Chapter 3 - Contact

As soon as Raven saw it happen, she couldn't control her emotions any longer. She materialized through the floor of the roof, and flew to her room in a fit of rage and self-pity. Why did he do that? It isn't fair! She thought angrily to herself. All tears of sadness and regret for Starfire's leaving had turned to tears of hatred and jealousy. She threw herself onto her bed and sobbed quietly. Her emotions, Envy and Rage, were loose again. She sat up suddenly and began meditating. In a few minutes, she managed to soothe her stray emotions and bring herself back under control.



Despite the circumstances, this is no time for me to feel sorry for myself. She thought, breathing in deeply. Robin needs me…. us, more than ever now. She heard footsteps coming down the corridor, and a door slam. Robin, she thought. She opened her door, rubbing the tears from her reddened eyes. She was disgusted with herself. How could she be so naive? This is a tough time for all of us, and all she could think about was her problems and her strange, unidentified feelings for the masked boy next door. She levitated silently down the narrow hallway, but was interrupted by Beast Boy, much to her distaste. He gave her a pained grin.

“Where you going, Rae?” the green changeling asked her in a quiet, raspy voice. She could tell he had shed a few tears, too. She scowled, in spite of the pity she felt for him. He was close to Star. We all were. She thought.

“I'm… going to see Robin.”

“Oh…” he mumbled. “Good idea. You're probably the only one he'll talk to right now.”



Raven knocked on Robin's door. She waited. No answer. She knocked again. “Come in…” a voice came from inside, much unlike the normal, proud voice of Robin. It sounded tired, and cracked as he spoke. She materialized through the door. Robin sat on his bed, looking rather pale, and hunched over as if he had just run a few miles nonstop. He looked up and tried to straighten his back a little. “Raven…” he said in a rather depressed voice. “I wasn't expecting you. Where did you go? Are you…” He gave up on his sentence and resumed staring at the floor.

“I had to…think.” She replied in her usual monotone. Robin nodded. His mask was wet with tears.

“May I?” she asked, motioning to his bed. He nodded again. She sat down next to him. He looked at her with such a sad, despairing expression that she had the urge to hug him tightly, and tell him everything will be all right. But she didn't. It was far from all right.



Raven scrunched up her eyebrows. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked. Robin turned away and looked out the window.

“I miss her already,” he said, and sighed deeply.

Raven had tried hard to keep her face straight and expressionless, but Robin's misery seemed to be contagious. She felt a tear run down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away.

“She is doing it for the best of her planet, Robin. You have to realize that she didn't want to go either. We will miss her, but there's always a chance that she'll return. We have to move on and try to be content with what we have right now.” By this time, Raven noticed that a fresh stream of tears had sprung from Robin's masked eyes.

“We have to all be happy. You can manage that can't you? I can't, but being so cold all the time affects me in that way.” She joked, though she didn't think it sounded very funny. A smile twitched at the corner of Robin's mouth, I'll do anything for him to smile again. She thought.

“Do you really think she'll return?” Robin said, with longing in his voice. A spark of hope caused his mask to widen slightly.

Raven stared at him. Should she really lie to him? Of course she'll never return, Spite seemed to want to say through her. She's gone, so you have no choice but to return to me, like before that stupid Tamaranian girl showed up. Raven pushed the thought out of her mind. Robin looked at her, patiently awaiting her answer, as if she knew everything. Why was he asking her? She can't predict the future! The fear and anxiety showed suddenly in Robin's face.

“She's not coming back, is she?”

Compassion and Love took over. These emotions had threatened to loose upon her mind, and she could hold it in no longer. She hugged Robin hard, and petted his glossy black hair. “It's going to be all right, Robin. I promise.” Robin shook, sobbing silently in her arms. She noticed that she was crying too.



Raven couldn't remember how long they sat like that, their tears of misery mixing and staining the carpet below them. The next few days went by painfully slowly, hoping to god that Starfire would send them a message. Nothing came. Hours turned into days, and at last, Tamaran finally contacted them. Robin practically leapt for joy when he saw Star's face on the screen, glowing with happiness and love. There was another emotion portrayed on her face, which only Raven could identify. There was going to be bad news.

“FRIENDS!” She boomed through the microphone next to her.

“Starfire!” the four Titans shouted joyfully.

“How do you fare today, friends? Are you well?” she said, showing concern, especially for Robin's ever-pale face.

“We miss you, Star!” Cyborg said sadly. “How are you?”

“We are preparing for war, friend Cyborg. It goes not how I have hoped. The armies seem unprepared. Many are young and inexperienced. They cannot even use a Kathorg yet!”

Cyborg nodded, though he pondered about this `Kathorg.'

Beast Boy spoke up. “Are you coming home soon, Star?”

Starfire slumped in her chair, tears filling her usually sparkling green eyes.

“I…I am afraid not, friend Beast Boy. I cannot return. Because Galfore has grown old… I must rule Tamaran once the war has ended.”

Robin put his head in his hands. He did not cry; he had seen this one coming. Raven had too.

“I must be going now,” she choked. “I must survey my armies.”

She turned away, reaching for the `End Transmission' button.

“I love you, Star.” Robin whispered. Raven coughed violently on the herbal tea she had begun drinking moments ago.

Starfire turned towards him. “I love you too, friend Robin. Goodbye…”

`END TRANSMISSION' the screen flashed.





I have a bad feeling these chapters are getting boring. It'll get better, I promise! ;-; To all RxR shippers, I'm really sorry this is going so slowly. Lucky for you, Star won't appear very much, or at all for the next five or so chapters. Hope you enjoy! Comments please?

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