A/N: I figured that since Starfire's marriage to Karras in the comics was in name only when she was still with Dick that they could use the same plan for right now. I hope it's believable why no one else thought of this up until this point. Of course Batman has to be a sour-puss about it, though.
"Robin's getting married? For real? Is this a joke?" Beast Boy repeated for the hundredth time back in our room. Since our room was the only guest chamber available we had now gained Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman as roommates. No one was really happy about it, but we all pretended for Starfire's sake. Communal sleeping was normal on Tamaran. It made me realize just how much I liked my privacy. I was still reeling from my 'engagement' and I needed to be alone.
"For the last time, it is really happening. Now sit down and be quiet," growled Batman, who had claimed the corner with the deepest shadows for his own. It had previously belonged to Raven, but she and Wonder Woman had created a makeshift tent in the center of the room for themselves.
"You've got to admit this is crazy," said Cyborg, a little uneasy under the 'Bat glare.' "I mean, they haven't even kissed yet, have you?" I felt heat starting to rise up my neck and quickly looked away. Starfire and I had cut our make out session short when a knock from Wonder Woman broke us apart. If I thought about it too long though I could still feel the tingle on my lips.
"This changes nothing. This is a charade for her people's sake. It's in their best interests, and it buys her a little more time before they will expect her to produce an heir. When that time comes we will reveal that humans and Tamaraneans are incompatible. By that point Starfire can either choose to annul the marriage and return, or you can maintain the charade for as long as you choose." Batman sounded disgusted at the plan he had to lay out. The way he put it, it sounded like little more than a business merger. Nonetheless, a bolt of panic went through me. Children?
"What if they do conceive a child?" Raven asked darkly. I closed my eyes and covered my face with my hands, wishing myself a million miles away. Batman blanched, and a weird sort of spasm crossed his face.
"They are heroes," he said simply. Translation: heroes had no business having babies.
"Can we stop talking about this now?" I asked. Superman chuckled and Wonder Woman smirked.
"The creation of a new life is a beautiful process, Robin. You should not fear it...when the time comes," she added after a sly look at Batman. He and I exchanged a glance that contained an entire argument:
Don't even think about it.
I'm not! They are!
If you get her pregnant I will castrate you.
Bit late then, isn't it?
Batman looked away first, muttering under his breath. His foot lashed out and kicked a small round pillow out onto the balcony. Grinning, Superman walked over and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"They grow up so fast don't they?" he said in a low voice I still managed to hear. Batman's shoulders stiffened.
"Bite me," he snapped. Superman laughed.
"So are you two going to start sharing a room?" Cyborg asked, wiggling his brows suggestively.
"No!" Batman and I said in unison. While the idea of it did strange things to my head and...other parts of me, I was with Bruce on this one. We weren't ready for that. In fact, I hoped once we got back to Earth things could go back to exactly the way they were-well with maybe a few changes. I could get used to kissing.
"I can't believe you talked me into this plan," Batman threw at Diana. She lifted her shoulders in a simple shrug. She like ruffling his feathers as much as my team liked ruffling mine.
"So while you were all making wedding plans without me, did anyone bother to look into how the victims were regaining their memories?" I said. I was done being the butt of their jokes.
Superman and Wonder Woman went instantly quiet. Batman kept his back to me, but he was still brooding so I had to take that with a grain of salt.
"We're still looking into it," said Superman uncomfortably. Clark was a terrible liar. I narrowed my eyes and got to my feet. Finally, the pressure was off me and my wedding and back onto something I could sink my teeth into.
"What?" I demanded. "What aren't you telling us?"
"The League is handling this, Robin. Try to exercise a little patience."
"If it concerns us, then we have a right to know," Raven said. I was impressed by how easily she stood up to them. Cyborg and Beast Boy were intimidated by the Justice League members whenever they showed up, but not Raven. She called them on their crap the same way she did us. It was refreshing.
"It is not for you to know," said Wonder Woman with authority. Raven went very still.
"We're all on the same team, right? Why can't we know?" Beast Boy asked meekly.
"Because you've already proven that you will do something reckless rather than stick to a well-thought out plan," Batman said sharply. "Besides, you can barely wrap your mind around the wedding, you think I would waste precious time explaining the real problem to you?"
"Hey!" I said loudly.
"Not cool," echoed Cyborg.
"Do not talk to us like we are children." Raven levitated off the ground and a faint breeze billowed the edges of her cloak. Batman wasn't intimidated, but I think he was impressed. Anyone who could project the kind of fear Raven was giving off was worthy of his begrudging respect.
"Fine," he said. "But it will be easier for everyone if you don't know what's going on. We need you to act natural." Well that was closer to the truth, whatever it was.
"Wow, Raven, you stood up for me," Beast Boy said, holding up his hand for a high-five. She stared at him nonplussed before she rolled her eyes and wearily slapped his hand. His grin doubled in size. "I don't know what's gotten into you lately Rae, but you're even cooler than usual." She lifted a brow.
"You think I'm cool?"
His ears drooped a little with embarrassment and I knew he hadn't meant to say that.
"Yea, in a creepy kind of way."
Cyborg turned to Superman with a pleading look on his face.
"Please take me with you back to the Watchtower. You can't leave me alone with two couples!"
"Guys, I'm going to go get some air," I said quietly as Raven flinched. Superman moved to open the door for me.
"Are you sure it's safe to be outside alone?"
"I'm not going far," I mumbled. Clark was like an uncle to me, a well-meaning over-protective uncle. He was anxious now that Starfire and I had announced our betrothal. She had assembled her people and Galfore had raised our hands together so everyone could see us. It was met with what Star later told me was mixed reviews. Not only were there a large number of people present who blamed Star for killing Blackfire, there were an equally large number who felt that she had married beneath her by choosing a 'weak, pathetic human who is not even of royal blood.' Those people kind of had a point.
My footsteps echoed off the stone floors. It was kind of eerie, Tamaraneans liked tall ceilings. I guess they came in handy for a race that could fly, but they just made me feel small. I scuffed my shoe on the floor. This whole situation was ridiculous. I had no more business being the next King of Tamaran than Bruce had of winning 'Father of the Year.' I pulled out my bo and began twirling it between my hands. The familiar action was soothing. Soon it was whistling through the air as I spun it over one shoulder and the the other, back and forth, faster and faster. It required all of my concentration to keep it spinning. A familiar burn crawled up my arms.
"Hi-yah!" I swung the staff in a finishing arc so that it slammed into the floor. The vibrations traveled all the way up through my shoulders. I was still absorbing the shock when I felt the familiar itch that warned me I was being watched.
"Don't try and sneak up on me, it doesn't work," I said coolly. There were two of them. Guards. They'd probably heard me practicing and come to investigate. I turned to face them.
"It's all right, I was just-"
I saw the fist coming, but everything went black the moment it hit my head.