Published: November 22, 2020

Track 28: The Show Must Go On

Hate is a strong word. In the hyperbolic sense, Raven hated many things in life, such as spoilers for books, oversteeped tea, and cat hair in her food. It irked her when people spoke too loud or breached her personal bubble, and she certainly got annoyed when someone like Garfield did both simultaneously. But all of those things were simply pet peeves and inconveniences. When Raven heard her former boss' voice on the phone, it truly set her teeth on edge. The call interrupted her pep talk to the band right before a pre-show interview. After agreeing to meet with Slade, his ominous message continued to distract her long after hanging up. Instead of focusing on the reporter's questions about the band's success, the manager panicked internally. There was no time to tell the others about the situation either, since they went straight from the interview to soundcheck. In his ever perceptive and thoughtful manner, Garfield was quick to notice Raven's discomposure. He sent her several worried looks, followed by discreet touches on the arm and the small of her back.

Raven felt completely out of sorts for the rest of the evening. Not even the band's stellar performance could ease her trepidations. After the show, the Titans planned to celebrate with the Bees by exploring Austin's nightlife, but due to the unexpected meeting, Raven had to decline. When the gang pressed her, she gave them the excuse of not being fully recovered from her cold. Everyone backed off after that, although Garfield continued to regard her with concern. Raven reasoned that the lie was justified, that telling the team would only worry them needlessly. If she were being honest with herself, however, she would admit that her silence was borne of fear. She had no idea what Slade wanted, but she knew it couldn't be anything good.

Just as promised, a car drove by to pick her up at 10 pm sharp. Stepping out of the vehicle and into a different hotel, the young woman recognized it as the venue where Hive Five's afterparty took place the night before. Though she hadn't attended the event, the Titans had told her all about its opulence. The five-star establishment was way out of Nevermore Records' touring budget but it was well within the range of Wilson Entertainment's. As an employee escorted her to the hotel lounge, Raven took deep, steadying breaths and rubbed the two lucky charms that hung around her neck. Despite their previous reassurances, the ruby pendant and rusted penny did little to calm her nerves.

While the Titans' manager waited by herself, she recalled her and Garfield's romantic breakthrough with fondness. A term like "love" had intimidated her in the past, but when it came to him, it was the most accurate way to describe how she felt. If Raven dissected her feelings further, she could specify that there was passionate heat when they touched. Involuntary affection, on the rare occasion that his screwball humour made her laugh. Complete and utter admiration whenever she watched him command a stage with his hard-earned skill and natural charisma.

Raven snapped out of her Garfield-filled thoughts when Slade finally showed up. He strolled over haughtily as if he owned the place, which was totally viable due to the fortune he had amassed throughout the years. In one hand, he carried a black briefcase; the other was tucked casually into the pocket of his dress pants. He set the case on the floor before taking the seat across hers. The expression he wore was completely neutral, though Raven could detect a hint of self-satisfaction in his eyes. She decided to take what little control she could and started the conversation. "Good evening, Mr. Wilson."

"Call me Slade, dear."

"It's just the two of us" answered Raven, "I don't think there's any reason for us to pretend as though we're closer than we really are." She returned his stare evenly, daring him to contradict her. Instead, he breathed an amused chuckle.

"There's no need to be so hostile either. Especially if we are to talk business." Slade beckoned a waiter with a snap of his fingers and requested a glass of their finest Scotch. When he offered to order something for Raven, she declined with a shake of her head.

"With all due respect, I'm here for your proposal, not a nightcap."

"You always were a stick-in-the-mud, weren't you? There is nothing wrong with indulging yourself every once in a while."

"I have an early day tomorrow," she replied shortly. "We're on the road first thing in the morning."

With another condescending grin, Slade raised his hands in concession. He then bent down to retrieve a sheaf of papers from his briefcase and set it on the table between them. "Let's get right to it then. According to my research, Nevermore Records is coming up on its one-year anniversary. Since its conception last summer, your company has grown tremendously. It's impressive, considering you only have one band under your wing."

Rather than reply, Raven merely nodded her head in acknowledgement of the compliment. She still didn't know what he was playing at and deemed it wise not to speak unnecessarily. Slade continued, "So impressive, that I wonder if it was just a lucky break. The Titans came out of nowhere, yet here they are, dominating the charts and making money like there's no tomorrow. Simply put, I want in on the action. My proposal is that Wilson Entertainment absorbs Nevermore Records."

Raven's face remained stoic save for a tiny twitch in her brow.

Slade bent forward to slide the papers closer to her, then said, "You're a remarkable businesswoman with a bright career ahead of you. But I think we can both agree that the music industry is no place for a young lady like yourself. If you were to accept, you could take the money and invest it in a more suitable market. Cosmetics, perhaps? Or what about retail?"

She rolled her eyes at the inherent sexism in his suggestion. Wordlessly, she took the contract in her hands and flipped through the first few pages. At present, Raven was the sole shareholder of Nevermore Records. Wilson Entertainment was willing to buy her out completely, which would transfer all control to the larger conglomerate.

"The music business suits me just fine," she said. "It's a 'no' from me."

"No? You haven't even finished reading the proposal," he reasoned back.

"I don't have to. I have no interest in handing over my company, not now, not ever."

"You may change your mind once you see what I'm offering. Go to the last page."

With great apprehension, Raven followed his instructions. She turned to the very end and a seven-digit number stared back at her. Looking up to return Slade's gaze, she stated, "This is a generous sum, but like I said, I'm not interested."

Slade reached into his briefcase to draw out another contract. "You drive a hard bargain. What about an acquisition instead? You can keep the company name and CEO status. I just want a finger in the pie, so to speak."

"Just a finger?" Raven thought as she leafed through the second document. "More like his entire fist." The prospect of Slade's dirty hands in her business was enough to make her gag. An acquisition still meant selling shares, which would lead to the formation of a board of directors. She had a strong suspicion of who the appointed president would be. In the few months that Raven interned for Wilson Entertainment, it was made evidently clear that their values were not aligned. Because she had been stationed at the East Coast headquarters, her interactions with the man were limited. Regardless, she had him figured out immediately. Slade was ruthless; he had no qualms about stepping on anyone who stood in the way of profits. He treated his clients as expendables and his employees like mindless robots to control. Tossing both sets of papers onto the table, Raven stated with a frown, "The label would no longer be an independent entity. And being independent is an integral part of the Nevermore brand."

The older man took a long pull of his drink and grinned shrewdly. "I thought you might be stuck on that point. But think of the possibilities. If you were to sell shares, you'd have more stability. You wouldn't have to work out of your own home anymore; you could buy an office, a car. You would no longer be held down by tiny budgets or a scrappy group of amateurs."

Up until his final comment, Raven was ready to simply get up and leave. But the moment Slade referred to her hardworking team as "scrappy amateurs", a righteous fury took over. "Let me rephrase that," she seethed. "Being independent is integral to me. I built Nevermore from the ground up with my blood, sweat and tears. No amount of money is worth being steamrolled out of my own company, especially by the likes of you."

At the sound of her defiant voice, Slade's eyes hardened and his previously charming smile turned stone-cold. "That's quite the assertion, especially when you take the source of your start-up capital into account."

A chill ran over Raven's body. "How did you know-?"

"-That you built the company with daddy's money?" he sneered. "Please, I've been in the business for decades. The public may think you're a grass-roots movement, but unlike them, I know the truth. Independent, my ass. You're just a washed-up rock star's brat who's in way over her head."

"How dare you imply that I'm-"

"-Nothing but a spoiled child pretending to be grown up? That's exactly what I mean. You're playing with the big boys now, Ms. Roth. It's time you learned your place."

Practically fuming, Raven stood up to get out of her seat and muttered, "I won't just sit here and have you insult me. As for your offer, it's a hard no. Final answer. Good night, Mr. Wilson. I sincerely hope we never cross paths again."

"Not so fast, dear. We aren't finished."

"We most certainly are."

"I came here to offer you a deal, a deal that you have yet to accept," he said with narrowed eyes. "I won't take no for an answer. Besides, I have some information that may just change your mind."

"I highly doubt that anything can change my mind at this point."

"Are you sure about that? Not even this?"

She heard his briefcase click open yet again, followed by the sound of shuffling papers. A large photograph emerged from the case. Once Raven reluctantly sank back into her chair, Slade passed it over so she could view it more closely. The image was low-lit, but crisp. It depicted a green-haired man and a blonde woman sitting on a loveseat. Although their lips weren't touching, it looked like they were about to kiss. As soon as Raven identified the two subjects, she tossed back the photo with a smirk. "This isn't real. You know it as well as I do."

"But I could make it real. The tabloids eat up this kind of fodder all the time."

"Is this supposed to be a threat? Your little scheme doesn't make any sense. If anything, you're giving the Titans free publicity. And even if the rumour came out, there's no way to verify the story."

"That doesn't matter. They're old flames, it wouldn't be that difficult to tie them together again. Besides, 'alternative facts' are king nowadays. How would the media react if they found out that your golden boy was the other man?

"We both know that between the two of our clients, Ms. Markov would come out worse by a long shot. Mr. Logan isn't dating anyone right now, but she's in a public relationship with someone else. All of the negative press would fall on her, not him."

"Are you so sure about that? I've seen celebrities get 'cancelled' over much fluffier stuff."

"You're really grasping at straws here, Mr. Wilson. Honestly, I never thought I'd see you this desperate for a headline, it's embarrassing."

"Desperate, am I?"

"If that's all you've got, then go for it," she sneered. Raven stood up abruptly and walked past Slade's chair, but was held back by his iron grip on her wrist. He tugged her hard, making her stumble backwards into his line of vision.

"I'm. Not. Finished."

"Don't touch me." She ripped herself away from his clutch and rubbed the stinging skin on her wrist, shooting him an icy look. Her glare was met with another print, but this time, it depicted Garfield with someone else. Filled with equal dread and fury, Raven grabbed it with trembling fingers. The first image of him and Tara was suspicious at worst, inconclusive at best. But this one was crystal clear; there was no ambiguity, not a shred of doubt as to what was going on in the photograph.

"Ready to negotiate?"

After a few moments of silence, the young woman said with resignation, "I'm listening."

Hate is a strong word. And all exaggeration aside, Raven hated Slade Wilson.

A peppy song blasted through Gar's earbuds, causing him to dance in time with the music. He skipped around the hotel room in his pyjamas, not caring that his obnoxious stomping was probably disturbing the guests on the floor below. The upbeat tempo was highlighted with a lively trumpet riff, followed by a clear, female voice:

I used to think maybe you loved me

Now baby I'm sure

The musician hummed along to the rest of the verse, but when it came to the chorus, he gave up fighting the urge to sing the lyrics out loud:

Now I'm walking on sunshine, whoa

I'm walking on sunshine, whoa

I'm walking on sunshine, whoa

And don't it feel good!

He shimmied to the washroom, grabbed his toothbrush and crooned into it as though it were a microphone. He had already done plenty of singing that night, but if anything, the Titans' earlier set was just a warm-up for his current display. As he hollered at the top of his lungs, Gar felt like he was on top of the world. Performing that night had been the experience of a lifetime. It was their biggest turnout yet, with upwards of fifteen thousand in the audience. The vibe was completely different from previous venues, whose capacities were less than a third of what they just witnessed. Dick had been less impressed, pointing out that every single attendee at their smaller shows were superfans. At SXSW, the Titans were just another band for random festival-goers to discover. And if said "randos" decided that the Titans weren't that great, they could just leave the concert midway in search of something better.

Gar ignored his leader's griping, for with the lack of intimacy came a sense of grandeur. The last time they were on an outdoor stage, it was in front of a scant gathering of disinterested Jump City locals who were only there for the free entertainment. But at the festival, there was no limit to the ceiling, only vast, empty sky, ready for the taking. A lesser man might have been intimidated, but Gar had zero stage fright that night. He felt at home, as if he were exactly where he needed to be in that moment of time. The sheer magnitude made him dream even further, wishing for a day when the Titans would play at iconic venues like Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium and the Tokyo Dome. The post-show thrills always left him in high spirits, but that wasn't the main reason he was so giddy.

Above all, Gar knew with absolute certainty that Raven loved him. Gone was the insecurity that her feelings weren't as intense as his. It was like a weight had been lifted off his chest, never before had he felt so light, so alive. Being loved by the woman of his dreams made him feel invincible. When Raven declined to go out after the show, he had been tempted to stay back with her. The woman wasn't known for being the perkiest of the bunch, but she still seemed more subdued than usual. He figured that she needed alone time to recharge since it had been a long day with lots of work and little recovery. The group only went out for a few hours, yet Gar found himself spending every single second thinking about her. Her confession was stuck in his brain like an earworm, reassuring him that he was, in fact, loved. And even though he currently listened to a classic '80s track, Gar could still hear Raven's words in a repeating voiceover.

I feel alive, I feel the love

I feel the love that's really real

I'm on sunshine, baby, oh

I'm walking on sunshine, whoa

And don't it feel good!

Just as he belted the high note, the earbuds were ripped from his ears with a rapid tug and an annoyed Victor stepped into view. "Would it kill you to pipe down?! I'm trying to talk to my future wife over here!"

"Oops, my bad," Gar sheepishly said before adding, "Sorry, Sarah!"

The larger man only rolled his eyes before bidding his fiancée good night and setting his phone aside. "What's got you in such a good mood, anyway?"

"I'm still hyped from the concert is all," the guitarist lied through his teeth.

Victor gave him an incredulous look and said, "The only time you're this jazzed is right after you get lucky. Don't tell me there's some poor girl hiding under your bed right now, or...?"

"Dude! You of all people would know that it's been forever since I hooked up with anyone," deflected Gar. "Anyway, how's Sarah doing?"

"She's been better. Apparently some asshole tried to take pictures of her at work yesterday."

"Shit, seriously?"

"Yeah, after our engagement went public, the local news stations in Jump have been hounding her non-stop," said Victor, rubbing his shaved head with worry. "I can't wait for this tour to be over so I can go home and protect her from those leeches."

Gar wanted to ask more follow-up questions, but he was distracted by a buzz on his nightstand.

Raven: I need to see you. Come to my room ASAP. Be discreet.

His heart skipped a beat. It was bold coming from her, especially at this hour. Trying not to read too much into the message, Gar excitedly grabbed a hoodie and zipped it over his pyjama shirt. "I gotta go," he announced.

"Where to?"

"Out."

"Booty call? Tell Raven I hope she's feeling better. I guess she's looking for some sexual healing, eh tiger?"

"Whoa, we're not-"

"-I'm not stupid, green bean," Victor replied firmly, "or deaf, for that matter. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you're not as slick as you think you are. And by 'you', I mean the both of you knuckleheads."

Accepting that there was no escaping Victor's keen eye, Gar backpedalled. "Listen, I didn't want to keep it a secret, but it's complicated and-"

"-I get it, it's okay," interrupted his friend once more. "I'm a little annoyed that you've been dishonest, but you don't have to explain anything until you're ready. Just be careful, okay?"

"Well we've been trying to be careful, but according to you, we've been sloppy as hell!" answered Gar defensively.

"I'm not talking about your half-assed sneaking around, I'm talking about Raven. She's precious cargo!"

"You think I don't know that?"

"All I'm saying is that you need to treat her with extra special care. I don't know much about her personal life, but I'm pretty sure you're her emergency contact."

Gar's eyes bugged out of their sockets. "Like if she gets into an accident? You really think so?"

"I meant figuratively. Us Titans, we're her support system. Her family. And out of all of us, you're the one she cares about the most. So like I said, be careful. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good."

"Don't wait up for me."

"Wasn't planning on it."

Before leaving, Gar did the "three-pocket pat", making sure that he had his phone, wallet and key card. Just as he opened the door to exit, something hit his back. The mysterious object fell to the floor with a crinkle and he reflexively bent down to pick it up. Realizing what it was, he tucked the foil square into his wallet and muttered an embarrassed "thank you". Behind him, he heard Victor heave a deep belly laugh and shout, "Like I said, be careful!"

If Raven had known that Garfield would interpret her text as a summons for sex, she would have worded it very differently. Unfortunately for both of them, they had far less exciting things to work out. They sat at the table by the large window of her room, its curtains tightly drawn. She began by apologizing to him for not being honest about her meeting with Slade. Garfield took it surprisingly well, nodding calmly in understanding. His genuine kindness made starting the conversation that much more difficult. Unsure of how to break down what had happened, she simply handed over the contracts for him to read.

"I don't get it," said Garfield, scratching his head after reading the last paragraph. "Mr. Wilson wants to buy you out?" When she returned his question with a solemn nod, he continued, "But that's crazy, Nevermore is your baby! You're gonna say no, right?"

This was the hardest part. Raven wished she didn't have to tell him, but it wasn't for a lack of trust. If she verbalized their situation out loud, it would make things real, and she could no longer tell herself that it was all just a bad dream.

"Obviously, it's a no. But Gar... He knows about us."

His jaw swung open and he gasped, "How is that possible?"

"He has photos from earlier today."

"WHAT?!" he exclaimed. "You mean when we...?"

"Made out on the very chair you're sitting on right now? Yes."

"Shit! Victor was right."

"What do you mean?"

"He said we're not as sneaky as we thought. He definitely knows about us too. I'm not sure about Dick and Kory, but-"

"-Forget about them," Raven butt in, "we have much bigger fish to fry."

"Right, like that psycho who's been spying on us. Do you have the photos right now?"

"No, he kept them. Based on the angle, I'm pretty sure they were taken through the window from across the street. And that's not all... He also has photos of you and Tara."

"From when we were still together?"

"No, from yesterday night, at the afterparty. In the shot, it looks like you're about to kiss."

"We didn't!" Garfield contradicted desperately, jumping forward to catch her hands in his. "You have to believe me, nothing happened!"

"I know nothing happened. If something had, you would have told me," murmured Raven with a sad smile. "Again, I'm sorry for not telling you about Slade earlier."

He gave her hands a little squeeze while replying, "And I keep trying to tell you that it's okay. We're in this together."

Raven pulled away to slump back into her chair. The man who sat before her was far, far too good for her. If he weren't so wonderful, it would make this discussion a lot less painful. Disregarding his last statement, she moved on and said, "Wilson is threatening to release the photos to the press. Essentially, he wants to frame you as a two-timing misogynist who's cheating on both of us."

"Why would I ever do that?!" cried Garfield as though he were being accused of murder. "Why the hell would anyone do that?"

"Because you'd have everything to gain as an artist on the rise. Why not sleep with Tara for the publicity and me for the power? With your romantic history and the photos to prove it, it wouldn't be that big of a stretch to convince people that it's true."

"So if you don't sell your company, he'll come after my career?"

Raven nodded emotionlessly.

"But that's blackmail."

"Yes, it is," she answered in an equally deadpan tone.

Garfield ran his fingers through his hair and stared at the ceiling in disbelief. Averting her gaze to her feet, Raven could feel his legs shake in agitation through the vibrations in the floor. Before, she would have scolded him immediately for fidgeting. Now, she could barely stand to look at him, let alone talk. She knew that if she caught a glimpse of those seaglass eyes, she wouldn't have the strength to say what needed to be said. After a long pause, Garfield asked, "So what happens next?"

Raven inhaled deeply through her nose and breathed a heavy sigh. She had spent the last hour thinking about the answer to that exact question. There were no best case scenarios, only bad, worse and worst. Picking the lesser of evils was the only option, even if it meant letting go of what she wanted to hold onto the most. "I'll sell him shares, enough so that he has at least 51 percent," she said. "I would remain CEO on paper, but he'd be pulling the strings in the background. I know he wants more, but I think I can negotiate. As for us... We need to stop seeing each other."

"W-what?"

"As long as we're together, Wilson has leverage on us both. I don't want to be a cog in his machine, but it's better than having him sabotage your career."

"But Rae-"

"-I've thought about this a lot and the only way we can stay together is if I sell my company as a whole. And I'm sorry, but that's never going to happen."

"So you're choosing business over our relationship?" he asked, a look of hurt passing over his solemn face.

"Nevermore isn't just a business. You said it yourself, it's my baby. It represents everything that I've worked for, everything that I am: Scrappy. Self-reliant. An underdog."

"But what about-"

Raven cut in again, "-Garfield, listen to me. We've been dating for less than a month. I like you a lot and it would be a given if we were in this for the long haul. But-"

"-Whoa, hold up!" he interjected. "You said that you loved me! And what makes you think I'm not in this for the long haul?"

"I do love you! But things between us are too fresh. If the cost was a long-term relationship like Kory and Richard's, I would say no in a heartbeat."

"So you're saying that what we have isn't worth it?"

Raven groaned and threw her hands in the air with frustration, exclaiming, "I never said that! But you have to understand; I've dedicated the last six years of my life to this! And when you compare six years to three weeks..." She let her voice trail off into nothingness, letting the silence speak for itself. When she eventually mustered up the courage to look him in the eye, she immediately regretted it. Disappointment. Desperation. Denial. No matter how she tried to reason or explain, Garfield wouldn't accept it.

"It's more than just three weeks," he argued. "It could be years, even decades, but you're too scared to find out."

"I'm not scared!"

"Aren't you? Isn't that what this is? The fear that things won't work out between us?"

"What makes you so confident that it will?" she argued back. "What if I'm not 'the one'? What if I'm not your soulmate?"

"What if I don't care?! Soulmates or not, I love you! I want to be with you!"

Raven shook her head and replied, "I just don't see how we can make this work."

"There has to be another way..." he continued, his voice becoming more frantic. Garfield lunged forward and captured her lips with his own, kissing her with fervour. He gripped her tightly by the waist, like he was scared that she would fade away if he let go. When they came up for air, he continued holding her, caressing her face with tenderness. Staring into his blue-green irises, Raven felt her resolve begin to crack. Oh, how she loved those eyes. How she loved that furrow in his brow, the way his forehead creased in determination. She loved his refusal to give up, and she hated herself for not being able to do the same.

"Wait a second!" he suddenly cried with a snap of his fingers. "You said we would have to go public eventually, so why not now? Before Wilson has a chance to stir the pot, we can set the narrative ourselves! That would solve everything!"

She backed away to immediately contradict him, "There's a difference between going public and going public."

"How so?"

"By public, I meant telling the band and meeting your family. That doesn't mean I'm okay with the entire world being privy to our relationship."

"So what if the world knows? Let's be real, who cares?"

"I care!"

"Why?! Are you saying that you're embarrassed of being with me?" retorted Garfield, his voice rising in volume as he grew more frustrated.

"That's not it."

"Then why?!"

"It may be hard for you to believe, but the spotlight isn't for everyone!" Raven answered hotly, her volume now matching his. "Personally, I hate it. Being chased by paparazzi? Being gossiped about in the media? I want to stay anonymous, I want my privacy! I refuse to be labelled as a 'rock star's daughter', what makes you think I'd accept 'rock star's girlfriend?"

"Fine, that's fair," conceded Garfield with a pout, "but it's not like anybody knows about your dad, right?"

"Wilson does. And I have a strong feeling that if I don't comply, he'll expose my family history too."

"He said that?"

"No, but I read between the lines."

Garfield fell back in his chair and began to rub at his temples. "Okay, so maybe going public won't work, but there has to be a way to get out of this! Wilson wants the control of the Titans too, right? What if we left Nevermore and re-signed with him instead? If that's what it takes, I'm willing to do it."

"He doesn't know what he's saying," thought Raven before replying out loud, "You saw what he did to Tara with the nude photo leak and he's already threatened to throw you under the bus. You'd be crazy to work for him."

"I'm pretty sure we've already established that I'm crazy. Crazy for you."

"Bloody hell," she cursed him silently. "Of all the cheesy, unhelpful things to say."

"I've told you this a million times: Anything for you, Raven. Anything."

"Stop. Please, stop talking," she begged in her mind, fighting back tears.

"Are you listening to me?"

"Anything?" she wondered, then repeated just loud enough for him to hear, "You'll do anything?"

"Yes!"

"So you'll leave the music industry? Go back to your regular life?"

Stunned, Garfield looked like he'd been slapped in the face. "Wait, what?"

"That's the only other solution," Raven stated with a tone of finality. "If you stop being a public figure, Wilson's threats are no longer relevant."

When the musician didn't reply, she reached out and placed her hand in his. Just moments ago, she almost gave in to her desire to stay. But if anything, Garfield's lack of response only confirmed what she already knew; about who he was and what she needed to do.

"The day you signed your contract with me, you said that you'd never quit music. That one way or another, you'd achieve your dreams," Raven said, brushing his hand with her thumb before letting it go. "So I could never ask you to do that. In fact, you shouldn't. Not for me, not for anyone."

A special kind of silence took over the room. It lingered like the final, unresolved note of a song. Though there were no more words, a faint echo rang through the air; a fleeting reminder of the music that once played. It made the listener want to continue on to the next track, but the record had already come to an end.

"That's it then. Just like that, it's over." There was a crack in Garfield's voice, quickly followed by sniffles. Raven looked away and nodded, blinking away her own tears. "What are we going to do?" he asked after wiping the wetness from his eyes.

"We're not going to do anything. I'm going to have a lawyer look through the contracts from Wilson as soon as we get back home. Whatever you do is your decision."

Her verbal detachment seemed to be the breaking point, for Garfield stood up abruptly and sounded off a string of expletives. He hurried towards the exit and she instinctively got up to follow him. Stopping just in front of the door, he spun around and cried, "So I'm just supposed to pretend like I don't love you?!"

"I'm sorry," she said, the words sounding insufficient the moment they left her mouth.

"And how can you let go of us so easily? Didn't any of this mean anything to you?"

Raven could only reply in a robotic monotone, "Again, I'm sorry. If you need to vent, I understand. Victor knows, right? I'm sure he would-"

"-What's the point? As far as he's concerned, nothing serious actually happened between us. The whole time we were together, we had to fake being just friends. And now, it's the reverse." Garfield shook his head and muttered, "Talk about ironic."

She murmured his name like an apology and willed herself not to cry. "Gar, I never meant to hurt you."

"It's fine!" he said sharply before softening his tone, "I'm fine. I'm a good actor, remember? And as they say in the biz, the show must go on."

With that, he stepped out, not looking back once as he disappeared around the corner. Raven wanted to run after him with every fibre of her being, but she knew that wouldn't change anything. There was nothing left to do, nothing left to say. She closed the door and collapsed into bed, letting the pillow soak up her tears long into the night.

At the end of every relationship, there is a winner and a loser. Even if a break-up is mutual, a slight imbalance will always exist. Who will get a new partner first? Who will hold out the longest before reaching out to talk? In the scant twenty-five years of his life, Gar had been the "loser" twice. The first time he was fifteen, when his summer fling moved to a different school on the other side of town and decided to cut him loose. The next instance was when Tara up and left, ghosting him before he had the chance to convince her to stay. Those experiences had been painful in their own rights, but they were nothing compared to the misery that consumed him now.

After returning to his room, Gar didn't sleep a wink. Instead, he attempted to fast-track himself through the five stages of grief. Denial and anger quickly passed, and all of his bargaining had already proved unsuccessful. He tried to convince himself that he had accepted the situation, but the reality was that he was knee-deep in depression. When his roommate teased him the next morning, he didn't even have the energy to retort back. Thanks to the restless night, Gar immediately fell asleep in the tour bus and was able to stay unconscious for several hours. Being out cold meant that people like Victor couldn't bother him with questions, and people like Rave- her couldn't send him looks of pity.

The ride to Minneapolis took nearly sixteen hours, so when Gar finally did wake up, he took out his Switch to occupy himself for the rest of the trip. When it booted up, the last played game automatically opened. It crossed his mind to delete Ra- her save file out of spite, but he settled for simply turning off the console instead. What depressed him even more was that the woman seemed totally unaffected. There was no change to her demeanour, no sign that she was struggling just as much as he was. Across the tour bus, he could see her sitting comfortably with Kory's arm around her shoulder and smiling at Cassie's jokes. Though a bitter part of him wished that she was a wreck, he was relieved that she had the company of friends. Victor was wrong, Gar wasn't her "emergency contact". She was doing perfectly fine without him.

Feeling particularly lonely, Gar proposed a guys' night out after arriving at their destination. Only Garth and Roy agreed since the others were too tired from the long day of travel. The trio occupied themselves at the hotel bar and surprisingly, were left unharrassed by the other patrons. Between the Karen-Victor fiasco and their stint at the festival, the buzz around both bands had died down considerably. The tabloids were fully occupied elsewhere with some other celebrity scandal. For the first time ever, Gar was grateful for the lack of media attention. It was exhausting just to think about faking a smile for the cameras or pandering to crowds of strangers.

Drowning his sorrows sounded like a good idea at the time, but the morning after, a wicked headache and upset stomach proved him very, very wrong. At breakfast, Gar was startled when his manager provided a steaming cup of green tea as a hangover cure. For a brief moment, he forgot that they were broken up and resisted the urge to kiss her on the cheek in front of the others. However, he felt like a complete idiot when she passed out drink orders for everyone else in the group. Similar instances kept happening throughout the day, driving him slowly mad. A subtle touch here, an undetectable nod there. Was she trying to tell him something, or was he imagining it all? After getting his hopes up one too many times, he decided to put up an emotionless front. Gar figured that their friends had picked up on the tension between them, but he didn't care. If he walked into a conversation that she was in, he ignored her outright, only deigning to give the others his attention. And if she asked him something directly, he'd give her one-word, non-committal answers before coldly walking away. Gar noticed Kory giving him several dirty looks, but he refused to acknowledge that anything was wrong.

The bad vibes trickled into their concert that same night, tainting his performance like a poison. He strummed all the right chords and sang all the right notes, but the musician felt completely disconnected from the bandmates beside him and the crowd before them. After the show, the Titans' frontman pulled him aside and asked if everything was alright between him and their manager. When Gar didn't respond, Dick continued by scolding him for being so rude to her and urged him to apologize. The leader's concerns were dismissed by an impatient roll of the eyes and an annoyed middle finger. Victor caught on to the guitarist's low spirits and gave him a wide berth, only confronting him when they were in the privacy of their hotel room. Gar remained totally despondent; not even a confidant of nine years could figure out what was going on inside that green head.

The heavy atmosphere hovered over the man like a raincloud for the next two days. The Tower drove them eastward to Illinois, their last joint venue with the Bees. The musical "Chicago" was one of his favourites, yet Gar couldn't even bring himself to sing the soundtrack when they entered the Windy City's limits. He was tired and burnt out. After being on the road for nearly a month, the glamour of the tour bus had faded along with his excitement to meet more fans. He felt like he was stuck on a merry-go-round of "travel, sleep, perform, repeat" and he was desperate to get off.

Forty hours of sulking eventually came to a head when he woke up on the morning of their Chicago show. Remembering Dick's constant reminders that exercise releases endorphins, Gar put on his work out gear and headed to the hotel gym. If he couldn't feel happy naturally, he'd trick his brain into elevating his mood the old fashioned way. His plans were dashed, however, when he entered the gym and immediately stumbled upon the very person he was trying to avoid. It wasn't fair that she was so stunning. The rising sun shone on her face through the window, her thick, dark eyelashes casting shadows on the high points of her cheeks. Her body was folded into the Lotus pose, with legs crossed and palms together. She looked so graceful, so serene.

Entranced by the beauty before him, Gar barely noticed the redhead next to her, who opened her eyes at the sound of his footsteps. "Good morning, Garfield. Are you here to join us?"

"Er, no. Just wanted to get some cardio in."

Kory answered, "I suppose that's for the best, since our lesson is almost finished."

The other woman blinked her eyes open and replied, "That's right. You did a great job. Continue with the finishing sequence and remember to focus on your breathing. We'll pick things up again tomorrow?"

Kory nodded and gave her a bright smile. In the meantime, Gar held his breath when he realized that Raven was walking in his direction. "Can I speak to you for a moment?" she asked.

Keeping his cool, Gar shrugged nonchalantly and answered, "Only if you're okay to walk and talk at the same time."

The pair moved to the other side of the gym, leaving Kory by herself on an exercise mat. Gar stepped onto a treadmill and punched at its buttons randomly. The machine came to life, albeit at a slow pace, though it accelerated slightly with every passing second. While Gar walked, Raven talked. "I thought we said we wouldn't give each other the silent treatment anymore," she began.

"And I thought you said that whatever I wanted to do was my decision."

"Garfield, you're being childish."

"Better than being heartless," he retorted, now moving into a jog.

"What did you say?!" Raven's offended voice rang throughout the room, causing Kory and the other gym-goers to turn their necks in alarm.

"Careful, or you'll cause a scene. And we both know that you hate the spotlight."

After heaving an annoyed huff, Raven whispered, "I hoped we'd be able to handle this like adults, but you just can't resist the chance to be a drama queen."

"Sorry, can't hear you over the treadmill. You're gonna have to speak up," replied Gar, his footfalls becoming heavier as his legs moved faster.

"Écoute," she said slightly louder, switching to their "secret" language, "je ne suis pas contente de notre situation non plus. Mais il n'y a plus d'options!"
/Listen, I'm not happy with our situation either. But there are no other options!/

"J'ai suggeré plusieurs alternatives, mais tu les as toutes rejetées."
/I suggested several alternatives, but you rejected them all./

"Ce n'est pas si simple que ça..."
/It's not that simple.../

"Bien oui, c'est simple! M'aimes-tu, ou non?"
/Of course, it's that simple! Do you love me, or not?/

Gar broke into full sprint, his feet pounding onto the treadmill with every step. Though he looked straight ahead, he caught a glimpse of Raven's downcast face through the corner of his eye. Her sad expression plucked at his heartstrings and he was tempted to apologize for being a dick. No, he refused to feel guilty. She had made her choice, so now, he was making his. Gar continued to run, moving as far as he could from his problems and heartbreak. Drops of sweat fell into his eyes and his calves began to burn, but he didn't stop, not until a hand slammed down on the treadmill's power button. He was nearly pitched backward and only saved himself at the last minute by planting his feet onto the stationary sides of the machine.

"What the hell is your problem?!" he shouted. When Gar turned around, he found Kory glaring at him with laser eyes.

"What is your problem? Where is Garfield?" she asked angrily.

"I'm right here!"

"No, you are not. The Garfield I know would never treat a person like that, least of all our dear Raven. You have changed."

The man in question dismounted from the treadmill, then grabbed his towel to wipe his face dry. After taking a swig from his water bottle, he moodily replied, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do," Kory snapped back. "You are fighting with Raven and I do not like it. You must stop immediately."

He mumbled lowly, "Why is everyone on her side?"

"So you admit it. You are fighting."

Defeated, Gar sank to the floor and patted the seat next to him. Kory followed suit and sat down, hugging her knees to her chest. Once the tense mood between them settled down, she said in a much gentler tone, "I did not mean to aggravate you, I apologize. I am worried about you."

"It's okay, Kor. Sorry for getting all defensive, I've been on edge the last few days."

"I noticed. Whatever is the matter?"

He answered truthfully, "It's complicated. The night before we left Austin, Raven and I got into a huge fight."

"About what?"

"Business. Her company, specifically. She confided in me about a decision she has to make, but she refuses to listen to any of my input."

"I see. Does it concern us too?"

"If you mean the Titans, kinda, but not really. It mostly affects her. But she's making a big mistake and I thought, or I hoped, that she'd take my opinion into account."

"Do not take this the wrong way, dear Garfield, but why should she listen to you? If it has to do with Nevermore, it's her decision, no?"

"Of course it is! But think about it this way: if Dick were to make a major decision without consulting you, wouldn't that piss you off?"

"It would and it has. However, Richard is my life partner. I think the situation between you and Raven is a bit different..."

"Obviously, it's different," Gar quickly agreed, "but we've gotten really close. Recently, I've started seeing her as my best friend. Life partner or not, it still hurts."

"So this is why you have been fighting. It is not about the decision itself, but the lack of communication and interdependence."

"I guess so," he remarked while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Say, when did you get so wise about all of this relationship stuff?"

"Couples' therapy is a wondrous thing, I highly recommend it," Kory smiled, wrapping her arm around his shoulders amicably."I sincerely hope you and Raven do the righting of wrongs. Friends are precious and should be cherished as such."

The two pals fell silent in order to hydrate, passing Gar's water bottle back and forth while quietly observing the other people in the gym. It was a nice change of pace, hanging out with Kory. Their relationship had always been easy-going. They rarely spoke about serious things, but when they did, Gar felt like her advice was more valuable than gold. Changing the subject, she asked, "Will you miss the Bees? It is hard to believe that tonight is our last show with them."

"Yeah, I will. The twins are hilarious and Karen is super chill. Even Roy and Garth started growing on me. I still dunno how I feel about Wally, but yeah, I'm sure we'll keep in touch."

Kory nodded in agreement then added, "And we will be home in three days! It has only been one month, but it feels like years!"

"Tell me about it! You know, touring isn't what I thought it would be."

"How so?"

"My expectations were different, I guess," answered Gar with a small shrug. "In some ways, they were higher and in others, they were blown out of the water."

"It certainly has been special. I long to be home, but at the same time, I cannot wait for the next adventure. Meeting our fans and seeing all of these new places has been so inspiring, has it not?"

At Kory's last words, Gar remembered the page of lyrics that he had written just a few days ago. Being in love had always been his greatest inspiration. He once thought that he could easily write a multitude of songs, sonnets and symphonies to describe how he felt about Raven. It looked like he'd have to find a different muse now.

"Garfield, why do you look so glum?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, he answered, "I've been thinking a lot about life in general. Where I am and where I'm going. Where I want to be. What's important and what's not."

Gar turned so that he could look straight into his friend's brilliant green eyes. They were soft and kind, despite having gone through many hardships. He knew Kory's life hadn't been easy. She fled her home country as a refugee, eventually saying good-bye to her family when they decided to go back. Staying in the United States to be with Dick had cost her dearly. By choosing him, she was separated from her loved ones and disconnected from her culture.

"Kory, you know a lot about sacrifice, right?"

"I suppose so."

"So how do you decide what's worth keeping or giving up? When is it time to fight and when is it time to throw in the towel?"

"Why would you throw away your towel?" she asked quizzically.

"It's an expression. Take you and Dick, for example. You guys split up so many times, I've lost count. Like that time in college, I was convinced that you were going to pack up and get on the first flight to Tamaran. So why didn't you? Why did you stay?"

Kory thought for a moment, then replied, "Because I owed it to myself." Her answer took Gar aback. He was expecting her to say something sappy involving love or listening to one's heart. She continued, "Ever since I was a little girl, freedom and justice are what I valued the most. In Tamaran, I was not free to marry who I wanted, and the civil war broke out because of a deeply corrupt government. I knew that I had a better chance of happiness here."

"But that's it, you still had to take a chance. There was no guarantee that things would work out, with Dick or anyone else."

"Life is chance, there are no guarantees. The only thing you can do is to find out who you are and start moving forward from there. If something goes against your principles, reject it. If something is of value, grab it and never let it go. You can never know the future, but if you fight for what is right, at least you are being true to yourself."

"Wow," Gar stated dumbly, her advice still soaking in. "Have you ever thought about writing a self-help book?"

"Perhaps. Will you be the first one to buy a copy?" Kory replied with a chuckle.

She stood up and offered a helping hand to Gar. He took it gratefully and bantered back, "Only if I get your autograph."

Though he was still dejected over Raven, Gar's heart felt a tiny bit lighter as he walked out of the gym arm-in-arm with his friend. In that moment, he realized what a fool he was for believing that Kory and the others were against him. The Titans were family, and family would always be there for each other, no matter how difficult things got.

Gar didn't think of himself as an introspective or philosophical person. He preferred spending his brain power on distractions like video games and comic books. While he wasn't necessarily out of touch with his feelings, he wasn't absorbed by them either. That being said, he spent the rest of the day thinking about everything Kory had said in the gym. It took a time for her words to sink in completely, but when they finally did, they hit Gar like a ton of bricks. The revelation came that night at the concert, when the Titans and the Bees switched places during the intermission. The former had been waiting in the green room while the latter transitioned offstage after their set.

At present, Gar surveyed the area, his eyes trying to hunt down his elusive manager. He wanted to talk to her, but there never seemed to be any time. Kory was right; it was petty and selfish to treat Raven the way he did. Even though they were no longer a couple, she was still his manager and that merited respect. She was also still his friend. Where Kory valued freedom and justice, Gar valued friendship and loyalty. It was important to him to stick up for his friends, and he knew without a doubt that he could always rely on them for help. Putting all of his hurt aside, he needed to be a good friend to Raven. That meant apologizing to her and supporting her decisions. It was the least he could do after everything she had done for him.

Yet there still remained one problem: he didn't want to be "just friends". It hadn't satisfied him back at Christmas and it didn't satisfy him now. A large part of what made Gar so discouraged after their argument was that he felt powerless. According to Raven, the only options were for her to sell Nevermore or for him to end his music career. She said that she would never give up her company and he couldn't blame her for that. Gar had rejected the second idea immediately, because abandoning music was unthinkable. It was a part of him, his very soul. In Kory's words, it was a matter of being true to himself. However, Raven hadn't asked him to sacrifice his passion. Nothing prevented him from writing songs or playing his guitar if he left the industry. It was about giving up the fame; the crowds, the cameras, the clout. If that was what it took, could he do it? Just as he made up his mind, Tim rushed into the green room and shouted, "Showtime!"

The Titans scrambled out of their seats and made their way to the backstage area. The closer they got to the stage, the louder the chanting of the audience became. In the shadow of the wings stood Raven, with a headset strapped to her ears and a tablet clutched tightly in her hands. Gar could see her taking a peek at the waiting crowd. He often forgot how small she was, but it was obvious when comparing her petite stature to the sea of people just beyond the curtain. Upon hearing their approach, she turned around and said, "Curtain goes up in a few minutes. I'll see you when the show is over, have fun."

Raven gave the four of them a small nod before retreating to the green room. Gar found it odd that she left, since she usually stuck around the sidelines to watch them perform. As he watched her walk in the opposite direction, a strange feeling came over him. It wasn't too long ago that they had their "define the relationship" conversation. He recalled stating that if she ever walked away, he wouldn't chase after her. He had meant every word since he despised mind games and refused to entertain them. But this was different. Something told Gar that if he didn't act now, he would lose her for good. Ignoring the stage hand who was urging him to get into place, Gar raced back to the green room, managing to intercept Raven in the hallway. When he grabbed her by the hand, she spun around and yelped, "What are you doing here? The show is going to start any minute!"

"We need to talk," he said, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath.

"Now?! I've been trying to talk to you, but you kept ignoring me!"

"I'm sorry for that, I was being an ass."

Raven took back her hand, then muttered, "I appreciate the apology, but now isn't the time. You said it yourself, 'the show must go on'."

"Fuck the show." Gar stepped forward and caught her by the shoulders. A flicker of doubt clouded his mind, and for a moment, he hesitated. What if she didn't want him anymore? What if it was all a lost cause? Staring into her indigo eyes, he steadied himself, holding onto her gaze like a lifeline. He had gotten this far, there was no going back now. Swallowing his insecurities, he laid himself bare. "Just listen to me, okay? The last few days have been torture. I've been miserable this entire time. I know you're probably over it by now, but-"

"-I'm not," she interrupted, "I'm not over it either."

His resolve ever-growing, Gar continued, "Good, because you know what? I wanna be with you. We can figure out this entire mess together."

"Gar, we've talked about this. There's nothing else we can do."

"You're wrong. There's one option we haven't considered: we tell the rest of the Titans."

"What? But you said it yourself, there's no point..."

"Yes, there is. Two minds may be better than one, but five? As a team, we'd be unstoppable," he stated confidently, his mouth stretching into a wide grin.

"I don't want to get them involved, it'll only create more problems."

"I completely disagree. You do this all the time, you tell yourself that you're just a bother to other people, when in reality, all we want to do is help you."

"But-"

"-No buts. I know you pride yourself on being an independent woman. Hell, it's part of why I'm so attracted to you. But being independent is not the same as being alone," Gar declared, then drew her close to kiss her fiercely on the mouth. They stood there for several moments, lips locked in a passionate embrace. Gar poured everything he had into that kiss. He tried to convey how much he loved her, how important she was to him. After pulling away to lean his forehead against hers, he said, "You think you're alone, Raven, but you're not. You have us. You have me."

She shook her head slightly and whispered, "Even if we tell them... What if we can't think of another plan? What happens then?"

"Then I quit the Titans."

Her voice raised to shout, "Gar! You can't!"

"Why not? It's my career, isn't it?"

"But it's not fair. You shouldn't have to give up on your dreams."

"Getting famous was never my dream, not really," he replied with a wistful smile. "It's always been about creating music and sharing it. I can keep writing songs and sell them to other artists. I could even get a job in a recording studio as an in-house guitarist. Who knows, maybe one day I'll even compose a musical! As long as I still have music in some form or another, I'll be happy."

Raven stepped back and waved a hand in the direction of the stage. "What about performing? What about touring? You'd be willing to sacrifice all of that too?"

"Absolutely. To me, you're worth it. I told you I'd do anything for you and I intend on putting my money where my mouth is."

"And if things don't work out between us?"

"It still would have been worth it. We don't know if our relationship will stand the test of time, but don't you think we owe it to ourselves to try?"

Gar would have leaned in for another kiss, but a strong hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to the side. It was Victor who swept him off of his feet, slinging him over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The larger man turned towards the end of the hallway where Dick and Kory waited impatiently. "Sorry to interrupt, but this guy needs to get his ass on stage!" the drummer yelled.

Raven's shell-shocked face was the last thing Gar saw as he was hauled away. He shouted back at her, "I've made my decision! What about you?!"

He never heard her reply, for Victor hauled him around the corner before she could say anything back. The curtains raised and the audience exploded in cheers. While Dick greeted the crowd, the rest of the band stepped into place behind their instruments. Putting on his guitar and playing the first chords of their opening song, Gar realised that Raven's answer would have to wait until the end of the concert.

After all, the show must go on.

A/N: Gar and Kory finally had their heart-to-heart! It was only a matter of time, considering they're the two cinnamon rolls of the bunch. And for everyone who kept complaining that Victor was being a cockblock, I hope I somewhat redeemed him for you, haha.

References to unpack: First, there's the abridged lyrics for "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves, an absolute bop. The "Get it? Got it. Good." exchange is from the 1955 movie musical The Court Jester. It's fairly niche, so I'd be surprised if anyone knows it. "You're playing with the big boys now" is from The Prince of Egypt. I also mentioned Chicago, which is a much more popular musical that I adore. And of course, "You think you're alone, Raven, but you're not" is from the BBRae goldmine of an episode, "Spellbound".

Lastly, thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews. It's definitely helped me get my writing butt into gear. Let's hope that it doesn't take me another two months to release the next update. My goal is to finish before the New Year, so keep your fingers crossed for that!

Till next time, Lily Timbers

Replies to Guest Reviews

Eris: I'm really glad that you liked how I handled the Gar/Terra situation. I personally don't like her character, but I don't think she deserves to be vilified either. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

derekctomlinson: Thank you so much! I'm doing my best, haha.

frog31791: Thank you!

Guest: Did this chapter answer your questions? You were definitely on the right track! No worries about a shorter review, I'm just happy you're still reading and enjoying the experience! Stay safe and healthy as always :)

Anonymoose: Yaaaaay, I'm so glad you stuck it out and read through all 27 chapters! I still can't believe I've written almost 200k words at this point, it's crazy. I will definitely take your request into account for the epilogue. I've only been to the Vancouver Aquarium once, but I absolutely loved the experience. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!