Disclaimer: I only own the character, Rae.

Writer's block! Ahhh! (Runs around like a beheaded chicken)

NOTE: Chapter 5 (Traitor!)(When Starfire attacks Raven) has been edited. The fight scene has more details now, but nothing new.

Chapter 12

Rae didn't know how to react. She wanted to scream, cry, gape, and run towards the mist all at the same time. Was this all a dream? She pinched herself and jerked at the pain.

"You're really...my...mother?"

"Yes Rae. I am truly your mother."

Even though she was hearing her voice for the first time, Rae somehow recognized it in her heart. A grin grew on Rae's face, and suddenly broke out into a huge smile. "Mom!"

The girl ran towards the figure, arms outstretched, ready to bury her face into the softness of her mom and release all her tears. However, when she reached into the haze, she hit an invisible force field and the mist scattered. Rae backed away startled and watched the fog reform the dark cloaked figure.

"Mom? Why can't I touch you? Why...why can't I see you?"

Raven spoke, her voice sad and distant. "Because this really isn't me. This is a memory of myself, a mere shadow, preserved in my mind."

Rae sat down on the cold ground and crossed her legs. "Your mind?"

"That mirror you found was a portal into my mind I used for meditation. When I died, the portal closed. You could only open it, as you are my daughter, and you alone can see or hear me."

Rae almost had to strain to hear the words clearly. Her head was swimming with questions. The thought of that single second when she actually thought she'd finally meet her mother was piling with frustration, and tears started roll down her cheeks. Raven sensed her sorrow.

"Don't cry, my dear Rae. I will someday return to you."

The girl wiped away the water on her cheeks. "You will? How do you know?"

"I know because of where I am. This isn't heaven, or hell. My memory has been preserved for some reason."

"But how will you return? And when?" Rae's voice was very hopeful. Birthday wishes really do come true, it seemed.

"When I came here; when I died, it was said that I would return 'When love conquers evil and it is destroyed from inside.'"

Rae shook her head. "That makes about as much sense as how BB can enjoy tofu."

Raven laughed softly. The soothing sound reminded Rae of a peaceful snow covered forest. It also re-enforced the yearning to be closer to her mother and she began to cry again.

"I miss you mother, I really do." If Raven weren't made of memories and mist, her heart would surely be breaking.

"I miss you too, Rae, but remember that I will always remain in your heart."

"Daddy really misses you too."

Raven paused to contain her emotions. Even as a shadow, too must expression could destroy this portal of communication forever.

"How...how is Richard?"

Rae sniffed. "Daddy? He wants to move us two to the city. I don't see why we need to leave. I like where I live." She crossed her arms.

Raven grew pensive. "Your father knows what's best for you. He must have his true reasons, Rae."

"Oh yea. His true reason is to destroy my life." Rae rolled her eyes.

"Now, why don't you talk to him? I'm sure he'll understand."

"He never understands." Rae looked away.

Raven's cloak slightly billowed in an imaginary breeze and she sat down on her knees. "Tell me more about yourself, Rae."

"I will if you tell me about yourself afterwards, mother." Rae smiled through her dry tears. It felt so good to say that word.

"Alright. Oh by the way, happy birthday, daughter."

Rae and her mother spent the rest of the late-afternoon talking to each other. It was a like dream come true for Rae. If only she could be doing this while sitting next to her, snuggled deep into Raven's arms. Rae longed to look into the loving smile of her mother and stare into those violet eyes, but before she knew it, it was time to return to reality.

"I love you mom." Rae blew the shadow a kiss and walked to the exit portal with one last look at the swirling mist. "I'll come back as soon as I can."

There was a swirl of black and red, and Rae flopped back down on her bed. It was already dark, so she curled up with the picture of Raven and stared into her face that now was added with a voice. She started to daydream about sitting in front of the fireplace in her mom's lap during Christmas, roasting marshmallows over the flame. Or staying up late at night swapping ghost stories and finding ways to scare Robin or prank Cyborg. Rae sighed. I miss you Mom. Hopefully, my dreams will come true someday.

Robin sat at his desk, his face in his hands. What did he just do? He felt like he just failed as a father. He lowered his hands and his eyes caught a picture of Raven in the corner. Robin held the frame and stared into the face of his beloved.

"What should I do Raven? Should I listen to Rae's safety and lower the chances of being found, but raise the risk of not being to defend her; or to what our hearts say and raise the chance of being found but lower the risk of not being to defend her?" Robin slightly chuckled and gently stroked the picture with a gloved hand. "That was long winded, wasn't it?"

Robin placed the picture frame gently down in the middle of his desk and got up. It was already dark. I must have dozed off...He peered at his alarm clock. It was nearly ten PM.

"Rae must already be asleep." He looked once more at the photograph of Raven and sighed. "But I'll go talk to her."

When Robin reached the door, he turned around once again. "Raven, you always win." Smiling slightly, he walked into the hallway.

Rae had fallen asleep when Robin entered her room. With a tug of his heart, he noticed that she held the same picture of Raven that he had given her on her first day here. It was bent in some places but her face was kept clean of any scratches.

Robin sat down on the side of the bed, staring at Rae's peaceful sleeping figure, still clad in her normal day wear: black shorts and a tank top with an indigo cloak, similar to Raven's but smaller. He didn't want to wake her up, but talked anyways, looking around the blackened room.

"I know you probably can't hear me, but daddy's sorry." He paused. "I'm...sorry about that argument. I'm sorry I called you a brat. You know I didn't mean that. You really are a wonderful girl that reminds me so much of.... Raven and...myself."

He stopped and looked around the room. Not much had changed. There were smaller books on the lower shelves of the bookshelf while most of Raven's huge novels were piled in the top layers, awaiting their new owners to become more advanced. Stuffed animals had conquered one corner, all sprawled out over their territory. Raven's two-faced drama statue was replaced with a stone raven, eyeing all newcomers into the room. The computer next to the bookshelf was flashing a slide show of pictures for its screensaver. They showed the fun times Rae spent with the titans, such as Christmas, birthdays, days at the mall or the beach, or attempts to cook with Cy and Starfire. Now and then, the slideshow would flash old pictures of Raven, often accompanied by Robin.

He looked back at his daughter. "I've actually reconsidered moving to the city, seeing how much you love it here...and how much I love it here. I guess we just have to raise out guard and protect you like we have for the past ten years." Robin's thoughts traveled back to the argument. "After all, you aren't a baby anymore."

Unknown to Robin, the statue of the raven really does watch for people coming into Rae's room. When he walked in, Rae immediately woke up, but her eyes stayed closed. She wanted him to say whatever he wanted not knowing she could hear every single word. Now, Rae sat up, startling Robin, and smiled.

"Really daddy? We don't have to move to the city after all?"

"You, you heard everything I said?" Robin found it hard to suppress a grin. "You were awake?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Dad, you're forgetting who my mom is."

Robin opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. He reached for Rae and pulled her into a tight hug. "Would I ever?"

"And Dad, I'm sorry too...about saying how, you know." She looked away.

Robin let go. "That's quite alright. We both just lost out temper and brains for that moment. Well, not that you have one to start with Rae." He laughed.

"Hey!" Rae threw a lavender pillow at him but he brought his arms up to shield himself. He turned away and his eye caught the screen of her computer. On it was a picture of him and Raven in Hawaii, watching the sunset. Suddenly, Robin got an idea.

"So Rae," He straightened the pillow case, "I was thinking...since I pretty much ruined your birthday—"

She crossed her arms and pretended to scoff angrily.

"—I was thinking that we take a trip to Hawaii to make things up! Just you and me, like a father...daughter...thing."

Rae turned around with a huge smile plastered on her face. "Really? To Hawaii? You and mommy's favorite place in the whole wide world?"

"Really, Rae, April Fool's day was thirteen days ago."

"Oh daddy! That's awesome!" Rae hugged Robin tightly and a novel blew up and showered them all like confetti. "When do we leave?"

Robin gagged and gently pried her arms off him. "In a few days. I just have to get our room and tickets."

"Thank you daddy!"

Robin got up and smiled. He noticed a slight glimmer and caught sight of Raven's mirror at the foot of Rae's bed.

"Is that..." He picked the object up and stared at the blackened surface. "It's Raven's mirror. Why, I remember it like yesterday how she took me into her mind to meet her emotions."

Rae tried to act confused. She knew that if her father found out she could go in, and that Raven's memory was still alive, it would cause him great pain, as he would not be able to do the same thing. It took all her self-control not to shout out that she had talked to Raven.

Robin sighed and placed the mirror on Rae's nightstand. "This was one of your mom's most treasured possessions. Take good care it..."

Rae nodded and she watched him walk sadly across her room. He turned around and blew her a kiss by the door. "Night Rae."

"Night Daddy."

The door closed and Rae looked over at the mirror. When love conquers evil...

Next Chapter: Back to Hawaii! And we meet the bridge to the sequel.

Review please? A mountain of cookies and milkshakes waits. Mmm...