Richard covers his ears, but he can still hear the big booms outside. He can't see the fireworks exploding, but he remembers the ones that used to go off after every show he'd done with his parents. He should be with them right now. Doing another show in another big city. Instead, he's alone, sitting in the back of the library. The worst part is, that while they rot in their graves, the person responsible for their deaths is still out there.

The lights turn off and he uncovers his ears, but with the cotton stuffed in them, he still can't tell who's there. He gets up and walks to the end of the book shelves and stops because it's not one of the stupid boys from his room, come to tease him, it's just Raven. She goes to the big window on the far wall and stares out into the night. If she's that keen to watch the fireworks he wishes she would just go outside with everyone else, but he doesn't tell her that. That last thing he wants to do is start any trouble. He can't lose this place.

Before she came, this had been his place, his sanctuary. None of the other kids wanted to be here. It was the only place in the house where he could be alone. Even the toilets were crowded. Then she'd come along and ruined his last hope of solitude. At first, he was angry, but when she didn't bother him or ruin only traces of silence in the noisy house, the anger faded. She's always quiet. Even now, watching the fireworks she's quiet. He wouldn't have even known she'd come in if she hadn't turned off the lights. He sits at the end of the stacks and covers his ears again. At least when she leaves, he'll know it's over.

It's sudden and shocking, he almost gasps out loud, but he manages not to. All of his sadness and rage fades into feelings he hasn't felt in months. Feelings he never thought he'd feel again. Wonder, joy and happiness. It's so strange and sudden. He uncovers his ears and even though he can faintly hear the booms and bangs of the fireworks outside. The ones that gave him a panic meltdown during the summer, he feels good... better than good, fantastic.

The fireworks show ends and the booms stop after a crescendo. He takes the cotton out of his ears and Raven walks away from the window and exits the library. When she's gone the feelings slowly fade and he wishes they wouldn't. Even though the sadness and anger come back, he doesn't feel quite as bad as before. Probably because he's still puzzled by what happened. Had she done that? She looked weird, like no girl he'd ever seen and he'd seen some weird looking girls. It was possible she was a metahuman and had powers. If she had done it, did she know? But she hadn't seen him in the shelves, he was sure. So, if it was her it wasn't on purpose...

Richard got up from the floor and went to the computer. He had about an hour before the staff would round up all the kids and make them go to bed now that midnight had passed. They'd probably already started rounding up the younger kids who'd dared to stay up. He could spend it sitting in the stacks wishing reality wasn't what it was, or he could see if what he'd just experienced had ever happened to anyone else and try to figure out what it was. A puzzle to start the new year.

- Notes:
Hey guys! Thanks for sticking with me this far. Question, how do you feel about trigger warnings? Yay or meh? Are they necessary? I know we've dealt with some heavy things in previous chapters, do you wish you'd been warned? I can also update the rating, tags and summary. Things will escalate farther down the road and I don't want to cause anyone any harm, so just curious on your thoughts. Also this chapter wasn't in my original story which like I said is about 10 years old... but I wanted something a little lighter and to bring in more Richard and Garfield since they've had some cameos, but no major screen time yet. Thanks for reading!