Chapter Two

Normal Again

"We'll start with him and then work downwards," said Robin. He looked down each of the beds and at each of his catatonic friends. He really hoped he would be able to do this; he never wanted to leave his world. Getting his friends to break free might not be so easy. Blood's eyes became red once more and Robin felt himself being sucked into another world. It felt as if his entire being was separated from his body and driven into Cyborg. He had the feeling of falling and spinning, just as he had entered and left his dream. Just as he began to wonder what would happen when he stopped he felt his feet hit the ground.

He opened his eyes and took a look around. The world looked like a completely normal day during spring. The sun was shinning, there was a light breeze here and there, and the outside temperature was absolutely perfect; not too warm and too cold. It was then that he noticed he was sitting on the ground. Not really wanting to seem out of place Robin got to his feet and set to looking for Cyborg.

"Can't be far, I am in his head," said Robin. He sighed in thought and scanned the surrounding area. He saw a high school stadium not far from where he was and heard mass cheering. He figured that would be his best chance to start looking and headed in that direction.

BACK IN REALITY…………………………….

Brother Blood's eyes remained red for a few moments more until he was sure Robin was inside. His eyes then went back to normal as Robin had slowly descended to the floor. He then concentrated on his bindings. He shuffled around and tried squirming in all directions. He managed to get a shoulder loose and glanced at the red clock. It currently read; 45:23:12 and counting. Blood stopped to rest and watched the clock with worry.

"You had better hope I don't find a way out of this Robin, or you'll see this plan of yours enormously backfire." He noticed the Titans stirring to more comfortable positions and he put on an evil smirk. "Besides, you'll never be able to convince them to leave. You may find you love another's dream just as much as your own." With that Blood went back to trying to get himself free.

RETURNING TO CYBORG'S DREAM..................................

He reached the stadium gates and began walking forward. He was about to cross the threshold when a man stepped out and stopped him.

"Ticket please." Robin searched around his pockets and came up with nothing. He looked back to the ticket man and shrugged his shoulders. "We're all fans of Victor Stone but no ticket, no entry." He then crossed his arms and stood in Robin's way. He looked around and tired to talk some sense into this guy.

"Look I'm a friend of his and I really need to see him so if you could just get out of my way I'll get this over with." He walked forward and the man pushed him away.

"I don't care if you're his mother, if you don't have a ticket then go on home." He walked back in and closed the gate with a snap. Robin looked up and shook his fist at Blood, whom Robin knew was having a good time watching this.

"I really don't have time for this." Robin took out his bird-a-rang and hooked it onto the top of the wall. He zoomed upward and climbed over the edge into the stadium. The stands were packed full with tens of thousands of spectators. Awe struck Robin wasn't sure he'd ever seen a high school stadium that large. He searched around for an empty seat and found one towards the middle. He looked around hoping to see Cyborg sitting amongst the loud and cheering people. It was then that the announcer's voice rang throughout the stadium.

"HERE THEY ARE, YOUR VERY OWN TIGERS"! On cue a large football team came parading out into the stadium. The one in the lead had his helmet off and was waving around at the adoring crowd. Robin caught sight of him frowned. He thought he'd seen him from somewhere. He took out a set of binoculars and adjusted the focusing knob. He took a good long look at the lead player (and most likely captain) and his mouth dropped, it was Cyborg. Only he wasn't Cyborg, or at least he was Cyborg but not really. He was all man and no machine, he was completely normal. The game progressed fairly quickly with Cyborg's team scoring every goal that was made.

'I should've known,' thought Robin as he watched Cyborg score more touchdowns than anyone on the field. Cyborg only told his friends through inference of what he always wanted; which simply put was to be normal again. After the accident Cyborg's father had done all that he could for him. Though Mr. Stone had managed to save his son, Victor was left extremely troubled both physically and mentally. Then he met the Titans and they helped him to keep from going insane.

The game ended and everyone began to clear out. As Cyborg left he was given mass congratulations on a game that he pretty much won all by himself. He walked outside to his car and whistled a happy tune as he went. The first thing Robin noticed was that the car was the T-Car only it looked significantly different. It was at all the electric blue color that it once was, but a sleek black with a silver hood ornament. Obviously Blood wanted Cyborg to remember as little about the Titans as possible. Robin took a deep breath and went up to him.

"Cyborg?" Cyborg stopped and turned around and saw Robin. For a moment he said nothing. Robin racked his brains for something to say but found it difficult to continue. "I'm not sure if you recognize me but I'm here to help you."

"Rob what are talking about?" Robin's face lit up.

"You know who I am?!"

"Duh, how can I forget my best pal?" Robin smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "So what were you gonna help me with?" Robin opened his mouth and looked around somewhat.

"Well, we really need to talk." Cyborg opened the door to his car and threw his gym bag in the back.

"No prob, just hop in and we'll drive on over to my place." Robin hesitantly stepped forward and entered the car. The interior was very nice and it had that new car smell to it. Cyborg took off and they were of in a flash. Robin slouched apprehensively in his seat hoping that they would arrive all in one piece. Cyborg was literally speeding down the road with absolutely no regard for the seed limit, other traffic, or pedestrians. Robin figured this was pretty much how Cyborg always wanted to drive around. He straightened himself in his seat and wondered how he was going to go about explaining this. How was he going to tell Cyborg that every bit of this was nothing but a false screen to keep him in check? Or that his greatest wants only seemed to come true when in actuality he was imagining it to the extreme. Either way he looked at it, Robin was going to have his work cut out for him. They arrived at Cyborg apartment shortly after they left the stadium. They walked in and Robin's mouth hit the floor. The whole place looked like people from Best Buy designed it. He had a huge plasma TV with surround sound stereo. He had his game station with about fifty types of games along with it and still had space to spare. He poured Robin a glass of soda and poured one for himself.

"Thanks," he said taking the drink. Cyborg took a gulp and licked his lips.

"Mmmm, nothing like ice cold root beer at eleven at night. Mom and Dad will be around soon so you awta stick around." Robin set his glass down on the counter and gulped.

"Look I know this must all seem very real to you," he gestured to the surrounding apartment. "But it's not, none of this is real." Cyborg stopped drinking his soda and slowly set his glass down.

"What are you talking about Rob?" Robin ran his hand through his hair.

"Just what I said; the foot ball game, your apartment, your car……..your human skin, not one bit of it is real. You, Raven, Beast Boy, Lee, and Starfire; you're all under Brother Blood's influence right now. This is nothing but a dream world formulated to keep you happy while Blood does whatever he pleases." Cyborg narrowed his eyes at Robin and set down his empty glass. He walked out from behind the bar and looked down at the floor. He then gazed down at his hands and closed them tightly. He shook his head and looked back up at Robin.

"You on crack or something? If your going through some kind of depression drugs aren't the answer. Friends don't let friends do drugs you know"-

"CYBORG!" Robin cut him off and stood up from his bar stool. "I'm serious, I've got Blood tied up right now in some warehouse while I'm going through each of your minds to help you get out of this."

"Come again"

"Please just trust me, the only way you can leave this place is by wanting to. If Blood pulls you out of your dream then you'll come out as a vegetable."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Cyborg, you're only hurting yourself by staying here."

"Your crazy, no I take that back your nuts. You're more than nuts you're completely out of your mind!" He pointed at Robin and backed up into the living room area. Robin followed him and tried again.

"Cyborg I know just what you're going through, I didn't want to leave either. But I would rather go on living as I have before than live in a false world where everything is scripted." Cyborg closed his eyes and shook his head. "They're dead, my parents are also dead. We'll see them again, but until we do we have to make the best of the time we've got, and you can't do it in here." Cyborg gave Robin a final frown and walked over to the door. He unlocked it and opened it.

"Get out. Get out before I call the police." Robin approached the door and stopped on the threshold. He looked back up at Cyborg who had been avoiding looking at his friend.

"We don't have much time, I really hope you come to your senses." With that he walked out and Cyborg closed the door behind him. He locked it up and leaned against the door for a moment.

Robin walked down the hallway at a rather slow pace. As he walked he passed by a series of windows along the wall. In each window was a transparent image of Brother Blood. He grinned at Robin's lack of accomplishment and cleared his throat.

"Did I not warn you your efforts would be futile?" Each window that Robin passed Blood's smile seemed to get bigger. "Its really quite hopeless, they love it too much. You'll never get them to leave and you'll be trapped here forever!" Robin picked up a small table against the wall and smashed it threw the window. Wiping his mouth he continued on. He passed by another window and Blood was laughing away.

"There's plenty more windows where that came from."

"You know we really don't have much time so I'd stop with the laughs if I were you," spat an angered Robin.

"Actually time has no meaning here. You could spend days, weeks, even months walking around in my world and only a few minuets would have passed in the real world." Robin came to a stop and thought for a moment. Blood's image only became more twisted.

"In spite of everything you've said or will say to them eventually they will hate you for wanting to rip them away from their paradise. There really is just no point in even trying." Robin took in Blood's words and then totally threw them aside.

"No. No bull shit. I'm gonna show you how wrong you are right now. I'm gonna go back and I'm not coming out without Cyborg as he used to be." He turned around and began walking back to Cyborg's apartment. Blood watched him walk away and sighed in thought.

"One of us will be free soon, and I'm not counting on you being the one."

BACK IN CYBORG'S APARTMENT………………..

Cyborg sat at the bar and ran his fingers across his hand. It sure felt real, everything he had seen and touched seemed pretty damn real to him. He figured Robin was just about the most insane person he knew. Though he couldn't get rid of the lingering feeling that something just wasn't right. Getting a rather morbid idea he looked over at the counter and reached for a meat knife. He held it up and saw his reflection in the shiny blade. He remembered the last time he looked at himself with actual flesh. He gulped and lowed the blade to his arm. He took a deep breath and pressed it against what he hoped would prove Robin wrong. He closed his eyes and with one more second of readiness he swiped it across his arm. He yelled out as the knife clattered to the floor. He cradled his arm for a moment and then looked down at his wound; only there was no wound. He mouthed wordlessly as he felt no pain what so ever. Cyborg looked around for at least one drop of human blood but found none. He put his hand to his head and felt like jumping out the window, but wondered if that was fake too. As he sat there feeling miserable he looked up as he noticed Robin standing behind him in his doorway.

"You know what the worst part about all this is?" Robin stepped in and closed the door. "I knew you were right the whole time, but going with you would mean I'd have to be half metal again." He half smiled while looking at his hand.

"I'm sorry Cyborg."

"Naaa, you were only trying to help and I blew you off. Its all good." He said waving his hand through the air. "Look I"- He didn't have time to finish, for at that moment a lone figure burst through the door and knocked both of them off thier feet. Robin straightened up and saw Slade standing in the doorway.

"Slade?" Open mouthed Robin stepped forward.

"No but an amazing simulation," came Brother Blood's voice.

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS BLOOD," shouted Robin.

"Now Robin we all have life's little challanges to face. And in the interest of time I suggest you stop complaining and fight!" Robin darted forward throwing a punch at the phantom Slade. Slade moved aside and grabbed Robin's arm. With tremendous strength he threw him over his shoulder and Robin smacked against the wall. Cyborg sprinted full speed ahead at Slade only to be stopped dead in his tracks by Slade's foot. Slade picked him up and pitched him behind the counter. With a yell he flew through the air and landed on his back behind the bar. Cyborg rolled over on his back and groaned. He got to his knees and peered over the counter top, Slade was curretnly on the prowl for Robin.With one last look at his hands he banged them together.

"Fine, if Victor Stone won't cut it then it's time to settle into the metal." (please forgive lameness). Robin ducked behind a piece of rubble and expanded his staff. As Slade passed on by Robin leapted out from behind his barracade and whapped Slade across the face. The masked villian staggered backward and after regaining his stance produced his own staff. They stared each other down for a moment then Slade charged at Robin. With a twirl of his staff Robin blocked Slade's attack but failed to avoid the low swipe by Slade's foot. Robin fell to the ground and found himself pinned down at the neck by the tip of Slade's staff. Slade's eyes narrowed and he raised his weapon. Just as he was about to bring it down a blue sonic blast came out of nowhere and blew him through the wall and out of the building.

Rubbing his head Robin looked up at a the hand that offered him help. It was a familiar metalic hand that he and his friends had grown so used to. He took Cyborg's hand and his friend helped him to his feet. Robin looked up at his friend who was once again half man and half machine.

"Thanks," said Robin.

"Hey, its what we do," replied Cyborg with a crooked smile. He paused for a moment so they could both catch thier breath. "So" Robin looked back over at him. "Who's next?" Robin thought for a moment then remembered the order in which they lay.

"Raven.............."

Can you believe it? I actually got some time to update! How was this part? Next chapter will be around soon, thanks for reading so far. Laters

Riles: When Robin said "Actually I know your world is a lie, soI can leave whenever I want ect.". What he meant was he was aware that the dream world Blood created isn't realand therefore has the ability to leave it whenever he pleases. I hope that clears that up and sorry for the misunderstanding.

Jeanniestorm: Starfire's eyes looked human because Brother Blood goofed up in recreating her, obviously forgetting that she is of alien origin and not bound to have human eyes. I didn't know if you were confused by that for if you were just stating a fact.

Starfire fan 09: As a matter of fact I'm born and raised in USA. I'm not too well aquainted with that foreign exchange thing so we'll just leave it at ten pounds.