Chapter Text
"Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Fa la la la la la la la la!"
"Changeling! Please!" Raven had a headache and his loud singing was making it worse.
"Cheer up, Rae! It's Christmas!"
"Christmas isn't for another three days." She massaged her temples and glared at him.
"You're bummin' me out, babe."
Her eyes widened. "Don't call me that."
"What? Babe? Why not, babe?"
She grabbed the front of his sweater and pulled him close. "Stop it!"
He grinned. "But you're my babe, babe."
Her eyes turned red. "Why do you insist on bothering me?!"
"I'm bored?" He lifted a green brow.
She let him go. "Then find another way to amuse yourself. I'm not a game to play."
"Aww please!" He wrapped his arms around her waist and walked her backwards to her bed.
"No." She tried to stop their movement but he steamrolled her.
"That sounds like yes."
"You heard what you wanted to."
"Yeah." He couldn't go any further so he lifted her onto the bed then splayed himself across her.
"This was never about bothering me, was it? You just wanted to lie on top of me."
His grin widened. "You know me so well."
She smirked. "Can't let your hard work go to waste."
Charlotte climbed onto the sofa next to Bumble Bee, who was feeding Calvin. "Where's my mommy and daddy?"
"I don't know, sugar. Have you checked their rooms?" Bumble Bee tried to shove a spoonful of applesauce into her son's mouth but he turned at the last second, getting it all over his face.
Charlotte nodded. "I couldn't open Mommy's door."
Bumble Bee frowned. "I wonder why?”
Charlotte shrugged. "I don't know."
"Do you want to help me feed Cal until they show up?" Bumble Bee was getting frustrated with her son's game.
"Okay." Charlotte crawled closer.
"Here. You take the spoon." She gave her the blue coated spoon.
Charlotte grabbed the spoon.
"Now dip it in the applesauce."
Charlotte dipped it in the applesauce and brought out a large portion.
Bumble Bee giggled at her intense concentration. "Now you try to get him to eat it."
Charlotte brought the spoon to Calvin's mouth but he waved his arms, knocking the spoon onto the sofa cushions. Charlotte was shocked by this. "He hit it!"
Bumble Bee chuckled. "He did."
Charlotte picked up the spoon. "No, Cal. You gotta eat it."
Calvin blew bubbles and waved his arms.
Charlotte set her face as she scooped up more applesauce. It was on!
Changeling and Raven walked into the common room then stopped and laughed (at least Changeling did).
It looked like an apple had exploded.
"What happened in here?" Raven asked.
Bumble Bee swiped her cheek. "I was feeding Cal."
"And what?! He threw up everywhere?!" Changeling chortled.
She narrowed her eyes. "No! But your daughter (who was looking for you by the way) helped me. She did a good job."
"Did something explode in here?" They turned to see Nightwing and Cyborg looking over the room.
"We feeded Cal!" Charlotte proclaimed victoriously.
"Are you sure?" Nightwing raised an ebony eyebrow.
"Yes, Uncle Dick." She nodded.
"You did a good job." Cyborg stifled his laughter.
"Thank you." She slid off the sofa and approached her parents. "I looked for you. Where were you? Why was Mommy's door locked?"
Changeling grinned as Raven blushed and threw her hood up to hide her face. "I was trying to get Mommy to laugh."
"Did you tell her jokes?"
"No. Why?"
"Cuz you're not funny, Daddy." She whispered.
His mouth fell open as Cyborg, Nightwing and Bumble Bee fell out laughing. Even Raven's lips twitched heavily. "What?!"
"She said you weren't funny, string bean!" Cyborg howled.
Changeling picked Charlotte up. "Yes, I am."
"No." Charlotte shook her head.
"Yes." He nodded.
She shook her head again. "No."
Nightwing and Cyborg were wracked with chuckles as this continued.
Raven sat beside Bumble Bee and wiped away some applesauce.
"At least she's aware." Bumble Bee smirked.
Raven grinned. "She's a smart girl."
"So how are you doing?" Bumble Bee struggled to clean Calvin.
"What do you mean?" Raven watched Changeling and Charlotte argue over whether he was funny or not.
"She gets here tomorrow."
Raven started. She knew exactly who she was. It was why she'd had her headache in the first place. She was stressed and trying to meditate to prepare for Rita, Changeling's adoptive mother.
"Do you know what time?"
"Uh- no." Raven smoothed out her hoodie. "Changeling just said it was tomorrow."
"Can I just say I'm glad I'm not you? Meeting the mom is the worst experience ever. I once met a boyfriend's mom and she had a problem with everything I did."
"Does Victor know you've had other boyfriends?"
"No and I'd appreciate it if he never found out."
Raven smirked. "Why did she have a problem with everything you did?"
"No idea. She said I was turning her son against her." Bumble Bee gave a sour look. "I was thirteen!"
"Not exactly a femme fatale."
"Right! But she was convinced. We didn't last more than two months."
"Why not?"
"When it comes to a man and his mom, you will never win."
Raven sulked. "So I just have to get her to like me."
Raven snuck into Changeling's room early the next morning. She knew he had a habit of talking in his sleep and wanted to take advantage of the phenomenon.
She tiptoed to his side and climbed into bed beside him. She stroked his hair from his exposed face and leaned in close. "Gar? What time will you be picking your mother up today?"
He snored lightly. "Noon."
She smiled at it working. "Gar? What type of flowers does your mom like?"
"Marigolds."
"Gar? What does your mother like for breakfast?"
"Pancakes." He shifted.
She stalled, waiting for him to resettle before going on. "Gar? What do you think your mother would like for Christmas?"
His lashes fluttered before they opened blearily. "Rae? What are you doing?"
She backed up as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Watching you sleep?"
"Oh." He punched his pillows before lying back down and promptly began snoring again.
Raven frowned. He fell asleep on his face. She tried to turn him over but he was like lead. "Gar! Turn over!"
Changeling turned alright. Away from her. He slung his arm over his face and continued sleeping.
She sighed. She wasn't getting anything more from him so she decided to leave. Fresh snow had fallen the night before so any surviving flowers were frozen. She had to go old school and call a floral shop.
She exited the room to go do so.
As the door closed, Changeling's eyes popped open. "Wait? What?!"
"So what's the plan?" Jinx wanted to know.
"He's on his way to get her now and I've already picked up the flowers. I'm going to put them in a vase in her room. Then I'm going to give her the tour and be extra nice to her. Tomorrow, we're having pancakes." Raven listed.
"Why pancakes?" Terra asked.
"Changeling said they were her favorite."
"He just let you pump him for information?" Bumble Bee didn't believe that.
"He talks in his sleep."
The other girls laughed.
"How will you know if your plan has been the successful?" Starfire asked.
"I guess if she stays the whole time." Raven shrugged.
"If Changeling tells you she said nice things about you." Bumble Bee said.
"When are Alan and Clark getting here?" Jinx asked.
"Some time today."
"Is Changeling okay with Clark?"
"He doesn't seem stressed out but he rarely does so… I don't know." Raven shrugged before standing. "I'll be right back. I'm going to go make sure her room is mother approved."
"Where's Diana when you need her?" Jinx snorted as she flipped through a magazine.
"She's better about contacting me about child care." Raven went to grab the blooms from the kitchen counter. "I think we're both getting used to this."
"So you wish she was here?" Terra goaded.
"Not a chance."
The girls laughed.
Christopher, who had been playing with Charlotte in the kiddie corner, approached Starfire. "I builded you a castle, Mommy."
The girls looked over to the corner and saw he had built her a castle out of Legos. It was short and squat but a castle nonetheless.
"Oh Christopher!" Starfire flew over to it and marveled from above. "It is the perfect!"
Christopher beamed.
"I wish I could shrink to the tiny and explore." Starfire pouted.
Bumble Bee got an idea. She shrunk down then flew around the brightly colored abode. "It's cool in here!"
"How does it look?" Starfire asked loudly.
"I can hear you fine!"
"I apologize, friend." Starfire lowered her voice. "How does it look?"
"It's pretty cool. There's no leftover pieces. All smooth lines. He even used matching colors for different wings. He did good!"
"Could you live in there?" Terra teased.
"There's no bathroom in here!"
"Could you weekend in there?!" Jinx snickered.
"You guys are stupid." Bumble Bee flew out then regained her size.
Jinx and Terra fell out laughing.
"You did a good job, Christopher." Starfire hugged her son. "But why is it so squat?"
"I don't know what that means." He admitted.
"Short, baby. She wants to know why it's so short." Bumble Bee explained.
"Oh." He played with his fingers. "I'm not tall. I only built it where I could reach."
Starfire adored his cuteness and squeezed him to her chest. "I love it all the more!"
He wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed back. "I love you, Mommy."
"And I you, my precious bumgorf."
"See? Some girl is going to go through hades and back trying to get between that." Bumble Bee instigated.
Raven wondered if Changeling was like that with his mother then hurried to put the flowers in Rita's room. She arranged them before realizing she knew nothing about flowers.
She groaned internally before she just straightened the room. She made sure the bed was made and that there was nothing hiding in the closet. She looked out the window to see a car driving down the bridge.
Her heart did a flip as she realized who it could have been. She hurried from the room to the first level. She went to the garage to wait but was unsure of what she should do. Should she stand there waiting? Should she be sitting? Should she go up to the common room?
The choice was taken out of her hands when the door to the car port opened. She'd forgotten her lover's lead foot.
The car stopped on a dime and the passengers got out. One was the driver, a tall, green shapeshifter who thought speed limits were just suggestions and the other was a tall willowy woman with slight curves. She had auburn hair and pretty amber eyes with alabaster skin.
Raven clasped her hands in front of herself as the woman shifted the shades from her face to her hair. She watched as Changeling grabbed bags from the backseat and surveyed the garage.
Raven cleared her throat. "Hello."
Rita Farr, Elasti-Girl, stepped forward with a smile and outstretched manicured hand. "Hello. I'm Rita."
"My name is Raven." Raven said politely before remembering to smile. "It's nice to meet you."
"Ooh! The Raven? It's very nice to meet you!"
"Mom." Changeling warned.
"I can't be excited to meet the mother of my first grandchild?"
"First?!" Raven squeaked out as Changeling huffed and rolled his eyes.
"Charlotte will need siblings of course." Rita went on. "No child should suffer being an only child."
"I'm an only child." Changeling pursed his lips.
"That's not my fault, darling."
Of course. Changeling rolled his eyes again. "I know. I know. You wanted a pack of kids and Steve thwarted your every move."
"Yes, he did!"
Changeling smirked. "You could have had a houseful of children by now if it weren't for him."
"Stubborn old goat." She grumbled.
He snickered. "While you're still stewing, let's go up to your room."
"I'm not stewing, Garfield. Stewing gives you wrinkles and I'm too young for that!"
"Sure." He snorted before catching her dagger sharp look. "I mean you are! Way too young."
Raven's lips twitched. "I can show you to your room."
"Thank you, sweetie." Rita smiled.
Raven wasn't used to pet names (though Changeling was making it his mission to give one to her) so this took her by surprise. "Um… follow me."
Rita and Changeling followed her to the elevator. They rode up to the third highest floor and exited the lift.
They walked down the first hallway and stopped at the second door. Raven pressed the button to open it then stepped aside.
Rita walked in with fascination. "Wow. This is a nice room."
"Rae fixed it up nice for you." He dropped the bags on the bed.
"Thank you, Raven." Rita sat on the bed. "Are those marigolds? I love marigolds!"
"How'd you guess those?!" He was impressed.
Raven blinked, having forgotten that he didn't remember their REM conversation. "Lucky guess."
Rita went to sniff them. "They smell fresh. Thank you, sweetheart."
"I uh- you're welcome."
Changeling came behind Raven and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Rae's awesome, Rita. Just you see."
Rita smiled. "I'm sure."
Raven, uncomfortable with her staring at them all hugged up, forced herself not to fidget. "If you want, I could give you a tour of the tower."
"That would be lovely, dear."
"I'll let you do that." Changeling was bored just hearing the plan. "I’ll go see what's for lunch."
Raven suddenly wished he'd come back. She looked at Rita and Rita looked at her. It was stifling. "We can start at the garage."
"These three levels are for bedrooms. Guests on these two levels and ours on the top. At the very top is all our general areas such as the common room, training gym and kitchen." Raven walked Rita around the middle barracks before getting on the lift.
The two rode up to the common room. They walked down the short hallway to the spacious room. It was chaos.
The adults were arguing while Christopher was apologizing to a screaming Charlotte, Calvin was giggling madly and Changeling was in the kitchen scrubbing at something in the sink while scolding a remorseful looking Silkie.
Raven whistled loudly. "What is going on?!"
Charlotte popped up and flew to her mother. Raven then noticed that the child's dress was missing. "Mommy! Silkie threw up on my dress!"
Knowing how clean the little girl was (near OCD levels), Raven knew she was going to have to do some serious damage control. She let the two year old hug her tightly. "I'm sure Silkie is sorry."
"It was green and icky!" Charlotte sobbed.
"Not to mention murder to get out!" Changeling bit off.
Raven soothed the little girl's tears sagely. "You're alright. It'll wash out-"
"Whatever it was burned a hole through it."
Raven wished she had Starfire's starbolts to shoot him with. "We'll get you something else to wear."
"But we picked it out for Grandpa." Charlotte rubbed at her eyes.
"I know but you have other pretty dresses. He'll never know. Don't you want to forgive Silkie? I'm sure he didn't mean it."
Charlotte glared at the mutant and her eyes glowed purple.
Raven turned her so the larvae wouldn't get blasted. "Let's go find another dress."
Raven held up a purple dress with white polka dots. "What about this one?"
Charlotte shook her head. "It doesn't match my bow." It was true. The bow at the tip of her French braid was violet with black horizontal lines.
Raven held up a deep blue dress with black swirls. "What about this one?"
"That's blue, Mommy."
Raven checked the racks. "How about this?" It was a lavender dress with black stripes.
"That's too light, Mommy."
Raven was sick of this. "Do you want Aunt Kori to help you find a dress?"
"Why can't it just match my bow?"
Raven didn't want to put in the effort but it was taking more doing it this way. She sighed before digging through the closet for the exact shade of her bow. She pulled out a dress that had black rosettes on it. "How about this?"
Charlotte grinned and held up her arms.
Yes! Raven cheered mentally before tugging the dress over her daughter's head. She forced her little arms through their proper holes then tugged the dress all the way down. The white petticoat layers flared out against the girl's knees.
Raven put all the other dresses back then picked up Charlotte to leave. The little girl was happy to be fully dressed again in clean clothing and played with the tips of her mother's lilac colored hair as they went upstairs.
Raven got off the elevator and entered the now calm common room. She walked to the sofa and sat.
Christopher came over. "I sorry that Silkie throwed up on you, Charlie. I shouldn't-a shook him."
Charlotte looked at him hard before nodding. "Is okay, Chris."
Christopher brightened. "Wanna play?!"
"Yes!" Charlotte wiggled to get off her mother's lap but Raven held firm.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Raven lifted a brow.
"Can I play, Mommy?"
"We have somebody for you to meet." Changeling leaned on the back of the couch.
"Is it that pretty lady?" Charlotte got her whispering skills from her father. Her poor whispering skills…
"Yes." Changeling whispered back. Poorly…
"Who is she?"
"My mom."
Charlotte's little mouth formed an "O". "Your mommy?"
"Yep."
Charlotte looked between him and Rita. She eyed him suspiciously. "Why come she's not green?"
Changeling laughed. "I'm green cuz I got sick."
Charlotte looked like she wasn't buying that before she shrugged. "Is she my grandma, too?"
"Yes, she is." Raven said.
"You wanna say hi?" Changeling asked.
Charlotte blushed and hid her face in Raven's hoodie.
Changeling picked her up and she clung to him. "Come on. Say hi."
She shook her head in his sweater.
"Not even a little wave like you gave Grandma Diana?" He tried to entice her.
She shook her head again.
"Just a little one?"
She clung to his neck tighter.
"Come on, Charlie!" Cyborg's voice boomed. "You can do it! It's just a wave. Just a wave! Just a wave!"
The others chimed in, chanting Just a wave.
It grew until Charlotte stuck her hand out and moved it back and forth in Rita's general direction.
Applause sounded as she finished her task without once lifting her head.
Rita approached Changeling and rubbed Charlotte's back (ignoring her move). "It's nice to meet you. Charlie, right? That's a pretty name. It's nice to meet you, Charlie."
Charlotte mumbled something so Changeling tried to pry her away from his sweater enough to hear her. "What'd you say?" He listened closely before looking at his mother. "She said it's nice to meet you, too."
Rita beamed. "Do you think I could play with you later?"
Charlotte tugged on Changeling's sweater to get him to lean his head down. She whispered in his ear.
"She asked if you knew how to play Popstar." Changeling reported.
"No. I don't. What's Popstar?" Rita asked.
Charlotte popped up and looked at Rita. "You don't know Popstar?"
Rita was stunned by her intense stare. "No. Can you teach me?"
Charlotte thought about it. "Okay but you gotta be the backup singer with Aunt Kori."
"I can do that. I'm not much of a singer anyway."
Charlotte turned back to her father. "Daddy, can you put on the tape?"
Glad that she was warming up to his mother, he shrugged. "Sure."
Rita watched as he set Charlotte on her feet on the couch before going to the gaming system and inserting a game. He turned on the television.
It took a few seconds but the intro popped on the giant screen. It danced its way across the screen before the game loaded.
"Okay, Uncle Vic. You have to play the drums." Charlotte ordered with a pointed finger.
Cyborg grinned. "Alright." He pulled the drum set from the pile of controllers by the wall then set them in front of his seat.
"You have to help Chris play the guitar, Uncle Dick."
Nightwing smirked. She was a bossy little thing when she wasn't shy. "Okay."
"Don't do anything, Uncle Wally."
Kid Flash sulked in his corner of the couch. He wasn't particularly musically inclined. Rita and Jinx snickered.
"Here you go, Princess." Changeling handed Charlotte a microphone.
Charlotte took it and waited happily for everyone to get in place. "Ready?!"
Cyborg, Nightwing (Chris on his lap) and Changeling held up their arms. "Ready!"
"Mommy! Choose a song!"
Raven's lips twitched at her bossy attitude and used the remote to choose a song. It didn't matter which one because Charlotte didn't know the words to any of them. She picked a rock song that the boys loved to play.
"Aww yeah!" Changeling raised his arms above his head.
"FOB baby!" Cyborg yelled.
"This is gonna be good." Nightwing tickled Christopher.
Charlotte bounced slightly before raising the mic to her lips and singing childishly. "I'm gonna make it bend and break!"