Summary: In a world where the Joker destroyed Robin, the Teen Titans struggle to stay together and protect the city. A story of friendship and maturity set in a time of strain.
AN: Hopefully part of an epic that spans Teen Titans, Justice League, and Batman Beyond. Teen Titan-centric, with occasional appearances by the Justice League. Don't expect comic continuity – this is based solely on the cartoon. No romance, no shippage other than canonically implied UST between Robin and Starfire. Don't ask for anything more.
For those of you who don't know the story, Robin (Tim) was captured by the Joker in Gotham and tortured horribly for two weeks. Finally, Batman and Batgirl rescued him from the ruins of Arkham, but the Joker was killed and Harley fell off a cliff. Tim quit being Robin, but a little chip imprinted the Joker's personality on his and fifty years later, the Joker took over and tried to destroy Gotham. Finally, Batman (Terry) managed to destroy the chip and save Tim.
Even though we don't know which Robin it is – comic books would indicate it is Dick – this is cartoon-land, and I'm choosing to believe it is Tim. Canonically, the Titans don't appear to know each other's alter-egos and secret identities, so the same holds true here.
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Prologue
"They've found him." To the outsider, Raven's voice would seem flat and dull and emotionless. To the Titans, she sounded tired. "He's alive."
The Titans breathe a great sigh of relief. Starfire begins chattering about a party, and Beastboy turns into a puppy, jumping around with glee. Cyborg just looks at Raven, though, seeing the shadows under her eyes and the fine tremors running through her form.
"What's the catch, Raven?" Raven flinches from the savagery in his voice, and Cyborg feels a flash of regret. A bitter smile passes across her face, and Cyborg knows it's been forgotten.
"Robin won't be coming back, guys."
Her words stop Star's chattering and Beastboy's jumping faster than a speeding bullet.
"But…why?" Star and BB said it in tandem, and it'd be funny if it weren't so sad.
Raven just looks at them sadly, and picks up the newspaper. JOKER FOUND DEAD IN ARKHAM! it screams, and suddenly Cyborg knows. Slade and the Joker…two of kind.
"He was gone for two weeks. Did you think he would be all right?" Raven says it simply, like it doesn't matter, but the Titans know better. They can hear the grief in her voice, and it's then that they know.
Robin is dead.