"No." Toss "Nope." Toss "Why do I have this anymore?" Toss
Raven threw the tight red T-shirt away from her in disgust. She groaned with frustration and tied her growing hair back in a loose ponytail. She exhaled tiredly before pulling herself onto her feet. She strode to the full-length mirror that was nailed to her bedroom wall and glanced down at her very pregnant belly. She pulled the oversized night shirt up, exposing her stomach to the mirror. One hand went to her back while the other rubbed her swollen abdomen. Her fingers traced her protruding belly button then the gray stretch marks that bulged on her skin.
It amazed her how quickly time flew. She could easily remember the moment her stomach barely showed through her simple outfits, and now, she struggled to find clothes that would now fit her disproportionate body.
The time went by quickly, but that didn't mean life was easy. When she separated herself from her friends at the Tower, Raven didn't imagine life to be this complicated. Raven absolutely hated her pregnancy phases-the awful morning sickness, weird food cravings, and swollen feet. She despised them all. What she hated the most was how unstable her emotions have become during her pregnancy. For hours, she would meditate in order to keep her emotions and powers at bay, but it seemed that any small thing would agitate and push her emotions out of sync.
Raven paused and held her breath when she felt a wave of pressure in her lower abdomen from her baby moving inside. She quickly went back to her seat on the bed and placed her hands on her stomach. She grimaced in pain as the uncomfortable pressure continued. It then went away a few seconds later. Raven sighed in relief then rubbed her stomach. "Please stop flipping in there." Raven jumped then smirked when she felt her active baby kick.
Raven glanced back at the alarm clock. "8:05 AM" She sighed then struggled to get back on her feet. She had to be at work by 9, and it could take her awhile to walk, more like wobble, to the library due to her pregnancy. Raven rummaged through her closet once more and managed to find a loose, gray colored dress. She quickly put on the garment and decided to wear black leggings underneath the cloth to hide her legs.
With the use of her powers, Raven summoned her keys and wallet from the bedside table then wobbled out of her bedroom to the kitchen. Her stomach growled and she could feel her baby become antsy from hunger. She quickly fixed herself a large bowl of cereal and a banana with a tall glass of water. She would love to have a delicious meat filled breakfast made by Cyborg. She missed smelling his savory cooking every morning.
But in all, she missed seeing her friends. She longed to hear Cyborg's booming voice run throughout the tower as well as his protective and caring demeanor. She wanted to see Starfire's bright cheerful green eyes. Her sweet smile, uplifting compliments and soft humming of her voice as she cooks one of her inedible concoctions on the stove. Raven rarely accepted Starfire's offers to go shopping or do small girly tasks, but now, Raven would do anything to hear her ask that same question.
Raven missed hearing Robin's wisdom and the weekly conversations that they would have on the roof of the Tower at the break of dawn, soaking in the beautiful view that the Tower offered them. Heck, she even had a small wanting to see Terra..She and the geomancer never had a true friendship when she lived in the Tower, but the feelings they had for each other were mutual. They would have small talks that ended well and made Raven want more, but now, there will be no opportunity to create a friendship with her, especially if Terra were to ever find out the truth.
And then Beast boy…the father of her child.
If she were to see him again, she would be flabbergasted. A wave of emotions would simply pour throughout her body. She smuggled so many untamed feelings towards him inside of her. Anger, guilt, and love were only a few of the emotions she felt whenever he came to her mind. What he did to her was not acceptable, but she couldn't help but feel guilty on her part as well.
She wished he knew about their child. There were many times when she would heavily consider walking back to the Tower in all her pregnant glory and tell Beast boy the blunt truth, but reality would quickly kick in and keep her away. She couldn't tell Beast boy...He's happy in a relationship with Terra.
His words were still fresh in her mind. "If you are pregnant, I don't know what I'll do. It'll be awful! I'm not ready to be a parent or anything like that..." Raven shook her head and wiped the memory away from her mind. She hated thinking back on that day. She tried to forget as much as she could of their conversation. What happened is done. All she could do is move forward.
Beast boy did have a right to know, but he made it very clear that he didn't want any part of it. He stated that he wasn't ready to be a parent, and Raven agreed. He was immature, and Raven couldn't help but feel stupid for falling for his charm. How could she be so stupid to get impregnated by him? If he wasn't willing to accept the idea of having a child then how would having one change his mind? He might become bitter throughout her entire pregnancy, and she could only imagine what Terra would drastically do in retaliation. It all seemed like added stress to her pregnancy that Raven was thankful to avoid.
Raven glanced down when she realized that she had finished her bowl of cereal. She looked up at the clock briefly, ''8:25 AM''. Raven rose from her seat in the small kitchen as quickly as she could and scoffed her banana down in big hurried bites. She placed her dishes in the sink and chugged her glass of water. She soon regretted that decision when she felt pain from her stomach. She hated rushing through her meals, but she hated being late for work even more.
Raven used her powers to levitate her wallet and keys next to the door for an easy grab and go out the door. She placed her sneakers on her feet then wobbled towards the exit to leave. She opened the apartment door and stepped out. She stopped in mid-step when she realized she was forgetting something.
"Hold on.."
Raven quickly walked back inside her apartment then went to her bedroom. She found her holographic ring that was resting on her bedside table then placed it over her pale ring finger. A white ring formed around her body, changing her appearance of Raven from the Teen Titans to Rachael Roth. Her growing, now medium lengthed purple hair, turned black and her pale skin became fair. Her purple eyes were then replaced with dark brown colored orbs. Once she was satisfied with her reflection in the mirror, she walked out, locking the door behind her.
She hated forgetting to place her holographic ring on. There were many times when she would be close to getting caught without it being on, and her pregnant state slowed her down in reacting. The life she lives now is pregnant Rachael Roth, no longer Raven.
"Hey, Rachael!"
Raven looked up then smiled at her neighbor and good friend.
James walked down the stairwell from the third floor of the building. He smiled, showing his straight white teeth. His black hair was combed back and he wore a nice outfit that consisted of black dress pants and a dark navy button up shirt with a gray tie over his neck. "How are you feeling?"
Raven glanced down at her swollen stomach then looked back up at him. "I'm feeling very slow."
James chuckled. "You look adorable all short and pregnant. I assume you're heading out to work...Do you need a ride?"
Raven briskly nodded her head. If she was given any opportunity to avoid walking on her feet, she would take it in a heartbeat. Wobbling like a penguin was not the ideal way she enjoyed transporting to different areas.
"You work at the library, right?" James walked to the entrance of the apartment complex, holding the door for her as she walked through.
"Yes. It's not far."
James nodded his head and pulled out his keys. "I'll bring the car over. I'll be right back."
Raven stood and watched as he strode across the parking lot to his parked vehicle. She was grateful to have such a helpful friend like James around her. He was her only source of support through these long pregnancy months. Raven sometimes questioned how life would be without any form of support throughout her pregnancy. When she left, she truly believed that she would be perfectly fine on her own. She was only having a baby; how hard could it be?
Well, she was wrong.
After the seventh month, she realized that a lot needed to be put into this, for example, expenses. She needed money for diapers, cribs, formulas, clothes and medicine. Raven was smart, but she was ignorant to paying bills and living a normal life as a civilian. James has no clue of her secret identity, but he didn't question her ignorance. He helped her with almost everything she could think of. He even bought a few of her most needed expenses such as the crib, a few diapers and a pair of baby clothes. He would even wake up early to drive her to the doctor visits. It was all hard work that Raven couldn't do alone, and she was forever grateful to have someone like James to be there for her.
The car pulled to the curb and parked for her to enter. Raven smiled and eased her body into the vehicle. She closed the door shut then tiredly exhaled. If she was winded by simply pulling her body into a car, then how would she handle a 15-minute walk? Thank Azar for cars.
"Hello Miss Roth, how are you feeling?"
Raven grimaced and grabbed at the white hospital sheets. "Not..good." She mustered.
The nurse smiled and nodded in James' direction. He greeted her with a short wave as he sat in the chair next to the hospital bed. The nurse placed her clipboard down on the table that was at the side of the room and reached for the glove box. She placed gloves over her hands then gently lifted the sheets over Raven's legs.
Raven shifted uncomfortably when she felt the nurse's fingers touch her skin and feel her private parts. Another wave of pain flooded her body and she groaned. She repeated her signature mantra in her mind as many times as she could in between each contraction to prevent her powers from lashing out. There were times when she would slip a bit. Thankfully, James never noticed. They were minor things such as the curtains moving and the empty chairs in her room shake slightly.
This was the worst pain she has ever felt. She has been slammed to the ground by Cinderblock in battles, shot at by guns and sustained deep contusions during her times as a Titan, and she had to admit that they were all painful, but they seem to be nothing compared to the pain of childbirth. They say that the pain is similar to every bone in your body breaking all at once, but Raven disagreed. She personally thought that this was worse.
"You are doing really well right now!" The nurse looked up and smiled at Raven. Although the nurse was sending positive vibes in the sorcerer's direction, Raven was in no the mood to be positive or smile back. She had a thick layer of sweat over her body; her hair was tangled and she felt weak. Her contractions kept coming and it seemed to have no end. Nothing would make her smile at the moment.
The nurse detected Raven's attitude. Her smile softened and she quickly turned back to her clipboard after washing her hands. She was used to seeing negative attitudes from mothers in the same state as Raven's but that hard glare of her's was probably the worse she has ever seen during her career at the hospital. "You're about 5 centimeters dilated. You could receive the epidural now if you would like-"
"Yes!" Raven exclaimed. "Please.." She winced, gripping the railing to the hospital bed. "Make the pain go away. I don't care what you do."
The nurse nodded then strode to the door. "I'll be right back with the doctor and the equipment."
Once the door shut, James looked up at Raven's side. "You're halfway there, Rach. You want me to get anything? More ice chips?"
Raven briskly shook her head. She gripped the sheets once more when another wave of pain hit her. She clenched her teeth and repeated her mantra over and over again in her mind. A small yelp managed to escape her lips. She exhaled slowly then laid back in the bed.
"You can hold my hand if you want?" James extended his hand for Raven to take. She quickly grabbed it. Another contraction came by and Raven squeezed his hand and the sheets with all her might. James nearly cursed at the hidden strength she had. He swore he heard a small crack of his carpal bones being squeezed from the pressure.
Raven exhaled once again then relaxed when the contraction seized. James pulled his hand back then massaged it. "Geez, Rach. Do you lift weights?"
2 hours later…
The doctor glared down at the crowning of the baby's head. Two nurses stood at his side and stared, ready to aid him if needed. He looked up at Raven and spoke through his mask. "Can you give me another push, Rachael? We're almost there."
Raven's face turned red and another bead of sweat formed on her brow. She clenched her teeth and groaned as she gave another hard push through the pain. James turned his head, scared to see the blood.
Raven leaned back and gasped for release. The doctor looked back down at the baby. He maneuvered his hands to squeeze the head of the baby out of Raven's vagina. "One more time, Rachael."
James watched as Raven took in a deep breath then heaved as she pushed once again.
The doctor nodded in acceptance and watched as the baby's head was pushed out of the small space. He took hold of the baby's shoulders and moved to help Raven pull the rest of the baby's body out. The nurses behind him scrambled around to grab towels and other medical equipment. "Last push!"
Raven screeched as she used all her strength to give one final push.
In seconds, a baby's cries filled the busy hospital room. James glanced back and smiled, but he then turned back around after seeing the pale colored vernix still covering the newborn's body.
"Thank Azar!" Raven sighed and closed her eyes in relief as the pain slowly subdued. She felt a soft towel pat her forehead. She lazily opened her eyes and smiled up at James who lightly wiped the sweat off her skin.
James carefully turned back around and stared at the moving nurses at the other end of the room tend to the wailing baby. "It's over, right?"
The nurse giggled and brought the cleaned, swaddled newborn to Raven. "All done! Congrats on your baby girl, Rachael."
Raven brought the babe in her arms and gave a tired smile at the nurse. The newborn wailed softly and flailed its arms from the numerous movements. Raven stared down and took in almost every detail of her baby. She had fair skin with a thick patch of blonde hair that lightly curled at the top, and her skin was a fair medium-light. Raven felt the baby's soft skin with a single finger. The babe opened her eyes, showing shimmering blue irises. Raven was nearly taken back by the appearance. She was expecting to see a baby with palish green skin and long elf-like ears, but she looked..normal. Raven was relieved. She didn't know specifically what Beast boy looked like before he turned green, but from the looks of their child, he seemed to have been blonde with blue eyes.
James glanced down over Raven's shoulders in amazement. "What are you going to name her?"
The baby stopped wailing and stared up at Raven with half opened eyes. What would she name her? She didn't think too much of the naming aspect during her pregnancy. She was too worried about her baby being safe and healthy. But now the time is here.
Her little daughter is here in her arms now, safe and healthy just as she imagined.
Raven had no idea why the name popped up in her mind, but it did. The name was based on a favorite character of her's in a good book that she read back at the Tower. The name resonated with her for so long, and it now decided to appear in her mind once more.
"Farah." She said.
James smiled. "That's a cute name."
Raven smiled and continued staring down at her baby. "It means joy, and I feel just that the more I look at her."
2 days later…
2:13 AM
A baby's wail from the room next to her's abruptly woke Raven from her slumber. She glanced at the clock on her bedside and saw the time. She groaned then went limp on the bed once more before actually getting up. She sighed then pushed the sheets off her legs. It seemed that every muscle in her body hurt. Raven's face twisted in slight pain when she rose to her feet. Raven was eager for the pain between her legs to fade so that she could resort back to walking normally.
"Note to self," She said to herself. "Bring the crib in here, so that I don't have to walk out the room."
Raven finally entered her baby's room and turned the lamp on. She migrated to her crying and flailing newborn laying in the crib then brought her into her arms. Farah continued to wail even with the warmth of her mother consuming her. Farah's cries echoed throughout the small apartment, and Raven would be lying if she said that it didn't give her a small headache.
The mother sat in the small rocking chair that was in the center of the room then gently exposed her swollen right breast. She brought the crying Farah to her nipple, and quickly the crying stopped as she began to suck.
Breastfeeding is a way for a mother to bond with their child, and Raven agreed. Looking down into the half opened eyes of her child as she sucked her meal did warm Raven's, heart.
However…
She didn't expect it to be painful. When Raven breastfed her daughter for the first time, she was eager to try it out and share that instant connection, but the beginning pain was unbearable. Raven quickly second-guessed her actions and requested for the nurse, asking questions about the pain, and if it was normal. But the nurse only smiled and said that it was to be expected. That didn't help Raven at all because she was still stuck with the pain.
Farah continued to eagerly suck the milk from her mother's bosom with no care. Raven got used to the pain, but that didn't mean she liked it. The first minute was always hard to bear, but she eventually became tolerable of it. She tried to think of it as nothing more than a hard tugging on her breast.
Farah stopped sucking then closed her eyes to go back to sleep. Raven happily exhaled then wiped Farah's mouth with the bib around her neck. She couldn't wait to begin feeding her formula instead. Raven tucked her bosom back underneath her shirt then brought the newborn over her shoulder to burp her.
Raven stared out the window that showed a good view of the bay and Titans Tower on the horizon. She sighed and looked away from the window. If she were to stare at the structure that was once her old home, she would become emotional, and that was the last thing she wanted. She desired to focus solely on her daughter. But she still couldn't help but wonder what her team would think, especially Beast boy. A ghost of a smile crept on Raven's face when happy scenarios of her friends meeting her young daughter flashed in her mind. She could already see Starfire's excitement as she holds Farah and shows a nervous Robin. She imagined Cyborg's careful and worried demeanor as he holds the small baby in his big mechanic hands. Beast boy and Terra...Her smile faded. They were the reality of all this. Who knows what Beast boy would do. Who knows what Terra would do. No..She needs to stay away out of safety for her daughter. There's no turning back now.
Raven felt a hiccup from Farah's body. She pulled the newborn back into her arms to see her face then realized white spit up on the sides of her small mouth. Raven raised a brow in confusion then used her bib to wipe off the excess liquid. "How did-"
Raven felt a warm trickle of liquid slide down the back of her shoulder where Farah's head was once leaning against. She paused then sighed in aggravation. "Of course."
She swaddled the newborn once more then gently laid her back in the cradle. She turned the lamp off then silently walked out the room towards the bathroom to wipe the vomit off her skin and clothes.
Three months later...
"Farah...why are you crying!?"
Raven frantically rocked the crying 3-month old baby in her arms as she walked around the living room of her apartment. The action didn't ease Farah at all as she continued to wail into her mother's ears.
Raven had no idea what to do. She tried to feed her, but she wasn't hungry; hence, she spat the milk back out onto Raven's outfit. She was burped; her diaper wasn't wet; there was no sudden noise that could scare her, and her temperature was normal. She randomly started to cry and would not stop!
Raven was tired and frustrated. She was thriving off a small amount of sleep, and she had an awful day at work. In all, today was not a good one. All she wanted to do was curl up with a good book and a hot cup of tea, but apparently, Farah had other plans, and that was to cry her little lungs out for no damn reason!
A splitting headache came back to Raven the longer her daughter cried. Raven placed her hand over her forehead to hopefully ease the pain. She continued to rock the baby in her arms, but again, it didn't seem to be working.
A firm knock on her door quickly caught Raven's attention. She sighed then strode to the door, her baby still wailing in her arms. Before touching the doorknob, Raven glanced down at her appearance, specifically her hand to make sure her holographic ring was on and present, hiding her true appearance.
Raven swung the door open and angrily glanced at the person who dare knock on her door.
The short brunette haired woman jumped from the sudden action. She kept her stance and stood up straight. She even lifted her chin to show her confidence.
Raven stood at the door, unamused and waiting to hear the woman's reasoning for being in her presence. She was in no mood to talk about foolish topics. "What do you want?" She snapped.
The brunette crossed her arms. "We have a problem. I live a couple doors down, and I wanted to ask if you could please quiet your baby! I have a final exam for my anatomy class on Monday, and I would really appreciate some silence so that I can study."
Raven darkly chuckled in disbelief at the woman's request. "Are you seriously asking me this question right now?"
The brunette wavered at Raven's dark stare, but she still kept her chin held high in fake confidence. "Yes. Your baby has been crying for almost an hour now. Nonstop! Can you like..put it to sleep or something?"
Raven took a step forward, staring hard into the woman's hazel eyes. "You think I want her to cry like this?" Raven gestured to the still wailing Farah in her arms. "I've been trying to hush her ever since she opened her mouth. I've been itching for some peace and quiet so that I could hear myself think. I promise you. If I could quiet her, I would. You coming to my door, stating the obvious, is not going to help me shut her up at all!"
"Um.." The woman faltered a bit and stopped looking at Raven directly in the eyes. She took notice of the dark circles underneath Raven's big bloodshot eyes and her tangled hair. Raven's purple colored shirt was stained from dried tears and spit up, and her jeans also appeared to have the similar stains. "Well...um, just...keep it down..please?"
Raven glared back at the woman. If she wasn't afraid to show her powers, she would flash four red eyes to make her leave even faster.
"Ok...uh, thank you!" She nodded her head then quickly strode down the hallway back to her door before Raven could punch her in the face.
Raven rolled her eyes and slammed the door behind her in frustration. The loud bang of the door hitting the frame frightened Farah, causing her to cry even louder.
"Azar!" Raven cradled the baby in her arms to look down at her wet, chubby face. "Stop crying! I don't know what you want!"
Raven went to the couch then gently laid the baby on her back. Farah continued wailing. Her small body heaved and hiccuped with each gasping cry, and her small face was turning red.
Tears swelled in the ducts of Raven's eyes as she sat on the couch next to her baby and stared. No matter what she did, nothing seemed to have changed. She felt stuck. A flood of built in emotions consumed her. Raven ducked her head in her hands and started to weep. Her body buckled as the tears freely fell down her face.
She didn't like crying; it showed weakness, but right now, she felt just that. She felt alone and depressed. Why was she the one stuck raising a baby on her own? Why did Beast boy have to knock her up? Why did she decide to leave the Tower? Now, she was stuck with a crying infant, an annoying job and living off less than 6 hours of sleep. Her sobs silently echoed with Farah's. She was tired of being alone and doing everything by herself. The Tower wasn't far...she could always go back, but what would she do? What would she say? They might not accept her anymore for abandoning the team, better yet with a baby.
Farah's cries started to slow and her wails softened. Raven was too consumed with her own sobs and fluttering thoughts to even realize the change.
What stopped Raven from her cries was a loud, dramatic fart that came from the person next to her. She turned to Farah who continued to lay on the couch. Farah stopped crying and her face went from red to its original fair skinned tone.
Raven continued to stare at her baby then scrunched her nose when she sniffed the air and smelled the foul odor. She reached next to her then brought Farah into her arms. Farah looked back up at her mother then started to giggle. Her crying fit was now over and she felt a sense of relief.
Raven wiped her tears and controlled her breathing. She stared down at her daughter. "So...you cried for almost an hour..and nearly gave me a mental breakdown...just because you had to pass gas?"
Farah didn't know what her mother was saying to her, but she did manage to crack a small toothless smile.
10 months later...
Raven stared up at the sign of the daycare then took in a shaky deep breath. She brought Farah closer then walked up the long steps towards the entrance.
Farah was getting bigger, and Raven needed to work more hours at the library to pay off some of the bills that were quickly piling up. She had no one to watch Farah, so what came to mind was the daycare that wasn't far from the library. It seems like a good idea..more so her only choice.
Farah's patch of blonde hair from birth quickly turned to a curly medium lengthed mop on her small head. Raven had managed to put it up in a neat bun for her first day. Farah cooed and smiled as she stared at the different people that walked by on the sidewalk with her now bright purple eyes. She was born with blue orbs, but over time, Raven noticed that the color slowly changed into amethyst ones just like her's. Raven didn't mind the change; she liked having a feature that she could familiarize with because the more Farah grew, the more Raven realized that her daughter took up a spitting image of her father..well, the image before he turned green of course.
Raven entered the daycare then strode to the office that was to her left. Raven was a bit worried to leave her daughter here. She didn't find the daycare unsafe or unwelcoming. If anything, Raven liked the way everything was structured and had a warm appeal to it. She was simply scared to leave her daughter in the care of others that she was not too familiar with.
The disguised empath took slow steps inside the office, analyzing every crack, cranny, and decor of the small room. It seemed to have met her standards. She had visited the daycare the day prior, making sure everything was in order such as her application, the fees and most importantly, the daycare workers. But now that she was, here to actually drop her daughter off, it felt like she was walking into the building for the first time.
The woman who sat behind the desk looked up from her computer screen and noticed the wavering woman slowly walk inside. She smiled and fixed her glasses. "Hi, may I help you?"
Her high voice made Raven jump a bit. She quickly remembered where she was and strode to the desk confidently. "Yes, I'm here to drop off my daughter. My name is Rachael Roth."
Raven stared at the small details of her desk while she typed away in the records. The first thing she noticed was the desk plate that had her name printed on it. Claudine Sanders. There were pictures of her happily with a man and a few small kids at their feet. The rest of the items on her desk were simple office supplies. Farah continued to glance around the area around her. She shifted in Raven's arms, eager to play.
"Farah Roth?"
Raven came back to reality then shook her head. "Yes, that's her."
Claudine nodded then passed Raven the sign in sheet. "Simply sign your name and the time that you're dropping her off then I'll call her caretaker down."
Raven sighed then neatly signed her name and the time of day. When she looked back up, there was a young woman standing at the front of the office door. She had long black hair that was braided back. She wore tight jeans with a simple T-shirt with the daycare's logo on it. "Hi! I'm Nicole. I will be taking Farah to her classroom."
Raven hesitated and clung to Farah's small body even tighter. This was happening too fast.
Nicole held her hands open with a large smile on her face. She waited to have the baby passed along to her, but Raven felt paralyzed. "Um, ok." She said shakily.
Raven pulled Farah from herself and moved to give her daughter to the young woman. Nicole stepped closer to take hold of her.
Farah stared at Nicole then back at her mother. She was confused as to what was happening, and she didn't like it. She started to cry and reach back for her mother. Raven frowned, sad that her daughter was crying. She wavered at first but continued to pass Farah into Nicole's arms. Farah continued to cry. Small tears fell down her cheeks and her face became red from the excessive crying. She clawed at Nicole's arms and reached for Raven again.
Nicole bounced the crying baby in her arms. "It's ok. Mommy will come back."
Farah ignored Nicole and extended her arms for Raven to hold her once more. Raven stepped forward, but she didn't hold her. She only hugged Farah and wiped the flowing tears off her face. Farah pulled at any part of Raven that she could grasp. "Don't cry," Raven whispered into Farah's red face. "I'll be back for you. I promise."
Farah softened a bit, but she still wailed to be back in her mother's arms. Raven frowned and pulled out of her daughter's tight grip. Farah clung to her mother's hair and shirt, scared to let her go. Once Raven managed to free herself, she took slow steps out of the office to the exit. She was getting late for work.
Raven stood at the exit and watched as Nicole walked away with her crying daughter in her arms. Farah rested her head on Nicole's shoulder and stared back at Raven who continued to stand still at the exit.
Raven's bottom lip quivered softly as she felt a single tear of her own tear slide down her cheek. She wasn't expecting this to be so hard. She didn't know why she felt this way. She wasn't wrong when she said that she would be back for her at the end of the day...But why did it feel like she was giving her daughter up?
Nicole walked up the stairs to the classroom with Farah still wailing in her arms. Once Raven could no longer hear her daughter's voice, she quickly wiped the tears from her face. She exhaled then walked out the door to go to work.
"Look! Who's that?"
Nicole smiled and knelt down at Farah's short stature. The 1-year-old looked up from the coloring book and turned around in the direction Nicole was pointing to. She glanced at Nicole then stared at the door where Raven calmly stood.
Farah smiled, showing her gums and the small number of baby teeth. She took slow unsteady steps towards her mother, but her walking has yet to perfect. She stumbled and fell to her knees, but that didn't stop her one bit. Farah continued to smile and quickly crawled the rest of the way to her mother.
Raven's heart warmed when she saw Farah frantically come her way. She pulled her baby in her arms and hugged her tightly. "Did you have fun today?"
Farah only smiled and rested her head on Raven's shoulder.
Nicole smiled and handed Raven Farah's belongings. "She was really good today. It was a bit rough this morning because she continued to cry, but she eventually became comfortable around the other kids and the toys."
"Thank you," Raven said. She smiled softly at Nicole then turned to leave.
After signing out, Raven walked down the many steps and exited the daycare. She easily blended into the large sea of people who walked down the sidewalk to their destinations. Raven glanced to the side at her daughter. "Can you tell me what you did today?"
Raven knew that her daughter couldn't speak full sentences just yet, but it was cute to see her coo and try. Farah squealed and stared at the people pass by. She turned back, resting her chin on Raven's shoulder to stare at the people walk behind them.
"Da-da."
Raven raised a brow but continued walking. "What did you say?"
Farah stared up at the sky and squealed. She giggled and kicked her feet in excitement. Her small hand went up and waved to the sky behind Raven. "Da-da." She repeated.
Raven slowed her walking and looked up at what Farah was staring at. The empath nearly tripped over her own two feet out of shock.
There, on the ledge of a tall building above them, was Beast boy. He stood tall as he glanced down at the streets below. He seemed to have been searching for someone or something in a state of hurry. The person who was walking behind Raven nearly bumped into her. He mumbled a complaint but continuing his walk down the street.
Raven felt her heart beat faster, and her breathing became irregular from the thriving emotions and fear that overwhelmed her body as she stared up at his face. She nearly gasped when they connected eye contact for only a quick second. Swiftly, she turned her head to stare straight ahead. Raven continued walking down the street. This wasn't good. She could not afford to have Beast boy see and recognize her through the disguise the holographic ring gave her.
Farah smiled and still waved her hand in the air to say greet the changeling.
Beast boy didn't seem too engrossed in the baby. He smiled softly and waved in the baby's direction for a quick second before snapping his head back up. He averted his attention to the intersection when he heard tires screeching against the road.
Raven clung to Farah out of fear from the noise. She glanced up when she heard the tires screech again but this time it was louder and seemed to be closer.
The T-Car that Cyborg drove drifted onto the street where Raven and Farah stood. It quickly zoomed by on the street, trailing a strong breeze that shifted both Raven's and Farah's hair as it passed. Not far after came a flying Starfire and Terra who stood on a flying boulder. Raven stared as they paid no attention to her. They were too focused on where they needed to be. Beast boy noticed his team then quickly morphed into a pterodactyl to chase after them. Farah stared with amazement as the green animal flew high in the air. "Da-da." She repeated.
Later that night, Raven turned to the news and saw the reason why the Titans were in such a rush. Apparently, Fang got loose from prison and was antagonizing innocent civilians, stealing their money and causing harm. He then stole a car that he was frantically driving downtown.
Raven turned the TV off then tossed the remote on the coffee table. She placed her chin in her hand and glanced down at her daughter. Farah made noises as she played with her rainbow colored blocks. She slammed the pieces on top of each other then threw them onto the floor. "Uh-oh!'' She squealed.
Raven couldn't help but wonder why Farah said "Da-da." It shocked her because it was the first time that she has ever mustered the word. She would say 'Ma-ma, yes, no, boo, uh-oh' but Da-da was not on the list of words she ever expressed. Did she know that Beast boy was her father?
Raven scoffed at the thought. "She's a baby," Raven said to herself. "By tomorrow she won't remember what happened today." "Then why did she say Da-da when she saw Beast boy?" And out of all the people on the street, how was Beast boy the person she noticed?
All these questions swarmed in Raven's brain the more she contemplated the idea. Farah noticed her mother staring down at her. She grinned and handed Raven a red block.
Raven smirked softly and took the block, but she was still in thought. "Say Da-da."
Farah took two more blocks in her hands and started banging them against each other. "Ba-ba."
"Da-da." Raven repeated. She wanted to hear Farah say the words again.
Farah looked up. "La-la."
Raven chuckled then gave up. She sighed and leaned back onto the couch as Farah continued to play. "Don't stress about it, Raven." She said to herself. "It doesn't matter. Beast boy doesn't know that it was you; he doesn't know Farah, so he can't recognize her." The sorcerer sighed. "Everything will be alright."
Farah wobbled over to the coffee table and took her light pink pacifier in her mouth. She then turned to Raven and lifted her arms be lifted up onto the couch. Raven brought Farah into her lap and cradled her. Farah snuggled into her mother's bosom and slowly closed her eyes. The pacifier twitched in her mouth as she sucked on it before falling into slumber.
Raven continued to rock her. She still wondered how Farah distinguished Beast boy from the crowd. Sure, he is green and stood on top of a building; that did make him stand out, but it still doesn't explain why she called him Da-da. She didn't call anyone that, not even James.
Raven sighed and played with Farah's curly hair. Beast boy may not know who Farah was, but she had a feeling that Farah knew him. How so? Raven had no idea. She wishes she could answer that.
Raven shook her head to silence the loud thoughts running through her head. "Stop thinking about this,'' Raven said to herself once more. Atleast the Titans didn't recognize Raven, and that was good..sort of. She wished to see them again, but that can't happen. This is the life she chose to live.
"I have you and that's all I need." Raven glanced down at the sleeping Farah. A small smile crept on her face. "It's just you and me." She whispered.
I primarily wrote this one-shot as a follow-up for those who have already read my story, "My Hidden Child', but I tried to make it understandable for those who have never read it as well. Let me know what you thought about it. If you enjoyed reading this one-shot and want to know more, read the story.
And to those who have been asking, I will be making a sequel to "My Hidden Child"! I have a couple chapters typed up so far, but I'm still thinking and editing. Therefore, it may take me a lil bit to get that finished, but keep an eye out!
I hope this one-shot satisfied you! Thanks for reading and the support!