Author's Notes:
From this moment forward, the story pace should be a bit faster.
I know it's been a while, but I truly struggled to fill the other half of this chapter.
To those who loved this and waited, this is for you. Thank you for liking this piece.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Raven was pushed toward the group of people that were in the center of the space.
"Raven!" It was the familiar voice of the boy she looked after. She turned her head to where the voice came from and spotted the familiar blonde hair of his sister.
She was pushed again to join the group and stumbled her way to Arthur and Catherine.
"Wha-what are you doing here?" Catherine asked confusedly she was very much disheveled, very unlike her normal appearance.
Raven brushed Catherine's hair, "Did they hurt you?"
Catherine shook her head, her eyes holding back tears. Raven embraced Catherine and the kids cried a little.
"Everything is going to be fine." Raven tightened her grip on the two.
"How are you here?" Arthur asked and Raven sighed.
Yes, how.
~.~.~.~.~.~
Raven was watching some television and then suddenly.
"Breaking news, the Manderley Skyscraper is under lockdown and it is said that the perpetrators have taken hostages on the 36th floor."
Raven could not listen to the newscaster because her phone then rang endlessly, she looked down to see that it was Mrs. McCoy. Raven answered the phone in confusion but was instantly met with her name being called out in desperation and fear.
"Raven! Oh my gosh, the kids-the kids they are in the building!" Anastasia's tearful voice screamed. Raven's blood went cold as the news came to her.
"Please, Raven- you are closer- please check if they made it out," Anastasia begged but she was a second late, Raven had already used her magic to check where Arthur and Catherine were. Raven's voice hitched when she saw the two being pushed by men with guns.
"I- Anastasia, I am actually in the building myself." Raven opened a portal. "I will check for them myself, and I will talk to you later."
She hung up and was in a cubicle in the ladies' restroom on the 36th floor. She just remembered that she wasn't a hero, so why was she here?
She couldn't deny that she cared for those kids. She had to protect them. She knew she could protect them. She frantically went out of the restroom and on a corner was met with a man with a mask.
"Please, don't hurt me!" She yelled with her hands raised, she sounded so afraid that it even came as a surprise to her.
"Huh, it seems we missed one." The masked man with a gun said and pointed the tip of his gun toward her.
"Please sir-"
"Please sir, don't hurt me," He cut her off mockingly. "I won't if you follow my lead."
Raven frantically nodded and she was then led to where the hostages were kept. Her eyes instantly met Author's and then Catherine's.
~.~.~.~.~.~
"Wha-what are you doing here Raven?" Catherine whispered carefully against Raven's shoulder.
"I was in the building...I didn't know you two were here, I was going to leave but your mom called me." She lied smoothly. "I couldn't leave you two. At least I couldn't leave the building without checking if you guys made it out."
Catherine cried at her words but Arthur was trying to look strong.
"I'm scared," Catherine whispered and Raven held the two tightly.
"Don't you worry, I won't let anything happen to you." Raven comforted them.
She kept the children in her embrace as she studied the movements of the men guarding them. She took note of the individuals huddled in their circle. She could use her powers; it would be easy that way.
She was a civilian now.
She sighed, "Don't worry, I won't let anything bad happen to you two." Biting her lip a little as she tried to be as comforting as possible.
Raven kept an eye out for anyone suspicious. It seemed that this was planned, based on the guards' movements, at least this much she could tell.
Less than an hour passed and the culprits didn't hurt anyone and they had taken everyone's phones and other devices.
Then a masked man came to the group, "We need to threaten them for a life it seems. Which one would be the best?"
Upon hearing this Raven pressed her lips together, then touched her earring, she had to use it. In fact, wasn't this why Damian had it made in the first place?
The earring that was also a tracker.
She slid one stud off casually and placed her hand against the white floor and broke it with a little help of her magic as the man studied the group that was huddled together, his eyes landed on Catherine, it seemed he recognized her.
"I know you, you're that McCoy kid." He approached the three and Raven covered the two kids.
"Don't you dare." She said, and Arthur and Catherine were surprised by the sheer command Raven held in her voice. They never heard her sound like that. She was almost like a wolf growling at an enemy.
"Huh, we seem to have someone who doesn't understand their situation." He sneered and then tried to grab her. The man stared at Raven's violet eyes and he swayed a little.
"You will not lay a hand on any of these people." She whispered his face was a little too close to her.
Before he could respond another masked man yelled, "What the fuck are you doing? I need a hostage for ransom!"
The man before Raven snapped out of it, and before he could fully let his anger out, Raven quickly yelled, "Pick me!" Her head peeked at the man demanding a hostage for ransom.
"Raven, why would you say that!" Catherine tried to pull Raven, but she firmly sat in front of the siblings.
"You are a nobody." The man sneered and Raven faintly smiled at him, it was like she was taunting him.
"Why don't you take me to your boss– you guys have my phone. Make one phone call and you won't regret it at all." Raven's eyes seemed to be glowing, at least that was what the man before her could faintly think. What he can tell without question is that her eyes were clearly telling him that he won't regret it.
The man looked a little vacant as Arthur and Catherine tried to urge Raven to step down. "Alright." He replied, then blinked and the vacancy disappeared.
He grabbed Raven and the kids' grip on her became tighter.
"I will be alright." She reassured them and she saw the slight confusion they had as they let go of her. She smiled at them. "Be safe, I will be fine."
Raven was yanked up again, forcing her to follow the man who rushed out of the space. And when they passed the guards, no one saw the cold gaze she had on her face.
She quietly followed the men as she thought of how she was supposed to proceed. She hadn't heard from Damian for two days; she didn't know where he was. So, she had to take action by herself, or at the very least the batfam, because it seemed they were still in town. That also indicated that Damian's work was with the Titans.
Before she knew it, she was in front of the man who was demanding a hostage.
"Who the fuck is this?" He said unkindly once he saw Raven's face.
"I swear, I am the best hostage you could possibly have." Raven taunted.
"Tie her up." The man replied.
"Wait, I can prove it to you!" Raven quickly spoke. "It doesn't have to be my phone, I remember the number, and you can check it– just to make sure it isn't a police number."
The man was skeptical, "Please." Raven repeated her voice sounding very melodious to the man, who then nodded.
He got a piece of paper and pen, "Hold her." The one who seemed to be the leader warned the man who brought Raven in and thus gripped her tightly. "What's the number?"
Raven dictated the number slowly and clearly, "Tell them: Bruce Wayne, it's Damian's girlfriend."
He raised a brow and then chuckled. "No fucking way you know Bruce Wayne, and that your his son's girlfriend."
She gulped her nervousness, "I swear I will make it worth your while."
He chuckled coldly, "Fine, let's see if you speak the truth." He dialed the number on his phone and it rang on speaker.
"Seems like no one is answering." He mocked after a few more rings the phone was answered but before anyone could say anything he added, "Bruce Wayne? I got your boy Damian's girlfriend."
"Sir, please do not harm Lady Raven." Came Alfred's voice in reply.
"If you wire five million to my account." The leader continued to mock the person over the phone, not certain of whom he was talking to.
"I will inform Master Bruce and Master Damian," Alfred replied. "However, my masters would require proof that no harm came to Lady Raven." His tone became dark.
"Fine." The man captured an image of her and shared it with Alfred.
"Good, she doesn't seem to be harmed." Alfred sighed. "I will be patching you to Master Bruce then."
The man's smile was cunning and then he turned the loudspeaker off. Gesturing for the man who had brought Raven to bring her away.
"Mister Wayne, I didn't think the girl spoke the truth." Raven could hear the joy in the man's voice as she was ushered away.
Her expression was dark as she was pushed out of the room and guided to another room. She thought of using her magic and dealing with everyone. It would be a simple thing to do. A simple shadow spell would not mark her as the caster.
Raven was shoved into the room the moment the door was opened, breaking her train of thought. She could maybe even go into this man's head and– she bit her lip to stop that particular thought.
"Sit on the chair." The man demanded and she listened, this was better than what she wanted to do to his head. And the man tightly bound her to the chair.
She had to control herself and her thoughts. And so, she meditated with eyes closed. And the man left her to be alone.
Raven was sitting and bound in front of a glass wall, but it was tinted making the room darker than it should be despite it being day outside. And she counted as she held her breath being hyper-aware of how the time was passing each second.
Should she intervene?
If she does, she would have some paperwork from the league, but this was an emergency.
When Raven inhaled deeply, suddenly she felt a strong emotion coming towards her. And as she opened her eyes the glass that was 5 meters away was shattered as a familiar silhouette came crashing into the room.
Before she could even say anything, he was already kneeling before her, cupping her face. "Raven, are you okay?" The worry and pain in his voice were so distinct that it hurt.
"You came?" She whispered so thinly that if the room wasn't as still as it was Damian wouldn't have heard her. She didn't need to have her empathy shields down to feel her stomach twist at the sound of his voice, because she herself didn't mean to say those words aloud.
And knowing that she said what she had said, made her feel so terrible.
You came?
"Of course, I did." Was his simple reply, trying his best to mask the pain and confusion from the two words that came from her lips. But she heard the emotion clearly.
Tears slipped from her eyes just when he was trying to undo the ties on her wrist. He stopped and cupped her face to wipe her tears.
"Of course, I would come running to you. There is nothing that can stop me from coming to you." He rested his forehead against hers but Raven sobbed at those words.
Damian didn't know how heavy his words were on her.
"Just like you would for me." He told her and she sobbed again and nodded her head.
"You are right." She nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks as he wiped them patiently with his thumbs.
After a minute or two, Raven was able to reel in her emotions and he took off her restraints. The moment she was free she gave him a big embrace.
Her body was shaking a little and Damian placed a hand behind her back. The expression on his face was something that could not be pointed out as one specific emotion.
"Are you hurt?" His voice sounded like it was an octave higher and Raven shook her head from where it was– at the nook of his shoulder.
After another minute she pulled away, "The hostages–"
Damian smiled and she didn't need to finish her sentence, he nodded and she nodded back, "Don't worry Batman and the others are on it. I had to get to you. I needed to know you were safe."
Raven didn't hide her mixed emotions from him, he waited for her to say something patiently, eventually, she said, "But you know I can handle myself." in a soft voice.
"I know." He smiled weakly. "But that doesn't mean I wouldn't come running to where you are when I hear you are in danger– just to make sure you aren't hurt."
In Raven's eyes, there seemed to have been so many words that were not allowing themselves to be said. And her boyfriend who was in front of her couldn't make out those words. He couldn't make out her thoughts for so long now. And he was – had been at a loss for so long.
But he was patient, and he could wait–
"I'm the same…" Another squeaky reply from her.
She found his hands with hers and she traced his calloused and scarred hands with her fingers.
"Thank you." She smiled at him faintly and he smiled back but it was more a smile of endearment whereas hers was a smile close to grief.
But he didn't know this, he didn't need to know this. What her smile really meant.
Raven leaned closer to him and with closed eyes kissed him on the lips. She pulled away as she said, "I should go."
He chuckled and nodded a little and agreed. "I will see you at home."
The image of their apartment filled with warmth and her boyfriend smiling at her came to mind.
"Yes." She smiled as the thought brought her joy. And she felt a flutter in her heart and then the image became cold and the Damian in her mind's smile faded as he too then faded and she was alone in an empty, cold apartment.
~.~.~.~.~.~
Raven came running down the hall to where she last saw Arthur and Catherine. The moment she arrived the thugs had already been controlled by the bat family and at that very moment, all eyes were on her.
She could tell the bat family was relieved when she came out unharmed, just like how the kids she kept company were relieved at her evident safety.
But she was a civilian now, and so she ran to Arthur and Catherine first and embraced them tightly. "Are you two, okay?"
"Are you okay?" Catherine pulled away from Raven's hug, her voice rising.
"Exactly!" Arthur too pulled away.
"I'm fine." Raven comforted them.
Then Raven eyed the closest batfam member who happened to be Batgirl, "Thank you." Stephanie nodded.
That evening Raven waited for Damian to return home in the living room by the glass wall. What happened earlier that day was just playing on repeat in her mind. The apartment was just as cold and dark as she knew it to be.
Raven didn't think that the whole hostage situation was as long as it had happened. Then afterward the police still had to hold everyone and question everyone. It was no surprise that it was evening already.
Raven's arms were crossed as she also thought about the children being traumatized by the incident.
The door opened and she glanced at it. When a familiar figure entered and in such a hurry slammed the door shut behind him– Raven found herself planted on the floor. How could she run to him when he was doing just that and with such a worried and frantic expression?
Raven felt utterly bad.
She likely shouldn't be, but she was.
Raven was quickly engulfed by a sturdy build of a familiar man– the familiar scent, and the warmth she always longed for.
"Are you okay? Are you safe?" He asked, but to Raven, it was a rather unreasonable question, after all, he had saved her, he had checked her himself before she left to go to the kids.
Her heart ached at his worry. But her brain told her, "Shouldn't you still be debriefed?"
He froze, and she felt his body stiffen, he struggled to find words then finally confessed, "I…might have bailed… I needed to see if you were okay."
It was unreasonable. He knew she was alright.
"They will start calling…" She said helplessly as she embraced him, even if all rationality told her that how he was acting was impractical she couldn't push him away. She wanted to cry in his embrace but found that she had no tears to shed.
They held each other quietly and every now and then Damian would shift. Eventually, she pulled away. "They are calling you, aren't they?" She was staring up at him and he looked down, his left eye twitching at her words.
Raven could tell he was about to lie to her. "You have to go." She told him before he could lie to her.
He sighed and looked out the glass, "I don't…" He took a step back and studied her. "I don't want to."
Raven had wanted to cry in his arms, but at that moment such a feeling was not in her mind anymore. In fact, it felt like she never had the thought at all.
This time, before she could urge him to go, Damian spoke, "When I got the notice from the earrings, I left the mission with the Titans and converged with Batman– If I go, I know I will be stuck with briefings and scolding from both parties. I know Batman would– at the very least– postpone his criticism over my actions–" He placed his hand on either side of Raven's arms. "But if I go– I don't know when I will get to see you again. I still have to finish the mission with the Titans– I… I –"
Raven stood on her tippy toes and kissed her boyfriend, a hand rested on his jaw and her thumb caressed him, hoping to calm him, she could feel his stubble forming "You were never a nervous person."
A very true observation.
If they weren't together, would he be acting like this?
Raven gasped; she couldn't allow the thought to bring in more worries. But Damian heard the audible gasp and she didn't know how much his heart ached from it.
"Does it– does it worry you?" He asked softly as if he was scared. And this wasn't him.
At this moment, the two realized– since when did they start walking on eggshells around each other?
Were they always like this?
Raven's eyes were glossy as she cupped her lover's face with both hands, "I will always be here." Her heart was beating so fast as the words passed her lips.
Damian glanced down, refusing to move as if he knew something or was afraid that if he did move, she would be gone before him.
The air in the room was cold and heavy.
Raven noticed him frowning, "They are calling again, aren't they?"
He sighed and took off the earpiece, "I can't leave you." To Raven, he sounded like a lost little boy.
"Yes, you can. The longer you stay, the longer you will be apart from me. So go now, and when you get back. I will be here." Raven held his hand and caressed the back of his palm with one hand while her other hand was against his palm.
They both stared at one another. They knew what had to be done.
"I'm sorry," Damian said, squeezing her hand and she gave him a soft smile back. He put his earpiece back and took a step back, eyes still on her, then he turned around.
"Make it up to me, by being there on your birthday." Raven teased, with a hero identity, being late to special functions of the civilian identity was normal. She of course didn't have to worry about such a thing before when she was a hero because her civilian identity was not as special as Damian Wayne's.
She heard Damian chuckle and turned to look at her, a gleam in his eyes and a coy smile on his lips. He was suddenly before her, "How could I miss that day? I have someone very special waiting for me."
The desire in his eyes was clear and he leaned down to kiss her and she closed her eyes. She wondered when they became so good at sweeping things under the rug.
Regardless, she knew she loved him.
