Published: May 19, 2020

Track 15: Go Time

The grey, February sky brought with it a depressing sense of defeat. Thirty-one days had elapsed and Gar already failed at keeping the majority of his resolutions. His will to wake up early dried up by Day 3 of the New Year. A week later, his room was back to being a pigsty and his cell phone usage hadn't gone down one bit. If he squinted, he was almost able to see some definition in his abs, but he was still a long way off from being ripped. His January budget was blown on a "belated Christmas gift to himself" when he bought a Nintendo Switch during a New Year's sale. He reasoned that he would need the hand-held console as entertainment while they were on the road.

Determined not to fail at all of his resolutions, Gar picked up his phone and called one of his favourite contacts.

"Hello?" a female voice answered.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Gar! It's so nice to hear from you!"

"It's good to hear from you too, Mom. How was Christmas?"

"Oh, the usual," his foster mother replied, "we had your father's business partners come over. Poor Cliff went a little too heavy on the eggnog and Larry drew on his face in permanent marker while he was passed out."

"And they call me the immature one!" Gar exclaimed while smiling into the phone.

"They all asked about you. Everyone was disappointed that you weren't there... Especially your father."

The prodigal son winced with guilt. It had been a long time since his heated phone call with Steve and the fiery rage had cooled considerably. He felt especially terrible because poor Rita was often caught in the crossfire of their arguing. About three years ago, Steve relocated part of his business to Covington, Ohio. He and Rita spent a large part of the year travelling back and forth between there and California. If they weren't working, they were usually vacationing on some fancy resort or cruise ship overseas. However, his foster parents always made sure they were in the United States for Christmas. Even after moving out, Gar would traditionally spend the holiday with them in either Jump City or Covington.

"Sorry, Mom. Some friends in the band didn't have any plans and we-"

"-You don't need to make excuses, sweetheart. I'm just glad that you didn't celebrate alone. And speaking of the band, I've been listening to your music non-stop!"

"Really?"

"Of course! I tried to find your album at a record store, but they didn't have any copies."

"Oops, I should have told you. You can only find it online."

"I clued in eventually. Larry helped me download it on... What's it called again? iSongs?"

"iTunes. That's great, Mom."

"I'm very proud of you, honey. We both are."

Gar swelled with pride. His mother was always generous with her praise, but that didn't mean he appreciated it any less. However, he was skeptical of his father's support. "I'm surprised Steve would even give it a listen. He always said that rock music was just a racket of banging drums and sloppy guitar."

Rita giggled in response but didn't deny his claims before asking, "So what have you kids been up to these days?"

"Actually, I have some big news. We're going on tour at the beginning of next month!"

"Oh, that's fantastic! Whereabouts?"

Gar spent the next several minutes relaying all of the information to his mother. They chatted for a while, going back and forth between sharing recent updates and reminiscing on old times. Almost an hour later, Gar tried to end the conversation with a half-baked excuse but Rita wasn't quite finished yet. "Before you go, how's everyone else doing?" she asked.

"Well, Vic's engaged, but you already knew that. Dick and Kory are still together, but you also probably already knew that."

"I'm happy to hear it. Those two are going to make such beautiful babies one day. I'm sure Mr. Wayne will be thrilled to be a grandfather. Hopefully, they don't make him wait too long. Us oldies aren't getting any younger."

Gar saw right through her thinly veiled message and rolled his eyes before replying, "I get it, Mom, you've said it a thousand times."

"Oh honey, you know I just want you to be happy. Do yourself a favour and settle down soon, okay?"

Gar hung up the phone with a half-annoyed, half-amused chuckle. Only Rita could find such roundabout ways to pry into his love life. Talking about his friends' relationship statuses made him consider his own. Gar still hadn't figured out an answer to Victor's question and it made him reluctant to move ahead with his tenth New Year's resolution. That being said, he had a strong desire to see Raven and spend time with her, even if it was only in the context of being friends. He put his brain to work, trying to come up with a reason to visit. He couldn't think of anything remotely convincing, but he didn't care. Feeling impulsive, he threw on his jacket and strode outside, making his way to her place.

The Titans' manager replied to the umpteenth email that morning and she was officially over it. Planning a dozen concerts in under two months was brutal, especially without the expertise of a proper tour manager. Raven mentally cursed her past self for not hiring someone else to take care of all of this in the first place. But no, her stinginess kept her from getting any outside help and now she was seriously regretting it. The tour was turning out to be a logistical nightmare. Whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see were spreadsheets upon spreadsheets of budgets. Her inbox was constantly full and no matter how much time she dedicated to clearing it, she would inevitably end up with several more messages by the end of the day. While she appreciated the band members' help, she was still on the hunt for roadies to accompany them. The sooner she hired more staff, the lighter her workload would become.

Raven kept close tabs on her mental and physical health. She was the type that thrived under pressure, but if the stress went on for too long, she would eventually break. She tried to make up for it by adding another ten minutes to her morning yoga routine, but the extra stretching barely did anything to help her relax. She pulled out one of her favourite books, Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, to re-read it. She burned candles and even tried to meditate, but nothing relieved her burdens. Her only psychological reprieve came from wearing comfortable clothing. The advantage of working from home meant that she could dress herself in loungewear all day. Most of the time, she didn't even change out of her pyjamas. She only really put in an effort to look presentable if she knew the team was coming over.

Today, Raven wore a stretchy pair of yoga pants and thick, woolly socks. Her unwashed hair was tied in a messy bun so that she could keep it out of her face while she worked. She hadn't cut it in a while and it had grown out long enough for the ends to touch her shoulder blades. Her favourite part of the ensemble was the fleece hoodie that Garfield had lent her several months ago. He never mentioned wanting it back and she "conveniently" forgot to bring it up herself. The long sleeves went past her fingertips and the hem met her mid-thigh. As Raven stared at her computer, she brought her knees up to her chest and tucked her legs inside the sweater so that only her toes peeked out. The garment had long lost its woodsy scent considering that she had worn and washed it several times, but it brought her the comfort of a security blanket.

Tap tap, ta-tap, tap.

A rhythmic knocking sounded from the direction of her front door. Odd, she wasn't expecting anyone. Raven checked her watch, glancing at the date to confirm that the next Titans meeting was in two days. She reluctantly released her legs from the warmth of the sweater and walked over to the entrance of her unit. Raven racked her brains for an explanation. It was almost suppertime. Did she order take out? Had she bought anything online recently?

Raven peeked through the eyehole to see Garfield loitering on the other side. A heavy groan escaped her lips. Of all the people to show up unexpectedly, why did it have to be him? She was scared to inspect herself in the full length mirror that hung by the front door, but she did it anyway. Her scalp was slick with grease and tired bags darkened the skin under her eyes. She gave herself a whiff. When was the last time she showered? Maybe, she could pretend that she wasn't home...

Tap tap, ta-tap, tap.

"Rae Rae, you in there?"

With a heavy dread settling in the pits of her stomach, Raven opened the door. She extended her neck so that only her head was visible from the other side, covering her body so that Garfield wouldn't be able see what she was wearing. He beamed back at her with a wide, lopsided grin.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?"

"Wh-what?"

The out-of-left-field question stunned her momentarily. It proved enough to distract her as Garfield barreled through the entrance so that he was fully inside her home. He shut the door behind him and shook off his jacket, then strolled towards her kitchen to sit down on a stool next to the island. He even had the audacity to call over Earl Grey and sit the cat on his lap. Raven gaped at the man, her brain still not fully processing his presence. "Cute hoodie," he remarked with a smirk.

Raven was still shaken at the fact that he was even there in the first place, but she tried to keep her cool. "What are you doing here, Gar?"

"My Spidey Senses were tingling. I had a feeling you could use some company."

"I already have company," she replied drily while glaring at her two-timer of a cat, "and I'm busy."

Garfield perused the mess of papers that were strewn about the kitchen island. He peered into the collection of mugs that were lined up next to her computer to see that they were half-empty with cold tea. He then gave her grungy appearance another once-over, making Raven feel totally exposed. No one had ever seen her in such a state. She expected him to tease her, but instead, his tone softened with sympathy. "You look exhausted."

"Fantastic. That's just another way of saying that I look like a trainwreck."

"You know I didn't mean it like that. I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine."

"You are not fine. In fact, you look like you could use a break."

Raven threw up her hands in frustration. She didn't need him to tell her what she already knew. She also didn't need him pointing out her apparent weakness. She answered him defensively, "The tour isn't going to organize itself. I have about a hundred things left on my to-do list, so if there's nothing you actually need from me, you can just leave-"

"-When's the last time you ate?"

"Doesn't matter, I'm not hungry."

"Don't be ridiculous. You're going to work yourself to death."

"Not if you kill me with your nagging first."

Her biting comment went over his head completely. Instead, Garfield laughed out loud, placed Earl Grey onto the floor and strode over to her pantry. In a sing-song voice, he declared, "Let's see what we've got in here..."

Although Raven rarely cooked for herself, she felt it was wise to keep non-perishables on hand in case of an emergency. After rummaging through the mostly bare shelves, Garfield was able to find a dusty box of pasta, an old container of dried chilli flakes and a shrivelled head of garlic. "Got any olive oil?" he asked. "And a lemon?"

Raven considered protesting but there was no stopping him now. He had already taken out a large pot, a wide sauté pan and a cutting board. With a sigh of defeat, she shuffled around him to procure the items he requested. Raven passively watched as he filled the pot with water and set it on the stove. Then, he took several cloves of garlic and sliced them thinly. Once the water started boiling, he threw in a heavy pinch of salt along with half the box of linguine. Garfield poured some olive oil into the pan and after a minute or two, added the garlic and dried chilli flakes.

"Need any help?" the manager inquired reluctantly.

"Nah, you just sit back and relax. Although I am gonna need a ladle and a set of tongs, please."

While she gathered the utensils, Garfield stood by the stove and tossed the contents of the pan in the air with expert flicks of the wrist. The aroma of toasted garlic mixed with spicy chillies and lemon zest filled the kitchen, making Raven's mouth water involuntarily. After several minutes of stirring, flipping, and garnishing, Garfield announced, "Order up! Can you pass me two bowls?"

"Yes, chef."

He grinned back at her sarcasm. Using the tongs, he served hefty portions into the ceramic dishes. It was a simple meal with very few ingredients, but it looked and smelled absolutely delicious. After getting forks and glasses of water, they sat down in her living room. He settled into the couch while she sat in her reading chair. Raven twirled the pasta with her fork and took a big bite. She held back a moan at how flavourful and satisfying it was.

"So, what do you think?"

"Not bad. Better than Kory's cooking."

"Ha! Now that's high praise right there," he replied jovially. "It's too bad you don't have any Parmigiano Reggiano though. It would have been the perfect finishing touch."

"I thought vegans don't eat cheese."

"Meh, it's no biggie. I actually cheat every once in a while," he said with a laid-back shrug. "I'm more concerned about the mistreatment of animals than avoiding their by-products. And Italian cows are some of the happiest cows in the world."

"You say that as if you know them personally."

"Alright, you caught me. I don't know that for sure. But what I do know is that vegan cheese tastes like shit. So sue me if I eat brie or gorgonzola every once in a while."

"Fascinating," she answered with a wry smirk, "I pegged you as one of the more over-zealous animal activists. And I definitely didn't expect you to be so good at cooking."

Garfield rolled his eyes at her back-handed compliments. "I wasn't always a vegan. And my moms were very insistent that I learn how to cook from a young age."

"Oh," Raven said, raising her brows. "I didn't know you had two moms."

"Not exactly. I meant my biological mother and my foster mother."

Raven's eyebrows went up even further. All she knew about his parents was that they weren't on great terms since before Christmas. Family was a touchy subject for herself, so she didn't ask any questions. She didn't have to in the end, for Garfield began to open up without being prompted.

"My biological parents died when I was six. Boating accident. They were scientists and at the time, we lived in a village in Upper Lumumba, between the Ivory Coast and Liberia. When they passed away, I got shipped back to the States to live with my uncle. He turned out to be a deadbeat, so I was put into foster care. That's when I met Rita and Steve, who have been my parents ever since."

Raven's heart broke at the sad, distant look that appeared in his eyes as he told her about his unconventional upbringing. Garfield had lost his parents at such a young age. She imagined what he looked like when he was just a little boy. Did he have the same sandy blonde hair and face dusted with freckles? Did he always have a sunny disposition, or was that something that developed out of the darkness of his past? She wanted to give her condolences or say the standard "I'm sorry", but somehow, neither option seemed appropriate. Instead, she settled for honest empathy. "That must have been a very difficult childhood."

"It was rough at times, but I think I turned out okay." His voice was light-hearted, but she couldn't get over the heaviness of the topic.

"Do you ever miss them? Your biological parents, I mean?"

"All the time. But I'm grateful for Rita and Steve, I wouldn't be who I am today without them." Garfield's eyes flicked around the room, as if he was searching for a reason to change the topic. His gaze settled on the weathered novel that lay on the side table between their two seats. He set down his bowl to pick it up and said, "After all, even the darkest night will end-"

"-and the sun will rise." The pair exchanged a look of surprise when Raven finished the quote. She continued, "Huh. I didn't know that you're familiar with Les Misérables. In fact, I didn't know you read at all."

Garfield guffawed loudly. "Right? Who would've guessed it from an uncultured swine like me? Though to be honest, I never read the book. I only know the story because of the musical."

Something clicked in Raven's mind. "Wait a second, don't tell me. Were you... A theatre kid?"

"You're looking at a guy who played Gavroche for two years and starred in a bunch of other productions in junior high."

"You're joking."

"I'll prove it to you."

She scooted her chair closer as he pulled out his phone. He typed "Les Mis, Ahmanson Theatre" into the search bar of YouTube. Lo and behold, a tiny Garfield appeared on screen, singing his heart out on stage. He was dressed like a street urchin with ruffled hair and a dirty face. Raven resisted the urge to make a Kory-like squeal at how cute he was. His younger version was exactly like she imagined. Even as a 10-year old, it was obvious that he was made for the spotlight. His fake Cockney accent was awful, but his performance had spunk.

As they watched the video, Garfield commented, "That was around the time I started living with my foster parents. Rita thought I could use an outlet for my hyperactivity, so she enrolled me in every extracurricular program she could think of. Musical theatre and guitar were the only things that stuck."

Raven was totally entranced with the actors moving about on stage. Her experience was the exact opposite of Garfield's. She had read the book countless times, but she had never seen the musical. Her stress was replaced with burning curiosity. "Gar," she said with a touch of excitement, "Can we watch the rest of it?"

Soon after, they were set up in front of her television. Gar never would have expected that Raven would suggest a spontaneous movie night, but he wasn't complaining. Luckily for his ego, the rest of his old performance wasn't available online. Raven suggested that they watch the 2012 Hollywood version that featured Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, but Gar quickly shot down that idea. "Russel Crowe butchered the role of Javert. No, if we're going to commit to this, we're watching the 10th anniversary 'Dream Cast' edition."

Raven changed places so that she was now sitting on the couch beside him. It was only at this moment that Gar really noticed they were completely alone together. They sat on either extremity of the couch, tucked into the corners. The empty seat in the center felt like the size of a hippopotamus. He desperately wanted to scoot over and cuddle up against her. However, he was determined not to make any moves before they had a chance to talk about what the hell was going on between them.

As the musical played out on screen, Gar glanced over to watch Raven's reactions every once in a while. He grinned when she giggled softly at the Thenardiers' comical rendition of "Master of the House". He noticed her beautiful, deep blue eyes widen at the intensity of Valjean and Javert's duet in "The Confrontation". In the Second Act, he politely ignored her silent tears when Marius sang "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables". The entire time, he willed himself not to sing or hum along with the cast. For a musical fanatic like him, it was almost torture. But he wanted Raven to experience the songs without the distraction of his voice, so he stayed quiet.

Two and a half hours later, the video ended with the cast taking their final bows to the applause of the live audience. Raven stretched her arms above her head and reached for the remote to turn the television off. Gar noticed how she had to pull the sleeves of his sweater up to her elbows to free her tiny hands. He sighed internally at how adorable she looked all wrapped up in the too-big hoodie.

"What did you think?" he asked.

"It was interesting. The general storyline was the same, but there were a few alterations."

"Really? Like what?"

"Subtle differences of character. Cosette was way less annoying in the book, while Eponine was more so. I guess they wanted to make her more sympathetic. They changed Marius too. He was a bit more cocky and insufferable in the book. A little more like you."

Although her expression was completely serious, Gar could tell that she was only teasing with her last remark. He laughed back good-naturedly. "So I guess you didn't like it very much?"

Raven shook her head and said, "Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it. The music was absolutely beautiful and the actors were so talented. I've never seen a musical before, but I can only imagine what it would be like to watch one live."

The approval and acceptance in her voice filled him with a warm, fuzzy emotion. Dick and Victor thought musicals were lame and Kory found most of them boring. Even Tara had made fun of him for his quirky interest. But somehow, Raven was able to appreciate the magic of song, dance and drama being performed on stage. All of a sudden, Gar realized how important it was for him to share this passion with someone that he cared about. He grinned back at her, not holding back any of his happiness.

Raven returned his joyful expression with a barely-there smile before getting up to bring their empty bowls to the kitchen. He followed her to the sink, drying the dishes that she washed. Although it was mostly improvised, cooking had been part of his ploy to woo her. Now, as they tidied up the kitchen together, he felt extremely content with their domestic harmony. "I could get used to this," Gar thought before saying aloud, "I have a question."

Raven paused from scrubbing the pot to give him her full attention.

"It's um, hypothetical," Gar continued as casually as he could. "Do you think a manager would ever be interested in dating one of their clients?"

He thought that he heard her gulp, but it was so quiet that he might have imagined it. Raven rinsed her hands of the soapy water and wiped them dry. She turned, fixing her eyes on his in a sombre expression. "It's less about interest and more about principles. Most managers don't believe in mixing business with pleasure. In fact, they are usually highly against breaching the boundaries of professionalism."

"But what if the manager and client were more than that? What if they were friends too?"

"Well, dating between friends is a whole other story."

"So it could happen?" asked Gar with a dash of hope.

"Are these two 'friends' still in business together? Is one of them technically the other person's boss?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Then it's very unlikely to happen. In the kosher sense, at least."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's not uncommon for people in that situation to get involved with each other. But it's almost always in the form of an affair, usually kept as a secret to protect the client. Especially if said client is on the cusp of getting very famous. It could lead to scandal."

"The client is willing to take that risk. Hypothetically."

Raven sighed deeply and rubbed at her temples before answering back, "Imagine this scenario: the manager is in charge and holds the client's career in their hands. The relationship goes south and there's a messy break up with a power imbalance in play. What happens then?"

"Well what happens if the client trusts the manager wholeheartedly? He knows that even if things don't work out, the manager would be a high-class professional about it."

"Gar," she whispered almost pleadingly, "the client shouldn't be so naive."

"The manager shouldn't be so rigid!" Gar's voice gained volume and he had to control himself to bring it back down to a softer tone. "She should loosen up and enjoy herself for once. Let go and let somebody take care of her."

At this point, they were both painfully aware of the subtext. Raven averted her gaze from his earnest petition. A light blush dusted her cheeks and she fidgeted with her hands. Gar could sense her icy facade slowly melting away. He decided to give her one last push and said, "Especially if that somebody is absolutely crazy for her."

He stepped towards her so that their bodies were only inches apart, taking both of her hands in his. The pair stood in the exact same spot of her kitchen like they had on Christmas morning. They stared into each other's eyes, neither one ready to bridge the gap that remained between them. Gar imagined himself at a crossroads, waiting for the traffic light to turn green for "Go". He noticed Raven lick her plump lower lip and bite it nervously. Was she trying to encourage him with that gesture? Was she silently asking him to move forward, full steam ahead?

Leaning in an extra millimetre, Gar heard her breath hitch. He could almost see the red lights flashing in her eyes. Red meant "Stop". No, it wasn't the right time. Gar pulled away with a sigh of disappointment and let go of her hands. "I guess there's the answer to my question."

He backed away and moved to her front door so that he could leave. To his surprise, Raven turned in the opposite direction and half-jogged towards her bedroom. Confused, Gar stopped in his tracks and waited for her to return. A few moments later, she re-emerged from the hallway. The woman had changed into a t-shirt and his sweater was neatly folded in her hands. "It's not washed, but I should probably give this back to you before I forget."

His heart broke even more than it already had at her "hypothetical" rejection. Gar gloomily took the sweater from her after putting on his jacket. He managed to force out his next words, albeit a little shakily. "I guess I'll see you in a couple of days. Sorry for bothering you today,"

"You didn't bother me at all. In fact, you helped me relax for the first time in a long while. The food, the musical, the conversation... It was really lovely. You're a good friend."

He flinched at her last comment and blinked away the wetness from his eyes. "Anything for you, Raven," he said, then crossed the threshold of the door.

"Wait," she spoke with a hint of desperation, reaching out to pull him back by the shoulder. "I-I wish things were different. I really do. If I could just disregard our working relationship, I would. But I can't-"

"-No worries, I understand. All it means is that you have integrity and I would never hold that against you. Good night."

He didn't wait for her to return his farewell before giving her a curt nod and making his exit. As Gar walked away from her building, he clutched at the hoodie tightly. Once he was home, he went straight to his room, expertly avoiding Victor's questions of where he had been for the last few hours. He splayed out on his bed stomach-first and groaned into a pillow. He blindly reached for his recently returned sweater and pulled it towards him. It smelled like Raven with undertones of clean cotton fabric softener. He breathed in the fresh scent and cursed at himself. He never should have said anything. Why did he have to go and ruin what they already had? Dating or not, he still wanted to be a part of her life outside of their business relationship. After indulging in self-pity for a bit longer, he swallowed his feelings and reached for the notebook on his nightstand. He crossed out the tenth item on his list of resolutions and wrote:

10. Get over Raven and be a friend.

The short month of February passed by in a flash and suddenly, it was March. After Garfield's unplanned visit, Raven was almost grateful for the mountains of work to distract her from her pesky feelings. If she kept herself busy enough, she didn't have the time to think about how the man regarded her with such a heartsick expression that night. The meeting that followed was extremely awkward and they barely acknowledged each other. But over the course of the next few weeks, they gradually went back to their regular groove. To someone looking from the outside in, one could hardly tell that the conversation had ever happened. Slowly but surely, their friendly banter and familiar dynamic returned. They actively avoided being alone together, but otherwise, things had gone back to "normal".

Currently, it was the mid-morning and the entire team stood in the parking lot of Raven's condo building. Two charcoal grey vans were parked side by side with the doors and trunks wide open. Suitcases, duffel bags and instruments were in the process of being packed into the vehicles. Raven held a clipboard and barked orders at anyone who had free hands. Next to her stood their road manager and principal driver, Tim Drake. He looked like a younger version of Richard, with his dark, wavy hair and serious demeanour. He was the head of the "roadie team", working as Raven's second-in-command for everything related to travel and liaising with venues.

A smaller, skinnier man dashed back and forth between the vans, double-checking that amps and stray wires were packed away safely. Bart Allen was their sound technician. He was a recent high school graduate and the youngest of the group at only 19 years old. The short, ginger-haired boy was a little too rambunctious for Raven's taste, but he was perfectly competent at doing his job. He had an excellent memory and was very fast at completing his tasks. He would be in charge of equipment inventory, stage set-up and sound checks.

The final two additions to the group were Cassie and Conner. Her old friend had practically begged Raven to come along when she heard that they were going on tour. Cassie would help a bit with styling, but her main job was to run the merch table at each of their shows. Conner, despite being punched in the face by Garfield a few months ago at Halloween, had been convinced to join as well. He acted as the second driver and general "muscle". Raven figured that his brawny physique would be helpful in unloading and reloading their vehicles at each stop.

The high-strung manager checked her watch. They were running five minutes ahead of schedule. Good. She handed Tim her clipboard and asked him to do a final check of the two vans. Once she was positive that everything was in its place, she gave everyone the go-ahead to start getting into the vehicles. Sarah had come to see them off. The small blonde woman gave Victor a long-winded goodbye kiss before walking over to Raven. She had very generously offered to check in on Earl Grey every day while they were gone.

"Thanks again for looking after the little guy. I really appreciate it," Raven said.

"My pleasure," Sarah replied sweetly. "Take care of the big guy for me, won't you?"

"I'll do my best."

Sarah gave Raven a warm handshake before saying her farewells to the rest of the group. Raven liked her a lot. They had only met a handful of times, but she could tell why Victor was so smitten with the kind and humble woman. They made an excellent match and Raven was happy to slowly become acquainted with her.

The four roadies climbed into the first van while Raven and the band members piled into the second. The plan was to arrive in Las Vegas by nightfall and get a full night's rest at the hotel before their first show the next evening. Victor and Raven were the designated drivers for their vehicle. The drive would take about nine hours, so they arranged to switch places every so often to avoid fatigue. Garfield volunteered to navigate, but Raven had a sneaking suspicion that he only did so for the privilege of the front passenger seat. Neither Kory nor Richard protested and elected to sit in the second row of the van. Victor took the first shift, so Raven sat in the third row by herself.

As the vans pulled out of the driveway and onto the busy street, Garfield stuck his head out of his window and hollered excitedly, "Titans, GO!"

- End of Side A -

A/N: So I gave you fluff but also angst? The "employee-boss" thing was necessary to address. I tweaked BB's backstory to fit a more musical profile. Instead of him being a TV child star, why not make him a theatre kid? Where are my theatre kids at? You can expect many more references to musicals in the next few chapters!

Finally, if you're not familiar with the comics: Cassie = Wonder Girl, Conner = Superboy, Tim = Robin/Red Robin, and Bart = Kid Flash/Impulse. They're the original team that Starfire, Cyborg and BB mentor at the beginning of Johns' 2003 run, with Raven joining them a little later on.

Till next time, Lily Timbers

Replies to Guest Replies

AnueJiah (from Chapter 2): Yes, you are correct! I planted that little seed all the way at the beginning for this very moment in Chapter 15.

Guest: Thank you!