Author's note- The wonderful reviews from all of you truly keep this story going, but end is near.
Special note- Starfire lovers will probably not like some of this chapter.
Disclaimer-Obvious by now.
CHAPTER TWELVE- Unusual Visitor
Raven wandered through the city streets, mind numb. Not even sure which direction she was traveling,she found herself staring at the front door of Titan Tower. Either instinct or some unexplained internal guidance system had guided her home. It was dark inside as she made her way upstairs. In the hall, just outside her door, was the shape of Starfire. Sitting against the wall, arms and head resting on her knees. When Raven opened her door, Starfire stood up, but said nothing. Raven did not even acknowledge her presence, but subconsciously , left her door wide open after entering the chamber.
Starfire watched her sit down on the edge of the bed. Raven's hands in her lap and her feet on the floor with toes pointed together. With only one lamp glowing in the corner of the room, Starfire could still see blood on Raven's hands, face and clothes.
"You are bleeding!" Starfire blurted out while standing in the doorway.
Raven wiped a tear from her eye, "It is not mine."
"You…you…killed him?"
"No." Raven said very softly. "Not yet."
Raven fell back on the bed twisted and face down.
"You were right all along. I have betrayed all of you. I have betrayed myself…everything I have stood for, worked so hard for. In one instant, all gone." Raven's was cracking. "And he…he betrayed me, my heart, my body."
After all of the recent turmoil between the two girls, Starfire hesitantly sat down on the bed. There was silence for a few minutes.
"Why do you say that?" Starfire asked.
"Say what?"
"Betrayed." Starfire said.
"Oh, please Star!" Raven was slightly agitated. "Let's just say I took the cliché 'sleeping with the enemy' to record heights."
"Yes, but did you assist him with any crime?"
"No."
"Did you divulge any information to him about the Teen Titans?"
"NO!" Raven said forcefully while turning her head towards Starfire.
"And he…did he tell you he was not Slade?" Starfire's voice was smooth and non confrontational.
"Well, no…not exactly." Countered Raven.
"Did you ask him?"
"No…but that is beside the point. He knew who I was and deliberately did not say anything." Raven once again was face down, speaking into the sheets.
"Raven, did he maybe try to tell you , but you would not listen?"
"I know what you are trying to do Star." Raven sat up, begin to remove her boots and sling them against the wall. "And it doesn't matter…you were right and I was wrong."
Starfire got up from the bed walked to the door and stopped. Without turning around she asked.
"What does it feel like?"
"What?" Raven was somewhat caught off guard by her question.
"What does it feel like to be in love?" Satrfire asked.
Raven thought for just minute. "It defies any description that mere words could afford it."
"That's what I thought." Replied Starfire.
"You need to tell the others, of my unworthiness, and I will be leaving the Titans." Raven said while staring out of her window.
Starfire turned around to face Raven. "If you want to quit, that is your decision. But I will not help you to do it. You just remember one thing, when you hear about one of us seriously hurt or killed because you weren't there to help…then you replay that little betrayal speech in your mind. Because it will be stained with the truth." Raven dropped her head slightly as Starfire walked out.
The next day Raven remained in her room meditating. Robin tried to grill Starfire about what was troubling the teen sorceress, she remained silent. Early that evening, Starfire brought some food to Raven's room.
"You are staying?" She asked.
"I don't know." Raven replied. "I need some time."
"I am going out for awhile, do you need anything?"
"No, thank you. Thanks for the dinner, though." Raven said somberly.
Starfire walked through the streets of the city. She tried to fool herself into thinking there was no purpose to her stroll. Before an hour was up, she was standing in front of the place Raven had described as the home of Ben Wilson. From the street she looked at the steps, the door. Twice she walked away. Twice she came back. The sun was now setting and the street lights began to flicker, she knocked on the door.
Slade had just stepped out of the shower when he heard the knock at the door. Looking in the mirror, he decided not to answer it. After a short pause the knocking turned into banging. Thinking that it may possibly be Raven he quickly held a towel around his waist, walked through the main room and opened the door.
The initial shock of seeing the Titan on his stoop reverberated through his face. But this was mild compared to the expression Starfire displayed…at the half naked nemesis. There was an uncomfortable minute of silence.
"You know who I am?" Starfire's question was more of a statement.
He nodded., then ever so slightly peered over her shoulder searching.
"I am alone." She spoke with assurance.
Again he nodded and with his free hand gestured for her to come in. She kept her arms folded tightly in a defiant posture. He quickly tied a knot in the towel, to free both of his hands.
Starfire walked slowly to the center of the room. Slade cautiously kept his eye on her every movement. He made a hand gesture for her to sit down.
"I am fine thank you." Her terse response.
"You do not wear clothes…I mean other than your uniform?" Starfire asked with childlike curiosity.
"I was in the shower." He stated as Starfire continued to stare in his direction. "Give me a minute and I will change."
"No." His eyelid lifted as she spoke. "I mean, I will not be here that long." Starfire was speaking and looking around the room at the same time. She could not help but notice the complete destruction of his place at the hands of Raven the night before.
"Your home…it is interesting." She said.
"Yes, well, you can thank your colleague for the design scheme." He said sarcastically, as he sat on the sofa.
"Oh…I see." Starfire continued, "Yes, Raven can be spirited at times."
Starfire walked around just a bit but continued to stare at him, very nervously.
"You do not need to fear me."
"I do not fear you." Starfire was defiant. "I do not like you, sometimes I pity you…but I fear no one."
Slade nodded and smiled slightly.
"I can't seem to understand… why Raven feels so deeply for you…other than you are pleasing to look at…for a man." Starfire said smugly, arms still folded tightly around her stomach.
"I'm not exactly sure what you just said, but I will take it as a compliment…for now."
"You are hurt?" She was looking at his shoulder wound.
"I am fine." He said. "I tend to heal fast."
"You look so…so…"
"Normal?" He asked.
"Yes, I was not expecting…"
"That I was real." He smiled. "I will let you in on a little secret, I don't actually have to sleep in my coffin…and I can walk around in the daylight."
"You…you sleep in a coffin?" Horror griped her face.
Slade burst out laughing. "It was a joke, my dear. Just a joke."
"Oh." Replied Starfire.
"Enough small talk Tamaranian, Why exactly are you here?" His tone more somber now. "I will assume Raven sent you."
"She knows not, that I am here."
"I see." He said. "How is she?"
"If you must know, she is tortured." Starfire spoke, her words seemed painful even to her. "I am worried that she will do something foolish…all because of you." Slade hung his head slightly.
"I have two reasons for being here." She began, "First I want to know if you love her…as much as she loves you?"
Slade was silent for awhile.
"How old are you?" He asked.
"What?"
"What…is…your age?" he asked slowly.
"Eighteen, what difference does it make?" She asked defiantly.
"Eighteen." He shook his head. "What can you possibly know of love? " "I am almost twice your age and I do not know. Besides why should I tell you anything?"
"You are under no obligation." She said weakly. "I just love her, like a sister, and I do not know what to do." Starfire was pouting.
"I will make a deal with you Titan, I will tell you what you want, but then you answer a question from me."
"Agreed." She murmured.
Slade rose from the couch, walked toward the huge fireplace, no longer looking at Starfire.
"It is hard for me to describe what I feel for Raven. She is, like yourself, extremely beautiful. But, she has such wonderful contradictions, goodness and a darkness, childlike, yet mature beyond her years. She mesmerizes me. When I am with her, I feel no pain, no inhibitions, no ego. When she is not with me, just knowing that this…this exquisite creature exists, fills my once hollow soul with life and purpose."
Again the room was silent.
"Does this answer your question?" He asked.
"Yes." Her voice cracking.
"Good." He said, still not looking at her. "Now, I want to know…how much time do I have?"
"How much what?" Starfire was confused.
Turning to face her, "How long before Robin and the rest of his merry troupe pay me a visit?"
"I am not here for that, no one will know about this." Starfire said reassuringly.
"Oh please, child." He began walking toward her. "Do not take me for a complete idiot." Now almost upon her. "You have the winning lottery ticket, the Holy Grail, and want me to believe you are going to withhold my whereabouts from your boyfriend?"
Slade was now standing inches in front of Starfire. "I told you, I would not." She was uncomfortable at his closeness, but to stubborn to retreat. He then moved closer, Starfire was trying to hold her ground. They were touching, Starfire's breasts up against his abdomen. She turned her head to the side and down. Slade reached up and gently cupped his hand under her chin, with minimal force he brought her face back to the front.
"You say that now, but what will you say to him later?" He kept an easy grip on her chin. "What will you say when you are with him…alone…your bodies entwined, when you are giving all of yourself to him. What are you going to say…when the rhythm of the act take you to that place…the point of no return. Will you scream out to him what you know?"
"No." She said softly. "He…does not know me…in that way."
Slade let go of her face, stepped back and raised his eyebrow.
"Really?" His voice almost jovial.
"Yes, really." Starfire's tone was sad, as if she were ashamed that she had not slept with Robin.
Slade turned and walked back to the direction of the sofa. "Then, my dear, Robin is a bigger fool than I thought."
Starfire's face was puzzled. "My Robin is not a fool!"
"That was a compliment, Starfire."
"Oh…thank you, I think." She said bewildered.
Starfire turned to walk to the door. Slade sat on the couch, feet propped up on the coffee table, his hands behind his head.
"Tamaranian."
"Starfire." She said. "My name is Starfire."
"My apologies….Starfire…you said you had two reasons for coming here?"
"Yes." She turned towards him.
"I came to thank you for saving my friend's life."
Slade nodded.
"Also." Starfire now looked down at her feet. "Where I come from, when someone saves the life of a loved one, we owe that person a debt."
"So you now owe me?" he quizzed.
"Yes…I am afraid I am duly bound by Tamaranin honor." She was still looking down.
Slade pondered for a minute. He had no real intentions of taking advantage of Starfire, but he cold not resist the chance to play mid games with the Teen Titan…after all he was still Slade.
"Come…sit down." He patted the seat cushion next to him. Starfire obliged, resting about one foot from him.
"Closer." He said smoothly. She slid her body about another six inches.
Slade reached and began to caress her the back of her neck, slightly twirling her hair. He gently pulled her back into large cushions. Leaning over, his mouth barely touching her neck and ear.
"So this custom of yours, it is binding?" His voice seductive.
"Yes." She was breathing heavily.
Still talking into her ear, placed a finger on her chin and ever so slowly moved it downward. Over her neck, slowly between her breasts, onto her exposed midriff, down further past the top of her purple skirt.
"And you must do anything?" He whispered.
"Yes…OH yes. She gasped as his hand went lower.
"Good." He said as he abruptly got up, and walked around side of the couch.
"What…where…are you going? Starfire was completely red faced and flustered.
"I am going to put on some clothes, I have a previous engagement I'm afraid, and I am actually late."
"But, I…thought…I mean we…you…us…AUUUUGGGGHH!" Starfire was a woman scorned at this moment.
"You thought what?" He asked. "That I would take you to a place where the Boy Blunder has dared to tread? My lovely little Starfire, while the though does thoroughly entice me, I already have one ill tempered teenage female to deal with, the thought of two, well, it would surely be enough put me in my grave."
"YOU ARE EVIL!" She shouted.
"Yes, well, that does seem to be a running theme with me." He said as he zipped up his jeans.
"Now, if you want to honor this so called debt. I want you to try to keep Raven from going anywhere…for two days. If she leaves you will let me know." "I will see her then."
"She will not come back here." Starfire said.
"I didn't say she would. I am planning on visiting her." He said as he buttoned up his shirt.
"You can not be serious…you are coming to the Tower?" Her eyes opening wide.
"I am always serious." He replied. "Oh and Star, sweetheart, this little thing between us…try to get over it."
"AAUUUUGGGGHH!" She exclaimed as she slammed the front door.
For the first time in two days, a broad smile overcame him.
Author's note- Two days? I hope I can get an update done by then, so we will know what he means.
