A/N: Hey all! I'm ba-ack! Miss me? LoL! I must apologize for not updating sooner. I have a lot of shows and trips within the next few weeks, so I haven't had any down time. Today was probably the first time, so I was able to whip up this neat little chapter. LoL! I just want to warn you that with me, nothing is ever impossible, and that nothing is ever what it seems (though I am leaving many subtle clues to lead you to the identity of Night).
Enjoy this! I am currently working on the next chapter, so that should be here soon!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. :( If I did, Star and Robin would have been dating a loooooooong time ago . . . (on the show, at least)
* * *
"Robin, where are you going?" asked Beastboy, the next morning.
"Yeah, man. It's eight in the morning. We haven't even eaten yet!" Cyborg exclaimed, confused.
"I just need to take care of unfinished business. I'll be back . . . eventually," Robin lied.
Just then, Raven walked in. She took one look at Robin, and he knew she knew the truth.
"We're going, too, you know."
"What?!" cried Beastboy.
"Where?!" asked Cyborg. "I didn't even have my bacon yet!"
"Eeeeeeeewwwwww!" BB exclaimed, trying to make light of the situation by making gagging noises. It only intensified the situation.
Robin looked down. "Raven, you can't . . ."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want you three endangered too, all right?! You guys are practically . . . no . . . you are my family, and I don't want to lose another. Plus, someone needs to be here when Star comes home . . ."
"Dude! Are you going to rescue Star?"
"Oooooh! Robin's back at his knight in shining armor to save the princess bit!"
"That may be, but Robin is risking his life in more than one way."
That got the boys' attention. All teasing stopped, and they looked at their friend.
"What . . . ?"
"Woah, man. Maybe this isn't . . ."
"I'm going, and that's that. Follow me if you want, but it won't change anything. I know what I need to do."
With that, their leader was gone.
* * *
Robin arrived at Slade's lair. He had given Robin directions to it (A/N: No escort service? LoL!). It looked like the same lair as last time, but it had some more television screens in the middle. Most were turned off, but he recognized all that were on. A few screens showed the alleyways Robin was expected to take to get there. About two of three screens showed the outside of the T Tower, but amazingly enough, none of them showed the inside. One screen showed an empty cell with a Slade uniform, probably for Robin, and another one showed Night in his cell, back turned to the camera. It looked like Night was crying . . .
And that's when it dawned on him. Where was Starfire?!
"Robin, a little early," teased Slade. "Anxious to . . . see your girlfriend, perhaps?"
The Boy Wonder's face grew hot. "Where is she, Slade?!"
"Oh, Robin, Robin . . . patience. That's the one thing I'll have to teach you since obviously Batman didn't."
Robin tensed up. "Leave him out of it!"
"Touchy. Emotional. It'll all eventually lead to anger, rage . . . hatred."
"Enough. Let's just get this over with."
"Well, Robin, you must prove your loyalty to me to become my apprentice. See, I can only have one apprentice, so . . . here's your first task. Kill Night and take your rightful place . . ."
"K . . . kill Night?!"
"Yes."
Robin's eyes grew large. He never intentionally killed anyone. Only someone like . . . like Slade would do that. But wasn't that Slade's plan? To make Robin more like . . . Slade? Slade's words from their last major encounter rang in his mine "We're very similar . . ."
" . . . ok . . . I . . . I'll do it . . ."
"Excellent."
* * *
The communicator in the room beeped.
"Hello?" answered Starfire.
"I want Night . . ."
"Night?!" she exclaimed. "Why?!"
"Robin's accepted his challenge."
Star gasped. "No!"
A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging! I'll update sooner, I promise! Keep those reviews coming! Thanks!