-- Grrr! Cheese! Hello out there to Texas Silver, who has been kind enough to send me another review, and to a new face, the-XCORE-writer! Both of you can expect your cookie in the mail within a week. If not, blame the U.S. postal system! Or, better yet, blame me! As for you, RobxStar4eva, if you have time to add me to your update alert list, you have time to review me! I saw your name on my stat chart; I know you're out there... Now then, here is the start of the promised fluff! I wrote this entire fiction before the Trouble in Tokyo movie was even advertised on TV, so if you wanna call someone on stealing plot devices, start with the producers of Teen Titans. Probably the same ones who threw together Season Five... Anyway, on with the show!!! - The Cap'n --
Part 11- Full Recovery
(Medic is upstairs in the hospital wing, reading a book. The title on the back cover is in Japanese, but the book has many pictures that show things like bone-setting procedure and pressure points. However, his mind is definitely not on the book as he keeps glancing up sadly at Photon's unconscious form.)
Medic: (thinking) This is bad. In some cultures, I have heard that death is belived to be a dark queen. That seems to fit this dream he was having, if he represents the white knight. If this chess game of his reaches checkmate… (aloud) I am truly sorry, my friend. If I had known it would come to this, I would never have-
(At that second, Terra stirs and sits up.)
Terra: Yawn Wow, that was a great nap…
Medic: Ah. Good to see you awake. I think you are going to be pleased with the results of your operation.
Terra: Huh?
(Terra notices that her arms are bare. She lets out a loud whoop of joy.)
Terra: Woo-hoo! Finally! I'm me again! I'm- I'm- … (blushes, pulls the bed sheets tighter) I'm not wearing anything!
Medic: Of course not. That armor covered you entirely, and you requested it off. Do not be concerned; I did not see anything… There is a robe for you to wear until you have access to more conventional clothing.
(Terra grabs the powder-blue bathrobe that is hanging near the bed and pulls it on.)
Terra: Do I need to stay in here for anything else?
Medic: No. You are free to go when you wish.
Terra: Excellent. Hm? Will they be alright?
(Terra indicates Starfire and Photon. Medic forces a comforting smile.)
Medic: Oh…yes. Both of them will be fine.
(Terra heads toward the door. As she passes Medic, his smile fades and he casts another worried look at his comrade. Terra suddenly stops and turns around.)
Terra: Oh yeah, in case I forget later…
(She throws her arms around Medic and hugs him tightly.)
Terra: Thank you so much… I thought I was going to be trapped in that suit my whole life. And you revived me before; you're the best doctor in the whole world!
(Medic, however, has gone wide-eyed and is shivering with sweat pouring down his face. The earth-mover quickly pulls back and puts on a look of concern.)
Terra: Hey, are you alright?
(Then ninja shivers a bit more, then seems to come to his senses.)
Medic: Oh…I apologize. That was a reflex action. You see, when a girl embraces me like that…it drags up some memories I would rather not have.
Terra: Oh. Well, I'll remember that from now on. Thanks again.
(Terra slides the door open, and takes two steps before knocking foreheads with Beast Boy.)
Terra: Ouch… Oh, sorry!
Beast Boy: No, it was my fault… I uh, didn't watch where I was goin'…So, um, where were you headed?
Terra: Well…do you think Star or Raven would mind if I borrowed some clothes?
Beast Boy: Well, Star's not in a position to answer right now…and you do not want to go in Raven's room; trust me on this. But, there is another place we can turn to!
(Beast Boy leads Terra up one flight of stairs to a steel door. He slides it open and they both step inside. Terra's jaw drops.)
Terra: This place…
Beast Boy: We kept your room just as you left it…Never knew when we might find a way to bring you back…
Terra: Yeah…looks like nothing's been moved at all…Not even this…
(Terra steps over to the dresser and runs her fingers over a golden, heart-shaped box that is resting upon it. She then opens up the drawer and pulls out several things.)
Terra: Excuse me for a second…
(Terra steps into the closet and shuts the door. Meanwhile, down in the hospital wing, Starfire stirs and opens her eyes. Medic glances up.)
Medic: Ah, welcome back, Starfire! I had thought you would be asleep much longer. I have clearly underestimated your people's recuperative abilities!
Starfire: I believe I am fine. What about… (gasp) Robin! Where is he!? Is he undamaged!? That creature we were fighting…!
Medic: Please, Starfire, you must calm down. At least let me remove the needle…
(Medic pulls the IV out of Starfire's hand, then gives an explanation.)
Medic: Robin is perfectly okay. He defeated the dhampir, and destroyed the satellite; our cities are safe.
(At that moment, the door opens, and Raven enters.)
Raven: Time for my shift. You can take a break now, Medic. Oh, hi there Starfire. Glad to see you're okay.
Starfire: I would like to see Robin. Friend Medic, may I…?
Medic: You can go if you wish, Starfire.
Raven: I think Robin was going to the Evidence Room. You should be able to find him there.
Starfire: Thank you, Raven!
(Starfire floats up from the bed and hovers out into the hall, shutting the door behind her. Medic gets up and starts to follow, then turns back to Raven.)
Medic: Remember, the second he awakens, heal him as best you can.
Raven: Got it.
(Medic leaves. Raven glances at Photon's unconscious form, and at all the different machines attached to him.)
Raven: That makes two times you've saved my life. So don't you dare die while I'm watching you.
(She hovers off the ground and enters her meditation position, shutting her eyes. If Photon wakes up, she is sure she will hear it, and will heal him then. Meanwhile, in the Evidence Room…)
Robin: One new item to add today…
(Robin opens a small glass case and puts on the cloth bottom two small, white objects, both of which come to a sharp point at one end, and are jagged at the other end; Damien's broken fangs. One apparently broke off shorter than the other. Robin shuts the case, then turns around to leave. He is shocked to see Starfire standing there.)
Robin: Starfire! What're you-!? I mean…I didn't think you'd be awake so soon…
Starfire: Robin, what happened? That monster was most powerful…did he hurt you?
Robin: Nothing Medic couldn't fix. Damien's history. Him and the satellite. We won, Star.
Starfire: Glorious! I am happy to hear that we have been victorious once more!
(Starfire is about to big-hug Robin, then hesitates and starts to walk away.)
Robin: Star…
Starfire: Yes, Robin? What is it?
Robin: That's what I was about to ask. Is something bothering you?
Starfire: Robin…earlier, when I gave my apology, you said that it did not mean anything. Why is that?
(Robin is caught by surprise. He is not quite ready to deal with this just now.)
Robin: I…uh…I only meant…I meant that it wasn't important to the mission. I had to keep my mind on our objective.
Starfire: So, you truly did not care if it was anything more than accidental?
Robin: Er…well…
Starfire: You did?
Robin: I…
(While Robin is busy trying to think of an answer that won't upset Starfire, the scene goes back upstairs to Terra's room. She has stepped out of the closet wearing blue jeans and a black shirt. In the center of the shirt is a yellow "T" within a circle.)
Beast Boy: Hey, nice choice!
Terra: One I'm never planning to turn my back on again. I still can't believe I did that to you guys… To just betray all of you like that…
Beast Boy: Hey, hey, don't beat yourself up! That was then, this is now. Besides, you were great at the end that time; you saved my life.
Terra: What about Slade? Did I at least take him down?
Beast Boy: Well, you did…but he found a way to come back…
(Beast Boy explains to Terra the fight with Trigon, and how Slade was able to reclaim his life because of it.)
Terra: Huh. So that's why Raven was always so withdrawn… Well, maybe we can get along better this time around… By the way… Before, back underground…why did you kiss me?
(Beast Boy turns a bit red, and a few beads of sweat appear on his face.)
Beast Boy: Oh…um…well…you know…it uh…it seemed like a good idea at the time! Uh, wait, no…that's not what I meant! I mean…um…
(Terra steps up close and grins at him.)
Terra: I liked it…
Beast Boy: I was just trying to- Really?
Terra: Were you practicing while I was gone or something?
Beast Boy: No! I swear!
-- Once again, cast your minds back to a certain contest involving cherry stems…Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! – The Cap'n --
Terra: Relax, I'm kidding.
Beast Boy: Oh…right…heh…!
Terra: But, in all seriousness, why did you do it?
Beast Boy: Well…If, you remember, I was hypnotized to keep seeing…terrible things until I could see you…
Terra: Yeah…
Beast Boy: And when I finally saw you…well…I'm not sure what I was thinking then. But now…I'm sure of it. Terra, when it seemed like you were going to be gone forever, I thought I was gonna go out of my mind. I helped the others in any way I could to come up with a way to bring you back. You were always…much more than just a friend to me. And now that you've finally come back…I don't want you to go ever again. I want you to stay with me.
Terra: Well…I think that could be arranged. Now…could you do something for me?
Beast Boy: Sure. What?
Terra: Would you…would you kiss me again?
(Beast Boy turns red again, then slowly wraps his arms around Terra. He pulls her in close and kisses her for the second time ever. He feels her pulling him in tighter, returning it. They keep contact for much longer this time, about until any bystanders might begin to question their lung capacity. Eventually, they break contact and look into each other's eyes, emerald greens meeting the gaze of sapphire blues.)
Beast Boy: Um…
Terra: What, no comedy quips? I thought you were the funny one…
Beast Boy: I'm kind of at a loss for words…
(Terra chuckles then grabs his hand.)
Terra: Come on, let's go downstairs.
Beast Boy: Wonder how the others are gonna react to this…Cyborg's gonna have an aneurism…Heh…or in his case, a short circuit!
(Terra giggles at the lame pun.)
Terra: Now you sound more like yourself!
-- How does he even know what an aneurism is? – The Cap'n --
(Back in the Evidence Room, Robin has thought long and hard about his answer and believes he has it.)
Robin: Star…the first time that happened, you weren't serious about it. You just needed a way to learn Earth language, and I was the closest person you could find at the time.
Starfire: That is true…
Robin: And today, it was just an accident. So there was nothing serious about that either.
(Starfire is looking like she is becoming very upset, seeing the direction this conversation seems to be going.)
Robin: But…to answer your question…I didn't think about it at the time, because we had a mission to complete, but I didn't hate it. That moment when we…you know.
(Starfire brightens a bit.)
Starfire: Really? Then, perhaps…perhaps we may…repeat it in seriousness?
(Robin gets a look that tells all watching that he really does not want to say what he is about to.)
Robin: Star, you have to understand, this isn't exactly something we can pursue. Something like a serious relationship…that would just interfere with our jobs as heroes. We can't be selfish like that. It's not fair to those we've sworn to protect.
Starfire: I do not understand.
Robin: The people of the city! If our own personal feelings get in the way of-!
Starfire: No. If Echo and Gemini may follow their hearts and still be great heroes, why can we not?
(Robin's jaw freezes in mid-protest. This inquiry has caught him without a good answer. Taking advantage of his lapse in concentration, Starfire leans in and kisses him; a real kiss, unlike their past two encounters. Robin is completely frozen, caught between his lack of belief at what is happening, and the fact that he can feel that this kiss is different from the others he has experienced. Finally noticing that he is not responding, however, Starfire releases him and turns away, regret at Robin's apparent choice written all over her features.)
Starfire: If it is still your wish, Robin, I will not force this. But please consider the thought…
(Robin still seems to be shell-shocked, staring into space. Starfire walks slowly towards the door, small tears forming at the corners of her eyes. A very quiet sound that might be a sob escapes her mouth. The small noise shakes Robin out of his daze, and he finally notices that Starfire is leaving.)
Robin: Starfire. Wait…
(Starfire stops, but does not turn around. Robin steps up close and stands behind her.)
Robin: Listen…you're right. If a carefree guy like Echo can be true to his feelings and still manage to protect a whole city, there just might be a chance…
(Starfire turns around with a hopeful look. Before she can ask whether he means what he has told her, Robin delivers the clearest possible assent; he embraces the Tameranean princess, and returns the kiss she gave him with interest. These two manage to hold out even longer than Beast Boy and Terra; this is clearly something they have wanted to do for some time. Also, while they are embracing, Starfire's joy causes the two of them to rise about a foot into the air. As the scene fades out of the Evidence Room, and back to the kitchen area, a small static bolt runs across the back of Déjà's head, and he glances up.)
Déjà: I sense it!
Aqualad: Hm? What?
Déjà: Someone in this building is engaged in romantic activity! I know it! Even worse…I am not there!
Speedy: What the heck kinda sense is that?
(The Blind Shotman puts on a knowing smile.)
Shotman: You are mistaken, my confused little friend; there is no such thing going on. Not at all…
-- Wheee! Stay tuned, kiddies, more fluffy goodness to come! I may update before next Monday as getting to anyplace with wireless access on Christmas will be a far bigger pain than I care to deal with. Next time, I get to resolve some issues between one metal man and the Titans East leader, and a certain sorceror will finally return to the world of the conscious. Tune in, and don't forget to review! - The Cap'n --