Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.

Chapter 2

"Daddy, why do people have to sleep?" Mari asked curiously as her father laid her in her pink bed and her mother pulled the covers over her tiny frame.

"So they can be rested enough and grow strong enough to fight off the tickle monster!" Richard responded, tickling his daughter. The girl begged her father to please stop, so he did. He kissed her on the forehead and so did Kori.

"Sweetest of slumbers, my little bumgorf." Kori whispered as she turned out the light and closed the door. As the married couple walked down the hallway, Richard's arm wrapped protectively around his wife's waist, to their bedroom, the doorbell rang. Kori glanced at her husband, who nodded, and flew to answer it. Richard followed, on foot.

"It's Karen Beecher," Kori said, after peeking out the window. She opened the door for their old friend.

Karen stepped in and Kori locked the door behind her. She was wearing an intelligent, black suit and wore her long locks pinned back. "I have news from Victor," she said, giving the pregnant woman a hug and receiving a kiss on the cheek from Richard.

"What's going on?" Richard asked, suddenly acting very in-charge and in control.

Karen glanced around, "Where's Mari?"

"We just put her down for the night," answered Kori. "Please, is there anything wrong?"

Karen didn't answer, but instead asked, "Is there anywhere we can go where we won't be heard, in case she wakes up?"

Richard looked at their friend intensely, wondering what it was that she didn't want his daughter to hear. He let it go for a moment, knowing he'd find out soon enough. He walked over to the television in the family room. He turned it on, adjusted its antenna, and pressed a few buttons. Richard motioned the two to come over. They did, and suddenly were dropped through a hole. Karen and Richard landed roughly on their feet, as Kori hovered behind them.

Karen made a swift motion, transforming her into Bumblebee. Richard did the same, becoming Nightwing. Unfortunately for Kori, they don't make maternity clothing for superheroes so she merely blinked really quickly to have her blue contacts dissolve.

"Nightwing, Starfire," Bee addressed them, pacing in a circle in front of them, "Cyborg and I believe that your children are in danger."

Starfire's hands automatically went to her stomach and the couple looked at each other, worry evident in both of their faces. Nightwing grinded his teeth, "And you let me leave my daughter upstairs, by herself?"

"She's fine for the moment." Bee responded. "Beastboy and Raven are still looking into it, but they believe that there should be no real concern until your son is born."

If she thought she could protect her unborn child more by tightening her grip on her stomach, Kori would have done it then. "But... why?"

Bee folded her arms over her chest, "Because your ego-centric, sexist brother desperately wants a male to take his place on the throne.

"But, we don't even know if it is a boy yet." Nightwing offered sheepishly, receiving a glare from his wife.

"Well for the sake of your family, you better hope it is." Bee responded critically. The curiosity soon got the best of her, "Ok, I gotta know, what's the history behind your brother's discontent with y'all?"

Starfire chuckled, "I would say that the word, 'discontent,' is an understatement, dear friend." She took a look at her husband, trying to read his thoughts. He smiled at her and nodded. Starfire took a deep breath and began her story, "Well, as you know, my brother was sent far away for protection of the throne when the Gordanians attacked. Right before our initial wedding day, my brother contacted me. He claimed to be in trouble..."

"Starfire had to make a choice," Nightwing stated matter-of-factly. "If she didn't go, she could possibly lose her only family member left. Galfore had just passed, so her brother had inherited the throne of Tamaran. He was in trouble that summer, and so was Tamaran. If she went, she risked losing her own life."

Kori gazed at the drooping sun with both anxiety and disappointment. She knew she had to assist her brother, but she didn't want to leave. She had such a bright future in front of her, many happy times and glorious moments. She was about to be wed. Looking out at the sunset now, she cried in frustration. She had been standing there for about half an hour, not quite able to lift herself off the ground to fly. She was void of happy thoughts but knew that she had to force herself to think of something. Suddenly, as her thoughts drifted to what it would have been like to become Richard's wife and the life they would have together, her feet lifted. As she flew to her home planet, she thought all about what would have been. Her hopes were what kept her going.

Kori had slipped the rest of the Titans sleeping pills during their early dinner that evening. It was supposed to be their wedding rehearsal; it was supposed to be a happy time. It was supposed to be, but it wasn't. She had received a transmission from her long-lost brother, Ryan. He was in trouble and desperately needed her help as soon as possible. Not wanting to waste any time with her brother's life in danger, and knowing that getting married would take too much time out of a rescue mission, Kori made the decision to leave. She didn't want to say goodbye. She thought it would be better if she disappeared.

Richard woke up with the sun slowly beginning to paint the room with its rays, "Huh?" He said in confusion as he lifted his head from the mashed potatoes and gravy. He took his napkins and wiped it off, then surveyed the table. All of the other Titans were beginning to wake up as well, disgruntled at the food plastered on their faces. He glanced around and became distraught; where was his bride to be?

Garfield lifted his head from his salad, "Dude, I knew we were having a good time and all last night, but I didn't realize we were such party animals!" He rubbed his temples as they were in a lot of pain.

"We weren't partying," hissed his wife, Rachel, "we were drugged you idiot!" Her emotions splattered some pieces of lettuce in his face. She hadn't told anyone this, but at this point she was pregnant with their first child, and was worried that the drug might have harmed the child in some way. It didn't, but the next eight months would be one of immense difficulty for the Logan household.

"Yeah, and whoever drugged us decided to take Kori with them." Richard stated, pointing out the absence of his bride-to-be. He then directed his attention to his semi-robotic friend, "Vic, can you check your scanners and see if Star is still in the tower?"

Victor made a motion and suddenly his arm was robotic. He typed along it and said, "I can't locate her heartbeat."

Richard clenched his teeth, "If she was kidnapped, we would have been notified by now!"

He almost began running for the main-ops computer when he noticed a folded piece of paper laying in front of where his head was. It had his name written on it, in a loopy, pretty cursive that could only belong to Kori.

His eyes began scanning the note:

My Dearest Richard,

Please do not come looking for me when you wake up tomorrow morning. I'm sorry, but I cannot marry you, not now. Tamaran is in trouble, and I have a duty; I must assist... I cannot say when I will return, or if I will ever return. You should know, however, that all of my love is yours. You hold possession of it and it is my sincerest hope that, should I not return, that you pass it on to another woman who can love you as much as I did, as much as I do. Thank you for the love you have shown me throughout the years. I have not deserved one bit of it, but I suppose that is the point. Please do not waste the rest of your life on a broken memory. I'm not worth it. I'll be fine.

God bless and keep safe,
Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran

"I was devastated," explained Nightwing, after reading the only note that he had kept safe in a compartment after all of these years. He grabbed hold of his wife's hand, "I knew she had to help her brother, help her planet, but I knew it was too dangerous for her to do on her own. I'm a worry-wart, apparently. Raven insisted that Star would be fine, but I wanted to help her. I, and the other Titans, went after her in the T-Ship as soon as we could leave."

"It's a good thing they did, too," claimed Starfire, squeazing her husband's hand. "My brother was indeed in trouble, but not for the reasons my brother had acquainted. Tamaran was in danger, but not for the same reasons I had been told. My brother had become a form of tyrant on my home planet, much like Blackfire did when we were younger. He was in trouble because the people of my planet were having an uprising. He expected me to assist him."

Bee's eyes grew wide with interest, much like a child who had just seen her first icecream cone, "What happened then?"

"While they were scrambling to get the T-Ship ready, I had already reached Tamaran. My brother welcomed me graciously, but I was confused. When I flew overhead, it did not seem like Tamaran was under attack, but that Tamaran was attacking my brother. There were mobs everywhere, something unusual for my people for they are usually quite happy with their rulers. They weren't even that upset when Blackfire was in charge." Starfire's face grew contorted, "My brother noticed the confusion on my face and explained that they didn't know what was best for them. Since Galfore had passed, he had taken over and changed everything around, much to the chagrin of Tamaranians."

Nightwing spoke up then, "Needless to say, Star was absolutely furious that her brother was abusing his power in the way that he was."

"He didn't like that very much," Starfire finished. "He had his guards rough me up a bit, and then threw me in the dungeon."

"But you're obviously here now; what happened when the Titans got there?"

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please, please review!

God bless,
Rose