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 17 – Awakening

Robin groaned as he lifted himself to his feet. He had been thrown with great force and his landing had been quite painful, but it hadn't stopped him from watching Derek slowly disappear. It wasn't disappearing, exactly, because disappearing was more like one second someone's there, the next they're not. Derek had more....faded away than anything else. It hadn't been as satisfying as killing him, but it was rewarding all the same. He was finally gone. For a second it seemed like Derek had won, but the Teen Titans had defeated him in the end. However, Robin was inwardly grateful for Derek's attack. It had been humbling and made him realize that there were worse things in the world than not living up to your own expectations. This made Robin remember Starfire and the others, and he noticed they were still unconscious. One by one, he carried them (even Cyborg, with much difficulty) to their beds and let them rest. He knew that if they could survive their greatest weakness, they would come out of this quickly. And so they did. But Starfire was the first, and since Robin had spent the most time with her, he was there when she awoke.

"Robin?" she asked, reaching out to him. He stood from the chair he had been resting in and came over and took her outstretched hand.

"Star, you're awake."

"Where is Derek? What happened?"

"He's....gone. And he's not coming back."

"Then we are victorious?"

"Yes." Robin sighed. "I'm so glad you're awake. I was worried that you were leaving me." Starfire smiled graciously at him.

"I would not ever leave you, Robin," she whispered.

"You almost did, once," he replied. "Remember when you were to be betrothed?"

"I had to do what was best for Tamaran."

"But then you didn't have to be married anymore, when we found out it was a trick. And yet still you wanted to stay."

"It wasn't a matter of wanting, Robin, it was a matter of duty." Starfire looked up at him with her green shining eyes. "I would never want to be where you aren't."

Robin didn't want to get his hopes up, but all of this had been pointing to Starfire's possible liking him more than a friend. And Robin knew that if he didn't do something now, the moment would be lost and he'd never get the courage to do it again.

Hey, don't just throw caution to the wind. What about your leadership position? How great of a leader will you be if you've got the girl of your dreams? You won't be able to concentrate fully on fighting crime, and that's a must.

Oh, shut up. There are worse things than not being the best leader. After all, even heroes are allowed to have fun.

Besides. This is love we're talking about.

"Starfire...." He was going to do it. He wouldn't delay this any longer.

"Yes Robin?" He could see it in her eyes: she had been waiting for this just as long as he had.

"These past few weeks with Derek have shown me something that I was either blind to before or didn't want to accept. I was so caught up in being a hero that I forgot to be a person. And, Star, when you let Derek get so close to you it killed me inside. Do you want to know why?" Robin took a deep breath. "Because I want to be the one you get close to. I want to be the one you confide in, you laugh with, you cry with, you love. I want you to love me as I love you. And I do, Star, I love you more than anything else in this world, more than my own life."

"Robin...." She gripped his hand tightly and took her spare hand to stroke his cheek lightly. "When I was talking to Derek, he was so understanding, and I...." She blushed, looking away for a moment, but then looked back. "I pretended he was you." Robin smiled, a feeling of relief rushing through his body. But something tugged at the back of his mind.

"Starfire, what was it that he understood about you?" She was afraid to tell, and Robin could see it in her eyes. But his warm smile reassured her, and she felt comforted and safe. She knew she could trust him with anything.

"It is a long, boring story," she began. "But basically, I was....neglected as a child, and there's always been a sense of loneliness that just follows me around." She sighed. "I suppose it's something I'll never grow out of because it was always made clear that there were more important things than me." Starfire saw the shock in Robin's face. "Friend Robin, do not be alarmed, it is not such a deal of a giant level." Robin seized her other hand and grasped both hands in his together.

"Whoever doesn't wish to spend every second of their life with you is a fool," he whispered. Their gazes locked, and for a moment, Starfire felt she could see through the disguising mask Robin always wore. She saw a brilliant, sincere blue filled with love, and then it was gone.

Robin dropped her hands as she flung her arms around him in a hug.

"I feel like I have loved you forever," she whispered in his ear.

"I know I've loved you forever," he whispered back, and he took her face in his hands and brought her lips to his in the sweetest kiss anyone has ever known. The kiss seemed to last forever, as it very well should have, in their eyes. And when they broke it both felt a sense of security that would last a lifetime, for that was as long as they would have each other.

Aww how sweet! I love cute moments!!! I'm posting the next chapter today too because then Thursday I'll put the epilogue and then I'm going on vacation!

Sneak Peak: BBRae fluff, need I say more?

Blair