Chapter 9
After all, they had been through. After all the midnight conversations. The heart to hearts.
After she thought she was starting to fall in love with him.
After she thought he was beginning to fall in love with her.
This is how it would end.
"Let her go X," Nightwing growled.
Nightwing, Batman, Robin, and Zatanna stood across her and Jason.
Jason held a sharp x to her neck. The sharp point digging into her skin, drawing blood.
Raven felt so utterly betrayed.
"You let me go out first and I'll let go of the pretty bird."
The heroes all looked to each other and to Batman.
He nodded.
Red-X walked her to the portal that the herald created then pushed raven into right-wing arms and bolted. Immediately he zapped away. Leaving a heartbroken bird in his wake.
"Let's get home," Nightwing said as he picked her up.
Raven nodded.
...
He was an idiot and he knew it.
He panicked seeing Batman and so what does he do. Threatens the girl he has feelings for and abandons her.
Fuck.
He messed up.
Fucking big time.
..
..
Three Days Later
"I feel hurt and betrayed," Raven told Kori who was still stationed in Jump with Nightwing. "But mostly I feel confused."
"That is an understandable friend," the red-haired alien told her. "An earthly custom that I too had a hard time understanding. The ability to love so strongly for two people."
"I always thought that I wouldn't be able to love," Raven continued. "That if I ever tried, I would lose control and hurt those around me. Then as if the fates wish to make it worse I fall into one overly protective man and one was planning on selling me to a mercenary with evil intention. I don't know what to do."
"Perhaps you do nothing," Starfire told her. "Perhaps you just allow what must happen to happen. In the end, you make the decision with your heart, not with your mind. Do not stress my friend."
"I think you're a right star. Thank you."
"It is of no issue, you know how much I enjoy the girl talk."
...
Damian, who was stood at the slightly open door of Raven's room, did not know what to think.
Was he upset?
Yes.
At Raven?
No, not really. He understood where she was coming from. She had been trapped with Red-X for what seemed like a very long time for her. Feelings were bound to happen.
Was he upset at Red-X?
He wanted to be but he felt more competitive than anything and that alone made him feel guilty. Raven was not a prize to be won.
She was more of a gift that he had to earn and at that moment Damian knew he would have to work hard to get her back to be his and only his.
X wasn't going to take her from him.
The alarms went off bringing Damian out of his plotting.
...
"Who is the big baddie this time?" Aqualad asked as Beastboy drove him and Blue Beetle to the building
"The computer just said that there were gunshots coming from the old abandoned hospital," Nightwing answered through the communicator.
"Dude, "Beastboy whined. " Why does this city have so many abandoned buildings?"
"There are seven of us here today," Robin said scolding the whiney changeling. "As long as you stop whining we can get in and out in minutes."
Nightwing and Damian both rode their respective motorcycles while Raven and Starfire flew towards the building.
All seven heroes wondering who they were up against in this fine night.
All arrived within seconds of the other and they met outside the door.
"Titans," Beastboy said to his team. "Let's all be careful. Whoever paid X to get Raven is still out there."
Beetle, Aqualad, and Robin nodded.
"Star and I will take the back," Nightwing said. "I suggest you all split up into teams."
"On it," Beastboy said. "Raven and I will take the roof, Beetle, Aqualand and Robin you guys take the inside and try not to split up."
Robin scowled but the quick glance from Raven told him not to argue. The others nodded.
"Titans move out," Beastboy commanded.
The team plus the two extras went to their designated areas.
...
The roof was quiet and empty when the two Titans landed on the roof they saw nor heard anything.
"Sense anything off here Rae?" Beastboy asked her.
"No," Raven replied. "I don't sense anything."
She looked towards Gar and he was staring at her, not caring about the situation at all.
"How are you Rae?" the green changeling asked her.
Raven looked at her teammate and one of her oldest friends. He had grown up. No longer was there a scrawny little boy who was somewhat socially awkward in an endearing way. No, instead stood a man who had learned to understand and feel the situation that surrounded their friends. He had grown both physically and mentally and she could feel it by the feeling of worry that radiated off of him.
"Okay," she said with a small smile. "I just want to get Slade in custody. I want this all to end."
Raven heard the voice before she felt his presence.
"You already know that this will never end, Raven," he said as he stepped out of the shadows.
Both Titans went into an offense pose immediately with Beastboy in front of Raven.
"Slade," Beastboy growled.
Raven's hands glowed in her black energy. The fight had just become real. This wasn't a robot, no, it was the real Slade.
"Hello Beastboy," he said as he looked directly at Raven. "I, unfortunately, do not have the time to speak with you today. I am here to speak with the pretty blue bird and nobody else."
Before either Titan could replay, something hit Beastboy and dragged him into the sky.
"Beastboy!" Raven yelled as she tried to fly after him only to be forcefully tackled down by Slade.
The two landed on the roof, Raven face first with Slade trapping her beneath him. She could feel her cheek swelling from the impact. She would have a bruise.
"Hello little gem," he said turning her and grabbing her face in his large hand, picking her up. "Did you miss me?"
...
Below inside the hospital and on the ground, the other Titans were faced with hundreds of Slade bots.
"Where the hell does he get these things?" Beetle yelled as he blasted one into the wall. "Why do villains always seem to have an infinite amount of technology and weapons at their disposal?"
"Politics, money, treachery," Robin said as he sliced the head off of one of the bots. "All different sorts of connections."
"It's unfair if you ask me," Aqualad said as he used the last of his water to destroy ten bots.
Having defeated all the Slade bots Robin got out his communicator.
"Team," he said into it. "Status report."
"Star and I are almost done with these bots," Nightwing replied.
"I got blasted and dragged like three miles away," Beastboy said. "I just got free but Raven was fighting Slade before I got shipped away."
Not wasting a second the young Robin began to run up the stairs at amazing speed.
...
"You don't have to fret, dear girl," Slade said to her. "The time has not yet come. I only have a message for you.."
Raven scowled at the man who currently held her cheeks in a painful lock. His emotions and thoughts were deranged, more than usual.
"It's a simple message that I want you to understand. I'll get you, little bird," he said before he bashed her head onto the ground. "Perhaps not today as it is not the right time but soon. Soon, raven, you will be mine in every way imaginable."
He slammed her against the closest wall. His arm holding her by her neck. He let his free hand drag across her bruised face. His gloved hand was cold.
"And there will be nothing you can do to stop me," he said as he grabbed her chin.
His masked face was very close to her own. She could feel his warm, minty breath through the slits on his mask. It was unnerving.
"I will have you," he said once more before he slammed her head against the wall.
Pain shot through her and she could feel blood seeping down her hair. He was gone before her vision could stabilize. She slumped down to the ground.
Raven laid on the ground for a few long minutes. Her head throbbing and her vision still fuzzy and blurred.
"Raven!" the voice of Robin cried.
Robin went to her side and helped her sit up.
"Are you okay?" he asked her.
"No but I'll heal," she said. "Let's just get home."
Robin picked her up bridal style and began to walk her down.
"Robin," she said with annoyance." I can walk!"
"I don't care," he replied.
Raven huffed but let him take her. His warm body a comfort from what had just occurred.
...
"So it's official," Garfield said to the rest of the team. "Slade's definitely after Rae."
Raven sighed.
The team was all sat in the living room and were sharing a box of donuts. They had been going over the events of the night, seeing what could be done.
"We just have to keep our heads up and be wary of who we are fighting," Dick said as he took a bite of his donut. "Kori and I will stay until all of this is handled."
"Good idea," Garfield said. "Rae, don't be mad but I think you should probably maybe not go on any solo missions and always be accompanied by one of use on team missions. Slade could be lurking anywhere."
Raven nodded.
"I guess its bedtime then?" Garfield said with a grin. "Sweet dreams!"
The team said their goodnights and all went to their respective rooms.
...
Raven walked to her room, thoughts spinning through her head.
Some anger, annoyance, definitely some fear.
She sat on her bed and began meditating. She sat in her pose for about 20 minutes before she heard her door open and opened her eyes.
In front of her stood Damian. He looked annoyed, with a frown on his face.
Raven looked at him.
"You are avoiding me," he said seriously.
She sighed and stood up.
"Damian," she began.
"No," he said as he grabbed her arms. "You aren't going to shut me out. We are going to talk."
Raven pushed him back with her powers.
"Talk about what," Raven said.
"Our relationship," he said as he let go of her arms to grab her hands. "Raven, please."
"We broke up Damian," she said. "We weren't working."
"But you and X did?" he said suddenly.
Raven's jaw dropped. He had been eavesdropping?
"How dare you!" she started.
"You left your door open," he said. "I wanted to talk to you."
Raven shut her jaw. He was right, she did leave it open.
"Raven," he said pulling her into a hug. "Raven, please don't go with X. Please, give me a chance."
She was overwhelmed by his feelings. His always strong feelings.
"Damian," she began once more but he was she was stopped when he kissed her.
It was a warm and tender kiss. Romantic and full of feeling. Full of love. She couldn't help but respond by putting her hands in his hair.
They kissed for what seemed like hours, eventually landing on her bed to just kiss and enjoy each other's embrace.
"Another chance?" he said as he dragged his thumb down her slightly bruised face.
Raven sighed.
She was doing that a lot lately.
"Damian," she said.
He gave her another chaste kiss.
"Another chance?" he repeated.
Raven stared into his pretty green eyes, so full of emotion.
Could she get into a relationship after having had her heart broken?
With someone who had broken it as well?
"I promise," he said. "I promise you I won't be so overprotective. I'll trust your skills."
His hand was cupping her cheek as they faced each other.
Raven gave him a kiss on his lips.
"Go to sleep boy wonder," she said.
Damian brought her closer.
"I'm going to take that as a yes Raven," he said.
"Okay," she said as she snuggled into his chest.
The two birds then drifted into a calm and dreamless sleep.
….
...
All it said was you will regret this. Then it exploded.
Luckily Jason was able to dodge. His living room was in disarray but he was alive.
For now.
He had to find a way to stop Slade, he had to protect her.
He had to.
...
End
So back with Damian but who will she end up with in the end? We'll see.
