Chapter VII: Haley and Robin
Starfire laughed giddily feeling the strength of her youth return. She rose up into the cool morning air, closed her eyes, extended her arms out and turned into the sun to feel its warm rays touch her renewed body.
Beast Boy looked at Terra and smiled into her dancing blue eyes, which were suddenly unencumbered by years. She reached up and playfully ran her hand through her husband's thick mop of hair.
"You need a hair cut," she said with a broad smile.
"No I don't," he replied with glistening eyes. "I need to soar!" With that he morphed into a giant green eagle with piercing dark eyes and screamed in defiance.
"All right," Terra said as she covered her ears. "I get the point." She climbed on his back and waited for him to take flight like he had done with her so many times in the past. Beast boy turned his head towards Aimee then let out another cry. Aimee stood unsure of her father's intentions, then her mother waved her over.
"Oh my god," Aimee said under her breath then broke into a run and quickly joined her mother on her father's back. In an instant the three were air-borne floating on the morning breeze as Starfire flew behind them.
"Hey Beast Boy," Robin shouted. "Come back with all the women!"
Cyborg laughed as he watched the others soar happily above the island. He turned to Raven who knelt down to cradel Daniel in her arms. "You OK Daniel?" he asked. The boy looked tired but nodded affirmative. "Thanks Daniel, you done good," he said with a smile.
Raven squeezed her son as a small smile crossed her face. "Yes, well done my little magician." She kissed him lightly on his cheek as they watched the others playfully chasing one another in the early morning light.
"My gloves please," Daniel said weakly. Raven looked down then picked them up from the ground and handed them to her son. Daniel quickly put them on his hands as he continued to watch the others soar above them.
"Robin, I found this in storage too." Cyborg held out Robin's old bow staff. Robin paused then reached out and took it. He pressed a button and the staff extended to its full length.
Cyborg stepped away from his friend. Robin closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath; it had been decades since he last employed his weapon. He opened his eyes and began to twirl it causing it to make familiar whistling noises as it passed effortlessly through the chilly morning air.
"Your form is off," Haley stepped forward as she watched her father swing his bow staff around his body. She was dressed in her full battle uniform this morning. A short sword and long knife were strapped to her hip and leg.
"Nonsense," Robin answered as he continued to twirl his old familiar weapon. "It's like riding a bike, you never forget." he paused for a second. "Remind me to ride a bike before we change back." He quickly turned around and swung his staff at his daughter stopping it inches away from her face. Haley didn't flinch.
"Pretty good," Robin said smiling to her. "If I was off I would have hit you. You must have some faith in your old man or you would have ducked."
"You couldn't touch me if I was tied to a post," Haley replied dourly.
"That sounds like a challenge young lady," Robin said with a smile. He waved the end of his staff around his daughter's head trying to provoke her. Haley held her ground and looked annoyed.
"This is a waste of time," she said as she rolled her eyes.
"Come on," Robin replied to his daughter. "Humor me. I never got a chance to horse around with you when you were growing up. Let's go." He continued to wave his staff around his daughter's head.
"I'll beat you like a rented mule," Haley coldly shot back. "I've got at least three more belts than you ever did."
"Then loose the swords to make it even," Robin taunted his daughter.
Haley groaned in frustration. She had no intention of fighting her father. It would be too embarrassing.
"Come on bunny woman let him have it," Darien spoke up as he stepped forward and stood next to Cyborg. "Or are you afraid your old man will beat you?"
"Yea, come on you waskawy wabbit," Robin crouched back as he held his staff meanacingly in front of him.
Haley glared at Darien then turned back and looked at her father. She drew her sword and knife and crouched facing her smiling opponent.
"Look out Robin," Cyborg said in good humor. "She's got a mean kick to her."
"Go get her Mr. Grayson," Darien replied in encouragement. "You can take her."
"Want to place a friendly wager on that Darien?" Cyborg asked thinking he'd make this interesting.
"Sure," Darien quickly accepted. "Ten gallons of your home-made jalapeño ice cream when Mr. Grayson wins."
"You're on," Cyborg replied. "And what do I get if Haley wins."
"What do you mean if she wins?" Darien asked with a sly smile. Cyborg suddenly realized he had been had.
The others drifted back to the island to watch the match as the two opponents methodically circled each other. Haley crouched and slowly stepped around in a circle; her feet feeling the rocky ground for a firm footing. Her face was stern, a sharp contrast to her smiling father. She would be gracious and let him make the first move.
Robin waited for the others to gather around then continued to circle his daughter letting the intensity level rise before making his first move. He figured Haley would give him the first attack out of courtesy. Robin suddenly cried out as he launched himself in the air intending to plant his foot on the side of Haley's face. She moved liked a cat and ducked under his attack. Robin flew over Haley's crouched body. He quickly recovered from his miss and planted his feet back on the ground though he swore he heard something rip as he flew over his daughter. When he turned around Haley was crouched low with his yellow cape wrapped around her short sword. She stood up slowly and let the remnants of Robin's cape fall to the ground.
Cyborg laughed. "Don't worry Robin; I think we have another one in storage."
Robin crouched back down undaunted and smiled, "I'll have your sword for that young lady."
Haley crouched down and slowly closed in on her father; her sword was held out in front of her pointing towards her opponent while her knife was kept close to her body. Haley screamed out announcing her attack as she lunged towards her smiling father.
Robin parried Haley's sword then swung his bow staff down hard striking the dead spot high on Haley's forearm before dodging to the side to avoid her knife and lunging body. Haley's arm went numb and her sword dropped to the ground with a clang. Robin quickly got behind his startled daughter and shoved her from behind so she could not recover her dropped weapon.
Haley stumbled forward then quickly turned to face her father. Her sword arm stung harshly. She shook it trying to get the feeling back.
Robin stood up and placed his foot on Haley's sword. "I have your sword young lady," he said with a slight laugh. Haley cried out in anger as she threw her dagger (hilt forward) at her father. Robin ducked as the knife flew harmlessly behind him. "There goes your knife," he said with a smile.
Haley had had enough fooling around; she was pissed. Robin watched as she came straight at him and tried to drive her hand right into his face. He held up his staff as Haley's palm hit it dead center. Robin heard his staff crack as it bowed towards him. He stumbled backwards at the unexpected force of his daughter's attack then fell on his backside with a thud. Robin quickly scrambled to his feet just as Haley lunged towards him again.
This time Robin slid his hands back towards the end of his bow staff and swung it like a baseball bat. Haley halted and turned to her side as Robin's bow staff hit her in the small of the back with a hard slap. She winced in pain then quickly hooked her elbow around the other end of her father's staff and grabbed it with her hand.
Robin pulled on his staff but could not get it out of Haley's grasp. He ducked as Haley tried to plant her foot on the side of his head. She yanked hard on his staff intending to pull it from her father's grasp. Robin wrapped his elbow around his end and hung on tight then watched as Haley swung her back under the other end of his staff. Haley grunted as she pulled down hard on her end using her back as a fulcrum. He father continued to hold on tightly causing him to rise quickly into the air and be launched over his daughter. Haley swung her hands around as her father flew over her.
Robin screamed in agony as his back hit the rocky ground. "Oh my back!" he yelled as he lay on the ground wincing in pain. "You broke my back!"
The others gasped in fright. Haley dropped her father's staff and ran to him kneeling next to him in sudden terror. "Dad, I'm sorry. Are you all right? Please tell me you're all right."
Starfire slowly stepped towards her fallen husband; her hands held to her face. She could not believe she was reliving this nightmare once again.
Robin continued to groan in agony with closed eyes until he could hear his daughter's panicked breathing over him. He opened his eyes and smiled know his ruse had worked. Before Haley could react he reached up and grabbed his daughter's throat, stood up and forced her down on her back.
"Tap out young lady or I'll rip your throat out," he squeezed his hand tighter to make his point. Haley coughed then tapped her hand to the ground submitting to her father.
Robin stood up and faced everyone with a broad smile. Haley pulled herself up on her elbows and looked up at her triumphant father. The others were still startled by the quick turn of events.
"That wasn't fair Dad!" Haley protested.
"Since when are the bad guys fair Haley," he giddily replied. "You should know that by now. Besides I never lose."
"ROBIN GRAYSON THAT WAS NOT FUNNY," Starfire screamed startling the others.
Robin turned to look at his terrified wife. Her eyes were full of tears and her face was strained with anger. He laughed, which only caused her anger to increase tenfold.
"Stop laughing!" she demanded through her tears. "How could you do that," she paused unable to find the words to express the combination of anger and fear he had just put her through.
Robin stepped towards her undaughted. "OK everyone, can you guess which moment in Titan's history I'm reenacting now? " He gathered Starfire into his arms and planted a deep soulful kiss on his loving wife.
Still disgusted with her husband's antics Starfire tried to push herself away. She was still furious at him for the stunt he had pulled. She balled up her fists and lightly rapped them on her husband's chest. Her resistance, however, was brief as her hands quickly opened and ran up Robin's chest then behind his head as she willingly returned her husband's passionate advance. The two of them slowly disengaged and looked into each other's eyes.
"I love you Starfire," Robin calmly said to her.
Starfire bowed her head and sobbed in her husband's arms unable to form any words. Robin suddenly bent down and wrapped his arms around Starfire's waist and hoisted his startled wife into the air. Starfire gasped in fear then screamed in excitement as her husband began twirling her around in a tight circle.
"Say you love me or I'll keep spinning until we both puke!" Robin shouted up to her.
Starfire giggled uncontrollably. "I love you Robin Grayson," she said weakly.
"Louder, the others couldn't hear you!" Robin replied as he continued to spin her around. "Hurry up, I'm about to fall over."
"I LOVE YOU ROBIN GRAYSON!" Starfire shouted with all her might.
Robin stopped then gently lowered his wife back to the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself as tears streamed down her face. "I love you so much," she whispered to him. Robin looked into his wife's beautiful green eyes and smiled. Starfire took in a deep breath and whispered again to her beloved husband, "I will always love you Robin Grayson, until the day my heart stops."
"That's all I ever need to hear," Robin softly answered her.
Haley had sat up and watched her mother and father. She rubbed her back where Robin had struck her. It was the first time she had ever seen her father's intense side. For as long as she could remember he had always been a kind and gentle soul. Their fight had given her a new respect for him and for her mother. Starfire had rarely talked to her daughter about her father's accident. Her father's stunt had given her a brief taste of the pain and anguish her mother must have suffered.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched her parents embrace. Haley bent forward and buried her face in her knees not wanting the others to see her as she softly sobbed to herself.
Cyborg looked down as a tear fell out of his eye.
"You big sissy," Beast Boy's voice called out from behind him.
He turned around to see the three smiling Logan members wrapped around each other; tears streaming from their eyes. He smiled then turned back to look at Robin and Starfire.
Raven watched silently as Starfire and Robin engaged in another long passionate kiss. Her friends had taken her on an emotional rollercoaster; from anger, to giddy excitement, to horrifying fear and then this. The lives of mortals were so much faster and more intense than the leisurely pace she was used to. Tears of happiness rolled out of her eyes uncontrollably. With the help of her husband and sons Raven had conquered her fear of emotions long ago.
"Mother," Daniel unexpectedly called up to her.
"Yes Daniel," she replied.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked her in a troubled voice.
Raven turned and knelt down to face her son. His icy blue eyes were big and sorrowful. "No Daniel. You didn't do anything wrong," she tried to reassure him through her tears.
"But everyone's crying," he said meekly. "Why does everyone cry when I touch them?" Daniel pleaded with his mother for an explanation.
Raven could only smile at her precious son then hug him tightly in reassurance. She hoped that maybe one day Daniel would understand the profound affects he would have on the lives of the people that he touched.