Through the Years

Chapter Three

"Hello?" Nightwing answered, not recognizing our house number. Yes, it had been a while since we last called.

"Yo, Birdboy! It's me!" Gar said, bringing back Nightwing's old nickname that we had all given him as teenagers.

"Beast Boy?"

"Dude. I think I'm getting a little too old for the whole Beast Boy thing. Just call me Gar."

"I'll stick with Garfield." Nightwing answered, still sounding confused as to why we had called. I snatched the phone from Gar, he was taking too long to tell Nightwing the news.

"Azura's missing." I spat, still hating the taste of those words together on my tongue.

"Missing? What do you mean by missing?" He asked. I could hear the true detective in him start to come out.

"I mean the last time I saw her was last night after dinner. None of her friends know anything, Asher can't sense her anywhere near here. We don't think she would have run away, but there's no evidence that someone broke in, Gar and I would have heard it."

"Plus Cyborg hooked us up with that sweet security system on the house when we first got it." Gar added.

"We're just completely lost. So we thought we would ask for your help." I concluded into the phone.

There was a long pause on the other line. Finally, Nightwing had concluded with this:

"I'll be there in a few minutes."

The line then went dead before Gar or myself could protest.

...

Just as Nightwing had said, minutes later he and Starfire had ridden up to our house on his R-Cycle. Well, maybe it was an N-Cycle now, it did look a little different. I don't know.

"Oh my goodness Raven! I am so sorry to hear of your missing Bumgorf!" Starfire exclaimed as she flew forward and gave me a bone-crushing hug. Nightwing gave me a small smile as I glanced at him over Starfire's shoulder. I had to admit, I missed her hugs.

"Star..Fire. You're... Crushing me!" I said, struggling to get the oxygen my body so desperately needed.

"Sorry Friend Raven. I have just done the missing of you so much. I just wish we were meeting on happier circumstances." Starfire explained as she gently let me go. I took note that her English had gotten better. I mean, it wasn't perfect, and it still sounded a little strange coming from her mouth, but it was better.

"Let's just go inside." I sighed, ushering in my old friends.

Nightwing had gone straight to checking out all of the houses' windows, exits, and even all of Azura's electronic devices. We all had agreed that this was serious due to the fact that she didn't even take her beloved cell phone that cost Gar and I a fortune.

"I think I should ask Asher some questions." Nightwing turned to me, after looking through Azura's journal, that of course didn't have any important information inside. Starfire had went to go make us a meal, she wanted to make sure we were eating, but there was a silent law between all of us Titans to never touch Starfire's cooking. Gar had gone to check on Esme. She was so upset and just didn't quite understand. Then again, none of us did.

"I don't know Dick, he says he doesn't know anything and you can be a little harsh. You know how much he must be hurting right now. They've never been separated like this before." I reasoned. The last thing I needed was Batman's apprentice screaming at my son about my missing daughter.

"You can be in the room okay? I just want to see something. Trust me."

"Fine, but if I think you're going too far I will see to it that you are kicked into another dimension." I threatened. I think we both knew I wouldn't do that though; I knew he was just trying to help.