Chapter 15

I won't choose my happiness over your life

Starfire opened her eyes and looked around. She was in the medical bay and she was hooked up to an EKG. She could hear her heartbeat in the silent room. She looked over and saw that Robin was sleeping in a chair, next to her bed, holding her hand. She smiled as she saw her boyfriend sitting there, breathing evenly. Snoring lowly.

She frowned as she thought about what had happened, or almost happened. Robin was killed. She had to watch her boyfriend almost die. She remembered the pain and worry and heartbreak that she felt as she watched him hit the ground.

She could feel something break inside of her as she watched him hit the ground. The pain and shock on her friend's faces. The anger that she felt. The anger that she allowed to fill her up as she battled for revenge.

She could still hear his body fall on the ground in her mind. It plagued her dreams. It gave her nightmares every time she closed her eyes. It showed her that she was no match for her enemies when it came to her family. Her boyfriend.

It broke her heart to think that she couldn't protect those she loved. It was nine years ago all over again. It was the same thing. She was powerless to protect those she loved. To protect her family. And she couldn't bear that to happen. Not again. The words of Batman echoed in her ear. She wasn't safe for him. Being with him wasn't safe for her team.

She could allow her love for Robin put his life in danger. She couldn't let herself be the cause of his death and the death of her friends. She couldn't be responsible for their deaths too. She couldn't fail to protect this family too.

Robin shifted in the chair. His eyes opened, and he looked over at her. He jumped up and squeezed her hand. Starfire smiled slightly looking at her boyfriend. "Hey, how are you feeling? You've been in and out of sleep for four days. You seemed in pain, so Cyborg gave you a sedative to help you rest."

Starfire nodded. "I am alright. Just a little sore. But other than that, I'm fine." She looked at her hands, as they played with a thread on her blanket. "Starfire, do you want to talk about what happened?" She shook her head. "No. I don't. I just want to move on."

Robin sighed. "Batgirl betrayed you. I understand that you are upset. I know I am." Starfire looked at him. "I have forgiven her." She said, lowly. Robin looked at her. "I never will. She handed you over like you were nothing. She betrayed your trust. My trust. I can never forgive or trust her again. She has broken that."

Starfire shrugged. "It's done." She said. Robin looked at her. "Starfire, what is wrong? You aren't acting like yourself. I have never seen you like this. You almost seem broken." Starfire looked at Robin. "I just didn't have the best experience on that ship. It brought back many memories for me. I don't really want to talk about it."

Robin sighed and looked at her. "Starfire, there is something else bothering you. Something that you aren't telling me. It's not like you to keep secrets." She looked at Robin. "I know that Bruce doesn't approve of me. I know that Batgirl doesn't either. I know there are a lot of people that don't approve of aliens on the planet."

Starfire shrugged, fighting tears. "But they are right. I am an alien. I don't belong here. This isn't my home." Robin felt a twist in his heart. His hand closed on hers. "This is where you belong. This is your home." Starfire looked at him. "I agree with what they said. And I meant what I said when I was battling Akeldama."

Robin looked at her in confusion. "I am nothing without you. Without you I have nothing t live for." Robin hugged her to him, being mindful of her injuries. He put his finger under her chin to make her look at him.

"I want you to listen to me very carefully Kori. You are something. You are a survivor. A hero. You are something." Starfire looked at him, with a painful look. "I disagree. Without you, I feel out of place. I feel like I don't belong."

Robin kissed the top of her head. "You are home. You belong." Starfire looked up into his blue pools. "Robin, without you, I would leave. I wouldn't be a Titan anymore." Robin shook his head. "You can't leave. If something happens to me, they would need a leader to lead them."

Starfire shook her head. "I wouldn't lead the team. It would always be your team. I am not fit to lead your team. Never have. Never will." Robin shook his head. "Where is all of this coming from? It's almost like your spirit is broken. What happened to you Star?"

"This isn't the Starfire that I know and love. What did they do to you? I have never seen you like this." Starfire shot up, the I.V's being ripped from her hand. "You were killed Robin! A weapon was aimed at your chest and if you weren't smart then you would have been dead!"

"I see your body hitting the ground every time I close my eyes! When I saw you fall, something snapped inside me. I let my Tamaranian side come out. I let the warrior side of me come out and I fought with everything I had because I thought that the love of my life was killed!"

"I have been told my countless people, allies and enemies alike that I can't protect those I love. And they are right. Four days ago, proved that to me." Robin stood up and looked at her. "And I will not be responsible for the death of you and our team. I won't."

Robin picked his head up and looked at her. "Okay, so what are you saying?" Tears filled her eyes as she looked at Robin.

"I'm done. Robin, we're done. And I quit." She turned her back and walked out of the medical bay. Robin stood there in shock. He watched her walk away, tears filling his eyes.