Disclaimer: Do you really believe I do?

I want to lay you down on a bed of roses
For tonight I sleep on a bed on nails
I want to be just as close as the Holy Ghost is
And lay you down on bed of roses

"Bed of Roses", Bon Jovi

AN: This is a companion fic to Cookie Dough. Someone complained about the fact I had too many flashbacks in chapter five, so rather than fill the next lot of chapters up with them, I've gotten the bare basics and condensed them into a one-shot. This stuff just helps me with the over view of later years and to basically piece the story together.

Anyway, it's not really gonna make sense if you haven't read it's buddy. And as advanced warning, yes, there is a certain pairing at the end, no, it doesn't affect what happens in Cookie Dough, and I don't care if you don't like it-I'm doing this because I want to. Flame if you want-I really don't mind. Really. But don't complain, because you have been warned.

But all that icky stuff aside-HAPPY EASTER! May you all know the true bliss that is CHOCOLATE!

Bed of Roses

"Robin?"

The boy wonder turned his head defiantly. He didn't want Starfire to see him so upset, especially over something as important to her as saving her planet.

"Robin?" Rubbing her arm, Starfire bit her lip. She was to be leaving in the morning, and she did not want this animosity between them. She did not know how she would survive the coming devastation of one home, knowing she had left the other troubled. "Please, Robin. You are my best friend. Do not let me leave you without saying my good-byes"

Something inside him snapped, and Robin faced her fiercely. "Don't say it like you're never coming back!" Standing from where he'd been perched by the ledge, he glared at her, his hurt and betrayal written all over his features. "It's bad enough you're leaving-why do you have to go by yourself? Why can't we come with you? Why!"

The alien princess took a step back, startled, then her features softened and she stepped out on to the roof, walking up to him. Robin looked down as she stopped a few feet away, suddenly ashamed of himself. He was supposed to be the leader. He was supposed to understand.

"You and the others are dearer to me than any of you shall know" Star's voice was quiet, her large green eyes trained solely on the boy in front of her. "I would trust any of you with my life-but this, my home planet, this is something I must do by myself. There are many customs, traditions and conditions that are to be dealt with when opposing the Gordanians-it is better that I take command for my people quickly" Here she smiled, and Robin felt his heart flop hopelessly. "Besides, Earth is in need of you, like Tamaran is in need of me. Fighters on my planet must learn that they never abandon their cause, and while I do offer my services to this city and it's people, Tamaran is in more dire a need"

It was quiet between them for a moment-both teens looking down at their feet, wondering how things would ever be the same again. Finally, after what seemed to be eons, Robin spoke up, his voice trembling. "Promise you'll come back"

Starfire lifted a golden hand and briefly touched his cheek, smiling in her old way. "Not even the Glormak Hoks of the Vanderian Pass could stop me"

TTT

There was a cheer as Raven and Robin sealed their vows with a brief kiss, Raven blushing as they pulled apart.

Grinning, Robin let his hand tighten around her own, leading her from archway they had been married under to the head table where Cyborg, his wife Lola, Beast Boy and Terra were now standing, applauding the pair as they joined them.

"Man," Whistled Cyborg, sitting down. "It's about time you made Rae a honest woman"

His wife laughed, slapping him lightly on the arm, then swiveling in her chair to face Raven. "Ignore him," She said, her dark eyes glowing with mirth. "It's as plain as his fake eye that you and Richard were never going to be a normal couple, and even plainer that you two were made for each other-I'm so glad for you, Raven"

The former Titan smiled, her long hair shining under the afternoon sun. "Thank-you, Lola"

To her left, Terra shook her head, trying to keep her year old daughter Hannah from wriggling out of her arms. "Geez, I can't believe it you two finally tied it!" The blonde started, looking at Raven with her steady blue eyes. "Happiness is just oozing out of you. You must really love him"

Watching as her husband continued grinning at everyone, Raven suppressed a smile, and met the rock mover's gaze. "I do"

Terra blinked, then slowly, smiled back.

Just as soon as the dinner was into its second course, Cyborg suddenly stood up, lightly tapping his fork against his wineglass, signaling for the other guests to fall into silence. When he was sure he had everyone's attention, he began his speech, hoping the hours he'd spent on it last night were enough.

"Look," Cyborg started, gesturing towards the groom and bride. "We're all here tonight to celebrate the fact that these two finally got their acts together and decided to hitch it!" There was another cheer that soon cut itself off, as it was clear the speaker hadn't finished. "Anyway, we're all here, celebrating this special occasion with a pair that I've known for most of my life. And this is what I find so great about it: As most of you would know, Raven was not the most… upbeat of us"

Instantly all noise-cutlery sliding against the plates, feet shuffling under tables and the odd giggle-died, leaving the soft hiss of the sea at the base of the T-Tower, making Cyborg nervous. Maybe this wasn't the best topic at a wedding, but after a small smile of permission from Raven, he continued.

"Anyway, as I said before, Rae wasn't the most optimistic girl around. She had her days, all right. And you wouldn't have wanted to do something she'd tell you not to. But Rae was always there. She was a great friend, even if she had her secrets. Robin-Dick-was the same. You'd worry whether Slade was getting the better of him at times, when it became too much, but he always came through. Then… then Star died, and I'd wonder 'what the hell's gonna happen?'. I thought-as I'm sure we all would've-that it was the end of the Titans.

"But then something amazing happened. Raven started coming out of the dark shell she's always lived in and pulled Robin-Richard-out of the one he had created. They helped each other, and, you know, I used to sit there and watch them, watch how they worked with each other, how they'd seem to know what the other wanted before the other one even said it. How, slowly mind you, they became the center of the other's world"

Cyborg grinned at Robin then, who smiled back and wrapped his hand tighter with Raven's. "Then Rob left, and instead of worrying about the team, all I could think of was, 'don't tell me it's over for 'em'. But now, I'm standing here, toasting them at their wedding, thinking, 'god, I hope Rae doesn't kill me for making her out to be socially challenged'" That got the laugh it intended, and the spell that had fallen over the entire function had broken. The large, dark man raised his glass, turning towards the pair. "Here's to hoping I don't have to think around them again!"

The guests chuckled accordingly as Cyborg sat down, toasting the couple with a "To them!", and soon everyone was busy with their meal.

Raven touched Robin's arm, and he smiled at her, taking in the way the setting sun made her white cloak glow and her eyes shine. "What?" He asked.

She smiled back, thought it struck him as something sad. "Nothing. Just making sure you're still here"

He wondered what she meant by that, but before he could ask her Bruce and Diana approached the table, and he lost the moment.

TTT

The Victorian styled house Robin pulled along side of later that night made Raven's jaw drop with disbelief.

Two stories high, the cream painted vision stood amongst a colourful garden of flowers and small trees, it's wide windows glowing from the lights inside.

"What's the matter?" Robin teased, stepping down from the Night Ride, and placing his helmet on the bars. "Don't like it?"

Raven glared at him, then frowned, amethyst eyes going back to their new home. The building wasn't overly huge-but it was still big. "It was ridiculous of Bruce to go to all this trouble" Here she hesitated, her eyes taking in the wide porch with a loveseat to match, then added, "but… I love it"

Grinning, Robin came close to her, stepping on the decorations Beast Boy and Terra had tied to the back of his motorcycle, and gently tugged the helmet off her head. "I'm glad you do. And don't worry about Bruce-he was offering Rickley Manor" He made to kiss her but Raven sidestepped him, looking uncomfortable.

"Raven?" He asked, confused. She hadn't acted like this since that first time in the library…

"Let's go inside" And in a matter of seconds, Robin was left blinking as his wife phased into the house.

TTT

The house really was beautiful, Raven mused.

Someone-undoubtedly Terra and Lola-had entered it earlier, lighting candles from the doorway all the way up the stairs, the candles leading to what Raven supposed was the door of the master bedroom. Her and Robin's bedroom…

Gliding up the stairway and to the door, she hesitated for a moment before reaching out a slim hand and pushing it open, sucking in her breath at what she saw.

The whole room was filled with the glow of candles and the scent of roses-Raven's selected wedding flower.

The soft hush of her long white cloak floating along the ground followed her into the room, before she stopped at the foot of the queen sized bed, the Egyptian cotton sheets covered in rose petals.

This shouldn't be for me, Raven thought desperately, reaching out to the smooth, dark wood of the bedpost.

"Raven-what's the matter? Don't you like this?"

She hadn't even heard him coming, and before Raven could stop herself, she blurted out, "Do you miss Starfire?"

Robin stilled, halfway through the doorway. So this was the reason she's been distant after Cy's toast. She'd been worried about his feelings.

There was no point in lying. Crossing over to the woman he had married, Robin stopped behind her, his hands going to her shoulders. "Yes" he answered simply, letting his fingers slip against the satin of her cloak. "I do. I always will. Starfire was a friend, at the end of things. She was a Titan. I'll never forget her" Turning Raven around so that she was facing him, he looked down at her, blue eyes serious. "But it's in the past"

They watched each other for a moment, then, with the same hesitant determination she'd shown that first time in the library, Raven melted against him, a slender hand going to his face while they kissed, his arms wrapping tightly around her. Then they were lying on the bed, the long cloak slipping off, a jacket thrown to the side, and Robin's thoughts filling with nothing but her.

TTT

Starfire sighed as her feet slapped against the cold stone of the Tamaran palace floor, and she paused by a window over looking the night sky. She was tired and wished with all her heart that she may have been back with the others, laughing and sharing the foods of junk.

But it had been many, many, many moonocks and there had been no word from Earth. She had aged, grown in both body and mind. Surely things for the others must have changed? She did not even know whether the Titans still existed.

Oh, where were her dear friends? Why had they not made contact with her?

Before she could dwell any further on this topic there was a loud explosion, dust from the ceiling falling around her.

"Your highness!" Turning, she came face to face with Glenack, his eyes troubled. "Your highness, you are needed down with the warriors-the Gordanians are attacking the outer region!"

Starfire sighed again, and with a longing glance towards the stars, hurried off.