I am SO SO SO SO SO sorry for taking so long to write. I hit writer's block, then I had to move across country, so I couldn't get to my story, and THEN we had to move again, into our official house. And then laziness set in, so I didn't want to update because all of my story stuff is upstairs and the internet is downstairs.
"You won't get your present if you don't eat." Robin warned her.
"OK." Raven unfolded her napkin and placed it in her lap before taking some salad and ham. She tried it and said, "Robin, you've really outdone yourself. This is really good. I didn't know you could cook like this."
"No one ever asked me to cook. It was always Cyborg or Starfire or Beastboy." Robin said, taking some food for himself. Even in the shadows, he saw how Raven's eyes clouded over for a second at the mention of Beastboy's name.
"You should cook more often. This is much better than Tameranian food, or an all-meat meal." Raven said.
"Maybe I will." Robin said. "If you accept these." He took out the tickets, walked around the table, and handed them to her.
"Country Thunder tickets! Thank you!" Raven said. She gave Robin a big hug. Robin stood there in shock for a second, but gradually he leaned into it.
"You're welcome." he murmured in Raven's ear.
"Which night? Country Thunder takes place over three nights, you know." Raven said, looking at the tickets again when she had let go of Robin. When she found it, she got excited all over again. "Friday! That's when all my favorite singers are playing! Thank you!"
For the next week and a half, Raven was excited. It was surprising that nothing broke. On the day of the concert, Raven started to get ready in the morning. She finally came out of her room, tickets in hand, and tried to drag Robin away from his food.
"Raven, can I at least finish eating?" Robin asked.
"Fine. I'm just so excited. I haven't been to Country Thunder since I was twelve." Raven said.
"We'll go in a minute." Robin said.
After he was finished, Robin took Raven to the garage. He got on the R-Cycle and Raven sat behind him, grasping his waist lightly. Robin twisted around. "Helmet, for safety." he handed her a helmet.
"Thanks." Raven put it on and grabbed Robin's waist again.
"Ready?" he asked.
"No. You don't have a helmet." Raven said.
"Yeah, I only have one." Robin admitted.
"Then you take it. I heal faster than you and I can always levitate out of danger's way." Raven said.
"Fine." Robin turned back around and took the helmet off Raven's head to put it on his.
"Now we can go." Raven said.
"Hold on tight." Robin said. He sped out of the garage and across the bridge. He felt Raven tighten her grip on his waist almost self-consiously. Raven's hair was whipping in the wind as she enjoyed the fast ride, Until, that is, a police officer pulled them over.
"Sorry, officer." Robin said, looking at the officer.
"Oh, it's you Robin. And it's Raven, too. Since you keep the city safe, I'll let you go free." the officer said.
"Thank you." Robin said. He sped off.
When they arrived at the building where they were holding the concert, Raven said, "That officer was nice."
"I get that all the time when I'm joy-riding. They're so grateful to us that they let me speed all the time." Robin said, pulling off his helmet.
"Come on. Let's find our seats." Raven said. She practically pulled Robin to the man collecting the tickets.
"Tickets, please." he said.
"Right here." Raven handed him the tickets, putting the stubs in a pocket when she got them back. "Let's go find our seats."
They arrived with about twenty minutes before the concert actually started. Someone leaned across a couple of seats to talk to them.
"Excuse me, are you Raven and Robin of the Teen Titans?" she asked.
"Yes." Robin said.
"I am a big fan. I just love how you work together to save the city." she said.
"Thank you." Robin said.
"Anyway, I have these backstage passes, but the person that I got them for couldn't come tonight. Do you want them?" she asked.
"You don't want them?" Raven asked.
"No. I can't stand for that long." she said. "Do you want them?"
"Sure." Raven said, taking them, as she was the closer Titan. She turned to Robin. "This is so cool! Now, on top of being in the front row, I get to meet my favorite singers!"
"Yep. This is great." he said. He took the time that was left before the concert to examine what Raven was wearing. It was a nice shirt that looked kind of like army camouflage, only it was a lot darker. She was wearing a skirt that matched that only went to mid-thigh. Robin thought she looked beautiful.
The concert started then. First up was Trace Adkins, singing Songs About Me and a few other songs from his newest album. Robin's favorite was Honkytonk Badonkadonk.
Next came Montgomery Gentry, singing a few of their songs. Later came Brooks and Dunn and Martina McBride.
The biggest surprise was when Tim McGraw was singing. Nelly came onstage as well to sing Over and Over. At the end of the concert, Robin and Raven went backstage to meet all the stars. Raven had to get Montgomery Gentry's autographs. Robin saw that Nelly was still there and decided to talk to him while Raven was starstruck.
"Hello, Nelly. Tell me, why did you decide to sing a song with a country singer?" Robin said.
"I don't know. I wanted to find a great guy to sing this song with, and he seemed perfect." Nelly said.
"So how many times a day are you surrounded by fans?" Robin asked.
"Unless I'm at a concert like this, about twenty or thirty." Nelly said. "Aren't you a superhero around here? Why aren't you surrounded all day?"
"Yeah, I'm the big superhero here in Jump City. I have everything I need in the tower I live in with my teammates, so I don't really come out much. And in case you didn't notice, the Titans' tower is on an island in the middle of a huge lake." Robin said.
"It must be really hard, having to take care of a city while fending for yourself." Nelly said.
"It's about as hard as avoiding crazed fans all day. I have a good team." Robin said.
"That's cool. Well, I gotta go. My limo's waiting." Nelly said.
"Now that's one thing that tips people off that you're coming. You ride in a limo. Me, I ride a motorcycle." Robin said.
"That's smart. I might just get a plain car." said Nelly. "I really gotta go. I'll see you again sometime."
"Hey, Robin. Were you just talking to Nelly?" Raven said, coming up.
"Yes." Robin said.
"Cool. What did you talk about?" Raven asked.
"Fans, and how to avoid them." Robin said. "You ready to go home?"
"I guess. This night was so much fun." Raven said. They went back to Robin's motorcycle and climbed on. They rode across the bridge and into the garage. "G'night, Robin." Raven said, before climbing the stairs.
Robin stood there before realizing that he wanted to ask Raven a question. "Raven!" he called, dashing up the stairs. He came into the living room to find Starfire as well as Raven. "Oh, hi, Star." he said stopping in the doorway.
"Hello, Friend-Robin. Where have you been to this night?" Starfire asked.
"Oh, I went to a concert with Raven." Robin said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh. Did you have the fun?" Starfire asked.
"Yeah, it was fun." Robin said. "I'm tired. I'll see you two tomorrow, OK?"
"Goodnight, Friend-Robin." Starfire said.
"Night." was all Raven said.
Robin went upstairs, but he didn't go to his room. He leaned on Raven's door until he saw her coming. "Took you long enough." he said.
"What do you want?" Raven asked.
"I want to asked you a question. Is that against the Laws of Dealing With Raven?" Robin asked.
"No. Was that your question?" Raven asked.
"Of course not. This is my question. Would you like to go out again sometime?" Robin asked, pushing himself off of the wall.
"Sometime. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going into my room." Raven said, pullling open the door behind Robin.
"Uh uh uh. I want something first." Robin said playfully.
Raven sighed. "What do you want?"
"A kiss." Robin said.
"Sneaky brat." Raven said, but she gave him a quick kiss anyway. "Now can I go in my room?"
"OK, I got my kiss." Robin said. He left the doorway and went into his room. 'Wow, she actually gave me what I wanted instead of the usual cold shoulder. She must be falling in love.'
Raven went into her room and sat in the dark for a while before turning on the radio. She heard many depressing songs that night, but not as many as the love songs that were playing. Finally she turned it off in frustration. She lay back on her bed, relishing the silence.
Raven lay still for so long that she didn't realize that she fell asleep. She dreamed that she was traveling along a beach, when she was attacked by Slade. Her powers were draining and no one was coming to help. She collapsed with exhaustion and woke up in Slade's lair. Slade was getting ready to drug Raven.
Raven woke up with a start, panting heavily from the dream. 'It's just a dream. Slade can't reach me here.' Raven reassured herself. Despite that fact, she had to light several candles before she could calm down.
A knocking on the door sent her into another wave of panic. Fighting it, she called out "Who's there?"
"It is I." said the person outside the door.
"Who's I?" Raven asked.
"Starfire." Starfire said at the door.
Raven walked to the door. "What do you want?" she asked.
"I was just wondering. Is anything wrong with Robin?" Starfire asked.
"No." Raven said. "Is that all?"
"Yes." Starfire said.
"Ok, then." Raven slid the door shut. She sat on the bed again, reaching in her mind for the memory of sitting behind Robin on the R-Cycle with the wind whipping through her hair. She enjoyed it, she'd say that much. But it couldn't go any further. She couldn't afford to love. Her emotions were too unstable for that.
She must break up with Robin before it went too far. BB may have loved her, and she may have loved him like a brother, but she couldn't let her love for Robin grow. She had to leave.
Raven stood up. She grabbed a portable CD player and put a CD in it. Then she went over to her nightstand and picked up the picture frame that was sitting there. Inside was a picture of all the Titans, at her birthday party.
She smiled softly. BB had planned it all for her. Now she understood why.
Again, so sorry about the VERY long wait until this chapter. I'll try and be better from now on. If you want to yell at me, go right on ahead. I'll understand.
Cuthien Moonleaf
P.S. Draco's gone hunting, that's why he wasn't here.