Fan Fiction ❯ A Titans Christmas Carol ❯ One-Shot

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Psycho Moon: *sweatdrop* I know this is really late. I’ve been really busy and didn’t have time to type it.
Uniemon: But still you should read it because it is pretty good.
Psycho Moon: Enjoy. The disclaimer is at the bottom.

A Titans Christmas Carol
by Psycho Moon

"Present me naughty but dual incisors for this festive Yuletide." sang Starfire happily as she carried a box of Christmas decoration to the living room.

"Star! What are you singing?" Beast Boy asked as he pulled his soymilk sugar cookies out of the oven.

"She's singing 'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth'." said Raven as she carried a cup of hot herbal tea into the living room.

"Come friend Robin and sing with me about this 'wonderful season' as the inhabitants of this wonderful earth call it."

Robin frowned at her. "No... that's okay, Sta..." Robin started to say as she began to sing.

"A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z." Starfire sang as she started pulling out the decorations.

"What does the 'Alphabet song' have to do with Christmas?" Beast Boy whispered to Raven.

"She left out the L." Raven said calmly as she took a sip of her tea. "She thinks she's sing 'Noel'."

"Is Starfire really that dumb?" Beast Boy asked as he stared at Raven. *Cur thump*

"Oh sugar! Just what I needed." Raven said as she opened the 'industrial size' canister of sugar that had fall on Beast Boy's head.

"Dude! Why'd you do that?" Beast Boy grumbled from under the canister.

"Because you were being rude to Starfire..." Raven sipped some more of her tea.

"When will Cyborg be back with our tree?" Starfire looked up happily.

"Soon. Why?" Raven replied.

"Because Robin doesn't seem to like being our... what would you call it... 'temporary' tree." Starfire said innocently. Raven and Beast Boy looked around her to see what "festive Yuletide" she'd done to Robin.

In the middle of T Tower's living room stood Robin, who Starfire somehow tied up with Christmas lights. His utility belt was covered with silvery tinsel and the contents of his belt were hooked to his uniform, like ornaments would be on a tree. Last but not least there was a star intertwined with his spiky hair.

Indeed, Robin didn't seem to like being a tree at all. He was grinding his teeth together and if it wasn't for his mask, Raven and Beast Boy could be sure to see that he was glaring.

"Maybe you should untie him, Starfire..." blinked Raven because she was surprised at the dark, angry aura he was putting off.

"I'll do it." Beast Boy said as he turned into a tiger. With one swipe, he cut Robin loose from the lights.

"It's a good thing Starfire didn't plug those lights in, or we would be having roasted tiger for Christmas dinner." Raven said trying to lighten the mood.

"Dude! I already told you that we're having tofu turkey for Christmas dinner!" Beast Boy said as Robing started to leave the room. Starfire, seeing him leaving, followed him.

"Robin. Cyborg will be back soon. Don't you want to decorate the tree with us?" She said cheerfully.

"No Star."

"Or drink festive nog of egg?"

"It's egg nog Star and no."

Starfire, a little discouraged by his answers decided to make one last ditch effort. "Well... then what do you want for Christmas?"

"FOR IT NEVER TO COME!" shouted Robin at Starfire. "NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!"

With that he slammed the door to his room shut and left Starfire to float back to the kitchen alone.

“Man. What was all the yelling about, Star?” Cyborg asked as he put their tree in the tree stand. “It about scarred our Christmas guests away.”

Starfire put a bowl on the counter. She started pouring random ingredients into it like she knew what she was doing and didn’t need a recipe. It wasn’t until a tear slid down her cheek did they realize what she was making.

“STAR!” yelped Beast Boy taking away the bowl from her. "Why on Earth are you making the dessert of sadness or the pudding of sorrow or whatever it's called?"

"Because..." Starfire teared up. "Robin does not what Christmas to come."

"Now why would he say that?" asked Cyborg as he gave their guests some egg nog.

"He has a lot of problems with past Christmases." said one of the guests as he got up and gave Starfire a hug.

"But what can we do?" Starfire cried.

"Leave that to us," said her hugger. "Why don't you go deck the halls?"

"Huh?" Starfire blinked.

"Go decorate the entry- ways." Raven said in her usual monotone.

"Okay." She hopped away.

"Now what do we do?" asked Beast Boy after she left.

"I think I have an idea," said the other guest as he picked up the book "A Christmas Carol".
~*~

Robin laid asleep in his bed. With his mask detached from his face, you could tell he wasn't sleeping peacefully.

If only he was awake to see the smoke roll into his room and a ghostly apparition float in. "Dick Grayson! Dick Grayson!" The spirit waved a metal hand in front of Robin's face. "Come on, Rob! Wake up!" The metal hand started shaking him.

"Huh? Wha?" Robin blinked. "Cyborg? What do you want?"

The spirity Cyborg floated off he ground. His metal parts were rusted over and what was left of his skin was so pale that it reminded Robin of Michael Jackson's. Even the bulb in his left eye seemed to have burnt out. "I am the spirit of your fallen partner, Cyborg!"

Robin yawned and raised an eyebrow. "Cy... you're not dead."

"Yes I am!"

"No you aren't. You just shook me." He said as he reached out to touch Cyborg's arm. His hand went right through. "CYBORG! YOU'R DEAD!"

"I know man!"

"But how? And how could you touch me?" Robin started to freak out.

"Let's just say I short circuited permanently, Dick, and I don't have the time to explain to you the physics of ghostdom right now." Cyborg sighed.

"You called me Dick... but none of you guys call me by my real name." Robin said stunned.

"Because this is a very important matter Dick... you have lost the spirit of Christmas." Cyborg said as hauntingly as possible.

Robin frowned at him. "I never had the Christmas spirit."

"Oh yes you did. I know you did!" Cyborg sighed. "But that's not part of my duty though... tonight you will be visited by three ghosts. Try not to be stubborn and listen to them."

"I am not stubborn!" Robin yelled.

"Yeah you are! Anyway... the first ghost will be here in a few minutes. I'll catch ya later, Dick!" And with that Cyborg was gone.

Robin blinked. "I really shouldn't have eaten any of Beast Boy's tofu."

"HEY! TOFU IS GOOD!"

"AH! Beast Boy! Where did you come from?" Robin yelled at Beast Boy.

"I am not Beast Boy. I am the ghost of Christmas past," said a transparent Beast Boy.

"No you're not."

"Dude! We don't have time for this! Your life, along with many others, is on the line!"

"Like whose?" Robin asked.

"Like Star's. Dick, you don't understand how much of an influence you have on her." Beast Boy sighed. "But that's not part of my territory." Ghostly Beast Boy floated over to the window and opened it. "Come on, Dick. We have a lot to see in a short time."
"Umm... Beast Boy... I can't fly, remember?"

"Oh here." Beast Boy took his hand and jumped out the window.

"AH! Hey. Wait. I'm flying!" Robin looked down. "But Beast Boy you can't fly in this form."

"It's all part of the job, Dick." Beast Boy laughed and pointed forward. "Look!"

Robin blinked. "What's that light?"

"Your past, Dick... hang on!"

They passed through the bright light and hit a wall. "Ow! Beast Boy! Can't you be a little more..." Robin stopped in mid sentence.

"You know this place, Dick?" Beast Boy asked, floating next to him.

"Yeah... this is the hotel were I spent my last Christmas with my parents." Robin whispered as he observed the room. It was a simple hotel; nothing out of the ordinary, just big enough for a family of three.

"Mama! Mama! Can we open presents now? PLEASE!" A little boy with black hair and blue eyes jumped up and down in front of his mother. A young and very happy Dick Grayson.

"You were actually cute when you were little." Beast Boy laughed.

Robin didn't say anything though. He just looked on as his mother and father gave him present after present to open. He watched them laugh as his younger self made a face at a sweater he had gotten.

"Such little things made you happy back then, Dick. Now it's much harder to please you and make you happy." Beast Boy whispered.

"What makes you say that?" Robin looked at him.

"Just ask Starfire sometime." Beast Boy held his hand out. "Time to go, Dick."

“Can’t we stay a little longer? I wanted to talk to my parents one last time.” Robin said as he looked at the group again.

“Dick, they can’t see or hear you. We have to go.” Beast Boy said as he took Robin’s hand. They watched as Robin’s family faded away.

Robin just looked through the haze.

“You never liked Christmas after that did you?” Beast Boy asked.

“No… Christmas was always special when I was with my parents… after that Christmas was never the same.” Robin whispered as he was genitally floated back to his bed.

“It could be better…” Beast Boy whispered. “My time is up… hopefully the next ghost can help you.” He said as he faded out.

“It can never be better.” Robin whispered as he laid back down.

“Don’t tell me that BB wasn’t able to get through to you.” Cyborg asked as he floated in.

“What do you want, Cy?”

“Well now I’m playing the ghost of Christmas present!” Cyborg grinned.

“What happened to the whole ‘ghost of fallen partner’ thing?” Robin looked up.

“Ever heard of moonlighting? Anyway… time to go!” Cyborg said as Robin began to raise out of his bed.

“Where are we going?”

“To see the rest of our partners and their Christmases.” Cyborg said as they floated into the living room. The tree now had balls floating up to it, thanks to Raven’s telekinetic powers.

“I hope Starfire will be okay…” Beast Boy said as he held an ornament for Raven to float up to the tree.

Raven sighed. “I don’t think she’ll be okay until Robin comes out of his room and tells he he’s ready to celebrate Christmas.”

Robin turned to Cyborg. “What’s wrong with Starfire?”

“Come.” Robin followed Cyborg into the hall. There Starfire floated, trying to hang garland, sobbing.

“Star.” Robin whispered.

“Oh, member of the round table with missing areas…” Starfire cried as she tried to sing.

“Okay… now what is she singing?” Cyborg asked as he scratched his head.

“Holy Night.” Robin whispered.

Cyborg blinked and then smiled. “You really like her, don’t you?” Robin just stared at Starfire.

She started to float down. “It’s no use… Christmas isn’t the same without Robin. I wish it would never come.”

“NO! STAR! I was wrong! Don’t cry!” Robin said as he ran to hug her. He ran right through her. She started to fade away. “STAR!”

“You still have one more ghost to see, Dick.” Cyborg said as he began to fade into the darkness that surrounded them. “Good luck.” With that he was gone.

“STARFIRE!”

“Yelling is not going to help her.” said a monotone voice.

“Raven… or the ghost of Christmas yet to come?” Robin whispered.

“Both. Come.” Raven said as she took his hand. In front of him appeared Raven and Beast Boy. Beast Boy was whispering to Raven.

“Raven. It’s me, Beast Boy. Don’t worry… I’ll take care of you.” Just she stared out into space.

“I’m sorry, Beast Boy.” Starfire whispered as she walked in carrying a bag. She whipped her eyes.

Beast Boy glared at her. “Am I not supposed to blame you for this? Cyborg’s death… Raven’s insanity… Robin’s leaving us?”

“No…” Robin whispered.

“You shouldn’t have pushed him! You’re the center of this group, and, instead of keeping us together, you separate us all and why? Because Robin wouldn’t celebrate Christmas.” Beast Boy yelled. “And now you’re leaving because you can’t fight anymore!”

“What?” Robin whispered.

“He… he…” Starfire started.

“He broke your spirit, and you cried so much that your eyes are no longer green!” Beast Boy yelled. Robin looked into them and noticed that they were now hazel. “Just go, Starfire. GO!”

Starfire stood there for a second and then ran out. Robin just stood there. “No. NO! This can’t be! I’ve go to change this! I’ve got to change. For all of them! I’LL CHANGE!” He yelled as he was sucked into darkness. “I’ll change.” He said as he hit the floor.

He opened his eyes and looked around. It was his room. “I’m back! I’M BACK!” He shouted as he ran out through the living room. “Hi Rave, Beast Boy, Cyborg. MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

Cyborg smiled as Robin ran out of the room. “Told you the Starfire card would work.”

Robin continued into the hall, where he saw Starfire still on the floor. “Star.”

Starfire looked up and wiped her eyes. “Yes Robin?”

He smiled at her. “I’m ready to celebrate Christmas now.” Starfire’s eyes started to dry of tears and a smile spread across her face.

“REALLY!?!”

“Really…” He smiled as he pulled a necklace out from under his cape. “This was for your birthday but…” He held it out to her. “I want you to have it now.”

Starfire took it and put it on. “Thank you.” She smiled at him.

“Hey Star.”

“Yes Robin.”

“Merry Christmas.”
~*~

“Looks like you plan worked out very well, J’onn.” Cyborg said as they peeked around the corner.

“I wonder if he’ll ever figure it out that it was all you and Raven.” Beast Boy whispered.

“No… I don’t think he will.” A tall man said behind them.

“Batman is right… I don’t think he’ll ever realize that.” Raven smiled. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”

Psycho Moon: I do not own Teen Titans or Justice League. Both are really good but I own neither.
Uniemon: Thanks for reading.