Beast Boy and Cyborg were waiting for me when I got to the Common Room. They pretended to be playing a video game, but both of them looked around as soon as the doors opened and neither cared that both race cars exploded into the side of their virtual racetrack.
"So...?" Cyborg said immediately, setting down his controller. Wow, was my misfortune really that interesting that he didn't want to waste time pausing his game to hear about it?
"I have some calls to make," I muttered, turning around on my heel and walking back the way I had come. My rejection was still too fresh in my mind. I couldn't take any more teasing about it.
A rolled up wrapper from a breakfast burrito bounced off the back of my head.
"It couldn't have been that bad. I don't see any burn marks so she didn't blast you. What did she say?"
"She wants to go on a date wit Speedy," I snapped. Really that had nothing to do with his question, but it was the only part of my failed visit to her room that really mattered to me at that moment, and it effectively shut him up. Beast Boy straight up fell off the couch.
"What?!"
"Isn't it too early in the day for your head to explode?" Raven asked, gliding into the room behind us. Her eyes were on Beast Boy, though I could tell that she was reading all our emotions as she came up to hover beside me. "Is something wrong? You've been distracted lately." I sighed heavily.
"I thought I could convince the reporter to retract her story so Starfire would change her mind about leaving, but it blew up in my face and now I'm all over the front page instead, and Starfire has decided that she wants to go on a date with Speedy," I summarized in a monotone. Somewhere in the kitchen a glass shattered. I know, I agreed, I can't believe she chose him over me either.
"Starfire's leaving?"
All three of them were staring at me open-mouthed. Oh, had she not told them?
"When?" Cyborg demanded. He half-rose from the couch so that we were on eye level.
"In a week. I thought she told you all."
Suddenly I felt bad. She had probably wanted to tell them herself. Why had she waited so long?
"Group meeting," Raven growled as her eyes lit up with white light. She disappeared in a black raven, but reappeared almost instantly hauling Starfire with her and dropping her on top of the couch. Starfire let out a small 'oomph' of surprise.
"Raven, you are...upset?" she said curiously. Cyborg crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his human eye at her.
"So what's this about you leaving in a week and not telling us about it?"
Her eyes flew open before she whipped her head around to stare at me. Inwardly I cringed. I should have apologized, but my mouth wouldn't form the words with the others watching us.
"Tamaran needs me," she said simply, lifting her chin. The others broke into loud cries of denial. I don't think she heard them though, she was still fixing me with a look of betrayal. Like a coward, I backed away. At that precise moment my communicator began to buzz. I knew without looking down who it must be. My face drained of all color, and surprisingly some of the hostility drained from Starfire's face as if she also knew who was calling.
"Guys, I've got to take this," I mumbled, retreating with my tail between my legs. No one was paying any attention to me anymore though.
"Robin," I answered on the final ring. In hindsight it probably wasn't a good idea to keep him waiting any longer than necessary, but I wanted to be well out of earshot of the others before the Bat bomb detonated. I'd made it back to my room.
"What were you doing in that woman's hotel room at one in the morning?" he asked softly. Oh, I was in big trouble if he wasn't going to lead off with a lecture. No he wanted to lure me into a false sense of security by giving me a chance to hang myself on my own excuses.
"So if it was some other woman it would be okay?" I asked. I don't know what I was thinking. Alright, I admit it. I was scared. I had screwed up big time and now I had to face Batman's wrath on top of everything else. Hardened criminals burst into tears at his feet so excuse me if I have a moment or two of apprehension when he turns his anger my way. It wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't know it was all completely my fault. And because I was nervous I was trying to deflect him with humor. It's a strategy that's never really worked well with him, but one day I know it's going to do the trick.
"You're still a minor, Boy Wonder!" His voice was rising. My temper was starting to flare up too. That's the other technique that hasn't proven very effective when dealing with him either.
"So sue her. That's what your lawyers are for."
"Batman doesn't have lawyers, you idiot!"
Oh. Yea, there is that... Sheepishly I raked my fingers through my hair as I admitted to that small defeat. He wasn't done though.
"Did you wake up and ask yourself, 'what is the worst possible way I could make this situation worse?' Because you've succeeded with flying colors. Now the world thinks your girlfriend kidnaps and tortures people for fun and that you climb into bed with women twice your age! What's next, is the changeling going to announce that he runs a dog fighting ring, or is the witch going to reveal that she sacrifices babies under the full moon? What the hell is the matter with you, Dick?"
Ooh, he slipped into my civilian name, he was beyond pissed.
"She's not my girlfriend." Repeating it over and over didn't lessen the sting. Somehow, that was the part that cut deepest.
"I don't care if she's your girlfriend or your imaginary friend she is ruining everything that you have worked for. The sooner you get rid of her the better off everyone will be." Everyone except Starfire.
"I was trying to protect my team-"
"Don't tell me you were trying to protect your team when the only one you were trying to protect is that girl. What, did she threaten to leave you so you rushed off to scare away the 'bad reporters that were printing mean things about her?'" It didn't sound right when he used a singsong voice. My hand was shaking around the communicator. This was it, the old argument that we kept coming back to. Batman hated Starfire. It wasn't personal, he just couldn't stand that she had no weaknesses. He couldn't control her if she ever went rogue, and we'd seen in the Citadel what she was capable of if she ever lost control. He hadn't been there at the time, but he'd seen how it had shaken me, and that was more than enough in his book to condemn her.
"This is my problem, not yours." I fought for calm. It was a losing battle.
"You think I can't see where this is headed? She plans to go back home and you're going to do everything in your power to try and change her mind. Get a grip, Dick, and let her go!" It's scary how right he is all the time.
"Don't get your tights in a twist. If anyone's going to convince her to stay it's not going to be me. She's got a thing for Speedy."
There was silence on the other end for a long time and then dark, mirthless laughter rolled through the airwaves sending shivers down my spine. Batman. Should. Never. Laugh.
"Is that what this is? You were trying to make her jealous by getting caught with an older woman?"
"I already told you why I did it. Cat Grant is after my team. For some reason she's trying to lead a witch hunt against Starfire and she's got way more insight into what happened last summer than she should. She's based in Metropolis and she's never shown any resentment of Superman in her articles, yet with little more than some figments of a boy's confused dreams she's demanding that Starfire be labeled an interplanetary criminal. It doesn't make sense."
"Irrelevant if the alien leaves," said Batman bluntly.
"Stop calling her that!"
"Wake up, Dick! She may be a princess but this is not a fairytale and you are not Prince Charming. Now you have a sex scandal on top of the other one to deal with. How do you think your relationship with the mayor is going to like that? He's a politician, he can't be seen openly supporting your actions with his reelection coming up in the Fall. Once again you don't think about anything but what's right in front of you. You've jeopardized your entire team's safety trying to impress some girl you'll never have. I hope you're proud of yourself!"
He hung up.
Whew! I let out a shaky breath. This wasn't over, not by a long shot. I'd be hearing about this for the next ten years. He'd simply run out of things to say for the moment. I covered my face with my hand.
What was I going to do? Was Bruce right? Should I just let things blow over on their own? If Starfire left it wouldn't matter anyway what people thought. No, I countered. It would matter. I couldn't let them think she was a criminal. I couldn't let them believe she'd been manipulating the team for her own ends. She deserved to be remembered as a hero. Also, I couldn't let the world think that the Titans were anybody's puppets. We were a family. Family protected each other. I glanced at my now-silent communicator and snorted. Well, most families did anyway. Mine was too psychotic to see the difference between protecting and dominating.