Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.

---

Re-cap:

"You know all too well, I'm sure, that I have been after Robin for quite awhile. He thought he was being tricky all of those other times he got away from me...but I finally figured out his weakness."

He turned his head sharply and stared at Starfire.

"After much observation, it has come to my attention that his weakness is quite manifest."

He smirked under his mask.

"That obvious weakness of his, my dear, is you."

---

Chapter 4: Realization

Time seemed to stand still in this moment, as Slade's words banged around in Starfire's head. It was confusing - it was as if she had known all along that Robin had a weak spot for her, and yet, that she wasn't aware of it; all at the same time. How could she have been so...blind? Even though she wanted to show Slade no vulnerability, not even a hint of fear, and give him a strong, sturdy answer to his observation, all that came out was, "Me?" She could hear her voice waver, and she knew that as strong as she wanted to sound, she was scared to death.

Slade glanced at her coldly, and a shiver ran down her spine. He began to pace around her once again, taking slow, steady steps.

"Stupid girl," he mumbled. "I know that you are aware of Robin's weakness for you." He paused. "And I know that you have a weakness for Robin, as well. You can't trick me; I'm not a fool, like your little Robin."

Starfire frowned, clenching her fists. "Robin is not a fool!" she shouted.

Slade stared at her knowingly, and Starfire's heart sank when she realized that she'd just revealed her weakness to the titans' worst enemy.

Trying to change the subject, Starfire asked, "If you want Robin, then what good will it do for you to hold me hostage?"

Slade laughed, making Starfire feel stupid. She didn't like it when people laughed at her; most of the time people laughed at her for the way she used words together, or certain questions she would query about. But this time, Slade wasn't laughing at her naïve and innocent personality - he was laughing because he had his plan all figured out, but Starfire didn't have a single clue as to what kind of plan he was devising.

And that's the thought that made Starfire terrified.

After Slade's short laugh subsided, he looked into Starfire's confused and frightened eyes. Quite suddenly, he darted forward and scooped her up by the neck, gripping it firmly as he held her above the ground at arm's length.

"You think you're being held...hostage?" he whispered, narrowing his eyes.

Starfire squeezed her eyes shut and held her hands up by Slade's strong grip, trying to pry his fingers off of her neck. "I - will not - be - the...bait," she choked between words.

"I know that if I keep you here...your friends will come for you sooner or later. And among your friends is...Robin - the one who I truly want."

Starfire groped her hands by her neck, grunting. "If you - wish for - me...to work for - you...I will not."

Slade narrowed his eyes as Starfire said darkly, "I would - rather...die than work - for you." Slade pulled Starfire closer to him as he hissed, "How about your friends? Would you want them dead?"

Starfire's eyes widened. How could she have not seen this coming?

Slade suddenly released his grip on her neck and tossed her carelessly down. She landed roughly on the cold, hard ground, landing on her arm. She squeezed her eyes shut in pain as a painful sensation went up her arm, and she leaned up slightly, holding her neck with one of her hands and breathing slowly, swallowing hard.

"I won't have you work for me," Slade spoke in his monotone. "I will only have you do a few...errands. That is, if you want your friends to live."

"You - you are bluffing!" Starfire shouted, her voice trembling. "You cannot kill them; they are strong!"

"Ah, but I have you, my dear. Once they realize that I have you, they will do anything to assure that you go unharmed." He turned his back to her. "Your friend, Robin is becoming so predictable...that it almost is too easy to figure him out."

Starfire only listened silently, narrowing her eyes to slits as she heard Slade's words. Her eyes began to glow a neon green, and she whipped around, shooting a laserbeam at Slade. He only stepped aside, not even breaking a sweat in the process.

He turned his head. "You have poor aim." He looked thoughtfully at the burnt spot in the wall where Starfire's eye beam had crashed into. "Tomorrow at 5 o'clock A.M., I expect you to be in this exact place, ready to train."

Slade glanced at her with an evil glint in his eye. "I want to see what you can do."

---

Starfire sat on the cold, hard ground, looking out the small, broken window. Lightning flashes lit up the streets of the city and thunder shook the warehouse.

She gazed out at the street.

Freedom was just a few yards away.

But she knew better than that.

She hugged her knees close to her chest, resting her chin on top. Everything had been flipped upside-down. Nothing seemed right...it was all so...perplexing. Here she was; Starfire - member of the Teen Titans, Tamaranian princess. She has super strength, the ability to fly, shoot laserbeams from her eyes, and also shoot starbolts. She has saved countless people from fires, falling buildings, evil villains, and pretty much everything else any human being could possibly imagine. People always tell her that she's 'brave' and 'seemingly fearless'.

Then why was she so scared?

She leaned against the cot she was designated to sleep on and inhaled deeply.

This is not a good situation to be in.

Starfire sat up again. She had to get some things straight:

-First of all, here she was, captured by Slade.

-But he really wanted Robin,

-And Starfire was just...the bait?

-Slade insists that Starfire is not a hostage,

-Even though Starfire already feels like it will turn out to be like that.

-And if Starfire doesn't cooperate with Slade,

-Even though she would rather die than work for Slade,

-If she chooses not to 'do errands' for him (errands, in Slade's book, most likely meaning evil tasks)

-Slade claims he'll kill the titans.

Pretty simple, no big deal.

---

Robin was sick...

of searching.

He was tired; his eyes seemed to be half open. His muscles were sore, he was cold from the torrential downpour, his R-cycle had run out of fuel, and worst of all:

Starfire was missing.

His Starfire. The Starfire who he couldn't live without. The Starfire who made his day happy when he felt like crumbling to pieces. The Starfire who always made him feel needed.

The Starfire he loved.

Realization; eleven simple letters, yet so difficult to comprehend.

Robin sat miserably on the curb, jerking off his helmet. His R-cycle was now useless - at least until he got more gasoline - and he felt as if he, himself, was just the same.

Useless.

---

I owe everyone a huge apology - I haven't updated in like, a million years. My body has gone into summer mode, which makes me pretty lazy. It's an epidemic sweeping throughout the nation - The Summer Epidemic. I just got back home from a short vacation, and the first thing that was on my mind (besides sleeping) was this: update, must update! So, here I am, with a new update. I hope it was satisfactory, and uhmm, yeah: review!

--Faded Starlight--