Hello! Here are a few notes I'd like you to take in for me please.
Member those training lessons Brian gave Raven? I'm sorry I put them in so bluntly, but it had to be there. I couldn't figure out any other way to put it in besides him just asking her. They make a big deal to the story, even if it doesn't seem like it now.
Hint: don't forget about the book in chapter 3. (Don't deny it, I know that gave you a small tinge of excitement. ADMIT IT!)
After this chapter, I don't want anyone saying, 'HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?'. Just don't. After a million times of hearing it here and there, it gets annoying.
That I'm SOOOOOOOO SORRY for being late. I was looking very forward to this weekend cuz I had a few parties to go to, so I put everything aside for a while and got ready for them. (I was hosting one myself.)
That I love you. Yes. You. And only you.
Oh, wait I forgot to put the disclaimer up above the line. Oh well.
Disclaimer: Don't own nothin but Brian n me shoe.
"No!"
"There isn't a choice chi-"
"Who said you could make me do anything? I'm not doing that again, I can't even believe you made me do that in the first place, you bastard! I thought you were after Robin. Why are you giving a shit about me? Don't make me do that again to her. She doesn't deserve-"
Bang.
It has been like this for a few weeks. Raven and Robin got closer, family almost. They fought closer together, went everywhere to talk and even started hug more often. Yet this was good news, the sight of Raven's 'Zoro' running around town like a villain was heart wrenching.
Something told Raven this wasn't him. He would never do this to her. But if it didn't, why didn't she see any signs of restraint from him? Why didn't she see him come back atleast once to say he was sorry or someone was controlling him? It didn't make since. He was strong, stronger than Cyborg.
It was 3 in the morning, and Robin was restless. Though he now knew Raven didn't stay up waiting for her lover anymore, he continued to feel something wrong. So he decided to take a drive through the city.
"What the hell…"
Robin had just passed an old store that was being put up for sale, but found a figure inside. As he stopped his cycle and put down his helmet, he saw the figure move once, then stop. The boy wonder ran to the limp body and noticed something. There was something familiar about this guy.
As he started to move the guy's black bangs out of his eyes, he saw who it was.
"Red- Brian?"
Robin started to get so angry at the sight of Red X. He was about to toss him to the side and smash his skull into the pavement, but something caught his eye. Red blood stained the ground, along with his clothes and skin. Robin noticed how Brian started to breathe again, and moved his hand to clutch his chest.
But Robin moved Brian's hand to take a glance at what he was hiding, and found the obvious. There was a fatal gunshot wound right where his heart should be. But something was weird, Brian shouldn't be moving. The bullet was aimed straight at the heart, and then gunman made a perfect shot. But yet Brian was still breathing and moving. Why was that so?
"Brian." Robin said firmly, shaking the young man below him. But all he got was a groan.
Robin kneeled down and shook him again.
"Brian. What happened?"
"R...Raven?"
Robin started to steam from the head. 'Hey! I don't sound like a girl you dumbass!"
"No this is Robin."
The Titan heard Brian take a sharp breathe in surprise.
"Ro-Robin? Please. Please don't…don't…"
"I'm not going to hurt you. But we need to get you to the hospital right now. What happened?" Even though Robin was ecstatic to hear that Brian was actually kind of scared of him after Robin stuck up for Raven multiple times, this wasn't the time to be happy.
"No…Not the hospital…They…I…"
"No. I'm taking you to a special hospital. Me and the Titans go to this one all the time, they know about our abilities." Though Robin knew Brian had no special abilities and wasn't as trained as himself, they would know what to do better than a crowded dirty hospital.
"Thank you…" Brian passed out.
"Where is friend Robin?"
"Yeah, he wasn't at breakfast this morning."
"Dude! His cycle's gone an everything!"
"Shh, man! We shouldn't wake up Raven!"
"Yes, Cyborg is right. If we do proceed in telling Raven, she will be full of sadness. Especially since we cannot locate him."
"Yeah, what if she hears that he was missing through the night too? She'll be really crushed."
"So, are you guy's saying we need to lie to her? Cause' you do know she's an empath, right?"
"C'mon yall, we'll just leave a note and go into town."
"I do think this is for the best. Atleast for this period of time."
"BRIAN!" Raven woke up and automatically sat up in sitting position. Sweat was like a second skin to her, as it poured down her face.
Panting, she felt around her to feel her normal sheets. She looked around to see her normal room. She let her tongue slide around her lips, tasting the salt of her tears and sweat combined.
The dream was too vivid, something was wrong. She had had dreams like this before. The night before Robin had accepted Slade's offer to become his apprentice. The night before her birthday. Something was definitely wrong.
Raven threw off her covers and ran into the livingroom to find a note plastered to the counter top.
Hey Rae!
The company and me went to town to get some supplies and food; you were still sleeping so we didn't want to wake you up. Call if you need anything.
-Cyborg
'I guess they're…all right. What was with that dream though?'
Raven plopped down on a stool and read over the note Cyborg left.
"The company and I…" She sighed.
"So?"
"What?"
Robin stared at him. Hoping his glare would send a hidden message.
"What happened?"
"Oh. That."
Brian lay on a bed in a light blue and white room. His clothes were changed, and he was now wearing Dark blue pajama pants. Robin could see his chest, which had several bandages, especially over his heart.
"What happened? I need to know, you know that." Robin gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Robin didn't know what to do really. He was angry with Brian, but seeing him defenseless without an alibi put him in a whole new light.
"You don't really want to know." Brian chuckled lightly.
"Well I have to know. Whether I have to beat it out of you or not." Robin snickered.
Brian took in a long deep breath, and scratched the back of his head.
"I'm pretty sure you are aware of Slade?"
Robin just gave a low growl.
"Well, do you remember that night when you were at the club when Raven and I were there too?"
Brian was responded by a disturbing cough from Robin.
"Yeah…well there was this man there. He said he wanted to talk to me, so we went outside. I knew I could defend myself if anything happened, but what I wasn't ready for was his tranquilizing gun."
(AN: This part might get confusing. The bold ones mean he is talking with Robin in the hospital (present) and the italic ones are what Brian is saying to Robin through a flashback. I hope you understand what I just said. Also, this part explains the little conversations that start and end a couple of my chapters. Chapters: 15, 17 and this one.)
"Get off me! What do you still want?" Yelled Brian backing away.
"Dear child, I only want you and your extraordinary talent."
"What talent?"
"I know all about Red X, Brian."
"…You…How did you…Who are you?"
"I, am your worst nightmare."
"Pfft. Prove it." He said, standing in a fighting stance.
Slade just stood there, smirking under his mask. Blinking his one eye, he stared down at the charging boy.
Brian let out a battle cry and shot his leg up to connect with the side of Slade's face. But the impact never came. Instead, Slade let his cold grip ring Brian's ankle.
Brian gasped slightly in surprise when Slade took out a needle the size of Texas.
"What are you…"
Slade pushed the needle through Brian's leg, right in the crook of his knee. Right where the artery was. Brian's last glance was the liquid being pushed through the needle into his bloodstream.
"After that, I found myself in this room where the rock's were walls. But yet it had all these weird computers. I was pretty sure I was underground somewhere." Brian said, looking contently at the serious toned wonder.
"Slade's hideout." Robin's voice was dripping with venom. He remembered that place all too clearly. The place where he was tricked into becoming an apprentice. The place where Terra had died, risking her life for them. Oh how the memories seemed to flood through his head like a waterfall.
"Yeah, there. When I woke up…"
Brian's eyes fluttered open and looked around in amazement as he sat up.
"Jeez…what happened?"
He stood up and dusted himself off. Without awareness, his left knee buckled from under him and he fell back to the floor. Why was his knee so weak all of a sudden?
"Now I remember…"
Brian remembered that fight, if you will, between that strange man and him. But Brian had gotten enough information from Raven's ravings about Robin being too obsessed with some guy named Slade, to know that this guy was indeed Slade.
"You've awaken. Perfect"
"What do you want, Slade?"
"Ah, so you already know who I am. Saves me from wasting breath."
"Spare me your complaints. Tell me what you want!"
"A little fast for death, are we?"
"I'd like to
see you TRY to kill me." Brian said bravely.
"No child, I don't want to kill you just yet. I need a job from you."
"And that would be…" Brian was getting annoyed by this guy already. Was it really true that someone could be so obsessed with such a staler as this one?
"You will become my apprentice. You will take down each and every Titan down to their knees. You will conquer by my side, until we are the rulers."
"WHAT! HAH! Yeah right, like that's gonna happen." Brian gave his mysterious kidnapper a brave smirk, tell him he isn't scared.
"Does it look like I will concern your opinion, young one? I was only addressing the situation. Now don't budge, it'll only tingle for a little while."
And with that, the mysterious kidnapper shoved a needle down Brian's bicep, pulling him into unconsciousness.
"God, that guy was really predictable, now that I mention it." Brian said rolling his eyes upward and tapping his chin with his index.
"Keep going." Robin said sternly, trying to clue together the clues of what happened.
"Alright alright, keep your pants on Sherlock."
'Why is everyone calling me that…' Robin just passed it off and started to listen to his story again.
"So I'm guessing that shot was different from the first one. I think the first just made me pass out. But the second one…I don't know…maybe it's something like hypnotism or whatever. But that how he made me do all those bad things. I started to bug you and Raven. God…Raven. I just want to tell you-"
"I know, Brian. I know now. I'll explain that to her." Robin said patting his shoulder, and giving him a genuine smile.
"Thanks. So anyway, I started to do all these bad things. Steal things I didn't need, do things to people I thought I would never do, and even loose my true love."
"Well, I got Raven super pissed at me." Red X smiled broadly.
"Good, and the others?"
"Of course. Especially that fool Robin."
"Excellent. You're making a wonderful apprentice. Soon you can be one without the injections that make you do my every command." Evil laughs followed that statement.
"Yes, Slade." Red X said, almost robotically.
"Until I had enough and started to realize what he was doing to me. At night when the meds would ware off, I would have all these scars and shit. I would wake up and wonder why I was laying on the floor of a room that was pitch black. I wouldn't know what happened that whole day. Later I started to figure out what was going on and found out that the black room I always woke up in would have had light if it were the daytime, there was indeed a window in there. I became immune to the night, and during that time I hadn't seen the sun, at all. I started to stand up for myself, little by little. Slowly I wouldn't react to the injection. Oh boy, and one day he injected me twice. But I didn't react, so I guess he got mad."
"Dumbass, I'm not going to take this anymore. You cant make me do anything, if you haven't already noticed-"
"That can be changed with a simple experiment. You WILL become my apprentice, whether you like it.or.NOT!" Slade yelled, slamming his fist into the wall next to them.
"No!"
"There isn't a choice."
"Who said you could make me do anything? I'm not doing that again, I can't even believe you made me do that in the first place, you bastard! I thought you were after Robin. Why are you giving a shit about me? Don't make me do that again to her. She doesn't deserve-"
Bang.
Robin understood why Brian was including Robin in his speech for Slade. He knew Brian was just confused why Slade went after him and not Robin.
"He…shot you?"
"Yeah, then left me in that damned store. That's when you came. And I'm grateful you did."
It was almost nighttime, and Raven hasn't heard a word from her team. She didn't care though, after her worry for Brian, she had been very stressed. Having the others out left her to meditate in peace. The others thought the roof was her favorite meditating place, but actually it was the living room. She only went to the roof because that was her favorite save for the living room. Which might I add was always filled with Beast Boy and Cyborg yelling about the mindless videogames.
In the living room, there wasn't a wind to blow out her wonderful smelling candles. In the living room, there wasn't a sound that made you think more about the water of the ocean than the center of peace.
Raven let out a sigh of relief when the sound of cars being blown up from the TV didn't come.
Nothing was wrong now. Everything was just…simple. Simple, yet so perfect.
Boy how she was so, so wrong.
(AN: Umm…since Brian isn't telling the story anymore, there isn't going to be an more bold and italics. Just letting you know.)
Robin had just crossed the underground (and underwater) tunnel that leads to the Titan's Tower and Jump City with his cycle.
He had spent half the night and the rest of the day since he saw Brian in that store. Robin only found out what was going on for a couple of weeks. But he had a feeling Brian has been going through some troubles even before he came to this city.
Even though the special hospital was about an hour away, it was worth it. Brian needed their treatment.
For some reason, Raven had been off his mind the whole day. He wanted to tell her what had happened…but yet he didn't. If Raven was stressed before, he could only imagine now. But the boy wonder knew it would be the right thing to do to tell Raven what happened. So he wanted to tell her face to face, so if she cries he will be there to hold her.
In mid thought, Robin's communicator went off.
"What is it- Dr. Miller? What's wrong? What happened?" Robin's voice was full of worry as he heard Brian's doctor speak.
"There's…(pant) he…(pant) he had a heart attack, but his heart was already unstable. There isn't a lot of time to explain, Robin. You are t he one to take care of him aren't you?"
"…Well…"
"Get over here then. Alright?" The doctor closed the connection. But not before Robin had turned around at the words 'Get over here'.
It had been two weeks since Brian was in the hospital. It had been two weeks since Robin sat in the waiting room all night. It had been two weeks…since Robin saw the line of Brian's life flatten.
He had deadlined him. Left him to face Raven, alone. Left him to Slade, alone. Why was he thinking about this? The day before it happened he wasn't exactly on good terms with him.
Here he was, sitting in the dirt. Looking on the rock that bore Brian's name.
Brian Romano
1988-2005
A Son. A Boyfriend. A Friend. A Brother.
Forever will he be rememberedAs a boy, yet a man
As a fighter, yet a lover.
"I'm not afraid."
No, he hadn't told Raven. And he had good reason.
Flashback waiting in the waiting room-
Robin sat tapping his foot. Tapping…tapping…tapping. When the hell would he be able to go in? He had waited most of the night.
There weren't many people around. That would be kind of obvious.
Robin had already called in to the tower to tell them he was going to Gotham for a visit to some people. He just hoped Raven didn't pick up anything wrong with his alibi.
The fearless leader was indeed scared. Brian, though he hated to admit, wasn't exactly the closest person to him at the time. This didn't compare to hearing the news about his parents. But this was no time to compare.
His thoughts were interrupted by his sensitive ears picking up the sound of someone coming, shoes connecting with the tile floor.
As the doctor walked in the room, Robin's heart started to pump against his chest, as he looked at the facial expression his personal doctor had.
"W-what's wrong?"
"He…I'm sorry. But he has very short life support left. I'd say you have around 30 minutes left, Mr. Greyson. I'm truly sorry." And with that, the doctor left. Leaving a very altered Robin.
What was with this guy? Brian had made Robin feel jealousy, pure hatred, and sadness all in one month.
Robin got up hesitantly, then rushed to Brian's room. Wasting time hesitating would be stupid; every minute now counted in Brian's life. And Brian, or any one for that matter, deserves to die alone.
As Robin walked into Brian's room, Robin stopped to look at the image ahead. Brian lay in the hospital bed, bandages wrapped around his chest leaving nothing of his skin. Brian didn't look peaceful. He looked like he was sleeping, but a rough sleep. His eyes were closed, but his left eyebrow was slightly twitching, as was his right hand on top of his bandaged stomach.
Robin inched further, finally sitting down next to Brian's bed. Robin sat there, knowing Brian knew he was there. He didn't know what to say, or even to say anything at all. Was he supposed to be light hearted? Was he supposed to be full of pity and sorrow?
"I…I'm sorry for everything I did wrong. I-"
"R…Robin." Brian didn't even open his eyes, he kept as still as possible. "This isn't a con…confession…al. I don't want to he…-Cough- hear this…shit." Brian managed to lift the corners of his mouth just enough to show Robin his humor.
Robin chuckled. "Jeez Brian, even during death, you are so…so…-"
"Different?" Brian finished. "I'm…not afraid."
Robin held his hand in his own, "You never were, Brian. I never doubted you. And To tell you, so you know…Raven has never stopped to think so as well. She still loves you too. She hasn't stopped. She told me herself."
Brian repeated her name, but barely over a whisper.
"Robin…"
"What is it?"
"Don't…-Cough- tell Raven." Brian opened his eyes slowly.
"…You don't want me to tell Raven? But…But Brian-"
Brian turned his head to face Robin, one last time.
"Promise me…Don't –Cough Cough- make her ache. Let her for…forget."
The sound of the loud 'Beep…beep…beep…beep' Turned into a 'Beeeeeeeep'. Robin turned his head from the floor, to the monitor, and to Brian. The boy wonder found the thief's eyes shut. Finally looking as peaceful as he should be.
Flashback End-
Robin sat on the dirt that was next to Brian's grave. His knees were pulled up to his chest, and his hands were gripping a neatly folded letter that was given to him from none other than Red X himself.
'Should I open it?'
Robin stared down at the letter. He saw how the sweat from his hands was dampening the letter already. Robin opened it slowly, not wanting to make the letter wet and unreadable before he was even able to satisfy his curiosity.
It read:
Hey Robin,
So I guess I died, huh? Well…that sucks. You better not have put something sappy on my gravestone. I hate serious moments…why not add a little humor to the cemetery, right? I wrote this after you left back to the tower.
Robin knew he meant the time between the tower and when Brian's heart started to give out.
Well technically I'm not writing this, some lady is. She said he name is Lucy. She says hi. But anyway, I wanted to bring something up. Listen, you and me? Were alike in so many ways. So hey, do me favor will you? I want you to go to the warehouse, and pick up my old costume. Theres a few that I haven't worn…so don't be scared. Try it on for size, all right? I know you know what I mean, Boy Blunder. Give it a try, I don't want Raven…well…I don't really know. For some reason, I just feel this is the right thing to do. If she figures out easily, you can stop. If she finds out, you suck as an actor. Just giving you a heads up though, that's all. Don't ask, just do. Keep asking, and life will ask you back…keeping you busy from doing things you really would want to do. I know you'll love the job…I mean, you did like Raven, didn't you?
"No. I loved her." Robin said outloud.
So just try it, please. Make her happy. Well…I'm gonna start eating now. Fascinating how hospital food should be tasty, yet it tastes like sh. Did Lucy bleep that? I told Lucy not to. Jeez! Lucy is crying.
Robin noticed how the handwriting changed from neat, to scratchy.
Yeah, Mr. Sherlock, I took over. She says the concept is sad, and said something about soaps on TV. Anyway, I guess I'll talk to you later then.
-Brian
PS: Umm…Damnit I forgot. Oh yeah, now I remember. I would have erased the beginning part, but as you know…this is in pen. Anyway, I gave the nurse some things I wanted to give Raven. Make sure she gives it to you. And make sure you give Raven these things AFTER you play dress up, got it? Good. See you.
Robin couldn't believe it. Could this guy be for real? He wanted Robin, the Boy wonder to dress up as Red X just to please Raven, Brian's lover.
'…Should I?'
Should he?
The plot twists…mwahah.
Thnx for reviews, thx so much!
M-
PS: There was something else I wanted to tell you, but I guess I forgot. You'll just have to wait until next update.
PSS: As you know, I suck at summaries, so maybe someone can come up with a good summary? And if I get around to it, it will become the permanent summary…with your screen in it for credit ofcourse!
