She was always there for them. She was there when the government forced them to go to school. "You can't force us to do this, we're heroes and we're in training. Besides, I can't go into the right grade." Melvin glared at the guys before us in their dress shirts and ties that looked as if they were strangling them. "Raven, tell them."

Oh how she wished she could keep them as children, safe with the monks forever. But she knew they needed to be in the world, not just saving it. She was fully aware. "Melvin, what have the monks and I been teaching you? And I would like you to look me in the eye and not use sarcasm."

"Mathematics, world history, writing. And yeah Cyborg teaches us science and stuff but that doesn't mean I want to go to school." She crossed her arms as she looked at me, but my face remained unexpressive. "I know what you're going to ask and I do too have friends my age..." She pouted. "I made them up but they still exist."

"Melvin, I am well aware of them. I have met them before and I am also aware of your powers to create physical beings out of your imagination. But what happens when you fight? When you want to talk to them about common interests?"

Melvin glared at her again but she was deflating. The only good thing about this was the reactions from the adults who were staring at them in surprise. "I hate you, you know that?" She looked at Timmy first and when he was fine with it, she turned to Teether who was half asleep in Raven's arms, "I don't think he really cares."

"He's drooling all over me, I think he's just happy to be here." Raven smiled lightly as she kissed all three of their foreheads before handing over Teether to his weak protests and the surprise of the Officials. "Now, negotiations. They all take placer tests, they will not be put where you want to see them. If Melvin is in a higher grade, she goes to a higher grade. If she fails, we tutor her. Same with Timmy. I am their adoptive family, one of the original titans and so above your pay grade. I get what I want."

When it was just the four of them in the common room and the video chat was over, they all hugged. "Oh my god, that was terrifying." Raven was shaking slightly but it was quickly gone when she was pinned between them all.

She was there when Teether had to go to kindergarten and he refused to leave the house. "I don't wanna! I don't wanna!" He was visiting for the weekend and now it was Monday. His first day. "Rae don't make me, I don't wanna go!"

She held out her arms and within a second he was curling up on her lap while the monks looked on in disappointment. "Do you remember how Melvin never wanted to go to school? She hated it so much that she would come come crying?" When he nodded, she simply smiled at the memory. "And why didn't she want to go to school?"

"Because the kids there were normal and she wasn't." Teether looked up at her and crossed his arm in a pout, defiant about going. "But I'm not like that! I like being a hero!" He squirmed as she just hugged him tighter and pressed their foreheads together. "You won't leave will you? You're old now and Melvin's friends say older people go away."

Raven's heart twisted as she realized what he was asking about. If she was going to go away to college in a different state, leave them all behind because that's what older siblings did. "Did Robin leave when he got older? Did Cyborg or Starfire?"

"No but Beast did. He came back though..." He relaxed in her arms as he pulled away. "If you are here after, I'll go to school." He wiped away his tears and climbed off her lap. "I love you Raven." She kissed his cheek before getting up to lead him to the bus. "And I promise I won't eat anything I'm not supposed to." She laughed as his bouncing back pack disappeared onto the shuttle that would take him to the city.

She was there for them when Timmy got in trouble for punching a kid who said Melvin was stupid and would never be a hero. "He hurt her! He said she was stupid and that stupid people can't be heroes! He said she couldn't even protect the two of us without help and that's why Nightwing sent you to get us." He still had his fists clenched with the blood from the other kids nose still dripping off it. He was shaking from anger or fear, Raven wasn't exactly sure.

She paced in front of him while the principal glared from behind his desk, too scared to say anything. "Timmy, you are ten. What does that make Melvin? Thirteen. She's a teenager and she can defend herself, you know that." She ran a hand over her face and glared at the ceiling. "You do realize we were originally called the Teen Titans, right? We were teenagers when we saved the world."

"You can't throw that in my face right now, you know how much we want to be on the team. We're honorary titans, not real ones." He glared at her even though it was weak and barely hiding the nervousness behind his eyes. "Rae, please don't be mad at me."

Raven deflated as she grabbed his hands and quickly healed his wrist. "What did I tell you about fighting? You never punch someone unless the situation cannot be resolved peacefully and only if they punched first. If they had hit Melvin and she couldn't have fought back, I wouldn't be upset. But you just acted and you need to learn to control that anger...and how to punch correctly, what did Changeling teach you?"

Timmy blushed a dark color. "Wrist straight, thumb outside your fist. And I promise to try and control my anger if it happens again. Does this mean I won't get to be a Titan like you?" He looked horrified at this sudden realization and she smiled knowing her being upset came first, but the Titans were never close behind.

"I think you'll be okay as long as it doesn't happen again. You know Melvin is starting her job with Star soon and I know you wanted to go but because of this you'll have to stay home. You aren't grounded because I'm not your guardian but I am punishing you. We just won't tell the monks. Okay?"

Timmy nodded slowly. "That's fair. I love you Rae." He hugged her and left the office with slumped shoulders but still better than he was when he had walked in to see her there. Raven wasn't sure if she should be happy or scared that she was their emergency contact. Especially when it made the lady at the front desk think she was their mom.

When she turned around she was met with the stare of an older man with only two hairs on the top of his head and a golf hat in his hands like he was ready to hit someone with it. "He might be a hero in training but you might want to discipline him more for that instead of letting him off easy for it."

The air turned thick for a second before disappearing as soon as it came. "I'm sorry for my reaction, that was uncalled for. But so was your input on how I deal with the kids. He defended his sister, admittedly the wrong way. Which is why he can't go to something he wants to. It's a fair punishment and I'd appreciate it if you didn't voice your judgments." She left the office quickly, avoiding the eyes of everyone else in the building. She needed to meditate, if there was one thing that she couldn't stand it was people messing with her kids. And it had happened twice in one day.

She was there for them when Bobby stopped appearing and Melvin got her period. "Raven, I don't know what to do." It had been a hard week, between her suddenly being unable to conjure Bobby and her period starting two days ago. "I can't do this without him, he's always there and I can't..."

"Baby, look at me. Breathe with me like we're meditating, in..." Raven took a deep breath with her and let it out slowly. When Melvin was finally calmer, she wrapped her up in a hug. "You're dealing with growing up honey. You know what this is, you told me about it when you came home from school a while ago. But for heroes, sometimes our powers don't work." She shook her head as suddenly there was a new chair in the room for her to sit on. "Maybe you're growing up and subconsciously you're letting go of him because you don't need him anymore."

Melvin started to cry as she curled up in the chair and left the twenty year old to look helplessly on. "But I want him here! He's always been here!" She started hitting her knees with her fists and glaring at the ceiling like she was going to throw a tantrum.

Raven forced her to look at her, pressing their foreheads together. "I love you and so does Bobby. But sometimes it's time for us to let go of people. Do you think in a few years when you go off to college or leave to join a different branch of the Titans that I'm going to be okay? No, I'm going to sob into a pillow for three hours and then go into my safe room and destroy something for another eight. Because you guys were the most annoying little kids and somehow you got me to love you. You were a little smart ass when you were nine, you know that?"

"And now I'm worse because I learned from the best." She finally calmed down and relaxed. "Can we say goodbye to him together? And do you think he'll come back if I need him?" When Raven answered both of her questions with a yes, she hugged her tightly. "You'd make a really great mom, you know that?"

"Not at this age, Melvin. I am not dealing with that when I have you three to worry about." Oh how naive she was.

She was there for them when Timmy liked a guy and didn't know what to do. "Raven I think there's something wrong with me. And I don't know if you can help me this time..." She was not expecting to be sitting in her room with a sobbing twelve year old. "I...um...I like this person and I don't think they can like me back and it's not because I'm a hero but..." He gestured to himself. "I'm not what..."

"Hey, hey. Whoever they are they'd be insane to not like you, or at least have to be insane not to appreciate you. Now who is it? I know it's not Gabby, you guys are just best friends." He nodded slowly so she continued. "Is it a girl in your class?"

Timmy shook his head. "No, but he is." When Raven froze he started shaking, his fists tightening till his knuckles were white. "I like guys and I don't know if that's okay or if there's something wrong with me because all of my friends talk about people that aren't the same gender as them and I know that sounds weird now that I say it but it's true and please don't hate me and..."

"Timmy. You are not broken and there is nothing wrong with you. You are gay. Or bisexual or something, you can figure that out later. But right now all you need to know is that I still love you and there is no reason that I shouldn't." She pulled him to her as she stroked his hair, humming a calming spell. "You just need to know that if you like guys, it is perfectly normal and there is nothing that could make me hate you."

He nodded slowly as he curled into her side. "Can you do some magic to see if he likes me?" He pouted as Raven laughed.

She was there for them when the monks could no longer take care of them. "What do you mean they have to go into foster care?! The monks are taking care of them till they're eighteen! Timmy is only a couple months away from being thirteen and Teether is barely even nine!" She could feel herself shaking as she tried to find the words that would convince them to keep her kids.

"We can't handle taking care of them any longer. I apologize but it has given more stress and drained more resources than it has given us peace." The monk before her had a calm expression but there were wrinkles, worry lines that hadn't been there before. "You will have to make other arrangements. Starting immediately if you don't want them to go into foster care. We were just about to tell them."

"YOU ARE NOT TAKING MY KIDS AWAY FROM ME!" Raven took a deep breath, and another...and another. But her anger was taking over because fear was forcing the door open, there was very little keeping them at bay. "Deal..deal! Let's make a deal?"

The monk looked at her in confusion before turning back to face her. "What could you possibly offer us that would require us to take care of these children for another nine years? Titan, I am tired. Physically..."

"And mentally. That is what raising kids does to you. But I said I was here to make a deal and a deal I will make. What I am going to do might take a few months but it will happen, it will save you the worry of what the foster system does to kids." Raven ran a hand through her hair and straightened her cloak. She was never this visibly emotional when it was about anything else. "You will keep them here for as long as it takes for the adoption papers to go through."

Apparently that wasn't what they were expecting her to say, because they just nodded numbly before even realizing what they had just done.

She was there for them when Teether lost his leg during a fight. "Let me into that hospital room or so help me you will have the full force of every Titan on this damn planet and otherwise at your door." She could feel the pain radiating from him in his room and it was killing her. The papers weren't even finalized for their adoption yet, so she couldn't get in.

"Ma'am I understand that you think of yourself as their mother but you are clearly not and you are also not on my computer. So because you aren't family I'll have to ask you to go sit down." She was glaring at Raven like she had a personal vendetta against the girl. "Abomination against god..." The last part was whispered but she could still hear it.

"MOM!" Timmy ran over to her in tears and threw himself into her arms, her shoulder soaked in seconds. He was starting to gain some height on her but he was still small. "Mom, they hurt him and I couldn't protect him and Melvin won't talk and Teether won't wake up but the doctors say it's okay and...Rae I'm scared."

Raven hugged him tightly and whispered soothingly. "Changeling is going to be here in a few minutes, can you take me to his room?" The lady went to protest but they were already rounding the corner. "He's going to be okay. It's like when Cyborg lost his metal arm, he just made a new one. Granted it hurt more for Teether than him but..." He listened to her nervous rambling until they stopped in front of the door. She knocked quietly only for it to be swung open and another kid flung into her arms. Melvin was sixteen and way too big for this. But at the moment, it didn't really matter.

It took an hour after his surgery for him to wake up, but he cried as soon as he saw Raven. "Mom, where's my leg? Mom you gotta fix my leg. The doctors are too stupid too but you have magic!" And then she was curling up with him on the hospital bed as he cried because both of them knew there was nothing they could do, even with the most powerful magic in the world.

After a few months, he was fitted by Cyborg for a new leg that would make it easier for him to continue with what he loved. He could continue on as if he hadn't lost his leg...but he couldn't fight. Not for a long time.

They were there for her when she got engaged. "Changeling is going to be our brother in law? Awesome! He can play video games with us everyday!" She laughed as the boys immediately pounced on her fiance and started asking about his gaming collection. "Oh, but just so you know because we're family we have full permission to destroy you if you hurt her." Teether bared his teeth at the man he was sitting next to which made Raven's heart stop.

Changeling held back from doing it back, only with much effort nodding in response. "I think you're second in line behind Raven. Oh and Cyborg would kill me before any of you could get to me so..." He laughed as they all pouted. "But threat taken into mind."

And then when she was married. "Do you, Raven Roth take Garfield Mark Logan to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Raven looked behind her to see the three girls she trusted the most with her friendship, Starfire at the front as her maid of honor. And she saw Melvin next to her with a gigantic smile on her face and she turned back to see the boys in their tuxes. And they nodded. That was all she needed, "I do. Now hurry up and marry us or I will kiss him without permission."

All the guests laughed and Garfield beamed at her with that ridiculous fang still poking out of his mouth. And as soon as they were pronounced husband and wife, there was nothing anyone could do to stop her from flinging herself into his arms and smashing their lips together. And just like planned, her powers broke the glass above them and released the petals onto everyone's heads,

They were there for her when she left the titans. "I can't do this..." Raven was rocking back and forth in Changelings arms, her tears streaking down her cheeks. "He's going to hate me and we'll never see them again and I can't..." Her breath was coming in hiccups now. She hadn't known when they got married but she quickly found out after the honeymoon was cut short because they thought she was sick.

The kids crowded around her. "Nightwing has no say in this, Rae. You want to leave then you should. And you have a very good reason." Melvin looked at the couple with a big smile but a fire in her eyes. "I will personally beat the shit out of him if he gets pissed."

"Who are you beating the shit out of?" Nightwing stepped into the room only to see Melvin glaring at him. "Okay, don't look at me like that for one. And two, no swearing unless you are in a battle or over eighteen and therefore not under any of our care anymore."

And then he saw Raven when she looked up from Changeling's chest. "I have to tell you something and I don't think you're going to like it." When he moved to sit down across from her, she curled up tighter against her husband, "I'm leaving the Titans. And I can't tell you why, not until the rest of the group is here."

When he went to protest, Changeling glared at him with his teeth bared. "Not. The. Time." The reaction made Raven's heart stop for a second in fear and then triple the speed out of love for her protective dork of a husband. He nuzzled her cheek and placed his hand over her stomach out of view, much to the giggles of the kids.

"You guys are cute." Melvin cooed at them while the boys gagged which quickly earned both of them a shove. "Timmy go make out with your boyfriend and Teether go bite a shoe." She grinned as they stuck their tongues out at her.

Timmy held out his hand and it suddenly disappeared into the couple's bundle. He smiled brightly but it looked a little strained, like he was worried. "Nightwing isn't going to be mad at you, right Rae?" When Raven and Changeling hesitated, his eyes widened. "Mom, come on. He can't seriously be mad at you for this."

The three of them calling her mom, it all started with Teether. As soon as they were adopted he asked if it was okay to call her mom. Of course she was only fourteen years older than him but that's what she was to him. Before he could even remember, she was there and that was all that mattered to him. The older of the three only really did it when they were scared or really wanted something. And right now they were scared.

"No, once he knows what's going on he'll understand..." Raven put on a smile, but she was still nervous. She wasn't even halfway through her twenties yet and she was married with three adopted kids and...

Starfire burst in with Cyborg and Bumblebee hot on her tail. "Friend Raven, I am so happy to see you! Changeling, I wasn't aware you and the kids were coming too." She went in for a hug but when Changeling tensed she froze. "Is everything alright? Do you not wish to hug?"

"Not right now Starfire, we have to tell you something." Raven watched as her friends gathered around them and looked at the five of them patiently. She tried to move into their view but Changeling growled again. "Babe, I need to move. I'm just turning around." He gave in with a sigh, letting her move so her belly was showing. Her now pregnant belly.

"FRIEND RAVEN YOU ARE WITH CHILD!" Star moved so she was kneeling in front of her and started gushing. "How far along are you in this pregancy? What are you having? Or do people from your world not know this early?"

Raven blushed darkly as she watched the realization fall on Nightwing's face. "Four months. And the only thing we know about what we are having is that it's more than one. Two predator genes equals triplets apparently."

They all congratulated them and were careful around her with how protective her husband was being. Which was most likely going to get worse.

They were there for her when she had the triplets. "AHH! Garfield make it stop make it stOP!" She thrashed against the hands trying to keep her down as another painful contraction hit her body, making her sweat stick to her forehead as her entire body shook. "It's been days, just someone cut me OPEN!" And then she saw them standing in the doorway with a box of chocolate, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried for a weak smile. "Hi kids."

"We brought you chocolate since we know it helps keep the demon in control. And Teether is bringing the tea, he didn't want to spill it so he's going extra slow." Timmy smiled at her shyly, moving over to her side next to Changeling. "Why aren't the triplets out yet?"

"They don't seem to want to leave me baby." She leaned up enough to kiss his cheek before falling back with a soft thud onto the pillows. "Thank you for the chocolate." She smiled as Teether slow walked into the room too, carefully placing it on the windowsill before handing her a cup. She quickly chugged it, before her fists tightened again.

But what really made them a family was when they all protected each other. The kids baby sat, they all took turns chaperoning Timmy's dates and they all went to teethers games. And when Melvin came home late and refused to look any of them in the eye, when Garfield just held out his arms to let her sob into them. When they couldn't fix it or take away her pain, they fought the only way they knew how. Together.