Disclaimer: Teen Titans is the Property of DC Comics

Chapter 12

After Ravens fainting spell everyone was even more careful around her, though she told them it wasn't necessary. And it made the reality of the situation that much realer for everyone. Nightwing called Ravens doctor and told him that she'd fainted again. He advised them to make sure she didn't do anything too strenuous, since her heart was even weaker now.

But no matter how much they tried to baby her, she refused to be treated as such. She told them that they were to pretend as if she was fine, just like always. And they did, but it was all an act. She knew this, but she didn't care.

Beast Boy stood leaning in the doorway of the common room watching her. She was walking around with Jack in her arms, lulling him to sleep by swaying back and forth and humming. He'd been crying all day until Starfire finally gave him to Raven to calm down. Now he was drifting in and out of sleep, the remains of his tears still on his cheeks, as he sucked his thumb. Beast Boy couldn't help smiling. In all the years he'd known her, she'd never looked so at peace.

"She's sure got the mother thing down," said Cyborg, who'd appeared next to him suddenly.

"Yup, she sure does," said Beast Boy, agreeing.

Cyborg sighed and said, "Sure is a shame she's never gonna get to actually be a mom."

"I know," said Beast Boy. A quiet moment passed between them as they continued to watch Raven. Finally, Beast Boy decided to put his idea out there. "You know, I was kinda thinking of asking Raven to marry me."

Cyborg looked at him so quickly had his neck not been made of metal it would've broken. "What?" said Cyborg.

Beast Boy motioned for them to leave the doorway and walk down the hallway. "I think I'm gonna ask Raven to marry me," he said again.

"Why?" said Cyborg.

"Cuz I think it'll make her happy," said Beast Boy.

"Where the hell do you come up with that logic?!" said Cyborg, still rather confused.

"Would you calm down!" said Beast Boy. "Look, Raven said that she's always dreamed of having a family. If I marry her then she'll have one!"

"B, we're her family," said Cyborg.

"You know what I mean," said Beast Boy. "She wanted to get married and have children. If I marry her then I can take care of her and Crystal would technically be her daughter. I think it's the perfect idea."

Cyborg sighed and said, "B, I know you don't want Rae to die, but doing this isn't gonna save her."

"I know that," said Beast Boy lowly. "I'm not God and I'm not gonna try to be. I just wanna make her happy. I wanna take care of her."

"Why?" asked Cyborg. "I mean, we all want what's best for her and we all want her to be happy, but you're going to a whole other place if you wanna marry her to make her happy. And you know that she's gonna die and probably soon. Marrying her is only gonna make it that much harder when she does go. Why you gonna put yourself through that?"

"Because it's the least I can do for her," said Beast Boy. "Because… I made a lot of bad decision in my life that I wouldn't have if I'd listened to her."

Cyborg thought about this and then understood. "This is going back to Terra, isn't it?" he said.

Beast Boy sighed and nodded. "Raven knew way back then that Terra wasn't very good," he said. "But I wouldn't listen to her. And for a few years I thought I was right. But, in the end, Rae was right. She's always been right. I owe her for my being such jackass about the whole Terra thing. She got everything and Rae got nothing. I just wanna make things right, Cy. I wanna take care of her and be there for her until the end."

Cyborg shook his head and said, "Man, they broke the mold when they made you."

Beast Boy smiled and said, "So, do you think it's a good idea?"

"Sure, it's a good idea," said Cyborg. "I just don't know if Raven will actually go for it."

"But are you at least behind me?" asked Beast Boy.

"Yeah, man," said Cyborg, wrapping his arm around. "If you want to go through with this then I'm totally behind it."

"Good," said Beast Boy. "I wonder what the others are gonna think."

"They'll probably think you're crazy," said Cyborg. "I know I sure do."

"You just said it was a good idea!" said Beast Boy.

"Yeah, I know," said Cyborg. "Doesn't mean I can't think you're crazy, too."

"Come on, I wanna tell everyone my idea," said Beast Boy. "Let's call a meeting."

They went around the tower and found the other three Titan members and brought them to the evidence room to talk. Beast Boy slowly revealed his plan to them and used as many long, intelligent words as possible. He wanted them to know he was serious about this and that he'd really thought it out. But no matter how he told it, they were a hard crowd.

"Beast Boy, have you lost your mind?!" said Bumblebee.

"She'll never go for it," said Nightwing, shaking his head.

"She barely tolerates you as it is!" said Bumblebee.

"She'll probably think it's a joke and hate you," said Nightwing.

"What if it's such a shock she has a heart attack?!" said Bumblebee.

"Have you thought this through at all?" said Nightwing.

"Do you have a ring?" Starfire clapped. The others just looked at her for a moment.

"Look, I think B's got a good idea going here," said Cyborg. "I mean, yeah, it's totally ludicrous and out of left field, but that's what he's known for anyway. Or, at least, he used to be. This is the first crazy idea you've had in like five years."

"No, it isn't," Beast Boy objected.

"Yeah, it is," said Cyborg. "Raven's slowly turning you back into your old self. Hell, this is a better deal for you than it is for Raven!"

"No! I want to do this for Raven, not me!" said Beast Boy.

"Are you sure, Beast Boy?" asked Nightwing.

"Yes, I'm sure," he said. "I only got this idea when I was trying to think of a way to make her happy. She told me that she'd dreamed of getting married and having children. I can give her that so why shouldn't I? I mean, if she'd always dreamed of having her own custom car you'd make one for her, right Cy?"

"Well, sure," said Cyborg.

"And if she wanted to go on a shopping spree, not that she ever would, but if she did you'd be there for her, right Bumblebee?" said Beast Boy.

"Well, yeah," said Bumblebee.

"And if she wanted to get her hair done you'd be there for her, right Star?" said Beast Boy.

"Yes, I most certainly would," said Starfire.

"And Nightwing, if she wanted to beat you at hand to hand combat you'd take the dive, right?" said Beast Boy.

"Well… I guess," said Nightwing.

"See? This isn't all that different," said Beast Boy.

"Beast Boy, you want to marry her, not take her shopping," said Bumblebee. "It's very different."

"Look, this is her dream and who are you guys to tell her that she can't have it?" said Beast Boy, crossing his arms. "And, being the only single guy in the tower, I'm the only one who can give her her dream. And I really wanna do this for her."

"Well I support him," said Cyborg. "Y'all in?"

"Oh, I am!" said Starfire. "I think it is a wonderful idea."

"Fine, I'll support you," said Bumblebee, crossing her arms. "But if this blows up in your face, I'm gonna be there saying 'I told you so', got it?"

"Yeah, got it," said Beast Boy, rolling his eyes. "What about you, NW? Can I get your support?"

Nightwing, who had been really thinking about all of this, sighed and said, "My main concern is Ravens feelings. This idea of yours is either going to work out really well and everyone will be happy or it'll go down in flames and she's going to be even worse off than before. Are you really willing to take that risk?"

"I know this is a good idea," said Beast Boy. "I know it from the bottom of my heart."

"Alright, I support you then," said Nightwing. "But if she gets so upset she wants you thrown off the team, then I'm going to do it."

"Sounds fair," said Beast Boy.

The group dispatched and Beast Boy went off to make plans for the proposal. He wanted it to be just right. Starfire offered her services, but he declined and said that he was better off doing it alone. But he told her that if Raven accepted the proposal she could help with the wedding. And that certainly kept Starfire quiet and gave Beast Boy all of the space he wanted.

While Beast Boy went to work on his ultra special proposal, as he was calling it now, Nightwing and Cyborg went off to work on Ravens case. For weeks they'd been monitoring her and trying to figure out any connections to her highs and lows during the day. Cyborg sat at the computer in him and Bumblebee's room with Nightwing pacing behind him.

"I don't know about you, but I don't see any connection here," said Cyborg, sitting back in his chair. "Her condition fluctuates randomly all day."

"There has to be something," said Nightwing. "It can't be random."

"Each day is completely different from the last," said Cyborg. "The only thing I've noticed so far is that when she's completely alone and we've all gone to give her some time alone her condition worsens."

"Alright, let's work off of that then," said Nightwing. "If she gets worse when she's alone, then being around us must make her stronger."

"Then how come twice she's fainted and grown weaker when she was with Beast Boy?" asked Cyborg.

"Maybe she needs to be around more than one person," said Nightwing.

"No, that can't be it," said Cyborg. "Multiple times at night when she's with all five of us she's grown tired and too weak to move."

"True," Nightwing sighed. "Alright, let's not focus on when she's weak. Highlight the times she's seemed the strongest."

"Okay," said Cyborg looking through the files and highlighting the appropriate ones. "Here you go."

The two looked through the highlighted times and looked for any pattern or constant. Many minutes passed as they went over the information over and over, looking for anything. They looked for any word that might have been used multiple times, anything to make a connection and then, for Nightwing, it clicked.

"Oh my God," he said with realization.

"What? Did you find something?" asked Cyborg.

"I-I think I did," said Nightwing in disbelief. "Tell me, has there been any time when Raven's babysitting and been weak?"

"Uh, let me see," said Cyborg. He quickly checked through all of the files. "Uh… no. Huh, isn't that weird? She's never had a weak spell when she was babysittin the kids."

"Has she ever been weak when she's near the kids?" asked Nightwing.

Cyborg typed and searched some more. "No," he said. "Every time she's felt weak she's either alone or with just us adults. You don't think…"

"I do," said Nightwing. "I think Ravens strength comes from the kids."

"So, what the hell does that mean?" said Cyborg, who felt more confused than ever. "Is she sucking the life out of the kids?"

"No, that can't be," said Nightwing. "If she were, the kids would be getting weaker, but, if anything, they've been happier and better than ever since she's gotten here."

"True," said Cyborg. "So why would Raven be gettin stronger when she's around kids?"

"I don't know," said Nightwing. "But at least we know how to keep her alive for a while longer. We have to make sure she's never too far away from any of the kids."

"Should we tell her?" asked Cyborg.

"Not yet," said Nightwing. "I want to figure all of this out first before we go off telling everyone. For now, this stays between you and me."

"Got it," said Cyborg.