Fallen Darkly
K.Blacre
Drifting
They all met in the front room, Robin looking at the screen.
"Well?" Beast Boy asked.
"It's...not Slade."
"Well, let's hope it's not like last time." Cyborg said. Robin began running toward the elevator when Cyborg stopped him.
"Cy!"
"Not with your injury!"
"I'll be fine!" Raven sighed, went to Robin, and healed the wound.
"Can we go now?" Robin tore off the cast and headed to the elevator.
Cy stopped the car and looked out the window at the rip down the middle of the road.
"Um, follow the tear?" Beast Boy asked from the back seat.
"Honestly, what would we do without your wisdom." Raven said from the front passenger seat. Beast Boy let a small growl slip from his throat. Starfire flew above and Robin was on his bike. Robin and Cyborg took different sides of the road, following the tear down. It turned left and they glimpsed at what caused it. A flash of color that was off the ground a few feet ripped open the center of the street as it went down. Raven jumped from the window and flew up to Starfire, then passed her. The form suddenly crashed to a halt and whipped around, looking Raven straight in her eyes. It hit like a powerful blow, sending her back into the T-car. It swirved and rolled into the ditch in the middle of the road. Robin sped up and jumped off his bike as it ground to a halt. He landed a kick into the figure's jaw. He flew back into a building but quickly got up and caught Robin by the hand, swung him around, and threw him. He hit Starfire dead-on, both of them falling to the ground. The man quickly sped away. Raven got up and went after him, but was pulled back by a hand on her wrist. She looked back to see Robin.
"Let go."
"No. If we just chase him, he'll get the better of us again."
"Look at this!" Robin turned to see Cyborg getting out of the car, waving at it. Raven touched down on the ground and looked over the car. "It's totaled!" He looked up at Raven. "If you hadn't been so eager to kick that guy's ass, maybe my car wouldn't be in a ditch with a hole in the windsheild!"
"It's not my fault. Besides, you can fix it."
"LIke I have every other time!? It took me forever to get the dent out from last time! Now look at it! I can't even drive it home!"
"It's a car, it's replacable."
"I can't just snap my fingers and get a new one!"
"Friends!" Starfire cried, getting between the two. "Please, stop fighting. There is no need."
"Yeah, relax. Accidents happen." Beast Boy said.
"You know, maybe Robin was right." Cyborg said, turning from them.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Raven asked. When Cyborg didn't answer, Raven turned to Robin.
"Please, there is no need for the fighting. It will be alright again. Maybe we could watch a moving picture and have unhealthy foods." Star said, trying to ease down the tension. Cyborg turned around.
"Some things aren't fixed by a movie and food, Star!" Cyborg yelled. Starfire stepped back like she had just taken a powerful blow. Tears stung her emerald eyes.
"Hey, she was just trying to help!" Beast Boy yelled.
"Keep your nose out of it!" Cyborg yelled.
"Cummon, Star. Let's get out of here." Beast Boy said, turning into a hawk and flying up into the rain-filled sky. With a last look, Starfire lifted off and followed Beast Boy back to the tower. Raven suddenly lifted off and flew quickly to the tower. Robin walked toward his bike, got on, and drove toward the tower, leaving Cyborg standing in the rain. He sighed and turned to the car, hoping he'd get it back on the road before he started to rust.
Raven walked in and up into the living room. She stopped suddenly. The boy they'd found earlier was up. He clutched lazily at the blanket around him.
"Where am I?" He asked before collapsing. She quickly walked to him and caught him, dropping to her knees at his weight. She pulled him closer so his head was resting on her shoulder. His eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy. It slowly returned to normal. The elevator stopped and Robin, Starfire, and Beast Boy came into the room. She turned her head and looked at them briefly. The other three surrounded him and Raven.
"What happened?" Robin asked.
"When I came in, he was standing in the middle of the room. He asked where he was and collapsed." His eye fluttered open and closed. Raven pulled him up to his feet. Robin got on his other side and slung his arm around his shoulders. Robin clasped the blanket closed as they headed back toward the infirmary. By the time they'd got there, the boy's eyes were slightly open. Robin helped him lay back down on the table. Raven stayed on one side of him while Robin made sure everything was alright.
"Where am I?" He repeated his question to Raven.
"Where did you come from?" His brows came together in confusion. "I don't know how to answer your question without knowing where you came from first."
"The planet of Riyoloan."
"You're on planet Earth." He groaned as he shifted, rubbing his left side. He looked back up at her, into her eyes.
"Who are you? What's your name?"
"My name is Raven. I'm a Teen Titan. Now, I ask you the same thing."
"I am an elf from Riyoloan. My name is Szephyn."
"Well, there doesn't seem to be any damage done." Robin announced. He looked over at the two. "Um, I'm gonna see if Cy's back yet." He quickly left the room.
"So, what is your race, not occupation?"
"I'm...I'm still trying to figure out just what I am. I'll tell you when I know." Szephyn smiled just slightly. He again groaned, looking down at his left side. Raven's gaze followed his and she parted the blanket just enough to see his left side. She ran her fingertips over the skin, trying to find something that might be bothering him.
"I don't see anything wrong." She said, looking back up at him.
"I think my left side was the one I fell on. That's the last thing I remember. Then I woke up here."
"It's probably bruised. I can heal it." He smiled and nodded. Her hands glowed black and she touched them to his side. She moved her hands away and the black cloud faded.
"That feels better. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Maybe you should have a different room. I don't think you want to stay in the infirmary."
"Not really."
"Where is Raven?" Starfire asked. Robin looked up at her.
"She's looking after the...um, guy." Robin said.
"Oh. Is he alright?"
"Yeah." He sighed and looked around. "Cyborg hasn't shown up yet?"
"No." Starfire said.
"Man, I think he's got a screw loose or something." Beast Boy said. "He sure was an asshole."
"Such language should not be used against our friend." Starfire said.
"How can you defend him after how he yelled at you like he did?" Beast Boy asked.
"He was upset and surely did not mean the things he said."
"He was right, though, Star. Movies and food doesn't always make things better." Robin said.
"Maybe, but he didn't have to be so rude about it."
"BB, stop. Okay? Just stop."
"What did he mean about you being right?" Beast Boy asked.
"Drop it." Robin said.
"No! You're against Raven, aren't you? Because that girl looked like her!"
"Stop."
"You weren't against Star when she went through a change. Why are you against Raven?"
"Shut up!" Beast Boy was shocked to silence. Robin hadn't ever yelled at any of them.
"Why must we constantly fight?" Starfire asked, looking for one to the other. "You never said that people from Earth yelled so much."
"Not now, Star." Robin said harshly. Tears formed in her eyes and she walked quickly from the room. The elevator opened and Cyborg walked through, going straight to his room, never speaking to anyone as he passed. A frown etched itself on Beast Boy's face. He got to his feet and walked from the room, following Starfire. Robin sighed and looked down at the floor, running a hand through his short-cropped hair.
Beast Boy found Starfire in her room, hugging a teddy bear as she cried into its fur. She looked up as Beast Boy entered. He tried a smile but dropped it when she didn't smile back.
"Our friends are drifting apart from one-another." She said through sniffles.
"You feel it too, huh?" He sighed and sat down on the bed next to her, pulling her into his arms. She gladly took the invitation and cried into his shirt, still clutching the bear tightly.
"I do not wish to lose our friends." She said, her voice muffled by her tears and his shirt. "I do not wish to see us drift apart."
"I know, Star. I know." He sighed and rested his chin on her head, letting her rest against his chest as her tears passed.
"Why do they fight so much?" She asked, looking up into Beast Boy's eyes.
"Because it's...um..."
"You do not know?"
"No. I wish I did." Starfire lifted her head up and kissed Beast Boy on his cheek.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being a friend. We all need one right now."
"You're welcome." He smiled and hugged her. She hugged back, letting the bear fall from her arms.
Author's Note: The drifting has began. I think I'm turning towards throwing a Starfire and Beast Boy romance in with the one I've got planned. I would normally like to see her with Robin, but in this fic, I think she fits better with BB. Give your thoughts of this chapter. I'll get the next up as soon as I can. Thanks for reading. (GothicBlacre, thanks for the review, but I think you need to ease up on the enthusiasm just a bit.)