Chapter 27

It was the kind of scene where nightmares are born.

Blood dripped from the walls and pooled in murky green puddles on the floor. The putrid smell of blood and gore clogged the air. Slimy organs lay discarded on the floor; the glassy eyes of the bodies they had been ripped from gazing blankly upon Raven.

A roar of rage erupted from down the corridor and Raven raised her head from Beast Boy's trembling neck in time to see Starfire bury her hand into a Citadelian's chest. It imploded in a burst of green flame with a sickening wet spurt of sound and the smell of cooking flesh wafted down the corridor.

Beast Boy shuddered underneath her hands, turning to push his cold nose against her cheek and whined softly.

"I'm okay," she whispered again, her arms clenching around his chest. She'd been whispering that a lot, just as he'd been checking that she was all right a lot, both of them needing to touch base with the other, just reassure each other that they weren't alone. That there was someone else sharing in the pain and the terror that had befallen them. And although she said the words, she knew deep down that she wasn't okay, probably never would be okay again, assuming they survived this place.

Starfire dodged a blow from another Citadelian that attacked and Raven clenched her eyes shut, unwilling to see another death. There was a wet sound and a thump as another body joined the others on the ground.

If only they would stop attacking her. If they would leave her alone they wouldn't be dying in droves. The few servants and slaves that they'd come across in the Azar damned place had survived simply because they'd turned and ran, but the stupid lumbering Citadelians did no such thing. They were causing their own destruction.

It wasn't fair. This should have never happened to Starfire. She was a kind soul, a gentle soul. Not this monster she'd been forced to become. But something of Starfire remained, a hidden strength that allowed her to direct the body enough to project the rage away from her friends. And that was something the Citadelians could never take away from her.

But that hidden strength was fading. It was taking Starfire longer and longer to recognised them as friends and Raven knew they were running short on time.

Beast Boy suddenly pushed his body on top of hers as footsteps thundered down the corridor toward them. Raven opened her eyes, instantly shielding them both. She was just in time as the double fisted blow of a Citadelian pounded on her shield before Starfire's body launched itself at it.

There was a sharp crack and a body toppled over.

Starfire slumped to the ground.

"Raven?" she panted harshly, hunched over, her hands on the ground to support her. Her breath came raggedly and she was bleeding from numerous cuts to her body. Her green coated hair slopped wetly around her in strings. Her voice sounded so weak and was tinged with deep exhaustion. "Beast Boy?"

Raven breathed a huge sigh of relief. She'd found the strength to surface again, something that was becoming infrequent as she exhausted her body. Raven pushed Beast Boy off her and crawled over to Starfire close enough so that Starfire could see her hands on the ground beside hers. Beast Boy shifted to crouch beside her, pushing his head through the dripping strands of hair so he could see her face. "We're still here, Star. We're not going to leave you."

"Oh, thank… X'hal," she wheezed in relief, her chest rattling as she struggled for breath. Her hands clawed the floor as she fought to maintain control of her body. "I cannot… it is too much… You must go… near the end … do not have … strength to… surface again… Get out… while you… can… please." Several tears splattered to the ground between her hands and a sob broke through her gasps.

Raven felt her throat tighten and Beast Boy whined mournfully. "We're not going to leave you here to die, Star. Not that. Never that."

Starfire's head came up abruptly and she growled. "Richard."

She leaped to her feet and conjured a huge star bolt, smashing it into the closest wall to create a hole. There was a tearing sound as the bolt forced its way through. Raven blinked in surprise as she shielded herself and Beast Boy from the heat of the blast. Starfire had always simply followed the corridors, never made her own openings unless a door bared their way.

Raven scrambled to her feet, following her as Starfire forced her way through the walls in single-minded determination.

TTTTT

"Titans!" Nightwing bellowed. "Retreat!"

"No," Bumblebee cried fiercely. "We can do this!"

"Dey vood continue da fight for us," Red Star yelled, his hands glowing red with power. "Ve cannot leave dem 'ere."

"The green one is our friend!" Thunder cried, booming his hands together once more.

"Give us a chance," Speedy called as he clipped a Citadelian's head with the piece of broken piping he was wielding. "We're only just getting warmed up."

"We're outta time," Nightwing yelled, slamming his sticks into the kneecaps of a Citadelian, toppling it. "We're going to start losing our own if we stay here. You have to retreat."

"I won't leave my sister!" Blackfire shrieked, her eyes glowing fiercely. "Not again! Never again!"

He spared her a glance out of the corner of his eye as he charged another Citadelian, landing a flying kick directly on its bulky chest. "I don't expect you to. You and I will retrieve the others."

"Nightwing, don't be an idiot!" Cyborg cried. "You're as exhausted as the rest of us. It's suicide!"

Nightwing spun. "I promised her I would save them!" he roared. "I promised! Don't you fucking get it? If it's the last thing I ever do, I plan to keep that one promise I made to her."

"They're my friends too!" Cyborg yelled, shooting his sonic cannon over Nightwing's shoulder. "Do you think I want to leave them here? Do you think this is fucking easy for me? We're can't help them if we're dead!"

"I am not going anywhere!" he yelled, turning his back on Cyborg. "Blackfire and I can get through this place the fastest and I don't need to be worrying about the lot of you."

A Citadelian wearing a strange yellow garb rushed into the room, roaring in a guttural language. The Citadelians in the room spun to it, forgetting the Titans, lumbering over to the door. Nightwing frowned and he felt a tugging on his arm. Turning his head, he saw Jericho beside him, gesturing at the yellow garbed one.

"Yeah, I see it," he muttered, watching them closely. "Just hang on. Something's happening."

More grunts and rumbles, before shrieking and yelling. The Citadelians all began to grunt at once, before the one wearing yellow roared, casting them all to silence. The one in yellow began to grunt and rumble at the others.

The Titans looked on, confused. Nightwing clenched his sticks tightly in his hands as he studied their opponents. Something was definitely happening. For the first time, the Citadelians appeared afraid.

"They say something's coming," Blackfire said softly, coming to float beside Nightwing. "They say it's leaving destruction in its wake. It has damaged the power core. It has taken out most of the lower levels already. They are frightened." She glanced at Nightwing's face. "The one in yellow is a Master. Its attempting to rally them to defend against what is coming. We are of no consequence any more. This is a terrible thing that comes, Nightwing. The core would be heavily guarded; it must be very powerful indeed to have damaged it. We can't stay here and confront it. We must find Starfire."

Nightwing nodded, an idea forming in his mind. "How close is the power core to the prison cells?"

"They are situated next to each other. The core provides power to the cell doors and locks. If the core has been destroyed or damaged, Starfire and the others should have been released." She smirked. "Galfore will be pleased. This will make a Tamaranian invasion much more successful."

"Why?"

"Because the core also powers their defenses. No Tamaranian has ever been able to get deep enough into the Citadel to damage the core. Theres always been too many Citadelians in the way."

He swallowed heavily. "Would you have to pass through the core to get to where we are from the prison?"

"There are ways around it, but I believe the most direct route is straight through it."

"How do you know all this stuff?"

"I stole the plans. I am a wanted criminal after all."

Nightwing smirked and nodded again, jerking his head back. "Move back to Herald."

"Who is Herald?"

Nightwing glanced at her. "Oh… Right… Stay beside Cyborg then. We'll see what is coming and then you and I will go for Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy."

"Why me?" she asked softly. "After everything I have done to her, why do you trust me?"

He looked at her. "Because for some reason she still does. And right now, that's good enough for me."

Blackfire paled. She nodded sharply before flying over to Cyborg.

Nightwing began moved backward slowly toward Herald, snatching other confused Titans and forcing them to retreat with him. They soon clustered around Herald at the back of the room, with Nightwing standing at the forefront. He glanced over his shoulder at Cyborg. "Head count," he muttered quietly. "No one gets left behind."

Cyborg nodded, his eyes still fixed on the grunting Citadelian clustered around the far door before he started counting Titans.

The wall at the opposite end of the room from where the Titans stood began to bubble.

The Citadelians turned to face the wall, before lumbering to stand before it. The Master grunted and motioned widely with its fleshy hands.

Cracks started appearing in the metal; a brilliant green light shining through and Nightwing held his breath. Could it be? Had she come at last? Was she the terrible thing that the Citadelians had been so afraid of?

A large circular hole was blasted into the wall. The circular piece of the wall shot through the room plowing through the Citadelians. It continued to fly across the room and toward the Titans. Jinx reacted quickly and threw a large pink surge of energy, knocking the wall into a doorway. Many of the Citadelians weren't so lucky, hit by shrapnel or crushed by the metal from the blast. The force of the explosion was so great that it rocked the floor, forcing those on the ground off their feet.

Nightwing leapt to his feet before he froze, his escrima sticks clattering to the ground.

Starfire stood hunched over beyond the hole in the wall, panting harshly. Her body was covered in scrapes and cuts and her xhandal uniform was in tatters, barely holding together. Her green eyes glowed fiercely and she was drenched in a green liquid, it clung to her hair in clumps and splattered all over her face. She groaned and fell to her knees, placing her hands on the ground before her.

Nightwing could hear her breath rattling in her chest from where he stood, he could feel the waves of exhaustion flowing from her coupled with the insatiable need to keep moving, to keep fighting. His knees went weak. She had come. But was there enough of her left to save?

He wanted to run to her, to fall to his knees before her and wrap his arms around her and never let go. But something held him back. Something inside recognised the danger in an action like that.

The Master and another Citadelian lumbered to their feet, grunting harshly.

"Kori!" Blackfire shrieked and Cyborg grabbed her before she could dash to her sister's aid.

Starfire's head snapped up and she raised to her feet as though pulled up by strings, her hands clenching into fists.

A strangely white caped and green splattered Raven darted into view behind Starfire, her eyes wild as she desperately searched the room beyond the hole, a green wolf slinking before her protectively. Relief surged across her features as she saw them. The green wolf began to howl excitedly and dance around Raven who stooped down and grabbed him across the chest, engulfing them in her raven form.

Raven appeared beside Nightwing, throwing her arms around his neck in relief. He absently placed a hand on her back, never taking his eyes off Starfire. "Thank Azar, Robin, you came. She said you would."

Beast Boy slinked in front of him, still in wolf form before morphing back and throwing his arms around Nightwing too. "Dude, I've never been so happy to see anyone in my life."

Starfire began to snarl.

Raven pulled away and looked back at Starfire. "We have to do something. She doesn't have long."

"You guys okay?" Nightwing asked, his eyes still fixed on Starfire.

"We'll live," Beast Boy replied, also pulling away, giving a vague thumbs up to Cyborg. "We have to get the guys out of here. She doesn't have much control."

Nightwing turned his head. "Herald. Portal. Now!"

The pure note of Herald's trumpet rang out and the portal swirled back into existence.

Starfire stalked into the room and the Master and the Citadelian unaffected by the blast moved to intercept her. The first one swung its arms at her and she ducked underneath before surging up and tearing out its throat. She tossed the piece of flabby skin she had ripped away over her shoulder, leaving a convulsing Citadelian in her wake.

The Master shrieked and roared, lumbering toward her, its arms swinging widely. Starfire turned to face it, her face expressionless. She pulled back her arm and plunged her fist into its chest before she ripped out a strange flapping organ, creating a shower of green blood. The Master toppled to the ground.

Nightwing watched with morbid fascination as she tilted her hand and the organ slapped wetly to the floor.

He swallowed the bile rising in his throat, staring at her in shock. She'd warned him, but he'd never wanted to believe it. Oh god, what had they done to his Starfire?

"Titans, retreat," Nightwing bellowed. "Move!"

Starfire lifted her head at the sound of his voice and turned to face them. Something flickered in her face. Was that hope? Or relief? Or rage? Nightwing couldn't tell.

Pandemonium. Several Titans began to scream and there was a stampede toward the portal.

Blackfire pushed forward through the sea of fleeing Titans to stand beside Nightwing, her face white with shock. "What did they do to her?"

Nightwing grabbed her shoulders, propelling her toward the portal. "Get out now!"

Beast Boy shifted back into a wolf and crawled along the floor on his belly toward Starfire, whined softly as he tried to get her attention.

Starfire conjured a star bolt and threw it at him. Raven stepped forward, her eyes glowing with power as she shielded them from harm.

Nightwing grabbed Beast Boy by the scruff of the neck and shoved him back toward Herald. "Get out of here."

Beast Boy shifted back to normal and snarled at him. "She wouldn't leave us, I'm not leaving her."

"Garfield, she just saw you change, she thinks you're one of them now," Raven snapped, her voice tight with unspoken pain as she held her shield, more and more star bolts pounding on its surface. "And she would perceive this as an attack. She's not going to let us close enough to remind her of who we are. We have to go." Cracks began to appear in the black shield. "Robin is the only one that can bring her out of this now, if there is enough of her left to save." She sighed and her voice broke. "There mightn't be anything there anymore. She was so weak."

Beast Boy grabbed Raven around the waist, lifting her off the ground and carrying her to the portal. She maintained the shield, her expression fierce.

Nightwing took several steps backward, twisting his head to look over his shoulder at the diminishing number of Titans. Cyborg stood at the portal entrance, directing Titans through, casting a knowing glance at Nightwing.

The shield dropped as Beast Boy pulled Raven through the portal and the barrage of star bolts stopped as Starfire stalked toward them once more.

Nightwing retreated back to Cyborg's side as the last of the Titans left.

"That everyone?" Nightwing snapped without turning his head.

"All accounted for," Cyborg said quickly. "Including Beast Boy and Raven."

Nightwing cast a glance at Herald. "Get out. Keep it open as long as you can."

Herald nodded and disappeared.

"Dick, you can't stay here," Cyborg hissed . "We gotta move."

"One last look remember. I gotta know, Cyborg. I'll never forgive myself if I leave her here and there was something left to save."

Starfire trod on a Citadelian as she pushed off the ground, hurtling herself toward the portal. Nightwing turned and shoved Cyborg through before turning back to Starfire. He stood in front of the portal protectively. He had to know there was absolutely no hope before he would leave her like this.

She landed, her face twisting into a snarl. She stalked toward him, green fire flowing from her eyes but he held his ground.

It killed him to see her like this, so out of control. Those monsters, how dare they do this to her. How dare they take such an innocent, beautiful girl and warp her into something she was never meant to be.

"Starfire," he said softly, pulling his mask from his face. "Please, it's me. It's Richard. You know me."

Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Or was that a hitch in her step?

He silently prayed. Please let her know him. Please let there be enough of Starfire present within that body to allow him to help her. Please let something exist to save, to salvage, to protect. To say goodbye to.

He reached out a hand. "D'anthe l'ani, please."

Something glimmered amongst the green flame of her eyes, he was sure of it.

He beat on the barrier in her mind that her rage had erected, desperately trying to break through. She had to be in there somewhere; the drug hadn't erased everything that she was. There had to be something left. Otherwise she would never have allowed Beast Boy and Raven to travel with her. They hadn't been afraid of her. He wasn't afraid of her.

Starfire! Please! You have to stop! I'm here, its safe to stop fighting now. Come back to me!

She stopped just before she reached him, her arm snaking out to clutch him by the throat, dragging him to his knees before her.

He didn't fight her, his resolve to leave breaking. His breath hitched at the pressure she placed on his neck.

He couldn't leave her, not like this, never like this. Better that they die together than live a lifetime without her. They belonged together, no matter what. She was his best friend, his lover, his soul mate and he did not wish to live in a world empty of her. If she couldn't claw her way through the drugs to reach him, he was going to claw his way through death to join her. He wouldn't let her die alone.

He thought about all the things they would never get to experience together. Their first Christmas as a couple, their wedding, a proper holiday with just the two of them, buying their first home. A family, children, grandchildren and perhaps even great grandchildren. Growing old together, laughing together about a lifetime of happiness and love. All the things that he'd always wanted, all the things he wanted her to be a part of. All the things that they would never get to share.

He would beat her into death so that he would not have to watch her die again. And he would be the first soul to greet her on the other side to spend eternity together.

There were still so many things he wanted to do. But the one thing he wanted more than anything was to hear her say she loved him. To hear his name caress those wonderful lips of hers and see her gorgeous eyes light up with love as she looked at him. Just one more time.

I love you, Star.

A tear trickled down his cheek, splashing onto her green coated hand.

The portal behind him began to flicker.

Author's Note: Raven calling Nightwing 'Robin' is a character mistake.