Disclaimer: Refer back to Chapter 40, First page.
Chapter 49 (August's Challenge)
"Robin are you sure?" Asked Starfire, her voice unsure if she could part with such a wonderful gift, but her heart knowing that Robin might regret his decision so soon after giving up his position as leader.
Starfire looked deep into Robin's unmasked face. She hadn't quite gotten used to seeing his face uncovered, but she'd discovered that she liked his eyes staring back into her own. "What if you wish to have it back when you become leader once more?"
Robin stood in the center of his office. His dark dimension wasn't dark anymore. He'd painted the inside walls a reflective white, taken down the dark black drapes, and left the window's light to cast a warm glow within the room.
"Yes, Star I'm/Ah…chuw," Robin's sneeze echoed through the empty room. Starfire watched him rub his nose, sniffling once, before smiling back at her. "I'm sure."
Robin smiled wider as Starfire's face lit up. "Oh this is such a wonderful gift, I shall cherish it very much Robin, but whatever am I to use such a room for?"
Robin grinned, he'd hoped she'd ask that question. "Actually, I kind of had a couple ideas." Robin taking her hand and walking her over to the single piece of furnishing that resided still in his old office. Robin opened up the cabinet doors to the tall bookcase. Hearing Starfire's gasp made the grin turn to a wide smile of happiness.
"Oh Robin it is wonderful. So many oils, and look there are lotions, and oh look here." Starfire reaching into the cupboard housing all her massage oils supplies, as well as new one's Robin had bought just this week.
Starfire's hand pulled out a case full of hot rock supplies. She had been wanting to try "the heat of stones massage technique" but the expense was more then even she was willing to attempt to purchase. Starfire turned and looked Robin over with shock.
Robin answering her unvoiced concern. "It's ok, I figured if it made you happy then who was I to stop you from something that hurt no one and seemed to make everyone happy and more relaxed he voiced with raised brow of teasing admittance. Starfire blushed, then smiled and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you."
Robin hugged her back, smiling but also somewhat painfully. When they pulled away his face showed non of his pain. "I figured we could place the massage table you bought over there, and we could set you up a craft table her in the center, along with a longer table over there for all your art supplies you've recently been getting. Make the room a craft and arts studio for you."
Starfire's face was full of happiness, her shock at such unexpected happiness overwhelming to her. "Oh Robin will you join me in my painting once it is all set up?"
Robin smiled, his eyes momentarily darkening, before he answered: "I'd love that."
"Beast Boy told me you wanted to try pottery, I think that might be fun to try," commented Robin.
Starfire twirled around the room in joy. "Oh I can't wait to start, I shall see what supplies we have down in the basement and storage rooms for decorating this wonderful gift of a room. Robin nodding silently watching her; with one last giant hug of thanks, fly out of the room and leave.
Robin stood in the room a few quiet moments longer, before placing his hand to his temple and rubbing it slightly. He left the room and headed to his new place of solitude and isolation. Since his team had talked with him, since his fight with Ariel and Slade. Richard had slowly begun changing his habits. His giving Starfire his old office was one of those changes, taking to the library in the Tower was the other. Now that he had more time, he found it rather relaxing to curl up with one of the hundreds of books none of them had ever bothered to look through.
Richard encountering no one to bother him while he was in there. Even Raven seemed to not come into the library. He suspected she'd acquired a great deal of her own collection to bother with wanting more, until she could catch up on all that she'd stashed in her own room.
So it was, that the month of July continued on. Robin steadily making it known Titan by Titan that he wished to no longer be called Robin but Richard whenever they were not out in the public's eye. Sticking with and following through on his choice to make Robin his image; his superhero costume, and Richard Grayson the true man he was.
-/-
Robin standing in the kitchen making himself one of Raven's herbal Vitamin C booster drink mixes, when Cyborg came looking for BB..."Hay, Robin have you seen BB around?"
"Richard"
"What?" Commented Cyborg confused by the reply.
"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like it if you started calling me Richard from now on when were not out on official business," explained Robin. "Robin's who my image is, Richard is my name."
Cyborg was a tad taken back by the suddenness of the request, but managed to stutter back a reply. "Ah, ok. Sure thing, so Rich then, have you seen BB around?" It was a strange taste in his mouth calling Robin by his real name, it would take some getting used to he concluded, but if that was what his friend wanted then ok.
"No actually I haven't," finally answered Richard, "but we're going to be getting together in Lab 3 in thirty minuets. So if you want to come around there and talk with him you can. Just make sure you don't take too much time, I schedule my time to spend with him going over how to apply science to detective and crime fighting. If you need him for something time consuming you'll have to arrange a time to hook up with him after we're done."
Cyborg was a little taken back by the bluntness of the comment, but understood. Each of them were busy these days, and time was a precious commodity, especially for Rob….Richard, who was trying to gain back his teammates respect of him. Cyborg had observed how Richard had been trying; with Beast Boy and Starfire, to let each of them get to know the side of him he'd never shown of himself before.
A feeling of pride began to grown inside Cyborg at seeing his friend stand firm, to not give up or give in after they'd forced him to step down as leader. It really showed a since of honor, and it was that small thought that began to grow and build into his own respect coming back for his friend.
Cyborg guessed the first time he'd begun to feel something along the lines of respect again for Robin had been as he'd been thinking whether or not they'd all have to remind Robin that he was no longer the leader. That first call they'd gotten a couple days after their team meeting. Cyborg and Raven had been real nervous what they would do if Robin took charge and they had to reprimand him; reminding him that he was no longer the leader, while standing out in public, or in the thick of a battle.
The first time the team had gone into battle Cyborg had been hesitant; expecting Robin to yell out the battle cry, but disappointingly he hadn't. Robin had stayed to the back of the group, waiting idly for the cry to come from Cyborg's own mouth.
The calls they'd continued to take over the month of July and now the beginning of the new month; August, was bringing with it more changes and observations of Richard's remarkable behavior. His team noticed that he no longer did very much compared to what he used to do while fighting. He tended to stay in the shadows; standing reserved, never taking on more then was presented to him at the start of the battle.
Taking on his old tendencies while he'd been with Batman of keeping emotionally reserved while fighting. Simply getting the job done and over with. No longer jumping into the fry, or thick of battle. No longer drawing out his attacks to wait for anyone to catch up, anyone to feel like they too deserved a share of the battle. He watched their back, sometimes keeping them safe from things they didn't see, but never pointing anything out to them about what could have been. He remained silent during rides home, cheered with the team during victory, and remained silent; seemingly non brooding, when they lost.
Cyborg and Raven never once heard him voice his displeasure or contempt for how they handled their leadership positions. Not even when a couple times they really screwed up, and the enemy got away or got the better of them.
Robin took orders, moving when told to; directed to, or even told to hold position. There had been times he'd sighed, but only Starfire had seen his restraint at holding back his anxious foreknowledge that his team was letting something slip notice, or from their grasp. Never feeling more sorry for him, or more proud then in those moments she took notice of how brave; almost tolerantly, he battled onward.
Starfire seemed to be the first to reaccept him for who he was; accepting Richard as his name and having no problem calling him by that designation, calling him Richard seemed to come naturally out of her mouth, as if he had always been called that by her. Richard finding that she forgave him quicker and reaccepted him as both her friend and leader; waiting patiently, for the moment when the others too would hand back over to him their faith and trust. Waiting for that moment when once again she could call him "Leader."
-/-
The start of August presented challenges to all. Robin spent time with Starfire doing crafts, he taught Beast Boy chemistry and science. Passing on all his lost, but not forgotten Bat training.
Enjoying himself just as much as Beast Boy, while he recalled and remembered to mind all the many remarkable skills being the worlds second greatest detective; had utilized, while younger and back in Gotham fighting crime, and being a much more dedicated kind of crime fighter then he now realized he'd fallen into the lifestyle of.
Beast Boy out of them all; being young, and having grown up as Robin being his mentor, his big brother, the changeling found the adjustment from seeing his ex-leader as no longer Robin. Calling him by a name that up until six months ago he'd never even known wasn't his real name, to now an instance that it was only a title. That he'd prefer if he referred to him by one of these names: "Richard, Rich, or Dick, will do just fine thanks."
Working in the science lab together, Robin was showing Beast Boy how to mix together the right amount of chemicals in order to make flash grenades. A highly volatile and proportionally unstable mixture; should one take their work lightly, or have no pre knowledge of the elements' chart and basic's of science.
Fortunately Robin had spent the previous weeks talking over all that, making emphases on safety and protective wear. Beast Boy rather lax about those issues, but humoring Robin enough that Robin let the minor details of; lack of proper eye wear, gloves being warn only part of the time, and insistence that the protective apron chaffed his neck, slide by.
"So your going to want to measure out with an eyedropper the right amount of each of the components. Keeping your hand steady, and…." Beast boy noticing that Robin was looking like he was getting another cold again. Wasn't surprised when the pause in conversation was due to a coughing fit that started up. Not pausing his work and waiting for Robin; who headed for the lab's bathroom to get, what he could only assume was a glass of water to help settle the spasm.
Robin actually going to the bathroom to wash off the little speckles of blood that had started presenting themselves whenever his chest restricted and an onset of coughing began. But even beginning to feel the effects of Slade's treatment; finally spread out through his body, enough that symptoms were beginning to show visibly despite Robin's efforts to hide them from his teammates. Robin's reflexes were as sharp and quick as ever. BB almost putting the wrong thing into the mix, and Robin catching his arm in time.
Having with him a long talk about safety and the need to measure out things no matter what. By end of week Beast Boy had become a true professional. Wearing protective gear, measuring out everything, even using separate eyedroppers for the different chemicals that weren't a good idea to have near one another. Taking what he was learning, and who was teaching him, very seriously.
-/-
During these weeks, Raven realized she and Robin were no longer as close as they once had been. That bond Robin had tried to reestablish with her after her ability to read his intentions, thoughts, and reactions had disappeared. The common connection of housing a secret understanding did nothing for Raven to keep Robin from avoiding her.
Every time she'd begin to approach him, she'd notice him enter a room, or veer off in a different direction. Sometimes when his rout couldn't escape passing by her, he would instead pick up his pace.
Conversations between them were strained at best. To even engage him in a conversation was a difficult task, and answers came back with blunt replies, shot and to the point answers, with nothing in details or opinions of inner thoughts then what was required of him. She somehow understood that her own actions had brought this upon herself. It had after all, been her test; her choice after his reaction to that test, that had resulted in the gap they now had in their relationship.
Raven realizing; later after the incident, that part of his avoidance of her was so that she would not pick up on the signs of his steadily growing cold. Grow concerned by his becoming sick and piece together the; growing rapidly harder, conclusion for where the onset was stemming from.
Robin carefully kept his coughing low, masking his sneezes with comments about dust, or art projects done with Starfire. Chemical powders he and Beast Boy had recently been handling. Shielding his emotional feelings and pain filled body jerking's from the others sight. Carefully choosing the right moments to leave the confines of his room. Yet keeping up the appearance that he was around; so that his team never wondered where he was, and spending his own free time; when no one would wonder what the other was up to, because they were all off in their own personal world's doing what they liked to do best. Robin finding himself more and more locked away in one of the comfy couches within the library's many shelves and rows of books.
His team only finally tracking him down; discovering that the library was his new place of solitude, his personal rest and hidden corner in the Tower from them all, when they'd finally exhausted all other possible places to look for him. Raven and Best Boy tracking him down; curled up on one of the larger sofa like chairs. Asleep, and a think novel laying barely balanced in his open hand.
Beast Boy's hand startling him into waking. "Dude, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up….but we've been looking all over for you to tell you that tonight it's your turn to cook."
Richard; running a weary hand over his eyes, stretched, as a yawn of desperately tired and low body energy, tried to pull him back into that peaceful dreamless healing body state he'd just been in.
Robin smiled back at them, trying to hide the slight tremble to his body as he rose. "It's ok, I must have dosed off. It gets kind of hot in here sometimes, and this book I'm reading is rather dull, but I like it so I'll keep reading it." Placing the book back on the shelf and walking out with them by his side.
Raven eyed Richard; a small nagging suspicion beginning to form in her mind, she looked him over as they walked. Richard turning; as if he could sense her eyeing him, to ask if there was something on her mind. "Are you sure you're fine, you look tired, do I need to cook tonight while you get some rest?"
Richard's muscles began to tense, he could feel his mind beginning to cramp up with concern that she was putting pieces together, but he told himself to relax, smiling back at her, and shaking his head; while yawning a pretend wake up yawn. "No, I just fell asleep. Beast Boy and I have been using our nightly patrols as training sessions. I've been teaching him about looking for clues, investigating crime scenes, and we've been listening to the police scanner; following them around all night, while they answer the calls that we'd normally not bother with."
"Yeah," piped up Beast Boy's excited voice. "Richard's got hawk like vision, I even have to change into one to see some of the things he picks out. It's been really cool." A wide smile infectiously spreading onto both Robin's and Raven's faces.
-/-
By the end of the second week in August Richard and Starfire were painting realism art, gardening outside in the front yard, and Richard and Beast Boy were doing official detective work. Robin arranging with the Jump City Police to help them out in solving a couple homicides. Still taking BB out at night to show him what he'd been taught by Batman and passing on his skills to an eager learner.
BB's own skills (Dog nose) etc. coming in handy. Beast Boy was having a blast, Robin too; loving every minuet of what he'd forgotten was wonderful, a rewarding accomplishment to hard effort and diligent work. "It feels good to be doing this kind of crime fighting again," commented Robin to Beast Boy.
The two of them standing on a roof across the street; watching as the Police arrested a man; in the connection of killing his business partner, a case Beast Boy and Robin had worked on and solved. "Justice is served!" Praised Beast Boy, high fiving Robin.
Robin; the work and effort needed to track down this murderer, continuing to spend quality time with both Starfire and Beast Boy and attend to his duties as one of the Teen Titans. Inevitably his body would be no longer a match for Slade's treatment. He had only wished that with himself steadily growing sicker over weeks; recovery would come in much the same manor, as it turned out this was the point BB watched him smile. Then begin to cough, leaning over as he began coughing up blood.
Beast Boy's eyes grew wide, rushing to his side. "Dude, what's happening, what's wrong?" Rushing him back to the Tower and to the medical wing. Raven explaining to Best Boy that he'd just overdone and now simply needed time to heal.
The changeling patting his friend on the shoulder with words and wishes of recover, before leaving the medical bay. Raven locking the door with her powers after he'd left.
"So," began Raven in her dark toneless voice. "You want to tell me when Slade gave you another treatment? Or do I have to play back every moment you've been away from the Tower of late?"
Robin closed his eyes, suppressing another spasm of pain before coughing and rolling over onto his side. "It wasn't anytime recently. I've been sick since the middle of July," answered Richard back bluntly but with a strained voice. "I think he used a time release treatment on me this time."
Raven pushed her hood back; taking a glass and filling it with water, handing Richard the glass for him to sip slowly on. As he drank, Raven reprimanded herself for not noticing sooner. Robin's hands were so shaky and his chest muscles; she suspected from coughing so much, so often. Were tight and rock solid. She knew he must be in a lot of pain he wasn't showing yet, or telling her about.
"So then, when do you think it happened?"
Robin setting down the glass of water, and sitting up slightly. He eyed Raven with design. He was trying to decide if telling her would cause more trouble for himself or if silence would evoke worse badgering.
"I had a dream," began explaining Robin. "Only it wasn't a dream, it all happened, and that's when Slade managed to introduce into my system the treatment that laid dormant until now."
Raven looked down at him. Her mind thinking back upon a week in July when she and the other's had all woken up from dreamless sleeps where she'd gotten telepathic feelings from them all, and the rest of the city; feelings of being off, of having done things that hadn't occurred. Moments when you could have sworn there was something you were supposed to remember but just couldn't. Raven's hoodless face looked deep into Robin's eyes. She saw him smile back at her.
"Sorry Raven, no mind reading today." Richards words upset her. "You know, hiding things from us in the first place was what lead you to loosing your place as our leader. Do you want to loose our friendship too?"
It wasn't so much a threat as what Richard took it for, but it wasn't the words that angered and upset him. It was the way Raven kept thinking of herself as his mother.
Raven saw his hand shoot up and remove his mask from his face. "Damn it Raven. I'm not a child, and your not my mother. If I don't want to tell you guys something I don't have to. It's called freedom of speech; or lack there of, just back off and stop hounding me about every little issue."
Straining his voice; that angry and loudly determined, caused an onset of coughing. Robin spending the next five minuets trying to calm himself back down. Raven shocked and a bit hurt; herself angry at this point, for being yelled at as she had, simply stood there and watched offering no help or aid. She suspected; even if she hadn't been angry, that he wouldn't have let her help him anyway.
When he was finally calmer, panting on the bed and trying to regain calm over himself. Raven moved over next to him. Handing him a needle and swab. "What's this?" His tone was light, but his face suspicious.
"It's a muscle relaxant. It'll help your chest muscles to relax. All your coughing is going to start causing bruises on your chest and could quite possibly break a couple ribs."
"It's too late for that," mumbled Richard as he offered his arm to her. Raven wiped the arm and then injected the relaxant into his vain. Pulling out the needle and visibly seeing the relief and tension ease in a chain reaction; starting in Richards shoulders, then his neck, his peks, and following all the way until Richard visibly relaxed with a sigh and laid back.
"Thanks, that helped."
Raven nodding but remaining silent. Richard opening his half closed eyes and resting his hands over his chest, watched as Raven disposed of the needle head, the swab, and placed the medical syringe gun back into the cupboard.
"Look Raven I'm sorry I yelled at you just a second ago, but you have to realize that I'm getting tired of being treated like I'm a child," explained Richard with an apologetic face.
Raven crossing her arms over her chest but he could see the softness in her eyes. That acceptance at a small level that said I'm listening go on.
"When I withhold information from you guys it doesn't harm anyone. Some issues Raven, just are better left alone. I'm going to tell you this one, only because I want you to understand why I might do it again later, and I don't want you to keep hounding me, deal?"
Raven remained silent for a bit, her head shaking in disagreement finally. "I won't promise you something like that, but I can say that I'll listen to what you say with an open mind."
"Fair enough," agreed Richard. "I didn't tell you guys because I didn't want Starfire to feel bad. Or Beast Boy to be traumatize by what he nearly did. Raven you know Garfield. Do you think he's a vicious animal that eats flesh and kills?
Raven's face was growing concerned now. "No, Beast Boy's a vegetarian he'd never eat meat. Why? Did Beast Boy kill someone, or something?"
"No," shook Richard's head; his eyes serious though, "but he did try to attack me and kill me. He was acting like a wild vicious animal. "Should I have told him he almost tried to eat me Raven? That his self control was not as he thinks? Could you imagine what Beast Boy would feel like after I'd told him that he almost ate me? Would he be able to let it go and move on, would he shrug it off and accept it was only a case of being hypnotized?"
"Some lies, do less harm then the truth might Raven, in Starfire's case the night I woke up from the dream I thought it was just that. Only perhaps another nightmare I'd had about Slade; brought on by the long talk we all had; July fifth, and the day's stress filled moments with having to step down, and tell Slade I wasn't leader anymore."
"When I found Starfire on the couch waking from having a nightmare; a nightmare where she and all of you had attacked me, she didn't go into detail but when she touched my shoulder. On the exact same spot as where she'd almost burnt me in my own dream; instead burning my cape to shreds, I knew then that the dream was real. That Salad really had hypnotized the city into falling asleep and that he'd hypnotized you guys into attacking me. Knew that I did eventually end up fighting by myself; being caught by Slade."
Richard could see the guilt and revelation's shock in Raven's own face. "I just though that was some very real, very bad dream I'd had." Raven took a step forward her hand on her face, her eyes pleading with apology.
Robin halting Raven where she was with a raised hand to indicate pause. "It doesn't matter. I lived, we all survived, and if Slade had meant to win and take me away he would have. We didn't win, but we were granted the chance to keep fighting again another day."
"But now you can understand why I sometimes choose not to tell you guys everything. There was no reason for you to have just found all this out Raven. You would have been happier not knowing, would have never known the difference, and nothing good can be done with this knowledge Raven. Except the fact that perhaps now you won't hound me like you have been about keeping secrets."
"They're not secrets Raven, just moments I choose not to tell you guys something that for instance; had I told Starfire the truth, could you have seen what state that information would have put her in. Raven she was so upset when she woke up and felt guilty for attacking me. She and all of you were stressed, had repressed issues. I understood that, the mind does strange things when it needs to let of frustration, anger, and all the feelings you all were keeping bottled up. Slade knew that too. I don't blame you, I don't even blame myself or even Slade. It just happened. I know that none of you would intentionally hurt me, even if you were really all; as mad at me, as you were."
Raven's face fell, her shame talking to her with words of calming and respectful understanding that perhaps she needed to let up about the issue. Just drop the matter and begin to trust that Richard had all there backs," that he's your friend and that Robin would never betray you or treat you…..treat you as you've been treating him these last few weeks."
"Robin, Richard, I'm really sorry. Your right," Raven's head lifting up; imploring him, for forgiveness. "Can you forgive me?"
Richard smiled, coughing a small heave of pressured; forced up, air. "I already did. I just need you to understand and back off on the issue now."
Raven nodding, walking to his side. "We'll speak no more about it ever again."
"Good," sighed Richard laying back. "Now, I'm just going to lay here a while, then if you could help me to my room. I don't think whether I sleep here or in my own room Slade's treatment is going to effect me any differently."
Raven pulled up a seat. Placing her hand in Richard's own. "Why didn't you do something for yourself sooner. Even if you didn't want use all to know, why didn't you try and get something from the medical bay to help you sooner?"
Richard rolled onto his side and looked at Raven, his mask less eyes filling with a look she hadn't seen; couldn't determine what it was he was thinking about from it, with a small smile Richard spoke. "I can't explain what it was, but as I got sicker I kind of also felt stronger. Being sick also made me feel alive, like the treatment was drawing to the end of the process."
"Process?" Questioned Raven.
Richard thought back in his mind. "Dr. Wallace told me that day up on the hill, that he couldn't reverse the treatment because he'd found out in the blood sample that the treatment wasn't yet at the end of the process of making me into whatever Slade wanted the end result to be. He said that my blood was still in a state of transfigure."
Raven looked confusingly back at him. "What?" "You never told me anything about a meeting with any Doctor, you just said that you had a secret meeting with Superman somewhere where Slade didn't know about or find out about and that we were never to talk about, what we talked about."
Richard smiling. "I did say that didn't I?" Raven nodding with wondering confusion and mysterious want to know what she had stumbled upon here. "So?" Voiced Raven playfully wanting to know more. Richard sighed…….
-Flashback- (Omitted part from Chapter 42 revealed)
Robin pulled his motor cycle to a stop. He'd taken his personal one over his R-Cycle; simply because it couldn't be tracked, not by his friends or anyone else that might have a way of tracking him. He'd left his communicator back in his room, and now as he dismounted and walked over to his personal spot; his refuge from the life he both loved and hated so much, his view overlooking the city. Robin took in a deep cleansing breath of air. It always seemed to help in calming him.
"You know what they say about clean air don't you?"
Robin turned to look behind himself. His visitor no surprise to him, in fact he'd been expecting them all. It was the reason he'd staged his leaving the tower angry and upset to begin with. His reason for choosing this spot over somewhere else.
If Slade really was monitoring his every action, his every move. If Slade somehow really had tapped into the security system of the Tower; like Robin suspected he had, if he'd placed listening devices, and/or camera's in Titan Tower like Robin suspected he had. That's got to be the only way, the only way he could have known exactly how we planned to attack him, the only way for him to have been so prepared for us. At the Chemical Plant he had everything ready to counter all that we had planned.
Well, Robin was pretty sure Slade wouldn't suspect his actions taken tonight. His need for solitude and isolation. Robin only hoped Slade wouldn't get in one of his moods, feel it necessary to stop by for a good old chat. Slade just loved to agitate Robin, to push his buttons till he snapped. There were a few past times when Slade had left him calling cards that he'd been nearby. S shaped insignia left on he seat of his bike, a deep footprint stamped near the trail lading back to his bike. Laughter, or sometimes sinister questions; posed on the wind, for only Robin to think over.
Yup Slade sure does like to rattle with my emotions, test my limits of tolerance and emotional stability. Robin shook off the thoughts of Slade, I doubted this time, after Slade practically dropped a bombs worth of emotional baggage on me. Leaving me to fly solo over the city all day, that he would choose to agitate me any further. No Slade was many things; hounded Robin constantly, but the monster let his Apprentice rest every now and then. Richard was pretty sure now was a period of resting time for himself.
"No, what do they say about clean air," asked Robin back at Superman.
Superman smiled and turned to issue his companions forward and out of the hidden shadows they'd been lingering in. "They say you might just get too used to it, then when you have to go back to the air of the cities, you choose to move out into the country and become a farm boy."
Robin gave a smirk and small chuckle. He knew Clark had grown up in the farmlands of Kansas. His mother and father owning a ranch of sorts in Smallville. "No thanks, I'll leave the country life to you, I'm strictly a city boy."
Superman gave a small smile, before turning to look over at Batman. "You too sure are alike, both prefer the smog and dark dreary concrete streets of Gotham, over clean air, open freedom, and a home cooked meal, fresh from mother nature."
Batman gave Superman a humoring eyeing. "Alfred's cooking isn't that bad, except for maybe his pancakes," he added looking at Robin as he said this.
Robin began laughing now, his hand coming to his bruised side. The pain wasn't much, but it still didn't help to laugh. Bruce's face grew concerned at the look of momentary pain on Robin's face. "You alright?" His concern causing everyone else to turn and regard the Titan Leader.
Robin looked back into the concerned faces of Superman, Batman, Leslie; his old family doctor and friend who knew his and Batman's true identities, J'onn J'onzz, and a man standing next to Leslie dressed identical to her in a white medical coat. "I'm fine, I just took a harder beating from Slade this time then he normally gives me, that's all."
Batman's blank face told Richard he was upset, that he didn't like hearing about his son having to judge beatings good or bad from a monster like Slade. "Don't worry so much about it," offered Robin in reassurance to his fellow Superhero's and associates. "If today is any indication, then were getting closer to something that might be worth stopping Slade once and for all."
Robin's words fell back at him with looks of sadness from everyone. What do they know that I don't, questioned Robin to himself.
"About that." It was Leslie's old wise voice that had broken the silence; of silent mourning. "I have some news for you about your lab work. About the blood sample I took from you; per your request, I searched and compared your old records."
Robin looked at her, "And?"
Leslie's eyes swiftly moved away from direct contact with Richards own. "This is Dr. Timothy Wallace. He's a high ranking medical technician that works for Star Labs and with the Justice League up on the Watchtower. Well…." Leslie couldn't continue anymore, she gestured for Dr. Wallace to take over. Her head falling down in mournful melancholy.
Dr. Wallace stepped forward; his professional and Doctorary manor reminding Robin of one of Slade's robots, instead of a human being. Dr. Wallace's words coming out in a terminology manor seemed to bother everyone else's solemn mood. What scared Robin more wasn't that he couldn't understand a word that the doctor was stating, or that he was apparently in deeper trouble; then he'd thought there was cause to worry over, but that he did understand every word the doctor told him. All Robin's suspicions, all his nagging clues, hints were finally starting to become clear to him. The picture becoming clearly whole to him regarding Slade's master plan.
In non medical terms: "Your blood has slowly begun changing, it's the same color, the same human blood that runs through each human's body, but somehow your blood has begun taking on regenerative properties like none I've ever seen before. Even Superman's healing body doesn't compare to this. It's like, well what's the word for it….Like you can't get seriously injured, or if you were to, you'd simply begin healing yourself till you were just the same as before."
J'onn placed a hand on the doctors shoulder, silently telling him to stop for a second while Robin took in all the information just given to him. "Robin, I can't seem to read your mind either," added J'onn reluctantly. "I know it was bad of me to have tried without your permission, but after what the doctor told me I thought the attempt might not work any way's……"
Robin's face void of emotion, his lack of any reaction what-so-ever made for a very uncomfortable feeling in each observers, watchful eye. "Robin," it was Batman's voice, his hand reaching out towards his silent son. Robin looked at him and took a step back.
"It's what Slade did to me back in Denten," answered Robin flatly; intelligently starting to figure out what the doctors diagnosis meant Slade had been doing to him. How Slade's own warning of looking deeper; planning farther ahead, all meant.
"It's the illusion, the dream, I thought I'd had….the delirious dream Slade manipulated me into thinking I'd had, with the false facade that I was sick for three days." Robin looked up at them all with very deep sad filled eyes.
"Then you've already known what Leslie found out?" Asked Superman, not realizing like Batman did that he hadn't, he'd only had some sort of suspicion that something had been going on, something involving his body, his health. All the times Robin had been sick recently, all small comings and goings, of monthly regular body aches; that would suddenly vanish, only to again happen near or around the new start of each month. The same coincidental small occurrences that Slade, or someone else, would challenge the Titans right around that time period. Leading to Robin feeling weak, sick, and then somehow stronger afterwards.
It was the lack of need for sleep, for food. His mind seeming to be clearer, recalling details even easier then before. All the indicating small clues that alone were nothing; but together, spelled out "Slade was up to something."
"No" answered Robin with a soft voice and slow shake of his head. Robin turned and looked at the doctor, a hope on the blossom of oblivion and despair, or the bloom of recovery. "Can what's happening to me be corrected, be reversed?" It was the voiced question of a being on the edge of choice and acceptance. That fine line of hope and despair.
Doctor Wallace's professional manor seemed to dissolved then, his own emotional understanding seeming to bloom human feelings, and not just a medical harsh robotic exterior. "No, I'm afraid that without any idea what it is that's both changing your blood, or what the ending process is to be; see it would seem your still in a state of change, there's signs in the blood that this change is not yet complete. So without any information I wouldn't even know where to start."
Leslie stepped forward, her old comforting eyes trying to give Richard her love and support. "There has to be someone out there that knows a way to reverse whatever is happening. I mean, if your somehow being given something that is changing you, then someone had to have first discovered it. And that same someone would have to know how to counter what they discover. We just have to find them and get them to reverse the treatment."
"There just has to be," she whispered, trying to reassure herself as well as Richard's own hopes.
Robin looked up at the saddened faces of all around. "Well that's it then," he stated boldly.
Batman seemed to resolve himself then. "No." "No, there's got to be a way to stop Slade, we can go find him, take the league and hunt him down, force him to tell us what he's doing to you. Make him reverse it, I mean the guy probably has files, we can discover something. We just have to find him and take him down." Batman's resolve was so strong Robin would have believed him, had he not known Slade so well.
"Thanks for the hope." Robin's words struck the group as an odd answer to Batman's proposition. His voice wasn't one of acceptance but of; as if someone saying goodbye, not thanking them.
"I know perfectly well what Slade is doing," explained Robin, his sudden force of spirit and face that was again living with a soul inside of it telling those around him that he wasn't going to give up, but that he had accepted this news and was ready to begin anew.
"He's sealing my destiny, my fate. He told me once there was no where I could run, nothing I could do, and that death was no longer an option for me. That he had taken care of that. Well," scoffed Robin bitterly. I guess he really has, cuse if what you say is true, it looks like he's making me every bit the same as him. Down to the immortality part of it. Slade's changing me so that I'll soon be immortal and live forever the same as him."
They all saw the weary look and saddening way he'd stated that last part. Apparently snapping himself out of his thoughts, Robin continued on. "Because he's immortal, he lives life seeking what he can or can't attain. His patience is without end, and he has a mind for strategy and steps that could even rival yours Bruce."
Batman looked just annoyed now. His thought before that he'd been dealing with only some well armed criminal; with a grudge and thirst for revenge, found that his worst mistake in his life, and one of the worst criminals to ever come across. Was the same one trying to possess his son for all eternity. Slowly wearing down Robin's humanity.
"Slade's got an army of Robotic androids at his beckon call," warned Robin. "And an organization that even the government can't penetrate or find an end, or a beginning to," announced Robin. "He's so secretive about his plans that his own men only have the piece to his plan; that only effects what level of entry into his organization he allows them to stay at. Yet anyone that works for Slade….Well, they're either totally to the core loyal to him, or dead," declared Robin calmly.
Way too calmly in Superman's thoughts. Robin seemed to be many faces these days. There were times when you could see the young boy in him; the scared and vulnerable young man that needed to be protected. Then other times you saw a hard and ruthless fighter. Someone that needed no one's help, but that could lead and conquer the world if he found it necessary. No wonder Deathstroke wanted Robin as his successor; Robin was, unique and special, holding all the talent. All the things both evil or good could use to tip the scales to their own advantage.
Man was Slade a very clever and crafty enemy. Perhaps too clever and crafty to be left alone and un challenge as he had been. Had they perhaps stumbled upon him far too late to prevent him from carrying out his plans, too late to stop a being that might not have a stopping point?
"Back in Denten," continued Robin. "They just found the bodies of ten medical doctors and nurses buried in a hole near one of the old abandoned Aviation hangers. They were killed sometime around, or right after I left for Gotham. My guess is; see there's a missing gap in my memory, a hazy set of dreams where I remember vaguely talking and fighting with Slade; of fighting an evil version of myself. All I thought to be no different then the regular restless nights worth of nightmares I normally have, but now. Now I think Slade got his hands on me and did some medical procedure. That would explain the way I've been feeling lately. Why this nagging voice in my mind has been posing questions of wonder to me, and it would explain the blood work results you both found," head gesturing towards Dr. Wallace and Leslie.
Robin sighed, "Oh, it's all making since now."
"I spent three days in Denten; according to the lady at the hotel, probably someone working for Slade….(his realizing that he'd missed the silent signals the old woman had been trying to warn him with)(Why hadn't he listened to himself. Why had he not trusted himself, oh well it was too late now)….she told me that I had stayed in my motel room sick for three days. But I'm betting that those three days where when Slade had me in, or near the old Aviation hangers. He must have set up some sort of lab and employed the medical nurses and doctors to help him in his experiments on me. No one lives long after taking on a job for Slade," warned Robin with deep lingering hatred.
Superman and Batman glanced at each other out of the corner of their eyes. They might not have known Slade, but they did know; the Terminator, Deathstroke was quite the silent assassin and killer.
It was J'onn that interrupted Robin. "Then we need to find someone that knows something about what might have happened in Denten."
Robin nodded, "Yes, but we have to do our searching quietly and slowly, lest Slade get wind of it and change his plans. Right now Slade thinks I don't know what he's up to. He's been playing me; telling me he's going to kill me off, kill my team all off and that were at war. We probably are, and he probably is, but I'd bet more that he's doing all this to make me change faster, adapt to my new abilities, and then when the time is right to make me choose to go with him.
He knew I was wishing for death. The fact that I might not have it would be a fatal revelation had I not just found out. I don't know what I might have done, but inevitably I probably would have joined him. Given in and gone with Slade simply because he's the only one that can teach me what it's like, what I should do with my new future, my new ability; and being lost, not know what life I could still have."
Again Robin's revelation had struck sadness upon the group. For Batman it was that his son would have chosen death as a way out of this mad man's constant barrage of pursuit, over simply asking him for help. More then sadness, regret, and guilt was nagging at the Bat.
Superman and J'onn were saddened by the thoughts of life forever, they both had thought hard and long about the possibility of outliving most of the ones you would know. How do you watch others you love die around you, as you yourself keep going on.
For Leslie and Dr. Wallace, it was a human reaction. Feelings of sadness for seeing someone Robin's young age faced with tougher choices then he should have to. To be forced with dealing with issues too uncaring, to unfair, to unfit for a bright child; who should have had a future set before him, but who since the age of eight had seen nothing but tragedy, death; the evils of life, and not the good things promised by all adults to children.
Robin really did have to endure far more then should have been put upon his shoulders. To Robin none of that mattered. He had faced it all long ago and come to an understanding, an acceptance of his life. His latest acceptance that he might one, either die, or two, become a slave to Slade for all eternity, he had come to terms with that too. But eternity; as a metaphor, and eternity as a real time frame was two separate thing. Deep inside, Robin was beginning to have feelings of loss, hate, and a need. A need for someone to help him to understand what this would mean for him. It was for sure what Slade would have been counting on when he would finally break the news to Robin about his condition. The expectation, and known reason why; Robin would inevitably choose Slade's side willingly, over Slade forcing him to join him. His lack of understanding, his need for guidance, his knowledge that he and Slade truly were alone with each other now and for ever. Just him and Slade through all of time.
Robin hung his head. Talking a deep sigh before turning again to look at the melancholy bunch before him. "It's too late now to begin to fall into sadness over this issue. What we have to do is stop Slade, he's given us the means. If he truly does plan to make me like him, to live forever as his slave, his heir, his Apprentice. Then that means he will make me in charge of his empire. I can gain control, access that part of his organization that the government could never get to. Then from the inside I can stop Slade once and for all. Take him out once and for all, put a stop to both him and his organization.
It's just going to require a patience that rivals Slade's. A self-control and acting job that will win me awards for all of time, and the close silent workings of all of you. We're going to have to become smarter then Slade, but even more cautious and careful then we've ever been before. I have no doubt that we can do it though. We can beet Slade, we just have to make some sacrifices along the way."
"No," it wasn't Batman who spoke up, it wasn't Bruce; whom Richard had thought would protest, but Superman. "No, we cant let you waist your life, can't let you sacrifice yourself for this endeavor." It was Batman who gave the reason for Richard to be the one to do this, it was Batman who put to rest all thoughts of not letting Robin attempt his plan.
"No, there is no one else but Robin to do this. He is the only one that Slade will genuinely accept. The only one that might be able to pull this kind of thing off. The only one Slade would slip up to, and fall because of. Robin is Slade's only weakness."
Robin slowly nodded. His pleased face; that Bruce had understood and accepted, masking over his hurt and angered heart that Bruce would accept his plan so quickly and so without feelings. Choosing logic and reasoning over his own heart. "Yes, I am Slade's weakness, same as he is mine."
"Then it's settled," called the voice of Dr. Wallace. "We try and locate anyone who might know what happened in Denten, and in the mean time. We leave you to deal with this Slade fellow, and to continue on with both his plans, and initiate your own."
Robin looked up at them all. His face once again blank, his emotional self gone. In it's place was nothing but the cold calculative mind, the same version of Slade, only on opposite sides. "Yes, but that's not all we have to do…."
"I once told you," turning and regarding Batman with a humility brought on by defeat and sad revelation. "Once told you that I could deal with my own issues and problems that came up in my own city, but I guess I was wrong. I guess I wasn't strong enough to beat someone like Slade, like Lex Luther, like the Joker….."
Superman and Batman exchanged troubling looks with each other. "No, it is us that are sorry," explained Superman. "We may have our rivals, our archenemies, but yours; Slade is far more dangerous, far harder to deal with then any we will, or do deal with. Your much braver then we are really."
Turning back and looking to J'onn Robin regarded the alien as a leader addressing his fellow teammate. "You said you can't read my mind." J'onn nodding in reply. "Then if I concentrate and now ask you to, can you read my thoughts?"
J'onn closed his eyes and focused his mind on Robin's own. "Yes," he answered after a second. "But only small feelings and a few phrases, nothing solid or definite."
Robin nodded his head. "Yeah, I was wondering why Raven didn't seem to know what I was thinking lately. Our minds are linked in a special way that would make her able to read my thought any time she felt like it. Normally she could feel my emotions and read my thoughts even deeper then what you could. Yet lately she seems distant. I can tell that she's been having trouble keeping up with where I've been going lately. I'm guessing she can no longer read my mind either, same as you can't. Which would mean only one thing."
Superman looked around himself, he wanted to know if he was the only on that not all of this was making since to him. He discovered the others all looking perplexed too, but trying to keep up with Robin and his explanation. "What might that be then?" Asked Superman returning his gaze upon Robin.
"Raven can't read Slade's mind, or even sense when he's near," answered Robin. He ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. "Did you guys know how Slade became what he is today?"
"No," shook the heads of the three Superhero's; Dr. Wallace and Leslie remaining silent, all knowing they would be told the answer to his question in a second. "How did Slade end up immortal?" Asked Superman. "We never could find much information when we tried to, about Deathstroke."
"No family, no history, and no background or medical records," added Batman where Superman had left off. "It was one of the hard things that unsettled us when we went to face him. A man without a past…."
Bruce saw the smile, the regard Robin had for Slade then. "Yeah, he's a real clever man Slade is. You think looking up Deathstroke brought you no information, try looking up Slade Wilson; that's his full name, you'll find even less."
That's because all his information was once classified by the government and now, even that classified file; that only a handful in the world has access to, that file has somehow gone missing. All that there is, is the carbon copies Slade's secret government branch has. That's how I found all this out. During that meeting I had with them back in Gotham, they told me all about Slade. Told me that Slade was once human." Robin's face had taken on a shade of darkness that Batman had never seen before. Something within the mechanical genius mind of his was at work. Something was formulating thoughts, calculating a plan. Bruce had always been at awe the way Robin could come up with things so quickly. Sometimes it also scared him.
"He worked for the government; volunteered for an experimental branch as a test subject, a test subject for some kind of truth serum. His test group all died. All except for Slade." Announced Robin with a sigh.
"After Slade woke up from some sort of coma he discovered he was immortal. Discovered that his body heals its self, that he could use more of his brain; think faster, plan cleverer, and react quicker then any other normal human could. His body is like a machine, his skills and levels, nothing to be taken for granted, and the only thing to rival any of that is his desire for power, control, and to constantly wreak havoc, and stress me out."
"When I first met Slade he was seeking an Apprentice. Someone who could stand by his side and run his empire; the way he wanted done, when he choose to take a brake from life," Robin scoffed; the thought that Slade would ever be, so less a control freak that he would ever decide to take a break from life was as much a joke to him as his own life was beginning to become.
"But if he's immortal," began Dr. Wallace….sudden revelation taking over from what Robin had all been saying.
Robin nodded his had, "Yeah, Slade once forced me into taking on the role of his Apprentice. He said I was his only choice, and soon to be his heir; his son." Batman's anger was hot, but deep inside his regret was greater. Now he was beginning to understand what had really happened that time; that time Robin had broke in and stole from his building, that time Robin had been wearing a different costume, that time, he had watched video replay files of a strange battle between Robin and his teammates. All of this was Slade's doing, and here he'd been, too pig headed, too proud to even realize how deeply in trouble his son had been. How in trouble he still was. "Robin, I'm….."
Robin shook his hand at Batman. "Now's not the time for regrets Batman. I don't have any, and we already said we'd let the past lay where it was, in the past."
Batman took in a deep breath, and nodded, "Your right, but what do we do now. Slade needs to be stopped." The conviction in the group was as one single voice, "yes." Slade did need to be stopped.
Robin took up his role as leader and looked at the group. His face almost scaring them with how borderline hallow it looked. "I have a plan," assured Robin, "It's just going to be risky, and will take some time to accomplish, but if we work in secret and not ever let on that we know what Slade is doing to me, we might just succeed."
Robin had everyone's attention now. "Ok," nodded Superman, "what do you have in mind?"
"Unfortunately," lamented Robin. "I'm going to have to break a promise I made to my team. A promise I said I would never break."
"I'm going to have to keep all this hidden from them."
"I suggest that after this little meeting none of you ever mention anything to both each other; not even if you think your in a secret or secure place, or anyone else ever again, because when I say that Slade has eye's and ears everywhere I mean it."
"The only reason were even talking like this right now and Slade hasn't attacked is because him and I have some kind of silent rules set up for this game; rules mainly of his own design, but rules that allow me a break; a rest. It's the Master giving his slave a small charitable gift," scoffed Robin. "I get a few hours to rest and not fall over that line of despair.
Batman had just about had all he could take. How Robin could talk about all this with such calmness he didn't know. Slade was sick, treating a kid Robin's age as if he was nothing more then a dog. Rewarding him with things that anyone should have gotten already. When would Robin earn his right to go out and to the bathroom next, or maybe if he was good he could breath the same air as Slade."
Robin noticed how darkly brooding Batman had become, how quite. All signs that he was deep in thought and very disturbed about all this. Unfortunatly Robin didn't have the time, or the privacy to explain things and calm the Dark Knight down.
"I already know Slade's somehow bugged the Tower with both listening devices, and probably cameras too. He loves to keep at least one step ahead of me. Always loves to watch me. He does that with monitors and video feed that he can stop, pause, and rewind whenever he wants to; I learned a lot while I was his Apprentice," explained Robin with a small smirk of triumph. "It didn't seem like it afterwards…but as I've kept battling him I've discovered that even what he didn't say or do, it gave me the tools to resist him."
"For example, Slade knew precisely how me and my team were going to attack him the other morning. He planned ahead and tried to counter what we planned. Which mean's he had to have overheard what we were saying and had to have seen the routs we were going to take. He placed his Slade-bots at just the right places to intercept each of my teammates, and he left the rout I had planned to take clear of any bots. He's been spouting off to me lately about how he keeps leaving simple if not straight forward clues. Well now it's about to backfire on him."
It was Sally; Cyborg's computer that made my vacation schedule, while on my trip to see you in Gotham. It struck me as odd at the time why Sally would have paid for my hotel room in advance. Slade had arrange it so that I would be there and made sure I wouldn't pass through the town and head for the next. I thought about it, I didn't want to stay there, but the hotel being paid for already gave me a guilty conscious that Cyborg had tried to be a good pal, that it was a gift from him, but it was actually Slade."
"If we're going to get away with stopping Slade, if I'm to have any chance at beating him. I'm going to need to do the unthinkable. I'm going to have to kill Sally."
Robin's words didn't hold quite the impact that he'd expected. He smiled, he'd forgotten he wasn't talking to his team for a second, but that he was talking to a group of adults; adults that didn't quite see the value placed on one's own stuff as Teenagers did. "Cyborg cherishes the things that are his. There like his children. It's going to kill him to loss Sally. It's actually going to be really hard for me to do the deed myself. I'd grown pretty fond of the computer, and she's been very handy around the Tower and in aiding us with our job."
"Seems to me she aided you all too much," commented J'onn. "You all began relying on her too much and that's how Slade found his way in, she was something he knew you'd never stop trusting, never stop relying on."
Robin sighed. "Yeah, we'd grown complacent about things, taking things for granted……….." Robin's mind clicking in upon a secret thought then. His words trailing off with a craft smile creeping over his face. It was actually a smile that was beginning to worry Batman. He'd seen that look on Robin before; almost always before he did something, the Dark Knight was forever going to regret.
"Robin?…." Bruce's voice was parentally trying to calm his son down, hold some form of control over a reckless mind.
Robin just smiled wider. "Oh the sweet revenge."
"What's the one thing we all take for granted and this world needs more then anything?" The group looked at each other, their confusion not unexpected by Robin. "Electricity," he answered with smirking sinful glee. Oh the fun this is going to be…..
"Even Slade values and takes for granted electricity. His weakness is his drones. His need, and control of the flow of information to himself. His constant need to keep watch over me, over the city, over every aspect of control his obsessive drive leads him on…."
Robin's madness seemed to be infectious, his reasoning falling into perspective with Superman's thoughts, with J'onn J'onzz own Smiling face. Only Batman and Dr. Wallace didn't seem to think this idea was a great one.
"Superman I know you could sneak into the power plant and cut off the city's power. It'll create chaos and probably some damage, but with everyone pretty much outside the city anyway, this will be the best time for an attempt to do this. Slade will loose his cameras and then will be forced to come out of hiding. Or if nothing else it'll give me a chance to find and destroy the camera's and listening devices in the Tower, and kill out Sally. Cyborg will eventually try and rebuild her, but I can make sure this time he doesn't make her so accessible to Slade's use."
Batman could see he was going to be overruled here so he gave in. "Ok, what can we do to help?"
Robin laid out a very clever plan, using the elements he knew Slade already probably knew, elements he himself could sneak past Slade, and ways of making this all seem as chaotic and unplanned as possible.
-/-
"I played right into Slade's trap these last few months. He'd wanted me to say goodbye, he was counting on me simply wrapping up my life and with nothing left, my team perhaps even dead, he was so close to wining that I could have simply with a nod of my head, accepted his offer and joined him forever. No one would have even known I was missing before I would have dawned his colors and took up my old place at his side."
Now it's his turn. His turn to lean the lessons, his turn to try and catch up with me. His turn to run from the mouse for a little while. When I'm all done Slade wont have even seen me coming. If we do this right, if we keep to the plan, and keep silent, Slade won't know I've won till it's far too late.
Batman and Robin exchanged looks. Bruce turning and walking off, Leslie and Dr. Wallace following with worlds of "good luck" and "goodbye." J'onn offering Robin his outstretched hand before turning to go. "I'll see you in a couple hours then."
Robin nodding his head. "Just make sure no one sees you and don't get too close to Raven, she'll sense you if your not careful. I don't want my team involved in this, I want them to remain safe and the less they know the less likely I'll give Slade some clue to what I'm planning."
J'onn nodded, "You really are a clever Teenager. The Titans are lucky to have you."
Superman stared after Bruce. Looking back at Robin who seemed so young and so old all at once. "You know," smiled Clark reassuringly and proud. "You really are very special to Bruce, he didn't show it, but I think he's proud of you right now….I know I am."
Robin smiled, faint glints of how really tired Robin truly was, beginning to creep past Robin's efforts to keep others from seeing how exhausted he really was. "I know."
"Good luck then, and try and get some rest, well see you in the morning." Superman placed on Robin's shoulder a reassuring hand of close solidarity; taking to the skies after his fellow comrades. The Darkened night sky of deep blues and purples hiding their departure from any eyes that might have been skyward.
Robin stood there, once again left all alone in the dark. His once hard masked face of emotionless strength caving way. Overwhelmed by a day of revelations and traumatic events Robin feel to his knees. His body's physical pain matching his emotional pain. Would his life ever be the same again? Could this plan of his work? Would giving in to Slade free him of his cursed life? The trapped and tormented young man who'd lost his life the day his parents tragically died. The day Richard had ceased to be, and the day a monster was created. The monster called Robin the Boy Wonder and Genius, the monster that held him trapped from ever again being free to govern his own destiny, his own life, own course. Can I really stop Slade once and for all?
-End Flashback-
"So you see Doctor Wallace told me that: "without any idea what it is that's both changing your blood, or what the ending process is to be; "see it would seem your still in a state of change, there's signs in the blood that this change is not yet complete. So without any information I wouldn't even know where to start."
Explained Robin telling Raven the shortened version of the true meeting that had been held up on that hill that day. Robin had vowed that nothing of that meeting would escape into Slade's crafty and extendable hearing or hands. His even talking with Raven now about what Dr. Wallace had explained and said was bordering on dangerous.
What Raven head though, seemed to satisfy her. She silently remained with him while he rested. Leaving the medical bay only a couple hours later to inform Cyborg that Robin was going to be moved to his room and letting Beast Boy know that Robin was indeed fine and with rest and a short bit of time he would be back to his old/new self.
"Oh man Raven that's great to know thanks." Beast Boy's relieved face and calmer demeanor reminding Raven about what point Richard had just tried to explain to her. Some lies do less harm then the truth can do.
Raven smiled, nodding understanding inwardly. She could somehow see that now. It was the start towards her own recovery and reestablishment of respect and friendship for Robin; Richard, her friend and leader.
A/N: So, some issues delt with, a good peak at the omitted part from Chapter 42 that we all didn't get to know about last time, and before you all ask me. I already had the question posed: "How did Batman and Superman know to meet Robin up on the hillside?" If you're wondering that same question. I suggest you go back and re read the conversation Robin had with all the Justice League members; particularly the last bit of the conversation with Batman, before he took off and was missing for 16 hours. (Chapter 41 near the ending.)
Here is my explination for how they knew: "You all remember the letter Alfred placed in the crate that "Flash" brought to the Tower? Remeber what it informed him about; Leslie telling Alfred to tell Richard, and what responding thought Robin had in regards to it? Well, in the posting where Robin talked with Batman at the end of chapter 41's conversation. After he'd just finished talking and explaining his actions to the JL group and revealing about how Slade knew his identity? Batman told Robin that his results from Leslie were POSITIVE. Meaning that there was a problem and his suspicions where right, but he told Robin to SMILE about it, indicating that he needed to not let anyone know what they were talking about. (They were talking in code.)
After Batman told Robin about his needing to drink water Robin made a reference to when he was little. Batman chasing him up TREES. (now you could get this from the Everything Fact book about Batman From A to Z. (Or so I've been told) but I got it from common since and what knowledge I do know about Batman. Wayne Manor is situated on a hillside overlooking the city of Gotham. Bruce Wayne has a forest with trees somewhere towards the North side I believe, (Could have the longitude wrong) but in code Robin was telling him where to meet up to talk. (Northern side of the city, Robin's little hillside he loved so much) So there you have it a nice little secret tid bit. If that seems like It was a stretching for an answer I guess that's just too bad, cuse It really was what I come up with for a reason and answer. (never said things always make total impact, or are great sounding answeres) (shrugs)
Ok, so now go read the next chapter, and tell me what you think, was it fitting for all involved? Later, dlsky
