Author's Note: All right I'm back with one last story for 2008. This will likely be my last new story of the year I've spent quite a bit of time on it. Hope you guys like it. This is to the new song by The Fray 'You Found Me' also known as Armistad in early releases. Merry Christmas guys.
Armistad
You Found Me
It was a dark and stormy day in Bludhaven, had been for the past four or so. Tim Drake sulked next to the rain-drenched window in his apartment. For him it's been one anniversary after another. In the course of one year he lost more friends and loved ones than anyone should at anyone time. Last week was the four-month anniversary of his dad's murder. Next week is the six-month anniversary of Spoiler's and tomorrow was the one-year anniversary of Conner's death. He'd been through a lot of shit before but this took the cake. How can any one man cope with so much and keep going? The human mind was an incredible thing but even it has its limits. When he heard of Bart's death it was more than he could stand. How many more friends and relatives was he going to lose? Whose idea was it to allow all this shit he wondered. Since when did he become the world's punching bag? He's just the Boy Wonder. What in the world did he do to deserve all of this? Dr. Light's been treated better than this and he's been killed six times!
At best Robin surmised its because he was a hero, but he should be the one in danger not his friends, certainly not his father. He had accepted the risks that came with being a hero and so did the rest of his friends. Anymore it seemed like being on the Teen Titans was a death sentence. Even if there weren't affiliated with the team it seemed as though no one he knew was safe. This kind of stuff never happens to Dick…oh wait…he's probably lost even more people than Tim. At least he knew his Dad well into his teen years as Robin. Still he couldn't figure out why and how this all seemed to pile up on top of him. Was it all some conspiracy? A plot to get the Boy Wonder to crack and either become a villain or to hang up his cape for good? The name Dido came to mind for some reason. No, as much as he liked to believe it no villain would go that far out of the way just to eliminate him. Not even Deathstrokewould do that, he was twisted but even he had standards. Then again this was the same guy that attacked his own children with a warped team of Titans for the sole purpose of making sure embrace the real Teen Titans as family. Something Slade could never provide for them. He had his merits but…ugh! The Boy Wonder massaged his temples. It was too much for him to take. Standing up he changed out of his costume and went for a walk maybe that will clear his head a little.
He made his way downstairs and out the revolving door of his apartment building, hands stuffed into his brown jacket he made his way out into the street. His thoughts continued to swirl over the past year's events. It's a wonder he hadn't killed himself with all the grief he'd been through. He always held himself to a higher standard than that but even then there were times he wished he could just crawl in a hole and die. Nobody should have to go through all of this especially not at his age. At this rate he'll be as emotionally stunted as Bruce in the next few months. It's a wonder the team hadn't fallen apart completely because of him, if it weren't for Cassie he don't know how he would have led the team. At least she was making an effort to keep them together too bad he couldn't say the same. He wasn't completely helpless to say the least but he wasn't entirely helpful either. He's seventeen dammit. Regardless he salvaged what's left of his personality and fortitude and soldiered on it's what they would have wanted at least that's what he kept telling himself. As he continued down the street adrift in his own thoughts he bumped into a man leaning against a street lamp smoking a cigarette.
"I'm sorry." He muttered not looking up at the man.
"You should be." Came the response.
Tim's ears perked as he looked up at the gentleman. It was an older man with white hair and a moustache wearing a light gray coat and green golf hat.
"Excuse me?" he asked.
"You should watch where your going." The old man said taking a drag of his cigarette. The teen scoffed but restrained himself as best he could.
"Look Gramps, I'm in the greatest of moods. It was an accident." Peppered his words with subtitle hints of violence against the man.
"So what's on your mind?" he asked.
"Don't change the subject on me old man." He said.
"I'm not…you seem to have a lot on your mind. Care to spill?" the old man asked tapping his coffin nail against the side of the streetlamp.
"I'm not really the kind to open up to someone, especially to a guy I just met." He said growing short on patience.
The old man smiled and looked down at him with his blue eyes. The look on his face was almost serene.
"I've got places to be." He said before storming off.
"I know your hurting Tim but you really need to let these things go." The old man replied. The Boy Wonder stopped dead in his tracks, dumbstruck he turned to face the old man still leaning against the streetlight.
"How'd you know my name?" he asked.
"I know a lot of things. You might want to get out of the street the light's changing." He replied casually.
In the next instant cars were honking at him as a taxi went by. He rushed back over to the sidewalk with the old man was standing.
"What is your name?" Tim asked.
"The name's Joe Hova." He said with a puff of his cigarette.
"How do you know so much about me?" Tim asked.
"You'd be surprised how much I know. I'm not one of those supervillains so you don't have to worry about that." he said. The young man quirked an eyebrow at him.
"What's this guy's story? There's no way he should know who I am…do I know this guy?" he wondered.
"Have we met?" he asked.
"You could say that." he replied casually with a shrug. This was getting on his nerves.
The Boy Wonder scoffed and threw his arms up and outward.
"Ok, dude your seriously starting to weird me out." he said before walking off.
"You always walk away from your problems?" Joe asked.
He cringed and stood there. This was getting ridiculous he had a good mind to bash this guy's skull in with his staff.
"I heard that." the old man said. Tim was dumbstruck.
Who the hell is this guy? The Riddler is less complex than this guy! How could he know so much about him? He turned on his heel and marched right back towards the man.
"All right spill it are you psychic? Playing games with me or something? Cause your really starting to freak me out!" he yelled.
"I'm not psychic I simply read your body language. Now what is your problem?" he asked calmly.
"What difference does it make?! I don't even know you!" he said.
"Those that are blinded by grief and anger can never truly see what is before them." he replied. His frustration was unbearable until he couldn't contain himself anymore and threw a punch at Joe. The old man caught it in an instant.
"You need to calm down, I haven't done anything to harm you." he said.
"You got some nerve telling me that!" he said between his teeth.
"I know what you've been through Tim. The friends and family you lost, the untold pain your going through. I am one that is familiar with such things and have helped countless people through hard times." he said. A flustered Tim shook his head at the man.
"Who do you think you are?" he asked. The man looked at him for a second before answering.
"I am The Lord." He answered. Tim groaned and turned away in disbelief.
"Your one of those homeless guys that has messianic delusions." He replied.
"Then how did I know you were upset?" he asked.
"You said it yourself you read my body language. Now if you'll excuse me I got better places to be." He said walking away from Joe. The old man stood there as he watched him leave.
As he made his way down the street the old man appeared infront of him a second later. He stood surprised and looked back at the street corner and to him a second later.
"How'd you do that? I know shortcut. Man you're really starting to freak me out." he said before walking past him.
Tim quickened his pace a little as he continued up the street.
"Man what's with this guy? I've known bad guys that are more subtitle than him. I really need to get away from here." He said.
When he looked back he saw that Joe was still there and broke into a mad dash pushing his way past people as he raced up the sidewalk and dodging a taxi. The wheels screeched and horn blared as he raced past it. A dump truck almost had the same luck with him as he ran down the next block. This guy really wasstarting to freak him out and he didn't like it. At this rate he'd settle for Penguin or even Joker at least he was used to those whackjobs. After running for a block he came to rest on his knees against a brick building and struggled to catch his breath.
"This is getting redicilious!" he said between breaths.
"What kept you?" someone said. Tim went rigid in the next instant and slowly turned to see the old man standing next to him.
"Ahhh!" he jumped back.
"All right! What is it you want? I..I cant take it anymore." he said on the brink of tears.
"I'm just here to help." Joe stated.
"Help me with what? You've been stalking me for I dont know how long. Now please just leave me alone I'm in the best of states right now." he pleaded.
"I know that." he replied. Tim let out a laugh clearly at his wits end. Like he hadnt been there before.
"All right Joe, so then why dont you tell me? Why is my life so f#cked up at the moment?" he asked.
"It's a complicated thing, there are multiple forces at work. None of which were pointed at you." he said.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"When Bart and Conner died, those that killed them never took friends and family into account. Superboy-Prime was a different story. He saw your friend Konas living the life that was meant for him, however when Conner couldnt defeat him on his own he sacrificed his life by pushing him into Luthor's Dimensional Tuning Fork that was about to rewrite the entire universe. Kon gavehis life because he wanted to saveall those he cared about. Bart was killed as an act of revenge by Inertia and so convinced the Rouges Gallery to work together to kill him. In both instances your friends were just doing what they could to save the ones they cared about. The same with your father, the person that was behind Sue Dibney's murder wanted someone else to pin the murder on which is why he inlisted the first Captain Boomerang. She hoped that your father would kill him in self-defense when he broke into your home and resulted in both their deaths. So you see this was never really about you." he replied calmly.
"How do you know all of this? Nobody outside of the superhero/supervillain communities know this." he said.
"Because I am who I am." he replied. Tim just shook his head.
"I dont believe you...if you really are him then why did you allow these things to happen? If your such a great and powerful God why didnt you prevent my friends from being killed?" he asked.
"What happened to your friends was not my doing." he said.
"But why didnt you?"
"I cannot force or prevent someone from acting. The things they do are of their own accord, I have no power over a person's free will and if Conner hadn't sacrificed his life your universe would have been doomed and all of the inhabitants within would have perished. Superboy knew this when he took his life into his hands. I could have easily recreated the universe but all the lives lost would still be lost it would take countless millenia to rebuild the human race even without my help." he said.
As much as he hated to admit it he knew he was right. Even though he was greatful for Conner's sacrifice still a small part was still angry at him for throwing away his life like that.
"I know your hurting Tim and I'm deeply sorry for your loss." he said bending down close to Tim's form.
"Guess I never was good at letting things go..." he muttered.
"It's human nature to feel that way. Sometimes when a person's life had been taken. We feel angry towards them because we feel that they had no right to go. When in reality we're angry because we're still here." Joe told him.
"Survivor guilt." Tim said before nodding.
"I had...been feeling that way for a while...I should have been there for them." he said as he clinched his eyes shut and bowed his head.
"I just...I just feel like I could have done something different." he said before sliding to the ground on his butt. The old man put his hand on Tim's shoulder as he started to break down infront of him. He then slid down next to Tim and put his arm around the boy's shoulders.
I found God
On the corner of First and Armistad
Where the west
Was all but won
All along
Smokin' his cigarette
I said where you been?
He said ask anything
Where were you
When everything else was falling apart?
All my days were spent by the telephone
It never rang
And all I needed was a call
It never came
To the corner of First and Armistad
-------
Lost and insecure
You found me
You found me
Lyin' on the floor
Surrounded
Surrounded
Why'd you hafta wait?
Where were you?
Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me
You found me
"With all my friends and family dropping off the grid...sometimes I wonder who'll be next. I've had so many shakeups in my life the last few months that I dont know where to turn. I'm almost afraid to associate myself with anyone. The team is in constant flux with members joining and leaving the team seemingly within days. It's been nothing but absolute havoc at the tower and at home. Recently Bruce just found out he had a kid named Damien. Kid's a freakin psychopath wanting to subplantme as Batman's sidekick and ward. Son of a bitch knocked me off the top of the T-Rex statue with a sucker punch. -sigh- I dont know how I've kept my wits about me all this time." he said.
"I think the one person I'm afraid of losing more than anything is Cassie. She's the only other member of Young Justice that's left. If anything happened to her I dont know what I'd do. Everyday I'm hoping against hope she doesn't get killed. I don't think I can take losing another friend." he said burying his head into his knees. Joe patted his shoulder.
But in the end
Everyone ends up alone
Losing her
The only one who's ever known
Who I am
Who I'm not and who I wanna be
No way to know
How long she will be next to me
"Cassie is a strong and resourceful young woman." he told him.
"I know and she's evolved in a capible leader...something I have trouble maintaining. I just dont think I have what it takes to lead the team anymore." he admitted.
"Sometimes you have to take a step back to be useful." Joe replied. The young man narrowed his eyes and pondered the decision to step down as leader.
Lost and insecure
You found me
You found me
Lyin' on the floor
Surrounded
Surrounded
Why'd you have to wait
Where were you?
Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me
You found me
He sighed and got up. "I gotta be somewhere."
"I understand. You all right?" the old man asked getting up.
"Yeah, I'm a little better now." he smiled as he helped him up.
Early morning city breaks
I've been calling for years and years and years
And you never left me no messages
"You have to know your not alone in this." Joe told him.
"Yeah I know that know." he smiled.
Never sent me no letters
You got some kind of nerve
Takin' all I want
-------
Lost and insecure
You found me
You found me
Lyin' on the floor
Surrounded
Surrounded
Why'd ya hafta wait?
Where were you?
Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me
You found me.
"I dont know if your really who you claim you are old man, but I apprecite it." he said.
"I know." the old man smiled.
As Tim turned to leave the old man dissolved into snow, he turned around and saw that he was gone. He quirked an eyebrow and went on his way.
Later that night he arrived at Titans Tower in San Francisco in civilian garb. The twenty some odd members looked at him strangely as he made his way through the doors.
"Robin, what are you doing here?" Speedy asked.
"Guys I hate to drop by on you like this. But I've been doing alot of thinking. In light of the way I've been acting lately...I dont believe I havethe mental fortitude to give the team the undivided attention it needs." he paused.
"Therefore I've decided to step down as leader of the Titans. Cyborg, Wonder Girl if you will, I'd like for you to lead the team in my absence. I'm sorry to drop this on you guys." he apologised.
The Titans looked at each other. Cyborg stepped forward.
"You dont have to apologise, we know you havent been yourself since Conner and the others died. But we're glad you decided to something about it. Go ahead and take all the time you need, we can handle these guys." he smiled.
"Thanks Vic." he said.
"Tim if I could speak to you in private." Cass said walking towards him.
"Sure." he said as they walked out the door. The two Titans stood on the rooftop a while later.
"So why the change of heart?" she asked.
"I've been dealing with alot of things. And I realize I'm not in the best shape to lead the guys right now...I know you'd been helping me out when I wasnt looking." he said.
"Yeah well...somebody had to." she shrugged as she rested her elbow on the ledge.
"I know your hurting Tim." she said.
"Seems like everyone does." he replied.
"The team's safe in our hands you go in and get some rest, you look like you need it." she said turning to him.
"Yeah thanks Cass." he said. Wonder Girl put her arms around his neck.
"You take care of yourself, get well soon." she said sincerly. He smiled and put his arms around her waist.
"I will." he said. She kissed his cheek and held him tight.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you Cass. I promise." he thought.
Why'd you hafta wait?
To find me
To find me...
Author's Note: All right what'd you think of that? I'm sorry its so long. I really didnt intend on stringing it out this long. Hope that wasnt too bad for anyone. As usual I kind of critize my own work midway through the story. But I think I did all right on this one. Just wanted to get one last fic out before the new year. I hope you guys have a Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Please review,
The Green Gallant.