A/N: A new chapter… after two months... rejoices (just kidding)...
Not much to say, because I don't have much time… so enjoy the chapter!

Thanks, kudos, praise, much love to my two wonderful and awesome beta-readers ChaiChi and Cherry Jade… they're both totally awesome and you should definitely check out their stories.

Dedicated to everyone who had reviewed this story and read it… I can't tell you guys enough how wonderful you and how grateful I'm for all of your reviews.

Disclaimer: Believe it or not, I don't own the Teen Titans or any related characters!

Chapter Thirteen:

Of Lilies and Confessions

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Tic…

The clock was driving him crazy…

… Toc…

… All the waiting was driving him crazy…

…Tic…

… He was waiting for two hours now… two hours and Raven still wasn't there.

…Toc…

What if something happened to her…?

…Tic…

What if she had ran in front of a car…?

…Toc…

What is she had been abducted…?

"You should definitely stop thinking such a shit," Richard began talking out loud. "And you should stop talking to yourself…"

He groaned and raked his hand through his ebony colored hair. He just hated to wait. Richard had never been a patient person and it had been always hard for him to act patiently… but waiting two hours for a woman was just insane, wasn't it…?

"I'm crazy…" He muttered as he began to stride back and forth in the room again, his cerulean eyes never leaving the clock on the wall. But Richard knew that Raven was worth it… Raven was worth everything. He just hoped that she could forgive him and give him another chance.

He still couldn't believe how stupid he was for not realizing how much he actually loved Raven. Why couldn't he realize something as obvious like his love for the dark woman? She had been always there… always there by his side… and still, Richard had been so blind… too blind to see that the person who held his heart was always by his side…

He groaned again, "Oh my God, now I'm sounding like a cheap soap opera. Raven has to come soon before I begin to dance and sing off key…"

With that said Richard sat down on the couch again and continued to stare at the clock.

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Raven had been wandering through the streets for almost two hours now. After the talk with her mother she just wanted to be alone and it would have been too much for her if Roy would have been still in the apartment or she had to explain Karen and Terra what had happened.

No, she just wanted to be alone… needed time to think and understand everything that ha happened in the last few days. So much had happened… too much to really comprehend.

Her father was ill, she had met Roy and began to like him, she had confessed to Richard that she loved him and when she thought that she had a chance to get over Richard and found love with someone else, her bubble had been burst again.

"My life is a soap opera… a really cheap soap opera…" The purple haired young woman muttered under her breath as she walked through the street.

"How about some flowers for the lovely young lady?" A deep yet friendly voice interrupted her thoughts and Raven looked up only to see an old man – maybe in his fifties – with snow-white hair and light blue eyes. He was standing behind rows of buckets filled with many different flowers.

Raven inhaled all the wonderful scents. Letting out a small satisfied sigh she let her eyes wander over the flowers, but stopped when her eyes fell on some beautiful white Casablanca Lilies.

"The lilies are beautiful, aren't they?" The old man spoke again and smiled friendly at Raven. "You like Casablanca Lilies, don't you?"

Raven nodded absently as she looked at the lovely flowers, "They're my favorite…" She looked up from the flowers and met the old man's glance. He had such friendly eyes… and a warm, welcoming smile. Somehow, old people made her feel so warm and content… and right now that was what she needed…

Her thought was interrupted as a lily with a long stem was pushed into her hand, "Here, since it's your favorite flower and you seem to need something that helps you to make you smile."

The amethyst eyed woman looked at the beautiful flower in her hand…

Flashback

Raven stared at the closed door and her hands were clutching the Lilies painfully… as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was Roy

"Raven…? Are you alright?"

"Yeah… I… I finally let go…" She said and hated how pitiful her voice sounded. She turned around and looked at him. "You know, you're right… I'm more a violet-type…" She babbled looking down at the flowers in her hand. "Lilies don't suit me… I…" She trailed off letting go of the lilies in her hand and tried to walk away but a strong hand on her wrist stopped her.

"Roy…"

He pulled her gently to his chest, "Cry…" Roy spoke softly to her and only seconds later her face was buried in his strong chest. He held her shaking and sobbing form gently and stroked her head affectionately.

"He doesn't love me…" She chocked out between sobs and tears. "He doesn't love me…"

Flashback End

"Lilies don't suit me…" Raven whispered as she remembered the things that happened just yesterday.

"What was that…?" The old man asked confused, but Raven just shook her head and smiled at the man.

"Thanks… for the lily. It's really beautiful…" She said and still smiled as she waved at the man and made her way towards her apartment again. "… but the lilies don't suit me…"

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Another hour had passed, Raven still hadn't come and Richard gave up talking with her today… maybe he would have more luck tomorrow.

He was about to push down the handle of the door as it was swung open… and the edge of the door hit him square on his forehead.

"Oh my god, I'm so…" Raven panicky began to speak… "…Richard…" and asked confused. "What are you doing here…?"

Richard pinched the bridge of his nose and blinked, "Getting hit by a door!" He answered wincing in pain. Who could have thought that a door could hurt so much?

It was then that Raven remembered the little 'accident'. "Oh yeah, does it hurt? Do you need something?" She asked worriedly leading him to the kitchen and letting him sit on a chair while she brought him an ice-bag from the fridge. Gently Raven laid the ice on his forehead.

"Is it better now?" She asked after a while.

"Huh…" was all Richard could say, because the whole time he had been busy with watching her face and thinking about the things he wanted to tell her. "Yeah… I'm fine now…"

He smiled to let her see that he was indeed feeling better, but now he didn't know what to say or tell her…

"Okay… that's good to hear…" She let out awkwardly still holding the ice to his forehead. It was strange to sit in the kitchen with Richard… and she hated that. It shouldn't feel strange. They were friends and they promised each other that they would be there for each other forever.

It just shouldn't be awkward between them… that was just wrong… so wrong.

Raven let the ice-bag fall on the kitchen table, "I'm sorry…" She said in a small voice that sounded so unlike her.

"Wh-… what…?" Richard just asked. She was just so confusing, but that was how Raven was… and that's why he loved her so much.

"It shouldn't be like that… we shouldn't be like that…" Raven exclaimed. "Our friendship… everything is going down the drain – and it's my fault… I shouldn't have said anything…"

"Raven-" Richard began to protest, but was cut short by Raven.

"No, I… I… love you, yes, but you don't… and that's okay! I'll learn to live with that, because I don't want to loose you… I don't want to lose your friendship…"

"But Raven, I lo-" Again, Richard couldn't finish his thought.

"Richard I really hope that our friendship will survive this and that we can-"

'Start over' was what Raven wanted to say, but her words were lost as Richard's lips claimed hers.

It was a gentle kiss… and a soft one… it was chaste… and sweet… everything a first lover's kiss should be. Only that this kiss wasn't their first kiss… neither was it a lover's kiss, nor was it…?

Richard leaned back and Raven blinked confused, "You… why did you do that…?" Her voice sounded hurt and Richard realized that he made a mistake.

"I love you… I love you, Raven…" He finally confessed as he stood from the chair he had been sitting on. "I'm in love with you…" Richard repeated gazing into her amethyst eyes.

"No… no…" Raven shook her head and backed away from her best friend! You're lying… you can't be… you…" The purple haired vixen was unable to form her thoughts. It was just too much: Here she was, in front of the man she loved… and he claimed to be in love with her as well, but that couldn't be true.

"Raven, please, I love you and I'm so sorry for hurting you… and… I'm just so sorry. But please, listen to me: I'm not lying and I know that you don't have any reason to believe me, but I love you… I just love you…" He was almost pleading with her and Raven realized how honest he sounded and that there was no lie in his eyes.

"I should've realized it sooner, I know, but you know, how slow I can be sometimes…" Raven let out a small choked chuckle at this. "But I love you… and I'll tell you that as much as I have to so that you understand it…" Richard gently took her hand and squeezed it softly. "Please Raven, give me a chance…"

She was staring at him… she was just staring at him… nothing else… just staring.

"Raven…?" Richard gently called out and his dark-blue eyes grazed her worriedly, "Raven… please, say something…" This was not how he had imagined his talk with her… not at all.

"What do you want me to say?" Raven finally spoke and Richard was happy that she had at least decided to talk to him.

"I don't know… just something… anything…" He wasn't sure what he wanted from her. Richard just wanted her to speak to him… and he wanted to hold her… and kiss her… and… okay, he knew what he expected from her, but did she still want him.

"What's with… Kori? Don't you love her anymore?" Raven spat, "How can you forget her…?"

"Rae, please… I-" Richard tried to explain, but Raven didn't want to hear anything.

"No, no, you claimed to love her! The past few years everything I heard was how much you love Kori and how much she means to you and I never said anything… never told you, because I didn't want to lose your friendship… because I wanted you to be happy." She nearly choked on her words, "And now you're telling me that you love me and not Kori and that you were mistaken all those years…?"

Raven was furious. Her nails dug into her palm and she bit her lips just she wouldn't scream out loud.

"Raven-"

"How do I know that you aren't mistaken again?" She finally voiced, "How do I know that you really love me and that you won't leave me again? Tell me, how…?" Her voiced trembled and Raven hated it… hated how he made her feel and act.

So unlike her… so emotional… too emotional…

Richard stood up and faced Raven. He looked at her for a moment before he began to talk, "I can't promise you anything Raven. I broke my promises too many times to make any promises…" He let out a deep breath and fought against tears that were threatening to fall, "All I can say is that I love you. I love you… and I've always loved you and I'll always love you… but no matter what happens – no matter, what you decide, I'll be always your best friend… I'll be always Robin… your Robin…"

Richard smiled sadly at the woman in front of him, "You want me to leave…? I will leave and I will only come back if you want me to."

With that said Richard slowly made his way out of the kitchen…

… before two slender arms wrapped around him from behind.

"Don't leave… me… Richard… don't go…" Raven murmured into his back and Richard turned around hugging the petite woman to his chest.

"I won't leave you… would never leave you…" He said burying his face in her violet locks.

"I love you… I love you… I love you Richard." Raven threw back slightly and looked up at him with teary amethyst eyes, "I love you!"

Richard smiled bending down and capturing her soft lips in a kiss. His tongue hungrily exploring her mouth and tracing her sweet, soft lips. He reluctantly drew away from her lips.

"That's good to hear, because I love you too," He breathlessly answered her at least and dived in for another kiss… followed by many, many other ones… and the night wasn't over yet.

A/N: Yeah, that was it… so… uhm… how do you guys liked it…? Be honest and tell me what you think… okay…?

Not my best chapter and Raven was a bit OOC and I think I went overboard with the fluff… but I just can't write endings. They always come out so… terrible and overly fluffy... and cheesy... and corny.

:sighs:

Anyway, there will be an epilogue in the same style like the prologue with many flashbacks and then the story will be definitely over. I'll try to get the epilogue ready until next week, but I won't make any promises…

Last, but not least, I wanted to thank you guys for 500 reviews… that's awesome and I love you guys…
Thank you very, very, very much for all those wonderful and awesome reviews and criticism… they mean so much to me… and I really hope that you guys liked this chapter.

So, that was it from me… for now…

Take care and be safe…

Love, Alena