Under the Red Hood

Chapter 2

Rain fell in continuous waves as I stared ahead.
Before my eyes was the closed casket of Jason Peter Todd. The second Robin. A Teen Titan. My best friend. My lover. Now dead.
After I learned of his death, my friends did their best to console me but nothing worked.
Just being here makes me nauseous. Staring at the brown coffin makes it hard to breathe.
I keep thinking Jason will walk through the doors, telling me he's alive. That he's well. That he survived.
I sigh and rub my tired eyes.
A hand is placed on my shoulder and I open my eyes to see Gar and Vic staring at me.
"Are you okay, Rae?" Gar whispers.
I frown, "Do I look okay to you?"
He winces at my tone and pulls his hand away from my shoulder.
Vic doesn't say anything but tries to give me a smile.
I turn away but snap my head up when I hear the doors open.
I stand up straight and clench my hands into fists.
Jason?
In walks none other than Bruce Wayne. The Batman.
The breath I didn't know I was holding leaves me and my hope diminishes.
His eyes meet mine and I feel pity crawl it's way to me.
I glare at him in anger. If it wasn't for him, then Jason would be here. If he never took Jason for that mission, then he would still be alive. He would be here. He would be here with me.
As if he senses my anger towards him he decides to walk to me and take the seat beside me.
"Raven."
"Bruce."
We sit in tense silence for a while until he speaks.
"I know that you're angry at me. And that you may hate me at the moment. But please know that I'm sorry."
I stare straight ahead at the coffin, "Anger doesn't begin to describe what I feel for you right now. Sorry doesn't and won't ever put you in my good graces again. Because of you, he's gone and he's never coming back."
"I know. Trust me I know. I know how much he meant to you and because of my actions he's gone and Joker got away."
I inhale sharply and swallow the lump in my throat.
"When I found him, he had this in his hand. I thought maybe you would want it."
I hear a small rustle and see his hand in my peripheral.
Finally, I acknowledge his presence and look down at his hand. I hold my hands out and feel something small land in my palms.
I open my hands to see a necklace with a burnt and chipped raven charm.
My heart and head feel like it's going to explode as my hands began to violently shake.
I gave that to Jason for his birthday. He declared it a good luck charm and never took it off after I gifted it to him.
"Raven?"
I look up and stare deep into Bruce Wayne's soul. I stand up and grip the necklace in my hand.
All eyes are on me but I ignore them as I stare down the playboy billionaire.
"I will never forgive you! No matter how much you beg for my forgiveness I will never, ever, forgive you!"
With that, I ran out of the funeral home.
Shouts for me to come back were heard but I didn't care.
The front doors to the funeral burst opened as the freezing, heavy rain welcomed me with open arms.