"I have my sources."
"So we aren't related, why do you cover your eyes all the time Robin?" Terra changed the subject.
"It's a long story."
"We apparently have a long time." Terra gestured to the Spartan room.
"I…I've never told anyone my story."
Robin sat on the bed.
"Common it will be fun, if you tell me yours I'll share mine." Terra sat down beside him.
"No not now."
"Please? I'll go first if you agree."
"Uh…" Robin stopped in mid sentence as the slot by the table slid open and a conveyor system delivered two trays. Terra got up and went over to the table.
"This is dinner?" Terra asked the now closing slot as she sat down. Robin followed her over and saw why she asked. Each tray had a plastic bowl of some sort of gray mushy porridge, a bowl of some sort of soup, and a cracker. The only utensil was a plastic spoon.
"Yes this is dinner." Slade's cold voice came on from some hidden speaker. "If you don't want it don't eat it, but you won't get any more until you return the tray." The food dispenser slot reopened, but this time with a metal plate blocking any inquiry into the workings of the device. It was just an empty cabinet.
"Oh one other thing when the lights start to dim that means that lights out in ten minutes."
"Slade what…" The voice cut off. "…do you want with us?" Robin asked again.
The two trapped teenagers ate in silence, until Robin decided to reopen conversation.
"Terra?"
"Yes."
"Why do you want to know so much about me?"
"What, I can't find out that someone I've known for quite a while has eyes just like me, and that they know more about me than anyone else, and that I can know nothing about them?" Robin had hit a nerve Terra was irritated to say the least.
"Sorry that wasn't what I meant to say."
"What did you mean to say?" She finished her meal and slammed it back onto the dispenser nook. Terra wanted to leave the room but there was no place to get away from him, pig headed idiot, or was there? Terra got up and went into the bathroom, sealing the door behind her.
"Terra wait, I didn't mean to upset you." Robin placed his tray in the dispenser nook, he had only eaten half, and followed after Terra. She reached the bathroom and closed the door before he could stop her. Robin stood there trying to think about what to say, why did he even care hat Terra thought? After thinking for a minute he knew why.
"Terra." Robin didn't expect an answer; he sat down outside the door anyway. "I was orphaned at an early age. I never knew my mother or father. I lived on the street, stealing to eat and basically scrounging out a living. Terra had barley been paying attention to Robin but when she heard him talking she perked up and sat next to the door. Why the sudden change in him?
"Batman was my first real father, and after a time we grew apart. I got that scar from him when I failed. It sounds harsh but I dissevered far more. Since then I've tried to hide the old me."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I've never told anyone this but you're the first to ask."
"I doubt that, why Robin?"
"This is all my fault."
"How, you didn't help Slade capture me."
"I walked right into his trap. He set out bait and I fell for it, no one else did but I ignored them." Robin sighed.
"I deserve everything that's happened to me, but you don't so I guess I'm just trying to make amends." The bathroom door opened, Terra walked out and sat down next to Robin.
"Blame Slade not yourself."
"You never shared the story of your life."
"You know most of it already."
"Just names not how you came to Jump city or anything about you."
"I was just a normal kid, loved by my parents, I was happy. My mother loved me very much and cared for me, played with me you know mother stuff." Terra sighed. "My father, I don't think he really liked me, like he resented me fro being born or something. He never told me he didn't like me but I could tell. He would play with me and never smile like he was just grinning and bearing it. I was never close to my dad, but my mom was my best friend too."
"Something happened." Robin didn't ask he just said it.
"Yeah, my thirteenth birthday." Another sigh. "At the party I got into a fight with my dad when he caught me and some of my friends playing spin the bottle. I threw a tantrum and then the ground started to shake." She stopped and tried to start twice but couldn't, she was on the verge of tears.
"Its ok you can stop." Robin put his hand around Terra and patted her on the shoulder. He was a little surprised that she let him.
"No, I promised I'd tell you."
"The house collapsed." Terra finally continued. "I, I was unhurt but my mom." Terra paused again. "She was rushed to the hospital, she was in a coma. My dad knew I had done it, he didn't say how he knew; I didn't know how I did it. He threw me out of the hospital room, told me he never wanted to see me again. I stormed out and never came back."
"You couldn't have known what would happen, Terra don't blame yourself."
"But I should it was my fault, anyway I got on a bus and with only fifty dollars in gift money I just left. I wasn't thinking straight and when I did regain control I didn't want to face my father." Robin started to say something but Terra cut him off.
"I know that it was dumb and as I look back I don't really know how I survived untouched. I worked in dinners and motels across the country for three years, I got lucky finding people who would help me and not try to exploit me. I eventually came here and that's where I meet you."
"What happened to your parents?" Terra paled some when Robin asked this.
"My mother, she came out of her coma but was never the same, I know because I went back once. She didn't even recognize me, I avoided my dad."
"You know that they probably were very worried about you."
"Maybe my mom but she wasn't all there, I don't care what my dad thinks."
The twos discussion was interrupted by the noticeable dimming of the lights. Terra who was still near tears changed the subject.
"Looks like we need to find our way to the bed, how will we do this?"
"I am going to take the heavy cover and sleep on the floor, you can have the bed Terra."
"Ok." Terra really wondered to herself why Robin was being so nice, and open. He was really bothered about what happened with Slade, he hadn't told her the specifics but he was defiantly remorseful about something.
"Goodnight Robin."
"Goodnight Terra." Robin rolled over, his back to Terra and closed his eyes. Terra stared up at the ceiling as the lights cut out. Terra shuddered as she found herself once again embraced by darkness, or was it cold, Terra closed her eyes reminding herself that this was just normal darkness, but sleep was slow to come.
"Robin." Robin came awake with a start, momentarily forgetting where he was. He came up fast in a position to defend himself, only to find Terra was poking him from her spot up on the bed. Robin dropped to the floor from his fight stance as he realized where he was.
"Yes Terra."
"Robin its really cold and, um, could you come up here with that blanket." Robin had taken the heavy blanket on the bed and was currently on the floor. As Robin stood up to face her he realized that it was much colder than it had been when he had gone to sleep. "Please Robin I wont roll over on you or anything."
"Ok hold on a second." Robin tossed the blanket over the bed and then felt his way around to the other side. "Is this ok?"
"Thank you Robin." Robin laid down with his back to Terra and tried to find sleep but he was restless. He had no problems when he was on the floor and this bed was more comfortable, but he felt wrong for being so close to her. It wasn't like he was dating Starfire, or Beastboy had rights to Terra, but he felt uncomfortable with the idea of the two of them together, even in a non-romantic way. A low groan and a rustling of fabric caused Robin to lose his train of thought. Terra was asleep again and she rolled over, her arm draping over Robin's shoulder. Robin's first reaction was to throw her arm off but he suppressed that idea and just laid there. It was nice to have a warm touch right? No, but Robin decided to ignore Terra's arm for her sake. Robin slowly found his way back to sleep and didn't even notice Terra roll closer to him and him to her.