Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

…..

Her morning peace was interrupted by an animal-like screeching and the collision of someone else throwing themselves on top of her.

"Beast Boy, get off me before I'm forced to send you through a seven-story window."

The green boy stood up, hopping impatiently as Raven dusted herself off. "We got an invitation-!" Robin snatched it out of his hands- "Dude, totally not fair!" -and read it to himself first.

"A ball in Gotham City tonight," he announced after a moment. "Some sort of birthday party we've been invited to."

Cyborg said with his mouth full of waffle and syrup that drooled in the corners of his lips, "Whcts knsnhs?"

"Mine."

The robot-man choked on his portion. Beast Boy looked scandalized. Raven asked blandly, "It's your birthday?"

"My eighteenth." He shrugged.

"Why hold a ball?"

Beast Boy perked up. "Who cares? Happy B-day, Robin! I would have gotten you something if I'd known it was your birthday."

"I didn't really bother to celebrate it. This is just another chance for Bruce to keep an eye on me and criticize me while inviting all of his friends and workers to brag." There was ice in his tone.

Raven said dully to him, "It would be impolite not to attend."

"Oh, we're going. And we'll have a great time," he said it with a little too much force and stomped out of the front hall- Raven supposed- to go tell Starfire.

Problem was... would she have to wear a dress?

That afternoon, everyone went out shopping at the mall but she refused, insisting that she could find something instead in her dresser. Raven regretted it later when she discovered she had nothing. Her various leotard was scattered on the floor as she shuffled into her tiny dresser and closet, "No….no…definitely not…..no…"

Raven sighed and found herself eyeing the trunk in the corner of her tiny closet.

...Was she that desperate?

…..

The bronze lid lay open, its lock thrown carelessly aside. The spell books from the inside were stacked neatly beside the trunk, gold binding gleaming. Mothballs and dust floated freely in space.

A figure stood silently in black velvet. A one-shoulder, floor length dress, trimmed with strange, intricate silver gems. A long, velvet cape started at the edge of the low back. Her womanly curves were safely covered but not forgotten. Her boots out of sight. No jewelry except for a ring she had received from Beast Boy a year back... nothing romantic about it. It just was an amethyst, and it matched.

She wore no makeup. She didn't own any. She didn't want any. Her only change was putting her straight hair up. A few stray, violet hairs hung around her cheek and she didn't bother to touch them.

Raven looked into a mirror she 'stole' from Starfire and almost drop it.

The reflection was that of Arella. Her Mother.

She looked exactly identical… but only for a moment. Raven set down the mirror dazedly, her hand on her forehead as the room spun a moment.

'No… you're fine. Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos… focus….'

Starfire shouted cheerfully from the hall, "Raven, are you ready to leave?" The alien stepped back when the steel door disappeared. She grinned. "Friend Raven, you look magnificent. Sincerely." Starfire wore a glittering, dark blue dress and large butterfly clips in her loose, bright red hair. Raven let out a smirk, letting the alien girl take her by the arm and drag her to the entrance.

The three other Titans were already downstairs. They all wore suits, but Raven remembered Robin's tux from the prom he was forced to go to. His gaze on her kept for too long.

Beast Boy moved forward. "No way dude, she's my date," he said.

He took her left arm and Cyborg took her right. "No, grass stain; she's mine."

"I'll wrestle you for her."

She said dryly, "A mechanical man and a shape-shifter for my dates. I must be the luckiest half-demon in the world."

No one knew if she was joking or not but they all laughed anyway. They never could tell. Robin finally blurted out, "Your dress… it's nice."

Her hands clenched into themselves, anger surging.

"...Thanks. My mother was defiled in it."

There was no reaction in her voice. She exited the now tension-filled Tower with her cape billowing behind her.

Eventually, they got to the ball riding in a limo. Everyone except Raven and Robin gobbled down the free food and drinks. The event was being held at huge mansion on the other side of Gotham. Raven supposed it was some rich investor's home. Despite herself, Beast Boy got to hold her arm as the Titans headed to the double doors leading into a giant, shimmering ballroom. A tall man with dark features stepped in front of Robin, purposely blocking them out. "You're not entering the party looking like that, are you?" he asked him.

"You know I never take my mask off."

The man flashed a brilliant smile. "It's Dick's birthday party, not Robin's. Some people here don't know you as a superhero..."

Raven felt herself bristle. 'Must be Bruce Wayne.'

"Who are these people? Friends?"

'You know damn well who we are.'

Robin did a quick introduction of Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy who greeted him cheerfully. Bruce looked at a silent Raven. "Who is this young woman in the back?"

She crossed her arms. "Raven. You must be the millionaire we heard so much about."

"You can call me Mr. Wayne.

"A stuck-up ass like you must have enough money to call me whatever you want." Beast Boy openly gaped and Starfire placed a gloved hand over her mouth in horror. Robin let go of Starfire. "Go on without me, Titans. I'll see you inside."

Everyone except Raven and Bruce went.

Robin let out a long, tired sigh and lifted his fingers to the back of his head. Raven protested, mildly, "Let me do it." His forehead creased.

"I'm not a idiot, Raven. I can take off my own mask."

"...I know."

He could see that she wasn't moving anytime soon.

Reluctantly, his hands lowered. She fumbled with the knot. With some difficulty, Raven peeled it off his face. Her eyes widened. There were dark shadows underneath his eyes. The sharpest shade of blue she ever saw in irises stared back at her, contrasting greatly with his well-hidden, dark quality.

He squinted them a moment and looked into her face as if he hadn't recognized her. She looked much more striking with clearer vision.

"I like your name." She had broken the strong tension between them with that statement.

Robin said, lowly, "You keep it to yourself." He snatched the mask out of her limp grasp and left walking in step with Bruce Wayne.

She could already tell that this night was going to be a long one.

…..

A/N: Forgive me for making Bats a meanie. I have an excuse in the sequel. Yeah… I'm excited for the new episodes... Raven kick Trigon's ass! Hee. I love you guys, you rock: MistressofAzarath, Unforeseen, raerob4ever, LunarIceDragon, ray1, watergoddess08, … , Darkofthenight, Sango456, , night-angel, neetfreek, bobalina, and LaughingRanna !

Raerob4ever: Hey, sometimes it's ok to make them OOC. That's a big compliment you just gave me, I'm all jittery now. Heh.

Watergoddess08: I'll take that advice and I'm just gonna say that I'm mostly centering this on Robin and Raven. I don't think I mentioned that, my bad. But if I exclude the others too much, feel free to speak up. And yes, I do need long chapters; I just fear that I'll fill them up with empty scenes. lol. Thanks a million!

Night-angel: Glad you pointed that out. 1: I'm paranoid. lol. 2: The language, somewhat violence, and a later chapter. Sexual content.

Laughing Ranna: I have seen it. I can stand RobStar but I was fuming that there wasn't any RaeRob interaction. Maybe in the End(s). ;)