The Joker left Raven alone, figuring she was still too weak to do anything. Boy, was he a fool.
Raven struggled against her bonds, trying to free herself. "If only I weren't so tired, I'd just use my powers…" she said aloud. All right, Raven. Get a grip. What should I do? she thought. Raven glanced around her. What would Robin do? Wait, why am I thinking that?
Raven ignored her thoughts, but then decided that what Robin would do is look around and try to find a way to untie his hands. "So that's what I'll do."
She stood up and almost fell over, but quickly regained her balance. Once she was sure she wouldn't fall over on her face, Raven began to walk around the small sub-room of the warehouse she was in. Off on one wall there was a small nail poking out, so Raven walked over to it and began to rub her bonds against it. Slowly but surely they came off and her hands were free. Having that done, she checked to make sure no lackeys were watching. Seeing no one, she picked up her communicator.
Raven called Titan Tower and waited for a few minutes before Cyborg's face showed up onscreen. He looked extremely relived to see her. "Raven!" he said. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "The crazy clown has me in some kind of warehouse."
Raven saw Cyborg move aside as another face filled the screen. It was Batman's.
"An abandoned warehouse?" he asked.
Slightly surprised that the Dark Knight was there in the first place, Raven nodded. "Yeah. No one's here but me at the moment."
Batman nodded. "Just the Joker's style. Do you have any idea what part of town you might be in?"
Raven shook her head. "Right after he held me out of the helicopter he knocked me unconscious. I didn't wake up until we were already here," she said in her monotonous voice.
She heard a voice in the background say, "Is that Raven?" Batman turned and nodded to the person off screen. Batman moved aside and Robin appeared. "Raven? Are you okay? Did he do anything to you? Cause if he did, I'll-" A hand from behind Robin jerked him away from the screen and Batman re-appeared. "Sorry," he said, deadpan. "I think Robin's losing his mind. I'll probably have to take him back to Gotham and give him some electroshock therapy."
Raven just blinked.
"It was a joke." When Raven still said nothing, Batman continued questioning her. "Did the Joker say anything about why he kidnapped you?"
Raven nodded, glad the strange behavior was over. Robin was really worried about me, she thought, not knowing how she felt about that. "He wants to use me. To destroy the world."
When Raven said those words, Robin felt time stop. He knew that Raven was supposed to do something terrible on her birthday, but she never told him what. Even though today wasn't her birthday, Robin had a feeling that destroying the world was the 'what'.
"That's not the kind of thing the Joker usually goes for," Batgirl noted. Batman nodded. "You're right, Batgirl. Raven, we're going to come find you. Stay where you are."
Raven nodded to show she understood, and then terminated the link. Batman did the same. "Cyborg," he said. "Find out where she is."
Cyborg saluted. "Yes sir."
"Batgirl, Robin, you two go out and look. We'll contact you if we find anything."
Robin had gotten used to giving orders, not taking them. However, with Batman in town he felt himself succumbing to the "old ways" and doing everything his mentor said without question. He didn't like it. There was a reason he had left Gotham. Actually, there were several, but one was the fact that he was tired of being "the sidekick". He had wanted more, wanted his own team. He had found one, and they were doing well.
He and Batgirl were out patrolling, searching for Raven and stopping anyone who might know where she was. It felt like old times, all right.
Another thing that was bothering Robin at the moment was how worked up he had gotten about Raven being kidnapped by the Joker. He had thought that they weren't really that close until she saw his mind. Even though they kind of bonded after that, he still didn't know why he freaked out when she called. Maybe I just realized that once I knew who she really was, not the completely emotionless girl she has to be, but the Raven inside that she hides…
Robin was jerked back to the real world when Batgirl asked him a question.
"So, do you like it here? With the Titans, I mean."
Robin leaped to the building across from them after her and nodded. "Yeah. We've become good friends."
"Especially you and Raven." It wasn't a question; she was merely stating it as if anyone would notice.
"What? No. I just-" Robin tried to defend himself.
Batgirl stopped to give him an all-knowing look. "Robin, it's so obvious. Did you hear yourself when she contacted us? You flipped out thinking the Joker did something to her."
Robin tried to look indignant. This just made Batgirl laugh and tsk. "Oh, Robin," she said in a motherly way. "You've got it big-time."
Robin considered her words. Do I have a thing for Raven? I mean, she is beautiful and funny and…Maybe Barb's right.
He grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. I think I do."
Raven sat on a crate and tried to meditate while waiting for her friends to come and get her. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion-"
She tried to meditate, but for some reason all she could think about was Robin. Why did he get that upset? Does he like me? Do I like him? The normal girl part of her wanted him to, but the logical voice told her that there was no way Robin could like her. And even if he does, the voice said, you can't show any emotions. There's no way you can like him back.
"But I can feel," Raven said aloud. "I just can't let feelings rule me like everyone else does. And besides, he likes Starfire."
Someone clapped from the doorway behind her, and Raven almost fell off the crate in surprise.
"How very touching," the Joker said. "Our little destroyer has a crush."
Raven glared daggers at him. "You're despicable," she said, trying to hold the anger in. She hated when others made her feel weak and helpless.
The Joker merely laughed at her words. "You think I care about what you think, little girl?" he said.
Raven gave him a look that said, "you won't get a rise out of me", then closed her eyes and continued to meditate.
"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zin-"
The Joker walked forward and stood in front of Raven. "Say night-night!" he aimed a dart gun at her and pulled the trigger. Opening one eye, Raven surrounded the dart with her black energy and sent it into the wall. The Joker looked furious.
Robin and Batgirl were near the waterfront when Robin's communicator sounded. When he answered it Batman said, "We've found her location. It's an old-"
"Let me guess," Robin cut in. "It's an old abandoned toy factory?" He heard Beast Boy say, "Whoa, dude! How'd you know?" in the background.
Batman nodded. "Yes. Where are you now?"
"We're near some docks at the waterfront."
"Good. It's not too far. Just go a few blocks north and you'll see a huge building with a sign that says 'Slappy's Silly Supply'. Be careful."
Robin nodded. "Sure thing, Batman." He terminated the link and looked at Batgirl, who was grinning from ear to ear. "What?" he asked.
"Robin, have I told you how great it is to see you again?" she said. Robin laughed. "Once or twice. Let's go."
The two reached the factory and found a staircase on the roof that led inside.
"That's weird," Batgirl said. Robin looked at her over his shoulder. "What?"
"There was no guard."
They were on the stairwell headed down when they heard a crash. Robin began to run toward the noise, hoping that Raven was okay. Batgirl was right behind him.
The Joker had taken a swing at Raven, so in retaliation she used her powers (which she had partially regained by meditating) to fling one of the many crates at him. That was the crash Robin and Batgirl heard. Unfortunately for Raven, the Joker was quicker than she had assumed. He dodged the crate and pulled his dart gun out again.
"Afraid to hurt me?" she asked, trying to keep him talking so he wouldn't be focused on the three new crates zooming at him from behind. "Oh, don't get that idea," he said. "I just don't want you dead. What's it to me if you break a few bones? All I need are your powers."
"Puddin', behind you!" Harley, who had just arrived, shouted from the doorway. The Joker fell flat on the floor, the crates narrowly missing him. Raven cursed herself silently.
The Joker stood up and took aim again when Robin burst in, completely passing Harley on the way. He ran straight to the Joker and leapt into the air, kicking the dart gun out of his hand. "Bird Boy!" The Joker said, holding his hand. The two engaged in a fight.
"Batgirl, get Raven!" Robin yelled over his shoulder as Batgirl entered the room. However, she was distracted by Harley.
Raven looked from one fight to the other, trying to decide whom to help. On the one hand, Batgirl was struggling with Harley, but she looked like she could take her.
Raven knew Robin had fought the Joker before, but he looked like he was struggling even more. She was still considering which one she was going to help when Raven noticed the Joker pull a real gun out and hide it behind his back.
"Robin!" She rushed forward and made a shield around Robin with her black energy.
She moved him over to where Batgirl was and then teleported all of them back to the Tower.
A/N: Thank you for reading! There is one more chapter after this one.