My Strength, and Greatest Weakness

by Blue Ten

Summary:

Jump City has been quiet on the crime front for the past few months and the Titan's are starting to get restless. Starfire tries her best to raise the Titan's spirits, even after Slade meets a rather pointless death. A night at the fair brings Robin and Starfire closer than ever. But when a man calling himself Fear shows up, things start to go horribly wrong. RobinxStarfire.

Disclaimer:

I do not own Teen Titans. But, Teen Titans owns!.

Chapter 9: Please Don't Die

The clouds had finally receded, revealing the brilliant light of the silver moon. The objects in the alley seemed to pass by like leaves in a wind storm, blurring them out of focus, turning them into quick rushes of color. As he dashed through the alley at a speed he didn't even know he could reach, Robin pushed the very limits of what his body would allow, fueled by a relentless surge of energy, an energy that dwelled deep within his heart. His muscles ached, he could hardly breathe, his head pounded, but he pressed on, never letting up. He knew the pain he was feeling now would disappear, but the pain of losing her would last forever. To never see her face, or her smile again. To never hear her beautiful voice. It was too much.

Somewhere, hidden away in the deep recesses of his mind, was blame, blame he placed on himself for giving Fear the means to attain his goal. Lazarus water, the catalyst for Starfire's death. It was as though he had handed Fear the gun. But now, he could not afford to think about it, now he had the chance to right what he believed was his wrong. He could finish this, end this nightmare if he could only reach her in time. Turning away from his inner battles for a moment, Robin saw that he was coming up on a dead end, two figures stood beside the brick wall. Beastboy and Raven.

Robin managed to slow himself down as he reached them, "Where did he go?" he demanded.

"That was quick! Didn't we call you just a few seconds ago?" Beastboy asked.

"Where did he go!" Robin repeated.

Beastboy gulped and quickly ran over to the wall. Pressing the brick in, the door opened, "In here."

"Robin, wait up man!" Cyborg's metal feet could be heard pounding on the ground as he raced to catch up with Robin. Cyborg gasped for breath as he came to a stop. He looked at the others, then to Robin, "We still have some time. Fear has to first synthesize a serum out of the water, fill it with nanomachines, and inject himself with it. That should buy us more than enough time."

"Nanomachines?" Robin asked, a little relieved that the time limit on Starfire's life hadn't run out yet. Even so, he didn't want to waste time.

"It's the only way to transfer all the energy into his body, without killing himself in the process. The nanos will concentrate the energy and focus it on the Lazarus Water, he'd still have to plug himself into something to get the energy in his body though. If were lucky, he'll kill himself instead of..." Cyborg trailed off, kicking himself for that as he saw Robin's reaction. "Let's get going, we may have some time, but we shouldn't waste it."

The Titans decided they should be stealthy about entering this place, if they were caught by surprise, it was over. Another reason was, it could be possible to catch Fear by surprise. The interior was dark, but with what little light was being cast by the scattered fixtures on the ceiling, they could see the walls were made of cold steel, and the area they were in was a single hall that extended on quite far. There were ambient noises, something similar to metal pressing and moving against metal. Cyborg was surprised to find that there were no hidden cameras, or ground lasers when he scanned the halls. There was something about this place, it was so familiar to the Titans, but they couldn't quite grasp what it was. As they approached the end of the hall, they came upon a door, Robin motioned for them to hide on the adjacent walls. The noises were much louder now. Robin pressed the control panel, and the door slid open. As the Titans looked at the large room before them, their eyes widened.

The outer edges of the room were populated with giant metal gears and cogs, twisting and turning like a giant clock, they now realized why this place was so familiar. It was one of Slade's former hideouts. After seeing that this room was also empty, they continued through the door, and examined the room for exits. There were two open hallways that led off into the remaining left and right walls of the room. A sudden crash, like glass shattering, turned the Titan's attention to the left hallway.

"I'll take the left hallway." Robin said, keeping his voice down, "Cyborg, Beastboy, Raven, you two take the right."

"Robin, are you sure about that? Fear could be down there." Cyborg questioned.

"I can take him. You guys focus on finding Starfire." Robin reassured them.

They reluctantly agreed, and separated.

- - - - -

Fear cursed as he dropped a vial of liquid, the luminescent contents spreading across the tiled floor. He stared at his hand, as it shook uncontrollably, Fear fell to the ground, in a great deal of pain. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a syringe, and with his good hand, stabbed the needle into his leg. He watched as the shaking in his hand began to slow, and eventually, stop. He let out a sigh and shook his head as he got up and grabbed another vial from the case.

The lab was much different from the rest of the facility, it was well lit and clean. The walls of the room were lined by a counter, on which there were many different kinds of equipment for use. There were four rectangular tables in the center, which would be used for examination of materials. It was a room that was made for many people to use at once, however, he was alone. Walking to the counter, Fear set down the vial, and poured a clear substance into it, lifting the glass to the light as he watched the two liquids mix. After waiting for the liquids to blend, he reached for a clean syringe, placed the needle in the vial, and pulled a large amount into it. He pressed the syringe to release any air and stared at it for a minute, in what would seem like awe, and carefully injected himself in the arm.

Fear set down the syringe, and walked from the room into the darkened hallway, the door closing automatically behind him. There was a computer console just to the right of the door, Fear turned to it and began typing on the keyboard. "Just a few more minutes now." he said to himself. Fear felt a tapping on his shoulder, and turning around, was met with a strong punch to the face. It sent him flying to the wall, which he hit with a tremendous force. He groaned and looked down the hall to identify his attacker, waiting for his vision to clear.

"Nightmare's over Fear, time to wake up." Robin said confidently.

Fear began to growl under his mask, "Damn You! How did you find me!" he demanded.

"You led us here." Robin didn't understand it, he had thought Fear to be a criminal mastermind. Why then, did he not expect the Titans to follow?

"You! You're just like him. So resistant to my influence, but even he had his breaking point." Fear began laughing maniacally, "What say we find yours?" he locked his glance on Robin and placed a hand on his head next to his "eye".

Robin stared at Fear, unsure of what he was doing, until the eye seemed to fly from his mask and right into Robin's mind. Immediately he was flooded with strange visions. Robin watched as his parents fell to their deaths. He struggled to move but his head hurt more with every passing memory. He brought his hands to his head and screamed. The painful memories of his childhood continued to surge through his thoughts.

"You can't fight it! I'll show you the past! I'll show you the future!" Fear taunted as he got up, dizzily walking toward Robin.

Robin looked down at his feet, there he saw Starfire's body. She was lying in a pool of her own blood, looking away he found that it was splattered all over the walls as well.

"You can't save her! She will die! It's only fitting that her death, will usher in my eternity!" Fear continued to walk closer to Robin, laughing.

"NO!" Robin broke through the illusion, shattering it like glass. His head still in pain from the visions, he fought it back, and grabbed the shocked Fear by the collar, slamming him up against the wall. "That's not going to happen! I'll make sure of it!" he said ripping off Fear's mask. Robin's eyes widened. "You!"

- - - flashback - - -

"I said get away from me! NOW--" Slade cut himself off, and looking down, brought a hand over his heart, he looked at his trembling hand which was now covered in blood. Slade collapsed, revealing a young police officer who had been standing behind him, he held a gun in his hand and a look of horror on his face. Slade writhed in pain on the ground, pressing his hand against his wound, hacking and coughing. Slade sounded like he was trying to speak, but only a grating, raspy breath seemed to escape his mouth. He struggled more and managed to fight out two words, "F-Fear... Him..." Slade choked on his utterance, and finally let out a death rattle. As the Titans relaxed their fighting stances, Cyborg walked over to Slade and checked his pulse, "He's dead."

Robin glared at the police officer, ran up to him, grabbed him by the collar, and slammed him up against the wall.

"Who are you to decide if he lives or dies?" Robin demanded, surprised to find himself defending his arch enemy's right to live.

"I-I panicked! I didn't know what he was going to do!" The boy responded shakily. Angered further by this response, Robin pushed him harder against the wall.

"That's no excuse! You--" Robin stopped as Starfire put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Robin, he was afraid. Just as... Slade had been." she said, a tone of sadness in her voice. She was right.

The officer shot a quick glance at Starfire, "..." he struggled.

Robin loosened his grip and dropped the officer, who then got up and nearly tripped over himself, awkwardly running out of the alley. 'Coward.' Robin thought as he watched the boy leave.

- - - end flashback - - -

Fear... Him. Fear, him. Robin remembered what Slade had said, realizing now he wasn't telling the Titan's to fear someone, he was telling them who Fear was.

"You're the one who killed Slade!" Robin yelled, "Why? Why are you doing all this?" he demanded.

The young man looked down at Robin, his face became serious, "...I suffer from a rare degenerative disease... I'm breaking down on the cellular level. In a few months, There'll be nothing of me left." he said.

"Why did you bring us into this? Why Starfire?" Robin questioned him again, not loosening his grip.

"The Lazarus water was my only chance. I had watched you since you first formed your little team, planning to use you to steal it for me, but I couldn't figure out how. Then the girl joined, and you formed quite a special friendship with her, it was then I realized, she was your weakness. I was fascinated by her powers, finding that they were the perfect energy to complete my cure. I spent the next few years systematically removing my obstacles..."

"You'd kill her to save your worthless--"

"I didn't want to die! Can you imagine what it's like to know the exact date of your death? Can you imagine living, when every day you are slowly being eaten away, when every day the pain worsens..." the boy began to cry, "...Before you kill me, tell me how you resisted my eye."

"I found my strength." Robin reached to his belt and pulled out a small metal object, placing it on the boy's chest, "Goodnight." he said. A quick surge of electricity passed through the young man's body, knocking him out as Robin dropped him to the ground. Robin stared at him lying on the floor, he hated him with all his being, he would never forgive him for what he did to Starfire, however, he still felt sorry for him. The fear of his own death had driven him mad...

Robin looked around the room, it looked familiar. It was the room from Fear's communications, he could see the room where Starfire was being kept. Robin quickly got up and hit a button on the console. The light in the room switched on, there Starfire was, still shackled to the wall, still unconscious. Robin couldn't find a door, so he broke the glass with a birdarang, and jumped through, running to Starfire. 'Please be okay.' he thought. Robin tried to grab her hand, but his passed right through, her image became distorted, like static on a screen, and disappeared.

"A hologram? Where is she?" Robin became more worried.

"Robin, come in." Cyborg spoke over the communicator.

"Yeah..." Robin responded.

"I'm detecting life signs behind this wall. You better hurry down here."

"I'm on my way." Robin said, cutting the communication. He knew it was Starfire, Fear must have used this hologram to scare the Titans.

­- - - - - -

Starfire sat in the dark room, wiping tears from her eyes. She didn't want to believe Fear, but everything he said, everything she'd seen seemed to confirm the worst. Hearing noises from the wall behind her, she backed into an opposite corner, as the wall began to shake. The wall was pushed aside, like a door, and a bright light streamed in. Robin's silhouette stood in the doorway.

"Starfire?" Robin, couldn't see anything in the room but the stains on the wall.

"Robin?" Starfire got up and ran to the doorway, she had been visibly weakened by her time in this place, she could hardly move, "Robin! You are alive!"

Their eyes met. Robin felt all his fears leave him, he had no reason to worry anymore. Just as Starfire reached the door, the floor lit up like a light, she stopped and looked down, "What is--" Starfire screamed, her eyes lit up green, as energy seemed to be pulled from her body, into the floor. Robin looked on in horror, "Starfire!" he called as he ran to her. He quickly embraced her, the energy cut at his skin like razor blades, he tried to pull her away, but she wouldn't move.

"Starfire! Hold on!" He yelled, as she continued to scream.

The other Titans could only stand and watch, as the room erupted in smoke and the floor shattered beneath Robin and Starfire. Robin was thrown out of the room and into the hallway, hitting the wall. A maniacal laughter suddenly echoed down the hall. The unmasked Fear began walking toward the Titans, many large wires were attached directly to his back, dragging behind him. He was glowing green, a very strange look adorned his face.

"...I-told you-I would-kill her." his voice was distorted, it sounded much deeper, "I-am IMMORTAL!" he cackled. The Titans assumed fighting stances, unsure of what they could do. Suddenly, Fear grabbed his sides and fell to his knees, "--What-is ha-ppening to-me!" he began shaking violently.

Robin strained to get up, as he did, he held his arm around his stomach, his eyes barely open, "That disease, it's a virus isn't it?"

"W-h-a-t?" Fear asked unable to control his convulsions.

"By using the Lazarus water, you made the virus stronger. You're not immortal, you only succeeded in bringing your own death closer." Robin said.

"N-N-N-N-N-O-O-O-O-O-O-O!" Fear's shaking became even more erratic, he brought his arms up in front of him, they were quickly being blown away bit by bit, like sand in the wind. He continued to scream until his entire body was gone, the wires that were connected to him were severed and released sparks on the floor. The Titans turned to Robin.

"You okay man?" Cyborg asked.

Robin snapped out of his daze, "Starfire!" Robin rushed into the room, stepping on the broken glass. Robin looked down at his feet, there he saw Starfire's body. He knelt down and cradled her in his arms. Starfire strained her eyes and looked back up at him, "Robin... You are unharmed?" she asked. The Titans watched from the hallway with sad eyes.

"Starfire..." Robin trailed off, even in this state, she was so selfless.

"He told me you were... gone." Starfire coughed, "But I did not believe him... I... knew you would..." she coughed again.

"Star, don't talk, you're--"

"Robin... what was it, that you wished to tell me before?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Robin sighed, it pained him to see her this way, she was hurt badly, the glass from the floor had cut her skin, he decided to answer her, "There's something my father once told me... he told me, love is weakness. I used to think that was true. But when Fear took you away, I fought back the pain I was feeling, just to see you again, I never gave up hope that you were still alive, it was then I learned... love is strength. You gave me the strength to press on, to keep fighting... I love you Starfire... Please don't die... I love you." as he spoke, tears began to well up in his eyes.

Starfire put a hand on Robin's cheek, she seemed to be staring off at nothing, "I love you..." she said. Starfire fell silent.

"Starfire?" Robin shook her, but she didn't move, "Starfire!" he called, pulling her closer, his tears began to fall on her face. But she could neither hear his shouts nor feel the tears that fell on her. She was too far gone.

Author's Note: Wait! Waaait! Waaaaaaaaait! Keep Reading! It's not over yet!

But, review first, please.

Next Chapter Preview: The Titans return home. Will things ever be the same again? The conclusion in Chapter 10: Epilogue.