He yelled. He pounded his fists into the ground over and over again until the sides of his palms bleed. His mask torn, his body bruised and tired from all the running, and he was no where closer. In fact, he had failed yet again.
Now two of his team was missing, and it was his entire fault. And Slade knew it. Oh, he loved it. He did this just to get to him, didn't he?
Was it always about him? Was this entire escapade all just another way to get under the bird's skin?
If it was, it was working.
"Robin…" Starfire's meek voice rang silently behind him.
He didn't answer, he just hung his head in shame. How could he look the others in the eye again? How could he protect anyone if he kept losing his friends?
"Ro-"
"No." He cut her off.
He couldn't.
They sat there in silence for a while. He could hear her tense breathing, Cyborg's thrumming machinery, and his own frantic heart beating in his throat, his ears. Then, suddenly, he laughed. Hard and cold.
"You might as well just leave," he said to them with a bitter chuckle. "Unless you want to be captured, too. What's the point?"
No one responded, but the quiet was more unbearable than a scream. Robin picked up a rock and threw it as hard as he could. It smashed into the walls and was obliterated. He didn't know what to do anymore.
It was the first time that he felt afraid and hopeless. Looking in from the outside, he understood just how his team felt when he was the one who was undee Slade's control: Lost.
His strength was waning, either from the new blow or the fact that his body was simply weak from the entire ordeal- maybe a bit of both.
Again they were straggling in the caves; again he was crumpled on the ground, trying to track the fight, to see what had happened to his teammate when they were separated.
The scene was too familiar.
The many different sets of prints indicated Beast Boy had put up a fight and, from the looks of it, managed to down Slade once.
He probably thought he was finished, he probably turned his back. That's when Slade would strike: When Beast Boy was in his weaker human form, his defenses down.
"The coward!" Robin spat suddenly.
He balled his hands into tightly-wound fists.
"What do you see?" Starfire inquired timidly.
Robin slashed at the dirt, disgusted.
"He had him, he beat him, but Slade played possum, and…"
He looked away.
She breathed out slowly, deeply, trying to calm her emotions.
"Is he…Is he…" she stuttered, tears pricking at her eyes. "N-not with us, any longer?"
"No, he's alive, Star," he informed her, glaring murderously into the ground. "But from what I can guess…"
He paused, not knowing whether she could handle it. He turned to look at her, and he saw her shimmering, emerald eyes, just about bursting with unshed waterworks. But, he also saw a conviction to know the truth. It was pretty obvious anyway, he could already see a splatter of blood on the far side of the tunnel.
He sighed.
"He's not in good shape," he said as delicately as possible.
She shed a tear, and then fell into Robin's surprised arms, sobbing thickly on his shoulder. He awkwardly rubbed her back in soothing circles.
After a few minutes, Starfire finally backed away and then proceed to punch a loose rock into dust. Her eyes glared a violent green.
A sigh escaped Cyborg's lips. He was getting tired of this melodrama. It was simple. It didn't matter that Slade had taken another prisoner, it wasn't like now they were going to just stop looking for him.
It sucked that his green friend got the snot beat out of him, but that was a part of the job, they'd all been in that position before. It's not like he didn't feel sorry for him, but he was determined not to be affected by it.
The other two might be on the borderline, falling off the edge, but he had to keep a cool head since Robin certainly wasn't. He eyed the spot where the guy's fists had torn a new hole in the ground.
That had to have hurt.
Nonetheless, Cyborg was grimly optimistic.
Really, it was a tactical error on the psycho's part.
It just meant more room for one of them to escape, or more bodies to carry around. It would slow him down, and they would find them both, and bring them home.
Then, Cyborg was going to do what he always did: Kick some butt.
If anyone deserved an ass-whopping, it was Slade.
If anyone deserved a coma-inducing beat down…
He smiled a little, picturing it.
A droplet fell on his shoulder, shaking him awake. They were all just standing there, waiting for their leader to stop his fit. He wanted to slap Robin across the face, they were losing precious time. But no one could make the boy wonder do anything on someone else's schedule.
He would move when he was ready, and Cyborg was happy to rest for a second longer, arms crossed, legs stretched out as he sat comfortably on a moss-covered boulder. He would need all his strength when the time came.
It wouldn't be long now.
"Let me go…" he groaned, blood dripping from his scabbed lips.
His jaded body hung limply from Slade's shoulder, rhythmically bopping up and down with each nonchalant stride. It was embarrassing to be slung like a fresh kill, facing the villain's backside the entire time but, luckily, he was going in and out of consciousness.
When he was aware enough to talk, he mumbled and moaned, gave little fits- never enough to break free of course. He weakly thumped Slade's shoulder with his green fists. A pain shot through his arms, and he regretted his useless squirms.
Slade chuckled, highly amused by the boy's pathetic attempts.
Beast Boy scowled and wished he was strong enough to change. Maybe his human hands didn't do much damage, but it didn't take any effort to shred Slade with some claws. He would have to simply flex his paw and...
"Don't even think about it, boy," the one eyed man said when Beast Boy grew still. "I'm only tolerating your presence for the moment. Should you try anything mutinous, I'll break your neck."
Slade felt the brat gulp and smirked.
Too easy.
The villain was coming around the final corner, where his backup lair lurked, and was supremely delighted musing over what Raven's reaction would be.
He expected many tears, a few good swears, some threats, and, all the while, her eyes betraying her panic. Oh, he was prepared to relish in her anxiety. This might be just the thing to break her.
The way that only one of the Titans showed up to fight him was too good to be true. It was like Fate was begging him to carry on, continue his important work.
The caves dripped murky water, he heard their tainted drops pluck the ground slowly. Then, the perpetual sound started to pick up speed.
But wait, no, that wasn't it. He listened closely. His smile widened.
What he thought was the setting was really just the terrified heartbeat of the boy slung on his shoulder. His skin seemed to ooze fear.
They had reached the heart of the cave.
The archaic walls melted into structured cement. The ceiling was high, Beast Boy couldn't see the top, but he heard the grinding of cog wheels churn somewhere in the room. The front area seemed to stretch forever, guised in shadow that was further than his eyes could sense.
Slade's heels began to click softly on the tile flooring, similar to the first pit the Titans stumbled upon, but not as opulent. It shimmered black, reflecting the computer screens that now faded into view.
Blinking red buttons flickered on and off, Beast Boy assumed they were cameras stationed all over the city. Cars and peopled flicked by on the monitors, and he occasionally saw a few dedicated to only one space, one person.
He shivered. There was also one in every room at Titans Tower. He recognized his own furnishings and movie posters.
It seemed like it was from a lifetime ago.
Frozen in shock, he didn't notice when Slade took them further into the tunnel. Doors and little tables lined the bricked walls. Lamplights shadowed the expanse eerily.
He swallowed, his throat burned.
They came to a stop at the back, facing the most lavish door. This must have been where Slade slept, or held something important.
The green teen was a little surprised and, quite frankly, confused by how such a man could have such fanciful taste. He was expecting either a medieval torture chamber or a high-tech hell. He couldn't decide whether Slade was going to be modern or not.
It was neither. Sure there were a few screens saddled with some sort of super computer, but that was expected.
But the other half of the place looked like it was designed by some suburban contractor.
Slade twisted the knob, and barreled through.
"I have a surprise for you," he said matter-of-factly.
Beast Boy twisted and turned, trying to see whoever he was talking to- even though it was obvious who it would be. He was feeling a little stronger as his anticipation grew. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to break free.
He didn't have to squirm that long, because within a couple seconds and a faint gasp coming from behind him, he was suddenly thrown on his back. He landed with a crash, breaking a fine desk in the process.
Beast Boy cried out, one of the splinters dug right into his old wound. It felt like his vertebrae were popping out of his spine.
He didn't dare push himself up, knowing what kind of pain that would ensue. But he didn't have a choice, because his vision finally gave out, and he fainted.
Raven was already at the boy's side, a mix of shock and terror plain on her wide face.
She studied his dark bruising, the dry blood that mixed into his jade hair, and, worst of all, the permanent anxiety written in every pore of his body. Even unconscious, she could see his terror.
"What have you done?" she whispered, brushing back Beast Boy's untidy mess of hair tenderly.
"Who, me?" asked Slade innocently, coming to stand at her side. "Why, I didn't do anything. He attacked me."
Rage rushed through her more intensely than she could remember. This wasn't about her anymore, it was about her friend. He would suffer like her, no doubt.
How could Slade do this? Why would he do this? It made no sense.
She growled through clenched teeth, imagining his skull being crushed between her canines.
Her hatred boiled, and all she could see was red. She would have never let herself become so needlessly angry before, but it didn't matter now, did it?
She shot up, pregnant and all, her hands shaking in fists, a mighty glare screwed up on her brow. Her muscles were sore, but she paid them no heed, and they dulled in her ferocity.
She wanted blood. His blood.
"What. Have. You. Done?!" she shouted, spit flying from her furious mouth.
Her senses were sharper than ever, she bided her time, waiting for the perfect moment, some kind of weakness, and she would strike. And strike hard.
Slade simply crossed his arms, pretending he hadn't heard her. He cocked his head and studied her expression. It would have been terrifying to anyone else but him.
When she got no answer, or even an slight gesture of clarity, an unholy, cat-like yowl escaped her. Her heart was pumping in her ears, and she could barely concentrate from all the quaking.
She barely breathed.
"If you don't explain to me in five seconds why you brought him here," she started, speaking rapidly, thinking of any suitable threat. "I'm going to try my very best to have a miscarriage right here and now."
Slade pondered her statement.
"And how would you do that, dear girl?" he asked sarcastically, completely unaffected by the fact Beast Boy was still laying in shreds of a broken desk not five feet away.
"Shouldn't be too hard," she spat. "I'll grab one of these wooden stakes that you so generously provided me, and stab until something really starts to hurt."
She was already eyeing a particularly nasty piece just a few inches behind her.
His eye narrowed. He could easily stop her within seconds of her futile attempt, but he didn't like the fact she had a remotely possible plan.
"Dear girl, you wouldn't dare," he remarked, his voice too wispy to be good.
Without hesitating, she grabbed the wooden shrapnel and pointed it directly at the bump. Her eyes blazed with unwavering commitment. She had already contemplated some sort of suicide. If that was to be her only escape.
He wondered what she wanted out of this. He simply stared at her. She stood, a crazed look in her eye that obviously meant business. He was tempted to stomp on her throat for such insolence, but he decided toying with her was far too fun to pass up.
How was she going to get out of this?
"Let him go," she barked, the stake inching closer to her.
This took him off guard.
He laughed. He laughed so hard that he had to bend over and hold onto his knees, she could almost see his eye water from the intensity of it. Her threatening hand fell to the side in disappointment.
"What's so…?" she questioned, her rage vanishing.
"Funny?" he finished, giving one last chuckle before standing up.
He took a deep breath, and became serious instantly. His sanity was obviously not all there. But she had figured as much, but she didn't see it act so dramatically. It frightened her, he was becoming dangerously unpredictable.
"It's hilarious to me, that you are so…" he paused. "Selfless. It's actually a little sickening too, but it does make me laugh to see it."
She cocked a brow.
He shook his head and sighed.
"Let him go? Him?" he rhetorically questioned, waving a hand toward Beast Boy. "Raven, he is nothing. In honesty, he is the weakest Titan. You come up with a certifiable threat, have the weapon at the ready, and you ask for his release?"
He walked closer to her, not caring about her past plan.
"I've had you here, under my control," he told her, snatching the hand with the pathetic stick and twisting her wrist until she released it. "You could have bargained for almost anything. Not that it would have happened, obviously, I would have just humored you."
She glared, his tirade digging deep under her skin.
"I expected you to have something in the deal about freeing the boy, of course," he contemplated, reaching for her other hand. "But, I'm curious. Did you even think to ask for your freedom, or maybe an explanation? Perhaps some kind of antidote to get your powers back? No. The first thing that pops into that little, heroic head of yours is to give the brat back to the rest of your precious friends."
He clutched both of their hands together, holding them in front of his chest. He rubbed her knuckles thoughtfully as she ran over his examination. Why didn't she ask for something like that? She wasn't sure.
It all seemed so stupid to her. Why was she even trying anymore? Of course she wasn't going to escape. She'd known that for weeks now. Beast Boy and the team had come too little too late, and now all she cared about was limiting Slade's corruption to just her. She could take it, she was strong.
Her hopeless resolve covered up something than ran deeper than just petty martyrdom, but the way she saw it, she didn't notice. Her eyes watered, and she wanted to stomp her foot in frustration like the child she never got to be. Why was she always doomed to the worst fates life had to offer?
She took a gander at Beast Boy, body broken. He didn't deserve to be dragged through the painful mud with her.
His eye traced her thoughts, analyzed the deep indigo of her eyes, and he saw a sharp slackening of will.
"Or maybe," he said softly, reading her mind. "You've given up."
Their eyes connected, his bored straight into hers, and she allowed it. What was the point? Where could she run or hide? The world would know what he had done, what she had conceived, and she knew they were already looking for a chance to hate her. Now they had it.
Even if she did try to redeem herself, it wasn't like she could unlock another secret power to save the world again. It would mean she would have to kill a baby. Her own. And even that could be turned into hatred from some.
But did she want to be accepted?
Was she ever going to even come close?
She mulled over who knew her for exactly what she was. Her team did, or, some of them did. She thought about it some more.
Maybe just Robin.
Well, even then.
Actually, she knew them better than they knew themselves, and they didn't know her at all.
She was an angry, confused, and hugely powerful girl. She had so many skeletons in the closet it was a graveyard, and even her friends didn't know the full story behind her birth. She was born from seduction and rape; she was destined for horrible things.
She lived on a different planet, she wasn't normal in anyway. She had been frustrated, angry, and desperate for acceptance her entire life. For most of her childhood, she was taught to bury all emotion inside her until she was too numb to be affected by it. It didn't seem fair.
Her powers were terrifying and the stuff of nightmares. How could she convert to heroism? It didn't seem to be in her nature.
She was one step away, one angry tantrum, from releasing the demonic presence that festered so powerfully inside her. Fear guided her, and nothing else.
When she didn't answer, he frowned beneath the mask.
"Raven…"
Beast Boy had woken up just in time. He heard part of their conversation, going in and out. She turned to him immediately, forgetting her waning heart.
"Beast Boy!" she breathed, grasping his hand, holding it closer to her.
He winced a little, but she didn't release her grip. He was the only thing grounding her to sanity at the moment.
Wounded, he tried to sit up, groaning as he did. She pulled him gently up, adjusting him right next to her.
At this gentle scene between the two, Slade's anger was never higher. He was now the one to clench his hands. His mind now raced with such brilliant fury that he couldn't see straight. All of his attention was zeroed in on them.
More than anything, he wanted to kill the boy.
His body shook, but she didn't even notice- a poor choice.
Faster than lightning, Beast Boy was ripped from her side. Her hand struggled to hold on for a second, but it was yanked away. She stumbled to the floor, dizzy.
But she didn't have time to be a damsel. As she peered up, she saw Slade crushing Beast Boy, his knees holding the boy down as his fingers wrapped like a vice around the neck of his prey. His one eye was wild, it wasn't even blue anymore. It was black.
She saw Beast Boy struggle so feebly, it was almost impossible to watch.
Coming to her wits, she jumped up and ran headlong into Slade. She pushed him with all her pregnant might, heaving. Luckily, she was stronger than she felt. He wasn't sideswiped, but he was nudged just enough for Beast Boy to transform.
Slade backed off, now facing a seriously pissed off tiger.
The cat roared, bellowing an ear-splitting sound the like of which Raven had never heard. She began to worry about her decision.
He lunged, going straight for the throat. The masked man was ready, but not enough. He fell with the beast and they rolled, Beast Boy swiping at him all the while, and getting in some deep cuts. Feeling confident, he finally was able to pin Slade. The throbbing of his weakened body became a distant, dull throb of a memory, and he was determined to never let Slade get up again.
His teeth sank into the armored shoulder, his tongue tasted metal. Jaws snapping without repose, the iron flavor became far saltier. It suited him, he liked it.
He didn't even notice Slade's low moan of pain that soon became a full-fledged yell. He couldn't shake the boy off. The massive paws held his body down, and one of his arms was tucked painfully beneath him.
She stood, watching- partly in horror, partly in shock. Beast Boy wasn't letting go. His fangs were locked on Slade. It almost looked like a parasite latched to a victim as it sucked its blood out slowly. She certainly saw the red liquid oozing out, it stained the carpet.
A pleasant, reverberating growl echoed in his stomach. He was purring. This much power, this level of instability, it was refreshing. But, he couldn't remain here forever.
Disappointed, he pulled his large canines out slowly, methodically. He heard the groan in his ears, the toxic, sweet breath invaded his nostrils and he snarled. He hated that smell.
Enraged, his eyes dilated as he stared into the eye of the enemy. More than anything, he wanted to kill Slade.
She saw how close he was.
No, she couldn't allow it.
"Beast Boy," she commanded, glaring at him. "Stop! You're going to kill him!"
The war inside him raged, but he halted in his hunt.
This wasn't him.
He stepped away from Slade, knowing that he wasn't going to stoop any lower. He morphed back and turned away, ashamed by his recklessness. Slade was evil, but no one deserved what he had just done. He tried to wipe the blood off his uniform, but it stuck to him like sin. All he could see was red, and he became sick. His vomit swirled with the blood on the floor.
Slade's arm. It was bleeding, of course, but he could see straight to the bone, the tendons, he had ripped it away. It hung limply at his side, and Beast Boy knew that if he had stayed any longer, the man would be armless and most likely dead.
She ran full sprint toward him.
There was enough blood lost to indicate that he didn't have a whole lot of time left, his pale eye was already glazing over. For any normal human, he would have been dead already.
If only she had her powers! This would have been easy. None of this would have happened.
Instead, she made do with what she had and worked quickly. Tearing a piece of cloth off her sterile dress, she wrapped it around the wound and began to push her body weight into it. It did little good; the white fabric was quickly crimson.
"Raven!" a scream. "What are you doing?!"
Something threw her away from her mission, and she landed solidly on her feet and crouched, ready to fight. A wild look in her eye, she saw Beast Boy standing there, a glare across his face, blocking her route to the bleeding man.
He felt horrible for his action, but there was difference between remorse and insanity. If he was to die, that was on Beast Boy, but no one was going to save Slade.
"He's a bad guy!" he almost shrieked, struggling to hold himself upright from the pain in his back. "I know that…"
His voice trailed off. It was then that Beast Boy actually saw her in full view for the first time. The hospital-like clothing had done a pretty good job of masking her expanding bump, especially in the dim light. But, now he saw her. Saw it.
It was obvious she was malnourished. Her hair was dull, her nails brittle, and the skin stretched sickly, exposing the skeleton beneath. Her cheeks were an unhealthy gray, but her violet eyes shimmered with fierce intensity. This was directed at him.
"No way…" he whispered.
"What?" she snarled, shifting her weight.
The boy stared at her solemnly, eyes wide with reproach. He started to slowly move toward her, hands up like he was being arrested. She eased, but kept herself low to the ground, ready for anything. Her mind was bestial; she had confused enemy and friend.
He answered her question with another.
"God, what happened to you?" he breathed, his eyes growing wider the closer he came.
She cocked a brow- what did he mean? Slade moaned in the background, she peered around Beast Boy to check to see if he was on death's door already. She really didn't have time to sit around and discuss herself.
"Let me through, why are you so afraid?" she said in a rush.
He didn't answer.
She stood and darted around Beast Boy when he came within a few feet. But, she was too slow and he was too quick. Just inches it seemed from Slade, a strong arm pulled her back. It tried to be gentle, but she ended up uncomfortable.
It tugged her closer, and soon she was fighting to get out of Beast Boy's grip.
"Wait…please…I need to…" she begged as she tried to drag him with her.
"Stop."
She obeyed, but not without giving a look back to Slade.
"If you just let me help him…"
"No."
She turned back to the boy she thought she knew, but all she saw was disgust. She tried again.
"Please, he's dying and I can't just…"
"No." He repeated, his once wide eyes narrowed to feline slits.
Slade gave another moan.
Raven turned out of practice, just to see if his shoulder was still attached to his body when pain distracted her advances. Her captured arm was flat against her back, and her wrist felt like it was breaking. She was so weak, it wouldn't take much.
"Beast Boy…?" she breathed, astonished.
"Shut up," he barked. "And listen."
It was her turn to be timid. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. Her heart beat in her ears, why was he torturing her like this? Someone was dying!
"You're…" he peeked down at her belly and his face screwed up as if he smelled something horrible. "Having a baby?"
She sighed and gave an incredulous look in his direction.
"Obviously," she scoffed, she didn't have time for twenty questions if they were all this stupid.
Leave it to Beast Boy…
He looked shocked. As if his worst fears were affirmed.
"Then that means…" he puzzled through, his brow furrowed, his tight grip loosening. "You were…you were…"
He shook his head and she felt his untamed hair brush against her neck. He didn't want to even think about it much less say it. He couldn't. So he let her go, spun her around to face him and peeked at her innocently. She bit her lip.
That was all he needed.
His anger returned instantly.
"I'm going to kill him."
It wasn't the fact that she was trying her best for that not to happen, or that Beast Boy actually said it. It was the way he said it. His voice was cold, unfeeling, and perfectly serious. This was no joke, and there wasn't going back.
"Wait…" she pleaded as she saw his skin begin to shift into a monster. "You don't know what you're doing. You can't!"
"Why not?" he growled, his voice lower and far more sinister.
She didn't have a great answer for that just yet.
"You just can't," she sighed. "It's not our job to decide who lives or dies."
"He deserves death!" the half boy-half animal shrieked. "How can you defend him?!"
Her pride bucked up and she yelled back.
"I'm not!"
"Yes you are!" he roared, a mane sprouting from his neck. "He's ruined you! Look at yourself, Raven! You're giving birth to a monster, and he's the cause!"
Her hand went to her belly.
"You don't know that," she hissed.
"Of course I do!" he snarled, his mighty claws growing from his knuckles. "It will be nothing but evil. It was made from evil and so it has to be. And it's all his fault."
Rage ran into her, heating her blood.
"Was I?!" she screamed.
This stopped his transformation, for the time being. He was almost in full animal mode. She knew he was seconds away from giving in. But, the longer she kept him focused on her, the less beast-like he became. She already saw the tufts of fur begin to fade away into emerald skin.
If that's what she wanted, she got her wish, because her question thoroughly confused him.
"Am I evil, Beast Boy?" she spat.
He was caught off guard.
"No, of course not, Raven, but…"
"But nothing!" she snapped. "If I had a chance, it has a chance."
Beast Boy folded his arms.
Wolf eyes peeked into his face.
"What does this have to do with not killing…him, anyway? We don't have to kill the…it…but at least he dies!"
"No," she snarled. "You will not touch him."
"Why are you protecting the very man who tortured you?" he demanded, paws beginning to form anew. "Not to mention all the crap he did to Robin and the team. Do you even care about what happened?"
"Yes," she hissed, knowing that their conversation was becoming too long for her tastes.
"Then why?!"
She bit her lip and glared at the floor. He pressed on.
"Why?! Answer me!" he yelled, standing right in front of her.
She shook her head and turned away.
"Then you don't mind if I rip his throat out, do you?" he threatened, holding up a savagely sharp-nailed hand.
She remained silent, and he walked past her.
When he was just close enough for her frantic heart to jump into her mouth, she pushed out an answer.
"Because…" she began to murmur. "We're too much alike."
It wasn't enough and his claws reached out.
She panicked.
"Fine! Alright! Fine!" she said in a flurry, hoping to distract him somehow. "If you want the truth, here it is!"
He waited, his patience thinning. She dug her nails into her palm until she knew it was bleeding and breathed out, anxiety coursing through her veins.
"I…love him."