Well, here I am with another story. This time, a one-shot. Basically revolving around the concept of Robin comforting Ace during her untimely passing. Some things I kept (i.e.- some of Batman's dialogue as Robin's) and their are some things I added (i.e.- some of Robin's own, original dialogue and his feelings towards Ace and the situation). Do keep in mind, I didn't make major tweaks to the dialogue, as I couldn't craft what I felt was... dialogue that rivaled or even surpassed that of Batman's original dialogue, as it really fit the mood of the situation.

Also, there is a lot of emphasis in this story. So you'll see a lot of italics, underlines, and bold text in the story. (Oh, by the way, I'm not going to write up a Teen Titans vs. Royal Flush Gang segment. I'm just going to jump to the part where they have been defeated.)

Disclaimer: I do not own ANYTHING! You hear, ANYTHING! Teen Titans and the Justice League Unlimited episode Epilogue don't belong to me. They are trademarks and copyrights of Warner Brothers and DC Comics.

With You Until The End

The five Teen Titans had finished taking care of the majority of the new Royal Flush Gang. There was only one more left: Ace.

A spotlight shined over Robin and Starfire; they turned and looked skywards, ignoring the unconscious body of Ten. A helicopter was landing.

From the helicopter walked out Amanda Waller—the head of Project Cadmus, and the official liaison between the government and Justice League—she was carrying a white briefcase.

"Amanda Waller," Robin was the first to speak. "The head of Project Cadmus. What's your hand in all of this?"

"No time for the usual pleasantries," Waller reminded. "Before you go after Ace you need to know what you're getting into."

"I've read her file. She has the power to give whoever she is in contact with bizarre hallucinations. As you can probably see."

"It's worse than you think. Ace's powers have evolved," she informed. "She doesn't create hallucinations anymore; she telekinetically warps reality."

"So your telling me all of this is actually real? Reality-wise?" Cyborg was both interested and surprised by the concept of her actually warping reality. He was more surprised if anything though.

"Real, growing, and permanent if we don't put a stop to it all," she answered. "I had the Cytex predict that Ace is days, maybe only hours from a massive aneurysm."

"Problem solved," was Raven's cold remark.

"Not that simple: when she goes, the psychic backlash could kill everyone in range of her powers. That's a distance measured in miles," Waller opened the briefcase, revealing a quadrilateral light-blue weapon. "Take her down, before she takes everyone with her."

Raven grabbed for the weapon, but was stopped by Robin's hand.

"I'll do it, Raven. Ace does in fact know Batman. Since him and I are acquainted, she might let me get close enough to use it."

"Do you understand what you're agreeing to? The only way to stop Ace for certain, is to kill her."

Robin didn't reply, he simply put the weapon into his Utility Belt pocket. I can play along…

He turned and headed down the path covered by the thorn bush forest. He hoped that she would let him inside her castle.

The thorn bush covered path began to part as he approached it. She was letting him inside. He ran down the path, he knew that as soon as he stepped past part of the forest, it would reappear behind him. It was up to him now. The drawbridge at the castle's gate opened, he ran inside.

The other four Titans tried to follow Robin, but they were unsuccessful. The unbreakable thorn bush forest began to reappear. They tried to punch their way through, Starfire even tried to fly over the forest, but everything they tried was futile. They were subdued for the time being.

-X-

I continued down the path. Waller's words still echoing inside my head.

"The only way to stop Ace for certain, is to kill her."

How could I kill someone like Ace? Batman told me all I needed to know about her. She wasn't evil… only misunderstood…

I was reaching the end of the path, I stopped once I saw her swinging.

"Robin," she said blandly.

"Ace," I replied as equally dry.

"Did you like playing with my new Royal Flush Gang?"

"I really can't say that I did," I answered, rubbing my neck. Her version of the Royal Flush Gang was certainly a handful. Even for me.

"Yeah, they aren't any fun at all. I gave them their powers, and they still hardly ever play with me," she sounded fairly hurt.

"I can't imagine why," I said, almost sarcastically. She seemed not to notice. Or care.

"When I was little, Cadmus used to make me play all kinds of games, but they weren't any fun either. They'd strap me into their machines and poke wires into my brain. 'Ace can you move this object with your mind?'"

She began to sound frustrated. Aggravated . She needed to talk. I wouldn't interrupt. I could understand the need to talk, especially after having such a… different childhood. Clouds began to form in the sky, the air suddenly became windier and windier, and a nearby tree was uprooted, thrown into the clouds above.

"Yeah, I can move it. They weren't really games, you know," she said. She had finally stopped swinging. "They were training me. Turning me into a weapon. 'For justice,' they said. They got their weapon. I got cheated out of my childhood."

"I know what that's like. Not having a family, being alone and lost in the world… I know exactly how it feels," I admitted. I grew a bit aggravated myself. I had my childhood swept away from me, too. But not do to some government organization. By some second-rate mobster named Tony Zucco… the one who sabotaged the trapezes…

She looked at me.

"You do, don't you?"

I was silent. She had probably already read my mind, so their was no need saying anything.

"You don't have to answer. I read your mind, that's how I knew you weren't going to use Mrs. Waller's weapon on me."

No. I would never use a weapon like that. Especially not on someone like Ace…

"No, I wasn't," I finally said, reaching into the pouch I had placed the weapon inside. I tossed it behind me. "I wouldn't use something like that on anyone. Especially not on you."

She didn't respond to my last sentence. I didn't take offense. She probably didn't know how to react to someone showing compassion towards her. Someone that didn't want to kill her. She probably thought I was telling a lie. She probably thought it was more deception…

"You were going to try to talk me into fixing what I've changed… before I die," she finally said, though a response to my first statement. There a hint of sadness in her voice.

It was almost un-noticeable—I almost missed it—but her shoulders sagged as she said that last phrase. My heart went out for her.

"Yes."

"I'm dying very soon," she stated. I could barely hear her.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

She shrugged, but I knew. She could fight it all she wanted, but I knew deep down that she was indeed scared. It was completely understandable. Her entire life was filled with misery and deception, a girl born with a power she could barely control. To make things even a fraction more of an nightmare, Cadmus and the Joker came in, making everything worse. Cadmus forced the power out of her, while the Joker made her into one of his pawns. I couldn't help but feel disgusted by the misery Ace must have experienced... the cards she had been dealt throughout her entire life was bad enough... but for her life to be taken from her... so suddenly?...

My thoughts were cut short when I finally noticed: I saw tears beginning to form in her eyes, she couldn't hold it in much longer.

"Would you stay with me?… I'm scared." she asked so… frailly.

I had to stay. All she could have done to me before, all the things she did during the Joker fiasco... didn't matter to me. The only thing that mattered to me right now, was her. It was time for a change of pace. The last thing I wanted was for her to die alone. I need to comfort her somehow. She needed it—and in a way—I needed it, too.

There was no hesitation, I took a seat on the swing next to her. She seemed to… relax a bit. She wiped the tears from her face using the back of her sleeve. I held out my hand to Ace, and smiled. She looked at me and grasped my hand hesitantly. She eventually smiled back at me. I hoped I would make her passing as comfortable and peaceful as I could. I knew one thing though:

I'll be with you until the end…

Time passed by, I continued to watch her. Carefully. I noticed when she began falling back, losing her balance on the swing. Her death drew closer. I was there to catch her as she fell. I held her in my arms. Her breathing started to become labored. Slower and slower, she was finally beginning to die. As she did, she began returning the world around us back to normal.

With her last ounce of strength, she hugged me.

"Thank you… Robin…" she whispered to me, "for everything…"

I lifted her up, I could feel her body going limp. A few tears slipped down my face.

"Goodbye Ace," I said, tears still streaming down my face. I wish I could have done more… I wish I could have… saved you…

I carried Ace's body down the path. I looked back… her swing was still there.

A little… memento I guess, I thought.

I walked past them. I walked past them all. My team, and Waller. The last thing I'd ever do is give her to them… I knew exactly what I was going to do.

-X-

It took me a bit of digging, but I eventually found where they were buried. Ace's parents. I made sure I buried her with them. I certainly made sure of that.

For me, it was… an necessity that I buried her with them. She deserved to finally be reunited with her parents. With almost everything done, I had only one thing left to do.

I pulled the red rose from out of my pocket, and placed it near her tombstone, as I do for my parents now; just like Bruce. This would probably become a… tradition for me. I knew I would always make a commitment to come back here on the anniversary of her death. To lay down a rose.

With everything done, I walked away, it was time to head back to Jump. A noise stopped me in my tracks.

I heard her… Ace—her spirit was… laughing. She was laughing for the first—and only—time in her life.

I smiled as I walked away. She was in a better place.

Hope you guys liked that little one-shot story. To be honest, I had come up with this story while watching the TT episode The End. I was liked the concept of how Robin was there for Raven during her dilemma, and I just started to wonder: How would it have been if the Boy Wonder was there to comfort Ace during her death?

Well, as I started to craft things, (And take down the dialogue from Waller and Ace) I was able to create this little one-shot story. I thought it might be more… satisfying if Robin comforted Ace, seeing as he is a young teen himself.

Also, as the writer krikanalo reminded me, Ace was voiced by Hynden Walch: the voice of Starfire in the Teen Titans TV Series... that was another thing that inspired me to write this. Why not have one of the Titans comfort—technically due to being voiced by the same woman—another Titan? Not even sure that makes sense...

Anyway, thanks for reading! Remember to leave a review and tell me how I did on this little one-shot! See ya!

—BatmanAndRobinAdventures