James exhaled deeply. "What a long day."

"I know."

James smiled and glanced down at Raven as they walked towards the exit. He held Farah in his arms who was fast asleep. Her head rested on his shoulder and her blonde curls bounced with every step he took. The toddler's face had a painted picture of a green butterfly, and she wore an oversized white T-shirt that had the zoo's logo and her small wrist had a yellow balloon tied to it. While James held Farah, Raven held onto the coats and a bag filled with souvenirs and trinkets from the gift shop. The sun was setting above them, giving the sky a beautiful orange tint.

It was indeed a long day of fun for the three. Farah couldn't stop her legs from moving and her eyes from staring at every animal she could get to. She touched the aquatic animals, fed the chickens, spoke to the horses, stopped for a lunch break, which wasn't long enough to truly relax much to James and Raven's dismay, then got her face painted and saw the dolphin show. She finally passed out while they were waiting in the long line of the gift shop to purchase the many items she picked out.

Raven looked up with a warm smile. "Thanks so much for taking her here."

"No problem; you know that I'll do anything for you and Farah."

They finally reached James's car and placed Farah's sleeping body in her high back car seat.

"How about I-"

"No, no," He said quickly. "I've been practicing," James smirked and went to work with strapping Farah in securely. Usually, he would mess up by not fastening her secure enough or making it too tight, making Farah fidget in her seat the entire time, hence Raven would always do the job.

"There!"

Raven observed his handiwork and nodded her head in approval. "Well done."

James grinned and went to the driver's seat. He turned the car on and drove out the parking lot then onto the road.

The ride was lively with James occasionally rambling about his co-workers or the new video games that would be released. Raven only nodded as she continued to listen to him. She enjoyed hearing his stories. Her life wasn't filled with much excitement like his..well, her new life.

"Anyway, less about me, how about you? You didn't talk much about your trip with your family. How did it go?"

Raven didn't respond immediately. She looked out the window and thought about the words she would say carefully. "Um, it was fine. We had a great time."

James nodded, his eyes still focused on the road in front of him. His elbow was resting on the side of the door with his fingers playing with his hair while the other lazily held the driving wheel. "What did they think of Farah? Were they shocked?"

"They were definitely amazed to see us." She said with an exhale, then she shrugged. "But they love her. I don't see why they wouldn't like Farah. She has such a bubbly personality that is hard to hate."

"I wonder where she gets that from." He said with a playful smirk.

Raven chuckled softly. "Not from me."

"Did you meet anyone?" He asked.

Raven closed her eyes and sighed. "Um, I met up with her father, and they finally met."

James stayed quiet. He didn't know who Farah's father was. He was curious, absolutely, but he respected Rachael's space. He didn't want to intrude. He knew that when she is ready to tell him something, she will do it.

She continued, even though he didn't say anything. She was aware that he wanted to know how the confrontation played out. "It went well. He loves her and she loves him back. They're so alike." Raven smiled softly to herself thinking about the moments she saw Farah and Beast boy bonding together.

"That's good." He said with a flat tone. From the stories she told him, he wasn't too excited about Farah's father. "Well, if everything was going so well, why did you come back so early?"

Raven fiddled her thumbs in her lap and stared at the different cars driving by on the road. "Let's just say, there was a lot of conflicts between me and his current girlfriend."

"No way, he's still with her?"

She rolled her eyes and nodded her head. She gets mad every time she thinks back on Beast boy and Terra's relationship. It simply aggravated her. "Yes."

James gave a whistle and continued driving. "Was he happy that you were back?"

Raven nodded her head. "Definitely. And I was..happy to see him too." From the corner of her eye, Raven could see his grip on the steering wheel tighten then relax again. She fought back a smirk. James had feelings for her, and although he denied it, she knew that it was a lie. "But I don't think we'll get into a relationship."

James exhaled quietly. He didn't realize that he was holding his breath. But it relieved him to know that Raven wasn't going to go back to him. "I'm sorry." He tried to look apologetic.

The car pulled into the parking lot of their apartments. James turned and parked the car perfectly in the spot. He turned the vehicle off and quickly went to unstrap the still sleeping Farah. She twisted her tired face and moved her arms mindlessly. She was confused and tired, but when her head found James's shoulder, she immediately went back to deep slumber.

"Here, just put lay her in her bed. I'll put her night clothes on later before I go to sleep."

James nodded and tenderly placed the toddler in her bed. Farah mumbled noises from the abrupt movement but kept her eyes close. Quietly, he walked out the room, closing the door behind him and found the exit. "So, dinner tomorrow night at 6?"

Raven smiled and nodded her head. "That's the plan."

James grinned. "Great! I'll come down at 5:30."

Raven nodded and closed the door behind him. She locked it then exhaled happily. Raven didn't know what it was about James that made her so happy. He was a gentleman and such a sweetheart once you get to know him. Sometimes, she wished he was Farah's father instead. It would have made life a lot easier here, but that wasn't her fate. She still had feelings for Beast boy, but whenever she thinks about James, she grins. He harbored feelings for her; she could tell, but Raven didn't know whether she did for him.

James took in a deep breath and adjusted the collar of his white button up shirt. It was tucked away in his smooth black dress pants. His brown suit jacket was placed over the shirt, and he wore brown dress shoes that were shiny and appeared new. He looked very sharp.

James knocked hard on the door. He heard shuffling and loud tiny stomps run to the door. He smiled, knowing it was Farah. When he heard Raven scold her, he stood up straight and quickly swept a hand through his lightly gelled hair.

Eventually, the lock turned and the door opened to reveal Raven. Farah squeezed herself through the little space between her mother's leg and the door. She was in her pajamas and had her teddy bear in her arms.

"Uncle James, I wanna' go too!" She whined.

Raven rolled her eyes at the little girl and pushed her back inside. "See you later, Farah."

Farah whined even louder and threw a tantrum when Raven closed the door shut before she could run out again. Her cries could be heard loud throughout the entire floor and probably the floor above. Raven sighed and rubbed her forehead. "The neighbors are going to be complaining."

"Who's watching her?"

"My coworker," Raven said quickly. She rummaged through her black purse looking for God knows what.

"Wow,"

Raven looked up worried, "What? Is there something on my dress? Am I too formal? I can always go back and change-"

"No, no!" He said quickly with a smile. "You look beautiful and perfectly dressed for the occasion."

Raven relaxed then smirked. "Thank goodness. You look handsome."

James blushed and placed his hand in his pockets.

"We should get going, shouldn't we?"

James nodded and stepped aside for her to walk ahead towards the steps. He took a good glance at her and admired her beauty. She wore a black, classy dress. It stopped at the middle of her shins and had a short black slit in the back, making it easier for her to walk. The top was a sweetheart neckline with thin black straps. The dress hugged her shapely body and would make any guy drool at a glance. Her black hair was pulled back and curled lightly, showing a full view of her face.

Farah persisted on doing her makeup to practice what Starfire had taught her at the Tower, but Raven refused that request in a heartbeat.

James averted his eyes to the exit when he realized that he was staring. When they reached the car, he opened the door for her to ease herself in and place her long beautiful legs inside. He smiled when he noticed that she was wearing the short sleek black heels he bought her for Christmas one year. She told him that she would never wear it, but he insisted that she keep them just in case. He felt proud to finally see her wear his gift.

"Here we are!"

"Are you secretly a millionaire or something?"

James laughed and turned the car off before exiting his side. "No, just single with a good job."

Raven stared at the restaurant that he was taking her to."The Vintage Valley" is the most well-known eatery in Jump City. It was located on the north side of town with other expensive stores, homes and successful businesses. Simply walking down the street will show the wealth people had in this area.

When James opened the door for her to follow, she stared at him, sad. "James, you didn't have to do all of this."

He shrugged and extended his hand. "I don't mind. Really."

She sighed and accepted his hand. The two made their way to the entrance of the restaurant. Once the host approved of their reservation, he seated them at a nice table near the window. Raven looked down at the fancy decor and shiny silverware. When she looked through the menu, her eyes widened at the view of the prices. She searched for the cheapest priced meal that they had.

"Don't worry about the price, Rach; I got it."

Raven shook her head. "No, I can't. You're constantly giving to me and Farah. It's the least I could do. I-"

James abruptly placed his hand over hers and looked her straight in the eyes. Raven stopped her rambling and stared into his warm eyes and comforting smile. "Calm down. Just enjoy yourself. You deserve it."

Raven stared. She tried to persist, but his face was screaming at her to take his offer. She sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Ok."

James opened his menu and scanned the delicious food.

"But I will make it up to you." She said with a determined smirk.

James laughed. "If you say so."

Half an hour later, their entrees arrived at the table, making both of their mouths water.

"This is delicious." Raven continued cutting through her potatoes and chicken, fully engrossed with the bursting flavor. Cyborg was a good cook, but compared to his food, this meal beats it out the ballpark.

James nodded in agreement. "Isn't it? I use to come here with my family."

"Oh really? You don't talk much about them."

James shrugged his shoulders and continued eating his steak."There's nothing really interesting about me and my family."

"I beg to differ." She said with a playful smirk.

"It's nothing compared to your story."

"How so?"

He continued cutting through his meal. No care in his voice. "I grew up in an upper-middle-class family; structured, never had any financial problems. Anything I wanted, I would get."

"So you were a spoiled brat?" Raven asked playfully.

He chuckled softly. ''You could say that, but I didn't think I was that spoiled."

They laughed, and James continued. "My parents love me and supported everything I did. I went to college and graduated with a business degree. My dad is a successful businessman, so you could say that I took up after his footsteps. Right after I graduated, he offered me a job at his company and I took it."

Raven nodded, eager to hear much about him. "I don't see anything wrong with that. You were privileged and that's something to be grateful for."

"Never thought about it like that, but you're right."

The waitress came to their table with a notepad and a big smile. "Can I get you two desert?"

James glanced at Raven and she shook her head. James smiled and turned to the waitress. "No, but can I have a bottle of wine?"

"Sure, what would you like?"

"The Pinot Noir."

She wrote down the request and left.

Raven looked back at him. She pushed her empty plate to the side and rested her head in her hands. "You must be treating yourself today."

He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. "Just got paid, might as well."

"That's how you lose your money."

He waved his hand and scoffed. "Ok, mom."

"Here you are."

The waitress placed the bottle on the table and set two glass wine cups for the pair to take. James used the corkscrew with expertise and pulled the cork out from in the bottle. He poured himself his share then passed it to Raven, but she only stared.

"What's wrong?"

She blushed. "I never drank wine before."

"Awe, that's so cute." He said before taking a sip. "Try it, you might like it." He took her glass and poured her a small amount.

Raven hesitated at first but pushed herself to take a sip of its content. When she swallowed it, she cringed and coughed. Raven placed the glass back on the table and gulped her cold glass of water. James only laughed. "I didn't like it the first time I tried it either, but you get used to it."

She shivered, thinking back to the taste. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

He poured himself some more and continued drinking.

Raven noticed and raised a brow. "I wouldn't drink too much. You're our ride home."

James chuckled and brought the glass to his lips. "It's alright. We'll be fine."

Beast boy was taking another one of his nightly strolls downtown. He would fly, but he felt the need to walk. He passed by all the stores, glancing into the windows and taking note of small details for no reason. Walking cleared his mind, and he loved doing it in the city. So much happens here that it simply takes his mind off of whatever he would be stressed by.

He continued strolling down the sidewalk. He smiled and nodded when three by standing females giggled and waved at him to get his attention. They were beautiful blondes, just his type, but he didn't care for them. Only one woman plagued his mind. When it appeared that no one was looking, he transformed into a dove and flew high into the hair. He felt the cold air ruffle his feathers and it felt good. He sighed contently when his bird body glided in the air. He loved flying; it soothed him.

Beast boy flew down to the earth when he reached his destination. He took in a deep breath, smelling the grassy scent then exhaled with a loose smile. He sat at his usual bench and stared at the waters in front of him with content. He leaned and rested his long arms on the back of the bench. This was his favorite place to unwind. It was new, though. He found it about a year ago. He showed Raven his sacred hangout when she was with him at the Tower. It was a fun time.

"So this is where you run off to?"

"I wouldn't say "run off". He said. "More like my quiet area."

"Oh ok." Raven stared at the tall trees that were planted on the side of the concrete pathway. It was nice. She couldn't deny that. "I should come here. Perfect place to meditate."

"We could come together." They stopped when they reached to what seemed like the end of the pathway, but it wasn't. It trailed into a wider lane, making it easier for more than about three people to walk on, and to their left, a beautiful view of the clear waters could be seen instead of the tall trees. There were benches across the lake, giving a good view of the scenery. The widened path continued on for what seemed like miles. Raven glanced when she saw joggers lightly run by and into the wooded trail behind them.

They took their seats on one of the many opened benches, facing the shimmering waters. "Thanks for bringing me. I needed a break from the Tower."

Beast boy nodded, still staring in front of him. "It's no biggie." He turned and stared into her bright purple eyes. They stayed there in that position until Raven felt that they've been staring for too long and broke the contact, but she couldn't hide the smile on her face. She blushed.

This excited Beast boy. He giggled silently and sat back in silence as they continued staring at the dancing blue waters.

Beast boy sighed, relishing the memory. He felt himself getting better already. He closed his eyes and his head ducked back. He was enjoying the cool air when he heard noises. His ears flinched and that immediately distracted him. He snapped his neck towards the sound of the noises and tried to distinguish it, but it was too far. He tried not to think too much of it as it was a public area, but it was late, and he couldn't imagine a lot of people walking along the pathway at this time.

Curiosity got the best of him. He got to his feet and walked slowly towards the sound. He was slow and vigilant. He didn't want to startle whoever was here. When he got into close proximity of the people, he stopped.

It was Raven.

"Rachael, where are we?"

"Don't worry about it. Just soak in the scenery."

James nodded and glanced at the terrain around him. It was nice to the eye. He draped his arm over the back of the bench and stared at the waters. Raven sat next to him, her hands rubbing her upper arms slowly. James noticed this quickly and placed his brown jacket over her slender form. He inched closer and wrapped an arm around her. She mumbled a sweet "thank you" and continued staring out at the water.

"How did you find this place? It's pretty far from the apartments."

Raven paused for a second. "Um, my coworker showed it to me one Saturday."

"Oh, that's nice. I never noticed it before."

"I'm shocked." She chuckled. "You lived here all your life."

James shrugged and sighed. "I was the type of kid who stayed inside a lot; didn't explore the world around me."

Raven smirked. "So you were a nerd?"

"Hey!" He pushed her slightly. "I wasn't a nerd, Just a bit...antisocial."

Raven rolled her eyes playfully and smiled. "If that's what you want to believe."

Beast boy couldn't take his eyes off of them. He was hiding behind a bush now and staring hard at them. "I can't believe she's here..and with him." Beast boy felt a wave of uneasy emotions. It wasn't hard to figure out that the man sitting next to her was James he heard so much about. Beast boy was angry that she brought him here to his spot; jealous that she was smiling and seemed to be having more fun with someone else other than him, but also sad that he wasn't the one sitting next to her.

He leaned forward, trying to hear their conversation more clearly, but it wasn't much, just simple small talk. He was so deep into hearing them that he clumsily fell forward, rustling the leaves. He cursed silently then morphed quickly into a mouse to avoid them from seeing his body.

James was the first to hear the noise. He jumped in his seat and twisted his body towards the noise. Raven heard it also. She fought back a sigh. Her senses could tell who it was that was spying on them.

"Let's go, James."

"But we just got here."

Raven rose to her feet and started walking down the trail to the parking lot. "I know, but it's getting late, and I think Farah would want me to be home to tuck her in.''

James didn't fight anymore and followed the woman out. He turned again back to the bush to make sure it was nothing, but relaxed when all he saw was nature.

Beast boy morphed back to himself and gazed sadly at them walking away. He felt awful. They were on a date. They had to be. Beast boy slumped his shoulders and stared sadly at the grass below. Beast boy barely cried as he got older, but he certainly felt the tears in his eyes tonight. Raven had moved on. She was back to her normal life with someone who makes her happier than he will ever make her. He morphed into a bird and flew into the air slowly. Suddenly, his charming unwinding area was not so helpful to him anymore.

Hope you liked this chapter! Next update on Monday!