A/N: Hey guys. I'm really sorry I left you hanging for so long. I wanted to have this finished over the summer, and now it's January. I'm terrible with setting deadlines, I know. Anyway, I'll keep it short :)
This chapter tied up a lot of loose ends, and it's mostly parts with Robin and the Cops, because I needed to add some elaboration in those areas. Hope this turned out alright. I took a really long time to organize my ideas, and then wrote this whole chapter in one go. Woo. Review responses are down below, as per usual. You guys are amazing! Read on. :) P.s. Babs is alive. They just don't know it yet, Kay? Don't freak out…
Some cursing. Not too much, as writing some of it makes me somewhat uncomfortable.
The dark was crawling away, making a hasty retreat to the edges of Robin's brain. It had flooded into him so suddenly, he recalls as the fog clears and his tired eyes blink lazily. A moment of calm, of control, and then he saw blue. The irises, shades darker than his own masked pair, trained onto his face and held their position. As the black haze retreated, the blue slid in to fill its vacancy, and Robin felt his throat constrict and burn. That blue, it had teased. He could see it as plainly as the smirk on the man's rugged face. There was mirth, dancing among the varying flecks of hues. His eyes were practically giddy, much like that of a child discovering the shiny new bike he had fawned over for months now resided in the backyard. Much like that of a struggling teenager, who had just passed their hardest subject with a B minus after sleepless nights spend studying. Much like that of an honest adult, finally rewarded with a promotion after years of doing the right thing without a sliver of recognition.
Much like that of a soulless man, who had just taken the lives of two people, and sat back to smile when he saw the anguish adorning the young vigilante's features.
It hurt. Robin could feel his back pressed into the cheap, lumpy leather of the oblong sofa he knew sat in the Commish's main office. He could smell the lingering odor of brewed coffee, the strong scent of ground coffee beans traveling through the air to meet his nostrils. His eyes, though closed and covered by the lenses of his mask, could pick up the subtle flickering of florescent lighting above his head, the movement registering through his eyelids in the form of occasional swatches of bright flashes. He could hear the muddled chatter of deep voices down the hall, muttering over unpleasant cases with sparse details. Richard's senses were coming back full force, but it hurt. He didn't want to think. Not about…
He didn't want to remember. He didn't want to hear the bang. He didn't want to smell the blood. He didn't want to feel the cold, lifeless hand. He didn't want to see the Commissioner's face when he saw…
He didn't want to see the blue. Not the blue. He didn't to remember. He wanted to stay in the black for a while longer. Just until Batman found him and took him back home. Just until Alfred would meet them in the Batcave with fresh cookies and his warm smile. Just until Barbara would laugh loudly as she hoped out of the Batmobile, cap flying up behind her while she spun around and relayed all of the details in an excited twirl of deep purple. Just until Robin could figure out a way to pretend that he had broken his promise again, and that Barbara was mad at him. And she was tucked away safe in her bed because she didn't want to go patrolling on her own. And he had gone on a mission with the team. And he was tired from such a hectic night, so he fell asleep on the way home. And Batman had carried him into the station because he still didn't trust leaving him unattended, even if it was in the Batmobile. And Chief Gordon had laughed and said that he could put Robin on the couch in his office for safe keeping, just like when he was nine and his bedtime was 8:30, so he rarely make it the car ride without drifting off. And in the morning he would call Babs and promise to patrol the next night, and she would forgive him because he would pout and she could "Tell through the phone" because it was that potent and she "Held no match to wobbly chins and big blue eyes". And she would show up in the Batcave smiling brightly, and when she saw him she would punch him in the arm because she always thought that to be some form of justice for his wrong doings. And they would patrol and find no criminals and swing of the buildings and race and laugh…
He couldn't breathe.
xXxX
Officer Kenton winced and pulled the phone away from his ear, unintelligible screeching pounding his eardrums even from the distance of the device and his head. When the noise died off a bit, he sighed quietly and tried again to explain what was happening.
"Um, Ma'am…N-now I understand why you're upset…b-but you see, we're trying the best we can, an-and Ro-Robin is just fine right now. It wa-as a small panic attack…just a small one, and he's sl-sleeing it off right now."
Kenton paused to swallow nervously. The other line had gone rather quiet. Then, her voice was back, though there was a considerable difference in the amount of calm reflected there.
"Listen, officer…"
"Kenton, Ma'am." He offered tentatively.
The woman sighed. "Kenton… There are certain ways to go about telling a woman, who is already beyond worried sick, that her nephew "took a small, unexpected nap." She paraphrased, and the young officer felt his face flush at the line he had used in his nervous frenzy.
She cleared her throat, as if the action helped to keep her under control. "Regardless. I've spoken to Robin, and I do know that he is not, in anyway, Okay. I'm not sure if you know this, but Robin is on a Team, of heroes around his same age."
He didn't, actually. He had always assumed that Batman and Batgirl were Robin's team.
"I'm the Team's appointed councilor. Or…Den mother, you could say. I've got five teenager on my hands at the moment, who are not happy that they being left in the dark. On top of this, I've got to track down a doctor, transport a wounded hero, and contact Batman who is currently M.I.A." the woman paused for a moment, and the line was filled with the sound of quiet clicks. When the tapping stopped, her voice came back.
"My point is, officer Kenton, I am a very busy woman. " He could almost hear her smile through the phone.
The officer's Adam's apple bobbed quickly and his fingers tangled in the curly wire trailing from the object against his ear.
"And while I do, very much appreciate the call, you can assure that I have been doing everything in my power to work things out on my end, and I will not be leaving Robin alone, as you seem to believe."
Kenton's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to protest, to assure her that hadn't been implying that Robin would be abandoned, but Canary cut him off before he could get a word in.
"I have already made the arrangements, and you can expect to see my son in an hour or so. He's in Star right now, but he's driving down at the moment." She huffed out a quick breath. "Just hung up the phone after I told him. No formalities. No 'Okay mom, nice talking!' Jeez. I don't know where the kid gets it."
The clicking started up again, followed by a short beep from her line, and then the call went dead.
Not that Officer Kenton noticed. In fact, he had stopped listening moments ago.
Closing his eyes briefly, the man groaned, sinking into an old office chair and siding the phone back onto the receiver.
Son?
XxXx
Sergeant Clane, with his large hand wrapped protectively around a fresh mug of black coffee, trudged down the hall towards the commissioner's office solemnly. It had been one hell of a night.
It was pitch black outside, but a glance to his worn wrist watch told the man that it was pressing four thirty in the morning.
They hadn't been told to expect anything at the precinct. No calls from Arkham City letting them know of any escapes, no notices from Gordon to fire up the Bat signal. It had been quiet. Most of the squads were in for the night, having found nothing on their early rounds and radioing back that the streets were barren. Most had taken the rare mildness as a chance to catch up on paperwork. Clane himself had been working fitfully on a pretty heavy file for a local drug dealer who was due for sentencing when the first phone had rung.
They hadn't stopped after that.
The first, had been a pickup signal from the Bat- clan utility belts. They kept a separate phone for that one, with a distinct buzz which indicated that it was time to send a squad and book a criminal.
Sergeant Clane had just rises to assign a team when the phones blared. Officers scrambled to grab them all, reports of gunshots and pealing cars pouring in from frightened citizens living in the old brick apartments by the docks.
The commissioner had shot out of his office like his ass was on fire, Clane recalled, dragging a long sip from his mug as the office came into few. Yelling about the water and Batman's young partners.
They drug one back to the precinct, and the kid's appearance had told the aged officer everything he needed to know. Covered in blood, shaking like a leave, something terrible had happened. Robin was a seasoned crime fighter at thirteen years old, Clane knew, and it would take a lot to shake the boy up.
Which is why the Sergeant wanted to check on the hero now. He was a guardian to their city, and had saved their asses plenty of times over. If Robin was suffering, he wanted to help. They all owed him that much.
…
Clane pushed the door open quietly, expecting the kid to be sleeping on the couch he had told Kenton to deposit him on.
What he hadn't expected, was the scene he was met with. Robin was gasping strained breathes, the lenses of his domino mask squeezed shut in obvious pain, fists clenching at his sides tightly.
Sergeant rushed forward quickly, dropping his coffee onto the commissioner's cluttered desk so he had both hands free to hoisting the kid up from his current laying position. Once he was sitting, Clane guided the Kid's head down so he was facing the tiled floor, allowing his breath to flow out more rhythmically.
"That's it kid. Just breathe. You're alright. You're alright." He chanted quietly, running a large hand through the small hero's ebony locks. The same kid who had been an energetic nine year old once, one who had summersaulted down the halls, crashed into his legs and caused him to dump scalding coffee down his shirt, then cried because he thought he was going to be arrested for it. The same kid he had given a lollypop to after he took a tumble on his patrol chasing down a drunk man wielding a mean looking knife. The same kid who was now an emotional wreck, splintering into shards of pained pieces right before his weary eyes.
The man's dark orbs narrowed dangerously. Sergeant Clane knew exactly where he was stopping next.
…
The man did not look up when the heavy door to the interrogation room was pulled opened. He didn't look up when it shut with a metal bang. He didn't look up when the person pulled a chair scrapping across the floor, or when they sat down with a tired sigh.
He did look up, however, when a mug of dark mocha was shoved across the table towards him. Shoving his dirty blonde hair away from his face, the younger man grabbed the handle and brought the mug to his lips, blowing carefully over the rim of the cup. The officer across from him was one of a higher ranking, he knew. His badge was different, as was his name tag.
He took a small sip of coffee. Interesting.
Sergeant Clane's gruff voice cut through the uncomfortable air first.
"I'm not going through all'a this with you, punk. You and I both know that you're going to jail, so let's make things easy, yeah?"
The blonde man scrubbed a hand across the stubble on his chin, then shrugged.
Clane's eyes scrunched. Alright.
"I'm just here to figure out why." The older man spoke, voice holding a false tone that they both saw through. "What would possess you to send a kid to the brink like that? A kid that's been nothing but good for Gotham? Do you have a death wish? 'Cause you know, you ain't goin' free. Even if, by some miracle, you got past that judge with no jail time, Batman would make your life hell. No doubt about it."
The navy eyed man was indifferent as he stole a glance to the Sargent's lined face. "It was my job. I didn't have a choice. The kid and the bat chick got in my way. I had business that needed to be dealt with. That's it, man."
The bat chick?
Oh.
Oh.
Clane face morphed. Bye bye nice cop.
"You Sonofabitch!" Clane yelled, shoving back the chair as he jumped to his feet. The man smirked casually, leaning back to cross his legs and knit his fingers together mockingly.
"Why'd you do it? What the hell was so important!? So important you had to…" He couldn't even say it.
"The case." The blonde grinned, leaning across the table fearlessly.
"The Code needed the case. My guys delivered it while those heroes were distracted with me. I ain't the boss. They thought I was, but I ain't. I can promise you that Sergeant."
xXxX
-Reviews-
LordOfTheBooks- I know, things are a little crazy at the moment. Hopefully within the next one or two chapters I can clear everything up and roll on. ^.^ There's some symbolism going on in there, in the first couple of chapters. And a lot of set up for the plot. I promise it will make sense…eventually…I hope…
Lindz4567- Thank you! Poor Robin indeed. I feel quite mean sometimes, I'm pretty tough with the characters. I guess we'll see what happens with Babs. Muahahaha…
BlessedChica-Thank you very much! I have updated- as requested! …Can I have that cookie you promised me know? *Hint hint* …Kidding kidding. I'm allergic to virtual baked goods.
Hi- Hello again Hi! You are quite welcome! And a huge thanks to you in return! The chapter was awesome, you say? Yay! That's, well, awesome to hear! Here, take this update!
TVchick08-Thanks! Well it wasn't soon, but there's more now... :)
BatShitCrazy21- Thank you! Well, she is alive, if that helps. ^.^ I shall spoil no more! Ah, the team. I have trouble writing them sometimes. But yes, they do know Batgirl here. I know I know. I'll give Robin a lollypop after all of the emotional damage. Kay? :)
Godgirl4ever- Ah! I'm sorry! Please, take this chapter! Don't fall off of your seat! Thank you very, very much. You're so nice! *Hands virtual cookie over* Shh…Don't tell the others. I only had one. .
Amelia-Williams-Pond- Aw, thank you very much! It's something, I don't know about intricate. xD Maybe a mess, but it's getting there, haha. I won't leave you guys hanging, no worries. I mean, my writing pace is ridiculously slow, but chapters will pop up. Hope you stick around. :)
Whew! Those were some awesome reviews! Thank you guys so much! …Okay fine. I was going to save all of these virtual cookies…but… I gueeeessss you can have them. Virtual cookies for everyone!
Until next time!
-Arrow.