Part A
Richard and Kori walked into the large communications room where they found everyone, minus Barbara and Alfred, waiting for them. On an eight foot screen was Terra's face. Little of from where she was calling could be discerned, but it was quiet in the background. Terra spotted Richard and Kori immediately.
"I see the two love birds made up. Isn't that sweet? I hope, Starfire, that I didn't hurt you too much last night, you know, when I kicked your ass? I wouldn't want your little Robin there to have to deal with damaged goods."
"Do not worry about any damage you caused me. I have been through worse pain than you could ever inflict upon me." Kori lifted Richard's arm from her shoulders and walked forward to stand next to Logan, Raven and Victor.
"I see the little gang is back together; Cyborg, Changeling, Starfire, and Robin. You've even found a new little friend. How cute is that? How sad for you though, that you're missing two people."
Kori clenched and unclenched her hands, the only indication of her agitation. Terra smirked when she noticed.
"Logan, sweetheart, you've been uncharacteristically quiet. Aren't you happy to see me? Aren't you glad to know I'm alive?" Her voice was falsely sweet and she batted her eyelashes.
Logan's spine stiffened and his jaw tightened, but otherwise, he didn't betray any signs that he'd heard Terra. Raven, sensing Logan's struggle, walked over and stood next to him, and placed her hand on his shoulder. Terra saw and narrowed her eyes. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, revealing a tattoo of the sign for earth on the side of her neck. It was a large black circle with lines going down the center both vertically and horizontally.
"I see how it is. You've found a replacement for me. It's a pity she wasn't destroyed with her house. At least I'll be able to look forward to killing her myself. I'll make sure to do it slowly. I'll hurt her Logan, I'll make her scream, and I'll bathe in her blood. And I'll make you watch it all."
Terra's voice was maniacal; it had lost all semblance of lucidity and her eyes became glazed over.
"Over my dead body. I won't let you hurt Raven!"
Logan spoke through clenched teeth, and when he looked at Terra for the first time since she'd made contact, everyone near him saw his eyes were filled with rage.
Terra laughed, it was full and real. She threw her head back and guffawed. But it was not a light and cheerful sound. It was dark and crazed.
"That is one of the best offers I've have in a long while Logan. Not to worry, it'll happen. But I want the satisfaction of you knowing that she died before I kill you. I want to break you. All of you. I want to break your spirits until there is nothing left of you but a hollow husk of your former selves. That would be the ultimate victory. That would repay you for what happened to me."
"Enough Terra. What was it that you hacked into Mr. Wayne's communications system for? What was so important that you needed to tell me?" Kori finally spoke up.
She knew Terra was not exactly right in the head, but she didn't realize how much of a sociopath Terra was. She seemed to not care about the pain she was inflicting on Logan with her words.
"Oh, right. Now, why did I call? Hmmm, that's a tough one." Terra tilted her head to the side and pretended to think about it. She even tapped her finger against her chin and squinted her eyes for good measure.
"No reason really. It was just to say that we've got our eye on you. If we can hack our way into Bruce Wayne's personal computer, imagine what else we could do. And the best part is, you wouldn't even know it. Try and sleep tonight with the thought that we could be anywhere at all."
Terra giggled, winked and blew a kiss to Logan. The screen cut off to Terra singing "I'll Be Watching You" by the Police.
"Terra is completely and totally insane. I don't think I've ever seen her like that. When that building fell on her, it must have done some serious damage." Victor spoke first, breaking the somber silence that had blanketed the room after the transmission ended. The sight of Terra brought back unpleasant memories, and it was testimony to how disturbed she truly was.
"Did you hear some of the things she said? Talk about some grisly visuals. Where does she get that stuff?" Logan was trying to get the pictures out of his mind. Terra could sure paint a strong visual. He didn't want to think about Terra. He was trying his hardest to not let anyone know just how much seeing her again affected him.
Knowing she was alive was one thing, but seeing her just drove the fact home, made it more real. As long as he didn't see her, Logan could keep pretending that she wasn't evil, that she didn't just kill two of his close friends, and that she didn't just threaten Raven, and that she wasn't crazy. That luxury was now taken from him.
"Should I expect any more calls from your friends? Should I expect anyone else to hack into my supposedly secure system?"
When Bruce spoke, the others were surprised; they had forgotten he was still there.
"No, Terra will be the last to hack into your systems. Richard will make sure of it, and this time, he will have Victor to help." Kori was still looking at the screen. The only part of the conversation she'd heard was what Bruce said. She felt badly, being such an imposition on him. He didn't need any of this falling onto his lap.
"Richard was the one who helped set up the original security system. What could he do differently now?"
Bruce wasn't stupid, he knew what could be done differently, he just wanted to test Kori. She was an important part of Richard's life and he wanted to make sure Kori was good enough for his surrogate son. It wasn't fair, but he didn't care. He still had to make sure. He liked Kori, sure, but she still had secrets that even Richard didn't know about.
"I don't know much about computers, other than how to turn one on and off, and work simple programs. However, Victor knows more about electronics and machines than anyone. He designed the security system used at the school. And so far, only one person has managed to slip by it. That is where Richard comes in. His mind is uncannily similar to that of a criminal; if there is any way of getting in, he will find it. The only reason Terra got in this time was because she was an unknown threat who had Slade helping her. Richard knows Slade and how he thinks for they are eerily similar."
Throughout her speech Bruce listened carefully, inwardly pleased. She'd do, and just maybe, he could help.
Kori walked up to the screen and stared. She wrapped her arms around herself and stood there, looking at nothing. She didn't like this Terra. She was different from the one Kori once called friend; the one Logan had loved. Kori turned and looked at Logan.
Outwardly, he gave nothing away, but while many things had changed, Kori could still read his emotions in the little signs. His mouth was tensed, his shoulders were stiff, and he was shifting from foot to foot. These were the little signs that betrayed his inner turmoil at seeing Terra again.
"Raven, would you please take Logan home? It is late and he needs to rest, as do you. Please, stay with him, I think seeing Terra and hearing what she had to say upset him more than he is letting on." Kori spoke softly, so Logan wouldn't hear. Then almost as an after thought, since Raven was supposed to be helping, Kori added, "Please, if you could, get a copy of Terra's transmission. See if you can find any hint or clue as to where she was. That could help us find her and stop her. Then maybe we'll be able to find Slade."
Raven nodded and started to walk off before she stopped and turned back towards Kori.
"Terra and Logan had a thing didn't they?"
Kori smiled sadly and nodded. "Maybe it would help if you could get him to speak of it. He would probably talk to you."
"You know Kori, you're not so bad. You're slightly imperialistic and a little demanding, but seeing as how you're a princess, I'll let that pass. And you can seriously kick ass if that fight with Richard was any indication. But you also care deeply for the people you count as friends. And you cared for Logan when he was hurt…you know…way back when. Thank you...for that and for getting him out of that place." Kori's smile brightened at Raven's words and she threw herself into the arms of an unsuspecting Raven. She was forced a step back under the impact of Kori, she was stronger than she looked.
Logan, Victor, and Richard stopped their conversation at the commotion and each smiled. Raven looked shocked at Kori's enthusiasm, but she did return the hug, if somewhat awkwardly. They walked up to the two girls. Richard stood near Kori and placed his hand on her shoulder, about to pull her off the obviously uncomfortable Raven. But he stopped when he heard what Kori was saying.
Logan stood next to Richard, only nearer to Raven than Kori. He too heard what Kori was saying. And Victor walked to the other side of the girls, having to look way down since he towered over the two. He smiled at what Kori was saying.
"Thank you Raven. It means so much to me, hearing your praise and having your acceptance. But I count you as a friend now also. I see how happy you make Logan and how you manage to keep he and Victor under control. I would do anything to keep you safe, just like I would for Victor, Logan and Richard. Besides, we females must stick together amongst those three males. They will drive us insane, without even trying." The last was added in a conspiratorial whisper, overly exaggerated so the boys heard it.
Raven pulled back and laughed. It meant a lot to her too, that Kori considered her a friend. She'd never had many friends in her life, and having someone from Logan and Victor's past approve of her honored Raven.
"Oooh, group hug!" Victor engulfed the two girls, lifting them off the ground. They both squealed laughingly and grabbed onto the arms that encircled them. Everyone laughed. Terra, Slade and any dire happenings were momentarily forgotten.
Alfred and Barbara had joined Bruce during the transmission from Terra, all three of them remained hidden amongst the shadows. They watched the display. They didn't miss the easy camaraderie among Kori, Victor and Logan. And they didn't miss how Richard watched with a small smile, and though he wasn't actively participating in the antics, he wasn't distancing himself from them either. They also noticed how the others made Raven fell like a part of the unit, that just because she wasn't a part of the original group from years ago didn't make her any less important.
Barbara watched too; and while she didn't particularly want to join in, she did feel left out. Especially when she saw Richard smile at Kori, and when Kori retuned the smile. Or when Richard walked over to Logan and murmured something, which caused the young man to laugh. What Barbara saw was a group of people who cared for each other, who had managed to come together in a time of great sorrow and hardship. She saw how protective they were of one another during Terra's call, and she noticed that they offered comfort. They all belonged together and Barbara felt intrusive watching. However, she could not look away, and the sight saddened her.
Part B
Raven drove Logan to his house. After Kori hugged her, then Victor instigated the group hug, Kori ushered the two out, after somehow managing to get a copy of Terra's transmission and giving it to Raven. She told Raven to make sure Logan got plenty of rest, and she should too. Raven wasn't used to having someone else be concerned about her enough to be ordered to rest. Logan and Victor didn't count because they were her partners. But Kori honestly cared that Raven take care of herself, and Logan. It was just in her nature to care for others. Raven was willing to bet Kori would put others before herself. Logan was quiet for the ride to his house. He just stared out of the window and watched the passing scenery. Raven really didn't know how to start the conversation. She wasn't even sure she wanted to start one. It was obvious he'd cared deeply for Terra, he may have even been in love with the girl. Something happened through, and Raven knew it hurt Logan deeply. It was an open wound that stilled oozed.
She pulled to a stop in front of Logan's house, but neither made any move to exit the car. Raven was wracking her brain for anything to say, but Logan spoke first.
"She still looks the same. Her hair's longer and it's styled differently, but otherwise, nothing's changed. Appearance wise anyways."
He didn't say anything else; just unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car. Logan walked to his front door and unlocked it. He went inside without once looking back to see if Raven would follow. He either knew she would, or didn't care if she did.
If Raven didn't care so much for Logan, and if her curiosity weren't aroused, she would have left. In fact, if she was smart, she would have just dropped him off, then left and found a nice hotel room to sleep in for the night. And if she were really smart, she would leave the city and not get involved with finding and stopping Slade and Terra. But her sense of justice and fairness came into play. They needed to be stopped, and if she could help in any way, shape, or form, then she would.
"I'm an idiot. A simple, sentimental fool." Raven got out of the car and followed Logan into his house.
Part C
After Logan and Raven left, Kori turned to Richard and Victor. She was about to say something when she noticed they were already talking about ways to beef up the security system. Seeing that things were already underway, Kori turned to attempt to find her way to the room Alfred gave her yesterday. It was only yesterday? It seemed like weeks when Kori looked back on the past twenty four hours. Yesterday, she had a home and clothes and today, nothing. Kori had just turned when she felt a hand on her upper arm. When she turned back, she found that Victor was holding her arm and he and Richard were looking at her questioningly.
"Where do you think you're going, little lady? This was your idea, you get to help."
Kori looked at Victor as if he'd just grown a second head.
"But I know nothing about computers. Were you not paying attention when I said that?" Kori's voice was amused.
"Yes, I was also there for the part where you volunteered Richard and myself to fix the security system. Even with all those lavish complements, it didn't escape my notice. So, if we have to do this, it's only fair that you help too. You know, you can bring us coffee and sandwiches and stuff."
Kori's mouth dropped and her eyes widened in shock at Victor's statement. She became even more shocked when Richard joined the conversation.
"Yeah, and it'd be really great if you wore a frilly little apron. Seriously, that'd be hot. And you could have this tray and everything. I can picture it now. You'd have high-heels and a short little skirt and everything. Really, I'm starting to like this idea." Richard was rubbing his hands together and his eyes were sparkling with mischief.
Kori narrowed her eyes and removed her arm from Victor's grip. She glared at both Richard and Victor for laughing. She folded her arms and in her most haughty, imperial voice said, "Laugh all you want. I shall help, but when things start to go wrong with the computer because I am there, do not say I did not warn you. Computers have the habit of doing very bad things around me. They just fall short of exploding, they work very slowly, and they do not do the things you tell them to do. I swear, they are conspiring to drive me insane."
"Kori, you do realize computers are inanimate objects, right?" Victor was looking at Kori strangely now. He looked about ready to put her in the nearest padded room.
"Try telling that to every computer I have ever owned. They communicate with each other through the Internet. It is very creepy. I could probably write a book about it, it would be a best seller, better than anything Stephen King would be able to write."
Richard just shook his head, trying to hold in his laughter. She was serious; Kori honestly thought the computers were out to get her. Only she would think something like that. Someone clearing his throat interrupted his thoughts. Richard looked up and saw Bruce was lurking in the shadows, just like he usually did.
"If you are going to be tinkering through my computer system, I think you should do it in a more private and secure setting. If you would follow me…" Bruce walked in the direction of the living room, but when he reached the entranceway, he turned to the left towards a…wall?
He slid open a wall panel hidden behind an antique statue. The three were surprised when the wall slid to the side after Bruce did some fiddling. Behind the sliding door, a set of downward spiraling stairs was revealed.
"Hey, how come I didn't know about this?" Richard's voice held no anger or incredulity; he just really wanted to know. As far as he figured, Bruce was entitled to his secrets.
"You weren't ready." With that, Bruce started walking down the stairs.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the group was met with another door, this one large and made of titanium. Bruce explained that no one and no thing could get through that door unless he wanted it to. Bruce entered in a code on the punch key and walked through the door easily. But when Richard, Kori and Victor tried to, they were met with entirely different results.
Richard was the first one through, and when he did, an ungodly loud alarm sounded. To say he wasn't ready for what would happen next would be a vast understatement, but luckily enough for him, his instincts and reactions were good, very good.
A giant pendulum like thing came swinging from the left. Richard ducked and rolled forward, narrowly avoiding getting clobbered. He stood and was about to call out to Kori, but found she wasn't there. He only saw Victor; that was until he saw a flash of red on the pendulum. At first, he thought the worst; since he'd jumped out the way Kori got caught because she didn't' have any time to move. But then he realized she was riding the pendulum.
Kori heard the whoosh before she saw it, and she acted before she even processed what she was doing. In the back of her mind, Kori know Richard and Victor were fine. Richard moved forward, and Victor went back. Burt Kori was in the middle and couldn't go anywhere but up for fear of getting hit by the giant meat cleaver. What was Bruce Wayne doing with something like that in his home anyway?
Kori jumped up and landed on the pendulum. If it hadn't just tried to kill her, Kori would have enjoyed the ride. She looked at the pole and noticed a small compartment, and inside the compartment it had a switch. Kori closed her eyes and reached out and flipped the switch. Only when she realized the swinging motion was slowing down did she open her eyes. She stood up a little unsteadily and was immensely grateful when Victor lifted her off the thing.
"What was that?" Victor spoke up after a minute when he saw that Kori was still unsteady and Richard was glaring at Bruce.
"Just a little security measure." Bruce was so calm about a swinging machine of death.
"From what, the middle ages? That thing could have killed us." Kori was able to stand on her own by now. When she let go of Victor, she smoothed back her hair, which was mussed, but just a little bit. She walked over to stand next to Richard, who put his hand on her lower back. Victor wasn't sure if the gesture was meant to reassure Kori…or Richard.
"Actually that one was Alfred's idea." Everyone looked mildly surprised that Alfred had such a sadistic streak in him. Richard was the first to recover.
"Figures. Only Alfred, or Julia Childs, would've come up with a giant kitchen utensil as a means of keeping unwanted guests out. Isn't a much smaller version of that thing used to beat meat into submission or something?" Richard had recovered from the shock of killer kitchen tools, and after he reassured himself Kori really was all right. Now, he was only amused at the circumstances.
"Right, as if I spend enough time in the kitchen to really know."
"Okay. So, how did that thing know to attack anyway?"
"Sensors in the doorway. They can detect the differing DNA in people. I didn't clear you to enter here."
"No, you thought you'd just try and kill us instead." Victor wasn't mollified at all, and he wasn't in the least impressed with the technology that went into the programming of those sensors.
"I wouldn't have done this if I wasn't confident you would make it through. Think of it as a test. If you hadn't made it past the giant meat tenderizer, then you really don't deserve to see this." And with that, Bruce pushed a button and all the lights turned on to reveal a large cavernous room with giant monitors and computers, a whole laboratory. It was every computer and science geek's wet dream. Victor barely managed to not drool at the sight. There were sparkles and pings coming from the computer screens and he swore he heard an angel choir singing in the background.
"Anybody home? Yo, snap out of it, Victor." Richard snapped his fingers in front of Victor's face.
Kori walked up to Victor and grabbed his arm. His eyes were glazed over and he seemed to be in some sort of trance. It would have worried Kori had she not known Victor's love affair with anything electronic, and he'd just hit the mother load. She just grabbed his hand and pulled Victor further forward, and he followed like a mindless zombie.
"I think our friend has gone into a coma. I believe I know how to snap him out of it." Kori pulled Victor's head down and whispered something in his ear.
"WHAT??!?!?! I'll kill that little pipsqueak. If he lays one hand on-Hey, we're nowhere near a kitchen. What's goin' on Kori?"
"I had to find a way to snap you out of your hypnosis. I merely suggested that Logan was throwing away all the meat in your refrigerator. It seemed to have worked."
"Yeah, but look at this place. It's gotta be more technologically advanced than the pentagon. What do you need with all this stuff?" The three turned expectantly to look at Bruce. He just smiled a small secretive smile.
"One never knows when the information he collects could come in handy. This computer has the ability to get into anyplace without being detected. And no one is able to hack into this one. This is what you can use to fix my home system, and maybe you can trace the link Terra used to hack into my system in the first place. Have fun." Bruce walked out of the secret room, leaving behind three surprised people.
"He's acting oddly. I think he's really stressed out. It's not everyday I bring people here, and no one has ever hacked into his private communications system before. He's probably feeling very violated right about now. Someone barged into his private domain, and privacy is something Bruce guards vehemently." Richard stopped talking when he realized Victor and Kori were staring at him with strange expressions on their faces. He smiled a little sheepishly and said, "Sorry, it's all those Psych classes I took. I tend to over analyze people and situations."
"Whatever man, I just wanna get my hands on that fine piece of machinery right there. Now, if you don't mind, the mastah is set to begin his work." Victor cracked his knuckles and a possessive light entered his eyes. He, Kori and Richard walked closer to the console, but when they reached the platform, all the lights and power went off.
"I told you bad things happened when I came near a computer. Does this not prove it?" Kori had grabbed onto Richard's arm when the lights went off. She really didn't like the dark, especially when she was unfamiliar with the surroundings.
"It's probably nothing." But Richard didn't sound too sure about that statement.
Suddenly a loud disembodied voice sounded throughout the room.
"I'm readjusting the codes for you, ignore the power outage, it'll only last a few seconds." Then the voice cut off, and the lights came back on.
"Okay, I think things are back to normal. I suppose we can go and fix things now." Richard was about to move forward when Victor stopped him by holding his arm in front of Richard.
"Wait, you can't just go barging in like that. You have to take your time, savor the experience. Treat her like you would a woman; you have to go slowly, romance her, really warm her up. You can't just jump right in. This computer is top of the line."
"Victor, you have officially lost it. I'm going to start, you can do your little foreplay with the computer if you want, but make it quick. I would like to sleep tonight."
Richard ducked under Victor's arm and walked up to one of the chairs, and began working. Victor heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head, but joined Richard. Kori just stood off to the side, not really know what she should do.
Part D
Raven found Logan in the living room, sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels on his television. Logan was going so fast that there was no possible way he could actually see what was on the screen.
Raven sat down next to him and took the remote; she was getting dizzy. She flipped through the channels more slowly, stopping on a classic rerun of Tales from the Crypt. She loved the crypt keeper; he had a killer laugh and he always made Raven smile with his corny jokes. Oddly enough, the crypt keeper reminded Raven of Logan, even though she wouldn't smile at his jokes.
Raven and Logan just sat in silence, watching fake blood spew from out of a woman's gut. Neither said a word. All was quiet; the only sounds were the screams from the television. The minute hand on a nearby clock moved; a commercial came on. Logan was tapping his hand against his knee, but Raven was sitting completely still, watching some guy sell her on heated condoms for added sensation.
"I know what you're doing and it won't work." Logan finally broke the silence. He never could stand too much quiet; it always reminded him of the infirmary, of hospitals; where people got sick and died.
Raven didn't say anything to Logan's statement. She merely raised an inquiring eyebrow. But she never took her eyes off the screen.
"You're trying to get me to talk about Terra; to spill my guts about our relationship. Well, it's not gonna work. I'm not gonna do it. I've moved on, not looked back. I'm over it…her…the relationship. So I don't need to talk about it like some high school girl."
"Okay." Raven shrugged a shoulder and changed the channel, she'd seen that episode of Tales from the Crypt before and remembered she didn't really like it.
"It's not working. Pretending you don't wanna know, I know you're pulling that reverse psychology crap. But it won't work I tell you. I'm too smart, I know your tricks." He took a deep breath and was about to start another tirade, but Raven spoke up before Logan could.
"Logan, listen. You obviously felt deeply for Terra. And while I don't want to hear all the details, I'd like to know more about your past; Terra included. But if you don't want to talk about it, I won't make you. But, if you do want to talk about it, I'm here to listen."
Logan looked shocked when Raven finished talking. Truth be told, Raven was pretty astounded herself, mainly because she meant what she said. But she'd done all she could; the ball was not in Logan's court.
Logan nodded his head, as if he'd come to some decision. He then turned on the couch so that he faced Raven.
"I was the one who found her. I went out to do an errand for Slade; one of his fact finding missions. Terra was hiding in a small broom closet, using that to live in. She was malnourished and dirty and sick. I felt bad for her. She seemed so young and lost, and I couldn't stand the idea that she had to hide and steal food in order to survive. So, I took her to the school."
Logan wasn't looking at Raven, so she couldn't really read his facial expressions. When he suddenly got up, the movement startled Raven. She watched as he disappeared into the back after a hasty "Wait here." Raven heard the sounds of things being moved, of grunting, a couple of curses, and finally a victorious, "Found it!" What ever it was, Raven hoped he'd hurry up. As close a friend as Logan was, Raven just did not do the touchy-feely emotional side of a relationship. It just carried way to much baggage from other people, and frankly she had enough baggage of her own to deal with. But, she supposed she could make a concession for Logan.
Logan came back out, only he was clutching a small box under his right arm. It was brightly decorated with many, many colors, and bits of what appeared to be glass, and reflective foils. It was a hectic piece of work, but it was uniquely beautiful.
"Star-Kori gave this to me before I left. She'd made it after Richard left, while I was still recovering. It's a memory box. She said I should put the things worth remembering in here, both the good and the bad. She would say that life is made up of good and bad memories. It's the promise of the good times that helps us through the bad, but it's the bad times that shape who we become as individuals. That's when we grow the most, and learn the most."
Logan set the box on the table and opened it. Inside were pictures and clippings and other bits of what seemed to be trash. Logan took out some of the pictures. On the first one he showed Raven, it had Kori, Richard, Logan and Victor, all smiling and waving to the camera. They all looked so happy, and so young.
Logan handed Raven a second picture, then a third and fourth and so on, until Raven lost count. They were all of the four of them, until closer to the end. Then, Terra was there. Someone else must have taken the picture since everyone was smiling and waving at the camera. It was odd seeing everyone that way. Seeing them all young, but doing things adults would do, living adult lives, experiencing things no one should have to experience at such a young age. They were forced to grow up so quickly, and none of them seemed any worse off. Terra excluded of course.
"These are the happy times. I don't have any pictures of the bad times, but I have other things. This is part of the bandage from the last time I was whipped. I tried to get a piece that wasn't drenched in blood, but it was pretty difficult." Logan picked up a small, delicate looking locket. It was heart shaped and had on it an intricate design. In the center of the design, there was a small garnet. "This locket belonged to my mother. It is the only thing I have that proves I had parents. It's my only link to my mother and father. Inside, there is a picture of my mother on one side and my father on the other." He set it down and picked up a ring.
"This is a ring I gave to Terra. I guess it could be called a sort of promise ring."
Raven took it to look at it more closely. It was simple really, just a small silver band with a diamond. But carved on the band was what looked to be a tribal design. It looked vaguely familiar to Raven. However small and simple the ring was, it was nevertheless beautiful.
"When I left, Terra was supposed to come with me. My leaving was the catalyst of sorts, for the plan. It was what was supposed to get the ball rolling. However, no one counted on Terra betraying us to Slade. Richard was in on the plan at first, but then he left and we were one person short. I thought Terra would be a good candidate to take his place. But after Slade's announcement of Kori's status as chosen, Terra became colder and more distant." Raven was having a little trouble keeping up with the conversation. Logan was jumping around from one subject to another, and Raven was sure there was supposed to be a road map to this conversation. Raven snapped back to attention when she realized Logan was still talking.
"We were very, very secretive about the plan to stop Slade. The whole school was in on it, but no one knew the details except Kori, Victor, Terra and me.
"On that final day, when everything was supposed to happen, when the plan was finally going to be put into action, Terra wasn't there. She wasn't with us, at that last gathering to finalize things. No body thought anything of it though."
"Wait, this was after you left, right? How were you able to do all this if you were supposed to have already left by, you know, pretending to have died?" Raven finally caught string of the conversation, but still, that part didn't make any sense.
"I only left to keep from getting killed. That little stipulation pushed the plan up. I was going to leave anyway, only in a different way. When I was punished for the second time, I really did almost die. So we changed the plan and pushed it up, having me leave sooner. What was to happen after was that I was supposed to sneak into the school. Victor was to disable the alarms for me. But I didn't get to do my part. The rest of the school was supposed to have been evacuated, Kori was supposed to have drugged Slade, and I was supposed to set up some explosives around the school. When the school exploded, Slade would go with it. But things didn't go as planned. Terra betrayed us. At the last minute, she stood with Slade, then the building exploded and she…they were buried in the rubble."
As Logan's story dwindled to a close, Raven's head was spinning. She got the gist of it, she thought. Terra betrayed them to Slade, okay, she understood that. The plans for stopping Slade changed because Logan almost died from his second punishment. For a second, Raven pictured Logan stretched out on his stomach, his back ripped to shreds from the lashings he received. She shook that picture out of her head and went back to deciphering Logan's story.
"Okay, I think I understand. I know you're not telling me everything, but that's your prerogative. I don't think I would be able to handle anymore explanations from you."
"Thanks for that. This wasn't exactly easy for me, you know. First of all, Terra meant a lot to me. We were really close then, we were the best of friends. She was the first girl I ever loved, and I got betrayed by her, in more ways than the others did. She didn't just betray me to Slade, she betrayed me for Slade. She chose him over me. And now, she's alive and still with him, and I've got this new life, this better life, and she comes back to ruin it. She threatened you Raven. She threatened to get to me through you. I know you're capable of handling yourself, but Terra is strong, and I…I don't like the thought that she could take you away from me." The last was said so quietly, Raven wasn't sure she heard it correctly.
"Logan…"
"No, Raven, you're my best friend. Believe it or not, but I feel closer to you than to anyone else, even Victor. You're the only family I have left. I don't want anything to happen to you, especially because I have a psycho ex-girlfriend."
Raven, in yet another uncharacteristic display of emotion, reached out and took Logan's hand. Logan looked down at their joined hands, then back up at Raven, his brow furrowed in confusion, but a cute little smile trying to break through.
"You're my best friend also, Logan. And, while I won't promise nothing will happen to me, I will promise that I will try my hardest not to let anything happen to me. I know you'll always be there to help me too. For tonight, don't worry about Terra, or Slade, or even Richard, Kori, and Victor. Just go to sleep. I won't be going anywhere anytime soon." Raven added the last part when she saw Logan was about to speak up. He closed his mouth and nodded before he yawned. As he got up, he dragged Raven with him, and started walking down the hallway towards the bedroom.
"Uh, Logan-" Raven didn't get to finish that thought because Logan started talking.
"I think I have a guest room around here somewhere. I know when I bought this place; it was supposed to have two bedrooms. I never use it. I think it even has a bed. Worse case, you'll sleep in my room and I'll take the couch." Raven exhaled a relieved breath when Logan said what he said. He must have heard because he turned to look at her briefly, and Raven saw him wink.
Luckily for Raven, Logan did find his guest room, and it was furnished…and it was clean. It wasn't that tacky either. Although the walls were lined with different wildlife posters, and animal right's activist posters, Raven decided she could survive sleeping here for a night.
"Thanks Raven. You don't show it very often, but you really do have a tender heart. And I know you care for me. I won't forget it, even when you're being all snarly and stuff."
Logan then left with a small smile. Raven stayed rooted to the spot for a second before she gave herself a mental shake and went back into the living room to get her laptop. She needed to look over that copy of Terra's call. She went back into her temporary room and prepared for a long night of playing I-Spy.Part E
Richard and Victor sat side by side at the consoles, traveling through the computer's mainframe, trying to familiarize themselves with such a powerful piece of equipment. Victor occasionally made little hums of euphoria, and muttered comments of the smoothness and speed of such a beautiful machine. He'd even started addressing the computer as Lucille, and spoke to 'her' more than he spoke to Richard and Kori.
After Richardsat down, he hadmotioned for Kori to pull up a chair next to him. After she did so, Richard started working as well.
"I really have no use right now. I am just sitting here, wasting space." Kori crossed her arms and actually slumped down in her chair.
"Well, next time don't volunteer someone for something until you ask them first." Although Richard was very sympathetic towards Kori, since he was doing the work and she wasn't, he didn't let it show.
"It is just that I feel badly for Bruce. He didn't ask for all of this. We've indisposed him so, and brought him in the middle of a fight that is not his. We have invaded his home and his privacy and his life. I just want to make sure this does not happen again, and who better for the job then the two best people I know?" Kori's voice turned playful at the last.
"Kori will only get you so far with this one Kori, I was planning on getting a good night's sleep tonight." But Richard looked over at Kori and smiled to take away any sting in his words.
"Am I really that demanding?" Kori's question seemed to come from nowhere, but Richard took it in stride.
"Nah, not really. But you do have your moments. Strangely enough, I find it oddly alluring. Kinda like your 'glacial' side. Speaking of which…" Richard cast Kori a sidelong glance, and his wicked smile was showing in full force. It had only become more potent over the years, but luckily Kori was immune. Sort of. Almost. Okay, not at all.
"Oh, do not worry, I am sure you will give me more than ample opportunity to be cold towards you. It is an intrinsic part of your personality."
"Funny girl."
"How did you meet Bruce Wayne? He does not seem to be the type of person who just takes in stray children." Again, Kori's thought process worked in leaps and bounds, and had nothing to do with the previous conversation.
Robin stopped typing and turned to face Kori.
"He caught me."
"Doing what?"
"Stealing."
"You got caught?" Kori tried hard to keep from laughing at Richard, but she was unsuccessful. She enjoyed the fact that Richard, "Mr. Perfect" got caught. It made him a little more human.
"Yeah, laugh it up. It wasn't so funny at the time." Richard thought back to that time.
Robin had been out of the school for a few days now. He wondered if Starfire knew he was gone, or if she even cared. He didn't realize how much he was used to having her in his life. Right now, things seemed bleak and gray, like nothing would get better, nothing would be right again. Starfire always managed to break any bad mood he was in. She simply had to smile her infectious smile, and things would look up.
Robin was cold and wet and hungry, and he was almost to Gotham. It was a place to which he didn't want to return. It brought back too many painful memories, and on top of his recent experiences, he didn't feel up to facing them yet. But he knew he didn't have a choice. He would have felt better if Starfire was with him, but that wasn't possible. Not now. So, whether Robin wanted to do this, was ready to face a past full of loss, he had to.
Robin survived by stealing food and clothes. It's what he was trained to do by Slade, and it was something he did well. He could slip in like the mist, unnoticed, unheard, taking only what he needed in order to hold him over until the next time.
Robin reached Gotham city about two weeks after he'd left Slade's school. He had changed from the uniform he wore at the school to a pair of over-sized pants and shirt. It made him look smaller than he already was. His hair was greasy from not being washed, and his skin was smeared with dirt. He was only able to do some cursory washing in public bathrooms.
His first destination was where his world came crashing down, quite literally. He went back to the sight of the circus, where his parents plummeted to their deaths so many years ago. He couldn't remember if it still looked the same, mainly because he didn't see things from the outside. He only saw the inside. And whenever he closed his eyes, the only thing Robin saw was his parents falling from seven stories, landing hard on the ground because they didn't use a net.
It was supposed to be a big show; the important people were there. The commissioner, the mayor, Bruce Wayne. It was supposed to be an important show; it was supposed to be one of the best. That's why his parents worked without a net that night. That's why Anthony Zucco was responsible for his parent's death. He tried to extort money from the circus owners, for protection. But because they didn't have the money, the owners knew they had to pull in one hell of an audience. So they advertised the Flying Graysons, and how they would attempt "death-defying stunts; flying though the air seven stories up, without a net." Robin was too young to participate in that.
He didn't remember much of that night. But he did remember running. He ran as far and as fast as he could. He ignored the calls of his fellow circus mates; he ignored the calls of everyone. And then he met Slade.
And now he was returning, and planning on stealing from Wayne Enterprises.
Robin walked up to the building. He'd managed to pass by the security guards, the dogs and the fences. He'd stolen from Wayne Enterprises before, but he'd never stolen from the headquarters. It was risky venture, but Robin was on an adrenaline high, and he needed the risk to feel alive again. He'd been dead inside, with no direction in his life, since he left the school…and Kori.
Robin had just reached the inner sanctum of the building, the R & D labs. Rumor had it Bruce Wayne's company was working on plans for a new car. It was different from other cars in that it was more like a James Bond car. It had a self-navigation system, self-steering, more comfortable seats. It had a sensor that wouldn't allow the car to start if the driver was drunk or not wearing a seatbelt. It could basically think for itself. There were a lot of foreign companies that would pay top dollar for the blue prints.
When Robin moved further into the lab, the lights suddenly came on. In the center of the room was none other than Bruce Wayne. He had his arms crossed over his chest and he was leaning nonchalantly against one of the tables.
"Office hours ended five hours ago. I know you're not one of my employees, so that means you're trespassing, and breaking and entering. Do you really wanna add larceny to the list?"
Robin just stood there; inside his chest his heart beat so painfully against his chest, he was surprised it hadn't busted through. His stomach fluttered erratically and his palms were sweating. Outwardly, however, Robin was the epitome of calm, cool and collected; all in all, unaffected by the unexpected turn of events.
"You gonna say anything?"
"What is there to say? I came, you saw…and now we're at an impasse. You don't wanna let me go, and I don't wanna let you take me in."
Bruce merely lifted an eyebrow at Robin. The kid had spirit, pride, gumption, and a set of steel balls.
"I'll tell you what. Here's the microchip with the blue prints to the car. If you can get it from me, and get out of the building, you get to keep them. If you don't, well, then I get to turn you in to the police. Does that sound fair to you?"
No, not really. Robin was tired, hungry, and he just spent so much time trying to sneak into the building. He didn't want to face Bruce Wayne for something that was technically Bruce's. But Robin was backed into a corner.
"How do I know that microchip really has the blue prints? Or that you'll really let me go when I get it from you?" Robin affected a confident attitude, while mentally weighting his chances. Bruce Wayne wouldn't gamble something so important away needlessly. Sure, he took risks; someone wouldn't become as rich as him if he didn't take risks. Usually the risks were on a sure thing. This little contest was a random factor; the outcome was up in the air. Robin had youth and agility on his side, while Bruce had experience and strength on his. The two were matched quite well.
"You don't know, you'll just have to take my word for it." Robin realized Bruce had answered his question.
Robin just shrugged and charged at Bruce. Bruce blocked the first punch, but…
protectionFlying Graysons"death-defying stunts; flying though the air seven stories up, without a net.""Wait a minute, you fought Bruce Wayne? First you tried to steal from him, from his headquarters, and then you fought him? Man, you're insane." Victor had pried himself away from the computer while Richard was telling Kori his history with Bruce.
Kori was staring at Richard in wide-eyed disbelief. She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to fight Bruce Wayne. He just gave off an aura that plainly said "Do not mess with me, for I will wipe the floor with you." But then so did Richard.
"If you could just skip the fighting. I do not wish to know the details."
"No problem. I don't think I'd be able to tell them correctly. Anyway, I managed to get the chip from Bruce, but just barely. However, I didn't make it out of the building. I just made it to the roof when he caught up with me. I swear, that man can move as quietly as a shadow when he needs to."
Bruce walked up to Robin, a small smile on his face. Robin was surprised, Bruce didn't seem angry at all.
"You move well, and your fighting technique is good. A little raw, but nothing we couldn't work on. What's your name?"
What, we? What's he talking about?
"Richard." Robin gave Bruce a name he hadn't been called in almost ten years. The only other person who knew it was Starfire.
"Richard what?"
Robin didn't want to give the last bit away. Bruce was there years ago when his parents were killed. He'd make the connection and know. But Bruce had a look on his face that clearly indicated he wouldn't be tricked, lied to, or ignored.
"Grayson. My name is Richard Grayson."
"Then what happened?" Victor was practically on the edge of his seat.
"He did make the connection, and honestly, I don't know why he took me in. He did say something about paying for the damage I'd caused by breaking in, but who knows how Bruce thinks? I'm just grateful he did take me in."
No one said anything. What was there to say? Richard had managed to win over the favor of an eccentric billionaire. Victor, sensing that there was nothing else to learn went back to the computer, typing furiously, and enjoying every second. Richard waited for a bit, ensuring that Victor was completely absorbed in his task and wouldn't be paying attention to what Richard was saying. Then he leaned closer towards Kori and spoke softly.
"I kept an eye on you." Kori looked up, startled.
"What?"
"After I found out about Slade and the school, I kept an eye on you. I wanted to make sure you would be alright."
"Were you the one who sent that anonymous donation to that homeless center? It was for a significantly large amount."
Richard nodded his head. He couldn't tell if Kori was angry Richard felt the need to keep an eye on her, that he'd helped her in any small way he could without her noticing it was him.
"Why did you feel the need to keep an eye on me?" Kori had cocked her head to the side and furrowed her brows, a sure sign of curiosity or confusion.
"When I first met you, I had this feeling that…that you would need someone to protect you. You were so innocent of things, of people. And I just put myself into the role of protector." Richard was speaking slowly, as if he was testing the words before he said them. "You had spent so long being protected by the school and me…I…call it habit. I needed to protect you because you needed to be looked after."
Richard just stopped talking. He really didn't know what he was saying. He wasn't good at putting his feelings into words, so he usually didn't.
"Do you still feel the need to protect me, even now?"
"Yes, but not because you need it." Richard quickly added the last bit when he saw Kori's eyes flash dangerously. "I want to look after you now. I know you don't need it, but that makes me wanna do it more. You have grown so much into the woman I've always known you'd be. And it's alluring and attractive and addicting. You have an inner strength that you only showed in bits and pieces when we were younger. So, no, I don't want to be your knight in shining armor because I think you need it, but because I want to do it."
Kori was looking down at their hands. Sometime while Richard was talking, their hands had managed to link together.
"I think that sometimes…I do need it. And it is nice to know I have someone who will look out for me."
"Hey, Richard, when you two are done with the mushy stuff, you wanna get back to work. I don't wanna be at this all night, you know."
Richard gave Kori's hand a small squeeze, which she returned, before he let go and went back to facing the computer.
Part F
Richard and Victor had been working for a while now, tracing the link Terra used. So far, the signal bounced around. She'd covered her tracks well. She cloaked the signal, sending it through places like Tokyo, London, Paris, Athens, and some minor cities. She'd even managed to bounce the signal from inside the Manor itself.
"She's good. I bet Slade helped. Hey, Kori would you mind…" Richard trailed off when he realized that Kori was nowhere to be found. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen or heard from her for a while now.
"Kori? Kori, where are you?" Richard sent a glance at Victor, but he was too engrossed in the computer. So Richard got up and went to look for Kori himself.
He searched first the left part of the yawning room, and then went to the right. It took him forever to search, but he did find Kori. She was lying on a couch, curled up, sleeping. He supposed she deserved it, what with only getting a few hours of sleep the night before, then shopping all day, then fighting with him.
He let a small and tender smile grace his features, and reached down to remove a lock of hair from Kori's face, then rested his hand against her cheek. She leaned into the touch.
"Come on, we need to get you to bed." Richard reached down and picked Kori up. She made a small sound of protest at being jostled, but didn't wake up. Richard started walking towards the exit when he stopped to think about Victor.
"Hey, I'm taking Kori to bed, then I'm turning in myself. Maybe you should do the same." But Richard received no acknowledgment from Victor. It seemed as if Victor had just found his version of the ultimate Nirvana.
Richard clutched his precious bundle and walked the long trek to where Kori's temporary bedroom was. When Richard reached the hallway, he stood in the middle, thinking for a second. He looked between the door that led to Kori's room and the door that led to his room. It looked at if Richard would be spending another night at the Wayne Manor.
Richard walked into his room and closed the door silently. He walked to the bed and gently lay Kori down on it. She moaned a little at the loss of contact, but settled down immediately. Richard went into the bathroom and did his nightly rituals. He opened up the window to let the cool night breeze flow through the room. Afterwards he walked up to the bed. As quietly as he could, Richard got into it. Richard had just closed his eyes when Kori spoke.
"This is not my room." She was whispering, and had opened her eyes, only just a little bit.
"I know."
Kori smiled a little and moved back until Richard was spooned against her. He reached an arm over and pulled her closer. Kori fell back to sleep with Richard playing with the ring she was wearing.
Richard was surprised that Kori still wore the ring he'd given her so long ago. But he didn't dwell on it. He listened to Kori's breathing settle and even out as she fell into a deeper sleep. He intertwined their fingers and fell asleep himself. And for the first time in a very long time, he wasn't plagued by nightmares and memories of the past.
I would like to thank everyone who reviewed. I appreciate the feedback. I know it's sometimes a hassle to click on the botton at the bottom, so thank you for taking the time, energy, and the patience to do it.
I was so excited when I hit fifty reviews. I honestly didn't think I would get that many. Thank you for sticking with me.
Solodancer789-weirdness is the greatest, so no worries. Be as wierd as you'd like. I can't help but do long chapters. It just seems to happen that way. I shall do my hardest to make the chapters long for the duration of the story. Thanks.
Willow182-Thank you. I had trouble with the fight scene. I can visualize everything in my mind, it's just getting it one the computer comprehensively so the reader can understand that I have some problems with. So, thanks for noticing my fight scene. I must admit, I was rather proud of it.
Laurelinorian-Thank you. It's hard writing in contractions when I should and not use them when I shouldn't. I hope this chapter does it for you. And I hope it's long enough, (with few mistakes?)
Superviolist-I know, I accidentally removed the chapter. It won't happen again. But, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. And, with out giving anything away, Blackfire may or may not show up later.
Hyper Chick-I hope you're happy with this one. I tried to put some Rob/Star fluff in it without going totally overboard.
BrassBanana-Thank you for the fight scene comment. It's a lot harder to write a fight scene than I've ever thought. The details can get confusing and the pronouns, they are so troublesome. Anyway, thanks for the reviews. They're always great to read.
Deathraveness-Here's your update. Happy reading.
Nightbolts101-Thank you. I wanted to try using the characters, but in a world of my choosing. I don't know if it's harder to write an AU or one totally based off the show, but all I know is they're fun. Thanks for the compliments.
DarkWarlord-Sorry for the confusion. I'll email you.
Darkprincess1984-I know, I know,I am horrible about not tying up loose ends. All I can say is, the first chapter with the deaths and hearts and kids and stuff was basically the diving board for the story. But since you mentioned, I'll tie everything up by the end.
Kilala63-Thank you. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's not much, but it furthers the plot.
Jokester-Here you go, all updated and stuff.
Crybaby Walker-thank you. I'm glad you like the story. And to answer your question, no, Kori did not sleep with Slade. It was all a bunch of big misunderstandings and misdirections and stuff.
Jackster222-Here's the next chapter. I hope you like this one too.
So, thank for reading and stuff. Till next time.
Thank you and Please Review.
Jemi.