Raven opened the door to the house and found her parents sitting in the hallway.
"Raven!" Theodore and Maggie ran to Raven and hugged her. "I'm glad you're okay. We're so sorry Raven, we shouldnt have said all those things, we just want what's best for you." Maggie pulled away to look at the young girl.
"I know that, but I'm okay. You don't have to baby me anymore." Raven looked behind her at Batman.
"Batman?" Theodore straighted up, a little confused as to why the vigilante would stay so long after making sure their daughter was safe.
"I would like to talk to the both of you." Batman's gruff voice always put most people on edge slightly.
"Of course Batman, what can we do for you?" Theodore straightened up even more.
"Raven does not need to be babied. She has told me everything, and I agree with her. She is stronger than you think, and does not need protection. What she need is normalcy. She needs to get back to her old life. She needs school, and friends, and freedom."
"But what if she gets kidnapped again. I just got you back, I can't loose you again." Maggie turned from Batman to look at her daughter.
"You're not going to loose me again. I'm stronger than you think. I really am. I don't need to be protected by you both. I can take care of myself. I lived through all that Jacobs put me through, I can handle anything. He trained me to be stronger, which I know scares you both. I understand that you think he was nothing but aweful to me, but he really wasn't. I don't know how well I would have survived if he hadn't been training me."
"Why was he training you?" Theo asked.
Raven looked at Batman, who kind of nodded. "I'm not a normal human. I can create illusions with my mind and he to use that ability to hurt people. He was trying to make the illusions more real, but he was unable to complete his training before Batman and the rest of the Justice League found me. He trained me in martial arts as well. I'm okay, I promise." Raven straightened herself, purposely only giving her parents only part of the truth. Barely the truth really.
"Oh Raven, why didn't you tell us sooner? We would have been a little more understanding." Maggie hugged her daughter tightly.
Raven thought for a minute. "I think I should move out on my own." Raven held up a hand before her parents could really freak out. "I also have the ability to enter a person's dreams. Most of the time, it's not by choice. If someone is asleep close to me and I try to sleep, I enter their dreams. It makes for a terrible nights sleep. If I were to have a place of my own, I would be able to rest better. I know it's hard for you to understand, but it really would be better for me." Raven had lowered her eyes and was almost afraid to look at her parents.'
"I don't know Raven. I don't think I like the idea of you being out their all alone." Maggie almost started to cry.
"I think it's a great idea." Theo said.
"Theo!"
"No Maggie. We can't be selfish right now. Raven's in pain and we need to help her any way we can, even if it's not what we want." Theo put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "We need to help her find a place to live."
"I can help with that." Batman stepped up to the trio. "I know of a house just outside the city. It's one of Bruce Wayne's houses. It's small, but I can add a few things to make it safer."
"Bruce Wayne. He's just going to let you have a house?" Theo looked at the Batman, confused.
"If I explain the whole thing to him, I know he will."
"Okay. I think that will make me feel better about the whole thing." Maggie smiled at the Dark Knight. "Thank you."
Batman gave one of his half smiles. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go and talk to Bruce Wayne and get everything settled."
"I'm sorry I lied to you both. I didn't want you to worry about me, and I'm sorry that I have to leave, but I really need to." Raven said once Batman left.
"It's okay Baby, we understand. I'm just sorry we couldn't help you sooner." Maggie smoothed her daughter's hair.
"Thank you both so much." Raven hugged her parent's tightly.
"So, my baby sister is a superhuman?" Kyle stepped out of the next room, a book in his hand. "I knew it."
"Really now? How did you know?" Raven mocked.
"You snuck out a lot as a kid. I figured something was going on with you."
"You snuck out as a kid?" Maggie looked surprised.
"Yeah. I couldn't ever sleep here. Too many people." Raven shrugged.
"Right." Maggie looked almost ashamed of not realizing that her daughter was a superhuman.
"It's okay Mom, I swear. I wouldn't have expected you to know. I kid it really well. The only reason Kyle even noticed, was because he's my big brother, and he was always trying to protect me, even if he didn't need to." Raven smiled at her brother.
"That's true. I was always trying to protect you. You were, and still are my baby sister, and I will do anything to help you, so how about I help you pack?" Kyle put an arm around Raven's shoulders and walked with her up to her room.
It's a bit short, and a lot late. I'm sorry. I hope it's up to par with what you all expect it to be. I hope you like it. Next chapter will be about her move to the safe house and a lot more.
