Title: Hey Jealousy

Author: Blair Lebeau, SocialButterfli

Summary: When a stranger named Derek appears at the door of Titans Tower seeking refuge, it leads to friendship, romance, and not to mention trouble. It seems to follow Derek everywhere he goes, and when he gets the Teen Titans sucked into it, Robin begins to believe that maybe Derek isn't what he seems. Is Robin onto something, or is it just the result of a little thing called jealousy? RobStar BBRae

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, which you already knew, but I can't afford to be sued so I'll just say it anyway.

Chapter 11 – Hiding in the Shadows

After Raven left him, Robin had battled with himself over whether to tell Starfire the truth or not. He understood the danger of Derek finding out that the Titans knew the truth about him, but he couldn't let Starfire keep going under the delusion that Derek was her friend. For both her safety and his own personal reasons. At the end of their conversation, Raven had turned back around and apologized for dismissing his suspicions about Derek because of jealousy. But, in truth, it was so true. Robin was undeniably jealous of Derek's constant moves on Starfire and their new shared intimacy. Thanks to Derek's secret talent, he had found the way into Starfire's heart, and Robin hoped that it wasn't too late to get him out.

Starfire couldn't sleep. There was too much on her mind for her to even consider sleep. She used to be afraid of the dark. Now she was afraid of the light, of morning, of the decision. There was so much to think about and Starfire couldn't make sense of anything. Robin was her best friend, but lately she had shared more with Derek than she ever had with anybody. And now he was saying that all along her best friend hadn't really been her best friend after all.

Was it possible?

Derek wanted her to leave Titans Tower and go away with him. And why shouldn't she? Why should she stay with the Teen Titans where she was so apparently unwanted?

Starfire knew that tossing and turning in her bed wouldn't help any, so she decided to go to her favorite thinking place: the roof. Even with conflict hanging heavy over her head, it couldn't spoil the beauty of the night. But as she flew up the stairs and opened the hatch that led onto the roof, she noticed that she wasn't the only one who had the idea. Sitting there with his head in his hands was Robin, and just the sight of him made her heart flutter. Derek had told her that Robin saw no use for her, but she had not gotten Robin's side of the story. He was supposed to be her best friend, so if Derek had said was true, she wanted to hear it straight from Robin's lips. She flew over to him and touched him lightly on the shoulder. He jumped out and spun around, being the alert yet paranoid Boy Wonder that he is. When he saw it was Starfire, his alertness faded, and his shoulders slumped. He looked tired, and his eyes showed worry and concern. Starfire's heart immediately went out to him.

"Robin, tell me, why do you look so sad?" she asked.

"I'm not, Star, you just caught me at a bad time." Robin was torn between telling her the truth about Derek and taking her into his eyes and kissing her. In the end, he did neither and just stood there.

"Well, that is good, I suppose, but, Robin, I wish to know the truth...." Starfire trailed off, looking away. She felt ashamed for confronting him with this when he had said that she caught him at a bad time.

"About what?" Robin asked, eagerly hoping she was asking the truth about Derek. Maybe she wasn't under his spell after all, maybe there was hope.

"Derek said that my contribution to the team is only the appearance of my face," Starfire blurted out. Robin stared at her, not exactly understanding. "Is it true? Am I only a pretty face?" That he understood, and fire filled him. Derek must have told her that the Teen Titans only had her as a member because she was pretty. She didn't believe him, did she? That asshole. Robin knew that the next time he saw him he would rip his head right off his shoulders. But for now, he had to tell Starfire the truth.

"Starfire, we would never say that about you. We're your friends. How can you believe that about us?" Starfire looked away, ashamed, but she still felt a surge of happiness. So she did belong in the Teen Titans after all!

"Oh, Robin, I am so sorry that I ever doubted you, it's just, Derek...."

"Starfire, there's something you need to know about Derek." Robin was surprised to find himself shaking a bit. It wasn't from the cold; it was because of what he was about to tell the girl of his dreams. Rather, what would be the result of his confession. Starfire could not believe him, or Derek would find out before the Titans could do anything about him, and something bad could happen. Anything could happen. But Star had to be told.

"I too have something to tell you about Derek," Starfire said quietly. "He asked me to leave here with him." Robin's eyes flashed. It was an ingenious plan. Deceive the girl into mistrusting her friends, the convince her to leave the now suspicious friends. Robin was beyond infuriated now. His thoughts were filled with the most violent and painful way to kill Derek. If Derek had been reading his mind at the moment he would have quivered in fear.

"Don't," Robin said sharply, surprising Starfire. "You don't know the truth about him. He lied to us. Raven read his mind, and it turns out that he's Slade's latest apprentice. Whether Slade survived the volcano and sent him here or he's just looking for revenge, I don't know. But Raven can confirm this: he's evil." Crystalline tears formed in the eyes that had cried too many times that night.

"Oh, Robin, he can't be," she whispered, her normally tinkling voice hoarse with emotion. "He understands me. He knows me like no one else ever has."

"No." Robin's voice was just below a shout, and he had to catch himself before he woke the entire place up. "Look, Star, there's more. He's telepathic too."

"He is the movie device?" Starfire asked, looking alarmed. "I did not know that TVs could walk and talk and take on human form!" Inwardly Robin felt exasperated. This was not the time for Starfire's ignorance. It was the first time in his life that he felt impatient with her.

"No, you're thinking of television. Telepathic is what Raven is. It means that Derek can read minds." Starfire's eyes widened, shiny with tears. "It means that whatever he's said that makes him relate to you, he got out of your mind. Using his restricted knowledge about you, he was able to gain your trust."

"No...." Starfire gasped. But down inside, she knew it had to be true. The first thing he did the night they met was ask her to stay with him because he was afraid of being alone. Every time they were together, he talked about his fear of being alone. And he had known her real name. How else could he have known that? Starfire didn't want to believe it, but what Robin was telling her fit everything perfectly like a missing puzzle piece. She felt betrayed and hurt, but most of all angry at herself for believing the terrible things Derek had said about her real friends and the fact that she had actually considered going away with Derek.

Starfire threw her arms around Robin and buried her head in his chest.

"I am sorry," she said softly. "So sorry that I ever doubted you and the other Titans. You've all been so good to me, and I questioned you. I was wrong to listen to a stranger." Starfire looked back up at Robin and bit her lip. "Though he seemed a very good stranger."

Robin gathered her up in his arms. She fit perfectly, and he never wanted to let her go. Ever. He wanted to tell her how he felt right then and there. He wanted her to be his and never anyone else's.

"Don't worry, Star, I won't let him near you ever again." Though her mind was troubled, Starfire decided to not think about it and just enjoy the comfort of her secret love's arms. It was perfect. They sat there for a while, taking pleasure in the starry night sky and each other's company. But Starfire yawned, and Robin realized how late it was.

"We should get to bed," he said, finally, breaking the moment. "We'll need sleep for the long day tomorrow will undoubtedly bring. We'll deal with Derek in the morning the way he needs to be dealt with. His deception is over." His arm around her shoulder and her leaning against him, they walked out together and only separated when they reached Starfire's room.

Back up on the roof in the shadows, a figure took one last inhale and then flicked the remains of a still-burning cigarette out onto the platform where Starfire and Robin had been. Emerging from the shadows, Derek walked over and stepped on it, though he would have rather let it burn the place to the ground.

"That's what you think, Boy Wonder," he growled. "This is just beginning."

This is way too much fun for me!

Okay, a lot of people have been asking me if Nagem is a real language or not, so I thought now I'd tell you the history behind it. Sorry to be boring, but Nagem is made up, and I got it by putting one of my best friend's name backwards. So, yeah, Megan. I don't know if any of you picked up on that, but also, Niltiac is backwards for another one of my best friend's name, Caitlin. I'm so creative, right? LoL

I also want to give a special thanks to all who say that I'm a good writer and this is a good story and Derek is well invented. I try my hardest and it's nice to know your efforts are appreciated. I even love the daily death threats that I get from who seems to be my number one fan, Riles. LoL Thanks for all that, Riles.

Also wanted to let you guys know that in addition to emailing me I now have my AIM screen name in my bio, so if you guys want to chat about my story, characters, Teen Titans, or really anything, feel free to IM me.

That's all for now! Time for your sneak peak!

Sneak Peak: Derek and Raven have a scary little one-on-one causing chaos for Raven's emotions.

Blair