Within minutes Beastboy and Raven returned to the Ops room, to find Robin waiting for them in the doorway. "We have trouble. . ."
Giving him a suspicious gaze, Beastboy asked, "What kind of trouble?"
Hesitating, Robin shook his head and replied, "I think it's better if you saw for yourself." He said pointing toward the big plasma TV screen.
"Early this morning, seismic activity was reported to have happened at the Mawataki School, causing some of the foundation to collapse on the students. According to witnesses, several students are still trapped beneath the wreakage. A rescue operation is now underway.) The reporter said, as students were being carried out on stretchers. (Scientists are also on the scene trying to locate the source of the tremor. They're not yet certain, but they suspect that there may be a new fault underneath the city block."
Knowing better, the five looked at each other with stunned expressions
on their faces. "Terra. . ." the all muttered at the same time.
Police cars and fire trucks surrounded the entire city block. In front of the school the entire area was taped off. Although no oursiders were allowed to enter, they made an exception when the Titans arrived.
As they walked into the lobby more loud rumblings could be felt underneath their feet. Looking toward the other Titans, Robin said,
"We need to make sure no other students are trapped inside the school. So while I check the library, the rest of you will separate and search the two main halls. . ."
"Uh, Robin. . ." Cyborg interrupted. "Do you really think that's a good idea? I mean, my sensor's giving off some very unstable readings. It seems that the worst part is coming from the library."
"I know. . .which is why it would be safer if only one of us went in there."
"Are you sure?" Starfire asked with some uncertainty. Before Robin had a chance to reply, Beastboy peevishly cut off. "Come on, Star. You're just wasting your time. Robin doesn't listen to anybody but himself !"
Caught off guard by his unexpected outburst, Robin was actually speechless. Silently he watched as Beastboy quickly turned and walked away in an angry huff. Staring hard at his back, Raven looked from him to Robin, as though not knowing what to do. Shaking her head, she gave the startled group a defeated shrug, then turned until she was following Beastboy down the hall.
At the same time, Starfire saw the hurt expression on her best friends face, and grew terribly concerned. "Oh, Robin. Are you ok?" Putting his head down, he muttered, "Sure. . .I'm fine." Knowing a little better, Cyborg reached out, gently putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey. . .Try not to take it personally, alright? B. isn't himself, right now."
Slowly Robin's head lifted, until he was looking him in the eyes.
"You're right. Around me, he isn't. . ." Now without another word, he slowly turned and walked away from the two of them.
The sadness Robin felt was short lived, turning more into fascination as he emerged through the library's double doors. For a minute he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Full of awe, Robin found himself gaping up at the blue sky, through a massive hole in the ceiling, which had crashed right on top of the Librarian's desk! This caused him great concern. For he began to wonder if anyone had been sitting there before the impact.
Carefully approaching, he bent underneath and began prying through the debris. "Can anybody hear me?"
"Help. . .me. . ." An elderly woman's voice whispered out of nowhere. (She was the same old lady who slapped the ruler down in the desk in "Things Change.") Following to where it came from, Robin was startled to find his boot inches away from her cut up face. Quickly bending down next to her, he replied, "Oh, ma'am. I'm sorry. Are you Ok?"
Gasping out, she whispered, "No. . .I can hardly breath."
"Just hold on. . .We'll get you out." Now in a flash, Robin whipped out his communicator and opened it up. "Cyborg! Where are you?"
"Right here, dude." his voice hollered out of nowhere. This caused Robin to look up, surprised to find him and Starfire standing in the doorway.
"We had a feeling you'd be needing us. . ." Giving them a relieved nod, he replied, "That I do. . .Star, go and get the paramedics. Tell them we found another one in here."
"Right away, Robin." she said, quickly flying out of the room. As Cyborg climbed over the wreckage, he asked, "What can I do?"
"I need you to lift up on this ceiling so I can pull her out."
"Sure thing, dude. Just be careful. . ."
"I will. Ready? One. . Two. . .Three. . Go!" Now as Cyborg lifted up on the broken foundation, Robin gently began to pull the woman out. As he done so, she moaned with agony. "Easy. . .Easy. . ." Cyborg whispered, getting on the side of them. Running a scan over her, he said, "Her ribs are broken."
Now they looked up to the sight of two paramedics standing in the doorway. "Over here, man. . ." Cyborg replied, waving an arm up in the air. As they made their way toward them, Robin was taken back over the way she grasped his hand. Looking from him to Cyborg, she whispered, "Thank you, gentleman. . ."
This had he and Cyborg looking from her, to each other with touched expressions on their faces. Smiling down at her, Robin replied, "You're welcome. You just get well. Ok? You're students need you." Letting out a weak chuckle, she replied, "Oh, don't you worry, son. I'm too ornery to throw in the towel now. . ." She was interrupted when loud rumbling once again began to occur throughout the library, causing them to duck over her in a protective manner. At the same time, one of the paramedics shouted, "We've got to get her out of here. . ." Getting on each a side, they took her by the arms and legs. "Ready. . .lift."
As they quickly began to carry her out, Cyborg replied, "My scanners are picking up more life signs in the back of the library. . ."
Now the trembling grew even more intense, causing them to grip onto some toppled bookshelves for balance. Looking at each other with alarm, Cyborg replied, "Uh. . .I think we'd better tag along this time." Knowing better not to argue this time, Robin gave him a playful scoff. "Good idea. Starfire, did Raven or Beastboy find anyone yet?"
"No. And according to what some of the students are saying, everyone has been located. . .accept for Terra." She was interrupted when the librarys foundation now began shaking with a magnatude that was so powerful, that cracks began to run up the sides of the walls. Horrified, they watched as it began to give way. "Look out!"
As the other two ducked out of the way, Robin lunged under a table only seconds before tons of concret, glass, and brick bombarded him. Surrounded by darkness, Robin could feel the dust beginning to choke him. Coughing uncontrollably, he grabbed a cloth out of his pocket, and covered up his mouth and nose. '
On the outside, Starfire was beside herself with panic. Frantically throwing rubble to the side, she hollered, "Robin! Robin can you hear me?!"
"Yo, Robin? Are you alright?" Still trying to catch his breath, Robin hoarsely choked out. "I'm fine. . .(cough) I'm fine. . ."
"We're coming in after you. . ." Cyborg hollered out."
"No! Don't! It's too dangerous. Somebody get Beastboy and Raven here on the double!" He was drowned out when another seismic tremor took over, causing more of the buildings stucture to collapse. As it died down, Robin began to notice that the quakes were coming in a pattern. And if he didn't know any better, he'd swear that the library was actually imploding in on itself a little bit at a time. . .until there was nothing there anymore. Suddenly, he knew what was going on, causing him to quickly crawl on all fours through the debris.
Tossing books and rubble to the side, he blindly made his way through a maze of overturned walls and shelves until he came out into an open pocket of space. There, about four feet ahead of him was another huge bookshelf that was balanced up against the wall, almost like in a domino effect. There between the two, he made out the shape of a cut up leg. . .and could hear sniffling.
By then Robin could feel his heart beating against his chest. Swallowing hard, he whispered, "Terra? Terra. . .Is that you?"
In an instant he watched as the leg suddenly tucked in, and the sniffling stopped. This caused him to quietly scoot a little closer until he found himself staring at her frail, broken down form. Cut up and caked with dust, Terra was crouched into a corner with her legs tucked to her chest. Arms around her knees she rocked back and forth, crying softly to herself. Seeing this pitiful sight caused Robin to get even closer. "Terra. . ." In a flash her hand flew out, her tear streaked eyes glowing brightly. "Don't!. . .Don't come any closer! Just go away. Go away. . ."
Looking around at the destruction, Robin slowly shook his head and asked, "Terra. . .Why are you doing this?"
"Why?!" she bitterly retorted. "Because I've lost control, again. And this is what I did NOT want to happen!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "All I wanted. . .was to be normal, again. That's all I ever wanted!" Trying to be as calm as possible, Robin scooted a little closer.
"But you aren't normal, Terra. You're gifted with powers that are extraordinary. And no matter how much you hide, they'll always be just underneath the surface. Don't you think it's time you stop running and face who you really are before it's too late?" Now he watched as her glowing eyes slowly narrowed with contempt.
"It is too late. . ." she whispered, backing deeper into her corner. "I know what I am, Robin. I'm /ievil/i. . .And there's no hope for me, now."
By then, Robin could feel the ground beginning to violently shake beneath his feet. Now the sounds of an eerie cracking were heard throughout the room, coming closer, and closer. Looking down, Robin was startled to see the ground beginning to crumble from underneath him. Glancing at Terra, he noticed the look of tranquility on her face and realized what she was about to do. "It's out of my hands, now." she calmly replied. "I'd go if I were you. . ."
In a state of frustration and panic, Robin glared at her. "Go?! Where am I going to go?! I'm /itrapped/i here with you!" he hollered, watching as her glowing eyes widened with alarm. "So if you take yourself down, then you're going to take me down, too! Is that what you want?!"
Within that second, the ground split apart. Before Robin knew what was happening it gave way and he fell straight down. In a flash his hand flew forward, and he catapulted a hook and line, allowing it to catch onto the edge of the hole. As he tugged on the rope, he could feel the bottom of his legs beginning to heat up. Looking down, he was suddenly horrified to see magma beginning to ooze up out the ground.
"Oh, man. . ." he whispered to himself. This caused him to quickly attempt to climb up. But suddenly another heavy tremor overtook him, causing the hook to gradually unfasten. Gaping up at it, Robin knew he was in deep trouble. Especially when he looked down and saw that the lava was rising even higher. What made it even worse, was that the bolder that the hook was attached to was also beginning to dislodge.
Blood turning to ice, Robin saw in a five-second period his entire life flash before his eyes, followed by the hook giving way. . .
In an instant he could feel a hand tightly gripping his arm. Looking up, he was stunned to find Terra leaning over the hole, her tear streaked eyes still brightly glowing. This motivated him to reach for her other hand until he was gripping her tightly. With all her might, Terra began to pull until he was able to crawl out on his own.
By then the glow had finally left her eyes, and the rumbling ceased. Marveling over what she'd done, Robin shook his head and whispered,
"Terra. . .If you're so evil, then why did you just save my life?"
Completely stumped over the reality of his question, Terra could feel herself weakening with relief. Giving Robin a look of sheer grief, she literally collapsed in his arms, beginning to sob uncontrollably.
"Oh, Robin. . .I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. . ."
Full of compassion, Robin gently embraced Terra in a comforting manner. "Shhh. . ." he whispered, as she cried against his chest. "It'll be alright now. I promise you. . .everythings going to be alright."
From outside of the debris they could hear muffled voices talking.
"Azarath. . .Metrion. . .Zinthos!" Raven loudly hollered out. Now her dark energy surrounded the pile of rubble, gracefully lifting and separating it until there was a path for them to get through. Only instead of rushing in, the four Titans found themselves transfixed to the sight of Terra holding onto Robin. . .not wanting to let go for dear life.
Slowly her head lifted up, until she was staring at the stunned expressions on their faces. But one in particular set out from the others. . .standing more in the back of the room.
Although relieved to see she was alright. . .Beastboy couldn't bare to face her now, especially after the horrible things she'd said. Putting his head down, he slowly turned and walked away. . .