Disclaimer: Teen Titans is the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. "The Hollow Men" was written by T.S. Elliot, and the use of passages to open each chapter is done with the utmost respect for one of the English languages best craftsmen. Thank you, and enjoy.

Titans Broken

Chapter 15: Fallen Friends

Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow

…For Thine is the Kingdom

- T.S. Elliot's "The Hollow Men"

Starfire snarled as a volley of plasma bolts shot past her. Okaaran infantry swarmed in front of them, firing from windows in the buildings or behind cover of cars. The blue-white flash of their weapons lit up the street, which was now bathed in the shadows of a setting sun. Smoke billowed overhead and Starfire could feel the hot embers touch her bare skin in places, never hot enough to burn, but just enough to irritate.

"God damn it!" Wally yelled as he leapt back from a ragged volley of plasma bolts. He gasped for breath as more shots came in, flashing past him and burning scoring the pavement. Catwoman's whip cracked overhead and Starfire watched it wrap round the throat of one of the Okaarans. With a yank, she snapped its neck and dropped him to the ground.

"I am beginning to grow tired." Starfire muttered, as another shot hissed just past her head. "They are endless!"

"No kidding!" Wally shouted and swore as a bolt burned just past his elbow. "I'm running on empty here!"

"Crap!" Barbara shouted before a massive form at the end of the road picked up a car and tossed it toward them. "Scatter!"

Catwoman danced out of the way of the car and swallowed nervously as it crumpled into the ground where she'd just stood. A second car, this one a small compact car spun through the air and Wally swore before dodging out of the way. Barbara snarled before hurling the last of her explosives and bat-a-rangs at the enemy. A feral roar filled the air and Starfire looked up to see a massive Citadelian, even larger than those they'd been fighting standing atop a building. A massive halberd was clasped in his hands and he leapt from roof.

Starfire's eyes were wide as Barbara dove out of the way of the descending blade and rolled up next to the massive creature. She slammed a fist into his thick hide with all the force she could muster and snarled.

The Citadelian chuckled and backhanded her, knocking her against a parked van. She crumpled to the ground with a groan as Catwoman and Wally charged the creature. It lifted the halberd high into the air.

"NO!" Starfire yelled as she saw it descend. A scream rent the air and Wally stumbled to a stop. Starfire stared as Catwoman clutched her leg where it'd been severed, right above the knee. The halberd's blade was buried in the pavement and the massive alien grunted before ripping it from the asphalt.

Starfire snarled and charged. Green energy enveloped her hands as she leapt into the air and flew straight toward the Citadelian. Blinded by fury she didn't see the blunt end of the halberd coming and let out a whumpf as it struck her diaphragm. She felt herself fly back through the air and squeezed her eyes shut. Then she felt her back blossom in pain from the impact and tears streamed down her cheeks.

She groaned and opened her eyes just in time to see Wally pinned to the ground under the Citadelian's massive foot. With a chuckle, he brought the halberd down on his neck. He didn't even have a chance to scream.

"Damn it..." Catwoman swore where she was incapacitated. She clutched at the stump of her leg as the massive Citadelian shuffled forward, it's eyes gleaming with malevolence. Selina Kyle stared up at the malformed face and shut her eyes as Starfire watched. With a roar he swung the halberd over his head and stuck downward, burying it in her chest. With a satisified grunt he dropped the halberd and growled.

She stared lifelessly up into the air. Starfire groaned as her body refused to obey her commands, stunned from the blow. Her hands shook and she felt numb, not from Z'hom, no, this was a numbness brought about by shock. In the corner of her eye she could see Barbara slowly stirring. Get up, Starfire thought desperately as the Citadelian stepped toward Barbara. Get up and fight!

Horrified she watched the massive creature grab Barbara by the hair in his massive and gruesome hand. He slowly lifted her into the air and she whimpered in pain. Her blue eyes focused on the creature's gorilla like face and red eyes. His nostrils flared as he sniffed her and Starfire felt her eyes well up with tears as saliva dropped from his jaw.

Then she heard it speak in Citadelian. [Good eating, this one.]

Starfire looked away and shut her eyes, bracing herself and prayed that somehow she'd break free. A low growl like a predator filled the street and then Barbara screamed. Starfire could hear tendons ripping, bones breaking, and flesh tearing.

Something whirrled through the air and struck with a dull thud. Then an explosion echoed in the street. New screams of pain filled the air and she heard something fall to the pavement like a bag of flesh. Starfire choked on the bile rising in her throat as she forced her eyes open.

Barbara lay on the ground, one of her legs torn and mangled. Blood pooled around her as the Citadelian staggered back. Starfire saw Nightwing crouched over her body, as if guarding her.

[Pest...] The Citadelian grunted as Starfire staggered to her feet. Rage flooded her whole body and green energy shot from her hands. She cast two starbolts and watched them burn into the massive creature's throat. Green gore and blood splattered on the pavement as it dropped back to the ground with a gurgle.

Then, all was quiet. Cyborg scrambled over to them, his med scanner out as he ran. Starfire closed her eyes and felt bile rising up in her throat as she smelled the blood and burnt flesh all around her.

"Wally?" Nightwing asked.

"Dead." Starfire said quietly. "As is Catwoman."

"Damn it!" Dick swore as Cyborg crouched down beside Barbara and started scanning. As he did, Dick knelt and pulled her upright as her face grew pale. "Babs?"

"Dick..." She almost whispered. "I'm sorry..." She gasped for breath. "So cold."

"Oh hell... Her femoral artery is torn. I need a tourniquet!" Cyborg shouted as he knelt by her mauled leg.

"Too... late..." Barbara said with a gasp. "I'm sorry..." She glanced up at Starfire. "K... Kori..."

Starfire knelt down beside her, tears filling her eyes. "Yes Babs?"

"T... Take care of... him. Do... do not give up..." She swallowed and tears began to leak from her eyes. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry for everything..."

"Babs?" Dick asked as her blue eyes flicked up toward him.

"Live Richard... live..." Then her eyes lost focused and stared blindly up into the sky. Tears filled Dick's eyes and he clutched her limp body while Cyborg's medical scanner gave the long keening tone of a cardiac arrest.

"Richard?" Starfire whispered and crouched down beside her. "I am sorry, it is my fault... I..."

"No." Dick said flatly. "It isn't." He wiped the tears from his eyes and slowly laid her down on the pavement before standing. "Damn... we need to move."

Starfire watched him, her heart freezing in her chest as she started to walk away.

Raven's sobs echoed in the observation room as she tightened her grip on Beast Boy. Cyborg shut his eyes as Barbara wiped away tears of her own. Black Canary rubbed her shoulder, comforting her as M'gann rubbed her temples fighting. Raven could feel the absolute waves of anguish rolling off her best friend. The self-hatred and loathing that seemed to be poisoning his very soul.

"Raven..." Cyborg asked quietly. "How are you doing?"

"Awful." She said truthfully before clinging to Garfield even tighter. The little green cat purred and rubbed itself against her chest as if trying to comfort her. "Thanks." She said quietly.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Cyborg asked and Raven nodded. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"Therapy... counseling... lots of it." Raven said before adding quietly. "And lots of love."

Cyborg nodded. "Can't we end this?"

M'gann shook her head. "Forcibly ending the simulation could cause brain damage."

"Damn." Cyborg said. "It's just us and bats left Rae... And knowing how things have been going, you know we're going to be picked off one by one."

"Maybe." Rae said quietly.

Barbara put her head in her hands. "Can he even survive this?"

"We'll be here to put him back together, don't worry about that." Cyborg said immediately. There were nods of agreement all around the room as they turned back toward the monitors.

Starfire didn't know what to do, her heart felt like it was breaking as she followed Dick down the street. Cyborg looked tired, and as the Citadelians had fallen back for a brief respite the five of them that remained met in the middle of an intersection. Raven was still unharmed, though her once clean cape was covered in stains and burns, bits of soot and debris coated her exposded hands and face. Garfield was almost covered with soot and his once joyous eyes seemed to be almost as dead as Raven's.

She remembered them now, at least somewhat. Part of her heart was filled with joy at that. These were her friends, people that had fought for and alongside her, people that cared about her as a person, and one that had once... loved her. She felt her eyes fill with tears as she saw Nightwing glare down the street toward where the Citadelians were gathering for the next assault.

"Richard..." Starfire whispered to herself as she studied him. He looked broken, as broken as she had been. His gaze was expressionless, hard, and dead. Even Raven seemed a bit more lively, despite everything.

She wanted desperately to comfort him, to bring back the man that she was remembering in bits and pieces. So she followed him as he started pacing, and wrung her hands nervously as she watched him. As they left the earshot of the others Richard stopped and looked at her, his eyes filled with tears.

"Star... why are you here?" He asked quietly.

She froze and stared at him for a long moment. "Because you are."

He stared at her for a long moment then looked away. "Star..."

"It is not your fault, I wish to be here Richard!" Starfire said sternly. "Better to die with a whole soul then live without one!"

He snorted and shook his head. "As if it was ever that simple."

"Richard!" Starfire snapped. "I would be here regardless, homeworld or not, all my friends are here!" She glared at him. "I shall not leave you!"

"I... I know." He sighed. "Star..."

Her expression softened as he saw the look of confusion and uncertainty on his face. Suddenly she stepped toward him and hugged him. "You must grieve... let go Richard. It was not your fault, if it was anyone's it was mine."

Dick stared at her with a stunned expression as she hugged him. Suddenly fresh tears filled his eyes. "I couldn't save her... I couldn't save anyone..."

"You have." Starfire countered instantly. "You have saved many people."

"Not enough! I'm a terrible leader, we're all going to die and it's all my fault." Richard said. "My friends, my... family are falling one by one and there's nothing I can do to stop it!"

"You are not a bad man!" Starfire shouted in his ear, grabbed hold of his shoulders, and forced him to look into her eyes. "You are a good man. You cannot save everyone, but you have saved others... you... you've already saved my soul. You saved Raven, you saved me... do not blame yourself for an impossible situation."

"But... we're..."

"At least we tried. We've done more than anyone else here, have we not?" Starfire said. "You saved me, do not blame yourself if you cannot save the world."

Richard glanced down at the pavement. "When... when did you get this perceptive?"

"I believe my memories coming back have done most of the work." Starfire said with a faint smile. "Are you able to fight now?"

He nodded. "I am."

"DICK, THEY'RE COMING!" Cyborg yelled as Garfield and Raven scrambled toward the street center and prepared for the fight.

Dick glanced at Starfire. "Give us top cover Star... and keep in radio contact."

She nodded and shot into the sky as the first volley of energy shots burned through the air.

The lumbering form of the Diplodocus sent tremors rumbling through the earth as it backed toward the Citadelians. It's enormous tail twirling like a whip for a moment before it lashed out, picking a dozen odd of the slimy creatures up and sending them careening into the solid wall of the building.

Black energy arced to stop purple blasts of plasma from the Citadelian's weapons, covering the gargantuan beast. Green hued blasts of energy tore through the air and exploded amongst the legion of enemies from where Starfire flew overhead.

Richard ducked down behind the edge of a roof top just as an energy blast burned just over his head. His belt was beeping in alarm as he pulled out a bird-a-rang and hurled it into the mass of advancing Citadelians.

"How you doing Dick?" Cyborg asked from beside him.

"Okay… but I'm almost out of Xenothium." Richard growled as a bit of the roof exploded sending fragments scattering over them. "What about you?"

"Power cell's almost gone… and nothing around here has power to charge it up." Cyborg said.

Overhead a black shape clawed through the sky pursued by a phalanx of fighters. Smoke billowed from its battered hull and it began to tumble downward in a spiral. The scream of the plane's engines turned to a whirling siren as it spun downward.

Richard looked up toward the plane and swore. "Get out… get out… you've got to get out!"

The bat-plane spun downward, flames now blazing from its sides before it slammed into a building a half mile distant and exploded in a gout of fire and smoke. He gaped at the smoldering wreckage as Cyborg furiously began to call across the radio waves.

"Batman, come in! Come in damn it! Please respond."

"Master Stone." Alfred's voice broke as it spilled across the radio waves. "I've lost his monitoring signal and emergency beacon. I'm afraid… he's gone."

Richard felt a wave of anger flood his system and he hurled himself upright grabbing the last of the Red-X explosive shuriken from his belt and hurled them toward the Citadelians.

He felt Starfire's gaze on him at that moment and suddenly the blaze of green starbolts intensified. Beast Boy's diplodocus swept Citadelian soldiers over with another swipe of his tail. Cyborg knelt behind the wall, unable to use his sonic cannon anymore thanks to the critically low state of his power cells.

"Penguin, you still got missiles?" Cyborg asked.

"Two left."

"Alright, we got a fire mission for you, sending coordinates." Cyborg said as he tapped his cybernetic eye.

"It'll be there in a moment."

Richard dove down as another volley of purple energy burned into the wall beside him. He could feel the heat through his armor. "God, they just keep fucking coming!"

"Richard!" Starfire yelled. "There's a group flanking around the block!" She yelled from her position high overhead. "Orders?"

He gritted his teeth and swore. Everything was beginning to come apart, his whole body ached from fatigue, and his team was in just as bad of shape. He stood up and glared at the oncoming horde, his bird-a-rangs and X shuriken now totally expended. Cyborg was almost out of power.

"Fall back a block!" Richard yelled and waved the group toward the next set of buildings down the street. "Go, go, go!"

The titans didn't need telling twice. They ran. Starfire snarled as she let loose a barrage of starbolts to cover them. Raven hovered beside Beast Boy as his form plodded toward the next intersection. Black magic flashed between her and the Citadelians blocking their fire, but even from where he stood Richard could see Raven was exhausted, her whole reserve of energy all but expended. Soon she'd be lucky to levitate let alone fight.

A roar rumbled overhead and Richard looked up just in time to see a missile streak downward into the mass of Citadelian soldiers. A boom followed a moment later as the street they had been on disappeared in a gargantuan blast of fire and smoke. Buildings around the blast began to collapse and Richard was thankful he'd ordered the retreat when he did as the building they were running across began to crumble.

Cyborg stumbled to a stop and spun toward the crater. "Boo-Yah!" He said with a quick gesture toward the hole. "Get the fuck off our planet!"

"Cyborg!" Richard snapped as he skidded to a stop and looked back. "That flanking group?"

"Oh… right." Cyborg said and turned toward the side street and growled. "Looks like fifty of them, God man how many of them have we fought so far."

"They're unending." Richard growled. "Star said that with their cloning tech they've probably replaced all the ones we've killed already."

"Fuck." Cyborg said. "Penguin, we need another one!"

"Last one heroes… then I'm off, can't be of much help after this." Penguin answered.

A scream from above drew Richard's attention and he swore as three of the Citadel fighters dove toward them. He glanced at Beast Boy and swallowed. He was a huge target to them. "Get out of there!"

Beast Boy morphed into his human form and froze, his eyes widening as he stared up at the three grey fighters. A glowing purple light lit their fronts.

"Move!" Richard shouted.

Raven leapt toward the green boy and wrapped her cloak round him as a purple beam bored down on them. The whole street disappeared in a cloud of smoke and fire.

"RAVEN!" Starfire's agonized shout echoed across the street as the smoke began to dissipate. With a shriek a black Raven materialized beside Richard and the smoldering form of their friend tumbled through… as the cape opened Beast Boy rolled from its folds, his body shaking with fright.

"Oh God." Cyborg said as he scrambled to her side. "Stay with us!"

"Rae…" Beast Boy's voice shuddered. "Rae? RAE!" He leapt toward her form and Richard saw tears streaming down from his cheeks. "No! Not for me Rae!"

"She's hurt bad." Cyborg said and Richard bit back a comment as he saw her pale skin was blackened from the beam. She coughed and moaned as Beast Boy cradled her tenderly. "You've got medical gear in that belt right?"

Richard nodded and pulled a syringe from the belt along with several rolls of bandages and a canister of some sort of medicine. "Morphine… Bandages, I got some burn cream."

"Shit…" Cyborg said.

"Garfield…" Raven croaked quietly. "Gar?"

"I'm here Rae… don't ever do that again." Garfield murmured. "Don't… please… I'm not worth it."

"You are…" Raven's voice broke. "You are worth everything Gar."

"Oh shit…" Cyborg said as he leapt toward her, "Beast Boy, get back! Get back!"

"What?" Richard asked as Raven's eyes turned glassy and she gasped for breath.

"She's going into arrest!" Cyborg shouted and his arms morphed into a pair of shock paddles. "Get back! Clear?"

Richard pulled Beast Boy back from her. "Have you got enough power?"

"We'll see… come on sis, stay with us. BB's waiting for you." Cyborg said before slamming the paddles into her chest. There was a jolt and Cyborg glanced at his wrist readout. "Damn it… come on, full voltage. I'm not letting you die like this Raven!"

Cyborg's implants flickered as the shock paddles discharged and then died. Richard gaped in shock as Cyborg collapsed atop Raven, his systems shutting down from power loss. "Oh God…"

"Cy, Rae?" Beast Boy tore himself from Richard's grasp and flung himself at the two of them. "No!"

"Beast Boy! We must leave. The enemy fighters are coming around for another pass." Starfire yelled and dove toward Richard. Beast Boy didn't listen and Richard found himself staring at his three friends, frozen in place. Suddenly a warm hand grabbed him around the torso and lifted him skyward.

Beast Boy looked up at him then turned to face the oncoming fighters, his face set in a grim expression. He stopped and stood up straight as the purple energy began to glow at the prow of each of them. "I'm right behind you Raven." He whispered and then the three beams enveloped the building. A fireball rolled skyward from the impact and Richard stared at the smoldering tower of dust as the building collapsed under whatever remains of his friends were hidden in the smoke.

Tears stung his eyes as Starfire darted down toward street level, weaving between buildings before flying into the smashed remains of a store front. She set him down and slumped, her eyes glowing in the dim light. From that meager light he could see tears running down her face. "Star…"

"We will be safe here for a little while." She said quietly before wiping at her tears and shuddering. "My friends… Why now when I can remember them? Why when I wished to win and have the great partying of victory with them did they fall?" Starfire sobbed and suddenly jumped into his arms and buried her head into his neck. "It does the hurting… it does the hurting most badly!"

He felt tears begin to well up beneath his mask and closed his eyes before slowly wrapping his arms around her. It was too much at once, Batman, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Raven within moments of each other. He tore off his mask and dropped it to the ground before burying his head in her shoulder and crying. "They're gone… they're really gone."

In the monitoring room, Raven sobs stopped as she broke down. The green cat that she'd clutched in her arms morphed back into the boy that had meant everything to her. He wrapped his arms around her and cried tears that she couldn't anymore as the rest of the room watched. "Rae…" He whispered as he rubbed circles on her back and she buried her face in his neck.

"You're worth it." She whispered.