A/N: The last chapter was much shorter then I thought, so, I tried to drag it out for you .. Thanks to my loyal reviewers! Well, here's chapter four:
Robin tossed and turned through out the whole night, and his undershirt stuck to his torso; he could not find a comfortable position to fall asleep in. He tore thoughts apart, trying to calculate where they could be, where they should be.
'What does he want Raven for anyway?' he asked himself, 'Another apprentice maybe?' But Robin's theory was gravely wrong, Slade had no such intention.
-xx
Slade lay wide awake, as usual, spread out on his bed. His thoughts were running rapid in his mind, his plan seemed to be falling apart from the seems, or was it? She must have trusted him enough to lead her to where she needed to be. But what other choice did she have? It was tantalizing that a woman was finally at his grasp, despite her age compared to his, and she was probably not the least bit attracted to him. Slade always had woman grope for him, throwing their virginity at him, begging for him to take it. But despite his wild past, he need his thoughts to be in the present and future.
'Make her respect your authority, make her plea for her life. Don't take off that power restraining mask. Let her suffer,' his conscience suggested.
"Make her respect me," he whispered into the cool room, "show her the man behind the mask." Slade rolled over onto his side, and tried to get at least an hour of sleep.
-xx
Raven slept soundlessly through the night, she was calmer and less agitated, probably considering she did not have the burden of saving Jump City everyday. Her dreams were filled of strange and almost unconceivable thoughts. She dreamed of new life, and happiness, she felt complete. Were these visions of the future or is her mind trying to alert her of something? Whatever the case, morning was nearing and breakfast was the first obstacle that she would have to face.
-xx
Immediately Slade opened his eyes at six o'clock in the morning, his internal alarm clock waking him for the new day. His abs flexed, lifting himself up, but to give his body more support he put his right on the bed, diagonally digging into the bed sheets, causing a flare of pain in his hand. He clenched his teeth and with great reflex picked his hand up from the position it recently held. After a moments pain, he pondered about what to wear. But who cared? He was hold a "blind" girl who could see nothing. Slade walked to his closet and grabbed a pair of jeans, and carefully put them on with his left hand, considering the right one was still going through the early stages of healing.
Unsure of what to do next, he sat back down on his bed, his nerves going wild. Raven was probably still sleeping, so he did not have to worry about her at the moment. But what would he do? This was his plan for the ever so famous Teen Titans, and now he could relax? His body wasn't familiar with sleep or rest, even breaks for that matter. It was constantly thinking, constant scandalizing himself with new and better ways to disturb the teens. It was now his life's work to bring them down, always busying himself with something. Now there was nothing to entertain his mind.
Slade stood from his bed and walked down the hall towards Raven's room, to check her state. He opened the door with haste, trying not to wake the woman if she was sleeping. He peeked his masked head into the room, and quietly whispered her name.
-xx
Raven's dream phase was disturbed by a man's hushed voice, calling her name. Her eyes sprung open, and she rolled on her right side to look in the direction of where the voice was coming.
"Slade?" she asked, morning voice plaguing her speech.
He hesitated, his mind going in a million different directions.
"Breakfast, do you want it?" he asked quite fast.
"What time is it?" she asked, almost ignoring the fact that he asked her a question.
"About six. Do you want something to eat or not?" he pursued.
"Yes," she said, her face slightly blushing, "breakfast would be nice.
Slade opened the door entirely, and walked in, taking her hand into his.
'Smooth, ungloved hand,' Raven thought, 'I wonder what he has on.'
He guided her downstairs, to the kitchen and sat her down in a wooden chair right next to the kitchen table.
"What do you want?" he asked, his voice had a cool edge to it, something that wasn't there last night during the incident.
"I usually have buttered toast and herbal tea," Raven said timidly, her monotone voice coming back, "but whatever you have is fine."
Slade opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs, and reached for a frying pan in a cabinet nearby.
"Do you have your mask off?" Raven asked at random. He turned to look at her from his place at the counter.
"No, I usually keep it o--ah shit," he said, his voice tense with pain.
"What's wrong?" Raven asked, curious to know what he had cursed about.
"Nothing."
"You hurt yourself, What happened."
"Nothing ," he said his voice more stern.
"Slade, you can not fool me," Raven simply stated.
Slade groaned at her persistence, "My hand, I -- cut it last night on a broken piece of glass."
"That's what I heard last night," she said under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing. Come here," she said, her arms stretching out into the emptiness in front of her, "I can heal the wound." Slade gave her an odd look under the mask, and slowly stepped over to Raven and outstretched his hand, her small delicate hands wrapped around his. Their hands were enclosed in the black orb, and seconds later she pulled her hands away from a healed hand. He eyed her intently as she healed his wound, and once she pulled away he drew his hand back quickly, checking it out, to make sure that it wasn't a trick. And to his surprise and content, his hand was restored to normal.
"Thank you," Slade muttered.
"Your welcome," she said while putting her hands back into her lap. He walked back to the counter and continued making up breakfast for the two of them.
-xx
With each passing situation, the "vibes" between them were more and more intense. Could she secretly have feelings for him now?
Slade placed a plate in front of her with utensils, and filled an empty glass with orange juice for her to drink. Raven felt around for the utensils and poked around the food.
"You could just ask me what it is," he said staring at her from the opposite end of the table.
"I could, but I still don't fully trust you," she responded bleakly.
"It's food, what's there not to trust?"
"It's not the food I have a problem with, it's you."
"But I cooked the food, you ignorant brat."
Raven smiled. She was testing his nerve. Raven placed a spoonful of eggs into her mouth, chewed and swallowed.
"Your cooking isn't half bad," she commented. Slade snickered.
"You've got to survive somehow."
Raven stopped eating, and turned her head to the direction of Slade.
"Where you always this way?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Usual relentless villains have had past problems. They have reasons for creating something, or dressing up and creating havoc." Slade stared at her, unsure of what to say.
"Everyone has a past, Raven. Good, bad, or indifferent. I will only tell you that if I could change the past, I would."
Raven was agape. And stuttered to say, "You--your saying that you--don't want to be a villain?"
"No. I was commenting on my past. I have no regrets or remorse for becoming who I am. Being villainous has it's rewards."
Raven sighed, shoveling more breakfast down.
"What about this mask?" Raven asked, thoroughly annoyed that it was still plastered to her face.
"You will have it off your face in time," he said, getting up from his place at the table, walking to the sink.
"Slade?" Raven asked, with innocence.
"What now?" he asked, slightly annoyed.
"I need to use the bathroom again."
He placed his plate down into the sink, and walked over to guide her to the nearest bathroom.
Can
you teach me how to fight
Can you keep me up at night
Will you
be there on the ground if I should fall,
Fall for you.
Black Lab, Learn to Crawl
