Chapter XVII: The Split

Robin and Starfire sat together behind a large boulder in the early morning sun. Samuel, Haley and Cyborg looked gravely at them. They had just received the signal from the other group and needed to get to the meeting point as quickly as possible. This was the best spot they could find to shelter them.

Samuel and Haley had hugged their mother and father one last time before they departed. Robin managed a brave smile for them both. The last thing they needed to be worried about was him. Both he and Starfire watched as the three turned to leave. At the last moment Samuel turned and quickly came back to them. He removed a pistol from his holster and handed it to his father.

"I'd feel better if you had this Dad," he said in a stern voice.

Robin looked up into his son's dim eyes, "Samuel, I've never shot one before."

Samuel turned the gun on its side to show him the safety, "It's easy Dad, just pull the safety latch down, aim and pull the trigger. If you miss, shoot again."

Robin reluctantly took his son's pistol. He knew he wouldn't leave if he refused. "OK, but I won't need it. Go ahead and get out of here before your sister starts crying."

Samuel nodded with a slight smile then turned around and quickly made his way back to the others. In an instant they bounded off to meet the others leaving Robin and Starfire cuddling in their hiding place.

Starfire smiled as the others left. She gently squeezed her husband. Her eyes grew heavy; they hadn't slept in over a day and she was exhausted.

Robin sat in his wife's arms as his mind raced through other possibilities. While his body was exhausted his mind was just getting started.

"Starfire, are you awake?" he softly asked her.

Starfire grunted lightly but kept her eyes closed. She was drifting into a deep slumber just as Robin's reassuring voice came to her.

"I think we should go to the cabin this summer. I feel like swimming." Robin smiled to himself. Swimming was one activity his broken body could still perform.

"You mean that little cabin we visited on the lake in Maine?" she replied dreamily.

"Yea, I want to do some writing," he replied.

"That would be nice," Starfire continued as pleasant thoughts of a summer in Maine drifted through her mind. "Can we go in August before school?"

"Blueberry season; that would be perfect." Robin smiled to himself thinking about his wife's suggestion. Blueberries were among her favorite foods. Now if he could only get her to eat them without a wad of mustard on them.

"Robin, what are you going to write about?"

"I was thinking of writing a short history of the Titans. Try and get it all down before we all forget. I want to ask Haley to do some drawings for me." Robin's mind raced as he formulated a plan. He always attacked projects at one hundred and twenty percent; that was one part of his personality that had not changed over the years.

"That would be wonderful," Starfire answered wistfully as she thought about summer on the lake. She and Robin would swim out to one of the islands in the heat of the day then spending their nights on the beach by the fire watching the embers drift up into the starry skies as the crickets chirped.

"Starfire," Robin asked slowly. "Maybe you should think about retiring."

Starfire opened her eyes and looked at the back of her husband's head. "Why?"

"Well you don't really need to work. We have enough money now," Robin carefully explained to her. He knew how much she enjoyed teaching. "I'd just like us to slow down a bit. Do some traveling and see some old friends."

"You're not upset about what happened to us are you?"

"No, I'm happy not doing hero stuff anymore," Robin replied truthfully. "We just need to start thinking about what we want to do in the future. It doesn't have to be this year; we just need to start thinking about it that's all."

Starfire considered her husband's suggestion. Maybe it was time to get out of the rat race. Who knew how much more time they would have together. "OK my love. We shall think about it." She squeezed him tightly.

Both of them gasped as they heard several unfamiliar voices from the surrounding brush. Robin's heart raced as he realized Gato's men were searching the area. They must have pinpointed the signal from their communicator. The voices were getting louder.

Starfire carefully worked her way out from behind her husband. She was trying to determine where the people looking for them were.

"What are you doing?" Robin whispered to her as he felt her get up from behind him.

"I need to draw them away from you," she quickly explained as she crouched behind their boulder.

"Starfire, stay here," Robin pleaded with her. "They won't find us if we stay still and quiet."

Starfire looked down at her husband. The voices were getting closer as they heard their pursuers work their way through the underbrush. Starfire looked down and smiled trying to reassure her husband.

"Do not worry my love, I will be back for you after I lead them away."

Robin watched helplessly as Starfire took to the air to draw the men away from their hiding spot. He struggled to turn himself around to see where she was going.

Starfire rose into the air to get a survey of where Gato's henchmen were. She quickly spotted a group of three in the nearby brush. They scattered for cover when they saw her. Starfire fired a volley of star bolts to attract their attention.

Robin watched in a cold sweat as his wife rained down her first volley at Gato's henchmen. They returned fire giving him some idea where they were. Starfire easily dodged their initial blasts. Then from an odd direction another volley flew into the air catching Starfire off guard. Robin watched helplessly as the blasts tore through his wife's torso. Starfire fluttered briefly then fell helplessly towards the ground.