Chapter 3
"Jeff, please don't go."
"I have to, Raven."
"At least stay until morning," Raven said worryingly.
"Raven, it is morning," Jeff replied.
Their hands were touching by the palms, and Raven's fingers were between Jeff's knuckles. A small tear passed down Jeff's cheek. He gave a faint smile, then forcefully pulled his hand away. He got up off the bed, and walked out of Raven's room.
Raven just sat there for a second, hesitating. After the door closed, she came to her senses. She wrapped herself in bedsheets and hurried out the door to follow him.
When she exited her room, it was not Titans Tower that she saw. She looked around, and it seemed like the place where Beast Boy and Cyborg had once traveled through the mirror and into her mind.1 Was she in her mind?
Off in the distance she saw Jeff, clad in battle armor but with his mask off, looking off in the distance. Next to him was a small boy. Raven could hear what they were saying, but for some reason, she could not move. She listened closely.
"You are my only son, and yet I have never held you, have I?"
The little boy remained silent.
Jeff knelt down on one knee, to make his face level with the boy's. He outstretched his arms, "Come here, son."
The little boy embraced his father. Jeff continued, "Constantine, listen. You need… to take good care of your mother."
The little boy was shocked to hear this, but the statement shocked Raven even more. She knew what would come next. She wanted it to end, to stop it. But she still couldn't move.
"You have made me proud, my son." Jeff finished in a whisper as he wiped the tear from the little boy's face. Then a voice behind him snarled.
"How touching."
It was Dracula.
Jeff turned around, he gave a little nudge to the boy, who took as a sign to flee. And did.
"Now, why can't we have that type of relationship, Hector?"
Anger shown on Jeff's face. Raven wanted to run to the boy, or to Jeff, but her legs were paralyzed. They wouldn't budge. All she could do was watch.
A vortex of the abyss opened in the sky, and began to suck everything in it. Raven felt like it wasn't affecting her. She was somehow outside of all this. She wanted to cry out to Jeff, or at least the boy, but her voice failed her.
Dracula jumped high into the air, and transformed into the Hellbeast. Jeff used his jetpack2 to boost into the air, and collide with Dracula. He took hold of Dracula from behind, putting his arms around Dracula's, so that Jeff's forearm was touching Dracula's shoulder. Dracula's arms were outstretched. The little boy began to cry.
Raven knew what was next. Tears appeared in her eyes.
Not again!
"Say Goodbye! Haaaaargh!" Jeff screamed as he boosted all the fuel in his jetpack to thrust him and the vampire through the air and toward the vortex.
Dracula struggled to get free as Jeff held on tight.
The two soared headlong into the vortex.
It was like a paper shredder.
Raven finally could scream, "JEFF!!!!!!"
She let go of the bedsheets and reached toward the sky, still screaming his name.
"Jeff!" Raven yelled as she sat up in bed.
Sweat and tears trickled down her face as she realized…
It was only a nightmare.
Her shrieks had startled the baby. He began to wail in fear.
Raven quickly ran to her son's crib.
She took him in her arms and began to soothe him, yet he still wailed.
"Shhh. Shhh. It's okay, Constantine. It was only a nightmare. Shhh. I'm sorry." She whispered
She rubbed his cheek with her finger and then kissed him gently.
"It's okay… okay… Mommy's here."
Slowly Constantine stopped wailing.
"That's it… that's it… he's my good boy."
Raven sat down in a rocking chair in the corner of her guest room.
"Shhh. Shhh. Mommy's here, baby. It's okay. Shhh."
She looked at the baby's face, she saw fear in his eyes.
"Shhh. It was only a nightmare. Only… a… nightmare."
Constantine reached up with his tiny hand and clutched a part of Raven's face. He giggled.
"Hey," she whispered very quietly, "How bout I tell you a story?"
Constantine smiled.
Raven continued, "About the wizard, Rorek, and the dragon, Malchior."
---
"Yes, Raven. I don't think that would be a problem."
"So, before or after Mass, Father Thomas?"
"Well, that's up to you. I can do it during Mass--"
"No!" Raven yelped, "No. It's just… I feel very… uncomfortable, in these situations."
"I understand," he said softly, "but you have been coming to Mass regularly. Why should this time be any different?"
"I don't want to be noticed."
"Raven, you have a baby in your arms."
She lowered her head. Father Thomas lifted her chin with his hand, "Raven, don't let people judge you. It's not their place. Know that."
She nodded, "I just wish… that there was a father… so that I don't look like… a…"
Father Thomas understood what she meant, and what she was about to say.
"How about before Mass? We still have a few minutes."
Raven nodded.
Inside the Chapel—a local place where Raven had gone often nowadays to pray and enjoy the silence of mediation, also the place where she finally met her husband—Father Thomas walked up to the altar, bowed, then turned left. Off to the side was a little glass cabinet that held a few bottles of oils. Nowadays the Chapel was often packed. He brought it back to where Raven was standing, next to the fountain of Holy Water.
First, he baptized the baby with water.
"Constantine, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Then he opened the jars of oil, and dabbed them on the head of the baby. He explained their significance and symbolism. Next, he took a small candle, calling it the "Baptismal Candle," and explaining it. During the whole ceremony, Raven could hardly hold back the tears.
My baby is getting baptized. My little baby boy is getting baptized.
"Raven? Are you going to stay for Mass?"
She nodded, and took a seat in a pew in the front.
Right in the middle of the procession, baby Constantine broke out in tears, and began to cry loudly. Raven tried her best to quiet him down, but he wouldn't stop. She needed to take him outside where she could do more.
"Waaah! Waaah!"
"Shhh. Constantine… shhh. Please…"
The procession had stopped, and everyone was staring at her.
Raven was so embarrassed.
Constantine wouldn't quiet down.
She made a decision. She left the pew, walking down the aisle to the back of the Chapel. All eyes and faces frowned at her. She looked back at them, mouthing the words "I'm sorry" repetitively, but not uttering a sound.
When she reached the back, she began to slightly bounce and rock the baby while standing.
"Shhh. It's okay."
An old woman walked up to Raven, made a huge frown, and held her arms akimbo.
Raven noticed her, "Everything's fine. He's just a little crabby."
"I can't believe the priest baptized that… that thing!"
"Ex-cuse me?"
"I don't understand how he allowed an illegitimate baby to be baptized. He tells all other couples to get everything straight before he baptizes the kid. How'd you get away with it?"
"My baby's not illegitimate." Raven said coldly
"So naïve! Girls at your age never think logically! Well, if your baby's not illegitimate, where's the father?"
Raven lowered her eyes
"That's what I thought! You shameless whore! Girls at your age having sex! I bet you've slept with so many boys that you don't even know--"
"He's DEAD!" Raven screamed, "The father is DEAD! My husband is dead! For your information, Miss, I was married to him! I know it's unorthodox at my age. You don't know anything about me!" Raven screamed at the top of lungs, the familiar tears coming back, "So DON'T JUDGE ME!"
Raven broke into a sob, her baby still crying, and stormed out the door, as if she was running from an angry mob.
---
Raven went into her room, not saying a word to the others. All except Robin weren't worried, because the rest thought 'Typical Sunday.'
Robin went to her door, and rapped gently.
"Raven? Are you okay?"
A muffled voice answered back in a scream, "Just leave me alone!"
Robin knew it would be a very bad idea to continue, so he backed away and gave Raven her space. Inside her room, Raven tried to recover emotionally and comfort her baby at the same time.
"My son, whatever happens, don't let anyone call you a 'mistake.' Okay?"
The baby was still too young to understand.
Maybe I should have given him up for adoption. Would Jeff have wanted that? Would he be okay with that? No! This is my baby! No one else's. He's not a mistake!
"You're not a mistake, Constantine. You are my son."
The baby gooed.
Raven smiled. She had made the right choice. She looked at her son, and was amazed again how much he actually resembled Jeff. It was like they were identical. Well, at least he had Raven's gray skin and navy blue hair.
She rocked the baby, began to hum a song, then actually sang it softly:
"Be not afraid.
I go before you always
Come, follow me
And I will give you rest.
You shall cross the barren desert,
But you shall not die of thirst
Though you walk amid the burning flames,
You shall not be armed;
And if you stand before the power of Hell
And death is at your side,
Know that I am with you…
Through it all.
Be not afraid.
I go before you always
Come, follow me
And I will give--"
BOOOOOM!
There was a rather large explosion on the wall to Raven's room. Flames spread and debris scattered. Raven screamed as she held tight onto Constantine. Someone stepped through the flames, which had spread to most of the room. Even the bed was on fire. Raven hid on the other side of the bed, but Constantine's cries gave their position.
"Where is the abomination?!" A hoarse voice roared
"Waaah! Waaah! Waaah!"
"Shhh… Constantine," Raven whispered, trying to cajole the baby, "Not now. Shhh…"
Raven heard steps behind her, and a roar. She turned around to see the demon, Etrigan.
He was a large monster that wore a dark blue cape and a red outfit. His gold skin sparked off embers as his face filled with rage.
"The harbinger must be destroyed!" he roared, taking a step toward the baby in Raven's arms.