A/N: Howdy ho folks! Thanx to all the people who reviewed the last chapter! It's good to know that not everyone thinks I blow ! This chapter will probably be just as long… so prepare yourselves!
Just as an aside, some one mentioned that my characters, I'm assuming my own, were close to becoming Mary Sueish last chapter. I kinda disagree, but if you can find examples of this behavior, I will strive to rectify the problem! Thanx again for the review though Spector!
Onto the show!
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Chapter 7: Rescue Part II
Redemption:
The room she was in was a cold, unfriendly room that generally made its inhabitant very uncomfortable. But, she didn't mind. The discomfort was reassuring in a way, reminding her that she still had much to be held accountable for in her remaining time on this earth. Well, in a matter of speaking, because she was not exactly on the Earth anymore. The room did have a small window, giving her a view of Earth mingled with the stars, and she spent most of her time just staring, wishing she wasn't like the space she gazed at: empty and alone.
The door gave a whoosh sound as it was opened, and she turned her attention to the very impressive figure standing in the doorway. He was quite tall, and his physique was something God-like, something that could be easily viewed in the tight green and black suit he wore. He had a black goatee and a piercing, glowing green gaze on his masculine, dark-skinned face; the gaze was currently looking at her in disgust.
" I'm here to give you a message," the man said in a deep tone. " You are to stay in this cell until your trial, which the date of that is still undetermined. As long as you cooperate, there will be no need for the League to exercise force against you."
The girl stared back at him, mutely nodding her head in agreement before she directed her gaze towards the window once more. She really didn't care if he thought she was being insolent or not, she merely wanted to deal with her pain by herself.
" Do you even want to know why you're to be given a trial?" The dark man asked her contemptuously when she failed to give him any vocal recognition that she had heard his prior proclamation. " Because, to be frank, it came as a bit of a surprise to the League when we received word from Batman that he wanted that."
" Why then Green Lantern?" the girl asked in a dead, hollowed voice.
" Because someone spoke for you," Green Lantern answered with a skeptical tone laced in his voice. " I suppose it was someone of import if he managed to convince Batman to give you a chance before we condemn you like we should've before."
" That's great," she said, her finger tracing a constellation on the fogged up, glass window. She heard Green Lantern give a derisive snort and exit the room, the door whooshing shut as quickly as it had opened. She turned her head towards the shut door, and with a morose sigh, rose up off her cot and pick up the food tray he had left behind. She absentmindedly ate her food, for no better reason than it gave her something to focus on other than the screams she heard in her mind.
It seemed a million years had passed since she had been in that factory, intertwined with the brown-haired psychic on the floor as he showed her the truth of what she was. It had been immensely painful, looking at every lie, wrong-doing, murder, torture, and everything else she had ever committed since she was born. Perhaps if she had just witnessed the victims it would've been less painful, but she saw the people her actions affected as well. A family who lost a son because he was in her way, siblings who had turned on each other because she had spread a lie to attract Batman's attention, a wife whose husband was ripped from her due to his support for the Justice League. Those were only a few of the visions that swam into her consciousness as Ahren exposed her to herself.
However, nothing compared to what she saw after everything had passed her eyes, and that was a great, scaly and rotting being that repulsed any who laid eyes upon it. Without asking, she knew what she saw was herself, what she had created inside her because she had thought she was entitled too if it meant hurting Batman. She could feel the creature claw at her, even now, itching to get out and finish what it set out to do, but she repressed the feeling and flung the empty food tray back onto the ground. She didn't fault the members of the League who came and monitored her for treating her like an animal, she really couldn't because she thought the same as they all did. She deserved nothing but their contempt, so she graciously accepted it unflinchingly.
She laid back down on her cot, not fancying gazing out the window any longer, and closed her eyes in concentration, now able to contemplate what Green Lantern had told her earlier. He had mentioned someone vouching for her, why she had no idea, but it seemed to coincide with something Wonder Woman had told her as she was led to her dwelling.
"Be grateful you're getting an actual room…most criminals like you are placed in the containment rooms in the lower part of the base. But, someone asked if you would be put in a room and be supervised…"
Everything had been such a blur since she had thrown down the Agien at the two girls' feet, she was surprised she had remembered that statement at all. The seer and the pink-haired witch had escorted her outside the factory, where a Justice League transport was waiting for her. She remembered only a blur of red and then she was up in space, being led down a corridor by the beautiful Wonder Woman. She had then been locked in this extremely cold room, and had been left uninterrupted except for an occasional glance inside to make sure she was still there. They had all expected her to try and escape immediately, but after four days of complacency from her, they had all accepted that whatever happened down in that fish factory had subdued her.
But, Green Lantern's words jarred her mind out of memories so she could focus. She scrunched her yellow eyes closed even tighter than before and thought to herself, ' Who would someone keep trying to help me? Why would anyone help me? A trial…and Batman has agreed to it? He's been at Titan Tower since my arrival, who would know he was there except the League?'
She suddenly broke off her musings abruptly, her eyes snapping open as something wormed its way into her memory loud and clear.
"Sometimes you are needed for things that you don't even see…You're going to do something soon to help atone for all the wrongs you have done."
" Ahren," she breathed sharply as the memory replayed itself over again in her mind. " It's Ahren…but why the hell would he…why would any of them…just, why? I've done nothing but hurt those kids, why would he, or any of them, try to give me a chance against the death I deserve?"
She took a deep breath, and pushed herself up onto her forearms in an attempt to make herself uncomfortable. She couldn't fathom why the Titans would listen to the young seer, but for some odd reason, they were. The fact that they, and Batman to boot, were even trusting his relentless judgment in her was the top factor that told her there was something going on that she didn't know about. Something that obviously transcended their hatred for her for almost killing their leader…again. She racked her brain for answers, but after a frustrated fifteen minutes, she laid back down and closed her eyes. Whatever the answer was, it was unclear as her future, and she no longer had the energy to examine it further.
She felt herself drift off into her uneasy sleep, and thought to herself before the sorrow and suffering of her victims and wrongs overtook her subconscious only one thing.
' I hope he's all right.'
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
" Friend Lily," an exhausted Starfire exclaimed to the lavender-eyed healer. " Robin is not all right! If he was no longer damaged, why as he not awoken yet? There must be a reason for his unconscious state, and we must find it!"
" Star," Lily said in a placating tone, raising her hands to stave off more of the drained alien's frustration. " He is PHYSICALLY all right. The tool that Viper/Vanessa used was meant to only cause pain, not cause any type of life-threatening injury. His visible injuries, like the broken bones and minor cuts, are healed enough to not threaten his life. However, his mind is what's causing him to stay in the coma."
" But it has been four days since the battle!" Starfire exclaimed angrily as she pounded her fists into the wall, leaving two large dents when she lowered her arms. " He should not still be unresponsive! Even the Justice League physicians cannot find a way to awaken him! Why cannot Ahren simply look into Robin's mind and find where he is!"
" Because," Lily said wearily, the four days and Starfire's ranting finally taking their toll on the young Wiccan. " If Ahren tried to look into his mind, he would be so utterly lost he wouldn't even know where to start. Robin is lost Starfire, he's lost inside himself due to the pain he endured. He as to find his way again, and none of us can help him."
" But why?" the now forlorn looking girl said as she sunk down into a chair beside her unconscious boyfriend. " Why can we not aid him?"
" He wouldn't let us," Lily said as she kneeled down and cupped Starfire's clasped hands in her own. " He's just stubborn like that…always as been."
" I thought Ahren said there would be someone to help him?" Starfire asked quietly in response to Lily's answer.
" He did," Lily replied. " Someone to help him heal. Not someone to help him awaken; only he has the power to do that."
" I need to tell him something," Starfire said quietly, her emerald eyes focused on his face. " Something very important. Something that he has the right to know before any others…"
She trailed off, leaving a confused look on Lily's face, before she rose from her seat, and once more took Robin's limp hand in her own. Lily was about to ask what Starfire needed to tell Robin, but thought better of it, and with a quick, " I'll be right back," left the room so the red-headed alien had some privacy. She hurried down the corridor, and entered the elevator that would take her up to the common room, where undoubtedly, Ahren and Batman were in another argument.
She found she was correct in her assumption when she exited the elevator and found a brown-haired young man in a heated discussion with a very tall, and very darkly dressed, man. She slipped beside Raven and Jinx silently and asked in a hushed voice, " What are they yelling about now?"
" Oh you know, the usual," Jinx answered back with a wave of her hand towards the two, a bored quality to her voice. " 'Kill Viper' or 'She's needed for the future'. Honestly, you think the two would get sick of their bickering, they're starting to remind of an old married couple!"
" Batman seems to think that Ahren misread his vision," Raven added on in her usual monotone voice. " Of course, we all know that's stupid, but Batman is very upset that Robin is still not responding to any methods to wake him up. He blames Viper, and I really thin he wants to see her die personally right now."
" Hopefully," Jinx said with a small smirk once Raven had finished. " He'll realize he's being foolish, and stop pestering Ahren to recall his vision for the entire JL council. I guess we were wrong in thinking you guys were ever working for them uh Lils?"
" Yep," Lily said as she leaned against the wall and put a hand to her temple, trying to ward off the headache she knew was coming. " You all were wrong about that. Why is Ahren getting so angry? He should just let Batman rant and rave until it's out of his system, not encourage his anger right now. Look, even Superman thinks that this is idiotic!"
" That's men for ya," Jinx quipped quickly for the brunette.
" I think it goes deeper than that Jinx," Raven said as she cast a knowing look at the other two girls. " Batman thinks that Ahren is defending Viper, and, in a way, he is. None of the rest of us are shouting for the girl to be treated nicely, and while Ahren really isn't, he most definitely is speaking up more than the rest of us. Robin was Batman's partner for so long, he trained him and taught him everything he knew, and now someone is arguing that the girl responsible for incapacitating him should be viewed as someone who made a harmless mistake? Of course he's pissed off at Ahren, and Ahren is angry that Batman is letting his own rage cloud his judgment. This is all just one vicious cycle until one of them acknowledges the other's point, or until--"
" Robin wakes up and sides with one of them," Lily finished for Raven with an exasperated sigh and a shake of her head.
" Exactly," Raven said as she turned to walk over to Beastboy, who was standing with Cyborg in the opposite corner, listening intently to the argument. " And we aren't any closer to that are we?"
Lily shook her head as the dark-haired girl walked away to stand beside her boyfriend. She then whirled her head around to look at Jinx, who had just tapped her to gain her attention.
" Who do you think bird-boy will side with Lils?" the pink-haired girl asked softly so not to be heard by others. " Ahren's view or his former mentor's?"
" If I knew that," Lily replied just as softly. " Then I would tell them to shut up right now. But the fact is that I don't know anymore than you do. That boy is one of the biggest mysteries I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, I don't think anyone but Starfire knows that answer, and she's to upset right now to even leave his side."
" Poor Star," Jinx answered back, truly sounding sad for the alien girl she had come to like so much. " If anyone could use a break, it's her. She just looks so tired, as if she's carrying this huge burden all by herself."
" Yeah," Lily said, a thought being triggered by the previous statement. " Hey Jinx, as Starfire told you anything about what might be bothering her lately? I mean, because I've noticed too, and I don't think it's just Robin."
" No," Jinx replied, turning her face to look into the other's eyes. " Has she told you anything?"
" Well, not really," Lily confessed. " But she hinted to something. She said she needed to tell Robin first, but it definitely seemed to be a big deal. But, I guess if she wants to tell Robin first, we just need to be patient and hope that he wakes up soon."
" Yeah," Jinx said as the two girls turned back to stare at the two combatants once more. " Just be patient, tell that to them."
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Raven walked away from the other two girls and put an arm discreetly around a distracted Beastboy's lower back. A culmination of the past days' events had started to take a toll on the gothic young woman, and she wanted to feel a sense of comfort at the moment, albeit you could clearly hear what Ahren and Batman were arguing about from this area of the common room.
" I just don't see why you can't let it go Batman! What's done is done, we can't kill her just because your anger is blinding you to the repercussions of that course of action!"
" I will not adopt a fake attitude towards her for your sake Ahren, she as done too much for me to forgive and forget as you have done. As for repercussions, I see none that will grievance mankind too terribly."
" Oh, so the end of free will isn't that big of a deal! My God…you are completely consumed by your rage Batman! My visions aren't wrong, they never have been, and she is needed to prevent that path for the future from happening!"
" Then you have misinterpreted your visions concerning Viper."
" No I haven't! Vanessa is needed, and no matter what your anger is telling you, it won't change my opinion towards her OR my visions!"
" How long is it going to take until they both realize this is pointless?" Cyborg asked Raven in his deep, somber tones when he looked over and saw she had arrived next to the green changeling.
" Like I said to Star and Jinx a few seconds ago," Raven said slowly, drawing both of the boys' attentions to her. " Until they see the other's point, or until Robin wakes up and sides with one of them."
" Well," Cyborg snorted as he directed his attention back towards the fight. " Personally, I'm siding with Batman on this one y'all. I don't think that a person like Viper can possibly do any kind of good that will help prevent a form of the apocalypse sometime in the future."
" But what about Ahren's vision?" Beastboy asked the cybernetic man in a quiet voice. " I mean, if he saw her helping out then maybe--"
" He didn't though Beastboy," Raven interrupted her boyfriend in a sad voice. " He didn't see Viper helping out, he merely heard someone say she was needed in the future. And while that may be true, unless Ahren actually 'sees' her doing something, we'll have a hard time convincing the Justice League not to kill her. She already as caused more damage than some villains twice her age…not to mention she insulted Superman and attacked Batman's former partner. I don't really think they're too pleased with her right now."
" Then do you believe Ahren, Rae?" Beastboy asked his girlfriend in an astonished tone. " I mean, you never trusted him or his visions before. Do you think Viper really will help us out in the future!"
Raven was silent for a moment, aware that both her boyfriend and Cyborg were looking intently at her, before she replied, " No. I don't think Viper will help us in the future Beastboy, but I do believe she has some sort of part to play. An important part as well… but she won't psychically help us ever in my opinion."
" Well," Cyborg said as he started to walk away towards the other two girls. " I'll talk to y'all later. I can't take this arguing any more, my head's starting to pound in protest."
Beastboy and Raven waved bye as he grabbed Jinx's hand and led her out of the common room. Lily lingered for a bit longer, looking as if she wanted to march up to her boyfriend and push him out of the room, but she settled for heaving a heavy sigh and turning on her heel to exit the room after Cyborg and Jinx. The remaining couple did not leave right away, but they did not look back over to the squabble, instead opting to clasp hands in between their forms.
" Is Robin going to be all right Rae?" Beastboy asked quietly, his fears leaking out into his voice.
" I don't know BB," Raven answered as she rested her forehead against his chin. " I hope for all our sakes he will be, but I just don't know anymore."
" He will be," Beastboy said in a confident voice, his fears dispelled as he enveloped his unsure goth in a comforting embrace. " He will be."
Raven gave an uncharacteristic chuckle and lifted her head to softly kiss the changeling on the lips, sending a shiver down both of their spines. " As long as you're confident Beastboy, as long as you're confident everything will be okay."
He gave her his trademark grin as he led her out of the emotionally charged room, and to a spot where they might be able to relax easier. Neither Batman nor Ahren noticed that they were the only ones left in the common room, except Superman who had remained inconspicuously quiet during this whole fight, and continued to spit and spew at each other concerning a girl who had given up on life anyhow.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
He wasn't really cold anymore, and the memories had stopped, but he had not seemed able to wake himself out of his trauma induced sleep. He remembered exactly who he was, and he remembered all of his friends who were probably worried sick over him not waking yet, but could not remember how to wake himself up; more so, he saw no reason for him too anyhow. It was not because his friends needed him because he believed they did not, and it was not to stop bad people from attacking Jump City because they would do that anyway. His entire existence consisted of trying to delay the inevitable, trying to make the world a better place when it clearly did not want to be a better place. What was the point?
He had decided that there was no point, and because there was no point, why should he force himself to wake up in a world that seemed to mock his existence? He felt a part of his mind telling him that there was a reason for him to wake up, a reason tat transcended all of his despair and hopelessness.
Love.
Love? He didn't believe he deserved that anymore, and no one deserved the pain that accompanied his own love. Everyone he cared about was hurt, intentionally or not, it still happened, and he was sick of it. If he didn't love, or let love in, no one would ever be in pain because of him again.
He heard a peal of laughter from a far corner of his mind, a laugh that he recognized immediately.
" Have you forgotten already what I told you before?"
' I know your voice.'
" Of course you do…it's a hope you are ready to give up because you believe you cause pain and suffering to those you love, but you must understand something. Pain is inevitable, and you cannot prevent all of it, but you can prevent needless pain. You still must help the Golden Child I spoke of, help stop savage pain and despair from happening to countless victims."
' I'm not strong enough too do that, I never was. I can't do anything but--'
" Do not give in to the darkness yet! If you do, then mankind as already lost."
' Why me? What's so God damn special about me that you all can see that I don't!'
" One's purpose is almost never seen by him or her until the right time. You will know soon, but you must fight through the despair you have encased yourself in. You forget that you have the love of someone who you love very much. Does that not matter to you? Do you wish to cause her pain?"
' Of course I don't want to.'
" Then you must find you're way again! A battle is being waged in your home concerning a girl whose importance is not yet realized. You know of whom I speak...will you forsake what you have striven for because you do not think yourself powerful?"
' No. I can't do that.'
He felt the voice smile, and he then felt himself starting to wake up. His despair and uncertainty was still with him, but he couldn't let all of the pain he went through be for nothing. She was his responsibility, and he would make sure she was given a chance to atone for her wrongs. Before he reentered the world of the living, he heard the voice speak to him one last time, and it sounded as if a second voice had joined the first.
"Remember these words spoken to you now. Remember when you feel as if you no longer can continue and it seems all is lost: Life is full of pain and suffering and nothing can change that simple fact, but it is what one does after the pain and suffering is over that can dictate change in one's world and life."
He started to feel as if he was spinning at a tremendously dangerous speed, and the memories of the past as well the images he hoped for the future started to whirl around until it was all one blur to him. He had no idea how long the spinning went on, but when it stopped, he found he had finally opened his eyes.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Besides the extreme brightness that assailed his eyes when he woke up, Robin found himself otherwise alert and aware of where he was. There were no sluggish forms or blurred images, everything his brain registered was sharp and clear, and his thoughts were completely coherent. He knew this wasn't because he had miraculously healed or such, it was simply because he had a responsibility to see through.
He pushed himself into a sitting position on his hospital bed, and one look outside the window told him it was evening at the Tower. He looked down at himself and saw, to his personal disgust, that he was clothed in a green hospital gown with nothing but boxers underneath. Heaving a disgruntled sigh, he threw the covers off himself and swung his legs over the side of the bed, thinking that he needed to find some proper clothing before he headed up to space. He put his feet down on the floor and tried to support his slight weight, but found himself griping the bed to keep him from collapsing as soreness shot up his legs, leaving him feeling like jelly. It even hurt for him to pull himself back up onto the bed, his arms protesting to any kind of exertion after their ordeal.
" Great," Robin muttered under his breath. " That's just fantastic."
He was about to rant some more about his weakened condition, but he heard someone shift in a chair that was on the other side of his cot and a slight snore of exhaustion. He focused his deep blue eyes on the red hair and smiled despite himself. Starfire looked absolutely beautiful to him even when she was curled up on a chair and snoring, and her breath causing her ruby hair to flutter with every exhalation. He noticed she had one hand dangling off the side of the chair, limply holding what looked to be a book, and the other hand was protectively holding her abdomen. He didn't wan to disturb her, nor did he even want her to look at him at the moment, but he decided that he really needed help to get up to his room and get dressed.
" Star," he called out softly, half hoping that she wouldn't hear him. " Starfire, wake up for a second."
She did however, but she didn't look at Robin, instead turning her head towards the door before resting her head back down on the back of the chair, " Friends please, I am perfectly content where I am located now. Please stop pestering me to remove myself and head up towards my quarters."
" No Star," Robin said in a dull sort of tone, a tone that he really couldn't help himself from using. " Over here. It's me."
Starfire at first didn't fully register who exactly had spoken, and she refused to look up, trying to pretend that she was sleeping. However, after a few seconds of this, she slowly raised her head and turned to face the hospital bed where her boyfriend had been asleep on for the past four days, almost not daring to believe she had heard his voice. Her emerald eyes, not dulled at all by the night's darkness, met Robin's open and dull looking blue orbs, and she let out a small gasp in seeing him sitting up and dangling his legs over the edge of the bed.
" Robin," she breathed as she quickly got up out of her seat, still not daring to move towards the bed and discover that she was just dreaming.
" Yeah," he said in the still dull voice that he knew didn't suit him at all. " It really is me Star. I'm awake."
" Robin!" Starfire squealed as she rushed toward the bed and wrapped her arms around him fiercely, as if she was afraid he'd fall back asleep. He weakly returned her hug, disgusted that she still thought so high of him. He could feel her shaking, and knew she was crying after putting up a strong face for so long, but he couldn't bring himself to stroke her hair or murmur that everything would be all right as he used to do whenever she was upset.
When she was finished with her emotional greeting, Starfire directed her teary green eyes into his and she whispered almost so quietly he couldn't hear her. " I was so afraid Robin! Lily kept saying she could not aid you any further, that you had to find your own way, and that none of us could aid you. It has been a full four days since we rescued you from the Viper woman, and I was terrified you would not awaken."
" Where is she?" Robin asked, her mention of Viper enforcing what he needed to go do before he did anything else. " Did they take her up to space? The Justice League?"
" Do you enquire about the Viper lady?" Starfire asked in a cool tone, pulling herself away from his weak embrace.
" Yes, do you know where she is?"
" She was taken to the Justice League's headquarters," Starfire answered coolly as she pushed herself further away so she was staring at him standing up. " I have heard the Batman and friend Ahren arguing over her fate. Ahren was able to convince that dark man to give her a trial, but now the Batman merely wishes to put her to death."
" WHAT!" Robin exclaimed, leaping off the bed in anger, but then promptly falling to the ground because of his legs. Starfire made no motion to help him up, and frankly he didn't want her to, so he just continued from the floor. " How can they do that! I can't let them! I didn't go through hell just so they can kill her! This is total bull-sh—Wait, is Batman actually here Star?"
" Yes."
He was silent on the floor for a moment, perfectly aware of the hurt expression in Starfire's eyes, and tried to figure out how to get up to space without his former mentor stopping him. He looked up at the angry alien, and it pained him that he was causing her even more pain because he was pushing her away, but he couldn't help that…he needed her help whether he wanted it or not.
" Starfire," he said in his typical leader voice. " I need you to help me up to my room. I need to get some new clothes on, and then we have to go find Ahren, he's the only one who understands what I need to do right now."
" Is this woman who causes you pain really that important to you?" Starfire asked in the same cool voice, her eyes downcast so he wouldn't see the tears that were starting to build-up. " Is her fate more important than anything to you right now Robin? I have waited for over two weeks to tell you something I find vastly important, but I refuse to do it if you are so preoccupied with a woman who almost killed you twice now. I do not understand you sometimes Robin, you seem to brush aside the ones you truly care about you, and only focus on your missions, even if a friend as something important to tell you. I just…I just do not understand."
Robin looked at her, and spoke in a voice that she knew much better than the dull voice. " I'm sorry Star, but I have to do this. You are absolutely right about everything you just said, and I hate that about me, but I HAVE to do this first. It's the only reason why I even let myself wake up into my own meaningless existence, to finish what I started two years ago. I know you don't understand, because you are to kind and pure to understand why I act this way, and frankly, I wouldn't love you as much if you did understand. I promise to listen to what you need to tell me after this is finished, but I have to help her first…please understand that Star."
His answer morphed into a plead by the end of his speech, and Starfire found herself listening to his words despite the anger she felt at him then. She recognized his tone, having listened to it two years ago when he was trying to explain why they couldn't be together on the roof. He was terrified and disgusted with himself for some reason, and Starfire saw now that was the cause of his remoteness. She wanted to help him, but he wouldn't accept it at the moment, so she canted her head in agreement to help him with what he thought he needed to do now. She would have to help him later.
" All right Robin," she said in a soft tone, trying to let him know that she stilled loved him despite his cold attitude earlier. " I will aid you and fin Ahren for you as well, but I have one condition. You must tell me what is troubling afterwards, for I will not tell you my joyous news when you are so unhappy with yourself. It is too important for that to hinder it."
" Thank you Star," he said in the same dull voice he used earlier, not really looking forward to talking with her, but realizing that he was in no position to refuse her help.
" Now," she said as she draped his arm around her shoulders and used her alien strength to support him out of the hospital wing and up towards his room. " When we reach space, what is it that you plan to do?"
" Um, we?" Robin asked as she started to fly up the stairs silently and then down the hallway that led to his room. " You aren't going up there Star."
" Oh," she said with a smile as she opened his door with the access code and carried him into his room. " I believe I am. I have a few words I wish to say to the Viper lady once you have secured her safety. I believe I am entitled to it thank you."
Robin knew better than to arguer with her, even though he wasn't thrilled with her coming up with him. She helped him out of the gown, and picked out some plain blue jeans for him to wear, as well as a white shirt. She also grabbed a black jacket from his closet, saying that space was cold and she didn't want him to get sick.
As Starfire helped him put on his clothes, he said embarrassingly, " I feel really stupid right now. I can't even put on a pair of jeans without help…this is pathetic."
" You are being silly," Starfire said matter-of-factly as she buttoned his jeans and slipped the T-shirt over his head. " You have been seriously damaged, and your body just wishes to rest, not engage in any strenuous activity. I suppose that means that we will have to reacquaint with each other when you are better rested yes?"
She smiled at the red-tinge that crept into his cheeks as she slipped the jacket on over the shirt. She found some plain tennis shoes for him to wear, slipped them on as well, and then told him to wait as she went and fetched Ahren. He smiled a sad smile as he watched her fly out of his room, and then looked down, not wanting to think about what she said earlier about talking about what was wrong with him. He didn't want to talk about anything that was bothering him with her at all, he didn't want to cause her even more pain.
As he thought about that, he recalled the two voices who had spoken to him in his dream before he woke up. They had told him he couldn't prevent all pain, and that some pain was actually needed. He still didn't want to burden her with all of his sins and past wrongs, believing she would be as disgusted with him as he was with himself afterwards. He sat staring off into nothing for a time that he didn't bother to keep track of, his thoughts drifting over the memories of his past and of the voices in his head that he didn't notice Starfire reenter the room until she was helping him up and supporting him to the window.
" Star," he said in a startled voice as she open the window and prepared to jump out with him in tow. " What are you do--"
" We are heading to the hangar," Starfire said with a small grin on her face a she leapt out and flew herself and Robin to the base of the Tower where the T-ship was waiting for them. " Ahren and Lily are preparing the T-ship and we needed to head down without being noticed yes?"
" Uh, yeah," Robin answered slowly as she slowed their descent, landed, and helped him into the hangar. She hurried him to where he saw Ahren strapped into the cock-pit of the T-ship, and Lily helping at the computers to launch.
" Nice to see you up," Ahren said over the inter-com to Robin as Starfire helped him into a seat, and strapped him in. " We were beginning to worry. All right, I give us about ten minutes before Batman and Superman realize we've gone and follow us, so we have to hurry."
" Superman is here too?" Robin asked as Starfire strapped herself into her own cock-pit seat.
" Yep," Ahren answered as he made the T-ship online and operational as well as activated the air supply.
" Dammit," Robin cursed as he thought of how fast Superman could fly. " They'll catch us Ahren!"
" Nope," Ahren said as he started the ship up. " Lily is going to delay them for us, but that's why I only gave us ten minutes. I think the other Titans will as well, so we have some time. Are you ready guys?"
" Ready," Starfire said in her usual chipper voice.
" Ready," Robin said with determination edged to his voice.
" The here we go!" Ahren yelled as the three Titans jetted up into space and beyond the sight of the Tower.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
" Uh-whazzit?" Beastboy moaned groggily as Raven nudged him hard in the ribs to wake him.
" Wake up Gar," Raven said as she pushed herself off their bed and walked towards the door. " I think I just heard the T-ship take off."
" What?" Beastboy replied, now fully awake and sitting up as he watched his girlfriend pace towards the window and throw open the curtains. " Wait, did you just say the T-ship took off? Oh my-is that a stream of smoke outside?"
" Yes on both counts," Raven said as she looked at the stream of exhaust heading up towards space. She sent out her soul self to sense any missing presences, not noticing Beastboy scramble off the bed and take a place beside her. Her amethyst eyes snapped open in surprise as she discovered who was no longer in the Tower and she only vaguely heard Beastboy's comment.
" Oh man, Cy is going to be so pissed when he finds out someone took the T-ship for a joyride! I mean, sometimes I think he loves the ship and that damn car than his own girlfriend! He's sorta obsessed if you ask m--"
" Gar," Raven interrupted in an uncharacteristic breathless voice. " We need to wake up Cyborg and Jinx and head down towards the hangar right now."
She grabbed his hand and began dragging him towards Cyborg and Jinx's room, ignoring his questions and protests all the way. It proved a difficult task to wake up the large cybernetic teen, but with help from Jinx ( and the use of mentioning the missing T-ship), Raven managed to have all four of the remaining Titans hurrying down to the hangar in only seven minutes. Cyborg joined Beastboy in asking questions and demanding why his T-ship was gone, while Jinx choose to study Raven's astounded and worried looking face as they rushed past Starfire's room.
" Uh, why aren't we grabbing Star?" Beastboy asked in a confused voice when they entered the common room and then proceeded to the elevator without so much as a glance towards the infirmary.
" Because she isn't here," Raven said as the elevator hurtled them downwards. " She's up in the T-ship right now with Ahren and…and Robin."
" WHAT!" Cyborg, Jinx, and Beastboy all exclaimed at once, eyes bulging out of their skulls in surprise.
" When did this happen!" Cyborg yelled out loud as the elevator screeched to a halt and unloaded its passenger's in the garage. " He was out cold just a couple hours ago! I don't understand how he's now suddenly better and flying a ship up into spa--"
" That's because he's not flying," a familiar brunette said as she stepped out from behind the T-car, startling everyone but Raven. " Ahren is, and Starfire's handling all the other systems."
"WHAT!" Cyborg screamed at the young woman calmly walking back over towards the control panel for the missing T-ship. " AHREN DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FLY THE SHIP!"
" Yes he does," Lily said as she shot a smirk over towards the enraged Cyborg. " He took the liberty of reading your mind to quickly give him the basic gist of it as we hurried down here earlier. He decided the need was great enough to read your mind without permission Cy…sorry."
" The gist of it?" Cyborg asked in a low, furious voice. " The gist of it? That moron is going to crash my baby!"
" Why did they leave without notifying any of us?" Raven asked, distracting Lily from Cyborg's tirade of how bad he was going to pummel Ahren when he returned. " I think I speak for everyone when I say I would have liked to know Robin had woke up."
" I know," Lily said loudly, signaling Cyborg to quit is proclamation for a minute to listen to her. " But, Robin didn't want anyone to wake up when he found out Batman was here…and then even more so when he learned that Superman was also here. If we woke up you, we'd have to wake up everyone else."
" Why the secrecy?" Jinx asked as she laid a calming hand on her boyfriend. " Just why?"
" Yes," a deep, masculine voice said as to tall figures entered the hangar, firm looks on their faces. " Both Superman and I were wondering that as well."
" So you wouldn't stop him," Lily retorted to Batman, emphasizing the word you when she spoke. " He knew you would, you can't understand what both he and Ahren feel they have to do, and your anger is blinding you. He said he wasn't going to let you and the Justice League destroy something he went through hell for."
" He went up to the JL headquarters didn't he," Batman said, not really questioning Lily. " They went up there to give that animal a statement! I can't believe that he would…"
" Don't worry Batman," Superman said when the other hero trailed off. " I'll send an alert up to Wonder Woman so they can be on the look-out for him."
" They won't find him if he doesn't want them too," Batman said in a kind of affectionate tone. " He'll have already thought about how to conceal himself. He won't wear that mask… no one knows him without it really. No, we just need to head up there and try to head him off before he reaches that cell in his foolishness."
" Did you ever think that there may be more to this than you understand?" Lily hissed in a furious voice as she narrowed her lavender eyes at Batman. " That maybe, just maybe, Robin might understand something about this that you don't!"
He didn't respond, merely grunted and walked over to his jet with Superman in a swift motion.
" Hold on a sec," Cyborg yelled as he rushed over to the spacecraft. " You're taking us up there too! I don't care if we aren't part of your organization, but Robin, Starfire, and Ahren are. Plus, Viper was our problem before y'all stepped into it, we deserve to see how this whole mess is going to end!"
Batman looked stoically at the four determined faces that agreed with their temporary leader, and then back at an approving Superman. He heaved an annoyed sigh and muttered, " Fine. Get in the jet if you want, but don't plan on any of us baby-sitting you up there."
" You know," Beastboy said dejectedly as he clambered into the jet after Raven. " We're not little kids. I mean, Cyborg's twenty and I'm the youngest at seventeen…we've been doing this for awhile, so don't treat us as if we haven't."
Superman shot his fuming partner a smile as the jet took off into space. " You know, he's right Batman. They seem to know what to do in a situation, there's no need to punish them because they decided to not join the League."
Batman chose not to respond, focusing his intense gaze frontward as the small party hurtled into space. It marked the silence that would encompass the whole trip as the group all mulled over the jumbled thoughts swirling around in their minds. They thought of different things of course, but all seven thoughts seemed to centralize around one theme: discovering why the other three Titans seemed so intent on helping a woman that seemed beyond help.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
" Dang," Ahren said in an awed voice as the T-ship approached the massive space station belonging to the Justice League. " Cy really went all out on this thing didn't he? We made it up here in ten minutes flat! That's awesome!"
" Yeah, uh Ahren, mind focusing on what we need to do," Robin said in annoyance at the other's lack of seriousness.
" Sure Rob," Ahren said with a smile on his face as he docked the ship in the stations hangar, sending in the correct docking information and coordinates as he slowed the ship to an unsteady halt. Both Robin and Starfire exclaimed in surprise as the ship jerked to a stop, causing their heads to whiplash a bit. " Well, I knew I wasn't going to be great at it. I just read the basic gist of how to fly this thing out of Cyborg's mind… no way everything was going to be smooth."
" Do you mean to say that this is your first time flying a space craft of any sort?" Starfire asked in an amused voice as she flew out of her own seat and helped Robin out of his. She found Ahren's flippant attitude humorous because it was causing a vein in Robin's head to throb.
" Yep," the brown-haired young man said as he gave clearance to the League member at the entrance, and then led the other two into the base. " I'm just happy I didn't crash the damn thing."
" I'm assuming that's how you gained the access codes as well Ahren?" Robin asked as they proceeded to down an empty hallway. " You read someone's mind and influenced that guards mind?"
" Kind of," Ahren replied as he shot Robin and Starfire a smile. " I did read Batman's mind to get the access code, but there was no need to influence that guard's mind, due to the fact that both myself and Lily have ID's for this place. You see, Superman brought us up here soon after our first encounter, offered us a spot in the League. He said he heard good things from Batman about us, and after that first incident, we seemed to exemplify the attributes the League values. Plus, they heard we turned you guys down. We declined obviously, but the badges still work."
" Then may I inquire as to what you explained Robin and I were doing here?" Starfire asked as the psychic led them down a hallway that was shockingly colder than the previous hall.
" Said you were here to join the league," Ahren said as both Starfire and Robin gave him incredulous looks. " They don't keep tabs on the Titans, so they won't recognize you Star, and Robin…no one will recognize you until you speak, the way you're dressed and all."
They continued in silence for the next passing moments, the cold growing stronger as they progressed further down the dark passageway, until Ahren stopped at a turn, and motioned the other two to look around it ahead. Both Robin and Starfire saw two Justice League members, both dressed up in silver suits and goggles, standing guard lazily over a large, gray door that had a small, barred opening near the top. Ahren motioned them to stay still, and he waved a hand towards the pair, causing them to collide with each other a number of times until they slumped to the floor. Starfire and Robin both directed a glance towards the psychic as he motioned them forward and started to move towards the door.
" Yep," Ahren said in a conversational voice. " They'll take my ID badge away for that."
" Take away your ID?" Robin said in a darkly amused voice. " You'll be lucky if they don't arrest you Ahren. But, then again, we'll all be lucky if we don't get arrested for this."
" You mentioned nothing about imprisonment Robin," Starfire said in an annoyed tone as she shot her boyfriend a withering look.
" Well, no one said you had to come."
" You could not manage to pull up your own pants Robin. Please inform me how in X'Hals name you would have managed this mission without my aid?"
" Please don't mention that I couldn't put my own jeans on in front of other people Star."
" Should I also not mention how you refused to kiss me when I finished helping you adorn your clothing? It would have been polite to have after all in thanks to give me one, even just a small one."
" Star, please!"
" You didn't kiss her Robin?" Ahren asked in an amused voice at the two's banter. " Idiot."
" Shut up Ahren."
" Panties still in a twist then?"
" What does that phrase mean exactly?" Starfire asked innocently as Robin shot Ahren a malevolent stare. " I do not believe Robin's 'panties' were entangled when I was dressing him, for I was looking quite intently."
" Will you both get a grip!" Robin exclaimed angrily, a red flush creeping into his cheeks. " We don't have too much time, I give it ten minutes top before--"
BRAEH BRAEH BRAEH!
"—the alarm goes off."
" I give it five minutes now," Ahren stated grimly as he hurried to the cell and pried it open with a quick and forceful hand movement. He disappeared into the blackness for a moment before he came back out, with a small, brown-haired form out cold in his arms. Starfire narrowed her eyes angrily at the unconscious girl and looked over to see Robin's deep blue eyes wide in fear. The fear disappeared instantly however, replaced with a burning determination as he motioned to Starfire to follow after Ahren back down the hall.
" Why do you wish to help her if she troubles you so?" Starfire asked in a gentle, but confused voice, her own eyes releasing some of the anger they held.
" To try and atone for my own sins Star," Robin said in a quiet voice. " To prove to myself that people can commit wrongs and still help create a better place. And finally, to try and restore my faith in humanity a bit."
Starfire said nothing, so surprised by the honest answer she did not expect to get, but merely wrapped her comforting hand around his cold one and squeezed gently. It did not trouble her that he did not squeeze back, understanding flooding through her as she realized what was really bothering him.
The world and his own purpose in it.
The alarm continued to sound all the way out of the containment area, and back towards their ship. Ahren turned a corner, and Starfire lost sight of him for a moment, but she heard a surprised yelp come from the psychic youth. When she in turn whipped around the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide open in surprise at what she saw.
" Surprised are you?" Wonder Woman said in a stern and agitated voice as she, Green Lantern, and The Flash blocked the rest of the trio's way. " Well, I was as well when I received a transmission from Superman explaining what was going on up here under our noses. Care to explain yourselves Titans?"
" Yes," Green Lantern intoned in a low, angry voice. " We're all dying to know why you three 'heroes' would sneak into the League headquarters and attempt to free an enemy that has threatened all of your lives at some point!"
Neither Robin nor Starfire said anything in response to either scolding, but Ahren said loudly, " Because we knew none of you would give her a chance otherwise! I know Batman sent an earlier transmission saying he withdrew is motion to give Vanessa a chance to get off the death penalty, so this was all either myself or Robin could think of doing!"
All three of the League members started at his words, not even realizing that the dark-haired boy being carried by the Tamaranean was in fact Batman's old partner Robin. The flash broke the stunned silence with asking, " Why did you do it Rob? After all, she did try and kill you."
" Because this is more important than any of you in the League acknowledge," Robin growled as he straightened his posture in Starfire's embrace a bit. " I wasn't about to let everything I've worked for get flushed down the drain in one moment."
" Viper is a psychotic killer," Green Lantern said as his face scrunched into a scowl. " You can't change that fact son. The League can't afford to imprison her again, she destroyed the last prison she was in."
" Vanessa," Robin retorted angrily. " Did do horrible things, but that doesn't mean she can't change! I really believe she can!"
" And," Ahren added on. " Vanessa didn't destroy that prison, Slade did."
The League members didn't respond in any way, except to motion the Titans to follow them down the hall. Wonder Woman was leading, while both Green Lantern and The Flash flanked the younger adults as the group hurried down towards what Ahren knew was the main chamber of the base, trying to ignore the whispers and mutterings that followed them as they passed. More than once Green Lantern tried to get Ahren to relinquish the still motionless girl to him, but he was refused every time, which only caused the older superhero to become even surlier. Wonder Woman stopped at a large door, entered in a code, and led the group in threw the now open doors where the three Titans came face to face with the rest of their team and other senior members of the League.
" AHREN!" Cyborg exclaimed angrily as he advanced towards the brunette. " IF THERE IS ONE SCRATCH ON THE T-SHIP, SO HELP ME, I WILL POUND THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF YOU!"
" It's fine Cy," Ahren replied calmly as he was herded into the center of the large chamber. " I'll wax it for you when we get back if it makes you feel any better."
" Oh, you're not coming anywhere near the T-ship when we get back."
" If you go back," Batman said in a cold voice. " Do you realize what you three could have done? The League could arrest you for this cr---"
" If you're trying to threaten us Batman," Robin said in an equally cold voice. " Stop now because you're embarrassing yourself."
" For once in your life Robin, be quiet about things you don't understand."
" I could say the same to you."
The former duo glared at each other, deep azure meeting sky blue, fire burning in both pairs of eyes. The other Titans glanced back and forth between the two in uneasy silence, not noticing Ahren finally set down the unconscious girl in a chair he floated over from the opposite side of the room. Even the senior Justice League members didn't seem to know how to calm the situation.
" Ahem," Ahren coughed, breaking Robin and Batman from their staring contest and drawing attention towards himself. " If you don't mind, I was going to wake her up. She needs-" he raised his voice to overcome the din that arose from his previous statement- "SHE NEEDS to hear what me and Robin have to say. And, I'd appreciate it if you all would as well."
Not waiting for any kind of approval, Ahren placed is fingers at the girl's temples and closed his eyes. The others in the room could see a small white spark leave his fingertips and enter her head, causing her yellow, lifeless eyes to slowly open a moment later. Ahren opened his own eyes and backed away so she could see who surrounded her and where she was, smiling benignly ay her all the while.
The young woman's eyes slid into focus after a minute or two, and she was surprised to no longer find herself in her cold cell, but on the station's bridge and command center instead surrounded by high ranking members of the League and the entire Teen Titan team…including a black-haired, blue-eyed young man she knew all to well. She felt herself cringe in her seat when she met his steady gaze, and tried to jerk away from the haunted look she found there but was topped by a pair of strong hands that belonged to a familiar presence.
" How are you Vanessa?" Ahren asked kindly, drawing snorts from several bodies in the room.
" What the hell are you doing seer?" Vanessa croaked out, not used to using her snake-like voice. " Why did you take me out of my cell?"
" Because you aren't meant to live the rest of your life in a cell and wait for the executioner's axe to fall," Ahren answered simply. " And it's time we prove just why you aren't supposed too."
He rose up from his crouch he had adopted while speaking to her and whirled about to face the other bodies. " Would you like to start Rob, or should I?" he asked in a calm tone to the young man who was almost standing on his own.
Robin nodded that Ahren should start, so the psychic said, " All right then. I guess everything kind of stems from the vision I had nearly four years ago. I won't elaborate it, since every one here knows of it, so let's just skip that part. Well, I had another vision recently that told me I had to help ' the snake' so it could help prevent that vision of the horrific vision. Now, I had no idea why she would be needed at first, but as Starfire and I dug through those files on her, I discovered something very interesting that I didn't find important until I was fighting her in that fish factory five days ago.
" Three years ago, Starfire traveled through time, twenty years in the future to be exact, and she was met with a desolate wasteland of what once was Jump City. She was taken in by a future version of Robin, and he showed her some images of his world as he waited for her to recover, and everything was wasted like her city. Not only that, but the Teen Titans never fought a villain named Viper…but it was recorded that a villain by that name was in fact killed by Batman sixteen years prior.
" Now, why is this pertinent you may wonder? Let me tell you all why. The future Starfire tumbled into was one where she had disappeared for twenty years and one where a woman named Viper wasn't allowed to exist past this point in our timeline. The destruction that was caused, I believe, is directly linked to the golden being I saw in my vision, and the fact that Vanessa wasn't around to aid him in whatever fashion she was supposed to! So, you see, if we kill her now and you don't let her fulfill this purpose she has, we can risk bringing about the destruction and death I saw, despite the fact that Robin here is alive."
A general silence met the conclusion of his speech. Everything he said made sense, even the Justice League admitted it to themselves that it did, but it was so hard for any of them to believe that someone who had once been so evil was somehow going to save them all. It was almost too ironic to swallow.
" Then you were wrong seer," Vanessa said in a dull, quiet voice that drew everyone's attention to her. " I'm not capable of helping anyone…I have too much blood on my hands. How could I possibly save an entire planet?"
" My question exactly," Batman added on coldly, casting a glare towards the lifeless girl.
" Because," Robin said, drawing everyone's attention towards him now. " No one is too past redemption, not if they truly want to change…and I think you do Vanessa Bowman. You did terrible things, more so than most people do in their entire lives, but everybody does terrible things. It's what you do to right the wrongs you've committed that determine what you truly are."
" How can you say those things to a thing like me?" she whispered.
" Because you're not a thing. You are someone who was created by a cruel world that didn't give a shit what happened to you. People created the monster you became, you just let it grow more powerful. I can't hate you for that, because I was also created by a world that didn't care, and now I protect a world that doesn't care. I made different choices, but now you can too…and I say if you can help prevent people like us from being created, which can be your atonement while I continue with mine. If you can do that, you have my forgiveness for what you did to me Vanessa."
More shocked silence encompassed the room as Robin stared steadily at a frightened Vanessa Bowman, the lithe youth's words breaking most out of their stubborn prejudices against her. Ahren's information as well as Robin's declaration had convinced most that perhaps Vanessa could try and redeem herself if she truly wanted to banish the monster she had created away. Batman and Cyborg were still glaring at her, deciding not to believe she would ever redeem herself but deciding to give her shot anyway.
" I…I don't know…I don't deserve…" Vanessa stammered before she was shushed by an unlikely person and yellow eyes locked onto emerald ones.
" On my home planet of Tamaran," Starfire said as she wrapped her hand around Robin's. " We have a strong belief in forgiveness, even if the crime is most awful. Second chances are awarded to those who we believe will truly make a difference in our world, and to those individuals who truly wish to redeem themselves. I also forgive you Vanessa Bowman…now determine for yourself what the right choice is for you is. Help yourself Vanessa."
Robin, as well as everyone else in the room, shot Starfire a startled look, but his face melted into one of gratitude and he returned a squeeze she had given him earlier. Superman cast Wonder Woman and Batman a questioning glance, and after receiving curt, and somewhat reluctant nods, he turned towards Ahren who was still standing beside Vanessa patiently.
" All right, looks like you two convinced us to grant your request. What do you suggest she does then?"
" Let her still reside in a prison," Ahren said confidently, having already discussed this with both Robin and Starfire on the way up to the space station. " But she can work at the meta-human orphanage the League recently established during the day. That way, she can help other lost children not make her choices."
" Another one of your visions Ahren?" Superman asked with a slight smile on his chiseled face.
" No, just a hunch."
After Superman and the others decided to execute Ahren's suggestion, the League members smiled at the Titans, and led Vanessa out of the room to start setting up her sentence. As they led her out of the room, she turned her head around to look at them one last time, a small, sad smile curved over her mouth and she mouthed a thank you to them as she disappeared from sight.
" So," Batman said as he walked over to Robin, no emotion betraying his true feelings. " It's over is it?"
" Well, for now it is. But, there will always be another villain to fight tomorrow."
" And I suppose you're still set on going back to Jump City?"
" It's where I'm needed."
Batman gave his former partner an appraising nod before he swept from the room with a swish of his black cape, understanding passing between the two at last. The Titans remained motionless for a few minutes longer, before Raven broke the silence. " Uh, can we go home now? Me in a nightgown out in public…it doesn't really work."
" Yeah," Beastboy intoned, wrapping an arm around the goth's waist. " And it's almost time for breakfast! Tofu pancakes all around!"
" Tofu is gross BB," Jinx said with a laugh.
" Don't worry," Cyborg said with a grin as he pulled the pink-haired sorceress towards him. " I'll make you tofu-free waffles. Everyone loves waffles!"
" Waffles sound great Cy," Lily said as Ahren draped an arm over her shoulders.
" Yeah, I'm starving," the psychic added on.
" You don't get any you T-ship stealer!"
" Aww, c'mon man!"
" Well," Starfire whispered in Robin's ear. " Should we depart to our home now? I am staring to feel the sickness for it."
" Sure Star," he said, wrapping his hand around hers to try and convince her he was all right. " Titans! Let's head home."
And with a cheer, they did just that.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
The following week passed by sluggishly slow for the Titans, with no major villains attacking and Slade finally sentenced to life without parole, the teenage team verging on adulthood passed the time with video game playing, dates, and usual teenage past-times. It was relaxing to say the least, after what Beastboy was starting to say was the worst month in the history of the team…albeit the end of the world with Trigon was right up there. Ahren and Lily surprised everyone by saying the were going to stay in the city for a while longer, although Ahren was keeping it quiet just why they were. All in all, it was a pleasant seven days for just about everyone in the Tower.
Everyone except Robin and Starfire. Robin spent his time regaining his strength, but most of the time he seemed depressed and walked as if he wasn't sure why he was walking. As for Starfire, no one but Ahren and herself understood why she was starting to get anxious and impatient with Robin despondency. Raven and Cyborg told her that her boyfriend needed time to cope with what he went through, while Lily and Beastboy informed her he was just being Robin, and Jinx told her to talk to him, not the team, if his behavior bothered her so much. It was vexing the poor alien to say the least, and the morning sickness she was starting to gain was improving her mood either. By the Saturday following their League escapades, Ahren was starting to become a wee bit concerned about the red-headed Tamaranean.
However, all that was going to change on Sunday morning when someone came to visit the Tower.
Beastboy and Cyborg so were absorbed in a new fighting game Jinx bought for the cybernetic man's birthday (which happened to be in four days), that when the buzzer on the wall starting to hum, neither even noticed it. It took another buzz before Raven gave an annoyed huff and rose to see what the Tower was buzzing about. She typed in the access code, and saw that there was a family outside the Tower, two adults and three small children, apparently wanting to come in.
" Hello," Raven said to the family when she pressed the intercom button for the front door of the Tower. " Is there anything I can help you with?"
" Uh…yes, there is," the dark haired man said tentatively into the speaker. " I heard that the Titan Robin had returned, and I was hoping my family and I could thank him personally."
" For what?" Raven asked in a confused voice. Usually if the team saved someone, they just sent a letter or e-mail.
" For sacrificing himself to save my two children," the man answered in a shaky voice and he motioned an eleven year old boy, clutching an eight year old girl's hand.
" Oh my…" Raven trailed off as she saw the tell-tale eyes the children had. They had flecks of gold all through-out their brown irises. " Um, yeah, just hold on a second and I'll be down to let you in." Raven turned off the camera and rushed over to the elevator, pausing only long enough to shout something at the three sitting around the large T.V.. " Jinx, go and get everyone down here into the common room right now! Especially Robin, I don't care what he's doing right now!"
" Oh…kay," Jinx said slowly as she saw the dark girl fling herself into the elevator and disappear down the shaft. The pink-haired witch rose up from her seat and walked up the stairs to the rooms to grab the other four Titans. Beastboy and Cyborg didn't even notice her absence, still commenting as if she was there watching, and it was only when she reappeared several minutes later with the other Titans in tow and turned off their game that they realized she had left.
" Baby, what gives!"
" I was beating Cyborg!"
"Where did ya go, and where's Rae?"
" I was beating Cyborg!"
" Is something going on, I mean the whole team's here except Rae?"
" I WAS BEATING CYBORG!"
" SHUT UP YOU TWO!" Jinx yelled out angrily to silence the enormous scene the two gamers were making. When they closed their mouths promptly, although Beastboy was still looking mutinous, Jinx continued. " Thank you. I don't know what's going on, only that Raven answered that buzzing noise the monitor was making, yelled at me to get the team down here, and then rushed downstairs in the elevator. I think she was answering the door or something."
As if to affirm Jinx's theory, Raven burst back into the common room, with a family of five trailing behind her. The Titans gave her quizzical look, but she waved her hand to stave them off, and gazed directly at Robin. " You have some visitors that wish to thank you Robin."
" What?" the masked young man asked in confusion as he pushed past the throng of Titans and walked in front of Raven. " Who?"
" My family and I," a man with dark hair and brown eyes said as Raven moved over so Robin could see clearly. " Excuse me, my name is Diego Prisai, and this is my wife Julie." Robin politely said hello to Diego and his very pregnant wife who had stunningly dark auburn hair and gold-flecked brown eyes. " Um, when we discovered you were back on the team, two of my children insisted on coming to speak with you, and frankly, I also wanted to speak with you as well. But, I'll let them go first."
Robin felt like he was hit with a dumbbell when he saw the two very familiar dark haired children with gold-flecked eyes walk forward and smile shyly up at him. " Hi Robin," Coran Prisai said in his quiet but steady voice. " I just wanted to say thanks for saving me and my little sister that day at the school. It was really really brave, what you did, and stuff."
" Here," little Mae Prisai said in a timid, high voice as she shuffled forward and handed Robin a small, badly wrapped package. " Me and Coran made you a necklace to say thank you for saving us from the bad lady."
Robin, still speechless, gave the little girl a sad smile as he unwrapped the gift and held up a noodle necklace that seemed to glow in different colors. " Thanks you two," he finally rasped out as he admired the gift they gave him, marveling at the noodles ability to change colors.
" We had our grandpa help us make it," Coran said proudly as he moved over to let his parents through. " And my youngest sister, Winnie over there, she picked out the noodles."
" It's great," Robin said as he glanced behind quickly and saw the touched faces of his teammates, even the ever stoic Raven. Starfire's eyes were shining with unshed tears, and Robin noticed she was gazing at the pregnant Julie Prisai's swollen belly.
" I wish we could do more to express how grateful our entire family is to you and your team," Diego elaborated, grasping Robin's free hand and shaking it before he let go. " Uh it's not a big deal," Robin said, not wanting to feel great about himself just yet. However, it seemed that Julie Prisai wasn't content with that.
" No Robin," the pregnant auburn locked woman said in a melodic voice as she stepped over to stand directly in front of Robin's eyesight. " It actually is quite a big deal. You sacrificed your very life and future to save two unknown children. Not many heroes would have taken such a risk, and for that, my family and I are forever thankful for your heroic act. And do not shake your head in protest, because it is true, and your teammates agree with me. It was a purely selfless act, and it saved my two oldest children. It was by no means ordinary, and neither are you."
She smiled kindly at the masked young man, her true beauty shining through the tears that now covered her cheeks. She embraced the stoic hero in a motherly hug and then released him so all three of her children could hug him as well. While Robin didn't trust himself to hug back the mother, the memories of her hug reminding him of his own mother, he did hug back the children, and in doing so felt a huge weight lifted off his soul.
Ahren nudged Lily, a knowing smile playing on his lips, and an understanding passed between the two has Robin now was shaking the father's hand, a genuine smile on his face now. It was never up to the team to help Robin see that his actions brought about happiness; it was up to the ones who he had helped. It would be up to someone, or in this case a family, who cared enough and understood to show Robin the good in humanity that he still fought for.
The family was getting ready to leave when Starfire suddenly asked, " Is it a boy or a girl?"
Julie smiled kindly at Starfire now and answered, " It is a little boy. In about three months. So, thank you for making sure little Ryon here would still have all of his older siblings."
Robin gave his head a small nod as he wrapped his hand around Starfire's, and he walked the family back out of the Tower, his team following him. As the family piled back into the boat that ferried them across the water, Robin couldn't help but ask the eleven year old boy one last question. " How did your grandpa get the noodles to change color? I'll have to try it sometime."
" Oh," Coran shouted back with a laugh as the boat started to move away from the shore. " Well, he's like you guys! He can make light do weird things and other stuff like that!"
" Tell him many thanks for us young one!" Starfire shouted back as the Titans waved the boat goodbye until it faded from sight.
The Titans all smiled at each other as they stood on the rocky terrace of their island home, feeling the last rays of the sun dissipate as the bright orb sunk out of the sky, lighting up the sky in vibrant reds and oranges. Feeling like there would be no other moment as perfect as the one she was standing in now, Starfire mustered up her courage and whispered in Robin's ear. " Can you now here what I wished to tell you the night you woke up?"
" Yes Star," Robin said as he took off his mask and let the fading rays splash over his face as the sun set.
" Wonderful…I am pregnant."
Robin didn't move at first, but the other members of the team did notice his relaxed posture turned suddenly stiff. He turned his very wide, open blue orbs to Starfire's smiling green ones and stuttered, " St-Starfire…did you j-just say th-that you're prpregnant?"
" Why yes I did Robin. You are going to be a father."
Robin's face kept the same horrified expression on his face for a few seconds, enough time for Starfire to fill with dread that he did not want to be a father, but then his split into an ecstatic grin and he swept Starfire into his arms and spun her around, his deep blue eyes dancing as well. The two laughed, not caring that they were receiving strange looks from the other Titans, and Robin motioned the others to come near so Starfire could tell them why they were so happy.
As the others gasped, cried, and whooped in joy, Ahren smiled softly from afar, just relieved everything had finally calmed down for a few moments. He turned his attention away from the mini celebration and out towards the sea. The little boy, Coran, had said his grandfather had powers like they did. He said that the grandfather helped create the dancing lights in the noodle necklace, that he could 'bend' light. His vision immediately filled with the image of a golden-eyed child bending the light to his will and destroying the world. Maybe this child was related to these 'Prisais' in some way, maybe he was—
" Ahren," Lily said softly as she tapped his shoulder and brought him out of his thoughts and back into the world. " We're going inside, it's getting dark…are you coming?"
Ahren paused for a moment, his gaze still focused on the sea where the family with gold-flecked eyes had disappeared to. He spoke in a kind of faraway voice as he allowed Lily to lead him back into the Tower, knowing that things were just beginning to unfold. " Yeah, he's coming…I just hope it doesn't stay dark."
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
A/N: Wow…now do you guys see why I had to break up the chapter…45 pages! That's a new record for me ! Good news, I didn't kill my brain this time around, so I'll be able to update soon. However, don't expect anything for at least a week and a half…I'm starting college this coming week, and I'm focusing on packing for moving into the dorm on Fri.
Okey-dokey, the major action stuff is done for this story…I'm going to take a break and the next couple chapters will be more humor driven. Then, it plunges straight into the angst and romance. Remember, I said writing this outline made me cry…although I did contemplate changing my fic, but I liked the ending the way it was. Sorry ahead of time!
Remember guys, I LOVE reviews…they actually spurn me to work faster to get a chapter out. Not a bribe or anything wink wink, just letting you all know ! Bye!
Osco