Let me start with saying that I have been a very busy student... And that I barley had time to finish this! But the burden seems to be lightening up (hopefully) so the updates will (again, hopefully) be more frequent. Thank you for reviewing and thank you too those who will!
Enjoy


The Bird and The Firefly

Chapter 04 - Emotions

0 0 0 0 0

Her heart felt like a hammer, trying to break her ribs and her senses exploded. She got a hold of herself just barley and was about to use her magic when a familiar voice startled her.

"I… Raven…"

Raven!? She quickly wriggled out of her captors grasp and spun around, facing him directly. The chock was too much as she screamed both in relief and in surprise.

"BEAST BOY!?"

The green teen flushed and took a step back, feeling so dumb that he wanted to die right on the spot. The horrified look on his face along with all the tension, relief and stress was too much. She broke out laughing. Beast Boy starred at her, rooted to the spot. He looked so confused right now that she couldn't help but laugh even harder. After a while, she managed to get a hold on herself and wiped her eyes.

"Don't scare me like that ever. Got that?"

He flushed again completely at a loss for words. She almost felt sorry for him and went up to him, patting him on the shoulder. She smiled a small smile, trying to hide the smirk she felt wanting to burst out.

"Raven is in her room."

With that said, she picked her books up and walked away from Beast Boy, leaving him in a state of chock. When she rounded the corner, she couldn't help but smile even wider. It seemed that her suspicions of Beast Boy having a crush on Raven were confirmed and she couldn't help but wondering how Raven would react to it. She seemed to really loathe him at times, but she really liked him and cared for him even though she seldom showed it. I doubt that she would like him more than a friend but who knows… Minako's the expert on that area… She felt a lump in her throat and shook it off. Hotaru dumped the books near the bed, sitting down and began to reach for the book on top.

"Where have you been?"

She stopped and turned her head. Robin was standing behind the bed, arms crossed. She smiled at the slight worried tone in his voice, doing her best to suppress a shudder when she thought back on the event with Slade. She had agreed with Raven not to mention any of it, and she didn't really felt guilty about keeping it a secret. In some way, it felt better.

"I went out for awhile… Sorry if I had you worried…"

Her gaze fell, and a slight feeling of guilt managed to penetrate her mind. Robin walked around the bed and put his arms around Hotaru, finally feeling the relief of knowing that she was safe. He held her for awhile, just taking in the sensation of her petite body against his. Hotaru felt warmth spread through her whole body and she leaned in his embrace. It felt so right that she couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah… I was worried… Who wouldn't be?"

She laughed and curled up into his lap.

0 0 0 0 0

It was ever so slowly becoming unbearable. She couldn't leave the gate, or get into contact with the others or anyone else for that matter. The time guardian felt trapped and more lonely than she ever had during her thousand years of duty. The presence of Chronos, the god of time, was still present and thus she was still unable to leave.

Why was her father doing this? Setsuna found herself pondering the same question yet again and as she walked back and forth. She felt betrayed, and not to mention useless. At the moment she was completely powerless and utterly desperate. Yes, she had been alone during her years after the fall of the silver millennium, but she had been able to leave and use her powers and never cursed herself for being born with the power of time. She did now.

She didn't care if she got herself killed, all she wanted to know was if the others were fine. Feeling a shiver running down her spine she tried to reason with herself. No, that only made her restless… If it hadn't worked before why would it now? The atmosphere suddenly changed, if only slightly but still noticeable. She perked up, trying to pinpoint her senses as she clutched her staff tightly.

Even if she was without power right now, she could still fight with her staff. It were the only thing she had been doing recently, fighting with her staff and improving her skills since she found it was impossible to think. The mighty presence seemed to grow even stronger, and the garnet orb on her staff abruptly began to glow. Setsuna found herself almost trembling as the orb glowed more and more.

Then, it suddenly stopped. She sank down, still clutching her staff. Feeling incredible tired all of a sudden, her thoughts began to race. This could only mean one thing if Chronos had increased the protection for a moment; the enemy was powering up. She stood up again, leaning on her staff as she closed her eyes in a silent acceptance, praying to the gods.

0 0 0 0 0

He had never been so ashamed in all his life. Beast Boy smacked himself as Hotaru disappeared around the corner. Dammit, they looked so alike from behind… He shivered and thanked the gods that Cyborg hadn't been near or he surely would have sunk through the floor and killed himself. Maybe he should just jump out through the window and get it over with, Raven would surely do it anyway… But what if she doesn't… What if she really…

No, he couldn't allow himself to think like that when he needed some courage. He had to do it or he would never get over this… feeling. He felt a surge of hope, and almost fell over when he realised that he was standing outside Ravens door. He swallowed and raised his hand but hesitated. Yeah, he could do it. He was the man. He knocked on the door, and the silence was defining. Beast Boy realised that he never knocked.

"What?"

Her voice sounded monotone, but had attained a colour of emotion since Hotaru had helped Raven. He had found this very fascinating as her tone was growing even more emotions as the time went by.

"It's me."

The simplicity of his voice must have startled her, for there was no response. Suddenly, the door was opened and Raven peeked out. She was really beautiful in the half light, and he noticed her eyes held mixed emotions. Patiently, she seemed to wait for him to speak up. She gave him a look when he didn't throw himself at her trying to convince her to join one of his games. He took a deep breath.

"Can… Can we talk?"

She blinked, but gestured for him to come in. She silently wondered what he wanted, as he really seemed serious and nervous. Her eyes widened suddenly. Did he know about Slade? Had he overheard them? He didn't notice her sudden change as he stared down on the floor, only looking up when she had closed the door. He fidgeted and Raven felt herself relax. It couldn't be about Slade, he would never behave like that if it were…

"So… What did you want to talk to me about? I have work to do…"

It was like jumping into a very cold lake. Don't touch the water, just jump in. If you're lucky, the water is warm enough… He looked straight into her face, looking her gaze as he spoke.

"I like you Raven."

For an eternity, they just starred at each other. Raven opened her mouth, feeling gob smacked. But before she could say anything, Beast Boy began to ramble.

"You're really beautiful, and smart, and powerful… I really like you Raven I really do…"

She put an hand on his shoulder and he shut up as he felt her touch. He looked into her eyes, trying to read those dark pools as she looked at him. His heart was beating really fast, and he was sure that she could hear it…

"I'm sorry Beast Boy, but I don't have feelings for you… I just don't."

He starred at her as he felt his heart break. He took a step back, holding back his tears. Raven really looked miserable now, and she felt guilty when she saw the expression on his face.

"I'm sorry."

He ran. It felt like an eternity, but he ran. And found himself outside the tower, where he had been with Terra. The only difference now was that he had feelings for Raven… He sank down as he stared at the water, and the tears broke free. He felt so ashamed and rejected, and couldn't help himself. He hated to cry. I should have known… I shouldn't have said anything… Stupid…

He sat there, looking into the nothingness with a blank mind. He was so stupid. Suddenly, he felt his hairs in his neck rise and he felt a chill and turned his head. Raven was standing behind him with crossed arms. He quickly turned his head, and wiped his face. She didn't say anything, and neither did he.

"Look… You shouldn't be sorry. There are lot's of girls out there that would love to be with you. I consider you a friend and hope that it will be so in the future. Damn, I'm not good at this…"

Beast Boy turned around and couldn't help but smile a small smile when she flushed. She sighed and took a deep breath and gave him a glare.

"I'm gonna regret this."

She walked up to him, leaned down and gave him a kiss. Beast Boys senses exploded and it tasted incredible sweet, so sweet. To quickly for his taste, the kiss ended and Raven made a face.

"If you tell anyone, I will personally kill you but first I will give you the most painful torture I can think of. Got it?"

With a dreamy expression, he nodded. Raven called for her powers and transported herself up to her room. Beast Boy sat and pondered the last moment, memorizing it carefully. He would always remember that kiss, and it would forever be his most precious memory of the empathy.

0 0 0 0 0

Cyborg yawned as he stretched on the sofa. He leaned back as he turned off the latest version of Alien Hunters and zapped through some channels. When nothing was worth seeing, you could always have some fun and rack down on it. Which he gladly did.

"Crap, crap, hell that's even crappier…Oh! There she goes… Jeez, what is that?... Crap, crap, crap… okeeeeey, now I have seen it all. Damn, that just leaves the news."

He zapped on the last channel and flung the remote beside him.

Who do you have to screw to get some decent shows? He felt a sudden crave for popcorn and decided it was just what he needed. He had invented an popcorn machine a while ago, when he realised that the ones you could buy made to small portions. So with a big bowl of fresh popcorn, he sat down on the couch and enjoyed it more than the news. He could care less if some politician had been involved in a scandal… All he cared for on the news where crimes. As if drawn there by the smell, Speedy popped down beside him.

Cyborg glanced at him, prepared to defend his precious popcorns with his life. He double-checked when Speedy didn't seem to notice his bowl of popcorn. He had an odd look on his face, almost like he would like to smirk but at the same time be worried. Cyborg shrugged and flung a popcorn in the air and caught it with his mouth. He was about to do it again when something on the tv caught his attention and he almost dropped the bowl.

It was an image on a building in Jump city, taken from a helicopter. A body was hanging on the wall, crucified. The head was lying at the feet, and blood could be seen everywhere. His eyes widened.

"Damn!"

Speedy was brought out of his thoughts and took a look at the screen. His eyes narrowed.

"Is that…"

Cyborg rubbed his eyes and stood up.

"Yeah. Sure as hell, it's Slade!"

Cyborg quickly pulled out his radio and hailed Robin. His jaw dropped when his leader answered, and a certain violet eyed girl…

"What!? I'm busy!""Robin, what is it? It could be important…"

Cyborg laughed and smiled a little evily.

"Oh, I didn't interrupt anything did I?"

Speedys head snapped up, and starred at the half man.

"No, but seriously it's important. It's on the news, come quickly!"

He could hear Robin growl at the other end when he couldn't resist the urge to tease him.

"You lovebirds can rumble on later…"

He hung up before he could hear what Robin said and flopped back down on the couch, giving Speedy a look.

"You know… It's not often I get a chance to get on his nerves."

Speedy nodded, but noticed that his voice sounded a bit strained. Was the tin-can actually worried? Shouldn't he be happy that someone actually managed to rid the town from such scum? He shook his head. Cyborg turned his head when Robin and Hotaru came through the door. He couldn't help but notice that Hotaru's hair was a bit messier than usual but decided to drop it. He could save it for later amusement.

Robin felt his irritation subside when he caught the look in Cyborgs eyes. Hotaru took one look at the screen, and quickly looked away.

"Take a look at this."

He couldn't believe his eyes. The image burned itself in his mind, and his mouth fell open. His most hatred person in the world was dead. Slade was dead. Hotaru couldn't stand it and tried to calmly make her way out. She gave Cyborg a look and nodded towards their rooms, using all her strength to hold herself together. When she got around the corner, she leaned against the wall, taking slow breaths. The image had shaken her, but it was much better now. She had to get a grip on herself, she was the god damn messiah of silence! Then, a memory stirred in her mind from long ago.

It was so clear in her mind that she had to remind herself that she wasn't reliving it again. She had trained outside the outers mansion, and was slowly getting more and more frustrated with herself. Setsuna had told her that she had to stop, and that it would never work unless she realised that she could not be perfect. She would always have a flaw, just like anyone else. She would only be able to achieve her goals when she realised and accepted that fact.

Hotaru had taken the advise to heart, and realised that Setsuna had been right. How could I have doubted her, she's over a thousand years old…Now, get yourself together and get Raven! Thinking of Setsuna made her calm, but she didn't allow herself to go further than that. She was already worried enough. Finding Raven with her nose in a book was no surprise, and she knocked on the open door.

Raven looked up, and relaxed. She really looked relieved, which made the senshi wonder.

"He knows."

Raven stood up, dropping the book.

"The news?"

Hotaru nodded. As they returned to the living room, Robin was nowhere to be seen. Cyborg was standing in the room, patiently waiting for them. Raven quirked an eyebrow at him.

"You volunteered to wait?"

Cyborg shrugged, making a face.

"I don't want nightmares seeing that for real too. I've already been scared for life."

Hotaru flinched but Raven gripped her arm.

"Hotaru, stay here. Someone have to watch Starfire while we are gone."

Hotaru took the queue and nodded, silently thanking her empath friend. Cyborg nodded, as he agreed that Hotaru should stay even if it wasn't necessary. She looked a little spooked after seeing the image.

0 0 0 0 0

The body, etched to the wall, was a very unnerving and disgusting sight. None of this however, was what crossed Robin's mind. All he could se when he starred at the mask of his former enemy, was all his haunting memories. He couldn't believe it. He drew his hand through his hair for the seventh time and paced back and forth, trying to get a grip on the situation.

Glancing at Beast Boy, he tried to focus on something else. To his surprise, the green teen didn't seem to be to excited or anything else for that matter. He was just starring at the corpse dumbly, as if he was not even seeing it. He shook his head. Speedy walked up and took a closer look, face unreadable.

"What was his name again? If he could kill Slade, I sure as hell want to know his name…"

Robin gave him a glare.

"Tristan. As I told you before, he seems to be a considerable threat or we wouldn't have asked for your help. Starfire can't use her powers when she is unhappy and we don't want her to get hurt."

Speedy glanced back at Robin, he was sure he had heard an guilty undertone in his voice but didn't say anything. Letting his mind wander he realised that he hadn't taken a look at Hotaru yet. She must be gorgeous to have stolen the attention from Robin! Feeling a slight urge of excitement he suddenly found himself immensely curious of Hotaru.

Robin sighed and turned to look out over the city, trying to admire the overwhelming view. It was a common place for dates and a very popular one, and no wonder. But how many would ever come here for a romance now? The place had been soiled, forever contaminated by Slade's corpse. He tightened his fists in a silent fury.

Raven and Cyborg suddenly appeared in a flash of darkness, and Beast Boy jumped in surprise and then he blushed. Cybrog grinned at him but stopped when his gaze fell on the corpse. He quickly turned away, not wanting to see it more than necessary, and begun to fumble with his scan to smooth it over. Raven gave Beast Boy a look and walked up to Robin. He looked around and then he turned to her.

"The police let us be here for ourselves. They are waiting in the building. Where is Hotaru?"

Raven managed not to smile when she heard the worried tone in his voice. He had been very overprotective of Hotaru, and she found herself that she had been too. Hotaru was strong, but at the same time very fragile which made you want to protect her even though she could handle herself very well.

"She wanted to stay and watch Starfire. Can't blame her, it's a nasty sight."

Praying to the gods that he would buy it, she almost sighed in relief when he acknowledged her answer. He seemed to relax a bit and begun to investigate the corpse. The group couldn't find anything, except for a necklace that was barley hanging on the body since the neck had been cut off. Raven levitated it down and stored it in her subspace pocket. They decided to retreat and examine it back at the tower.

0 0 0 0 0

It felt rather nice to have some peace and quiet, very soothing and relaxing. She was the senshi of silence, and the silence could tell her many things. Forgetting the kitchen, the her vanilla tea, this dimension… She could feel it thicken around her, and with help of sensations could she read out the meaning. Starfire was sleeping. She opened her eyes and shook her head. If she wasn't careful she could end up asleep. Since she felt a bit drained, she decided to think instead.

The first thing that entered her mind was Robin, and she smiled at her, perhaps, dearest memory.

She gasped when he let his mask fall. He smiled at her expression and leaned a bit closer, making her blush again. His eyes where an intense dark blue, taking her all in and making her warm inside.

"Richard Grayson, nice to meet you."

Breaking out of her stare, she punched him lightly on the arm and she smiled when he winced. He rubbed the spot and gave her a look.

"Is that the reward I get for revealing myself to the woman I love?"

Hotaru sighed. She really had to tell him about her being the messiah of silence. He hadn't even told the others what his name was, so she felt even more guilty. How could she be so selfish? Standing up, she decided to see how Starfire was doing. She could at least be of some use. Washing her cup, she felt a slight rush of relief when she heard the others where back.

She gave them a small smile, and walked up to Robin and gave him a hug. She felt him stiffen when she didn't let him go, but he hugged her back and just held her. It felt reassuring to be held, and both drew from the feeling. Cyborg shook his head and walked over the couch, just relaxing and clearing his mind.

Raven walked over to the fridge, but changed direction when Beast Boy hurried over and she joined Cyborg on the couch. Speedy took stood beside the couple, and took a good look at Hotaru when she parted from Robin. His eyes widened a bit behind his mask as he took her in greedily. She was petite, but slightly toned and had a gorgeous body. Her black hair shimmered in lilac, and her eyes where an intense violet. The milky skin looked very appealing, and he had to restrain himself.

His doubts why Robin had left Starfire were suddenly very clear, and he felt a small pang of envy. Reminding himself that she was off property, and that he had a chance with Star, he joined the others on the couch. Hotaru absently wondered why Speedy occasionally snuck glances at her but shrugged it off. Raven stood before them, holding up her hands.

"We found this on Slade, perhaps it could help us or even lead us to Tristan."

The necklace appeared, floating between her hands. It was a simple, black chained necklace with a small pendant on it. Speedy shook his head, finding it ridicules even considering the necklace being of any importance. Jewellery, that was what it was. A simple piece of jewellery.

"That thing will only prove that Slade was gay and that he wanted Robin to be his partner."

Robin glared at him but Cyborg couldn't help the snort that escaped his lips. Beast Boy bursted out laughing, and Raven used all her will not to smirk. Hotaru withdrew into herself for a moment, leaning towards Robin. He sighed in frustration and laid an arm around her.

"We are serious Speedy. That necklace could very well be something and if it isn't, we have considered all possibilities. Cyborg, run some tests on it and se what you can make of it. Raven, did you feel anything from it?"

She shook her head. It had felt as ordinary as anything, but to really be sure one would have to touch it. She doubted that it would be necessary, high magical resources were needed to hid such kind of magic. She and Cyborg took of towards his room, while Beast Boy cast a long look after them before engaging in a game. Speedy joined him, and after a while the guys were totally absorbed into the game.

The worries of the day melted away, and Robin took Hotaru up to the roof. Gazing at the stars, the couple found themselves very comfortable under the blanket. They talked about themselves, their families and their previous lives. When she told him about Mistress Nine, she felt him stiffen and holding her a bit tighter. She blushed and smiled in a bliss, feeling so content and happy.

She nodded in understanding when he told her about Slade wanting him as his apprentice, and how hard he had struggled with himself. She didn't know when she fell asleep, but it couldn't have been late. Robin on the other hand, took a while longer to enjoy Hotarus sleeping form against him before he succumbed to his own tiredness.

The candle where back. Hotaru stared at it in the darkness, shivering as she remembered this place all to well. It hadn't been a nightmare, but still, it scared the hell out of her now because she knew who the presence belonged to now… Tristan. The alluring darkness around her felt even stronger but she turned toward the candle, the symbol of her comfort. But this time, something different happened when she tried to approach it.

She was suddenly staring at an image, like a TV-screen but at the same time, it was not. She halted when she recognised it. Ami was standing outside of Rei's shrine, transformed as Sailor Mercury. She recognised the man before her, it was Tristan. He had his hood on, and staff in hand. Mercury was about to attack when he made a swift movement with his staff and she froze. Then he sent a blast towards her.

Hotaru screamed. She threw herself at the image, and it disintegrated in the darkness and everything suddenly vanished. Something shook her, and suddenly found herself starring up into Robins face. His blue eyes pierced through her soul and she just relaxed.

"You woke me up with your scream. It's over, you're awake now."

She nodded, and hugged him. Despite his ways, she still could see that he cared about her. Hotaru sighed, and let him go.

"I dreamt that I saw one of my friends get hurt, or I think she was going to get hurt. It was awful, but I don't think it was… Well, thank you."

Robin glanced at the sunrise, and put on his mask. It wouldn't do if the others saw him without it, you never knew if someone would come up on the roof for a morning swim. He grabbed Hotaru's hand and guided her over to their pool.

"How about some morning exercise? It always helps me clear my mind."

Hotaru shivered, missing the warmth under the blanket they had just left behind.

"I don't have any swimwear…Eeek!"

She yelped as Robin jumped in the pool, dragging her with him. Confused, she found herself under the surface and tried to swim up. Robin grabbed her and pulled her up into his arms. The water was soothing, and she couldn't help but smile a little when she saw him all wet in the morning light.

"Oh, this kind of exercise… You really had me there for a while. But what if someone shows up?"

Robins wolfish grin silenced her and with a quick movement he kissed her. Then he took his mask of and showing her his watch.

"I don't think anyone will come for awhile… It's still a bit early…"

Hotaru splashed some water on him.

0 0 0 0 0

He could do rather well without sleep, it really was no problem. He could load himself up during the after noon when he spent some time at his computer. Cyborg poured the soda down his throat and threw the can across the room, hitting the waste bin.

"Bulls eye."

He had ran all the tests he could during the night, and all he had found was some blood samples, all coming from Slade. The blood would be used for some future testing, but for different purposes, none having to do with the current problem. Tristan was overall, a mysterious person that he didn't know much about and it was getting a bit frustrating.

This must have been how Robin felt when about Slade before, and he really felt with him. He stood up and decided to head for some breakfast. A sugary drink was hardly enough, and his stomach growled very loudly. To his surprise, he found the whole gang dining on some pancakes. Even Starfire was sitting at the table, currently chatting with Speedy. Only Robin and Hotaru were absent.

He sat down and began to stuff some on his plate, pouring some jam on it before he dug in.

"Who made the pancakes? They are delicious!"

Speedy made a confident gesture, flashing a smile.

"I did."

Cyborg blinked and his eyes widened in horror. Beast Boy fell off his chair laughing at his expression, and Raven didn't manage to hide her chuckle. Speedy shrugged.

"Hey, I actually can cook you know. And don't worry, I haven't done anything with it."

Starfire smiled towards Cyborg who reluctantly began to eat again.

"You shouldn't be so… how is that word? Yes, judgemental towards Speedy. He is a nice guy, as Beast Boy would say."

Beast Boy sat himself down on his chair, wiping his eyes.

"It's cool that you feel better Star. Maybe you can help us, we are kinda stuck."

Raven noted that he tried to avoid looking directly at her, and mentally sighed in relief. He was getting over it which was good. They would never be anything more than friends, at least in her calendar. She motioned toward Cyborg.

"Did you found anything helpful tonight?"

He shook his head, placing his fork on the empty plate. He pushed it forward and leaned back, sending a look in Speedys way.

"Seems you were right on one point, it's just a necklace. But I have serious doubts concerning his sexuality. I think he was more interested in Raven than Robin."

Raven choked on her tea and almost spit it out. She glared at Cyborg and he gave her an innocent look. Her eyes thinned, and Cyborg got the message. Speedy shrugged and gave Starfire a compliment on her hair, which she returned with a brilliant smile. She had cried a lot since Robin broke her heart, and she had felt like dying, staying in her room for days. Robin and Hotaru had come to check up on her sometimes, but it had only made her feel worse.

She didn't want them to worry, and sometimes she even pretended to be asleep. Then, Speedy had showed up. She had been crying and her face was red and almost swollen. He had not seemed to mind, and there was something in his eyes that made her feel attractive again. The feeling of ugliness and rejection simply vanished, and she was having a good time when they talked.

When he had left, she felt a little lonely and found herself wanting his company again. The more time they had spent together, the more it made her feel better. Still, she was a little afraid that she would grow to like him even more… But another part of her just wanted love, and she believed that perhaps, Speedy was the one.

Robin and Hotaru walked in, and Starfire did her best to smile for them, but it still hurt a little. Hotaru smiled back warmly, her eyes shining with happiness. Starfire quickly took another bite of her pancake and complimented Speedys cooking. He nodded in thanks, radiating of confidence. He gave Hotaru a quick glance, taking in her figure. She was wearing a miniskirt, showing off her legs and a simple black shirt. Yet, it made her very attractive. He carefully glanced at Robin too, as if he was afraid to get caught. He made a motion toward the pancakes and the pair dug in. Cyborg informed Robin of his results and the disappointment was evident in his face, but he said nothing and wolfed down the food. Raven gave Hotaru a cup of green tea with vanilla flavour and she nodded in thanks.

Since Star felt better, they spent the afternoon together in the park. Having a pick nick and playing some games was a very welcome little break. After a while, the group decided to get some ice-cream and Hotaru volunteered to get some. She strolled over to the stand and just as she was about to get some a familiar presence appeared beside her.

Jinx smiled at her and made a funny gesture.

"Hey, how's it going? Been awhile, don't you agree?"

Hotaru shook her head in amusement.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm fine, you?"

Jinx blushed a little.

"Well, let's just say I have a boyfriend now…"

Hotaru laughed and gave her thumbs up.

"Me too. It's the best thing that could have happened to me."

Then, her face went serious and Hotaru blinked at the sudden change of attitude.

"There's a new guy in town, and he's not the nice type. Heard what he did to Slade?"

Hotaru felt a bit awkward but nodded slightly.

"No one could have done that except him. He's been harassing all kinds of people, that's why me and Flash has laid low for awhile. I don't wanna now what he would do to me if I pissed him off."

She was silent for a moment.

"Be careful Hotaru."

Then she spun around and quickly walked away. She stared dumbly after the pink haired witch, complementing what she had told her.

"Hey, who were you talking to?"

Raven came up to her, giving her a look. Hotaru smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, she just wanted some directions… You help me with the ice-cream?"

Raven nodded and dropped the subject which Hotaru was very thankful for. She didn't want to think about Tristan now when she was having a blast with the Titans. But what Jinx had told her kept nagging at her mind. When they were on their way back, Hotaru suddenly stopped. Raven gave her a questioning look.

"I don't think searching for facts will help us. If we want to know more about Tristan, we must find out if he has met anyone else and question them. There must be a pattern somewhere."

Raven seemed to think it over and nodded in agreement.

"You are probably right. I'm sure that Robin would have suggested that sooner or later. You two think similarly, very similarly."

Hotarus answer was a small blush. Their arrival back was greeted with joy and the ice creams were devoured in a blink of an eye. Beast Boy miserably failed in his attempt to slowly enjoy the taste of his chocolate flavoured treat. When Beast Boy noticed that Hotaru had barley touched, her cherry flavoured ice cream, he gave it a longing glance. Hotaru gave it to him and he happily ate it up in no time.

Cyborg nudged Robin and pointed at the green teen resting on the grass beside them.

"He's gonna get fat in no time. Wanna bet?"

Speedy grinned and held up a few dollars.

"I'm in."

Beast Boy sat up and glared at them.

"Hey!"

Raven snorted and Hotaru shook her head. Starfire inched closer to Speedy, trying to make it without anyone noticing. She failed however, as Hotaru smiled for her. She looked at Speedy and really hoped that he was interested in her too. It made her feel a little better and she gave the alien a warm friendly smile.

After a small game of soccer, with rules constantly changed during the match, Hotaru and Raven took Robin aside to say what they thought about changing strategy. As Raven had said, Robin totally agreed and even said that it could have been his suggestion. With that settled, the group departed for pizza a few hours later after some laziness in the grass. As usual, Starfire ordered her strange combinations on her pizza.

It was hilarious watching Speedys internal struggle when Starfire tried to feed him some of her own pizza. He looked like he wanted to throw up but at the same time wanting to please Starfire. Cyborg had to duck under the table a few times to snort, while Beast Boy failed in keeping his face neutral. Raven didn't even flinch, thanks to all the years in practising keeping a emotionless face. The only thing that really deceived her was the twinkle in her eyes.

Hotaru sighed but couldn't help but smile herself. Robin was actually smirking at Speedy, as if daring him to say no.

When they had finished, they went to see a movie. Starfire wanted to see some love story, and since she had been so down they let her pick one. Speedy, already sick from the pizza, flinched and nearly said something but managed to keep his mouth shut. Robin actually looked impressed and gave him nod.

Hotaru and Robin had a nice time, not even glancing at the movie. Beast Boy sat with his eyes wide open, while Cyborg was sound asleep. Raven muttered something that sounded like curses. Starfire leaned against Speedys shoulder, watching with a smile on her face. Speedy actually looked quite satisfied. The only one eventually complaining was Raven.

Finally back at the tower, the group watched a late movie and decided to get to bed. Cyborg fell asleep on the sofa, but no one cared. Hotaru headed for the bathroom to brush her teeth. She still had the pizza taste in her mouth and she didn't feel like waking up with that foul taste in her mouth. Robin had told her to hurry, and she had seen the glimpse in his eyes.

Finally she understood how Usagi felt about Mamoru. It was really a wonderful feeling, and it was worth even her life. She carefully closed the door and headed for Robins room. It felt a bit warm, so she took her shirt of in the go. It felt good with just a t-shirt, and it had been rather warm during the day so it was no wonder it was warm in the corridor.

A figure walked towards her, and she recognised the almost cocky walk. She nodded.

"Goodnight Speedy."

He didn't answer, and she raised an eyebrow. He must really be tired if he couldn't even answer. She shrugged and walked by him. She turned when he grabbed her arm, and she gave him a questioning look.

"What?"

She gasped as a sensation went up her arm and she began to scream when his hand landed on her mouth to quiet her. With an iron grip she was dragged towards his room, and she was to chocked to struggle. He pushed her down on the bed and she bit his hand. He lifted it in pain and she screamed as hard as she could. However, she was soon quieted again as he taped her mouth.

"It won't hurt a bit. You will long for this… Yes, we are meant to be. The Bird and The Firefly are not meant to be together…"

Her eyes widened in chock and she became furious. Trying to fight him off was useless, and she knew it was hopeless but she kept fighting. He let her do it, knowing it would just tire her out. He smiled an evil grin.

"So fierce, so lovely… So powerful, yet so frail."

His voice cut through her like a knife. She felt tears form in her eyes, and felt the hopelessness swirl in her consciousness. Then, he abruptly stiffened. And fell down beside her, unconscious. Robin was standing before her, giving Speedy a look that could have killed. Then he took the tape of her mouth, taking her shaking form in his arms.

"I will never let him touch you ever again or I'll kill him!"

Hotaru pushed him away, unable to hold back her tears.

"It wasn't his fault…"

He blinked and just starred at her.

"What the hell are you saying, he was trying to fucking rape you!"

He almost shouted the last part, but she didn't flinch. She just pointed towards him. Robin reluctantly shut his mouth and took a closer look. He nearly cursed. Hanging around his neck, it was gleaming at them in the shadowed light.

"It's Slades necklace!"

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Hey, hey. Yet another tip... how about Cradle of Filth?