Dear Reader,

I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates over the last few years. Band Geek Letter 1 has spent the majority of her time in college and at graduate school. I didn't want to distract her, nor did I want to incur an inordinate amount of late fees for her, as she has enough already without my help (I swear that woman never returns anything on time), so I had her return me to the Library of Congress. Recently, I discovered that she had been checking movies out of other library systems through the magical power of Inter-Library Loan, and I decided that this was my chance to finally finish telling you my strange story. Even though Band Geek Letter 1 is currently in the throes of job hunting, I hope to have the time to continue posting, as we are in the midst of rising action and there are only seven chapters left. Let us sally forth in search of the climax.

Sincerely,

THE BOOK

Petticoats and Roses

By THE BOOK

Part the Twenty-First

Twenty-Nine Strikes Out

As the next day dawned, Raven curled into her customary chair in the library, perusing the tattered pages of a much-beloved drawing-room comedy in an attempt to forget the previous day's troubles.

It had so far failed. Even the misadventures of Evangeline could not distract her.

Holding an envelope and a letter opener on a silver platter, Jenkins materialized behind the chair.

"A letter has arrived for you, my lady."

Raven shrieked, the pages of her book fluttering as it clattered to the ground.

"Thank you, Jenkins." Her heartbeat slowed as she relaxed. Taking in the unfamiliar looping whirls of her name on the envelope, she sliced through the seal with the letter opener. Replacing the letter opener on the tray, Raven waved him away with a flick of her wrist. She brought the letter to the window to hold it up to the light. When she unfolded it, the paper crinkled.

My Dearest Rachel, the letter read.

This letter may come as a surprise as I have not yet had the occasion to write to you, but my cousin specifically asked me to send a missive as soon as possible. Mr. Princely urgently wishes for me to tell you that he has gone to Town to take care of some business, but will return in four months. Captain Grayson will remain with us for the time being. I cannot imagine why on Earth my cousin asked me to write instead of informing you himself, but as he has already vacated the premises, this duty falls to me. I hope his absence will not deter you, as I enjoy your company and stimulating conversation. Frank and I hope you have you over for tea soon.

Sincerely,

Catherine Avon

The letter slipped from her hand, drifting to the wooden floor. She hoped she had not somehow mucked up her once chance to return to Jump City by refusing Mr. Princely. Collecting the missive from the floor, she refolded it and left it on the side table. Perhaps the distance between London and –Shire would give her the time to mull this over make certain she had made the right decision in declining his hand.

After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder if indeed the heart already has fondness.

"This is it, Friend Beastboy?" Starfire asked.

Beastboy sighed. He closed THE BOOK for the 200th time to place it in its usual spot on the coffee table.

"Yes, that's it for today."

Beside him, Cyborg's metallic fists trembled.

"Why is it taking so long?" Cyborg smashed the coffee table, cracking the glass along spider veins. For a moment, it seemed the table would shatter under strain, but it held firm. "I just want our friends back." Wracked with sobs, he collapsed back onto the couch with such force that he launched Starfire into the air. Beastboy rubbed circles into his metal exoskeleton.

"I know, I do too, but we just have to—"

Cyborg shushed him.

"What do you mean?" The air hung with silence. Beastboy slid out of the chair, hoping Cyborg wouldn't notice. Cyborg's rants always ended in various broken objects, and Beastboy didn't want to get caught in the middle again.

"Yes, I know they've got to finish the story but—don't you shush me, you piece of fiction!"

"Hey, do you wanna go get pizza? They're going to be at this a while." Beastboy whispered to Starfire out of the corner of his mouth. Starfire nodded. He grabbed her hand and tiptoed out of the room. With any luck, Cyborg and THE BOOK would finish their argument before they returned.

"And why do you insist upon using Oxford commas? " Cyborg jabbed his finger at THE BOOK's open pages.

Days later, Raven fiddled with the corner of her latest novel. Mary's raucous laughter drifted down through the ceiling. Captain Grayson had been up there for nearly an hour, and her cousin would not cease giggling. It was all very untoward. She huffed, slamming the book shut. She didn't even know what she was so angry about.

Dropping her book onto the couch, she stood and stretched. Raven was in desperate need of a walk. She did not get very far, as at that moment Edmund burst through the library doors with an extra spring in his step.

"Hello, my fair cos. How are you feeling on this fine day?" The freckles on his nose crinkled when he flashed his toothy smile. She had missed it for the last few months.

"Better now that you are here." She tapped the book. "I can't concentrate."

"I'm glad to be of service, then." He jumped as the door shut behind him.

"Was there something you wanted?" Her words hung in the air between them. Edmund fiddled with the brim of his top hat.

"Yes, actually." Stepping forward, he dropped the hat to his side. He ran a nervous hand through his red hair. For a second, the morose old Edmund flashed on his face. "It's funny. I spent so much time rehearsing what I was going to say to you, and now that I'm here, I can't put it into words."

Dread crept up her body. This couldn't happen again—not so soon at least. She inched back, clutching the fabric of her skirt to anchor herself.

"Maybe I should just go." Grabbing her book off the table, she bolted past him. The cold doorknob turned slowly as she prepared to leave.

"Wait, please."

Sighing, Raven dropped the handle to face Edmund. Perspiration peppered his brow. He had abandoned any pretense that this was a typical conversation between two cousins—his eyes darted back and forth between his hat, apparently an object of great fascination, and the floor at her feet.

"I've loved you since you came to live with us." He murmured.

"Edmund, I—"

"When Princely came, I thought you were lost to me forever," he continued, oblivious to her discomfort. "His regard was obvious, but you turned him down, and that gave me hope. The hope that you and I could be something."

"Edmund," Raven stammered, "this is so unexpected."

"Will you marry me?"

Raven tried to answer, but Edmund interrupted her, still fiddling with the brim of his hat.

"I've already talked to Father, and he thinks it a splendid idea. We can marry as soon as you like, and we'll inherit Summerhaven upon my father's death. You wouldn't have to leave. Of course, I'd take you anywhere you like for holidays, and—"

"I cannot."

"—We can spend the season in Town if you . . . what?" Edmund dropped his hat. It teetered, rolling in circles until it landed with a quiet thud on the carpet."I don't understand."

She fiddled with her dress steeling herself to answer.

"I value our friendship, but I cannot love you as I should love a husband. I will not marry you."

"But . . ." Edmund spluttered as he snatched his top hat off the carpet. "You declined Princely, and we had been getting along so well."

"I declined him for the same reason." She wrung her hands together.

"But I love you!" Edmund slammed his hat down on one of the end tables and turned, leaning on his arm against the bookcase. Clutching his hat in a clenched fist, he sobbed.

Raven grabbed his free hand and spun him toward her.

"You do not know me, truly," Raven said, crouching next to him. "Dry your tears." With a flourish, she handed Edmund a handkerchief. After wiping the tears from his face, he paused, holding the sodden handkerchief out.

"Do you want it back?" He asked morosely, his good mood vanished.

"No," Raven laughed. "Not until it's clean."

Taking his hands, she led him to the forest green armchair in the corner and sat him down.

"You feel so deeply." She squeezed his hand. "You deserve to find someone who feels as deeply as you do." Standing, she smiled at him one more time before leaving her sullen cousin to ponder his situation.

"I can't believe you had to turn down a twenty-ninth proposal." Robin flung a pebble onto the lake. The water rippled as the stone skipped across the glassy surface before it finally dipped below the water with a satisfying plop.

"I know," Raven giggled as she lounged against the willow tree at the edge of the lake, linking a chain of wildflowers together. "This world is all still so surreal." Weaving in a daisy, she completed the flower crown. "Poor Edmund. I hope he doesn't take my refusal to heart. He's not as fun to be around as when he gets into one of his moods."

"Indeed." Robin returned to the red-checkered picnic blanket. "Maybe the imminent arrival of my sister will make a difference in his mood." He plopped himself down next to her, leaving a proper distance between them.

"Beatrice is coming? I'm so excited to meet her."

Robin scooted closer, dodging the dirty plates leftover from their picnic.

"The only problem is everyone thinks we've already met. I've corresponded with Beatrice these last few months, but I still don't know if we could fake that kind of intimacy in person?" She twirled the crown between her fingers, the stems smooth and braided.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Raven stilled as she felt his breath on the side of her face. His closeness so startled her that in turning to face him she knocked her head against the tree and dropped the flower crown to her lap.

"Oh, dear."

Her bun stuck on a few errant branches.

"Let me get that for you." Robin reached around her shoulder and gently pulled her tresses free. "All better." Raven flushed under his gaze, for he would not look away. She plucked the flower crown off her skirts and dropped it onto Robin's unruly hair.

"How do I look?" Robin wiggled his eyebrows. Raven laughed as the much too large crown for Robin's small head fell over his eyes. Snickering, she tossed it aside.

"Better now."

A pink petal peeked out of Robin's hair. Raven removed the offending petal, sweeping a fallen lock behind his ear. She lingered, hand on his face, even as she felt her cheeks color. Robin blinked; she could see the individual tips of his eyelashes and the small details in his skin. Raven surged forward without a thought. She closed her eyes, connecting with his lips, warm from the summer sun. Robin snaked an arm around her waist as she entangled herself in his soft hair.

Robin pulled away in a flash, staring at her pink face in shock. He held her for a moment before shooting to his feet.

"I'm sorry," Raven pleaded. "I don't know what came over me."

"I must be going now." Robin grabbed his hat from the blanket, fiddling with the brim, and refusing to look at her. Putting the hat on, he dashed off.

"What just happened?" Raven wondered aloud. She collapsed against the tree as she when she could no longer spy him in the distance. Snatching the discarded flower crown, she tore it up. The petals fluttered to the ground, carried away on the summer breeze. She must write to Lady Avon posthaste.