A/N: Here's chapter 4. About 3000 words so pretty long. Mostly action so hope you enjoy. And on a complete tangent, Go White Sox! Win or Die Trying.
To my reviewers:
zadeon: Didn't get you last time for your review for chapter 2 since you reviewed as I was posting chapter 3 so anyways thanks. Glad you think this will be a good story.
DeathsLastBreath: Thanks for the review. Hope this was a fast enough update.
evilangle: Yup. Slade is back and still the same great villain. Time for things to get a little messy.
The Goth Witch: Another new reviewer. Cool. Thanks for the review and I'm glad you liked what I did with Nightwing. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Stay Frosty? I shall do my best. Peace.
mysti-eyed: Yeah, I always miss a few of those errors but I think I do a good job keeping them at a minimum. Also, I'd say you are a good guesser but you'll figure that out soon enough.
Cherry Jade: I'm glad you like how I am writing Raven. It is fun to have her with more emotions. Yeah, Raven took all that information pretty well but she's tough, and she can't kill her older "brother" Victor because he was just trying to help.
DarkAngelImogen: Another new reviewer. Glad to hear from you and happy that you are enjoying this story so much. Always good for a writer to hear so thanks and hope to hear from you again.
honeybee91210: And the third new reviewer for this story. Thanks a lot for the review. Yeah there is a high chance for romance and adventure to go along with the angst, drama, and all the rest of that stuff so things should stay interesting.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans so lets not try and sue me since I don't have anything to sue for.
Finding Hope Again
Chapter 4
By: Finalitylife
I sat in the passenger seat of the newest version of the T-car trying to remain as calm as possible but I couldn't help but shift nervously every few seconds. I knew that Cyborg had noticed though he did not say anything. He simply stared straight ahead, driving increasingly fast into the cold night toward our destination. That terrible feeling of wrongness would not go way no matter how hard I tried to push it away. It was as if some unknown part of me knew exactly what was going to happen but wouldn't quite let me in on its secret knowledge. Everything that had just recently happened weighed heavily on my heart and mind. Robin or whatever he felt like calling himself was indeed alive though exactly what he had become was still not entirely clear to me. He had done so many contradictory things when he had been in my room. He had held me so warmly yet threatened me as well. His feelings were so dark and hate filled yet I knew I felt remorse and regret from him when he walked away. Robin was dead, Nightwing was born, yet there was still something within him that I could still recognize from all those years ago. It wasn't something tangible yet I was sure I had touched it when he held me tonight. I never really knew how much I had missed his embrace until I was reminded of how nice it felt, how safe it made me feel. Again he had given me a taste of what those feelings were only to vanish away, taking it away from me once more.
When we were all younger, when we were all together still, I never had the luxury of emotions because of the demon still inside me. I had to remain cold, emotionless in order to protect my friends as well as the world. I never got the chance to be carefree and happy with Starfire, something I had hoped to be able to do with one of my dearest friends. I never got the chance to laugh with Beast Boy as he made a fool out of himself. I never got the chance to be ridiculously competitive with Cyborg in some type of video game. All those simple pleasures were denied from me and when I finally was granted freedom, there was no one truly left to have them with. Everyone had been so broken when Starfire died that good emotions were not something we could have, yet I was granted the smallest of pleasures, I was given Robin to hold on to, I was given his comfort and touch. I knew back then that it wasn't really Robin who would hold me while I cried or helped me to fall asleep but rather it was that intangible part of him, his humanity that could not abandon me when it had mostly abandoned him. It was seeing him again tonight, feeling his touch that made me realize something very important, something I had never really noticed before. I had respected Robin. I think I feared and loathed Nightwing but it was that unseen part of him that I cared so much about. It was that part of him that I craved, needed, and had missed for nearly 5 long years. I think I even …my thoughts were noisily interrupted by an explosion in front of us. The side of a nearby building blew up and Cyborg slammed on his breaks so that we could get out. It seemed like this was where tonight's battle would be.
We both quickly jumped out of the car, Cyborg's arm already formed into his sonic cannon. The building continued to burn and smoke obscured our vision. I made a quick psychic scan of the burning building and its surroundings and found that there were no people in the buildings. Some good news. I suddenly heard a yell of rage and metal striking against metal. I could barely make it out with all the smoke but I could see two dark figures locked in some type of struggle. Cyborg, thanks to his robotic eye was able to see much clearer. His gasp of "My God no" sent a shiver down my spine. I tried to psychically scan the two beings fighting and found that I could not even remotely penetrate their mental barriers. I had only encountered two people who could do that. Nightwing and Slade.
"Please don't be him. Please not now." I pleaded with the universe to somehow change the reality that I knew was in front of me. Another impact of metal against metal echoed through the night and Slade's cold, taunting voice followed, again sending a shiver down my spine.
"Really now Robin, you almost hit me there. I might actually have to start trying." Nightwing could be heard snarling and his enraged voice was heard.
"Shut up! My name is Nightwing. Robin is dead. You helped kill that weakling, don't you remember." Cyborg and I could only stare at the two as the smoke finally cleared revealing the two dark figures. We couldn't seem to will ourselves to move. Slade's dark laughter filled the air.
"Ah yes that is correct. He died the same day as that fool Trigon and that little bitch Starfire. Just more useless garbage that held you back." I felt anger build in me at Slade's horrible words and I could feel the anger radiating off of Cyborg next to me. Again Nightwing let out a scream born of pure hatred and swung his metal bo staff at Slade's head who easily ducked it and delivered a swift kick to Nightwing's side. It barely seemed to faze him as he rolled with the impact and was immediately back on his feet hurling an explosive birdarang at Slade who jumped back just as an explosion erupted underneath him. Wasting no time, Nightwing was again on the attack running straight threw the flames toward his enemy. His yells of hatred and rage still ripping through the night. As I stood there I knew that Nightwing could never beat Slade no matter how strong he had become. Robin's greatest disadvantage again Slade years ago was size and years of experience. Nightwing equaled and maybe even surpassed Slade now in size and strength and though he could never catch up in experience, he had most definitely improved his fighting skills. However, none of that mattered. Nightwing's relentless hatred, anger, and rage clouded his mind, made him animalistic and unthinking. He would never be able to focus against a man who knew exactly how to set him off, who knew how to break him down and make him sloppy. Nightwing would always fail in this fight.
A vicious slam of Slade's staff met Nightwing's jaw. The sickening sound of metal cracking against bone made me cringe. Nightwing's jaw was most likely broken though one would never know by his actions. He fought back as if nothing had happened catching Slade's staff in his metal hand snapping it in half with a quick twist. Slade, not hesitating for a second, took the now sharp half piece of metal and jammed it straight into Nightwing's left shoulder. He didn't even scream as the metal pierced his body though he did fall back away from Slade. I took this opportunity to scream out my words of magic engulfing Slade in black energy, slamming him into a nearby wall. I smiled with some satisfaction as he did not get up immediately. Eventually his one eye turned toward me and Cyborg's position and I knew he was smiling underneath his mask. However, the worst part of it was that I knew that eye was focuses completely on me. Nightwing's voice pulled me back to him. It was amazing he could even speak with his jaw.
"What the hell are you doing Raven! Stay the hell out of this! This is my fight. I don't want your help!" I could feel a stab of pain in my heart as I felt the anger radiating off of Nightwing, the anger that was directed toward me. I spoke quietly to myself.
"But you need my help." I turned away as Nightwing ripped the metal out of his shoulder. I couldn't look at something like that. I could hear him drop the bloody metal to the ground as it clanged loudly. Again Slade's smooth, taunting voice was heard.
"Now is that really any way to talk to old friends Robin." Nightwing growled.
"They are not my friends. They are nothing to me." His icy words chilled me. Slade only laughed.
"I beg to differ dear boy. I saw you at Starfire's memorial tonight. I saw you go to the tower. Now why would you have gone to a place full of nothings."
"You know nothing Slade," and with that Nightwing charged him again. His arm hung down, no longer useable but that did not stop him from attacking. He had pulled out a birdarang and slashed at Slade who leaned back narrowly missing having his throat slashed. A vicious combination of punches to Nightwing's chest and ribs caused him to gasp, only for it to be cut off by a steel grip around his throat. Slade slammed him into the wall of a building by the throat and held him there.
"I know everything about you Robin. I know you are still weak, still being held back, and that is why I am here. I am here to show you just how weak you are." A blast from Cyborg's sonic cannon slammed into Slade knocking him away from Nightwing. Nightwing dropped to the ground once again gaining the ability to breathe. Slade was back to his feet quickly, standing in his trademark pose with his arms behind his back as if nothing had happened.
"I almost forgot about you two over there. Oh well, a minor inconvenience that I need to take care of. Don't go anywhere Robin." Faster than I could see, Slade had thrown some type of projectile at Cyborg. It stuck to his chest and Cyborg's eye widened in shock. I covered my eyes as a blinding blue flash erupted from the object. Instantly, all of Cyborg's blue turned gray and he fell over to the ground. I knew what that was. An EMP had shortened him out. It must have been an extraordinarily powerful charge to break through all his safeties. I didn't panic at his prone form because I knew he would be fine once I got him back to the tower. His machines would fix him. Right now I had bigger issues as Slade was charging at me. I blocked the coming punch with my power though I found myself pushed back by the impact. I was worried. I was severely outmatched by Slade. With crime nearly being nonexistent for the last five years, I knew my combat skills had diminished greatly and I was fairly positive that Slade was still at the top of his game. He swept my feet out from underneath me and I crashed hard to the ground. I lashed out instinctively with my power trying to push Slade away from me but I missed. I felt a kick to my ribs that rolled me down the street.
"Poor little Raven. All grown up, free of your father, and still weak and worthless." I was having trouble breathing, most likely due to a broken rib. I felt Slade grab me by the front of my cloak, lifting me into the air. My small form dangled there in the cold, winter air. My frightened eyes met the cold, malicious stare of Slade's one eye.
"And grown up you have Raven." I could see Slade looking over my exposed body as my cloak no longer covered it up. I felt sick looking into his leering eye. My eyes glowed white as I went to chant only to be silenced by a backhand from Slade though he did not drop me.
"Not a very good idea Raven." I could feel blood flowing from my bottom lip where his hit had impacted. I spit a mixture of blood and saliva onto Slade's mask. He only laughed.
"Now tell me Raven, did you enjoy seeing Robin again after all this time?"
"I have nothing to say to you Slade." Again he laughed but his voice quickly became a cold sneer.
"What, no kind words for an old family friend. Too bad." I just glared at Slade trying to think of a way out of this. I was having trouble concentrating and the pain in my chest from my most likely broken rib clouded my mind with pain. Slade leaned forward and whispered into my ear.
"I know its you Raven. I know its you he came back to see and that makes you his weakness. You are the key to gaining back my apprentice." The tone of his voice truly frightened me. I found myself dropping to the ground as Slade let out a grunt as he fell away from me. I saw a birdarang sticking from his back as he struggled to pull it from his body, but it seemed just beyond his reach. A black blur slammed into Slade, tackling him to the ground, driving the birdarang deeper into his back. Nightwing started slamming his metal fist relentlessly into Slade's masked face emphasizing each hit with a snarl.
"Pathetic of you Slade. Attacking such weaklings. Had to boost your ego a little because you couldn't put me away." Slade responded by flipping Nightwing off of him and rising to his feet, though not completely steady. Nightwing landed on his feet and charged forward swinging a wild punch. Slade ducked it and placed an object on the off balance warrior. Electricity suddenly coursed through Nightwing's body as he almost screamed out in pain though fought off that urge. I watched as he dropped to his knees as the electrocution stopped, smoke rising from his body. Slade went to deliver a kick but Nightwing snapped to attention and caught his leg countering with a punch straight into Slade's crotch. Even I couldn't help but smile as Slade fell to the ground in pain. Nightwing struggled to his feet and seemed to be teetering on the verge of unconsciousness. He had taken a lot of hits and he was still openly bleeding from the wound in his left shoulder. If he lost any more blood, he would certainly die. Slade too had slowly made it to his feet.
"That was a dirty trick. I see I have taught you well." Nightwing stumbled forward trying to attack Slade who simply grabbed the hurt fighter and threw him about ten feet away. Nightwing slammed unceremoniously into the ground. It was at this point that I formed a large black talon on my right hand and launched it at the unaware Slade. It impacted him and carried him into a nearby building and for the second time I slammed Slade into a wall. This time was much harder though. I could feel my emotions fueling my power as I levitated a few objects around me, intent on hurting Slade.
"Leave him alone Slade. Leave my friend alone. He doesn't need you in his life." Slade was hit in the side with a garbage can in the side but managed to dodge a street sign and a mailbox.
"Foolish girl. You have no idea what he needs but I do. He needs power and control. He needs me. It's you he doesn't need in his life. You are the one who will lead to his downfall." I grabbed a nearby car and hurled it at Slade who dove to the side as it crashed down where he had been just standing. He slammed something in front of him and smoke clouded everything. I couldn't see him but I could still here his voice.
"We will meet again Raven, very soon. Take care of yourself." The smoke cleared and Slade was gone. I let out a sigh of relief but quickly panicked again as I thought of Nightwing. I ran over to his unmoving form but the second I touched him to check for a pulse he reacted. He grabbed my wrist tightly and pulled me down so that his face and mine were only a few inches apart.
"Do not touch me." It came out as a low growl that caused me to shiver.
"Your hurt. Let me help you." He pushed me away as he stumbled to his feet.
"I don't want your help Raven. I can handle all of this on my own." He tried to take a step but only fell but I caught him in my arms causing pain to shoot through me because of my rib. I spoke softly, gently to him.
"Don't be foolish. You can't even walk. Let me help you and then I promise I will leave you alone for the rest of your life." I looked at him warmly, focusing my eyes on where his eyes rested below his mask. There was a small silence between us before he responded.
"Fine." I helped carry the burnt, bleeding, and bruised Nightwing over to the T-car. It was time for healing and maybe, just maybe, I could heal more than just his body.
