Chapter 12: Safe and Secure

"I told…Cyborg it was…nothing…" panted Jinx, clenching her fists in pain.

"Lean back, Jinx. I think you're going to need to start pushing," Raven replied, peeking beneath the sheet that covered Jinx's legs. Terra took the kids and Torque grabbed the guys and in seconds, the med bay was cleared of all but the women. Cyborg almost knocked Torque out before Robin finally told her to let him back in. If he fainted, it would be his own fault.

Jinx screamed seconds later and wept under the stress that wracked her petite frame. Pregnancy had been tough on the small-boned Titan, but the assistance of the other lady Titans seemed to help. Starfire and Terra supported her legs and Torque stood ready with warm blankets. Raven made one last check of the situation and her eyes widened.

"Wait!" Raven gasped.

"I can't!" Jinx cried. "I have to push!"

"No! Jinx, your baby didn't turn!" Raven replied.

"Is there anything we can do?" Torque asked Raven gravely.

"I think I can turn the baby with my powers. You guys have to hold her," Raven replied. When Raven centered her energy on Jinx's body, she felt the pink-haired Titan's heart rate double. She knew she had to hurry or Jinx may die of a heart attack before she could give birth to her baby.

"Jinx!" Cyborg shouted as Jinx started to lose consciousness. Torque put the blanket back on the tray behind her and used her own powers to grab Cyborg and force him back out into the hallway. She shouted above his protests to the others and ordered them to hold him there. Under no circumstances was he to come back in until they said it was over.

"Please hurry, Raven!" Starfire cried. Raven extended her hands over Jinx's swollen belly and her eyes glowed with magic light. Raven gritted her teeth under the strain of turning the infant very slowly. She didn't want to risk injuring the Jinx or her baby.

"She's unconscious!" Terra called out. "Raven!"

"Don't…rush me!" Raven growled, sweat beads forming at her hairline. It took Raven an agonizing ten minutes to turn the baby—a feat she accomplished without damaging so much as a skin cell on Jinx or her about to be born infant. Jinx came around just as Raven released her hold on her, and her friends coaxed her to commence pushing. Minutes later, the wail of a newborn filled the air.

Out in the hall, all motion stopped. Cyborg stared at the doors of the med bay along with his teammates and waited. What had happened? Why had the baby stopped crying?

Minutes later, Starfire emerged from the med bay with a white bundle in her arms. She was smiling from ear to ear and happy tears filled her emerald eyes. She reached her teammates and found the words to speak.

"Cyborg…meet your son," Starfire said proudly. She gently offered the bundle to Cyborg, who gingerly took it in his massive hands and looked beneath the blankets. The tiny infant he found there was quite blatantly his child. The baby had soft, dark skin and a soft layer of black hair. His eyes were even already brown.

"Cyborg," Robin murmured. "What's his name?" Cyborg couldn't stop staring. He choked back tears, swallowed and then answered, "His name is Reese. Reese Victor Stone." Cyborg stood and took his son with him back into the med bay. Raven had just finished washing up.

"Jinx is a fighter. We had complications and she could easily have died but she's stubborn. She did great. Congratulations, Cy," Raven said, her expression reflecting the stress that she too had been through.

"Thank you for my family, Raven," Cyborg said gently. Raven stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"Go on," she said. "Your wife needs you."

Cyborg didn't need to be told twice. He smiled broadly and returned to Jinx's side. Raven, Starfire, Terra and Torque tiptoed out of the med bay to give them some time together. As mothers themselves, they all realized how important it was for the new family to be alone for a while.

"Olivia! Bath time!" Raven called, walking down the hall that evening with Emily in her arms. Raven smiled as she braced herself for the impending five year old streak of greased lightning she called her daughter. Olivia loved her baths, and even though sometimes Raven needed a towel as much as her daughters, she enjoyed it as well. After bath time was a limited amount of playtime and then it was cuddle time and bedtime. Cuddle time was one of Olivia and Emily's favorite times of the day. It was time that Mommy and Daddy saved especially for them and none of the other Titans were allowed to interrupt. Beast Boy had even told Olivia that the whole world could be coming to an end and cuddle time would still come first.

Raven waited patiently a few seconds and then called for Olivia again. Instead of a streak of lightning, Olivia was more like cold molasses tonight.

"What's wrong, baby, play a little too much today?" Raven asked. Olivia didn't answer; instead, she proceeded to undress for her bath. Raven finished undressing Emily and wrapping her in a towel and turned to Olivia. A small gasp escaped the young mother's lips.

"What happened to your back?" Raven asked. Olivia mumbled 'nothing' and turned to get in the tub. There were several long, narrow welts on Olivia's back as well as a number of bruises on her arms and more welts on her bottom. Raven asked again after the girls had been in the tub for a few minutes.

"Were you roughhousing with Daddy and Uncle Robin again?" she asked. She wasn't angry; she was just trying to figure out what had happened. Olivia insisted that it was not from playing too roughly. If it wasn't from playing 'combat practice' with the other Titans, or from falling on the playground, where could they have come from? Raven finished bathing the girls and dressed them. During cuddle time, Raven made sure she reinforced to Olivia that if someone was hurting her that she needed to tell Mommy and Daddy so that they could help her. She seemed to get through, but Raven couldn't be sure until she found out what was going through her young daughter's head. After bedtime, Raven yawned, stretched, removed her cloak, and crept into bed beside Beast Boy. Raven heard a soft purr and smiled. Beast Boy wound his arms around her waist and tugged her closer.

"I love you, honey," Beast Boy murmured. Raven smiled softly as she reached back to stroke his face.

"I love you, too," she whispered. "I noticed tonight as I was bathing the girls that Olivia's got an awful lot of bruises on her back and bottom. I can't explain them and she won't tell me where she got them." Beast Boy ceased his purring and took a deep breath.

"What are you thinking?" Beast Boy asked. Raven rolled over in his arms to face him.

"That's the thing. I don't know what to think. No one on the team would hit her, would they?" Raven asked, afraid she was overstepping her boundaries. Beast Boy seemed to at least be considering it.

"No," he finally said. "The rest of the team loves Olivia just as much as we do. None of them would do that to her." Raven cuddled into his chest and took a deep breath of her own.

"Terra's been awfully crabby lately…you don't think she'd take it out on the kids, would she?" Raven asked.

"I think you're grasping at straws, honey," Beast Boy said in Terra's defense. "Terra may be cranky, but remember, she shares your memories of their birth. She's almost as defensive about those kids as you are."

"Then what is it? Where is she getting all those bruises?" Raven replied. Beast Boy held her close.

"If it will make you feel any better, I'll talk to Robin in the morning. He'll help me dig into the rest of the team and see if we can find out anything else, okay?" Beast Boy murmured, kissing the top of Raven's head. Raven nodded and let Beast Boy's heartbeat sing her to sleep.

"That little girl's growing like a bean sprout!" Cyborg laughed as Beast Boy set Olivia on her feet and she ran for the school yard.

"Yeah. It feels like she was only born yesterday," Mammoth said. Cyborg grinned. He was amazed at how sensitive this villain-turned-hero really was.

"For a bully, you sure talk like a pretty sensitive dude," Beast Boy teased. Mammoth smiled.

"You wanna see bully, you wait until combat practice this afternoon," Mammoth replied. Cyborg and Beast Boy laughed as they got back into the car and left the school.

That afternoon, Raven materialized in front of the school and Olivia came running from the steps of the building and threw herself into her mother's arms.

"I missed you too, Olivia," Raven chuckled. "Are you okay?"

"Bad day," Olivia muttered. "Can we go home please, Mommy?" Raven was a bit puzzled by this. As of present, she had been of the knowledge that Olivia loved school. This was the first bad day she had heard of.

"Do you want to talk about it, honey?" Raven asked, picking Olivia up. Olivia wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and laid her head on Raven's shoulder.

"I just wanna go home," Olivia murmured. Raven held her tightly and rose into the air, using her powers to transport them home.

That night, Raven discovered a new bruise on Olivia's upper arm. Again, she questioned her daughter about it. Had this had anything to do with her bad day? No, Olivia said. Raven was trying to be patient, but when you're a parent, it's hard to be patient when you suspect that someone is hurting your child. Raven went once again to Beast Boy to ask what they should do.

"I already asked the others. They can't explain it either. Olivia hasn't been roughhousing with the guys, and as far as I know, she hasn't been getting in on combat practice so I don't know where else she could be getting these bruises. I'm as in the dark as you are," Beast Boy said. Raven leaned into his arms and sighed. His embraces were warm, and Raven loved finding that place in his arms where she seemed to fit like a puzzle piece. She felt more comfort here than anywhere else, as it was here that she fled to when her raging emotions were at their lowest or highest. It was here that she rested the most when she slept. Right now, she needed this comfort and strength. She felt helpless to fight for her child and that's a feeling no parent likes to endure.

The next day, after school, Olivia walked out of the school building and scanned the area for her parents. Not seeing Beast Boy or Raven, Olivia bit her lower lip and fought not to panic. Where were they?

"Hey, Olivia!" cried a voice. Olivia shot a look down the block a bit and spotted a bright red motorcycle.

"Uncle Robin!" Olivia cried, running to him.

"Hey, kiddo!" Robin said with a smile. "Ready to go for a ride?" Olivia gasped as Robin produced a little blue helmet that looked just like his red one. Carefully, Robin strapped the helmet onto Olivia's head and lifted her onto the bike in front of him.

"Where are mommy and daddy?" Olivia asked through the speakers inside the helmet.

"They're on mission. They asked if I would come get you," Robin replied. "I thought maybe you'd like a ride on the motorcycle since you've never gotten one before. Now, don't touch the gas tank, lean when I lean, and hang on!" By the time they got home, Olivia's sides hurt from laughing. She and Uncle Robin had gone all over the city on patrol for bad guys and Olivia had been thrilled.

"Rob, where did you take her? She's filthy!" Terra giggled, looking up from a newspaper.

"Uncle Robin and I went for a ride!" Olivia squealed. Robin took the helmet from her and Olivia ran to her room to put down her backpack and change out of her school clothes. When she returned, she crawled into Robin's lap as he watched TV. Robin smiled as he wrapped an arm around her and arranged the blanket she had brought with over her. Minutes later, Olivia was asleep and minutes after that, so was Robin.

When Robin awoke from this nap, there was little light left in the sky. The rest of the team would be home any minute now and Olivia was still asleep in his lap. He knew that if Olivia didn't sleep that night, Beast Boy and Raven would have his head. Robin noted with pride that Jason had joined them at some point, and was snuggled up beneath Robin's cape on the opposite side. Robin gently woke the kids and Jason said little as he carefully crawled off the couch and headed for his bedroom. Olivia remained in Robin's lap for a while and Robin took advantage of the situation.

"Olivia, your mom said she found some really nasty bruises on your back. I know from being a superhero that it's not hard to come home with a few bruises after a battle, but you haven't been in one. Where are you getting the bruises?" Robin asked gently. Olivia looked up at him.

"I can't tell. I'll get in trouble," Olivia said, hopping down from Robin's lap.

"Why?" asked Robin. "Who said that to you?"

"If I tell, I'll get in trouble!" Olivia insisted, taking her blanket and doll and returning to her room. Robin remained on the couch a moment, perplexed. Beast Boy and Raven were right: someone was hurting Olivia, but this person was also threatening her with punishment should she tell. It was worse than Robin expected.

By the next day, the rest of the team was aware of the situation with Olivia. Speedy had a hunch, but he couldn't prove it.

"Hey, Aqualad, wanna give me a hand with something?" Speedy asked.

"Sure," said Aqualad through the communicator in his hand. "What's going on?"

"I'll fill you in on the way. Meet me at the coordinates I'm sending you," Speedy said on his way out of Titans Tower. "Rob! I'm borrowing your bike!"

"Take mine!" shouted Torque from the other room. "Robin's gonna need his later!"

"Gotcha!" Speedy replied, heading for the garage. Minutes later, he was at his destination.

When Aqualad arrived, he found Speedy up in a tree, looking very much like his much-hated nickname: Robin Hood.

"What's going on?" Aqualad asked, climbing up beside him. "Isn't this Olivia's school?"

"Yeah, and Recess is just starting. I've got a sneaking suspicion that I know what's going on here, but I need to see it for myself," Speedy said, eyeing the flood of students issuing from the doors of the school. This particular elementary school was one of the largest in Jump City, and went all the way to grade eight all in one building. There was only one recess during the day that all of the students had together and Speedy had an idea that it was this recess that would prove or disprove his theory.

"There she is," Aqualad said, pointing to Olivia and her friend Natalie. The two girls ran for the swings. When they got there, Olivia stopped short as if someone were calling her, and ran to the jungle gym. Disappearing under all of the twisting and turning tunnels, slides and hiding places, Speedy and Aqualad lost sight of their little charge.

Minutes later, Olivia emerged in the company of a boy much larger than she was. He appeared to be about a seventh grader, and he approached a teacher, apparently asking if he and Olivia could go inside. The teacher nodded and the older boy took Olivia by the hand and led her inside. Speedy's eyes narrowed and Aqualad said exactly what he had been thinking. "What's he doing with her?"

"Let's find out," Speedy said, jumping down out of the tree and sneaking into the building by another door.

"Did you know this school is one of the only ones in town with a swimming pool?" Aqualad commented as they walked.

"Why?" Speedy asked.

"The seventh and eighth graders have a swimming team," Aqualad said. "They're the Jump City champs five years running in their age group."

"Cool," said Speedy. "I would have been in archery, but I kept beating everyone and they made me leave the team." Speedy grinned mischievously as Aqualad rolled his eyes. Their conversation was cut short when they heard Olivia's voice.

"I didn't tell!" Olivia squeaked.

"Our class received a lecture today on being role models and making certain we didn't pick on younger students. You told someone. You broke our arrangement," a boy's voice replied.

"Where are we going?" Olivia demanded. The boy said nothing, but the two heroes behind them followed at a safe distance so that they would not be seen. The boy took his little charge into the pool area.

"We had a deal, little one, and you broke it. I told you there would be consequences if you broke the rules," the boy said. His voice was startlingly calm.

"My mommy saw the bruises. She must have told," Olivia replied, her voice trembling.

"Then your mother must be punished also. Jump, Olivia," the boy ordered.

"No! I can't swim!" Olivia wept.

"You don't have to," the boy replied. His harsh blue eyes reflected the light off the water in the pool.

"I'm too scared," Olivia sobbed, covering her eyes with her hands. "Uncle Aqualad didn't teach me to swim yet!"

"Then let me help," the boy said, carrying Olivia to the end of the diving board and dropping her. Olivia's clothes soaked through immediately, weighing her down. They boy descended the steps from the diving board and started for the door. He heard footsteps. Perfect.

"Help!" the boy shouted. "Please! One of the little kids jumped off the diving board!" He ran out the door of the pool area and straight into Speedy and Aqualad.

"Please, sir! One of the kindergarteners, she just jumped off the diving board!" the boy cried, feigning fear.

"God, no!" Speedy cried.

"Olivia!" Aqualad shouted. The two heroes ran into the pool area and Aqualad wasted no time diving in near where he saw Olivia floating below the surface. She had already stopped struggling. When Speedy turned around, the boy was running for the playground but Speedy chased him down.

"I was going to get another teacher!" the boy cried.

"You were the last one with her, you liar!" Speedy shouted. "For your sake, you better hope she lives." Speedy dragged the boy all the way back to the pool area. Aqualad came up from beneath the surface with Olivia in his arms. He jumped out of the pool and laid the little body on the cold tile floor, tipping her head back before he started rescue breathing. Four breaths later, Olivia jerked, gasped and choked up the water in her lungs. Aqualad rolled her on her side and rubbed her back as she coughed and then started to wail. Aqualad swept her up into his arms as several teachers ran into the pool area. It was finally over. Speedy and Aqualad wrapped Olivia in a couple of large towels, but she still shook all the way home to Titans Tower.

"Speedy, get on the comm. and find Beast Boy and Raven. They need to come home. Now," Aqualad said as he laid Olivia on a bed in the med bay and peeled her wet school clothes off. She fought him a bit, but at this point, she was too weak to protest anything. Aqualad used the towels to dry her off as best he could, and dressed her in one of her warm fleece nighties before brushing her long violet hair and tucking her beneath the covers.

"BB and Raven are out of range. I'll check every five minutes until I find them," Speedy replied.

"What's going on?" Terra asked, coming into the med bay. "Olivia!" Speedy held her before she could get to the little one's side.

"Let her rest, Terra. She doesn't need any more commotion today," Speedy advised.

"What happened?" Terra demanded.

"We'll tell everyone, but right now, someone needs to find Beast Boy and Raven and tell them to come home. They're out of communicator range," Aqualad replied, stroking Olivia's hair. Olivia coughed occasionally in a fitful sleep. Aqualad pulled up a chair and sat beside her. She couldn't seem to get to sleep for very long, and Aqualad searched his memory. What did her parents do when the kids couldn't sleep? He smiled softly as he remembered. Aqualad pulled a warm blanket out of a nearby cabinet and opened it. He wrapped it around Olivia and then took the kindergartner in his arms again. There was a rocking chair still in the med bay from when Jinx had had her baby, and Aqualad sank into this now with Olivia bundled and safe in his protective embrace. Slowly, he began to rock and seconds later, Olivia was sound asleep.

"Good thinking," said Speedy, coming back into the med bay. "Kids need to feel secure, and when they're nice and warm and being held, they feel safe. Terra went out to look for BB and Rae. Hopefully she'll find them soon." Aqualad nodded.

"How's the munchkin?" Speedy asked. Aqualad frowned a bit.

"She's pretty wiped out. She'll be okay, but she should probably stay here in the med bay for tonight so we can keep an eye on her. What happened with that kid?" Aqualad replied.

"The teachers believe him. I called the authorities anyway and the principal is accusing us of interfering in school business. She doesn't seem to realize he tried to kill her. The administration believes that Olivia jumped of her own free will," Speedy replied.

"While we were wrapping her up, I noticed a camera in the corner of the pool room. Is there surveillance footage somewhere?" Aqualad asked. Speedy's eyes lit up.

"Fish head, you're a genius!" Speedy cried, heading back out of the room.

"Only doing what I can, twinkle toes," Aqualad muttered as Speedy left.

"Say that again. I don't think I quite understood you," growled Robin that afternoon when the rest of the team returned.

"You saw the footage. He had been beating her out on the playground and then swearing her to secrecy. He told her she would have to die if she told," Speedy said, his fists still clenching. "He told her to jump and she couldn't do it so he dropped her in the deep end."

"That sicko little…" Torque growled.

"Where's my baby?" Raven wept. Beast Boy's arms around her were all that was keeping the fury inside her from exploding.

"She's okay, Raven. It's a good thing Aqualad and I were there. He's in the med bay with her right now," said Speedy. None of the other Titans protested as Beast Boy and Raven bolted from the room at this information and ran for the med bay to be with their little girl.

"Is the footage from the surveillance camera enough to convince a judge?" asked Terra.

"I'm sure. But for tonight, let's just be thankful we have everyone home, safe and sound, and that Olivia's okay," said Speedy. Terra nodded and made her way to the med bay. Raven broke down in tears as Aqualad surrendered the bundle in his arms. Raven collapsed to her knees and clutched her daughter, weeping as she kissed the top of Olivia's head. Beast Boy knelt down with them and held them both, unable to fight tears of his own. Minutes later, Beast Boy coaxed Raven to sit on the bed as she held Olivia so that he could hold them too. Torque brought Emily to them, and the four Logans spent quiet time in the med bay.

"Mommy?" Olivia whispered as her eyes blinked open.

"We're here, baby. Mommy and Daddy are right here," Raven replied.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," Olivia murmured.

"What for?" Beast Boy asked. What could she ever be apologizing for?

"I'm sorry I scared you, Mommy," Olivia replied. Raven lightly stroked her daughter's cheek and let a tear slip down her porcelain colored cheeks.

"Honey, you didn't do anything wrong," Raven whispered. "You were so brave, Olivia!"

"That boy wanted you to jump and you knew it was too dangerous. You did the right thing, sweetie," Beast Boy added.

"I was scared," Olivia whimpered. "Heroes don't get scared."

"You're wrong, baby," said Raven, sniffling back a sob. "Mommy and Daddy and the other Titans get scared all the time! You had every right to be scared today!"

"I didn't want to die, Mommy!" Olivia wept, leaning into her parents' chests as they held her tight.

"Olivia, you don't have to worry about dying for a long, long time. Do you hear me?" Raven said, looking Olivia in the eyes. "You aren't going to die until you're an old, old lady, do you understand?" Olivia nodded and swallowed hard, but she had one more question.

"But…then why did Toby die? Toby wasn't old…Mommy, why did my brother die?" Olivia wept. Raven couldn't answer, she was crying too hard. She held Olivia and Emily in her arms and cried and Beast Boy tried to encompass them all, his own tears wetting his face.

"Toby…was so sick, Olivia…there was nothing we could do," Beast Boy wept.

Aqualad couldn't help tears of his own as he stood outside the med bay. He had no children of his own, but he felt for Beast Boy and Raven. They had been through more in the last five years than most parents go through in a lifetime.

"Aqualad?" said a soft, feminine voice. He turned and Terra stood before him. She wrapped her arms around him he welcomed the embrace. Even though he told the others he was fine, he was exhausted, and Terra knew it.

"C'mon. I'll give you a massage and you can sleep here tonight," Terra offered.

"That sounds great," Aqualad replied, offering his petite girlfriend half a smile. They walked into Aqualad's quarters and the marine hero peeled off his gloves and then the top half of his uniform, followed by his boots before crawling up onto and lying down on the bed. Terra tried hard not to let her heart beat out of control. She had never seen him without a shirt on. She warmed the oil in her hands before she smoothed it over his skin. Occasionally he moaned in appreciation as she rubbed out the knots and tense spots in his back, shoulders and arms. When she finished, Aqualad appeared to have fallen asleep and Terra took the blanket from the foot of the bed and spread it over him. She planted a kiss on his cheek and was about to leave him to rest when she felt someone grasp her hand.

"Wait…" Aqualad murmured. "Don't I get to return the favor?" Terra blushed. She wasn't sure she deserved one. Aqualad had saved Olivia's life today. Aqualad sat up and ran a hand through Terra's long blonde hair. Terra closed her eyes as she smiled and leaned into his touch. Terra's pulse rose as she felt hands on the edge of her uniform top. Frozen to the spot she stood on, she let Aqualad pull it up and over her head. He removed her gloves one by one, kissing each of her hands, and then kissing her mouth before coaxing her to lie down on her stomach on the bed, just as he had. Aqualad gently pulled Terra's shoes off her feet and then returned to her narrow shoulders, kissing her neck as he moved her hair out of the way and began to rub her back. Terra softly moaned as she adjusted her weight and then relaxed, allowing him to slowly work miracles on her tired muscles.

When he finished, Terra sat up, pulling the sheet along to cover her chest. Aqualad sat down beside her on the bed, took her face in his hand and kissed her, sending her senses reeling again. Terra leaned into the kiss, slowly releasing the sheet and reaching to run her hands through his hair and pull his face closer to hers. Aqualad gently pushed Terra backwards onto the bed, still kissing her and now letting one hand wander down around her waist. Terra was dizzy with the sensations that assaulted her system at his touch. But something inside her told her this wasn't right. Not yet.

"Aqualad," she gasped between kisses. "Stop."

"What's wrong?" he whispered, moving to her neck. "Am I going too fast?"

"I'm not ready for this yet. I don't want to go all the way yet," Terra replied. Aqualad slowly sat back, his purple eyes tinged with sadness.

"It's not you, Garth. I just want it to be right. I'm not ready yet. I don't mind doing stuff like this, but I want to wait before we take it beyond third base, okay?" Terra explained. Aqualad smiled softly.

"I really care about you, Terra. I don't want to force you into anything you don't want to do yet. I just…I kinda feel like a dork for not talking to you about it first," Aqualad replied. Terra lifted his chin and forced him to meet her eyes.

"What would you say if I told you I love you?" Terra asked. Aqualad's eyes widened. Redemption!

"I would say your wish is my command," Aqualad said, stealing another kiss and pressing her back against the sheets. "and Terra?"

"Yes?"

"I love you, too."