Trust... [A Robin Love Story]

Chapter 18: The Truth...

Author's P.O.V

"Everyone wake up early tomorrow." Robin said while everyone was eating dinner.

"What's up? Do we have a butt to kick tomorrow?" Beast Boy asked while stuffing his face with tofu steaks.

"No, it's time for the annual routine check to the Titans East branch." he replied.

"Joyous day! We are finally able to go on a trip of roads!" Starfire exclaimed excitedly.

"Great." Raven said sarcastically as she continued to calmly eat her food. Krystal continued to casually eat her food as they began to reminisce the old days when they first met. She enjoyed listening to their stories but she would nonchalantly ignore everything that Robin would say.

"I really think you're gonna get along with Bumblebee. She has the coolest moves to teach, it's awesome." Robin said.

"Yeah!! She comes up with new moves every single time we visit! I love her so much!" Beast Boy said excitedly throwing his fists in the air.

"Really? She sounds awesome. I would love to learn a few moves from her." Krystal said while looking at Beast Boy and not Robin, as if he wasn't there at all. Robin was a little peeved but Starfire was grateful that she's starting to ignore him. More for her!

"What snacks do you wanna bring for the road trip, Krys? I could cook up some of my favorite fried tofu sticks if you want." Beast Boy said boastfully.

"That tasteless tofu AGAIN?! No way, man, Krystal's gonna want to eat some nice ol' beef jerky! I could let you try some of my special reserve jerky if you want." Cyborg didn't back down.

"No WAY, dude! Those things are way too stale! Tell him, Krystal!!" Beast Boy countered him. And thus sparked the never ending debate between them about whether meat or tofu is better. Krystal enjoyed their bickering and would often watch in the sidelines, not in a sadistic way though. Raven and Starfire, well... Mostly Starfire, talked about what outfits to wear to the beach, and Robin was smiling as he watched them fuss over outfits. Their quarreling often took her mind off of her messed up thoughts and would sometimes wonder, 'Is this what it's like to have a family?' She couldn't help but smile from contentment.

"Well someone looks happy." Cyborg commented as he shifted his attention towards her.

"Hm? Really? Well, I guess I'm just excited. I've never been on a road trip after all." She said.

"Really? Then we're gonna make sure you have a blast!" Beast Boy said as he playfully jumped on her back to give her a nuggie.

"Stop, Beast boy you're heavy!!" She laughed, trying to get him off her back. Cyborg laughed and messed up her hair with a playful pat on the head. Robin seeing Cyborg touch her so casually made him unconsciously furrow his eyebrows. And the fact that he knows that Cyborg likes her pisses him off even more.

That night it was Raven and Krystal's turn to clean up and wash dishes, and while they where at it, prepare some food that they can bring on the road trip tomorrow. Krystal put down the picnic basket next to the other, a little more winded than usual.

"Are you alright? I didn't think it was that heavy. I could've lent you a hand." Raven said.

"No I'm fine..." She wheezed.

"Clearly not. C'mon, I'll give you a check up." Raven said, soothingly rubbing her back.

"No, I'm fin-" She was hacking and coughing pretty hard before she could even finish her sentence. Followed by coughing up strange black sputum that was clogging her airways, making it difficult for her to breathe. Raven levitated her to their infirmary, put her on a respirator and temporarily sedated her so she could relax a bit. She administered mucolytics for her cough then took a sample for tests. Her first thought was that it kinda looks like the black powder that Robin asked her to analyze before. She ran some specimen cultures to find that it was a highly resistant form of fungal infection that binds with only her genetic DNA. She could've been living with this her whole life and went on undetected because of Slade's incompetent parenting. She was able to administer some broad spectrum antibiotics but she won't know if the medicine worked until tomorrow morning.

While Raven monitored her vitals, Krystal was having a terrible nightmare.

Everything was dark. Her lungs were burning and her legs were as heavy as lead. She was running away from something but didn't know what, she didn't know where she was going either. Her only objective was to get away. Get away from anything and everything. But something grabbed her ankles and made her fall flat on her face. She rubber her forehead to see it was bleeding. But she had not time to be concussed. She brought up her knees to stand up but she couldn't because of the onyx vines gripping tightly on her ankles. Tears started welling up in her eyes as she tried to rip them off of her. Her body was getting weaker by the second and she couldn't help but break down and a wail escaped her mouth.

"HELP!!! PLEASE!! Someone help me...." She cried out. Then someone knelt in front of her, it was Cyborg.

"Cyborg! Thank goodness!! Please help me get these vines off me. We have to go." She said panicking. To her surprise, he laughs... Almost tauntingly.

"Me? Help You? Man, that has GOT to be the funniest thing I've ever heard." She looked at him in horror. He lifted his leg and started to kick the lights out of her.

"How's that for help?" He said in between each powerful kick. She cried, trying her best to block his kicks but she was too weak to do so.

"Hey, stop man! Chill out!" Beast Boy showed up. Unable to make up any words, she looked at him hopefully. Then he smiled and let out a menacing chuckle.

"Let me have a turn." He said as he began beating her as well.

"Why are you doing this? WHY?" She screamed and tried to shield her body. She could hear Starfire and Raven laughing and taunting her.

"She got what she deserves." Raven said in a low satisfied tone.

"What did I do wrong?? I'm sorry..." She pleaded.

"She does not deserve to become one of us. Robin does not need you." Starfire said, her star bolts fueled with rage and ready to seriously hurt someone.

'Robin... Robin!!' She suddenly remembered.

"ROBIN WHERE ARE YOU?! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!" She yelled. They stopped then made way, she saw Robin in his old uniform, the one he wore when he was working for Slade. Everything hurt. Her pale skin was now darkened with bruises from their beating. Her tears mixed in with her blood and she could only see from one eye.

"Please..." Was all she could manage because of her broken ribs. Robin looked at her with a straight face. Then he turned his head to the left. It was Slade, staring at her. He just chuckled then disappeared into the darkness. Robin walked then stopped right in front of her.

"I'm sorry."