A/N: Sorry for the extremely long delay. I never intended it to ever take this long to get this out but my health hasn't been all that great. I'm about a step away from needing my gall bladder removed and considering I had my kidney taken out a little over six months ago, any surgery isn't really good. I tend to sleep when I can to avoid the pain I seem to be in constantly. Of course I've also had no desire to write, and kind of screwed up by trying to put everything in one chapter which made everything I wrote suck. So anyways, here is the first of the final two chapters...not sure how good it is, but who really knows. The last chapter should be up soon...mostly written, all nearly ten thousand words of it, but its almost done.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, but hey, I think we all knew that already
Trying to Do the Right Thing
Chapter 41: Awaken from the Nightmare
By: Finalitylife
Robin's final breath disappeared from his lips, his body no longer moving, only starting to slowly turn cold. Rose looked on with a morbid sense of curiosity, not needing her unique powers of insight to know something was going to happen.
"Oh Rae-Rae, just what are you doing? I mean, I find it hard to believe you're just going to let your little boyfriend die. Of course, I could be wrong and you will, but that would make you an even bigger bitch than me and that can't be possible."
Any humor or satisfaction with the situation was quickly erased from Rose as she was completely startled by an unseen gust of wind that seemed to swirl around the room as a dark, deep growl emanated from within Raven, her head snapping toward the fallen, white haired girl. Rose could not help but find fear creeping into her as instead of being met with Raven's cold indigo gaze, she found the burning red gaze of a demon.
"Shut up!" Rose could only stare on wide-eye as some unseen force seemed to be squeezing tightly around her heart, making it difficult to do much else, let alone breath, just wanting those eyes to look away.
"Do not think for a second you have any idea what is going on Rose nor can you understand just what I was willing to do to truly save him. It was I who put him in front of that bullet that saved your pathetic life Rose because I needed him to die at the hands of your father, whether it was intentional or not. All of this was exactly what I intended to happen...thank you Rose for being so predictable and weak."
Black energy seemed to slowly be forming within the very air around Raven and the prone body of Robin, the unseen wind becoming stronger and even more ominous with every passing moment. Rose could feel raging emotions coming off in waves from Raven, as if they physically were striking her battered body, and truly just wanted to crawl away from this scene though she knew she was far too weak at this point from blood loss. She was trapped here with...with whatever Raven had become. In front of her right now must truly be the daughter of the great evil the Titans had fought so hard against..
"Robin had to die, just as Slade had to die..hehe, do you want to die Rose?" A malicious and cruel grin formed on Raven's face as she looked upon Rose, sending a chill through the normally fearless young woman.
"Do you want to join daddy in hell Rose? I would be so easy for me to send you there." Raven peered down at her hand in front of her as if she was carefully inspecting her fingernails for dirt in almost a vain manner, though it was easy to see the black energy forming there. However, what was more worrisome for Rose was that it appeared that two more burning crimson eyes were beginning to flicker into existence on Raven's face, just above her two other eyes.
"So easy to tear you into little pieces...so easy to tear your soul asunder and cast into oblivion...would you like that little Rose?" It was at this moment that Rose didn't care how tired and weak she was, she was getting away from Raven. She started dragging her body away, pulling her useless legs behind her as she crawled away on her stomach toward the nearest exit, making it a few feet before she realized something was holding her from moving, peering back to see a tendril of black energy wrapped around her ankle.
"Oh I don't think so Rose. You won't be going anywhere...its time to play." Raven began pulling on the tendril, slowly dragging Rose toward the growing darkness that was Raven, Rose doing her best to resist, but only leaving scratch marks in the ground from her nails as she was pulled back. Raven seemed to have grown larger and even more imposing with each passing second, more tendrils of dark energy lashing out from her body, leaving deep slashes and crevices in the floor around her, though known seemed to touch Robin.
"I'm going to devour your soul little mortal so that I can torture it for all eternity. There shall never be freedom from your pain...never." Rose in almost sheer terror tried to dig her fingertips into the solid concrete ground, trying to do anything to stop her movement, but thin trails of blood that were now the lasting impression of her futile attempt to save herself.
"Oh god...oh god..."
"God's not going to waste his time on you bitch..." Raven now seemed to be the only thing Rose could see, her darkened form seemingly encompassing everything...that was except for Robin. Rose's fear stricken mind suddenly had one last hope.
"Raven...you have to stop this Raven! You are only wasting time with me while Robin continues to decay right next to you. Are you truly going to just let him die Raven? Are you!" Raven seemed to stop suddenly, her two newly formed eyes slowly fading back and forth from existence. She raised a shaking hand to her head, as her body seemed to start shrinking ever so slightly, Robin's name whispered off her lips in her normal voice, not the twisted, demonic sound that her voice had become.
"Yes Robin...you have to save him Raven. That's what all this was for! You have to save him!" The tendril holding Rose's ankle dissipated away as much of the black energy pulled back into Raven's body as she soon returned to her normal size, falling back to her knees next to Robin. However, the unseen wind remained along with two glowing red eyes though Rose couldn't help but feel the smallest bit of relief because at least Raven's evil smile had faded.
Raven continued to hold her head with shaky hands, as she fought for control of herself, though inside she was not fully resisting her demonic half. She truly needed that half of herself for the first time in her existence...she just couldn't let it take control...couldn't become a monster. She just needed it for a little while...needed it to save Robin.
"I'm...I'm sorry Rose...I'm..." A slight nervous laugh came from Rose though it sounded much more like the relaxed young woman than what she had sounded like as she pleaded with Raven. It amazed Raven that Rose could so quickly go back to this demeanor, but then again, Rose's emotional state really didn't behave anywhere near normal.
"No problem...I'm come to expect everyone I meet to try and kill me."
"Probably...but I am still sorry. I need to tap directly into my demonic side to do what I must do. Only the pure dark energy and magic within me and help me to save Robin. Slade and Robin were connected by the darkest of magic, and if your father was to die, then Robin was to die, and his soul would be pulled into the darkest depths of Hell along side Slade's...bound forever in hatred. However, since Robin died at the hands of the one he served, this was not to be. Slade's death and Robin's death freed Robin from that bastard...though he still is not completely free."
"There's always something else isn't there. Always something else when it comes to my father."
"Actually, the problem for once isn't Slade, but rather the dark magic within Robin itself. It has grown strong within Robin's soul...has become nearly indistinguishable from the shadows of Robin's soul and has tapped into Robin's will, becoming sentient in a way. Even though the bond between Slade and Robin is gone, the curse on Robin will not go so easily...it will rather take Robin's soul into oblivion rather than give in. It must be broken as well...and the only thing that can do that is that which I've despised and hated since the moment I could comprehend myself. To save the one I love above all others, I will use the evil within me...will use dark magic even though I swore I would never do that again...I will do anything to save him...sacrifice everything for him"
"Well then you really shouldn't be wasting time having girl talk with me should you." Raven smiled ever so slightly, but it was a soft, sorrowful smile, one filled with regret but acceptance all the same and even Rose felt the smallest bit of what Raven was feeling within her heart, truly feeling bad everything had to work out this way though really not regretting anything...a paradox of a choice made.
"I know Rose...I know. It is time."
Raven turned back toward Robin's body, gracefully sitting herself into the lotus position next to him, folding her hands into some unknown grip with each other, as darkened power seemed to flow all around her. Rose could only watch as Raven began chanting some unknown language, her hands breaking from their grip as they began moving in an intricate pattern, trails of black energy flowing from each move. Raven's chanting soon became faster and louder, her voice almost at the level of screaming, Rose only wanting to cower away as the raw energy in the atmosphere seemed to be coming alive, trying to consume everything but Rose at least knew Raven was in control this time, not like before.
Raven's voice found a way to grow even louder, it echoing from everywhere and all things all at once, when suddenly she stopped, her one hand raised above her head with a talon of dark energy surrounding it. Time itself seemed to stop at that moment, as if Raven was taking a final second to say goodbye to this world, and just as quickly as everything stopped, it all began again with Raven plunging her hand down, straight into Robin's chest.
Her hand passed through every layer of his body as if it was intangible, the power seeking out not Robin's body, but his soul as this moment, though Raven was not the only force that wanted that. The dark, twisted curse energy that refused to relent its control would not give in so easily. With a violent pull and a scream of determination, Raven's hand came jerking out of Robin, a swirling and thrashing dark energy seemingly grasped within her own dark talon of energy. There was a deafening, high pitched shriek that caused Rose to cover her hears though it did not seem to faze Raven at all, not even when the energy she had pulled from Robin's body grew larger, forming into the defined form of a giant snake, its mouth agape hissing at the one who opposed it.
Raven looked on with still burning eyes, a look of sheer frost on her face as her own black energy surrounding her too began to take the shape of a red-eyed raven, its wings outstretched across the room.
"His soul is mine witch...mine forever. You will not break the deal." The snake spoke without moving its mouth, as if simply speaking through presence and power directly into one's mind, it rising higher into the air appearing to be preparing to strike.
"I think not...I will save him, I will not let him suffer anymore !" The raven shrieked as the snake sprang forward with the intent to sink its fangs into Raven who remained on the floor looking defiantly up at the dark energy that had dwelled within Robin. The attack never made it to its target as the wings of the great raven from within intercepted the attack easily, the wings quickly engulfing it.
"Do not think unfocused curse energy could ever stand up against the power of the Daughter of Trigon. This battle was over the second I pulled you apart from his soul into the open. It is time you returned to the void, never to be seen again."
The raven's head shot forward, its large beak snapping around the neck of the snake as it futilely tried to escape the raven's grasp, making promises of untold power and happiness that only fell on to deaf ears. With the closing of the beak, the curse on Robin's soul was finally broken. There was no great explosion, no final scream or massive climatic spectacle of power for the curse that Slade had inflicted upon Robin, but instead it just ended by the fading away of the snake into oblivion without so much as a sound.
However, the things in front of Rose did not stop for an instance, as again Raven began chanting words of dark power and purpose, her soul self shrieking loudly with strength. The dark bird flew up, flying around both Raven and Robin, before suddenly diving down, passing through Robin's body, then passing through Raven's body, causing the small woman's whole body to jerk in what appeared to be terrible pain though she made no sound.
Raven's soul self continued to fly around the two, faster and faster until it became nothing but a blur, Raven reaching down with her hand to gently caress the side of Robin's face, the smallest bit of warmth returning to it.
"Good bye Robin...I will always love you." Raven's soul self slammed back into her body and in an instance, everything turned black.
--
Mas and Menos sped toward their destination faster than they had ever gone before, a sense of urgency deep within both of them though the smallest bit of relief as they entered into the desired cities limit. They stopped for a second to call Cyborg to let him know they had arrived, when the ground started shaking. The two twins could only look up as suddenly a massive black raven burst from up into the sky, its wings stretching on for what seemed like forever, its massive shriek causing everything to shake again, and then just as soon as it appeared it was gone, leaving the only sound as Cyborg's concerned voice asking to know what was going on from the communicator clutched in Mas's hand.
–
--
"Blood...so much blood...they're dead...all dead."
"Of course they are my apprentice. Your mission was to end all of their pathetic lives and you executed each of them flawlessly. I must say, your cruelty was even shocking to me...especially what you did to that purple-haired half breed. She never did quite figure out that begging you to stop was completely futile...that it only made you torture her more."
"No...I wouldn't...they were my friends...she...Raven...this can't be real."
"Oh it is real my boy. Things are exactly as they should be."
"No...I'm not you...I'm me. I won't let you control me anymore. I won't..." Robin could only stare at the endless amounts of blood that seemed to drench the ground, barely hearing the steely footsteps coming near him.
"You will because you are mine. Nothing will ever change that. There will never be escape from me." Robin looked up to find Slade's skinless, grinning skull but what was far more frightening was Raven's severed head held in Slade's hand, her eyes dead to the world forever.
All Robin could do was scream.
Robin tried to shoot up as he frantically awoke from a nightmare with the mocking laughter of Slade still echoing within his head. However, he found himself still partially restrained by his arms to the bed he was on, unable to fully move even as his body quivered slightly despite his strongest protests.
It had perhaps been a few days since he had been brought back to the Titan's Tower, though he wasn't exactly sure...wasn't exactly sure about really what had happened. He was finally home...finally free, that much he knew, but he was not well, his mind still a confused and tormented place even though Slade was finally gone...at least from what he was led to believe from the whispers he managed to pick up from the other Titans.
In a way, Robin was happy he was restrained because when the Titans had found him in Slade's lair, he did remember lashing out at them in a fit of what could only be called insanity, and even after he had partially calmed down, he was still a muttering, confused mess who was highly unpredictable...even toward his friends.
They would come and check on him, always looking so sad...so down, and rarely would tell him much about what was going on even when he asked where Raven was. They told him they would tell him everything once he was a little bit better, and though Robin wanted to press the issue, especially with Raven, he didn't. At the very least, he could still feel Raven's presence within himself though it seemed to be extremely distant. It was there, and that was all Robin needed for the moment...just needed to feel her there. She was alive, and Slade was dead. This was the truth no matter what his nightmares tried to tell him...just had to keep telling himself that.
Robin turned his head to the left, expecting to find the unconscious form of Slade's daughter whom the Titans had taken back with them as well. She had been in a coma since she had gotten here, the amount of blood she ended up losing was immense, and it was still uncertain if she would ever wake up despite the treatment Cyborg had given her. It was for this fact that Robin was so surprised to find a grinning Rose who was intently looking at him as if she had never been in a coma at all and had been watching him for awhile. Robin repressed a shudder thinking about Slade's daughter watching him as he had his nightmare...seeing his weakness.
"Wakey-wakey sleepy head. I was wondering when you would wake up. Its so boring in here, and I figured at least we could talk to pass the time. Well actually I could think of plenty of other very fun things to do with you but as you can see, I'm a bit stuck." Rose lifted up one of her hands, unbreakable cuffs and chains holding her to the bed.
"Of course the handcuffs could really just make things even more fun. Who would have thought the Titans could be so kinky...hehe."
Robin grunted in response turning his vision back toward the ceiling, not wanting to even look at the daughter of his nemesis. It was not so much the fact that she tried to kill him that bothered him, but rather that he kept thinking of Slade every time he looked at her, and every thought of Slade only brought darkness, confusion, and pain. Cyborg had promised that the drugs Slade had put in his system were at least rapidly clearing themselves out with his help, but there were far more than drugs scarring Robin's mind...far more than memories of physical pain tearing at his being. Robin was free, no more magic and no more Slade, but he still felt like he was in a cage. He just wanted everything to clear itself up...just wanted to see Raven.
"I bet your thinking about Rae-Rae aren't you?" Robin only continued to look up at the ceiling even as Rose bounced in her bed with energy wanting a response.
"Its too bad she's not here right now. I really want to thank her again." This caught Robin's interest, looking over at Rose who was smiling slyly at him.
"What could someone like you possibly have to thank her about?"
"Well I want to thank her for killing my father, that's all. She's the one who insured the final blow would land." Robin found his body turn cold at Rose's gleeful explanation.
"What?"
"Oh yeah...she was great. The dagger I threw would have missed, but Raven used her powers to ensure it landed dead on target...and I do mean dead on target...hehe, he was dead before he hit the ground." Robin's eyes narrowed underneath his at the smiling young woman.
"She wouldn't..." Rose cut him off.
"Of course she would. She said the only way to save you was to kill him. She really didn't have any choice. She really does care about you to do such a thing just for you, doesn't she?" Robin could only continue to look ahead, only able to repeat the same thing.
"She wouldn't..."
"Oh she would, could, and most definitely did. Come now sweetheart, don't tell me that if you had no other choice, you wouldn't have killed that bastard to save Raven's life. I doubt you would have hesitated for a second."
Robin found he really had nothing to say, sensed truthfulness in what Rose was saying and knew that she was right. Robin never wanted to have to kill anyone in his life, a principle he had learned and respected from Batman, but he knew if he were to ever truly break that rule by his own wanton choice, it would have been for Raven. Robin still couldn't help but feel so very guilty about making Raven do such a thing, if she really had, to only save himself...couldn't imagine just how difficult it had been for Raven who was more gentle and kind than even himself despite being half demon. Perhaps if they all had to just left him to his fate...Robin quivered again slightly. If they had left him, it would have only been a matter of time before he turned life into death...and it would have been innocents and not an evil bastard like Slade.
"That Rae-Rae...she was willing to do anything to save you because she loved you that much...so much that nothing would stop her from saving you from a terrible fate. You really should remember that Robby"
Robin stared at Rose who had a rather somber look on her face with an almost disbelieving sense because it truly felt like Rose was telling Robin to not be judgmental, look beneath the surface to the heart of what had happened, though Robin couldn't imagine why Rose would even waste the energy to do such a thing. However, Rose's somberness was short lived as she smiled again.
"Girl has an incredible will and of course she was a hell of a kisser...hehe...I bet you would have loved to see that." Robin's more cold and depressing thoughts suddenly were gone as he looked wide-eyed from underneath the mask that was thankfully over his eye.
"What?"
"Oh yeah." Rose licked her lips. "It was real nice." Robin forcibly shook his head, annoyed that he was letting this enemy toy with him...letting himself believe there was anymore to the situation other than taunting him and getting a rise out of him. Things were messed up enough in his mind, and he really didn't need this.
"Could you please just shut up...I heard enough self absorbed nonsense when I dealt with your father."
Rose's eye narrowed slightly at the comment, and it looked like some cutting comment was about to come off her lips, but she was interrupted by the door to the infirmary slowly opening up, a modified version of the quarantine lock-down keeping the place off limits. Cyborg smiled as he saw Robin looking slightly more relaxed than usual though his smile quickly turned to a frown at the sight of Rose.
"Hey there...did you come to play doctor with me?"
"Oh...you're finally awake. You should just be grateful we didn't just leave you to bleed out back there considering what you did, but if we had left you, that would have made us one of the bad guys just like you."
"Oh I'm not a bad girl. Thank you, see I can be nice. Thanks for everything." Cyborg repressed a small shiver at Rose's smile and tone of voice for it was far to genuine coming from someone who had nearly cost them Robin forever.
"Yeah whatever...I better let Beast Boy know that your awake so that he can avoid the infirmary. He wants less to do with you than anyone else, though I can't really blame him."
Rose's smile slowly faded away, and Robin caught the sad look that came to her face at Cyborg's biting comment, making her look all too human. Robin suspected that was a type of look that had never once crossed Slade's face, and seeing that look on her face, suddenly made it more difficult to associate Rose with Slade. At least that was one less reason to hate this girl.
"So how are you feeling Rob?" Robin smiled weakly.
"As good as can be expected." Cyborg did his best to give him a comforting smile.
"Yeah...seriously man, glad to have you back. I don't think any of us can say that enough. Even Speedy is happy to see you despite the beat..." Cyborg cut himself off realizing in his slight nervousness he said something he shouldn't have. Robin however, only nodded.
"Don't worry Cy. Even with all Slade did, it was still a majority of me that went after Speedy. I have to accept that fact, and actually go apologize to that womanizer at some point. I am not looking forward to that." Cyborg smiled with relief at the small bit of humor from his returned friend.
"Yeah...he'll probably forgive ya right away but still tell ya he's holding it against you forever just so that he can get favors out of you." The two laughed, completely ignoring Rose who simply turned her back to the two as she lied in bed, pouting...or perhaps actually upset at what Cyborg had said. Cyborg approached Robin's bed, checking a few monitors and such.
"Well you are looking much better physically Rob, I can at least say that. However...really, how are you doing?" Robin looked down.
"Not good Cy...not good. Slade...I still feel like he's watching me...still feel like he's just hiding in the shadows waiting for the next opportunity. Every moment is a challenge Cy...it really is." Cy nodded sadly.
"Yeah man...yeah...at least I can tell you that Slade is most definitely dead this time. We all saw the body ourselves." Robin nodded.
"Yeah...I really wish I could believe it, but I just can't right now...not completely. At the very least, Slade is still alive within memories I no longer want and within the fresh scars on my soul. I don't think he's quite ready to leave me alone yet.
"Well man, no matter what, we'll help you with whatever you need. He's gone, and I refuse to let whatever lingering phantom of him that's left get you again." Robin again weakly smiled.
"I truly...truly want to believe you Cy...I really do."
"Get some rest if you can Rob...I think right now that's best for you. Starfire will be in a few hours with some food for you. Try to eat something. I think it will really make her happy to see that."
"Yeah it would... ... ...Cy where's Raven?" Cy went tense which was no small feat for a man made of metal.
"Rob...well...I don't think your ready to hear this yet. We tried to tell you a few days ago, and you completely went mental...man it was bad...real bad." Cyborg looked at Robin's confused face.
"You don't remember that do you." Robin shook his head.
"Just get some rest Rob...there's nothing to worry about right now. I promise I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"
Robin wanted to argue more, but he just didn't feel like he had the energy. He could still feel her...just barely...good enough for the moment. Cyborg left quietly, seeing Robin deep within his own thoughts, not wanting to interrupt. Robin sat like that for what felt like an eternity, trying to will his hands to stop shaking though they wouldn't. His cracked concentration was finally completely broken when he was interrupted by a quiet voice next to him.
"I can understand Robin so very well. Those touched by the hand of Slade can never forget...can never be innocent again...can never truly find peace...can never be the same."
Robin glanced over at Rose who was doing her best to curl up in a ball even with the restraints on her, her back still to Robin. He could sense such deep sadness within her voice, nothing like the arrogant and manipulative tone from before. Robin almost had the instinctive desire to reach out to comfort her, though his restraints stopped that easily. Despite everything, he suddenly realized, Rose might be one of the few people who could ever understand what he had endured...and know the pain probably would never go away. Raven would understand as well...Robin knew this too.
"I honestly feel bad for you Rose for ever having that monster as a father. I am sorry at some point in my life I never could have done anything to help you." Robin's feelings were truly genuine, even toward the girl who had tried to kill him, just as real as the smallest of sniffles Rose emitted before responding.
"And I envy you Robin, because he wanted you more than he ever wanted his own children...his own daughter. I'm sorry I wasn't good enough...then he would have left you alone."
Robin wanted to say something, something profound and comforting, but all he could say was, 'You were too good to be his daughter." Rose only moved slightly in her bed, and a thank you drifted ever so quietly in the infirmary.
The two tortured souls sat quietly with each other, not really needing to say anything, at least finding the smallest bit of comfort in the fact that some one else alive in this world did understand even though they were far more enemies than ever would be friends. However, for a few moments, these things did not matter. Eventually Robin laid his head back down, feeling like sleeping, trying to stay awake knowing Starfire was supposed to arrive sooner or later. He was surprised when Rose's voice broke the silence again.
"In time, you will see her again. Trust me on this...I know." Robin did not respond because he also knew within his heart, that he would see her again no matter what.
Starfire eventually came with food for both Robin and Rose. Starfire did her best to comfort Robin, the battered young man unable not to smile a real smile for the Tamaranian princess despite everything, smiling even when Rose said some off-handed comment that Starfire didn't get, Robin simply telling her to shut up and keep away from her friends, though it was more light-hearted than anything. It was a surprising peaceful night for Robin, that much he couldn't deny. When he slept finally, the nightmares did come back, though no where as bad as they had been.
When Robin awoke finally the next morning, Rose was nowhere to be found, the only sign she had ever been there was a slightly disheveled bed, some spots of blood on the floor, the sense that he had been kissed on the cheek, and a small note that said, 'I'm sorry' stealthily placed in Beast Boy's room.
She was gone, and Robin, despite knowing only what was in Slade's file about the girl, somehow knew that if he ever encountered her again, it would probably be as enemies once again because he suspected that Rose wasn't the type to lose in a fight and not come back for a rematch. Only time would truly tell though, and Robin hated to admit it, but he was looking forward to that rematch. For now, all he could do was rest and heal from the nightmare that still lingered at the edge of his senses. Raven would make it all better...she truly would...