Allow Me to Live Like You

Alexnandru Van Gordon

Okay…deep breaths, deep breaths…Fight scenes—how am I going to do this. If I suck at this chapter, I will give you all permission to beat me to a bloody pulp—I'll even put it in one of my little skits I occasionally put in with the introduction or wrap-up of each chapter. He he he…just please don't make me suffer too bad. And if it's that bad—I'll rewrite the entire fight scene. Don't be afraid to burn me or correct me. I can take it all.

Okay, small notes to the people who wrote me the latest review…

Farmgt: I don't know how to pronounce your name, but it looks cool. Your review really made my day, and yes—your story is good. You should consider writing another one after that one is done.

Jean Wachunas: I can't pronounce the last part of your name either, but it's cool too. Thanks for your brief message.

Alex: Thank you for clearing up the little Richard Grayson (AKA Dick)/Tim Drake mistake. I noticed that too after I watched "Haunted".

KelseyAlicia: (when you actually get this far in reading this story) How did you figure out my secret…I'm glad you like my story and I will get to reading the rest of yours sooner or later. Pardon my tardiness, but yes—I promise I will read them all when I get around to it.

KaliAnn: First off—I can't believe you and KelseyAlicia are twins. I thought you were pulling my leg. Thank you ever so much for the compliments and I hope to the good Lord above me that I can still please you with what I have to offer in the ways of writing.

Infamous One: Thank you for the advice—and yes, I will use that term. If I forget, you get first dibs on beating the living daylights out of me.

Saint H: Thank you. I love the Mwahahahaha thing you've got going. I think I picked it up from you when I review other people's stories.

To everyone else who ever reviewed: Thanks ever so much. I probably won't do this separate thanks thing every time, but I thought I would try it for once since I never do and I really don't know what to write as an introduction today. But, thanks again for being such a great audience, and I can only pray I keep you entertained.

As always…(bowing low) enjoy…

DISCLAIMER: Should I lie—or should I tell the truth…The truth is eating away at me, so—yes—I confess that I only own the plot and HW…who I'm surprised is still alive. Where the heck is she anyway…

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Mutt

Starfire found that her heart was racing. She knew something wrong was going to happen, but what? It had to do with Robin—that was for certain—and Slade—no surprise there. Was this it? Were they going to quarrel again.

How did she know all this?

She flew down the corridors faster than she usually would dare in such narrow space with sharp corners. Somehow she managed, and somehow she found herself halting in midair before a door…except there was an unfinished glowing-red circle around the lock and a hissing sound emitting from within.

"Hello?" She whispered, covering her mouth in an instant when she realized it had echoed.

"Who is that?" Asked a muffled, but young voice from the other side.

She paused. It couldn't be… "Red-X?"

"Wait—you're Starfire!"

"You are trapped?"

"Yes."

"Do you require assistance?"

"Someone needs you more."

They fell quiet…but there was the faint sound of grunts and bangs coming from down the hall. It was almost too soft to hear, but she could just tell by the sounds of things who the two fighting were. Robin needed her.

"Don't get caught." Red-X suddenly said in panic from the other side of the door. "Find the air duct and climb in unnoticed. Only help Robin if he needs it."

"But—"

"No buts! You have to let Robin win…and he has to do this on his own."

"But—"

"Have faith in him for once…"

Have faith…how…odd it was hearing that from a criminal that stole from Robin a short while ago. But even if he was a thief, he was right. The Titans had lost faith in Robin, and slowly that would lead to a broken team. This was just the beginning, and so they had to stop the trouble before it evolved into something worse. They needed to heal.

Robin needed his honour, pride, and morals to be healed, and winning against Slade was the only way how.

"Very well." She agreed reluctantly and flew up toward the ceiling. Without any effort, she pushed up one of the boards and climbed inside, heading in the direction of the noise.

It was going to be hard for her to stay out of this.

-R-

It was a sickening noise to hear, a cracking sound made from one of his lower left ribs. Who could blame him though? It was a bone-crushing sidekick planted firmly on his chest before he was shot back a good couple of feet to slide on the cold metal floor. He lay on his side with his knees brought up slightly toward his chest as he rested a shaky hand gingerly on the area of immense pain. It smarted—ouch! Oh well. He had survived worse before.

Rolling aside, he just missed the foot coming down for his chest a second time. All he saw was Slade in mid-air, leg poised, headed toward Robin with a growl in the back of his throat. Then he rolled into a crouching position before attempting a sweep kick to Slade's feet. Surprisingly—it worked, and Slade fell back with a heavy thud.

Robin leapt to his feet the moment he saw Slade's eye narrow at him—pulling his foot out of the way just as Slade made to grab his ankle. He cursed in his mind from the shot of pain in his chest but ignored it as best he could. His left wrist already hurt from a nasty fall and the bridge of his nose was sore from one of Slade's well-placed punches. Slade had his own fair share of smarts and bruises from Robin, but not nearly as much as the young hero received.

He paused, waiting with both fists ready to punch. It sounded as though something thumped in the air duct—

Stupid! He should have watched for that! The uppercut to his jaw clamped his teeth together and he made a muffled yelp as he bit down hard on his tongue. The coppery taste of blood was fresh in his mouth, a small amount dribbling down the corner of his mouth to his chin. He wiped it away with the back of his black glove, but Slade saw it. He could tell the creep was grinning again.

Another punch was delivered to his face before one came in hard to his solar plexus. He tried to gasp in air as he stumbled back, a back kick delivered to his left side as Slade took the advantage. A new wave of immense pain shot through the same rib as he came crashing down to the ground and he could barely take in any air. But black dots danced across his vision as he could suddenly breath again.

He was determined not to give up.

Spitting out a little blood, he managed to stand. Once more he faced his nemesis, who stood so humbly in the center of the room. That one wicked eye was weighing him again, the owner taking down a few mental notes on Robin's skills, evaluating him. Oh…Robin hated it when he did that. It took away his strength, just about.

"Why are you acting so defensive today?" The man asked just as easily if he were asking how many states were in America. "Something on your mind?"

"What do you care?"

"But I do. This isn't like you—the only thing like you is your determination. If not for that, I believe you would have already allowed yourself to fall unconscious."

He frowned, trying to breath around the pain of his rib. "Just shut it. I already know myself."

"But do you really?"

He released a small battle cry and lunged at his enemy, planting a firm fist on his face. Slade moved a step back slightly and closed his one eye as he grunted. Then another punch was delivered before Robin wound up for a mighty back roundhouse kick. Bending back low, his foot caught the tall man in the face and sent him flying across the room with an awful crunching noise. If Slade broke anything, he was sure quiet about it—but yet he had.

Slade stood and turned toward Robin, his arm slightly bent between the elbow and the wrist on his left side. That should have at least deserved a scream—an agonized yelp at the minimum! How could Slade keep so calm and collective…he wasn't human…

What Slade did next made Robin's blood thicken in his veins. He grabbed his arm with his right hand and bent it back—a disturbing Crack! sounding in the air. Then Slade flexed his fingers, staring at them as he examined his arm.

"That actually hurt…Impressive, Robin—a first I believe. But you'll have to do better than that."

Robin couldn't believe it! His feet were frozen to the ground and his eyes were glued to the man's arm, baffled at how such a thing could happen. It should have been impossible—it should have been excruciatingly painful!

"How…" Robin breathed, unable to explain the unthinkable on his own. "Why…"

"Why—what?" Slade asked, standing perfectly still with both hands behind his back again. "I can explain how, but you seem to have caught me with the why question?"

Robin frowned, his eyes now narrowed. "Why is it that when I finally get a good enough hit, it's all for nothing? All of it—for nothing! If you can beat me so easily, why allow me all the shots—why meddle with my brain? Why toy with mankind if you're so great and mighty!"

Slade shook his head—once more acting as though he was dealing with a mere child. "I can heal, but it still hurts. Everyone needs to train. The serum I took so many years ago just heightened my chances of surviving, which reminds me…" His gaze fell on a table near the computer where he placed most of his chemicals. "I have small gift I want to give you…"

Robin backed away slowly as his enemy proceeded forwards toward him. This couldn't be happening…it was too unfair…it just wasn't fair…

Maybe Slade was right. Maybe fate was being unreasonable—maybe he was meant to travel another path and Slade was the only one to go to. But he couldn't believe that. With years of believing and standing for something different, he just couldn't give it all up. What was right for the world was right for him—and getting rid of this nut-job was one of those things.

Courage returning, he ignored his racing heart and stood ready for an attack. This action actually made Slade pause—surely Robin wasn't going to continue battling an indestructible human! Why would he?

Because Slade wasn't human.

"Do you understand anything of what I've been trying to tell you?" Slade hissed, venom in his voice as he continued to advance on the young hero. "Anything at all!"

"I hear you—I'm just not listening, if you can understand that."

"That makes no sense."

"My point exactly—nothing makes sense these days. Don't you see—some things just shouldn't be certain ways just because they should. That only supports my idea that I'd live a more fulfilling life as a hero."

"That's not for you to decide, Robin." It was easy to hear the fury in Slade's voice. "You're mine—you were always mine…ever since that wonderful night in Jump City when first agreed to my terms."

"That's where you're wrong…"

He waited…and Slade took the first move as soon as he was close enough to Robin. A sidekick aimed for his broken rib just missed Robin as the youth arched backwards to touch the ground with his hands before flipping completely over and stood, ready for another attack. He did another flip—this one forward as the man tried to plant a knife-edge kick on the center of his chest. He flipped overtop the man, arms crossed over his chest as he spun upside-down and placed one hand on his enemy's shoulder for balanced. He pushed off the shoulder and that allowed him to land far enough away to avoid the quick sweep kick Slade attempted to take Robin down.

Panting, Robin prepared to slug the man, but this time he was taken by surprise. The man ran straight at him, arms closing around his waist as he was knocked backwards and landed with a grunt on the floor. Slade's weight, with the heavy metal armor and all, only served to wind him and forced him to gasp for breath as Slade stood up off of him. The pain was almost unbearable on his already broken rib and he swore under his breath as the two opponents heard that sickening crack. The second break was just above the first and Robin didn't dare to stand. He was almost grateful Slade took this time as a break as well.

-S-

Foolish child. He'd teach him a thing or two when the time came, but now he rested to enjoy the boy's pain. He heard a soft moan, almost too soft to hear, escape the boy's slightly parted lips, a shaking hand rested on the new wound. They both heard that wonderful sound as another rib snapped, but he was sure Robin was used to it. He had been fighting since he was what—eight? Impressive. Everything was impressive about him, even how he managed to hold back the scream Slade expected from the new wave of pain. It was just too perfect…

He could heal the boy instantly with the help of his chemicals.

"Now, will you continue this little game or have you had enough already, Robin?"

Robin said nothing, even though Slade was fully aware that the boy was capable of answering. He was ignoring him again, either devising another plan of action or simply not listening—brat. Oh well, he had dealt with brats before and this one he could find patience with.

"Answer me, boy. Have you had enough? End this now and I will tend to your wounds, but continue further and I will let them heal on their own time. Is that what you want?"

"And you said you knew me." Robin laughed, a small amount of blood dribbling down the corner of his mouth. It was either the new wound or stress—again. By the look on Robin's face, he could tell that it was more likely from stress than injury. Robin wasn't one to admit to pain so easily.

"You're killing yourself." Slade stated. "Is that it? Do you want to die?"

"Not yet." The boy laughed again, weakly from pain and exhaustion. It almost made the boy look insane, something Slade found interesting. "I'm not going to die until I have my revenge."

Indeed foolish.

The boy propped himself on his left elbow, his right hand still on the broken ribs. He pushed up and forced himself to stand, swaying slightly at one point before gazing at Slade with unreadable eyes. They were white…but his whole face…no expression whatsoever besides the fatigue, a disguise to mask his fear and fury, his hate and devastation. The boy knew there was no escape—but something urged him to continue trying. Now Slade knew. It was the same force that drove him to do what he did. It was rather quite easy to redirect, especially when young…

"I see…" Slade breathed and pulled out his Bo-staff, slowly extending it. The boy watched the weapon with weary eyes, but didn't flinch or speak. He stood his ground as Slade approached, ready to beat the mutt into obeying its new master.

-St-

She flinched, mentally beating herself for not doing something when she heard the second rib break. She actually bit her lower lip until it bled for distracting Robin a while back and causing him injury. But Slade and his arm…what was this evil man—No!...Monster…

The urge to jump down there and save him was so great, but she listened to HW. This intuition…she was guessing it was that feeling in her heart to leave Robin allow, to wait patiently until her time came to intercede. Besides…when she looked at his eyes…They were weary, true, but they were stronger and more determined than she had ever seen them before. There was something going on inside Robin's head, a realization that became clearer with every blow he either took or delivered. He knew what was coming when Slade showed his Bo-staff—he knew he was going to be beaten, punished for disobedience. She swore—if Robin hadn't already called dibs on bringing Slade down, Starfire would have granted him his six feet of earth already.

Then she shut her eyes tight—flinching again at the sound of Robin's grunt as the staff came into contact with his body. She peeked between the caged opening in the air duct at the boy as he staggered backward, hit in the jaw by the neck swing. He was being herded backward, but did nothing to stop the blows that came. And when he looked at Slade she still saw that look in his eyes, that rock that would never be broken by someone as evil as Slade. Slade could never touch his soul, and that was why Robin was winning. That was what he was waiting for Slade to realize.

Robin began falling backwards, but Slade reached out and grabbed him by the front off his uniform. Robin was lifted off his feet and pulled face-to-face with the madman.

"This is only the beginning." Slade hissed.

Starfire shivered.

-A-

Yahoo! It just saw Fear Itself! The new episodes have finally found there way to little old Canada! I'm so happy!

I'm sorry if I cut this chapter short. The fight scene continues—I assure. Just give me more time and forgive me for not updating earlier. I hope you liked this one.

-Sighing wearily

-Alexnandru Van Gordon