Chapter 8: Milestones
By the time we got back from our walk, they had already locked me out of the infirmary. I was desperate to squeeze through the door and run back in there. Unfortunately, all my attempts resulted in failure.
Cyborg and Beast boy occasionally came in and out, but they wouldn't even let me work my way through the door's crack. I felt a lurch in my heart because I was no longer allowed to see her. Cyborg was never able to get a hold of Starfire's home planet, so they started to plan on taking her up there. If she's really sick, then I may never see her again for a long time. I just sat there and waited all day, hoping for an opportunity. I wish Raven would understand that my time with her is limited.
Robin finally came back down around 9 that evening. He pretty much slept through the entire day and regained the energy to take care of Star again. As he approached the door, I wanted to make another attempt. Robin wasn't aware that the others booted me out earlier. I came out in the open and looked up at him. He looked determined, anxious to hear an update about his beloved alien princess. I already know that he wasn't going to be happy with the news. Then again, he would do anything for Starfire's recovery.
He glanced down at me before opening the door. I jolted past him, rushing inside the room. Everyone was in here, so I worked hard to keep a low profile. I quickly took refuge underneath the nightstand and tuned into their conversation.
"Hey Man" Cyborg said "We're glad you were able to get some rest."
Robin quietly walked over to Starfire's bedside and stared down at the sleeping princess. "Yeah" he said "I appreciate everything you guys have done."
Beast boy strolled over and gave him a pat on the back "That's what team mates are for, dude!" he shouted "besides, you were kinda over killing the prince charming thing."
Robin let out a soft chuckle "Yeah" he said "I guess I was a little overwhelmed."
He sat on the edge of the mattress, and reached to stroke Starfire's face. He hadn't taken his eyes off her since he walked in. He seemed disappointed that nothing changed.
"Robin, we need to talk." Raven finally said placing a hand on his shoulder "We made some decisions while you were away."
The boy wonder frowned and shifted his position on the bed "What do you mean?" He asked, with that determined look on his face again.
"We tried everything man." Cyborg said "by now it's obvious that what where doing isn't enough."
Robin's eyes widened and he immediately started to panic "What's wrong with her?" He asked "What did you find?"
"Nothing" Raven said "I looked through every book, every possible source and found nothing."
"We ran some tests on her and tried to see if anything was affecting her immune system" Cyborg said "It could be a cold, but Star's different from the rest of us. We don't know what the illness is doing to her."
"I'm usually an expert on things like this" Raven said "but even an expert can't know everything. That's why we decided that the best thing to do is just...take her up there."
"What?" Robin asked "to Tamaran?"
"Yeah..." Beast boy said "Those dudes are the true experts. It would be beneficial for her health."
"I've fired up the T-Ship" Cyborg said "It's time we change our game plan."
Robin hung his head. I knew he wasn't going to be happy about this. But no matter how much we didn't want to, we knew it was the best thing to do at this point. Robin looked up at his team and nodded his head "okay" he mouthed silently, in a tone that you could barely hear.
Suddenly the tower alarm system went off. The blazing siren was loud enough to penetrate my ear drums. The room flashed red and everyone quickly jumped in surprise. It's been so quiet lately that nobody expected it to go off.
Starfire moaned as the siren continued to blast. It woke her up and it was really bothering her. Cyborg rushed to the computer, and started looking for the source. He quickly shut off the siren for Starfire's sake.
Robin buried his face in his hands "Perfect timing" He muttered "What's going on?"
Cyborg scanned the screen for the source "It's only giving me the location" He said "It doesn't say who's out there or what they're up too."
"Great" Robin gritted "just what we need at a time like this."
Cyborg turned the computer off and stood. Beast boy and Raven had already rushed out of the room.
"We'll go out and take care of it" he said "You should stay here and goof around with your girlfriend."
Robin couldn't help but laugh "Are you sure you guys can handle it without me?" He asked.
"It'll be fine" Cyborg said "It can't possibly be that bad."
He turned around and leaving without another word. The only people left in the room were me, him and Starfire. Having heard the commotion, the alien princess opened her eyes and blinked wearily.
"Robin?" She asked, reaching her hand to take his. He immediately noticed the gesture and laced his strong fingers around hers.
"Hi honey" He said sitting back down on the bed. "How are you? Are you feeling any better?"
Knowing that the other titans were gone, I emerged from underneath my hiding spot and jumped on top of the bed. Starfire didn't speak up, but she lifted her arms. This was her gesture of saying that she wanted him to come close. Robin hovered over her and leaned his face towards her.
"I'm so happy that you're okay" She moaned, giving him small kisses on the lips.
Robin pulled back and cocked an eyebrow "Of course I am" He said "Why wouldn't I be?"
Starfire's eyes suddenly flooded with tears. Her body tensed up and she just started crying all the sudden. Robin was just confused as I was. What was going on? Why did she think he was in danger? He clutched her head to his chest and rocked her back and forth. They wrapped their arms around each other for comfort.
"Star?" He asked "What's gotten into you?"
He held her tightly letting her express her emotions; I have never seen Starfire cry that hard before. Whatever she had seen in her sleep must have been horrific. I scooted closer and curled up next to her.
"I thought I was going to lose you!" She shouted. "I saw them murder you with my own eyes!"
She held him tighter, giving him a bone-crushing embrace. Robin's face turned blue, but he reacted like it was nothing. Starfire had done the same thing earlier today, when the other three titans were in the room. I wonder what's going on…
"Oh no, no, no, that never happened!" Robin said attempting to calm her down "You must have been dreaming..."
"It wasn't a dream" Starfire weeped"it was real..."
Robin didn't say anything more. He just held her in his arms until she settled down. All this crying would come to a stop eventually. He waited patiently and quietly, rocking her back and forth to pacify her. Starfire eventually stopped after a good fifteen minutes; Robin's shoulder was completely covered with her snot.
"Are you done?" He asked her.
Starfire pulled away from him. "Yes" She mouthed "Thank you"
"You're welcome" Robin said offering her a tissue "Now what was that about? I still have no idea why you're so upset."
Starfire sighed and lay back down on the bed, wiping away the last of her tears with the tissue "Robin?" She asked "Do you think you could keep this a secret between you and me?"
"Well, it depends" Robin said "I can't make any promises."
Starfire shut her eyes briefly. "It's just that I never wanted any of you to know..." She said.
"You never wanted us to know what?" Robin asked.
My ears perked up and I find myself drawn into the conversation. Starfire has a secret? I thought she told the titans everything about herself. I guess I was wrong. This should be interesting.
"It's about my past..." She said "about my life before I came here."
"Oh, I see" Robin said "Well my ears are open if you want to talk about it."
She looked up at him "remember the citadel?" She asked
"Yeah" He said "What about them?"
Starfire has lived here for almost four years. I don't know much about her background, but I'm still aware of her past. Growing up, her family was like a sheet of paper, ripped to shreds by the gordanians. Both of her parents are dead, her brother has been missing for over a decade and Blackfire...oh man. Starfire also has the cruelest sister ever.
But who was the Citadel? I remember Starfire mentioning them a few times, but who were they? Were they another enemy race? Are they out to get her? Starfire remained silent for a moment before she explained everything to Robin.
"Lately I've been getting nightmares that they'll come back for me one day" She said "I've already lost my entire family from the war, and I'm afraid that I'll someday lose all of you too..."
I guess that's a reasonable fear to have, everyone is afraid to lose somebody they love. I almost had a heart attack that one night when she got sick. I wouldn't know what to do if she were taken away from me.
"Oh Star" Robin said "We're too strong to let things like that happen! You know that, right?"
"But you have no idea who they are, Robin!" Starfire said "They're the most powerful alien race in the galaxy, they have unlimited power within their fingertips...I have seen them kill so many of my people."
Her green orbs glistened as she looked into his masked eyes "The gordanians have sided with them to try and take over my planet. They've put too much effort into selling me as a slave." She said "I know without a doubt that they've been plotting against me all these years. I just don't know what to do."
Robin's eyes narrowed "Star…We have survived so much together." He said "We've gone through the toughest trials and we never let anything tear us apart, right?"
Starfire remained silent for a moment "What are you trying to say?" She asked.
"Remember Slade…? and Brother Blood? We took those guys down like they were nothing!" He said "and let's not forget our battle with Trigon, and that fierce one with the Brotherhood of Evil."
"So what's you point?" She asked "The Citadel is different from all of them!"
Robin held her shoulders firmly and locked his eyes right into hers "Just Listen to me" He said "We're your family. You were always there to protect us through those times, and we'll always be there to protect you too."
"But what if…"she started to say, before Robin hushed her and pressed his fingers against her lips.
"No more worrying" he said "everything will be fine, okay? You just have to trust us like you always have."
Starfire relaxed and nodded. Then she sat up and embraced him. I try to make out what she just said. Were the gordanians allies with the Citadel? Why do they want to enslave Starfire so badly? This was all too confusing.
"Wow…" She said, changing the subject "all of that happened so long ago."
"I know." Robin said "Sometimes I still wonder what ever happened to Slade."
"Me too" She said "It's been so long."
"Yeah, it seems so weird doesn't it?"
His face became determined. I remember how he used to be so obsessed with that guy. I'll never forget those nights when I noticed him working till 3, 4, or 5 in the morning. He would stare at those security cameras waiting for something to happen. Then there's that one night when the stress almost killed him. He threatened to attack his team and Starfire…Before she went to bed that night, I noticed a bunch of wound-like bruises on her left arm. They were left by Robin. He had physically attacked her. Following that event, he apologized to her so many times, but she kept a distance from him until she forgot about it.
"Robin?" Starfire asked "Are you alright?"
"Of course" He said "Why you ask?"
"I don't know" She said "I just wanted to make sure."
Robin smiled and lifted his hand to feel her forehead. It was already clear that her fever had broken. I was so happy that she started to become her normal self again. For once, she was actually starting to show signs of recovery.
I tripped over her legs and whimpered to get her attention; she noticed me struggling to step over the wires and scooped me up in her arms "Oh Silkie" She said "How has my little bumgorf been?"
She still calls me her "bumgorf" every once in a while. But like I said, she's strayed away from her original personality. It's just so weird hearing her use both slang and proper grammar. It must be from all those kisses she shared with Robin. She could learn any language by just kissing someone on the lips, apparently she learned a lot of English from Robin...and I mean ALOOOOT.
I gurgled happily and rubbed up against her. Starfire laughed and pulled me closer to her "Silkie!" she playfully shouted "What are you doing?"
I honestly had no idea; I just enjoyed her scent so much that I would bury my nostrils in her flesh to receive the best whiffs possible.
"It looks like somebody really missed you" Robin said "he really helped out to take care of you!"
Starfire smiled and continued to stroke my back "You did?" She asked me "Oh you're such a good boy!"
She hugged me tighter and gave me several kisses across my face. I licked her cheek in return, but her face cringed and she wiped it away.
"Eww that was a slobbery one" She said, using her blankets to wipe it off her cheek. Robin just laughed and let me sniff his fingers; I rubbed my face against his hand, thanking him for not booting me out.
I really missed Starfire. Her eyes are like light bulbs. Her laughter is music to my ears. Her warm smile could lighten up any gloomy setting. And she just didn't seem so alive these past few days. This was the happiest I felt all week. She's finally on the road to recovery. And who knows? Maybe she doesn't have to leave for Tamaran after all…