I heard nothing. The doctor came and told me what I'd already found out about Babs, but there was no word from Raven. I was led down the hallway to the room Babs had been brought to. She looked like a shadow of herself, pale and small against the plump pillows. Bruce's money was the only reason they'd let me in, and I took the seat by her bed. I glanced at my phone. No missed calls. Sighing, I slipped it into my pocket and reached forward to take her hand. What was I supposed to say to her? How did you tell your best friend they'd never walk again? Where was her father?

I felt a hot prickle in the back of my eyes.

"Babs, I'm so sorry," I murmured, running my thumb over the back of her hand. It wasn't enough, not for either of us. I looked into her face and was surprised by the changes that had taken place over the last three years. Her cheeks were leaner, the bone structure more prominent and pale after surgery. Her freckles stood out more than usual. Her hair was a rusty copper shade of orange. Once I would have done just about anything to get her to notice me. I'd shown off in combat, saved her more times than I could count, and challenged her knowledge in just about every subject Bruce made us learn. She was always smarter, but it burned her that a 'kid' could keep up with her. In the field it was the opposite. Batman and I, as much as I hate to say it, were born to fight side by side. She found a place and held her own, but it was never as seamless as when he and I worked by ourselves. It didn't come second nature to her. Her motivation was different.

Where the hell was Starfire? I couldn't leave Babs. What if she woke up and no one was here? Maybe she'd understand that we were hunting down the man that had done this to her, but to wake up from that alone and to find out she'd never walk again? At least until Gordon got here. And where was he? His daughter was in the hospital and he hadn't come? Clearing my throat, I fished my phone out of my pocket.

"Alfred, where's Gordon, he should be here."

"I haven't been able to contact him, and the Master has gone offline." He paused, and I could hear him gathering his breath. "Miss Gordon. How is she?"

"The bullet severed her spine. She'll never walk again." I pictured the scene, him sneaking up on her from behind and firing before she even had the chance to turn around. How had he done it? Bruce had all but crippled him after what he did to me. Babs' senses should have warned her in time to get out of the way. The Bat Family was paranoid by nature, we always know what's in our surroundings. How could he have surprised her like that? Alfred made a single soft noise, quickly stifled.

"Good God," he murmured.

"My friends. Any news?" It was difficult having this conversation out in the open where anyone might hear. It was harder considering none of the Titans had alter egos I could call them, or if they did we'd never shared them. Obvious Cyborg had a name before he became what he was now, but for three years he had always been Cyborg, or Cy, just as I was only Robin. Come to think of it, what was Starfire's Tamaranean name? When we met she just said Starfire was a direct translation, but that didn't mean it was the same thing. Alfred gathered himself together.

"They have been unable to locate her. She seems to have vanished without a trace. I will of course alert you the moment she is found." His steady voice brought me out of my circular thoughts. How could these two completely different women leave me in such a tailspin? Now I understood why Bruce warned me against getting involved with teammates. This was harder than I'd ever imagined. I felt lost and helpless, and the person I usually turned to was the one I was desperately hoping to find.

"How could she do this, Alfred? How could she go out there now, after this?"

"I cannot say, Sir." His voice was sad, though whether it was about Starfire or Babs I didn't know. Poor Alfred. It must be hard to be left behind, unable to do anything to protect us as we faced down our deaths night after night. He was always just there with whatever we needed.

"There is one more thing to consider, Sir," he said with some reluctance.

"Yea?"

"Was this act targeted at Batman or Gordon?"

"I've been trying not to think of that," I admitted. I prayed it was the worst coincidence in history that Joker broke out of Arkham and happened to attack Babs in her civilian identity. If not, then he knew who she was, and if he guessed Babs was Batgirl, then he could guess who all of us were. But why would he target Gordon when everything so far had been aimed at Batman and me? Why was he at his house? This was all connected somehow. First me, and now Babs. What did he want?

"Alfred, she can't wake up alone, but my team needs me. They don't know this city."

"I will wait with her, Sir. If she wakes I will make certain she knows it was a matter of dire importance."

He was waiting in the car downstairs. It would take only minutes for us to switch places. The hospital would accept him if I pushed hard enough. I was pretty sure they'd all put on bunny costumes if they thought it would keep me and my bank account happy.

I went to meet Alfred in the waiting room. The receptionist looked conflicted until she saw me and perked right up.

"I have some errands to run. This is my butler, Alfred Pennyworth, and he's going to sit with Ms. Gordon until I come back or her father gets here." I didn't need the Batglare for this girl. Heck, I barely needed a firm tone the way she was hanging on my every word, but I didn't smile or wink. My mind was on another girl who was going to have hell to pay when I caught up with her.

I rode the elevator down to the garage, my fingers itching to pull out my phone to get another update from Raven, but I didn't risk it in plane sight of security cameras. Every second of footage featuring Dick Grayson in Gotham was scrutinized pixel by pixel to find out what I did with myself. No way was I letting some security guard with sharp eyes read my contact list or watch me dial up a member of my team. That would have to wait until I was back in the car. I walked toward the Lamborghini at a brisk trot, not wanting to draw attention, but needing to get to it as fast as possible.

"Raven," I said as I transferred the call to wireless the moment I started the car.

"No, Robin. I don't have an update." She sounded pissy now. Well two could play at that game. I was pissy too. I smacked the steering wheel with the heel of my hand.

"What have you been doing? You mean to tell me you can't find her energy signature anywhere?" She paused, and I pictured her looking at her communicator with a look of disgust mixed with disbelief that I would use that tone with her. Everyone likes to say that Starfire's the one who gets away with everything around me, but Raven gets a pretty blank slate too seeing as she'll send me through a portal to hell if I tick her off. Starfire craves approval, and I just don't have to say anything to her To get her to correct herself. If she thinks she's disappointed me then she fixes whatever mistake she might have made on her own. In the beginning I think she was so afraid of disappointing us because she thought we would kick her off the team and she'd have nowhere else to go. Obviously she's gotten over that or else she'd never be out doing God knows what in Gotham tonight.

"When was the last time you tried to find one aura in a city of five-hundred thousand? You think she's the only bubbly personality on the planet?"

"Send me your coordinates, I'm coming to meet you."

"No. You need to rest. The rest of us can handle this."

"Obviously not," I snapped, ending the call with a stab of my finger on the screen. I didn't need her coordinates, I already had a tracker on her communicator, a fact they ll knew. First I needed to stop at the cave and get a fresh uniform. Besides I needed to take a look around to make sure Star hadn't left any clues behind that the others had missed.

"I don't know what you think you're doing Star, but you better not be doing what I think you are," I muttered aloud as I drove the Lamborghini through the heavy traffic.

A geyser of green energy shot into the sky. I could see it between the skyscrapers as I drove through downtown. I nearly rear-ended the car in front of me going through the intersection as I rubber-necked to figure out where it had come from. from the direction, Crime Alley.

"Damn it!" I hissed, slapping the steering wheel again. I needed my uniform and I needed it now. "You better be okay, Star. Hang on until the others get there." Gritting my teeth I punched the stealth button in the car that let me slip past speed scanners undetected. The cops would see me, but the cameras didn't pick me up and the readers wouldn't register anything out of the ordinary as I slammed my foot to the floor.

A/N: These past couple of chapters are shorter than I like, but I've sat on this one long enough. Next up is a bit of action. Promise.