Takeoffs and Landings Chapter 4
Disclaimer: Yo no tengo los Teen Titans.
A/N: Well, here it is. The long awaited Chapter four. However, it wasn't without the help of a good friend of mine, that I could have presented this to you. He wrote one of the scenes, and made everything a lot better/clearer/more understandable/longer. So, my undying gratitude/worship goes out to you, John! Check out some of Dark Weezing's fics if you're looking for a good read!
Also, thank you Irene for motivating me to do stuff, and for listening to me.
Much love to Jamerz, who probably won't read this because I haven't told her that it exists, but I love her anyway.
And finally, eternal thanks to all of my reviewers. I love getting reviews, so if you review my story, just know that you've made my day!
Be sure to check out "Birds of a Feather", the C2 community for Forbidden Love, the most awesome Robin/Raven board out there!
Okay, my final note: This was originally supposed to be the last chapter, but I've decided to make another one, because this one got so long. Just so you know. Now finally, on to the story!
xxx
Back at the main doors of the tower, Starfire and Aqualad were greeted by an anxious looking Cyborg and Beast Boy, who immediately bombarded them with questions.
"Dude, what happened?" asked Beast Boy.
"Yeah, Robin wouldn't tell us anything," said Cyborg. He just ran in with Raven in his arms and...uh...oops. That came out kind of wrong." He gave a sheepish grin.
Starfire was uncharacteristically serious. "I...I am not sure what has transpired. Perhaps Aqualad can best explain the sequence of events."
The four headed to the elevator. Aqualad proceeded to describe the events at the restaurant as they ascended up the tower.
"And then, Robin just... ran out," finished Aqualad.
Beast Boy and Cyborg had been listening quietly to Aqualad. Starfire, however, stared off into space. She felt...numb. Starfire wasn't sure what her reaction should be. Should she be jealous? Angry? Why wouldn't Robin let her help carry Raven? Why did Raven call out for Robin instead of Aqualad? Her thoughts drowned her out of the ensuring conversation of her comrades.
"What could make Raven faint like that? You said her powers were going off everywhere?" Cyborg questioned.
"Plates, glasses. Everything that wasn't nailed down." Aqualad observed as the elevator reached its destination.
"There has to be something deeper going on here. And Robin seems to be the only one who might know." Cyborg mused as the doors opened and the trio made their exit.
"Like he'll tell us. Dude's been acting weird since we suggested the whole get together dealy." Beast Boy remarked. Beast Boy noticed Starfire wasn't following them.
"Star? Star!" Beast Boy placed his hand on the doorway, blocking the doors.
Starfire snapped from her trance. "I'm sorry, Beast Boy. I was as you would say...misplaced in my thoughts." She tried unsuccessfully to hide her blush.
"That's lost in thought. Come on." He urged her out of the elevator.
Starfire simply nodded and walked in the direction of the other male Titans.
"You ok?" Beast Boy asked the alien princess.
"Yes. I am merely concerned for Friend Raven. That is all. So yes, I am the o of k." Starfire lied.
"Alrighty." Beast Boy felt dubious.
They caught up with the others in the living room.
"There you are. We've been thinking." Aqualad remarked.
"Yeah? About?" The emerald changeling asked dumbly.
"Considering it's her powers that are haywire, it has to do something with her mind. So the most likely place they'd be is..." Cyborg ruminated.
"Her room. The mirror!" Beast Boy completed his thought.
"Let's go." Cyborg decided and the males were about to head for the corridor when their masked leader appeared from the shadows.
"Rob!" "What happened to Raven?" Cyborg and the Atlantean teen asked respectively.
Robin ignored and headed for the kitchen.
He rummaged through the cabinets. "Where is that?" "Rob?!" Cyborg yelled to attract the Boy Wonder's attention. Starfire rose from her thoughts again, watching intently on the masked Titan's emotions.
He turned to face them finally.
"I'm sorry. It's seems Raven's...empathy picked up on all those people's...emotions at the restaurant. It created a recoil. I was fortunate that I caught her in time." Robin said hesitantly.
"If it's her mind, maybe I can help. I'm a moderate telepath." Aqualad volunteered.
"No. You might...f-feel the recoil too. We can't risk your mind. I can handle this." Robin improvised.
"She needs help. I think the med lab..." Cyborg offered as he walked towards Robin.
"I said I could handle it." Robin stated sternly as he glared into Cyborg's human eye.
"Alright. If you're that sure." The synthetic teen backed down.
"Then if she's in trouble, why aren't you with her now?" Beast Boy asked innocently.
Robin sucked in a small breath. "She wanted some tea. I was looking for her brand." Robin then turned back to rummage through one more cabinet.
"Found it." Robin nearly smiled as he found the tiny box. "Where is the thermos?"
"We have a thermos?" Beast Boy asked confused as Robin commenced with his rummaging.
"Forget it." Robin went to the main counter, placed the tea box on it, and grabbed the teakettle, filled it with hot water and placed it on the stove burner. "I'll just take the kettle," Robin stated as he turned on the stove.
"Dude, you don't have to hide anything. We know about her powers and empathy. We've been in her mind." Cyborg encouraged.
"I know." Robin said unemotional. Aqualad felt a tinge of something else in the Boy Wonder.
He swore he felt...envy.
"But you know how secretive Raven is. She wouldn't want many people knowing her afflictions, if any." Robin defended.
"Yeah. But you know it." Beast Boy observed.
"And you have no idea how blessed I am for it. Don't ask me to explain it. If things get truly out of hand, yes, we'll tell you. But until that happens, I'm sorry." Robin muted his glare at them.
"Robin...is Raven alright?" Starfire finally spoke, breaking the line of conversation.
"She will be. In time." Robin affirmed.
"Robin, what is the cause..." Starfire began to ask when the kettle began to whistle.
"I'm sorry, Star. I don't have time for this right now." Robin grabbed the kettle and the tea box and saw a clean cup in his line of sight on the far end of the counter.
Robin placed the tea box akimbo and grabbed it and held it with his index and forefinger.
"All you need to know is she's alright for now. Now let me go, lest you want hot water in the face." Robin warned.
"The minute something goes wrong..." Cyborg remarked.
"I know, Cyborg. Thank you. And thank you for not rushing in." Robin turned to see Starfire's emerald eyes looking softly at him. He looked fleetingly at her, an expression of regret on his face and quickly left the room.
"You think he knows what he's doing?" Aqualad mused.
"Tower is still here. Nothing is floating around. So, I guess...yeah." Cyborg observed.
"We drop this?" Aqualad asked.
"For the time being. I think we have this. Why don't you go ahead and take off? We'll call you if something happens." Cyborg observed.
"All right. I should be getting back. Tell Raven I'm sorry." Aqualad noted.
"We will." Cyborg informed.
"Bye, Dude. Still own me a race." Beast Boy smirked.
"You'd lose. But I'll come back tomorrow anyway. Later." Aqualad went to the elevator.
"Star, you okay? You haven't said anything in twenty minutes." Cyborg placed his hand on her shoulder.
Starfire snapped from her trance once again. "My apologies, Cyborg. It has been a momentous day for me. Far more that I thought it would be."
"Yeah. I hope he knows what he's doing." Cyborg glanced towards the corridor.
"Robin knows what is best for us. I trust in his judgments." Was she trying to convince him or herself?
"I believe I shall do what Raven would do and meditate. Excuse me." Starfire quickly left before the synthetic teen would question the matter further.
"So...you want to play Game station?" Beast Boy suggested.
Cyborg slapped him upside the head.
"You're so dense."
"What?!" "What?!" Beast Boy shouted.
Starfire walked by Raven's door. And she swore she heard voices. She pressed her ear to the door.
"How is the tea?"
"It's fine. Thank you, Robin...I..."
"Save your breath. You'll need it. And you're welcome." Robin murmured warmly.
Starfire wondered when it was the last time Robin used that tone with her.
'I do not recall.'
She wanted to knock but...she wasn't sure if it was a good idea. Raven's powers were notorious for their unpredictability. The last thing anybody needed was a crater where the Tower used to be. She couldn't take the risk.
'Robin said he would handle it. I trust him.' She walked solemnly to her room.
xxx
After lying awake in her bed for a while, the events of the day replaying over and over again in her head, Starfire finally entered a restless sleep.
A few hours later, Starfire awoke. She was thirsty. She checked the clock. 2 A.M. The tower was eerily quiet as Starfire tiptoed down the hallway to the kitchen. The scene at the kitchen was still burned into her brain, particularly Robin's expression.
Was it sorrow? Regret? Or worry for Raven?
Starfire had no answers. She continued to trudge along to the kitchen.
She then suddenly heard what sounded like breaking glass. She practically jumped straight out of her skin. What was THAT? Fear crept up her spine as she neared the kitchen door. Had someone broken into the tower? And if so, why was the alarm not going off?
Starfire had thought of a hundred different things that could have happened. Careful not to make any sound at all, Starfire crept closer to the kitchen. It seemed like an eternity before she reached the kitchen. When she did, Starfire held her breath as she heard something in the background. Voices.
Starfire knew she might regret it later, but she had to see what was happening. After all, she was a superhero, was she not? She walked slowly into the sanctum, hiding within the shadows like Robin. There was just enough distance to see into the kitchen.
Raven was sitting in the middle of the floor, her profile to Starfire. Robin sat next to her, his arm around her. Broken glass lay all around them, making the floor glitter in the dim kitchen light. It looked like Raven had been crying. Robin then turned slightly to face Raven, and said something that Starfire had to strain to hear.
"It's alright, Raven."
"No Robin, it's not alright. His influence over me is growing stronger and stronger." She was suppressing the urge to cry again. "What happens if this fails? I don't want to put you in danger, let alone anyone else." The tears began to trickle through again.
"I know that and I know you would never go out of your way to hurt me. I trust you every day with my life, do I not?" Robin tried to flash her a smile as he wiped her tears.
"I know that, but this is different. Our relationship is different. It's not..." Raven clutched her head and Robin watched in horror as her eyes turned into a bright shade of crimson.
"Raven, Raven. Look at me. Look into my eyes." Robin grabbed with her shoulder with one hand and the other removed his mask and the dark empath stared longingly into his face. Starfire was shocked: Robin never removes his mask for anyone. She would know. She tried. Raven then gave off a small wail of anguish and despair and pushed Robin off of her. Raven began to collapse, but Robin caught her in time.
"Keep looking at me. Don't stop looking at me." He commanded.
Raven kept staring and she closed her eyes. The crimson effect was fading and Raven took several deep breaths. Robin put on his mask again.
"I'm...I'm...sorry. I'm..."
"It's not your fault. It's him. He is the last obstacle we have to face. I'm here. Don't forget that." Robin encouraged.
"Believe me, you're the only thing that's gotten me this far." Raven said in her trademark melancholy voice.
"Not about to stop now." Robin sucked in a breath. "Do you think you're ready for this?"
"I don't know. I don't know about anything anymore. These...feelings..." Another window in the distance was shattered.
"I know. I know how hard it is on you. I just...wish I saw it coming sooner. But I was..." Robin hesitated.
"I know. It no longer matters. And no offense, I'm glad it did." Raven kept holding her arms tight, her nails digging in her flesh.
"I'm not offended in the least. And we'll deal with that when the time comes. Now we have far larger problems ahead of us." Robin placed both hands on her shoulders.
"Yes. I wish I knew if this would work. I don't..." Raven said in trepidation.
"Don't lose focus. You said it yourself that evil could not inhabit where true love already dwells. If this fails, we'll keep trying. To hell with everything anymore." Robin said in steely resolve.
"You sure you want to take that risk?" Raven said dubious.
"I do, believe me. And I won't let my fears stop me. Or us. You know me better than that."
"I do. And I won't submit either." Raven tried to sound firm.
Robin gave a small smile and sucked a breath. "Are you ready?"
Starfire watched, transfixed, as Raven gave a small nod. Then, without any warning, Robin leaned over and kissed Raven, putting his arms around her, and Raven didn't pull away. Starfire was frozen in place. She tried to draw her eyes away from the sight, but she was too shocked, paralyzed. She had no comprehension of what she was witnessing before her. All she could do is stare.
"What happening now?" Robin gasped as he let out for air. His forehead pressed against the dark empath's.
"Hatred is trying to leak through, Happy is the main one fighting back. It's not enough...Robin, I don't think..." Raven's eyes briefly flashed crimson.
"Just focus on me, Raven. Just on me." Robin leaned over to kiss her again.
Raven's eyes lost the effect as she began to weep again. Robin briefly broke the kiss, to wipe her tears.
Starfire couldn't watch this anymore. She slinked deeper within the shadows as she walked to her room in a trance. She collapsed on the bed, losing herself in her thoughts.
'Raven and...Robin. Together. Kissing. Kissing each other.'
Starfire couldn't erase that image from her mind. It was forever burned into her head.
'Robin, why? Why couldn't you...' She never finished the thought. The deluge of the emotions she suppressed hit her full force. Her body responded in the only release available, she slowly wept.
'Robin...I...'
Her tears kept getting intertwined into her ruby hair. She kept crying until her body forced her to stop.
She simply laid there, staring at the ceiling. She felt her hopes and dreams leaving her body, making her feel dead inside.
'Deceased...just like Raven.'
xxx