Innocence Lost by CidGregor
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.
Chapter 5
"You wanna pass me, but you can't pass me!"
"You just watch, Cyborg, I'm about to make my comeback!"
"Oh, no you won't, not while I've still got…NITRO!"
Cyborg mashed four different buttons on his controller at once and his car took off like a rocket, blowing past the finish line miles ahead of Beast Boy.
"Dude, that was so not cool!"
"Face it Beast Boy, you're not gonna beat me at my best game!"
"One of these days, Cyborg, I'll get you, you just watch…"
At that moment Starfire floated into the room, calling a halt to their debate. She waved a friendly hello to them and then proceeded to empty the fridge of anything edible and started eating as though she hadn't for days, drawing confused stares from the two boys. This was slowly becoming routine; Starfire had been eating quite a lot lately, and the Titans were beginning to have trouble keeping the fridge stocked.
It had been almost another two months since Starfire's ordeal, and now the bulge of her stomach had grown considerably. But Beast Boy and Cyborg remained blissfully unaware of her traumatic experience, or of her resulting pregnancy, leaving them to draw other conclusions about Starfire's eating habits as of late.
"Dude, I don't have the heart to tell her, but she's gettin' a little bulky, if you know what I mean," Beast Boy whispered.
"Yeah, I know," Cyborg said, concern in his voice. "I don't know why she suddenly started eating so much, but it's definitely not healthy for her. I mean, she used to be pretty thin, and now look at her."
Raven entered the living room just then, carrying one of her books and a mug of herbal tea as usual. She smiled warmly at Starfire as she settled down at the kitchen table beside the alien girl and began chatting in low voices. A second later Robin came in as well and joined the girls in their conversation, all three of them looking quite happy.
Beast Boy and Cyborg exchanged a confused glance. "D'you suddenly get the feeling they know something we don't?" Beast Boy asked.
"What was your first clue?" Cyborg said back. "I can't let Star do this to herself, I'm gonna say somethin'."
"With Raven sitting right next to her? Good luck. I'd rather keep my head on, thanks."
"You're coming too," Cyborg muttered, grabbing Beast Boy by the back of his shirt and carrying him over to the kitchen table.
"Ow, hey, lemme go!" Beast Boy shouted, and Cyborg dropped him on the ground in front of Robin and the girls, who had quit talking and looked up to see what all the commotion was about.
"Look, Star," Cyborg said quickly, "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but…well, BB and I were just talking, and, well, we think you've been eating a little too much lately, and it ain't healthy for you. It's making you kinda…well…big. We're worried about you're health."
Raven's eyes narrowed, not at Cyborg and Beast Boy, as the mechanical man had expected, but at Starfire. "You haven't told them yet?"
Some of Starfire's usual happy glow seemed to fade. "No…" she said.
"Didn't I tell you this would happen?" Raven added.
"Yes…but I…"
"Raven, that's enough," Robin said shortly, his own good mood gone as well. "Don't make it harder than it already is."
Beast Boy and Cyborg had absolutely no clue what any of this meant, and the two thought again that it seemed the other three Titans knew something that they didn't.
"I didn't mean anything by it, really," Cyborg said apologetically. "I was just…worried, seeing Star eat so much…"
"You do not need to be worried, Cyborg," Starfire said. She took a deep breath, as though steeling her nerves. "I must eat more than is usual for the time being, as I am…well…eating for two now."
It took a second for the meaning of the words to penetrate the minds of the two boys, and it was obvious to Starfire exactly when it hit them, for Cyborg's eyes bugged out, and Beast Boy let out a small squeak of surprise.
"You…you're…that's…" Beast Boy stuttered incoherently.
"Our little Star's gonna be a mommy!" Cyborg said, breaking out in a huge grin and sweeping her up in a bear hug.
"Whoa…dude, that's…I mean, well…congratulations, Star! And…uh…" Beast Boy continued to stutter.
Cyborg let go of Starfire and turned to Robin, a very different grin on his face now. "Robin, you sly dog, didn't know you had it in ya…"
Cyborg trailed off then as he registered the look on Robin's face; he didn't look remotely happy; quite the opposite, he looked like he'd just swallowed a lemon. Raven, too, didn't look even remotely happy. Even Starfire had a depressed look on her face.
"Uh…did I say something wrong?" Cyborg asked nervously.
Raven spoke up first. "Robin's going to be the father figure, yes, but…"
"…he is not the birthfather," Starfire finished, her eyes downcast.
Cyborg and Beast Boy exchanged another nervous glance. This didn't sound good at all.
"You recall, several months ago, the day we fought the villain Analyst who robbed us of our powers?"
"Yeah…" Cyborg said slowly.
Beast Boy nodded as well, and suddenly a stray memory clicked in his head. "You never did tell us why you were so upset that night."
"I did not want anyone to know…but…well…now that I am to have a child…"
Cyborg suddenly got it. "No…Star, no, don't tell me…"
"What? What happened?" Beast Boy said, still clueless.
"I was separated from you three while escaping from the Analyst, and got lost without my flight ability…there were…a pair of men on the street…they…"
Beast Boy's face fell as the truth struck him at last. "Oh, Star…that's terrible…"
"I am sorry I kept it from you…there should not be secrets between friends," Starfire said. "I felt you should know the truth."
"Oh, man…Star, I'm so sorry…it must've been horrible for you…" Cyborg said.
"Thank you for your kindness, friends," Starfire said. "I am happy to have such wonderful people to call my friends, that they might help me in times of sadness. But that time is over. Now there is only the celebration of the new family Robin and I shall share!"
Starfire's usual glow seemed to come back full force. "Let us journey to the mall of shopping and purchase garments and toys for the new child!"
Inspired by the return of Starfire's energy, the dark cloud that had fallen over the team in the last few minutes evaporated instantly; even Raven agreed to join in the celebration of the new arrival and the journey to the 'mall of shopping.' As they went, Starfire was quite happy to find that almost every trace of her sadness had gone. Memories of the incident would never leave her completely, but she had moved on, thanks to her friends, and to the man she loved.
And so the days and weeks passed; at seven months the Titans threw Starfire a baby shower, and even the Titans East came to visit, though the original Titans decided to keep the matter of the rape to themselves and simply said that Robin would be the baby's father. At eight months, both Starfire and Robin began to grow nervous, now that the prospect of becoming parents was literally right on their doorstep, and not just because of the issues of parenting; they were superheroes, and the city depended on them to stop the criminals that the police could not. But Starfire was in no condition to fight any longer, and Robin found himself reluctant to leave Starfire alone to go fight; he remembered all too well what had happened the last time he'd done that. Fortunately Más y Menos graciously agreed to fill the gap in the team whenever they were needed, as the twins could traverse the distance between the two teams in a matter of minutes.
At last, about a week before the projected due date, Raven burst into Robin's room, a ridiculously uncharacteristic grin on her face.
"Robin…her water just broke…it's time."
