Chapter Seven - Home
He hadn't been there in a very long time. When Bruce first found him and took him he still considered the Circus his home, it was where he belonged. Then that changed, the Manor with Ace and Bruce and Alfred was his home, he still felt that way even after he left Gotham and a month ago he would've considered the Tower his home with all his friends.
Now he truly didn't know, it didn't feel like his home anymore. Not truly anyway. He didn't know what place to call home. Maybe he didn't have one.
He stepped outside the sky was completely overcast with dark clouds and a light drizzle. Dick moved toward where the valet had parked his car. It was a brand new BMW with a smooth and clean look to it. The windows were heavily tinted and a new coat of dark blue paint had just been applied.
He got in and started the car, it purred like a house can then roared like a lion when he pressed the accelerator. Dick smiled to himself, being Bruce Wayne's son did have its benefits.
He pulled the car around to the front of the tower where Raven was waiting for him. She wore a deep dark purple jacket with a lighter purple shirt underneath, black skinny jeans pants with black high-top converse to complete her outfit.
Dick smiled as she entered the car, but neither of them said a word as he pulled off and headed off toward Gotham. Butterflies furiously fluttered in her stomach. She wasn't sure if it was because of the fact that they'd be alone together for several hours without possible interruptions or because of the new enemy that she knew little about or because she was being taken to meet his father, who just so happened to be the Batman.
She had many things to be nervous about.
Dick pulled his phone out and quickly typed in a number. It was unfamiliar to Raven, but to be fair not very many phone numbers were.
The Bluetooth on the car connected to his phone and the radio died out as the whole car began to ring. Dick pulled onto the highway, he was driving a little over the speed limit, but nothing like he way on his motorcycle.
After a few short rings the number answered, "Hello?" a deep and aged voice greeted.
A small smile appeared on Dicks face, "Hey Jim." He greeted fondly.
"Dick? It's been a while son. How have you been?" You could hear the smile on his face even though the phone.
"I've been good sorry I haven't called to check up, Bruce has me slogged with the company and everything."
Jim chuckled, "Like father like son. No need to apologize Dick, I know it's been a lot... especially after... well you know."
Dick's smile fell, "Yeah..." he paused for a moment and a sharp silence flooded the atmosphere, "I didn't call just to check up."
Jim chuckled once more, "Why am I not surprised?"
"I'm currently driving to Gotham. I'm here for a few weeks."
"What's the occasion?"
"Tis the season commissioner." His smile returned.
Jim chuckled heartily, "Well I hope Bruce plans on inviting me over again. I know I could use some more of Alfred's cooking in my life."
"You and me both."
"Well I can't wait to see you and Babs will be even more excited." Jim chuckled.
Raven pursed her lips together and rose a brow to him but said nothing to disturb the conversation, "Ah, yeah it'll be good to see her." He smiled cheekily and his voice was a bit shaky, Raven concentrated her death glare.
"Well it was good catching up. Let me know when you get into town I'd like for all of us to sit down and have coffee sometime."
Dick's face relaxed a bit, "I'd love that." The call ended and Dick kept his eyes concentrated on the road. He could feel Raven staring daggers into the side of his head.
It was silent for only a moment before she broke it, "Who's 'Babs'?" She spoke the name with a disgusted sneer.
"The commissioners daughter. Me and her grew up together." He explained in a shaky voice, "She's like my sister." He assured her.
Raven crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.
Dick frowned, "You're my girl Rae. You and only you."
That caught her attention. She unfolded her arms and turned her head to him. "So are we...?" A question that had been on her mind for a while now, she didn't know how to finish that sentence because she didn't know what they were.
"Exclusive? Yes. Together? Yes." He smiled "We're all of those things."
A smile forced it's way onto an unwilling Raven's face. Dick smiled but said nothing else, there was nothing else to say.
Silence took over the car, aside from the muffled sounds of the radio sportscaster recapping the previous night's football game, "The Dallas Cowboys defeated the New York Giants, 34 to 31 last nig-" Dick shut it off he needed to think, he needed silence.
Raven was grateful for the silence. She crossed her legs at the ankles and closed her eyes, attempting to seep into her meditative-state.
Both birds reveled in the silence, they called it their home. Dick lived in the silence for years, he trained in it, he'd adopted it and used it as an extension of himself. Then there's Raven, she was demon spawn, it was a part of her, it always would be. It was as much a part of her as her dark purple eyes were.
A noised ripped away the silence and tore Raven out of her meditation, she turned her head toward the radio, the source of the interrupting tune. It certainly was a tune, music, an obnoxiously upbeat tune. It certainly wasn't her music and she'd never heard it from any of Dick's playlist.
She looked over at him with a questioning eyebrow risen, he gave her a large toothy smile. It gave her all the answer she needed, "C'mon Rae, we gotta get in the Christmas spirit!" he exclaimed, his smile somehow grew even more. Raven rolled her eyes and she turned toward the window, trying to hide the smile that she was failing to fight off. He began to sing even louder, louder than she ever thought humanly possible, particularly from him.
"Joy to the world!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Raven giggled, failing to hold it back, his deep off pitch voice was amazingly hilarious to her, to anyone. Dick grinned proudly, she'd never heard her laugh so hard, he continued "The lord has come!" he bellowed out, "Let earth receive Her King!"
She completely lost it, tears began to run down Raven's cheeks as she let out her high pitched hysterical laugh. He continued to brutally murder several other classical Christmas melodies, the hours flew by.
It was a dark and gloomy night in Gotham City, dark overcast clouds with snow falling lightly from the night sky, it wasn't happy and cheery like snow was supposed to be. It was cold and ominous. Dick frowned, after Bruce took him in every single childhood Christmas had been like this. A grin spread across Raven's face, she was most definitely going to like it here.
Dick grew quieter and muscles became tense as they got closer and closer to Wayne Manor. He turned the music all the way down and now the only sound was the quiet sound of the cold winter air blowing against the outside of the car. The Manor was massive, as well as massively intimidating, you could see it from miles away. Three stories, aged architecture, a drive way at least a mile long, sharply shaped hedges, and festive lights strewn around the entire estate, clearly Alfred's doing. Bruce was never the most festive person.
His heard began racing faster than he'd thought possible, definitely faster than Wally, thumping loudly in his ears. Raven could see the distress on his face, she reached over the console and took his hand in hers, she didn't say anything, words weren't necessary between them. He gripped her hand tightly and relaxed a bit, he looked over and have her a bit of a half smile as he put the car in park.
He was here. Home.
A/N - Sorry for the late update, it's been a while since I've wrote regularly, so I'm still a little rusty and it's my senior year of high school so I'm pretty busy but I'm still devoted to this. Hope you enjoy!