We Meet Again 2

Forty- Three

(Writer)

After around thirty minutes or so, Raven actually rocked Mandy to sleep with her comforting embrace, and soothing lullaby. She couldn't help but think of her own mother and how she would've done the same if she were alive, no matter Raven's age. Then she started to wonder if she would've even been forced into Scathe if Arella never was killed.

Trigon never came after Raven so desperately until after the accident, so if he didn't come for her before, then was he afraid of Arella in some fashion? Did she know of this terrorist organization from the start! Did she threaten him because of it?

She had to have known what her husband was doing in his spare time, other than being an unfaithful assbite, but Raven will never know. Those that had the answers to her impending questions are long since deceased.

Dr. Anderson summoned Raven towards her. She found the answers to why the Beast is incapacitated for the moment. Raven gently laid Mandy down so she could continue to rest, then painfully made her way over for her diagnosis. Her slow, agonizing movements caused Star to wake from her anesthetic induced high, then took ahold of Raven to ease her pain as she walked.

"I'm here Raven. Lean on me please, I can help you." Star placed Raven's arm across her shoulder for support.

"I'm sorry to wake you. Dr. Anderson has answers and hopefully solutions to my dilemma... hmp."

"This is no time to joke Raven! You are the pain, please do not make light of it. I want to be there for you, just as you are here for me."

Raven said nothing, she just sat in the chair, grabbed her abdomen again in anguish, then listened to Dr. Anderson explain why she was in severe pain.

Well Raven, it seems like you have a bleeding ulcer. The damage ranges from minor irritation to severe bleeding, which from the lab results, yours is pretty severe. Ulcers are common among people under immense physical stress, and well, let's face it... you have a lot of recent stress, and..."

"But how can you fix it doctor? How can you mend a bleeding ulcer?" Star pleaded for answers.

"Well it can be treated with medicinal therapy, or intravenous treatment for a quicker effect. Other than that, surgery would be the best option.

"No... no surgery!" Raven adamantly responded.

"But why the not... you need this! You are hurting friend Raven!"

"Did you revert back to your native tongue or something? What's with the 'the' s'... pish. She mumbled the last statement so Star couldn't hear her ridicule, clearly irritated, and continued...

"I said no."

"But Raven..."

"I said... NO!"

Both Star and Sheila backed off with shocked expressions. They didn't know who was going to show up, Raven in excruciating pain, or the Beast feeling cornered!

"Please don't be alarmed... I'm just hurting. Sheila... I don't want surgery. I will do the IV treatment. I have enough scares on my body that would probably rival the endless design of China's great wall. So please, no surgery."

"Very well Raven, I'll get you all set up then. I'll be right back. I have to get the omeprazole valve... I think 40mg will do. I already have the sodium chloride. I think that will resolve the issue, and it's the safest route." Sheila left off in a hurry. She wanted Raven to heal just as much as she did. Star looked at her friend try to mask her agony, causing her to get misty eyed. Raven noticed and tried to cheer her up, but it didn't work.

"Well at least it's not a ripped gut... hmp."

"Why Raven! Why must you do this? If you are hurting, then just hurt for crying out loud! Stop trying to be the macho one, and just be human!" Star yelled at her. Raven didn't know what to do, she just hung her head low feeling ashamed.

"You're right Star... your right, but I can't show weakness here! I've been conditioned to not feel anything, so pain is my new normal. I'm the infamous Beast... remember?"

"Well not right now. You are my dearest friend and it's okay to be you around me, who you really are, not some trained soldier for these psycho's. Things are not the same as they were before. We are all reunited! It may be in the unkindest of situations, but we are here together, and our friends are coming to rescue us, that is if we do not do the kicking of the ass beforehand... ta-he-he."

"Must you always find a silver lining in the darkness Star?" Raven chuckled at her friends giddiness.

"Well I will not going to apologize for it! Now you must get better, we will find my princess, then haul butt back to the states! All of us!" She gave Raven a semi hug, then helped her over to the lounge chase, grabbed some extra pillows from the bed where Mandy slept, careful not to wake the snoozing teen, then propped it behind Raven's back to give her comfort and support.

"Thank you Star. This means a lot." Raven winced as she laid back on the pillows, eventually finding her a restful spot for her much-needed procedure. Star decided to take a moment to glance at the burner phone again, getting no response from her baby, then she walked over to the makeshift lab that Dr. Anderson had set up.

Being a Violence Crime Analysts for the FBI, reading lab workup's was like a second language to Star, so with her natural curiosity, she picked up the requisite and began to read the results herself. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary aside from the diagnosis, but something caught Star's eye that caused her to gasp quietly.

"Something wrong Star?" Raven asked lifting her head to meet her attention.

"Friend Raven... you are... the pregnant?"

"I am the WHAT!"

**************

Edited 2021

Okay... why not go there. I wasn't going to have Raven pregnant, but wouldn't it be interesting to see her in action against Scathe while trying to protect her unborn child? 😊😊❤❤😜😜

The final chapter of this book is next!