I'm sorry that this wasn't up sooner like I promised. I ran into a friend I like to call Writer's Block while writing this chapter and couldn't get it up as soon as I said I would. Please forgive me for the long wait.

I just wanna clear one thing up before we continue with the chapter. April4rmH-town was concerned that Robin and Starfire DID SOMETHING. That is not the case. If you go back to the chapter title "The Psions" and re-read it, you'll know that nothing of the sort happened. This isn't one of my most favorite chappys but I guess it's okay. Here you go, I should have chapter nine up tomorrow. Forgive me if I don't

- - - - -

Chapter Eight: Meeting Bruce

"I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?"-Ron Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Dedication: This is going out to my friend Melissa. She lives in Texas which is along way from where I live now, but she's still one of my greatest friends. She's stayed with me through some of the hardest moments of my life, like when I was upset about some of the things going on with my grandma (she has Alzheimer's Disease and she's not doing so well, please keep her in your prayers for me and my family). Meli knows a lot of my secrets and a lot about my life. She's tried so hard to understand me, and I'm grateful to have a friend like her. God bless you, Meli Lu.

"Well, it's about time the two of you decided to join us." Cyborg commented, as Robin and Starfire entered ops later that day. The sky was cluttered with dark gray clouds and rain was falling lightly from the sky. Raven and Beast Boy were sitting on the couch and watching tv, or rather flipping through the channels. Starfire yawned in response and ran a hand through her messy hair. The half metal Titan was busy trying to repair the microwave. Beast Boy had tried heating something wrapped in tin foil in it and it had exploded. It was somewhat recongnizable, but still in need of a lot of repair.

"What time is it?" Starfire muttered, pulling her robe tighter around herself. She sat down at the counter and dropped her head to her arms. "Nine? It feels earlier."

"Nooo, it's twelve thirty. What's wrong with you?"

"I'm tired. Leave me alone." Starfire winced as she shifted in her seat. "Ow." Everybody glanced at her worriedly.

"Are you okay?" Raven asked.

"Have you ever had thirty bruises covering your stomach? It hurts." Starfire snapped.

"I dunno. You and Robin seemed pretty cosy this morning." Raven commented, causing them to blush. "But of course, I'm guessing that there's a perfect explanation for it."

"Um...um... Th-there is." Robin stuttered nervously. Starfire looked up with her eyes wide. Was he really going to tell them? They'd never said that they wouldn't, but... She started gnawing on her bottom lip in anticipation. "See, guys, we're sorta... see, we're kinda..."

"Getting married." a deep, annoyed voice completed the statement for him. Robin paled considerably and turned towards the tv screen which was now occupied by a very pissed off Batman. "I saw it. On the front page today." He held up a newspaper with a large picture of Robin and Starfire on the beach covering the front page. "'Boy Wonder Betrothed.' Try saying that five time fast."

"Look, Bruce, listen-"

"No, you listen to me." His tone had frightened Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven out of the room. Starfire sat, rooted to the spot, staring at Bruce Wayne with her mouth wide open. "Not only have you gone against every thing I have taught you, but you have let every single one of your enemies know who you really are."

"What's so wrong with loving somebody, Bruce?"

"You are a hero, Richard Grayson (a/n: I firmly believe that this is who Robin really is, if you have a problem with that, tough.), you can't fall in love. Especially with one of your teammates. Did everything I ever told you just go in one ear and out the other?"

"Bruce-"

"Now, from what you've told me about this young lady," he nodded towards Starfire who squirmed in her seat nervously, "which I must say is quite a lot, you've been very close since she-"

"We really don't have to get into that, do we?" Starfire interrupted, her cheeks heating up. Kissing Robin when she had first come to earth was a rather embarrassing memory for her, and she hated reliving it. Bruce glared at her sternly but let it go before continuing.

"We'll continue this discussion later. I'll have Alfred pick you up at seven, I'm looking forward to seeing her in person." He nodded in a business-like way and cut off the connection.

- - - - -

"Have fun." Beast Boy sniggered. Robin glared at him. "What?"

"Oh, go kiss Raven." Robin growled, sitting down on the couch and crossing his arms. "Bruce is just using this as an excuse to make her cry. He'll ask her all these questions about all the shit that's happened in her life, and then she'll get all upset because of all of those things that've happened in her past; then, Bruce'll say she's too emotional and needs to get a grip on reality. Where's Cyborg?"

"Bumblebee finally called him back, they've been talking for the past hour and a half." Raven replied. Robin grunted in response and turned on the tv and began flipping through the channels, barely letting whatever was on play for less than five seconds. Each time he changed the channel, a loud fuzzy sound blared from the speakers.

"Hey, Rae." Beast Boy called from the kitchen where he was making a tofu hot dog. "You know that charity auction thing?"

"Yeah."

"They need two Titans to go, and since Robin and Star aren't gonna be here and Cy's gonna be on the phone for a long time, I thought we could go."

"Are you sure this just isn't a really bad excuse for you to ask Raven on a date?" Robin smirked from his position on the couch. Beast Boy growled.

"Shut up, Bird Boy. Why are you so dressed up anyways? You look like you're going to some old dead guy's funeral." Robin was wearing black slacks and a black dress shirt that he'd left untucked to piss off Bruce.

"Because it's Bruce, and if I showed up in jeans he'd murder me then lecture my body." The vauge smell of something that was being burned wafted from the stove and over to the couch.

"Ew! What is that? Burning tofu?" Starfire exclaimed from the doorway. She was wearing black pants and a tan and white dress shirt layered over with a dark brown sweater. "Do us a favor, Beast Boy, and learn how to cook."

"Man! The two of you look like somebody just died!"

"Thanks for the compliment, smart one." Starfire shot back sarcastically. Beast Boy glared at her and turned his attentions to the stove where his tofu eggs were burning. "What is that anyways?" she continued, picking up a fork and poking the tofu. "Burned marshmellows or something?"

"No, it's tofu!" Beast Boy yelled in exasperation.

"Mm-hm, I'm sure it is." Star hopped over the back of the couch and settled herself next to Robin, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his waist. He leaned over and kissed her just below her ear, making her erupt into a fit of giggles. "Robin!" she whispered as he kissed her in the same spot. "Stop!"

"Why?"

"Because that tickles!"

"Okay," Raven said, closing her book as the two started kissing heatedly, "could you just not while I'm in the room? I really don't need to see such things."

"Then leave." Robin mumbled against Starfire's lips. Raven glared at them in disgust for a few seconds before standing up with a loud sigh.

"Might as well go get ready for this auction thing." she mumbled to herself and exited quickly only noticed by Beast Boy who had, by now, given up on the tofu eggs and had started eating the hot dog.

"Me too," he muttered, "anything's better than staying in here with these two." He left the room, setting off at a quick pace for his own, tofu hot dog in hand.

Robin and Starfire, oblivious to anything but eachother, continued kissing as a commercial for Teen Titan inspired Halloween costumes advertised itself on the tv.

- - - - -

"So," Bruce Wayne said, as he sat down in front of the couple, "you're Starfire." Starfire nodded and stared at him with her eyes wide. Out of instinct, she scooted closer to Robin and shrank back against the couch. Bruce chuckled. "Relax, I don't bite. Listen, I think we got off to the wrong start." Robin snorted.

"Ya think?"

Bruce ignored him and continued. "I'm not really an emotional guy, so you'll have to forgive me for my... outburst earlier today." Starfire nodded and started chewing on her lower lip out of habit. Bruce looked at her, one eyebrow arched in concern. "Are you okay?" Once again, she nodded.

"I think we're just going to need a moment," Robin said, standing up and pulling her up after him. "You don't mind if we step out for a minute, do you?" Bruce motioned to the door and Starfire scurried out of the living room in relief with Robin in tow. Bruce watched them leave, adjusting his tie and flicking a piece of lint off of his suit jacket. He narrowed his eyes as he entered his thoughts. Nerves seemed to have taken ahold of the young girl and he was quite sure that he was still giving off the wrong impression. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and sat back to wait.

- - - - -

"You okay, Kori?" Robin asked. They'd taken refuge in a small room that had turned out to be a very tiny and cramped coat closet. Starfire had given him her consent that he could use her Tamaranian name at will as long as he didn't ask her about the Psions which he had been planning on doing. She looked up at him with her eyebrows knitted in worry.

"He doesn't like me, does he?" she asked as she watched a spider crawl up the wall.

"Of course he does!" Robin nearly yelled in shock. "It just... takes him a while to warm up to people is all." Starfire raised a tiny eyebrow at him skeptically. They gazed stadily into eachother's eyes for a few moments, clear blue never leaving warm green. The doorbell sounded, making them both jump in surprise. The two heard the front door open a few seconds later.

"Eez Meester Wayne here?" a lady's voice rang out; she was, without a doubt, French.

"Yes, Miss Champlain, but he's in a meeting right now. Do come in though." they heard Alfred reply. "Shall I put your coat in the closet for now?" Obviously, the lady had consented because they heard Alfred's shuffling footsteps approaching a few seconds later. Robin and Starfire looked at eachother in surprise.

"We are so dead." Starfire whispered.

- - - - -

ATTENTION THIS IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT: I know this is going to sound weird and all, me opening up to ya'll about something that's really painful for me to talk about, but I NEED to talk about it. My gradma has had Alzheimer's Disease since I was one, she's coming up on living with it for thirteen years now, and she's not doing so good. I keep hoping that the doctors and researchers will find a cure soon, but my hope is becoming less every day. Please keep my grandma in your prayers for me, it'll mean a lot even though I don't know any of you. Just a simple prayer for her to stay alive is all I'm asking of you. Please, I'm really close to her and her disease is hard on every single person in my family.

God bless you all,

RupertLover09