Chapter 2: Coma
Starfire sat on the couch, her eyes billowing up with tears.
"But- Why, Robin? Why?"
"I…Don't know, Star…"
"…"
"I should have run faster. I shouldn't have let that guy get those chains on me. I should have jumped or yelled, or something. I could have saved her…"
"Come on man, don't say that. I was stupid enough to have a rocket strapped onto my back. Twice."
"…"
She sat there for a long time. She had her hands folded across her chest, a gray rain cloud hovering over her long, red hair.
In the cloud, a picture of Raven reading seeped in. Then a picture of Raven and herself sitting among flittering rows of candles; a crystal ball being held by one of Raven's soft, pale hands.
Then she saw a splitting image of Raven dangling limply from Beast Boy's uncontrollable beast within him. Then another image of the look on her face when she was truly, horribly, scared.
She shuttered and held her self tighter.
Continuous rain fell from the cloud, making her misty face look even more distraught.
"I would like to apologize for anything I've done to bring harm or suffering to Raven…Can you please…Wake her up?"
Beast Boy looked over to Cyborg, who was leaning against the Fridge in the kitchen.
Robin exchanged glances with Beast Boy, and then looked to Cyborg.
Silence fell across the room.
"Will someone answer me, please!" She sadly called out, the tone of confusion spread through her voice.
Robin looked at Cyborg. Robin's mask hid his true feelings well. He didn't have any eyes. Just whites.
He gave a slight nod.
"Star…I don't know if you've…Um…Well, when you're in a coma, you go into a long, deep sleep." Cyborg began.
"Yes! Sleep! You see? The earthly function of replenishing the bodily energies! Only that, and nothing more. I do not know why you do not just simply wake her-"
"Um…And sometimes, Star, you don't always wake up…" He finished.
The look on Starfire's face was a mix of sick surprised horror, and complete devastation.
She brought her hand to her mouth, and shakily stood.
"You don't mean…" She began, her voice quavered on the brink of bursting into a thick sob.
She seemed to be at a loss for words, or at least couldn't find the strength to speak with out completely losing control of her emotions stirring inside of her.
A low, guttural moan could be heard from her deep in her throat.
"Star, I know you feel bad. But, when you are a Titan…"
How could they just sit here? Why weren't they doing anything to help her?
"…you have to put these things in front of your own wishes…"
They are just sitting here, trying to make me feel better. I want Raven to be better…
"To help save someone else's life."
They don't
understand. They don't care. How could they?
"Star?"
…
"Star?"
…
"Starfi-"
"You don't understand! None of you do! You are all wasting your time sitting here! Why? Why aren't you trying to help Raven? Save Raven's life!"
She yelled, her eyes taking on a fiery green.
The rain cloud evaporated away, as she stomped her way through the living room. There were tears falling from her eyes, Beast Boy could see.
But she didn't sob, or groan.
She held it in. Instead of the light, cheery girl that had sometimes brought a smile to your face was now confused, sad, and made you feel like you've brought a horrible plague among your closest friends.
Raven was in a coma, but he did visit her. In the middle of the night, when he couldn't sleep, he would go down stairs and sneak into the Infirmary Room.
She would not levitate, like she had so once before. She wasn't trying to heal herself, which worried him. Her skin was pale, and expressionless. Her eyes were shut, taking on a shadowed darkness.
She looked scary, in a sense. She was all wired up with IV tubes, wires running from her skin, monitors everywhere, blinking lights and electronics.
The only thing that scared him the most was the mark on her head.
He guessed the Boy had tried to spare her, and "accidentally" shoot off, when he was at point blank range.
He guessed he had a thing for her, to spare her life.
And sometimes Starfire would be there, and join him.
She would talk to Raven, mindless conversation. She said that like plants, if you talk to them they will grow strong and healthy.
She asked him questions.
Questions he didn't want to answer.
But she had to know.
And this night, he waited till 4:30 am to turn into a moth, and flutter into her room.
Starfire wasn't there this evening, but Robin was.
Robin had fallen asleep.
His spiky head lay at her side, as they both silently slept.
Beast Boy decided not to go that night.
So, he left Robin with Raven, and went into his room, and lay in his bed- until morning.