Chapter Thirteen: Not Even a Mouse…

I just want to be happy dammit. I just want to be happy…"

And Raven's small mouth opened, her petite body shook, and with it so did the foundations of the Earth.

The Essence stumbled back in surprise.

Jericho's innate body looked startled.

But Raven screamed a deep, silent scream as the rumble of the world grew louder.

And then there was a flash, and then there was a crack.

And then, there was only white.

A thick, white silence.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Christmas Eve, 2006

A pair of hands placed a small box with simple blue wrapping paper and a purple bow by a petite, pale palm that was nursing a cup of tea.

The Ice Queen raised a brow and brought the cup of tea close to her lips, before taking a sip she uttered, "For me?"

A sincere and apologetic face nodded up and down.

She turned her small body on the bar stool in a comically cute fashion and faced him squarely.

Stoically.

Icily.

A grin.

Raven leaned across the distance between them and put a peck on the towhead's lips.

The hazel-eyed Artist grinned at the warm pale face hovering in front of his and hand signed, 'Y'know, there was no glass of water this time, but you still make me wet.'

Raven rolled her eyes and kissed her boy more fully this time.

After a long while of tongue-tango, they separate for air.

Joey smiled dumbly and fell off his stool.

The mystic girl smiled down at his sprawled body, "You're stupid, you know that."

From the new and repaired tile floor rose Jericho's arm, the appendage ending with a thumbs up of agreement.

The sound of the girl's sweet, quiet laugh echoed around the oddly empty Main Room which seemed to be saturated by silence only broken by the occasional sounds of the young pair.

As the mute boy stood up Raven's blue eyed gaze met his, "Y'know, Joey-"

The door opened with a soft whir.

"There is NO way you can POSSIBLY be SERIOUS about this, Beast Boy!"

"I'm telling you Cyborg! Santa Clause is REEAAL!" the green shapeshifter whined.

The bionic teen remained indignant, "Nope, no way. You're just joking. I refuse to accept that you actually believe in Santa Clause."

But the green hero was just as stubborn, "With all the crazy magic, superspeed, and mythical stuff we've seen, talked with, and fought against it isn't that hard to believe Cyborg! Besides, who leaves all those presents labeled 'From Santa'?" he challenged his towering buddy with a suggestive raise of his green eyebrows.

Cyborg looked down with a deadpan look that said 'You are so dumb', which he soon followed up with, "BB, you are so dumb. For the last time, Santa… is… not… real!"

The changeling went into a flurry, "NO! I deny your reality and substitute my own!"

"Ugh," Cyborg turned from Beast Boy to the petite girl who was shooting them death glares, Cyborg didn't seem to notice them, "Raven, Robin wants the original five to go make a press statement on the conditions of the three Titans still in the hospital, along with the wishes of Happy Holidays and subliminally planting visions of sugarplums into viewers heads."

Joey shyly glanced over to the face he had been sucking only moments before.

The discontentment seeped palpably off of Raven in waves, but with a sigh she consented, "OK, lets go. I'll see you later, Joseph."

She got up and let the room with Cyborg and Beast Boy. The Artist leaned back against the counter and sighed, snatching up the un-opened present and placing it in his pocket.

A high-pitched voice sounding a lot like Beast Boy's came from the doorway and mocked, "I'll see you later, Joseph! Hahaha!"

Joey whirled to face the entrance, but by the time his hazel gaze was cast there the culprit was already sprinting down the halls.

H

Robin and Starfire stood in the garage, Robin getting ready to mount the R-Cycle.

"So, Robin," the alien angel began, "We never did get to go on our date."

The Prince of Gotham sat down on his steel horse and picked up his helmet. He turned to face Starfire with a devilish grin, "How about that."

The bronze skinned beauty sashayed playfully up to the teen and said softly, "Perhaps we could continue such a thing tomorrow, or do you wish to give me the precipitation check."

Robin grinned roguishly as he reached up and stole a kiss off her amber lips before putting on his helmet, "Sounds like a good idea, Kori." He held out a hand, "Want a ride?"

Her green eyes looked at the hand for a moment before a innocent grin of excitement played across her joyous face, "Oh, yes please!"

She took his hand and cautiously sat down on the motorcycle.

"Now leaned against me, Star."

She did so.

"And hold on tight."

She did so.

The engine revved, the garage door opened, and the two shot out the door into the snowy city.

H

A man walked solemnly down the white halls of a hospital, a neatly wrapped present underneath his leather-jacketed arm.

In his civilian clothes he was barely recognizable, even his eyemask had been replaced by red sunglasses.

The scowl on his face seemed to have taken up permanent residence as he marched gloomily down the sterile hall.

The red haired visitor soon came to a stop in front of a closed door and turned to face it. The guard there at first made to shoo him off, but then recognized him as a Titan, "Oh, sorry buddy. I didn't quite see it was you at first. Go on in, I think he's awake. Just don't be too disappointed if he doesn't pay attention to ya, he's had girls yelling thru his window at him all day to 'marry them' and 'father their children'. Cards and flowers and presents with the same estrogenical intentions, too."

The scowl uplifted slightly as he grunted, "Too bad he doesn't swing that way."

The guard laughed good naturedly, "Oh man, that's a good one. Don't mind if I tell that one to my wife do ya? She'll get a kick outta that joke."

"Go ahead." The young man said, opening the door softly and entering with just as much rude grace.

As the soft light came in thru the window it fell on the resting for of an Atlantean teenage.

"Hey, fish lips." He grunted softly.

"Oh Robin, Yes! Right there!" Aqualad moaned comically.

Roy frowned at the boy surrounded by flowers and presents, "Not funny."

Garth sat up in his hospital with a smile on his tired face, "I thought it was hilarious."

Roy walked forward and pulled up a chair by the bed, setting the present on the table by the bed along with his red glasses, "So, how are they treating you?"

"Like a hero, strangely enough." The tempest mused sarcastically.

"You seem cheerful." Roy noted with relief.

"Yea, well… having the doctor tell me this morning that I'd make a full recovery, can go home tonight, and will still be able to swim was a pretty big upper, ya know?"

Roy had to physically restrain himself from jumping for joy, "What! That's great news Garth!"

The Atlantean just turned to him and said, "You're just happy because you like it best underwater."

Roy grinned roguishly, "You're not gonna hold it against, are you?"

"You wish."

A moment of content, warm silence.

"I got you a present." Roy grunted pleasantly has he placed the box on Garth's lap.

"Oh joy, let me open it, Oh wait! My arm seems to be in a cast!" Garth mocked as he held up his injured arm.

"There's no tape on it, just rip off the paper with your good arm, open the box, and stop being a wise-ass." Roy throated, light blue eyes on his prized catch.

Garth did so, he reached into the box and pulled out, "Oh look! You got me packaging paper, oh thank you so much!"

"I thought I told you to quit being a smartass!"

"You did." Garth said with a smirk as he reached in the box for the actual present, he pulled it out, and was silent.

In place of his lost sarcastic remarks a fierce blush found itself on Garth's cheeks.

"For when you get back." Roy clarified, a hungry look on his face.

Garth gulped, "Uh… y-yeah."

H

Raven silently walked the dark, moonlit hallways to her room, tired.

Not only had the press conference been exceptionally hectic and time consuming, the mayor had wanted to talk with them about collateral damage costs or something equally pointless. Raven was tired and needed to sleep and meditate so she hadn't really listened.

It was around midnight, it was either already Christmas or really close.

So tired was the dainty demoness that she soon bumped into a soft, muscular chest.

She looked up, perplexed and eyes wide for just a moment.

A mute wave.

"Joey." She smiled tiredly, "What is-"

He took her curved body in his arms and tasted her mouth.

Caught by surprise, but now fully awake, she returned the sentiment.

A light fixture exploded in crackling black energy, causing Joey to jump in surprise.

Raven looked up, face slightly sheepish, "I… haven't meditated in a while."

Jericho nodded and hand signed something to her.

"Why? I'm tired Joseph, you can show me in the morning."

The Artist took the small girl by the shoulders and turned her around.

Arm around her shoulder, Joey lead her somewhere, smiling.

H

A thick… white silence on the black of night… of snow falling whimsically outside the warm window, recently replaced, of the Main Room.

And it wasn't necessarily warmed by the makeshift fireplace…

Thud!

"Mmmm, Wally!"

"Hey, baby. You're awful frisky!"

"Well, you did just get back from the hospital, finally. I've missed you." The witch made a lung for his lips.

"OH! Watch the ribs girl." He winced.

She smirked mischievously down at him from her position on top of him.

"I don't know if I like that look."

She made her move, pushing her lips on his and her hand down his-

"HEY! You two, quit sucking face and get to bed. Santa won't come if you're up doing the dirty." Cyborg interrupted.

The pair looked at the android with a look that said 'double you tee eff?'

The bionic being stared blankly at the two, "Just get to bed and don't question my sexy ways."

The two blinked, looked at each other, got up and headed for the door.

Cyborg smiled contentedly and as he tip toed towards the garage.

"You realize, we're just going to continue this in one of our rooms."

"GIT!"

H

Raven sat dazedly in the passenger seat of Jericho's personal mode of transportation… the Mustang.

"Joey, where are we going?" she monotoned tiredly, almost whining.

Joey took both hands and signed (leaving the wheel quite bare), 'Just be patient Raven. You'll be glad once we're there.'

Raven's blue head started to nod from the invisible weight on her eyelids, "Uh huh…" that's when she saw it… A small, familiar poetry cafe. Lights on way after hours and during a holiday.

Joey parked the car in the lot, opened her door, and led her to the front of the building.

She looked surprised at Jericho, "Joey, this place ought to be closed. Whu-what is going on?"

He looked back warmly and signed, 'Just try not to spill the water.'

As they entered a small group of people turned and smiled, clapped, or greeted them. Raven recognized them as the best poets and musicians to come thru the place. They all got up to talk with Raven.

They were unlike regular fans, they were appreciative but not obsessed, they were happy but they were normal, they were treating her like a respected peer, not as an idol.

The blue eyed girl smiled.

Off in a dark corner that Raven would never notice sat two figures. A young girl smiling from ear to ear and a large, muscular man, arms crossed and a grin on his face.

Both had silvery white hair, and where looking at Jericho.

He waved, and so did they.

"How about a poem, Raven?" asked a voice calmly.

"Yea, that'd be great."

"Go for it Raven."

Soon the whole cafe was in agreement, but Raven was flustered.

"Guys, I'm glad you want to hear something but, I'm still kinda shell-shocked from the day. I wouldn't know what to do."

A warm hand belonging to Joey gently turned Raven's face to his own, he winked and led her on stage.

"Joey, what are you doing?" she hissed quietly at him when no one was near.

He mouthed to her, 'Relax.'

"But-"

Raven didn't get a chance to finish as they were on the stage. The faces of the crowd peering at them curiously. Raven wasn't embarrassed or afraid. She had no reason to be. She just felt dumb for not having any poetry for them… and angry at Joey for bringing her up here.

'Speaking of that boy, where is he?' she looked around, and found him seated at a piano she had not noticed until then.

He looked over and wink and eye mischievously as he started to play.

At first Raven was still perplexed, but she soon recognized the tune as a favorite of hers.

She smiled understandingly at the grinning Joey.

Across the old, dusty stage lightened by the should-have-been-closed lights of the cafe the mystic girl walked slowly up to the piano, removed her cloak, and sat her small, curvaceous form upon the sleek, black instrument as her lover's fingers caused the chiming music to reverberate around the small shop.

She faced the small crowd with a contented smile on her lips, took a breath, opened her mouth, and softly sang…

H

Cyborg walked softly out of the elevator into the Main Room which was cloaked in a soft blanket of black silence. The only illumination coming from the large, benevolent Christmas Tree's myriad of colored lights.

Over the teen's shoulder was a large bag filled with presents for the other Titans, he grinned mischievously, bit his tongue, and snuck over to the tree to place the presents.

That's exactly when he noticed a group of presents already under the formerly blank tree. It was Titan tradition for the Titans to bring their gifts for others to the tree in the morning, but Cyborg had always put gifts from 'Santa' under the tree every year. It was the subject of in-house conspiracy for the Titans as to who was the benevolent culprit, but Cyborg had never encountered this situation before.

He gently but swiftly set down his bag and darted over to inspect the gifts.

One for each of them except the ones that were in the hospital. He glanced at the tags, "From: Santa Clause?" Cyborg wondered under his breath disbelievingly.

Then from the roof there arose such a clatter, Cyborg jumped to the window to see what was the matter.

His jaw dropped, his eyes widened in child-like wonder as he pressed his face and hands to the recently replaced glass of the windows as the silhouette of a sleigh drawn by eight beasts of burden flew away from the tower, across the skyline of the night-time city, and over the moonlit horizon.

Long after losing sight of the enigma, the hardcore hero Victor Stone whimpered in a child like voice to the sweet silent nothings of the room, "...S-Santa?"

H

It was early morning in Titans' Tower, and the still rising sun shone its rays of light thru the white of the snowy morning onto the scene of Joseph Wilson sleeping peacefully sprawled upon the couch, and the darling Raven again curled into his chest in a soft, warm, golden silence.

"Looks like the Ice Queen's melted." Came the overly loud remark from a certain Fastest Teen Alive.

He was met by many 'shhh's and hisses and a few pairs of thrown socks as the slumbering pair stirred into awakened states…

… to find the entirety of the pajama clad Titans not in the hospital staring right at them, giggling and smiling.

Jericho's cheeks turned slightly pink, while Raven's turned thirteen different shades of red. The melted Ice Queen propped herself up on Joey's chest and opened her mouth, but closed it as she had no rebuttal on hand.

Joey smiled, half lidded hazel eyes sparkling, grabbed Raven in a hug, pulled her down on him, and put their lips together lightly.

The female Titans looked on and cooed.

The male Titans glanced away and felt uncomfortable.

"Anyway!" Beast Boy said, jumping thru the crowd and landing on top of the couch, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

"We took the liberty of putting your presents under the tree while you were, well… sleeping together." Robin calmly said with a smirk, his eyemask discarded for just the morning.

The female Titans gave him playful dirty looks.

The male Titans laughed their approval.

"But Robin, were we not also asleep together last night after we returned from our public duty?" said the 'innocently' curious Starfire, holding her gorka plushie to her person, looking at Robin whose arm was currently wrapped around her frame.

All Titans regardless of gender laughed…

Robin blushed slightly, but did not give in to embarrassment, "What're we waiting for, lets get to the presents!"

"YEAH!" came the uproar of approval from the Titans.

They turned the couch to face the tree and brought chairs and other furniture to encircle the tree. The custom was to go one at a time thru the roster and give one gift to a person, repeating until everyone had received a gift from everyone… after that it was a free for all.

"So, who gets to go first?" Speedy asked, Aqualad around his arm.

A green changeling jumped up and down, waving his arms in the air, "Ooh! Ooh! Me! Me!"

Robin smiled, "Alright, Beast Boy!"

The shapeshifter stole a wink at Cyborg and retrieved a rectangular package from underneath the tree.

"OK," he said to the sleepy but excited audience, "I know this is a slight breech of etiquette, but I think that is justified by the before present opening entertainment."

Giggles.

Raven frowned at him, but didn't make any move away from Joey who she was still sitting with on the couch.

With a grin that could hardly be contained on his face he approached the two, "Jericho, Raven. Here's a very special gift from me and Cy. Merry Christmas."

As soon as the gift was out of his hands the imp dove behind Cyborg as if searching for cover.

The pair looked at each other and then tore off the paper.

It was a book, a yellow book.

The other Titans looked on curiously.

The Title? 'How to Admit You Want to Copulate All Night, Every Night: For Dummies!'

Laughter erupted across the Main Room as Raven began an assault on the green changeling.

H

"Hey Marcus! I shot you!" shouted a pajama clad little brown haired, blue eyed boy, weilding a futuristic NERF gun.

"Nu uh Clayton! You missed!" shouted an identicle pajama clad little brown haired, blue eyed boy, with a similar gun.

"Hey, how about you two play nice?" Terra's foster Mother said to her two sons.

"Let them be, Rebecca." came the father's voice, he was next to her on an old couch, their younger daughter asleep in his arms.

"Yea, Mom." Tara said from across the modest living room, wrapping paper strewn across the floor in the universal scene of Christmas morning, "They are little boys after all."

"Hey, we're not little!" Clayton yelled from the kitchen, forgetting their game of Spartan Vs. Covenant.

"Yea Tara! We're both ten and a half!" Marcus backed his twin brother up.

Tara smiled and opened her mouth to make a smart remark, but she was interrupted the ringing doorbell.

The Father moved to get up, but remember the weight of his young daughter sleeping on his lap.

The blonde girl got up good naturedly, "I got it Dad."

She walked smiling to the door, and opened it to the cold outside. The visitor was greeted by the small blonde girl and by the smell of Christmas cookies baking.

"Hey, Tara." Came the voice.

Tara stared wide eyed, "B-Beast Boy? What are you doing here?" suddenly she realized what she had said and, blushing, made to correct herself, "Erm, I mean, don't you have someplace better to be? NO! That's not what I mean, er…"

Garfield, in civilian clothes, smiled calmly to the girl, gazing on her with sparkling eyes, "Tara, its ok. And, no, I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be."

"Whose there, Dear?" Rebecca asked as she peered around the corner and spied the Titan outside her door.

"AAAH! Mr. Beast Boy! … WHY ARE YOU STANDING OUT IN THE COLD!" the large woman shrieked with motherly concern, "Tara, get that boy in here this instant before he catches his death of cold!"

After he was seated by Tara on the couch, both his parents had said high and made small talk before mysteriously finding other things to do about the house.

So in effect, Gar and Tara were alone…

… with Tara's foster siblings, of course.

"Are you really the Teen Titan's Beast Boy?" Asked Marcus with childhood skepticism.

"Marcus! Be nice." Tara barked, embarrassed.

Gar smiled, "Well, I am green, and you already saw me turned into a monkey."

It was Clayton's turn, "Are you really getting married to Raven like the tabloids say?"

Gar turned to Tara, who was staring at him with a questioning look, "No, Raven's actually with Jericho. Besides, I've got somebody else, a girl I wouldn't give up for the world."

Tara blushed brightly.

Their hands met each other's on the couch.

Marcus and Clayton smirked to each other and ran off laughing.

Tara's little foster sister Megan stared at the two, "Beast Boy, will you be my boyfriend?"

The changeling was taken back by the question, Tara giggled and winked at him.

He blinked, and smirked at the little five year old, "Yea, I'd be honored."

The little girl smiled and squealed childishly and ran off to tell her mother.

Now, the two were alone.

"Wow, so you're taken," Tara said airily sarcastic, "Too bad."

"Is it?" he whispered hoarsely into her ear.

She stared at him.

They brought their lips together. Their arms wrapped around each other's bodies and the pair of starcrossed lovers fell onto the couch.

Helplessly in love, and together at last.

H

Later on in the morning after Beast Boy had mysteriously left without saying where he was going, when all the presents had been opened, many had fallen asleep again due to their early arising and massive piles of wrapping paper littered the floor along with piles of presents, Joey and Raven where curled up again.

He tapped her shoulder.

Raven stirred and looked at him with tired eyes, "Hn?"

He held up the small box from yesterday.

"Oh," she said in recognition, "I forgot about this." She grabbed it.

The paper was soon expelled to reveal a velvet black jewelry box, she opened it and the reflected shining of the jewelry lit up her face as she gave a small gasp of surprise.

"Joey," Raven mumbled to her biological pillow, "You shouldn't have. We don't get payed enough for you to afford this."

In response, Joey held up his right hand in a fist, and then extended his pointer finger, his pinky, and his thumb.

A universal symbol for the deaf and mute.

'I love you.'

Eyes wide and bodies warm, the two began to practice their new habit of tongue wrestling.

From across the paper strewn battle ground of Christmas morning, Starfire gazed silently smiling at the two from the love seat her and sleeping Robin where sharing.

She shifted her fiery silk-like mane to face the sun outside the snow-speckled window and mumbled emotionally, "K'uttchu negal."

THE END (?)

(close curtains)

Saint H's Fic Ended Author's Notes:

Well readers, that's the end of the actual story, but it won't be the last chapter of the fic. There will be one more chapter dedicated to the story and it's readers. It will have a small epilogue for less used characters, a dedication to my wonderful readers (that's you) author comments, and character opinions… and maybe a little sneak peak at my next story 'Superboy'

Be sure to check it out. And I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I absolutely loved writing it for you all.

Good Night.