Foundation Formation ch.3

Chapter 3: Nothing to Fear

“Caleb?” Catalyst called as he walked out onto the roof of Titans Tower. “Are you okay?”

“No!” Beast Boy hyperventilated. “Dad…Dad’s gonna die and it’s all my fault!”

“Hold up a minute,” Catalyst said. “Dad’s gonna be fine, he just needs some time to recuperate and time to let his body make new blood. He’s okay, Caleb, really.” Little Beast Boy’s eyes shifted up to his big brother’s, but his ears remained drooped to the sides.

“Really?”

“Really-really,” Catalyst replied. Beast Boy threw himself into Catalyst’s arms and cried, relieved that his fear was unfounded. “Come on,” Catalyst said after the two brothers had cried for a while. “Let’s go back inside. Mom’s been worried about you.”

When Catalyst and Beast Boy arrived at the med bay, Raven was waiting.

“Momma…” Beast Boy said. “Momma, I’m so sorry.” Raven shook her head and opened her arms.

“Come here, baby,” Raven murmured. Beast Boy obeyed and wrapped his arms around his mother’s waist. “I’m not angry at you, Caleb. Mistakes are how we all learn to work with our powers. Maybe next time your father will learn to be careful how far he provokes you.” Beast Boy looked up at his mother. “So, Dad really is gonna be okay?” he squeaked.

“Yes, he’s going to be fine. He was awake for a while just before you got here. He was worried about you,” Raven replied.

“Raven,” Nightwing said, poking his head out of the med bay, “Gar’s awake. He wants to see you and Caleb.” When Raven reached her husband’s side, Changeling reached for her hand.

“Is everyone okay?” Changeling asked softly. Raven nodded and gently kissed his lips. “Everything’s all right,” she murmured.

“Caleb,” Changeling said, turning his head to find his youngest son looking worriedly over his bed. “You didn’t do anything wrong, son.”

“Dad, I could have killed you!” Beast Boy said, biting back tears. Changeling chuckled softly. “But you didn’t. You stopped yourself when you realized we’d gone too far,” Changeling replied. Without arguing further, Beast Boy threw his arms around his father and hugged him.

“I love you, dad,” Beast Boy said, his fears subsiding slowly as his father held him.

“I love you too, Caleb,” Changeling said. “Everything’s gonna be okay now, son.”

Meanwhile, Hummingbird stood near the tall windows and stared out at the bay with her arms folded over her chest. Catalyst entered the room and crossed over to her.

“Dad’s okay now. Mom used her powers on him again and he’s up and walking again,” Catalyst reported.

“Good. I was worried for a while there,” Hummingbird said. Robin came in soon after.

“It’s a good thing Caleb stopped when he did,” Robin commented. Catalyst looked at him and nodded in relief.

“I’m gonna go hug mom and dad before they leave with Uncle Nightwing. Later, guys,” Catalyst said, leaving the room.

“Caleb shouldn’t have fought like that against dad in the first place,” Hummingbird said coolly.

“We practice with our parents every Saturday, Livie,” Robin said, a bit sharper than he had intended to.

“He was careless!” Hummingbird cried, finally turning around to face him.

“He’s only eight years old!” Robin cried in Beast Boy’s defense.

“He should have known better!” Hummingbird shouted above him.

“He’s your little brother! Cut him some slack!” Robin shouted back.

“YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT RUNNING A TEAM!”

Both young teens suddenly stopped and looked wide-eyed at one another. They had both just uttered the same words at the same time. Hummingbird took a step back as Robin closed his still-open mouth.

Hummingbird felt tears start to sting at the back of her eyes and blur her vision. She took another step back before she turned and ran from the scene, making a break for the door.

“Olivia, wait!” Robin cried, finding his voice and starting after her.

“No!” Hummingbird shouted, giving off a telekinetic energy wave that knocked Robin backwards and into the wall. Hummingbird continued down the hall with her arms wrapped around herself. She kept her head down as she walked and Robin could only sit and watch her go as his head throbbed from the impact.

“Livie!” he called again. Hummingbird ignored him. Still on the floor, Robin hung his head.

“…I’m sorry…” he murmured softly.

“My shoulder’s gonna ache for a week after this,” Nightwing grumbled good naturedly in the locker room of the Watch Tower. He and two of his friends were showering after a serious game of three-on-three basketball with Batman, Green Lantern and Flash.

“I don’t have to worry about most minor injuries,” Changeling bragged proudly. “My Raven can fix just about anything that I can stretch, sprain or fracture.” Nightwing smiled as the others chuckled. He admired the relationship that Changeling and Raven had.

“How are you and Starfire doing?” Speedy asked, pulling a clean shirt over his head. “We’re split up on missions sometimes and I don’t get to talk to anyone really regularly anymore.” Nightwing shrugged at the question.

“We’re fine, I guess,” he replied, smoothing back his now long black hair and shutting off the water.

“I guess?” Changeling echoed questioningly.

“I don’t know…sometimes I wonder is she’s really happy with me anymore. We talked about maybe having another baby and I think I upset her. I wasn’t too keen on the idea,” Nightwing replied, avoiding Speedy’s eyes.

“How’s your sex life?” Changeling asked, toweling off his spiky green hair.

“Why is that the first question that anyone asks?” Nightwing cried, looking around at his teammates.

“It’s a reasonable question, Dick,” Batman added, reaching into his locker for a clean shirt.

“He wouldn’t argue about the question if nothing was wrong,” said Speedy to the others.

“We’re gonna have to call you something other than Speedy. Your arsenal of shit to say never runs out!” Nightwing chuckled.

“Wait a minute…I like that! Call me Arsenal from now on!” cried Speedy.

“Awesome! In any case, what are we going to do to help Dick with his marriage issues?” Changeling asked.

“Maybe the girls could help us. I’ll go talk to Torque right now,” Arsenal suggested. “They could teach Star a few new tricks.”

“I don’t know, guys,” Nightwing murmured.

“Why not let them try? You never know,” Changeling said. “She could learn enough just from Raven to keep you guys going for…”

“Enough, Gar. Star is sensitive. She could get this inadequacy complex thinking she’s not good enough for me and that’s the last thing I want. I love my wife,” Nightwing argued.

“Nonsense. She won’t get any such idea. Let me talk to Torque and she’ll arrange the whole thing. Not to worry, buddy. This will work out,” said Arsenal.

That night, in Titans Tower, the two youngest Titans, Beast Boy and Proteus, were tipping unsteadily as they carried the makings of a great movie night into the ops room.

“Whoo-hoo! The first official movie night of the new Teen Titans is officially underway!” Reese crooned. He was carrying an armful of DVD movies and a bucket of popcorn while his partner teetered under the weight of cotton candy, chips, sugar candy, chocolate, and soda.

“You got that right, Proteus my good man!” Beast Boy chirped back.

“What do you guys have planned now?” groaned Rumble.

“Just a little prime-time entertainment, my dear Aidan,” Proteus grinned.

“Ok. If you—ever—call me ‘dear’ again, we’re going in the danger room,” Rumble idly threatened from behind the newspaper in his hand.

“Where are Robin and Hummingbird?” asked Beast Boy, looking around the room.

“I wouldn’t bother Hummingbird just at this particular junction, Caleb,” said Catalyst, walking into the room with his nose in a book and his silver rimmed reading glasses on his nose.

“Oh yeah? Why?” asked Rumble, putting down the paper.

“Let’s just say that things didn’t go down so well between she and the new Boy Wonder,” Catalyst hinted, sitting down beside Rumble on the couch.

“I miss my sister…she loves movies…” Proteus murmured as silence settled in the room.

“I know….I miss little Rosie and the babies too. I mean, they’re a pain in the keester when their crying or throwing a fit or something, but when it comes down to it, they’re our little brothers and sisters and we ultimately love them, don’t we?” Catalyst mused.

“You know, I can’t get over something that little Coral said the other day. Four years old and she already knows that she’s royalty. She tried to order me to go get her something and Auntie Terra had to tell her she couldn’t be like that. Who would have known that Auntie Terra would make such a good mom? And with two kids no less!  Do you remember what she was like before she met Uncle Aqualad?” Rumble recalled.

“Do you remember what Uncle Aqualad was like without Auntie Terra?” Robin said, jumping into the conversation.

“Where have you been?” Beast Boy asked him.

“Don’t ask. Suffice it to say, I don’t think Olivia’s ever going to forgive me this time,” Robin said, running his hand through his spiky red hair. Catalyst put down his book.

“What did you say to her?” he asked.

“We…we both said ‘you don’t know anything about running a team’ at the same time,” Robin said, hanging his young head. “Just shoot me. Do something before she gets me herself….”

Beast Boy’s ears drooped as he looked at his teammates. Catalyst got up to go talk to Hummingbird and Rumble lost interest as he scooted closer to Robin to pat him on the back. “You Graysons and your trouble with women,” Rumble quipped.

"So...I guess the movie is out?" Beast Boy squeaked.