Helloooo dudes and dudettes! Hope you are fine! Here comes a little drama/hurt/comfort chapter, rather fluffy and cheesy, maybe a bit OOC, so enjoy and SMILE!
Chapter 8: Grief
"Boyfriend Richard? I am very worried about our friend. She is doing the grieving now for more than a week…" the red haired alien woman asked the male on the couch next to her anxious.
"Me too, Star, but she just needs time. We should give her at least this much."
Karen chimed in from the kitchen: "Yeah, but is there nothing more we can do? I mean, Gar is doing a great job, but can't we console her somehow too?"
"I think, we could at least think of something we could give her to remind her, that we're all here for her too…" Victor added half in thoughts.
Since Raven had been informed of Arellas death, she had grieved for her mother she had finally gotten along with on her last visit in Azarath. But not in a way that the others could understand.
First she just looked sad, but never shed a tear or spoke about it. Then she went to the ceremonial incineration in Azarath, Gar had accompanied her and had consoled her the best he could, and as they had returned she had started to act different. She just sat on the roof as if she would want to meditate, but she didn't float and just stared into emptiness the whole time and they let her be. After ten hours in which she didn't even blink, Gar had sat down next to her, held her, and she leaned into the embrace but nothing more. They had sat like this a whole night, still Raven didn't move. She didn't respond to any question, didn't eat, and not even drink.
Richard, Kori, Vic and Karen where reminded of the time Garfield had acted rather similar, as Raven had been away for two weeks. But this time, there was someone taking care differently of the one in pain. Gar drenched her some tea or fed her, when she didn't come down to do so. He brought her a pillow to sit on, a sunshade to protect her from a sunburn during the hot times of the day and a sheet for the cooler nights. He even brought her a washcloth so she could refresh herself every morning. And he never left her side for more than a couple of minutes per day. He rarely spoke and she never said anything, but he was there.
It was no surprise that the others felt a little abashed as they witnessed the soft determination and patience with which their green friend took care of Raven. None of them had ever done anything like that for anyone. They saved people on a daily base, had saved the world more than once, but had they ever saved a soul out of such deep desperation? And they started to ask themselves, if they would be able if necessary. Each of them remembered how they had dealt with the loss of their own mothers, how painful it had been and how there had been someone to help them go on.
"I really wish to do something consoling for friend Raven," Kori said as she lowered her head.
Dick gave her a soft smile and answered: "Maybe there is…"
Two hours later the four team members climbed the stairs leading to the roof, Kori pressing a wrapped package to her chest.
"I hope friend Raven will like it," she mumbled. They had bought her a notebook with a black silk cover and a matching fountain pen so she could write down what she wasn't able to tell them. It was a small thing, but it should show they cared.
As they stepped on the roof, they were met by the same picture that could be seen the last few days up here: Raven sitting unmoving staring at the horizon with her back to them, the changeling at her side. He turned and smiled softly towards his friends: "Look Rae, we have visitors!"
Their leader cleared his throat and said: "Raven, we brought you a little something to show you we care for you and… we are really sorry for your loss. We know how you feel and…"
That was when for the first time in this whole week Raven moved and spoke. She turned and got up so fast that even Richard couldn't react, stood in front of them with red eyes, black energy surrounding her and hissed:
"You know how I feel?! You know nothing! I finally got along with the one person I always missed from the start and now I've lost her! I've lost my mother before I could tell her or anyone how much she meant to me, I couldn't even say goodbye! She'll never see how I'll live when I'll get older, if I'll save the world again, she'll not even meet you all! I am alone now! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL!"
SLAP!
Garfield had spun her towards him and slapped her hard. Everyone stood there in shock with dropped jaws. A now quiet Raven held her burning cheek and stared incredulously at her boyfriend while he just looked down frowning at the very hand that had hit her.
"When I was talking shit as I grieved for Terra you did the same for me and made me promise that if you'd ever act so idiotic I'd return the favor… See, now I held that stupid promise…" he sighed and looked up to her. She lowered her own hand and seemed to relax the slightest bit.
"You know, Rae, you never are alone. We are your family, we love you. I love you more than anything. We're here for you no matter what, but I can't allow you to hurt others just because you are in pain. You lost your mother after you finally reconciled, but you had the luck to do so. We all know how it feels to lose your mother, we all have been through this. Vic was fifteen, Karen twelve, Kori nine, Dick seven. I was five. We all know, how you feel. At least you had the chance to know her this long and you even could make up with her. She could see you grow, she had a glimpse on your life as adult and she was happy; she died in the believe, that her daughter is fine. One of the monks told me this at the ceremony. Do you understand, Rae? She was happy you live, but I don't think she would wish you to cease living just because you have to live without her. I understand your grief, but you have to get it over…"
They all looked at him in awe. It wasn't everyday that their green friend held such a long speech, full of sense, empathy and, dare they to even think it, wisdom…
Raven lowered her head and stuttered: "I-I-I'm sorry… I-I-I just…" She covered her face and started to sob quietly, cracking up the roof with her leaking powers.
Gar pulled her into a warm hug in which she leant into, stroked her hair gently and murmured consoling: "It's okay, Rae. We're here."
Three days later the roof was repaired, Raven and Gar retook their daily routine and everything seemed back to normal.
"No fair, tin-man!" Changeling shouted from the couch.
"All's fair in love and war!" the older one replied with a smug grin.
"Ha, so it's my turn!" Richard cheered.
The three man where on the couch playing video games. Three grown men and they still kept bickering about their favorite leisure…
In the meantime, the women sat in the kitchen, drinking tea together and talked.
"I am still sad from time to time, but I know I don't have to deal with it on my own and I am grateful for that. But I am sorry for the way I treated you," Raven stated as she took a sip from her favorite beverage.
"Don't be, friend! You were in pain, you weren't to take responsibility for your actions at the time," Kori consoled.
Karen added: "What she says, girl! But I'm still impressed by Gar… I didn't know he has it in him to be so… well, sensitive…"
Raven smiled slightly. "Oh, there is a lot you don't know about him…"
First the two others just looked quizzical at her, then Karen's eyes grew wide and she exclaimed: "You two had sex!" causing Kori to squeal in delight: "You absolutely have to tell me about it! Dick and I aren't yet in this phase of earthly relationship and Jess never told me a thing! How…"
A blushing Raven covered their mouths each with a black energy-tentacle.
"You have to swear me you won't tell Vic or Richard! They are still way too overprotective of me, they won't understand yet. And I want to tell them by myself when I think it is time to do so."
They both nodded and the sorceress released them.
"Soooo, I think this screams for a girls' night out! I'll call the others, Jess will surely be glad to get a little break from her overprotective hubby and her sweet babies. Jai and Iris are a hand full, after all…" Karen smiled excited and left still speaking.
"Glorious! I can't wait!" Kori joyfully added. Then she saw her friends' expression. "You don't rejoice the girls' night out, friend Rae?"
"Well at a certain limit, until I'll have to tell my friends about the most private parts of my relationship with my boyfriend…" she replied with a deadpan face.
"Don't you want to share your happiness and experience with us?" the redhead said with a fake pout.
Raven sighed. She knew the heroine Starfire had a weapon not even her powers could match (and it had been Gar of all people who had thought her, now would come the day he would regret he ever did): the face. If the slight pout wouldn't help convincing Raven, Kori wouldn't hesitate to use the face on her. It was a known secret she couldn't resist the face… She could give in from the start, she would anyways in a few minutes.
"Of course I will. But I'm not looking forward to it…"
"How wonderful! Let's prepare for the outing!" Kori cheered and dragged Raven behind her.
"Oh, Azar, let's just get it over…" the darker woman mumbled as they left, but she could share a glance with the man she loved. He smiled and winked at her reassuring before he continued his bickering and playing video games with the other two men. She was sure he silently overheard their conversation, his enhanced senses where a gift and a curse, but today it just filled her with warmth. Whatever obstacles would be to come in their future, he would be there to help her out or wait for her to get it over. She smiled softly at the thought. Her mother had left her in good hands, indeed.