Hey guys. I'm just about to look at how many reviews I got. (looks over at the number, gasps, and faints) GOD! 27 reviews for only 2 chapters. Sheesh! You guys rule. Weren't you surprised when you found out who Ebony Shadow is?
Mwhahahahahaha!
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Richard sat in his bedroom back in Jump city later that night. He was crouched over on his bed, with his head in hands. He just wasn't able to comprehend it. Raven, the girl who had once fought at his side, was now going against everything she had ever done. And deep down at the pit of his stomach, Richard knew he was the cause of it. He had let her in hospital to protect her, but by doing it, he only brought more pain and suffering to her.
Vic was downstairs. Richard had offered to let Vic stay with him, for Vic didn't have a home. After Bruce told him what Raven had become, Richard wouldn't believe him. Bruce told him it was okay if he needed some time to himself, and told him to come back in the morning. Boy, was he right.
Richard stood up and began to pace. He pushed his choppy black hair away from his face. It just wouldn't register. He had gone over and over it in his mind, but it just didn't seem right.
He could see Kori being evil, because her whole façade was fake. He could see Gar being evil because of his image problems. He could see Cyborg being evil to show he could. He could even see himself being evil to show himself that he was the best. But the only one he couldn't see was Raven. She was the one who would be thought and said to be the most evil, but she was the least likely.
How he wished that things could go back to way they were back when the Titans were 13. Then something hit him. "I wonder if I still have it," he said to himself softly. He went rummaging through a nightstand that sat next to his bed. Even though his bedroom was only dimly lit, he easily saw it, safely kept at the bottom of the drawer. He had put this together after the group had been together for 5 years. Later that month, they broke up. He opened the cover to the photo album, and saw the photos of them when they were 11. Beast boy had been a lot shorter. Star had a less womanly body. Robin himself had more childlike face. And Raven seemed much more innocent.
Then, there was a picture from a newspaper after they had defeated their first villain. So many pictures brought smiles to Robin's face. He could feel himself being brought back to that exact moment of when it happened. After many pages, he found one that he didn't remember. It was the entire team after one of Bruce's Christmas parties. They were all extremely tired, but they had huge smiles on their faces. Robin, instead of being with Star, had his arm around Raven, who was giving one her extremely rare genuinely happy smiles. The three boys had on tuxes, while Starfire had on a pink cocktail dress, and Raven had on a dark red one-shouldered gown.
Richard was feeling himself smile even more. He just wished that everything could be as simple as it had been back then. Back then, before anyone was dead, or was a psychotic killer. He just wanted everything back to normal.
Richard then heard a tap on his door. He shook himself from his thoughts, and sprang off the bed. He walked to the door. Opening it, Vic was giving him an odd look. "Are you okay? You've been up in here for a pretty long time man," he said worriedly.
Richard nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I just think I'll go to bed now. Make yourself at home. If I'm not home in the morning, I've probably retuned to Bruce's house, so don't worry," he said before he shut the door.
As soon as he heard Vic walk away, he walked back towards the bed. He pulled the book back into his hands, and began to look through it once more. He finally reached the last page; a page that made his throat tighten at the sight of it. It was a lone picture…of Vic's grave, where his old body was buried.
As he began to close it, he saw a small piece of white paper shoved into the back cover area. He grabbed it out, and unfolded it. When he looked at the date, he couldn't believe it; it said June 11th, 2000. He then began to intently read it.
Dear Richard
I know that you don't agree with what I decided to do. But all I can say is that was my only choice. It was my fault, and if the people of Gotham City were ever to find that out, my life would be ruined, but more importantly yours. If they found out it happened because of me, then they would say that you had kept a killed from the city, and how dare I protect them.
Anyway, the reason I decided to write this is because I have to tell you something very important. If I don't tell you, I'll never be able to live with myself. I may sound crazy when I do this, but I have to. The thing is, Richard, is that I love you. I always have, and I always will. I just knew that if I wasn't probably going to see you again, I needed to get that off of my chest. I probably sound like a whack job, saying I'm in love with you, while you have a beautiful girl like Starfire with you. I just hope you don't hate me for what I'm doing, and for also telling you this. I will miss you Richard, very dearly. This is harder for me to leave, than it is for you. But the reason why I'm doing it is to protect you, because I don't want you to have to suffer because of me. I hope you will find this soon.
Sincerely,
Raven
Richard felt horrible now. He had been angry at her for leaving, but she had done it because she loved him. Richard laid back on the bed, his hands folded behind his head. His thought to himself "What am I going to do?" before he ended up falling into a restless, dreamless sleep.
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The next morning, Richard woke up around 7. He got out of bed, showered, and got dressed. He then headed down stairs. After making a cup of coffee, he headed towards the door. Vic was asleep on the couch snoring fast asleep. Richard shook his head with a laugh, and he walked out.
Richard drove silently over the town border in his black Porsche. As soon as he reached Wayne Manor, he quickly locked the doors, and trudged up the steps. Alfred answered the door, and brought him to Bruce's main office.
"Hello Richard," Bruce said softly. Richard gave him a small wave before he sat down in a chair.
"Well, we had an anonymous clue on where Ebony Shadow might be last night, so we went out to try and find her. We then found her dead body in the street. He body had been mangled to the point of un-identification practically. I'm sorry, but she's gone," Bruce said.
Richard shook his head. "That isn't right probably."
"Richard, I'm sorry, but she's gone!" Bruce said strongly. He then took a deep breath. "Look, I know you had a fling with her, but that's not love," he said.
"How dare you tell me what I had with Raven was not love! I loved her. She ended up in a coma for a month and a half 6 months ago because she wanted to save me. Five and a half years ago, she was in a coma for another 3 months, because she had tried to save me. What, are you going to tell me that What Kori and I had together was love, even though it was fake!" Richard shouted. He had never seen Bruce like this, so cold.
"Richard, you fell in love with over the course of one week. You had fallen in love with Kori over a time period of 5 years, so yes, I would call what you and Kori had was love."
"How would you know what love is? You've never been in love!" Richard shouted.
Bruce ignored everything thing Richard had just said. "Speaking of Kori, we also have this to show you." He said as he aimed a small remote at a screen. He then saw a grave that said Kori Anders, 1984-2005. Right in front of the grave was a large pile of overturned dirt that seemed to have exploded.
"She won't stay dead!" Richard said.
"I'm afraid not. Richard, you need…" Bruce was interrupted by a loud buzzing sound, and a bright red light. He quickly began to type on his laptop. Richard walked over quickly and stood near him.
"There's been a break-in at the old warehouse on 54th, and 9t," Bruce said.
"Wait, let me go. I have a feeling I know who this is." Richard said before he ran out. Bruce had held a spare Nightwing costume for him at his house.
As soon as Richard had gotten dressed, he soon jumped onto a small black motorcycle in Bruce's garage. (A/N- I have no idea what Nightwing drives, but this is it in the story!)
After a few breathless minutes, he arrived at the warehouse. He stepped of the motorcycle, and stealthily ran in.
As he was looking around, all he saw was darkness. He pulled out a small flashlight he had attached to his belt, but it only made it somewhat lighter. He looked around, but saw nothing until he saw a shadow whip past him out of nowhere. Richard tried to follow it, but it seemed to have disappear. He pulled out his staff, ready to strike at any minute. As he walked, he heard a creak hat he knew did not come from him.
He ran towards it. Still nothing. "Come out, I know you're in here!" He shouted. Then, the same shadow crossed his path, but this time, it was a mere 5 feet in front of him. By the time he had reached out to try and grab her, she was gone. But this time he also managed to follow her. She ran through a maze like area, hoping to shake him off her. But he followed precisely.
She soon stopped in a small alcove, hoping he wouldn't realize she had stopped, and he would run by her. Maybe, if she tried to talk to him, he'd understand.
She realized he hadn't run by, so now was her chance. She stepped out, but before she could say anything, she felt a shooting pain in her abdomen. She looked down, and saw Nightwing's staff lodged in her stomach. She clutched her stomach, as she felt the warm red liquid flow into her hands.
"Not so great are we now?" said Nightwing, as he tried to see her. She tried o open her mouth, but the salty taste of blood filled, it causing her to cough.
"You're a despicable person, you know that? I never loved you. I may have protected you then, but, I can't wait to kill you; to see you drop to the floor and beg for mercy, to see you strain for air, as I laugh," he said.
She tried to being to breathe deeply to try and distract herself from the pain, but Nightwing came and grabbed the pole. He moved it around, before mercilessly ripping it from her body. She backed up against the wall, eyes closed in pain. She then sank onto the floor.
She wanted to apologize, but she knew he wouldn't believe him. What she had done was wrong. She gripped onto the wall and pulled herself up. She then started to walk over toward Nightwing. She was about to open her mouth when Nightwing delivered a hard blow to her stomach.
The pain was overwhelming now. She felt moist tears run down her face. Nightwing saw them as well. He then laughed coldly.
She lowered her voice. "You aren't the man I fell in love with, and you never were," was all she said before she collapsed onto the floor.
Richard caught her before she hit the ground. Her body soon became limp as her head drooped towards the ground. He grabbed the flashlight and clicked it on. He heard himself gasp when e shone it onto her face. "No," he thought to himself. It wasn't Kori, like he thought it was. It was Ebony. He had just stabbed her.
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Ohh. It is getting feisty in here. I hope you liked that little twist at the end. It was fun to write. Anyways, if you did like, please let me know. I love hearing from you guys. Later.