A/N: Hello again guys! Well, I'm officially a college student now…in my dorm and going to Frat parties and the like. But, I will never ever abandon this fic, so never fear readers! While I'm on the topic, thanx to everyone who reviewed! I loved the criticism I got this time around. Not going to comment on the criticisms, but I totally get what you guys are saying, and I'll be more mindful about those specific points from now on. Luckily, Justice League is history for the time being.
Next, I'm so sorry for the awful wait…I've been focusing on my new Escaflowne story, which I'm loving by the way, that I kind of shunted this fic to the side. I hope none of you guys are pissed at me, and if you are, sorry again.
I hope you guys like this chapter…it should be lighter than the last couple ones !
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Chapter 8: Unexpected Visitors and Surprises:
The mood in the Tower had changed significantly in the last few months as compared to what it had been. No longer was mistrust and deceit spreading throughout the tower like a disease through the human body, it had been replaced with an unmistakable excited fervor instead. As if to join in with the happy atmosphere, the weather had dropped the angry storm clouds and adopted a sunny demeanor with a slight breeze as well. Even the citizens of Jump City had noticed the changes in their world, although none of them had an inkling as to why.
However, none of these changes could even touch the changes wrought upon the famous crime-fighting teens living in the huge T-Tower. All the Titans, Raven included, seemed to embrace the fact that a little Titan would be entering their midst with unrestrained enthusiasm. Cyborg had taken to calling himself the unborn child's uncle and arguing with Beastboy over which one would be the favorite uncle. Jinx had started to help Starfire shop for clothes to hide the much more noticeable bump in her otherwise flat stomach, and Raven had decided to start child-proofing the Tower, even though it was still another six months before Starfire's due date. In addition, Lily had taken up the responsibility to help furnish the baby's new room (which would actually be an extended part of Robin and Starfire's room) while Ahren was helping Robin build the extra part onto his room.
All of the Titans had noticed the amazing change in their leader; it was as if he was a new person, no longer closed off or secretive. He had even opted to leave his mask off unless he was out fighting crime, something that the rest of the team, albeit Starfire, were still adjusting too. After all, for over three years no one had known what color his ever were, and now his striking blue orbs were smiling at them whenever he saw anyone. Cyborg had in fact asked what had inspired the decision had Robin had said with a slight punch-drunk grin on his face, "Well, I can't be a father who hide his face all the time can I?"
Yes, it was a definite happy period for the now young adult crime-fighting team at the moment; however, a now serious argument was occurring in the Tower between the expectant parents.
"Star, I know you think it will be all right if you still go out and fight with us, but honestly, you're pregnant! I think some of the criminals are going to notice the bump from your costume."
"Robin, just because I am going to be a little bit larger does not mean that I will become incompetent!"
"I swear sometimes Star…you are going to drive me crazy if you keep arguing with me about this! You are four months along, you have morning sickness, and you are getting way to big to go out and fight for Christ's sake!"
Starfire smirked slightly at her love's frustrated face, appreciating how his blue eyes and nose scrunched together when he was getting a headache. She let out a golden peal of laughter, and walked over to wrap his tense, lithe frame in a loving embrace, a tingling feeling creeping up her spine as she felt him relax and return the hug. She tipped her face up to look into his and said playfully, "I am not meaning to make you frustrated with me Robin, I understand your concern, but I still feel as if I can help. You are worrying too much about little me."
"I probably am Star," Robin said with a chuckle, as he lovingly brushed a hand down her cheek and cupping her jaw. "But that's just me. I can't help it."
He leaned down and captured the red-headed alien's lips with his own, warmth spreading through his body as he felt her hands run through his jet-black hair. She pressed her form into his to deepen their kiss, and his free hand traveled down to rest on the already developed bump on her belly. He broke away, and looked down to where his hand lay, brilliant smile lighting up his eyes as she placed one of her own hands over his.
"I still can't believe this is happening to us Star," Robin said in a quiet voice that reminded Starfire of an excited child on the holiday celebrated with trees covered in lights. "I'm going to be a father…a father!"
"Yes," she said, smiling at her boyfriend's enthusiasm. It seemed so long ago that she was worried of telling him that she was with a child, afraid that he would think her sullied or wouldn't want to have a child. Those fears were silly, she realized, born out of her own insecurities and fears. Ahren had been right after all, Robin was positively overjoyed at the prospect of being a parent. "You most certainly are. And I am going to become a mother yes?"
"Yes Star," Robin said with a laugh, placing a quick but gentle kiss on her lips. "Yes you are."
The two were interrupted from further displays of affection when both Cyborg and Beastboy came bursting in, arguing at ridiculously high levels on what the child's name should be if it was a boy. Raven and Jinx came in shortly after, shaking their heads in mirth at their boyfriends' antics, and Lily came sprinting in to spirit Starfire away to talk about more baby-shower issues. Robin stared at his friends for minute, losing himself in the unfamiliar sense of calm that had been overtaking him of late. It wasn't until someone spoke by his side did he realize that the others had left the room as quickly as they had come, their interests still solely lying with Starfire.
"You look deep in thought," Ahren said in a mildly amused tone, his brown eyes twinkling that he had snapped Robin out of his reverie. "Thinking about anything good?"
"Actually," Robin said with a smile as he started to pick up the mess of spilt papers and such that the whirlwind that is his team had left behind in their wake. "Yes. But not in the manner that you probably think I am. Just everything about Star being pregnant and us becoming parents…it's all I can think about lately. It's calming surprisingly though, I thought it was supposed to be stressful."
" Well," Ahren said with a chuckle as he bent down to help Robin pick up papers. "You and red aren't exactly the most normal of folk. Hell, none of us are, I guess it makes sense that these sort of issues are calming for us. They make us feel normal."
Robin didn't say anything, merely nodded his head in agreement as both he and the psychic cleaned up the study of the Tower. When they finished, Robin straightened his slender frame, wincing only slightly as his right side gave a painful twinge.
"Still hurt?" Ahren asked, knowing the answer he would get.
"Not really," Robin lied, a smile quickly masking the grimace as the pain passed. "Just sore from time to time. It's not serious."
"I'm sure," Ahren said sarcastically, fixing Robin with a knowing look. "I know it does, that stick thing Vanessa used was not the coolest thing to use. Lily called it an Agien I think…seemed pretty worried about it too. I guess it's a tool of dark magic or whatever, I'd just be happy to still be walking after that thing. But, you always were stubborn."
Robin chose to say nothing again, Ahren's mentioning of Vanessa bringing back some not-so-happy memories of his time as her captive. But he didn't let it bother him; Ahren seemed to have a problem of spouting exactly what was on his mind, even if it wasn't very tactful. He didn't mean any harm by what he said.
"So," Ahren said, abruptly changing the topic of the conversation. "You and Star come up with any names for the baby yet?"
"Not really," Robin said with a grin as the two young men walked back towards the common room of the Tower. "We've discussed candidates, but all we know is that its middle name will be Tameranean, she wants him or her to be reminded of both heritages. I kind of want to name it after my dad if it's a boy though."
Ahren smiled at Robin's anticipation, happy that his old friend had regained certain pieces of his life again. Ahren had expressly told both Lily and Raven, the only two who fully understood the meanings of his visions, to not reveal to Starfire and Robin that their child was going to be a girl. He didn't want to worry the happy couple right after they had been reunited, it wouldn't hurt to keep the fact that their daughter was going to help save humanity some day.
Or would it?
Ahren had realized, along with Lily, that withholding information had led to the Titans mistrusting them, something that had nearly proved their undoing four months ago. It was a grievous mistake on his part, Ahren knew, and he promised Raven he wouldn't do it again, but yet here he was, repeating history. He told himself he was doing it to protect them, to protect Starfire and her child, but he felt like that wasn't entirely true when he looked at his views objectively. Maybe he was still trying to coddle the Titans because he thought of them as children, even though he was completely aware that they were not. Another curse of his power, too much knowledge at a young age that makes one much older than he or she may appear. Maybe he just didn't trust them with the horrible knowledge he carried within his mind, thinking that it would be too much for them to handle.
'Great,' he thought to himself in self-mockery. 'Now not only are you an asshole, but now you're a hypocrite. That's just great Ahren, no wonder you have so many friends.'
He shut away those disturbing thoughts when he and Robin walked into the common room, the festive air to happy for him to continue his unhappy notions. He smiled as Starfire dragged Robin away to look at a bassinet Jinx had circled in a catalogue form Baby's R' Us. Maybe things would end up being okay, he thought as he watched the makeshift family unit planning to welcome their newest member, just maybe he needed to have a little more faith in others.
As Ahren worked his way threw his tumultuous feelings, Raven was watching Starfire with unabated curiosity, trying to figure out why the alien princess was already so swelled up after only four months. True, she had never had a child, but Raven had taken it up as her responsibility to read all those baby books and information packets so at least one person in the Tower had an idea what was going on. Now, even though Starfire's anatomy was different from humans, the reproductive organs were more or less the same, so it made no sense that she looked like she was six or seven months along rather than just four, especially on her slender frame.
It was puzzling to the gothic beauty to say the least. She had suggested that Starfire go and have sonogram, but both Robin and Starfire wanted to keep the fact that she was pregnant a secret from the public to avoid attracting both the press and unwanted villains. Plus, Starfire wanted to be surprised concerning the gender of the child. So, Raven was left to muddle her way threw why Starfire's belly was so swollen, not thinking she was in any danger, just simply concerned about her friend. She was shocked out of contemplative manner when she felt a magazine hit her on the side of the head. Shooting a scowl at her obnoxious boyfriend, Raven levitated off the floor, and began to chase her frightened counterpart around the room, drawing laughs from nearly everyone, especially Cyborg.
Yes, another beautiful day in the Tower was coming to a close.
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"Robin," Starfire said quietly as he began to climb into bed beside her. "I have something I wish to discuss with you."
"Yep," Robin said distractedly, extremely tired from all the baby planning accomplished that day.
"I-uh, I received a transmission this afternoon from my g'norfka Galfore," Starfire said hesitantly. "Do you remember him?"
"Uh, big guy with red hair who yelled at me for touching you when we went to your home planet that one time? Yeah, I remember."
"Oh wonderful! Well, he contacted me to inform me that he and others from Tameran will be gracing the Tower with their presence in one Earth week from tonight. Galfore wishes to have me inspected by Tameranean physicians to make sure everything is progressing smoothly in my jar'neal."
"Uh uh," Robin said as his mind drifted off to sleep. It was only after his mind registered exactly what Starfire said that his deep blue eyes snapped open in shock. "WHAT!"
"Galfore and others form Tameranean will be coming here to ma--"
"No, I heard you Star," Robin said hurriedly as he shot straight up and turned on the lamp to illuminate the room, and his lover's confused face. " It's just that…well I mean Galfore didn't really like me before and now when he sees you like this…oh shit…he's going to kill me."
"Robin?" Starfire asked with a small smile playing on her lips as she watched Robin rise out of bed and start pacing around the room in uncharacteristic panic. "Why would Galfore wish to murder you? You have done nothing wrong."
"I haven't done anything wrong?" Robin asked cynically. "Oh sure, getting you pregnant isn't anything wrong to the guy who raised you. He's practically your father Star! Boyfriends aren't supposed to get the girlfriend pregnant before they get married, yeah he'll be my best friend I'm sure."
"Robin," Starfire said in a placating tone, trying to calm him down. "Do not be troubled; Galfore is already well aware of the situation, he was not angry when I first told him of the child. You are worrying for no reason."
"You-you told him that you're pregnant?" Robin asked in a horrified voice, slowly turning around to face the red-head. "Oh no…he really is going to kill me. He's had all this time to think about this…"
"Robin!" Starfire yelled, startling the blue eyed youth out of his incoherent stuttering. "Stop worrying about this! Galfore is not going to either kill you or want to kill you! He is perfectly joyous about our child! No calm down and sit back down on the bed."
Robin obediently did as he was told, already having experience with one of Starfire's pregnant tantrums to know better than to argue. She smiled warmly at him when he sat beside her and took his hand in hers. "Now, do you love me Robin?"
"Of course I do Star."
"And do love this child growing within me?"
"Yes, why wouldn't I?"
"And do promise to always aid me and the child when we need it?"
"Star, you know I will--"
"Then you have absolutely nothing to worry about Robin," Starfire said with a sparkling smile. "Galfore has always been aware of my feelings for you, and he has recently been aware of yours for me, he knows you will protect both the child and myself no matter what and will love us unconditionally. It will not matter whether or not we are married; I actually think he prefers that we are not."
"Why?" Robin asked, a dazed look on his handsome features.
"Because, on Tameran marriages in the royal house are usually done for purposes other than love: treaties, trade, and alliances usually. You are aware of this; do you not recall the time I was nearly married off by my sister to that green blob? It was unheard of what I did, refusing to marry him, we almost never marry for love. Occasionally, love will blossom as it did with my parents, but that is an extremely rare occurrence. Galfore is happy that I have found love."
"I didn't know marriages were that bad a thing on your planet," Robin said quietly, remembering how sad she had looked when she first informed the Titans she was to be wed. "I guess you can't marry for those reasons uh? I mean you are still a princess of Tameran."
"No, I suppose I cannot marry because of those reasons," Starfire said in a calm voice, something which surprised Robin. She then smiled at him and said, "However, marriage is not something that is overly important to me. There is a ritual among my people that I had always dreamt of doing, it is called the Anatheil. It is something where two beings swear to devote themselves eternally to another, a troth-mate. That is what I am to you Robin, and vice-versa, while we have never said the exact words, we have said things to each other that make this true, and that is why Galfore will not be upset with you Robin, you are my cheir Robin, you have been since I first met you three years ago, it just took us both time to realize that."
Robin simply stared at Starfire, lost for words at the revelation she had given to him. In that moment, in that crucial moment when someone is forced to confront the true depth of their feelings, Robin smiled at the beautiful princess, affirming what she had just said. He leaned over and placed his lips over hers, letting her know he felt the same way and that he was no longer worried about what someone else would think of him. They loved each other, and they would love their child with the same amount of love no matter what.
The rest of what was communicated that night between the lovers has no need for words.
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The week passed by as any other normal week would pass by in Jump City; the only difference was that crime seemed to be unusually low. The Titans welcomed that sign of fortune with open arms, now being able to cleaning and rearranging the Tower for the Tameranean delegates whom would be arriving soon. The extra rooms were prepared, the bathrooms scrubbed, the hangar organized for any of their ships that might need space, and the dreaded refrigerator was cleaned out. Everyone was excited underneath their tired appearances, especially Raven because she was hoping to discover why Starfire was so large, a question the physicians Galfore was bringing should be able to answer.
When the fateful day finally arrived, Robin double checked with the League that Jump City had been informed an alien ship would be arriving that afternoon and Cyborg prepared the landing pad on the roof of the Tower for the ships to land. Starfire had told them that Galfore would most likely be traveling on a medium sized diplomatic ship, so the landing pad would suffice. Everyone was anxious as the clock ticked the minutes away, all either anxious to see old friends again or anxious to see other beings for the first time.
It was Beastboy who first saw the ship coming from the east, a sleek and narrow ship colored blue and white, and he made sure to tell the others of its approach. As the alien ship slowed down and prepared to land on the landing pad, Starfire inched even closer to Robin, slipping her hand in his and squeezing it for support, still aware of the jitters he possessed about this meeting. He turned his head slightly and gave her a gentle smile to let her know he was fine and then directed his azure orbs back towards the now landed ship.
The hatch opened on the bottom of the ship to form a ramp for the intergalactic delegates to walk down, and they did just that, large burly Tameraneans wearing armor the first to exit. They looked around at the Titans and at the strange planet they now were on with both uncertainty and curiosity, but stood at attention abruptly as the other passengers walked off the ship. Robin did not recognize any of them, their hair color ranging from red to brown and their dark purple robes billowing after them.
"They are the royal council of Tameran," Starfire whispered in his ear when she noticed his confused expression. "And these next are some physicians from my planet, similar to your doctors."
Robin looked at the ones called physicians with interest, their clothing the most unusual of the bunch so far. They all wore simple white robes that were belted across the middle with a purple belt, but every head was shaven. They reminded Robin of Buddhist monks, from their shaved heads to the robes and even in how they walked, a slow methodical march. The last one to exit the ship, other than the sailors of course was Galfore, and he looked exactly as Robin remembered him to. The wild red hair was still unkempt and gave him the look of a fierce warrior, and he was still the largest man he had ever seen.
Galfore fixed his hawk-like green eyes on each of the Titans, giving a brief nod to those he knew and a polite stare to those he did not. Lastly, he fixed his eyes on Robin and Starfire, and his fierce countenance melted instantly into one of fatherly love as he looked at Starfire. She squealed and let go of Robin's hand to fly up and embrace her caretaker around his rather large neck. He let out a booming laugh as he too wrapped her into an embrace, albeit gently for he knew what she carried.
"Hello my little bm'gorpf! How I have missed you! And now look at you, carrying a little one of your own! The child had better learn to call me attar!"
" Oh Galfore!" Starfire exclaimed happily as she pulled out of the hug and floated back down to the ceiling. "I have missed you as well! I was so happy when you informed me you were coming to Earth, come, you remember my friends!"
Galfore nodded, his eyes now fixing on Robin, who had remained politely silent during their reunion, despite the looks he was receiving from the other delegates. Robin stood still as Galfore took huge strides to stand directly in front of the slender young man. Starfire glided over as well, resuming her space next to Robin and slipping her steady hand back into his nervous one.
"Galfore, you remember Robin," Starfire said in a cheerful tone. "He is the leader of the Titans here, and he is also my cheir."
"So you found someone for you on Earth after all Kori'andr?" Galfore stated, shooting the red-headed girl a wily smile. She gave him a nod and before Robin could do anything, Galfore swept him into a bone-crushing hug, emitting a booming laugh as he did so. Starfire and the other Titans tried to hide their smiles at the astonished and choking look on Robin's face, but then Starfire's look turned concerned when she saw Robin give a slight grimace and emit a low grunt.
"Galfore," she said, placing her hand on his huge arm. "I do not think he can breathe properly, and he has a wound that is not completely healed yet."
"Oh!" Galfore exclaimed as he set down a wincing Robin, who was now holding his side and trying to steady his breath. "My apologies young human. I was not aware you were maimed or else I would not have lifted you."
"I'm not maimed!" Robin said forcefully, perhaps a bit more than he intended to be. "It's…it's just an old wound that twinges a bit now and then. I'm fine."
Galfore studied him for a moment, and then let another booming laugh and slapped Robin on the back. "You have chosen a strong one Kori'andr! A worthy sire for your child!"
" My thanks Galfore," Starfire replied, a slight smile playing on her full lips at the blush creeping onto Robin's cheeks. "Now, why do we not enter the Tower and we can speak of what as happened since I left Tameran last time."
Nodding in agreement, Galfore barked orders to the others in Tameraneans before turning around for Starfire to lead back into the Tower, which she did. Robin let her go, respecting her need to be with her people at the moment, and he walked back with Lily and Ahren, trying to ignore their smirks as they walked back down into the comfort of their home.
'This is going to be interesting,' Robin thought to himself as he closed the door to the roof.
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Sure enough, the next few days were very interesting in the Tower, the startling culture of the Tameraneans on full display at every moment. Starfire, the other had decided, had been relatively tame with her culture and customs when compared to delegates who had come to see her. The way they all ate, Raven and Beastboy were wondering why they had bothered to clean the kitchen at all, and the aliens kept reciting the hundred or so verses of a Tameranean poem of joy in the morning and at night. Not to mention how curious they all seemed about the strange contraptions on this planet, feeling the need to touch everything in their sight and fiercely ask the Titans what these items were used for.
Luckily, Starfire was always there to translate for her friends.
Galfore and his soldiers had taken to conversing with Robin whenever they had a chance, adopting a sort of fatherly mentality towards the youth, and the others could see that he didn't mind at all. Some of the other Tameraneans, a few of the older members of the Royal Council Starfire had pointed out, were open with their disapproval for the young man so Robin was accepting, well, acceptance wherever it came from. Starfire was extremely grateful towards Galfore for defending her decision to be with Robin, and she gave a soft sigh of remorse as she turned her attention away from her love and back towards the Council, whom were in deep discussion.
She knew it would have been naïve to think that everyone from her planet would just readily accept her choice to be with Robin, but she could not help but feel sad that her people were still so wary of inter-race relationships. It reminded her very much of the time that Val'Yor of Vernathia came to Earth and let his prejudices towards her people cloud his judgment and compassion. It was just the same, even her people succumbed to it, and Starfire was quite aware of how humans fell to it, Cyborg taking the time to explain it to her once upon a time. Starfire just could not see where the intelligence in this sort of state of mind was, it made absolutely no sense to her for different races to despise each other simply because of a biological difference.
Yet, that was exactly what her own "Council" was doing, arguing over whether or not her relationship with Robin was what is best of Tameran. To be frank, she was not worried about her raven-haired youth, knowing that he was perfectly capable of defending himself if needs be. No, she was worried about what these men and woman were talking about concerning her child. Whether she decided to accept the throne or not, her child was still the crown heir to Tameran and these delegates were discussing whether or not her unborn child would even be accepted on Tameran. Her emerald eyes started to glow in anger, the thought of her child being persecuted because it was of two races making her blood boil and starbolts to form around her hands.
"Child," an elderly and calm voice said from behind Starfire, causing her to emit a surprised "EEP" and retract the bolts. "It is folly to get angered of such things, I am sure your child will be loved by many to outweigh the hate of few."
Starfire turned her head to look at one of elderly monk physicians Galfore had brought along to make sure her jar'neal was progressing normally. The old Tameranean woman gave Starfire a kind smile and gestured her to follow as she started to walk back down the hall and towards the Tower's medical bay. Starfire did so, placing a comforting hand over her bump and feeling the strong life pulsating within her, always able to draw strength and calmness from this action.
"So," the elderly Tameranean woman commented in her native tongue as the two walked closer to their destination. "You are progressing quite well for only four, or now five months along…I think it is now safe to probe the child and make sure it does not have any defects."
"Why would my child have a defect?" Starfire asked back in her native language, a slight tone of worry conveyed to the elder.
"We do not know what a union between Tameran and Earth will result in," the physician replied calmly as she pushed open the door to the medical bay and led Starfire inside to where the other physicians had already set up a table for her. "There may be nothing wrong, but it never hurts to make sure eh?"
"Has there never been a case like this from which you can draw conclusions?" Starfire asked as she floated onto the table and lay down, letting the doctors from her home planet reveal her swollen belly and spread some type of pink goo over it.
"None that we can remember," the elder female answered lightly. "But that is of no consequence, now relax child and we will tell you how your child is doing and the gender."
Starfire gave a little pout, she had wanted to be surprised, but she knew that was a near impossible desire now. She was worried about her child as the group of physicians huddled over her and used their tools to look into her alien womb, wanting more than anything for the child to be all right. She had never stopped to consider the implications of having a hybrid child, that maybe the two races DNA simply would not mix or might cause severe debilitations, but now she kept seeing horrifying images as the doctors continued to hum. Starfire did not know how long their search lasted, only anxious to know what they discovered when they allowed her up after cleaning her belly of the goo and flipping back down the large shirt she was wearing.
The physicians disappeared for a moment, conversing among themselves in a tight huddle that Starfire could not see into as she climbed down off the table and waited fretfully by the door, wringing her hands together over her unborn child. She was about to ask what they saw, impatience overwhelming her, but then the older woman turned around and gave her a happy smile, which wiped all of the alien princess's worries away in an instant.
"Everything is well child," the elder said in a pleased voice, her bright brown eyes twinkling as if they held a huge secret. "The heartbeats were strong and everything looked well, no deformations were visible on either fetus…you are going to be a proud mother I think Princess."
Starfire was so happy at the news her child, it took her a moment to realize exactly what the older female had said. As she was floating in the air, ready to soar among the clouds she was so happy, but then something clicked in her mind and she floated back down to the floor and gave the smiling physician a questioning glance.
"Did you say both fetuses were healthy physician?"
"Why yes I did child. Did you not wonder why you were so large at only five months? It seems that you are going to be the proud mother of both a baby girl…and baby boy."
Starfire's face held its incredulous look for a moment longer before she placed her hand back over her belly and felt her…felt her children both throbbing within her. She looked back up and gave the doctors a dazzling smile and said, "I am going to be having twins! I need to go and inform the others! Oh, Robin will be so happy!
"Yes child, he will be," the lead elder said as she stepped towards Starfire, a look of worry now crossing her otherwise joyous face. "However, you know how rare it is for our kind to have two children at once…you know the complications this may give rise to, with the father being human as well. The birth could end up being serious, so it would be in the best interests of the children and yourself if at least two of us stay behind to help deliver your children should things go… awry."
Starfire nodded her head in agreement, not wanting to endanger her children in any way and gave the physicians another glorious smile to let them know she was not worried about that particular obstacle. The, she flew back into the air and jetted off to tell the rest of her teammates that there would be two new additions to the Tower by the end of the year.
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The Titans were all gathered in the common room that evening, along with every Tameranean that had arrived with Galfore, and each being was wondering what exactly the occasion was about. Starfire had been quiet the whole afternoon, although she looked to be bursting to tell them all something, and those physicians kept shooting furtive smiles at the young expectant mother. However, no one received their answer until after Galfore had toasted both Starfire's and Robin's happy union and everyone, including the sullen delegates who were troubling Starfire, drank to them.
"Friends and countrymen," Starfire said as she stood up after everyone had finished their drinks, non-alcoholic of course. "I have a rather important announcement to make, one which I am sure will over-joy everyone in this room as much as it did to me. The physicians have informed me that there is nothing to worry about, and my jar'neal is going smoothly. Both of the children are healthy and strong!"
It took a moment for everyone to register what she had said, just as it had taken her a moment, and soon she was receiving confused looks from everybody in the room except the smiling doctors.
"Um, Star," Robin said as he too rose, his hands shaking has his mind comprehended what she had said. "Did…did you just say the children are healthy and strong?"
"Why yes I did Robin," Starfire replied with a warm and loving smile as she grasped both of his hands with her own. "It seems that we are going to be the proud parents of both a baby girl and a baby boy."
Robin's face broke out into a pure and genuine smile and he swept his lover into his arms and twirled her about, giving a yell of happiness as she laughed joyously with him. Galfore started to cheer and holler in an unkingly-like manner, and the delegates gave polite claps as Jinx, Beastboy, Lily, and Cyborg all rushed from their seats to embrace the happy couple as well. Off to the corner, Ahren had steadied himself against the wall and gave Raven a confused look as she approached him.
"Ahren," the gothic girl asked worriedly. "What's wrong? This is good news you know."
"I know," Ahren said breathlessly, not bothering to fake smile for Raven's benefit…he had promised to be truthful with her. "It is good news but…but I only saw the daughter Raven! And now, they're having a son as well…I never saw him in any of my visions. It's like a curveball was just thrown my way and I blew the whole game because I couldn't catch it in time. I've seen the girl so many times, but I never saw her twin…not once…not even a glimpse. I'm worried because I don't know what this means now…I don't know…I just don't know."
Raven looked at him stoically, noting the terrified expression Ahren had on his face in worry. She had never seen Ahren terrified before, not even when he was fighting Viper, or when Robin almost died the first time, he was always calm. Like he knew everything was going to be all right in the end, but now he didn't and it horrified him. For the first time, Raven saw what a curse Ahren's gift was…he had surrounded his whole existence around stopping some golden-eyed child from destroying the world, and that somehow involved Robin and Starfire's daughter. But now they were having a son as well, a son Ahren never saw, and he was the girl's twin no less. Yes, Raven understood the uncertainty swirling around in the seer's head now; she could see it all too clearly.
"Ahren," she said softly, drawing attention back towards her. "It is all going to be all right. Just because you didn't see him, doesn't mean that everything in your vision is now useless! That future will not come to pass, Robin and Star having another child is not going to stop our determination. Be happy for them, don't let a few visions run your whole life, believe me, it's not all that great."
The startled psychic gave the purpled-eye girl a grateful smile, knowing the truth in her words were just that, truth. He pushed off the wall and joined the others in congratulating the happy parents–to-be, pushing the overwhelming fears he had just had to the back corners of his mind where he could control them. But, even as he hugged Starfire, he could see the little blue-eyed girl smiling at him, and for the first time, noticed the blank spot beside her that, try as he might, couldn't see into. For the first time that he could ever recall, he saw the spot for her brother beside her but still could not see him.
'He's the one who is hidden from the sight,' Ahren though amazedly as he pulled away from Starfire and let her hg the huge behemoth Galfore. 'The one from that prophecy once upon a time ago.'
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A/N: There you guys go, I'm sorry it took forever for me to get it out. Hopefully the following chapter won't be as bad!
I would like to dedicate this chapter to my grandpa, who has finally found peace in Heaven. Pop, you always believed in me, no matter if I did or not, and I hope you're finally in peace wherever you are. Thanks for always encouraging my writing; I'll keep it alive for you.
Please review and tell me what you think! Next one should be in a happier tone as well! Until next time!
Osco