A/N: If there is some confusion about the last chapter not following canon, please read on.

I am aware comic-wise that Jason Todd is the second Robin. I am also aware that he is canonically slightly younger than Dick Grayson and became Robin after Grayson retired from the role and became Nightwing. I purposely have diverged from these canon facts because they are two of three major factors that leave a hole in the Jason Todd being Red X theory. While there is a lot of evidence that supports said theory, Red X refers to Robin and the other Titans as kids and is seemingly older in both height and in voice. It's also one of my FAVORITE aspects of his character. But, I still really wanted him to be Jason Todd for this story, so I did what I had to do and tweaked it a little bit. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't change too much. Just an age and role swap. However, the third and most prominent factor against the theory is a little more difficult to write around, that being Red X and Jason's differing motivations. Red X just wanting to steal stuff and Jason Todd wanting revenge on Batman.

But, I just changed that too. I mean, Jason Todd was a thief first before Batman and it's not too far fetched (at least for me) that instead of wanting vengeance, he just went back to his old ways after the Joker, it even could be a little darker in a way. The opposite of love not being hate, but indifference. Anyway, those are the hurtles one has to make if they want Jason Todd to be their Red X.

Hope that clears things up for the comic fans out there.

Chapter Six: The Titans

The thief pushed the quite shocked princess against the wall, deepening the kiss. Wrong. Stupid. Bad. Were all the things that were running in the back of his mind, but he found he didn't care. Sure, she was going to kill him. Sure, he was more than involved now. Sure, legitimate feelings were emerging for this girl beyond shallow attraction. Sure, this would cause him all sorts of trouble.

However, he'd been fighting too long to care.

He just wanted her. Plain and simple. He wanted her beauty, innocence, understanding, strength all to himself, if not for just a moment. And, like he had always done, if wanted something, he took it.

His mouth moved over hers as he almost crushed her to him. She moaned in shock and protest, but also wasn't fighting it. Her spine trembled and blood pulsed through her veins, her hands, that had come to rest on his chest to push him away, gripped tightly unto his jacket as he kissed the breath right out of her.

For a moment, she was in a thrown, forgetting just who and where she was, what was right or wrong. She was lost in the kiss and the strong hold of his toned arms and let herself fall into it.

He didn't want to stop, because he knew that was when the storm would begin. He held off his need for oxygen a little longer and brought up a hand to the back of her neck, holding her in place, letting him push her further against the wall, elevating her slightly. To keep her balance she moved her arms around his shoulders as he held her in place. She could hear voices in the back of her mind, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. However, rational thinking registered in her mind at last, when she became aware of her need to breathe. She pushed on his shoulders, but found her amazing strength once again repressed by her own emotional confusion. He was reluctant to respond to her silent request, but soon let her slip back down to earth, his grip on her loosening.

After lingering a moment more, he pulled away and they both gasped deeply for air, shaking and staring at each other without a word.

She thought of everything that was appropriate to follow such a thing: smacking him across the face, cursing him, flying away. But, she was still too lost in his eyes, too overwhelmed by what she was feeling, too ashamed that she had responded to him. It was all too… much.

She looked down and tried to regain herself, words failing her.

He rested his forehead against hers, utterly winded. He considered himself pretty damn lucky to not have his skull cracked open or laser-beamed in the face. He stared at her in awe. He knew in a moment things would crumble, but he didn't care, because for a moment she was his.

Wanting to see her eyes, he brought a hand under her chin gently, tilting her face up toward him.

At his touch something clicked.

She pushed him away suddenly, though not roughly, walking ahead and putting as much distance as she could beneath the overhang.

Robin…

What am I doing?

She felt so ashamed… how could she betray him like that!?

She could feel his eyes on her back, burning a deep hole and she hugged herself tightly.

"We should... keep moving." she said, still slightly out of breath, but trying to make her voice as cold and distant as possible.

She heard him laugh, it was dry and cruel sound that chilled her. "We just going to pretend that didn't happen, princess?" the thief asked, feeling a cross between amusement and frustration all that same time.

"..."

"Well are we?" he asked as a little more firmly.

"You kissed me!" she exclaimed, turning on him sharply. "How dare you?"

"How dare I?" he remarked. "You sure didn't put up much of fight... Any repressed feelings there, sweetheart?"

"Of all the arrogant, self-centered clorbags!" she muttered. "No, absolutely not!"

"Sure about that?" he asked, getting a bit too cocky to help himself. "Because the role of faithful girlfriend really wasn't anything I got a few seconds ago."

She clenched her fists. "...I didn't know what I was doing."

"Nice excuse." he replied curtly.

"It is not an excuse." she insisted angrily. "Besides, why would it even matter, your intentions are not sincere."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Please, you feel nothing for me… I'm just a game for you, just another thing to... to... steal!" she replied. Her tone hard to read, it was both condescending, yet something else… hurt?

"You seem to know a lot about how I feel." he replied sarcastically.

"You said it yourself, you don't owe anybody anything." she replied sternly.

He frowned, slowly stalking up to her.

"Do you not remember? It's all just a whim for you..."

He cut her off by kissing her again, swallowing her words, forcefully and passionately holding her against him without any hesitation. It was hardly three seconds, but she could feel her ears ringing, her heart racing just as before, and this time she had her head on straight and knew a part of her wanted this… wanted him. He pulled away before she could respond, and she looked at him agape, his gaze was deep and passionate.

He somehow looked hurt, guilty and adoring all at the same time.

"…No, sweetheart it's not." he replied. " I like to pretend too, but it's not."

She felt her heart beat faster at the way he looked at her. So intensely, so sincerely, it made her grow weak in the knees. No. He wasn't playing.

Though, when he leaned in again she put a hand to his chest, stopping him.

"Please," she began pleadingly, looking up at him, offering the same sincerity. "I love him."

He drew back and she tried to explain her heart better, but there were no words.

She could not explore these feelings, she couldn't even acknowledge them. He knew this, he understood it, but the hurt was still there. It shouldn't have been, he knew she loved the boy wonder and that he loved her… it was obvious, but still there it was.

He should have known, been more prepared. It was inevitable that he would fall for her. He always wanted what he couldn't have, and she was everything he couldn't have.

He met her pleading eyes and decided maybe pretending wasn't so bad after all. Maybe he could spare himself a little.

"We should keep moving." he finally concluded, his tone the same as hers had been.

She nodded sadly in reply.

Above the rains had passed, but the sky was still grey.

...

"Woaw!"

"What is it?" Cyborg asked, surprised by the boy wonder's sudden outburst.

"My communicator…" Robin replied. "It's on!"

Cyborg accessed the computer built into his arm and was amazed to discover that his was as well. "Mine too, I am getting a call from the tower!"

"Same here." Robin flipped the device open and heard a familiar voice arrayed in static.

"Robin!? Anyone!? Can you hear me? Please!"

"Raven!?" Robin exclaimed. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the tower." she replied.

"What?" Cyborg asked with shock. "Girl, you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Cyborg, you're there too?" she asked surprised.

"Robin and… uh an old friend found me." Cyborg explained. "How on earth did you manage to get into the tower unseen?"

"Listen… Beastboy and I broke in, we managed to fight off this energy manipulator and I fixed the signal to our communicators, but we were attacked… that thing, the Gatherer… they have Beastboy." her usually calm and collected voice broke. "Where are you!?"

"We'll pick you up." Robin told her.

"Not at the tower… they'll be back…I can't stay."

"Right, meet at the airport, we'll be there… make a change of clothes if you can."

"Okay." she replied. "Who am I looking for."

"Just meet us at the first gate at the airport, we'll take about eight minutes to get there, so just wait." Robin told her. "Be careful."

"Is Starfire with you?" Raven asked quickly.

"No, we've heard nothing from her." Robin replied, his entire form slumped with disappointment. "I was hoping she would be with you."

"…I'm sure she's alright." Raven replied, but her tone gave her away. "We'll find both of them."

It was then that line was then cut dead.

…

Silence ensued between Jason and Starfire, as they walked the streets, somewhat aimlessly. Not one sarcastic comment, not one scolding, nothing. Starfire felt like a stone weighed heavily in the pit of her stomach and she just wanted to scream.

All of this was so wrong.

She was homesick, guilty and missed her friends so much that she ached. Yet, her mind just could not stop wandering to the troubled thief that walked in-sync beside her. The first few blocks, she had been good and kept her eyes firmly on the ground. But, after a while, she couldn't help herself and risked a glance at his handsome face.

He stared determinedly ahead, a slight scowl on his face.

She was the one who should have been angry! It wasn't fair that she could only feel guilt. She wanted so much to pretend it did not happen, but she knew very well that it did. Why did she linger? Why did she let him? Why did she wish that he would say something?

Beside her, though doing his best to prove otherwise, Jason did notice the glances that she was stealing from him and was having quite the inward struggle himself. Damn it! Don't look at me like that. You want your precious knight and shining armor… You said it yourself. So stop looking at me like that.

He had to focus on the task at hand, thinking about her was not helping. He had to think about where the kid would be, what his move would have been after the warehouse. Where ever he had ended up the other Titans would gather, undoubtedly.

He frowned slightly at the thought of the current boy wonder… his replacement. It was somewhat humorous how fate kept throwing them back together. First with Bats, then the suit and now the princess. He was starting to wonder if the world was big enough for the both of them.

Lucky for him, the kid was predictable, so much like Bruce that it wasn't funny. He wouldn't have gone out in the open, he knew he would solve nothing doing that. He'd have laid low until he found his team, or maybe even try to take on the villains on his own. Either way, if he was out there, they weren't just going to happen upon him. The task now was dangerous, but they had to get the kids attention somehow. A risky move to show that Starfire was alive and still out there.

Because, how long had it been, five days? A week? They'd think she was dead at this point. However, he had to do something without putting her in danger… which was difficult. For right now, they headed uptown to find another place to stay for the night… hopefully by then he would have a stable plan.

"…I um…"

She speaks. he thought irritably.

"…How much farther?"

"About nine blocks, princess." he muttered, feeling his own legs cramping. "We'll take a cab at the next light."

"Okay…"

Silence reigned once more and he looked skyward.

Why the hell does this bother me so much? he asked himself as he waved for a cab, glancing behind to make sure she kept up with him. A yellow car stopped and they both slid in. Her nose scrunched up as she slid in, clearly it was her first time riding a cab, and he had to fight back a small smile despite himself. They were pressed far too close together for comfort, but she quickly turned her gaze out the window as soon as they were settled.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

He drew a blank… he just wanted to get uptown, he wasn't really thinking of a destination. "Uh, at the corner on Main Street."

The car started to move and he let his gaze wander over to the beauty beside him.

She must miss them… he thought to himself, jealously turning in his stomach. They must miss her.

"I'm sorry…" her voice was so soft, he almost thought he had imagined it until looked over at him, her eyes trembling with emotion.

Just kill me now. he couldn't help but think. "What for, sweetheart?"

"I… I've been cruel to you," she admitted. "I've given you such trouble… and you are going through all this to simply help me…"

He tried to keep himself composed. Where the hell was that damned mask when he needed it?

"You've been through so much on my behalf and now, I've hurt you… haven't I?"

Great. Now she was actually trying to claw a hole through his chest. Just wonderful.

Enough, princess, jeeze… let it go!

"Don't worry, cutie… it will take a more than a little rejection to hurt me." he reassured, his voice cracking a little. "Let's just leave it, we'll get you back to your little friends… then you'll go your way and I'll go mine."

He dared to glance at her and saw her expression falter a little.

What do you want from me?

"You're right, by the way," he pointed out. "How the hell could it work out, right?"

She didn't reply, but held his gaze a little longer than necessary before turning to look back out the window. It was quiet for a good five minutes before he finally gave in.

"…I'm sorry too." he muttered, too quietly for her to hear, looking out his own window.

As usual, he had no one to blame but himself.

…

"Alfred, stop the car." Robin spoke up suddenly.

"What is it?" Bruce asked from across the limo, peering up from the morning paper.

"You see one of them?" Cyborg peered out the window in concern trying to get a better look.

"Are you sure, Master Grayson?" Alfred asked, glancing at the boy from the rear view mirror. "We don't want miss our rondevu with Miss Raven."

"Pull over here!" he insisted. "Quickly!"

With a nod of approval from Bruce, the butler did as he was told, pulling the car up to the curb gracefully. Before, they came to a halt, the boy wonder sprang from the limo and took off, Cyborg calling after him in concern. But, he knew what he saw, he was sure of it. There, at the street corner, was a civilian standing alone as if waiting for someone.

She had her back turned toward him, but Robin would know her anywhere.

It couldn't be…

It couldn't...

"Star!?"

...

"Wait." Jason said suddenly, putting his arm out to stop the redhead in her tracks. She looked up at him with concern shaking in her eyes. "What is it?"

He was quiet and completely alert, his pupils dilated and his ears perked. "She's behind us, the girl." he whispered to her, stopping her before she could look over her shoulder to see for herself. "Don't look."

He pulled her along by the elbow and they continued to walk casually, blending in with the crowds. "I don't think she's spotted us... Listen, go and wait for the crossing light at the next street, and wait for me there."

"Wait." she said, grabbing his sleeve before he could run off. "Where are you going?"

He turned and looked down at her. "I'm going to take her out before she can summon Casper." With that, he pulled away and started off in the other direction, before she could say another word, leaving her alone in the crowd. She cursed colorfully in Tameranian, but did what he said and made her way toward the light. Once there, the princess waited, watching for him or the girl or the creature, not wanting to blow either of their covers unless they absolutely had to.

Long minutes passed and she grew more and more anxious. Hugging herself, she was about to go after him when she heard her name. It broke out across the way, shattering the air around her.

"Star!"

No.

No, it wasn't real.

She turned carefully to her side just to prove it to herself, but… there he was!

Robin? her mind chimed the failed name hanging on her parted lips. He was standing there across the way in a jacket and black shades, but she would know him anywhere. She stared at him paralyzed in shock, disbelief and unimaginable joy. For a moment, she could neither hear, breathe, or even think. But then he moved toward her, a small tentative step at first before he sprang to life, running flat out and she surged forward to meet him, hair blowing in the wind.

You're alright!

You're here!

You found me!

She wanted to fly. Keeping her feet on solid ground proved to be quite a difficulty with her heart soaring and racing as it was. Robin ran like a mad man toward her and Cyborg was close behind, but it was the half-robot's sudden shout of warning that caused her to find pause too late. Suddenly, the world slowed down. She heard the whistle of an approaching object before desperate arms pulled her roughly to the ground while everything shook. A rogue missal landed, devastating the street in fire and smoke.

Her ears rang before the screams of people flooded her senses. Jason held her like a human shield. Had he not stopped her, she would have ran straight into the arms of death. The thief stood, coughing against the smoke and pulling her up with him.

"Robin!" she called into the fiery void in desperation.

Please be alive.

Jason clamped a hand over her mouth. "Quiet!"

It was too late, multiple shots fired upon at them one after another, making them retreat behind a car for cover. Jason's face darkened as he pulled a handful of gadgets from his pockets, in preparation. He could hear them approaching.

There was two of them.

One, a woman with long pale blonde hair, almost white, and an eye patch over over her left eye, a large bazooka that was still smoking hanging over her shoulder casually. She wore bronze and black armor. By her side was a man in all gray armor and a gold utility belt. He wore a steel cowl that masked his face, eyes glowing red behind tinted goggles, armed with a machine gun.

"Okay," the thief spoke up under his breath, one hundred percent done. "How many more people are going to try to kill you today?"

…

A few feet away, Robin and Cyborg had been thrown off their feet into the hard concrete.

"Robin, Cyborg, back here now!" Bruce called, getting to his feet.

"Not without her!" Robin replied, moving to go find Starfire in the aftershock of the explosion. Cyborg tried to stop him, but the boy wonder was far too quick.

"Robin, come back!" Cyborg moved to follow, but Bruce took his shoulder. "Go and find Raven, I'll go after him, don't wait, go straight back to my apartment, even if you can't find her."

Cyborg hesitated before nodding, and with a look of worry, went in the other direction.

…

Shots began to penetrate the yellow cab the sheltered Jason and Starfire, and the whistle of another missal hurling toward them forced them to move, but the impact came too quickly, sending them flying. Starfire landed roughly into a building and Jason felt his body skid across the black pavement of the road.

He winced in pain as he rolled to a stop on his stomach. He lifted his head to see that he was surrounded by the two new advisories. Before he could get back on his feet, glowing green orbs of solar fire defended him from the attackers as Starfire came to his defense, drawing them back. She landed in front of him protectively, hardly a scratch on her. Jason jumped back to his feet and stood back to back with the alien princess, aiming his glove at the pale haired pirate woman, who dropped her missal and pulled out two blades from behind her back.

"Well, that escalated quickly." he murmured to the princess.

The armored gunmen fired at red-head, but Jason was quick to push her out of the way to take the shot. It never came, however, as a wall of dark energy surrounded the thief and the princess like a dome.

"What the hell?" Jason muttered.

"Raven?" Starfire questioned aloud, shocked.

As if in reply, the dome expanded like a tsunami, sending their attackers lunging backward into different directions.

"Starfire!" Raven called from across the way, rising from a round black portal from the ground. "You're alright!"

Before they could reach each other a rain of fire from a machine gun plummeted from above toward Raven forcing her back down into the safety of her portal. The rain spread toward Jason and Starfire, making Jason take out his grappling gun and shoot toward the closest thing he could make out in the smoke, taking Starfire with him as it pulled him out of range.

Before they could land however, a bullet severed the cord of the grappling gun sending them plummeting to the ground. Before Starfire could even think of levitating an electric net flew and wrapped around her painfully, bringing her to hit the sidewalk helplessly, Jason landing a few yards away.

Starfire struggled in her trap, despite the electric surges burning her, as she heard someone approaching. Jason was failing to move and she had to get to him. However, the two villains emerged from the smoke, both staring down at her in triumph.

"Well," the woman said, her voice dark and throaty. "Two down, three to go."

Starfire glared up at them, her eyes illuminating as she fought to free herself from the net, but before her captors could take another step toward her, several silver smoke bombs fell like hale going off and covering the area in an even thicker layer of smoke. Before either of the assassins could react, a detonator was launched toward them, sending them both flying back into a building, knocking them out for the time being.

What followed was the sound of approaching steps, light and fast against the pavement.

"Star!"

It was Robin. He appeared out of the smoke, sprinting toward her.

"Robin!" she cried.

He was soon kneeling beside her, taking out a static knife from his pocket to free her from the net. A few eternities later she was liberated and Robin kissed her fervently before pulling her into his arms tightly, trembling in relief.

"You're alive." he said into her hair. She could feel tears in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck, before remembering Jason, and looked over his shoulder in her concern, he had not been moving.

Across the way, the rogue groaned as he moved to stand, fairly sure he cracked a rib. As the smoke began to clear that he saw the twin terrors had been KO'd for the time being and that the princess and her boy were wonder back in each other's arms.

Well, mission accomplished. He thought miserably. However, her eyes were on him, filled with worry and something else. Something he didn't want to see.

Don't look at me like that.

Suddenly, Jason went on alert as another figure approached and felt in his pockets for the nearest weapon. "Robin!" the voice called, making Jason tense in both surprise and anger.

He knew that voice.

Bruce Wayne emerged from the clearing smoke, sprinting toward the couple huddled on the street floor. "You two okay?"

Before Jason could back away, he caught Bruce's eye and paused briefly, almost wanting Bruce to see him after all these years.

He probably won't even recognize me.

Bruce surveyed him to evaluate him as civilian or threat, before his eyes widened in horror and shock.

"Jason?" he asked in disbelief, as if he was seeing a ghost.

The thief swallowed thickly and took a moment to glance at Starfire who's wide gaze was still on him. Robin, who had been too preoccupied with Starfire, finally took note of the lone figure and frowned in confusion.

Jason backed away then, disappearing into the smoke before Bruce could even take a step toward him. Starfire had to stop herself from protesting and going after him.

The Dark Knight stared blankly ahead before before turning sharply to Starfire.

"Do you know who that was?" Bruce asked her, the alien looked up at him in surprise with her mouth slightly parted, at a loss for words. She glanced at Robin, the same question was on his face. Unsure what to do, or what was right, she followed her first instinct and surprisingly that was a lie.

"No." she replied. "I've never have seen him before."

Bruce held her gaze for a long while, and she almost wondered if he had seen through her lie, before he finally gave a short nod. "We need to get out you all out of here, come on, both of you."