The Ghost Brother

Chapter 16: Searching and Recovering

Third Person POV

*Two weeks after the Fenton Works accident*

It was long past midnight. Most people would be sleeping at this hour, but a certain raven haired teen wasn't. He had been staying up late for the past two weeks, working tirelessly to find someone. And he wasn't going to stop until he found even the smallest piece of information that could lead him to his target. The teen heard someone enter the room and immediately shut off the large computer he had been working on. He turned to see his red haired friend floating in the doorway. "Robin, are you alright?" She asked quietly.

Robin sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah Star, I'm fine." He didn't have time to chat, he needed to keep searching. He needed a lead. Something that could tell him where his lost brother might be.

Starfire frowned at his answer, balling her hands into fists. "You are lying. You have been staying up for weeks doing the same thing over and over." The Tamaranean girl floated over to her friend, landing a few steps away from Robin. "You need to rest Robin." Starfire reached out to place a hand on Robin's shoulder, but he jerked away from the touch. A hurt look crossed the girl's face and Robin noticed, quickly apologizing for his rude actions.

"Sorry Starfire, it's just..." Robin trailed off and turned back to the large computer located in the main room of Titans Tower. He turned the computer back on, revealing articles of missing people, found people, hospital records, sightings of the hero known as 'Crow'. Starfire looked over all the information on the screen as Robin began to speak again. "I've been searching for two weeks and I have found nothing! No leads on where he might be, no sightings of anyone who looks like him, nothing!" Robin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've been talking with Batman too. He hasn't found anything either."

Starfire turned to her friend, surprised. The whole team now knew about Robin's anger towards his former mentor. When Batman he had arrived unexpectedly at the tower, they all thought it would be a friendly reunion. Instead it turned into a fight between the two heroes. Batman had eventually stopped the fighting and talked in private with Robin before the two, the tension between them still present. Robin had shared the information that the caped crusader had given him with the team and they all agreed that they would help Robin find his missing 'friend'. For Robin to contact Batman about this matter was a shock, especially since he made it quite clear that he did not want to speak with his former mentor for a long time.

Starfire reached out once more to place a hand on her friends shoulder, and Robin didn't move away from the touch. The Tamaranean girl gently placed her hand on Robin's shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "Do not worry friend Robin. You will find him eventually. And we are all here to help." Robin looked at her and she smiled, her bubbly nature taking over. The corners of Robin's lips twitched upwards into a small smile.

He reached for Starfire's hand on his shoulder and gently gripped it. "Thanks Star." The smiling girl nodded, releasing her friend's shoulder. She turned and began to walk out of the room. Just as Starfire reached the doorway, she paused and turned around to face Robin, who was still standing in front of the main computer.

She tucked a stray lock of her red hair behind her ear. "We are your friends Robin. We will do anything to help you find your... friend." With that, the Tamaranean exited the room and headed back to her own room. Robin's small smile slowly disappeared and he turned back to the computer, continuing his search.

Starfire floated back to her room, clasping her hands together. She reached her door and entered her room, floating to her bed and sitting down. The alien girl was worried about her friend. She knew that if he kept this up, he would run himself right into the ground. Memories flashed to the front of her mind of a similar event. Back when Robin was obsessed with finding Slade. They all nearly lost their lives in their battle against him. Even after he was gone, Robin was still haunted by him.