The Reason Why
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.
AN: Hey guys! First of all, I'd like to dedicate this fic to my cousin, who has helped me through thick and thin.. I honestly could not have done it without her! Anyways, after all the lovely feedback I recieved for "A Perfect Snow Day" I have decided to start a chapter story for our lovely couple. I do apologize for the long delay, school does come first. But I will do my best to update as often as I can. This is my first chapter fic, so bear with me. I've worked hard on this one so I hope you all enjoy it!
Summary: Wounded by their shattered pasts, faith is no longer an option. With Robin's emotional instability and Starfire's acidic disposition, hating each other seems like the only reasonable path... or is it? A touching story of courage, perseverance, trust... and love.
Chapter 1: Broken Memories
A lone figure stood silently atop the dark crown of a colossal skyscraper. He remained unmoving, savoring the dreary, dismal atmosphere of the darkened skies. A solemn look was etched upon his handsome features, his mind completely lost within his shadowed thoughts. His eyes shone with suppressed emotion, but had gone unnoticed for they were secured behind the safety of the delicate mask resting across his face.
He looked up and noticed that dark, gray storm clouds had managed to creep in and envelop the already blackened sky. A slight breeze rustled the long black cape that gracefully draped his broad shoulders, completely shielding his well-built figure and flowing down until it came to rest just above his ankles. As the cape began to dance swiftly with the soaring winds, a distinct insignia was revealed from beneath the protective fabric. A golden crest, designed and shaped to resemble a sharp-edged letter "R", carefully positioned upon his left breast. It was his mark. His symbol. A constant reminder of the person he was, the person he was known to be. The person he will forever remain.
Robin… The Boy Wonder.
The infamous sidekick to the legendary dark knight, Batman.
Rage began to consume his mind as memories of recent events with his mentor came flooding back to him. His teeth were grinding profusely against each other, his knuckles clenched into tight fists. It was just hours ago, when the famous dynamic duo were engaged in the fight of the century. As unfortunate as it was, Robin knew the end was inevitable.
The young hero attempted to calm himself as his eyes subconsciously scanned the cold, shadowed streets of Gotham. A place of steaming sewer covers, putrid roads, and thug-infested alleyways. Towering rooftops filled the sky, engulfing the city into a black and foggy abyss, swallowing it whole.
The boy wonder knew it all too well. It was here, in Gotham, where his life spun out of control and caught him in a giant whirlwind of chaos.
Orphaned after the tragic death of his parents, Dick Grayson was adopted by billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne. Carefully raised, Dick grew into a strikingly handsome young man with abilities that allowed him to attract any female within a ten-mile radius. A splitting image of his father. He swam in an endless pool of wealth and luxury, surrounded by a world of sparkling champagne and fancy sports cars. He appeared on every prestigious magazine ever sold, his sexy physique and irresistible smile proved him no less than a god. He was the crowned prince of Gotham, heir to the Wayne empire. Life was perfect – or so everyone thought.
Behind closed doors, things were not as cut-and-dry. While juggling a life of royalty, Dick also carried the weight of his second existence – Batman's loyal and faithful crime-fighting sidekick, Robin. Though Dick enjoyed the thrill and excitement of the chase, it came at a grueling cost. Day after day, Bruce drove him through intense training sessions, each agonizing second more demanding than the last. Desperately wanting to prove his worthiness, Dick pushed his body to its limits, refusing to stop until he was on the brink of losing consciousness. He trained for hours at a time, putting himself through torturous exercises that enhanced both his physical and mental abilities. He gradually developed extraordinary martial arts skills and lightning-fast reflexes, transforming his body into the ultimate lethal weapon. As impressive as it was, Bruce remained indifferent towards his student's progress.
Dick was puzzled beyond belief. He had put a hundred and ten percent into his training and he had absolutely nothing to show for it. His mentor gave no words of encouragement, no acts of reassurance, only stone cold glances of disappointment.
And he hated him for it.
Despite his best efforts, Robin was unable to surpass the legacy of his father. For years, he continued to live in the shadows of Batman. Night after frustrating night, Robin learned to accept his inferior status as 'the sidekick'…
Until that day.
Robin's tolerance had finally reached its breaking point. While the Bats was out on his nightly patrol, Robin received a call about an unidentified jail-break that required immediate assistance. As the information started pouring in, he was able to put the pieces together and come up with the perfect suspect.
The Joker.
Robin knew that this was bad. The Joker was a deadly gambler, an individual capable of doing unspeakable damage when provoked to do so.
Robin's first thought was to contact Batman. They would stand a better chance of taking Joker down together. He needed to send the distress call. He knew he should. He had to.
But he didn't.
Robin's inner-self screamed at him, telling him to go with his gut and take Joker down himself. For years, he desperately wanted to prove himself, to show the world he wasn't just some useless helper that shadowed Batman's every step. He was THE Boy Wonder. He could be a hero. He knew he could. He just needed the opportunity…and this was it.
Realizing he had wasted enough time already, Robin quickly mounted the R-Cycle and raced out of the Batcave in record time. He was ready to do this. He could feel it. It was finally his time to shine…
-:-
Nearly five hours later, the Batmobile sped ferociously down the long driveway and made a hasty stop within the Batcave. The top flew open and Batman made a furious exit from within the vehicle. The Boy Wonder, glued to the passenger seat, remained silent.
It was over before he could blink an eye. His first mission. His golden opportunity. His one shot to prove them all wrong, to emerge from the dark and come out on the other side as the first of a new generation of young heroes…
And he blew it.
What went wrong? He didn't even know himself.
He was careless. Too careless. His concentration was skewered, an unfortunate result of raging overconfidence. Minor mistakes became crucial errors, leaving ample space for the Joker to spread havoc and injure innocent people. Robin soon lost control of the situation, resulting in devastating consequences. By the time Batman arrived, it was already too late. The damage was done…
A small, seven year-old girl had been caught in the crossfire. The last thing Robin remembered was watching the ambulance disappear down the street with the little girl inside, fighting for her life. He stood there in shock, his entire body going numb. He had never seen so much blood…
"Robin!"
Robin flinched, hearing Batman's anger-filled voice echoing through the cave and snapping him from his thoughts. He slowly climbed out from the Batmobile, taking slow agonizing steps down the long road to hell. He was scared. No, he was terrified. But he had learned to expertly cloak his fear, preventing outsiders from using it against him.
He didn't stop walking till he was face to face with Batman. They stood there facing each other, neither one of them saying a word. After a long and uncomfortable silence, the Dark Knight finally managed to speak.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
Silence.
"What made you even THINK you could be able to take down the Joker on your own? Have you no common sense?"
Robin's blood began to boil. How dare he blame him for being senseless!
"I did what I thought was appropriate," Robin hissed through clenched teeth. He was desperately trying not to lose it completely.
"You should have contacted me, Robin! Your stupidity possibly cost a little girl her life!"
"Innocent lives were in danger! I didn't have a second to lose…I HAD to stop him!"
"You have NO experience being on your own! You aren't ready!"
That did it. Something inside Robin snapped at that very instant and he lashed out, unable to control his rage any longer.
"Why am I never good enough for you, damn it! I'm old enough to make my own decisions! I don't need you breathing down my neck about what I do or how I do it!"
"It's not ABOUT that, Robin!" Batman fired back. "It's about your safety! I don't want to find you dead because you were being an egotistical asshole!"
"Oh, gee, thanks for your sincere concern!" Robin barked, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"I mean it, Dick! You think this is all a game? Did you HONESTLY believe I would think better of you because you went and nearly got yourself killed?"
"I'd be surprised if you thought ANYTHING of me at all!" Robin shouted. "You've NEVER been happy with what I've been able to accomplish, nor to you ever encourage me to do any better! All you HAVE done is show me what a complete failure I am and how disappointed you are in me! Did it ever occur to you that maybe I wanted to make you PROUD of me for once?"
Enraged, Robin unleashed his emotions. The feelings he had been keeping within himself for all these years had finally found a way to come out.
"You don't understand at all do you?" Batman countered. "I just wanted you to keep you saf-"
"Don't you even THINK of pulling that 'I-want- you-to-be-safe' crap, 'cause it's not gonna cut it! You knew the risks from the start!" Robin interrupted angrily. "You let me become who I am, and that means you have to accept all the dangers that come with it! It's part of my life now, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it!"
"Oh, like hell there isn't!" Batman screamed. He had finally lost it. "From now on, you aren't going ANYWHERE without my supervision! So don't even ATTEMPT to sneak off on your own! Until I am able to trust you again, you will be treated accordingly! Is that understood?"
Robin couldn't believe this. After all these years, he was STILL being treated like a child. He couldn't stand it…he couldn't stand him. "There is NO WAY that I'm going to-"
But before he could continue, Robin was interrupted by a soft voice. "I apologize for the interruption Master Bruce, Master Dick."
It was their butler, Alfred. He had a solemn look upon his slightly wrinkled face; his head hung lower than usual. "But the hospital called just a few moments ago…"
Robin's breath caught in his throat. The little girl. He had temporarily forgotten about her. And judging by the expression on Alfred's face, he wasn't sure he wanted to remember. Nevertheless, Alfred went on, speaking the words that the Boy Wonder hoped he would never have to hear.
"…she didn't make it."
In an instant, Robin felt anger, shock, confusion, and despair, all at the same time. His legs went rigid, unable to move. He could feel his heart disappear into his chest, his stomach creating nauseating feelings of pain and sadness. He couldn't breathe.
"No…"
Batman hung his head, his hands tightening into fists of anguish. He slowly turned toward Robin.
"Dick…" But Robin wouldn't listen.
"Don't…I-I don't wanna hear it…" He slowly sank to his knees, his hands shaking with disbelief. This couldn't be happening. She didn't make it... and it was his fault.
"Get some sleep. Your training starts at 6 A.M. sharp." Batman said while turning to leave. Robin's head jerked up sharply, his jaw hanging slightly open.
"You CAN'T be serious! Does it even register with you that a little girl just DIED?"
Batman stopped, but remained turned away. "It's out of my hands, Robin. There is nothing either of us can do. You made the mistake…so deal with it."
Robin was no longer thinking clearly. His entire body went numb and his mind was completely swallowed by feelings of tremendous guilt. He couldn't endure it any longer. For years, Batman teetered on the fine line of Robin's patience. And that line had finally snapped.
Robin suddenly rose to his feet, a look of disgust and fury written all over his face. "You're right. I have to deal with what I've done. But not here…not with you."
Batman paused. "What are you saying?"
"I'm leaving," Robin responded slowly. "I can't deal with this anymore. You have done nothing but spite me... and I'm sick of it." His voice rose with every word. "All these years, I've worked my ass off to measure up to your standards! I've done my best to be a good student, to try and understand why the hell you're so damn hard on me! I guess I'll never know."
"There is no way in HELL I am letting you leave!" Batman shouted. "You're my responsibility, so don't make my job harder than it already is!"
"SCREW YOU!" Robin screamed. "I'm not your problem anymore Bruce! You don't have to deal with my failures any longer!"
Robin was fuming. His hands yearned to make painful contact with that conceited face he despised so much. He wanted to beat the living crap out of him, to inflict as much pain on him as he possibly could.
"To think I actually thought you cared about me! For all I know you could have been waiting for me to mess up, so you can throw me out like yesterday's trash! You probably planned this whole thing so you could HAPPILY watch me screw up! Well here's a newsflash for you, Bats… it worked! I failed, just like you planned it. So now, I'm about to walk out of your life for good. And you know what, I couldn't be happier!"
Robin turned abruptly and stormed over to his R-Cycle, which had been towed in behind the Batmobile. Throwing on his helmet, Robin quickly started the engine, his desire to leave growing stronger with each passing moment. Batman looked on, unwavering, as his faithful sidekick slowly disappeared from sight, racing down the driveway for the last time….
-:-
…and here he was, several hours later, standing on the darkened rooftop, completely submerged in his feelings of misery and regret. Why was he doing this to himself? He had to move on. He couldn't let one mistake ruin the rest of his life. But what a mistake it was…a mistake that would haunt him for years to come.
Robin swiftly hopped from the rooftop, making his way down the steep side of the building until he reached his R-Cycle that was parked within a cold, damp alleyway. He started the engine and began his journey down the slick, steaming roads of Gotham City.
Robin pondered to himself as he raced down the deserted streets. His face held a stern, almost emotionless expression that was simply unreadable. Soon enough, his unyielding features morphed into a look of obvious resentment as he remembered the reason he decided to leave in the first place. He had to leave. He couldn't stand the thought of remaining in this god-forsaken city for another second. He needed to get away. Away from Gotham... and away from him.
Deciding he would be much better off on his own, Robin urged his vehicle onward, gaining speed with every passing streetlight. This was it. He was finally free. And honestly, he couldn't be more thrilled. Amazingly, a small smirk appeared on the corners of his lips, his body growing increasingly anxious for whatever journeys awaited him. Looking over his shoulder, Robin took one final glance at the city's skyline.
"See ya 'round, Bats," Robin saluted. His eyes slowly returned to the road in front of him, his figure growing increasingly smaller until he was finally gone. The sun began its slow ascent into the morning sky as Robin sped off, seeking his next exhilarating adventure.
Destination?… Jump City.
AN: Whew, glad thats over. Finally got the ball rolling with this story and again, I apologize for the delay. Had a severe case of writers block. Anyways, I hope you all liked it and PLEASE don't forget to review! Thanks for reading!