What I didn't do

This started as a drabble, but it turned out to be way too long, I really got carried away. I thought this could have happened during Starfire's stay in the future. Just think about it: Nightwing, in his galant armour, saving and comforting her...You can tell how badly I wanted this to happen when I was watching the episode (How long is forever, I think it was called).

So, sorry if any grammar mistakes come up. If I do make them, let me know and I'll promise I'll correct them ;). Anyway, please like if you...liked it, and review too!

Enjoy!

From the moment she left, the air felt more thin, and colder. What had he done? He had frozen, he had let her down. Everything had gone worse since she was gone, and he took the burden of not letting it happen again. He became a protector, and like Batman, took an identity based on his grief, but also on the promise that he would protect what was precious to him. But what did he have now?

The Titans separated, Bruce being constantly busy in Gotham, Blüdhaven was the only place Richard moved around. And then the guilt, over the years, started eating him alive. And the question remained: What had he done?

Nobody could reach to him, he had never felt this lonely since his parent's death, and even though he was protecting everyone, he became almost bitter, showing always a cold attitude, and never a smile.

Dick remembered her, always imagining the wonderful moments he should have had with her, but never had the courage to. He thought of his hand caressing her hair, going down to her cheek to feel the warmth of her blush, leaning in and feeling the softness of her lips. He imagined their first real kiss being on the rooftop of the tower, while holding her hands, and as she carefully took off his mask to reveal his ocean blue eyes, love beginning to fill each other's heart. Going to the carnival with her, eating cotton candy, having a ride on the ferris wheel, lending her his coat when she felt cold. Maybe later moving to the same room, taking her out on dates at night, and using the Batmobile on patrols (even if Bruce didn't agree), living together, then marrying and having a family. His entire life he had imagined with her, but she was gone, and there was nothing he could do.

Until that day, that tragic yet grateful day in which he received a message from Cyborg, and heard the unthinkable. She being then and there. He relentlessly searched the city for her, and when found her, didn't immediately approached, as he felt Starfire wouldn't forgive him for having given up on the team, on the family, on her. Richard followed for a couple of streets, until he, that villain, appeared. Starfire obviously, in the middle of her rage, attacked him. It wasn't until he striked back that Dick could not contain himself anymore. Falling down from the sky, the only thing on his mind being to punish the man who took her from him. With his final attack, he knew he could end Warp's life, yet he didn't care. All the anger would end. But as he descended and Warp disappeared into the ground, his hatred for him, and for his own inability to do something, grew more.

A violent sigh escaped his lips, showing his frustration to everyone that could hear it. But a sound in the darkness called him out. Her voice. It hadn't changed a thing: the soft tone, the delicateness and thinness of her words, it was all exquisite to him. Even if she had only asked for his name. But he was not the same she once knew, so his response was cold, because of his developed character over the years, and also because he knew she could not forgive him. "Now it's Nightwing".

When tears escaped her eyes, it felt like a dagger was being pushed into his heart and through his back. Although, they were not because she hated him. She proved that she was happy to see him as she got closer to him and leaned in for a hug.

"Rob- Nightwing...I am so glad that I have found you here!". He understood then, remembered, that her soul was so pure to her friends, that she was forgiving towards them, even in the hardest circumstances. "I missed you so much, and I don't know what to do to fix everything".

His surprise started to fade, as he knew that he needed to be her rock right now, she needed comfort after what felt years of despair, because she blamed herself as much as he blamed himself. She had to know that everything would be okay, and in some way, he would make sure that it was. He picked her up bridal-style and took her to his headquarters.

As he descended from his departament to his hideout, he realised that she had fallen asleep in his arms. Dick carried her to his bed, placed an old jumper of his on top of her to keep her warm, and, against all self-control, removed some of her hair from her forehead and kissed it, like he had wanted to do all those years ago. He prepared himself a coffee and sat down, preparing his computer to track down Warp, and himself to find a solution.

After a while, Starfire woke up, thinking that what was happening was nothing but a nightmare. Then reality sank in, and she did the same thing she would do if she ever needed help (besides being awesome and kicking the bad guy´s ass): find Robin. She examined the room she was in. By the size of the bed, the news headlines pinned to the walls and some of them linked with red thread (very detective-like), and the big black coat that was covering her to her knees, she could tell that she was in his room.

She got up and searched for the bathroom, in an effort to wash her face. She looked herself in the mirror, and suddenly found herself thinking of the years that had passed for her friends. Robin had certainly changed: his hair was longer, past his shoulders, and his muscles were more defined, something she could also notice thanks to the black and grey armour that he used now. Most of the parts of his new suit were covered by keblar: from the top of his chest to his abs, but not the sides of his torso or the inside of his arms. Even his gloves were reinforced, same as his boots, and to unite it all, the symbol of an electric blue eagle on the middle of his chest, referring to his new hero persona. He was also very tall now, but that was to be expected.

But then she looked at herself, and though of how would she look like on this time. What changes would she had made to herself, if she decided to change at all? Doubts began to crawl up her mind, making her wonder if there was even a small chance that he, after all these years, still considered her as a friend. The constant question emerged: does he like me? Could it be that he loves me? He never showed it clearly in the past, but maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that absence had made the heart grow fonder, and there were feelings for her.

Starfire had always been afraid of losing him as a friend if she showed her true feelings. But now she had lost it all the same. She could not change the past, she knew that now, so she couldn't change that she wouldn't be with him. "Just what reason would make the me of this time leave my precious friends? And Robin too?" she thought.

She wandered through the hallway, her arms surrounding her in an attempt to hug herself, hoping to find him. Starfire saw a light illuminating an old suit. His old suit. The doubts appeared again: Could she change what had happened? Could she save the chance of their love happening? Or did he hate her and wanted her gone in an instant? Did he at least feel something positive for her anymore?

It was then that someone walked up behind her and placed a blanket on her shoulders. Richard tried to keep his distance, mainly because he wasn't sure of his next step. He walked a few meters to her right, not facing her. "I heard you've been looking for help."

She was unsure of anything at the moment, and she remembered what Warp had said. "There's nothing you can do. There's nothing anyone can do. The past cannot be changed; the future cannot be altered, no matter how wrong it seems". He noticed the lack of hope and joy she usually displayed. He had to be there for her, because Starfire was his only light in these moments. No matter what happened, he would fix what he had done, and what he hadn't as well.

"So, it's impossible then... Good." Starfire lifted her head up, a ray of faith on her future had washed the doubts. "If memory serves, we have done the impossible before." Richard said determinately. He took out his old communicator, and did something he thought would never do again, but desperate times took desperate measures. It was finally time to call the Titans. Because in whatever state they were, wherever or, even now, whenever they were, they would answer the call.

Nightwing quickly informed the Titans of the report he had made of Warp, and ordered and immediate search of him. "Tell me when you have found him, and be careful, please." Before cutting communication, he quickly said "Glad that the team is back", to which each responded: "Yeah!" (Beast Boy), "Sure" (Raven), and "Boo-Ya!" (Cyborg). Now that the call was made, the only thing left to do was wait. Nightwing thought of going on patrol too, with Starfire, but he saw her looking down, almost uncertain.

"What's wrong? I thought you would be happy." He said with concern as she looked up at him. She stared at him, but immediately turned to the ground again. He thought she was trying to say something, but she was failing to do so. Instead, she could only think that something could go wrong again, like the first time they faced Warp. Tears fell down her face as Dick realised and held her tightly.

"What's wrong?" He tried to look at her face, but she was digging her face in his chest, seeking for solace.

"I'm afraid. Last time we faced him, everything went wrong, and it was all a nightmare. It is all a nightmare" She said as she looked up at him. "I'm so, so sorry".

This words surprised Richard. Sorry? What in the world would she be sorry for? It was his fault the team separated, or at least that they didn't try to stay together.

"I'm sorry for leaving you guys. It is all my fault!" Starfire said as she cried. Dick holded her tenderly, as he tried to explain. Then, something that hadn't echoed in the whole apartment resounded. Laugh. Richard's laugh.

Starfire looked up, confused. He looked at her and wiped her tears away with his thumb. "That's almost the same thing you, future you, said before she left. When you left the Titans, about three years ago, we were...well, it didn't do any good to any of us." As Nightwing explained, Kori's expresion didn't seem to relax. Instead, she looked more confused and almost about to cry again. Realising that he wasn't doing any good, and measured his next words carefully.

"What I meant to say was, you had to go to Tamaran. You see, Galforth had gotten sick, and you needed to be there to rule while he got better. We all understood your reasons, so we didn't say anything, only that we wished that he got better and that you came back soon. You would let us know when it was safe for you to come back, and that you would call everyday. Then everyday turned into every week, then every month, and… eventually they stopped. We all figured you were to busy, and since you were under a lot of stress, decided not to bother you, not until you called and said you would come back. For a while, I actually thought something had happened to you, but reports from Green Lanterns say that you are okay, and that things haven't changed since you arrived. We all still wait for Galforth to get better, and for your return"

"I still remember the night before you left" Dick's words trailed off, as did his gaze. Starfire took his hand between hers, and squeezed tightly. She knew, somehow, that the memory wasn't easy for him to remember. He looked at her, straight in her eyes. Her beautiful and perfect green eyes. Star looked concerned for him, and God, he missed her caring and compassionate personality. Always thinking of others before herself. He immediately thought that he could stay like that with her, for all eternity.

But that was never meant to happen. Not like this anyway. He elevated the hand that she was holding to the bridge of his nose, and took his mask of, revealing his ocean blue eyes. "The night before you left, you were afraid of the team, of what could happen if you left us. That you were so sorry this was going to happen and that it was your fault. I felt, for the first time in a long time, that I didn't know what to do, but you did. You only asked for one thing: to promise that the Titans would stay safe under my command, and always together. And with that, you weren't there next morning." Richard looked at the space for a moment, struggling to continue. But he suddenly found an unexpected strength surrounding him. Turns out, Koriand'r was hugging him now, burying her face on the crook of his neck.

"I don't think you were ready for that goodbye, and neither was I". Richard placed his hand on her chin and lifted it up, making her look at him. "I should be the one to say sorry, I didn't keep that promise. But I can promise you this: I promise that the Titans will get back together, I promise that we will defeat Warp, and that we will get you back where you belong. In the past and in this timeline too."

Finally, a smile formed on her lips, provoking one on his own too. "I would like that very much, really. I cannot even imagine what the me of this time must be feeling, after not seeing any of my true friends." Starfire said with a tender tone. She took a moment to think about Robin. Her Robin, the one and only for her. Now that she knew that maybe the Titans would separate, she knew that maybe, before and if she ever had to leave, had to tell Richard how she felt. How she actually and maybe-not-so-secretly fell for him. But how? How could she after trying so many times? After the disaster night with Kitten and the beautiful dance; after defending her before her almost wedding her evil sister had planned; nothing serious had happened between them. What if this time was the same thing?

Nightwing must have been thinking the same thing, because his next words were her answer. "I know I can be dense sometimes, and that I didn't pay the same attention to you as I did being a superhero. But believe me when I say that, sometimes, you were the only reason I kept going. Then and now. You, your memory, made me feel human, and made me keep hopes up when there wasn't even a chance for me. If anyone can get through the me in your time, it's undoubtedly you. So, don't give up on me, ok?". His voice almost failed him almost in every sentence, because even though he hadn't exactly told her how she made him feel, how his heart skipped a beat everytime she walked in a room, or how just thinking of her forced a smile on his face, he knew that the moment the right words were spoken had to be between his past self and her.

As it used to happen when they were together, something interrupted them. An incoming call from the Team. Richard pulled himself together, got up and answered. "Found him?", he said, his voice back to his cold demeanor, and his mask back to the same spot over his eyes.

"Yeah, he's in an old power plant. I know because the warping fluctuations for time travelling and all the electricity left in the city is being pulled here." Cyborg said, always analytical.

"Alright, send everyone the coordinates, and don't attack directly. I'll be there in 10' and we'll make a plan. Be careful and keep your communicator close at all times. Nightwing out." Dick finished, ending the call with the rest of the team. "C'mon, we should be getting ready for leaving, you probably miss…" He was suddenly cut off by a hand placed on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw the tamaranian girl hovering a few feet above the ground, so that her gaze landed directly on him.

"I also promise something to you: I promise to be by the side of my Robin, as long as you never give up on me. The myself of this time, I mean to say. Even though I may be very far, I know it in my heart that there is nothing that I wish more than to come home with you and my friends." She said as she left the room hovering above the ground, heading to his motorcycle which she had seen in the garage while looking for him. She must be happy to go back, he thought.

"Alright, you don't give up on me, and I won't give up on my Star". Richard smiled again, fainter than before though, but it seemed to be happening a lot today. Who could blame him? Starfire was back, in a way at least, and a new promise for tomorrow seemed to arise at the horizon. He hoped, no, he knew he had to make things right. And, along with the promises made that day, the mistakes made in the past, what he didn't do, the promises left uncompleted, all could be corrected. A better future would be waiting for him soon, including the love of his life by his side.