Chapter Nine: "Afraid of the Dark"
Robin woke up in an instant, like someone had wakened him so he couldn't hear the answer to his question. He looked around his room, nobody was there. Since he was afraid to go back to sleep he got out of bed and put his uniform on. He wanted to go check on Starfire to see if she was ok and that she was still alive, but he didn't want Starfire to know what it was he was dreaming of. Actually, he couldn't tell her. It would be too painful and it would scare her away. He walked out of his room and down to the main room. From there he started making tea.
Meanwhile, Raven was picking up strong emotions that were coming from Robin. Some how, she saw bits and pieces of his dreams, but she couldn't hear them, she could just see them.
Shadows . . . a girl, brown hair, hazel eyes, red lips, a black suit, and black high heel boots. Pale skin, paler then Raven's.
Starfire . . . running straight into Robin's arms. He was obviously overjoyed to see her. But she was scared, terrified even.
A girl appeared before Robin and Starfire. She took a few steps closer. But soon fell through the floor, but when Robin leaned over to see where she went, all he found was a shadowed floor. He turned around to see if Starfire was ok. There she was, lying on the floor with a single light shining over her. Robin shouted as he ran to her, but she was unconscious. He kneeled down and tried to pick her up, but his hands went straight through her, as though she was an illusion.
Robin got up and looked around. He walked a few steps away from Starfire. But quickly turned back around when he heard her scream, he ran back to her and found her bleeding. He tried to pick her up, but again he could not. Starfire seemed to have noticed him and looked up. Starfire was crying as she tried to talk to Robin, Raven knew she was having a hard time. Robin once again, tried to hold Starfire, but was unable to. He buried his face in his hands. Robin looked down at her. After she said something she fell silent. No breathing, no movements, she was gone. Robin was furious and upset. He cried into the darkness, still trying to touch her.
He awoken from his sleep when Starfire had passed away. She put her cloak on and ran from her room to Starfire's. She phased right through it. She didn't wake Starfire, but she did make sure she was still alive. When she felt better she went back out of the door and down to the main room.
The door swished open and she saw Robin on the couch. She got herself a cup of tea and joined him. Robin didn't look at her, but kept his eyes on the ocean. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Raven broke the silence.
"I had a nightmare." She said to him.
"Of what?" he asked, taking a sib from his cup.
"Robin, what's bothering you? Why can't you sleep?" She asked, avoiding his question completely.
"Nothing, honest. I've just got a lot on my mind." Robin tried to lie to her, but Raven knew it wasn't nothing, it was something.
Raven set her cup, and Robin's, on the coffee table. Robin was about to say something, but Raven stopped him by talking first.
"Robin," she started, "I know about your nightmare."
Robin was about to lie to her, to tell her it wasn't a nightmare, but she interrupted him again.
"Robin, you can't tell me that Starfire dying is a nothing. You were, upset. I saw it Robin, bits and pieces. I couldn't hear anything, but I saw it. Robin, what's going on?" She asked, now looking at him, a concerned look on her face, which was the first time Robin had ever seen this side of her.
"How did you know about my dream?" he whispered, trying not to yell or making any loud noises that would wake his sleeping comrades.
"That was my nightmare, that's why I'm awake. Robin, you're stressed out, and when people are stressed I can see things. I don't know how, but I can."
"I'm going to try to go to sleep." Robin said, and he got up and started walking, but was soon stopped when Raven grabbed his arm.
"Robin, I'm here for you. You can tell me anything, we have a bond and I know when you're in need of talking. Don't be afraid to see Me." she let go and he started walking out. "Robin," Raven said, louder than before, Robin turned around. "I'll do everything within my power to keep her safe. I promise." Robin smiled at her and she joined him at the door. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you. She means a lot to me." he whispered.
"I know." Raven smiled, not from the kiss, but at his remark. She knew he loved her; she was just waiting for it to come out.
Robin didn't feel like sleeping, let alone going in his room. So instead of going to his room, he went to Starfire's. He snuck in and sat down on the floor in the corner. He had a wonderful view and just watched her as she slept.
She's so beautiful, he thought to himself. And tomorrow, I'm going to tell her how I feel before it's too late. After thinking of ways to tell her, he began falling asleep. The last thing he swore he saw was Starfire and her white wings. A true Angel, he thought.
Poke, poke, poke. Robin felt himself being stabbed in the arm by something. He stirred but didn't wake up. Poke, poke, poke.
"Stop." he said in a low whisper and turned over and fell back to sleep.
"Robin? Robin!" Starfire called out. Poke, poke, poke. Robin turned his body around and opened his eyes half way.
"Starfire?" he asked, still sleeping.
"Robin why are you in my room?" she asked, both happy, yet slightly disturbed.
"Your room?" he asked, looking around. "Oh my gosh!" he yelled out, jumping up and scaring Starfire.
"I'm so sorry Star, I didn't, I mean, it's not what you think!" he tried explaining.
"Robin, you were . . . scared?" she asked. Robin didn't really think about it. "Of the dark?" she added, noticing Robin's confused look. She giggled.
"Oh, ya. The dark, ya." he blushed.
"Robin, next time you are afraid of the dark, please wake Me." she giggled.