Robin's POV:
The knife plunged up under Star's gorget, sinking just under collarbone. Her momentum propelled her forward. Long coils of red-orange hair flipped over her head, hiding the damage from view. She hit her knees and Slade twisted to stare at me. Through the mask I knew he was smiling at me.
Hrrangh!
I jumped between them, sending a roundhouse kick straight to Slade's head. He ducked, and tried to yank out the handle of the hunting knife protruding from Star's chest. Her fingers curled around his, stopping him. He growled in frustration as her alien strength won out and he was forced to jump back to avoid my next attack.
"Titans!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Why weren't they coming yet? They should have heard us by now.
Slade ducked under another spinning kick and used my momentum against me to plant his fist in my face. I reeled back, shaking my head to clear the whirling white lights blocking me from seeing my enemy. I jumped in front of Starfire. She'd sunk to her knees, but she moaned and fell limply onto her side. Her long red hair tangled around my boots.
She was going to be fine! Slade was not going to take her from me. He stood coolly a short distance away. He cocked his head, regarding me with that cold, expressionless mask.
"I know you don't see it now, Robin, but I'm doing you a favor." His voice was even, conversational. It was maddening. I drew my bostaff and swung it wildly for his head. He chuckled and easily sidestepped out of the way. I shifted my stance, refusing to move away from Star and give him another chance to attack.
"How do you ever hope to catch me if you allow yourself to be so easily distracted?" He rushed in for a surprise attack, two quick jabs and an elbow. I deflected the punches, but caught the elbow across my cheek in a glancing blow. Whirling so that I could springboard off the ground to plant my boots in his chest, I was satisfied by the harsh grunt he let out.
"Catch you? Is that how you think this is going to end?" My voice was low and even. This was it. There would be no going back from tonight. Slade thought he could take Star away from me. Never. Going. To. Happen.
"Posture all you like Robin. You're incapable of anything more interesting." He reached over his shoulder to draw a long, thin sword. My stomach dropped, but my hands stayed rock steady. Blocking out all thoughts of Starfire's lifeless body, I focused my entire world on the man standing across from me in the sand.
A green missile skimmed the side of Slade's mask. He lashed out, but he was too late. Using the distraction I sprang into the air to bring my staff down hard on his collarbone. I heard a satisfying crunch followed by a groan. The hummingbird pelted him again, but this time Slade threw a spray of black pellets that each burst in bright flashes of smoke. He went right into an attack, but the small defensive measure made him a second too late. I whipped the butt of my staff up under his chin, rocking his head back.
Cool, dark energy radiated at my back, and I knew Raven had reached Starfire. I gritted my teeth. Slade was mine. He wasn't walking away from this. I was not about to peel off that mask to find another of his stupid drones.
"Am I late to the party?" A jet of blue light announced Cyborg's arrival. Slade dodged out of the way, but I was too fast for him. He dropped to one knee, swiveled to run, but I was already there, cutting off his escape route. Far from being cornered, his sword slashed through the air, slicing a long, thin line up the left side of my ribs. The cut was shallow but it stung like fire. Breath hissed from between my teeth.
Beast Boy roared, taking the form of a tiger. He pounced, slashing at Slade's legs with his immensely powerful claws. A spray of blood spattered the sand, but Slade brought the hilt of his sword swinging around to plow into the tiger's green eye. Beast Boy roared again, slashing blindly and getting in my way as he swung his large head side to side. Cyborg's sonic cannon whirred as he prepared to fire. Slade tensed on the balls of his feet to spring out of the way, but I cartwheeled forward, planted my staff to propel me forward and scissored my feet to catch his legs and hold him still just as Cyborg hit him with a supercharged stream straight to the gut. It bowled him backwards, nearly to the water's edge.
"No!" I shouted, as Slade turned to leap into the water. Beast Boy charged after him, his striped body moving blindingly fast as it took down his prey. White teeth flashed.
"Beast Boy!" I ran over, half-expecting to see Slade's head ripped from his body, but Beast Boy was only baring his teeth, daring the man to move. Any other man would cower in the face of an enormous tiger bearing down on him, but Slade simply glared back. His arms moved in a blur and then the tiger flung back his head in a shriek of pain. Instantly he transformed back into Beast Boy, who clutched his belly where the sword had slashed him open. He writhed in the sand.
"Raven, we need you!" I shouted, desperate to save him from bleeding out before my eyes. Beast Boy looked up to me. He was the annoying little brother I'd never had. The memory of our first meeting rose up swift and stinging, the hero worship in his eyes as he'd called me, 'Sir.' I had brought this down on us, and I would finish it.
"Hrrangh!" I flung aside my staff and charged Slade in a tangle of spinning kicks and jabs. How many families would I have to lose before this was over? My parents murdered because they wouldn't give in to the corruption taking place around Haleys Circus, Bruce and Babs who'd driven me away out of sheer pride and stubbornness, Starfire, Beast Boy. He couldn't have the Titans. They were all I had left.
Slade recognized that he was facing a different opponent than the boy he was used to. This wasn't about seeing justice served, this was about protecting my family. In such close combat his long sword was practically useless. He kicked off my chest, sweeping it down in a hard slash that opened up another line across my breastbone. I didn't feel it. I was beyond feeling anything but determination to end this once and for all.
When the sword came around again I caught it between both palms. Warm liquid trickled from between my hands, but I held on. I kicked his leg just above his left knee. He went down in the water, taking me with him. I kicked the sword out of his hands and pounded my fists against his hated mask until the trickle turned to splatters.
"It's over, Robin. You got him, you got him!" Cyborg grabbed my sleeve to stop me. Slade wasn't moving. His face was half-under water, bobbing silently as the waves rolled in and out.
"Starfire!" I spun on my heel, desperate to get to her. In an instant Slade faded to insignificance. Cyborg could deal with him. I had to see Star and know that she was okay. Raven would never let her slip away from us, but I needed to see for myself, needed to look into those beautiful green eyes and see her smile of reassurance.
"How is she?" I knelt beside Raven. Starfire lay on her side, her eyes closed and her lips parted in a silent moan. Unable to help myself I ran my fingers through her long silky hair.
"She's gone into a healing sleep," Raven said. "The knife missed anything major."
"And Beast Boy?" I didn't look away her. Guilt weighed heavy on my shoulders.
Cyborg got him to transform into a tad pole. That should help speed his recovery. I'll take a look at him though." Her voice wobbled as she stood up and went to the little tide pool where Beast Boy had gone to recuperate. Taking the form of a smaller, simpler organism would minimize the damage. He would be alright. My breath shook as I let it out and gazed down at Starfire's beautiful face.
Come on, beautiful. Let's go home." Slowly, gently, mindful of my own injuries, I gathered her long form into my arms. Raven and Cyborg were waiting for me a little was away with Slade's unconscious form suspended by two black energy handcuffs. Cyborg carried a Petrie dish with a little black tadpole swimming across the surface. Together, the five of us returned to camp.