Teen Titans belong to DC Comics. My paycheck is not signed by them.

Chapter 35: Waking and Remembering

By Lelila

Starfire's head hurt. It was a piercing, throbbing pain that felt as if someone had stabbed her with a dyo'ryp. There was a nagging nausea pressing at the back of her throat and the idea of moving anything, even something as small as an eyelid, felt like it would take too much effort at the moment.

A wave of dizziness washed over her. It was a terrifying sensation while lying still. Reflexively, she tightened her hands and was surprised to find something in the right one. She tried not to grip it too tightly; she knew there was very little on this planet that she couldn't break.

Something nearby moaned. Starfire felt her ears perk up at the sound. She was able to loll her head towards it and flicker open an eyelid. A blurry pink and black blob appeared. Something flickered and two spots of blue appeared. "Star?" a voice whispered.

Starfire couldn't gather enough strength to make any noise in return, but managed to flutter the one eyelid she had open.

"Star?!" She was jostled around as the blob moved excitedly. Her first and second stomachs threatened to rebel. Thankfully she settled quickly and she felt a soft tickle trace down her cheek.

"Star, are you awake?" the voice whispered again. Something in the back of her head told her she should recognize it, but it seemed nebulous and she couldn't quite grasp it. She fought to open both her eyes.

"Star?" the voice prodded again.

Starfire heard another moan. This time it may have come from her.

"Star, c'mon, open your eyes," the voice pleaded.

She blinked a few times. Her vision started to clear. The blob began to form into a face.

The eyes became clear first. They were large and blue as the ocean that surrounded the tower. They shone with worry and great love, and Starfire knew she had spent much time looking into them.

The rest of the face came into focus, and a word, a name, tickled the back of her brain. She knew this person, knew him very well.

Before she could start to formulate his name, the person broke into a huge smile. "Oh God, Star," he pressed his cheek to hers. "I was so worried!" He pulled back, looking down on her lovingly, worry around his eyes. "How are you doing?"

Starfire still wasn't certain how to form words. She wasn't even sure which words to use. She understood the person talking to her, but so many possible words to respond to him swirled through her brain. She squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to make sense of her thoughts.

"Oh, Star, are you in pain?" the familiar person asked, concern evident in his voice. She felt something caress her cheek.

"Hmmmm…" she managed.

"I bet your head hurts, doesn't it?"

Starfire's muzzy head swirled. How did one communicate affirmation? She lolled her head to the side. Was that right? She blinked at the familiar person whose name she still couldn't remember. He lay down next to her and looked deeply into her eyes as he lightly ran his fingers over her temple and cheek. "Are you in there, Star?"

The person frowned. "I don't know if I should do this," he mumbled more to himself than to her. "Maybe I should ask Raven first…"

"Rrrr…." A sound escaped Starfire's lips. She wasn't sure where it came from or why she chose that sound to make.

"Star?" he gasped again. Fear and hope shone in his eyes at the same time.

"Rrrr…" she repeated. She knew this sound had something to do with this person who looked so lovingly at her.

"I'm here, sweetheart," the person said as he caressed her cheek and then pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Rrrr…" She couldn't seem to remember the next sound in his name or how to make it.

The beloved person pressed his lips together in a look of determination. "I love you, Star," he whispered. "Know that." He placed a warm hand on her belly and rolled over on top of her.

His body slid against her, and suddenly her head was full of images: Standing in the street, her hands bound, this beloved individual slowly approaching her. Sitting on the roof of a building with him, overlooking the ocean. Flying over the sea with him holding onto her arms and whooping with joy. Lying with in the dark on a forest floor, kissing and touching each other. Floating over a river, their bodies joined. Floating behind him in a shower, scrubbing red dye from his hair. The big smile on his face as she appeared wearing an elegant gown. A lightbulb exploding as they spiraled towards the peak of passion. His face hovering over hers, contorted in pain and streaked with tears and grime.

"Rrrr..ooo…Rrrooobin.." The name came to her.

The beloved one blinked tears from his eyes. "Starfire? Please…"

She tried to focus on his gaze, to let him know that she was really with him, but his visage kept going in and out of focus. She wanted to throw her arms around him and hold him tightly, but somehow couldn't make the limbs move. She fought with the hazy blurriness, struggled with her limbs. "Rrroobin," she repeated.

The beloved's tears became more pronounced. "Yeah, Star, it's me. How are you feeling?"

How was she feeling? What an absurd question! She was with him; everything was alright. But again, she somehow couldn't remember how to form the words to express that.

"Please, Star. Please be alright." He sobbed harder.

Why was he weeping so? She was alive and with him. Did he not know how much she loved him? "Yrrrrr…sseeffttteeee…" she managed to make her lips form the words.

Robin hiccupped another sob, his lips turning up in a watery smile. "I love you too, Starfire."

Starfire could feel a wetness leaking out of her eyes and down her cheeks now too. The emotions for Robin and the frustration of not being able to move or speak were overwhelming her.

She could feel something welling from deep inside of her. It started at her navel and was spreading through her belly and up into her chest. It was hot and restless. She felt like…like…

Light flashed in front of her eyes and she felt as though her very spirit was expanding outwards. She began to feel very warm and light-headed. Cool air drifted over her back and the weight of her beloved pressed firmly against her chest and belly.

"Star?" her beloved said again, a mixture of fear and hope in his voice.

And then she exploded.

That's what it felt like, for a moment at least. Every cell in her body burst with energy and the room lit up with it. Spent, she fell back to the bed, her beloved falling with her.

TtTtTtT

Robin managed to twist himself so that he landed next to Starfire and not on top of her. His head spun a bit, as it always did when their gems were in contact for more than a few seconds. He shook his head and scrambled to check on her. She lay limply next to him, again seemingly unconscious. What had just happened? It was like she'd used her whole body to release a starbolt, but he hadn't been hurt. "Star?" he whispered as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Star, are you awake?" He shook her gently. "Star? C'mon…you were awake a minute ago…"

She moaned, and her eyelids began to flutter. She tried to say something, but Robin couldn't make out what it was. "Star? What is it?" He pondered connecting their gems again, but decided against it. She needed to wake up on her own if she was to really heal. He stroked her cheek. "C'mon Star, come back to me."

She blinked a few more times before her eyes stayed droopily open.

"Star!" he smiled, briefly indulging his urge to kiss her. "How are you, sweetheart?"

She blinked heavily but made no other response.

He did his best to make eye contact with her. "I know you're in there…"

Slowly, slowly she lifted an arm and placed a hand over his where it lay on her shoulder. "Dpi'syr…" she said so softly he almost didn't hear her.

Robin almost jumped for joy. "Yes, it's me.

"Ejsy js'rmrf?"

Robin rolled the words around in his head. "What….what…something…dammit! I know this. What….occurred?"

"It's a long story," he cooed at her. "You were hurt pretty bad, but you're gonna be okay. You have to be."

"Friend…Raven," she managed in English this time.

"Yeah, Raven healed you. She said for you to just take it easy."

"How…she is?"

Robin smiled. Even barely conscious, Starfire thought of her friends first. "She's fine. Tired after all that happened yesterday and the amount of healing she had to do, but she'll be alright with some rest."

Starfire exhaled and seemed to try to smile. She opened her eyes a bit more and managed to look into his for a long moment before they drooped shut again. "You…" She slowly raised a hand, managing to brush Robin's shoulder before it fell to her side again. "How?"

"I'm okay, Star. A little banged up, but no worse than I've been before. The same for Beast Boy and Batgirl. I haven't heard yet about Cyborg."

"O'lhsf."

"Yeah, I'm glad too. How are you feeling?" He stroked her hair.

"Sleepy…."

"I know. You'll probably feel that way for a while. But try and stay awake for a little bit, okay?"

"Okay…"

"I am so proud of you," Robin said in an attempt to keep her engaged. "You managed to get through that maze without being taken in by Fredo, and you saved both of us."

"Vsmy'obre oyjpiyupi."

Robin swallowed the growing lump in his throat and rest his forehead against hers. "Oh, Star…I couldn't live without you either."

The faintest of smiles graced her features, and Robin felt her chest press against his.

"Star?" Robin questioned.

Starfire reached for Robin's shoulders, gripping them lightly. A moment later, Robin felt his legs lose contact with the bed. It happened so slowly it took a moment for him to figure out what was happening. "Star…? Star, don't strain yourself, please!"

Despite his pleas, they continued to rise off the bed. "I am not straining myself," she whispered after a moment. "I cannot help it. I am with you."

Robin felt tears sting his eyes. "Oh Star…" Almost reflexively, he wrapped his arms around her back. Burying his face in the crook of her neck, he held her tightly and just let himself cry.

Starfire's fingers found their way into his hair. "Why do you cry, Dpi'syr?" she whispered into his hair.

"Because…" he snuffled against her skin, "because…even when you're practically unconscious you're still incredible. God Star…I love you so much."

Starfire's arms crept around his back, giving him a gentle squeeze, one Robin knew was far from her full strength. "You care for me even though I am weak?" she asked.

"Of course! Star," he lifted his head to look at her. "I love you, not the fact that you're strong or can shoot starbolts. Don't worry about being weak right now, you've been hurt. I'll take care of you until you're strong again."

They slowly began to sink to the bed. "Then I know I will recover quickly."

Robin looked back up at her to see her a bit more alert now. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Loved," she said simply.

Robin felt the skin on his cheeks crease as he smiled widely. "You are, Star. Don't ever doubt that."

Okay, so not much actually **happens** in this chapter. The character stuff is the good stuff, IMHO. And yes, I know it's been forever since I've updated this story. Mostly it's because my muse has decided to play in other sandboxes here lately. But I do intend to finish it! There are only a few chapters left. Many, many thanks for everyone's patience and continued interest.

Here's hoping the next chapter won't take so long…