Chapter 6

If she could have, Raven would have spent the last week locked up in her room meditating and alone.

But she had a family to carefor and they always came first.

She sighed as she kissed Damians forehead and bid the sleeping man a goodnight

The past week had been nothing but healing. Not herself but her husband and the rest of their family. Jason was the least hurt and Bruce was not completely out of the woods. Dick had required some help as well but would be fine. Alfred had graciously taken the kids whilst Raven monitored Damian and Bruce almost 24/7.

Right now the exhausted half demon needed to eat and go feed her infant.

"How are they doing?" Jason asked as she walked into the nursery.

The man in question was rocking her infant who immediately began to fuss upon realizing his mother was there.

"Bruce is healing slowly and Damian will pull through," she said grabbing the baby. "However, they will be out of commission for at least a month. Moreso for Bruce.

She took her seat at her nursing chair and began to feed her son. She usually enjoyed the bonding moments but today her mind was plagued with darkened thoughts.

"What's eating at you, little bird?" Jason asked.

"Right now, its technically TJ," she joked half heartedly.

"Ooh a joke from Raven," he laughed. "The world must be ending. Now seriously little bird, what's up?"

Raven sighed.

"This is all my fault," she said as she hugged TJ closer. "If I had never given the joker stone to Tim..."

Jason plopped down on the chair next to hers.

"If anyone is to blame, its Bruce," Jason began.

Raven shook her head.

"No," she said. "I gave him the joker. I never expected it to take him over. I still don't understand how. Tim is...was... always the level headed one."

"It had nothing to do with that," Jason continued. " Bruce never told us but Tim got kidnapped and experimented on by that madman. He did something that messed with his DNA. Babs was there and she said they thought they fixed it but some of the Jokers DNA must have lingered quietly."

Ravens' eyes widened.

"So I awoke the DNA when I gave him Jokers soul?" Raven said horrified.

She was so horrified that she scared her infant, who unlatched and started wailing. She quickly began to soothe him and try to calm down.

"How..WHen did that happen?" She hissed as she rocked the baby.

Jason's frown scared her even more.

"A little over a year after I died," he replied. "Tim had been Robin for just under a year at this point."

Raven frowned.

"Bruce should have killed the Joker after he killed me," Jason growled. "He went after Tim, then he hurt Babs. Yet he still lived to move on..."

"To me," Raven said. "To hurt Damian."

Jason nodded.

"Its Bruce's fault," he said once more. "It always has been and always will be."

Raven didn't completely agree and so she stayed silent. Deep down she knew that Jason still cared for Bruce but it was still betrayal in his eyes that the Joker walked freely after what the clown had done to him. That feeling of anger would probably never go away.

The baby finished nursing and Raven set him down for the night.

"You need to get some rest Rae," Jason said to her. A hand on her shoulder.

"I have to watch over..."

"No," he interrupted. "You sleep. I'll watch over them and if either even make a small gasp of discomfort then I will go get you."

Raven nodded. Jason was right. She needed a night to herself to be able to meditate and understand and accept the things that happened.

"Thank you," she said heading to her room.

...

Raven decided to stop into the kitchen and grab a mug of tea. She searched through the large cabinets to find her favorite brew when she came across a bag she had never seen before. It had looked homemade and when she sniffed it, she realized it was what she had been drinking. What Tim had been giving her.

Suddenly a memory popped into her mind.

After that first sexual dream, she had told Tim it was a nightmare. He said it must have been the tea. He had been serious which meant the tea was poisoned. With what, she would need to find out.

"Miss Raven," it was Alfred who was holding a sleeping Mar'i in his arms. "How are you?"

Raven turned and offered to take the toddler.

"Confused beyond reason," she admitted. "Alfred, can you do me a favor and run this tea bag and see what its properties are? I have a bad feeling about them."

"Of course Madam," Alfred said taking the tea. " I do hope you get some rest tonight. I will accompany Master Jason in watching over the other Masters after I run this tea."

Raven nodded and thanked him.

She decided to forgo the tea and instead took Mar'i to her room.

After placing the toddler in her room, Raven decided it was time for her to get some sleep. She had trouble the past few days but she knew that if she wanted to keep up the healing powers, she would need to get some good rest.

She walked to her room and plopped onto her bed. Sleep overtaking her quickly.

...

...

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a world of color.

It was chaotic, loud, and messy. She knew it would give her a migraine if she didn;t get away from the madness soon. But for some reason she couldn't move.

She was frozen to her current spot, unable to do anything as the crazy colors began to dance around her like a convoluted light show.

It made her dizzy. It made her nauseous.

It made her nervous.

After what felt like an agonizing eternity, the colors started to come together.

Greens, purples, reds, and whites.

They all solidified to show a person.

No...

Not a person.

A monster.

She couldn't quite put her hand on who it was, but she knew the person was a monster. A demon and she knew her demons.

The demon started coming near her. It was laughing at her and the sound made her headache.

She closed her eyes in hopes she would be somewhere else when she opened them again,

...

Raven shot out of bed and threw up her dinner on the side of her bed.

"Fuck," she said quickly getting up to clean the mess.

She knew she had a nightmare but for the life of her, she couldn't recall what it was. She ignored it however and decided to get ready for the day.

After taking a quick shower , she made her way down the manor hallway to the infirmary.

It seemed the world wanted to mess with her today as when she went to check on her husband, he was mia.

She sprang into action and began searching every room.

The entire manor seemed to be empty as she opened Dicks room, Jasons, Bruces, Alfreds.

She even went into Tims.

She was beginning to panic as she needed her own room and the room of children.

She became even more panicked when she found no children in the children's room. She knew Dick had taken his children for a fun day out but her children should have been in their own beds.

She was about to lose it when she calmed down and realized she was bonded to her kids. Taking a breath , she used her powers to try to guide her to Dove and TJ.

Her empathy told her that they were happy and that they were in the game room. She quickly teleported to that side of the manor where she found Damian laying on a couch with TJ sleeping on his chest and Dove by hi legs , handing him tea in a tiny cup.

"Momma!" The little girl said quickly running towards her. "Papas having a tea party, come play with us!"

Raven let out a relieved breath and walked to her family.

"Damian," she whispered. "You should be in bed still."

He huffed and rolled his eyes.

"I've been cooped up for a week and I had yet to hold my newborn son," he said taking the tea and sipping it up. "Besides, Dove came this morning asking me to join her for her tea party. I couldn't say no."

Raven shook her head but had a smile on her face.

"I guess that's a fine excuse," she said taking a seat on the floor beside them. "But you should have told me.I would have helped you up."

Damian sat up and made space for her on the couch. She sat herself next to him and took the baby.

"He's hungry," she said as the baby quickly began to fuss.

Damian kissed her forehead and then her lips.

"I've missed you more than you can ever imagine," he said. "You and Dove. I cannot believe I missed Thomas's birth."

Raven stroked his cheek.

"You are here now," she said.

"Yeah!" Little Dove aid again. "You're here now Papa."

Damian scooped up his daughter and held her to his chest.

Raven leaned into him as TJ suckled.

Even throughout the horrors. Even throughout the tragedy that continued to plague there family, she knew they would stay strong.

Her family was strong.

.End Chapter 6

A short filler but it was nice to write.