I don't own any rights to the Teen Titans or any characters in the DC universe.
Robin leaned back in his seat in the T-Ship as it lifted off. The lush forest below soon became a green carpet that engulfed and hid the small village. In six hours they would be home and while the mission had not been a success it had not been a total failure either. He had been able to patch up his friendship with the 3 wayward Titans and Raven was coming back with them, even if it was only temporarily. He hoped to change that, as well as find a way to convince Beast Boy and Starfire to return as well.
He closed his eyes as Cyborg piloted the unusual craft across the Atlantic at supersonic speed. When he reopened his eyes he realized that couple of hours had passed. He glanced over at Raven's compartment and he could see through her canopy that she was sound asleep. She looked younger than her seventeen years of age, her roundish face had not changed and she still looked the same as when they first met.
They had all matured since that first day they meet serendipitously on the streets of Jump City. Still, he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Starfire and Beast Boy were married and had a child before either had turned eighteen. Now that they were on their way home it really sank in just how young they were still. If he did get them to come back, how would he explain to the local media that two underage Titans ran away, got married and had a child? And what about Didi? How would he explain that Beast Boy had two wives? He sighed. It was going to be a PR disaster. He thanked his lucky stars that Raven had not chosen to join Beast Boy's harem, at least for the time being. At least he wouldn't have to explain that as well. He decided to get some more sleep, as he would be busy once they got home.
Raven woke from her slumber and stretched. She looked out the window and saw that they were flying over land. Upon checking the chronometer in her cockpit she saw that they were almost 5 hours into their flight and would be home soon. She looked down at her threadbare leotard, which was definitely on its last legs. Unlike Starfire she had been unwilling to don the "National Geographic" look which the Tamaranian had been so eager to embrace. Sometimes she didn't understand the girl. It was one thing for the locals to dress that way, after all she herself had once said on Tamaran "who are we to judge their culture?" but it was quite another for them to "go native". Then again Starfire had adapted without complaint to the North American culture that was the norm in Jump City. Right now all she knew was that once they got home she would take a hot bubble bath and scarf down an entire meat lover's pizza all by herself.
Her thoughts turned to Beast Boy. She chuckled at his old hero name. He was still technically a minor, but he certainly wasn't a boy. He had two wives, a child of his own and was the guardian of over twenty orphans. Still she worried about him. She had read in a newspaper that Cyborg had brought on the trip that there was concern that the civil war in the Ivory Coast might flare up again. Who knew what that might mean to the village? She made a mental note to research this further once they got home. She knew that Beast Boy and Starfire could take care of themselves, but was concerned that they might find themselves having to protect the village against a heavily armed military force.
Soon the T-Ship was flying over the familiar bay, with the T shaped Tower looming in the distance. Raven perked up at the sight. Now that she could see it again she realized how much she had missed her old home. It was more than a building, far more. It was home. Her home, where she had lived with the closest thing she ever had to a family. A family that was now divided.
The ship alighted on the rooftop hangar and Cyborg performed the post flight shutdown sequence. Raven popped her canopy open and flew out. She had abstained from flying at the village because it scared the villagers, who kept insisting she was a witch; no matter how many times Garfield told them that wasn't true. Of course he didn't tell them that she was half demon. There was nothing to be gained from that.
As she had promised herself, the first thing Raven did was draw a hot bubble bath for herself. She luxuriated in it until it got cold, after which she showered the soap off. She had missed her lavender scented shampoo and she applied plenty of conditioner to her hair. After she dried off and put on a fresh leotard and cape.
Her room. She was back in her sanctum. She had missed it, oh had she ever. She walked around it, as if taking inventory. Her massive bookcase was undisturbed, a light layer of dust covering the exposed portions of the shelves. She walked over to her chest of drawers to get a duster, and saw her meditation mirror on top of the bureau. She had left that behind, which was not surprising as she rarely used it anymore. Perhaps it was time to visit Nevermore again, she thought. While she was nowhere as nearly emotionally repressed as she had once been, there might be some benefit to visit again. But that could wait. Her communicator was beeping with a message from Cyborg. The pizza had arrived, and message also said that Robin had a surprise.
Cyborg had gone out to pick up the pizza. He had missed his car and welcomed the excuse to take it out for a spin, as opposed to having the Italian disks delivered. As Raven had requested he ordered a whole meat lover's for her. The order taker asked him if he also wanted a vegetarian pizza, but he declined the offer. The employees at the pizza parlor were glad to see him and asked if the others had returned. He grinned and merely replied "That's classified".
The drive home was uneventful except for all the memories it summoned. Every other intersection had a memory associated with it, a painful reminder that Starfire and the grass stain wouldn't be coming back. He toyed with the idea of building a compound on the island for the villagers and bringing them all to Jump City. It was a pipe dream of course. They would never agree to come. He hoped that he could at least convince them to come for periodic visits.
He parked his "baby" in the garage and took the elevator up to the common room, carrying the pizza boxes in one arm. When the sliding door opened he walked in and saw two figures sitting on the couch. It was already dark and the only light in the room was from a small lamp in the kitchen.
The couple was engaged in some heavy petting and the tin man grinned. So Robin and Raven were finding consolation in each other's arms. Worse things could happen he supposed.
"Ok, knock it off you two. Pizza's here!" he announced as he flipped on the lights.
"Whoa!" he gasped.
Raven phased into the common room and immediately saw the "surprise". Standing next to Robin, with her arm draped around Robin's neck was none other than Batgirl. Robin had a stupid grin on his face and some lipstick lightly smeared on his face.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked.
"Sorry guys. I have some good news."
"I'll bet you do." Raven said snidely. "But you should wipe the evidence off your face first."
Robin blushed. "I can explain. Really."
Raven raised an eyebrow.
"Before we left to find you guys I asked Batman for some advice. His response was to send Batgirl."
"Who you proceeded to grope as soon as she arrived?"
Batgirl laughed. "Robin and I used to date before he left Gotham. If anyone did any groping, it was me."
The news hit Raven like a left hook. What was it about the Boy Blunder and red heads? She felt a wave of bitterness and envy wash over her. The sonofabitch had a back up for Starfire. How did he manage this? He was an uptight, anal retentive drill sergeant, for Azar's sake!
"Nice to meet you Batgirl" she offered the redhead her hand in a diplomatic gesture.
"Just call me Barbara. Barbara Gordon."
"You're the commissioner's daughter?"
"That's right. Been a law and order brat since I learned to walk."
Two birds of a feather. Raven thought to herself. I'll bet she volunteered for the transfer, to catch Robin on the rebound.
The 4 heroes sat down to eat the precious pizza at the kitchen table. While Raven ate quietly while the other 3 engaged in lively conversation, discussing the ongoing events in Gotham while Robin and Batgirl shared tales from their past joint adventures with the Dark Knight. After the meal was consumed they cleared the table and moved on to the circular couch to continue talking. Raven excused herself and went back to her room.
"Did I say something?" Barbara asked. "She didn't say a word all evening."
"Don't mind Raven." Cyborg replied "She isn't very social."
Raven charged into her room, slamming the sliding door shut behind her. She was upset and she knew why. She was angry with her lot in life. Alone, she was doomed to be alone. She had felt Beast Boy's longing for her over the years and she pushed him away, time after time. She had told herself that when the time was right she would open up to him. Now it was too late, unless she was willing to join his harem. She had resisted the idea, mostly because she found it repugnant. Now we wasn't so sure anymore. Seeing Robin rebound so quickly with an old flame served to remind her that she had no old flames. Beast Boy was probably going to be her only chance, even if he had to share him with Star and Didi.
She looked at her face in her meditation mirror. She frowned at herself. All she saw was an inhuman demoness, with dull gray skin. Her heart ached with the loneliness that was consuming her. She cursed herself. Had she not been such an ass she wouldn't be in this fix. Had she supported Beast Boy when Robin was on his case he would be hers right now.
She sat on her bed and began to sob. Her life sucked, and it was 100% her fault.
Beast Boy was taking a midday nap with Starfire. Little Marie was sleeping in her simple crib, which he had purchased at the nearby town. Starfire snored softly, curled up with him. A warm breeze blew thru the open windows. The village was quiet, as most of the villagers were also napping. Some of the orphans had been playing in the mud and Didi took them to the river to clean them up before their naps. The village was the very model of serenity, until it was broken by the sounds of children screaming. Beast Boy and Starfire woke immediately and leaped out of the hammock.
"Star, stay with Marie, let me find out what's happening." He ordered her.
Beast Boy morphed into a cheetah and charged down to the river where the children were screaming.
"A monkey, a big monkey!" one of the children wailed.
"Where's Didi?" he asked after morphing back into a human.
"The monkey took her!" the children cried in unison.
"What are you talking about? What kind monkey?"
"Big! Really big!" one of the kids cried. "And he could talk!"
Beast Boy froze.
"Mallah?" he said breathlessly.
