As much as he didn't want to talk to Blackfire-and he really didn't want to- he knew that he had to for Starfire's sake. It would crush her emotionally if any harm came to her older sister, even if she had betrayed her in every way humanly possible.

However it was as if the universe sensed his discomfort in meeting with the Tamaranian girl, for she was not available to see him at the current time, at least that was what one of the Gordanian guards had informed him if.

Whether he was telling the truth or not was not really his main concern, and honestly he did not care enough to question it. Starfire would be waiting for their usual meeting time after all, and he was particularly excited about seeing her again.

He tried to walk at a normal pace, tried to stifle his excitement at the thought of seeing his best friend once more…but then again, was she really just his best friend anymore?

Robin wasn't entirely sure if what had happened with them the night before had merely been a way to release some pent up emotions or not. Certainly she had been looking for an escape, a distraction, and in hindsight, so did he. However to say he didn't have real feelings for the girl was a pathetic and transparent lie.

He sighed as he thought about returning to Earth as merely friends, then he reminded himself that perhaps they would not be returning to Earth at all. That was another reason he had to talk to Blackfire. Dammit. Why hadn't he seen it before? The only thing that was holding them back from returning home was the fact that Starfire still cared for the wellbeing and safety for her sister. If he could convince Blackfire that her own men were plotting her murder, then they were just as good as gone.

With renewed hope he knocked on Starfire's door, eager to discuss with her the means of which they could get Blackfire to believe them. However after several knocks and no answer he began to become worried. He gave the door a slight push then quickly discovered that the attempt of entering regularly was fruitless. It was locked from the inside.

"Starfi-"

A scream from inside the room cut him off. Then he lost it.

"STARFIRE!" he yelled banging on the door, pushing, and tugging with all his might. He paused for a moment trying to quell his panic as he pressed his ear against the door. What was going on in there?

Starfire was screaming in another language, so it was impossible to tell what she was saying. However then he heard a second voice that he could identify instantly to matter what the language.

"Get away from her Trogaar, dammit!" He rammed into the door with such ferocity that it trembled slightly, still not enough force to cause any damage though. "I swear to God, if you fucking touch her-" his threat was cut off by another shriek. Just like before it belonged to Starfire, but what scared him the most was that her voice was laced with pain.

Robin's head whipped around, trying to locate something that he could smash the door with. All that was in the hallway was small water fountain placed beside the opposite wall, merely for decoration. He ran over to it anyway, searching for a broken stone, of perhaps a piece of the fountain itself. He began to get more and more desperate as time went ticking and he was still weaponless. Horribly loud bumps and crashes began to echo from the room and filled the hallway, causing his hands to shake. He took a deep breath and then reached into the small fountain with his bare hands, becoming instantly drenched, and began to kick at the center pipe where the water flowed until it loosened slightly. With a powerful grunt he jerked the pipe out of its foundation with his hands and leaped over the stone edge before smashing the metal into the steel door.

Meanwhile the screams were still going, and then another crash was heard, and another. Robin wasn't sure but he thought he could hear the sound of a bone snapping, he blanched at the thought of what he would find, but he began to beat the door harder.

By the time it had started to give way, he was dripping in sweat and he was having a hard time keeping his hold on the pipe. If only he had his belt! He could have picked the lock of simply blown the whole door to smithereens!

He held back the pipe ready to let loose all of strength at once when Starfire's scream cut him off again. Except this time it was different. This time it held several emotions all mixed in together: fury, fear, disgust, exhaustion, and then…silence.

Nothing could be heard at that moment but the sound of Robin's heart hammering inside his chest. He tried not to let it happen, but his eyes pricked with wetness, and he suddenly couldn't breathe. The pipe fell out of his hands and rolled a little ways down the hall. He backed away from the door and then flew at it, his foot connected in the center and causing it to break away, its remains scattering in the room behind it.

He entered, as if in a trance, and he instantly became sick.

The first thing he noticed was the blood. It was red, it was flowing like a river would, and it was everywhere. It was splattered on curtains and all over the bed and floor. Its stench hung in the air powerfully. Bits of purple fabric were scene here and there, as well as pieces of Trogaar's armor.

Then there was pus, green oozing, blood and pus. There was just as much green as there was red. It too had a horrible smell; however it burned in Robin's nostrils in a way that made him want to faint.

He braced himself as he heard ragged breathing in the corner. Whoever was there was concealed by the edge of the bed, and he walked over, ready to protect himself from whatever was on the other side. He closed his eyes, almost too afraid to even move, but he had to. Curiosity got the better of him once again.

As soon as he was on the other side his knees felt weak and almost gave out from under him at what he saw.

Starfire was curled on her side, her fingers twitching oddly, and her eyes a black slate, as if she was caught in a bad memory that she could not forget. She had a few heavily bleeding cuts, but the expression on her face was what scared Robin the most.

"Star," Robin breathed, and he collapsed beside her, touching her face, preparing to scoop her up in his arms when she let out a snarl and crawled away from him, her eyes blazing with a green, her teeth bared.

"Stay away from me," she growled.

"Starfire, it's me," Robin pleaded. "It's Robin." He crawled towards her hesitantly.

"No!" she shrieked. "Stay back!

"Starfire…it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

Her eyes faded to her regular shade and she gazed at him with a look of such shock and grief that it made his stomach twist. "I do not fear for my safety. But you should fear for yours," she told him coldly, her body twitching oddly.

He paused. What did she mean? "Starfire…?"

Her eyes filled with tears and she curled up in a ball. Her fingers curled in toward herself. "I am a monster," she whispered so softly that even Robin almost didn't catch it.

"Starfire, you're not-" he cut himself off as he suddenly noticed the way her fingers twitched. He took in the shape, the color, the consistency, and he then realized what they were slick with.

He turned his torso around ever so slowly, and his eyes focused on what lay on the other side of the room. It was Trogaar, although Robin wouldn't have been able to recognize what remained of him if he hadn't known it was the alien commander in the first place.

His skin was ripped in various places, with pus and green bubbling acid blood pouring from the gashes. The uniform he was wearing was mostly all gone, but that was because he had probably taken some of it off willingly. Trogaar's face was facing Robin's and the Boy Wonder could see that half of his face was torn off. Several of his bones poked out of the flesh and some even appeared on the ground.

Robin couldn't help it. He ran to another part of the room and vomited every morsel that was left in his body. When he was finished, her shakily wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. He then turned around again and moved slowly back toward Starfire, who was still hunched in a feedle position.

She must have sensed that he was near for she started murmuring. "I am a monster. I am a murderer. I am a worthless Troq."

"Don't," Robin told her weakly. "Please." He took her in his arms and she turned her face into his chest, and he could feel the wetness of her tears against his skin.

"I am sorry. I-I do not-" she stuttered.

"Shhh…" he murmured, clutching her head and pressing his lips to her forehead.

They remained in silence for a few moments before she spoke up once more. "Robin…what…what is to be done…?"

He pressed her form against his securely and squinted his eyes shut, trying not to think or feel for the moment. He had other things to be concerned with, because now, it was personal.

"We're breaking out…now."

~0~0~0~

Starfire had insisted that her physical injuries were not harmful enough to slow her down, however Robin still found himself wishing that Raven was with them. She could have healed her wounds instantly. Thankfully Starfire's Tamaranian healing abilities would take over soon enough; however Robin also knew from experience that when they did kick in, she would become rather tired. Hopefully they could make it to a pod soon before they were caught.

Robin respectfully turned his back on Starfire as she changed into an outfit which covered more of her body, which could really could have been anything considering the amount of damage that was done to her first attire. When she was finished they left the room instantly, for both desperately wanted to get the stench of blood out of their noses as quick as possible.

As they travelled down the hallway at a brisk pace-a pace that was quick but slow enough as to not arouse suspicion-Robin cast several worried glances toward her. He knew what had just occurred back there had not left her mind, and he was concerned more for her emotionally. He knew it was highly unlikely that she could summon the courageousness that was needed for starbolts, let alone the happiness and joy that was required for flight.

They passed a series of doors and windows, one of which held a visual of the Gordanian craft ship they had arrived on. Robin desperately wanted to turn in that direction and leave immediately-they were so close to freedom after all-however he knew that they had to warn Blackfire once again, as well as inform her as what had happened with Trogaar. Maybe she would react more kindly when she found out that one of her so called loyal guards had almost tarnished her younger sister. Then again, if she didn't show any compassion, Robin wouldn't be surprised either.

They soon arrived at the double doors that held the throne room. Robin noticed with a slight sinking feeling that the doors were much more heavily guarded than they usually were. This was clearly not a good sign. However before he could approach he guards, Starfire tugged him back by the arm, and forced him to crouch down behind a potted plant.

A guard passed them without even a glance in their direction, and Starfire waited until he was gone before leaning against Robin so her mouth was right by his ear.

"Before friends Speedy and Aqualad left the day prior, I spoke with Zerna," she said softly, her breath tickling his skin. "I did not realize it then, but she had been giving me the clues as to where my sister had hidden our Titan uniforms."

Robin perked up at this. Maybe they could steal them from right under everyone's noses! Oh, how good it would be to be able to get his hands on his bird-a-rangs again. He leaned into Starfire so he could reply, trying not to think too much on how soft she was. Damn his hormones. "Where?" he questioned, trying to keep the eagerness out of his tone.

Starfire sighed, as if she sensed he would react the way he did. "I am afraid that they are hidden in a compartment underneath my sister's throne."

Author's Note: Only a few more chapters to go!