10 Leisurely Days

by Blue Ten

Summary:

Robin finds out that Starfire will be leaving for Tamaran in 10 days. Keeping his discovery a secret, he has a little over a week to give her a reason to stay. But when things keep getting in the way, will he even get the chance? RobxStar, BBxRae

Disclaimer:

I do not own Teen Titans.

Warning:

Spoilers and creative license used for "Things Change"


Day 9, Part Two: A Night to Remember

Keeping a firm grip on Starfire's hand, Robin looked around at the bay as they flew, continuing on their way toward the tower. The sound of moving water below them was being drowned out by the heavy slipstream of wind. Though it was still blue, the water was already beginning to become dark. Waves curled and glided across the surface, some sparkling as they reached a height high enough to capture the sunlight. Taking note of the light, Robin saw that the sun was now more than halfway through the sky. It wouldn't be long now. Suddenly, Robin felt a little nervous; he had planned to do so much in a single night... he wondered if he could pull it off. As much as the mere thought of telling her seemed to make him tremble to the core, Robin knew he couldn't keep it a secret much longer, and he wanted her to know.

Smiling as the strong winds picked up her hair, Starfire looked to the tower in the distance. The walls that faced toward the sun were glowing brightly, causing the building to cast a short but dark shadow against the island and the bay. Above the tower, the sky was almost entirely clear, remnants of the rainstorm had drifted far off to the horizon. The sun was warm and the sky was blue, though both were showing signs of the day nearing its end. Knowing the night would arrive soon, Starfire felt a mix of feelings racing around within her; there was excitement, an undeniable anxiousness to dance with Robin and let her mouth say whatever it wanted... but there was also a certain hesitation in the pit of her stomach, fluttering around like butterflies. Their friendship had become so much more precious to her, and yet she still wanted to tell him something that could potentially ruin it all. Before she could think any further on the subject, her feet made contact with the roof.

"Thanks, Star." said Robin, letting go of her hand as he stepped toward the door.

"It was my pleasure." Starfire made use of a common human phrase with a slight giggle. Common phrase or not, she was being completely honest... flying with him was far more enjoyable than flying alone. Following after Robin, Starfire felt a rush of air pulling them in as he opened the door. As they stepped through the threshold, both found it very strange to hear nothing in the tower at this time of day. They had almost forgotten that the others had decided to leave early, though the silence quickly reminded them. Suddenly, something came to Starfire's attention; they were alone in the tower... and eventually she would change into that dress. Taking another step down the stairs with a smile on her face, she couldn't wait to see what Robin would think of it... also, she wondered what he would be wearing.

After making their way down the stairs, Robin and Starfire stepped out of the hall and into the living room. Just to their right, the waning daylight could be seen breaking through the large wall of windows; the long rays extended across the room and met the two head on. Both squinted as they turned to face the luminance, realizing it would only be a few hours until the celebration would start. They would have arrived at the tower much earlier had they not decided to take the scenic route home.

Taking out his communicator, Robin looked at the time. Tugging on his collar as he placed the device back on his belt, Robin turned to Starfire, "It'll be a couple hours before the celebration starts... You hungry?" he asked.

Suddenly, Starfire felt her abdomen let out a growl, realizing she hadn't eaten anything all day, "Oh, yes. Very much." she said, attempting to mask her slight embarrassment with a nervous smile. Looking to the kitchen, Starfire spoke up, "Shall I prepare something?" she inquired with a grin.

"No, that's alright. I think I can manage." he replied.

Standing in front of the stove several minutes later, Robin stared unsurely into the boiling pot of reddish liquid, watching as the meat shifted around with every bubble. 'You think you can manage, huh?' he asked himself sardonically... He had never been a proficient cook, and this situation made him question his skills more, even for a simple meal like the one he intended to prepare. He only wished Cyborg was around to give him a tip or two. Turning around, Robin saw Starfire sitting at the table; turning her eyes away from the windows, she smiled at him. Nervously returning the smile, Robin looked back at the stove top... a second pot to his right was now boiling over. Quickly, Robin reached over and shut off the element, removing the lid from the top. Picking up a ladle, he stirred the noodles around and sighed with relief as everything looked normal. 'What was it that Alfred always said?' Robin asked himself as he turned his attention back to the sauce, 'Cooking is an art, not a science... or was it the other way around?' As it dawned on him that he was pretty much winging it, Robin pulled at his collar once again.

A short time later, as Robin set a plate down in front of her, Starfire looked at it and smiled as the flavorful aroma met her senses. "Wonderful! The spaghetti and meatballs, correct?" she asked, picking up a fork, preparing to dig into what seemed to be a perfectly appetizing meal.

Robin nodded in response, "Phew." he said under his breath. He was glad that she had at least recognized what he had cooked... he only hoped it tasted as it appeared. Sitting across from Starfire, Robin looked skeptically at his own plate, holding a fork in his hand.

Before Robin could even start, he looked up to see Starfire already halfway through her plate, "Delicious!" she said, stopping to take a drink from her glass.

With a chuckle, Robin looked back to his own meal... perhaps he hadn't messed up after all. Picking up a forkful, Robin took a bite only to realize how soft and gelatinous the noodles were... he had let them boil too long. Swallowing almost forcefully, Robin saw that Starfire was nearly finished. Either she was being... extremely nice, or she really did enjoy it; he hoped the latter was true.

Finishing up her plate after a while, Starfire took another drink and looked to Robin, "That was a splendid meal." she said happily, "I did not know you had such masterful skills in food preparation."

"Uh... me neither." Robin scratched the back of his neck as he looked at his half-finished plate, "Thanks though." he chuckled in spite of himself.

"I welcome you." Starfire replied happily in slight fractured english. After a moment, she spoke up again, "Robin..." she started, fiddling with her empty glass. Robin looked up to show his attention. "I am wondering..." she paused for a moment, not looking directly at his eyes, "How did you feel... about walking in the rain. It was not too uncomfortable?" she asked, hoping she had not made him do something he didn't enjoy.

Sitting up straight, Robin's expression brightened, "Not at all." he answered with a smile. "I think I'll be looking at the rain differently from now on." he continued, "Y'know... thanks to you, Star."

Immediately, Starfire felt her face heating up. "I am glad." she smiled shyly, attempting to hide her blush. Robin was the first person to address her by that nickname, and every time he spoke it she felt her heart race a little, knowing that it was a name he had come up with for her... a term of endearment.

Robin and Starfire continued talking like this for an unsure amount of time, both receiving their share of blush as certain things were mentioned. Robin was merely glad to have this time to talk with her... in their daily lives, it seemed such a rare occurrence to have some simple uninterrupted time together. Starfire too was enjoying the simplicity of the moment, smiling with nearly every word she spoke; she always loved to see Robin smiling as well. As the conversation progressed, Starfire happened to glance at the windows from the corner of her vision; what she saw caused her eyes to widen. The sun had completely set and only the light from the stars and a bright silver moon were present.

"Oh no!" Starfire gasped, standing up from her seat, "We will not be late, will we?" she asked worriedly.

Standing up just as quickly, Robin took out his communicator and looked at the display, "No..." he said with relief, "We've got about a half hour. There's still plenty of time." Robin looked up to see Starfire not much less worried, "But maybe we should get ready now." he added.

"Yes. A good idea." Starfire nodded. In a slight hurry, she floated off to the hallway.

Following her into the hall, Robin put his communicator away. Starfire seemed to be looking forward to the celebration very much, and that was reason enough for him to look forward to it as well. Keeping that thought in mind, Robin quickened his pace and turned the corner to his room.

- - - - - -

Waiting beside the living room windows in his recently acquired outfit, Robin looked up toward the sky. The moon was full, bright and silvery amidst a sea of tiny sparkling lights. There was not a cloud in the sky to interrupt the view; a perfect night. The ocean, calm and steady, near perfectly reflected the image of the heavens, distorting it ever so slightly with the small waves that swept tranquilly across its surface. As he thought about his plans, Robin had to steady his breathing; so much of it seemed impossible, but after tonight, he would know for sure... and so would she.

"Robin, I am prepared." came Starfire's voice from the hall, "I look... okay?" she asked.

As Robin turned around, he immediately felt his jaw drop when she came into view. The thought of what she was going to wear hadn't really hit him until now. Looking a little uncertain, Starfire stood a good distance from him, draped in a long white dress which ended just above her bare ankles. The silky fabric was held up by two straps which crossed diagonally above her chest... which had an unsettling amount of skin revealed. As she walked forward, tiny white shoes tapping against the floor, the dress swayed and moved as though it was barely touching her at all, simply caressing her form. Starfire took another step forward and as the moonlight caught itself upon her, the dress began to shimmer and glow.

Coming to a stop, Starfire tilted her head to the side, "...Robin?" she called his attention as he had not spoken for a measurable amount of time.

Shaking himself out of his trance, Robin looked up and attempted to keep his words from becoming gibberish. "Star, you look... amazing." he answered her question finally, closing his unlatched jaw. He wished he could have used a better word to describe it... but he knew he was always at his most "articulate" around her... more so now than ever.

Immediately, Starfire's face became warm and bright red. "Thank you." she replied, turning her face in an attempt to hide the blush. "And you look..." as soon as Robin came into her full view, Starfire felt her eyelids becoming heavy, drifting into daydream state. Robin looked very... different; she had always found him attractive, but seeing him now caused her thoughts to become jumbled to a point that her mouth couldn't find words to speak with. Robin's outfit was composed of a pair of black pants and a simple white button-down shirt. He had left the top button undone... and somehow, that was where her eyes found focus. It was very simple, but it worked for him so well... "Ra'pnir..." Starfire finished, reverting back to her native language without thinking.

"...Huh?" inquired Robin, looking a little confused.

Starfire suddenly snapped out of her state of mind, "It means... um... good." she lifted an index finger in the air, giggling nervously under her breath. Truthfully, it was closer to the human definition of handsome, only a little more... descriptive, but he didn't need to know that. After standing for several moments, both simply looking at each other, Starfire spoke up again, "I suppose we should leave now if we do not want to be late." she suggested.

"Oh, yeah." replied Robin, finally coming back to his senses. As they began walking to the doors, a thought began nagging on the back of Robin's mind, unable to shake the feeling that he was forgetting something. Just as the elevator doors slid open, Robin came to a stop and looked back to the hallway, "I've gotta find something before we go." he said quickly, finally realizing what he had misplaced.

"Shall I help you look?" asked Starfire as Robin rushed off to the hallway.

Wincing, Robin stopped for a moment, "No, uh... I know where it is." he choked, starting to walk again, "I'll only be a minute." with that, he hurriedly disappeared into the hall.

Less than a minute later, Robin returned, tapping on the outside of one of his pockets. "You have found it? May I ask what you were looking for?" Starfire smiled as Robin entered the elevator with her.

In response to her question, Robin swallowed painfully, "...I'll tell you later. It's kind of a... surprise." he said, pressing the button for the garage without much thought. 'That's it...' thought Robin as the elevator doors closed. He had sealed the deal... now there was no turning back.

"My apologies." Starfire immediately tried to take her attention away from it. If it was a surprise, she wouldn't want to ruin it for herself and the others. However, Robin rarely ever tried to surprise them with anything, so her curiosity remained high. As the elevator chimed in the arrival on the bottom floor, something came to Starfire's attention, "Since the others have left, how do you suppose we should travel to the celebration?" she asked as the doors opened to reveal the nearly vacant garage.

"Right..." Robin trailed off, realizing he hadn't even thought about it... but then, thinking hadn't exactly been his forte this evening. "I guess, since we're already in the garage, I could take the R-Cycle, and you could fly." he suggested, once again without thinking; it would be much faster if they flew together, but... that seemed like it would be asking a bit much of her.

"...Um, Robin?" Starfire began to shyly tap her fingers together as an odd thought suddenly came to her. "I have always wondered what it is like to ride such a vehicle... so, if it is not too much trouble..." she trailed off, looking into Robin's confused expression, "May I accompany you?" she managed to ask. Quickly, Starfire started again before Robin could protest, "If nothing, it will assure that we arrive at the same time." she closed her eyes, afraid of what his answer would be to such a stupid request.

"Sure." Robin answered simply. More than a little surprised, Starfire opened her eyes to see Robin smiling at her. "There's enough room for two." he added, walking along with her to the bike's parking spot. As they approached the motorcycle, Robin picked up his helmet, noticing scuff marks from where he had tossed it on the ground that morning. "Oh... I only have one helmet, so I guess--"

"Worry not." Starfire cut in, not wanting to give up on this agreeable turn of events, "If something should happen, I will fly, and carry you with me." she spoke truthfully, knowing she wouldn't let any harm come to him.

Robin set the helmet down on the ground beside the bike, "Then I guess I'm better off with you." he said, knowing he trusted her with his life. After all, they had faced worse situations than 10 o' clock traffic together and managed to come out unscathed. Robin looked up to see Starfire just smiling back at him, a sparkle in her eyes. Quickly, Robin cleared his throat, "Anyway, we probably shouldn't waste any more time." he said, sitting down on the bike.

Still thinking about what Robin had said just then, Starfire moved closer to the bike, "Of course." she replied, sitting down on the seat with both her legs draped over one side; the dress made it impossible to sit properly.

"You ready?" Robin asked, revving up the cycle's engine.

To ensure that she wouldn't slide off during the ride, Starfire slipped her arms around Robin's abdomen and held on tight, "I am ready." she answered, resting her head slightly against his back.

Taking a deep breath to steady his heartbeat, Robin looked forward, nearly forgetting to input the access code for the doors. As soon as the doors began to slide open, Robin firmly gripped the handles, "Okay." he said, speeding the bike into motion. Though the sound of the engine drowned it out, Robin swore he heard a slight "eep!" from Starfire as they took off into the tunnel.

Watching as the stone walls quickly passed by, their features blurred by the motion, Starfire felt her heart racing, leaping around in her chest. Moving at this speed without the aid of flight was both frightening... and exhilarating. As the feelings became overwhelming, Starfire hugged Robin tighter and pressed her face against the back of his shoulder, closing her eyes. Never had she imagined she would find herself afraid of such a thing as this acceleration... It made her want to shout above the wind and ask Robin to slow down, but it also caused her adrenaline to surge; she was enjoying the rush, and that was what kept her from shouting. Terrified as she was, being close to Robin calmed her nerves... though her heartbeat remained excited.

Feeling Starfire's face pressing against his back, Robin eased up on the accelerator. As preoccupied as his attention was, Robin tried to stay focused on the road, though his thumping heart and Starfire's arms wrapped firmly around his waist managed to sway some of that focus. Continuing down the tunnel, Robin wondered if driving like this was any different than driving drunk.

- - - - - -

Bejeweled by countless shimmering pinpoints of light, the clear night sky was a mesh of pitch black and sharp white. However, along the stretches of sand, with the intense light of the full moon bouncing off the ocean, the sky retained a spectacular deep violet and lavender hue. The air was warm when standing still, but the ocean winds were crisp and satisfyingly cool, drifting toward the shore along with lavender-struck curls of water. The caress of the warm wind, the light of the moon and stars; both ensured a safe journey.

After parking the R-Cycle in a vacant spot behind the back wall of a medium-sized building, Robin stepped down and held out a hand to help Starfire off as well. Taking in a breath of fresh sea air, he looked around to examine things. Intense lights were being shone from the other side of the building. A long floor of concrete parallel to the ocean resided on the other side, as did a large boardwalk which stretched out over the water. The voice of a man, nearly inaudible at this distance, could be heard speaking above the chattering of a large crowd. Just to left of the building, Robin noticed a set of stairs leading down, guarded by a surly looking gentleman in a casual black suit. Several people who walked by showed the man slips of paper, proceeding then to walk down the stairs at his approval.

Curious, Robin scanned the many cars in the parking lot, looking for one which should have stood out like a sore thumb... though it was nowhere to be seen. "Hm... I wonder where they are." Robin furrowed his brow. Beast Boy had the invitations... and they might have a little trouble getting in without them if that "bouncer" took his job seriously.

"Did they not arrive early?" Starfire wondered, looking around as well. Before anything more could be said, a silver and blue car turned from the street into the parking lot. Almost as though it had immediately noticed their presence, the car drove around and found a parking space beside Robin and Starfire, it's engines and lights shutting off thereafter.

Stepping out of the T-Car first, Cyborg ambled over to greet his friends with a large grin and a wave. Shortly after, Beast Boy and Raven exited the backseats... strangely, Raven seemed to be a bit cautious about the placement of her cloak as she did so.

"I thought you guys wanted to get here early." said Robin, raising an eyebrow at Cyborg.

Cyborg chuckled, sounding a little abashed, "Actually... we came too early and they wouldn't let us in, so we all went for pizza." he explained as Beast Boy and Raven joined the group.

"Nothing like walking into a pizza place when you're all dressed up." Raven commented monotonously.

"Well it's not like you had to deal with it." reacted Beast Boy, pointing to his outfit. Beast Boy was wearing something similar to Robin, though his shirt was purple and he had the cuffs rolled up to his elbows.

Suddenly, Raven shut her cloak tight, "...But, I'm an empath remember? I feel embarrassed for you." she said. Pausing for a moment, Raven attempted to find a way to take the attention away from herself, "So... you can guess how often I feel embarrassed." she added, joking in a tone only she could pull off.

"Heh, who said I was embarrassed?" Beast Boy responded with a grin, "You saw those girls at the other table. Couldn't keep their eyes off me." he said with a huge grin and a complete lack of seriousness. In actuality, he had been plenty embarrassed; so many raised eyebrows in his direction.

Raven's eyes could be seen narrowing under the shadows of her hood, "...Let's go. The sooner we get in there, the sooner we can leave." with that, she began walking toward the stairs in the distance.

"Was it... something I said?" asked Beast Boy, scratching the side of his head.

"You kidding? You know she doesn't like parties." stated Cyborg, turning to Robin and Starfire as Beast Boy followed after Raven. "Don't you usually wear a helmet?" he asked Robin, seeing nothing of the sort near the bike. As soon as Cyborg did the math, a knowing grin spread across his face, "Oh, I see. Well, I guess that is a lot safer than a helmet." he said with an unmistakable tone. Robin, unamused, simply looked back at Cyborg without expression. Feeling like he had done enough already, Cyborg coughed, "Well, no time to waste." he said, starting toward the stairs, waving for them to follow.

Taking in a deep breath as he and Starfire began walking toward the stairs, Robin hoped they could just slip past the crowd and find themselves a table without being noticed. There was no denying his intense nervousness at all that could happen this night. Robin knew he couldn't hide his feelings much longer. If this was really one of Starfire's last days on the planet... he had to at least tell her something; he owed it to her not to keep a secret like that. But he also didn't have it in himself to hurt her... so many 'what ifs' were tearing him apart from the inside. Not realizing that he had come to a stop, Robin breathed hard and gritted his teeth.

"Robin?" his inner battle was immediately halted by Starfire's sweet voice, "There is nothing to worry about... I am certain everything will be fine." she consoled him, noticing he seemed flustered about something. To Robin's surprise, Starfire took hold of his hand and led him to follow the others, "Come, I will see sure that you enjoy this celebration." she smiled angelically. Led by Starfire, Robin walked along with a smile, his doubts and worries quelled for the time being; he could hardly remember what he was thinking about.

Standing in front of the surly "stair guard" Beast Boy came to a stop at the front of the group, "Um... I know I've got them here somewhere..." he frantically searched his pockets, sweat forming on his forehead as he realized what he had forgotten. Cringing, he felt the icy stares of his teammates behind him.

"Are you joking?" asked the tall man in a low growl of a voice. Suddenly, his expression softened and a grin grew across his face, "Who else could you be? Go on through!" he stepped out of the way, making room for all the Titans. "You crack me up." the man shook his head, hardly able to contain his laughter.

"That's four so far." said Raven with slight smirk, walking past Beast Boy and onto the stairs.

"Four?" Beast Boy stood clueless for a moment, running through all the things in his mind that could possibly have a count attached to them. Drawing a blank, he shook his head and began walking down the flight. Only a few steps down the way, he came to a stop as it hit him, "Heh, could've sworn it was just three..." he said to himself with a grin, looking at Raven curiously as he resumed walking.

"--and so we proudly present you with this award for your heroic actions." came the words of a man from just around the corner, his voice amplified by a microphone. After a moment, a large crowd could be heard clapping, then silence as the microphone let out a slight screech. "It's them?" the man attempted to whisper, though his microphone made him easy enough to hear. The collective murmur of the crowd followed his voice.

With a shoulder raising cringe, Raven halted just before the point in the stairs where the building to her right would stop blocking her from view. Stepping up the stairs, Raven backtracked and let the others go in front of her, "I think I'd rather be at the end of the group for this..." she said.

Curious, Beast Boy stopped and joined Raven at the back of the group, "Why?" he questioned.

Robin and Starfire, now at the front, walked the rest of the way down the stairs. As soon as they came into view, a large crowd could be heard erupting into cheers. "That's why." Raven explained, feeling a little better about walking forward now that she was pretty much hidden from view by Cyborg.

'So much for not being noticed...' thought Robin as he watched the crowd enter into a standing ovation. Looking out across the multitude of circular tables, Robin was surprised at how many people were actually there; many were just citizens, but others were police force members, fire department workers, city officials, and people he had seen recently on the news as well. Spaced evenly apart across the flat stone platform, each table catered to at least six people. In front of the building was a stage of sorts where a man with a microphone stood... it all appeared to be some kind of awards ceremony. Though Beast Boy was right, it was a party; a lengthy table with food was situated to the side of all the others, as was a large empty space where people would probably be dancing later on. Closer to the ocean, a single empty table seemed almost reserved for them, positioned right next to the boardwalk at the very edge of the crowd... it was actually pretty considerate of them.

As soon as Starfire came into view, the crowd seemed to become louder. Robin scanned the crowd with narrowed eyes; if all those guys were any more enthusiastic, they'd have been standing on the tabletops... "That's our table down there." Robin spoke above the shouts and applause, pointing to the vacant table... He knew the Titans were well known... but never had he expected so many people to be so happy to see them. It was unsettling, but also pleasantly surprising that they were appreciated this much. As Robin and Starfire traveled alongside the perimeter of the tables, wary of the crowd, Cyborg and Beast Boy slowly walked the rest of the way down the stairs, hamming it up, unknowingly keeping Raven out of sight in the process.

With the table in view, Robin let out a sigh of relief and began to take the final few steps. Before he could go any further, Robin noticed someone step directly in his path. With widened eyes, he immediately recognized who it was; that person he had run into more times than he cared to count over the last few days... Actually, it couldn't have been more than three times, but, to Robin, it certainly felt like a lot more. The young man's ear peircings were gone... but it was him, unmistakably. Standing still, unsure of what he should do, Robin wondered what the guy could possibly want. He figured from their last meeting that he wouldn't be any more trouble... but there he was, standing nonchalantly in the pathway... smiling?

Before Robin could say anything, Alex held out a hand between them, "I just want to thank you man." he said, keeping his smile.

Reluctantly, Robin shook hands with him, "...For what?" he asked skeptically.

In response, Alex pointed into the crowd to a table, "You see that girl?" he inquired. Looking past a couple of tables, Robin squinted, vaguely recognizing the girl from the amusement park. "Well, if I hadn't run into you so many times... I wouldn't have worked up the nerve to ask her out." Alex took a serious but still content expression, "It was all just coincidences. I wasn't stalking your girl... believe me." he explained.

"My... girl?" Robin gulped, knowing Starfire and the others weren't far behind him.

"So, anyway, I just wanted to thank you. I owe it all to those coincidences." enthusiastically shaking Robin's hand one more time, Alex turned back and rejoined Kathryn at the table; as soon as he sat down, she eyed him curiously. "Um...what?" he chuckled apprehensively.

"Who was that?" came Cyborg's voice from just behind Robin.

Robin turned around to see all the others, including Starfire, just looking at him. "Um... I dunno. Some fan of ours, I guess." he answered nervously, hoping that the others hadn't heard anything that guy said. Robin sighed with relief as everyone just shrugged it off and continued toward their destination. Sitting down at the seemingly reserved table, all the Titans simply waited for the crowd's applause to die down... it made them feel like celebrities, something Beast Boy couldn't get enough of. As soon as the crowd calmed down and turned back to the stage, the Titans followed suit, wondering what was going to happen next. Seeing as how everyone else's attention was distracted, Robin took this chance to say something, turning to Starfire who was sitting right beside him, "Hey... Star--"

"Now that the guests of honor have arrived, I hope they won't mind if we call them up for a moment to accept their awards." said the on-stage man enthusiastically into the mike. Interrupted by the man's voice, Robin tried not to be too disappointed, figuring there was still plenty of time to talk... better to get the obligations out the way first anyway.

Raven suddenly glared across the table at Beast Boy, "You didn't mention that either." she growled quietly, eyes nearly glowing red; Beast Boy shrugged nervously in response. As the others stood up, Raven remained seated, now wondering which would be worse... being seen alone at the table, or with the others on that stage. Making her decision, Raven reluctantly stood up and followed after the group. The tables were separated down the middle into a hall which led straight up to the makeshift stage. The Titans walked up this hall, some hoping to get it over with quick, others simply basking in the notoriety.

After a moment, the Titans stepped up onto the platform; as they turned around to view the massive crowd, all were struck with a bit of stage fright. Suddenly, the night's designated speaker approached them with a friendly smile. He was a tall man with clean-cut features, wearing a plain black suit; the kind of guy who seemed made for this job. "Ladies and gentlemen... they need no introduction." he said, causing many of the younger fans in the crowd to clap and cheer. As the multitude quieted, he spoke up again, "We hold this celebration every year to thank those unique citizens who make all the difference in this city; those people we call heroes." he motioned a hand toward the Titans. "But this year, we honor five young people for whom the definition seems inadequate." the man smiled as the crowd let out another round of applause, "Countless times they have saved this very city from what can only be described as certain chaos... without so much as a thank you to show for it." he continued. "So," the man turned to face the Titans, "This is our 'thank you', to our saviors, protectors, and heroes; those who have stood brave and true in face of catastrophe, the Teen Titans!" he chuckled under his breath as the crowd simply erupted with cheer, 'A little corny... but, whatever makes 'em cheer.' he thought to himself.

"Wow..." Beast Boy was shocked into atypical speechlessness. In all the years they had been a team, never had the city shown this level of gratitude. All the others shared his reaction, hardly able to believe what they were seeing and hearing.

Starfire looked across the cheering masses in wonder, "Robin, this is simply amazing. I did not know we were so appreciated." she said, joy radiating from her expression.

"Neither did I..." replied Robin, still awe-struck by many things. It was perfect; if this didn't show Starfire she was needed on earth, nothing would.

"We'd like to present you with these platinum medals, as symbols of your heroism." said the announcer as he was handed several shiny objects. Walking over to the Titans, he distributed the medals among them; each had one of the Titans' names inscribed on its circular mirrorlike surface, as well as the city's official insignia. "So, would you like to share any words with the crowd before we move on?" he asked.

Grinning, Cyborg figured he had been quiet long enough, unable to contain himself any longer. Pulling his arm down to his side, Cyborg looked as though he was about ready to explode, "BOO-YAH!" he shouted, lifting his hand high into the air, glad to see the crowd driven into an uproar of clapping by this. All smiles, the Titans proceeded to retreat back down the pathway. Even Raven didn't mind a few kudos every once in a while... though she was still just glad to finally be getting out of the crowd's view again.

"That concludes the awards ceremony. There'll be music available by request, food, and even dancing, so stick around and enjoy yourselves, you might just meet someone who saved your life." with that, the man shut off the microphone. Retiring from the stage, he let out a deep breath and headed quietly for the refreshments.

Finally back at their table, the Titans sat for a moment, marveling at their awards. The personalized platinum medals shimmered brightly under the light of the moon. "This is just too awesome." Beast Boy grinned, looking at his reflection on the medal's polished surface.

"I have to admit... it was pretty nice of them." said Raven, setting her award down on the table.

"Yeah, and about time too." Cyborg commented, "How many times have we saved their butts?" he asked jokingly.

"What a wonderfully marvelous celebration!" Starfire exclaimed, examining her medal with curiosity.

"So, you're enjoying it so far?" Robin asked, seeing Starfire nod happily in response, "I'm glad." he said truthfully. The night was turning out to be perfect; Starfire seemed to be enjoying herself, and it was definitely memorable. He was still nervous about his plans, but that smile she was showing him now made his worries drift away...

Looking at each other knowingly, the others simultaneously decided to give Robin and Starfire some space. "Well, I think I'm gonna go check out that buffet." said Beast Boy, standing up from his seat, "You guys wanna come?" he asked rhetorically with a puckish grin. Putting his hands on his friends' shoulders, Beast Boy practically removed Cyborg and Raven from their chairs by force. As he watched his three friends walk away, Robin couldn't help but wonder if they had a hand in many of the things that had happened over the past few days.

Quite a distance from Robin and Starfire, Cyborg looked over the immense table of food, "Whoa! Thanks for pullin' us down here man. Look at all this stuff." he said, nearly drooling over the selection.

Beast Boy's eyes widened with delight as he noticed a section dedicated to his usual food of choice, "Hey, some of it's vegetarian!" he exclaimed, starting to scan the table for plates and utensils.

"With all that pizza you two had... how can you even think of eating right now?" Raven cringed at the food, feeling stuffed just looking at it. "Besides, don't you want to see if your plan works out?" she asked, pointing back toward Robin and Starfire in the distance.

Beast Boy stopped just short of filling a plate with every green thing available, "Oh yeah! Uh... be right back!" he rushed off, heading toward the dance floor. Seeing a bunch of tall speakers and sound equipment at the very edge of the spotlighted area, he continued on his way, taking something out of his shirt pocket. Approaching a large black desk which looked like a computer console, Beast Boy saw a man ducked down on the other side, connecting extension cords on the ground. "Pst." Beast Boy called the man's attention. The man stood up, revealing himself to be a teenager; with a clueless expression on his face, he turned toward Beast Boy and scratched the side of his messy dark-blond hair.

"Um... are you the DJ?" Beast Boy asked with skepticism. The kid seemed a little young... and out of it, to be a DJ.

"Yah, that's me little man." he responded in an odd surfer accent with a slack, open-mouthed smile.

Beast Boy shook his head; it didn't matter who the DJ was. "Anyway, I've got a request for the first song." he said, handing over the CD he had taken from his pocket. "It's track 16. Just, play it in about..." Beast Boy looked back to the table and squinted to see Robin and Starfire still sitting and talking, "Ten minutes, alright?"

"Sure, no prob green guy." replied the DJ, taking the CD and setting it down in one of the many players, "I'll get it started once I finish up here." he gave a thumbs up and returned to his work on the ground.

Beast Boy kept an eyebrow raised, "Heh, right..." turning around, he began making his way back to the food table where much of the crowd was now gathered, hoping against hope that the DJ was reliable.

"What were you doing over there?" Cyborg asked, holding a plate full of barbecue ribs in his hands.

"Hehe, you'll see." he grinned slyly, rolling up his sleeves and leaning against the table to keep an eye on his "victims" in the distance.

- - - - - -

"Shall we join them?" Starfire asked as the conversation allowed, pointing to the table of food, "Perhaps... you are still hungry." she said, looking Robin over curiously. She couldn't forget the severe state of fatigue he had been in recently. However, this morning had been a surprising relief; Robin seemed energetic and full of life even at sunrise. It made her believe she was just worrying too much. Worried as his well-being in days past had made her, Robin seemed to be fine now.

"No, I'm good." he said, satisfied with the dinner he had eaten earlier. 'Now would be a good time.' he thought to himself, looking up to Starfire, immediately finding it hard to breathe, "Actually, I wanted to... Remember that surprise I told you about?" he inquired, feeling like the box in his pocket weighed a thousand pounds.

Starfire stood up partway from her chair, "Then should I not inform the others?" she asked, looking out toward the crowd.

"Well, the surprise... is..." Robin took in a deep and lasting breath, "It's for you." he said in one exhalation.

Nearly falling back into her chair, Starfire turned her slightly startled eyes to Robin, "For me? But... what is the occasion?" she asked, feeling her heart beginning to beat faster as she wondered what this surprise would be. What could it possibly be? Simply knowing it was from Robin made her face warm with blush.

"No occasion..." standing up, Robin avoided her eyes and attempted to ease the tension in the back of his neck, "I just... wanted to." he explained vaguely. Starfire stood up to join him; walking over to Robin, she ended up standing between him and the extension of boardwalk. As soon as Robin looked up, he felt his breath taken away. The enormous full moon was hovering just above the water, casting a bright silver glow across the ocean waves; Starfire was standing directly in front of it. Bathed in that spectacular light, she looked angelic, her white dress sparkling like the stars which painted the deep violet sky. Behind the bleaching veil of luminance, he could see a smile on her face and a whisper of pink in her cheeks. Her emerald eyes appeared to shine brighter than the moon itself. For a moment that seemed to stand still, Robin couldn't find a single word to speak, but Starfire quickly noticed.

"Robin, are you okay?" she asked kindly, unknowingly caught beneath the moon's halo.

"I'm alright." Robin finally spoke, reaching into his pocket. Many unsettling questions came to him, 'What if she doesn't like it? What if she hates you for it?' they coursed through his mind, plaguing his thoughts with doubt. Even so, something was giving him the strength to continue... it was that beautiful smile, the same one that drove away his fears on so many occasions. Listening to the shifting ocean and taking in one last breath of air, Robin pulled out the small blue box and held it up for Starfire to see. "It's a present..." he said, unsurely pulling open the case.

Gasping, Starfire nearly jumped as she covered her mouth, immediately recognizing that necklace she admired quite a while ago. The cleaved surface of the small blue stone shimmered under the moonlight as Robin held the box. 'Robin has purchased you a necklace... that is not something a mere friend would do... is it?' she asked herself, unable to unlock her eyes from Robin's. The more her thoughts dwelled on it, the more she wondered if Robin would notice her face had now become red as a cherry.

Noticing Starfire wasn't trying to take the necklace, Robin picked it up and set the box down on the table. Barely understanding what he was doing, almost as though his feet and hands were thinking for him, Robin held the necklace out and walked forward. Trying to avoid Starfire's eyes, for she was surely staring at him, Robin reached out with the unclasped necklace the moment he got close enough. Before he know it, he was clipping the ends of the adornment together behind her neck. Bravery gone, Robin pulled back and attempted to hide his irregular breathing as soon as the necklace was in place.

Starfire felt feverish and nearly paralyzed as Robin secured the necklace and stepped back. Looking down at the jewel, then back to Robin, she tried to find ways of keeping her feelings from getting the best of her; what she felt like doing was locking him in a never-ending embrace, or... She didn't care about the necklace, it was his gesture that sent her emotions into a frenzy. Finally finding words to speak with, Starfire delicately touched the tiny sapphire with her finger, "Was it not... expensive?" she asked, knowing the prices of such things on earth were nearly astronomical.

Robin shook his head, "No... I just saw that you liked it and..." he paused for a moment, "You... do like it right?" he asked, still unsure, as Starfire's expression was nearly unreadable.

"Yes... I thank you..." Starfire nodded, biting her bottom lip as she tried to work up some courage, "Robin... what does this mean?" she managed to ask.

This was it. Robin closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "It means I..." Robin trailed off as a sound began picking up in the distance. A soft melody; the beginnings of a slow song was coming from the speakers on the dance floor. Feeling a sudden rush of confidence, Robin looked into Starfire's eyes and smiled, "It means I want to ask you... to dance." he said, holding out a hand.

Heart beating as though it could leap from her chest at any moment, eyes gleaming as though they could let loose tears of pure joy, Starfire reached out and took hold of Robin's hand, smiling as though she had never truly smiled before.

- - - - - -

Beast Boy watched from afar as Robin and Starfire started into a slow dance on the boardwalk, "That's right... dance." he rubbed his hands together with an immense grin, holding back the maniacal laughter welling up inside of him.

Cyborg stood in disbelief with his mouth ajar, 'Since when does Robin have that kind of nerve?' he wondered to himself. Snapping out of it, Cyborg looked to Beast Boy, "Alright. I never thought I'd say this... and I really mean NEVER, but... man, you're a genius." he said, causing Beast Boy to rest his arms at his side and grin emphatically. It was only now that the mushy lyrics of the song hit Cyborg, "So that's what you were doing over there." he grinned down at his friend, which made Beast Boy shift out of gloating stance, "Heh, you're just a hopeless romantic aren't you?" he teased.

"Um--No!" Beast Boy retorted, crossing his arms, "I just got a little t-i-r-e-d of watching those two... so I decided to do something about it." he explained, though Cyborg didn't seem to believe him. Hoping to get some support, Beast Boy turned to his side, "You know what I'm talking about... right Ra--" he looked around to see the area void of any empaths, "Raven?" he called. Quickly, he looked back to Cyborg, "Where is she? She's missing it!" he exclaimed.

"I dunno." Cyborg shrugged, "She was right here, I went to get something to eat, and when I came back she was gone." he explained casually. "Come on. Did you really expect Raven to stick around for long at a party?" he questioned.

"...I'm gonna go look for her." Beast Boy turned around and began walking in a random direction.

"But, don't you wanna watch the rest of this?"

"What's the point if I can't rub it in both your faces?" Beast Boy chuckled when he saw Cyborg's expression falter. Walking to the very end of the lengthy table, he scanned the crowd as he moved along. Finally reaching the corner farthest from the ocean and the entrance, Beast Boy found himself standing at a point where the stone platform ended, meeting a slight hill which led down to the beach. Paying no attention to the ocean, he looked back across the platform, squinted his eyes, and scanned the various separations of crowd. Raven should have stood out, but she was nowhere to be seen. Nearly giving up, Beast Boy's eyes caught a glimpse of something. On the sands, just at the foot of the hill, was a single wooden bench; sitting there was a cloaked figure he immediately recognized. 'Raven.' he let out a breath, starting to walk down the sandy hill.

The ocean water appeared dark purple in the shadows of the boardwalk, though it was lit brightly further out by the immense full moon. A gentle inshore breeze accompanied the waves which continuously lapped up against the sand. The sparkling stars above contributed to an oddly luminescent night. Sitting alone on the wooden bench, Raven stared out at the scenery, feeling foolish and stupid. 'What's wrong with you? ...What did you think was going to happen?' she asked herself, shifting her eyes from the ocean to the sand at her feet, 'I don't know!' she answered harshly, 'I just... don't know.' Raven sighed, sometimes she wished her thoughts would just shut up.

Hearing shoes scraping against the sand, Raven turned to see the one person she felt like she was trying to avoid... "What?" she asked plainly as he moved closer. 'Why do you treat him like that?' her thoughts chimed in, making her feel guilty. Raven felt strange looking at Beast Boy while he wore that outfit... sleeves rolled up to his elbows on that purple shirt; it suited him rather well. Rude as she thought she was to him, he grinned obnoxiously as always...

"What're you doing down here? It's not a party without you." Beast Boy joked, continuing to grin.

Raven sighed, looking back up to the boardwalk, listening to the soft music and the collective voice of the crowd; the light's shifted about and she could see people moving around at the edge. "Look, celebrations just aren't my thing... let's leave it at that." she turned her attention back to the waves.

"But, Robin and Starfire are dancing, you've gotta see it." he encouraged her.

"Really?" Raven smirked slightly under her hood, feeling like she ought to congratulate Beast Boy or something. "...No." she said quickly, "I'm done with the party... I'm fine down here." Realizing her cloak was separating, Raven hastily shut it. 'Why did you even buy it?'

"What are you so afraid of? It's not like we'd leave you alone up there." he asked. Raven didn't answer. "Hey, I'm no more comfortable up there than you." Beast Boy suddenly spoke up.

"What?" Raven eyed him curiously, forgetting entirely about the placement of her cloak as she heard something she found extremely hard to believe.

Beast Boy scratched the side of his forehead, "...I get nervous around people. It's why I make jokes..." he turned away to avoid Raven's stare, "To cover for myself... get them to like me." he explained. Noticing the look on Raven's face, Beast Boy pointed to his skull, looking fairly serious, "Go ahead, read my mind if you don't believe me."

Raven sat still, blinking her eyes under her hood, "Why are you telling me this?" she questioned, still in disbelief.

"I told you because..." Beast Boy noticed something strange about Raven's knees, "What's that?" he asked, squinting his eyes at the black fabric.

Feeling her face heat up, Raven quickly stood up from the bench and turned away from Beast Boy, "It's nothing." she said plainly, breathing slowly in attempt to remove this strange feeling from her face... 'Blush?'

"That didn't look like nothing." Beast Boy spoke calmly, trying as hard as he could not to prod.

"You're not going to let it go... are you?"

"Probably not." he replied with a chuckle, lightening the mood a bit.

"Then I guess there's no point in hiding it..." with a sigh, Raven lowered her hood, revealing her neck-length bluish-purple hair. Carefully, she reached for the gem which held her cloak together... making a snap decision, she unclasped her cloak and let it fall to the sand.

Jaw dropped as far as it could go, Beast Boy stood wide eyed and blinking. Raven remained turned away from him, looking unsurely over her shoulder. What had Beast Boy so shocked was the fact that Raven... was wearing a dress. From behind he could see that it was an intense shade of black, but the fabric seemed to sparkle ever so slightly, bejeweled by tiny amethyst stones. It was long, and nearly touched the sand; little could be seen of her feet. Oddly enough, Beast Boy found himself staring... the dress fell extremely low, revealing the pale skin of her back, illuminated by the moonlight. Her arms as well were bare, all the way to her shoulders where the dress formed straps. 'Cut it out! It's Raven... you're not supposed to be looking at her like that!' Beast Boy ordered himself in thought, 'Try and stop me.' he retorted. It was strange... Raven never seemed to like dresses, but there she was, wearing one that suited her extremely well.

After a few moments, Beast Boy snapped out of it, feeling like slapping himself a couple times, "Why... Why would you want to hide that?" he asked her in severe disbelief.

Raven turned around, holding her elbows in her hands, "You mean, it doesn't look... strange?" she asked.

"Strange?" Beast Boy nearly spit out the question. "You don't look strange, you look..." he trailed off, searching his mind for the proper word... but the words that appeared frightened him to no end, "...Beautiful!" he blurted, choosing the mildest description.

"...What?" Raven suddenly felt her arms shaking... 'It's not cold out here...'

"I said..." Beast Boy looked away, "You look beautiful... you shouldn't keep something like that covered."

"Beast Boy..."

"...Well, what are we standing here for? We're both dressed up, why not make the best of it?" he smiled fervently, motioning a hand back up to the platform, "The party's waiting."

Raven's shoulders fell slightly... "You mean where all those people are dancing?" she asked plainly, "I can't dance."

"I wasn't saying you had to." Beast Boy's eyes shifted around as he began thinking about something, "But, now that we're on the subject... You... uh... you wanna?" he asked, immediately scratching the back of his head in sheer nervousness. 'Did you seriously just ask that?'

"I told you, I'm not going up there and--"

"Then we'll stay down here." Beast Boy cut in, "We can hear the music just fine... So, wanna dance?" he asked, once again in disbelief of his own words.

"With... you?" Raven queried, her arms never stopping their trembling.

"You see anyone else asking?" Beast Boy grinned, holding a hand out, "Don't worry, I'll try not to scream if you step on my feet."

Raven put a hand over her mouth to cover the smile. As soon as she stifled her reaction, Raven took a serious expression and slowly reached out to take his hand, "If you tell anyone about this... you're dead." she joked in her own way.

"That's... fair." he said, immediately feeling himself pulled in her direction. Now much closer to her, Beast Boy put his free hand on her waist, feeling strange... but a good kind of strange. Soon enough, they were swaying to the music which managed to softly find it's way to the beach. Though it was nearly impossible, Beast Boy attempted to keep from looking into her eyes, all the while wondering about a certain feeling in the core of his heart. 'You're dancing with Raven... shouldn't that be... weird?' he thought, realizing then the truth of what he had said to Raven's face... that he found her to be beautiful. What did that mean?

As they slowly turned about under the light of the moon, Raven looked to the side and recited her mantra in thought, attempting to keep the things around them from exploding. Trying to make sure her meditation was working, she examined the area. Something quickly became her main concern; several stones were floating above the sand, enveloped in her energy... strangely, that was all they were doing... just floating there. Turning her eyes away from the stones, Raven found her mind focused on their interlocked hands, and her own which rested on his shoulder; they were so close, it made her stomach flutter and her heart race... yet, nothing bad was happening. The more she thought about it, the more it became clear. The emotions she had been feeling, the undeniable uneasiness when he was near; it was more than just a simple crush... so much more. She couldn't stand him... and at the same time, she couldn't get enough. But history told her that he didn't return these feelings... and she dared not enter his mind to find out. Surely, he was dancing with her now out of sympathy and nothing more. But if sympathy felt this good, she would dance with it all night.

Before long, the song faded to a stop, as did their dance. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met as they pulled away. As he stood, letting his heartbeat slow, Beast Boy saw a smile on Raven's face... and she wasn't even trying to hide it.

Beast Boy chuckled, "See. That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked, acting as normal as possible, though inside he felt direly conflicted. Feeling like she had just awakened from some trance, Raven sat down on the bench... her smile fading away soon. "What's wrong?" Beast Boy took a seat beside her, "Wait, I didn't step on your feet did I?" he asked, wincing as he thought about it.

Raven shook her head. "I want to... ask you something." she said wistfully.

"What is it?"

"Well... a while ago you told us that you saw... her... in the city, and at that school." Raven didn't want to hurt him, she knew she must be opening a wound, but she continued, wary of her words as she tried not to look at his face. "But... after a while, you just stopped saying anything. And you went right back to being yourself... How did you do that, knowing that she was right there?" Raven looked up to see something she didn't expect at all... a smile.

"Closure." Beast Boy put it simply. "During those days, I went back to that school... a lot." he paused for a moment, "But, do you know what I saw every time I went?" he asked. Raven remained silent. "I saw her smiling, and laughing, and... she was happy. I mean, she was finally happy." Beast Boy looked out toward the moon, "I cared about her... so, what more could I want than for her to be happy?" he turned back to Raven; the smile had never left his face. "I figured it was time for me to stop feeling sorry for myself. Sometimes, things change... and they change for the better." he explained. Raven was caught off guard by that; rarely had she heard Beast Boy sound so thoughtful. "But, why do you ask?"

After letting all that sink in, Raven breathed slowly for a moment... about to tell him something she never thought she would tell anyone, "I had to know... because... Beast Boy, I--" she stopped, seeing a strange splash in the water by the end of the boardwalk.

"What was that?" Beast Boy asked, standing up and looking out at the dark ocean.

- - - - - -

The music had long since ended, but Robin and Starfire continued their dance, unaware of anything else. Silhouettes in front of the bright celestial body, they swayed and turned to the euphony that played in their minds. Every now and again they would glance at each other's eyes, finding themselves too abashed to remain that way for long. It was a dance they never wanted to end, and if either had it their way, it never would; they would see the sun rise from this very ocean before even thinking of such a thing. Without knowing it, during this entire time they had moved farther along the boardwalk, away from the celebration and out toward the ocean.

Feeling like she needed to be closer, Starfire leaned in and rested her head on Robin's shoulder, unknowingly causing him to almost melt to the ground. "Robin... thank you." she smiled, blushing madly at the same time. As soon as the shifting ocean met the corners of their vision, Robin and Starfire were forced to a stop at the very end of the boardwalk. Reluctantly, they pulled away from each other, finally realizing how far from everything they had drifted.

"...For what?" Robin asked with a smile, feeling like he should be thanking her.

Starfire looked down at her necklace, "For everything..." she trailed off, a shy and blushful smile on her face. "You have been so kind to me... always, without asking anything in return. I am wanting you to know that... I care for you... more than anyone I have known. You are my best friend, but..." Starfire's bottom lip began to tremble as she realized their friendship could end here and now if he didn't feel the same way. Opening her mouth, Starfire tried to speak... but her heart wouldn't allow her to. Feeling pained, she looked up to the night sky, finding inspiration in the banner of stars. Turning back to Robin, she gazed longingly into his eyes as the words slowly came to her, "Robin... will you make my wish come true?" she asked, closing her eyes.

"...Huh?" Robin felt himself shaking in place as Starfire seemed to be drifting closer. He didn't know what was happening, but Robin decided to follow her example.

Overtaken by a rush of emotion, Starfire leaned in further, feeling as though the world was moving in slow motion. This was it; if her mouth wouldn't speak to him... she would find another way. She would let him know by that one unmistakable gesture. The sound of the ocean and the distanced crowd faded away, all she focused on was the moment; this deciding moment.

Robin could hardly believe what was happening... there was a haze before his thoughts, like a dream... but real. A kiss? There was nothing to make him think otherwise; though his eyes were closed, he could sense that she was moving forward as well. Soon, he could feel their breath colliding in the minuscule distance that remained between them. Every fiber of his being told him he was right... told him to seal the gap between them now, and throw all doubt to the wind.

"Robin!" called Starfire, sounding terrified, her face quickly pulled away from his.

"Starfire?" Robin opened his eyes to see Starfire bound by and struggling against strange glowing white ropes which seemed to be extending from the ocean. Holding her hand out to him, she pressed her feet against the ground in an attempt to stay in place, the ropes pulling her away with tremendous strength. "Starfire!" Robin immediately took hold of her hand without thought, and less than a second to act. At that moment, both were torn away, their feet lifted from the ground by whatever force was on the other end of those bonds. Starfire felt weaker by the second, hardly able to keep her eyes open, but tried to retain a firm grip on Robin's hand as they were pulled from the boardwalk. Without letting go, Robin kept his eyes on Starfire as they were both plunged into the ocean.

"Starfire! Hold on!" he called to her, both now being pulled along the waves at frightening speed. From here, he could see that the ropes were attached to some sort of vehicle.

"Do not... let go--please!" though she barely had enough energy to remain awake, Starfire used every last ounce of her being to keep hold of Robin's hand. Terrified, tears began to stream from her eyes as her fingers started to slip, "I am sorry." she cried.

"NO!" with their hands torn apart, Robin was dashed against the waves at bone-shattering velocity, feeling as though he was being struck by solid rocks. Pained and injured beneath the surface of the water, Robin quickly swam to the top and saw Starfire being pulled away in the distance... she looked to be unconscious. "Starfire!" he yelled, swimming as fast as he could in her direction though he was sure something had been broken when he hit the water. Thinking of nothing else but Starfire's safety, he tore his way through another wave; he couldn't move as fast as that thing, not with that dull pain in his shoulder, but he wouldn't stop. Without warning, an immense wave swept Robin under the ocean once again. 'NO!' through blurry vision, he saw the glow of the ropes exit the water and take off toward the city in flight, 'No...'

- - - - - -

Robin opened his eyes and began coughing up water, finding himself being helped up from the sand by Cyborg. "Robin, what happened man?" he asked worriedly, letting go of Robin's arm as he stood up straight.

"How long?" Robin asked quickly, seeing Raven, Beast Boy, and a great deal of the crowd had come to his aid on the shore as well.

"Less than a minute." Cyborg answered.

Finally coming out of his daze, Robin's eyes widened, "Starfire! They took her! We have to go, now!" looking around to find the parking lot, he rushed off, pushing his way through the crowd. The Titans took to chasing after him, mostly concerned for his safety as he climbed up a steep and sandy hill. Finding himself nearly out of breath, Robin forced his way over the top of the hill and looked to the parking lot with sore and burning eyes.

"Robin, wait!" came Beast Boy's voice from behind, though Robin paid no attention to it and bolted for his R-Cycle.

Now on the bike, Robin started up the engine. Suddenly, Cyborg slammed his hands on the front of the bike, causing Robin to remove his grip from the handles, "Hold on! Who took Starfire?" he asked seriously.

"The Tempest." Robin answered, "Now get out of my way." he narrowed his eyes.

"They'll want her alive... believe me." said Cyborg, remembering his talk with Iron. "You need your equipment. I've got all our stuff in the trunk, just let me--"

"No, there's no time!"

"Robin, don't be stupid!" Raven shouted, turning everyone's attention to her, "What good do you think you could possibly do if you're not prepared? Get off the bike." she ordered him. Robin grudgingly complied. Focusing her hands at the trunk of the T-Car, Raven pulled it open and removed their uniforms with her powers. Encased in black bubbles, the clothes moved through the air and hovered above the three out-of-uniform Titans. With a thought, Raven brought the bubbles down on herself, Beast Boy, and Robin. As the blackness cleared, each Titan was in their usual attire once again, the clothes they had worn to the party lying on the ground in front of them. Beast Boy seemed astonished by the whole process.

"Split up! Search everywhere!" Robin stepped back onto the bike.

"Wait." Raven reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, "You won't do any good injured." After enveloping Robin's upper arm in a white light, she pulled away, "Now, go." she said, pointing to the city. Robin nodded and sped off toward the streets... he didn't know what he would do without them. Worried about both her friends, Raven watched as Robin disappeared into the traffic. Deciding to ask the others about their plan of action, Raven turned around to find Beast Boy looking extremely uncomfortable, "What is it?" she asked.

"I know this isn't the time to be complaining, but... I think you got mine on backwards."

- - - - - -

Speeding through the traffic, Robin cut his way around another slow car, unsure of where he was going. It seemed to happen in the blink of an eye; even so, thoughts of being pulled through the water were coursing through his mind... thoughts of his failure to keep hold of her hand. Gritting his teeth, Robin increased the speed, though he had no idea where he was trying to get to so fast. Looking up for a moment, something caught Robin's eye; a plume of smoke was rising somewhere in the city. The thing that took Starfire away had flown off into the city... Quickly, a horrifying thought came to his mind. Had it crashed? Breathing intensified, Robin tore to the left, screeching his tires against the ground as he entered into the streets between the buildings.

Robin looked around at the businesses to his sides as he sped through the nearly empty streets. The neighborhood was beginning to look familiar to him. Seeing the street where the smoke was coming from, Robin made the turn. In the distance, two fire trucks and several police cars stood in the middle of the street, just beside a building... which was up in flames. Firemen tried in vain to drench the fire, but it seemed too intense. As he came to a halt, Robin immediately recognized the building with wide eyes. Stepping off the bike, he ran forward only to find himself blocked by several firemen, who then recognized him and eased their barring.

"What happened here?" Robin asked hurriedly, looking at the building; both floors were lit up with enormous orange flames.

"Police got a strange call from the guy in this building..." one of the firemen spoke up, looking over to the burning mass, "We think it was arson... but we can't get inside. No one could survive in that blaze."

Looking angrily into the flames as several pieces of the building collapsed, Robin realized what this was. Somehow, in his sick mind, Grey believed he had said too much... and now, Starfire and everyone around him would pay for it. It was his fault.


Author's Note: I felt so bad writing those last few scenes XD... but I knew I had to do it; all these previous chapters can be considered 'the calm before the storm', and it had to end some time. The storm, of course, is what's going to happen next. Day 10 is the final set of chapters and will bring everything together, and even explain some tiny little things you might not have noticed.

Sorry about taking so long with this one, but it was 11,000 words... my lengthiest chapter yet. I originally wanted to write lyrics for that song Beast Boy requested at the party... but I didn't want to take any longer than I needed to.

Next Chapter Preview: The calm has ended. It all happened in an instant; without warning, Starfire was taken. Now, as the longest day of Robin's life begins, an old enemy will become a valued ally, the frightening intentions of The Tempest will be revealed, but the biggest surprise awaits the Titans deep within the eye of the storm. Day 10, Part One: To Brave the Tempest.