Author's note: I'm alive! I got my writing spark back and I've decided to go back to writing little one-shot collections. One of the topics I would have liked to see in the old show was how the team responded to BB actually telling them that he was adopted by Rita and Steve. Especially considering the titan's view on the DP. So, read, review, and enjoy!
Robin stumbled on it accidentally. It was just a simple line on the paper, but he found it odd. There wasn't any other mention of it on other files. Robin was a bit miffed at that; the Doom Patrol files were always organized and didn't miss details. Disregarding the other thoughts he had in head, he got up and went looking for his friend. It was warm and sunny and the whole team was on the roof. Cyborg was getting his ass handed to him in volleyball and Starfire was having a good time doing it. Raven and Beast Boy were sitting together; the empath was huddled in the shade, and didn't seem to notice Robin approaching them. He sat down next to Beast Boy and watched as Cyborg served the ball.
"Hey, I noticed something weird on a file. Mind clearing it up?" Beast Boy looked up from his sketch.
"Ya, sure." Robin was a bit of a control freak when it came to paperwork, and after knowing the guy for almost six years, they had gotten used to it. It wasn't as annoying as it used to be, and Robin had gotten much better at asking for clarification rather than demanding it.
"I hit the wrong folder and ended up looking at some DP files. Says that Mento had a kid. Know anything about that?" Beast Boy narrowed his eyes at that.
"Didn't it give a name?" Robin seemed surprised at the tone.
"No, just said that he had a kid. Maybe he wanted to keep him off the books?" Robin smiled a bit. "I just thought you might know since you worked with them." Beast Boy gathered up his stuff, and didn't notice the look on Raven's face. The girl was frowning at her boyfriend.
"I don't know why he did. And, ya, I know who the kid is." Robin stood up and followed him off the roof.
"Oh, that's good. What's the kid like?" Robin was hearted by the fact that maybe Beast Boy wasn't the only kid around the older team.
"What'd you expect. I think I'm going to inside for a bit." Beast Boy hit the elevator button harder than necessary. Robin held up his hands.
"Look, I didn't mean to pry, I'm just curious. It's ok if you can't tell." Robin knew that you had to keep some people in secret. Maybe the kid wasn't in the hero circle. Just an average kid with Dome Head for a father.
"It's fine. Actually, Cyborg wanted you to play so you better go help him." Beast Boy darted into the elevator and pressed the close button. Robin stuck his hand in to hold the door.
"Are you ok? I didn't mean to look, it was just an accident." Beast Boy waved his hand off the metal.
"It's not your fault. I have a call to make, Robin, so I'll catch you later." And with that the doors shut. Robin stared at them for a while before heading back to the roof. He'd obviously caused some issue, and it might be wise to leave Beast Boy alone for a bit before asking again. The Doom Patrol was always a touchy subject. Raven still in the same spot and didn't mind him sitting down next to her.
"What was that about?" Robin asked her. Raven tapped her book cover.
"Robin, I can't say anything on this. It's not mine to share." Robin shrugged.
"I was just curious. He never mentioned another kid at the base." Raven got up and stared down the boy wonder.
"All I know is that whenever Beast Boy decides to tell you, he will. My advice is to stop asking." The girl went back inside, probably off to check on her boyfriend, and Robin went off to play with the two remaining teammates on the roof. He couldn't get Raven's advice out of his head.
X
Mento seemed surprised to have him call, but Beast Boy was filled with a bit of confusion and a whole lot of hurt. Thankfully, no one came down to the second floor, and he had removed all the bugs so there wouldn't be a record of this.
"Beast Boy? Everything ok, you don't usually call until the end of the month." Beast Boy bit back some of the bitterness in his tone.
"Nothing is wrong. Well, nothing to deal with the fate of the world."
"Then what's going on? We're going to be leaving soon. We just stopped to refuel." Always putting the mission first. Nothing had changed there.
"I'll make it quick. Robin accidentally saw the old files. There was a listing of a kid there, nothing else." Mento frowned. "You never made it public. The adoption. I have Robin questioning me about another kid at the base when there never was one." It stung that the man hadn't even bothered to list who he was. Mento heaved out a sigh.
"I admit that it wasn't the best decision, but I convinced Rita that it was the best plan. We could have anyone who knew how to hack knowing that it was you. There was enough risk with having you on the team; if someone found out that you were ours… god, you know the people we fought." He did. If they found out, Beast Boy would probably be dead at the very best.
"You could have had it changed."
"Yes, but that doesn't take care of the risk. And, despite my past actions… I do want you safe. Besides, Galtry is still out there. I don't want him hunting down the custody papers. You deserve that much."
"But not enough to be named." His former leader frowned.
"That's not fair, Garfield. You know how much I care about you." The familiar air of arguing was back between them.
"I know, but all I'm wondering is why you still can't have it listed. It's been years, and no offense sir, if Galtry wanted me, all he had to do is turn on the news. Kinda hard to miss a green kid." The telepath flinch at that. "I understand that you can't tell people in our circle, but now I'm gonna be stuck explaining this to Robin. And he interrogates worse than you."
"It's the only way I can keep you safe from here. People knew you worked on this team, Gar, and they don't know that we're keeping you safe on another level. Listen, we're leaving in a few minutes. If you still want to discuss this, we can when you call again." It was the best the man could offer. Beast Boy nodded and noted that someone was coming down the elevator.
"I've got to go. I'll talk to you at the end of the month." Mento looked like he wanted to say more, but he got cut off. He wasn't sure how he felt about this. God, the man couldn't even put it on paper. All the files were confidential and hidden. He wasn't shocked when Raven walked in and locked the door. She raised an eyebrow at his old communicator.
"Don't ask. He had to answer a few questions." Beast Boy tossed it off to the side. The idea of having it in his hands anymore was more than he could deal with right now. Raven sat down next to hand and put her head on his shoulder.
"Robin isn't going to stop asking. It might be time to tell him."
"I told you."
"Yes, but that doesn't solve the problem. You told me out of trust and confidence. I'm flattered by the fact that you told me first, but the others will wonder."
Raven was the only person that knew that Mento and Elastic Girl were more than just two members on his former team. The two had adopted him, half out of good will, the other half to ensure that Galtry couldn't get to him again. There was a handful of people that knew, and Raven was the first titan to know. He almost told Cyborg once or twice, but he knew how his best friend regarded the Doom Patrol, so he kept it to himself. It was almost two years since first meeting the DP, and Raven was still the only one to know.
"I know that, but Robin isn't asking out of concern. He's just asking. And no offense, Rae, I'm not really in the mood to share it when I know what the opinions of them are." Raven let him get up and watched him pace.
"His opinion could change. I know that at the start we didn't manage our dislike of them, but this could improve their view of the Doom Patrol. It's your decision." Raven got up and grabbed his communicator from the floor. "I'll stand by what you do. If you talk, then I'll support you. If you decide to wait, then I'll support that too." Beast Boy let her hug him. He reluctantly took the device from her.
"Let's see what Robin does. Maybe this time he'll actually leave something alone." Raven laughed.
"I don't see that happening, but you can hope." Raven pulled him out of the room. "Come on, at least come back to the roof. Robin will keep his mouth shut and we can laugh when Star beats him and Cyborg." Beast Boy went along with it. Raven was letting it drop for right now, but not for long.
X
Robin didn't bring it up again until the next week. The boy wonder was probably waiting until the changeling was alone to corner him. Beast Boy had been doing some simulations in the gym when Robin walked in. Cyborg was out for the day, and the girls had gone off to the mall.
"Hey." Beast Boy took a sip of his water and offered up a wave.
"Hi, coming in for a workout?" Robin shook his head and leaned against one of the treadmills.
"Actually, I was wondering if we could talk." That sent warning bells off in Beast Boy's head. That very phrase often spelt death for him. He should have known that Robin had planned this.
"That doesn't sound good." Robin gestured to the pile of mats they all used as seats when in the training room.
"You didn't do anything. I'm just… well, curious and a bit concerned." Well, if Beast Boy wasn't worried before, he was now.
"Ya, sure." He cautiously took a seat and Robin followed suit. "So…" Robin looked a bit stunned for a moment before he got his thoughts together.
"I know you probably can't give me a lot of details, but when you mentioned a kid in the Doom Patrol, I was curious. Still am, actually." Beast Boy felt his stomach drop. It looked like he would be having this conversation again.
"I can give you a few details." Robin perked up.
"Ok, um, I just figured they didn't list the kid because he didn't have powers." Beast Boy shook his head.
"No, there were powers." Robin nodded.
"Ok, but do they still live with the DP? Mento probably doesn't let them out of sight." Beast Boy snickered.
"Nope, left home pretty young."
"Really?" Robin looked surprised at that. "Did you know them?"
"Ya, I know the kid, Robin. A lot better than you'd think." The boy wonder frowned.
"I get it if you can't tell me a lot of details. But if they have powers, aren't they in the hero circle?" Beast Boy was beginning to think that Robin wouldn't figure it out.
"Robin, the kid has powers. He's not with the Doom Patrol anymore. And yes, he's in the hero circle." Neither of them talked for a moment. Robin opened his mouth once and then shut it.
"You said he." Beast Boy nodded. "Are you… that's…" Beast Boy waited patiently for him to figure it out. Raven had gotten it faster and he was proud about that. Another minute went by until Robin started to talk. "You're the kid."
"Knew you could figure it out." Beast Boy leaned back. "Mento wouldn't put it on the records officially. Security reasons. The actual papers are in some secure vault, I'm sure." Robin looked confused.
"But, how they acted, Beast Boy that's not how parents act!" Beast Boy steeled himself for this next part.
"Robin, they didn't adopt me so they could be parents. It was either adopt me or lose me to someone else. My last guardian wasn't too nice, and despite what you think, Mento and the others aren't the assholes you make them out to be."
"So, they took you in as a pity case." Robin knew those were the wrong words to say the second they left his mouth. Beast Boy glared hard at him.
"No, Robin, they didn't. It wasn't pity. Long story short, if they didn't, I'd probably be dead. They saved me, and if ever call it a pity case again, I'll break your jaw." This time, when he walked out, Robin didn't follow him.
