Author's Note: Needed to kill some time, so here you go! This chapter turned out pretty dark and depressing . . . Sorry for that! I love this chapter though. Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

"Superman to the League," Clark called as he sped through the skies. He had to find Robin and get to him now. "I need an immediate location on Robin."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, my friend," J'onn's voice told him regretfully. "His locator has been disabled." Clark cursed and pushed himself even harder.

"Where was his last location?" Clark asked frantically. If his locator had been disabled, then something terrible must've happened.

"Arkham Asylum," John answered. "Superman, what is going on?"

"You haven't seen the news?" Clark questioned incredulously. He glanced down at the ground below him. He was getting close to Arkham. He just hoped that he wasn't too late to stop Robin from doing something that he might regret.

"No." J'onn replied.

"Batman," Clark mumbled. "Batman might be dead."

The line was disconnected.

Clark sighed and then forced himself to focus on his journey.

Robin needed him.

Bruce was dead.

He was alone.

"Robin," A dark figure said. Robin stiffened and prepared to fight. The figure put up his hands and Robin relaxed slightly. "My friend, you do not need to fear us."

"Kaldur," Robin mumbled and suddenly the world brightened a bit. "Damn toxin." He could see Kaldur now and the rest of the team hovering a bit behind their leader. M'gann's face showed sheer concern and she smiled when Robin met her gaze. She held her hand out to Robin and the youngest team member accepted it. She pulled him up and Robin saw that Scarecrow was nowhere to be found. Seeing his distress, Connor quickly jumped in.

"He got away," Connor explained. "But with those injuries, he couldn't have gone far."

"I'll be able to catch him," Wally told Robin confidently. "But what about you?" Robin stared at his arm and saw the puncture wound. Grimacing, he faced his team.

"The toxin is in my system," He told them softly. "It's fatal."

"There must be a cure!" M'gann cried and Robin shook his head.

"I could look at the cave, but Batman hadn't encountered this type of toxin before . . ." His voice trailed off and Kaldur put a reassuring hand on Robin's shoulder.

"We'll contact the League," He explained. "They must be able to help in someway."

"There's no point," Robin mumbled. "As the toxin works it's way through my system, there's no telling what I could do. I could turn on you guys at any moment! It's a miracle I've been able to suppress it this long-!"

"So, you're giving up?" Connor growled. "You're just gonna lay down and die?" Robin smirked and chuckled dryly. He could feel sadness well up inside him. Despite all the bravado, he was only a 13 year old boy. He was scared and wanted nothing more to be told that everything was alright. He wanted Bruce and Alfred to comfort him. He wanted to believe his team when they told him that everything would be alright.

But he knew better. Bruce had taught him better than that.

Sometimes, we must sacrifice everything for the mission.

Bruce had told him that. Robin knew Bruce wouldn't think twice about the question Robin was going to ask his team. One life was worth little if hundreds could be saved. Robin had to do this.

"Please," Robin pleaded softly and instantly Connor's dark expression lightened. "Please, guys, before I hurt anyone-"

"Robin-" M'gann begged and Robin realized that she knew what he was going to ask.

"Kill me." Robin ordered.

Shocked silence.

Kaldur was the first to snap out of his stupor.

"What?" The leader questioned.

"Kill me," Robin told him, more forcefully this time. "Before the toxin drives me insane, before I hurt people, please! You have to do this! If I die, then-" Connor screamed in rage and launched himself at the young boy.

"Connor!" M'gann screamed as the punch landed directly on Robin's stomach. He was sent flying backwards. Coughing, he looked up and Connor stood over him. The angry clone roughly grabbed Robin by the front of his costume and lifted him up.

"Don't think that your life means nothing!" Connor screamed. "You want us to kill you? Just because you think that's what Batman would do? Let me tell you something, if Batman saw what you were doing right now, he'd be beating the crap out of you instead of me!" He dropped Robin down and Robin coughed before weakly standing up. "We're a team, Robin! We fight together! We stand by each other!"

"Connor," Robin mumbled. "I-"

"Shut up!" Connor snapped. "And snap out of it! The Robin I know never gives up! He's a fighter!"

"Connor's right!" Wally agreed. "We're gonna figure someway out of this!"

"Yes!" M'gann exclaimed as she embraced Robin. "You should trust in us!" Kaldur nodded in agreement and Robin smiled gratefully.

"We will help you," Kaldur informed the youngest team member. "Have faith in us."

Faith in them?

Robin gasped as the dark voice entered his mind. He suddenly felt miles away from his team. He was surrounded by darkness and he was all alone.

"No. . ." Robin muttered.

You can't have faith in them. Faith always leads to betrayal.

"Shut up!" Robin growled. He could feel his teammates nearby. He had to trust in them. He knew that they would help him!

"Robin, breathe!" M'gann told him soothingly. She was worried as she had felt the distress coming off his mind in waves. Something terrible was happening.

"What's going on?" Kaldur asked frantically.

"I'm not sure," M'gann confessed. "Something is plaguing his thoughts and blocking them from me."

But what if you hurt them? Will they stand by you then?

"Stay back!" Robin shouted. The voice was right. He couldn't let himself hurt them.

Then, run. Protect them.

Robin did.

Clark landed on Arkham Island and found it completely deserted. The sheer silence of the place worried him and Clark feared for the worst as he surveyed his surroundings. This is where Bruce had . . . died. Clark didn't want to believe it. The man he knew as Batman was too smart and too stubborn to get himself killed. There was no way that someone like Scarecrow could've done it.

It was impossible!

But, if Robin thought it was true, then there would be no telling what Bruce's adopted son would do. Robin was smart usually, but under dire circumstances, he could be rash. Clark didn't want to see him do anything reckless.

He had to find him and protect him.

"Young Justice to Superman." Kaldur's voice crackled over the line.

"Go ahead." Superman muttered. He knew this this wasn't good.

"We need immediate assistance," Kaldur explained. "Robin has been infected with Scarecrow's fear toxin. We are currently following him, but we cannot contain him without help." Clark took his fingers off the communicator.

"Oh, God, no," Clark mumbled. The toxin that killed countless people-the toxin that might be responsible for Bruce's supposed death-was now killing Robin? "Robin." Clark somehow managed to activate his communicator again. "Send Watchtower your location. I'm coming."

He would save Bruce's son if it killed him.

On Arkham Island, the rubble moved. A hand in a black glove thrust forwards and somehow moved the huge boulder that was covering the occupant's body.

Batman rose, battered and weak, but still alive. He removed the gas mask that he had somehow managed to put on his face right when the bomb had been exploding.

He was alive, but it had been close. He needed to let Kent know he was still here. He placed a finger on his communicator.

"Batman?" J'onn's voice mumbled incredulously.

"I'm alive." Bruce replied. There was no need for more. "Transport me up and notify the rest of the League that I'm not dead."

"Batman," J'onn interrupted. "I have no easy way to tell you this."

"Then, just say it." Batman spat.

"Robin has been injected with Scarecrow's fear gas."

Bruce Wayne's world crashed in around him in a matter of a few seconds.

Author's Note: He's alive! Please review! Merry Christmas Eve and happy holidays!