Here I am with another story without first writing another one. I'm so out of sorts right now. There's so much going on in my private life and I'm mostly writing on another story that's taking up a lot of time. It's a mess.
Plus there's a winter storm in my area and our power got knocked out. As of this very minute I have 63% left on my phone's battery but I'm updating. For you. Don't say I don't care!
Enjoy and review!
NJPNJPNJP
"I'm sick of being in here!" Bumble Bee yelled.
"Please calm yourself, friend." Starfire patted her hair.
"It's a pretty sweet gig." Jinx lifted a shoulder. "I wish a doctor could tell me I had to lounge around my room all day."
"It's not that great." Bumble Bee muttered bitterly.
"The doctor put you on bed-rest because you continued to train with us." Raven lectured. "It's what brought on those Braxton Hicks contractions."
"I know." Bumble Bee scooted in the metal and wood bed until she could pull the cover over her head.
"It's only been a week." Terra pointed out. "Can't you last a little longer?"
"They gotta take this kid out…"
"You're eight months along." Jinx rolled her eyes.
"I told you-"
"Yeah, yeah. The women in your family are only pregnant for eight months. But have you thought that Tin Man's genes could cancel that out?"
Bumble Bee began crying.
Raven, Starfire and Terra glared at Jinx, who grimaced.
"I don't wanna be pregnant for this long!" Bumble Bee wailed.
Terra wrapped her arms around Bumble Bee's trapped legs. "I know but Marco will be here sooner or later. Being pregnant isn't that bad, is it?"
"I'm fat and stuck in this bed! Yes, it's that bad!"
"You're not fat!" The other girls snapped.
"Look at me!" She whipped the covers away and indicated her large belly. "I can't even put shoes on!"
"Why do you need shoes?" Jinx asked. "You can fly."
"That is not the point!"
"You told me that I was creating life and that weight didn't matter." Raven told her. "Or were you placating me?"
Bumble Bee pouted. "Fine! I'll stay in this bed. Go on and live your lives out in the real world!"
"Alright, you just want to complain." Jinx stood.
"Of course I do." She sniffed.
"Well!" Terra was shocked.
"This might be the last kid you ever have." Jinx grinned.
"You're damn skippy!"
"Bumble Bee!" Raven and Starfire gasped as Jinx laughed and Terra raised a confused brow.
"I said what I said." She turned away from them and pulled the covers up to her neck.
"What does that even mean?" Terra asked.
"It means you're right."
"So you're going to let a little thing like rest keep you from achieving your dream of a large family?" Raven set her hands on her hips.
"Why can't you let me complain?" Bumble Bee asked, dryly.
"It's not healthy."
"Stop this at once." Starfire commanded. "We are to be the pregnancy partners. You must be happy for it to work."
"Already working the pregnant lady guilt?" Bumble Bee rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll stop complaining. But you have to leave so I can go to sleep."
Jinx crossed her arms. "So you're going to sleep the time away?"
"It's nearly time for training anyway." Raven pointed out.
"We'll bring Cal by to see you later." Terra promised.
Bumble Bee nodded. "Thanks."
The other girls left her room to stand in the hallway.
"We need to cheer her up before that kid comes out depressed." Jinx said immediately.
"I've read about this." Raven said slowly. "Most people are concerned with postpartum depression but you can have it while you're pregnant."
"Excuse me?" Starfire's eyes widened.
"There's not much help I'm afraid."
"Then how can we cheer her up?" Terra asked. "She's getting more and more sad."
"I say we throw her a party. Get her outside with the sun and fresh air." Jinx suggested.
"A party is a lovely idea!" Starfire loved it.
"We can have it next week and invite East."
"Hopefully this works." Raven checked the time. "We really have to go."
~•~ pagebreak ~•~
"A party?" Cyborg's grey eye widened.
"She's horribly depressed." Raven told him.
He rubbed his bald head. "She is. She doesn't even want me around her."
"This will be perfect." Jinx shrugged lightly. "She'll get happy and we don't have to worry about her poisoning us because we're not listening to her complain."
"She told you she was going to poison you, too?"
Everyone looked at him. "Too?"
He grimaced. "She's mentioned several forms of torture."
"We gotta get her happy." Changeling whispered.
"So who exactly is she trying to poison?" Kid Flash wanted to know.
"She hasn't told us anything about poison." Terra's eyes were wide.
Nightwing whistled sharply. "Guys! The point is one of our own is in trouble. We'll have the party and hopefully it'll raise her spirits. Preferably before she resorts to torture."
~•~ pagebreak ~•~
"Don't you want to shower?" Cyborg laid out beside his pregnant girlfriend.
"No."
"Come on. You haven't showered in two days."
"Are you saying I stink?!" She looked over her shoulder at him.
"No!" He responded quickly. "I'm just saying I know how much you like water. You might even beat Aqualad."
She glared at him before staring back at the wall. "Pass."
"Okay, how about passing a brush through your hair?"
"Why? No one's going to see me."
"Maybe you'll rest better?"
She rolled her eyes. "I'm going back to sleep."
"Babe,-"
"Just leave me alone." Tears threatened.
He sighed before getting up and leaving. He went upstairs, where everyone was pitching in to decorate or cook. "She's not good. I don't know what to do."
They glanced at each other before giving him sympathetic looks.
"I'll get her up." Jinx declared.
"Uh, babe?" Kid Flash grabbed her hand. "She's pregnant and will shock you."
"I will go." Starfire volunteered. "I am with child also and I believe she will not harm me."
"Are you sure?" Changeling asked with a raised brow.
"I am fairly confident."
"Call if you need help." Nightwing was hoping she didn't call. He was still afraid of pregnant women.
Starfire nodded before leaving the common room as the doorbell rang. She went downstairs to Bumble Bee's and Cyborg's room, taking care to knock gently. "Friend Bumble Bee?"
There was no answer so she pressed the button to come inside and stuck her head just inside the door. "Friend Bumble Bee?"
The lump on the bed moved. "Go away."
Starfire moved over to the bed and ripped the covers off her. "You must rise! There is something you must see!"
"Leave me alone, Star."
"No, I will not. I am your friend and I am concerned for you. We all are. Friend Cyborg is most frightened by your present demeanor."
"He is?" Bumble Bee peeled open her eyes.
"Yes. And young Calvin does not understand why he cannot see you whenever he wishes."
Bumble Bee blinked before pulling herself up into a sitting position. "I don't mean to scare anybody."
"Then rise. Shower and do the brushing of your hair. It is limp and lifeless. Then come up to the common area to see your family."
"Alright, alright." Bumble Bee swung her feet to the floor.
Starfire smiled widely. "We will be waiting!"
Bumble Bee groaned as she left. She climbed to her feet unsteadily and grabbed shower things before walking to the girls' bathroom.
She washed her hair first. She took her braids down a week or so ago so she could get it rebraided but then the bed-rest command happened. It'd been hanging limp ever since.
After washing and conditioning her hair, she pinned it up and washed her body as well as she could. She noticed that she could barely see her toes and that the nail polish was chipping.
She turned the shower off and stepped out to wrap a towel around her body and another around her hair. She went back to her room and pulled on a sweatshirt and leggings with thick socks. She towel dried her hair and left it hanging down her back.
She looked in the mirror and noticed she was a bit pale beneath her chocolatey complexion so she slapped on some makeup and went upstairs.
She got off the elevator and floated down the hall to the common room. As the doors slid open, all movement ceased behind them.
She walked through. "What are you doing?"
"Surprise!" Titans East and West shouted.
She blinked, wide eyed and curious. "What is this?"
"A party!" Christopher raised his arms.
"Like it, Mommy?" Calvin looked up at her.
"You guys threw a party for me?" She was amazed.
"You seemed a little down so tada!" Changeling spread his arms wide.
She burst into tears.
The whole party flinched.
Cyborg raced over. "I'm sorry! It was a stupid idea! Don't cry!"
She hit him. "It was a wonderful idea!"
"Ow!" He rubbed his head. "Then why are you crying?"
"It's the sweetest, most thoughtful thing anyone's ever done for me!" She wailed.
"You gotta stop crying, babe. You're confusing the kids."
Which was true. The children were looking at her, frazzled, even Junior.
She pulled herself together and scooped up her son. He looked between them in pure confusion.
"I know." Cyborg mouthed to him. "Just hug her."
Calvin hugged his mom. "Love you, Mommy."
"I love you, too my meatball." Bumble Bee sobbed.
"You've been spending too much time with Nana." Cyborg chuckled then laughed as the others gasped.
"There is no such thing as too much time with Nana!" The boys snapped.
"Yeah!" The girls cosigned.
"She is my grandmother, you know." Cyborg's lips twitched.
"Selfish!" Changeling bit off.
"I think Nana loves us as much as she loves you, if not more!" Hot Spot added.
"Please!" Cyborg snorted.
"She loves cooking for us!" Kid Flash argued.
"She likes cooking for everyone!"
"She tells us stories!" Speedy spat acidly.
"She can't help giving her two cents!"
"Give it up, Cyborg!" Nightwing crossed his arms over his chest. "Nana is ours just as much as she is yours. Deal with it."
Cyborg facepalmed. "Whatever. This isn't about her loving me more than you (cuz she does) but about Bee being happy."
"Where is Nana?" Bumble Bee asked as she kissed Calvin's face.
"She's doing community service. You know how she is. She makes a promise, she's sticking to it."
"Well let's get this party started. We can send her photos later."
The crowd threw up their hands and yelled. It was about to go down!
~•~ pagebreak ~•~
"Thank you guys so much!" Bumble Bee struggled to her feet. "I know I haven't been easy to live with the past couple weeks so I really appreciate this."
"Are you okay?" Cyborg held out his arms in case she wavered.
"I'm not fragile!" She swatted him.
"Are you sure?" Speedy asked. "You cry at everything now. I didn't even know you could cry."
Cheshire hit him. Aqualad hit him.
"Ow! It's true! Don't pretend the first she cried in front of you, you didn't wig!"
"Yeah but we have the home training not to mention it." Hot Spot glared at him.
"He does it again." Mas whispered to his brother.
"He will never learn." Menos clicked his tongue.
"Apparently not." Changeling muttered. Louder, he said, "Don't pay attention to the cocky version of Nightwing-"
"What?!" Nightwing and Speedy both came alive at that.
"This day is all about you." Changeling ignored them.
"Let's go back to that "cocky version of Nightwing" thing." Nightwing demanded.
"Yeah, I'm the better version of him!" Speedy added.
"You couldn't be better than me if you copied every move I made!"
"I've always been better than you!"
Changeling rolled his eyes before going to Bumble Bee and hugging her, squeezing just a little bit. "I'm sorry I started this."
"Ooh!" Bumble Bee frowned.
"What's wrong? Did I squeeze too hard?"
"I think-" She said as Nightwing and Speedy got up to yell in each other's faces. "I think my water broke."
Changeling was stuck. "Uh oh."
"I'm sorry. You said what?" Cyborg had been listening with half an ear but definitely heard "water broke".
"My water just broke." Bumble Bee whispered with wide eyes.
"Holy shit!"
She hit him as everyone turned to look at him. "Stop that!"
"Are you-?! Are you sure?!" He was clearly panicking.
"Well I surely didn't pee on myself."
"You've had accidents."
"What was that?" Her voice grew cold.
Cyborg wasn't that far gone that he didn't know he'd just stepped in it. "So your water broke? That's cool."
"Just get me to the hospital." She stared at him.
"Yes, ma'am." He nodded before picking her up.
"Put me down! I can walk!"
"Do you really wanna walk right now?!"
Bumble Bee thought about it. "Yes. You have to get the baby bag. I'll put Cal in the T-car."
"Right! Cal!"
"You did not just forget about my son!"
"I'm obviously not doing well here!"
"Put me down, Sasquatch!" He set her on her feet. "Go get the bag!"
He started out then came back to kiss her before racing out. "Hang tight!"
Starfire was the first to say something with a large smile on her face. "It is time?"
"It's time." Bumble Bee took Calvin's hand. "I think we should get going before he leaves us."
The party burst into a flurry of movement.
"What's wrong with Daddy?" Calvin asked.
"Marco's coming." Bumble Bee smiled down at him. "He's just nervous."
"Marco's coming?!" His eyes lit up.
"Yeah. Marco's coming. Ready to be a big brother?"
He nodded. "Yay!"
"Yeah. Let's get in the car before Daddy runs off and leaves us."
~•~ pagebreak ~•~
Cyborg drove like he was Changeling, cursing other drivers along the way. "Get off the road, jackass!"
"Slow down before you kill us!" Bumble Bee held on tight.
"We have to get you there! Why did you want to go to a hospital anyway?!" He looked at her before laying on the horn. "Move out of the way!"
"I'm not having my baby in the bathtub! Now slow down and stop cursing! If Cal picks up a word, it's going to be you and me!"
"I promise I won't be like that." Kid Flash whispered.
Jinx narrowed her eyes. "This is not going to happen. You're not going to drive me crazy."
"I won't. I swear I won't. I'll be calm, cool and collected."
"You better. You're not going to have too many chances."
"Got it." He reached over Calvin and took her hand. He pressed a kiss to the back of it.
She curled her fingers around his with a soft smile.
Suddenly sirens sounded. "Oh, come on!" Cyborg yelled.
"I'm not having this baby in jail!" Bumble Bee snapped before everything inside her clenched. "Oh my lanta!"
"What is it?!" Cyborg didn't stop.
"I think I just had my first contraction. It hurt!" She sounded amazed by that last fact.
Cyborg leaned on the gas.
"Stop going so fast! Pull over before they throw you in jail!"
"I'll stop at the hospital!"
"Sparky!"
He fought his rising panic and pulled over. "You need a doctor!"
"I need to be in one piece!"
"Woman-!"
"Oh shut up!"
An officer knocked on the glass. Cyborg rolled the window. "Oh hey! I thought it was you. What's the problem? I didn't get a call that something was going on."
"She's in labor, man!" Cyborg shouted.
"Officer, I understand he was speeding but this is an emergency so if you could give him a ticket and let us be on our way, I'd gladly appreciate it." Bumble Bee took deep breaths.
The officer grimaced. "How far apart are the contractions?"
"That was the first one- yeow!" Another one hit.
"Tell you what." The cop touched the brim of his hat. "We can give you a police escort to the hospital. It's the least we can do for the Titans."
"That would be nice, thank you." Bumble Bee remained polite.
"Anything for you, madam." He walked back to his patrol car and climbed inside. Seconds later, his sirens were going off and he pulled in front of the T-car.
Cyborg followed him. "That was cool of him."
"You hotheaded meathead!" She slapped at him.
"Woman, I'm trying to drive!" He tried to dodge her blows.
"If he would have arrested you,-!"
"Ow! Ow! Woman,-! Ow!"
Jinx giggled in the backseat.
Kid Flash was actually kind of terrified of Bumble Bee. "I'm definitely never doing this."
~•~ pagebreak ~•~
Bumble Bee screamed.
"Miss, it's just an epidural." The nurse tried to explain. "You'll be much more comfortable."
"Get that thing away from me!"
"Okay." The nurse left with the large needle.
"Wow, she's loud." Cheshire frowned. "Is this what I have to look forward to?"
"It's worse than it sounds." Raven spoke flatly.
"I had an epidural and things still weren't fun." Kole shook her head.
"What am I gonna do?" Cheshire was officially freaked out.
"I do not think I like this part." Starfire was pale.
"Can we leave?" Hot Spot was serious uncomfortable. "I don't like seeing women in pain."
"Please just eat the ice chips!" Cyborg begged.
Bumble Bee pushed the cup away. "Where is that good for nothing doctor?! I hate having to depend on him until Dr. Rosen gets here!"
"I'm sure he's qualified, babe-" He stopped at her look. "Yeah, he's good for nothing."
"Aww!" The doctor walked in. "I'm sorry you feel that way."
"Where have you been?!" Bumble Bee snapped.
"Dr. Rosen is nearly here." He said instead. "Let's check on you and see how far along you are."
Bumble Bee threw herself back and let him check her out.
"Hmm."
""Hmm"?! What's "hmm"?!"
"You're progressing remarkably fast. Are you sure your water broke half an hour ago?"
"What does that mean?" Cyborg asked. "Is that bad?"
"No, no." The doctor put him at ease. "It just means that when she dilates a centimeter more, she'll be ready to push."
"Another centimeter?!" Bumble Bee shouted.
"Continue to eat the ice chips. You'll see Dr. Rosen soon and you'll deliver your baby in no time." He left the room.
Bumble Bee gave a panicked laugh. "This is insane!"
"Remember; you wanted to do this." Speedy shrugged.
Everyone in the room looked at him.
Cheshire rubbed her temples. "Ugh!"
"I'm going to zap you in another world." Bumble Bee said precisely.
"But you said-" Speedy sputtered.
"Will you shut up?!" Nightwing glared.
"I can't ever win!"
Cheshire rubbed her stomach with one hand and her forehead with the other. "Please don't take after your father."
Speedy frowned. "Hey!"
"Shut up!" Bumble Bee snapped. "Better yet; get out!"
"But I-!"
"Out!"
"Just him, right?" Hot Spot hooked a thumb at Speedy.
"All of you! I'm having this baby right now! I don't care what that quack says!"
"Bee, I don't think-"
"That's nothing new!" Bumble Bee cut off Cyborg.
Who stuck his lip out. "I know you're in pain right now but-"
"You know nothing!"
"She seems to be taking this a lot worse than you." Changeling whispered to Raven.
Raven shook her head. "She's just saying everything I thought. I wasn't your biggest fan while I was in labor."
Jericho grimaced before his fingers flew. "You just cried and screamed the whole time. Did you hate me, too?"
"Yes, dear heavens, yes." Kole was serious.
"Alright, it's time for me to go." Changeling stood up.
"We'll see you after, Bee." Jericho added.
"Take them with you!" Bumble Bee tried to find a comfortable position.
"You do not have to tell me twice." Aqualad shook his head. "Come on, T."
"But I want to see." Terra protested.
"No, you don't!" Bumble Bee's, Raven's and Kole's voices overlapped.
Terra pouted as she followed her Atlantean boyfriend. "I'm seeing the next baby being born!"
"Not mine!" Cheshire struggled to her feet before hitting Speedy. "Come on, Arrow. Before she finds the strength to beat you and push out a baby."
Speedy grumbled but ushered her out quickly when he found Bumble Bee staring him down.
"Are you coming, Star?" Nightwing didn't mind leaving and felt bad for the stuck Cyborg.
"I need to prepare myself." The redhead shook her head.
"You saw Bas being born."
"That was one years ago."
He shrugged. "We'll see you after then."
"Do you want us to go, too?" Kole asked.
"You can stay." Bumble Bee panted. "Tell Cheshire to get her butt back in here. She needs to see what's going to happen in two months."
Raven hid the tube of paint that appeared and crossed to the bed. "You're doing great."
"I'm not being a raging bitch, am I?" Bumble Bee's eyes were wide with self-doubt. "I just feel like screaming."
"You will emerge victorious." Starfire rubbed her head. "This is natural and you are a warrior. This will not defeat you."
"Unless it does. Women die in childbirth. What the hell was I thinking?!" She snapped her legs closed and tried to get out of the bed.
They grabbed her and tried to keep her inside. "No!"
"Bee, I know you're scared but I promise I won't let anything happen to you." Cyborg swore.
She looked at him, warily.
"I promise." He vowed again, looking her deep in her fearful chestnut eyes.
She relaxed and let them put her back on the bed securely. "I'm holding you to that, Sparky."
"I don't wanna!" They all looked to the door, where Kole was gently pushing Cheshire inside. The mother-to-be was the one who spoke.
"Get in here, girl and stop being a baby!" Bumble Bee waved her over.
"Me?! You're the one screaming at everyone!"
"Get over here before I scream at you."
Cheshire stomped over. "I want to go on record as having said this is janky."
"Noted and discarded."
The door opened to admit Dr. Rosen. "Hi, Karen! Today's the big day!"
"Dr. Rosen, get this kid out of me. I feel like pushing."
"Well hold on. Let me check." Dr. Rosen pulled up the blanket and checked if Bumble Bee was ready to begin pushing. "You're fully dilated! Hang tight while I call for the nurses."
"It'll be all over real soon." Cyborg promised.
Bumble Bee took his hand as she tried to steady her breathing. "I just want to say thank you. You knew how much this meant to me and even though you weren't on board at first, you supported me. I wish my parents were around so I could brag to them about my amazing boyfriend."
Cyborg blushed and smiled. "Thanks, babe."
"I love you."
He dropped a kiss to her mouth. "I love you, too."
Starfire squealed lowly as Cheshire made gagging noises. Kole and Raven simply smiled.
Dr. Rosen swept back in with two nurses. "We're going to get cleaned up then we're ready to do this. Are you ready, Karen?"
"Beyond ready." Bumble Bee leaned back.
Dr. Rosen and the two nurses scrubbed then put on non-latex gloves before getting things in place. Dr. Rosen repositioned Bumble Bee. "Your body knows what to do. Women have been doing it since the dawn of time. I'm going to tell you to push in three. Okay?"
Bumble Bee nodded.
"Alright! One! Two! Three! Push!"
Bumble Bee began pushing as a scream ripped from her throat. "Oh my goodness, this hurts!"
"I know, honeycakes but you gotta keep pushing!"
Cyborg raised a brow but Bumble Bee kept pushing. She grunted and groaned and pushed until she felt something very peculiar. She didn't even know how to describe it but it was super weird. "What's happening?!"
"Hold on! Stop pushing!" Dr. Rosen stood from her rolling stool.
"What's going on?" Cyborg asked.
"The umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck." Dr. Rosen used surgical shears to cut away at the umbilical cord.
"What?!" Bumble Bee panicked.
The other girls gasped.
"What does that mean?!" Cyborg demanded. "Is he going to be alright?!"
Dr. Rosen worked calmly but quickly. "He'll be just fine in three, two, one. Got it!"
"Got what?! Is he out?! Is he alive?! I don't hear anything!" Bumble Bee was freaking out.
"He's not out. You still need to push his shoulders out. This is going to be big. Big pushes. Now on the count of three. One! Two! Three! Push!"
Bumble Bee sobbed. "I can't do it!"
"Yes, you can!" Her friends chanted.
"You can do it, babe." Cyborg swept her hair back.
"Shut up! This is all your fault! I don't know how you talked me into doing this!" She yelled.
"What?!"
Raven waved a hand. "She's in pain."
Cyborg sulked. "You can do this."
"Stop telling me what to do! That's why I hate you! I hate you so much!" Bumble Bee cried. "You're big and cold and weird and your baby is fat!"
"So my feelings aren't supposed to be hurt?!" Cyborg glared at Raven.
Who shrugged. "She's in a lot of pain."
"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I! hate! you!" Bumble Bee began pushing in time to her screams.
Cyborg tried to tell himself she didn't mean it but that stung. "No, you don't."
"Yes, I do! You're messy and silly and loud-!"
He felt especially low now.
"-and "booyah" hasn't been popular since 1987!"
He gasped as Cheshire fell out laughing. "You don't mean that!"
"The worst day of my life was the day I met you!"
"Karen!" Raven, Starfire and Kole chastised.
"I hate all of you, too! I hate every one and every thing!" She began crying in earnest.
"Babe,-" Cyborg kissed the back of her hand before kissing her cheek. "I told you. I won't let anything happen to you. You're safe."
Bumble Bee spat something unpleasant.
"I still love you."
She was going to say something but her body went rigid and her head fell back as a mighty scream ripped from her throat. It was loud and long as a small pop was heard.
She fell against the bed and everything was silent.
Dr. Rosen cleared the baby's mouth and nose. He started screaming immediately. She handed him off to a nurse to clean and take vitals. "You did it, Karen!"
Bumble Bee stared up at the ceiling in a fog, dragging air between her parted lips like a fish out of water.
"Hey, you did it, babe." Cyborg swept his thumb over her cheekbone.
She turned her head and tried to speak but nothing came out.
"Uh oh." Dr. Rosen frowned.
"What's wrong?" Kole asked.
"You all should leave." She looked behind her and spoke to the nurses, who leapt into action.
"Leave?" Starfire frowned. "Why would we leave? The bumgorf has been born, has he not?"
"I'm sorry but you need to leave now." A nurse started pushing them all out, including Cyborg.
"Wait! What's going on?!" He refused to move.
"Sir,-!"
"She's hemorrhaging." Dr. Rosen said. "Now please leave. There's going to be a lot of personnel in here in a few seconds."
"But-!" Cyborg protested.
"Sir, you need to leave!" The nurse was insistent.
Cyborg let Raven lead him out. He stood outside the door until others rushed in past him. "But?"
"Come sit, Victor." Raven said softly. She pulled him to the waiting room. Kole, Starfire and Cheshire walked around them.
When they got to the waiting room everyone jumped up, talking all at once.
Changeling noticed his bud was not as happy as he was when his son was born. "What's wrong?"
Cyborg just sat in a chair and stared at the floor.
"Karen is hemorrhaging." Raven explained softly. A gasp rippled through the crowd.
Calvin walked up to Cyborg and patted his father's knee. "Mommy and Brother?"
Cyborg looked at his son miserably before picking him up and hugging him tightly.
Changeling and Nightwing sat on either side of him and rubbed his back.
"Not to be insensitive but what does "hemorrhaging" mean?" Speedy asked.
"She's bleeding." Cheshire told him.
Speedy frowned.
"Maybe someone should call Shayera?" Aqualad brought up. "When's Nana getting here?"
"I'm here." Shirley "Nana" McCain walked into the waiting room and sought out Cyborg. "Oh, Bugs."
Nightwing gave up his chair so she could sit down.
She rubbed Cyborg's back. "Everything will be alright. You'll see. God is with her."
"How did you know what's going on?" Nightwing asked. "It just happened."
"The nurses at the front desk. It was only two and they said everyone was working on Lola."
"What do we do, Nana?" Cyborg's voice was soft with unshed tears.
"We pray. We stay together. She will survive. I bet money on that."
~•~ pagebreak ~•~
Dr. Rosen walked into the waiting room. Everyone came to attention. "She's in recovery."
They sagged with relief.
"Would you like to see her?" They all came forward. "One at a time right now. And only for five minutes."
"Give her our love." Shirley touched Cyborg's arm.
Cyborg nodded and gave a sleeping Calvin to his grandmother and followed Dr. Rosen to a different room.
A solid beeping and gentle rasp was all that was heard in the room as he shuffled inside. He walked to the bed and saw her eyes were closed. Her skin was pale and her eyes looked bruised but she was never as beautiful to him.
He reached out to touch her but heard a sharp cry. He frowned and looked over to see a plastic bassinet by the bed. He went around it to the bassinet and saw his son for the first time.
He was wiggling around in his confinement. He was a ruddy copper color with black hair and grey eyes and very full cheeks.
Cyborg smiled and touched him with a finger. The baby reached out to hit him and collided with the finger instead. He wrapped his hand around it and waved his fist.
Cyborg grinned. "My man."
"My man."
Cyborg looked over. Bumble Bee was looking at him with a soft smile. "You're awake."
"Yeah." Her voice was soft and light. "I see you've met Marco."
"Yeah." Cyborg shook his finger gently. "We're acquainted."
Her smile widened. "Come here."
He sat at the edge of the bed but kept his finger in his son's hand.
"Where's Cal?"
"He's with Nana."
"Nana made it?"
"Yeah. And your mom is here. So's my dad."
"Good." Her lashes fluttered.
"You gave us a scare." He kept his tone light so as to not frighten her with his overwhelming emotions.
"You know I'm dramatic."
"I see!" He joked when he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and never let her go.
Her eyes closed and he panicked until she opened them again. "I want to apologize."
"You were sick. But you made it."
"No. Not that. About those things I said."
"It doesn't even matter."
"Yes, it does. The doctors told me how close I was… to not making it and I don't want the last things I said to you to be a lie. I don't hate you. I've never hated you. I love you. Meeting you was not the worst day of my life. It was one of the best. I like that you're big and silly- and our baby might be fat. They had to stitch me up pretty good."
Cyborg's lips twitched. "I think I knew you didn't mean it. It just hurt my feelings a little."
"I never want to hurt your feelings. I promise; the next time we do this, I won't be mean."
"Next time? You want more kids?"
"Sure. But in the future." She touched her smaller stomach. "Way in the future."
He chuckled.
Marco let out a sharp cry.
"Bring him to me. I want to hold him." Bumble Bee commanded.
Cyborg lifted him up. "How big is he?"
"The doctors say nine pounds, eight ounces."
Cyborg grimaced. "No wonder you were screaming."
"I still should have been nicer."
He handed her the baby carefully. "Cal's going to get a kick out of him."
"I want my baby." She said as she laid Marco on her chest. "My big baby."
Someone came inside. It was a nurse. "Excuse me but she and the baby need rest."
Cyborg didn't really want to go but he didn't want the man to try to remove him by force. "I'll see you when you wake up."
Bumble Bee blinked heavily. "I see rainbows in your eyes."
He narrowed his eye and tilted his head. "What?"
She just gave a funny little smile before closing her eyes.
He kissed her and the baby before walking out to the waiting room.
"How is she?!" Everyone wanted to know.
"She and the baby are fine."
A cheer went up.
Alan Wellington (Green Lantern) slapped his back. "Look at you! You have another son!"
Cyborg grinned, getting excited after the emotional rollarcoaster he'd been on all day. "Yeah. Yeah! I have another son!"
Calvin ran to his father. "Brother?"
Cyborg lifted him high. "You got a brother, little man!"
Calvin giggled. "Yay!"