Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or anything else in this story
I made a prequel to this story, a little background on Guardian, after you read this chapter check it out,just go to my profile and it will be listed, the title will be obvious,it should clear up some things that will happen this chapter. The long awaited revelations are in this chapter! HOPE YOU ENJOY!
Special thanks to all those who read the last chapter, and an even more special thanks to those who reviewed:
StickLad (can't wait to check out your story)
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Dragoon of the Moon
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Elissar
AnimationWickedRaven
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
I actually don't mind at all if people use my ideas or concepts or quotes at all, it doesn't bother me, it actually makes me feel good that I can influence good authors. If you use my ideas, tell me so I can check it out because I love it when I see it, it makes me feel good and special. Anyways, if you want to use my ideas, GO AHEAD! JUST TELL ME SO I CAN READ IT! I was asked why I don't respond to reviewers, most authors are still doing it, but there is a risk of being reported, and I don't want to risk losing this story, I have worked too hard on it, so I don't respond to reviewers, but I do in this little paragraph where I talk about questions. There is no rule against author notes, so I still am involved but not as directly. I would like to say I have read all the works of everyone who has read my stories, and so far I have not been disapointed by anyone, I love all your guys work and am honered you take the time to review my stories. If you want me to review your stories, just ask and I gladly will! I know I upsetted a lot of people with that cliffhanger, but come on! I couldn't resist, but now I feel bad so I through a lot into this chapter, I was going to leave another mean cliffhanger but I decided not to this time, I have made you guys suffer enough. Any questions on a GuardianxDarkness relationship are also answered in this story. Lets see, what other concerns to address, the Heaven quote was a mix of different things I heard over the past week, came from nothing specific, use it if you like. Anyways, enough jabbering, enjoy the next chapter!
I AM SO PUMPED UP NOW! THE REVIEWS KEEP ON COMING AND THAT IS WHY THE STORY IS GETTING BETTER, THANKS TO ALL YOU GUYS AND GALS REVIEWING!
RAVEN
DARKNESS
Raven was standing above her daughter in the dimly lit hospital room, in the Tower. Her daughter had just survived a bullet wound that would have most likely killed any other person, now Raven's daughter was asking for the truth. Raven looked at her daughter; her face full of pain as she finally began to speak about what Dick Grayson, the first Robin, did to her all those years ago. "Christine, I remember that night as if it were only yesterday, what I would give to have that memory erased from my head permanently," Raven told her daughter.
"What happened, please tell me," Christine begged.
"The other Titans were out, it was just me and Dick Grayson, then I felt, I sensed something was wrong and left the room. I was one step away from my room and safety when he grabbed me, he then raped me Christine, he raped me," Raven confessed.
Christine's eyes widened in shock, "No, everybody says such great things about him," Christine said in shock. The man who was called the embodiment of justice had done such a thing to her mother.
"The truth hurts, you see, the next day, he told me Slade was responsible, Slade did something to him to make his twisted fantasies come out, to force him to do these things," Raven continued.
"What? These were his fantasies! Didn't you tell anyone?" Christine asked, visibly disgusted.
"I tried, but you see, I was going through some tough times and was having hallucinations, Grayson got rid of the evidence and took the tape, so everyone thought I hallucinated. When he told me these were his fantasies I had the same look that you have right now when he told me and begged for forgiveness. He then sent your father and me to Gotham, he feared that Beast Boy's life was at risk. In Gotham, I fell into a deeper depression, I almost committed suicide. I felt like such filth, I felt so betrayed, no one believed me, it was killing me inside, but your father saved me. We then got married and came back, the "other side" came back too on several occasions. But the last time it came, Robin regained control and killed himself to save everyone and defeat Slade for good," Raven explained.
"Defeat Slade?" Christine asked. Still taking in the fact that her mother was violated and that she almost committed suicide.
"It turns out; your Uncle Batman found out, that all this was Slade's last, twisted plan to destroy the Titans from the inside out. He kidnapped Robin, erased part of Robin's memory and implanted these fantasies so Robin thought he always had them, then he implanted a device, in his brain, which when triggered, took control of Robin's body and implemented Slade's last command. The command was the complete destruction of the Titans. So when Robin committed suicide, he stopped Slade's last weapon. He died the way he lived, overcoming the impossible and saving lives, but the tragedy truly is that he died thinking it was his fault that he had those thoughts. He died in shame," Raven finished.
There was silence between daughter and mother, Christine finally spoke, "I had no idea, I had no idea," she repeated quietly as she held her mothers hand and both of them struggled to hold back tears. "I still have one more question, why was I named Christian?"
"There was a girl. Uncle Batman fell for, they both got drunk, made a mistake, she became pregnant, lived in the Tower, then the lunatic Wilson tricked us then he killed her in a bomb blast. It was a very tragic day, and if it wasn't for your Aunt Starfire I don't know what would have become of that young man. As you know we beat Wilson and then the rest is history," Raven said quickly.
"Why did the city drive the Titans out?" Christine asked wanting all of her questions answered.
Raven looked at her daughter, almost pleading, not wanting to go through even more memories; those times had been a living hell. After Dick Grayson's death the Titans of old went into a decline, and now Raven was reliving those dark days, days she wished never happened. "We continued protecting the city after Wilson was brought in, but the seeds to our downfall were already planted," Raven began.
"What seeds?" Christine asked, she had gained enough strength to sit up. She was staring at her mother, listening to every word, finally realizing what her mother went through and understanding why her mother acted like she did when around her. She also understood why she kept those secrets.
"Christine being in the Tower, illegally, was a big scandal, my marriage, another scandal, Terra another scandal, scandal after scandal, almost all of them false or exaggerated. It was this one city council man, Hartwell, he ruined us. He put it in the citizens minds that the Titans were keeping secrets, and with that doubt in everyone's head he spearheaded the attack which led us to leave and join the Justice League. When he became mayor we left, after we left you were finally born and we started a new life as Justice League members," Raven summed up. She still remember vividly after Wilson's defeat all the endless hearings at city hall, all the accusations, all the embarrassment, all the reporters and most of all she remembered Hartwell's cold, evil eyes, that summed up her body as if measuring her coffin size.
"How did Hartwell become the mayor?" Christine asked. Telling herself this was her last question, all these answers were making her depressed and she now wished she never asked them.
"You see, the mayor before him, was a kind man, along with the chief of the city council, they made sure we weren't taken down or anything like that. They were our protectors; they insured we got our paychecks and our funding so we could continue to protect this city. However, elections came, Hartwell's fiery speeches allowed him to bring into the council more and more members that favored him, but the people still liked the last mayor and the chief. Hartwell never was as popular as they were, however, Hartwell had votes and soon our paychecks were cut, our Tower was no longer funded by the city, and we were forced to tell the city what we did every week. It also didn't help that there wasn't much crime so when we went to these meetings it looked like we were profiting from the city. Still we struggled on with our mayor, until that April day when we got the call that three gunmen assassinated the mayor in his home with the chief with him. Your father cried, he knew it was over, we knew it was over, two weeks latter, Hartwell was elected and then we left," Raven finished the tragic tale of the Titans demise.
"Thank you mother, I am so sorry for not trusting or believing you, I am so sorry I love you, please forgive me," Christine said as she clutched her mother's hand.
Raven smiled kindly at her daughter, didn't say anything, kissed her forehead softly and said, "I love you too, don't worry, you were forgiven a long time ago," with that Raven left the room.
HALLWAY
INFIRMARY
Raven entered to see the other Titans standing around waiting patiently for some news. "She is fine, talking normal, able to move around, she just needs to lay down for awhile and also rest her head, so you can see her one at a time," Raven explained.
"I will go first," Robin said as he hurried to the door.
ROBIN
DARKNESS
"Darkness?" Robin called as he entered the room.
"Right here Robin," Darkness called in a cheery voice.
"How are you feeling?" Robin asked as he approached the bed.
"Never been better," Darkness replied, not in her cheery voice, but it wasn't said sarcastically either.
"You have no idea how worried and scared I was for you, I have never broken down like that before," Robin told her quietly.
"I know, I sensed your anguish, and it helped me pull through," Darkness replied.
"All I can ask is, can you forgive me for failing you out there last night," Robin asked quietly.
"Robin, you didn't fail anyone, you did your best, and you made what seemed like the right decision at the time, no one holds you at fault, only you hold yourself," Darkness said soothingly to Robin.
"I am considering stepping aside as leader and giving the reigns to Guardian, I think he may do a better job," Robin told his best friend.
Darkness looked at Robin in shock. "Are you insane? You are the perfect leader, not even Guardian would accept that type of responsibility. You know he is rarely at the Tower, how can the team stay together if the leader is never there?" Darkness asked. "Please don't make this decision, stop holding this as your fault, it isn't, no one else on this team would have made a different decision if they were in your shoes that night," Darkness added.
"Okay, but if something like this happens again I will step down," Robin said to her as he squeezed her hand one more time before leaving the room. Before he left he turned and said with a smile, "Get well soon, we have some bad guys to catch."
Darkness just gave that world famous Raven smirk and laid her head back down on the pillow.
GUARDIAN
DARKNESS
Guardian entered the room next and he sat down next to her quietly and stared for several minutes. He finally said, "How are you feeling?"
"I am feeling good Guardian. What is bothering you? I sense some very strange emotions coming from you," Darkness said with a frown. She was worried at what was going on in Guardian's head.
Guardian then did something he had never done before in front of Darkness, he collapsed into tears. "I almost killed two innocent people in my damn anger," he croaked as he cried against the railing on the hospital bed.
Darkness looked in shock at his reaction. "My God, this is tearing him apart," she thought. "What are you talking about?" Raven asked.
"The man who told us about the "drug bust" I went to his house and was about to kill him and his sister without hesitation, I would have killed them if that girl's scream didn't knock some sense into me," Guardian continued through the tears.
"Please, you are so strong usually, don't cry, it makes me feel weak," Darkness said quietly as she rested her hand on Guardian's shoulder, comforting the man.
"I don't want to be a killer, a murderer, I don't want to be the thing I swore and promised to defeat all those years ago!" Guardian cried out.
"You won't be, you controlled yourself today, didn't you? You stopped yourself and regained control. These tears are getting you nowhere, I know you are scared but I also know that's not all that is bothering you," Darkness continued pushing Guardian.
"When you took the bullet I felt so bad for how I treated you before, so I want to say, can we start over? Start our friendship all over again," Guardian said, looking into Darkness's eyes.
Darkness stared into Guardian's eyes and she whispered, "Yes," as she moved her face closer to Guardian's. Guardian leaned closer too, but right before the kiss Guardian abruptly stopped and put his mask back on. Both of their hearts were beating heavily.
"I am sorry Darkness, but our relationship can't be like this, we can have a friendship, but a strictly professional relationship," Guardian said as he began walking out of the room.
Darkness, feeling hurt, said, "Why?"
"I can't return your love, you see, I, I really can't love, I can't risk losing another person, I already have enough people to worry about," Guardian tried to explain.
"Fine, we will be friends, nothing more," Darkness said mutely, not hiding her disappointment.
"I really am sorry Darkness," Guardian said as he walked out.
OUTSIDE INFIRMARY
Guardian entered the hallway and told the assembled heroes, "I got to go out for a little bit, be back soon," he spoke quickly and nervously as he rushed out of the room. The heroes all looked at each other wondering why Guardian was so jumpy.
54th STREET
Guardian loved this street, a street where he could relax and reflect. He looked at the windows and stores below. Smelled the comforting Asian spices and listened to the familiar languages of his homeland. He loved taking it in. As he stood there someone behind him say, "Hello," in the familiar language Guardian spoke in his youth.
Guardian turned around to see a man, in his early twenties, black hair, tan skin, a nice jacket with nice khaki pants. His hair wasn't jelled, but was combed well, his eyes were a piercing, caramel brown, and his smile was very kind.
"Who are you?" Guardian asked suspiciously.
The man, still smiling, answered, "Iqbal, I am here to make an offer," he said simply.
"What offer?" Guardian asked suspiciously.
"Your country's intelligence agency knows what happened to you and your team, so we are here to offer you a chance to get rid of Hartwell and all these crime lords in one simple move," Iqbal answered.
"Your part of the CIA?" Guardian asked, finding it odd the CIA would send this young Pakistani named Iqbal to deliver the information.
Iqbal laughed, "The CIA won't know till tomorrow, no I am part of the ISI, Pakistani intelligence, we have been watching our countryman for a while now," Iqbal added.
"How long?" Guardian asked.
"Since the Indians killed your parents," Iqbal answered.
"You still haven't told me what was the price or how you would take out all these gangsters in one move," Guardian reminded the agent, he also added, "How old are you anyway?"
"Sixteen, I know I look far older, technology is very advanced, and so is my education, which is why I am entrusted with this important mission. The mission is simple, you see, the Indian embassy has in it, a secret plan that involves using local American Indians as spies incase India and America were to go to war. If Pakistan can get this information, and show the Americans the Indians have plans to deal with them, we hope to finally cement our alliance permanently. You know how important that would be for your country, imagine, no more poverty, no more war! Once America allies itself with us, India will be forced to negotiate on our terms and decades of war will end. Don't you see? Once there is peace both India and Pakistan can prosper!" Iqbal explained his plan.
"So your plan is to steal some documents in the Indian embassy in Jump City, use the information to embarrass India, make an alliance, and end the war in Kashmir?" Guardian asked.
"Yes, precisely," Iqbal said with a smile.
"What do you need me to do?" Guardian asked.
"When the time comes, take out the power and allow me to get the plans, once it's all planned out of course," Iqbal said, "Of course this requires planning. Which is why I will pose as your cousin who is studying medicine at Jump City University, we can then plan together and execute the mission successfully," Iqbal explained.
"You still haven't said how you will deal with Hartwell," Guardian again reminded the spy.
"I have four agents inside his offices, we have records getting setup even while we speak, by the time the mission is complete, you will have more than enough evidence to clean this city up for good," Iqbal continued explaining.
"I have to turn you down, I vowed years ago to stay out of politics, I am not a Pakistani, I am a member of the grand South Asian race, which knows no borders, Indians aren't my enemy," Guardian said as he began to leave.
"So you are going to disappoint your father? Fail that girl? Let an opportunity to avenge your mother pass?" Iqbal said, he knew he was pushing Guardian's buttons.
Guardian in rage grabbed Iqbal and shoved him against the wall, "How will stealing these documents avenge my mother!" he growled.
Iqbal, not phased, said, "The ambassador is the Indian colonel who ordered those guns to fire, he ordered there deaths, and if we steal these documents, he will be blamed and he will retire in shame," Iqbal explained.
Now Guardian's eyes widened, he quickly grabbed hold of himself, "No, my war is against crime, not against a nation," he began walking away again.
Now Iqbal issued the knockout blow, "Don't you see? Your beliefs require you to help me! I offer you a chance to save this city and all you have to do is cut off the electricity for several minutes while I do everything else. Or would you rather spend years battling Hartwell, continue risking your lives, how many Titans will die before this city is saved, huh? One almost died today, what if next time you aren't so lucky," Iqbal said.
Guardian looked out at the dangerous city, the city of evil of sin, "Damn it, he is right, he can end this war, Darkness wont have to risk herself like this, Robin wont collapse again, and Fireteen wont take a bullet again, I have to do this for them," Guardian thought as he turned to Iqbal. "Alright, I will do this."
"Alright cousin! Don't tell them though," Iqbal said with another grin.
"I don't like keeping secrets from friends," Guardian said coldly.
"Brother, I have been in this city for one week, I know that philosophy will get you killed," Iqbal said, his grin wider.
"Fine," Guardian replied, not really liking Iqbal at all.
NEXT CHAPTER: SPY GAMES I- Guardian and Iqbal begin planning while the rest of the Titans prepare for another mission!
Oh yeah, now you can read the Fall of Robin series, you can get details on all the confessions, also to get Guardian's background check out the prequel
PLEASE REVIEW!