Author's Note:

Just so you people know, Slade's last name is actually Wilson if you look it up. Of course I had to make up the Stanley part or else that would be totally obvious. :) BE WARNED: VERY VIOLENT CHAPTER!

I was ready to unleash whatever was building up inside of me. The only reason I hesitated was to see if Slade would make one of the moves of his own. It then occurred to me that he did not in fact have reason to attack. He had everything he desired and more. I should be the one to challenge him.

That was not a problem, I was ready. However I was not foolish. I ran possible strategies in my head, calculating the best way to take him down, or at least retrieve the code. Robin would have been most proud of me. If only he could fight by my side.

Enough.

This was my chance. I could retrieve the code, and save the stolen money. Best of all I could bring Slade to justice for all of the horrible crimes he has committed. The list was certainly quite long. Theft, blackmail, resisting the authorities, harming innocent civilians, assisting the apocalypse, murder…

He seemed to almost enjoy the fact that I was here. There was no doubt in my mind that he knew all along who we were. The thought worked its way into every inch of my mind, making my heart sink. That meant he knew what Robin looked like without his mask. The again, I knew what Slade looked like as well. Was he really so ruthless that he would risk his own identity? Apparently so.

The signs were so obvious. I blamed myself for not seeing them sooner. How, how could I have been so dense? The very thought that I could not figure this man out was sickening, then again, most thoughts about Slade were.

With a raging battle shriek I launched myself at him, my starbolts bursting from my fingertips. He dodged my oncoming attack, grabbing onto my hair and yanking as I flew by him. I screamed in pain, clawing with burning hot fingers at his hands. I smirked in satisfaction as he howled in pain, dropping me from his iron grasp.

I flew away from him, shaking my head angrily, my scalp still tingling in pain. I charged him once more, being careful of his dodging abilities. Flying closer I shot my eyebeams the same time he ran up to me, landing a punch to my stomachs.

The wind was knocked out of me for only a moment, but that was all the time he needed. He punched me again in my abdomen causing me to sail across his desk, scattering the papers all over the floor. Grunting in pain, I forced myself up, aware that he was charging at me again. I swiped my legs around in a fan like motion, the thought of snow angels coming faintly to mind. Taking his legs out from under him in one move, I smashed my fist into his mask. I was caught off the guard when my hand throbbed in pain. I cried out while cradling it, scrambling away to safety.

When I heard him grunt I spun around, flying to my feet, and unleashed a shower of starbolts. I watched in satisfaction as the green energy leapt from my fingers. I felt so in control. This battle was mine for the taking!

I tried not to become worried as Slade took out his staff of bo and twirled it expertly between his fingers, knocking my starbolts away from him. I froze for a fraction of a second. He did the upgrading of his weapons. I felt the staff sail by the left side of my head. Distracted I watched where it landed, shrieking in shock when I felt Slade's boot collide with my chest. I crashed into the left wall, my head smacking against a portrait.

As I watched him run towards me I kicked my feet out, pushing him backwards. On my way up from the ground I pulled out his staff although I had no idea what to do with it. Snapping in two seemed like a safe option, so I did just that. I jerked to the right, and then ducked as his fists swiped around me. From my crouching position, I hurled myself forward, encircling my arms around his legs to tackle him. He fell to the ground with a thud, his strong hands tearing at my attacking appendages. I lost my armband in the process.

He flipped me over so he was on top and slapped me hard across the face, my head snapping back. Now infuriated I shot my eyebeams at him a second time, targeting him in the chest. Letting a squeal of pure, hard earned satisfaction escape my lips, I flew up over his head, tossing dangerously powered starbolts at him.

Once again he dodged them all but only barely. He lost his balance at one point and I took that opportunity to land a heart stopping punch in his own stomach.

"Now you will see how it feels!" I spat, smirking.

He backed away from me, his eye narrowing. "I'm rather impressed. You're proving to be much more of a challenge than I anticipated. Perhaps it will throw you off a little if I tell you that I have Robin."

I paused mid-flight for only a moment. "You are lying! I will not fall for your tricks Slade!"

I dive bombed him, flying past him and preforming a roundhouse kick on my way. He stumbled forward a few feet than turned to face me. I charged him again, but he threw me away. I was sure he could have had a chance to throw another punch at me but he did not. Every time I tried to attack him directly, he blocked it, but did not fight back. I became tremendously frustrated.

"Are you the chicken?" I demanded, harshly. "Fight me!"

He gave a nonchalant shrug. "What does it matter? Your attacks can't help Robin now."

"I would advise you to do the shutting up now!" I scowled, my voice rising. I fired my eyebeams at him a third time, but he leaped out of the way.

"He thought he could stop me on his own. He came by earlier and well…" he held out Robin's business card.

"You took that from me!" I snarled, refusing to believe him.

His eye widened slightly, and he moved his fingers to reveal a second card, exactly like the first. My own eyes went wide with horror and I flung myself out him, screeching in fury. My hand came in contact with his neck, my fingers tightening around it. He let out a strangled cry and shoved me off him with great force. I flipped over in the air until I caught myself. I flew a little above his head, preparing to dive again when his hand closed around my ankle.

My eyes widened as he swung me around, releasing me when I did not expect it. I hurtled onto the desk, landing with a sickening thud. While I was on the ground I searched frantically for the passcode. There were too many pieces though. Even if Slade had dropped the code I would not be able to locate it easily. I gasped in alarm as I saw his hand reach from under the desk, curling around my leg once more. In one rapid motion I was dragged from under the desk-my head whacking against the wood most painfully-and back into his range. He swung me around hitting me against walls, and floors.

As I fell to the floor for the second time he gripped me by the throat and thrust me against the glass of the window. He pulled me away and continued to smash me repeatedly against the glass. My head ached horribly as I felt pieces of the broken shards begin to carve its way into my soft scalp. He must have knocked me several times because my vision became clouded. He hurled me across the room once more and I when I landed this time, I felt a crack and my breathing became shallow.

Every bone in my body ached. I groaned in pain, my head turning to the side. My vision blurred in and out. I blinked, trying to get the bearings in my mind. My hand traveled to my side, where I felt a sharp pinch of pain. Without fully knowing what I was doing I reached out and yanked an alarmingly large shard of glass from my skin. I watched helplessly as a dark puddle of red drenched my skin, my clothes. I truly was a sight. So was this room, with its broken windows, torn wallpaper, scattered papers, crumpled cards on the ground, blood staining the carpet…wait, crumpled cards on the ground!

My heart gave a leap of joy as I recognized the familiar check with the code printed on it. It was lying so close…only a few feet away…

I stretched my arm out, my fingers clawing at the bloody carpet, inching towards the card…until…until I had my index and middle fingers around it! My eyes shone in triumph as I pulled it closer…

A gigantic black boot crushed my wrist, shattering my bone. I screamed in agony, releasing the card. I had been so, so close.

The boot lifted, and I lay there motionless as Slade bent down, his mask stopping inches from my face. I breathed heavily as he extended his hands toward me. He was clutching what appeared to be a metal fold of blindness.

"Nothing personal, I just don't want you spoiling the surprise I have for you," he said, lifting my head.

Adrenaline coursing through my veins, I jerked my right leg up, kneeing him in the groin. I watched him cringe as I rolled on my side, despite the pain, reaching for the card again. I felt the horrible familiar feeling of my hair being tugged again, as I was lifted off the ground. I watched Slade with dull eyes as he winded up and punched me square in the face. He did not let me go as I expected. He dragged me over to the fire place, letting the top half of my body lean down into the flames. I recoiled as I felt my hair burn. I screamed outrageously, bringing up my "good" hand which was mildly bruised to smack his chest. He swore, dropping me into the flames.

The pain was absolutely the most excruciating experience I have ever faced.

Flames licked my skin hungrily, encircling my soft skin and drinking me up. The smell of my burning hair mingled with the smell of scorching flesh and boiling blood in my nostrils. I coughed violently, smoke billowing around me. Somehow I managed to roll out of the fire place. I patted myself down weakly, my screams filling the air as I writhed on the ground in a tormented dance.

"Shut up!" I heard Slade snarl, but I kept shouting. I vaguely remembered watching on the television how humans survived when they were on fire. I kept rolling to the side, my hand skimming the bloody glass I had pulled out earlier. As Slade approached me again, I flicked my uninjured wrist and the shard shot into his leg, digging into the skin. He howled in fury, tearing it out.

As the flames faded around my bloody and raw body I felt my boots-or what remained of them-being removed. I cringed at the glass cut deep into the skin. I tried firing a week starbolt at him, but I could not even summon the righteous fury anymore. My head fell to the side as I stared at the untouched card on the ground beside me. As I reached out yet again for it, my ring caught my eye. I was happy to see that it still shined brightly, new as good, cleverly placed on my right hand instead of my left, not that it mattered anymore. I then discovered the hand it was placed on was an ugly black and red. This could not be my hand. Why was someone else wearing my ring?

I reached for the card but it was too far away. Then, something remarkable happened. I certainly did not even try to use my powers, but I floated. Not a lot, just ever so slightly until my fingers brushed the wrinkled parchment of the card. Why could I not bend my fingers to grab it?

I was shoved down by my attacker. My hand was still placed lightly on the card, but he did not seem to notice. My body smacked against the floor. My flying was done.

I believe that was when I started to convulse. It was a horrible feeling, my chest being forced up out of my own accord.

For some odd reason, I felt relieved when I did not feel the sharpness of the glass penetrating my legs any longer. Perhaps I had hope that the pain would stop, that Slade was finished. That maybe, he would apologize, and mend my wounds, and give me a Christmas gift. That he would entertain me by dancing the song of the fairy of the sugar plum while I got better. That he would wish me a "Merry Christmas," and a "Happy New Year." I suppose that it how I knew that I had gone insane.

My voice still felt raw, but I had stopped screaming. That is probably because I could not even find the strength to do that anymore. However I used whatever energy I had left to continue. Maybe someone would find me and I could rescued. I was the pathetic. A shame for a Tamaranian warrior who has trained on Okaara. How could I have been reduced to such a mess?

What surprised me was that Slade did not stop. He beat me with his hands. Could he not see that I was not able to fight back? He had won, why did he persist his attacking? My eyes did not close. I watched him. I did not have a choice. For some foolish, foolish reason I still believed Robin would come. I was certain Slade had copied the card in an attempt to fool me, which he had. Again, I had suffered from my own stupidity. Nevertheless he would come, he would come…

Perhaps this was not such a horrible place to die. It was certainly warm here, the carpet was comfortable. Two-thirds of my life have been exceptional, even if it was such a short time to live. I was most thankful that I had come to Earth. I had learned many things on my stay here: "Being nice," is…nice. Mustard is most delicious. Food tastes better without its crinkly packaging. Friends are wonderful to have around. Of course, those were simple things to learn.

I have also learned the hard way.

I have learned the hard way that being in love is an extraordinary feeling, even if it does end painfully. I have learned the hard way that a heart can break more than once…

I have learned the hard way that darkness is the worst form of torture.

A dark room, I waited for him. Why had he not come? Everything hurt, there was blood everywhere and it was still flowing from my damaged body. Hungry hands beat against me, formed bruises along my skin.

I screamed, a horrible shrieking sound, but no one heard me but my attacker, who swore angrily and hit me harder. I just had to scream a little longer and he would come. Robin would help me.

Then why was he not here? He promised…he promised…

It got so much harder to breathe, to thrash and to defend myself. The hands choked me and scraped against me, covered my mouth to smother me.

"Please."

Somehow I hoped this was enough to stop the hurting. I knew it was not. The hand pressed against my throat and I heard an animal crying. Who was that animal? Beast Boy was not here.

I then realized it was me. Choking, struggling, fighting, losing, dying…

Tears flowed down my face, made clear streaks through the blood. My shaking hands rose up to push back my attacker, but they were so weak. The ends of my fingers curled up, red liquid rolled down.

"Help!" I found the will to scream while I could. "Robin," I cried.

My attacker laughed at me. It was so dark. I could not see. Everything was dark, and red, and warm. The gargling sound returned to my throat. My nine stomachs flopped. I started to heave, as blood slid down my throat.

Why did the end not come?

"I love you," I breathed, my eyes began to roll to the back of my head. These words were not for my attacker, but for the one who did not attack. The one who failed to come.

It is a shame I have never heard them from his lips.

But I did here something. The shattering of more glass. My head was turned toward the sound, my eyes opened slowly but my vision was clouded in a never ending haze. My hearing was damaged too. It was as if I had gone partially deaf. I could hear muffled shouting. Is that even possible? I could not stay focused long enough to form the sounds in my mind into actual words.

My fingers twitched on the parchment. Was the card still even there? Everything felt numb, my body going into shock. I was aware of a tremendous weight being lifted off my chest. However as this occurred my other injuries flared up in a brand new excruciating pain. My left eye was beginning to swell shut, I could feel it. The left side of my body was too hot. The right side was too cold. No…it was warm too. I had my blood to thank for that, even if it was quite sticky….like Plasmus…or Red X's goo.

Voices filled the air and I wished they would go away. Could they not see I was in the middle of something here? Whatever they were doing I am sure they could continue it in another room without problem. An earsplitting sound made me flinch slightly. It was similar to thunder but it did not rumble and it was much quicker, like someone doing the clapping. It also made my stomachs feel sick, but then again, everything did then.

Little figures danced across my line of vision. This frustrated me that I could not see them. It did not help the fact that they were both clad in black leather. As Beast Boy sometimes says, I just could not "win" today.

Luckily there was another figure that was more easily spotted. It reminded me of Christmas in a way, and something else too. Oh, what were the names of those things that blinked and made Cyborg's T-Car stop and go? Lights of the traffic? Yes, that is what it was.

My throat kept making the noises that I could not control. My fingers kept twitching on the card and I became nervous. Was I seeing things? Perhaps I was magic, like Raven. That could be most enjoyable. I missed her. We should go to the "mall of shopping," after I was finished watching the light show.

I was finally getting use to the figures when one of the black ones vanished from my sight. That was a shame. Lights of the traffic was running toward me now. Was this a good thing? I was frightened. My vision was so cloudy I could only see colors now, not the figures.

Lights of the traffic yelled something, and then I felt my hand being moved. I did not even wince although it hurt considerably. Hey! They were taking my card away! They did not even ask to borrow it! How rude.

My head was lifted from the ground, soft hands gingerly touched my skin, warm, wet lips showered my face, I saw a beautiful, ocean, blue.

Then nothing.

Author's Note:

I hope that wasn't too, too horrible. I don't mean violence wise, I mean action wise. I have been told that my action scenes need a little work which is understandable. I'm much better at writing emotional stuff. If you didn't understand everything, it will be explained…later….or not….or will it? God, I'm even confusing myself, just remember to review!