Hello! I was in NYC for three whole days and it was certainly…different, especially since I didn't have internet connection. Men grabbed my butt, got motion sickness from an elevator (dude, never ride the Hilton's), got lost more than once, was very upset when I learned that almost no store in Chinatown has a bathroom, was mistaken for a rich kid in a chandelier store and was expected to buy a 4000 piece of gaudiness, got honked at by umpteen-million cabs, saw five seconds of porn and was grossed out, and learned that McDonald's buns have an average of 178 sesame seeds on them. IT ROCKED! Plus, it rocked even more cuz DarkElf6 was there with me the entire time.

Yay, thanks for the reviews and the advice and the booing towards James! What fun! And don't worry; her name will slowly be transformed back to 'Raven'. Over time she will accept her true name. And one more important note: I like all Titans. So even though I am a Rae/BB supporter, I still like Terra and think she's cool.

Onward!

Ch. 5: A Rivalry?

She could sense something was wrong. Whoever was at the door was someone with an odd aura; she could tell. As she came to reach for the handle the last voice in the entire world that she wanted to hear whined drunkenly from the other side.

"Vesper! Vesper, my lovely, where are you?" The voice howled wildly. "It's your fiancé, James!"

Vesper groaned, leaning into the door. She ignored the incredulous stares of her friends. 'This can't be happening…' she thought dismally. 'Not like this!'

"Uh, Vesper?" Gar asked from the living room. He had come to stand at the entryway to the hall. When she sent him a nervous expression, he realized that she didn't know that he knew. "Uh, that guy – uh, heh, whoever he is – sounds drunk." He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Heeee-lloooooooooooo!" James wailed like a wolf. "I wanna speak to the boss-person, owner-of-this-house here! Send out your men, you scalawag, or feel the wrath of my Blitzkrieg!"

"Very, very drunk." Gar added.

Vesper shook her head, pulling herself off the door. "No, no, I'll talk to him. I know him, obviously, and he's my responsibility. It's nothing I can't handle."

"But –"

"I can handle it, Gar." She said again. But she sent him a small smile anyway. "Thanks, though."

Before he could reply she pulled open the door, revealing a handsome, blond man who smelled like alcohol and cologne. Gar immediately didn't like him. He was about to say so when Vesper sent him one last warning look and slid outside, closing the front door. Kori came to stand next to him. Gar felt helpless. All he could do was wait.

"Alright, James, what do you want?" She crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to keep herself warm. Fruitless effort, really.

He took a step closer to her, apparently having more common sense than he had let on. "What, are you daft? Vesper, my darling, I've come to take you back!" A giddy grin swept over his face.

"You're drunk," she said monotonously. "You shouldn't be here."

"And neither should you!" James exclaimed, reaching swiftly for her hand. Vesper stepped back from him. "Come on, Vesper, babe, we're going home!"

"First of all, I won't get behind the wheel with you drunk." She stated firmly. "Second, you have a girlfriend and a child on the way. We ended it, remember?"

James didn't look put off in the slightest. He held a wobbly finger up. "Funny thing, actually. Seems that the kid may not be mine. Apparently I'm not Kelly's only romping partner. Damn shame, really, to tell me right before Christmas." (A/N: Terrible, terrible shame…)

Vesper had a hard time containing her laughter. "How ironic," she scoffed. "But you sure don't sound so disappointed about it."

James smiled. "Why do you think I'm drunk, Vesper? Drank my sorrows away. Now like I said, I'm ready to forgive you. You can come home. Even if that kid is mine, I won't take it in. The skank can find some other man."

"Just as you can find some other woman." Vesper said sharply, teeth beginning to chatter. Goosebumps were getting goosebumps. "Look, James, I'm getting cold. Sorry about Kelly – well, honestly, not really – but I expect you to move on like always. Good night. I'll see you at work later."

"Cold, eh?" James inquired curiously, yet…darkly.

Before Vesper could comprehend what he was thinking, he pressed her firmly against the door, pinning her roughly. The breath was forced from her lungs.

"J-James," she managed. "W-what –?"

She could smell the rancid alcohol on his breath. It made her sick to see the glaze sheen over his eyes. James sniffed her. "I've missed your scent. I've missed your body and your kisses. I miss you." He grabbed her arm. "I don't care who you used to be, Raven. Come home with me."

And his mouth came down on hers.

Rick, Beatrice, and Victor chatted quietly in the living room with Roland in Rick's arms. They knew what was going on, but like Vesper told them all, she would handle it. Besides, they could leave the worrying up to Kori and Gar.

The two sat on the stairs, Kori up two steps from Gar, both hunched over, elbows on thighs.

"I didn't believe he would return for her," Kori murmured, melancholy. "He is a wicked man. Maybe he will attempt to seduce her. Or threaten her."

She glanced down at her usually convivial and vibrant friend. He had now become remote and aloof. Was he falling for Vesper as she had planned? No doubt Vesper would turn James away, especially after what that man of duplicity had done. But did Gar realize that?

"If he does," Gar muttered, eyes never leaving the door, "I'll hurt him."

A chill ran through her body at the thought of what lay within Gar. If this got too far out of hand, hurting James would be the least of his actions. Killing was a possibility since that incident.

Just then a thump came from the door. Something had been slammed against it. Gar and Kori immediately jumped up.

Kori gasped, "Do you think –?"

"He better not be." Gar growled forebodingly as he leapt down the steps. The other three came to the entryway. He paused only for a moment, glaring at them warningly, then opened the door.

Vesper fell back into his arms. He caught her gently, instantly wrapping her in his own body heat. He pulled her upright, still holding her close against him. She was freezing. James tumbled forward too, losing focus momentarily. Once he gained his balance he glowered fiercely at Gar.

"Give her to me," he hissed.

Everyone gathered closely behind Gar. Victor cracked his knuckles.

"She's not going anywhere near you, you creep." Gar snarled. Vesper stood stiffly in his grip. She was uncomfortable with being protected like this. It made her feel like a damsel in distress, not like the heroine of the day she used to be. (A/N: Thus the title) But this time she was not going to protest. Not with that slight blush rising in her cheeks.

James squared his shoulders at this newfound competition. But he instead turned his direction to his ex. "Vesper –"

"Don't you dare!" Gar roared furiously. His eyes glinted red, like blood. "You leave her alone!"

"Get out of here, James," Rick said sharply.

James blinked rapidly, unable to believe what was happening. He stared at Vesper, hoping that she'd say something. She only glared. He pointed at her as he stepped back. "I will be back for you."

And he left, slamming the door shut.

Quickly Kori ushered the others back into the living room, leaving Gar and Vesper alone. They stood like statues for several moments and then she broke free from his grasp.

"Thank you for defending me," she muttered, turning, but not meeting his eyes.

"Heh," he smiled, putting a hand to the back of his neck. "Ex's can be pretty tough on you, I guess."

"I guess…"

"You know, if you want, you can cry. I don't mind if you get a little emotional."

She raised her head. He was shocked to see her eyes were dead. "I'm fine. This was not strain on my emotions. I handled it."

"Good thing lying isn't an emotion. You aren't hiding it very well." He attempted to joke, then approached her slowly, closing quite a bit of the gap she had made. "Look, I know about James. The others told me. It's –"

"They told you?" Vesper couldn't believe what she had just heard. She was here for the holidays escaping James and her apparently soap opera-ish relationship. She was trying her hardest not to be the center of attention, yet is seemed like the camera was always pointed at her! Now she was angry. "I didn't ask for pity, Gar. I don't need people to feel sorry for me. I can handle my emotions!"

His kind face never faltered. "Like you're doing now?"

That got her. Overwhelming depression caused her shoulders to slump and her head to drop.

"Vesper, it's okay," he told her calmly. He could sense that the other four were listening in from the living room, pretending to be chatting. Ignoring them, he continued, "I'm your friend. You could have told me."

"I didn't want pity."

"Then you wouldn't have gotten any." Gar said back. "I woulda been angry at the guy, but I wouldn't pity you. I think I've learned my lesson after doing that quite a few times."

She shook her head. "Gar, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

She didn't realize it, but she was so trapped in her own guilty world that she began to retract from her surroundings. Gar didn't want her to completely shut down, so he pulled her into a hug. Vesper tensed, then slowly leaned into him. They stood that way for several moments.

Finally she eased out, gazing up at his beautiful emerald eyes. "I…I'm going to bed, I think. I'm very tired."

He nodded. "I'm going to be here for a whole week before I fly back to California. We can still see each other. I'm not going to be busy here, y'know."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

"I'm sure we could all spend New Year's together." Rick said, coming to the hall. "Vic and Bee will also be staying for a while longer. In fact, Kori and I are going to out to lunch with them tomorrow. Anyway, you guys wanna do New Year's here?"

Everyone smiled.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Gar said.

Vesper made her rounds, hugging everyone goodnight. She sauntered up the steps, holding Roland, leaving the company. Everyone reseated themselves, speaking in hushed tones.

"That asshole," Bee shook her head. "I met him once and didn't like the man one bit. I had a feeling he'd be trouble."

"As did I," Kori agreed.

"It's funny," Rick thought out loud. "Of all the people who did trust him, it was the one who doesn't trust anyone. She tends to have the best judgment. She should have seen what we did."

"Well, we're all married," Vic suggested. "Maybe 'cause she didn't have anybody, he was the closest to someone who cared."

Kori nodded. "She made that revelation on the night she came here."

Gar, who hadn't been so involved in the discussion, looked form the stairs to his friends. "Is it just me, or did that guy remind you of Terra?"

After a moment Kori bowed her head. "I did not want to say anything."

"Yeah," Rick agreed. "James made me think of her."

"The dude looked a lot like her," Gar pondered. "I wonder if they're related."

They all sat in silence, contemplating what had just been said. So deep in thought they were that when the grandfather clock chimed ten o'clock they all jumped in their seats. Gar stood up quickly. "I'd better get back to my hotel."

"Us too," Victor stood up, helping his wife stand. He hugged Kori. "Thanks for a great day, Kor. You never cease to amaze me."

She beamed. "I am proud to host. I enjoy your company, Victor."

Rick hugged Bee and kissed her cheek. "We're excited about the coming of the twins. The sooner they come, the better."

She laughed. "The sooner they come, the sooner I'll be changing diapers and cleaning drool!"

Gar finished patting Vic on the back. "Hey, just get the big guy here to do it for you!"

Vic automatically backed up. "No way, man."

Gar chuckled and made his way to the door, presents in hand.

"You know, Gar, if I were you, I'd have gone for it." Richard said.

"Dude…" Gar warned.

"I totally agree," Vic grinned, hand on the doorknob. "You had the perfect opportunity to kiss her and you blew it."

"Well, considering what she's been put through, it'd be the dumbest move ever." Gar returned firmly. "That's not what she needs right now."

Kori broke out in what appeared to be random laughter.

Rick frowned. "Honey, what's so funny?"

"He understands females better than you and he isn't even wedded!"

The two guys lost their cocky expressions. Gar and Bee grinned.

"Looks like somebody just shot you down, Mr. Testosterone." Bee punched her husband lightly in the shoulder before they slid out the door in their thick coats. "We'll be here tomorrow, you guys!"

Gar followed, completely forgetting to wave goodbye, as he was so deep in thought about Vesper and James.

Since it's Spring Break, I'm liable to write up another chapter soon. Hope you liked this one! DarkElf6, have fun in Colorado!

Isaac out