What was left unsaid
Chapter 4 -- Regrets
Will it ever end?
No
Will Slade ever stop?
No
Is anyone else going to be hurt because of him?
Yes
The thoughts linked in a suffocating chain around Robin's sanity. Yet another sleepless night, his only companion the light of the computer screen. Endless data reports, newspaper clippings, memoirs... He felt stifled, unable to move forward. Everything he had every researched about Slade Wilson had come to a dead end. Thus far, all he could gather was that he was insane, or at least on the brink of insanity. That he had his reason for wanting the destruction of Jump City, and that he would reach any lengths to complete his desire.
He had caused Terra's untimely death, he had injured Starfire, heck--he had almost killed him. Didn't he feel a little remorse--if any? Slade's tendency to frustrate Robin was not all that bothered him.
Was he really different from Slade? As time progressed his assured no, had become blurred with a maybe. Was the thought of possibility lucrative?
Once again he abandoned, or tried to put aside the prior thoughts and analyze once again Slade's motives for attacking Starfire. What could he possibly get out of attacking a single titan? Perhaps he had infected her with some sort of virus as he had done when he had forced Robin to become his apprentice. But he had run a complete scan on Starfire's nervous system--the search had been fruitless. His one fear was dawning upon him---what if Robin's attempts all ended futile. If he could not stop Slade--could anyone?
Raven shifted from her sitting position on the couch to one that was similar to her meditating poise. The silence in the tower had become unbearable--even for her. It was not a peaceful, restful silence. It was an uneasy, hostile, silence. Cyborg and Beast Boy had abandoned their attempts at contently playing video games--they were afraid to wake Starfire. Both had retreated to their respective rooms and hadn't been heard of in hours. The rarity of that alone unsettled Raven.
Starfire had not been out of her room since the incident with Slade. Slade, Raven sighed. Once again the madman's name brought hostility to the Teen Titans. Raven tried to imagine how Robin felt whenever it was Slade who stood behind an attack on the titans. Just like she felt when she realized she'd had to confront the hate that resided dormant inside of her. But she had managed to keep the hate dormant--Slade never rested, never cease to plot. It was daunting how Robin remained calm, self assure, sane.
Raven once again sighed and looked vacantly at her surroundings. An unnecessarily gigantic plasma television. A game station, its controls scattered about. Several couches, a table where the popcorn and other candies rested on movie nights. Everything seemed normal--so why couldn't it be.
If the titans had been normal, they would all attend school. Sure that wasn't a big plus in Ravens mind, but subtracting every villain; primarily Slade, obsessive fan girls like Kitten, and danger of being blown up by the second; wouldn't it be worth it? Without the titans--the world would still function. Somehow, though, Raven knew that Robin would still be burdened with Slade. Of what she knew of Robin's past, he had lived with Gotham city's notorious Batman. Without the Titans, Jump City would require frequent assistance from the Justice League, which included Batman. Robin would have met Slade somehow.
It would have been different, Raven told herself. One of Robin's main problems was that he felt alone in the resolution of Slade's diabolical schemes. Perhaps with Batman's guidance, he wouldn't have felt so alone.
"Perhaps..."
Ravens words were carried away with the silence of the Tower and she stood her quest to try and restore the noise in the Tower--however much she detested it.
Starfire turned restlessly--her arms ached. The spots where the strong arms had bound her bruised. She wanted to get up, move, and assure everyone that she was fine. Her mental willpower was astounding but her body had not an ounce of physical strength left. It was as if she was disconnected from her physical form altogether. Starfire found only despair in her helplessness. She wanted to call Robin--to inform him that she had not been attacked by Slade, as thought.
Starfire eyes pried shut, tried to keep the tears from falling.
She could feel Robin's frustration, one of a child searching aimlessly for a lost parent. She could feel it as if it was her own. When this bond has initiated--she did not know, and she could do nothing to quell the anger that burned inside of him.
What would become of Robin?
Dude, are you serious?
Beast Boy looked at Cyborg wide-eyed, his arms crossed.
"Yeah, man. I analyzed the finger prints on Star arms and they don't match Slades. I tried to tell Robin but you know how he gets, he won't listen. Star probably knows who attacked her but she's too weak to tell."
"Dude, you're saying Slade didn't attack Star. But if Slade didn't attack Star, who did?"
"I don't know man, I don't know..."
AUTHORS NOTE: Sorry for the long wait--but nothing came to mind as of prior. I know the chapter was slightly uneventful, but hey, writers block can do wonders to ones writing. Nonetheless, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. I thank everyone for their commentary, and especially those who made their reviews extra long--constructive criticisms are well appreciated and of course all flattery welcome.