It was just like the beginning of another day except today it was Christmas. Raven sat on the edge of the bathtub patting Kori's back as she continued to puke. She was getting increasingly worried for her older sister figure. "Take this" she said walking to the medicine cabinet and pulling out a thin box. "What is it?" Kori asked wiping her face with tissue and flushing the toilet. "A pregnancy test. I had my suspicions the second time you threw up in the morning" she said as Kori took the little box and opened it.

Raven walked forward and quickly gave the red head a hug. "Just know that whatever it says I'll be here for you, we're sisters after all" she said as Kori smiled and hugged her back. Raven pulled away and walked outside of the washroom to give her some privacy. After the incident with her father a couple years ago Kori took her in. Her parents were rich but oddly never here so it was just the two of them. She knew Kori had an older sister. But that's all she knew, well except for the fact that she was in prison.

The door opened and Kori had a sickeningly happy grin on her face. "Raven you will be the Auntie!" Kori yelled in a fake happy tone as she hugged her. "But we cannot do the telling of the other people. This is the secret" she said as Raven nodded understanding. "How are you going to hide it?" She asked raising an eyebrow as they walked downstairs. On Christmas they usually just ordered Chinse food and sat by the television watching reruns of old Christmas specials.

"I do not know" she said looking down as Raven sighed patting her back. Just then there was a cheery sounding knock at the front door. Shuffling over Raven opened the door only to go wide eyed. "Oh hello friend Megan!" Kori chimed wrapping her arms around her stomach. "Gar told me that you were sick and weren't going to do anything for Christmas. My Uncle J'ohnn has to work so i thought we could come here and help cook and stuff!" Megan yelled happily as Raven let them in.

Gar trailed behind as Raven grabbed him and dragged him off. "You told you sister we weren't doing anything for Christmas?!" She whisper yelled as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "Well I kind of wanted to see you" he said as she blushed a light red not sure of what to say. "T-thanks" she stuttered out before turning on her heel and walking into the living room. "How did you do the finding of the house?" Kori asked as her and Megan sat on the couch. "Gar knew the street but your house is the only one without Christmas lights" Megan said as Raven shot Garfield a hard glare.

Raven offered to get everyone hot chocolate as she walked to the kitchen. "So Rae about the last time I saw you" he said from behind her as she sighed. Why was he so content on following her and asking her questions? "Why? Are you going to just date me and then hurt me when you're done with me?" She asked coldly as her grip on the counter tightened. Too many bad memories from her time with her father were flooding back. "No I actually really like you Raven, and um I was wondering if we could like go on a date?" He asked as she froze in place.

Was he asking her out? "I don't want to be hurt" she said turning around. He walked towards her trying to look intimidating but it wasn't working that well. He was shorter than her which made him look sillier. "Come on Rae please" he begged giving her his best puppy dog eyes. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Whatever" she muttered as his eyes lit up happily. "I'll take that as a yes!" He yelled dashing out of the kitchen yelling happily. "Garfield I brought you in here to help me carry these so get your ass in here!" She yelled as he came running back in and nodding happily.

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Sitting by the window she looked out at the snowy City. "Zatanna are you going to help me cook or not?" Zachary yelled from the kitchen. Standing up she grabbed her phone and shuffled the kitchen. Lately she had not been feeling the greatest but her new friends and Zachary have been helping her through it. "Zee you look so glum" he said ruffling her dark hair trying to get her to smile. Her ice blue eyes just didn't have that shine anymore. Phone chiming she took it out and saw the text.

He noticed the shine go back through her eyes when she looked at her phone. "So what has made you so happy?" He asked curiously as she blushed putting her phone away. "N-nothing" she stuttered out nervously as he rolled his eyes at her. "Come on I want to know" he said while scanning over a cookbook. She was forcing him to make a proper Christmas dinner instead of ordering Chinese food. "Okay well this guy is in my Mathematics class. His name is John, John Constantine" she said as he sighed.

He didn't want her going through anymore boy trouble. "Believe me he is awesome. He even likes magic!" She said happily with that same shine dancing around in her eyes. "Okay I'm not going to require your help if you're going to keep texting" he grumbled as she grinned and skipped off to her bedroom. With this guy John she was completely forgetting about the pain that Dick had caused her.

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     Both of their families were making dinner so they decided to go for a walk. "Woah!" He yelled slipping on some ice as he fell over bringing her down with him. Opening his eyes he stared up into a pair of steel grey one's. She laughed and leaned down quickly kissing him before standing up. "Watch out there's ice" she said as he rolled his eyes and stood up brushing himself off. "Yeah well I know that now" he grumbled rubbing his butt in pain. Just then he watched as she turned around with her mouth hung open.

     It took a moment for her eyes to go from happy to pure anger. "That motherfucker" she said seeing none other than Dick Grayson. "Arty" Wally warned before she angrily stormed over to the ebony. "You asshole!" She yelled slapping him in the face. He stood there for a moment before growling and hitting her back. "Your dead!" She yelled sending a punch towards him. He caught it and kicked her into the snow as Wally ran over. "Dude what the hell!" He yelled helping his girlfriend up. From where he hit her Artemis's lip was busted open.

Dick crossed his arms and growled at his best friend. "Okay if your going to be an ass and ruin all of these girls lives then so be it but don't lay a finger on my girlfriend!" He yelled in the ebony's face. All Dick did was glare at him before storming off. "Babe are you okay?" He asked looking over the blonde as she smiled. "I got to hit him didn't I?" She asked with a toothy grin as he rolled his eyes and picked her up bridal style. "Wally I can walk" she whined as he shook his head. "Sorry Arty but you need to get your face fixed up" he said as she sighed.

     His house was the closest so he took her there. "Hey Aunt Iris do we have any bandages?" He asked yelling through the house. His Aunt gasped when he carried Artemis into the kitchen. "What happened to your face!" She yelled seeing the bruise forming on the side of the blondes face. "Dick punched me" she growled as Wally set her down in a chair. "Here you go" he said gently touching her face with an ice pack as she hissed in pain. After getting fixed up her lip was a little swollen and a dark bruise had formed on the side of her face.

     They were now sitting on the couch as she held the ice pack to her pained face. "Oh I forgot" he said standing up and walking to the Christmas tree. "Here I got you a present" he said as she gave him a small smile. "Awe you didn't have to get me one, yours is at the house" she said as he handed her the wrapped gift box. She opened it with one hand and stared at the photo frame. Inside was a picture of the two grinning like idiots they took it on their first date. "Awe I love it thank you" she said kissing his cheek.

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Walking into the Manor he immediately got something thrown at him. "Nice job" Tim said sarcastically as Dick looked down at the thing he caught. It was the photo album Zatanna gave him. His eyes flickered with rage as he gripped the album tightly. "Go to hell Timothy" he growled before harshly brushing passed him. Going into his room he slammed the door and fell onto his bed. God he really missed Zatanna and her smile and her everything. Reaching under his bed he pulled out a half empty bottle of whiskey.

     He found it in Jason's room and took it. Taking the cap off he took a sip and looked through the photo album. Lately he had been going to alcohol to make himself feel better. "Zee won't like an emotional, parentless ass like you" he muttered closing the album and taking another sip of the whiskey. The more he drank the more he felt his worries wash away. A knock was at his door as he put the bottle back under his bed. Stumbling to the door he stuck his head out with a smirk plastered to his face.

Tim was standing there with his hair gelled back and dressed in a tuxedo. Right away he noticed something was off. "Hiya Timmy" Dick giggled out as Tim raised an eyebrow. He immediately smell alcohol which wasn't a good sign. "Let me in" Tim said calmly as Dick shook his head giggling. He rolled his eyes before pushing the door open hearing Dick fall to the floor. "Where is it?" Tim demanded as Dick giggled. "Where's what?" He asked as Tim rolled his eyes. The Annual Christmas Gala was tonight and Dick was drunk.

He was only sixteen! Not even the legal drinking age. "Your drunk Dick" he said as Dick shakily stood up and crossed his arms. "I am not fucking drunk" he said shaking his head with a smile on his face. Sighing Tim began searching around his room before he found the empty bottle under his bed. "Dick what the hell you can't be doing this!" He yelled angrily trying to keep the tears away from his eyes. He was mad at his brother but he was the only person left that he considered family.

To see his older brother figure drinking his life away was scaring him. "Gimme it" Dick slurred out as Tim held the empty bottle away from him. "Bruce!" He yelled as Dick's eyes flickered with rage. There were many different things people could do when they were drunk. Lunging at him Tim quickly ducked out of the way as Dick went crashing to the floor. Bruce and Alfred walked into the room as Tim ran to the Butler. The next thing Dick knew was that he was on the couch waking up with a splitting headache.

Groaning he rubbed his eyes and turned overr burying his face into the couch. "Master Timothy was quite upset last night" Alfred said making Dick want to hide even more. He was really hurting inside at the moment. Parts of the night before were embedded in his mind. "Just leave me to die Alfie" he said as the Butler patted his back shaking his head. "Come now. Master Bruce would like to have a word with you" Alfred said as he groaned and stood up off of the couch. Shuffling to his office he noticed that Bruce had a soft look on his face.

Sitting down in the chair Alfred left the two to speak. "How long Dick?" Bruce asked as he looked down. "A month" he said in a small voice. Bruce's face softened as he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why? You could've come to me if you were having problems" Bruce said as Dick scoffed.

     "Bruce my parents are dead and you aren't exactly approachable! Since I was ten I learned that making myself feel better was to have a woman love me! And you know where I got that from? You Bruce I got that from you! So leave me the hell alone, I don't have much to live for anymore anyways. Friends and girlfriend all hate me, hell even Tim does" he said looking down as tears streamed down his cheeks. Bruce took a deep breath and nodded. "Your right Dick. I haven't been the greatest rolemodel" Bruce said as Dick wiped his tears.

     He looked up at his guardian and raised an eyebrow. "There's a place a couple hours away from here. They can help you" he said as Dick nodded wiping away more tears. The only thing he wanted at the moment was to be loved. He hasn't felt love since his parents died and then Zatanna came along. But that didn't last for long, nothing for him lasts for long......

Skycrystal23  ;)