The Return: Chapter 1

The shadows seemed to fall back into place; the fight was over. Robin surveyed the damage around him, a few broken crates and other items found on the docks, but none of his team had been injured. He sighed as he looked at Cyborg and Raven handcuffing the last of the goons that had ambushed them.

'Unbelievable, how could I not have known they were coming. Its dark and we're on the docks of course I should have expected an ambush; it is Slade we're hunting. But, these guys are nothing like his usual minions, the look and weapons are all wrong…' these were the thoughts that kept Robin busy until he noticed a shadow that looked vaguely familiar. 'No, it can't be her, not here. She's not involved with Slade, but these crooks look more like….NO NO NO. I'm not going to go back, I can't.'

"Friend Robin are you ok? It is unlike you to say that there is something that you cannot do?" Robin looked over at his friends, had he said that out loud? Starfire looked most concerned, she must have thought that he was losing his mind.

"I'm alright guys, just a little annoyed that we can't find anything out from these goons." Each of his friends gave him a last questioning look, and Robin knew that they didn't buy one word that he had said. He'd come up with another lie soon enough, something more convincing.

Robin looked up again; the familiar shadow hadn't budged. That was good; if the shadow didn't react to his outburst then it couldn't be her. Besides, she had never been able to stand still for very long. Robin looked at his friends again. He wanted to tell them the truth, but how could he. They would never understand or forgive the lies and secrets. His life was to complicated, and in those moments of self-honesty he knew that if he had to leave again, it would be easier to leave people who didn't really know who he was. 'But I want to go home. God I miss all of them so much, but they'll never forgive me and I don't want to go back to the way things were. I want them in my life, but things would have to change…things do change, but can he?'

Beast Boy was now investigating some of the items confiscated from the thugs. There were laughing gas canisters and flowers that shot poison, some machine guns, and knives, and some guns that didn't really shoot. The strangest item, however, was a small round sphere that had no seams and no apparent use.

"Robin, check this out. These guys were using a bouncing ball type of thing to try and do us in." Beast Boy then threw the canister toward Robin, and the shadow swooped into action.

Robin didn't see the shadow flying toward him until a boot connected with the metal sphere, knocking it into the ocean a good ways off. For a spit second nothing happened, then the night was alive with the sounds and colors of a large explosion. The Titans were temporarily blinded, as was the new arrival.

When Robin regained his sight a few seconds later, the shadow was now fully revealed to be a shapely woman with long red hair. She was wearing a bat suit. He looked at her in shock for a second not believing that she was actually here, but then his anger caught up with him.

"What the hell do you think your doing? You could have gotten all of us killed by activating that thing." Robin wanted answers, because if Batgirl was here then you can bet that the Joker was too. He knew Slade had joined forces with someone, but he hadn't believed that it was the Joker until this second. The thought of the two joining forces was enough to scare him silly.

"What am I doing here? Apparently saving your butt. What's rule number one in surveying a crime scene? If there's anything that you don't know what it does, don't mess with it. That thing was a high pressure bomb, activated by tiny sensors that sense when its been thrown. If I hadn't kicked it, that timer would have gone off in your hands and you and all of your 'friends' would be dead right now." Robin just stared at the angry redhead in front of him. How dare she imply that he didn't know what he was doing.

"I didn't throw it FYI, but while your accusing me, I have a few questions for you: What are you doing in Madrid and why were you watching me like that?"

Batgirl seemed to falter. He couldn't see her eyes but knew that she was thinking about the last time they had seen each other. He had asked her what she was doing and why she was there then too. In the same voice; with the same anger.

"Look, I know you want answers and I'll give them to you, but not here. Call the cops and get these guys picked up. We'll go somewhere else and I'll give you your answers."

"Fine. Cy call the cops and tell them that we have a little delivery for them." Robin said this without breaking his gaze on Batgirl. "Our hideout was compromised two days ago, where do you want us to go?"

"The information is on this paper, destroy it after you read it. If you run into problems contact me on this." She handed him a new version of the bat-communicator. "I'll see you there." With those words she disappeared off into the shadows again. 'She's gotten stronger and faster. She must hate me now…' Robin looked down at the paper: the old Wayne Enterprises warehouse, don't worry it's just a coincidence.

The Titans arrived at the warehouse with no trouble at all; it was well into the night and most people had retired to their homes. Robin stood on the sidewalk with his R-cycle and looked at the Wayne Enterprises sign. He flashed back to all of the times they had visited the WE headquarters in Gotham and indirectly all the time he had spent with his father.

With Robin lost in his memories, the other Titans were looking around with interest.

"Would you look at the size of this place! That guy Wayne must be richer than rich. And to think that he has manufactures enough to actually fill this place up…" Cyborg wasn't the only one impressed by its size. Beast Boy couldn't wait to get inside and see what they might have forgotten. It was Raven who noticed their leaders discomfort and confronted him.

"Ahh, Robin are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost. "

"I did Raven. I see a lot of ghosts, but right now we need to go see Batgirl." Robin replied, still with a faraway expression on his face.

"Speaking of Batgirl, you never told us how you know her. I mean that girl is hot and…."Beast Boy trailed off. He had noticed the fiery glare that Robin was sending his way. Robin sighed and tried to get his emotions under control. He couldn't let on that there was more to this than meets the eye.

"I, ahh, had to work with her once. A long time ago. We only met briefly, and umm… things didn't work out so well."

"But you seemed to know her better than that. You didn't talk to each other like you were only acquaintances. And what were you doing working with Batgirl, don't she, Batman, and that other Robin fellow, work together?" Sometimes, Robin thought Raven was to smart for her own good.

"Look, I can't give you all the answers right now, but I will, I promise. Trust me." Robin had never expected that his past could come back to haunt him so quickly. He thought he had buried it well, but re-introduce one tiny little detail, his partner, and it all came crashing back down.

"Robin, of course we trust you. Is that not right everyone? If Robin had to work with this Bat-person then he must have had a good reason and we will find out when this mission is over. Robin, let us not work with this bat now though. I do not trust her." Starfire, was always indignant on his behalf, but he wasn't surprised she didn't like Batgirl. Robin knew that she had feelings for him, but he couldn't reciprocate them. He felt bad, but his heart would always belong to someone else, regardless of how they felt for him.

"Alright, look Robin, you've always kept your secrets and I can understand that, but this time it looks as if we don't know you as well as we thought we did. If whatever this thing is interferes with our mission, you had better get it resolved and quick. I'm dropping it for now, but I'm looking forward to a full explanation when we get home. So lets go in there and see what this Batgirl wants." Cyborg, always the realist. He wouldn't let anything come into the mission, but he wasn't as trusting, or maybe its naïve, as Starfire. Robin owed them all the truth now, but he had to figure out how to tell them.

With that all said and the matter temporarily dropped Robin pushed open the doors and walked inside. It was dark, but there were no bats, which made Robin very relieved. He looked around and saw a faint glow from the other side of the warehouse. 'A computer. Typical Batgirl…some things don't change after all.' This thought brought a smile to Robin's lips. He was glad that Batgirl still had her head in computers; those skills could work in their favor. If she was willing to work with them, that is. Slowly the five Titans made their way across the deserted warehouse. When they reached the computer, the station was empty, and Robin wondered why Batgirl wasn't here, but then she entered from behind a pillar.

"Sorry, had to make sure it was you who came in." She typed in a few commands on her computer, locking it down. "I'm not sure how secure this place is, but is more private than the docks. Does anyone want anything to eat or drink, I've got plenty of stuff?" She walked over to a small refrigerator and started rifling through it.

"Look, you wouldn't answer my questions before, and I want my answers now. Stop wasting time Batgirl." Robin wouldn't let her get away with trying to stall them. She threw a couple granola bars over her shoulder and he caught them with out thinking.

With her back still turned she began her story, "Alright fine. When we found out that the Joker had left town we knew we had to find him. So we started tracking him." This time she threw a few bottles of water, which Robin caught deftly. "By the time we found out he was in Madrid, Batman was called away on Justice League business and Robin and I were left to decide what to do. Some one had to go after him and I was the better choice. With Batman out of the picture, and Robin having less experience with this freak and my personal vendetta against him it made sense. I would have brought him with me, but some one had to stay in Gotham. I didn't mind leaving him because the rest of the crazies were locked up in Arkham." She threw the last few bags of chips over her shoulder and turned around to see Robin catch them. "I guess some things don't change…we still read each other pretty well."

"I see. That still doesn't explain why you were watching us." Robin said belligerently.

"Batman and I both thought, that given the circumstances if I could accomplish my mission without letting you know I was here, it might save some pain and harsh words. When you left we both understood that you were moving on. I wasn't sure how you'd react to seeing me, so when I found out Joker wasn't working alone, I decided to watch you and see what I could find out. Regardless of what happened between us, I wasn't going to let you die."

"Great, so the he's still trying to control my life and now he's got you right where he wants you. Well when he leaves you better not cry because you asked for it!" Robin was shouting by the time he had finished.

Batgirl's eyes flashed with anger behind her mask. She adopted an angry stance and took two steps toward Robin, grabbed his arm and pulled out her grappling gun all in the same second. She then shot the gun and pulled them both up to the raptors.

The Titans stared in shock and wonder at what had just happened. For a supposedly brief meeting the tension between Batgirl and Robin was thick enough to cut with a chainsaw. Starfire then shot upward toward the rafters, determined to see no harm come to Robin.

"What do you think that you are doing Batgirl?" She opened her mouth to reply, but saw Starfire floating behind Robin.