I Do Not Own Teen Titans or Young Justice

Death of Someone Close…

Death wasn't something new, she wished it wasn't, and there were times she really hated death. It took the good young, the wicked easily, the strong painfully, and the old slowly. It was a cruel fact of life, and it was only made crueler as Raven stood there, under an umbrella, in the pouring rain at Wayne Manor as she watched her two dearest friends be buried together, and their baby girl was sleeping soundly in her arms.

It wasn't as if Raven had volunteered for being named guardian of Mar'i Grayson, quite the opposite really; in fact, until she'd open the door of her apartment and seen an agent standing there telling her that Mar'i was an orphan she hadn't even known she was the guardian.

Kori and she had been college roommates, and practically sisters; Kori's older sister, Kom'a was a bitch so Kori had been thrilled to practically drag Raven into a family of friends. Kori was so vital, and powerful, so full of life and fire that she had seemed indomitable. Then she'd met Dick Grayson, one of the billionaire Bruce Wayne's adopted sons, and they were just… immortal. Raven had liked Dick, thought his family to be interesting, and nice, and stable.

The whirlwind romance of Dick Grayson and Kori Anders was one the gossip columns and celebrity sheets had eaten up.

The world had loved Dick and Kori, from the start. And now it was the end as Raven tentatively swayed for Mar'i as the pastor spoke. Dick's whole family was there; Bruce, his second wife Selina, Jason, Tim, Damian, Helena and the baby, Terry. Kori's family didn't even show; her brother having perished from cancer years earlier and Kom'a being an overall raging bitch wouldn't show.

It was later when she was in the Manor, Mar'i was screaming, crying, and fussing and Raven was struggling to change her goddaughter's diaper that he appeared.

"Here," he murmured and slipped beside her as he deftly changed Mar'i, Raven only watched him and then Mar'i was quiet.

"Think you could teach me the trick to that?" Raven asked as he wiped off his hands, she did the same.

"Practice, I watched Damian, Helena, and Terry enough when they were in diapers," he answered. She nodded, still numb from the grief of losing her best friend.

"I don't think we've ever met properly, Raven, Raven Rachel Roth," she said and held out her hand.

"Jason, Jason Todd-Wayne," he said as they shook. "They named you guardian of Mar'i didn't they."

"I have no idea why," Raven admitted as she picked up the fussy baby. Mar'i was at that stage where being set down was sacrilege in her mind and was met with furiously loud screams of protest. Raven just held the baby and walked out of the bathroom with the diaper bag.

"Well, Bruce has his hands full, Wally is single and too childish, Roy's already got a daughter and dysfunctional marriage, Victor's a pro-football athlete, and Dick would never leave his daughter in the care of Garfield, he's just too childish," Jason shrugged.

"And why not you?" Raven asked.

"Because I travel way too much," Jason smiled a bit, but it looked forced. "And from what I heard of Kori's family, you were it. Her sister's a tabloids bitch, and Mar'i here deserved better than that."

"I guess," Raven sighed as she rubbed Mar'i's back.

"Miss Roth," she looked up when a new voice entered the hall and she saw Bruce standing there. "Let us speak in my study."

"Yeah," Raven sighed tiredly. Todd held out his hands and Raven reluctantly handed Mar'i over with the diaper bag before walking into the study with Bruce a step behind her.

"We've never been properly introduced," Bruce said, she looked a man in his early forties over, black hair, blue eyes, muscular build. He actually looked the part of Dick's father with how he carried himself, Dick had held himself the same way, more relaxed but the same way.

"I live in San Francisco," Raven said softly. "I don't like to travel, flying scares me, and I'm usually working or writing."

"I understand, Miss Roth," Bruce sat. "My parents died when I was eight, Alfred raised me. Dick's parents died when he was twelve, I adopted him at the same time. Jason's mother died when he was seven, Tim's parents died when he was ten. I am telling you this because they remember their parents, as do I, Mar'i won't, and you will be removing her from her family by returning to San Francisco."

"Mr. Wayne…" Raven opened her mouth but the business man cut her off.

"I am asking you to let Mar'i be raised by her family here in Gotham, relinquish custody of her and let her be with her family," Bruce said softly and Raven sighed. It was for the best, but then she remembered Jason's words, remembered that Bruce had a violent ex-wife who had kidnapped their son on four separate occasions; seriously wounding Dick in one of the kidnappings, and remembered the other toddler and small children she'd seen. She also knew Bruce had never hired a nanny in his life, and Alfred was getting old.

"Mr. Wayne, I can't," Raven said softly. "I've accepted a job in New York City, at a publishing house as an editor, I've got a line of some apartments for Mar'i and I, it was the closest I could get to Gotham. I don't… I don't have a family, Mr. Wayne, I didn't have a family until Kori and Dick. I don't, I can't give you Mar'i, she's all I've got left of Kori, and she's my goddaughter, and you have five other children to look after, a company to run, and a demanding life. I decided I would move as close to Gotham as I could, so Mar'i could still know her family. But I can't give her to you knowing they asked me instead of you. I can't Mr. Wayne."

"Miss Roth, I will fight you for my granddaughter."

"And I can't fight you," Raven murmured tiredly. "But Mr. Wayne, they asked me to take care of Mar'i. I never wanted this, I never wanted to have that responsibility, I never planned on having a family of my own even. But they asked me, not you, me, and I will be looking out Mar'i, she's my goddaughter."

"Miss Roth," Bruce started.

"I want her to know her family, Mr. Wayne, I wanted to ask you if on weekends she could come over, when she's older, and be a part of the Wayne family. I won't come if you would prefer but I'm begging you, please don't take the last bit of family I have. She's all I've got. My father is in prison, my mother was killed by him, I have six older brothers who'd probably kill me if I ever crossed their paths again, and I don't have anyone. Kori was my family, and she asked me to watch her daughter. I'm begging you Mr. Wayne, please to take her away from me."

Bruce seemed to think this over for a long moment and then his sharp blue eyes snapped onto her.

"If anything happens to her, anything, I will fight the courts to take her from you," Bruce warned.

"Nothing will happen to Mar'i," Raven promised.

"And I will cover all of Mar'i's expenses, she will have a trust set up, you'll be provided a monthly allowence for rent and food," Bruce started.

"I don't want the money Mr. Wayne, I'm doing fine on my own, but if you must, set up Mar'i's trust," Raven murmured.

"I want the name of the company you're working for Miss Roth, and your address once you've settled. You can expect visits from my family, and you will be here every Sunday for family dinner, with Mar'i," Bruce stated.

"Yeah," she surrendered. "If that's all, I… I would like to get back to Mar'i," she sighed.

"Of course."

Raven walked out of the room and found Jason bouncing Mar'i who was tugging on the white streak in his hair.

"Thanks" she murmured as she took Mar'i from Jason's grasp.

"Hey, sunshine," he said. Raven burst into tears then and found herself pulled into a strong set of arms. Jason said nothing and she was happy that he said nothing as she sobbed into his chest and clung desperately to his shirt.

"They're gone!"

"I know," was the response and for the first time in two weeks since learning the news of the accident Raven didn't feel alone. Jason said nothing and just held her.

Today's prompt, after having figured out the previous one.

That's all for now folks!

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