Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Back to the Present ❯ The Circus ( Chapter 8 )

BACK TO THE PRESENT
Chapter 8: The Circus

By Jacque Nicole

The next morning began fairly normally. Starfire was busy in the kitchen, happily preparing breakfast for the group, although her mood was slightly tainted due to the previous day's events. The older and younger Cyborgs sat at the breakfast table discussing technologic mumbo-jumbo that Starfire knew she'd never understand. Opposite the Cyborgs, the Ravens discussed their home planet of Azareth over their morning beverage of choice - the older Raven sipping a mug full of coffee and the younger Raven opting for tea. There was no mystery to where the Beast Boys were - still sound asleep. Everyone was accounted for - everyone except Robin and Nightwing.

The fact that both Nightwing and Robin were missing did not worry Starfire as much as it usually would have. After the events of the previous evening, she was not eager to speak with either of them. If they both were to drop off the face of the earth, Starfire wouldn't have minded much. At least then she wouldn't have to face them.

Starfire turned off the electric stove and placed the freshly cooked food in plates, her mind still occupied by the two vigilantes. Subconsciously, she placed the dishes in front of each Titan before sliding into a vacant seat.

“Yes! My favorite - bacon and eggs! Thanks Star!” Young Cyborg shouted, unknowingly bringing his Tamaranian friend out of her stupor.

“Yes, Cyborg. I knew you would enjoy the bacon and the eggs meal. You are very welcome,” she replied. She rested her head in her arms on the table, mentally exhausted.

Sensing her distress, the older Raven tried to comfort the girl. “Starfire,” she whispered in the red head's ear. “Are you all right?”

Starfire gave a weak nod and replied, “Yes, I am fine. It is just that - ”

She was cut off by the sound of the kitchen door creaking open. Out of curiosity, Starfire's head shot up to see who just entered the kitchen. Starfire's emerald eyes widened as they stared into wide masked eyes.

Robin and Starfire stared at each other moment, both of them feeling as if it were a century before they diverted their gazes. There was an awkward silence in the kitchen which went unnoticed by the Cyborgs, who still knew nothing about the argument Robin and Starfire had the night before.

The awkward moment was interrupted when the Beast Boys sleepily clamored through the swinging doors. As they made their way toward empty chairs, Robin chose to occupy the one next to Starfire.

“Star,” he whispered under everyone's chatter. “We need to talk.”

As soon as the words left Robin's mouth one more person sauntered into the kitchen.

“Good morning, everyone!” Nightwing said with a huge smile on his face. “Isn't it just a wonderful morning?”

“Have you been smoking or something?” The older Cyborg asked with a raised eyebrow. Nightwing shook his head and chuckled in response. “Then why the hell are you so happy this early in the morning?”

“Oh, no reason. It's just that Starfire and I are going to have a great time at the circus tonight,” Nightwing said as he stole a piece of bacon off of the stove. “Actually, that's what I came in here for. I wanted to talk to her about tonight's details.” He glanced toward where she sat, making eye contact with the Boy Wonder. “...that is, if you don't mind me stealing her away for a second.”

`Isn't that what you're trying to do anyway?' Thought Robin to himself. “Actually - ” he began.

“No, no. I am certain Robin does not mind,” interrupted the red head. “Do you, Robin?”

“Starfire - ”

“Splendid!” Was her last word as she dragged Nightwing out the door, happy to get away from the Boy Wonder.

Nightwing chuckled as Starfire pulled him toward the couch. “I didn't know you were so eager to talk to me.”

Starfire's face heated up in embarrassment. She let go of Nightwing like he had the plague. “I am sorry about that. It is just that... I do not think I am ready to talk to Robin yet. He deeply hurt my feelings last night.”

“Don't worry about it. I understand.” Nightwing sat on the couch and yanked on Starfire's hand, dragging her down with him. “Tonight you'll be able to take your mind off of Robin. We're going to have a great time.”

The door to the kitchen burst open and Robin stepped out. Upon sight, Starfire wrenched her hand away from Nightwing, and the Boy Wonder happened to see the movement. He stared at the pair, maybe a little longer that he should have, considering that it was obvious, to him anyway, that Starfire wasn't interested in him the way he was with her. `But,' he thought to himself, `if she didn't care at all, why would she try to hide what she has with Nightwing from me?'

Robin averted his eyes from the couple and silently excused himself from the room.

Nightwing and Starfire watched as the doors slid shut behind Robin. There was a strange awkward silence between the two, as if their special moment was tainted by the Boy Wonder's brief appearance.

“Well, that was strange,” Nightwing said. “I wonder why he just came and left like that,” he continued, taking hold of Starfire's hand as he held it before Robin came into the room.

“Uh, Nightwing?” Starfire gently slid Nightwing's hand off of hers. “I do not think we should commence in hand holding right now.”

“Oh. Well... That's fine.” There was another drawn out silence between the two before it became unbearable. Starfire became so uncomfortable; she started squirming in her seat, making sure she didn't look Nightwing in the eye after such an embarrassing ordeal.

“What time would you like to leave tonight?” asked Nightwing, shattering the quiet.

“It does not matter to me,” Starfire replied quietly.

“Eight o' clock it is, then.”

There was another brief lack of conversation.

“You know what? I think you'll love the circus. It's so happy and beautiful - like you.” Starfire blushed deeply at the comment. Nightwing continued, “You'd get to see what I did as a child. Trapeze artists and tightrope walkers are truly graceful.”

“I can imagine,” said Starfire as she fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat.

“You know, I am a bit surprised that Robin hasn't told you about them.”

The mention of Robin's secrecy hit a soft spot in Starfire. “So am I,” she said, thinking of all the things she told Robin in the argument they had.

Nightwing could see that Starfire needed some time alone, so he excused himself. “Well, I guess I'll see you later, then,” he said as he rose from the couch.

Starfire rose quickly with him. “Yes. I shall `catch you on you on the flip side,' correct?”

He chuckled. “Right. See you later, Star.” And after delivering a delicate kiss on the Tamaranian's hand - during which, Starfire blushed in embarrassment - Nightwing left Starfire alone to, once again, ponder over her feelings.

XOXOXOXOX

Hours flew by in what seemed like seconds, and it was now about seven thirty, half an hour before Nightwing told her that they'd be leaving, and Starfire was locked up in her room by herself. She looked at herself up and down in the mirror, carefully scrutinizing her outfit.

Instead of wearing her costume, she chose to wear civilian clothing on her date. She felt a bit uncomfortable in her tight low riser jeans and purple tank top, but as she looked at herself she resembled an average teenage human girl.

Meanwhile, down the hallway, Robin leaned against the wall, contemplating if he should try to talk to Starfire again.

When he finally mustered up the courage to speak with her, the two Ravens walked right past him and toward Starfire's room. The doors slid open as Starfire allowed the pair in, but did not slide completely shut after the entered, allowing anything they said to be heard in the hallway.

Normally, Robin was not an eavesdropper. Under average circumstances, Robin would have left the girls alone in privacy, but now he was so eager to hear what Starfire would divulge to them that he decided to listen in on their conversation.

In the meantime, Starfire was glad to see the two Ravens at the other side of her door. She happily stepped aside to let them inside, knowing that she'd feel better after talking to them.

“Greetings friends!” she said happily.

“Hey Star!” the older Raven replied. She looked up and down at her attire and nodded approvingly. “We came here to help you pick out some clothes for tonight, but it looks like you've done that already.”

“No, she wanted to help you pick out clothes. I just had nothing better to do,” teenage Raven clarified.

“Well, the purpose of your visit does not matter. I am glad you decided to grace me with your presence.”

“No prob,” said Future Raven. “So... are you excited about your date tonight?”

“Well... I am certain that Nightwing and I will have fun,” the Tamaranian replied.

“But you're not excited?”

“No, I fear not,” replied Starfire. “I was when he first invited me to accompany him, but now I am more confused than anything.”

“Confused? About what?” questioned the older Raven.

“About Nightwing and Robin,” the teenage Raven answered for her teammate. “Her emotions confuse her.”

Outside the door, Robin was puzzled. `What does Raven mean by that? Is there was a possibility that Starfire actually had some feelings for me?'

“Yes. I have never felt this way before,” Starfire said as she sat on her bed in the room. “I feel something special toward them both but Robin... Robin is very dear to me but... I wish he would open up to me.”

“Starfire, you have to understand that that's just the kind of guy Robin is. He just doesn't do that type of thing,” said teen Raven.

“But it hurts me when he does not speak to me or tell me about himself. I wish to know everything about him - his past, his likes and dislikes... Did you know that I've never seen him without his mask?” She sighed sadly. “It almost seems like he hides behind it. I just wish he was as comfortable with me as he is with the rest of you.” She looked at her friends dejectedly. “Is that normal?”

In the hallway, Robin raised a gloved hand to his mask. `She wants to see me... the realme...' His head shot up as he heard distant foot steps heading for the hallway he was in. Deftly, Robin rounded into the opposite corridor just before Nightwing entered the hall he was previously in.

“Perfectly normal,” said the older Raven back in Starfire's room, “Starfire, I wish I could help you, but I've never really felt that way toward anyone.” The other Raven nodded in agreement.

“It is all right, friends. I am not sure anyone can help me anymore. I just had to `get it off of my chest,' correct?”

Just then, there were three quick knocks in Starfire's door. Starfire hopped off of her bed and walked toward her door. She pressed a button so that the door would slide open. The sight that greeted her made her gasp.

Nightwing stood in her door decked out in casual clothes, as she was. He wore a pair of khaki pants and a red Billabong t-shirt. His shoes were a pair of sandals, and a watch graced his left wrist while a hemp bracelet embraced the other one. But none of this is what made her take short breaths in shock.

He was not wearing his mask.

Starfire stared deeply into Nightwing's eyes, drowning in their depths. They were a piercing blue that hypnotized Starfire with their beauty.

“Wow Star. You look fantastic,” he said, his eyes automatically darting toward her cleavage. He forced himself to look at her face. He didn't want his hormones to screw this up for him. “I guess great minds think alike, huh?” He said, pointing to her casual outfit and then at his.

His comments fell on deaf ears. “Your mask...” Starfire said, reaching up to Nightwing's face in amazement.

He shrugged nonchalantly, not noticing Starfire's brief speechlessness. “Yea, I decided not to wear it. I figure it doesn't matter if someone sees my face since this isn't my dimension anyway.”

The two forgotten Ravens looked at each other and then at the scene before them before speaking. “Nightwing, what are you wearing?” the older Raven asked with a disapproving frown.

Nightwing looked up at them, just noticing their presence. “Oh, you don't like it? I figured the surfer look would help me blend in better, especially with my long hair. And Starfire's `catch you on the flip side' comment sealed the deal,” he said, winking at his date.

“As long as you never, ever wear it again, I'll let it slide,” said the older Raven as she and her counterpart left the room.

Nightwing offered his arm to Starfire. “Ready to head out?”

She gave him a small smile and hooked her arm with his. “As ready as I will ever be.”

XOXOXOXOX

Cyborg allowed the pair to borrow the T-Car for the night. The ride to the circus grounds was filled with comfortable small talk and sing-alongs with the radio. After arriving, finding seats in the crowded big top proved to be a challenge, but after a few minutes, Starfire and Nightwing were able to sit down together fairly close to the ring.

The show was full of amazing sights and feats. When the trapeze artist and tightrope walkers performed, Nightwing explained the tricks of how to keep synchronized on the swing bars and balanced on the suspended ropes. Starfire was shocked by the lion tamer's performance and adored the elephants. Several clowns rode around in their mini car and made the audience laugh with their hilarious hijinks.

When the performance was over the several thousand people in the big top all gathered around the exit, beginning to leave.

“So, how did you like the show?” Nightwing asked as he walked along with the flow of people.

“It was most glorious! All the acts were simply amazing, especially the clowns. They were so funny!” Starfire answered happily.

“Well, I'm glad that you enjoyed yourself.” Nightwing said, but was interrupted by a light tap on his shoulder. He turned around to spot a girl who looked strangely familiar.

“Hey there,” she purred with a saucy smile. “Remember me?” she asked tossing, her long brown hair over her shoulder. It gently brushed across Nightwing's face, and he smelled the most beautiful smelling scent that he'd ever smelled.

Nightwing tried to remember her face. After a moment, it came to him. “Aren't you one of the girls by the punch bowl at the prom?”

“So you do remember me!” she replied, hooking herself on to Nightwing like a leech and starting a conversation as they headed toward the exit.

XOXOXOXOX

Starfire looked at the curvaceous brunette with angry eyes as she tried to walk while rubbing as much of her body on him as possible, and Nightwing, being the man that he was, did not try to stop her. `Disgusting klorbag!' thought Starfire vehemently.

After being pushed around in the crowd like a rag doll, Starfire gave up trying to get Nightwing's attention back as she spotted a group of clowns all leaving out of another exit. Out of curiosity, she followed them.

The hallway behind the doors was dark, but Starfire followed the sound of the clowns squeaky shoes and high pitched voices as they walked down the corridor. Suddenly, the soft squeaks disappeared and was replaced by and eerie silence.

“Oof!” Starfire mumbled as she collided with a wall. She used her powers to generate a light in her hand. She carefully examined all the walls for any exit the clowns may have used but could not find a door anywhere. “That's peculiar. I wonder where they went.”

Just as she turned around she felt something pointed pierce her arm. She immediately fired several starbolts in defense but they were in vain. Her attacker had seemingly disappeared. She rubbed her arm then held up a glowing hand to it. A small puncture wound surrounded by a sore red rash graced her bicep.

“What was that?” she asked herself in a daze as she scratched the rash. Suddenly, she began to get dizzy. Her balance wavered as she tried to walk back to the entrance of the dark corridor.

“Where do you think you're going, my dear?” a deep, unearthly voice boomed in her ears.

Starfire whirled around, starbolts ready. “Who are you? Where are you?” By now the dizziness was unbearable, fogging her brain of coherent thoughts.

“Stop fighting it, my dear,” the voice said. Now, instead of being boomingly loud, the voice acquired a lulling tone to Starfire. It was hard for her to even keep her eyes open. “Stop fighting it,” he repeated. “Go to sleep.”

And Starfire's world went black.

XOXOXOXOX

Outside the big top, Nightwing said good bye to his new acquaintance, Laura. “She was nice, wasn't she, Star?” he asked in a daze. At her lack of response, Nightwing turned around and was shocked to see that his date wasn't following him. He shook his head to clear his clouded mind. “Star?” he shouted over the noise of the crowd. “Star? Starfire? Where are you?” Nightwing began to become a little frantic. It wasn't like Starfire to wander away and not respond when called.

Nightwing struggled to get back into the big top against the flow of the people trying to get out. He managed to slip in as the crowd began to dwindle.

Starfire was no where in sight. Nightwing began too call her name again, but had no answers.

He exited the big top, only too come to a nearly empty circus ground. `Maybe she's waiting for me at the car,' Nightwing desperately thought as he took off in nearly a run toward where he parked the T-Car.

As he approached the vehicle, he could see that there was no one near or inside it.

Now, Nightwing was fully frenzied. `Calm down, Nightwing,' he told himself. `Starfire's a big girl. She can take care of herself...'

As Nightwing hesitantly slid into the driver's seat, he looked back at the circus grounds in the rear view window.

`Starfire cantake care of herself... Right?'

...End Chapter 8...

Number of words: 3,102

Posted: July 10, 2005
Edited: September 7, 2006