A/N: Hey guys, I'm having SUCH a busy year! You wouldn't believe it! Oh yeah, and screw putting up the other fics. Those are gonna take longer than I thought. Sorry it's been so long! It took me a lot of effort just to get this chapter up! Well, I hope you guys are having a good winter vac, now I'll just answer reviews!

Alexnandru Van Gordon- Yeah, I'm sorry you thought it was choppy, But I'm really glad you'll keep reading! You'll see what will happen soon! Well, hopefully anyways.

ivorypanther- Thanks! I was worried that people wouldn't like the way I did my fight scenes, but I guess they did! I, for one, still think they need a bit more work, but thanks!

robin fan- Cool! I guess no one is mad at me! I seriously thought some people would be a bit mad though, seeing that the chapter sucked along with the grammar. But thank you!

RobinStarfire- Thanks a ton! I'm always glad to hear from someone who likes one of my fics!

strodgfrgf- Lol, don't worry, I'll remember to update. You really thought last chapter wasn't bad? Great!

dlsky- I haven't quite decided what I'm gonna do yet. Normally, I kinda just update a story when I feel like it, to tell the truth. 'Cause although reviews totally motivate me, no one told me that it was killing them when I didn't update, so now I'm still going at an average speed. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE my reviews/reviewers but it's just that A LOT has happened to me in the last few months that has caused me to stall with my typing and whatnot. All and all, I'm very thankful that you were so very patient with me and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

Inuyasha-kagome-forever99- Great! I'll try to have them up as fast as I can!

Blonde Shadowcat- Lol, TAG! It's YOUR turn to update! Yes, I may write fight scenes well (as people have been telling me, which I deny) but you describe things way more beautifully than I could ever.

ilove2read- (ilove2read lies on the floor) "OMG!" DMT runs to the phone and quickly dials 911. She takes deep breaths. "Come on…." Someone answers. "Hello?" A woman's voice rings out. DMT does a happy dance before she says: "Oh hello! Yes! My friend just fell to the floor and now- what?" A beat. SGMP looks at the phone confused. "WHY THE FREAK DID SHE PUT ME ON HOLD?" Lol, that's a joke my friend and I shared while we were learning CPR. I'm glad I could bring you back with my updates lol.

Anaconda13- Nice. I'm glad you'll wait, 'cause for some reason it takes me forever to update! (Pouts) Don't worry; I'm working on that.

LIGHTFIREGRAYSON- Don't worry, from now on, I'll try to make the wait for the next chapter as small as possible.

titanfan- Kay, I'm on it.

Blackfoxdemon- Thanks! I'll think about the preview idea, you're right though, I think people would be more interested!

Critic- Thank you! I'm glad you like my fic! I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up!

Starfire137- All right I'm on it! Thank you for reviewing!

Chynee- I'm trying! Hang in there for me!

Oh yeah, disclaimer: I don't own them! And if I did, would I be writing fanfics about it? And sorry to the lawyers or people who made TT or whoever 'cause I forgot to put a disclaimer in the last chapter too.

Oh, and just so you guys know, the part with the boy is in the past. So from now on, when I type things from the past, I'll put the whole part in italics, okay? Just so people don't get confused.

Kay, well, on with the fanfic!

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The boy was cornered. He had backed up to the end of an ally, which he had turned into unknowingly. The man was almost upon him.

The young boy frantically looked every which way, trying to find a way out, but there was none along the aging bricks of the ally way.

His vision was blurry as he saw the shadow that haunted his dreams, his life, come closer without stopping.

He backed up in till he hit the trashcans at the very end of the ally way. Used plates and orange peels feel to the ground next to him when he knocked over an oversized trash bin.

He didn't notice.

His eyes were fixated on the man as he pressed his back on the wall of bricks.

The boys eyes widened in fear when he realized he couldn't backup anymore. He turned around, with his back to the man, and pounded his fists against the brick.

"Help! Somebody! Please!"

The boys cries echoed throughout the empty ally way.

The boy whipped around and pressed his body against the wall.

He took in a sharp breath as he stopped in front of him, just inches away from him.

The boy shut his eyes and wished that everything was just a horrible dream.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

SLASH!

PHOOOM!

SHING!

"Uhhhh!" Red X fell to the floor smoking.

Then he felt a vibration. He looked down at his belt. The center most piece of his belt was flashing off a bright red light.

His eyes narrowed. This wasn't part of the plan.

He breathed heavily as he struggled to get up.

Click Click!

Red X turned his head and came face-to-face with Cyborg's sonic cannon.

He stumbled back and almost hit Starfire who had charged starbolts in her hands pointed at him too.

He started to back away from both of them but bumped into something.

He whipped around and his eyes behind his mask widened. He had bumped into a giant green rhino.

Beast Boy -in rhino form- roared.

Red X glanced around himself and realized he was surrounded.

He looked down at his flashing belt again, and then back at the titans.

"Don't. Even. Move" Cyborg said as his cannon began to charge. His human eye narrowed.

"You are surrounded, stop!' Starfire added as she keep her hands pointed in his direction, both charged with starbolts.

Red X merely laughed.

"It's been fun, titans," He said as he bent his knees. He jumped in the air and hit a button on his belt. He began to disappear in mid-air.

Cyborg gasped. "He's getting away! Blast him!" He fired at him with his sonic cannon.

Starfire hurled her starbolts. But Red X was almost transparent. The attacks went right through him

Before he completely disappeared, he took a bomb out of his belt. "Here's one for ya." He said as he tossed it down to the titans.

All three titans gasped and tried to get out of the way- BOOM!

The bomb hit right at Starfire's feet and sent her, Cyborg, and Beast Boy flying apart.

"Ahhhhhh!" Starfire hit the racks on the wall behind her and fell to the floor. The racks fell off their hinges and fell on top of her fallen body, burying it.

"Whoa!" Cyborg flew about 6 yards back before finally hitting the ground with a heavy thud and screeching to a halt, but his body stayed motionless.

"Dah!" Beast Boy skidded on the floor a few meters.

Red X 'grinned' at the fallen titans from the air and saluted. "I'll see you sooner than you think," he said in his non-human voice as he disappeared from view.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Uhhh"

Cyborg stirred and sat up, rubbing the human side of his head. He blinked and looked around himself. There was money scattered everywhere, along with skewered robot parts, floor tiles, parts of the wall…

Cyborg whistled.

"I do not want to know the bill for all this."

He marched to the entrance of the vault and saw Raven, Robin, and Beast Boy standing amongst the robot parts and money. Robin was holding his arm and Raven was examining it.

As Cyborg walked up he asked: "Hey guys, what are you-?"

"Shhh" Beast Boy indicated as Raven worked on Robin's arm. After a moment of silence she withdrew her glowing hand and said: "How's that Robin?"

Robin moved his arm around for a bit and then nodded.

Raven stayed emotionless. "Glad I could help."

Cyborg stared. "Okay then, Robin what happened?"

Robin looked at the titans. His lips parted when he noticed that one of the team was missing, and the one he was most worried about.

He turned his head to Cyborg. "Have you seen Starfire?" He asked in such a worried tone, it worried Cyborg.

"No man, but what happened to you? Where did those cuts come from-?" Cyborg reached towards Robin. But Robin shoved his hand away. "Look, I'm fine! Just where's Starfire? We have to find her!"

Cyborg raised his arms. "Okay chill man! Look, last time I saw her we were-"

But Cyborg was interrupted by Beast Boy's shout: "GUYS! Come here! I FOUND her!"

While Robin and Cyborg had been talking, Beast Boy had gotten bored and started to wonder off when he saw a red color next to all of the brown and black robot parts. He had looked over the mess and seen Starfire, lying on the ground. Then he had called to the others, and the next thing he knew, he was being thrown to the side by Robin.

Beast Boy stumbled away while Robin inspected her.

Robin took a deep breath when he saw her.

There, next to the robot parts and the rubble, just what Beast Boy had said, lay Starfire on her side. She had some bad burn marks on her arms, and some scuffs and tears in her uniform. But otherwise, she looked perfectly fine.

Robin checked for her pulse as he gently turned her on her back. After he felt her pulse he was relived; she was only unconscious, not that that was a good thing though.

Cyborg, in the same spot that Robin where Robin had left him, started to walk over when he realized Raven wasn't walking with him, he turned to she her limping towards the scene, so slow, that Cyborg thought a turtle could beat her to it.

She looked at Cyborg and glared at him. "What?" She hissed through her teeth as she kept limping towards Robin and Beast Boy.

Cyborg shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, do you need help getting over-"

"Look, Cyborg," Raven cut him off. "I don't need help, okay? I'm fine by myself" She said as she limped passed him.

Cyborg watched with wide eyes as she caught up with the others.

When Raven reached the scene, her legs gave out on her.

She gasped, she couldn't stop her fall, she shut her eyes and waited for the ground to hit her.

And would have if Beast Boy's arms hadn't grabbed her at the last second, pulling her upright again.

"Gotcha" He grinned as she held her head with her hand.

Raven, however, tried to push his arms away and nearly fell again. Trying to righten herself, she grabbed onto Beast Boy again. He gave her a smug grin.

"I knew you'd come back," He said.

Raven rolled her eyes. But then she saw Starfire and her eyes widened. "Starfire…" she murmured.

"Is she okay?" Beast Boy finished for her. Raven had her arm around him and he was helping her stand up. He had a worried expression on his face. By then Cyborg had joined them as well.

Robin gently picked her up so that he held Starfire bridal-style. She lay limp in his arms. Her head hung and her arms dangled.

Robin turned to face the group with a grin. "She's just fine"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The group walked out the entrance of the bank, or what was left of it, towards the parking lot.

The police and the S.W.A.T. team were outside. All ready, with their guns out. The red and blue lights of their cars reflected off the nearby buildings. The titans trudged out with unhappy looks. They hadn't caught Red X, which means their robber was still on the loose. Robin carried the unconscious Starfire, and Raven limped with one arm around Beast Boy's shoulders. Cyborg looked around for the T-Car, which he had parked earlier near the entrance of the bank. When he didn't see it, he freaked out.

"Dude! WHERE'S MY CAR!" Cyborg began swearing and ran to the spot where he had supposedly parked it.

Raven and Beast Boy gazed on at the scene of Cyborg loosing his 'baby' for about the hundredth time.

Beast Boy looked at Raven, he looked at her stomach, which was dripping blood. Raven saw what he was looking at and quickly let her cloak cover her leotard. Beast Boy frowned.

"Raven, you should really let someone check that out." He said in a worried tone.

"It doesn't matter" Raven said calmly as she let go of him and limped away.

When she was a good distance away her eyed glowed a bright white and she sank into the ground, disappearing from sight.

Beast Boy sighed after she left. She was going to the tower alone, to heal herself.

The sun was beginning to set as the sad eyed Beast Boy gazed out into the horizon. "Rae, I'm trying to help you…" He said sadly as Cyborg came bounding towards him and the other titans.

"I found my baby!" He shouted gleefully as he practically danced around it.

Beast Boy glumly walked over to the car door and opened it. "Wow what a surprise, didn't see that coming" He sat down in the car, crossing his arms, and didn't say anything else.

Cyborg blinked as he looked at Beast Boy through the rear view mirror from the driver's seat. He was surprised how fast his behavior had changed. He shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever."

Beast Boy looked through the window to the boy wonder, who was still holding Starfire, talking to the police chief.

Beast Boy sat back and grumbled. "Stupid analysis reports…" He said.

Cyborg drummed his fingers on the dashboard while whispering: "Yes my baby, yes you ARE beautiful…yes you are…"

Beast Boy nearly gagged.

He rolled down the window and shouted: "Yo robin! Before Cyborg does something he will regret forever! And I don't think he has any protection in here!"

Cyborg turned around in his seat. "Hey!"

Robin finished up his conversation with the chief and walked to the car. He opened the car door and lay Starfire down next to Beast Boy. With out Robin noticing, her head fell in his lap. Beast Boy blushed fiercely.

Cyborg started the engine and began to drive.

A little voice from the back said: "Uh, Robin..?"

Robin, who was in the passenger seat said without turning around: "What now Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy squirmed in his seat, trying to move Starfire's head away from….

"Dude your girlfriend's head is in my lap!"

"WHAT? And she's not my girlfriend!" Robin said as he whipped around in his seat.

The T-car swerved. "Guys! I'm trying to DRIVE!" Cyborg shouted over the honks they were getting. "Keep it down back there!"

Beast Boy sat up straight and whimpered. He tried to move Starfire's head with his finger…but she grabbed it! And worse, she began to nuzzle with it. Beast Boy yelped. Robin's eyes went wide.

Cyborg nearly missed getting hit by another car. One of his head veins pulsed. "WHAT did I just say you guys!" He said as he tried to look back and drive at the same time.

Beast Boy took his other hand that was not captive and slapped it over his mouth.

Starfire started to giggle and make funny sounds. She then started to roll over on her stomach…

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Cyborg?" Robin asked.

"Yeah dawg?"

"Pull over."

"Why?"

"I think Beast Boy just fainted."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

When they finally made it back to titans tower, Beast Boy slammed the car door shut. BANG! A toolbox fell on the floor and tools scattered everywhere. Beast Boy didn't even wince and walked to the elevator in a daze, followed by Robin who carried Starfire. With a WHIRR the elevator zoomed up to the upper levels.

Cyborg's head popped out of the car.

"Thanks for helping me close up guys!" Cyborg said as he looked at all the scratches on the T-car, and the garage doors that had to be programmed into the security system and the mess of the tools Beast Boy knocked over getting out of the car…

Cyborg sighed.

"They are SO helping me close up next time."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Muttering fierce words Cyborg stood in the elevator 30 minutes later.

CLANK! SWISH!

He walked out into the main room. He yawned wide, stretching his arms. "Time to hit the sack-"

"JUST LISTEN TO ME!" Robin yelled to Raven who had her arms crossed. They both stood near the couch as Beast Boy sat on it watching the two with wide eyes.

Cyborg blinked at the scene before him. "…Or not"

Cyborg could tell they were finishing their conversation, but decided to listen in anyways. He walked to the middle of the room where the rest of the group was besides Starfire. He joined Beast Boy on the couch, while Raven and Robin stood before them.

"Where's Starfire?" he asked Beast Boy after he had sat down.

Beast Boy continued to watch Raven and Robin as he said: "In her room, Robin dropped her off and then called a team meeting.

Cyborg's head began to steam. "Gee, I wonder why I didn't know about this!" But he quieted when Beast Boy interrupted him.

"Shh dude! This is starting to get intense!" And indeed it was.

"I'm telling you! I saw Slade! I FOUGHT him!" Robin practically shouted, waving his arms in the air.

"We weren't denying that you saw Slade Robin" Raven said calmly. Her cloak was draped around her and her hood was up. "But why you? How come he only came after you? You were already his apprentice but you broke free." She calmly inhaled. "What's he up to now?"

Beast Boy and Cyborg watched the conversation with wide eyes.

"I-I don't know" Robin said as he turned his back to the group. The problem was, Robin had a very good idea of what Slade was up to.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later, after all of the titans had dispersed, Cyborg went back to his room and sat up on his 'bed' for he still had some work to do. He was busy calculating what the cost will be to fix the bank, because of course, the titans always filed a report on their 'incidents outside of the tower' and the job always ended up with Cyborg. Luckily they didn't have to pay for the damages, that, the government handled.

He murmured to himself as he typed on his arm, adding up the subtotal. "Which would come to about 10,000 dollars" He said calmly, but then did a double take. "TEN THOUSAND? Aw great the president is gonna be all on my ass for this one!"

Cyborg hit a button on his arm in frustration. The screen closed with a little wurr sound. He grumbled something and shut off his lamp, shutting his eyes once more.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Raven stood beside her bed. Her room was as dark as ever.

She reached gently took off her cloak, draping it over her desk chair.

She lay down in her bed, pulling the covers over herself...letting her thoughts drift…

"Azarath….Metrion……Zinthos…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Beast Boy ran over his mess of a room to his bed and jumped in.

He struggled to get his covers over himself for they were all tangled.

Once he untangled the bedspread he grabbed his teddy that was on his nightstand and began to snuggle with it.

"Good night Mr. Bear…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Robin was supine on his bed.

He rubbed his temples. His brow furrowed in frustration.

"Uhhh! He couldn't know that I…what does he want?"

There was a silence, one such, that it was unnatural. Then all of a sudden, Robin felt uneasy, as if something was wrong. Batman had always told him that the mind can play tricks on the wary, but this time Robin knew something was wrong. He could feel it. He sat up on his bed. His feet touched the ground He waited.

Nothing.

His eyes narrowed. He stood up and began to walk to his door.

SWISHH!

He walked out into the hallway. His hands gripped into fists.

Please don't let it be her… he thought as he walked to his destination.

Tick, Tick, Tick…

He walked to Starfire's door, which was at the end of the hallway.

Tick, Tick, Tick…

Robin heard the Ticking. "It sounds lie it's coming from…" He said to himself.

"!"

And pressed his ear up against her door.

Tick Tick Tick!

Robin gasped.

A bomb.

In a last attempt he pushed off the door and rolled to the ground.

TickTickTickTick! Tiiiiiiiick!

BOOM!

Debris of Starfire's door was scattered everywhere. A very large part happened to end up on Robin, Which pinned him down. His arms wouldn't budge. He was helpless. His head and shoulders stuck out but the rest of his body was under the concrete.

"Ughh!" He tried to get himself loose but to no avail.

But then, he heard a scream, one which he new far to well. He paled.

"ROBIN!" Starfire's voice came out from her room. But smoke still resided in the doorway; making it so that Robin couldn't see inside.

"STARFIRE!" He yelled back, trying with all his might to get free. He managed to free his left arm, but the rest of his body wouldn't move.

Starfire screamed again.

"Naaaahhhhh! Hold on Starfire! I'm coming!" But his statement was far from true. He could barely budge.

As the smoke cleared, Robin saw that not only was Starfire's door gone, but also her ceiling. Robin gasped as he saw an all to familiar figure step out of her room in front of him.

He gritted his teeth and shouted: "YOU!"

Red X stood in front of Robin, a tranquilizer in his hand. "Me" he said softly as he squatted next to Robin, toying with the tranquilizer in his hand.

Robin glanced around Red X and saw Starfire on the floor of her room, unconscious. Her back was to her door so that Robin could only see the back of her head.

He looked venomously at Red X. "What did you do to her!" He got so angry that he tried to hit Red X with his free arm.

Red X twirled to the side and gracefully stuck the shot into Robin's neck and released the contents, a sedate.

"This" He hissed softly as Robin fell into unconsciousness.

Before everything faded to black Robin whispered: "S-Starfire…" His last visions were of Red X picking up Starfire's unconscious body.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The last rays of the sun were fading, but there was just enough light to make out the figure that was almost upon the boy.

Slade's eye narrowed as he closed in on the boy. His hands were behind his back as he spoke calmly.

"You have no where to go, there is no way out. Come with me if you want to live." He said as he stopped in front of the boy.

But the boy gritted his teeth. "NO! I don't need you to live! And I'm not going to be your little errand boy! I REFUSE!" He shouted.

Slade however seemed unfazed. He stood calmly before the boy who was heaving as if he had just ran a marathon.

Slade finally spoke. "You do realize that if you don't obey me, I will have to kill you"

The boy took a brave step forward. "Just like all the others! I know what you did to them Slade! And I won't let you do the same to me!" He gripped his fists.

"Don't be so sure" Slade leaned in towards the boy, his one eye narrowing. "My young Apprentice"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Whew! Another chapter done! Will Starfire be okay? Find out next time on Apprentices! (Goes to commercial) nah, I'm jk. Lucky for you people, I've already started on the next chapter! wOOt! Sry though, I don't have a preview this time. Kay, well, please review and tell me what you thought of this chapter! Reviews really motivate me! Catch ya later,

Diamond Moon Tears

And btw, is it true that we're not allowed to answer reviews anymore in the chapters? If so I'm sorry about the beginning of the chapter (where I answered them) but they truly never stated that it wasn't allowed, have they? If so, just tell me and please don't put me up for abuse! Thanks!

Some notes: I really don't know if Batman ever told Robin that the 'mind can play tricks on the wary' but it sounded like something he would tell Robin, right? And also, I don't know if Beast Boy really has a stuffed bear named: 'Mr. Bear' I don't know if he even HAS a stuffed bear, but it seemed cute at the time so I was like what the hay. I think that's it…if anything else seems out of place, tell me in a review! Thanks again!