-1Molly
"Well, that was work-out," Cyborg remarked, clasping his hands of dust, staring down at the robber they'd chased all the way to the park from the jewelry store.
"Yes! Now we can return to the tower and watch the 300!" Starfire exclaimed, floating down to the ground and clutching Robin's arm. "It should be most enjoyable."
"Actually, it's pretty gory," Raven informed her.
"Like I said, most enjoyable!"
They began to head back, and that's when Beastboy realized his bladder felt like a full water balloon that was about to burst. He quickly informed the others that he would catch up with them, and despite their protests against it, he transformed into a small dog and headed the other way. They left without him, moaning and groaning about his laziness. After all, the tower was only two blocks away. Beastboy sighed happily as he relieved himself. Something touched his head and he raised it curiously, his beady dog eyes crossing slightly as they met those of a small girl.
"Hi, puppy," she chirped, patting his head once more. "You're green, did you know that?"
No, it never occurred to me, Beastboy thought sarcastically, but did not say it aloud. Instead, he barked happily and began running in circles around the squatting girl, his tail wagging. The girl fell onto her bottom, squealing with laughter like this was the funniest thing she'd ever seen. That pleased Beastboy, even if he knew she didn't quite understand what she was laughing at. He did a back flip, and the little girl clapped her hands.
"Good boy!" She petted him, "good boy!"
"Molly?" A woman approached her, smiling happily. "Ready to go? We have to get home and make dinner?"
Beastboy attempted to scamper away, but Molly picked him up and held him to her chest under his arms.
"Look at the puppy, Mommy!" She exclaimed, "isn't he sweet?"
"He's green," her mother commented, but she petted him anyway, "but yes, he is sweet."
Molly tucked the Titan cleverly under one arm and stuck her thumb in her mouth, giving her mother one of those pitiful melt-your-heart looks only small children and occasionally Starfire could pull it off. Her mother's smile wilted slightly and she began shaking her head.
"No, honey," she said, biting her bottom lip, "no."
Molly stuck her bottom lip out and muttered, "but he's homeless, he doesn't have any collars or tags."
Beastboy's eyes widened. She wanted to take him home? He considered transforming right then and there, but her mother might turn him for being some kind of a pervert or something. He felt something warm and damp seep into his fur. He then realized the small child was crying.
"Baby," Molly's mother put a hand on her shoulder, "a puppy is a lot of work, and we're-"
"I know I'm sick, Mommy," Molly interjected, "and I know we're at the hospital a lot, but he needs us." She squeezed him tighter and added, "he needs me."
Her mother sighed heavily and bowed her head for a moment. When she looked up, she was smiling. She reached over and scratched Beastboy's head.
"Okay," she agreed, "let's take him in for the night and see how it goes."
Molly giggled and kissed the Titan's fuzzy green head. The car ride was long, and Beastboy was frantically pondering what to do. How stupid he had been to goof off with a child only to find she was a sick child. He decided the best thing to do was to wait until they were apart, and then he would transform and escape, unnoticed. Molly didn't hold him in the car, but she did reach over and pet him occasionally. She smiled at her mother in the rear-view mirror.
"What should I name him, Mommy?" She asked.
"How about 'Life-Saver'?" Her mother suggested, "like, uh, the candy?"
Beastboy almost rolled his eyes. However, the double meaning broke his heart, and he knew exactly what her mother was thinking. A pet would cheer her up, give her hope, all of that jazz. He had seen enough movies on Lifetime to know that. He layed down on the leather seats and sighed heavily. If only he'd just returned to the tower to go to the bathroom like everyone else had suggested.
"This is our house," Molly beamed proudly, carrying the dog up to her front door. "My Daddy should be home in an hour."
She let him on the floor inside and Beastboy curiously looked around. Molly was practically in every picture frame on the wall, and the coffee table. She was obviously an only child. Crayon drawings were plastered on the refrigerator, fastened by 'We Care' hospital magnets. Beastboy's heart fell when he saw a list on the fridge that read, "Molly's treatment Schedule".
"Don't get too rowdy," her mother warned, entering the kitchen to prepare dinner. "You just got out of the hospital, Sweetie."
"I won't, Mommy," Molly headed for the stairs and turned to Beastboy, "C'mon, Boy! Let's go to my room! C'mon!" She patted her knee, not even having to kneel down.
Beastboy reluctantly followed her, hopping up each step, right behind the girl. Her bedroom was typical of a little girl's: pink, pink, pink, and more pink. Stuffed animals were everywhere, as were shoes, and crayons. He gingerly stepped over all of this, and Molly giggled.
"My room is messy," she commented, "but Mommy and Daddy haven't made me clean it b/c I haven't been home."
She sat down and petted the dog. "Last time I was home, I felt really bad and had to stay in bed-all of the kids in my pre-K class sent me flowers and candy."
Beastboy forced himself to wag his tail. Molly layed down on her stomach and stared at him, cocking an eyebrow slightly.
"What should I call you, puppy?"
Beastboy only barked in reply.
"How about…" Molly pondered, sighing heavily, " 'Clover'? You're green like a clover."
Beastboy groaned, which in dog form, sounded like a growl. Molly's eyebrows raised in amusement. "Okay, yah, Clover's a stupid name. How about 'Kibbles'?"
Another growl.
"Garfield then!" Molly sat up excitedly, "he's a cat, but he's my favorite! He's all over the walls in the Children's Ward at the hospital! I can't read all over the posters, but Daddy reads them to me and they're funny."
Beastboy couldn't argue with that. It was his name, after all. When he didn't growl, Molly grinned and pulled him into her arms. "I love you, Garfield!"
"Molly!" A male voice boomed from downstairs, "you want to introduce me to our new guest?"
"That's Daddy," Molly smiled, standing up, still holding the dog. "He'll be so excited to meet you, Garfield!"
She raced down the stairs, and a heavy, tired man smiled at her. He scooped both her and Beastboy into his arms and showered Molly in kisses. She giggled and said, "This is Garfield, Daddy."
"He's green, " her father chuckled, gently tugging on one of Beastboy's floppy ears.
"But he's part of the family," His wife replied sternly, "he and Molly are already best friends."
"That's right, Daddy," Molly nodded. "We're best friends."
Beastboy felt sick to his stomach staring at the wet dog food Molly's mother had set in front of him, and he turned away. Dog or human, he was a vegetarian, and nothing was going to change that. They set down some dry food down instead, and he carefully took two kibbles into his mouth. When they weren't looking, he spit them out, gagging silently. He wondered what his friends were eating for dinner back at the Tower. Even Starfire's cooking would be better than dog food.
After dinner, Molly's mother told her daughter to go upstairs and get ready for a bath. Molly picked up Beastboy and eyed her parents sadly.
"Can Garfield take a bath with me?" She asked.
Her father laughed. "I don't see the harm, do you, Janet?"
"I guess not," his wife shrugged. "Well take him upstairs, and I'll be up there in a minute to make your bath water, Sweetie." She told her daughter.
Molly bounced upstairs with the dog, into the bathroom, and pushed the door to slightly. She looked at Beastboy and nervously bit her bottom lip.
"You like me right, Garfield?" She asked the puppy, squatting down.
Beastboy barked, wagging his tail. He couldn't imagine anybody not liking the little girl. Molly turned around, and her fingers disappeared into her hair, or rather, into her wig. She stared at the dog, her big blue eyes wide with uneasiness.
"The treatment makes my hair fall out, but I don't want anyone to know," she explained, running her hands over almost clear blonde fuzz on her head. "I used to have long hair, all the way down to here-" she pointed to her waist. "I miss my hair, but some nice people came to the hospital and gave me this. It's called a wig, and it's made out of real hair. It fastens on so when I play it won't fall off."
She knelt down and petted Beastboy's head. "But the good thing about hair is that it grows back, that's what Mommy says."
Speaking of her mommy, she entered the bathroom and began drawing bath water. Molly stripped out of her clothes and climbed into the luke-warm water, holding the dog to her chest. Beastboy didn't feel nervous about her nudity. After all, she couldn't be older than four years old, and everyone saw naked toddlers all the time. They practically roamed public pools and sprinklers. He was a bit perturbed at Molly 'washing his hair' several times in a row, but he didn't complain much. Her mother washed her.
"Look, Mommy!" She giggled. "Garfield's splashing!"
"Maybe he's clean enough and ready to get out," her mother replied, "you two are turning into a couple of prunes."
They got of the bath tub, and after Molly was in her pajamas, she carried Beastboy to her bedroom and placed him in bed beside her. Her parents came in to tuck her in, told her a bedtime story, got her a glass of water, and turned out the light. Molly stroked Beastboy's green fur.
"You know," she whispered, "when I'm at the hospital, I get very sad because Mommy and Daddy can't always be with me."
Beastboy nuzzled closer to her, and Molly pulled her pink covers around his small form.
"But maybe they won't mind you being there with me," she finished before kissing the top of his head.
"Goodnight, Garfield."
He waited until her breathing was slow and deep, and then he wriggled out from her grasp and hopped onto the floor. He morphed back into a human and stared down at the sleeping girl. Who knew that you could become so attached somebody within a few short hours.
"I'll be back before you wake up," he said quietly, "I promise."
With that, he turned into a fly, flew to the window, became a flea, crawled out through a crack, and once on the ground, became a bird and disappeared into the night.
To Be Continued…