Hey. I'm back from the dead…well not exactly the dead…I did manage to upload a little song fic. Thanks to everybody that reviewed on that (yes, even the star/rob fans). I'm having some serious self-doubt on this story…I am somewhere between disappointment and giving up on it, so…if you like it, now is the time to say so.
The Wings of a Raven: Thanks, sorry it took so long.
Majestical: LOL yeah, just another of my numerous nicknames…thanks.
Chica De Ojos Café: Sorry…didn't mean to sound self-righteous or anything…that pairing just disturbs me to the outer reaches of my soul. Glad you like it.
SOVEREIGN LORD OF CHAOS: LOL don't we all?
Hollywoodstarsandeyes: Cool name, though I miss jambey a bit too. You could say that…don't worry, it will all make sense soon. LOL yeah that was quite mean, wasn't it? Sweet, we get to play darts again! I think your radar is spot on there. Yeah…I would have liked to go into depth about it more, but I got caught up in everything that was happening, as did she. Also, if you lose your powers, and are therefore incapable of helping the one person in the world that you truly feel for, it's a poor trade-off. But obviously, later on she did admit to herself that it was almost a relief. LOL to be honest, I am not generally one for extreme fluff, or as you put it, "make out happy people". One kiss, maybe two, and certainly some hugging, I don't mind. But, people, they are, what, fifteen? Enough with the extreme romance! If any, it would be awkward, shy, holding hands type stuff! LOL check your sock drawer….
Raven of the Shadows Azerath: I would have to agree with you there.
Ravenrocs4eva: Sorry it took so long…yes, I agree.
CloudsHalo: Sorry you were disappointed…heck I was disappointed…feeling like quitting this…I won't even begin to describe how nasty that is.
Elf Fanatic Lark: Thanks…yeah he's evil…probably a bad idea, sorry.
Mystyre: Awesome, without a doubt the longest review I have ever had the fortune of receiving. Thanks, I'm trying but I'm just not sure if it's working or not. LOL we have that in common (the episode that is). Yes, thank you! That is what I was trying to achieve with that last chapter, and with Rest in Pieces…I heard that in his voice too, now just imagine it exactly like that for basically the next few chapters. Cool name. Sounds awesome! You should upload it soon! Darn…I must say that I am not a Terra fan…anyone who would squash Robin with a rock is on my lower than dirt list…but hey the story sounds way cool anyway. Interesting…lol I'm surprised you had the patience to read it. No, I am not bored, and certainly wouldn't cry if I was. LOL, thanks for talking with me.
Mystyre: Wouldn't we all like to know? Yes, and I don't know if I can resist the urge to give it to him much longer…Ok, star….just don't hug me or anything! LOL j/k.
Brenda: Hmmm…happier? I don't have that great of a definition of happy, but I don't think this is it. Yes, Raven and Robin are the best TT couple.
Umbro Draco: Yeah…predictable is my middle name. Thanks. Hmmm…don't know, we'll just have to see if I even make it that far. Thanks.
Dannonspring: Thanks for reading, sorry the update took so long.
Shadow Creature: LOL no, don't rip out your hair! Especially not for my stupid story. LOL same here…Thanks, glad you still like it.
CelticHeiressFiona: Actually, sadly enough, I think he will be pleased.
Elda-bows- Sorry the update took so long.
Furubafun24: LOL ironic, ain't it? LOL now there's an idea…can you say song fic? LOL I'm a cheesehead. I'm glad you like it…I'm not sure if I do anymore. Your story is awesome, can't wait for an update!
Tifereth Kantrishakrim-Blushes furiously- Wow…I can't believe you like it…I mean, your work is so awesome…Thanks so much for reviewing, at the risk of sounding cheesy, you made my day. Thank you so much! J
Aeris-Raven: Don't worry, it will all make sense soon…if I continue…LOL let us all hope. Yeah, Raven and Robin are by far the best…Robin coming slightly…well a little more than slightly before Raven…just in my opinion. I'm a Robin fanatic, what can I say?
Strixvaria: Yeah it is pretty sad…Glad you liked it.
YoukaiTenshi: Yes sir, or madam, as the case may be.
Sighs forlornly-….ok, read it if you want… Robin: What? What happened to your catch-phrase? Where is your enthusiasm? Are you sick or something? Do you have a fever? Dusty: I don't know, does it really matter? Robin-blinks in shock- This was inspired by the songs Epiphany, by Staind and Anywhere, by Evanescence. Go listen to them, please.
Every day was harder. Every day Robin came back even more confused. Every day it was harder to find him again.
As wonderful as that time with him had been, all too soon they had come for him again. Robin fought, kicked, punched, but his movements were slower, stiffer. His blocks came a little too late. Bit by bit, his body gave out, though his fury remained. She shivered, remembering his roar of frustration as he lay, panting and unable to rise. His words rang through her mind as though he had only just uttered them.
"Raven, everything's fine! Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it!" His hand slipped through her fingers. "Have dinner ready for me!"
The pain throbbing in his voice made the joke anything but funny. Pain…that was the word to describe her time in this dark corner of misery. Slade clearly had some kind of sick and twisted routine laid out for Robin. He was taken for hours on end, leaving Raven alone with her emotions, growing more chaotic everyday. Then they dragged him in, dropped him just out of her reach, and retreated, only to return again in a few hours. Robin's presence and absence was the only reality that existed in this place, other than the once-a-day meals; hardly something to get excited about.
Raven had been racking her brain for something, some tiny shred of hope, some way of escape. Slade was playing with them, waiting to see how long they would last…the logical, emotionless side of her brain knew that Robin was hanging on by a thread, and she herself was not much better off. She would rather fight Slade, devoid of powers, stiff and weak from lack of food and sleep, than crouch here in the dark, every waking moment poisoned with fear. Even death was better than this eternal darkness!
"No." A solitary tear ran down her cheek. "He needs you."
Slade sighed, his exasperation evident.
Five days, and still nothing. A few random and vaguely interesting memories, but nothing of real importance. The only question that really mattered remained unanswered.
He had, once again, increased the dose to almost double. Hearing about Richard's love life was certainly fascinating, but his patience was wearing thin. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.
Slade skipped the usual introductory questions and got right down to business. "I understand you're good friends with Batman?"
Robin's eyes were unfocused and half closed. "Y…yeah…"
Slade's piercing gray eye narrowed. "Excellent. And you trust him, don't you?"
"I…I love…him…my father…"
"Wonderful. And does he return your love?"
Robin's hands twitched slightly on the white sheets. A hint of what might have been a frown creased his forehead. "I…used to…he…I don't know…" he slurred.
What a pleasant surprise. He could use that to his advantage in the future. "I see. What's his name again?"
Robin stiffened slightly. "I…I promised…"
"Oh, don't worry about that. You can tell me, it'll be our little secret," he whispered coaxingly.
"I…no…he said…" Robin's words were barely understandable. What a shame that increasing the dose made it more difficult for him to communicate.
"You can trust me, Robin. I won't tell a soul."
"I…" His body was shaking with effort.
"Trust me, Robin."
"His…his name…" A groan of pain escaped his parched lips. "No."
A roar of fury erupted from Slade's lungs, ringing through the building and rebounding off the walls. He leapt forward like a crazed animal, gripping Robin's shoulders and shaking him violently. "Tell Me!"
Robin stuttered incomprehensibly.
Slade glared, shook him, swore, but still the information evaded his grasp. Realizing how pointless his actions were, he released the youth, panting slightly with anger and exertion. True, he wanted Robin as his apprentice; that was his main goal. But Robin's "father" stood in the way of that. As long as Batman was alive and kicking, Dick would keep resisting. And how better to break the Bat than by revealing his identity and catching him in his weakest form? It had worked wonders with "Robin", imagine the effect it would have on Batman?
Slade's fist smashed into the wall, leaving a hole in the plaster. That was all well and good, but his plan could not proceed until Richard cracked. Slade was a fairly reasonable man, as long as he was getting everything he wanted exactly when he wanted it. The second that someone rocked the boat, his inner madness reared its ugly head. How? How could this weakling resist? He should have been more than crushed by now, and yet here he was, just as frozen and defiant as ever! What did he need to do to break him!
Slade froze, his gray eye widening in a "light bulb" moment. He cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. This was almost too easy.
Creaking hinges, beam of light, muffled thump, retreating footsteps, darkness.
The breath froze in her chest. Every day, the fear was worse. She allowed it to course through her, finding that ignoring the emotion was more painful than accepting it. "Robin?"
Utter Silence.
Terror roared in her ears, making her inwardly cringe. Feeling this much was still relatively new to her. "Robin? Answer me!"
Nothing.
"Oh no. Oh please no." She forced herself to move, crawling towards him, stretching out, grazing him with her fingertips. This stupid chain! She could reach no farther. Raven winced slightly as the old cut broke open. "Robin? Robin! Answer me, damn it!"
Her fingers moved blindly, recognizing the material of his shirt. She moved them up his chest to his face, touching his cheek. Raven bit her lip as her fingers met with tears, cold and wet on his skin. This was not normal. "Robin?" Her voice was soft, unsteady.
Ragged breathing…a small noise, not convicted enough to be a groan and not understandable enough to be anything else. Tears coursed down his cheeks, meeting with her fingers and scurrying down to her wrists, sending a chill up her spine.
"Robin, I'm sorry." Her heart ached horribly, thudding against her rib cage like a bird beating its wings against the bars of its cage. Everything was crashing down on her, emotion after nameless emotion assaulting her mind, leaving her powerless and confused. She wanted him to see her, to know that she would always be there. He was so far away, so out of reach…she wanted him now more than her powers, her freedom, her very life. Familiar words formed on her lips, a melody spilling from the depths of her soul into the darkness of uncertainty.
A small sob throbbed through him, sending a slight tremor through his limp body and bringing more tears to his masked eyes. He was just so lost…heaven, safety, Raven, was on the distant shore, and he was six feet under the merciless wave.
The song graced her pale, trembling lips, quiet and wavering, laced with the sting of her tears. She wasn't sure why, but somehow this felt right...somehow she knew it would help him.
If he could just see her, feel her, hear her…her amethyst eyes would give him courage, her firm, even voice would tell him that everything was ok, her warm, gentle touch would whisper to him of undying love…He needed her, he couldn't hold on much longer, his mind was slipping, spiraling into the black abyss of his nightmares…
For all the times she swallowed it all down, for all the times she caged the words she longed to set free, for all the times she denied herself the right to feel, to experience, to love. Her voice grew stronger, fueled by the terrifying yet liberating emotion throbbing in her veins, pouring forth everything she had ached to tell him for so long.
He fought the wave, and at the same time, surrendered to it. An overwhelming nothing was clinging to his senses, blurring and distorting until nothing was real, nothing was certain. He wanted to scream, but could not find his voice, wanted to fight, but could not find his strength, wanted to care, but could not find his reason. It was all too much.
She sobbed openly, all her inner boundaries bursting in one blast of anger, loneliness, love. Her mind was pulled in a thousand directions at once, spinning and whirling until she hardly knew herself anymore. Still the words spilled from her mouth, an angel's plea for the one she loves.
Death. Such a beautiful word. Redemption from the pain. An escape from this living nightmare. An end to this life, this misery. Robin was wanting it more and more by the second.
His tears were like needles in her heart. She hated seeing him like this. If Robin cried, the world was surely ending. She longed to help him, but would he allow her to? How could she reach him? Why wouldn't he let her in?
A whisper, a gentle touch, half there…He tried desperately to reach for it, but something pulled him back, dragging him down into the darkness. No! Her voice…her sweet voice…it pulled him, pushed him, told him not to let go…
He stirred slightly, a chilling sigh ruffling her violet hair. Slowly, she felt him awake inside her, a shadowy Robin creeping back into her dimension. Along with his presence came a wave of emotion, colliding with her own and vying for control. Her song faltered for a moment, her hand clenching around his shirt as the pain tore her up from the inside. So much pain…maybe it would be kinder to…? "NO!" She struggled to catch her breath, her voice rising above the waves…
Raven….penetrating deep purple eyes, like pools of midnight sky…soft violet hair…sweet yet subtle lavender scent…skin as pale as moonlight…comfort, a sense of belonging…His dark angel. He couldn't leave….he couldn't leave her.
The pain of waking crashed over his head, whirling around him, stabbing at him, mocking him…His demons were just as read as ever, his nightmares, just as painful. But Raven…Raven was his purpose, Raven was his heaven. He was dead without Raven.
Robin weakly lifted his hand, finding hers and curling his fingers around it. Slowly, he drew her hand to his mouth, and gently kissed the top of it, his lips wet with tears. Bitter sweet happiness flooded through her, wounding and healing in the same instant. Robin pulsed within her, bringing pain and a sense of completion along with him. His spirit was there, easing her mind, pumping courage into her veins. A sob of relief released the pain in her chest as she lay, stretched flat on her stomach, her hands securely in his. She sang to him, every note vibrating with Sorrow, Love, Hope.
There you have it…sorry it took so long. Oh by the way, Raven was singing, Robin was not…that song just reminded me of him so bad I had to mention it. Tootles.