Chapter 6
(A/N Um hey, sorry for the massive hiatus. Just huge massive life changes that have occurred around me but it seems like the dust may have finally settled and I finally feel like I'm in a good place to continue this piece and start some others, so enjoy this long awaited chapter!)
The house they pulled up to was massive, a wrought iron gate closed off the property to the public. Gar pulled up to the keypad and punched in a code, opening the gates to a driveway that seemed to have stretched on for miles. Finally they reached the house at the top of a cliff. The house was in a sleek modern design with sharp angles and covered in huge glass windows. It was absolutely massive and when you looked past the home you realized the view from every window in the house was the entire city of San Francisco. It was gorgeous.
Raven grumbled to herself in disgust at the over indulgence, "Eat the Rich"
Once they were parked, the pair pulled both kids out of the Jeep and Raven assigned Gar with taking in Nora's car seat as he refused to take Natalie again.
Raven was carrying Natalie in her car seat to the door while Nora was trying to pull her in faster due to over excitement.
It was now 7 o'clock and she knew the kids really wouldn't have much more time to play before going to bed. She definitely didn't want to be the one to break the bad news to Nora, this was besides the fact that the girl was practically ripping her arm off trying to get her inside… "Hold on Nora, you need to slow down, I have your sister."
The ladies entered the threshold and Raven quickly set Natalie down in her car seat. 'God that thing is heavy.' she thought while shaking out her arm. Just then Gar appeared behind her, carrying in Nora's Car Seat and Raven turned to her comrade.
"Do you know what they expect you to do for the rest of the night?"
"Um, here" he said handing her the sticky note.
Raven examined the instructions.
Nora has stir fry in the fridge to warm up, then a bath, stories and bed by 8:30 at the latest.
Ok, perfect, that was easy enough. Raven's stomach growled in protest, 'right' she thought 'I also have to eat and I don't think these people would be too keen on some strange woman eating their food.
As if reading her mind, Gar turned to make her an offer. "Here, you're helping me out, why don't I order us dinner."
"Gar thank you but that's not neces-"
"I'll order Pho..."
Raven paused, oh he remembered her weakness to the vietnamese dish. I mean it was probably her favorite food of all time. The broth tasted like it was sent from heaven and when you add the hoisin sauce and the sprouts…
Raven narrowed her eyes at him, "That's not fair, you know I can't turn down Pho."
"That's why I offered."
Just then Natalie started crying, Raven knew she needed her last bottle for the night and probably a diaper change.
"Fine, you go ahead and order and then get Nora's dinner started, and I'll start Natalie's bottle, sound good?"
"Sounds perfect" he said, relieved that she wasn't going to make him feed the baby.
Raven turned to the kitchen hoping the bottles were in there. The kitchen was huge just like every other room in the house. Between the stone accented flooring and red oak cabinets, the kitchen practically looked like the set of an italian cooking show.
Raven finally found the bottles and inserts in the dishwasher and started assembling it together to get the bottle ready.
As she was measuring the water for the bottle, Gar entered the kitchen, "Ok so food should be here in half an hour, and I'll get started on the big kid's food."
"Perfect, after that you can feed Natalie."
"What?! But-"
"Or I can feed her and you can change her diaper, you're choice."
"Fine." Garfield grumbled.
"Gar, if you're going to be over here everyday then you can't avoid holding the baby forever."
The former titan bit back curses forming at his lips. After all, it wasn't Raven's fault he was here, but good god he just wanted to go home.
"You're right," he said with a sigh "she's just so fragile, and I'm afraid I'm gonna hurt her."
Raven gave him a small smile, "Listen, I felt the same way when they first threw me in the infant room, but it definitely gets easier. They're a lot sturdier than you think, trust me."
Garfield lifted a corner of his mouth in response.
Raven popped the bottle into the bottle warmer and turned back to Gar, "That'll beep when it's done, just pull it out and I'll show you how to feed Natalie."
"Ok sounds good," he said, giving Raven a thumbs up before searching in the fridge for Nora's dinner.
Raven entered the living room where Nora was watching some australian dog cartoon and Nat was still in her carseat. Of course, Gar didn't trust himself enough to get her out of the carseat.
"Raven, Raven, Raven!" Nora was buzzing with excitement upon Raven's arrival, "Can we play yet?"
'Oh jeez, here it comes,' Raven thought, kneeling down and bracing herself for a tantrum.
"Nora, I don't think we're going to have time to play today."
Nora's shoulders slumped forward and her head wilted towards the floor. There was no tantrum, only silent resignation. Raven could tell that Nora was used to disappointment.
Raven's voice cracked with restraint, "but you're supposed to have a bath tonight, so you can bring toys into the bath and after that, I'll read you whatever story you want before bed."
The child's eyebrows shot up in shock, most people didn't really try to make it up to her and if they did it was usually in the form of some physical item she really didn't want.
Her smile returning, she replied with an, "Ok!"
"Perfect, let me go change your sister and your dinner should be ready by then."
Raven picked Natalie up out of the carseat and went upstairs to change her.
Nora however, was bored of watching Bluey and became curious about the other adult in the house.
The green man stood at the stove over a skillet, wondering who makes stir fry for a three year old, when a small voice made him jump out of his skin.
"What's your name?"
The changeling's heart nearly leapt from his body," Dude! Wear a bell, what did you learn how to sneak up on people from Raven?"
"No, I just walked in here."
Gar smiled at the kid, the baby took him way out of his element but a three-year-old was something he understood perfectly.
"I'm Garfield by the way."
"Why are you green?"
"Cause I'm sick," he answered plainly.
Nora put her hands on her hips not believing him. "I don't turn green when I'm sick,'' she said condescendingly.
'' Well you haven't been sick the same way I have. Now, you hungry?"
"OOH stir fry!"
' Apparently this kid likes stir-fry' Gar thought as he rolled his eyes.
"Okay weirdo, let's sit down"
"I'm not the one who's green," she jabbed.
"She's got jokes," he laughed, just as Raven entered the kitchen carrying the still crying Natalie.
" You ready Gar?"
He sighed, "As I'll ever be I guess," grabbing the warmed up bottle off the counter.
"Can you hold on while I show Gar how to feed the baby" she asked Nora.
"His name is Garfield, he just told me," she corrected her.
"Right, can you wait for Garfield and I?"
"Fine," she over dramatically hung her head.
"I think you'll survive Nora," Raven chided her.
With that the pair headed up the stairs to Natalie's Nursery.
The room was painted light gray sporting white baby furniture with light pink accents around the room. Little gray and pink elephants decorated the walls, crib bedding, and rug. All the stuffed animals were different variants of elephants and the mobile above the crib sporting gray and pink elephants.
"I might be going out on a limb here but I think someone might like elephants," Garfield mused.
"No kidding," Raven muttered distastefully, switching gears she turned to Gar, "Okay so the best way to start is by sitting down," Raven gestured to the rocking chair.
Gar sat down, trying not to complain anymore about the situation. "Okay put your elbow right here and lay your forearm right here," he did as she instructed, and the next thing he knew she had placed the screaming baby's head in the crook of his arm.
Panic immediately flooded his body, she was loud and she was kicking and squirming. He thought she was going to throw herself off any minute, Gar was absolutely terrified and shut his eyes trying to somehow escape the situation at hand…and then suddenly..silence.
In the midst of his panic attack Raven had placed the nipple of the bottle in the baby's mouth and the baby closed her eyes finally having gotten what she needed.
Gar looked at the baby for what he supposed was the first time. She had blue eyes dark black hair, she was actually cute and not terrifying like he had previously thought, he smiled at her feeling ridiculous for ever having been scared of her in the first place he-
"Any day now Gar"
He looked up, realizing Raven still had the bottle in her hand.
"Right," he said, taking it from her.
"Okay I'm going to feed Nora, Nat shouldn't be done until after Nora is, she takes forever to eat, '' Raven said, rolling her eyes at the baby in question.
Garfield stuck his tongue out at the empath, "Tell her where she can shove it Natalie," making the baby flip her off.
"This coming from the guy who was terrified of her 5 minutes ago"
"I still am, please help me get her out of my lap when you're done," he begged. Raven rolled her eyes and turned out of the doorway.
"Raven….Raven!" he yelped.
Downstairs, Nora was back to watching her show when Raven unceremoniously turned off the screen.
"Hey!" the small child protested.
"TV rots your brains" Raven chimes, "are you hungry?"
"Starving,"the little girl dramatically placed the back of her hand on her forehead and shut her eyes.
"Oh are you practically keeling over?"
"I'm going to die," she said, falling backwards on the couch.
"Well if you're going to die then I guess I can eat your stir-fry.." "NO!" the little girls shouted and started racing towards the kitchen. Raven chuckled, "Slow down before you break something, mainly yourself" but before she even got to the dining room the little girl was already in her booster seat at the kitchen table.
Gar had left the still steaming plate on the counter and Raven placed the meal in front of the girl. The child immediately began inhaling the food as Raven sat across from the child resting her head in her hand watching her.
"Aren't you going to eat? Nora asked.
"My food is coming, I don't think your mom was planning on having me and Garfield over and I don't want to impose."
"Oh… what does impose mean?"
"It's kind of like taking advantage of someone's kindness or making someone do things they don't want to do but they do anyway because they're so nice."
"Like when you tell us we have to clean up after playtime?"
"No, Nora, that is wildly different. It's more like when I end up cleaning up after you guys anyways because you got out more than you were willing to pick up."
"Oh..do you want to share?" Nora said offering her plate. She really was very sweet Raven thought. She smiled to herself, "No thank you Nora, but I appreciate it."
Just then the doorbell rang. Oh shoot, the Pho. Raven had totally forgotten.
"Nora don't choke, I'll be right back." Raven started climbing stairs quickly.
"Hey Gar you got to sign for the-" raven paused upon reaching the top step. The world around her was beginning to morph and blur around her. This didn't happen often but she knew what it was immediately. She was having a vision.
(A/N It's me, I'm the one who likes elephants)