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Commentor: Sorry, I didn't see a 'femslash fic only' sign. If that's the only kind of fic you like, then that's your misfortune. "shego and slade are a bit too extreme," Considering 'Birthmark' and kneecapping Kid Flash in the comics, this has been pretty mild for Slade thus far. And as far as for Shego being bloodthirsty, wouldn't everyone be a little more violent if they worked for a guy named DEATHstroke?

Keep Your Friends Close by Cabel

Chapter 7

Rhythmic thuds echoed throughout the halls of Titan Tower. Leather clashed on leather as Robin continued the workout he started since the meeting adjourned. Designed to train strength, speed, and reflexes; Robin punched and kicked four heavy bags around him and would react to the way the bags swung. Robin was so focused on the exercise that he didn't even notice Starfire enter the room.

"Robin?" Starfire said with a welcoming smile.

Not missing a step, Robin replied, "Yes?"

"Kim and Ron have decided to look around the city. Seeing as it's their first time here, I was thinking, perhaps you and I could accompany them."

Robin landed a front kick on a bag. "Slade is out there five steps ahead of us, meanwhile we're stuck unless Wade and Cyborg can figure out the deal is behind Telecon. I…we have to be ready to move as soon as any opportunity may arise."

"Kim has assured me of Wade's 'techno-skills.' And I am confident that Raven can overlook things while we're gone."

Robin landed an elbow on the bag to his right. "We're not tour guides Star. You know as well as I do that we can't take chances with Slade."

Star's expression became a mix of concern and frustration. "Can't take chances? From what I recall, the only one who takes chances is you."

The comment made Robin miss the bag, almost sending himself off balance. "Huh?"

"I may not know humans that well, but I do know you. You haven't been sleeping, and even now you're trying to block us out because you're so focused on your vendetta against Slade…"

One of the bags flew off its handle and across the room from the force of Robin's kick.

"After all that's happened? He forced me to fight my friends, haunted my mind with illusions, and after what he did to Terra, to Raven. After all the suffering he's caused, you still call my desire to bring him to justice a vendetta?"

Then Starfire replied with a stern voice, "And what of the suffering your 'desire' has caused?" Robin was taken back by the comment. Starfire continued.

"It was you who lied to us behind the guise of Red X, you allowed us to believe that you had betrayed us…"

"I was forced too Star, for your safety." Robin said in defense.

"…We didn't care for the risk, we wanted our leader, I wanted my friend back!" Starfire said with anger, and also with a hint of sadness. "Slade has done terrible things, yes, but none of us alone have ever been able to defeat him, only as a team." Starfire calmed down. "And I worry that whatever course of action you may take this time will only result in worse consequences, not just for me and the Titans, but also for Kim and Ron now that they are involved."

Robin grabbed her hand, trying to reassure her. "It isn't like that anymore Star. I'm not going to betray your trust again."

"You've said that before as well." Star took her hand back. "Kim and Ron are waiting for me, I hope you'll reconsider." Starfire left the room, leaving Robin uncertain of what to say or do. Then he felt a tug on his cape; Robin looked down and saw Rufus looking up at him like a parent to a child.

"What do you want?" Robin asked. Even though he couldn't understand a word the rodent was saying, it was still pretty clear. Robin gave one of the bags a half-hearted punch before letting out a sigh.

Kim and Ron had been waiting outside of the tower for several minutes, hoping to be joined by a pair of escorts. Instead they saw Starfire float down from one of the higher levels, her head held low.

"He is not coming." The trio started on their way when a red motorcycle with a double sidecar suddenly cut them off. The rider took off his helmet and revealed himself.

"Anyone need a lift?" Robin asked, his offer accepted with smiles.

Shego spun, and punched, and kicked through the emptiness of the chamber. The light from her ignited hands could only be described as beautiful, like fireflies in the summer. But her thoughts were anything but beautiful. In her mind she kept going over all the people she resented, and how she was going to hurt them in ways like never before.

Slade, the Titans, Kim Possible especially. Shego's thoughts started to focus on the red-headed cheerleader, replaying every encounter in her head, every punch, every kick, one humiliating defeat after another!

But there was something else, something in Shego's anger that went deeper. Like a door that hadn't been opened for a long time. Something significant. One of those rare instances that all that defines a person can be traced back to one thing…

Something…

Something…

Someone…

'Her!'

With that thought a face emerged from the darkness, startling Shego.

Ron, Kim, Robin, and Starfire burst out laughing. The four had spent the past couple hours touring around Jump City, Robin and Starfire pointing out various places where they had defeated the likes of Plasmus, Cinderblock, and others. Now they had stopped at the Titans' favorite pizza place for lunch, and were exchanging stories of their past adventures.

"…And worst of all, Raven got turned into a bunny!" Robin said between laughs.

"I can so relate." Kim responded. "I mixed up with one of Monkey Fist's mystical power schemes and nearly got turned into a monkey."

"In addition, I'm scared to death of monkeys." Ron added.

"Why is that?" Starfire asked.

"Summer camp mascot, long story."

"Even though you did spend the day with a real monkey, thinking it was me." Kim remarked.

"Mistake on my part, but it's the thought that counts." Ron replied. "I faced my fear and stayed with the monkey out of loyalty to my friend."

"That, I can relate to." Robin said. "I have this friend who used to be afraid of bats…"

'Lousy place to put a mirror.' Shego thought as she turned up the lights. Of all people, she allowed herself to be startled by her own reflection. She couldn't tell if she was frustrated because she was embarrassed or the other way around. She moved to continue her training, but then she saw herself again in the mirror. It was probably the first time she had really looked at herself in a while.

She slowly approached the mirror and reached out to it, as if she needed some reassurance that it was indeed her she was looking at. With her finger she traced the outline of her face, and slowly she could see her reflection change. The green in her hair faded into a shade of brunette, her complexion was now tanned, and those empty emerald eyes vanished to reveal a beautiful pair of baby blues.

As Shego continued to run her hand along the glass more images started to surface. Family, friends, school, all of everyday life. All associated with this girl in the mirror.

'It was all for her…'

"This is impossible!" Beast Boy yelled. "Unbelievable! Absolutely unprecedented in all recorded history!"

"Like you never lost a game before." Cyborg said before getting back to work on his console.

"Yeah, but I never lost to a rodent before!" Beast Boy said, pointing to Rufus, who was in the middle of his eighth consecutive victory dance.

"When dealing with a higher life form, what'd you expect?" Raven said without looking up from her book.

"He beat you at chess, so don't even start." Beast Boy responded.

"………..he got lucky."

It was getting late in the afternoon and there was still no word from Wade and Cyborg. Whoever was behind Telecon must've hidden their tracks really good. Not that Kim, Ron, Robin, and Starfire were in a hurry. This was probably the only break they'd get before it is all said and done, might as well enjoy it.

After a long day of sightseeing, the four were now walking along the beach; Titan Tower could be seen across the bay. Ron felt a slight tug on his hand, and followed Kim's lead as the two slowed their walk. Robin and Starfire kept walking for several more feet before they turned and saw the couple from Middleton sitting down, apparently enjoying the view.

"Should we be heading back to the tower?" Starfire asked.

Robin looked at the couple. "Nah, let them have some time alone." He paused for a moment. "So, you wanna sit down?" Starfire answered with a nod. Robin took off his cape and laid it out like a beach blanket.

"So far, so good." Kim commented as she watched the two teammates sit, trying to act as casual as possible. "Crime fighter one minute, relationship counselor the next." Ron said. "You really can do anything."

"As if there was any doubt." Kim responded. "Maybe I should get a talk show."

"'Talk about him with Kim.' Definitely, Oprah has nothing on you." Ron added. "But still, this is a little on the random side. You know, considering our current S&S (Slade & Shego) situation."

"True. When Star told me about what has happened between her and Robin and Slade, I noticed how I related to them. Star has all this heart and passion that she wants to share, yet she isn't sure how to at times. And Robin, I can understand what it's like to have your work take over your life, though not on the level that Star seems to imply."

"You two do seem to qualify for the 'high maintenance' column." Ron said.

"Of course, I always had you to keep things in perspective." Kim said as she wrapped her arm around Ron's torso. "Before we rush off to our next goals." She continued. "We 'high-maintenance' types sometimes need to be reminded of what we already have."

While Kim and Ron continued their conversation/observation, Robin and Starfire hadn't said a word since sitting down. And the silence was getting very uncomfortable.

"I apologize." Starfire said.

"For what?"

"For this morning. I was, 'out of line.'"

"This isn't the military Star. You had every right to say what you did."

"But not to place guilt for what was not your fault." She sighed. "After seeing so may of our friends hurt, I'm…afraid of what would become of the Titans, what would become of me, if anything happened to you. Of all my friends Robin, I care for you the most."

"But there still is part of the blame that's mine. I've betrayed your trust time and again, and allowed Slade to blind me from the one's I care for the most." Robin slowly moved his over Starfire's, causing them both to blush. "I kept telling myself that the ends justified the means, but without you trust Star, without you at my side, it isn't wor-"

Robin's apology/confession was cut off when Starfire suddenly leaned over and met her lips with Robin's. However, Starfire quickly pulled back, apparently as surprised as Robin was.

"I'm so sorry Robin I don't know what came over me it's just that I didn't know what else to say and yet so much has already been said and I didn't know what to say without saying it so I-" Robin placed his index finger on her lip.

"You've said plenty." He said before the two met in a second kiss. Only much longer, and much more passionate.

From their seat, Kim and Ron watched the situation unfold. "A little more forward than I was expecting," Kim said. "But it all worked out well in the end."

"Well?" Ron said. "It's the best idea I've heard all day." He added as him and Kim leaned in for their own kiss.

"It's because of you isn't it?" Shego said to the images in the mirror. "It's because of you I still fight. Because of you I still resist Slade, all in some attempt to keep your memory alive. But there's no point to it is there. No point in resisting, no point in trying to save one who's already dead." With that Shego raised her fist and smashed the mirror into countless shards.

"No more."

"Shego." Slade's voice said through her earplug. "It's time to move forward with the next phase of our plan. Report in."

"Yes master." Shego said as she lifted her open hand towards the mirror shards. "Just…cleaning the slate." She then watched as the shards slowly melted, taking with them her reflection, and another lifetime.

A/N: So sorry that it took so long. I just couldn't get in "The Zone." And whenever I did, something would be there to kick me back out. I felt like Groucho and Chico in 'Horsefeather,' "That's no way to walk into a speakeasy, that's how you walk out." But don't worry, we've had enough fluff and exposition. Next time, things are gonna get crazy, and things are gonna get violent, I promise.