Betrayal

Chapter 8: On the Knife's Edge

Discliamer: I do not own the Teen Titans or any of the characters there within.

His heart beat was faint, so very faint, but he was alive. He cracked his eyes open to the glaring ceiling light. No face did greet him. He lay on his back in the hallway, utterly alone. What had happened? The ball, Starfire! But Blackfire had—

Why was he still alive? What miracle had befallen him this time?

He must be going insane...

Groaning as the weight of his head felt ten times heavier than it should be and every muscle in his body screamed at the slightest movement, Robin shifted to an upright position. His eyes focused to see that his bedroom door was wide open and on the other side of the room on a shelf stood—the dagger! A sudden blind strength and rage powered his limbs as he flashed to the far side of his room and gripped the dagger in both hands. Robin slashed open one palm as the edge bit into his fingers. He could not feel the pain, how numb his body was.

So then. This was how it had to be. Glaring at the weapon and hurling curses in his mind, he tucked the dagger into his glove. There was no way around this. There was no way to escape it. So be it.

With a grim and uncharacteristic twisted smile, he made for the door. There was to be a ball tonight and he wouldn't miss is for the world.

The atmosphere had changed to a forbidding finality; much darker than the ball nights he had faced before. This was the night. The full moon glowered at Robin from the sky lights above the ball room, but Robin scowled right back, not swayed in the least. He was grimly determined.

Starfire was as lovely as ever, if not more so than the previous dreams of reality he seemed eternally doomed to forego time and time again. But not this night; he was to over come this if he was forced to take his own life to escape it. If this was to be his brink of insanity, than he shall just have to be stark raving mad as well!

His grip on Starfire, who stood silently beside him, tightened. Starfire threw a glance his way, holding back a squeak of discomfort as his grip continued to tighten. Robin seemed to be glaring into the shadows of the ballroom, anticipating something; something very hostile as it was so apparent on his face. His body was so tense; it frightened Starfire lest her friend go into some form of shock.

"Robin," she ventured so very cautiously.

"Do not speak." He said just as softly. Robin exerted a firm amount of pressure into her arm which silenced her immediately. His grip subsided at last as a soft melody rose in the hall. Finally, a smile spread across Robin's face as he turned to her the first time that night. "Let us dance."

He pushed her into a waltz, gently; much more so than Starfire would have thought him because his arms were still poised as if to strike a lunging serpent. They danced in silence for several moments. Starfire was struggling within herself to speak to him of something, he could sense it. He kicked himself mentally for thinking along those lines. He must keep reminding himself of the promise he had made before the group had departed for the ball...

"Starfire," he murmured and she looked up at him with those brilliant emerald eyes, so trustingly. "There is something I have to tell you before its too late...something I have so long wanted to express." A questioning expression came over Starfire's features. Her eyes searched his for an answer, but he had dropped his gaze.

"Yes, Robin?" she pressed gently when he seemed as though he could not continue. Robin shut his eyes tightly as the cold blade pressed against his palm; there was no turning back now.

"I'm sorry, and I love you." He pressed his lips against Starfire's as the dagger found its mark. He could fell her body rise, just as before, and then just as suddenly, slip away from the dagger and his lips—to fall to the ground. His eyes were still shut; still feeling the warmth of her lips on his like the warmth of a mothers' loving fingers. But he heard no collision of body with floor and stricken curious, Robin slowly opened his eyes. A satisfied laughter as light as the soft breeze on his face, but as dark as the obscurity that surrounded him; met his ears.

Robin found he was still standing in the ball room, but not a soul occupied the room aside himself and the owner of the voice. A dark-haired girl appeared before him, stepping forth from the shadows. The full moon above made her features as bright as day and she was indeed beautiful. A broad smile quirked at the edges of her lips as she raised her gloved hands before her. Robin thought it might be a move to attack and flinched slightly at her movements. Blackfire did not seem to notice as she applauded him; genuinely impressed. Robin absorbed the moment in shock—unbelieving of the dark-haired girl's actions. He took the gracing moment to look her over instead, to perhaps make sense of her behavior.

He had to admit, she did look exquisite in the black gown, quite similar to Starfire's, that she wore. It hugged her figure nicely, showing off her body in more ways than one. There were a few trinkets here and there, perhaps family heirlooms, and several other jewels adorned her curled and plaited raven hair.

She halted in her praise to come forward, somewhat seductively. Robin found he had been frozen in place, unable to draw his eyes from the subtle sway of her hips. When she reached him, Robin was still unable to draw away from her, but his eyes did meet her dark ones which seemed to gaze back at him brightly.

"Well done, Robin."

Robin at once felt like he wanted to snarl and glare and tear at her and then, to just admire her in the moonlight. The emotions equaled in other, so in turn, Robin did nothing but voice a much needed to be confirmed question:

"Why?"

At this Blackfire's usual confident, wry smile returned.

"It was a test." She raised her chin to him somewhat. "A test of your love for my sister. She and I are of royal birth; we deserve the best. I had to be sure that you would be the one to love her so deeply as to commit the worst of crimes. Sacrifice and death are very real, very powerful forces. Where many have failed, you have conquered. For that, you have my blessing."

Robin stared at her dumbly and she rolled her eyes elegantly at his confusion.

"Now you choose to be an idiotic boy."

Robin shook his head to clear it, still staring at Blackfire in disbelief.

"So, so this was just an elaborate fabrication? I've been dreaming the entire time?"

Blackfire shrugged indifferently as she smoothed a crease in her dress. "To a degree." She drew her eyes back up to him. "However, it is my choice as to when you shall be free to go; and I have one last request."

At this she stepped closer to him, her fingers spread and sliding across his chest. "I want what you have denied me our last meeting..."

She leaned forward, lips searching once more, eyes closing. Robin hesitated a moment—it appeared Blackfire was in complete control of this world and the only way to escape would be to appeal to her whims. It would be far too dangerous to do otherwise. Consequences accounted for in the instant he had to decide; he dipped his head down and quickly pecked her lips with his own and drew away just as quickly. Blackfire froze for a moment.

"Hmph." She snorted coldly. "I've had better." She turned her back to him and began to stalk off, back into the darkness. "Well, I suppose if you would prefer to be trapped here forever—"

Robin sprang forward at her words and snatched her wrist in his hand. At once torn between the extremes of hating her and enthused about the action he would soon be taking, he spun her back around to face him as she released a huff of dislike. With one arm curled around her waist and the other still gripping her wrist, Robin kissed Blackfire full on the lips, fiercely; without warrant. Blackfire's shock stalled her for a moment, but she returned the kiss just as fiercely and Robin was surprised at her intensity. Walls torn down at last, he shamelessly met her searching tongue with his own, gripping her with a punishing hold. The kiss seemed to last for eternity until he thought he had satisfied Blackfire at last. He pulled away, panting for breath. Blackfire staggered from him, doing the same; eye glittering in fulfillment. With a submissive wave of her hand, she dismissed him.

"Go to her." She panted, and Robin was welcomed with darkness.

A soft light on his face, warmth in his body; where was he now? He felt comfortable as he relaxed on something very soft beneath him. The tension of the night—that period in the obscurity of time ago—had all left his body and he felt so free. Liberated of the stress and the strain and the pressure, he felt his mind and heart were at last back in the right place. He sighed contentedly and dared to open his eyes. His heart leapt to his throat.

"S-Starfire?"

She smiled lovingly over at him. Robin took a moment to glance over his surroundings. He was back in his room, stretched on his bed, and beside him was Starfire—poised on her side with one hand to support her head; her glorious red hair spilling around her to frame her face and grace his quilts.

"Starfire! How did you...you know I didn't mean...I—"

"I understand Robin." She murmured and he knew immediately that she had forgiven him. She had forgiven him of all that had happened between them, spoken and unspoken, and she understood. Feeling as if a massive load had been taken from his shoulders, Robin heaved a sigh of relief and happiness. All had been made right in the world. Peace, balance, and a sense of tranquility—Robin had not felt so blissful in ages.

"I'm so happy...you are here with me now," Robin shifted closer to the red-haired girl and she moved toward him as well, snuggling comfortably against him.

"I am too." Starfire said softly into his chest.

Having overcome the trials and the agonies of love, he had reached nirvana at long, long last. Homeward bound, he grinned as he closed his eyes. Falling to a peaceful sleep he had so long forgotten to have.

Blackfire had seen mercy to the Boy Wonder after all, and he woke up.

A/N: Please forgive me for being so slow in posting this chapter—I have just been so busy! School, work, extra curricular activities—it gets pretty intense!

The action went by fast in this chapter! But there is still one to go!

I simply could not resist that kiss for Robin and Blackfire (I know I'm going to get burned for that one but...) I just thought it would be something she would do. Blackfire wouldn't let Robin leave without getting something for herself first. I'll give a deeper insight to her motives in the next chapter.

I will reiterate that this story is based on a dream I had with the pinpoints being Robin going insane and spilling the blood of his friends (most importantly Starfire's) and then the last scene with him sharing his bed with Starfire. Everything before, between, and afterward are fillers that I thought up. So, my story might not have been the best planned in the world, but I think it still turned out rather nicely.

Ack, what am I saying? I haven't finished yet!

Keep a sharp eye out for the last chapter, which I hope to get out sometime soon!

Reviews are adored!!

Blackfire 18