Story: Outspoken
By: Shawn "The Unfunny Joke" Wheeler
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Teen Titans characters.
Summary: So much can be said in just a single word; much to a father's dismay.

It was a strange first word. That much Garfield could say as a certainty. But then again, it was only strange when compared to what is considered as the norm. Of course, the norm had been what Garfield wanted in the first place.

For the last three weeks he had been barraging his daughter with attention in an attempt to get her to talk. The efforts bore no fruit however, and Rebecca remained content to simply coo and laugh at the efforts. This never deterred the father however, and he continued.

Raven on the other hand showed only minor interest in the audible ability of their child, stating that Rebecca would talk when she wanted to and only when she had something she wanted to say.

"Besides," She had added one afternoon. "The world isn't quite ready for another Logan to be out telling jokes."

When confronted with the fact that she herself was now a Logan, Raven simply waved the thought away, pleading innocence due to a momentary lapse of sanity.

And it was because of that minor insult that Garfield had become determined to have Rebecca say "Dada" well before she ever uttered the word "Mama". Though, after so many weeks of trying he was about ready to accept anything else as good enough, and it was with that feeling that he had started the day.

Almost immediately after breakfast Garfield scooped up little Rebecca and plopped her on his knee in the middle of the common room. Knowing full well what game was about to ensue, the child formed miniature shadow ponies around her father and giggled.

Grinning widely, Garfield began to bob his leg up and down which caused the giggling to transform to wild laughter. Good, a happy Rebecca was far more likely to talk. Hopefully it would only take mild prying on his part.

"Look out everyone! It's cowgirl Becca!" Another bout of laughter. "That's right, and her trusty steed Green the Horse! Am I a good horsy Becca? Is Dada a good horsy? Can you say Dada?"

"Are you still trying to get short stuff there to talk to you?"

He turned his attention to the large man walking into the room. Cyborg had evidently heard the laughter and came to play too.

"Yes Victor, he is." Raven's voice came from the other side of the room. Had she really been there the whole time? "It's bad enough he does this all day, but he's starting to take to mumbling 'dada' in his sleep. There's no escape. All I ask is for a little quiet."

Garfield huffed at his wife and turned his attention back to their daughter.

"Don't listen to them honey, dada's not crazy."

"Of course he is." Cyborg crouched down next to the child as if telling her a secret. "He'd have to be to think you'd say dada first. We all know your first word's going to be 'Victor' or 'Cyborg'"

In answer to this, Rebecca took a moment to look at both Cyborg and Garfield before turning her attention down to her father's now still knee. She started to punch at it lightly in an attempt to get the ride going again.

Garfield sighed as he began to once again bob his leg.

"You have got to be kidding me; I am not going to argue with my best friend over my child's first word."

"You're absolutely right; you should just give up the fight now."

Now sitting on the couch and attempting to read, Raven shook her head at the immaturity of the two men.

"I don't suppose you two would mind being quiet. Like I said, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and don't need to listen to you both."

Unfortunately, the request fell on deaf ears. The fact should have been unsurprising to her, she had been telling him to be quiet about the whole thing for weeks.

"You really expect her to say your name before anything else? I'm her father!" He flailed his left arm for emphasis while keeping his right firmly on Rebecca. "I'm a little more important than some adoptive uncle."

Cyborg faked a look of hurt before scoffing at the remark.

"Hey, I'm the coolest uncle the kid's got. Besides, I'm only trying for first word to mess with you."

"Well it's not working. Her first word's going to be Dada."

"Cyborg."

"Dada"

"Cy-borg"

"Da-da" They were talking more to each other than the child now.

"Cyborg!"

"Da-"

"Quiet!"

Both members of the arguing pair turned their glances towards a slightly shocked looking Raven who shook her head in reply.

"Don't look at me, though I do share the sentiment."

"Then who…" But Garfield already knew the answer, and looked down at his smiling daughter in his lap. "You have got to be kidding me…"

"Quiet!" Sure, the pronunciation was a little off, but it was unmistakable what the young girl was saying. "Quiet!"

Cyborg roared with laughter and smacked his friend on the back lightly.

"I don't envy you. Now there are two women in the house that'll be telling you to shut up."

Garfield shook his head and turned Rebecca around to look her in the eyes.

"There's no way she knows what she's saying. She's just repeating Raven."

Rebecca answered this thought before anyone else could by reaching her tiny hands up so they were firmly placed over her father's mouth.

"Dada quiet!"

Cyborg's laughter was louder now, and a minute chuckle could even be heard from Raven, who was now up and taking her child from her husband's arms. She looked down at her with a sly grin.

"That's my girl."

You know, I kind of want some feedback on this one so I'm going to do something I don't usually do.

Ask for Reviews.