Raven spent the last few minutes glancing at her own favorite pictures, especially the ones taken at the festival in the photoboth during their interupted first date. They had spend several minutes trying to make the goofiest faces at each other, and kept adding credit coins to continue the contest. Only three coins until their first kiss, which was the last on string of pictures.

How much of a joy and pain those memories were. All those missions, and times spent off-duty together.

And now this... this was driving nuts, the tears rolling down her face she didn't even notice now, not even when they spattered a little bit on the middle portion of the string of pictures.

Hearing him ask if he could sit down, Raven glanced up.

"Go ahead, it isn't reserved for anybody." Raven murmured, nodding.

Not saying anything further, she waited for him to sit down beside her and continue the conversation she had tried to start earlier in the bar.

As he sat he felt a pinge of guilt bite into his mind. He did not mean to upset her, and now Daren had to suffer the consequences. He took her hand in his, intertwining the two's fingers together as he rested his head against her shoulder.

Just before she had the chance to speak, he brought two fingers up to silence her, touching her lips gently.

"I have something important to tell you first Raven."

She was about to speak, to tell him to go ahead, that it was okay, when he pressed two fingers upon her lips.

Now he had her fullest attention, her own gaze locking with his.

Saying nothing, she nodded.

He smiled and leaned close to her so only she could hear.

"I love you Raven."

All this joy and pain, all seemed worthwhile, and she imediately understood why he seemed so upset earlier about Tec going with her to Bespin, to Cloud City of all places.

Hearing those words spoken had made her smile, laugh, and cry, all of these at once.

All this yearning, stolen glances, and a growing addiction involving anything and everything that was him and who he was, all simplified to three simple words.

And those words, seemingly simple, but, like so many things in life, the fine print sounding it gives it a complicated meaning.

After kissing him breifly on the lips, she smiled.

"This simplifies, explains so much." Raven whispered, her smile growing wider on her face.