A/N: Thanks go out to everyone who's come with me all this way! Brownies and cookies to those who caught Raven's name! In a recent issue of the comics, (Titans #20) Raven is now free of her father's influence and is trying to pursue a more normal lifestyle when she's not crime fighting with the other Titans. She chose the name Rachel Roth as a civilian name. (Thus now in my story she would be Rachel Roth Logan) There's an excellent fanart pic of her on the favorites gallery of my deviant art profile! check it out! As for our masked villain, another cookie to those who have made guesses as to who it is. I will not tell yet who it is, but I can safely tell you this: it isn't Malchior. Nice detective work, guys!

Chapter 6: Interludes

Robin couldn't quite believe the day he was having. Beast Boy and Raven had not responded to the alarm when Killer Moth was sighted, the team had just barely been able to defeat him without them, and now the team had returned to the park to find that their children were missing.

"What else could go wrong?" Robin shouted, throwing his staff on the ground. Starfire took a fearful step back, her arm across her midsection and the others took a collective step back a second later when he rounded on them.

"Let's just try to stay calm," Torque ventured, trying to preempt some of Robin's rage. "I'm sure there's a logical explanation for all of this."

"All I've got to say is that Raven and Beast Boy better have a fantastic excuse for not responding," Robin snarled.

"Rob, Raven's pregnant," Terra gently reminded him. She was rubbing her right elbow where one of the moths had taken a swing at her. Robin whirled to face her, his eyes narrowing behind his mask.

"What did you say to me?" he replied softly, his voice hovering above a growl. Aqualad wrapped his hands protectively around Terra's shoulders and glared at Robin defensively and Mammoth growled at him.

"Cut it out, Robin. We did the best we could. Let's just go back to the Tower and get this straightened out," Speedy added. Robin didn't bother waiting for his teammates. He returned to the Tower alone and in silence. When they entered the Tower, Robin shouted for Beast Boy and Raven, but they didn't answer. Torque, Speedy and Starfire followed closely up the stairs to the bedroom levels and followed him as he entered Beast Boy and Raven's bedroom without bothering to knock. The rest of the team held its breath. If Robin blatantly walked in on something, he may not live to see another hour's life. But there was nothing. Torque discovered their missing comrades' communicators lying on the floor near the window.

"Have our friends been kidnapped as well?" Starfire gasped.

"There's got to be more here than what we're seeing," Cyborg stammered. Robin stormed out of the bedroom and past his friends. He needed to go to the gym and take out his frustrations there before it came out another way. He left the rest of the team standing dumbfounded in the hallway, wondering where to start.

"Who would kidnap the kids?" Speedy wondered.

"Could they be with Beast Boy and Raven?" Terra asked.

"That doesn't make sense. Why would they leave the communicators?" Jinx replied. About this time, Starfire began to grow a bit paler than she should be.

"Are you all right, Star?" asked Torque.

"I am…not well…" Starfire whimpered.

"We're all feelin' a little queasy, Starfire. The kids are missing," Cyborg answered. Starfire didn't respond, but crumpled to the floor seconds later, fainting into a heap of red and purple on the floor.

"Star!"

"Are you okay?"

"Say something!"

The other Titans gathered around and slowly coaxed the Tamaranian back to life. She sat up slowly, still shaking from weakness.

"I should have told you all before…" she murmured. "I am once again with child…Robin has been so angry that he has not noticed that I have been ill…" The Titans shared a soft, collective gasp of mixed emotions. They were thrilled that Robin and Starfire were to be parents again, but it concerned them that Robin had been so neglectful of her.

"Well, nothing's gonna get solved while we're sitting on the floor," Aqualad finally said. "Cyborg, I think you and I both know of someone who just might be willing to help us."

"Yeah, I do," smiled Cyborg. Minutes later, the Titans, minus their agitated leader, met in the living area to greet a friend they had not seen for years. Time had wrought a woman's beauty on her once girlish features, but her eyes still reflected the bold, self-reliant teen she had once been.

"Wassup, Titans? Havin' a little trouble kickin' butt?" she teased.

"More like someone's been kickin' ours," Cyborg retorted.

"I heard that, laser-lips. What's goin' on over there?" the voice returned.

"It's a long story, Bumblebee," Aqualad began, explaining what had happened that day. After he had finished, Bumblebee promised to begin a search of her own.

"Do you need us to send a contingent out to help you?" Aqualad offered.

"You can, but I think I've got enough help for the moment," Bumblebee smiled, gesturing behind her. A fraction of a second later, two young, bright eyed, red-haired boys appeared in front of her, crowding her out of the way and crying out, "Hola, los amigos nuevos!" The two babbled on for a moment and then began to push each other, eventually escalating to punching and then Bumblebee pushed them out of her way and rejoined the conversation.

"Before you say anything, that was Mas and Menos. The names mean More and Less. They run really, really, fast. But only when they're touching; and in case you didn't figure it out already, they only speak Spanish," Bumblebee explained.

"I like them already," Speedy grinned. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Mammoth?" The enormous Titan grinned and punched his fist into the opposite open hand.

"Yeah…target practice…"

"Now, boys, you be nice to them. They're only little kids!" Bumblebee warned. Speedy and Mammoth chuckled softly.

"All right. Speedy, Torque and Mammoth are coming to join your efforts," Aqualad replied.

"Gotcha. Thanks, guys. Good luck with the search on your end. Bumblebee out," Bumblebee concluded, disconnecting the communication relay.

"Pack up, guys. You're going East. You'll join Bumblebee, Mas, and Menos in Steel City to begin a second wave of the search," Aqualad ordered.

"Roger."

"Okie-Dokie."

"Aye-aye, mon capitain,"

"Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy's eyes blinked open and focused on the blue-cloaked vision before him. Raven was kneeling beside him, looking over him with an expression of concern.

"Beast Boy, wake up," she repeated.

"Raven?" he murmured. She helped him to sit up and he rubbed his head with a free hand. "Where are we?"

"You aren't going to believe this—Welcome to Azarath."

"Are you-"

"No, I'm not kidding and we have to get to somewhere fast," Raven remarked.

"What's wrong?" Beast Boy demanded, helping her up. Raven suddenly gasped and her hand flew to her abdomen.

"I'm in labor!"

Four of the six young Titans lay fast asleep on the king sized bed in the room in which their rescuer had placed them. Olivia, skeptical and ever watchful, sat meditating at the foot of the bed, her long violet hair occasionally falling in her face. Jason very carefully set his little backpack on the floor.

"What's in that, Jason?" Olivia asked.

"Mother told me to take care of him…she said he was my responsibility today…" Jason whimpered. Olivia closed her eyes and sighed. "Tell me you didn't bring Silkie here with you," she grumbled.

"I couldn't leave him there!" cried Jason, hugging the pack to him and making the bundle emit a gurgle and a squeak.

"Just keep him quiet. I'm trying to meditate and the others are trying to sleep," Olivia muttered. Jason crept up onto the bed and Toby woke up. Without a word, he made room for Jason and moved to the end of the bed to sit cross-legged and facing his sister. As though this was common practice, Toby and Olivia placed their arms one over the other and took each other's entwined hands. They took a unifying breath and then began to chant:

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…"

As the twins meditated, the masked face of their keeper peered through a porthole in the door. Olivia, though her eyes were closed, noticed this, and grasped her twin's hands a bit tighter. In reassurance, Toby returned the grip. He was confident that their parents and the other Titans would find them any moment.

Half an hour after Aqualad gave the order for them to pack, Speedy walked into Torque's bedroom with a backpack slung over one shoulder. The customary grin on his face vanished when he noted that his bride-to-be was sniffling back tears as she stuffed things into her duffle bag. Speedy dropped his backpack, quiver and bow and crossed the room to her, concern written in his eyes.

"Ginny?" he asked. "What's wrong, baby?"

"I was gathering stuff to pack and I almost packed Aidan's diaper bag," Torque replied without looking up from her packing. Speedy gently took hold of her hands and kissed each one, causing Torque to wilt into his arms and begin to cry all over again. Speedy murmured reassuring words to her and held her in his arms.

"We'll find them, honey," Speedy said gently. "Bring the diaper bag anyway." Torque, with her head still buried in Speedy's shoulder and her arms wrapped around his torso, nodded slowly.

"We've all been on such an adrenaline rush all day I didn't even have time to react…Roy, I want my baby back!" Torque wept.

"I know, angel. I miss him, too," Speedy replied, kissing the top of Torque's head.