A/N: Forewarning, the next (adult) chapter will be pretty much the pinnacle of my story, or so I believe. It is basically the Kori/Richard plotline I've been building up. Don't hate me, it's going somewhere. The song I used in this chapter is BASED on Bonnie Taylor Shakedown by hellogoodbye. The words are different, that's why I said BASED on.

Disclaimer: If the Teen Titans were mine, I'd be using my brilliant ideas on Cartoon Network. Durr.

TT2

Friday September 18, 2019

It was the day after Richard and Kori found Raven in her depressed state, and since then she had been staying with them. Kori offered (with no signs of relenting) for Raven to come stay with them, and she politely declined, but then gave in. Maybe it would be smart to have someone to stay with while she got everything sorted out.

Raven had gone back to work today and was just home from a long day. She kicked off her shoes, and was going to quickly hop on her laptop before taking a shower. Kori, Richard, and Raven had decided to go out for Hibachi.

Raven sat down to check her e-mail. With ease she typed in her e-mail address and password, before clicking "ok" and letting the page load. She currently had eleven in her inbox, and opened a new window for her inbox, which showed headings of various e-mails.

The first was from Gar; strange. Raven clicked on the title, which read "I Love You" and instantly another screen popped up with a black background. At the bottom was a bar that indicated it was a loading video. Raven clicked on the window with the actual e-mail in it, and read aloud:

"Dear Raven,

I'm so sorry I snapped at you. I love you, and I hope you know that. I would do anything for you. Please don't be mad at me, I'm stupid, I'll admit it.

I had a little free time on my hands, and the Doom Patrol had hit a dead end. We needed a few more days for a clue to come up, so meanwhile I was writing this. I hope you enjoy it. It took a few hours to perfect it.

Love your one and hopefully only fiancee,

Garfield."

Raven pulled up the window with the video again to see it was fully loaded and waiting for her to press the play button. With a cocked eyebrow she did so, as Gar's green face appeared adjusting the camera. "Hey baby," he greeted with his heartwarming smile.

"Oh Gar," she breathed, though he could not hear her.

"I recorded this for you. When I come back it's going to be the first song on my debut CD. I hope you like it," he whispered, picking up his guitar and taking a chair. He set the instrument in his lap and began strumming the cords. After a few strums he stopped and re-tuned it. When the strums finally sounded right to him, he cleared his throat, and began.

"Visit you in your room all the time to let you know that I am yours and you are mine. We can take long walks through Jump City Park and hold each other's hands to fight the dark," he began singing, strumming the guitar to a fast-paced beat, his head bobbing, and, though she could not see it, his foot tapping.

Raven leaned forward, resting her face in her palms and sighing dreamily. He looked so into it when he did his thing. When he performed, alone or for a crowd, he was in his element.

"So you know that you're never alone. So you know that you're never a-alone!"

He stood from his position, raising his foot in back of him to kick away the chair and assume a rockstar stance. His fingers began to look more and more intricate, strumming the guitar strings with what looked like ease. His green hair fell into his eyes, and he truly looked like a rock star. His blue-green eyes sparkled with the untamed passion of a freelance musician.

"My Raven lies over the ocean, my Raven lies over the sea, and every night at 3 A.M. I wonder why can't Raven lie next to me?"

He nimbly strummed the guitar with his specially made guitar pick, green with two golden B's on it.

"'Member all the times Robin gave us a task? You would kiss my cheek, I'd never haveta ask," he continued singing. "I went a-away in late September, but here's a thanks for love I will always remember."

He bobbed his head to the infectious music, his fang sticking out from his upturned lips. He began to sway slightly to his own tune. He seemed to be having fun performing in the empty room, which was rather lavishly decorated, with a door just behind him. It appeared to be a hotel.

"So you know that you're never alone. So you know that you're never a-alone!"

He shouted at the end, breaking into a dance. It was a great mixture of both guitar-playing talent and superb dancing coordination. He looked down to his guitar to make sure his hands were positioned correctly, before looking back up and smiling at the Raven he could not see.

"My Raven lies over the ocean, my Raven lies over the sea, and every night at 3 A.M. I wonder why can't Raven lie next to me?"

He took one big strum of his guitar and closed his eyes, bobbing his head.

"I hope you listen to me every night before you go to sleep and know that someone in Paris (A/N: as in Parie) is thinking of you, Ra-aa-vie."

"Ravie...Ravie...Ravie," his whispers got softer and softer each time he repeated the nickname he had made for her several years back. Suddenly, his hand that had been strumming gently, broke out into large movements.

"My Raven lies over the ocean, my Raven lies over the sea, and every night at 3 A.M. I wonder why can't she lie next to me?"

"My Ra-aa-ven lies over the ocean! My Raven lies over the sea! Every night at 3 A.MI wonder why can't she lie next to me!"

He backed up so his full body was in view of the camera. He dropped to his knees and began playing like a hard-rock maniac. His eyes were closed, and again he seemed within his element. He smirked slightly as his eyes opened slowly. His strumming began to fade, but them came back in as he came for an encore of the chorus.

"My Raven lies over the ocean!

My Rave-!" but in the middle of his musings he was cut off, by the door behind him opening. He whipped around and saw Elasti-Girl, better known as Rita Starr, staring at him as if he had three heads.

"Hey Steve! I think I found the source of the noise!" she called out the door. "It's not a dying cat, though!"

Rita, who was smirking, and Garfield, who had his head turned from the camera so all you could see was his green hair, were sharing glances. "I thought you were good," she told him with a small chuckle. "Steve, though...well, we all know what he thinks good music is. Keep at it, ragamuffin."

She left, and Garfield turned back to the camera, blushing. "Uhh, well, I hope you liked it. I love ya, Rae."

And with that he came forward and shut off the video, ending the video Raven was currently watching.

Raven blinked a few times, as if challenging herself to if the video was actually real. She blinked a few more times before smiling softly to herself. It was real, because only her Gar would do that. She bit her lip to bate the smile from becoming something larger.

She then proceeded to check the rest of her mail.

TT2

Raven got dolled up for tonight. It was going to be her night. No more moping over Garfield, no more sitting at home with a tub of chocolate ice cream in her lap; oh no, she and her young unborn child were going to go to that hibachi and have fun like normal people. Kori and Richard couldn't be happier for Raven because of her new, positive outlook on the situation. You can't miss something if it's still there, and the space between the two would make their relationship even stronger.

Kori and Richard sat on the living room couch as they waited for Raven to finish getting ready. Kori was clad in a white skirt, a pink long-sleeved shirt, and a light pink vest over said shirt. She had on a nice pair of white strappy heels on her feet. Richard had complimented her the instant he saw her on how beautiful she looked.

So, currently, the black-pinstriped pants and white button-up wearing Richard had his arm around Kori, her body leaning into his and her legs pulled up onto the couch, as he flipped through channels.

"Can you not wait until our wedding a week from tomorrow?" Kori asked in her over-excited way. It was one of the many things Richard loved about her. He loved her excitement, her child-like humor, her innocence, her endearing charm, and how she can be all this and still manage to be such a...vixen.

"I can't wait," he affirmed with a small smile down at her. "Seems like everything has been going perfectly ever since you came back to us," he commented offhandedly. "I know I've repeated myself many times on this, but I still can't believe I'm so lucky as to have you back."

"I know, Richard. And I am not able to believe my luck as to have you as my fiancee," she whispered back, her eyes fluttering closed. She sighed softly. It was a while before either spoke, but it was Kori who broke the steady rhythmic hum of the television. "Poor Raven," Kori mumbled. "I could not imagine giving you up to have you fight once more."

Richard stroked her hair. "I wouldn't leave even if they paid me all the money in the world, Kor," he told her. "Nothing could make me leave you."

"And I will never leave you, Richard. I promised, and I will keep that promise for the rest of my life." She leaned up and kissed him.

It was then that Raven promptly entered. "Ready," she murmured. She was slightly nervous; it was the first time she would be going out in public since Gar had left. She figured publicity would have got word of Beast Boy (well, he now went under Changeling, but everyone knew they were one in the same) appearing again, and would be stalking Raven for every opportunity to blow the situation out of proportion.

Raven, clad in a shortblack dress and a deepblue casual jacket, with a pair of sandals, stood nervously at the entry of the room with her toe digging into the carpet. "It feels so weird to go out to dinner," she admitted as her two former teammates came around the sofa hand-in-hand. "It's the first time I'll ever have gone out to dinner without Garfield in almost three years."

"I am glad you have been so strong, dear Raven," Kori whispered to her as she left her love's side to come up to her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. "I would never have the courage to be as strong as you. For that, I admire you. You are a role model to me."

Raven blushed. "Thank you, Kori."

"It is none of the problem," Kori replied. Though she perfected most of her English (without use of contractions, which she stated felt too awkward for her to use) a lot of her uncommonly used phrases still needed tweaking.

"The phrase is 'No problem', Kor," Richard told her with a small chuckle. Her naivety would never get old, either. It was too adorable to get old.

"I am sorry," she stated in a cute voice, as apposed to a truly apologetic voice. "No problem, Raven," she modeled her sentence after Richard's instructions. "Earthly phrases still confuse me. It shall take me a while to get to know 'no problem'." She stressed the syllables as if they would help her remember.

Raven smiled. The two would never change; Richard always teaching her, Kori always willing to learn. And soon she was missing life in the tower as she was led towards Kori and Richard's garage. "Being a Titan must've been the best time of my life," she commented after a few silent moments. She opened the door and slid into the car. "I miss it. I truly do."

"As do I, dear Raven," Kori told her softly and sadly. "The rooftop, the training room, my own pink and purple room that reminded me so much of my home planet Tamaran. I find myself missing it all every single day. But that chapter of our lives is closed at the present time. We have passed it, sadly." Kori climbed into the front seat and Richard started up the car in the driver's seat.

"Sadly, that's true," he added. "But we can make this the best time of our lives, if we try." Richard opened the garage, pulled out, and closed it after him, "Whoops, I forgot to call Vic." Richard snatched his cell phone from his pocket before he pulled out of the driveway, and then handed it to Kori. "Would you mind calling Vic for me, Star?" Most people had pet names for their loved ones. Richard (though sometimes resorted to pet names) used Star. That was the only nickname he felt suited her. She shined like a star.

"No problem," she replied with a smile, happy about her own correct use of the English language. She dialed in his home phone number, and let it ring; once, twice, thrice.

TT2

Jenna called Vic much later that night, about six, after he had been invited to a hibachi dinner by Kori, Richard, and Raven. He was real excited, though it was the first time he would see Raven since Garfield left and he didn't know how she would act. Vic had just gotten out of the shower, even though the dinner wasn't for a little while later, but he felt disgusting from work and couldn't wait another minute to take a shower.

After he left the shower the phone began to ring. With only a bit of stumbling he tripped over a few articles of clothing in his slightly messy room and picked up his phone. "Hello?" he asked, pressing it onto his shoulder so he could pick out a suitable outfit for the evening.

"Vic?" a voice on the other end asked of him. "It's me. Look, would you mind if I came over? I want to talk to you real quick. I just want to clear things up about what happened today...things have been kind of crazy."

"Yea, sure babe, come on over. Look, all the Titans besides Garfield are all going to that Japanese Hibachi restaurant tonight, and I was hoping you would come," he explained, a hopeful smile on her face.

There was a little rustling on the other end and a soft sigh. "Vic..." There was a little more rustling and another sigh. "I'd love to." There was more rustling, and Vic could now tell it was a mass of papers. "I just have so much work to do, I didn't think it'd be the smartest thing, but I need to let loose a little. I'd love to come."

"Thanks, Jenna," he replied softly. "Come over and I'll see you soon, ok?"

"Ok," she mumbled, and then there was a soft click on the other line to signify she had hung up. Vic sighed, set the phone on his bureau, and rubbed his face with his large hand. Things were getting complicated, there was no doubting that, but he knew he cared so much for Jenna that it didn't matter what happened.

Victor sunk into his bed and cradled his head in his hands, before letting out a puff of air. He didn't know how to handle all of this: Jenna in the HIVE, Jake her son, the possibility of her rebellion being found out, and the fact that she could very well be killed for it. He had to help her, but how?

And then it hit him. His lips soon upturned as he figured out a way to keep her safe from them. Vic then sat up and walked towards his closet to pick out his clothing for the night, the smile never leaving his lips.

It was not too long before he was dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a baby blue button-up that complimented his broad torso. He rubbed his hand over the slight stubbly hairs that grew over his head and sighed. He wished he wasn't bald, it wasn't a flattering look for him.

His doorbell rang and her hopped up from the desk chair where he was sitting to answer it promptly. He was almost positive it was Jenna, since he didn't expect anyone else. He opened up the door, and in the frame stood Jenna, in a pair of nice black trousers and a lightgreen camisole with a lightgreen shrug over it. Her hair was straight and went down a little past her chest.

"Hey there," she greeted softly, clutching onto her clutch purse (excuse the pun). "We need to talk."

And most time, this was one of the most feared lines from one lover to the other. But Victor wasn't worried; he knew she just wanted to talk about what had transpired this morning. Jenna led him into the living room where she cautiously sat him down and began to talk with a silent breath. "I just wanted to tell you what happened this morning. I know it was kind of confusing, but I needed to get to Matty's house before, y'know, anything else could happen. You see, Matty is one of the guys also working for the HIVE, but as well he's talked about going against them. You could say he, Jake, and I are the little rebellious group. Well, I told Jake to go over there and stay with him for a little while this morning, and Jake called me right after he arrived. Matty was missing. So, naturally, I told you to leave and got over to Matty's house as fast as I could. We called his cell phone and he told us that he had run away, that he was sick of the HIVE, and that he needed to be his own person, a good person. The HIVE has no idea he's gone, but I'm assuming they will soon. That's why I couldn't tell you this morning; the HIVE has my house wired so they can hear what I'm saying."

Vic nodded. "I understand. I wasn't going to pry if you weren't willing to tell me," he told her honestly. "I was willing to wait until you were ready to open up."

"And that's why I love you," she responded softly, sitting forward to hug him tightly, before relinquishing him.

His cell-phone rang from inside his pocket and he eagerly scooped it out and pressed the small device to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hello Victor. We are on our way to the restaurant of Japanese so you might desire to leave your house soon," Kori's sweet and angelic voice said over the phone line. "That is ok?"

"Just peachy," he replied. "Hey Kor, is it ok with all of you guys if Jenna tags along too? I kinda invited her and I forgot to ask y'all if it was ok with you." He figured it would be; they liked Jenna now that she was 'good'.

"That is fine," she replied with a small chuckled. "The more the merrier, is it not?"

Vic smiled. "Yea, Kor. I'll see y'all in ten, ok?"

"Ok," she replied, remnants of the chuckle still breaking through her speech. "We shall see you soon. Goodbye."

Vic closed his cell phone and dropped it back into his pocket. He grabbed Jenna's hand and led her out of the living room and into the entryway where he grabbed his car keys from off of a small hook. "C'mon, Jenna, let's get going."

Fifteen minutes later they were in front of the restaurant, Vic tapping his foot impatiently, with one of his arms snaked around Jenna's waist. Jenna looked rather nervous, but had calmed herself for Vic's sake. Eevery two minutes she would take her cell-phone from her trouser pocket and look at the LCD screen on the front, before sighing and depositing it back into its original spot. "You ok? You seem a little distracted," he commented a few minutes later, rubbing her side comfortingly. "Anything you want to talk about?"

She sighed. "I lost track of Jake. He called me this afternoon and told me he wasn't coming home after I drove home and he was still at Matty's. I asked him where he was going, and he told me that he was going to hang with a friend. I made him promise he would call, because he said he was probably going to be home real late, but he still hasn't called. I'm getting worried. I don't want to call him, because I don't want him to think I don't trust him. It's just...I worry about him, y'know? He's really the only thing I had to care about for the past ten years of my life."

"I know, Jenna," he responded, looking out into the parking lot to see Richard's car pulling in. "I know you care about him, and I know you'd do anything for him, but sometimes he just needs ot be a teenager. Don't you remember feeling that way when you were young?" he asked, looking down at her as she bit her lip, thinking.

"Yea, I guess."

Vic smiled. "Good. Stop thinking about that. He'll be fine." And just as Vic said this, Richard, Kori, and Raven approached the couple, Kori and Richard walking close next to each other with a softly smiling Raven next to them. "Hey Kori, Richard," he greeted quickly, with a large grin to each of them. "Hey Raven," Vic greeted softly, enveloping her in a soft hug. "How you been holding up?" He had heard all about Garfield leaving and had been dying to comfort her. He felt awful.

"Just fine," she replied stiffly, hugging him back quickly. "I miss him, but I know he would never lie to me; he'll come back safely, I just know it." Raven's hand traveled to her slightly swelling stomach. "And then I can tell him the good news."

Vic smiled. "O' course you can, Rae." They all began inside, Jenna next to Vic who was next to Raven in front, with Kori and Richard bringing up the rear. "So how does being a mother sound to you? Exciting? You're gonna have a little boy or girl soon!"

Raven smiled. "Motherhood definitely sounds promising. I just-I guess I'm scared. If Gar doesn't come back within the next eight months, I don't know what I'll do without a daddy for little Skylar," she sighed.

"Skylar?" Richard asked.

"I've always wanted to name my first born Skylar, whether it's a boy or a girl," Raven told him, a slight smile on her face. "It was my best friend's name back when I lived in Azarath, back when I was a little child. He was my best friend until I had to flee and Azarath was destroyed. He didn't make it out alive." Raven sighed, still tracing her stomach as Vic talked to one of the employees so they could get a table.

"I am sorry, Raven," Kori spoke.

"That must've been horrible," Jenna mumbled. "I would've gone crazy if I were you."

"I never forgot, but I held up. After I found the Titans, I just kind of pushed it to the back of my mind. I never thought about it, so it never affected me. I guess I'm good at pushing down my feelings and forgetting my past," she ended in a whisper. Victor patted her back comfortingly as they all took seats at a large Hibachi table next to a very large window. They were looking out into the 'backyard' of the restaurant, which was beautifully sculpted with plants and a large pond with Koi and other brightly colored fish.

"It is lovely!" Kori gasped, clasping her hands in front of her and enjoying the sight. "Have you never seen anything more lovely than that adorable little pond?" she asked her soon-to-be-husband. He smiled at her child-like innocence and nodded his agreement.

Their orders were soon taken and the five fell into a light and eased chatter. For just an hour or two, they would forget about the pressures of being adults in the real world, and they would enjoy each other's company in this quaint little restaurant. For just a couple of hours, they would be utterly and completely carefree. It was not too often that they got to break loose and enjoy themselves such as this.

But, as they were enjoying their first course, some Onion Soup that came with all of their orders, Jenna's cell phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and pressed the cellular device up to her ear. "Jake?" she immediately asked into it. Victor let down his spoon and turned to her to watch the conversation with a cocked head.

"Mom, I'm fine," he stated back into the phone on the other line. "I just need to tell you something."

Jenna furrowed her brow on the other line and encouraged him to continue. "What do you need to tell me?" Jake hesitated a few minutes before he finally let slip what he had been dying to tell her since he had seen her that morning. "WHAT?" Jenna yelled, though not loud enough to catch the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Instead, everyone at the table began staring at her. "You're with who?"

"Jenna, what's wrong?" Victor asked, stroking her hand in attempts to calm her. He could see she was angry, and from experience, witches are NOT agreeable when they are angry. "Is that Jake? What is he saying?"

Jenna put her hand over the speaker and leaned into Victor's ear. "He told me he's out with Clara. Y'know, Teen Titans Clara! I forbid him from seeing her, and he disobeyed my orders!" Jenna pulled back and pressed the phone to her ear once more, her hand slipping off the mouthpiece. "Jake!"

The other three Titans continued to watch, confused as ever.

"Vic, come on," Jenna whispered, tugging on his shirt to pull him out of his seat and bring him towards the door. Soon, they were both standing outside, Jenna with the phone still pressed against her ear as she watched Vic with confusion in her eyes. "I need your help!" she told him, exasperated. "What do I say?"

"I don't know! I've never had to deal with a child going out with one of the protectors of the city!" he responded, running a hand over his head. "I mean, why does it matter? What bad could come out of it?"

"I just don't want the HIVE to find out that he's getting serious about it. They could get caught on a tabloid or something, because you know the Titans are the hottest thing in this city. If they can get dirt on any of the Titans, especially the reclusive Gothic one, it will be all over the news! If the HIVE realizes this is getting serious, I don't know what they'll do!"

"What do you mean, 'getting serious'?" Vic asked, watching her with his head still cocked. "You mean they know about their relationship? Why wouldn't they do something about it in the first place?" He continued to spill off questions, until Jenna silenced him.

"Mom? Mom?" Jake called on the other line. "Talk to me!"

"Jake, look, I'll call you back," she replied, though she knew she probably wouldn't be able to. "Vic, look, I forbid Jake to go out with Clara because he's supposed to. The HIVE has been setting up relationships for years, only because relationships seem to be the one invincible thing that can produce trust. They set up a relationship between Clara and Jake, because they knew Clara had a rocky past with love. Jake is such a charmer they set it up so he would save her, then meet her, and toss around a few cliche lines to get her to trust him. But Jake is beginning to really love her. I don't want him to get in too deep in case the HIVE realizes he's in love with her," she blathered. "I guess he takes after his mother."

"Wait..." Vic trailed off. "What?" he was now very confused, because he had not heard a single word she had said.

"Clara and Jake's relationship is all a set-up, but Jake is really in love with her."

TT2