Most of us remained silent as we hung against the blackened walls. The way the blackness held us reminded me of that bearded guy on a cross I seemed to always see hanging on kitchen walls in the houses I used to steal from. 

Across the room hung 26 and a very large, bearded Tamaranian. The prior had been trying to goad the floating Titan in the center of the room into an argument since we all awoke, while the latter remained silent as he continually glared at See-More who was hung up on the wall beside me. Not that my fellow thief would ever notice—the blackness having wrapped itself around his single eye.

"Come on, Rae, you are going to have to answer me sometime," Number 26 was saying, smiling and looking very confident despite the position we were all in. "My guards are going to find us eventually, and I don't think you can keep us all like this forever."

"No one will find us here," Raven finally answered, though she remained floating Indian style with her eyes closed. "I destroyed that device you had on your wrist—I believe you used it to communicate with your associates?"

Amongst other things.

I caught Number 26's glance in my direction. It was quick, but I caught it. I raised my shoulders slightly and still to my surprise I felt nothing cold and metallic press against my neck and face. The collar really was gone.

Not that it does me much good right now.

For what felt like the millionth time, I tugged against my black restraints. I might as well have been melted into the walls themselves.

"Well then, what are your intentions?" Number 26 continued as she now glared at the Titan, smile gone. "Are you just going to keep us here until your powers run dry?"

"Why have you captured us, Blackfire? Why bring us to Tamaran?"

Number 26's smile returned slightly. "Like I am ever going to tell you."

Raven was silent then. Slowly, her eyes opened until the clear, black orbs were focused on 26. "Then I think you and I are through."

And with that, the blackness began to pull Number 26 into the wall.

"Wait, wai-!" Number 26 cried out, but the blackness wrapped around her mouth as it continued to pull her further and further in.

"DO NOT HARM HER!" A great thunderous voice bellowed. I looked over to see it come from the giant Tamaranian who was now pulling against the blackness, strangely looking almost as though he could pull free. "I WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE ANOTHER CHILD FROM ME!"

Raven's eyes focused on him and immediately dark strands reached out from the black walls, but only to hold the alien in place.

"I remember you," Raven spoke softly. "You're Starfire--"

"I was Koriand'r's k'norfka," the large alien growled, still breathing heavy. "Until you godless cretins...you Titans murdered her!"

Raven looked at the great alien and a brief glimpse of horror overtook her face, but it was quickly erased.

"We did not murder her," Raven insisted, managing to remain calm and stoic. "Starfire is still alive, she--"

"Don't spit your lies at me!" the alien interrupted, glaring even more fiercely at the Titan. "I've seen your tower. I've seen what lows Earth have sunk to gain Tamaran's attention!"

"What are you talking about? What about the tower?"

Number 26 then giggled. I looked over to see that the blackness had removed itself from her mouth, probably because the Titan wasn't as focused any longer.

"Do not think you can play dumb with us, little Raven," Number 26 said, a smile bigger than ever on her face. "Our spies caught everything that occurred in your precious base. My, you all must have really had it out for poor sweet Starfire. Going so far as to sick a dragon on her..."

"You dare," the great alien breathed, his entire bearded face consumed with malice as his body fought against the black restraints.

"We didn't..." Raven began, but trailed off as a look of surprise and then horror overcame her face as she looked between Number 26 and See-More, and this time it did not go away.

Raven outstretched her hand and suddenly See-More came flying out of the black wall. The previously silent thief let out a long scream of surprise before stopping short before the Titan's hand, his entire body now encased in blackness.

"Tell me you didn't do it," Raven said, her head bowed low and hood up so that none of us could see her face.

"Um, tell you what?" See-More asked nervously as his single eye darted all around the room.

"Tell me, you did not release, the dread dragon, MALCHIOR!" Raven roared the final word before slamming See-More back against the wall, the entirely of the black room vibrated as a result. See-More let out a horrid scream of pain.

"Rae? Hey, Rae! What's going on in there?!" a shrill voice asked from right outside the room. The door was sealed in blackness as well.

"H-He is my friend, I had to-!" See-More tried to explain until the Titan slammed him into the wall again. See-More let out another cry.

"Raven! Stop it!" the other Titan shouted from outside the room. A banging sound soon followed, but the door remained sealed shut.

"What has happened to my home?" Raven demanded in a voice not her own as she rounded on the giant alien, all the while keeping See-More pinned against the wall. The blackness around my own body felt much tighter than before and, as I followed Raven's gaze, the two Tameranian's didn't look much more comfortable.

The larger one just continued to glare hatefully back at Raven, though I could sense that there was a bit of fear he was battling with now. Not that I could blame him. I looked over to 26 only to see the cynical alien still smiling. That same smile I always managed to catch whenever 72 and I used to fight over her. I fought against my restraints to be able to clench my hands.

"Simple, little Raven. Are you still trying to play the innocent card on us?" Number 26 asked. Raven's dark black eyes immediately reared on her. "My spies were there, my eyes were there. I saw everything, Rae. You were the one who released the dragon. You were the one who ordered him to kill my sweet sister. It is such a shame your little home got caught in the crossfire."

"You..." Raven began and immediately all of her dark energy began to tighten at once. I could feel it squeezing my insides together. I could see it crushing the walls it had a hold of. But, suddenly, it all stopped when a great, big, voice boomed over everything.

"DAMN YOU TITANS!" the great alien roared louder than ever before, it rang in my ears louder than a police siren. "I WILL NOT REST, I WILL NOT EAT, I WILL NOT FEEL JOY UNTIL EVERY LAST TITAN IS WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE UNIVERSE!"

The massive Titan then seemed to pull at the black bindings, trying to break the Titan's hold through sheer force of will. We all watched in amazement as the dark energy began to free itself from his body. Raven quickly called out her mantra and what looked like thousands of small dark arms reached out and gripped the alien, but he did not get pulled back.

"Starting..." the great alien rumbled as he pulled ever harder. One by one, the tiny hands fell off him. Raven then released her grip on See-More and focused both her hands on him, and although the blackness now consumed his body, the vibrant white outline of the Tamaran kept pulling, "...with...YOU!"

And with a mighty roar that no doubt shook the entire palace, the giant alien freed himself from the wall and, while still coated in the black energy, hurled himself into the Titan. The two collided and the force of the blow flew them ever further back, crashing through the wall.

Then it was as if a drain had been pulled, all of the black energy that coated the walls, ceiling, and floor suddenly disappeared, vanishing through the hole in the wall after their conjurer. The three of us landed just as the door flew open, revealing a very concerned looking green rhino. I had to act fast; already Number 26 had her purple sights on me. So I landed with a run, and, without really thinking, I aimed myself at See-More.

My former teammate only had time to look back at me in surprise before I plowed into him. I heard the starbolts from 26 and the frantic roars of the green rhino for only a moment before pulling my cape around us and vanishing into the cold, silent darkness.

...

"I just got through talkin' with Titan's East," Cyborg announced as he walked in.

"And?"

"They have a ship, but it's a prototype if anything--"

"Will it fly?"

"No, man, Bumblebee says they are months from even trying to fly it."

"Then we try it now--"

"Don't start this with me, Robin," Cyborg interrupted, folding his large, metallic, and newly replaced arms. "We aren't going to kill ourselves trying to save BB and Rae, how will that help them?"

"It's our only shot," Robin insisted, standing up from his sea., "The longer we sit around the harder it's going to be to even find them!"

"Dearest Robin," Starfire spoke up, standing up as well so she could place a gentle hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "It's my sister who stole them. I can fly to my home planet and discover how Blackfire escaped."

"We've been over this, Starfire, I can't let you go alone," Robin replied, rubbing his eyes through his mask. "Knowing Blackfire, that's what she would want."

"I can handle my own, sister, Robin--"

"It's not just your sister, Starfire!" the boy wonder quickly pointed out. "For all we know, she could have all of our old enemies free and working for her."

"I spoke with Jinx as well on my way back. She said Kid Flash checked on the old Brotherhood headquarters, the only bad guy missing was Kyd Wykkyd."

Robin remained silent at that.

"I know you don't fully trust her," Cyborg went on, "but Jinx agreed to stay in a cell and go through all of the standard interrogations. You were there, man, she wasn't lying."

"But it was her old teammates that were with Blackfire when she attacked the tower," Robin finally said.

"Yeah, I saw. I also saw Fixit with them too, and I thought he was on our side when we left him. If she managed to convince that guy to work for her, I doubt it would've taken much to convince a couple of low-key criminals to tag along too."

"Robin, please," Starfire began again, turning Robin slightly so that he was facing her, "let me go to my people. If I can just speak with them--"

"I said no, Starfire!" Robin interrupted, shrugging off her hands, though he quickly placed a hand on her arm after seeing her hurt expression. "We need to stay together."

"Robin, I know you don't want to hear this," Cyborg spoke up after a few moments of silence passed between the two, "but Starfire might be our best shot."

Cyborg said this as he was looking through a screen on his forearm.

"I am starting to get replies from the rest of the Honorary Titans, and it doesn't look like any of them have ships of their own. And, of course, the League is too busy with their own problems to even bother with a reply."

Starfire felt Robin's hand tighten slightly on her arm. She could tell his gaze was focused on the ground. She didn't need to see his face to tell that he was upset.

"Dearest Robin," Starfire whispered, placed a soft hand on the side of his face so that he would look up at her.

"Starfire, you can't," Robin began before Starfire placed her hand over his mouth.

"Please, silence yourself for but a moment."

Robin nodded as he continued to gaze up at her.

"Dearest Robin," Starfire repeated, she then brushed aside a few stray bangs that had made their way to his face. With their Tower all but gone, their fearless leader no longer had the time or the equipment to keep his hair up, even if he wanted to. "You mean more than both of our worlds to me."

"Uhhh," Robin mumbled, his face getting red before he looked over at Cyborg, only to see that his friend was already in the middle of leaving.

"I'll be in the other room," Cyborg quickly said before making his way out. He looked as uncomfortable as Robin felt.

"Starfire, really--" This time Starfire clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Please, just listen." And while Robin nodded, Starfire did not move her hand, just in case. "I care for you deeply, Dearest Robin, and I know you feel so for me. This is why you fear for my safety, but know that you are blinded in your concern for me. Raven and Beastboy are in trouble and you must allow me to save them, you must not be blinded by your emotions. Is this not what you taught me when we first started to do the dating?"

Starfire waited for Robin to nod. He did so slowly.

"Then let me do this. My people will help me to find my sister and her, how you say, accomplices?" Another nod from Robin. "Yes, I will find them and, with my peoples help, we will stop them. You understand, yes? I shall not be alone and I shall not let Blackfire nor her, accomplices, take me by surprise. I shall remain vigilant and I shall promise to check in with you frequently."

Robin looked into her green eyes as she spoke and when she finished he placed a hand on the wrist of her hand that kept his mouth closed. Starfire smiled gently as she removed her hand. The two then stood there in silence for a good few seconds before Robin finally sighed and, keeping his fists clenched and head facing the ground, he mumbled:

"You have to really promise that you will keep m-- Cyborg and I frequently updated--"

"Oh, dearest Robin, I promise!" Starfire interrupted, wrapping the Titans leader in a fierce hug, which she quickly released when Robin began to squirm in pain.

"Every half hour, at least," Robin continued, following after Starfire as the orange girl made her way out of the police department's waiting room. "We'll keep looking for a ship so we can be with you as soon as possible so, please, be care--"

"Dearest Robin, I already promised I shall remain vigilant," Starfire interrupted, turning to face him. They were outside now, the cold night air whipping at Robin's torn and frayed cape. Starfire then pulled him into a hug, this one much softer and, before the boy wonder knew it, he could feel his girlfriend's soft lips against his. Caught off guard, Robin quickly returned it, though the kiss was still broken sooner than he would have liked.

Eyes still closed, he felt Starfire's lips brush against his ear.

"I must go now," Starfire whispered. "Please tell Cyborg goodbye for me, and be safe, Dearest Robin."

"You too Star," Robin replied, but when he opened his eyes, Starfire was gone.