AN: I do not own Teen Titans

Chapter One

Starfire crept into Robin's room with despair. Normally, she wouldn't do so at midnight but this called for it. She figured Robin was still up, and indeed he was. Starfire sometimes feared that Robin loved criminals more than he loved her. Starfire quietly walked over to his desk, where his lamp was on and shining on paper and files everywhere. Starfire leaned over and kissed his head, alarming him.

"Hey Star," Robin announced, spinning his chair to where he was visible. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I might ask you the same," Starfire remarked. "The sun has set hours ago and you should be in bed."

"I can't rest now." Robin said. "Knowing that Slade is out there somewhere waiting to strike again keeps me up all night. I haven't slept in days. But I tried, I really tried, but I just can't seem to let all the tension, fear, stress, and anticipation leave my body, no matter how hard I try."

"Robin," whispered Starfire. "Just relax. Slade is a figment of your imagination, like a nightmare, and only you can make it go away." She kissed him lovingly and set off to her room, tired and weary.

Robin wished he could go to sleep. Dreaming peacefully on his warm bed. But he couldn't. Slade was possibly still out there, somewhere. He turned his chair around and began working again, but once in a while having a minute of sleep.

The next morning Starfire awoke to birds chirping happily, which made her feel happy and warm inside. She removed her blankets and stepped into her new, pink, fuzzy slippers she had just gotten at the 'mall of shopping.' She tied her robe around her and opened her door to the smell of breakfast cooking.

She walked down the hallway and into the common room, to have find Cyborg cooking pancakes and bacon. She walked down the stairs and settled into a chair by the countertop, she glanced at the pancakes, licking her lips with hunger. She couldn't wait until it was time to eat, and time for Robin to finish his workout at the home gym.

Cyborg turned around to put plates on the table, and was startled when he discovered Starfire sitting at the table. He smiled gleefully and continued setting the table. "Mornin' Star," Cyborg greeted.

"Good morning friend Cyborg," Starfire smiled. "I see you have prepared a lovely breakfast, what is the occasion?"

"No occasion," said Cyborg. "I was just in the mood. It's not every day you see me cooking a well-made breakfast."

Starfire giggled slightly and excused herself from the table. It was already nine, and she decided to go check on Robin, who was usually in the common room by eight fifteen.

She knocked on his door quietly and heard a soft, "Come in" She opened the door to have found Robin in the same place he was last night: at his desk.

"Robin!" Starfire exclaimed. "Did you get any sleep?"

"I got a wink from here to here," Robin affirmed. "I'm telling you Starfire, Slade is what keeps me up at night and alarmed. If only he was dead then I wouldn't have to be so worried all the time."

"You have a right to be feared of Slade," said Starfire. "I would be scared to if I was having nightmares about him. But we are all here with you; standing by you. Even if Slade did come to hurt you we would all be there to kick the butt of Slade. Just please try to get some sleep next time? I worry about you Robin, I really do."

"I worry about you too Stafire," Robin said, and he kissed her gently on the lips.

"Let us go and eat the wonderful meal Cyborg prepared." said Starfire.

"Alright," said Robin, and they both exited Robin's room.

"Okay, okay," laughed Beast Boy, as he almost chocked on his meat-free breakfast. "How do you organize a space party? You planet!" Beast Boy burst out laughing for his corny joke, hoping they would laugh with him, but they didn't.

The Titans sighed at his horrible joke and continued eating, as if nothing happened.

Starfire kept gazing at Robin, who was sitting across from her, every single second. The two always sat by each other at mealtime. What made him so upset that he didn't want to sit by his girlfriend? Perhaps she has done something wrong? Or hurt his feelings. She did not know. And she desperately needed to know. Starfire hated it when Robin was mad at her. And she was going to do anything to make him happy again, possibly.

Once breakfast was finished Robin cleared the table and started washing the dishes, Starfire, who was still at the table, watched him closely for any strange behavior. Nothing new of course. She decided to talk to Robin and went over to him, gazing down on the ground.

"Robin?" Starfire asked. "Does something trouble you?"

"I'm tired." Robin answered simply.

"You need to sl…"

"I'm tired of Slade, why can't that guy just die already?!" Robin yelled, interrupting Starfire. "He's always there, lurking in my mind day and night. Just waiting for the perfect time to strike and kill all of you and I'll be all alone grieving and cursing myself for not being aware of him. I always have to be aware and alarmed because I'm the leader of this team and I have to do what's right. Sometimes I wish I wasn't the leader!"

Starfire stood there, shocked, never had Robin gotten so terribly angry, it made her sorrowful. He cared very much for the team equally. And that made her unhappy. She honestly still didn't know if he truly loved her. "It is alright Robin," Starfire coaxed. "I am here for you."

"I don't need your damn pity," cursed Robin. "Now leave me alone."

Starfire welled up in tears and walked out of the common room to her room, angry with Robin and herself.

The night seemed to last forever for Starfire. She did not join the others for dinner, and she did not come out of her room ever since that incident. She felt love and small hatred towards Robin, but knowing that she made him angry at her, it was kind of an even balance. Once the clock hit twelve, it made Starfire feel even worst. She remembered when Robin kissed her the night the clock struck on New Year's. She silently cried herself to sleep with pain and agony zooming through her body. It was not a happy feeling.

Robin laid on his bed with tiredness and fear. Slade was near, and he could tell. The way everytime he closed his eyes a vision of Slade came to mind. The way he looked out the window the sky turned a dreadful gray. The way he had been acting lately. They were all signs of Slade, perhaps. Slade was getting him worked up over nothing, and he was accepting it. He tried to hardest to get Slade out of his mind, but whatever he tried did not work.

Robin tossed and turned and even tried to sleep on the floor, but none were effective enough. He slammed his fist on the wall hopelessly and something fell down from his shelf. It was a picture of him and Starfire on Valentine's Day. He still regretted wearing that oversized sweater to this day. But the picture made him feel happy. And it was very soothing, knowing that Starfire was forever by his side made him feel sleepy, and finally drifted off to sleep, the picture resting in his hands.