Disclaimer: Characters within do not belong to me.

Author's Notes: An unforgivable amount of time has passed since I updated this story. But I have a good excuse! My computer was sick for a long time, and I wasn't able to access my story files. Anyways, here's a new chapter for you. It's short, but hopefully worth the wait. More will come soon;) Thanks for sticking with me! Ya'll are great.


Flying Home

by Kristen Elizabeth


"What do you mean she left?"

Raven and Beast Boy exchanged a look, each begging the other to field Robin's frantic question.

"They mean she left." Aqualad entered just then, saving them both. It might have been Beast Boy's imagination, but the sky outside the Tower suddenly seemed much darker. There was bad air all around them and a storm was definitely brewing. "She took a one-way trip to Tamaran nearly two months ago."

"Two months…" Robin swallowed heavily. "You're joking."

"Yes, I'm funny like that," Aqualad shot back. "It's no joke, Robin. Starfire's gone." He paused. "And it's your fault. You incredible bastard."

"Hey, woah." Beast Boy made a "T" out of his hands. "Time out, guys."

Robin ignored him. "You have no idea what happened between us," he informed the taller youth.

"I know you used her. Every part of her, especially her heart. Then you tossed her away like she meant nothing!"

"That's not what I did!"

Raven crossed her arms. "It's not?"

"You of all people should understand, Raven." Robin plunged his hands into his hair. "I got scared and I made some mistakes. But I want to fix them now."

Aqualad snorted. "And you think it'll be as easy as that? You weren't here, Robin. You didn't watch her suffering. I did. Where were you? Jetting around the galaxy with Batman?"

"I'm sure you just loved it, didn't you? My mistake was your opportunity." Robin's fists balled up. "How long were you here before you started putting the moves on Starfire? Five minutes? Or did you give it an entire hour?"

Beast Boy situated himself between his fellow Titans. "We're on the same team, guys. Remember that."

"He's not," Aqualad said. "Right, Robin?"

"I'm not going to fight with you," Robin replied, but his teeth were tightly clenched together as he spoke. "All I want is to get Starfire home."

"What if she is home?" Raven's stare was so hard Robin felt she could almost see through his mask. "We didn't encourage her to leave; it was her choice. The few communications we've received from her have indicated that she's happy. She's home."

He shook his head. "Star…she loves Earth. She left because of me. I hurt her and that's my burden to bear. But I will fix things. I have to."

"You think that if you just snap your fingers, she'll race right back here to be used all over again? You really are that much of an arrogant ass, aren't you?"

"You need to shut up about things that are none of your business," Robin informed Aqualad, dangerously.

But the other Titan refused to back down. "Or you'll do what?"

It was the wrong thing to say. A low growl erupted from the back of Robin's throat. His hand shot to his utility belt. Aqualad was instantly on guard, which was fortunate because in the space of a single moment, Robin pelted him with one explosive disk after another.

He dodged each of them and raised his hands. Behind him, the wall burst open as the water pipes broke, flooding the room. With a flick of Aqualad's wrists, the water formed a swirling cyclone heading straight for Robin.

A rappelling rope shot from Robin's belt, lifting him off the ground before the water hit. He armed himself with a freeze disk and flung it at his opponent, turning the area around him into ice. Aqualad was stuck, unable to move.

"Stop!" Beast Boy's roar was more animal than man. Morphing into an octopus, he plucked Robin from his hanging position with one slimy tentacle and dragged him down to the ground. He changed back just as quickly. "You, stay out of the air. You…" He looked at Aqualad. "Just chill."

"Don't get in the middle of this," Robin snapped.

"You don't get to give me orders anymore," Beast Boy snapped right back. "You gave up that right when you turned in your leader jacket at the door. So unless you want to fight me, too, you'll shut up and listen."

Raven blinked. "Beast Boy…"

"Robin, you did a really shitty thing to Starfire, and she didn't deserve it. You've got a lot to make right, but you'll probably pull it off, 'cause guess what? She loves you. She always has. And Starfire can forgive anyone. She's more human sometimes than the rest of us."

He took a breath and directed his comments towards the Titan on ice. "And you…you stepped up and filled a spot on the team when we needed it and we're all grateful. But you can't take Robin's place in Starfire's heart. Get it? They love each other and they've got stuff to figure out and you don't need to mess with it. If she needed a champion, she wouldn't be a Titan."

To their credit, both men looked completely chastised.

"Now." Beast Boy transformed into a massive gorilla and brought his fists down on the ice block encasing most of Aqualad's body. The ice cracked, releasing him. "Shake hands. We've got enough enemies without making 'em out of each other."

Still glaring at each other, but with much less deadly intentions, Robin and Aqualad clasped hands in a quick, stiff shake.

Beast Boy folded his arms in satisfaction. "Isn't that better? I swear I…"

"Hey y'all!" Cyborg burst into the living room, his heavy footsteps shaking the very foundation. He stopped short. "Robin." His good eye narrowed. "Long time."

"No see," Robin filled in.

Cyborg turned to Beast Boy. "Just got a message from Starfire."

"Starfire?"

He directed a cool look towards their former leader. "Yeah, remember her? Red hair, green eyes, killer bod, talks kinda funny…"

Before Robin could explode again, Beast Boy cut him off. "What did she say?"

Cyborg's frown grew even deeper. "She said…" He glanced at Robin.

"Just say it," the Boy Wonder grimaced.

"She said she's not coming back." He paused. "She's getting married."

For a long time, no one could speak. No one could even move. Finally, Raven took the initiative. "She's been engaged before. Against her will."

Beast Boy snuck a look at Robin. "But that dude's in charge now. Her nanny…he'd never push her into marrying some…"

Without waiting to hear the rest, Robin turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. The doors slid shut behind him.

"Where's he goin'?"

"One guess," Aqualad answered Cyborg's question. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my room." He left much in the same manner as Robin, only in the opposite direction.

"He better not be touchin' my babies!" Cyborg ran after to Robin to protect the remaining parts of the T-wing.

Beast Boy let out a pent-up breath. "Thought Robin was gonna bust something. Guy's not careful he'll give himself a stroke, you know." Raven said nothing. "Hope it all turns out okay," he went on. "Somebody around here oughta be with the person they…"

As Raven approached him, his words trailed off. They stood nose to nose, so close that he could smell the clean scent of her shampoo. She was intoxicating. "Um…hi," he whispered.

She smiled. It was faint and brief, but she smiled. But what she did next truly shocked him. Raven closed her eyes and touched her lips to his. It took a moment for him to register the fact that they were kissing…she was kissing him! Her mouth was surprisingly warm, he vaguely thought. Hesitant at first, but with growing confidence, he kissed her back.

Raven pulled away before he was entirely ready to let her go. "You can call yourself whatever you want, but you're quite a man."

She left him, stunned into happy silence.


When she stopped and considered that she was getting married the next day, it was all Starfire could do to keep from crying.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Twice now she'd stood in front of the mirror in the royal dressing chamber wearing a gorgeous creation of white silk and a crown of pure silver, the perfect picture of a bride, but feeling none of the joy associated with the title. She supposed it wasn't in her destiny to make a happy marriage. At least this time the very sight of her betrothed didn't repulse her. That was something…wasn't it?

With a sigh, Starfire plucked the crown off her brow and set it aside. She would have preferred a veil of delicate tulle, like the pictures in the magazines back on Earth. Oh, how many times she had put herself into those images, the happy bride standing next to her equally happy groom. Her masked groom…

"No!" she yelled at her reflection. "I will not think of Robin anymore."

It was an empty resolution, and one that she had often made recently, more so as the date of the wedding drew near. In her dreams, he appeared before the ceremony, whisked her away from Tamaran, away from all of their duties and obligations, and asked her to be his partner, not in crime-fighting, but in life.

Ridiculous fantasies.

She changed out of her wedding dress and back into her purple uniform. After she was married, she would never again wear the outfit, she vowed. It would be part of her past, part of her life on Earth. A life that would never be hers again.


To Be Continued