Chapter 2

A/N: Chapter 2 has been rewritten! Please, Review :)

Enjoy

Nightwing swept his legs in an arc kicking a nearby clone in the head. It staggered back and Nightwing blocked a punch coming from another.

He was getting tired, his body was in a lot of pain and he was surrounded. He threw an uppercut, his fist connecting with the hard metal mask of a Slade clone. He turned around, and as he did his stomach exploded in pain.

Nightwing took a spinning kick to the gut and was sent flying backwards into a clone. Its strong arms wrapped around his throat, choking him. Nightwing coughed and gagged, his air supply growing smaller and smaller.

He then felt pain explode from his gut, his bruised eyes caught a black foot slam into his stomach.

He couldn't breathe.

With the wind knocked out of him, and his air supply completely cut off… Dick Grayson started to suffocate. He squirmed at the strong arms of the clone, but his body mass was too little for the heavy man holding him.

His mask was torn slightly, black and blue bruises on his face and blood at the corner of his mouth. Nightwing was tired, but his anger was giving him strength.

His curled his abs, and brought his legs up behind the head of the clone. Wrapping his calves around its neck, he squeezed.

He heard the clone cough, and felt its own grip around his throat loosen. Nightwing took in a gulp of oxygen, and felt his body gain a little more energy. Using all the muscles in his abs, he heaved the clones body over his and threw him towards a wall, a steel pipe protruding from the concrete. The clone slammed onto the pipe, and blood spewed out from the now fresh hole in its chest.

Grayson landed on his feet and cringed at the sight.

He was usually against killing, but with over 100 Slades… They had to die. Grayson coughed and blood covered his hand.

Blood was in his lungs.

Damn… He thought. For a moment, no Clones were attacking him and he took in the sight of the battle field.

Starfire was hovering above the scene, raining green starbolts on clones keeping them off the back of her friends.

Her hair was damp with sweat, her temple was bleeding and she was favoring her right wrist. Barely moving it to throw starbolts.

Her Orange skin was turning black and purple and her starbolts were the size of a softball. Behind her was a stack of crates, and Grayson could see a clone emerge from the shadows.

"Starfire!" He cried, she turned around just in time to see the clone leap off the crates. The clone tackled her, and she spun out of control before slamming into the concrete ground, hard. A small crater formed underneath her shuddering form and the Tameranian heaved. The clone stood over her and was about to stomp on her face when a beam of purple energy slammed into its side. Cyborgs cannon smoked, his circuits sparked, his cybernetic eyes flickered dangerously and his nose was bleeding. Cyborg walked over to Starfire and helped her to her feet before turning around and blasting away more clones.

His power supply was low; Nightwing could tell by the way his cannon sounded. Instead of a ring, it was a low hum.

Grayson's eyes found a large green polar bear swiping its large claws across the chest of a clone. Blood stained its green fur, and crimson dripped from its claws. The clone dropped in a dead heap, but two more took its place. Beast Boy transformed into a raven and took flight. But was grabbed by a clone and slammed into the ground, Beast boy changed into his human form and coughed violently. Lacerations were on his arms and chest, his suit was torn in various places and his green complexion was changing to yellow and purple. Bruised and Battered, the changeling climbed to his feet, his face held anger, hatred, and raw power. His emerald eyes dilated, and he grew in size. His suit ripped off completely, his spine elongated and his face formed into large powerful jaws. Corse fur grew all over his body and large claws took the place of green hands. Nightwing shuddered as the beat took the place of beast boy, and took a step back and the beast gave a gut wrenching roar. It leapt into battle and started ripping clones in half, tearing their heads off, or slicing up their bodies. Crimson was everywhere, the stench of copper filled Grayson's nose as the beast advanced.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Ravens cry rang in Nightwings ears and he turned to see the empath releasing blades of ebony energy. It shredded anything in its path, which was a few crates and a few clones.

The Slades cries fell on deft ears as Raven started picking up random things with her powers and threw them at bystanders. Nightwing noticed how her powers flickered, how her eyes changed from white to Azure and how her hand fell on her left side once she finished with her magic. Ravens cloak had purple splotches, it was ripped, scratches covered her thighs and arms. Her face held a bleed gash across her cheek. Her shoulder length hair was damp, and sweat mixed with blood rolled down her temple. Her jaw was tight, her teeth clenched, as she threw a ebony shield in front of her. Raven tried to take to the sky, but as she came a few feet of the ground her shield dropped and Raven fell.

Nightwing studied his friends in such a short amount of time.

Fatigue was coming in quickly, and He wasn't sure how much longer they could last.

They were no longer fighting for Justice; they were fighting for their Lives.

Grayson pulled out a few freezing disks, and tossed them into the crowd. They exploded, freezing clones in their place. But there were too many. More and more they came from the shadows.

Over 100 bodies littered the ground but the titans couldn't keep it up any longer. Sunrise turned to sunset, and as Nightwing was thrown into a metal beam he gave the order that may have saved their lives.

"Titans! Fall Back!" He shakily got to his feet, and he watched as Raven's eyes glowed bright red. her usually white rimmed magic was now red and she hovered above the battle.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she shouted her mantra, and enveloped the team in darkness.

But Nightwing felt wrong. He felt hatred, anger, and had visions of blood, bodies, and terror.

It wasn't the normal calming, cool energy Raven usually used.

Nightwing felt corrupted and dead.

As they reappeared in the main room of titans tower, the team was dumped onto the floor as Ravens body fell with a thud.

She lay unmoving, her eyes shut and her chest barely rising and falling. The titans all lay unmoving for a moment. Beast boy was in his human form, Cyborg climbed to his feet, gripping the black couch as he did so. Nightwing followed suit and he clutched his side

"Somebody take her to the med bay." He said quietly. Nobody moved for a few moments and Nightwing thought everybody had passed out. That was until Beast boy scooped up Raven small form and walked out of the living room without a word. Grayson shook his head and sighed.

He was ashamed of himself; he let his thirst for revenge get in the way of his concern with his team. They all could have died and it would have all been his fault.

He triggered something in Raven that may have aftereffects and it was HIS fault.

He felt Angry at himself, he felt guilty, sad, and insanely helpless. Starfire shuffled to her feet, and she turned glowing eyes on him. Anger was written all over her features.

"This is all your fault." She hissed. She didn't sound like herself, she sounded dark, and evil…

"I know Star." Nightwing sighed. But her features didn't soften.

"If you had let us do the sleep for one day Raven would not be in the infirmary and we would not be almost dead!" She closed the distance, and stuck her face in his. Nightwing made no move to step back. But kept his face emotionless.

"You… You are such a GLORBAG! You put our friends in danger! You almost KILLED US!" Starfires hands started to glow. Her eyes brightened. Her anger was starting to get out of control, Nightwing could feel it on his skin.

"I know… I'm sorry… I messed up and I wish I could take it all back but I can't." He said. His voice wavered.

"You're Sorry!? Sorry Isn't good enough! Sorry doesn't Make me feel better! SORRY DOESN'T MAKE RAVEN WAKE UP!" Starfire brought up a glowing fist, and Nightwing started to get afraid, the color drained fro, his face and his eyes widened.

"Sorry will not save you." Starfire hissed in such a tone it made Grayson's heart break. This wasn't Star… this was something else. His Starfire would never threaten him… And just as she was about to bring her fist down, a metallic purple hand gripped her wrist.

"Starfire clam down!" Cyborgs voice was stern, but calm. The Tameranian relaxed instantly, her eyes changed to their normal color and the green starbolt dissipated. Her face held major confusion, as if she hadn't realized what was being said.

But when recollection filled her eyes, sorrow and regret filled her face. Tears formed at the corners

"I am sorry for such mean words Robin! I meant no harm! I hadn't realized what I was doing… I… I must go!" She sobbed and then ran through the doors. Nightwing was concerned for the girl he loved, and was about to go after her when a cool metal hand grabbed his shoulder

"Let her calm down man." Cyborg said. Nightwing sighed, but nodded.

"I'm sorry Cyborg. I let my obsession overcome my logic. And I put my team, my family, in danger."

"Don't worry about it. Just let us rest for a few days… we need a break." Cyborg said. Nightwing nodded

"I'll call Titans East and see if they can watch the tower for a few days." Cyborg nodded, and Grayson walked away without even looking back. As the door closed shut behind him, he walked down the dark lonely halls.

He Let them down.

He was SUCH an idiot… How could he do such a thing? He wasn't Robin anymore. He wasn't a little kid looking for approval of his 'master' No, He was his own man. With his own thoughts, and own ways. He refused to follow in the footsteps of Batman, and yet that was exactly what he was doing.

Something about Slade made his skin crawl, that man was not okay. And even now he seemed worse… Nightwing sighed as he walked into the elevator and went up to the floor where He, Starfires and Cyborgs rooms were.

As the Elevator opened, he walked down to Starfires room. Inside he could hear her silent sobs, and debated on whether or not to check on her.

For what seemed like 15 minutes, he finally sighed and knocked lightly on the door. The sobbing shushed, and Starfires quiet voice called out

"Not Now please." Nightwing sighed, Should've just kept walking…

"I… I'll be here when you need me Starfire. Get some sleep, I'm calling Titans east to watch over for a few days." He got no reply, and with a sigh he sagged his shoulders and walked on to his room. The steel name tag still had 'Robin' etched into it.

The door swished open, and revealed Nightwings plain room.

His regular sized bed with tan sheets. Tan walls, and a light brown night stand. A desk was pushed up against the wall, and a closet filled with uniforms. A small dresser with a few pairs of civilian clothes and a small bed side lamp. Nightwing turned on the lamp, and laid down in his bed.

Letting a exasperated sigh leave his lips he rolled over on his side and stared at a small photograph.

In it was a small boy with black hair and blue eyes with green in the center. Next to the boy was a tall dark hairs man with blue eyes, smiling brightly at the camera. On the other side was a tall slender women with brown hair. Light green eyes, and a smile that could light up a room.

Sitting up, Nightwing picked up the small picture and ran his gloved hand over the women and the man. The Trio was all wearing a suit much like the one Robin used to wear. A sign behind them read 'The flying Grayson's'

Nightwing reached up to his mask, and slowly pulled it off, revealing bright blue eyes, with light green around the pupil.

Grayson felt his eyes well up with tears.

"I've failed them." He whispered.

"I failed them just like I failed you." There was no hand on his shoulder, there were no sweet words. Just him and the smiling faces of his parents.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I let you down… I swore to do better, but today I couldn't…" a single tear leaked out of his eyes, and rolled down his cheek before dripping off his chin and landing on the face of his mother. Unconsciously, he rubbed the back of his hand across his face, whipping away his own tears.

He was alone. He always felt alone. But with his new family… They didn't make him feel so alone. They looked up to him, trusted him, and he betrayed them.

But they were family, and they would forgive him like they always did. Nightwing sniffled, and whipped the water from his mothers face.

"I'll do better I promise. I won't turn into him, and I'll make you proud. I promise." Nightwing brought up the picture to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on both his mother and fathers faces before setting the picture on the nightstand facing his bed.

He laid down, turned off the light and stared at the picture.

It felt like hours, of just staring at that photo.

His mind silent, and his eyes locked with the photo.

And when the moon started to disappear, and the sun rose again, Nightwing finally fell asleep.