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Sacrifices…
The team-up had been unlikely, and whatever the pair had really gone through before this moment was an unknown.
Dick had known Raven since she was twelve, and he'd known Jason since he was twelve, they hadn't ever really been close but Dick knew Jason had liked Raven. Raven was easy to like, except her bitchy phase when she was seventeen, but Jason had been going through his revenge phase at the time so…
It could be overlooked.
Anyways, the mission which had landed him sitting at his baby brother's side in the glass of the League's ICU was a team up between Jason and Raven. An alien force had attacked the Titans and the Outlaws; they'd been after Kori, Raven and Jason had somehow managed to slip their attackers and ended up teaming up to come save them.
Now Dick was sitting with Jason staring at his little brother, who's condition was critical but nowhere near as bad as Raven's.
Raven had taken on a full assault of Kryptonian lazar eyes, which had nearly severed her in half, and since she'd shielded Jason, Jason had gotten a good brunt of the attack too. Not to mention the power punches they'd taken from the teams while the teams were under the mind control of their enemies. Thankfully Raven's empathy, and her reflection of hers' and Jason's joint pain had shattered whatever hold the enemy had had on them.
However, the damage was done by that point, and it had come at the cost of Raven and Jason, and now he was just sitting here, waiting, for news on Raven's condition, her magic was not making the surgery easy.
"You know, you and Raven could have called the League, no shame in needing help," he informed Jason's unconscious form. Two fractured vertebrae, a shattered femur, broken humerus, a collar bone which looked like gravel, six broken ribs, a cranial bleed, fractured cheek, fractured jaw, third degree burns, blood loss, burns, and bruises, all this made his younger brother look like a pale, yet colorful version of himself.
"The whole family will be here soon," Dick promised, not willing to touch his little brother in fear of break him at this moment. "When Bruce gets here I'll go sit with Rae, you, just… you focus on not dying. Raven's only family is Cy, and he's off world, so don't think I'm ditching you, just she'll need someone too."
No response aside from the rhythmic sounds of the machines keeping his brother alive.
Dick sighed and wondered how Raven and Jason had survived this long, and if he should thank them for saving his and the teams asses, or if he should yell at them for nearly dying. If they woke up he'd decide then, no, not if, when, when they woke up. Both Raven and Jason were too stubborn for their own goods, and right now that would be their blessing. Dick stood when Dinah appeared trembling.
"The Bats are here, and Raven's stable, but she's lost too much blood and we don't have a compatible blood type for her," Dinah said softly. It was like a punch to the gut.
Tim hadn't been involved with the Titans, and Outlaw's attack, he'd been off with Bruce on a case at the time. Which was why when he skidded to a halt and looked at Jason's prone form.
"Where's Nightwing?" Tim asked in a gasped out noticing that their eldest brother wasn't there then and Dick wouldn't leave Jason alone unless…
"He's with Raven, she's on different deck, two up, and four doors from the right," a passing League nurse answered and Tim looked at Jason with Bruce, Cass, Alfred, Kate, Barbara, Damian, Stephanie, and Duke before he bit his lip.
Raven's only family was Victor, and Vic was… Tim had no idea where Victor was, but he wasn't here.
"Go sit with her, RR, we'll watch Red for a bit, Robin will be up to relieve you and Nightwing," Barbara supplied. Tim nodded and bolted as he ran through the space station for the deck where most magic users were put when they were injured. Skidding into the room he saw Raven hooked up to a zillion different machines, covered almost head to two in bandages, her short pixie cut hair was matted and her face looked horribly disfigured.
"Did you… you know, call Cy?" Tim asked hesitantly walking into Raven's room slow with how he saw her black energy cackling around her, on guard, on attack.
"I called, no answer, but I left him a message," Dick answered in a strained tone.
"Hey Rae, it's me," Tim greeted her as he pulled up a chair. "Um… I don't…I'm sorry this happened to you, but the League's got great doctors, they'll have you fixed up in no time!"
His sickly pale, gray friend did not respond as her chest was forced to rise and fall with the aid of a machine to breath.
"There's no blood matches for her RR," Dick muttered, Tim's head snapped up.
"What!?"
"Yeah, aside from Etrigan there's no demons here really, and Raven's never been…" Dick gestured helplessly to Raven's broken body. "She's not good. Not good at all."
"How'd this happen?" Tim asked tiredly. Oh, Tim knew how, but he mean how had it gotten this bad that Raven and Jason had teamed up rather than call the League and they'd both nearly died in the process. And they still might.
"We should get her to earth, keep her close, her and Red, B's with Red right now," Tim supplied for Dick and his elder brother nodded.
"I know, I wouldn't have left him if B wasn't with him," Dick said softly.
"Arrow and Supes still want to arrest him?"
"Yup."
Tim scowled but didn't argue this point, Jason had known his methods were frowned upon, but he stood by them.
"If you want to go be with him, I'll sit with her, for a bit," Tim offered.
"We're going to take rotations, Zatanna thinks she's too lethal to be left alive," Dick said.
Tim nodded as Dick stood and tiredly walked out.
"You and Red are the two dumbest people I know, next time call for help, Rae, I'd have come," Tim stated to the unconscious woman.
No response.
Not that he was expecting one.
It'd been two weeks since the 'incident', honestly, no one was calling it a battle, because that would imply that both chances had stood an equal chance. Raven and Jason had stood no chance, but they'd still come charging after them.
There'd been no word from Victor or that team as of yet, not that it would have done any good at this moment.
No, it would not matter because Bruce was taking his son home, and Dick had already dictated that Raven was coming with. Richard, Timothy, and Damian had all agreed on the matter and presented a united front in the matter. Bruce hadn't cared though because he was taking the young demon with them either way. Constantine had even come and prepped a room with the proper seals for her. Alfred had gone about collecting all the proper equipment even. Bruce was currently sitting with the young demon as he awaited the aid of Constantine and Dr. Fate.
Bruce was reading Anna Karenina to the comatose girl because that was the book Dick had found on the top of her nightstand.
Honestly, Bruce had never actually bothered to meet this young woman, he had never really wanted to, and Raven had never come to Gotham. She was a friend of his sons and outside of the collected reports he had on her he could honestly say he knew nothing about her. It was saddening since she was held in such high esteem with Dick, Tim, and Damian; the youngest being the most difficult to impress.
There was a broken whimper from the bed which had his eyes snapping to her from behind the cowl.
"Wh'r… red?" she rasped, her eyes were barely slits and Bruce was up as he leaned over her.
"Safe, you're both safe," he answered softly, in a tone he reserved more for his girls than his sons. The young woman's swollen lips were moving slightly but what she was whispering was a mystery for he didn't think it was a language they'd ever catalogued.
"You saved your team, you're safe, you're coming home with us," Bruce said softly, he hesitated a moment before he touched her shoulder gently. The young empath sighed.
"Safe," she whispered.
"Yes," he assured her and her eyes fluttered shut as she breathed. She'd been breathing on her own for about a day now, but the young demon seemed so terribly weak.
"B, we're ready," a voice had him looking up at Dick and Tim both standing there solemn. "Black Canary, BG, and Robin have Red, we're here for Rae now."
Bruce nodded as he stood to hurry after his son. The only reason he hadn't been with Jason was because Raven had no one and Tim had insisted they take shifts, keep Jason out of custody, and Raven out of harm.
Duke was new to the Wayne family, he was still technically in training, and he had never met a Titan before. Hell, he hadn't really met the 'super' community outside the Bats. And yeah, he knew of Jason, but he didn't know him. Which was why he'd volunteered faster than any of them to look after Raven.
Bruce would want to see to Jason's care personally, and Raven didn't really have anyone outside of Dick, Tim, and Damian, and that didn't seem right. Her brother would be here as soon as he could be, but until then Raven had no one. And Duke knew what that felt like which had him sitting with her.
"So… um… yeah," he muttered to the unconscious woman. She looked to be about Jason's or Tim's age, or there abouts. "I know we've never…"
"I'm Duke," he decided. She didn't reply, she was still, and silent. "Yeah, I guess you could say I'm new to the whole vigilant thing… I've heard awesome things about you, and I've seen you on the news occasionally. It's cool."
"She likes books, Duke," a voice interrupted him and Duke's head snapped over to Dick who swaggered in, stuffing his hands in his pants pockets.
"Books?" Duke asked.
"Yeah, aside from maybe Little Wing, I don't think there's a bigger bookworm on the planet," Dick grinned a bit.
"You mean she likes Shakespeare and stuff?" he balked; he could suddenly see how Raven and Jason might get along. Duke was not overly fond of Jason's tastes in books.
"Yeah, but she reads modern stuff too, do not read her Twilight, that'll have her magic blasting you out of the country faster than you can blink, just read to her," Dick suggested.
"Huh," Duke managed as he looked over at the gray woman.
"I gotta go, take care of her, and Rae, don't blast my new brother, he's still learning," Dick said as he jogged out.
Duke looked over at the woman, her black energy swirled and dissipated as the room cooled. He pursed his lips for a moment then smiled a bit. "How do you feel about music Raven?"
No response, not that he expected one.
In less than an hour he had a system set up, and some of the best tracks he'd brought with him playing.
"I'm not much of a book guy, but music, I got you covered," he grinned smugly, as the music filled the room. He figured she liked it or didn't mind it, she hadn't zapped him into the Atlantic yet. He hummed along, and noticed the occasional shadow bobbing with him. He was betting Raven was pretty cool when she was awake. For now, though, he just watched the shadows occasionally dance as Gotham's rain fell outside the window.
Barbara was working in Raven's room, there was a peace emanating from the demon which had cleared her mind, Duke's music was a must, he insisted Raven liked piano, classical, symphony, or jazz; she apparently also liked John Legend. Not that there was much of a way of gaging Raven's tastes in music with her unconscious state.
Not that Barbara was complaining, the music was soothing. However, she was mostly here because of the peace Raven was radiating. Neither she nor Jason had awoken from the attack in four weeks, neither showed signs of stirring other than their brain activities.
"You know, when Dick first met you he would not shut up about how cool you were, an antisocial jerk from time to time but he said you were the coolest," Barbara blurted out.
Actually, Dick thought Kori was the coolest ever, but that had been a sore spot for Barbara.
"He likes you, a lot, so does Tim, and Damian, and do you know how hard it is to get those two to even like the same things let alone the same person!? It's a miracle, and I think if you wake up you and Jason would get along," Barbara admitted. There was a slight stir in the air, but Barbara ignored it as she sipped her coffee.
"I wonder if you have girl friends other than Kori, Dick's never said anything, and aside from Donna the Titans are either younger than you or guys. When you wake up I suggest you come and hang with Steph, Dinah, Cass and I, it won't be a mushy girl's slumber party either. We'll get pizza, beer; Dinah insists on that, pop in a movie, and grill you up for some juicy gossip on the Titan's latests," Barbara grinned.
The unconscious woman said nothing, but she hadn't woken up aside from once with Bruce and asked about Jason.
"You know, I'm curious, do you have a crush on Dick, or Jay, or Tim? Dick I'd get, he's charming, hot, honest, and amazing; don't tell him I said that. I think you and Jay might hit it off, not sure though, he's surly, and you strike me as surly too, so maybe… and Tim, Tim's just the sweetest guy ever. Then again, I'm told you dated Garfield, but that was years ago, I didn't keep up with Titan's gossip."
There was a flash of shadows, which had Barbara smiling. Oh, she was in there, Barbara saw it now, she could see what Duke had seen.
"Okay, so maybe we could chalk that mistake up to teenage idiocies? I mean you're what? Nineteen, eighteen? Yeah, that'd be a stupid move, a teenage flameout. They happen, I dated this guy once, and let me tell you, for as great as he looked he had the personality of a rock, stupid teenage hormones though…" Barbara sighed and continued her typing.
The shadows dissipated and Barbara was a bit disappointed when they stopped moving. Raven was in there, somewhere.
Stephanie was not the best visitor, and she'd admit it. She couldn't stand seeing Jason hooked up to so many machines, or listening to Alfred and Leslie talk about the rehab on if he survived. They'd all had a scare the other day when Jason flatlined, then Raven had, it was weird.
After getting both Jason and Raven; who were flatlining, to the cave there was a power surge, and then all the glass shattered pitching them into the blackness. Then Jason's monitor had beeped, Raven's hadn't. Bruce had scrambled to fixing Jason, who had stabilized, Leslie and Dick had been frantically working Raven over to bring her back. When Raven's heart had finally started again, after six minutes of just flatlining, all the power was restored.
Something had happened between Jason and Raven, something weird. And now the two were in rooms right across from one another. J'onn had been called in to consult, but he wasn't here yet.
Tim had asked her to sit with raven, because after the other day none of the Batbros wanted to leave Jason, but at the same time they didn't want Raven left alone. Not that Steph blamed them, the witch could probably do some serious damage if yesterday was a display of anything. Cautiously she approached the unconscious bandaged form of Raven.
"So… I don't think we've ever properly met," Stephanie blurted out, she honestly had no idea what she was supposed to say right now. "I'm Stephanie, Stephanie Brown, but you probably know that already…"
"Okay, completely serious here now, can you tell me about Titan Tim? I mean he's so… Tim, so what's it like with him as the leader? Is he cool or something? Oh, Dick said you like books, I like thrillers myself, things with horror and scares in them. And have you ever tried a shwarma, I mean what is that? Is it a drink or a dance or a food? I can't decide, if I ever figure it out, and you're… you know, alive, we'll go try it.
"Oh, you're supposed to be like super smart, I need a tutor in my statistics class, don't tell Tim because he won't let me hear the end of it. Maybe you could help me out with that, I mean you've got to be smart to have kept up with Dick, and Tim, now you deal with the bat brat… you deserve a medal. I mean aside from Jason you've dealt with all the Bat insanity drama since you got to earth… Then again they could have suckered you into think all this was normal, they've brainwashed and corrupted you! I will have to speak to your 'big brother' about this," she giggled and she just let herself babble.
It was kind of fun, she'd have sworn the lights brightened a bit, and the shadows danced, however, it was seven weeks since the fight and neither Raven nor Jason were waking.
Yet.
"Don't go, yet," she whispered. "I'd like to meet you, and get blackmail material on Tim and the demon brat."
Cass had been an ever vigiliant sister at Jason's side, however, her brother had gone in for another surgery he needed, Raven had just returned from hers', so Cass was perched in Raven's room watching the grey hero intently. If anything went amiss she was to get Bruce or Alfred immediately.
However, the demon did not wake, or stir, she just breathed.
Slowly Cass crept forward, peeking over the end of the bed at Raven. The woman didn't react. Carefully Cass climbed onto the bed and gently traced the young woman's bandages. This was the woman who had saved her brothers, who had nearly died shielding Jason as best she could. She was fully aware of Raven being found atop Jason, shielding him, and Cass could only imagine the pain she must be in with these burns, and with these injuries.
Slowly Cass looked up at Raven's indifferent face.
Raven was one of those people who was indifferent, Cass had sought out the minute signs, the slight tells, the little indications of Raven's intents, however Raven was stillness. Cass could remember the first time she'd seen Raven, and how still the young woman had been. Of course Raven was stillness in chaos, the Tower was chaos, and Cass remembered how calm and still Raven was. It was baffling, and a challenge to read.
Gingerly Cass moved Raven's hair off her brow, the other never stirred.
She was pretty, Cass decided. Not traditionally or exotically pretty, but there was something beautiful about Raven, a stillness Cass couldn't describe. Perhaps that was why Tim had chattered on and on about Raven, perhaps that was why Damian blushed, perhaps it was what had stabilized Dick. The peace, the calm Raven radiated.
"Thank you," Cass whispered. She could quite explain everything she was thanking Raven for, but there was much to thank the Titan for. Cass had seen the photos, heard the stories, even studied the footage, she knew Raven was an important member of the Titans.
"Your brother's coming, hang on," Cass whispered. Eight weeks since the fight, and Cass had heard the frantic shouts over the phone from Victor Stone to Dick, or Tim, that he was coming he'd be there, but the Latern Corps were not making it simple.
There was no emotions or stirrings of shadows then, just a warmth which filled the room and had Cass smiling a bit. She reached over and gingerly tucked an errant strand of hair behind Raven's ear before slipping off the bed and back to her post as she sat sentry duty over Raven until one of the others came to relieve her.
Not that she minded.
This woman had saved her brothers, she would watch over Raven for as long as needed. For now though she just watched her carefully, hoping nothing went wrong with the demon's healing body. She had to live, she was important, she was serenity.
The day Damian visited Raven was the first time since she and Jason had simultaneously flatlined, and he glared at her. Raven was never like this, J'onn had something about Raven and Jason being on a different plane; Raven's doing, and that they were linked until one woke up. Stalking up to her bed, Alfred the cat and Titus on his heels he glared at his teammate.
"You cannot die! That is reckless and irresponsible!" he snapped.
She didn't reply.
He scowled. "I'd expect this recklessness from Todd, you are supposed to be levelheaded and responsible. You are not supposed to just blindly follow Todd into a fight you could never win! I do not understand how you could be so careless!"
He felt a dampness in his eyes which had him biting his cheek hard as he kept the emotions he was having at bay then. Raven was his friend, she was of the few he could claim as a friend who did not belong in his family. She was a good friend too, solid council, and she had been sure of herself. Damian had always admired that about her. But right now… now he didn't. He wanted to scream at her, to demand answers, to demand that she and Todd live; because as J'onn had described it, if one died, so did the other. At least, until they were awake.
"Why did you do it? I cannot figure out why you would do this! You and Todd stood no chance, so why did you come? Why did you let us hurt you? You should have gotten the League, you should have stopped Todd, you should have…" he trailed off.
Raven wasn't going to answer his demands, he knew that, but he didn't like this as he sat on her bed then. She wouldn't mind. Damian scowled as he remembered his last words to Todd before the attack had happened; it'd been months prior to the attack since Todd was not around that much. He'd called his elder brother 'a good for nothing stray unable to be tamed', Jason had sort of left after that altercation. And he remembered his final words to Raven before the attack; 'an untrustworthy, genocidal demon', and how hurt she'd appeared; indifferent Raven had actually looked like he'd stabbed her.
"I'm sorry," he whispered after a long time. "I did not mean what I said, I was just… I was so angry, and I did not mean to lash out at you, and I did not mean what I had said to Todd either. So you can't die, I will not allow it!"
There was something soothing in the room as he curled up with Titus at the foot of Raven's bed. Nine weeks since the attack, and neither she nor Todd appeared to be waking anytime soon. Whatever was going on he wished it would stop so they would wake and come back. He could not stand the thought of losing people anymore.
Kate wasn't really here for any other reason than the Bats were spread thin with how Jason was injured. Seriously, the fool could have died! But she wasn't going to stand there and bitch about it to a comatose boy.
Also, she wasn't with Jason at the moment, no, she'd been asked to stand in over Raven while Dick slept, and Alfred handled Jason's bandages, and the family was on patrol.
Now, Kate hadn't ever met Raven, hadn't ever encountered the demon, and had never really cared about Dick's, or Tim's, or Damian's stories regarding the Titans or this demon. No, it wasn't personal, just Kate had her own problems and quite frankly she wasn't interested in the stories of a group of teenagers. But now, she was standing in a room, with Duke's music playing, drawings from Damian scattered about, a pile of books Tim and Dick had brought in, Stephanie's homework, and Babs' computer set up. There were other oddities in the room, signs of Bruce, and of Alfred being here, a lot. Sighing she walked in and flopped into the seat.
The young gray woman didn't respond to her presence at all, Kate had heard a lot about the expressiveness of the shadows, but tonight, there was nothing.
"I'm only here because Alfred said he wanted privacy changing Jason's bandages," Kate informed the girl. "It's not like Jason has something I haven's seen before, but I guess the guy likes his privacy. I get that, I mean he's got a zillion safe houses.
"And then there's you, and I'm informed Alfred already changed out your bandages. Is your skin always grey? Not to be rude or anything, but you're the first demon I've ever met. I bet that would have really messed with segregation big time. Are you white? Or are you black? I guess that'd be a grey area, no pun intended."
Kate sighed as she looked the young woman over, she looked so tired, serine, but exhausted. It was like there was a whole other battle going on, and it was one they couldn't see or know about.
"You know, I don't know anything about magic or stuff, but you look like hell right now, and I don't think that's normal. Perhaps when you wake up you should take time off, go see a movie or something. Sorry, Dick said you were a book girl, so maybe go to the beach or something," she shrugged. Kate honestly had no idea what the demon would find fun. "Do demons even like the beach?"
No response.
"Well, if not, go try it, it's cool. And you don't look like a demon, I'd expect you to have red skin, glowing eyes, and horns or something on your head. Grey skin and a human look, it's not very demon like," Kate shrugged.
She hated dealing with the injured and strangers. She picked up a book at random, the Iliad, opening it up she started reading it aloud.
Alfred had diligently tended to Miss Roth and Master Jason as best as he could, and he was starting to feel the exhaustion of it. Eleven weeks since the incident and neither had woken up. Jason's body was healing faster than a normal human's; Alfred had thought that to be remnants of the Pit though. There was a slightly pained noise from the young woman as he examined her wounds then, and he looked up to her face and his breath caught.
Staring back at him, for the first time in twelve weeks were the alert, dark, open eyes of Miss Roth staring back at him. He was so startled he dropped the gauze in his grasp.
"Where am I?" her voice rasped in the monotone she was known for speaking in.
"Wayne Manor, the boys… they insisted we bring you and Jason home," Alfred answered as he walked up to be better in her line of sight.
She winced as she nodded.
"Alfred! Jason's awake!" came a shout, which had Alfred's heart stopping, he'd have run for the lad had the young woman not bitten her lip as she hissed out in pain.
"Miss Roth…" Alfred started.
"Go, your grandson is a pain," she smiled weakly, Alfred looked at her unfinished bandages but he needed to see Jason himself.
"I will be back swiftly, Miss Roth," he assured her as he strode with purpose out of the room. Jason was sitting up, dazed and a bit confused, and Alfred's heart stopped at the sight.
"Shit! Where is she!?" Jason shouted, there was no way the lad should even be up, but Jason was furiously trying to detangle himself from the lines.
"Master Jason, calm down," Alfred intercepted his charge then as Dick and Bruce frantically tried to calm Jason.
"No! She's being stupid and going to die if you don't stop her!" Jason shouted.
"Whatever do you mean Master Jason?" Alfred started.
"Someone knock us out! Now! Raven's stupid empathy!" Jason snapped, but it was too late, there was a surge of blackness through the house, as everything shattered, and Jason; who should not have been able to move at all, was up and out of the bed.
There was a lot of blood on Raven's body, and Alfred's breath hitched seeing it.
"What happened?" Bruce demanded.
"The damn thing we were fight about," Jason snapped. "She used all her empathy on fixing me up."
The young woman's heart monitor showed her heart was weakening as they pulled her down to the cave to fix this.
Alfred could only thank her for saving Master Jason, but he was now frantically trying to help Bruce stabilize the demon as the boys gathered round and someone called for Leslie. There was a lot of blood coming from the young woman's recently healed wounds. However, his eyes flicked up to see Jason standing there perfectly alright, and he could not be disappointed with Raven. He just didn't want her to die from saving Jason.
It'd been a week since Jason had woken up, and the way he explained it was that the final blast had had Raven tearing their souls from their bodies before they could be killed as she unleashed her empathy attack. Since then, she and Jason had been stuck together in a state where they were alert to everyone and everything around them; meaning they'd both been around the entire twelve weeks they'd been unconscious; and watching. Raven had kept Jason from 'walking into the light'. The week they'd both simultaneously flatlined was apparently the day a fight had erupted between them and Jason had walked into the light, Raven had dragged him out only to be stuck in it herself until they had shocked her heart.
Now Bruce sat with the demon and stared at her, wondering just how much she and Jason had gone through these past months that no one had been aware of or privy to because they had been souls and Jason wasn't talking about it.
Now, the young woman was comatose, her body more damaged from the stress of her healing all of Jason's injuries, and she was unconscious. Again.
"Victor is coming," Bruce said to the young woman. Dick had been talking to Victor since the start of this, and it was apparent the two were close. Victor had nearly started an intergalactic war trying to get here, but the Lantern Corps were detaining Victor so he didn't do something recklessly stupid.
"How is she?" a small voice had Bruce snapping around to see Jason's eyes glued to Raven.
"She is suffering, the stress of her powers has reopened some of her internal wounds, but she is healing. More rapidly than before, but still, slow," Bruce said. He had half a mind to call Constantine for help now, but he refrained. Until this was too much, he would try to handle it.
"Is she going to live?" Jason asked.
"I don't know," Bruce answered. Jason nodded and remained silent for a long time.
"You know… when I met her, before I died, she was… she was good to me. Tried to help me with my anger, not that it worked," Jason shrugged. "And I don't know, I guess, I guess it always stuck out to me, because when I attacked Tim at the Tower, I couldn't hurt her. Funny isn't it, could damn near kill my brother, and beat the shit out of his friends, but I couldn't hurt her. And now, I might have killed her."
"This is not your fault Jason," Bruce started.
"Yeah it is, I was so mad when those things hurt my friends, and when I ran into her… I fast talked her into getting them back Bruce. We'd have never gone after them if it was Raven's plan we'd follow. And after all the months of arguing with her about life and death, she did that…" Jason shook his head. "It's my fault, I took her there, I got her hurt, I nearly got us killed, and she's been fixing the problem since then."
There was a flicker of shadows then and Bruce blinked, Jason was gone, and he just didn't know what to say to what Jason to make him see this wasn't his fault.
The day really woke up, her eyes fluttered opened as she felt the last her broken bones finally heal which had her staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. She blinked, then opened her mouth, nearly gagging at the cottony feeling in her mouth before she tried to shift and move.
"Miss Roth, I am pleased to see you're awake, again," a voice had her looking over wearily to the man. Alfred Pennyworth; a man she knew to be an imposing force and she'd only met a few times because of Dick and Tim.
"Jason?" she rasped, there was a cup brought to her lips as she was slowly helped up.
"He's quite alright, Miss Roth," Alfred's voice was sure and soothing.
"Good," Raven winced when the cup was finally taken away from her lips. She was propped up in the bed, and noticed the obscene amount of machines she was hooked up to for the first time since waking and then she softened remembering the past months, and how she'd seemingly acquired a few new friends from the looks of things around her.
"I wanted to thank you, Miss Roth," Alfred said suddenly.
"What?" she blinked up at the old man who sat suddenly, she was trying to blink away the sleep and grody feeling in her eyes then.
"You have been a very loyal friend to Master Richard, Master Timothy, and Master Damian, and you nearly died saving Master Jason. And I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for the lads over the years," Alfred said.
"That's nothing," Raven started monotonously.
"On the contrary, it has meant a great deal, and I do believe it is time to thank you for your kindness to them," Alfred said.
"They saved me first," she dismissed. Raven didn't know why he was thanking her for common kindness, and she believed that one should be willing to go to Hell and back for friends, and she would continue to believe that. Raven was never going to let them down; even at the expense of her life.
"Thank you, Miss Roth, and you are welcomed her always," Alfred said. Suddenly there was a crash outside the room and Alfred frowned.
"Excuse me Miss Roth, it appears that the young Masters are having another disagreement, I will be back, think you could stomach some tea?"
Raven nodded unable to really say yes or no because she was a bit baffled at the warmth she was receiving from the older man. Once alone Raven sighed as her head fell back, she grimaced a bit feeling sticky, but she'd shower and be on her way in a bit. Suddenly there was a cracking of the door which had her head snapping up as she stared at the intruder.
Jason saw Alfred leave and slipped silently into the room; he'd been visiting Raven when he was sure no one else would be there. He blinked in shock when she stared back at him for the first time since he'd woken up.
"You're awake," he whispered more to himself than her as he slowly approached.
"Yeah, and you're alright," she smiled slightly then.
"You're a moron," he snapped.
"You're alive, and no rehab," Raven countered. And he sat on the bed to glare at her.
"I didn't need you to do…" he started.
"Shut up now Jason, because I chose to save you, you didn't make me, you didn't do anything wrong, I chose to save you," she said firmly. He looked down at his clasped hands then.
"Why?" he whispered, not that he wasn't grateful to her or nothing, but no one ever saved him without something being attached to his rescue. Talia, Bruce, Dick, everyone, no one ever saved him because he was him.
"Because… you're Jason Todd, you deserve a chance to live, you beat death once, and you've fought it every step of the way. Also, I kind of like you, and would be sadden to lose you when I've come to consider you a friend," Raven answered. He blinked twice before he looked up at her.
"What?" He blinked, aside from Roy, Kori, Artemis, and Bizarro he'd never had many friends.
"Yes," she answered. "We were stuck together for Azar knows how long, so I think of you as a friend."
"I nearly got you killed, twice, and you think… you think we're friends?" he asked in bafflement.
"I chose to follow you, I knew what I was doing, and as to everything else… shit happens," she shrugged.
"Really? The angelic demon is saying that?" he smiled slowly.
"Yes, now, help me get off these machines!" she pleaded. "I want a shower!"
"Okay, okay, no magic attacks please, I still am stiff after the past months," he warned her as he helped her get off the machines.
"Why would I blast you? I need you to get me to the shower, I don't have the energy to blast you," she sighed. Jason had pulled off most the wires when Alfred appeared.
"Master Jason!" Alfred's voice had him twisting around to look at him.
"Uh…"
"I want a shower, I'm sticky," Raven stated.
"And you have a catheter in, so unless Master Jason wishes to aid you in removing it, wait a moment for assistance," Alfred chided.
"He's got a point," Jason informed the demon.
"I hate being injured, next time we do my plan," she muttered.
"You're implying that there'll be a next time."
"With you, I put the chance of having another mission or team up together very likely," Raven said with such authority he didn't have the heart to argue with her.
"You're not bad demon."
"I just want a shower," she muttered indignantly.