Chapter Two

Crocmon watched Freezefire from his position behind her, and fell in love with her all over again as she walked into her room, and gave him a wink. Crocmon grinned back when he became visible, and spun around with lightning speed when he felt a tap on his shoulder when he passed Freezefire's door. She was dressed in a beautiful blue gown, that sparkled in the night light. Crocmon led her to the roof, and showed her that the sunset light shone like a spotlight on the rectangular roof. Crocmon flicked a switch with his tail, and a slow dance song played, titled "And We Danced". The song was country, which Crocmon enjoyed, and set the mood well. Crocmon whispered the words of the song to himself as he and Freezefire danced the night away. Crocmon knew he would be Semper Fideles, or Always Faithful, to the love of his life. Crocmon felt the icy touch of his lover's hands run across his shoulder, and wondered if anything would ever happen to end or nearly end this love. Nothing ever would. Crocmon was fully enveloped in the love he felt for Freezefire. The sunset faded away and a moon shone its bright light on the tower as the setting sun had before, and Freezefire whispered that she was in need of a break from the dancing. So they sat on the roof, holding hands, and Freezefire reached at her back but brought her free hand around his. This wasn't a time for that, but it felt like one. Crocmon whispered "I love you" just as Freezefire fell asleep on his shoulder.

Davey wolfed down the three cheeze pizzas faster than Cyborg could wolf his second set of ribs, and as he did so, Cyborg's left eye twitched for a minute, but stopped. Then Cyborg took Davey's appetite as a challenge, and chowed down on the third set of ribs as fast as he could. Davey was on his fifth pizza. Davey wolfed it and four other pizzas after Cyborg became stuffed. Everybody stared as Davey fiercely outdid Cyborg. Cyborg couldn't lift himself anymore, and Davey still could swim across the bay without a cramp. Then attention was diverted from Davey to the roof. From the ceiling loud music was playing, and Robin looked at Starfire, and she smiled back. They, and everyone else knew Crocmon and Freezefire were up there being lovebirds. Contrary to the belief of the villains and other heroes alike, a love like Crocmon and Freezefire's was possible. As possible as a chicken losing a feather. Crocmon and Freezefire were meant to be. They were the perfect couple for those who got to know both personally. Robin, Starfire, and Davey were the ones who had known more about the couple than anybody else. Crocmon and Freezefire actually met because of Robin's choosing of another girl over Freezefire, which was later left for Starfire, his one and only love.And years later, Robin and Starfire had Davey. Davey walked into his bedroom, and collapsed on his bed. Crocmon was carrying Freezefire in his arms, and placed her in her bed before he went to his bedroom and slept. Beastboy was crawling to his room with a busted head that was held together by two stitches. Robin looked at Star and smiled, telling her good night, and walked into his room. Starfire did the same, and Raven followed suit, followed by Cyborg.

Davey awoke the next morning with a terrible pain in his stomach. He must of sleep walked to the fridge, and stuffed his face, because Beastboy screamed due to the lack of food. Davey felt as if he was about to explode, and then he heard a knocking at the door. Davey got up, slipped on his armor, ran a diagnostics check, and answered the door. There was a teenager who called himself Kyzermon, and said he'd like to join the Titans. Davey let him in, and attempted to wake Robin, to no avail. Starfire did the same. But Crocmon was third-in-command when Robin and Starfire weren't available. Davey woke up Crocmon, and Crocmon awoke, and he led Kyzermon into the living room, and poured soda for both of them. Kyzermon said he'd prefer beer, and Crocmon laughed, but Kyzermon was serious. Crocmon stopped laughing, and tossed Kyzermon a champagne bottle. Crocmon had been saving two champagne bottles, one he received from he and Freezefire's wedding, and another Robin declined at his wedding.

"It's the best I have. It's been fermenting for three years. You've heard the song 'Little Dust on the Bottom', haven't you?" Crocmon inqueried.

"Yeah. I think this one'll be delicious!" Kyzermon replied.

Davey saw Freezefire in her nightgown, and caught Davey and Kyzermon's eyes. Kyzermon quickly went back to talking with Crocmon, but Davey wondered how Freezefire would act.

"Who's he?" Freezefire asked with a yawn as she sat next to Crocmon.

"Freezefire, meet Kyzermon. Kyzermon, meet Freezefire."

"Hello! Great to meet ya!" Kyzermon said as he kissed Freezefire's hand and winked at her. She giggled, and Crocmon cleared his throat. Davey rolled his eyes as he saw Crocmon clear his throat. Crocmon did that when Red X held Freezefire to him and asked her if she had any time they could meet. Crocmon cut that conversation short as he beat X's head into a nearby wall. Davey hoped he wouldn't do that to Kyzermon. Crocmon knew that wink meant something, and he wasn't about to wait until midnight to find out. Freezefire gave him a dirty look as Kyzermon closed his eyes as he drank the wine. Crocmon looked puzzled, and ignored the look, since it was followed by that little look. Kyzermon yawned, and said he felt bored. Crocmon and Freezefire led him to the gym, and Freezefire said she needed to bathe and change. Crocmon and Kyzermon nodded, and they both went to training. Davey did a different training. He went into the armory in the basement, and tested his new sniper's rifle. He sighted in the scope, and listened to the music playing upstairs. Davey heard the alarm sound, and cut the power to the gym's stereoes as the alarm was heard throughout the Tower. Davey snatched up his helmet, slipped it on, and he looked through the visor. His HUD checked out, and Davey dashed to the Breifing Room. Davey informed the waking Titans about Punk Rocket's latest scheme. Rocket was at the First National Bank of Jump City, rocking as hard as possible until the whole building collapsed, and left only the vault door standing. Cyborg had the supersonic bug fixed, and he could operate in the extreme sound waves. Davey's shields checked out for this situation, and Davey could hear Kyzermon asking Robin who "the Master Chief looking guy" was. Robin explained, and Kyzermon understood. He looked at Davey once, just before hopping on to the trusty T-Pelican, the Titan's Dropship. Crocmon and Cyborg were at the controls, and Davey attached the tank to the dropship's belly, and the ship dropped it off at the bank. Kyzermon grabbed a rocket launcher and shotgun, and slung the shotgun. Kyzermon said, "I ain't riding, I'm driving!" as Davey told him to hop on the jump platforms. Davey let Kyzermon drive, and Davey hopped off the tank, and popped his knuckles as he walked to Rocket's stage. The soundwaves drained Davey's shields slowly, but Davey was suprised as Kyzermon shot a 102mm charge at Punk Rocket's feet, and fired the plasma cannon at the flying Rocket. Davey watched as Rocket's guitar was hit by the plasma, and melted away into oblivion. Rocket started to cry, and Davey jumped and beat Rocket in the face, and said "Uncool" as Rocket hit the ground, crying his eyes out because of his second loss. Davey came down and put Punk Rocket in the T-Pelican as Crocmon drove it over the jailhouse. Davey shoved Rocket through the hole over his cell that he climbed out through. Crocmon dropped the tank on its elevator shaft so it would be brought to the armory. Davey hopped off the bird, and saw an all-to-familiar black haired face. Blackfire, Davey's aunt had come for another visit.

"So, are you my nephew? I've heard so much about you! Why don't you take off that helmet, and let me see your face?" Blackfire asked Davey.

"Yes. I know you have, my birth gave you and your fellow prisoners a few days away from behind bars. I won't take off my helmet because I don't want to." Davey replied.

"Well, you really are pleased to see Auntie Blackfire."

"Auntie Blackfire? Listen here, I left the preschool age let's see, seven years ago! Also, I know that all you are is a dark-hearted, back-stabbing, double-crossing criminal who's broken out of jail hundreds of times and toyed with the rest of the solar system's police forces."

"Well, you sure have heard about me." Blackfire hissed. "Where's this Crocmon character Starfire tells me about? By what I hear from her, he is very charming."

"You're sayin' that about me? Wow, evil-" Crocmon cut his sentence short as he noticed Blackfire's appearence. Long legs, mini skirt, cowboy boots, a tanktop, and long black hair to match her black clothes. Plus the way she looked at him. That had him going.

"Listen here you little homewrecker, you stay away from my man, or I'll get to kicking your pretty little butt!" Freezefire warned.

"Aw, is Freezefire afraid I'll take her man?" Blackfire replied evily.

Davey had to break this up before it got out of hand.

"Now, now! If you're going to settle whose man's whose, you can take it away from the Tower! Or, you two can get along and actually share the same air without trying to kill eachother!"

Freezefire shot Blackfire an aggresive look, and Blackfire just grinned evily. They went inside, and the next few days were horror. Davey could imagine Gretchen Wilson's song, "Homewrecker" being played in the background for the next few days. In these few days, Blackfire was always starting something with Freezefire. At the end of this period of rivalry between two women over a man, Davey figured out how to solve this situation. Actually, Starfire thought of it, and Davey put it to good use. A duel was to be held. If they wanted Crocmon this much, a duel would have to solve the problem. Crocmon was enjoying every minute of the few days, and he was almost about to groan in sadness over the end of this problem, but suppressed it. He was sort of afraid of what they would do to him if he did. Or at least what Freezefire would do to him. The duel came, and it was all going to decide who left. Davey hoped Freezefire won, because he didn't want Blackfire to be his nearest aunt. Davey flipped on "Howewrecker", and the duel began.

"Is Freezefire afraid I'll take her man, and ruin her life?" Blackfire taunted.

"No, I'm afraid of what you'll do to his life!"

Freezefire launched the first strike as the song started. Blackfire barely dodged, and Davey thought he heard Freezefire singing the song, but she got louder as the fight went on, so he was certain she was singing. Crocmon was rooting for both of them, and Freezefire froze his mouth shut, and Blackfire destroyed the ice around his mouth. Kyzermon, the newest Titan, was laughing his head off as Crocmon just sat there in disbelief, wondering what just happened. Davey chuckled, and watched the two women fight. Freezefire was winning, and Blackfire was panicking. Davey laughed as he saw Crocmon waving a flag with Freezefire's face on it. Freezefire froze Blackfire's feet to the ground, and used her as a punching bag. The final blow, sent Blackfire flying out of the ice and into the barrier. The barrier collapsed and left a thick cloud of smoke, and Blackfire was standing there, panting. Blackfire finally fell over, and Freezefire picked up Blackfire, and kicked Blackfire in the rear with her steel toe boot. Davey saw Kyzermon burst out laughing, and Freezefire shot Kyzermon a vicious look. Kyzermon fell silent, and Crocmon jumped into the arena, and was awarded a boot to the face for ever falling for that "big fat liar's lame act", as Freezefire called it. Davey saw Blackfire get up, and rub her back. Then she tried to sit down. That was the only thing Freezefire let anyone laugh at about the end of the duel. Blackfire screamed and floated in midair, and she squinted, and didn't see Freezefire come, and didn't realize Freezefire was coming until Freezefire launched her other steel-toe boot in Black's rear. Blackfire flew higher than Davey ever dared to fly. Blackfire came face-first into the sands of the Titan Island's beach. Crocmon got up, and Freezefire kissed him on the chin, and he fell into a trance. Davey covered his face as he watched Freezefire hypnotize Crocmon. Being kissed on Crocmon's chin by any attractive woman would take him out and let the woman do whatever they wanted to do with him. Freezefire led him to his room, shut the door, and bolted it down. Davey didn't want to know what was going on, so he didn't try to find out. Kyzermon chuckled as he saw Crocmon entranced by Freezefire so easily.

"Is that one of her powers? To put a spell on any man? If so, I wanna be her training partner!" Kyzermon stated.

"No. That's just one of Crocmon's weaknesses. His chin is where various things can happen to him. A hit to the chin, will mess with the fusion reactor that keeps him alive, and knock him out. A kiss, he'll go into a trance. Blackfire did it once before, and that's why Freezefire didn't exactly greet Blackfire the way Starfire would. With open arms and a 'Sister!'. Freezefire officially made a Declaration of War after Blackfire did that to Crocmon. That's really how everyone found out about it. So ever since, female villains envying Freeze has done that to Crocmon."

"Oh. I understand."

"But Crocmon's fixed the glitch. Just thirty minutes if it isn't Freezefire. Blackfire tried it again, and Crocmon awoke from his trance just as Blackfire brought him to the bed, and he wasn't to happy. He roared, and literally booted her out the window."

Kyzermon chuckled and said, "Well, I understand now. It's just Crocmon."

"Yeah."

Kyzermon walked to the gym, and Davey watched Blackfire stand next to Crocmon's door and growl. Davey laughed to himself as she beat the door. She looked at Davey, and had an evil grin. She flew at him with her hands glowing purple, and was bombarded by a steady stream of red plasma, better known as starbolts. Davey pulled out a large shield, and put his hand through a hole that was on the right hand side. He walked forward slowly, and Blackfire walked backward as Davey did so. The plasma reached out and struck parts of her upper body, and got her head for a split second. Starfire and Robin came into the room, and watched Davey fight off his criminalistic aunt. Blackfire fell, and Davey stopped. Smoke rose from Blackfire's body as it twitched twice, and then lie there. Davey had beaten her unconscious. Robin jumped in front of Davey with an angry look. Davey lifted his helmet, and he explained that Blackfire was about to attack Davey, and he resisted. Robin looked at Blackfire's smoking body, and nodded. Davey picked up his aunt, and brought her to the infirmary. She was a criminal, but even they needed medical help now and then. Davey walked out of the infirmary, and he cooked up lunch afterward. Davey then wolfed it down. Davey was amazed to see Freezefire open Crocmon's door, and Crocmon was right behind her. They went into the kitchen, and Crocmon opened the three year old bottle of champagne, and they went out to the roof. Crocmon was dragging a folded up table behind him. Davey silently crept to the trapdoor that led to the roof, and overheard Freezefire and Crocmon plan out the future. And Freezefire tells the news. Davey hears a loud thud! and he then heard Freezefire's feet beat the roof as she ran to her husband who'd just fainted. Davey turned around, and dashed to his room. He was going to keep a secret, and he'd kill himself if he didn't. Not really, but he'd hate himself so much another person would've suicided by then. Davey just hoped that the evening he'd sleep through would cause him to forget what he overheard.

Freezefire was shocked. She didn't know Crocmon would react this way. Then again, this news was a little dramatic for him. He probably never expected her to tell him this. She never expected this either, and she hoped Crocmon would just go "Hamina" for a day or two. Crocmon was always one to surprise people, so this wasn't that shocking to Freezefire. She bent down, and felt a pain in her abdomen. So she walked to the trapdoor, and walked down the stairs underneath it. She went into Davey's room, and asked him to help her lug Crocmon into his room. Davey helped, and she explained why he fainted. Davey didn't seem surprised, and explained that he was a little curious, and he eavesdropped a little. Freezefire was about to scold him, but understood his curiosity, so she didn't. Instead, Freezefire went into her room, and checked that EPT once again. It said positive, and she went into Crocmon's room. She sat on his bed, and fell asleep.

The next day came, and Davey just waited for Crocmon and Freezefire to declare the news. It came at noon, and before that, Starfire wondered why Freezefire hadn't been bending down like a normal person to pick up things, but instead bending down quite awkwardly, and Robin was suspicious when Crocmon whispered something into Freezefire's ear. Kyzermon once laughed at how Freezefrie bent down, and Beastboy followed suit. Beastboy got smacked in the side of the head by Crocmon's metal hand, and Kyzermon's mouth was frozen shut. Davey supressed a laugh with a few coughs. Finally they announced the news.

"Well, I don't know how to say this-" Crocmon said

"We're having a baby!" Freezefire interrupted. There was a series of forks falling on ceramic plates, and Starfire smiled widely, and jumped on her sister, hugging her. Cyborg, who was putting a plate in the sink, dropped it on the floor, and it shattered. Davey thought the Titan's response to this news would be like this, but the effect it had on them was more shocking than the news in Davey's opinion. Davey was shocked at how everybody just eyed Freezefire and Crocmon. When Crocmon took Freezefire with him to get pizza, the cashier didn't put in any money into the cash register, but he just looked at Freezefire and said "Congrats". Eight months, and Slade had attacked three times, Brother Blood once, and Freezefire's caretaker came and nearly launched Crocmon to Hong Kong. For Freezefire's caretaker was afraid that without a princess left, they'd be vulnerable to invasion. Crocmon didn't like seeing his in-laws anyways, and all of this made it worse. In the final month, Brother Blood nearly got to hold Freezefire hostage until she gave birth. Luckily he did his math wrong, and kidnapped Freezefire a week too soon. Slade tried once, and Crocmon sent Slade back into the volcano he crawled out of. It was the day, and Crocmon was doing what the father's supposed to do when his wife's giving birth, just hold his wife's hand only to have every bone in it crushed as she gave birth. Crocmon was gasping for breath as the doctor looked up with two children in his arms, and said, "Congradulations, twins!"

Freezefire gave Crocmon a weak smile as she held her newborn twins. Crocmon smiled back, and wondered how she did it. Being kidnapped once, attacked five times, and nearly beaten through a wall by her caretaker. Freezefire could barely keep her eyes open as she kissed her children. So this is how Starfire felt. A period of hours that felt like days, and moments of peace, then darkness. Freezefire slept soundly as Crocmon held the newborns. She deserved it as far as Crocmon was concerned. Davey walked to Crocmon, and he smiled as he saw his aunt lie there, in peaceful dreams. Crocmon looked at his wife, then at his kids. He felt a deep love for his new family.

After Freezefire awoke, she found herself surrounded by the rest of the Titans. And one of the twins was in Beastboy's arms, and Beastboy's arms and face was frozen. Davey was taking care of that, and Crocmon handed the baby to Davey after Beastboy was thawed. Crocmon told Freezefire a bit of news himself. The children both had the same odd gene as Davey, but the geneticists determined that their gene wold remain dorment for their entire natural lives. Crocmon also told her that the kids weren't your innocent newborns. They already gave Cyborg four dents in the chest, one black eye on Beastboy, and when they whacked Davey, his shields flared up and disappeared. Freezefire realized that she just gave birth to two children more powerful than Davey was, and that would've been enough to make somebody faint. She sat up in the bed she was placed in, and she was begging the doctors to let her get up. She had to sit there for another day, and that last day was horrible. Nobody was allowed in, she was isolated from the rest of the world. When that horrible day was done, she wasn't allowed to get up until she named her kids. That was enough to set her off. She grabbed one of the nurses by the collar, and she whispered in that nurses ear, "You let me out so I can walk again, and I'll leave this place as happy as ever. Don't let me out, you'll need to send me to an asylum!" With that, she got out of there, and that particular nurse didn't exaclty like that day the way she was supposed to. Freezefire had the birth certificate, and was praying to God for help. She couldn't come up with a name that Crocmon would agree upon. Finally, Crocmon agreed to name the girl Cailey, and the boy Paul. They decided to make a superhero alias when they were old enough. Paul and Cailey were constantly making eachother scream. At first, it was accidental and cute, but then it evolved into annoying and Davey nearly went berserk on them after they woke him up at three in the morning.

Davey was annoyed with his cousins. every twenty minute, the whole tower smelled, earplugs were stored in everybody's closet, and whenever the criminal alert went off, so did the kids. Davey was just laying his face in the table, when Kyzermon poked his spine. Davey shot up, and turned around and screamed "what" at Kyzermon, and the baby monitors around the tower roared to life. Blackfire visited, and she was careful around Paul and Cailey. Especially Paul. Paul and Davey shared an innate hatred for Blackfire, and Paul didn't try too hard to be nice. Blackfire was beat around Jump City after holding Paul by the ankle and threatening to kill him in an evil tone. Cailey was very peaceful compared to Paul. Plus, she didn't try to kill Blackfire. Davey burst out with laughter as Blackfire was bested at singing lullabies by Freezefire. Blackfire was put to sleep by her own lullaby. Davey just watched from a safe distance as Starfire and Freezefire lovingly care for the children. Davey tried to tickle his cousins, and Starfire and Freezefire jumped in front of and fought him away. Davey was cornered by Blackfire, and Blackfire told him her plot to kidnap one of the kids, and if he squealed, he'd have no control of his digestive system, just like the babies. Davey did leak, and nobody said a word about it. Blackfire was found by Crocmon, and Blackfire didn't get to kiss him on the chin and force him to cheat on Freezefire like she had once before, because Blackfire didn't have the will to touch the protective crocodile after she was used as a mop for the floor of the gym. Crocmon ensured that Blackfire had no interference with the children's lives. Blackfire never did succeed in her plot to kidnap one of the kids, but she got close on her final attempt. She was up when Crocmon was out for the night, and Blackfire attempted to take Cailey, but she awoke Paul. Paul wasn't exactly the quiet one,either. He wailed for his mother, and that wail worked just like the call a baby alligator used to call for help when it was in danger. Crocmon awoke and roared like a tyrannosaurus rex as he leapt onto Blackfire. That roar awoke Freezefire in her deep sleep, and startled Cailey, making her scream at the top of her tiny lungs with Paul. It wasn't that much of a pretty sight. Crocomon beat Blackfire's face in, and Freezefire fought like a possesed beast enraged by her offspring's near kidnapping. Blackfire was a frozen statue with every bone in her body broken the next morning. After waking up, Crocmon nearly busted the entire statue in half in his rage. Robin and Davey placed Blackfire in an escape pod headed straight for Tamaran. Starfire and Freezefire joined forces in order to take care of the startled children, which eventually calmed down enough to be tucked in for their daily afternoon nap. Crocmon smiled at Freezefire, then looked at his children. He knew that the alert would go off and wake them, causing them to cry and scream. And the alarm did go off. Just one more thing Crocmon would have to get used to. His kids screaming and crying when the alarm went off. It did. Crocmon smiled as Freezefire smiled at him, and told him that she'd stay unless she was needed. Davey checked the computer screen, and he gave the Titans their briefing. Mumbo Jumbo was attacking the bank. That bank's staff must still be deaf from the last attack, and Mumbo Jumbo would be the showstopper. Davey finished his briefing, and Robin gave the orders. "Crocmon, ready the bird. We're gonna be dropped right on top of Mumbo's act. Davey, head to the armory, and distribute some weapons. Two rocket launchers and two sniper rifles. Raven, keep your creativity up. If we get stuck in that hat again, we'll need it. Move out Titans!"

"You heard the man!" Davey said. Crocmon started the T-Pelican, and waited at the roof. "Cyborg, Beastboy, you're with me, we're blue team. Raven, Starfire, and Robin, you're red team. Crocmon, I'm sending the extraction point coordinates to your HUD. Go! Go! Go!"

"Hop on board!" Crocmon yelled as the bird hovered feet off the roof. Both teams hopped aboard, and Crocmon dropped them off at the bank, and piloted to the extraction point.

Davey shouldered his sniper rifle, and he spoke into the COM. "Beastboy, I need you to use the rocket launcher and blow down the door. Blue Team, we'll meet on Mumbo's position. Both rocket jocks fire at Mumbo, both snipers fire at will, and Raven, Cyborg, you two go head to head with Mumbo, we've gotchya covered." Davey sqeulched the signal as Mumbo started muttering magic tricks, trying to bust down the vault door. Mumbo's bomb spell bounced off the vault door, and hit the roof. Crocmon's T-Pelican was hovering overhead, and it opened up. "Crocmon, what are you doing?" Davey heard Robin ask. "I found something. I thought you'd like to check it out." Crocmon solemnly replied. Davey heard umbo Jumbo hit the ground, out like a light. Crocmon only fired around him, and two narq darts served up at a high velocity from a sniper rifle was pretty much overkill. The Titans hopped on board, and Crocmon dropped them off at a strange temple. At the entrance there were two dead robots. Slade's robots.

Slade was still alive?