Understanding Love
Prologue
Starfire awoke in a cold sweat, her breath slamming out of her lungs in ragged gasps. She gripped the velvet Teddy bear in her arms with inhuman strength and shuddered a sigh, her emerald eyes flicking about the room with intense fear. 'Just a nightmare' she told herself, she didn't believe it though. Everything had been so real… so possible. Slade had captured her and held her hostage, when the other titans had come to help he had killed Robin and then she was running for her life as Slade pursued her, Robin's face had haunted her in her escape. Slade was barring in on her, holding a dagger wickedly above her head and then she woke up.
She shook the terrible thoughts from her head. Perhaps a midnight snack would help… maybe a little mustard. Starfire slipped from her bed, her cloths were just a tad rumpled as was her hair but being as late as it was she doubted anyone would see her. Her door automatically whooshed closed as she exited, her feet never touching the ground she floated down the hall in silence.
Soft, lazy snores drifted from the room marked Cyborg and she could hear Beast Boy's fantasy play out in his mumbled words from across the hall. Raven's room was quiet but a faint radiating blackness seeped from it and Starfire shrunk away. As she passed Robin's room it was unusually quiet. Knowing his one-track mind he had fallen asleep at his desk mid search for Slade. She sighed. Finally reaching the kitchen she opened the refrigerator door after maneuvering past stacks of unclean dishes. A soft glow lightened the room and she hunted out her bottle of mustard. Quietly closing the door she made her way to the roof, sipping mustard on her way.
As she stepped lightly out onto the roof a pacing figure greeted her startled eyes.
