Chapter nine: Reunion
Three Months Later
Raven Pov.
Sweat poured from my forehead, my feet pounded on the ground. I was running. From some one, but not just anyone; I was running from Slade. He was chasing me though the streets of an abandoned city. I ran for an alleyway, I could make my escape then. Dead end, Crap! A shadow of a person is cast over the dim light of the night.
"Little bird, don't try to run." Slade says, backing me into the corner.
"Get away from me!" I shout, but he keeps coming.
"Step aside Raven, I'm not here for you." He states.
"Shadow" I whisper, but he hears me.
"Yes, I'm here for her. Now, step aside." I glance behind me and see my baby cowering in the corner, suddenly appearing there.
"No! Never! I will never allow you to take her!" I stand protectively in front of my child, he's not getting past me.
"But I'll take her anyway. Mark my word; 'The gem shall be his portal'" He vanishes in thin air. I turn to Shadow.
"Baby girl are you hurt? Shadow?" before I could reach for her she stood up, four eyes flashing red. She quickly grew past the size of a three-story building. She sprouts red skin and long white hair with horns spurting from her head, just like Trigon. An evil chuckle escapes her lips. I'm frozen in terror. Before I could react I am kicked into the air and hit a building, blacking out.
I gasp as I sat upright with haste in my bed, sweat dripping from me along with a racing heart. Just a dream, I try to calm myself. Eliot stirs beside me.
'Rachel?' He asks, sleepily muffled by his pillow.
"I'm fine, just, another nightmare. This one was different though."
He sits up and cradles me to his bare chest.
'Rae, it'll be okay. Don't worry. We'll protect her from anything' His words were more like stingers then comforting. She was in danger and he knew it. We wouldn't be able to protect her for long if Slade found us. I felt a tear well up and blur my vision.
"I'm... Scared Eliot"
The alarm clock rung and we both jump a mile. Eliot's hand slams down on the top on the alarm effectively shutting it off. Another day of living in fear. Another day that counts down. But we still have twelve years before he can pursue her. A lot can happen in twelve years. It'll be okay. We're all going to die. My head spun in completely different directions.
I numbly get out of bed and began to get ready for another day at work.
Later At Work
I sat at my desk answering emails for Lois while she was getting her next article task from Perry, the chief-in-editor. She usually got some interesting, like writing about Lex Luther and his criminal record who just happens to hold together his business with success.
Clark came out of Perry's office first, and then Lois stalks out looking sullen.
"I can't believe it, why did you get that case?" Lois asks Clark.
"Maybe Perry thought that I was better for this article." Clark was amused by how his wife was acting.
She sighs, "Maybe, Rachel could help you with it, I know Jimmy usually goes but I need a photographer, and since I will be stuck in the office working I wont need her help." I look up from the emails to search her face, she was serious.
"What's the article about?" I ask, this might be fun.
"I will be interviewing the Teen Titans and honorary Titans about the disappearance of Raven, she's been gone for a year and a half or so. Plus I will be visiting family in Jump city. If you want to help you can. We'll be staying down there for a week or two." Clark informs me. If I went I could check on them, make sure Jump city is safe and return without them knowing it was me, fool-proof.
"Yes I'll help, but I would have to take my little girl though, I don't think Eliot could watch her alone for a week." He could but I'm a little protective after the month of nightmares, and if we were in trouble, the titans wouldn't be far away.
"Okay, I'll have to ask their leader, Robin, if that's alright. I'll ask him now. " Clark walks to his desk and waves his mouse and the computer brightens to life. He began to type and was consumed by it, not paying attention to anyone but yet still aware.
"So Eliot can't watch his own kid?" Lois asks in disbelieve.
"I'm sure if the world was ending he could, but she's really clingy now. She's fifteen months old, just over a year." I explain to her. I glance at Clark, who was still exchanging emails with Robin. He looks puzzled, then his face softened as if he figured something out.
"Hmm... that's funny." Clark suddenly says, amused.
"What?" Lois asks.
"I was just thinking," Clark returned.
"Thinking what?" She pried at him. Nosey reporter.
"Nothing," He says, "Rachel, Robin said they would be glad to have you and your child tag along."
"Okay, when do we leave?" I ask.
"Well, tomorrow actually, Robin has offered to pick us up." He says.
"In what?" I ask cautiously.
"Their car." He answers.
"Okay."
"They will be here early, so you might want to go home and pack." he suggests.
"Can do." I stood up and grab my satchel from underneath my desk and leave.
I walk through the streets and hurried home, when I got inside of my apartment I closed the door.
"Kole?" I ask to the emptiness of the living room.
"Hey, back so soon?" Koles' voice came from the bathroom. I walk in and see Kole giving Shadow a bath; Shadow was covered in red sauce and noodles, I giggle.
"I'm going to go to Jump city with one of the news reporters to help with a story about the disappearance of Raven..."
"But, you, what?" She stutters.
"And Shadow is coming with me. I'd like it if you showed up at the Tower while we were there."
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning, Robin probably sent Cyborg to leave in the T-car today. So I'm going to pack tonight, I'll let you finish cleaning her." Shadow looks like she understood everything I said.
"Cool" She says. I turn and leave the room, and go to my room to pack. my suit case was small, so I used the small, tanned-wood box again and put all the clothes Shadow and I would need in the demention.
A few hours passed, Kole had left and dinner was made. It was seven-thirty when Eliot got home. He was tiered from work.
'Hey hon, how was work?' He asks.
"Okay I guess, I have to go with one of the reporters to jump city to help with an interview. and I'm taking Shadow with me, we are leaving in the morning."
'Oh, what's the story about?' He walks over to a kitchen chair and plops down
"We are interviewing the Teen Titans about Raven's absence. Interesting topic, huh?"
'Very, and Shadow is coming with? Aren't you afraid that your friends might find out?'
"No, unless Shadows' powers decide to lash out, then we're screwed, but we should be fine."
'Tomorrow then, why the short notice?' I shrug. 'Okay, just be safe, for gods sakes, keep her safe.'
"I will, you know I will." I smile at him. In a year we had both changed, for the good. He stopped his thievery career and learned to work, to earn, not take. I had learned to cook and raise a child, with his help of course. Life was not simple, nor easy. I was just glad to have a life outside of being a Titan.
We sat down at the tiny kitchen table and ate the stir fry I made for dinner. After we ate Shadow was sleepy so I put her to bed. Eliot and I got ready for bed too. I got my night-gown on and climbed into bed. Eliot pulled me close and kissed my forehead, 'I love you' he sends, 'Dido' I send back. he chuckled and we let sleep take us. My sleep was peaceful, for once.
The Next Morning
I sat up and stretched out my arms with a yawn. Eliot was nowhere to be seen, I wasn't worried though. I got up and got dressed in some black pants and a blue V-neck T-shirt and a black sweater over it and black tennis shoes. Beside the door sat my little suit case, I grab it and walk out into the living room. Eliot had Shadow fully dressed in a bright yellow flowery dress with black tights and black shoes. Her jet black hair was pulled into a pony tail on her head.
"Why didn't you wake me? I would've helped get her ready." I tell him.
'It's done now, and you needed the rest. You have a big trip ahead of you.'
"Ahhhhh" Shadow wines and runs to me and clings to my leg with a smile.
"Do you want to go bye-bye with mommy?" I ask her and she frowns slightly then giggles.
'It's almost time to go.' He points to the clock on the wall. I sigh.
"I'm starting to regret agreeing to this." I was getting nervous and my stomach was churning.
'You'll be fine, I have faith in you.' He grins at me and takes my suit case. I pick up Shadow and we both head for the door. I will miss being here, even if it was a dump. I made this apartment my home aside from the Tower that I was heading back to undiscovered. we walk down two flights of stairs then through the wood door that led to the street.
Outside was alive, cars were moving and people walked the streets. We stood there for a second before we spoke.
'They should be here by now,' He was queries.
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" I ask in a playful tone, raising one eyebrow.
'Never,' He seems sad about me leaving.
"I'll be back before you know it." I offer a glimmer of hope to him through a smile.
A blue car, defiantly not normal car, pulls up beside us. Clark steps out of the passenger seat.
"Morning Rachel," The trunk pops open and Clark looks to Eliot. "I'll take that for you." Eliot hands over the suit case and Clark packs it into the trunk.
Cyborg got out of the driver's seat and walks over to us. "Hey, I'm Cyborg. I have a seat set up for the tittle one. What's her name?"
"Shadow," I say.
"Oh cute. She's adorable." He smiles at the shy little girl hiding her face in my hair. I chuckle.
Clark walks back over to Eliot with a hand extended. "I don't think we've met. My name is Clark Kent, I work with Rachel." Eliot smiles and shakes his hand in response. "Not much of a talker are you?" Clarks smile dims.
"His name is Eliot Knight, he's my husband. He's also mute." I interject.
"Oh, you know, one of our Honorary Titans is mute. His name is Jericho, he might show up but who knows." Cyborg shrugs. He clearly wasn't up for questioning right now, he seemed gloomy.
"Alright, well, we should get going." Clark suggests.
"Okay,"
"I'll put her in the car seat if you want to say good-bye?" Cyborg offers.
"Shadow, are you ready sweety?" She nods, understanding it all. I hand her over to Cyborg and he buckles her up.
"Eliot, I love you. Will you be okay all alone?" I ask while giving him a hug.
He nods and gives me a kiss.
'I love you too,' He sent, which only I could hear.
"Don't get into trouble while I'm gone," I gave him a stern look.
'Yes, ma'am,' I roll my eyes.
"Bye" I drop from our embrace and get into the back seat next to Shadow, who seems content. Cyborg starts the T-car. The roar of the engine was so familiar, it's like I never left. I watch Eliot as we drove off in silence. Shadow was good the entire drive, never once did she fuss over sitting to long. It wasn't till fifteen hours and three bathroom breaks later that we stopped for a hotel for the night. Cyborg had gotten two rooms reserved that morning before we left my appartement. Clark shared a room with Cyborg while Shadow and I got the other room. Before we settle in our rooms for the night Cyborg stops me.
"Uh Rachel?" He asks in a quiet voice. We were right outside our room, that had been right next to each other.
"Yeah?" I say quietly back, I was holding on to a sleeping Shadow and didn't want to wake her.
"I just wanted to say, you remind me of someone." His face was filled with concentration.
A cold sweat ran down the back of my neck and my heart fluttered against my ribs. My pulse echoed in my ear.
"Oh? of who?" I ask, barely avoiding panic.
"I don't know, you're just... familiar." he sighs.
"Oh, okay, then." I smile at him to the best of my freaked out abilities. We both exchanged our "Good nights'" and disappeared to our rooms.
Another chapter by yours truly! Tell me what you think! I yourn to hear your thoughts! Am I being over dramatic? Yes, yes I am. But do review, It can only get better if you do!
QUESTION? what did you think about her visiting HER old team mates to interview them about HER dissaperence without them knowing it's really HER? Oh the irony!