instincts telling her to chase him. But Robin was right. This wasn't his heist. The people responsible for this mess were buried under concrete, needing rescued like everyone else. For once, their battle wasn't a fight. It was helping injured people in a terrifying situation.
She nodded, her eyes scanning the scene. There were still a lot of people lingering about, many refusing to leave the side of trapped loved ones. Dust thickened the air, making it hard to see, making it hard to breathe. Still, she knew she had a job to do.
Her gaze landed on a young woman kneeling on the ground with tears streaming down her dirt-stained face. She was at the side of a man whose leg was pinned beneath a chunk of concrete.
With a little salute to Robin, Raven raced in their direction. When she was nearly upon them, she transformed into an elephant. Curving her tusks under the stone, she lifted her head. The concrete was heavy and she knew she'd be drained by the end of this missions, but she managed to free the trapped man.
He scooted to safety, where his girlfriend wrapped him in a tight hug before helping him carefully to his feet. He grimaced and used her shoulder for support, but otherwise, he looked unharmed.
Raven lowered the concrete back to the ground and returned to her normal form.
The instant she did, the couple crowded in on her, each grabbing one of her arms, asking how they could ever repay her. They showered her with gratitude and thanks that had her blinking in surprise.
Raven did her best to extricate her arms without knocking the injured man over. Her old powers had kept her in the background, mostly away from civilians. But now that she had Gar's powers, she needed to actually physically touch something to move it. There was no more hiding in the background. People were now noticing her. It was alarming.
"Um…you're welcome," she said uncomfortably. She knew this was what Gar dealt with on a constant basis, but she couldn't for the life of her understand why he liked it so much. People. Social interaction. It sent a shiver down her spine. "You two should really get to safety."
Baffled at the looks of adoration on their faces—the public did not like her that much—she spun back toward the mess that was their current situation.
She turned just in time to see something that stopped her heart cold.
There was a kid—a little girl. She looked no more than four. She was crying, stumbling around lost. And above her, a large chunk of loose rubble shifted. The moment it started rolling, Raven knew she would be the only one able to get to the girl. She was the closest. But she also knew she wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time. The piece was too large, nearly the size of a filing cabinet. Even if she turned into something bulky…well, the falling structure had knocked Starfire out. What would it do to her?
Despite this, Raven knew she didn't have a choice. She couldn't watch the girl die without trying. Adrenaline and fear pumping in her veins, she took off. She watched the falling rock even as she raced toward it. She watched its descent, knowing there was a good chance she only had a few moments left to live.
Then her eyes trained on the little girl. The fear on her tiny face. "No!" The scream tore from her lips, sounding choked and painful. She was so close…so close. As the cement came tumbling down toward her head, Raven did the only thing she could. She slid on her knees, reaching the girl's side at the last possible second. Then she curled her arms protectively around the child, cocooning the girl in her embrace. She ducked her head down over the girl's, eyes squeezed tightly shut, doing everything in her power to protect her as she awaiting the crushing blow.
Only it never came. After a good thirty seconds, she blinked her eyes open and lifted her head in confusion.
That was when she saw Gar. His arms were thrown out toward them, his face strained with effort. His gaze was concentrated on a spot above her head.
Glancing up, Raven saw the massive chunk of building hovering just above her head, trembling and shaking in mid-air.
"Get out of there," he grunted, his voice weighed down with stress and effort.
Eyes wide, Raven clutched the girl to her chest and awkwardly scooted backward out of the way. Her feet scrabbled against loose rubble, but she managed to get them out of the path of the stone. A moment later, it crashed to the ground.
Raven sat stunned, staring at the thing that nearly killed her. If Gar had been a moment later… If he hadn't seen… Her chest tightened at the thought.
"Amelia!"
Raven glanced up as a frightened woman hurried in their direction. She was limping and there was a large cut on her forehead. It was obvious she'd just been freed from some of the rubble herself.
"Oh, Amelia!" The woman fell to her knees in front of them and the little girl lunged into her arms. The two cried, their sobs hitting Raven's ears as she remained seated, still stunned by what had just occurred.
The woman finally composed herself and reached out to grab Raven's wrist. "You saved my daughter. You saved her."
"I…"
"You and Beast Boy. You saved her."
"He…" Raven trailed off. Telling the woman that Gar no longer went by the name Beast Boy felt somewhat inappropriate at the moment. "It's…it's our job…"
"This went above and beyond doing your job. There is no thanks that could ever be enough. I owe you my life. My daughter's life." Then the woman did something completely unexpected. She reached out and hugged Raven tightly.
Raven was so startled she jumped. She'd never been hugged before by anyone other than Gar…and Starfire on occasion. It wasn't something she'd expected. But it was…surprisingly nice. "It's okay." She hugged the woman in return, suddenly understanding exactly why Gar liked this so much. She'd never connected with a civilian like this before, never felt their genuine gratitude. "You don't owe me anything. I'm just glad I was there to help."
"You are an angel, Miss Raven. An angel." Still crying, the woman hugged her tighter before finally climbing to her feet, clutching her daughter against her chest. "We will never forget what you've done for us." Then, she headed for the exit, for safety.
An angel? An angel. Raven was part demon. Part evil. No one had ever compared her to an angel before. It was startling to say the least. The gratitude was startling. The emotions. The positivity. All of it.
Climbing to her feet, she turned to find Starfire carrying an unconscious man toward paramedics that now waited at the edge of the rubble.
"This is the last one," Starfire informed her. "One of bank robbers…or should I say attempted robbers." She shook her head in disapproval. "They buried themselves under rubble as well. Foolish men." With that, she flew off, getting the man medical attention despite the fact that he'd caused this entire debacle.
Turning away from her friend, Raven sought out Garfield. It took her a moment, but she found him.
He stood amidst the rubble, gazing around himself as if to check and make certain they'd gotten everyone out. Dirt streaked his cheek and he lifted an arm to wipe sweat away from his brow with a forearm. He was a dirty, filthy mess. Even so, he'd never looked more attractive to her.
Crossing the distance between them, she swallowed thickly at the realization that he'd saved her life. That happened with teammates from time to time, but this one had rocked her to her core. She'd been willing to die just so a child didn't have to alone, but he'd saved them both.
Reaching his side, she threw herself into his arms. Her hand cupped his cheeks and she pressed her lips firmly to his. She held him tightly, not caring who watched, not caring who saw.
His arms slipped easily around her waist, and when he parted his lips ever so slightly, she deepened the kiss. She kissed him with everything in her, not wanting to let him go. He'd saved her life.
She was suddenly hit with the intensity of what it truly meant to be a hero. She'd never been on this side of things before. But there was no denying it—he was her hero. It was something she would never question and never forget.
She abruptly understood how civilians sometimes got infatuated with super heroes, because she had a mega infatuation of her own right now. She'd stopped thinking of him as a boy a long while ago, but there was something so masculine in the way his body fit to hers, the way his strong arms held her. When had he gotten so…manly?
Her fingers slid up into his hair, caressing his scalp, and he offered a low groan of appreciation. His arms tightened around her, pulling her lower body closer to his.
"Hey, you two…I hate to break up what is obviously meant to be a private moment, but…you guys are giving the news crews quite a show."
At Cyborg's warning, Raven got ahold of herself. She broke the kiss and withdrew from Gar's arms. As she slowly pulled back, she let her fingers travel down his arm. "I love you," she whispered.
His eyes darkened with arousal, with awareness at her words. "You too." He kissed her knuckles quickly before releasing her and moving off to help Starfire assist the paramedics.
Wrapping her arms around her waist, she watched him go. Her heart was still pounding in her chest. This battle had been different than any other in the past few years. It had shaken Raven in a way she hadn't thought possible. It was the thought of losing a life, such a small and innocent life. Then it was the mother's deep gratitude. It was an emotional level Raven was not accustomed to. And then knowing she was with a man that would do anything to keep her safe, a man that stepped up when she was at her weakest to become the proverbial knight in shining armor… These were all things she would have rejected years ago. The fear, the emotions, the vulnerability. But there was no denying it. Try as she had to keep herself removed, she'd become human. She was a slave to her emotions just like any other. She felt compassion and fear…and love. Love more than any other emotion. And she wouldn't trade any of it. There was no going back. Not that she would even give it a second thought. For the first time in her life, she felt…human. And she embraced it greedily.
OOOOO
Raven sat in the OPS room after the team's usual morning workout. It was standard for them to review media coverage after they'd gotten in a training session. Robin always thought it was important for the team to understand what the public thought they were doing right—and even more importantly what they felt the Titans were doing wrong.
She had sat through many lectures about how the public found her standoffish and cold. She and Robin had also had many talks in the past about how she could come across as warmer. Many of those talks had ended with her giving him the middle finger. She'd always refused to play the part the public wanted from her. She was who she was.
But recently… Recently, the feedback was changing. It had gone from snarky criticism to outward praise. Somehow, in the last six months, she'd managed to become a role model. She wasn't sure how or when that had happened, but these meetings had been going a lot more different. They'd become almost bearable.
"This brings us to Cyborg's interview on Jump City, Today," Robin said with enthusiasm. He hit play on the remote in his hand and footage of Vic on the talk show filled the screen. "Great job. Not only did you represent the Titans in a positive light, you brought a lot of attention to the local engineering program you helped get underway. I heard after this bit, they received a hefty donation from one of Jump City's wealthier citizens."
Cyborg grinned, his expression one of obvious satisfaction. He took pride in the work he did for the community outside of being a super hero, and being recognized for that always put a smile on his face.
"Next up… Raven…" Robin hit a button and skipped to an unfortunate moment the previous morning where one of the gossip columnists had caught her unaware outside of her favorite bakery.
Raven watched with embarrassment as the reporter asked her if Garfield was still an animal in bed after losing his ability to shapeshift. It was a dirty question and meant to throw her off guard. And it had worked. She flinched as, on screen, her image responded.
"Um…sure?"
Robin sent her a pointed look. "Next time, the appropriate response is No Comment. We have young fans whose parents will find this inappropriate."
"Sorry, Robin," Raven grumbled. "She caught me off guard."
On screen, Starfire suddenly popped into view. "As Raven's best friend, I can assure you that her lovemaking with friend Garfield is more than the satisfying. She is most pleasant after their activities of coitus."
Robin paused the video and sent his girlfriend a look of disapproval. "Star, what have we said about oversharing?"
"Sorry, Robin," she said, her voice contrite.
"And finally," he said, changing to a new video. "This clip has been playing on every news channel in the city. It's also getting a lot of online hits on social media…"
On screen, a reporter smiled at the camera. "In other news, Jump City's cutest couple—"
"I don't know about cutest," Robin grumbled in annoyance.
"—are giving Jump City something to smile about. The public-favorite couple of Beast Boy and Raven saved the day when an explosion in a bank this afternoon nearly killed a young girl…"
Raven watched as, onscreen, the events from the day before played out. She watched herself slide across the floor to cradle the little girl, protecting her from that chunk of falling building. The video was frightening to watch, even knowing how it turned out. But it was unbelievably amazing for her to see Garfield in action. She watched in rapt fascination as he used a significant amount of power to stop falling cement moments before it crushed her and the child. The video then flicked to Raven hugging the girl's mother.
"There's nothing like a mother's thanks," the reporter continued, "but it was this moment of appreciation that melted all of our hearts…"
The video changed to one of Raven crossing the crumbling building with determination and throwing herself into Gar's arms. The kiss they'd shared filled the screen for her teammates to see.
Cringing, Raven averted her eyes from the scene. "I…I'm sorry?"
Robin turned off the television and gave her a look of surprise. "Sorry? Why sorry?" He shook his head with a little grin. "Raven, that might be the best footage I've ever seen of you. You save lives every day, but the public doesn't get to see the softer side of you very often. Seeing you with that mother…seeing you break down a bit and show some vulnerability…show need for another person…" He shrugged. "It was endearing. I've no complaints with that footage."
He paused, crossing his arms over his broad chest and eyeing her warily. "But it brings me to my next point…" He frowned ever so slightly. "I'm not the only one who caught that show. So did Control Freak. The warden says he's been requesting they play it on a loop." He paused, his brows knitting together in concern. "He's also requested to see the two of you later this afternoon."
Raven's heart leapt in her chest. Control Freak had been refusing to give Robin any answers after switching her and Gar's powers. He'd been silent, refusing to comment on anything, refusing to tell them if Cyborg was making any ground in repairing the broken weapon. He'd been smug and full of himself and…impossible.
He'd never once requested to see them. He'd never given any indication that he was willing or even knew how to switch them back. This was the first he'd ever shown any interest in them since the events that switched their powers a few months ago.
Jumping to his feet, Garfield marched toward the door. "Then what are we waiting for. Let's go talk to that freak."
OOOOO
Raven crossed the prison's visitation room toward the single occupant that waited at a table for her and Gar. She studied his dour expression, the grim surroundings. The place was barren of all cheer, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She wasn't used to seeing this side of things, and it was…rather depressing.
"Well, if it isn't the media's favorite couple," Control Freak said with disgust. Something close to a pout touched his lips and he crossed his arms over his chest.
Steeling herself, she slid into a seat opposite him and gave her best glare, not wanting him to see how nervous she actually was. "You're the one that called us here, not the other way around. What do you want?"
"I want out of here," he said gruffly.
"Then I guess you shouldn't have robbed that electronics store." Garfield lowered himself into the seat beside Raven. He automatically took her hand in his and placed them on the table in front of them, a subtle show of solidarity.
Control Freak's gaze shifted to their hands and his scowl deepened. "I want to cut a deal."
"No way—"
Raven cut Gar off. "What kind of deal?"
"I want out of here."
"You already said that," Gar said with irritation. "What are you looking to offer in exchange?"
"I can change you back."
Raven shared a glance with her boyfriend. They weren't exactly authorized to negotiate a plea bargain, but she didn't doubt Jump City's finest would do anything possible if it meant helping them get their powers returned to their proper places. Especially when Control Freak's sentence wasn't actually all that long. He hadn't stolen anything during the incident that got him locked up. All he'd really done is a lot of property damage.
"Who says we want changed back?" Gar asked casually. "I might be okay staying like this if it means you're still behind bars."
Raven's eyes widened at his bold statement. She knew they both wanted changed back, so she wasn't sure what he was going for with this.
"You want out? You change us back. And you pay for the property damage you caused."
"What? No way? Forget it. I'm not paying for—"
"Then we're done here." Gar took her hand and climbed to his feet.
She followed him, her heart racing at the sudden turn of events.
"All right! All right! I'll pay."
Smirking, Gar spun back around to face the man that considered him a nemesis. "I thought you might change your mind." Strolling back over, he slid into the seat he'd momentarily vacated. "Of course, we'll have to clear it with the JCPD. It's their call ultimately."
"Yeah. Whatever."
Raven watched the exchange with fascination and amusement. Gar had really taken control of the conversation, getting more out of this than they'd initially been hoping for. It was only right Control Freak pay for the damage instead of the store's insurance company. He'd been the one at fault, after all.
Still, there was one thing nagging her. "Why'd you do it?" she asked. "You didn't take anything from the store, and petty theft isn't your usual. It's like you were waiting for us to show up so you could blast us with that gun. Why?"
He turned his sour expression on her. "I wanted to…" He waved a hand at them. "Switch you guys all up. I figured once your lives weren't so damn perfect you'd wake up and ask yourself why you were dating a clown."
She blinked at him. "You held up a store and switched our powers in hopes I would…break up with Garfield?" The entire thing didn't make any sense to her.
"Maybe." Control Freak hesitated. Then seemingly unable to help himself, he added, "And once he was out of the picture, I thought maybe you'd turn your attention elsewhere. Maybe to someone who would worship you for the goddess you are."
"Are you referring to yourself?" She gaped at him in surprise.
"So wait…" Gar leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table as he stared at Control Freak in astonishment. "You devised this whole plan because you had a thing for Raven?"
Control Freak merely scowled, refusing to admit such to a thing, but they all knew the answer to Gar's question. He definitely had a thing. He'd been trying to win Raven's affections with his poorly devised plan.
They all sat silently absorbing this information until the villain's earlier insult seemed to finally sink in, causing Gar to glare darkly. "And I am not a clown."
Control Freak rolled his eyes before turning his attention to Raven. "Seriously. What do you see in this guy?"
Raven shrugged. "He makes me laugh." Any man with the skills to do that was a keeper, as she wasn't known to laugh often. Or ever.
"I could make you laugh," Control Freak said haughtily.
"But you're not even funny."
He scowled at her counter. "I could learn."
"I'm a hero," Raven said in bewilderment. "You're a villain."
"It's been known to work."
"No. It really hasn't. It would never work."
Control Freak sighed in annoyance. "I figured that out by the way you two were sucking face on television for all the world to see. If switching your powers didn't tear you apart…" He made a sound of annoyance. "Well, keeping you this way isn't much fun if it's not making you miserable. I might as well switch you back so I can get out of here."
"And you'll pay the property damages," Gar said firmly.
"Yes. Yes. I'll pay the property damages."
Raven smiled. "So we're getting switched back?"
Garfield reached out to take her hand once again. "We're getting switched back."
OOOOO
The sight of Control Freak sitting in their living room was the oddest thing Raven had seen in a long time. He looked so completely out of place and uncomfortable. Not that he shouldn't feel that way. He'd been a giant pain in their asses these past few months…not to mention all the other times he'd been a nuisance to the Titans. So yeah, he'd earned a little bit of discomfort.
Robin sat across from him, an aggressive and warning expression on his face. "No funny business, Freak. You made a deal."
Control Freak shot him a sour look. "I said I'd fix them. Just give me a couple minutes to concentrate." He fiddled with the device he'd used to switch their powers, pulling at internal wires and moving about components.
Cyborg stood over his shoulder, watching him work with interest. "Now why didn't I think of that?"
"Because you're not as smart as me," Control Freak said mockingly.
"Because you don't think like a criminal," Robin corrected.
"Semantics," Control Freak retorted.
Raven rolled her eyes at their bickering. "How much longer?" she asked impatiently.
"Almost…ready," Control Freak said distractedly as he fiddled with the casing of the weapon. Then suddenly he slammed the side back into place and lifted the weapon up for them to see. "There! It's ready."
Raven licked her lips and glanced at Gar. For months, they'd been waiting for this moment. The moment their powers were returned to them. Sure, she loved Garfield. And getting to see his world, his powers, firsthand definitely gave her a better insight into him. But she was ready to get back to normal, ready to get back to being her old self. She was more than eager to trade in the ability to purr for the ability to teleport.
Taking her hand, Garfield stood and walked her over to stand in Control Freak's direct line of sight. "So we just let you shoot us with that thing again and our powers return?"
"It's not as simple as that," he grumbled. "There's a lot of rewiring and switch settings involved, but that's the basic gist."
Gar's fingers tightened over Raven's. "Good. Then let's get this done."
Rolling his eyes, Control Freak lifted the weapon. His finger was tightening on the trigger, but he hesitated a moment, his gaze going to Raven. "You sure you're not into bad guys? We can be a lot of fun." He waggled his brows. "The two of us could have a lot of fun."
"I'm sure," she said dryly.
"Yeah. Yeah. That's what I figured." With a pout, Control Freak pulled the trigger on his weapon.
An instant later, Raven and Garfield were hit with a forceful blast. They were expecting it this time and had prepared. Both went flying onto the mattresses Robin had lined up on the floor behind them.
Despite the cushioning, Raven still landed hard. The wind was knocked out of her. Her body ached, and she was momentarily disoriented. Gar had landed nearby, and she reached a hand out to him, wanting to make certain he was all right. "How do you feel?" she asked breathlessly when his hand slid into hers.
"Like I need to get the license plate number of the bus that just hit me." With a groan, he dragged himself to a seated position. "Other than that, I'm not quite sure."
"Me either." She lifted a hand and stared at it, wondering what sort of powers ran through her. She was almost afraid to know. "Can you shapeshift?"
He paused, then shook his head. "No. I'm not—" Then he held up a hand. "Wait!" An instant later, a small pop filled the air and he suddenly turned into a green little mouse. Another pop followed, and he stared at her with wide, excited eyes. "It worked! Holy balls it worked!" A grin spread across his lips and he rapidly transformed into a flurry of green animals—a duck, a wolf, a snake, and lastly his infamous gorilla. When he finally returned to his human form, he was grinning so wide she worried it had to hurt. "I can't believe it worked. I honestly thought we were going to be stuck that way forever. I thought I'd never get to feel the wind in my fur again. I thought—"
Raven reached out with a hand—a hand made of her soul-self—and clamped it over his mouth, stopping his rambling. It felt so amazing to have the use of her powers again that she almost—almost—broke into excited chatter as well. Instead, she merely offered him a smile. "We're back."
OOOOO
Raven lay staring up at Gar's bedroom ceiling. Her heart was pounding violently in her chest, and her body felt boneless and spent. "That was…wow." She turned her head to gaze at him with appreciation. "That thing you did with your tongue…"
"That's called shapeshifting, baby."
"It was good." On his cocky grin, she rolled her eyes. Then she couldn't help but throw in another comment about his sexual skills in relation to his unique super hero abilities. "You know, I always used to assume you shifted your…uh…stuff to make it…bigger."
He sniggered and lifted up onto one elbow. "What?"
She felt a blush touching her cheeks, but she continued anyway. "Well…you're fairly well-endowed. But you were always the shortest of us, so I assumed…"
He shot her a mock look of disapproval. "First off, I'm taller than you now. I'm not so short anymore. And second off, I have never shapeshifted to give myself a bigger dick."
"I know. I was pleasantly surprised to find out your size in that department didn't change when you lost your ability to shapeshift." She giggled at the playfully scandalized expression on his face. "But while we're on the subject of being surprised…" She lifted a hand to delicately touch her throat. "You bit me."
His eyes widened, filling with guilt. "I…yeah." He cringed. "The animals didn't like being marked without having marked you as ours in return. I'd intended to talk to you about it first, but—"
She cut him off with a firm kiss. "I'm glad you did it."
"Wally is going to give us so much flack for this," he whispered against her lips.
"Let him." She kissed him again. "I refuse to be bothered by outside opinions. In fact, I don't think things could be any more perfect than they are right now."
"I could think of a way," he said.
The thickness of his voice, the sudden seriousness he usually lacked instantly drew her attention. She lifted her gaze to his, a question in her eyes. "Gar?"
He glanced toward his dresser and bit his lip. He seemed lost in thought for a moment. Then he grinned at her and shook his head. "Not the right time."
"Right time for what?"
Tapping her on the nose, he sat up in bed and swung his feet to the floor. "Ice cream. Ice would make this perfect. Timing be damned."
"Ice cream?" When he padded to the door, she gave a little squeak of protest. "Gar, you're naked. You're right. Not the right time."
He winked at her over his shoulder as he opened his bedroom door to the hall.
When he disappeared into the dark hallway, she yelped. Clutching his sheet to her chest, she hurried out after him. "Garfield Mark Logan! If Robin catches you naked in the kitchen, he is going to kick your ass."
"Is he now?" Beast Boy—it felt so good to be able to think of him as Beast Boy again—waggled his eyebrows as he entered the empty kitchen and crossed to the refrigerator. He tugged open the freezer and tossed her a carton of ice cream.
Raven caught it, very careful not to drop the sheet, and glanced down at the container. "This is Robin's ice cream…"
"And I intend to eat it off of you." He snatched a spoon out of the drawer and popped it into his mouth. Rubbing his hands together eagerly, he nodded in the direction of his bedroom.
Shaking her head at his unnecessary risk taking, she led the way back to his room. Despite her grim expression, she felt heat rush to her core at the thought of Garfield licking ice cream off of her naked body. "Fine. But if you get me all sticky, I'm getting a shower."
"Oh, I plan on it, Rae Rae. I plan on it."
Smirking, she entered his room once again, thinking that she had indeed been right. Life didn't get much better than this.