Chapter 10: Direction

Chapter 10 dedicated to: No one... this chapter is too short to dedicate to anyone... I don't like it.

Starfire yawned and opened her eyes, groggy. She blinked a few times, clearing her vision, and then propped herself up on her elbows. She cringed with the effort. She was really quite weak at the moment, it seemed. Star's emerald eyes drifted over to her left. Robin lay half on, half off of the bed. She smiled slightly, appreciative of his concern. She wondered how long he had simply sat there with her before he too had finally fallen asleep. She didn't wish to wake him.

Starfire let her head fall back onto the bed with a soft sigh. "Mmmm…" Starfire murmured, snuggling down into the soft surface of the Tamaranian bed a bit. If only things could remain like this forever… She lifted a hand over her head and squinted up at her bare wrists. The symbol still pulsed with lively jade light. Starfire frowned and then shrugged, letting them fall back to her sides. It disturbed the bed a very slight bit, and Robin's head shot up.

"Ah! ...Oh…" his eye mask rapidly widened and then narrowed comfortably. "Sorry, Starfire. I didn't mean to fall asleep…" he mumbled. Starfire smiled slightly, not looking at him.

"You need the rest." She replied. Star edged to the right a little, and then patted the spot next to her. Robin complied and pulled himself fully onto the bed, lying beside her. He tugged her back towards him, pulling her back to his chest. She snuggled happily against him, his arms wrapped around her slender waist. He laid a soft kiss to her neck and then buried his face into her long, scarlet tresses indulgently, inhaling the soft scent. "Go back to sleep," Starfire urged.

"Mff…." He answered. Starfire giggled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked. Star had never realized her heart could have been filled to bursting in such a short time. She was fully aware of the danger she would have to face in the coming days and she was fully aware that the Titans were loyal enough to be facing it with her. Then again, was it loyalty or stubbornness to back down from a challenge? The thought made a tiny smirk light her features. None the less, despite this knowledge she couldn't help but feel as if everything was perfect as she lay surrounded by her beloved's arms.

Such simple words… such simple questions had given them this new side of their relationship and it was wonderful. "Dick, what is that supposed to mean?" she asked again, reaching a hand back and finding his hair so she could entwine her finger in the ebony locks. Her voice was quietly teasing.

"Mff. Mff Mmm…" he elaborated. Starfire's shoulders shuddered slightly as she tried to contain an entertained laugh. She twisted to face him and found him smiling affectionately at her. She let her hand drift from his hair and lightly cup his cheek.

"You are my Robin now…" she said it as if realizing for the first time, her eyes sparkling.

"Always have been," he replied, and then he stole a soft kiss, lingering and savoring it. She did not reopen her eyes, rather mumbling a quietly satisfied sigh and relaxed in his arms. It was not too much later that both teens fell asleep, thriving on the other's closeness to keep their dreams peaceful.

Raven walked quietly over to the room, abandoning Cyborg at the controls for a moment, and peeked in. Robin hadn't reemerged from the room since they'd taken off. She watched her two friends sleeping for a while. Despite the lack of emotion on her pale face, she was happy for them. Finally… this had been so inevitable for the longest time. Raven only wished it hadn't taken what it had to make Robin realize he needed to love Starfire while he had her… and let her know it.

"As weird as it may sound, they're kinda cute, huh?" Beast Boy's hushed voice permeated the quiet that had settled over the Tamaranian Star Craft. Raven looked over, a brow arched, and shrugged. She pulled up her hood.

"I suppose you could say that…" she droned. The petite girl walked back across the main chamber and over to the control panel to take up her post with the defensive systems again. It probably wasn't necessary, considering they had left Tamaran far behind and were still passing through the asteroid belt. Although extremely dangerous for collisions, the ship was highly maneuverable and Raven was fairly sure they were about the only living things in this area.

Beast Boy stared at her back for a minute, scratched hi arm, and then wandered over to one of the various pieces of Tamaranian furniture surrounding a table in the center of the chamber, situated beneath the half dome in the ceiling. The table was circular and had a deep impression in the center. Several silver knobs lined the far edge of the table, and Tamaranian text was engraved next to each. Cyborg said he was fairly sure it was used to display 3D images of space so the Tamaranians could plot their course easily.

The titans had opted not to mess with the curious table until Starfire was up and able to explain how to use it. For all they knew, Cyborg was wrong and the knobs might activate a nuclear bomb or something… or at least, that was how Beast Boy put it.

The green teen continued to wander about the Tamaranian furniture, eyeing it with considerable interest. Although the beds were fairly self-explanatory, the chairs… or what was assumed to be chairs were completely beyond him.

Raven stared out at the dark abyss of space, marred only by the stars. Even the asteroids they passed looked like nothing more the hulking shadows until you were passing right next to them. There were no planets visible to the naked eye at the moment. Cyborg spoke.

"As soon as we're through the asteroid belt, I think I'm going to stop this thing… it looks like it has the capability to suspend itself and keep from drifting. We all need some rest… and I can't really go much further without Starfire's input… or Robin's for that matter. Say, what are they doing in there anyhow?" Cyborg asked, jerking a metal thumb back in the direction of the room that Robin and Starfire were currently occupying.

"Sleeping. I think Robin nodded off on 'watch' or something," Raven stated, monotone as usual. Cyborg grinned.

"It's about time those two got together. I swear they were completely lost when they weren't together… I mean, in the sense of their spirits. Like, I don't know how much more silent brooding Robin could've taken. You know, now that I think about it, I could count on one hand how many times Robin would leave his room or office in a week before Starfire came. Well… maybe that's kind of an exaggeration but…"

"You're rambling," Raven cut in. Cyborg blinked and then sighed.

"Hey, staring out into blackness gets kind of boring," he retorted. Raven looked over at him.

"For you, perhaps." She mused. Cyborg grimaced and continued to steer the craft in silence. Raven was most pleased with the quiet.

"OOF!" Beast Boy grunted and landing on the floor with a thud. Raven looked over, brow quirked.

"What are you doing?" she inquired.

"Stupid Tamaranian chair things!" Beast Boy stared vehemently at the claw-like structure he'd attempted to sit in. Raven couldn't help but allow the tinniest flicker of amusement come to her features. She walked over and rocked onto one hip, staring at him with her deep indigo eyes. Beast Boy met the stare with a wary glance, still planted with his butt on the floor. She continued the staring match for a good while before she finally rolled her eyes and stuck out a hand.

Beast Boy stared at it. She sighed and continued to wait with her hand outstretched to him. He carefully placed his hand in hers and to his surprise, she gently helped up off of the floor. He blinked a few times, not letting go of her tiny hand. Her blank stare had become a glare. He sent her a confused glance and Raven tugged her hand. BB's mouth formed an 'O' of realization as jerked her hand away from him.

She returned to the control panel. Beast Boy grinned.

Starfire was peaceful. Her sleep was serene and dreamless, void of nightmares. Robin gazed silently at her slumbering face, blissfully unaware of his tender stare. Star shifted in his grasp ever so slightly, and Robin smiled. Behind his mask, blue eyes watched over her with utmost care.

Her long black lashes fluttered slightly and then stilled as something jarred her nap. Long auburn tresses caressed her face and cascaded over her shoulders, pooling in a ruby swirl on the bed. Her amber-toned skin almost had a glow in the soft Tamaranian light, and her lithe frame was pressed snuggly to him. He fingered the material of her tattered dress, his thoughts returning to the recent events. There was so much about her past he didn't know. The Boy Wonder sighed and carefully pulled off his green gloves, letting them drop on the bed behind Starfire quietly, and tried not to wake the princess. Robin ran his bare fingers over her arm, closing his eyes at the feel of her soft skin.

He smiled slightly and kissed her forehead.

Starfire's emerald eyes slid open a few hours later, due to the light nips Robin was running along her neck. Starfire remained still, becoming aware of a soft throbbing in her wrists. With every soft pulse, a slight bit of energy was sent coursing back into her veins. She smiled slightly. Perhaps the shards were created of evil intent, but they did have their uses. If they continued to restore her energy at this rate, she figure within a couple more hours she would be almost completely restored with all of her solar energy.

Star was fairly sure she was strong enough to venture off the bed now, though. Robin's lips trailed up her jaw bone and then he pulled away a little.

"Sleep well?" he asked, a lopsided grin on his face. Starfire rolled her bottle green eyes, but on afterthought she nodded sheepishly.

"Wonderful." She confessed. He captured her lips in his own and he felt her shiver slightly at the kiss. When he pulled back, her eyes were half-lidded.

"I slept quite well myself. I think the others are resting now too. The ship's been suspended… or at least I'm pretty sure it has," he informed her. Starfire grinned. She was not as full of words as the ebony-haired boy, still dazed from just waking. His kisses had not done much to aid to her orientation either… though it had been a rather delightful way to wake up.

"Perhaps I should go see where we are. We must… continue to search for the power, yes?" she suggested. Robin nodded in agreement and gingerly unwound his arms from her waist, letting her slide out and off the bed. She stood tentatively and smiled as she found herself quite capable. The young man got up as well, raking a hand through his unruly hair. Starfire noted the absence of his gloves and lifted a tiny brow. Robin shrugged in response and snatched them from the bed, tugging them on with a tiny smirk.

"You're regaining your energy really fast. You're not even exposed to sunlight in here… is it the…"

"Shards?"

"…yeah…"

"Yes, I should think so," Starfire yawned cutely and ambled out of the room. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight in the main chamber. Raven was absent, and Star assumed her to have taken the other bedroom. Cyborg and Beast Boy were sprawled awkwardly on the Tamaranian furniture, sitting in rather unconventional ways. They were both fast asleep. "I shall have to show Cyborg a place where he may attempt to hook up. I am sure the power on board is adequate for him to recharge," Starfire commented quietly.

She moved to the table and began to quickly adjust the knobs with practiced ease. Robin watched as a hologram appeared over the depression in the table, displaying a very detailed map of their current part of the galaxy. Their position was noted by a small red dot. Starfire continued to fiddle with the silver knobs and Robin observed as the hologram rotated, zoomed out a bit and then stilled. Starfire flicked a switch and markings soon appeared in bands over the hologram. Tamaranian writing.

Star narrowed her gaze and tilted her head to the side. After a while, she reached out and put her hand through the hologram, her finger hovering where the red dot was displayed. She drew her finger away from the dot and traced an imaginary line out towards another spot on the map. A small red line trailed after her finger and when she pulled her hand back, there was a path clearly shown on the hologram.

"Is that where it is?" Robin asked, hugging her from behind, his head perched on her shoulder. "I thought you didn't know where it was?" he said.

"I do not know where it is. But… I have a feeling… I am drawn to that place… it seems like a respectable guess anyhow. There is a higher concentration of energy radiating from that area. It is secluded as well. No inhabitable stars or planets are anywhere near it. Searching that area could take quite some time, but I feel we should start at that spot… it just feels as if that is… I do not know. But I believe it is best," Starfire stated. Robin squeezed her gently.

"I trust your judgment," he agreed. Starfire leaned back against him, both looking intently on the red line Starfire had made.

"I do hope I can trust my judgment as well."

Author's Note: I'm really sorry this chapter is so short but I kind of needed it to set the stage for the coming things. I also felt like writing fluff. So bite me. I'll try and get a nice long chapter up for you tomorrow but I'm really tired today. I think I've gotten like four hours of sleep since yesterday at 7 am... So, as I said, I appologize but I hope you don't mind it. Reviews are really, really appreciated. There great motivation to keep me going at the one-a-day posting thing. I don't think I've got Titans news for you today, either. I guess this chapter just wasn't put together really well... if enough of you don't like it I'll take this chappie off and revise/ lengthen it. I hope it was alright though... sorry, I'm quite paranoid when I don't put something up that I feel has been done very well. I suppose I probably shouldn't be posting this chapter at all today... oh well... :(

Love, Princess Starfire of Tamaran