Chapter Five: The Antihero

It was going to rain… she was sure of it. The sky was grey and clouds were heavy.

"So, how do we get over there?" the changeling asked, as they stared miserably at the giant T that stood on the island across from them. The waves were rushing and pulling, the ocean choppy and not inviting.

"I can get us in without being seen… I'll find the mainframe and see if I can fix communications." Raven replied.

"And me?"

"You watch my back."

It grew quiet for a long time between them as no one moved. "I'm not sure about this Raven."

"I'm not either, but we got no choice." the psychic replied, keeping her determined eyes on their shattered home. "It's are only chance at finding the others."

"Raven, look if things go wrong in there, I just… I want to tell you that…"

She felt her heart speed up and color rise to her cheeks as her violet eyes met his ivy colored ones.

"I just…I mean…thank you, you know? For everything."

She recovered from her near panic attack and resumed her safe emotionless persona. "Forget it."

…

He watched as the clouds covered the sky and the sun, once again, leaving the city in its current array of grey. They walked among the small crowd of people brave enough to be on the street.

Cops were seen everywhere, giving him memories of the dark and rotting Gotham city.

He glanced over at the red head beside him catching her staring. She awkwardly looked at the ground the minute his eyes met hers, pretending she had done no such thing.

He smirked in amusement. She may have only been curious, but it still put coals over his burning ego.

"See something you like?" he asked her, he might have said something more sensitive and less cocky, but it really wasn't in his nature.

"No." she replied quickly, tilting her gaze up to the dreary sky, but he could see the blood rushing to her face.

"Seriously though, why so quiet tonight?" he asked. "Planning on snuffing me out?"

Yep, there it was, the smallest glimmer of a smile on her face.

He thought he would never see it.

"Just let me know before you do so I have a fighting chance." he went on, hoping to coax in out again.

Her smile broadened a little more and he swore she almost laughed. He was getting somewhere, the idea of him dying at least amused her a bit.

However, with the mask off there was just another wall between them. She had only known the masked villain, not who he was underneath. As ironic as it was it only made things more complicated than it was before. He found it was his turn to stare at her as her gaze fell to the ground, curiosity only being one of his motivations. She played with her braided hair and kept pulling on her new clothes, obviously not used to them. She was so out of place it was kind of adorable. He smiled and looked on ahead back at the crowd of ordinary, far less interesting people, when an idea came to mind.

"All right, princess, I've had it with the silence," he said. "let's play a game."

She stiffened. "No thank you."

"You sure?" he asked, putting an arm around her. "I think you'll like it."

Her face didn't change as she looked up at him. "This is not the time for games, we have to…"

A loud roar of thunder caused her to jump slightly from under him.

"C'mon, sweetheart, you really think we'll find them on the streets?" he asked. "Besides it's going to rain and I'm still aching."

She looked up at the sky, then to the crowd that was slowly disappearing to safety, then back to him. A flash of lightening lit the sky as a downpour crashed unto them. It was freezing rain and caused her cry out slightly.

"See?" he said, he pulled her along under an overhang for shelter. Although slightly damp, they missed the worst of it. It grew quiet again as they both watched the rain pour down and hit the pavement rhythmically.

"You must hate how right I am all the time." he joked looking over at her, enjoying her frustrated expression. "Ready for the rules of the game?"

"I do not wish to play any games." she replied, crossing her arms stubbornly.

"Alright... so the game is simple, I ask you a question and if you answer it honestly, then I will answer anything you ask me, deal?" he said, ignoring her reply and the shocked and annoyed face she was making.

"What if I don't answer?" she asked, trying to not look interested.

"Then you lose your turn and I ask again." he replied.

"What if you lie?"

"I do a lot of things, but I don't lie." he said, taking a seat lazily on the windowsill. "I simply may withhold some info, but that's different."

She looked at him unconvinced, but he could see the curiosity in her eyes as she slowly gave in and sat across from him.

"…Alright, I agree to your conditions." she agreed, she couldn't deny there was so much she wanted to know.

He smirked, placing his hands behind his head and leaned against the window. "Good... hmmm… Favorite color?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You wish to know my favorite color...that is all?"

"Hey, how can you really get to know anyone without knowing their favorite color?" he defended, looking as if he was about to take a nap. "Come on. I'm practically giving you a free question. Out with it."

"...Blue." she told him. "But, not like a dark blue, like the blue of the earth sky."

"Your sky's not blue where you're from?" he asked with a raised brow.

"No, it's much darker there." she informed him. "The closest color that you've named in your language would be azure... I have never seen a color like your sky until I came her." It was the same color in Robin's eyes. She faltered a little at the thought of him, turning her gaze back out into the storm.

"Wow, that's deep." he commented. "Mine's green. Just, regular green."

When she didn't reply he nudged her ankle with his foot. "Okay, your turn."

She kept her gaze on him and was happy that he had to answer this question. "What's your name, your real name?"

He looked at her with wide eyes but didn't look surprised. "Well you're just going to dive right in, aren't you?" He sat a little straighter. He looked at her again for a long time. He seemed to be calculating rapidly in his head on what to answer and how to answer it. "It's Jason."

"Jason." she repeated, trying out the sound, it was so strange that he was deemed with such an ordinary earth name. "Jason… what?" she asked.

"You didn't specify last name." he smiled. "I don't have to answer that."

She pouted.

He mimicked her face teasingly, wondering how often she used that to get what she wanted. "So, my turn…how long have you and boy wonder been a thing?" he asked, a roguish smile on his face, seeing as she wasn't holding back getting into the knitty gritty of it, he might as well too.

"A thing?" she asked, brows furrowing.

"Together." he clarified with a roll of his eyes.

She hesitated.

She knew questions concerning Robin would eventually emerge, but he wasn't wasting any time. She still found herself a bit uncomfortable speaking of him. As much as she tried to justify her situation, she felt guilt in the pit of her stomach at the thought of him. "Two years."

"Wow, long time."

"I suppose." She replied, not wanting to have him speculate further. "Where are you from?"

"Gotham." he replied.

"Are all your answers going to be so vague?" she asked in annoyance, wondering what the point of this game even was. Neither of them were willing to share their secrets.

"Like you can't talk." he pointed out. "There is nothing to tell, I was born there, I lived there for a while, now I don't... So, when did he stop being a prick and actually make a move?"

"Don't call him that."

"Fine, but when did he?" he shrugged unapologetically. "You want to earn another answer or not?"

"In Tokyo." she told him in annoyance. "During a difficult mission after I pressed the matter. Are you now content?"

"Very." he grinned. "You're turn."

She took a moment to clear her head, then asked with narrowed eyes. "How did you steal the suit?"

"I broke in and I took it."

Her jaw clenched as she held back a frustrated snarl."But, how did you even know…."

"You don't follow the rules very well do you?" he asked smugly. "One question at a time."

X'hal! She wanted to grab and hurl him across the air and he seemed well aware of this fact and quite amused by it.

"Least favorite team mate?"

"I do not rank my friends." she told him sternly.

"C'mon, you're on a desert island you got vote someone off the team," he pushed. "Who'd you send home first?"

"Why would we be on a desert island?" she asked. "Three of us can fly, we would just fly the others home."

"Stop being naive and just answer the question."

"I did." she replied haughtily. "I do not rank my friends."

"Yeah, that's not a real answer." he said. "But since you're so cute I'll give you this one… your turn."

"Where have you been all this time?"

"Why?" he countered. "You miss me?"

"It is not your turn." she pointed out in annoyance.

His relentless cocky grin grew wider. "It would be easier to ask where I didn't go, I was never in one place very long, you always have to keep moving to get a break when you're on the wrong side of the law."

"It is not easy to enforce the law either." she pointed out.

"Yeah, okay." he let out a short laugh. "I bet Robin would pretty safe on the desert island, wouldn't he?"

"Are all your inquiries going to be about him!?" she snapped in annoyance.

"Okay, okay, put the eyes out." he replied at the sight of her glowing orbs, putting up his hands in surrender. "The kid's sure a sensitive topic, isn't he?"

She turned away from him with a small huff before she did something rash, she was down to her last raw nerve. What a clorbag!

"I just don't see how a nice girl like you could put with a guy so..." What was the word he was looking for? "Anal."

Her face scrunched up at his crude word choice, but knew his meaning thanks to a conversation with Beastboy a long while ago. "You don't know him." she didn't sound as intimidating as she wanted to.

"Please, I know who I steal from… obsessive, determined, always saying he's fine when he isn't, doesn't except help, pushes you away, can't communicate his feelings worth crap…"

"Stop." she warned.

"Why?" he asked. "Am I getting warm?"

She turned over her shoulder and glared at him. "He's human." she replied.

"So are most people on this planet, last I checked." he countered.

"Enough, just ask your question." she told him forcefully. "I do not wish to speak more on it."

"Fine," he went on. "...Worst villain you've ever faced?"

"Slade."

"Not me?" he pouted.

"No." she answered shortly.

"Come on, I was pretty formidable." he pointed out. "Kept you all on your toes."

"We have only ever faced you twice."

"Yeah, but.. "

"And you only ever stole one thing." she when. "And then retreated."

"If I wanted to be, I could a major threat." he nodded as she shook her head, quite sure he was coaxing a smile in the corner of her lips. "Fine, whatever, your turn."

"...What happened?" she asked after sobering with a deep inhale, motioning toward the side of her face, eyes on his scars.

His face fell at that and she could see his left hand twitch. "Aw, princess.. I don't think you want to hear about that."

"I do." she disagreed, looking at him intently, turning to face him fully. "That is my question."

He searched her eyes for long time before finally relenting. "A monster happened."

She found herself moving toward him pleadingly. "Is that really all you're going to tell me?"

He sighed, a heavy one.

She had no idea that he was capable of such a thing.

"I…"

A clash of lightening interrupted them as she leapt forward with a small squeal, unintentionally towards the thief who instinctively caught her in his arms. "Easy, it's alright. Just some bad weather." She was too afraid to let morals or reason come to mind as he pulled her close. She hated storms. Hated them. The minute she began to push away a roll of thunder rumbled loudly, making her hunker down again.

"It's okay, princess." she felt him whisper in her ear. "Let someone else protect you for once."

...

"Man, I still don't think splitting up is the best idea." Cyborg told Robin as he settled down in the bed he had been assigned. His dark haired leader and, for the present, bunk mate was already buried deep into a computer doing what he did best: over do it. "We've got at least three enhanced after us that none of us have been able to take down on our own."

"Well, it's better than Bruce leaving us here while he goes out to locate the others alone." Robin replied, his fingers falling rapidly against keyboard. "Trust me, that was probably his first plan."

"Boy, does his method sound familiar." Cyborg muttered. "Look man, this whole mess started with us being driven away from each other, if we split up who knows what will happen."

"It's the most efficient way to get things done, we have three people to locate as well as protecting the city, not to mention finding out who is behind all this."

"I know, but…" he trailed off as he saw Robin stop typing, he glanced over to see him bowing his head and gritting his teeth.

"Dude, you okay?" he asked.

"Fine." he murmured, keeping his head down.

"You should get some sleep, you're no use to anyone…"

"I said I'm fine." Robin replied, this time a bit more harshly. "I'll sleep when I find them, okay?"

Cyborg sighed and gave up, some things never changed. "Suit yourself...I'm just telling you what I think Star would say if she were here."

Robin felt his throat get dry, spinning around to face his team mate who had already turned over in his bed to end the discussion.

He turned back to the monitor and stared at the screen a long time, before finally allowing himself to rise up and crawl into his bed at the other side of the room.

And then, for the first time in 72 hours, the boy wonder let himself fall asleep.

I'll find you. he thought quietly before closing his eyes.

…

The thief looked at the gray, blue and purple sky as the storm moved on past the city, only a gentle shower remaining. There was something about the world after a storm. Everything was cool and damp, quieter, more peaceful than it had been before. It gave more life than it ever took away.

He glanced down at the red head, her face buried in his shirt and hands still clutching on his jacket.

He gently moved a gloved hand through her hair to get her attention. "It's okay," he whispered loudly, somewhat obnoxiously. "I think the worst is over."

It took a moment or two, but she finally peeked out from her hiding place, her emerald eyes large and shaking.

"Let me get this straight… you fight alien monsters, evil robots, psychotic killers and you're afraid of a thunder storm?" The thief asked dully, though the idea kind of amused him. It was a very fitting quirk for her.

He could feel her breathe a deep sigh of relief against his chest. "Aren't you afraid of anything?"

"Nah, sweetheart... you've got nothing to fear if you've got nothing to lose." he replied.

The rain came harder again pouring over the side of the building some of it splashing into the overhang.

"I do not wish for that to happen to me." her heard her mumble, her voice small and pitiful.

"It won't." he replied firmly. "They're all fine… you know it, I know it… stop worrying."

It grew quiet again and let his hand move freely through her hair once more, feeling her stiffen, but did not stop him. She was vulnerable and needed the comfort, and was probably just tired of fighting him off.

Something told him that she was the baby of Titans. Not the weakest, obviously, but certainly the one that needed the most care and attention.

"I cannot stop worrying." she confessed quietly.

He didn't reply and just sighed, becoming aware of her heartbeat again. It neither fast nor slow, but it was calming none-the-less. It was silent for a good long time as he began to acknowledge the situation for what it was and how far was he getting in over his head. He was more involved now than he care let himself admit.

A cool wind blew through, playing with his messy hair and cooling his heated face

. It was almost twenty minutes before he just let his mind speak for itself. "I was thirteen."

"What?" she asked quietly.

"When it happened." he finished. "… I just turned thirteen." He shouldn't have said anything, he really shouldn't have because now he knew there would be no going back.

The flood gates were open.

She sat slowly upright, her big beautiful eyes focused on him. "My parents had died early in my life and I had been wandering the streets till I was about eight, I started stealing to survive." He paused and she looked at him expectantly. "Then I got caught up with this crime fighting legend, you might have heard of him, dresses up like a bat and prances around Gotham at night."

Her face was absolutely priceless.

"What?" he asked with fake shock. "You really think your boyfriend is the only one who ever trained with the Batman?"

"Y-you… it can't be." she said backing away from him slightly. "You mean you…?"

"Oh, it gets better… the kid and I, we both have a lot more in common than you think, for I also donned the red suite, tights and cape once upon a time." he said. "Except I think I wore it better."

"You were…"

"Yeah, believe it or not, I was Robin, the boy wonder, young ward to the Batman, once upon a time." he said, with loaded emphasis and mock praise on every word.

"How could you have been, surely there wasn't two of you... Robin had never said…"

"Oh golden boy of yours wouldn't have known anything about me, this was a couple years before he was ever acquainted with Batman, I was really just the test run for the concept of the boy wonder." he told her. "And it backfired."

He paused as she tried to grasp what he was telling her, but it was all too much.

"I served under him for about five years," he went on. "It was the greatest, most challenging time of my life; I thought I was some pretty tough stuff, thought I was a little invincible. I believed in everything you and all you heroes stand for, truth, justice, etc… but I guess my head was in the clouds because, long story short, I took on a task on my own and ended up locked up in a boiler room with a psychotic, murderous clown."

Her face looked horrified as she put the pieces together.

"You don't mean the..."

"And, as much as it surprised me, no one came around to save me." he stopped her before she could say his name. "I realized, while I was being beaten alive that I was on my own real quick."

"How did you survive?" she asked, almost in tears again.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you... I knew the old man would find me eventually, but I didn't want him to. I knew he would have thought I was dead, but I didn't care… I stripped myself of the costume, left Gotham and never looked back."

"Did the Batman not ever go looking for you?" she asked.

"Bats? At first yeah, he's tough to shake, but he was certain I was gone, enough to get a replacement in less than a year anyway, your current boy wonder." he replied. "Being used to a billionaire lifestyle and all, I took what I wanted, did what I pleased, and by luck I happened to be in town when Robin had his little playing with the dark side moment and practically gift wrapped the suite for me… I really came to steal whatever goodies he had the free time to make, but this…" he said, looking over the gray glove with the scarlet x imprinted on the center. "This was something else, made thieving a singe and gave me a whole new identity. Two birds, one stone."

No pun intended.

There was pity to disappointment in her eyes, as he expected. She hadn't seen the light, she was still apart of that self-righteous world of saving the day with the triumph and glory, the great illusion.

"Told you that you didn't want to know." he finished, standing up and adjusting his jacket, facing away from her.

It felt strange to share everything like that, he didn't even know why he did, it just happened. He had absolutely no idea why she was so special compared to all the other pretty faces out there, but God, he had no idea how the boy wonder had resisted her for so long.

Speaking of, it probably wasn't his best idea to lay it all out to her, but something deep down told him he could trust her, that she would keep his secret. He had never met a person so damn innocent and genuine before. However, with the truth out in the open, he was back in that boiler room, awaiting another blow from a stark piece of metal… waiting for someone who would never come.

He felt her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." she said quietly.

He shrugged. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, I guess."

"Why did you never go back?" she asked. "You were just a child, were you not lonely?"

"Too angry." he replied. "And when I got over that, I just didn't care."

"You felt abandoned." she said, reading his thoughts, knowing the feeling well.

"I guess." he said, turning around to face her. "I'm sure you know the feeling, that perfect boyfriend of yours is like Bats' own mini-me."

She looked down, leaning against the wall behind her, it was only fair to share what weighed on her heart... besides she might not even have a chance to ever share anything again with another person. With every passing hour, she was feeling more and more hopeless. "A part of him always works alone." she replied. "There's been many times we've almost lost him to himself." She brought up a hand to her upper left arm, remembering a whole different side Robin, one she hoped she would never see again. "I wasn't always so afraid of storms." she murmured quietly, almost to herself. "But I forgave him and still forgive him, because you cannot change your mistakes."

"I'm not holding a grudge, sweetheart, I just moved on," he said slightly defensive, taking a step towards her. "I don't owe Bats or anyone else anything."

"If you really felt that way, I would not be here." she countered. "You would have let me die."

He didn't like how her words sat with him and closed the distance between them. "Just a whim, princess."

"I thought you said you didn't lie." she replied fearlessly, matching his dark stare. He could feel his heartbeat faster at their extremely close proximity and could feel the tension of both their extremely emotional state.

"I think its my turn…" he said quietly, placing both hands on the side of her, trapping her against the wall. She immediately began to panic internally, but she was far from thinking and far from fighting it.

"If you could be anywhere else right this minute, where would you be?" he asked, he was centimeters away from her face, eyes fixed on hers.

Don't... was the only thing she managed to think, though she was unsure if she was willing this to him or to herself.

"I…"

Before she could finish, he pressed his lips against hers forcefully.