Teen titans

Robin reborn

Episode Iv: Death & Rebirth

part II: The end of all things

by Secondchild02

Vengeance strolled through the tower at a leisurely pace, the Titans held no fear for him. He had already seen off the one known as Starfire, from all reports this Cyborg and Beast Boy were absolutely no threat with only Raven, who he had sensed did not know how powerful she was, being the only one who could irritate him. He stopped at a door about halfway down the long corridor and smirked as the last embers of the runes on the door faded from where they had been burning. Azarathian runes had no power over him. He slowly opened the door and peered into the darkness, "I am here, you have some explaining to do!" he grumbled. A blue glow filled his vision accompanied by a voice "You picked the wrong house, fool!". Cyborg hit Vengeance full in the face with a sonic blast sending him across the corridor and bouncing off a wall. "Now you gotta pay the entry fee" Beast Boy yelled as he morphed into a Kodiak bear and slashed Vengeance's side who screamed as blood flowed all over the walls and floor. Starfire emerged from the other end of the corridor and immediately went pale with shock. "Robin!" she screamed and zipped down the corridor towards him where he was slipping all over the place in his own blood. As she landed she said "Robin, please do not die again. Robin, it is you is it not?". Vengeance spun on his heel and kicked Starfire square in the side of the head knocking her out. "Yeah, sure it is" he said before gesturing towards his bleeding side, healing it. "I'm whoever you want me to be" he jerked right and missed another wild slash by Beast Boy before spinning again and punching the huge green bear in the chest. The bear shrank back to Beast Boy's human form who spat a little bit of blood out as he said "That's gonna scar". Vengeance sneered at him and tossed him aside "Where is my demonologist?" he roared at Cyborg who had ducked an airborne Beast Boy and was heading straight for him. Cyborg hit him full in the chest and the two slid the length of the corridor exchanging blows and energy blasts as they went. Starfire came too slowly but quickly began to panic when she felt blood on her hands and face. Opening her eyes she saw that she was undamaged but had landed in the pool of Robin's blood, she felt ill. The sound of scraping metal and the flash of sparks made her look up as Vengeance hurled Cyborg back up the corridor, the red glow from his eyes casting infernal shadows down its length. Striding towards the fallen Beast Boy he picked him up by his shirt in one hand and opened his glazed eyes wide with the other. Beast Boy began to drool and his nose bleed as Vengeance pried his mind open like an oyster looking for the information he sought. "Leave him alone!" commanded Starfire as she launched a series of Starbolts at Vengeance catching him on the back with one. He stumbled as the energy bolt burned through the Robin suit and seared his flesh. "You cannot be Robin, he would never strike his friends, he would never strike me especially" Starfire kept advancing on the stricken Vengeance with Starbolts and eyebeams cut loose in a blinding display of green light and energy. The corridor was filled with dust and debris as Starfire's wild barrage hit more wall and ceiling than her target who was rolling and leaping, almost playfully, down the corridor to the far end. Starfire held her hands together and drew them back to form a massive Starbolt "Robin must truly be dead" she said releasing the Starbolt. It sizzled down the corridor passing harmlessly over Vengeance who hit the ground flat as it passed and melted the elevator doors. He jumped back to his feet and said with a sneer "Are you just catching on, you're dumber than you look!" before back flipping through the glowing door frame and levitating himself up the shaft.

Starfire stood breathing heavily and shaking, her head was throbbing but she had to go on. This was going to end tonight, Raven had said so and Starfire believed her. Beast Boy came to and sat up rubbing his head "Did you get the number of that house that hit me?". Starfire helped him and Cyborg to their feet before snapping open her communicator "Raven, he is heading in your direction, we will join you shortly". Helping her shorter green colleague they made their way to the stairs and to the roof.

With the wind fluttering her cloak around her, Raven waited on the roof. Behind her, Havelock was leaned against an A/C plant deep in a trance Raven had put him in. Her communicator played it's familiar jingle, taking it from her belt and snapping it open she was met with Starfire's voice "Raven, he is heading in your direction, we will join you shortly".

'Great,' she thought 'I get stuck with the Big-Bad while they amble to the rescue. perfect'. The air was still and the water around the tower calm which made it all the more unsettling. In a few minutes, possibly seconds, she would have to face an ancient evil that seemed unbeatable. Her plan to rescue Robin from it's control was hinging solely on the one thing in the Universe she could not believe in, love.

Raven was, she knew, the issue of Trigon, her father, raping her mother, Arella. Having been created thusly she found it difficult to believe in such a feeling and doubted it's existence. Yes she had had feelings for Robin in the past but that was a temporary imbalance of her emotional discipline owing to her adjustment of living in this dimension. She wondered why such memories had surfaced now and assigned the cause to stress and exhaustion of leading the Titans in Robin's absence.

The roof hatch being blasted off it's hinges by a neon red energy blast brought her back to reality. Vengeance strode out on to the roof eyes blazing with crimson light and a fiery nimbus around his head. He looked around before his gaze settled on Raven, "Ah, Raven" he said menacingly "we meet at last, and I can see that you have something of mine" he motioned towards the demonologist and with a wave of his hand Havelock rose into the air and began to float towards Vengeance. Raven raised an eyebrow as her eyes flashed white and Havelock froze in mid air. "I think I'll be keeping him if you don't mind" said Raven her voice had a threatening edge. "Impressive," said Vengeance "but it will take more than a party trick to stop me from taking him" he narrowed his eyes and a dull red band of light glowed around Raven's throat contracting slowly. She fell to her knees gasping for breath and Havelock once again began to float towards Vengeance. "Not so powerful after all, are you?" he drew his leg back to kick Raven in the ribs "pity, we could have made a great team". Raven smirked as her eyes flashed white and the red band around her throat flew apart. "I doubt it," she said standing up "but this ends tonight, you got that?"

"If you want to die you only have to ask" he thrust his arm out to launch an energy blast but Raven teleported behind him and high kicked him in the head before back flipping and crouching down in a ready stance as Vengeance stumbled forward dazed. "Didn't know I could do that did you?" said Raven before in a blink being behind him and wrapping her arms round his throat in a choke hold. "That's right" said Vengeance "your much beloved Robin taught you some of his skills, must have been in the early years when you and he were closer". Vengeance smirked as he leaned forward flipping Raven over his head and smacking her onto the hard concrete roof of the tower. He walked towards the recumbent Havelock idly tossing an energy ball over his shoulder as an afterthought. Raven opened her eyes in time and the energy ball turned black and hovered in mid air. Sensing a change in the atmosphere Vengeance stopped and turned round to see the now black energy ball orbiting Raven in big lazy circles before she held out her hand and the ball settled into it and was absorbed slowly into her out stretched hand. "You'll need to do better than that" growled Raven "and Robin and I are still close"

"Yes," he replied "but not as close as he is to the other one. You are his counsel, his sounding board, his real second in command. You may do all the thinking, but Starfire does for him what you wouldn't do. What you can't do" Raven winced as Vengeance flashed a picture in her mind. Sheets and clothes all over the place, hands everywhere, hands and feet grasping and touching and all the while an incessant moaning and gasping filled the air. Sex. Raven wondered how long it would take for Vengeance to get to that part of Robin's mind and also found herself wondering how close Robin and Star had got. She shook her head free of the image and remembered the conversation in Starfire's room, they had only just kissed the night before Robin was captured.

"You're lying, I know the truth and they both never did that, they only even kissed once so you're going to have to do better than that" Raven folded her arms across her chest and stared hard at Vengeance who frowned. "Really, well I know what you want" he said "in your heart of hearts". The image flashed again but this time the soft orange of Star's skin was replaced with a pale grey and the air was filled with giggling. Raven visibly sagged and shut her eyes "Stop it, get out my mind. I don't want that, I couldn't ever have that". Vengeance walked towards her and put his hands on her shoulders

"I know, you possess a power unrivalled by any Demon. You could easily be the most powerful creature in this dimension and all you have to do is let go Raven, let it all go" he lifted her chin up so he was looking into her eyes "anger, hatred, jealousy, even love. You could feel them all if only you could accept who you really are, you could have Robin for your own and I can give him to you". Raven bowed her head and her shoulders started shaking causing Vengeance to roll his eyes and snort; this would be easier than he thought. Only after a few seconds did Vengeance detect that something wasn't right, Raven wasn't crying, she was laughing.

He stumbled back in shock as Raven snapped her head up and in the depths of her hood four red eyes glowed like neon, like electric blood. "I should accept who I really am," she growled "I should let go everything that I keep inside. I am aware that my power is unrivalled in this dimension but only if I let it control me and not me control it. I can sense your power, what little of it you have, and you are no threat to me" Raven slowly grew in size and her cloak spread about her like two enormous wings. Vengeance rallied himself and his eyes glowed like Raven's "Very well," he said "let's end this. But before you die remember that I gave you a chance". Raven nodded and as she did so her eyes flashed white for a second. Behind Vengeance the door he had blown off turned black and contorted into a huge snake of metal that Raven launched at him coiling it round his body. It began contracting but it slowly turned red, then the colour of fresh straw as it began to melt and run. It splashed into puddles around his feet before he jumped at Raven who side stepped but as he landed he swept his leg round taking Raven's out from under her. Raven gasped in surprise but before she hit the ground she blinked black and was gone, reappearing behind Vengeance and swinging her joined hands at his head. She struck him at the base of his skull pitching him forward but into a puddle. Vengeance snarled, filthy water dripping off his chin as he pushed himself up and turned to face Raven. "No more games" he said before in a flash of red teleporting behind Raven and striking her twice in the sides before vanishing again and reappearing at her side bringing his right fist round in a quick arc that smashed like a juggernaut into her face. Raven spat blood and sank to her knees as he continued to vanish and reappear around her raining blow after blow on her. Raven, although possessing some combat skill, wasn't exactly proficient in hand to hand fighting. Robin had taught her a few moves but only enough to keep her alive in a pinch. She tried to open her mouth, to frame her incantation that would release her power upon him. Her vision blurring she opened her mouth "Azarath, Metrion, Zinth-" she whispered before Vengeance crashed his steel toe-capped boot into her chest and with a cry of pain Raven collapsed onto the roof as the air rushed from her lungs. Groping around her with arms flailing like crazy she struggled to catch her breath Raven felt a firm uncaring hand grasp her around her delicate throat and haul her into the air "Pity," a breathless voice rasped in front of her, it was coming from that red light she could see, "what a waste. You half breeds never can accept where the power comes from, you think denial is a cure". The grip tightened and the voice dropped to a whisper "You can't cure what isn't wrong with you!". Raven could feel herself slipping away, her vision was growing darker around the edges and her body felt as light as a feather, this must have been how Robin felt.

'Robin'

'Robin'

'Robin!'

In the dark a cry echoed from somewhere a long way off. It was barely above a whisper now but it had travelled the length of eternity and had no doubt started off as a cry to tremble mountains and shake the seas. It was just one word.

"RAVEN!"

Vengeance smirked as he heard Raven gag and choke as he squeezed her throat, "How fitting," he said "that you should die in the same fashion as your cherished Robin, some would call it poetic" he pulled her closer to his twistedly grinning face "I just call it fun". He grinned even wider as Raven gagged again and tried to speak, this was too much fun. He squeezed tighter still watching Raven's eyes roll back into her head and her legs twitch convulsively as the last vestiges of life were forced out of her. His victory was cut short by a loud shriek as a green monkey hit him in the face with a slap and began to climb around his head slashing at his eyes and ears. Raven hit the ground hard and lay in a puddle taking huge breaths as her lungs and throat burned. The green monkey leaped off of Vengeance's face and morphed into Beast Boy and rolled as he landed before scooping up Raven and dodging with her behind an air conditioning plant. "Now you're just making me mad!" Vengeance roared at the world around him. He looked around him before settling on the A/C plant and stretched his open palm out before him. Slowly Beast Boy rose from behind the machine kicking his legs and flailing his arms about wildly as he spun helplessly in mid air. Vengeance cocked his head before clicking his fingers and Beast Boy dropped at his feet. "What exactly are you?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "I'm an animal changeling," replied Beast Boy shaking with fear and damn near wetting himself "I can become animals". Vengeance stood back,

"Not any more you're not" he said and kicked Beast Boy in the face who rolled back and sprang up ready to morph into a T-rex and end this now.

But nothing happened. He concentrated harder but still nothing, he was stuck in human form. "What the hell did you do to me?" he shouted at Vengeance.

"I could have left you as the monkey, think about it"

"But how-"

"Bye" Vengeance waved a hand at the stricken Beast Boy and he vanished in a red thunderclap. He turned and made his way back towards Havelock who was still unconscious and drooling. "Pathetic" grumbled Vengeance as prepared the incantation that would take himself and Havelock away from the tower. A slow pacing behind him distracted him and he turned to face Cyborg.

The light drizzle of rain that was now falling made his skin shine and his metallic armour slick and his remaining human eye burned almost as brightly as his red artificial one. "What did you do to my friend just there?" he asked in a dark voice.

"I made him one thing and not anything else, if you get my meaning" sneered Vengeance before tossing a red energy blast at Cyborg. The blast bounced harmlessly off Cyborg's titanium chest armour leaving only a black burn mark "Gotta try harder, Slick" said Cyborg and advanced on him bringing his great metal right hand round and catching Vengeance square in the jaw. The comparatively small form of Vengeance was knocked across the roof like a rag doll and bounced off a roof hatch before trying to stand up again but was hindered by Cyborg stamping on his right arm and with a loud snap it went limp. "I got the strength of twenty men just now, Man," Cyborg kicked Vengeance in the side punting him a few meters forward "and that's on half power" He reached down and picked up Vengeance by the head, "I'm sorry Robin, but we just can't save you this time" and slowly began to increase the grip pressure on his head.

Starfire zipped out of the roof hatch after Cyborg and flew low over to Raven who was lying on her side with her eyes closed. "Friend Raven, you must awaken and continue the saving of Robin" she grabbed the other girls shoulder and shook her back to consciousness. "Starfire," Raven mumbled "help me up". Starfire hauled Raven to her feet and leaned her against the air vent they were behind. "Where did Beast Boy go?" Raven sounded almost beaten. "Beast Boy reappeared in the main living area most upset as to his lack of morphabilty, I believe the word he used was" Starfire shouted against the wind that had picked up suddenly as well as the rain. "The weather is being effected by Vengeance," said Raven "he's losing control of his anger and it's grounding in the first place it can". Behind Raven, Starfire saw Cyborg break Robin's arm and then haul him onto his feet by his head. "NO!" she screamed and leaped over the air duct launching a huge Starbolt straight at Cyborg. It hit him in the back and he went down dropping Vengeance. He looked up at Starfire as she tended to the fallen Robin and drifted into unconsciousness with a curse.

Starfire held Robin's broken body tightly against hers and cried. Her boy was injured and had been done so by one of his team mates. "Starfire," croaked Raven as she limped round the side of the vent "let go of him, that isn't Robin"

"Then you must do as you promised and release Robin from the Vengeance's control" Starfire had tears welling up in her eyes. Raven looked at the girl cradling Robin and felt a tiny spark of something in her soul, it should have been her holding Robin, should have been her who loved him. The spark grew into a tiny flame as Starfire kissed Robin's forehead and whispered that it would be alright. Raven held her eyes shut tight as she listened to the hurricane of her own thoughts that screamed that why did Starfire deserve him, she understood him and was the only one of all the Titans who knew that inside Robin was tormented by horrors from his past. She had been the one Robin had come to that night long before he had ever known Starfire. She had been the first and had been replaced by this bubble headed alien who did not deserve someone of Robin's importance.

Starfire looked up at Raven who had her eyes pressed shut and was shaking while a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. "Friend Raven, whatever is the matter?". Raven opened her mouth and let out a terrible shriek revealing row upon row of needle thin teeth and a disgusting purple tongue then she opened her eyes. Her four red eyes.

Starfire just screamed.

He had been running for hours and his legs and lungs were beyond burning and now he felt no pain that could be measured by the body's senses. For a second in the eternal void he was in Tim Drake had heard a familiar voice cry out his name, the name the voice knew him as "Robin!" it had taken him a few seconds but he had figured out which way it had came from and he began to run. He could hear other voices and he quickened his pace plunging on and on through the darkness towards his goal, the voice, Raven. And where Raven was, Starfire would be also. He would not be defeated.

Raven launched herself at Starfire taking the girl down with her and they rolled across the roof top through the puddles. Starfire got free of Raven's grip and stood with eyes blazing and hands charged with Starbolts. "Raven, I do not wish to hurt you, explain why you have attacked me" Starfire walked in a circle as Raven slowly made her way towards her. "Raven, please, I do not understand why you would do this"

"I do" Vengeance had gotten slowly to his feet and flexed his damaged arm, there was a series of stomach turning pops and snaps and the arms reset itself. "Raven is half demon, half human. Her power comes from her demonic half but is never fully realised until she acknowledges it. A few days ago she absorbed part of my power and this has upset the balance of her mind and her nature. Now she is more demon than human and as such is now mine!" Vengeance walked slowly over to Raven and put his hand on her shoulder "We will make such a lovely couple won't we?"

"Never!" Raven gave guttural rasp and knocked Vengeance off his feet with a blast of black energy. "You are going back where you belong!" Raven picked up the startled Vengeance by the front of his shirt and looked deep into his eyes with her four. "Time to take the rest of you!".

"Vengeance screamed as Raven breathed deeply in through her mouth and bright red fire shot out his nose and mouth and into hers. Raven dropped Robin's body and stumbled back clutching at her head before falling to her knees. Her four eyes blazed and she threw her head back and screamed as she was engulfed in a huge column of flame that shot into the heavens and spread out to fill the sky. A huge terrible face leered out of the maelstrom before it dissipated leaving the night sky clear of any clouds with only the stars twinkling at the city.

Very slowly Raven fell forward and lay still.

Starfire walked over to Robin's lifeless body and knelt over him. She brushed his hair out of his eyes and looked at his unmasked face. It was the first time she had ever truly looked at and thought he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Slowly she brought her face down to his and kissed him once on the lips. "Come back Robin, come back to me".

Tim felt himself being dragged forward by some unknown force while all the time a voice spoke to him; it was Starfire. The darkness was replaced by a blinding light as he was dragged on through his memories; his childhood, his parents, his abandonment, his meeting Batman, his training as Robin and his forming of the Teen Titans. The last thing he saw was the rooftop kiss he and Starfire had shared.

Smiling he opened his eyes to see Starfire crying. "What's wrong Star'?" he asked his voice hoarse.

Starfire gasped in surprise and a new wave of tears rolled down her cheeks, "There is nothing wrong Robin," she said "everything is fine. Everything is okay". She leaned in to kiss him again but Robin put his finger to her lips to stop her. He looked into her perfect green eyes and said "My name is Tim, pleased to meet you".

"Hello friend Tim" said Starfire and kissed him.

About an hour later Robin and Raven were lying in beds in the medical bay of the tower. Cyborg was looking at the read out on Raven's life support monitor while Starfire simply sat beside Robin, who was asleep, and held his hand. Beast Boy, happy that with the defeat of Vengeance seemed to have undone whatever it was had frozen him in human form, was morphing into every animal he could think of one after the other. Cyborg turned to look at him to see a bright green Raccoon rolling around on the med-lab floor. "If you don't cut that out I'm gonna lock you in the storage cupboard again" he said. Beast Boy shifted back to his human form and sat on the floor scowling. "So what's wrong with them?" asked Beast Boy.

"Robin, has suffered from tremendous neurological stress, not to mention about a dozen serious physical injuries that were healed magically so he's gonna be fine after a few days rest." said Cyborg flipping through a clipboard of charts he was holding. "Raven is a different story altogether. Her entire system is fried, there's brain activity but she's not conscious. Her nervous system has undergone something I don't think even Starlabs could understand not to mention the physical stress she's been under recently. She's dehydrated, malnourished, and suffered a hell of a beat down recently. She could be in a coma or she could just need a good nights sleep, I just cant tell." Beast Boy looked deeply puzzled, he wasn't any good at the science stuff just yet, "How can't you tell?" he asked. Cyborg turned to look at Raven who looked so out of place in the green hospital gown she had been dressed in. "Raven's genetic make-up is half-human, half-demon. Because of the magical nature of some of her genetic material it can't be scanned properly by our equipment so I have no idea how long she'll be asleep or how bad she's hurt". He ran his metal finger down the side of her face and along her jaw line "But our Raven's a fighter, so she'll be okay".

Starfire let go of Robin's hand and gave a yawn, "Friends," she said "I think it is time we all went to slumber for it has been an extended day and we all look like Gronked Snorlaxes" Cyborg and Beast Boy looked at each other, they had never got to grips with the Tamerranian language but presumed that the last part of what Starfire said hadn't been a good thing. "Good idea, Star'" said Cyborg who picked Beast Boy up by the collar and ushered him out of the room. Starfire left the sleeping forms of Robin and Raven and walked towards the door, turning as she did so before she turned out the light and saying "Goodnight, Tim".

He had waited a few hours before awakening, he was tired and hurting but he had unfinished business tonight. Robin dropped lightly off the hospital bed and stealthily made his way to the area of the garage level that was his. A retina scan and a palm print allowed him access to the room that contained his R-Cycle and the rest of his equipment. He changed into one of his spare Robin Suits he kept here, loaded up his utility belt and fired up the R-Cycle. As he lowered the helmet onto his head he said one word before speeding off into the cool night air. "Slade!"

It was the work of a moment to enter the warehouse, Robin remembered exactly where it was. Every detail of everything Vengeance had made him do was clear in his mind as if it had been etched on to crystal. Dropping in through a skylight he landed on a walkway with barely a noise and negotiated his way along its length like a snake through quicksilver. Softly and silently he approached the door at its end, reaching into his utility belt he produced a small syringe full of oil and injected it into the hinges. The door swung open silently and smoothly and Robin could see a huge leather chair in front of bank of computer monitors. Beside the chair was a familiar brass and black mask with one eye hole staring directly at him. Robin froze before he realised the mask was empty, it was sitting on a low table with its baleful eye socket empty of the cold and calculating intelligence Robin was accustomed to being scrutinised with. The figure in the chair leaned forward slightly and Robin saw a head with scruffy black hair and a scarred neck and an ear that was only half there. If this was Slade then he looked pretty grim beneath that featureless mask of his, maybe the mask was an improvement. After all, Terra's lava bath wouldn't have done him any favours. Robin stopped creeping up on his nemesis and stood firm and tall, "I'm here Slade" he said "let's end this". Slade reached out with a grey gauntleted hand and picked up the mask on the table beside him that was now visible as a full helmet, hinged on the top and fastening at the sides. The hand vanished behind the chair and Robin heard a clicking that must have been the terrible helmet being fastened over Slade's ruined face.

The chair spun to face him and there was Slade regarding him with that frozen blue eye of his. "Hello, Robin" drawled Slade "we should stop meeting this way, there could be talk" Slade's voice was as always measured and devoid of anything that could be termed as humour. "You used me to try and destroy my friends and the city," Robin's voice was as level and measured as Slade's "you've gotten away with everything you've done time and time again because as you've said I can't kill you. Well you're right, I can't kill you, but now my team mates aren't here there's nothing to stop me from taking you down and taking you in how I should have done years ago". Slade stood up out his seat, he was easily a foot taller than Robin and about as powerfully built as Cyborg . He looked down at the slight youth "Determined, ruthless, capable and willing to do what it takes to achieve your goal," the man said in his almost hypnotic voice "now you see why you were the perfect apprentice, Robin. You are my equal and opposite and alone worthy of a place at my side. You still could you know". Robin met the mono-optic gaze of the taller man,

"I'll never join you, Slade". Slade's spine stiffened and he flexed his neck working out all the tension,

"Very well," he said taking up a combat stance "one shall stand, one shall fall. Let this be the end of all things between us". Robin followed suit and back flipped into a ready stance,

"Let's do this" he said and leapt forward with a roar.

Sneaking down the staircase from her room Starfire dodged from shadow to shadow down the corridor to the medical bay. She just had to see him again. Her mind was over saturated with joy and relief at having him back that she didn't care if he was unconscious but just longed to be near him. As she drew nearer the soft rhythm of the machines that monitored him grew louder, she bit her bottom lip nervously as she stepped round the door as she didn't fully open it and was inside.

But where was he.

The bed she had seen him in but a few hours ago was empty with all the sensors attached to him now attached to the sleeping form of Raven. Starfire looked at the pale girl, she had attacked her on the roof and Starfire still wondered why. It was true that Raven had been under tremendous pressure lately and had had several things that Starfire did not understand happen to her, but why would Raven wish to harm her? This she was sure would be answered in time. But where was Robin and why had he sneaked out of the tower?

Descending in the elevator to the garage level she strode through it's cavernous expanse passing all the titans vehicles, even Beast Boy's long sought after moped that he was struggling for Cyborg to accept as the T-Scooter. Her journey led her to Robin's area, dull metal door with a palm scanner and retina reader that was uncharacteristically ajar. Inside the normally clinical environment of Robin's workshop and store for his bike was a mess. Tools and parts were everywhere and scattered amongst them were scraps of the ruined Robin suit he had been wearing. His closet of spare suits was open and the contents emptied in a heap in front of it. A spare suit seemed to be gone and Starfire realised which suit was missing. Robin had been working on it for some time and had let Starfire see it only once. Unlike his regular suit this one was not just a costume. It had been a by product of his creation of Red X and used a lot of the technology in the X-suit. Robin had eventually put the suit away as once he was done he found that it was too similar to the Red X suit and would never risk starting down that dark path again.

Starfire looked around the room and wondered what he intended to do with such a suit. But it was obvious, he had gone to get Slade. She flipped open her communicator and franticly searched for Robin's signal. She had to find him before it was too late.

Slade dodged as Robin leapt at him then spun round sharply, lashing out with his fist. Robin side stepped and brought his foot round in a hi kick that connected with the man's head then delivered a sharp uppercut knocking Slade on his back. With a subtle hand gesture a Baterang slid out Robins glove and unfolded, it's razor edge glinting in the dark. Slade rolled to the left as the red and yellow weapon slashed down through the air and stuck in the wood floor. Robin snarled something and threw another that just caught the side of Slade's leg. He heard the man grunt in pain and grinned.

Slade jumped to his feet and brought out his extendable Bo staff "I'm impressed Robin," and it was evident in his voice "your skills are improving as well as your ability to focus your temper into a fight"

"This is just the warm up Slade" Robin smirked and pressed the round yellow catch in the centre of his utility belt. In a split second Robin flickered and vanished,. Slade's eye widened in shock as he circled the room nervously jumping at every creak of the old floorboards. Robin flickered back in to view behind him and punched Slade hard in the kidneys and kicked him in the back of his knee. The man dropped to one knee as Robin flickered out of sight then back into view in front of him before he punched him hard in the face and was gone again.

Slade stood up again rubbing his jaw. "Now this is interesting," he said "if I'm not mistaken Robin, I've seen that little trick before" Slade walked out of the small room and out to the staircase and walkway outside the office. "I think you've been playing with toys you shouldn't be Robin, or should I call you 'X'?"

Slade scanned the dark warehouse for any sign if his opponent. "You do remember the last time you used a suit like that to try and catch me? You figured out that you couldn't get near to me as Robin, the boy wonder, and would only be able to find me if you entered my world".

"Red X was a mistake," came Robin's voice from the darkness "it was also a failure as you still escaped"

"Yes, but I saw through your little deception straight away and simply played along with it to see how far you'd be willing to go" Slade stalked down the walkway tapping his staff on the metal railing. "It made me realise something Robin, that you can't beat me without becoming me"

"I'll never be anything like you, you're a terrorist and a murderer, Slade," roared Robin as he flickered back into view swinging his Bo staff round to meet Slade's with a resounding clang "you delight in destroying lives and only accept those that will submit to your ideals" the staffs clanged again as Slade went for Robin's legs but was blocked and Robin parried to be met with Slade's as the two staffs locked again. "Is that not what part of leading a team is as well Robin," said Slade coolly "only having time for those ideas that fit your design, taking delight in foiling the best laid plans of your enemies. As I said Robin, equal and opposite" Slade broke the lock of the two staffs and cracked his off Robin's chin sending the youth stumbling backwards before swing the staff round sharply into the side of Robin's head. Robin was nearly knocked over the railing and spat blood out onto the ground that was a long drop away.

Slade was relentless and brought his knee up into Robin's gut and shoved him over. Robin franticly crawled backwards to find a safe point to gain an advantage. Slade stalked slowly up the walkway and brought his foot down hard onto Robin's utility belt shattering the central clasp and the cloaking module. "No more vanishing act Robin, you're staying right where I can see you" Slade watched Robin squirm beneath his foot "pity you threw you're life away so easily". Robin gritted his teeth and from a secret compartment in his glove tossed out a flash bomb. The lenses in his new mask flashed black as they adjusted to the new light level for a split second and with his other hand he threw one of his razor edged Baterangs. It made a silken sound as it flew through the air before slicing along the side of Slade's neck, the man screamed as it did so but it turned into a burbling cry as he fell to his knees, hand pressed to the wound fontaining blood. Robin stood up and began to rain blows upon Slade knocking him along the walkway as he grasped at the railing with his free hand. Eventually Robin stopped, exhausted with his fists in agony and watched as his nemesis struggled to keep in his life blood and draw breath. "I would have waited an eternity for this," croaked Robin, his throat dry "it's over Slade!". Slade looked at him with the panic in his eyes suddenly gone and spoke in a hellish whisper that bubbled and hissed with menace "It's never over" from his own belt he dropped a small silver sphere with a digital display on it and a green line round its equator. Robin recognised it immediately as a Kryptonite bomb and leaped over the edge of the railing as he heard Slade's laughter behind him. He ran for the door to the building as it rang in his ears.

High above the city Starfire saw the bright green explosion and a few yards from the devastated warehouse found Robin unconscious.

About a month passed, neither Slade or his body were ever found and the Titans were unable to draw any conclusion as to if he was still alive or not. Robin was the last to stop looking after Starfire insisted that no good would come of more obsession with Slade and that what he had said might be true; that Robin could not defeat him without becoming him. Raven woke up after about a week and after the obligatory conversations about her condition and what had happened immediately retreated to her room. Cyborg and Beast Boy just sat in the main room and wondered what had happened to everybody, no one seemed to want to talk to anyone anymore. After a discussion that went long into the night, the Titans decided to take a break.

"So how long is this gonna last?" Cyborg sat down heavily on the couch and stared at the floor "why do we need to do this?"

"It's just for the best Cyborg," said Robin who was sitting down next to Starfire and holding her hand. They had came out with their relationship a few days ago and were surprised that none of there team mates were shocked that they were dating. "About damn time" was all Raven had said from behind her book.

"Where are we gonna go?" asked Beast Boy "me and Cy don't have any other home Robin. You'll do just fine with Batman and the League but what about the rest of us?"

"We'll be fine, man" said Cyborg "we'll see a bit of the world just you and me"

"Friends!" said Starfire "this will not be a rek'ma, we will meet again"

"Indeed," said Robin "keep your communicators on you at all times in case we need each other. This is just a vacation not a break up"

And with that they went their own ways; Robin and Starfire went to Gotham and to where Robin said was his home. Cyborg and Beast Boy loaded up the T-car with all manner of what Beast Boy called "Explorer Stuff", but Cyborg drew the line at the whaling harpoon and asked him where he got it, and headed away from the tower to where ever they were going.

That left only one.

They knocked on her door to say their goodbyes but she made no sound in reply. Raven sat on her bed with her blanket wrapped round her crying. She wanted to run out and shout to them to stay but she couldn't. She was afraid of what they would say. After a few hours of thinking she was completely alone she was startled by a knock at her door and then the soft click of it opening and a rustle of fabric as someone made their way inside. Hiding beneath her blanket she shut her eyes and wished this not to be happening. Her friends would have been shocked to see her like this but she didn't care, they had left her all alone. The blanket was thrown back and Raven jumped up ready to attack-… Robin.

"Didn't think we'd leave you here yourself now, did you?" he smiled at her and Raven threw her self at him in a huge hug. Robin stood with his arms outstretched and a panicked look on his face, Raven never hugged, it was practically a trademark. "What are you doing?" Robin was in a cold sweat now.

"I'm just happy to see you, Robin" Raven broke the hug and stepped back "I'm sorry"

"About what?"

"The hug, I shouldn't have seeing as how you and Starfire are-" Raven muttered herself into silence.

"It's okay Raven," Robin laughed a little to break the mood in the room "you should try hugging people a little more often, it's good for you". Raven smiled as she asked,

"Why did you come back for me?". Robin put his hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes with a grin on his face

"Because you need us a lot more than you think you do. I can set you up in Gotham on your own. You can go to school if you want to and can see me and Star' as often as you like. Just like regular folks, okay?"

"But how can you do all this, you don't have any resources outside the tower and the team accounts?" Raven frowned as she asked the question. Robin grinned even wider, "Oh you'd be surprised"

The road to Gotham was long but Starfire had let Raven ride on the back of the R-Cycle as she flew behind them laughing and smiling as the sun set on the day. Raven lowered her hood and let the wind blow through her hair and wondered if Robin was right, that she needed the Titans more than she'd like to admit. But just now she didn't care and was bound for a new city with her friends, it was as close to happy as she had ever been.

The end

Author note; yes it's been a while since I updated but I've been very busy with stuff and things. It's finally done, the ending might be kinda schmaltzy but ya gotta have schmaltz, it makes people feel good. I hope. Spot the references to Transformers if you can. I thought the bit with Slade's mask was cool with his head all burnt and stuff, I was watching Empire Strikes Back before I wrote it so I got it from there. Hope you like it now it's done. My next fic's gonna have shorter chapters and probably be updated more often. Please review, I don't get many. And thank you so much for reading you have no idea what I means to me.