(Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.)

"You're up early," Robin commented as he walked into the living room.

Raven's cousin shrugged. "I don't sleep well."

"You don't sleep at all unless you're completely exhausted," Raven muttered as she walked in. "You haven't slept in a week, have you?"

"No," the girl answered frankly. "I haven't had a chance."

Raven sighed. "What have you gotten yourself into now, Moonlight?"

Raven's cousin sat down heavily on the couch. "Look, I appreciate the bed and all, but can't I just go now?"

Robin was about to protest when Raven's eyes began to glow red. "No!"

"Rae, please. You said yourself I shouldn't have come – "

"It's pointless to try to change the past. You're here. Your problem has become ours. Now let's deal with it."

"I – "

"Good morning, friends! Is it not a wondrous day? Shall we go to the park and do the 'picnic'?"

"Yo, Star, that's a great idea," Cyborg yawned. He was dragging a sleepy Beast Boy.

"Later," Robin replied. "Moonlight was about to explain things."

All the Titans waited for Moonlight.

She sighed and bowed her head. "Shadow followed me here," she began.

"Hold up. Who's Shadow," Cyborg asked.

"Shadow is one of the Mendai. He – oh, yeah. The Mendai is a group of bounty hunters and mercenaries. He has been following me for the past eleven months."

"Why is he after you," Robin demanded, remembering Blackfire's visit.

"You know Raven is Trigon's daughter. One of his brothers is my grandfather, Dielon. Apparently, his enemies want me dead."

"Wait, one of his brothers?" Robin's eyes narrowed. "How many are there?"

Raven took it upon herself to answer. "My father is the youngest of three: Monolon the Malevolent, Dielon the Devilish, and Trigon the Terrible. They all have had descendants. As you know, I am Trigon's. Moonlight is Dielon's."

"Who's the other guy's?" Beast Boy didn't even try to pronounce Monolon's name.

Raven and Moonlight looked away. "Firestorm has not been seen for years. We believe he's dead," Moonlight murmured sadly. She raised her head with steel in her eyes. "As I was saying, Dielon's enemies must want me dead. Shadow wants the reward money."

"You got that right," a dark voice murmured.

"Shadow!" Moonlight froze as his arm slipped around her throat.

"Leave her alone!" Raven used her power to hurl the TV at Shadow. Her eyes widened and she stopped it abruptly when Shadow pulled Moonlight between himself and the TV.

"How the heck did you get past my security system?" Cyborg turned red with anger. "No one can get past my security system!"

"Names aren't just names where we come from. Are they," Shadow asked his hostage, "Dierdra?"

The Titans had all sprung into ready positions. They watched helplessly as the darkly clothed young man held Moonlight hostage. Moonlight's silver eyes were closed as she stood rigidly.

"Dierdra?" Raven's eyes narrowed. "What's he talking about, Moonlight?"

"This really isn't the time," she retorted. "Suffice it to say you're not the only one with a spotted past."

"You have no idea who she really is, do you, Raven?" Shadow smirked over Moonlight's shoulder. "Why don't you tell your cousin about the knives, Moonlight? Tell her about what really happened to Firestorm. Tell her about her mother. Tell her why you are called Dierdra."

A slight tremor passed through Moonlight's body. She closed her eyes tighter as if she could block out his words that way. "Raven's my cousin, Shadow. She and Firestorm are the only members of my family that I could ever rely on. Don't drag them into this."

"You dragged them into this," Shadow retorted.

Moonlight opened her eyes. They glowed with the light of a full moon on a cloudless night. "Will you just shut up and kill me already, Shadow? Then get out of here and leave my family alone!"

"The mighty Teen Titans are so helpless because I hold your life, Moonlight," Shadow murmured. "I am not so foolish that I think I can take the Teen Titans on without the element of surprise – especially if I upset your cousin by killing you." His dark gaze drifted to the Titans. "Where's the green freak?"

"Here!" Beast Boy was behind him. He turned into a chimp and jumped on Shadow's back.

Shadow grabbed him with one hand. Moonlight's fingers somehow found a knife, and she plunged it into Shadow's side. The instant she was out of his grasp, her cousin pelted him with everything she could get her power on – including Beast Boy's and Cyborg's game station.

"Ah, man," Cyborg moaned as he watched his precious possession smash.

Beast Boy had jumped away when Moonlight attacked and now stood next to Cyborg. His lower lip trembled and tears streamed down his cheeks. "Dude, you so did not have to do that!"

"Moonlight! Raven! Stop! You're going to kill him!" Robin stepped back when Raven glared at him. "Starfire, grab Moonlight! Cyborg, Beast Boy! Get Raven!"

The Titans were finally able to spring into action. Starfire's alien strength was barely enough to restrain Moonlight. Beast Boy and Cyborg were having trouble with Raven, but they managed to stop her from attacking Shadow.

"He's unconscious," Robin announced. "You two did a real number on him. Were you planning to stop or were you just going to kill him?"

"The roach won't die," Moonlight hissed.

As if to prove her right, Shadow opened his eyes. "That really hurt, you know, Lucine," he growled, pulling the knife out of his side.

"You deserve it, you –"

"Wait, Lucine? Who's Lucine," Robin demanded.

"I am," Moonlight retorted. "I've had a lot of aliases."

Robin raised a skeptical brow. He didn't trust people who changed their names. I'll have to check her out later.

"Please do not squirm so, friend Moonlight. I do not wish to harm you," Starfire pleaded with the struggling girl.

"Let me go! He's got to be killed!" Moonlight finally resorted to biting Starfire's hand. The alien released her with a yelp of pain. Moonlight rolled away to Shadow's side. A knife glinted in her hand when she uncurled.

In the background, Beast Boy and Cyborg stared. "Man, where does she keep getting those things? We searched her three times!"

Robin tried to stand in Moonlight's way. "We Titans don't kill. We'll send him to jail."

"Idiot! No jail will hold him! Now move!"

Robin pulled out his bo staff. "Listen, Moonlight, I will fight you."

"I will kill you if you don't move!"

"I can't let you kill him," Robin growled.

Moonlight prepared to attack. Her knife was ripped from her hand by Raven's black energy. "Raven!"

"Moonlight, don't ever try to hurt my friends!"

Shadow suddenly leapt to his feet and punched the distracted Robin. Robin recovered quickly and yelled, "Titans, go!"