A/N: The third chapter is ready… read it while it's warm…
Thanks to everyone who had reviewed and mailed me… I all love you all…
A special thank you and kudos and much love to Cherry Jade for being the best beta and a wonderful friend.
Dedicated to Raven-Angel-of-DarknessBecause reading her reviews make me always so happy and giddy and she is one of the persons who thinks like me… check out her stories, they are great… you guys will love them!
sekai no yakusoku: Because she likes Iron & Wine as much as I do and for always giving me wonderful reviews that makes feel incredibley good and if you want to read awesome RaeRob-stories and wonderful triangles, go read her stories… now… or wait until you read this chapter
Cherry Jade: Because she is one of the biggest RaeRob-fans and a wonderful friend and fantastic authoress and one of the persons who likes all of my stories and if you like RaeRob you should read her story "Beauty is Within us" it is awesome…
Lain the Fluff-MasterBecause she was one of the first person I met here on ff . net and probably one of the nicest and most awesome authoress here… I´m sure you all have read her stories… if not… shame on you… after readind and eviewinf this chapter (hehehe) go read her stories
Btw, I hope you feel better now…
Mol: Because I just love him (you know how I mean that and yes, I´m proud of my cliffhanger… that my revenge for making fun of my height... kidding ) and his reviews are the funniest…
Tecna: Because she rocks and her reviews are always wonderful and she is one of the persons who read all of my stories… and like them (yes, I know it´s incredible)
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Chapter Three:
Backside
"We should go back inside… my mother is probably already searching for us," Raven spoke hastily and already proceed on walking to the mansion as she tripped and swayed forward…
… into Roy's arms.
Her head collided with his chest and the first thing she registered was that it was a hard chest and before she could think clearly her mind was befogged with a familiar scent of black wood and cinnamon… and for a moment she had the urge to bury her face in his chest.
It felt nice to be in his arms, but Raven felt as if something was missing… something important…
Distinctly, she heard a familiar voice calling her name and looked up only too see that Roy's eyes were closed and again she heard her name.
Raven looked over the young man's - who was still holding her – shoulder…
Violet eyes crashed with icy-blue ones and a single name escaped her lips…
"Richard…"
Observe the situation before jumping on conclusion… that's what Richard Grayson had learned from his early childhood on – that's what Bruce had taught him and although Richard didn't really agree on many subjects with Bruce that was one of the things he learned to oblige.
And observing was what he was doing now, but no matter how much he tried to observe and look and think it came down on the same result: There was Raven - his best friend - in the arms of a man.
And it was not the fact that she was in the arms of a man or the fact that the scene he was forced to watch bothered him… no, it was the peaceful and almost happy look she had on her face that made Richard's stomach lurch and tighten in an almost painful way.
But what really worried him was that he was bothered at all. He had seen her hug Victor and Garfield many times and never had he felt so uneasy.
Why now?
All thoughts were forgotten as Raven's amethyst eyes locked with his blue ones and he rather heard than felt his name slipping from her lips.
Slowly he made his way to the swings where Raven was still in the arms of the stranger…
For a moment Raven thought she was dreaming. Her eyes closed on their own accord and when she opened them she was still in the arms of Roy… and Richard was standing next to her.
"Richard…?" She asked tentatively and was greeted with two pairs of questioning eyes. She looked up at Roy before her eyes once again met Richard's and she blushed profoundly as she realized that Roy was still holding her.
Gently stepping out of his hold she looked again at Richard. "What are you doing here…?" was the only thing she could bring out in this moment.
"I…" Richard began, but he trailed off and again his eyes landed on the man next to Raven.
"Oh… yes, I forgot," Raven mumbled and turned towards Roy with a small smile on her lips. "Roy, this is Richard… Richard Grayson," She gestured at the dark-haired man. "And Richard, this is Roy Harper…" Somehow she felt awkward to introduce the two men with each other and her feelings of awkwardness only got stronger when she saw how they eyed each other up.
For Richard it seemed as if he was looking into a mirror. The man in front of him looked just like him. They were the same height and they had almost the same built. Richard could spot cerulean eyes looking at him – just like his cerulean eyes looked at the man. He also saw the same mess, unruly and spiky hair… only that "Roy" had red hair while his was black.
For a split second Richard asked himself if he as well looked so cocky and arrogant
Some seconds later Roy looked away from Richard and turned to Raven with a mischievous grin. "Now I understand what you mean, but I think I'm more handsome, don't you?"
Richard frowned at the man, but the frown disappeared as he saw the smile on Raven's face at the words of the man and it occurred to Richard that it had been a long time that seen her smile – a smile that reached her eyes and lit them up and did all the wonders to her face.
And for a guilt-stricken moment he realized that in the past it was always him who could bring out that smile and now… it seemed as if there was someone else…
Richard's thoughts were interrupted as Roy spoke up. "I think I should leave now. Your father and I have some things to do and I need to go to the office…"
"You don't need to go…" Raven hastily said and Richard realized that she didn't want to be alone with him… or did she just want to be near this man…? Somehow he hoped it was the latter, because as much as the thought of Raven being mad at him hurt, the knowledge that Raven preferred the company of this man… or even his friendship.
"No really, I have to go, but we will see each other tomorrow," Roy said winking at her and with that he turned around and walked towards the house.
Silence… complete silence was what followed Roy Harper's exit.
Usually, Robin wouldn't mind the silence… at least not with Raven… with Raven he was able to share the silence without feeling uncomfortable, because she understood his need for silence and peace… but today… today was different.
Today, he felt the silence suffocate him – almost drowning him. It was unbearable.
"Raven… I…"
"Why are you here Richard?" She cut him off, but refused to look at him.
He didn't know what to tell her, but more important to him was that she didn't want to look at him. Her eyes remained downcast and it was impossible to see her beautiful purple eyes
"Why did you leave…?" He decided to ask after awhile.
Raven sneered and shook her head. "Don't do that Richard… don't play your tricks on me. You know me better than to think that I'll fall to them. Tell me now, why are you here?"
For a moment Richard didn't know if he should be surprised or laugh, but then he decided for a smile. She was right he should now better than to play with her. She knew him better than anyone else… she knew all of his little tricks. Raven Roth wasn't someone to be fooled easily that's why she was his best friend.
"I'm here for you…" He admitted shyly and was reward with Raven's eyes finally looking at him.
As Raven didn't say anything he continued. "I wanted to apologize. I know, I acted like a jerk," Raven raised her eyebrows at that. "Ok, I AM a jerk and I didn't mean what I said… you are the one who knows me the best… you are my best friend and I just wanted you to understand me and my decision… I…" He trailed off as he realized that he didn't know what he should say. When he decided to go after her, he had thought so much and what he wanted to tell her, but every word was forgotten as he stood in front of her.
"You will come back, won't you?" Richard suddenly blurrted out and the instant the words were out of his mouth he wanted to bang his head against a wall. But he still couldn't stop himself to look at her and wait for her answer.
"Richard… I… I won't come back…" Raven finally said and Richard felt despair taking over him.
"But Raven… I apologized and I'm really sorry…" But Raven didn't say anything just continued to stare at him with a sad smile. "Raven, I came all the way just for you and I didn't even tell Kori that I..." He stopped as Raven's eyes hardened at Kori's name.
What did that mean…?
"Richard, there are so many things you don't understand and I think it's better when you don't understand them… "
"No Raven, I understand," Richard suddenly said anger evident in his voice and Raven's eyes widened in shock.
'Could it be that he knew…?'
"I understand that you prefer to fool around with this Roy Harper-guy than coming back with me to the place where all of your friends are waiting for you." His jaw clenched and his blue eyes grew to icy-cold as he continued with his tirade. "Tell me Raven, is he good? I mean, if you enjoyed a simple hug I ask myself what you are doing when he fu-"
SLAP
Raven's hand trembled on her side as she looked at Richard with hard and unforgiving eyes, but Richard knew that he had hurt her more than anything else could ever do.
"You can stay here until tomorrow… it's too late to find a flight to Jump City now, but I… I want you to go tomorrow and I don't wish to see you again… never again… I…" She swallowed back a suppressed sob and with firm steps she walked away from her best friend and the boy she loved more than anything else.
Richard watched her retreating back and his right hand landed on his left cheek where Raven's hand had left an angry red mark and he wished that he could still feel the pain… maybe the pain would help him to forget the look of hurt and betrayal that was hidden in her eyes… maybe the pain would help him to forget the coldness that crept through his heart and the emptiness that seemed to overtake his soul.
It was then that Richard realized that Raven's sagged shoulders and her stiff back are the saddest sight he had seen in his life.
But what will probably haunt him forever are the words he had last heard out of her mouth.
"You can stay here until tomorrow… it's too late to find a flight to Jump City now, but I… I want you to go tomorrow and I don't wish to see you again… I…"
"Never see her again…" He whispered and for the first time since his parents had died Richard Grayson felt all hope leaving him… all hope to win the one person who means everything to him, over.
A/N: So, that was it… it was not how I had planned it out, but somehow the idea of the chapter came while I was writing it… so, you can complain all you want, I would understand it…
What happens with Raven's father will be revealed next chapter and some of you had guessed it right… I'll tell next chapter who the people are…
Until next chapter
Alena