Mother's Day
Summary: It's Mother's Day and everyone in the tower is getting ready to celebrate the day one way or another. Everyone that is, except for our resident fun-loving princess. What happened that causes Starfire to shed tears of misery on such a glorious day?
Disclaimer: Sorry! I don't own the Titans!
"So what are y'all going to do for Mother's Day?" Cyborg asked from his place in the kitchen.
Beastboy paused his videogame and said, "Elastigirl is coming to town and we're going to hang out in the arcade all day!"
Raven looked up from her book and raised an eyebrow. "So you're going to drag your adopted mother to the arcade? What a good prodigal son you are," she droned.
Beastboy frowned. "Hey, I don't know what you just called me, but Elastigirl is mean shark when it comes to DDR!"
Raven rolled her eyes and muttered, "whatever."
Starfire floated over to the couch and asked the empath, "What are you going to do on the day that celebrates mothers Friend Raven?"
Looking up from her book once more, Raven replied, "I'm going to Azerath to visit Arella. We're going to do a little bit of…" Raven rolled her eyes before continuing, "mother-daughter bonding time."
"What about you Cy?" Beastboy asked.
"Bee called me the other day." Cyborg began. "We're going to hang out with her mom who's coming to Steel City for a visit."
"Going to meet your future mother-in-law?" Beastboy asked in a sly voice. Cyborg gritted his teeth.
"Bee ain't my girlfriend!" He snapped. "And we're not getting married either!" Determined to turn the spotlight onto someone else, Cyborg then targeted their silent leader. "What about you Rob?"
Robin grimaced. Days like Mother's Day and Father's Day magnified his parents' deaths ten-fold. "I'm going to stay here and do some paperwork," he muttered. He turned to his best friend. "Hey Star, you never said what you were going to do for Mother's Day."
Starfire swallowed. She had never told her friends anything about her family. Only about Galfore, her k'norfka. Oh, and Blackfire, but Blackfire had forced herself into their lives. Her past in general, was a subject she never liked talking about.
Seeing his friend's brilliant persona diminish, Robin laid a hand on her shoulder and asked in a concerned voice, "Star…are you okay?"Starfire snapped out of her reverie.
She pasted on a smile and said, "I am wonderful Friend Robin! Absolutely fine! As to your question, I am remaining here. After all I do not believe that the villains will be staying home to celebrate the days for mothers." With that, she turned to retreat to her room.
Raven frowned, "Okay, something is definitely upsetting her."
"Especially if she's starting to sound like Robin," Cyborg chimed in, now making his way into the living room.
"Let's not push it," Robin said eyeing Beastboy who was getting up to venture toward Starfire's room. "If she wants to talk, she'll talk."
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Mother's Day...
By the time Starfire reached the Ops room, Cyborg, Raven and Beastboy had already left the Tower. She floated forlornly into the kitchen and found a note on the kitchen counter from Robin saying he had to go somewhere, but he promised to be back in time to watch the sunset with her. Starfire managed a weak smile. At least she wouldn't be alone all day. She headed back to her room to make a transmission.
Meanwhile…
Robin had driven to Gotham and was now standing in the middle of a cemetery in front of two graves. Wordlessly he placed a chrysanthemum atop a grave that read: Mary Grayson. January 13, 1975- June 21, 2003. Beloved Wife. Beloved Mother.
Robin could still hear the roar of the crowd as his mother soared above them He could still see the look of pure terror on her face as the wire snapped. Robin shuddered visibly. If only he hadn't left Starfire at the Tower. He could've used her comfort.
Starfire! Robin remembered with a jolt. She had been uncomfortable when asked what she planned to do for Mother's Day. He hoped that everything was okay with her. Star couldn't have possibly gone through what he had to go through.
Robin hopped onto the R-cycle and sped back toward the Tower.
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Starfire was perplexed. She was sitting on the roof trying to understand what Galfore had just told her. Starfire had called up and asked where her parents were buried. What Galfore had told her didn't make any sense. Galfore had admitted he didn't know where Starfire's parents were buried. Apparently during the war someone had tried to erase the existence of the royal family and had sabotaged her parents' bodies.
So what happened? Where were any of her parents' portraits, clothing, papers they've written, any sort of memory for Starfire to salvage? Starfire had only been a newborn when they had died- literally. Starfire scowled. The sun in the sky seemed to be mocking her. This day should not be as glorious as it appears to be! She thought vehemently.
Tears quickly filled her eyes as she fell further and further into despair. "Why Mother?" Starfire cried out. "Why did you have to leave? Why did you have to leave me?" Starfire began to sob. She hated it. Everyone else had a mother or at least memories of one as Robin's case went. Starfire, on the other hand, had nothing. While Galfore was great for being her teacher and bodyguard, Starfire knew she couldn't depend on him to turn to after a nightmare. Seek comfort from Blackfire? Star didn't dare. As for her older brother Ryand'r, X'Hal only knew where he disappeared to after the deaths of their parents.
As Starfire continued to sob, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her shoulders and someone's head rest atop hers. "Star…" It was Robin. "What's wrong?"
"She is dead Robin," Starfire replied in a listless tone.
"Your mom?" He could barely feel her nod. Robin tightened his grip around her. "I'm sorry… my mom passed away too, you know."
"At least you got to say good-bye," Starfire murmured.
Robin frowned. He lifted his head and turned her around so she faced him. "What do you mean?"
Starfire took a deep breath. She didn't like re-telling the story, not one bit. "This is what Galfore told me," she began in a shaky voice. "When I was born, Tamaran was already in its third year of the war with Gordania. An agent had been sent to assass…assassinate the king and queen of Tamaran before we even got involved with the war…" Starfire trailed off and found herself once again in the arms of her leader and best friend.
"If you don't want to continue, you don't have to," he whispered.
Starfire shook her head. "It is good for me… to get this off my chest." Taking another breath she continued. "Three hours after I had been named, the agent succeeded in what he had been sent out to do, and because my planet was already in the midst of war, their deaths were deemed as an accident. Only after the peace treaty had been established, did we learn it had been a planned assassination all along."
Starfire turned teary eyes to Robin and said quietly, "I envy you."
Robin was confused. "Me? You envy me?"
Starfire nodded as the tears started to pour down her face. "You got to say goodbye, but I never had the opportunity to say hello!" She buried her head in his chest sobbing uncontrollably.
Robin held her close and gently began to rock. "I'm so sorry Star…" He whispered. "You don't deserve to feel this type of sorrow. I wish I could take away your pain. Is there anything I can do?"
"Just keep holding me," she whispered. "Please do not let go." Robin obeyed her and they stayed that way as the afternoon sun melted into the evening twilight.
If the Boy Wonder had been listening to the wind, he would have heard a sweet, melodic voice whisper, "Take care of my daughter Robin. Take care of my Koriand'r…"
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Hey! Just thought I'd edit my first fanfiction and re-post it. Please let me know if it's better. Happy 2008 everyone!