Previously

Finally, she reached for his hand, wrapping both of her small cold hands around his calloused one. As soon as they made physical contact, a rush of energy surged through her, and it seemed to travel through him as well, because he turned to face her with a surprised expression plastered across his face. Sparks of invisible energy cursed through them, as if the bond was mending, or more exactly, resurfacing. The vigilante placed his free hand on her cheek, and she involuntarily leaned in as he stroked her face for a moment; suddenly she was wrapped in his arms, her body pressed against him, as sobs escaped from him, his body shaking uncontrollably. She buried her face on his chest and held him as he cried. In the distance of the Batcave a machine exploded.

Well, at least her powers were back.

Raven shivered involuntarily under his arms. She had lost track of time as they held each other, they just stood there in silence now. The waves of emotions and the sudden surge of energy that coursed through their broken bond took their toll on her as her powers were back and her empathy kicked in. She felt suddenly drained and dizzy so she leaned on him a bit more, fearing her knees were going to give in soon. Nightwing sensed the change in her posture, as well as the continuous shivers that shook her body, so he loosened his grip on her a little bit. He moved one step away from her so he could examine her properly, but still he held her, placing his arms around her shoulders.

"Are you okay, Rae?" he asked, his voice was hoarse and tired after his breakdown, but still concerned, as he rubbed her arms softly. She didn't answer verbally, she just nodded, just in case that her voice would give away her frail condition. "Do you wanna lay down for a bit?" She nodded again, her eyes closed.

He placed one arm behind her knees and the other behind her back and he lifted her up effortlessly. She felt her skin burn under his touch, her nerves were fizzing with energy and the physical contact was not helping. She finally found relief when he deposited her on the mattress and walked away from her, apparently looking for something. Raven breathed in and out slowly, trying to gather her control.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos," she chanted in a low whisper, her eyes still closed.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked once more, sitting on the mattress by her side. "I can hook that IV line again if you want to."

"No. It's just that… I—I need to meditate, that's all. My powers were suppressed for so long, now they're back full force, and the bond… I need some space. I don't want to hurt you."

"Raven, you won't hurt me. I'll leave you to rest, but first, do you want to change?" he asked as he noticed that she was still wearing the remains of a blue dress. "Alfred found some clothes that might just fit you."

"Ugh, yes please," she answered sitting up slowly as he handed her a pair of dark jeans and a plain white shirt.

"And he also made you something to eat," he added as he brought a tray full of food and placed it on the nightstand next to her bed.

"Oh, I really need to thank him, definitely. I'm starved." She said eyeing the variety of meal assortments. "Would you mind turning around boy wonder? I really want to get out of this salty thing that used to be a dress."

He blushed as he realized her request. "Oh, of course, I'm sorry", he walked away and faced the window, looking out into the darkness of the night. He turned back around when he suspected Raven was done. He saw her sitting on the bed and he felt a knot tie around his throat, she seemed so small and fragile, and above all, broken. He strode back next to her and sat beside her. She looked up at him, her violet eyes filled with wonder as he studied her quietly. His lips brushed her temple and then her nose, her cheeks, as he held her close to him. He was too busy focused on her that he was oblivious to all the objects in the room being surrounded in her trademark black aura. The glass of water on the nightstand fell to the floor and shattered to pieces as well as the plates of food. Raven jerked away from Nightwing's grasp but he kept his arms around her, he wasn't letting her go just yet.

Suddenly, the door flew open and in came the dark knight. "What's going on here? Is everything…?" he asked worriedly as he entered and suddenly paused. "Oh, she's awake. I thought something was wrong… I heard a glass shattering."

Silently Nightwing stood up, kissed Raven's forehead and headed out to the hallway, Batman interpreted his actions and followed him out and shut the door behind him.

"Is she okay?" Batman inquired seriously.

"She's fine. She just needs to rest… and meditate."

"Fine, is she good to go though?"

An awkward moment of stressed silence transpired. The youngest hero finally spoke up.

"She's staying."

"We had an agreement, remember? As soon as she was up she had to leave, we need to get back to the case," he said through gritted teeth.

"She's not safe out there, and it's my fault, I should've been with her, or at least be able to communicate with her. They were targeting me and he took her as hostage for who knows how much time." He was fuming already. "She stays under my watch or—"

But Batman cut him off coldly, "Nightwing, I don't have time for this, Red Hood is still out there causing havoc and we don't have any leads."

"We haven't had any real leads for almost six months. Batman, this is important. This is not solely about Raven, you need to listen. Raven's captor he-"

"What about him? Look she can stay until tomorrow but—" buy this time Nightwing interrupted his mentor.

"Bruce let me speak! Raven's kidnapper is Jason. Jason Todd."

Raven was startled as the dark knight busted into the room, the emotions he was projecting were a menacing jumble of hatred, hurt and uncertainty. He strode menacingly towards her until he was by her side, she only managed to sit up from bed.

"What do you think you're doing!? Do you think this is funny? Do you think this is some kind of joke?" the dark hero snarled, his face inches away from hers. "Who gave you the right to come into my home and claim that my son—my dead son—has been holding you captive? The son that I have seen die before my eyes, in my own arms."

Just in time, Nightwing came back in and rushed towards Raven's side. Raven held Batman's gaze defiantly, not trembling under the adult's presence.

"She is telling the truth, I know she is. I know this seems impossible, but she's right." The former leader interjected, trying to bring his mentor back to his senses.

"Stay out of this Richard." Batman growled, "He may trust you, he may believe in your calumnies, but I'll never fall for your tricks, daughter of Trigon."

"Why should I lie? If you don't trust my words, maybe you'll trust my mind." And with that Raven placed a hand on the eldest hero's chest. A wild glow emanated for a few milliseconds and Batman was suddenly inside her mind, inside her memories precisely speaking.

He unexpectedly felt Raven's pain, he felt the restraints on her hands and the weight of the drugs dulling her powers. Her eyes open and closed and they opened once more. A man was standing in front of her, his back was all he could see. He saw he had black hair and wore a leather jacket. Raven's vision blurred but then it became focused again as the man approached her. Batman gasped as he recognized his black hair, with just a white lock in the front, his eyes concealed under a rudimentary eye-mask. It was him, it was Jason. His former apprentice pushed Raven's chair and she fell to the ground, as he walked away he pulled on a red balaclava to cover his whole face.

Batman was pulled away from Raven's memory. As he was being brought back to the present his thoughts tumbled and turned, frenzied but the recent discovery. Jason Todd was alive. But more importantly Jason Todd was Red Hood.

so there it is! I'm so SO So SO S sorry guys! I hate taking so long to update.

anyway here it is! thanks to everyone who reviewed and follows this excuse for a fanfic.

please let me know what you think , and if there's something you don't understand or if something's not clear enough, just ask :)

Special shout out to : Daniratoe, major wallace, xRavenxRobinx, Secretely Dark for the reviewsand the lovely Ophelia'song who reminded me of updating! this wouldn't be up if it weren't for her.

I do not own Teen Titans or the song Above the water by Art of Sleeping

I haven't checked this chapter, I wrote it and here it is, so if there's anything too badly written, please point it out.

xoxo

~ June Grayson ~