Author's Note: Tissue alert. Beware the angst.


Chapter 29

Galfore dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around his grieving wife.

His dear, sweet little bungorf was gone, vanished in a fiery explosion of power unlike anything he had ever seen. Tamaran would go to war with the Citadel for this. They would wipe out every last trace of them in retribution for the one they had lost. She had already ensured their victory and tomorrow they would descend on the Citadel and finish what she had begun, his A'ninl already gathering their armies. But that was not going to bring her back.

She had been so strong, so powerful, just like her grandfather. She could have lead Tamaran into a golden age of peace and happiness, bringing back the wonder and the laughter to a race so soured by bitterness and war.

She would never paint another picture for Fyria. She would never get to sit on a stool in the kitchen and laugh. She would never steal another zorkaberry pie. She would not get to have the children she had wanted, the life she had wanted with Robin, who now called styled himself as Nightwing.

Nightwing had worked so hard, had proven to the Tamaranian race that it didn't matter where you came from. That physical strength did not matter, it was the strength of your heart and how hard you loved.

He and Koriand'r had shared that with Tamaran.

And now it was gone.

TTTTT

Fyria wept, clutching at Galfore.

Not Kori. Not her little Kori. She couldn't be gone.

The And'r children were like her own. The children she had always wanted and had been unable to have. She had watched all three of them take their first steps, learn their first words. She had changed their soiled pants and mended their scrapes. She had been the one to help them fly. And after Luand'r died, she had become like a mother to them.

She had been the one to tuck them in at night on Okaara and read to them. She had been the one that helped with their studies and dried their tears when training was too hard. Galfore was their k'norfka, their guardian, but she was allowed a much more special relationship with the And'r children.

Kom had taken after their father, in looks and personality. The same striking black hair, the purple eyes. A strong warrior, a fiery personality, easily angered and a demeanor that demanded attention.

Ry had looked like their father with the green eyes of other Tamaranians, but taken after their mother. Mischievous, with an impish smile, always on the look out for another prank he could play.

Kori had been blessed with the looks of their mother and Fyria saw a lot of herself in Kori's eyes. The same caring nature, compassion and love for all things. A deep seeded desire to watch out for others, especially her family. And her father had twisted that to his advantage.

Fyria had wept on the day that Kori had been given to the Citadel, wept bitterly for weeks. She knew that precious child would come back changed, a shadow of her former self, if she came back at all. Ry had seen her weeping and could not understand it. Kom had seen and told her she was weak.

Fyria had wept on the day that Kori returned, broken and bleeding, terribly thin and weak, but somehow still whole, still happy and caring and giving. Still Kori.

Fyria had wept on the day she discovered that the Psions had taken her children. All three of them had gone in one instant. Those six months had been the hardest ones of her life. And she had wept on the day that she had discovered they had managed to escape.

Fyria had wept on the day that Ry died and the Citadel retook Kori. She had screamed and ranted and raved for days, the tears always coming. Ry had been such a special little boy and to lose him in such a terrible way was heartbreaking.

Fyria had wept on the day that Galfore had told her that Kori was in love, that she wanted to be married. That she shared a very special, very unique bond with another. She deserved happiness after the heartache she had endured.

And now Fyria wept today. Kori was gone and Fyria knew she would never run out of tears for this loss.

TTTTT

Blackfire wrapped her head in her hands.

She was gone. Her little sister was gone, just like everyone else in her family. There was no one left. She was alone in this universe, the last of the And'r family. An exile. An outcast.

Kori had always been too forgiving. She forgave their father for giving her away as a prize. She forgave their mother for dying. Kori forgave her.

Blackfire couldn't understand it. After everything she had put her little sister through, Kori had smiled and said that she'd loved her. That she was forgiven for all the terrible actions she had done.

Blackfire was ashamed of herself. Kori had been so powerful, so wonderful. So giving. And Blackfire had taken. Taken everything Kori had ever offered her and thrown it back in her face. Twisted by their father's words and actions Blackfire had believed that Kori was deliberately trying to steal her rightful place on the throne.

When Kori had challenged her for the crown, Blackfire had believed it was another attempt to undermine her.

And then she had found the memory disc of their fathers and discovered how manipulative he had been. How he made Kori go to the Citadel as a prize. How he was going to take her back and allow her to be killed. How he was going to let Ry take her place as a prize for continued peace.

Nothing should have been more important than family and Blackfire wished she had discovered that sooner. There was still so many things she wanted to say to her sister, so many apologies, so many unsaid words.

They were going to remain unsaid because Kori was gone and Blackfire would have given anything for another chance.

TTTTT

Jinx surveyed the Titans, a frown marring her features.

Bumblebee was curled up in Herald's arms, weeping bitterly. Argent was being held by Hotspot. Speedy and Aqualad were standing by the balcony edge side by side, gazing off into the distance as though some gigantic hand had come from the sky and torn out their hearts. Wildebeest was shaking his head and making small mourning noises. The little pink haired Kole was crying, that great lug holding her protectively. The two little pipsqueaks that looked at KidFlash like he was some sort of speed god were hugging each other tightly and wailing.

She didn't understand it. She had tried to destroy the Titans. She had taken her bad luck powers and thrown it at the Titans, wishing the worst pain on them all. Was this the worst pain then? To lose one of their own?

It was just Starfire after all. Hadn't she tried to destroy Starfire so many times? Shouldn't she be happy?

But Starfire had taken the time to touch Jinx lightly on the shoulder too, silently saying goodbye with those incredibly expressive eyes of hers. And that gesture made Jinx a part of her death. The death of a Titan.

A team that Jinx was now a part of. Would any of them be as upset if she died?

Jinx glanced at Kid Flash, who was looking solemnly at his shoes, his head bowed in respect for the dead, a sad little tear trickling down his cheek. He would be upset. And probably Argent would be too, the two of them had actually hit it off and Jinx was glad to be a part of a team that had another girl in it, rather than being surrounded by stupid boys all the time. Bumblebee would probably care too; they had been friends when they were a part of the Hive.

And Starfire would have cared. Jinx had always thought Starfire's caring nature to be a weakness. But it wasn't. It held a sense of belonging. One couldn't be a Titan without receiving a Starfire hug, something Jinx had been inflicted with after the Brotherhood of Evil battle.

And the Titans would never get another one.

There was a sudden sharp pain in Jinx's heart and she threw her arms around Kid Flash's neck. He clutched at her, burying his head into her neck and she felt his wet tears on her shoulder as tears of her own dripped down her cheeks.

TTTTT

Cyborg shook his head in disbelief.

It was not supposed to be like this. It was never supposed to be like this. He promised her he would have her back. He promised that he was not going to let anything happen to her. He had failed her. He had failed his sister.

They had lost her before for a few moments and those moments had been the hardest ones he had ever had to bear. He'd felt weak and powerless and it had taken all of Raven's strength, all of Robin's love to pull her back. But now it was longer than moments, now it was forever that she would be gone from their lives. Raven could do nothing and Nightwing's love was not enough.

She had whispered in his ear that he had to be strong, to keep being the big brother to the Titans. Do not falter, she had said. Be safe. Watch out for those smaller than him and those larger. And she loved him.

Starfire had loved everyone, but told few people. And he had been blessed with those few words that showed him how much he meant to her. And he was never going to hear her say them again.

He was never going to draw her into another argument about tofu and meat. He was never going to train weights with her again. He was never going to eat her bizarre alien food or laugh at her misunderstandings and misconceptions of human nature. He was never going to get teach her the wonders of computers or discuss the physics behind the faster than light travel. He was never going to be lifted into the air by her strong arms and carried off to battle again. He was never going to learn any more Tamaranian from her. He was never going to get to spy on her and Nightwing again and tease them impishly when they were sprung.

He was never going to hear her sweet voice or laughter again, or see that smile bursting from her face.

TTTTT

Beast Boy wiped at the tears that streaked down his face.

Everything they had done, everything he and Raven had been through was not enough. They hadn't been able to save Starfire. She had protected them, spilled her blood for them, ripped her soul into shreds for them while she tore through the Citadel, destroying everything that stood in her way and they had been unable to do anything for her. He'd never felt so useless.

It was all his fault. He should have shifted back the instant Hunder came into the room instead of hiding under Starfire's gorget. He should have prevented that bastard from sticking that needle into Starfire's neck, that damned needle that started this all. He should have protected his sister. Why hadn't he acted? Why had he waited to see what was happening?

He knew why. He'd wanted to be stealthy and bide his time, be a secret weapon. He'd wanted to protect Raven. But that reason didn't seem to be enough anymore. He loved Raven but he had also loved Starfire and if someone had woken him that morning and told him that he would have to choose between the two girls, he never would have gotten out of bed.

He glanced over at Raven, seeing the great despair etched on her face. Starfire had whispered in his ear that he needed protect her. To love her as best he could, that this would be hardest on Raven because she was only new to experiencing emotions. She had whispered that she loved him, that he was a delightful and happy soul, and that he should always remember to keep smiling because his smile could brighten even the darkest days.

Just like she had.

TTTTT

Raven forced herself to take the necessary steps to reach Nightwing's side. She dropped to her knees wrapping her arms around him. Nightwing clutched at her, burying his head into her shoulder. She could feel the wetness of his tears soaking through her leotard.

Beast Boy tearfully fell to his knees beside them, adding his arms to the hug, while Cyborg went to the other side, both of them lost in their own private grief.

Love was such a strange emotion; one that Raven didn't know she could feel until it was gone. Starfire had always loved so readily but Raven had only just accepted it. She had loved Starfire. Loved her so much it hurt. And she'd never told her. Starfire had called her sister and all Raven could do was say that she was sorry. Why didn't she tell Starfire she loved her too? Why didn't she say those three little words that would have meant so much, but did nothing now the one they were meant for was gone?

They'd really lost her this time. There was no coming back from this. No second chances, no spirit to help back into a broken body. There probably wasn't even a body left to grieve over, to bury and pay their respects. They were another Titan down, with no monument frozen in time to remind them of what they had lost. Only two small pieces of metal that Nightwing clutched so fiercely.

He was never going to recover from this. A large piece of him was always going to be missing. Every girl was always going to be compared to the one he'd lost. Every girl would lack the special spark that made Starfire so alluring to him. There would never be another like her and a part of him would break every day from her loss.

Just as Raven knew every new friend she would ever make would be lacking those qualities she needed from Starfire.

They'd never had a finer friend, sister, lover than Starfire and they never would again.

Raven remembered the time they had switched powers; their friendship had been forged in that moment and grew stronger every day. She remembered the strange transformation Starfire had undergone and she'd run away. She remembered Starfire's adoration of her small weird pet Silkie. She remembered Starfire's strange Tamaranian rituals and how the Titans had laughed at her. She remembered the unwanted hugs and touches she'd received from Starfire and would have given anything to have just one more.

She remembered Starfire's laughter and her smile.

And she'd kept smiling. Just for them. She'd gone to her death worried about them, smiling to keep their spirits up. Because when Starfire smiled, everything was right in the world.