The darkness of his room hung around him in a nearly tangible veil. When his fingers moved quickly over computer keys they had first to stuggle through its latching hold. But he was used to it. He held the night close to him, and let it nurse away his fears in its own twisted kindness. Because, as far back as he could remeber, he'd hidden in it. And it returned him with bravery.

The strength to lead his team against a battle they were slowly losing. And an enemy far stronger than he let on.

Robin leaned back slowly in his chair and watched the flickering light of his computer monitor. Blinking slowly were the locations of all Slades attacks, and links of those who had faught there. Nearly every street in the city had atleat one blip marking his territory. But if the mad man had a master plan, and he didn't doubt that he did, he wouldn't be finding him tonight. So with a resigned sigh, he put his reseach on hold, and made his way to bed.

On the other side of the city a figure perched on the edge of his throne and watched a large screen with intrest. Playing across it was a battle sceen from earlier that day. The Titans were ruining another one of his plans, but that didn't really matter. He seemed not to notice the seemingly endless army of his drones being destroyed by his enemys, because he only had eyes for one of the 'heros'. The cost to rebuild would be worth each scrap of metal this fight cost him. You see, with each of their clashes, with each stance and attack, he was learning just what they could do. And he was finding flaws.

He blinked his single eye and stood slowly. A remote appeared in his hand, and he flipped through other battles. Yet it was a constant. He always fell back to her and she always accepted him. There was more there, he could feel it. They were very close, and just relizing their feelings.

"My my... how could I have missed this?"

He grinned under his mask as ideas and exploitations flew through his mind. All it needed was a tiny push in the wrong direction, and he'd have them at their knees. He flipped off the monitor and made his way down a dark hallway to his lab. There was much to prepare.

"Soon my dear Robin. Soon you will feel my true power."

Only the darkness answerd him.

Robin felt himself waking slowly from his fittful slumber, and faught the impulse to remain in bed. 'Yesterday was a close call.' He thought wearily. 'I'm getting slower, I'm hanging back. Geeze, I'm basically stalking her when I fight... Maybe a little around the tower too.' He shook his head against his pillow and rose to a crouch, one hand on his bed for balance, the other rested lightly on his knee. 'And these damned dreams aren't helping any either.' Oh crap, I had to got there... The memory of last nights fantacy had come unbidden, but the effects left him feeling weak.

"A cold shower..." He said to himself, and once again blessed his secret bathroom. It may have been early in the morning, but he would have to kill anyone if they caught him like this.

After his icey plunge he made his way into the living room and turned the big-screen TV to the security camars scattered through out the city. After nearly an half hour of watching motionless pictures, he wondered into the kitchen and made himself a pot of herbal tea. Raven had talked him into trying it about a month ago, and he had found it woke him up better than either soda or coffee. But the biggest reason was because it made him feel closer to the mysterious girl who haunted his dreams, and nearly every waking thought. Like being the only ones in the tower who would touch the stuff gave them some kind of bond.

He was so deep in his contemplations that he didn't notice the very object of his thoughts come into the kitchen until she was directly behind him.

"You know Robin, just because you've learned to like my tea, it doesn't mean you can keep stealing it from my stash."

He kept his back to her, and reached up to get another mug before pouring her a cup. He handed it to her without a word and brushed past her to seat himself, once again, in front of the screen.

"I'll have you know," He responded cooly. "That I bought that box two days ago, and you never once thanked me for going through the trouble of finding that dumb store." He took a sip of his tea, then leaned his head back until he could see an upside down version of Raven. "Took me nearly an hour to find it too." He grinned at her as she came around to sit next to him.

She smirked and took a long drink of her own early-morning-pick-me-up before replying. "You could have just asked. Do you have to do everything by yourself?"

"Damn straight." He looked back at the television, the smile faded slowly from his face. He shifted postions and fixed Raven with a serious stare. "What should we do?"

"About what?"

"About-" He waved his left arm around in a general gusture. "Yesterday. About- everything." A strange look crossed his face, and he turned back to the screen. Then set his tea on the coffee table before standing to face her once again. "You may not have noticed Raven... but our strengths are barly enough anymore." She nodded, showing that she had, indeed, noticed. "That fight, at the docks...we almost lost BeastBoy to that huge android! And it's getting worse! We're having far to many close calls Raven. Far, far to many. He's getting stronger, and we aren't catching up quick enough." His hands folded into fists, and he looked ready to kill somene. "If I could just get him alone. I could beat him then. I know I could." His face took on an inward cast, and Raven felt the battle raging under his skin.

She rose and stood before him, her half empty mug of tea forgotten. "You need to stop doing this to yourself. BeastBoy came out of that fight no worse than any of the rest of us. We've never lost a Titan."

"That's not true." Robin's masked eyes focused on hers. "We lost Terra. And because of it BB has...changed." His hand hovered over her cheeck, but he didn't touch her. "I don't wan't to be left to mourn you if something goes wrong." He withdrew his gloved hand and took a step back. Raven watched silently as he moved out of the room, giving her a wide berth. And before he'd made it to the door she'd melted into the shadows.

If either of them had turned for even a second tword the screen, maybe they would have seen it coming.

Woot! There you have it!

Please review!

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Queen of the Gnomes and this fanfic,

NumbuhZero