Okay, this story was kinda written to Here Without You, by 3 Doors Down, so if you prefer, u could listen to the song while reading this. Hope u enjoy! And Yay! I fixed it up so that it goes a little better with the song!!! Hope ya like!!! Here are some tips on reading it while listening to the song...trust me...I tested it...heh heh:
-Read slow, not too slow, but slow enough.
-By the end of the first chorus, u should be at least somewhere near the end of the first flashback...it works better that way to the song.
-And lastly, if u don't want to end the song before the story, then I suggest you read the paragraphs after the last flashback pretti quickly...
-One more thing...I also suggest starting the song around....now....
Without You (originally entitled Flashback)
Robin lay alone on his bed, staring up blankly at the crumbling ceiling, shivering in the cold. The bed springs dug into his back. He took in a deep breath. A small tear rolled down his cheek. Where was she? Robin could see the many city lights that cut through the dark through his window and they stretched for miles, those thousands of miles, where any one could be holding Starfire. Robin wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He couldn't cry. He was a leader. He led the Teen Titans for years, through all sorts of things, good, bad, and unexplainable, but he couldn't cry. Not now. He felt he had to stay strong, like he had all the other times. But this was different in such an obvious way. This time, he just didn't think he could make it through. Not this time. He scratched at he edges of his mask, for it was beginning to bother him, and once it was loosened, he peeled it off, almost like one would pull off a re-usable sticker. He placed the mask carelessly on his bed stand, letting it lie limp and lifelessly by his head. Kind of like Starfire...
Flashback
"Starfire!" a teenage boy hurried toward his teammate as a man in a black and orange mask aimed his laser at the cliff above her.
"Robi-"
"Noooo!!!!"
The man shot at the cliff and with a loud echoing roar, a noise to end all noises, the snow and rock began to fall. He ran to the point where he couldn't see over the mounds of snow. He could hear Starfire's screams as the heavy snow pounded onto her and crushed her beneath its horrible suffocating weight. And the boy's blood ran cold as he heard her shrill cries. He shouted her name, over and over, like some damn broken record. And he was answered with only the quiet of the team's shock. And he didn't give up. He shouted, he screamed, yelled for her at the top of his lungs, but still, he got no response. His feet were numb, his shoes full of snow and ice, his hair weighed down heavily with snow, making it seem more white than black.
End Flashback
He grabbed a rubber band from off the bed stand and he played around with it for no apparent reason, twisting it around his hands and fingers until it snapped and whipped into his wrist with a painful force which made his eyes water, but he ignored it. He'd felt worse pain than that, the kind that isn't physical. He threw the broken piece of rubber at his ceiling. It fell back down quickly and landed on his face. He suddenly heard light knocking at his door.
"Robin," came a voice, most definitely Raven's.
It sounded like Beast Boy was there too because he heard someone whispering something nervously to her, and it was Beast Boy who was usually around her. Robin wished with all his heart that she'd go away. She had too. She never walked in on anyone without permission. Not Raven, that was more of a Beast Boy thing.
"Robin, dude!" Beast Boy burst through the door, ready as ever to try his pathetic tactics to cheer him up.
Robin wrinkled his nose, out of the view of his friend. Beast Boy came over to him and suddenly Robin reached for his mask, but Beast Boy snatched it up before him.
Beast Boy suddenly broke into uncontrollable laughter. He held onto the mask. "Ha! Dude! Your eyes!"
"There's nothing funny about it you jerk!" Robin growled and he ripped the mask from Beast Boy's grip, and he hurried out of his room.
"Okay," Raven said to Beast Boy with a shrug, "I'll have to agree with him on this one."
"But-I-Raven..." Beast Boy stuttered.
Raven clamped a hand over his mouth and smirked. Beast Boy smiled back. She slowly moved away from him and motioned for him to follow her. He did, but not without grabbing a breath mint from the kitchen first...
Flashback
His other teammates also ran, only they ran after the masked man, leaving it to himself to rescue her from the snowy deathtrap. And he wasn't having much luck.
"Starfire!" he plowed desperately through the snow, his messy black hair blowing wildly in the strong gusts of wind.
He could hear slight movement from under the snow.
"Get him!"
"Too late, Slade!"
His teammates' voices rose from over the snow, and they were fierce, threatening. Through the whistling wind, children's laughter could be heard from over the snow blanketed hills. And he disregarded his surroundings and he dug, dug into the deep of the snow, deeper and deeper, chills running through him, and he kept digging, and he was shivering uncontrollably and frostbite was working its way toward him. And he heard something, someone.
End Flashback
Robin stared into the bathroom mirror. His pale face, reddened slightly, especially around the eyes, stared back at him. One eye green, the other brown. He breathed in deeply. He slid the mirror to the side and grabbed a little bottle from the built-in cabinet. He used its little cap-brush to smother the edges of his mask with it. The mask was wrinkled and he realized he probably should've straightened it out before applying the special glue, but he moved the palm of his hand over it anyway, feeling his hand become sticky. He stuck his mask back on and put the bottle back in its place. Robin left the room and headed toward the tower roof. It was nice up there, cold, but nice. Robin stared over the edge of the Tower.
Flashback
Robin tugged Starfire's limp body from the snow, and she was conscious, but just barely. Her eyes were sort of squinting and when he gave one last pull, her eyelids fluttered a little and for that moment, Robin feared that she may have had a small seizure, but he tried to push those thoughts aside. By the time the others reached her and Robin, she was no longer awake, sprawled out on the snow like a limp dummy, only she looked so beautiful with the snow falling around her and resting on her face until it melted in coldly and disappeared.
"Okay, Star..." Beast Boy had said quietly as she was hoisted up by Cyborg's heavy arms.
And Robin had said nothing more, perhaps because of the shock he was just put through. Robin watched as Cyborg carried Starfire away, perhaps to the hospital, or was it maybe somewhere else? Who knew? But after that, they were both some distant memories. Because Cyborg never returned. And either did Starfire...
End Flashback
Robin stood, a smile spread widely on his face, his mask off, so that he could stare officially into the beautiful emerald eyes of Starfire. And he stood alone, waiting for her to join him, and around him the snow fell in wonderful flakes. And he was happy, happy because he knew-Starfire was coming, coming back, just for him. And she soon appeared in front of him, the bright snow whirling around her like a rolling white storm cloud. And Robin pulled her gently toward him and he took her in his arms and brought her into a lively embrace in which he could not take apart. And she smiled at him. She was there, and Robin let a tear fall joyfully and melt into the snow below him. Her eyes seemed to sparkle even more at that moment and Robin leaned closer and she did the same until their lips, they met...
And Robin bolted upright. He was at the edge of the tower and at first; he had no remembrance of being there. Around him cold, light rain drops tapped against the rooftop. He took a deep breath. It was a just a dream, just a damn old dream! He bit his lip to keep himself under control, but it was difficult for him to keep himself together. His world was suddenly spinning so fast. Why did it have to be a stupid dream? Why? And Robin had learned just a little way into the past that dreams did nothing, and even his prayers were left unanswered for so long, yet still, they continued, despite the fact that they often seemed unseen and unheard. But he still continued, for Starfire, he continued.
Suddenly, from down in the Tower, he heard a loud, rapid banging at the door. And he heard it from all the way up there. He looked down over the side, but saw nothing. He sprinted through the Tower, straight down to the front door. And he opened it and lunged at her, hugging her, but only it was more of a tight, breath-taking squeeze. And Starfire stared at him, and he tore off his mask. Her eyes, there were so...so beautiful...and they neared each other, bringing their lips together. And Robin let his tears fall freely, and they streamed with out control down both his cheeks. And he loved her. And she was here.
And yet it was only in his head...
Um...oh...and... yeah...did I mention I kinda got rid of the happy ending? Ehheh...cringes... don't kill me!!!! Hope u LIKED IT!!!!!!!!!!!