Batman opened the door to the small house to find Raven pacing the living room without her illusion blocking her tattoos. She wasn't talking, just calmly pacing back and forth. "I don't need to hear it Batman." She hadn't even looked at him when he entered the room.
"I know you don't, that's why I'm not going to say anything." Batman just watched her pace after he secured the door.
"I know they love me, but I can't stand this babying they seem to think I need." Raven stopped pacing and finally turned to the older man. "I know they don't know who I am, or what I really need. I know they're only doing what they think they have too, but I can't take it anymore. I just can't. I'm not fragile. I thought I could play along. I thought I could let them believe I was fragile, and needed tending to, but I can't. You know they don't want me to go to school. They want to hire a private tutor for me. I can't stay home and get tutored. I want to be able to get out of the house and not have to pretend so much."
Batman pulled his cowl back and hugged the girl. "I can talk to your parents for you." Bruce rubbed the girl's head as she started to cry.
"You don't have to Bruce." Raven sniffed, trying, and failing, to stop crying.
"I don't mind. I think a little chat with the Batman will calm their nerves, and maybe get them to back off some. If that doesn't work, maybe we can get you a place of your own. "
"If you think it'll help. I'm not so sure it will. I just wish that they would calm down. I know I played it up slightly when I got back, but I'm fine." Raven sat down, defeated.
"You were scared when we got you out. And that's understandable since you honestly thought that you would end up a slave to those men, and since you thought that the League would turn on you when we found out about Luthor and his purpose for making you stronger. You were very scared, but once you got settled, your fear all but vanished, and I know it's because you're stronger than most, mentally and physically. I will do my best to convince your parents that you're okay, and like I said, if I can't, I'll gladly help you find a place of your own." Bruce sat beside the teen.
"Thank you Bruce. You don't know how much this means to me. I don't know what I'd do without you right now. I think you're about the only thing keeping me sane." Raven rubbed her face, then thought of something. "I didn't tell you that I saw Superman the night Joker took me hostage, did I?"
"No."
"Yeah. He was pretty nice to me. He seemed to calm his fears about Luthor once he talked to me about the hole mind control thing."
"That's good. He tries to see the best in people, but when Luthor's involved, his judgement can get a little cloudy sometimes. They've been enemies for so long, that he can't help himself." Bruce smiled down at Raven, who smiled back.
"I understand." Raven leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes. "I want to go back to school, and finish. I've been gone for so long, I just want some normalcy back."
"I know. I'll talk to your parents."
"How exactly can Bruce Wayne get them to change their minds?"
"I didn't mean me as Bruce Wayne, I meant me as Batman. I think they'll listen to Batman."
"Probably." Raven hugged Bruce again. "Thank you Bruce. I'm glad I can reply on you."
"You're welcome Raven, now I think it's a good idea for you to head on home. I'll go with you and we can talk to your parents together, ok."
"Ok." Raven stood up and let Batman walked her out after he put his cowl back on, and she had covered her tattoos. Batman helped Raven get into the Batmobil.
"I heard you went out with some of your old friends the other day, how did that go?" Batman wasn't usually good with small talk, but he thought he'd try.
"Pretty good. I discovered that I'm not sure why I was friends with some of them to begin with. Though I do still have one that I know why." Raven shrugged. "You learn things."
"That's ok. Sometimes its best to only have a few really close friends. A lot of friends are sometimes a good thing, but most of the time it's not."
"Agreed."
Sorry it's so late. I have work, school, and a house, and two cats to tend to. Sorry it's so short too.