My Hero

Chapter 7:

Richards POV:

I heard Raven sigh and get up. She walked out of the room with her head down. I started to rise off the couch to follow her. "Dick" I looked at Bruce and knew I should sit back down. I sighed, waiting for him to tell me what was on his mind. "Raven talked about her past pretty well." I nodded in agreement. "But when I brought up her father she seemed to physically change. I watched fear creep into her eyes. Was it just because I was asking?" I just sat there unsure what he wanted me to say. I could honestly have told him that would be her reaction to anyone asking about her father. I finally knew what to say. "You were at her house, you fought her dad. YOU SAW WHAT HE DID TO HER! And that's not even half of the scars. All she owns is T-shirts and full length jeans, she leaves her hair long to cover her neck. She's trying to hide those scars! The way I see it she has every right to not want to talk about him." My little speech seemed to startle Bruce. He wasn't expecting that from me. "I want you to find out everything you can about her father. I want to try and get him behind bars for good." I glared at him. "No. If she doesn't want to talk about it I'm not going to force her to." Bruce stood up and I did as well. "I'm trying to help her Dick. You don't have to force her, coax it out of her, persuade her to tell you. I'll even start letting you have one night off a week if you want. I just want to help her." I looked at him suspiciously. "Why, you seem almost desperate to do this?" We were almost at the dining room and if I didn't get answers before we got there I might never get them. "I've seen the way she looks at me. The fear I see in her eyes, is on the villains faces when I want them to spill their guts." 'That's why; he's noticed she's nervous around him.' I nodded. "So I get one night off each week?" He nodded. When we walked through the door to the dining room I had a huge grin on my face. I wasn't EVER going to ask her about her dad, but Bruce didn't need to know about that.

Raven was sitting at the table; I could tell she wanted to disappear. Going up to her chair I kissed the top of her head and sat down between her and Bruce as usual. I squeezed her hand under the table. Lunch was silent except for the clank of silverware. When we were all done eating Alfred went to go clean and Bruce went back to his study. Raven hadn't looked up from her plate once. Taking her hand in mine again I led her up to my room. I settled down in the middle of the bed "So I got some good news" She sat on the edge. "Raven?...Rae" I moved so I was sitting next to her. "Hey, what's wrong?" She just shook her head. I put a hand on her shoulder, Raven tensed and pulled away. "Raven..." The words died on my lips as she ran to the door and down the hall. I sighed realizing that she was still upset about Bruce wanting to talk about her dad. She had slipped back into the role of the scared, quiet girl she had been over a year ago. Finally deciding to go downstairs to ask Bruce a few more questions about what he wants to know even though he would never get the information, I head out of my room and slide down the banister remembering how Raven laughed the first time she saw me do that because I almost ran into Alfred. I had reached the clock, figuring Bruce was downstairs working on tracking down Ravens dad, and to no surprise I was right.

She didn't come down for dinner. I went upstairs to check on her and she was lying peacefully on her bed so I let her be. I went back to the dining room where Bruce was still eating. "So I take it she's not eating tonight" Bruce asked. I shook my head. "She's sleeping and I didn't have the heart to wake her. She was really upset after lunch." Bruce didn't comment. We finished dinner and decided to go out on patrol a little early. We were making our way to the clock when there was a loud thump upstairs. Spinning around I ran for the stairs with Bruce hot on my heels and Alfred not far behind. There were more crashes following the first. 'Raven!' I stopped outside her door and cracked it open; Bruce and Alfred were peering over my shoulder. She was throwing things, breaking things, and ripping things and crying. Bruce tried to take a step forward but I put my arm across the doorframe. I slowly backed up making the other two do so as well and I silently shut the door. "Why did you stop me from going in there? Who knows what she's going to do" Bruce whispered. "I believe Master Richard was right. She needs to let this out." Alfred advised. Two pairs of eyes turned to look at me. "Remember that story we told you earlier Bruce, something happened to make her scared and shy like that. The last time she was here, covered in bruises, you two came into my room and she was crying. Remember that? She holds in her feelings until she's ready to burst. Then when everything finally DOES come out, she has no control over it." Alfred nodded "Don't worry Master Richard" he winked at me before grabbing Bruce's arm and leading him away. Silently thanking Alfred I cracked open the door again flinching as something smashed against the other side of it. Cautiously I opened the door another few inches, Ravens back was to the door. Going quietly I went in her room and I shut the door behind me. She grabbed a pillow off the foot of her bed and threw it at the open window. Before she could grab anything else I turned her to face me. Ravens face was blotchy and tear stained, eyes red from crying. She sunk to the floor and I went with her to make sure she didn't hit her head. "Rae, please talk to me" I whispered pulling her closer. She buried her head in the curve of my shoulder, full out sobbing now. "I-I...Sorry...I was...scared...a-an-" I held her shuddering figure close to me. "Shhh...it's alright. Don't worry about it" I sat there rocking her in my arms. I don't know how long we sat there, but she was eventually so worn out that she drifted into sleep. I shifted her so I had one arm under her legs and another under her back. Getting up I left her room and went to mine. Even after her room had been redecorated she still didn't want to sleep in it. I laid her in my bed and tucked her in. I kissed her forehead before quietly slipping downstairs and finding Alfred. "How is Miss Raven, I noticed that things got quiet pretty soon after we left" I nodded smiling. "Yeah, I'll explain later but for now she's sleeping in my room, can you just check on her every now and then." Alfred nodded. I thanked him and ran into the cave to go out for the last half of patrol.

Ravens POV:

I was pacing across the living room, frantic. A week ago, the day after I trashed my room, Bruce had told us that we would be going accompanying him to a party at a new hotel. I had already been forced to go out and buy a dress, which I haven't let anyone see on me because of how much skin it shows. All the scars on my body will be exposed to everyone. I was out of time to come up with an excuse to not go, the party was tomorrow night and I was starting to get worried. There was a sound behind me; I spun around to see a shocked Richard stepping out of the grandfather clock. Why was he in a clock? "What- never mind, just come with me!" He whispered hastily, grabbing my wrist and dragging me around a corner into the hall. I allowed myself to be dragged along. He gently pushed me against the wall and motioned for me to stay quiet. I watched him look cautiously around the corner, and curious as I was, I did the same only to have him pull me back and put a hand over my mouth to prevent my gasp from being heard at his touch. He peeked back around the corner and took my hand quietly leading me up to his room.

"What are you still doing up?" He asked after the door had been soundlessly shut behind us. "Do I have to go to that party tomorrow night?" I got straight to the point, it was almost five am after all and I hadn't really slept well since Rich told me that he was Robin and how much danger I could easily get myself into. "Yes you do, trust me I don't want to go to this thing either." I sighed. "And there's no way I can wear my jeans and T-shirt?" I asked hopefully. He shook his head and I hung mine, getting prepared for him to kick me out of the house, and worse, dump me. "Then can we at least do this now in private instead of later in front of Bruce and Alfred?" He raised an eyebrow confused. "What are you talking about?" I took a few steps back as I spoke. "I'm talking about the part where you dump me…because you see the real me." I have been dreading this since he found out about my father. Rich didn't know just how bad it really was. "Raven, oh my sweet Raven. I have no reason to dump you; you're perfect in every way." I shook my head. "Please, don't, this is hard enough as it is" I took a shaky breath. "You deserve to see what I've been hiding from you" he moved closer and wrapped me in his arms. "You don't have to" I nodded backing away. "I do. You, of all people deserve to see" I sat on his bed to wiggle out of my pajama pants.

My legs weren't as bad as the rest of my body. They only had a few small scars each and the left leg had a burn mark about a foot long. His large shirt was still covering my underwear along with the rest of my upper body. "Raven you really don't have to do this." I sighed and fingered the bottom of the shirt. I had been hiding this from him for over a year and a half now. "Yes I do" I breathed quietly. And with that I pulled the shirt over my head, letting it lay on the bed beside me. Richard openly stared at me. I had long cuts, scars and burn marks all along my upper body. My chest, my stomach, my shoulders, my upper arms, it was disgusting. I finally looked away unable to take his gaze any longer. "You think I'm ugly, don't you?" I said; my voice full of self-hate and loathing. I felt his fingers under my chin, guiding me so my eyes would meet his. "I'm still waiting for the part where I'm supposed to break up with you." Richards's eyes were sparkling with laughter and love. "You're still beautiful, and these" he squatted down in front of me and lightly traced a few of the scars "just show me that you're stronger than I ever could have thought you were for handling all this by yourself for so long." I watched him get up and go to his side of the bed, pulling the blankets back before getting comfortable. I slowly followed his lead, still completely embarrassed of my body despite his complement.

He lay on his side, propped up on one arm watching me get in the bed. "You shouldn't have had to deal with this for so long" I was laying on my side with my back to him when I felt his hand wrap around my waist and pull me closer to him. "He started just after mom died" I whispered remembering all the fun I used to have with mom and dad as a family, of me and mom having time alone together. "That's a long time Rae" I had just done something I shouldn't have done.

Memories of mom were resurfacing.

"How did she die?" His voice was a whisper.

And I couldn't stop them.

"A car crash."

God how I wished I could stop them.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" He had told me all about how his parents had died and I'd never said a word about my mom. I think I hurt him by never saying anything. "I couldn't... I wasn't strong enough..." And with that I rolled on to my stomach crying silently into the pillow. "I wasn't strong enough to tell you. I'm sorry." I couldn't choke out anything else. He rubbed my back slowly, whispering calming nothings to me.

He placed a tender kiss on the side of my neck. "I've been so alone for so long" I rolled back on to my side with my back still to him as I curled into myself, trying to block out the outside world. "You're not alone now though. You have me, and Alfred, and Bruce. We're your family" His voice was soft. I pulled the blankets over my head. "I miss mom" I didn't want him to hear me but he did. The blanket lifted itself off my head. "I miss my mom too Rae." His body wrapped around mine perfectly. "I want to see her." the words slipped between my lips. "It's ok to want to see her again sweetie" He lay there, holding me, letting me ramble about my past for a good half hour before I finally lay there quietly, still in his arms. "You deserve better," his hot breath sent shivers down my body. "you deserve more." I rolled onto my other side so I could see him. His touch was feather light as he traced an old cut that went from almost the top of my ribs to my hip. That one took FOREVER to heal I thought sadly. "Let me give you better, let me give you more" Rich pleaded. "I can give you the family you lost" I could tell he just wanted to see me stop hurting. "You think you're alone Raven, but you're not. I'm here for you now." I pressed my hands flat against his t-shirt covered chest. "I will always be here for you." I could see the sun coming up through the windows behind my boyfriend. I closed my eyes, snuggling closer to my Rich.