Author's Note: this chapter contains a short bit of discussion on the subject of abortion. The views expressed in this part are not necessarily those of myself, the author, but merely those which I felt were most appropriate and characteristic of the characters involved. Thank you.


Innocnce Lost by CidGregor

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.


Chapter 6

"Ooohhh…" Starfire moaned in pain. "I was not informed that childbirth would be quite this difficult…"

"Don't worry, Star, you're doing fine," Robin assured her. "I know it hurts, but you're strong, you can get through it. It'll all be over soon."

"And we shall have our child," Starfire said. "Yes, you are right, Robin…still, despite Raven's warnings this is considerably more painful than I imagined it wou…OOWW!"

Robin clutched Starfire's hand comfortingly as she winced in pain from another contraction, and she squeezed back, nearly crushing his hand with her alien strength; but Robin didn't care, he had other things on his mind. "Everything all right, Doctor Li?" he asked the woman who stood at the business end of the birthing bed.

"Just fine," the doctor assured. "We're just about ready to start pushing, okay, hon?" she added with a glance at Starfire.

"We're almost there, Star," Robin said. "You ready?"

Starfire nodded. Another grimace crossed her face.

"All right, that's it, now push!" Doctor Li instructed.

Robin held her hand in both of his own, not even noticing how numb they were growing as his love inadvertently squeezed the life out of them as she pushed. "Just a little longer," he whispered in her ear, "just a little more."

"Got a head," Doctor Li updated. "Keep going, we're almost there."

"C'mon, Star, you can do it!"

"Mmmm…" Starfire muttered, squeezing her eyes shut as she worked.

"Shoulders…" Doctor Li muttered, "…torso…legs...there."

The pain was abruptly gone, and Starfire opened her eyes. "The child is…?"

"Right here," Doctor Li said, and a second later, the shrill cries of the newborn reached the loving parents' ears. There was a pause as the doctor cut the umbilical cord, then she wrapped the baby in a towel and lifted it up securely into her arms. "It's a girl," she said as she passed the baby into Starfire's waiting arms. "Congratulations."

"A girl…" Starfire repeated, positively glowing with happiness as she lifted the child high in her arms. "Oh, hello, precious new life! My name is Starfire, and I shall be your mother!"

"I don't think she can understand you quite yet, Star," Robin said with a grin.

"And this is Robin," she continued, ignoring his words completely. "He shall be your father. Welcome to Earth!"

Robin just shook his head and laughed. Starfire always had a way of doing that do him. "So…what should we name her?"

Starfire screwed her face up in concentration. "Ohh…I was so worried about actually having the baby that I forgot to create a name for her!"

"Well…I was doing some thinking myself, and…well…how about, Rosefire?"

"Rosefire…" the alien girl tried it out, and smiled. "That is a most wonderful name! Very well, new child, you shall now be named Rosefire!"

Doctor Li scribbled the name down on her clipboard. "Congratulations again," she said. "We'll move you to a regular room in just a minute. Would you like to allow your friends in once we get there?"

"Oh, yes, please!" Starfire said quickly.

Doctor Li nodded and stepped outside, beckoning a couple of nurses in. They brought in a wheelchair and gently lifted Starfire into it, Robin at her side the whole way. They moved her into a very quiet hall, passing a few doors that stood open, which, as Starfire glanced in each, she saw contained several families standing lovingly around a new mother. Starfire felt her cheeks glow with happiness, knowing that she was one of them.

Once they reached Starfire's room and settled her and Rosefire into her bed, Doctor Li went to bring in the other Titans, who had been anxiously milling about in the waiting room. A few minutes later Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg piled into the room in a hushed awe.

"Friends, I would like you to meet my daughter, Rosefire!" Starfire announced.

"Aw, she's so cute!" Cyborg said in a voice he usually reserved for his car.

"Looks just like you, Star," Beast Boy added. "She's got those same sparkly eyes."

"We're proud of you, Star," Raven added seriously. "Congratulations. I'm sure you guys will make a great family."

"Thanks a lot, everyone," Robin said.

Robin…can you guys give Star and I a minute in private? Raven's voice suddenly came into Robin's mind. He raised his eyebrows in slight surprise, but nodded discreetly in agreement.

"Listen, Cy, BB, come outside with me for a sec, would you?" he said briskly, grabbing the two other boys by the shoulders.

"Huh? But we just got here…"

"Watch the threads, bird boy!"

Wow…very discreet, Robin… Raven muttered sarcastically into his head as the boys left.

Starfire looked at Raven curiously, wondering about the boys' sudden disappearance. "Is something the matter?"

"No…I just needed to talk to you privately for a second…"

Raven walked forward and sat down beside Starfire's bed. There was a strange expression on the dark girl's face, as though she was working up the nerve to say something and then get it out before she lost it.

"What is troubling you, friend?"

"Star…I have to ask…why did you decide to keep this child?"

"I…do not understand…why would I not keep my child?"

Raven grimaced. "It's just that…Star, it came about because of…well…rape. I…I don't know if I could have kept it, if it had been me."

Starfire understood then what Raven was saying, and looked seriously back at the dark girl. "Raven, the conditions of my becoming pregnant were…regrettable…but that is not the child's fault. What right is it of mine to take away a child's chance at life before they even have it, merely because of the circumstances of her conception? On my planet such actions are most severely frowned upon."

Raven nodded, as though she'd expected that answer. "Y'know, Star…you're a very brave person…braver than I ever thought you were before. There are a lot of people who wouldn't be able to do what you've done here today. I really am proud of you, Star. You're going to be a wonderful mother."

"Oh, thank you, friend Raven," Starfire said.

"No problem. So…you ready for some more visitors? It looks like the Titans East are here to see you."


"Oooo, señora Starfire tiene una niña nueva muy bonita!"

"Sí, sí, pero la niña no tan bonita como su madre!"

Robin and Starfire stared blankly at Más y Menos, neither knowing what the super-fast twins had just said.

"He said 'Starfire has a very beautiful new baby,'" Bumblebee suddely cut in, pointing first at Más, then at Menos. "And he said, 'yeah, yeah, but the baby isn't as beautiful as her mother.'"

Robin and Star goggled at the leader of the Titans East, who grinned in a slightly embarrassed sort of way. "I've been studying Spanish," she admitted. "I figured at least one of us should be able to understand what those runts were yapping about all the time."

"Not a bad idea," Robin said. "Maybe I can get Cyborg to make a language program so he can understand them, too..."

A sudden series of beeps sounded from Robin's communicator. Robin reached for it and flipped it open. "This is Robin, what is it?"

"We've got some trouble, Rob," came Cyborg's grim reply. "Police reports are coming in faster than those twins. Overload and Plasmus are attacking, at two different ends of the city."

"Figures they'd pick today to pick a fight," Robin muttered, before snapping into 'leader' mode. "Cyborg, take Beast Boy and Speedy and go after Plasmus. Send Raven and Aqualad to deal with Overload. Bee, the twins and I will stay here."

"What? Why?" Cyborg demanded.

"If Overload and Plasmus have made a move, I wouldn't be surprised to see Cinderblock pop up along with them, and they have to be ready if that happens. Besides, I'm not going to leave Starfire alone."

"All right, Rob, you can count on us," came Cyborg's reply, and he signed off.

"Sí! Vamos a proteger la Señora Starfire!" the twins shouted together.

"You sure Cinderblock is gonna make a move, too?" Bumblebee asked.

"Positive," Robin said. "And if those three are up to something, Slade's up to something. But what?"

A massive crashing sound struck their ears just then, followed by a series of terrified screams and one deep, booming roar.

"HELP! It's a rock monster!" a patient screamed as her ran past the open door.

Robin's eyes narrowed in anger; it sounded as though Cinderblock had indeed attacked...right in front of their faces.