Bleep! Bleep! Bleep! The alarm sounded, arousing all of the titans but one. "It's Rancid." announced Cyborg. "Didn't we just put him in jail?"
"He's not the only one." pointed out Raven, looking at the screen. "Jailbreak. Everyone's loose."
"And we still have to find Joker and Scarecrow." Batgirl sighed, asking, "Should we split up?"
"Yea." We'll work are way closer to the jail. The inmates couldn't have gotten far. BB and Star, you two patrol from the skies. Raven get the North end, Batgirl get the South, and both of y'all make your way East. I'll get the West. Everyone got it?" he looked up, startled but not surprized that Batgirl was already gone. "That another Bat-thing or somthing?" he asked, as they ran through the door.
"Guess so!" she answered, popping up behind him. She laughed along with the others when his girly scream erupted.
Screams. That's all Robin heard in his dreamstate. He could do nothing as Joker killed everyone in the city one by one. "Now it's your turn bird brat!" Shouted Joker, handing him the trigger.
He shook his head. "No. I don't kill!"
"Don't you?" Joker smirked. "What about your parents?"
"I didn't kill them! I just couldn't save them! There's a difference! Tony Zucco is the one who removed the bolts! He's the killer! Not me!"
"Yes, but it's your fault Tony held a grudge against your family in the first place, isn't it?" Robin stayed silent, knowing it was true. "If you hadn't tried to be a good little boyscout and call the police, Batsy would've never showed up! Your parents would've payed the extortion money, and Zucco would have been on his merry way!"
"No, he would've come back. And my parents cared about the circus. They wouldn't have given him anything."
"Maybe so, but since you did call Batman, it's your fault they got killed!"
"From what you're saying, none of this would've happened if I didn't call Batman. So it would be his fault my parents are dead. Not mine. I'm not a murderer." he stated calmly.
The Joker frowned at the misperception. "Maybe so, boy blunder, but did you ever think maybe that was Brucie's plan all along to get a sidekick?" Robin glared at him. "Maybe batsy planned the whole thing!"
"Shut up! He would never!" Even Robin could detect the hint of doubt in his own voice.
"Would he? He's stopped me trillions of times. He's a better fighter than you, and you took out a room full of Sladey-o's fancy robots all by yourself. You're saying he could only take out an ex-lion tamer? He could've gotten the rest of them! Then you wouldn't be in this mess. Instead, you'd be flying around with your parents! Hahahahahahahahahaha!" the Joker cackled.
"No! He didn't even want me to know he was Batman when he took me in!"
"Oh? But he just made it oh so obvious for you to find out?"
"Shut up!"
"Why? I'm just telling the truth! Hahahahahahahahahhahahha! You're a killer, Batsy's a killer, it's a whole conspiracy! Hahahahahhahaha!"
"No! He wouldn't! He wouldn't kill! Neither would I! No... no... I didn't... he didn't... no..."
The robber snuck away in the shadows, glad to have escaped. He was about to make his getaway, when he was tapped on the sholder. "Excuse me, forget about a prior commitment? I'm pretty sure a certain jail cell is awfully lonely right now." He turned around, and was met with the fist of Batgirl. He stumbled, back, thrusting his arms out, searching for somthing to use as a weapon. He picked up a board and flung it at Batgirl, who calmly dodged.
Shaking her head, she said, "Hey, that's cheating. Oh well, if you're gonna cheat, so will I." She promptly knocked him out with her bo staff. "Nighty night!" She left him and three others she had found in the custody of a police officer. She met up with the others.
"Well, that's the last of em." Cyborg said, wiping his hands of some dirt. They were about to get in the T-Car, when they were surrounded by a swarm of media.
"Cyborg, why are you acting as leader?"
"Where's the boy wonder?"
"Was he injured in battle?"
"Was he kicked off the titans? No one has seen him around recently!"
"Does the disaperance of Robin have to do with the apperance of Batgirl?"
"Batgirl, why did you leave Gotham?"
"Did you really have an affair with either Batman or Robin?"
"Starfire, are the dating rumors of you and Robin true?"
"Raven, did you really cause the end of the world?"
"Are you really dating Beastboy?"
"Beastboy, is it true that you were allegedly dating Terra?"
"What does her betrayal mean to you?"
"Is she really back from the grave?"
"Where is Robin?"
"QUIET!" Raven screamed, and surprisingly, everyone shut up. They were all affraid. "Robin is taking a little vacation, god only knows how much he overworks. He was NOT kicked off the team. As second in command, Cyborg would naturally take place as leader! Batgirl visited the city, and decided to stay. It's none of your buisness if any of us our dating each other, it's none of your buisness about Terra. She died a hero, so shut up about her betrayal! Yea, my father took over the world, but we saved it so there's nothing left to talk about! Does that answer all your questions?"
When one reporter started to open her mouth, Batgirl answered, "No, I NEVER had an affair with Batman! Ew! He's like, fifteen years older than me! And I never had an affair with Robin either! We're just friends! We've answered your questions, now leave us alone!" When none of the reporters made a move to leave, and started asking more questions, Raven immediately made her eyes glow red. They left the titans alone.
Once they were all safely in the T-Car, Batgirl sighed, and said, "No wonder Batman made us be so secretive back in Gotham. The media's crazy!"
"Well, welcome to the titans." Raven deadpanned.
"Aww, come on Rae! It's not that bad!" protested Beastboy. "It's only when they notice stuff, like Robin missing in action. And Batgirl coming to town. And a jail break. All within 48 hours"
Batgirl put her feet up on the dashboard, ignoring the protests from Cyborg. "You deal with them ALL THE TIME?" Asked Batgirl, jaw dropping.
"Well, some of us deal with it. Robin does not wish to talk to them, and he always seems to be doing the disapearing before he can be captured on film or tape. Raven also does not have the, tolerence, to deal with them mostly." Explained Starfire.
Batgirl shrugged, as if she'd been expecting the answer. "Really Raven? I thought you'd be the first one talking to the paparazi." She joked, as Raven rolled her eyes.
"As if."
"I just don't see why Robin would have a problem with them. Surely he's used to dealing with them, I mean, he is Dick Grayson. Even before he was Bruce's ward he was probably dealing with the press that came to the circus like, all the time. He was probably on tv and in the newspaper and stuff a lot- oh." Beastboy answered his own question.
"See? With tecnology today, people can match looks and voices, and figure out identities. Probably why Bruce has his whole Bat-voice. Of course, he is rather paranoid..." she trailed off. "Whatever. Where we going?" She asked, noticing they were turning away from the tower.
"Just about the best pizza place ever!" Exclaimed Beastboy.
"Shouldn't we check on Robin?" asked Starfire. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt really worried.
"Chill out Star, he ain't goin anywhere. If the antidote is working at all, it's gonna be takin its time. He'll be fine."
"I hope so..." she whispered to herself. She tried to ignore the sense of dread, and put on a happy front. They were about to pull into the parking lot, when Raven screamed.
"No!" she clutched her skull in agony, eyes rolling into the back of her head.
"Raven!" Beastboy's eyes widened in shock, seeing the bruises forming on her neck. They had a close resemblance to a pair of hands. "This is what happened last time she was feeling what was going on in Robin's dreams! I think she's seeing it!"
Robin breathed heavily, as Joker finaly released the grip around his neck. "Now, lets try this again bird boy! Kill her!"
"Never! I won't kill her, and I won't kill any of my other friends! I'm NOT A KILLER!" he screamed, glaring at the Joker.
"Party pooper!" Joker stuck his tounge out at the boy. "I'll just leave you to your worst nightmare..." He walked away. That's it? Robin thought, as he walked away.
"Don't get so excited to see him leave, Robin. I'll be taking his place for a while..." the smooth sultry voice of Slade echoed throughout the ally. Robin mustered up the courage to smirk.
"You're supposed to be my worst nightmare? Wow. If only live were that easy..." He was punched in the face by a very pissed off Slade.
"Shut your mouth!"
"Why? Pissed off that there are things scarier than you? Actually, you're one of the least scary things I've ever seen!"
With a chuckle, Slade shook his head saying, "Robin, that's precious. Attempting to be brave? You know you fear me at some level. You're putting up a front."
"Maybe so, but I see the Joker as a higher threat than you, Deathstroke!" he spit in the man's eye, and ran.
"You insignifigant brat!" He chased after the boy wonder.
Raven gasped, as she was brought back to reality with a jolt. "Raven!" Beastboy screamed. She winced, having a headache from whatever had just happened.
"Where am I?" she asked, sitting up.
"You're in the infirmary in the west wing," Cyborg explained. "We thought it'd be best if you weren't near Robin, so you wouldn't be feeling his emotions and pain and all.
She cleared her head. "I'd feel his emotions if he was all the way in Steel City," she confined. "We have a bond, remember?" she tapped her forehead impatiently. "But yea, it probably wouldn't help waking up right next to him." she clutched her forehead. "What happened?"
"You don't remember?" asked Beastboy, worried for his girlfriend. "You started screaming in the car, and passed out. You started getting bruises around your neck..." gingerly, she reached up and touched the purple splotches. She winced from the pain.
"How long was I out?"
"We got back to the tower five minutes ago, so about fifteen minutes."
She shook her head. "I feel bad for Robin."
"For Robin? Dude! You're the one dealing with all his pain!" Beastboy exclaimed.
"Let me explain. While I end up obsorbing Robin's pain, I only get the bruises and the blood. I barely feel it happen. It's like having one of you poke me on the shoulder, and a big purple bruise poping up. Robin is having all of this, the broken bones, bruises, whatever, happen to him first hand. It was bad what I saw the first time, and that was just a moment. He's been dealing with these visions for over a day."
The others winced, realizing what he must be going through. "What on earth could be going on in that boys head?" asked Cyborg, scratching his head. Raven's eyes widened for a second, memories coming back.
"It's working!" she exclaimed, smiling. The others, confused, turned to her in shock.
"What's working?"
"When I went unconcious, I had this dream... I think it was what Robin was seeing. That'd explain the bruises. The anti-toxin we gave him, its working a little! Barely, but... he's fighting it! The first time I felt his pain, and saw his visions, he couldn't fight back. At all. Now, he's fighting. He's backtalking!" Beastboy and Cyborg's eyes widened realizing what that meant.
"You mean-?" Cyborg trailed up, trying not to get his hopes up. She nodded.
"He's getting better. Slowly, but... he's gonna be ok."
"Which means your gonna be ok!" Said Beastboy with a smile. Before they could start celebrating though, Batgirl and Starfire burst into the room, frantic.
"Guys, whats wrong?" asked Raven, a feeling of dread creeping up her spine.
"Have you seen Robin?" asked Starfire, eyes wide.
"Um... no, I just woke up. Why? Isn't he in the other infirmary?"
"Do you think he would've woken up, and went somewhere in the tower?" asked Batgirl, refusing to give up hope.
Raven shook her head. "When I saw what was happening in his dream, he was only just starting to fight the nightmares. He wouldn't have woken up yet." At that statement, Starfire burst into tears.
"There's only one explination for this." Batgirl said, voice starting to crack. "Robin's been kidnapped."
*Mwa ha ha! Evil, rite? let me know what you think, if you want to find out what happened to robin... hehehehe