Raven sighed while she looked at Nicholas's messy room. The five-year-old could be really messy when he plays and changes his clothes. "He must've been in a hurry today. " she muttered while looked around the room.
She started to pick up his toys and smiled at them. They were mostly action figures of superheroes like the Flash, Batman, and some Robins. He had so many Robin action figure that she lost count. ' Somehow I'm not really surprised.' she thought. She puts action figures in the toy box. She found that the Nightwing and Starfire dolls were still on the floor. Along with the Raven doll that Dick has given him.
She really mad when she found out Dick had it. She really thought that thrown that plush doll away. She was going to send him to another reality too. Yet her anger subsided when she saw the happiness on her little boy's face. "Maybe I should've made him a Raven doll sooner." Raven thought while she picked the Raven doll up. It looked a bit worn out. She sighed and started to fix up the bed placing Nightwing, Raven, and Starfire on the pillows.
Just as she was about to pick up more of Nicky's toys, she stopped. A spread of panic filled her soul so quickly that it made her flinch.
She could feel it all over her body. She stopped picking up Nicholas's toys from the floor. She clenched her chest trying to figure out why she was feeling this fear. It's been a long while since she felt this way. She knew deep down that it wasn't herself. She learned the hard way that she shouldn't lie when comes to her emotions.
The only people fear she could feel are people that are close to her. It wasn't Dick's because they only just reconnecting their bond. It was alive but they both had it blocked out for a while. Also, Dick knew how to block certain things from her. It also felt completely different from their bond. She could rule out Starfire because the woman wasn't in Bludhaven and this feels closer than that.
No, this person's emotions feels closer to...Nicholas's.
She stood up. Her eyes widen while she tried to calm down. It wasn't even a little of fear either. Nicholas had fear but it always comes with excitement, happiness, and a bit of pleasure. The child was pretty much fearless in almost everything he does.
Something was very wrong.
Raven quickly goes to the living room to get her cellphone. She stopped when she looked at the t.v. A lump form on her throat when she saw it was Nicholas's school. She saw a man in a blue mask that looked a lot like a demented smiley face. He was standing in front t.v screen and there was music playing the back. It sounded like the music that came from one of those children shows.
She shakily reached for the remote and turned up the volume.
"Good Morning Bludhaven. I hope you have a delightful morning." the man's voice sounded a bit too cheerful for her liking. It made Raven's skin crawl as the video started to get distorted. " I'm Mister Smiles and I came to save the children of Bludhaven and Gotham."
"Save?" Raven tried to keep her emotions on check while she glared at the t.v. She squeezed the remote and bit the inside of her cheek.
"None of you deserve these sweet little souls. So I decided to become their new father." he said gleefully." These three schools are just the beginning." the man said while his head started to spin. He stepped closer to the camera. The eyes of his mask started to flash blue. "If you really care about these innocent souls. Then you'll do what's best...let them go. Let me have them."
The t.v exploded before Raven could watch the whole transmission. She was breathing heavily and she had her hands over her heart. She placed her hands on her head and try to calm down. She started to feel panic, fear, and worry while she fell to the ground.
" Calm down." Raven said to herself. Their so many voices in her head. She closed her eyes and frowned. She needed to focus on the situation instead of her emotions.
'Relax Raven. Don't lose control. Don't lose control.' she told herself. She heard something break and she flinched. The tears were forming on the corner of her eyes. 'No relax. Relax. Azarath metrion zinthos. Azarath metrion zinthos. ' she said the chant over and over again. She closed her eyes and swallow her saliva.
She opened her eyes and looked around the room. She needed to get out of here. She needed leave before she destroys the whole apartment.
Something else breaks. She kept up her chant. She needs not to feel right now. Until she got to a place where she isn't feeling like this. She knew that had to be with Dick, she knew that much. "Azarath metrion zinthos" Raven called out as she teleported out of the living room.
Dick was pacing when Raven found him. The office he was in a mess and he looked pissed off. His emotions were flaring up. She tried to keep her emotions in check before going to him.
"Dick." Raven called out. Dick stopped and looked at Raven. She took a step back when she saw the fire in his eyes. Raven sighed and floated over to him. Dick quickly pulled her into a hug. Raven shivered and hugged him tightly.
"Raven, you shouldn't be here." he said. He was quiet. Raven shook her head. She wanted to tell him to calm down. She knows how angry he could get. Yet her emotions are all over the place too. She can't even use her powers to calm things with her lack of control. Maybe it was a bad idea to find him. She jumped when Dick touched her face and she looked at him. "You should be at home. Bruce and I could get him." She moved away and rubbed her arms up and down.
"I can't. If I stay home I'll destroy the place. "Raven said. "Besides, I could help. I can't just stand around while Nicholas is in danger. I don't care if I'm at the safehouse monitoring you or whatever. I need to help Dick." she whispered.
Dick sighed and placed a had on Raven's shoulder. " Raven, what did you told Nicholas to do encase of emergencies like this?" He said looking at her.
" I told him to find a safe place and hide. I told him grandpa gave him a communicator in encase this will happen." Raven said calmly. Dick kept his hands on Raven's shoulder
" We need to head to the safe house." he said. Raven looked up at him. "We're going to get him back, Raven."
"Starfire." she whispered. Dick raised an eyebrow at Raven. "I need to call Starfire. We need them. We need...the team."
Dick blinked and nodded his head. "Go ahead." he whispered. Raven nodded and took out her phone. She shakily texted Starfire and sent it. She looked at Dick and nodded. This may not be the way she wanted to see them again but she needed them. They needed them.
Starfire floats inside Raven's old room with a small smile. It still looked the same minus some dust and old books. No one ever came into Raven's room ever since she left the tower. It was probably the fact that they were afraid that she'll get mad when she comes back. Or maybe they just don't want to mess with anything and pretend that she was still here.
She also knew that they never went inside Nightwing's room either.
' Maybe I should tell friend Changling and Cyborg later.' she thought while she looked around the room. She smiled. She was sure that Changling and Cyborg will be a be hurt over not telling them about Raven. She also knew that they'll understand, Titans tower was no place to raise a child. The Titans had enemies. Some enemies will hurt a child and will have thought nothing of it. Other enemies that would want to use Raven and Nicholas for their demon heritage.
Others were just like him.
It was already a risk that Starfire traveled back and forth every month. Any more then that will make people notice that something was up. There was also a time that she had to stay away from Raven and Nicholas. It was for a few months, in fear that someone will find the two. After that person was handled, she had to wait bit longer so she could see them.
"Now I must look for those books." Starfire said while looking around Raven's room. She found the box that Raven was talking about and picked it up. It was a bit dusty and it tickled her nose. Starfire wiggled her nose while she started to look through it. Her heart stopped when she saw a note.
' Tell her I'm sorry.' it read.
Flashes of a man giving her the box and apologizing to her appeared. The pain in her hearts started up anew and made her gulp. The memory disappeared as soon as they appeared.
Her heart was feeling heavy and felt it stabbed. She ignored it through. She had grown used to it every time she thinks of that person. It was nothing new to her and Starfire knew that she has to talk about it. She knew that it will help her get over whatever was wrong with her heart.
She doesn't want to talk about it. There are many other things that she should worry about.
Starfire left Raven's room taking the books with her. She left the note behind without a second thought. She headed to her room and placed the books on her desk. As she picked up the books and started to sort them out. Her cellphone went off. Starfire blinked a few times before going to it. She picked it up and read the text.
"We have an emergency Starfire. I'll call you as soon as we get to the safehouse." -Raven
"Emergency." Starfire said to herself. The message was sent a few minutes ago. Starfire eyes widen when her cellphone rang and she quickly answered it." Friend Raven."
Raven's voice sounded shaky and sounded like she was trying to keep her composure. " Starfire, can you come to Bludhaven. Along with the team."
Starfire eyes widen. "Friend Raven, what happened?"
"Nicholas..." Raven said quickly. Starfire felt her heart dropped to her stomach. The sound of glass breaking could be heard. "His...school...he's..."
"Friend Raven, please relax. " Starfire said sweetly. She knew it was bad if Raven is losing control like this. She knew it had something to with Nicholas. Despite all the trouble Raven and Nicholas went through in Gotham and Bludhaven, she always remained calm. Maybe it was the fact that Nicholas was never too far from her or he was with someone Raven could trust.
'Don't tell me.' Starfire thought while biting her lips.
"It's Nicholas. There were transmissions, Nicholas school was there and …..." Raven took a deep breath. It was quiet for a few minutes before something came out of Raven's mouth. It sounded like a sob. " Nightwing...I mean Dick will talk to you. I can't...I can't... I'm sorry. I can't talk right now."Raven said as if she'll break down at any given moment. Starfire could hear that Raven handed the phone to Dick.
"Hello." Dick voiced sound cold. Starfire frowned and gulped. She didn't like where this was going at all.
"Friend Nightwing..I mean Dick." the name was unfamiliar to her. " What happened?" Starfire asked. Dick was quiet for a few minutes. Starfire's hand tighten on the phone.
What Dick said next made Starfire froze in shock "A group of people took over Nicholas's school." She nearly dropped her phone. "There were three schools that been taken, hostage. Nicholas's school is one of them." Starfire didn't hear anything else. She could hear Dick talking but she couldn't make out the words. "He's being held, hostage."
'Hostage.." she thought blankly. Nicholas's life was in danger many times but Raven, Starfire, or any member of the bat family was always there. He was also protected from seeing any blood or violence as well.
"I'll be there. I 'll tell Changeling and Cyborg right away." Starfire said to Dick. Her voice sounded lifeless and broken. Dick had stopped talking when she said that. She clenched her chest."We won't take long."
"Alright. Thanks, Starfire." Dick said. Starfire ended the call and stared at the phone. She took a deep breath, she clenched her fist and closed her eyes.
"No. I must remain calm." she said. She quickly left her room and headed to the living room. She can't tell them right now. She might cry or punch a hole in the wall. They also asked so many questions. They just need to get to Bludhaven.
She really didn't want Cyborg and Changeling to find out like this. She clenched her chest.
Starfire quickly flew to the living room to find Changeling and Cyborg playing video games. Starfire bites her lips and flew in front of them.
"Kori. You're in the way. I was going to win." Changeling yelled. He shuts up when noticed the distressed look on her face. "Kori?"
"We need to go to Bludhaven. Right away."Starfire said. She looked up Cyborg and Changeling as if she was going to cry. Starfire looked at the two with fire in her eyes. Tears were threatening to spill. "Friend Raven and Nightwing need our help."
In the elementary school's gym, the many children were crying while happy music was played in the background. The music was on a loop which will drive anyone crazy. The many teenagers were on guard watching the children and trying to make them laugh. In the middle, there was a projection screen playing a movie over and over again.
A red-haired little girl was suddenly picked up. She screamed and started to struggle out of the teenager's arms. "No. Let me go." she yelled.
"Don't worry. The happy chip will make you feel better." the teenager said while they walked over to a masked man. He wore the same mask as the teenagers but it was dark blue and had some bandages on it. He also wore a black top hat and had something like a gun in his hands.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh." the girl screamed while she kicked and screamed harder. The teenager stopped and try to hold her. The rest of the children noticed this and watched them.
"Calm down. You'll be saved." the teenager said softly. His flat tone voice just made the child fight harder.
"No. I don't want to be saved. No. MOMMMY." she yelled. The masked man tried to get close to her but kicked him in the face. He dropped the chip gun and cursed.
"DAMN BRAT." he said darkly. The teenagers looked at the man. The man cleared his throat and talked in a high pitch voice. "I mean. Calm her down. The little angel needs her tag."
"NO!" she yelled. She kicked the teenager on the face. The man grabbed the girl's arm. He had a hard time keeping the child still since she was moving a lot. The man shot the ship the girl's arm but not perfectly. The little girl screamed and kicked the teenagers harder. He dropped her in the process and started to run away.
"GEY THE BR..." the man cleared his throat and looked at the teenagers.. "I mean get the little angel." the masked man yelled in a high pitch voice. As the teenagers ran after the girl.
Hey, long time no chapter. I had a block for this because I didn't like the first attempt of this chapter. It felt really off so I threw it out. That attempt really didn't have the Titans in it. In fact, it was littered with a lot of OCS especially one that needed much need work. I like this so much better. The Title is Changed To Of Family, Friends, and Smiles because of its prequel series that's also on hold.
I might restart that one because of some changes.