The Familiar Darkness: part x


By: Corbin


Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters, not even gonna go there. Don't sue.


*Thanks to everyone whose stuck with me on this story. Even though I'm not finished yet, I am very close. I'm not going to try and make excuses for not updating. Between getting writer's block and a deadly summer cold, it's been an adventure just trying to get my brain into gear to write at all. That said I hope you read and enjoy! *


Robin opened his eyes and took a moment to clear his head. A jolt of surprise coursed through him as he realized that he was once again strapped to the Arkham infirmary table. The infirmary seemed bigger, much darker, open and cold. There wasn't an orderly or a doctor in sight, he appeared to be completely alone. The boy wrestled with the thick restraints for a few futile moments as he wondered how he'd gotten both back into his Robin uniform and to the asylum

"Even here you can't get out of those," Bats faded into the light near Robin's table.

"Where am I?" Robin dropped his head back onto the cool surface of the table in a gesture mixed with both utter confusion and frustration. "I thought that I had gotten out of this place."

"Yeah, so you thought," Bats smiled gently and approached Robin closing the space between them. "We're in your thoughts right now. Your subconscious is trying to tell you that you've been tricked. You never really made it out of Arkham."

Robin squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head, this didn't make any sense. Why was he even listening to this figment of his imagination anyway? "No, I know I was there. I saw the cave," Robin whispered in a voice that only he should have been able to hear.

"Do you think that pain was all that doctor's drugs did to you?" Bats paused for a moment and tapped his dark gloved fingers delicately on the metal table. "Trust me kid, you're still stuck in the infirmary in the asylum," The figment smiled disarmingly once more.

Robin grunted trying to get free once more.

"I can help you," Bats stated softly.

Robin stopped struggling. The figment had captured his full attention. "Let me up then," Robin stated glancing at the restraints and back to his imaginary companion.

"Sorry, that's not really what I meant," Bats stated gently, casting his eyes away from the boy and quickly flicking them back.

"What?" Robin felt his jaw drop in surprise.

"If I set you loose, it won't do you any good," Bats paused and narrowed his eyes at the boy. "I need to help you from the other realm."

Robin wrinkled his forehead, this wasn't sounding good to him at all. "Wait . . . What do you mean?"

"Come on, kid. You know exactly what I mean," the figment went quiet for a moment almost to tease the boy.

Robin still held a grim but blank expression. The boy's eyes widened as the meaning of the image's words came to him. "No! Absolutely not!"

Bats smiled at the boy's reaction. "Listen, I want to help you. I won't hurt you. You need rest and I'm not just talking about your body. Let me handle things while you take it easy for a few hours," there was no sarcasm in the image's tone it seemed to mean what it had said.

Robin shook his head in stubborn refusal. "No, that's not going to happen. You aren't taking over my body. You aren't even welcome in my thoughts."

"Well, I'm sorry that you feel that way. I really wanted to make this easy for you," the image turned away from Robin sounding disappointed. "You've been under a tremendous amount of stress, obviously you don't know what's good for you. I guess you'll just have to be at my mercy. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you," Bats kept his tone gentle, but it had a stern edge to it now.

Robin wanted to protest but the words wouldn't come. He longed for even a hint of control over his own fate, but a bitter feeling of helplessness swallowed him whole.

TBC . . .