A/N: Again, just changing the chapter so there are no song lyrics...I hate you
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Chapter 8: We are the Same
I've come to realize recently that it is not a very good idea to lie to girls. Well, it's really not a very good idea to lie to anyone, but it is thrice as worse to do so to a member of the female population of the planet. Even if it is something that doesn't seem like it would be a huge deal, just don't. Nothing ever turns out the way you might envision it.
It all really comes down to a matter of trust. If you can't trust someone because they lie, or because they hide truths, or they don't act like themselves then how can you expect to be their friend and give them your trust?
So, let me start now. My name is Ahren, I'm eighteen years old, and I grew up with my foster family, the O' Brians. I took their last name because they accepted me, even with all my 'gifts'. I met Lily two years ago, when my family traveled to Ireland in search of…something…I don't really know what. She changed my world, and she left her family to come back to the states with me. She is seventeen, but turns eighteen in three months.
Maybe, I don't know maybe, you can trust us now too. Because, the tides are changing, and the storm is about to hit…
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All the Titans were crowded around the small table in the common room, waiting anxiously to hear this plan that Beastboy seemed to come up with only a few hours ago on the roof. It still confounded the majority of them, after all, not a single one amongst them could come up with an idea for the past three, no wait four, days. And frankly, anyone of the Titans would listen to any kind of strategy at this point in the game, with the threat of a super-deadly Ebola strain about to be unleashed on the city any day now.
" So," Cyborg began, not being able to stand the anticipation any loner now. " What is this brilliant plan BB came up with?"
Raven, not Beastboy, was the one to answer to everyone's surprise saying, " It's actually pretty simple. A circuit plan. A never ending circle of attacking, moving, and switching that makes it very hard for the enemy to target any one area or person. You see, it would start off with two of us, let's say Beastboy and Cyborg, attacking from the ground, letting Starfire enter and bomb the ground with bolts and then land on the opposite end. Then, Beastboy would swoop up to where Star had been, and I would take his place. Cyborg would steadily weave his way over to Star, and they would switch places, while myself and Beastboy switch places.
"All of this would have to be done while we kept up an offensive, and the switching of places would just continue, in the path of a circle. When the enemy is worn down, the circle will shrink, and the switching will be more frequent.
" If you, Robin and Jinx are wondering why you aren't mentioned in the plan let me tell you why. You two are going to sneak into the base and get rid of that virus."
" Okay, and why did you pick us?" Jinx asked calmly.
" Because you said you knew how to nullify the virus, and the best hacker here is Robin," Raven answered back. " It was the logical choice."
The other three were looking from Raven to Beastboy back and forth, trying to understand why they hadn't been able to come up with something so simple. For you see, they had never really done a plan that was meant to act as a divergent from an infiltration assault, they usually just did full-on attack, or sneak in approach that led to a full-on attack. This would catch the Hive security completely off-guard, and it was so simple that it didn't require hours of training to perfect. It was a simple circuit work-out, nothing more complicated than that.
" So," Robin said, breaking the silence. " This plan is meant to be distraction for Jinx and myself?"
Raven nodded her head in concurrence.
" Well, I gotta hand it to ya BB," Cyborg said with a grin spreading across his face. " I think this just might work. We all have the endurance to pull it off, and I'm pretty sure we have enough drive to motivate us, but that security is going to be hard to crack. Do y'all think we should call in the Titans East for back-up?"
" No," both Raven and Robin said at the same time.
" If we call in anymore than usual, Slade and the Hive headmaster will know something's up. It will work fine with the six of us."
" Besides," Robin added. " They have their own problems to deal with in Steel City, they don't need to come to our rescue unless it's an emergency. Raven's right, with the six of us here, we can deal with this."
" So," Beastboy addressed the group. " Is it a 'Heck yes!' or a 'It totally blows!'?"
Starfire beamed at the green teen and said, " I vote for the 'Heck yes!' choice friend Beastboy. It is a most admirable plan."
One by one all the Titans canted their heads forward in agreement, and decided that it would probably be best to attack the next day, in the afternoon instead of the night hours.
Everything always happens at night with these kids!
After some pre-plan discussions, map layouts, and final briefings of assignments, the Titans decided that they probably needed to get some sleep for the next day's events. But, not very much sleep got done that night.
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Yea sure, they were supposed to be sleeping, but making out was so much more fun to the couple who solidified the idea of 'opposites attract'. Besides, Beastboy found it much more adventurous being in the room he had been forbidden to enter for the past year and a half. Things were starting to heat up, when a loud booming sound on the door ruined the romantic vibe in the couples' moment.
Muttering angrily to herself, Raven got off her bed, and walked over to her door, promising that whoever it was have a good reason for spoiling her and Beastboy's kissing session.
" Alright," she said moodily as she opened the door. " What the hell do you wa-"
" Hey Rae," Cyborg said as he pushed the door open and led himself and Jinx into the room, the latter with a nervous grin on her face. " You and BB have time to talk? Yes? That's great."
As he seated Jinx and himself on the carpet, he gave Raven no opportunity to answer, so she angrily shut he door, turned up her lamps, and seated herself next to Beastboy on her bed directly across from the other two.
" What do you wish to discuss?" the goth asked emotionlessly.
" Umm," Jinx began slowly. " I think we may have a bit of a problem with Robin and Starfire."
" Good job," Raven said sarcastically. " Give the girl a prize for guessing the most obvious issue in this tower. Tell us something we don't know."
" Okay," Jinx answered testily. " It's going to cause one of them to kill themselves if it isn't solved soon."
" No it won't," Raven said, this time normally with a hint of sadness in her voice. " They'll just be miserable. Neither of them is weak enough to commit suicide."
" She didn't mean physically Raven," Cyborg answered. " She meant mentally. Like, lets say in the battle tomorrow, they just carelessly don't block an attack, because their mind is being eaten away from this Catherine and Heathcliff esque love situation. They could get seriously hurt Rae."
" No," she answered calmly. " Because as long as they both think about protecting the other, neither of them will let their guard down. Trust me on this guys, I've known and been trying to remedy this circumstance for a while now."
The other two looked at each other, and then both nodded their heads, trusting in their teammate's assessment.
" I just wish we could do something," Jinx said forlornly. " They both like each other so much, they would both feel better if they just let the other know how they felt, I mean, everybody else knows."
" And that is what freaks Robin out Jinx," Raven quipped automatically. " You don't know him as well as we do, stuff like that just really freaks him out. He's just compulsive like that."
" She's right Jinx," Cyborg put in. " That kid is the most stubborn ass I've ever met, that's including the bad guys!"
" And Star's to emotional to understand that fact about Robin," Raven ventured even further. " He's perfect in her eyes, he doesn't have fear our weaknesses, and that is why she is acting so repressed."
" I just wish we could help," the sorceress said quietly.
" We have to let them figure it out on their own," Cyborg said with a small grin, as Raven nodded. " They're both pretty strong individuals, I think they can handle it."
As the three Titans sat there in contemplation, the one who was silent the whole time suddenly said, " Wait, ROBIN AND STAR LIKE EACH OTHER?" Beastboy grabbed his head and added, " Why don't I ever know these things?"
Raven, Jinx, and Cyborg looked at each other, then at Beastboy, then back at each other before the two latter burst out laughing and Raven just put a comforting hand on Beastboy's head.
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Starfire floated down the hallway, not really caring where she was going, just certain that she wouldn't be able to sleep. She finally found herself in the common room, and low and behold who was there…if you guessed Robin, you were right. He also couldn't sleep, he was starting to wonder if he had insomnia.
Starfire, on a dare of bravery, piped a quiet, " Good evening friend Robin."
Well, even though she was quiet, her question made him jump visibly in his chair, which caused the chair itself to swivel around, and launch him off it onto the ground. He pushed himself up, hands and face red with embarrassment, and answered, " Uh, good evening Star, you startled me. Why are you up this late, you should be sleeping."
" I could not," the alien answered sitting on the large couch nearby Robin. " and it appears that you could not as well."
Grinning slightly, he answered, " Well, uh, yea. I guess not."
" Might I inquire why?"
Robin, rubbing the back of his neck, shrugged his shoulders as he took a seat next to Starfire on the couch. " I dunno."
" Oh," she replied shyly, glad that Robin was sitting in nearby proximity once again. " Might I inquire another question friend?"
" Sure."
" Who was the e-mail from that you were reading?"
Robin hesitated, but not wanting to cause the rip to grow any larger he answered evasively, " It's from an old friend. Someone I knew in Gotham."
" The man who is a bat?" Starfire asked, assuming he was talking about his old partner before he came to Jump City and formed the Teen Titans.
" Sort of," Robin replied, not wanting to give his mentor's identity away. " I was talking to the person he is when he isn't Batman."
" What do you mean?"
" Like when he doesn't have the mask on," Robin supplied.
" Oh," Starfire said, now new questions swimming to her mind. " He is not always Batman?"
" Nope," Robin answered simply. He didn't have a clue on how confusing this was sounding to the alien sitting next to him.
" Then are you not always 'Robin'?" she asked innocently. " For you also wear a mask."
Robin didn't look at her when he said, " No Star, I'm always Robin. The person under this mask died a long time ago. He doesn't exist really anymore.
" Is that why you are now Robin then?" Star asked. " To not be who you were? All of this is very confusing Robin. Why would you not be who you really are?"
He shrugged as he continued to stare out the window at the ocean, now a calm soothing presence, something so very different from his mind.
" It's not a big deal Star," Robin lied to his companion. " I just assumed this name to avenge someone who went through a lot at a young age, and I just kind of kept the name. It doesn't make me any different."
' But it does, because you are hiding friend,' Star thought to herself as she nodded her head and forced a smile. " Why did you leave Gotham the Robin? Were you not happy there fighting crime?"
" It had nothing to do with fighting crime Star," Robin said with a laugh. " Batman and I just had a couple of arguments concerning certain issues. So, I told him I wasn't going to join the League or anything, that I'd start my own team, so, I did."
He was silent again, that same brooding, painful expression passing over his face.
" Besides," he said. " There were some memories there that I didn't want to connect with anymore."
" Oh," Starfire said, not wanting to probe further and upset the person she wanted to amend feelings with. The two secret keepers sat silently, not wanting to move and risk not spending anymore time with the other.
Starfire finally decided to tell him some of her secrets after some time had passed, and sleepiness threatened to overcome her. " My family is dead as well Robin. All except my sister, who you know, I am not affable with. My father, mother, and younger brother all died in a well-executed assassination plot, that only myself and Blackfire escaped because of Galifore. He used to be the captain of the Palace guard, my father's personal body-guard, but afterwards, he surrendered his position and became my k'norfka. Blackfire was older and did not wish to have one, so she did not. So, you see, you are not alone Robin, we have all lost people who are important to us, we are all the same, if you look past external appearances," Starfire couldn't go on, mainly because tears had started to flow down her delicate features, causing her to shake.
Before Robin even knew what he was doing, he wiped her tears away, and enveloped her in a hug. Not a friendly hug at all, a hug that was meant to be shared only by people who you loved. In that moment, Starfire never felt so complete, and Robin became Richard Grayson again.
In that moment, everything seemed obsolete except the two extrodinary individuals who were hugging in their common room.
However, the moment did end, and Robin became the person who hides behind his mask once more. But, Starfire still felt happy for she believed that they both felt a spark in that moment. As the two broke apart, Starfire knew that she would never have a better chance to ask Robin what Jinx had advised, for she was now suddenly tired.
" Robin, I have to know one thing," she said as she started to close her eyes and rest her head on Robin's shoulder. " Do you feel the emotion know as love for me or not."
" I don't think you understand what you're asking me Star," Robin began, so off balance he didn't even know what to really say. She had asked the one question he was not prepared for, and he was suddenly terrified. " We're to young Star, I don't think I even know what love is. I do care about you a lot though, like I do all the Titans. But I…" he suddenly noticed that she had fallen asleep and he stopped his lie right there.
He gently picked her up, and carried her up to her room, and laid her down on the bed. As he tucked her in, he ran a hand down the side of her face, softly enough for her not to know he was there and whispered, " I want to tell you the truth, but I can't Starfire. I can't. Maybe someday I'll be as strong as you…but not tonight." He then kissed her lightly on the cheek and then got up and left her room, shutting the door smoothly as he left.
When the door shut, Starfire lifted her hand to her cheek and touched the area that her soulmate, for that is what she believed he was now, had just kissed. And she knew then what Jinx had said.
" I love you Robin," She whispered out loud as she drifted off into a peaceful dreamland full of wonder for once in a great while.
