Chapter 14

Raven had settled down not far from him, she had wrapped herself within her cloak and seemed to be sleeping. Roy found he was leaning against a large boulder, he wasn't sure when it happened but a rocky wall like the side of a mountain had appeared behind them as if it were guarding them from the foreboding sight of the forest of dark and twisted trees.

He felt warmth and suddenly realized there was fire before him, a small campfire. He smelled the strong delicious campfire smell, heard the soft crackle of the wood as it burned, the another sound, an owl's hoot, it brought his attention upwards. He was shocked to find the night sky, the normal night sky with twinkling stars in a deep blue black sky. He saw the Milky Way, a shooting star, he was stunned. Another hoot of the owl cast his eyes down and he was surrounded by trees, not the disturbing crooked and black trees, this was a real true green forest.

He looked all around him, he was surprised and still oddly enough it all looked strangely familiar to him, the mountain side that offered protection and privacy, the fire, the night sky, it was a camping trip. Camping was a favored hobby of his, it was hard to place why this particular setting seemed for familiar.

"Sometimes I wonder who I would be if I had been raised differently, had a real childhood."

Roy was surprised at the sound of Raven's voice and more so when he realized how close she now sat. They were side by side, their arms touching; she had her legs tucked and her knees angled slightly toward him.

"If my life had been a little happier, a little more normal, if I had a different father," she looked away from him sadly, "someone good, who actually cared? If my mother hadn't given me up. Maybe." She wiped away a tear. "Maybe, I could have been a good person." Her voice was heavy.

He was stunned, he knew she had had a rough life he remembered what he had been told about her father. She had always kept her history quiet; he was surprised she was talking to him now.

"You are a good person; you're one of the best I know. Don't doubt yourself, not many people could have even survived your life. You survived and now you're here trying to help me survive."

She turned to him, another tear fell silently down her cheek. She looked carefully at him, her eyes were filled with sadness. He reached a hand out and tried to brush away the tear, she pulled his hand close and leaned her cheek into it.

"I am here, here with you."

Roy was still, he didn't know what to do; she was being so open with him. She was touching him, held his palm to her face. He was filled with confusion, he wanted to comfort her, he wanted an explanation, he wanted to know if he was dreaming, and he wanted to kiss her.

He glanced at her lips, he had never really looked at her lips before, they were small but plump, in the past few years she had taken to wearing small bits of makeup, her lips were lightly colored in a purple that almost matched her hair. He felt the desire, the want, she was so close, just a few more inches and he could taste those lips.

He raised his eyes back to hers, he looked carefully at her. She smiled at him, a familiar smile, but not a Raven smile. A part of him felt strongly that he should be more concerned with this, but a larger more desperate part of him took note again of how close her lips were.

He had less than a moment to wonder if she would object before her mouth closed on his. He had expected a soft gentle kiss, a series of slow tender pecks, a reserved but sweet introduction. He was mistaken. At the first touch he was surprised by the force of the kiss, she had crashed against him like a wave. The surprise continued as her kisses became passionate and aggressive. It was not unpleasant by any means, his body rushed with warmth and excitement. When they separated for air she whispered something he could not hear.

She straddled him; he had no time to react before they were again locked in a passionate kiss. He had never kissed Raven before; she was smart, beautiful, strong, and loyal. In every way she was better than him. He could never have imagined this would ever happen, but somehow it felt familiar. The smile, the forcefulness, the position they were in, he felt as though he had done this before.

When they eventually separated again she began to kiss along his jaw nibbling lightly as she went, it sent chills through him. He ran his hands down the soft material of her leotard his fingers tracing the line of her back gently. He caressed her back a few times and then let his hands rest on her hips.

"Please, Roy." She whispered.

He tried to catch a glance at her but she kept kissing along the jaw and to his throat.

"Please." She said again.

He couldn't help but hear the pain in her voice, these were not pleas of passion or encouragement, he tried again to look at her but he was still unable to see her face. He tried to focus enough to ask her what was wrong but his mind was filled with desire, his body consumed by the pleasure of her lips against his skin and her body pressed to his. She continued to kiss his neck, biting now and again and receiving a moan of pleasure from him for each one.

"Please Roy," she mumbled into his throat her kisses began to travel back to his jaw, his cheek, the corner of his mouth. She hovered just above his lips, "help me." She whispered just as their lips touched.

It was soft and tender; this was the kiss he had expected from her. He tried to hold on to it, reached a hand up and held her head softly to his. He felt as though this was their first kiss, a sweet and precious moment he tried to savor even as he felt his mind begin to fall away into memory.