CHAPTER THREE

            Clean-up had been quick and surprisingly painless, Robin decided as he tossed rags stained with pink frosting into the laundry chute. He glanced back and watched quietly as Cyborg put the finishing touches on the Titans' living room. It had been unexpected and quite unnecessary, but since Beast Boy was nowhere to be found he had decided that the team clean the living quarters without him.

            Starfire, understandably, seemed to have taken the prank hardest. She had barely spoken since Beast Boy's disappearance, and her usually blissful smile had long since departed. Robin didn't blame her. Sometimes Beast Boy's pranks did play out a little too far, and this would have been no exception, but it didn't seem right. There was no way his green comrade could have planned this one out; he'd been bearable throughout the week, as the team had asked him to keep his pranks in check. What had happened during the party seemed to be more of an accident then anything else. Cyborg had just grabbed the wrong candles. It could have happened to any of them.

            Well, maybe with the exception of Beast Boy. It had been his candle, after all.

            Cyborg didn't see things in the same light. He had been muttering constant curses throughout the entirety of clean-up, furious that he and Robin had been left to do the work. "That little punk. It's just like him to disappear when he trashes the Tower."

            Robin just smiled and shook his head. "Oh, come on, Cyborg," he said. "It's finished. I'm going to go check on Star."

            "Then can we go out and find the little sleaze-ball?"

            The Boy Wonder chuckled. "Just remember, Cy, you were the one who put the candle on the cake." He turned and headed for the door. For a moment, Cyborg didn't follow.

            "Wait just a friggin' minute," Cyborg growled. "You sayin' this is all my fault?"

            "Not all of it. He'll get his just deserts. Just don't worry about it right now. We have a friend in need."

            The metallic superhero scowled. "You're talkin' crazy, Robin. I had nothing to do with this. He stashed the candle in the party drawer."

            "I never said he didn't."

            Robin, ignoring his friend's impending rebuttals, made his way through the halls of Titans Tower until he came to the door of Starfire's room. Robin reached up and knocked. It was several moments before the door hissed open.

            Starfire appeared in the doorway with a downcast expression, something he had never seen of her before. Usually she was very happy-go-lucky, with her lilting voice and pleasurable moods. Sometimes it could be annoying, but usually it was a breath of fresh air. Robin considered her his sunshine on a rainy day, and his ice-cold lemonade during a scorcher. She was an individual that could turn nectar to honey with a simple smile.

            Tonight was different. Now, she stood before him, draped in a white towel and nothing else. Wet hair clung to her fair skin. Robin's breath caught in his throat. He noticed how light of the hallway caught the small beads of water against her shoulder, casting her tender skin in a soft glow. She was a beautiful girl, even in her dark mood. If he didn't know better, he might have mistaken her eerie gaze as longing.

            "I was taking a bath," she murmured. "Is there something wrong?"

            "Well, I hope not. That's what I came to ask you."

            "Nothing is wrong."

            Robin wet his lips. "Look, Beast Boy hasn't come back yet. Cyborg and I are going out to look for him. Wanna come?"

            "Why would I do that? I don't care if he wants to stay out all night."

            "Come on, Star. You don't mean that."

            "Why wouldn't I? You don't know me, Robin. None of you do."

            "I don't believe that's how you really feel. Beast Boy has done some crazy things, but I can't see how such an incredibly stupid incident could destroy your friendship."

            "It was his stupidity that caused it."

            "Starfire…"

            "I do not have any more to say about him. If you wish to discuss other matters, that would be acceptable."

            Robin sighed. "I see. Well, I'd better get going then."

            "Perhaps that would be best."

            He would have asked her if she would be okay, but knew it would be pointless to press the matter. Starfire was angry, as strange as that seemed. He turned and walked away. His friend waited in the doorway, staring after him, and didn't retreat into the sanctuary of her quarters until after he had already left the hallway.

            Robin worried for her, worried for them all in times of need, save for Raven. As the old cliché professed, cooler heads would prevail, and Raven had undoubtedly the coolest head of them all. She seldom allowed her emotions to control her. He was fond of her, as he was fond of Starfire and Cyborg and even Beast Boy. He would go to the ends of the Earth to protect his teammates, even if it meant his own demise.

            He wondered where Beast Boy had gone off to. It seemed weird that he would simply take off, even after the exploding cake incident. He usually would hold his head high and defend himself. This time he had fled, probably before the cake had gone off. Robin decided he'd seen the candle, freaked out, and fled, knowing the others would blame him for the incident.

            "Yeah, that's what happened," Robin said quietly. "He just freaked out."

            [You really think so, Dick? Are you truly that gullible?]

            The Boy Wonder spun to face the intruder, fists raised, but wound up staring down an empty corridor. He gritted his teeth and took a step back. He felt a tingling apprehension that he was not alone, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. No one was there. No one, save for the strange voice whispering cryptically at the back of his skull.

            [Quick on your feet, I see.]

            Robin held his ground, fist clenched. "Where the hell are you? Show yourself!"

            [You think I would really tell you? Now that's rich.]

            "Where the hell are you? Get out of my mind!"

            [Your team is crumbling around you, Dick. You can see yourself drifting away from them even now. So obvious, yet so unavoidable. Starfire called it…Rekmas, was it? You're nothing but a child fighting for the unobtainable. Your cause is foolish, a fruitless endeavor. You and your pesky friends will all die for it.]

            "I would die for each and every one of them! They're my friends."

            [I would truly like to see that. In fact, I believe I will make it happen.]

            "Bring it on!" Robin cried, lifting his fist. "I'd die for them! I would!"

            "Hey, Rob! What the hell's with all the yelling? There's nobody here."

            Robin spun at the touch of a powerful hand on his shoulder, gripping the wrist with a look of fire in his eyes. Cyborg stood over him, a look of confusion on his face. The Boy Wonder's eyes widened at the sight of his friend.

            "You…didn't hear it? That voice?"

            "What voice? Dude, you're not flaking out on me, are you?"

            "No, of course not. I just…" He rubbed his soar eyes and shook his head. "I guess I'm just hearing things. Don't worry about me. I'll be all right."

            "Geez, I hope so, cause you just don't look yourself today. You know how much we count on you, Robin."

            Robin shrugged. "Tell that to Star. Man, I've never seen her this cross before."

            "You mean she's still mad?"

            "Uh huh."

            "Freaky." He may have said more, but Titans Tower alarm activated, demanding their attention. Robin and Cyborg looked to each other, forced to set aside their concerns and dashed off down the hall. Something was wrong, and the city needed their help.