The story has been resurrected and also significantly revised. I'd start at the beginning before continuing.

Chapter Seven: The Knight

Night had fallen over the city and the princess was home again, not in the tower, but in the arms of her knight, warm and safe at last. He hadn't let go of her since they had been reunited, not for a moment, not as they returned to Bruce's suite, not after they all retired for the evening. It was as if the moment he released her he was afraid he would lose her again.

They settled as if sleeping, but both could tell from each other's breathing that they were awake. She felt his gloveless fingers circulating gently beneath her hair against her skelp, but her mind was still restless with the conflict of the past days' events and her fear of what the future would bring. Beastboy was still captured and their villain count risen to four total, five if one seperated the girl from her summoned ghostly reaper.

Though, some victory had to be taken in account as well. Four of them were together again, along with the mind of the sharpest detective in their world at their aid. It would not be long before they came up with a plan to find Beastboy and vanquish this deadly team that was so ardently set against them.

Soon, this nightmare would come to an end at last.

"For a minute there," he confessed quietly some time later. "I was afraid you were gone."

She moved closer to him at that, burying her face into his chest in deep affection, but also to hide away. How she had longed for him, worried for him, but her mind was haunted by the thief. Worried for his safety and ashamed of his kiss. Their reunion was tainted for her by his taunting words and lingering presence invading her thoughts. Despite the fact she found it safe to assume that she would never see him again.

Afterall, he had done all that he had said he would do.

"What is it?" Robin asked her concernedly, he knew her far too well for her to hide anything from him for long. "You've been so quiet."

She shook her head, avoiding his gentle coaxing for her to look at him. She couldn't tell him. Not now.

"We'll find Beastboy." he told her, thinking that must have been what was troubling her.

"I know." she replied.

"Then what is it?"

She pulled away, kneeling between his legs, keeping a hand against his chest to keep him from following. She tried to be strong, tried not to cry in front of him. But fall the tears did, and she had no idea where to begin, what she could even say. How could they go on with such a secret between them? But then, what could she tell him without betraying Jason? After all he had done for her, she could not expose him. She had let him disappear and go his own way as he wished, so at least they were even in that regard.

"What?" he asked insistently, clearly distressed, taking hold of her face carefully between his hands. She only managed to sob softly in reply, the sound pitiful in the dimly lit room, making his heart ache. "Did one of them they hurt you?"

She shook her head in reply before letting out a soft and surprised noise when he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers tenderly. His touch was soft, asking and fervent, a reassurance of his devotion and love. Not demanding, rough or frenzied as if the world were about to end.

He pulled away, searching her eyes carefully. His mind was working, she could tell, undoing her as he always did so easily. And, there was no mask to shelter her from the intensity of all that she saw reflected there. "You can tell me." he whispered. "You can tell me anything."

Not this. She couldn't help but think, leaning into his touch, kissing his palm.

..."I love you." she told him.

"I know that." he breathed in concern, thumb stroking the line of her jaw in reassurance. "I know."

"I just wanted to get back to you… and the others." she went on, her voice thick. "That's all I wanted."

"Star… were you on your own all this time?"

Raven had Beastboy, he had Bruce and Cyborg, it made him sick to think of her facing those monsters alone. He knew how much she needed them, depended on them, almost as much as they did her. That and he thought of the boy, the one Bruce had called Jason, the one that his mentor had brushed off as someone who looked like an old acquaintance and nothing more. While Bruce had spent his whole life lying, Starfire was never one for it.

"I…"

The shrill sound of the bedside phone ringing made them both jump. Robin answered it immediately. "What is it?"

"Downstairs." Bruce spoke on the other end. "We need to talk."

The line went dead before he could respond and the boy wonder looked skyward in agitation.

Five years had really changed nothing.

She shifted, letting him rise from the bed, both tortured and relieved by the interruption. "I'll be back." he promised, loathing to leave her, but knowing that she needed rest and maybe time to collect herself. He pressed the cell into her hand, showing her again the panic button that he had already showed all of them three times. She insisted that she was fine. "We're not done here." he also pointed out. She nodded in understanding, he deserved an explanation. He kissed her forehead briefly before turning to leave, eager to see what Bruce had discovered.

...

"What is it?" he asked, entering the secured parlor turned surveillance room.

"She alright?" Bruce asked first, giving his ward a once over.

Robin nodded slowly. "For the most part, she and Raven are a bit shaken, understandably." Since their return to the suite, both he and Cyborg wordlessly split duties between keeping an eye on their female teammates. He on Starfire and Cyborg on Raven. They'd both been through a lot.

"Raven is like you and I," he replied. "That one's different."

"Trust me, I know." Robin told him. "She'll be alright, she's stronger than she looks."

The billionaire relented, before turning to the screen. Street images appeared and replayed the explosion and fighting earlier that day. "I still don't have anything on the girl or the energy absorber… but those two from earlier I think you'll recognize."

The screen focused on the two assailants, closing in on their faces as two wanted posters appeared from behind from the FBI database. Two young adults, both with a likeness of each other.

"Grant and Rose Wilson." Bruce introduced. "Mercenaries and half siblings."

"Wilson?" Robin repeated quietly.

"Yes, as in Slade Wilson."

…

"You should probably turn in," Cyborg told her, clicking off the tv when the news failed to inform any crucial information that they didn't already know. If they were going to find Beastboy and take on the all their new found enemies the next day, they would need their rest.

"...It was my idea to go back into the tower." Raven told him from where she sat beside him on the plush sofa. "They got him because of me."

"We all found each other again because of you too, you had no choice but to take the risk." Cyborg reminded her. "Now we actually have chance to stop them."

"Yeah, I took the risk, but he paid the price."

"Hey, none of that." the half robot scolded. "This time yesterday I wasn't sure if either you or Star were even alive either, and here you both are. Beastboy can handle himself. He doesn't just follow along blindly, he knew what he was doing…We'll find him, Raven."

She didn't seem so sure, but she had learned long ago to not doubt the strength and perseverance of her friends. She had to keep believing. She kept in mind all the good that the day had brought them, and thought of all the times they had prevailed in the past. "At least Starfire is alright, I feared the worse for her and Robin after that warehouse went down."

"Yeah, poor Star was on her own this whole time."

The telepath paused. "No she wasn't."

"What?" Cyborg asked.

"You didn't see him, that guy with her?" she asked. "...He saved her from the mercenaries."

"What guy?"

…

Exhaustion eventually prevailed over her as the night dragged on, she fell asleep with her mind at war between telling the truth or keeping up the lie. Both paths seemed to lead only to catastrophe. Her resulted dreams were torid and raging, though also nonsensical. She would have undoubtedly slept till morning, had there not been a light tap at the window, drawing her to consciousness instantly.

She shot up, hands glowing and ready, only to see the blinds to the balcony open and, X'hal as her witness, there stood Jason donned once again in the Red X attire behind the sliding glass

door.

He straightened a little at the sight of her, hesitant, before he waved in greeting.

She stared at him for a long while, wondering if she was still somehow dreaming.

How on earth could he be standing there?

At the lack of any response, he motioned at the lock that she was certain he could easily access himself. She shook her head at him in disbelief while he nodded just as slowly in reply.

The alien princess, emotionally and physically spent, closed her eyes slowly and took in a deep breath before rising from the bed and crossing the room. She undid the latch and, after a brief pause of hesitation, opened the door to the cold night air and the masked thief.

"Must have got the wrong room." he said, looking her over. "Where's the boy wonder?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked incredulously. Was that all he really had to say?

"Long story," he began. "Though, I guess I can tell you, then I don't have to worry about that whole secret identity thing... We'll find out if it's any less awkward this way."

"How did you move the drapes back from the outside?" she asked in confusion, picturing him breaking in to do so, just to sneak out again.

"They're remote operated." he replied, pressing a button on his screen making them close behind her to prove it. "I hacked the system."

"There are also the security cameras."

He held both disabled cameras out from under his cape in a way that would have been humorous in any other circumstance, before dropping them to the tiled flooring none too gently.

Bruce could afford it.

She frowned, not letting him in, but stepping back out unto the balcony and closing the door behind her. "I did not tell them." she felt the need to say first and foremost.

"You can do what you like, princess." he replied. "I'll manage one way or another."

Her frown deepened and she sensed there was a smirk growing on his lips beneath the skeleton mask as he silently evaluated her. It seemed that he was far more at ease with himself beneath the suit than not. How she had grown to hate it, not just on Robin's behalf, but now his.

"I didn't get the wrong room, did I?" he asked, his amused tone hard to read even without the modulator.

"You just left." she pointed out angrily, ignoring his observation.

"Huh?"

"During the battle, you just left."

"And?" he asked. "What was I supposed to do?"

"There's a target on your back now as well as the rest of us."

"I had no idea."

"You were injured."

"Aw, worried about me?"

"You…" She stopped herself. "Why are you here?"

"Sorry," he relented, seeing he had already wound her up without even really trying in less than three minutes speaking to her. "I really was trying to avoid this."

She believed him in that respect. Though she was concerned as to what would have driven him to face Robin and risk being found out by the Batman.

"I've got the girl." he told her. " Wednesday Addams."

"What?" she exclaimed. "How?"

"Seems she can't summon her demon friend without being conscious." he shrugged, making her gape. "Calm down, she's secured and unharmed… I figured we could all benefit from what she knows or even use her as leverage to get your green friend back. I'm sure the telepath could get something out of her, they seem like they would be chummy."

"Why not question her yourself?"

"I'm not one for interrogations, sweetheart." he told her with a heavy roll of his eyes. "She's locked up outside the city limits, I was going to leave the location for Wonder Boy and be on my way. The sooner those freaks are taken down, the sooner we all can get on with our lives."

"Do you not wish to confront him at all?" she asked quietly, and he knew exactly who he meant. "He is here when he has never come before."

"Are you thinking this some kind of fate or something?" he asked. "That's really sweet, but I don't need or want to make things right with him."

"He recognized you." she encouraged. "Did you not see his face?"

"He's fine, he's got boy wonder." he waved his hand carelessly. "Who needs me with him around, right?"

That made her falter then inevitably give up.

"How do I tell them all that I've learned this?" she asked. "Without compromising you in some way?"

A disk appeared between his fingers and he held it out to her. "Just flutter your eyelashes and say you found this left on the balcony." He grinned as she slowly accepted it from him. "I mean, who'd suspect you of foul play? You're so trustworthy."

"Stop." she warned him, wondering if he had any idea of the difficult position she was in because of him, how awful she felt because of him. It was no laughing matter. "You should go before he returns."

There it was.

There was the spur.

He had been waiting for it, prompting it on even, and oh did she ever deliver.

"Probably right, then you'd be the one that was compromised." he countered. Alright, that was a little too petty, but he was human after all, flesh and blood and full of contempt. She glared at him in response, darker than she ever had before and he had to admit he was impressed by it. Not just by her, but by himself for managing to hit such a nerve with her. "This is nice though, right? We get to say a proper goodbye this time around, won't have any need for that pesky closure or anything."

He reached out a hand to her, making her stiffen in surprise. "It's been fun, kid."

She stared at his offering for a moment, the wheels in her beautiful head turning. "Has it?" she asked, turning her gaze up to his and, damn it, there were those doe eyes staring up at him making him pause. She took his hand but did not shake it, the feel of her touch warming his cold palm. He could see it all, the confliction, the hurt, the disappointment… it all shook in her eyes, a silent story just for him.

It was his turn to falter.

With resolve she turned away, this time intent on being the one to leave, locking the door behind her.

He lingered a moment longer than necessary, before chuckling ruefully to himself.

As if closure was ever an option.

…

"They're out to get revenge on the Titans for the death of their father." Robin concluded. "You think they recruited the energy absorber and the girl?"

"Recruited, forced," Bruce shrugged his broad shoulder blades. "Can't be sure, but they're the only ones with the incentive to kill you all."

"Beastboy…"

"He should be alright," the unmasked vigilante stopped him. "They want all of you, they'll keep him alive."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I can't." Bruce confessed. "But, you can't afford to think any different right now."

The young hero paused thoughtfully for a long while before he dared to continue. "...and what about that guy, the one in the middle of it all? Is he someone we should be worried about?"

His mentor's face fell before stood and turned, obviously unwilling to speak of the matter.

"You called him Jason."

"It was mistake." he told him. "I thought he was someone else, someone from a long time ago."

"You mistook someone?" Robin asked incredulously. "You expect me to believe that?"

"No, I expect you to stay out of it." he countered, his tone a warning now. Before there could be any more conflict on the matter, Alfred entered the parlor. "Miss Starfire wishes a word, sir." he announced as the alien princess passed the threshold, giving the older gentleman a grateful smile as he exited and shut the door behind him.

"Star, you okay?" Robin asked immediately. "What's wrong?"

"I found this left out on the balcony." she told them, holding out the disk. "You'll not believe what is on it."

...

They left that hour, afraid the girl would free herself if they waited any longer. All crammed together in Bruce's lexus dressed in civilian clothes, the Titans made for a considerable site as they traveled outside the city limits.

"No offense or anything." Raven spoke up, pressed up against the window by Cyborg's large part robotic arm. "But, don't you have car that's better suited for this."

Robin and Bruce exchanged an amused glance at they drove on.

"Hey, you okay?" Cyborg asked Starfire, who sat on his other side. "You're even more quiet than this one." he commented, giving Raven a nodge.

Starfire nodded in reply. "I suppose I am concerned to face the child again, her creature is quite formidable."

"Don't worry about her." Raven told her, leaning across Cyborg. "When I'm done with her, she'll never summon up anything ever again."

They drove out past the suburbs to an old run down factory, everything still dark in the early morning hours.

"Turn here." Robin instructed, following the coordinates. "It looks like she's in the third shed." Carefully they exited the car, filing out one by one, armed and ready. Bruce took the lead, opening the unlocked door slowly. There in the center of the room bound to a chair with an extended red x wrapped around her small person was the child, her head bowed. It was a gloomy picture, even when they all knew what she was capable of.

"She's still out." Raven confirmed, reaching out with her mind, as they all dared to enter. "Looks like an old friend of ours was behind this."

"Seems so." Robin replied, acknowledging his tech around the girl, however that was the last of his worries at present. "You're up, Raven, be careful."

The telepath came forward, care the absolute last thing on her mind as she rose to levitate in a meditative position. Dark energy in the form of a raven flew from the center of her mind and into the girls. Everyone held their breath, waiting, ready. Several minutes later, Raven's essence was banished forcefully in a bolt of white energy as if spat from the child's conscience. The essence returned to the empath so quickly she was flung backward off her feet.

Starfire was quick to move, catching her friend, Cyborg and Robin huddling around to see if she was alright.

"We've got a problem." she managed to croak.

A soft, disturbing laugh from the girl began to surround the warehouse, the shutters and doors starting to swing open and close. The child then lifted her head, eyes glowing pupiless and white, the most unnerving smile on her face.

From the ground, rising like a phantom, the plague masked demon emerged in all its terrifying glory.

"Please don't introduce your…"

"I am the Gatherer." it interrupted Raven, almost as if to mock her. "I have come to gather."