Chapter 21: Recovery
Raven jerked awake from her uncomfortable position as Robin stirred. Her neck cricked as it came quickly off her chest. Leaning forward, she took his hand, bringing it softly to her lips.
His head lolled towards her. "Rae?" he croaked.
"I'm here." She whispered. And she had been afraid, she thought, chiding herself. He had come out of things worse than this, after all. "How do you feel?"
"Like there's an axe in my head. What happened to -?" she saw the moment he remembered where they'd been. "Slade!" he gasped. He started to sit up, muscles tense. "Where is he? How did we-?"
"Calm down, Robin." Raven said in alarm as the monitor behind her went crazy with his heartbeats. She pushed him back down gently. "It's alright."
He lay back, but his eyes bored into her. "What happened? I remember the bots… attacked you. I was distracted. Damn, he came up behind me, didn't he?"
She nodded. "Bastard!" he exploded. Raven silently agreed. "And after that?" he demanded.
"Well… Slade was going to – to kill you. He was raising the chair again, while you lay there unconscious, and I… well, I lost my temper." She needn't say more; Robin could guess what happened after she lost her temper.
He softened. "Rae… you got us out of there, didn't you?"
"Well, with all of you guys unconscious, what was I supposed to do?" she teased.
Robin chuckled softly, then winced. "My head hurts. Don't make me laugh, ok?" he said playfully.
"Ok." She said, laughing.
"Ah, I wish I could've seen Slade's face with your temper bearing down on him." He smiled at the image.
She smiled half-heartedly. Robin noticed, and reached over to lift her chin. "What's wrong, love?"
She looked into his mask, wishing he could take it off here. "It's… nothing. You wouldn't want to hear."
He sighed. "Come here, Rae."
She looked at him for a moment, confused; but seeing the suggestion on his face, she understood. Standing up, she leaned over him, her hands braced on either side of him. She brought her lips to his and they kissed softly. Bringing his hand up, he ran it through her hair. "Rae," he whispered when she raised her head from his. "I want to hear about anything that bothers you."
It was her turn to sigh. "It's just that, well, I can't believe what Slade did. He really would have killed you. I can't believe how much I fooled myself into thinking he wasn't that evil person we always knew." She looked sheepish suddenly. "I… I almost miss the Slade I knew. When I was with him. That's why I didn't kill him, I think. I could have, but I – I just didn't."
Robin nodded. "It's ok, Rae. I understand… sort of."
"Don't get me wrong, he is firmly my enemy from now on. It's just… sad that I was so wrong about him."
Robin looked up at her, realising she wasn't quite as hard-hearted as she wanted people to think she was.
"Come." He said, shifting over slightly and holding his arm out for her. She smiled tenderly, and carefully climbed onto the narrow bed. She lay next to him on her side, her head on his chest, his outstretched arm curled around her. Bending his head slightly, he kissed her hair. "I understand, love."
She laid her hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat and listening to the monitor beep at the same time. She rubbed her hand up and down his torso; from midriff to heart and down again. He took up her movement, skimming his hand up and down her spine. There was nothing sexual about it; they were just feeling each other, happy to have the other one there, with them. "I love you." They murmured in unison. They smiled a smile of love together then, snuggling closer to the other's warmth.
TTTTT
A few days later, Robin was cleared to leave the hospital wing. He and Raven walked into the living room together, and their friends were there to turn and smile as they entered. "How you feeling, bro?" Cy said, clapping Robin on the back. Robin punched Cy's shoulder playfully.
"I'm great." He said, grinning.
"I was starting to worry, dude!" Beast Boy laughed.
Surprisingly, Starfire, who hadn't spoken to Robin or Raven at all in the past weeks, came forward. She smiled. "I am pleased at your recovery, friend Robin." She turned her smile on Raven too, who smiled back with relief.
Raven made some tea, and so cradling their warm mugs, they went to sit on the huge sofas.
"Ok, you two. No more evading. What's been going on?" Cy said, getting straight to the point. Robin and Raven looked at each other, and after a moment, Rae nodded. Robin turned back to the team, and started the story.
"It was Slade who kidnapped Raven. He hoped taking her would weaken me, as he suspected our relationship." He told the whole story, holding Rae's hand all the while.
When he was finished, the three team mates stared at them. "All that's been going on all this time?" Beast Boy burst out. "Why didn't you tell us, Rae?"
She looked sheepishly at him. "I have also been extremely confused by all this. I wasn't sure what do to or how much to tell."
"It must have been pretty hard going to face him that day, huh?" Cy said. Raven nodded.
"But after that… confrontation… he is firmly back in his place as enemy." She added. They all nodded in agreement.
They were silent for a moment. "So… what do we do now?" Beast Boy asked, breaking the moment.
"I guess we wait… I for one, am not going to let him surprise me again."
End of Chapter