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Feel the fear, and do it anyway.
-anonymous
And I held my toungue as she told me
"Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back
-Death Cab for Cutie "I Will Follow You Into the Dark"
Chapter 4
Cyborg heard the splash as he was leaving to find Robin and show him the disc. He turned for a moment, as it came from the direction Starfire had left, then figured that she could fly and would be out in a second. He started walking again, but the nagging in his stomach made him turn around again. He ran through the dilapidated door and saw the Tamaranian sinking, a red cloud following her, her eyes closed, her body limp.
He cursed and ran, yelling for Robin. He was too big to fit through the pipes and poles littering the pool.
Robin gave a final wave to the Titans that had gone on ahead to the Tower when he heard the heavy footfalls. Cyborg ran and grabbed him, panting.
"Starfire-pool-hit her head-drowning!" But Robin had already taken off before he finished his scattered thoughts. Cyborg stopped running and put his hands on his knees to catch his breath. The human inside of him was tired, even though he was at almost full power, and Robin would take care of it.
Cyborg heard a creak from above him. He just dodged the beam that fell where he had been standing.
The remaining skeleton of the tower was about to collapse, and Robin was running into the heart of the Tower.
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Speedy watched as the ruins of Titans East became part of the horizon. "Are those three coming?" he asked.
Beast Boy dangled his legs over the edge of the rock and enjoyed the wind ruffling his hair. "You know Robin. He probably wants to be sure that there's no evidence. We'll reach the tower before them, though," he said. "Look at all that traffic!"
Raven glanced down and saw the line of cars along the highway. "An accident. See the red car?"
"Whoa!" Aqualad's disc wobbled.
"Oops," Raven said. She closed her eyes and the disc grew steady again. Good thing it hadn't been Robin's motorcycle. She would have been tempted to drop it.
"Are you getting tired?" asked Terra. Raven looked at her and shook her head. The girl in purple made a mental note to show Terra that she still had her other clothes in her old room.
"I'm okay," she said. "Just got distracted is all."
"You look tired," Aqualad said with a slight grin. "Maybe the R-cycle is too heavy?" Raven looked back at him and he winked. She gave a small smile and replied with a nod.
"Beast Boy," she said, "Today's your lucky day."
"Ohhhhh yeahhhh!"
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Robin was scared. Scared of the fact that he might be too late because he couldn't reach her...and at the same time he was scared that he would reach her, and find he was too late. Either way, Robin's current fear was time. He heard the building rumble, and Cyborg yell, but it was out of his mind as soon as it entered.
It was his fault. He shouldn't have stood around talking; there would have been time later. He should have been searching for clues with her.
As he was thinking this, Robin ripped off his cape and shoes and dove into the pool through a gap in the twisted pipes. Everything was blue and fuzzy and silent. Peices of beams and metals were descending through the water all around him. Robin panicked for a moment when he didn't see Starfire, but soon a glimpse of red caught his eye. He thanked his lucky stars that she had that long and teasing red hair. He swam over and grabbed her quickly but gently around the waist and kicked himself to the surface.
Robin sucked in air after he surfaced with a splash, then crawled out of the pool. He cut his leg on a falling peice of metal and hissed in pain. they needed to get out now. Cyborg ran over, helping him set Starfire on the ground. " She...she's not breathing," he whispered. "Robin, CPR!" he yelled. Robin knelt by Starfire and just as he was about to breath into her, she coughed. And again. And then she started breathing steadily. The building shook violently. Robin grabbed his shoe and narrowly dodged another beam falling behind them. "We have to leave now," he said.
Robin picked up the soaked Tamaranian and ran to the exit. "Is the car that way?" he yelled back to Cyborg. Cyborg grabbed his cape and pressed some buttons on his arm.
"It is now," he yelled back. "Better run!" He blasted a plank that was about to block the way and ran behind Robin, giving him cover when necessary.
Robin ran so fast he didn't feel the cuts on his feet when he flew across the shards of disco ball. He glanced down to check on Starfire and noticed the gash on her head. He cursed out loud for not noticing earlier. His cape was with Cyborg and he had nothing to stop it from bleeding. He sped down a hallway and arrived in the opening that just moments ago he had seen the other Titans off. He was close, and Cyborg was barely keeping up. Everything would be okay. Everything would be okay. His lungs burned and this whole mess was his fault in the first place, but everything would be okay.
The T-car was waiting for them, it seemed like. Cyborg had used his built in control to the car to unlock it and open the doors. Robin dove in quickly and Cyborg ran around to the other side. They barely made it fifty feet before the Tower collapsed behind them.
Robin let out the breath he had been holding ever since he dove into the water. His hair hung in limp, soaking strands, plastered to his face. starfire was leaning against his shoulder, still unconsious. Robin used the med kit and started to wrap it around her head carefully. He put his cape around her shoulders as well absentmindedly.
Cyborg looked at the pair through the rearview mirror. "That was too close," he said. "We must be the luckiest people in the world."
"We Titans can do anything," Robin murmured. His face was downcast. Cyborg noticed this and narrowed his eyes.
"This was in no way your fault," he said sternly. "Don't you start thinking those thoughts of yours that you think whenever bad stuff happens to her." His face softened. "Don't forget to wrap your feet, bro," he said. "I saw you run over all that glass." He threw back some more gauze and cloth that had been laying in the seat beside him.
Robin accepted it and, after checking to make sure Starfire was okay, started to slowly wrap his feet. He looked over at the redhead one more time and said," She needs to go to a doctor."
The traffic always came at the worst times, Robin thought as he watched the clock tick to 3.46.
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Beast Boy whistled cheerfully as he whizzed in between the bottlenecked cars. If it wasn't for the helmet, Beast Boy would be making faces a them. Raven had let him down a few minutes earlier, and , unbeknownst to them, Beast Boy decided to speed the other way. then maybe Robin would see how responsible he was with the motorcycle. And then perhaps he'd get Beast Boy his much needed moped. The changeling drooled just thinking about it. He and Terra, on the town, riding a shiny moped, her blonde hair cascading behind her as she laughed...
Beast Boy grinned and continued on.
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To Robin, the sound of his motorcycle was like a godsend and for the second time that day, he thanked his lucky stars. He had never been so happy to see Beast Boy in his life. Cyborg rolled the window down and waved the green guy over.
Beast Boy passed them, but then backed up when he realized that it was his friends waving to him. He paled and yelped when he looked inside the back seat. "What happened!"
"Long story," Robin replied shortly," but I'll need the R-Cycle back."
Cyborg started. "Oh no you don't! You can't drive that with your feet-"
"She needs a doctor!" Robin ripped the helmet off of Beast Boy's head and held Starfire in front of him, steering with his free hand. Before Cyborg could do anything else, he was speeding off, weaving through the cars much faster than Beast Boy would ever dare to drive. And Beast Boy was the wild one.
Apparently not anymore, Beast Boy thought as he watched Robin become a speck in the distance. He opened the door to the T-Car and hopped in. "So," he began. "Care to share?"
Cyborg shook his head and said," It's kind of a long story."
Beast Boy sighed at the endless line of cars in front of them. "We have kind of a long while, dude."
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Raven rolled her eyes at Beast Boy when she saw him drive off in the opposite direction. Robin would be furious. Aqualad watched the changeling as well. "Do you think he knows that your tower is in the other direction?" he asked. Raven gave him another small smile and realized that in the hour she had known him he'd gotten more smiles out of her than Beast Boy had in a year.
The Tower slowly came into focus on the horizon, and Raven relaxed a bit. Soon she would be home, and she'd get a nice cup of tea...
"Raven?" asked Bumblebee,who had been quiet for most of the ride,"Where will we stay?"
Raven scowled as the thought of tea disappeared from her head. Terra still had her room, and there was one guest room...
"Would you be okay bunking with Beast Boy, Speedy? Under ordinary circumstances I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, but" she said,"We only have one guest room. that'll be Bumblebee's. And Aqualad..."
"Can't I just stay in the water?" asked Aqualad. Raven looked at him apologetically.
"Once you get a cast on that ankle, you'll sink like a stone. And they're not supposed to get wet," she said.
"Aww, darn. I guess I can take the couch then," he said. "Speedy will need the bed more with his rib."
"It's not that bad," Speedy grumbled. Raven recalled his competitive nature, and told him that he'd be active in no time.
Bumblebee smiled at Raven warmly. "I can't wait," she said. "Thank you for being so helpful."
Raven just shrugged and replied,"No big."
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The Boy Wonder weaved in and out of traffic, occasionally cursing at the reckless car trying to escape the traffic jam. Finally, though, he passed the site of the accident and it was open road, silent but for his vehicle. He looked down briefly at Starfire and almost fell out of his seat when he saw her stir and blink her eyes open.
"Robin?" she asked quietly. "I think I hit my head...I feel like a grobsloff...why are we flying"
He gave a quick grin. "It'll be okay, Star," he replied. "Go back to sleep."
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Raven unlocked the Tower and ushered everyone in. "Well, here it is," she said. She led them through the TV room, where the boys started playing video games, into the hall with all the bedrooms.
"Terra," she said. "Here's your room...again. You're across the hall, Bee."
Terra looked around her room, eyes wide. The ceiling was painted with stars, and an old west theme decorated the walls. It was beautiful.
...Wow...they really trust me...
She blinked at the quick memory, and a picture of a volleyball flashed through her mind. She turned to Raven. "Wow," she said. "Thank you."
Raven just waved it off. "It's already yours," she replied. "And there's some of your old clothes in the drawer." Then she and Bumblebee left to find some blankets.
Terra walked around the strange and familiar room. There was a picture on the dresser of everyone, next to a silver heart shaped box. She picked up the box and sat down on her bed.
...Terra? I made this for you...
She could only remember a scrap at a time. It frustrated her. Terra started crying softly. "When will I remember?"
Meanwhile, Raven had shown BumbleBee her room and the young girl was taking a shower. Raven grabbed some blankets and a pillow from the hall closet next to her room and walked back over to the TV. Aqualad sat with his ankle propped on the coffee table.
"Um..." Raven felt suddenly unsure of herself. "Here's some blankets and pillows. Well, one pillow, but let me know if you want more," she said.
"Thanks." Aqualad took the pile from Raven and set it beside him.
An awkward silence ensued.
"Um...you hungry?" Raven finally asked. "When the others get back, Cyborg can take you and Speedy to the doctor, but for now we're hanging out here."
A shrill whistle rang out, and Raven looked towards the kitchen. "That's my tea," she said.
"Can I have some?" Aqualad asked.
"You like tea?" Raven was surprised. Aqualad nodded.
"Hot chocolate's better, " he said,"but tea's pretty good."
Raven gave a ghost of a smile. They were becoming a habit around this guy. She turned into the kitchen to see if there was hot chocolate.
Speedy stood in Beast Boy's room, blanching at the destruction. Clearly there would be some issues between them. Why didn't he just take the couch? Because Aqualad was too darn polite to everyone.
The young archer collapsed onto the bottom bunk and started to fall asleep.
Unfortunately, he would soon be disrupted.
"Aaaaaaahhh!"
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She dreamt of the ocean, and then warmth, and then wind. Her dream was a scattered memory, and as soon as she woke up it spiraled away.
Starfire blinked her eyes and tried to sit up. Not only was it painful to her head, but she also felt the weight of something else holding down a part of the sheet. Her eyes shined when she saw Robin, asleep on the edge of the hospital bed. Then she saw his wrapped up leg and feet and almost felt like crying. Why couldn't she have watched where she was going?
Her rescuer stirred and sat up. "Hey Star," he said groggily. "How're you doing?"
"I'm okay, thanks to you," she replied. Robin shook his head.
"I should have been searching with you, or I could have been there sooner. It was my-"
"Do not ever say that," Starfire almost yelled. "It was an accident, and nothing more." She gave him a kind smile. "We are alright, and that is a blessing."
Robin grinned back.
"Hey Star...what's a grobsloff?"
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"Dude," Beast Boy said. "Robin's crazy."
Cyborg nodded in agreement as he inched the car forward again. "Come on," he begged," Just a quarter mile until our exit..."
Beast Boy smiled mischeiviously. "Y'know, Cy," he said," I'll clear that traffic right up for ya if you want."
Many people went home that day to tell a tale of a large green worm creating a path to Exit 80.
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Raven heard the scream and spilled tea down her front. She hissed, and the mug of hot chocolate exploded as well. But she was out the door and running to Beast Boy's room in a flash. Aqualad saw her dash through and tried to limp quickly after her.
As he limped down the hall, the distant sound of Beast Boy yelling, "Yo, we're back!" rang out through the Tower.
Speedy scrambled off of the bed and came crashing into the hall with a clumsiness so uncharacteristic of him that it apparently came only with fear. His broken rib was momentarily forgotten. Bumblebee came out of the guest room in her yellow flannel pajamas, drying her hair, unaware of what was about to ensue. Terra also came out of her room to see why someone had screamed.
And here came Speedy, being true to his name, running down the hallway yelling. Bumblebee flew out of harm's way, and burst out laughing when she saw what was chasing him. Speedy turned to see why she laughed, and tripped. Terra started laughing hard, wheezing uncontrolably.
Raven arrived and also saw the source of Speedy's scream. She grinned widely, and knew that Happy Raven was in her mind, rolling around with giggles.
Silkie.
Speedy was scared of a silk worm.
Beast Boy scampered in and picked up his beloved pet. Aqualad was behind him, and noticed Raven's smile, and heard Bumblebee's maniacal laughter. Then he saw Speedy, sprawled on the ground, pointing a shaky finger at the thing in Beast Boy's arms. "That thing...it tried to eat me!"
"I guess you're more a cat person, then?" Raven asked. Aqualad and Bumblebee snickered. Terra went over to pet the curious creature, still laughing.
Cyborg came into the now crowded hallway. "It was only being friendly, dude. I'm sure Silkie will be happy to stay with Starfire while you guys are here," he said, giving Beast Boy a look.
Speedy stood up, embarassed, and grabbed his side. "Ow..."
"Right..." Raven said. "Cyborg, will you take these two to the doctor? Aqualad needs a cast, and Speedy's rib...Where's Robin and Starfire?"
Cyborg started shaking his head. "Why don't we all pile into the car and I'll explain on the way." He then remembered the disc from the tower. The robot-human decided to leave it at the Tower; they'd check it later.
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Chapter 4! Longest one yet. How exciting! Chapter 5...dunno when that'll be up, as school starts again tomorrow. Perhaps I'll find time during the week, but at latest it won't be up until next weekend. Good thing this chapter doesn't have a cliffhanger, eh? Review, buddies :)
Happy Raven- you guys know that one episode of TT when Cy and BB go inside Rae's head, right? She has all of the different emotions...that's what I meant by Happy Raven. I'll probably reference the different Ravens more throughout the story, so thought I'd remind you.
-Silver Miracles