Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. Long live the Titans! Keep up the fight for a season six, and we shall be victorious!
"No!" I shouted, startling everyone in the room. "We can protect him! There's no way we can give Johnny up for adoption! Please..." I pleaded, not wanting to give my adopted son away, "don't do this."
"The Joker is after him. We'd be keeping him in danger if we kept him in the Tower," Robin argued, glaring at me through his mask. I turn to Raven for support. She agrees. Same goes for Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Terra. "Listen, I fought the Joker in Gotham many times. He's unpredictable, always having a trick up his sleeve. He's random, and to top it off, he kills because he thinks it's funny! I know Johnny's grown on you, but you have to let him go."
"I...I know", I whisper, "I have to let him go. I'll take him tomorrow," I say, heading towards the door. My girlfriend puts a hand on my shoulder, as if it'll keep me from leaving. "Raven, please let go. I need to be alone." With that, I jerk away, unshed tears beginning to pour down my face. I make for the roof, hoping nobody will stop me. Unfortunately, the Titans are waiting for me at the top. Teleportaion... damn, why didn't I think of that?! I could of just teleported away. Oh well, guess Raven cut me off on that.
"Man, you need to chill out. Listen, the kid's grown on all of us..."
"The kid has a name, Victor, and that name's Johnny." I growl. Cyborg inches back just a bit. Robin steps forward, arms crossed and the most serious look on his face I've ever seen.
"We don't want to do this anymore than you do, but we have to. Also, the rest of us," Robin says, pointing to Raven, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Terra, Starfire, and himself, "have elected Starfire to be the one to take Johnny to the police station for adoption." That did it.
My breathing grew heavy, my eyes glowed with electricity, and lightning covered my arms. Before anyone could stop me, I ran over to Robin and blasted him lightning ball and sent him flying. Then, in a flash of white light, I teleported out of there, convinced if I didn't leave right now, I'd do something I might regret. No, I don't regret sending Robin flying into the Jump City bay.
I reappear at the edges of Springs Forrest, some thirty miles from the outskirts of Jump. None of them know, none of them understand. Not even Raven. I was there for Johnny's first word. He looked at me one morning, giggled, pointed at me, and said "dada." My heart jumped when I heard that. In the darkness of the night, when I couldn't sleep, or was just worried beyond belief, I'd go to his crib, which was stationed in the room right next to Raven's, and watch over him. I was his guardian angel, watching over him for hours until the first rays of dawn crept over the mountains, bathing the world in a golden warmth. Usually, he'd wake up about then. I'd cradle him in my arms, humming an old tune that my mother used to sing to me. I even changed his diapers, the only male Titan who would do so.
He was left on the steps of Titans Tower thirteen months ago. We were told that he was a month old, or so the card said. We never did find his parents. Our surveillance systems had been down that night, too. So we didn't know what they looked like. Fingerprint analysis came up empty. We were uneasy at first, but he grew into our family. Of course, Raven and I would spend a lot of time with him, as well as Starfire and Robin, Beast Boy and Terra, and Cyborg. While the others thought of him as a little brother, I considered him my son. My biggest hope was that Raven would consider him her son as well, but that didn't seem to be happening. As far as I knew, anyways.
Whenever I watched him, he'd smile and giggle at me. Whenever he cried, I was almost always the first to his rescue. When he was scared, he came to me first, and I'd hold him in my arms, keeping him safe from the scary world. He'd call me dada, and I'd call him son. Of course, that last part was when we were alone only. Robin had made it clear he didn't want us to think of him as our child, but as a little brother. At first, this seemed easy. After a few days, however, he was my son. And I'd be damned if I let them take him away from me.
That night, I snuck into my room, packed what little I had in there, and went to Johnny's room, and repeated the process. Then I scooped him up in my arms, careful not to wake him, and teleported out of the Tower for good.
14 years later...
"The Grizzlies win!" the announcer shouted. "The battle for the Jordan cup is over!"
In the middle of the crowd I stood shouting with joy. For the first time in Grizzlies history, they won a championship. That wasn't the reason I was shouting, however. My son, my Johnny, had made the winning shot, which ended the tie and, with five seconds ticking on the clock, won the game. On his birthday, too. Johnny was lifted up onto the shoulders of his ecstatic teammates, and they cheered as if they had won an NBA championship. "That's my son!" I cry, pointing to Johnny. He sees me and grins, before his teammates put him down. I catch up with him after the awards ceremony, and tell him to have fun at the dance. He comes home around eight o'clock,(the game having ended at noon, the dance starting at four and going on until midnight.)
"Happy birthday, Johnny," I say, revealing the enormous cake I made for him. "Have fun?" I ask, eager to see how his date went. "You're home early, you know."
"My date was great. Tamera wants to see me again," he states proudly. "I might end up marrying her after all."
"One step at a time, my boy," I joke, "she's only been your crush since what, second grade? You used to follow her around everywhere. Now, blow out your candles and let's eat!" We stuffed ourselves full of cake and herbal tea, which he loved to drink. Just like Raven, ah, I've got to stop thinking about her. It's been fourteen years, I need to move on. Though the pain in my heart will never go away. We stay up late, watching movies and just hanging out, as was custom on a birthday at the Smith household. Joking, laughing, relaxing. Since tomorrow's Saturday, we plan on sleeping in. I could use a good sleep.
The next morning, I make ham, eggs, cheese omelets, and cherries for breakfast. After eating our fill, Johnny and I go our separate ways, me off to work and him to another date. Tamera called him just before he fell asleep and wanted to see him today, so I guess things went well. It's six in the evening before I get home. Surprisingly, Johnny is already home. "So, how was your date?"
He looked at me and grinned ear to ear. "She said she loves me. We had our first kiss. Can life get any better?"
"I expect kids someday, you know that, right?" I ask jokingly. Johnny goes redder than a tomato.
"Dad! We just started dating! We're not thinking about kids, yet! Though, I think she'd make a wonderful mother." I just nod my agreement, and go to get some coffee. "Speaking of mothers, dad, um, I have a question."
I exit the kitchen as quickly as I can and sit down on the couch next to him. He stares at me intensely, and takes a deep breath. "Dad, why didn't mom ever come live with us?" That question. I dreaded that one since that night when I choose to run away with my son. Okay, get a grip. He already knows he was adopted. Sighing, I look at him with weary eyes.
"Well, Johnny, remember hearing about the Teen Titans." He nods. "Well, um, your mother and I were a part of them." His mouth drops. "Yeah, you were left on the steps of Titans Tower in Jump City. We took you in, cared for you. I spent endless nights standing over you while you slept in your crib. I was there when you said your first word. Your mother was the first to change your diaper. Everything was fine, until a madman known as the Joker showed up. For some reason, he was after you."
"So, wait, the bad guy from the story was the Joker, and the group you lived with was the Teen Titans?" he asks, shocked. I simply nod my head and continue.
"We did our best to protect you. What drove me to run away with you was something your mother and Robin started. They began talking about how dangerous Joker is, how not even the Tower was safe enough. Coming from Robin, former sidekick to Batman and one who had fought the Joker before, this statement ringed with truth. Then Robin devised a plan. You were to be given to the police for adoption. I didn't want to hear any of it, but your mother agreed. She agreed to sending you away, to live with people who had no experience, no skill in fighting criminals, to be safe from the Joker. She and Robin convinced the others that you would be safer outside of the Tower. I pleaded with them. They refused to listen. So, in the dead of night, I packed your things and mine and teleported us out of the Tower. I left your mother, the only woman I've ever loved, behind. She wouldn't have gone through with this. She would have argued it was illogical, that by running away you would be in even more danger. I wouldn't let them take you from me. With every ounce of breath in my body I promised I would die before I let you get ripped away from me. The rest is history. We moved around the country for a while, before finally settling down here in Thrinsville. I've watched you grow from a little baby into a man wise beyond his years." It was true, Johnny was wise beyond his years. He was taking college classes in his freshman year of high school, and was acing every one of them.
"I need some time to think. I'll be in my room, dad." Then he got up and left, quiet as a ghost.
Well, that went well. Better than when I gave him the "talk" last year. That was just awkward. I laugh at the memory of it. Then doze into an uneasy sleep.
I walk down the hallway towards Johnny's room. Another restless night. What if he gets scared? Who's going to be there for him? I enter his room and walk over to the crib. He's not there! "Johnny!" I yell,frantically searching the room. Maybe he's in Raven's room. I go over to her room, but neither of them are in it. I search the others, nothing. 'Dada!' a voice cries, emanating from somewhere in the Tower. Running as fast as I can, trying to locate the room where Johnny is. The living room. Blasting the doors open, I see a horrific sight. My baby, my son, is being handed over to the police!
I reach out, yelling my son's name. They can't hear me. "Give me Johnny! Give me my son!" He looks at me, crying dada at the top of his lungs. I try running, but I can't move. With every ounce of strength, I try to save my son. The Titans finally seem to notice me.
"It's for his safety, let him go." the Titans say in unison. "Let him go, you can't keep him safe. Let him go, it'll only be for the rest of his life." They repeat the words, over and over,faster and faster. The Titans encircle me, and start to spin around my immobile form. My son screams for me, but I can't see him. The Titans have become a blur. They continue chanting those horrible words, and I want to die. "Noooo!!!" I scream, before being blasted into night.
I shoot up, falling off the couch. The blanket lands of the floor softly, and the pillow stays in place. Wait, blanket, pillow? Johnny must've covered me up and put a pillow beneath my head. He's always watching out for me. The darkness of the night makes me wonder what time it is. Glancing at the clock, I notice it's only 4 in the morning. After that nightmare, I know I'm not going back to sleep, despite hitting the sack at 1:30. Maybe I can take a nap later. A sharp knock at the door jerks me from my thoughts. Who comes at four in the morning? Damn early if you ask me.
"Hello, may I help you?" I ask, trying to make out the shapes in the dark. "Here, let me turn on the porch light." Seven figures stand before me. The tallest of them, a man with black hair, black mask, and a black suit with a blue bird on it is the first to speak.
"Alexander Smith?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. "Is he here?"
"Who's wanting to know?" I reply, wondering how it is they know my name.
"Nightwing of the Titans, formerly Robin of the Teen Titans. This is my wife, Starfire, Cyborg, Changeling and his wife, Terra, and Raven and her daughter, Jasmine. Alexander's a friend of ours."
Daughter? I take a quick glance at Jasmine. She has her mother's eyes, and my silver hair. I'm speechless, not sure of what to say. It's to early in the morning for this! So, I decide to play it cool, and tell them off. "Uh, you do realize it's four in the morning, right?" Nightwing folds his arms and frowns. "I'm going to assume that means yes. Could you try back later, say around ten or so? I'm sure he'd be up by then." I need to get some more sleep.
"This is urgent, wake him."
"Listen, Mr. Nightwing, Alexander got to sleep around one thirty in the morning. You know what two and a half hours of sleep will do to a guy? Not pleasant. Please, come back at ten." I close the door, but Nightwing blocks it with his foot. "I haven't gotten much sleep either, so please, for the love of peace, come back at ten!"
"You don't understand. See, he took something away from us a long time ago. Left his pregnant girlfriend," Nightwing says, pointing to Raven, "and disappeared. We need to talk to him, now!"
"Nightwing," Raven says, "remember, he didn't know I was pregnant. He wouldn't have left if he knew." She said firmly. "Sorry to wake you. We really need to talk to him. Please."
I cave in. "Alright, come in." I could never refuse Raven. "Pull up a chair, sit on the couch, I'll be back in a few minutes."
I go to my room, get a fresh change of clothes, and head to the shower. A warm shower will wake me up. Minutes tick by, and the water drenches me. It feels so good. I almost forget that the Titans are in my house. I swear I hear the door open, but it has to be my imagination. I locked the door.
"Looking good, Alexander," Raven says as I step out of the shower. "No need to hide anything, it's nothing I haven't seen or felt," Raven said, smiling. "Hurry up and get dressed, Johnny's awake." Then she leaves, but not before taking one last look at my soaking body.
Johnny's awake. Guess they figured out I was Alexander, or already knew, or Johnny told them that it was only him and me living in the house. Oh well, time to face the Titans. I'm not looking forward to this.
"I thought he was just playing dumb. You think he really didn't recognize us?" Nightwing's voice drifted through the air. "What was with the 'sleep' statement? We knew it was him when he opened the door."
"Dad told you he just woke up from a nightmare, right?" Johnny asked. The others nodded. "Well, maybe he actually was trying to get back to sleep when you knocked. It is four in the morning."
"Hate to break it to you, kid, but it's ten to five"Victor stated. "Well, he'd better get here soon. We have a lot to discuss."
"Do you think we should ask friend Alexander what his nightmare was about?" Starfire asked innocently.
"Don't ask, I don't want to talk about it" I reply, startling everyone in the room. I take a seat at Johnny's left, cross my arms, and try my best to smile. I don't think it's working. "So, welcome to Thrinsville, Titans. What do you want to discuss?"
The Titans glare at me as if they think I'm joking. Johnny looks confused. "Um, I'll just go to my room." he says, and quickly leaves. An awkward silence follows. Raven moves into his seat, and places her arm around me lovingly.
"You ran, taking Johnny and leaving us..." Nightwing starts, but I cut him off.
"Yeah, I know what happened. You wanted to give Johnny up for adoption. To a couple who probably would have no chance against Joker! I tried pleading with you but my words fell on deaf ears."
"You had no right to take him! What if Joker had gotten to you? What if he had killed you? Where would Johnny be? Did you think of that? Well, did you?!"
"Dude, chill," Garfield said, "you're going off like a volcano. Let Alexander have a chance to defend himself." I sigh. This is going to be a long day.
"Remember when Johnny was found on the steps of Titans Tower?" They all nodded. "We had to think of him as a little brother, no more." They nodded again. "Since I was recovering from our battle with Cinderblock, I volunteered to watch over him while the rest of you were gone. Well after two days or so, I started thinking of him as my son."
"I specifically stated not to think of him as a son," Nightwing growled. "Think of him as a little brother only. What part was not clear to you?"
"I couldn't help it. I grew extremely attached to him." I then went into great detail about the endless nights, restless nights. My fears of losing him if someone broke in. Watching over him as he lay in his crib, sleeping soundly. I talked about cuddling him when he woke up, of singing him to sleep. When he first called me dada. The guilt I had knowing I had broken a Titan rule not to have a child before my turning twenty. "I tried explaining this fourteen years ago, but you wouldn't listen."
"You broke a rule. In a sense, he was your child. The Titan code states that one can not become a parent until they become twenty! There's only been one exception to that rule," he stated, pointing at Raven.
"Wasn't that because I threatened to send you to a horrible dimension if you didn't let me keep Jasmine?" Raven asked. Nightwing gulped, while Changeling, Cyborg, Jasmine, and Terra tried not to laugh.
"Listen. Despite the fact you kidnapped Johnny," Nightwing stated, getting dirty looks from the rest of the Titans, "well, kidnapped is strong, you ran away with him, we want to invite you to join the Titans. Come back with us."
"Please," said Raven, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. "Think of it, we'll be a family again. We even have our own room in the Tower. Unless Jasmine wants to move here."
"That might not be a bad idea," Jasmine replied. "This is a nice house."
"I'll talk with Johnny, see if he wants to go. Give me a few minutes."
Johnny's Room
"Come on in. Hey dad, what's up?"
"Well, Johnny, the Titans want us to move back to the Tower with them. What do you think?"
He frowned, and shook his head. "Dad, I have a girlfriend. Plus, I've spent most of my life here. Did you really think I'd want to move?"
"No, I didn't. Well, I'll get back to the Titans, and let them know your decision."
"Could I say good-bye to mom first?"
"She's not going to be gone long. You can come down anytime, you know." Side by side, we went to the Titans.
"Decision?" Nightwing asked. He was clearly irritated about something, but I thought it best not to ask.
"We're staying in Thrinsville," I replied.
"Guess that means mom and I have a lot of packing to do." Jasmine said, smiling gently.
"We should get going," Raven stated. "You coming?" she asks, turning her head in my direction. "We could use the help packing."
"Of course I'm coming. Johnny, are you going to come or do you have plans?"
"None yet, dad. Might call Tamera later. I'll come help pack."
"Who's Tamera?" Raven asks.
"Tamera is Johnny's girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?! I have to meet her," Raven stated, "then you can start dating!"
"We're already dating, mom. You can meet her later today."
We took the T-Cruiser back to the Tower. In a few hours, everything that Raven and Jasmine owned was packed.
"All aboard for the last flight to Thrinsville." Cyborg yells.
After reaching home, we decide to leave the bags packed for now. Time to relax. "Dad, I'm taking Jasmine to meet some friends. Gonna swing by and pick up Tamera, you don't mind if I borrow the car, right?"
"Go ahead. You have your driver's license. Have fun!"
"Time for us to have some fun," Raven says seductively after the kids leave. We start kissing like mad, our tongues lashing inside each other's mouth. "It's been too long," Raven whisperers, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Yes it has. I've thought about you every day since I left. I promise you, we'll never be separated again."
"I remember you saying something about being tired earlier." Raven chuckles, grinning.
"That was a few hours ago..."
"Doesn't matter. I think we should get to bed," Raven whispers seductively.
"Follow me."
A blanket covers two naked, sweaty bodies. "That was wonderful," I exclaim.
"We have to do this more often," Raven replies. "I haven't screamed that hard in a long time."
I kiss her passionately, then wrapped my arms around her waist. "There's more where that came from."
"Later. Right now, I want to cuddle with you." Raven rests her head on my chest. "I love you, Alexander."
"I love you, Raven." Life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes, you're as high as Mt. Everest, others you're as low as the darkest depths of the deep blue sea. Right now, I top Everest. For I have reached the Moon, and am climbing higher still. At last, that hole in my heart is beginning to fill.
Sure, we'll have our arguments, but in the end, we'll always be there for each other, and for our kids. Nothing will tear us apart. For we are bound forever by the eternal bond of love. Tomorrow, we'll bind ourselves in marriage. And we shall remain like that until the end of time.