Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.

Chapter 19:
Hope

Richard nearly choked on his spit. Maybe he just misunderstood her? After all, she was very sleepy and was fumbling most of her words together. "What, Kory?"

Kory lifted her head to look her husband straight in the eyes, intensely staring at one another-blue on green. Kory shied away, "I have a week to live, tops."

If the T-Ship were a car, Victor would have slammed on the breaks, "Did I hear what I think I just heard from the little lady?"

"Star, what are you talking about?" Gar piped in from the right as Raven's chanting seemed to falter in regularity.

Richard breathed heavily, "Give us a moment, guys." He pressed a button in his pod and the microphone turned off, "Kory, can you please explain?"

Kory began twirling strands of red hair between her thumbs, "Th-The amount of stress that has b-been put on my body over the years is... more than most Tamaranians can handle. My people are m-most resilient but Blackfire is convinced I've been through more than what an average Tamaranian, what an average Tamaranian r-royalty, has ever been used to." Kory glanced to the right and then returned her gaze to her husband's deep stare, "My b-body is d-destroying itself."

Richard was about to respond when he noticed Garfield and Victor with their ears pressed up against the glass, trying to listen. He glared at them and they slithered back into their pods. Richard turned his attention back to the beautiful woman in his arms, "Kory... Are you certain?"

He didn't want to believe it, that was more than certain. He knew his wife was sick, that was more than evident. But he couldn't bring himself to accept that Blackfire was correct, whether it be because she's Blackfire or because he couldn't accept that his wife was dying.

"Richard, look at me!" Kory exhaled, paling even more so in color.

He was looking at her. He was considering every option in his mind and he couldn't reach to a conclusion. Nothing made more sense than what she had already stated. He kissed her forehead sweetly and then reached for the microphone button. "Vic, when we get back to Gotham I'm going to need you to set up the infirmary in the Bat Cave. Maybe we can find a cure."

"N-no." Kory protested, shaking her head in Victor's direction. "I just want to go back home, and sleep in my bed."

"But Kor-"

"Richard." Kory silenced him, "I've made my decision."

Two Days Later...

Richard woke up to an empty bed at around three in the morning. He sat up quickly and recognized that Kory had, once again, left on her own accord. He slammed his right palm to his forehead, "Kory, why do you keep doing this...?"

He stood up to check on the girls' in their respective bedrooms. He checked Marie's room first, as that was closest to his room. Usually at this time of night she'd be snoozing softly, her thumb stuck stubbornly in her mouth. Tonight, Richard was surprised to find her sitting in her mother's lap, caressed against Kory's breasts as Kory rocked her back and forth. The moonlight was shining through Marie's bedroom window, giving mother and daughter a heavenly appeal.

"You know, I was going to come and get her." Richard leaned against the frame of the door as he admired his wife nursing their newborn.

"I didn't realize she was upset," Richard whispered to his wife from the doorway, "I could have taken care of her."

Kory looked up and beamed at him, her eyes shining with motherly pride, "No worries. You were slumbering and I did not wish to disturb you."

"...Besides," Kory continued, "my little bumgorf needed her k'norfka."

"But, Kory, you're so weak right now." Richard protested, reaching for the small girl. "You need all the rest you can get."

"I'm fine, Richard." Kory giggled, petting Marie's beautiful hair down her back, "I... I don't have much time to have these moments anymore."

"But Kory-"

"Richard," Kory silenced him cautiously, "I want her to remember me."

"How could she forget you? You're a phenomenal mother, Kory." Richard walked all the way over and placed his lips against Kory's forehead.

"You're really a phenomenal mom, you know that, Kor?" Richard smiled at his wife and kissed the top of Marie's head. As he was standing up, he caught his wife's lips as well.

"If only that were true." Kory rolled her eyes and tried to stand up. Now that her daughter weighed more than eight pounds, she had more trouble standing up than she once did.

"I'll take her," Richard reached for his baby girl, thankful that he'd never be able to understand the pain that his wife might be in. Kory threw him a look of gratification and kissed his cheek before he could whisk the little girl into her light pink crib.

"Thank you."

"No problem," Richard responded, pulling the covers over Marie's small body.

"Will you be able to do it without me?" Kory questioned aloud, fearing the worst.

"Kory, can we please not think that way?" Richard rubbed his eyes and reached for Kory, pulling her into a protective hug. "Let's be optimistic, please?"

"I wish I could be," Kory sighed into his chest.

"But you're stronger than you were two days ago... You're still very frail and don't have your color back but you're looking a million times better-"

"Richard, I do not want to get your hopes up, should something bad happen."

Kory breathed in his scent happily, "Thank you for being a good husband, as well as a good father."

"My pleasure."

"Kory," Richard looked down at her, aghast, "you of all people should know that it's hard for me not to be hopeful." Memories from the past several months, the past several years flooded through his mind. "After everything we've been through, of course I'm going to keep hoping." He lifted up her chin so she would understand how serious he was about his statement, "We're Starfire and Nightwing. Through God's grace, we've made it through everything." Kory's eyes shone, reflected in the moonlight as she nodded and rested her head against Richard's chest once more.

They stood there together, swaying back and forth in the moonlight, enjoying each other's presence while it lasted.

A/N: I hope you guys understood what was going on in Marie's room... If not, essentially, it was combining a memory with the present-if that makes sense. :)

ALSO, I'm really beginning to hate FF's spell check option. It keeps telling me to simplify my sentences and words so y'all will understand me better... I think you guys are pretty smart... If you're reading this, you're clearly not 5. (Furthermore, I do not care WHAT FF says to me, Victor calling Kory a "lady" is not in any sense offensive, whatsoever.)

God bless,
Rose