Jen: ARE YOU READY TO ROCK? (invisible audience cheers) WELL, TOO BAD. This isn't a rock concert. So…go away. (invisible audience stalks away with fists clenched) Right. Anyway! Welcome to…CHAPTER SIX!
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. If I did I would be INCREDIBLY RICH! But I don't. So…boo hoo.
Anyway! On with the fic.
Good-bye
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT
Blackfire grinned evilly at the screen that showed Starfire's angelic face, "You took Tameran from me, little sister. My home. So now, I will just have to take your little city…"
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT
Starfire awoke with a start. What had happened?
She looked around. She was in a round bed, much like the one in her room. The walls were an off-white color with swirls of light pink. The door leading out was substantially larger than Earth doors.
Starfire suddenly recognized where she was. She was in one of the Sklerch Hotel Suites on the Swamp Moons of Drenthax Four!
But that was impossible. It was very, very difficult to book a room on one of the Drenthax Moons. Even royalty was not always guaranteed a reservation.
The oversized door swung open and a dark figure stalked in.
"Blackfire?" Starfire said in surprise.
Blackfire gave her a smirk, "Did you miss me, little sister?" She walked up and pinched Star's cheek, "Last time we met, we didn't get a chance for proper good-byes."
Starfire powered up her starbolts, "That is because last time I banished you from Tameran!"
Blackfire kept on smirking, "Ah, ah, ah, little sister. Be careful with those starbolts, you might hurt someone."
A screen lowered from the ceiling and flickered on. The Titans were all chained to separate tables in a dark, dark room. There was an oversized Tameranian standing next to each table with a whip in hand. The Titans looked fearfully around.
"No." Starfire whispered, "You have placed them in a Drenthax torture chamber!"
"Well, Starbrat, your knowledge of the universe is improving. If you'll just relax, I can explain my proposition to you." Blackfire motioned for Star to sit down.
Starfire hesitated, but let her starbolts flicker out and sat down in a small chair that was hiding in the corner of the room, "What is this proposition?"
"It's simple, really…"
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT
Robin strained against the confines of his chains, "Where's Starfire? She's supposed to be with us!"
The Tameranian thug growled.
"Take it easy, man." Cy warned, "We're not in control here. And there's something funky about these chains."
It was true. Much to the Titans' dismay, the chains bounding them to the table somehow made it so they couldn't use their powers.
The chamber door burst open and Starfire, glowing eyes and starbolts charged, stormed into the room. The Titans had never seen her this angry. Scratch that. They had never seen her angry, period.
Starfire spoke rapidly in a tongue the Titans couldn't even begin to understand. She made elaborate arm gestures and soon the thugs slowly backed away from their tables.
Starfire flew over to Robin and destroyed his chains. She glanced apologetically at Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven.
"Come, Robin." Starfire said, urging him out the door.
"Helloooo?" BB cried desperately.
"Forgetting something?" Raven asked.
"I am…sorry." Starfire shoved Robin outside and slammed the door.
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT
"Star, wait!" Robin yelled, "The Titans…"
"You must trust me Robin." Starfire said as she blocked him, her voice suddenly very shaky, "You must leave our friends for the moment."
"Why? What…"
Starfire suddenly gripped him by the shoulders and flew down the countless hallways to the suite Blackfire was waiting in.
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT
"Finally." Blackfire said, "You've got fifteen minutes." She got up and brushed herself off before exiting the room, leaving Starfire and a very bewildered Robin alone.
"Starfire, what's…"
Starfire threw her arms around Robin and began to noticeably sob, "T-this…this is the l-last…time I will ever…hug you…"
"What? What are you…"
Starfire looked up at him, her face sad and grief stricken as if she had just lost a loved one. Tears slid down her cheeks as she bit her lower lip, trying to keep from crying further.
Robin's face instantly softened, "Hey, hey. Don't cry." He cupped her face in his hands and wiped her tears with his thumbs, "Now tell me what happened."
"Blackfire has taken us to the Swamp Moons of Drenthax Four." Starfire swallowed, still trembling, "She has said that she will return the Titans back to the city if I comply with her requests."
Robin was almost afraid to ask, "What are her requests?"
Starfire broke away from him and buried her face in her hands, "She w-wants to become a Teen Titan. And she w-wants me t-to…to…"
Robin gripped her shoulders, afraid she might fall down if something wasn't supporting her, "She wants you to what?"
Starfire tried to steady her breathing, "I am to stay here. With Karras."
"Who's Karras?" Robin asked with a clenching feeling in his gut.
Starfire burst into tears and jerked away from Robin's touch, "M-my…husbaaaand!" She wailed.
Robin nearly fainted.
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT
Blackfire walked down one of the hotel's countless hallways until she came to a blue door. She knocked. No answer. She knocked more forcefully. The door creaked open.
"Yes?" An emerald eye was visible.
"Tell Karras his wife is waiting for him." Blackfire said irritably. She hated when he had the Tameranian service maids perform special services on him.
The eye didn't even flinch, "Karras is…busy at the moment."
Blackfire let out an exasperated sigh before pushing her way past the maid into the room. Karras lay sprawled out on his bed whispering meaningless pleasantries into the ear of another maid.
"Karras." Blackfire said sharply, "Starfire is waiting for you."
"Which one is Starfire, again?" Karras said as the maid began to kiss his tan neck skin.
"Your wife." Blackfire said a little too smugly, "Your wife, the ex-Princess of Tameran." She said quite a bit louder.
The maid stopped instantly, buttoned her blouse, and hastily pulled her friend out of the room. You could get banished for messing around with the ex-Princess' husband.
Karras tiredly glared at Blackfire, "You know you could have waited a little longer to barge in. She was just about to…"
"Enough, Karras." Blackfire said quickly, "Get dressed and then you can see Starfire."
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT
"YOUR HUSBAND!" Robin yelled.
Starfire was unable to look Robin in the mask, "Y-Yes…"
"But…how?" Robin sat down on the bed, "You went to Tameran to get married before. Were you going to have two husbands? It doesn't make sense."
"No, it does not." Starfire agreed, "I suppose, technically we are not wed until consummation takes place…"
Uh-oh. "What's consummation?" Robin asked. The term seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Despite all the madness going on, Starfire blushed, "Well, Robin…Consummation is…when two beings are wed…they…certain rules do not apply further…a-and they are allowed to…explore each other in an intimate way."
What? What does she mean "explore each other in an intimate way"? Kissing? Robin would throttle anyone who tried to kiss Star, but…no. People could kiss if they weren't married. What rules was she talking about? People not being allowed to hug? Touch? What other way was there to intimately explore someone's…
Holy crap.
Jesus Christ.
Dear frickin' God.
"Y-you mean…you would…with him…and…" Robin did not like to let people see him stutter, but he didn't care at this point.
Starfire burst into tears once more, "Yes, I must…"
"Don't say it." Robin pleaded more than ordered, "For the love of God, don't say it."
Starfire sat down next to him, sniffling, "I was wed to Karras when I was very young…we, that is, my family, thought he had been killed in the war on Tameran shortly before I left for Earth. I did not know I was still married to him." The last part came out in a whisper, "Please do not be angry."
Robin sighed before a determined look crossed his face, "I'm not angry." He jumped up, "Come on. We're leaving."
"But, Robin…"
"Now."
His rough tone caused her to lower her voice, "Blackfire will destroy the city…and our friends if I do not comply with her requests."
"I don't care." Robin said bitterly, "This isn't right. You're not married, you can't be. And we're just-just going to leave!"
Starfire swallowed, "Robin…you must…you must allow me to remain."
"No one's taking you away." If Robin said it enough times, it had to be true.
"Robin…you are my dearest friend." Starfire gave him a watery smile, "You have always been so kind…explaining things when others merely laughed. I have never had such a friend as you. I thank you…for all that you have taught me. I will always keep a special place for you in my heart."
Realization hit Robin like a tidal wave.
She was saying good-bye.
Starfire, the girl who had always been there for him, who always believed in him when others didn't, who kept the team from ripping each other's heads off, the girl he admired above all other people, was saying good-bye. Forever.
"Star…" For the first time in his history of leading the team, Robin was at a loss for words. He merely stared at her until she resumed speaking.
"Know that you are what makes me love Earth so much." Starfire wiped a tear from her cheek, "The Titans…will be released and Blackfire will serve as a good replacement and the city will remain safe. I will miss you Robin. More than I have ever missed another person."
Robin was overwhelmed with emotion. He had to let her go. He had no choice. He wanted to say so many things to her before she left. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was, he wanted her to know that sometimes she was the only thing that kept him going, that she meant more to him than anything else in the universe.
But no words came. All he could do was lamely utter, "Good-bye."
Starfire hid her disappointment well. She placed a hand on his cheek.
Robin shivered. She had never touched him there before.
The door behind his beautiful alien princess opened revealing Blackfire standing next to a Tameranian guy Robin assumed to be Karras.
Starfire did not turn around, "Good-bye."
Starfire's hand left Robin's face as she took her place beside the man. He wrapped an arm around her waist.
Robin was surprised he didn't feel angry. Or at least repulsed. He felt…nothing. It was like he was numb. It was like seeing Starfire in another man's arms drained all life from him. It was like he was dead…but worse. It was like he was a ghost.
As Blackfire stepped into the room and Karras led Starfire out, Robin knew that life had just taken a devastating turn for the worse.
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT
Jen: This is a short chapter, sorry. Review guys! Bye!