its been awhile for this story obviously. i've noticed from all the favorite and update alerts that show up in my inbox since i stopped writing that this is one of my two most popular ones. the other story i honestly don't get why people like it cause i hate it but we won't worry about that one here. after writing the 4th (in series order) of the quintet of stories that makes up this saga (ruffled feathers-the bird or the thief-in the thief's den-taking flight-raven's nest) i felt the need to revisit this one for some reason. if we're all lucky i'll get on a roll as i delve back into this chapter and finish the rest of the story or most of it anyway. i'm mildly OCD (for now anyway as it seems to be getting worse each day) and one of my related quirks is my odd number fixation. 8 is the only even number that is okay-its great in fact and of the odd ones 3 is awesome but 5 is the holy grail so to speak in the insanity that is my mind. so with the tally of one-shots before this one which brings the total of the series to 5 i am declaring now that once i reach the end of this story in roughly 5 more chapters-it will be the end for this saga. i will write no more installments cause 5 is my magic number. so if you have some burning question about the future after this story comes to a close and you should be able to see the direction its heading in by now ask it in a review so i can address it in an epilogue chapter. also i am accepting suggestions for boy and girl twin names (nope that's not a spoiler if you read the earlier chapters) as the original handwritten story version names got pulled out and used in another fan fiction series story. also please don't submit adam and adora after another set of cartoon boy girl twins like my geeky editor cousins who think that would be awesome to pay homage to my first favorite cartoons-this is teen titans not he-man and she-ra.
Raven's Nest-chapter 8
After work that evening Raven heads over to the market so she can pick up some things for her new cat friend. She is greeted not by Harry but a guy she hasn't seen in town before.
X is a bit shocked to see her so soon-he puts down the expectant father guide book he was looking through and clears his throat-trying to disguise his voice in a lower register. "Hi there. Anything I can help you with today?"
Raven just stands there staring at the guy. She can't recall ever having seen him before but there is something so familiar about him-she even finds herself drawn to him.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry its just that you look so familiar. Have we met somewhere before...?"
"Kevin."
The name sends a pang of fear through her as she realizes this is the guy she raped in her dream. If Red X hadn't been there willing when she needed him-something awful could have happened to this young man later that night. "It must have been someone who looks like you. I'm..."
"...Rachel. I saw you at the bookstore this morning. You were busy with another customer."
She rolls her eyes at the mention of him.
"Tough customer?"
"Cocky more like it." She glances around luckily no one else is in the store to hear it. "Sorry I shouldn't have said that."
"I'm well acquainted with one of those myself...unfortunately. So need any help?"
"No. Thanks, but I'm just here to pick up a few things for a friend."
Raven quickly slips away among the shelves. Its a big shock finding that guy from her dream here of all places...but why she wonders does she feel attracted to him. That just makes her feel even more guilty about X. She quickly locates the items she is looking for.
"Planning on getting a cat?"
Raven looks up to see Harry coming out of the back.
"Turns out my apartment sort of came with one."
"Otis still around? I never would have figured him to stick around with Old Man Spencer getting put in the nursing home."
"Otis? Interesting name."
"Yeah. Old Man Spencer treated him as...now how was it he put it? An intellectual equal. He said cats were highly intelligent and it was beneath them to be named mittens or fluffy. Said he just looked like an Otis so that's what he named him. People around here claim he's mean but I used to play cribbage with the old man so I'm well acquainted with the cat. When you treat Otis like he's regular people you'll never see a nicer cat I warrant. If you plan to let him hang around he won't like it but he will need a flea bath before you let him inside. I got some in the back. You don't need to do it though and you shouldn't have a litter box inside either."
"Thanks for the tip and I'll take the flea bath."
"I'll be right back with that."
Robin hadn't planned to do anything aside from finding Raven and bringing her home but since it would just scare her off to blurt it out he decides it is best to work up to revealing who he is to her. In the mean time there is no reason he can't take in the local sights. He is supposed to meet Seth who is going to show him some of the better hiking trails but he is early for their meeting as he passes the grocery. He pauses opening the door for an elderly lady.
"Why thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Say, aren't you the young man who rode into town on that motor bike?"
"That I am."
"My name is Martha, I'm the doctors wife."
"The names Richard but most of my friends call me-"
"-Dick? My brother is name Richard too-he always thought it was so...stuffy."
"I know the feeling."
"You rode all the way out here on that bike?"
"Yeah."
"My son Jake always wanted one of those things when he was your age. I was always afraid he would wreck. You be careful out there and always make sure you wear a helmet."
"I never get on it without one."
"Glad to hear it." Martha steps out of the way as Raven comes out of the store. "How are you feeling today Rachel?"
"I'm fine."
Martha looks at the big bag of cat food she has. "You don't plan to carry that all the way up to the apartments do you."
"I have a little time. I can help with that."
Its the same cocky guy from the bookstore this morning. If she's seen with him the whole town will be buzzing about it before nightfall-but Martha cuts in before she can reply.
"I think that's a very good idea. You've got to be careful and take it easy as much as possible now that you're expecting." Martha whispers in Raven's ear as Robin takes the big bag of cat food. "He's a hot one!"
Raven flushes with embarrassment sure that the guy overheard.
"Well, I better hurry. I need to pick up some beans for supper. Nice to see you again Rachel and good to meet you Dick."
Raven looks at the guy as the door closes once Martha is inside. "She means well but you really don't have to help."
"I have some time and I'm never too busy to help out a pretty lady."
She stifles the urge to look around for a pretty lady the guy can help as he follows to her apartment.
"You lived here long?"
"A little over a week."
"Nice town."
"That it is."
Later that evening Raven puts some food and fresh water out on the deck behind her apartment for Otis. He promptly puts in an appearance and digs into the food. Raven sits down in one of the deck chairs looking out over the view of the mountains. "Otis huh?"
The cat glances up at her before returning to the food.
"I bet you didn't run into any cocky Dicks today."
Otis looks up clearly amused by her pun.
"I thought I left guys like that behind in Jump City." She looks down at the cat. "Not the babies' father mind you." She laughs at what she just said. A little over a week and she is already picking up on the mountain slang.
"Meow?"
"The father? He was amazing."
Red X hangs up the phone after calling the apartment manager back in Jump City. If he's going to prove himself then he decides to go all in. Everything that didn't come with the penthouse is to be auctioned off. Nothing there was stolen just bought with the money he got for what he stole and all the proceeds he is going to give to local charities. It won't make up for the stealing but its a good way to attempt it at least.
Nancy pokes her head around the corner. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop but sound tends to carry in here. You really intend to sell all your stuff in the city?"
"All of it. Don't know anyone in the market for a car do you?"
"That fancy thing you got out there? You have to be joking!"
"Not at all."
"No one around here could pay you a quarter of what it must be worth. You would be better off selling it back in the city."
He gets up and walks toward the stairs. "I'd rather take a loss on it than go back there."
Nancy watches questioningly as he walks up the stairs.
In his room Red X opens the closet and takes out Raven's things he'd gotten for her from the tower and the clothes she left at the penthouse. He brought them along for her-the mirror and book he got from the tower had been pretty important to her at the time. He thinks she must have been very scared to run off and leave them behind. Is it really so wise to wait he wonders before finally revealing who he is or would he make things worse for her by telling her so soon after she ran?
maybe putting this on hold for so long was a good thing-even if you all found it annoying or infuriating out there in internet land. i wouldn't have written "rachel" and "kevin's" first interaction this way if i had kept up with this one when i started it. and this is so much better than the way i would have done it back then. that just goes to show that some things really are worth the wait. i really like where this story is going now and what it sets up for in later installments.
NEW poll question in my profile-check it out.