Yay, Chapter 2! I am happy and stuff and junk...lol. Actually, I truly am happy, because if reviews are smiles, well, you get the idea :)
Rinagurl13: LOL I am glad you voted, because I value your opinion more than you can ever know. It's good to see old friends on a new fic. Continue it is, then.
Since You've Been Gone: Thanks, man. Good to see...er hear...er read you again:)
morgannia: LOL ok then, chapter 2 it is. Hmmm...you shall just have to see.
raeandrob4eva: All right, chapter 2, just for you (hey that's a rhyme...imagine that). I'm glad it's not confusing, but I have a feeling that is about to change.
FartInTheWind (lmao..nice name): And heeeeeeeere's chapter 2!
Raven-Fieryblack: Hmmm...curious. I have found lots where Robin dies...maybe it is about equal...who knows? Thanks :)
RavenHairedInsanity: I love it, one of my favorite poems! That's why I used it...hauntingly beautiful, but then what else would you expect from Poe? Arg, off subject. That's cool that's your name...wish it was mine...lol. I'm glad you liked it. I tried to make the details very clear, so that you could picture it all. Here is a chapter 2, and there will be a chapter 3 after that!
Ren: Thanks :)
Butter Fingers: Hmm...I can see where you are coming from. I never realized that "Time to go" could have been percieved as literally going, as in death...but, yes this is a chapter story. Hope you will still read :)
Nautikus: Thanks :) and here's chapter 2!
Krimzon Lily: Your wish is my command :)
Darth Nat: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hmmm...I can see where you are coming from.
Furubafun24: Thanks...as you can see, there is a chapter 2. LOL yeah there were some loose strings, to make room for another chapter, in case you guys wanted one. -Bursts into hysterical tears- I MISSED IT TOO! dang it, first Robin episode since Haunted (well actually Revolution, but all the same), and I miss it! I found some pictures from the episode here thoughhttp:wf. that helps at all. It's on again this Saturday, though...at least, where I am...No you don't seem rude at all. You gotta update Never Alone...I'm hooked! Must...Know...What...Happens...
jambey: LOL yeah there are some purposefully confusing bits, and yes there is definately more to the story. As for that next bit, well...you shall soon see. Glad you liked it :)
nevermoretheraven: Yes, sir...or ma'am, whatever the case may be.
Majestical: Thanks :) and here is another chapter! And guess what? There will be more chapters after this chapter...that is if you guys still like it.
Flightless Raven:) Exactly what I wanted to hear. Chapter 2, ready and waiting.
lady briallen: Sweet! I have fans? Nice! I'm really glad you liked it :)
DarkAngel2004: Do I look like Slade to you? Er...maybe you shouldn't answer that question. I did not kill Raven, Slade did. Glad you liked it :)
Strixvaria: Yeah, I was depressed for a couple days after writing it...Hope it was good anyway.
Ok then...Hmm...I need a new catch-phrase for this story...How's this? Shut up and Listen...er Read. LOL no offense.
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"You can see him now, Miss Raven."
(muhahahahahaha! she is not dead! fooled you all once again! I bet the confusion is setting in, isn't it?)
She looked up, startled out of her troubled thoughts. "Thank you." She followed the nurse down the long, intersecting hallways, the monotony of white broken every few feet by a cheerful picture of flowers, smiling children, sunshine... They did nothing to warm her heart.
The nurse stopped abruptly in front of a door marked "363", opening it and stepping aside to allow Raven to pass. "Talk to him, don't be afraid. There is a very good chance that he can hear you, his body just isn't able to respond right now." She patted Raven lightly on the shoulder, then turned and bustled away, shutting the door behind her.
The room was silent, save for the chattering of numerous machines. Raven stared at the ground, putting off the moment when she would have to look at him. This all seemed like one big nightmare. Sounds came to her as though she was underwater, echoing strangely in her ears. Her eyes recieved blurred and distorted images of the world around her. She was in a dream-state, afraid of what would happen if she remained asleep, but at the same time, terrified of waking.
She could delay it no longer. Her head lifted, ever so slightly, and the bed came into view.
She had to admit, he looked a lot better than he had the last time she saw him, but that wasn't really saying much. His skin was deathly white, and just about every inch of him was covered in tubes, wires, and who knows what else. There was a machine to moniter his heartbeat, even a machine to breathe for him.
Things had been bad before, there had been broken bones, severe cuts, even concussions, but never more than they could handle on their own. This time was completely different. It was no longer a matter of how long it would take Robin to heal, it was now a question of if he would heal. Not something she liked to think about.
Raven was almost afraid to touch him; he looked so fragile, as though the smallest amount of pressure would break him. Taking a deep breath, she stepped towards the bed, reached out, and took his limp hand. It was cold, almost icy. "Robin?" Her voice sounded out of place and awkwardin the mostly silent room. Without warning, her eyes began to burn, and she coughed as a lump rose in her throat. Unbidden, unwanted, memories of the accident flashed before her eyes...
"Robin, please don't do this." Raven reached out a hand to stop him.
"Don't do what? My job?" She frowned as he jerked out fo her reach, fists clenched in anger.
"Just let us help you! You don't have to take Slade down on your own!" Her voice rose, not in frustration, but in a desperate attempt to get through to him.
He turned his back, running out of the dark alley at top speed. "Robin!" She barely had time to scream before she heard it...a shrill squealing, a dull thud, the shattering of glass-
BEEP BEEP!
Raven was startled out of her thoughts by the annoying chirp of her communicator. "What?"
"We have arrived at the large, white building! Where is Robin? Is he much harmed? What happened?"
Raven flinched, holding the communicator at arms length. "He's- Well...just come in, ok? Room 363." With that, she shut it off, ignoring Starfire's protests.
Raven was not exactly looking forward to breaking the news. Whenever something happened to Robin, chaos broke out among her teammates. In fact, she sometimes wondered if a certain clueless alien would breathe if Robin wasn't around to tell her to. But then again, she couldn't really blame them. She was hardly at her best right now.
A minute or two later, Starfire burst into the room, paying no attention to the nurse at her elbow, who wasdesperately trying to shush her. "Friend Raven, what has happened?", she asked, in a loud, high-pitched tone.
"Dude...", muttered Beast Boy, eyes wide as her caught sight of his leader.
"Whoa. What's the story, Ray?", asked Cyborg quietly, shocked to see his best friend in this condition.
Raven sighed heavily. "Alleyway downtown. Some moron out cruising."
Cyborg let out a low hiss of breath. "They hit him? Was he on foot"
Raven nodded gravely. "He...He's in a coma."
"No...",whispered Cyborg, while you could tell how shocked Beast Boy was from his utter silence.
"Please, what is this 'coma'? Why did someone hit Robin? Why does he not move?" Starfire was close to panic, shooting out questions like a crazed soda machine.
Raven looked at Cyborg and Beast Boy for help, but they kept their mouths tightly closed. "Robin was...hit by a car, Starfire. He's not moving because he can't right now. And...a coma is like a very deep sleep..." That was the best she could do right now.
"He is...sleeping? I shall wake him up!", Star cried, smiling as though pleased with herself for discovering a solution to this strange predicament.
Raven encased Starfire in her black aura before she could begin shaking their injured friend. "No! He can't wake up right now. If you tried to wake him, you could hurt him. He just...he needs to heal..." Raven was trying not to promise his recovery to Star. She didn't want her to be even more crushed, if Robin...
"Excuse me", said the nurse quietly, appearing in the doorway. "It's almost eleven o'clock. You should go home, get some rest. I promise we'll keep a close eye on him."
Beast Boy nodded, a strange look in his dark green eyes, and headed for the door. After a glance of concern at his friend, Cyborg followed suit, although he was clearly reluctant. Raven and Starfire lingered.
"Please. You two need your sleep", said the nurse kindly, placing a hand on Starfire's shoulder and gently stearing her out of the room. She made no resistance, but there was a look of extreme confusion in her eyes. She didn't understand enough to be afraid.
Raven ignored the nurse's request, moving towards Robin's bed and taking his hand in hers. "Please, let me stay with him. Can I please just stay with him?"
The nurse opened her mouth to protest, but the look in the girl's eyes gave her pause. She was shaking slightly, her eyes swimming in tears, though she let none fall. "She loves him. They must be sweethearts", the nurse thought, with a pang of sympathy. So much pain, and all for that one moment of stupidity. They should be the ones to suffer, not this innocent boy. He had done nothing to deserve this. "Shh...It's all right, dear. You can stay with him as long as you want. I'll bring a nice, cozy chair in for you." She smiled warmly, touching Raven's cheek comfortingly before hurrying out of the room.
Raven blinked, surprised at the kindness of the nurse. Strangers usually gave her funny looks, and when the rest of the team were getting fan mail, she was pushed to the back. Being called "dear" generally made her cringe and want to dangle someone from the ceiling, but this woman had sounded so sincere that somehow, it didn't bother her. The warmth she felt from the compassion of the nurse immediately disappeared, however, driven away by the beeping of the heart moniter. Such small comforts couldn't help for long. The world had stopped turning, gone mad, fallen off its axis. Nothing could be right when everything was so wrong.
Raven couldn't help wondering if the car was more a blessing than a curse. Robin had been heading straight for Slade, running blindly into what could only be a trap. She could hazard a guess at the outcome of that battle. Robin's last encounter with Slade had nearly finished him, and the masked villain hadn't even been there to see it. Now that he was back, and no doubt, even more powerful, she didn't like to think of what condition Robin would be in after a clash with him. All the same, this could hardly be considered "luck".
Raven tried to be realistic. She tried not to rely too heavily on Robin's recovery. If she could distance herself now, the pain wouldn't be so bitter when...if he truly did leave. She wouldn't let herself grasp onto false hopes. She would not feel this pain!
Raven jumped as her hands began to glow black. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos, Azarath Metrion Zinthos", she muttered, trying to calm her wild emotions. She couldn't afford to destroy anything in this room. A cold fear curled around her abdomen as she envisioned the horrible consequences of losing control inthis room.
After a few moments of internal struggle, her mind calmed enough to return to normal thought. She noticed that, at some point while she was lost in her own mind, the nurse had brought in a cushioned chair with a bright floral pattern. Raven dragged it over to the bed and gratefully sank onto it, realizing just how stiff and sore her joints were. The plain, black-rimmed clock on the wall read 12:45;almost two hoursinto the new day. Raven could see no reason to welcome this fact. Her cold logic told her that things would either stay the same, or get much worse...
"Miss, what's his name?"
"Wh-What?"
"His name!", snapped the paramedic.
"R-Robin", she stuttered, trying to force herself to focus on his questions.
The paramedic raised an eyebrow. "Last name?"
Raven remained silent, wondering what in the world she should say. "He...It's just Robin."
He gave her an odd look, then turned back to the paper. "Any allergies?"
"I...I don't think so."
He nodded, marking it down. "Blood type?"
Finally, a question she could answer. Robin had made them all fill out a form giving this sort of information, in case of an emergency. "O."
Raven stumbled as the ambulance took a sharp turn. She tried not to look at Robin, but she couldn't help it. Her eyes were glued to him, no matter how hard she tried to pull them away. He was covered in blood, the bright crimson of it burning into her eyes...If she had just stopped him...Why hadn't she stopped him?
Raven blinked back the tears, trying to block out the images...
"R-Raven?", he gasped, his voice shaking and breaking up.
"I'm here", she choked, taking his bloody hand and squeezing it reassuringly, trying to find some courage to give him.
"It's ok...d-don't be scared-" He stopped abruptly, gasping for breath as pain burned through his body.
Raven sobbed, and the glass in all the windows in all the buildings within a 100-foot radius exploded, sending shards shooting out in all directions.
"I...g-guess I should have...looked both ways, huh?" He tried to smile, to ease the fear he could feel rippling off of her, but he cried out instead as the pain intensified...
"Robin?" There was no response from Boy Wonder. She swore loudly, fumbling for her communicator, jabbing a small yellow button, and putting herself through to the nearest hospital...
"Dear?"
Raven jumped, whirling around as someone touched her arm. She fiercely wiped the tears from her cheeks as she saw the soft eyes of Robin's nurse.
"I thought you might be hungry", she explained, smiling and holding out a tray of food.
Raven tried to smile and thank her, but all she managed was a small nod. She took the tray and went back to the chair, scooping up a bite of spaghetti to convince the nurse that she would eat it. The nurse nodded her approval, and hurried out the door.
Raven stared blearily at Robin's bare face. His mask, along with all his other clothes, save for his utility belt, had been disposed of before surgery. He didn't even look like Robin without his mask and his costume. He looked...normal. "That shouldn't seem odd. He is normal; he just chooses not to be."
The meaning of this statement struck her in full. Why had he chosen this life? They, his team, had no real choice. They would never fit in with their peers, because of their abilities. But Robin could. Robin was fully capable of living a normal teenage life, with normal teenage friends, going to a normal teenage school... Raven felt a familiar longing for that life, the life that was denied her. To feel, without breaking something or hurting someone. To be carefree, happy, normal. She felt almost angry with him for giving that up. Why had he thrown it all away?
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Sorry if this chapter was a bit...odd. And confusing. And boring. And if you are starting to feel like this is really two stories in one, you are, more or less, correct. Trust me, it will all make sense later...if it doesn't right now. Review, let me know if you liked my method of bringing back the bird. -Dusty