A/N: Hi again! Thx to my reviewers again and let me kind of explain the beginning of this chapter. It's a conversation between the two openers of every chapter, and if you are keeping track, they go boy-girl. So, the last opener was the girl, I hope this will alleviate some of the confusion bound to happen from this opening. If you all have any ?'s just ask me. Here we go!

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Chapter 5: My Own Purpose:

'I know I just did one of these things, but I need to vent on something that's been nagging at the back of my mind for days now. Why is it that people, men in particular, always feel this need to push people they care about away if they feel he or she being threatened? Is it some animalistic instinct you have to protect your territory or something?'

'I suppose you can think of it like that. We're just worried about you. It's hard for us to admit our feelings of being afraid, sad, or lonely, so we try to hide them. Problem is it's like trying to ignore a dilemma that's staring right at us.'

'But, How can that possibly help?! It's not as if we're defenseless! We're not some little damsel-in-distress waiting for our big, strong protector to come rescue us. We can think, breathe, feel, fight, sit, and stand for ourselves! We don't need anyone's pro-'

'But don't you see, we aren't always so sure of that! You do get yourselves into trouble, many more times than you may think, and if anything were to happen to you, I could never forgive myself. It doesn't matter if it was our fault or not, it would be because I was there, and that's all that would register in my mind. You can call it the failure of the male psyche, but we just…. ugh …. We just are so terrified of losing someone on our watch, especially someone we care so much about.'

'Ahren, don't you realize though, if you all don't learn to start expressing those feelings and quit bottling them inside… You'll end up losing us anyways….'

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Another three weeks had passed since the second confrontation at the Civic plaza with Viper, and the Titans, although physically stable, were in no shape to fight their newest super-villain once more. Losing once to a villain can do pretty tolerable damage to a hero's mind, but losing twice… well… the tension in the Tower was proof enough of those results.

It's not to say they didn't try to act like they usually did, they just couldn't find the inner strength to face each other like nothing had happened. And so, a heavy silence grew between them, like an unnatural miasma that refuses to let up, and their confidence in themselves, and their fellow teammates, was beginning to crack. As if that wasn't enough, Slade had entered the picture fully again, and the Team all were aware on the toll that was taking on their leader. Whatever deity happened to be up there, obviously wasn't happy with the teenage super heroes at the time.

But, we are drifting from our tale. It had been, as I mentioned earlier, three weeks, and Starfire felt compelled to try and mend her teammates shattered convictions. She had two decent successes with both Cyborg and Beastboy, and had the two back to their normal video-game crazing selves in no time. Raven proved to be a bit harder to cheer up, after all she never really was cheerful to begin with, but after a mention of visiting the 'mall of shopping' Raven quickly snapped out of her depressing mood to her usual melancholy self.

But, none of these were really what Starfire had expected to be difficult task.

For Robin had taken to leaving whatever room he was in the moment she entered, not offering any explanation why to Starfire, or any of his teammates in fact. She had been trying to corner him for the past two days, be it the gym, his own room, or the common area, and had no success until the third day. But then, after her conversation with him up there on the roof, she sorely wished she hadn't.

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earlier that evening:

After her search was fruitless for the second day in the row, Starfire decided to contemplate her self-endowed mission on the roof, her favorite thinking place.

' It is nearly sunset anyway,' she thought to herself had she climbed up the stairway that led to the roof. ' I am most anxious to see it's brilliant beauty after such wearisome days.'

Well, she did get to see her sunset as she opened the door to the roof, but there was already someone there that startled her so much she gave out an, " EEEEPPP!" almost stumbling back down the stairs. She saw that it was Robin on the roof, and felt very embarrassed in deed after she balanced herself and walked towards him.

He looked up startled as he saw her almost rip down the stairs, but that soon turned to dread as he saw her walking towards him, once she had regained her footing and shut the door. He had no real easy exit from the roof, and immediately started mentally cursing himself for going up on the roof, after all it was Starfire's favorite place in the city.

' Why the hell did I come up here, now we have to talk to her! Oh, I probably just had another one of my "brilliant" moments, like usual. But it is so good to see her, she really does look beautiful when the sun is setting. Aww crap, stop thinking like that!! STOP STOP STOP!!!'

" Friend Robin," Starfire asked timidly, unknowingly breaking him from his inner scolding. " Are you well? For I have not seen you much these past weeks, and I was worried that you were not-"

" I'm fine Star," he interrupted gruffly. It killed him to see her look pained at the harshness of his tone, but he couldn't think of anything else to do after the second fight with Viper; after the second time he hadn't been able to protect her.

" Oh," she answered quietly, and sadly. " Well, that is good then."

A silence breached between them, a silence that neither one had thought would ever happen concerning them. They were best friends, always had been since Starfire first arrived on Earth. They had shared each other's cultures with one another, and had always defended each other on any issue they concerned themselves with. They had both known that they could go to each other with any problem, and the other would listen to them. It pained both Robin and Starfire beyond words that they could not speak to each other now, but neither showed that pain, determined to stay strong in front of the other.

" Well, I'm going in to do some research," Robin said lamely after he could not stand the silence any longer.

" Wait!" Starfire said, resolute in not losing her chance to speak with her reclusive friend. " I believe we need to discuss some things Robin. And I believe we should do it now."

" But Star, we need to get research done before-"

" It can wait then," she cut in, her voice unwavering in its seriousness.

Sighing, knowing that this was bound to happen, Robin turned back around and took a seat next to the alien princess, trying very hard to not think of any impish thoughts whilst sitting so close to the girl of his dreams. It goes without saying that he was failing miserably.

" What did you want to talk about Star?" Robin asked, dreading the answer.

She stared at him for a minute, trying to decide what she was going ask him. She knew that she should ask him about the Team's next plan of attack, or talk to him about the Titan's growing unstability, but she had to know one thing most of all, because it was eating her inside to not know the reason.

" Why have you been avoiding me Robin?"

There it was, in that one question Starfire had just laid all of her hidden feelings bare before Robin, and had unknowingly sent the Boy-wonder rocketing through his own torrent of emotions inside of his head. He knew he should have answered ' because I love you with all my heart Starfire and don't want you to get hurt' or something as equally as romantic as that, but we all know that he didn't.

" I…. don't know," he answered finally.

Starefire gave him a look that told him she didn't believe him, and just continued to stare at him.

Sighing to himself before he continued, he decided to tell her part of the truth, " I didn't want you getting hurt again, and that won't happen as likely if we aren't as close of friends anymore." That clearly didn't come out the way he wanted it too, and instantly regretted saying it, seeing Starfire eyes glow in anger in what he had just said.

" So, you do not wish to be acquainted with me anymore?" she asked angrily, hurt beyond belief by his words.

" No! That didn't come out right," Robin tried to explain but was cut off before he finished.

" No? Then you obviously think me to weak to defend myself properly?"

" That isn't what I meant either," Robin answered, feeling his temper rise, more due to the fact of himself than her anger.

" Then tell me what you did mean Robin so I may understand what it is you are unhappy with me about."

" I was trying to protect you as lame as that sounds," Robin said quietly.

" I do not need constant protection Robin!" Starfire yelled back at the human youth. " I am perfectly capable of fighting off criminals myself, and do not need you always troubling yourself on my inefficiency."

" Oh, so when you get stabbed in the side, or get hit by a beam that takes your powers away, that's a show of your prowess?" he retorted angrily. His plan wasn't going the way he had intended it to go at all. However, he immediately regretted saying that last comment so viciously, seeing Starfire's eyes well up with tears. " Wait, Star I didn't mean that I-"

" Maybe we should not be friends then Robin," she said finally, a slight quiver in her voice. " If you think so little of me."

So frustrated with himself, and the disaster of a plan he had created, he let out a painful cry to the wind, then storming past Starfire and back into the Tower. He grabbed his helmet from his room and started heading towards his motorcycle in the garage, completely ignoring the yells from his fellow Titans to where he was going.

Raven, knowing something was amiss, sent out herself to feel his emotions, and let out a gasp of pain with what she was met with. Nearly collapsing before she retracted her soul-self back into her body, she felt Beastboy catch her and ask what was wrong.

" Nothing," she answered as she was helped up. " Just let him go guys. He needs to be alone right now." Shrugging Cyborg headed down to the garage to work on his beloved T-car.

" Where you going Raven?" Beastboy asked when the goth started to head toward the roof. He was utterly confused by what was going on, and it seemed Raven had at least a notion as to what was happening.

" I'm going to talk to Star, just let me know when Robin comes back okay Beastboy?" Raven asked monotonously

" Ummm, okay…" Beastboy answered slowly.

" Thanks," Raven shouted back as she walked down the hall and towards the roof stairway.

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Robin didn't really drive anywhere in particular, just drove around on his motorcycle and tired to clear his mind of all the anger he felt right at that moment. He wasn't angry with Starfire, mainly because he suspected he was physically incapable of being angry with her for anything, he was angry with himself for what seemed like the millionth time that week. Everything that had recently transpired was entirely his fault, because he was the leader of his team, and therefore should have been able to come up with a plan to defeat Slade, Viper, and any of the other villains that haunted his town.

But he couldn't. Everything he came up with was crap, and he couldn't focus on anything to save his life. Well, that wasn't entirely true.

He pulled up his bike next to the curb and walked down to the park. When he arrived there, he just plopped himself down in the grass, and looked up at the branches and then up to the clouds that hung in the air, a suffocating gray mass in the air that aptly reflected the boy's feelings. As he was staring up, he found himself thinking of Starfire yet again, the only thing he seemed to be able to focus on of late. She was perfect to him, not just her looks or her abilities, but every aspect about her. Whether it was the she doused anything she ate in mustard, how she had hidden her pet larva in her room because she feared it to be kicked out of the Tower, or to how she always seemed to believe in him. She was everything he could've possibly wanted in someone, and yet he was terrified of letting her know how he really felt. Bad things seemed to happen to those he truly cared for, and he couldn't bear the thought of her getting hurt because she was associated with him.

' Not that its really a problem anymore thanks to your brilliant plan dumbass,' Robin chastised himself as he closed his eyes, not really caring if he was snuck up on. ' After our little conversation on the roof, I'll be surprised if she even wants to speak to me again,'

He lay there for a good hour, letting his emotions run off him and be abandoned to the cloudy night sky above him, before he decided to head back to the Tower and face Starfire. He pushed himself off the grass and headed back towards his motorcycle, which had been conveniently untouched. Not noticing that, Robin started to reach for his helmet when a small hand snaked around the back of his neck, signaling him to stop. He cursed himself for letting his guard down so easily and started to reach for a weapon when the hand squeezed and a voice whispered in his ear.

" I want to help you, but I'm afraid you would have attacked me before I could say what I need to say."

He could tell the voice was female, and strangely familiar before answering, " And, sneaking up on me and choking me is a good way to show me you're a good guy?"

" If I wasn't you'd be dead," the girl replied simply. After she felt Robin relax she whispered in his ear, " If I let go of your neck, will you promise to take me to the Tower? The information I have to divulge is important, and needs to be said in front of your whole team."

After a brief pause, Robin nodded his head in assent, and the girl let go of his neck. He turned around to see who it was who grabbed him, and was met with two cat-like eyes of a most unexpected person.

" You??!!"

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While that was happening across town, Raven had gone up to the roof to find a horrible looking Starfire there, looking utterly desolate and as if she had cried all the water in her out. Knowing that she really wasn't the best at the whole comforting thing, Raven just sat next to the weeping tameranean and enveloped her into a hug. The two were like that for a while, until Starfire had calmed down enough to tell Raven what had occurred on the roof with Robin.

" Well," Raven said as Starfire finished her story. " I'm not really all that surprised. It's like him to get freaky protective over you after that fight with Viper. It's just in his personality type. But, and listen to this closely Star, it has nothing to do with him thinking you are weak. Because he doesn't. In fact, he probably thinks you are stronger than him in a lot of ways."

" Then why does he treat me as if I am?" Starfire asked sadly.

" I really couldn't tell you Star," Raven answered simply. " I think there is more to this than meets the eye. I think Viper has some kind of connection with Robin's past, and he's afraid that she will use you against him."

" But, I would not let that happen," Starfire exclaimed. " That horrible lady would not be able to even touch me! I would make sure of that!"

" Well, you can tell him that when he comes back," Raven replied without emotion. Then after seeing Star's face fall at the mention of Robin coming back she added more kindly, " And he was never mad at you Star. I mean, I don't think I've ever seen him mad at you before. And the time when he went a little crazy seeing Slade doesn't count because he wasn't himself."

She took the alien's arm and led her back down the stairs to her room to wash off her face. Once that was done, the two girls headed back down to the common room, Starfire's spirits lifted up a tad bit. Cyborg and Beastboy came back in, and immediately started arguing over what would be the main course for dinner.

Ahh, nothing like a debate between vegetarians and meat lovers over what to eat to get you excited.

The argument was just starting to reach the climax, when suddenly, the saw Robin standing in the doorway with another person standing next to him.

" I uhh, found an ally who wants to help us take down our newest friend," Robin said to the Titans. It was clear to see that he was still shocked as to who it was that stood beside him. He walked down into the room and turned his attention back to the figure in the doorway.

" Well, you're here," he said with a bemused look on his face. " There's no turning back now.

" No," the girl answered back. " I suppose not." She stepped out of the shadows, and Starfire, Raven, Beastboy, and Cyborg all let out gasps as to who they saw standing there on top of the stairs. Before them was a well-known girl to them, with a pair of blue jeans on, and a simple white tank top. And while her pink hair wasn't up in it's usual pigtails, there was no mistaking those cat-like, lavender eyes. Before them was one of the top graduates of the Hive academy, sworn enemy of the Titans, and one third of a notorious crime group. Yet, the only one who seemed able to say anything was Cyborg, who had a big grin on his face that seemed to shine through the fog that had been surrounding the Tower for weeks.

" Jinx?!"

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A/N: Alright, another longer chapter than I had planned, but whatever. It really isn't a cliffie ( if you want to see a real cliffie go read some of Legend Makers works!) but I will try to get the next chapter out on time. Oh, by the by, if you guys didn't notice, there are two people who are part of the penname. I'm Osco, and my counterpart is Gecko. Gecko actually posted a review for my story, so y'all could know she was really here the whole time, and expect her to do that from time to time, so check out the reviews to see what kind of person she is! And, yeah, she's always that weird! Until next time, review review review!! Bye guys!!Osco