"Hey guys," piped up Beastboy, "Why don't anteaters get sick? Because they're full of anty-bodies! Get it?" He looked around expectantly at the assembly who merely groaned loudly.

Raven silently thanked the heavens for Beastboy's tactfulness.

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Amends

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"You know," Beastboy said as they rode home in the T-Car, "We really need to celebrate your return. Heck, we couldn't even celebrate your marriage!!

Nightwing didn't say anything in reply. To Nightwing, his and Starfire's marriage day seemed to be farther than the moon. If he couldn't have felt the gold ring rub against his finger, he probably wouldn't have believed it had ever happened. It seemed to be something that happened a different lifetime ago.

"He's right. Your return merits something more than pizza," agreed Raven unexpectedly.

Everyone twisted around in his or her seats to stare at her.

"Cyborg, keep your eyes on the street, you're going to kill someone." Raven deadpanned, crossing her arms on her chest.

Cyborg sheepishly turned around and continued to drive.

Nightwing shifted uneasily in his seat. "Guys, I'd appreciate it if it was only our team, as no one else knows we're back, nor do they know we're married."

Bumblebee stared at him from her seat next to Cyborg. "That's where you're wrong. Everyone knows you've been gone these past few months. They just don't know where."

"I for one think you need to hold a press conference here in Jump," Raven told Nightwing, staring him in the eye. "That way you can inform everyone about two things; your return and your new identity."

"I second that," said Beastboy.

"Me too," Cyborg said, carefully keeping his eyes on the road ahead, but staring at his masked friend through the back mirror.

Bumblebee nodded. "Me three."

"Richard," Starfire said, placing her hand lightly on his arm and making him look to her, "Our friends speak words of wisdom. It will do well to follow."

"You do realize it means you have to be there too, right?" Nightwing said anxiously. "Are you up to it? Press conferences can be quite draining you know. If you want to, I'll be more than glad to wait."

At his words, Starfire crossed her arms and glared at him. "Yes, I know very well how the conference of press is very stressing and irksome. We had more than a few of them during my career as a Titan, do you not recall? Do not coddle me like a helpless puppy. I am a princess of Tamaran and a warrior trained by the Warlords of Okaara! I can handle more than you can comprehend!"

All the Titans laughed heartily in their minds at Nightwing's uncomfortable expression at Starfire's outburst, but they didn't dare let it out, though Beastboy gave a slight snigger that he quickly covered up with a short cough.

"Uh, of course I know, Star," he said, attempting to placate her. "It's just that...I mean... well... you know..." he trailed off, not knowing remotely what to say.

Beastboy gave another hacking cough. Raven whacked him with her paperback, but both actions went unnoticed by the couple.

"Or are you such a coward that you do not wish to show your face to the public?" Starfire asked, her eyes gaining a slight glow as they narrowed even further.

Nightwing held out his hands in protest, bumping into Beastboy, who was sitting next to him. "It's not that, honest!"

Starfire abruptly faced the front, her arms still crossed.

"Then, I see no reason to object. Raven, you may proceed."

Nightwing nodded to show he agreed as well, and remained gloomily slumped in his seat all the rest of the way.

Beastboy glanced at Raven, an irrepressible smile tugging at his lips. 'Oooh, totally dissed,' he thought at her.

Raven looked slightly smug. 'I know. He really had it handed to him this time.'

"Is tomorrow okay for you?" Raven asked aloud. "I think it'll do well for all of us to attend, by the way. There will probably be a lot of questions for the rest of us too."

"Go ahead, do whatever you think is necessary." Cyborg said, and all the Titans nodded. Even Nightwing gave a sodden nod.

Raven gave a satisfied half-smile before settling more comfortably in her seat.

"Oh, and Beastboy?" she added, her voice low enough that no one else could hear her, "I don't think we need to worry about any parties. Bruce'll probably take care of that."

Beastboy grinned, closing his mouth that he had opened to ask about that very thing.

He was right. The Justice League, who monitored all interplanetary flights, both in and out, had noticed the blue T-Ship enter earth. And if the JLU knew, Batman knew.

Batman called that very evening, and demanded without preamble that he see Nightwing. Unfortunately, Nightwing had been in the shower after a lengthy movie run of all the Lord of the Rings series, (which was regrettably interrupted twice by the alarm) and the Titans told him so.

So Batman had to wait it out, visibly getting more and more irritated as the minutes passed. The Titans waited along with him, and each felt a trickle of cold sweat slide down their backs.

After a few minutes that felt more like hours to everybody present, Nightwing and Starfire appeared in the Ops room, chatting with each other. They stopped abruptly at the face of the Dark Knight that filled the full-length screen.

"Dick Grayson, you return to Earth after half a year without any news whatsoever and you don't even bother to contact me? What kind of son are you?"

When Batman's voice had ceased ringing about the room, Nightwing tentatively looked up. Never mind that he was twenty-four years old; a father was a father for life. Even so, he managed to look defiant as he gazed at the screen.

"Bruce, I'm sorry. I just had a lot of things to think about and it escaped me."

"Like Kori, you mean." Batman's face broke into a smile. "It's nice to see you again, Princess Koriand'r. You've been sorely missed."

Starfire approached the screen, delight pooling in her eyes. "Likewise, k'norfka Bruce! If you were not a screen, I would have given you a better welcoming ceremony."

"You mean your rib-cracking hugs," Batman said, but there was no vice in his words. Rather, he sounded almost happy. He looked around the room at the whole team. "By the way, I think all of you should drop by soon. We have a lot of things to discuss, like your wedding, and it's been awhile."

Beastboy and Raven exchanged 'I knew it' glances, for more than one thing.

"Sure thing, Batman," Beastboy said. "I mean, I'd love to go, if Nightwing agrees to it that is."

"Sure, I'll go," Nightwing replied lightly. "I was planning to anyway. But after we sort a few things out over here."

"I would expect no less. Contact me with the date as soon as you can. We'll talk then."

Leaving those words hanging over the Titans' heads, he cut the connection and the screen blacked out, revealing the star-strewn sky beyond.

"Well, that wasn't unexpected. I knew he'd want to talk to you." Raven said, picking up the DVD cases that littered the floor and shelving them in their proper places. Straightening up, she glanced at the clock. "I've already set us up for the conference. It'll do well to get to bed early. It's already close to midnight."

"Rae, what time did you make it?" Beastboy asked, picking up an empty popcorn bowls and dumping them into the sink, Cyborg following suit with the other bowl.

"Ten o'clock sharp," she replied, using her powers to sweep the straggling kernels of popcorn scattered on the floor. Bumblebee, Starfire and Nightwing were straightening out the sofa, dusting off the popcorn shrapnels from the cushions before replacing them. Soon the Ops room looked tidy enough, if you ignored the two unwashed bowls still lying in the sink.

"I'll do that tomorrow," Bumblebee told the team, eyeing the small mess.

"Well, if that's all," Beastboy said, giving a gargantuan yawn accompanied with an equally exaggerated stretch. "I think I'll be going to bed. We do have a press conference to set up."

Nightwing grasped Starfire's hand. "We're going to bed too. Good night, everyone."

"'Night all!" Cyborg said, and everyone split up to his or her respective rooms.

But just as Raven entered her room, she heard a soft knock.

"Come in," she called out, tucking her shoes under her bed. It was Starfire.

"I hope I am not intruding," Starfire said softly, still standing in the doorframe.

Raven smiled and shook her head. "Not at all, Starfire. What is it?"

Starfire came to sit next to her on the bed. "Nightwing insisted that I should come to you before the day ends."

Without another word, she pulled off her shirt. Raven drew in a sharp breath. The bruises she had seen earlier were nothing compared to this. Long slanted marks covered Starfire's back, and Raven was pretty sure they were whip marks. Some were old scars that had healed over with time, but most were still scabbed and oozing a clear yellowish liquid at the edges. Purple bruises blossomed all over the alien's once golden skin, leaving almost none of the original color left.

Raven was certain that this wasn't all. She began to inspect Starfire's body with her powers and, just like she'd expected, found numerous additional scars all over Starfire. On top of all that Starfire also had a sprained ankle, and the foot attached to that ankle was slightly fractured.

"Good Azar," she swore, "I'm going to kill the next Gordanian that passes my way."

Raven slid off the bed and motioned for Starfire to lie down. "I'm sorry, but this is going to take awhile."

Wordlessly, Starfire lay face down on Raven's bed and buried her face in the pillow. Raven sat next to Starfire's long body and got to work, starting near the neck area.

For a long time neither spoke, Raven only wiping her forehead with the back of her hand from time to time, her face furrowed in concentration. Just as Raven reached Starfire's lower back, Starfire spoke up.

"Raven?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Silence.

Then, "For what? I'm just doing what a friend should do."

Raven could only see the back of Starfire's head, and suddenly noticed that the haircut was jagged and uneven. 'No doubt another Citadel atrocity.' she thought, and she had to suppress another surge of demonic rage and bloodlust.

"Still," Starfire murmured. "And it is not only that, friend Raven. Thank you for not asking how I received these wounds."

She swallowed. "I do not think I am entirely ready to tell anyone else other than Nightwing at the moment."

Raven worked on, her hands glowing with a soothing periwinkle light. "I don't expect you to. You don't have to tell anyone anything if you aren't ready, even if it means it takes your whole lifetime."

There was another long bout of silence, during which Starfire slowly drifted off to sleep.

The green, scaly face leered down at her. 'Princess Koriand'r,' it hissed, making her title an insult. It's dirty hand reached for her, eyes showing he was drunk with lust. She shrank away but the hand just kept coming closer…and closer…and closer…

Starfire sat up suddenly, instantly awake. Cold sweat covered her, and her breath was still coming in terrified little gasps. She could still smell his stench fill her nostrils.

When she had collected her wits, she realized with a jolt that she was lying next to Nightwing.

'Raven must have carried me back to my room,' she thought. She smiled inwardly. 'Just like Raven to do so.'

She gazed at her husband. She rolled the word along in her mouth. It was already almost a year since she had been married, but it still seemed odd to call her longtime friend and confidant her husband. The transition between friend and boyfriend had been natural, but right now she felt she would never get used to calling Nightwing her husband. Of course, she knew that with time, it would not only be natural but obvious.

In the pallid light of early morning, Nightwing looked pale, contrasting greatly with his dark tresses that spilled over his shoulders and fringed the edges of his face. His face was turned towards her, and she knew he had been watching her before he fell asleep.

His expression was tranquil, a face he rarely wore in the busy hours of the day. Though after he had started dating her, she saw it quite a few times.

"Husband Nightwing," she whispered, just to see how it sounded. It was still awkward. Though he and her were truly one now…had been ever since that night… She blushed at the memory. She reached down and kissed him on the cheek; she couldn't help herself. He was so handsome to her, and she delighted in the knowledge that he would be for at least twenty more years to come.

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you too," Nightwing murmured sleepily. His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled as he met her eyes. "Feeling better today?"

Starfire berated herself for totally forgetting about Raven's healing session. She flexed her muscles a few times and was overjoyed to find that nothing ached. It was such a new feeling that for a few moments she couldn't answer.

"Star?"

"Oh, Nightwing," she breathed ecstatically, "Raven must be a blessing sent down from the heavens." She flew out of bed and twirled around in midair, her red-and-white-checkered pajama dress fanning out around her. "I have not felt this renewed in a long time!" she cried and gave Nightwing an excruciating hug that he enjoyed immensely nonetheless.

"Hey, hey, slow down, sweetheart," he laughed, though he returned the hug, "The day's just getting started."

Starfire giggled. "I apologize, it was just too wonderful a feeling to contain within."

"I'm just glad you're alright. C'mere, you."

He picked her up and twirled her around, both of them laughing exuberantly. The moment Starfire's feet touched the ground, Nightwing's lips linked with hers, and they held on to the sweet magic for as long as they could, exhilaration coursing through both souls. It was at these few times that they felt that nothing could ever go wrong.

Starfire reached in for more, but Nightwing placed a warning finger on her lips.

"Later, sweetheart. We need to meet up with the others soon to discuss the press conference."

Starfire looked distinctly disappointed, but soon gave Nightwing a gentle smile and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I believe you still owe me that," she whispered seductively before turning away with a wink.

At the door, Starfire turned around and gave him a cheerful little wave before floating out to the bathroom. Nightwing gave a slight chuckle, slightly shaking his head in wonderment.

All six of them sat around the coffee table, several sheets of paper covered with Raven's tidy handwriting between them, along with five mugs of various beverages. One cup of green tea for Raven, one cup of soymilk for Beastboy, one cup of café américano for Cyborg, a café latte for Bumblebee, and two cups of apple juice for Nightwing and Starfire.

"So, we won't really tell them what happened?" Beastboy asked.

Raven took a long draught from her cup before setting it back down with a clunk. "No. All we're going to say was that there was a little problem on Tamaran, which isn't really lying, because it's true. It all started on Tamaran."

"And we won't say anything about my marriage."

Raven looked at Nightwing. "No. The public doesn't need to know every single part of your private life."

"Well, that's a relief," Bumblebee said, reaching for her mug. "I hope that applies to all of us."

Beastboy smirked. "Why? Do you have something to hide?"

Bumblebee just cuffed him on the head. "Shut your trap, green bean."

It was her turn to smirk as Beastboy grimaced.

"Ow, that hurt!" he complained, rubbing the back of his head.

Raven reached over and organized the papers, tapping them against the surface of the table to straighten them out. "You deserved it."

Beastboy wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Rae, you know you love me," he said, leaning his face towards her. Raven just thwacked him with the papers.

Beastboy leaned back into the sofa, arms crossed. "What is it, hit the changeling day?" he grumbled. Starfire patted him consolingly on the arm while the rest of the Titans laughed heartily.

"Well," Nightwing said when he had managed to stop laughing, "I guess we're done. Meeting adjourned."

Cyborg glanced at his arm-clock. "And in good time too. It's already nine thirty. Where did you say you set us up again, Raven?"

"The park. Only place big enough for whoever wants to come."

Nightwing stood up. "Let's go then."

The other five followed suit, and all of them exited the Ops room.

"Any questions?"

A man with mouse brown hair raised his hand. "So, what exactly was this problem that you're talking about?"

"That's classified information. I can't tell you." Nightwing replied.

"What if it's directly connected to the safety of our planet?" a blonde haired woman in the back called out.

Starfire answered this one, her voice loud and clear. "I assure you, it has nothing to do with global security. But as a Tamaranian, I am bound to my planet when trouble occurs."

"What about Nightwing? Why did he go with you?" the woman insisted.

"Nosy reporters," Bumblebee muttered under her breath. Cyborg merely smiled.

Starfire didn't even blush. "He came with me to assist me. The other Titans remained here to guard our city."

"What about the Nightwing that was sighted in Gotham a few months back? Is it the same person, or is it another one?" someone shouted.

"We are one and the same," Nightwing told the voice.

A teenage kid waved his hand around in the air. "Why on earth were you at Gotham? I thought you went to Tamaran."

The crowd stirred and murmured confusedly.

"I went to Gotham to finish my training with my mentor," Nightwing explained. "I needed everything I could get."

"Are you really Robin?" a little kid hanging onto his mother's hand asked loudly. "Because your hair's real different."

Nightwing cracked a smile. "Yes, I used to be Robin, and as for my hair, I think I like it better this way. What do you think?"

The boy gave him a grin minus two front teeth. "I like it that way too. It looks shiny."

"What about Bumblebee? Is she a permanent part of this team, or will she be returning to Titans East?"

The black woman who had asked waited for the answer with and eager pen and pad in hand. All the Titans looked at Nightwing. He hesitated, indecision running about his brain.

Nightwing turned back to the crowd. "We'll get back to that later. Anything else?"

The crowd murmured, but no more questions were fired their way.

"Okay, then, the press conference is officially over."

As the Titans turned to leave, the crowd slowly dissipated as everyone went their own way.

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Special thanks to Fireflyoflight457, my Beta, for all her help and support! I couldn't have done this without you!

Now, her story TTNG Book 1 and Book 2 are great, so go read them too :D

So, another chapter done...but there's so many more stories to tell...I'm afraid this'll be very, very long...

Now then. It's the Fourth of July, so I hope you have enough spirit left to give out some reviews!! Virtual chocolate brownies for anyone who does!!