The Start of the End
Chapter 1- A Beginning and A Return
Robin was waiting outside a room in the medical wing of the tower, going over and over what had happened that day in his head. The day had started out like any other, he thought, so how did it end up like this? How could everything have gone so wrong so fast? What more could he have done to prevent this from happening? Why couldn't he get to her sooner?
Earlier that day…
Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire met in the training area at 6 a.m. to meet Robin for one of his training sessions. They normally didn't mind his workouts, but this particular exercise was scheduled too early for anyone's liking.
"Why'd we have to get up so early to train today?" Beast Boy complained as he entered the training area, still groggily rubbing his eyes.
"No idea, Robin probably has some special new exercise he wants us to run through before things get crazy today." Replied Cyborg.
As Cyborg was finishing his response, Robin walked in,
"Morning Titans." Robin said much too cheerily for the hour. "This morning I want us to go through this new training sequence I've been working on and see how we handle it."
At this, Beast Boy and Cyborg groaned while Raven kept her usual emotionless façade.
"Why must we do the training so early, friend Robin?" asked Starfire. She does not mind training, but was curious as to why he had scheduled it so early.
"Because I have heard rumors spreading around the city that something big is supposed to go down today, and I want us all to be fully prepared and alert when it does." He responded.
After he said that, the rest of the titans perked up somewhat and they all got started going through Robin's training sequence.
After a few hours, Robin called it quits and the titans went their separate ways to clean up and wait for whatever was supposed to happen that day. They all met up in the kitchen when they were done for one of Cyborgs famous breakfasts. They sat at the table and enjoyed their meal, even Beast Boy who had his own tofu bacon.
"I can't believe you made me tofu bacon!" he exclaimed, with as much excitement as was possible. "Normally you make me make my own tofu food because you refuse to go near my "hippie food."" he stated.
"Well I guess I was just in a good mood today little man" replied Cyborg.
"My friends! Let us enjoy this breaking of fast and do the digging in of the food" said Starfire, feeling great joy in the kindness Cyborg showed towards Beast Boy.
Beast Boy dove face first into his food and the rest of the titans enjoyed their breakfast as well. After they were all done, the titans settled down for some down time before whatever was supposed to happen happened. Cyborg and Beast Boy were playing video games in the common area while Raven was in the corner meditating, while Starfire and Robin left. The two friends went up to the roof to sit and just talk, as they so often liked to do.
The two friends sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, enjoying one another's company. As they sat, Robin happened to glance over at Starfire as the sun came out from behind a cloud and he had to stifle a small gasp at how beautiful she looked with her hair gleaming in the sun and they way her emerald eyes appeared to light up.
"What are you staring at friend Robin? Is there something stuck in my hair? Is there something on my face?" asked Starfire.
Startled at being caught staring, he looked away. Starfire reached her hand up as if to wipe away something. Robin caught her hand and held it.
"There is nothing on you, I just spaced out, sorry." While in reality, he had been admiring how beautiful she was and was thinking about how much he cared for her.
Starfire glanced down to there hands, and Robin seeing this, let go of her hand and looked away.
The two sat for a few minutes in silence before Starfire started to speak.
"Robin, we are best friends, are we not?" she asked.
"Of course we are" replied Robin "you are my best and closest friend".
"If that is so, then I wish to know what you think of me." She said.
This caught him off guard and he had to think for a moment. He had wanted to tell her forever how he felt about her, and he was thinking that this might be his chance to do it. He shifted around so that he was facing her better and took her hands, while looking into her waiting eyes.
"Star, you are the closest friend I have. I feel like I can tell you anything." He said. "You are the nicest most caring person I know, and I'm a happier person when your around, because you have that kind of affect on me."
Looking at her face, he saw that she was not rejecting what he was saying, and seemed to want to hear more, so he continued.
"I have always had these feelings about you, since we met and you kissed me to learn English. I knew then that I would always care for you and that I wanted to be with you." He finished.
Looking into her eyes again, he saw that they were shining with happiness and joy.
"Dearest friend Robin" Starfire said, "I have had the feelings that you have described about you as well, since we first met. I am so happy that you share these feelings, it gives me the bumps of geese!" she said.
He chuckled at her use of 'goose bumps' and the two embraced for moment, before pulling back and sharing a short, but passionate kiss. The two friends sat up on the roof for what felt like hours, just enjoying the time together with their arms wrapped around another, before being interrupted by the beep of Robin's communicator.
"Hey Robin, you still at the tower, and is Star with you? You guys left awhile ago and never checked in and we got worried." Cyborgs voice could be heard from the communicator.
"Sorry 'bout that. we're still here. Any alert from the city yet?" asked Robin.
"No man, im starting to think that the rumors were just that… rumors." replied Cyborg.
"Either way, we have to stay alert in case something does happen." replied Robin.
"Well alrighty then, Cyborg out." and the communicator beep, signaling the end of the conversation.
After the talk with Cyborg, Starfire and Robin decided to go join the others in case the alarm went off, that way they could be ready. The two left the rooftop and, walking hand in hand, joined their friends in the common area. Cyborg looked up upon their arrival, saw the two holding hands, and could be heard mumbling "Its about time" while smiling.
Robin and Starfire looked at each other and blushed and were on their way to sit when they got an incoming message on the screen. A face flashed before them and all of the titans were on their feet in an instant.
"Hello titans, it has been far too long." said the man on the screen.
Robin stared at the man on the screen in disbelief, thinking him to be dead.
"Slade!" said Robin.