Teen Titans © DC Comics

55. Separation

"You lost my kids?" Raven seethed, tripping Beast Boy's jumpsuit.

Beast Boy squealed, flailing. "Raven, I'm sorry! We were at the carnival, and we went into the House of Mirrors, and I kinda…lost…them…"

Raven's ebony aura flared, empowered by her imminent rage. Beast Boy flinched, covering his face and shrilly whimpered. Dropping Beast Boy to the floor as the other three Titans surrounded, Raven pinched the bridge of her nose and took deep calming breaths. The empath glowered down at the meek, apologetic green teen before stalking off. She ignored Beast Boy's cries for forgiveness that ran laps through her ears, shaking her head furiously to get his voice away from her thoughts.

"Beast Boy, you okay?" Robin tentatively asked, helping him stand.

"Yeah, but it wasn't my fault! Melvin said that Bobby got scared of his reflection and ran off, so she took Timmy and Teether with her to find him," Beast Boy explained haughtily. "I followed, but I lost sight of them."

"I'm surprised Bobby could fit in the House of Mirrors," Cyborg commented, "but, in any case, grass stain, you gotta follow Raven and try and find those kids. Who knows what could happen if they get kidnapped."

Starfire nodded, picking Beast Boy up by his arms and ushered him to the door. "Oh, yes, Cyborg is right! Who knows what terror the children could face on their own? You must find them!"

"And you guys can't help me because…?"

It was at that convenient moment that the alarms blared and sprung to life. Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg smiled at Beast Boy as the alien girl placed him outside. Beast Boy groaned, rolling his eyes and found Raven flying off towards the eastern part of town. Shouting at her to wait, he turned into a hawk and shot after her. When he caught up to her, he perched himself onto her shoulder and curiously gazed at her.

"Beast Boy, off," Raven commanded.

Shaking his head, Beast Boy remained still through Raven's ice-cold glower. Internally, he was cringing and wanting to run off to his happy place, which was the tofu shop. Yet, he kept his strong front present in order to appear stern and sorry. However, with Raven refusing to even offer a pitying glance, Beast Boy felt his chances at her forgiving him slimming, and the guilt in his stomach enlarged a hundredfold.

…

The carnival had closed, leaving the Tyke Titans alone, surrounded by darkness. All amusing rides suddenly seemed so terrifying that Teether and Timmy bawled and screamed in fright. Their cries ripped through the stillness, breaking the silence like glass shattering. Melvin held both boys to her, smiling warmly and ushered them to quiet down. Bobby was steadying them on his head, keeping perfectly still so they would not roll off.

"W-w-want Raven!" Timmy reiterated, clinging to his precious blanket. "Want Raven now! Now! Now!"

Teether meekly stopped crying, finding Timmy's blanket. A gleam of slyness exploded in his eyes. Chomping swiftly onto Timmy's blanket, he nibbled blissfully until Timmy screamed in outrage. An immediate tug-of-war over the coveted, cotton blanket, both struggling to obtain its glory. However, Teether lost when Melvin snatched it from him and handed it to its rightful owner in Timmy.

"It's Timmy's blanket, Teether," she reasoned as the baby sniffled. Shuffling her hand through her skirt, she retrieved a few chocolate candies. When Teether thanked her, she unwrapped the foil off them and popped a few into his mouth. Noticing Timmy's forlorn expression, she smiled and offered him some.

"Thanks, Melvin," Timmy murmured. "Is Beast boy gonna come back?"

As Timmy ate, Melvin shrugged. "Hopefully soon. Raven trusted Beast Boy with us even though he had horrible jokes, but he's a good guy."

"…He didn't know how to change Teether's diaper," Timmy deadpanned.

Melvin snickered into her hand, patting Teether's head. Glancing down at Bobby, she leaned down to her best friend. "You okay, Bobby?'

The massive bear whimpered nervously sitting with his knees tucked to his chest. He never liked the dark, thinking of it as the place where evil resided. Bobby picked up the trio of kiddy Titans and hugged them gently. Knowing it was his fault for letting the Tyke Titans become stranded, he cooed unhappily and sniffled as his way of communicating an apology.

"Aw, it's okay, Bobby," Melvin replied, stroking his face. "Beast Boy just didn't know."

Bobby frowned, grumbling. He believed he was a freak, some creature for his dear girl and best friend Melvin. Yet, he appeared so monstrous like he himself would be the one to jump out and frighten an innocent child in a pleasant dream gone to a dastardly nightmare. Bobby sighed, looking a head and wondered why Melvin created him. She could have made one of her dolls come to life by imagining them to realism, but why him? He wanted to ask, but he could not speak. Apparently, Melvin forgot to give him a voice.

"Bobby, you're not scary-looking," Melvin interjected, breaking him out of his troubling thoughts. She smiled, leaning up and hugged his face. "I don't think you're scary, Bobby!"

"Yeah, you're cool!" Timmy eagerly added.

"Cool!" Teether chirped.

Bobby smiled at them, hugging them tightly and chuckled silently.

"Bobby, you're my best friend forever," Melvin stated, cobalt eyes shimmering like sapphires in the moonlight. "I know you're the bested person ever, so don't feel bad, 'kay?" At his nodding, the seven-year-old girl smiled nurturingly, wrapping her tiny arms around his thick, furry, and soft neck.

"Raven!" Teether exclaimed, suddenly pointing up.

"With smelly!" Timmy informed, referring to Beast Boy.

"Bobby, can you turn us all invisible?" Melvin requested.

Bobby nodded, using his gift to turn the children invisible along with himself. Timmy shot her an annoyed look, demanding to know what she was plotting. Melvin covered his mouth, shushing him quickly. Teether watched as Raven landed several yards away from them by the House of Mirrors with Beast Boy turning back into a human, still apologizing in a tired voice.

"Come on, Raven! At least look at me," Beast Boy requested morbidly.

"You lost my kids," Raven snarled, stomping inside. "I never should've trusted you with them."

"Hey, it's not my fault that you didn't tell me Bobby was afraid of his own reflection!"

Raven narrowed her violet orbs, but Beast Boy continued on with his sour expression, following her inside. The quadrant, from their distance, could hear their voices rise, anger flowing forth in clear, vibrant rage. Their tones spited one another, biting at the Tyke Titans' ears as they continued blaming each other. Timmy and Teether shivered, whimpering as Melvin gazed in stern wonder at her "mother" and babysitter. They had no reason to be shouting such vile, heinous words when they were the ones who ran off, leading to Beast Boy getting in trouble.

"Hey, guys, I got an idea to stop their fighting," Melvin confidently stated.

"What's that?" Timmy questioned.

""I've got something. Listen, now! This one's real good," she sneered, "you'll see."

…

"Timmy? Teether? Bobby?" Raven called, briskly walking through the House of Mirrors that reflected her less-than-flattering shapes and sizes from their comedic glasses. "Melvin? Where are you?"

"We'll find them, Raven," Beast Boy quietly soothed.

"We wouldn't be doing this it you hadn't lost them," she growled.

Beast Boy groaned, shaking his head and snatched her shoulder swiftly. "How many times do I gotta apologize? I didn't mean to lose them, all right? Bobby got scared! I didn't know until Melvin said he turned invisible and ran off! We all looked for him, and, somehow, I lost them! There? That's the thousandth time I told you what happened!" He panted heavily, hand practically digging into her skin. "Look, we're not gonna get along. I'll go this way. It'll be better for both of us."

Raven's eyes went rather wide at Beast Boy's shouts, stupefied he would become so defensive. The last time he screamed at her was when he became "The Beast", but perhaps she was too hard on him. In his defense, Raven did not know about Bobby's fear of reflections, and she was their mother. Yet, they were Raven's kids, her pride and joy, and her heart exploded with love for the Tyke Titans. They brought out her hidden maternal side, one safely locked away from the world. Her children unlocked this new Raven, one she preferred to show only to them. Raven stammered a response of protest, but she bit her tongue once she sensed his heated rage. She went too far with her malice, blaming Beast Boy solely for a circumstance he could not control. Sighing silently, she flipped her hood back over her head and hovered away down the hall.

However, before either could get too far, lights flooded the room. Beast Boy yelped, covering his eyes with Raven flying back over to him. She helped steady him as he wiped his eyes to adjust to the beaming light. Their dark lavender and jade orbs scoured the lit hallways, finding a figure dropping towards from above. Beast Boy squinted, unsure of who it was. The body was petite, almost bubbly as it laughed, calling out their names. Raven gasped, throwing out her arms and snatched Teether from the air.

"Mama!" Teether shouted happily, cuddling into her.

"Are you all right?" she asked, smiling gently.

Teether nodded, waving to Beast Boy. "BB!"

"Aw, hi, Teether!" Beast Boy greeted cheerily, but stopped, backing down when Raven continued cooing at him. He gazed at the rare smile on her ashen face, unsure if he was dreaming. Raven rarely grinned, never to him, but it seemed natural on her face around Teether. Beast Boy noticed her glow, just like a Madonna. If Melvin and Timmy were present, the Madonna would be picture perfect.

Raven glanced over to him sheepishly, hoisting Teether safely into her chest. "I'm…sorry about earlier."

"Oh, uh, yeah! Same here," she changeling quickly replied.

Teether smiled, noting their sudden bashfulness. "Go, go!"

"Go where? Teether, where are the others?" Raven questioned.

Teether giggled, pointing to the back exit. They ran out through that door, and Teether blew a raspberry. Without warning, the Titans were ripped off the ground and placed into something when they stepped inside a new ride. A bar blocked them from escaping, lurching them down. Teether popped out of Raven's arms, much to shocked horror. She screamed at him to return when pink lights surrounded them.

"No way," the replied in unison.

"Tada!" Melvin, Timmy, and Teether jeered as Bobby worked the controls of the Tunnel of Love.

"You three are grounded!" Raven grounded.

"Have fun, Mama!" Timmy cheered, waving his blanket.

"We can walk home, and Bobby can protect us! No worries!" Melvin added. "Don't get hurt, you two lovebirds!"

"Melvin!" Raven screeched as the ride started.

The Tunnel of Love consisted of riding down a murky waterway. Heart-shaped lights of various, bright colors illuminated their way as Beast Boy glanced over his shoulder to the three mischievous children scampering off with Bobby. Several Cupids were guiding their way, pointing in directions with their arrows around the slow ride. He shuffled in his seat, moving closer to the befuddled empath. Slowly, he yawned and wrapped his arm around Raven's tense shoulder. Upon her incredulous, somewhat confused glower, Beast Boy snickered.

"C'mon, Raven, this could be fun," he urged, filled with delight.

"But…the kids…" Raven muttered, breaking off.

"They can handle themselves. After all, they handled Mallah on their own," Beast Boy countered playfully as two, thick brown doors began to slowly open before them.

Raven sighed, and a small, gentle smirk came to her pale face. "All-all right. One ride won't hurt…"

…

It is just me, or do the Tyke Titans remind anyone else of Lock, Shock, and Barrel from The Nightmare Before Christmas? XD