An ecstatic squeal greeted them as they entered the Ops room, a streak of red and orange flashing towards them, resolving itself into Starfire embracing Raven, shouting her joy.

"Friend Raven! It is so good to see you in the recovered state! I was having much of the worry for you!"

"Careful, Star! She's not completely healed!" Changeling shouted, alarmed. "Please don't hurt her!"

Starfire gave Raven a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned on Changeling and hugged him instead.

Maybe I should… turn into… a turtle! he thought as he felt his ribs creak alarmingly under the assault.

"You are most correct, friend Changeling, but I am overcome with the joy and the happiness!"

The sheer intensity of Starfire's joy saturated Raven's empathic sense, overflowing to Changeling and leaving him dazed. Raven smirked. Here's someone that'll need to learn to meditate.

Starfire released Changeling from her hug, turning to Raven and grabbing both her hands, leading her away.

"Friend Raven, you must tell me everything now. I am having the small anger with you because you told the fullness of the story to friend Jinx first. I shall not wait the second longer!"

The two girls floated away towards Starfire's room. Garfield looked after them, grinned and walked over to the couch, sitting in it with a satisfied sigh.

Nightwing walked over and sat beside him. He looked at Cyborg, catching his eye. Cyborg frowned, nodded and walked over to sit on the other side of Changeling.

"Gar, we need to talk" Nightwing said with a neutral voice. Changeling looked at him.

"I guess I'm in trouble. When you try to be so neutral, it usually means bad news."

Nightwing chuckled. "Am I that obvious?"

Changeling and Cyborg nodded and replied in unison.

"You are."

Nightwing grinned at them, then his face got serious. He sighed. He didn't like what he was about to do, but it had to be done.

"Gar, when we found you, you were naked and Rae was wounded. This is not a coincidence. Did it happen again?"

Changeling looked at Nightwing without flinching.

"It probably did, Richard, but as before, I have no recollection of it."

Lifting an eyebrow in surprise at Garfield's brutal honesty, Nightwing continued.

"That only serves to confirm it, you know."

"I do."

"Now wait here, you two" Cyborg said, concerned. "The evidence is purely circumstantial. We should ask Raven –"

"Vic, this is not a court of law, and I'd prefer keeping her out of this if possible" Nightwing cut him off. He turned back to Changeling.

"Can you tell me about what brought it on?"

"I'm… not sure."

"Then tell us everything that happened. Maybe we can figure something out."

"It's… personal, Richard."

"Of course it is. It is also extremely dangerous and unpredictable."

Changeling sighed. "All right. I'll tell you."

He looked up, frowning, trying to remember as clearly as possible, then launched himself into the story.

"Rouge brought Rae over. I was in the containment cell, wearing disabler handcuffs. The cell was enclosed by a plasma field. I think it was a Level Five containment unit."

Nightwing whistled softly. "They must have prepared it for Raven."

Changeling glanced at him, a crooked grin on his face. "What, you think I don't merit one?"

Nightwing's cheeks reddened slightly. "No, I…"

Changeling lifted a hand, dismissing him. "No matter. She brought Raven over and showed her that I was alive and well. She then ordered her to put on disabler handcuffs, threatening to kill me if Raven didn't. Rae complied, and it left her helpless, and then Rouge…"

He swallowed and took a deep breath.

"She started… beating her up. Mercilessly. Sadistically. She hit her in the face, the gut, the side." Changeling's eyes started glowing with rage. "She didn't care where she struck. She used her fists, her feet. She strangled her, threw her against the wall." His fists were clenching and unclenching. Nightwing glanced meaningfully at Cyborg.

"Easy there, lil' buddy" Cyborg spoke soothingly. "She's safe and recovered now."

"I know, bro. Thanks!" Changeling smiled at his friend, then looked ahead, not focusing on anything in particular. His voice became soft and murderously intense. "If I ever get my hands on that bitch…"

Nightwing's hand squeezed his shoulder in sympathy.

"So you were still… yourself?"

Changeling shook himself and grinned wryly. "I guess you could say that. I kinda lost it then, but I was still… me. I threw myself at the plasma field, trying to help her. It burned me and bounced me back. I figured out I was only feeding Rouge's pleasure, so I tried to calm myself and not… hear… the sounds…"

His fists clenched again, the rage and hatred aglow in his eyes.

Changeling fought down his fury. "In the end, she got tired of it. She threw Rae into the cell and left us, telling us that it was just a taste of things to come. She was going to torture us and then kill us."

"I saw Raven cough up blood. I realized she was… wounded. I managed to prop her up… I could smell her blood…"

He took a deep breath, again striving to calm himself.

"So far so good, Gar. You still have memories?"

"Yes. I was still… myself. Rae woke up, and she told me to… um… kiss her."

"She what?" Cyborg asked, incredulous.

"Smart girl" Nightwing said. "Go on, Gar."

"That's it. I… don't remember anything after that."

"What, she kissed you and you…"

"No! She… I kissed her, and… she was hurt, she… I… I tasted her blood, and I… I don't know any more!"

"Good. I think it's pretty clear now."

They both looked at Nightwing, confused.

"Maybe clear to you, dude. I'm just in the dark as I was."

"Think, Victor. We're talking about stuff that relates to the deepest, most primal parts of the mind. Smell and taste. Garfield was enraged, so much that he threw himself at a plasma field, but he did not turn into the Beast. It was only tasting her blood that unleashed it."

"What do you mean?" Changeling said.

"I mean that it's obvious that you need a combination of very strong emotions and a very powerful sensation, one that will go deep to touch your most primitive instincts, in order to rouse the Beast. I mean that we don't need to worry about the Beast showing up in the near future." Nightwing chuckled. "Victor's therapy worked pretty well, considering."

"So that means I'm off the hook?"

"You were never on the hook, Gar" Nightwing said, gazing at the floor. "I had to grill you so I knew what to expect. I won't lie to you, I was concerned about it. But after I've seen what Starfire did… It dawned on me that it was stupid to worry about you turning into the Beast. If she could lose it like that… and we all know what Rae can do when she gets angry." He smiled a wry smile. "Basically, we were already dealing with an alien and a half-demon that could be very unpleasant when distressed, so I realized, what's the big deal in having one metahuman on top of it? Even if it happens to you again, the best place for you to be is with us, where we can try to contain you and not hurt you."

"Uh… Thanks, Dick. I guess you're right."

"Of course I am. That's why they pay me the big bucks" he grinned, slapping Changeling on the back. "Now, I think I heard someone mention waffles?"

"Yeah, Chrome Dome, get your butt moving! And don't forget the non-dairy ones!"

"As much as you can stuff in that big mouth of yours, lil' buddy!"

Raven floated a foot off the floor in lotus position, thinking.

It is good to have a friend like Starfire. It certainly makes going to the mall easier. I swear by Azar, she knows every shop in there! But the important thing is that I found what I was looking for.

She glanced at the large package resting in a corner of her room.

Gar is going to be so happy… But I must keep myself from thinking about it. Our bond is so strong that he may sense I have a surprise for him. I don't want to ruin it. I want to watch as his eyes light up, sense his joy when he sees it.

She stretched her legs to the floor, releasing the levitation and crossing her room, reaching the nightstand. She picked up her hand mirror.

But now, I should prepare the greatest gift I have for him.

The portal opened and she stepped into Nevermore.

She walked up to the temple-like building, noticing all her aspects gathered around Yellow, waiting for her.

"You are all here, sisters? Good. You know what I want to do?"

"We do" Yellow nodded. "We all agree it's the best decision you ever made."

"I… think I should apologize to you all."

Yellow waved her hand dismissively. "Apologize to yourself? That's a novel concept."

"But you are not only me. All of you have your own… consciousness. Your personalities. When I created you –"

Yellow interrupted her again. "You have created us many years ago, in a bid for control. It was a 'divide and conquer' option, and it worked, until the needs of your soul made it unsustainable. Now it is time to end it and begin a new phase."

"I know" Raven said, sweeping her gaze over all of them, finally resting it on Yellow, who was obviously the chosen spokesperson. Would that make her spokes-Raven? she wondered inanely. Pink giggled.

Raven sighed. "I now understand what Azar and my mother wanted to say. At first I thought that they only meant for me to embrace my dark, demonic side. But it was much more than that. I have divided my personality when I created you. It made it easier to control my feelings and it made it simpler to maintain the balance. I used you to separate, insulate myself from my emotions. But when those emotions became too strong, your own personalities interfered in my efforts to control you, and my powers would be unleashed with unpredictable results. It was like... an electric arc jumping between two electrodes when the voltage gets too high. It worked while my feelings were weaker, but now it is time for us to end it. It is time for me to become whole, and for you to become what you should have always been, a part of me."

"We all know that, Elder Sister. We all agreed that it was the only way we could… go on."

"You also know that this will destroy you?"

"We do. But it is my feeling – if you'll excuse my using that word – that it is not as bad as you think. After all, you will still have Knowledge, Wisdom, Rationality, Logic." She glanced at Pink, a slight grimace of distaste on her face. "You will still have Happiness, Joy, Silliness, Childishness, Innocence. And all others. We will live in these emotions. We will not disappear, but we will be much closer to you and to each other."

"Then it is decided" Raven said, relieved. "Shall we do it?"

"I'll go first!" Pink laughed, running up to Raven, taking both her hands and looking into her eyes. "Make him tell us jokes, sister!" she whispered, giggling. Her form became ethereal, entering Raven's body, fusing with it.

Orange yawned. "Whatever. Do I get to rest a bit?" She floated over, her body losing substance as she melded with Raven.

"Find us some teeth to kick in soon!" Green growled as she followed the others. Purple was silent as she glided over, stopping to stand in front of Raven. Their eyes met and understanding passed between them, without the need for words. She placed a caressing hand on Raven's cheek, then her touch disappeared as her incorporeal form entered Raven's body.

Yellow was next. She lifted an eyebrow at Purple's actions, then faced Raven and, in a very uncharacteristic gesture for her, winked at her as her ghostly form was absorbed.

"I'm… a bit scared" Grey whispered. Red placed a rough but protective arm around her shoulders.

"Don't be. I'll follow you soon. We'll be together."

Grey nodded, looked shyly at Raven and melded with her.

"How about that" Raven said. "Rage, Hatred and Bloodlust have a soft spot."

Red snapped her teeth at her. "What do you know? You have always looked at us as simple representations of your different aspects, never bothering to realize that we may be more complex than what you thought!" she hissed.

Raven nodded. "I know. That is why I wanted to apologize. I should have known it. Emotions never come alone. Love calls on Happiness, just as Fear can call up Anger."

"And what now? Will you chain me again, to keep me from causing harm? You can't be thinking of accepting me. I am our Father's legacy."

"You are" Raven replied. "But you are also what Starfire would call… 'Righteous Fury'. Protective Rage. Hatred of Injustice. Intolerance of Suffering. And you are the counterweight, the contrast, the obstacle that I must overcome and that will make me stronger. Just as Azar said."

"You have grown wiser, sister. His influence is beneficial, I see."

"He is the main reason I'm doing this."

Red nodded, her form losing substance, swirling around Raven and infusing her.

Raven bowed her head. Sadness overcame her.

She thought she could almost hear a giggle coming from deep inside her. She realized what Yellow had said was true. Her aspects were still there, but now they were a full part of her, not something that she could keep at arm's length. It was… a bit scary. And it gave her hope. The sadness left her.

Raven lifted her head and levitated, folding her legs in lotus position.

Azarath… Metrion… Zinthos!

Seven pedestals appeared in front of the building. On each there was a representation of one of her aspects. A heart, a flower, a sword, a book. A figure of her wrapped in her cloak, the hood covering her face completely. Another figure of her, sleeping peacefully. And four red eyes.

"It is done" she said aloud as she stepped through the portal back into her room.

Just a few minutes after she returned from Nevermore, there was a knock at her door.

He felt it, she thought as she smiled. She opened the door with a telekinetic command and Changeling walked in.

His eyes searched for her, slowly accustoming themselves to the gloom.

"Rae? I felt something… you're different. There's something – Rae?" he gasped as he saw her.

She rose and walked towards him, her white cloak billowing behind her.

"You're… in white?"

"Yes. I am complete, finally."

"I felt something happen to you, and I knew it was something good, so I ran to see what it was, but I never imagined… What does that mean?"

"It's a long story, Gar. I'll tell it to you later. Right now, I have a couple of things for you."

He grinned. "Another gift? I don't see how you can top the last one!"

"Just because we share a strong bond doesn't mean there's not a lot still to be learned about each other" she said playfully. The package in the corner of her room was enveloped in black energy, rising from the floor and floating towards them.

"Let's start with this one."

Garfield grabbed the large package eagerly and for a few moments there was only the sound of tearing paper and a small blizzard of bits of packing falling around them.

"A guitar?" he said, a lump in his throat, looking at the metallic, guitar-shaped box.

She nodded. "Open it."

He opened the case reverently and took the guitar out. He studied it carefully and strummed a chord. Finding it already perfectly tuned, he quickly played a scale and then launched into Romance Anónimo.

As he finished, he looked at the guitar again.

"The sound is… awesome!" The grin fell off his face. "Raven…"

"Yes?"

"This is a hand-crafted instrument" he said, his gaze serious as he watched her. "This does not cost less than… You could buy a car for this!"

"Then you should take special care not to sit on it!"

He suddenly grinned. "You betcha, mamma!"

He gently returned the guitar to its case and closed it. He took her face into his hands and planted a quick kiss on her lips.

"Thank you" he whispered.

"So, did I manage to top my last gift?" she asked, a spark of mischief in her eyes.

"Yes! No… I don't know!" He stammered, overcame with happiness.

It is all I hoped for. It is all I wished for, Raven thought as she watched him.

You have made me very happy, Rae, he answered voicelessly. Even more if my happiness makes you happy, too.

"There's one more thing" she said aloud, the mischief now glowing in her eyes.

"I really can't see how much more –"

"Hush. Come here."

He sat on the bed beside her. "You've got something up your sleeve, Raven. What –"

She pressed her lips against his, her tongue darting, looking for entry. He opened his mouth and closed his eyes, overwhelmed again by the maelstrom of emotions that burst out of him, compounded now by the love that was flowing from her. Time stopped having meaning for both; there was nothing else in the world now but for the two of them, their feelings and their kiss.

After a couple of minutes they parted, breathing heavily, their hearts hammering, their minds dazed.

Garfield stole a quick look around her room. It was peaceful and quiet. No smashed windows, no broken lights, no whirlwind of loose items to rain down on them. A feeling of exultation flooded him as he understood.

"So, did I top the other gift now?"

"Oh, yeah, mamma. Come here. We have some catching up to do."

They embraced and lost themselves in the kiss.

Author's Notes:

This ends the story of the Gifts. I hope you had as much fun reading it as I had writing it. But I do want to mention a couple of things before I take my leave.

First, I must say that writing the story really made me much more comfortable with the idea of BB and Raven being together. I managed to do what I had set out to do unconsciously. It took me a while to realize it (just read my own words in the Author's Notes of the 1st chapter and compare it with my later comments!). I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm now a rabid fan of this particular ship, but it does make it much easier for me to accept it and I don't simply skip over stories that have them in the description like I used to (note that partial responsibility for this also lies with my friend Allen Blaster and his wonderful BBxRae stories. Thanks, Allen, and sorry for mentioning you without requesting permission. Hope you won't mind).

Second, I have a bunch of bits and pieces, ideas and concepts laying around that were not included in this story for many reasons. I will be posting soon a repository for all these one-shots and drabbles, so keep an eye out.

Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to all that have or will read, follow, favorite and review this story. A writer needs feedback, even if it's negative, because it means I have managed to move you, the reader. This is, I think, the highest aspiration of any writer. Special thanks to RPGPersona for his in-depth reviews and his ideas, to Allen for his continuing support and kind words and all the rest of you. Runner, you should really create an account so I can respond to your reviews directly!