Robin's heart plummeted. Under her throne? Was there any place that was more inconvenient? They almost had a chance until right then. How would they ever manage to steal Blackfire away without a threat? They were like sitting duck without their uniforms…well at least he was.

"If we can just make it past those guards we'll almost be in the clear," Robin whispered to Starfire from where he was crouched just behind her. "Any ideas?"

"Just one," she admitted. "Although I do not know if it will work."

"Well we're boarder line desperate now, so anything goes."

She nodded, more to herself than to him. "Alright, I will follow through with it. Stay here. You may approach after I have conversed with them."

"Wait what?!" he whispered frantically. There was no way he was letting her near those monsters again, however before he could grab her arm to halt her she bounded out of his reach and circled back around so it appeared that she had come down the hallway that led to her room.

As soon as they noticed her, her whole demeanor changed. Her shoulders were tense and her feet were dragged. Her fists were balled up and a look of pure fury was etched on her face.

"What are you doing?!" she shrieked, in a voice that even shocked Robin. "I know what you are all hiding! Who is the one who has murdered the Lord Trogaar?!"

By now the guards were looking at each other with expressions of horror and outrage. "What are you talking about, Troq?" one rasped, his tone rising with each word. Robin had to admit that he was very intimidating; however this didn't seem to unnerve Starfire in the least.

"You know exactly what I speak of!" she retorted, just as angrily. "Trogaar's body has been left in my room, his remains scattered all over my sleeping quarters! I demand you confess at once! Or at least transfer the body!"

The guards at the door suddenly became unsure, as if they were doubting if she was lying or not. However their curiosity got the better of them, and they left to investigate. When Starfire remained where she was standing one of them grabbed her arm roughly. "Come along, Troq, you are not to leave our sight." They led her away, and she cast a calm glance toward Robin's hiding spot before disappearing down the hall.

As Robin came out of his hiding spot, he tried to force the pit in his stomach away. He knew Starfire could defend herself if she ever needed to, but he was currently worried about her condition, and he wasn't sure if her emotions were in balance yet. However he had a task at hand, so he pushed all negative thoughts out of his mind for the moment.

He pushed the doors open, grunting in effort as he forced the heavy steel entrances open. Surprisingly only one Gordanian was inside the throne room along with Blackfire herself. Robin immediately recognized him as the other soldier who had been conversing with Trogaar about Blackfire's murder. Their eyes met for a moment and each pair narrowed warily.

Blackfire seemingly unaware of the uncomfortable exchange sighed rather obnoxiously, as if she were bored. "Melshnick, you've said enough. Leave me at once. It seems the Earthling boy can't get enough of me," she smirked in Robin's direction before shooing her hand at the Gordanian. "Well? What are you waiting for? I gave you an order didn't I?"

Melshnick glared at Robin for one long moment before bowing in Blackfire's direction and evacuating the throne room, although he did so rather reluctantly. When Robin turned around he was mildly surprised that all traces of amusement had left her face, in its place was a cold stare.

"I warned you about trying to fool me, Robin," she said coldly, her fingers drumming against the arm of her chair. "I told you it wouldn't work. What do you want this time? I can't do everything you know. You're becoming rather spoiled for a prisoner."

Robin subconsciously cracked his fingers against his leg. He thought of a million and one lies that he could play on, but finally decided that it was no use. He was too deep now. And after all honesty was the best policy right...Right?

"I came for my uniform," he told her clearly, raising his chin so he could look her in the eye. "And I'm not leaving without it….or without you."

"How sweet," Blackfire snorted. "And here I thought you had a thing with my sister!"

"Not like that," he clarified. "Starfire was speaking the truth before when she warned you. You should listen to her."

"And why should I listen to you?" she smirked. It was a valid question.

"Because I wouldn't lie about this," he replied gruffly. The Tamaranian girl rolled her eyes, but before she could answer, he cut in. "Trogaar is dead by the way."

Her fingers paused with their drumming. "What?"

"He disobeyed your orders, broke into Star's room and tried to…tried to…s-she couldn't help it…she was only protecting herself." The last part came out defensively, and his eyes narrowed as if daring her to argue.

She narrowed her eyes back and then stared at her feet. She murmured something to herself and then glanced up at him once more. "Fine," she snapped, as if she was annoyed with herself by coming to this resolution. "Take what belongs to you…but I want that metallic chromium back."

Robin took it out instantly; he had never intended to use it anyway. Blackfire flew down after collecting the uniform from under her throne and handed it to him. He in turn handed her the vial, and she placed it in her pocket.

Robin slid on his uniform first before he dared to remove any of the clothes. he was forced to wear for his stay at the Citadel. He clicked the belt around his waist last, pleased to have it rest on his hips where it belonged.

"You know, you messed up pretty badly," Blackfire said, surveying him with a hand under her chin.

"How so?"

She shrugged. "For the same reason that got you into this mess in the first place. You fell for my sister."

Suddenly there was a loud explosion followed by a simultaneous crash into the throne room. Several Gordanian guards, as well as Okaarans, as well as Citadelians poured into the room, shoving Starfire in front of them. She appeared unharmed, just a little shaken up by the blast.

"What's going on?" Blackfire demanded.

"I believe it is a mutiny, your highness," Melshnick retorted mockingly, cradling a glaive in his rough reptilian hands.

"I believe our plan did not go as planned," Starfire muttered to her companions, her voice wary, as she surveyed the decent sized army of aliens.

"You think?" her sister snapped. She dropped her royal cloak before turning to face Robin. "What now, oh, clever one?"

Robin didn't even need to think as he thrust out his Bo staff, giving it an expert twirl. "The only thing we can do: we fight."

He tossed several spoke bombs around his…much smaller team so they were concealed for the moment. He caught a glimpse of Starfire smiling knowingly before her face was obscured.

After a few seconds he erupted from the smoke twirling his staff and knocking guards left and right against walls. A Citadelian charged at him and he shot the staff above his head so it stuck on the wall. He jumped on his attacker, acting on him like he would a springboard and swung himself around on his Bo staff as if he were swinging on a gymnastic bar. He felt his legs connect with several heads knocking them down for the count.

Starfire, feeling that familiar exhilaration of battle flow threw her veins launched herself at a nearby Gordanian, kicking out with her legs and spinning expertly as she landed. She wasn't sure if she would be able to fly just yet, but she could already feel the powerful glow of a building starbolt in her hand. She let it build for a moment longer before knocking three guards away, stunning them. She ran to aid her sister who was putting her Tamaranian hand to hand combat skills to the test.

Starfire admired her sister momentarily. She herself had never truly mastered hand to hand combat but Blackfire was a different story. She moved with the calm poise of a swan but then lashed out like a cobra.

"Sister," she called, warning her of an attacker behind. Blackfire immediately whipped around and placed her hands on the Citadelian's chest, using her brutal strength to push him away so he rammed against what used to be Lord Trogaar's throne.

The two Tamaranian siblings drew closer to one another as the guards began to close in. Without a word, Blackfire hoisted Starfire up onto her back and spun around abruptly, Starfire using her legs to lash out at each of the guards knocking them of her feet. When there was no longer any opponents around them left standing, Blackfire set her down, smirking.

"Not bad, little sister."

Starfire beamed before spinning around and punching another guard in the face, instantly breaking his nose. She raced off on foot in Robin's direction to aid him.

Robin was holding his own against Melshnick, and although he matched him fairly well, the powerful Gordanian had greater arm strength than him. The Boy Wonder dodged his blows with the glaive and kicked out at his feet, unbalancing him for a moment. Starfire took this opportunity to leapfrog over Robin's back and throw herself at Melshnick, circling her arms around his waist. They fell roughly to the ground, and she scrambled away from him with only minor injuries.

She then felt something she had not felt in some time. Joy. She felt the hope that she had presumed was gone forever, for now they really did have a chance at escaping. With newfound happiness, she flew over Robin, grasping his hand in a familiar way and launching him at a row of guards, where he decked them one by one. He threw a bird-a-rang to Blackfire, who grabbed it immediately and tossed him towards another group of aliens.

She turned toward her sister and together they grasped hands at took to the air, letting a barricade of starbolts rain down on their enemies. The released their hold on one another as a minor explosive was tossed at them. They barely managed to escape without injury, however the blast knocked them apart and they fell to the ground with a harsh thud.

Blackfire turned to land on her left side so the vial in her right pocket would not break, and she let out a sigh of relief, when no harm came to it. She briefly took it out of her pocket to examine it of cracks, however while she was distracted an Okaaran slammed her in the stomach causing the tube to roll out of her hands. It soon became lost in the battle.

Robin finished off the last of the attacker around him, and looked at how his team was doing. Only a few bunches of aliens remained and even then while still clutching a few smoke bombs. He watched how his enemies were falling fast. However he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He glanced over at Blackfire who had just shakily risen from the ground and was starting to duel with a Gordanian…but where was Starfire. Before he could locate her his search was interrupted.

"Enough!" a voice commanded, and he instantly recognized it as Melshnick. His had snapped around and his mouth dropped over in horror at what he saw.

The alien had a firm grip around Starfire, and he was holding the vial of metallic chromium close to her skull. He smiled wickedly. "Drop your weapons…now!"

Robin slid off his belt at once, his heart pounding violently. He gazed into Starfire's eyes expecting to see fear, but instead he saw a strange calmness. Then her hand caught his eye. It was tapping against her thigh, two fingers were held out, just like in the battle with Red X. She was signaling to him.

That's my girl.

Without hesitation he launched the bomb at the ground right by Melshnick's feet thoroughly disorienting him. He saw the shadow of Starfire as she elbowed him hard in the stomach while grabbing the vial in her other hand.

A moment after, both Blackfire and Robin-after snatching his belt once more-launched themselves at the alien, each landing a hard punch to the alien's abdomen. He fell rammed into a wall, his glaive flying from his side and smashing into one of the throne room's columns. There was a heavy crash and the building began to shake and crumble.

"Come on!" Blackfire yelled, signaling to the others. "Unless you want to stick around and get crushed!" She blasted her way through a wall and flew out, Starfire grabbing Robin's hand and flying out close behind her. They immediately flew to the escape pods and entered one.

Robin glanced out a window and his eyes widened as guards poured out of the crumbling Citadel Capital building, running straight in their direction.

"Hurry! They're coming," he yelled frantically, strapping one of the pod's oxygen masks to his face for good measure.

"I'm working on it, Boy Blunder," Blackfire snapped back as she frenziedly typed in coordinates. The pod started to count down at the same time some of the guards reached the craft.

Starfire let out a shrill scream as their footsteps echoed inside the craft, indicating how close they were getting. Robin narrowed his eyes, sweat beading on his forehead as the pod prepared to launch.

"3, 2, 1," Blackfire counted for him as the pod took off, the ground instantly getting smaller and smaller as they blasted into the night sky. The small craft began to shake as it broke through the atmosphere, and gradually the bumps and shakes settled into peaceful vibrations.

Robin glanced back at the place that had caused him and the ones he loved so much trouble. Maybe everything would turn out all right after all.

Author's Note: It's not over yet! One more chapter!