Disclaimer: Kthnx. Teen Titans and Nelly Furtado do not equal mine.

A/N: I'm sorry I'm bad at updating. Hopefully this will be sufficient enough to hold you until next weekend, or at least until a night this week that I don't have a game.

TT

Maneater

It was dead silent. The night had crept upon the sleeping couple, cuddled together under the mass of sheets. The moonlight from a large window spilt upon them and illuminated each curve that made up their bodies. Their only movement was a small twitch in their sleep, or Keith's move to pull her body closer to his. He smacked his lips and intended on sleeping just as peacefully as he had been, but whatever greater force up there had different plans.

Raven turned, consequently landing on his arm. He awoke with pain shooting through his veins. Raven turned again, and, a moment later, again. Her movements became shaky. She began to turn every few seconds. Whimpers escaped her lips and her body jerked violently. Her whimpers turned into screams of terror.

"Rachael!" he gasped. "Oh, God." He had never been in this situation before and, truthfully, had no idea what to do. Deciding this might be the easiest thing, he reached over and stroked her hair softly while reaching for her hand. He squeezed it softly. "Rae...Rache, it's ok," he murmured.

She snapped awake, tears filling her eyes. Raven launched herself up and threw herself at him, crying. "I had the worst dream. You were there and then you got in an accident and you were just gone! Don't leave me," she sobbed, almost incoherently, into his shoulder. "Don't ever leave me."

"Don't worry, Rae, don't worry. I'll always be here for you," he reassured her. "Nothing could keep me from you."

And in her sleepy haze, she realized that, indeed, it was not Garfield she was talking to. She continued to cry silently as she laid back down and let herself be soothed to sleep by Keith. A few minutes after she fell asleep a gasp escaped his lips as the woman before his eyes became much more familiar.

And suddenly it all fell into place.

TT

Raven awoke the next morning tangled in his sheets and in his button-down shirt. She looked around wildly, seeing the faint light from the window and nothing else but dark. She kicked off the covers and stepped out of the bed, straightening the shirt. She realized he must've had a extremely long torso, because he wasn't that tall but the shirt still came down to a little past her thighs.

Raven rubbed her eyes as she wandered idly from the bedroom into the kitchen, where a delicious-smelling breakfast allured her. She entered, her feet softly padding on the cheap yet elegant-looking linoleum floor. "Hey there," she started with a smile as he turned around from his cooking to send her a huge grin.

"You know, I woke up today and felt you curled up next to me, and I thought that is one hell of a way to wake up," he told her as she wrapped her arms around him from behind and went on her tiptoes to rest her chin on his shoulder.

"You're so tall," she stated in wonderment. "How come I never noticed?"

"Because your always in heels?" he guessed, although he knew very well she didn't wear heels. For just a moment he turned from his cooking, her arms still around him, and kissed her softly. "By the way, can't believe I've never noticed you're so short."

She smiled, pretending to be offended. "I am not short, thank you very much. I like to refer to it as height impaired."

He smirked, turning around to grab the pan off the stove. "I hope you like scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, english muffins, pancakes, orange juice, and milk," he joked. "Watch out, it's hot." Raven let go and sunk into a chair as he took the pan to a large plate on the counter and scooped out the contents. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I made it all. Soy bacon, though, sorry. I know how you hate tofu, but i didnt have any meat products."

That's weird, she never remembered telling him she didn't like soy. "It's ok, everything tastes the same to me," she told him, just to make him feel better, since she hated the taste of tofu products. He set the eggs on the table and slunk down into his own chair.

"Dig in," he offered, and she smiled appreciatively at him before picking up a stack of pancakes and laying them on her plate, along with some eggs, toast, and an english muffin.

"Thank you so much. I'm so hungry," she told him, slathering her pancakes with syrup and digging in almost immediately, without waiting for a response.

They ate in silence for most of the meal until Keith noted it was almost one in the afternoon and they were still eating breakfast. "Look, I have to go to work today, from three to six and then again from eight to one," he told her through mouthfuls of egg, but elegantly so his mouth was nearly closed. "The first is at a gas station a little way away...I quit the factory job after my last injury because it got too...dangerous. The second job is at the club." Raven didn't have to ask what club. "I bartend there most nights of the week for a little cash on the side."

"Ok. I think I'll come with you to the club, I want to see if any of my friends are there. I haven't seen them in forever," Raven told him, pushing her plate away. She stood and picked it up, beginning to wash it off in the sink. "But I'll just stay here and entertain myself from three to six. It's not that long."

He smiled. "That's my girl."

Raven plunked herself on the couch as Keith took a shower and got ready for work. She flipped through channels until she found a news network that was currently reporting on the most recent bust of the Teen Titans. It had been early this morning, a shape-shifting monster that had begun to morph into pizza at the pizza place downtown. It was currently a forty-foot high pizza, with jaws of steel and an appetite for humans. Fun.

Before she knew it he was collapsing next to her, in a clean blue button-up that had his name on one side and Sunoco on the other. On his legs were a pair of ripped bluejeans and ratty old sneakers. "Teen Titans, eh?" he asked. "Hey, what happened to that pretty one?" he asked. "The Gothic one? Where is she?" He picked up on the fact that she wasn't there rather quickly.

"Raven? Oh, I don't know," she faked. "They haven't been showing her though." She turned up the volume.

"And I'm receiving word now...Raven has quit the Teen Titans!" the anchorwoman started, shocked. Keith and Raven both gasped aloud, then looked at one another with red faces. "Reportedly, Raven of the Teen Titans walked out last night with a packed suitcase, and was seen driving across town. She disappeared from the sight of a witness after pulling into a dark street off of Main Avenue."

"She was my favorite," Keith said, his arm finding its way around Raven's shoulder. If only he knew.

"Me too," Raven replied rather unconvincingly. "It won't be anything without her."

"Well, maybe she hasn't quit," Raven supposed. She surely did not plan on quitting! "Maybe she took a break. I imagine being a superhero can be tiring at times." Raven turned and looked at Keith, who was looking at her strangely. "Well, you know, having to save everyone all the time. I would get tired."

Keith smiled and gave her a short kiss. "You are so adorable." He took a look at his watch. "I have to get to work. I probably won't get off work until around six forty-five so I'll be home around seven to pick you up and go to the club. Ok?"

"Sounds good," Raven told him. He leaned over and gave her a short hug, before standing up and pulling on a coat. "I'll see you later."

"Later, babe." He snatched up his cell phone and put it into his jacket pocket. "My phone will be on if you need anything." Then he opened up the front door, braced himself for the whipping cold, and was gone within moments.

TT

Raven (the real Raven) could be found later that day sitting on top of the roof of Keith's apartment complex. Her knees were drawn up and she felt utterly protected from the cold, in shorts, sweatpants, a tank-top, a sweater, and a sweatshirt with the hood drawn up. She was watching the sun as it slowly dipped below the skyline of Jump City.

There was a slight rustling and in the blink of an eye, a red and black clad young man came to rest next to her. He was crouching down, his fingertips touching the rooftop, his heels raised, ready to take off at any moment. "Imagine meeting you here," he began softly, in his masked voice that sounded painfully familiar. One of his hands lifted from the ground to touch her cheek softly. She turned to face him, her eyes shining with emotion as he pulled off his mask.

"Imagine," she whispered in response, leaning into his touch. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on patrol," he told her. "Either to begin a crime or stop one, depending on my mood."

So, he wasn't all bad.

"Probably starting one today."

Ok, scratch that.

"Gabe..."

"Ok, so maybe I'll stop one or two along the way."

Raven sighed. He fell to his rear and crossed his arms over his knees, which were pulled to his chest. "That free spirit is going to get you in trouble one day," she commented sourly.

"Whatever turns you on, Rae-Face," he retorted, leaning towards her with a devilish smirk on his face.

Raven froze, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly ajar. She turned slowly to look at him. "What did you just call me?" she asked, horrified that anyone but her knew that nickname. And she knew Garfield had taken it to his grave, since he thought he was so clever for making it up.

"Rae-face?" he asked. "What's so wrong with that?"

She shook her head. "Uh nothing. It's just...I hate nicknames," she quickly lied. "Anyways, don't you have some crimes to stop or something?" She rushed him along, knowing Gabe would be home soon. He took something out of his belt and took a quick look at it.

"Oh, whoops, yea. I have somewhere to be," he told her, slipping the small object back into his belt. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips, leaving her with the undeniably sexy taste of cinnamon mixed with chocolate. "I'll be seeing you around, Rae."

She watched his back disappear as he disintegrated into the near-night. She stood and dusted herself off, before making the trek back down the staircase and into his apartment, number 13A. She plopped onto the couch and turned on the television just as Keith walked through the door. "Hey Rache," he called, tossing his jacket into the hall closet. "What've you been up to?"

"Not much," she responded, idly twirling her recently-washed hair around her finger. "Watching a little tv, you know." She crossed her legs, smoothing the fabric of her sweatpants.

"I just need to shower and get changed real quick and we can take my motorcycle down to the club," he told her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Raven nodded, watching him cross the living room into the kitchen. "I'll be out in fifteen minutes." Raven, though, followed him into the bedroom, explaining she had to change. She threw on a black ruffled skirt and a three-quarter length violet shirt. Over it, she threw on her favorite dark grey sweatshirt. After slipping on flip-flops she went again to sit on the couch in the living room.

Keith was prompt; within fifteen minutes he came out of the bedroom in jeans and a black shirt, a jacket slung over his shoulder. He gave his head a little shake and water droplets went everywhere. Keith deposited his cell phone into his pocket. Raven turned off the television and stood, brushing off her outfit. She then immediately took his side. He slipped his arm around her waist. "We finally ready?" he asked, beginning to walk them out the door without waiting for an answer.

As they ventured into the cold, Raven's cell phone went off with a high-pitched ring. She dug it out of her sweatshirt pocket and pressed it to her ear. "Hello?" she asked, wondering who knew this number.

"Raven? Raven, have I contacted the right number? Raven, can you hear me?" an unmistakably naive voice sounded.

"Kori, what's wrong?" Raven asked, hating to use her 'real' name, but having no choice since Keith was right next to her.

"I was feeling the worry for you," she started on the other end. "You are ok?"

"I'm staying with Keith," Raven told her, looking up at him.

"Who is that?" he asked, leading them into the garage where his motorcycle was parked.

"It's my friend Kori. I don't think you've met her," Raven responded, hating that she had to lie. "Kori, I'm with Keith. He's going to work and I'm going with him."

"Please, Raven, let me come," Kori started, her voice growing more worried by the second. "I would like to see you, make sure you are ok. You can't rely on this stranger right now. You need a friend."

"Kori..." Raven trailed off.

"Raven..."

"Fine!" She gave in, and told her the name of the club that they would be at in about five minutes. "We'll be there soon. Come by the bar and you should find us. Later, Kor." She shut her phone and slipped it back into her pocket. "My friend Kori's going to stop by because I haven't seen her in a while."

Keith slipped on his helmet and handed one to Raven. "That's cool." Raven slipped on her helmet. "Can't wait to meet her. If she's one of your friends she's gotta be amazing." Keith slung his leg over the motorcycle and Raven precariously climbed on in back of him. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she felt the thrill rush through her veins like it always did when she was on the back of a motorcycle.

He revved it up and took a sharp turn out of his parking space, passing by the back-up T-Car on the way. He took a turn onto the main street on which he both lived and worked. Raven held on tighter to his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Do you know how much I love motorcycles?" she yelled randomly over the roar of the wind.

"Because they make even the sexiest man even sexier?" he yelled back. Raven chuckled, but doubted he heard it.

They fell into a silence, listening to the wind whipping in their ears. He made a sharp turn into an alleyway next to the club. They pulled off their helmets and fixed their hair (Keith giving his a little shake, Raven running her hand through hers). Keith took her helmet and set them both down on the bike. He ran his hand through his hair and gave it another little shake, before wrapping his arm around Raven's waist.

They walked around the building and made their way to the front of a line beginning to accumulate before the entrance. "Hey Tiny," he began, greeting a large man who stood before the door. "It's my shift tonight, and she's with me," he started, pointing to Raven.

"Go ahead," he told them. "Have fun tonight."

"Oh, and when a tall girl announced as Kori, long red hair and green eyes, really thin, tries to get in, she'll be with us too so can you let her in?" Raven asked politely.

"Anything for you, cutie," he responded in a deep baritone voice. "Go on in."

"Thanks, Mo."

They entered the dark club, pulsing with music. Keith led Raven to behind the bar, to an area with a sink, a myriad of oddly labeled bottles, and many glasses, among other things. Someone came up to the bar right in front of them, leaning against it with a smirk. "Heyy Keith," the woman started in a flirtatious tone. "Blueberry martini, por favor."

"'Course Mariana," he responded, taking a few different bottles and mixing them altogether in a martini glass. He stuck an olive in it and handed it to the woman over the counter. "On your tab?" he asked. She nodded, taking a long sip.

"Amazing as ever, Keith," she responded, taking it and walking away.

"That's one of my regulars," he explained to Raven. "Loves Martinis, Daquiris, and Jagermeister on the rocks. Don't know why I said that but it couldn't hurt for you to know." Raven chuckled, watching him as he threw a small hand towel over his shoulder.

"Do you want to sit over there while you wait for your friend?" he asked, nodding to the other side of the bar. "I'll stir you up a sex on the beach."

"My favorite," Raven responded. "Don't let anyone know I'm underage." She gave him a short kiss.

Raven went back around the bar and took a seat in front of Keith, who was working his magic. He finished up the drink and slid it across the bar, letting Raven take a dainty sip before looking at her expectantly. "Well...?"

"It's amazing. Never had it better," she told him, taking another greedy sip.

A young man and woman came up next to Raven and ordered a pair of drinks, which Keith promptly made and gave to them. Raven looked around the dark club and saw a few of her friends, but all of them were too preoccupied to notice her. She was waiting for at least ten more minutes before an unmistakable red head popped up next to her. She looked normal, except the normally green parts of her eyes were white and her eyebrows looked very human.

"Oh. My. Kori!" Raven gasped, looking down. She was clothed in a purple halter that dipped way too low and came up way too far, as well as a very short fraying denim micro mini, paired with her thigh-high boots. "What in the world are you wearing?"

"The normal clothes? Do you not approve?" she asked, looking down at her outfit. Raven was about to have an aneurysm, so saying she did not approve was an understatement. Soon enough, Keith had joined them by Raven's side and was looking at Starfire with his eyebrows raised.

"Ah...Kori?" he asked, though he already knew very well who she was.

"Keith?" she asked, looking at Raven. Raven nodded, and could tell she was trying hard not to make any mistakes with her English. "It...s great to meet you," she started, using her first almost-contraction ever.

"Good to meet you too," Keith began, pulling her into a hug. "A friend of Rae's is a friend of mine." He looked to the empty space behind the bar. "I have to get back to work but I have a break in an hour. I'll come find you then, but for now go have some fun with your girlfriend."

"Ok, babe," she responded in a slight whisper so Starfire could not overhear them. He leaned down to kiss her and Raven's eyes averted to see Starfire looking at them, shocked. Raven turned back to Starfire as Keith walked away. "Look, Kor," Raven started, but unsure of what she would say. Raven took her hand and pulled her to a table that was situated next to the dance floor. She sat her down and took a seat real close.

"Raven, what is the up with you?" she asked. "This man, this Keith has turned you into something you're not!"

"I'm sorry, Star, but this is who I am now. If you don't like it, then..." Raven trailed off, not willing to say what they both knew was coming next.

"Raven, you are my best friend. I could never stop the being of friends with you for something this silly," Starfire responded. "But I warn you, be careful with this boy. You do not know anything about him!"

"I know enough, Star," Raven told her. "He's a great guy. He's helping me get over Beast Boy's death. Isn't that what you want for me?"

Starfire sighed as the current song came to an end. One of Rachael's friends, Danny, made a beeline towards the table and Raven noticed the hungry look in his eyes. Oh crap. "Hey Rache," he began, giving her a hug and pulling himself a chair. He sat backwards on it, his arms crossed over the top of the seat. "Who's your little friend here?"

Raven opened her mouth to speak, but Starfire beat her to it. "I am Kori. And you are...?"

"The name's Danny," he told her, his tone growing deeper. Oh dear God, he was NOT flirting with her. Blatantly, in front of Raven. Wasn't she seeing Robin anyways? Or did he not suck his pride up yet to ask her out?

"Nice to meet you, Danny," Kori began, holding out her hand for him to shake. With an eyebrow raised he shook her hand. "You are a friend of...Rachael's?" I thanked the lord that she remembered my 'normal' name.

"Yea," he replied, slinging an arm around her shoulder. "We go way back. I knew her when she was just a newbie to this club. Right Rachey?"

Raven shot him a smile. She could never be annoyed by him, especially since he put their little 'talk' on hold. Better never than now, Raven supposed. "Right Danny," she replied. "So, what brings you over here?"

"Well, Rache, I wanted to know if your cute lady friend wanted a dance with me?" He half-stated, half-asked. He turned to faced Kori, who was looking at him, appalled. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, so Raven took this as her cue.

"She would love to dance with you," Raven started hurriedly, looking over his should at Kori who was now glaring at her.

"She would?" Dan asked, turning around to look at Kori.

Kori was silent for a minute. "Yes, she would."

Dan smiled wide, taking her hand and beginning to lead her out onto the dance floor. Kori turned around and started mouthing to Raven about how she had no idea how to dance like a normal teenager. "Go with the flow," Raven responded, but she had already disappeared into the mass of people as 'Maneater' by Nelly Furtado began to play.

They came to a halt in the middle of the crowd, pressed close together because of the amount of people around them. Starfire could feel his hips press into hers and his hands on the bare skin of her back. It sent shivers down her spine. "I'm afraid I don't know how to dance very well," Starfire began, her cheeks turning red for some unknown reason.

"It's ok," Dan responded, his hands sliding down her arms and taking her wrists. He draped her arms over his shoulders, his hands returning to her back. "I'm an amazing dancer, I'll teach you."

Raven was watching this exchange with interest once they had come into her view again. She stood and turned, watching Keith watch her from his spot behind the bar. She sauntered towards him, which turned into a gallop. She sat on one of the stools in front of him, leaning her head against her palm. "Hey there."

"Kori's out there dancing with Dan?" Keith asked, smirking slightly. "That's cute."

"Yea, it is. Kori doesn't get out much." Or ever. "It's kinda sad to see her locked up like that all the time, but it's great to see her enjoying herself."

"Better not let Robin see that. He'll have a conniption," Keith stated casually, cleaning out a martini glass. His eyes were pointed downward, so when Raven whirled around to look at him he did not notice.

"What did you just say?" Raven asked, swearing she could've heard him say Robin.

"I said Robin'll have a conniption. He's one of my good friends, and he's always the first to dance with the newbie," Keith explained, setting the clean glass down on the counter. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Oh," Raven firstly said, again swearing that he had found her out. "No, I'm fine, thanks."

"Ok, babe," he responded, setting his hands on the counter. "I hope you're having fun. I'd feel horrible if I dragged you to work and you weren't having fun, especially with one of your friends here."

"Oh, Keith!" Raven exclaimed. "Don't worry, I'm having fun." To prove her point she shifted to her knees and leaned over the counter to give him a deep kiss. When she pulled away, she only pulled away a short distance so she could whisper, "And Kori is too". She picked up her hand slung it around his shoulder as she kissed him again, deeper this time. When she finally pulled away, she couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth, but they felt right either way. "I love you, Keith."

"I love you too, Rae-Rae."

She sent him a shy smile and made her way back to the table so she could assure herself that Kori wasn't making a fool of herself. As she walked away, Mariana, the previous customer, swaggered forward and slammed her martini glass on the counter. "Keith! Anotherrr martini por favor! I needs me some drinky drinky!" Are you surprised this was her ninth Martini of the night, third at this bar?

"I think you're over your limit, Mariana," he told her gently.

"I'll tell you when I'm done, damnit!" she screamed. "Give me my drinky drinky!"

He hesitantly prepared a martini, though he knew he was cutting her off after this. "That Rachael!" she began to slur as she sat in the seat before him, her face in her palms. "She's a sly one! She fthinks she's so g'damn inn'cent. Lucky little birtch getting you when ever'one else want s'you!"

"Mariana," Keith began to plead. "Don't say that."

"She's a maneater!" Mariana proclaimed, slamming her empty glass down again. "Make you buy cars, make you cut cards, make you fall real hard in love!"

Keith nodded his head to himself. Stupid drunks.

TT