"What are you?"

"A tool."

"For who?"

"My master."

"Are you good or bad?"

"I am evil."

—-

Black awoke, sore and aching. His head pulsed, surges of pain on his temples. The clock at the bedside read 2:15. It was far too early to be up and bothering his friends. But this pain would not be relieved any time soon. He wouldn't be sleeping again tonight.

Had he taken his medication? He must have. They had gotten so good at giving it to him with breakfast and dinner.

But he couldn't remember.

That wasn't uncommon. His memory was always pretty garbage, even with more recent events. Honestly, it made him feel a little guilty.

He rose, not bothering to get dressed. He just wore those gray sweatpants that were warm and comfortable despite the healing cuts on his legs.

He wandered out into the hall, listening for any noise in the tower. It was stoney quiet, and he felt like he was disturbing the peace just by breathing.

Distantly, he thought he heard someone singing, though he wasn't sure.

"I'm lost, I'm a ghost. Dispossessed, taken host. My hunger burns a bullet hole. A specter of my mortal soul."

Quietly, he wandered. He knew his medicine was in the med bay, but it was locked up to keep him from abusing it. He couldn't take any without bothering someone.

And he just didn't feel like doing that.

Yesterday, they had bravely delved into that forbidden place from his early days. Even now, glimmers came to him, though he tried very earnestly to pretend like it never happened. It was hard, though. Especially with the scar on his face. There was no ignoring that. There was no wishing it away.

It happened. It all happened.

He needed a distraction. Just for a few hours, he needed something to occupy his mind and give him rest.

That's how he found himself in front of Robin's room.

Another forbidden place, where entering was like acknowledging something he didn't want to.

This was his room. At least, that's what they kept telling him.

Maybe, just maybe, entering it would give him a reason to try. Maybe, Robin really was as great as they said, and maybe he did want to be him.

The door slid open with a swoosh, and he blacked out.

—

Cyborg's charge completed. He rose and looked at the time with a yawn.

It was 5 in the morning.

All this drama with Robin's case had severely messed up his charging schedule.

"Oh well. Might as well get up and get started." He stretched, his robotic parts popping and whirling.

He went to the ops room, prepared to make breakfast. But he wasn't alone.

Starfire sat at the table, just the floor lights on. She looked miserable, but had a mug in front of her. One of Robin's capes rested on her shoulders.

"Star?"

"Good morning Cyborg," she greeted, wearily. "Are you up early this morning?"

"Yeah. All done charging. What about you? You wake up early, but not before sunrise."

"I was…awakened. A visage of horror in my sleep. A nightmare, I think you call them."

"Yeah," Cyborg sat with her. "Everyone's been having them. I'm surprised Raven and Beast Boy aren't here too. They saw even more than I did."

"I saw the photos Raven took," she brought her knees up. "They were disturbing."

"That's an understatement."

"I find it hard to express the feeling I have in your language. In Tamaranean, it would be 'Zarnek' which roughly means 'a feeling of a sun burning with cold fire in your stomach'." She sighed, and took a sip of her drink. "I have made Earthen hot chocolate, though it is not as good as Robin's. When I first came here, all of the world was strange and I was lost. I lived in Robin's apartment before the tower was built. Every night, he would make me hot chocolate, and we would watch the television. He never got angry with me for asking so many questions during the programs. He actually encouraged me to do so. The hot chocolate makes me think of him."

"I didn't know all that." He offered a smile. "He took pretty good care of you, didn't he?"

Starfire just nodded. Then she held up her communicator, which he realized she had been staring at in her lap since he walked in. On the screen was one of the photos Raven took, where Robin had written her name on the wall.

"He was thinking about you," Cyborg offered with a smile. "You were special to him. And I think he wrote that because he didn't want to forget you."

"In my nightmare," she began, "he was in that room, and that body they saw was trying to eat him, like in the horror movies that Beast Boy enjoys. Robin was calling out to me, begging me to save him, but I could not find him. I saw him, but I could not reach him."

"That is a very scary dream," Cyborg nodded. "But, it was just a dream. Robin is home. He's sick and needs help, but he's safe."

"I have been…praying for him."

Cyborg tilted his head, unsure if he heard her right. "Praying?"

"Yes. When Pastor Jim Baker returned yesterday, we spoke. I asked if he could provide me with the guidance he often gives the members of his church. He said to be patient and calm with Robin, to listen to what he says and not argue with him. Merely meeting him halfway and gently coaxing him into the truth will be more helpful than trying to force him into something he does not want to do. Then he said if I was ever unsure what to do, I could pray for him to God, as God likes hearing from everyone, even if we do not worship him."

"Can't hurt," Cyborg nodded. "Pastor had some good advice. I might have to remember that too. I've gotten angry with Black a few too many times, and I'm sure it's not helping."

"I have as well. I do not like this persona. Not when I know how good Robin is."

The door swooshed open, and Cyborg and Starfire turned to greet their fellow teammate who had woken up early from restless sleep.

But instead, Black stood there, bracing himself against the doorframe.

"Speak of the devil," Cyborg smirked. "You okay, man?"

Black grunted as he took a slow step forward. He swayed to one side as he let go.

"Whoa! What's wrong?" Cyborg and Starfire got to their feet.

"...I…it…it hurts…" he gritted out, taking two staggering steps closer.

In the low light, it wasn't immediately obvious, but now that they were closer, they could see the dark veins standing out.

"Oh my God, we didn't give you any meds yesterday! No wonder! Starfire, take him to the couch!"

Starfire rushed to Black, scooping him up in her arms. She flew him to sit on the couch while Cyborg fled to get the medicine.

"Fear not, Black. We shall have the medicine soon, and the pain will subside."

"...n-no…" He groaned, curling his fingers into the leather of the couch. "...not…not yet."

"I do not understand. You do not want your medicine?"

He clenched his eyes shut as pain racked through his body, but he did not cry out. His body jerked awkwardly and involuntarily. "...I have…I have to tell you…"

"Tell me what, friend?"

His trembling and feverish hand reached out and touched her face. He looked at her, his eyes laser focused, full of emotion. He opened his mouth to speak, but his breath stuttered and his words caught in his throat.

"I'm back!" Cyborg returned. He rushed to grab a glass of water, and brought it over to them. "Here you go, buddy." Cyborg placed the pill in his hand and closed his fingers around it.

Black shook his head, frantic.

"What? This is what you need," Cyborg urged, bringing his hand up to his face.

"He was trying to tell me something," Starfire said firmly.

Black dropped the pill on the ground and placed that hand on Starfire's face as well, his thumb resting just below her ear.

Cyborg prepared to intervene, but didn't stop him.

Black leaned in, pulling Starfire towards him as well until their foreheads bumped together. He breathed harshly, the air crackling in his chest. His mouth pulled into a grimace, and a few tears leaked from his eyes.

Cyborg rested a hand on his back as he knelt next to him.

Starfire returned the hold, touching his burning hot face gently. "I am here. It shall be alright."

His lips moved with a tremor, but then he spoke, just a whisper, "it's me."

Starfire nodded, encouraging him. "Yes, Black?"

"I…it's me, Star..."

"I know." She petted the back of his head.

"Star…Star…Star…I'm here…I'm here…" he sobbed.

Realization came slowly, but her eyes widened, glistening with tears. "...Robin?"

Cyborg stared in awe, his jaw dropping.

"I'm…I'm so sorry…" he cried. Another wave of agony rushed through his body, from head to toe. He cried out, "I'm sorry!"

"Robin!" Starfire pressed a fierce kiss to his cheek. "There is nothing to be sorry for, my dear Robin! I am just happy you are back to normal!"

"...'m not…" he winced. He held his breath as his flesh burned. "...th-the medicine…"

"What about the medicine?" Cyborg asked, his own eyes watering.

"...I don't…know what…how…but Black…is complete…" He outright screamed in pain, pulling away from Starfire.

In turn, she pulled Robin to rest against her chest, hugging his arms close so he wouldn't thrash.

"Should we stop giving you the opioids? Is that what you're saying?"

Robin shook his head. "...will die without…"

Starfire buried her face in his hair, now crying in earnest.

"But with the medicine, you become Black…" Cyborg finished.

"...yes…yes…"

Cyborg picked up the pill. "Okay. Then you're going to take your medicine, and you're going to turn into Black. And we're going to figure out how to fix this."

Robin started coughing, a trickle of black fluid drooling out of the corner of his mouth.

"We're out of time," Cyborg decided, and held the pill up to Robin's face.

He took it in his mouth, begrudgingly, and then swallowed some water provided.

He closed his eyes, the pain still a violent storm inside him. It would take about ten minutes at least before it started working.

He wrapped a hand around Starfire's arm. "Star…Star…Star…"

"I am here, Robin. I have got you."

"...I hear you…I see you…I can…I can…"

"While you're Black?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes…yes…yes…" he sobbed. "Thank you…thank you…"

"Whatever it takes," Cyborg vowed, squeezing his shoulder. "We'll save you. I promise."

Robin continued to cry then, but leaned into the comfort of snuggling in Starfire's arms.

She continued to hold him, basically in her lap, and ran her fingers through his hair.

Cyborg rubbed his back gently, just a slow back and forth.

Slowly but surely, the dark veins faded, as did his cries. He hiccuped a few times, and then looked up to them with cloudy eyes.

"Mmmm what did I do to get boob therapy?"

Cyborg shook his head with a tight smile as he stood up.

Starfire let him go, making him sit up on the couch. "You had not taken your medicine, and were in a lot of pain."

"Ooooh yeah. That makes sense. I woke up a while ago in hurtsies but I didn't want to bother anyone."

"Black, I do not wish to see you in pain. Please do not hesitate to wake me," Starfire insisted.

"Sowwy," he giggled, sticking out his tongue. "Hey, why you cryin'?"

Starfire bravely wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Like I said, I do not like seeing you in pain."

"Well, I heard that crying makes your skin blotchy, so don't do that."

"I shall try not to."

—-

Later that morning, when Beast Boy and Raven finally arrived in the ops room, Cyborg and Starfire shared what they had witnessed that morning. Meanwhile, Black laid upside down, by the window, singing.

"Who's in a bunker? Who's in a bunker? I have seen too much, I haven't seen enough, you haven't seen it. I'll laugh until my head comes off. Women and children first and children first, and children."

"I made sure to send a message to Batman," said Cyborg. "Maybe Robin can tell us who is behind this, but he might not be able to communicate. The conversation this morning was very vague."

"I'm thrilled you spoke to him," Raven said, a small smile on her face. "But I'm heartbroken that he's…basically trapped."

"It's gotta be rough," Beast Boy looked over to Black, who seemed oblivious to them.

He sang in a bad falsetto, "Here, I'm allowed everything all of the time. Here, I'm allowed everything all of the time."

"What song is that?" Raven asked.

"I think it's pronounced 'Idioteque'. I don't think there's any secret messages there."

"Black?" Starfire called out. "Do you know that you are singing?"

"I'm just watching the birdies!" He called back, and then sang, "We're not scaremongering. This is really happening, happening."

Beast Boy shivered. "Sometimes he just gives me the willies!"

The door to the ops room swooshed open, and for a second, no one thought anything about it. But then they realized they were all present at the table, so then who—?

A figure in all black stood at the door, his cape nearly covering him. An older gentleman stood next to him, wearing a suit.

"Batman!" Cyborg greeted awkwardly, stumbling to his feet.

"Hope you don't mind that I let myself in," Batman said calmly.

"Not at all!" Said Beast Boy, also tripping over himself in the presence of THE Batman. "¡Mi casa es su casa!"

"I paid for this house, so yes, it is."

Black got to his feet, smiling widely. "Bunny man!" He cried happily.

Batman just shifted his jaw before answering, "...and Easter came early this year."

Black ran full throttle and leapt at Batman, throwing his arms and legs around him like a koala bear.

Batman, ever stalwart and unbothered by most lunatics, just caught Black and held him against his hip like a toddler.

"I received your message this morning," Batman said, like he wasn't holding a teenager like a baby. "I'm glad you found a way to get through to him, but we'll try to keep that to a minimum, since the risk to his health is so great."

"Uh…okay."

He turned to the man next to him. "Alfred, these are Robin's friends: Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire. Titans, this is Alfred, my butler and a very trusted member of our team. He practically raised me, and mostly raised Dick as well."

"Pleased to meet you all. Master Dick has talked highly of you all in his emails." He had the faintest smile on his face, while remaining completely professional. "I will have you all know I will not tolerate excessive pizza consumption during my stay, and will be cooking the meals."

"Um…" Beast Boy squeaked. "That's very nice of you, but I'm a vegetarian…"

"I'm aware. Master Dick has shared several anecdotes about your and Cyborg's arguments over tofu."

"Duuuude! You tattled on me to your grandpa? Not cool."

Black ignored him. "I don't eat processed meat."

Alfred raised a brow. "Since when? You love ham."

"Since…forever, I guess."

"Tell them why," Raven insisted.

Black scoffed. "It's because I don't want to accidentally eat human meat. Is that so odd?"

Batman frowned, but didn't answer.

"Please, you have traveled a long way. Would you like to place your bags in your rooms?" Starfire asked, being hospitable. "We have one other room, but perhaps, Mr. Batman, you would not mind staying in Robin's room?"

"Let me check," he shifted Black on his hip. "Robin, may I stay in your room?"

Black blew a raspberry at him. Then, he hugged his neck and obnoxiously sang, "Hey maaaaaaaaaan, sloooooow down! Slow down! Idiooooooooooot, slow down! Slow down!"

"He says no. But I will anyway."

Black pouted. "I want down!"

Batman practically dropped him.

"Uh…" Began Beast Boy. "What was that?"

"You were the one that discovered his code of Radiohead songs. I've been listening to the discography since you told me."

"Uh, my playlist is like 10 hours long."

"It's a long drive from Gotham City."

"Okay. So…"

"Cyborg mentioned Robin said this morning that he can hear and see us. I think he might be trying to communicate using those songs."

"That would indeed make quite a lot of sense!" Said Starfire. "I have asked him several times what song he is singing, and he says he, in fact, was not singing."

They all looked over at Black who was staring at Alfred.

"There is much to go over. I watched the rest of the videos. I know the who, why, and potentially the how."

"You know The Who? Can you get me an autograph?" Black chirped.

"They don't do autographs," Batman said easily. "But for now, I would like to take a look at his room and office."

"I will show you," Starfire offered, leading him and Alfred out to the hall.

Black plopped on the floor, cross legged and pouting.

—-

When they arrived at Robin's room, Starfire activated the door.

But it did not look the same from the last time she'd been in.

It was trashed. All the drawers and cabinets were opened and the contents spilled out on the floor. The closet was opened and every uniform was flung about.

"Oh no!" Starfire shrieked. "When did this happen?!"

Batman walked in, examining the carnage. "I'm sure it has something to do with our friend."

"But he would not! Would he?"

"Doesn't look like anything was actually destroyed, just tossed around. That's probably why he didn't want me going into his room." Batman started picking up uniforms and throwing them on the mattress, to be hung later. As he went, he studied the contents of the room. Plenty of weapons, documents, books, and a random assortment of things one picks up from living in one place for a few years.

"Oh," Starfire said sadly. "The photo from this frame is missing," she noted, standing by his bedside table.

"Do you know what it was?"

"No. He did not let us in here very often."

Alfred began to hang the uniforms up, not saying a word.

"Robin was—is a very private person. We all kept our secrets, but he was a little more withdrawn. I believe it was to protect you," Starfire said, quietly.

"Very possible," he stated as he set a stack of comic books on the desk. "My civilian name is very well known. And Richard is my adopted son. With his name, one would easily find out who I was. I don't think it was a matter of him not trusting you, but his obligation to me." He collected a handful of birdarangs. "But that doesn't matter anymore. What matters is his mental state. A lot of secrets will probably come to light." Then he looked at Starfire intently. "I think you will be instrumental in his healing."

"I shall? But I do not possess any healing abilities like Raven."

"You are important to him. The Titans are like a second family for him, and this is the ideal environment for him. But Starfire, he knew you depended on him. That bond will be particularly strong. If he believed no one needed him, he would not fight to come back."

Starfire took a deep breath and stood straight. "Tell me what you would ask of me, and I shall do it."