Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Teen Titans
Chapter 17: Give Him a Chance
The next afternoon, Nightwing requested Nebula to bring Arella to see Raven at the hospital. Nebula knew that he was upset about something, but, for once, did not pry. She did as he asked.
Raven sat up in her hospital bed holding the daughter she did not get a chance to hold in her arms for over two months.
Nebula smiled watching her friend with admirable eyes. "So," She started, "How does it feel to be awake after one heck of a catnap?"
Raven quietly chuckled. "It's pretty obvious that I have missed a lot." She said dully beginning to bottle feed Arella. "What did she do to get me to wake up?"
"You mean to tell me that all that bawling and happy yelling I did that you did not figure it out?" Nebula asked in disbelief.
Raven stared blankly.
"Somehow…she awakened you from your coma. I believe that she is an awakener."
"So, how did she know to awaken me?"
Nebula chuckled. "Because she comes from you, girl. The bond between a mother and child is sacred, impenetrable…and whatever else I can't think of. It's pretty obvious that she knows who her mother was and that she knew that she was in some form of distress. She just couldn't get down here."
Raven looked down at her daughter lovingly. "She has a name, right?"
"Arella Ayane," Nebula replied proudly.
"My mother's name?"
"It was Nightwing's idea," Nebula explained. "He wanted to make her middle name 'Hope' because she wasn't exactly healthy, but Jhun and I translated into Nebulae. Your twins saved her life, you know?"
"I know you have been doing most of the baby stuff while Nightwing went on missions…"
"Nope," Nebula said simply.
"Yes you did."
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"You're trying to tell me that he took care of the baby?" Raven narrowed her eyes.
"Is the pope a Catholic?"
Raven's eyes shot up. "Then you had to have had taken care of the twins."
Nebula shook her head.
"How did he go on missions?"
"That's the thing. He didn't. He asked my husband and me to move in the tower for a while to help the team on missions while he took care of the kids."
"You've go to be kidding," Raven said dully.
"I kid you not." Nebula sighed. "I can't lie to you though. I didn't think he would make it with his sanity still intact. After two weeks of non-stop crying from Arella, he cried."
"He cried?" Raven asked in shock.
"Like he was on Oprah." Nebula laughed. "I had to slap him, but I guess the feeling was natural. The twins were giving him problems also, but he fixed that…like a dad."
Raven stared blankly.
"Rae, he has done a lot of growing up while you've been away and you know me; I analyze everything. I think his problem was that he didn't have the chance to experience what you went through with the twins and Arella showed him that. He's more involved, he knows his responsibilities, and he has set his priorities straight."
"Nebula…" Raven started.
"Can I ask you a teeny weenie, itsy bitsy favor?" Nebula asked in a high, squeaky voice.
Raven sighed. "What?"
"Please don't divorce that man!" She pleaded desperately. "I'd be devastated! At least give him a fair shot! Things have been going so well with him and the kids and I'm speaking from personal observation! Baby, please don't divorce that man!"
Raven watched her seriously as she rambled on.
"…and if you don't give him a shot, I'm not moving back into my house which means you and him are under the same roof," Nebula concluded.
Raven could not say anything so she just nodded her head in approval. "I'll give him a chance. Two months is a long time."
"Believe it. It can make or break a person and in Nightwing's case: It broke him then it made him. The tears were the breaking point. The showing of what it takes to be a dad, now that was the making of a real man."
