55 CHAPTER 51

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[Rachel Roth POV]

The Dark Birds of Star City. The Dark Flock of Justice. The Feathery Family.

That's how the news called us.

Black Canary, Black Bolt, and Raven, the Birds of Justice.

I found this funny on many levels, especially when taking into account I was sure Black Bolt wasn't a bird's name to begin with.

I also found this nice, in a warm kind of way.

It was stupid, perhaps... but the fact others were considering me part of their group, of their family, felt nice.

It made me feel like I was no longer alone.

Like I had a purpose beyond the one that had been forced upon me.

Like I was needed.

And that felt good.

But every now and then, when I was alone with nothing but my thoughts, I started to wonder in silence if this was really my place.

I was not like them.

I wasn't human.

I was a demon.

And no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise, that was always going to be my reality.

I was different, and I would always be.

And I couldn't help but wonder if, one day, that difference would be my undoing, their undoing.

Would I end up being the hero they saw in me? Or would I end up being the monster I feared I could be? The truth was, I didn't know...

I was afraid of these questions, of what the future had in store for me.

For now, though, I was content to simply be part of the flock.

I sighed as these dark thoughts swirled in my mind, and not for the first time. It seemed like, lately, my mind was consumed by the doubts.

And try as I might, I couldn't shake these thoughts and feelings off.

Perhaps it was because, for the first time in my life, I had something to lose beyond my own life, and the thought of losing it scared me.

I was so lost in my thoughts, in my own questions, that as I pondered in my bed about these feelings, I didn't even hear the door of my room open or the footsteps approaching me.

It was only when I felt a warm hand on my shoulder that I snapped out of it, turning around to see David standing there, a concerned look on his face.

~Raven... are you alright?~ He asked, his face showing genuine concern.

I shook my head, not trusting myself to say anything. I was fully aware of the stupidity of my own doubts, and that was the thing about the mind, nothing ever made sense.

David sighed and pulled me into a hug, which I gratefully accepted without a word, much to my shock. Then without a word, he started stroking my hair in a clear attempt to comfort me, as his emotions washed over me.

I felt his worry, his concern, but most of all... I felt his hope.

And at that moment, I realized something.

No matter what the future held for me, no matter what happened, I was somehow certain he would always be there for me like I would for him.

And that was enough for me.

It was more than enough, actually.

Because as long as I was certain of that, I felt I could face anything the future threw at me. 

"That's enough," I smiled, breaking out of his embrace.

~Is it? You looked like me for a second there,~ David jokingly replied as he took a seat on my bed.

"Funny," I replied in an even tone.

~Comedy often comes from pain,~ David shrugged.

I sighed, a small smile on my face. "How was your mission on Metropolis?"

~Good, I caught the bad guys before they managed to do any harm…~ David replied, frowning a bit.

He was feeling disappointed.

"But?" I pressed.

He sighed. ~Well, while I managed to catch the goons, the boss escaped, or rather, never showed, meaning…~ 

Meaning the boss had been aware of David's moves, or at the very least, aware a hero was moving against him and had therefore decided to change his course of action before said individual had him in an inescapable corner.

"You will get him or her next time," I replied, believing my words. 

~I know, but today's victory feels void… without the big fish,~ David sighed, rubbing his temples before shaking his head. ~Enough about me though, how was today's training with my dear sister?~

I frowned, remembering the insulting amount of time I spent on the ground today. 

~You will get better at it, don't worry,~ David smiled, reading my expressions with ease.

I sighed. "Hopefully…" 

~We know magic is your thing, but having a few extra skills are always helpful,~ David nodded.

I nodded. "I am aware; I am simply bothered at how bad I am…"

~Well, that's the beauty of learning; we can't be good at everything, I mean… I suck at magic!~ David replied, his eyes beaming a bit.

I snorted. "That's one way to see the glass, isn't it?"

He grinned.

"So, have you thought about Batman's offer?" I asked, curious as to what David had decided.

~Well… to be honest, I still haven't decided, I mean, sure, it is a tempting offer, but for some reason, I feel like he has some sort of hidden agenda, and honestly, I don't want to be a part of something that I can't control,~ David replied, his face turning serious.

"He never lies," I reminded David of his own words about Batman. 

~I know. He only avoids sharing the true reason behind his actions,~ David nodded with a sigh. ~I might take the offer, to be completely honest; I mean, knowing Batman like I do, he just probably wants me close to study my limits in order to plan an effective contingency plan against me or update the one he already has against me…~

I wasn't sure if I was okay with how nonchalant David sounded about Batman possibly planning how to take him down like it was the most normal thing in the world.

~I might be overthinking this, to be fair…~ David smiled, keeping his emotions under tight control.