Chapter 10
Nightmare

"Hey, Jaded One! Wait up!" Rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand before turning around to face the person who tapped his shoulder Richard finds himself face to face with Alice "Death Queen" Montiego. Granted they are friends, acquaintances at the very least, but he didn't expect her to speak to him at school. 'She has a rep to keep after all.'

Smiling in a way that would make most nervous the curvaceous junior whispers, "So, what are you up to tonight?"

"Tonight?" The brunette gives the other a considering glance, allowing himself to stare in wonder at her outfit for the day as he thinks. She's dyed her hair black again; she always says she's jealous of the depth of his raven tone. Pale makeup, red eye shadow and thick black eyeliner accent sharply with red and black lipstick perfectly blended to look like dried blood. Her mouth looks like an angry wound, and a thick, spiked collar shines at her throat. The final touches are a ripped midriff shirt with fishnet over it and a black pleated skirt. Alice waits patiently, eyes lingering on Robin in a way that makes him distinctly on edge. 'I thought only Ed could look at me like that.'

"What's up, you want to come over? Bruce is always home late so I'm sure Al would love more company than just me at the dinner table."

Caught off guard Death Queen gapes at the boy before her then laughs warmly. Beneath the makeup and facade is a very gentle girl. "You're sweet, Jaded One. Too sweet, could spell trouble for you. Cruel girls hunt for boys like you."

Jaded One, her nickname for him; everyone seems to have one. The last the sophomore asked she informed him the name is due to his eye color and mature personality. 'You act like you've seen it all,' she said. With one last chuckle Alice shakes her head. "Thanks, but no. Actually I was wondering if you would go with me to a rave tonight."

"Rave?" The Boy Wonder feels silly repeating his friend but he needs a moment to let the idea sink in. 'I really don't want to hurt her feelings, and besides, it's a rave. Not like I'm going to run into a super villain with glow sticks.'

"Could I bring a friend?"

"Nope, sorry sexy, just us."

"Oh."

"We can bail early though so your old man won't yell at ya, what do you say?"

"Okay, sure. So what's-"

"Great! Meet you at my place at seven; I'll lead you there from my place."

"I'll see you then."

Turning his phone over in his hands with discomfort for the twentieth time in ten minutes Richard swallows the hard lump in his throat. He had dinner with Al so the elder didn't protest much to the leaving on a school night, just made Batman's partner promise to be home by eleven. When he had gotten to Alice's she had insisted he change into some clothes her brother had chosen for him out of his own stash and that they take Mr. Montiego's car. With one last miserable look to the mirror Ri sized up his outfit. Tight black leather pants a bit too long, black leather boots that buckled up the sides with soles that made up for the lack of height by an inch, and a deep green fishnet top. 'I look like a prostitute. I've never felt so under-dressed in my entire life.'

When he showed concern about wearing the top that displays his physique Alice and Alistair both swore it looks perfect on him, and that it will be too dark in the rave for anyone to see any scars he feels self conscious about.

Whispering a silent prayer to whatever deity might hear him to protect everyone around Alice from her insane driving Robin grips the side handle tightly. 'Now I know why they call these "oh shit" handles.'

"Um…Alice are you sure we should have taken your Dad's car?"

Cackling as she goes 90 in a 30 zone the 'Death Queen' grins. "Please, Jaded One. Dad's in jail again for DUI it's not like he's going to miss the car."

Taking a deep breath and counting to ten Richard manages to keep himself from screaming at his reckless friend. Her father might not care, but the police would care. They would care a whole lot. Once they make it into the crumbling lot and park the teen quickly unlatches his seat belt and throws himself out of the old mustang. More likely than not Alice will want to stay at this party longer than he can, or is willing to, so the brunette begins to formulate his escape as they approach what appears to be an abandoned mill. The old Snyder mill is located on the outskirts of Gotham, just shy of the road that heads to Bludhaven. It's only reason for existence now is the underground night club DeepGround. As a rule Robin had sworn never to set foot in this area unless there is a reason.

With the recent boom in criminal activity tonight is a great reason. 'Maybe I can catch some useful info. Even just a scrap would help.'

Passing groups of men and women give both Alice and Richard appreciative glances and whistles as the pair round the side of the building and walk up to the only entrance. Standing directly in front of a bolted cellar door a giant stares down at them sternly. "Password, kittens?"

'Kittens?' Bright green eyes narrow for a moment before the acrobat thinks better of his temperament and remains demure. This man holds the same look in his beady eyes the people they passed do and it makes Robin wonder exactly what he's gotten himself into. 'I don't like it…I should get out of here, call Eddie. This is a terrible idea and I have no doubt someone will try to pull something. And I…I'm not ready or willing to chance that.'

Alice on the other hand becomes coquettish, beckoning the stranger with a single painted nail and whispering something in his ear. Grinning with teeth ground to points the bouncer hurriedly opens the door for them and holds it, running his free hand down Alice's arm, then Ri's.

"If you two need anything let me know. Alcohol, drugs, other things…I can provide for you both."

Giving a slight nod so he doesn't seem rude the agile creature enters the club as fast as he can without alerting the shark to his lack of desire for any of the affection. Alice on the other hand completely disappears. Surveying his surroundings Richard's stomach knots further, the entire scene can be described in a single word, decadence. Unadulterated decadence.

Music pounds by a scantily clad band, the air is thick with cigarette smoke, alcohol, and some other smoke Robin doesn't recognized the scent of but knows it is herbal. In the middle of the concrete floor teens dance with glow sticks, along the side walls in the back some are gathered in groups the Boy Wonder is fairly sure he doesn't want to know what they are doing.

Stepping cautiously over a hypodermic needle then a condom wrapper Richard begins to chew on his bottom lip vigorously as he debates the virtue of staying even a moment longer for possible leads. 'Worst of all I told Al Alice was taking me to a birthday party.'

"Hey pretty boy!" A topless girl calls over the music, screeching to a halt in from of the young man and pulling some glow sticks out of a bag at her waist. With expert speed she cracks them and puts a few on Ri's wrists and around his neck before handing him two on something like fishing line. "There you are babe, bar's open!"

As she bounces away the teen blinks in the direction the girl just was, in shock by the fact he just saw a girl in nothing but a miniskirt and a waist pouch. 'Yeah…ok…five minutes to see if I hear anything useful and if not I'm so out of here.'

Watching where he takes every step Richard walks over to the bar, stunned to find everything is free and alcohol is available just by asking. After having to take twenty minutes to convince the bartender all he wants, or needs, is water Batman's partner accepts the offered glass gratefully. He would have preferred bottled water in a setting like this but from the tap is all that's available and that's fine as well. 'Okay…just need to keep it together, wander around, and see what I hear. If I act natural everything will be fine.'

Everything is not fine.

He doesn't know how long it has been, or even what's going on anymore. People have started dropping to the ground screaming, some clawing at their own faces, others slamming their heads into walls while others still are trying to escape the building. The responses to the invisible enemy range from panicked fleeing to outright hysterical screams and self injury. 'What is….why…?'

Swaying on his feet Robin manages to catch himself on the edge of the bar before he could hit the floor. The world shifts around him drastically, and he trembles as he wraps an arm around his waist; taking note of how much his skin has paled. Other than the pallor and dizziness Richard feels like his heart is being gripped in an iron vise, panic shooting in violent stabs throughout his body from his heart to all of his limbs. Trying to keep his breath even and steady the drugged teen pulls his phone out of his pants pocket and flips it open. Whimpering softly under his breath he notes the clamminess of his hands and how he can't text due to his trembling. The decision is made to call instead.

"Hey babe, what's up?" Eddie picks up on the second ring.

"E-Eddie…"

The tone of the man on the other line changes instantly. "Ri, what's wrong? Did something happen? You sound hurt."

"N-no…I'm not, I…I just…please come get me. I don't feel so good." It's getting harder and harder to breathe, every breath hitching minutely.

"I can come get you now. Where are you?"

"I…I'm…" The club begins to fade around Richard, gradually at first like when one is about to pass out, but to his despair it becomes the nightscape of Gotham. More specifically a building he has tried to not be on the roof of for two years.

And the rain.

The rain…

"No…" The young man whispers in terror, forgetting he's on the phone with his boyfriend. "It's not real…it's not…"

But it is, or at least it seems so; the orange moon overhead, the lukewarm rain that falls so heavily it soaks to the bone, and the eyes.

The green that glows in the dark.

"No~! Please no, please!" The phone is well forgotten but not dropped. "D-don't...I'm sorry…"

"RI!"

The sound of Eddie's voice snaps the teen back to partial lucidity, vision blurred by tears. "Eddie?"

"I need to know where you are, can you tell me?"

"I-I…"

"Ok Birdie," the tone is forgiving and soothing. "Does Bruce have the GPS active in your phone?"

"Ye-yes."

"All right, I will be there as fast as I can."

The phone is taken from Richard's grasp. "Hello?"

Silence, then a self indulgent response. "Oh good evening, Edward. How are you? I wish I could say the little bird is well; however by how he is curling into a tiny ball crying and mewling I would presume it is a no. Shall I do a psychological evaluation on him for you?"

The words fade away, replaced with the sensation of impossibly strong hands gripping his body, slamming him into the ground so the breath to fight or scream won't come. "No….no…"

"Very well then-"

Fingers tightening around his throat, a false move and his neck would be snapped. Possessive words snarled and accenting demanding movements, material ripping.

"I won't, can't, give you up, they can't have you! Not now, not ever, never ever, mine. Mine."

The only other option is death.

"Then by all means, come play, I won't touch your precious "Birdie" until you arrive. So no need for any concern, well…for other than his mental well being, that is."

Wounds heal, scars fade-

The body however, never forgets.

To be stabbed is excruciating; to be stabbed through and pinned to the ground is an entirely different sensation. It prevents fighting so efficiently, and running away becomes naught. From the cold floor a blood curdling scream tears out of Richard, one of hundreds in the tortured chorus that is Dr. Crane's playground. It feels like forever, an endless loop of the nightmares he never wanted to recall ever again when a distant voice catches his attention.

Eddie.

'No…it can't be…this is…wrong…it's not real, it's not…it's not real!'

Uncurling Ri firmly places his palms on the floor and takes a moment to steady himself before pushing himself up, making it to his feet but just barely. 'I have to…I have to shock my body out of this…I…I can't think of another way.'

Reaching out blindly as his mind is still too lost in his own private hell the young man finds the knife that had been left on the meager bar. Thanks to a very vivid, near photographic memory Robin is able to locate the cool handle in seconds, flicking the implement in his hand so the force will be at its maximum when he strikes. Gripping the knife tightly the acrobat takes a deep breath and places his right hand flat on the decaying wood of the bar, preparing himself to do the drastic to break his torture.

There is no holding back.

The well kept blade goes through Richard's hand with ease, pinning the pale limb down as the force embeds the knife to the hilt.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Shivering violently Ri breathes a sigh of relief as his surroundings return to the club, body still screaming in long forgotten and recently suppressed pain even as he takes another well trained breath and rips the blade out. Clutching the bloody utensil and leaning against the bar Batman's partner raises heavily dilated eyes to the faces of Jonathan Crane and Edward Nygma.

Both men stare at Richard in a mixture of shock, horror, and amazement.

Fumbling around the bar the emerald eyed teen finds a bar rag and wraps it tightly around his hand; not letting go of the knife for more than a moment.

"Edward, your boy is incredible. I have never encountered anyone with the force of will to do what he just did." Licking his lips the psycho grins toothily at the Riddler. "I think I had it all wrong, he is a far more fascinating subject than my other experiments. Including you…"

Ed snarls but shuts up and slowly turns his head towards the third member of the conversation, who has been speaking but not even realizing the words than rain from his lips.

"So…so lucky, Crane. So very…very…lucky I-I'm not a killer, and I can't stand to hurt people…otherwise…otherwise…"

Burning with loathing for the sadist who made him relive all of his past agony and the self perceived weakness Robin spits venomously, "You two bit bastard son of a bitch! Hiding your impotence behind an inflated ego and a cheap potato sack! You're pitiful! You're a sniveling shell behind chemicals and psychology. YOU'RE CHICKEN SHIT CRANE!"

The tears won't stop, raked with sobs Richard's only choice is to cease speaking and try to gain more control. The insults are rewarded with a more satisfied grin in the redhead's direction.

"So much damage, Edward; you really should be more careful with your toys."

A bloodthirsty roar erupts and before the emerald eyed teen has the chance to process what it is exactly that is happening in front of him Ed has Jonathan thrown onto the ground, hovering over him. The sadist laughs joyously even as both of the Riddler's hands are wrapped around his throat.

"Yes, this is what you are, isn't it? Why are you so angry with me, Edward? None of this is really my fault now is it?"

Scarecrow's head is lifted only to be slammed forcefully back onto the cement.

"Oh I see now. It's because I let Daddy know about you, isn't it? Poor man didn't even know where his dear cheating moron worked."

"FUCK YOU!"

"I'm not your type."

Mercy ceased with a single statement.

In a blur of motion Ed lifts Crane and slams him into the nearest wall twice, then the floor again twice. Ri stares in wide eyed shock unwilling to even blink in case he misses something as the assault continues. From the wall the shorter man is smashed into the bar's counter, a barstool, the cement, the wall, and back to the unyielding floor.

"STOP!"

Gaining his bearings with a bit of effort Ri rushes over to them, uncertain whether he is willing or able to stop his boyfriend. 'I know he is getting what he deserves, but I don't want Eddie to suffer the repercussions of it…he doesn't deserve to…and he's still really hurt from that jerk on Friday.'

"Ed! Ed stop!"

The words slide right off, the redhead's grip doesn't even loosen in the slightest as he continuously slams Crane's head into the floor. Richard knows there is no way he can possibly pry the long fingers off off the bastard beneath Ed so he opts for a different approach. Reaching out with trembling fingers the bird like creature lightly strokes his boyfriend's face.

"Eddie please…"

Simultaneously the other hand cautiously touches the lanky scientist's right wrist. In hindsight bleeding on Ed probably wasn't the best approach, but there wasn't time to try and take care of the injury in the slightest. "Please…"

Blinking once slowly Ed turns his head to look at Robin, testing the boy's nerves as the unholy green feels like it's swallowing his soul. Steeling his resolve emerald clashes with electric.

"Ed, that's enough."

"This fucker-"

"Merits what you are giving him and more but you're still hurt, and I don't want to haul you to jail for murder."

Ed knows the willowy young man is bluffing; it is obvious from the smirk just shy of condescending. Eddie however, doesn't seem so sure and that is all the leverage the observant Ri needs.

Crane is released and flops to the ground like a dead fish, face purple and blood seeping out of his nose. 'If he's smart he'll crawl away now before Ed decides that he needs to override Eddie and I's decision.'

Eddie recoils from Jonathan and turns his back to Ri. "Do you think Terry could come get you?"

Instantly Richard's heart drops like a thousand tons of useless waste. "Terry? Why Eddie I called you and-"

"Stop calling me that."

The four little words are as effective as slapping the sixteen year old across the face. Rendered speechless the only thing he can do is stare in growing panic. 'He's leaving me….he is….but….but he promised. He promised!'

"Birdie…Ri…" Sighing in more frustration than Robin has ever seen in his life the redhead growls lowly at himself then continues without turning around once.

"I am not good for you. Not in the least. "

Even though it hurts immensely Ri's fists clench at his sides. "Isn't that my choice?"

"Not when you're sixteen."

Taking a faulty step back the young man tries one last time, already Ed is heading towards the exit.

Walking out of his life.

"Someone once told me that everything is a matter of free will, that nothing is left to chance and if you want something badly enough you have to earn it!" Unable to stop his shivering and growing sobs Richard barely manages to speak. "How much more do I have to do?"

The plaintive words are met with more silence and distance.

"Eddie?"

More than halfway to the doors.

"Eddie!"

So very close…

"Eddie! DON'T LEAVE ME PLEASE!"

Gone.

Knees giving out the brunette doesn't notice the people coming back to themselves around him, or Crane regaining wits. His heart has been ripped from his chest in the most violent way possible. No injury in his entire time as the Boy Wonder has ever invoked so much pure torture. Slamming his fists into the floor Richard screams and cries, but no matter how hard the tears fall, how soul shredding the sounds…

It doesn't hurt any less.

*Hides* Yes, I know I'm a terrible person. I promise it will get better though! I also wanted to ask- where would you all like to see the series go? It is the first continuous story I've ever done so I'm worried I'll run out of mojo. Please help? And thank you as always!