Disclaimer: I do not own the characters and I am not affiliated in any way, shape or form with anyone who is.
The streets were bustling, the traffic heavily clogged and Victor knew that he only had two options. He could either ask Raven about her day and listen to endless prattle about which boys were cute or why she hadn't done her homework yet or he could keep quiet and end up suffering through her latest musical fad.
"So, how was your day?"
Her eyes lit up at being given an opportunity to talk; "well dad, I was sitting behind this really cute boy in math class, which is strange because," she laughed "why would there be any cute boys in math class? But I suppose there would be because even the hot guys need to take math…" She looked confused, puzzling over her conundrum and Victor decided that another tactic was needed.
"Have any visions?"
"I had this one about a pair of shoes that I have been dying to buy, and they're going to be marked down to half-price. I know, its astonishing isn't it! I mean…"
The traffic began to speed off and Victor went with it, desperate to get home. He never used to mind spending time with Raven but that was when he was able to relate to what she was talking about; she had changed from his child into his daughter in what felt overnight and it was hard not to miss the past.
Immersed deep in his memories, and not paying any attention to Raven continually talking in his ear he only barely noticed that the traffic had come to a stand-still. He braked the car sharply, managing to avoid colliding with the stationary one in front of him. Unfortunately, the driver behind were not as quick to react and he felt a sharp pain as his body thrust forward when his vehicle was slammed into.
The first thing he noticed was that Raven was being quiet; the second was a screeching pain that shot through his arm. He pulled himself back into his seat and looked down at his body. There wasn't any blood, but the lower portion of his left arm was hanging at an obscure angle.
"Raven? You okay?"
"Uh-huh."
"We need to… get out of the car…" He wasn't sure why he wanted to get out of the car but he was beginning to feel trapped inside it. He opened the door, getting out, trying not to jostle his arm too much. He went and sat down on the pavement, shaking lightly and staring down at the road directly in front of his feet.
"Are you okay Dad?"
He lifted his head and saw that Raven had knelt down to his level. He smiled weakly and nodded; "I'm fine."
Her eyes flickered over him and stopped when they had focused on his arm; "I think your arm is broken."
"Oh." He wasn't sure what else to say, he tried to think of something to say but his brain seemed to be covered by a thick grey fog and he couldn't come up with anything.
Raven took out her phone and dialled for an ambulance but he didn't listen to her. He didn't listen when pedestrians enquired about him; or when the overtly apologetic driver who had struck him rushed out of the car to his side. He didn't respond to the questions or the sympathy because he could barely dissect them through the fog to understand what he was being asked in the first place.
When the fog fully dispersed he was sitting in a hospital room, with his arm in a cast. "My arm," it felt weak and stupid to mention it but he was confused about what had happened.
"Its okay dad, you got into a car accident." Cory's voice was sharp and clear and he felt pleased that he could hear properly now.
"I'll go and get a doctor, Cory you stay here." Raven left the room and Victor looked at Cory.
He was touched to see that Cory looked worried; he usually reserved that emotion for when he had done something forbidden or when his money was in jeopardy.
"I'm okay; you don't need to worry about me."
Cory made a nervous sound that was half a cough and half a scoff, "what? Me? Worried? Hah-hah! That's a good one dad!"
He smiled to himself, Cory was still Cory. Hopefully he wouldn't change like Raven had; wouldn't become a stranger as well.
Raven returned with a middle-aged doctor who approached the bed with an authoritative air. Raven sat down in a nearby chair as the doctor peered at Victor, making him feel like he was in a display cabinet.
"Mr. Baxter, what is the last thing that you remember?" He sounded disinterested and Victor wondered if that was how he sounded when he spoke to his daughter, did he give indication that he thought of it as a chore?
"Well I was in the car with my daughter and then we were hit from behind. I asked her if she was okay and…" he paused to recollect his memories but doing so caused the fog to start to creep back and he decided that he wouldn't try to remember. "And then I ended up here."
"Hmm… Well you went into shock after the accident for quite a while, so I'm not surprised that you find it hard to remember. We've given you, your daughter and the other driver a full inspection and the only harm done is to your arm. It's broken." A beeping emitted from the doctor's belt and he nodded at them, "I have to go, I shall be back when I am able to return." He left quickly, disappearing down a corridor.
Victor was about to talk to his children when he saw Raven tense up, her eyes wide and distant. He waited patiently until she pulled back with a gasp.
"What'd you see?" Cory sounded vaguely interested but Victor felt anger swelling up inside him; anger at the fact that he had lost his daughter, that he was injured. Under his breath he muttered to himself.
"Probably something about shoes."
"What?" He looked up at her; she was standing defensively, her facial features twisted in confusion. The anger surged again and he tried to hold it down, failing as it boiled over.
"Were some shoes going on sale Raven? Or did you happen to see something important for once? Like, I don't know, my arm being broken? Your visions are useless, completely useless Raven."
Her expression softened and she blinked rapidly, looking upset. Victor sighed; he'd gone too far. He'd said what he had been thinking for months and he couldn't take it back.