LOVE + FEAR

PARTY CRASHER

Damian knocked on the open door with a grave expression. "It's time."

Raven looked away from the newly-formed collage of photos that were taped to the wall space above her desk. "My suffering is about to begin?"

"Something like that." He held out his hand to her. She smiled as she took it. The contact was brief, yet her fingers strangely tingled like she had stuck them in electrical sockets.

"So...what's the procedure? Throw me into Mount Doom or sacrifice Gar first?"

"If we're making Lord of the Rings references, the Bat Signal counts as the Dark Tower with the all-seeing eye."

"So Gotham is Mordor now?" Raven mused as they walked down the corridor together. She never regretted making him watch that trilogy. Nor when he insisted on watching the prequel series with her, or reading the books—as 'payback,' of course.

"Why not? People already refer to it as hell on earth. Some of the residents would make liable candidates for Gollum," Damian replied as they turned a corner.

"I nominate Two-Face."

"I've seen Joker hold an entire conversation with himself. But Drake is definitely more gruesome-looking."

Raven laughed. The sound died in her throat when the walls gave way to the living room. All of the Titans had gathered together before the ivory, half-moon shaped couch. But as she studied them, she recognized the shock on the now-matured faces of her friends.

"So you laugh now...? That's cool," Beast Boy was gaping slightly, wearing the same mystified look that usually twisted his features when watching the Jurassic Park series. Blue Beetle's face mirrored his, and the sizzling sparklers they carried became forgotten entities held at off angles.

Dick recovered first. "We're really glad you're back, Raven."

"Thanks, this is really thoughtful of you all," Raven left the corridor behind and accepted another tight hug from Kory. A banner softly sighed above them, covered in large print that read, ' WELCOME HOME RAVEN'.

When they broke apart, Kory led her to the heart of the room, "Do you like it?"

Despite being the home of many teenagers, a sultry sweet scent dominated the air. This anomaly was most likely due to the most exquisite pile of junk food Raven had ever seen on the coffee table. Cotton and rock candy stalks poked out of glass vases, a vibrant contrast of crimson crystalline and wispy ebony. Red velvet macarons lay atop a canvas of dark, gooey fudge. Off to the side, someone (probably Gar) had spelled 'NEVERMORE' out of m&ms.

"You didn't spare any expense..." Her eyes widened. The sunset had peeked through the glass walls, bathing the feast before her in a golden glow.

"Here's a spoon, but given how much your pupils dilated when you entered the room, I can get you a shovel," Dick offered as he handed her a plate with utensils.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Everyone gathered around on the sofa, sweets and stories filling the room. Raven sat next to Damian near the edge with Titus the great dane, who licked at her fingers every time she petted him.

She was informed of Jaime and Gar's pillow/blanket fort wars, which had nearly torn the Tower apart. Donna and Dick recently started a program to teach the homeless women of San Francisco self defense. Kory shared photos of a Comic Con that Gar had dragged everyone to where she pulled off an authentic X-Files couples costume with Dick. Story after story, Raven was reminded of how much the Titans did together...like a family.