No One Could Save Me but You

"This dress is gonna kill me," Raven said, shaking her head as she was fitted for the bride's maid's dress.

"No, it's not. You look great hun," Missy ensured.

"Thanks," Raven laughed lightly.

"You're welcome," Missy said.

Twenty minutes later, she was on the phone with Bam, thorougly pissed.

"What's wrong?" Rave asked her as she hung up.

"Bam's having Novak as one of his groomsmen," She said.

"So?"

"Which one of my friends is going to walk with him?" Missy asked incredulously.

"I will," Raven said, with slight shrug.

"I have you with Raab though."

"That would be awkward," Raven said, sighing.

"What, wh-- oh. You broke up huh?"

"Yeah," She nodded.

Her eyes were sad.

"I'm sorry about that," Missy said. Raven remained quiet though.

The wedding day came, and Raven was all dressed up. Suited to the bride & groom's appeal and standars, while standing next to Novak who was also dressed to the couple's low standards.

"Ready?" He asked her.

"Mhm," Raven nodded, and the two proceeded down the aisle.

She took her spot, last in line, as did Novak. For a moment, Raven could have sworn Bam's eyes were studying her, but then she looked down the aisle and decided not to look at him ever again. Bam's eyes, had indeed studied her for a moment before marrying Missy. He was wondering, perhaps, if he was doing the right thing. Then again 'right' had never been high in Bam's standards. He'd done what he wanted for so many years, that Raven couldn't change his mind. But even as he was saying 'I Do', his thoughts were on Raven. Missy was too blind to see, and Raven was paying more attention to the floor than to the wedding itself. So he'd married her.

The reception came, and well, Raven & Novak were introduced. Not that the entire wedding didn't know who they were, but you know. Some kind of tradition had to be upheld. It was a wedding. Raven met a lot of people that she'd never wanted to [Steve-O being the most outspoken of them], and took a ton of pictures. She'd have to spend hours developing them, but she didn't care. She'd done it as a favor, and now, she was beginning to realize that she could just be friends.. NOT. She wanted to get out of Pennsylvania as quick as possible. She'd travel across the country, or the ocean, if that's what it would take to forget about him.

"Thank you so much," Missy said as she hugged Raven goodbye.

"You're welcome," She mummbled tiredly.

Luckily, Jess was still very sober and was driving her home.

"Thanks Raven," Bam said, as well, and hugged the girl goodbye.

"Mm," Raven replied.

Her eyes heavy with sleep and her brain wanting to shut down then and there. Jess drove her home, and as soon as she entered she fell face first on to the couch.

A little less than a week later, Missy and her were going over pictures of the wedding. Deciding which ones she wanted and which ones she didn't. Also which ones she wanted edited and which ones she thought were fine.

"I want to thank you again," Missy said, softly.

"For what?" Raven asked, "How about this one?"

"Yeah, that one -- in black & white." Missy nodded, "For going to our wedding, and taking pictures. I mean, it had to have been hard."

"Photography is easy," Raven replied.

She really hadn't though about much lately, except work, and the fact that she was about to pack the fuck up and leave.

"I meant," Missy said, "Watching us get married."

Raven's eyes looked up at her. "Oh uh-- Yeah."

After the pictures were developed, and given to Missy & Bam [after their honeymoon], Raven started to pack up some stuff. She had an apartment in New York, and she'd live there from now on. She'd told Jason, that he and his newly born family should move in after a few weeks because it would be good for them. West Chester was a good place to raise a family, that was the excuse she had given. Jason had replied with, I know he was married. Raven hung up. None of the bad tendancies seemed to dance on her arms anymore, but Raab had a hunch that something was wrong.

He pulled up just as the moving truck was pulling up.

"Raven!" He called.

"Yeah?" She asked, softly.

"Where are you going?" Raab asked.

"Back to New York," Raven said, "To live."

"What? Why?" Raab asked.

"Because, I need a new start. I need to move somewhere where I don't have all this to remember. I need a fresh, clean slate," Raven said, and plopped a box into the truck.