Chapter 7: Justice and Closure
He who shall hurt the little Wren
Shall never be belov'd by Men.
He who the Ox to wrath has mov'd
Shall never be by Woman lov'd.
Racing along the rain-slicked streets, Torque tried desperately to keep her eyes on the road and concentrate on not dropping Jinx. Skidding back into the garage in Titans Tower she slammed her fist against the emergency alarm and it wailed as she charged up the stairs.
"Raven! Raven, come quick!" Torque shouted. Raven met her at the top of the stairs. She saw Jinx lying limp in Torque's arms and immediately transported them up to the med bay. Once there, Terra watched as the two worked feverishly to save her. Half an hour later, Jinx was still in near critical condition, but she was alive. The three present lady Titans shared a sigh of relief.
"Will she live?" Torque asked Raven.
"Yes. She'll be okay. She just needs time," Raven answered.
"Good. Because I've got one more ass to kick," growled Torque, making a move for the basement garage.
"Wait!" cried Raven. "You can't go after Two Face yourself!"
"Who says I'm going alone?" Torque smirked. Out in the hall was none other than Batman.
"How did you get in?" cried Raven.
"I followed Torque. She left the garage door open," grinned the Caped Crusader. Raven gave Torque a soft scowl.
"Not a good habit, Torque," Raven said.
"I know, I know...now's not the time," Torque replied.
"Let's go," Batman said. He and Torque were gone minutes later, speeding away from the Tower.
Back at the scene of Slade and Two Face's hideout, Robin and Cyborg were trying to figure out how to get Wonder Woman down from the lightning rod before she got electrocuted. Cyborg went to the controls and managed to stop the machine, while Robin carefully climbed the tall mast of the contraption. When he reached Wonder Woman, the brave Amazon woman was unconscious from the force of the wind and rain, and Robin had to be extra careful when taking her down in order to keep from dropping her.
When the team regrouped on the ground, Robin's gaze shifted to the lifeless figure in purple lying on the ground nearby. He dropped to his knees beside her and lifted her into his arms, his heart pounding when she didn't move.
"Starfire?" Robin murmured. "Star? Honey, wake up..."
"I already tried that," Beast Boy said softly. "She's not waking up, man." Robin couldn't stop the tears that fell from behind his black and white mask. Robin clutched her body against his chest and sobbed. As Wonder Woman came around, the sun began to peer out from behind the clouds. The rain had stopped and the storm was passing on—but had the storm taken fearless Starfire with it?
The sun spilled down and warmed Robin's back. Turning, he lifted his eyes and let the sun dry his tears. As the heat made his nerve endings tingle, Robin felt the body of his bride shifting in his arms.
"Star?" he asked hesitantly.
"Solar energy is what gives the Tamaranians their strength and the ability to fly. Maybe it can heal them," Cyborg said, helping Wonder Woman to sit up and then looking at his friends.
"Robin?...You are...unharmed?" said a timid whisper. Robin looked down into the shining green-tinged eyes of his wife and cried again.
"I'm okay, Star. Are you?" Robin replied, his voice weak with emotion.
"I...I have been better..." Starfire replied, her voice gathering a bit of strength. Robin smiled with her and hugged her tight, his heart fit to burst with happiness. Robin stood moments later and carried Starfire back to the T-Cycle with him and placed her in front of him as he climbed on.
"C'mon everybody, let's go home," Robin said, pushing his helmet onto his head. Wonder Woman stood with Beast Boy and Cyborg's help and walked to the T-Car. Once they were settled, Robin followed the car on the way back to the Tower. When they were nearly home, the communicators crackled to life.
"Titans! 42nd and West! Hurry!" Torque's voice shouted through the speakers. Robin ordered Starfire and Beast Boy to switch places.
"Take Starfire and Wonder Woman back to the Tower. We're going to go help Torque!" Robin cried. The T-Car skidded to a halt just long enough for Beast Boy to leap up through the moon roof in his hawk form and for Starfire to take his place. The T-Car rushed away, and the two remaining Titans rushed to the aid of their friends.
"Hang on, Torque, we're coming!" cried Beast Boy.
At the address she had specified, Torque was outnumbered. Beast Boy dropped down over the scene, hitting the pavement in the guise of a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex. Two Face ordered more of his henchmen forward and they rushed at Robin and Beast Boy, fearlessly taking on the young heroes. Torque was high above them on top of one of the nearby buildings, being held out over the edge by Two Face's malicious, acid burned arm.
"Robin! Beast Boy!" she screamed. When the two looked up, they saw Torque, but what terrified them more was what Two Face had in his other hand: Batman, dangling over the side of the building held up only by a rope around his neck that he was fiercely trying to remove without falling. A sudden roar from behind him alerted Robin that there was trouble with Beast Boy. When he turned, the henchmen had knocked Beast Boy out and he had inadvertently morphed back to his human form. Robin looked desperately back and forth.
"It comes down to this, Boy Wonder!" screamed Two Face. "The Man-Bat or the little spy? Make your choice!" With this, Two Face released his captives—directly over the edge of the building.
When the Robin returned to Titans Tower, he could only remember a handful of times when he had been so sore. He was carrying Torque, unconscious from the night's adventure, and he noted with pride that she had as many bumps and bruises as he did. Kneeling on the floor just inside the front doors of Titans Tower, Robin laid Torque in one of the large chairs. Beast Boy, who had been limping along beside him and leaning on his shoulder for support, gathered the strength to get to another chair before his legs gave out. Robin dropped to his knees—who needed a chair? It had been one hell of a night.
When Two Face had dropped Torque and Batman, Robin had panicked. Who was he to save: his newest teammate or his mentor? Lucky for him, one of them made that choice for him. Batman struggled to get the noose off his neck and then shot his grappling hook up and over the roof, allowing him to stop short and fire back at Two Face. Robin charged ahead and caught Torque before she hit the ground. Together again, Batman and Robin had defeated Two Face and brought him to justice again. But at what price? Most of the Titans would spend at least the night in the already crowded medical bay. Beast Boy's leg was broken, Torque had a concussion, and Robin's shoulder was dislocated. Between them, Starfire's injuries, Jinx's injuries and Terra's recovery, Robin knew that sleep was still going to be a long time coming for those who were still awake. Robin looked over at Torque and brushed her hair out of her face.
"Well done, Titans," he murmured, looking at Torque and Beast Boy before his vision went fuzzy and he passed out on the floor. He vaguely registered the voices of his teammates before he lost consciousness completely.
By the time Robin and the others arrived back at the Tower, Terra was walking around again. It took her little time to regain her strength and she was back in uniform before Raven could order her to rest.
"Let me help. Besides, you'll need the extra bed," Terra argued. Raven conceded and Terra joined her, and Starfire and Cyborg as they raced down the stairs to ascertain the condition of their friends. When Raven reached the bottom of the stairs, Beast Boy looked up and their eyes met for the first time all day.
"Raven!" Beast Boy called. Raven didn't need to be told twice. She flew to him, knelt beside him and healed his leg. After this, he stood, pulled her into his arms and held her, happy just to be in the same room with her again. Raven looked up from this embrace and kissed him, moaning softly as he pressed deeper, making the kiss that much more passionate. Starfire and Cyborg were helping Robin and Torque up the stairs when Terra caught up with them. She and Beast Boy's eyes met and they stopped.
"BB?"
"Terra?"
The reunited friends shared a tearful embrace seconds later.
"I didn't think you'd be up and around so soon," Beast Boy said softly.
"Oh, I'm full of surprises," Terra quipped. Beast Boy smiled and hugged her again. After treatment for minor injuries, Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Torque were cleared to return to their rooms. Raven and Terra stayed up a little longer to make certain that Jinx would be all right, but then they too made a retreat to their bedrooms.
When Terra reached her old bedroom, she noted that the air inside smelled a bit stale; as though it hadn't been disturbed since she was last there.
"We brought up your stuff. We had packed it for you and put it in the basement just in case...well...in case of this! The sheets are clean and stuff. Want me to help you make the bed?" Beast Boy offered. Terra shook her head, her long blonde hair shaking with it.
"Naw, I can handle it," she said. Beast Boy nodded and turned to go, but stopped when Terra called his name.
"Beast Boy...I just wanted to say congratulations. You've done really well for yourself. You've gotten married and you have two really gorgeous kids. Raven's a lucky woman," Terra said. Beast Boy returned to Terra's side.
"So...what happened between us before..."
"I told you, you are the best friend I ever had. A friend, Beast Boy," Terra said. Terra leaned into his arms again and hugged him before giving him a tender push toward the door.
"Go on. I hear Raven singing to one of the twins. Better go help her before the other wakes up," Terra teased. Beast Boy smiled.
"Goodnight, Terra. Welcome home," Beast Boy said. With this, he smiled, and closed the door.
Terra had her bed made minutes later, and minutes after that, she slid between the sheets and snuggled down into the pillow, blowing out a deep breath as she fell soundly asleep.