Deppfreak: Thank you! I hope to see you reviewing! Hehe. Here's the next chapter.

Summersfan: I'm glad you like it! But, hold on, a sequel! I've only done two chapters! o.o

Carmilla: Thanks! I didn't want to throw people straight into an emotional chapter, you need to realise her original happiness before we get into the thickness of the plot. I hope you like the rest of it!

Chapter 3

Raven stopped completely, her eyes completely on her mother's face. The phone was placed down shakily, the receiver rattling in its spot by the quivering hands. Raven frowned, stepping closer to her mother, "What is it?" she asked, "What's happened Mum?"

Gemma placed a hand to her mouth to cover the sob of tears, "It's Peter." Her eyes began to sparkle with tears, her voice still shook with disbelief, "He got stabbed by a carjacker."

"What?" gasped Raven, now sharing that sudden impact of shock, "Stabbed? Is he in hospital?"

Her mother shook her head slowly; "They didn't take him to the hospital. He was already dead.." a noisy weep came from her and she clamped her arms tightly around her daughter, "He's dead, Raven!"

Shock silenced Raven, and she was numb to the embrace of her sobbing mother. Her mother continued to whine out words that passed Raven faintly, not taking them in. Her eyes just glared over his mother's heaving shoulders, "Oh my poor nephew," Gemma cried, "Right outside the Job Office.. "

Her mother's last sentence brought her to reality, "Outside the Job Office?"

"Yes.. next to the Planning Department, that's where they said the guy had come from.. "

Raven pushed her mother from her, giving a choked gasp, "No!"

"Darling, I know.. I know it's so hard to take in.." her mother whispered, cradling her daughter's cheeks.

Raven shook her head, pushing her mother's hands away, "Oh no.." images of the man that she encountered in the street earlier flashed through her mind. Words being replayed '..he looked like a bad sort..' came Cass's voice, ' ..are you crazy? Helping that guy?..' It was him.. Cass was right! He was a criminal! If she had let him run on by and refused help, her cousin would never be dead! It was her fault! With a sob she barged round her mother, leaping up the stairs two at a time and entering her room with a forceful slam of her door.

With shaking sobs she threw herself face down on the bed, her hands clasped over her face as she moaned her distress and uncontrollable tears. Why had she helped him? Why couldn't she have ignored the man and continued on home with Cass. Her tears came even louder when she remembered seeing Peter's car speed on by, yet no recognition from the man inside. Because it hadn't been Peter, it had been that criminal, that vicious man who she helped in his murderous plans!

The tears never seemed to stop; they kept falling, pitiful moans weeping from her, distraught anger and sadness emitting from her room and sounding all over the house, including downstairs, where her mother sat alone, her head in her hands. But eventually, the sobbing wearied her small form, and Raven's distress was temporarily vanquished as her eyes fell closed and her brain settled into an uneasy sleep.

When Raven opened her eyes the next morning she initially felt surprised to see such bright sunlight in her room. In the morning there was sunlight, but it was more of a hazy glow. Her confusion was settled when her eyes glanced to her clock. Midday.. MIDDAY?! Why had her mother let her sleep in so long? She sat up, attempting to kick away her covers that she realised weren't even upon her, and she was still in the same clothes of yesterday. She frowned before shaking her head to herself. She had had a pretty horrendous nightmare last night. Dreaming of Peter dying.. wondered what he'd make of it all. She made a faint smirk when she thought up possible replies he'd offer until she realised she was still extremely late for school. She quickly ran out of her bedroom, hurrying halfway down the stairs, when she heard her mother on the phone in the hallway. Wait a minute.. why wasn't she at work? Her mother never missed a day.

Slowly, a cold feeling of nausea settled into the pit of her stomach as her mother's conversation crept to her ears. "No, no.. we don't want to come down. His parents should.. Yes, Louisa and David will be there, of course they will. Yes, already identified.. Alright. I know, thank you.." her mother fell silent except for small nods and the occasional sniff of tears, before finally, "Alright.. goodbye."

It was true?

Not a dream?

Everything about yesterday came hurtling back into her mind and with a frightened gasp she spun back up the stairs. Her mother had looked upwards at the noise, wiping her eyes, "Raven?" But Raven was firmly back in her room, sat on the edge of her bed with flowing tears. Oh, the guilt. The sickness. She felt so unclean. The base of her hands rubbed at her eyes slowly until her lids burned at the contact and she finally released her eyes of the pain. Sore and tired eyes glanced across the room, catching her reflection in the mirror opposite. She stood slowly, instantly frowning. Something unusual had caught her attention. She moved slowly towards the mirror with a cautious walk before stopping face to face with her reflection. There was nothing unusual..

Then, there it was again! Her bright blue eyes flashed with strikes of yellow before resuming their innocent shade. Raven made a scream, practically throwing herself from the mirror and into her chair, both fell, and Raven tumbled across the carpet in a dazed manner.

"Raven?" a male voice came through her door, "Raven, are you alright?" it was her father.. he had stayed at home too. His voice had lost its bass quality and hoarseness overtook its tone.

Raven pushed her chair upright, standing slowly, "Fine.." she said quietly, "Just.. – it's nothing."

"Sure?"

"Mmhm.." Raven pushed her hair from her face as she walked back to the mirror, then staring back into her reflection. Nothing, just sparkling blue eyes shimmering right back at her.. nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps the guilt was toying with her, playing with her mind. She'd heard that things like this drive people crazy. Was she, simple Raven Darkholme, going insane?

Even that sounded extreme.

But so did the simple Darkholme family being disrupted by a murder. And that so easily happened, so cruelly, so callous in it's speed.

Her eyes fell upon her mobile phone which sat ringing in its holder. She stepped over to it, reading the name on screen. 'Cass – Mobile.' Raven sighed and pressed the cancel button. She didn't want to talk to her just now; she was probably wondering why the hell she hadn't turned up to school. She wasn't to know what had happened.. With another sigh Raven fell back on her bed, staring up miserably at the ceiling in complete lonely silence..

There you go. Please review! (: You've just seen the signs of her mutation!