Chapter 2
The Titans had tried to track his communicator but found he had left it behind. Bumblebee gave each of them a list of places Speedy had been frequenting lately; they were all a little shocked by some of the places on the list. When everyone had left to their assigned destinations Cyborg approached Bumblebee.
"What's going on with Speedy."
"He's just having a rough time lately." Bumblebee couldn't look him in the eye.
"A rough time? That's what you're going with? I may not live in this city, but I have spent enough time here to know some of the places on this list, they're not good places. In fact some of these places even the people we fight wouldn't show their faces. So why is Speedy hanging out there?"
"What are you trying to say Cyborg. Speedy is a member of my team and a hero, he does good for this city and I won't stand here and let you bad mouth him!" Her voice was angry, but Cyborg could see the tears she was trying to hold back.
Cyborg reached a hand out to her shoulder.
"Karen, talk to me. I know he's a member of your team, and that's family. But I have family to, and right now my little sister is lying on your living room floor unconscious with his name on her last breath. I care about Speedy too and I can see the hurt in your eyes, so tell me what's going on. For real."
Bumblebee crumbled into him and let the tears fall, she stood there for a few moments finally allowing herself to feel the pain and sadness she had been holding in for weeks.
"I don't know what happened Vic, I don't know what changed or why he changed. It's been going on for a few weeks, maybe longer. I don't know. But I should have known! I am his leader, his friend, I'm his family! Damn it Vic why couldn't I see it sooner!"
Cyborg held her close with one hand along the small of her back while the other lightly rubbed the back of her neck in a comforting gesture.
"It's ok, just tell me."
"I hoped he would stop on his own, I thought he was just having a hard time and he would work it out. But he didn't it just kept getting worse and worse, and when I finally did talk to him he shut me out. Then I was just too scared. I was afraid what everyone would say, the assumptions they would make, he's a good man! I know he is still a good man! He hasn't hurt anyone, and I make sure when we go on a mission that it stays that way. But I just don't know what to do. I can't help him. I don't know how."
Bumblebee paused and thought for a moment, she was still afraid to tell anyone the truth, afraid that they would judge him, or kick him out of the Titans. But she was also afraid of how he would react, that he might see it as a betrayal and blame her for the fallout. He was her brother in every way that mattered and she wanted to fight for him and fight anyone that threatened him. But this time, it seemed that the only way to fight for him was to tell the truth and accept the consequences.
"He's on drugs. Heroin, pain killers, drinking heavily. I don't know what else. He has been getting in fights around town, kicked out of bars, almost thrown in jail a few times. I managed to keep a lot out of the papers and called in a few favors to keep him from getting into trouble. But he keeps doing it, more and more. I don't even think he can stop. I think he's addicted."
Bumblebee couldn't cry anymore. Her emotions were mixed, she was relieved to finally tell someone, tortured by guilt for telling his secret, and exhausted from finally letting it all hit her. Cyborg still held her close; she couldn't see the look that passed over his face as she told him everything, sadness, anger, guilt. Speedy was his friend to, how could he not have known something was going on. He held her for another moment and then pulled away and lifted her chin to look at him, her eyes were red rimmed from all the tears she shed, and it broke his heart to see everything she had been carrying inside with no one to help her.
"Ok here's what's going to happen, I'm going to check every place on this list and I am going to find Speedy and bring him home. Then we are all going to help him through this, because we are a family, Ok?"
Bumblebee nodded lightly.
"Ok, I need you to go back to the tower, now look I know you want to find him, but I promise you I will bring him home. But Robin needs to know what's going on, and with what happened to Raven he needs to know before he sees a strung out Speedy ok?
You need to prepare him, I know it's not easy but you are the only one who can talk to him and make him understand, leader to leader."
Bumblebee was not looking forward to talking to Robin, but she knew Cyborg was right. She straightened herself up and wiped away any remaining tears and nodded in agreement to him.
"Ok. Just let me know when you find him." Her voice cracked; inside she chastised herself for not keeping it together.
Cyborg again held her; he placed his forehead against hers and told her everything would be alright. He kissed her forehead and let her go. Bumblebee watched him get into his beloved T-Car and allowed herself just another moment of being just another person allowed to show how much they feel before putting back on the face of a Titan.
