He Was There For Me
Thoughts
"Speech"
Chapter 3:
Robin's POV
Slowly Raven's uneven breathing deepened and the trembling stopped as my steady heartbeat lulled her to sleep. I looked at the clock in my room; it was almost 6 AM and she had only just fallen asleep. I adjusted my hold on Raven: moving one hand behind her head and the other one on her back. Slowly I lay her back in bed and covered us with the blanket. She was clinging to my shirt in her sleep. It was one of the few physical signs that showed me how scared she really was. I heard the ever slight scuff of Bruce's shoe as he walked up to the bed; his eyes no doubt were traveling over how close we were. I inwardly smirked knowing he would hate it. "We need to talk, now" Bruce whispered. I sighed and carefully got back up, following him into the hall. "How did you know something was wrong when we were all the way in the batcave?" Bruce asked. I knew it was driving him crazy that he didn't know. "That's between Raven and I" I said, nowhere near willing to tell him about the bond. "Fine, for now; then why did stuff turn black and start floating?" Bruce demanded. I really wasn't in the mood for this. "Her powers are tied to her emotions. Last time this happened at the tower we had to replace the TV, the game station, the tea kettle and about 100 light bulbs." I shrugged before continuing "Everyone loses control sometimes, no one's perfect" I glared at him, daring him to say that he was perfect. "Can I go to bed now?" I asked through a yawn after a short silence. "Not yet, who is in Gotham?" Bruce growled. "Slade" I said leaning on the door. "Who is Slade?" Bruce growled again, he obviously wanted straight answers. I held back a smirk knowing how much I was irritating him "Slade is a criminal mastermind from Jump." I yawned again and stuck my head in my room to make sure Raven was still sleeping. "Why did she seem to be comforted when you said you wouldn't let him get her? Who would want to get her?" Bruce wondered. "Slade, and let's just say she's had a bad time with him in the past." I turned to go back to bed but Bruce grabbed my arm. "Just because I'm letting her stay in your room doesn't mean you're allowed to" I didn't let him finish. "Look as hard as it might be for you to believe I would NEVER take advantage of Raven like that. Besides she's not ready for that especially not after…." I trailed off not wanting to tell Bruce about what Slade did to her, and thankfully he didn't press the matter. "Dick one more thing" he moved his hand to my shoulder. "I'm proud of how you handled everything tonight and managed to get her back to sleep" Bruce praised me, which was a rare sight. "Thanks, I'm the only person Raven has ever really let in enough for her to open up too. It took a long time for her to trust me, but it was worth it and, I wouldn't do anything to risk breaking that trust." I turned and went back to bed taking my shirt off after the door was closed behind me. I fell into a deep and easy sleep with Raven curled up in my arms.
Raven woke up breathing heavy and terrified with tears running down her cheeks a few short hours later. I was up almost instantly when she moved and pulled her into my lap. "Shhh it's ok. No tears today, your safe here with me" She looked up into my clear blue eyes and I wiped away her tears. "Happy Anniversary Angel" I whispered.
We could hear something down the hall. Cracking and crashing, and plenty of it. Getting up we decided to go see what it was. Walking into what had been Ravens guest room we saw Bruce working on taking apart the bedframe to throw it in the pile of other broken things by the door. I went to help him with the box spring, when it suddenly turned black and started floating. Bruce jumped a little in surprise. It took all my effort not to laugh at him as he looked around the room. I smiled at Raven, her hands were encased in her black magic. After moving all the broken things to the pile by the door she walked over to us saying "I'm sorry about the mess. I was just so-" "Its fine, I'm just glad you're ok" Bruce said to her. And for the first time since arriving in Gotham she smiled, not anything big, just a small shy Raven smile.
"How about we go out for lunch?" suggested Bruce. Raven and I shared a quick look. "Sure give us 30 minutes and we'll be ready to go" The three of us left with Bruce going one way and me and Raven going the other to shower and change.
When I walked in my room after my shower Raven was sitting on the bed brushing her hair. "I don't think he likes me" Raven said facing turning to face me. "Of course he does, he's just warming up to you." I hugged her and she rested her forehead on my chest. "It doesn't seem like it, he's just so cold" Raven said not looking up. Pulling back a little I lifted her chin and said "Trust me he is, it took him forever to warm up last time I brought someone home, I thought he was going to turn into an icicle" I had laughter in my eyes. "He was fine with Batgirl being a partner but not my girlfriend." Raven laughed a little before asking "Who's Batgirl? I mean behind the mask." I took her hand as we left my room behind and began descending the main staircase. "Barbra Gordan, ironically she's the commissioners' daughter. And he works with Batman and Batgirl almost every night. But he doesn't know she's Batgirl" Raven laughed again. "Just give him time, he hates when I get a girlfriend." I told her. Raven raised an eyebrow at me. "He says because I'm a hero it will put her in danger and weaken me" I told her once again mimicking Bruces voice as we went to meet him by the door. Raven looked thoughtful for a minute. "What's the real reason you had to come here Robin" The playful look was gone, she was serious now. "What do you mean" I didn't want to tell her that I was forced to come here or have Bruce show up at the tower. Luckily I didn't have to. We arrived in the front room at that moment where Bruce was waiting for us with Alfred walking off. I was safe for now but knowing Raven, she would bring it back up.
"So where do we want to go first?" Bruce asked as we approached him. Ravens stomach answered by growling loudly making Bruce and I laugh. "How about the Iceberg Lounge?" Bruce suggested as we were getting into the car. "Doesn't the Penguin own that place?" I asked momentarily ignoring the questioning look Raven was giving me. "Someone else does now, and after lunch we can walk around a bit" Bruce suggested. I was glad that he seemed to be warming up to the idea of me and Raven in a relationship. I opened the door to the car for her, then slid into the backseat next to her. "Oh and Rae, call me Dick or Richard while we're out ok?" I knew she would understand that Gotham didn't know Richard Grayson was also Robin. "Ok Rich" she said kissing the palm of my hand. I slid my hand free of her hold and draped it around her shoulder, gently tugging on her short lavender locks.
Raven's POV
After lunch we were walking around the streets of Gotham. It was a nice day out and the streets were crowded. I may have usually hated shopping, but there was something about being with Robin in Gotham that made it fun for me. I was walking behind Robin and Bruce when someone grabbed my arm and yanked me down a small alley. I let out a scream that was cut off when someone covered my mouth with their hand. I was dragged backwards so we were in a darkened corner where no one would see. Robin help! I mentally screamed. I was pulled against someone's chest. "I never knew you were the type to cheat on people, Robin would be so disappointed in you." A cold voice whispered in my ear. My gaze flicked up to see Robin and Bruce at the end of the ally. I bit the hand that was covering my mouth and screamed "Richard!" He didn't give Bruce the chance to stop him, Robin ran at Slade and I was thrown into the wall where I landed with a hard thud. Sirens could be heard in the distance. Slade pulled a knife and attacked. Before I knew what was happening Bruce was by my side, moving me away from the fight. The sounds of sirens grew louder as we exited the alley. The police came speeding around the corner followed by an ambulance. Four officers ran down the alley while a man in a brown coat and hat to match came over to where Bruce was sitting with me.
"Mr. Wayne, what happened here?" asked the man. "Commissioner, someone pulled Raven down into the alley and was threatening her. When Dick saw he ran down there and the guy pulled a knife" Bruce explained. "A knife" I had seen Slade pull it out, but it hadn't registered in my brain until then. I shot up and ran down into the alley pushing past officers and paramedics. The commissioner and Bruce were behind me, but I had enough of a head start. Someone grabbed me by my wrist, halting my progress towards Robin. "Please I have to help him!" my fear was evident in my voice. "You can't do anything Miss" one of the officers told me. They were loading Robin onto a stretcher. He looked bad. The whole bottom half of his shirt was missing and had a big bloody hole in his side. The officer released me to go help with Robin and Bruce showed up next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "He was trying to protect me." I yelled. I was angry at Robin for getting hurt, at Bruce for taking me away and not helping, but mostly at myself for letting him get hurt.
"I want to go with him" I said when the commissioner came up to us. "That's up to Mr. Wayne here." He told me. "Can you stay calm?" Bruce asked. I nodded taking a quick deep breath and ran to the ambulance. The paramedics shut the doors after I got in and we left with the sirens blaring. I sat next to Robin and held his hand, hoping that he could tell that I was near.
At the hospital the paramedics rolled Robin into a room refusing to let me come in as well. Bruce sat in a chair by the door while I paced in front of it. Three hours later a doctor came out and walked over to Bruce and I. "How is he?" Bruce asked calmly. "He's asleep but ok. I can take you to see him now if you wish?" the doctor offered. We both nodded and followed him to Robins room. I was dying to see him and know if he was alright or not. When we got there I went right in and stood next to the bed. I brushed some hair back and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry, so so sorry. I shouldn't have let Slade catch me by surprise like that. If he hadn't caught me or if I hadn't screamed you wouldn't be hurt" I said unsure if he could hear me or not. All I wanted at the moment was for his amazingly blue eyes to open and for him to be ok.
Bruce walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. I hadn't notice him enter the room. And that's exactly how Slade got me so easily. I was still sitting on the edge of Robin's bed caressing his hand with my thumb. I sighed heavily asking "When will he wake up?" I looked at Bruce as if he held the answers I so desperately wanted to hear.
Robin's POV
I could hear voices, no A voice. Her voice, Raven. I tried opening my eyes but found I couldn't so I simply focused on what she was saying. "I'm sorry, so so sorry. I shouldn't have let Slade catch me by surprise like that. If he hadn't caught me or if I hadn't screamed you wouldn't be hurt" she said in that quiet voice of hers. A door opened and closed quietly. Footsteps, they were drawing closer. I heard Raven sigh and say "When will he wake up?" Trying again I managed to open my eyes. Raven was sitting on the edge of the bed with Bruce standing next to her. They were looking at each other. "Oh Angel" I called lightly. Raven looked at me. "Robin" she breathed. I didn't care she had slipped up and called me Robin. I could feel how relieved she was that I was ok. "How do you feel?" Bruce asked taking a step closer to the bed. "Fine considering I have a hole in my side" I said sarcastically, but honestly I didn't feel too bad except for a dull ache in my side. "Come here" I patted the spot on the bed next to me and looked at Raven. I knew that my sarcastic remark freaked her out and she needed me right now. And I wanted her in my arms as much as she wanted to be in my arms. Raven looked nervous though. "I, I can't your hurt. I don't want to make it worse." She looked at the window. "Come on, Angel" I coaxed her. "I want to hold you" I said softly. "Go on Raven" Bruce whispered next to her ear. Still hesitant, she climbed into the bed with me and lay in my waiting arms. I felt her body tremble slightly and looked to see silent tears had started falling down her cheeks. I brushed them away and wrapped her tighter in my arms. I was glad that Slade hadn't had the chance to harm her.
Raven fell asleep in my arms as Bruce and I caught up on everything. We had been talking for about an hour when a young nurse came in. She asked if she could check my wound. I didn't want Raven to see it, she already felt bad about it and seeing it wouldn't help. I asked the nurse to wait until Raven left before undoing the bandages and she nodded. I gently shook Raven. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open and I smiled down at her. "Rae, could you wait in the hall with Bruce for a minute?" Raven nodded I knew her mind was still a little foggy. Bruce led her into the hall and the nurse took the bandages off the wound. She examined and cleaned it before wrapping it back up again saying "You are going to need to spend the night since there is still a good chance of infection." She looked sorry. I nodded my head, wanting her to leave so Raven and Bruce could come back in. She went to the door and left without looking back. Raven hurried through the door with a small smile on her face, followed more slowly by Bruce. I was frowning at the wall. "She said I have to spend the night" Raven's smile faltered and her shoulders drooped.