{(Chapter 6- Nightmares)}
The second after Robin cut off his transmission with Slade; he felt his knees give way beneath him. Beast Boy noticed just in time to catch him as he fell.
"…Robin?" Beast Boy prodded, hesitantly.
Sobs of relief were shaking Robin's shoulders.
"She's… safe." He managed to whisper. His voice was hoarse with emotion. "She's safe, and there's a way to get her back… and… she's safe."
Beast Boy was a little surprised. "What…? Dude, just a few seconds ago, you were convinced that she was safe, and there was a way to rescue her… and you were trying to convince me of the same… so I would leave Raven…"
Robin looked up at his friend. "I'm sorry. I wanted to sound confident so you would help me. But… I didn't know for sure. Of course I didn't. But… she's safe." He shook his head in relief. "She's safe, she's safe, she's safe."
Beast Boy allowed himself a small smile. "You must care about her a lot... You should hear yourself."
Robin responded with a sudden silence.
Beast Boy's eyes widened, and he dropped Robin to the ground in surprise. "DUDE! You DO! You LOVE her!" He paused a moment, letting a grin creep up his face. "Robin and Starfire sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N…"
Presently, Cyborg walked into the room. He smirked when he heard what was going on. "Geeze, BB, get a hold of yourself. You're making all this commotion over Robin and Starfire? That's OLD news."
Beast Boy and Robin both felt their mouths fall open in shock.
"WHAT?!" Beast Boy nearly yelled. "Why am I always the last one to know these things?"
Simultaneously, Robin shouted, "What do you mean "OLD NEWS?" Can't a guy even keep a secret anymore?!"
Cyborg shrugged. "By the way… I came in here because my sensors detected some radio transmission coming from this room… who were you talking to?"
Beast Boy suddenly remembered the radio message. He quickly sobered. "Slade."
"Oh? What'd he want?"
This time Robin answered. "He said that he wanted me to come to his lair tomorrow… Alone."
"You really gonna risk that?"
"There's no other choice… I'd much rather risk going alone, then risk Star's life."
Cyborg shrugged. "It's your choice."
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"Why is it that you keep referring to me as Robin's "girlfriend"? Robin and I are just friends."
Slade ignored Starfire's question, and pretended to have his attention focused on his video screen. It showed live feed from the spy camera Sayuri had planted outside of the Titan's Tower. Slade was watching to make sure Robin didn't leave before he was supposed to. Or that he didn't leave with any of the other titans.
Sayuri was sitting in the corner of the room, probing the inner wires of a small, but complex computer chip; checking whether it was still operating. Busy though she was, she heard Starfire's question.
"We know that the two of you aren't together yet. But calling you his girlfriend helps remind him of his feelings for you… even if he's not in a relationship at the moment."
"… What feelings?"
Sayuri looked up from poking at the computer chip. Starfire noticed that her face carried the same look of regret that it'd had before.
"He cares for you, hon. Probably more then anyone else he knows. And it goes deeper then that."
Starfire felt herself blush. But… what could this villain know?
"How… do you know what Robin is feeling?"
Because I've seen it before… Sayuri thought. Oh… I need this money so much… but do I have the right to mess with this puppy love?
Sayuri just shrugged in response to Star's question. She dropped her gaze back down to the digital chip, and continued prodding it.
Starfire dropped the subject, and reverted her attention back to undoing her ropes. She brushed the ones binding her hands up against the box she was propped up against. Gradually, she felt the edge of the box sawing into the ropes.
She continued this for a few minutes, when…
"Could you stop that?"
Starfire's eyes widened as she looked up to find Sayuri watching her.
"I don't really mind if you get free. It'll only take a few seconds to tie you back up, after all. But that sawing sound you're making is getting on my nerves."
"… Why would it annoy you? It is a very small sound."
"And it's very quiet in here. You know, this chip is very complicated, for it's size. It's really hard to concentrate on checking its circuits. Especially with you carrying on over there."
Starfire's face suddenly stiffened, as she remembered her captor's plans. "I do not care if your procedure is altered by my noise. I very much hope it is."
And she went back to edging at the ropes.
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Later that night…
Robin was gradually making his way through the city. He crept silently through the night's shadows, thinking about how reckless he was being. Honestly, this route was very dangerous, and so he had to be very careful… all it would take was one hidden camera, and Slade would instantly know that his little "apprentice" wasn't where he should be.
And that wouldn't be good for Starfire. Not at all.
So, Robin would just have to be cautious.
He eventually found the familiar entrance to Slade's secret lair. He slowly slid the hidden door aside, being careful not to make a sound.
However, it didn't seem that it made much of a difference anyway.
"Come on in, Robin." He heard Slade's taunting voice echo from the inside of the lair.
Robin reluctantly walked inside, looking around and surveying his surroundings.
"I see you've redecorated."
Indeed he had. What Robin was walking on was not a floor, but a rough, bridge-shaped rock. The "bridge" stretched from one side of the room -the entrance- to the other. Only a few feet underneath the bridge, was a river of boiling lava.
From the other side of the room, Slade chuckled coldly. "Well, yes. I was going for the lake of lava cliché."
Robin looked up at Slade, finally noticing him. Across the bridge, the masked man was on a large rock plateau, and sitting on a tall, golden chair- much resembling a throne. Next to him, on a fairly shorter throne, was that girl- Sayuri. Her hair was tied up in a regal manner, and she was wearing a cloak colored with red and dark gray colors he'd come to associate with Slade.
He took him a few moments to realize someone was missing.
"Where's Starfire?" he asked sternly.
Both Slade and Sayuri ignored his question.
"Have a seat, Robin. Relax." Sayuri's voice sounding strangely smooth and seductive.
"No!" Robin said, more forcefully. "Tell me what you've done with Starfire!!"
Slade shrugged and pressed a button on his armrest. The door behind Robin shut itself with a heavy clunk. "You might as well listen to her. You will be staying here for a long time… You might as well make yourself comfortable."
Robin didn't even seem to notice Slade was talking. His mind was suddenly filled with a sense of dread. Why didn't they answer his question?!
"WHERE IS SHE?!?!?!" he demanded.
Sayuri casually gestured towards the hot lava below. "Down there… somewhere… maybe…"
Robin stared at the lava she'd gestured towards, his eyes wide. "You… You… You didn't…"
Sayuri chuckled. "Well, I'm sure you always thought she was hot. Now EVERYONE can honestly agree with you."
Robin didn't find the joke funny. Not at all.
But… I have to save her… I have to save her somehow… there must be a way…
Without thinking, he jumped off the bridge… following Starfire into the hot lava.
"Robin! No!" Slade shouted behind him.
But it was too late.
Robin bolted upright in his bed, panting heavily from his fright. He put a hand to his forehead, and noticed that it was surprisingly warm. Beads of hot sweat rolled down his face; mingling with the cold tears still pouring from the corners of his eyes.
Wait… tears?
He shook his head, mentally scolding himself for getting so worked up over a dream. 'Stop it. It's just your stupid imagination. Starfire's still FINE. And if anyone can rescue her, you can… So, stop!'
(A/N- Or, as the Fremen say, don't give moisture to the dead, if they're still living. ^__^;;; Sorry, folks. I'm reading The Dune series, and I'm LOVING some of the quotes I'm getting from these books… even if they don't make much sense to others.)
Robin crawled out of his bed, and made his way downstairs, to pour himself a glass of water. He walked into the kitchen, but stopped in his tracks when he heard someone moving around in the living room.
An intruder… a thief, maybe… or could it be Slade? he wondered.
He quietly padded over to the room, and stopped just outside the doorway, peeking his head inside.
I can't see anything… it's too dark in here… Wait… is that a person over there by the couch…? I can hardly see him…
"Slade?" he asked the dark figure.
He didn't get any response, though. The figure began to turn around to face him.
If it was a thief, they would have run by now… and if it was any other self-respecting villain, they would've identified themselves… It's gotta be Slade… oh, man! I wish I had my utility belt.
But, Robin wouldn't wait for Slade to make the first move. He rushed towards the figure, and rammed into it; easily pinning, whoever it was, to the ground.
It only took Robin a few seconds to analyze that the person was not nearly heavy or bulky enough to be Slade. He peered through the darkness, trying to adjust his eyes enough to look at the intruder.
Before he could, however, he heard Beast Boy's loud footsteps descending down the stairs.
"What's with all the racket? How do you expect a guy to sleep with all this commotion downstairs?"
The green-skinned boy hurriedly turned on the room's lights. His eyes widened when he saw what exactly was causing all the noise.
"DUDE!! Get off my girlfriend!!"
Robin looked back down at the "intruder", and gasped. It wasn't Slade. It wasn't even a stranger, for that matter.
It was Raven.
She was staring at him, her eyes wide in shock, and her features still looking a little weak. He quickly pushed himself off her, feeling his face go red as he deeply apologized to both Raven and Beast Boy.
"… I guess I'm just a little jumpy tonight…" he sighed.
Beast Boy nodded then turned back to Raven. He tried his best to hide his immense relief that she was finally up. "So…" he attempted a joke. "Has Sleeping Beauty finally decided she's had enough beauty rest?"
Raven sighed and sat herself back down on the couch she'd be lying on earlier. "Yes."
Beast Boy grinned, and hurried over to her. He sat down next to her, and grabbed her in a tight embrace. "I'm glad."
Robin smiled and shook his head.
"Well, at least one of the titans has his girl back." Beast Boy said, looking at Robin as he finally released Raven from his grasp.
Raven managed a small smirk. "So, Robin's finally admitted his little crush then?"
Beast Boy's mouth dropped open. "Oh my gosh! You too?! Why does EVERYONE know EVERYTHING before me?!"
Robin shook his head again. "I'm afraid to ask how you knew that, Raven… Anyway, how are you feeling?"
Raven shrugged. "A little light-headed. But, I'm lucky this joker was around to take care of me."
She glanced at Beast Boy, and he grinned.
But, Robin could still see the tiredness and fatigue in her movements, and it infuriated him. Slade had no right to mess with his friends like this. And he would pay for doing as much.
I'll make sure of that.
(A/N- Muwahahaha… Okay, so I didn't really leave you at a cliffhanger this time. Next chapter, Robin finally arrives at Slade's hideout! Yep… sessha is done stalling. ^^ Hope you enjoyed this chapter… It was intended to be short, and I have no idea how I managed to write it out so long. Please forgive me if it was dull.
Also… I love all my readers. Really, I do. The only thing I love more is my reviewers. ^^ So, PLEASE, PLEASE review!!!)