PortofSeas, a.k.a. Shigure-Sensei or Talon.
Disclaimer: I still do not own the Teen Titans. Move along.
Okay, another thing that might confuse you. Nightmare takes place before Birthmark, so Slade is not currently registered as 'alive'. They all believe he is dead.
And thanks again to everyone who reviewed… except Kari who reviewed three times to schmooz me. I WILL NOT HAND OVER THE MANUSCRIPT! Anyway, I haven't updated in a couple of days, so this one is extra long, because honestly, this fanfic is the most interesting thing happening to me right now, and I'm thrilled that people actually like it!
Chapter 4: Getting worseStarfire told the others about what she had heard the next morning over breakfast.
"It was terrifying. I do not remember him sounding so frightened, even when it comes to Slade."
"I didn't hear anything," Beast Boy commented, digging into his tofu eggs and toast.
"That doesn't surprise me," Raven said dryly as she sipped some milk. "I'd be shocked if you could here a stampede over your snoring."
"Hey!"
"Star," Cyborg said over the others, "you have to remember what that guy's done to Robin."
"He's right," Raven added. "It's bad enough when we all have to fight him together. Imagine what it would be like to live with him, being forced to fight your friends just to protect them."
"Deep down he's probably scared Slade'll come after him for revenge," Beast Boy reminded them. "That guy doesn't take defeat well."
Starfire nodded.
"I suppose you are right. I should not be so surprised," the Tamaranian admitted. "But it disturbs me deeply to hear him in such pain."
"I say we keep a closer watch on him," Raven suggested. "Keep him in bed and try to keep him calm. Especially you, Starfire. You're his best friend. Subconsciously, he responds best to you."
Starfire nodded and sighed, as the gloom did not lift from the table. Was this all they could do?
"Oh little Robin. Did you seriously think you could stand a chance against me?"
Robin winced and pushed himself up off the floor, tears and sweat dripping down his bruised, dirty face. Blood trickled down his chin from his cut lip.
A sharp kick connected with his side, throwing him into the piles of boxes and further damaging his already injured body. The massive stacks toppled down on top of him, suddenly turning from cardboard and plastic to steel and granite.
He screamed, the rawness of his throat was the only escape from the intense pain that spread over his body.
Slade stood off to one side, watching silently. His face was indiscernible under his mask, but there was a twinkle in his eye.
"Go on Robin, beg for mercy."
But that wouldn't work. Because Robin knew he had before, and it never worked. Never.
The boxes grew suddenly heavier, crushing him more so than even before. His screams grew louder and more desperate. Still Slade didn't move, and as Robin's pain grew, so did the madman's satisfaction.
He almost begged for help. Not mercy, not to be left alone. He wanted to ask the man he feared and hated to help him. Despite himself, Robin was appalled at his own weakness. His screams turned to moaning sobs as he realized what this meant. Slade laughed.
"That's my good boy," he chuckled. "Give in. Take my help, come with me, and it will all go away."
Robin felt his one arm, uncrushed, reaching out for Slade's extended hand, against his will, however strong he once thought it was.
"There you go. Just look to me like a father of sorts."
Robin's arm recoiled. Visions of black bats filled his mind, an acrobat's view of the circus during practice one day, a giant computer at one end of a dank cave…
"No," he whispered hoarsely. "I have a father! And he's a hundred times the man you could ever hope to be."
Slade's pleasure dissipated and he clenched his fist.
"In that case, I'm terribly afraid you will have to die."
Robin awoke to see Starfire sitting next to the bed, drifting off lightly. As he came to, he realized that…she was holding his hand. He blushed furiously and chose to lie very, very still. His heart was pounding, and he was shaking, and he couldn't help but wonder if it all came from the dream. Somehow, he felt very embarrassed that she had to stay up and keep watch over him.
But, why would she worry that much over a simple fever?
He shivered. What may have been a fever to them was a nightmare to him. He had almost done it. He had almost taken that monster's hand, almost joined him. And even knowing it was just a dream, the terror of that thought was a nightmare enough. What if that happened in real life? Would he be any stronger?
He wouldn't find out. Slade was gone. Wasn't he?
"Robin?"
Robin sat up, surprised. When had she woken up?
"Star, I was afraid I'd wake you. What're you doing here?"
"I came to calm you down," she replied pleasantly.
"Calm me down?" he asked, confused. What did she mean?
"You have nightmares, violent ones. You yell and hit things in your sleep. I'm here because you calm down in the presence of someone else."
It made sense. For the past day, it seemed, his nightmares had been steadily replaced by the blissful, dreamless sleeps. Sudden guilt, however, tugged at his heart.
"Sorry you had to sit in here with me, then."
The Tamaranian shook her head.
"It does not trouble me to sit here with you, even when you are distressed. It troubles me to hear you upset and be unable to help."
"I guess I should thank you again."
"Do not speak of it. Are your nightmares better?"
"Well, I've been having less. Come to think of it, I don't feel quite so sick anymore, either." He started to climb out of bed, but Starfire stopped him.
"Do not get up!" she urged. "I can get you anything you need. Pillows? A book? Food? Would you like me to entertain you with a Tamaranian Folk song?"
"Uh…no, really, that's okay," Robin insisted. "I just wanna stretch my legs."
"But Robin!" she stood up straight. "I cannot allow you to leave, even if you are better. You are still sick and must remain in bed. Here," she pulled out a tray of…something. "I made this of the leftover Gorblesh and Beast Boy's tofu. Please, eat. I have already tried, and it is scrumptious."
Robin's face grew green, and a sickly feeling churned in his stomach. Starfire's idea of scrumptious wasn't always entirely human.
"Starfire, I-I really have to go."
"But-"
He clamped his hand over his mouth and pushed past her, making a wild dash for the bathroom. Shutting the door behind him, he proceeded to the toilet and puked his stomach empty.
Starfire stood still in Robin's room, still holding the bowl of Gorblesh/tofu whatever, looking confused.
"Was it something I said?"
Several days passed, and Robin's condition grew steadily better. Even though they kept him locked up in his room, (with the exception of bathroom breaks), he wasn't completely bored. He was still bored, of course, but he had ways to entertain himself. Donations form the others.
A collection of books Raven had already read. A bit confusing, but he understood how she liked to spend hours in her room reading. Beast Boy had lent him some handheld video games. Cyborg had tried to teach him some game he invented…but it involved a lot of things Robin doubted an average human could do. And Starfire…well, she hung around a lot, cheering him up whenever the nightmares got to him.
While Robin was supposed to be sleeping, the others were gathered in the living room talking about Robin, of course. They did that a lot lately.
"Robin's certainly seems better," Raven said, turning a page in the book she was skimming through. Beast Boy was staring at her.
"Dude, will you quit reading that junk?"
"Poe is not junk," she replied coldly.
"Robin is getting better," Starfire confirmed. "Much, much so!"
"He's beginning to accept that Slade really is gone," Raven added.
Unbeknownst to the others, Robin had crept out of his room, blanket clutched around his shoulders, eavesdropping.
"We all know it may not be that easy," Cyborg reminded them. "How do you think the mask was activated? Someone's still out there."
What?
"Well, it's not like we can actually track this guy down," Beast Boy pointed out. "He may as well not exist."
"Could it be that this person is causing Robin's nightmares?" Starfire asked.
"Maybe," Raven replied, "but unlikely. It could just be his way of reacting to the previous hallucinations."
"Dude, I've had nightmares about Slade," Beast Boy said, "Right before I defeated a chicken in my underwear, but…just imagine how scary it is for him."
"I just don't think he should find out about it yet," Cyborg voiced. "You know how he gets if something happens at the wrong time.
"He obsesses," Raven said.
"More than obsesses," Beast Boy insisted. "If that's possible."
"But it may not be Slade," Starfire suggested. "What if it is someone completely different?"
"The safe thing to do would be to treat the situation as though it was Slade," Cyborg stated, "just to be safe."
Robin stumbled backward, his mouth ajar and his heart in a frenzy. Slade may be still alive…and he may still have control…
"Over me…" Robin muttered. Out of the corner of his eye, someone turned their head, but he didn't really notice.
Fear gripped his throat with icy, groping fingers, cutting away his breath. His blue pajamas seemed suddenly inadequate against the chill in the air, even though he wore them seldom enough to wear them down.
Shaking violently, either from the chill that seeped in through the threads or the dead panic that swept through his body, he fell to the floor, breathless.
The only thought that penetrated his mind were those of Slade. Taunting him, controlling him…driving him mad?
His head collided with the floor and stars exploded before his eyes. Darkness soon after enveloped him.
Robin gasped for air, panting as he sprinted through the blackness, barefoot and still in pajamas. He couldn't remember why he was running…but he couldn't stop. Without reason, without purpose, or point he kept going.
Then suddenly, out of nowhere, his foot caught on something and instead of running, he found himself falling, not running. He would have yelled, but his voice was suddenly gone and all he could do was vainly struggle with his voice as his mouth hung open. Wind whipped his hair around as he plummeted down to who knew where. Shocked, he realized that his pajamas were dissolving from the seams, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
At least no one's here to see this…
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind that he collapsed on a floor. He winced and sat up straight coughing as his voice returned to him. Struggling up onto his elbows, he sat for a few moments, catching his breath and waiting for his mind to whirl back into focus.
After a short time, he glanced around him at his surroundings. He was not in a factory or warehouse, as he had suspected for some reason, but a large, smooth cave, fashioned into some sort of underground lair. A huge screen covered one wall, and a large chair and console centered some few meters away from him.
"No…" he choked, rising unsteadily to his feet. Not here…
"Welcome back, Robin," a cocky, cruel voice drawled.
Robin whirled around, his cape swishing through the air. Slade stood still in front of him. Something was going to happen…something horrible was going to happen…something horrible always happened.
But cool logic seeped into his mind, and he too still, shoulders erect as he stared his foe in the eyes.
"This isn't real," he said calmly as he could. "You're not real. This must be another nightmare."
"And what makes you say that?"
"Because you're dead. You were burned alive in lava. Even you couldn't survive that."
"You know so little, my boy. I am alive and well. And very, very real."
"You exist only in my mind," Robin countered. "I wouldn't call that real enough."
"But you don't understand, do you? Your friends know I exist elsewhere, you know they do. Why do you refuse to admit it yourself?"
"You're lying," Robin insisted.
"Denial. How amusing. But you really don't believe that."
Robin froze, unable to answer. Slade was…right. His heart thumped painfully inside his chest.
Slade let out a slight chuckle, and gestured around the cave.
"Besides, I can assure you I'm not the one who's dead."
Robin let his eyes drop from Slade and sweep around the room. With a choke his breath caught in his throat and his heart stopped.
"Cyborg…" he murmured.
Splayed out on the floor, his systems shut completely down. A thin blood line traced along his brow above his open eye.
"R-Raven…"
Lying dead to the world, bruises and cuts marred her pale face.
He stumbled back, horrified at the sight of his friends…he couldn't help them…something soft and heavy tripped him, and he staggered, trying to keep his balance, but when he saw what was in his way, he let himself fall.
"Beast Boy…"
Sprawled on the ground, eyes wide and glazed, a narrow trickle of blood dripping out of his mouth.
"No…" he shut his eyes, letting a few small tears escape to patter on the floor.
"If I was just in your mind, could I have done that?"
Robin's head shot up and he watched, wide eyed, as a familiar figure flew at Slade, her hand glowing bright green.
"Starfire, no!"
Slade laughed and caught her by her long, red hair, grabbing her throat with the other hand.
Robin got to his feet and started running.
I have to stop him…I have to!
Slade chuckled and backhanded her harshly, crashing her into the floor. Skidding to a stop, Robin dropped down beside her. She wasn't moving.
"Star?" he touched his fingers to her neck. No pulse.
They're gone. They're all gone.
"No!" he cried, stumbling back to his feet, his blood burning. Slade laughed.
"Have I struck a nerve? Maybe you can concentrate now that they're out of the way."
Robin clenched his fists and ground his teeth together as his grief turned to anger. Without the slightest inclination, he attacked, aiming his blow at the single eye seen through his mask.
Slade caught the boy's fist in his hand, bending it back. Robin cried out and wrenched his arm back, cradling it against his chest. As he gasped for breath against the biting pain, Slade spoke.
"You can never beat me, Robin. No matter where you go," he grabbed the front of Robin's shirt and heaved him up to stare him in the eyes. "Every instinct tells you to fight, but at the same time you can't. This is because you're not lying to yourself anymore."
Robin let out a cry and kicked away, landing hard on the floor. As his head came up, a heavy boot connected with it, sending him flying.
He grunted and his head swam. For a few moments he couldn't recall why he was here, or even why he was suddenly wearing his regular clothes instead of his pajamas, but focus returned and he forgot all about his moment of confusion.
Slade!
Robin went back on the offensive, ignoring the pounding in his head. Every kick, every punch he threw, Slade dodged or countered. And for every time Robin failed to scratch him, he was rewarded two wounds. He aimed a kick to Slade's head in near desperation, but he was caught, and Slade threw him to the ground. Robin struggled to push himself up, but he just hurt too much, and he fell back to the floor. He'd failed them…He'd given it his all but, ultimately, he had achieved nothing.
Slade stood erect, motionless, watching coldly.
"That's a boy," he said, his words cutting like a knife, "Be honest with yourself. I am here, and I have won. You should have taken advantage of your privileges sooner, Robin. Now it's too late."
Robin groaned and drew his fingers into a fist, as his eyes flickered closed. The last thing he heard was laughing.
"Hold him down!" Cyborg ordered as the other titans struggled to restrain a virtually unconscious Robin. Beast Boy, after having some trouble with his legs, transformed into a snake, hissed, and wrapped himself tightly around Robin's ankles.
"Got that sedative ready!" Raven bellowed, wincing as her friend's fist connected with her stomach.
"I'm trying!" Cyborg insisted. "But unless he's still, I can't get this needle anywhere near him!"
Robin let out a desperate cry, lurching forward, nearly throwing them all off. He struggled blindly against their grasps, fighting the invisible foe in his mind. Cyborg readied the sedative, preparing to jab him in the arm. But suddenly, Robin fell still, dropping back to the bed. Hesitantly, they released him.
"Looks like he calmed himself down," Beast Boy said.
"All for the better," Cyborg replied. "The last thing I wanted to do was give him this when he was already asleep," he gestured toward the syringe.
Starfire relaxed against the wall, looking Robin over in concern.
"But he was getting better," she reminded. "Why has he now gotten so much worse?"
"He was out of bed," Raven explained. "He probably overheard something we said."
"That eavesdropper!" Beast Boy exclaimed.
"He probably heard something he shouldn't have," Cyborg said gravely.
"If Robin knows Slade may still be alive, he will not get better," Starfire told them.
"I sensed his emotions just before he fell," Raven stated. "It was pretty easy. He's scared."
Without warning, Robin lurched forward again, with a cry, like the whole thing was starting all over again. Cyborg jabbed his arm with the needle with a 'whoa!'
Robin relaxed again, slumping into Starfire's arms. Shakily, she pet his hair, a pained expression on her face.
"Sorry," Cyborg sighed. "I didn't wanna have to do that, but it was for his own good."
They stared down into his face, pale and coated with perspiration. His breathing was shallow and shaky. This was far from alright.