Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. But I would love to. Oh God how I would love to.

Author's Note: Hey guys! I can't believe I actually got this chapter done on time. It was MEA this week and my grandmother wanted to take me to her friend's cabin. I just finished it Sunday night, so I hope you all enjoy this.

Oriole

Chapter 24: Here Comes the Cavalry

Robin

10:12 am

Cody, Wyoming

It was a beautiful morning in Cody. The birds chirped, the people went to work in usual, and a car only exploded. Absolutely normal right? What in hell was she thinking? She doesn't have a mask on and she just openly used her powers like that? Is she nuts?

The car lay on its side…or what was left of it. Beside him, Slade began to stir and his eye opened. If this didn't work, they would be in So. Much. Trouble. The back door of the van glowed red hot, and then it peeled back by itself, revealing Sara, finally wearing her mask. His seatbelt snapped off him and the handcuffs fell to the floor, all Sara's doing. She reached a hand out to him. "Come on, let's go!"

Robin took her hand and Sara dragged him out of the car wreck. A jolt of pain shot up his spine, probably because of whiplash. "Thanks for the early warning." He said sarcastically.

She didn't hear him, or wasn't listening…or she just didn't care. Either way, she went to the cab of the van to make sure that Sladebot wouldn't give them any trouble. Robin stayed behind to keep an eye on Slade. But he couldn't help but stare at the destruction and hear the people's shocked whisperings and gasps.

If he'd thought it was bad on the inside, the outside was even worse. Molten metal actually dripped onto the asphalt and there was a huge hole where Sara's fire hit the car. The cab was completely destroyed, as was the Sladebot driving. If Slade had been driving, she could have killed him.

"Come on, we can't stand around all day looking at it! Run!"

She ran in the opposite direction of where the car had been going. Robin followed her, passing citizens and tourists with cameras, people actually taking pictures of them. After a few yards they turned down into an alley. She hid behind a garbage can and motioned for Robin to do the same. Robin shot her a questioning look, but she didn't reply. Sara waited, her muscles tense. Then Robin heard the mutterings rise in volume and footsteps coming closer. Slade stopped in the entrance of the alley, his tall body casting a shadow in the alley's center. Robin ducked down further behind his garbage can.

Just when Robin thought Slade would just walk right by, Sara tripped and fell out. But she thought fast and when she appeared in front of Slade, she was a small black kitten with dirty paws. And either she hadn't eaten for ages or she was manipulating her appearance to make her look skinnier. Slade paused and stared at her. Sara let out a frightened little mew, acting the role of a shy alley cat perfectly, and dove into the knocked over trash. Slade hesitated for a few more seconds, then, thankfully, walked away coolly. Robin let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Coast is clear." Robin whispered. There was movement in the garbage can, and then a flash, but still no sign of her. "Sara? Where are you?"

"Up here," She called down to him. Sara was already on the rooftops. "What are you waiting for, the grass to grow?"

"How did you get up there?"

"The garbage cans, duh!"

Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Alright I turned into a bird and flew up but you can climb up here with the painter's ladder."

"What painter's ladder?" Sara disappeared on the rooftops, leaving Robin stranded. "Sara!" He whispered as loud as he could. She returned and dropped a painter's ladder at the opposite side of the alley. "Oh…that ladder."

Sara vanished again as Robin scrambled up. But just as his hand reached for the top rung, a bolo entangled his legs. He tried to keep his balance but stumbled and fell with a thud. When his head hit the ground, stars popped in front of his eyes. Before he could shake them away, a Sladebot locked handcuffs around his wrists and led him to the car, with its prisoner too dizzy to fight back.

When he finally snapped out of it, he was locked in another van with no way out. So close to freedom, so close…and he lost it again. He pounded his fists on the windows, but stopped when he saw Sara on the roof. Her hand aimed at the car and a fireball formed at the tips of her fingers, but that wasn't what worried Robin. Slade crept up behind her, a white cloth in his hands. It was too small to gag her with, so Robin bet that it was infused with chloroform. "Sara, behind you!" He screamed at her, knowing it was futile. There was no way Sara would hear him when he was behind glass Slade won. The heroes lost.

What, you didn't really think it's always like the movies, where the heroes always win? That's why it's called a movie and not reality. Robin learned that over the years. After all, if the heroes always won, there wouldn't be so many Joker gas victims, or frozen statues from Mr. Fries' havoc…and Sara's parents wouldn't be dead, nor would Robin's. It was just the way of the world. But that didn't mean they would give up. No, not in a million years would he ever stop trying to get away from Slade. Even in the beginning they knew this was a long shot, that this escape plan had so many holes in it, like what to do when they finally arrived in Cody, or how to get away if Slade showed up. But they had to try, because there was still a chance. Still a hope they'd succeed. And they failed. Sara wouldn't be able to escape unless…

Sara turned at the last second and snapped out a kick at Slade's stomach. Slade fell to his knees and she ran, trying to get away. It was useless. Slade caught up with her and wrapped his arm around her throat. He pressed the cloth to her mouth. She didn't stand a chance. Because of her healing abilities, anesthesia effects didn't last long. A two hour dose would only last thirty minutes. But that was plenty of time to capture her. Finally, Oriole's struggles lessened and collapsed against Slade's arms. Slade scooped her up and carried her down. That's it. Escape plan was a no-go. Slade: 2, Heroes: 0.

Oriole

11:12 am

Location Unknown

Oriole stirred. She yawned and tried to reach her mouth to cover it, but something stopped it. Opening her eyes, she saw handcuffs around her wrists and secured to the hand rail above her. She strained against the cuffs, heating her hands to melt the metal, when she heard, "Don't." Sara turned to see Robin in a similar situation. "It's no use."

Their eyes met and she saw his fear…his defeat. He'd given up. He was so hopeless. It began to infect her. But no, there had to be a way out, right? There was still a chance. She was about to voice this, but then she felt something. Heard someone's thoughts. …Starfire? BB? Raven? Cyborg? They were close. Very close. Oriole sighed with relief. Here comes the cavalry. Suddenly, the car came to a screeching halt and Slade put it into park. Quickly reading his intentions, she knew she had to help, to get out, do something!

The T-Ship came into view and Starfire flew out of the cockpit. Slade stepped out of the vehicle and took a few steps away from the car. He raised his arm and a bolt of lightning flew at the Tamarianian. "Starfire!" Robin yelled.

Sara's eyes flashed and an emerald green shield appeared around her, protecting her. But the full force of the electricity sapped the energy from Sara's body, as she knew it would. She couldn't just leave Starfire to face Slade's powers alone. She owed so much to all of them, she couldn't just sit by and watch. Left weakened and trapped in a car, Sara tried desperately to melt the handcuffs or break the chains. Slade turned back towards the car and stalked toward them. She shot him a bold look that said, "I'm not afraid of you anymore."

"Sara..." Robin warned.

"I see him, thanks." She replied shortly. Nails sharpened into claws and finally she ripped the chains apart, freed at last. But Robin still needed to get out, and Slade was just outside her door. The handcuffs still dangling around her wrists made it increasingly difficult. She simply didn't have time. Just then, a sonic burst rammed into Slade's side and shoved him away from the car. Starfire landed on Robin's side and ripped the door off.

Star broke the handcuffs and asked, "Robin, you are uninjured, yes?"

Beaming, Robin leaped out of the car and said, "Better, now that you're here."

Sara got out behind Robin. She saw Slade's outstretched arm, his eye glowing a bright copper. "I hate to interrupt but, hit the deck!" Everyone ducked and another shield blocked yet another lightning strike. Slade's eye blazed with fury. As he turned to the T-Ship, Sara screeched, "No!" And she hurled herself at the mercenary, knocking both of them to the ground. The impact jarred her, but she had to fend him off. She got them in this mess. It was her job to clean it up. Starfire took Robin's hands in her own and flew up to the ship, towing Robin behind her.

"Oriole!" Robin called.

Oriole looked up, changed into an oriole and took off into the sky after them, Slade growing smaller on the ground with each beat of her small wings. Finally, for the first time in weeks, she was truly free.

Author's Note: Aww, I have that warm feeling inside. Haha, seriously though, this chapter is finally when they escape! 24 chapters of having to deal with Slade and we're finally done with him! Or are we...? Haha, I'm just kidding. I'm kind of hyper tonight. And I know this chapter was kind of short but it was a short amount of time that this all took place and I really wanted to end here. The fuzzy, cheesy reunions are next week's chapter. I hope you enjoyed! And stay with me, we're almost done! …Or are we? Muahaha! Oh, and get ready for the Halloween special next week! I was hoping to be further along with this, but se la vie. I'll just have to write like mad! I should be able to get to the special on Sunday if I post two chapters…oh boy. That's a lot of work. Well, I gotta go. See you next week!