A/N: Sorry for the wait on this chapter! Things are getting busy especially these last two weeks in April. I have finals and term paper to write which is just so much fun. I'm still working on chapter 6 when I have free time. Thanks for reviews again! I have a lot of pageviews but not all lot of reviews which is kinda of funny! Lol! Well enough of me talking and on to the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

Chapter 5

Rachel sat down on the chair as Victor had just left. Gar had still not left and was watching some SCI-FI movie about some creatures appearing in a small town and killing everybody. He was glued to the television and the sounds of screams coming from the television filled the room. Rachel rolled her eyes as she watched Gar so sucked in by that movie.

"Gar," said Rachel.

Gar didn't respond as he continued to watch the movie. A plug behind the television glowed black and was suddenly pulled out. Gar watched the blank screen and blinked a couple times.

"Finally," muttered Rachel. "Gar don't you think you should be getting home."

"Heh sorry Rachel the movie was really good and I guess I got sucked in," said Gar smiling sheepishly.

"Go home Garfield," said Rachel.

"Before I go can you tell me what you going to do help Richard and Kori," said Gar grabbing his coat.

"Gar I'm only going to tell you what I'm planning I don't even know how it's going to work out," said Rachel.

"Well good luck. I'll see you later Rachel," said Gar as walked out the door.

"Bye Gar," said Rachel and saw him wave.

Rachel cleaned the kitchen after the mess that two guys had left her with. Rachel had her doubts about her plan but at least she could try. Richard was like her older brother and Kori was like her sister. She couldn't let them fall out especially she didn't want Mari and Conner to lose their father.

Kori couldn't sleep as she lay trying hard not to move her body close to Richard's. It was uncomfortable lying there but she forced herself to close her eyes. Her thoughts were keeping her up as were so many thoughts ran through her head. She opened and closed her eyes hoping that she would fall asleep soon.

Richard lay there and sleep wasn't coming to him either. Kori was curled up far away from him not touching. He really screwed up Kori seemed upset more usual especially since they found that stuffed bear. What was with that teddy bear? His thoughts were interrupted when he heard something and glanced at Kori to see if she heard something. At that time Kori was fast asleep as he looked to see if she was awake.

"Kori," whispered Richard.

She didn't awake and he decided to let her sleep. Maybe he was overacting the tension between him and Kori. Richard got up and made his way out into the hall. Mari's door was shut and he opened to see Mari fast asleep still clutching the masked teddy tightly. Then he closed it and opened Conner's door. The baby was asleep. Then something moved behind the crib. In the darkness it leaned over the baby watching as it watched Conner sleep.

"Conner," said Richard but was barely above a whisper.

He could barely move at the moment if he did move he put his son in danger. His choices were very little and he moved his hand close to the light switch. Whatever that thing or person didn't seem to notice Richard in the room. He finally flipped the light switch on and light flooded the room. Nothing was there standing behind Conner's crib. He approached Conner and he was still fast asleep. Could he been seeing things again? He remembered the time when he inhaled the gas from Slade's mask. No this was different. He walked back over to flip the light off again. Once again there was nothing standing there. He must be overreacting. All the stress from being in Gotham and then being here at home was making him see things. He walked out of the room shutting the door and back into his room. He needed sleep. Hopefully everything would be better in the morning.

The next morning Kori was shifting through some papers on the table in the kitchen. Mari was playing in the living room while Conner sat next to Kori playing with his stuffed animal.

"Jingle bells, Jingle bells," sang Mari as she came into the kitchen.

"All the way," sang Kori as her daughter entered.

"Mommy can I go out and play in the snow?" asked Mari.

"Not right now wait until after lunch," said Kori. "Now I have to do grown up things."

"Alright," said Mari then she left the kitchen and went back to the living room.

She headed down the hall where she came into study room that she rarely went in because most of time it was locked. Her daddy usually was in there when he came home and he stayed in there forever.

"I don't get it," said her daddy as he was looking over files.

The computer had a picture of a symbol in red paint that looked like Mari. She wandered a bit closer to the computer. Her father wasn't paying attention and grabbed another file.

"I don't get it. What does the symbol mean? I've sent it to top linguists and they can't give me anything," murmured Richard to himself.

He felt like throwing something at that moment in frustration and he turned to see Mari looking at the computer screen.

"Mari!"

She jumped and looked at her father who didn't look happy.

"What are you doing here!" demanded her father.

Mari's eyes started to grow teary as she looked at her father. Richard let out a sigh and looked at his daughter. This day couldn't get any worse. It was suppose to Christmas Eve; it was suppose to be time to be with the family. Instead everything felt broken. He just yelled at his daughter for nothing and she was about to cry.

"Mari honey I'm sorry. Daddy didn't mean to yell at you," said Richard. "It's just I don't want you to look at that."

"I'm sorry daddy," said Mari.

He smiled and pulled her into a hug. He shut the computer off for moment and hugged her a little tighter.

"Daddy can I go play in the snow?" asked Mari.

"After awhile you can. I've got some grown up work to do," said Richard. "I want to play in snow too."

"That's what mommy said," said Mari.

"What do you mean?" asked Richard.

"She had a lot of papers on the table and she was writing her name on them," said Mari.

"Already," said Richard mostly to himself.

He picked up Mari and they headed out of the study towards the kitchen. He set Mari down as he arrived in the kitchen. Conner had thrown his stuffed animal on the ground and Richard picked it up.

"Thank you," said Kori who had been in the middle of getting up.

He didn't reply just walked over giving Conner the stuffed animal. Conner squealed in delight grabbing the stuffed animal.

"Mari why don't you go play in the other room," said Richard.

"Okay daddy," said Mari as she exited.

Her mother's smile disappeared and her father looked mad about the papers. She entered the living room and sat down on the floor. The masked teddy sat down near her and a couple of dolls lying nearby. She held up one of the dolls making it fly through the air. She wasn't paying attention at all as a black shaped figure appeared near the door.

"I'm here to save the world," said Mari. "I'm a Teen Titan!"

"So you are," said a voice.

Mari turned and let out a scream.

"Already Kori don't you think you could have waited," said Richard letting out a little anger.

"Richard I was not signing any of the divorce papers," said Kori.

"What are you doing?" asked Richard.

"It is nothing," said Kori she was trying to gather papers together.

"Mari said you were signing them," said Richard.

"I was not," said Kori then realize she was slipping back to formal English like she did when she was teenager.

"Kori what are you trying to hide from me?" asked Richard.

"Nothing," said Kori as she gathered the papers.

Something caught Richard's eye. A familiar symbol, the same one he been investigating earlier. She grabbed the paper from him and put it in the folder.

"Kori-," started Richard.

"It's nothing Richard," said Kori.

There was tension as Richard looked at his wife and what she was holding. Then they heard a scream and both of them forgot about what was going on.

"Aunt Rachel!" yelled Mari. "Aunt Rachel is here!"

Mari ran towards Rachel who was standing in the doorway.

"Aunt Rachel!" yelled Mari again.

"I'm here Mari please don't scream," said Rachel.

"Rachel what are you doing here I thought you were coming tomorrow with Victor and Gar," said Kori surprised.

"I can't come for a visit," said Rachel. "Maybe I should have called first."

"Hey Rachel," said Richard.

"It's been awhile Richard since I last saw you," said Rachel. "I didn't interrupt anything did I?"

"No nothing at all," said Kori.

"Yeah nothing," said Richard.

A cry was heard from the kitchen and Richard went to get Conner. Kori took Rachel's coat and put it up in the closet. Mari once again had her dolls and the masked teddy sat nearby.

"You found it?" asked Rachel.

"Yes it appeared on Mari's bed," said Kori.

Richard came out with Conner and gave him to Kori. He looked the teddy bear near Mari for minute.

"I've got some work to do," said Richard. "If you need me I'll be down the hall."

"Okay," replied Kori. "Would you like to hold Conner for minute? I'll make some tea."

"Um okay," said Rachel and Conner was handed over to her.

Rachel wasn't comfortable around kids; in fact she thought she scared kids. Mari liked her through then again she was her mother's daughter at times. Mari was playing with her dolls and telling a story as she went along. Rachel watched for awhile then Conner threw stuffed animal at him. Her eyes narrowed and she looked at smiling baby boy.

"I am never having children," said Rachel.

Kori was preparing the herbal tea and hot chocolate for Mari. She moved and then she felt like someone was watching her. She turned and there was nobody there. She shook her head and went back to fixing everything.

Richard was back in the study looking over his notes and drawing of the symbol. It was same thing he saw on Kori's paper. The symbol was often found over victims of this group that he had been following close in Gotham and in Bludhaven. How could Kori have the symbol? Did she know what it meant?

"I don't understand," said Richard to no one.

Tomorrow was Christmas and then after that Richard would be leaving. Something was telling him to stay now that he had seen that symbol on that piece of paper. He had a feeling that things were going to get a lot worse before they got a lot better.