NOTE: Still trying to hang in there!

DISCLAIMER: Nope, still not mine...

Chapter 3:

A Shadow Cast

I listened to the gentle, rhythmic humming of the vents as the air conditioning was once again kicked in for the day. The cool air floated over my body as I lay in my dark room, bits of sunlight peeking through the curtains but not at all posing a threat to my cool sanctuary. I rolled onto my side, originally I had planned on taking a light nap, but the insistent pounding of Cyborg's latest project was thumping in time to my raging headache. I came to realize the attempts at rest were in vain.

More so when a rough knock on my door caused me to jerk slightly in a dull shock. Why was I so edgy? Why was my heart racing? Why did I tremble under my blankets, and fight the urge to nervously look towards the door? Why did I stiffen when the door slowly opened and gently closed, why did I tremble at the feeling of a soft body gently lying against me? Whose hand was slowly trailing up my side? Whose breath blew hotly near my ear?

I was rolled onto my back, eyes lightly shut, feigning sleep as I gathered my boggled thoughts, as I attempted to make sense of what was going on.

A soft chuckle chimed into my ears, my heart stopped. Soft lips pleasantly caressed mine, and I soon found I could not open my eyes. I could not open them to look at this person. I could not open them as pleasure coursed through my body, as the person explored me knowingly, lovingly. I could not open them to look deep into the strangers eyes as I mutely whispered their name.

A name that fell deaf upon my ears, a name that felt foreign to my lips, yet native to my heart.

Finally, emerald orbs flashed before my closed eyelids, worried eyes. Alien eyes that innocently questioned the phrases and gasps that spilled from my mouth, eyes that studied the shivers and goosebumps that their body's invisible hands caused as they trailed down my smooth skin.

Eyes that pierced through my heart and tore my sanity, eyes that were just as suddenly ripped away by thousands of wicked hands. Eyes that pleaded for me to save them, to reach out and grasp her struggling hands, to grasp her wavering light.

My voice tore through my raw throat as a screamed the stranger's name, "STARFIRE!"

- - - - - -

I shot out of my bed, gasping and wildly glancing around my room, eyes fell worriedly on shadows cast by trinkets and statues littering my bedroom's floors. I slumped back onto my bed, steadying my rapid breathing, shaking hand resting on my chest, just above my raging heart.

And I thought.

I thought of everything and nothing.

Thoughts flowed through my brain like blood through veins. I wondered what it all meant, if it had meaning at all. But most of all, I wondered why I would dream of doing that with my friend.

My friend.

My friend who was now staring at me, worriedly.

"Star?"

"Are you alright?" she gently placed her hand on my brow, "you seem sick."

I reflexively flinched away from her, soon regretting doing so after a quick glance at the flicker of hurt that coursed in her green eyes, "I'm.....sorry. Star, I'm sorry. I'm just..." A smile on her face, the alien shook her head, "I see, I think you should get more rest, friend. I heard that you have been up late reading these books..." she gestured at the books littering the floor, "just sleep."

I frowned, I did not want to sleep, not after that dream. More so now that I knew I had unintentionally hurt Starfire with my dejected actions. I crumpled my blanket in balled fists, I opened my mouth to protest, but the Alien simply shook her head and placed her hand over my mouth, "no buts." She smiled politely, stood, and left the room.

I sat, rooted in shock. No doubt, my dream still having lasting effects on me. I knew the dream would be driving me crazy, driving me to flinch away from my own friend, it would cause me to be more cautious with the way I said things, the way I acted around her.

My eyes wandered to my desk, attracted to an odd gleam. Curious, I stood from my bed and strolled over until I noticed a rose. Not a real rose, for this one had a deep purple color, crafted with nothing but beautiful beads and simple construction paper. Shakily, I picked up the rose and turned it in my hand, had Starfire made this? Was this what she was making?

I smiled to myself, gently replacing the rose-I'd find a good place for it later. Drowsiness once again washed through my body, and I found myself returning to the refuge of my comfortable sheets.

- - - - - - - - - -

Wind howled hauntingly, causing the hairs on the back of neck to stand, as I stood in the middle of the all-too-familiar ruins of my old home. I stood, seemingly invisible, to the two hooded woman that argued before me. Their facial features invisible to me.

"Where is it?" The taller of the two literally hissed, with a nails-on-chalkboard voice that caused me to flinch.

"What?" The shorter, plump one glanced around the ruins, as if expecting someone or something to pop up at any second.

"You know what I'm talking about, dolt!"

The other one paused in her actions, before gasping in realization, "OH! The crys-" pale hands shot out of the robes and covered the plump woman's mouth, "NOT SO LOUD KAL!"

"Erm...that, thing?" Kal pulled the hands away from her, "we uh...well....there's a problem..."

"What would that be?" the tall one clasped her hands behind her back and paced in the street, "nothing you'll....regret, I hope."

"Erm, well...." Kal played with the fraying sleeves of her robes, "You...you see, Mal'Zor, m'lady.....the....the object, if you will, appears to exist in....another universe." She squeaked nervously.

The one named Mal'Zor stopped momentarily, before throwing her head back in maniacal laughter, the other, uncertain of what to do, joined in nervously.

Mal'Zor threw her hood back, revealing a cold, hard face of a soldier, shiny dark blue hair that fell to her shoulder blades. She had a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt that ran ragged on the right side of her face, in the form of gruesome burned flesh that ran from her hairline to her jaw on her otherwise porcelain face.

Her hand once again shot quickly from her frayed robes, clenching Kal's fat neck and squeezing dangerously. She pulled the woman close, an action that then caused her black hood to fall and reveal a fat cheeked, blonde, blue eyed woman. Her hair was pulled into a tidy ponytail. "And how, exactly, do you plan on fixing that?"She snarled in a low tone.

"Eran.....Eran is working on that as we speak, milady." Stumpy fingers clawed at long, thin ones, a feeble attempt for the other was obviously stronger. Mal'Zor eventually released the woman, a look of disgust on her face.

"Gather the others, then."

"M'lady?"

"I will annihilate every world, in every universe until I get my hands on my prize"A wicked smirk spread across her face, "What was the holders name, again?"

"Well....well....It appears to be 'Koriand'r', or at least.....that's what the sage said."

My heart stopped, I felt my body being pulled back. A strange sensation that ripped me from my old home and back to my new home. For the second time that day, I jolted out of bed in a cold sweat.