Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.

II

When Blaze woke up, the first thing that she noticed was that the she was in the hospital. Not only was she in the hospital, but there was a little screen the size of a tablet in the wall the bed was pushed up against. She'd heard of the Telescreens, as they were known, but she'd thought they were only being used in limited trials, not used for the majority of the population. And from what she'd heard, she definitely didn't want the government spying on her private thoughts and emotions the way a few of her clients said they were doing.

The second thing she noticed was that Carmen and Nicolas were outside the hospital room, having what she could only assume was a heated argument about something in a dialect of Spanish from the corner of Nicaragua that they had been born in. She didn't remember anything about what had happened, but from what she could tell, neither of them were happy about what the other was saying.

Blaze took a deep breath. She wasn't ready to talk to either Carmen or Nicolas yet about what happened, especially since she needed to process exactly what happened. However, she knew that she was going to have to eventually. Once she figured out how on earth the Telescreens were in the hospital when they weren't in most other places, she would be ready to talk with them about what had happened.

"We brought someone to visit you," Carmen said.

A young woman whom looked identical to Blaze walked into the hospital room. Her red hair was in a fishtail braid that hit the waistband of her jeans, and Blaze could see a necklace with the birthstone for the month of May that had been a gift from the woman's mother. "Hey, Blaze!"

"Aunt Josie!" Blaze exclaimed, a slight Boston accent to her voice from spending every summer there until she was fifteen and her mother's youngest sister, Josephine moved to Gothic Cross as a full ride college student at eighteen. "What are you doing here?"

"When Carmen and Nicky told me what happened, I wanted to see you, Kiddo."

Blaze wanted to say something, but with both her boyfriend and his sister waiting outside the room, she knew that she couldn't. Not when she hadn't told them the truth about why she'd done her senior year at Hollow Cross Academy instead of Gothic Heights High, and she didn't think that she could ever tell them the real reason why she had run away from her parents house.

"I brought the doll I'd bought you for your sixteenth birthday. You shouldn't have to feel scared, and I couldn't find your tablet." Josie smiled as she handed a doll to Blaze that looked like the two of them. She remembered how her niece hadn't put the doll down much for an entire month after receiving her. "And Lucy should be able to keep you company."

"My tablet's with me, Aunt Josie," Blaze laughed as she took the doll from Josie. She hated having to pretend that everything was all right, especially in front of the one person who had been by her side when everything had blown up in her face, when she knew things might not be all sunshine and rainbow unicorns for a while. "I'd put in bag so I could listen to music on break. And thank you for bringing Lucy."

Blaze saw Josie's expression change to one of sadness. "Ethel, honey. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your parents were killed last night at about the time that you collapsed."

Tears began to stream down Blaze's cheeks. "What happened?"

"The cops who talked to Mom and Dad told us they think that your parents were killed in an accident near their home, but the way that witness described it, it was no accident." Josie sat down next to Blaze and wrapped her arms around her. "I know you weren't on the best of terms with your parents, but I am so sorry."

"Thank you for being the one to tell me, Aunt Josie." Blaze put her head on her aunt's chest. As she closed her eyes, she could see a little girl no older than three clinging on a bright purple, bohemian style skirt with a doll that might have been Lucy in her other hand. "Did Mom and Dad have any kids after I went to live with you and Grandma and Grandpa?"

Josie sighed, but nodded. "You have a brother named Sebastian that was born two weeks before you graduated from Hollow Cross. He's nearly three now. You also have a baby sister that hasn't been named yet."

"When are their birthdays?"

"Sebastian's is May 21st. Baby Sis's..."

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Hazel," Blaze whispered. The name had been one of her favorite names since she was little. "My sister's name is Elizabeth Hazel "

"Alright, so Elizabeth's is March 15th, which is yesterday." Josie sighed. "Just tell me what happened."

"Okay, so I was headed toward work on the boardwalk and trying to get sick from the smells around me." Blaze closed her eyes as she debated telling her aunt the truth. A truth that would be in time even if she didn't tell it. "But I kept sensing that someone behind me. When I turn around to take the person's hand, that was when the world started spinning and I collapsed."

Josie frowned as she crossed her arms. "You're not saying something, Little Bee. Or have you completely forgotten that I have mental powers like you do?"

Rolling her eyes, Blaze remembered exactly what Josie could do, as she'd seen it first hand. She remembered all the summer days they'd experimented and practiced with their powers while watching the same two movies over and over, both musicals. "No, I haven't forgotten, and I know you can sense changes in people's lives. I didn't want to tell you because I know you worry about me..."

"Whatever it is, it can't be that bad. You're still my favorite niece, no matter what."

"I'm you're only niece." Blaze smiled, but she knew that Josie could see right through her. "The doctor told me I'm six weeks pregnant. And now that I say it aloud, I'm scared, Aunt Josie. Scared about everything that's going on right now."

Josie wrapped her arms around Blaze and pulled her close. Softly, she began to sing Blaze's favorite song as she pressed her forehead against her niece's. She hated seeing her upset like this, and wished there was something more that she could do for her. Finally, she said, "This isn't the end of the world. It will still be the two of us against the world, like it always has been. I'm not going anywhere, and I suspect that Carmen's not going anywhere. Whatever you need, honey, just tell me.

She didn't want to tell Blaze that she could hear Nicolas' thoughts right then. That he was second guessing going out with her because he wasn't ready for kids, and even didn't think that he wanted any. And now that kids were coming into his life if he stayed with her, he wanted to bolt and find someone better suited for him. But Josie also didn't want to voice Carmen's thoughts, because she knew that Blaze should hear them herself.

Blaze nodded, tears now streaming down her cheeks. "I'd like to talk to Nicolas, so…"

"There's a coffee shop across the street. I'll take Carmen with me." Josie gave her a squeeze. "No tears, Little Bee."

A few minutes later, Nicolas walked into the room, his curly black hair as disheveled as she felt. Blaze didn't know what she was going to say to him, but she knew that she had to say something, even if she wasn't ready to tell him that she was pregnant.

"Nicolas," she began, "You know my parents were killed last night, right? Well, they wanted me to become guardian of my two little siblings if they were to die."

"Why would you agree to that if you weren't even on speaking terms with them?" Nicolas asked, "You probably didn't even know your mother was pregnant."

"Look, I agreed because it was the right thing to do." She sighed, "And you don't even know why I transferred to Holy Cross Academy for senior year instead of stick it out at Gothic Heights High."

"You told Carmen and me that you were having a tough time with your parents and you had to get away from Gothic Heights High. That's not it, right?"

"It wasn't just my parents, Nicolas. Everyone wanted me to be dating Preston Garrett, the quarterback. Mom and Dad even set me up on a date with him…on my birthday, and were hoping that I'd one day run Garrett Tech or Blackstone Enterprises after marrying him. I found out that I was pregnant six weeks later and ran away from home, hoping that I could get away from being forced into a life I didn't want. Mom and Dad adopted my little boy after I gave birth. I still hate myself for not talking to you or Carm that year."

"Blaze, I am sorry, but I just can not continue to date you. You just told me that you had a kid at eighteen, and now that kid is in your life. I do not want any kids, and I know you are not going to abandon your siblings."After he ran out the door, she buried her face in the hospital pillow. She hated that he'd broken up with with her, but she knew that it would be for the better considering that she knew she would never be able to get Carmen to talk him into reconsidering. She also knew that he would probably go back to Nicaragua if given half a chance.

Blaze closed her eyes and wished that she could see the future. Whether it be her own future or that of her kid, she didn't care. However, she knew that her powers didn't work that way. As a psychic, she couldn't see her own future or that of her immediate descendants. Josie had told her that eleven years ago. Instead, she let herself think about what the future held for her and her own family history. She knew from conversations with her aunt that her mother, Beatrice had a twin sister, Katherine but the two had been estranged for years and that there was a history of twins skipping a generation.

"I'm not ready to be a mother," she whispered as she instinctively placed her left hand on her abdomen, "Especially not a mother to a little boy, a newborn girl and twins."

"I'm here for you, Blaze," Carmen said, walking into the room, "No matter what Nico said to you, I am not going to walk away from you. In fact I will be there for you. No matter what."

"Thank you, Carm. I really appreciate it." She knew it was going to be a long road, and wasn't going to be easy. But Carmen had been more than just a friend to her, even though she hadn't realized it in school and knew that it was time to tell Carmen what had happened during senior year. "I was really scared, Carmen. I wanted to talk to you and tell you what was going on, but a little voice in my head convinced me not to. And then when my parents found out, I had a meltdown. They told me someone like me couldn't possibly raise a child and they were better off adopting the kid. I was crying every day for a couple of weeks because I knew that my parents were wrong; I knew I would be a good mom. But they convinced me I was wrong and adopted the baby. I lived with my grandparents the rest of the year because I couldn't look at my baby without getting mad at my parents."

Carmen put her hand on Blaze's shoulder and smiled. "That sounds like your parents. But your not going through this alone. Not this time. I told you no matter what, and I mean it. Now, the doctor say she will discharge you in an hour and half. I can take you to your grandparents for lunch while your aunt makes sure your apartment is okay for little kids."

"I'd like that, Carmen. Mucho." As she spoke, she remembered how she'd felt about her best friend. She really wanted to tell Carmen how she felt, but knew she couldn't. For two reasons. She didn't really know how to put her feelings into words, nor did she want to risk Carmen saying that didn't feel the same way. Especially since Nicolas had left her like that. She did know she had say something. "Te quiero."

"Te quiero también, Blaze." Carmen smiled, as she placed Blaze's hand in the other hand. "My foolish brother just lost the best girl in the world. And he does not even realize it. Would you like to move into my apartment in the barrio with me? It won't be right away, but my apartment is a bit bigger than that studio you and Nico shared."

Blaze put her hand on Carmen's. "I would like it, but the lease isn't up for another two months. But I won't renew it if you don't want me to."

"Like I said, I'm not going anywhere. And if you think you need help with Sebastian and Elizabeth, I would be more than willing to help you. Whatever you need. I'm sure your senior year was no piece of cake, Blaze and you could have used a friend or two."

"Yeah. I could have, but I was scared to reach out in case Mom and Dad found out, which obviously did. Somehow." Blaze squeezed Carmen's hand. "But I'm not going to make the same mistake again. You working days, right?"

"Si. Seven to three. What are you thinking?"

"You baby sit for me while I'm at work. Five in the evening until two thirty at night. You can even cook at the apartment and crash there on days I'm working for the two months until the kids and I move into the barrio with you."

"It would make it easier. Y no, Nico is not welcome in the apartment. Not after what he said to you. Now, can we talk something else, like what your boss is going to say when he sees you in person tonight? You did call him didn't you?"

"Yes. I don't remember much of that conversation. I was so out of it. But, he wasn't happy that I wouldn't be coming in. And he'd be even more furious if I called in today. I do need this job, even if my boss is a cheep skate. So, you sent my aunt to my apartment to make sure it was okay for little kids?"

Carmen nodded. "She wanted to do something to help you, and figured that this was the best way she could. Plus, she wanted to surprise you to make you feel better about everything that happened."

Blaze wanted to just hold onto Carmen tightly and cry, but she knew that she had to keep it together for Sebastian. He was, after all, still her son despite the fact that her parents had adopted him. And though the news of her parent's deaths had cut her deep, she'd never been one to show any outward signs of grief even when her grandfather had passed away.

0-0-0

Blaze saw a young boy of three standing behind her grandmother. His hair was the same color as her own, and was extremely curly, like her own. However, it was his facial features that made her think of her first boyfriend. The high cheekbones with a splash of freckles on his nose, and round, gray eyes that reminded her of an impending storm. She even thought that he was just as tall as she had been at his age, and she certainly was tall for her age.

"Sebastian, honey," June said, kneeling down in front of the boy, "Blaze wants you to come live with her. Would you like that?"

"No. I want Mommy and Daddy." Blaze turned away so her grandmother wouldn't see the tears trickling down her cheeks. She didn't want to admit it, but the words hurt her more than anything else.

She took a deep breath as she turned toward the boy and knelt down. "I know, sweetheart, but did you know...I'm your mommy as well? I let Mommy and Daddy take care of you because I couldn't. And I think there's a playground across the street from my house with a cool dinosaur slide and tree fort that you might like."

Sebastian smiled as he hid behind his sister. He liked the idea of the dinosaur slide, but he still wanted the people he called Mommy and Daddy. A tear trickled down Blaze's cheek as she thought about the day she'd found out she was pregnant.

October 2018

Blaze sat in the three year old SUV, tears streaming down her cheeks. She'd gone into the walk-in because she thought she had the flu, and now after thinking about what had happened, she just knew that the doc was probably right, even though Blaze hadn't even thought to suspect that she was pregnant. She was planning to attend the university in the city as a psychology major to get away from her parents who wanted her to major in chemistry or mathematics, and now, those plans were surely going to change because of one stupid mistake she'd made on her birthday over a month ago.

"But if Genevieve Ravenhill finds out..." She'd seen her mother's so-called best friend in the parking lot of the market across the street, and knew that her mother would hound Genevieve for information relating to Blaze. "Then I'm certainly in trouble with Mom and Dad."

She covered her face with her hands, and just sat there sobbing until she couldn't cry anymore. Blaze didn't know what she was going to do. She'd just turneLd eighteen two months before and she just knew that she bound to be spending Senior year scared and isolated from everyone that mattered except for her paternal grandparents, Marvin and Juniper Somerly.

When she finally felt safe to drive, she drove to the Somerly house, scared to tell her grandparents what was going on, but she really wanted someone to talk to even when she knew her parents finding out was completely out of the question.

"What are you doing here, Ethel?" June said, opening the door, "Shouldn't you be in the library, working on the research paper you told me about?"

"It's just an essay, Grandma June," Blaze said. She tried to mask her panic and anxiety in her voice, but her grandmother could read her better than anyone except for Josephine.

"Something's wrong, Ethel. Why don't you come inside, and we can talk about it?"

Blaze took a deep breath and followed her grandmother inside the house. She wasn't ready for the changes that were to come, but the calming presence of her grandmother and aunt would make her feel a little calmer.

"...and I don't know what to do, Grandma June." Blaze took a deep breath. "I want to go to the university and study psychology. I want to do so much, but now I can't. Not when I'm pregnant."

"Look. You said that you could go to that private school if you wanted to. Why don't I call your mother and tell her you decided you wanted to go to the private school and live with me. Beyond that, there's nothing more I can do today." June smiled sadly. "I wish you were here under better circumstances, though, that you came to visit."

"That means a lot."

"Thanks, but not everyone will be kind to you when they find out you're a teen mother. And you have to think about what you're going to do after high school to care for this baby. Now, I made a big batch of rice in anticipation of making fried rice.

"You knew I was coming over?"

"Remember, you and Josephine inherited your gift from me. But I did have a hunch you needed something easy."

March, 2022

"You'll be okay, honey." Those were the words that snapped Blaze back to the present."You're the strongest person I know, and I promise you'll make a good mother to the kids."

"Thanks, Grandma June." Blaze smiled, but then began to feel like the world was spinning again. Not like before she collapsed, but more like the world was out of control and there was nothing she could do about it. "I appreciate it."

"You're welcome, Blaze." June wrapped her arms around Blaze as she saw Sebastian walk up to Blaze. She saw him put his hand on her stomach. "And if I didn't know any better, you're pregnant again."

"I am." Blaze sighed, wishing that she hadn't left her look-alike doll in the car. "But I'm scared that it's going to be twins, and I can't care for them and Sebastian and Elizabeth."

"You will do fine, honey. I promise." A smile crept on June's face. "I did want to warn you that there's a young man whom moved into the neighborhood. He goes by Lord Kazuma and he goes around playing tricks on people. At first, they were all benign, but they quickly became darker and I got the sensation that if he could he would be laughing at the poor people hurt by his pranks."

"I will definitely watch out for him," Blaze said, feeling calmer, "I've heard of him, too. He hasn't done anything in my neighborhood, but the news says he could easily strike anywhere. Now is it possible to meet little Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth?"

"Yeah. That's the name I chose for my baby sister. Elizabeth Hazel Hawthorne. And I think she just woke up."

June led Blaze to the master bedroom and picked up the little baby in the bassinet by the bed. "Hey, Poppy. Your mommy's here to pick you up."

"Poppy?" Blaze queried.

"I have been calling her that since she was brought to me. Your parents had planned on naming her Poppy Annabella, if I remember correctly."

Blaze shook her head as she took the little girl from June. "Maybe I could change the name to Elizabeth Poppy. That way, you could still call her Poppy if you wanted to."

"I would like that and remember what I said about Lord Kazuma."

"Yes, Grandma June." Blaze thought about the news images of the guy. His straight hair fell to the bottom of his ears with his bangs framing his face, like the purple and gold curtains on her windows, though his hair reminded her slightly of a bee, with the right side being black and the left being yellow. His diamond shaped face reminded her of the Joker somehow, but he was locked up in Arkham Asylum last she'd heard, and there was a perpetual smirk on his face. In the news casts, she could see the black shirts with striped sleeves and the black, cuffed pants. His almond shaped eyes were bright red, however, it wasn't the color that made her think that they were an omen of things to come; it was the look in them that she could see whenever the news cameras zoomed in on his face. "I will be extremely careful."

Lord Kazuma is owned by Luke5921.

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