A Broken Birth
Chapter Six : And Then...
Kaleah blushed, letting go of Robin's arm. It suddenly occurred to her that Robin was her first kiss, and in the rain too. Now he was offering to spend the night awake on her account. She suddenly felt very self-concious that they were in the same room, alone, at night, sitting right next to each other. The feelings she had been trying to hide began to bubble out and panic washed over her.
" Um, you don't need too. I'm feeling a little sleepy right now so I'm going to go back to my room and try to sleep. " Kaleah's voice wobbled as she spoke.
She practically jumped up from her seat as if someone pinched her butt. Robin also got up with her. She stood there with her back facing him, wanting to tell him everything but she knew she shouldn't. That was beside the fact that her legs felt like oatmeal. A few seconds ticked by before she remembered she could fly. But she couldn't, Robin's hand grabbed hers, and to be honest, it felt good.
" Why? " he asked softly. Kaleah closed her eyes, wishing she could be anywhere else right now. " I thought you felt the same. "
" Felt. I used to, but not anymore. I'm sorry Robin. " Kaleah lied. " Can you please let me go now? "
" No. I don't believe you. " Robin's fingers crossed through Kaleah's. " Turn around, look me in the eye, and tell me that. Then I'll believe you. "
Kaleah sighed and turned around to face Robin. She inhaled a shaky breath and lifted her head. She raised her eyes to look into Robin's mask, knowing that he was probably looking straight back at her. Her hands balled into tight fists; the beads on her bracelet making small jingles.
" Wuh...We... " Kaleah couldn't say it; nothing in the world couldn've gotten her to say it. She gave up, she thrust her arms around Robin and hugged him like there was no tomorrow. " I can't say it... "
Robin returned the embrace, he could feel his entire body relax. He had really thought she'd reject him. No one said a word, Kaleah just wanted to have Robin hold her and vice versa. Suddenly, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven were in the room with them, right when Robin kissed Kaleah on the head. He saw first since Kaleah had her face buried in his chest.
" Nighttime cuddling? " Beast Boy grinned sweetly.
" This is glorious! " Starfire beamed.
--
We all want this to be a fairy tale ending where Kaleah and Robin live happily ever after. But we all know there's a bittersweet conclusion. Let me tell you this, Kaleah's last year and a half alive was probably her best. Her greatest victory as a Titan was probably the whole Catgirl episode. Right now, the Titans were taking down Johnny Rancid who had tried to deface Kaleah's little memorial. You could not imagine how steamed Robin was. Actually, many of the civilians were angry too, since Kaleah had become friends with most of them. The police hauled Johnny away in cuffs, leaving the Titans standing with the memorial. It was a small lightning bolt on the beach, in Kaleah's favorite spot. Robin stooped over to wipe off some algae and something purely white shone in the sunlight. Encircling his left wrist, was Kaleah's bracelet.
--
June 8 -12:01am
Robin sat there, with Kaleah in his arms. She looked as if she had fallen asleep but in truth, she had passed on. The beads of her bracelet, now solely white, sparkled in the moonlight. She had left Robin to reminisce of their last moments together.
--REWIND--
11:30pm
Kaleah sat with her back leaning on Robin's chest. The night was cool so they had wrapped themselves with some blankets. For about half an hour, they had been sitting in complete silence. Nothing but the sound of the waves crashing against the tiny island shore could be heard. Robin truly didn't know what to say at this point. He wanted to tell her he loved her but something held back.
" Enjoy this; you're making it too serious. "
Half-heartedly, he laughed. " So I've been told. " People called him serious so many times, that there were literally too many to count.
11:58pm
Kaleah's head lay against Robin's chest, listening to his heartbeat. Hers was desperately trying to follow, but it was weaker, slower. A wave of sadness washed over her, but she didn't let it show. Something soft and warm grazed her cheeks. It didn't take long for her to realize it was Robin's lips. She felt the exact same sensation as he pressed his lips down on hers and, she smiled into the kiss. Kaleah was the one to break the kiss; her head fell slightly and her eyes shut. Robin assumed she was just relaxing herself.
" Kaleah, I love you,. " he whispered.
Her hands that were on his, started to slip away. Her entire body relaxed into a state of endless slumber. Robin didn't know if she had heard him or not, and he regretted not telling her till now. He assumed she would know. He pulled her back up to him, holding her tenerly. Softly he planted a kiss to her temple, and let his tears flow freely. Slowly, he picked her up, forgetting about the blankets, and sighed. In the silence, he heard some noises, the sound of something ceramic-like hitting the floor. He looked down to find white beads, the beads from Kaleah's bracelets, spread all over.
--
He brought Kaleah down to the infirmary where Cyborg was waiting. Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire stood at the doors with their heads bowed. But anyone could tell that Beast Boy, Starfire, andCyborgwere crying and Raven was mourning. After handing over Kaleah, he went back up to the roof to pick up all the beads. Eighteen beads for eighteen years, and of the eighteen, Robin had less than three with her. The ring of his commuincator broke the midnight quiet.
" Robin! Get down here right now! " Cyborg screamed at him.
--
" So this means... " Raven trailed off, not sure if she had gotten the concept.
" Yes, it means Kaleah isn't dead. She's in a prolonged comatose state. " Cyborg grinned.
" Is that a good thing? " Robin's tone indifferent.
" Partially because I think there can, and will be a cure for her. "
--
For four years, Kaleah lay in the bed in her room. Just recently, Cyborg who had joined forces with Arabella and Ferrah made a serum that was hypothesized to work, and gave it to Kaleah. Since that day, in his free time, Robin would sit at her bedside and just hope. There were days when he felt her hand twitch, and saw her eyes moving under their lids. But when he had frantically rushed to Cyborg, told him to run diagnostics, the stats came out the same as before.
He took Kaleah's hand in his, holding it up to his forehead. He closed his eyes as a random funny thought crossed his mind, making his lips curl into a smile. Kaleah had convinced him to take her out for a few hours, like a normal date, but very short. She wouldn't let him go out in his uniform and pratically forced him into a casual dress shirt and jeans. The only thing she did allow him to wear was his mask, having the whole secret identity and all. Kaleah came out of her room in the same top but capris instead of shorts, and her hair pulled into a ponytail.
--
They really didn't know what to do so Robin suggested a walk. It was a nice day, the sun was out and the breeze was gentle. Now, if Robin weren't wearing his mask, there'd be a lot less stares. They walked and talked about science. Yes, it was a weird topic to be talking about, but it was something they had in common. Robin was able to talk science to Kaleah and she'd actually understand, unlike a certain green friend. But that wasn't the weirdest part, Kaleah began to talk about the physicology concept of something and she lost him. She explained it to be something her guardians used to blather on and on about.
Sadly, their get-together was cut short when their communicators rang simultaneously. It was some new guy who called himself Soundwave. He probably wore the funniest, and most like most original, costume the Titans had ever laid eyes on. He chose his colors to be dark purple and golden yellow. Earrings shaped like woofers dangled on his left ear lobe. The costume itself was the dark purple, and the decorations in the golden yellow. The decorations were mostly spirals; one on his chest, one on each of his forearms, the back of his hands, and the toes of his boots.
Kaleah's face pinched together in her attempt to not burst out laughing. Robin, along with the other Titans, had gotten used to the excess laughing and/or taunting. But it did a lot to reduce the stress and pressure of many situations. The laughing stopped when Soundwave snapped his yellow-gloved fingers. The newsstand next to Kaleah exploded;shreds of pale paper floated in the air. She was blown into a car, leaving a very noticable dent.
" I am Soundwave, but you can call me The Collector, " he declared. " I collect the legendary heros and heroines for my gallery, and I intend to start with the Teen Titans. All I need is the two of you, and I will be able to move on to others. "
" I'm sorry but the Titans are off the shelves, " said Robin.
" We were never on the shelves in the first place, " Kaleah spat, rather disgusted at the man's hobby.
" Then it is about time you're put back on the market! " Soundwave, or The Collector, clapped his hands together, generating a transparent soundwave shaped like a spiral. Kaleah put her arms infront of her in an X to block the oncoming impact. She was able to stand her ground, just that she slid back a few inches. A Bird-A-Rang sped by Soundwave's head but Soundwave skillfully dodged the sharp object.
" What did you do to our friends? " Robin demanded as he sidestepped a current of soundwaves.
Soundwave didn't answer but he did clap his hands at Kaleah again. This time she shattered his attack with and attack of her own. She threw her fist right into the center of the spiral, and it broke. He snapped his fingers and their air around Kaleah spontaneously combusted, sending her into flight. Robin engaged Soundwave in hand to hand combat but, it wasn't exactly fair since Soundwave benefitted with his powers. The fight goes on, and at one point Robin knocks him off his feet and Kaleah zaps the living daylights out of Soundwave.
--
He opens his eyes to discover a pair of glistening brown eyes looking back at him; these eyes told him that four years ago, on they night they were to close and never open again, his three little words were heard.
The End.