Fairly quickly as you start to read this story you will realize this story picks up 2 months after the last one ended. This story takes place in some future post apocalyptic nuclear world war 3 winter in Jump City in the Teen Titans universe-that mouthful of a reminder was to clarify why there was a thundersnow storm in august at the end of the last chapter.

Darling Raven Daring Nikki 4-Baby I'm a Star

Terra looks outside the window at the kids who have ventured out into the evening for trick or treating but quickly looks up when something else catches her attention. "When did they put that up?" She glances back at her brother. "And what are you doing?"

"I agree with what Nightwing said last night. Its about time the heroes show up around here again taking down the petty criminal element for starters. It's been awhile since I've been Geo Force but it feels like the right thing to do. As for the billboard-it was put up this morning. I don't know how you slept through it."

She turns back to the billboard who's advertisement features the star performers of Elrich's club. Ebony who she remembers is decked out in gold-Nikki with an airbrushed out pregnancy she assumes is still silver-but she is perplexed by the girl in bronze. That color was never at the club before. Terra realizes its the girl that Elrich has been dragging to parties instead of Nikki and she always seems to be wearing that color. And the guy is he in silver or is that platinum? If that was Nikki's idea then she would want only the best for her guys. "Do they think because the mayor supports the place that its going to get him votes?"

Nightwing glances over at Terra as he enters the room. "Probably. This close to the election there are too many working class Joes and Janes who spend their paychecks out there that just might fall for it. Especially if the girls and guys are instructed to get promises of votes for the mayor from their clients.

Terra turns back to the billboard when the guy's charm catches her attention. "Is that Kilowatt?"

Nightwing looks out the window. "Couldn't be he's blue."

"Yeah-but that symbol is his isn't it?"

-1-

Nikki catches sight of Kilowatt at the doors of the room watching her newest routine. He's been very distant towards her for a long time now. She turns her attention back to her dancing. She hasn't done a stripping routine for a long time for obvious reasons she thinks as she looks down at her belly. Most of the guys are eating it up like its the first time she has ever been onstage. The rest are drooling as they watch her probably fantasizing that they are the baby's father. The blaring music of 'Baby I'm a Star' drowns out the startled cry she unleashes from the sudden cramp of pain that hits her. Such a fast song with the baby due any day now doesn't seem like the best idea-but the name of the song given her advanced state of pregnancy was just too tempting. She should probably stop but Elrich would most likely send her right back out.

Kilowatt looks around at all the other guys. He can't believe none of them caught that momentary grimace of pain on Nikki's face. He turns around and heads downstairs. The boss might not care but he knows little sis will put a stop to this before Nikki has her baby up on stage. He pauses as Candy and Ebony come upstairs.

"Nikki started her new routine yet?"

Kilowatt looks over at Candy. "Yeah and I'm pretty sure her labor just started too."

"And she's still out there onstage?" Ebony asks.

"The boss has been staking out the backstage area making sure all the girls know to get promises of votes for the major when they work the floor. I doubt she's going to stop with him back there."

Candy looks over at Ebony. "The jerk would just make her go right back on if she left the stage."

"I'm going to get Sonja." Ebony rushes back downstairs.

Sonja looks away from one of the newest girl's rehearsals when Ebony rushes over to her. "Something wrong?" She listens as Ebony whispers in her ear. Sonja turns to the girl. "Just keep practicing I'll be back to check on you later." She follows Ebony back upstairs.

-1-

Elrich looks at all the money gathered up that was thrown up on stage as Nikki's routine is over. He quickly looks through it as she leans against the wall nearby. "Guys would pay for a front row seat if darling Nikki decided to jump off a cliff."

"Cliff-no-but were you planning to sell tickets to the delivery?"

He turns to look at Nikki. "Delivery?" Elrich watches as she grimaces in pain. "What's wrong?"

Nikki glares at him as Sonja rushes up to her.

"If you would get your nose out of that money for a moment you might realize that she is about to have your baby."

"Baby? This soon?"

Nikki looks from Elrich to Sonja. "I hope the baby gets the brains from me and not him."

"So do I. Come on lets get you up to the infirmary." Sonja glances over at Ebony and Candy. "Girls would you please drag my dope of a brother away from the money and up to the infirmary?"

Kilowatt watches as Nikki is taken into the elevator. He walks down the hall and up the stairs as the girls try to pull Elrich away from the money. Nikki was right about one thing-so far at least the boss has proven he is not father material. He quickly makes it to the floor with the infirmary before the elevator reaches it.

Nikki spies Kilowatt down the hall as little sis leads her from the elevator. She clearly remembers what he told her months ago. He could have been lying just to get her to trust him and give him info he could feed to his friends but after a little snooping she found his story mostly checked out about the last time a girl here ended up pregnant. No one was sure just who took the baby away-but there was a baby that was taken away from a girl in the early months of the club. Nikki purposely stops collapsing to her knees outside the elevator.

"Are you okay?"

She hisses from the pain of her latest contraction. "It hurts."

Little sis turns spying Charlie. "Will you carry her into the infirmary?"

Nikki looks up as Kilowatt comes over to her and picks her up. She whispers in his ear. "I'm scared don't let them take the baby...I don't care what you have to do-just don't let them take my baby."

Kilowatt nods as he carries her into the infirmary. As messed up as he has been about his feelings for two girls sharing one body-he is the one that planted that seed of fear in Nikki's mind and he owes it to her to at least hang around if for nothing other than her peace of mind. He glances over at little sis as he lays Nikki down on one of the exam tables. Anyone trying to take away Nikki's baby wouldn't set foot out of the club alive if she caught them. He steps back out of the way as Candy and Ebony bring the boss into the room.

"I've got a meeting in-"

Sonja turns on her brother. "-the only meeting you are going to have is witnessing the birth of your child."

Nikki moans from the pain. "If he ever comes near me again-after this I'll-"

The Doctor approaches Nikki "-relax Nikki. By the time its over and you are holding the baby you will forget all about the pain you are in right now."

"Is that what they teach you to say in medical school to reassure a new mother? If so it doesn't work."

"If you want an epidural to stop the pain we need to know now so we can take you to the hospital. We can't do that here."

Nikki glances at Kilowatt as she venomously shakes her head no. The boss wouldn't let Kilowatt out of the club and for whatever reason Kilowatt has been so distant toward her-she knows he won't let anyone take her baby from her. Like it or not she is willing to put up with the pain to have that peace of mind.

READ MY PROFILE BEFORE YOU REVIEW PLEASE for a list of the things in reviews that trigger my bipolar manic episodes and please for both my sake and yours don't put any of them in a review. you don't want to be on the receiving end of a reply if something does trigger an episode and one of my cousins isn't around to stop me from replying. Actually I take meds for that now but sometimes things still set me off so yeah-warning stills stands.