The Gift
By Misty Fortner
A Robin/Raven story
I don't own Teen Titans, just borrowing the characters.
Please see comments to reviewers at the end of this chapter (Read this chapter first)
Chapter 7: Mr. Grinch
"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch, you really are a heel; you're as cuddly as a cactus. You're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch, you're a bad banana with a greasy black peel!"
Robin and Raven walked into the medic chamber, both still unaware of their following shadow. After they walked in, they were unaware of a slight crack still remaining in the door that gave little ears full access to everything being said inside.
"So now that were here, will you tell us what's going on." Robin asked their robotic friend.
"First I need to confirm something. Raven could you get in the molecular scanner, please." Raven nodded her head and climbed into the medical contraption.
Robin looked very frightened. "Cyborg, is something wrong with Raven?
Cyborg glared at Robin. "Nothing is really wrong; I just need to confirm a diagnosis before I…." Cyborg stopped midsentence. He didn't know what to say. He hoped the scanner was malfunctioning, or Robin hadn't properly conducted the scan. Cyborg pushed a few buttons on the control panel and the room was deathly silent as the three of them waited on the results. Finally the silence was broken by a series of beeps, followed by a loud sigh from Cyborg.
Cyborg glanced back and forth from Robin to Raven and shook his head. "Both of you need to be pummeled, though I can't touch Raven for a few months." he said, only half joking. Then in a more serious tone, he asked, "how could you two do this to Starfire. She is closest to the two of you." Robin and Raven guiltily looked at each other with a confused face.
"Cyborg, my patience is quickly leaving. Tell us what the scan said. Now!" Raven said in her normal monotone voice. She didn't like what the Cyborg was implying, and she was ready to hear his defense.
"Well Raven, you are pregnant. The size of the embryo is almost a week old. This puts the time of conception right at the night you and Robin went on your date."
Raven and Robins jaws dropped almost to the floor. Raven looked down at her stomach area and placed her hand over it lovingly. She was going to bare Robin's child. As bad as she felt for Star, something deep inside Raven was changing.
"When can the pregnancy be be terminated?" Robin asked Cyborg.
Protectively wrapping both arms around her stomach, Raven stared at Robin with a look that could kill. He wanted her to murder their child. Raven just looked at Robin with shock and disgust. How could he even think about wanting her to have an abortion? What they had done wasn't right, and nothing was going to be easy from now on, but she wasn't going to end the life growing inside her.
Cyborg glanced at Raven, and smiled. Raven wasn't going to let their leader take the easy way out of this predicament. That made Cyborg very happy, because Robin deserved to get laid into by Starfire. After all, he was the one who was actually involved in the relationship. Everyone could see Raven's feelings for Robin growing stronger and he had taken advantage of the situation and it wasn't right. "That is something for you and Raven to discuss. With the look on her face, I'm staying out of this one."
Robin looked at Raven for the first time since they had heard the news. "Raven, you can't actually be thinking about having this child. How are you going to fight crime with a baby to protect? A child would just give the bad guys a weakness to exploit."
"I can't believe you are so selfish that you would kill our child to protect yourself from Starfire's wrath. You know what, to hell with it. I'm telling her the whole story, including you wanting to kill our daughter."
"Daughter! Raven don't be ridiculous, the thing inside you doesn't even have a heartbeat. It's not a child yet, it's not a boy or a girl, it's just an it." Robin was frantic inside. They couldn't have a baby. Robin wasn't father material and he knew it. Sure kids were great, but only on occasion like Winter. He was a Titan, and superheroes didn't have kids.
"You're wrong, Robin." Raven thought to him. "I'm pregnant with our little girl, and you might as well give up. Nothing you can say or do will convince me to end our daughter's life."
Robin unwilling to use their mental connection stated. "If you don't terminate the pregnancy, Raven, I will have no choice to force you to leave the Titans."
With all the drama inside the medic lab no one heard the soft sobs coming from outside the chamber, or heard the little feet run quickly down the hall.
Raven and Cyborg both stared at Robin for a long time after he had made his declaration. Cyborg finally started to say something, "Robin, calm down. You don't want Raven to leave…."
Raven interrupted him. "Don't bother Cyborg. I will be leaving here after I return Winter back to the orphanage. Robin has made his decision, let it be." After that, the dark haired woman turned towards the door, and walked out it. Not once did she look back to Robin. She then headed to the roof to think. She had things to figure out. Where she was going to live once she left the tower? How was she going to pay the bills? What would she decorate the nursery in? What would she name her daughter?
Beast Boy was awoken by a large crash outside his door. When he went to see what was happening he found Winter sitting in the middle of a bunch of broken glass. She was crying. Confused, BB looked around for Raven. The pictures were still on the wall, but the glass was on the ground. That was a sigh she was emotional about something. Not seeing Raven, he scooped Winter out of the glass and carried her into his room. "Tell Uncle Beast Boy, what happened."
Winter looked at Beast Boy, and her eyes filled up with big tears once again. "He wants her to kill me. He doesn't want me to exist," the child cried.
Beast Boy was very confused. "Who wants you dead?"
"My daddy."
"Who does your daddy want to kill you?" BB asked the sad child.
"Mommy, but she loves me to much and she won't"
Beast Boy scratched his head, he knew he was missing part of the story. "I'm going to go get Robin, he's at this stuff than I am."
"NO," Winter's voice echoed as Beast Boy's mirror shattered.
"Raven, are you invisible or something? Give me a sign to show you're here."
Winter chuckled softly. "She's not here, she's on the roof."
Beast Boy looked at the child in front of him. He shook his head, wondering if the little girl had powers similar to Raven's. The two of them looked so much alike Winter could be her baby sister. After all the child's last name was Roth.
"Winter, what's your mommy's name."
The small child looked at the floor. "I'm not supposed to tell you guys who I really am. Grandma said it could make things worse than they already are."
"Winter, are you saying someone planted you here? They planned on us taking you in from the orphanage for Christmas?"
"Yes and No."
Beast Boy sighed, This girl was talking in riddles. She knew how to keep secrets when she wanted to. That aspect of her personality reminded her of Robin. BB knew that he had to get to the bottom of this, or get Robin in here to help figure out what was going on. "Look Winter, you need to tell me what's going on. If you don't I will have to get all the Titans in here." He grimaced as his TV screen cracked.
"Sorry Beast Boy." She went up and touched the screen. She closed her eyes and chanted to herself, "Rainbows. Flowers. Waterfalls. Rainbows. Flowers. Waterfalls." After a moment, the TV screen was repaired. The little girl looked at Beast Boy. She knew she had to tell him, and she hoped he wouldn't tell. "Please don't tell anyone. Raven is my mommy and Robin is my father. Grandma sent me here to try and stop some bad things that are going to happen. I've failed because father still wants mommy to kill me. I'm not even born yet, and he already wants me dead." Winter held her head down low.
Beast Boy was shocked. Raven was pregnant and Winter's mother. He felt bad for Starfire, but BB knew Starfire was stronger than a lot of the Titan's gave her credit for. She would overcome this tragedy and turn it into a joyous festival. Not knowing what to say, he wrapped his arms around the little girl and rocked her to sleep. Then he carried her to Raven's room, and laid her down on the bed. As he was leaving, Raven walked in.
"What are you doing here?" Raven asked. She was not in the mood to deal with either Beast Boy or Starfire right now. She thought she had avoided them both, but was obviously wrong.
"I heard a large crash outside my room and found Winter sitting in a pile of glass from the pictures. The pictures were still on the wall though," he declared. "She's fine. Physically at least."
"What do you mean physically?"
"She was outside the door when Robin told you to terminate the pregnancy."
Raven closed her mouth, and chanted to herself. She had to remain calm, but this evening kept getting worse and worse. I'll talk to Winter in the morning, but please Beast Boy don't tell Starfire. I'm leaving the Titans and she will never have to know about Robin and my betrayal. It will be easier for everyone that way."
"Don't leave, Raven. Everything will be ok. Starfire doesn't have to know. You can say I'm the father. Just please don't go away."
Raven looked at BB. She was seeing a side of Beast Boy that she had never seen before. He could be really mature and caring when he wanted to. Though as thoughtful as the changeling's offer was, Raven knew it wasn't realistic. She would return to Azarath, and raise her child there. "Thank you, Beast Boy. I can't stay. It would be too hard."
"I understand. Raven there is one other thing you should know. Winter told me not to tell, but maybe you can talk to her and help her better than I could. Winter is your and Robin's daughter. She also has powers that come from emotions, so be careful."
Raven sat down on her bed. Her expression was that of pure amazement. She had felt a bond with Winter, and now it made since. "How? She's seven. I'm only a week pregnant. She heard Robin tell me to terminate the pregnancy. She must have been so hurt." Raven resisted the urge to pick up the dark haired girl, and hold her close.
"She said her grandmother sent her here. I would assume she means your mother, not Robins, being as Robin's family died. Yeah, she was pretty upset that her daddy wanted her dead."
Raven nodded her head. She was going to have to find out why her mother sent Winter here. She hoped that she could get some answers by taking 7 year old Winter to Azarath tomorrow. She wasn't technically supposed to do it, but she was the child's mother. "Thank You, Beast Boy. I will be taking Winter to Azarath tomorrow. I need to determine why my mother sent Winter here. I think we both should try to get some sleep, for Winter and Starfire will be up early in the morning."
Beast Boy shook his head, and wished Raven a good night. He then turned around and walked out the door wondering when Tower had become the set for 'As the Tower Turns'.
It was Christmas morning and all the Santa presents had been unwrapped. Starfire was begging Raven not to take Winter to Azarath and do not quit the team. You are not supposed to take Winter to another planet. I also do not understand why you no longer wish to remain here with us. Robin please help me make Raven to stay."
"Raven knows her options," Robin told Star coldly.
Giving up Starfire finally hugged both Raven and Winter. Raven said appropriate goodbyes to everyone but Robin. They didn't say a word to each other. Everyone also said goodbye to Winter. When it was Robins turn to say good bye to her, she backed away from him. "Stay away from me you big meanie. You're worse than the Grinch. At least he had a heart. His heart was just too small. You have NO heart at all!"
Raven took her daughters hand, muttered a few words and the pair disappeared. If Raven had even cared to look at Robin's reaction to Winter's words, he would have seen a look of pain on his face. But she hadn't noticed.
To My Readers and Reviewers
Please don't get mad at me for Robin's reaction to Raven's pregnancy. It serves a purpose, I promise. I just think this is one way many teen guys would approach an unplanned pregnancy, but there is more to the reaction than meets the eye. Be patient with the story.
On to my responses to the reviewers.
Tecna, Komodo Dragon Pheonix, Obliviandragon, Raven0909, Delirium24, ravenrouge19. Harpiebird, dekathen, Enkaime Katina, lilchishorty, Calda Pesca 492, IheartSYAORAN, and Raven1777. Thanks for the reviews. I really hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. Yes, finally many of you were right. Winter is Robin and Raven's daughter from the future. Now you guys have to figure out why she is here. (Its more than just playing matchmaker between mommy and daddy)
Dennisud: I'm sorry you found it to predictable, but am glad you are still enjoying it. Hopefully you find the next chapters less predictable. As to Raven being more like herself, I'd been given her a more cheerful outlook for two reasons. 1st she's in love, and second Winter being near was bringing out the maternal instincts in her. Raven knew subconsciously that Winter was her daughter. Any caring mother can since her child and becoming a mother will change a woman's personality. The change in Raven's personality was intentional.
Animefreak: I never said she wasn't their kid. I just told you that you were wrong on one point. (what she was there for) Glad your enjoying Winter though.
BigBlack Woman: Yeah, I couldn't resist using that song. Even if it was practically a give away to the situation. And I thought the name Robin Clause would be funny.
Slytherin's Silver Dragon: Yep, Id say you had a very good since about where we were headed
PLEASE CONTINUE READING AND DON"T GET MAD AT ME!
