Chapter 22

Raven woke up feeling awfully energetic for someone who only had a few days left on Earth.

It was part of her new policy of living in the moment, she supposed. And in this moment, she was happy. It was the kind of true contentment she had only experienced a few times before. Though he probably wouldn't be up yet, she already wanted to see Beast Boy.

Boyfriend. The name felt silly, like it would be more appropriate in Junior High than in their situation, but however ridiculous it sounded, it was true. Raven had a boyfriend. Raven had Beast Boy.

She stared up at the ceiling from her position on her bed, biting her lip idly. That meant she was his girlfriend. Raven wasn't possessive, but she had to admit she liked being tied to him like that. Beast Boy was a shining ball of energy that brought happiness to everyone around him. Raven liked the idea that now he was her ball of light.

Raven debated her next move. The clock read 8:05 am. No, Beast Boy wouldn't be up yet. Though she wanted to see him she doubted marching up to his room was the smartest plan. It would seem intense and strange and would most likely scare him off. That wouldn't be a great start to their relationship.

Raven decided to wait for him in the common room. It would be the first place he'd go when he woke up and it would seem casual when they ran into each other. She still couldn't believe she was having this conversation with herself.

After moving through her morning routine, she emerged from her room and headed straight for the common room.

She never made it to her destination. Unfortunately, she was intercepted by Starfire.

"Raven!" she called sprightly when she caught sight of her in the hall. Her tone promised more than idle conversation.

"Good morning," Raven replied with about an eighth of her friend's enthusiasm. It was clearly still more than the other girl expected.

"You are in a pleasant mood, no?" Starfire questioned. Raven simply nodded in return and hopped she wasn't giving anything away. She was normally so good at masking emotions. Evidently she was losing her touch.

"Wonderful! Please friend, I was wondering if you might wish to see my gown of the ball. I am not sure if it is acceptable for your earthly 'gala.'"

Raven took a moment to weigh her desire to spend time with Starfire and her reluctance to take part in this fashion show. Of course, Starfire won.

"Sure, Star."

The girl beamed and let out a quick squeal. Raven smiled. She and Starfire were polar opposites, but the love and admiration she had for her friend couldn't have been greater.

Raven followed her to her room, only half listening as Starfire detailed her quest to find her chosen dress. She mostly focused on the girl's energy, letting her blissful aura wash over her.

Upon their arrival, Raven was directed to sit on the end of the bed as Starfire changed in the closet. Raven could only guess what the dress would look like, but knowing Starfire, it would be beautiful and it would be pink.

Surprisingly enough when Starfire emerged there wasn't a hint of pink in sight. Instead, she was wrapped in a gorgeous white creation that screamed elegance and beauty.

The under-layer was a solid white mini that hugged the length of her body. The top was strapless and dipped down in the center. On top of this was a layer of sheer, white, filmy fabric that made the dress truly spectacular. The bottom began to flow from the waist into a long, sheer skirt with a slight train. The top came up over the under layer and gathered at the neck. Pinned there was one of Star's signature green medallions. The fabric of the dress was so light and airy that it billowed like smoke around her when she walked.

"Is it pleasing?" Starfire asked.

Raven was on to her. The way she but her lip nervously, the glimmer in her eyes, the cut of the dress...

"I'm sure Robin will love it," she said with a smile. Starfire blushed.

"Thank you friend Raven." Her demure expression brightened a bit. "Please, may I see your gown of the ball?"

Raven froze while trying to keep the pleasant look plastered on her face. She had two options: one, tell Starfire the truth, that she didn't have a dress yet, and be subjected to another shopping trip, or two, lie and claim that the matter was taken care of. Raven wanted to spend more time with Starfire, but she had her limits.

"It's, um... actually it's going to be a surprise."

"A surprise? Please, what is so surprising about it?"

Raven pursed her lips. She couldn't tell if Starfire was honestly confused or playing the naive alien card to try and catch her in a lie.

"Look, Star, no offense but I'm only wearing that thing once and it will be this Friday." There. That sounds convincing.

"Oh. Alright." She sounded disappointed, but Raven was in too deep to backpedal now.

"Why don't we go and get breakfast?" she asked, trying to lift her friend's spirits.

It did seem to have some effect. "Yes, but we cannot do the hanging out for long. I have much work to do on the decorating of the common room."

"How much can you have left? You've been working on it since we got home."

The answer was a lot. Raven was startled to find massive amounts of boxes, ladders, hardware, and construction materials piled around the room.

"Uh, Starfire, you know this thing is on Friday, right?" Raven asked hesitantly. She didn't want to offend her, but the place looked like a disaster.

"Of course friend!" she replied, indicating she didn't get Raven's meaning. "It will be a most glorious celebration!"

The two girls were alone in the common room. The boys had either already come and gone or were still asleep, which meant cold cereal with hot tea was Raven's only option. She filled her kettle with water as Starfire settled in with a bowl of the cereal with little marshmallows in it.

"So Raven, what are your planned activities for this most pleasant afternoon?" she inquired. "You are not allowed to partake in the preparation for the party, no?"

"No," Raven answered as she joined Starfire with her tea and Cheerios, "I'm not. I think I'll catch up on my reading."

Another lie. The last thing Raven wanted to do was sit around alone with a book. Funny how quickly her priorities had changed.

But that left the question of how she did want to spend her time. Everyone else would undoubtedly be busy, though she had reason to help Beast Boy. It was a condition of her blackmail, after all. Raven's lip turned up in the corner. There was her excuse to seek out Beast Boy without it being awkward or creepy. It was a good thing she had found it, because frankly she was tired of waiting for him.

"Is there something amusing?" Starfire inquired, taking note of Raven's smirk.

"No, I was just... thinking," Raven responded. "Actually, I have to go." Raven stood and moved to deposit her half-finished bowl of cereal in the sink. As she turned to leave, she hesitated.

"Starfire?"

"Yes friend?"

"Thank you. For breakfast, I mean. It was... nice." A simple statement with an abundance of meaning.

"You are most welcome! I will see you later, Raven!"

Raven smiled as she walked through the grey sliding doors. The expression grew as she walked closer and closer to Beast Boy's room.

When she turned the corner, Raven was surprised to see Beast Boy's door open. She nervously inched closer and peeked her head inside.

Music played from the stereo on his desk, which she heard him faintly singing along with. Laundry, comic books, dirty dishes, and trash were all stacked in separate, mountainous piles on the floor. She deduced he was finally getting around to cleaning his room.

"What did Cyborg threaten to get you to clean this place?" She called from the doorway.

He poked his head out from inside the closet, grinning. "You don't even want to know. But I guess this is like, three years overdue."

"More than that," she countered with a smile. "Would you like some help?" She fidgeted with the edge of her cloak nervously. She just hoped she was doing this right.

She was relieved when his smile brightened at her offer. "Sure! Come in, but be careful."

Though she had to dodge a plethora of obstructions in her path, she successfully made her way over to Beast Boy. There was one thing superhero agility training was good for.

"So, do you have a system here, or...?"

"Yeah. I'm cleaning out the closet right now. Just throw the stuff in the right pile." He gestured to the mounds covering the floor. "That one's trash, that one's clothes-you get the idea."

Raven nodded and sat down beside him. The mountain of junk in his closet looked ominous, like it was daring her to touch it.

She wimped out and used her telekinesis.

It allowed her to move exponentially faster than Beast Boy did. She effortlessly extracted items and placed them in their correct pile. She assumed Beast Boy would organize the stuff he was keeping in each pile later.

"So that's why your room is always perfectly clean," Beast Boy commented, referring to her powers.

"No, my room is clean because I put things away after I use them," she retorted.

"Hey, I try to put things away. They just somehow find their way back out again," he said with a shrug. Raven stole a few sidelong glances at him. They sat crossed legged a few inches away from one another.

"So you don't have anything better to do on a Wednesday morning than help me clean? Not that I'm complaining," he rushed to add.

Raven rolled her eyes. When did she ever have big social plans? Only occasionally did she venture out as Rachel to... Did he say Wednesday? she thought with a rush of excitement. An idea came to her.

"Not right now, no. But later tonight, I was wondering... if you might want to go out with me," she finished unsteadily.

Her nerves melted away when she saw Beast Boy's face light up. "Of course I would. Have anywhere in mind?"

Raven smiled. "Yes, but it's a surprise. Meet me in my room at 7:30."

"It's a date," he said smoothly. Raven envied his confidence, but it made her feel safe, like he would never judge her or hurt her. Like she was doing something right.

Raven turned her attention back to the closet to try and hide the blush on her cheeks, but was surprised to find it almost empty. She grabbed the last few items with her hands and deposited them in the correct locations. Beast Boy remained seated on the floor.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked lightly. Raven was oddly pleased when she heard a twinge of disappointment in his voice.

"Actually, I do have a few things to do that I forgot about. But it was nice, seeing you," she blurted out. They both smiled awkwardly at one another. Beast Boy stood and moved towards her at her position by the door. He stopped a few inches from her face. Her heart clambered in her chest.

"Then I guess I'll see you tonight." Her eyes closed as he moved in closer, but instead of the kiss she was expecting, she felt a light brush of his lips against her cheek. She opened her eyes to find him beaming down at her.

"See you tonight," she echoed, turning to leave before she did something embarrassing.

Raven stared up at the sign. It seemed to be mocking her with its elegant, swirly letters. It said, you might as well leave now. You're not welcome here. The tall, twig-thin, blonde clientele that strode through the revolving door reinforced that idea. But welcome or not she had to do it. It was this or face the wrath of Starfire when she discovered Raven had a) lied to her, and b) still didn't have a dress.

Raven braced herself and walked through the doors of Saks 5th Avenue.

The place was an assault to the senses. Raven's nose was filled with the strong, florally scents wafting over from the perfume counter, where trim, bubbly girls liberally spritzed passersby. The merchandise that filed the store was a breathtaking rainbow of colors, from pale pink and emerald green to royal purple and cherry red. There was a faint tinkling of a piano in the background accented by the chatter and laughter from demure-voiced customers and sales clerks. Raven froze in the middle of the entryway, completely overwhelmed.

"Can I help you?" an elegant, smooth voice rang behind her. Raven turned quickly, trying to regain her composure.

"I need a dress," Raven blurted.

The woman smiled, but Raven could see right through her. She was sizing Raven up, and instantly determined that she was not a regular here and thus not worthy of her time.

"What kind of dress, Miss?" she asked like she was talking to a child.

Raven really wanted to stand her ground, but she knew anything that came out of her mouth would only further the woman's conclusion that she had no idea what she was doing. "A long dress," she finally settled on.

"Formalwear is on the fourth floor." Raven turned towards the elevators, eager to leave this woman and her saccharine smile.

She crowded inside the lift with a variety of chic women who looked bored, like they were here because they didn't have anything better to do. Raven was really glad she decided to wear her civilian disguise shopping. Not one of the women gave her a second glance.

Raven was taking Beast Boy to her cafe tonight, seeing how it was Wednesday and the band was playing. However, on her way back from Beast Boy's room this morning, she realized she couldn't take Beast Boy. Those at the cafe knew her as Rachel and she knew their date would be ruined if they went as Titans. They needed something less conspicuous.

Raven was covered. She decided to get the shopping trip over with now and just stay in her disguise until Beast Boy met her. Disguising Beast Boy was another matter. She spent most of the afternoon scheming ways to de-green him. Finally she thought of Cyborg and his holo-ring. The idea was a good one, but it had its complications. Explaining to Cyborg why she needed one was the biggest.

"Let me get this straight. Beast Boy, the guy who goes outside just to have his picture taken like a celebrity, wants a holo-ring?" Cyborg raised his human eyebrow at her.

"Like I said, he needs a disguise for some party planning thing." Raven shrugged, trying to look casual.

"Uh-huh. So why are you asking for it?"

"I lost a bet." Bet, blackmail, close enough to the truth. Raven made sure to inject enough scorn to make it believable.

"Okay then. Tell him I'll drop one off specifically programmed for him."

"Actually, I'll take it. Just leave it by my door." He gave her a dubious look, but thankfully didn't say more.

Raven pursed her lips. That could have gone better. What was done was done though, and Raven focused her attention back to the task at hand. She exited the elevator and stood in front of the fourth floor. Evening wear.

If she thought the first floor was overwhelming, this one was even more so. Not only was there a barrage of colors and textures, but now there were sparkles.

Everywhere she looked things glimmered in the light. Raven gulped. It was enough to make her almost wish Starfire were here.

"Can I help you find something miss?" This voice was deeper, gentler, and more genuine. Raven turned towards the source to find a shorter woman that appeared a little older that the rest. Still made up, still gorgeous, but in flat shoes and sensible clothing. Raven instantly felt a little more at ease.

"I need a dress," she stated simply. For a moment she was worried she would receive the same reaction she got downstairs. But the woman merely smiled.

"Do you have anything in mind?"

Raven pursed her lips. "Something black."

The next few minutes flew by in a blur. Raven was led to an enormous dressing room complete with crystal chandeliers, spacious rooms, and a giant three-way mirror at the front. The evening wear section seemed empty and overstaffed today, as her salesperson was flanked by three or four others upon their arrival, all eager to "help." One by one, the brought back black selections, the older woman helping guide them based on Raven's reactions.

"No sequins."

"Bring the latest Badgley Mischka," the woman instructed.

"Isn't that kind of... revealing?"

"Perhaps she'll like the Reem Acra."

"Too poofy."

"Try the Marchesa."

Just when she thought she'd seen every black gown the store had to offer, another would come in for her approval or rejection. The store's supply was inexhaustible.

After thirty minutes of the dress parade, the women seemed to give up. They all wore looks of frustration, which Raven was sure were caused by her inability to pick a damn dress. Raven wanted to reassure them that she too was just as frustrated if not more so. Something about dress shopping must be appealing to them, given their choice of profession. Such was not the case for Raven.

Finally, the brunette thought of another option.

"Marianna love, go fetch the new black gown from the back. I can't remember whether it's a Vera or a Lulliher. You know which one I'm talking about."

When the garment arrived, Raven's reaction was neutral. She couldn't really tell what it would look like on a person, especially when it was partially hidden by a white bag. But she hadn't tried a single dress on yet, and she knew she was running out of options. Besides, it was a dress—she wasn't ever going to love it.

She stripped off her civilian ensemble and tried to find her way into the thing. It was a big dress, which didn't excite her, but before she could speak her objection the women swarmed her when she opened the door. One finished zipping the back and another bent to fluff the bottom, adding even more volume to the already sprawling dress.

"I think it's lovely," a helper clerk said amongst a chorus of "oohs," "aahs," and other girly exclamations. Raven resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Take a look in the mirror," the brunette urged her. Raven ventured over to the long mirrors and studied her reflection.

The dress was... nice. It was big and even trained a foot or two in the back, but it was a smooth, silky material that wasn't too heavy and made the thing relatively easy to walk in. The top of the dress had thick straps and a square-cut neckline. The bodice was fitted to the waist where the large skirt fanned out. Raven liked the look of it though. It was classic, elegant, and understated, but still feminine. Her biggest complaint was the bust.

The neckline cut way down into cleavage territory and was rather snug in that region. The saleswoman caught Raven's uncertain look.

"The top tends to run a little small on this label," she explained.

A little? Raven wondered sarcastically. The dress smashed her into showing way more than she wanted to. But still, it could probably be considered "sexy." Beast Boy probably won't mind, a part of her teased. Raven tried to keep the blush from her face in this dressing room full of strangers.

Raven sighed. Well, this is as good as it gets. Besides, her other option was more dress shopping.

She gave the woman a small smile. "I'll take it."

AN: I would be remiss if I did not once again mention my wonderful beta reader Steve6363 and thank him for all his help. I also have to brag because he's just started his first story, a great piece called Titans Fall. Check it out if you get a minute! And thank you, friends!