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 15 – The Strength of Friendship

Derek's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Raven....how is this possible? What have you done? That was the greatest weapon of all! That was your weakness! It was supposed to be unbeatable by you!"

"Well it wasn't. I'm stronger now, because of my friends. With them, I can overcome any obstacle in my path."

"No! This isn't possible! The prophecy said I was to be the downfall!"

"Well the prophecy was wrong. Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" Derek was flung backward into the wall.

Cyborg looked down at his hands. His mechanical, useless hands.

"Haha, loser!" a kid shouted at him.

"Didn't he use to be on the football team?" another kid asked.

"Yeah, but not anymore. I mean, just look at him. How could he be?"

"Man, that sucks. He used to be able to do anything. And now, obviously, he can't."

The kids were right, so right. With his mechanical limitations, what good was he? Oh, the pain, he felt the pain. He was ready to give in to the pain and just come to an end. But then, he heard a voice. A voice of hope. The voice of Raven.

"I'm stronger now, because of my friends. With them, I can overcome any obstacle in my path." Cyborg glanced at his arm. There was the broken power monitor. He remembered back to the battle with Atlas. To save his friends, he had given his all, which triumphed over his 100 restraint. Raven had already defeated her weakness, because of her friends. And Cyborg had done it once before. He could do it once again.

The scenery of his old high school melted away as he lifted his head. He saw Raven blast Derek back into the wall. He lifted his sonic cannon and fired away at the fallen enemy.

Beast Boy transformed into a dog and whimpered as he tried to find a place to hide the many people who seemed so disgusted with him. Why didn't they like him? He was a nice guy. Sure, his jokes weren't always funny (are they ever?), but at least he tried. Suddenly he was reliving the day when the psycho crybaby Soto came to Earth and mistook him for his own green dog. The two pretty girls he had so wished would approve of him were giving him those critical looks again.

"Um, why is that dog green?"

"And, ew, it smells like old pizza. Shoo, yucky dog, go away!" Beast Boy's head drooped. Even as a lovable dog he wasn't good enough. What was really so wrong with him? Sure, he may not be Orlando Bloom, and yeah, he was green, but he wasn't altogether repulsive. Was there really no one who would accept him?

He was ready to give in to the pain when he heard the voice that seemed to make his life worth living.

"I'm stronger now, because of my friends. With them, I can overcome any obstacle in my path."

He did belong somewhere. The Teen Titans, though not always getting his jokes, wanted his companionship and chose to be with him. And Raven, hadn't she almost admitted that she loved him? Almost was good enough for him. The Titans were his friends.

Beast Boy clenched his fists and opened his eyes. There, his best friend Cyborg and his not-so-secret-anymore love Raven stood, Derek on the ground across from them. It was Beast Boy's turn to contribute, and he morphed into a lion and charged at the fallen boy, slashing him across the face and chest. Then he turned back to join his friends.

Starfire was rocking back and forth, quietly singing one of the less obnoxious Tamaranian folk songs, meant for comforting children. She needed it now, with the voices of people who didn't have time for her filling her ears with their excuses.

"Not now, Starfire, Daddy has important emperor duties to do."

"Oh, Starry, sweetie, Mummy has to help Daddy and make sure that the castle is running as it should. Maybe we can play later."

"Well, Sister dear, I would spend time with you but I only have time to hone my fighting skills and everyone knows you can't help me with that." Blackfire floated off and joined the rest of her family, laughing. Then Galfore's comforting voice filled her head, but once again, it was not what she wanted.

"My beautiful amydien, how I wish I could stay with you. But your father is a busy man and can't take care of everything he has to do today. As his servant I must help him. But don't worry, little one, I'll be back soon. I should always hope to make time for you." But Galfore did not come back soon. No one did, because no one was there.

"Ooowaaa," she sang softly, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Oolawudoonasee....Oh, where is everyone?"

There was no everyone. She was totally and completely alone. And she couldn't survive being so alone. The pain was too strong and she was fading away....until a voice that filled her with warmth broke through the silence.

"I'm stronger now, because of my friends. With them, I can overcome any obstacle in my path." (I know, I know, it's getting old, but it's necessary.)

It was the voice of her good friend Raven, whom she had gotten to know better than any of the other Titans during the time that the Puppet Master struck and accidentally switched their bodies. Though the two girls were complete opposites, they had come to an understanding of each other and often went to the mall after meditating together, as a sort of friendship compromise. Though Robin was Starfire's best friend, Raven was the only other girl in Titans Tower and so the two had a sort of special bond. And in her time of need, now Raven was there.

The darkness started to get lighter, and Starfire felt light return to her eyes and her soul. She saw Raven, then Cyborg, then Beast Boy, and knew she was not alone. The darkness disappeared completely, and she stood up as Beast Boy slashed the boy who had manipulated her painfully. As Beast Boy returned, Starfire felt unbridled fury as she gazed at the broken boy who had endangered her dear, dear friends' lives and lied to her about many things. She flew into the air and released a set of star bolts on him, then settled beside her friends where she was anything but alone.

Robin was burning up inside. Thought to be the strongest of the Titans, he was now the weakest, and he knew it. How could he have failed? He was supposed to be a leader. But the truth was apparent. He was no leader.

Raven had trusted him to keep the secret, and he told Starfire. He failed her. Starfire needed him to save her from Derek, and he couldn't. He failed her. Batman had said that Robin was ready to be on his own, but he obviously wasn't. He failed the only father-like figure he ever knew. He was a failed friend, protector, and successor. He was a failed hero. The only thing he had actually succeeded in was cutting himself off from the people he was friends with and the one he loved. Robin thought that, maybe, if he could do it all over again, maybe he wouldn't be so secretive like Raven. Raven had reasons to be secretive. Robin just preferred to be guarded, and in doing so had prohibited himself from ever having the loving relationship with Starfire that he craved.

Robin, the Boy Wonder, was a failure in all aspects of his life. And he couldn't take failure. Even if he could live, he wouldn't want to face the ones he failed. And so, he submitted to the pain and let it begin to destroy him.

He heard Raven's voice, but it was more distant than it had been for the others, as Robin had given in much easier. Because it was so faint, Robin figured it was only his imagination, hoping for one last chance at life.

It's over now, Robin thought to himself. You've been defeated. Who would have thought? The almighty Teen Titans have been beaten. Pathetic. How did you get so pathetic, Dick?

Tears gathered behind his mask as the energy from his weakness consumed him.

She never even knew your real name. She never even saw your eyes. She never even knew who you were. How could she love someone she didn't know? Who were you kidding, Richard? You're just a stupid little kid. You thought you were invisible, and look what's happening to you now. You're such a failure. I'm such a failure.

"Robin?" The melodic voice of the one he loved filled his ears.

Starfire. If only you knew. If only I could do it all over again, tell you everything, I would. I couldn't save you, couldn't protect you, couldn't even let you in. And now we're dying together. And it's all my fault.

'Robin, snap out of it, do you want to die?' Raven's surprisingly urgent voice spoke in his head. 'You can overcome this, Robin, the rest of us did. If we can rise above our weaknesses, surely you can rise about yours. Do you want to let go of Starfire before you really even had her? It's not over yet, Robin. It's time to wake up.'

Robin opened his eyes and saw his four teammates, his four friends. But Robin was so far gone by now that simply waking up couldn't disperse the energy. It was draining his life force, and if he didn't summon up the power to defeat it soon, his demise would come.

Now that was a long one, it took me forever to write! My fingers hurt! You should love me for that. Seriously.

Sneak Peak: The battle's not over yet, and Robin's not the only one in trouble. Derek's not done. After all, he has a prophecy to fulfill!

Blair