Author's Note: First off guys...thank you so much for your positive reviews! I'm blown away by the positive attention 'Alliance' has already received! I am so excited to finally be putting this story out there. Get ready for so much more action, emotion, and surprises!

Please REVIEW! Xoxoxo

TT

Chapter 2: Trouble in Paradise(s)

"Who's idea was this again?" Rachel asked, clearly annoyed as she grimaced in the back seat of the SUV.

In unison everyone said, "Wally's."

'Everyone' was merely half of the group. It's been two weeks since the wedding and it was as if summer vacation had just started. Roy, Jade, Vic, Rachel, Gar, Isaiah, and Wally were currently in a 7-seater SUV traveling to none other than South Padre Island, Texas.

Kori and Richard were still on their honeymoon in Florida whereas Karen wanted to spend the rest of June with her family since she'd missed the holidays with them. Toni went back to Australia for the summer, Mal was with his family, and Alain and Tula were traveling all across the west coast.

After everyone went their somewhat separate ways after the wedding, Jason packed his own bag and left with hardly a goodbye to anyone. No one has really heard from him, but he'd left a letter saying how he was on his own journey and would be back in time for the school year.

It was just the other week when the seven of them were were put in a group chat by Wally West saying how they needed to road trip to South Padre Island. At first, the only other person who complied was Gar. But after some discussion, everyone eventually agreed to it.

Isaiah was on the first shift to drive, and they were only an hour into the road trip itself. They left at seven p.m. and it was a little over a twenty-four hour trip. They'd be staying in a hotel tomorrow night before finally getting to the island. It definitely would've been easier to fly, but as Wally put it: "It's all a part of the experience."

So far, Gar was complaining he was car sick, Wally was being picky about the music, Jade was trying not to strangle Wally, and Roy really needed to pee.

"This has not been one of our best decisions!" Jade yelled as she rubbed her temples.

"Yeah, I already want jump out of the damn car." Rachel's eye twitched as she pushed a putrid-looking Gar off of her.

They planned to spend a full week on the island at a resort. It was pretty much all paid for, courtesy of Roy's fortune. After that, they'd all be staying at Wayne Manor, where Kori and Richard would finally be coming home to meet them.

It was pretty wild that almost all of them were going to spend the whole summer together after spending nearly the entire year together, but everyone who wanted to stay at Wayne Manor didn't really have close family. Plus, Bruce generously offered and was more than happy to host them for the summer.

"You guys need to stop complaining! This is a great way to start the summer!" Wally shouted from the front seat as he flipped over a map.

"Why don't you just use the GPS or your google maps?" Jade asked. "You clearly don't know how to read an actual map."

Wally didn't turn around when he said, "This makes the trip more genuine. Roy, contain your woman. She seems to obviously be PMSing."

Jade's eyes flashed with anger and she unbuckled her seatbelt. She clawed for Wally from the middle row but Roy was faster. He held her back as she flailed her arms and legs like a maniac.

Roy gritted his teeth as he kept his death grip on his pissed girlfriend. "Good going, Wally."

The redhead ignored Roy as he tried to be a navigator. From the very backseat, Vic yelled, "Man, I'm hungry! We need to stop somewhere!"

"I need to pee!"

"I need to puke…" Gar went cross-eyed as he let his head fall between his legs.

Isaiah screeched to a sudden halt which silenced everyone. The only sound was everyone's hearts threatening to beat out of their chests.

"What the fuck, Isaiah!?" Roy yelled.

"Yeah man, I almost had a damn near heart-attack!" Vic added as he put a hand on his chest.

Isaiah turned around to everyone and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry guys, a raccoon ran out in front of us."

They all groaned and slumped back into their seats. It was gonna be a very, very long drive.

TT

Kori rested her head on her arms and her arms on the toilet in front of her. Her knees were sore from kneeling on the tiled bathroom floor for ten minutes and she had a sour taste in her mouth.

She unrolled some toilet paper and wiped her mouth. Finally coming to the conclusion that she was done puking, she flushed the toilet and weakly stood up. The shower has been running the entire time, and she hoped it was enough to drown out the horrible noise of her heaving up her dinner.

Richard was downstairs cleaning up the kitchen after cooking a delicious spaghetti dinner. Kori insisted on showering before bed and just barely made it to the upstairs bathroom in time. Her 'morning sickness' hit her at just about every moon of the freaking day.

It's been two weeks of their honeymoon in Orlando, Florida. Kori has spent most of it avoiding alcohol, checking her slowly-growing stomach, and throwing up. Aside from all the aspects of her secret pregnancy, she's actually been enjoying her honeymoon.

Her favorite part of it so far has been the beach. If she could, she'd spend all day every day at the beach soaking up the warm summer sun and listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. It was practically heaven for her.

Richard has been more than sweet their entire vacation. He's taken on most of the work—work being planning everything they'd be doing for their honeymoon. He also made sure she didn't go hungry. Kori having nine stomachs didn't exactly go unnoticed, and with her carrying a child now, her cravings and hunger have been out of control.

"Babe?" Richard knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you almost done?"

Kori perked up and quickly stripped down. She hopped in the shower and poked her head around the curtain. "I still need a few minutes! The water feels nice!"

Richard smirked. "Mind if I join?"

Kori bit her bottom lip. She wanted to say yes—like really wanted to say yes. But she needed to do some thinking in the shower and would not be able to do that with Richard distracting her.

Let's just say their sex life has been pretty active since tying the knot.

"I—I'll be done in, like, two minutes!" Kori called and felt guilty for basically turning him down. However, she'd make up for it later tonight.

Every day that passed between the two of them, Kori felt even worse about keeping such a big secret from him. She didn't know how to tell him. She was so scared and felt extremely alone. But she was carrying his child—their child. She knew she needed to tell him.

Eventually, Kori was going to start showing and it was going to get to the point to where she didn't just look like she "put on a couple pounds". That, and she didn't know how much longer she could keep hiding the fact that she's puking her brains out three or four times a day.

How could they be so reckless?

Being an alien and all never really made pregnancy seem like a huge deal here on earth. Back on Tamaran, it was pretty normal. But on earth, teenagers were not supposed to have babies. Just like they weren't supposed to get married at such a young age.

Richard was going to flip.

Kori stepped out of the bathroom about five minutes later in nothing but a towel. She walked into the master bedroom of the beautiful beach house they were staying in (Bruce owned it). Richard was lying on the bed scrolling through his phone.

"Look what Roy sent me," he chuckled as he showed Kori his phone. A picture of Roy and their friends crammed in the car, everyone with a different expression on their face, was present on the phone.

Kori giggled. "I miss our friends terribly."

"So do I." Richard set his phone down on the nightstand and motioned for Kori to come lay by him. "But we'll be seeing them in a week or so."

Kori climbed onto the bed and laid into Richard's warm embrace. She was still sopping wet, but he clearly didn't care. "Have you heard from friend Jason?"

"No. But I trust he is doing good."

"Me too."

Silence engulfed between them and Kori swallowed hard. Now would be a perfect time to tell him. Now. Right this very moment. Any minute now. Right where she has him.

"I—I want to have sexual intercourse!" Kori blurted out. Her cheeks immediately flushed red and she mentally smacked herself.

Way to go, Kori. The exact opposite of what you should be doing. The very thing that led you to this predicament!

"Well what are you waiting for?" Richard said as he slowly removed her towel. A sly smile crossed his face as he stared at his beautiful wife. "Come here."

Kori smiled a guilty yet pleasured smile. She decided that she'll just have to tell him the news tomorrow.

Another day wouldn't hurt.

TT

Gar sat on the plush hotel bed with his head in his hands. He felt like complete ass. Mostly from the car ride but he also just felt sick. It was very odd for him to get sick in the summer.

Everyone was at the hotel pool, relaxing and enjoying the sun. He, however, wanted nothing more than to take a nap for five years. That sounded good.

They still had about few more hours of travel time before reaching South Padre, but for now they'd reached their one-night stay hotel. It was a five-star, room-serviced, six-story hotel. Just walking into the lobby sent a wave of comfort throughout the guests' bodies.

There was a knock at the door before Rachel came in. She had on a loose black T-shirt over her black two-piece swimsuit. Her book was of course in her hand along with a small beach bag. She also had on Black shades and a big black floppy hat. Sun wasn't really her thing.

"Feeling okay?" She asked Gar. She walked over to him and sat down on the bed.

Gar shrugged. "Not really. I feel like crap."

"Yeah, you don't look too hot." She put her hand on his forehead and grimaced. "But you feel hot."

Gar wiggled his eyebrows. "Ooo, I love it when you talk dirty to me."

Rachel smacked him. "Even when you feel like shit you still know how to be annoying."

"You love me." Gar made a kissy face at her. "You loveeeeeeeee me."

"Hate you."

"LOVE ME!" He tackled her onto the bed and nuzzled his face into her neck.

Rachel couldn't resist a laugh and screamed out loud. She was a little ticklish and Gar just being this close to her made her feel all kinds of excitement. She tried pushing him off but he latched onto her like a slap bracelet.

"Garfield!" She yelled as he attempted to tickle her. "I will kill you!"

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Rae!" Gar straddled her and refused to let up. His toothy grin made her blush.

Rae. She hated that nickname at first and he was the only person who she let call her that. It sounded angelic coming from him. Anyone else—it just sounded annoying.

Gar sighed and flopped back down onto the bed. He shut his eyes and frowned. He groaned slightly and flipped onto his side.

Rachel grimaced. She sat up and rubbed his back. A sudden idea popped into her head but she didn't exactly know how to go about it.

"Maybe...I can try something," she said quietly.

Gar kept his eyes closed as he said, "I've taken, like, every medicine on this planet already."

Rachel shook her head. "No, it's not really medicine."

Gar opened one eye. "What is it then?"

Rachel crossed her legs on the bed and took a deep breath as she examined Gar's body. She could definitely tell he was sick. He was pale, his lymph nodes were swollen, and he was weak. His body lacked any sort of strength—minus the tickle sesh he just pulled—and his breathing was staggered.

Rachel hated him seeing like this. She said, "I can try and heal you."

Gar perked up at this. "Really? I mean, I trust you. Do you trust you?"

"For the most part."

He quirked an eyebrow. "That didn't sound promising."

Rachel cracked the smallest of smiles. "Sit up." She patted the spot next to her. She was confident in herself. She's healed things before...not really people but she was sure she could do it.

Rachel was a lot more powerful than she thought.

Gar was in need. Gar was someone she cared deeply for and if he was the only person she could ever heal, she'd take it.

"Just...just close your eyes and stay still," Rachel demanded gently. When he did as he was told, she slowly placed her hands on both of his temples.

Gar took a deep breath and said nothing. She closed her own eyes and concentrated. Soon, a different kind of energy tingled at her fingertips. It started there, then carried its way through her actual fingers, down her arms, and soon, throughout her entire body.

Rachel has never felt this kind of energy before. It was a good feeling. It was refreshing. She only hoped it was the same for Gar. He was quiet on his end as she let her power flow through him.

She could feel her short black hair flowing around her. It felt as if her and Gar were the only two people on this earth right now. Her eyes were shut, but she could see light. Bright white light. Sparkles glistening in that light. Gar's hand holding hers. She was healing him.

A smile creeped onto her face. "I think it's working," she whispered.

Gar smiled as well and could already feel his immune system strengthening. He could feel the tingling throughout his body, and warmth from Rachel's gentle touch.

All of a sudden, Rachel's bright vision turned dark and a beast with the sharpest fangs snapped at her. It growled and clawed at her vision. Blood red was the color she saw now.

Rachel screamed and felt herself being thrown back into the TV stand. She winced at the instant pain and snapped her eyes open. Her breathing increased and she was trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

Gar was at her side in an instant. "Rachel!" He crouched down next to her. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" He helped her up immediately.

Rachel nodded but rubbed her side. She looked all around the room to see if anything was out of place. She was searching for answers as to what the hell just occurred. One minute she was seeing practically heaven as she healed her boyfriend and the next it was disputed by some...beast.

"Are you sure you're okay, Rachel?" Gar asked, clearly concerned for her. He ran a hand through her hair. "I mean, I feel better but I don't think you should ever try that again."

"Gar, I'm fine," she said and sighed. "Really, I'm okay."

"Yeah but you clearly overused your powers or something."

Rachel shook her head. "No, I'm okay. Just—just don't tell anyone about this. Especially Richard."

Gar gave her an uneasy look but nevertheless agreed to keep quiet. He knew if he said anything about this to Richard, not only would Rachel kill him but she'd be cooped up in the lab at Wayne manor getting hundreds of tests done. They didn't need that.

"Let's just go back to the pool, okay?" Rachel said.

Gar blinked and took a deep breath. He nodded uneasily and said, "Yeah, okay. Sure."

They headed that way but Rachel couldn't get the terrible image of the horrid beast out of her mind. It was scary and sent chills throughout her body. She just had no idea where the hell that came from or what it meant.

All she knew was she'd be burying that moment in the deepest, darkest pit of her mind. That, and she wouldn't be healing anyone again anytime soon.

TT

They made it. It's been a long almost forty-eight hours filled with what felt like a thousand stops, bickering, sickness, and fast food, but the gang finally made it to South Padre Island.

"I can't believe we're actually here!" Jade said as she stared out the window at the beautiful resort they were staying at.

"Yeah, you're welcome," Wally retorted. "I'm a genius."

Jade snorted as they parked the car. "Uh-huh. Far from it actually."

They all got out of the car, stretched their stiff limbs, and breathed in the summer air. The smell of the ocean wafted through the air and from their resort, they could see just how blue the ocean was. Palm trees were everywhere, the sand looked like sugar, and there were more people in bathing suits walking around than actual clothes.

"So, what should we do first?" Isaiah asked as he opened the trunk.

"I think we should head up to our suites, relax a little, and then spend the day at the beach," Jade said.

They all agreed to that. It'd been a long day, and it was about three in the afternoon and it was safe to say they were all pretty exhausted. A day at the beach sounded perfect.

The seven of them checked in and took the elevator up to the sixth floor. It was a long ways up but they had the ultimate master suite. There were three bedrooms, each with their own bathroom, a living area with a sixty-inch flat screen, a kitchen with a bar area, and a balcony that overlooked the beautiful beach.

The resort itself put a nice dent in Roy's credit card, but he knew it didn't affect him all that much. The resort also included three meals a day in the dining area and it had a fitness center, pool—indoor and outdoor—hot tub, and spa. A one week stay here was sure to do them some good.

Once they got up to the suite, they were all in awe at how massive and delicate everything looked. There were two king beds—one in each room—and two queen beds in the last room. Naturally, the two couples on the trip would be sharing the king beds. But then the problem of who'd be sleeping with who between the three guys arose.

"I am not sleeping with either one of y'all!" Vic said matter-of-fact as he crossed his big arms over his chest.

"Well I'm the one who planned the trip!" Wally countered. "I should get my own bed!"

"Hey, you would've been on this trip alone if it hadn't been for any of us!" Isaiah yelled.

"That is the dumbest excuse I've ever heard!" Wally pointed an accusing finger at Isaiah's chest.

"Oh now you wanna talk about all things dumb!" Vic added. "I'll show you the dumbest thing I've ever seen!" He looked Wally up and down, implying that he was, in fact, the dumbest thing.

While the three of them bickered and argued, it got to the point where it was about to become physical. Vic was trying to grab ahold of Wally but Wally was too fast for him. Isaiah jumped onto Vic's back and Wally seized his chance to grab ahold of Isaiah's leg. They were trampling around the suite, and if they kept it up something was bound to break.

"ENOUGH!" Rachel yelled and her eyes flashed a dark black. In an instant, her black magic poured out of her like three hands. Each 'hand' plucked Wally, Vic, and Isaiah away from each other.

The three of them stared in shock at Rachel. It looked like they'd just seen a ghost. Rachel crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes before speaking.

"We have to be on this trip together for a week and it will not be ruined simply because you imbeciles can't grow up and figure out your sleeping arrangements. Keep it up and you'll all three be sleeping outside. Got it?" Rachel's voice didn't waver once.

They all three nodded obediently. Behind Rachel, Roy put his hands on her shoulders and cracked a laugh. "I'm so glad we brought you." He patted her shoulders and pulled Jade away to one of the bedrooms.

In the end, Wally ended up sleeping on the pull out couch in the bedroom with them queen beds, much to his dismay. But there was some kind of agreement where they'd take turns with the nice beds. Who knew if that would actually happen.

Vacation has officially begun.

TT

Terra stared blankly out the window in her bedroom. The sky was dark and the stars seemed dull tonight. Coyotes howled in the distant making it harder to get any sleep.

But Terra didn't sleep much these nights. Her tiny, one-bedroom apartment was anything but cozy. She was alone with no one to talk to and nothing to do but sulk. She was depressed and lost.

The summer has just begun and she resided in the bad part of Porter, California. She dreaded the new school year. She had nothing to look forward to and no one to see.

Well, there was one person…

Garfield Logan peaked her interest the second she met him. He was goofy, quirky, and cute. He made her feel like a real person too. Terra genuinely liked Gar. But after Rachel Roth awoke from her deep slumber, he forgot about her. He forgot about the time they spent together.

Terra clenched her fists and her eyes glowed yellow. She scowled into the night as Rachel's face drifted through her clouded mind. She hated her. She absolutely despised her. Rachel Roth seemed to be the root of all her problems.

She turned around and walked over to her dresser. She slowly opened the third drawer and pushed aside the old T-shirts she stored in there. Underneath all of them, a cracked, dirt-covered mask lay there. It was half orange and half black.

"Slade…" Terra whispered as she swallowed back tears.

Slade was the only person who cared about Terra. Their time together meant everything to her and she was devastated when it was cut short. She hasn't had anybody to take care of her in years, and when she met Slade, all of that changed.

He showed her how to use her powers in ways she never imagined. He provided her with this apartment; it was small but it was shelter and kept her safe. He gave her a way out of the lost life she was living before.

Now he was gone. And she was lost all over again.

"I will avenge you." Terra's words were laced with malice. She could feel the fire of revenge burning in her stomach.

Terra walked over to her closet and opening it up. She split her clothes down the middle on the rack to reveal a suit. It wasn't just any suit—it was one that Slade designed specifically for her. And as she stood in front of it, she couldn't help but feel as if it were a second layer of skin for her.

"I'm going to destroy the Teen Titans. Even if it's the last thing I do."