Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.

a/n: In my opinion, this isn't one of the more interesting chapters, but it does move the plot along. You've been warned. Please bear with me.

I probably won't update again until Sunday or Monday, at the earliest. Life and all that jazz.

Reviews, sharing, etc. are always appreciated. Thanks so much for your reviews - I wish I could cut them all out and put them on my bedroom wall. This community is incredibly supportive, and for that, I'm eternally grateful. Lots of love from my end.

"I have not the pleasure of understanding you."

- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Slade: But you're only delaying their pain, and yours.

- The Prophecy

Chapter Twelve: The Later

If I were you, said Lazy, watching the children bounce up and down on one of the two queen sized beds in their room, I would leave 'em here and bunk with Slade. Less stress. More sleep.

"You're forgetting your sister," Raven replied grimly. "Passion would never let me sleep if I shared a room with any man."

Hearing this, Passion shrugged compliantly. Guilty as charged. Although, I think I've been pretty faithful to Slade lately. Which is good, because I'm having his children.

"Someone beat you to it." Raven retorted, unable to keep the tiniest hint of bitterness out of her thoughts.

Well then, it's a fine time to see if he can still produce offspring. I'm all for multiple trial runs. And if it doesn't work out, well then, can't say we didn't try. Too bad, so sad.

Teehee, Happy snickered, blushing five shades of crimson under her pink hood. You're just in it for the...sex.

No, really? Lazy glared irritably at her sister. We had no idea.

Hehe, replied Happy, unabashed.

Raven envisioned a large metal pick smashing through the Nevermore, which shut the emotions up pretty quickly. The threat of lobotomy was one Passion even feared, perhaps more than abstinence (later, Passion would clarify that no, abstinence was her number one fear because 'you can still be a vegetable and get it on, think of how many stupid people reproduce every year').

The hotel room was painted a neutral shade of beige, and was adorned with a few equally-neutral fixtures and pieces of artwork. There were two beds: one for the three kids, and one for Bobby. Raven's designated mattress was the pull-out one in a couch adjacent to a small television. She didn't mind; deep down, Raven felt somewhat guilty about neglecting Bobby on their first journey together, and had the urge to make it up to the enormous bear.

"So," Raven said, yanking the children off the mattress, "What do you want to do?"

During Raven's last visit, they spent some time in Jump City, where it was easy to captivate all three babes with shopping outlets and movie theaters. The time before that, she'd taken them camping, which proved to be somewhat of a repeat of the whole Brotherhood of Evil fiasco, minus a talking gorilla. This time, however, Raven had run out of ideas for entertainment.

Their hotel was perched in a smaller town by the station, sort of a cross between the suburbs and a rural area. She'd contemplated taking them for a local ghost hunt, but considering a watered-down version of her apocalyptic birthday had proved to be too scary, Raven doubted anything paranormal would be an option.

So why not ask the kids what they wanted to do?

"Roller-coaster!" screamed Timmy.

"Build-A-Bear!" exclaimed Melvin.

"Wah!" said Teether.

Bobby just grunted.

Oh, right. That's why she hadn't asked the kids.

Vaguely, Raven wished Slade was here with her. As much as she loved her kids, and as much as she couldn't believe Slade had experience in childcare, she couldn't deny that he was proving to be a calm, collected individual around them.

Well, Raven corrected herself, not that Slade isn't already that way.

Still, she could use any help Slade would offer.

"Hang on just a minute, okay guys?" Raven said, halfway out the door. "Timmy, don't let Teether in the trash. Melvin, call housekeeping and see if they can get the stain out of Timmy's blanket."

Bobby lifted one of Melvin's blonde pigtails and muttered something incoherent in her ear.

"Bobby says - "

"Not now," Raven interrupted, afraid of what freakish insight the bear would have, and slammed the door shut.

Relax, soothed Brave. You can do this.

"Don't be ridiculous," Raven puffed her cheeks and then let out the air. "Of course I can do it."

Deliberately and with all the confidence she could muster, Raven took two steps to the left and knocked on Slade's door.

Want me to sing something to pump you up? Passion asked gleefully, biting her tongue and practically shaking in her boots with excitement.

"No."

Nevertheless, Raven could hear a faint, hummed rendition of what sounded suspiciously like the theme of Mission Impossible.

Raven stared blankly at the digits of Slade's room number until they blurred over. She inhaled, then exhaled. This was pointless. Raven had known the man for years. Hell, he'd been close to seeing her naked (which, despite her current feelings, she was still not happy about).

I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid!

Bravely, Raven lifted her fingers, only to have the door swing open before her. Slade leaned himself in the open frame, peering down at her blushing form.

"Um, how did you - "

"For such a quiet girl, Raven, you are not the epitome of stealth."

Heat, heat through her whole body. "I wasn't going for stealth."

"Clearly. Your pacing shadow made that much obvious."

Raven made a face. Slade raised a thick, white eyebrow.

"Is something the matter?"

Damn. That's right. She was here for children. Innocent, G-rated youngsters.

"The kids all want to different things."

Smirk. "You want my help."

Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not here to fight. I'm here to help.

"Usually, I get suggestions from Beast Boy or Starfire. But I left kind of, um, suddenly."

Slade made an amused noise. Raven was close enough to smell leather and male-ness, which almost made her give in to Passion's constant advice to jump his bones.

"Do you have a deck of cards?"

Tugged back into reality, Raven managed to shake her head no.

"They'll have them at the gift shop downstairs. Come back in ten minutes."

Stunned, Raven could only nod, and made her way downstairs. Slade had been right; the hotel had decks of cards available for sale, each package customized with the hotel logo. Raven purchased one and went upstairs, mentally rehearsing a speech to make Crazy Eights sound like a much more entertaining game than it really was.

When she opened the door, Raven nearly had a heart attack upon seeing Timmy, Teether, and Melvin seated on the sofa with Slade. All eyes were fixated on the television screen, which was playing a cartoon of a rabbit.

"Hi, Raven!" Melvin waved. From his spot on the bed, Bobby waved too. "Wat'cha got there?"

Slade's attention was kept on the program. Timmy, who was sitting on his right, grabbed Slade's elbow and was not punched in the jaw.

"Cards," Raven said, eyeing Slade dumbly. "How did he get in?"

"Knocked," Melvin replied. "Bobby said it was okay to let him in."

God damn. Raven wanted to smack herself. What a great caretaker she was.

"Okay, Melvin, I know Bobby means well, but next time, don't open the door for anyone but me."

Bobby's grin fell.

"Why, Raven," Slade's good eye roved to her, glinting wickedly. "You're no fun at all."

"Yeah!" Timmy agreed, still clutching Slade's arm.

Kill me, Intelligence said hollowly. I don't know what's what anymore.

I do, said Passion. Im'ma hit that fine piece of parental potential over there. Poke a hole in that condom, Raven, he's a keeper.

"I can't believe this," Raven thought desperately. "He abused Terra! He took over Jump City!"

That was then, Passion replied. This is now.

"I just can't believe it's the same man."

Slade's white hair glinted in the lamplight as he stood. "Did you get them?"

Nodding, Raven handed the deck over to him. Their fingers brushed in passing, and every nerve in Raven's hand lit up like a Christmas tree.

His good eye lingered on her for just a second too long.

In the back of her mind, a tiny, tiny voice reminded Raven that Slade was only here because he was intent on collecting a favor. If she continued to grow close to him, who knew what he might ask of her.

Raven mulled this over, sensing the truth in it and reason for worry.

Then, in a very un-Raven way, told the voice to shut the hell up before she mended Eight-Eyes and sent him after it.

A squeal of delight dragged Raven from her thoughts. The cards were splattered on the ground, with Timmy and Teether hunched over a select few. Ironically, Raven saw that the boys weren't playing a traditional game, but stacking the cards into a little tower.

It must be a testosterone thing, Intelligence suggested faintly, also thinking of Beast Boy and Cyborg. Although Raven was glad they were having fun (Melvin was still watching television), she couldn't scrub a hallucination of Beast Boy and Teether carefully assembling a card structure, together.

Slade must of noticed the disgust in Raven's face, because he told Timmy that if they could get the cards to reach the height of the couch, she would have to join the game.

.

You're forgetting who he is, growled Rage as Raven took some time to herself in the hallway outside the room. You're forgetting what he's done in the past.

"I haven't forgotten," Raven replied dryly, honestly.

The time he infected you with blood cell probes? The time he sent Terra to push your buttons? The time he punched you through Robin's imagination?

Raven's resolve wavered. God, he had a lot on her. Even without the End, there had been many a opportunity where he'd hurt her or the Titans. A twinge of old anger twisted Raven's stomach - her team was her family, the reason she'd emerged from the ashes and saved the world. They were her everything. She would do anything for them.

What now?

Yet something about that reasoning did not sit well with Raven as it once did.

Could your reason for living, breathing, and fighting for goodness...change?

I was protected by the monks of Azarath.

Cyborg. Starfire. Beast Boy. Robin.

I was raised by my friends!

Raven.

And you are not welcome here!

Back then, those words had been directed towards Trigon. They'd seemed so clean cut, so obvious.

Now, who was it that was unwelcome in Raven's life? Slade, the man who'd made her family suffer for two years, yet was becoming a source of unexpected happiness and freedom? The Titans, a group of peers who'd given her a home and saved her from the ultimate darkness, yet were beginning to fade in the backdrop of Raven's world?

What now? What now? What now?!

Raven slammed her hands to her temples, praying for the answer. Sadly, it didn't come.

The Titan's jingle startled Raven out of her frustrations. Sighing, she pulled out the communicator and flipped it open.

Aqualad smiled brightly back at her. "Hey, there."

Raven waited for the blush to creep over her cheeks, for her heart to pitter-patter. She was surprised when no such reaction came.

Still, it was nice to see him. "Hey."

"Long time, no see. I tried calling the Tower first, but Robin said you were away, and he wouldn't tell me why."

Silently, Raven mentally thanked Robin for not elaborating. "Um, yeah. I'm just with some, uh, family."

The word couldn't have been farther from the truth, but it slipped out anyway.

Aqualad's expression eased. "Oh, that's good. I thought maybe you were in trouble."

You have no clue, she thought wryly.

"So, is there something you need?"

A shade of color pinched Aqualad's pale complexion. "Um, yeah, actually. I would've done this in person, but since you're not in Jump City..."

He wouldn't, Passion gasped.

"Raven, would you be my date to prom?"

He did, Passion mouthed, looking torn between elation and the desire to commit to one man. He asked you out -

"To prom?" Raven echoed dubiously.

Aqualad was looking uncharacteristically flustered, and kept combing his hair back. "Yeah, um, remember when I told off those sharks before I came to visit?"

"Vaguely."

"Well, I had to warn the guy who was on the boat to stay away from the area, and he told me how grateful he was, and I said 'anytime', and, well..." he sighed. "Turns out he's the principal of a high school in Jump City, and they were desperate for some chaperones. So I kind of offered to help out."

You've got to be kidding me, spat Rage.

Oh, Raven, say yes! sparkled Happy. I've always wanted to dress up all fancy for prom!

Usually, Raven didn't mind the fact she was not enrolled in high school. However, there was a time or two where she would think about the experiences she was missing, and wished she could have gone.

This was not one of those times.

"Uh - "

"Please, Raven?" Aqualad's gaze was pleading. "I know it's weird, but I don't want to back out now -"

"Where is it at?"

"It's on a yacht docked by Washington Bay."

If it was been possible for Raven to internally combust, she would have. Deja vu was slapping her repeatedly in the face.

"Is it a 'Date with Destiny'?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"The student body needs to be a little more creative in picking venues and themes."

An awkward silence filtered through the transmission.

Don't you dare! threatened Rage.

Pretty please? begged Happy.

Passion, who'd become the most vocal emotion as of late, had been rendered speechless at the conundrum before her.

A vision of Arella taking pictures as Raven posed in front of a limo popped into her imagination. Trigon was holding back tears while simultaneously giving a well-dressed Aqualad the evil eye. But when she blinked, it was Slade, mask-free, smiling down at her and pulling a corsage around her wrist.

What now?

Raven swallowed thickly, knowing what she wanted and what was best.

"Okay. I'll go with you."