Howdy!
Sorry for the lateness, SladeRavenFan apologizes. She just had to deal with schoolwork first.
qweerlittlefish apoligize's for being a complete and utter idiot, and completely neglecting this story...and everything else she writes in fact.
Gingerstorm101, ravenkakashiluv26, DiminjaWillols, The Amethyst Eyes, sinomin, Redfudge, XLucy0117X, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun- THANK YOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUU!
We don't own anything, and apologize if this chapter came out short and rushed. Oh and, tell us if there are mistakes. It was originally written in Slade's POV but changed back...
Still, enjoy it!
Chapter 18
As soon as Slade awoke, he could tell something was... different.
On his chest, was a mop of silky purple hair. He looked at it for a second, before realizing it was Raven's head. He was going to jump up out of shock, but he was Slade.
Suddenly, she turned, her face looking at his, but Raven was still asleep. She looked serene, at peace, almost happy. He'd never seen the Titan like that.
Softly, gently, like a paternal gesture, he stroked her hair, before gently easing her off of him, standing up and sub consciously brushing his hips.
The girl really was tired, since she showed no reaction to movement, other than the slight twitch she gave. Slade looked to the clock, and it read five in the morning. She probably wouldn't wake up til later, and he never slept properly anyways. Insomniac.
It was an easy feat for him to jump out of the window, and silently make his way down to a phone store. Like many others have, Slade simply stole one. But before he left, he grabbed some newspapers, stashing them for later.
Dialling the number would be no trouble: Slade had it memorized. Within a matter of seconds, he picked up.
"Hello? Who is this?" It felt so good for the man to hear his old friend again.
"Wintergreen, it's me. Listen, I'll explain everything once I get back, but as for now, I need you to pick us up as soon as you can, at Blüdhaven's warehouses, in the south district."
"Will do, Master Slade. Us? Is there more?" A hint of curiosity was in Wintergreen's voice, but it still held it's firmness.
"Look, Will, there's been complications. I'm afraid you'll have to take me and Raven from the Teen Titans, home."
The villain heard a grunt of acceptance, and then ended the call. Pocketing the phone, it took mere minutes for Slade to reach the hotel room.
Raven was still fast asleep in the bed, and he pulled a chair up next to the bed, sitting on it. She probably wouldn't be happy if she awoke to Slade in bed with her.
Staring at her, he felt a stab of pity. He'd never show it though. The girl was daughter to a demon, she had to control her emotions. He knew what a kid's life was meant to be like, since he had kids. They were meant to enjoy things, feel sadness and joy, but she couldn't.
Raven had to restrain her powers, but if she accepted training from Slade, then he felt he could teach her to control it. It worked with Terra, so it'll work with her. That's what he thought.
Slade grabbed the newspaper he took, and started to read it, his lone eye skimming over headlines. Having one eye made him always think of Addie: her beautiful eyes, that lovely smile, the fierce protectiveness...
Slade noticed that Raven's head twitched ever so slightly, and breathing quickened. She was waking up. As if instantly remembering where she was, her eyes opened quickly.
"Good morning, Raven," he greeted, with amusement seeping in. Watching potential adversaries wake up was... fun.
"Good morning, Slade," she mumbled, a look of annoyance plastered to her face. "What time is it?"
Looking at the time on the clock, it read seven in the morning. Time flies, so you've got to rush. "Seven in the morning."
She looked at Slade, and then at the newspaper. He could hear the cogs in her brain spinning, and saw her reach her hand out to touch the bed. She was checking whether it was still warm, to see if he'd been gone long.
"Where have you been?" Fast thinker, but asks too many questions. A big sense of curiosity, the man assumed.
"Well, my dear, I've arranged for a old friend of mine to take us back to Jump, by collecting a phone."
Raven's eyes narrowed, obviously knowing he had stole a phone. "What makes you think that I'm going to going back with you?"
Slade wanted to slap her because of the disrespectful tone she used. "How else would you get home?"
She hesitated, and didn't answer. So he spoke instead, to fill the silence.
"I assure you, Raven, that I will not kidnap you. This old friend of mine is merely a man I met at a young age."
She seemed relieved at the first statement, and shocked at the second. Was it that much of a shock that he had a friend?
When Raven still didn't answer, he walked to the en suite. Standard stuff, nothing fancy. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll be back in a bit." Seeing her nod, he entered and locked the door behind himself.
Once Slade was done, he redressed, and came out. Raven was now on the stool he was on before, reading the same newspaper. Everything on Blüdhaven news was nowhere near as interesting as Jump. He knew that was biased.
Before he turned off the shower power, the mastermind wondered if she wanted one. He voiced that question. "Do you want to take a shower?"
"Yes. I'll go now, it's been a while, and I know I stink." Too true, Slade thought, smiling.
She walked into the room, and locked the door. Slade took his mask off, once he heard the water running. Subconsciously rubbing where his right eye should be, he sighed.
I'm getting old, aren't I? I'm physically fit, but I do admit that I work a lot. Being a mastermind criminal is tiring, but has it's pros too.
The man brushed his hair from his eye, and then held the mask in front of himself.
The one eye hole made him feel so much regret. The mask, it's what Slade was. It's made him, himself.
It's what has made him so many enemies, made him so happy, so sad too. By putting on Deathstroke's mask, Slade was protecting his family, but having a separate identity.
When he'd lost Adeline, he changed the mask to metal, but kept the design. He had to remember, but some change is good.
Slade heard the door lock give a slight ring, then slipped the mask on.
Raven sat on the edge of the bed, close to him, yet so far away. Time to talk, Slade thought.
"When we get back, what are we going to do?"
Slade's eye narrowed slightly, since he was confused. What did she mean? He voiced that question.
"Well, Slade, we can't just go back to old ways. I mean, we're not enemies. Sort of friends? What should we do?"
"Perhaps we need to still fight each other. I'm sure your leader would accuse me of brainwashing you to join me."
He wasn't abandoning her, but one very powerful, goody two shoes girl was not going to change him. Slade had been going too long this way to change. He was content with the life of a villain. Being good has led him to be this man; stronger, less caring and more vicious.
Confusion and shook appeared in her eyes, but disappeared by the time he recognized it. A sudden coldness replaced it.
"Oh, I see. Back to your selfish ways?"
She was angry. The man chuckled, and her eyes narrowed. "I think I'll miss that little temper of yours, my dear."
Her face softened. She wasn't used to jokes from him, he assumed. "I'll miss your attitude, Slade."
"Did you enjoy our little journey, Raven?" Slade did, but he knew he had taken little out of it.
"Yes. It's nice to have a atmosphere change. But once we're back in Jump, we'll be enemies. You're still bad, I'm still good."
He sighed. "Do you still see it that way?" A sudden look of remembrance appeared in her eyes.
"No. There's white and black, but in the middle is grey. You're not necessarily evil, but the goodness of the world has made you into who you are. You're just lost."
"Lost? We're in Blüdhaven." Slade thought he knew where they were.
"Not that sort of lost. I mean as a person you're lost, Slade. You need someone to just find you and make you see the world for the better. You need to pick a side. Doing bad deeds doesn't make you bad."
"Well, my dear, that was touching. If I'm as lost as you say I am, perhaps you are lost too."
All of a sudden, the phone he stole vibrated. Picking it up, he accepted the call. The man knew who it was.
"Sir, I am on my way. I took the custom made limo, as I decided it would be best. Please, prepare."
Slade cut the line, then looked at the sack. Raven followed his gaze. "We don't need it anymore, but take anything you want," the man said.
He walked to the window, looking down, while he heard the girl's shuffling feet, presumably grabbing what she wanted. Maybe she'd left the knife in there?
He heard and saw the limo coming.
Sorry for the short cliffhanger chapter!
Review, it's motivation... Sure is! You'll know, and you do, don't you?
The Pear