Disclaimer: I do not and never will own the Teen Titans.

A/N: I apologize for the wait, school has been rather time consuming. Hopefully I'll have the fourth chapter up in a couple of weeks. BTW, thanks for all the wonderful comments! () I hope you like the chapter!!

Not A Part Of The Plan

Chapter Three

Robin paced in the hall way, a couple of feet away from the living entrance. 'I can do this' he silently encouraged, as he paused in his step to glance at the door. He knew Starfire was in there watching TV and Cyborg and Beastboy were in the kitchen putting together a late lunch, so there would be no disruptions from those two.

He wanted things perfect. So with a lot of practicing and a bunch of revisions of words to say, he finally felt ready--at least as ready as he would ever be. 'Ok, guess it's now or never'. With a deep breath, Robin stepped forward and the door swished open.

x x x

Raven stretched as she exited her bedroom. She grew restless of mediation and was on the verge of finding her misplaced novel. Her stomach softly growled and she decided to fetch her half eaten sandwich as well. Reaching the entrance of the living room, the door opened revealing Robin and Starfire. Realizing Robin was obviously in the moment of asking the redhead out, she was relieved to see they didn't notice her presence. Deciding to make her way to the kitchen unnoticed, Raven quietly walked toward the kitchen door--she'll get her book later.

I--um," started Robin as he shifted the weight on his feet. "I really like your outfit today. You look nice."

Starfire gave Robin a slight puzzled look at she gazed down at her clothes. "Thank you, Robin, but it is not the same uniform I have always been wearing. Or has something changed and I have not noticed." Robin shut his eyes and silently cursed himself as Starfire looked at her outfit trying to find something new about it.

Raven stopped in her step, just a centimeter before the censors. 'He can't be serious' her mind cried as she turned around to see Robin rub the back of his neck and stutter over something to say. She heard "eyes" and "really green". 'Maybe he did need her help'

"Um, Starfire," Raven called out, gaining both hers and Robin's attention. "Can you do me a favor and get the sandwich I asked you to put away? I can't find it."

"I would be more than happy to retrieve your wich of sand for you, friend Raven," nodded Starfire with a smile. "Robin, I hope you do not mind. I will return in--what is that word? Ah, yes in a minute."

The masked boy only nodded his head as Starfire glided to the kitchen. As the doors shut behind her, Raven walked toward Robin who was now sitting on the couch. He had his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. She glanced down at her leader who appeared defeated as she shifted her weight on her feet.

'What to say? What to say?' Raven's mind pondered, knowing fully well it wouldn't take Starfire to find her sandwich give and take the distractions and delay provided by Cyborg and Beastboy.

"You aren't going to call yourself stupid now are you?" Raven's dry humor voiced. Robin looked up at her and glared. She wasn't really one to comfort others, it had never been a role she played in life, but than again love was never her area of expertise and Robin knew that.

She didn't mean to offend him, only lighten the mood. Her eyes gaze around the living room and she wondered how she gotten herself in this mess.

"Was I that bad that you had to intervene?" Robin quietly questioned in his hands. Raven let out a sigh; it took her a second to realize he wasn't mad at her for interrupting but at himself for needing her to.

Taking a seat on the couch, Raven settled her hands on her lap. She figured placing a hand on his shoulders would be slightly weird. "No," she lied as Robin glanced up at her and gave her another look. "Okay, yes. You told her that her outfit looked nice. The same outfit she's been wearing since the day she joined the team."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Robin frowned as he buried his head back into his hands. "What am I going to do Raven?"

"Just ask her out," shrugged Raven as she glanced at the kitchen door to see if Starfire was coming. She turned her attention back to Robin who stared at her. She was being inconsiderate, unsympathetic, and unreasonable.

"You heard me. I just tried that!" cried Robin in frustration as he ruffled his hair out of irritation. With a sigh his voice softened. "I don't get it. I practiced. I knew what to say, but--"

"Look, Robin, not all girls expect to be dazzled by compliments and showered in gifts when a guy asks them out. We aren't in the movies and most of us don't expect movie star happenings," Raven exclaimed before quieting her voice, "So just ask her out."

"Just like that? I'm suppose to just go up to her and be like 'Hey Star, I was wondering if you want to go out for dinner and a movie?'" Robin mindlessly replied as he leaned back into the couch.

He crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't know what he was thinking asking Raven of all people for help. She was right he should have asked Beastboy and Cyborg. First it was making the comment about calling himself stupid, than she had to bring up his lame compliment toward Starfire as if he already didn't feel stupid about that, and now she was once again implying the simplicity of asking a girl out--when it was more complicating than that.

"Works for me," shrugged Raven, gaining Robin's gaze.

The kitchen door opened and Starfire appeared with a plate. "I must apologize toward the both of you. Friend Robin, I am sorry for taking longer than in a minute. But, as I retrieved friend Raven's wich of sand Beastboy had devoured it only seconds after I removed it from the fridge," explained Starfire as she walked toward her friends. "But fear not, Raven, for I have put together a wich of sand for you to consume."

Raven stared at the sandwich that seemed to be filled with God knows what. Three things she could distinguish was bread, an overwhelming amount of mustard, and the blue stuff no one in their right mind would eat. "Um, thanks Star," Raven weakly smiled as she took the plate from Starfire. "Well, I'm going to eat this in my room." She rose from the couch and managed to give Robin a look of encouragement before walking out of his eye sight.

"Hey Star, I was wondering if you want to go out for a dinner and a movie?" Robin voiced causing Raven to pause couple of feet in front the opened door. She hadn't expected him to ask while she was still in the room.

"I would love to," Starfire smiled enthusiastically.

Raven allowed a small smile to grace her face as she stepped out of the living room, allowing the two titans to discuss a little more on their date. Her smile quickly faded away as her eyes gazed down at her 'new' sandwich just as she reached the entrance of her bedroom. 'Just great, first no book now no sandwich—at least not an eatable one. Robin SO owes me now.'

x x x

to be continued...