Ch 33
Tossing and turning in her bed, Raven woke up in the night to sense a familiar presence outside the tower. Getting up from bed, she put on her cloak and boots and walked passed the living room and kitchen and created a portal to the outside of the tower.
The sky was dark as Raven moved away from the tower and searched the grounds. "Hello," she said. "I know you're here. You might as well show yourself before I do it for you," she said as the silhouette of a tall cloaked woman came towards her and she instantly knew who it was. "Mother?" she said softly. "I—I thought you were dead."
"I almost was Raven. I woke up to realize I had been saved. Somehow I was taken from Azarath and ended up back in Gotham City living with a family until I was healthy again."
"And you're here because?"
"I wanted to see how you were. You look different. You look happy."
"I am," she smiled briefly. "Would you like to come in? It's late, and i'm sure you could use some sleep."
"Sure," she said as Raven created a portal and Arella followed her inside the tower.
Sitting down at the kitchen table, Arella watched as Raven made tea for them. Looking around the place, she could see how homey it looked. Turning back around, a cup of steaming hot herbal tea was placed in front of her.
"Thank you Raven," she said as Raven sat down with her. "You've done well for yourself. I can see that. I've been watching you and your friends. You're a part of a crime fighting team, the Teen Titans?"
"Yes and—wait you've been watching me? Why didn't you just—
"I felt it was best for you to grow without me. I would have only stood in your way."
"That's what you told me when I was four, and I didn't like it then. I don't like it now. You're my mother. I—
"I—I couldn't Raven. It was too hard. Every time I looked at you, I saw him. It was easier to—
"Leave me alone without love. You always believed it didn't exist."
"I still do. In the end all men want is—
"NO! That's not true. I use to think that to because you ingrained it in my head, but—
"What aren't you telling me Raven?"
"I have a boyfriend. It's serious, and I love him with all my heart mother," she said softly.
Raven showed Arella to her room. "You can sleep here for the night. I'll sleep in one of the guest rooms. "Goodnight mother," she said, leaving before her mother could say anything else to her.
Grabbing some blankets and two extra pillows from one of the closets, she made her way down the hall to an empty room at the end of the hall. Opening the door, she looked around the room to see a dresser, bed, and closet. When she was finished dressing the bed, she was about to lie down and get some sleep when a knock came from the door. She sighed. 'Who is crazy enough to be up at this hour besides me?' she wondered as she opened the door to see the cutest sight she had ever seen. Her boyfriend rubbing his tired eyes. "Garfield?" His gray sweatpants hung around his hips loosely, and his torso was bare of any clothing, making the empath blush.
"He—hey Rae, what are you doing here in this room?"
"Well I sensed a presence outside the tower so I went out to investigate. Surprise to say it was my mother. I put her in my room for tonight."
"Wait a minute I thought she was—
"So did I," said Raven as she removed her cloak and sat on her bed. She felt him sit beside her.
"How do you feel about her?"
"It's always been a rocky relationship. She kept her distance from me in fear I would do some real damage in her presence. I carry some resentment for her but a part of me can't blame her. I was conceived through rape. Every time she looks at me, or I use my powers, she is reminded of him."
"That's not your fault. You were innocent, and it's not like you had a say about being born or not."
"But if she knew I would bring her so much pain, then why did she keep me? Why didn't she abort the pregnancy?"
"I think because a part of her loves you. She couldn't bare the thought of killing her own child, even knowing who your father was."
"That seems plausible I guess."
BB smiled at her. "Well I should let you get some sleep," he said as he got up. He felt her grab his arm. "Raven?"
"Stay."
"All right," he said as he closed the door. "I just hope your mom won't kill me in the morning when she finds out."
"I won't tell her if you won't," she smirked as she lied down on the bed, making some room for BB. She watched as he lied beside her and instantly her arms went around him. His went around hers, and they smiled at each other, not realizing Arella had seen them.