Hello, everyone! Thanks for all your reviews and support. Yes, I changed the summary of the story. I'm also going to put up a book cover soon, hopefully. My friend is in the process of making me one.
Important!: Oh, and I really don't remember anything after the Trigon incident. I don't think I watched it at all. I remember some parts of the series, but it's like a puzzle with only a few pieces in my hands. So, what I'm saying is that the story wouldn't be the same. So, after the Trigon incident, please try to forget about what you have watched while reading my fanfic. If you don't you'll have a massive headache.
Anyway, enjoy! And you guys know very well that I do not own the Teen Titans, right?
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Summary: The Titans meet Slade without the black and orange mask! Robin is furious because they didn't believe him and actually let him go. Slade, or now known to us as Wolfe, goes to a high security building with a bunch of crazies and gets a mission: rescue the hostages from the National Bank. And boy, is he annoyed.
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The Titans Tower was covered by a large shadow only its occupants could see. Raven was meditating in her room, thinking of ways to ease her friend, Robin's stress. Cyborg was in the garage, adjusting his T-Car, grumbling unintelligent words about Robin and Slade all the while. Beast Boy was playing a video game with a frown. He was still mad at Robin shouting at them and all that. Starfire was going around them with her back hunched. She once tried to convince Robin to rest for a while with his friends, only to be shouted at.
Robin was in the evidence room with hundreds of Slade's eyes staring down at him, mocking him. Who was Slade? Who was he? Why did he become a mercenary? No. That didn't matter. With whatever reasons, he had committed multiple crimes. Just because people are poor, that doesn't mean that they all turn out to be thieves. They become criminals because it had always been in their nature. Now that he had done wrong to so many people, he would pay, no matter what the reasons were, consequences would follow. And he would be the one to show that to the mercenary.
He didn't have any clues. It wasn't like he had shown his whole face, or told him of his name. All he saw was red lips and pale skin. That would narrow it down to about seven million people or so. He brought his fist hard on the steel desk in pure frustration. He picked up Slade's mask.
He hesitated. He'd have to think like Slade to get him, but he loathed the idea. He was not like Slade. He was not! He closed his eyes. But he was. Slade and Robin, they were alike. Too much alike. He remembered fighting with him during the Trigon incident and when they brought down the Brotherhood of Evil. He was unnerved at how similar they were. So much that they might be mistaken as father and son. He growled at the thought. He was not his father. He'd never be one. He already had one.
He hunched over at that thought. Did he? He had had a very caring, affectionate father he had always looked up to, even till now. He died. No, he was murdered right before his eyes when he was eight. He was taken into the not so open arms of his new father. At first, he was scared of the man. The man hadn't been affectionate enough to hug him or tuck him to bed. But in time, he could read the man like the back of his hand. It wasn't that he wasn't affectionate. He just didn't know how to express it. He loved him, and return, he had loved him. He had lived happily under that same man's protection for 5 years. He had always thought, however cold he might seem, that he had and always would love him. HE WAS WRONG. He didn't love him. He never did. He learned that when they had an argument. He had -unintentionally- overheard his true feelings for him. He regretted it, he had said. Robin left him that same night. He wished he was wrong, but he never came for him. Instead, he found his replacement.
So maybe, he didn't have a father. That didn't mean Slade could take the place. He didn't need a father. He had his friends. He had people cheering for him. He didn't need him any more than he needed a walking stick.
That was why he hated the man. One, they were too much alike. He hated it. He was sacrificing everything, his life, his childhood, and Slade was doing everything to have it his own way. There was nothing similar with that.
Second, he was like his second father in a way. He was strong, bent on succeeding at whatever it was that he did, with whatever means necessary. He brought his fist down again. He may not have liked him much, especially not after that incident, but the man was nothinglike Slade.
The last, but very far from the least, he had failed. Slade was good. He had to admit that. He was good, and he had failed nearly every time he tried to bring him down. He would have failed during the time Slade tried to make him his apprentice if not for his friends. And even then, he had escaped. He failed miserably during the Red-X undercover, and when Slade was working with the Brotherhood of Evil. For crying out loud, he even got his help! Twice! He came here in the hopes of proving himself worthy to his father. He failed miserably at that. He even stole from the Wayne Enterprises. He probably knew that too. But he didn't ask. As if he knew that would happen from the beginning. As if he didn't care whether he turned bad or not. He was far from proving himself.
As the thought came to him, he frowned. Before, before he joined the Titans, made friends and became happy again-almost-, he did a lot better. The three years that he had been roaming around from city to city. It wasn't that bad. Except for the fact that he woke up covered with sweat from nightmares with no one to save him from, that he didn't have anyone to talk with. Not just about crimes, but normal things, daily life things.
He frowned and leaned down near the desk. But then, he had succeeded in catching criminals more than now, without loved ones to protect. Now he understood why Batman preferred to work alone. It wasn't that they were incompetent. It was just that he'd do almost anything to save them. If he were alone, he could focus on catching the bad guys. He'd risk anything and everything. His life didn't matter if he could save another. But when it came to his friends, he'd let someone else die in their place. He became selfish when he was with them. That was why Batman had preferred working alone. That was why he preferred to work alone.
He knew what he had to do. He knew it was necessary. But that didn't make it any more appealing. He hated the nights he went into his cold, dark, lifeless apartment or motel room and tried to force dinner down his throat, which was everyday.
He sighed and stood straight. His decision was made. Now, he had to put it into action. He grimaced as he imagined his friends' reactions.
He went down to the living room and called all of his friends there. Beast Boy was still mad at him. Cyborg didn't seem all that happy, but at least, his anger seemed to have been resided. Raven was just the same, and Starfire was thrilled that he had come out of the evidence room.
"I have something to say."
"Obviously! Hey!" Beastboy shouted when Raven poked his side with her elbow.
"I.. I know this is sudden and all, but... I've been thinking about this for a very long time." He took a deep breath, as if he was nervous, which he was. Now, even Beast Boy was curious, forgetting that he was still mad at his leader.
"I-"
Before he could continue, however, the alarm went off. Red lights flashed everywhere. They ran towards the computer. Robin looked at the screen.
"Trouble at the National Bank! Titans, go!"
He ran to the garage followed by the rest of his team. He jumped onto his bike, grabbing his helmet. Cyborg jumped into his T-Car. Beastboy turned into a bird. Starfire and Raven both flew.
They rushed out to the bank. They stopped a little away from it because of all the crowd that had gathered around. They looked around to see a troop of SWAT team on the parking lot in front of the bank.
"Hey! They're here before we arrived. For once!" Beastboy laughed but stopped when Robin glared at him.
Robin frowned and turned his attention to the heavily armed men. They were probably waiting to negotiate with the criminals. You never negotiate with criminals. No matter what.
By some chance, he saw a man with a navy cap talking to a reporter. He frowned. He had seen that man before. His eyes widened. He almost smiled at his luck. Almost.
"SLADE!"
A/N: This is a chapter about Robin's conflicts and a little mention about his past. Sorry. Couldn't help it.
And I thought that if he had run away, it wouldn't be because Batman, Bruce, had manipulated him, or because of his obsessions. I mean think about it. If he left because he hated that side of him, why on earth would he act just the same? He would at the very least try not to be like him. So... I thought that he would try to prove himself to Batman by following his ways.
Anyways, remember what I told you about me writing fifth chapter? Well, I'm still on it. But don't worry. It's so long I think the chapter itself can be divided into about 5 more chapters, and I'm far from ending it.
See you all next time!