Trust

Author: Flying Star

Disclaimer: Do I have to spell it out, I don't own Teen Titans.

Almost there, just the conclusion and epilogue after this. Rated PG-13 for some blood, gore and swearing.

Chapter 3: How can I trust you, when I don't even trust myself? - - -- --

* I did not expect this.* was the first thought that entered Starfire's mind as she gazed at her surroundings. Her trip through Raven's mirror had been short and uneventful, but her landing had revealed a rather...unRobinlike place.

The area held no buildings or landmarks of any kind. In the air hung a sickly scent that seemed to cling to her clothing, making her feel sick herself. Skelatal trees, their twisted limbs seeming to reach for her, swayed gently to an unfelt breeze. Bare ground gave way to peculiar shaped stones, each similar in height and size. And there wasn't just one or two of them, no, they continued across the ground, seemingly for miles.

Starfire stared at the stones, recognition finally dawning on her features, though she didn't want to believe it.

" A place for burial. " She breathed, and then coughed roughly as the scent invaded her nostrils again. " Why would Robin think of such a place?" Her mind twisted around the question, trying to find a reasoning..

" Perhaps this is not Robin's mind? If so, then how do I contact Raven?" Starfire realized that though Raven had allowed her access to her mirror, she had not been told how to exit it. " I need a sign, anything that will show me if I am in the right place."

" Caw!"

Starfire whipped around, coming almost face to face with, of all things, a raven. It sat on a branch, cawing more gently now, as if it realized that it now had her attention.

Starfire floated over to the branch, feeling a little silly as she asked, " Excuse me, but I am seeking a friend. Perhaps you know of Robin, or maybe Raven?"

The raven stopped cawing as it fixed her with a look that screamed of the real Raven. It's right wing then outstretched, gesturing to the tree next to it.

Starfire's gaze turned to the tree, and she gasped, feeling sick for a different reason. " His uniform." she whispered as she quickly flew to the tree, vaguely aware that the raven had flown off. How could she of missed it, the collar was intertwined in the branches, hanging limply like a body swinging from a gallow noose. Only the missing mask kept the outfit from being complete.

" This has to be his mind. " She reached for the uniform, but found it too entangled to remove without tearing it. Did that mean that Robin was.....A pink tinge graced her cheeks as she banished the image of an ununiformed Robin from her mind. She sighed wistfully. Sure she liked Robin, okay more than liked, her feelings for him went well beyond friendship now. She looked at his uniform. * But does he feel the same way?*

She sighed, when had feelings become so complicated?

Her wanderings took her through countless rows of graves, each sporting a tombstone with indescribable text. It wasn't until she reached perhaps the dozenth row that the smell from earlier returned and became unbearable strong.

Starfire rose above the tombstones, hoping to escape the horrible smell. But even taking to the air failed to clear the air. " What....*cough* is this smell? It.. *cough* is worse than the blue fuzzy stuff that Beastboy tossed in the garbage." She quickly landed, suddenly realizing that the row she was in was different. Only three tombstones were before her, and as she continued to ward off the smell, her gaze locked on the text.

She froze, the smell momentarily forgotten as she whispered. " No." Unlike the other tombstones that bore unreadable text, these three were all too legable. " Beastboy." she knelt before the grave, tracing his name with her fingertips, tears beginning to form as she read the other names. " Raven, Cyborg, you are dead?" she squeezed her hands into fists, the ground beneath her felt soft, as if the graves were freshly dug. Starfire's eyes stung with freshly shed tears as she moved to brush some dirt from Raven's tombstone.

It happened so fast, she had no time to form a starbolt. The ground she knelt on suddenly shifted, exploding upward as a tattered skelatal hand wrapped it's fingers around her wrist.

"AAAHHH!" Starfire yanked hard, struggling to free her wrist from the now- emerging creature. With a quick yank the creature's hand did give way.....at the elbow.

Starfire shrieked again, tearing the severed limb off and leaping back as the creature dragged the rest of its body out of the ground.

Starfire's eyes widened " Beastboy?"

He stood facing her, the pupils of his eyes glowing a steady red, his one remaining hand clenching and unclenching, his other, a stump oozing a black tarish substance. Most of his outfit was in tatters, rotting flesh dropping away with each step, his shriveled innards leaking out as he fixed her with a hungry stare. Beastboy's mouth opened, letting out a low moan as he advanced on her.

You are.. EEK!" she jumped back, narrowly dodging zombie Beastboy's quick swipe. " Do you not recognize me, it is I, your friend, Starfire."

The concept of rising from the grave was lost on Starfire. When one died on her home planet, the person was given a proper burial by friends and family. Never had she seen or heard of someone actually coming back as an undead zombie. As it was she only thought of Beastboy as being really sick and injured, and having escaped from premature burial. She took another step back and bumped up against something solid. She looked back, and immediately did a side roll as zombie Cyborg's hand barely missed grasping her.

If anything Cyborg looked worse than Beastboy. What little flesh that he had originally was gone, leaving him with a half skull half metal face. Parts of his metallic body were laid open, wires and parts hanging limply from his chest and legs. One entire arm was already missing and his other one seemed to be hanging on by a few mere wires. In all he looked like a robot ready for recycling., and to her...a hellish nightmare.

Starfire's belief that her friends were suffering from horrible injuries and possibly a terrible disease faltered.

That left only....Her arms were suddenly pinned to her sides as black energy wrapped around her. She looked up into the face of madness, or to be more precise, Raven.

Her cape and hood were still mainly intact, but that didn't hide what was left of her body. She, unlike the others, still retained all her limbs, but not a hint of flesh graced any of them. Her inner outfit was stripped of all but a few pieces of cloth, covering a few strategic areas, almost as if in death she still retained her modesty. But the most disturbing was her face, of which one eye was missing and the other glared down at her, a red shiny orb that fixed her with the same kind of look that the others were giving Starfire now. And that grin, Starfire loved to smile, but Raven's grin, with what teeth she had left, was huge and pychotic, giving her a sort of deranged look to her.

Starfire averted her eyes, zombie Raven looked very much like the reaping character in the horror movie that Beastboy had 'convinced' her to watch.

Zombie Raven lowered herself to the ground, her leg bones clattering as she joined the other two in advancing on Starfire. Muttering a few choice words in Tamarian, Starfire struggled against her bonds. Whatever her friends were now, they wished to end her life, and what could she do against the combined might of three, especially since Raven still retained at least part of her powers? She did not wish to fight them.

The black energy surrounding her suddenly flickered and ceased, at which she wasted no time in hovering back and away from her teamates' grasp.

" Starfire."

" Raven?" Starfire looked at the zombies, all three stood motionless, held in place by black energy.

She stepped back, glancing behind her and into the face of..." Raven!?"

Raven, the real Raven's face at least, glared down at her, eyes glowing a steady white as she spoke. " Have you found any trace of Robin?" Her voice sounding slightly strained.

" B-but Raven...they...I mean I.." Starfire stuttered, glancing at the restained zombies. " You are dead...how can you be in two places at once!"

" Starfire, calm down. Remember these are not your friends, they're just a part of Robin's nightmare. But keep in mind that here they are as real as you or me, they can hurt you, or worse." her face took on a look of disgust as her eyes fell on her zombified counterpart. "Like I would ever look like that." she muttered and then turned her gaze back to Starfire. " Either take them down now, while you have the chance, or run." her image flickered slightly.

" I cannot!" Starfire practically yelled. " They look too much like...."

" Just HURRY UP!" Raven bellowed, her image almost fading out. " It took me this long just to get to you again, but something's interfering with me! I can't stay any longer or I risk losing my connection to Robin."

" The raven," Starfire muttered

Raven nodded, her image continued fading, " A small projection to find you. Just remember, what you're facing isn't nearly as bad as what Robin probably is. I'll try to contact you later." then she was gone, leaving Starfire alone again to face the newly-freed zombies.

Starfire took a deep breath. " Raven is right, I am being foolish." Her gaze met the zombies as they slowly lumbered forward. "You are not my friends." she growled, more to convince herself that she could take out these beings that looked so much like her friends, rather than intimadating them. " But Robin is in trouble. I will not harm you if you let me pass peacefully."

There was silence for a moment. Then with a slight growl zombie Cyborg charged her, his robotic eye alight with hunger.

" If that is what you wish." Starfire's eyes began to glow as starbolts formed in her hands. * Just quick controlled bursts, just enough to get away. * She thought. Only hesitating for a moment she let the energy fly. Had he been the real Cyborg, the energy would've knocked him back. As he was now though, the results were more devastating. The first bolt hit him square in the face, fusing the metal there into a solid lump and reducing the bone to ash. The other bolt slammed into his chest, causing massive damage as it hit his internal mechanisms and continued out his back.

His arm flailing, zombie Cyborg took a step forward, and then crashed to the ground. His body twitching for a moment, before becoming still. Blood and oil began to pool around him.

Starfire stared in horror at the body. This...this isn't what she wanted, she hadn't meant to kill him. She began shaking, backing away, just as a huge fleshless arm encircled her waist. She muttered something under her breath, realizing how foolish she'd been for taking her eyes off the others. Thrashing about, she managed to turn her head.

" ROAR!!"

Hot fetid breath washed over her as she gazed into the rotting maw of zombie Beastboy in gorilla form. * At least I know what that horrible smell is.* she thought as she twisted in his grip. " I am sorry to do this, " she managed to free a hand, " but I will not allow you to keep me from Robin."

She struck, the starbolt in her hand hitting the zombie in the forehead, taking out half his face and one eye in the process, bits of blood, bone and tissue splattering against her hand.

The scream that followed made her cover her ears as the zombie began clawing at the shredded remains of it's face, and she quickly swept her leg back, knocking him down and causing him to release her. But he recovered fast, turning his one-eyed gaze to her. Starfire gulped nervously, backing away as zombie Beastboy's form began changing, shrinking rapidly into....

Starfire didn't care, she was already running, trying desperately to get away. Fear coursing through as she tried to put the image of the zombie's shredded face out of her head. * His face...it just....fell apart...I did not mean...I did not think that my starbolt would do that.* Flying didn't even cross her mind as she continued running.... until pain exploded in her left arm, and she slid to a halt.

Either because of the pain, or just reacting without thinking, Starfire grabbed what turned out to be a green cobra, its fangs in her arm. Her hand glowed, awashing it in burning energy as it thrashed to free itself. It's teeth sunk in farther, but Starfire just grit her own teeth and increased the energy surrounding it. The smell of cooked, rotting reptile filled the air as it's body burst into flames, shriveling up until only a blackened snake skeleton remained.

Starfire turned around, throwing the dead form into the face of the approaching zombie Raven. It was then that she realized what she had just done. " Oh god..oh god, I did not mean to." she was close to crying now as she blocked the image of Beastboy's smoking body from her mind, and formed more starbolts as zombie Raven knocked the smoking corpse away and stopped a few feet from her.

Garbled words that resembled Raven's familiar chant issued forth from the zombie, and the trees surrounding them glowed black, rising into the air.

Starfire grabbed her arm and backed away, remembering Raven's earlier words as fresh blood trickled from the twin holes in her arm. Nightmare or not, the injuries inflicted are real, as well as the possibility of death. She looked up into the zombie's face, no more death, she had to get away. " Please, leave me be, I do not wish to fight you."

Zombie Raven's eye focused on her, and she giggled, a grating, phlemy sound that sent shivers down Starfire's spine. Then her skelatal hand flicked, and the trees were rocketing toward Starfire.

Starfire rose up, flying backwards as she flung starbolts in rapid succession. The wave of trees shattered, throwing shards of wood in all directions as zombie Raven emerged, throwing her next wave of projectiles.

Seeing the stone markers flying her way, Starfire changed direction, shooting straight up to avoid the onslaught. They missed her, but in avoiding the stones, she failed to keep track of zombie Raven's location.

A glowing red eye was her only warning before she hit a black wall of energy, impacting her left hand into it hard enough to snap the bones in her wrist. Gasping in pain, she rebounded off and fell.

Landing on her back, Starfire bit her lip to keep from crying out, and looked up as zombie Raven flew straight down, her skelatal hands outstretched.

Instinctively Starfire swept her right arm up to block, wincing in pain as the zombie's bony hands slammed down. Gritting her teeth with the effort to keep the zombie back, she shoved upwards with her right arm, trying and failing to get the zombie off balance. The zombie had surprising strength, considering it's conditon.

It was then that she looked up and got a real up close view of zombie Raven's features. Of the maggots that wiggled just under the rotting flesh, slimy drool dripping between the craggy nubs that remained of her teeth, the blood-red eye rolling feverishly in it's socket, correction, the bloody eye dripping ocular fluid on her. Starfire fought to keep her lunch down.

* I cannot keep this up forever.* Starfire thought as she again tried pushing against the zombie's hands. * With my left hand rendered useless, I cannot fire a starbolt from it, and I must use my right arm to keep her back. How can I defeat her if I can not even get up?*

It was at that moment that the zombie brought it's left hand back, preparing to strike at Starfire's face. It gave Starfire just the opportunity she needed. Just as the hand came down, she rolled right, and the zombie, having no time to adjust, hit the ground, a bony finger snapping off as it rolled onto its back.

Now the roles were reversed as Starfire stood over the zombie, breathing heavily. " Please forgive for what I am about to do." Her right hand shook as she released a starbolt, but to her surprise the energy disapated before it reached it. Starfire tried again, with the same end results.

She thought of trying her left hand, but immediately dismissed the notion. *My left arm burns, and I cannot feel my wrist. And whether by the zombie Raven's copied magic or just my own condition, I am unable to fire a starbolt from my good hand.*

Starfire thoughts were interupted as she stumbled forward. She looked at the zombie and watched as it drew it's arms toward itself, and as it did so Starfire stumbled forward again. But this time she felt something bump up against her back, and she turned, seeing for the first time the wall of black energy behind her. Her right hand curled into a fist.

Though its mind was decayed, the zombie was aware enough to know it had won. It's opponent couldn't attack it, not with it's shield protecting it from the green painful things that had killed the others. Defenseless, the perfect meal. It's mouth opened in anticipation of tasting her flesh, hands closing on Starfire's neck.

It realized it's mistake a moment too late.

Immediately Starfire lashed out, her fist, at such a close range, breaking through and making contact with the wiggling skin, tearing it like a wet paper sack, and causing the zombie to gasp out in surprise and pain. But Starfire wasn't finished, she kept punching, her fist repeatedly tearing into the rotting mass to the point where she didn't even realize she was still doing it. Distantly she heard someone screaming and wondered briefly if it was her or the zombie making that horrible sound.

Up and down up and down, pull back then strike, there seemed to be no end. Warm liquid splashed her face, but still she continued.

It wasn't until her fist met solid ground that Starfire halted her attack and opened her eyes. As she looked down she again fought to keep from throwing up. The zombie no longer resembled Raven in any way, in fact it didn't even resemble a person anymore. Starfire's fist had done it's job, the zombie's face almost obliterated by the beating, it's eye smashed into a bloody paste.

At some point the zombie had tried to and obviously failed to fend off her attack with it's own arms. They were now shattered, splintery pieces littering the area.

Starfire fell to her knees, shaking uncontrollable, hot tearing pouring down her face as she looked at the ruined face. She really wished there had been another way, anything was better than this. It was then that her eyes caught a glimpse of her gore encrusted fist, and that was all her stomach could take as she crawled away from the body. A moment later her gut twisted itself inside out as it relieved itself of it's contents.

She curled into a ball, rocking back and forth at the thought of what she had done. " I killed them, I killed them...I killed them." It was the only words she could voice, a single phrase repeating over and over again. She couldn't go on, not if she had to do something like this again, she just couldn't.....

.....

..star...

" Starfire!"

- - - --- - - ( Scene: Raven and the others)

" Dammit!"

Beastboy jumped up, dropping his handheld game and running over to Raven. It was the first word that Raven had uttered since sending Starfire into her mirror.

Beastboy edged closer, getting a glimpse of her face. Her eyes were still closed, her brow furrowed in concentration as she again swore. Beastboy placed a hand on her shoulder.

" Raven?" he said cautiously, then backed away, expecting her to yell at him to be quiet.

" I...I." she forced the words out through clenched teeth, then was flung backwards, her hand releasing the mirror.

Acting on reflex, Beastboy snatched the mirror and jumped forward, catching Raven in mid-fall.

" Raven?" he asked, holding her as gently as he could, his mind full of worry. He thought of calling for Cyborg, who had volunteered to stand guard outside the building, but hesitated as Raven's eyes opened. * This is bad.* he thought. * Star's still in there.* He glanced at the mirror as Raven's gaze turned to him.

" Hmmm, b..Beastboy...BEASTBOY!" Raven's puzzled expression quickly melted into a scowl. " You can release me now." She straightened, dusting herself off as Beastboy released her, then immediately regretted it as a wave of dizziness hit her. Thankfully Beastboy realized what was going on and caught her for a second time. " How embarrassing." she muttered.

" I think you should rest Raven." Beastboy suggested as he draped her arm over his shoulder for support.

" I'm fine." Raven said curtly as Beastboy gave her a skeptical look. " I just didn't expect it, that's all."

" Expect what, and for that matter what the heck happened?"

" A force, in Robin's mind." Raven groaned slightly, still feeling the aftereffects of the sudden attack. " It didn't want me contacting Starfire."

" So," Beastboy's eyebrow raised " why can't you just blast it?" He blanched as Raven fixed him with an icy glare.

" It's not that simple. This is Robin's mind, I can't just go frying something in there without knowing what the hell that thing is." She clenched her fist, willing herself to calm down, it wouldn't really help them if she accidently caused the ceiling to collapse. " For all I know it could be connected to his conscious or memory, and killing it could in turn kill Robin."

Beastboy frowned. " So, what do we do now?"

Raven grabbed the mirror from him. " 'We' will be doing nothing, 'I' will be trying to contact Robin again ." She took a step forward, intending to scan Robin's mind, then blinked in surprise as the floor was rushing up to greet her.

Again Beastboy caught her. " It wouldn't kill you to ask for help, you know."

" Dammit." Raven muttered as she turned to protest, but the sudden seriousness, and slight anger in Beastboy's eyes caused her to hesitate. Instead she shrugged her shoulders, the weak feeling from earlier finally subsiding. " Fine, do whatever you wish, but don't interrupt me."

Beastboy nodded.

She closed her eyes, but opened them when she felt something across her back. She was startled to realize that Beastboy's arm was draped over her shoulders, his hand slightly, but not painfully, squeezing her left shoulder. Annoyance rose in her as she prepared to swat his hand off. * No one..NO one should ever touch me like that. * she thought. But as she turned to remove his hand she stopped. Her empathic powers were picking up a foreign emotion, no, not exactly foreign, she had felt it from Starfire earlier. A warm emotion, coming from....that green skinned pain in the ass.

So what if he had feeling for...her? She felt him begin to pull away and without really realizing it she reached back, placing his hand back on her shoulder. Though outwardly her expression didn't change, inwardly she felt safe with him holding her.

And as she turned back to Robin, placing a hand on his head, she muttered, " Maybe emotions aren't as pointless as I thought."

Unseen by her, Beastboy smiled. - - - - - - ( Back inside Robin's mind)

" Starfire, oh god Starfire! Please wake up!"

The words penetrated through her guilt ridden mind, bringing awareness back to Starfire, though she remained in her curled state.

" Starfire, please, answer me!"

She heard sobbing now.

The voice, it was familiar, she felt she should know it. Who did she know that would actually be crying over her. Did the person not see that she was undamaged? She winced as the pain in her wrist and arm flared. Well mostly undamaged.

" Starfire..."

She heard him call again, and she knew, it was him, it was....

" Robin?" she questioned, lifting her head slightly, fearing she was wrong.

Yes! it was him, his masked eyes, streaked with tears, staring down at her in worry. He was the one crying...crying over her! She realized.

"Yes, it's me." Robin extended his hand.

She uncurled, entwining her fingers with his as he gently pulled her up. And then, surprising her, pulled her into an unusually tight embrace.

" Robin? What is wrong?" Starfire stared at the black-haired boy in quiet surprise as he pulled back slighty to look her in the eyes.

" I...I just missed you so much. I thought I was alone here, and when I saw you, on the ground like that...." his voice trailed off as fresh tears fell from his eyes. " I thought you were dead. " he finished in a whisper.

Starfire was sure there were tears falling from her eyes as well as she returned his embrace. " Oh Robin, I too was worried. When Raven said you were in worst peril than I....." It was her turn to trail off, her eyes widening as she remembered what lay behind her. " Oh god, Robin. I did something horrible, I...I killed them...I did not mean to..I mean..." her voice dissolved into silent sobs as she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see the horror that she was certain would be on his face.

A small gasp of surprise escaped her lips as she felt his gloved hand lightly grip her chin, raising her head until she was face to face with his...surprisingly calm face.

" Starfire, you didn't do anything wrong. In fact, I had to do the same thing." Robin had suddenly found the ground very interesting.

Starfire wiped her eyes. " Y-you mean it, you had to face those horrible beings that looked like our friends?"

Robin nodded, but kept his gaze down. " And I had to kill them as well, they just kept coming, wouldn't stop until, well you know." he wiped his eyes, finally breaking the embrace.

" I am so sorry for my behavior Robin. It is just...this place is so," she frowned, trying to think of the right words, " not you."

Robin nodded. " But it is a little nicer now that you're here." He smiled before reaching out for her hand.

Starfire, in a moment of forgetfulness, extended her left hand. The pain from her broken wrist flared up, but she bit her lip. She did not want to make Robin worry. Forcing the pain aside she said " Robin, now that we are together, I can leave Raven's mirror, and you should be able to wake up."

Robin's smile faded. " Starfire, there's something I want you to see." Without waiting for a reply, he ran, yanking Starfire after him.

Starfire cried out in surprise, but also pain as the pain in her broken wrist intensifed. " Robin...Robin, please stop. You are hurting me! Please Robin..." a few tears fell down her face as she pulled her arm free. Robin stopped, but kept his back to her.

" I'm sorry Starfire. " He said, not really sounding it, his shoulder rose in what appeared to be a shrug. "Anyway, we're here."

Starfire walked cautiously up to Robin, rubbing her throbbing wrist, and looked at the area before them. It didn't look interesting, more trees and bare ground. Then she saw it, a lone tombstone amid the brush. Her gaze turned to Robin, who gestured to her. " Go on." he said quietly. " I think you'll be surprised."

Starfire shook her head. " I do not wish to read the burial stone. The last time I did it had the names of our friends on them, and they were not happy to see me. I am sure you know that."

Now Robin was shaking his head. " Don't worry, I've already been by here, and nothing jumped out to attack me. Don't you trust me?" His head cocked to the side like a curious puppy.

Starfire thought about it for a moment. * Of course I trust Robin, he would not do anything to cause me harm.* she frowned. *But then why did he not stop when I said he was hurting me?*

" Well..."

His voice broke up her inner questioning, and she came to a decision. " I will look, but then can we leave this area? It is very uninviting."

" Sure."

Hovering slightly, Starfire flew over to the tombstone. At first she didn't look at the text, afraid at what she would see. As she looked down, a sudden shout of surprise came from behind her.

" Star, get back! He followed me!"

Startled, Starfire fell back, but managed to fly back to Robin. " What...." was the only word she uttered before Robin stood in front of her.

" I thought I lost him. He's the cause of all this." Robin grabbed his staff, holding it defensively.

Starfire's gaze followed his, and she couldn't surpress a gasp at the person before them.

The black outfit with the cloak draped across his back, the hooded mask with the white skull and the red X emblazoned across the front, chest and hands. She knew who it was.

" Red X." Starfire whispered, it made no sense to her. The last time she knew Red X had been Robin, he could not be in two places at once...could he? " Robin, who is he? He is not you, is he?"

" Never!" Robin snapped back, the venom in his voice surprising Starfire. " I'll never become him again! He represents that which I feared I would become."

Throughout their conversation, Red X quietly watched the two, not moving from his spot. His expression hidden by the confines of his mask, eyes not betraying any emotion. He now took a step forward, alerting Robin to their current predicament.

" Dammit, Star, I'm going to keep him busy while you get out of here."

" No Robin, I can help you." Starfire insisted, taking a step forward.

Robin held out his free hand, blocking her advance. " No! You can't risk further injury. I'll take care of him."

He was already leaping forward as Starfire thought. * You knew I was injured, yet you....* Her eyes clouded over, a feeling of slight suspicion entering her mind. But she dismissed it. * Robin was just careless, perhaps he did not understand me, but still.....* she frowned, watching Robin go to engage his fear in battle.

It was at that point, as Robin beared down on Red X, that the solitary grave suddenly began to shake. Robin skidded to a halt as Red X, who was standing on the tombstone, looked down, the eyeholes on the mask widening in surprise. Then, as quickly as it had began, the shaking stopped. Red X glanced up, the eyes landing on Starfire.

Starfire expected to feel repulsed by the figure, perhaps even angry with it for sending those horrible beings and messing with Robin. But, as she looked into the eyes she felt.....

" Starfire! Get back!"

She snapped out of her trance as Robin landed next to her. In the span of her musing, Red X had vanished, but the ground before the tombstone was lighting up, becoming a distinctive green color.

" No." Starfire whispered. Though Robin's earlier warning had prevented her from reading the full text on the tombstone, she knew who lay in the grave.

As if on cue, the ground exploded upwards, throwing debris and dust around, obscuring their vision. As the dust settled, an eerie sight befell them.

Starfire had earlier thought that Raven's 'condition' had been the worst, she was wrong.

The figure hovered before them, both eyes shining green with little flecks of red swimming in them. She still had most of her clothing on, for what little good it did her as her flesh was gone, stripped from her body, leaving her organs exposed through the bands of tissue and muscle. In her hands she clutched two balls of green energy, also flecked with red.

She who was once Starfire threw back her head, opened her mouth....and screamed, a harsh long wail that brought the real Starfire to her knees, covering her ears from the onslaught. * Such a horrible sound, it is like she is forcing it from her very soul.*

" Starfire, please stay back." Robin voice was quiet as he brought his staff to bear. He glanced down at her. " I don't want you to see this."

" Robin, why..."

He didn't hear her, or perhaps choose not to hear her question. He brought his staff forward like a battering ram, running at top speed. Zombie Starfire glared at him, throwing her ' Starbolts' and opening the mouth again, even as Robin, dodging her ' starbolts', beared down on her. But this time instead of a wordless scream, she spoke, her vocal cords intact enough as she hissed, " Betrayer..liar...killer..!"

It was all she got out as Robin's staff thrust down, sparks flying from the end as he slammed it into her face. There was a flash and suddenly her face had a new mouth as the staff poked through with a wet squelching noise. Robin yanked hard, ripping her head off and flinging it away in one quick motion. A fountain of blood erupted from her neck as Robin backed away, the body falling to the ground with a wet thump.

" Gasp!"

Robin's head whipped around at the sound.

After hearing 'her' voice speak, Starfire had lifted her head, looking up just as Robin separated her zombied counterparts' head from it's shoulders. She was shaking now, wrapping her good arm around her waist as Robin approached her.

" Star..I"

" DO NOT...!" Starfire shrunk away from him. " do not come any closer."

A confused expression crossed Robin's face. " But Star, what's wrong?"

" What is wrong?" She turned tear-stained eyes to him. " I heard her words, are they true?"

" Star, remember, I told you I had to kill them. Sometimes you have to do something wrong to make it right."

Starfire nodded slightly, a little confused and still feeling like she was missing something. Another thought struck her. " You do not possess such a weapon."

" What, this old thing?" Robin said, lifting the staff to inspect it. Sparks flew from the end. " My staff always had the feature, I just never had to use it."

Starfire frowned in confusion. Robin had never told her that before. He would not lie to her..would he? But still... " You killed her, and you were smiling when you did, why?" she had taken a few more steps back as Robin smiled.

" I guess I was just caught up in the moment."

Starfire's frown deepened. * Caught up in the moment? That does not feel right to me.* In fact, alot about Robin didn't seem right to her, she just couldn't place why.

" Come on Star, once we get rid of Red X, you can get out of here and I can wake up."

Again Starfire felt a sense of wrongness.

" Starfire, look out!"

Starfire looked up, and froze as she felt something touch her shoulder. Without thinking she grabbed the offending object and yanked hard. Red X flew over her shoulder, landing with a thud. Again the eyes were looking at her, and again she did not feel repulsion, instead she saw...pleading?

" Alright." Robin growled, yanking Red X up. " Time to take care of you, once and for all."

* He is smiling again.* Starfire thought. * He is enjoying this too much. Robin would never act like this.* She placed a restraining hand on Robin's shoulder. " Robin, I wish to engage our opponent in battle." she pushed him back lightly, ignoring his complaints, as she looked at Red X. " Who are you? You do not seem like an bad person."

" Starfire." Robin had grabbed her shoulder, and not lightly. " He's the enemy, you should blast him, not engage in a general conversation with him."

" I am quite capable of taking care of myself. Now please remove your hand from my shoulder."

The pressure lifted as she heard him mutter " Fine". She turned her attention back to Red X, who seemed to be watching the two with interest. But as her gaze turned to him, he shrunk back. Then his eyes hardened as he leapt forward, shoving her to the side.

Starfire, caught off guard, could only cry out in surprise before she hit the ground.

" AAAAHHH!"

Starfire scrambled to her feet as Red X cried out in pain, Robin's staff planted firmly against his chest, sparks dancing around his body.

" I told you, you can't trust him." Robin grunted, smiling as he slammed the staff into Red X's chest again. The scream was less vocal this time, perhaps due to the shock to his system, his body shaking as he fell to his knees.

" I know."

" Huh?" Suddenly Robin's staff was yanked out of his hands, and he found himself flying backwards, slidding to a halt a few feet from Starfire. " What, why did you do that?" He asked, getting to feet slowly as he glared at Starfire.

" It all makes sense. I saw him glance behind me a moment before he lunged." She tossed the staff aside. "He was not aiming for me, he saved me from you." Starfire's eyes had lit up as she glared back at him. " You seemed so eager to destroy him, too eager. The real Robin would never find such pleasure in destroying an enemy."

Robin shook his head slightly, a small smile on his face. " You really don't believe that, do you? We have to destroy him, then I can escape the Scarecrow's nightmare."

Now it was Starfire's turn to smile. " You just confirmed my thoughts. I never mentioned that this was a nightmare made by the Scarecrow."

" I..I." Robin stuttered, realizing his mistake.

Starfire's glowing eyes narrowed. " Who are you, really?"

Robin stared at her, then he began to laugh. A laugh that grew in intensity until it seemed like he would start rolling on the ground in convulsions. Then he stopped, grinning evilly as his eyes focused on her. " Bravo Titan." his voice had changed, becoming deeper and smoother. " I must admit, I thought it would take you longer to figure it out. However, you are too late. Robin belongs to me."

" No, I don't."

Starfire's gazed turned to Red X as he tore the mask from his face, tossing it to the ground. " I'm so glad to get that off of me. " Robin, the real Robin, turned to her as she wrapped her good arm around him.

Starfire smiled. " I knew when I saw your eyes. You had such warmth in them and caring. You, " she glared at the imposter. " your eyes were like ice, and your touch felt cold, even when you hugged me I felt no warmth."

Robin glared at his reflection. " Why don't you drop the disguise, Slade."

'Robin' nodded as his appearance changed, warping and shifting until Slade stood before her. " Defiant to the end, Robin. It doesn't matter, you can't escape."

" And why not?" Robin crossed his arms.

" Because as I said, you belong to me." Slade pressed a button on his wrist.

Robin screamed, pushing Starfire away from him as ripples of electricity spiraled around him.

" Robin!" Starfire cried, getting to her feet as Robin slumped to his knees, breathing heavily. She glared at Slade. " What did you do to him!?"

Slade chuckled as Robin slowly stood up. " I suppose I must thank you my dear. Robin thwarted my earlier attempts to control him, but with his selfless act to protect you, he allowed me to finally implant my device on his person." He picked up his discarded staff, watching the sparks fly, then securing it to his body as he gestured to Robin. "Robin, destroy her, then report to me." His image faded, blending into the background as Robin turned to her.

Starfire backed away as he pulled out his staff, his eyes as cold as ice. Though she didn't want to admit it, she felt surprisingly weak, her body alternating between waves of pain and a feeling of numbness that had begun to creep up on her and worsen ever since she was bitten by Beastboy. Why did she feel like this? It didn't matter, she would not fight Robin. Her right hand curled into a loose fist. " Robin, I will not fight you."

" Then you will die." Robin stated simply. Then he charged her, his eyes full of malice as he swung his staff.

Starfire jumped back, sweeping her leg out in an attempt to knock him off balance. It didn't work. Robin jumped up, then lashed out with his staff, slamming it into her broken left wrist. Pain exploded as she felt something give in her wrist, her vision flecked with red as Robin continued his assault. Reaching out he locked both arms around her neck, then yanked her head down, slamming it into his raised knee. Starfire's head snapped back as her teeth were forcibly knocked together. Then she gasped as Robin's fist rammed into her solar plexus, robbing her of her breath and knocking her back several feet, where her back slammed against a tree.

Breathing raggedly, Starfire slowly rose to her feet, realizing in horror that her entire left arm was now fully numb, hanging limply against her body. She tried to fly, but Robin grabbed her legs, pulling her to the ground and ramming her body into a tombstone. For the second time in as many minutes her body was robbed of breath as she slowly and painfully tried to get up. " P-please Robin.....do not do this. I...am your friend Do...you not..recognize me?" she gasped, looking up into Robin's cold gaze.

" Slade has ordered your demise." he raised his staff, not a hint of recognition in his voice. " Time to die." He twisted the staff and a blade about three inches long sprang forth from the end.

Starfire crawled backwards across the ground. Her mind screaming at her to do something, anything before Robin ended her life.

What Starfire did next couldn't be thought of as an act of desperation, she was desperate, yes, but it could hardly be called an act. She just knew that she refused to die until Robin knew how she felt.

As Robin moved to bring the staff down, she lunged, surprising him just enough for her to press her lips against his.

For a moment there was silence, even the wind seemed to hold it's breath as the two stood locked, Robin with his eyes wide, staff still raised, and Starfire with her one good hand cradling his face, her eyes closed for what may come to be her death.

Then Robin's eyes closed, a small "mmm" escaping his lips as he released his staff and relaxed into her makeshift embrace.

The sudden feel of his arms encircling her, startled Starfire enough that she began to pull away, her lips reluctantly breaking contact.

" Don't."

The single word held such a note of pleading that Starfire hesitated, looking into Robin's face. He was smiling, his grip around her waist transferring to her shoulders. Then his face twisted into a pained grimace as he pushed her back, and bent down to retrieve his staff.

Starfire stood in shock and dismay as Robin straightened, clutching the staff in both hands. Her earlier happiness fading away into a feeling of hopelessness as Robin looked at her, raised the staff...and plunged it into his chest!

" ROBIN!!" Starfire leapt forward, ripping the staff from his body as he slumped down, grasping at the bloody hole in his chest, his fingers entering the wound. After a moment he sighed, holding up a small bloody lump. " Sorry." he gasped, throwing the object to the ground. " I had to get it out."

Starfire, shaking slightly from her earlier shock, looked down at the object in question. " What is it?" she asked, keeping her distance from it.

" The control that Slade implanted in me. I couldn't think of another way. " he looked at the blood dripping from his chest. " Not one of my brightest ideas, but..." he slumped down again, but this time Starfire caught him as he tore a piece of fabric from his Red X cape, and pressed it against the wound.

" Robin..I..." Starfire began

" How touching....and tragic."

" Urk!" Robin's face turned red as Slade adjusted his grip on his neck, holding him at eye level.

" Release him!" Starfire cried out as she tried to form a starbolt, only to be met with frustration as nothing happened. Switching stratagies she flew up slightly, before asking, " Why do you want Robin? He will never join you, and he has nothing to offer you."

Slade's eye seemed to crinkle in amusment. " Ah, but that's where you're wrong, my dear. He has much to offer me...much indeed." his gaze turned to Robin as he lowered him to the ground, though keeping his hands locked securely behind his back. " But, there are always others." he continued cryptically, simultaneously releasing Robin and pulling out his staff.

Fortunately for Robin, that split second was enough for him to flip back to Starfire, and pull out his own staff, holding it before the both of them while still holding his chest. The blood flow had slowed, but not stopped.

" Excellent reflexes Robin. I expected no less." Slade said in amusement.

" W...why did you release me?" Robin gasped.

" Merely to test your limits. It would do me no good if I killed you now." His gaze turned to Starfire as he threw the staff. Robin tried to push her back, but the staff, defying gravity, shot up and around him, the electrified end sparking to life. A band of white shot out, surrounding Starfire in a dome of energy. " I want to see how far you'll go to protect her. I warn you, if you refuse to fight or don't offer me a challenge.... " Slade pushed the same button on his wrist.

The dome's light became blindingly bright, sending electricity coursing through Starfire's body. A scream, louder than her zombie counterpart, issued forth from her as she tried in vain to escape the painful shocks that continued to run through her. Finally she collapsed to the ground, shaking uncontrollably. Only then did Slade press the button again, stopping the onslaught.

" Don't disappoint me."

Her cries of pain had been like physical blows to Robin as he watched. Now he turned to Slade, his face an unreadable mask as he whispered. " I won't." He made not a sound as he charged Slade, unleashing a flurry of strikes with his staff.

Slade merely chuckled as he dodged each thrust, and countered with a knee to Robin's chest.

If Robin felt pain, he didn't show it as he stood up, fresh blood leaking from his chest. With a wordless cry he leapt at Slade, intending to split his head open with his staff. But Slade, almost casually, grabbed the staff and slammed his elbow into Robin's neck. This time Robin didn't get up as Slade walked up to him.

" Robin, I expected more of a challenge. Is this the best you can do?" Slade bent down to grab Robin, but instead gasped in pain as Robin, who had been playing dead, rammed his fist into his stomach.

" Very good, Robin." the words were slightly strained as Slade stood up, brushing away imaginary dust. " That's what I want."

" It'll have to wait for another time, Slade!"

"WHAT?!" The staff above Starfire suddenly glowed black, before breaking in half. Without the power fueling the dome, it disapated, leaving a very worn out Starfire lying on the ground.

At the same time the area around Slade began fluctuating, spiraling into a vortex that sucked his protesting form through, before vanishing with a audible pop.

" Pretty anti-climatic." Robin muttered as he ran to Starfire, holding his chest as he helped her stand. " Are you okay, Star?" he asked worriedly.

" I am damaged, but not severely. What happened?" she turned slightly, hiding her wounded arm from his view before looking around, finding Raven's face behind them.

" Sorry it took so long to get to you." Raven began. " Slade had remote access to the helmet, and was using it to block me from contacting you. Is everything alright?"

" Yes, I have retrieved Robin, and you vanquished Slade. I can return now." Starfire swayed for a moment, trying to keep the room from spinning, Robin keeping her steady as she looked at him like she was seeing him for the first time. " Can you remove the Red X outfit? It is awfully unnerving to see."

Robin laughed lightly. " Um, no I discovered earlier that I have ..nothing on underneath." His face became crimson.

" Oh." Starfire blushed as well, as she remembered Robin's outfit stuck in the tree, mentally chiding herself for her earlier oversight. She quickly looked back to Raven. " Well..um...Can you return me to the physical realm, Raven?"

Raven's gaze locked on her. " Yes." she said simply as the air behind her shifted, becoming a portal similiar to the one that sucked up Slade.

Starfire took a few steps toward it, then paused, looking back at Robin. " Robin..I." she hesitated, but Robin urged her on. Starfire, however, shook her head and said rather coolly, " We will discuss what happened back at the tower." Without looking back, she entered the portal, Raven vanishing along with her. Leaving a very puzzled and slightly hurt Robin behind. - - - - - - - - ( Inside the building with the other Titans)

As soon as she landed, Starfire fell to her knees, her one good arm keeping her from collapsing completely. She felt drained past her limit, the ride through Raven's mirror robbing her of any strength she had left. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up. Someone was above her, of that she was sure. But her eyes refused to focus, leaving her with a fuzzy image of something that resembled a grayish smudge. She opened her mouth to speak, but felt a wave of dizziness flow through her as the 'shape' pushed down lightly. For a moment her vision cleared and her brain put a name to the face. * Robin.* And then a rolling darkness settled across her vision and she felt herself....falling. - - - - - -

Whew! Chapter 3 is done. Now for the hard part. Can Robin admit his feelings, and can Starfire...and will the battle between Cyborg and Beastboy on the merits of tofu end. Find out in the conclusion. Should be out soon.