So here we are again…I thought I'd get this chapter up now because I'm going back to school on Monday, which unfortunately means a lot less time to spend on this fan fic :(
I will definitely finish it, but it might take longer to update, so please bear with me!
Rinagurl13: Yeah, Beast Boy is definitely being a jerk. Wow I'm really glad you like it so much…blush. And here's your update!
Nevermoretheraven: LOL the title really doesn't say much, does it?
Ok then, here goes!
"We have to do something about Robin!" Raven blurted out when she finally found Cyborg in the kitchen.
Cyborg blinked in surprise. "Uh, I was about to say the same to you. So what kind of something are you suggesting?"
Raven felt guilty, as though she was somehow betraying the boy wonder. "But this is for his own good. I'm not betraying him, I'm saving him from himself." Now if she could just believe that.
"Well, we can handle broken bones and bruises, but we're just not…psychiatrists." She said the last word quietly, feeling ashamed somehow.
"I know. I've been thinking the same thing, and…I think it's time to call for back up."
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"Are you sure about this guy?" whispered Raven.
"Positive. Mathews is the best of the best", replied Cyborg, his voice a little less certain than his words.
Raven stared through the window in the medical lab's door, a lump the size of a golf ball lodged in her throat. "You're doing the right thing…" If only she could believe those words.
Starfire floated just behind Raven, biting her fingernails: a habit she had picked up recently. She was completely and utterly confused; all Raven and Cyborg would tell her was that this peculiar-looking man was here to help Robin, and that everything would be all right. Her head ached with all the questions that had gone unanswered, and her stomach twisted and lurched with anxiety for her boy.
"Please, please let him be all right", she prayed, every particle of her echoing that hope.
Beast Boy was present, but hardly there. His stomach clenched in guilty remembrance of all the things he had said, and no words could express his remorse or the fear he felt for his friend. BB felt like running away, but his feet were rooted to the ground.
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Robin stared up at the dark-haired, dark-eyed Dr. Mathews with hatred and disgust.
"Well then, Robin", Mathews said, almost tauntingly. "What seems to be the problem?"
"You are the problem", snarled Robin, glaring at Mathews with enough fury to ignite a person's toenails.
"Ah", said Mathews, furiously scribbling on a notepad with fancy leather covers. "You seem to have a lot of pent up anger, Robin. Why is that, do you suppose?"
Robin ground his teeth and clenched his fists; he would have liked nothing better than to beat this pompous man to a pulp. He was busy picturing this when Mathews made his next move.
"Is it possible that your recent defeat could have anything to do with this? Do you feel that you are a failure, because of it?" Mathews asked, pen poised above his note pad.
Robin exploded. "Shut up!" he screamed, jerking himself forward. He clenched his teeth to keep back the yell of pain that was fighting to escape him.
Mathews didn't flinch, didn't jump back. In fact, his face showed no change in emotion as he scribbled some more, tongue between his teeth. "Well now", he said cheerfully, as though they were having a pleasant conversation at a tea party. "That's been cleared up, so all that's left is the physical examination. Don't be alarmed; it won't hurt a bit."
Robin glared even harder. This idiot was talking to him as though he was four years old. "No, he doesn't think you're a child", he thought bitterly. "He thinks you're insane."
"Now, if you could just remove your mask for me?" It was posed as a question, but meant as an order.
Robin's eyes widened. Remove his mask? The clueless moron! He couldn't just remove his mask, especially not for some crackpot psychiatrist! "What did you say?" he asked, stunned.
"Remove your mask, please. Checking your eyes is part of the examination."
Robin continued to stare. Didn't this loser know anything?
"Come now, Robin. I haven't got all day", said Mathews briskly.
"No", said Robin firmly, finally finding his voice again.
"What do you mean, 'no'? Enough nonsense, now; take it off", he ordered, a little less pleasantly.
"I said NO!" yelled Robin, staring Mathews defiantly in the face.
Dr. Mathews stared, somewhat surprised. He recovered quickly, however. "Now, now, Robin. If you won't do what I ask nicely, I will have to get rough with you."
"I'd like to see you try", challenged Robin, a sneer on his lips.
Now, despite what Robin might think, Dr. Mathews was not stupid. He could plainly see that, even in his current condition, Robin could overpower him easily. Therefore, he didn't even entertain the idea of tackling the titan on his own. Instead, he paged his two assistants, otherwise known as thugs, who were waiting in the hallway.
"Restrain him", he ordered, and his assistants obliged.
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Raven and Cyborg were roughly shoved aside as Dr. Mathews' back up pushed their way into the med lab.
Raven gasped as Thug 1 held Robin down while Thug 2 pulled out think leather restraints and began strapping him to the bed. Robin got his good arm free and slugged Thug 1 in the face, desperately trying to free his legs from the leather straps. Thug 1 quickly recovered. He shoved Robin roughly down on the bed, hands pressing into his ribs. Raven could see Robin's grimace of pain as Thug 1 pressed harder. She raced for the door, but Cyborg stepped in front of it, blocking her way.
"This isn't what was supposed to happen! They're hurting him!" she gasped, the breath catching in her chest. She had done this to him.
"There's no other way. You should have known Robin would put up a struggle. This is for his own good", said Cyborg firmly, preventing her from going around him.
Raven could see into the lab over Cyborg's shoulder. Robin was now strapped to the bed from head to toe. He was still struggling, however, even though she could see it was causing him immense pain. Raven couldn't breathe, tears were threatening to spill out of her eyes; she wanted so desperately to run to him, but still Cyborg held her back.
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"Hold still now, Robin. You are making a big fuss over nothing", said Mathews, the pleasantness back in his tone.
Still Robin struggled; struggled against the restraints, struggled against the pain shooting through his body and pounding in his head. Thug 1 reached towards his mask, and, as easy as blinking, took it off. Robin tightly closed his eyes; he would not let them see them, even if they saw everything else. His eyes were his own, and no one else's.
"Oh, Robin, be reasonable!" Mathews' tone was mocking. He motioned to Thug 2, who immediately stepped forward and pried Robin's eyelids apart.
"What pretty peepers the psycho has!" the muscle man grunted.
Robin spat in his face, causing him to reel backward in disgust. "Why you little-", he growled, drawing his fist back.
"That's enough, Boris", ordered Mathews. Thug 2, or Boris, retreated into a corner of the lab, grumbling angrily.
"I do wish you wouldn't force me to take such drastic measures", said Mathews in mock distress. Robin's eyes remained tightly closed. "But, since you will not cooperate…" He motioned to Thug 1, who reached into a small briefcase and pulled out a syringe and a vial of clear liquid. He injected it into Robin's arm, despite his desperate struggles, and backed away, awaiting further orders.
The room began to spin; everything was going fuzzy. Robin tried to fight the sedative, but it was no use. "Raven…" he whispered, and then the world went black.
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Dr. Mathews emerged, smoothing back a stray lock of black hair.
Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy stared expectantly at him, while Raven glared.
"Well, your friend shows clear signs of aggressiveness. He is highly dangerous and extremely unstable. I'm afraid it will be necessary to take him in for further testing", he announced with cool detachment.
"What do you mean, 'further testing'?" demanded Raven.
"Nothing to worry about! Just some simple tests to locate the, uh, source of the problem", he said, patting her arm in what he thought was a comforting gesture.
Raven convulsed; Robin, in a strange white room, Pain, Slade… She gasped as it all ended and she was once again staring into Dr. Mathews' cold, black eyes.
"Are you all right, dear?" asked the doctor, in unconvincing concern.
She cringed; being called "dear" was enough to make her hurl. She let it slip, however, as she was trying to interpret her vision. Was Dr. Mathews somehow connected to Slade?
Dr. Mathews looked at Cyborg, waiting for permission to cart Robin off to his laboratory.
Cyborg hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.
"Right then", Dr. M. said pleasantly, rubbing his palms together. He motioned to Thug 1 and Thug 2, who produced a stretcher, and proceeded to remove the straps that bound Robin. They lifted him onto the stretcher as easily as if they were lifting a sack of potatoes.
Raven stood motionless, her brain working furiously. Her instincts were telling her that if she let Robin go out the door now, he would be in grave danger. Why had she done this? This was her fault; she had betrayed him to these heartless people.
Raven ran to Cyborg, whispering urgently, "This isn't right. I have a bad feeling about this guy. We can't let him take Robin!"
But Cyborg had made up his mind. "This is what he needs, Raven. You said it yourself; he needs help, and we can't give it to him. This guy can." He patted her shoulder, smiling kindly at her. "I know you're worried. I am too, but this is how it has to be."
Raven stared helplessly at Robin, lying motionless on the stretcher. She could only imagine what he had been going through; so much pain…
"All right", she said, defeated. Cyborg nodded encouragingly.
Raven walked up to the stretcher, gently placing her hand on Robin's forehead. "It's going to be ok", she whispered past the lump in her throat.
And just like that, Robin was out of their hands.
There you go!I promiseI'll update as soon asI can. Later, -Dusty