Raven toweled herself dry. Her private bathroom was still steamy after her shower and she felt clammy. She stopped drying herself and tried to wipe the large fogged up mirror. She was only partially successful but was able to see her reflection.

The woman she saw in the mirror looked nervous, anxious.

Today was the day. The day every young woman was supposed to look forward to. And in truth she was feeling happy. But she was also a nervous wreck.

There was of course no logical reason for her to feel this way. So she was going to exchange vows in about an hour. No big deal, right? It's not like today was some sort of un expected surprise. It had been planned almost three months ago.

She was going to marry him. She actually was. For real. She was going to be fitted with a ball and chain. She, the girl whose life was supposed to end on her 16th birthday was actually getting hitched. And of all people, to him. Yeah, HIM.

The steam had subsided and her mirror was now clear. She could now see her reflection. She had been a mere teenager when she first met the annoying kid, just a couple of years into puberty herself. They were all confused teens, overrun with hormones and feelings that were quite honestly, new to them. The unclothed figure staring back at her was no longer a child, she was an adult woman. She was never supposed to become a woman. That had never been her father's plan. She was never supposed to have survived that fateful day, when her body disintegrated as she became a portal and brought her father into the universe. Yet, somehow, she challenged fate and survived.

She still wore her hair in the A-line Bob she had kept it in when she first became a Titan. She tried letting it grow out, but it just seemed wrong. Plus he liked it the A-line. It was also easier to dry than a huge mane. She still couldn't understand how Starfire was able to manage so much hair. Aliens!

She exited the bath and put on some undergarments and quickly brushed her hair while it was till damp. She never used a blow drier. It was one of the advantages of having short, silky straight hair.

Her thoughts returned to the day at hand. Marriage. Was she really ready for this? Having grown up on Azarath and being raised by the monks, her understanding of marriage was different from that of most humans on Earth, or from Tamaranians for that matter.

It went without saying that Azarathians who were married did not divorce. It was simply unthinkable for them, and not allowed. Sure, separation was allowed in cases in infidelity or if the spouse could simply not be lived with anymore. And it went beyond that. Even if he were to pass away, she was not allowed to remarry. She explained this to him, and acknowledged that she knew she couldn't expect this sort of commitment from him, or from anyone else for that matter. She also explained that they would not consummate until their wedding night. She expected him to complain and not agree. To her immense surprise he agreed with all of it, even that their vows would go beyond "until death do you part". He told her that he wanted to be married to her forever. "Be careful what you wish for, Gar. Your wish might be granted." She told him.

They had been a couple for almost four years. It had been a good courtship. And while they remained chaste during this time, they had grown to know each other well, probably better than most married knew each other.

They had, of course, started out as acquaintances, meeting each other on that fateful day when the Gordanians threatened to destroy Jump City. Even though he was extremely immature and utterly annoying at the time, she thought he was cute the first time she saw him. And then some time later, when he and Cyborg entered her mind they agreed they were friends, even though he was still annoying, though she admitted, he had become even cuter.

Not much changed the next couple of years. He saved her from Adonis, and she expressed, in her at the time most anal retentive manner, that maybe she liked him as more than just a friend. Of course he was clueless and didn't catch what she was telling him, and the "moment" was short lived.

She opened her closet. Raven wasn't one for "civvies". She tried at one time and Starfire took her to the mall and bought her some ripped jeans and a black T shirt that had "Black Is My Happy Color" printed on it. It wasn't her style and the look was short lived (as in less than a week). The jeans were long gone, though the T-Shirt was still in a drawer, nicely folded. The rest of her wardrobe consisted of various versions of her costume. She reached and pulled out a new outfit, which had a protective plastic cover over it. It was a white version of her winter costume. Starfire had implored her to wear a traditional wedding gown, but Raven refused. This was a close as she was going to get.

She laid it down on her bed, the bed where she and her new husband would sleep together that night and share themselves with each other for the first time. It wasn't her old bed with the creepy headboard. She remembered getting the new bed about four years ago. It had been perhaps the second most stressful time in her life, if not tied with when her father came.

It was shortly after Terra had told him to leave her alone, that "things change". She remembered how empty and hollow he was after that fateful event. He suddenly became a different person. His joyful demeanor was gone. And much to her surprise, she too was devastated. Not because of Terra and what she did to him. When she heard that she had lost her powers and wanted nothing to do with him, Raven was pleased.

But the broken heart he was experiencing was unbearable, and not just because she was an empath. Raven wanted to help him forget about the wretched blond. But, she was paralyzed. She was afraid. It's not like she didn't try. She even asked him out to lunch a couple of times. But she was emotionally inept, unable to do anything to help him forget Terra and their outings were awkward. That was when she first realized the truth: she cared about him, deeply. Of course she loved all her friends. But, there was something different about how she felt about him. But she had no clue what to do. Every time she tried to reach out to him her psyche practically shut down and she babbled like an idiot. She even once asked him if there was chocolate flavored tofu. She face palmed at the memory.

She was puzzled and frustrated with herself. Her insecurity smothered her and she simply gave up trying. She considered asking Starfire for advice, but even that was terrifying. She briefly toyed with the idea of seeing a therapist, but she couldn't bring herself to make the appointment. Talk to a complete stranger about her hang-ups and problems? That was never going to happen. So she did nothing.

He did not seem to bounce back from being dumped, even though the others tried to cheer him up. Starfire even managed to set him up on a blind date, much to Raven's horror. It of course, to her immense relief, turned out to be a disaster and he dated no one else.

But the real disaster happened two months later. He dropped the bomb on everyone at the wedge shaped pizzeria: he was going to return to the Doom Patrol, at least until, in his own words, he "got his head screwed back on straight". Starfire asked if he was leaving for good. He said no, but also said he didn't know when he would return.

The day he departed they all exchanged goodbyes. Starfire kissed him on the cheek and said she would miss him. Raven surprised everyone, including herself, as she too kissed him goodbye. To her surprise he blushed before kissing her back and told her he would miss her.

And that was when the long four months began. Kid Flash backfilled for him, which meant that Jinx also came along. Still, the Tower felt like a mausoleum.

Raven looked at the clock on the wall. She still had 35 minutes to get ready. She slipped on the white tights over her gray legs as the flashbacks continued.

The first two months had been pure agony. Whenever she walked in the Tower, she felt like he would be around the next corner. At times, she even thought she saw him out of the corner of her eyes or even heard his voice down the hallway. At first there was no contact with him. Even though he kept his Titans communicator there was no contact, which was not surprising as Mento would not let him take it with him on missions. Not knowing if he was OK was unbearable and she spent many sleepless nights worrying about him. After the two long months he sent everyone a text: "Finally back at Dayton Manor, but we're heading out again tomorrow. More bad guy butt to kick."She felt immense relief knowing he was OK.

Raven had saved the plush chicken he gave her many years ago, and began to sleep with it every night. One night, almost four months after he left, after an especially grueling fight with Johnny Rancid, she found herself in bed with the chicken. Again, unable to sleep she stared into the darkness, staring out her window at the city's skyline. Even at this moment she still didn't know what possessed or moved her, but she grabbed her communicator and texted him a simple message: "Please call me".

Before she could put her communicator back on her nightstand, it trilled. The display said it was him. She answered it. His face appeared on the screen.

"Hey, are you OK?" He asked in a concerned tone.

She didn't reply immediately. He saw her wipe away a tear.

"No. I'm not."

"What's the matter?"

She choked back a sob.

"I miss you … so much that it hurts."

"I miss you too."

"You do?"

He sniffled. "Yeah."

"Garfield … please come home."

He nodded "I will. We just got back after another Brotherhood wild goose chase. Anyway, I told Mento I'm done here."

"When can you come home?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"I'll come get you. Is that OK?"

"Sure … I'd like that."

Raven pulled her top over her head. Still 25 minutes to go. She slipped on her white boots. The flashbacks continued.

As promised, she teleported to the Doom Patrol's headquarters in the Hamptons . The entire Doom Patrol was present when she stepped out of her portal. He ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her. She reciprocated, giving him a fierce hug worthy of Starfire. Then he surprised her with a chaste kiss on the lips. She felt her cheeks redden. She turned her head and saw Rita smile and nod approvingly. Raven buried her face in his shoulder.

"Promise me you'll never leave again."

"I will, but only if you agree to be my girlfriend."

She replied with a kiss on his lips. She then whispered to him. "This is the best day of my life."

Raven smiled as she whipped her white cape around her shoulders. Still 15 minutes on the clock.

The next few years after his return were blissful. She had told no one that he was returning, and after surprising them with him at her side, she announced that they were a couple. For a while she feared that it might be just a dream, and that she would wake up and he would still be with the Doom Patrol.

But it wasn't a dream. Cyborg welcomed the news with a huge grin and wagged his human eyebrow at them. Starfire was of course exuberant and gave them bone crushing hugs. Robin smiled, his arms crossed. He later took Beast Boy aside and gave him "the talk". Gar swore he would never break her heart and that he would not deflower her. Robin seemed satisfied with his pledge and congratulated him, telling him that he had no idea of how lucky he was. Beast Boy said he did know.

A small box was on her desk. It contained the one item she agreed to compromise on. Starfire had implored her to at least wear a bridal veil. Raven had also refused that request, but she compromised. She told Starfire that she could assemble a ring of flowers she would wear. Starfire gleefully accepted and Raven immediately wondered if she had made a mistake, expecting the ring the princess would commission to be huge and garish, with a color scheme only a Tamaranian could love. As she opened the box her mind went back to what at first had seemed like an ordinary day.

After being below their radar for almost two years, Mumbo Jumbo tried to rob a bank. He did it because he thought they were out of town on a mission, and they had been, but returned quietly the night before. Anyway, his heist was easily spoiled and as he was transferred to a police car they were in good spirits after the easy mission and decided to celebrate at their beloved pizzeria.

They ate their meal and bantered as they devoured the cheesy rectangles. Once they were done and the bill was paid, Robin said: "Time to head back to the tower." Beast Boy asked everyone to wait. He looked a little nervous and cleared his throat more than once.

"I just … uh … wanted to say that I consider you guy as my family … and while you probably already know that, there's … uh … something else I want to do, and I want you to see it."

He turned to Raven and took her hand. His grip was fierce and had Raven not been so strong herself it might have hurt. He looked her in the eyes.

"Raven, we've been a couple for three years, seven months and twelve days … and they've been great."

"Hear, hear" Cyborg chortled.

"But, I have to say: I'm no longer happy with our relationship, as it is."

Robin glared at the changeling, and began to rise to his feet. Was he going to break his pledge to not break her heart? Was he going to dump Raven in front of them? Starfire's strong arm gripped him and pulled him back to his seat. She looked at Raven, who looked utterly bewildered.

"Gar … are you saying you're unhappy?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Cyborg joined Robin in his glare at the changeling.

Oh no he's not, he ain't dumping her in front of us like that.

"Gar, is it something I've done?" She asked with a slight tremble in her voice.

He shook his head. "No, it's something you haven't done."

"Gar, I have no idea of what you're talking about … this is coming out of nowhere … please, tell me. If I can fix it, I will."

By this point Starfire had joined in the collective glare.

Gar smiled and reached into his utility belt. She couldn't see what he retrieved and his hand closed around it. He raised his hand to her face and opened it. He was holding a dazzling Amethyst solitaire ring.

"I want you to be my wife."

The other three stood up, with furious looks on their faces.

"That is the most unromantic!" Starfire bellowed. "That is not how it is done!"

Cyborg joined in. "You got that right, Star! What the heck kind of proposal is that!? I told you that eating so much tofu would scramble your brains."

Robin continued to glare, his arms crossed. "I also agree, and I wouldn't blame Raven for turning you down."

Raven looked at the ring then at his face.

"Have I ever told you that you're not funny?"

"More times than I can count. Have I ever told you that I love you?"

"More times than I can count." She replied as she offered her ring finger to him. He smiled and slipped the ring on her finger.

"I accept your offer of betrothal." She replied as she admired the ring.

The other three, stunned into silence, sat down.

Back in the present, Raven stared at her engagement ring. They had visited a jeweler, who they commissioned to make their custom wedding bands. Hers had green emeralds embedded and his had amethysts. She then remembered the other ring, the one made of flowers; she reached into the box and pulled it out. It was incredibly tasteful and subtle, it was exactly what she hoped for. Apparently, when Starfire did her homework, she could these sort of get things right.

She placed it on her head. The clock showed that there were five minutes left. There was a knock on her door.

"Raven, you are the ready? Do you require any final assistance?" Starfire asked though the door.

Raven heard a cacophony in her mind, as its facets were all abuzz.

"So, ladies, are we ready?" She whispered.

"Let's do it!" They shouted back in one voice.

Raven opened the sliding door, revealing a nervous looking princess, who was dressed in a stunning frock.

"I'm ready."

-(-)-

So, readers are you OK if this story ends here, or do you want another chapter?