Disclaimer: The only character I own is Rae. So, rawr!
I was planning on making Rae's birthday the 10th of April, my birthday. But...eh, I won't be selfish. I'll reserve that date for later...
For the last time...I would not let Raven disappear off the face of this story trio forever!
Chapter 9
Starfire quickly wiped away her tears when she saw Robin heading for the door. She backed up into the hallway to look like she was just passing through.
"Oh hi Robin," she said, pretending to be startled, as he walked out.
Robin looked up and tried to dry his face of tears. "Starfire, hi."
"Um, may I see her? May I see Rae?"
"Sure thing. She's asleep though." He opened the door again and both of them went into the room. This was the first time in a long while since Starfire had been in Raven's room. Everything remained the same except for the presence of Rae.
"She is so beautiful. She looks so much like...like Raven," the Tamaranian said in a hushed voice.
"That's where I got the name."
The two continued to stare at the sleeping figure before Starfire broke the silence with a whisper.
"I-I have apologized to Raven."
Robin looked up. "You did? Well...I—"
"But would she forgive me?" Starfire quickly added, drawing circles with her foot in the lush carpet.
"I'm sure Raven would understand." He paused and grew slightly pensive. "I must ask though, why did it take—"
"So long?" Starfire was now making little designs of doves into the midnight blue carpet. "Well, to tell you the truth, I did not want to accept it. I denied the fact for so long, if felt so different to live without denial. It was as if...as if it took control."
Robin turned his gaze and found a pair of glimmering jade eyes staring back. "And that day you attacked Raven? It took complete control?"
Starfire looked back down at her carpet designs. "You still remember." Well, of course he still remembers. "I was knocked unconscious by Jinx's curse, so, I guess my heart...took over my mind." She felt ashamed at those words. "Did Raven hate me?"
Robin didn't reply directly. "Did you hate Raven?"
She looked slowly around the room, taking in the scene she once knew so well. Starfire didn't wish to hurt Robin with her answer, but maybe it was time to stop hiding everything.
"To tell you the truth would be painful, especially now."
The other titan sighed. "Would it? I've felt so much pain in the past few days."
"It would be unwise to add to that burden."
Robin leaned his elbows on the side of the crib, staring into Rae's peaceful figure. "Did you?"
Starfire closed her eyes tightly. He's too stubborn, even for his own good. "I was jealous of Raven. It was jealousy mixed with many other emotions, like anger, sadness, confusion, hurt, and...and hate." She whispered the last word so softly Robin almost didn't hear it.
"You told the truth, Starfire, that's all that matters." Robin's voice had been monotone throughout the conversation, much like Raven's. He bent down and kissed Rae's tiny forehead and turned to leave. Before he reached the door, Robin spotted Raven's mirror. It was black and dull now. He sighed and fought back tears.
Once outside the hallway, the alarm suddenly went off. The two titans rushed to the living room to see Slade's masked face on the screen.
"Slade," Robin growled.
"He's been spotted downtown again," spoke Cyborg.
Everyone turned around to wait for Robin's command. He shook his head and placed a gloved hand on the half-robot's shoulder.
"Cy, you take control today. I-I have to stay with Rae."
Cyborg nodded. It was pointless to argue. Everyone knew how much Robin wanted to go chase down Slade, but his current priority took over.
"Alright," said the robotic titan, "Titans, GO!"
The titans ran out the door, and Starfire stopped to take one last look at Robin, who was staring at the picture of Slade with anger and sadness. This was hard on him, because he life goal had once been to catch Slade to really find the mystery behind the black and orange mask. The Tamaranian sighed and joined the rest of the group.
They found a path of destruction downtown and followed it to where Slade and his robots were waiting outside a museum.
"Ah, the Teen Titans. You have finally arrived." Slade's voice echoed throughout the marble entrance. "And where is Robin?"
"Teen Titans, Go!" Called Cyborg and he leapt at the nearest robot. The rest did the same but Starfire went after Slade. He dodged her star bolts and burst out in a menacing laugh.
"I heard he married that whore of a witch and she died. Good riddance!"
Starfire screamed in anger. Everything inside her erupted and the rage broke loose. Her voice changed into a deep and evil sound. "Do not speak about Raven that way!" The star bolts grew pure white and her eyes flashed with blazing fire.
Slade jumped to the rooftop and Starfire followed, eyes full of pure hatred. She rained star bolts on the roof like deadly hail.
The masked evil-man blocked them with a steel rod and continued to speak calmly, "And didn't she give birth to yet another demon?"
"RAAAAWWR!" Starfire kicks him and Slade stumbles. He gets back up and readjusts his mask.
"Disgusting, I say."
"SHUT UP!" Starfire's hair now resembled fire and the odd black symbols appeared again on her skin. A huge ball of white fury erupted from her hands and sped towards Slade with lightning speed. He rolled away into the smoke, still laughing and making Starfire even more furious.
"SLADE! YOU DIE TODAY!" She flies over to kick the outline of Slade, but he grabs her arm and yanks her to the hard cement.
"I will get my hands on that child of her's and will unleash unimaginable power." With that, he stepped back into the swirling smoke and disappeared.
"SLADE COME BACK HERE YOU COWARD!" Starfire gets up and flies above the smoke, but Slade was gone. She lands on the sidewalk and returns to normal except the shaking of fury was still enveloping her.
"Starfire! Are you okay?" Terra ran up and took off her goggles. "What happened?"
"Slade," answered Starfire through clenched teeth. Her voice emphasized the name with pure venom.
"Did you kick his butt-behinds?"
"No... he got away."
Cyborg and Beast Boy arrived at her side, looking around.
"So...that's all? A few robots, that's all?" The green titan scratched his head confusingly. "Where's Slade?"
"He got away, but he's after Rae now."
Terra gasped. "Maybe this was a decoy to lure us away from Rae!" She flew up on a rock and headed towards the tower. Starfire and Beast Boy followed while Cyborg ran to his T-car.
They arrived at the tower and ran inside hurriedly.
"Where is he? Where's Slade?" yelled the half-robot, readying his sonic cannon.
Robin came out of the living room with a very annoyed look plastered on his face. "What are you guys up to? Rae's sleeping!"
The rest widened their eyes with surprise.
"You mean—"
"Slade's—"
"Not—"
"Attacking?"
"What!?" Robin stared at the four with a quizzical face. "Of course he's not attacking. What's going on?"
Starfire stepped forward and delivered Slade's message. "Slade wants to get his hands on Rae's powers."
"We thought his appearance downtown was a decoy to lure us away from the tower," said Cyborg, putting away his cannon.
"And he was actually heading for the tower," finished Terra.
"So...he's not here?" Beast Boy looked around.
Robin frowned. "You think?"
"Uh...no?" The green titan blushed and glared at Terra, who glared right back.
Robin walked back into the living room, closely followed by the rest. "So this means I won't be able to fight anymore," he said quietly.
"What?" gasped Starfire, "Why?"
"Rae shouldn't be left alone, not with Slade searching for her."
"And who said you could hog the baby?" Cyborg crossed his arms, eyebrows raised.
"Yea! We'll all take turns watching it...I mean, her!" Beast Boy smiled apolitically after a glance from his girlfriend.
"Besides," Terra placed her hand on Robin's shoulder, "What are family for?"
Robin smiled the first smile the rest of the titans had seen since the day of Raven's untimely death. "Thanks guys."
Meanwhile, in his secret headquarters, Slade watched a tape over and over again of Rae in the hospital, sleepy but curious of her surroundings. And for a split second, her eyes glowed pure white.
"I will get that child. Then, I will unleash Trigon and destroy the Titans forever!"
Next Chapter: Slade comes for Rae.
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