Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.

a/n: I feel things coming to a close. Maybe two, three more chapters? I don't know about you, but I want to give Raven and Slade their happy ending already. They deserve it, poor things.

So, besides Comic-Con, do you guys know any other "cons" in Southern California? My sister and I really want to go as Blackfire (me)/Starfire (her). Not to mention if I see anyone in a Deathstroke/Slade costume, they get automatic access into my pants. That sort of intelligence has earned the right to the insides of my pants.

Reviews, sharing, etc. are greatly appreciated. I read them all. Love them all. Wish there were more everyday.

"Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience - or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope."

- Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

Raven: This party is pointless.

- Sisters

Chapter Sixteen: The Soon

"Raven?"

Starfire poked her head into Raven's room.

"Hmm?"

"Your door is open. I was merely checking to see if you were gravely ill, or possessed."

A smile played on Raven's lips, and she shut her book. "Possessed?"

The alien girl nodded seriously. "Yes, friend Raven. Robin has shown me an earthly documentary about demon possession, and while I understand that Trigon is a demon himself, it does not make you immune to such a tragedy."

"A documentary?" Raven sat up. "Do you mean The Exorcist?"

Starfire bobbed her head eagerly. "Am I to tie you to the bed and sprinkle church liquids on the diseased flesh?"

Church liquids, Passion sneezed. The Lord's son did not die on the cross for aliens to call an instrument of good church liquids.

"Um," Raven lifted an awkward finger. "No. And that was a movie, Starfire. Not a documentary. Not real."

Crimson burst across the redhead's cheeks. "Oh! Well, I was unaware of that, and, um - you are looking quite well, Raven!"

Giddiness sprung in her chest. Happy was rolling in the Nevermore flower field, making pink angels.

"Thanks. I feel good."

Starfire squinted apprehensively. "Is it because of your date with our friend Aqualad tonight?"

Oh, crap. That was right. God, that date seemed so poignant not too long ago; now, it was nothing more than an obligatory event to help out a friend.

Still, that old question persisted. What now, what now, what now?

"Aqualad's just a friend," Raven said, thinking only of a dark eye and a crinkled smirk. "It's not a big deal."

Starfire nodded, no longer seeming so deflated at the thought of her friend without a partner. "I understand, and I am glad to hear you are doing well."

If only she knew, moaned Lazy. Raven, Slade is athletic. Next time, let him do all the work instead of getting all feminist and making him your -

"Blorthog!" Starfire exclaimed, mouth popping into a little 'O'. "I must prepare the tools to make up your face!"

The alien zipped away, spewing nonsense about Earthly hair ornaments and 'the blushing'. Footsteps padded over to the open door, and Beast Boy eyed the direction their friend had gone in, shaking his head.

"Should'a let her put you in a dress, Rae. Better than letting her near you with an eyelash curler."

Smirk. "How do you know about eyelash curlers?"The green boy shrugged cooly, effortlessly. "I've spent my fair share of time with the ladies. I know what's what."

"...Right."

Raven wished Slade was here right now, chuckling at the changeling's antics. Funny how things changed.

Beast Boy put his gangly arms around his back, looking nervous. "Hey, Rae?"

"What?"

"Just so you know, whoever it is you're seeing...if they make you happy, that's all that matters."

Whoop, back it up, Passion ogled at the changeling along with her host. I didn't know B.B. was psychic.

Raven's voice came out faint. "How did you - "

"Pheromones." He tapped his nose sheepishly. "You kinda reek of 'em."

Hello? Remember me? Beast Boy?

All Raven could manage was a red-faced, "Oh."

Beast Boy kicked the edge of the doorframe. "It's not Aqualad, is it?"

A twinge of guilt, shame. "No."

"Figured."

Silence, heavy and awkward. Raven and Beast Boy had never been the best of friends. Now, after a rushed hello to each of her teammates after getting off the train and bidding Slade farewell (for now), they really weren't that much closer. Especially if Beast Boy had drawn the conclusions Raven feared.

Please, please, she mentally pleaded with him. Please be mature about this.

Pfft. Passion was dusting off her purple cloak. We're doomed.

Beast Boy straightened his skinny shoulders. "Look, I know things have been different since Brushogun. I get it. It's super weird when things change."

Pain flashed through Raven as she pictured Terra. As much as she'd disliked the girl, it had been Beast Boy who'd been most affected by her death. And whether or not Terra had indeed been resurrected, Raven wondered if the changeling had gone through a what now phase of life as well.

"I get paid to do a commercial once a month for Japanese gum. Weird doesn't even begin to describe it."

Beast Boy gave a toothy grin. "Hahaha, I forgot about that. Donkey gum."

"Don't push it."

In a stroke of seriousness, the green Titan shook his head. "That's not the point. The point is, I found something to keep me going when I was skeptical of, well, everything. So just because you found something different to make you happy, even if it's nothing we know about, it doesn't make you a bad person."

Damn. He'd really learned his lesson after Malchior. Half of Raven pondered if she was dreaming, while the other half of her hoped she was dreaming.

"You don't understand," she whispered thickly. "If you, or Robin, or anyone found out, you would hate me -"

"Then don't tell."

Beast Boy grinned his usual, stupid grin. "Ignorance is bliss. I'm not like Robin."

Beast Boy had a brain?

There was something very profound about Beast Boy's train of thought. Had the changeling intentionally rot his brain with video games and television, simply choosing not to acknowledge the things he saw around him?

Hey, I have a brain! I just don't use it much.

Raven got up from her bed. Then, without pausing for a second thought, she gave him a tight hug.

After Beast Boy left, Raven shut her door. In spite of her efforts, leaving the door open was just begging for bizarre things to happen.

.

Starfire understood that Raven and Aqualad were just friends, and that nothing romantic was to come out of this outing. In fact, Raven made it abundantly clear that she was merely a chaperone, not even a real attendee of the prom.

However, this did not stop Starfire from begging to put Raven into a dress at the last minute. Even with the eyeliner, blush, and dark lipstick (which, Raven conceded, turned out nicer than she'd expected), the Tameranian considered her work wasted if Raven didn't 'wear the appropriate attire for such a ritual'. The boys had to physically hold her back until the Titan's doorbell rang, and Raven had to answer it herself.

There Aqualad was, damp and handsome and just a friend. His chasm-colored eyes widened slightly at Raven's made-up face.

"Wow, Raven. You look beautiful."

In spite of herself, a small part of Raven wished it was another saying those words.

"It's just some lipstick. Starfire wouldn't let me leave without it."

On cue, the rest of the Titans bounced from out of nowhere to the side of the Tower's massive doorframe.

"Hey, buddy," Beast Boy had a massive grin plastered to his face. Clearly, his moment of seriousness had long passed. "So how's it going?"

"You can use my bike," Robin offered generously, squishing the shapeshifter to the side. "Took it to the last prom I went to. Had a blast."

Cyborg followed suit and knocked the team leader out of the way. "How's Tram doin'? Oh, and doesn't Rae look good tonight?"

Toss, crash. "She could've looked better!" Starfire was on the verge of tears. "Oh, please, do not punish Raven for her lack of appropriate attire!"

No matter how much the Titans might have understood the circumstances between her and Aqualad, it certainly didn't stop them from harassing the latter. Raven didn't know whether to be embarrassed or to laugh. Maybe both, all things considered. When was the last time she'd truly enjoyed the company of her team?

Aqualad offered a small, genuine smile. Raven had always liked his aura - blue, calm, cooler than the Pacific Ocean. Now, it was tinged with red and orange, affection and warmth. "I think you look beautiful, Raven."

The creak of Cyborg's mechanic joints told Raven that he was holding back a breath. He was probably suppressing laughter.

"Thanks. You look good, too."

Aqualad stepped aside, revealing the lumpy back of a whale, docked at the edge of their island. "Thanks for the bike offer, Robin, but I already have us covered."

Robin's white-mask eyes bugged. "Whoa! I - ahem - ha, cool. You guys have fun."

Think Robin likes the whale a bit too much? asked Brave slyly. He always seemed to like that stupid T-sub more than it deserved. That thing always broke down.

Who knows, said Lazy. Robin's probably just weirded out no one wants to ride the R-cycle.

Passion shook her head. Robin and his vehicles. While it might work for some women - cough, Starfire - I'm more of a black Jeep girl myself. You can bang in a Jeep. Who ever heard of banging on a motorcycle?

Doesn't Slade own a black Jeep? Intelligence crossed her arms.

Yes. And he drives it damn well too, son. Signals and everything. Obeying traffic laws turns me on like no other.

Despite herself, Raven suddenly had a delicious vision of banging Slade in the back of that very sexy black car. She scrunched her nose immediately; who the hell was she? How old was she?! Fifteen?!

As far as your libido is concerned, yes. Passion smirked. You ain't getting rid of me, sister.

"What are you thinking about?"

Aqualad's expression was intrigued as they waved goodbye to the Titans, the two of them perched on the exposed hide of a humpback whale.

Raven sighed. "How much I really need to look into getting a lobotomy."

.

A Date with Destiny was hardly so - Raven already had a date with destiny, one that ended poorly and with a body-portal. Needless to say, she hadn't planned to call destiny back any time soon.

But this time, destiny was simply a decorated yacht and a few streamers, instead of a tomb library and red runes. It was a good change of pace.

Eyes and a few ah's of admiration followed Raven and her "date" as they leapt off the whale and onto the boat. Raven didn't meet the gazes of the gawking teens - they were her peers, but at the same time, they weren't. Timid whimpered within her, sparking a social anxiety that was all too familiar.

Slade.

Raven took a breath. His visage calmed her. She had this.

Girls in pink dresses and boys with slicked hair roved around them. She and Aqualad took residence at a corner by the teachers. They were repeatedly thanked for their 'civil service', and Raven was already starting to feel her cheeks hurt from all the fake smiles.

" - and a sponsor for the PTA, Lana Armada - "

God, how many of these people were there? Raven wasn't even smiling anymore. She glanced at Aqualad, who seemed unbothered under the strings of lights draping the tips of the yacht.

" - and a Mr. Wilson, a well-respected philanthropist and donor from - "

Her head spun back around. There he was, suit and tie, eyepatch and all, smirking.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss...Raven?"

Her hand was limp in his. Please, dear Jesus Christ Almighty, may she not be sweating as much as it felt like.

"Mr. Wilson."

Slade smirked, silver beard flashing. "Miss Raven, would you mind speaking privately with me? I have a few matters I would like to share on a more, ah, personal level with the Titans."

Mark my words, whispered Passion vengefully. I will be the mother of your children. No amount of birth control and Plan B will stop me -

Aqualad blinked, then shrugged. "Um, Raven?"

What now?

Raven could only nod eagerly. "I'll be back," she shot to him distractedly, hooking her arm in Slade's offered one. The pair zipped away to a fairly reclusive part of the yacht, somewhere towards the back. Other than a sleepy-looking police officer and a small gathering of girls, the back deck was empty. Strains of music from the front could be heard, thin yet magical.

"I think you're a bit too old for prom," Raven said once they'd found a corner far enough away from the giggling girls. "How did you get past security?"

Slade snorted. "My dear, you insult my abilities. And had it not been that I happened to be a respected member of Jump City's political class, I doubt security would have been much of an issue."

Both glanced at the guard, who was now playing some sort of game on his phone; chiming noises echoed from the screen every few seconds.

Raven tucked a lock of hair behind her face. She was beginning to regret not accepting Starfire's makeover, dress included. "How did you find me? We didn't talk during the train ride back."

"As I've said before, Jump City really needs to keep it's hero-honoring under wraps. They practically announced the Titan's chaperoning of a local high school event from every billboard in the urban area."

Raven flushed. Perhaps she ought to visit the mainland more often, so mistakes like that would never happen again.

Slade's good eye roved up and down her slowly, carefully. A chill rushed up her spine, cool and fresh and wonderful.

"You look ravishing, as always," he appraised, putting a thumb to his chin, "But there's something missing."

Exasperation rolled within Raven. "I'm not here for the prom. I'm here - "

Her tiny hand was in his big ones. A large white rose, complete with a few emerald-green ribbons, was being fastened to Raven's thin wrist.

"Your date is pathetic," Slade sneered quietly, dark even as he adjusted the corsage. "At least learn the proper etiquette for promenade."

All the emotions were quiet at this touching, completely un-Slade gesture. There was then a dramatic thud in the Nevermore as Passion's body slumped to the ground.

Raven touched the fragile, paper-like petals of the rose. It was creamy and slightly crushed to one side, but she liked it - the ruined petal reminded Raven of Slade's two halves. One good eye and one bad eye. The villain and the lover. Slade and her Slade.

"Thank you," Raven murmured, brushing her fingers along the arrangement. "I've never...I've never gotten one before."

"A corsage?"

Sweet Raven.

"A flower. A real one."

Raven thought of Malchior's poor paper imitation, and how thrilled she'd been at the time to receive it. No, this was much better.

Slade cocked his head. "Well, there's a first for everything."

In spite of herself, Raven managed a small smirk. "You were my first for a lot of things."

"I'm honored to continue the tradition."

The faint melody of a popular song drifted into their silence. It wasn't a slow song, but it wasn't fast either. It was just right.

What now?

"Is this the part where you ask me to dance?"

Slade smiled - real, beautiful, and natural. "I suppose, if I must."

"This is all so...sudden. And dancing is pointless."

"My dear, you and I have broken quite a few boundaries within the past month. I believe one more couldn't hurt."

"Wanna bet?"

But they did dance, long after the song ended, and Raven could feel her answer drawing closer, closer.