Here's this month's chapter. :) I will try to get a chapter or two out at least once a month. Life has gotten busy for me but I haven't forgotten this story. Hopefully the characters seem to live up to your expectations. Still, an AU story is a fun challenge. Reviews are always welcomed.
I do not own Teen Titans.
Chapter 3 (A Friend in Need)
Upon stepping outside, Raven listened intently as she peered around. The rain had long since stopped but the sky was still as gray and as cloudy as ever. Puddles were scattered along the cobblestone sidewalk and just to the right of her, movement came from her peripheral vision. She quickly spun around and waved her umbrella back and forth as fiercely as she could. Hearing a yelping noise, she looked a little closer and was surprised to see the strange shape was none other then her next door neighbor, Garfield Logan.
"Dude, what was that for? It's only me, Raven. Sheesh, I was not trying to hurt ya, I'm just coming over for a visit. There's no need get the cops involved." Gar said defensively.
The blond young man decked out in jeans and his signature green hoodie, was looking at Raven's umbrella warily. She was known to use that thing when she was very mad so Gar was not taking any chances. He almost expected her to hit him with the umbrella again but instead Raven's cheeks reddened and her eyes widened with surprise. She returned the umbrella back down at her side and glared at him with annoyance. "Gar, what are you doing here?"
"Rae, I already told you! I'm just coming over to say hello. I haven't seen you in awhile and well... I thought you could use some company. You know, being all alone in that big house and what not. You didn't really call the police...did you? Because I thought I was your friend..." Gar gave her the 'face', a wounded look complete with big teary eyes but Raven was not moved.
"You are my friend Garfield." She said patiently. "I just thought you were...someone else. I have a big problem on my hands and well, I thought you were the guy who attacked Kori."
"Wait...wasn't Kori your old friend from high school?" Gar asked surprised. "The one you mentioned when you first moved here?"
"Yeah, that's her. Kori came by my house yesterday with bruises all over her body. Obviously somebody's handiwork by the looks of it. So I called Victor and he's going to bring over his friend Richard, a detective. Victor says Richard is one of the best there is and at this point, we could use all the help we can get." Raven explained.
"Well, I wouldn't worry if I were you Rae. Me and my buddies Vic and Richard will protect you girls! Those bad guys won't see us coming." Gar boasted. He flexed his nonexistent muscles and winked at her.
"Oh my hero!" Raven muttered sarcastically.
She turned around towards the house, carrying the umbrella over her shoulder. Despite her obvious dismissal, Gar started following alongside her. He grinned at her confidently, obviously missing the point of her sarcasm. "If that punk thinks he can hurt you or Kori, then he's got another thing coming!" He added confidently.
Raven just ignored him and just before she went back inside, she glanced around warily for anymore unexpected surprises. She locked the door behind them and with Garfield following, she noticed Kori sitting up groggily on the living room sofa. The red haired girl froze for a second, her green eyes wide with fear but when she was it wasn't who she expected, so she relaxed a bit.
"So...who are you, friend of Raven's?" She asked curiously.
Gar smiled gently at the girl. "You must be Kori. My name's Garfield but everyone calls me Gar. I'm sure Raven's told you all about me."
Kori shook her head, looking confused. "No, I believe that Raven has not mentioned your acquaintance with her."
"He's just my neighbor" Raven explained, glancing sideways at Gar. "I guess you could call him my friend. We met on the day I moved in."
"Best day of my life!" Gar whispered to Kori, causing Raven to role her eyes at his dramatics.
Kori giggled with amusement at her friend's embarrassment but Raven did not take offense to it. Instead she merely stared in amazement at the interaction between the two. It was unbelievable. Her annoying neighbor was actually making Kori feel better! Only a few hours ago Kori had cried herself to sleep but now she was laughing with Gar as if they were old friends. It just did not make any sense.
Shaking her head in confusion, Raven sighed as she went to answer the door. The three strong knocks had drawn her out of her thoughts and as she cautiously peaked through the little window on her door, she recognized Victor and what must have been Richard, both waiting impatiently. They were earlier than expected. After all, she had only called Victor half an hour ago. He must have been pretty worried about her. Victor had always been close to Kori and just like Raven he had known her for many years.
"So you see Kori, I tend to the animals twice daily, except on Sundays." Gar babbled on, completely unaware of the shift of attention. "The animal shelter is overrun with animals, and it seems every time I got there I make a new friend. It's all I can do to keep it together when so few are adopted."
Kori smiled politely at Gar but her attention was instantly glued to the two men entering the home, particularity the stranger. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched Richard walk into the room. She couldn't see his eyes on account of his dark glasses, but Kori felt almost entranced by this handsome man with a bemused look upon his face.
He had been the first one to walk inside, scanning the room instinctively before letting Victor shuffle in behind him. His eyes seemed to find Kori's green ones and for a few seconds the two stared at each other until Victor's words broke the awkward silence.
"Sorry we couldn't get here any sooner." Victor said to Raven. "Richard was too busy trying to make an idiot of himself by refusing to come. Acted like tracking down some mastermind criminal named Slade Wilson was more important than helping out some of his closest friends. I practically had to drag him here!"
"Hey, you blackmailed me! I only messed up that one time! Just one time!" Richard angrily shot back, before he guiltily turned his attention back to Kori. "Besides, if I had known your only motive was to help out Kori here, then I would have been more than happy to offer my services."
"Right, whatever you say." Victor sighed. "Anyway, we just had to see how Kori was doing. You know I've been worried about her these last few days."
"Kori seems to be a lot better since last night." Raven explained. "She's even laughed a little since Gar arrived. I wasn't even expecting him but he just strolled inside like he owned the place. I almost brained him with an umbrella, but the moron still insisted to see if she was all right."
"Brained him with an umbrella, huh?" Victor laughed. "Now that's one way to get rid of pesky string-beans!"
"Hahaha, very funny." Raven said sarcastically. "It was your idea that I check for intruders. Now I keep jumping every time I hear a noise in my yard! For all I know the attacker is still around. Who knows what else he's capable of?"
Victor sighed and placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "I know you are scared Raven, but that's why we're here. You know I won't let anyone hurt you or Kori again, and that's a promise. I'm also confident that Richard and Gar feel the same way."
Raven didn't speak but nodded her head in understanding. She smiled appreciatively at her old friend and the two went over to see how Richard and Kori were doing.
"So, can you describe what the perpetrator looked like? Any particular features? A name perhaps?" Richard prompted.
Kori fidgeted nervously. "I...well I guess you can say I dated him for a bit. Not long but enough to know he's not a nice person. When I first met him, he was so charming and sweet. He gave me a red rose every time I finished a fashion show, even if I lost the competition. I really thought he...cared for me."
"They always do..." Richard muttered. "Still though, were there any particular features of what he looked like?"
"Well...he has these really light gray eyes and almost black hair." Kori admitted. "Oh, and he had a dragon tattoo on his left arm."
"A dragon tattoo, got it." Richard said, writing down the words in his little notepad.
Finally he got up and gazed gently at Kori. "I'll return in another week or so if we have any leads. Please remember your ex's name by then. I really want to help you Kori and I won't rest until that villain is stopped and behind bars. You should not have been treated this way."
Kori nodded her head solemnly. "I will try to, I promise."
Richard gave her a small smile and turned his attention to his notepad as he reviewed the clues Kori had provided. "I Don't understand it. Any man should consider himself lucky just to be in the same room as her!" Richard muttered under his breath.
Kori blushed a bit as she heard the last statement but smiled softly. Raven also noted a blush on the detective's cheeks but made no mention of it as she went to comfort her friend. Victor too went over and gave her a gentle hug, carefully minding the bruises that covered her body.
"We'll find the guy who did this to you Kori." Victor whispered. "Don't you worry."