If you haven't already, go check out The New Titans Annual #12 before reading this story. You'll thank me.

---

Issue #135

---

by Clay Arceneaux and Michael Stewart
thanks to TJ Burns for inviting us the the Hawk Wedding

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have a daughter to take care of?” 

A redheaded man looks up from his magazine. He’s sitting nearly fully reclined in the metallic looking chair of a starship’s bridge, his booted feet resting on a console. Standing before him is a large, black man and while the silver metal and glowing red eye of the left side of the young man’s face shows no emotion, his all too human right side is clearly upset. 

“Daughter’s with her ‘Aunt Dinah’ at the Hawk wedding* with half the rest of the world. Wasn’t aware I needed a hall pass.”
(* SeeFDC's Hawkman for full details on this big event)

“Maybe you do, Harper.” Victor Stone folds his silver arms in front of his chest. “This is still MY ship after all. Who beamed you up?”

“Lil. You were nappin’.” Roy Harper goes back to his magazine, pretending not to notice his friend’s growing frustration.

“Lil’s up here too? When did this become the new Titans club house?”

“When we shut down the Metropolis digs a few weeks ago.”

“Who gave you guys permission to claim my ship?”

“I thought you wouldn’t mind since you were already on the team and all”

“Say WHAT?!? Harper, I tol’ you I ‘might’ rejoin. As in maybe, not definitely. An’ I certainly don’t remember offering you MY ship as a headquarters.”

“Oh, I know.” Roy Harper grins up at Vic. “Gar told us it was okay.”

“Gar?  Gar told you…”

“Yeah, he said it was okay since he owned 50% of the ship anyway.”

“WHAT!?! Where is that green-gened mother-lover? I’ll make him sorry he ever sprouted!”

“I believe he’s currently in his own private hell right now.”

I should get an Academy Award for this. Garfield Logan, the Titan known as Changeling, thinks to himself as he takes a deep breath to calm his nerves. With a smile that looks genuine to the world around him plastered across his green face, Gar takes the two punch glasses from the well-decorated table and turns back to his date. “I got our drinks, Babe. Where you want to sit?”

“I don’t know, Gar, anywhere is fine,” the blonde scans the nearly empty reception hall. “Looks like anywhere will be fine. Just pick somewhere.”

“Ooookay, how about over here?”

“No, too close to the buffet table, it will get too crowded once the ceremony let’s out,” Gar’s date shakes her head and points to another, more secluded table. “How about that one over there?”

“Sure, sure. It’s all good.” Careful not to spill any of the brightly colored punch on his tux, Gar leads them to the selected table. “Although, why is it that you girls always tell us ‘anywhere is fine’ when you’ve already got a spot picked out? It turns the whole date into a series of pop quizzes. And we know you’ve got something already picked out and waiting to make us feel likes goofs, but still we play along with the whole charade. Why is that?”

“We keep hoping you guys will pick right the first time.” The blonde adjusts her powder blue dress as she slide into a chair. She gives Gar a sly smile as she takes her glass of punch from him. “Silly us.”

“I know, you keep expecting us to learn or somethin’, sheesh!” Gar goofs as he takes his seat, trying to banish the thought of how well the dress matches her eyes. Oh yeah, this was smart.

“I’m sorry we got here too late to get to the actual ceremony, Gar,” the blonde shifts neverously in her seat. “And… I’m glad you asked me to come along. You’ve been a big help these past few weeks. And I want you to know I appreciate it.”

“De Nada, Tara,” Gar puts all the warmth he can muster into his smile. “Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing.” Like what was I supposed to do, you psycho hose-beast, let an h-bomb like you out of my sight? No way! I know unlike all of Bloodwing’s other victims,* you claim you can’t remember anything… hell, after Wally begged him to, J’onn** even scanned your mind to confirm it, but you were acting waaay too much like the woman you have always claimed not to be. Especially with that scene in Blood’s base. Too many similarities with the girl who betrayed us all those years ago, little miss I-don’t-know-I-can’t-remember. So that means as much as I can’t stand you, I’m not letting you wander off again before I get some real answers. And if what I suspect is true, I’m taking you’re skinny butt down personally.

(*If you haven't read our first arc of the New Titans, go double back to #131) 
(** J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, telepath and JLA teammate of the Flash, Wally West)

“Gar?” The young woman who may or may not be Tara Markov looks quizzically at her date. “You wandered off on me, Salad-Head. Whachya thinkn’ ‘bout?”

“Remind me again why I’m here?” Nightwing shifts uncomfortably in place.

“Because Hawkman helped us out a couple of times back in the day, and the least we can do is show up at his wedding,” whispers back the Fastest Man Alive. “Besides, Diana and the rest of the League insisted I put in an appearance, and I didn’t feel like suffering alone.”

“You’re welcome.” Nightwing peers down at the broad shouldered man standing at the front of the Fetherian Cathedral. “I thought that was a different guy, though.”

“Yes and no.” Flash chuckles. “Believe me when I say it’s complicated.*”
(* Believe him, it is. But Hawkman #35 explains it all!)

“I just fought my son from an alternate universe,” Nightwing sighs. “I can take complicated. Spill it.”

“If you two don’t shut-up, I’m going to belt both of you,” the fiery young Asian woman at Flash’s side growls as she elbows her date in the ribs for the fourth time. “I swear, do I have to stand between you two like a pair of eight year olds? It’s weird enough going to a wedding in a city full of bird-people with you and half Earth’s heroes standing around in full costume like that’s just what you wear to these things without shushing you every five minutes. Be quiet and watch the ceremony.”

“Sorry, Linda,” Flash smiles at his long-suffering girlfriend. But before the quiet can set in… “Hey look, there’s Garth and Dolphin.”

“I see ‘em,” Nightwing nods. “They look good together. Nice to see him moving on from Tula.”

“Yeah. Speaking of which, what’s up with you and Kory?”

“Don’t make me hurt you, West.”

“What, what did I say?”

“Wally, just… do your best friend a favor and don’t go there, okay?”

“Okay. All right. I can do that,” Wally pauses for a minute. “But you’re thinking about her, aren’t you?”

“Wally!” Nightwing’s voice almost breaks their whispered tone. Then with a heavy sigh… “Yes, I’m thinking about Kory, about how we almost got married. Why do you think I don’t like coming to these things?”

“Sorry. My bad.”  Flash fidgets in his seats a moment, looking around the assembled crowd. “Wish they’d just say I do already. … Hey!”

“Wally!” Linda hisses as people turn in reaction to Flash’s outburst. “Shut up.”

“Sorry, really,” Flash ducks a little in embarrassment. “But Donna’s here!”

“I’m sure she’s happier to be here than I am,” Nightwing mumbles under his breath.

Dropping his copy of “Stuff” onto the console, Roy swivels to face Cyborg. He just meant to rattle Vic a little, but clearly the big man is seriously upset. As Arsenal, he possesses the uncanny ability to turn anything into a pinpoint accurate weapon. Unfortunately, it also means he has an equally uncanny ability for his words to hit a nerve and tick people off, even when that’s not what he meant. Brushing his hands down his faded jeans as he stands, he lets out a long sigh.

“Vic, look man, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tick you off. I… Look, I took Gar up on his offer to use your ship cause we had nowhere else to go. The kids all decided to quit after that mess with Blood putting those chips in their heads and making them act all crazy. Isaiah, Joto, wants to go to college, Risk… I haven’t heard from Cody since we beamed him down after he recovered from the fight. And Argent… Toni was just too weirded out by it all and said she needed to get away for a while. That left just me, Gar and Lil as Titans. On top of that, we lost the lease on the Metropolis place.” Roy shakes his head. “So at the end of my second stunning stint as leader, the Titans are left with only three members and no headquarters. Not as bad as last time, but nothing to write home about. I swear, man, we’ll be out of your hair as soon as I figure out a few things.”

“Nah, s’okay, Arrows,” Vic forces a smile. “Gar is right, he does technically own half the ship. We got it together while we were adventurin’ out on the other side of the universe. Jus’ wish he’d a asked is all. What things you tryin’ to figure out?”

“How many of you guys who helped stop Blood and company I can con into coming back in.” Roy smiles broadly.

“That figures,” Vic chuckles. “Who you got so far?”

“Besides you, I’ve gotten ‘maybes’ from Damage and Kory too. Nobody’s seen Raven since she finished healing everybody after the Blood thing. Miri just wants to be left alone to raise her kid.” Roy counts off on his fingers as he paces the bridge a little. “And Lil is talking to ‘Feathers’ now.”

“The bird-guy, huh?” Vic wanders over to the main bridge computer station. “They both onboard now?”

“You know Lil,” Roy nods. “She does love her boy toys. Yeah, Lil ‘ported them here a while ago, says Feathers feels more relaxed back among the stars.”

“Huh. Judgin’ from the internal sensors, they ain’t relaxin’,”  Vic shakes his head in disgust and amusement. “Luck dogs.”

“I hear you. Gar wants to bring Terra in, but I don’t know. Seems risky to me.”

“No riskier than lettin’ her roam loose,” Vic scowls. “Didn’t really trust the first one deep down, trust this one less now. But maybe Logan’s right an’ we need to keep an eye on her.”

“I guess. But I don’t think Salad-head realizes how much of a crush this ‘new’ girl has had on him since she showed up. He’s down there playin’ nice to her tryin’ and find out who she really is. One way or another, this is going to blow up in his face.”

“Good to see you too, Cap.” Gar turns back to his amused date.

“That guy is the biggest cornball I have ever seen.” Tara restrains a giggle.

“Aw, come on, Captain Marvel’s not that bad when you get to know him a bit,” Gar grins. “Okay sure, if he got any more square his shoulders would have points on ‘em, but other than that…”

“He’s a complete cornball,” Tara finished with a laugh.

Both heroes start giggling uncontrollably, and Gar places his hand around Tara’s shoulder as the two share their private joke.

“Who’s the little blonde with Gar, Wally?” Linda motions at the giggling couple across the now crowded reception.

“Hmm, oh that’s…” Flash eyes widen. “Jesus, God. That’s Terra!”

“What?” Nightwing’s head jerks up from playing with the food on his plate. “Where?”

“I thought Garth told me she died…” Dolphin asks, also trying to get a look.

“She did… maybe,” Flash answers, his eyes still on Gar and Tara. “It’s complicated.”

“What in this line of work isn’t?” Dolphin smiles. “Take poor Donna. She seems like such a nice girl to have been through all she has.”

“Tell me abo…” Nightwing starts to say, but before he can finish, Gar has noticed all his friends staring at him from across the room and given them a sarcastic wave. A touch embarrassed, the assembled group waves back. “Tell me about it. Sounds like she’s got her powers back though after that last gaunt with Diana.”

“Garth should have been back from ‘watering himself’ by now,” Dolphin attempts to change the subject. “I can’t take that man anywhere.”

“I suspect our Atlantean ambassador went to see where Donna went off to,” Nightwing smiles slightly. “I know that’s what I was going to do when she left our table, but he beat me to it.”

“Ditto, I let him win,” Flash remarks offhandedly as he continues to stare at Gar and Tara. Linda elbows him to get him to finally stop. “Ow! Hey! What did I do this time?”

“You didn’t have to follow me out here, Garth,” Donna Troy says over her shoulder as she stands on a balcony overlooking the hidden city of the bird-people. “I’ll be okay.”

“Maybe.” The man known to some as Tempest steps onto the balcony behind her. “An old friend can still check on you, can’t he?”

“If it wasn’t you it would be Dick or Wally,” Donna sighs with a small smile. “It’s just… it’s always nice to see you guys, but maybe coming here wasn’t the best idea.”

“Yeah.” They both stand there a long moment, not sure what to say next. “I’m glad you’re okay though. When we all got back together a few weeks back, and you were missing, the gang was worried sick.”

“Sorry I missed all the fun. But my former patrons needed me. I had to do what I could to help them.” Donna stares off to the skyline. “And hey, it got me my powers back… among other things.”

“Other things…?” Garth asks gently.

“I’m sure you heard about what happened to me, with all that Dark Angel business. How I’m really a magical duplicate of Wonder Woman, stolen by a Dark Angel and tormented in lifetime after tragic lifetime. How she decided to wipe me out of all existence entirely this time, and I was only restored by Wally’s memories of me.” She pauses as Garth nods. “Well when I first ‘came back’ I was… disconnected from my past. I remembered most of everything, but my emotional connections to those memories were fuzzy, if they were there at all. The Titans changed all that when they restored my powers. I am myself again.*”
(* check out FDC's Wonder Woman for the full story)

“That’s great, Donna. I’m happy for you,” Garth responds, not noticing Donna’s hands clenched into tight fists.

“No, Garth, it’s not.” Donna looks back at him, fairly shaking with emotion. “She took him from me! My Terry. It’s the only explanation for how he changed so dramatically! She took him and twisted our love and destroyed it just to torture me! For her own sick little pleasure! She caused their accident too, I’m sure of it! My husband! My son! Both dead because some pale, demonic bitch wanted me to suffer!”

Faster than the eye can follow, Donna lashes out at the balcony railing, shattering a stony section of it.

“Whoa, Donna…” Garth reaches out and pulls his old friend to him. She lets herself collapse somewhat into his embrace. “Easy, my friend. It will be all right. We’ll make it through this.”

“I’m sorry, Honey.” Donna tries half-heartedly to pull away. “I didn’t mean to… Just give me a minute alone, okay? I’ll be all right.”

“Donna, maybe you’ve had too many minutes alone. Maybe what you need is to be with friends right now.” Garth strokes Donna’s hair and continues to hold her. “If there’s one thing that we Titans have in common, it’s loss. You helped me when I lost Tula, and you were there when Wally lost his uncle, when Roy lost Ollie… You’ve been there for all of us at one point or another. Now it’s our turn to be there for you. What’s say we go grab our friends and get out of here? ‘Kay”

“Sounds good to me.” Donna stands and straightens her dress and hair. “Thanks, Garth.”

“What are friends for?” The Atlantean smiles as he escorts the Amazon back into bustling reception.

As they approach their table, the see another familiar face. Standing there constantly adjusting his bow tie while he talks with Flash and Nightwing is the young Titan called Damage.

“Grant.” Donna smiles and hugs the young man warmly. “Good to see you. I saw you as an usher and was hoping to get a chance to speak before we left.”

“Yeah well, Carter… I mean Kartar asked me to be in the wedding since he and my dad were friends and all,” Grant Emerson stops when he notices the confused looks on his friends faces. “It’s complicated. Trust me.”

“Lot of that going around today,” Dolphin remarks dryly.

“Hey, guys,” Gar pops over to the table, Tara in tow. “Donna!” With that, Changeling transforms himself into a green monkey who latches himself around Donna’s head and plants a big kiss on her. Before she can react, in a flash, the Monkey becomes a wiggling puppy in her arms. “I am sooooo glad to see you, really, really I am. Honest.”

“Good to see you too, Gar,” Donna can’t help but laugh, until she recognizes his date. “Oh… um, nice to see you too, Tara, honey.”

“Anywaaaaay!” Gar transforms into a bird and flies over to Tara’s shoulder. “We were about ready to fly this bird cage. Thinkin’ about heading up to the ship and crashin’ there for a while. You guys interested?”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Garths answers quickly, shooting quick glances at Nightwing and Flash, then to Donna. “What do you think, Wingster?”

“Sure, I’m in.” Nightwing smiles at Tempest picking up on his cue. “Donna?”

“I haven’t had a chance to see Vic or his ship since I got back to Earth myself. I’d love to,” Donna smiles one of her few genuine smiles of the evening.

“Hate to be the party pooper, but I got Monitor duty in the big house tonight.” Flash sighs. “Gettin’ ready to run Linda home. Sorry, maybe next time.”

“I hate to drop out too, but I’m not feeling to good. Land food not sitting well on my sea stomach, I guess.” Dolphin adds.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Dol,” Tempest moves to behind his date to help her to her feet. “We’ll just go home then.”

“No, no. You go, I’ll be fine once I get some seawater through my gills, I’m sure,” Dolphin caresses the side of her lover’s face. “I can get Wally to drop me home, right Wally?”

“Well, Atlantis is a whole .3 seconds out of our way, but sure, I guess we can,” the Flash grins at the couple in front of him. “No problem, really, I’ll have her home before you can materialize on Vic’s ship.”

“Thanks,” Garth high-fives the speedster with his right hand while wrapping the left one around Dolphin’s waist. “You sure you’re okay?” She whispers a response in Tempest’s ear and the two are soon lost in a hushed conversation.

“We’ll leave those two to their own little world for a moment,” Gar turns from the happy couple back to the rest of the group. “Grant, you want to come too?”

“If it gets me out of this stupid bow tie, you better believe it,” The young hero grins.

“Cool deal.” Gar reaches into his coat pocket pulls out what looks like a cell phone. “I’ve always wanted to do this…” He flips the “phone” open with a flick of his wrist. “Kirk…to… Enterprise… 6… …to-beam-UP.”

“Quit clownin’ an keep your freakin’ shirt on, Greeny,” Cyborg’s voice crackles over the communicator. “Got one ahead of you in line that just asked to come up too.”

“Hey! You’re not Scotty!” Gar yells into the communicator. “What did you do with the lovable Scotty!” With that, Gar changes just his head into the head of a Scotty dog.

“You are an idiot, you know that, right?” Vic snaps back. “Okay, get whoever’s coming to huddle up so I can get a fix.” Dolphin gets a quick kiss from Tempest as the 5 former Titans stand close around Changeling. “Okay, here we go…”

In a curtain of lights, the young heroes fades from the hidden city only to reappear seconds later high above the Earth, in the transporter room of Cyborg’s (and apparently Changeling’s) orbiting starship. Standing there before them is a statuesque woman of uncommon beauty.

“Kory!!” Donna exclaims as she leaps off the platform to hug her former roommate. The two gorgeous women launch into an almost unfollowable barrage of “how-are-you”s, “you-look-great”’s and other rapid-fire pleasantries. The warm exchange brings a smile to all the assembled Titans.

All but one. Upon seeing the alien princess he’d come so close to marrying, Nightwing’s heart stuck in his throat, then sank into his stomach. Still, it was good to see how happy seeing her was making Donna.  With a quiet sigh, Nightwing resolves to try to shelf whatever issues he and Kory may still have between them, at least for tonight, and concentrate on continuing to cheer up Donna.

Suddenly, Koriand’r is surrounded by a shimmering yellow glow and begins to fade from sight. The astonished Titans can do little more than scream her name and watch in horror and Starfire disappears from their midst. Nightwing lunges in desperation at his fading former fiancée, but lands on the empty deck where she was standing and laughing just seconds before. The young heroes are still reeling from Starfire’s disappearance when the same glow envelopes Nightwing, and soundlessly, he too vanishes.

“What the heck was that!?!” Damages yells, edging slowly away from the spot where the two vanished.

“Vic! Vic!” Changeling yells into his comlink. “Somebody just beamed Nightwing and Starfire right off of our ship!”

“I know, man, I know. Every sensor on this bucket is screaming all at once.  Get your butts up here, I need a hand or four.”

“We’re comin’ Vic.” And Gar changes into a cheetah and tears off down the corridor towards the bridge, the other Titans close behind him.

But before anyone but Changeling can reach the bridge, the whole ship lurches downward, hard, and knocks most of the team off it’s feet.

“What the…” Damage cries as the ship lurches again.

“We’re under attack!” Tempest struggles to his feet and the ship shakes again twice more and the lights flicker on and off overhead.

With another series of jolts, the lights in the corridor go out and the ship lurches wildly.

“It’s worse than that!” Terra exclaims looking out a porthole at the “growing planet below. “I think we’re going down!”

 NEXT ISSUE: Two Words- COLD ARMAGEDDON!!!