It took us three days to reach Jump City at the pace we had chosen. Obviously we could have arrived much more quickly as it had only taken us one night to traverse the distance when going after Joker and Harley, but I believe that none of us were truly in a hurry to see the damage done to our city too quickly.
As we approached the city limits we discussed whether to announce our presence openly or to sneak in unseen. Robin was inclined for the latter, but the rest of us disagreed. As leader he could he given an order and we would have obeyed, but in light of our conversation back at the farm I do not think he wished to push the issue too quickly. I stayed within sight if him at all times, more to keep his mind at ease than anything else. But as we approached the city he lifted a hand to wave me out of the air and gestured for me to join him on his new R-cycle.
I timed my landing so that he did not need to decrease his speed and curled my fingers in the fabric over his chest as I laid my cheek against the blade of his shoulder.
"It will be alright, Robin," I said. He could not hear me of course. The engine was too loud for that, but he knew I spoke and I believe he knew what I was trying to say because some of the tension eased from his back.
The city was not as bad as I remembered, or perhaps much had been done in the short time we had been away to repair the damage. Jump has become accustomed to making frequent and rapid repairs to the city thanks to the many battles we have faced against the meta humans. Still, the crater left from the explosion that had drawn me away from Robin's battle with Joker that had allowed him to be captured had not been fully erased. Several of the orange cones of construction were laced around the area while a man in a bright orange vest directed traffic around the workers and machinery trying to smooth out the ten-foot ditch.
The traffic cop froze when he saw Robin and I ride up on the R-cycle. Raven and Cyborg were floating higher off the ground.
"Robin!" the man said, his face registering nothing but absolute shock. If he saw me at all he gave no sign of it. But then why would he? It was Robin whose death Joker had taunted the citizens with. Memories of the news broadcast featuring the figure in Robin's uniform surfaced in my mind and instinctively my fingers dug into his ribs to assure me that he was alive and it had been nothing more than another nightmare best left in the past.
The man was not the only one who had noticed our return. Other drivers in the neck of the bottle that had formed around the construction sight were rolling down their windows and displaying the necks of rubber in order to get a better look at him. Robin revved the R-cycle. I could not tell if it was in greeting or anxiety.
When the traffic director looked to have completely forgotten his task in his excitement, Robin revved the bike until it rose up on it's back tires, wheeled it around, and skimmed between the narrow gap between two cars to remove us from the intersection. He drove without aim, the engine whining under the unnecessary speed.
He turned down an alleyway and brought the bike to such a sudden stop that I was forced to engage my flight to prevent myself from flipping over his shoulder. He paused a moment before removing his helmet.
"Is something wrong?"
"Titans, we'll use safe house three tonight." He ignored my question and spoke directly into his communicator. The others didn't reply, but I am certain they heard.
"I thought we were going to revisit the Tower. Cyborg wished to see what could be salvaged and whether any of his technology has been tampered with in our absence."
"I know, Star," said Robin heavily. "I know. I just... We failed them. We left the city defenseless against a madman and they're welcoming us back like heroes. I didn't expect..."
"Why not? We helped put the Joker behind bars. Your capture led him away from the cut. Why should they view us as anything other than what we are?" He was confusing me again. I was unused to this new, uncertain Robin. What had brought about this change?
"When we get to the island just stay close, alright?" He didn't look at me, and I had the uncomfortable sensation of being deemed unfit to protect myself again. His Earthen belief that it was his duty to guard me clashing with my Tamaranian pride.
"Of course I will be vigilant when we-"
"Humor me, okay? Just this once."
"You do not appear to be in the mood for jokes."
"Starfire!" The full use of my name cut through my feeble attempt at lightheartedness.
"You guys okay down there?" Cyborg's voice crackled from my communicator. Annoyed, both by the interruption and the thought that Robin deemed himself better suited to keep me from harm than myself, I snatched the communicator with more strength than I intended and cracked the screen.
"We are headed to the island now. I know how important it is for you to see that no one has stolen any of your equipment."
"We're going now?" Beast Boy whined. "Are you sure we can't stop for pizza first?"
"Starfire," said Robin after shutting off his communicator, "with the tunnel collapsed I'll need you to carry us to the island."
I did not understand why he felt the need to ask. He was distancing himself from me at a most alarming rate.
"Robin, we will rebuild. Things will be better in time."
"Hey you!"
We both turned to see two shadowy figures stepping into the alleyway. One carried a baseball bat. Robin tensed and cranked the engine of the R-cycle.
"Greetings," I called. I put extra cheer into the greeting, hoping they would recognize me.
"See, I knew it was you!" shouted the one wielding the bat. He pointed the thick end in our direction as he advanced down the long alley. His partner walked beside him swinging his arms. "I knew you losers couldn't resist the chance to see the damage up close. The Titans destroyed this city. Why come back at all? Nobody wants you here."
"Starfire..." Robin growled the warning as he sensed my need to question the pair. Did they not see that we had saved the city? We had taken the danger away from Jump's streets at the risk of Robin's life. Perhaps they could be made to see...
"What do you think you're going to do with that bat?" Robin called, though his voice was muffled by his helmet. The leader looked down and his face fell as he realized just who he was confronting and how meager his weapon of choice was against us.
"What are you going to do? Run me over? Run away like you did last time? Do you even know what the body count was?"
"Two-hundred and forty-seven," Robin answered. I sucked in a sharp breath. I had not realized the number of deaths was so high.
"Get out of our way, kid. We're not here to hurt you."
"Then go back into whatever cave you cave you crawled out of. We don't want you here!" He raised the bat to swing, and Robin gunned the engine. I clenched my knees around the bike and wrapped my arms around Robin to lift us into the air. I did not have a strong enough grip on the bike to take us skyward, but it was enough to carry us over the two assailants' heads before the back wheel touched down on pavement and shot us away to safety.
Soooo incredibly sorry for the long wait. I never meant to take so much time off but it just kept getting away from me. I will try to get back into my old writing habits, but I can't make any promises. Sorry guys. I can only be thankful to all of the people that stuck with me and new followers who've reminded me that this story needs to be finished. Next chapter will be longer. I've been sitting on this one for too long.