Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Summary: The sky was falling.

Starring: Starfire/Blackfire/Raven

(the sky was falling)

It was crumbling into pieces. It always did whenever Blackfire appeared. Perhaps her parents made one wise decision – naming their daughter so dark. Her name suited her personality. She was the eldest and the angriest and always ready to top Starfire.

The eldest was never good enough for the throne and the youngest was never gone enough.

Starfire knew from the moment she laid her eyes on her sister that something was wrong. Blackfire was a schemer, a thief and a murderer. It wasn't wise to turn your back on such a person. She despaired at how adept her sibling was a lying and how weak her new clan-family were in the face of such a manipulator. But what could she do? Starfire lived by the edicts of her people – with no outright challenge and no support she could not remove Blackfire's smug grin off her face.

No, it was best to leave and wait for an opportunity.

But the clan said no, no this is not right. The clan-family rose to the challenge, anger crackling the air around them. Even the changling looked furious and the quiet one, the one that Starfire hoped the most for looked at Blackfire with a venom that bordered on predatory.

And Starfire raised her hands to hold the sky and cast out the traitor.

It had to be her. It was her birth-right as princess to hold up the sky so her people could fly free.

The clan had spoken. Starfire took to the duel with pleasure.

(the sky had fallen)

She could not fly.

The streets were empty and hollow. Dust and burnt flesh swirled across her nose and the sense of dread seeped into her every pore. Trudging through the debris that had once been the capital of her new world, Starfire kept looking at all the transformed statues.

Pleading with X'Hal that none of her clan was trapped.

It was so hot; the air clung to her skin. The humidity impeded her pace and slowly wore her down. She wondered what had happened to them. Would the changling be weeping at the feet of one of the statues, reminded of his own beloved traitor? Or would Robin be broken at the sight of his failure that was not of his own making? She feared for the booyah-crier. Would the might of Trigon overwhelmed his systems? Even, worse – was the shadow still enslaved?

Never once had Starfire ever doubted her. She was too sad to cause such destruction, always fearful of seriously harming anyone. This fall was not of her own choice and Starfire swore vengeance on her behalf. Had this happened slightly differently (and had things happened on her home planet) the people would have demanded the monster's head and would have supported her dear lost friend to a place of healing and rest.

Starfire thinks that Raven would like those plazas. She could read and meditate in peace. The healers would no doubt have many, many different teas to serve. Perhaps there her beloved friend could smile again. Starfire wonders if Raven was ever allowed to smile.

She wonders if she can remember how. It is hard when all you can see and hear and smell is a false death. Perhaps Trigon finds the irony of simply halting life and then weathering the remains down to nothing. She wonders if the victims even know that they are being raped and murdered until they are nothing but dust.

The alien picks herself, breathes through her mouth and grimaces at the taste of ash and blood. Moving towards the highest tower in the remains of the destroyed city she hopes that she will see something of her clan. She trusts in the steadfastness of their hearts but fears at the current circumstances.

Starfire cannot summon the emotion to fly, but she will climb the highest tower to gather the tattered remains of the sky. Then she will put the sky back where it belongs.

And then her clan will return.

All will be right again. She will make sure of it.