The next night, Raven let her family wish her good night with hugs and kisses, and went off to her room. The day had been spent allowing people to welcome her home. The staff was first, then came her parent's friends, then came the people she used to attend Gotham Academy with. They were mostly crying teanage girls that Raven had to muster tears for when she had seen them. They were happy to see her, and she wasn't completely against accepting their invitations to hang out when she settled in more. Raven knew she would have to spend a little time in her room to make sure her mother didn't look in on her before she too went to bed.
Since no one in the house was sleeping yet, Raven let herself drift off, knowing full well that her mother would be the first one to go to bed, and she would open her door, and unknowingly wake her daughter. Once her mother closed the door, Raven would gather a few things, and slip out of the house, leaving an illusion in her place, and head off to Bruce's house outside of Gotham.
Raven rarely had dreams of her own anymore. Most of her dreams came from the people sleeping near her. When she had been with Jacobs, he would sometimes fall asleep at his desk, and Raven had no choice but to sleep with him sleeping near, and she would dread it. She didn't like his dreams, most of the time. They were filled with gory images of him taking over the world, sometimes with Lex Luther by his side, and sometimes with her hanging off his arm, looking at him with a look of proud, joyous, admeration. It sickened her to no end.
After a minute or so, Raven slipped out of the house, and out of the fence. She found the motorcycle parked right were Bruce had said he would leave it, and got on. A helmet was hanging from the handle bars, so she put it on. It fit great.
The ride didn't take as long as she had thought it would. It helped that the motrocycle Bruce had left her was one of Robin's old ones, and suped up to the T. Fast as hell, and had a smooth ride. The house was just as she remembered it when her father had helped build it. She had been into his work at the time, and had enjoyed following her dad to work. This wasn't the first time she had met Bruce Wayne, so she had made herself right at home in the billionaire's small house, though he hadn't seemed to have minded at the time. Bruce always seemed to be fond of children. Dick had not been in Bruce's life at the time though.
The front door was unlocked, and the lights came on when she flipped the switch. It was clean, and the bedroom had a large bed. She looked around for a few more minutes, then did another walk through to check and see if the windows were locked. She then locked the front door, and went back to the bedroom. She quickly changed clothes, and crawled into the bed. It was comfortable, and she found herself falling to sleep much faster than she had thought she would.
A dream came to her that night. The first of her own in a long time. She was standing in the Watchtower, alone. No other hero was with her and even on her dream she found it strange. The other heroes were wiery of her and would never let her wonder around on her own. Batman might have, and Superman would come closer than the rest, but she had not gained enough trust to be on her own. She was wearing her uniform, hood up and everything.
Dreamscape began to walk. As she got to a door, it opened on it's own. Someone had to have been there, so she was going to find them. There was always at least one hero in the tower at all times, right. But then again, what did she know. She had only been in the tower once, and she had spent most of it unconiouse. Batman didn't talk enough to tell her things, and she only got so much from his mind when she had been in there when he had come to rescue her.
The tower was scary without heroes in it. So empty and big. As she walked, she could see out the windows at the vast and dark space with it's many stars and planets. She might have taken the time to look out the large windows better, if she were not already on a mission.
The more she walked, the more nervous she got. She had yet to find another hero, and she knew something was up. She should have found someone, or set off an alarm or something, but there was nothing. The tower still had power since the doors were opening, the lights were on, and it was still orbiting. If power had been lost, the tower would have most likey plummeted to Earth, or floated away from it and into the wide open area of space.
What was going on? Dreamscape estimaited she had been walking for an hour now, and she had still not found anyone. The jet was still in the hanger, and there didn't seem to be anything missing, and her nervousness expanded. This was not right. There should be someone there. Where was everyone and why did she feel so alone.
Raven woke with a jolt, tears falling silently. What had that dream ment? Dreams alwaysment something, didn't they. Deep down, every dream had some meaning to it. Raen looked over at the window. It was still dark outside. She then looked over at the alarm clock on the bedside table. She had only been asleep for two hours. With a groan, and tears still flowing, Raven let her head fall back on the pillow. She was temted to go back home, but in reality, all she wanted to do was contact Batman. She wondered if he would be home, thoughg she figured he was probable out patroling.
After a few minutes, Raven got a thought. Alfred was probably at the manor, and he knew what Bruce did at night. If she asked, he might be able to get Batman to call her or something. Raven picked up the cell phone her mother had given her that morning, 'to text her school friends' with. Raven knew her mother just wanted to have a way to get in touh with her if they were ever seperated. She could see the worry in her mother's eyes, worry that Raven would once again disapear without a trace. Raven understood to worry, but understood why her mother felt the need to know where she was at all time, but that didn't mean she had to like it.
Raven knew the number to Wayne Manor by heart. She used to love helping her dad, and making calls to the billionare was part of that job. After the fourth ring, a British voice answered. "Wayne Manor."
"Alfred? It's Raven Thorne. I don't know if Bruce is home, or if he's out, but will you tell him I really need to talk to him?" Raven tried to hide the hitch in her voice from crying, but she knew Alfred had heard it. The bulter was a wise man, and noticed things many didn't.
"Well, of course, I'll let him know right away." Alfred replied.
"Thank you Alfred." Raven hung up the phone, and waited for Bruce to call. Fifteen minutes later, Raven heard the lock on the front door click. Almost afraid of what it was, Raven climbed out of bed, and peered through the door. Batman was standing in the open doorway. Without thinking, Raven ran over to the older hero, and threw herself into his arms. Batman, who could see where she had been crying, wrapped his arms around her as she began to shake with loud sobs.
Batman picked the crying teen up and carried her over to the couch. He had already known she had been crying. Alfred had called him right after he had hung up with Raven, and said she was in tears, and really needed to talk to him. Now, Batman could tell she needed much more than to just talk. Something had upset her, and badly. "What's wrong Raven?" He asked after she had calmed down enough to hear him.
"It's going to sound so stupid, but I had a nightmare." Raven said. "After so long of not being able to have my own dreams, I end up having a nightmare and waking up in tears."
"What was the dream about?" Batman asked.
"I was in the Wactchtower, and I was alone. All the power was on and everything was working right, nothing was missing, but no one was there. I was all alone, didn't know why, and I was scared. I know it sounds stupid, but I felt so alone without anyone around me. I was expecting to see heroes everywhere, but I was so alone." Raven couldn't stop the flow of tears.
"It's okay Raven. I'm here for you." Batman pulled his hood back. "Wait here." Batman sat Raven on the couch, and disapeared into the bedroom. He came back a few minutes later, dressed in sleeper pants and a white t-shirt. He sat down beside her and pulled her into his lap. Raven layed her head on his chest, still sobbing slightly. "I will always be here for you Raven. You are not alone anymore. The rest of the league will come around, they know I don't trust easily, and when they see how much I trust you, then they'll do the same."
"Thank you Bruce." Raven said, falling asleep in his arms.
