Trust... [A Robin Love Story]

Chapter 27: The Rage...

Author's P.O.V

"Hey, what'cha lookin' at?" Beast Boy startled Krystal as she was going though an album that Starfire had given her. Krystal was too shy to respond so she closed the album and showed him the cover. He happily took a seat next to her and watched her open the album back up. She flipped though the pages slowly, not knowing why she could see herself in the pictures yet being unable to remember anything.

"Is this really me?" She asked herself, rhetorically.

"Of course that's you!! I'm surprised you don't remember!" He said as he grabbed the album from her. He flipped though a could more pages and pointed out his favorites. He would also tell her about the memories that came with the photo that he pointed to. She pretended to smile and appear to enjoy it as much as he was but the voices in her head wouldn't stop.

'You're wasting your time.'

'You don't deserve them.'

'You are unwanted.'

'You will betray them.'

'The only thing you know is pain."

Beast Boy noticed that her eyes had gone blank but she still had a smile. He stopped his chatter and closed the album. "But I guess, that's all this album will ever be, memories."

She snapped out of her daze and her attention was brought back to him.

"Personally, I don't really care that you can't remember. The important thing is that you're back and you're safe." He said to her with a gentle pat on her shoulder. She felt guilty for zoning out on her conversation with him and therefore retreated into her room.

"She is different, is she not?" Starfire said to herself as Beast Boy walked past her.

"Well... Who knows what Slade did to her when she went back to him." He said. Starfire put a hand to her mouth to muffle her sobs.

"Since her return, Robin has changed." she said.

"We've all changed, Starfire. With Slade gone, Terra's death, Krystal's memories being erased, I think that would be enough to mess anyone up." He said with clenched fists and he continued on his way. Starfire's sorrow turned into anger and determination. She wipes her tears and furrowed her brows as she finally realized what she had to do.

Later that night, everyone was gathered in the main hall after dinner while they were all doing their own thing. Robin had headphones on, Raven was in the corner reading a book, Cyborg and Beast Boy were on the TV playing their video games and Krystal made herself comfortable on the couch next to the windows. Starfire's eyes turned green and she quickly threw a star bolt at Krystal. She was almost caught off guard and managed to dodge the attack but Starfire flew through the cloud of debris and landed a swift punch right on her cheek. Krystal flew across the room and cracked the wall adjacent to where Starfire attacked her. She landed on the floor with a loud thud and while she was still unconscious, Starfire pinned her down and roughly grabbed her collar in a blind fury, ready to land the next punch.

"Everything had changed when you arrived! If you had remained our enemy, we would not be hurting!! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT." Starfire drew her fist back and continued to punch her, left and right. The other titans quickly ambushed Starfire and tried to pry her away from Krystal. Starfire threw them aside with her monstrous alien strength and she went back to beating the living daylights out of Krystal. Robin aggressively tackled Starfire and managed to get her off Krystal.

"Quick, get her out of here!!" Robin managed to say while struggling to keep Starfire down. Cyborg and Beast Boy quickly put her arms over their shoulders and carried her back to her room, but as they were carrying her out, Raven had noticed a glowing, red Azarathian symbol on the small of her back. Her heart suddenly began racing and she felt light headed but she just played it cool as she put her hood over her head and quickly went back to her room. Starfire stopped thrashing and just broke down. Robin released her and gently helped her up.

"What happened back there, Starfire?" Robin asked, at a loss for words.

"She has brought and ominous change into our tower, Robin. Do you not see? If she had not stayed with us in the first place, we would not be hurting like this." She said in between sobs. Robin let out a defeated sigh.

"I understand that you're hurting right now Starfire. But you have to understand that Krystal really isn't who you think she is. She's been living under Slade's shadow her whole life. But if you really get to know her, she's just a lost person still trying to figure out how to be the person that she wants to be. She's kind and just wants to protect her family, and we're her only family right now so we have to let her feel like she's one of us." He gently explained to her. Each word was like a double edged sword that went through Starfire's chest. He wrapped her arms around her and gave a soft pat on her back.

"I know it's hard to understand. It hasn't been easy for any of us, so I'm here for you." He said. Starfire hesitated but eventually gave in and melted into his embrace and cried and cried and cried.