Cara was just sitting on the floor looking down at the toys she had been given. Raven had left to pack their things in the apartment, and Kori was watching her in the mean while. The little girl didn't cry, but it was clear to everyone she was holding it in as much as she could. Kori tried to join her game, to light up the girl's mood, but it was useless. Finally Kori got to her feet and walked to the table where the other Titans and Jenny were seated. Now and then the voices from the paparazzi could be detected. Victor got to his feet.
"She shouldn't have to be here."
"I'll take here."
The three remaining titans looked at one another as Garfield walked to the girl and sat down next to her. And Jenny just stared at them with poorly concealed anger. Victor walked over to them and Cara looked up at him.
"Gar said we're going to the amusement park."
"Did he?"
"Can I go, please?"
She gave him her cutest smile and as always Victor couldn't refuse her anything.
"Get your ring Gar."
Garfield jumped up, flashed the girl a huge smile, before running out. All of the titans, after a lifetime in the public eye, had gotten holo rings. For nothing more than to be normal once in a while, or at least close to normal. When he came back he looked very much like how he thought he would have looked if he hadn't been sick. Cara didn't seem scared or confused when the he came back, thou he looked very differently, and just calmly walked over and grabbed his hand. She was so like her mother that he wanted to cry, but hid it by picking her up and spinning her around until she was gasping for her breath between her laughs.
"You're ready?"
She nodded and he put her down. Then he left before someone got their senses back and stopped them.
--
He had taken one of the cars through the secret tunnel and parked by the docks. Cara's eyes grew, and Garfield guessed Raven hadn't taken her there yet. They got out and she grabbed his hand again and waited patiently, despite how he could feel er antisipation pulsate in her little hand.
"What do you want to do first?"
She looked around and pointed to the a mary-go-round. He got her settled in a cup that spins around.
"You want me to stay with you?"
She shook her head, and he smile and walked off the platform. He waved and she grinned and waved back.
"She's beautiful. How old is she?"
Garfield turned and looked at the woman suddenly standing next to him.
"Three, and thanks. She takes after her mother."
The woman smiled, and pointed to a girl sitting on a horse.
"My youngest. She's seven. They grow up so fast don't they?"
Garfield looked back at the Cara. The meri-go-round had started and you could hear her laughter clearly, even when she was out of sight.
"Yeah, they do."
--
"So, now we've taken the mery-go-round. The dragon. The teapots, three times. What do you want to do now?"
Cara stopped and looked up at the stuffed animals in one of the stalls. Garfield grinned and bent down.
"You want me to win you a stuffed animal?"
"Yes please."
"Which one?"
She pointed at a green chicken in front of the ring toss. Garfield smiled, before lifting her up and placing her on the counter.
"Now I have to warn you, I'm pretty good at this game."
He started to throw, and after about one hour he managed to get her the green chicken. The man behind the stall picked it down and Cara just started at him for a moment before starting to cry.
"What's wrong Cara?"
Cara indicated that she wanted to be held, and he picked her up while grabbing the chicken with the other hand.
"What's wrong Cara?"
"Sick man."
Garfield had no idea what that ment, just gave the man an apologetic look, before walking away from the stall. The further away they went, the calmer she got, and finally she was just resting her head on his shoulder.
"Better?"
She nodded and he placed her down on the ground again and gave her the chicken. She held it tight and gave him the other hand. He grabbed it, and looked at the watch.
"We should head home, or your mom will be very mad at me."
The girl nodded and they started to walk to the car as a rush with people walked toward and passed them. Cara froze and got the same look of desperation he had seen glips of on Raven when she was caught off guard. She dropped the chicken and started to wail with both hands over her ears. Garfield scooped her up, but no matter what he tried her wailing continued. Finally he started to walk toward the car, and when they were almost alone she calmed down again. He placed her in the car, and Cara fell asleep right away from exhaustion.
"I had no idea how much pain you were in Rae."
Because he was certain that it was her maternal powers that had made the girl cry both times. He stroked Cara's hot forehead and bent down and kissed it. He knew that it was this Raven had ment when she tried to explain why she didn't want to have children. Why she had fear in her eyes when they argued about children. Then Cara started to sweat and throw herself back and fourth. Garfield rose and looked around, but they were alone. Cara started to twitch and throw herself against the seat belt. Then she started to scream. Not just in pain, like earlier, but in terror. Garfield tried to get her lose, afraid she might hurt herself, all the time trying to find the person who was hurting her. There was no one. He picked her up and started to walk back and forth. After a few minutes that seemed like an eternity she calmed down and opened her eyes. She looked at him, before falling asleep again. This time she was completely calm. He walked back and forth for a few more minutes before he placed her back in the car and started to drive. She was fine the entire way home. He carried her up, and placed her in his bed. Then he walked back into the common room, and froze. He stared at the screen, ignoring everyone looking at him or that Jenny had tears in her eyes, where Jenny was sitting in a sofa talking to a well known TV personality. Under her face you could read Jenny, Changling's girlfriend.
"So tell us about Raven. I understand you've met her and know the story."
Jenny nodded.
"Yes, apparently Raven and Changling was an item before she left."
"So the rumors where true."
"Oh yes. Then it turnes out that Changling wants children and Raven doesn't so they break up."
"And that is when she left the team."
Jenny nodded again.
"And then she got pregnant by another man."
"Turn it off Dick."
He did, and Garfield managed to turn his gaze from the screen to the woman sitting on the sofa.
"When?"
"Right after you left. I'm on TV Gar, isn't that exciting?"
Desperation. Quicker than humanly possible he stands over her.
"You betrayed her."
"They said I could get on the TV."
"You betrayed me. She is my friend Jenny, by betraying her you are betraying me. Don't you understand?"
She looked at him, and her face got an even more desperate and frantic look.
"You still love her don't you?"
"Get out Jenny, and don't call me again."
"No wait."
Garfield started to walk toward the door. Jenny got to her feet and ran after him, grabbing his hand, making him look at her.
"Please, Changling, I love you. I know you want children. I can give that to you. I'll have as many children as you want. Please, Changling. I beg of you. She doesn't love you the way I love you. Changling."
"My name is Garfield Jenny. And it's time for you to leave."
Then he turned and left.
--
He flew through the open window and morphed back. By the animal print on the wall he guessed it was Cara's old room. He could also see the galaxy in the ceiling, the robin mobile and the metal toys. This had to be Cara's bedroom. He looked up and saw Raven standing in the door with a book in her hand, staring at him. He probably should have planed this.
"What do you want Gar?"
"You owe me an explanation?"
He had no idea where that came from. He didn't even know what he wanted an explanation for. He just opened his mouth and that spewed out. He had pushed the wrong button again, as he had done so many times, and he could see her anger. She started to walk toward him and her voice was higher than usual.
"Owe you an explanation? After I left my home, my friends, my family because you decided that I wasn't good enough. That I wasn't enough for you. I left everything so you wouldn't have to, and I still wasn't what you wanted."
He grabbed her arms and pulled her closer as a peace of the plaster fell down from the ceiling. The walls and ceiling were broken and cracked. Most of the toys on the floor had gone the same way. But he didn't notice. All he could do was look at this wonderful woman. She was crying. Her arms were shaking with anger she wasn't allowed to nor allowing herself to give in to. She raised her eyes and looked at him. She wasn't accusing him, her eyes just stated it. You are the reason I'm suffering. You are the reason I'm in pain right now. He let go of her and his arms fell down to his side like dead weight.
"What do you want an explanation on now Gar?"
"Nothing."
Then he morphed to an crow before he said something more stupid, and flew out of the window. But not before he saw Raven fall to her knees, wrap both arms around her stomach and cry freely. Destroying the room completely.