Sleep. It was a precious commodity in the super hero community. Missions weren't limited to an 8-5 schedule and duty could call at any time. Uninterrupted sleep was a luxury. And Beast Boy valued his sleep.
Unfortunately tonight was such a night, a night of interrupted sleep. It seemed to Garfield Mark Logan that he had just put his head down on the pillow when his slumber had been so jarringly interrupted. He grumbled unhappily as he sat up in the bed, clearing the cobwebs from his mind. Slowly but surely the room around him came into focus. The Captain Carrot poster on the wall was the first thing he saw.
I guess that means I'm home. It could be worse … I guess.
He stood up and stretched. He was wearing only his boxers and a t-shirt. Every fiber in his green body wanted to fall back into his warm and soft bed, but the sound that woke him did not end. Duty called.Bed and sleep would have to wait.
I'm coming, I'm coming, gimme a break.
He staggered away from the bed in the dark, walking carelessly, stagerring away from his bed. He suppressed a curse as he suddenly stepped on something rather sharp, which dug deep into the sole of his bare foot. Now fully awake he plucked the rogue object from his foot and tossed it away. He saw the digital read out of the clock on the wall: it was 1:37 AM. Right on schedule. No rest for the just. All too predictable.
He continued to walk, this time more carefully, until he stopped in front of a relatively new furniture addition in the room: a crib. He turned on a small night light and saw her, all 11 pounds and 7 ounces of her. He leaned over and gently picked up his precious bundle. She ceased to cry as she stared into his green eyes. Her own indigo colored eyes suddenly seemed filled with wonder and to his great delight she smiled. His interrupted slumber was now forgotten. He lifted her up and smelled her bottom and frowned.
"P.U., no wonder you were crying. Let's get you changed, pumpkin."
He carried her over to the changing table, where he quickly and thoroughly cleaned her and put a fresh diaper on her. Her happy face looked up at him. Grinning, he leaned over and blew a raspberry on her tummy. She squealed with delight, her who body jiggled with glee and he repeated the raspberries.
"Who's daddy's pretty little girl?"
He picked her up and nuzzled her tiny gray nose. She giggled and he giggled back at her as he warmed up her bottle. Once it was ready he sat down on a rocking chair and got comfy. She happily suckled at the bottle.
The room was once again quiet and peaceful and he savored the silence, listening to her suckle. Soon enough, she finished her bottle. He burped her and then cradled her in his arms. She looked so sleepy and was soon back in slumberland. He kissed her tiny forehead.
"I can't help falling in love with you, my little Coraline." He whispered.
A gray hand suddenly appeared and it caressed the sleeping infant's face. Gar looked up and saw Raven, clad in her nightgown, standing beside him.
"And I can't help falling in love with both of you." She whispered in her monotone.
Raven took Coraline from him, and after holding her for a few minutes, she tucked her first born back into her crib. She then took Gar's hand and they went back to their bed, to get whatever sleep they could muster before the next feeding.
The End.
