Sorry this is a bit late. I've been having major writer's block, and only just now figured out how to deal with the situation. To tell the truth, I didn't really figure it out. I'm just making this up and hoping it makes sense. In other news: retainers don't hurt. They're just friggin DISGUSTING. Ew, ew, ew, dried spit gross. Nasty things. I'll stop rambling… After this important message! I'm in the one-act festival at my school, which I wish you all could see. Since you can't, go visit my Devart site (origamiemu. I made a poster for my play. Yay. Yes, I'll finally let you read the actual story now.

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Slade hurt.

His head hurt, his shoulder hurt, his side hurt. He stayed still, breathing shallowly, trying to figure out what had happened. Voices whispered and echoed from somewhere, calling distantly, hopelessly, for Raven. Slade could sense gouges and punctures in his armor, where the punched-in, jagged metal dug into his flesh. He could smell blood. Animal blood.

Slade's eyes snapped open and he grinned inside his mask. This was perfect.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"This is never gonna work." Robin groaned in frustration. "She's hasn't even blinked, and that creepy smile hasn't moved an inch."

"Azarath, metrion, zinthar."

"It's zinthos, Star."

"Yes. Zinthos!" Starfire yelled into Raven's ear with as much success as a mosquito trying to move a mountain. "Azarath, metrion, zinthos!"

Time kept moving. Raven was silent.

Suddenly, from behind them, there was a sickening, squelching sound: the splitting of cartilage. Robin and Starfire whirled around in shock. Slade stood, one spiked fist dripping blood, the other hand strangely held to Beast Boy's neck.

Beast Boy was dead.

A moment of horrible silence hung in the air. Starfire's mouth gaped open to scream, rage and pain flooding from her eyes. Before she could make a sound, Slade slashed his fist downward through the air.

"STOP." His voice was icy smooth as ever, no hint of a tremble to betray injury. "I have a proposal to make. An… exchange, of sorts. A life for a life."

Robin growled, voice tense and shaking. "Explain yourself. Beast Boy is…" He trailed off.

"No. He isn't. But he will be—if you don't comply." Slade chuckled. "I see you're confused. I have him in a bubble of suspended animation. It will last for one hour. Once he is out, he has, oh…. a few minutes to live without medical treatment. That hour should be sufficient to get him to a hospital. Of course, if you refuse my offer, that hour can be shortened. Significantly shortened. So will listen?"

Starfire's expression had changed. Her face was set, her body stiff, fists clenched. She turned to Robin and they came to silent, grim agreement.

"What- What are your terms? What's the trade?" Robin glared at Slade.

"Quite simple. Give me Raven. Give me Raven and you'll have a chance to save this pathetic thing's life."

Robin's eyes widened. He suddenly felt hollow and weak. There was no way to choose between friends. To choose one life over the other. To sentence a comrade to death. He looked hopelessly to Starfire, who stood stunned, hands over her mouth, shivering. Robin took a breath and addressed Slade.

"I'll give you a life. But give me time first."

"Very well. You have five minutes. If you haven't chosen by then, the animal dies and you keep the girl."

Robin nodded painfully, took Starfire's arm and led her off to one side. They sat down on the cold white floor with nothing to say. The seconds ground past, and eventually Starfire looked up into Robin's eyes.

"Is there no way to have everyone with us?"

Robin exhaled heavily, trying desperately to think. "There's got to be some way." He kept his voice low. "We can't attack Slade. He's got BB's life on the line. We can't grab BB and run, that'd kill him, and Slade would just come after us. So we have to follow his—agreement. Somehow."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

White. Too much white. The arena… Blink. No… A hospital room. Empty.

No flowers. Huh. Usually there were flowers in hospitals. Blink.

A table. A note.

The patient fumbled weakly to grab the slip of crumpled paper. There was only a short, hasty scribble:

Sorry we can't be here. Get well soon. TTs.

What? That was no explanation. Where were they? Why?

The patient's hand flumped down on the bed. There was a confused, sad sigh, and then sleep.

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Ooooh, guess who's in the hospital coming out of a coma! Rae or BB? Haha, I make you wait to find out. Ten points to whoever guesses! Don't worry, the next chapter will be out quick to make up for the shortness of this. Or maybe not… I've got Hell Week coming up in my play, and I'm not going to have any spare time. If you're nice and review, maybe I'll write it fast-fast-fast.

Thanks to Festering Demon, Alanna-the-tai-youkai, Snow Werewolf, AnAngel'sWings, Golden-Sama, papersak, annoying talking animal, Unlikely-to-bear-it, and Omega Knight of Jurai. I loves you all!