Takeoffs and Landings Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. And I also don't own the name 'Chez Richard'. If you can tell me what show it's from, I'll give you a cookie!
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"Raven, there is no more food in our home," Starfire told Raven in a serious tone. "I am sorry, but would you mind taking Aqualad somewhere to eat?"
Raven looked puzzled. "Umm, okay. Does anyone else want to come along?" Raven looked at Starfire and the three male Titans who stood awkwardly in a line behind her.
"No! No, no, we are all busy," said Starfire a little too enthusiastically. Raven raised an eyebrow as Beast Boy, Cyborg and Robin all nodded exaggeratedly.
"Oh, okay then." Raven looked at Aqualad, who just shrugged. "Want to grab a bite?"
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Raven and Aqualad headed out of the Tower to downtown Jump City. Robin and Starfire left a few seconds later and trailed them, jumping from rooftop to rooftop so they wouldn't be seen.
A sense of foreboding hung in the air, augmented by the distant rumble of thunder. The clouds directly above Raven and Aqualad looked particularly ominous and dark, but Starfire didn't seem to notice. She was too busy admiring the two teens. Raven and Aqualad were talking, and though Starfire couldn't hear what they were saying, it looked like they were hitting it off well.
After around ten minutes of walking, Raven and Aqualad reached their destination, a slightly fancy restaurant called Chez Richard. Starfire waited until the two disappeared inside and then flew herself and Robin down onto the street below them.
Robin took a deep breath. "I'm having second thoughts about this," he said, looking at the ground.
"Come, let us talk inside," replied Starfire. She took his hand and pulled him into the restaurant where they were seated. Conveniently, it was a few tables behind Raven and Aqualad. "Now, why are you having reservations about our spying on Raven and Aqualad?"
"It's not exactly the spying part I have trouble with," said Robin. His eyes darted back and forth from the table where Raven and Aqualad sat, to his menu. "It's the Raven and Aqualad part."
"Why? Do you not find them a satisfactory pairing? They seem compatible, do they not?"
Robin frowned and said nothing. He avoided looking at Starfire.
"Robin, is everything alright?" Starfire's eyes glowed with concern as she reached out to take his hand.
"Everything's fine, Star. Forget I said anything." Robin gave his best attempt at a smile. "Now why don't we decide what to eat?"
Starfire smiled back, although deep inside of her, she could sense that everything was not indeed 'alright'. Something was wrong, very wrong.
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It didn't help the situation that it had started to rain, and the atmosphere of the restaurant took on that of the one outside, dark and gloomy.
Starfire and Robin decided on pasta, and then turned their attentions to watching Raven and Aqualad. Raven and Aqualad had already gotten their food, and talked between bites. Every now and then, one of them would smile, indicating that something funny had been said. Starfire thought that they looked like they were getting along pretty well. Still, try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder shook the restaurant. Starfire gave a small yelp and grabbed for Robin's arm. Another clap of thunder, and this time Starfire shivered, but not because it was cold. "Robin," she started, releasing his arm, "Do you sense that there is something-" Starfire didn't finish. The cup sitting in front of Starfire had floated high up into the air and started to circle around the room. Starfire glanced around the room and saw that other objects had started to do this, too. "Robin?" Starfire turned to Robin. Robin's eyes were transfixed on Raven. She was standing next to her chair. One of her hands was holding her head and the other pushed on the table, propping herself up.
With another startling clap of thunder, the light bulb over Starfire and Robin's table exploded. A woman screamed as the rest of the light bulbs did the same, leaving the room bathed in the dim gray light from the windows. No one could take their eyes off of Raven, though. Her eyes were closed and it looked like she was muttering something.
Raven dropped to her knees. Maybe it was the lighting, but Starfire could've sworn that Raven became a few shades paler. What was happening to her friend? Glasses, plates, silverware and the other floating objects started circling the room faster now. The weather was even getting worse now, too. Lightning illuminated the room with bright, sudden flashes and thunder violently shook the whole restaurant. Rain poured down in sheets, the millions of tiny droplets of water barraging the roof.
And then, in an instant, time seemed to stop. Raven looked directly at the table where Robin and Starfire were sitting. She delicately mouthed a word-a name. Robin. And then, as if in slow motion, her eyes closed and she crumbled to the floor.
"RAVEN!" Robin was by Raven's side at the second after she had said his name. He caught her head before it hit the ground. She was out cold.
As Raven's head hit Robin's arms, everything stopped. The objects that had previously been circling around the room fell sharply to the ground. The thunder and lightning subsided, and the rain had even let up some, turning into a light drizzle.
Starfire ran over to where Aqualad sat motionless. He was frozen, unable to move or do anything to help. Beside the table, Robin knelt with an unconscious Raven in his arms. He was softly stroking her hair, until he realized that Starfire had run over. He then scooped Raven up in his arms and turned to Aqualad and Star.
"She has to get back to the Tower," he said in an unusually gruff voice.
"I can..." Starfire started, but Robin cut her off.
"No. I've got her." He adjusted the limp girl in his arms and took off at a jog. Starfire and Aqualad just stood in silence, watching Robin until he disappeared out of their sight. Starfire couldn't bring herself to move. Thoughts swirled around in her head. What had just happened? Did that really just happen? Starfire hadn't realized that she was standing, just staring off into space, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. IT was Aqualad.
"Come on, why don't we get back to the Tower," he said gently. Starfire just nodded and let Aqualad take her hand and lead her back to the Tower. By the time they made it outside, the rain had stopped completely, letting the sun shine for the first time in a while.
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Quick A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews so far! It makes me really happy to know that people are actually reading my story!