Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Batman (Bruce, Dent, etc.). Only thing I own in this, is my OC.
'Raven wasn't weak,' She told herself that everyday when she woke up. She wouldn't show weakness. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't scream. After all she faced in her past with death seeming to follow her, she would be brave. She had to be.
16 years ago.
"Daddy," a five year old girl ran up to her father holding a colorful drawing in hand, "look what I drew!" She held up the image to her father. It showed a happy, stick-figured, family. Each member was holding hands with the other as they stood in front of their large home.
"This is you," the girl said facing her tall and elegant mother who was arm in arm with her father, "And this is you, Daddy!" the child pointed her finger to the tallest of the stick figures.
The man, the child's father, frowned; "I'm on my phone?" he gently took the picture from the little girls hand and smiled slightly handing the picture to the girl's mother. He swiftly picked his little girl up and walked over to a chair in their vast living room. The child giggled as her father placed her in his lap smiling down at her.
"Raven, do you think Daddy likes working all the time?" he spoke softly to her
Yes." The child giggled.
"Daddy wishes he could be with you more. He doesn't want to work all the time, but he has to. Daddy loves being with you and mommy more, understand?" he tilted the little girls chin up to look him in the eyes. "Raven?"
"Of course, daddy, I always knew that!" the little girl looked taken aback by her father's words. She knew what her father did. She knew he was the publisher of hundreds of well read Newspapers and magazines. Including Gotham Times, the most read paper in the state, and Xero, one of the top magazines read all over the country. Yes, his child knew very well what her father did.
"Good," he smiled tickling her as she giggled, "I lo-," a scream rang out throughout their entire home.
This caused Raven to begin to cry, "Daddy, why's momm-, "she was cut off when another scream, followed by a loud bang rang threw the air.
The child's father took action quickly. He picked his daughter up and quickly ran her into another room, "Hide, Raven, hide in the closet, quickly." He stayed long enough to ensure his daughter was well hidden, "Raven, I'm going to get mommy, stay quiet and do not open this door, understand? Do not open unless I knock and say out secret word."
Her father shut the door quickly before she could protest. "Nevar." She mumbled to herself quietly, their secret word, her name backwards. She was alone. Everything was quiet until she heard what sounded like a balloon popping and another scream. She didn't move, she didn't cry, or scream.
Her mother opened the door. Her pretty white dress she had on was half off, the bottom pushed up her thighs, "Baby, the bad men are gone, it's okay…," she was crying. There were police officers behind her looking around.The little girl pushed some of her black hair out of her face and stared up at her mothers, "Where is Daddy?"
10 years later.
Raven was 15.
Her father, Alphonse Rafael, had been shot by the robbers who had broken in. It had been 3 men; they stole all their valuables and raped her mother. After that night, her mother had become a very, cautious, women. She made Raven go to an all girl's school. Basically kept her hidden from the real world, she hardly ever went anywhere except to school.
The people at her school were nice to her because they knew she had a lot of money. Her mother had kept the business going after her father's death. They now were also owners of a hotel line known as 'The Nevar,' for her father. It had become known as one of the most luxurious hotel line in the world quickly. In Gotham, she was like the female Bruce Wayne, just not as rich.
Raven giggled while she played with her dog, a collie, she named him Rooter, Root for short. He was honestly her only friend she had. Raven had friends at school, but her mother always worried about letting her out of their penthouse apartment even for school. After the burglary, and rape, her mother had become scared of men; she always hid her body and worked mostly out of the penthouse. Her mother worried that Raven would be raped so she kept her well hidden from men. Usually the only men she ever saw were on T.V, and her biology teacher.
She sighed, patting her dog on the head, "Root, I wonder what its like to kiss…," she sighed deeply. All of her friends talked about their boyfriends like they were gods and in Raven's mind, men ended up that way, simply because she never really saw a man her age, or boy considering she was 15.
Her own personal assistant/nanny, walked into the room. She was crying. He beautiful brown eyes read from all of her tears, "Raven, sweetie, I have bad news, there's been an accident."
Raven stared at her nanny, Rose was her name, "What happened?" she spoke softly, calm oozing from her voice.
"You mother got in a car accident, she didn't make it." Rose let out a loud sob while walking over to hug her.
Raven embraced Rose, brushing her hair on her head, "its okay, Rose, everything will be alright." Raven didn't cry. She never cried. She always held it in.
The funeral was held a week later for her mother, it was a large one, tones of celebrities attended it ranging from the President to Brittany Spears. When it came time for the reading of the will, everything was left to Raven. Rose was to be her guardian and watch over her until she turned 21.
6 years later.
Rose entered Raven into an all girl's boarding school. She came home on holidays to Rose who became like a mother to her, but instilled the same rules her own mother had. No men. No men. No men at all.
Rooter had died a month following her own mother's death. Rose made up for it by buying her another three dogs, and two cats. Raven had become known at her boarding school for all her rich clothing and pampered style. She was all over the tabloids following her mother's death and all over the news. She went all over the world, but everything was a private thing for her and Rose. Her favorite vacation home was in Michigan. It was large, very, very, large. At three floors and complete with a tennis court, it was an intimidating sight with an impressive view.
Raven stared out a window of her new penthouse in Gotham. It was bigger than the one she had lived in six years ago when her mother had died. Rose had bought to congratulate Raven on her graduation from and all Girl's College named; 'Our Lady of Hope'. Rose had told her that Raven's mother had wanted this of her. That rule of no boys applied up until her 21st birthday, which was just a couple of days following her graduation, which just happened to be yesterday.
She reached down and picked her American Shorthair named Chester and smiled down at her Persian named Simon while she stepped over her Great Dane name Ally, and the other Great Dane, Alex. Her other dog followed her, another collie in Rooter's honor. She named him Rooter Jr. Junior for short.
Rose had taken good care of her the past six years, and she still would, she had promised to stay and make sure she was alright, although Raven had a suspicion she only stayed for the money. Raven had been excited for tonight. A fundraiser was being held tonight for Harvey Dent by Bruce Wayne. He had invited her, she really didn't know why, but she assumed it was because she was finally coming into power by taking over the family business.
Rose had gotten her a custom designed dress, and it was made to Raven's exact specification, it showed off her body. Raven had wanted to show men she was out there and on the market. She was finally going to meet men up close that were her age. She may have been twenty-one but she still really never knew any man her own age. As pathetic as that sounds, it was true.
She walked into her bedroom placing her cat Chester down onto her white expanse of a bed. She turned her TV on that she had mounted on the wall, it was on the news, about the Joker, and he seemed to be getting a lot of attention lately. She personally thought he was like a child who should just be ignored; she quickly changed the channel to something stupid, SpongeBob, naturally. Raven picked up her flashy dress. It was a tad skimpy, but she wanted to be noticed tonight.
It was a dark multicolored sequin halter gown. Low cut to show off cleavage, her back and sidesof her stomach. It had cost a fortune, but to be honest, why should she care? She had all the money in the world just about.
"Raven? Sweetie, it's getting late, are you going to the Fundraiser?" Rose's high pitched voice spoke loudly through the house.
"Yeah," Raven turned towards her bathroom, holding the dress in hand; she shut the door with her foot. Raven stared at her reflection in the mirror. She wasn't ugly, she knew that by what the newspapers and tabloids seemed to always say about her (reporters seemed to always find a way to have her picture in the magazines and papers that she published or owned). They called her look exotic, and said things about how she looked like her parents. For instance; she had her father's eyes, her mother's legs and so on.
She shrugged to herself, turning away from the mirror. She quickly pulled the dress on, turning once more to her reflection. She had to admit, the dress was pretty. Raven flipped her long, black, straight hair over her shoulders. Her blue eyes stood out with the contrast of her dark hair and naturally dark Italian skin. Her dark eye lashes added to the point. She didn't wear make-up. Her exception was lip-gloss, and even then, it was rare. Her lips weren't too thick or too thin. Although, Raven, always seemed to find a fault in her complexion, Rose always told her she was beautiful.
She stepped out of the bathroom, smiling down at her dog, Alex, who had, strangely, always been protective of her, along with Ally and Rooter. Although, Alex was over-protective, he followed her everywhere and could barely stand to be without her for more than two seconds. She had a feeling it had something to do with saving him from an abusive family.
"Oh my," Rose stepped into her bedroom and smiled at her, "You look beautiful! And you're not even wearing make-up. Most girls would be mortified to leave the home without any." Rose shook her head smiling and laughing quietly to herself.
"Thank you Rose," Raven walked towards her walk in closet, she sighed while picking up a new pair of shoes that she bought, simple black strappy shoes, two inch heels, and a couple of diamonds to add to the flashiness that was. With her shoes on she was at a model's height; five feet eight inches. She picked up her small black Gucci handbag. She only carried essentials; license, some cash (two, one hundred dollar bills), and a credit card. She was tempted to bring a small hairbrush but decided against it.
"Time?" she asked while starring at her reflexion in her full length mirror.
"Nine forty-five…didn't it start at nine?" Rose asked looking away from a digital clock on the wall, "Then again, you celebrities like to be fashionably late." Rose smiled leaning against the doorway to Raven's room.
When Raven finally did arrive, the party was in full swing, people were still arriving, so she felt better about arriving at ten twenty. She took a deep breath in her long black limo before leaving. As soon as she left the safety of the limo, cameras were flashing and reporters were shouting her name, trying to get her attention and give them some kind of statement. She smiled and waved, posing for a few pictures.
"Ms. Rafael!" someone screamed her name, she turned towards the voice, a micro-phone was shoved into her face, "Tell us, how do you feel about taking over your father's business 16 years following his death?"
Raven smiled, this reporter was for one of her magazines, "I'm excited, what I'm doing is for my father and mother, I'm sure they'd be happy." She turned, walking away into the building, followed by quite a few others.
The party was not what she had expected it to be. Middle aged men with young twenty year olds hanging off their arms kept winking at her. She rolled her eyes taking a sip of her white champagne.
"Ms. Rafael?" a young man spoke, walking towards her, she recognized him quickly.
"Mr. Harvey Dent." She smiled sweetly.
"Yeah, wow." He smiled holding out a hand to her, she took it, shaking hands, she did a once over. He was handsome, just like on TV. Blond hair, pretty eyes, and tall.
"You look amazing," he scanned her just as she had done to him, "How are you tonight? I hear you've just recently turned twenty-one and you are taking over your parents business soon?"
"Yes, I turned twenty-one yesterday, and I'm taking over in two weeks," she glanced around him, a girl she recognized as Rachel Dawes from the news was walking towards them, "Rachel Dawes?" she questioned as the women neared them.
"Yes, wow, Hi, Raven Rafael, the female Bruce Wayne," The women seemed shocked to see her, "It's such a pleasure to meet you, I, wow." She gasped staring up at her (literally, Raven towered over the women).
"Your even more beautiful than the pictures!" Rachel smiled sipping from her drink.
"Thank you, I could say the same for you. Actually, I've heard a lot about you, even considering your help for some of my investment." She smiled.
Rachel seemed taken aback, "Oh, yes, I'd love to."
"That's great." Dent said smiling as well, "Real great." He said putting his arm around Rachel. Raven glanced towards around the two as a chopper came down.
"If you'll excuse us," Dent spoke guiding Rachel away, "Bruce Wayne is here." Raven smiled towards Mr. Wayne as he made his extravagant entrance, and speech. Raven clapped her hands together and turned towards a table, sitting down, her feet were killing her. She sighed deeply just as a shadow came over her.
"Well, well, well, Ms. Raven Rafael, glad to see you could make it." Bruce Wayne spoke loudly as he starred down at her.
Raven stood up, straightening her dress subtly, "Oh, Mr. Wayne, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, I'm told you're the male me." She smiled, cocking her head to the left.
Bruce Wayne chuckled, looking down at his feet shaking his head, than looking back up at her, meeting her blank gaze, "I've heard that as well." He glanced towards Rachel, "Excuse me."
Raven nodded her head as he walked away. She walked away from the party, having to use the restroom, it took her almost five minutes to find. When she did, she looked herself over in the mirror; she ran a hand through her hair, flipping it back over her shoulders when she heard a gunshot. She froze. Raven didn't want to believe what she heard as she slowly reached for her bag into a mob of screaming people running away from whatever was going on. Raven must have been an idiot because she began to walk the other way, towards the commotion.
What she saw sent chills down her spine. The Joker was walking through the room. She took a deep breath; if she didn't want to die the best thing to do was stay unnoticed. Find a place and don't make any commotion. She sat down in a chair, and began to play with a fork. To be honest, the whole death thing was getting old in her life. Her father died when she was five, her best friend died when she was seven, when she turned ten Rose's daughter had been held hostage, then killed, fifteen, her mother, and now this. Frankly she was becoming bored of all the life threatening things in her life. Don't get her wrong, she wasn't suicidal, but death was just looking like another beginning.
Raven heard the Joker speaking to another person; she didn't look until she heard the Batman. She glanced over towards them. It seemed the Joker was holding Rachel half out a window.
"Let her go." She heard Batman speak in his deep raspy voice. What the Joker said next she kind of had to agree with, "Poor choice of words." As soon as Batman ran after her, everyone else ran towards emergency exits, leaving their belongings. Raven hesitated, which was a very stupid mistake.
"Well, what do we have here? Another beauty?" the chilling voice spoke loudly through the room.
She bit her lip, she couldn't ignore him. She stood up, staring him in the eyes, "If you'll excuse me." She spoke softly never looking away, praying that he'd just let her walk out.
Just as she began to turn and walk away he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her against him, he grabbed her face roughly with his left hand, and place a knife against her cheek with his other hand, laughing the entire time, "Clever little girl!" he spoke, still laughing, "But I'm afraid you're not going anywhere."