He turned and walked back to the door. The woman on the other side of the door was beautiful. Blond, huge blue eyes and a big white smile. Raven felt instant inferior to this woman, as she had with Terra and Alice, but she was careful not to show it. Cara's grip tightened, and the girl's face wasn't as good hiding her emotions as her mother's was. Jenny walked to them and Raven took her hand.

"I'm Jenny."

"Raven."

"Ouch."

All three grown ups looked down at the little girl who had just kicked her mother's competitor.

"Cara, you're not allowed to kick people. Say your sorry."

The girl pressed her lips together for a moment, before parting them.

"Sorry."

Jenny and Garfield walked ahead, Jenny leaning more on Garfield than Raven knew was necessary, but she was smart enough not to mention it. She looked down at the girl, Cara didn't dare look up.

"I don't like her."

"I know, but you still can't kick her."

"Jenny makes you sad."

Lying to her would be a waste of time, beside Raven hated lying, and trying to explain the situation would be to complicated for her young mind.

"You still can't kick her."

That was all she could say, and Cara just tightened her grip on her mother's hand as they stepped in to the common room. Then she saw Victor, and letting go of Raven, she ran to him and laughed as he picked her up and swung her around. Garfield helped Jenny to the table, before walking to the boys and the girl now sitting on Victor's shoulders. Raven walked over to Kori standing over the oven.

"Do you need any help?"

"Raven."

With a huge grin Kori gave her a hug, and despite the huge physical pain, Raven had missed them.

"No, I am doing good with the preparation. Just a few more minutes before we can eat."

She turned and started to stur some purple concoction, and Raven knew she was unreachable now. She could have gone to the boys and talked to them, but that would have been rude to Jenny who was sitting all alone. So despite rather having to eat the whole meal on her own than talk to her, she walked to Jenny and gave her a small, short lived, smile.

"Does your leg hurt much? I can heal it if you want."

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

Raven just nodded.

"So, you used to be a titan?"

"Yes."

"But now you're normal?"

Raven just nodded as she sat down.

"Isn't it kind of boring to be normal after being something so wonderful?"

"There are positiv and negativ things about any role we are. Even that one."

"Even so, I think being a hero must be so exciting."

Raven knew what Jenny was. A groupie. Someone who adored superheroes. Someone who loved Changling, Beast Boy, then Garfield. She knew groupies could grow into something more. Plenty of superheroes married groupies who grew into partners. Jenny just wasn't there, yet.

"So how long have you two been dating?"

"Almost a year now."

Why hadn't Vic told her? Raven was happy Garfield had found someone, yet she was unhappy. She felt vulnerable, alone and weak. Everything she was afraid she would feel once Garfield got over her.

"We met during an attack, this underwater seaweed monster was attacking us, we were on the beach, and the titans saved us. It was love at first sight."

Both women looked over at Garfield, who at that time looked at them, and the burst of love from him forced Raveb to look away. She was happy for him. She was. She was as happy for them as she could be. And just as much as she was happy, she felt like screaming from the top of her lunges. Kori came and placed a huge casserole on the table.

"Come and eat."

Raven got off from her chair and sat down between Cara and Victor. She squeezed Cara's hand when Garfield and Jenny started to kiss, but if it was for her sake or Cara's, Raven wasn't sure.

"Not at the table guys."'

"Yeah, like you and Kori haven't kissed by the table."

Cara started to laugh, and suddenly Raven felt better. She looked down and under the table she squeezed Cara's hand again. No matter how much seeing Garfield pained her, at least she wasn't alone. Jenny looked up and Raven inadvertently met her eyes.

"So what do you do now Raven?"

She could feel the curiosity from the others, but knew they would never have asked her.

"I'm a translater."

"Movies?"

"No, books."

Jenny made a face.

"Is that fun?"

"It's a job."

"I can't imagin anything being worth leaving this life for that out there."

All the good feeling vanished, and without losing Jenny's eyes, Raven looked at Garfield. He hadn't told her. Cara squeezed her hand.

"Just wait a few years Jenny."

Kori walked around and served the purple stew in the bowls, and Raven had to admit it smelled wonderful. She looked at Victor, who took a huge spoonful. He smiled at her.

"I don't know why, but ever since she got pregnant she has turned into a great cook. Try it."

Raven did, and it was wonderful. She looked down as Cara started to eat so fast Raven was scared that she would choke.

"Slow down Cara, you could get sick."

Cara nodded and smiled wider than Raven had ever seen her smile before. Without thinking she bent down and kissed the girl on the forehead. Something she had done before, but it wasn't a very common thing. Cara just continued to eat.

"Cara what age are you?"

"Three."

Cara looked up and smiled to Kori, whom melted.

"Three years? When is your birthday?"

Cara only hesitated because Raven felt shocked by Garfield's question.

"March 15th."

Garfield and Raven's eyes met and she knew what he was thinking. Two months can feel like a lifetime. Two months can feel like a moment. Raven suddenly wished she hadn't comed.

--

"It's time to get to bed Cara."

"Oh no it is still early friend Raven."

"Not when you're three."

Raven got to her feet and picked up the tired girl.

"No."

It was barely audible, but did get a smile from Raven. Garfield jumped up.

"She can sleep in my bed."

"Are you sure?"

He gave her his classical boy-smile, and immediate she was back as a teenager hiding her crush behind harsh words. All she could do was nod, and despite she knew the way by heart she let him show her to his room. His bunk beds were gone, and replaced with a king size bed with the matress by her hips. Strange, but Raven missed the bunk bed. She had lost her virginity in it. But besides that, the room hadn't changed much.

"Here, she can sleep in this."

"Is it clean? I mean normal clean, not clean by your standards."

"Yes."

Raven took off Cara's dress, but kept the singlet and underwear.

"Here, let me."

Raven knew better, but she couldn't deny him. Carefully he slipped the large t-shirt over the now sleeping girl, before moving so Raven could slip her under the covers. Then the two of them walked out into the hall.

"So are you going to give me an explanation?"

"For what?"

They had walked a few feet away, so not to wake up the girl, but had now stopped and was looking at one another.

"I don't know, how about the fact that you broke up with me because you didn't want children and now almost four years later I find you with a kid?"

"You're like a broken record sometimes. I told you, I was drunk and he was there. It was an accident."

He pressed her against the wall. He was so angry and hurt he was shaking, and Raven let his anger fule hers.

"No. Give me the real reason. I've known you since we were kids and I have never seen you drink alcohol your entier life."

"Because I still loved you. And I needed to forget and to not feel, and getting drunk and sleeping with guys I didn't know was the only way I got through the days. Was that what you wanted to know?"

He let her go and she walked toward the common room, but after a few feet she turned.

"I had a tubal ligation when I had Cara Garfield. I can't give you what you want."

Then she turned and walked quickly to her other friends.