Chapter 14

Starfire was just finishing up getting her ship ready, when her communicator beeped. She opened it, and smiled when she saw who was calling her. "Yes Robin," she said happily.

"Can you meet me by the obstacle course?" he asked.

"Certainly, I will be there shortly," she replied, then closed her communicator. A short time later she was walking along the path to the obstacle course when she saw Robin waiting for her at a fork in the path, "Are we not going to the course of obstacles?" she asked, as Robin took her hand and lead her down the path away from the course.

"Nope, I've got something different in mind." he said, piquing her curiosity. She grew even more curious when they stopped right before a curve in the path, "It's a surprise," he told her, holding up a blindfold, which he quickly tied around her head, then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

After a short walk, she felt Robin untying the blindfold, and she blinked, in the bright sunlight, a few times. "Robin this is wonderful!" she gasped, looking around the small glen. Flowering plants were in abundance, but Starfire noticed that there were several of the flower beds and trellises were empty.

"I was kinda hoping you would like it," Robin said, "This is your garden," he told her, "I remember when I took you to the park, how much you loved all the different plants and how you wanted to try to take care of them on your own," he related, "so I had several different types planted here, but left more than half of the beds and trellises left empty for you to decide what to plant there."

Starfire realized that this wasn't something Robin had quickly planned as an apology for sending her away. She felt Robin let go of her hand, and realized that she was slowly turning in place as she looked from flower bed to flower bed, picturing different plants growing there, "Thank you my love, thank you very much," she said, hugging him as tightly as she could, "But why?" she asked, breaking the embrace.

"First off so I could see that face." Robin replied happily, meaning the thousand watt, ear to ear, smile on Starfire's face, "and because I started thinking, Raven has her books, Cyborg has the T-car, Beast Boy has his video games, and, well they tell me I'm slightly obsessed with fighting crime," he explained, a lopsided grin at the last, "and that left you with nothing to do, no hobby." Just then both of their communicators beeped, with Starfire's only beeping once. "What is it Cyborg?" he asked seeing who was calling him.

"That was me calling Stars communicator," Cyborg replied, "Then I realized that to talk to both of you, I've only gotta call one of you," he said with a grin on his face, then he got serious, "You'd better come back up here, I found something in Star's room," he told them.

"After you get back, what do you say we call Bumble Bee and see about paying Cyborg back?" Robin asked, and Starfire giggled and nodded.

A few minutes later, Robin and Starfire walked through the open door to her room.

"Star, how long can you go without Zorka berries?" Cyborg asked.

"Three days, before I start feeling the sick," she replied, "After two weeks I would die," she went on, "But do not worry, I have plenty, and had some only this morning," she told them, smiling.

"You mean you had plenty," Cyborg said sadly, "All twenty-four containers are contaminated with Vartoch paste," he announced.

"Twenty-four? No that is incorrect," Star said, concerned, "Devon'r brought me thirty yesterday, and I still had twenty-five left from my last delivery."

"That means thirty one are gone," Robin said, "Is that all you have?"

"No I have two weeks worth down in the big freezer in the basement," Star replied, then was thoughtful for a moment, "This means that the intruder we had last night was Tamaranean, and not part of the fleet," she added.

"Otherwise he or she would have contaminated all of your stock, and not taken any," Robin said.

"What was in this?" Cyborg asked, indicating a small bowl on Starfire's nightstand.

"I had gotten my night time snack of berries last night, but fell asleep before I ate them, so I had them this morning," Starfire replied.

"So that's what you thought caused your headache this morning?" Robin asked, and Star nodded.

"They were contaminated too," Cy said, holding up a small test tube with a bright orange liquid in it, "I'll go get some samples of what's in the freezer." he added, then left.

There was silence for a few moments, and Starfire walked over to the cupboard, where her Zorka berries were stored, and leaned against the countertop, her head bowed, "Robin, could I have some time alone please?" she asked, not turning to look at him.

"Star I . . . .I want to help," he said, coming up behind her, and putting his hands on her shoulders, "I'm here for you," he said softly, feeling her shoulders trembling, "Mathad, shu vata che exteva du ne itera," he whispered in her ear.

Star turned, and looked into Robin's eyes, surprised to see that he had taken off his mask, "You are the light of my life as well," she told him, seeing the desire to take away all her pain in his eyes, "I do not like you seeing me like this," she said softly, "But you are the only one I will allow to because I know you will not think me foolish and weak."

"Star, we're all foolish and weak sometimes," Robin said, pulling her close, "Having someone to be there for you and help you through those times. . . .well, that's what love is all about," he told her, feeling her trembling in his arms.

Starfire put her arms around him, and she took solace in the strength of his arms as he held her. She could hear the steady beat of his heart as she lay her head on his chest, and felt it rise and fall with his breathing, "I have not felt this way before my love. Being here in the Tower, surrounded by my friends I have felt safe and secure," she said, then took a shuddering sigh, and looked up at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears, "With one simple act the intruder of last night has taken that feeling of security away from me."

"Kori, if you only knew how little it would take for me to ask you to stay," Robin said as he raised his left hand and smoothed her hair.

"And I would have to refuse that request my love," Star replied, cupping his cheek, "I have had much time, and advice to think on this day, and I realize that my leave of absence is truly for the best," she told him, "I know very well what the cost to you would be if something did happen to me if I stayed."

Robin hugged her tightly, "You have called me most wise, my love, but wisest is the warrior that finds and keeps wise comrades," he said, quoting an old Tamaranean saying.

Starfire looked up at him and smiled, "I see that my lessons were well learned. I had a most able pupil."

"And I had a most gifted and beautiful instructor." Robin told her, "Who had a knack of making learning her lessons worth the effort. Kori seeing the pride, and satisfaction in your eyes, when I would complete a task you had given me meant more to me than anything else, aside from the time we had together as you taught me your language, about your people, and your home.

Starfire chuckled softly as she pulled gently out of the embrace. "Unlike you, I have not had the opportunity of taking off my armor, or taking a shower," she told him, "So if you will excuse me, I will correct that."

Robin smiled at her, nodded his head and left.

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Starfire had just finished getting dressed after her shower, and drying her hair, when her communicator beeped. She looked at the clock, and saw that she was five minutes late for her afternoon training session with Robin. Tossing her brush onto her vanity, she ran for the door as she answered the call, "Yes Robin, I am on my way to the training room now," she said.

"Change of plans Star," Robin's voice said, "Meet me in the garage," he told her.

"The garage?" she asked, as she turned around and headed for the elevator, "Why there?"

"I thought you might want to get out of the Tower and off the island for a while," Robin replied, "I packed a picnic dinner, and thought that we'd go to the garden in the park."

"Robin is this a. . . " she began to ask.

"Yes Star, this is officially a date." Robin said, then smiled broadly when he heard her squeal of delight followed by a very excited 'Glorious!'

After a few moments, that seemed an eternity to Starfire, the elevator opened and she ran over to where Robin waited next to his R-cycle, "Robin what is that?" she asked pointing to the rectangular box strapped to the back of the R-cycle's seat.

"That's a picnic basket," he told her as he handed her helmet to her, "It's got our dinner inside it," he explained, then playfully swatted her hand as she went to open it and look inside, "No peeking, it's a surprise," he admonished, and they got on the bike and Robin headed down the tunnel to the city.

The ride to the park was uneventful, but Starfire was surprised to see that people waved at them as they went by, and at Robin's urging she waved back. They entered the park, and Starfire saw that there were children playing in the playground section, and the large field section was dotted by couples, and families enjoying the warm sunny day in much the same manner that Robin and Starfire would be.

Robin drove slowly around the main section of the park, and into the section that he had brought Starfire to shortly after they had become the Titans. Passing through the small arched entrance to the garden section. As he had figured it was deserted. He and Starfire had discovered that for some reason no one came to this section of the park, save the old gardener that the city paid to take care of the plants. He stopped, and they got off the bike, Robin grabbing the basket by its handles, and carrying it to the middle of the small glen. Quickly opening then re-closing the lid, he pulled out a blue and white checked blanket which he spread out on the grass. "Have a seat," he said, indicating that Star should join him on the blanket as he rummaged through the contents of the basket.

"What have we got to eat?" Starfire asked, wondering what it could be that Robin wanted to keep secret.

"Trust me?" Robin countered, then chuckled at the look she gave him, "Okay bad question," he said, then Star saw him take a fork off the strap under the lid, "Close your eyes, and open your mouth," he instructed.

After a brief hesitation Star did as she was told and she soon felt a morsel of food put into her mouth. She closed her mouth and chewed on it, and her eyes flew open as she tasted the food. "Samaku!" she gasped, "How did you know. . .? How did you make it?"

"Star, there are a good number of ships from the Tamaranean fleet in orbit right the moment," Robin replied, "I simply asked Galfore what two of your favorite meals were, and if it would be possible for him to have them prepared in servings for two to be eaten in this way," he explained, "He was very happy to oblige." he added, as he took the container with the pastry out of the basket, "Fortunately I thought to ask Doctor Benson if I would be able to eat Tamaranean foods, and she assured me it wouldn't be a problem."

"If the sent samaku, they had to send some pranza sauce as well," Star said, taking one of the two meat and vegetable filled pastries and putting it onto a separate plate.

"Pranza sauce. . . ." Robin mussed as he looked into the basket again, "Here we go," he said triumphantly as he took another smaller container from the basket, and handed it to her. He watched as she took the lid off, and plastered the sauce on the pastry shell. He then turned his attention to his own plate, and cut into his portion and chewed on it experimentally, "Hey that's really good!" he said in astonishment, "What's the pranza sauce like?"

"It is fairly spicy, more so than your Earthly mustard." Star replied, quickly swallowing the mouthful she had, "Try a small taste," she urged, holding the container out to him.

Robin took a very small dollop of the sauce on his fork, and put it in his mouth, "Hooo, that is hot," he said, "but not much hotter than the mustard they serve in Chinese restaurants, and it goes well with the pastry," he said, then put some on his portion, but much less that Star had.

"What is next?" Star asked, and Robin repeated the process of having her close her eyes and open her mouth, "Chapena!" she cried tasting the meat and vegetable dish with a spicy sauce.

Robin divided the dish in two and handed one of the plates to Star, then he took another container out, "This is an Earth dish, my favorite," he said, as he placed two pieces of fried chicken on each of their plates. The two ate, talking softly about whatever came to their minds, and both were surprised that it didn't have anything to do with their pending separation.

When they were done eating, they walked around the garden, hand in hand, looking at all the different flowering plants. Taking their time they came back to the blanket, and repacked the empty plates. Just as Robin fastened the straps to hold the basket onto the R-cycle they heard a scream from just outside the entrance to the section of the park they were in. Children's screams.

"You are my shalocfa, not my k'norfka," Star said, seeing the look on Robin's face, "You have no right keeping me out of a battle that you yourself are going to fight."

"Thought you might say something like that," Robin relented, tossing her a collapsed bo staff from his belt, as they sprinted toward the crying they extended their staffs to their full length, "If it's someone like Mumbo, or the others we'll back off and call the rest of the team," he added.

"Understood," Star agreed, and Robin could see the fire in her eyes, as she felt the thrill of going into battle.

They cleared the entrance and saw three men attacking a fourth, hitting him with either a bat or board. The children they had heard screaming were evidently the children of the victim, because they were now begging the attackers to stop. A little girl grabbed onto one of the attackers arms, as he pulled back to swing his bat again, and when he shoved her back, she hit into a tree. This was the attacker that Starfire focused on first.

"Do the picking on someone your own size," Star said as she blocked the downward swing of the bat her opponent was using. She quickly twisted to her left, striking him in the ribs, then twisted right catching him in the midsection, driving the air from his lungs, and doubling him over. Star then brought her staff up and over, thwacking him across the shoulders sending him to the ground.

Robin, meanwhile, was busy with the other two men. One had dropped his bat, and picked up an unused wooden flag pole, and from the way he was handling it, Robin could tell that he had some training. The other man took a swing at Robin's head, which he blocked easily, then swung his staff around catching the man on the jaw and he went down.

Robin now squared off against the man with the pole and they traded several blows, testing each others reflexes.

Starfire behind you!" A young girls voice shouted, and Robin turned to see Starfire's opponent fall to the ground, and his opponent with the bat coming up behind her, his weapon raised and already starting down. He started to move, to help Starfire, but his own opponent came at him again.

Starfire heard the girls warning, and quickly brought her staff above her head, parallel to the ground, to block the blow she knew was coming. She felt the impact, and realized that she had under estimated the force of it combined with her not having her super strength. Her arms buckled, and the bat caught her a glancing blow to the top of her head, stunning her, and she dropped to one knee.

Robin had pushed his opponent away just as Starfire dropped, and watched as she swung her staff first one way then the other striking the man behind her on both sides of his ribs. She then got to her feet and turned around, whipping her staff around to catch her attacker in the jaw, knocking him out cold. Again Robin's attention was occupied by his opponent closing to attack.

Starfire glanced down at the unconscious man at her feet, then at Robin who seemed to be holding his own. Just then she heard the girl that had shouted the warning, scream and she saw that the man she had fought first was up again and moving toward the youngsters, swinging his bat menacingly. "You will not harm them!" Starfire declared as she placed herself between the youngsters and their attacker.

"We'll just see about that," the man replied and swung his bat at her. Star blocked the blow easily, and the next several he threw. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Robin knock his opponent down and out, as she drew her opponent away from the youngsters, and into the open area away from the entrance.

"Starfire that's enough!" an authoritative voice called out, as several police officers ran into the area.

Star stepped back quickly, out of range of her opponent, as two officers tried to grab him. He managed to elude them and took a running swing at Starfire. She parried the blow, stepping to the side, and as he stumbled past her she swung her staff around, hitting him across the shoulders and knocking him to the ground. "My apologies Commissioner Barkstone," she said, collapsing her staff, "He left me no choice."

"I agree Starfire," Commissioner Barkstone said, then nodded to Robin as he walked up, "Can you come here without breaking up a crime?" he asked Robin with a chuckle.

"He's pretty beat up sir, but he should make it," an patrolman reported, "It's lucky for him that these two happened to be here," he added nodding toward Starfire, and Robin.

"We want to thank you for helping our daddy," the eldest of the three girls said as they stood in front of them.

"You are very welcome," Starfire said putting her hand on the girls shoulder. Just then an older woman came running over.

"Grandma!" the girls chorused, then surrounded the woman with hugs.

Seeing that the girls were going to be taken care of, Robin and Starfire spent the next few minutes giving their statements to the police, then headed back to the R-cycle for the ride home.

Starfire noticed that something was bothering Robin, other than the fact that she would be leaving in a few hours. "Robin, I want to thank you for a wonderful dinner, and date," she said softly, and she giggled at the look of astonishment on his face. "I am hoping that you are not thinking that fighting those men ruined the evening," she went on, "To be honest it felt good to fight other than training."

"Ya know I gotta admit it felt good fighting beside you again," Robin admitted as they got on the R-cycle, and started moving.

A while later Robin and Star were standing on the roof of the Tower, arm in arm, and Star resting her head on Robin's shoulder as they watched the sunset. A short distance away stood the other three Titans, sharing the moment with them, but not interfering.

"Come friends do not look so glum," Star said as the sun just dipped below the horizon, painting the sky a dazzling array of colors, "We shall all be seeing each other tomorrow."

"It's just going to be quiet here tonight without you Star," Beast Boy said, trying to smile, "Who's going to laugh at my jokes?"

That drew a chuckle from everyone, including Raven as they headed for the hanger. Once they were all in their seats, Robin gave the command to launch and they thundered skyward, then leveled off when they reached a good altitude.

Seeing that everything was normal, Robin keyed his radio, "Titans, separate!" he ordered, and the T-ship split into it's five craft, "Raven, Cyborg, Beast Boy, on me, like we planned," he added, and Star was surprised to see the four ships quickly bank to the south, then form a diamond formation with Robin in the lead, and headed back toward her. Just as they reached a position below her, she saw Robin veer off and head west into the salmon colored sky.

Starfire smiled softly as she realized the respect they were showing her as she recognized the formation as one she had seen at a veterans day parade, "I thank you friends for the missing man tribute," she told them, then pulled her ship up into a steeper climb out of the atmosphere, toward her rendezvous with the VELANC'R.