A Broken Birth

Chapter Four : Just Because

Before Kaleah could answer him, Robin's communicator went off. Just like that, the subject was dropped and the two teen heroes left to do their jobs. They reached the western part of the city where it seemed to be covered in...yarn. A piece of catnip hurtled towards them, blowing up as it made contact with the pavement. Beast Boy made a remark on how it looked as if a giant kitten had run a rampage through here. Starfire and Robin flinched; they were both thinking about Kitten, Killer Moth's daughter who had forced Robin to take her to prom.

" Oh Robbie Poo! " crooned a sickly sweet voice, causing Robin's facial color to turn green.

Standing on the building to their right, was a blonde girl in a pink catsuit. Kaleah had to cover her mouth to stop her explosion of laughter. Starfire was gritting her teeth while her hands were a ferocious green. In a very acrobatic manner, the girl jumped down from the building. Everyone exept Kaleah looked shocked beyond their imaginations.

" Surpised to see me out of juvie, Robbie Poo? " she smiled a very suspicious smile, " I knew the first thing I had to do was to come find you, me-ow. "

Suddenly, she draws back a hand and slashes it across Robin's chest, leaving five long gashes. Turns out, she had five long, metal claws jutting out from her fingers. Next, from the collar around her neck, she takes out some more catnip and throws it. Everyone predicted that move and jumped clear of the kibbles and bits. Now this is taking catty to a completely new level, thought Kaleah as she hoovered in the air. Her following trinket looked like a belt buckle. She stuck it onto a wall and clicked a button; it began to emit funny screeches that only affected Cyborg. As if a deadly virus had hit his system, he immediately shut down.

" Titans, go! " Robin shouted, wincing from the cuts on his chest.

Raven sent cars, telephone poles, light poles, peices of cement, or in other words, just about anything that would hurt. But Kitten dodged everything in a very cat-like style and then tossed a yarnball at Raven. It didn't necessarily explode, but it popped, wrapping it's threads all around Raven. The more she struggled or tried to use her powers, the tighter the yarn became. Three down, two to go, Kitten thought, not having noticed Kaleah yet. She discreetly pulled something out of her collar, and chucked a handful at Beast Boy who had shifted into a hawk that was diving for her head. Beast Boy, still in the air, changed back into his human form, dropped to the ground,and moaned in agony.

" My eyes, I can't see! They - " he stopped for a moment, " DUDE, WAS THAT CAT LITTER! "

Kitten purred in response and smirked. She was reaching for her collar again when Kaleah sent an arrow of red thunder zooming her way. But Kitten very precisely stepped out of it's path and purred again, " Another chick Robbie Poo? You go through girls pretty fas-- "

A starbolt hammered her in the chest, throwing her off balance. Starfire descended from the sky and stated, " Cease your taunts Kitten. Kaleah is my friend and she would never do anything like that. "

" I don't answer to Kitten anymore, " she flipped her hair snobbishly. " It's Catgirl. "

Kaleah laughed right out loud. She had one hand around her waist, the other covering her mouth, and continously shook her head. This outraged Kitten a.k.a Catgirl. Catgirl walked up to Kaleah and swatted her across the face. The laughing died, along with any other sounds that could've been heard. Kaleah raised her head, her eyes no longer solid brown, and stared blankly at Catgirl.

" What? Can't take a hit? " Catgirl scoffed.

" Oh she's dead. " Beast Boy whispered, having estimated the situation by sound. He had learned from watching her pulverize baddies, not to hit Kaleah, and then rub it in her face afterwards. He was right, because a split second later, Kaleah's charged up fist drove into Catgirl's stomach.

" Actually Kitten, I can take a hit. " Kaleah sneered darkly, " But judging from the fact that you're not getting up, you're the one that can't take a hit. Although that did hurt. " She rubbed her cheek vigorously.

Catgirl, or Kitten as Kaleah chooses to call her, slowly got up and was mighty ticked. She pulled off her tail which turned out to be a whip in disguise. First, she cracked the strip of leather at Starfire, who flew out of the way. Then she brought it crashing down on Kaleah's bare arm. Catgirl smiled smugly and recoiled her weapon. Kaleah screamed in pain but quickly recuperated. Catgirl really knew how to push Kaleah's buttons, and she loved to do it. Starfire swooped down like an eagle, firing green Starbolts from her eyes. Catgirl was hit, but she was able to unroll her whip and twist it around the Tamranian's waist. Then, she pulled Starfire down with her.

" If I fall, I'm taking you with me whore. " Catgirl growled through gritten teeth.

This came as a supreme unexpectation to the Titans minus Kaleah. The last time they had seen Catgirl was when she was the spoiled daughter of Killer Moth. No one would've guessed her to ever be this skilled in any way other than being a pain in the ass. Starfire rose from the ground bearing a few new scratches and bruises. As if things were strange enough, Catgirl got back up on her feet, also with minor injuries.

" What did you do to yourself? " Raven muttered from her yarnball.

" Chemical enhancement; she injected herself with who knows what. " Robin answered.

Catgirl let loose a witch cackle that was interrupted when a combonation of red thunder, white lightning, and starbolts. The bomb made direct contact leaving Catgirl weak, but did not stop her. The claws that she had retracted sprung out, gleaming in the morning sun. At that moment, Kaleah felt really stupid for not realizing this in the beginning; Kitten's claws were made of metal, and metal attracts electricity. So she smiled.

" Dudes, what's going on? " Beast Boy asked due to the silence among the foes, " Why's everyone so quiet? "

" Because B, we're gunna win. " Kaleah simply said.

Now it was Catgirl's turn to laugh out loud. " You think you're gunna win? I'd like to see you try. "

This was a challenge neither Kaleah or Starfire could resist. Kaleah started it by grabbing a nearby car and throwing it at Catgirl. In retaliation, she totalled the car with her very sharp claws. Starfire came in pelting Catgirl and her surroudings with starbolts. When Starfire got too close, Catgirl was able to snip off some hair, and give the alien a new wound. When Kaleah raised her right arm, a surge of pain coursed up and down the arm. Up til now, she had not noticed the whip-lash courtesy of Kitten. With only one arm able to move freely, she'd be at a disadvantage.

" You will surrender and peacefully go to jail. " Starfire said not in an orderly manner, but meaning that it was going to happen. " If not, Leah and I will defeat you in battle. "

" Got that right. " Kaleah smiled. " No one in a pink wanna-be Cat Woman suit is gunna beat us. " But there still was the problem of getting close enough because from her distance, Catgirl could easily evade.

Starfire spotted Kaleah's arm problem and went ahead to bring down Catgirl. Starbolts and cat nip dotted the air, with the occasional flick of a pink whip. Kaleah would've blasted Catgirl into the next millenium but she was too close to Starfire. She stood there, her hand ready to fire but with no chance to fire. Raven and Robin began to tell her to get in there and make a move. With all the pressure, Kaleah began to calculate her next move. But before she could finish, Catgirl sent Starfire flying into space.

" Do something Kaleah! " Raven yelled.

Before her brain started to jog, Catgirl pounced on her like a starving wolf who had just been giving fresh meat. With one hand, Catgirl grabbed hold of Kaleah's throat and the claws jutted out of the other. The blades came at her throat but just in time, Kaleah grabbed them. The sharp edges sliced into her fingers and palms but she was not going to let go. Then there was a problem; her right arm was in excruciating pain and it went numb instantly. Catgirl pressed down harder with her hand, the claws cutting deeper into Kaleah's hand.

" Who did you think you were? " Catgirl laughed. " I'm gunna kill you first, then the rest of them. "

" Urgh...You...Wish... " Kaleah snickered.

A flying object whizzed by and very accurately lopped off Catgirl's collar. She did hesitate but did not retract her claws from Kaleah's neck. In the air, Kaleah saw a familiar purple and red figure. Starbolts rained down from above, most of them crashing down on Catgirl. A mailbox, covered in black, followed by a splurge of blue, knocked Catgirl off of and away from Kaleah. The collar, that now lay useless, was the source of power for the yarnball and the wierd belt buckle. Since it was destroyed, Cyborg and Raven were set free. As for Beast Boy, it took him awhile to get over the fact that it was cat litter, and it was extremely hard to rub off. A green snake curled itself around Catgirl, making sure she was completely secure.

" Looks like it's time to go home Catgirl. " Robin smirked.

" Home as in back to juvie. " Cyborg added while he was checking his systems.

--

Kaleah waved to the high-security car as it drove Catgirl away. Most of the blood on her hand had dried up and the wounds clotted. Behind her, Beast Boy and Cyborg were discussing how to celebrate their unusual, yet fantastic, victory over Catgirl. Kaleah took this oppurtunity to annouce her departure.

" Guys, I can't stay. I need to head back to Avalon City to visit Ferrah and Arabella. "

" But you can't leave now! We just totally kicked Kitten's pink catty butt! " BB whined.

" Yes, and you are damaged! You must let Cyborg tend to your wounds. " Starfire pointed out.

" You should be one to talk, you're hurt too Starfire. " Kaleah chuckled.

" How about this, you stay the night and leave in the morning? " Robin suggested.

Even if she had wanted to leave, Kaleah couldn't since it looked like Starfire would strap her down if she did.

--

Kaleah sat on the roof, staring at the spot where the sun would be rising from. Her backpack rested on the ground next to her. She was planning to leave after sunrise, before anyone woke up. She hated saying goodbye, not knowing if she'd ever be back. She sat straighter when the orange-yellow glow of the sun began to peek from the horizon. She was so captured by the sunrise that she hadn't noticed Robin standing next to her.

" Oh! Morning. " she smiled.

" Morning. " he repeated. " Is your hand better? "

" Yeah...You know, when Kitten had my pinned down, I really thought I was going to die right there. I finally realized, I don't want to die, not yet. " Tears began to roll down her cheeks. " I used to think 18 years would be enough, but now I know that it's not even close. "

Robin bent down and wiped away a tear. Kaleah was distracted for a moment, but kept on talking. " I wonder what it would be like, if I wasn't born the way I was. Would I be with Nicky and my parents right now? Would I have a normal life? Go to highschool, shopping with my friends, eat dinner with my family every night. But, there's always a but, I would not have met Arabella, Ferrah, the Titans, and all the others. Then I wonder if I wasn't going to die at 18, what would my future be like? Would I get into college? What about a job? Would I get married? If I did, would I have children? Would I be a good mother?

" The bad part about all this is that no one can understand. Even if they try real hard, they can't and they never would. They try to understand what it'd be like to be in my shoes and feel my pain, but they can't. It's because they don't know when they're going to leave this world, they know they have years and years to use. When I see some poeple, just wasting their time, I just want to punch them. They don't know how to cherish what they've got, and that's the sad part. Some day, when they're older, they'll regret what they've done. But I don't have that time to look back. "

Robinlet her words sinkin. They made him think about his future, and what he was going to do with therest of his life. He felt like he was experiencing awhole different side of Kaleah. This must be why everyone else thought she' be great for the team. She wasn't always crazy.A sudden idea hit him.

" Stay with us. Don't leave and we, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, and I, can search for a way to reverse this. "

Kaleah sighed. " I highly doubt that. Ferrah and Arabella have been trying for years, and still no result. Speaking of them, I'd better get going. "

She began to lift off when Robin grabbed her arm and handed her a communicator. " If you're going to be a Titan, you're going to need this. "

--

One month later...

Though it was late into the night, Starfire found Robin in the gym, viciously punching the punching bags. He stopped for a moment to acknowledge her presence but immediately resumed his activity.

" Robin, when did things change for us? " Starfire asked, stopping all his actions.

His mouth opened, but nothing came out. Feelings were never his strong point besides, he didn't know what to say. He couldn't blame this on a bad guy, though Dr. Light might've worked. No, the situation was more delicate than difusing a bomb.

" Star... " Robin scratched the back of his neck. " I just don't think it's a good idea for us to be involved. You'd always be in danger. " Pretty lame considering that their job was to fight off danger.

" I do not care Robin. We have not had any problems before. "

" Starfire... " His tone of voice told her all she needed to know. He wasn't interested, simple as that.

" You do not need to comfort me. Things are not forever, I am no longer the one you care most about. " Starfire was so correct that it struck Robin wordless for awhile.

" I'm sorry. " he mumbled, bowing his head.

Starfire put a hand on his shoulder, the started to leave. But before she did, she said, " You have done nothing wrong Robin. People change-- and so have you. Good night. "

The doors made their airy whoosh as they closed behind Starfire. She left him alone to think about things. Why had his feelings for Starfire changed so suddenly? Was it...? It was that same saying that haunted everyone at some point in their lives, " You don't know what you've got till it's gone.

--