Ten Little Titans

by Riles

One Titan dead, two Titans dead, three Titans dead... How many more must die before the villain is caught? Inspired by Agatha Christie’s “Ten Little Indians”, aka “And Then There Were None”.

3. Time

Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own the Teen Titans, but by the time I'm through with them, they're going to be dead, so I don't see how much good this does….

()TLT()

Ten little Titans went out to dine;

One choked himself and then there were nine.

Nine little Titans stayed up very late;

One overslept and then there were eight.

Eight little Titans traveling in Devon;

One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Titans were chopping up sticks;

One chopped himself in half and then there were six.

Six little Titans playing with a hive;

A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Titans going in for law;

One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Titans going out to sea;

A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Titans walking in the Zoo;

A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two little Titans sitting in the sun;

One got frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Titan left all alone;

He went and hanged himself and then there were none.

()TLT()

Beast Boy was relieved when he got up to find that most everyone had gathered in the training room for breakfast. Starfire informed him that Robin had just left for the evidence room in hopes of some insight. Aqualad and Cyborg had not been seen that morning, though Cyborg's music could be heard and Speedy had confirmed hearing Aqualad moving around when he left his room. Beast Boy gave a sigh of relief. Everyone had made it through the night.

The alarm suddenly went off, and Robin's apprehensive voice was heard over the intercom. "Titans! Get to the evidence room!"

They were out of the training room immediately, the worry on each one's face shown openly. Someone else is dead….

Robin, Cyborg, and Aqualad were waiting when they arrived. Each of the approaching five looked highly relieved, but the grim faces that met them rudely interrupted their glee.

"Dude, what's up?" Beast Boy asked.

"Time," Robin said. "The Clock of Eternity has been stolen. I think there's something more going on here."

"But why?" Terra said in confusion. "Why not just steal the clock in the first place and alter time so we all died? Why wait to steal it right now?"

"They could have already stolen it and been doing just that, only now we're finding out about it."

"Man, we're not going to do another search of the tower, are we?" Cyborg said in a depressed tone of voice.

"Why?" Speedy asked. "There's no need."

Everyone stared at him.

"Let's just beat it out of Terra."

Terra's face went an angry shade of red. "Are you calling me a murderer and a thief?"

"Answer me this: how come you have all the answers?"

"I don't! I'm guessing with the brain you don't have! Though I guess that isn't true, though, is it? Only a highly intelligent psychopathic killer would make someone choke at dinner and die in their sleep!"

The arguing raged on as the Titans tried to stop it, but Starfire was no longer paying attention. Where had she heard something like that? Choking at dinner, dying in their sleep? Somehow it rang familiar.

Starfire suddenly lifted into the air and shot down the hallway. The fighting abruptly ceased as everyone stared after her.

"Starfire?" Robin asked quietly.

In moments, however, she was back, flipping through the pages of a book Robin remembered recently getting for her. The Titans desisted their fight for the moment as they curiously walked over to her, trying to read over her shoulder.

"Here!" Starfire pointed to a poem on the right side of the page. She began reading aloud. "Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; one choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little Indian boys sat up very late; one overslept himself and then there were eight."

"Whoa," Beast Boy said after a pause. "That's creepy."

"Star, what's the next line say?" Speedy asked, trying to see over Cyborg's bulky frame.

Starfire checked. "Eight little Indian boys traveling in Devon; one said he'd stay there and then there were seven."

Cyborg gave a sigh of relief. "There, ya see? It can't be right. We're nowhere near Devon."

"But Hot Spot didn't oversleep himself just as we might think," Aqualad said. "It could be that Devon would be introduced some other way. Starfire, how are you going to do it?"

Starfire couldn't bring herself to look at Aqualad. The others gave him a glare worthy for the devil to wear.

"Dunno what you're going on about Starfire for," Terra said acidly. "Speedy's behind it all."

"Me?" Speedy asked incredulously. "Me?"

"How many guys named 'Speedy' do we know?" Terra asked in an annoyed tone.

"You're just accusing me because I accused you!"

"I am not! Listen to yourself! This is how you normally are! The past two days, ever since Raven died, you've been much too quiet!"

"That's just it, Terra! Two of my friends have died! Did you think I would just act as though nothing were wrong?"

"I'd think you would act relatively upset!"

"I am upset!"

"When did you cry for Raven and Hot Spot?"

"I haven't!"

"Exactly!"

Speedy let out a furious breath. "Terra, you just don't get it! Guys don't cry! That's for the weak women to do! Guys put up with it, deal with it, and move on! It's the way we are!"

"If two of your friends, as you called them, have just died, you have to mourn for them somehow!"

"No. You accept that they're gone and get over it."

Terra's breath caught up inside her, and the words she wanted refused to come out. Instead of her hateful voice at Speedy, it turned quiet and remorseful. "Raven would have said that."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Raven would have said it, but she wouldn't have meant it. She just wanted someone to care for her." Beast Boy paused. "That's why we were here."

"And we did a good job," Cyborg tried to comfort his green friend.

"Yes," Starfire added. "Raven told me many times in the 'girl talk' that she had never been happier. She was very glad to be here."

"Yeah, well I bet she's happy now." A green cheetah raced down the hall.

"Beast Boy!"

"No, Terra." Robin's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "He needs to be alone."

"But—he—" Terra sighed and conceded defeat. "Then let's find that clock."

"And do a whole 'nother search? Ain't gonna happen!" Cyborg protested.

It was Terra's turn to stop listening as they argued, her thoughts on Beast Boy. Was he all right? She knew the memories of Raven would hurt him. Though she doubted the empath had known it, Raven had been Terra's rival in love. Beast Boy had had feelings for Raven; such had been a secret only to the demon herself. Terra had been trying to win Beast Boy over, and had been doing a fairly good job, though there was always that piece of his heart that she could never take hold of—the part that belonged to Raven.

In matters of love, it could be said that Terra was glad Raven was gone, though the thought never crossed her mind. Raven had been her friend despite their similar love interest, no matter how different the two of them were. Terra could never be happy Raven was gone. She missed her monotone already. Raven had been a very reliable friend, and Terra would never forget her.

"FINE!" Cyborg yelled. "IF YOU WANNA SEARCH, DO IT YOURSELF!"

"CYBORG!" Robin yelled to the retreating metal man.

"Robin, please let it go," Starfire said gently. "He is 'on edge'. He is not himself."

"Yeah, but he could still help," Robin said grudgingly.

"We'd better get this search started," Bumblebee said wisely. "Should some murderer be off with the Clock of Eternity ready to use it at their will for evil, the quicker we find it the better."

"Right," Robin agreed, slightly resentful that he was losing the argument with Cyborg. "Titans, since last time was rather unnerving when Aqualad didn't show up on time, we're going to split up into pairs. I don't care if it takes twice as long," he added, cutting off the protests that had begun about time, "we're going to do it. Starfire, you're coming with me."

Starfire nodded, and Terra murmured something along the lines of, "No surprise there."

"Bumblebee, you're going with Aqualad."

Bumblebee tensed. She was being paired up with the very person she was sure was the murderer.

Terra and Speedy had begun protesting before Robin had even gotten to them.

"IF YOU THINK I'M GOING WITH THAT WRETCHED MURDERER, YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMING!"

"THAT WENCH MURDERED HOT SPOT AND RAVEN! I'M NOT GOING WITH HER!"

"WHO ARE YOU, CALLING ME A MURDERER?"

"I'M PART OF TITANS EAST AND I'M ACCUSING NOTHING MORE THAN THE SCUM OF THE EARTH!"

"I'M PART OF THE ORIGINAL TEEN TITANS, AND I'M ACCUSING A SUPERHERO WANNABE WHO HAPPENED TO HAVE MURDERED TWO PEOPLE!"

"ROBIN, I REFUSE TO PUT UP WITH THIS! SHE COULD KILL ME WHEN WE SPLIT UP!"

"OH, LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO TALK! THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT!"

"YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE I'M NOT A MURDERER, MURDERER!"

Robin's shouting that was commanding silence wasn't heard through the combined yelling of the two. He stood glaring at the rock star and archery master before sighing in defeat. Nothing was going to get done at this rate.

At that precise moment, Cyborg's voice came over the intercom. "Hey, you guys." The yelling stopped. "I found the Clock of Eternity. You might wanna come check this out. My usual."

The Titans looked at each other for a moment before racing back down the many flights of stairs to get back to Cyborg's lab space, each one pushing to get past the other. They burst through the door in a dramatic presentation of speed and paused to look around for Cyborg.

"Over here!" Cyborg called from a far corner. He was standing in front of a computer in which a map could be seen with many multi-colored dots, all but one centered in a single room.

"Yo, Cy, what's this?" Beast Boy had joined them from his room.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Cyborg slapped the outstretched hand away. "Aight, you see all these dots?"

They were rather difficult to miss. Everyone nodded.

"Since they're in our evidence room under our care and it would be really bad if they got stolen, I put tracking devices on all of our evidence. You see this dot here?" He pointed to a yellow dot one floor up from Cyborg's lab space. "That's the clock."

"Which room is that?" Terra asked. "That'll prove who's the murderer, right?"

"Yes, it should," Cyborg said. "But you see, now I'm worried."

"Why?" Bumblebee asked. "You've got the killer pinpointed! No one will argue with you!"

"Oh, it's not that. It's that the killer isn't present."

"What?" Starfire asked, not quite comprehending.

"I mean the Clock of Eternity is in Aqualad's room, and he isn't here," Cyborg said. "He could be on his way to move it as we speak, and then he could just disappear somewhere in time. With the clock, it would be nearly impossible to find him."

"Well then c'mon!" Speedy said, already heading towards the door. "We have to get there before he goes through time!"

Again they were racing through the hallways, again each person doing their best to be first so that Aqualad wouldn't get away. Speedy made eye contact with Terra, and unanimously the two lagged behind a few steps.

"I just wanted to say…" Speedy said while running, "that I'm sorry… for accusing you, I mean."

"Me too," Terra agreed. "Guess we both were… really off, huh?"

"Yeah," Speedy said. "Time to… catch the real bad guy."

Terra nodded, and the two joined the racing the Titans once more.

Bumblebee was lost in her own thoughts. She had known it was Aqualad. He had given himself away with the way in which he had murdered Hot Spot. She had been right—there was no other way for it to have been done, and now Aqualad would pay for his sloppiness. They wouldn't let him get away.

"It's no use, Aqualad!" Robin yelled as he threw open the door. "We've got you—caught…."

Each Titan entered the room not to see Aqualad ready to use the Clock of Eternity in an attempt to destroy time, as they had pictured. For the scene they came upon, the seven would almost have rather seen nothing and known they were too late. Instead their eyes met a growing pool of red starting from a head of dark hair, the immobile form of Aqualad in its midst. The Clock of Eternity was immersed in the liquid, smashed to pieces after its encounter with the king of the sea. Floating in the blood next to the clock were the broken pieces of a miniature version of Titans Tower.

"No…" Starfire murmured, carefully stepping towards him. "Friend Aqualad? Please speak. Please say you are unharmed."

Starfire's desperateness hurt them. The pleading in her voice was lethal to them all as everyone realized he would not answer her.

"Friend Aqualad, please say something." Starfire's voice was getting scratchy now, and the water that was beginning to lace the floor showed the Tamaranian's pain. "Please say anything. Say that you are hurt. Cyborg may heal you. Say that you are unhappy. I shall make you smile. Say that you are scared. I shall be your friend. Please, friend Aqualad, say something!"

Starfire's fists hit the floor, and slightly into the blood. It came back and splashed her, but she didn't move. The other Titans could only stare.

"Why?" Starfire whispered. "Why must we be killing each other? Why must our friends die? Who is doing this, and when will they stop?" Her right fist went into the air and back to the floor again, creating another splash. She turned sharply to face them all, and the fury on her face mixed the blood that covered it forced everyone to take a step back in fear. "WHY IS EVERYONE DYING?"

There was a shocked silence as all anyone could do was stare at Starfire. The tears were falling from her face again, as they likely would every time someone was murdered. Aqualad had even accused her, and yet she still shed tears for him. She was furious that someone would kill him. She felt such emotion and let it out freely. They had just witnessed the very thing Raven had been so jealous of.

"Starfire," Robin said timidly. "Starfire."

She whimpered, but forced herself to look up at the figure that was now beside her. "You need to wash up and calm down. Terra?"

Terra nodded without needing to be told and lifted Starfire up. "C'mon, Star, I'll help you out. Let's just get you to your room first, okay? No, don't just nod at me. Repeat after me: 'I'm gonna be okay.'"

"I shall be all right…"

"There! Now we're getting somewhere!" Their voices faded down the hall.

"All right, Titans, let's figure this out. Why would they bash him with a stolen clock that would undoubtedly draw attention to it? The fact that it was missing this morning didn't give the murderer much time to kill Aqualad. Was this spontaneous or planned out? Why use the clock? Why was Aqualad up here anyway? He should've been running downstairs with us because he was there when Terra and Speedy were arguing. What would make him return here?" Robin made sure they were all thinking of these questions as they searched the room for anything that might be of use.

"Well, he could've been coming up here to retrieve the clock," Beast Boy said.

"And then he accidentally dropped it on his head? Don't be stupid," Bumblebee said.

"Well…" Beast Boy tried to make sense of it. "Maybe he stole it and then the murderer found it and knew he stole it and used it to kill him."

"As unlikely as that seems, it is a possibility," Robin admitted.

"Or the murderer was up here waiting for him, bonked him, and came back and joined us," Speedy said.

"But I was almost positive everyone was there when we talked with Sparky," Bumblebee said to an ominous glare from Cyborg.

"So was I," Robin agreed. "But somehow, someone got away and killed Aqualad within a span of one minute. That's really pushing a murder."

"Well…" Bumblebee paused. "Not like I'm pointing fingers here, because I don't know who it is now, but it would've been pretty easy to murder Aqualad for two people."

"Who?" Cyborg asked.

"You, Sparky," Bumblebee said, "and Beast Boy. Both of you left us a few minutes before we got the call and could easily have murdered Aqualad. I mean, if we can't recall seeing anyone missing when Sparky was talking to us, then it must have been done beforehand, and it could only mean that Aqualad really wasn't there when Speedy and Terra were arguing. If that's the case, then either of you two could easily have murdered him."

"But I was checking up on the tracking device!" Cyborg protested.

"And I was in my room before I joined up with you guys!"

"I know, but it's a lot easier to accept than one of us did it. Sparky, you could've easily murdered Aqualad and then come over the intercom. Beast Boy, you could've murdered him and then ran downstairs and met us at Sparky's lab. The only thing we have on account of you two is your word."

"But that really is what I was doing!" Cyborg said.

"Me too! I wasn't murdering anyone!"

"Cyborg," Speedy said suddenly, "why didn't you mention the tracking device before this?"

"Because I thought the thief would have taken it off, and I didn't want to look like a complete idiot. Since the theft, this was the first chance I've had to look and find out. As soon as I saw it was on here I called you all down."

"Hey guys?" Terra was at the door. "Starfire's taking a quick shower. I'm guessing you guys can play janitor while I play babysitter? D'you wanna meet up later or what?"

Several of them were about to answer, but Robin's voice overruled all. "No. Thank you, Terra, but as soon as you see Starfire to sleep you can leave her and return to your room. That goes for everyone. We need a little space for a few hours, I think."

There was a wave of nods and Terra vanished from the door.

Robin looked at his fallen friend. With a heavy sigh, he got down on his hands and knees. "I guess we'd better find a way to clean this up."

()TLT()

"Thank you, Terra," Starfire said quietly, drying her hair with a towel. "I am thankful you have stayed to calm me down."

"It's okay, Star," Terra said, watching from the bed, on the lookout for anything she could do to help. "You were just upset. You reacted in the moment. We've all done that." She gave a lamenting sigh. "I have, for sure."

Starfire looked at her friend for several moments before walking over to her and sitting next to her on the bed. "That is in your past, Terra. It is all behind you now. You cannot change the past, but you can change the future."

"Is there anything you've ever wanted to change in your past?"

Starfire smiled. "Yes. I have long wished that I told…"

Terra suddenly smirked. "Told Robin what?"

Starfire looked at the blonde in surprise. "I did not say it was Robin to whom I wished to tell."

"Oh, Star, c'mon," Terra said, rolling her eyes. "We all know you like Robin. I don't know why neither of you have told each other you like the other."

"Well…" Starfire said sheepishly, her face turning the color of her hair, "that is what I desire to tell him. There have been several moments when we were together that I should have, but have not had the courage to."

"Well he likes you too, so don't worry," Terra said with a grin.

Starfire glanced up at her companion with hope in her eyes. "What about you, friend Terra? Why have you not told him?"

Terra's face dropped every ounce of happiness in it, changing instead to a remarkable shade of pink. "Told… him…?"

"Beast Boy!" Starfire said. "Why have you not told friend Beast Boy that you are crushing him?"

"I'm not crushing him, Starfire," Terra said with another roll of her eyes. "I'm crushing on him."

"You see?" Starfire said. "You like him! Why have you not told him?"

Terra glared at her friend, seeing the trap she had fallen into moments too late. "Because…"

She paused, staring into Starfire's curious eyes. Terra's gaze fell to the floor as she finished her sentence. "Because he likes Raven."

Starfire leaned backwards, her face showing that she seemed to be summing Terra up. In moments, however, it had softened to remorse. "You are in a harder position than I am. I do not know what I would do if I was to find out that Robin liked me, but also liked another girl."

Terra nodded. "If I told him, I don't know what he would say. He could tell me that he liked Raven more than he did me. At least you don't have to worry about Robin saying he doesn't like you."

"But he may not!" Starfire said suddenly.

Terra laughed. "Starfire, if you tell him and he says no, you can kill me."

Starfire didn't reply to these words, and Terra murmured an apology. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. But the point, Star, is that I'm sure the guy likes you. He's just too thick-headed to be sure you like him back."

"I am sure Beast Boy likes you," Starfire offered in a word of comfort.

Terra gave a small smile, though it did not look like she had been reassured by Starfire's words. "Even if he liked me some, Raven would still hold part of his heart."

Starfire's gaze was the one to see the floor this time, and her next words were in a voice of pain that Terra was unaccustomed to hearing in the alien. "It is wrong to say, I think, but I do not believe you have to worry about that anymore."

Terra stared at Starfire for a moment before pulling her into a hug. "We'll get through this," she whispered reassuringly. "Somehow, some way, we'll make it out of here alive."

Starfire didn't say anything for a moment, taking in the comfort of knowing she had a friend to help her. "I hope so."

()TLT()

Robin surveyed the room as Cyborg put the white blanket over Aqualad. The blood had been cleaned up with gratitude to Beast Boy's shape-changing abilities. The remains of the Clock of Eternity had been returned to the evidence room, though the Titans were unsure how much evidence it would give when fingerprints would be impossible to find under Aqualad's blood. The miniature model T had been discovered at the site and lay on the table next to the body. While everyone seemed troubled by this, certain that all party favors had been left in the living room that was now ashes, Cyborg seemed most disturbed.

"I'm going to my room," Cyborg said. He made sure the blanket was in place and then walked out of the room.

"I'll think I'll be going too," Robin said heavily. "There's nothing left to do here. We should all go."

Bumblebee nodded and followed him to the door. Speedy held Beast Boy back to murmur something in his ear; the changeling nodded and then the two followed their leaders to the door. Speedy turned right and entered his room, next door to Aqualad's, and held the door open for Beast Boy. Robin and Bumblebee watched, surprised at the action, but Speedy assured they wouldn't be too long.

Robin and Bumblebee hence walked alone. Their rooms were on the same floor, but on opposite ends of the Tower. They trudged up the stairs in silence for several long moments.

"Robin, how do you do it?" Bumblebee asked suddenly.

"Do what?"

"How are you such an amazing leader? You have complete faith in your team, and they trust you entirely. How do you get a group of people to give you that kind of respect?"

Robin shrugged. "You give it to them, I suppose. You have to be understanding of their needs and their problems, and you have to trust them for them to trust you."

Bumblebee looked at the floor. "No wonder I'm such a bad leader."

"That's not true," Robin argued immediately.

"Yes it is," Bumblebee said, instantly following up. "I thought Aqualad was the murderer! What kind of faith is that?"

Robin stared at Bumblebee for a moment, lost for words, before settling on staring at the ground again.

"I thought so," Bumblebee said. "At first, when Raven died, I thought it was Hot Spot. He was the one to bring the hamburger, after all. Then he died. Then I was sure it was Aqualad because there's no other way someone else could get that much water on him. Now he's dead. I don't want to accuse anyone else because I'm afraid they're going to end up dead too."

"Well let's put it this way," Robin said, "who are you sure it isn't?"

Bumblebee thought long and hard about the question. "Well, me, first off, unless I'm going crazy. I don't think it's Starfire. I think she's as pure and innocent as she acts."

"Thank you," Robin said quietly.

"I don't think it's you either," Bumblebee continued. "I can't see you murdering your own team. If it was just mine that was dying I might be able to see it—after all, I have to see it as somebody—but since Raven's gone too, I can't imagine that."

Robin nodded.

"And Cyborg," Bumblebee went on. "I don't think he's doing it either. Don't get me wrong, he's got the brains and everything, but he hasn't got the guts or the heart. He's a typical guy—tough on the outside, but pretty soft on the inside."

Again Robin nodded, but she didn't continue. Robin was caught by surprise. "You think it could be Speedy."

"I think it could be Speedy, Beast Boy, or Terra. I don't want to think it's Speedy because that's accusing another person—the last person—on my team. I want to say it's Beast Boy or Terra, but that's not right really. To accuse anyone is wrong. It's such a serious crime, and if you're wrong… well, I know how far below dirt it makes you feel."

"If it makes you feel any better," Robin offered, "I thought it was Aqualad too. I mean, my reasons weren't really founded on anything. It just made me furious that he would accuse Starfire as being the murderer. Now, of course, I wish those hadn't been my thoughts of him when he died…."

"Believe me, I know how you feel," Bumblebee said, "two times over."

They had reached their floor, and the hallway separated.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Robin," Bumblebee said. "I hope."

"You will," Robin assured. "I'd like to see the murderer come after me."

"Don't invite him!" Bumblebee warned with a small smile.

"You're sure you'll be here in the morning?"

"Men are wimps," Bumblebee said with a shrug. "They don't tell me what to do, they don't act superior to me, and they definitely don't kill me."

"Not sexist are we?" Robin said, rolling his eyes.

"Not at all." Bumblebee smiled.

"You're quite certain it's a man doing this? There are still three girls left."

"Two of whom I'm quite sure aren't behind it," Bumblebee said. "That leaves the male category wide open."

Robin rolled his eyes with a smile. "See you in the morning."

"See you then."

()TLT()

Speedy held Beast Boy back as Robin and Bumblebee started walking towards the door. "Let's talk in my room."

Beast Boy nodded, and the two followed their leaders to the door. Speedy took an immediate right and held open his door for Beast Boy. Following suspicious looks from Robin and Bumblebee, he said, "We won't be long."

Beast Boy was standing several feet away when the door behind Speedy closed. "What's up?"

Speedy took a moment before answering. "Who do you think is the killer?"

It was Beast Boy's turn for a pause. "Honestly? I'm not sure. I think it's Bumblebee, but I have no real evidence against her. She's just suspicious somehow, just accusing people left and right."

"You don't think it's Terra?" Speedy asked in surprise.

"Terra?" Beast Boy asked, his tone rising slightly. "Why would I think it's Terra?"

"What, didn't you hear our arguing earlier?" Speedy asked incredulously.

"No, I left early, remember?" Beast Boy asked. "What about Terra?"

"Terra is the murderer!" Speedy said. "She's been doing it all!"

Beast Boy suddenly looked very angry. "Don't you dare accuse Terra of murder!"

"I wouldn't accuse her if she wouldn't do it!" Speedy said.

"Your confidence in me is inspiring," Terra said from the now-open door.

"Terra!" Beast Boy exclaimed in surprise. They hadn't heard the door open.

"Beast Boy," Terra said, though still staring at Speedy. "Thanks for sticking up for me, but I can defend myself. Besides, the feeling is mutual." Her words were now directed towards the person she was looking at. "I suppose the apologies mean nothing now?"

"Even less than that," Speedy spat.

"I should have assumed nothing less," Terra said dismissively. "Beast Boy, I think you're done here."

"But Terra—"

"What more do you have to say?" Terra asked sharply.

Beast Boy looked at her with hurt in his eyes. He regretfully shook his head and swept past her.

Terra's cold gaze turned to Speedy. She walked over so she stood directly in front of him. "If you ever try to turn Beast Boy against me again, you'll regret it."

"It's that kind of attitude that makes you a killer," Speedy said acidly.

"I don't care if no one else believes me that it's you, so long as I know the truth. They can think I did it and it wouldn't matter. You can turn anyone else—everyone else against me if you want, but not Beast Boy." She started towards the door.

"Why? What's so special about Beast Boy?"

Terra turned slightly, and her gaze held a sincere emotion Speedy wouldn't expect to see upon a killer. She looked at him, but the feeling behind her eyes wasn't meant for him. "Clearly I underestimated your stupidity. Forgive me."

She was gone before he could reply. Speedy stared at his door for several seconds, trying to decipher what she meant. It was after several minutes that it dawned on him. "Oh."

()TLT()

The knock on Cyborg's door scared him. Who would be coming to see him after Robin had ordered everyone to stay in their rooms? "Uh… hello?"

"Please, might I join in your companionship?"

Starfire wouldn't have heard him say it. "Yeah, Star, come on in."

The door opened, and Starfire walked in. She was lightly twirling her hair, something Cyborg had learned meant the alien had something on her mind.

"What's up, Star?"

"I am… worried. Might you talk with me?"

"Sure." Cyborg motioned for her to come sit down on the floor. He had taken all the furniture out of his own room and moved it to his lab. He didn't even have what they might call a "bed"—just an operating chair that he recharged on over the night. He joined the alien on his cold floor and waited for her to speak.

"I did not know who to go to at first," Starfire said, her eyes falling to the floor. "Robin was my first thought, but he is so stressed that I did not want to add my worries to his burden. Beast Boy would try to make it a joke, and I believe this to be serious. Terra, I fear, would severely injure someone if I were suspicious. I am afraid I do not know Bumblebee and Speedy well enough to speak with them on such terms."

"Tell me what's on your mind," Cyborg invited.

"I wish… to discuss the murders," Starfire said quietly.

"Okay," Cyborg said. "So you believe they're murders then?"

Starfire glanced up in surprise. "Yes, I do. Do you not?"

Cyborg sighed. "No, Star, I think I've run out of excuses. Up until now I thought they might've been suicides, but after three deaths, I can't see that anymore."

Starfire looked thoughtful. "I had never wondered that."

"It doesn't matter," Cyborg said with a shake of his head. "It's pushing my belief now. It couldn't have happened."

Starfire nodded. "Yes, but then who is responsible?"

"Well, that's the mystery isn't it?" Cyborg said with another sigh. "If we did know, no one else would die."

"No one else will, will they?" Starfire asked, worry evident in her voice.

Cyborg didn't know how to answer her. "I hope not, Star. I really hope not."

"We must find a way to prevent this!" Starfire said apprehensively. "There must be a way to stop this!"

Cyborg stared at Starfire for several moments before standing up and going over to a small closet in the corner. He opened it up to reveal the largest selection of medical equipment Starfire had ever seen. Cyborg motioned her over, and Starfire followed the metal man's steps.

"This is all of my medical equipment," Cyborg said. "If someone comes down with a sickness, I guarantee you'll find the cure somewhere in here. Star…" He paused and choked up slightly. "Star, I don't know when I'm going to go."

"Cyborg…"

"No. I could go next, and I need to pass this information on to someone. I want you to learn as much as you can here, okay?"

"Cyborg, you should not—"

"Star!" Cyborg said. "You have to do this! I'm just being realistic! If someone's going to die every day, I could be tomorrow for all we know. You need to learn this."

"I could go tomorrow as well," Starfire said. "Why teach me?"

Because you're so naïve you'll never figure out who it is. You'll be one of the last to go. "I just have to teach someone, Star, anyone. Promise me you'll learn this."

Starfire hesitated, gulped, and then nodded. "I promise."

"All right. Let's start with the basics, okay? On the right are the medicines and on the left are the tools. This is a stethoscope…"

A/N:

EVERYONE, I'M A LIAR! A very good one too. I'm so good that I didn't even know I was lying. There will be lots of touching up on the BB/Ter relationship. Guys, I know you don't believe it, but I AM a BB/Rae shipper. I did at least mention that he had feelings for Rae, right? -looks pleadingly for forgiveness- I'm not going to promise anything else on the pairings except that NEVER will I write a fic not Rob/Star. If I do, not only do I give you permission, but I DEMAND that I be shot.

HOLY PITCHMONKEYS! Okay, yesterday I went and saw the Ring 2. It wasn't as scary as the Ring 1, but much more jumpy. I liked 2 a lot better than 1, very surprising for a sequel. 2 sort of… completed 1. It wasn't like a sequel, more like a continual. Like LOTR. Ooh, then I saw half of The Grudge last night. The friend that was sleeping over kept putting her hand on me and scaring me because we stopped at the part where the dead girl climbed under the covers for the blonde girl. Then we watched the whole thing again this morning and I'm sure I'm going to die. After Ring and Grudge, I am officially freaked out. I'm glancing twice at every shadow, listening intently to every sound, and praying Samara will accept an invitation of friendship should she crawl out of my TV.

DarkKnight92- The only reason they haven't tried to break out is because I don't want them to. -sweat drop- I suppose my excuse is that they know Cyborg's defensive system was built to block out everything. Take "Haunted" for example, when Starfire's starbolts bounced back at her. They already know they can't break it, so they don't waste their energy.

Strixvaria- Gracias. I wasn't sure, so I'm glad to know! Oh, and if you think you know who the murderer is, do tell. I want to know what you guys think! It'll be funny to see how far off you are.

Raven-Fieryblack and xKazuko- Score for you guys! You're the only ones who guessed it right! Aqualad went -makes swipe across throat- and you got it! Feel special. -hands cookies-

Next chapter the only thing I know is that something is going to break down. I don't know what, but something is going to break down. Probably the murderer is going to go screwing around in Cyborg's lab space and mess up the T-sub. Dunno yet, but we'll see.

You guys, there's a dead girl materializing in the room. -hears screeches of dead blue boy as TV starts to go staticy- I am so going to die before the end of the day. I just know it.

Thanks for reading, and review as quickly as possible because it might be the last thing I ever see.

Riles