A/N: It's here! Finally! After a miserable two weeks waiting for my computer to be fixed, it came back, and I finished chapter 9! Sorry for the delay. Sometimes the situation is completely out of my hands.

And now, without further ado, I present...

Mistletoe

Chapter 9

"Hey Raven? You okay?"

Robin cautiously approached Raven, who was sitting on the roof of the Mayor's mansion, looking out into space at the stars. She turned to look at him.

"You look weird in your uniform without your mask on," Raven remarked dryly, before turning again to look at the sky.

"Are you okay, Raven?" Robin asked again.

Raven sighed. "Yeah."

"Why aren't you down at the ball?" Robin asked, moving closer to her. "I know it's not because you don't know how to dance."

Raven laughed. "I know."

"Then why aren't you?" Robin asked. "It's not because of me, is it?"

"Not really," Raven said quietly. "I just needed to get away from it all to think for a while."

"Mind if I join you?" Robin asked, holding his breath hopefully.

"Go ahead."

Robin smiled and seated himself beside Raven on the slanted roof, overlooking the river that surrounded the Titan's island and the city on the opposite bank. Taking a deep breath, Robin relaxed a bit, and looked around at his surroundings.

He could see the moon and star's reflections glimmer in the cool water below. He could see the city, its lights glittering and sparkling against the empty darkness of the sky. He could see Titan's tower, its yellow windows bright against the vast blackness of the night. As he turned to face the sky, he could see the stars and part of the full moon illuminated space, twinkling gently.

"Kind of relaxing, isn't it?" Raven remarked softly from his side.

Robin turned to see Raven reclined on the roof, supporting herself with her hands and looking up into the night sky.

She, like Robin, had not bothered to change back into formal eveningwear, opting instead to remain in her uniform in case something else went wrong. Her cloak rippled gently as a slight breeze blew by, caressing Raven's loose hair, making locks of it dance behind her in the soft winds. A cloud moved, letting the moon peak out to illuminate her face. Raven sighed gently and closed her eyes, simply reveling in the peaceful calm of the night. Robin was struck with how beautiful she looked. She just looked so much in her element it was breathtaking, and Robin's mind temporarily shut down, focusing fully on the task of memorizing every detail of Raven's beauty.

Raven took a deep breath and sighed. Robin realized she was about to speak.

"I lost control of my emotions back there," Raven said softly, still looking deep into space. "I know I shouldn't have. One of them just took over. I was too embarrassed to show myself at the party again."

"It's okay, Raven," Robin said, trying to comfort her. "Everyone knows that one of your emotions can take over and cause havoc every once in a while. We understand that. There's no reason to be embarrassed."

"I know they know that," Raven said, sighing. "I'm not flustered about what my emotions did."

"Then what are you embarrassed about?" Robin asked, slightly confused.

Raven sighed again, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly while Robin patiently waited for an answer.

"I'm embarrassed about what they were," Raven said quietly.

Robin jerked his head abruptly to look at Raven, who was staring determinedly into space.

"It's we were having such a nice time and then Cinderblock came and ruined it all," Raven said, rushing. "And then we were fighting him and he was about to crush you and I just lost it and started flinging things at him as hard as I could and I couldn't stop myself..."

"You lost control of your emotions because of me?" Robin asked, amazed, cutting off her tirade.

Raven sighed, slowing herself down. "Yeah," she said.

"Which of your emotions objected strongly enough to me being crushed to take over your body?" Robin asked. "And don't even try to deny that one took over. I saw your eyes change color like they always do when that happens."

Raven sighed deeply, and turned to look at Robin. He noticed her eyes were flecked with the light purple that he had seen there when she had lost control during the fight. Raven took a deep breath.

"Love," she said quietly.

Robin felt himself gasp internally, as his heart realized with shock what she meant.

"Look, it's okay if you don't feel the same," she said hastily. "It's just you asked and I just can't help but feel what I feel and I know it's kind of soon and all but..."

"Raven," Robin interrupted. "It's okay."

"No it's not," Raven insisted, rambling on. "I've put you in an awkward position and I'm sorry and..."

"Raven," Robin said softly, placing a finger lightly on her lips, silencing her. He leaned close to her, his nose touching hers. "I love you too," he whispered.

He heard Raven gasp just before his lips met hers in a soft kiss.

Robin pulled back almost immediately to gauge her reaction. Raven was looking at him in wonderment, her fingers tracing her lips lightly. She gaped at him, astonished, and Robin smiled. Suddenly, Raven yanked him toward her, and he felt his heart leap in his chest as he felt her press her lips to his.

Robin felt electricity shoot through his body from the contact. He closed his eyes and gently cupped her face in his gloved hand, kissing her softly. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. He tenderly kissed her back.

They broke for breath, having temporarily forgotten to breathe in the heat of the moment.

"I love you," Raven whispered, rubbing her nose against Robin's. "I love you I love you I love y-" her words were abruptly broken off as Robin kissed her again.

Robin loved Raven, and he loved hearing her say she loved him back. He kissed her deeply, nibbling on her lips a bit before tentatively running his tongue on her bottom lip, silently requesting access to her mouth, which she granted.

Robin's tongue eagerly invaded her mouth and caressed her own, causing her to moan into his mouth. She began moving her tongue as well then, and then Robin couldn't think clearly anymore.

After a bit, they pulled back, breathing heavily.

"How come you didn't lose control of your emotions?" Robin asked, holding Raven against him, her head on his shoulder.

"No idea," Raven said, pulling back to face Robin, her face flushed. "Maybe I did and we just can't see the damage. But I don't think I lost control."

"Really?" Robin asked hopefully.

"Really," Raven confirmed.

"You're not close to losing control?" Robin asked, smiling. "That means we don't have to stop this, do we?"

"Everything's under control," Raven said, smiling. A sly smirk crossed her face. "Unless you're addressing the fact that you make me want to lose control of my body and simply ravage you right here on the roof..."

Robin cut her off with another deep sensual kiss, and Raven was only too happy to participate in the abrupt change of subject as well.

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"Dick! Raven!" the mayor said strongly, as Robin and Raven descended the stairs from the roof into the hallway. "Where've you two been?"

Robin glanced at Raven. "Around," he remarked, deliberately being vague. Raven smirked.

"Well, it's a good thing you're back!" he exclaimed. "Bruce was just about to hand out gifts!"

"He has enough gifts for everyone?" Raven asked, astonished.

"They're more like party favors," Robin explained. "He gives out little things like wreaths, ornaments, and poinsettias. It's nothing big or extravagant."

"Oh, I get it," Raven said.

"You had better hurry!" the mayor said. "Come on, it's this way!" He strode off down the hall, Robin and Raven following him. He led them into a large living room decorated with an enormous and ornate Christmas tree. Bruce was sitting beside it, a large pile of metallic colored boxes surrounding him, and all the guests from the ball crowded around him.

"He looks like Santa Claus," Robin remarked quietly, causing Raven to laugh.

"There's one per couple," the mayor explained. "They're not addressed, so you can just go take a random one from him."

"Do you want to go get ours?" Robin asked, turning to Raven.

"Sure," Raven said. She walked over towards the large cluster of people. Robin walked over to a corner, and leaned against it, facing the room. Robin watched her walk over.

"Raven doesn't look normal," Robin thought suddenly, regarding her closely as she waited in line to get their gift.

It was true. Although Raven was wearing her uniform like she always did, there was something hardly noticeable about her that had changed. It was as if she was carrying herself differently, holding her head higher, or some other tiny change.

Robin watched closely as Raven took a long gold-colored box from Bruce and thanked him. As she came towards him, a faint smile on her lips, Robin still couldn't figure it out.

"Is there something different about you?" Robin asked casually as Raven reached him.

"Not that I know of," Raven responded, raising an eyebrow in her trademark expression. "Why?"

"You look different for some reason," Robin remarked. Raven smirked.

"For your sake, I'll take that as a compliment," she responded. Robin laughed.

"Forget it. Let's see what we got," he said, reaching for the box.

"I probably picked something bad," Raven said, smiling a bit as Robin lifted the lid.

"Oh, I don't know," Robin said innocently, withdrawing a branch of mistletoe from the box. "I think it's perfect. Don't you?" He held the plant above their heads.

Raven laughed. "Oh, I'm not sure," she said, planting an obviously fake serious expression on her face. "Whatever shall we do with it?"

"I have a few ideas," Robin said softly, smiling as he grabbed Raven and held her close to him, her face a hair's breadth from his.

Raven laughed softly. "You make me so happy, Robin," she exclaimed quietly. "I don't know how I've survived without you for so long." As Raven pressed her lips to his, Robin realized something.

"She's happy! That's why she looks so different! She's never been happy before!" Robin thought, the revelation abruptly crashing into his mind. He unconsciously smiled against Raven's mouth. "I make Raven happy!"

The two continued kissing in the corner, both smiling, completely lost in each other.

Bruce Wayne smiled at them from across the room. "You owe me five bucks," he said, nudging Alfred, who was standing beside his chair.

"Yes, sir," Alfred said, chuckling.

"I can barely believe it. Our little Dick is growing up," Bruce said, sighing.

"That he is, sir," Alfred remarked, watching as the two moved to embrace each other tightly. "That he is."

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Don't you just love fluff? .:smiles:. I'll probably add an epilouge after this, and then that's it! .:sighs:.

Remeber, please review!!!!!!!