Awaking

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.

It was late, very late. The others were already in bed, the alarm was set and all the lights were off; but there he was, sitting in the middle of the silence. Doing nothing but watching and waiting.

He turned his eyes to the clock. Two in the morning, and he was more awake than ever. Adjusting his chair's height to be more comfortable, he focused all his attention on one single thing; that hospital bed in front of him.

The insane beep of that machine next to the headboard was killing him, while the peaceful movement of that chest, going up and down constantly was the only thing that was keeping him from collapsing.

It was his entire fault. Even when the rest told him there was nothing he could have done, nothing anyone could have done to prevent it, he still told himself it was his fault.

"I did everything in my power, now we have to wait." were Raven's words a couple of days ago after that battle that put her in that condition. What was he thinking? He knew it was too risky. This new crazy villain had not only one, but two amazos at his power, not to mention that the robots already had absorbed different abilities. He fought one of those freaking machines when he was younger, still under Batman´s mantle, and he almost got killed. Sure, he knew his team was very powerful, but it wasn't enough.

He failed. He made another mistake and paid a high price for that. He was hit where it hurt the most, doing nothing but watching and shouting her name frantically. And it was his entire fault.

He leaned against the chair for second time that night. He wasn't even tired. There was no time to sleep, she could wake up in any moment, and he had to be there for her, even if it might take days to happen.

Shaking, his hand reached for hers and gently gave her a little squeeze. God, he just wanted her to wake up. To open her eyes to know she was okay. Just a little signal to give him hope. But she was sleeping for three days now and giving no signals to wake up.

He blamed himself again.

-Hey, honey, I got it. You're making me wait. It's my punishment for been so stupid, right?

There was no answer.

-I deserve it, I know, but… you have to wake up. We all are worried, we need you –for two seconds he couldn't find his own voice. Being the Boy Wonder didn't make you the best at everything. He could defeat men much stronger than him and resolve mysteries almost nobody could, but talking about his feeling was his worst aptitude, even when the most important person was there, in front of you, not even listening. -I need you… I need you so much and… you know I suck at these things, but… God, what I'm trying to say is that… I care about you and you're really special to me and… shit, I'm a terrible boyfriend.

His gaze set on the electrocardiograph monitor as her steady heartbeats filled the empty infirmary. How could he let it happen? His team trusted his leadership. She trusted he would have finished this mission with no failings. But again he was too slow. Too slow to plan a more effective strategy. Too slow to give the correct commands to his partners. Too slow to take the control of the amazos from their owner's hands. And too slow to prevent that laser to penetrate his girlfriend's chest.

His mind was consumed with anger. Pure anger and rage. He didn't care if he got injured. He just wanted to destroy those androids and then get his hands on that fucker.

"What are you doing!? She needs help!" he couldn't even recognize which of his friends said that, but as soon as his brain decoded the words he hurried and knelt at her side.

"Starfire! Oh no, Raven!" he called for help.

"I'm on my way."

"Starfire, baby… Come on, look at me…" he took her face in his hands as the little hole next to her right breast was starting to bleed. Her eyes were open, but staring at nothing, almost like dead. He panicked. He pressed his hand over the wound watching as his gloves were turning red, someway trying to stop the bleeding as some tears were already forming in his eyes –"you're gonna be okay. Raven's going to heal you. Everything's going to be fine… Kory, keep your eyes open!" he shouted when he noticed her eyes starting to close, fighting with the lack of energy. A second later Raven was already there, removing Robin's hand from the wound to inspect it.

It was bad. The laser got to puncture a lung and another organ she couldn't identify; she was an alien after all, and what she knew about her physiology wasn't enough. Not during that situation. Soon a thin trail of blood began to slide from the corner of the Tamaranian mouth, staining her lips, and Raven panicked too. Her friend was drowning in her own blood.

His girlfriend was dying in front of his eyes.

"Shit, no." Cyborg's voice echoed along with Beast Boy's gasp at what they were watching. They managed to stop the amazos, or rather, to finally flee the new villain in terror. The bastard escaped, but their friend was more important.

Raven frowned as she put her glowing hand on Starfire's wound. She didn't care how much energy she was using, she wasn't going to let her die. Not at that moment, not under those circumstances, and definitely not when she was doing all her efforts to keep her alive.

But Starfire wasn't fighting. She was giving in. Robin could feel it.

"Kory, open your eyes! Honey, hold on, please!" the desperation on Robin's voice made everyone shudder. A new layer of skin was starting to grow over the hurt, but Raven knew very well that the internal damage wasn't totally healed, and the blood dripping out of Starfire's mouth wasn´t stopping. "Raven, do something!"

"I'm doing everything I can!"

He never felt so helpless and useless in his life. He couldn't do anything to aid her, just sit there and beg to God to not take her away from him.

"Oh God, please… please… Kory…"

"We have to take her back to the Tower!" Raven said, and without waiting to hear any complains she embraced all the team into her soul-self and teleported them to their home.

And now Starfire was there, lying in front of him, so still and fragile with that machine monitoring her heartbeats and an oxygen mask to let her damaged lungs take air more easily.

He would never forgive himself for let it happened.

-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I let it happened. I was supposed to protect you, to be there when you needed me and I messed up, like always. I failed you and now you're here in the infirmary badly injured because I did another stupid mistake –he stopped as he ran out of air in the middle of his confession. Maybe she would never know what he said, but he needed to take it out of his chest before he'd explode. –I promise to never let anyone hurt you, ever. You're the most important person to me, Kory and I guess what I'm trying to say is… –he sighed and taking all his courage he prepared to finally let out what was he wanted to say. –what I mean is that I love you. I love you so much and I'm an idiot for not telling you long before, because I've always have. I love you, Kory, and right now all I want is to see you awake and well. Please, honey. Wake up.

Again there was no answer. He looked down before closing his eyes. He said it, he finally said it. Those three words have been the most difficult ones to tell in his life, but at the same time he felt so right at exclaiming them, because they were true. Three pure and authentic words that expressed everything he felt about her. He loved her.

And she couldn't hear them. Probably she'd never hear them because he wasn't strong enough to protect her and…

-That was very sweet.

Robin lifted his head and stared with big and almost tearful eyes at who had spoken.

Two beautiful and tired eyes were looking back at him along with a tiny and uncovered smile.

He didn't restrain himself anymore. Suddenly all the tears he had been containing the past days just came out at that instant. He didn't care.

-Dick…

-What are you doing? Don't remove the mask- he said raising his hand to set the mask against her face, but he was stopped when her fingers managed to touch his wet cheek. She smiled, or tried to because she was still too exhausted, even when she had been unconscious and sleeping for three days. But she did, and he couldn't do against that smile. –I-I was worried… I thought you'd never wake up… Kory, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…- he breathed.

-There is nothing to be sorry for… -she said, her voice so gently and calm. –You should not blame yourself.

-But…

-Say it again, please.

He looked at her, focusing his eyes in the small bruise on her right cheekbone she received during her combat with one of the amazos. He'd never forgive himself, he knew it. But one thing was for sure, he'd never let anybody hurt her again. Never again.

-I love you.

-And I love you, Dick.

Author's note: Hope you liked my very first fic. If you find any mistakes please forgive me! English is not my native language. If there is a mistake with the grammar or orthography please let me know to improve my English, I would be very grateful. Also I'm going to use characters' original names, like in the comic books, when they're talking to each other. Again hoping you like my story and please don't throw me knives if you didn't like it.