The Gift

By Misty Fortner

A Robin Raven Story

I still do not own the Teen Titans and are just borrowing them

Slight edit to the last chapter. Reread the last couple lines and I had to rewrite it.

Staring at the ceiling he wondered who his next visitor would be and what they would show him. It couldn't be any worse than watching Raven die at Slade's hands. Robin envisioned the next time he saw Slade. Robin would be smiling when he was able to torture Slade in the cruelest and worst ways possible. After all Slade deserved to die a slow painful death for taking Raven's life.

To my reviewers:

Not as many probably because the next chapter is up sooner than usual. Chapter 12 should be the last. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Teen Titans Terminator: Yes Wilson is Slade. And thanks.

Tecna: Good, wanted people to feel like kicking Robin's ass. And I hate Slade too, but I thought he was a good villain for the story.

Dennisud: Yeah, thanks for pointing that out. I really missed that in the proof reading. It was supposed to convey Robin wanting to torture Slade and enjoying torturing Slade in memory of Raven. I put an edited version on the top of this chapter that I will change to chapter 10 after the story is completed. Hope you like my choice for the final ghost.

Pureangel86: Read and find out.

RaeRurounifan: I'm glad that you're hooked. I hope this chapter keeps you hooked.

Delirium24: I promise the story isn't a tragedy.

Robin and raven 4 ever: still love the fact that I can bring out strong enough emotions to make you cry. I hope this one is just as good.

Ravenrogue19: Yes he is and thanks

Guardian of Azarath: Keep reading. Hope you like this chapter.

Calda Pesca492: Thanks for the compliment. I hope whatever was making you cough is better. Christmas future is supposed to be scary, and I hope this works for it.

Chapter 11: Put A Little Holiday In Your Heart

"Feel the cold wind blowing-winter's coming on

'Tis the season so they say"

Robin shivered. He wasn't sure if the room was actually cold or if he was just chilled at the thought of Raven dying. Either way, he pulled his covers around him tighter and watched the clock. He thought about the Charles Dickens story he was living. In the original story, Scrooge has learned of his own death. Robin didn't imagine this being the scariest thing Christmas future could show him. He honestly wasn't sure what could be worse than seeing the woman he loves brutally killed.

Finally the now familiar flash of light came. The place Robin appeared looked to have once been someone's home, but now appeared to be in shambles. As Robin looked around trying to figure recognize the place, he found himself face to face with someone he had not anticipated seeing. He was looking at his beautiful little girl. Looking at her, he could now see how closely she resembled her mother. A solitary tear emerged from his eye and slid down his cheek. He didn't know what to do. Part of him wanted to scoop the little girl up in his arms, while the rest of him warned not to get to close.

The two of them stood awkwardly for a few moments, not really knowing what to say. Finally Winter spoke up. "Come on Robin, it's time to show you what is happening on Christmas in 17 years."

For some reason that Robin didn't understand, he felt a stab at his heart. Even though he hadn't wanted Winter, he had still expected her to call him dad or at least father. "You would be 16," He finally said aloud.

"You are correct," she nodded

Winter led Robin down a corridor which he quickly realized was the run down Titan's Tower. He wondered what had happened to the city and his team this far in the future. When they finally stepped outside, Robin saw a familiar site that he thought he would never have to see again. The city was in ruins, its citizens were stone, and fire was everywhere. Seeing the world in this condition he remembered the words he had thought then, and realized they were still true now. "I could have done something. I should have found a way. These are innocent people."

"I don't understand. Your mother defeated him. How?" Robin asked.

"Very simple. I offered myself to grandfather. I became a new portal."

Robin shook his head, "NO. Winter. You can't. Trigon is evil. I know your grandmother would have taught you that."

Winter simply looked at Robin and shrugged her shoulders.

The two walked silently down the rode, Winter leading. Robin was still in shock; Trigon had returned. This was terrible. He didn't understand any of it. Finally they came to a stop. "This is what you are supposed to observe." Winter said in a soft choked voice as she switched places too directly behind Robin. The little girl crawled under Robin's cape. She attempted to wrap herself in it and cover her eyes. Robin detached the cloak and let her hide in it. Robin had yet to take his eyes off Winter. She had wrapped the cloak around her head, sat down bringing her knees to her chest, and was attempting to not watch what was going on around her.

Finally Robin looked up. His jaw dropped open. What he saw was a semi-circle of 8 poles and another direct center of the semicircle. On the 8 poles he saw the older body's of people he recognized. Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Speedy, Bruce Wayne, Bumblebee, and Slade were all nailed to the poles. Strapped to the solitary pole was an older version of himself, now Nightwing. Behind the semicircle stood the demon Trigon. Beside him floated a young girl that very much resembled Raven. Only she was dressed in a low cut leather vest that was held together by very little and showed everything. She wore a tight short skirt and black fishnet hose. Robin was used to superhero costumes being tight and revealing, but his daughter was showing too much in his opinion.

The teenage Winter giggled. "So granddaddy, which one of these arrogant fools who've tried to stop us should we torture first."

"I'll leave it up to you my evil little princess. You are so good at making me proud. Such a bad little girl, so unlike your mother!"

"I try my hardest," she responded with a voice that made Robin sick at his stomach.

Nightwing spoke up. "Winter, I know you have some goodness left inside you. Your mother Raven was an amazing woman. Listen do me, Winter. I am your father."

The teenage Winter laughed. What was it you said mother once said to you, granddaddy? Let me see if I can remember the words. 'You may have created me, but you were never my father. Father's are kind, Father's protect you. Father's raise you. I was raised by no one. Mother tried, but let's see. You let Slade kill her, because she had to slave away to just put me in diapers. Grandmother let Slade fool her into marriage. Once they were married, and he adopted me there was nothing she could do. She was trying to protect me, but Slade killed her when she tried to stop him from repeatedly raping me. He had me locked up where he thought no one could get to me. Granddaddy learned from his mistakes with mother. Granddaddy stopped everything Slade was doing to me, and he was the only one who was strong enough to save me. Now I have released him, and we will rule earth together. First we just have to take care of some unfinished business.

Robin covered his face in shame. Trigon had been a better father to his little girl than he had. Sure Robin knew Trigon had only wanted to use Winter as a portal back to earth, but the two of them seemed to share some demented form of love. He thought back to the relationship between Killer Moth and his daughter Kitten. Trigon and Winter's relationship seemed to resemble those, only stronger. That was a fact that Robin was not happy about. He uncovered his face and looked at the younger version of his daughter shivering under his cape. He went over and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest and put her hands over her ears. Realizing that he obviously not seen all he was supposed to. He hugged her close and placed his hands overtop hers in an attempt to further protect her from whatever was still going on.

Returning his gaze to the scene before him, he realized the teen Winter was taking revenge on Slade for everything he had done to her. Robin didn't blame her for this, because earlier Robin had been wanting to do many of the same things to the heartless man. After torturing Slade enough to knock him unconscious, but not kill him she looked at Trigon. "Tell me if he wakes up granddaddy, I don't want him to get the satisfaction of seeing any of his adversaries die."

"Sure will. How wicked you are, I can't wait to watch you play with the presents you found me," the red demon replied.

Robin watched in horror as the teen Winter tortured and killed each of his friends. She was obviously taking much pleasure on the torture of each of them. She had begun with Aqualad, then went to Speedy, followed by Bruce Wayne, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and finally Starfire. Any time Slade had begun to wake up, she would return to him and torture him enough to make him unconscious. She had also paused when Nightwing had started to pass out from what appeared to be dehydration. It became obvious that she meant to inflict much pain on both her biological father and stepfather. After torturing Nightwing and Slade long enough that they were both babbling incoherently, she killed them both allowed Trigon to kill them both at the same time.

"Winter, I've seen enough. I hope it's almost time to return to the tower," Robin said with his voice filled with sadness and regret.

Robin felt a drop of wetness as little Winter looked up at him her eyes filled with tears. "Yes, daddy, we can leave here now."

One final time, Robin saw the bright flash of light fill the air. He found himself alone in his room again. "She had called me daddy, there is still hope," Robin said to the air in the room. He glanced down at the spot where the rose and pacifier were. Something else was there now. A note and a tiny box sat with them. He picked up the note, and began to read.

"Dear Robin,

I hope the miracle of Christmas has shown you the error of your ways. If you now believe you have made a mistake, you only have till the end of Christmas day to make it right. After tonight, you will remember nothing that you have been shown. If you have not made a change by then, this will be our future.

Arella"

Robin looked at his watch. There was only 45 minutes of Christmas left. He hoped he had enough time. He grabbed the rose, pacifier, and box. He then pressed his communicator and said "We need to get to Azarath, ASAP. I'm going to get them back. Man the T-Ship."

"Oh yeah," came the sound of both Beast Boy and Cyborg. Starfire hadn't returned from wherever she had gone.