The darkness faded again but this time Robin was in a new setting.
He knew this place very well. That's where he lived since he was eight. He knew every nook and cranny to the entire complex. It was a large mansion with high ceilings and polished wood and tiled floors; it was full of rich colors such as browns and reds. Paintings of people and things covered the walls and vases and pottery were set on old tables as decorations. He smelt delicious food from a door to his left but didn't dare investigate. He was standing in the entrance hall and was facing a large stair case with a polished wood banister.
He knew this place. It was his home. Or at least it used to be before he left.
Robin sighed. He missed his home but he knew he couldn't go back. There were so many memories back there and he couldn't bear to relive them.
He wanted to know what was going on.
Why was he here?
Why couldn't anyone see him?
What was making him remember these things?
He sighed again. Maybe he was dead and this was hell or something he had to pass through to get to heaven. Maybe this was his life passing before his eyes or something like that.
He didn't know or care.
If he was dead he was dead and no one would care.
Bruce disowned him, he was a terrible leader and friend to the titans, and even he hated himself sometimes.
He heard a door open behind him. He turned and saw once again himself at the age of nine and a half. He was carrying a small red backpack and following him into the room was the billionaire Bruce Wayne, who was carrying the boy's suitcase. Dick's eyes were down as he quietly entered the large room but as he stood in the large room his eyes widened in shock of how large the place was.
"You live here?" his little voice said quietly.
"Yes chum," Bruce said warmly, smiling down at the young boy. "So what do you want to do first? I can give you a tour of the house or we can go straight to your room…"
Just then a man entered. He was old but held himself up straight and tall. He looked serious yet humorous at the same time; he looked stern yet kind. He was wearing a tux and his shoes were shined to perfection. He had balding salt and pepper hair and a dark black mustache.
"Good evening Master Bruce," the man said in a British sounding accent.
"Good evening Alfred," Bruce said returning the greeting.
"Is the young sir ht you've been telling me about Master Bruce?"
"Yes Alfred this is Dick Grayson." Bruce turned back to Dick. "Dick this is Alfred. He's my butler and very close friend.
"How do you do Master Dick?" Alfred held out his hand and gave the boy a smile.
"I'm fine," Dick said quietly shaking the man's offered hand, and giving his a small barely detectable smile.
"So Alfred is dinner almost ready?" Bruce asked. "Actually that is the reason I came out here," the butler said straightening.
"Dinner is served and is getting colder by the second. So why don't you two get washed up?"
Alfred took their coats and Dick's bags as Bruce led the boy upstairs to the washroom. Even though the scene started fading Robin still heard Alfred mutter something he hadn't heard when he was living the scene the first time.
"Maybe this boy will bring some life into Master Bruce…he has to…"
The next thing Robin saw was the scene after dinner. Dick and Bruce were following Alfred up the stairs. The butler was carrying Dick's bags and was holding his head up high as he led the way.
"I hope this room will be to your liking you sir," he said opening a large door and revealing a huge room with high windows and a large canopy bed. "This was Master Bruce's room when he was your age."
The room was dark and kinda creepy but that didn't matter. This was Dick's new home and h could deal with darkness.
He stepped further into the room and looked around. On the right side of the large canopy bed was a small box full of old toys and on the right was a small bedside stand. A dresser stood on the far-left wall and on the right wall was a large fireplace.
That was about it. Then Alfred went over to the windows and drew the curtains; revealing a beautiful view of the front law, part of the gate and driveway. The extra light also revealed a large painting above the fireplace. There were two people, a man and a woman, staring out of the frame.
"Bruce," Dick said addressing the man behind him. "Who are they?" He pointed to the painting.
"Those two people were my parents," he spoke quietly, not looking at his ward.
"Oh…"
"Well Dick it's getting late and I have meeting early tomorrow. Why don't you let Alfred help you settle in and you can go to bed. You have a busy day tomorrow. You'll get to know the house." Bruce stared walking out the door. "Hey Alfred when you're done here let me see you downstairs."
"Yes master."
"Good night." And with that Bruce walked out the door and down the stairs.
"Did I say something wrong Alfred?" Dick asked quietly.
"Not at all young sir," Alfred said looking up from where he was placing Dicks folded clothes into the drawers in the dresser. "Master Bruce is just tired."
"Are you sure?" Dick asked uncertainly.
"Certainly Master Dick. Now come on and get ready for bed. We'll go and buy you new clothes and items of your choosing tomorrow."
The scene once again faded leaving Robin in the dark once again as a new scene started to appear.
He remembered all this; he just pushed all these memories into the back of his mind. He didn't want to remember them.
Robin saw himself again but this time Dick was following Bruce. He was sneaking around behind him while he went into his study.
Robin knew what day this was.
He remembered this day perfectly.
Dick saw Bruce turn the hands of his large clock to noon and a secret passage opened in the wall. Bruce stepped inside and the wall closed.
He heard Dick give out a gasp of surprise.
The hands on the clock returned to normal. Dick waited a few seconds and the he rushed foreword and rearranged them to point to 12 o'clock. The wall opened again and he cautiously went inside.
Robin remembered his thoughts from back then.
He thought Bruce might've been an alien or maybe even a mad-scientist. He was way off.
Dick realized that he was in some kind of secret elevator and when the doors reopened he was surprised at what he saw.
There was some kind of cave n their basement.
Alfred was there with a large man that he thought was only a myth. They were both looking at him.
He cautiously walked down the stairs a look of awe on his face.
"Young man what are doing up so late?" Alfred asked as if nothing was wrong. "You should be up in bed."
"Batman…" Dick said absently totally ignoring Alfred. "You're real?"
The man in all black with the pointed eared cowl nodded slightly.
"Yes chum he's real," Batman said taking off his cowl and revealing the face of Bruce Wayne.
"Bruce you're Batman?"
"Seems like that doesn't it chum?"
Dick nodded slowly.
"I have work to do but I promise that if you go to bed and keep this our little secret I will tell you everything in the morning. Alright?"
Dick just nodded again in total awe of what was happening.
"Young manget your behind back in bed. Someone your age should not be up so late," Alfred's voice said sternly but Dick didn't care. He knew the Batman! "Don't dawdle. Go."
Random images of Dick training down in the cave and a flash of him swearing to be Robin flashed before Robin's eyes. Until they finally stopped letting a new scene finally appear.
The new scene was once again in the front hall but it was a new day, maybe even a new year. Robin saw Dick slide down the large banister to the staircase with a whoop of laughter. He landed gently at the bottom. He looked a little older; maybe a year had passed. He was wearing a dark red shirt, jeans and black sneakers.
Alfred came out of the kitchen his hands on his hips.
"Young sir," he said sternly. "What have I told you of that behavior?"
"You said that it's not proper or safe," Dick said seriously but his smile wasn't about to fade. "But Al it's so much fun!"
"Fun or not it isn't allowed in this house. Now come and eat your breakfast."
Dick followed Alfred into the large kitchen and sat down in a chair next to Bruce who was already there drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper. He looked up when they entered.
"Good morning chum," he said setting the paper down.
"Hey Bruce!"
"You get caught sliding down the banister again?"
"Yea…mmmm" Dick said smelling the food. "Blueberry pancakes and your hot chocolate? Al you're the best."
Alfred set the food and drinks on the table with a smile.
"I knew these were your favorite and I thought you should have a good breakfast on your eleventh birthday."
"Happy birthday Dickey," Bruce said as he placed a brightly wrapped present on the table in front of the boy, smiling.
"I totally forgot that today was March 20th," Dick said ripping open the wrapping covering his gift. "Wow! Thanks!" Dick pulled out a brand new red, green and yellow skateboard. "Dude this is awesome!"
"Now young man there are some rules with this," Alfred watched as Dick's face fell slightly. "Don't use it in the house…"
Dick's face lit up once again and he grabbed both men in a hug. "Thank you! It is so awesome! I'm gonna go try it out now!" He jumped up out of his chair and would've bolted out the door if the butler hadn't caught him by the shoulders.
"I wasn't finished," he said as Dick took his seat again. "You must wear these at all times." He pulled out a pair of matching knee and elbow pads along with a helmet from behind the table.
"Aww but Alfred…"
"No buts young man. You want to be safe don't you?"
"But they look so lame. Bruce do I have to?"
"I'm sorry but I have to agree with Alfred here chum," the multibillionaire said looking at his ward. "You don't want to get hurt now do you?"
"No…" Dick said glumly.
"Come on eat your breakfast and I'll let you choose where you want to eat for dinner."
Dick's eyes lit up. "Really Bruce? Anywhere?"
"Anywhere you want chum."
"Yes!" Dick started to cut up his pancakes and started shoveling them into his mouth.
"Don't choke now Dick," Bruce said taking a sip of coffee and started coughing.
Dick started laughing. "Yea Bruce don't choke."
Bruce started laughing between coughs and even Alfred let out a snicker.
Robin remembered most of that day extremely well but he didn't want to see the rest. He never wanted to remember that day.
He was actually happy that day.
A few months after that Robin saw himself skateboarding back home from the store when a large black car swerved in front of him. He fell off his board and rolled out of the car's path but there was another car behind the first. He managed to get to his knees and stare in shock as the second car came hurtling into is chest. He fell onto his back and felt one of the car wheels come down crushing his arm.
Robin felt all the pain he felt that day.
He was in pain for something that he had already gone through.
What was going on?
Then his consciousness went black.
The Titans along with Mary and Tom entered to find a man wearing a suit of all black that showed off his muscles. A black cowl with pointed ears was upon the figure's head. The man was sitting with is head in his hands by Robin's bed.
Robin was pale and had a tube down his throat. His body was lying limply on the bed and the only thing that assured them that he was alive was the beeping and whooshing of the machines surrounding his bed.
The man stood up quietly when he heard the door close behind them. His eyes were white behind the cowl and his mouth was set in a straight emotionless line.
"So you're the Titans?" he asked quietly.
"Yes sir," Starfire spoke up. "We have come to see friend Robin. We had to make sure our leader was alright."
She took a step away from her group towards the man. "Sir are you the Batman who protects the streets of Gotham?"
"I am," he said taking a step towards her. "I won't waste time with lengthily introductions; in time I'll figure out your names. You may ask your questions if you have any."
They seemed a little surprised at the authority in his voice but they quickly got over it.
"Is he gonna' be okay?" Beastboy spoke up from behind Starfire.
Suddenly the machines started beeping widely and the lines on the heart monitor started moving faster and closer together. Robin started thrashing about wildly.
Batman hit a red button on the wall and held Robin down so he wouldn't thrash so wildly and rip the IV out of his hand.
The Titans moved out of the way as the door behind them opened. Two nurses and a doctor rushed into the room. The doctor was fiddling with a hypodermic needle while the nurses helped Batman hold the thrashing teen down.
The doctor stuck the needle into the IV and Robin's body slowly started to calm until he was once again a limp form. The heart monitor slowed but it never truly went back to its steady rhythm but it was close enough.
The doctor and nurses checked his vital signs and wrote something on the chart at the end of his bed then left.
The group huddling together in the corner was quiet during the whole process. They didn't move or even speak they just stood there and watched.
Batman looked over at them and for a second his eyes looked sad behind the mask.
"They aren't sure if he'll last the night; his condition keeps falling."
They could only look on as the boy they knew to be their leader fought for his life.
(A/N: Ok well I am so sorry for stopping it there. It's been so long since I've updated and I am so sorry I worked rally hard on this chapter and I hope you liked it so please forgive my tardiness.i know that some of these scenes aren't real but theBatman comics couldn't tell thewhole story could they? WellI was running out of memories andI needed onelikethe skateboarding accident to fit inwith this story.So just in case people get mad at me because they aren't real i am saying righhtnow i know they didn't happen but i don't care because this is my story and i can do whatever in it. ::sticks tounge out at nitpickers:: so there. )
Review Replies:
Elizabeth Aiken: Thanks for the cookie. ::munches:: YUM!
Lost Inside: Thanks for reviewing. I don't think many people would like his past.
Terra18: I like the flashbacks too. That's why I'm continuing them.
Kaliann: Sorry he didn't wake up in this chapter. I was thinking about it but I didn't think it fi
Chibi Lauryn: Thanks for waiting. I hope you liked this chapter.
Jays Arravan: I will show what Bruce is thinking eventually but I'm sure when. I'm hoping to bring some more people from Dick's past to visit him.
Poopy Penguin: I updated…Don't hurt me. ::hides::
RobinRox13: Thanks for loving it!
Raven-Yumichick: I thoughts I did a pretty good job on the reactions also. Thanks for reviewing!
TheLivingGhost: OOO don't cry. ::hands box of tissues to TheLivingGhost:: There you go.
Talum: I work really hard on each chapter you can be sure of it
Spazzfire: I've never seen a 700ft high cliffy yet...guess I'm the first…COOL!
Kat: Thanks a bunch! A 16?!? WOW thanks a while bunch! Thanks for making me your fav writer I am touched!
Yukigata: sorry this isn't the end yet.
Chris: Robin is my favorite character too. He is just so totally awesome. You may just see what Starfire and Robin do because even I'm not to sure. Oo and by the way your name is the name of my best friend whi happens to be a guy.
Ok that's the end of chapter 8 and it took me a long time to do. So please I hope u enjoyed. And review for the next chapter!
::SPREE::
TheDudeLordOfFantasy