Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or Young Justice.

"…wing... on… open your eyes!" he could hear voices, new ones. They were very distant, so Nightwing could only understand some few words of what they were saying

"M'gann… not responding." A different voice said.

"… already broke… he… be awake now."

So many voices, why don't they shut up?

"Nightwing!"

He opened his eyes abruptly, making the people around him startle in surprise. He still couldn't recognize the owners of the voices. He tried to focus his vision to the shadows, but his head ached so much to even try to identify them. Even the faintest light hurt his eyes.

"Hey, are you ok?" a blurred male silhouette was next to him, shaking his shoulder gently. Then he recognized it as Robin kneeling by his side.

"Yes. What happened?"

"I broke Phobia´s mental power, I'm sorry I took so long." Miss Martian said with a worried tone.

"It's ok, M'gann." He said, pressing his hand on his forehead to mitigate the pain.

He incorporated and watched his surroundings. There were no Brain's soldiers and the only thing that remained of the disintegrator was various mechanical parts dispersed on the floor. Phobia wasn't there too. She wasn't so powerful when her powers were defeated, so she must have escaped when she had the chance. His team made it. They actually made it, and without his assist.

"You sure you're ok?" Robin asked again to his leader, sounding less concerned than before.

"I'm fine, thanks" he answered standing up with Robin's help.

Memories returned to his mind. The theater, Deathstroke, Starfire; everything came back as a very fast movie in his head, every scene with all its details. Next the last part with the gun set on pause, and Deathstroke´s finger on the trigger zoomed. Then blood, so much blood.

Her blood.

No, he wasn´t fine. He wasn´t fine at all.

TTT

Silently Nightwing landed on the roof of the apartment building. It was eleven o'clock, but the streets were as crowded as always. Using the fire stair he descended to the window he was looking for. When he reached he smirked to himself. The window was locked, something that relieve him.

He took a tiny tool from a hidden pocket in his uniform, alike a screwdriver, but thinner. With little difficulty he opened the window just enough to let his body pass through it.

"Doorbells were created for a reason…" a soft voice said from behind him when he was finally inside the room. He didn't alarmed "but I guess that is part of your charm."

"Well, I was in the surroundings, thought you'd like a little visit" he said turning around to meet the other present person.

She was there, in her pink pajama pants and black tank, watching him and smiling. She was barefoot, an old habit she refused to leave. Her hair was falling freely from her shoulders and over her back, with some locks of it covering her collarbones. She had that tired but happy expression, like saying 'I was about to go to bed, but I'm so glad you're here' in her face.

He loved that expression.

He walked to her and extended his hand, touching her cheek. He looked at her for some seconds before his lips touched hers.

It was a desperate kiss, she felt. He couldn't hide it. All the concern and anguish hit him during that kiss. Well, he was going to tell her after all, but he really didn't want to. He was sure if he saw her, sleeping safely in her bed, the trauma would be left behind and everything would be like the same.

How wrong he was. All those images were still running in his head, impeding him to think clearly. He wasn't ok, but if there was someone who could help him, it was her. She always had the correct words to make him feel better. And she always had that smile that made him feel safe and confident.

"So, what brings you here?" she said suddenly, breaking the kiss.

"Ah?" Nightwing asked, trying to make his voice sound normal. But who was kidding? She knew him so much to know something was bothering him.

"You can fool many people, but not me." and then that smile again.

"Hey, can't I visit my girlfriend with no reason anytime?"

She stared at him.

"Right." he limited to answer.

"What is wrong? You know you can talk to me"

"I know. It's not that important" Nightwing lied.

"If it wouldn't be important, you would have used the phone."

"Right, again."

"Then tell me what's bothering you."

He sighed, rubbing his neck with his fingers.

It was now or never.

"We fought Phobia today."

"What?" she asked worried.

There was a small silence until he managed to say it.

"It was worse than the last time."

"Dick…"

The memories came back. He was running as fast as his legs let him, but it didn't matter. Her body was already in the floor, still and lifeless.

"You saw them again?" Starfire asked, referring to the last time her boyfriend fought Phobia. It was two years ago, and the few things he told her were horrible. He saw himself as a failure, a little kid who wasn't good enough. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't a good friend. He wasn't a good son. He was a failure.

But now it was different.

"No."

Now she was confused. "But then, what did—?"

"I saw Deathstroke and… you."

"Me?"

"I was in a theater, Deathstroke showed up and then you. You were captured by him, and even when I tried to break the illusion, even when at first I knew it was a fake I—" he stopped to take some air, not able to watch her directly "He had a gun."

"Dick…"

"I couldn't save you." he finally whispered

"Dick… It'll be ok. I know you're worried, it's completely reasonable, but it wasn't real."

"I know, but if someone knows your identity or—"

"I haven't put the costume on since the last time, and I haven't used my powers, not even here in my apartment."

"But if someone discovered you're Starfire. There are a lot of people out there who'd love to discover our secret identities and harm us. What if they are already behind you? They could attack anytime and…" his voice broke "If something happened to you I could never live with myself. I can't lose you, Star. Not you."

"It's ok. Nothing will happen…. I understand how you feel, but I'm capable to defend myself…"

"It's not as simple as that, Star! We're no more kids. We fight dangerous people, people who are able to do anything. And the worst part is that they really can! Deathstroke could come any of these days and you know he isn't just another criminal. He's a damn lunatic, a psychopath that…"

Time to shut him up.

She placed her hands on his cheeks and, after giving him one of those smile he loved, she kissed him. A sweet and passionate kiss.

They separated, still feeling each other's warm breaths while their lips were still touching mildly.

"Nothing will happen, Dick." she said calmly, looking at his hidden eyes. "You had this same concern before, and that was why I accepted your petition to leave the costume behind. You know I'm capable to defend myself. I'll be fine… besides I have my own superhero to save me if something happens, right?"

"Right"

"As long as we're together we'll be ok, remember?"

He smiled "Of course"

"Very well, so… I guess you're in the middle of a patrol. You must leave now…" she separated abruptly from him and walked to the kitchen. Enjoying Nightwing's confused look, she opened a cabinet and took out a package of microwave popcorn. "Or you can stay here; we can watch a movie, eat some popcorn and relax. What do you think?"

Nightwing just stared at her with that silly and adorable face.

He smiled.

"Can I pick the movie?"

"No" she said, teasing him.

"Ok, but I'll choose the drinks"

"I only have orange juice and milk."

"Fine, orange juice, thanks"

While they waited till the popcorn was ready, Nightwing jumped into the sofa and rested his arms over the back of it. It will take time to assimilate the trauma, he thought, but at least she now knew it, not only because she was part of it, but in some way by telling her what he saw was another way to let her know how important she was for him. It wasn´t the nicest way to state it, but it was valid one. Now she knew that losing her was his biggest fear.

He was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't notice when Starfire sat next to him, with a bowl of popcorn in her hands.

"And the drinks?" he asked, knowing the exact reaction she'd give him.

Starfire-glare, all glowing. Even scarier than the Bat-glare.

"I'll get them." he got on his feet and came back with the drinks even faster than The Flash.

"Here, my lady." he said using British accent.

"I thank you, sir" she replied.

The light from the screen illuminated the dark room, and by surprise Nightwing felt Starfire's hand on his cheek, touching his mask.

"You will be more comfortable without it" she whispered in his ear, and without doubting it, he let her take off the mask.

She looked into his blue eyes, almost hypnotized by their beautiful color. He lost himself in her eyes too, smiling like a dumb inadvertently.

"I missed you…" she said without taking her eyes away from his.

"I missed you too, Kory"

A soft music indicated them the movie was already starting.

He wrapped his arm around her, feeling how she rested her head on his chest. "Please promise me you'll be careful" he muttered in her neck while grabbing a locked of her hair and playing with it.

"I promise" she replied.

"Good"

"And you promise you'll visit me more frequently"

"I promise" Nightwing said after kissing the top of her head.

Maybe that was what he needed all that time, a night without worrying about chasing the bad guys or training, and just cuddle with your girlfriend while watching a movie, and forgetting the rest of the world.

A night just for them and nobody else.

"Hey, Kory"

"Yes?"

"You know I love you, do you?"

"I do, and you know I love you?"

"Of course, baby"

Author's note: I hope you had enjoyed my little fic. Thanks to all the people who left a review, followed or faved the story. It really means a lot to me.