AN: This is my twenty-eighth story and I still don't own Teen Titans!
Chapter 6
Beast Boy looked at the folder and then back at Raven. "Adoption forms?" he asked. "You're gonna adopt a kid?"
"No, you moron," sighed Raven. "I'm giving this child up for adoption. I just need you to sign that contract so we don't have any legal problems. It's all quite standard."
"You're giving the baby up?" he asked, shocked.
"I just said that, didn't I?" she said in an annoyed tone. "Now please sign this, I have an appointment with the adoption agency in an hour."
"Raven, I can't sign this," he said, holding the folder back out to her.
"Why not?" asked Raven, pushing it back towards him.
"Because I don't want you to give it up for adoption," he said, trying to give it back to her again.
"Well I'm not keeping it, Beast Boy," she said, shoving the folder into his chest. "So sign that."
"No!" he said, pushing it into her chest. "Why can't you keep it?"
"Because I'm nineteen, soon to be twenty, and am not ready to have a child," said Raven. "Especially not a one quarter demon, and one half changeling child. Now do the responsible thing and sign this!"
"Raven, I'm gonna be there to help you," said Beast Boy, finally just throwing the folder to the floor. "You're not gonna be alone. And I know you think we're too young, which we probably are, but I know we can handle this."
"No, you don't know that!" said Raven. "I know that you can't handle having a child and I know that I'd barely be able to handle it. So the responsible thing to do is let some other couple that has the means of taking care of a baby have it. Not only that, but at least then it would have a chance of having a normal life."
"Well, I think normal lives are overrated," said Beast Boy, crossing his arms in a pouting sort of way.
"Oh, stop acting like such a child," she said, sick of his immatureness.
"Well, stop treating me like one!" he said. "You know, you treat me like I have the mind of a ten year old and that I don't understand what's going on around me, but I do! And I know that you only want to give this child up because you're scared. Well, I'm scared too, but I'd rather step up to the plate and do what I think is the right thing."
"And what do you think is the right thing?" she asked.
"Duh! Growing up and taking on the responsibility that has been put in front of us," he said in a serious tone.
Raven stared at him in a quiet shock. She couldn't believe the words that had just come pouring out of his mouth. She suddenly looked at him differently. She was amazed at how in a span of less than five minutes he had grown up right in front of her. And she had never seen him look at her like that; like he was ashamed of her or something.
Beast Boy couldn't believe he had said all that. He felt as if he had had no control over his body as he spoke. He suddenly had the funny idea that he might have been channeling his father, since that was all something his dad would have told him. So, he would stick by everything he said.
"Beast Boy," said Raven, after a long silence. "Do you really think we can take care of a child? I mean, do you think we can get along well enough?"
"Yeah, I think we can," said Beast Boy, finally feeling like himself again. He gave her a smile and said, "I mean I'm willing if you're willing.
Raven was quiet and he could see that she was thinking. She was slightly biting her bottom lip in deep thought. He always thought she looked cute when she did that. It reminded him that she was human, or at least half. Often, she always seemed so unaffected by things that happened around her. As if she was immune, and that always made him wonder if Raven was the alien, not Starfire.
"This is a big responsibility," she said at last. "Do you realize that?"
"Yes, I do," said Beast Boy, nodding. He noticed that her bottom lip had become swollen from her biting upon it a few seconds before. She had beautiful lips, as far as lips went.
"And it's a lifetime commitment," said Raven, holding her arms tightly against her petite frame. Beast Boy had noticed that she had a perfect physique; a beautiful hourglass figure. "Not just eighteen years. And that means that we, the two of us, will be in contact with each other for the rest of our lives."
"I know," said Beast Boy, focusing on her brilliant, shimmering purple eyes that were as captivating as they were mysterious. The truth was that he really hadn't thought about any of this, but as she was saying it he was coming to the realization of the whole thing. And he was making up his mind right on the spot. "So, can you please keep the baby?"
Raven was quiet and then she slowly crouched down and picked up the folder. As she knelt down her violet locks fell into her face, framing it beautifully. When she came back up she lifted her hood and hid her face once more. "I'll think about it," she said softly. And with that she turned and began to walk back towards her room.
Beast Boy suddenly felt very proud of himself. He had possibly just stopped Raven from giving their child away. Of course, it had never occurred to him that she would do something like that, so he was still a little shocked.
Raven arrived back at her room and placed the folder on one of her various shelves. She had been counting on giving this child up for adoption, so that she could try and maintain a somewhat normal life. She had just gotten everything together and she was finding life quite livable. But, with the news of the baby growing within her, all of her positive outlooks were crushed.
"What am I going to do about you?" she sighed, referring to her stomach that was still somewhat flat. "If I keep you you'll probably hate me and if I give you away to a loving family you'll probably hate me. I just have to choose which reason I want you to hate me for."
She went over to her bed and sat down. Oh, how she wanted to meditate. To organize all of these thoughts and feelings that were rushing through her mind. But, with her powers on the fritz, she would never be able to achieve the kind of centering she counted on for meditation. So she decided that she would lie down and try to calm her mind through a short nap.
She went to her door and locked it, not wanting anyone to disturb her. Once that was done, and she was absolutely sure that no one was around, she began to take off her cloak and leotard.
Now, the Titans were never seen out of their uniform, but that didn't mean they didn't own other clothing. And as for Raven, she never let anyone see her in her other clothes. The truth was that she preferred to sleep in as little as possible. This hadn't started until a few years before when she noticed that she woke up over heating most nights, and there was usually no activity at night, so she wouldn't have to worry about changing back into her uniform.
She went to her bureau and took out a pair of dark blue shorts and a black tank top. She slipped them on and then crawled into bed. The feel of the cool sheets on her exposed skin always felt relaxing and she welcomed the feeling. Soon she could feel her exhaustion of the past month sink in and she drifted off into sleep.
Beast Boy went back into his room and took the picture of he and his parents back out again. "Thanks," he said with a smile. "But, next time, could you give me a little warning before you take over my body? Anyway, back to what we were talking about. What was it exactly? Oh yeah, Raven. You know, Cyborg thinks that I have a crush on her. Isn't that insane! I mean, sure, she's got beautiful eyes… and beautiful lips… and a beautiful body… and she's super smart… and super mysterious, but that doesn't mean I like her or anything. Does it? No, no that's crazy. I mean, if I had a crush on her I would be all weird around her and notice all the little things she does. Like how she bites her bottom lip when she's…"
He suddenly had a realization. "Oh crud." He flopped backwards on his bed and moaned. "I do have a crush on her! Now what am I gonna do?" He looked at the photograph and waited for their response. He waited for something inside of him to say that this was all very wrong and that he should stop it at once. Or that he should keep it all a secret to himself. But, oddly, nothing of the sort popped into his mind. Instead, he felt a good feeling rush through him, as if to tell him to go for it and that everything was going to be okay. That was how his parents spoke to him. And he always knew when it was them.
He sat up, smiled, and gave the picture a kiss, saying, "Love you guys." He placed it back in the shoebox and slid it under the bed once more. He knew he had to find Raven and talk to her. Maybe if he told her that he liked her she would really double think giving the baby up for adoption.
Raven lay in her bed, fast asleep. She seemed so calm and relaxed, but that was not the story inside of her head. Deep within her she was enduring a horrible dream. A dream that caused her to break out in a cold sweat as she slept and breathe deeper and deeper.
Suddenly she gasped and sat up in shock, letting out a small yelp of terror. Her fingers were clenched around her sheets and she could feel that they were damp with her perspiration. She slowly let go of them and leaned her face into her shaking hands. She could feel tears forming and, again, she was unable to stop them. She began to weep as she relived the dream in her mind.
"Raven?" she heard a voice softly say from the other side of her door. She couldn't respond, not in this state, so she continued to silently weep. Though, she wasn't exactly silent. "Raven, are you okay? You sound like you're crying."
Beast Boy had his ears pressed up against the door and he could definitely hear her crying. 'Oh no, she must be mad at me again!' he thought. 'What could I have done this time? Does she really want to give the baby up that much?'
"Raven, are you mad at me?" he asked.
"Could… could you please go away?" Raven asked as her breath caught in her throat between her sobs.
"So you are mad at me," he sighed.
"No, just go away," she said, barely able to form the words.
"No?" he asked. "You're not mad at me? Then why are you crying?"
"It's none of your business!" she yelled at him. "Now please go away."
Beast Boy stood on the other side of the door feeling quite helpless. He tried to slide her door open, but she had locked it. He could hear her sobbing and he wanted to be in there with her, to comfort her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. He took a big breath in, and decided to do something that usually would have been considered suicide.