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Raven sat casually on the rooftop across the from the Cuba Libre. The building she was sitting on was another restaurant of some sort, she hadn't really bothered to look. Her main objective was to blend in with the darkness and watch Joseph and Starfire from afar. In her mind, she had no reason to be here. Sure, it was a bit of a coincidence that Joseph only had one eye, but she felt that Robin was overestimating Slade just a bit.

Would he really go this far to destroy them?

It seemed like an eternity that she had been sitting out here, shivering slightly in the early December cold. She wasn't quite used to the sudden temperature change, one that most people would call normal. This was as cold as it got here in California, reaching the low seventies. Sometimes, she wished it would snow, just to make Winter seem more like…well, winter. She vaguely remembered Starfire questioning why Santa Claus drove a sleigh and not a ship like the Titans did.

She was just about ready to leave, even knowing that Robin was probably tracking her every move via communicator, when Joseph and Starfire walked out of the restaurant…

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"That food was absolutely delicious!" Starfire exclaimed, smiling.

He chuckled ever so slightly at her. "I figured you would like it. Most people abhor the spices in the foods…"

She shook her head. "The foods reminded me of those at the festival of Chanknas on my home planet. We eat a variety of foods for a newly engaged couple."

They had spent almost the entire dinner talking about their pasts, since Robin had brought a large part of Joseph's in the tower. The food had been great, if not expensive as Starfire had found out from a quick peek at the bill. Two hours had flown by in what felt like minutes, making it around ten at night or so.

The tower shone brightly in the distance as they stopped at their usual place, the corner of a desolate street. It was the halfway point between the tower and Joseph's house as they had come to figure out after a few meetings. The pair stood for a few seconds, their deep breaths and the sounds of misplaced crickets shrieking some tune filling the air.

"Well, I really should be getting back to the tower…" Starfire said awkwardly, her eyes somehow locked with Joseph's.

She expected the usual goodbye, and perhaps even another kiss on the forehead. But instead, Joseph grabbed both of her hands and pinned them to the wall of a nearby building. All she could do was watch him with her eyes wide as he brought her into a sweeping kiss. She couldn't reject him, if she had any reason to, considering her hands were bound to wall by his robust grasp. It was a soft kiss, the complete opposite of what she had been expecting.

The kissed seem to end far too soon as he pulled his lips away slowly, a small sigh escaping him.

"I…I'm sorry…" He said darkly, still not letting go of her hands, something was possessing him at the moment…

She took this moment to stare at him, emotions flickering through her like an old movie. Only had she been in this position in her dreams, to have someone staring back at her with such desire and lust…

Slade chastised himself. He had to clear his mind or otherwise he could go insane. It had been just an impulse to kiss her like this, it didn't mean anything….

Or so he tried to tell himself.

No. This was part of the plan. If he acted like he needed her so badly, she would bow to him with her own 'love'.

Hell, he was surprised she hadn't protested this. His original thought would be that it would take months to charm her to this point.

But It had only been a few weeks, and already he could see she wouldn't be going back to the tower, no, not tonight. He would make sure of it. He would get the forbidden pleasure he hadn't had in years and it would be worth all of the acting.

"I…I need to…" She began, but couldn't force the words out her mouth.

He held his gaze, keeping his lips centimeters from hers. "You can't tell me you don't need this…. need me…" His voice sent rolling, seductive thunder through her veins.

Starfire closed her eyes, conflicting emotions running rapidly through her body. From her head to her toes, she tingled in anticipation that he would kiss her again. Thoughts of Robin went through her head like a flash of lightening, she was still confused about her feelings towards him…

But she pushed it all those thoughts away.

None of them mattered tonight.

"I do not need you…." She said, opening her eyes slowly. His expression faltered, he was surprised. But her lips parted slightly in a smile as she continued. "I do not need you…but I want you…"

He chuckled wickedly and enveloped her mouth in a deep kiss, this time with a tiny bit of force. His tongue began an assault on hers, massaging it gently with some unbeknownst skill. She arched forward slightly, body pressing further into his.

This was all she had dreamed about for weeks upon weeks, this one forbidden kiss.

Her hands fell to her sides as he released them from his grasp finally. His fingers found much more splendor in dancing on the surface of her skin. Her own fingers traced his jaw, memorizing the perfect curve with utmost carnal intent.

He pulled his lips away from hers to whisper gently in her ear, "Do you still plan on going home tonight?"

A moan was trapped in her throat as he nibbled softly on her ear lobe. She spoke carefully, "Are…Are you suggesting that we…"

"Precisely." He said instantly in a seductive whisper. "We've gone far too long without it, wouldn't you say?"

She couldn't take it anymore. Too much was on her mind right now. She needed it all to just go away. Lust, curiosity and confusion. Just the very thought of what she was in for caused a wave of heat to sweep over her.

She wanted this.

She needed this.

Needed him.

The moan she had been keeping captive left her throat softly. "Lead the way to your house….let us not waste time."

The slight pain in her wrists told her that he had the potential to be a rough lover, but she could tolerate that…

'I'm sorry Robin…' She thought brokenly as Joseph took her hand and began to lead the way.

And that would be the very last thought she would have of the boy wonder for a long while.

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Raven had seen enough. Their body language and auras revealed their entire night to her clear as day. She frowned slightly, mostly for Robin, and stood up, taking a deep breath. Starfire wouldn't be coming home tonight; certainly not. But how would she break this news to Robin without breaking him…?

Giving an exasperated sigh, she flew back to the tower, images of Joseph and Starfire replaying over in her head. It had been like a car crash, a scene she couldn't look away from.

Starfire….

What had she just gotten herself into?

Of course people, especially these days, were ready to have sex with each other the first night they met and some delayed it a few weeks, or again, even less. So perhaps this shouldn't bother her so much….

But Starfire wasn't most people

She was like a small child, unknowing of all the strange earthen cultures and now some man she had just met a few weeks ago was going to engage in one of the most crucial parts in an earthling's life.

Raven always had heard Cyborg and Beast Boy joking that Robin and Starfire had probably already slept with each other numerous times, and sometimes even she herself would be close to believing it.

But that idea was completely thrown to the curb now. She would have to tell Robin the truth plain and simple. There wasn't a story good enough that she could make up to cover all his suspicions.

She barely even registered her hand turning on the knob, opening the door to the main room. Instantly greeted with a dismal warm air from a small heater, she looked up to see the three boys on the couch.

Cyborg and Beast Boy engaged in video games while Robin sat bored flicking one of his birdrangs open and closed.

"Raven…" He said, looking up, noticing her presence instantly.

She took in a deep breath of air, trying to force the grim look off of her face. He stood up instantly as Cyborg and Beast Boy paused their game, they must have been waiting for this information too, even if just a bit.

"So, did something happen?" He walked over to her.

"Well, no….not really." Raven muttered. Sympathy . Such an evil thing it was. It riddled her mind now.

"What do you mean?" He was curious now, worried.

Her mouth twitched into almost a scowl now. If this had been anyone else she would have just spit it out, told him exactly what happened and let him deal with it.

"They went out to dinner came out and…that's it." She muttered.

Robin didn't seem satisfied with that. "So why aren't they home?"

"I don't know." The lie slipped out before she could catch it. "They walked out of the restaurant and started heading towards here so….I left."

She couldn't hurt him like that. It probably was better to tell him the truth now, but he would sit the whole night in denial, in pain. Or he would go out looking for them, an even more dangerous result.

"Oh….so she'll be home soon then, right?" He was trying to ease himself, anyone could see that.

Raven gave a small nod. "We'll see….But don't worry, okay? He wasn't doing anything suspicious, she's fine with him…" She swallowed the truth back like a horrible sickness.

Robin watched as Raven drifted off to her room without another word. Cyborg and Beast Boy went back to playing video games without giving any sign as to whether or not they believed this. He wasn't about to let off his opinion either.

"I'm going to go out…" He muttered.

Cyborg seemed to pick up his almost inaudible speech. "Rob…I think it's best you stay here, you're still…"

"I'm fine." He said hastily, walking to the door.

"You won't find her…."

Robin stopped but didn't look over his shoulder. "You underestimate me."

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Two whole hours. That's how long he had been searching for her. Roaming the city from nearly coast to coast, building tops and city streets with absolutely no results. He had even looked into a few late night diners and clubs with hope that they had perhaps extended their date.

He wished that she would have taken her communicator with her, but it had been turned off even before she left. It sat lying under her pillow in her room, being of no use to her if she were in trouble.

Perhaps he was just being paranoid. He was just uneasy about Starfire because she was a bit naïve, he was worried that she might fall into trouble without even really realizing it. It wasn't about her date, that fact that he creeped the hell out of Robin…..

One Eye.

No. He didn't care what the others said. That man was the devil in a dress shirt.

Slade.

Currently, Robin sat in one of the diners he had checked in. A cup of coffee sat in front of him, barely even touched other than stirring in a bit of sugar and creamer. The solitary waitress and the other two patrons were giving him worried looks. His expression was dead, pale and weakened. He felt sick…

Knowing she was with him.

Willingly.

"Hey Kid, even superheroes need sleep too you know." The older woman suggested gently, standing in front of his table.

He broke out of his spell, looking up at her. She placed the bill down silently and he glanced at it.

A dollar twelve for a cup of coffee he didn't even drink.

His masked eyes wandered over to the window, he could see his pitiful reflection. Worn, pale, dazed. He had let himself go over this. There was nothing more he needed right now than a good nights sleep.

Slapping a ten dollar bill down on the table, he left promptly. It didn't take him long to get back home. He still didn't go to that bed he needed so desperately, he just sat in the kitchen, staring at the clock that read a sound '1:32'A.M.

It was then the door slid open almost soundlessly. Robin looked over, holding his breath as she walked in, trying to be silent in case anyone where around. Her eyes looked worn as if she needed sleep as bad as he did. The dress that had looked so prim and proper when she left was a ruffled mess now.

"Starfire." He said, not even realizing his voice was capable of leaving his throat now.

She swallowed a startled scream and looked over at him. "Robin…" She breathed out. "You startled me…"

He could tell where she had come from. What she had been doing. But he almost refused to believe it. After a few seconds of stalling, she walked over to him. He could see by the dull red of her lips that she had been wearing fire truck red lipstick earlier that night, but it was all gone now. Half of it left behind on a wine glass….the other half….

"Did you still not sleep as we all requested? Please tell me that you have eaten." Worry lined her expression.

She seemed to be ignoring her appearance. Dismal bits of sweat lined her brow, causing even more of her strange bangs to cling to her face. Did she hope he would overlook the red bite marks on her neck? Hell, she probably hadn't been expecting him at all.

"Starfire…." It was all he could manage out again. The words left his mouth like jagged pieces of glass, hurting him with each syllable. "Why are you home so late…?"

It was a stupid question. He knew the answer damn well, but needed to hear it from her. Perhaps it would help him actually try and believe it.

Star looked away for a second, a long sigh escaping her. "Please, you really require some slee-…"

"No!" His yell echoed throughout the room long after it was gone. Cascading off the walls in a brilliant display of his internal pain. "Why won't you answer me?"

The tears stung her eyes. "I…I do not wish to hurt you…"

He fought back his own tears, glaring painfully at her. "If you didn't want to hurt me….Why did you do it in the first place?"

"Why does this concern you? I can do what I wish with my body and…and…" She said, her sobs beginning to escape.

"Don't you get it by now Starfire?" He stood up, trying to stop the tears from sliding out of his eyes. "All these years, this entire time that you've been with Joseph…I've loved you…"

The mascara she had been wearing was streaming down her face now. She turned her back on him, refusing to hear such a ridiculous thing. So many countless years chasing after him, her heart about to burst with her love for him….She let that all go to pursue Joseph because she thought he had no interest in her whatsoever

That's the only reason she let her relationship get this far…the only reason she…she…

Please forgive me.

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A/N: Wow, what a depressing, yet sultry chapter, yes? Slade's becoming quite evil isn't he? Sleeping with Starfire…naughty boy. Tehe. Well, next chapter I'm hoping to get more into Slade's actual plan on what he's going to do with Starfire. 'scuse the sloppiness of this chapter, it was a bit rushed because I didn't realize Wednesday came so damn fast and well…three words: Social Studies Sucks.

Pat and Rose...I don't know where you two have gone to, but, well there's always next chapter...

So, please continue to read and review!

Love,

Emmery