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Nightwing peeked into the common room before surveying the kitchen. No. No Starfire there either. He'd been searching for the missing redhead since he'd taken his shower after training but no luck.
He searched a few more rooms on the top floor before going back to her room, hoping she'd returned. He came across Changeling as he stepped off the elevator. "Hey? Have you seen Star?"
Changeling just growled and grumbled at him before getting into the elevator and punching a button.
Nightwing pursed his lips as the doors closed. Should he pursue that or continue the search for Starfire? Considering he didn't know where the shapeshifter was going, he had no way of following and therefore had no choice but to continue his expedition for the bubbly Tamaranean.
He took a right then went down the hallway leading to their rooms. He came upon her door and knocked his signature three quick raps. But no one answered. So he did it again.
He sighed when no one came to the door. This was ridiculous. He wracked his brain thinking where she could be. Then a lightbulb went off. It was hot! She could be at the pool or down at the beach!
Since he was so high up, he headed to the rooftop pool. When he stepped outside, he felt like he was baking. It was the middle of a heatwave and he felt like he was melting. Shaking, he continued to the pool to see Starfire swimming laps.
Yes! He mentally cheered. He quickly crossed the roof to stand by the pool. "Starfire!"
Starfire heard his call and stopped moving through the cool water. "Yes?! Hello, friend! It is quite hot. Would you care to join me in a refreshing swim?"
"Not really." He watched as she slowly swam over so they didn't have to yell. "We need to talk."
"What about?" She smiled softly.
"Maybe you should get out and come to my room?" He suggested lightly.
She flew up out of the pool, water glistening off her orange body like rainbow glitter. She gently shook her waist length hair and he was struck (again) by her blunt beauty.
She flew to her towel and wrapped it around her body before slipping on a pair of purple flip-flops. She then floated over to him. "I am ready."
He nodded before leading the way to his room. It was a quiet trip but not altogether unpleasant. They reached the floor with their rooms in no time and walked (or floated in Starfire's case) to the wing that housed their bedrooms.
Stopping in front of the metal door that bore the name Nightwing, they looked at each other. Each of the Titans were still wary about their rooms. Especially since letting them reflect their innermost souls. Nightwing pressed open the door.
They walked inside and he went to his desk to pick up a large manilla envelope. He handed it to her.
She wordlessly took it and examined it carefully before holding it out to him. "It is an envelope."
"Yes." He said patiently. "Open it."
Starfire opened the package and saw brochures for many different schools. "Are we to attend more schooling?"
She was referring to each of them attending online classes and getting GEDs.
"Not us." He gestured to the bed and they both sat down. He picked out a brochure and showed her the front. "For Chris. He's three and should go to preschool. It's almost September."
"Pre of school? What is this pre of school?"
"It's what it sounds like. School before required school. He'll learn things like colors and counting. How to make friends. Things like that."
She thought about it. "Why can we not teach him these important tasks?"
"We're really busy. The kids are going to be with one member a lot and they might not be the best teachers."
"You are teaching him the ropes." She pointed out.
It was true. Nightwing had started teaching Christopher how to walk on a tightrope two feet in the air. "I am. But I don't have a degree in teaching. I can't teach him everything he needs to learn for kindergarten."
"Kindergarten? What is that?"
"The beginning of school for everyone. Unless you're being homeschooled, you have to go to kindergarten."
"Why can we not do the homeschooling?"
"Because none of us are teachers." Was he talking in circles or was she just not understanding?
"I do not like this." She stood and set the package on the bed. "I want Christopher with us."
"He won't be living at school. Just going during the day." He explained.
"For an hour or two?"
"Some are for mornings, some for afternoons and some are all day." He held up four different pamphlets.
"No. That is unacceptable." She marched out of his room.
He raised an eyebrow. What just happened?
Raven frowned at the quiet in the common room. It'd been like that for a week. It was unnerving. It was almost time for her to read to Charlotte so she got up to find the source of the new quiet- Changeling.
She went from the roof to the garden and beach but she didn't find him. She doubted he was in the lower rooms so she checked his room again then went to the top floor of the tower and looked in each room. She finally found him in the training room, waling away on a punching bag. Two more lay broken beneath it.
"Changeling? It's time to read to Charlotte."
He merely grunted and continued to pummel the bag.
Her brows lifted. He liked when she read to Charlotte. He called it Quiet Family Time. "Changeling? Did you hear me?"
"I heard you fine." His voice was deeper, rougher, meaner. It was guttural.
She didn't like that at all. She moved forward and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"
He jerked away from her. "I'm busy!"
She was thoroughly shocked now. He wasn't even this mean to her when she was being indecisive about her feelings for him. "Gar, what's wrong? I demand you tell me."
He stopped punching then turned to face her. Even his face was different. It was his face but it was completely blank, though he was smirking and his eyes were wilder and unfocused. "You demand?" His lips pulled back but he wasn't smiling. "You demand nothing!"
She steeled her spine. He wasn't going to talk to her this way! "I do demand! Something is obviously wrong with you. I can't help you if you don't tell me- me..."
He'd begun stalking towards her slowly. His eyes focused alright. Focused on her with a steely eery light that she only liked before. When it was full of heat. This stare left her cold.
She backed up and he followed her and they danced this dangerous dance until her back met a wall. He crowded in close. "You want to help me?"
"Y-y-yes." She uncharacteristically stammered, unsure.
"You really want to help me?"
She was tempted to say no. To say that she changed her mind and he could be surly by himself. But she was stronger than that and it took more than Changeling in a weird mood to scare her. "Yes!"
"Then take off your shirt."
She frowned and hit his chest as he laughed. "You sadistic piece of-!"
He caught her arms and settled her wrists in one of his hands and pinned her to the wall. "Get out. Mind your own business and leave. This doesn't concern you."
She turned her face when he leaned closer. "What doesn't concern me? I'm not leaving!"
He lifted her slightly then threw her back. "What's wrong? Getting a little scared?"
"I'm not afraid of you." She looked him in the eye. "I trust you with my life."
His eyes slowly changed, going from wild and hard to soft and confused. His grip slackened and he backed away slightly. "Rae?"
"Changeling?" Raven put her arms down.
"What's going on?" He shook his head.
"You don't know? What's the last thing you remember?"
"I- I don't know. I took my shower after training and I was pulling my clothes back on. After that, I don't know. I don't remember anything."
Raven took his hand and drew him to a weight bench to sit down. "There's something going on. You were beating a punching bag to death." She pointed to the bag in question. "And you were mean."
He snapped his gaze to hers. "Mean? To the bags?"
"To me." She said slowly.
He drew back. "No!"
"I'm afraid so." She nodded.
He put his head in his hands. "This can't be happening again!"
"Again? What's going on with you?"
He clutched his head. "Please don't let this happen!"
"Gar!" Raven pulled him to face her. "Tell me what's going on right this instant or I will get Cyborg and Nightwing!"
"You can't!" He snapped to alert quickly. "They won't understand! No one does."
His sad tone made her heart thump. "I will. Trust in me."
His broken gaze met hers head on. "It's the Beast."
Her heart skipped a beat and she raised an eyebrow. "The Beast? He's back? We have to tell the others. Cyborg needs to make another serum."
He grabbed her wrist before she could get farther than rising. "No!"
"But-"
"The serum didn't work the last time, why would it now?"
She stopped struggling and stared at him. "What?! It didn't work?!"
He sighed. "The Beast never went away. He just got easier to manage. And I've been managing him. But it's hard. I lose track of time. I'm meaner. I get... hungry. I get aggressive. Ever since my growth spurt, I've been going through… growing pains. He's been trying to gain control."
"That's bad, Changeling. You need to get help."
"I already know what would help."
When he wouldn't go on, she shook her arm, which in turn shook his. "What?!"
He sighed. "There are things he wants. I already started eating chicken and fish." She shook again when he hesitated. "And there's you. And Charlie."
"Me? What do I have to do with him? Or Charlotte?! Is he trying to hurt her?!"
He gave her a droll look before pulling her to sit down. "No. He's a pack animal. The Titans are a pack but he wanted his own personal pack. So Charlie comin’ into our lives helped. She's his pup now."
Raven relaxed. "Oh. Good, I guess. What do I-?"
"You know."
She tilted her head. "He wants me as...?"
"A mate. Like I did. I told you, I've wanted you for a long time. He did, too."
"Does he... does he want-?" She blushed. "Does he want sex with me?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Even if he did, I would never pressure you."
"He wanted me to take off my shirt."
His face went blank. "I'm sorry."
She turned away. "It's okay. It wasn't you."
"Still. I should have a better handle on him. But he's so... insistent."
She loved his vocabulary but didn't take the time to congratulate him. "You said there were things he wanted. And you listed what you gave him. What haven't you given him that he still wants?"
"Hunting. He wants to hunt." He was visibly ashamed to say.
"Hunting? As in a rifle?" She was being deliberately obtuse, wanting him to say it.
"As in playing cat and mouse with a living being!"
"Can't you channel that energy into crime fighting?"
"I have!" He looked away. "Why do you think I play video games so much?"
"Because you don't want your brain cells?"
He glared at her. "Because it helps my bloodthirsty instincts. I get my aggression and anger out on virtual opponents. Being super competitive with Cy helps, too. So does sparring. And fighting."
"Why don't you go hunting?" She asked in the ensuing silence.
"Because it's wrong. Because I don't know where I'd go. Because Nightwing would never allow it."
"We need to talk to him. This has gone on for who knows how long. You can't keep dealing with it alone."
"I'm managing just fine!" He finally let her go.
"You threw me against the wall!" She fudged.
He looked at her astonished. "I did?"
"And you pinned me against it." She showed the claw marks against her wrists.
They were faint but he still reacted negatively. "I can't get out of this, can I?"
"I'll help you talk to Nightwing. I'll help you with this. I promise." She eyed him seriously.
He hugged her tightly. "Thanks, Rae."
"You can't ignore this, Starfire!" Nightwing knocked on her door. She'd barricaded herself inside for two days, only coming out to use the bathroom and to let Christopher out whenever he was tired of her sole company.
"Yes, I can!" She yelled back.
He didn't want to do this but the next day was September first. He used the override code to open her door. "No, you can't."
She sat up on her bed with an unnatural scowl upon her face. "You are not welcome in my quarters, Nightwing. Please remove yourself at once!"
"We're going to talk about this!" He crossed his arms. "Chris needs to go to school. He needs to meet new people and do new things."
"Why must he meet the new people?! I am the only person he needs!"
"He's a social kid and he's dying here! He's cooped up in the tower all day long. He needs other little kids to play with."
"Charlotte is here. Calvin is here. I see no reason to introduce him to the other people when he has all the ones he needs right here!"
"Cal is a baby. He's not fun to play with. Not to a three year old. And Charlie is just one person. He needs more than one person to socialize with. He needs to grow. Why are you being so unreasonable?!"
"How dare you!" She was affronted. "I am the princess of Tamaran. I am not unreasonable!"
"He's going to school." Nightwing put his foot down. "I wanted us to look over the schools Bruce sent us together but if you can't act like an adult, I'll go over them myself and choose the one I like best. But no matter what, Chris will be in school September fifth!"
Starfire glared daggers at his back as he left then buried her face in her pillows and screamed.
"I'll go speak with him first." Raven decided.
Changeling just lifted a shoulder.
The two were outside Nightwing's door going over their plan. Or rather Raven was going over their plan while Changeling doubted it all.
Raven knocked on the door. "Nightwing? We need to talk."
The door hissed open. "What about?"
"Changeling."
Nightwing's gaze went to the silent green man. "Okay. Come in."
Raven went inside while Changeling paced outside the door.
Nightwing blinked at him. "Aren't you going to come inside?"
Changeling shook his head.
"Right." Nightwing didn't know what was going on but he was acting weirder than usual.
"He's going to stay out there until I have him come in." Raven took a seat at his desk.
Nightwing was shocked at her decorum... and words! "What's going on?"
"You should sit. Or remain standing. You're going to yell anyway."
He really didn't like the sound of that so he sat on his bed. "What's going on? And no run arounds this time."
"Changeling is having problems with the Beast." Raven cut to the chase.
Nightwing's mouth fell open. "I thought he was cured?”
"According to Changeling, he wasn't. Apparently the Beast serum only muted him. Garfield's been able to do things to keep him under control but he isn't so willing to be silenced any longer."
Nightwing thought back to two days ago when he'd bumped into Changeling while looking for Starfire. He'd known something was up with him but had forgotten to see what it was after his (failed) talk with the buxomly redhead. "Cyborg can create another serum for him."
"It won't work. Changeling needs to hunt."
"Hunt?!" It caught him off guard to hear those words.
"Yes. I've worked out a place where he could do so but I have no idea how long it's going to take so... He just needs you to sign off on it. He really needs this."
"We can't be without him for more than a week." Nightwing thought it over. "We'd need to be able to reach him if something really big happened."
"Nothing big is going to happen. Nothing big has happened since the Brotherhood of Evil."
"As heroes, we must remain vigilant!"
She rolled her eyes. "I know. I know. We must be prepared for anything."
He gave her a dry look. "Don't mock me."
"Don't make Gar have to choose between the safety of the team and your ruling. His sanity is on the line."
"Of course I'm letting him go." He was upset she thought he'd say no. "But I need to know where he is. He does need to stay connected. And he only has a week. We can't get without him for more than that and you know it."
She could admit to that. "Fine."
"So where do you have mapped out?"
"An unpopulated island. By Hawaii and like this one. It's really small so he shouldn't do lasting damage."
"How soon should he leave? How close to the edge is he?"
Raven looked down at her lap. "He didn't know it was me yesterday..."
Nightwing closed his eyes. "Are you alright?"
"As long as he gets help, I'll be fine."
"He should also talk to one of us. Tell him to come in."
She rose and went to the door. When it hissed open, she looked to him. He sat on the ground with his head against the wall with his eyes closed. "Gar?"
He didn't move. Or react in any way.
She crouched down and went to touch his shoulder when his eyes snapped open and his head swiveled to hers. She didn't jump. Every instinct told her to but she didn't. She told him she wasn't afraid of him and she meant it.
Mostly...
"Gar? Nightwing wants to talk to you."
He slowly rose to his feet as if very tired and followed her inside.
Nightwing had watched (what he could) the whole thing. "Changeling. Garfield. You can go. But there's stipulations. You need to take your communicator. You only have a week. And I think it would be a good idea if you talked to someone."
"About what?" Changeling left out the part where he'd heard the entire conversation through the wall.
"How you're feeling. What you're going through."
"You act like I'm depressed!"
"Aren't you?" Nightwing challenged.
Changeling growled at him before realizing what he was doing. "I may be."
"Just once a week, come find one of us and make us listen to whatever you're feeling. If you don't want to talk to one of us, I can find a psychologist. It's your choice."
Changeling hated those choices.
Raven took his hand in a new show of support. They hadn't really touched since first having sex so this was different. Raven just needed to be comfortable with him. She knew touching was a comfort to him but she had to go slowly. In this instant, she knew to think of him before herself.
Knowing that she'd just stepped outside her comfort zone, Changeling squeezed her hand. "I don't care who I talk to."
"To tell you the truth, we may all need to speak with someone. With our lives, it's easy to feel burdened. Depressed heroes are dead heroes." Nightwing was just getting started. "And other dangerous professions have therapists on call. Law enforcement, fire services, armed services, professional athletes. I have decided. We'll join you in solidarity and brotherhood-"
"Nightwing!" Changeling called. "Come back."
Nightwing stopped his train of thought. "Sorry." The inspirational speech died on his tongue. "We'll help you through this, Changeling. We're here for you."
"Thanks, dude." Changeling held his left hand out for Nightwing to shake.
Nightwing shook it. "No problem."
"I should leave as soon as possible."
"Today?" That was quick. This must have been going on for a long time.
"Maybe tomorrow?" Changeling thought about Charlotte.
"Tomorrow then. What are you going to tell the others?"
Nightwing called a team meeting. Starfire still wasn't speaking to him but at least she'd come out of her room. It was after their second training session and they were all fresh from showers.
They piled onto the sofa and waited for what he was going to say but were shocked when he gestured for Changeling to get up.
Changeling hated doing this but it was necessary. He stood in front of his friends, his family. He wasn't sure how to begin so he just said it. "I'm leaving."
That sure got a loud response...
"What?!" The others leaned forward.
"It's just for a week. I'll be back in seven days."
"Where are you going?"
"Why are you leaving?"
"Is it something we have done?"
"What's going on?"
"Seven days is a long time!"
"You can't leave!"
The responses were all at once but he heard it all. "I'll probably do this once a month. Don't contact me. Don't worry. I'll be fine. I'm leaving in the morning."
"Tomorrow?!" They yelled.
"Nice talk. So I'll see you guys later." He tried to leave but Cyborg and Nightwing each grabbed a shoulder, albeit for different reasons.
"Wait, C!" They said different words in unison. "Tell them why."
"I don't know why. They don't need to know." Changeling was stubborn.
"We're family." Again Nightwing and Cyborg spoke in unison but this time the same words.
Changeling sighed and turned around. "It's the Beast. I'm going to a deserted island to hunt so he will leave me alone. Happy?"
Nightwing ignored that. "I'm also mandating that we all seek counseling. It's a job hazard to have mentally… unstimulated team members. Myself included, we'll all go and see someone. I've already made the arrangements."
"So it's decided?!" Cyborg yelled.
Bumble Bee flew to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go talk."
"I don't wanna talk!" He stomped off to who knew where.
Bumble Bee sighed. "I'll go talk to him. Therapy's a good idea." She looked at Changeling. "I hope you find peace while you're away."
He nodded at her retreating back before facing the rest of the team. "I know you probably have a bunch of questions but I want to spend time with Charlie before I go."
Starfire floated up to him and drew him into a bonecrushing hug. "I am saddened for you, my friend. You do not deserve your heavy burden."
Changeling melted into the pain. It made him feel good to hear her say such a thing. "Thanks, Star."
She finally let him go before facing Nightwing. "We should converse."
He nodded and they left the room.
"I'm sorry you're going through this, Changeling." Terra said.
He inclined his head, not wanting to say it was okay when it wasn't.
"I've never seen the Beast but I know how it feels to be afraid of what you are." Jinx told him. "Be safe."
"I will be." Changeling nodded.
Kid Flash stood up and clasped his hand, bringing him in for a manly hug that said everything for him. Then he took Jinx by the hand and they left.
"Can we play video games later?" Terra asked as she rose, too.
"Sure."
"Okay." She smiled then left.
Changeling plopped down on the couch by Raven, who'd been silent the entire time. "That went better than expected."
"What did you expect? They're your family." She had crossed her legs and now swung the one on top.
"I don't know. I just have this fear that... when people learn all that I am, they'll hate me. Or worse, be afraid." He slumped.
She took his hand for the second time that day. "No one hates you and no one is afraid of you. You're still the sweet, nutty Gar you've always been."
He held their entwined hands up. "As much as I like this, why are you suddenly touching me?"
"I'm not good with intimacy but I know you crave it."
"I'm not pressuring you for sex. If you want to keep waiting to do it again, I'll wait. It's no big deal."
"Yes, it is." She corrected. "And I don't want you to think I didn't enjoy it. It was just that everything happened so fast that I wanted us to connect fully before connecting like that again. I know how I feel about you and how you feel about me. So if you want to... do that again, I wouldn't be remiss."
He blinked slowly then replied. "I think I know what you're saying but maybe you should say it again."
She pursed her lips before rolling her eyes and facing him. "I'm saying that we can have sex again."
He grinned. "That's what I thought you said."
She took her hand back. "You don't deserve my comfort."
He laughed. "Let's go find Charlie."
Nightwing closed the door behind himself. "You want to talk?"
"Christopher should go to the pre of school." She stated straight off.
"Really?" He lifted a brow.
"Yes. I do not wish for Christopher to be alone if he encounters a foe from inside. He should have friends. Many friends. I want that for him."
"If Chris ended up going through something mentally or emotionally, he'd have us. School isn't going to replace us, Star. Just help him."
"May I look over the brochures with you?"
"I'd like that." Nightwing smiled.
Changeling showed off his tower. "I like it."
Charlotte and Raven looked at him then at his Lego creation. "It's okay." Raven teased.
Changeling deflated. "Aww man!"
"Pretty, Daddy." Charlotte looked at him with her serious eyes.
"Thank you, sweetie." He made kissy faces at her before glaring at Raven. "Mommy's a meanie!"
"And Daddy is a huge baby." Raven muttered under her breath.
Of course he heard and stuck his tongue out over Charlotte's head. They worked in silence for a moment before he called the little girl's name. "Charlie? Daddy has to go away for a little while."
Charlotte immediately dropped her Lego pieces and snapped her violet gaze to his. "Go away?"
"Yes." He tugged her between his legs. They were sitting on the floor in the common room by the big bay windows where all the toys were. "Daddy has grown up problems and he has to go away to fix them. I'll be back in seven days and I'll miss you every day."
"How long is that?"
"Mommy will tell you everyday."
Raven didn't remember agreeing to that but she'd do it. "Daddy will be back in just seven days and he will probably bring you something back."
He shifted to look at her. She raised an eyebrow. He looked back at Charlotte, who was staring him dead in his face. "I'll bring you something back."
"Then you'll never leave again?" Charlotte wanted to make sure.
Changeling gulped. "Not for another month."
For all Charlotte knew, a month was forever. "I miss you." She leaned forward and wrapped her chubby arms around his neck.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. "I'll miss you and Mommy, too."
Nightwing set Christopher on his bed. "Mommy and I have to tell you something."
"What?" Christopher looked between them.
"You are to attend Buckner Valley Pre of school." Starfire told him.
"What's that?" He asked.
"It's school. A place where you learn things and make new friends." Nightwing explained.
"New friends? I can make new friends?"
"Yes." Nightwing wasn't sure if he was happy or not.
"Is Charlie coming?"
"Charlie's not old enough yet."
Christopher frowned. "I don't want to leave her."
"It's only for the mornings. You'll get to play with her after school every day."
Christopher thought it over. "Okay, Daddy."
"There's something else." Now the hard part. "There's a uniform."
Bumble Bee approached Nightwing later that night. "Sparky will go to therapy."
"What was his problem before?"
"It's a cultural thing. Therapy isn't taken seriously enough."
He nodded. "Thank you for telling me."
"Thank you for taking me to the island." Changeling told Cyborg the next morning.
Cyborg grunted. "It's too early!"
"You volunteered."
"Why can't you go when the sun's out?!"
"Because I don't want Charlie to see me. She might cry."
"How'd Raven take it? I take it she knew all along. She didn't say anything yesterday." Cyborg put the top on his travel mug of coffee and grabbed the T-Ship’s keys from the counter.
Changeling followed behind with a small knapsack. "She knew. But she slept in my bed last night so we said goodbye late."
"I so did not want to know about my baby sister and you!" Cyborg glared as they took the elevator to the garage.
"We only slept!" Mostly...
Cyborg pursed his lips in disbelief. "Whatever."
Changeling rolled his eyes. "Anyway. I couldn't handle it if she cried."
"Rae crying?" Cyborg snorted.
"Charlie."
"Oh. You think she'd cry?"
"You saw how sad she was last night."
It was true. Charlotte had said little since Changeling had told her he was leaving. "Yup. Poor little tyke."
"I hope this week goes by fast for her sake." The elevator stopped at their level and they stepped off the lift.
"Why didn't you tell me about this, man? We coulda helped you."
Changeling sighed as he jumped in his pod of the T-ship. "I thought I could handle it."
"How long?" Cyborg got in the front. "How long have you been battlin’ this?"
Changeling sighed again, the sound harsher. "For as long as I can remember."
Cyborg knew that was a loaded statement so he steered clear of it as they took off. "Well we got your back!"
"Thanks, man. That's what I need to hear."
Charlotte was a sad little girl. Her daddy was gone and her best friend was going to school. Why was this happening to her? Everybody she loved was leaving. "How many days, Mommy?"
"Four." Raven had to repeat herself every time Charlotte thought about Changeling being gone. Which was frequently. "Sit. I will read to you."
Charlotte climbed off the window seat and came over to the sofa. She climbed on and sat close to her mother.
Raven opened Little Women and began reading from where she'd left off at. She watched Charlotte out of the corner of her eye as she read to gauge her response but she wasn't as in it as she usually was.
Raven mentally sighed. This was harder than expected. Charlotte refused to sleep in her own bed, instead opting to sleep in Changeling's room. She drank twice as much tea for him. She didn't want Raven singing the songs he sang her to bed because she didn't sound the same. She also dragged Riley everywhere she went, including the bathroom.
Raven didn't know what to do. She didn't want Charlotte to be sad but she understood what the little girl was going through. She herself missed Changeling more than she thought she would. She missed his near hyperactive noise and bubbly personality. She missed his constant questions and smoldering looks. Seven days seemed like nothing. Boy, was she wrong!
Nightwing looked at the clock. "It's time for me to pick up Chris."
Charlotte immediately stood up on the sofa to look at him. "Really?"
"We'll be back before you know it." He promised on his way out.
She followed his progress before turning to her mother. "Can I go take a nap?"
"Don't you want to see Chris when he gets home?" Raven asked.
Charlotte nodded. "But it takes a long time before he gets back."
The school was far out. Raven nodded. "I'll tuck you in."
"I can go by myself." Charlotte climbed down and walked to the doors and out when they opened.
Raven sighed audibly.
"What's up?" Bumble Bee, the room’s only other occupant (with Calvin), asked.
"She's not doing so well. With Changeling being gone and Chris going to school." Raven set the book down and stood up to make a cup of tea.
"He'll be home in five days-"
"Four." Raven accidentally corrected.
Bumble Bee raised an eyebrow at it. "More than just Charlie is missing him, huh?"
Raven turned to face her and for once let her face say it all.
Bumble Bee put Calvin on her hip and walked into the kitchen. "It's been quiet around here."
"Too quiet." Raven went back to making her tea. She didn't even realize when she pulled down his peach white tea.
"Sparky and Kid make a lot of noise playing the Gamestation."
"Kid Flash never complains about losing.”
That much was true. He talked his stuff beforehand then was silent when he got beat. He was the worst player in the tower... behind Christopher.
Raven poured her hot but not boiling water into her mug. She dropped in the bag of tea then poured in two tablespoons of sugar. She took a sip before grimacing. This was how Changeling took his tea. Way too sweet.
Bumble Bee noticed. "He'll be back in four days."
Raven sighed again as she took another sip. That was five days too long.
Christopher ran around the common room as soon as he stepped off the elevator. "I'm home from preschool!"
The others had gathered to see how his first day was. They still were unused to seeing him in his uniform of pressed khakis, white button up shirt and dark blue vest with a red tie and oxfords.
"How was it?" Starfire asked immediately.
"It was so much fun, Mommy!" He yelled. He took off his backpack and opened it. "I made you this during art time."
Starfire marveled at his macaroni necklace painted different colors. "I will treasure it always!"
"I drawed you a picture, too Daddy." Christopher dug around in his backpack for it. Once his fingers felt the page, he tugged it out.
Nightwing took it. "Is it a lizard?"
"It's Uncle Gar when he's a dinosaur."
The room was silent for a moment before Nightwing smiled. "Thank you, Chris."
"And I have my own cubbyhole. And I share a table with two other kids. And my teacher is real nice. And when we have snack time, we have Cheerios!" Christopher babbled.
"Really?" Cyborg bit back a laugh at his excitement.
Christopher nodded. "We have these cool name-tags on our tables where we sit but nobody knows how to read yet."
"So you had fun?" Bumble Bee grinned.
"I had so much fun! I met this girl named Lana and she was real nice. We even had nap time together."
"Ooh!" Cyborg and Kid Flash teased lightly.
Charlotte frowned. "But we have nap time together."
Christopher was puzzled by her attitude. "Not at school."
"Are you not my friend anymore?" She demanded.
He blinked at her hostility. "Yes."
"You can't talk to that poopyhead anymore then."
"Charlotte!" Raven was shocked.
"But she's my friend." Christopher poked his bottom lip out.
"You have to pick." Charlotte gave no quarter.
Raven snatched Charlotte up as Christopher started to cry. "We need to talk."
Starfire held Christopher and tried to calm him down as they left. "It is the alright, Christopher. She is merely upset."
Raven sat Charlotte down on her bed and ignored her crossing her arms and pouting. "You cannot order Chris to stop being friends with another little girl."
"He was my friend first!"
"He can have more than one friend."
"I don't!"
Raven couldn't really argue that. "I know you're lonely with Chris at school and Cal still being a baby but it's not fair to make Chris choose between you and this Lana girl. He needs to make other friends but he's not going to forget you."
"When is Daddy coming home?"
"Four days." Raven rolled her eyes at her petulance.
Charlotte fell over so her face was in the dark blue sheets. "I want Daddy!"
Heaven help her, Raven did, too!
"I'm sorry." Charlotte stuck her lip out as she apologized to Christopher. "You can have Lana as a friend."
It was nearly time for the second training of the day by the time Raven was able to get the girl to apologize.
Christopher, who'd been sulking on the sofa, eyed her skeptically. "And you're still my friend, too?"
Charlotte rocked side to side but when Raven's knee prodded her, she answered bitterly, "Yes."
Christopher broke out into a sunny smile and slid off the couch to give her a big hug. "Yay!"
Charlotte looked like Raven whenever the half demon received a hug… mad at the world.
"Wanna play?"
Charlotte decided to forgive him and play with him in the meanwhile. Just until her daddy came home. "Okay."
Christopher pulled her over to their toys. Raven plopped down on the sofa.
Jinx grinned. "Tough time?"
"She's too smart." Raven didn't think she'd hate that.
Jinx laughed. "I bet you never thought she'd use it against you, did you?"
"I'm used to her outsmarting Changeling."
"Better stop reading her those thick books." Cyborg snickered.
Bumble Bee rolled her eyes. "You need to stop. She'll get over this. She'll be going next year and it's time for her to learn how to get along with other people."
"It's not like any of us went to normal school and we turned out great." He brushed her off.
"We can only stand each other." Terra pointed out.
His expression flatlined. "What's your point?"
"Point is, training time." Nightwing snorted.
"Come on, squirts." Jinx called to the kids. "Training time."
The two ran to the elevator.
"Who's watching them this time?" Kid Flash asked.
"You." Nightwing led the way.
Kid Flash snapped his fingers. "Aww man!" Then he brightened. "Aww yeah!"
Changeling clapped Cyborg on his back before turning down the hall. "Thanks again for coming to get me."
"No problem, grass stain." Cyborg yawned. It was late at night since he'd gone to pick up the shifter after dinner as requested. He went straight to his bedroom. "See ya in the morning."
"Technically, it is the morning."
"I'm powering down."
Changeling chuckled as he set off down the hall to his own room. He briefly thought about checking in on Charlotte or Raven but he didn't want to wake either. So he simply opened his own door... and stopped in his tracks.
Lying in his bed, curled up with Riley the stuffed wolf was Charlotte. Even more surprising, by her side was Raven.
He grinned as he set his knapsack down and walked to the bed. Neither had stirred. He sat on an empty spot before stretching out fully on Charlotte's free side. He watched over his family and finally felt peace with everything inside him.
Raven blinked as she awakened. She yawned and stretched from being in one spot all night. It felt really good to move. She blinked again as the sun was blocked from her view. She sat up and saw a hovering green body across from her.
It took two seconds before she realized what or rather who it was. She let out a low scream. It woke up everyone in the room.
Charlotte woke up fussy as Changeling just popped up ready to battle. The two year old looked to her mother for comfort before looking behind herself. Her eyes opened fully and she let out her own scream of happiness. "Daddy!"
Changeling quickly switched gears when she threw her arms around his neck. "Charlie?! Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"Daddy, I miss you!" Charlotte cried. Literally started bawling.
Changeling simply held her and rocked to soothe her. "It's alright."
Raven drank in his features the entire time it took for Charlotte to let him go. Then she threw her arms around his neck.
Changeling was bemused and amused. "It's alright."
"Seven days is longer than you think." She sniffed, refusing to show one iota of emotion.
He just held her close. "I missed you, too."
The doors to the common room hissed open and in walked a trio. All activity in the kitchen stopped.
The team (minus Cyborg) rushed to greet Changeling. "You're home!"
"Yeah!" He was surprised at how happy they were for him to be home.
"It's good to see you." Nightwing told him.
"Seriously!" Kid Flash agreed. "It's time for these two to kick someone else's butt at Racers IV!"
"We have missed you dearly, friend!" Starfire gave him a spine snapping hug.
"So much!" Terra agreed.
"We didn't know what to do without you." Bumble Bee added.
"Are you fixed?" Jinx asked.
"For the time being." He finally was able to get a word in edgewise.
"Unacceptable."
He was bewildered at her response but Christopher cut off whatever he was going to say. "Uncle Gar! You're back!"
"I am, little buddy!" Changeling scooped him up.
"I miss you while you were gone."
"I missed you, too!" Changeling limped to the table. "Tell me all about school!"
"Okay!" Christopher loved school and he loved talking about school.
"Charlie? You gotta let me go." Changeling looked down at his leg, which Charlotte was wrapped around.
Charlotte shook her head.
Changeling set Christopher in his chair before limping to his own and put his leg in it. He pulled his daughter from his appendage. It took a lot because she was using super strength to hold on tight. He was finally able to get her off and set her in her own seat.
She did not like that. When it looked like she was about to cry, he pulled her seat closer to his. "You're alright. Don't cry."
The others returned to their seats and Raven sat down. Breakfast was passed around as Christopher told Changeling all about preschool.
"Cheerios, huh?" He said around a mouthful of tofu.
"Uh huh!"
"I like Cheerios. Maybe I should go to preschool?"
"No!" Charlotte held onto his arm.
"I'm just joking." Changeling calmed her down.
"You're way too old for one." Raven added.
"Thanks." He said dryly.
"You're welcome." She ate a strawberry.
"Do you have a handle on the Beast now?" Nightwing finally brought up.
"At the moment. I'll need to go back next month but I'm in control completely now." Changeling was happy to report.
"Good." The alarm went off. "Ready to test it?"
Changeling grinned. "Bring it!"