I don't own the characters, they are property of DC and Warner Bros.
We hope you enjoy what we have been cooking up...
Chapter 8
When she woke up sometime later, she wasn't sure how long she was out, but was both surprised and amused when she found a small furry lump sat on her chest. That quickly turned to confusion when the kitten sat up, mewing at her as she realised it was black furred and not the green one she was expecting.
As much as Raven wanted to get out of bed and find out what was going on, the combination of her aching body and affectionate kitten, she found herself with little reason to move right now. So instead, she propped herself on the pillows, let the kitten curl on on her chest and didn't even flinch when it began nuzzling her neck. Even a few months ago she probably wouldn't have let it climb on her, but she did like cats, just needed a push to let herself relax and accept things a bit more.
She must have dozed off again, next she knew it was dark outside and her new companion had fallen asleep on her. Wondering what was going on, still not having seen anyone, she tried levitating herself out of bed and flinched when her head began throbbing. Not enough time to fully heal yet, she thought to herself.
Taking great care with her movements, she gently placed the kitten on her pillow, before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and slowly standing up. While a bit wobbly, her body seemed to be faring better than her powers currently, so looked like she would be walking for now.
After a moment's hesitation, she retrieved the still sleeping kitten and padded out of the infirmary.
She made her way to the living room, following the sound of voices and some strange minds. While she didn't know some of the minds that were present, there was no hostility.
When she got to the doorway, she paused in surprise with who it was. All of her teammates were present, but so were three members of the Justice League. Batman was stood off by the window, quietly talking to Robin. While Raven knew who he was, seeing the imposing man stood in the light of the tower was a big enough shock she nearly dropped her cargo. His mind felt like one giant trap, while he was meant to just be human like Robin, it was a mind she would not go near willingly.
Beast Boy was stood in the kitchen, chatting to a woman in a stage magicians outfit. Zatanna. While Raven had only met the woman in passing, her reputation as the League's go to hero for magic crimes was well known in their circles. She had been expecting this sooner or later, but was very glad it wasn't Constantine they had sent.
Finally, the rest of the team was clustered around the sofa with the Flash, Cyborg laughing madly as the Flash rattled off jokes at high speed with a goofy grin on his face she swore she had seen before.
"Oh great," she explained in an exasperated monotone, "it's Beast Boy at high speed, what did I do to deserve this." She could have sworn she saw both Batman and Robin smirk at that, while everyone else jumped in various states of shock at her sudden appearance.
When they had brought her up to speed, she sat back in her chair and sighed, fighting the headache already threatening to explode. Beast Boy had woken up after three days, though it had taken her a further two days to awake as well. The Justice League had been in touch from day one, having felt the demonic energy and fearing the worst. While the events surrounding Trigon and his defeat had been reversed, certain members of the magical community had felt it's existence and had been keeping an eye on Raven in the months following' watching to see if Trigon was gone for good.
Fearing the worst and still holding onto hope when they got in touch with Robin, when Beast Boy had awakened they had dispatched a team of three to investigate. When Beast Boy was strong enough to answer their questions, he told them what he knew, he had been kidnapped by Gorilla Grodd, brainwashed and when Raven had found him she had torn Grodd from his mind and saved the green hero. As for why the release of demonic energy, she was half demon and given her upbringing with what Trigon did to her, she did not like people been mentally controlled against their will.
Especially her friends. The rest of the team backed him up on that, Raven had always been harder on villains who used mind control. The fact she had saved Beast Boy, then brought him back and healed him, convinced the League that this wasn't the second coming, but they wanted to make sure when she woke up.
The Flash had briefly departed and found Grodd's lab, confirming their story, expressing surprise that one of his most hated villains had so easily been laid low. Zatanna didn't go into much detail, but pointed out Raven had started and ended a world ending even on her own, without full control of her powers.
Raven had sat there and taken this all in, the goings on of the last five days, but one question was most pressing to her, of everything she had just been told regarding everything she had been told about not only her situation, but what the others had been up to as well.
"And this?" the disbelief creeping into her voice as she stared at the kitten in her lap. "I found the cat of youth lost and alone in Gotham, Robin wanted to give it a home so we brought him back with us." Starfire was practically bouncing for joy at their new pet. She was overjoyed about how it was happily curled up in Raven's lap, purring in contentment while the empath gently stroked it.
"And I named him!" Cyborg announced with pride, "he's cuter than grass stain as a cat, so it kind of stuck. It's Beast Boy Junior, BBJ for short."
"I still think I'm cuter" grumbled Beast Boy, secretly a little annoyed about the affection being showered on the ball of fluff. Or rather, jealous at who was doing it.
"How is the cat the thing that stuck out to you the most?" cried Robin in confusion.
"Raven, might we speak in private?" Zatanna leaned in and asked, trying to hide a smile as Beast Boy ranted dramatically in the background. "I just want to make sure you're alright, really," she added, when Raven looked uncertain.
"Alright, let's do this in my room, but BB Jr stays." She slowly stood, leading the way as the rest of the group went back to talking amongst themselves. The titans all looked after her with concern and traded worried looks, before Flash got Beast Boy involved in a quick fire joke contest.
When they were safely shut away in Raven's room, the older woman caught her as she staggered; the kitten leaping free and meowing in concern as they sat down on the edge of the bed. Zatanna picked him up and returned him to Raven's lap, noting the small smile that this caused. She knew Raven in passing, their community was too small not to know of the big names, but she had mostly got stories to rely on. Raven had always come across as cold and controlled, but now, watching the gaunt faced teen hugging the kitten to her for support, Zatanna couldn't help but feel those stories have been exaggerated. The Justice League had many members of equal or greater power to Raven who weren't feared, but despite the fear that that name carried in magical circles, all that she could before her was a tired, scared teenager.
Raven wasn't sure what she was expecting, but a hug was not one of them. Expecting scorn or suspicion was one thing, but understanding was too much, clutching herself to a near stranger as she fought to control herself.
After the empath had recovered herself, they spent a while talking. While they were both magic users, they were from completely different schools, so most of it was spent comparing notes. In the end Zatanna was satisfied, Raven might be part demon, but it was echoes of what her father had inflicted, not Raven herself, that had set the alarm bells ringing.
The two women left the room, rejoining the rest of their respective teammates. Promising to keep in touch, they parted ways as the League members headed back to the Watchtower. Zatanna also made sure to get the name of the shop Raven got her meditation cushion from, having heard all about it from Starfire.
The couple took some time to themselves, there were physical, emotional and mental wounds that needed to heal. To the surprise of the rest of the team, Raven and BB Jr had adopted each other; whenever Raven was seen floating around the tower the kitten was more often than not either perched on her shoulder or padding around after her.
What surprised them even more, was how much Beast Boy didn't like the kitten, seemingly taking offense to it's very presence. This lead to him taking longer and longer training flights from the tower.
In the meanwhile, Raven meditating while looking out the window, kitten sat on her lap, became a normal sight. What the others didn't always see, was the green kitten hidden beneath the black one, both teaching the younger one how to be a cat and reclaiming some of his love's affection.
Raven was in heaven on those days, two affectionate kittens to play with just made her smile happily, it was a small smile still, but it meant the world to Beast Boy, as the gap that had opened between them slowly began to heal.
He might not like sharing, but she was worth it to him.