Disclaimer: No ownie! No making the monies! Much crying over this!


A/N: The continuing of the "Terms"-universe! This is only part one and a really SHORT part… I just need the motivation a promised update gives, 'cause I have too many things on my plate right now… and the cliffe was too fucking good to give up… -lol-

I will post them here, mostly because I don't want to create a new story, but also because this way you can quite easily go back and check the old terms-fics if you should need to, for details…


Back Where I Belong PART 1

One month ago.

"So we are really doing this?"

The speaker sounded rather hesitant.

"Yes. We are. He deserves it."

"But what if it goes wrong?"

"It's a risk worth taking."

Present time

"If you keep that up you are going to get yourself killed!" Slade barked after him. They had just returned home after a mission, and the man had been quiet up until now.

"Keep what up? There were only five of them!" Robin tried innocently, still with his back to Slade. Anger was boiling right below the surface, though. How did the man dare to scold him like a kid?

"With baseball bats. Mugging an old woman." Slade growled.

"Precisely." Robin turned around and crossed his arms, deeming the discussion ended.

"You were supposed to watch the target."

Now Robin lowered his eyes for a moment. Slade did have a point there.

"I'm sorry. But everything was quiet… and… I couldn't let that happen, you know!"

"No. I don't know. She was not important, Robin."

"She is a human being! They were going to kill her for a few bucks!" Robin poked Slade in the chest to emphasize his words.

"No need to be snobbish because they kill cheaply and you don't…" Slade smirked down at him for a moment before becoming very serious again "You should have turned away."

"That's not me." Robin tried to remain calm, but he had had enough and finally snapped. "Do you even know me at all?!" Robin spun on his heel and snarled over his shoulder as he stepped into their private elevator. "I'm going to take a shower, and don't even think about joining me!"

"Rob-"

"Go to hell!"

Not for the first time, Robin wished that elevator doors could slam shut for emphasis … they couldn't, naturally, and only glided shut slowly, completely unconcerned about his mood. Well, this way he managed to give Slade quite a vicious glare, at least.

As soon as Robin entered their bedroom he felt some of the anger melt away. He was still upset at Slade for just not GETTING it, no pun intended, but he could feel that this wouldn't be a long lasting thing… if the man had any sense at all and apologized, that was… He yanked his tee-shirt over his head and kicked off his shoes, continuing stripping until he was completely nude, before heading towards the shower. Remembering at the last moment, he removed the ring from his finger, and, still a bit miffed, tossed it at the bed. It bounced a few times on the covers and Robin immediately froze, following it with his eyes. When it finally stopped, on Slade's side, the boy relaxed and grinned. Damn, he was so bad at being angry that he even had to make sure the ring didn't fall on the floor…

He always removed it before showering. It fit him perfectly, but soap and warm water had made it slip off once and it had almost disappeared down the drain. Robin felt his gut clench at the thought of losing it. He would have torn the whole damn building apart if it had fallen down the drain, with the city to follow.

The water washed more of the anger away. When it came down to it, Robin realized, he had mainly been angry at himself. If he had a chance to do it over, he still would have saved that lady, damn it, but losing focus like that meant that he put not only himself, but also Slade in danger. The man had no right to question the rescue, though. A talk about risking the mission he had deserved, but the "sit tight and watch old ladies get murdered"-talk? No way. Slade should know better.

Well, I guess I'll let him make it up to me tonight… many, MANY times… Robin grinned as he turned off the shower. He still was smiling slightly as he wrapped a towel around himself and stepped out of the bedroom. Then his world went completely black.

Robin slowly opened his eyes. His eyelids felt heavier than the T-car. Fully fuelled. It was worth it, though, to see his friends looking back, although they did look a bit too worried for Robin's taste.

"Hi guys…" he croaked, mouth and throat dry as dust. "What? Does my nose look funny?"

"The funniness of your nose is not worrisome." Starfire said, her voice shaking a little.

"Then why are you looking at me like that? Come on, guys… you're scaring me!" Robin almost whined, really starting to feel some pangs of fear. Had he lost a leg, or what?

"What's the last thing you remember, Robin?" Raven asked calmly.

"Err… Being with you guys… trying to stop Slade from stealing the- did all the robots explode?!"

"Yeah, dude, it was really freaky!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Are you all okay?" Robin frowned in worry and tried to sit up. He felt faint, however, and crashed back into the pillows.

"Yeah, just fine." Cyborg said. He sounded strange too. What the hell was going on?

"Am I okay? Really, guys, you need to start talking…" Robin tried to hide his growing anxiety behind a scowl.

"Rob… you are fine… now… but…" Cyborg started hesitantly. Robin turned towards Raven. She would tell him. And she did.

"You were hit in the head. Pretty badly… you have been in a coma…"

"Oh… but I'm all right now?"

"Yes."

"So why are you all looking like you seen a ghost?"

"Because… Robin… the explosion… it was almost two years ago…"

TBC

A/N: I just COULDN'T waste a cliffie like that, surely you understand. Things will get more complicated before they are explained… well… perhaps… maybe I'll write the rest of the story in the next part, I don't know, but it ain't gonna be this short… let me know what you think, though, please?