Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zoids.
Disclaimer 2: Angel, Sarah, Lenne and Ion belong to me! Please do not use them without my permission!
Disclaimer 3: Jayden and Caleb belong to both ShadowRebirth37 and me! Please do not use them without our permission!
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Last chapter we found out that who ever had kidnapped poor little Angel 'turned' him into a vampire… And this person is also the one that's spreading the Vampire Virus! D: Just what will this chapter hold? You'll have to wait and find out!
We thank those of you that Reviewed!
† Memories and Favors †
The night, oddly enough, passed on peacefully. Angel didn't wake up once, more than likely exhausted from the previous day's trauma. Morning soon came back upon them, but the only movement that the sun got when it peaked through the window was the toddler pulling the covers tighter around him to try to block out said sun. Raven groaned and did the same thing, turning his back to the window. He settled back in and tried to get some more sleep. The toddler didn't move for another two hours. He was too deep in sleep to even notice the sun or how warm it was becoming. Raven didn't twitch, still asleep. He was snoring softly, but not loudly enough to wake the toddler. He wasn't about to wake up anytime soon, sleeping off the earlier blood loss.
Eventually Angel woke up. He sat up and rubbed his eyes sleepily. "...Daddy... I'm hungwy..." He whined slightly, shaking his dad's shoulder to wake him up.
Raven groaned sleepily. "...you are...?" he asked tiredly, not opening his eyes.
"...yeah... I want pancakes...its da weekend!" He said, starting to gain some of his high energy that all toddlers seem to have in the early mornings.
Raven sighed and sat up. "...you want pancakes...?" he repeated, "... well, I'll see what I can do..."
Angel hummed happily, feeling like his old self a little. "Yes! I wanna has pancakes pwease!" He said.
Raven smiled slightly. "Alright, let's make some breakfast..." he said, ruffling up the toddler's hair before scooping the child up in his arms before he could bound off. Angel squealed in laughter a little, feeling much better than he had yesterday. If it wasn't for how heightened his senses were he would have thought that everything that had happened yesterday was just a bad nightmare.
Raven chuckled, caring the toddler into the kitchen and setting him on the counter so he could help. He checked on Shadow, who had at some point in the night gotten up and curled up on the couch. After he gave her another piece of Magnite he went to get the ingredients ready to make pancakes. Angel was waiting as patiently as he could for his Daddy to start making breakfast. He seemed to have more energy than he normally did...maybe... It was hard to tell with a usually constantly hyper five year old...
Raven started mixing ingredients and turned on the stove, putting a skillet on it to get warm. "Do you want to crack the eggs, Angel?"
"Okays!" The toddler chirped happily, taking the eggs that Raven had handed to him. He cracked them into the batter that his Daddy was making for the pancakes.
Raven kept an eye on him, making sure he didn't get any shells into the batter. He took out the milk and poured the right amount into a measuring cup, before setting it on the counter. "Pour that in when you're done, Angel..."
"Awwighty Daddy!" Angel replied as he finished cracking the eggs. He poured in the milk that Raven had set out for him.
Raven smiled slightly as he waited for Angel to finish. "After you pour that in, stir it a little bit... I need to get the pan ready..." he said, cutting up some butter to put in the pan. Angel nodded as he stirred the batter, trying not to make a mess. ...Or at least too big of a mess...
Raven chuckled quietly. After a few minutes he glanced over at his son. "Alright Angel, let's make the pancakes now..."
"Okay!" The toddler replied as he dad picked him up and held him so then he could pour the batter into the pan. He was having fun, and currently forgetting about his condition.
Raven made sure he didn't pour the batter everywhere. "That's enough... we'll make more in a minute."
The toddler looked up to his father. "…'Kay..." He replied, letting his Daddy flip the pancakes. "...We doin' anyting todays...?"
Raven looked down at him. "Not that I'm aware of, why? Do you want to do something special?" he asked back curiously.
Angel shook his head 'no'. "No...I dun wanna... Was jus' wondering..." The toddler replied, waiting for his Daddy to take this batch of pancakes off so then he could start the next.
Raven waited a few minutes before setting the toddler on the counter. He took the pancakes off the skillet and put them on two plates, setting them on the table. "You want syrup, Angel?"
"Yes! I wants wots and wots of syrup!" The toddler replied happily.
Raven chuckled, pulling out the bottle of syrup. "Alright, alright..." he said, setting it on the table.
"Is breakfast done now Daddy?" The toddler asked, since when his Daddy usually set the table it meant that it was time to eat.
"Yeah the first batch is ready..." Raven said, walking over and picking the toddler up. He set him down in his seat, before opening the syrup and putting some on his son's pancakes. The energetic vampire was practically bouncing in his seat, wanting to eat. He was so hungry for some reason, and he just didn't know why...
Raven chuckled. "Alright, alright..." he said, setting the syrup aside. He never liked anything on his pancakes, so Angel could keep the bottle near him. He went back to the stove, putting the second batch into the skillet. The toddler immediately grabbed the syrup bottle and opened it. He stood up on his chair and began to pour it all over his pancakes. Since his Daddy wasn't paying too much attention to how much he was putting on them, he basically 'drowned' his pancakes in syrup...
Raven was still cooking the other pancakes, and not paying attention to what Angel was doing. After ten minutes he finished, putting the remaining pancakes on another plate and setting it on the table. "A-Angel! That's enough!" he said in shock, seeing the puddle of syrup that at one point was a few pancakes.
The toddler looked up his father, giving him a curious look. "But Daddy... I wants sugar! Wots of sweet tings! It smells weally nice!"
Raven sighed quietly. "... alright, alright..." he said, letting Angel drown his pancakes in syrup. The toddler set the now half empty bottle of syrup down on the table before going to eat his pancakes. He used a spoon instead of a fork, since his pancakes were nothing but mush.
Raven's eye twitched. "... Angel... you're going to rot your teeth with all that sugar..."
Again the toddler looked up to Raven. "Nu-uh Daddy! I no wot my teeth!" He argued back.
Raven sighed. "Well you're gonna have to brush your teeth after you're done..."
"...Okays..." Angel sighed, before going back to his syrup. Raven sighed loudly. He started eating his plain pancakes, keeping an eye on his son. Angel ate everything that was on his plate, not leaving even a drop of syrup behind. He didn't know why he suddenly wanted so much sugar, but he did.
Raven sighed loudly. "...you want more?"
Pwease Daddy?" The toddler asked.
Raven sighed. "Alright, alright..." he said, putting more pancakes on the toddler's plate.
"Tank yous Daddy!" The toddler chirped as he...destroyed the rest of the syrup that was in the bottle.
Raven sighed loudly. "...well... I'll have to have Karl or Reese get me some more syrup..." he sighed. Angel didn't really listen to him, too engrossed with eating his 'breakfast'. He hummed happily as he finished off his second helping off pancakes, waiting for his Daddy to finish.
Raven finished a few minutes later, glancing over at Angel. He blinked in shock. "... jeez Angel..." he muttered, "... I didn't think you could eat so much..."
The young vampire looked up to Raven when he heard him say that. "...yous...no wan' me to eats so much...?" He asked.
Raven blinked. "No, no... Since you're a vampire now you'll have to eat more. There's nothing wrong with it... I'll just have to get used to it is all..."
Angel nodded slightly. "...Whys I gotta eats so much now Daddy...?"
Raven shrugged. "I'm not sure... it's just something that vampires have to do..." he replied, "... speaking of vampires... I met a vampire in Rheeve village that might be able to help us..."
Angel blinked. "...yous did...?" He asked quietly.
Raven nodded. "... his name is Ion... he might be able to teach us more about vampires... so I'll be able to raise you properly..."
"...Ion...? Dat's a funny name..." The toddler replied, not use to hearing vampiric names.
Raven sighed loudly. "... it's a vampire name, Angel... their names are unusual to us..." he replied, "... but you shouldn't say things like that, it's not nice..." he said gently.
"...sowwy Daddy..." The toddler replied quietly. He hadn't meant to say a mean thing...
Raven reached over and patted his back lightly. "It's okay Angel..." he tried to soothe, "... if you want I can have him come over today... so he can hopefully teach you to control your new instincts..."
"N-No! I dun wanna...met anymo' vanpaias wight now..." Angel said, looking down at the table slightly.
Raven blinked. "... how come?" he asked, unsure of why he was so reluctant.
"...D-Da bad man dat...dat tooked me 'way... ...h-he tolded me dat...dat other vanpaias would wanna hurt me... ...he s-said dat I'm 's-special', but I no knows wha' he means!"
Raven blinked, before he got up and gathered the toddler up in his arms. "... shh Angel... it's okay..." he said soothingly, running his hand slowly through his son's black hair, "... no one's gonna hurt you..." Angel clung to Raven's shirt, too distressed to calm down or 'purr' as his father carted his fingers through his hair. Thinking about that man made him extremely distressed.
Raven sighed quietly and carried him out to the main room, sitting beside the wounded Organoid on the couch. "Angel... its okay… calm down..." he tried to calm him down, not wanting him to be scared. The toddler huddled into Raven, wanting to feel safe and protected. He was curled up into a ball on Raven's lap, holding into his shirt still.
Raven continued running his hand through the toddler's hair. "Shh... it's okay..." he tried to calm him down, "... I won't let anyone hurt you again..."
"...I knows Daddy... ...but I's still scared..."
Raven sighed quietly. "... I know... but there's no need to worry..."
"...but I's scared dat he be wight... Wha' if da other vanpaias weally do wanna hurt me...? Wha' if...if..." The toddler was getting worked up into a tizzy, starting to tear up and hyperventilate.
Raven patted his back. "Angel, don't think about it, just don't worry..." he tried to soothe, tightening his grip on him reassuringly. He didn't need him getting scared again. Angel nodded slightly, but didn't answer back. He knew that he needed to calm down, but getting use to...being a vampire would take some time...
Raven sighed quietly. "...please Angel... please calm down..." he said gently, rubbing his back gently.
"...m'twying Daddy..." The toddler said quietly, not wanting to make his father upset with him.
Raven continued running his hand up and down his back. "... Its okay..." he kept repeating softly, trying to get him to relax. Eventually Raven was able to get his son to relax. He knew that it would be hard for them, more so for his son, but they'd make it. It was just getting the both of them use to their new situation. Raven ran his fingers through his son's hair again, still holding the toddler against him. It worried him seeing him so upset, but he kept it hidden.
Angel was able to sense something was upsetting his Daddy... He had the feeling that it had to do with him. "...you mad at me Daddy...?" He asked quietly.
Raven blinked. "Of course not, Angel..." he said soothingly, "... it just hurts me seeing you so upset..."
"I's sowwy Daddy... ...no mean t'hurted yous..." The toddler replied quietly.
Raven sighed quietly, running his hands through Angel's hair again. "... It's not your fault, Angel..."
"...but feel wikes it is... ...Daddy's hurting 'cuz of me... Dun wanna make Daddy hurt..."
Raven ruffed up Angel's hair gently. "Come on Angel, you know it takes a lot to hurt me..." he joked lightly, smiling, "... I'm just worried is all. Don't worry about me, and don't think it's your fault, okay?"
Angel nodded slightly. "...I jus' wanna make Daddy pwoud... ...can't do dats now dough... ...no ones will wanna hire a vanpaia...even if I's b'come da greatest Zoids piwot..." The toddler said sadly.
Hearing that saddened the dark pilot, he hugged him tighter and continued running his hands gently through his hair. "...but Angel... I'm already proud of you..." he said softly, "... what does it matter what everyone else thinks? You're my little 'angel', and that's all that should matter..."
After hearing that did Angel finally start to relax a little, "...I'm gwad Daddy...makes me feel much better."
Raven smiled slightly. "...that's all I wanted to hear..." he said quietly, still running his fingers through Angel's hair. The toddler calm down after five more minutes. He relaxed in his father's hold, sighing quietly. Raven continued running his hand through Angel's short-ish black hair, still holding him. He knew his son liked contact when he was upset or scared, like he had as a child, so he didn't want to stress him out again by setting him down. Eventually the toddler started to purr quietly again, feeling content enough to do so. He seemed to love contact even more now that he was a vampire.
Raven smiled slightly when he heard Angel's distinctly vampiric purr, knowing that meant he was content. It was somewhat odd hearing his son purr, but he was already starting to get used to it. He kept running his hand through his hair, eventually getting to his feet to get day clothes for his son to change in to, seeing as his pajamas were matted with syrup. The young vampire clung to Raven's shirt when he was picked up. He laid his head on his shoulder, feeling much better than he had been just a little while ago.
Raven patted the young vampire's back, before carrying him into the toddler's room. "... Angel I need to set you down for a minute..." he said, standing beside the child's bed, "... you need to get into some non-sticky clothes..."
"Okays..." Angel replied, not minding being set down, even if he did like the comfort he felt. He waited patiently for his Daddy to pick out an outfit for him.
Raven opened the closet and eventually pulled out a black shirt and tan pants that were hemmed a couple inches above his ankles. "Do you want your scarf today, Angel?" he asked, knowing he usually liked the scarf he had given him as a young child.
"Yes pwease! I wanna wears it today!" He replied, smiling slightly. He liked his red scarf. It was just like his Daddy's.
Raven smiled. "Alright, alright..." he said, laying out his outfit. "Well, as soon as you get dressed bring me your Zaber pajamas... I'll have to wash them a few times to get all the syrup out... …speaking of which, as soon as you give me your pajamas you need to go brush your teeth..." he added as he walked out so his son could dress.
Angel nodded slightly and took his pajamas off. He didn't put his shirt on right away, instead walking over to his mirror that was on his closet door. He was half expecting to see nothing reflected back at him, so he was surprised when he saw that he had his reflection. However, it didn't keep his attention for long. He instead inspected the injection site where that man had stuck a strange needle into his neck. If he hadn't of know what happened, he would have said that a vampire had bitten his neck and did this to him... But he knew the truth... It was just a strange needle that had two different points and two different vials that seemed to mix together...
Raven was in the other end of the house, throwing the child's stick pajamas into the washing machine…or at least attempting to. When he had gone to toss in the pajamas they had stuck to his hand, and it took nearly three minutes to get his hand unstuck from the syrupy mess. He threw them in and sighed loudly, turning the machine on before heading to the bathroom to wash his hands. Angel was still inspecting the injection sight that was on his neck. He didn't know just how long we was standing there, inspecting it and trying not to scratch or pick at. It was still a little sore, which made the area around the site uncomfortable and sore as well.
Raven eventually was able to wash the sticky residue from the syrup off of his hands. He grabbed a washcloth and turned off the light, drying his hands off as he left the room. He looked down towards Angel's room, and was a little curious as to why he hadn't come out yet. "Angel? Everything alright?" he asked, knocking on the door lightly with his knuckles.
Angel was only slightly torn from the soreness the site was causing him when he heard his Daddy knocking on the door. He figured that it would be best if he let his Daddy find the marks and make sure that they didn't get any worse... Raven eventually opened the door. "Angel? Angel are you- good Eve..." he muttered, seeing the marks on his son's neck. He hadn't expected that bad of a wound. The toddler looked over to Raven, but didn't say anything. He didn't really want to think about what happened two nights ago...
Raven walked over to him. "...let me patch that up, okay?" he said, picking the toddler up.
"Okays..." Angel replied, letting his Daddy take him to the bathroom where the medical kit was kept. "Be careful Daddy... Still hurts a wittle..." Raven nodded and sat him on the counter, opening the med-kit he kept in the bathroom. He pulled out some gauze and a pain-free antibiotic rinse, since he'd learned the hard way Angel didn't like medicine that stung.
Angel staid as still as he could; He knew that the more he struggled the more his Daddy fought with him with giving him medicine. He only whined slightly when his Daddy cleaned the wound off, since the area hurt, but other than that, he didn't make a fuss. Raven cleaned off and disinfected the wound, before putting some antibiotic cream on a gauze pad. "I'm going to wrap some dressing gauze around your neck to hold this pad on, okay Angel? That way we won't have to use a Band-Aid which will hurt to take off..." he explained as he dressed the two puncture wounds.
The toddled nodded. "...O-Okay..." He replied a bit nervously. He didn't like the idea of someone touching his neck. However, he reminded himself that it was just his Daddy, and that he wouldn't hurt him.
Raven blinked when he heard the nervousness in his voice, but ignored it. He wrapped the dressing gauze loosely around his son's neck, so it wouldn't scare him. "Alright... we're all done..."
"Tank yous Daddy," Angel said before reaching up to be held. Once Raven had picked him up did he speak again, "...do we gotta go any wheres today?"
Raven shook his head. "Nope... I was planning on spending all week home with you..." he replied.
Angel smiled slightly. "...But...wha 'bout when yous gotta go back to works?"
Raven sighed quietly. "... I might have you stay with Auntie Reese..." he answered, the Zoidian being one of the few people he could still actually trust.
Angel blinked. "Auntie Weese? She back fwom twavlin'?" The toddler asked, knowing that the last time he had seen his Auntie was at Christmas.
Raven nodded. "She should be... I'll have to give her a call and see if she can come watch you..." he said, knowing the toddler trusted Reese as much as he did. "Now, you want to do anything today?"
Angel was silent for a moment before speaking up. "Daddy...can we go visit Mommy? I wanna tells her dat everting's gonna be okays now..."
Raven blinked, not having been expecting that. "...you wanna see mommy?" he asked, "... alright then, I've got a lot to tell her too..."
The toddler smiled slightly. "Wet me finished getting dwessed Daddy!" He said as Raven took him back to his room.
Raven chuckled slightly before setting the toddler down inside the doorway of his room. "Meet me in the kitchen when you finish getting dressed and brushing your teeth and hair..." he said, closing the door behind him as he walked to his bedroom to dress into his pilot suit. Raven could hear the toddler groan when he mentioned brushing his teeth and combing his hair. He had thought that his Daddy had forgotten!
Raven chuckled to himself as he closed the door to his room across the hall. He changed out of his night clothes before putting on his pilot suit gingerly, making sure not to open any of the bandaged wounds he had sustained. After he finished he walked over to the nightstand and picked up Sarah's necklace, looking at it for a long moment before putting it safely in his pocket. He shut the door to his room behind him as he left, walking out to the main room to sit beside his wounded Organoid as he waited.
The toddler finished getting dressed, before going to brush his teeth and comb his hair. It wasn't like he had really ever disobeyed Raven before. He bounded out into the main room, holding his red scarf out so then his Daddy could help him put it on. Raven took the red scarf from him. "Alright Angel, turn around so I can put this on..." he said, unfolding the scarf.
Angel did as he was told and turned around so then his Daddy could help him with his scarf. He was sure that his Mommy would be happy to see them in a better condition and situation. Raven wrapped the scarf loosely around his neck, tying it in the back so he wouldn't pull it off if he caught it on anything. "There we go..." he said when Angel turned back around, "... you look better in it then I did as a kid..." he joked, gathering the toddler up in his arms.'
Angel smiled slightly when his Daddy said that. He wrapped his arms around Raven's neck when he was picked up, so then he could look over his father's shoulder and wave 'bye' to Shadow. "Bye-bye Shadow! Get betters soon pwease!"
Shadow lifted her head and trilled reassuringly, stretching her neck up to his level and licking his face and nosing him. She curled back up a minute later, not wanting to reopen her 'scabbed-over' wounds. Angel giggled slightly when Shadow did that, before going back to clinging to his father's neck. He rested his head in the crook of it, waiting to go outside and get into the Geno Breaker.
Raven didn't mind when Angel did that, trusting his son. Any normal person would have panicked, having a vampire this close to their neck, but Raven didn't mind. He shut the door behind him and locked it, before walking over and climbing into the Geno Breaker. He set the toddler in his lap as he strapped himself in, getting ready to activate the Zoid. "Ready to take off, Angel?"
The toddler nodded. "I'm weady Daddy. I wanna go see Mommy."
"Alright then..." Raven said flipping a few switches before the Geno Breaker took off. He kept the speed slow, so he wouldn't panic Angel with the noise. It'd only take about an hour and a half with the speed they were going, and since they were in no rush Raven didn't push the Breaker to go any faster. They traveled the distance to the Wild Flower field after a while. However, they never noticed that they were being followed or watched. Who ever was following them was staying just out of their radar range. The Geno Breaker stopped just before the fields began, since Raven didn't want to crush any of the flowers that grew here.
Raven jumped out of the cockpit, holding Angel. "...the flowers sure are beautiful this time of year..." he mused, setting the toddler down so he could run ahead. He wanted to look at the flowers for a while, like he and Sarah use to do before she died. Angel did just that. Soon after his Daddy had set him down did he run off ahead of him. His bright red scarf made it easy for Raven to see where he was at all times. The five year old bounded ahead of him, laughing before he tumbled into the many flowers.
Raven sighed quietly, watching Angel bound around the flowers. He looked down at the flowers instead, watching the breeze blow through them, ruffling his thin black cloak in the process. He wasn't aware that they had been followed, his thoughts somewhere else entirely…
‡‡‡‡‡‡‡
There was a warm breeze swirling through the air; it was early summer at the Wild Flower field. It had been about six months since his Geno Saurer had been destroyed and he was nearly recovered. The Dark Pilot wasn't exactly sure just why he was here in the first place.
Normally he wouldn't be caught dead in such a place but….this wasn't a 'normal' circumstance… He looked around, trying to find just where the girl that had decided to take care of him went. She had taken him in without any questions or prejudice against him and was even able to get Shadow on her side!
The Dark Pilot walked further into the field, still trying to find the girl that had saved him after Shadow had landed and released him. After walking for a few more minutes did Raven reach the center of the Wild Flower field, where he could see the person that had dragged him out here in the first place. She was wearing a white sun dress with soft, black and flower prints around the bottom. The wind was blowing through her long, dark chocolate brunette hair so then it was playing around her face, and she also had a small, simple blue crystal pendant around her neck. She smiled sweetly at him, her soft chocolate eyes smiling as well. She then giggled at him when she saw the look on his face. Raven scowled slightly, but that only caused her to giggle at him harder.
"Are you ever going to tell me just why exactly you brought me out here?" He asked her. She just smiled at him again, before leading him a little further out. Raven sighed, but followed her anyways. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go or anything to do now…
After walking in silence for a few minutes did Raven feel her hand slide into his and needless to say, he was more than surprised, but he didn't pull away, however. They walked for a little while in comfortable silence until she pulled away and ran ahead of him slightly. She turned to face him, her soft smile still there, before holding her hand out for him to take.
Raven looked up at her slightly, the golden glow from the sun giving her a white halo around her, which made her look like an angel. And, in a way, she was an angel. She was his angel. She had been his light while he had been lost in the dark and couldn't find his way. She had taken him in, taken care of him and had given him a reason to live for himself…
‡‡‡‡‡‡‡
While Raven had been watching the flowers and reliving his memories he didn't notice that who ever was watching them had come a little closer to where they were. They could now hear what Raven and his son were talking about. "Daddy, Daddy!" The toddler yelled, trying to get Raven's attention from where he was a couple of feet away from him.
Raven blinked, coming out of the slight trance before looking over at his son. "Hmm? What is it, Squirt?" he asked, unsure of what he wanted.
"Come help me picked out flowers fo' Mommy! I alweady gots some!" Angel replied, holding a bundle of flowers in his hands.
Raven smiled slightly. "Alright Angel... let's pick mommy some flowers..." he answered, following his son as he bounded off deeper into the field to pick more flowers. The five year old smiled and picked some more flowers for the bouquet he was picking out for his Mommy. He was sure that she'd like it. Raven kept an eye on him, making sure he didn't touch anything dangerous. He picked some flowers as well, kneeling down on the ground. He was picking some violets and blue bachelor buttons, along with some lavender and amethyst lilies. He got back to his feet once he had picked enough, looking over at Angel. "You get enough, Angel...?"
"Yes Daddy! Here dey are!" The toddler said happily as he handed his Daddy the flowers he had picked. He had picked out some yellow and pink snapdragons, Black-eyed Susans, and a couple of other different flowers that he didn't know the name of.
Raven took the flowers. "These are very pretty Angel, I'm sure mommy will appreciate it..." he said, patting the toddler's head and smirking slightly. The toddler smiled slightly as he watched his Daddy tie the flower stems together so then they wouldn't fall all over the place. Once Raven had tied them all together did he hand them back to his son. They then started to walk to where Sarah's grave was, still unaware that they were being followed. Raven let Angel walk ahead, making sure to keep him in-sight at all times. He glanced down at the flowers in his hands idly, before pulling out Sarah's necklace. He sighed and gazed at it for a long minute, before putting it back inside his pocket for safe keeping.
Eventually the two of them reached Sarah's grave. Angel walked over to it and set the bundle of flowers that they had on it before sitting down beside it. "Hi Mommy... I's sowwy fo' scawing yous da other nigh', but I's okay now! Daddy saved me!" Raven sat down cross legged beside his son, still holding his flowers. He let Angel go first, knowing he had a lot to get off his conscience.
The five year old 'talked' to his Mommy for well over forty minutes, he had a lot to tell her since their last visit. Eventually though, he let his Daddy have a turn, since he could probably keep on talking to her a few hours. Raven set his own flowers on the grave before turning to Angel. "Why don't you go and see if you can catch some butterflies, Angel?" he said, wanting to 'talk' to Sarah in private.
"Okays Daddy! I won't hurt dem dough!" He said before getting up and bounding off a little ways from where Raven was.
Raven nodded and watched Angel bound off. He turned back to the grave and sighed loudly. "... I wish you could see him, Sarah..." he said quietly, looking over at Angel giggling and chasing the butterflies, "... our 'little angel' is growing up..."
Even though he knew that he wouldn't get an answer back, it 'felt' like she was answering him back. Angel was too interested in chasing after the butterflies to hear what Raven was saying. The two were still unaware of the fact that there was someone watching them. Raven sighed again. "... I'm sorry... I... wasn't able to protect him..." he said quietly, lowering his head and closing his eyes, "... that man 'turned' him into a vampire... and it's my entire fault..."
The person that was watching and listening to Raven blinked in surprise. He couldn't believe what he was hearing! It was enough to hear and see Raven acting...homely...but this! This was just too much! Raven sighed again and glanced over at Angel chasing the butterflies innocently. "... somehow we'll get through this..." he said quietly, "... a vampire named Ion saved my life in Rheeve village... he might be able to help Angel cope with what he is now... he's scared... I'm scared too... I can't blame him..."
Raven watched his son run around the field. He saw him stop suddenly and look off into the distance behind them. He was as still as a statue, not moving and looking as though he was trying to find something. Raven immediately got to his feet. "... Angel...? Everything okay...?" he called out hesitantly, worried he might have heard or smelled something that made his new instincts kick-in.
The toddler didn't look back to him but he did back up slightly from whatever had his attention. Eventually it spooked him enough that he turned and ran back to Raven, clinging to his legs. Raven reached down and picked the toddler up. "Angel, what is it?" he asked quietly, running his hand up and down his back gently to keep him calm.
"...dere's someone here..." The toddler replied quietly.
Raven blinked, before glancing off in the direction his young son had been looking in. "Alright, show yourself! I know you're there!" he shouted, making sure to cover Angel's ears, "You don't want me to come and find you!" Raven's yelling was still loud to the recently 'turned' toddler. He just clung tighter to him, hoping that it wasn't the bad man that had kidnapped him. However, no one showed themselves when Raven demanded them too. The person was too stunned by the fact that he had been caught to move.
Raven looked down at Angel. "I'm sorry..." he said softly, running his fingers through the toddler's hair to calm him down, before looking back of in the direction of the intruder, "Don't make me send Shadow to 'get you'..." he said in warning, though it was just a bluff. The intruder almost showed himself. However, he noticed that the black Organoid was no where to be see, and he hadn't seen her leave the house either.
Raven narrowed his eyes. "Angel, stay here with mommy, okay? I'll be right back..." he said, setting the toddler down so he could go 'investigate'.
"...Okay Daddy..." The toddler replied quietly, staying next to his mother's resting place. He watched as his Daddy started to walk off in the direction he had sensed someone.
Raven pulled out a silver dagger, but kept it concealed. He vanished into the nearby brush, able to vaguely tell where the trespasser was. Before the other person knew what hit them he had him pinned to a tree with his knife drawn. He quickly removed the knife from the other man's throat, however. "Flyheight? What the Helkat are you doing out here?" he hissed.
"T-That's none of your business Raven!" The spiky-haired pilot answered.
Raven narrowed his eyes and didn't unpin the smaller pilot. "Of course it's my business! What are you doing, trespassing on Sarah's grave?" he growled, tightening his grip slightly. He was clearly still very protective of his late wife.
Van didn't answer him right away. "I'm not trespassing! This place doesn't belong to you!"
Raven glared at him. "So what? That gives you no right to spy on me..." he growled back.
Van glared right back. "I wasn't spying! Karl said that something happened, which is why he and Thomas staid at your place, and that it had to do with your kid. Both Fiona and Moonbay threatened me to come and check on the two of you, that's all!"
Raven narrowed his eyes further. "Then why didn't you just come up to us? Huh Flyheight? Instead of scaring my son half to death, thinking he was gonna be kidnapped again?" he growled back threateningly.
"I didn't know that he had been kidnapped!" Van defended. "And I just wanted to keep my distance was all!"
"Why? You know I wouldn't react like this if you just walked up to me!" Raven snapped back, releasing the younger pilot.
Van fixed his clothes after Raven had released him. "Well, you're not exactly the most sociable person I know..." Van grumbled.
Raven narrowed his eyes. "... I should punch you for that comment..." he muttered, before walking off back into the field. "Angel! It's okay, it's just Flyheight..." he called, not wanting to leave his son alone. The toddler looked over to Raven when he heard his name. He blinked when he heard that it was Van that was the one he had sensed. He hesitated for a moment before getting up and running toward where his Daddy was.
Raven picked the toddler up once he was close enough, not wanting to risk him being taken away from him again. He turned back to Van. "Well, now that you know he was kidnapped, will you please leave? We were busy 'talking' with Sarah..." Van blinked before looking over to the toddler that was now in Raven's arm, clinging to his neck. He didn't look like a...vampire... He didn't respond to Raven when he told him to leave.
Raven narrowed his eyes slightly. "...am I going to have to drag you out of here like a three-year-old, Van?"
Van looked back to Raven. "No," he answered before he went back to searching for any trace of what a vampire was 'supposed' to look like.
Raven blinked, tightening his grip slightly on his son. "Van? What the Führer are you doing?" he asked, turning slightly so that he couldn't get at Angel.
Before Van could say anything Angel gasped. "Daddy said a bad word! No s'pposed to do dat Daddy!" The toddler 'scolded'.
Raven blinked. "... oops..." he muttered under his breath, "... yeah I did, sorry about that..." he apologized.
"It's okay Daddy. Jus' no do it 'gain!" The toddler 'scolded' still, putting his hands on his hips and not only sounding like Sarah, but looking like her too when she yelled at Raven for saying things like that. Van just blinked, not expecting to see and hear this. He just kept quiet, not wanting to draw attention back to himself.
Raven chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't do it again..." he assured, ruffling up the toddler's hair and smiling slightly. The toddler smiled too and went back to clinging to his neck. If Van hadn't of known about what Raven was talking about then he never would have noticed the sharper and more dangerous looking canines that the toddler seemed to have...
Raven caught Van staring. "...do you have a problem with my son, Flyheight?" he asked, his dangerous undertone getting his point of 'don't you say anything' across. Van blinked, but looked at Raven for an explanation. And from the look on the shorter pilot's face, he wouldn't be leaving until he got answers
Raven narrowed his eyes. "...well? What's your problem?" he asked, "Besides being you..." he teased.
"I don't have a problem. I want to know what's going on," he replied.
Raven looked at him for a long minute. "What do you mean by that?"
Van indicated Angel, not saying anything though. He had the feeling that if he said it out loud then Raven would hurt him. Raven narrowed his eyes dangerously. "If you so much as breathe a word about it to anyone, then so help me..." he growled out lowly.
"...B-But how?" The spiky-haired pilot asked.
Raven sighed loudly. "...the person that kidnapped him injected him with some sort of virus... I've been...'investigating' it for a while and apparently the person behind it decided to mess with my head..." he answered, cleverly disguising his 'hunter' profession.
Van blinked. "...Why would this person do this to your kid? It's not like you've done anything to them...right?"
Raven sighed. "I don't know who did this, so I don't know if I've done anything to them..."
"...So...just...what exactly are you going to do?"
Raven shrugged. "It's not like it's changed him mentally, Van... he's still Angel and still my son..."
"...But what about...?" The spiky haired pilot asked.
"I'm taking care of it..." Raven answered.
Van blinked. "B-But! Won't that make you one too!" He asked.
Raven rolled his eyes. "For the love of..." he muttered, "No it won't Van! I let him last night and do I have fangs? No."
Van just stared at him. "...How come you seem to know so much?" He asked.
Raven blinked and cursed himself mentally. He played it off and shrugged. "No reason." he replied coolly.
Van narrowed his eyes slightly. "I know you're not telling me the truth," he said.
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Really now? You looking to get into an argument?"
"No. But you're not telling me everything."
"Who says I need to?" Raven answered, beginning to walk back towards his Geno Breaker, taking care not to crush any of the flowers.
Van blinked when Raven started to leave. "H-Hold on! Who say's I'm done talking to you!"
"I did." Raven answered, continuing to walk away.
"H-Hey! Are you going to be leaving him at the base again!" Van asked after them, following them.
"Of course not, he said you yelled at him and Irvine refused to feed him. I'm not letting him get neglected. I'll have Reese come watch him instead."
"And if Reese can't watch him?" Van asked.
"... Karl and Thomas..." Raven answered.
Van sighed. "And if they can't watch him? Then who are you going to get?"
"... my 'friend' Ion could probably watch him then..." Raven replied, stopping in front of his Geno Breaker.
Van gave him a weird look. Apart from Karl, Thomas, Reese and Moonbay Van didn't think that Raven could make friends, "….Ion….?"
Raven nodded. "Yeah... what of it?" he asked.
"...Who's Ion?" He asked, the name sounding strange.
"Someone who helped me in Rheeve village, that's all." Raven replied, sitting in the cockpit's pilot seat once it lowered to the ground.
Van just blinked. "W-Wait! I still have a few more things to discuss with you!" He said, stopping Raven from leaving.
Raven groaned in annoyance. He sat Angel in the cockpit. "Wait inside, okay?" The toddler nodded as he waited for his Daddy to come back. Van waited for Raven to come back out so then he could talk to him.
Raven walked back over to where Van was, grabbing his arm before literally dragging him off to the side so Angel wouldn't hear. "Alright, what do you want to ask me?" he questioned, releasing the Republican pilot.
Van sighed. There was another...reason...he had come out to Raven's house. "...We need a babysitter for tomorrow. Everyone at the base is busy and you're the only one who's not working this week." Van sighed.
Raven blinked. "... but I promised Angel I'd spend time with him... and you honestly expect Irvine, or you for that matter, will be able to accept me watching the kids? You'll think I'll strangle them or something..."
Van sighed. "It's only for tomorrow Raven. And both Fiona and Moonbay insisted."
Raven sighed loudly. "I'll have to talk it over with Angel. He's... really upset..."
Van nodded. "Just call the base by at least seven, that way it'll give us more time to find someone if you can't."
Raven nodded. "Alright then..." he replied, "... but, why can't you just have Dr. D or O'Connell or someone watch? You can't all be busy..."
Van sighed again. "O'Connell went with Herman on a three day border mission to deal with some bandits. Dr. D left this morning to go on another expedition and Fiona went with him. They won't be back until next week. Karl had to go back to the Empire and Thomas is leaving for Red River base tomorrow morning. Irvine's going with Moonbay on her first transporting job since Caleb was born, so they'll be gone for a few days, and I have an all day border patrol near the Empire/Republic where there have been rumors of more bandits showing up." Van explained.
Raven sighed loudly. "...but do I really have to stay at the base? The soldiers always heckle me..."
"No, Moonbay can drop them off in the morning, since she'll be coming this way tomorrow. I can pick them up once I get back to base and get a Gustav to hold them all in."
"Well, I'll have to get my house cleaned up... the kidnapper didn't clean up Shadow's bloodstain after all..." Raven muttered.
Van nodded slightly. "...Is seven alright?" He asked, knowing that Moonbay would drop them off at seven anyways.
Raven nodded. "Yeah it should be..." he answered, "... are Caleb, Jayden and Lenne okay with Organoids?"
"Yeah, they are. But I'll make sure to tell them not to bother Shadow. Karl and Thomas said that she was hurt badly."
Raven nodded. "Her neck was torn to shreds... it looked like another Organoid got a hold of her..."
"...Another Organoid? But the only ones left are Zeke, Specula and Shadow..." Van mused.
Raven nodded. "I know... but this was definitely an Organoid that dealt those wounds to her..."
Van nodded slightly. "Well...I don't just who would have an Organoid. There haven't been any reports about another one being seen..." Van mused.
"I know that's what's got me concerned..." Raven answered.
The spiky haired pilot sighed. "Well, I'll see what I can do to find out any information." Van said, letting Raven get back to his son.
Raven nodded. "If you follow me, I just might have to hurt you..." he warned teasingly, smirking somewhat evilly at the slightly smaller pilot before walking back to his Geno Breaker and getting into the cockpit. Van blinked before realizing that Raven was kidding...he hoped... He left to go back to his Blade Liger. Angel looked up from where he was sitting in the cockpit, waiting for his Daddy to come back.
Raven quickly got into the cockpit and picked Angel up. "... I'm afraid I have some bad new Angel..." he said quietly, setting the toddler in his lap as he fastened his safety harness.
Angel looked up at his Daddy. "...Bad news...?" He asked quietly, not liking how that sounded.
"Yeah... I'm gonna need to watch Caleb, Jayden and Lenne tomorrow all day, at home... is that okay with you?" Raven asked, wanting his okay before he agreed.
Angel blinked. "...Yous gotta watch dem...?" He asked.
Raven nodded. "Yeah..." he sighed loudly, "... but it's only for tomorrow, and we'll be at home, so I'll be there to take care of you..."
Angel nodded slightly. "...O-Okay..." The toddler replied quietly. He wasn't sure he was up for this, but he knew that his Daddy had to do this...
Raven ran his hand through his son's hair. "I know... I don't want to either but I need too..."
"...I know Daddy... ...it's jus' one day..." The toddler said.
Raven nodded, before turning the Geno Breaker towards home. "There anything you want to do today; while we've still got the house to ourselves?"
Angel shook his head 'no'. "No... ...Maybe we can pway watter?" He asked hopefully.
Raven looked down and smiled slightly. "I think that can be arranged..."
Angel smiled slightly. "Yay! Daddy's gonna pway wif me!" The toddler said happily, hugging Raven tightly.
Raven briefly released the controls to hug him back. "We can as soon as we get home..."
"Okays Daddy!" The toddler replied happily, excited that his Daddy would be spending time with him.
Raven patted his head before gripping the controls again. After all he didn't want to crash. He absentmindedly ran his free hand up and down Angel's back to keep him calm, knowing he likely wasn't used to the sudden loudness of the Geno Breaker's thrusters. The toddler was calm throughout the entire ride back to their house. He actually fell asleep and napped half an hour into the ride…
Author's Note: I hope that you all liked this chapter! The reason it was so late being posted was because of that little flashback! D: You guys have no idea just how hard it was to write that! Anyways, looks like we get to see Raven playing babysitter soon ^^ Just how well is that going to go over? You'll just have to wait and find out! Please Review! They make my day and make me update faster! :)