Interlude: Masque.

A/N: I am not going into details of identity as it has all been done to hell, then heaven and back again. Thanks.

To Dark Shadows 01, this is a lil' last minute, but your request is added at the end of the chapter.

Still a little stunned by Robin's actions, Raven looked at him questioningly. Whatever questions she had had on her lips died as she looked up into his eyes.

At first glance they seemed to be dark. But like her, his eyes were a misconception. As she looked deep into his eyes, arrested by their beauty, she saw that they were not dark, but a deep blue.

A deep blue like an expensive sapphire, or like the sky just before the sun rises. They were like the sky right before the storm, like the sea, where the rocks lie deep and cool below. The darkest blue that could not contain black within it.

It was looking deep into his eyes, and he into hers that she finally knew what love really was. Deep in his eyes, she saw a kind of hunger, and she knew hers mirrored that hunger.

Raven reached out to touch his face and felt what she had been searching for , yearning for all these years. Since before she could remember. And it was in the last place she would have suspected. In the eyes of another.

What she had been searching for was a sense of home, of true belonging. Yet it was not, as she had suspected, within a group of people, a team, where there was friendship.

But lately she had found it to be friendship withought understanding, of both the consequences and the past. It too had its value in its very unconditional state, but it was not what she had been looking for. Her ideal was more complete than that.

This was her ideal, and so much more. This was infinitely deeper, more profound. It was also a sense of being home, but with someone who knew everything, and was willing to stake his very life on his trust alone. A heavy burden. to bear indeed, Raven thought, and yet, it was one she would willingly take up, and bear for however long it took, to have the one she had so long desired to look at her with such light I his eyes.

It was a sense of coming home, to warmth , security and someone to share anything with. That she felt, and it was within this tiny but complete circle of two. Two with so much in common, and so much to offer and complement.

A home, where all would be safe. But it was a home not made of stone or wood, but of flesh. It was of a hand to hold when things got tough; arms to hold in comfort, and to be comforted in; of eyes to share a glance, more meaningful than words, to convey emotions, no words could express; and of a smile to share, in encouragement, of congratulation and of just joy in each other.

It was so simple, yet so rare, and so hard won.

'I love you, Richard.' said Raven, trying out the new name, and the new expression. It was one she had longed to say, but had been terrified to express. And yet, she found she liked it, so much. Three simple words, but a mountain of meaning and emotion behind it.

Surprisingly, nothing adverse happened. Encouraged, she said it again.

Then the words that would change her life forever, 'I love you too. Thank you for trusting me.'

He reached for Raven, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace, cradling her gently. Slowly, soft lips met in a gentle kiss, chaste but with no lack of passion and love. A first kiss for both, true love's first kiss.

Finally, she had all that she had ever dared to dream.

Within Raven's Nevermore, Love let out a laugh of triumph as she solidified.

Deeper still, in the very darkest depths, Rage screamed in frustration and fear as she in turn, began to fade.

TBC……