By the time Batgirl woke up, showered, dressed, and made her way to the dining hall, all of the Titans were gone except Starfire, who was ravenously digging away at a particularly large grapefruit. Barbara considered delaying breakfast until the Tamaranean left the room, but quickly changed her mind.
Some things needed to get out in the open, and Jim Gordon's little girl had never been one to beat around the bush.
"Good morning, Starfire," She said cheerily as she sat down at the counter, "How are you today?"
Starfire stared at her, eyes flickering briefly with a greenish hue. She took a moment to wipe the juice from her mouth with the back of her hand before responding.
"I am fine."
Batgirl noticed the alien's grip on her spoon had tightened significantly..
"Have you seen Robin around?" Barbara asked innocently.
The spoon snapped.
"No. I have not."
Barbara helped herself to a bagel. "You're pretty tough on the silverware, huh?"
Starfire's eyes flashed suddenly, and she carefully dropped the remains of her utensil in the trash, "Sometimes I forget my own strength."
"Why, that almost sounds like a threat, Starfire."
"It is . . . " the taller girl paused as she searched for the right words, ". . . a fact."
Subtlety is not her strong point.
"Well, then, since we're talking about facts, why don't I enlighten you with a few?"
Starfire glared at the redhead and then nodded slowly, "Go ahead."
"Robin is my boyfriend. We were together long before the Titans ever formed, and while I admit we haven't seen each other in a few years, I plan to pick up right where we left off. So why don't you save both of us a lot of time and energy and back off?"
For a long moment, Starfire appeared too shocked to respond.
Batgirl took advantage of the female Titan's hesitation and continued, "Not that I blame you for trying. He's a great guy. In fact, he's probably the greatest guy you'll ever meet. But it's not meant to be."
She took another bite of her bagel and continued, mouth partially full, "Maybe you should date the green one. He's kind of funny, in a geeky---"
An exploding countertop interrupted her.
By the time the smoke cleared, Batgirl found herself staring up at a clearly angry, hovering extra-terrestrial.
"How dare you tell me what to do!" Starfire exclaimed, another starbolt manifesting in her hand, "You have no right to do so! You should go back to where you came from."
Batgirl assumed a combat stance, Batarang at the ready.
"Who's going to make me?"
A cool smile formed on the floating girl's face, "Perhaps I will."
The mirthless grin was returned by Barbara.
"Bring it on."
-----
Robin had begun the process at dawn. He had no idea how long it would take, but he'd left enough inquiries that he felt fairly confident he'd get results relatively soon.
Not that I have much choice in the matter, he thought glumly as he started up his motorcycle and began his trip back to the island, It's out of my hands now.
For the hundredth time since waking up, he wondered how he had become so desperate. Although it would be easy to pin the blame on Bruce, he realized this particular choice was entirely his prerogative.
But if it allows me to stay with the Titans . . .
The young man continued to wonder if the ends did indeed justify the means all the way back to the Tower.
-----
Cyborg was just about to finish his painstakingly thorough wax job on the T-car when the floor of his lab trembled underneath his feet.
"Aw man, what now?"
He walked over to the nearest security monitor and ran a scan.
A few seconds later, he discovered the source of the disturbance.
He whistled softly to himself.
"This could be bad."
The oldest Titan sighed and absently rubbed the part of his head that was still flesh and blood. The question was, did he really want to be the one who broke them up?
The entire Tower shook this time.
"Whew! Starfire looks pretty mad . . ."
Ultimately, Victor Stone decided discretion was the better part of valor.
He turned up his internal Ipod, turned down his sensitivity to vibration, and turned away from the security console. A few minutes later, he was blissfully back at work.
-----
"Azarath! Mentrion! Zinthos!"
As the last mystical syllable left her lips, Raven's sorcery lashed out and cocooned both combatants. She had been too late to prevent major damage to the dining hall, kitchen area, and a large portion of the rec room, but at least the outer walls of the Tower hadn't been breached.
Yet.
"What is the matter with you two?" She asked incredulously.
"SHE STARTED IT!" both girls shouted in unison.
Already Raven felt the strain from Starfire's efforts to be free, and she was certain Batgirl would have something nasty up her sleeve in order to escape.
"If I let you go," Raven stated calmly to both combatants, "Will you stop fighting like little children over some stupid toy?"
Starfire and Batgirl continued to struggle for a few more seconds, but finally, both of them nodded.
Raven was pleased. She wouldn't have been able to hold Starfire much longer in any case. "Okay, then. Great. Here we go."
The black aura of magical energy dissipated and the three young women stared at each other. Raven hastily planted herself between the two rivals and pointed back to the dining hall. "I think you can both work off some of your energy by fixing what you just trashed. You wouldn't want Robin to see this!"
"Wouldn't want me to see what?"
Three sets of eyes shifted to look at the leader of the Titans.
Raven sighed as Starfire and Batgirl blushed.
-----
Several hours later, Robin was alone in the gym, moving through his typical regimen almost robotically. While his body was on auto pilot, his mind was racing.
He couldn't believe Starfire and Batgirl had gotten in a fight over him. Under different circumstances, he had to admit it would have been flattering, but right now, it was just more stupid crap he couldn't afford to deal with.
Maybe it would be best to simply send Barbara back to Bruce. It's not like she's going to approve of what I've set in motion, anyway.
He leapt from the rings and landed perfectly on the pommel horse. He began to swing his legs around the apparatus gracefully, first together, then in a scissor-like motion.
I can't afford these distractions. Beating Bruce is going to take everything I have, both mentally and physically.
A few minutes later, the special com-link he has set up that morning chirped.
Robin immediately dismounted and checked the device.
His inquiry had been answered.
-----
The warehouse had seen better days.
Peeling paint, broken windows, and the faint smell of decay greeted Robin as he entered the rusting building from a dilapidated skylight. A few final, weak rays of sunlight escorted the Titan on his descent into the cool darkness below. Dusk would be but a memory all too soon, and the night would only make the desolate structure even more forlorn.
The imagery was not lost on Richard Grayson.
He set foot on the garbage-strewn floor of the warehouse and retracted his grapple. He surveyed his surroundings warily, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dark rather than using a flashlight. Some business was better done in the shadows.
"Hello, Robin."
Robin cursed silently. For the second time in less than a week, he hadn't been able to detect the person he had been on the alert for.
The tall man materialized out of the darkness, a single emotionless eye staring at the leader of the Titans.
"I must say, I am quite surprised you wanted to see me . . ." The voice was calm and mildly amused, its tone that of a killer who knew his victim could not escape, "but I'm always willing to see my former apprentice."
"Slade."
Robin practically spat the word.
"To what do I owe the honor, Robin?" Slade said with a hint of mockery.
He knew he had no choice. He was running out of time. All that he had worked for. All that the Titans had accomplished. It all came down to beating Batman. And the only man who could possibly show him how to do it was standing a few feet in front of him. Yet, they were the hardest words Robin had ever had to say.
"I need your help."
