Theythe Teen Titanshad just got back from battling Slade. It was just Slade, but Robin was still obsessed with him. He had to be. He had no choice. Slade was powerful, and was a threat to the city. But he wasn't, really…not in comparison. No one knew that better than Robin. Well, maybe they did…but Robin hadn't seen his two best friends since he left the school to start his own crime fighting team.

It had seemed that Slade was slightly harder to defeat this time. But, like always, the Titans beat Slade. Well, not beat him, really…just delayed him, thwarted him from his plans. But Slade knew more about Robin than Robin thought.

Something seemed wrong today. Robin felt different…it wasn't his usual "hide from himself" day. Usually, on a typical teen titans day, Robin would train, track Slade, and train some more. But something was wrong today. Something was nagging him.

Slade hadn't always been the primary focus of Robin's life. Once, what now seemed to be such a long time ago, Robin had a far more evil and dangerous villain to deal with. He wasn't exactly a villain…he rarely attacked, for he was barely even alive….but you could call him that. You could call him a villain. And now that he was gone, Robin needed someone to be obsessed with. Like Slade.

But who was Slade? Robin could never seem to figure that out.

But, somehow, fighting Slade had been different today…almost how it used to be. Not exactly, of course. And Robin definitely did NOT miss those days. Or did he? The smart, brown-haired one, the funny redhead…kind of like Beast Boy…and the boy who always teased him, out of jealousy for who he was. Is. Robin had liked her…her, the brown-haired one who always read. She was bound to books…yet in a different way than Raven was. But she could be sarcastic, at times, too…

But that was his old life. He had chosen to forget life at the school. He chose the life of a hero…the title he had been given as a newborn baby. But this time, it had been his own choice…not a "villain's".

But why did he remember his old life…today?

Then, with a throbbing pain in his forehead, he knew. He knew what it meant when it hurt him. And it hadn't, in, oh, so long!

But it was only Slade. It was only Slade. It shouldn't hurt merely because of Slade. Why? He knew the only answer. But it didn't make sense.

At the same time, it made all the sense in the world.

Robin knew his mask covered it. His mask was the reason he could put his old life aside and be almost normal.

"Robin! Dinner time!" It was Beastboy calling him. Well, he knew that he should get lost in thought for too long. He went down to join the rest of the Titans. After all, he was Robin now. During dinner, no one spoke. That is, no one spoke until Robin screamed in pain. Now he would have to explain. Or would he? "Oh, it's just my forehead. Since the battle with Slade I've had a headache," Robin lied. "What is this ache of head friend Robin speaks of? And why does it make him scream as such?" Starfire asked out loud with her giddy voice. Robin refused to tell. He refused to tell his teammates the real reason his forehead hurt.

"Robin," Raven said, "I know that's not all. You know I can read minds. And when your thoughts are screaming, I can't help but hear it. I hear it just like I would hear talking." Robin froze. Did she know? Did she know who he was? "No! You can't! You can't know!" Robin let his thoughts scream, directly as a message to Raven. Raven sent him a message back: I don't know what you are hiding, Robin, but I know that you are scared to tell us. You refuse to tell us. It has to do with Slade…I know that much…but I also sensed Slade far stronger and I know you are even more worried than usual…and you miss two people…old friends? But why can't you tell us, Robin?

Because I'm not Robin! Robin wanted to scream. And then, he realized, my thoughts were screaming! Oh, no, Robin thought…did Raven hear?

Raven nodded, sending him a message:

Who are you really, Robin? You don't have to tell if you don't want to.

Robin silenced his thoughts to an inaudible whisper. Do I love her…Raven…now? Am I falling for her? I had fallen for the brown-haired beauty, but then he had to leave. She didn't love him…neither of the girls did. For a while Robin had a crush on Starfire, because Raven reminded him too much of her…but his brown-haired beauty was dead. But that was just a silly crush. And, as all crushed do, it quickly died out. As inconsistent as the moon, false love…crushes…die out too soon, like a fire too easily put out by white, pure water. But Robin couldn't help falling for Raven. It was real love. But it hurt him so much…the first syllable from "hurt"… "hur…"… it wasn't spelled like that, of course…but, nevertheless, it hurt him all too much.

He needed to protect Raven so she wouldn't die like she had.

Robin remembered the cabin, and he remembered his only father figure ever. He remembered his height, his largeness, his friendliness (like Starfire…), his love and interest for strange creatures (kind of like Beastboy…). This man wasn't dead…but he was an ocean away…a world away, a lifetime away, a million identities away.

After cleaning up after dinner, Robin decided to go to bed. He would think about it tomorrow…tomorrow, when he could bare the pain. After all, tomorrow was another day.

As the sun rose, Robin yawned, stretching as he rose from his bed. His forehead throbbed. And then he remembered yesterday. Robin knew he would eventually have to tell his teammates…at least Raven. But, for now, he would deal with this on his own. He climbed out of his bed and opened the secret compartment of his dresser. He stared at the object inside, missed using it. I'll have to use it again, soon. Robin sensed trouble. He sensed that, possibly…probably not, but possibly…his worst "villain" was back. He knew that it was possible. Anything was possible.

He slowly put his mask on, covering his birthmark.

He remembered what Slade did to Raven. He remembered Raven's birthmark…birthmarks. He remembered feeling the excruciating pain Raven felt when Slade burned Raven, revealing her true body and her hidden birthmarks. Robin had a bond with Raven, ever since he had let Raven into his mind when he thought Slade was back. Now Slade truly was back. So was another villain. Or were they one?

Robin couldn't do the "He's back" thing. When they (the other teen titans) had known who the he Robin was talking about, they hadn't believed him (Well, that heSladeHADN'T been back). This was different…WAY different. But, still, Robin couldn't explain. Besides, what if he was wrong? He had probably just hit his head when fighting Slade. Yeah, that was probably it.

But then, why was the pain an on and off pain? Why did it only come at certain times?

Robin knew why. He knew way and he knew his duty and his destiny.

He knew his true name and his true abilities and his true identity. He hated the irony that "Slade" rhymed…almost…with someone else's name. But that was just a joke. Because that someone else wasn't really evil…just someone Robin had despised in his old life.

Robin pulled on his Robin costume (almost too literally worded, Robin thought to himself) and went down to breakfast. At least he could still pretend to be normal…

…..but not for that much longer….