Nightwing had a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Things weren't going to end well for him.
"How long until they get here?" Kid Flash wondered.
No one knew until the elevator dinged. The doors to the common room hissed open & several imposing figures stood in the doorway. Superman, Batman, the Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Aquaman & the Green Lantern.
Walking proudly, the seven came down the stairs & into the common room. They looked over the room's occupants before Batman fixed a steely eyed stare to the leader, Nightwing. "What's going on here?"
Nightwing narrowed his eyes. The days of his mentor bossing him around & running his life were long over & it was time he knew it.
But before he could open his mouth, Christopher walked over & offered a childish wave. "Hi! I'm Christopher Grayson & I'm three!"
Batman, Bruce Wayne looked down at this small cocoa child & blinked. He was shocked by this turn of events. Thoroughly.
"What's your name?" Christopher went on, oblivious to the tension.
"Bruce!" Superman, Clark Kent slapped his shoulder, nearly making him fall. "The little one is speaking to you."
Bruce gathered himself & seemed to grow. "We need to talk."
Nightwing knew this was coming. "I don't think we do."
"Excuse me?!" He growled. "You have a child claiming you as its father & you don't think we need to talk?"
Before Nightwing could say exactly what they could do, Starfire placed a hand on his shoulder. "I believe it would be a good idea for you two to have the talk."
Nightwing didn't like how she could so easily change his mind but he gave in. "We can talk in the kitchen."
"That's private." It was said so seriously, no one knew if the Dark Knight had made a funny or not.
Nightwing led him into the kitchen & sat on his chair. Bruce paced in front of the island. Nightwing waited for his adoptive father to speak. He refused to go first.
"That could take a while." Clark realized. "How about you all tell us what's going on?"
"We're having a birthday party." Changeling said.
"We see that." Green Arrow, Oliver Queen stated. "What's with the kids?"
"It's Charlie's birthday."
"& who is Charlie?" Wonder Woman, Princess Diana "Prince" of Themyscira looked at the children.
Changeling picked up the now two year old. "This is Charlie. Say hi."
Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck & buried her face in his throat.
The Green Lantern, Alan Wellington smiled. "She's shy."
Aquaman, Arthur Curry smirked. "Who are her parents?"
"I am." Changeling said defensively.
"When did that happen?" Clark wanted to know.
"Yesterday at 11:34 am."
"What exactly happened? You didn't have children last week." Diana intervened before Clark lost his temper.
Between Cyborg, Starfire & Bumble Bee they retold the story.
"Why'd you pick this one?" Alan asked Cyborg. "They're not as much fun this small."
Cyborg narrowed his real eye. "I'm not in it for the fun. Besides, he picked us."
"How? He's just a baby."
Bumble Bee handed Calvin to Diana. Immediately he started crying & dark clouds gathered out the window. Thunder cracked & the waves rolled.
The entire party raised a collective eyebrow.
Diana quickly gave Calvin back & instantly the dark clouds went away. The sea calmed & the day went back to normal.
"He's meta?" Alan whistled low. "& powerful." He scratched his chin. "You know. He's going to need a grandparent. Someone to look up to when he can't go to his parents."
"He's always going to have us." Cyborg made that perfectly clear.
"Did you always go to your parents?"
Cyborg's lips flattened. They all knew the answer to that was no.
"Exactly. I don't know if I'll be any good at it but I could be his grandpa. I don't have any kids & I did always want a son."
"But he's my son."
"I meant you." Alan pursed his lips at his obtuseness.
"Oh. How do you know I don't have a dad?"
"I'm not stupid." Alan was reaching the last of his patience.
Bumble Bee elbowed Cyborg. "Stop being a pain."
Cyborg was very straightforward about this. "I don't need a dad. But I guess Cal will need a grandpa."
"That wasn't very gracious." Alan taunted.
Cyborg growled low before saying crisply, "Would you like to be Cal's grandfather?"
"I'd love to!" Alan went to Bumble Bee & shook Cal's little hand with his index finger. "Nice to meet you, grandson."
Diana lit up. "I've always wanted a daughter. Can I be Charlotte's grandmother? Her name is Charlotte, isn't it?"
Changeling hooked a thumb at Raven. "Ask her."
Raven could have sent him to a dimension where the color green was punishable by law for that. "Changeling!"
He shrugged. "I have a mom."
Diana was pleased. She'd always liked Raven. Her reputation as a thinker preceded her & Diana always liked independent women. "Do you have a mother? I would very much like to be yours."
"I-" Raven didn't know what to say. She hadn't been close to her mother & now the woman was dead. She'd always wanted her & reading books with strong mother/daughter relationships always left a pang in her heart. "Of course."
Diana let out a loud happy sound. She sounded just like Starfire when the redhead discovered mustard. She peeked at Charlotte, who had yet to let Changeling go. "Can I hold her?"
"If I can get her off." Changeling tried to pry her off but she was using super strength to hold on.
Diana pouted. Raven didn't want to see such a powerful woman sad (something about it reminded her of a sick lion). So she took Charlotte from Changeling & held her on her hip. "This is going to be your grandmother. Can you say hi?"
Charlotte watched Raven with wide eyes before turning to Diana. She peered at the amazon for a long while before waving shyly & ducking her face into her mother's side.
Diana was thrilled for that little exchange. "Hello, darling. Oh she's precious!"
That was as much sweetness as Raven could do without major meditation so she hoisted the little girl up so she could wrap her arms around her neck. She would not force her to interact any longer.
Superman put a heavy hand on Changeling's shoulder. "You said you have a mom. Do you have a father?"
"No." Changeling's eyes were flat.
Raven looked at Changeling sharply. "Changeling?"
"I have not had a father since mine died. That was half my life ago." His tone was just as arid.
"Every child needs a grandfather. I do not have any children. I can be her grandfather." Clark said.
"Ask Rae."
"I'm not asking her. I'm asking you." The nerve of these kids!
"I'm good." Raven elbowed him sharply. "Ugh! I don't need a dad. I've made it this long without one."
"Maybe if you had one, you'd be more civil?" She hissed.
"I am civil!" He was indignant.
"Be nice!"
"Fine!" He snapped bitterly. "If you want to be Charlie's grandpa, I have no objections."
"You are right. They are not gracious young men." Clark looked at Alan.
"They're not raised right." Alan responded.
"We raised ourselves." Cyborg bit off.
"You did terrible jobs."
Cyborg glared at him.
"You did fine." Diana set her hands on her hips. "Stop messing with them, Alan, Clark. These boys are men now. They don't want fathers at this late stage."
"You just begged to be this girl's mother." Clark protested.
"A girl always needs a mother."
Clark raised a finger to refute that but was at a loss. He dropped his hand & turned to Changeling. "I'll be delighted to be your surrogate father. You need someone to teach you manners."
A brow swung up but the green tinted hero remained silent. That said it all.
Starfire didn't like the tension so she said, "May we continue with the festivities, please? Charlotte turns two a single instance."
Diana clapped. "Oh! I get to go shopping for her!"
/\\/
"How could this happen?" It was the first time anyone had spoken & it was Bruce.
"How was Chris born or how did he come into my care? Because I could have sworn you gave me the sex talk years ago."
"Don't get cheeky with me, boy!"
"I'm not a boy anymore. I'm a grown man who has responsibilities now. Ones that don't include telling you what's going on in my life." Nightwing crossed his arms.
"Why not? Was I not a good enough father?"
"No!"
Bruce looked & was shocked. It showed on his usually blank face & colored his usually dead voice. "I wasn't?"
"This cannot be a surprise to you. I ran away when I was fourteen years old!"
"We had a little spat. I always figured you would come back."
"I ran clear across the country."
"You'd have distance to travel."
"You really thought I would come back?" It was incomprehensible to Nightwing.
"Yes." Bruce's voice was humble for the first time in his life.
Now Nightwing felt bad. He never knew Bruce so much as cared if he made it to California. "I didn't know."
Bruce leaned on the island counter. "We both made mistakes."
"You're admitting to not being right? It must be the end of the world." Bruce gave him a look. "Sorry. Low blow."
"Could we start over?" Bruce was not used to asking & it showed. "I would like to get to know you as a man. I would like to know your team-"
"Family."
"Excuse me?"
"They're not just my team. They're my family."
Bruce looked at him a long while. "I would like to get to know your family. & I would like to be in my grandson's life."
"Grandson?" Nightwing's eyes widened behind his shades.
"Legally, he is my grandson & heir to my estate. Just as you & Tim are."
He was right. Nightwing was floored. "I suppose so."
"He should visit Gotham soon."
Nightwing gave him a… certain look. All those crazy villains in Gotham? No way! "Sure."
"I should change my will." Bruce spoke to himself.
It was a little much for Nightwing so he stood up. "We should rejoin the party."
"When is his birthday?" Bruce straightened.
"July seventh."
"Who is his mother?"
"Starfire."
"The alien princess?"
"Yes." Nightwing looked over the common room & saw Christopher dancing with his mom. Both were off beat but happy.
"It seems you have another family." Bruce never missed anything. Ever.
Nightwing went beet red. "Star & I aren't together."
"Not yet." Bruce exited the kitchen.
Nightwing almost fell out; his eyes were already bugged out. He shook himself & rejoined the party before anyone asked why he was standing in the kitchen looking like he saw a ghost.
/\\/
"I do not understand this Earth game." Starfire freely admitted.
"You blindfold yourself, spin a few times then try to pin the tail on the donkey." Cyborg explained.
"What if I do not pin the tail on the donkey correctly?"
"You don't win." He blinked.
"I will try." She stood up & let Bumble Bee blindfold her. The dark haired teen spun her a few times then Starfire ambled forward slowly. She reached out in front of herself before thrusting out the pin in her hands.
She took off her blindfold amidst snickers. She pouted at her turn. She'd pinned the pin to the wall… but nowhere near the donkey. "Oh glorblat!"
The party chuckled as she went to sit down.
"Who's next?" Bumble Bee called out.
The Man of Steel stood. "I believe I will go."
Bumble Bee flew up to him & blindfolded his piercing blue eyes. She spun him a few times before setting him loose. He misstepped a few times but found the wall & pinned the tail pin to it.
He stepped away from the wall & took off his blindfold. He'd pinned the tail exactly where it should be. He grinned as he turned to the room. "I win!"
The others pouted but Bruce only raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have x-ray vision?"
The partygoers all looked to Mr. America. He cheated?!
Clark grinned. "I didn't use it?"
"A cheater & a liar. Must be Changeling's dad." Cyborg whispered to Speedy.
Both Changeling & Clark glared. "I heard that!"
"What's s-ray vision?" Christopher asked.
"X-ray vision." Bruce corrected. "It's the ability to see through the surface."
That went over his head but Christopher smiled anyway.
Charlotte, who was cuddled up with her new best friend, Jericho, suddenly looked to Clark & squinted. Everyone wondered what she was doing until two red beams of light left her eyes & hit Clark in his midsection.
"Ow!" He was surprised. It was a heat blast. Now he knew how all the villains he'd used it on felt. It was very unpleasant! "How'd she do that?!"
"She's a meta, too?" Alan was in awe. "What about the other one?"
"Chris. & yes, he's a meta." Nightwing said.
"What sort of powers does she have?" Clark asked. He hadn't run across too many with heat vision.
"Charlotte has the ability to copy any power. She just needs to be by you & she can copy it. If you show her how to use it, she can perfect it without you being around." Raven explained.
Clark was impressed. "So she has all our powers now?"
"If we tell her how to use them, yes. Indefinitely."
He went on to Charlotte & shook her hand. "Squeeze my hand."
Charlotte looked up at Jericho, who nodded then back at Clark to do as told.
Clark was taken aback by her grip. It was very strong. "Can you pick me up?"
Charlotte lifted her hand. Clark went up in the air.
"Yes, you can." He was thoroughly intrigued. "You can put me down now."
Charlotte set him down then looked up at Jericho, who smiled. She beamed back.
"I feel like a race." The Flash, Barry Allen said.
Kid Flash grinned. "She's fast."
"Even better!"
"No racing." Raven said. "The last race she was in ending with her crashing into the wall."
"It wasn't that hard." Speedy protested.
"She crashed into a wall?!" Diana was appalled.
"Sparky made her a car for her birthday & she was racing with Kid Flash. She hit the wall." Bumble Bee explained.
"Was she hurt?" Diana looked over the child, who climbed into Jericho's lap to escape her.
"She's okay." Changeling hid a smirk. "She was just dazed for a bit."
"Raven made us put up the car." Kid Flash admitted.
"Who makes a car for a two year old?" Alan wondered.
"Fisher Price." Cyborg said seriously.
Alan blinked. "Touché."
"What is she doing now?" Diana asked. Charlotte touched her arm & she twitched. "Ouch! Did she just zap me with electricity?!"
"My power." Bumble Bee raised her hand.
"Charlotte, no." Raven dragged her off Jericho's lap, kicking. "You cannot use your powers against people."
"Isn't that what we do on a daily basis?" Changeling grinned.
"You're not helping." Raven glared as she sat beside him with the struggling Charlotte on her lap.
Bruce leveled a look on the child. "Stop."
Charlotte stopped moving & stared at him.
"That look works on everybody." Nightwing apologized to the child.
Raven however was thankful. "Thank you. She's usually so good."
"It's just the terrible twos." Diana had already forgiven her.
"I hope it doesn't get worse."
"It will."
Changeling ruffled Charlotte's hair. "She's a good girl. Aren't you, Charlie?"
Charlotte climbed into his lap & buried her face in his chest. She nodded.
"Yeah, you are."
"I see your intent is to spoil her." Clark noted.
"Yep!" Changeling was fully aware of that fact.
"That's not good parenting."
Raven slapped a hand over his mouth before he could get anything out. "Do not!"
Bruce had been looking at Christopher for the past few minutes. "What powers does he have?"
"Super strength, flight, heat vision & ice breath." Nightwing told him.
"Why hasn't he flown anywhere? Three girls here have floated the entire time we've been here."
"He's not the greatest flier."
Christopher looked up. "I can't fly."
"You'll get it one day, buddy." Changeling said.
"Does he have control over his powers?" Bruce wondered.
"Some." Nightwing explained. "He can control his strength to a degree & he usually doesn't blow ice chips. He doesn't have control over his heat vision but luckily he doesn't use it much."
"What exactly are the little guy's powers? Weather control?" Alan asked Bumble Bee, who nodded.
"They're emotion based."
"They're good powers." Arthur said. "They'll come in handy when they're older."
"Hopefully it'll protect them." That was her new greatest fear, something happening to Calvin.
"Okay sad topic over." Cyborg didn't like her getting sad. "Let's do another game."
"Let us partake in a game of the couples!" Starfire floated.
"Not all of us are couples, Star." Argent crossed her arms.
"We can have the partners." She made her eyes big & pleading.
"Fine." The brunette/redhead sighed. "Who wants to be my partner?"
Hot Spot's eyes burned. "I'll do it."
"Yay."
"Can I be your partner? In life?" Speedy wiggled his eyebrows.
"That's what you call a pick up line?" Oliver shook his head. "I didn't teach you that."
Cheshire laughed at his defeated face.
Oliver bent over her hand. "Would you do me the honor of being my partner?"
Cheshire blushed. "Yes."
Speedy sat there with his mouth hanging open. "Dude!"
Kole snuggled up to Jericho. "We're dating so we're partners."
"I'm glad I don't have to go through that anymore." Changeling slouched on the sofa.
"Who said I wanted to be your partner?" Raven raised a brow.
Before he could whine, Clark cocked his head. "Are you two together?"
"Yes." Changeling said at the same time Raven said, "Define together."
Changeling glared at her. "We're so together!"
"When did that happen?" Clark wanted to know.
"Recently." Raven made that clear.
"Who else is together?" Arthur looked at Garth, who shook his head.
"Well not to brag but…" Cyborg put an arm around Bumble Bee, who moved.
"Then don't. We're brand new."
"But we're together."
Alan laughed. "He has a point."
"I don't think a couple game is fair. There's not enough girls." Speedy just counted.
"Play with a male." Starfire suggested.
Speedy recoiled. "No way!"
"I do not understand Earth's rigid sexuality." She shook her head in exasperation.
"I'm not playing with no dude." & that was final for the archer.
"Then watch." Cheshire rolled her eyes.
He sulked.
"Diana?" Both Clark & Bruce spoke in unison. "Will you be my partner? Hey! I'm asking! Stop that! Stop that! You're not funny!"
"It's a little funny." Kid Flash whispered.
Barry, who overheard him, laughed. "It's a lot funny!"
Oliver took Diana's hand. "Will you be my partner?"
"What about me?" Cheshire stuck her lip out. "I'm your partner."
"Can't I have two?"
Speedy threw his hands up.
Arthur rolled his eyes. "No, you cannot! Diana, be my partner."
Diana giggled. "Okay. You should stop spreading yourself thin, Oliver. You'll lessen the risk of exposure that way." The girls giggled.
"What does that mean?" Hot Spot asked Kid Flash, who shrugged.
Aqualad & Jericho shook their heads.
Mas y Menos zoomed to Starfire's side & fought over who would ask to be her partner but she suggested they be each other's partners since they knew each other so well. They begrudgingly agreed.
"I can be your partner, Star." Aqualad offered.
"That would be lovely." Starfire accepted.
Nightwing sputtered before turning to Terra. "Do you want to be my partner?"
"Sure." The geomancer didn't think she'd be able to play.
"What is this game anyway?" Aqualad asked Starfire.
"I do not know." The redhead lifted her shoulders.
"But you suggested it!" Cyborg protested.
"Must I do everything?!"
Raven smirked. "Apparently."
"Forget that! No couple game!" He waved a hand. "Let's go outside & play TV tag."
"What's that?" Changeling wanted to know & he wanted to know yesterday.
"It's regular tag but when you get tagged, you have to say the name of a TV show to get the tagger to leave you alone."
"Awe-some! I'm going to dominate at this game!"
"I'm going to do so much better than you." Kid Flash boasted.
"No powers." Cyborg warned.
"Meaning I'm going to wipe the floor with you." Changeling taunted.
"Big talk coming from someone snot colored!"
"Says the chicken that's afraid of the dark!"
Kid Flash reared back. "Who told you that?! It's only the really dark! Jinx, did you tell?!"
It was really quiet as Jinx huffed with an exasperated eye-roll. "No. You just did."
Kid Flash's eyes widened & his mouth opened & closed with no sound emerging. Then he closed both his mouth & his eyes before falling backwards on the couch.
It started low. No one knew who started the wave but there was soon a crashing symphony of laughter as his words sank in. It ended up deafening.
Even the ones who didn't laugh (Bruce, Raven) ended up chuckling.
Jinx was the only one who didn't laugh (besides Calvin, who was too young to understand & Charlotte, who was afraid of the dark herself). Barry was rolling on the floor, laughing.
Jinx took his hand & squeezed it. It was the only way he survived the red streak across his cheeks.
"Can you tell us why?" Cyborg asked. "Why are you seventeen & afraid of the dark?"
"Who cares why?!" Hot Spot held his stomach.
"Maybe it's all the monsters that hide in the dark?!" Speedy started up again.
"How did you know he was afraid of the dark?" Arthur asked.
"I was reaching!" Changeling sputtered as he tried to stop laughing unsuccessfully.
That caused an uproar. By the time it ended, Wally was officially over his friends. "Are you done now?"
Aqualad wiped away tears. "Are you still afraid of the dark?"
Kid Flash took a deep calming breath & let it go. Jinx squeezed his hand again, giving him her support. He drew on her strength.
"Okay, we're done." Diana waved her hands in front of her red face.
"Yeah, it's okay, man!" Cyborg sniffed. He drew a shaky breath. "Everybody's afraid of something."
He was right. Kid Flash relaxed. "Thanks."
"Now let's go play TV tag."
"Alright!" Cheers went up as the group headed outside in small groups while the ones who could fly, jumped out the window.
Finally making it outside, the big party randomly chose a tagger then ran to hide along the island.
/\\/
It was late when the guests started to leave. Titans East headed out as the sun set. It was difficult to get Charlotte to let Jericho go.
Then the Justice League members began leaving one by one to go back to wherever they were needed.
Aquaman had left first with Green Arrow, both confirming with their wards that they did not in fact have hidden children. Then Green Lantern left, promising to come back for Christmas. The Flash left next, teasing Kid Flash about his relationship the whole time.
Superman & Wonder Woman were leaving with Batman & promised to call as soon as possible just as they swore to come for holidays. Neither Raven nor Changeling were particularly thrilled.
Batman put a hand on Nightwing's shoulder. "We will do better. I'll see you at Thanksgiving."
"We'll be here." Nightwing swore.
"Bye, Grandfather." Christopher waved sadly.
Batman put his hand on his head. "I will see you soon."
A teleporter beamed up the trio of great legends & Titans West was alone once more. As they used the elevator to go upstairs & put the kids to bed, simultaneously they uttered, "Thank everything!"
I know I said Alan Wellington but picture Jon Stewart as the Green Lantern. I like Jon but I like Alan's name better. Sequel up soon. I have a bunch of these.