I'm sorry...

Warnings - Trigger warning, possible character death...

Disclaimer - I don't think I deserve to own them, so I'm saying I don't.


Chapter twenty-nine - Beep... Beep... Beep...


They walked from the bathroom, Robin having to lean against the other to stay standing, Slade happy to assist, amusement clear as they went to pay.

"Are you alright, sir?" The cashier asked the bird, who smiled weakly.

"Just a little bug..." His voice was frail, though positive, in reality having to force it, feeling awful, so awful in fact, that the person he was leaning against hadn't fully registered.

Slade paid the check, careful not to drop the boy, thanking the woman before helping him stumble outside.

"Slade..."

"Hmm?"

"I don't feel so good..." He gripped the bottom edge of his shirt, shaking.

"I know, let's just get you back home. I shouldn't have taken you out, but you insisted, and you're very thin Robin." He'd known that, I mean of course he'd known that, it showing each time he passed a reflective surface.

"I'll try again later..." He assured, though he really didn't want to, in actuality just wanting the other to stop talking, already having a headache.

"Okay, be sure-"

"Shh... Shh" Robin interrupted by a finger over his own lips. "quiet..." He said, gripping the side of his head. Slade understood, them walking in silence.


"Robin! Robin! Over here! Who is this?!"

"Is there romance?!" The reporters flooded their walk way right before they crossed the street, cameras flashing, The bird wincing before making his best attempt at collecting himself, ignoring his pulsing migraine, stepping away from his support beam.

"No, no... Just not feeling well... He's just a friend." Slade smirked, not expecting to be the Titan's 'friend', chuckling to himself at the phrase.

One reporter seemed deep in contemplation, when suddenly.

"Wait! I know him! He was in that video!" Robin's eyes shot opened. "Yeah! He's on BoyWonderXXX!"

"So those where real?!" Someone said, looking disgusted, Robin gulping, mouth to dry to speak, eyes aimed towards the ground. The mercenary tried to see if he was alright, when cameras blocked his path, most of the attention now on him.

"Robin! What happened over that time span shown in the videos?!" One reporter asked.

"Robin! Did you take part in them voluntarily?!" Another, though one thing remained the same, they where loud, ignoring his obviously troubled state, shaking muscles tensing. Slade tried to push through the crowd, but each time he moved forward one step, he was pushed back two.

"Was it staged?!" The bird balled his hands into fists, trying to hold it together. Now everyone would know how disgusting he was.

Slade growled, frustration clear as he grabbed one of the cameras, crushing it in a vice grip with one hand, everyone pausing, one look in his eye showing he was near to breaking a lot more than just a camera, them clearing a path, many no more than twigs.

"Are you alright, boy?" He ignored the still present parasites, all attention now on the non-responsive Titan. "Robin?" He snapped his fingers in front of his eyes, the sight terrifying as the shake worsened, even a few cameramen creeping farther away from the pair. His breathing picked up, shallow and quick. They would all know.

His legs gave out, the man catching him.

"Come on, bo-"

"Don't touch me!" He exploded, all around flinching, Slade even dropping him, knees banging on the sidewalk. "All of you, just leave me alone!" His hands gripped the sides of his head. A click sounded from behind, a crunch following as the remnants of the device fell to the ground.

"Robin, I need to take you home-"

"No! I can't go home! They- they hate me!" Slade looked over with a stern expression.

"If they hated you, they would have hurt you, killed you even, but they didn't, boy."

"But- but-" He bit his lower lip, knowing the worst place to have a break down was in the street surrounded by the press.

"Let's go. You need to go home." He advanced on the Titan, allowed this time, lowering to a knee. "Are you okay to walk?" Robin nodded, no way in hell was he letting a picture like that end up in the paper, rising to his feet, Slade helping as he still didn't feel well at all.

"If I see any of those pictures anywhere, you will pay dearly." The man said, a few gulps heard 'round, though a few simply looked on intrigued.


"Holy- Robin!" Cyborg stopped himself mid curse, Robin limping in, tears staining his cheeks, shaking, and coughing, even wheezing as he leaned against Slade for support, which immediately raised several alarms.

"I didn't do anything." Slade read their minds, knowing what this looked like. "He's sick, it could be remnants of the drones virus. He couldn't keep down food so I was walking him home, then the press attacked him... They'd seen the website." Only Raven seemed to understand, the only one who knew.

"At least someone was there to get them away from him." Raven said. "How long will he be sick?"

"It depends on how much is left, could take anywhere from hours to weeks. He'll just feel ill for a bit, but it's nothing deadly." The one being talked about suddenly made a face, running away from the mercenary, running to the trash can in the kitchen opposed to the bathroom, knowing he wouldn't make it. Somehow his stomach manifested something for him to throw up, acid, stinging his throat as it ripped through him, knees trembling under him, only releasing a single load.

He stood on wobbling legs after that, swaying slightly, threatening to fall. He refused help when offered, saying he was fine, when it was obvious that was untrue.

"Go to bed." Slade said, Robin in too ill a state to put up a fight, simply walking towards his room, though only making it to the couch before falling to his stomach, immediately slipping into sleep with one arm above head and the other smooshed under stomach.

"Are you sure he's not dying?" Beast Boy asked, the state of his leader looking worse than the man had made it seem.

"Are you sure he's not dead now?" Raven watched the boy, though saw a deep breath run through him.

"He'll be fine." The mercenary said. "Oh, and none of that other medicine until he's better." He adjusted the cuff on his sleeve before deciding to take his leave, knowing he'd have to watch, if only to be sure they didn't do anything idiotic.


Slade came to the tower every day, claiming it was for scientific research, as he hadn't tested that virus on a human subject before, though the Titans knew better, him always staying from between a few minutes to a few hours, simply sitting in the medical wing. Robin was usually asleep when Slade arrived, so Slade simply sat, watching to make sure he didn't suddenly die in some way.

At first the Titans where weary of his presence, all of them going in with him at first, though thinning quickly, stopping completely after a few days, pinning that as paranoia, watching from a camera. Eventually they let them be, no longer seeing the man as much of a true threat, Raven being the main reason for that, reading his emotions, though they still checked in from time to time.

He got a bit better, the sight of Slade surprising him at first, though he remembered he'd been there the whole time, growing use to his presence, illness helping to cloud his fears. The first time he'd woken with awareness of his surroundings, Slade was sleeping to the side, seeming surprisingly calm and peaceful, a look he'd not seen on him before.

It took near a week and a half before the boy was well, able to eat properly at least, his team waiting a few extra day before he started taking his Cymbalta, watching him carefully, though Slade usually came by whenever he was free, relieving them of their duties, camera's always on in the background, just in case they noticed a change in Robin's behavior.


About a week after their leader started taking the prescribed medication, they had to check the cameras, him seeming much more irritated than usual, finding nothing, Slade simply watching him, talking to him, and he seemed to notice it to. After a while they started to notice other side effects of the drug, one including not being able to be anywhere near the mercenary for long periods of time, becoming extremely worried out of the blue. He started notably chugging down more water, sometimes having it soak him due to a yawn breaking through, trying to solve the issue of his dry mouth, but the weary state remaining a constant irritation. Next they noticed he seemed to do things that didn't make any sense, once walking into his room to see him rubbing peanut butter on a book. Along with being tired, he also seemed to grow more restless as the days passed, becoming fidgety, twitching at random times.

They called his therapist, who in turn told them not to worry, that the side effects should subside as time went on, and how it couldn't be more important at this time to watch the boy, make sure he didn't do anything rash, saying suicidal thoughts where possible with the drug. Cyborg listened intently, taking notes on how to farther care for the leader, biding her farewell, before hanging the phone back on the receiver.

They watched Robin more thoroughly from this point, Slade even waiting outside the bathroom door when he wasperforming his duties, someone else doing it when he wasn't there. They watched him eat, sleep, and talk on the phone, usually to Batman, hearing his voice growing weaker.

They upped the ante, afraid he was getting more depressed, someone always posted to keep an eye on him, to make sure he wasn't going to try to kill himself. The therapist, who came once every other day, unless called, noted the changes in his behavior as well, him never making it past the first assault, even seeming to go backwards, until one day he just stopped talking all at once, at least to her.

They started to wonder if it was even the drug causing this, until one day it all changed, they woke to screaming, Robin waking from a night terror, but seeing as this happened often since the incident they shrugged it off, though the events of the next few days made them slightly scared. He'd stumble and fall several times throughout the day, looking around for a moment before tightly shutting his eyes and burying his head in knees. A while after he became extremely anxious of all his friends, and Slade, seeming to avoid them at all costs, which really wasn't possible with his constant guard. Vomiting came with nausea, as it often did, them thinking he was sick again, at least all but one.


Slade spoke as he watched him huddle against the wall opposite.

"Did you stop taking your medication." It was less of a question and more of a statement, though when the boy simply pulled his body farther against the wall he knew. "Robin, you have to take your medication." The other nodded curtly. "Robin this isn't up for debate."

"No..." He said in a whisper.

"Robin, you can not stop taking a medically prescribed drug without permission from a doctor." Their was a moment where neither spoke, Robin pulling himself into a tighter ball.

"I want them to stop..."

"Who to stop?"

"Everyone... The Titan's, you... the voices..." The last line was mumbled.

"What voices?"

"I just want it all to stop." He dug his feet into the floor, curling his toes to scrape against the tile, tears sliding down his cheeks like lemon juice, stinging his eyes, holding a hand over his lips, looking to weak and defeated for the man's liking.

"I can get that to stop... But you have to take your medicine, Robin..." His tone lost a great deal of its authority, turning gentle as it laced the boy's small form.

"I-"

"Please..." The boy had no choice but to agree, the man only using that word in the most necessary of circumstances, he must have been concerned. "I won't tell your friends." He assured, before leaving the bird to take his medication alone.


They did stop, all but a few, the voices returning, causing him heartache. Slade told his therapist about the voices, thinking she could help Robin get rid of them, but despite working tirelessly, it seemed to no avail, the woman actually coming every day with a new method to try to help the boy. Slade's mood declined with each failed attempt at helping the bird, blaming himself, and only himself for his mental anguish, though in reality it was everything, everything throughout his life that had led to this outcome.


All they heard was a thud from behind, having seen the leader go to the kitchen to take his medicine, as he did every day, just a moment before, all immediately alert, Slade the first at his aid, moving the boy on his side, knowing if he was on his back, he'd likely choke on his tongue.

"Call poison control!" The man shouted, sitting with the spazzing form, a seizure attacking him, an opened bottle of medication spilled across the floor, Robin having forced half it down his throat. The Half robotic Titan called, nearly falling as he reached the number, quickly dialing, staring at his leader.

They sat in the waiting room, Robin getting his stomach pumped due to the mass amount of drugs. He wasn't in his uniform, so the press would keep distance. After the last time they didn't dare chance it.

They could hear the commotion from down the hall before it even arrived, two older men making their way down the hall, one much older than the other, turning into Robin's room, all standing apart from Slade.

"Sir you can't be in here right now."

"Doctor, this is my son."

"Despite I will still have to ask you to wait outside, at least until his condition has stabilized." Bruce was pulled from the room by Alfred.

His eyes immediately found the one he saw as responsible after leaving the confines of the room, running to the mercenary, and in blunt fury taking chance at getting a good punch in, hand being caught.

"Hello, Bruce." Slade said in a calm tone.

"Why are you here." The other growled, eyes narrowed, the tension felt from down the hall, the still standing Titans taking a few steps back, feeling both where dangerous.

"I've looked after him for the past few months."

"You let this bastard near him." His eyes turned, tone deep, to the teenagers, who shied, Raven the exception, speaking.

"He helped us watch him. He's been suffering from depression because of some of his new medication."

"I don't want you near him, it's your fault any of this happened."

"On the contrary, Bruce." Meridian walked into the conversation and up to Bruce. "We need to talk." She immediately pulled him to the side.


"It's not just what Slade did, Bruce."

"What do you mean?" Bruce was ready to permanently ruin someones appearance.

"Bruce, it's everything. First in the circus, his life was an allusion, he had family issues and home violence. Then the only two people he'd believed to love him died. That's when you should've gotten him therapy, Bruce. Then him being stuck in foster with those little monsters. When you adopted him it got no better, you ignored the poor boy. Then he became Robin, and fought the painful battle not meant for someone so young. You still ignored him to, unless to tell him he'd done something wrong. That boy had so much emotional scaring even before Slade did what he did. He's been suicidal for a long time, Bruce." The man was silent, blinking slowly, orbs shifting to the side with a disheartened sigh, running a hand through his raven locks.

"I know..." He wanted to cry, because he had known, having chose to ignore it, though remained strong, feeling a hand on his shoulder as he slouched.


The doctor came out.

"Done, go on in, but he seems to have slipped into a coma, at least for the time being." Eyes went wide, Star sobbing fully already, Beast Boy feeling tears grow more evident as well, silently falling down his cheeks, wiped away as they came by the palm of his hand, sniffling.

They all went in, even Slade, Bruce entering as he finished his conversation with the therapist.

The sight of his adoptive son so broken, with tubes running along his form, a heart monitor beeping at side, needles supplying water and nutrients to a malnourished body, and a mask to help him breath made him bite the insides of his cheeks to avoid the sob. How did it all go so wrong...

They all sat in the room, some in chairs, some on the floor. The currently sobbing changeling, who wore a ring like Cyborg to disguise his true form, huddled in the corner, legs pulled to his chest to hide his face. They had to physically neutralize both Star and Raven's powers with bracelets to avoid causing damage to the hospital. The depression of the room matched that of when Robin had come back to the tower after being taken the first time, though this time he'd caused this to happen to himself, making it all the worse. He really was done with this, the sick game of life he'd been forced to play through, he truly did refuse.

Star mumbled to herself from her place in her seat, tears pooling at her feet.

"...He will be the alright... He will do the b-bouncing back like he alway-ys does..." They heard, though her tone held little to be desired, making even Raven touch her cheek, a single drop making its way down the side of her face. Cyborg sat alongside the pair with stern eyes, a trickle escaping his own lids in silence, though you wouldn't notice if you didn't look.

Both Slade and Bruce blamed themselves for the boy's condition, both watching with unwavering gazes. The beep of the heart monitor, and ticking of the clock provided them with a sad melody, as though the last moments were constantly threatening them. All they could do was watch and listen, hoping their leader would pull through like he always did in the end, concentrating on his breathing, though they sometimes felt it was slowing.


...Sorry... Yah... Cliffhanger...

I shouldn't't listen to piano when I write...

(I actually got sick with strep throat when I wrote about Robin being ill...(Fun fact...))

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