Chapter III: Starfire and Robin
The hovercraft drove through the final waves and skirted up onto the island's rocky shore. It slowed to a stop then gently came to rest as its landing gear deployed and the engines shut off. The craft was small and sleek with shiny silver reflecting glass and a purple body with pink accents; Starfire's favorite colors. Cyborg had to laugh because he was sure Robin would never have been caught dead riding something with those colors in his heyday. A lot had changed in the twenty odd years since Robin and Starfire left the Titans.
The driver's side door facing the group sprung open and Starfire quickly exited the craft. She was dressed in a pair of tight fitting blue jeans, white canvas sneakers and a pink top with purple trim. Her long red hair was pulled pack in a ponytail. She smiled as her green eyes focused on Haley.
Haley stepped forward and hugged her mother. The two were nearly identical in height but presented sharp contrasts in just about every other aspect. Haley tended to gravitate towards bland colors while her mother was the complete opposite. Cyborg could not remember a day he didn't see Starfire smile while Haley kept her dour mood almost constantly. There were more subtle similarities between the two that Cyborg noticed over time like both of them had strange tastes in food and both had fierce stubborn streaks regarding their friends.
"We came as soon as we could," Starfire said to Haley. She looked over her daughter's shoulder and smiled at the rest of them. "And it is most joyous to see all of you again."
"Didn't Cyborg tell you about this last night?" Haley dryly asked her mother.
"Yes he did," Starfire calmly answered. "But your father had some things he wanted to finish before we came."
The passenger door swung open as a tapping noise garnered the women's attention. "Come on girls," Robin's voice called out in minor irritation. "I need a little help getting out over here."
Haley and her mother quickly went around to the other side and gingerly helped Robin out of the craft. His gray peppered hair stuck out in odd angles above the top of the vehicle's roof. He beamed a wide smile as he came around in full view of the others. He wore a neat purple t-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. Starfire held on to his left hand while Haley held on to his right. With their help Robin slowly worked his way around the craft towards the rest of the group.
Garfield fought back tears at the sight of his old friend. It always pained him to see Robin in his current condition. It was astonishing that he kept such a positive attitude saddled with the crippled state of his current body. Starfire was a saint for seeing him through this.
They all remembered the night Robin disappeared. Cyborg found him the next morning. Slade had worked him over real good and had left him for dead. A broken back, broken ribs, broken skull and a broken spirit. He lingered for days on life support. Starfire never left his side. They were about to turn off the machine when Raven finally showed up.
Starfire beseeched her friend to help. She could not accept the loss of the one she loved so dearly. Raven asked her if that's what she really wanted, which instigated a horrible argument between the two women that wouldn't be forgiven until years later. In time it became apparent why Raven had hesitated healing her friend. She knew that she would only be able to partially heal Robin's broken body and the result would torment his soul. Robin would never work as a Titan again.
The remaining Titans searched for Slade with a single overwhelming purpose; revenge. This was one of the darkest moments in their history. They succeeded months later but the team would break up for good shortly afterwards.
Terra, Beast Boy and Starfire were horribly shaken by what had happened. They left determined to enjoy the rest of their lives without the specter of what had happened to their dear friend and leader hanging over them. Life was way too short and hero work had suddenly become far more dangerous then they had ever realized.
Robin would endure years of pain and therapy. Starfire stayed with him even though the "accident" had left him bitter and angry. He cursed Starfire for saving his life and forcing him live this way. To remove the pain and stigma of his crippled body Robin turned to drugs and alcohol; my "self medicated stage" as he would refer to it many years later. Starfire could barely stand him and was prepared to leave when something happened that would forever change him.
It came to him in a dream; a flock of birds, a bright light and a calm euphoria. Robin awoke with tears in his eyes. He gently stroked Starfire's long red hair as she slept next to him. How could he have overlooked and neglected the one person who cared for him and cherished him so? He gently kissed her, awakening her from her deep slumber.
"I'm so sorry," he softly said to her as he broke down and cried for all that he had nearly lost. Starfire could not understand her partner's sudden grief; he had been lost in the fogs of booze, drugs and pain for longer than she cared to remember. He gently caressed her body with his hands. They were soon joined as one in deep passionate love. Three months later they eloped and six months after that their first child was born. Haley would lovingly follow three years later.
"Late as usual," Cyborg stepped forward and grasped his old friend's hand as Haley stood back from the pair.
Robin smiled, "Hey, I made it here before Raven, didn't I? Besides we wanted to finish up a few things before we left."
"You mean you wanted to finish up a few things," Starfire mildly corrected him.
"Come on I had to finish, it was for you after all," Robin turned and smiled to his partner.
Starfire beamed back at her husband, "Yes, I did enjoy it most immensely."
"OK," Cyborg interrupted, "what was it this time."
"A most wondrous poem!" Starfire quickly answered. Each day Robin surprised her with something he bought, made or wrote. She always looked forward to coming home to him because there was always something new awaiting her.
In truth she needed that. Starfire taught children with special needs, a trying job for anyone. Most of her colleagues quit after several years, burned out by the emotional strain. Starfire, unlike the others, thrived in her chosen line of work. Robin was the key to her success. It was through his support and encouragement that Starfire finished school and got her teaching certificate. His little "gifts" kept her emotionally grounded and gave her strength and inspiration. Her hope was always to turn out just one student each year with her husband's love for life. Sometimes she would invite Robin to join her in class and work with her students. He was always so patient and charming. It was a perfect job for the couple. She'd work hard through the school year and then they would have the summers to themselves.
Cyborg shook his head in disbelief; he was always surprised to hear what Robin was up to. "I'm speechless," was all he could muster. He had seen some of Robin's writing when he occasionally published it. It was full of emotion; hardly something he would have thought Robin capable of doing when he worked for the Titans so many years ago.
Terra nudged her husband. "See, Starfire gets poems from her husband."
"And new vehicles," Cyborg added.
"Don't forget the sound system I installed in it," Robin quickly added as he turned to his wife hoping for recognition.
"Yes, you are so good to me. How shall I ever hope to repay you my love?" Starfire said as she planted a small kiss on Robin's cheek.
"That's all the reward I'll ever need," Robin happily replied. Haley rolled her eyes after listening to her parents' exchange. She couldn't figure out how she had put up with nineteen years of this sugary sweet stuff.
Terra continued to glare at her husband awaiting a response. "Umm," Garfield rubbed his head with his hand and stammered as he struggled for something to counter Robin's good deeds. "I think I got you flowers that one time last week," he meekly offered.
"That doesn't count," Terra chided him. "You ruined my best pot fixing your tofu stew."
"Right," Garfield continued. "But I was making that for you." Terra frowned momentarily then laughed as she watched her husband founder. He would never be as passionate as Robin but then again no one would ever be as far as she could tell.
Terra stepped forward and gathered Robin in for a warm embrace. "How you doing lover boy," she said to him softly.
"Fine and dandy professor Logan," Robin cheerfully replied.
Terra gently released him then grunted as Starfire came forward and locked her in a bear hug. "Easy there, my eyes are bugging out," Terra groaned.
"Oh it is so good to see you again," Starfire beamed.
"Hey green guy, what's new?" Robin said as he took Garfield's hand.
"Not much," Garfield replied as he gingerly shook it. "Just loosing more hair and gaining more weight."
Terra stepped forward and grasped Robin's arm allowing him to steady himself and for Garfield to receive their friend's inevitable hug. Starfire proceeded to give Garfield a bear hug. "Hello Garfield, it is good to see you."
"Likewise," he groaned under her grasp.
"It's a beautiful sunset out here," Robin said. The others looked over and watched the sun sink into the vast sparkling ocean. Terra leaned her head onto Robin's shoulder as she gazed out over the horizon.
"Yea, I'll never get bored with that no mater how many years I've been out here," Cyborg replied.
The others remained silent as the skies tuned to fire and the waves gently washed against the rocky shore. Raven would join them shortly.