It's been so long since i posted a new chapter! I hope this sorta makes up for it for those who've fallen in love with my story. I'm so sorry for the wait everyone! Please enjoy chapter 13!

Chapter 13:

A Day With Julius

The next few weeks after Joker and I returned home to the Prison things were slow. Well as slow as it could be when Black works in a prison and White in a circus. White didn't have any shows planned until way later, he said, but he didn't specify how many. I was currently laying on the floor drawing with the pens and paper that were supplied to me from Black. Black was out making his usual rounds while White sat on the couch watching me. I turned to White and asked, "White, do you think I could go back to the Clock Tower later?"

White looked down at me with a confused smile, "You may leave anytime you like, but why do you wish to go to the Clock Tower?"

"I want to see Mister Kitty!"

He nodded and said, "Very well. Whenever you're ready you may leave."

I nodded and went back to drawing on the floor.

Two time periods later I placed my pens and papers back where they belonged and stood up, brushing pff any dirt that stuck to my dress. I turned to the Jokers, White still sitting on the couch reading and Black who was also on the couch but was leaned back with his hat over his face. "White," I called gaining his attention. "I'm ready to leave now."

White nodded and closed his book as Black spoke up but didn't move or remove his hat. "Leave where?" groaned Black.

"She wishes to return to the Clock Tower to see her cat."

"What?!" Black sat up and his hat fell to his lap. "Why would you need to go see that fuzzball? What about us?!"

I looked at him with tears threatening to fall, "I just want to see Mister Kitty... Can I not go do that?"

"NO-" White quickly covered his counterparts mouth and smiled kindly at her. "Yes, you may! Do not listen to Black, darling. He gets stingy is all."

"Stingy?" I asked, looking at Joker in confusion.

"Yes, I mean, why would we want to share a cute adorable girl such as yourself with other men?" replied White.

"Share? I don't understand."

White just laughed and took my hand before leading me out of the prison and back to the circus. "Do you want me to come with you?" asked White as we stood at the edge of the circus. I shook my head and gave him a hug before I went on my way.

I reached the Clock Tower in just under an hour, it seemed, and let myself inside. I hopped up the stairs and walked into Julius' office. "Julius, I'm back!" I greeted as I opened the door.

Julius looked up from his work and raised an eyebrow when he saw me coming through the door. "Raven." he greeted.

"How are you?" I asked as I skipped up to his desk.

"Fine, what are you doing here?" he asked as he went back to working on a clock.

I smiled and replied, "I'm here to see Mr. Kitty!"

He only nodded and pointed up, telling me I would find him upstairs probably with Gray. I waved and hurried up the stairs and opened the first door that would lead me into Nightmare's office. When I opened it I was practically ran over as someone came rushing out of the room. "I won't do it, Gray!" yelled, who I expect it to be, Nightmare as he ran up the stairs.

"Nightmare-sama, please! Just complete your paper work!" yelled Gray as he came rushing out of the room only to stop when he seen me. "Raven, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see Mr. Kitty." I replied with uncertainty as I looked to my feet. "But I think I came at a bad time."

Gray picked me up and looked at me with a small smile. "Nonsense. You're welcomed here anytime. Since you are here how about you help me find Nightmare-sama and then I'll take you to see Mr. Kitty?" Gray suggested.

"Okay~!" I agreed then pointed the way Nightmare ran, "He ran that way!" Gray nodded. He set me back down then took my hand and we went upstairs.. We opened door after door in search for Nightmare but he wasn't in any of the rooms so we went all the way up the stairs and onto the roof. I bounced over to look behind the door to where Nightmare and I hid last time. I saw the familiar gray eye stare back at me, wildly shaking his head at me. I tilted my head to the side before smiling brightly, "Gray!" I called skipping over to Gray.

"Yes?"

I grabbed his hand and pulled him to Nightmare's hiding spot and pointed to the sulking man. Gray patted my head then picked me up and held me in one of his arms before he grabbed Nightmare with the other and we left the roof. Gray dragged Nightmare back down to his office and had him get to work and I couldn't help but laugh at Nightmare's sullen expression as he reluctantly worked.

I left Nightmare to work alone and was now in Julius' office laying on the floor while playing with Mr Kitty. Julius was working on his clocks but I could feel him turn his eyes to me every so often to make sure I was okay. I looked at Julius when I felt his eyes on me once more, "Hey, Julius."

"What?" he answered before he went back to looking down at his clock and repair it.

"Why are you always working on clocks?" I asked and he looked back up at my question. "Do you not have anytime to have fun?"

"Certainly not," replied Julius, "I'm the clockmaker, repairing these things is what I'm suppose to do, it's the rules."

"That sounds like a dumb rule."

The Clockmaker's mouth twitched into a small barely noticeable grin. "You would think that." he said placing his tools down and focused on me. "But you are too young to understand. Here, we have rules that we abide by, you, the Outsider, do not."

My face twisted in confusion and I got up making Mr. Kitty run off somewhere. "So you're not allowed to have fun?" I asked as I walked over to his desk.

Julius made a face of confusion for a minute before giving me a small smile, "Sometimes."

I looked at Julius' smile before breaking into one of my own. "Can we go have fun?" I asked.

Julius looked at me for a few moments before he heaved a sigh, smiled, and nodded. Julius set the clock aside and put his tools away as he said, "I needed to go pick up parts anyway."

I beamed at him and waited until he put away his tools before I grabbed his hand and pulled him along out the door and out of the Clock Tower. I eventually stopped dragging Julius and walked beside him, my hand still in his, when we entered the bustling street of the town. As we walked a few faceless turner their heads when Julius walked by and whispers were mutter amongst some people. I smiled every second we were together, even when we went into a shop to purchase clock parts. My eyes widened when we enter the part store at all the shiny new clean parts. "Woooow!" I gasped. "It's so shiny!" I quickly walked over and examined one of the cogs that were used in clocks. I didn't dare touch any parts in the shop as I looked at all the parts they had. Julius followed behind me as I looked while the clerk received all the parts Julius asked for.

"Do you put all of these in those clocks, Julius?" I asked, looking back at him in amazement.

Julius gave nothing but a simple nod before he grabbed my hand and led me out of the shop. I looked up at him in confusion then back at the shop before looking forward and spotting a ice cream shop a few ways away from where we were. A smile broke out onto my face and I ran towards the shop dragging Julius behind me, at least the best a nine year old could drag an adult. Julius looked down at me in confusion silently asking me where we were going but once he looked straight ahead he couldn't help but let out a small smile when he saw the Ice Cream Shop just a few feet away. I opened the door and dragged him inside and bounced up to the front to look at all the ice cream they offered. I looked up at Julius with a pleading look, "Julius, can we get some?" I asked tugging on his sleeve.

Julius nodded and I cheered and hugged him around his waist before looking over the many flavors they offered. Pressing my hands against the glass and peering at the flavors, I decided on my favorite, strawberry. "I want strawberry please!" I told the owner who smiled and got to work as Julius orders chocolate. The faceless owner handed my strawberry double scoop to Julius, who handed it to me before he took his, paid, and we left the ice cream shop. I skipped happily by Julius' side as we silently made our way back to the Clock Tower.

We walked in a comfortable silence as we both finished off our ice cream cones. As I took the last bite of my sweet waffle cone I caught sight of a nearby park, complete with swing sets, slides, a jungle gym, and seesaws. I smiled widely and ran over to the nearest swing set. I took a seat and looked over to Julius, who had an eyebrow raised, and called him over, "Julius! Come swing with me!"

Julius turned his head to look at the nearby Clock Tower, probably thinking about all the work he has to do, then looked at me before he sighed and made his way over to the swing set. He set the newly purchased parts beside the swing set before he stood behind me instead of taking the empty swing next to me. I looked up at him with a questioning look as he placed his hands on my shoulders and gently pushed me, making the swing go forward. I swung back and he pushed me again and I went slightly higher in the air. I couldn't contain the giggle that bubbled up inside as Julius pushed me. "Higher, Higher!" I cheered. Julius complied and I went higher, I looked behind me and smiled at him, who also had a smile on his face

We spent an hour or so at the park, Julius reluctantly agreed to stay for a while and we played on everything that was in the park. We went down the slide together a few times, and we teetered on the seesaw for a while. He watched carefully and stood next to me as I swung myself across the jungle gym. During the time we played I got to hear something I don't think anyone else would ever hear. Julius laughed. He laughed and smiled as I drug him from one thing to the next. I couldn't help but blush and smile as I heard him laugh, it seemed like a rare thing, much like with Black. Sadly, the once morning sky rippled into the bright star lit night sky, which meant that play time was over. I dropped down from the jungle gym and looked up to the sky along with Julius, who heaved a sigh.

"Aw. I wanted to play some more..." I pouted.

"I'm afraid the time to play is over and we should get back to the Clock Tower immediately." said Julius picking up the bag of parts and sent a gentle smile towards me as he held out his empty hand. I walked over and took his hand then made our way back to the Clock Tower.

After arriving back at the Clock Tower, Julius set to work and I sat on the floor with my back against the sofa holding Mister Kitty in my arms, rubbing his soft fury belly. Strange enough even though it was nighttime outside the window Julius was still wide awake and I was only awake because Julius wouldn't go to sleep. That, and it just didn't feel like I could sleep much without Joker being in the same bed as I. I wonder what they are doing now? Could they be asleep right now or are they waiting for me to come back home?

Julius' POV

I watch Raven out of the corner of my eye as I worked on the many clocks that needed to be fixed. She sat against the couch on the floor as she played with her pet. It was late and she didn't look the slightest bit tired, she didn't yawn or slump over or curl up into a ball on the floor. She was wide awake it seemed.

"Shouldn't you get some sleep?" I asked as I tinkered with the clock in my hand.

She looked up from her cat and looked at me. "Well, I wouldn't want you to be up by yourself." she replied.

I stopped my tinkering and looked up at her in surprise. She was still up because of me? "You don't have to wait for me." I told her. "I'm usually up late anyway. So go to sleep if you must."

She shook her head and rubbed her cats ears. "I'll go to sleep when you go to sleep."

I looked at her and thought for a moment before I got up, "Then let's go to sleep." I said as I put away my tools and the unfinished clock before switching the lamp on my desk off.

"Really?" she asked looking up from the cat. I walked over and stopped in front of her. "I can't let you stay up all night because of me, so I'll turn in early."

Raven's eyes lit up and she gave me a smile, it took all I had to not blush from the radiant smile. She got up and held her cat close to her chest as I placed a hand on her shoulders and led her out the door and up the stairs. I led her down a hall and into one of the many guest rooms we have in the Clock Tower. I opened the door and she walked inside placing the cat at the end of the bed. She grabbed my hand and dragged me inside before she plopped down on the bed and stretched out for a split second before curling up. As I was turning to leave she grabbed a hold of my hand and held me in my place.

"Stay." said Raven. I looked down at her with a puzzled look. "Stay. How do I not know that once I fall asleep you won't go back to work?"

I sighed and snapped my fingers , changing into a purple silk pajama top and matching pajama pants before slipping into the sheets next to Raven. I kissed her forehead and wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her close to me. She smiled at me with a touch of pink staining her cheeks before she began to close her eyes.

"Goodnight, Julius..." she mumbled loud enough for me to hear before falling asleep. I smiled at the sleeping girl next to me and whispered, "Goodnight, Raven."