2012 - Jump City

The night air felt soothing against his skin as he sat in the shadows. Robin had learnt very early on that the air in Jump smelled cleaner than in Gotham. The act of being able to take a lungful of air, without coughing up soot, gave him a sense of freedom; new life. That was the reason he had come here; running away from the Manor to go out on his own. He needed the freedom; he needed a new life.

The tension in Wayne Manor had been building over the last three years. Ever since the training simulation when he was 13. The relationship between Bruce and Christine had become strained, but they couldn't avoid each other. Not if they wanted to see Dick.

Batman became darker than usual, faulting Robin on everything he did; until eventually Dick did make a mistake. The bullet had ripped through his chest; in that moment Robin couldn't work out what had happened. He didn't really understand until he was crumpled on the floor; a dark puddle growing outward under his face. The next thing he knew, Batman was kneeling over him, putting his strong hands down on his bleeding chest, causing pain to explode through his body like fireworks.

How Batman got him back to the cave Dick didn't know. He awoke four days later, feeling like he had been hit by a truck. Bruce had told him he should be dead, that it was a miracle that he had survived. But he also told him that he wasn't going to risk that miracle being needed again.

Robin was fired.

Christine had been strangely silent on the matter. Dick later suspected that she had known about his plan before he himself had even considered it. She loved him, wanted to protect him; but she also knew him so well. She knew if he wanted something bad enough he would fight for it, no matter who was in his way. And he had fought. After three weeks recovery he had disappeared into the night; running away to Jump City and forming the Teen Titans. That had been eight months ago. No one had sought him out after he left. Once again Dick suspected that was due to Christine.

He barely felt his shoulder now. The wound healed quickly and cleanly, despite Lesley's prediction that it would damage the nerves in his arm. It didn't bother him now, allowing him to continue his work as the Boy Wonder...just in a different city.

'Yo Rob, you seeing what I'm seeing?' Cyborg's voice over his ear piece was a welcome distraction from his memories. He looked down from his perch and saw two men heading down an alleyway, turning towards the back entrance of the bank.

'Oh yeh, I see them.' Silently he approached the pair; using the shadows to conceal himself. The Titans were closing in around them. Robin jumped down from his hiding place, landing just behind the two.

'Midnight stroll boys?' he said, his famous laugh filling the alley way. The rest of the teens appeared from the darkness. The crooks turned slowly; Robin's grin fell from his face.

Growing up the way he had, there were few things Robin really feared. But the creatures from Christine's stories had always terrified him. Anything that was too dangerous for the League to take down was not something to take lightly. Those fearsome creatures were what stood before him; pale skin, red eyes and fangs emerging from their gums as they took up their own grins.

'Well, well, well. Looky here Marko, seems Sonny Jim here knows what we are.' One of them, the taller of the two, sniggered. He had a Southern accent; they were a long way from home. Robin had no time to consider what had brought them to Jump, as the others grin widened considerably.

'I think you're right. Let's see what we have here.' He looked over the Titans one by one. 'Alien, Machine, Alien...I'm not sure what you're supposed to be.' he mocked when he reached Beast Boy. The morphling growled, but stayed where he was; his animal instincts picking up the danger coming from the pair.

They then turned to Robin, closing their eyes and taking a deep intake of breath.

'You on the other hand. You smell delicious.' When their eyes reopened they were glowing with dangerous intent. It took all of Robins willpower not to shake under their gaze. Time slowed as they held their eyes on him. Robin felt Raven's mind touching his own.

'What do we do? Who are these people?'

'They're dangerous.' Robin thought, his mind working over time, fuelled by fear. 'Take the others and get all the civilians off the street.'

'What about you?' Robin answered her by turning on his heel and running as fast as he could. He was half relieved, half terrified when the two immortals gave chase. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, allowing him to run at his fastest. He knew he would not be able to out run them; he was aware that he was still alive due to the fact they were toying with him.

Reaching for his belt mid-run, he sent off an SOS to the League. He just had to stay alive until they got here.

OOoOoOoOoOo

Flash's eye darted up from his paper as a beacon lit up on the large monitor screen. He was alert when he registered it was a distress call, but he was on his feet when he realised it was Robins. None of the League had heard from Robin since he had left 8 months ago. He suspected that Wally and Roy were still in contact but neither of them would discuss the bird, nor would either of his parents. Bruce and Christine had originally been frantic when they discovered their adoptive son was missing, but after hearing the news of the Teen Titans in Jump City they both calmed. Batman still kept an eye on him (though Barry was pretty sure the man would have dragged the boy back if it weren't for Chris. )

This was the first communication Robin had made in 8 months and it was an SOS. The fact that he had lit his beacon and not called in for help, meant he was in serious danger.

'Watchtower to Batman.'

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Batman watched his coffee swirl around his mug. He had lost interest in the conversation with Clark several minutes ago. But for Super Boys sake he allowed the alien to continue talking, getting everything off his chest. Once he stopped rambling Batman would tell him what he was going to tell him all along. Man up and talk to the kid!

He was almost relieved when he got the call from Flash.

'Batman, receiving.' he said shrugging his shoulders at Superman when the Man of Steel stopped midword, his mouth still open, ready to form the rest of the sentence.

'Bats, its Robin, he sent out an SOS.'

Batman was on his feet and heading for the Zeta Beams in his next breath. Clark following on his heel. 'Where?'

'Jump City. North, just heading downtown.' As he marches down the corridor he dials into his communicator.

'Christine. It's Robin. I'm sending you the co-ordinates.'

oOoOoOoOoOo

The thing about fear, is it clouds your judgement. It makes you forget your training, the things you know to do and not to do. Such as look behind you when you're running full pelt. That was one of the first things Batman had taught him. At the time Dick had hated the fact he was being taught how to run away. Now he was glad of that fact.

But in a moment of fearful weakness, he forgot. Glancing over his shoulder for a mere second to try and pinpoint his pursuer. It only took that second for him to lose his footing, causing him to stumble. Robin knew it was over as his face connected with the tarmac. He tried to quickly get back up, but a pair of feet stood before him. He looked up to see the smaller of the pair.

'It's been a fun game Kid, but now it's time to finish this.' The vampires eyes glowed red as he took a step forward. Robin pushed himself back and tried to move himself away. But he soon found his escape blocked by the second in command.

'Now where do you think you're going? It's rude to leave a party without saying good bye.'

Dick could honestly say he had never been so scared. Not when facing the Joker, or Two-Face. They had been human, flawed, broken, but human. These creatures were not natural. They were monsters. And they were going to kill him. He was going to die.

He heard himself scream as the creatures hand came down. He closed his eyes on reflex, not wanting to see the end coming. But the pain never came, nothing ever touched him.

Opening his eyes slowly, Robin saw the creatures hand was near him, reaching out to finish him. But they couldn't touch him, it almost looked like there was a force around him that the creatures couldn't penetrate. The creature looked confused but then understanding swept over his face and it turned to amusement.

'He's a fledgling.' the vampire straightened up, smiling down on Robin with a sinister grin. 'We're in the presence of royalty Marco.' Robin was so confused, what were they talking about.

'So who do you belong to then?' said Marco, bringing his face dangerously close to Dicks.

'What?' Robin whispered. Marco just sighed.

'You sure he's a fledgling Paul?'

'We'll we can't touch him can we. Besides, Kid can run faster than any human I've ever seen, I'd imagine he's at the age for his powers to be showing.'

Robin decided he didn't care what they were talking about. If they kept talking for long enough he might be able to put some distance between them. Just until help arrived. While the two were arguing over matters he didn't understand, Robin brought his feet under himself slowly, readying himself to run. But just as he pushed off from the ground he was thrown back. Paul using the apparent force-field against him, the power of it sending him back to the ground in a daze.

'Now the big question is, what to do with you now?' their grins could put Joker to shame as they stalked over to him once again. Robin could feel himself shaking. 7 years he had been a vigilante and he had tried never to show fear. But these were not normal circumstances, he couldn't see himself getting out of this one. Whether they could touch him or not, these two were going to find a way of killing him. 'You're scared. Good, the hunt is no fun unless you are scared.'

'Maybe it is you that should be afraid.' the new voice was deep, calm. Robin felt himself stop shaking just before the two men were ripped away from him. Dick couldn't make out the actual fight. They were moving too fast, making the figures moving blurs. But he could tell by the screams that this new comer was killing them. It took less than 20 seconds to finish, and the bodies to lying face down on the road...while their heads looked up at the stars, several feet in the opposite direction.

A man now stood before him. He was tall, slender but still muscular, his dark hair slicked back and his facial hair trimmed neatly. But it was the eyes that held Robins attention. The piercing blue that had watched over him since he was small. He knew those eyes anywhere, but the rest of him was unfamiliar. As he approached, Dick felt his breathing catching in his chest. The man sensed this.

'There is no need to be afraid of me. As you can see, I am a friend.' for a moment his eyes glowed purple and Dick knew why they were familiar, why this man felt safe. His fear had left him exhausted and now his adrenaline had been used up, he found himself leaning forward and falling into the man's arms.

It was at that moment Batman, Superman and Christine came round the corner, looking for the fight that had already passed.

'Father?' Christine's eyes widened at the sight of Dick, unconscious in the man's arms. The man did not look best pleased.

'Care to explain to me Daughter. Why my Grandson and Heir is alone and exposed?'

A/N Hello again. Sorry its taken so long. The original story for this was boring me whilst writing it, so (in order to spare you the boredom) I have re written my plan. I'm hoping after the main back story has been established to treat this story as a series of one shots, kind of like Parental Bat Moments (if you haven't read it yet, please go and check it out!) only with the vampires thrown in! Let me know in the reviews if this would be something you would be interested in reading. I wasn't happy with the way the story was going, but I hate giving up on a story so this is me giving it one last chance at life. Until next time. Karin xx