Howdy everyone! Welcome to my new story Like Toy Soldiers. I was going to wait until I finished a few of my other stories to put this up but I was too impatient! Yes, it will have some lyrics from the Eminem song in it, but not many. Also this story is PG-13. Seriously. So if you don't like PG-13 for some reason then yeah. This first chapter may seem a tad boring, but it just sets up the whole story.So please review and enjoy…
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, any references to Batman, or the Eminem song Like Toy Soldiers. If I did this would be an episode of Teen Titans and not a fanfiction.
On with the show….
Like Toy Soldiers
Chapter one
Titans Tower, year 2010
I'm supposed to be the soldier that never blows his composure…
Robin sat down on a chair in Starfire and his room. Light flooded in and cast a shadow on all the pictures that lay on the small coffee table. Robin picked one up and smiled. His and Starfire's wedding picture. It had been the best day ever. It had only been 10 months ago and now he and Starfire shared a room on the top floor of Titans Tower with a beautiful view of the ocean. Starfire was also one month pregnant but none of the other Titans knew that, although with all her throwing up and increased appetite you'd think they'd have guessed. In the picture Robin in his tuxedo held a beautiful Starfire in his arms. She wore a spaghetti strap wedding dress and her hair was in curls. You could see the sunset on Tameran in the back round. They had to have their wedding on Tameran for traditions sake but it had turned out better anyways. The picture had been taken just 20 minutes before the reception ended and Robin had carried Starfire all the way back to Starfire's old room in the palace where Cyborg had claimed 'they kept everyone in the palace up all night'. Robin laughed at how he remembered that he and Star had blushed ten shades of red at that statement. Robin set the picture down and frowned as he picked up another. It was a picture of the whole team, all of them smiling. They had all only been 17 when the picture was taken. The team was the same but Cyborg wasn't there. He was dead and he had been for a week.
There used to be a time when you could just say a rhyme and wouldn't have to worry about one of your people dying…
Slade had shot him down right before Robin had kicked Slade into a pile of acid. But even the victory of triumph over Slade couldn't erase that a teammate was dead.
That was never one of my options, for someone to get killed. Why would I want to destroy something I helped build…Robin placed the picture down on the coffee table and placed his head in his hands and just thought for a moment. Starfire came into the room and he pulled her into his lap.
"Something wrong Robin?" Starfire asked
"It's not safe here anymore Star" Robin said as he kissed her cheek.
"Robin I know you still are mad about Cyborg's death but no one else will get hurt. I'm sure we will all be safe," Starfire whispered into his ear
Robin shook his head "I don't want to take chances Star especially not with you pregnant"
"You had to remind me, " Starfire groaned and Robin chuckled
"I still say if it's a boy his name should be Alex" Robin said
"Why? I want a traditional Tamerainien name" Starfire whined as Robin chuckled
"Fine it's either Alex or Nightwing" Robin reasoned
"Alex it is" Starfire agreed as Robin laughed
"Thought so" Robin said "Anyways Starfire I want us to be safe. I don't want our child to have to grow up with us constantly not being around and with the threat that some evil madman could kill him or her at any second"
Starfire nodded "then where will we go?"
"Gotham city" Robin answered
"I shall certainly miss it here" Starfire said
"Me too. But we'll have a better life there you'll see" …
12 years later, at Gotham City public school
"Okay doofus give us your lunch money," The bully ordered punching a young boy by the name of Alex Grayson into the gate in front of Gotham City Public School.
"I don't have any! I spent it on lunch" Alex replied wiping some blood of his mouth.
"Yeah right. Cam, flip him" The largest bully known as Rex ordered. Cam nodded and grabbed Alex by the shirt collar and flipped him over. No money fell out. Cam dropped Alex on to the hard pavement. His jeans ripped and blood poured from his knees. Alex bit his lip to keep tears from coming. Rex threw Alex into a wall and picked up the black messenger bag that was Alex's backpack. He flipped it over as papers fell out. Rex kicked them into the street.
"No!" Alex called as his A+ material science paper fell into the street and got soaked in a puddle before getting run over by a tow truck.
"You basterd! Now I'm going to have to redo my whole paper!" Alex said scrambling to salvage some math sheets that had fallen into the road. Rex and Cam headed in to punch Alex again but he dodged and ran, picking up his messenger bag and running down the street. He would miss the bus and the walk home was big. Or rather the run home. The huge gash that was on his knees made it painful to run but he had to. What would his father say? His father would say to not run from his battles.
I'm supposed to be the soldier that never blows his composure…But his father was at work right now, not here so he ran anyways. He looked back. Cam and Rex were no longer chasing him. He ran into the park and sat down behind a tree, panting and gasping for air. He assessed his situation. His backpack had a rip in it, His shirt had a huge tear down the front, and his khaki jeans had blood splattered on them and a rip at the knees.
'Maybe mom won't notice' he thought. Of course it was absurd, of course his mother would notice.
"There he is! Get him!" Cam and Rex shouted as they ran up to the tree. Alex stood up and ran, dashing through the park and down Wayne Enterprise row. He looked up and saw hi father's office on the top floor of the biggest building. Maybe if Cam and Rex killed him at least his father would see. He took a shortcut through an alleyway to a row of houses and then took several turns until he saw the huge hill his house rested on. Wayne manor, his grandfather's estate that he had passed on to the Grayson's along with Wayne Enterprise's. Of course by now he had figured out that Grandpa Bruce was not really a blood grandfather but rather had taken his father Richard in at a young age as a ward. Alex opened the immense gate and ran up the huge driveway into the estate. Panting he leaned up against the wall and sat down, trying to cover the blood on his knees. He sat up and walked casually into the kitchen.
"Alex honey did you have a good day at school?" His mother asked coming into the room
"Uh yeah mom I uhm got an A on my history exam!" Alex said handing her a paper, trying to distract his mother from the gashes on his knees and tears in his clothes.
"Wonderful Alex! I'm so proud of you," She said, setting the paper down and hugging him tightly. Her hugs were always bone crunching but he said nothing in protest today. His mother had red hair and emerald eyes. She too worked at a top position at Wayne Enterprise's but usually she finished up in the morning and was home for Alex.
"Alex Grayson why are your clothes torn? And why all the blood?" His mother asked
"Uhm I tripped and fell onto all this gravel" Alex said nervously
" Alex, every day you come home bruised. I am starting to think that-"
"Mom, I'm fine"
"But Alex-"
"I said I'm fine!" Alex yelled running up the stairs.
Alex wrapped a bandage around one knee gash and gasped in pain. He put a bandage over the other and washed his bloody lip off. He plunked down ion his bed and sighed. Alex wasn't popular at school to say the least. He had a few friends but not too many. Alex was a handsome boy with sparkling blue eyes and shiny black hair with natural red highlights. Although he was deemed 'hot' by all the girls at school not one ever talked to him because Cam and Rex had spread nasty and false rumors about him. There were so many Alex couldn't keep track. They were so bogus it was almost laughable. One was that he had a camera rigged in the girl's locker room and he sold the tapes to companies. They were all so untrue it made him puke. The bullies beat him up every day after school and sometimes during lunch. Alex's phone rang and he picked it up. It was Nick, his best friend
"Did they get you again?" Nick asked
"Yup. I can barely walk"
"Sorry I couldn't be there man, I had to go to my dentist appointment"
"I understand man. We still on for the arcade tomorrow night?"
"You betcha. Your 'rents gonna let you go?" Nick asked
"Don't know don't care. If I always listened to what they said I'd be home all day and the only show I'd be able to watch is Sesame Street"
Nick laughed, "Your parents just care about you man"
"A little too much" Alex said "Anyways I gotta go clean up these gashes before my Mom finds out. Bye Nick"
"See ya"
Alex put the phone back on the hook and looked around his room. He had his own laptop, personal phone line, and a game station 5 hooked up to a flat screen TV. Another reason the kids hated him at school: His family was rich. To take his mind off of everything he pulled out his math homework and got to work on it. He couldn't concentrate.
"I wish I had some powers or something, so I could just destroy Cam and Rex and watch them scream and wither and die and-" He stopped as he looked in the mirror that was across from his desk. His eyes were glowing blue and some green energy source was on his hands. As he looked in amazement it disappeared.
"Wow, when the shop teacher says not to get too close to the glue he means it" Alex said rubbing the back of his head.
Wayne Enterprises, top level officeRobin -or rather Richard- had fallen asleep on his desk. His secretary John Johnson walked in and rolled his eyes. Mr. Grayson obviously didn't enjoy this job.
"Mr. Grayson" John said trying to wake him up
"Five more minutes Starfire, then we can do whatever you want…" Richard mumbled in his sleep. John shook his head.
"Mr. Grayson" Smith tapped on Richard's shoulder and he woke up with a start
"Oh heh sorry John, guess I dozed off again. What do you want?" Richard asked rubbing his eyes
" Just letting you know its 5:30 PM Mr. Grayson sir, I know that's when you usually leave," John said. What could he say, he wanted a promotion and the only way to get one was to suck up to the boss. When Mr. Wayne had owned the company he gave out promotions left and right. Bruce however retired a few years back leaving the company to his old ward, Richard and his wife Kori.
"Oh thanks Johnson. You can leave early if you'd like" Richard said grabbing his coat and running out the door. Smith smiled and ran out the door. It wasn't as good as a promotion but he wasn't one to argue with getting to go home early.
Robin went to his parking spot and got in his shiny sports car. There was nothing better than getting to get home and seeing his lovely wife and Alex, who wasn't so lovely but made up for his attitude with good grades.
Robin parked the car and headed inside. He hung his coat on the banister and headed into the kitchen. Starfire was cooking something and Robin crept up from behind and grabbed her and kissed her.
"Mmm miss me?" Robin asked putting her down
"Of course. Want some?" She asked holding out a spoon of soup. Robin took some.
"Hmm needs more salt," He said
"You are such a critic," Starfire giggled
"I've been thinking Star," Robin said as he set the huge dining room table
"About what?" Starfire asked as she put some of the soup into bowls
"About telling Alex about everything. His powers, the titans" Robin said as Starfire shoved a spoon of soup into his mouth "still more salt" He said with a smile
Starfire rolled her eyes and added some more salt to the soup "I believe we should tell Alex as well, but not now"
"Yeah. Maybe in a few months?" Robin said wrapping his arms around Starfire
"Yes. I'm just worried he'll discover his powers before-" Starfire started as Alex entered the room
"Hi Dad" Alex said sitting down at the table
"Hey kid. How was school?" Robin asked as Starfire placed the soup bowls on the table and they both sat down.
"Okay" Alex said taking a spoon of soup and cringing "needs more salt"
"Told ya" Robin said to Starfire who just rolled her eyes and smiled
"Hey Al what's with the tears on your jeans?" Robin asked
"Uhm nothing dad. I tripped. Great dinner mom, bye!" Alex said running upstairs
"I really think we should sign him back up for those meets with the psychiatrist" Robin said
"Me too" Starfire nodded "me too"
To be continued….
Next Time: What types of crazy things will happen when Alex discovers a cave behind the china closet (Cough-Batcave-Coughcough)?
Please review! Chapter two will be up soon- I already have most of it written!