Published: May 28, 2020

Track 17: What Happened in Vegas

Kory was heartbroken. When she appeared in front of Raven's room, her whole body shook and tears streamed down her face. The startled manager could almost feel the pain and distress pouring out of her. As Kory moved inside the room and closed the door behind her, she explained that things were officially over between her and Richard. Raven felt guilty, remembering that she was the one to tell him to break up with her if he wasn't ready to commit. She still stood by her convictions, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with the current situation.

"It's o-over. Over!" Kory moaned.

"Shhh, shhh, it's going to be okay."

"It w-will not be okay." Her already shaky speech devolved into violent sobs, making it impossible for Raven to understand what she was saying.

"You need to calm down. Breathe."

"I-I will try." Kory forced herself to inhale and exhale. For a minute or so, it looked like things were improving, but she was overcome with emotion again and resumed her crying with even more intensity. With a sigh, Raven left momentarily to get a box of tissues from the washroom. By the time she came back, Kory was curled up in a ball on her bed, weeping into a pillow. "I am in distress! I cannot simply calm down! Oh, Raven... However will I overcome this?" she asked after blowing her nose.

"Well, whenever I get stressed or nervous, I try to clear my mind and concentrate my thoughts on something else."

"Like what?"

"I repeat some words to myself over and over. Words that encourage me to relax."

"Relaxing words such as... Peace? Calm and tranquility?"

"That's a great start. Why don't we say them together?" Raven touched Kory's shoulder with a gentle squeeze, then took her hands in her own. The two women sat on the bed for several minutes with their eyes closed. Together, they chanted, "Peace, calm, tranquility. Peace, calm, tranquility."

After a while, Kory's hands stopped shaking and her breathing evened out. She no longer hiccuped from crying and her face was dry of tears. She leaned forward to envelop Raven in a tender embrace. The hug was much gentler than what Raven was used to receiving from the strong, sometimes too strong, woman. As their bodies pressed together, Raven heard the soft jingling of bells. When they pulled apart, Kory fondly touched the silver necklace that rested against her chest. "Thank you, Raven. You are a true friend. I feel much, much better."

"I'm glad. I know it's not my business, but if it means anything... I just want you to be happy. If Richard can't get it together and see how lucky he is to be with you, he's an idiot. Quite frankly, screw him."

Kory returned her words with a sad smile and said, "You misunderstand. I was the one that did the breaking up with him."

"Really?"

"Yes. We had a discussion before the concert," explained Kory. "I told him I did not want to be betrothed forever. Does he want to marry or does he not? It is a simple yes or no. Black and white, no grey, no in-betweens. I told him I did not want any more excuses, but he could not answer. We tried to hide our conflict in case it ruined the performance for Garfield and Victor. When we returned to the hotel, I could not hold back my feelings anymore and I told him it was over."

"Then why are you so upset?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

Raven's knee-jerk reaction was to avoid the highly personal question altogether. But then, she remembered how honest and open her friend had been with her in the past. The least she could do was to return that same courtesy. Raven gulped nervously and said, "Honestly, I don't know. At one point in my life, I thought I was, but I'm now not sure."

Kory nodded sagely. "One of the reasons I stayed in America was for the freedom to choose my life partner. In Tamaran, marriages are arranged. During the ceremony, two become one in mind, body and spirit. If you wed, you are together until death. There is no such thing as divorce. It means you must accept both the good and the bad in the other person, no matter the circumstance."

"But that's ridiculous!" Raven retorted. "What if your spouse abuses or cheats on you?"

"That is different. In fact, those actions are punishable by law. The 'bad' I am talking about is the everyday kind. Richard does not like it when I only think with my heart and make rash decisions. When he was still working as a paralegal, I did not like it when he became obsessed with a case and stayed late to work at the office. There are many things we do not like about each other." Kory paused to rearrange herself on the bed, sitting up a little taller as she spoke with conviction. "But I was willing to accept all of it. Not because the law requires it. Not even because Richard's good outweighs the bad. Every day, I chose to care for him and put his needs before mine; that choice is my freedom. That is what it means to be in love."

Raven was in awe of Kory's profound words. No wonder why Richard was so intimidated. The commitment she described was on a whole other level. "...That's heavy."

"Indeed. And Richard found it too much to bear. But that does not mean that I have stopped loving him."

"Oh Kory, he doesn't deserve you."

"I disagree," she answered with a bittersweet tone, "he is a wonderful man. He is strong, intelligent and kind. I have never met anyone like him and I don't think I ever will again."

"Would you take him back?"

"Only if he was ready to marry. There is no point in going back if we will just be 'boyfriend and girlfriend'. It has been almost 10 years. I will no longer settle for less."

After a quiet moment, the two women hugged a final time and laid on the bed. Once they were both under the covers, Raven turned off the light. Kory fell asleep quickly, but Raven was too lost in her thoughts to doze off. Love. What a beautiful, terrifying, mysterious concept. Her childhood had been devoid of love. She didn't think she was capable of it. And the one time she gave away her heart, it was torn apart and trampled upon. Was it time to try again?

Meanwhile, Gar took several minutes behind the potted plant to regain his senses. He sat there for so long that his legs began to fall asleep. In a daze, he stood up to shake the pins and needles from his limbs. By the time he made it back to his shared room, Victor was already in bed. Gar tiptoed inside, careful not to make too much noise. While he brushed his teeth, a warm flush took over his face as he thought about what might have happened if not for Kory's untimely appearance. He spat out the mouthful of toothpaste and splashed cold water all over his face.

"I want you," she had said. Raven wanted him. He had no idea what any of it meant, but he knew that things between them had changed irrevocably. The question was, how did she want him? As a fling? A client-with-benefits? Or something more? As he tossed and turned in bed, Gar felt like he was going mad. He hated not knowing where he stood with people. In his mind's eye, he visualized himself teetering over the precipice of a cliff. He was ready to pitch himself off of it, into the great unknown of being "more than friends". Unfortunately, he had no idea whether or not Raven was willing to jump off with him.

After a fitful night's sleep, the guitarist rolled out of bed. He looked at the clock and saw that it was late morning. The sun shone brightly through the window and the bed next to him was empty. He figured that Victor had already woken up long ago and was probably working out in the gym. According to the itinerary, they were supposed to check out by noon and get back on the road. The second show of the tour was in Portland. It was a long drive, so they would cut the journey in two parts: ten hours today, six hours tomorrow. They were supposed to stop somewhere in northern Nevada and stay at a motel overnight, followed by their arrival in Oregon the day after.

Raven returned to the forefront of his mind. Should he see her now, or eat first? If he came on too strong, he might overwhelm her. But if he waited, they'd be back in the van with the rest of the team and lose their privacy. Just as he made up his mind to find her right away, he heard a frantic knocking on his door. Intrigued, he opened it to reveal an agitated Raven. Gar readied himself, figuring there was no time like the present. "Just the person I wanted to see! About last night-"

"Have you seen Kory?"

"Wasn't she with you?"

The manager barged into the room and began to look around, almost as if she was playing hide and seek with the Titans' bassist. She inspected the bathroom and even checked under the beds. After confirming that Kory wasn't there, Raven began to pace while muttering under her breath, "This doesn't make sense, it just doesn't make sense..."

"Uh, you wanna explain what's going on here?"

"She's gone!" Raven cried in panic. "She was right next to me when I fell asleep, but when I woke up she was gone, poof!"

"Maybe she went back to her room?"

"You think I didn't think of that myself?!" she practically screamed. "Obviously, I went to check there first. No one answered, so I called both her and Richard on their cell phones. Neither of them picked up. I even got someone from the front desk to come and unlock the door for me, but other than their stuff, the room was empty."

"Shit... That's not like them. Do you think they're okay?"

"How am I supposed to know? They've totally disappeared! And we're supposed to be leaving in an hour!"

This was the second time Gar had seen her so hysterical, the first being the morning after the launch party when their single went viral. Overcome with the need to comfort her, he stepped forward to embrace her but she backed away with a startled, almost offended expression.

"Now is not the time."

"I was just gonna give you a hug..." he pouted, raising his hands in defense.

"I think we've had enough physical contact for a long while."

"Raven," he said, gently but firmly, "we're going to have to talk about what happened last night eventually."

"Well right now, we're in crisis mode."

"I wouldn't exactly call this a crisis."

"Of course, everything is just fine and dandy," she replied sarcastically. "Tell me again how we're supposed to run a tour with half the band missing in action?!"

"Good point. Okay, let's see what we can do."

As the pair walked out to continue their search, Gar felt miffed. He cursed the universe for getting in the way of him and Raven for what felt like the hundredth time. But he was absolutely determined to clear the air once and for all, no matter what it took. By the end of the day, he would finally get some answers.

Raven paced and paced, practically burning a whole into the floor. After half an hour of running around the hotel and calling their cell phones multiple times, she gave up. She instructed the team to load their luggage into the vans while Cassie graciously volunteered to pack up Kory and Richard's things. Currently, everyone sat in the hotel lobby, hoping and praying that the runaway couple would show up. Raven was peeved that they were likely to be behind schedule, but more than that, she was extremely concerned for her two friends' well-being.

Their disappearance wasn't the only concerning matter. While Kory was fast asleep, Raven lay awake for several hours to consider where she stood with Garfield. Kissing him was totally impulsive, but it felt so good, so right. But then, witnessing Kory's anguish made her remember all of the heartache that comes with relationships. Was pursuing one with Garfield really worth it? Was the joy of the good worth the pain that came with the bad? Her feelings for him were strong, but she wasn't in love with him, at least not in the way that Kory had described.

Raven continued to pace with her thoughts bouncing between Garfield and the missing members. Just when she was about to lose hope, she recognized a familiar pair walk through the hotel entrance. "Kory Anders and Richard Grayson, you get here this instant!" the manager shouted imperiously while pointing at the spot in front of her.

Bart, Tim and Conner looked at Raven in surprise, not expecting such a commandeering tone to come out of such a small person. On the other hand, Garfield, Victor and Cassie were used to it. Raven tapped her feet on the ground impatiently while the duo sauntered over to the group. To her surprise, they seemed relaxed and even... Happy?

"Actually," Richard said with a smug smile, "it's Kory Grayson now."

Raven was planted to the ground, unable to move out of pure shock. The rest of the group gasped loudly and exclaimed variations of "For real?", "No way!" and "Seriously?". To prove their point, the couple flashed matching wedding bands on their left ring fingers.

"You sly dog!" Victor shouted happily while giving Richard enthusiastic pats on the back. "I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Neither did I!" joked Kory.

Everyone laughed except for the dumbstruck manager. "B-but, you, l-last night... what?" Raven stammered.

"I finally came to my senses," said Richard. "After spending the night alone, it made me recognize the gaping hole that Kory left behind. The truth is, life without her is no life at all."

"Early in the morning, I returned to our room," Kory continued. "Richard was already waiting for me and he asked me to marry him."

"Again? Didn't he already propose ages ago?" Garfield asked.

"Yes, but this time, he said it in the language of my people." Kory stopped to smile at her brand new husband, who looked back at her like a lovestruck fool. "At first, it sounded like he was calling me a glubnorb, but then I realized that he was trying to call me his 'princess', or 'queen'. The pronunciation was not perfect but it was still very romantic."

"We took a taxi to the marriage license bureau, followed by a stop at the nearest wedding chapel. The rest is history," Richard recounted

"Didn't you want a big, extravagant wedding?" Victor asked in Kory's direction.

"We shall have another celebration when we get back home, with a grand feast and lots of dancing!" she replied happily.

After a round of congratulations, everyone moved into the vehicles and hit the road. Victor took the first shift again, with Garfield next to him in the passenger seat. Raven and the newlyweds sat in their usual spots in the back and continued talking.

"You two nearly gave me a heart attack," Raven huffed. "Would it have killed you to leave a note behind? Or answer your phones?"

"Our sincerest apologies. I would have gone back to tell you, but Richard did not want to wait."

"Yeah, my bad..." he apologized guiltily. "It won't happen again."

"The disappearing or the eloping?" Raven questioned, although her tone wasn't nearly as annoyed as before.

"Both," replied Richard with a chuckle. "Though we are definitely getting a Round 2 for the wedding ceremony and reception. We're hoping to have the 'real' thing by early next year."

Kory twisted her body to reach over her seat and took Raven's hands in her own. "Will you be my most honoured maiden? You are my dearest friend and I would greatly appreciate your help with the preparations."

Leftover anxiety and irritation dissipated completely at Kory's request. Raven had spent the majority of her life keeping others at arm's length. Other than Cassie, her friends were few and far between. She had never been anyone's dearest friend and she had certainly never been asked to participate in a wedding party, let alone to be the maid of honour. "It would be a privilege," Raven answered softly.

They spent the next few hours talking about colour schemes, dress designs and menu options. Richard pitched in with his opinions every once in a while, but it was clear that Kory wanted to take the lead. After a while, his eyes closed and the movements of the van lulled him to sleep. On the other hand, Kory was wide awake and brightly chattered away. They scrolled through her Pinterest account on her phone, looking at countless photos for inspiration. Raven wasn't all that interested in party planning or fashion, but she was willing to do anything for her newly proclaimed "dearest friend". However, she still had limits. When Victor finally pulled over to switch places with Raven, she breathed a sigh of relief. After readjusting the mirrors and driver's seat, she buckled herself in and began her three hour shift.

"Psssst." Raven gave Garfield a sideways glance. He leaned forward in the seat next to her with a conspiratorial look. "Girl, we need to DTR," he said in a loud whisper.

"D-T-what?"

"You know, Define The Relationship?"

She glowered back at him before looking up at her rearview mirror. Richard was still asleep and both Kory and Victor were plugged into headphones. Despite this, Raven was on edge. "Can't it wait until we have a bit more privacy?"

"O-kaaay, but you can't avoid the topic forever."

"I wasn't going to."

"Oh, really?" he teased, raising an eyebrow in light suspicion.

He was right; Raven was stalling and they eventually needed to reassess their boundaries. But there was no way she was going to have the discussion with the rest of the group so close by.

"Yes, really. Can you put on some music? I can't concentrate on the road and talk at the same time."

"You good with another musical?" he asked, scrolling through his phone. "How does The Phantom of the Opera sound? It's a classic."

"Fine by me."

"Great. We'll listen to the 2011 live performance at the Royal Albert Hall. It's the best version in my humble opinion."

"Humble is not a word I would use to describe you.

He ignored her jab and cheerfully asked, "Want me to give you a rundown of the plot?"

"I read the book."

"Of course you did," Garfield chuckled.

It was true, Raven had read the book in its original French when she was in high school. It wasn't a favourite like Les Misérables, but she still enjoyed the story for what it was. It was set in Paris in the 1880s, following the events of a haunted opera house. The Phantom, also known as the Opera Ghost, lived in the catacombs of the building. The other main character was Christine, a ballet dancer in the chorus. The Phantom became infatuated with her and he manipulated things so that she could be the principal soloist of the opera house. They ended up in a love triangle along with Raoul, Christine's childhood friend and eventual fiancé.

Many of her classmates had found the Phantom to be a romantic, tragic figure, but teenaged Raven was unimpressed. She didn't like his possessiveness or creepy obsession with Christine. However, her adult self was beginning to see the appeal of the dark character after hearing the musical adaptation. The actor had a rich baritone voice and he was excellent at conveying emotion through his singing. The chemistry between the Phantom and Christine was palpable, especially in the titular track and "The Music of the Night". In the second act, the two protagonists sang together in a sensual duet called "Point of No Return".

Past the point of no return / No backward glances

The games we've played till now are at an end

Garfield sang along as he usually did and as always, Raven felt like he was singing directly at her.

Past the point of no return / The final threshold

The bridge is crossed / So stand and watch it burn

We've passed the point of no return

At the end of the soundtrack, Garfield turned towards her and asked, "Thoughts? Impressions? Complaints?"

"No complaints, it was exquisite. The lyrics were quite clever and the music was fantastic. And the actor who played the Phantom... Wow, what a voice."

"That was Ramin Karimloo. The guy's a legend. And the composer, Andrew Lloyd Weber, is one of my heroes."

Through her peripheral vision, Raven saw Garfield's eyes light up as he continued to gush about the musical. Honestly, his nerdy enthusiasm was kind of cute. In the last twenty-four hours, Raven had changed her mind countless times. To date or not to date? Without a doubt, Garfield was a great guy. Although he infuriated her at times, he had proven himself to be a loyal, dependable and respectful friend. He knew how to make her relax and he genuinely cared for her. Hell, even some of his terrible jokes would land every once in a while and make her laugh internally. She had tried so hard to keep others at arm's length, but somehow, he and the other Titans wiggled their way into her life. Though Richard and Kory's relationship drama had shaken her, it looked like things worked out for them in the end. Victor was just as devoted to Sarah as he had been before they left on tour. Who was to say that it couldn't work out for her and Garfield too?

The two vans pulled up to the motel just before midnight. It was significantly dingier than their hotel in Vegas, but they weren't staying long. They planned to leave first thing in the morning so that they could arrive in Portland by the early afternoon in time for sound check. The team had already stopped off to eat supper. Everyone tiredly clambered off to their rooms in twos, with the exception of Raven. Again, she had her own room and Gar was paired with Victor. Gar found the perfect opportunity to see her when his roommate pulled out his phone to FaceTime Sarah. The guitarist tried to make his voice sound as casual as possible, "I'll give you two some privacy for a bit. I'm gonna take a walk."

"Isn't it a little late?" Victor asked distractedly.

"My legs ache from sitting in a car all day. Gotta stretch them somehow."

Gar quietly shut the door behind him and walked down the hall to find Raven's room. She was expecting him and beckoned him inside with a subtle nod of her head. They stood awkwardly in the small room, neither person knowing how to start the conversation. After a beat of silence, Raven breathed a heavy sigh, "What happened in Vegas-"

"-Don't say it was a mistake," Gar interrupted. "Our kiss was a lot of things, but it sure as hell wasn't a mistake. "

"I was going to say that it needs to be a secret."

The musician relaxed, releasing the tension that had unconsciously built up in his shoulders. Gar usually held the position of expecting the worst and hoping for the best. He had already braced himself for a complete denial on her part, but a secret? A secret, he could work with. If anything, sneaking around was kind of hot. Regardless of his inner relief, he couldn't help but tease her. "What, are you ashamed of me? I'm hurt."

"You know that's not how I feel," she answered with a roll of her eyes.

"How do you feel about me?"

Raven shrugged noncommittally. "Despite my better judgement, I like you."

"You mean you like me, like me?"

"Yes, you moron. How old are you, 8?"

"Raven has a crush on me, Raven has a crush on me," he said in a singsong voice while dancing a goofy little jig.

She facepalmed and groaned into her hands. "Why in the world do I find this guy attractive?" she muttered under her breath.

"And you think I'm attractive? You're making me positively swoon. Does this mean I'm your boyfriend now?"

"Absolutely not."

"So what am I to you?"

"I don't know. A guy that I'm considering to date? Though I may be regretting my life choices now."

"But how will I ever survive if we don't have a label for this?" Gar asked half-jokingly, harkening back to one of their conversations just before Christmas. "That's the whole point of a DTR."

"What about precious pal? Bosom buddy? Or what did you say then...? Oh, I remember. You can be my sidekick." A self-amused smirk graced Raven's lips. Her dry attitude and sardonic tone were just a couple of the many reasons why Gar had fallen for her in the first place. He grinned at her wildly, like a hyena that had finally cornered its prey after a long hunt. "Anyway, we're going to have to lay down some ground rules," she continued. "Like I said before, don't tell anyone else what's going on. At least until the tour is over."

"You expect me to keep my mouth shut for four weeks?"

"You better," she threatened. "If you can't be discreet, this isn't going to work."

"What about Vic?"

"What about him?"

"How am I supposed to keep a secret from my best bro?"

"I'm sure you can handle it," she replied with mock sympathy. "When we're back in Jump City, we'll tell the rest of the team. Although at that point, there may not be much to tell."

"What do you mean?"

"As far as I'm concerned, this is simply a trial period."

"Oh come on, seriously?"

"Isn't that what dating basically is? A low-risk way for two people to figure out if they want to be in a relationship with one another?"

"So you want to be in a relationship with me?" Gar said with a hopeful smile. This conversation was just getting better and better.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. Especially since we haven't even gone on a date yet."

"Oh, we're gonna go on a date. I'm gonna date you so hard."

"Suuure," Raven answered, raising her brows at his over-the-top enthusiasm. "Secondly, no public displays of affection. This is obvious, but you're such a blockhead it won't hurt for me to spell it out for you."

"Mmm, I love it when you call me names, Rae."

"That's another thing, don't call me that."

"What?! I'm your boy- partner- er, special person now! Don't I get any privileges?"

"Is the privilege of dating me not good enough for you?"

"I can think of a few more.," he replied, suggestively wagging his eyebrows. In fact, he could think of several.

"You can call me 'Rae', but only in private. That should be it for now."

As happy as he was to hear that Raven reciprocated his feelings, Gar wasn't ready for the conversation to be over. He was hoping that this moment would be the first step in a long, fruitful relationship. It was important to him that they started on the right foot, an honest foot. "Hold on, I have a couple of rules of my own."

"Oh?"

"For one thing, I don't do well with passive-aggression. If I do something that makes you upset or uncomfortable, I won't know unless you tell me. I'm a bad liar, but I'm also bad at picking up hints. I'll be transparent with you if you're transparent with me. Open communication is a must."

"Fair enough."

"Also, what happened at the venue was a low blow. I get that you were mad at me, but you can't just ditch me like that."

"Right. I guess I never apologized for leaving you back there."

"No, you didn't."

Raven bit her lip. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I pretty much already forgave you. I mean, what you did wasn't okay. It was actually a dick move. But we're okay."

Gar moved to sit on the edge of her bed. He patted at the empty space next to him and when she sat down, he took one of her hands to clasp it between both of his, resting them on his lap. "Here's the thing, Raven. I'm terrified of being abandoned," he admitted quietly. "My parents left me behind when they died and I had to fend for myself until Rita and Steve rescued me from the system. Tara ghosted me and disappeared without a trace." He took a deep breath and looked at her intently while she kept her gaze locked on their intertwined fingers. "If we get into a fight and you storm off, I'm not chasing after you. We face conflict head on. And if you ever get sick of me and want to end things, I'll accept it. But please, don't ever leave me. Especially not before you give us the chance to talk things out first."

"I understand. Again, I'm sorry, Gar. I didn't mean to hurt you." Raven paused for a moment then said, "Well, that's not entirely true. I was really angry when I saw you with those girls. In a way, I wanted to hurt you."

Gar chuckled at her confession, happy that she was already starting to be more open with him. He raised one of his hands to caress her head, his fingertips gently combing through her hair. "Silly Raven. Why would I be interested in groupies if I'm with you?"

"I have one more rule," she replied, raising her previously downturned eyes to return his intense stare. "Groupies are absolutely off limits. Even if we aren't together, I don't want you messing around with fans. It's gross, for lack of a better word. I know it comes with the rock star territory, but-"

"-Hey, I get it. It's exploitative. I know those girls wouldn't have been interested if they hadn't just seen me on stage."

"I don't care about their interest. I'm more concerned about your behaviour."

"I'm not like that, Rae. If I'm with you, I'm with you."

Gar leaned forward, stopping just before his lips met hers. He waited, silently asking permission. She consented by closing the gap, delicately wrapping her arms around his shoulders just like she did the night before. This time, the kiss started off sweetly; gentle and unrushed. She grazed her tongue along the seam of his lips, indicating that she wanted to deepen it. Gar returned the gesture and slipped his tongue inside her mouth. He suddenly felt self-conscious of his breath, remembering the red onion and garlic hummus that was in his veggie wrap at suppertime. But Raven didn't seem to care. A little moan escaped her, causing his blood to simmer with desire. They were still seated on the bed, though he was tempted to pull their bodies down onto the mattress. Raven caught on to his train of thought and extracted herself from his embrace. She stood up and offered a hand to help him stand up.

"The walls are a little thin," she said with her signature, barely-there smile. "And again, we haven't even gone on our first date. You think I'm that easy?"

"No, I think you're the most difficult person I know," he replied. She breathed out a small chuckle; the low, raspy sound was music to his ears. He made her laugh. He finally made her laugh. "I could listen to that laugh of yours all day. I knew you thought I was funny."

"You're insufferable," she said while rolling her eyes. "I guess there are no 'take backs' to this whole arrangement?"

"Nope. We're past the point of no return."

"Good night, Gar. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Rae." He planted one last kiss on her cheek before she pushed him out the door and closed it in his back to his room, Gar felt like he was walking on cloud nine. Everything they had discussed was the best case scenario. At the end of the day, she was giving him a chance and that was all he could really ask for. Before opening the door to his room, he forced his wide grin into a neutral expression. What Gar told her earlier was true; he was a terrible liar. However, his acting skills were pretty good. As long as nobody asked him any direct questions, he'd be able to carry on the charade. In his mind, he assumed the role of a regular guy who definitely had not just finished making out with his smoking hot manager. If he needed to play the "secret" game for now, he was willing to do it. Anything for Raven.

A/N: The comfort scene between Raven and Kory was inspired by the CN Teen Titans episode "Switched". Did you like Dick and Kory's surprise wedding and Gar and Raven's DTR? Open communication is the key to a healthy relationship, people! My philosophy about love is the same as Kory's. I know that divorce exists for a reason and marriage isn't for everyone. It's definitely a heavy commitment that shouldn't be taken lightly! Anyway, these are just my opinions. I hope no one takes offense.

Last thing: I love the Phantom of the Opera. I was lucky enough to watch it live a couple of years ago. More musical references will be coming.

Till next time, Lily Timbers

Replies to Guest Reviews

vi: Yes, the drama for Dick and Kory is pretty much over at this point. They might have a few small arguments here and there in the future, but that's normal for a married couple.

Guest #1: Hi again! I know the last scene was the most exciting, but I also really enjoyed writing the first one of everyone hanging out in the car. So I'm glad you liked that part too! And yeah, Victor's a real sweetie. I figured there would be enough drama without their stuff getting stolen, lol. THANK YOU for always reviewing! That's too bad about the dropped class, but that's definitely better than overexerting yourself. Thanks for the well wishes, same to you :)

Guest #2: Aww, thank you! I love the comics so much and I really wanted to pay proper homage to those scenes. The fact that you think it isn't forced is a big relief to me. I hope you enjoyed Dickory in this one!