Twenty-First Chapter: Everything
Without further hesitation, without further time to think about it and convince myself to do otherwise, I took her hand and spoke.
"Starfire, I… I did mean it. It wasn't just an attempt to save your life. Well, it was, but I wouldn't have kissed just anybody."
Her eyes brightened.
"And when Chaos was talking about why I didn't want to do it in the first place, I realized that I just didn't want to face rejection. I… I didn't want to lose you."
She began to smile, and I felt her hand tighten on mine.
"So, I have to apologize for getting a little… carried away, if you know what I mean."
She nodded. "I, too, have to apologize."
I blinked. "For what? I was the one who-"
"No; you misunderstood me. I must apologize firstly for my emotions also getting the 'carried away.' I didn't mean for you to have to meet Lust or Irritated or even Chaos, and I most certainly did not mean for Chaos to persuade you to… act as you did. But I also must apologize for doubting you, and for being selfish. When I awoke, I thought for a moment that you might not have meant anything with the kiss, and…"
I smiled. "Starfire, you're forgiven. I doubted myself just as I did when I was Slade's apprentice. It's good to finally have you back, okay? Let's leave it at that, and forget everything that happened."
Her face dropped. "Everything?" she asked meekly.
"No," I smiled and stood. "I take it back. Definitely not everything."