Cyborg was looking at the computer screen as Terra sat on the med bed, waiting.
"So...you and Brian West huh?" Garfield had asked.
"Yeah. So?" Terra asked.
"And Wally let you?" Beast Boy asked.
"Terra...the results aren't good." Cyborg closed his eyes to the screen as he turned in the chair to look at her.
"Victor, tell me all of it." Terra asked of him.
"All that time you were stuck in stone… it damaged your DNA. You're losing your geo-kinetic powers. I think you have maybe a year tops before you're not a Meta anymore.
"What else, Vic?" Terra asked.
"You're DNA is breaking up and you will eventually die from it."
"I lose my powers, then my life? Great, just great."
"I'm sorry Terra. I don't think I can stop it or slow it down..."
"To think the last thing I'll be remembered for was working for HIM." Terra said as tears came to her eyes.
"No you're not. You're known as the one that beat HIM."
"I'm sorry Beast Boy...I never meant to hurt you the way I did." Terra said as she turned to her long ago boyfriend.
"It's ok. You and Brian enjoy the time you have left." Gar told her.
Terra slid off the bed. "Thanks. Say nothing until I tell them ok?" And then Terra walked out of the room to head home.
Two Weeks Later
Cyborg and Raven were monitoring Terra's vitals and level of geo-kinetic meta power when Brian Boom Tubed into the Jump City's Titan's Tower. Cyborg had been working hard, and hopefully the past two weeks work would help his fellow Titan through this rough patch. It was just last week while he was working that Terra called him with some news.
"Where's Terra?" Brian asked.
"Infirmary." Garfield answered.
Brian raced there instantly.
Terra's eyes lit up as Brian stopped right next to her bed. "Hey pretty girl." He took her hand into his. He looked back at Cyborg and Raven. Raven didn't hint at anything. But Cyborg shook his head.
Brian had been aware that Terra's meta power was fading away due to her decades trapped in stone. But now he knew something else was going on.
"Hey yourself, Speedy."
"What's going on?" he asked carefully.
"Brian...it turns out...that my meta cells are breaking down..." Terra said almost quietly.
Brian just stared at his girlfriend. His mouth moved but nothing came out of it.
"Brian...I only have a couple of months left now..." Terra's eyes were wet with tears. "I'm sorry..."
Brian took Terra into his arms and held her. "You don't apologize for something you can't control." he whispered tightly.
They stayed like that for some time. Brian heard a whisper of words from his chest and let Terra up from him to see her eyes red from crying, the tear tracks on her face. "What?" he asked gently.
"I'm pregnant."
Brian felt like the breath had been pulled from his lungs…..did she really just say that.
He wasn't ready to be a single dad. Not yet. Mustering all his strength, he turned to Cyborg. "Is there anything you can do?"
"I've been working on a serum to slow down the cell breakdown. But it's just temporary." Cyborg looked so lost. "Terra asked me to keep her body going in case the baby isn't born when she goes."
Brian took a sharp breathe. This entire situation reminded him of his own mother. "And...how much time does Terra have? "
"A few months. Maybe a few years. I can't tell you. I can give an injection today and Terra would come back in three days to see if her cells are still intact."
"Brian? I-"
"Don't you apologize. This isn't your fault. But now the team has to alter their plans. You have to go into the past with Delta Squad."
"I can still fight!" Terra cried.
"Not while carrying my kid!" Brian shouted back.
Raven and Beast Boy snuck away from the argument.
Brian then sighed. "Terra... If you want to prolong your life, then do it. But you won't be fighting while pregnant. I draw the line there."
"Terra, not using your meta power might help your body and slow the cell degeneration." Cyborg chimed in.
Terra sighed loudly. "Fine. I won't fight. Start the shots, Cy. I'll see you in 3 days."
Cyborg nodded to his friend and went to get the experimental serum and came back to inject her with it.
Three Days Later
Brian took a breath and let it out slowly before heading downstairs for dinner.
The spread was huge for the three speedsters and two archers.
Every meat and potatoes dish invented was available. After Artemis and Vincent took their plates, Iesha, Brian and Wally went for it.
Iesha and Brian were going for the same steak.
Brian let his sister take it and he went for the slab of ribs instead, taking them out in a second.
Iesha sighed, relishing the steak with a smile on her face.
Vincent laughed as he ate his sliced carrots.
"Easy, Ie. Pace yourself." Artemis warned her daughter.
"But Mommy! Dinner's soooo good today!" Iesha smiled as barbeque sauce coated her lips.
"I can't believe you and Wes are going to get married when you're older." Vincent said.
"EW! I'm never doing that! He's got kooties!" Iesha cried.
"Keep thinking that sis." Brian stated.
Artemis laughed. "She'll learn." she told her other 'son' but for Artemis, Brian was just as much as her son as Vincent was.
"Brian, you need more meat!" Wally advised as he took down one of three pot roasts all by himself.
"Not really hungry." Brian said.
Iesha was eating the baked potatoes when he said that. "Not hungry?! We're always hungry!"
"It's not just metabolism that makes a person eat..." Brian said, thinking about what Terra had told him.
Artemis got up and went to Brian. "What is it? Talk to me Brian."
"Before that, Ie, why don't you go hang out with Wes." Brian said, not wanting his sister to know...she was too young.
"Ok. I need to take this to go!" Iesha grabbed the one of two remaining roasts, the plate of baked potatoes and the pan of roasted garlic carrots and potatoes and took off.
Wally laughed at his daughter's antics.
"She's defiantly YOUR kid, Wally." Vincent said, but then he turned to his step brother.
"It's Terra."
"What's going on?" Vincent asked, worried about his earth controlling teammate.
"She's...that time in stone...it messed up her meta cells. They're breaking apart."
"Oh man..." Wally shook his head. "I'm sorry Brian."
Brian took a deep breath. "That's not all..."
"Oh come on!" Vincent cried. "We don't need any more betrayals!"
Brian looked his father straight in the eyes. "Terra and I...are expecting..."
Wally stood up. His eyes said it all-it was just like him and Claire when she was expecting. And Brian was now dealing with that. He sat down, unsure as to what he should say or do.
Artemis abandoned her food and hugged Brian tightly. She felt for him and she knew Wally did too but the situation was far too close to what he experienced with Brian's mother, Claire.
"Cyborg can help her...at the least, long enough for our baby to be born." Brian said as he hugged his step mother back.
"I'm so sorry Bro."
Wally got back up and left the dining room.
Artemis and Vincent were worried as Brian tried to keep a brave face.
"Is it wrong to think that she never should have tried what she did after she stopped Deathstroke? I mean that's what's causing the deterioration, the after effect of stopping the volcano." Brian asked as the hug was released.
"It's ok to think that, Brian. Terra ended Slade's hold on her but after she fought back, she had to save Dick and the Titans and thought it was the best option, using her power to stop the volcano she started." Artemis explained.
"You're right; it was the only way to save Jump City as well as Uncle Dick and the others." Brian said. "But also, I wouldn't have met her at the age she's at now if she hadn't."
"Brian...you need to spend every moment with Terra. So when your baby is born, you will have those memories for your child."
"Thanks mom..." Brian said. He didn't call Artemis mom often, but whenever he felt the connection he did and it made Artemis swell with pride ever time.
"I'd better go check on your father..." Artemis said; looking to the door Wally left out of.
Wally was back holding an old book.
"What's that, Wally?" Vincent asked.
Wally went to Brian and sat in the empty chair. "Brian...this was your mother's journal while she was pregnant with you."
Brian had tears in his eyes...did he really want to know what Claire went through in details from her perspective...
"I've never read it. I couldn't….but I know you need to know what Terra might deal with...and those answers I don't have." Wally admitted.
Brian hugged his father tightly. His dad had to raise him alone and Brian needed to know what could happen.
"To be honest, if the baby gets both meta powers...it would be interesting to see how they are used." Artemis said, hoping to lighten the mood.
"I want the baby to be normal actually." Brian admitted.
"It's not going to be easy for you son, but I will answer any question you might have. Ok?"
"Ok Dad. And thanks."
"What about the final mission?" Vincent asked, the thought entering his mind.
"Terra's talking to Uncle Dick now." Brian told him.
Wally let go of his son.
"Dad...I want her to go to the past with Meygan, Liv and Molly." Brian told Wally quietly.
"Whatever Cyborg is going to do to help, she needs a good supply of it with her." Artemis said, having heard her step son.
"And I will make sure she does," Wally assured him. "But Molly will need to know what's going on with her."
"I'll tell Molly."
"It's going to be hard...isn't it?" Vincent asked, hearing the worry in his brother's voice.
"Yeah. But I can't let the Light get near her. She can't use her meta power anymore. Victor said that and the shots will slow down the cell breakup."
"Victor was always a smart man. And a loyal one." Artemis said.
"I know Terra will be happy to know that all of Alpha squad and Omega will watch out for your kid with you." Vincent remarked, walking over to his brother and surprising him with a hug.
"Um...let go. This feels weird."
Vincent kneed his leg.
"OW!"
"We better go get Iesha before she eats Conner and M'gann's house out of its food." Wally said.
"Yea, I'm sure she almost has by now." Artemis said with a laugh.
"Thanks...all of you..."
"You'll have to tell the team at some point, they have to know how they can help. I'm sure after Terra tells Dick he'll call a meeting about all of this."
Brian merely nodded.
Meanwhile at Dick and Serenity's house
Terra took the tea from Serenity and she sat next to Dick.
She stayed calm as she thought about how to tell them.
"Dick...I won't be able to be a part of the strike force." she started out by saying.
"Terra, we need you to close off the road out of Ra's summer retreat." Dick told her.
"I want to do it...but I medically can't." Terra said as she sat her cup of tea on the coffee table.
Dick eyed her with worry.
"For two reasons..."
Serenity grew worried now.
"First, I'm pregnant."
"Terra, that's great!" Serenity hugged her excitedly.
"I just hope I can survive until the baby's born...which brings me to the second reason. I'm dying."
"HOW!?" Dick cried. He couldn't lose another friend, he had already lost his sister and then Roy (thank goodness for the Master Fate's present to Meygan on that one though).
Tears came to Terra's eyes. "It's because of how I saved you and the Titans from Deathstroke that day...being in that stone for decades… not only made my meta gene deteriorate, but my cellular structure all together."
Dick was shocked...and angry. The anger was because Slade Wilson had continued his reign of terror long after Terra's sacrifice.
"Brian knows about everything, but I just can't be part of the strike force...I wanted to talk about this here so you could figure out how to tell Alpha squad and the JLU."
"Ok. Then you're going to the past. Do Gar, Victor, Kori and Raven know?" Dick asked.
"Victor's the one that found out, after I couldn't manipulate the earth like I use to could, I went to him to find out what was happening."
"It's ok Terra. It's just...we just got you back."
"Dick...I'm sorry I ran away when we first met, I thought Gar told you about my loss of control back then and broke his promise..."
"I figured it out on my own; I mean I was trained to be observant like that. We could have helped...no matter what and we'll help now."
"Thanks for not holding a grudge." Terra said with a sad smile.
"I try not to." Dick told Terra as he smiled back.
"I'm sure that if Brian's told his family that Wally told him to spend as much time with you as possible...Terra, do you know that Brian never got to know his mother?"
"Brian said something about her...that he got a letter when Marik returned as an adult..."
"Wally had plenty of time with Claire so he could tell Brian about her. Spend time with him as much as possible." Serenity added.
"I will."
Just then a knock came on the Grayson front door and when it opened, Brian was standing there.
"How about we have a great day, Brian." Terra said as she got up and walked over to him.
"Just what I was thinking."
With that the couple left out, but not before Terra turned and smiled at Dick and Serenity.
"You'd better call a meeting of the JLU and Team ASAP." Serenity said, thinking about the effect this would have on EVERYONE. Not just for the plan against the LIGHT, but for their friend's situation.
"Was thinking the same thing." Dick said and with that he headed out to make that call.
Seven Hours Later
With most everyone on missions, they weren't all available until now. All of the JLU and Alpha Squad were there and wondering what was going on. Omega had their own missions but they would be filled in soon.
Mathen watched as his father paced.
"Dick, what's going on?" Clark asked, wondering why everyone was called together so soon again.
"It's Terra. We need to take her out of the plan." Dick explained.
"WHAT." Alpha squad cried out all at once.
"Brian and Terra...are an item, as you all know. Terra found out she's pregnant, so she needs to go to the past." Dick explained.
Areina and Mathen weren't fooled, something else was going on. "Uncle Dick...what else?"
He sighed.
"Ok. It turns out that Terra's dying. All that time in stone did something to her meta powers. They're fading away and breaking down her body slowly." Serenity told them.
"WHAT?!" M'gann cried.
"That's why her power was weaker last week." Mathen said, remembering it from a training session.
"That's not right. Take her to Victor." Conner added.
"Victor's the one that confirmed it." Dick retorted.
Conner said nothing.
"This isn't fair to her." Artemis said.
"How much time has she got?" Terry asked.
"We're a little lucky on that part...at least with her staying alive. We don't know for sure, but Victor has made a serum that will help slow down the deterioration." Serenity said.
"So she can't use her power?" Barda asked.
"It would help her if she didn't." Serenity assured her.
"How's Brian taking this?" Dinah asked.
Dick and Serenity didn't know how to answer that, but their silence spoke volumes.
"He's devastated." Artemis answered.
"Vincent already assured him that all of Alpha would be there to help after Terra gives birth." Wally said.
"No doubt there." Mathen said.
"Ohana." Areina added with a smile.
"Can Brian do that? Raise the baby alone?" Olivia wondered.
"I had to. But Brian...I think he feels responsible for this."
"But he's not." Luna cried out.
"It was Terra's love for the Titans that was the cause." Dick said as he let out a heavy sigh.
"We all know that. So we need to change the plan." Serenity closed her eyes.
"What about me? Could I take her place in the plan?" Cassidee asked, her confidence rising even more.
"Do you want to?"
"YES!" Cassidee cried.
"Alright. You're in." Mathen told her.
"Honey, be careful out there." Serenity said as she walked over to her niece.
"I will, Auntie."
Dick called the meeting to an end, but Alpha was curious about what Areina said toward the end.
"What is Ohana?" Kevin asked.
"Ohana is Hawaiian for family and family means that no one gets left behind." Areina answered.
"Funny, I said those same words when Orin was born." M'gann said as she walked over to Alpha.
"We're ohana, and we always stick together." Areina said.
Just then Brian and Terra arrived in the room…..and just in time to hear what Areina said.
"Thank you….all of you." Terra said with tears in her eyes.
Alpha squad smiled, and with that the team was going to hang out for a while, as an ohana.