Coming Home
Chapter Four: Announcements and New Allies
"Friends, I have returned!" Star yelled, and flew into the kitchen, a happy smile on her face. She was so happy she seemed not to have noticed that she put her shoes on the wrong feet, and her skirt was backwards.
Her friends looked at her, wondering if she was going to tell them about the engagement. Obviously it had gone well if she was this happy.
"Hey."
"Hi."
"What's up?"
Starfire beamed. "Friends, I have something to tell you." They waited for her to tell them about the engagement. "Speedy has asked to marry me!" They reacted happily, and Starfire didn't even notice the way that they gave each other knowing glances while telling her congratulations.
"And..." There was more? "I am going to have a bumgorf!" This was news they had not expected. The engagement, yes, but a baby?
"Uh... that means baby, right?" Changeling asked.
"Yes! I am going to be a knorfka!" Star told them excitedly.
"That's great, Star!" Cyborg told her. The others quickly copied his statement.
Nigthwing made himself seem happy to them all, but inside, he was worried. This meant that Star couldn't fight. He knew she would object, but he needed her out of the fights for the moment, until she had the baby.
'I'll talk to her tonight,' Nightwing thought, but that plan was ruined by the alarm.
"Well, it looks like it's time for a fight!" Changeling said.
"You guys head out, I'll be there in a second," Nightwing told them. "I need to talk to Star." They nodded, and took off towards the garage.
"What is it, Friend Nightwing?" Star asked him.
"Star, I'm really happy for you, but I'm also worried... I mean, I don't want you or the baby getting hurt..." Nightwing told her. "I think it's better if you don't fight." Star gave him a smile.
"I understand. I will stay here," She said.
"Thanks. Oh, and there's a letter on the kitchen table. It was sent yesterday. Read it while we're gone," Nigthwing told her. She nodded, and he followed his friends towards the garage.
Raven had just arrived on the scene, and was busy fighting some criminal she was unfamiliar with, when the Titans showed up.
"Titans, go!" Nightwing yelled. Beneath the cloth that covered all of her face but her eyes, she smiled. He still said that cheesy line.
"Dude, how'd Kyril get out of prison?" Changeling yelled as they charged into battle.
"I don't... know?" Cyborg replied, as all the Titans stopped short at the sight of someone else fighting the villain.
She must have looked odd to them. A white cloth covering her hair, and a blue one covering her mouth and nose. That was corrected to her bodysuit, made of a durable cloth (like the mask) instead of the uncomfortable spandex.
"Ah, a new heroine, eh?" Kyril said, smiling. He threw a punch towards her, and Raven caught his fist in her hand. She twisted, just enough to cause him a bit of discomfort and distract him, and then kicking his side. He jumped out of the way at the last moment.
"Feisty, aren't you?" He asked. She gave no answer. The Titans just stood on the side, watching her fight.
"Well, you all aren't my targets..." Kyril laughed, and threw the bags of money at the surprised Titans. "He is!" Kyril drew a gun out of his black coat, and aimed it at the black limousine that had stopped beside them. It broke a window, but hit no one. An grey haired man stepped out of the front, and quickly approached one of the doors and opened it.
"Hurry, Master Bruce," The man said. Then it clicked. For all of them. The older man was Alfred Pennyworth, and the other was Bruce Wayne, multi-millionaire and father to a boy named Richard Grayson. Oh, and there was that other hobby, too...
He was Batman.
But, as they saw, he was injured. One of his arms was bandaged. The man was in no condition to fight.
Kyril fired the gun before any of the Titans, or Raven, had a chance to move. The bullet sped towards Bruce, and they all went running towards him. Bruce didn't see it, as he was too preoccupied talking to Alfred.
They were all aware that they weren't close enough to the car to get there in time, and yelled at Bruce to watch out. He couldn't hear them. Bruce and Alfred were now inspecting the broken window. A perfect target for the bullet, which was fast approaching.
Things seemed to move in slow motion. They didn't remember that Raven (although they had no idea who she was at the time) was there until the saw her shove Bruce out of the way at the last possible second.
She took the bullet for him.
It had gone into her left shoulder, blood beginning to flow rapidly from it. She stood, holding her shoulder with her right hand.
Leaning against the car, she turned towards the Titans. Raven opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Kyril.
"Tsk, tsk. What a pity. You have such nice eyes... But you had to get in the way..." He said from the top of a building on the other side of the street.
The Titans paid no attention to him, staring at the girl leaning against the limo, breathing heavily.
"He's getting away," She told them quietly. Raven's vision was beginning to blur, and black had begun appearing at the edges of her vision.
Nightwing, at the sight of the injured girl, immediately snapped back into leader mode. "Terra, Changeling, come with me to track down Kyril. Cyborg, take her to the tower."
"No..." Raven protested weakly. She wasn't heard.
"Right."
"I'll take her. You go," Bruce said.
"You sure?" Nightwing asked. Bruce nodded.
"Take the T-Car. It's faster." Cyborg told him, tossing the keys towards the man. Bruce nodded, and the Titans departed.
"You don't want to go to Titans Tower?" Bruce asked. Raven shook her head, and instantly regretted it. Her head was pounding already, and that small movement only made things worse.
"We'll go home then. Let me drive, Alfred. Thank you." He helped Raven into the backseat, and he climbed into the front.
The last thing Raven heard before falling unconscious was, "Master Bruce, I realize that we're in a hurry, but do you really have to drive in such a radical manner?"