Robin dropped to his knees, a stunned look on his face. Batgirl gasped and ran over to the fallen hero. She knelt down and helped him lie on his back as she looked him over. Blood was seeping through his gloved fingers and his face was twisted in pain. The bullet had gone through his right side, right under his chest. She looked up, expecting to see the deranged clown laughing, but found they were the only ones in the clearing… the batgirl and the fallen boy wonder.

Back at the tower, Starfire was sitting on one end of the couch stroking silky and enjoying watching Beast boy and Cyborg fight over the remote. Raven was at the other end of the couch, slipping into a somewhat wanted trance…until her communicator went off.

"Raven?" Raven awoke looked down at the device. It was blinking red. "Rae! Pick up!" She opened it and found Batgirl looking back at her.

Batgirl? Where's Robin?" she said groggily. Robin never let anyone get hold of his communicator.

Batgirl shook her head. "I need you all here…now." She had an air of command, though it cracked as she spoke. "Please… as fast as possible."

Raven's eyes widened. "What's going on?" She felt a strange feeling as she reached out with her mind, trying to find them. She sent out a ray of jet-black energy, summoning the others. "Batgirl, tell me what's going on."

The view on the screen changed as Batgirl focused the communicator on Robin's motionless form. Raven gasped. "Like I said…I need you here. As soon as possible." She hurriedly sat the communicator on the ground as Robin stirred. She put a hand to his forehead…the fever was already making his temperature climb. She sighed and looked down to the tiny screen.

"What's your location?" Raven had already run to the roof along with Starfire and had taken off. Cyborg, Beast boy, and B.Hound Jr. were in the T-Car.

"We're in one of the most remote places in the city. It's been long forgotten and the streets are gone… there's no way I could tell you exactly where we are…" again, she looked away from the screen to check on Robin. "Can you still find us?"

Raven stopped and hung in mid-air… "We could but it will take some time for us to get there." She continued flying. "We might be able to get there in an hour or so."

Batgirl looked down at the young man lying on the ground. His breathing had become shallow and his face was losing it color. She hung her head and closed her eyes. "Everything that can be accomplished here is done…"She sighed and stood. It pained her to say the next few words. "He can't hold out much longer. I'll have to take him to the cave…Titans tower is too far away and we can't risk a public hospital"

Raven stared ahead disbelievingly… she was right. There was no way they could keep him alive and reach them in the clearing. "Go. We'll meet up later."

Batgirl tore off a strip from the bottom of her cape. She tied it around Robin's chest and then gingerly laid him back on the ground. "Thanks Rae. Do you know where Wayne manor is?" The goth nodded. Batgirl continued, now pressing a button on her belt. "Meet me there as soon as you can…but I wouldn't recommend you coming in the uniforms…. It's Gotham city, and our masks are vital. If it's at all possible, could you see if Cyborg wants to ride my motorcycle? We had to ditch them in the park." A whir had started on Batgirl's end. A shadow blanketed the clearing; A black helicopter had started hovering over the clearing's opening. Raven nodded. "Keep him safe."

Batgirl glanced at the communicator one last time and then shut it. The helicopter landed and the door opened. A ramp extended down to the ground and a dark figure glided down to where the boy lay. The man reached down and carefully lifted Robin off the cold ground. Batgirl swifly stood and ran to the helicopter,climbing inside and sitting on the floor where she could cradle the boy's head. The doors slammed shut as the cowled crusader laid his young ward on the ground, and took to the controls. "Tell me what happened. In detail."

The aircraft lifted as Batgirl began explaining. It was going to be a long day.

Raven and the others had turned and gone back to the tower. They had to change into clothes that wouldn't be looked at twice in a city like Gotham. Raven now wore dark ripped jeans and a black long sleeved shirt, Beast boy-a pair of baggy jeans and a sweatshirt, too big for his small form, with the hood pulled over his ears and face. Starfire was clad in jeans, borrowed from Raven, and a green sweater. Cyborg wore jeans and a hooded shirt…not much could hide who he was.

"Friends, we now are hidden so no one can find our true identities…but how are we to get to our destination? We cannot fly…and the T-car is- "

Cyborg cut her off. "Oh don't think I didn't build the T-car without a backup plan. My baby can disappear like a chameleon!" The all clambered into the car, too worried about their missing leader to laugh. The garage opened and they started toward the dark city of Gotham.

The helicopter broke through the dark clouds in the sky and landed in a cave on the outskirts of Gotham. As soon as it was firmly on the ground (blades still spinning), Batman kicked the door open and descended down the ramp, Robin in his arms. His most trusted ally, Alfred, stood ready near the stairs leading into the mansion, a somber look upon his face.

"Master Bruce," The dark night shifted his gaze, still walking briskly to the stairwell. "Dr. Tompkins is waiting for him in the infirmary." Batman nodded and continued up the stairs. Blood still dripped from the wound in the boy's side. Batgirl watched as it splattered on the steps. She trembled.

"Will you be needing anything Miss Dove?" the butler asked, switching his attention to the girl. She started to shake her head, but remembered-The Titans were coming and needed a place to stay.

"Are all of the guest bedrooms still made up?" She asked, wiping from her glove a few water droplets that had fallen from a stalactite. Good thing I'm not made of sugar…

He lifted an eyebrow. "Yes, I suppose so. Are we expecting company?"

"The Titans are coming here and need a place to stay. They want-no, need to be here with their leader." She explained.

The man grinned. "Ahh, I see. Any plans as to how you are going to present this information to master Bruce?"

Batgirl closed her eyes and groaned at the thought of explaining to the Batman why they had four extra guests in the house. "Not exactly…" Great… She started running up the stairs.

"Better you than me…" He called teasingly, trying to keep her spirits up. She stopped about half way up and stuck out her tongue at him before continuing toward whatever lay ahead in the infirmary. Please be ok…you left once. Don't go permanently…