Chapter 5: Wake Up Call
A/N Ah yet another chapter dedicated to wonderful Zako Lord of Randomnessness. This is to celebrate her going back to school and not being bored tonight!
Arrendi
Disclaimer: AGAIN!!!! sigh I don't own them at all. (and you all know who 'them' are so I'm not going to say it outright...it makes me mad)
Chapter 5: Wake Up Call
Katarina groaned and rubbed her eyes. As she stretched she noticed everything was black. And the only color in the room was a little yellow, red, and green here and there. A large collection of circus music was alphabetically organized on a very full bookshelf and a large desk was covered in crumpled papers and parts for various cases. Somehow this room felt safe and comfortable to her even though it was a rather cold unwelcoming place. A shadow moved causing her to jump out of the bed.
"Who's there?" she asked squinting into the darkness.
"It's just me." a familiar voice said "It's just me."
Katarina reabsorbed the magic that had been surrounding her hands as Robin moved into the dim light. He looked as if he hadn't gotten sleep for days even though she couldn't see his eyes. His normally excellent posture sagged and his face looked pale and drawn. His hair was messier then usual as was his uniform and he didn't smell as sweet and strong as he usually did. All in all Robin looked as if he had experienced a very bad couple of nights.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked quietly looking over Katarina's slowly relaxing form. It creeped Kat out to have him check over her so thoroughly yet never touch her.
"Yeah I'm fine." She muttered and then asked Robin a question or two in a fairly concerned manner "Where am I and why do you look so unwell?"
"You're in my room and I just haven't slept well that's all."
His answer alarmed Katarina. She knew that her sister was a mind specialist and could very easily be messing with Robins mind from Cristo Estate on the other side of Jump City. Katarina took a step towards him and looked him in what was, beneath his mask, his eyes. It made him look her straight in the eyes because she seemed to be doing something inside his head and he didn't want her too. Robin did his best impression of Batman's intimidating glare but to no avail; the demon was immune to it.
"Why exactly have you not been sleeping well?" Kat asked in a very soft caring voice that nobody had ever used with Robin before.
"It's nothing important I promise. I don't sleep well a lot. You'll need to get used to it." Robin said in his usual 'you're invading an off limits area.' tone. Kat looked at him concern etched into her features.
"Robin I know you have a tendency to keep things to yourself. I found that out from Raven's mind, but this is important. My sister could be in your mind causing your worst fears, deepest anxieties, and most horrific experiences to stay in the forefront of your thoughts. If she is allowed to do so you could become suicidal I've watched her do that to people and I personally would much rather help you then watch her destroy you." The concern in her voice startled him. She barely knew him and yet she already wanted to do all she could to help him. Her words struck something in him, everything he dreamed or thought about lately was related to the Titans and Batman being murdered being he screwed up or he had defiantly missed a clue and was losing his intelligence, or with that night, the night that his parents were killed by Two Face. Cold hands suddenly grabbed his gloved ones tightly and tear filled eyes begged with him threw his mask.
"Please..." Kat whispered her voice cracking "Robin I'm begging you. If you think there's even a chance that she's in there let me help. Anything you have in there can't be as bad as what she and the rest of my family have done to innocent people for fun and entertainment. I...I couldn't bear to watch you become another one of their victims."
Robin was suddenly smacked with an unknown feeling; someone actually gave a damn about him and what his head was like. Someone cared for him deeper then what his teammates did and what Batman did. He didn't understand why, but Kat was conveying those feelings to him without knowing it. Her hands were like ice threw his gloves but he didn't pull away. Robin looked her in the eye and lied.
"No, I don't think Demy is in my head. I normally don't sleep well. It's nothing to worry about." His tone was meant to reassure her but from her face he could tell she still doubted him. Slowly she released his hands and whispered something about cleaning up. Raven had appeared in the doorway and gave a brief nod to Robin to let him know she would take over watching the demon girl. Robin let out a sigh and sat down on his bed. He hated lying to Kat but he couldn't admit that he was dreaming about things even the Titans didn't know about. And he definitely couldn't tell her about his history and not tell the Titans. Confused and stressed Robin fell into a restless sleep.
"Robin...you know you can't do anything....you're useless weak, an idiot, helpless. Everybody has to rescue you..." cooed a tall woman wearing all black leather and a black cloak. She stood forefront of the images of him pinned against a wall as the Titans were killed. The next time she spoke the image would turn to Batman's death Robin knew it.
"You
have no control over anything anymore. You're temper drives people
over the edge. You're not a superhero you're a coward." IN the
background Slade came from Wayne Manor and smiled evilly. A minute
went by and the house exploded as did the ground all around it.
Robin started to scream and run towards the house but the image faded
away to reveal his parents and his brother lying in the middle of the
center ring dead. The mayor, Bruce Wayne, and Chase Meridian looked
up at him threw the high wires and the trapezes.
"NO!" screamed Robin "I can save them! I can save them!"
"Robin! Robin!" said Cyborg shaking his friend to wake him up "It's just a dream man, it's just a dream!"
Robin sat up shaking and drenched in a cold sweat. All five Titans stood around him with furrowed brows and frowns on their faces. He looked at his sheets they were twisted around him so tightly he couldn't get out without help. His bedside table had been cleared the glass of water lay broken on the floor. Robin looked around averting his eyes from the Titans. He looked towards the open door to see a shadowy figure. He knew who it was, Kats face briefly shone in the sliver of light from his room. She was frowning and looking at him with an expression that crushed him. Her eyes were filled with sadness and a shadow of anger. Katarina left his doorway, but Robin's eyes were fixed on the spot where her face had been.
"Robin?" a soft voice intruded upon his thoughts. Robin's eyes turned toward the Titans.
"Friend Robin what is causing you to scream so violently?" asked a very concerned Starfire.
"I'm fine." growled Robin "I just need some air."
Robin pushed threw his friends and headed towards the roof. He felt rather then saw Raven fallowing him. He just ignored her and continued to the roof. As he passed the guest room he saw Kat's lights on and briefly thought about stopping, but decided he would just get more of the same looks. As he crossed the roof a breeze cooled him off and carried away some of his troubles.
"It's not good for you. The demon will kill you." A quiet voice said.
"What demon?" Robin responded to his half demon friend next to him.
"You can't lie to me Robin. I can feel Demy everywhere you go. You can't lie to Kat either. She knows her sister is in your head, she's going to do something rash and idiotic because of it." Raven said sternly.
"Please Raven. She wouldn't do anything stupid." Robin scoffed "I told her I was fine."
"She obviously didn't believe you." Raven whispered pointing out a figure cloaked in white leaving the Tower on the R-Cycle.
"Katarina!" yelled Robin "Where is she going Raven, WHERE?!?"
"You would know. I can't read her mind."
"I don't know though I don't."
"Robin! Snap out of it!" muttered Raven stronger then she usually spoke "That is Demy's poison. She convinces the mind that it's not good enough, but you are good enough! Why else would we all be alive here today?"
Robin shook his head "I can't remember her saying anything that might help me."
"Are you sure?" Raven asked "If you are we track the R-Cycle and see if we can find her."
Raven's confidence encouraged Robin and thoughts of his conversation with Kat streamed threw his head. Nothing came up, but she had talked about her sister.
"Raven. Can you remember anything about how Kat got her sister out of the tower?"
"No. I can't remember anything." Said Raven flatly making Robin cuss in frustration "But she told me."
Robin's head shot up "WHAT?!?"
"She told me what she did. She developed the rest of her powers from hatred of her sister. Kat performed a banishing spell, very hard to produce but extremely productive. Her sister can't physically leave the Cristo Estate." Raven answered.
"Then that's where Kat's going. She said something about a disk containing everything to do with us, and she knows what Demy is doing to me."
"There's only one problem Robin." whispered Raven.
"What?"
"Kat's not powerful enough to take on the entire Cristo family. She could die."
