Long overdue, I know. Hopefully this will be worth the wait. It's extra long to compensate. :( Had to type it twice cuz the power went out before I could save...and I was more than half done too! Oh well...

CelticHeiressFiona: Thank you, sorry for the wait.

Tecna: Thanks!

jambey: Over the top? Hmm...LOL yeah I enjoyed that, made him stop and think a bit. Hmm...why was Raven crying? Does anyone know? -glances around room innocently- Anyone?

Tifereth: Of course:) So glad you like it so far. Gotta update Silent Ashes, girl! I'm going crazy! ...well crazier than I already am.

Majestical: Well, I try to take note of what people like and what bothers them...that way I can peacefully coexist with my readers. LOL I'm glad you liked it.

Aeris-Raven: LOL yeah I enjoyed throwing that in. One of the reasons why I go for Rae/Rob is because Raven wouldn't be afraid to tell him off every now and then, unlike Starfire, and sometimes what Robin needs is a good telling off. LOL don't know...guess I just have good taste. I sorta scout around for a song, and well when I hear the right one, I know cuz it just sorta fits. And sometimes I'll discard a song choice cuz it just doesn't fit. Something like that. Anyway, thanks!

VerticallyxChallenged: LOL as a matter of fact, you do. -hands Tinker a blue badge reading "Dusty's Faithful Reviewer"- Yeah I really like the cd Origin, but I don't think I've ever heard that one...maybe I have...don't we all? LOL yeah, it was like Switched. Looks like it cut off your review again! -curses-

Mina: Yay! Glad you liked it. LOL well honestly I don't much like the little alien, but I don't want her dead...except if she did something horrid to Raven. Hmm...seems like you're quite the poet. I write them sometimes...but I want to be an author, and something in my brain says I can't do both. I am a little bit odd sometimes (and now I've taken Robin's place for the understatement of the year award).

Mystyre: Hmm...well if you want to invite him over for tea that is just fine with me, as long as you get him home by curfew, but other than that, I'm afraid I just can't part with him. And I'm updating all my security systems, so don't even think about it! Yeah it was quite depressing wasn't it? Fraid it's not going to get any better either...

Strixvaria: Glad you liked it and sorry for the long wait.

BlackDove: Yeah, it was intentional. I like to throw tidbits from the show in every now and then. I try...my mom is an English freak. She taught me well.

rubianca: Thanks! Always good to get a new reader.

multitude: Yes definately. To me, Rob/Rae is THE ONLY Teen Titans couple. Sorry for the wait.

riawolf: Thanks!

YoukaiTenshi: I'm glad you liked it. Sorry, but I'm not allowed to email...something about internet stalkers...otherwise I would.

Reggie Tuesday: I think you should risk the beatings...every writer has the right to write as they please! Lol! Yeah...I just felt like doing something a bit different.

Helen: O.O What are you suggesting? ...Thanks for reading, I'm glad you like it.

The day after the last chap. I DO NOT OWN THE SONG FIRST DATE, BY BLINK 182.

"So...uh, I was planning on maybe going for pizza tomorrow night, catch a movie afterwards. Are you free?" Robin cast a sidelong glance at Raven, hoping he sounded casual and unnaffected.

Raven considered for a moment, her eyes fixed on his midriff rather that his face. "All right. Pizza Hut, five o'clock. See you there."

If only it were that simple.

In the car I just can't wait
To pick you up on our very first date

"It's not a date!" he mumbled, for the umpteenth time that day. Robin sighed, taking one last glance in the mirror. The baggy jeans and Blink 182 shirt made him feel uncomfortable, to say the least. He was desperately hoping he didn't look like a complete idiot. Tweaking a wild spike of hair degectedly, Robin was forecefully reminded of a little joke Bruce loved to throw at him when he was younger. "You look like you stuck your tongue in a toaster, then tried to repair the damage by dunking your head in Elmer's Glue."

"Thanks a lot, Wayne," he muttered, giving his shirt a tug as he left the room, trying to walk normally despite the little demon that was using his stomach as a stress ball. He quickened his pace as he passed Raven's door, the demon switching tactics and deciding to just chew on him instead. Three or four hours alone with Raven. Well, at least he knew the evening would be far from boring.

Is it cool if I hold your hand?
Is it wrong if I think it's lame to dance?

The R-cycle skidded to a hault in front of the peaked, red roof of Pizza Hut, and a very flustered Robin dismounted hurriedly, nearly tripping in haste and nervousness. Beads of sweat were clustered on his forehead, and he was sure that his face was as red as the roof.

A slight ding announced his arrival as he stepped through the door, glancing around the crowded and noisy room in search of a familiar face. And there she was, dark head bowed slightly as she leafed through the pages of her book in a corner booth by the window. "It's not a date. There's no reason to be nervous. Just a friendly night out between friends." Robin sighed deeply, giving his shirt another tug. "That's what I was afraid of."

Do you like my stupid hair?
Would you guess that I didn't know what to wear?

Before he could even open his mouth, Raven spoke calmly, not bothering to look up from her book. "Either you're late or I was incredibly early."

Robin blinked in surprise, and once again Raven answered before he could ask. "I could sense you about a mile away. Feeling a bit nervous, are we?"

Boy Wonder could have sworn that the room was a good ten degrees warmer as he sat down opposite the dark sorceress. "What are you reading?" he asked stiffly.

She held up the book, eyes still glued to the words. The cover was black, with swirls of shimmering orange and red, a bright yellow orb at its center. The words "Artemis Fowl The Opal Deception" were written in bold white letters across the top. "Is it good?" he asked, interested in what lay behind that intriguing cover.

Raven nodded silently. "It's the fourth. Have you ever read them?"

"No."

Raven finally tore herself away from the page, looking across the table at him with eyes, no doubt, still lost in the story. "Guns, martial arts, high-speed chases, a genius. You would probably like them." She smiled slightly, and his heart skipped a beat. "The main character is a criminal, though."

Robin quirked an eyebrow. "Is that so?" Suddenly he found his muscles relaxing and the heat leaving his face.

Raven nodded, still smiling as though she knew an amusing secret. "He's more borderline, really. Like Red X."

"Don't think we'd get along," grinned Robin.

Raven laughed quietly, setting aside the book and fixing him with her crystalline gaze. "So what's your favorite book? Or are you too much of a bad boy to read?"

Robin smiled, resting his hands on the tabletop. "Hmm...well I've just recently mastered Curious George." Raven choked on a mouthful of Sprite, laughing a little louder than she generally allowed herself to. Robin's smile got a little wider, the tension in his stomach easing. True, he was still nervous, but an evening with Raven no longer seemed like certain death. Heck, he might even have fun.

I'm just scared of what you think
You make me nervous so I really can't eat

"Well, I like a good mystery, but I'm sure you guessed that. I've been known to read the occasional thriller. For all-time favorite, I would have to say The Counte of Monte Cristo." He glanced up at her, feeling a need for reassurance. The look on her face was almost...open, if Raven could be such a thing. She was at ease, as comfortable as someone like Raven could be. "So, you like Artemis Fowl and The Book of Azarath. Anything else?"

Raven rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Do you have a year? The Harry Potter books, A Series of Unfortunate Events, anything by Edgar Allen Poe, especially The Tell-Tale Heart, the Wheel of Time series, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Inkheart, Protector of the Small...Should I go on, or do you get the idea?"

Robin laughed. "No, I think I've got it. When do you find the time? Between battles and preparation for battles, I don't get much time to myself." Relaxing allowed him to realize just how tired he was. He and Raven had stayed up well past three in the morning talking, and now he was starting to feel the effects. He scrubbed his hands through his hair, stifling a yawn.

"I don't sleep much." Raven didn't elaborate as the waitress chose that moment to show up with their pizza. Raven smiled slightly as Robin's face lit up.

"Double pepperoni! That's my--"

"Favorite. I know." Raven was silent for a moment, then she looked up at him. "Evanescence."

"Blink 182," he said, automatically.

She raised an eyebrow, and the blush returned in full force as he realized that was incredibly obvious. "Enya."

"Third Eye Blind."

"Dashboard Confessional."

"Simple Plan."

Raven nodded silently. "Maroon 5?"

Robin smiled. "Yeah."

Let's go
Don't wait
This night's almost over

A momentary silence followed, but it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as usual. Raven spoke first. "This," she motioned to his clothes, "is very different from your usual garb. I have to ask, why did you choose to look like a walking traffic light?"

Robin's heart sank slightly at the memories her question called forth. He might as well tell her. She knew everything else anyway, thanks to last night's little heart-to-heart. Well, almost everything. "Modeled after my...our circus uniforms. Sort of like a...a tribute, I suppose."

Raven's face became instantly solemn as she nodded, head down and picking awkwardly at her food. Robin searched franticly for a change of subject, desperate to get rid of that horrible pressured silence between them. He didn't want her to pity him. "Now, I'm pretty sure I know this already, but what the heck. What's your favorite color?"

Raven's smile crept back slowly. "Black, blue, purple, and...never mind."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"Nothing." A hint of a blush threw some color into her pale cheeks as she stabbed fiercely at her pizza.

"Come on. We're not leaving 'til you spill. What, is it pink?" he asked, grinning mischievously.

Raven glared. "Hardly." She rolled her eyes, twisted the napkin around her finger, and mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that, Raven? I didn't quite hear."

She sighed, fixing her eyes on the tabletop. "Butter yellow. Go on, laugh. I'd hate to see you burst a blood vessel trying to hold it in." After several minutes of silence, she glanced up cautiously. Robin was smiling gently at her, his face as unreadable as always. "I would never laugh at you, Raven." He glanced down at his watch, and cursed quietly; not something he generally did. "We're missing the movie! Come on!" Tossing a twenty on the table, he grabbed Raven's hand and raced through the swinging doors, leaping on the R-cycle and tossing an extra helmet to Raven.

"I suggest you hold on tight, because this is gonna be one heck of a ride."

Honest
Let's make
This night last forever

At first, Raven's hands remained firmly at her sides, but after Robin swerved wildly around the first corner and nearly unseated her, she decided it was in her best interest to get a good grip on the crazy driver's shirt. She frowned as a sudden upsurge of emotions broke through her defenses, bringing a very odd and uncomfortable twisting feeling to her gut. It was so mixed and muddled that she couldn't tell if these emotions belonged to Boy Wonder (completely unthinkable) or herself (highly unlikely). All thought stopped as she squeezed her eyes shut, her fists clenching around a handfull of his shirt as the wind whipped past them, ripping her hood back and blasting her face with ice. She couldn't be sure above the roaring in her ears, but she thought she heard him laughing into the frigid, howling wind.

Forever and ever
Let's make this last forever

"Are you insane?" she shouted in his ear as her heart and stomach tapdanced and her arms cramped from holding on so tightly.

"This is fun!" he yelled back. A grin spread over his face as cold air whipped across it, adrenaline coursed through him, and the thrill of speed and danger and risk swept him up in one never-ending joyride. He was alive in a way that only this level of exhileration could bring; alert and complete, with the wind in his face and the girl he loved beside him.

Forever and ever
Let's make this last forever

A very short time later they skidded to a hault that brought Raven smacking into Robin's back. It being a Friday night, the parking lot was packed with all the local teenagers, girl cuddled up to guy as he graciously payed for her ticket. Robin felt heat creep into his face despite the chill wind as he watched them walking two-by-two. Would she expect him to hold her like that, to pay for her things, to make her laugh with a witty comment or blush as he whispered in her ear? His stomach jumped into his throat at the thought. What in Hades had he gotten himself into?

"I'd hate to see how you treat your enemies. Oh wait, I already have."

He whipped around to see Raven dismounting shakily, her hair a tangled mess and her cloak in disarray. He tried to hurry over and help her, but tripped on a crack in the pavement, stumbling forward and crashing right into the R-cycle. He cringed, then turned pale as it tottered, then smashed into the cruel, unforgiving asphalt. "MY BIKE!" Robin stood staring at it, trying hard not to hyperventilate. It would be scratched, dented, no longer its perfect shiny self. True, it could be fixed, but the R-cycle had hardly recieved a chip in all its faithful years of service...except, of course, for that Rancid incident.

He was jerked out of his jibbering state of panic by a peal of laughter, immediately followed by an explosion. There stood Raven, hand clamped firmly over her mouth and shaking with suppressed giggles. He blushed furiously, glaring at the ground as she continued to laugh behind her hand. What was so darn funny?

When you smile I melt inside
I'm not worthy for a minute of your time

He was such an idiot! Oh yeah, Raven would really like him now. A bumbling, blundering, blushing idiot, that was him. Her laughter was barely audible, but it seemed to ring in his ears as an imaginary crowd gathered to point and laugh. Why had he asked her? Why had he even come? "Sure, laugh it up. Nothing funnier than watching me make a fool of myself. At least I can provide entertainment." He kicked a rock viciously, sending it flying halfway to the theatre doors.

"Oh, come on. You have to admit, it was pretty funny." When Robin continued to glare, she sighed. "Are you all right?" Her tone was careful, even gentle.

"Just peachy" he grunted, not sure if his pride was fully healed yet. Struggling to regain some of his dignity, he righted the motorcycle and took off towards the theatre, calling over his shoulder, "We've already missed the first ten minutes!"

I really wish it was only me and you
I'm jealous of everybody in the room

Robin walked up to the ticket window and forked over the cash automatically, his body on autopilot as his brain ran amock. So far, he had been late for dinner, blushed like a fool over silly comments, made them both late for the movie, scared Raven half to death on the ride over, and tripped over his own feet. Not exactly his idea of the perfect date...outing.

"All right, and that's the second theatre on your left. Enjoy the show!"

Armed with popcorn and soft drinks, Robin walked through the doors, his face an interesting shade of green. "Relax. It's not that bad. You'll be fine..." Somehow that did nothing to calm his nerves.

"You look like you're marching to a battle of a thousand to one. I'm sure the movie won't be that scary." Raven was looking at him, but he refused to meet her eye, preferring to study his shoes. Right now, horror flicks were the least of his worries.

Please don't look at me with those eyes
Please don't hint that you're capable of lies

With no small amount of stumbling and whispered apologies, Robin and Raven finally found a seat and settled down to watch what was left of the movie. Every now and then Raven glanced over at him, taking in the beads of sweat on his forehead and his hands clasped firmly in his lap. She had never thought someone could be so tense while in a relaxed position, but it was true. Every muscle was a coiled spring; she could almost feel the knots forming in his arms and legs. Why was he so nervous? You would think she had sprouted horns and venomous fangs. Did she do something to make him angry or upset? Aside from some light teasing, no... Come to think of it, he had been acting very...strange for about two weeks now. Try as she might to sort it out and "read" his behavior, Raven was completely in the dark. Unless...no. It was much too soon for anything like that.

Leaning toward him, she whispered, "Well, I'm lost. How about you?"

"I...I, uh..." Robin struggled to form at least one complete sentence, but everything was coming out in muddled fragments. She was close, very very close. He wouldn't have been surprised if she could hear his heart battering against his ribs as though trying to smash its way out of his chest. There was no way...surely she could feel it...she must know. "R-raven, I...I need to, uh, tell you something." He couldn't seem to find enough air to fill his lungs as the room grew hot and began to spin.

I dread the thought of our very first kiss
A target that I'm probably gonna miss

"What is it, Robin?" she whispered, trying to discern a hurricane of secondhand emotions.

"SHH!" An agitated movie-goer leaned back and glared at them fiercely. "Shut up or get out!"

Robin almost sighed in relief as she turned back towards the screen...and yet some small, foolish part of him was...disappointed. It was just one more opportunity passed up because of his own fear. If not now, when? If not here, where? Would he ever be free of this?

Let's go
Don't wait
This night's almost over

Raven gave him one last calculating stare before settling back in her seat to watch the movie; already half over. He had managed to put her off the trail thus far, but that wouldn't last for much longer. Robin was not only her leader, but also, when she thought about it, her best friend. She would find out what was bothering him, and together they would work it out. She would get him through it, no matter what it took.

Honest
Let's make
This night last forever

"Well, that was mediocre at best," commented Raven, referring to the supposed "horror film" they had just suffered through.

Robin nodded, his mouth firmly closed and his head tilted downward as they stepped out into the darkness of night. A barage of icy cold drops of water beat down on them, soaking through their clothes almost instantly. Without thought or hesitation, Robin pulled off his thick black hoody and draped it around Raven tenderly.

She glanced up at him, surprise giving way to a small smile as she pulled it around her and zipped it, tugging the hood up over her head. It was pleasantly warm, and...comforting, in a way. Maybe it was the feeling, maybe it was the scent, or maybe it was the knowledge that it was Robin's. It made her feel safe.

Forever and ever
Let's make this last forever

Boy Wonder drove much slower on the trip back to the Tower; maybe because of the rain, or perhaps he didn't want to scare his passenger again. All the same, Raven kept her arms firmly wrapped around his waist, just in case.

By the time the R-cycle pulled into the garage, right next to Cyborg's "baby", both driver and passenger were extremely tired. Raven stifled a yawn, waiting by the door as Robin checked the security systems and locked up. He seemed a bit less coordinated than usual, fumbling over passwords he knew like the back of his hand. It never occurred to her that she was the cause of his absentmindedness.

Forever and ever
Let's make this last forever

They walked silently through the tower, neither speaking a word until they reached Raven's door. "Thanks, Robin. I had a nice time." And she meant it, too. It had been the best...whatever it was that she had ever experienced. Ok, so it was the first as well, but still... Realizing she was still wearing his hoody, Raven hastened to take it off, not wanting him to think she was trying to claim it.

"No," he said, reaching out to stop her. "I mean...it's not really...you can keep it, if you want." He blushed, but it didn't matter much in the darkness of the hallway.

She smiled warmly at him, her fingers curled around the edge of his hoody. "Thanks. Well, uh...I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

Robin nodded, swallowing the words that had almost made it out of his mouth. "Yeah...see you tomorrow."

Forever and ever
Let's make this last forever

Sheesh, that took longer than it should have. I really need to put Robin to work typing for me, cuz my hands are tired! Ok, I mentioned the 4th book of Artemis Fowl cuz I just couldn't help it! Absolutely awesome! If you haven't read the books yet, GO READ THEM RIGHT NOW! Ok, well you know the drill. Review to keep this story going (if you want I will write a chapter 5), flame if you want, it's a free country. Happy weekend, everybody! -Dusty