My Hero
Chapter 4:
Richard's POV:
It was hours later that I was allowed to see Raven again. She was so still. She looked so small in the hospital bed. I pulled a chair up to the side of the bed and took her hand in mine. "What were you telling me in the car? Before Raven called?" Bruce asked looking down at the violate haired girl. "Her father." I was still looking at Raven. "He pushed her down the stairs yesterday morning. That's why she was bruised when she was at the manor, and they cut her cheek." The door opened and a doctor walked in. "Hi I'm Dr. Fisher," She walked to the foot of the bed to look at Ravens chart. "Are you her family?" The doctor asked curiously. Bruce didn't miss a beat and replied "Yes we are" I nodded. "We're all the family she has left" I muttered still looking at my girlfriend. "She's very lucky. Most people wouldn't have survived from most of this." Bruce looked at the doctor curiously, "What exactly do you mean?" I still hadn't let go of Raven's hand. "Well Ms. Roth here is covered in bruises, burns, scars and cuts" this didn't surprise me. I could tell Bruce was shocked though, but I could only tell because I'd lived with him for so many years. "The worst ones are definitely the back of her head, her stomach and the back of her neck. We have record of her coming in for some of them to be treated. Her last visit was June of last year. Do you know how she came across these?" I spoke up, needing to tell them. "It's her father." Bruce looked at me, shock running though his eyes. I knew I'd be answering more questions later. "He's been abusing her for years. The ones on the back of her head and stomach are from tonight." Dr. Fisher raised an eyebrow at me. "Isn't he her father?" She asked suspiciously as she began checking the stomach wound. "I'm her uncle. Her father was taken under police custody earlier this evening." Bruce looked out the window. The sun had long since gone down. "Excuse me, I have somewhere I need to be," he turned to me whispering "here's your night off" I glared at his back as he walked out the door. Giving my attention back to the doctor I asked "Will she be ok?" She looked up and nodded. "She should be but I'm going to keep her overnight for observation." I nodded. "Would you mind if I stay to keep eye on her? Other than her uncle" 'man that sounds weird' "I'm the closest thing to family she has left." She nodded again before walking out. I sat in a chair next to Ravens bed in a silent vigil all night, refusing to sleep.
Raven stirred around four the next morning. "No, no not again" she put her hands over her face and shook her head. "Raven?" She tried to curl into a ball but winced. "Rae, sweetie. It's me. Richard" I just wanted her to stop shaking her head like that it wasn't good for her at the moment. I didn't want to touch her though. She was confused and scared and touching her might just make it worse. "Raven, Rae it's not what you think. It's me" she finally stopped and looked at me. Relief flooded her gaze as she tried to sit up, only to wince falling back on the pillows. "Easy, that's not good for your head" I murmured brushing some hair out of her face.
Ravens POV:
I stared at him, not sure why it wasn't good for me. I wasn't even sure why I was in the hospital to begin with but guessed it had something to do with the pain in my stomach. "Why am I in the hospital?" He stiffened and looked at me. "You honestly can't remember why your here?" I shook my head only to get a headache. "Do you remember who I am?" I hesitated "You're... my boyfriend right?" I was uncertain, trying to straighten out my brain, and figure out what had happened. And him asking if I knew who he was, which I could have sworn that I knew him, was only confusing me. He smiled nodding. "That's right. And as to why your here, your father kind of went crazy when you got home yesterday." I tensed. "Is he uh, here?" He shook his head and squeezed my hand with his own. "You had spent the night with me and he was mad. He gave you a nice cut on the back of your head" 'that explains the headache' "And do you know why I can't sit up?" I asked. "He cut your stomach open" I put my hand to my stomach and winced when I found the stitches.
"Uh...Richard? Could you...uh- come up here... um with... me?" I asked awkwardly. I wanted him near me; I wanted him to touch me again. It felt so good. I felt safe with him here. I somehow knew he wouldn't let my dad hurt me, wherever he was. He smiled at me. "Sure" he said gently and sat on the edge of the bed. I tried to move over for him but the pain stopped me. "Here let me help" he laughed lightly when I glared at him. "I could have moved on my own" I muttered as he shifted me to the side. "I know you could but I wanted to help you" he said lying next to me. My heart told me to curl up against him. I wanted to listen but I couldn't move without hurting myself. "Richard, if my father was mad at me before wont he be even madder next time he sees me?" I questioned. "Shhh, rest please, Rae. We can talk about that later. Like when the suns up." He began stroking my arm. And before I knew it I was fast asleep.
When I woke up a few hours later I was laying with my head on Richards arm. I looked up at him. He was stroking my hair, lost in thought. "Richard?" I asked. He looked down at me with a smile. I smiled at him. "Richy" I didn't care that it killed me; I leaned up and placed a short kiss on his lips. Before I wanted to I had to lie down again. "So do you remember?" He asked. I wanted to inch closer but the cut was still throbbing so I settled for taking his hand in mine and playing with his fingers. "I remember everything up until I called you. After that, just nothing, it's all a blank. That is until when I woke up here this morning" He kissed my forehead. "I'm glad you're alright" he said wrapping me tighter in his arms. I'm glad I didn't remember what happened. I don't think I would want to remember it.
I got to go back to Wayne Manor with Bruce and Richard a few hours later. The doctor had given me medication to keep the pain at bay while I recovered. I went up to Richards room while him and Bruce talked. His room was familiar and I felt safe. It felt like home. 'If only it was home.' Smiling I went and flopped down on the bed on my stomach with a slight wince. His pillows smelt like him, like the fresh night air. His door opened and I looked over my shoulder. "Well don't you look comfortable" I nodded "I am." He walked over to me with an unreadable expression on his face. Curious I rolled onto my back and sat up. "Well that's a shame. Then I guess I'm not needed here... maybe I should go across the hall and see if she wants me in there..." He trailed off and turned back to the door. My eyes got wide. My voice shook "B-but you said you wouldn't cheat... you said I was crazy for thinking that you would. Y-you said..." I looked away from him.
Richards POV:
I froze mid-step when I heard her. Turning I looked back at her. Raven was on her knees in the middle of my bed, looking at her lap. My heart broke as she sniffed. Silently I crossed the room and when I reached the bed, I crawled over to her. "I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. I don't know why the hell I even said that." I whispered wrapping her in my arms. "I was only messing around; I didn't think you'd react like this. I wasn't thinking. There aren't even any other girls in the house." She looked up from her lap. I could see tears in her eyes but her pride wouldn't let them fall. "You're all I have. I don't want to lose you any sooner than I have to" I looked at her confused. "Raven, you won't lose me." She shook her head disbelievingly. I lay down on my side bringing her to lay with me. "How? I'm not going to willingly let the girl I love get away from me." I pulled her closer as I spoke softly, meaning every word. "My dad's in jail. Social services will-" Thats right, Rae's 17. She graduated early. There was a knock at my door. I glared at the door as it opened without permission. "Somehow I'm not surprised" Bruce commented as he raised an eyebrow at us. "And I wouldn't get too comfortable, by the way. You can't stay there Raven. Come with me." Her eyes got wide as she looked at me with a sad I-told-you-so look. She slowly got up with me right by her side. "I won't let go of you without a fight Rae" She didn't say anything. She just took my hand.
Bruce led us out of my room and down the hall. Raven had never wandered the mansion I call home. She rarely left my side while we were here. She knew where the library, kitchen, and living room were; and my room of course. That's it. She didn't know where we were going and was nervous, I could tell. "Bruce, where are we going?" I asked. He looked at me over his shoulder. "Right here" he stopped and opened a door. We walked in and he turned on the lights. It looked like, "My room" breathed Raven. It looked exactly like the one in her house. She walked into the middle of the room and slowly turned around looking at everything. "What is this about?" I asked Bruce. "Raven will be living here with us" she froze and looked at us. "That's not funny" she thought we were joking with her. "Raven I went to Town Hall this morning, before I came to pick you up from the hospital." She looked at us with disbelief in her eyes. "It's too good to be true" she muttered sitting on the bed. I noticed Bruce silently step out and was glad he did so. "I really get to live here? With you?" I nodded looking around her new room. "And I'm right down the hall now" I sat down next to her. "I guess I won't need that phone you gave me now" I shrugged. "It served its purpose. Without it I wouldn't have known what was happening and that you needed help." I kissed her temple. I lay on my back and she followed suit. "Rich?" She looked up at me. "Yes sweetie" Raven nuzzled her nose against my side before saying "I love you... so much" I rolled onto my side and nibbled lightly on her ear. "I love you too"
When I got back from patrol early the next morning I went up to my room yawning. I opened my door and flipped on the light. There was violate hair across my pillows and a lump under the blankets. 'Now why would she be in here?' I wondered walking over to the bed. I hated to move her but Bruce would have a fit if he found her in here. Carefully pulling the blankets off her, I picked Raven up to carry her to her room. Almost immediately she stirred, waking up. "Ughh, Rich?" I smiled at her. 'She is so cute' "Who else would it be silly?" She simply shrugged before wrapping her arms around my neck. We were almost at her room. "Where are we going?" Raven asked through a yawn. "Your room, Bruce will be mad if he finds you in my bed with me still in it." She looked away. "I don't want to sleep in my room." I opened the door to her room and lightly kicked it shut behind me. "Why not? It's nice in here." I stood up on her king bed, and walked to the middle of it before sitting down with my back against the headboard. "It's just like my old room. Do you know how many times I was hurt in my old room? I don't want to sleep in here" she sat up in my lap and I pulled the blankets up into our laps. "So it's because it looks like your old room? Then we can change and redecorate it" I said matter of factly. "Really" I nodded. "Thank you" she whispered as I moved us so we could lie down. Pulling the blankets up around our shoulders I heard her whisper "Night Richard" I smiled whispering "Night Raven"