Disclaimer TEEN TITANS and all other related characters and material are the property of DC comics and Cartoon Network, I claim no ownership.

Chapter 16: A Honeymoon and a Father

By: Ansa

The apartment grew silent to the soft clatter of empty plates and glasses being emptied into the sink. The group that once gathered around the table now sat in the living room, their bellies quite full, though not necessarily satisfied. Tofu roast with veggie dressings wouldn't satisfy anyone that didn't enjoy that sort of thing. Starfire took her place on the couch, sitting on the edge so she could relax with the arm rest. Raven and Beast Boy took the spots next to her together, unconsciously blocking Dick in his attempts. Instead he took one of the chairs from the table and sat near Cyborg who grabbed a rather small armchair and pulled it over to face the couch.

"So, just out of curiosity, what kind of food are you having at the reception?" Cyborg leaned forward, trying to make the question sound as casual as possible, hoping to hide his obvious concern that he might have to suffer through Tofu roast again.

"Well, actually we don't-…" Beast Boy got a sudden elbow to the side and his fiancé cut in. Once again she only wished to keep him from discussing monetary problems amongst friends. She didn't want them to worry, or worse…offer help.

"We don't know yet. It's going to be a small ceremony so we're actually thinking of just doing something here."

"Really? Who else is coming besides us?"

"Well," Beast Boy fielded this question, counting on his fingers while trying to remember everyone they had invited. "The rest of Titan's East, and we have a couple of friends from college coming…" His fingers counted ten at the moment, "oh, and you guys are more than welcome to bring someone as well."

"You mean, like girlfriends or something?"

"Yeah…" Beast Boy grinned, leaning forward across the coffee table. "Why? Do you have a girlfriend?" Cyborg immediately perked, his eyes widening slightly. He suddenly found all eyes on him. This was going to be difficult.

"Um…well, yeah. I mean, it's nothing serious but…" Cyborg scratched the back of his head, his eyes darting all over the room, trying not to make contact with anyone else's. They couldn't know…not now at least. He knew that eventually he would have to tell them about her, but he would rather have time to figure out what to do.

"Really, who is she? Would we know her?" Dick smiled, leaning forward as he sat backwards on the chair. Cyborg didn't answer immediately; instead he stumbled, his mind racing for an answer to give them.

"I…um…well…you might."

"Is it Bumblebee? It's Bumblebee isn't it?" Cyborg's glance finally focused on Beast Boy, giving him a rather confused look.

"What? No, we're just friends man."

"Are you suuuuuuuuuuuuure?"

"Yes…quite sure." Cyborg laughed at this. He and Bumblebee had known each other for a while now. There might have been something they did seem to get along just fine. For some reason, nothing really came of it. They never really crossed that "just friends" line…and to be honest, he never really cared to. Nothing against her, it was just that he never really could see him with her. She was a good friend, but that was it.

"Then who is it? Hmmmmm?"

"Well…you'll all meet her at the reception so you'll find out then." It was best to end it there, before details were dragged out. He knew that if things went on long enough, he would eventually end up telling them. It wasn't that he was ashamed of her…or…maybe he was. He shook this thought out of his head, he couldn't think that way. She had her problems, but…she wasn't all that bad. So she…robbed jewelry stores and museum exhibits…His thought trailed off and his demeanor changed. He was ashamed...of himself. He should have more sense than to get involved with someone like her. It was stupid, it was risky. How did he know that she really cared for him? How could you trust someone like that?

"Hello…earth to Cyborg."

"Hmm? Wha?" Cyborg looked around to find all eyes on him once again. Apparently he let his thoughts get the best of him and opened up a void in the conversation. "Sorry, must've spaced out there for a second."

"So um…where are you guys going for the honeymoon?" Quickly he changed the subject, hoping that he didn't give himself away too obviously. To this question Raven reacted carefully. In truth she didn't really want to answer it, for the same reason she stopped Beast Boy earlier. Strangely, however, Beast Boy grew a large smile on his face.

"Well…we don't really have much…you know. So, we planned on going somewhere upstate for a few days."

"I hope you didn't have your heart set on that." Beast Boy grinned and immediately got everyone's attention. He originally planned on waiting to tell her, make it quite the surprise by showing her the tickets and such. Quite frankly, he couldn't wait much longer.

"What?"

"Well, today I went to see Mr. Wayne remember?"

"Yeah…?"

"He wanted to thank me for taking care of those goons last night. Then he said that he heard I was getting married." Beast Boy paused, the information about ready to burst out of him. "What do you think about Ireland?"

"What?" Raven blinked, not sure where he was going with this.

"He said he had a small cottage on the eastern coast of Ireland…and that he would be happy to let us use it for our honeymoon." It took a few moments for this to hit her, but when it did, it hit hard. Her eyes bulged and her heart skipped a beat.

"He…what?"

"He said just to let him know when we plan on going so he can arrange it." Beast Boy was beaming from ear to ear, just as he had after returning home after the meeting. Neither of them knew such kindness existed, especially from relative strangers. Cyborg and Starfire smiled warmly, it coming to such a surprise to them as well. Both knew that a honeymoon of this kind was unlikely, that they didn't really have much money and spending a few days upstate would be more doable for them. Dick, however, did have a look of surprise, but it was not coupled with the joy and happiness the others had. Paranoia and suspicion instead accompanied it, forcing a slight frown on his face no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

He knew Bruce, all too well. Although he was known for being generous without question, there was something about this that didn't seem right to him. A bonus would be a more likely show of gratitude, or even an offer to pay for the wedding, but to send them overseas…did he even have a cottage in Ireland? A cold rush ran over him while he thought, the others congratulating the two around him. Was he just being paranoid, could their falling out be influencing his suspicion? He couldn't tell, he only hoped as such. As much as he hated what he had become, he would like to think that Bruce wouldn't use a married couple for his advances, whether business-wise, or that of the cape and cowl. He tried to shake it off, now was not the time to think of such things. Right now he should be happy for them, his little spat with Bruce would have to wait.

The rest of the night went on without incident, the five enjoyed their time together reminiscing of the old days and regaling each other with tales of the new. The time they spent passed so quickly that they were shocked to look up and see that the clock had reached midnight. As much as they didn't want it to end, they all agreed that it was time to call it a night. Out of all of them, Dick and Starfire were the most disappointed. The entire night had gone without them exchanging little more than three words to each other. Nothing had been addressed, nothing had been solved. Dick was determined however, he would not leave without at least talking to her. Nothing was going to stop him this time, they needed to talk.

"Hey…um…Dick? Can I talk to you for a moment?" His stride towards the couch was cut short, Raven grabbing his arm gently. When he turned to look at her, he could tell there was something on her mind. She was neither looking at him directly, nor was she speaking loud enough for anyone other than he to hear. Her cheeks were tinted a soft pink, and there was a slight stutter in her speech. She had been waiting for the most opportune time to speak with him all night, and she had hidden it well from the rest. Ever since Beast Boy first purposed to her, she had thought about this moment. She had all this time to prepare, and yet she was still nervous.

"Um…sure." Dick was hesitant, looking back to Starfire on the couch but followed Raven nonetheless. Soon he found himself in the darkness of the bedroom, watching as she closed the door slowly, leaving only a sliver of light in. "What's up?"

"Well…there's something I wanted to ask you." Even in the dark, she couldn't bring herself to look at him. What small amount of light allowed in was just enough to light up the right half of her face, showing her eyes directed towards the mirror. She held on to her arm, her fingers kneading nervously as she spoke.

"What is it? Are you ok?"

"Yeah…I'm fine…it's…it's about the wedding."

"What about it?"

"Well…you know how…what I mean is…" Raven stumbled over herself terribly, barely able to make out the sentence. Dick gently took her chin in his hand and pulled her gaze to his. She was still reluctant to look at him whatever, her eyes shifting to look at the folds of his shirt, anything but his eyes.

"It's ok…take a deep breath." Raven obeyed and held it in for a moment, pushing back her emotions before letting out the air, her eyes finally meeting with his.

"Will you…give me away?"

"What?"

"Well…in weddings, usually the father gives away the bride…and well…" She didn't have to say it. He knew about her father, all of them did. Even if he was still in existence, he highly doubted a wedding would be the place for a giant inter-dimensional demon.

"You want me?" His heart skipped a beat, although he wasn't sure why. Perhaps the magnitude of what she was asking just finally hit him. She wanted him to take over the role of her father…her father. "But…why me? Surely there's someone else more deserv-…"

"I don't want someone else…you've always been like a father to me."

"But, we're almost the same age." Dick laughed slightly, Raven did not.

"It doesn't matter…you were always there for me. You were everything a real father should be, and my father wasn't." A flood of memories came back to her, mostly those of the arrival of her real father. It was during that time that Dick was there for her the most. True all of her friends were there for her, but Dick was the one who did everything to try and protect her, just like a father should. Even if he wasn't her real father…it sure felt like it. "Please Dick; this is important to me…"

"Alright…Just don't call me 'Dad,' it's creepy." Dick smiled gently, he still had question as to why he was chosen but, he knew doing this would make her happy. And that's all he wanted for her, as well as Beast Boy. He wanted things for them to be perfect, perhaps…perhaps because he had already blown his chance to be happy once before. He couldn't let that happen to them. He wanted them to have everything to make this perfect for them. Although, he knew that as long as they had each other, nothing else mattered.

That's all that ever matters, is that one person that can make you happy for the rest of your life. That one person who you love so much that it hurts, the person whom you love more than anything else in this world and the next, is the only thing that will ever matter. All of the things people stress over, the little things like money and jobs aren't worth the time wasted on them. He wished people knew that, but more importantly, he wished he had realized it earlier, before he let that one thing go.

"Oh…" His mind snapped back to the subject at hand, their happiness, and something suddenly popped back into his head. "There was something I wanted to ask you as well."

"What is it?"

"Well," Dick treaded lightly, all night he had watched as she and Beast Boy danced around the issue. He didn't want to offend, nor embarrass either of them, but this was something he wanted to do. "I know you two don't have a lot of money."

"Dick…"

"And…I wanted to make sure…I mean…" He sighed, rolling his head some, coaching himself to continue and just let it out. "I want to get you your wedding dress."

"What? No, that's not going to happen." Raven laughed slightly, which was rare for her, and took a few steps back. Peeking out to check on the others she smiled as saw her fiancé finally asking Cyborg the big question. She didn't think it was that hard of a thing to ask but, she had the same amount of trouble with asking Dick so she let it go.

"Raven…please; let me do this for you."

"No, you've already agreed to give me away, and that's plenty."

"Not to me." Dick was dead serious, he knew they didn't have much for a reception, nor the ceremony, and then there was the honeymoon…but he wasn't going to think of that now. There would be time later. He wanted to do something to help, he would have offered to pay for the reception but he knew he definitely wouldn't have gotten that past her. The dress, at least, would be easier to convince her with.

"It doesn't matter; I'm not letting you do it. We have money tucked away."

"Raven…you were going to go upstate for your honeymoon."

"Yeah…well, now that we don't have to worry about that we've got more money to work with." Raven was being quite difficult, again not showing her face. She did this to hide the struggle on her face. She, like her fiancé, hated money. Right now, even with this new job with Mr. Wayne they barely had enough for the honeymoon and a rented dress and tux. The reception wasn't going to be a reception so to speak, because they couldn't afford it. Instead, they planned on having a dinner party at the apartment. She sometimes wondered if it was a good idea to get married at this time, with her in college and such. But…she loved him so much…

"Raven…"

"No!"

"Look," Dick was getting impatient, he was not taking no for an answer. "Unless I'm mistaken, the father of the bride is supposed to pay for the wedding anyways. So why not just let me pay for the damn dress?"

"…" Raven opened her mouth but nothing came out. Words were replaced instead by a frustrated and defeated scowl. She hated to admit it, but he had a point. She could argue that he wasn't her father…but…dammit…he was the closest thing to it. She had already said as such, and he would only use this to argue his point.

"Well?"

"…fine…"

"Thank you…" Dick let out an exhausted sigh and his entire body loosened. One hurtle down…now, he had only one left…confronting Starfire. "You guys have my number, so when you find one, just call me with the information and I'll pick it up."

"…thank you Dick."

"Hey, forget it." He smiled, giving her a quite childish thumbs-up before opening the bedroom door. "Oh, and I've got a few old tuxes back home too. Remind me and I'll see if I can find one that fits him."

"Dick you don't have to…"

"I know…but I want to." Again he smiled, opening the door for her before leaving himself, walking in to find Beast Boy's face rather red, and Cyborg grinning ear to ear.

"He-hey guys," Cyborg only smiled even wider as he saw the two enter the room, taking his arm around Beast Boy rather painfully. "Say hello to the BEST MAN!"

Well, I was going to save the whole Cyborg/Best Man story for the next chapter, but then I realized that if I didn't get to the whole Dick/Starfire thing soon I would have an angry mob on my hands…plus that chapter would be too short to be it's own and I wanted to save the confrontation for a full one. Anywho, you'll be glad to know that this chapter came rather easier than the last ones so I think I'm getting that little rut out of my system. Later Days!

ANSA