Author's Note: Read Wondergirl before you read this. Thank you.
Answers to FAQ: This story was begun before the premier of Season Three. So yes, this takes an alternative path from the canon that's established in Season Three. There will be no evil Red X and there will be no Malchior, and there will be no sexy Tamaranian Guy in a loincloth. Okay, maybe he'll show up… in the sequel. Enough talk. On with the story.
THIS CHAPTER EDITED ON NOV. 24, 2004, WITH MANY, MANY THANKS TO ARIA-ANGEL: Your insight is invaluable and more edits are forthcoming in response to your C&Cs!
Standard disclaimers apply.
GUIDING STAR
Chapter One - Accident
It was almost as if they missed the action, as much as Robin hated to admit it. The physical demands and the subsequent rush of catching bad guys had been a constant part of their lives until a few months ago.
Slade, perhaps the worse of their enemies, had been foiled in his latest grand plan, and while his disappearance had left them with many uncertainties, much of Sunny California's evil-doers seemed to have gone on indefinite leave since then, as if they were mourning his loss.
While to an extent, the Titans were grateful for the reprieve, Robin knew that two months of relative (almost deafening) silence had them asking the question: What now? Starfire had, in fact, come as far as asking him, "Robin, what do superheroes… do when they don't fight super villains… for quite some time?"
Robin had no trouble thinking up a possible career for a tall, long-legged, green-eyed beauty with fabulous red hair, but he hadn't felt like making the suggestion at the time.
Robin himself had seriously given some thought to a career change at least once; dallying on territory he hadn't dared return to during most of his Titan life. It involved a bat and a cave, so of course, he quickly abandoned that idea, but the rest of the Titans had expressed similar apprehensions in their own way.
Cyborg had of late been engrossed in creating terribly mundane gizmos (most of them failures, except maybe for the Burger Blaster, which proved to be a success for at least sixteen hours.). The huge half-human, half-robot had been scouring the mechanical corners of eBay to find the parts he needed, and as Cyborg blew electronics up more frequently, Robin constantly prayed for the integrity of the Titan Tower, should one of Cyborg's ventures prove to be more explosive than the structure could handle. Starfire told Robin that Cyborg was also suddenly showing a great interest in Channel Mart, a home TV shopping network for "rather odd glarmerfaggles that seems to cater to lazy people." Starfire's words, not his.
Raven, in her turn, had gone into some sort of book binge. Her small collection of literature had grown to sizeable stacks, and she disappeared for hours on end into some quiet corner to read each and every one of them. Robin could have sworn that Raven's skin grew paler, and her hair even blacker.
Raven's books mostly looked old and decrepit, one or two strangely reminiscent of dog-chewed school texts, but Robin was inclined not to be so curious. He had no intention of trying to figure out Raven's weirder side. Besides, he didn't want to get his head blown off in case Raven thought him too nosy. He would leave the snooping to Starfire. Raven was much more comfortable with Starfire, anyway. Starfire would tell him what was up if it was worth telling.
And Beast Boy…
Beast Boy had, amongst all of them, seemed the most affected. Robin couldn't entirely blame him. The loss of Terra had touched them all, but perhaps none as deep as Beast Boy. The green shape-changer's laughter hadn't dwindled in the past few months, in fact, he was oddly quicker to laughter than usual. Robin was a bit worried, but so far, all the literature said that as long as the laughter didn't sound manic, there was little to be concerned about. Most of his playful habits had remained anyway, but Raven admitted that Beast Boy had become much less annoying, which wasn't to say Raven was going soft—because Starfire believed Raven already crossed her limit of mellowing long before—but because, Robin suspected, the boy was growing up. Just a little at a time, really. Nothing so earth shattering as letting Cyborg win at Tekno Warriors on their Game Station.
So when the BIG alarm sounded in the Titan Tower for the first time in two months, Starfire looked up from the ice-cream sundae they were sharing with wide-eyed astonishment.
"Robin, are your auditory sensors—"
"You're not hearing things, Starfire. We've got a nasty at large."
The Titans responded in record time, virtually colliding in the hall to get to the elevators that would take them to the Information Center.
Practically squeezing through the elevator doors all at the same time, Cyborg and Beast Boy at once fell to arguing about who their villain might be. Raven made a sarcastic remark about useless debates which subsequently led to Cyborg and Beast Boy placing bets, just to put an end to present discussions.
"I hope it is not too much of a nasty," said Starfire, squeezed between the elevator wall and Cyborg.
Robin was ashamed to admit that no one said anything in agreement, not even for pretend.
As they spilled into the information center, Robin quickly punched the necessary codes to pinpoint who and where.
Robin pointed at the beacon beeping on the enlarged map on-screen. "Holi-tron and Gamers, Titans! It's a bit off—"
Beast Boy shrieked in hyena-like laughter. "Did you just say 'Holy tron and gamers, Titans?' Phear! There were rumors you talked like that before, but dude!"
More laughter ensued, this time joined by Cyborg. Starfire and Raven looked mostly annoyed because they didn't get it.
Robin flashed Beast Boy and Cyborg a confused scowl. "As I was saying, the activity's coming from Holi-tron and Gamers, a laboratory just off San Francisco."
"All the way to San Jose, in Sta. Clara," said Raven amidst the burps of giggling in the background.
Starfire studied the map. "That is at least thirty minutes by land. We need air transport."
A separate window popped up on screen and information came pouring through it. They grew grim as the identity of their "nasty" became apparent: Cinderblock had come out of hiding.
Robin felt the rush of anticipation flooding through him. "We're taking the T-Chopper. Cyborg, I want you at the helm. Titans, let's fly.
The flight between Titan Tower and Sta. Clara would take no more than fifteen minutes, but Robin was worried at the kind of damage Cinderblock could cause.
As they mounted the chopper and closed themselves in against the noise of the blades, Starfire was quick with a suggestion. "I shall fly ahead and see what I can do."
Robin almost just as quickly denied it. "Negative. None of us could handle Cinderblock alone or paired. I would send Raven and Beast Boy with you, but flying that far would sap Raven of energy. No way am I sending just the two of you out on your own. We'll just have to get there as quickly as we could, as a team."
Cyborg maneuvered the chopper with optimum efficiency and they arrived in Sta. Clara three minutes ahead of ETA.
The scene overlooking the five story facility was disturbing. Smoke rose in the air while people scattered to get away. The wide, C-shaped building was surrounded by fire trucks, rescue trucks, and at least two dozen squad cars. There was evidence of SWAT teams poised in strategic locations around the facility and Cyborg had to dodge two of several helicopters sharing the air with them. Beside the horizontal structure was a vertical high rise. It was only a few stories higher but distinctly separate in function. It was yet unharmed from where they could see it and it would be an ideal place for front row seats to the bedlam. At the center of the puffy black haze was Cinderblock, lumbering without direction atop the roof of the industrial facility.
"Reporters, superheroes and a super-freak on the rampage," said Raven. "I hate reporters."
Robin cocked a grin. Cinderblock was going down. "Titans, let's go!"
Cyborg unsealed the hatches on both sides of the chopper and a blast of wind shot through the opening. Starfire latched her arms around Raven and flew both of them through the air, diving towards the scene of chaos. Beast Boy and Robin jumped, the speed sending adrenaline lacing through Robin. Mid-air, Beast Boy transformed into a Pterodactyl and glided right beneath Robin for a catch.
Robin landed easily on Beast Boy's back. "Always liked you, BB," yelled Robin above the din of the wind.
BB gave a shrill cry as they swooped above the building. The smoke from below made seeing Cinderblock near impossible so the emergence of a car, hurtling towards them caught them by surprise. Cinderblock was throwing things; big things.
Someone shouted, "Debris!" and Robin recognized it as Starfire. There was a blast and Robin was half-shocked to find himself passing through the aftermath of the explosion. He saw car parts flying in all directions and a trail of green mist; proof that Starfire had saved his and Beast Boy's hides.
Robin gave her a thumbs-up before instructing Beast Boy to land on the highest building. There was no way they could land at ground zero.
Starfire pointed at the thickening miasma. "None of you could see through the smoke. It is too thick. I will draw him out."
Knowing there was no other way, Robin nodded. Starfire took off and Raven fell into her silent battle stance. Robin and Beast Boy hopped to the ledge of the building and awaited Cinderblock's emergence.
There was a blast, and then a roar. Cinderblock fell through the smoke and toppled off the building, landing on the grassy quadrangle of the building's inner complex. Starfire shot out after him, a ball of green and orange fire that swooped over and above his sprawled form.
Robin was quick to action. He flung himself from the edge, jumping over and swinging around flagpoles. He grabbed explosives from his belt and released them, having them detonate at Cinderblock's feet. Chips of cement flew in all directions. He made a quick turn and threw his utility rope, the birdarang spinning around Cinderblock's legs. He fell with a crash.
It served to enrage the hulking mass predictably enough, but to Robin's astonishment, he broke free. There was a snap, followed by the whistle of whipping rope.
"Whoa!" Robin ducked and he barely missed the backlash.
Beast Boy, taking the form of a rhinoceros, charged straight into the rock monster's gut.
Cinderblock went flying back with an almost ear-splitting yowl, a large crack forming in his midsection.
Amazingly enough, Cinderblock recovered from this too, and ripping a colossal block of cement from the side of the building, he hurled it straight at Beast Boy.
Robin heard a familiar chant and the slab splattered against a wall of crackling energy just before it hit him. The relief was evident in Beast Boy's expression.
"He is strong," said Starfire above the din.
Raven shrugged. "He always has been."
"No, he is stronger. It is as if we could not affect him."
Robin watched as Cinderblock poised himself to charge at them again. He understood what Starfire was saying. "He's made of the same stuff and we have affected him, but it's like his mind has gone berserk. He doesn't care if he's damaged, he just wants to fight."
Cinderblock attacked and one by one, the titans met him with what they had. Fireballs, bombs, energy blasts and the massive, swinging tail of a brontosaurus, but nothing prevailed.
From out of the smoke overhead, Cyborg suddenly emerged and met Cinderblock head-on with a downward punch, burying Cinderblock's face into the ground.
There was a low, frightening groan, and then silence.
Cyborg laughed and flexed his metallic arms. "What would you fools do without me?"
Raven arched an eyebrow sardonically. "I could think of many things I could do without you."
Starfire swooped down ecstatically. "Bravo, Cyborg!"
Beast Boy scoffed. "Lucky hit. We pretty much had him, you know."
Tutting, Cyborg pretended to be examining his nails and polishing them on his sleeve. "Try not to act so jealous, BB."
Beast Boy scowled, and as much as Robin wanted to put in a sarcastic word or two, he had other things to worry about.
"Good job, team. Now let's get this hunk of dirt contained."
Robin was just about to radio in for back up when the sound of grinding cement halted him. Cinderblock moved and the Titans immediately jumped away from him on instinct.
He rose explosively, quicker than any of them expected, and he made a lunge for Robin.
Robin acted with almost superhuman speed, shooting his spare utility rope to anchor it on a horizontal flagpole above, but he knew, on instinct, that he was not going to make it. He would suffer a hit, and he hoped to God it wasn't fatal. He braced himself for the impact and saw Cinderblock closing in.
Suddenly there was a bright flash of green. He felt something slam on his chest, knocking the wind right out of him. He gasped for breath as heat suffused his entire body for a split heartbeat.
He landed painfully on his back, skidding against the earth and scraping the skin off his arms and elbows. His vision grew cloudy and he was aware that for a while, he blacked out.
Robin thought maybe it was the silence that woke him, but as he opened his eyes and pushed his battered body to sit up, he saw Cinderblock in the distance, half of him pulverized to dust.
He felt hands on him and Robin flinched.
"Easy, dude. I think you're going to be fine." It was Beast Boy.
Robin smirked, wincing as his ribs screamed in protest. "Yeah, well, what do you know?"
There was something in Beast Boy's eyes that sent a chill right through Robin's sore bones. "W-What?"
"Robin…"
"Starfire… " Robin stood abruptly and the pain of his injuries clawed through him. He ignored Beast Boy's pleas to sit still until medical help arrived. All he could focus on was Raven and Cyborg in the distance, hunched over what he could make out as Starfire lying motionless on the grass.
Cyborg saw him coming and moved back. "I've radioed the paramedics. A couple of them should be getting here soon."
It was almost as if Robin hadn't heard him. He fell to his knees beside Starfire, shocked at how she looked. The right half of her face was turning into one big Tamaranian bruise and blood gushed in alarmingly great quantities from her nose. She was still, and she was breathing, but she looked to be on the very verge of death. What were they doing? Why were they just standing around? Shouldn't they be bringing her—somewhere?
"Don't," said Raven, blocking Robin who was already reaching to gather Starfire in his arms. "We saw her take the hit. Cinderblock got her in the head. It's bad enough that we already moved her…"
Panic rose in him and for a split second, he felt like screaming at all of them for not caring enough, but with monumental self-control, he took several deep breaths to compose himself.
"We wait for the paramedics." He didn't know how he managed to say it.
Everything else after that seemed like a blur to Robin. The paramedics came and began strapping the necessary braces on her to protect her spine. They secured her to a gurney, reciting medical jargon that Robin could only understand in parts.
Robin wanted to grab himself a paramedic and demand for a prognosis, but he restrained himself, giving instructions over his shoulder to the rest of the Titans while following the gurney as it was wheeled away.
Robin stared wanly at Starfire's unmoving form on the hospital bed. His eyes were blood shot behind the mask and his black hair was more of a mess than usual. The bandages around his arms and body needed replacing and he smelled like eucalyptus. He hadn't eaten all day and the truth of the matter was he didn't think he had the energy to do anything else but sit and wait.
Starfire's coma was going on its fourth day, and while three of those days had been spent gathering facts and examining clues concerning the attack, there wasn't much to go on when the prime suspect was practically blown to smithereens. No motive to Cinderblock's outrage was apparent. He had simply appeared at the toy research center and went postal, killing half a dozen scientists when he came crashing through the topmost floor.
When Robin and the others had exhausted all possible leads, it finally dawned on them, more so on Robin: Starfire was in a coma. And when they asked how she would fare; if she was going to wake up, all the doctor could say was, "It's hard to tell, with her."
They may as well have said, "We've never treated a Tamaranian before, so it's all trial and error now."
Robin wasn't sure how he'd cope now that the work was done and there was nothing left to distract him. The other Titans were obviously careful about what they told him regarding the accident, which only confirmed his fears: Starfire took the hit for him. The blast of heat he had felt in battle had come from her. To push him out of harm's way, her only option had been to hit him with a starbolt and it was probably the only reason he may have survived.
"She knew she could take the hit better than you can," Beast Boy had said.
It did not help his mental state at all.
The bruising on Starfire's face had all but healed now and Robin hoped that it meant she healed just as quickly everywhere else.
She has to be alright.
Burying his face in his hands, he took a page out of Raven's book and tried to find his center. He focused on positive thoughts, remembering Starfire when she was in perfect health; blushing and vibrant. He recalled the talk he had with her in the Titan Tower; how uplifted he felt when she told him, "… I do take comfort in the fact that the boy of wonder looks out for me, not only because I am his teammate, but because I am his friend."
He exhaled, feeling a thin blanket of calm. He was glad it was working.
Robin focused on even nicer thoughts: Holding her hand; seeing her in a pink prom dress; riding beside her on the Ferris wheel…
He opened his eyes, comforted, but one look at Starfire's pale, sleeping face, the luster gone from her fiery red hair and plastic tubes snaking from her extremities, he fell back into instant despair.
What was he supposed to do without her? She was his lighthouse in the dark, remember? And she was supposed to stick around. What in HELL was he going to do now?
He shook his head and closed his eyes against the glare of the fluorescent, massaging his brow with his thumb and forefinger. His head hurt.
Someone should turn down the damn lights in this joint.
"And the point of your hunger strike is?"
Robin recognized the sarcasm without need of looking. "I'm not hungry."
He opened his eyes and saw Raven, hand to her hip. He couldn't see her face, but he could almost feel Raven's disapproval.
"You're my leader," she said flatly. "So start living by example. Stop being such an emotional wimp."
Robin shot her a glare but faltered under her stead gaze. "Fine. What do you have?"
Raven shoved a paper bag in his hands. Mickey Ds, of course.
"Where are Cyborg and Beast Boy?" he asked as he fished a burger from the bag.
"There was an All the Slices You Can Eat at the Pizza Hut…"
Robin grumbled something unintelligible as he bit into his burger.
Raven stared at him a moment. "You know—" She paused, sitting beside him.
"What?"
"You can't hide it from me. I live repression. I am repression, so you might as well say what you have to say. Unlike me, unleashing your emotions is good for you."
His eyes narrowed, and in a fit of rebellion, he thought he'd be stubborn and prove her wrong by denying it. But Raven's words had struck sooner than he was prepared for, and before he could stop himself—he stood, clenched his fists and started yelling. "How could you all just hang around, stuffing your faces with pizza? Don't any of you care for Starfire at all? Beast Boy comes in here making his stupid jokes and Cy just encourages him by laughing every effing time! And you! Can't you, for once, feel something? You and Starfire are supposed to be close friends, aren't you? What the hell is wrong with all you people? You're all a bunch of insensitive, apathetic uncaring jerks and I hate you all!"
Raven merely stared at him dispassionately while his chest heaved with anger. The beeping of Starfire's monitors marked the silence that followed and slowly, he matched the cadence of his breathing to it, easing to normalcy.
Robin's shoulders slackened and he collapsed back in his chair. He looked at his hand and saw that the burger had been crushed beyond recognition. He chucked the burger into the paper bag and groaned.
Raven arched an eyebrow. "Feel better?"
"No. I feel horrible saying those things. You suck as a therapist."
Raven shrugged. "Sorry. But we do care about Starfire, just so you know."
"I know you care about Starfire. I just said that because I feel like sh—"
Someone moaned, and it didn't sound like Raven. Robin bolted from his seat and went immediately to Starfire's side. Raven was at the other side just as quickly.
Starfire squirmed, eyes pinching. "Ouch…"
Robin watched her with concern. "Starfire?"
"I feel like an oogerbarkulf ran me over…"
Relief washed over him. So far, she sounded like she was going to make it. He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Raven, please go get a nurse. Tell them Starfire's awake."
Robin saw the briefest of smiles on Raven's lips as she nodded and left the room.
For the first time in three days, he found it in himself to muster a chuckle. "You currently hold the Titan Record for longest hours slept, Star." He took a cup of water from the bedside table and un-extended the retractable straw.
Star sipped slowly and swallowed, taking a moment to catch her breath before she spoke. "How long was I in stasis?"
"Three days, going on four."
She smiled weakly. "I beat Cyborg's record by at least sixty six hours. How exciting! Ouch…" Slowly, she opened her eyes.
"Easy…" He grinned, ecstatic that she was going to be alright.
A shocked expression began to settle on her face, her mouth dropping open as she blinked several times. Something was wrong.
Robin's hands went cold. "What's wrong?"
"Richard," she said in whisper, her voice trembling. "I… I couldn't see anything. I couldn't see anything."
Shock rippling through him. He stared and saw the frantic movement of her eyes, desperate; searching. It twisted his insides in newfound anguish.
The light overhead bounced off every shiny surface of the room, bathing everything in a hospital-sanitized sheen; everything, except Starfire's eyes.
To be continued.
Closing notes: I do suggest that you read Darkfire after this chapter. It's not a bad side-story to this saga.