Not Afraid

Author's note: Here it is, the next chapter. Hope you enjoy! R & R, por favor!

Six months passed. Six months that seemed to go by slowly, but at the same time, go by very quickly. Robin seemed to return to his old self over time-just as Raven had predicted. Nearing seventeen, he'd grown a few inches and put on some muscle. He'd also had his tattoos laser-removed. They left dark marks on his back, but he'd rather be scarred than branded.

He and Starfire were more in love than they'd ever been. Robin even had an idea itching in the back of of his head-one that made him sweaty and nervous. He often passed by the jewelry store when they went to the shopping mall, and would have a soaked collar and underarms by the time Starfire got done eyeballing the items in display window. He eventually decided to follow through with his plan.

"How is the Korkmeetz?" Starfire asked, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She had been wanting to cook dinner for her friends for a while, but they always made excuses. She wore them down eventually, and they poked at the yellow steaks on their plates.

"It was great," Robin lied politely. He'd cleaned his plate, but it's not like he had tasted anything. He was too apprehensive. He had simply shoveled in food and chewed mechanically. For all he knew his stomach could be filled with nails and he wouldn't know it.

Everyone stood up, gathering their dishes, and Robin cleared his throat loudly. When nobody bothered to stop, he tapped his fork against his glass. Of course, it was plastic, but it still made a noise. They all stopped and looked at him. He asked Starfire to join him at the head of the table. Curiously, she floated over to him and landed beside him. She let out a gasp when he got to one knee and slid a ring onto the third finger of her left hand.

"I just wanted everyone to be here when I put this on your finger," he said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "That's all."

Starfire looked at each of her friends, her eyes glittering with delight, and then she threw her arms around her boyfriend's neck, knocking them both to the floor. The other Titans clapped and Beastboy whistled loudly. Starfire smothered Robin in kisses and then flew over to Raven to let her see the ring. Cyborg caught Robin in a headlock and gave him a noogie.

---

"Are you sure you guys are ready to get married?" Raven asked Robin the following day when they were alone in the tower. "I mean, you're only sixteen."

"I'll be seventeen in a matter of weeks," Robin shrugged. "And I can't imagine being with anyone else. She's perfect, Raven." He smiled. "Besides, what's really going to change? We already live together."

Raven shrugged one shoulder and went back to her book. "If that's the way you feel," she muttered, turning a page.

"How should I feel?" The boy couldn't help but sound indignant.

Raven glanced at him. "Don't get so defensive," she told him. "I can see that you and Starfire really have a connection. I just feel that you two have been rushing your relationship lately."

"Well, I think it's a good idea," Robin said. "And we're engaged for an entire year, so by the time we get married, I'll be eighteen."

"What a difference," Raven replied sarcastically. Seriously, she said, "I think you've come a long way. You and Starfire both. I wish you all the happiness in the world."

"Thanks," Robin stood up and stretched.

---

" 'Married'?" Bruce repeated, massaging his forehead with his fingertips. "I have to tell you, Richard, this doesn't sound like a good idea to me."

Robin's heart fell and his smile deflated. He was glad the conversation was over the telephone. He cleared his throat and asked, "Well, why? I mean, I'm getting married. It's a good thing, I thought."

"You're not even seventeen yet," His father pointed out. "And marriage is a big step for anyone, especially two young adults just starting to figure out the world."

Robin rolled his eyes. "Dad, we protect the city. Starfire's an alien princess. I'm the only child of Batman. I think we have the world figured out enough to get married." He lowered his voice. "I mean, we've been sleeping together for six months."

He thought he heard Bruce trying to suppress a groan, but he wasn't sure. He continued, "Look, you don't have to like the idea, but we're still going through with it."

"If that's the way you feel about it," the older man sighed. "I like Starfire, don't think it's anything against her."

There was silence and Robin knew something else was on Bruce's mind. Something he wasn't going to talk about, at least not over the phone. Robin glanced down at the slightly shiny patch of skin on his wrist and he had a feeling he knew what the things not being said were. He shifted the phone and said, "Look, Dad, I'll be okay. I have to grow up."

"It seems like you're trying to grow up a little too fast," Bruce replied.

"Maybe I need to," Robin collapsed onto his bed.

"Maybe I need to," his father chuckled. "Maybe it's just hard for me to hear you talk about marriage. One minute you're stressing out over your fifth-grade math homework and the next you're calling me up announcing you're engagement."

Robin smiled too. "It'll be okay."

"Our roles already sound reversed."

---

"Ugh…" Cyborg groaned, staring at the mission map on the large monitor. "Why do dumb criminals always have to start trouble right when my soaps are about to come on."

Raven snorted into her cup of tea and looked up beating her chest, trying to hide her smile. "Sorry. Swallowed too soon."

"Man, now we'll never know if Dr. Samosa really had an evil alien twin clone!" Beastboy whined. He glanced at the screen. "Who is it anyway?"

"Who knows," Cyborg scoffed. "Some idiot on the outskirts of town near the old ware…" he trailed off and his teammates's brows furrowed.

"Warehouse," Robin finished for him. He picked up his bo staff. "I'm really alright, you guys. That was a long time ago."

"What if it is…?" Starfire looked down at the floor. They had gone so long without mentioning him that she wasn't sure if she could say his name.

Robin looked at her and then at the rest of his friends. "Let me go alone," he said.

This was not the answer his friends were looking for and they immediately began voicing their objections. Robin waited patiently for them to finish. He said, "I'm older. I'm not scared anymore. Slade is just an enemy again. He doesn't scare me."

"But Robin," Starfire bit her bottom lip. "I am scared." She walked over to him and took his hands. "I am scared that I will lose you again, and Robin, I will not survive your absence again."

Robin pulled her against him and rubbed her back. "I'll come back, I promise." He kissed her forehead and then her lips. "Promise."

---

The warehouse was as dark and empty as it was the last time he'd stepped inside. Things were different now, he told himself. Last time he'd been desperate to catch Slade, blinded by rage and hate. Now he was older, and things were different. Even if it had only been a year, he was older. Much older. He stood in the middle of the large, dark structure, his eyes scanning the area, his head barely moving at all.

"Look at you," a familiar voice echoed through the building. "All grown up."

Robin didn't move. He wasn't going to be scared. He wasn't going to be stupid this time. He didn't say anything, and felt his heart skip a beat when the sound of heavy boots landed behind him. Before the man could actually touch him, he moved swiftly, spinning around to face Slade-who had been inches from the back of his head.

"You're not alone," Slade sneered. "You would never face me alone again."

"You don't know anything about me," Robin replied, shaking his head.

"I'm glad you decided the mask was a bit juvenile," the man said, staring into his blue eyes.

"Too bad you never matured," Robin replied, staring back into his one exposed eye. "You know, Slade." He took a few steps to the side. " I really thought I was going to stay broken. I thought you had really beat me for a while."

Slade didn't say anything. He just watched as Robin dug around in the pocket of his jeans and removed his bo staff, pushing a button on it to extend it to its full length. Robin continued, "But you didn't. In fact, you did just the opposite." He tossed the weapon at the man's feet. "I don't even see you as a person, anymore. I don't even see you as being real anymore. You're just this…monster that used to live in the dark." He let his hands fall to his side. "But I'm not a little kid anymore, Slade. The lights are on and now I just think the idea of you is ridiculous."

Slade let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Robin, you are too much when you pretend." He began circling the boy. "If you're not scared, then why come alone? Why come here unmasked? If anything, you're even more afraid than you ever were." He leaned into the boy's ear. "I kept you alone, away from them. And I kept you unmasked."

Robin didn't flinch. He didn't look at him either. Slade pulled away and took a step backwards. "Honestly, Robin. You've become exactly what I created you to be." He began pacing again. "I took away your courage, your freedom, you're spirit, your dignity." He walked back over to him and stood behind him, looming over him like a large shadow. "It's all gone, Robin. It's all mine."

He was caught off guard when Robin removed a small knife from his pocket and stabbed him in his chest. Slade stumbled backwards, clutching the weapon, his one eye wide. Robin stared down at him as he fell to his knees. The hand that had stabbed him was bloody from where he had held the knife in, if only for a few seconds. Slade coughed, and blood leaked from the small opening that separated his mask and neckline.

"Yah?" Robin wiped his bloody hand on the hem of his Tshirt. "You still think I'm scared."

Slade didn't say anything. He just looked at Robin. His eye became even more wide when Robin pulled a pistol from his pocket. "You made me stab a dog, and I stabbed you," he said, adjusting the weapon. "You tried to shoot me, but guess what?" He fired the weapon and Slade flinched. Robin crouched down and whispered, "Blanks."

He stood back up and said, "You don't scare me. Go down thinking whatever you want, but if anything, you made me stronger." He walked over to one of the various crates that read in big red letters 'Caution: flammable'. "And that's your own damn fault." He retrieved a lighter and climbed onto the crate. Slade stared at him, still gasping.

Robin lit the crate and as quickly as he'd lit it, he jumped from the wall to the ceiling, busting through the dilapidated roof and rolling over and making a running jump to the neighboring warehouse. He watched as several other explosions went off in the other building, blowing out the windows. He hopped off of the roof and sat down, leaning against the wall. He began to cry, burying his face in his drawn-up knees.

"Robin?!" Starfire flew over to him. She knelt down, trying to pry his head up. "Robin!"

"I'm okay." Robin looked up, and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hands.

Starfire looked as worried as anything and she asked quietly, "What happened?"

"He's gone." Robin stood up, pulling her up with him. "He's gone, Star." He hugged her, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

They walked around to the other side of the building, which was burning faster than anything they'd ever seen. It was just like the past six months. On one hand it seemed fast, but in another way, it burned agonizingly slow. They held hands, their clothes turning smoky and dark from the heat and smoke. There was no telling how long they stood like that, but when the firefighters arrived, they turned to walk away.

"What happened?" One of the firefighters called to them.

"I don't know," Robin called back. "Something inside just made a loud noise and then the whole place caught fire."

"It's an old building," the worker replied, shaking his head. "The city doesn't even care about things like this. Dangerous things! Just left to do whatever they can, and hurt people!"

"Tell me about it,"Robin said. He looked the structure up and down. "Looks like it's all gone now."

He and Starfire walked away and Starfire held his hand tightly. They returned home, but did not immediately go inside. They kissed for several minutes, their faces smudged with black and reeking of smoke.

"What if he is not gone?" Starfire asked, when they pulled apart. " I mean, I am certain he is, but you just never know."

"If he's not," Robin ran his finger over her engagement ring. "I'll just have to take him down again. I'm not afraid anymore." And he felt certain that he meant it.

The End

Author's second note: Betcha didn't think that was the last chapter, did you? Well, it is. I hope you guys enjoyed the sequel and the story as a whole. Anyway, there might be more fics like this to come-maybe from the same story. You never know. Read and review please! Let me know what you think! Or thought, rather.