Raven Roth and Damian Wayne: The Walk of Life (Book 1 Of 2)

Chapter Two

Raven finished her meditation on the roof of Titan Tower as the first rays of sun began to creep over the peaks of Jump City. She looked out as orange and red streaks danced across the skyscrapers of her home city. Watching the sun rise always filled her heart with a calming happiness that she rarely allowed herself to feel. As she stood there watching her concentration was broken by the sound of a car coming along the bridge toward the tower. Visitors were some what normal but usually other heroes and never in such a luxurious high end looking vehicle. "Who's Mr fancy pants?" she thought to herself. When the car pulled up an older gentleman stepped out of the drivers seat and walked around to the rear passenger side door. He walked with perfect posture, upright, straight back , one arm behind his back as his other opened the door. A tall, dark hair and blue eyed man stepped out, his good looks seemed to hide his real age. Raven could feel a strong aura coming off the man. A mixture of anger, sadness, joy, love and what Raven could only describe as shear strength of will. But one thing stood out to her more than anything, behind all else there was a tremendous amount of kindness in the man. After a moment she realised that she had felt a presence like this before, back when her father was trying to escape and took over the justice league, who was this man? As she thought on it she didn't notice that the man was now looking up at her while she stared blankly down at him. "It appears you have been spotted sir." Alfred commented as he shut the door to the car. "Indeed, Raven, half demon daughter of Trigon, the interdimensional devil king, has powers of telepathy, command of magic and a high level empath." Bruce replied in a soft yet stern voice as he looked back to his butler and closest friend. "A remarkable resume for a 13 year old." Alfred said as he stepped beside Bruce. Bruce began walking up to the Towers doors "agreed but she's a year and 2 months older than Damian, 15 years old, no home other than Titan Tower. I have a feeling that she has something to do with Dick calling us out here." "My apologies Master Bruce, I had forgotten Master Damians birthday is around the corner. I must ask though, what makes you think Master Dick called you out here because of that young lady?" Alfred looked back up the Tower curiously as they walked. Bruce held the door open for Alfred, to which he just frowned. "Just a hunch Alfred, and no I won't go through first, after you." He said with a smirk, rewarding him a deeper frown on Alfred's face. "Very well Master Wayne but I shall add it to the tally of times you've forced me to give up my principles." The elder man replied sternly. Bruce chuckled to himself as he walked in behind his cleared annoyed friend. As they walked into the foyer of the tower the elevator in front of them pinged and the doors slid open. Inside were three familiar faces, two with wide smiles and another that was, contemplating? "Greetings to you Mr Wayne and Mr Pennyworth, it's great to meet you again." Kori said as she bounced forward to shake hands with Alfred. "Hey Bruce, Alfred, thanks for coming by on short notice." Dick said as he shook hands with his adoptive father. "As pleasure Miss Kori, Master Dick. We happened to be out this way already when you called us." Alfred said as he turned from shaking hands with Kori and shook hands with Dick. "What's with the urgency Dick?" Bruce asked releasing his hand from his greeting with Kori. Dick and Kori looked at each other and then around to Damian, who had stepped out of the elevator but done little else, still lost in thought. "Nothing as major as I think you've put into your head Bruce. Just a little thing with Damian that I'd like to talk to you and Alfred about, to get your opinion on the matter. He won't take my word for it so an outside view is required." Dick said smirking as he gestured for them to come up to the lounge. Bruce and Alfred looked at Damian and then each other and nodded for them to lead the way. Damian stood almost oblivious to the goings on around him, analysing every angle of what was said in the training room. He decided to just go up to his room to think things over in peace, his first reaction had been to dismiss what his brother had said but he couldn't help but find the idea both puzzling and somewhat pleasing. It was driving him a little mad. Bruce and Alfred took a seat on the sofa as Dick settled into the arm chair. "Anyone for tea?" Asked Kori "I shall do that miss Kori, take a seat and.." Alfred was cut off as Kori stepped forward "Mr Pennyworth, you are our guest here so the responsibility of hosting falls upon us. Please take the opportunity to sit and rest while others wait on you for a change." She said smiling and cheerily. Alfred took a second to contemplate but after looking over at Dick and Bruce he quickly worked out that he wouldn't win this argument and just put his hands up in surrender and sat back down. "An Earl Grey would be lovely if you please miss Kori. With no sugar and a splash of milk. Thank you. Master Bruce I imagine would take a coffee, black with one sugar and he is partial to one plain digestive biscuit if they are available." He said turn to Bruce to check his assumption was correct. Bruce looked up at Kori and nodded his agreement to the order that was place with a pleasant smile. "Nothing for me thanks babe." Dick said lovingly as she turned smiling into the kitchen. While Kori made the teas and coffee Dick explained to Bruce and Alfred what Damian had told him and what he, in turn, had told Damian. "Well this is, ah thank you, unexpected." Bruce said as he took his coffee from Kori. "Thank you miss Kori. It truly is but I do believe it is a good thing. Young Master Damian can be quite the handful but I think he has a longing for partnership that you too once had before meeting Miss Kyle Master Bruce. You did the right thing in telling him what these feelings are and could be." Alfred said to the group as they sat enjoying their beverages and some rare family time. "I happen to agree with Alfred on this." Said Bruce pulling the cup away from his lips. He leaned forward and set the cup down for a moment and thought to himself. "Ok Dick, mission for you." He said after a moment. Dick just looked back at him confused "mission?" he questioned. "Yes, you are to convince Damian to invite Raven to the family holiday. But he has to do it of his own accord. He has to want her to be there and not feel like he's been forced into it." Alfred sat forward slightly "An excellent idea Master Bruce. That being said however, our family gathering could be quite daunting for the young lady. And if I may sir, even miss Kori has not attended." Bruce looked across to Alfred then back to Dick and Kori, who were sharing the same armchair, holding hands. "That's actually the reason we're here in Jump City. I came down to invite you both in person. You've be going strong for a while now and when Dick refused my offer to buy the pair of you your own place, as he wanted to do it himself off his own back, I knew that he was sure about the two of you and how much you meant to him. As such I thought I'd come down to formally invite you to join our family." Bruce said smiling. Dick had a stunned look on his face as he registered what Bruce had said. It took a lot to get past Bruce's trust barriers but here he was inviting the love of Dicks life to his home, to his table and to his family. Kori looked on just as stunned, from what Dick had told her, this was a big deal. Bruce didn't let many, if any, in on the real family side of his life. A tear start to make itself known in her eye. "I would be honoured to join your family holiday Mr Wayne." She said joyfully. Bruce laughed a little to himself "well firstly, no one in our family calls me Mr Wayne, one of us calls me many other names but never Mr Wayne. Secondly, I'm sorry it took this long, you've been apart of this family for a while now in all reality, so join us for our holiday." Alfred sat smiling as he finished his tea. After a moment of smiling all round, Dick jumped up and throw a fist in the air "Alright, operation get Damian to admit his feelings for Raven and invite her to the party is a go!" he declared cause the group to chuckle amongst themselves.