Chapter VI: Daniel's Gift

The last stars were fading into dawn as the ocean waves softly broke along the island's rocky shore. Gulls cried in the cool morning air. The former Titans were clustered together impatiently waiting for their former colleague to make her appearance. Robin had insisted that they don their old outfits. There had been no hesitation once Cyborg explained the situation to him. "I can't say no to a desperate old man can I?" Robin had replied. "Just find me my old suit and I'm in." Cyborg spent the next hour pulling stuff from storage. Lucky for him he had not thrown anything away after his friends had left.

Haley and Aimee stood off to one side trying not to laugh at their parents' odd uniforms. They just didn't look right, especially on anyone as old as their parents.

"Yellow and red," Haley whispered to Aimee as she examined her father's costume. "What was my Dad thinking, and that cape."

"Do you think my dad's belly will still be there when he gets younger?" Aimee added with a slight snicker.

"Well he should look a lot better with a full head of hair. And what's with Cyborg shaving his head?"

"I don't know," Aimee replied. "Maybe he got tired of looking at his gray hair."

Both girls refused to talk about their mother's attire. Their outfits left far too little to the imagination for them to comment.

"OK everyone we're here," Darien announced as he and his brother exited the Tower. They both turned around and waited for their mother to come out.

Raven cautiously stepped out of the tower. She looked at the others with an annoyed expression then stalked over to join them being careful to keep her cape tightly wrapped around her body.

"Your hair looks great," Robin smiled to her noticing it had been cut short like before.

"That had better not be a sarcastic comment at my expense," Raven coldly replied. "I've been up most of the night, my son cut my hair, I've had to shave parts of my body that I haven't had to in years and to top it off I haven't had any breakfast or tea so I'm in a stellar mood right now."

"Hey it's the old Raven we all know and love," Garfield said with a slight laugh. The others were all smiles seeing their friend back to her old sulky form. Garfield wrapped his arm around Raven and squeezed her tight.

"There had better be waffles after this," Raven turned and glared at Cyborg as Garfield released her.

"All you can eat," Cyborg replied with a smile.

"Daniel, front and center," Raven called out to her eldest son.

Darien and Daniel performed their peculiar handshake then Daniel slowly approached the group. Darien walked over to where Aimee and Haley stood then crossed his hands over his chest as he watched his brother reluctantly walk towards the others.

"This is gonna be so great," he said with a slight laugh.

"How do you know this is going to work," Haley asked him.

"Because my brother never fails when I'm around," Darien replied confidently.

Daniel slowly approached the group. Raven could see the fear in her son's eyes. She bent over and looked directly into his brilliant blue eyes. "Are you ready Daniel?" she asked in a reassuring voice trying to give her shy son strength.

"Yes, I think I am," Daniel replied softly fighting to keep eye contact with his Mother. "Do I need to do my spell in Latin?"

"No, do it in the language you are most comfortable with," Raven calmly instructed him. She looked towards the city; the sun would be up soon. Raven knelt down then reached out and gathered her son into her arms. A brilliant warmth flowed through Raven upon contact with Daniel melting away any anger she might have held. "Be strong and true. Believe in your cause and you will always be successful," she whispered into his ear for encouragement as she swam in his warm embrace.

"I will Mother," he lightly replied to her. A warm smile passed between the pair as they separated and looked at each other.

Raven reluctantly released her son then began to stand up when she suddenly halted as her suit unexpectedly ran up giving her an unwanted wedgie. She frowned as she noticed the others looking at her with slight concern. She stood up then reached around to her backside and adjusted herself.

"I don't want to hear anyone making any comments about my cheeks; GOT IT?!" All of the others were smiling. "I honestly don't know what I was thinking of when I chose this outfit; a thong would have been more comfortable." That comment got Garfield to let out a stifled giggle. "Don't say anything you little green changling if you know what's good for you," she said to him with glaring eyes.

"Mother," Daniel gently interrupted her tirade. "It's time. Please join hands."

The others paused looking into Raven's son's calm blue eyes then reached out to each other joining hands forming a small circle in front of Daniel. He took off his leather gauntlets then took a deep breath to gather his concentration as he scanned the horizon facing the city. His timing had to be perfect or the spell would fail. At the proper moment he lifted his hands high above his head, palms facing the rising sun. The first rays glanced off his hands telling him to should start his chant.

"Oh undefeatable Sun, I capture your first rays to give these souls a taste of your precious gift," Daniel said in a soft chirping voice. "May it restore them and give them strength over your endless cycle."

Daniel's hands began to glow with a burning light. He slowly lowered them as the light became more intense. He reached out to either side grasping the hands of his mother and Cyborg. Haley, Aimee and Darien watched as the group became consumed in its brilliant glow. In an instant the light was gone and the others blinked as their eyes slowly came back into focus.

Haley gasped in disbelief as she looked over the group of old people she had seen just moments earlier. "I don't believe it."

Darien turned and looked up at the astonished girls. "I told you he could do it."

The other Titans turned to Robin who looked back at them with intense eyes. He slowly let go of Starfire and Beast Boy and stood on his own two feet for the first time in decades. Robin looked down and pulled out his mask, then placed it on his face and gave the group his old familiar crooked smile.

"Looks like the old Titans are back," Robin said in a low growl. "Who's ready to kick some ass!"