Hi…here I am with an update. Don't you just love me?

DeathIsOnlyTheBeginin: Aw…thanks! Hm…I wanted to put it up there, but mom disapproved…maybe I'll talk to her and see if I can get her to change her mind. Yeah, I've really appreciated your reviews so far. Thanks again!

Jambey: LOL yes, frenzy…and my research paper has suffered greatly for it. Ok, she slapped him because it was an automatic reaction to something that shocked her big time. Now about that, as you will see in this chapter, she suspected it all along…just hoping against hope that she was wrong. LOL may I ask what on earth you want a crowbar for? LOL yes, that was incredibly ironic…worst of all is I felt bad for the little…individual.

Cutter-with-a-cause: Hmm…how bout…now? Raven: Liked it? Hardly. –glares haughtily- Venton: it was all right…I've had better… Raven: -slap-

Tifereth Kantrishakrim: LOL yeah, I know what you mean there. Good, you caught yourself…yeah, that is pretty much his character. Just a smart $$ without a cause… Yeah, you'll see about that in a minute. LOL yeah, had to have a bit of comic relief. Since Raven is his power source, his strength, his purpose, Venton is going to do everything he can to keep Rob from remembering her…at least in that state…well you'll see about that in a bit. LOL you are right…something did come to me, no doubt sparked by your excellent reviews! Thank you so much!

Raving-Lunatic: LOL! Thanks…glad to here from you again!

CelticHeiressFiona: Yes, you could say that. Okie day.

Furubafun24: Nah that's fine. LOL no kidding…still can't get used to that word. LOL no, you can kill him if you want…not like he would be missed. LOL been a while since I updated…but that one shot was good, especially the poem. No pressure, but I would be interested in seeing you try your hand at a Rae/Rob one shot…I bet it would be great. LOL I know what you mean there…so I'll just do my best to work out the kinks.

Mystyre: LOL yeah, she's great. Thanks…I like to call him vegetable names, that and String Bean. Pam Conrad eh? Hm…I should check it out sometime.

Amber Myst: LOL holy heart failure, Batman, thanks a bunch! Gets a wee bit confusing when you work it out eh? "Ok, let me get this straight. We're inside Mumbo's hat, and Raven's inside Mumbo's hat inside Mumbo's hat?" I agree…and you are probably right, cuz I'm known for having horrible cliffhangers. Thanks!

NevermoretheRaven: Yeah…I'm funny like that.

Aeris-Raven: Yeah…it's kinda like how the wheat goes with the tares…or maybe how the mold infects all the good parts of the orange…I'll just stop there. LOL thanks…thought I'd through in some comic relief.

Raven-Fieryblack: Yeah…it is creepy, isn't it? LOL thanks.

Shut up and read.

Raven didn't stop running until her door slid shut behind her, darkness closing around her as she pressed her back against the cold metal. Alone in her room, Raven let it all out.

Glass shattered, plaster walls cracked, pages ripped themselves from books as a sob broke free from her control. Tears streamed down her face as she leaned her head back, eyes squeezed shut against the images in her mind. Slowly, subconsciously, a hand drifted up to touch her lips. She felt tainted, impure. That kiss…she shuddered. It was so unlike Robin.

"That's because it wasn't Robin. It isn't Robin. And you know it."

Ice spread through her body as that thought finally broke through the barrier and hit her in the face. It wasn't so much the words themselves, but rather, what they meant. If that wasn't Robin, that meant he was…

Robin's eyes flickered open behind his mask, and a weak smile found its way to his lips as he stared up at her. "Hello, Angel…" he choked, violent coughs racking his body.

"I'm…so glad you're back, Rae…I…I missed you so much…"

"Raven? Raven…"

Her fist banged against the wall. These stupid tears! She wiped them away fiercely, but a fresh wave replaced them almost instantly. All she could hear was his voice, calling to her so desperately that it tore her heart in two not to be able to answer. Were those his last words? Would that moment be the last she ever spent with him?

No! This couldn't be! Robin was here, he was fine, he was happy…but that didn't explain his miraculous recovery. Or why he hesitated when saying Starfire's name. or his horrendous intrusion upon her personal space. Robin had always respected her, always given her privacy, always been courteous and polite. He had never done more than touch her shoulder, or whisper a word of encouragement when the battle was too hard. She would never have even known how deeply he cared, had she not entered his mind. Robin would not…he would never…

"So, now you know it's not him. But what comes next?"

Raven opened her eyes slowly, head leaned back and staring at the ceiling. Somehow, deep inside, she knew that Robin was alive. When that…thing had kissed her, there was the tiniest whisper of him, small and faint, barely even detectable. But still there, hidden under layers upon layers of darkness. That meant there was still hope. If she could just find him…

"And how are you going to do that?"

Raven dug deep into her mind, finding a dark, quiet corner where she could think undisturbed. This being was clearly powerful, if it could suppress a spirit as stubborn and willful as Robin's. He must be heavily restrained, to avoid the risk of him regaining control. A simple word or two would not be enough to break him free. Raven knew that, if it was at all possible, Robin would fight, he would answer her call. His silence in itself showed how serious the situation truly was. There was only one way to find him, but would she even get the chance?

Robin stepped out of the shower, steam swirling around him as tiny rivers of water ran down his back from wet black hair. He smiled to himself as his eyes fell upon a bottle of hair gel. "Of course." He ignored it, however, wrapping a towel around his waist and stepping into the bedroom. That little confrontation with Raven had taught him two things: one, half mortals weren't all that bad, and two, he needed to have a little study period with dear old Robin.

He smirked, closing his eyes and blocking out the heavily papered walls around him, focusing on the inside….

Venton opened his eyes, and couldn't help but grin at the sight that met them. Robin's mind, far from a pleasant place before, was now an absolute nightmare. The sky was pitch black, with veins of red tracing through it like little rivers of blood. Black, pestilent crows swarmed on the ground, diving and swooping in search of prey. The virtual Jump City was completely gone, not a trace of it in this vast, hellish wasteland. The ground trembled and shook, a hiss of steam boiling up from a bottomless pit of lava, lying in wait just below the surface. Venton's grin widened, though it didn't reach his cold shadow eyes. This was perfect, like a home away from home. Now where was that little pest?

Ah…there. A few feet away from him was a cage, its bars of the deepest black. At its center was Robin, encircled by thousands of fiery ropes, snaked around his neck, his wrists, his ankles, all of them seemingly emanating from the bars of the cage. He was a ghostly white, eyes open but sightless, mouth moving soundlessly, a look of horror frozen on his face, and all the while, the symbol burned a fiery red on his brow, pulsing with the very beating of his heart.

Venton watched happily for a moment, then waved a hand before the cage. Instantly the symbol burned down to nothing but a charred and darkened mark, and the ropes lost their brightness. He leaned casually against the bars, watching as Robin made his first small movements.

The first thing he did when he felt his lungs within his chest was scream, yell as loud as he could, pouring all the pain and horror from his being as though containing it for one second longer would kill him. That was it…he had died…he had died and somehow had the misfortune of going to Hell.

Bone-chilling laughter echoed in his ears, filling him with a dread deeper than any he had ever experienced.

"Oh no. You aren't dead…but you're going to wish you were before I'm through with you."

Robin struggled to lift his head, but found that his muscles had been turned to jello. All he could see was a pair of feet, covered in leather boots, artistically ripped and shredded to the point of being ragbag rejects. This did nothing to ease his mind.

"To be quite honest, I pity you, Rob. That must hurt like hell, eh?" He chuckled quietly, watching Robin continue to struggle, not willing to accept defeat even though it was laughing in his face. It was amusing, the way he was still trying to win. Amusing, but still so stupid.

Robin's mind was racing with questions, the same ones repeated over and over as though hoping to spark some vague, distant memory. How did he get here? Where was here? Who was that guy? Why did he hurt so much? Where was Ra—

Blinding agony raced like wildfire through his veins, ripping a scream from his tired lungs as he begged for it to stop, pleaded with whoever might be listening to end his suffering…

As suddenly as it had come, the pain diminished, leaving his gasping for air, his eyes watering as he hung limply in the ropes.

"Now, now, Robin. That's a naughty word."

What word? What was he talking about? His head throbbed horribly the more he searched for the answer.

"Although, I have to admit…" Venton grinned maliciously, eyes burning as they fell upon Robin. "She's a great kisser."

Robin contented himself with breathing deeply, drawing as much of the stale putrid air as his starved lungs could hold. Thinking hurt too much.

"Now, I think I need to brush up on my Boy Wonder trivia, so just relax. This will be as painless as you make it." Venton phased through the bars, smiling a little as he advanced on the defenseless Robin.

Horrible stopping place, I know. Review please, I know that was a bit creepy, but hopefully you liked it anyway. Have a good nice day/night/afternoon/life. -Dusty