I'd like to thank the friend who told me to post this-because she's awesome. Also, she's the only other nerd in my school who appreciates Teen Titans like I do. Please give me feedback, partly because I'd like to make my story better, but mostly because I'm a review whore :) I hope you like This is Not the End, and stay with me until the finish.

Fair warning to my fellow pedantic error-seeking bastards. Please alert me to any mistakes within the chapters, my brethren. Typing this up on my iPad isn't the easiest. Be ready for some autocorrect fails.

Full summary, because I am much more descriptive than FanFiction allows me to be: Starfire is summoned back to Tameran once again-only this time, for something far more serious than an arranged marriage. Starfire does not know what is in store for her...only that Galfore needs her, and if she is too late, tragedy will take place. The rest of the Titans don't want her to go alone...so they decide they're all going with her, leaving her no choice but to accept their help. This, the unity of the titans, is what secures victory for the Princess of Tameran. It is what tells her that This is Not the End.

Disclaimer: You might want to check yourself into a mental ward if you think I own Teen Titans. Actually, maybe that should wait until after I take it over. Then you may need a psychiatrist.

Chapter 1: Transmissions

Robin is knocked back by a large, sticky arm, the force catapulting him through the air and into the ready arms of Starfire, who sets him gingerly back on the ground. Robin makes a mental note to thank her later as he rushes back into the heat of the battle. A blazing green light flies towards the monster, scorching a hole straight through to the other side. A certain green changeling bends down to peer through the hole, and says, "Awesome! Star, can you do that again?!" as he is pulled back by a large black claw just before a hand slams down exactly where he had stood only a moment before.

"I do not think he wishes me to do that again!" Starfire replies as Raven sets Beast Boy down, turning back to face the current conflict between Robin, Cyborg, and the angry, slimy creature in front of them, Plasmus.

Cyborg has Plasmus' goo setting into the circuits around the sonic cannon on his arm. "I just fixed this yesterday!" He pulls a screwdriver out of a compartment built into his arm and begins pushing the clay-like substance out of the inconvenient ridges in his electrical parts.

Robin, seeing that Cyborg is preoccupied, takes on a defensive and distractive approach. Using his bo-staff, he continually jabs at Plasmus, fully knowing it won't do any damage from his previous fights with the monster. Raven and Starfire, swooping in with powers activated, both release a volley of attacks that leave Plasmus slightly dazed. Beast Boy charges in as an African elephant, knocking the pile of slime over onto the floor as Cyborg stands up, aims his sonic cannon at the monster, and fires."Booya!"

Plasmus dissolves, leaving an unconscious human curled up into a ball on the floor.

TTG

"Aw, come on, Cyborg. One game?" Beast Boy asks, holding up a controller in the direction of Cyborg.

"Sorry, BB, but I have to clean this stuff up." He holds up his right arm, where small pieces of a red-brown clayish material can be seen. "Maybe in a little while." He soon disappears through the sliding doors into the many hallways of Titans' Tower.

Beast Boy turns. "Raven-"

"No." she says, never taking her eyes from her book.

Beast Boy slumps dejectedly, turning back to face the large screen, and selects the "single player" option. An upbeat soundtrack starts playing, then static abruptly replaces the screen and music. "Aw, man," Beast Boy says.

"Starfire..." a voice comes through the speakers, and everyone immediately looks up to the screen. Starfire seems confused for a moment, floating the tiniest bit off the ground. The picture clears for a moment, and a figure can be seen. Starfire floats closer. "Galfore?" she says quietly, moving even closer to the screen. "Galfore?" she repeats, louder this time, so she can be heard on the other end.

"Starfire..." A burst of static is heard as the picture fades out slightly, then becomes clear enough to see who is on the other end. "...to hear from you."
Starfire infers what Galfore had said during the static. "I am sorry, Galfore, to not have communicated with you. I have been very busy here on Earth. I hope the ruling of Tameran has not troubled you too much?"

The static continues drifting in and out as Galfore communicates something in Tameranian, and the other titans look on with the feeling that he had communicated in that way for a reason. Cyborg, choosing that very tension-filled moment to walk back into the room, looks around for a moment, trying to figure out why everything is so silent and why Starfire is looking solemnly downwards. Finally, she replies to Galfore.

"Is there no way to stop it? Can you not deter them in some way?"

"I am afraid we may need your help, princess." Galfore replies, his eyes sad. "I cannot do this alone."

Starfire is silent for a moment, deep in thought, before replying. "I shall leave now."

Nobody moves, minds racing, as Galfore bows and says, "Thank you, princess."
Starfire bows slightly back before terminating the transmission. She turns back to her friends briefly.

"I must go back to Tameran. Something unexpected has occurred, and I am needed there. I do not know exactly what has happened, but my planet needs me. I will return if possible."

Cyborg, still standing just inside the doorway to the Ops room as the sliding doors open and close frantically behind him, yells, "Yo, Star, you can't just leave!" He says incredulously. "We need you here!"

"Yeah!" Beast Boy agrees.

Complete silence hangs in the air for a few moments before Robin speaks.
"Do you really think that going is a good idea? If you don't know why you're going back to Tameran, this could be an enemy's trick...it would be easy enough to find a recording of someone's voice and alter it to say what they wanted it to, if they had the technology. And the picture wasn't that clear-they could also have found someone closely resembling Galfore and used static so you wouldn't notice anything different."

Starfire thinks for a moment, then says quietly. "No. I would know my Knorfka anywhere. It was truly Galfore." She begins flying slowly towards the sliding doors leading out of the Ops room. "I must go do 'the packing'."

TTG

A short knock is heard as Starfire sits on her bed, having finished packing the few things she would need on her home planet. She is battling with herself within her mind, having more desire to stay than she does to leave.

"Come in," she calls, and the door opens to reveal Robin with a look of concern on his face. He steps in, and presses the pressure pad beside the door so it closes behind him. He turns back to Starfire, taking the few steps needed to cross the room, and sits with her on the edge of her bed. He hesitates for a moment, then turns slightly towards her.

"Earlier, I noticed that you said you would return 'if possible'. Does that mean you might not come back?"

"Yes. I shall try, but...I am afraid to promise to you my return when it is not certain that I shall. It would not be right to lie to you and say my return was definite, when I am not sure..."

Robin's gaze shifts to her for a moment as he thinks. "I understand, Star. Just...try, okay?"

Starfire offers him a watery smile as he stands. "Thank you, Robin."

Robin steps toward the door, stopping in the doorway as he waits for the door to slide open. "I just want you to know, Starfire, that we would do anything to keep you safe." He steps through the open doorway, the door closing behind him.

Starfire looks down at her lap for a moment, closing her eyes as she refuses to let her tears fall. She picks up her bag and stands, her eyes drifting across the room once more before she walks slowly to the door, opens it, and walks out.

Walking into the Ops room, her bag over her shoulder, Starfire is confused as she sees only Robin. "Where has everyone else gone? I wish to tell them 'the goodbyes.'"

"They're packing."

"Packing? But-"

"We're coming with you, Starfire." Robin says it with such an air of finality that Starfire pauses for a moment before she begins arguing.

"I cannot allow you to accompany me. If you are harmed-"

"Then we take full responsibility for ourselves and our actions." Raven interrupts as she drifts into the room, Beast Boy and Cyborg just behind her.

"I would not be able to forgive myself if you are harmed, and I do not know what I will be facing on Tameran. I do not know if my opponent will be too great for me, and I would not wish to put you in that same danger."

"Exactly, Star. If you don't know what you're going up against, we want to be there to back you up. We're just as worried about you as you are about us, and that means we need to stick together." Robin replies. "I told you we were a family. That we would do anything to keep you safe. I meant it."

Starfire doesn't move for a moment, searching her teammates' eyes to make sure they are all serious and aware of the danger they are about to put themselves in.

"I feel that you are not going to think differently, taking into account how I have attempted to force you to. I apologize for this. I did not wish for you to be in danger. I suppose, now, that I must concede."

Beast Boy lets out a loud whoop, breaking the tension of the serious moment.
"We're gonna kick some bad-guy butt!" he yells, and Starfire allows herself to smile, just for a moment.

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