Chapter16
The next morning everyone walked into the living room to find a large serving plate piled high with dinky doughnuts, all freshly made. Raven stared at them in disbelief.
"Guess this is your craving then." Serena whispered to her.
Raven barely nodded. Luckily Evan walked into the room as they all stood staring at them.
"I see you found Nancy's breakfast for you." He smiled, "She went a little over the top with her baking. Seems little Mai likes these doughnuts so Nancy made some. Dig in."
Raven sighed and moved to get some smaller plates and dips from the kitchen. Evan went with her.
"Sorry Nancy didn't know how much to do." He said quietly, "But Mai does actually like them. You should see her sucking on one. So adorable."
Raven shook her head and carried the plates to the table. Evan brought the dips. Everyone sat down and began to eat them, making only the slightest difference to the pile of doughnuts.
'I'm going to die if I eat this many.' Raven thought as she finished off her seventh doughnut, 'Think I best escape whilst I don't crave them.'
Evan glanced at her and slipped a folded note across the table to her. Raven took it and opened it under the table.
'Nancy has a supply of these doughnuts keeping fresh in the main kitchen. She wanted to get the others eating them with you so as not to alert them to your cravings. But she has suggested you remain home till the cravings are gone. When you want any more just go to the kitchen. She'll be there no doubt.'
Raven put the note away in a pocket and began to eat her eighth doughnut. A smile now on her face as she joined in with the conversation's around her.
She smiled to herself as she walked into her chemistry lesson. She'd caught glimpses of them round the college. So she knew he was back.
'Thinks she can keep him away from me.' She thought as she slipped into her seat.
The teacher had moved the seats round, so her seat happened to only be two seats away from his.
The door opened as more students walked in.
'Soon.' She thought, 'Soon he'll walk through that door…'
Her eyes remained glued on the door.
"Best warn you, Rave. Peacecraft will most likely be up to her usual tricks again." Wufei said, his hand resting on their classroom door, "Evan says you've got to take it easy. So no big confrontations."
Raven smiled and nodded. Wufei then pushed the door open and walked in. Quatre, Trowa and Duo followed him.
"Ready?" Heero asked, taking her hand.
"Born Ready." She answered.
Heero then walked into the classroom, still holding her hand. All the class noticed this, and knew not to get involved. Heero sat in his seat, and noticed Peacecraft was sat two seats away. Raven sat in her seat beside him, swiftly drawing his attention to her. The teacher began the lesson and everyone starting jotting down notes.
An hour into the lesson, Raven was getting a little bored. Her notes had little drawings surrounding them, due to the teacher ranting on about different chemicals and their uses.
'If I need to know about all this, I'll read it in a book.' She thought, idly tapping her pen against her paper, 'And to think there's still another hour to go. Wonder how Hotaru and Serena are doing? Sere's back will be beginning to ache shortly.'
Heero nudged Raven gently. She looked up at him, and noticed he had his laptop out on the desk. She also saw it was open on an e-mail he'd received. Not wishing to pry, she looked away.
"Read it." Heero whispered to her.
Raven looked back and quickly read it. Then she closed her eyes and sighed.
"They're trying to use me as leverage with you." Heero told her quietly, "It won't work though."
"Heero, if they want us to aid out. It may be a good idea." She said under her breath, as the teacher had paused in his lecture, "Lady Une has a good point about us being able to help you guys out."
"That doesn't make it okay for them to drag you into this." Heero argued, keeping his voice low, "Raven I won't get your family involved in this."
"We're already involved." Raven stated in monotone, "My family is being hunted for the skill we have. So why shouldn't we put it to good use and help you guys? I understand you won't want us fighting. But we can and are able to help out in the background."
Heero glared at his laptop screen. Without a word he packed his things away and left the classroom. Gaining a fair few looks, although the teacher carried on with his lecture.
"What's going on?" Quatre asked quietly.
"No time to explain." Raven answered packing her things away, "Can any of you get me to Lady Une?"
Immediately the four of them packed their things away. They then left with Raven. Causing more puzzled looks to follow them.
The jeep pulled up outside the building and everyone piled out. Trowa led the way to Lady Une's office at a run. Everyone that knew him there knew better then to get in his way. Once there, He knocked and entered. Only no one was there.
"If you're looking for Lady Une, she's down in Bay 26 with the Doctors." Noin told them, as she came in to place some files on the desk.
Quatre thanked her and they all ran out. They located Bay 26 and rushed in. There they found Heero stood with his gun trained on Lady Une and a lot of shocked people staring at him. Raven walked forward and stood in front of him, so that the gun was now aimed at her chest.
"Heero nothing will be gained by you shooting her." She told him, "My mind is made up. I will do what I can in this war."
"I want you safe out of harms way." Heero stated, his gun now lowered, "Somewhere they can't find you."
"I can't do that." Raven said, looking him straight in the eye, "You risk your life every time you go to fight or when you go on missions. Do you expect me to stay behind and pray that you'll return? That you're safe."
Duo was about to say something but Wufei stopped him.
"Let Raven handle it." He whispered, "This is between them both."
Duo nodded and stayed silent.
"Heero, instead of doing nothing I chose to do something." Raven told him, "My skills will allow me to protect you. I am able to upgrade your Gundams and weapons to work better for you. Your Gundam will be better protected. Therefore protecting you. I understand you don't want me on the battlefield. But I can and will do what I can to protect you whilst you are there."
Heero glanced away from her. Raven walked right up to him.
"Heero please understand." She said quietly, "You mean more to me then anyone ever has before. You reached a part of me that I thought no one would ever reach. I don't want to lose you."
Heero wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
"I don't want to lose you either." He whispered into her hair, "I've never felt like this before in my life. When you said you'd aid out in the war. I saw in my mind an image were you were gone for good. Your body was cold to the touch. And your blood was flowing over my hands. You were dead. I… I…."
Raven sighed and took hold of Heero's hand.
"Sorry about the disturbance." She muttered, over her shoulder as she dragged Heero out the bay.
Everyone watched them leave not knowing what had been said so quietly, or what had caused Heero to react the way he had.
Heero barely made sense of where Raven was taking him. He only knew it was somewhere quiet. Raven opened a door and pushed Heero inside. She then followed him and locked the door from the inside. Without him knowing, she also locked it with her power.
Next she led him over to a bed and pushed him into a sitting position on it. Heero glanced round and saw they were in one of the bases on site bedrooms. Ones that were allocated to those who worked twenty-four seven at the base.
"Raven why are we here?" He asked feeling a little puzzled.
Raven got Heero to move back so his back was against the wall. She then sat astride in his lap. Taking his hands she looked straight into his eyes.
"I'm not dead." She said, placing one of his hands on her chest so he could feel her heartbeat, "There is my heartbeat."
Heero nodded.
"My body isn't cold to the touch." She told him, placing his other hand on her abdomen, beneath her top, "I'm also not bleeding. There is no wetness on me. I am alive Heero. See that. Feel that. And cast out the image you saw."
Heero tried to look away, but Raven lent forward and captured his lips with her own. Her hands rested either side of his face as she pulled away. Leaving his hands where she had placed them.
"I'm right here and alive." She smiled, "See for yourself."
She then kissed him again. Heero's hands moved onto her back and pulled her closer. Both hands were touching her flesh, and could feel the warmth radiating from her. The kiss was broken as their lungs cried out for air. Raven smiled at him. But that turned to a smirk as she saw the predatory look in his eyes. Heero claimed her lips, and moved her round. So she ended up lying on the bed, with him on top of her. She surrendered to his hold, and allowed him to discover just how 'alive' she was.
A few days later, Raven and the guys had just returned home from college when they heard a scream come from upstairs. Raven was the first to reach the stairs and run up them. She was in time to see Hotaru come out her room pale faced.
"It came from Sere's room." She muttered, "Can you check she's okay? My back is starting to feel better, but it's still painful."
Raven nodded and hurried over to Serena's room. She opened the door and walked in. Luckily she reacted to the sight she saw instinctively. Serena was stood wearing a towel. Her hair was damp and water glistened on her skin. Her face was screwed up in pain. Unfurled from her back, was a pair of black, with a blue taint angelic wings. Raven slammed the door shut behind her, stopping any of the lads from entering.
"Raven is she okay?" Quatre asked, a little taken back by the door getting slammed shut.
"She will be." Raven answered, locking the door with her power as well as the door lock, "Remember me mentioning something about our illnesses or injuries going through each of us? Well seems Serena has the bad back now. And she isn't one for pain."
"Is there anything we can do?" Trowa checked, "Anything she needs?"
Raven glanced round. Her eyes scanning everything in the room. Serena had sunk to the floor her arms wrapped round her favourite bunny teddy, as tears fell down her face.
"I think she'll need some chocolate. Hot chocolate would be best at the moment." Raven said, "Could you get Evan to come up as well. Hotaru will know where he is. I think I'll stay with her."
Raven heard the guys disappear off from the door and sighed. She then walked over to Serena and gently held her close, allowing her to relax more.
"It's so painful." Serena murmured, "I didn't know mine would come so soon after Taru's. She managed to get away with hers coming yesterday lunchtime. Now she can wander around with only a slight backache."
"It's more then a slight backache." Raven admitted, "My cravings have finished. Wonder what Taru's will be. And yours. Should be interesting."
Serena nodded and fell silent. Raven kept her hearing alert so she could tell when someone approached the room.
"It seems slightly weird for this to happen to all of them." Wufei said, as they sat round the living room.
All five of them had decided to stay out the way of the lasses. Letting Raven look after her sister.
"It's always been like this." Quatre sighed, "Raven would get a cold. Hotaru got it next then Serena got it. Same with every illness."
"Her scream really went through me." Duo muttered, "I've never known a lass's scream to do that. I've heard them before. But none have been that bad before."
Evan walked in with a tray of empty cups.
"Raven says to tell you, that Serena has fallen asleep now. Her back isn't as painful." He told them, "She thought you might like to know."
"Thanks Evan." Trowa replied, his gaze falling on Quatre who was fidgeting, "Quatre what's wrong?"
All eyes darted to Quatre. He wasn't the type of person to fidget.
"I don't know." Quatre answered, "I think I'll go lay down. My back seems a little weird. Like electric currents are running up and down it."
Quatre got up and headed for his room. Evan watched him leave, a thought crossing his mind as he remembered something. He paled slightly, but none of the lads noticed. Quickly he left the room, and headed for the private library. He needed to find out if what he thought was true, before he acted on it.
A pounding on the door, woke Raven from the slight doze she'd drifted into. Looking up she saw Serena was laid on her stomach. Her wings folded tidily behind her. They'd been stuck in the room for the full day. Leaving the lads to go to college on their own. Much to their dismay. Getting up she laid a light blanket over Serena hiding her wings and answered the door.
"Evan what is it?" She asked, "Sere will be able to do her exercises and be fine shortly. How's Hotaru doing?"
"We have a problem there." Evan told her, "Hotaru's craving was for Strawberries. We all know she's allergic to them. So she ignored the craving."
"It grew and she ate some?" Raven guessed.
"Not some. Loads." Evan said, "There's a pile of boxes in her room that she's eaten. She's really feeling bad now. I didn't want to disturb you, but I thought you best know. Besides the lads picked up on it."
Raven cursed under her breath and made to leave Serena's room. Only Evan stopped her.
"Taru has begun to heal." He informed her, "Her body is becoming non-allergic to them even as we speak. The rash and swelling is shrinking fast. Her angel gene is curing her of it."
"Thank god." Raven sighed, "Hang on, won't that seem a little wrong to the lads?"
"I've told them I've given her some medicine that works against the allergic reaction. I've also told them that she has been told to keep testing herself against the things she's allergic to, as she may be able to grow out of it. Hopefully that will divert suspicions."
"Thank you." Raven smiled, "I'm glad we have your help. Oh have the horses settled in alright? I know you went to check on them earlier."
"Yes they are fine. We have no trouble with them." He said, and ran his hand through his hair, "We do have one small problem though. You remember when you were little. You got ill? Then Taru and Sere followed with the same illness."
"Yes. That's how we were able to explain the backache." Raven replied, "It always happened like that. Why do you ask?"
"Because I remembered Quatre always got ill afterwards." Evan explained, offering her a thick book, "I thought I best check up on it before I said anything. However it seems it's true. Quatre will go through the same thing you three have experienced. I need you to check this book and find out if he is related to you in anyway. If he is, you will have to warn him of what he'll be going through. And the fact that it must be kept hidden from everyone else that isn't a member of staff in this house. If he is, you have to help him out. He's way to kind to not try and help people. I don't know how to handle this at all."
"Then leave it to Rave." Serena muttered, walking up behind Raven, "Evan relax. If the lads see you distressed they'll know something is wrong. Hotaru and I will be past our cravings soon. Both have our wings now. All three of us will then see what is best to be done. In the meantime, do you mind fetching me some Sushi?"
"Sere it's gone eleven o'clock." Evan answered, "What do you want Sushi for?"
"Her craving." Raven suggested.
Evan's eyes widened.
"Fine. I'll try and find some whilst Nancy makes some up." He gave in, "I don't think we want a repeat of what happened with Hotaru."
He then headed off down to the kitchens. Serena headed back into her room and began doing her wing exercises so she could put them away. Raven left her to it, after closing her bedroom door. She headed over to her own room, and shut herself in. Curling up on her bed she began reading through the book Evan had given her.
Evan looked up from where he was making some drinks. All five of the lads, Serena and Hotaru were sat in the living room. It was Saturday and they hadn't made any plans. It was half past eight and still Raven hadn't made an appearance.
"So your back is better then?" Duo asked Serena, as she ate some sushi, "I can't believe your eating sushi for breakfast though."
"Each to their own." Sere retorted, "And yes my back is better."
"Anyone seen Rave this morning?" Hotaru checked, as Evan brought the drinks over, "Seems she isn't her usual self. Normally she's down before the rest of us."
Reba, Lela, Kane and Kolnu ran into the room. They were followed by Leon and Diego.
"Evan you wouldn't be able to make us a drink would you?" Diego asked, sinking onto a sofa, Leon beside him, "Raven's had us round here since half six this morning. Been going though documents since."
Evan handed over some drinks.
"I was wondering why she'd called you so early." He said, "Is she joining us for breakfast yet or not?"
Leon shrugged, and drank some of his drink.
"The documents she got us looking through make no sense to us." Diego told him, "She wouldn't even explain what she was looking for."
"That's because you asked her to tell you about seventeen times." Leon argued, "She told us what it was all for when we first started going though them all. You were still partially asleep."
"That is why I've only just been able to find out what I was looking for." Raven said, as she walked into the room.
She sat down beside Heero and nicked some of his toast.
"You look tired." He told her, offering her his coffee.
She took it and drank some. Her hair was still tied back in the braid she normally had it in for bed. The clothes she was wearing were just a pair of black combats and a plain dark blue t-shirt.
"You'd be tired as well if you had to go through the amount of documents I've just been through." She muttered, "Anyway I found out a few interesting things. Along with what I'd been wanting to check."
"Which was?" Duo asked curious.
Raven looked over at Quatre then lent forward and handed him a closed folder.
"You may want to check in there." She told him.
Quatre took the folder and opened it. He then read through the documents inside it. His eyes widened as he read further. His face was pale by the time he finished.
"How… come I didn't know about this?" He questioned, his eyes meeting hers, "I should have known this."
"I know, but I've just found it out. Thanks to Evan reminding me of something." Raven admitted, "He reminded me how Taru and Sere would get ill after I had been. Then you got the same illness after Sere. A short time afterwards, but it always happened. Your Mother was our Father's sister. You are our cousin."
Serena and Hotaru stared at Raven in shock. Their gaze then moved to Quatre.
"Hang on he's your cousin!" Duo gasped.
Hotaru grabbed the folder from Quatre and read through it with Serena reading over her shoulder.
"It's true." She muttered, "Que-chan is our cousin."
"From what you've said. Quatre will end up with the backache soon." Trowa said, his arm round Quatre's shoulders.
"Yes. He will go through it as well." Raven sighed, "Which is why I'm going to be doing a few changes round this place. And whilst I'm doing them I'm also going to be kicking you four guys out."
"Us four?" Wufei puzzled, "Don't you mean five?"
"No four." Raven smirked, "I had a little call from Lady Une earlier. After explaining the fact that she couldn't have Quatre today or for the next three days, she's asked the rest of you to head into the base. Needs a few files checking. And some data hacked into. I think they need you to sort out your Gundams. Seems this war is going to get lively soon."
Everyone stared at her. The lads all had shock on their faces.
"Oh Leon and Diego know who you are." Raven explained, "So does every member of staff that works in this house and on the grounds. But they will all keep it silent, and take it to their graves. No one will get it from them. For my family never takes anyone untrustworthy into this house. We all have our secrets to hide."
"Next time warn us first." Heero said, letting the breath he didn't know he was holding, out, "It helps that we know it's safe to talk about things like that around people."
"Hey, who do you think keeps everyone on track here?" Evan teased, "I have to make sure the lasses don't mess around with their GW skill too much or someone will notice."
"Too late…" Raven, Hotaru and Serena muttered.
All eyes darted to them. Evan put his hands on his hips and glared at them.
"Raven what have you been doing?" He demanded, "And you Hotaru? Serena?"
"I just played with the jeep and motorbikes." Raven said casually, "Oh and the convertible since Taru asked me to fine tune it."
"Fine… tune… it?" Evan stammered.
"As for me, I've just been getting ready for Halloween. It'll be here soon." Hotaru added, "Loads of pretty things to light up the sky."
"Light… up… the… sky…" Evan paled.
"Me? I haven't been up to much." Serena continued, "Unless you take into account the lotions, creams, and other liquids I've been thickening. Oh and the er… 'Toy' I've been making."
All three lasses had innocent looks on their faces.
"I'd hate to be in your shoes Evan." Leon laughed, "I think there may be a fair few surprises round here come Halloween."
Evan sank into a chair, shaking his head.
"Why me?" He complained, "Why can't you not tune things up? Or make pretty light? Or thick substances?"
"Evan chill." Raven giggled, "Sere's been experimenting with slime mixtures. Taru has been making fireworks and sorting out lighting effects. You did tell us that Twilight Manor normally held a haunted house tour on Halloween. The council got in touch with me the other day and asked if we would be doing it this year. As it had been missed for the past few years."
This caused everyone to start laughing.
"That still doesn't explained the tune ups you did on the vehicles." Heero whispered, as he left the room with Raven.
"It doesn't does it." She smiled, heading for her room.
Heero smirked and headed for his own room, intending on getting ready to head to the base.