Chapter 10: Trust

A few more nights pass and the creature never returned to the tower, but somehow I just expected the spider-like alien to make another appearance. I looked out that window religiously, expecting it to strike at any moment. Days turned into weeks and my guard slowly diminished.

We were in the infirmary so long that I almost forgot what it was like to be in her room again. Right now, it was 6 in the morning, and the sun was just looming over the horizon. For the first time in a couple days, snow began to drizzle outside. Starfire got out of bed super early because she wanted to have a chance to play in it. Robin wouldn't let her go outside because he still thinks she needs more rest. But Starfire was desperate to taste the cold air, even if it meant disobeying the boy wonder.

She dug through her closet trying to find her warmest clothes. I watch her get frustrated when she couldn't find anything. Most of her clothes were skirts, tanks, dresses, and short-sleeved shirts. Spring and summer clothing isn't going to protect her from the cold.

"Ugh I never have anything to wear..." She growled, throwing a tube top across the room "I definitely need to go to the mall later today."

She literally says that every time she opens her closet. Her closet holds enough clothes to dress every person in jump city, but she's never satisfied with what she's got. Usually she has to wear her uniform, dressed and ready in case there's trouble in the city, but she really enjoys spending hours dressing up and making herself look pretty.

Her hands continue to dig around in her closet until she was able to find a pair of jeans, a pink woolen coat, a purple long-sleeved t-shirt, and some tan ugg boots with white bows on them. "I guess this will do!" She cheerfully shouted as she started to change out of her pajamas.

Once she got dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror and let out a satisfied chuckle "I just look so adorable in this outfit!" She squealed "If only everyone could see what I look like right now!"

She admired herself for five minutes and then she spotted me on the bed "Oh! I almost forgot about you!" She said to me "Come on Silkie. Let's get you dressed up too!"

Great. It looks like I'm going out in the blizzard-like weather as well. I felt shiver go down my spine when I glanced outside our bedroom window. I hate going out in that weather, I really do. I just don't do weather that's below zero degrees.

I watched Starfire open her dresser and pull out a homemade knit sweater. I hate when she dresses me in that thing. For two reasons: One is that it looks very feminine. Two: The material is itchy and it squeezes me around the edges of my body. It used to fit me perfectly, the long ago days when Raven first taught her how to knit. But I've been putting on a few extra pounds, and Starfire doesn't realize how uncomfortable I feel in it.

I attempt to dive under the covers, trying to escape the situation. But then I felt a pair of warm hands lift me up and place me back on the bed. She pins me down as I try to squirm from her grip. I start hissing at her as she attempted to pull the sweater over my head.

"Come on, Silkie!" She growled in a frustrated tone "you're going outside whether you want to or not!"

She finally gets the sweater on me and hooks the collar around my neck. I tried to move but couldn't. I tried to walk around but failed. The sweater felt like some sort of torture device that was meant to cut off my blood circulation. She placed me on the ground and laughed at my appearance "Aww don't worry Silkie" She said "It's just for a little while!"

We headed downstairs to the main entrance, and my legs felt like they were being weighed down to the floor. I just wanted to rip this sweater apart with my teeth, but with every attempt, either the collar got in the way or Starfire yanked my leash yelling at me to stop.

"No sir!" she scolded "you are wearing that sweater until I decide to take it off."

Ugh, I just knew that it was going to be a while before then.

I welcome the blizzard-like weather, with the shrilling winds and sprinkling snow. My homemade sweater wasn't enough to protect my delicate skin, but then I realize I had to pee and I needed to do it quick if I wanted to go back inside the warm and cozy tower. Once Starfire unhooked my collar, I scurried over to the corner of the building, emptied my bladder and buried it under the fresh white snow.

I walked back over to the entrance of the tower and started scratching at the door. I let out a loud cry, trying to let Starfire know how much I wanted to go back in. She turned her attention away from making a snowman and she flew over to open the doors "Alright Silkie" She said "Are you ready to go back in?"

Yes Starfire, I'm desperate to go back inside that warm house and rip this thing off my body. She laughed at my gestures and lifted her hand to type in the security code "Alright" She sighed "Just don't get yourself into trouble..."

The automated doors slid open, and to our surprise, Cyborg and Beast boy stood on the other side. Starfire gasped in shock, and so did I. It was too early for anyone to be up. Especially Cyborg and Beast boy!

"Hey Star!" Beast boy cheerfully shouted "What are you doing up this early?"

Starfire struggled to form words out of her mouth "Uhhhhh..." She stuttered "I was just...taking Silkie for a walk!"

She pointed at me and I played along. I found the leash on the ground and picked it up with my mouth. She really did walk me around a bit...but she also forgot to mention the snowmen she's built, the snow angels she created, and the numerous amount of snowballs she's thrown around the tower grounds. Cyborg looked over at the snowmen and laughed "Well why didn't you wait a little later for everyone to get up?" He asked "We would have loved to join you!"

"Please don't tell Robin I was out here!" She quickly said "I'm not even supposed to be outside!"

"Oh" Beast boy said, surprised by her sudden outburst "Is that why you're playing in the snow at 6 in the morning?"

She hung head and sighed "Yes..." She muttered "I wanted to do it so nobody would know."

Cyborg and Beast boy exchanged glances and laughed "You're too cute Star" Cyborg said "you know that?"

Starfire shot him a sassy look and waved her index finger at him "I'm not trying to be cute!" She snapped "You both need to take me seriously for once!"

Beast boy and Cyborg continued laughing, Starfire just stomped her foot on the ground and pouted "Are you even listening to me?!"

"Relax Star!" Beast boy said giving her a gentle pat on her back "you're making such a big deal over nothing!"

"This is a big deal!" She shouted "I disobeyed Robin!"

"Alright" Cyborg sighed "We won't tell him if it makes you feel better."

Starfire sighed in relief and rushed over to embrace the both of them "That's all I wanted you to do" She said "It's just that...I've never done anything like this before."

Cyborg smiled and griped her shoulder with his mechanical hand "Aw come on" He said "Everyone needs a little rebellion in their life, right?"

She gave him a weird look, but then closed her eyes and nodded. "So what are you guys doing up so early?" She asked, changing the subject. "Are you going on a mission?"

"Uhhhhhhhhh Sort of" Beast boy said "Were going back down to the warehouse to investigate something real quick."

"Oh cool" Starfire said "Can I come with you?"

"...Actually no" Cyborg said "It's kind of a secret for now."

"Secret? What do you mean secret?"

"Well" Beast boy said "We saw someone during our last mission, we wanted to make sure they're not out causing trouble and-"

"It's no one Star, don't worry about it" Cyborg said, interupting Beast boy "no one we can't easily deal with."

Cyborg and Beast boy were acting real suspicious. Their body language screamed out they don't want anyone poking around in their business. Cyborg shot Beast boy an angry look, as if the green changeling had given her too much information. There aren't usually ever any secrets between the titans when it comes to fighting enemies. Whoever they're after, I'm pretty sure they don't want Starfire knowing about it. She hung her head and sighed, I knew she was feeling left out. Cyborg then smiled, trying to make light out of the situation.

"Hey" He said "We'll grab some pizza later on, alright?"

Starfire was still curious, but smiled and accepted his offer "Alright" She said "but whatever you're doing, please be careful"

"We will" Beast boy said, before they got in the car, and took off towards the city. Watching them go, I almost forgot how cold it was outside. So when a strong gust of winter air blew against my body, I lost my balance and collapsed in a large pile of snow. Starfire chuckled and picked me up "Perhaps we should go back inside before Robin sees us."

When we first got inside the tower, Starfire took off her coat and boots which were now drenched with ice and snow. She brushed the remaining snowflakes out of her hair, and she helped me get out of that annoying pink sweatshirt.

At this time of day, Star and I would still be in bed. But since we weren't tired, we decided to spend the rest of the morning watching TV in the main room. I followed her inside the kitchen area, and watched her fix some scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. As the eggs were cooking, she went to the covert and poured me some oats in my big shiny food bowl. I quickly scarfed it all down, and turned my attention back on the eggs and toast. I already know she will give me some if I bother her while she's eating.

I followed her to the couch and she started to change the channels. I couldn't take my eyes off the food, it just looked so good! When she started eating, I tried crawling all over her lap, then I started crying and crying and I rolled around the floor right next to her feet. She noticed my begging and offered me a few bread crumbs "That's it for today" She whispered to me "No more!"

Once she finished eating, she flew to the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink when all the sudden I heard someone walk in. I looked up from the couch only to see Robin, bed-headed and wearing pajamas. We were both surprised to see him up early. Starfire almost dropped the dishes in surprise "Oh!" She exclaimed "Good morning, Robin!"

"Hey princess" He said "What are you doing up so early?"

Starfire stood there, thinking of a quick excuse "Ah you know.." She said "I just felt like getting up early today."

"Oh I see" He said "Didn't want to sleep in this morning, huh?"

"No" She said "I just wanted to get a head start on today."

"How come?" He asked "So that you can play outside in the cold?"

Oh Dang it...He found out.

Starfire squeezed her eyes and cursed in her own language. Robin put his hands on his hips and tapped his foot impatiently. He waited for Starfire to explain herself. According to her nature, Starfire likes to charm her own way out of trouble. She gave Robin a big smile and laughed nervously, trying to warm her way back into his heart."How did you know?" She asked, trying to be as innocent as possible.

"Well, I don't live under a rock Star" He said "I saw you from my bedroom window, silly girl."

"Oh yeah" She said "I knew I should have went out in the back"

"Mmhmm"

I almost forgot, Robin usually is the first titan up at the crack of dawn. I'm not sure why he likes getting up this early but Starfire didn't think she was going to get caught. Robin smiled through her charm, but he immediately put his serious face back on. He's known Star long enough work around the game she was trying to play.

"I'm not joking Star" He said "You really need to listen to me next time, alright?"

"I'm sorry" She said "I just couldn't wait for it to snow any longer!"

"It's going to be snowing for the next three months" He said "Trust me, you're not missing out"

"I couldn't resist." She said "I just love this kind of weather!"

Robin smiled as he started to make himself breakfast. Starfire went to the covert and pulled out a plate for him "I made some eggs earlier" She said "if you want I can make some for you too."

"Aw thanks" He said "It's been a while since someone made me breakfast."

"It's my pleasure" She said, turning the stove back on "Go sit down. I'll have it ready for you in a few minutes."

He came over and sat next to me on the couch, watching whatever channel Starfire left on the TV. Her two favorite shows are the world of fungus, and Hi Hi puffy ami umi. Neither shows were on right now, so she just set it on the local news. The news people talked about the weather and how people should stay off the roads. I hope that Cyborg and Beast boy were okay out there.

Starfire fixed his breakfast, and handed it to him after getting settled back on the couch. They watched the news in silence for a few minutes until the commercial ads started playing "I thought I heard the other guys outside with you" He said, breaking the silence "Are they getting into any shenanigans?"

"No" She laughed "Not this time."

"Oh really?" He said "What were they up to then?"

"I don't know" She said "They said they were going on a secret mission or something..."

"A secret mission?" he asked "what do they mean by that?"

"I have no idea" She said "They said they were going back to the warehouse to investigate"

Robin frowned and looked her in the eyes "How come?" He asked "they were supposed to do that the other day."

"They did" She said "but they said they spotted someone else there."

"Who?"

"They wouldn't tell me." She said "Apparently they wanted to go back to make sure they weren't causing trouble."

Robin doesn't like it when his own teammates keep secrets from him. Especially secrets that had to do with important missions or villains. I watched him slowly go into "hero mode" and there wasn't anything that would hold him back.

"It was weird" She said "They wouldn't even let me go with them when I asked."

"They're obviously keeping something from me" He said "That's why they're not telling you either...you know that right?"

I guess that would make sense. Robin and Starfire are closer to each other than anyone in the house. If the titans were to keep a secret from Robin, they would be smart not to tell Starfire either. But I don't think Beast boy and Cyborg realized they gave more information to her then they should have.

"Well thank you for telling me" Robin said "I'm going to find out about this when they get home."

He punched his fist against his hand, and stood up, setting aside the remainder of his scrambled eggs that were barely touched.

"Don't be angry Robin" Starfire said "Maybe we should just trust them."

"Apparently they don't trust us if they won't even tell us what's going on..." He said

We watched him leave the room, and Starfire just sighed and shook her head. She picked up the plate of eggs before I had the opportunity to help myself. "Perhaps I should have just kept my mouth shut..." She said as she went to put the dishes in the sink. Maybe she should have, but it don't get why Robin's so worked up about this. Honestly, I think there's something else on his mind.

Or maybe he's worried about a particular villain coming back.