Future Perfect

"Starfire!"

Robin called out as Starfire chased into the portal. They were fighting Stopmorg and Starfire had just vanished into the portal. He reached up his hand…she was gone.

Starfire hurtled through the space time continuum, a deep black portal leading to the future. She looked back as she realized, she had no idea how to get back!

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all."

Starfire turned around and realized she was reaching the end of her journey. With one last movement, it hurtled her to the ground. Starfire stood up shocked to find, that the future…her future was a dismal hell hole. The buildings were crumbling and there was no sign of life anywhere. Starfire wandered the streets, wondering where everyone was.

"Is this a joke, perhaps?" whispered Starfire to herself.

Starfire jumped into the sky and floated in mid-air for a second, looking around for the place of safety. The place her friends would be, no matter what. She looked around and saw the Teen Titan's tower in the distance, on it's side but still standing. She flew over to it and when she got closer, she realized that there were no lights on. The windows were broken…it looked like no one lived in it. She entered the tower through one of the windows. Her feet hit the ground and crushed the glass.

She called out, "Hello, friends! Is anyone present in this tower of refuge?"

A dark figure moved behind her. Starfire turned around in shock, until she saw the dark figure's face. It was old, maybe 20, 25 years. It was her friend Cyborg…now an old man.

He called out, "Starfire, is that really you?"

Starfire walked toward him. She smiled, even though inside it pained her to see her friend in such a state of despair. His robotic body was rusty and parts of it had fallen off. She touched his shoulder gently.

She whispered, "Friend, what has happened to the teen titans?"

Cyborg frowned and bowed his head.

"After you left Starfire, everything went haywire. The titans fought everyday, and eventually we all left each other. I'm sorry. I can tell you where Raven and Beast boy are, but I can't tell you where Robin is. We lost touch a long time ago. I'm sorry Starfire."

Starfire's face grew sadder with each passing moment.

"Why don't you accompany me, Cyborg?"

Cyborg smiled, but then his face grew sad.

"I wish I could Starfire, but this is the last powercell I have. And I'm connected to it. I'm terribly sorry Starfire."

Starfire bowed her head, then lifted it with a huge smile on her face.

She cried, "It is all right, Cyborg! At least, you are alive. That is what matters in this world. Goodbye."

Starfire left in search of Beast Boy and Raven. What she found was an old fat bald Beast boy, who had lost hope in everything, and a bitter Raven. Now, all that was left was trying to find her beloved Robin. She wondered if he too would be old, fat, bitter, or even worse…bald! Starfire shuddered at the thought. But before she could think more, a familiar voice entered her mind. She looked up and saw Stopmorg right in front of her face. She fired blasts at him, but he easily dodged and grabbed the portal maker at her leg. She cried out in fury.

"Give that back!"

Starfire flew into the air and fired at Stopmorg. She grabbed him by the throat, her tears from seeing her depressed friends at her eyes.

"What did you do? Why did you destroy the future?"

He just chuckled and then laughed out loud.

He cried, "You can't change the future. It's written in stone Starfire, history said this was stolen. But who stole it? I did, don't you see? It's impossible to change the future!"

Starfire felt the tears drop from her face. Stopmorg saw this as his chance and blasted her with his lasers. Starfire fell back and hit the ground with a thud. Then a voice called out her name. A voice that she would never forget, no matter what would happen to her.

"Starfire!"

Starfire looked up with joy in her eyes. Standing before her was Robin, at least the future Robin. She gasped as she looked up at his face. He looked barely 25, not even exactly. He had long flowing black hair, and his muscles were huge. His outfit had changed too. It was now black and blue with a black bird on his chest.

Starfire gasped, "Robin?"

He smiled and laughed.

Robin replied, "The one and only."

Starfire stood up and hugged him tightly. Robin was taken aback, but he hugged her as well.

He whispered, "It's been a while, hasn't it Star?"

Star….Star was the name she loved, at least coming from him. Starfire looked back up at Robin. His face was beautiful, in fact…Robin was drop dead handsome. Then an evil laugh occurred.

Starfire turned around and saw Stopmorg laughing at them.

"Well, I guess I'll be taking my leave now."

With a flash, he disappeared into the ground. Starfire ran forward and pounded the ground with her fists.

"Nooooo! That was my only way back!" She cried out in fury.

Robin walked over and put his arm around her shoulder. He looked at her dismayed face, and held her close. Starfire cried into his chest.

She cried, "Oh Robin…that was my only ticket back to the past! What should I do now?"

Robin's face grew pained as the thought of Starfire leaving him crossed his mind.

He replied, "We'll get it back, don't worry Starfire. We've done the impossible before, remember? And please don't cal me Robin, that's a name I haven't used in a while. I call myself Nightwing now."

Starfire looked up at him and smiled. Nightwing fit his new looks a lot more than Robin.

She choked out, "Alright then Nightwing, why don't we get some rest before we fight him then?"

Nightwing smiled and picked up Starfire, bridal style. Starfire blushed, but quickly got over it.

He smiled, "How about heading back to my place, Star?"

Starfire nodded her head and leaned it against his muscular chest. Nightwing smiled and started running on the rooftops, till he reached the outskirts of town. There was a little hole in the gound, which he pressed with his foot. Then a door on the mountain, hidden until now opened. Nightwing passed through it and it closed automatically. There, he put Starfire down. He looked at her and motioned her to follow, which she did. There at the end of the hallway, she saw a room filled with light. There was a blue couch and green carpeting. Nightwing sat down on the couch, and motioned Starfire next to him. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. She looked into his mask, the mask in which he never ever removed. Not even to her. Starfire looked at Nightwing's face and felt at peace instantly. Nightwing reached out and touched Starfire's face with his hand gently.

He spoke, "I've missed you so much Star. It's been ages since I've seen your beautiful face."

Nightwing kept gazing at Starfire, looking at her with a caring expression. Starfire did the same and then grabbed Nightwing's hand.

Starfire replied, "Nightwing, that is your name now. Please friend, tell me why everyone left the Titans. What happened…Robin?"

Nightwing grimaced and pulled his hand away.

He spoke, "When you left Starfire, my entire world went upside down. I cared about you so much, I still do. The titans couldn't stand being in each other's presence. Something in each of their acts reminded them of you. We finally broke up, and now I guess they're not doing so hot. I trained everyday, doubling my workout routine, so when you came back, you'd stay with me…forever. I thought that if I was still a hero, you might see it and come back."

Nightwing shook a little bit and Starfire put her hand on his shoulder. She lifted his head with her hand and gazed deep into his mask.

She whispered, "Let me see you face, your eyes…please Nightwing."

Nightwing nodded his head, and removed the mask in front of Starfire's face. Starfire gasped as she saw Nightwing, or should she say Robin's true eyes. They were stunning and fit his new outfit quite nicely. They were a deep blue, as dark as the ocean at night, but not quite black. Starfire saw a tear at the corner of his eyes.

Nightwing replied, "I've never shown them to anyone before Star. You're the first person ever, well besides Batman."

Starfire reached her hand up and wiped the tear away. Never before had she seen Robin's true eyes before.

She whispered, "They look like they've seen the world, yet you're so young. They're beautiful Nightwing, why did you always hide them?"

Nightwing's eyes glanced down and he shook his head violently before bringing it back up. His eyes were full of emotion, Starfire could see rage, hatred, fear, compassion, love, everything inside those eyes of his.

Nightwing spoke, "No one likes seeing emotion playing in the enemy's eyes. It invites weakness all around. I didn't want the titans knowing about them either. No one needs to see any emotion in my eyes."

Starfire caressed Nightwing's face, still gazing into his eyes.

"That's not true, Nightwing. Emotions are the all powerful power in which gives Beast boy, Raven, Cyborg, me, and even you strength. And you say no one wants to see you emotions, but you're wrong. Everyone does, they all want to know what's behind the mask. Especially me, since I…love you Nightwing, or should I say Robin."

Nightwing's eyes grew shocked, then filled with love for Starfire. He leaned down close to Starfire, till they were practically touching each other's noses.

Nightwing whispered, "And I've always loved you."

Starfire couldn't tear away from his eyes, they were captivating her. They both leaned in, till their lips touched in a kiss. They held there for a second, in each other's arms. Finally Nightwing pulled back and stood up. He looked at Starfire for a second, love erupting in his eyes. Starfire couldn't turn her head away, until he put back on the mask. In a flash, all of the emotion was gone. Nightwing turned around and walked to the door. At the door he stopped and held his position, and without turning his head spoke.

"Star, we'll get you back home. I don't want my past self feel the same way when you left. Please give him all the love you can give, and maybe he'll show you his eyes one day. God knows how happy it made me feel. If you stay with him, maybe…in this future we'll be together again. But not as just friends, as a couple. I love you so much Star, I hope to have a future, where you'll always be at my side."

Starfire got up and touched Nightwing's shoulder gently. He turned around and saw her looking at him with love in her eyes.

She spoke, "I will always be by your side. Never forget that Nightwing, we will always be together. But please remember, your emotions are not something you can hide behind a mask. Let them loose once in a while. Masks only hide the true you."

Nightwing smiled and nodded his head. Then he turned around and walked out of the door, to the dungeon. There he called the teen titans to go battle Stopmorg.

The battle ended swiftly with all of the teen titans. Starfire stepped up to enter the portal Cyborg was holding with his arm. She was about to enter when she saw Nightwing walk forward. She looked at him, right in front of her. He pulled her into a hug.

"Don't forget Star."

She nodded his head, grabbed the clock portal, and dived through the portal, leaving Nightwing behind. As soon as she had left, Nightwing looked around as everything was changing. Beast Boy was growing skinny and his bald spot was filled with hair. The city was changing as well, everything was becoming less desolate and alive. Broken buildings were repaired, as well as Cyborg. Raven lifted down her hood, and gave the room a big smile. Nightwing felt his mask disappear and a hand touch him from behind. He saw a ring appear on his left hand and turned around in hope. There in front of him was an adult Starfire. Her hair was long and she was as tall as Nightwing. Nightwing glanced down at her left hand and saw the ring there. Though, Starfire's outfit had changed. It was now green instead of purple. Starfire reached forward and kissed Nightwing on the lips.

She smiled and spoke, "I told you I wouldn't forget, didn't I? We're always going to be the titans, at least friends forever."

Nightwing smiled and held her close to him. The other titans just smiled and laughed amongst themselves. Then another amazing thing happened. Tara appeared behind Beast Boy, who looked at her with love in his eyes. Tara was wearing a ring as well and she leaned down and gave Beast Boy a kiss. He smiled in return. Then Cyborg had a tap on his shoulder and when he looked around he saw that bumblebee chick with a ring on her hand as well. Raven just stood there, when she turned around and kissed the man she loved, Malchior, who they had turned into a man. Nightwing looked around in joy.

Finally he spoke, "Looks like she did a lot of good for us, didn't she?"

The titans nodded in reply and they all smiled with their loved ones.