Chapter 15

Thursday, January 31

7:30 PM

Logan is doing his homework at the kitchen table. Raven is sitting on the couch in the living room, reading. Dick and Kori are sitting on the other end of the couch, cuddled together watching TV. Vic is out with Bee. After 30 more minutes, Logan puts down his pencil and walks over to the couch. He lays down on the couch with his head on Raven's lap with his eyes closed. Dick and Kori look over, shocked. Raven looks down from her book at Logan.

"Why are you laying on me?" Raven asks, raising her hand to push him off.

"I have a bad headache and needed to lay down," Logan says with his eyes still closed.

"So why didn't you just go to your room? Or lay on the floor?"

"My room is too far and the couch is more comfortable than the floor." He open his eyes. "Can I please just keep laying on you?"

"Do you want me to get you some ibuprofen?"

"No. I think I'll be fine if I just lay here for a bit."

"Fine." She lowers her hand and feels his forehead, then runs it through his hair once before returning to her book. Logan closes his eyes again. "At least you don't have a fever." They all sit in silence, other than the TV, for a few moments before Dick breaks it.

"What just happened?" Dick asks. Raven looks up from her book.

"I'm not watching TV," Raven says. "How would I know?"

"I'm not talking about the show. I'm talking about Logan laying on you and you not pushing him off like you normally do whenever he touches you."

"He has a headache." Raven returns to her book.

"So?"

"So I'm not going to push him off and possibly hurt him when he already isn't feeling good."

"That hasn't stopped you before." Raven looks up and glares at him.

"Name one time when I have ever hurt him when he is already hurt." Dick tries to think of a time but can't. "Exactly."

"Are you two dating?"

"No we're not. Just because I didn't push him off of me doesn't mean we're dating."

"But you did run your fingers through his hair."

"What are you talking about?"

"Before you went back to reading, you ran your fingers through his hair."

"No I didn't. I felt his forehead to see if he had a fever."

"Yeah and then you ran you hand through his hair."

"Well if I did, which I didn't, it was unintentional."

"Can you two stop arguing so my headache can go away?" Logan says. Raven and Dick look at him.

"Sorry," they both say then go back to reading and watching TV. Logan falls asleep ten minutes later. After an hour passes, Raven puts down her book and carefully moves out from under Logan and puts a pillow under his head. She goes to the kitchen for a glass of water and when she comes back, she sits next to Logan on the couch and picks up her book again. Thirty minutes later, Raven notices Logan moving in his sleep. As she is lowering her book, he jerks awake.

"NO!" Logan shouts as he sits up. He looks around and sees Raven, Dick, and Kori looking at him.

"Are you okay, Friend Logan?" Kori asks. He looks over at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Logan says.

"Why did you yell when you woke up?" Kori asks. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"Oh it was nothing really," Logan says. "I was dreaming about playing video games and I was just about to get the high score when the power went out and lost everything."

"You were dreaming about video games?" Dick asks.

"Yep," Logan says. "You know how much I like them. I even dream about playing." The other three just look at him. "Well I'm gonna go to my room. I have a little bit of homework to finish up yet." He gets up and grabs his things from the table then goes to his room. Dick and Kori go back to watching TV. Raven tries to continue reading her book but can't focus on it. She closes it and sets it on the end table then gets up and walks out of the room. She starts going to her room then decides to go to Logan's room. She knocks on the door and waits for him to answer it. After a few moments, he opens the door.

"Hey Rae," Logan says. He steps back to let her in. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to check that you were okay," Raven says, walking inside his room. Logan closes the door.

"I'm fine."

"What was your nightmare really about?"

"You don't believe that it was actually about video games?" Logan sighs. "Was I doing anything before I woke up? Talking in my sleep or anything like that?"

"You were moving around a little bit. I don't think Dick or Kori noticed though."

"Well that's good." Logan sits on his bed. "My nightmare was about you."

"Me?"

"Yeah." Logan looks down. "Remember the last incident with Malcolm and Adam?" Raven nods. "It started off like that. They both trapped you and Malcolm grabbed you. I tried to intervene but Adam punched me, dropping me to my knees. From there, it was as if I had restraints on me; I couldn't move. They started touching you and I could only watch. You were begging me to help you but I couldn't move. They were trying to remove your clothes to rape you when I woke up." He looks up at Raven with tears in his eyes. "I felt so helpless because I couldn't help you. I felt like a failure because I couldn't protect you." A few tears slide down his face. Raven sits next to him and touches his face.

"You are not a failure. It was just a nightmare. It will never happen. You do everything you can to protect me now, even if you could get hurt. You never let anything stop you."

"I haven't been able to completely protect you."

"You would never be able to. But you do the best you can and that is what matters. You don't stand by and let it happen. You step in as soon as you can to help me."

"I guess you're right." He wipes the tears from his eyes and lays on his bed. He grabs Raven's hand. "I hate it when they get close to you or do anything to you."

"I know. So do I." She lays down next to him with her head on his chest. He wraps an arm around her waist. "I hate it when you have to fight them to get them to leave."

"I will do whatever I have to to protect you."

"I know. I just wish they would leave me alone."

"Me too." They lay in silence for a while. Raven looks at the clock and sees that it is 11:00. She sits up, causing Logan to look at her.

"I should go to my room so we can both go to sleep since we have school tomorrow," Raven says.

"Would you want to sleep in here with me?" Logan asks.

"Do you need me to?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Why would I be? We've shared a bed before. Just because it'd be your bed this time instead of mine doesn't change anything. If you want me to stay so you don't have nightmares, I will."
"It's not really because of the nightmares why I want you to stay. It's more of a reassurance thing."

"What do you mean?"

"I just need to be near you and protect you. I know that you are safe here in the Tower and that you won't be hurt but after my nightmare earlier, I just need to reassure myself that you really are safe. It might be selfish of me but I need you to sleep with me tonight so I can be sure that you are safe."

"Okay. I understand. I will sleep in here with you tonight. And it's not selfish of you." Raven gets up. "Just let me go get ready for bed and I will be back." She walks out of his room down the hall to hers and gets ready for bed. Logan does the same in his room. A few minutes later, Raven returns to Logan's room. She lays on his bed and Logan joins her after turning off the light. Raven lays her head on his chest and one arm across his torso. Logan wraps both arms around her, hugging her. He kisses the top of her head.

"Thank you," Logan says softly. Raven looks up at him.

"For what?" Raven asks, looking at him.

"For this. For staying with me and understanding why I need you close to me. And for listening to me."

"What are friends for?"

"You're a bit more than just a friend Rae."

"So are you." Logan kisses her forehead and loosens his arms but still keeps them around her.

"Good night Raven." She leans up and kisses him.

"Good night Logan." She lays her head back on his chest and they both fall asleep shortly after.