Title: The Familiar Darkness

By: Corbin

Disclaimer: Don't own any of it, it was only for fun ;)

*Notes* I love both Batman and Robin, but there has always been a soft spot in me for Robin. Personally I liked the Robin from the animated t.v. series but I think you can imagine this character to be any Robin you would prefer if you don't like Grayson. By the way this is my first Robin fic, so please don't be too harsh, but please be honest.


He had been lying in the cell for several hours now. The orderlies had dragged his unconscious body into the cell and laid him unceremoniously onto the dark, damp concrete floor. To the orderlies the young man was just another lunatic, the clothing he wore meant nothing to them. Many of the asylum inmates wore silly costumes, those were the ones to watch out for, they were often dangerous.

The orderlies had removed all of his weapons, such as the utility belt, but they had left the uniform intact. They hadn't even bothered trying to remove the mask concealing the boy's true identity. Honestly they could care less about whom the kid really was. It was better to let the doctors decide when to get rid of the outside clothing and the false identities.

*****

There was a water leak somewhere. The dripping sound combined with the cries of some of the louder inmates pulled him slowly from his hazy sleep. His head was pounding, for a moment he thought he was going to be sick. Robin pulled a deep breath into his lungs and opened his eyes to the familiar darkness of the Batcave. Normally he didn't sleep on the floor, but he might have been too beat to make to a decent bed.

A piercing scream from further down the corridor made him shudder, a surge of fear burned through him as he realized he had no idea where he was. Robin forced himself to stand on wobbly legs and he began to search for a means of escape. He found that the night's events during patrol completely escaped him. All he recalled was meeting Batman and . . . well that was all that he could remember. Everything after that was a blur of unclear memories.

Suddenly blinding white light filled his cell, and Robin recognized the steel-plated door with the familiar sliding viewport. He knew for certain that he was in Arkham, and he was on the wrong side of the cell door.

The plate to the viewport slid open with an unpleasant grinding sound. A pair of eyes narrowed at him from outside of his cell.

"I see that you're finally awake. How are you feeling, young man?" The voice behind the steel door was calm and smooth. Robin picked up an uncaring undertone immediately. He wasn't going to find help from this man. Even if the man claimed that he wanted to help, it wouldn't be the help that Robin really needed.

"Why am I here?"

"You can't be serious, you should know very well why you are here. Oh, well. That will come with time, among other things. Get some rest. We can talk later."

The man stepped back from the small viewport and walked briskly away from the cell.

"No, wait! Please . . . I'm not supposed to be here!" In the middle of his protest the plate to the viewport grinded shut and was sealed by an orderly, the room went black once more. Robin was once again alone.

...TBC . . .