The sound of the heart monitor filled the room. It had nearly been an hour since Cyborg and Robin spoke outside the recovery room. However the doctors had permitted them to sit in the room with Terra as they waited and hoped for her to awaken. They sat in silence at the foot of her bed. Neither had said a word to each other since they last spoke of Beastboy.
The doors to the room suddenly swung open in a rush. Robin and Cyborg's eyes darted to the door to see a panicked woman rush past them to Terra's side. She was slender with an average height and long brown hair past her shoulders, wearing skinny jeans and a pink v-cut tank top. She was crying from her emerald green eyes as she knelt next to Terra's bed squeezing her left hand.
Robin and Cyborg stood up and looked at each other with a massive look of confusion.
"Excuse me..." Robin said wearily, looking at the stranger, "who are you?"
The woman looked to the end of the bed where the two Titans now stood. She hadn't even noticed they were in the room. She looked at them and instantly recognized them.
"You're the Teen Titans right?" She said over her tears, "you're the ones who saved my little girl?" She threw herself at them wrapping her arms around both of them. "Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" She spoke so fast it was almost hard to understand. She clearly loved Terra. The Titans were even more confused now. To their knowledge Terra didn't have parents. Or at least... she never spoke of them.
A man entered the room shortly after. He had just finished getting all the details from the doctor. He was tall with an athletic build and brown hair. He wore glasses over his brown eyes and a suit that made him look like a successful businessman.
"Forgive my wife," he said softly, "but I can't blame her. Thank you so much for saving our daughter. We owe you everything." He extended a handshake to both of them after his wife finally let go of the two and returned to Terra's side.
Robin shook the man's hand and turned to Cyborg as if he had lied to him. Cyborg looked back him like he knew exactly what Robin was thinking...
"Dude, no way. That's definitely Terra," Cyborg said with certainty pointing to where she laid.
"Oh! You know my daughter?" The man said as if it were expected.
"Well," Robin started looking to him from Cyborg, "we think we do," he looked at Terra, studied her for a moment, then looked back at the man, "she used to be part of our team."
Both the parents gasped. They looked at each other but were not surprised. Robin picked up on this and decided to ask some questions.
"So... you're both... her parents?" He asked subtlety probing for answers.
"Well yes... and no," the man said, "about six months ago my wife and I were out hiking a few miles outside of the city when we found her wandering around completely naked in the hot sun. She looked like she'd just woken up from a year of sleep," he looked down at Terra, "she said she couldn't remember anything. She said the first thing she remembered was waking up in a cave next to a plaque that had 'Terra' wirten on it, along with 'A Teen Titan, A True Friend' so what else were we supposed to do? We took her in and gave her a home," he paused for moment before continuing, "she really is an amazing girl." He walked over to where his wife was kneeling and put his hand on her shoulder.
Robin looked at Cyborg as if apologizing telepathically. There really was no doubt. This was Terra.
The man sighed and turned back to the Titans, "I know you must think we are bad people for not bringing her to you," the man continued, "but we tried. We called Titans Tower for weeks. We even went so far as knocking on your door. But we never got an answer. The longer she stayed with us, the more we grew attached to her. She told us she didn't know any of you. She didn't even recognize the Tower. She had full amnesia," he looked out the window of the recovery room where doctors were discussing other patients, "the doctors told us to give her time. If we were lucky her memories might return. But after six months we've started to lose hope."
Robin had a look of disappointment on his face. He knew exactly why no one was at the Tower or answering calls.
"You did the right thing," he finally spoke, "and I personally apologize for our absence. We were gone for months fighting the Brotherhood of Evil. We spent so much time traveling the world trying to ensure everyone's safety that we missed the one person we should have been there for."
"Six months ago?" Cyborg said sparking with curiosity.
"Pardon?" The man respond looking at Cyborg.
"You said you found her six months ago?" Cyborg repeated speaking more direct. "Are you sure? It was exactly six months ago?"
"Um..." The man started thinking he was being interrogated.
"Cyborg," Robin interrupted, "what are you getting at?"
"I have to go," Cyborg said and he left without another word.
"Is... everything... ok?" The man said frightened.
"I'm not sure..." Robin replied honestly, watching Cyborg leave in a hurry. He turned back to the stranger, "but rest assured, we won't interfere with you and your family. I'm glad she has a new home with parents who love her."
The man sighed with relief. He didn't want anyone to think he had kidnapped the poor child.
Robin looked at all of them and it reminded him of someone that took him in when he was younger. Without that person, he wouldn't be where he is right now. He smiled at them but just before he was about to leave the man spoke again.
"I'm so sorry! My manners have escaped me with all the chaos," he sounded sincere, "my name is Carver. Carver Kane. This is my wife, Lindsey," Lindsey didn't look over to them but she nod her head to acknowledge her name. She wouldn't take her eyes off Terra, "It's a pleasure to meet the men who saved my daughter," Carver finished.
"The pleasure is all mine Mr. Kane," Robin replied with respect.
"Please," Carver said bowing his head slightly, "call me Carver."
"Call me Robin," Robin said, unsure what else he could have said. He took a moment and looked at Terra one last time, "we'll be checking in here and there to make sure she's ok. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all! It would be great to have the Teen Titans looking after her," he sounded more like a fan at this point.
Robin smiled and turned to leave. On his way out he looked back and what he saw was different to him this time around. He looked back to see a small family trying to overcome a terrible accident. Even though they weren't related and had only been together for six months they were a close family. His heart broke for them. And he knew one thing for sure... He had his own family that also needed to recover from this accident.
He opened his communicator and called the others simultaneously, "Titans, regroup at the Tower."
He started to head towards the exit but felt a surge of sadness pluse through his heart. He paused for a moment and lowered his head. He raised his communicator once more and spoke softly,
"Beastboy... If you can hear me... Please... Come home."
Miles away from everything Beastboy was at a diner. The red neon sign on the building read "Ben's" which was sandwiched in between two golden yellow neon burger buns. Beastboy sat at the bar staring down at a plate of uneaten pie in front of him with his communicator sitting next to his plate.
Beastboy... If you can hear me... Please... Come home.
After hearing Robin's voice Beastboy reached over to his communicator with his head held low, he closed his eyes, and silenced his communicator.