Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the Teen Titans or any characters in the DC Universe.
Chapter 6 – Tragedy
Beast Boy sighed as he recalled his and Raven's first year together. It couldn't be described as carefree, as they remained members of the Titans and were still Jump City guardians and protectors. The year had been challenging in that regard as The Joker had tried to set up shop in Jump City that year. Defeating him had been a harrowing experience and even taught them to appreciate Slade. In the end they defeated and captured the insane clown and his henchwoman Harley Quinn. Starfire had been seriously injured in the final showdown. It was the first time the Tamaranian required hospitalization for her nearly fatal injuries and the incident had unnerved the Titans, especially Robin who almost came unglued at what for a moment he thought was the sight of his beloved's lifeless body.
Still, amid the chaos and danger they faced that year Raven and Beast Boy found time to be blissful together. As Raven had predicated sexual intimacy had been an infrequent event for them but after a few months she was better able to rein in her out of control emotions after a night of passion and they became slightly more common, but not enough to endanger Beast Boy with the residual dark energy.
What was unexpected for them was Raven becoming more comfortable with public displays of affection. Holding hands and exchanging a kiss in public became commonplace for the Logans. After a few months it was not unusual for one of the other four Titans to enter the common room and find them on the semi circular couch with Raven sitting on Beast Boy's lap, having a prolonged kissing and petting session.
Later in the year the crime scene settled down a bit and Robin finally popped the question to a fully healed Starfire, who eagerly accepted while the other four Titans murmured 'it's about time.'
Terra remained focused as a laser on rebuilding her reputation as a superhero. She had been instrumental in defeating the Joker who was unfamiliar with the blond geomancer and her super abilities. In the end she captured The Joker and Harley with an impromptu avalanche which she triggered.
Beast Boy recalled how happy they had been during their first year of marriage and at the same time he remembered the unexpected event that changed the course of events for him and Raven.
It had been a perfectly ordinary day. Ordinary if you were a Titan that is.
It had started out with yet another robbery by Dr. Light. As they headed out on the mission Beast Boy complained about why they even bothered, as the villain always seemed to get released from prison after only a few months. Nevertheless they soon found themselves face to face with the "sad little man" as Raven called him.
This time he thought he was ready for them as he had a new weapon in his arsenal: photonic resonators. Unfortunately for him the new weapon wasn't all that exceptional and the Titans we easily able to avoid its deadly effects, except for Raven. She had raised her shields to protect herself from the reverberating pulses of energy, but for some reason they failed her and the blast knocked her out. Starfire flew to her side to assist her while Beast Boy, in a fit of rage, viciously engaged the Pharaoh of Photons, injuring him enough for the villain to require a trip to the hospital.
Raven did not regain consciousness at the scene of the battle and was taken to the Tower's infirmary, where after an hour in her healing trance she was as good as new, much to her husband's relief as well as the rest of the Titan's.
When Robin asked her what had happened she said she wasn't sure, but that she had felt weak and that her shields seemed to lack their usual strength. She said that she felt as if there had been a minor drain on her dark energy itself. Cyborg suggested that she take a few days off to rest and Robin agreed.
Raven seemed to be fine the next few days and Robin ordered that she have Cyborg give her a quick check up before she returned to active duty. Beast Boy was napping while she left for her check up and slept peacefully until she returned. She nudged him awake upon her arrival and after seeing it was her he scooted over on the bed, patting the space next to him, inviting her to join him.
"Not now Gar." She replied. "Are you fully awake, because Cyborg found out why I'm not at full strength?"
Her words immediately caught the changeling's attention and he sat up, wide awake.
"You aren't sick Raven, are you?" He asked in a worried tone.
Raven smiled and shook her head.
"No Gar, I'm not sick."
The changeling released a sigh of relief.
"That's a relief. So what did he find?"
Raven wrapped her arms around Beast Boy and gave him a tender kiss.
"I'm pregnant Gar."
The news spread through the Tower as well as to Titans East like wildfire. Robin immediately suspended Raven from active duty and called for a general meeting between the two groups to discuss how to handle the new situation.
The Titans East arrived in their version of the T-Ship the next day and the first order of the day was to congratulate the Logans on their good news. Speedy swore that he thought Raven even had a little color in her normally gray skin, but Bumblebee told him he was seeing things.
Also, without being invited, several of the honorary female Titans showed up to visit Raven. Jinx arrived first with Kid Flash in tow, followed by Kole, Argent, Pantha and others. Starfire, ever exuberant about matters like this one, took it upon herself to organize an impromptu baby shower and Robin had to postpone the meeting for later that evening. Starfire's organizational skills could be amazing at times. She had somehow found time to get a cake and decorate, as well as purchase multiple gifts for Raven and baby at the mall. As the lady Titans had commandeered the common room for the shower Robin decided that it would be best for the men to get out of the way and they all headed to the ubiquitous wedge shaped pizzeria they all favored, where they remained for a few hours, talking with Beast Boy, asking him how he felt about his upcoming fatherhood. He surprised them all by being very upbeat about the whole situation. None of the other male Titans could even began to imagine themselves as being fathers, even though Robin had the sinking feeling that his childless days were numbered.
Eventually the baby shower was over and the men turned to the Tower. Thankfully the local supervillains had been inactive and there had been no interruptions that day. Later that evening the Titans had their confab in the common room. Robin stood up an opened the meeting.
"Welcome everyone, including Titans East and all honorary Titans who are present. As you all know we are facing a unique situation in the extended Titan family. For the first time ever one of our sisters is pregnant and we do not have guidelines for handling this situation. My goal for this meeting is for us to come up with such guidelines. Raven might be the first Titan to become pregnant, but I doubt she will be the last. So as we begin I would like to ask Raven for her thoughts on the matter. Raven?"
Raven cleared her throat before speaking.
"Thank you Robin. I have mixed feelings about this. I've been a member of this team for over 6 years now and I'm not afraid of facing danger in my current state. It is true that my condition has weakened me slightly, but that doesn't mean that I've become an invalid or even ineffective. I don't see any reason why I couldn't continue being active, at least in the early months of my pregnancy."
The other women present nodded their heads in agreement as they murmured to each other.
"However there is another matter to consider, which is the safety of our unborn child." She added as she took Beast Boy's hand and squeezed it.
Robin interrupted. "So which is more important Raven?"
"Gar and I discussed this in length last night, and together we came to the conclusion that our child's safety comes first. So I will be requesting immediate maternity leave."
"You got it Raven. So it sounds to me that you are recommending that there not be a policy that forces pregnant female Titans to take a leave of absence. What do the other ladies think?" Robin added.
Starfire spoke up first.
"On Tamaran we do not relieve our female warriors of their duties until they are in their third trimester of pregnancy."
"That seems kind of late if you ask me." Kole interrupted.
"I agree." Bumblebee added. "I think that by the second trimester that maternity leave should begin."
The women present suddenly all began to discuss the matter between each other and after a few minutes they reached a consensus. Terra stood up.
"We've decided that a female Titan can't be forced into maternity leave until her fifth month of pregnancy."
Cyborg cleared his throat. "That might work for Tamaranians, but human Titans are placing their unborn children at great risk by doing so. Truth be told even in the first month of pregnancy your risk of miscarriage will be very high." He tapped on the portable computer in his arm. "As high as 80% in some cases."
"That's our risk to take!" Argent shouted.
"Maybe." Beast Boy added. "But what about us dads? Don't we get a say?"
"That's between you and your wife." Bumblebee snapped.
"Calm down everyone." Robin said in a soothing voice. "This isn't about power or control in a relationship."
He looked at Raven. "What do you think?"
Raven looked pensive before answering. "It isn't clear cut Robin. In my case I feel that Gar should have a say, but that's because of how we see our marriage. We are equal partners and we also believe that under certain circumstances we both have veto rights over each other. But not everyone's situation is the same. What if the father is only a boyfriend? Should he have the same rights as a man who has pledged himself for life to his mate?"
I see your point." Robin replied. "So it sounds like you're saying that a married couple should decide together, but how they come to that decision is up to them?"
"But what if they can't agree?" Jinx asked. "In that case I say the woman decides."
Robin rubbed his forehead. This wasn't going to be easy.
"Oh Rob." Cyborg interrupted, still tapping on the keyboard in his arm. "The probability of a miscarriage goes to 99.9% by the time the second trimester begins."
Robin's eyes open wide in surprise.
"I don't like those odds. OK, does anyone object to mandatory maternity leave by the beginning of the second trimester?"
Starfire raised her hand.
"With an exception for Tamaranians, in which case it would be the third trimester?" He added.
Starfire lowered her hand.
"OK, here is what I propose: for the first trimester there will be an advisory that highly recommends that a pregnant Titan take an immediate leave of absence. From the second trimester it becomes mandatory, except for Tamaranians, who would be mandated by the third trimester. This rule would only be binding on Titans serving in one of the Towers; honorary Titans would be exempt, unless they are temporarily assigned to a Tower."
"Let's vote." Raven said.
"OK" Robin replied. "All in favor?"
All hands, except for Argent's were raised.
"All against?"
No hands were raised.
"The ayes have it. With one abstention."
"I got it recorded Robin." Cyborg remarked.
Robin sighed. "I'm glad we got that out of the way. Now, do we have any volunteers to backfill for Raven?"
Argent raised her hand.
"I'll do it mate. I've always wondered what it's like to live in the Tower."
"Thanks Argent, welcome aboard. Cyborg, can you prepare a room for her?"
The tin man nodded. "It's already done."
"OK everyone thanks for coming. We'll all be going out to dinner to celebrate Raven and Beast Boy's happy news in two hours, and I'm buying."
As the crowd in the meeting began to disperse Robin approached Starfire, who smiled as he approached. He placed a hand on her elbow and led her to his office, after which he closed the door.
"Star, are you serious about fighting battles when you would be almost 6 months pregnant?" He asked, the tone of concern was clearly present in his voice.
"You are concerned my betrothed, yes?"
He nodded silently.
"Do not worry my beloved. When the time comes we will decide together when is the right time for me to take the maternity leave."
Robin hugged his fiancée. "I'm sorry Star. I know I can always trust you."
"As do I." She replied.
In the end Argent had volunteered to backfill for Raven for at least for the first 5 months. Things had gone smoothly as there had been few missions and they had been against lightweights like Mad Mod and the remnant of if the Hive-5. It was during one such mission when tragedy hit.
It had been an ordinary day when Control Freak robbed a bank. The six Titans headed out as usual while Raven stayed behind to monitor and coordinate the mission on the operations console. She still wasn't beginning to show yet, but had already displayed other classis symptoms of pregnancy, including morning sickness.
The mission was uneventful and the Titans soon had Control Freak in custody. While Robin wrapped things up with the police after they arrived to take the uber-geek into custody Beast Boy chatted with his wife over the communicator. He smiled as he saw her face appeared on the hand held's new high resolution display.
"It looks like Robin's done with the cops. We're going out for pizza now, I'll come get you."
"It's OK; I'll meet you guys there. I can still fly after a…"
Raven stopped midsentence, bending over and clutching her midsection. Beast Boy panicked as he watched her over the communicator.
"Rae, what's the matter!?" Beast Boy shrieked, drawing the other's attention as they ran towards him.
"I don't know." She struggled to speak. "My midsection hurts."
"The baby." Starfire murmured. "I will rush to the tower to assist Raven." She said as she took off at near supersonic speed.
Beast Boy morphed into a pterosaur and scooped up Cyborg while Argent grabbed Robin and took off flying with Terra close behind on a small boulder.
The mood in the infirmary was somber as Raven floated on the bed, in one of her healing trances. Cyborg had already pronounced that she would be fine, which was a relief for everyone. Nevertheless the bad news hovered over everyone like a dark cloud: Raven had suffered a miscarriage and the baby had perished. Beast Boy was sitting in a corner, devastated and had been weeping as Starfire and Terra tried to console him.
Cyborg had taken a tissue sample from the fetus, and had been trying to discover what had happened. After examining the tissue for over an hour he shut off his electron microscope. He quietly approached Beast Boy, who looked up at him.
"What happened Cy? Why did our baby die?" He asked, his voice trembling.
Cyborg looked away.
"I've got some bad news BB."
"What? I thought you said Raven would be OK?"
"She'll be fine, it's not that."
"Then what is it?" Terra asked.
"BB, I'm really sorry to tell you this, but you and Raven, you guys can't have a baby."
"No!" Beast Boy gasped. "Why Cyborg, what's wrong?"
"It's Raven's dark energy. The baby inherited it from her, the way a baby inherits her mother's immune system, but her body just couldn't handle it since she was only one quarter demon."
Beast Boy began to weep again. He struggled to regain his composure.
"Did you just say she?"
"Yes BB. Your baby was still only a few inches tall, but she was a girl." Cyborg reached out to his friend and hugged him as Beast Boy resumed weeping.
Starfire also began to weep and was consoled by Robin.
"This is most inglorious Robin. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to our family."
"I know Star, I know." He replied between sniffles. "Poor Beast Boy, he still has to tell Raven when she wakes up."
No mail bag today. But thanks for reading and your reviews. There are still a few more chapters before I wrap this story up. I hope I didn't make you feel too sad.
