Disclaimer: Only for entertainment purposes, no profit was made. Characters
of Batman/Bruce Wayne, Robin/Dick Grayson, Alfred and Police Commissioner
are property of DC Comics.
The night was dying with the birth of a new day. Dick lay upon his bed still dressed in his night uniform of red and black rubber. He like Bruce was one of the cape crusaders that patrolled the streets of Gotham. He was looking at the written phone number on his hand. It had been a compulsion to ask her for it.
Lost in his wonder, he didn't hear Bruce stop by. "You okay?"
"Hmm? Oh yeah I'm fine."
"I tracked the Raven's movements; seems she came into Gotham about two months ago." Bruce looked at the distracted look on his partner's face, "You know she's getting in pretty deep with a few of Gotham's larger gangs. She could become a hit target."
"You mean maybe we should start looking for her? For her own protection?"
"Exactly," Bruce patted his partner on the shoulder, "Hey by the way sorry for dragging you home last night. It took you a while to get here. Where were you?"
"I was on my way to a club down on 5th when I ran across a group of thugs beating up on a woman. I got involved and when you called we were in her apartment talking and having coffee."
"I see.so that I guess would be her number?" Bruce said pointing to Dick's hand.
"Yeah."
"Get some sleep. We'll search for Raven tonight." Bruce said getting up off the bed and leaving the young man alone.
Dick rolled over onto his stomach and after pondering for a few more minutes began to drift off to sleep.
Under the cover of darkness, two masked men sat hunched backed to the ice cold rain that was falling from the pitch black sky. They waited for any sign of their possible comrade, or foe to be. They had almost given up their fruitless search when they heard the alarm break through the dim pounding of the rain. The two men raced to the building of the alarm; there they met the creature they had been searching for. Raven; her dark tresses reflected the neon light from the shop street just outside the shattered window. Surrounding her were six powerfully built street teens; beings that only knew how to survive in the world under the eye of the police.
When the two other costumed heroes were spotted two of the smaller teens took off running, calling out behind her Raven shouted, "You handle these, I'll get the runners." The running prey disappeared down an ally followed shortly by their predator Raven.
The fight with the street teens was simplistic compared to facing off against the criminally insane variety the duo usually faced. The remaining four would be thieves went down in a matter of seconds.
"Well that was ea-" Robin began to say as he looked around at the sprawled out bodies of the teens. His words were lost to the double shot of a gun in the near darkness. Both Batman and Robin turned to see one of the teens Raven had been after come running out of the ally they had momentarily entered. Batman locked in on him and with a skilled flick of the wrist sent a batarang hurdling towards the fleeing figure. The weapon wrapped its steel cord around the hoodlum's feet and sent the kid down hard into the pavement.
With the criminal's under control, the caped crusaders ran full tilt towards the ally. There they found a startling sight. Both Raven and the other teen hoodlum were down. The teen was lying on his back eyes and mouth open a blank expression graced his features as the traces of his death were washed away by the gentle rain. Raven was leaning up against an over flowing dumpster, it was clear she was trying to remain conscious.
"He's dead." Batman said simply as Robin reached out to one of the bodies to check for a pulse. Batman then turned his attention to Raven. Her dark blue eyes were gazing loosely around the ally way trying not to close and surrender to the darkness within her mind. "They're out for blood." Batman said as he noticed the grazed forehead of Raven.
"What now?" asked Robin kneeling down to his partner's side.
"We take her with us patch her up and return her." Batman stood up to leave. "She saved your life, now you can save hers."
Robin nodded and as gently as he could he picked up the now unconscious Raven and carried her as he followed Batman back to their base of operations the cave.
The pulsing ache was the driving force that reminded Raven of her location. Her blurring blue eyed vision wavered with each beat of her heart. When her surroundings began to clear, she felt as though something was out of place, her foggy mind took several moments to make the connection. She was not where she had thought she was. No longer was she leaning up against a stench ridden dumpster, with the cold polluted rain coursing down her face. Now she was laying flat on her back, the area above her was dark, the place felt cavernous, and nearly empty. Gently her hands crept up to her head and found not only the mountain of dark hair but also the expert wrapping of a bandage. Quickly she checked to feel if her mask was still in place. It was.
She was just beginning to relax again when she heard the voices. Two, they were distinctly male, and both had an edge of power to them. Instantly she identified them, they were her unusual allies Batman and Robin. This then must be their base. She thought to herself. Rising up into the sitting position despite the protesting of various bruises, and aching muscles she scanned her surroundings again. They were in a large cave, with no visible exit or entrance. Batman and Robin were talking lightly near a large bank of computer screens, each screen displaying black and white footage of ally ways and store fronts. Both men had their back to her.
Raven was beginning to feel a bit more like her old self and thus decided that she had already over stayed her visit. Her booted feet graced the cold rocky ground and as her body weight was transferred to her feet from the bed she felt a wave of vertigo send the cave spinning. Closing her eyes and wishing the vision to stop she regained her feet steadily. In a silent shuffle she made her way towards the conversing pair.
Turning his attention back to the computer screens before him, Robin got the impression that he and Batman weren't the only ones down in the cave. Before he could inform his partner of his suspicions Batman beat him to it.
"Nice of you to join us Raven, I trust you are feeling better?" Batman said as he still studied the computer print out before him.
"Better then I thought I would. How long have I been out?" her voice was weighted down with exhaustion.
"Umm about 4 hours." Robin replied as he turned to face her. She looked like hell, her midnight hair tossed about, dried blood marred the one side of her face, and her eyes were tired and clouded.
"Crap." She said quietly to herself. Speaking to her rescuers she said, "I have to get going. Thanks for your help Batman, Robin." She nodded to each of them as she spoke.
Jumping to his feet Robin said, "I'll give you a ride in." Raven only nodded and followed the younger man.
As the pair walked away from the computer set up Batman called to them, "Don't be long."
Robin only nodded to his partner as he led Raven deeper in to the cave. Upon a steel grated platform stood his beloved bike, it was blood red and black steel. Robin tossed Raven a helmet, "Put this on." She looked at him confused. "Sorry the big bat has his rules and this is one of them; the whole secret hideout issue." Raven nodded and put the helmet on, leaving the eye guard up. Robin started the bike and it purred like a kitten. Raven made herself comfortable, sitting just behind him; she wrapped her arms around his waist as the bike shot forward. They wound themselves through the caves' tunnels. As the exit/ entrance came into sight Robin called over his shoulder for her to put the eye guard down.
The ride back to the city was made without a word spoken beyond the cave. Each of the bikes passengers lost in their own thoughts. As the bike gained a few feet of air as they hit the brink of the hill Robin felt Raven's hands grip him tighter, he let out a little grunt as she unknowingly sent sparks of pain from his recent knife wound in his side. As soon as the tires regained their grip with the pavement, she loosened her grip slightly.
Raven felt the groan escape Robin's lips while they were in the air. She moved her hand slightly from his side up a bit further on to his lower ribs. For some reason the reference to where the wound was stayed in her mind. There was something very familiar about this man, but what was it.
Robin slowed the bike to a halt three blocks from where the attempted robbery had been. Raven slid off of the bike and handed the helmet back to Robin. "Thanks for the lift. I owe you."
"You better remember that." Robin said with a sly smile. He seemed to hesitate before going on. "Say Raven, since you, Batman and I seem to be going after the same thing I wanted to give this to you." He tossed her a small black box, with his insignia on it. The gift was no larger then a match box. "It's a communicator; give us a call if you need help or anything okay?"
"It's a deal, but no offence I hope I don't have to use this too soon."
"You and me both. Take it easy girl, and we'll see ya 'round." Robin said as he kicked the bike to life again. Raven stood on the sidewalk a full five minutes longer after Robin and his bike had vanished in to the breaking day. Then quickly checking that the close was clear she made her way home. From the roof tops of the neighboring buildings she made her way the four blocks to her apartment. She entered though the skylight of the main stair case and then silent as a shadow made her way to her haven.
She locked and bolted the door closed behind her and let out a sigh. Walking though the barren living room she headed for the back bedroom. There she picked up the phone and dialed the all to familiar number. On the second ring a male voice answered, "Hello?"
"Hey Dave." She croaked into the receiver, "I really hate to do this to you but I can't make it in today. I've got a major migraine."
"Listen Angel you got to start taking better care of your self. But don't worry, I'll call one of the other girls to come in today, you just get better."
"Thanks Dave, I'll see you tomorrow."
"You bet, later Angelica." Dave hung up. Raven sat down on her bed and began the tiresome task of changing. She stripped off her gloves and kicked off her boots. The carefully removed her black eye mask. With a groan she sat up and walked to her closet, there she pushed aside a few sweaters and dresses and revealed the hidden panel. She opened the compartment and set her boots, gloves and mask inside. Then she removed the rest of her nightly uniform and replaced it with blue flannel pajama bottoms and a worn white tank top. Closing the compartment she walked over to her dresser and glanced into the mirror.
"Boy oh boy Angel, "she said to herself, "You should really take Dave's advice. Learn to duck first." She brushed her long black locks and then wearily crawled into bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.
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The night was dying with the birth of a new day. Dick lay upon his bed still dressed in his night uniform of red and black rubber. He like Bruce was one of the cape crusaders that patrolled the streets of Gotham. He was looking at the written phone number on his hand. It had been a compulsion to ask her for it.
Lost in his wonder, he didn't hear Bruce stop by. "You okay?"
"Hmm? Oh yeah I'm fine."
"I tracked the Raven's movements; seems she came into Gotham about two months ago." Bruce looked at the distracted look on his partner's face, "You know she's getting in pretty deep with a few of Gotham's larger gangs. She could become a hit target."
"You mean maybe we should start looking for her? For her own protection?"
"Exactly," Bruce patted his partner on the shoulder, "Hey by the way sorry for dragging you home last night. It took you a while to get here. Where were you?"
"I was on my way to a club down on 5th when I ran across a group of thugs beating up on a woman. I got involved and when you called we were in her apartment talking and having coffee."
"I see.so that I guess would be her number?" Bruce said pointing to Dick's hand.
"Yeah."
"Get some sleep. We'll search for Raven tonight." Bruce said getting up off the bed and leaving the young man alone.
Dick rolled over onto his stomach and after pondering for a few more minutes began to drift off to sleep.
Under the cover of darkness, two masked men sat hunched backed to the ice cold rain that was falling from the pitch black sky. They waited for any sign of their possible comrade, or foe to be. They had almost given up their fruitless search when they heard the alarm break through the dim pounding of the rain. The two men raced to the building of the alarm; there they met the creature they had been searching for. Raven; her dark tresses reflected the neon light from the shop street just outside the shattered window. Surrounding her were six powerfully built street teens; beings that only knew how to survive in the world under the eye of the police.
When the two other costumed heroes were spotted two of the smaller teens took off running, calling out behind her Raven shouted, "You handle these, I'll get the runners." The running prey disappeared down an ally followed shortly by their predator Raven.
The fight with the street teens was simplistic compared to facing off against the criminally insane variety the duo usually faced. The remaining four would be thieves went down in a matter of seconds.
"Well that was ea-" Robin began to say as he looked around at the sprawled out bodies of the teens. His words were lost to the double shot of a gun in the near darkness. Both Batman and Robin turned to see one of the teens Raven had been after come running out of the ally they had momentarily entered. Batman locked in on him and with a skilled flick of the wrist sent a batarang hurdling towards the fleeing figure. The weapon wrapped its steel cord around the hoodlum's feet and sent the kid down hard into the pavement.
With the criminal's under control, the caped crusaders ran full tilt towards the ally. There they found a startling sight. Both Raven and the other teen hoodlum were down. The teen was lying on his back eyes and mouth open a blank expression graced his features as the traces of his death were washed away by the gentle rain. Raven was leaning up against an over flowing dumpster, it was clear she was trying to remain conscious.
"He's dead." Batman said simply as Robin reached out to one of the bodies to check for a pulse. Batman then turned his attention to Raven. Her dark blue eyes were gazing loosely around the ally way trying not to close and surrender to the darkness within her mind. "They're out for blood." Batman said as he noticed the grazed forehead of Raven.
"What now?" asked Robin kneeling down to his partner's side.
"We take her with us patch her up and return her." Batman stood up to leave. "She saved your life, now you can save hers."
Robin nodded and as gently as he could he picked up the now unconscious Raven and carried her as he followed Batman back to their base of operations the cave.
The pulsing ache was the driving force that reminded Raven of her location. Her blurring blue eyed vision wavered with each beat of her heart. When her surroundings began to clear, she felt as though something was out of place, her foggy mind took several moments to make the connection. She was not where she had thought she was. No longer was she leaning up against a stench ridden dumpster, with the cold polluted rain coursing down her face. Now she was laying flat on her back, the area above her was dark, the place felt cavernous, and nearly empty. Gently her hands crept up to her head and found not only the mountain of dark hair but also the expert wrapping of a bandage. Quickly she checked to feel if her mask was still in place. It was.
She was just beginning to relax again when she heard the voices. Two, they were distinctly male, and both had an edge of power to them. Instantly she identified them, they were her unusual allies Batman and Robin. This then must be their base. She thought to herself. Rising up into the sitting position despite the protesting of various bruises, and aching muscles she scanned her surroundings again. They were in a large cave, with no visible exit or entrance. Batman and Robin were talking lightly near a large bank of computer screens, each screen displaying black and white footage of ally ways and store fronts. Both men had their back to her.
Raven was beginning to feel a bit more like her old self and thus decided that she had already over stayed her visit. Her booted feet graced the cold rocky ground and as her body weight was transferred to her feet from the bed she felt a wave of vertigo send the cave spinning. Closing her eyes and wishing the vision to stop she regained her feet steadily. In a silent shuffle she made her way towards the conversing pair.
Turning his attention back to the computer screens before him, Robin got the impression that he and Batman weren't the only ones down in the cave. Before he could inform his partner of his suspicions Batman beat him to it.
"Nice of you to join us Raven, I trust you are feeling better?" Batman said as he still studied the computer print out before him.
"Better then I thought I would. How long have I been out?" her voice was weighted down with exhaustion.
"Umm about 4 hours." Robin replied as he turned to face her. She looked like hell, her midnight hair tossed about, dried blood marred the one side of her face, and her eyes were tired and clouded.
"Crap." She said quietly to herself. Speaking to her rescuers she said, "I have to get going. Thanks for your help Batman, Robin." She nodded to each of them as she spoke.
Jumping to his feet Robin said, "I'll give you a ride in." Raven only nodded and followed the younger man.
As the pair walked away from the computer set up Batman called to them, "Don't be long."
Robin only nodded to his partner as he led Raven deeper in to the cave. Upon a steel grated platform stood his beloved bike, it was blood red and black steel. Robin tossed Raven a helmet, "Put this on." She looked at him confused. "Sorry the big bat has his rules and this is one of them; the whole secret hideout issue." Raven nodded and put the helmet on, leaving the eye guard up. Robin started the bike and it purred like a kitten. Raven made herself comfortable, sitting just behind him; she wrapped her arms around his waist as the bike shot forward. They wound themselves through the caves' tunnels. As the exit/ entrance came into sight Robin called over his shoulder for her to put the eye guard down.
The ride back to the city was made without a word spoken beyond the cave. Each of the bikes passengers lost in their own thoughts. As the bike gained a few feet of air as they hit the brink of the hill Robin felt Raven's hands grip him tighter, he let out a little grunt as she unknowingly sent sparks of pain from his recent knife wound in his side. As soon as the tires regained their grip with the pavement, she loosened her grip slightly.
Raven felt the groan escape Robin's lips while they were in the air. She moved her hand slightly from his side up a bit further on to his lower ribs. For some reason the reference to where the wound was stayed in her mind. There was something very familiar about this man, but what was it.
Robin slowed the bike to a halt three blocks from where the attempted robbery had been. Raven slid off of the bike and handed the helmet back to Robin. "Thanks for the lift. I owe you."
"You better remember that." Robin said with a sly smile. He seemed to hesitate before going on. "Say Raven, since you, Batman and I seem to be going after the same thing I wanted to give this to you." He tossed her a small black box, with his insignia on it. The gift was no larger then a match box. "It's a communicator; give us a call if you need help or anything okay?"
"It's a deal, but no offence I hope I don't have to use this too soon."
"You and me both. Take it easy girl, and we'll see ya 'round." Robin said as he kicked the bike to life again. Raven stood on the sidewalk a full five minutes longer after Robin and his bike had vanished in to the breaking day. Then quickly checking that the close was clear she made her way home. From the roof tops of the neighboring buildings she made her way the four blocks to her apartment. She entered though the skylight of the main stair case and then silent as a shadow made her way to her haven.
She locked and bolted the door closed behind her and let out a sigh. Walking though the barren living room she headed for the back bedroom. There she picked up the phone and dialed the all to familiar number. On the second ring a male voice answered, "Hello?"
"Hey Dave." She croaked into the receiver, "I really hate to do this to you but I can't make it in today. I've got a major migraine."
"Listen Angel you got to start taking better care of your self. But don't worry, I'll call one of the other girls to come in today, you just get better."
"Thanks Dave, I'll see you tomorrow."
"You bet, later Angelica." Dave hung up. Raven sat down on her bed and began the tiresome task of changing. She stripped off her gloves and kicked off her boots. The carefully removed her black eye mask. With a groan she sat up and walked to her closet, there she pushed aside a few sweaters and dresses and revealed the hidden panel. She opened the compartment and set her boots, gloves and mask inside. Then she removed the rest of her nightly uniform and replaced it with blue flannel pajama bottoms and a worn white tank top. Closing the compartment she walked over to her dresser and glanced into the mirror.
"Boy oh boy Angel, "she said to herself, "You should really take Dave's advice. Learn to duck first." She brushed her long black locks and then wearily crawled into bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.
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