I'm Fine (book 2)

Gifts

~~Just a friendly reminder that Robin/Dick Greyson is now Nightwing and Damien is now Robin~~

Nightwing paced about the dimly lit sand, lighting small tea candles he borrowed from Raven. He was wearing a nice black dress shirt and grey dress pants. His polished shoes reflecting the small bits of light from the candles really tied his outfit together. He laid out a small patchwork quilt he kept in his secret box in his closet that was made by his mother before his parents died. Each square was from a shirt of his circus friends and family with the two center red ones from his parents. It was a small piece of himself he had shared with no one until tonight. To Nightwing, this was his way of having his parents there with him. He laid the quilt down gently and touched the red squares and paused with a smile. He placed the picnic basket on the edge of the blanket and sat down to wait.

Starfire came out of the tower following the directions Nightwing left her on a note. She was wearing a dark burgundy strapless dress that hovered right above her ankles. She was excited and nervous all in one so she flew along the path to the unknown destination. She flew past a wooded patch to a desolate sandy beach with Nightwing's picnic set up. The sun had already set, leaving a dusky glow, illuminated by the spattering of candles. In this light she seemed to glow internally to Nightwing as she smiled at the sight.

Nightwing packed pasta for the two and ate happily. He even made sure to pack her a bottle of mustard and a straw. A strange snack but he knew her all too well. The conversation hummed along as it usually did until Starfire asked about the quilt. Nightwing stuttered as he collected his thoughts. This was it. This was his moment.

Cyborg sat watching Bee sleep restlessly. Whatever was affecting her was beyond her control. He felt a pit grow in his stomach when a sickening thought crossed his mind. He ran off to expedite the results of the blood screen he ran earlier.

Raven was in her silky black sheets, dozing off to the silence of her bedroom when her door cracked open.

"WHAT!?" Raven snarled as Beastboy slinked inside.

"It's just me!" Beastboy whispered with something hiding behind his back. Raven flicked her switch on with her powers forgetting she was in a black tank top and shorts. Seeing Beastboy's face flush, she pulled her blankets up around her and questioned him him a silent yet stern look. Whatever they were, they had drastically slowed down since Beastboy recovered. She was beginning to wonder if there was anything left to pursue. Since he had started this mystery project, he had stopped needed to sleep with her in cat form at night. She'd never admit it, but she truly missed his presence.

Nightwing gulped, "I don't know how to explain this Star, but this blanket came from that secret box in my closet..." he began. She could see his long pale fingers fidget in front of him. "I used to be a part of a circus. My family were acrobats, which is where I learned a lot of my fighting skills..." Nightwing paused to collect his thoughts and keep his emotions at bay. "One night, they were murdered in our show...This blanket is a piece of clothes from everyone in the circus, including my parents..." he stopped as he pointed to the two red patches. "I wanted them here with us tonight..." he paused again, this time fishing through his pocket for a small black velvet ring box. He sat up onto one knee and opened the box in front of him. The confusion on her face lent Nightwing to explain himself. "On Earth, it is tradition for a man to offer a ring to a woman he wants to marry and ask...um... Starfire, Will you marry me?" Before he had time to watch her expressions, she sprang up and embraced him in one of her bone crushing hugs.

"YES!!" She shouted he placed the silver ring on her finger. She looked down and admired the rectangle cut emerald ring he had picked out. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in close and kissed him. He could relax and catch his breath now...he finally did it.

Cyborg rushed off to the lab and analyzed Bee's blood. He was looking for one thing in particular. He searched meticulously until he found an old sample of blood left over from Beastboy. He compared the two until his head sank. Slade had managed to poison Bee without her even knowing it.

Beastboy sat down on the edge of Raven's bed with a shoe box wrapped in newspaper.

"Whyyy did you wake me up...?" Raven growled even though she was internally happy to see him. His ears lowered slightly as he nudged the box toward her. He didn't say anything out of shear fear and embarrassment. Raven could feel his mood and decided to lighten up. "Sorry, I was just a little cranky..." she mumbled as she picked up the box. "Do I—?" She started to ask and he simply shook his head. She carefully unwrapped the paper without tearing any of the pieces. He watched her meticulously peal the tape without pulling off any parts of newspaper. She slid the lid off the box and saw the black leather bound book he had been working on. She opened the first page and was left speechless.

Cyborg ran from the lab to Bee's hospital room with antidote in hand. He slammed the door open to see her sitting up, hunched over, with her arms wrapped around her waist. Her face was in a new form of agony that he had never seen before, which meant he was too late.

"No-no-no-no-no!" He pleaded tight himself as he pulled the blanket up to see blood. She was slightly delirious but they both knew what that meant as they started to tear up. He quickly loses her up with the antidote letting the liquid burn through her body. She relaxed and laid back with her hands covering her tear stained face.

"She's gone." She whispered in a voice so hollow, it shook Cyborg to the core.

"No, we don't know that!" He ran to grab the ultrasound machine. He came back immediately and she refused to move her hands from her face. He lifted her bloodstained hospital gown and searched through her stomach for a heartbeat. Everything was still. "No." He whispered clinging to disbelief and he kept searching. "Please, baby girl, please!" He pleases through small sobs. Bee leaned her head away from Cyborg as she let the tears fall. Her body started to have small contractions but she had no will to push.