Teen Titans: Never Alone
Author's Note: 36,845 ... That is how many words I've typed up of this story within the last 18 days. Holy. Freaking. Crap. That's... alot.
...WAIT! Then that means! That means this story is technically a novel! By NaNoWriMo standards- OH MY GOD! D: Over 70K? THAT'S INSANE!
:D Thank you all for reading every single crazy word of this crazy novel! I less-than-three all of you!
(seriously, fanfictiondotnet? you don't like less-than signs? How I loathe you)
Chapter 21: Flight
It was a day she had thought would never come.
She had thought their lives together would never end, that the Teen Titans, as she'd known them, had grown to love them, would exist together forever. A family, bonded by trust and friendship, that she'd thought could only grow in numbers, not dwindle….
Her heart was squeezing and breaking inside her chest as she and the others scoured the tower, finding and gathering things to send with Robin. Things they knew were of value to him – his communicator, his belt, the circus poster from the wall of his room – and things that were of value to them – notes of well-wishes, a CD mix of music that they had all enjoyed together, a photograph of the five of them together at their pizza hangout, smiling and laughing…
Will we all ever eat pizza together again…?
She tried not to think those thoughts, but they kept creeping in from the dark corners of her mind as she helped carry the bags of Robin's belongings down to the Batman's jet plane. Her whole being felt twice as heavy with grief, so her feet grazed the ground as she floated along. It took every bit of effort not to start crying.
She could hear Robin's voice drifting from her own memory, that reassuring look on his face, that boyish, confident smile.
"We're not going to drift apart, Star. I promise. We'll all be friends forever."
Will we, Robin? Will we? she wondered with a nauseated feeling. Her heart wringed itself at the recollection of Robin's manic screams. He believed they didn't want him there. He believed they were even trying to help Slade kill him. Her vision grew blurry with tears as she remembered all of this, and she held her breath to banish them as she set his bags down beside the dark landing gear of the stealth jet.
This is what is best for you, Robin, she reminded herself, straightening and look around, her eyes falling on the familiar "R" of Robin's motorcycle. Of course, more than anything, we would want you to stay… but only if you were well enough to stay…
A hand on her shoulder startled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Cyborg standing there, looking as sorrowful as she felt. They didn't exchange any words. They didn't need to.
The elevator chimed on the far end of the room, and Starfire startled hard, snapping to attention expectantly. The door flew open, and she relaxed as Raven emerged, carrying the last of Robin's belongings over her shoulder. She approached silently, looking the gloomiest they'd ever seen her.
"They're on their way down, just behind me…" she murmured in a muted tone, handing her bag to Cyborg, who went to work filling the Bat-jet's cargo hold. Starfire shifted around restlessly. Half of her wanted this whole situation to end quickly, but the rest of her wanted to prolong it as long as possible. She didn't want him to go…
As the elevator chimed again, signaling the approach of the elevator car once again, panic shot through her. She looked around desperately. "Where is Beast Boy? Surely he does not want to miss saying goodbyes?"
Cyborg tossed another bag into the cargo hold, then casted her a half-lidded, disgruntled look. He paused a moment, stretching his hand behind his back, and plucking a green rodent free and holding it out. "Okay, man. That's enough. Man up and deal with Batman, okay?"
The rodent squeaked, then shrunk into a cricket and began crawling up Cyborg's arm. Cyborg snapped an incoherent swear and flicked his arm, sending the bug flying to the ground. Beast Boy returned to normal form, lying on his back with his feet dangling haphazardly above his head, looking dizzy and ill.
"Do you have any idea how disorienting that is…?" he grumbled weakly, rolling over and staggering to his feet.
"I don't care. You're doing this."
"But dude!" Beast Boy squeaked. "It's Batman!"
"And this is Robin. Remember how much you geeked out over him when you first met?"
"…Y-yeah… but this is different!"
"They're here."
Cyborg and Beast Boy looked up at once, the smaller teen backing away behind his older friend and watching the door carefully. Starfire clasped her hands together against her thighs, not allowing herself to so much as blink as she watched the elevator door. Time seemed to stretch much longer than the thirty seconds they waited, until the door finally opened, revealing the two figures inside.
Her breath caught painfully in her throat. Tears were already burning.
This was it…
The whole journey downstairs was like a death march.
The entire world was disorienting and strange, despite the familiarity of his surroundings. He felt like he was walking through a strange dream, like nothing was real. His body felt disconnected from his mind, the clumsy legs below him constantly tripping up as he was led through the deserted hallways of the Tower. A hand clutched at his shoulder, fingers gripping the loose fabric of his white coat, wrenching him upright anytime he lost his balance, pushing against him to steer him in the right direction. Every few moments, panic would suddenly grapple for him, as he would suddenly forget who it was clutching him. Snapping his head back, expecting it to be Slade. But no… it was only Batman… Then, only some dread would remain as he remembered – Batman wasn't meant to be there, yet here he was.
He still wasn't convinced he was real this time…
They entered an elevator, and the Dark Knight pressed a button. Robin tossed his head around, looking at all the lights and sounds before the floor beneath him lurched, sending him bowling forward against Bruce's tight grip. The old hero pulled once more on his restraints, forcing him back upright.
Where were they going…? What was going on…?
He frowned at the floor, his arms wrestling a little inside their trapped sleeves. He felt like it'd been explained to him… but he couldn't quite…
The elevator sounded its arrival at their destination. The floor came to a sudden halt, causing him to sway but not fall this time. He lifted his head unsteadily, watching the metal doors part way before him, revealing the mystery room beyond.
The enormous hanger. Its bright lights and scent of motor oil. The one lone black ship in the center, seeming out of place and intimidating next to the brightly-colored vehicles around it.
And before it, four Teen Titans, turning to look at him.
He remembered now. His heart pitched against his ribs, and he remained frozen in place until Bruce finally exerted enough pressure on his back to make him move forward. Each step was staggered, reluctant. His head fell, overgrown hair hanging in his face, blocking his friends from view. His shoulders hunched toward his ears.
They're sending me away… they don't want me here so they're sending me away…
He clasped his hands into fists where they were strapped. His adam's apple bobbed against the collar of his strait jacket. He screwed his eyes shut tight, so that he was stumbling blind, just allowing himself to be led past them. He couldn't look at them. He couldn't…
And somewhere, even though he couldn't see him, he knew… he just knew, Slade was watching…
They came to an abrupt halt. He wondered if they'd reached the jet, but somehow, it didn't seem like they'd walked that many steps. He peeked carefully through one eyelid, then the other. An obstacle stood before them, barring their path. Panic loomed again, but his eyes wandered up, and his brain slowly registered skin the color of a sunset, the purple outfit, the immaculate green gaze. He avoided those eyes for as long as he could, but he was strangely drawn to them, until his masked gaze was finally locked on them, drowning in their depths.
He barely had a moment to think her name before she rushed at him, arms wrapping around him in a tight embrace. Robin could only gape stupidly, his chin rested against her shoulder, her soft red hair grazing his cheek. Her scent, her warmth, her heart drumming against his as she squeezed him tighter.
Tears had formed and fallen before he even realized it. All anger or distrust he'd felt before melted away, and he suddenly relaxed into her hold, his head turning to rest his cheek on her shoulder. He closed his eyes, and scowled quietly to himself that he could not hug her back…
A weight fell upon them, hugging, squeezing. Cyborg had stepped forward, his large metal arms awkward around them as he held them both tight. Beast Boy followed close behind, worming his way under Cyborg's arm to clutch them with a strange sniffle. Even Raven joined in, albeit only after a few seconds of indecision about it.
And they stood that way, for a long time. Robin just stared out into the room, his heart thumping hard in his throat, silent tears still falling unchecked.
These were his friends. These were his dearest friends, who cared so much for him, and whom he cared so much for in return. How had he ever thought…? How had he ever allowed himself to think that…?
He bore his teeth in self-loathing, rolling his head so his eyes rested on Starfire's strong shoulder. He breathed in her scent, and absorbed the embrace of his friendship. He didn't want it to end. He didn't want this group hug to ever end….
But at some point, they'd all decided at once that the moment had reached its limit. They pulled away, one by one, until finally Starfire was the last to pull away. He swallowed hard and looked back up into those emerald eyes. They were shining with tears, dark streaks of moisture on her ginger cheeks.
"Get well soon, Robin…" she murmured in a hushed voice, her hand grazing his cheek. He couldn't help but sigh at its touch, leaning against it a little.
"And don't worry about us, man…" Cyborg spoke up gently. "I'll take good care of the team. We'll still be here when you're ready to come back."
Robin blinked a few times, then turned to look at him. In a serious voice, he murmured "When did I die and make you leader…?"
A tense silence seared the room. Cyborg's gaped down at him in horror, until Robin finally broke into a tired, but teasing grin, and Beast Boy leaned forward, pointing up at the cybernetic teen and shouting "HA!" The girls exchanged glances, not sure whether to smile or be concerned. Cyborg's horror melted into a small, disbelieving smile. "That wasn't cool, man…"
"It was worth it for that face…" Robin croaked, still smiling lopsidedly. He glanced around at the others, and was glad to see that their moods had lightened, just a little. Yet seeing their smiles, even sad smiles, pulled on his heart strings, making his own smile melt away. He looked back at Cyborg with a somber look, swallowing hard. "Lead them well."
Cyborg nodded in grim understanding. Robin bowed a little, as though taking his leave, and turned, his eyes falling on Raven, even as Cyborg leaned and murmured a patronizing "Ha" to a flabberghasted Beast Boy.
Raven said nothing as he stared at her. She moved forward and gave him a relatively quick hug. He leaned into it quietly, eyes falling closed as he mumbled a soft thank you in her ear. She nodded, releasing her hold and taking a step back. They said nothing else. They didn't need to.
He turned to look at Starfire, but found a green figure standing there instead. Beast Boy's ears drooped, his mouth turned downward in a pitiful sort of frown. "I get a hug too, right?"
Robin smiled apologetically. "I'm a little tied up, but if you want, you can hug m—urk!"
He was interrupted as Beast Boy dove forward, giving him the quickest, most awkward one-armed boy hug Robin had ever experienced. The green boy staggered back, rubbing his neck and looking around sheepishly. "Get well soon, kay? And I promise not to burn the place down or blow it up or anything while you're—"
Beast Boy's eyes suddenly grew wide, and he squeaked, vanishing behind Cyborg. Robin felt a familiar presence by his side, and he craned his head to see Batman just beside him. The ol' man said nothing, but his face said everything – they'd stalled long enough. He swallowed hard, and glanced around at them. "I guess this is it…"
"Take care, man."
"Come home, soon, okay?"
"Just focus on yourself, alright? Don't worry about us…"
He nodded at them all in turn, until his eyes fell back on Starfire. Their voices died away a moment as he watched her solemn face. He stepped toward her, leaning against her in his own version of a hug, and she held him back, squeezing hard once again. As she pulled away, she leaned in, planting a soft, careful kiss on his cheek – close to his mouth, but without actually touching it.
His heart simultaneously fluttered and froze as he realized that this was almost exactly how their friendship had started... that first time he'd seen her, that first time they'd interacted… it started with a kiss…
…was it now ending with a kiss…?
He felt suddenly numb, almost soulless as Batman's hand was on him again, leading him away. Their words were jumbling together as he was led up the metal steps to the cockpit of the Bat-jet. He lowered himself into the passenger seat, and felt his body growing more and more numb as Bruce leaned in, unhooking the special straps he'd built in for passengers in straitjackets... he had had so many of them….
All at once, he began to panic once again, but for completely different reasons. This was really what had happened. He was really so insane that he was sharing company with people like Professor Crane… the Mad Hatter… the Joker…
…what if he ended up in Arkham, too…?
As Batman threaded the straps between his arms, he seemed to notice Robin's quickening breathing, his paling face, his terrified eyes. The Dark Knight paused, looking right up at him, quiet and serious.
"Dick… calm down… It's okay, I'm just taking you back home. I promise."
His words didn't help his nerves much. Bruce strapped down the last straps, then vanished, moving to the other side of the jet. Robin slowly realized he was trembling a little, once again, and he found it hard to breathe properly.
His eyes drifted toward the cockpit window. Beyond it, he could see his friends. They were waving frantically. …they were crying…
He hadn't said goodbye. Not truly goodbye. He hadn't said any of what he wanted to say to them, hadn't told them how much he would miss him, how much they meant to him. He couldn't even wave goodbye…
The plane was roaring to life. Tears streamed down his cheeks. The world lurched and tilted as the plane hovered, preparing to take off.
And as Robin stared at his friends for the last time before the plane jerked and shot off out the open hatch door, a voice suddenly appeared in his ear, as though its owner was leaning over the back of his chair.
"You know…it was only a hallucination, Robin…" Slade hummed poisonously in his ear. "Just one big happy hallucination…. It never happened."
His whole being felt like it was drowning in a frozen sea. His stomach twisted with nausea, and he clenched his eyes closed tight, gritting his teeth. In the darkness behind his eyelids, he fought for the memory of their smiles… the feel of their embraces… their words… their friendship…
"Yes it did…" he croaked, tears burning. "I know it did…"
"What was that…?" Bruce spoke up, turning to look at him.
"…nothing…" Robin murmured. He opened his eyes back up, staring out the window, taking one last look at Jump City, one last look at the familiar shape of Titans Tower against the horizon, before the jet tilted toward the east and took off into the clouds.
Author's Note:
AND THAT'S THE END!
…Oh my god, no, I am just joking but I ALMOST did that to you guys. Seriously. Before this upload frenzy began, I had every intention of ending it right. here. But even I'm not that cruel.
THIS IS NOT THE END THERE IS MORE! :D
(You have Alfred to thank – he is just too awesome to only use once).