Chapter Eight

Okay, phew, last chapter. I am so proud. sob But...pleez, if u are not one who is fond of unhappy endings then I suggest u either, one-avoid this chapter, or two-don't flame me. This is a fair WARNING! Pleez take it.

Gabriel spoke like a ten year old and once he actually started walking, his stumbles formed quick, clumsy steps, despite the doctor's theory that he wouldn't even walk at all. And he stared into the eyes of Starfire as he walked along, widening his spine-chilling grin with every step, practically hypnotizing her into doing the same, and she obeyed. She approached her son, slowly and cautiously, almost as if making sure he was really who he appeared to be. And Gabriel took a few more impatient steps forward before coming to a halt and waiting for Starfire to come to him herself. And Beast Boy suddenly snapped out of it, out of whatever sort of invisible trance he was in, and he noticed the sharp blender blade, cutting through the thin skin of Gabriel's skinny fingers as they gripped it firmly. But the little boy seemed to pay no mind to that. And Starfire slowed to a stop in front of her son, looking down upon him with some sort of hidden, unknown fear. And Beast Boy narrowed his eyes to thin slits, realizing Gabriel was looking at him over Starfire's shoulder, looking at him with a 'tough luck' sort of glare and Beast Boy filled with hatred, pure hatred, for the little Cricket. And Gabe seemed to have his blade ready, waiting, as Starfire bent down to pick him up, an perhaps she did see the blade, and the blood running fluidly down Gabe's hand, but she ignored it, and Beast Boy didn't blame her. Her son was finally there and Beast Boy could find no shame to put on her. And from behind him, Beast Boy heard a giggle and spun around, realizing with aggravation that it was an echo, and Beast Boy turned back around. His blood ran cold as a bird-a-rang sliced through the air and past just centimeters from his head, but still, it took the very tip of his ear with it and left a small drop of blood where it used to be. Robin was looking at him, and Beast Boy couldn't tell if it was the same way Gabriel was because Robin had his mask on. And Robin was a worst sight than Gabe.

From under one of Robin's sleeves, a river of blood streamed down his arm and more blood was matted down in his hair, as well as splattered all over his torn clothes. One side of his mask was torn in an inward pushed hole, almost as if someone had attempted to gauge out his eye. Beast Boy reached down and snatched the weapon from off the floor and he threw it as hard as he could at Robin.

"Take that!" he shouted, sweat already running down his face and dripping off chin. "Get away from me you demon!! Get away from Starfire!"

And he shouted that with such force that even Starfire was taken aback and her face was way too serious and every part of it read fear. And as she looked at Beast Boy, horror-stricken, Gabriel continued to keep his eyes directly on Beast Boy, and they seemed to drive right into him, not even through him, right into him like he was trying to force the evil within to "come out, come out". And Beast Boy shouted Starfire's name as loud as he possibly could, but it didn't come out very loud because all that escaped his mouth was a feeble whisper.

"We are not here for Mother, "Gabriel spoke again."A t least," he added, "Not yet..."

Starfire gasped.

"Mommy!" Gabriel suddenly started screaming, his voice now suited for his actual age, tears forming in his eyes. "Mommy, help me! Mommy, please!"

"Gabriel..." Starfire scooped him up and hugged him tightly. He wriggled free of her embrace.

Gabriel continued his wails and he let himself slip to his knees. Starfire began to whisper her own words again and she let him cry in her lap until his sobs slowed down. Gabriel lifted his head slightly and gave Beast Boy that grin, that look. And he lowered his head into Starfire's lap again. That was not Gabriel...that was something more...

"Shut up!"

"Beast Boy!" Starfire shouted, startled at both Beast Boy, and herself for shouting so loud.

Gabriel stood up, and Starfire let him walk a little way from her. He raised his blade, it glowed silvery in the moonlight that creeped in through the open doors. The tears had completely disappeared now from his eyes. He whipped the blade at Beast Boy's chest and as it flew toward him, Beast Boy could see Gabriel's smiling reflection on it and he tried to jump out of the way. With a sickening squish, it pierced straight into his left arm and Beast Boy let out a howl of pain. Blood spurted onto the wall and carpet. Beast Boy yanked the object out of his arm with a slight cracking sound as the blade chipped a piece of bone, and he let the blood-stained blade drop to the floor.

"You sick little bastard!" Beast Boy pulled Gabriel toward him and wrapped his fingers around the boy's neck. Gabe flailed his arms and made small gagging noises, but did nothing more.

"Beast Boy!" Starfire shouted in shock, fear, and disbelief, "Beast Boy, you are hurting him!"

She's protecting him... Him!

Beast Boy tightened his grip. He squeezed harder and Gabriel tried to scream for help in his babyish Cricket voice. But the color was draining from his face and Beast Boy could see only the whites of Gabe's eyes. Beast Boy's arm began to feel sore as he held the little boy out in front of him and his other arm was in too much pain to use for anything. He tumbled over and now kneeled over Gabriel and Gabriel looked at him in that way that was- that was not like before...

Gabriel stared at him with his magnificent emerald green eyes, just the same as Starfire's. And in those eyes was fear, the desperate call for help, the pain that had overcome the boy, the disappearance of the evil that Beast Boy was doing this for. And yet Beast Boy continued. Beast Boy continued to kill...

And as that little Cricket died in his grip, Beast Boy finally came to realize what was happening to him. Because something was. And in his hand at the moment, was not the thing that was making this all happen. In his hand, was Gabriel...

And he was killing... Beast Boy was killing. And Beast Boy was full aware of what he was doing. He was going crazy, going evil, and he knew it. He knew it! And he was killing...Beast Boy was killing...killing an innocent child...he was killing...killing Starfire's son...he was killing...killing Gabriel.

And he stopped.

Gabriel gasped for air and collapsed to the floor coughing, blood dripping out of his mouth. Starfire stared in shock, from behind her, she could hear no movement. She was unaware of what Robin was up to. But she didn't care. And Gabriel looked into Beast Boy's eyes. But, he didn't. It looked into his eyes.

Gabriel grabbed at his arm in a sudden movement and Beast Boy pulled it out of his reach, but Gabe managed to slip his glove off. Gabe grinned, that awful, evil grin, and he grabbed Beast Boy's hand, his left hand. And it was attached to the arm that was now so limp and numb, Beast Boy could do little about it. And as Gabriel's bony fingers dug into his skin, Beast Boy realized with horror and disgust that the boy's fingers matched up exactly with the marks, the scars from that night so long ago, from the incident with that thing under the bed. And the punctures began to bleed for the last time under Gabriel's own flesh and Beast Boy used his arm to whack him so hard that he could hear Gabe's neck crack. And Beast Boy's arm and hand hurt so badly now he couldn't bare it. It moved up to his shoulder, the pain, and Beast Boy was now on the floor, practically rolling in his agony. And as Gabriel neared him again, Beast Boy saw a shine out of the corner of his eye and he grabbed the blade from above his head and drove it into Gabriel's chest. Gabriel was knocked backwards and so Beast Boy loomed over him and shoved the blade into Gabe's heart, ripping, tearing, into his flesh, taking the blade out and pushing it back in again over and over, just as he'd done with the knife in Terra's wall, only instead of paint, blood flew into his face, sticky, slimy, oozing blood. And Beast Boy continued and Beast Boy laughed. That same hideous laugh that Gabriel had. That same laugh. And Beast Boy continued...

And suddenly all went completely black. Completely...

"Terra..."

"Beast Boy..."

"Terra...I love you."

And for then, Beast Boy saw nothing... Nothing. And a vision of Terra stuck in his head as his thoughts and soul disintegrated into darkness and soon the sun would shine on it. Soon he'd be free. And the vision stuck. And by the time a golden beam of light shone upon him, perhaps it was more than a vision...

Starfire stood over Beast Boy's limp body, a broken lamp in her hands. And she collapsed to the floor. Robin too had collapsed and had now passed out. Tears flowing freely, Starfire crawled over to Robin and cried into his chest.

"Robin... Robin...please..."

Starfire realized he wasn't breathing. She felt his heart and breathed a quick, muffled sigh of relief. She tore off his mask. His eyes were closed.

"Robin! Robin, please, please wake up..." she continued to cry and Robin did not move.

Starfire leaned closer to Robin's face and kissed him on the lips. She lowered her head and cried into his chest again.

"Star..."

"Robin!"

Starfire hugged him so tightly he almost choked.

"Starfire, you're ...alright?"

"Yes! Yes, Robin, and you are too!"

Robin smiled.

"I love you Robin..."

Robin sat up and hugged her and let her continue to cry. "I love you too Star, I love you too..."