Robins Spotlight Chapter 2: What do you see?, a teen titans fanfic

Chapter 2 : What do you see?

I was born in the dark.

I grew up in the dark.

I live in the dark.

As long as I've lived, all I have seen is nothing.

I tried to use my imagination to fill in that void, but it's hard to imagine something if you've never seen anything.

I'm blind.

It's simple as that. Blind since birth.

Growing up wasn't easy, and it didn't help when I was an acrobat. I had to remember everything and where it was, this wasn't easy and no net didn't help. We were the Flying Grayson's, world famous for not using a net. And my blindness wasn't going to ruin that, or stop me. So we all worked had, each performer took turns with me, telling me what to do. The best teacher was my Mama.

I loved it. The rush of wind in my face, when I jump, how my body seems to float in the air for a period of time. I loved all of it. But, like my sight, my parents were taken away, too.

My seventh birthday. Gotham City, Bruce Wayne had donated a lot so we could stay longer. On our last night, a man named Anthony "Tony" Zucco offered "protection" but we refused. I heard them, I heard Tony talk to his men, about cutting ropes.

But I ignored it.

It was show time; we climbed up and got ready. Mama and Papa went first, then my Aunt and Uncle next, and then my cousin. I was next, Mama was swinging up to me right now but a snap caused me to stop.

"DICK!" I heard my Mama's shriek, but her voice quickly sounded distant.

The sound of four bodies hitting the ground followed her voice. I collapsed on my knees and sobbed, my heart breaking further and further with each tear. My parents . . . Mama . . . Papa. They were gone like that. All it took was the sound of their bones snapping. Mama had once told me life was precious and once it was gone you couldn't get it back. I learned that lesson the hard way.

As time ticked by, one second at a time, something popped up in my head.

Tony did this. He cut the ropes and now . . . and now my family is paying the price. My uncle made it, but he was paralyzed waist down and stuck in a coma. My thoughts spiraled around me as I thought if I had just told then they wouldn't be hurt, my mistake and their lives was the price.

With no one to take care of me, the same man who donated stepped in to take me in as his ward. At first I felt like a charity case and another thing for people to pity. But Bruce had told me I wasn't a charity case because he knew what I was going through. When he was 10 a man attempting to mug his family shot down his parents. We're both orphans who watched our parents leave. But in the end there's a difference between me and him. He couldn't have saved his parents, I could. I let my parents die.

Spending time in the manor was spent fast. Days would melt into weeks, and then months and then years came.

After spending a few weeks in the manor, I discovered Bruce Wayne was Batman. I leaped at the chance of getting back at my parents killer and made him take me on as his sidekick, a name I learned to hate. He taught me everything he could and was patient with me through out with my blindness. And in a short amount of time, I become Robin; the Boy Wonder.

I loved it.

Fighting crime was a thrill beyond my dreams. Running on rooftops, jumping from even higher heights then I can dream, being able to stop someone who was twice as big as me. It was all a thrill, and I loved it. The laughable part was how I'm blind and still can say I went a few rounds with Gotham's most dangerous criminals. I even made puns now and then.

Unfortunately for me, nothing lasts forever.

As I got older, problems between me and Bruce quickly rose. The villains targeted me more to get to him, meaning there are had been a lot of kidnappings and more scars to hide. Bruce didn't like it at all and so the training got more . . . intense. Not intense in I can't handle it but as in more expatiation's.

"Do it better."

That was all I heard from him to whatever I did. Crime fighting and school. In school, if I got an A then he would force me to take a harder quiz to remark my grade. In crime fighting, if I got the smallest scratch then he would force me to train harder. In a few months, it seemed everything I did was a failing in his eyes. And I hated it.

The fights got more intense and regular. Alfred was the one who prevented us from going at each other's throats. He offered Bruce advice but of course the powerful Batman didn't want it. He treated me less of an equal and more of a . . . sidekick, which pissed me off.

If that wasn't bad, one day I screwed up and got shot. I've been shot before but this time I almost died. Bruce was not happy.

He pulled me out for a time being which I understood. But things went haywire when my wound healed and he still wouldn't let me out. We argued. There was a lot of "I can handle myself" and "I'm in charge". In the end he tried to get me to stop.

To say I was mad would be an understatement. It was the last straw.

"I hate you!"

I screamed those three words as loud as I could and stormed off. Without giving him a chance or anything, I pick up my stuff and ran away. I ran as I far as I could from him. I wanted to start new, go solo, and show him I could do great things without him. So, I ran to Jump City. It was quiet town with no heroes and no real villains. But things didn't go to plan as I meet some great kids who are now my friends.

Four other kids around my age. Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven.

Starfire is an alien from planet called Tamara, and believe it or not is the princess too. She has an older sister named Blackfire, to sum Blackfire up she's like a . . . darker or colder version of Starfire. Starfire is bubbly, childish, and naive. I had thought she would grow up and mature as we continued to work together but hasn't. Beside those traits, Starfire is a furious warrior who shouldn't be messed with. And she enjoys drinking mustard . . . I have no idea why.

Cyborg is a . . . well; he's a cyborg, half human and half robot. Given that, he's an expert on technology. But treats cars with a little too much care. He and Beast Boy play video games together, have prank wars, and argue all the time about what to eat. Cyborg is my second in command in case anything should happen to me, he almost fits the role. His responsible, knows when to take action, and his great leadership skills. But considering he has never done a leader role before, he is laid back and relaxed. He still needs to learn how to take on pressure and need to think clear in a heat of a moment.

Beast Boy is a meta human with the abilities to morph into any animal, even dinosaurs. Given his ability, he is a full-fledged vegan (A/N I know in the show says he's a vegetarian but if you don't eat anything that comes from animals, that's a vegan). Despite being green and a hero, he's your usual everyday guy. Beast Boy loves to play video games, dreams about owning a moped, flirts with girls, sleeps in, eats pizza a lot, a geek with T.V. shows and comic books, and goofs off. In fewer words, he spends his days normal. In truth, he reminds me a bit of myself when I was younger and I hope I can protect him from becoming like me.

Raven is a talented enchantress with many gifted abilities. But her gift comes with a price. Mediation, reading, and drinking tea are her usual daily cycle of containing her powers. Unlike Starfire, who needs emotions for her powers, Raven needs to keep hers at bay otherwise they would spiral out of control. I had thought about leaving her second in command but decided against it when I knew the pressure wouldn't be good. Making sarcastic quips and ruining Beast Boys jokers with personal opinions, she's another comedian with her personal comedy.

We're a team, friends, and family.

The villains in Jump are pretty laughable, well compared to Gotham. Neither the less, I still take beating them to heart. Meaning I gather as much information as I can. And I have to say, the villains with backgrounds are kinda weak. Most of them do it for fun or to rule or try to take us down. Other than that, they really don't have quips or anything. Back in Gotham, the villains had a reason . . . well, most of them. Here, the villains seem to do this for fun and sometimes a reason. But, again, I'll still spend hours searching if they have any reason.

As for the team, I loved it. The support of one of other, how we got each other's back, and whenever we hit a bump it made us stronger. It was the kind of environment I always want to be in.

Anything the city or world threw at us we caught and threw straight back.

I wanted to go as far as say it was perfect.

Again, I jinxed it.

Because then he came.

The villains here at Jump threw me off my game; at first I had thought he was a regular villain. Steal a few things, destroy a building here and there, or maybe do some big scheme but falls apart in a few moments. God, I was wrong. Everything he did was carefully planned and even when his plans seemed to fall apart it didn't matter.

He was a mystery to me.

A secret unexposed.

A lock with no key.

In other words, Slade frustrated me.

I have no idea what he looks like but gained a few . . . ideas from my friend's comments.

"One eyed creep"

"Halloween freak"

"Metal nutshell"

Okay, in truth it confused my imagination more but at least I know what I'm looking for. I hope. A man with one eye dressed in black and orange with metal armor, I think, or something. Someone with that description, you think would be a little easy.

Nope, wrong . . . again.

From what I gathered from online, the black market, and other inside information all I could get was answers I didn't want to hear. Apparently, either another man with the same basis or we got more trouble then asked. Deathstroke the Terminator, a mercenary for the highest bidder. At I first he was targeting my team. But dismissed the idea as a week passed and he hadn't made any moves of killing us . . . I hope.

But I could still tell he scared my friends. And in truth, Slade scared me too.

Because in years he has made me want to see. I want to see his face or mask. How I can be afraid of something if I've never seen anything, I wonder sometimes. Easy, you don't have to see something to fear anything. I have heard and felt most, and let me just say that's all it takes to be afraid of Slade.

I hate him for invading my mind. Haunting my dreams and twisting them into cruel nightmares.

It's cold, like always, it feels like a cold fog wrapping its claws around me. My hair stands on end and my skin blossoms with goosebumps. Walking around listening to the soft echoes of my boots.

Moving quicker, I feel an eye stare behind me. Turning my head would be pointless, so I fight the instinct to act like I have sight. I continue my quickened walk.

Until a new pair of footsteps walk behind me. Going into a panic, my body breaks into a run. Listening over the echoes of my footsteps, I hear a deeper heavier version of mine. And I know who they belong to.

My chest heaves up and down as my lungs desperately cling onto what air flows in. Straining my ears, listening over my running and breathing, his footsteps become more and more distant.

Pain shot up my legs and quickly spread to my chest well my throat was on fire. My legs begin losing feelings starting to resemble noodles. Stumbling a bit but quickly getting my balance back. It pumped fear in my veins thinking of falling and him catching me. What would he do if he caught me? Hurt me? No question about it.

Don't stop running

Don't stop-

Unfortunately, interrupting my chanting, my leg gave out. Falling face first into mud. Lifting my face up, my body shaked as I violently coughed. The mud was cold and soon my body switched from shaking to shivering. The smell of wet earth overpowered my senses. Trying to escape, I pulled myself up but was greeted again by the mud as my hand slipped. Moving in attempt to escape, I begin to realize that the mud didn't want to let me go.

Feeling the mud slowly creep up on me, a new fear sprung up feeding my tried legs to kick. If this mud consumed me then I'd be buried alive. But this task was next to impossible with my tried legs and lungs.

My legs sink in first into what seemed to be a black hole. My arms fly around, at this point I wish I could see. See where I am, what's consuming me, how far I am from escaping; from living. Moments like these make me jealous of my friends, Batman, even Slade. Because they know where to go and what to do in stations like these, were as I need an AI to help me go to the kitchen and get cereal. Pathetic.

Reality snapped back to me as I feel my chest sink into, what I realize, and quick sand. The quick sand slowly raised up to my neck, tilting my head up I feel it close in on me. My bag against my rib cage as the quick sand sallow my head whole.

I hate swimming muffles my hearing, numbs my feelings, and completely blocks out my smelling. For some, it's fine. But if you're blind, like me, then swimming is like being handicapped in a foot race.

Sinking in quick sand is very different.

The sand sweeps into my ears, way worse than a wet willy, and enter my nostrils. It feels extremely weird, like a coat or blanket stitched onto my skin. Nothing like water.

If I could, I would've gasped when I felt a large hand grab my small hand. Gently pulling me out, I feel the quick sand giving up and letting go. It's weird, like a hand slowly unwrapping its fingers. The second my head pops up; I take in a deep breath and continuously cough. Once pulled to safety, I collapse on a cold solid ground. It feels like a metal floor or maybe polished, I don't know.

I hear my savoir sit down in front of me, what they do next surprises me. The same hand and a new one pull me into their lap and he or she wrap two warm arms around me. My head resting on his chest. I found myself enjoying the warmth and comfort, but subconsciously, I found myself trying to hear his heart beat.

But I hear nothing.

Completely nothing.

Not even a single breath.

It scares me. Because when you're blind you need to relay on your other senses to help you. Hearing is the main one. I can tell people apart and hear them coming, I can hear machines gears tinker away, and if quiet I can even hear heart beats.

But, again, I hear nothing.

My body tenses up and I make a move to put distance between me and this stranger, but the man won't let me move. I try to violently jerk out of his grasp but he wraps his arms tighter making it next to impossible to get out.

"Let me go," I growl, still trying to escape.

"Now, why would I do that my little bird?" An all too familiar chilling voice teased.

Taking deep breathes, I stopped moving to think before asking; "Slade?" My voice quivered afraid of the truth.

"Yes, Robin?"

Those two words were all it took to stop my breathing. Curiosity got the best of me as I felt my quivering arm reach up to touch the man's face. Instead of skin . . . I felt metal. My arm flew back at speed that could've made Kid Flash blink.

Tired or not, my body did whatever it would to get of his grasp. Kicking, jerking around, wiggling, trying to start a fight, I even tried biting, but nothing helped me. The only thing I gained was losing my strength which quickly leads to me becoming even more tired. Slade must've noticed because he loosened his grab knowing I don't have the energy to move. With one arm he wrapped it around me making sure I can't run, while with his free hand repeatedly ran it through my hair.

I found myself enjoying it as my muscles relaxed and my mind got heavy. Enjoying the cuddling and attention I was cut short from as a kid and never got from Bruce. But as much as I enjoyed it, I pulled away knowing this man was the enemy and I'm the hero.

Slade felt me moving away and tightened his arm around me, but not enough to hurt me. "Now, where are you trying to fly off to, my little Robin?" he cooed.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Where am I trying to go?

"Now where to go . . . no one to go to," Slade said.

"No!" I yelled. "My friends-"

"Don't know you're blind," Slade cut in shutting me up. "And when they find out, they won't want you anymore. They'll take you off the team and replace you with someone they think is better. Then, you'll have to crawl back to Bruce and he'll force you to hang up the cape."

Each word took its toll as I realized it was true. Shaking my head, I blinked back the tears threatening to fall. My mind searched for a rebuttal but all I whispered was; "Starfire . . ."

"Is just like the rest of them," Slade commented harshly. "As long as she has her illusion of a perfect life, she'll be happy."

"That's not true!" I cried. "She wouldn't . . . they wouldn't . . ."

"Oh, but they would. And that's what scares you the most, doesn't it?"

"No, you're wrong!" I shouted. He had to be, because if he was right . . . "They wouldn't do that! She wouldn't do that!"

Silence filled in between us. I wish I could see his face . . . or eye, what I've been told. I feel his arm slowly unwrap. Relief grew in my chest as he let me go. He pushed me gently on the ground and heard him stand up.

"Perhaps all you need is more time and . . . a new perspective added to your white and black world," I hear him say before the sound if his footsteps echo till I can't hear them. Him.

Now, I'm alone.

Cold, alone, and new thoughts.

Would they? Would they abandon me if they knew I'm blind? Would I? No, I don't think I would, but my friends think different. They already doubt me for no powers but if they knew I'm blind too . . .

I grip my head and shake it, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Slade's wrong . . . he has to be."

Fear strikes me again as I feel two hands grab my shoulders, pulling me down back into the quick sand, drowning me.

My eyes snap open and my mouth drops open panting. Sweat clings onto my forehead dampening my hair. I take in a deep breath through my nose, taking in the scent. Paper and ink, newspapers. I'm in my office. I'm in the Titans Tower. I'm safe.

But why didn't I feel safe anymore? Because I don't trust them anymore, my friends. Great, I let Slade get to me and now I don't trust my friends, my teammates. It was a dream, too!

I turn my head hearing the door slide open. A new brief scent enters the room; car oil. Cyborg.

"It's him. It's Slade."

Jumping up, I storm out of the room, which is pretty hard. Listening, I hear voices in the direction of the main room. This is exactly very hard, especially when you're faking eye sight. You need to walk straight, pretend to know where you are at all times, and act like you know of your surroundings. But the hardest is the excuses and lies.

But I always manage . . . so far.

A conversation pulls me back into reality.

"Good morning, Titans. I hope I didn't wake you up," a voice from the screen greets in sarcasm, Slade.

"Dude, are you insomniac?" Beast Boy. I hear a small smack from BB's direction then an "Ow" from him.

I listen to the conversation and respond when needed (AN-I don't fully remember the conversation during this moment, sorry).

"Fan out," I order, my rage boiling over, "shut it down. I want that detonator destroyed."

I turn around and begin to move forward but stop when I hear Beast Boy step in front of me. I can smell Cyborg beside him and I think Starfire and maybe Raven is still behind me. It's hard with Raven, but if there's no noise, I might hear her breath. Might.

"Maybe you should stay here and navigate the search," I hear Beast Boy offer nervously.

"What?" I can't believe what they're asking from me. They're asking me to sit out . . . wait, did they know? No, they couldn't have known. The only one who could possibly know is Raven but she wouldn't tell, right?

"When it comes to Slade, you got issues man," Cyborg cuts in. "Not to mention we really haven't seen you fight."

I didn't let them see me fight. Because if they did they would know there's something wrong with me. And if I told them they would pull me off the team . . . would they? Would my teammates, friends, even family pull off the team?

"We have to talk about this later, our main focus needs to be shutting down the detonator," I make an attempt to flee from the buildup. But a single hand stops me.

Unlike in my dream, this hand is gently and soft afraid of hurting me.

"Please Robin," Starfire says, "we are your friends; please tell us what troubles you."

I bite my bottom lip nervously, debating whether or not to tell them. If I told them, they would treat me differently of course and that's what worried me the most. They could take it in a good way, if there is one, or take it in the bad way. If I didn't, then they wouldn't trust. And I wasn't in a good position with them after the Red X stunt. A leap of faith. Gain something or lose everything.

"I'm blind."

No one says anything. But I don't care. It's out in the open, not a secret eating away my insides at night. Weight off my chest or shoulder, potato - patato. Bottom line is; how will they react?

Starfire was the first to break the silence; "You are the blind?" Something in her voice made me flinch. It was a tone she never used before or at least with me.

"Dude!" Beast Boy exclaims with his voice full of disbelief. "There is no way you can be blind! You're the Boy Wonder, Batman's partner in crime, our leader! How can someone be so cool but . . . be blind?"

His dying voice breaks my heart a little. I had forgotten he idolized me a bit, looking up to me as a role model. Like an inspiration. Finding out so great have a huge disadvantage must've crushed him.

"I . . ." Cyborg doesn't know what to say. What can you say when you're second in command and your leader, the person you might have to take over one day, is blind.

I clearly didn't think this through.

Chronoton Detonator.

Two words bounce into my head, snapping me into panic and awareness. And reminded me how this all started.

"We don't have time for this!" I exclaim bringing them back to reality. "Slade still has the Chronoton Detonator in his grasp; we need to find it now."

Again, silence. I'm beginning to hate it. A lot.

"Robin," Starfire says softly, "perhaps you should stay here."

Those words felt like a slap across my face. All the weight and worry that had been lifted off me came crashing down back on me. No, it didn't just come back down. It doubled, was sprinkled with rage, and the cherry on top was Slade from my dreams saying "I told you so". They didn't trust me or believe in me. They'll treat me like a crippled kid and push me aside.

"No," I state, making my hands into fists, "I'm not stepping aside just because you guys-"

But interpreting me, something washed over me causing me to collapse on the ground. Feeling an unsettling tiredness creep up in me I desperately listened to the sound of my friends as my hearing slowly died down.

"He won't forgive me but I would rather have him mad at me then hurt or dead," a monotone voice spoke, Raven did this. And she's right, I won't forgive her.

"Yeah, besides," Beast Boy chimes in, "we're going up against Slade."

After hearing Cyborg sigh, he continues on; "This don't feel right, but how can Robin fight if he can't see the enemy?"

That hurt, salt on an open wound. If only they had given me a chance . . .

"Come friends, I suggest we look for the Chronoton Detonator," Starfire says sadly.

The last thing I hear before passing out was muffled footsteps and the door opening and closing, then I was dragged into unconsciousness. Just like how those two hands dragged me under the quick sand.

Everything felt void and numb, like I was there but not at the same time. I hated it.

What felt like a century, I felt whatever spells Raven put on me lift. Everything at once became awake like I never was asleep. Groaning, I pull myself up. I stumble a bit on my feet.

Thinking hard, I realize what had happened. My friends betrayed me. They were so quick to judge me for one fault and lift me just as quickly. I had always been there for them but I never was so sure they were always there for me. I took a leap of faith but they didn't catch me, I fell. Batman had almost over looked me being blind but I lost it when I caught off guard.

"Finally awake I see," a voice interrupted my thoughts.

Biting my mouth shut to hold in a gasp; I whipped out my bo staff and took a fighting stance. My eyes narrowed, even if it was at nothing, and I put on a scowl.

Slade chuckled, "Seems the rumor of a bat wearing a bird costume is true."

I raised an eyebrow, confused. Then it made sense, the joke . . . and the meaning. I wanted to shake my head but he would notice and see that he's right. "Did all that metal get to your head, Slade?" I hissed, my scowl deepened.

He merely chuckled.

"Shut up! Don't you dare laugh at me!"

I heard faint footsteps move towards me, subconsciously I moved back. I felt my heart pick up speed when I realized I was all alone. My friends weren't here and weren't coming back for a long time. Just me and Slade, like always. But something was different.

"Scared, Robin?" Slade taunted in an irritating calm voice. "Where are your dear 'friends?"

My eyes narrowed, even though it's at nothing, "Wouldn't you know, Slade?"

"Oh, right. They're finding my Chronoton Detonator," he paused for a small annoying chuckle, "but why are you here?"

I was lost for words as his hit me. The truth was my friends abandoned and left me here without a word of where to go. But I couldn't tell him that. Finding myself lost for words, I instead lunged, I started a fight.

I swiped my bo-staff trying to hit my target but was meet with whooshing. I heard his footsteps move, weaving around my attacks. Testing my luck, I swung my foot attempting a kick to his face, which I regret. Instead of dodging, Slade simply grabbed my foot. Shit . . .

He holds on strong and flung me around then let me go like if we were playing shot put. I slammed into a wall and felt pain and dizziness clouds my head.

Getting up quickly as I heard a pair of footsteps head my way, fast. I barely managed a fist as it hit the wall instead of my face. A close call is an understatement. I threw my fist at his face but of course missed.

Our fight seemed endured for what felt like centuries. It seemed almost like a dance, we moved around in rhythm in a singular pattern. Dodge, weave, and hit. Of course, he only managed to land a hit. I tried to flew and break away from our "tango" but Slade would pull me back in.

After what seemed like forever, Slade "finished" our little "dance" by punching me hard in the stomach, knocking out the air in me, and put me in a head lock. I fought hard against him but it was useless . . . as always. My oxygen was being slowly cut off, then fear spiked in my chest.

Was he gonna kill me?

End it all the pity fights here and now? Slade had the power and his . . . reputation would be sorely hurt if he let the opportunity slip passed him. But then again, he had many opportunities before.

A pinch in my neck tore me out of my thoughts.

"Ssh," Slade hushed me, like a damn child, "poor little Robin. Batman and your 'friends' clipped your wings?" He cooed and released me.

I jumped away and positioned myself into a fighting stance to resume our "waltz" when I felt a wave of tiredness and sickness overcomes me. My knees buckled in a last resort to stay standing, my arm wrapped protectively around my stomach and my hand on my hand. I snarled at the man walking closer. I wanted to move back but knowing my current condensation I would fall and I didn't want him to see me crawl like a dog.

"What did you do to me?" I snapped as I heard him stop in front of me. He took my chin and held it up for me, knowing it was killing me to hold it up.

"I merely injected a little stomach flu so we could talk."

He . . . what?! Slade got me sick . . . that's it! No virus slowly breaking down my DNA or turning me into something else or plain old poison . . . just sickness. "Then I hope the 'stomach' part comes in soon so I can end our 'talk' with my dinner on you."

An amused chuckle echoed in his mask, "Witty till the end I suppose. Good, one of your many quips I enjoy and I hope you never lose."

My face twists in confusion. But I changed my expression into a serious one, "Enough games, Slade, what do you want?"

Dropping my chin, I sway a bit from the new weight, I hear him walk around me like a shark closing in their prey. And the idea of being the prey makes me sick and scared.

"The Chronoton Detonator was merely the bait for a much larger trap. You see with a push of a button, my probes will destroy your friends from the inside out."

Damn . . . that was a huge bomb on my part. With that, he thinks he can control them, but I know my friends. Standing straighter, I look towards the sound of his steps, "You can't control them. No matter what you threaten, they'll never obey you."

"This isn't about your friends, Robin. It's about you; it's always been about you."

"What?" Why . . . would it be about me? My eyes widen and my head follows his movements in case he decides to pull a move on me.

"Sending trouble your way, leaving cryptic clues for you to unravel," stopping in front of me, he continues, "I was testing you.

"For some time now I have been searching for . . . an apprentice. Someone to follow in my footsteps," walking straight towards me, I feel the air shift and an unfamiliar presence leans inches away from my face. "And Robin, I've chosen you. Congratulations."

What. . ? Has he gone insane? Scratch that, if someone puts a little robots inside of your friends its safe to say they're a little crazy. My eyes narrow inside of widening even farther. "No way would I ever work for-" I caught myself as everything began to click together.

"If you join me, if you swear to serve me, if you never speak to your friends again . . . I will allow them to live."

Now I can't help myself, my eyes widen to their fullest and my mouth gapes a little. Each word was like venom to me and I was wondering which would take its toll.

"But if you don't, if you disobey even the smallest request, I will annihilate them, Robin. And I'll make you watch," Slade threatens me, making me put all my strength in not throwing up. "So, do we deal?"

"Yes," I whisper, "but . . . why me?"

I knew he didn't have to answer me or it may be going against my "new orders" already. But I need some reason in making "accepting" this deal with this devil. I hear a few footsteps come closer to me, knowing all too well whose, then a hand holds my chin. Not enough to hurt me but enough to make sure I can't move my face away.

"Poor little robin," he cooed, "Do you not know your own self-worth?"

I chose not to answer him, because I didn't know. Being blind and having now powers cuts back on some ones ego when they're surrounded by people who could make them look stupid. Half the times I think my teammates plot to remove me. And I guess those paranoid nights are right, they did abandon me here. What would've happened if the Chronoton Detonator was real and it wasn't a trap, if they stopped it and came back? What would happen?

Feeling another needle prick my neck tore me out of my thoughts, again. Jesus.

Exhaustion hit me hard and my feelings became numb. I collapsed but fell into Slade's ready arms. Carrying me like a bride as he walked.

"It's time for a new home for you, little bird."

A new home? Sadness flooded me, saying good bye to another home. What is this? My third time? Yep, it feels a little easier leaving on bad condensations. Like the death of my parents, hating Bruce, and now the Titans holding me back.

But I do have a right to be mad. Mad at Tony and the circus for never trying to get me back, mad at Bruce who mistreated me and didn't care enough to at least check on me, and the Titans who abandoned me and would probably pull me off the team.

I was even mad at myself for not telling my parents about Zucco, for messing up and at least tried to leave on good terms with Bruce, and never coming clean with my friends.

Yes, I was mad at Slade, but I was madder at myself.

As I once again drifted off to another unwilling sleep I heard Slade tell me something that will haunt me always.

"I know it seems bad now, but trust me . . . you'll learn, to like it."

TO BE CONTINUED . . .