Chapter II: Terra and Garfield
The three Titans watched as a large bird approached the island. After several minutes they could make out a giant green eagle with a woman perched on its back. Aimee and Cyborg waved enthusiastically as the eagle circled the island once then screeched in triumph. After a brief glide on the evening breeze the eagle swooped down in front of them. A few powerful strokes of its wings halted it in mid air as a woman with flowing blond hair holding two hats slipped off its back and gently landed on the ground. Garfield morphed back into his human form and planted his feet firmly underneath him.
Time had not been overly kind to Garfield, most of his hair was gone and what little he had left was sprinkled with silver. Not unexpected since he too was nearing his fiftieth birthday. He wore a brown sweater with the words "GEO School" stamped in neat white letters across the front. A pair of khaki shorts held up by a brown belt helped accentuated his bony knees. Tan wool socks protruded out of his fine field boots and went half way up his green calves.
One thing Garfield wasn't, surprisingly, was overly fat and out of shape. Between the hiking, backpacking and kayaking, how could he be? It was by great luck, or good pickin' as he often said, that his wife chose a profession so involved with the outdoors. Terra was a field Geology professor at the state university in Arizona. She had been for twenty years. The two of them would always have a group of students camp out with them by their adobe house in the canyons during the winter and spring semesters. Garfield and Terra would march the greenhorns up to their place, Terra and the group would do field work for a few weeks then Garfield would take them all home in style; a white-water rafting expedition back to civilization. Terra's class was the most popular among the geology students so she never had any trouble filling her class quota.
Terra loved her work. Being with young people and rocks would always be a source of strength for her. University life was also beneficial to their daughter who had followed them around constantly since she was born. The canyons near her adobe home were her refuge. Running her hands over the all the rocky surfaces soothed her and gave her strength during the dark times in her life. She would often spend hours just touching them, reflecting on the wide expanse of time they represented. Garfield often complained to her that she spent more time with her rocks than with him, insisting that if she did this for much longer she'd turn into one. Terra would always playfully reply that at least the rocks didn't kick her in her sleep and that one day she would return to rock "hopefully as a good piece of pink New England granite," to which Garfield would reply, "yea, all old, hard and craggy!"
Garfield took several long labored breaths after he landed, "Man, I flew all the way out here and my arms are killing me!"
"From Arizona?" Cyborg said with a half smile as he enthusiastically shook Garfield's hand.
"No silly," Garfield replied, "from the airport. We got a flight this morning from Flagstaff. You're lucky you caught us before we went up to do our field work."
"Where's your luggage?" Cyborg asked.
"They'll bring it out to us later," Terra replied as she stepped forward. "Garfield's a little old to be hauling everything out here." She hugged her husband and planted a small kiss on his cheek. "Don't forget your hat, dear." She quickly put a wide brimmed canvas hat on his balding head then plopped a similar hat on herself.
"Thanks," he replied with a smile.
"Covering up the old chrome-dome?" Cyborg chided him.
"Got to unless I want to be scratching sun burn for a week," he jovially replied.
Cyborg smiled and turned to Terra. "Now how about a little lovin' for your old friend."
Terra laughed lightly as Cyborg gathered her into his arms and hugged her tightly. She squeezed back as hard as she could and pressed her chin against his shoulder. The two released each other's embrace and held onto each other's hands.
Cyborg was dead sure that Terra had the sweetest smile in the group. How she kept it after all she'd been through was a testament to her rock hard tenacity. Her face was well tanned and her blue eyes, though not sparkling any more, still held a faint aura of her youth. Errant strands of her long blond hair protruded from her canvas hat and danced on her freckled face. There was only a slight hint of wrinkles around her eyes to give away her age.
She was dressed in her field cloths as she always was; a worn khaki t-shirt with tan denim shorts, tans socks and dusty brown field boots. All of them loved to hear Terra's story of her first interview with the university. When one of the dean's staff doing the interviews commented on her choice of cloths she quickly replied that if they wanted a real field Geologist they could hire her or get some well-dressed bookworm who could show slides. She was offered the job on the spot.
"Hey Dad," Aimee flew into her father's arms nearly knocking him over.
"Hey Aims," Garfield replied with a grunt as his daughter wrapped her arms tightly around him. Six months had been the longest time they had ever been apart. He closed his eyes and breathed in (as deep as he could) holding in her essence.
Terra and Cyborg smiled. Terra mouthed the words "We'll talk" to Cyborg as she gently released his hands and stepped towards her daughter and husband then wrapped her arms around them both. Cyborg stepped back to join Haley as he watched the three of them hold each other in silence.
"Jeez," Haley whispered to Cyborg. "How long is this going to last?"
Cyborg frowned upon hearing Haley's comment. "Not now Haley," he whispered to her sternly. "Not now."
Cyborg's eye began to water. How many miscarriages had Garfield and Terra endured before their only child was born? If Haley had know the pain and turmoil Garfield and Terra had suffered to get to this point she would have never dared to say or even think what she had just said. They could take all night as far as he was concerned.
Cyborg's mind drifted back to when Aimee joined them. He would always remember their first meeting at the airport. She had arrived by herself with a half dozen suitcases. She was so giddy and excited to be joining the team. Cyborg was sure Terra and Garfield had put her on that plane alone just to avoid a big scene when they had to leave their daughter. He reckoned all of the tears they had shed were on the other side of that flight.
Terra had contacted him every week since then to see how her daughter was doing though she made Cyborg promise not to tell Aimee she was checking up on her. Cyborg always told her how Aimee was doing and then made sure Aimee got in touch with her parents as often as she could. She was a damn good kid; he just wished taking her away didn't cause his old friends so much pain. The three finally released their long embrace. Aimee held each of her parents' hands and walked them over to where Haley and Cyborg stood.
"Haley, I'd like you to meet my Mom and Dad," Aimee said nervously as she formally introduced them to her friend.
"Hello Mr. Logan, Dr. Logan," Haley took each of their hands and gave them a formal shake.
"Dr. Logan," Garfield said with a laugh. "I'll never get used to that no mater how many times I've heard it."
"You'll have to excuse my husband," Terra continued. "He's a bit oxygen deprived at the moment."
"Ouch," Garfield replied. "That's the last time I offer you a free ride," Garfield said mockingly to his wife as he shoved his daughter playfully.
"Stop it Dad," Aimee complained as her father almost pushed her over. She shoved back in protest.
"Come on guys," Terra complained. "It's been hardly five minutes since we got here and you two are already horsing around."
"Oh relax," Garfield said. "I'm just trying to make up for lost time. I've got six months of teasing to fit in to twenty-four hours."
"Mom, is he going to be like this the whole time?" Aimee said in protest.
"I think so dear," Terra replied. "You know I have no control over your father."
"Run Aimee," Garfield suddenly shouted, "The Beast is loose!" With that Garfield changed into beast form. Aimee screeched with joy and ran away from her father. Garfield gave out a small roar and began chasing his daughter in circles around the rest of them.
Haley looked on in mild disgust. "Are they always like this?"
Terra smiled as she watched her daughter and husband run around in circles. "Only when they're awake," she sighed. It was good to see the two of them goofing off again. The six months Aimee had been away had been very hard on all of them.
Haley, Cyborg and Terra watched Garfield playfully chase his daughter around them until Aimee suddenly vanished. Garfield froze and then returned to human form perplexed by his daughter's sudden disappearance.
"No fair, where'd you go?" he called out in frustration.
"Come on Dad," Aimee's voice called out from thin air. "You can do better than that."
Garfield frowned momentarily then changed into a bloodhound and began sampling the air in search of his daughter. He roamed around in circles as the others watched intently. After a few minutes the green hound lifted his head up in frustration. Aimee suddenly reappeared behind him and scooped him up in her hands. Garfield let out a startled yelp then wiggled himself around until he was licking his daughter's face.
"OK, OK," Aimee protested as she gently lowered the green hound to the ground. "That's enough Dad."
Garfield morphed back to human form and put a bear hug on his daughter. Terra and Cyborg laughed to themselves after watching Aimee and Garfield's antics.
"The old sniffer not what it used to be, huh Gar?" Cyborg chided his friend.
"Come on," Aimee protested. "Give me some credit. I'm getting better with my forms."
"I'll say," Garfield replied in support of his daughter. "You scared the crap out of me. Air form, right?"
"Yea Dad," Aimee replied. Garfield's daughter had the ability to change into one of four elemental forms. The air form was the hardest for her, but she had gotten much more proficient at it lately.
"That was good thinking," Garfield said encouragingly as he released Aimee from his bear hug. "I couldn't get a scent on you." He was glad his daughter was polishing her abilities; that would be critical for her work with the Titans. He smiled at her full of pride.
"Where are the others?" Terra inquired.
"Robin and Starfire will be here soon," Cyborg quickly replied.
"Or not," Haley dully added.
"They still run late to everything?" Garfield asked with a half smile. He was still astounded how Robin could live with himself constantly being late. It was definitely a change from the way things were when they were Titans.
Haley shook her head affirmative.
"No," Terra interrupted. "Where are the other Titans?"
Cyborg foundered momentarily. "They'll be here later. They're out doing something right now." Cyborg lamely answered. He could feel Terra's MI (mother's intuition) kick in.
Terra looked at Cyborg with a doubtful eye. She could tell something was off. He was definitely hiding something. She decided to let it go for now.
A faint droning sound of an engine began to fill the air. The group turned towards the sound and saw a hovercraft plying its way towards the island.
"That would be Starfire and Robin," Cyborg announced in relief. "And not a moment too soon," he whispered to himself. He had narrowly avoided revealing his secret; he wanted to save that for when he had the whole group together.