Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Dreams And Destinies ❯ He's Back ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

He's Back!

 

Lyllandra stood dumbfounded and even more confused than before. “Who's Slade? What are you talking about?”

“Don't play dumb with me Lyllandra we both know you're not!” Robin yelled and grabbed Lyllandra's hand. He pointed to the ring still sitting there. “He gave you that so you could come here and destroy us! Try to deny it!”

Lyllandra glanced at the other Titans where they stood looking very upset. Lyllandra could not tell if they were upset about the way Robin was treating her or if they too believed what the boy wonder was accusing her of. “Robin you have to believe me. I don't know what the heck you're talking about.” She looked down at the strange ring. “I do know this but…I can't remember where from.” She looked into Robin's unbelieving face. “Please Robin I don't know anything about this Slade or this ring or why on earth you're so angry. I haven't done anything to deserve the way you're treating me at any rate.” Her tone became forceful once again. “And I'm right here so there's no reason to scream at me like a banshee either! Why not just ask me instead of automatically accusing me of something you have no proof I've done?”

Robin took a step back but before he could respond Raven cut in. “Robin stop. Lyllandra's right. I know what Slade told you but I also know that she's not lying. Who's word would you take anyway?”

“Yeah man I think you should take a step back and cool down.” Cyborg spoke up. “Slade lives to take the things you care about most away from you. This is probably no different. He somehow knows your feelings for…” He stopped suddenly as he got a sharp jab in the ribs from Starfire. He quickly turned red and looked down at his arm and pretended to be looking at a radar screen.

Robin still looked very annoyed but when he spoke next it was with his normal tone of voice. “Let's get back to the tower. We can examine the ring there and figure out how Slade knows about Lyllandra and what he wants her for. Let's go Lyllandra. You can ride back to the tower with Cyborg in the T-car.”

But Lyllandra didn't move. She stood perfectly still looking at the ring in her hand. But she wasn't really looking `at' the ring. Instead she was hearing in her head everything Robin had said about how Titan Tower was her home and promising to take care of her and take her for a tour and…

Her heart swelled up to overflowing as she realized once and for all, she loved him. Completely and forever, she loved the man standing before her. That she did not know whom it was made no difference. There was no denying it.

She looked at Robin, a furious blaze in her eyes and threw the ring right at him, hitting him square in the forehead! “You jerk! You're nothing like him! I can't believe I ever thought you could be! You don't care about my situation or me. You don't even know anything about me! I trusted you!” She turned on her heels and ran down the street. She didn't know where she was going but that didn't matter. As long as she was away from him.

Robin wanted to feel shocked and angry but he knew he didn't have the right to those feelings. He understood too late how he had hurt her and when he looked back at his friends he saw the disappointment in their eyes. He walked over to the T-Car where Cyborg had retreated to get the first aid kit to treat their cuts and bruises. While he applied a band aid to a cut on his forehead, a shadow appeared behind him. Robin sighed. “Yes Starfire?”

Starfire didn't say anything but Robin didn't need her to. He knew her well enough to know what she wanted to say. And she was absolutely right. “I know.” He said to her without even turning around. “You don't have to say anything.” He turned to address the other Titans. “You guys go back to the Tower and see what you can find out about that ring and about Slade's connection to it and Lyllandra.” He turned back to Starfire. “I'm gonna find her.” And with that he took off down the street after Lyllandra.

Beast Boy picked up the ring that had landed on the street after bouncing off of the boy wonder's head. “Lyllandra said she'd seen this before but she couldn't remember where from. Do you think it's possible Slade did send her here but made it so she'd forget about it and him until it was time to do his dirty work for him?” He had stared intently at the ring and so had not noticed the amazed looks he was getting from his friends. When he did finally notice, “What? What are you guys looking at? Have I got something on my face?”

“Only your face man and it can't get any worse than that.” Cyborg smiled as he got the dig in and lightened the situation. Beast Boy growled.

“I think that's the smartest, most logical thing I've ever heard you say” Raven said out loud before she could help herself. She clapped a hand over her mouth and thought, “Dear Lord do I need to meditate!” She turned a shade of crimson usually reserved for a stop light and disappeared without another sound. Beast Boy looked at Starfire and Cyborg stunned but Starfire only smiled and flew off back to the tower.

Cyborg shook his head, “Man, strange women all over the place today. I'm gonna set this ring thing in the scanner like Robin said and then I think I'm gonna hide out in the garage with the T-car till this is over. You comin BB?” He got behind the steering wheel and Beast Boy got into the passenger seat. He said nothing in response, he was too busy repeating in his head what Raven had said. Had she actually paid him a compliment? The T-car turned around and headed for Titan Tower.

Lyllandra had not been gone long when Robin had gone after her but if he thought it would be easy to find her then he was dead wrong. “She doesn't know this city where on earth could she have gone?” He looked down every alleyway he passed and finally stopped at the garden in the town square. He turned in a circle, racking his brain as to where she could have gotten to so fast and on foot. He stopped when he saw the city's titanium tower. It had been built just in the last few years and it was a popular attraction during the day. If Lyllandra had seen that building was it possible that that's where she'd headed to calm down? Robin took off towards the tower and reached the front gates in less than ten minutes. He climbed up the steps as fast as his feet would let him and when he reached the observation tower he was surprised but happy to see that it was very close to empty. He looked around and saw Lyllandra on the outside deck. She was leaning on the railing and looked very upset. He walked to the door leading out to the deck.

Lyllandra had had no idea where she could go but after a few minutes of running aimlessly, she'd spotted a very beautiful tower just a few minutes from where she was. She needed time to think and she figured that was a good a place to do it as any. When she'd reached the top she'd gasped upon the wonderful view from the top deck. She could see practically the entire city from where she was, including the horizon beyond the coast and Titans Tower. She had purposely turned away from that sight when she felt tears threatening once again. “Haven't I cried enough for one day?” She thought to herself angrily. She'd tried to think about what she was going to do as it seemed that she'd permanently ostracized herself from her new friends but all she could think about was how Robin had yelled at her and what she'd yelled back.

“Did I really believe that he was the guy from my dream?” She asked herself. “I can't see his eyes so there's no way to know for sure but what I feel when I'm around him, it's just like what I feel in the dream. I think I wanted it to be him. Really badly. But now I suppose it's not. It couldn't be him. Someone who loved me as much as my mystery dream guy does could never accuse me like he did.” But then she chided herself. “What on earth makes me think this mystery guy even exists anyway? Just because I keep dreaming about him night after night after night doesn't necessarily mean he's real. I could just be losing my mind.” She sighed. “That might almost be preferable actually.” She didn't hear Robin come out onto the deck behind her and when he cleared his throat to make his presence known, it scared her so much that in turning to see who it was, she leaned too far back and toppled over the railing!

Lyllandra hung suspended 300 hundred feet in the air, grabbing the railing for dear life. The railing was smooth and it wasn't making it easy to maintain a grip. She felt her fingers start to give way and then a green gloved hand shot over the railing and grabbed hers.

Using the strength he prided himself on, Robin lifted Lyllandra up and over the railing easily. Once she was on solid ground again, she collapsed against him shaking. He put his arms around her and held her close until he could feel her shuddering subsiding. “It's okay.” He whispered gently. “I've got you.” He breathed in and he could smell the scent of her shampoo and the perfume she had bought during her shopping trip with Starfire. His brain was once again invaded with thoughts that had nothing to do with Slade, what he had said about Lyllandra or work. He could have held her like this for quite a while longer but she regained her senses and slowly pulled back from him. Regretfully, he let her go.

Lyllandra had been so afraid of falling that at first she didn't realize what was going on when Robin had wrapped his arms around her. Even when she did she felt so safe in his arms that she would have been quite happy to let him hold her forever. Her face buried against his chest, she could smell again what she could swear was hair gel. She suppressed a smile. Even if it was just cheap hair gel, on him it smelled amazing. She was once again reminded of her dream. She had smelled something very much like this while dreaming last night! Could that mean?…. All at once her senses returned and it hit her fully that she was in Robin's arms. She felt her face turn bright red and, though it was very hard to do, she pulled back from his embrace. She turned from him so he wouldn't see her red face and tried to slow the rapid pace of her heart. As the smell of him dissipated, she remembered all too suddenly that she was really mad at him.

When Lyllandra pulled away and turned her back on him, Robin realized for the first time since she'd arrived down town that she had changed her clothing. She was now in a blue summer dress with large flowers that hugged her figure perfectly. He felt a huge blush spread across his cheeks as his heart told him again what his mind didn't want to hear. “She is the most beautiful girl I've ever met!” The blush disappeared in a flash though when she turned back around with a very dirty scowl on her face and he remembered why she was up here in the first place.

“Why are you here?” Lyllandra geared up for what she thought would be a big fight. “If you want to accuse me some more now that the others aren't here then you're wasting your time. I'm not biting. I don't know anything about anything that has happened.”

“I know.” Robin said simply.

Lyllandra's eyes widened briefly but her tone remained hard. “You know? Could've fooled me earlier.”

“I know.” Robin said again. “I was totally unfair to you and I'm really sorry. But after that encounter with Slade and what he said…”

“What did he say?” Lyllandra cut in. “Perhaps you should fill me in on that before this goes any further, if it does go any further. If I'm going to be accused of something horrible I'd at least like to know why.”

Robin felt another blush across his face but this one came from the shameful feelings inside him. “Raven was right. I should never have listened to Slade. He's always tormenting me. Trying to take away the people and things I care about. Putting seeds of doubt in the trust that I have in you.”

“Robin what did he say?” Lyllandra prodded impatiently.

“The details aren't important right now but the basic message was that he had sent you here to destroy the Teen Titans. That the ring was the object you used to get here and it would be how you returned home when you were finished doing your job for him.” He looked at Lyllandra closely for her reaction.

Lyllandra was quiet for several minutes. Mostly because she thought the details `did' count but she also figured that even though Robin may accept that she didn't know Slade, he was still not giving her all the information till he was sure of what was going on. And even though that angered her some, when she thought about it logically, she couldn't really blame him for it. Whatever feelings he may have for her aside, he still didn't know that much about her. And thanks to Raven, she knew that he knew she was hiding something big. She made up her mind that she was going to stick it to her fear and tell him everything. Not here though, she would explain everything when she could tell everyone at once and get the horrible weight off her shoulders. When she spoke again, “I don't know how to convince you that I'm not here to harm you or that I don't know who Slade is. I know you know I have a secret.” At Robin's surprised look, “Raven and I had quite a nice talk before coming down town and I know it's suspicious but I told Raven all about it and I will tell you and everyone, I just prefer to do it at the tower and not here in the middle of the city where any old idiot can hear. And you can believe that this secret has absolutely nothing to do with this Slade jerk. It existed long before I even knew you did. As for the ring, I recognize it but I can't remember where from. It's like it's on the tip of my tongue but when I focus on it, it disappears. What I told you about what I remember before coming to here was the truth. If this Slade did have something to do with me being here then I can only guess as to how or why.” She shrugged in defeat. “I don't know what else to say.”

“You don't have to say anything Lyllandra.” Robin took a step closer to her. “Slade…gets under my skin…too easily. He's the one adversary I've never been able to defeat and that eats at me. When he said that he had sent you here to destroy us, I was so angry that he would even say that and when he disappeared before I could take him out…again….I took it out on you instead of trusting you and talking to you about it. I never meant to hurt you. And I do trust you.” Lyllandra was looking at him the whole time he was talking and when he said the last he looked her straight in the eye to prove he was telling the truth. He tried to ignore the powerful feeling that washed over him when he did.

Lyllandra looked right back at him and even though she still couldn't see his eyes (the impulse to walk up to him and rip that damn mask off was becoming stronger all the time) she could tell he was sincere. “You really trust me?” Without thinking she took a step closer to him. “Well I guess I can accept your apology. But a warning…”

“No worries.” Robin held up his hands. “I have been humbled by the force of your temper. And I have the dent in my forehead to prove it!”

“Um yeah…guess I shouldn't have tossed the ring at your head huh?” Just then, Lyllandra noticed the bandaid on Robin's forehead.

“Oh my God the ring did that?” She asked shocked. She reached up to adjust a part of the bandaid that had come away. She tenderly pushed the bandaid back into place and when she looked down she was mere inches away from Robin. Her face turned ten shades of red that almost matched the shade of Robin's face. She immediately backed away but could not stop her heart from pounding or the none PG thoughts that were going through her head.

“Uh….” Robin stammered trying to get rid of his own very none PG thoughts. “No…I was exaggerating about that. I got this while we were fighting Slade.”

“Oh I see.” Lyllandra wanted very badly to get the conversation on a different track. “Since we've got that worked out then that means I'm still your friend right?”

“Friend?” Robin checked himself just in time. “Well yeah.” he said, forcing his usual air of cockiness back into his voice. “And I promise you that whatever the reason, whether Slade really sent you here or not, I won't let him get his hands on you. And I will find you a way back home.” As he said the last he felt a pang in his heart but ignored it. She belonged in her own world again and nothing he felt could change that. He saw her expression darken for a moment and an awkward silence overtook them. Robin desperately wanted to change the subject and then got an idea. “So now that we're friends again, how about that tour we talked about?”

Lyllandra's expression did a 180 in a heartbeat. “Can we? I mean, are you sure that's a good idea? Not that I don't want to cuz I really do, but shouldn't we go back to the tower so I can explain myself?”

“You know what?.” Robin said smiling. “This secret of yours, whatever it is, can wait for now.” Robin knew that Lyllandra was right but he suddenly had the urge to spend some time with her while `not working'. “Slade has slunk off to wherever it is he came from for now. And I know from experience that I'm not going to find him until he wants me to. Also, I'm sure you'd be the first to agree that the last couple of days have been really rough. So perhaps we can forget about all of that and have some fun…while we can.”

“I agree.” Lyllandra's smile was more than enough to convince Robin that taking the afternoon off from his all-consuming work was the right thing to do. Without thinking, he put out his hand and was shocked when she happily took it. Hand in hand they walked down from the tower.

They must have walked the streets for a good few hours. Robin pointed out and explained the significance of all the major landmarks in Jump City. Lyllandra noticed that there were several buildings and roads under repair that looked like they had been damaged by something very not natural. Robin looked at her sheepishly. “Those are sites of our more fierce battles. We try to keep public property out of it and sometimes the bad guys don't give us much choice. That” he said pointing to a wall of a stadium to their left, “was where we faced a nasty piece of work called Cinderblock. He was working for Slade for a time.” His face darkened but he quickly added, “But we busted his butt. Literally. He won't be helping Slade out for quite some time.” Robin couldn't hide the look of immense satisfaction that covered his face at the thought of hindering Slade.

“Robin.” Lyllandra spoke then. “I know you said we should have a good time today and believe me I have had more fun with you than I've had in a very long time….” She trailed off.

Robin suddenly found himself unable to look at her. Instead he gave her hand a squeeze and said. “These last couple of hours have been really fun for me too and I like the fact that it's so easy to talk to you.” He did steal a glance at her then. She was not looking at him either, rather she was looking straight ahead. But he could see the blush starting on her cheeks and he smiled, looked ahead of himself and continued. “I know it's been really hectic and weird since you've arrived and I know it makes absolutely no sense at all but I wanted to tell you that I feel…” He was suddenly interrupted by a loud grumbling noise. They both stopped short and Robin put his hand on his stomach as it complained again.

“Oh man.” Robin grumbled to himself. “Way to spoil the mood.” He looked at Lyllandra to apologize but she had turned away from him, a hand to her mouth and he could hear her giggling furiously.

“You know I was trying to be serious for a moment there.” He tried to look annoyed but was having a hard time keeping his face straight.

At the remark Lyllandra couldn't hold back. She burst out laughing even harder. “Oh lighten up!” She forced out between guffaws. “You're too serious anyway!”

Robin looked at her shocked for a moment. Then he began to laugh hard as well. She was right after all. He was too serious for his own good. As he saw the tears roll down her face she was breathing hard, trying to slow her laughing. She grabbed his arm and laid her head on his shoulder as her laughing started to subside.

His laughing slowed too and he began to seriously wonder if Lyllandra could be the one to cure him of his over-seriousness. If she could possibly be the one to show him life outside of being a superhero. It was all he'd known for so long and even when he was with Starfire it had still felt like work. But Lyllandra was different. And not because she wasn't a superhero and not even because he was 95 sure she was the girl in his dreams. He couldn't explain his feelings and wasn't sure he wanted to. He was just content to feel the amazing affection for Lyllandra that had appeared since he'd first laid eyes on her at the Tower. Was it love at first sight? He didn't know and at the moment he didn't care. There were more pressing matters to be seen too.

“It's going on 3:30 isn't it? And we never did get to breakfast or lunch did we?” He finally said after they had both calmed down. “Come on, I'll take you to my favourite pizza joint.”

They talked and laughed over pizza and salad. Lyllandra was having so much fun that she forgot for a while the mark on her finger and the possibility that she may still be sick. She certainly didn't feel sick. She felt fantastic, better than she ever thought possible. Being with Robin like this was like being on a date. Lyllandra had dated a few times before getting sick but she had never felt so close to any other guy. She found herself thinking about her dream guy again. Especially after spending this time with Robin, she really, really wanted her dream guy to be real and for it to be him.

 

As if reading her mind, Robin suddenly took on a quiet tone of voice and said, “By the way, back down town, just before you ran off, you said something to the effect that I couldn't possibly be `him' and that you didn't know why you thought I was in the first place. What on earth were you talking about?”

 

Lyllandra choked on a piece of pepperoni. “Oh Crap!” She thought panicking. “I did say that didn't I? Oh how am I going to get myself out of this one?” She searched frantically for something to say and what she did end up saying sounded lame even to her. “Did I say something like that? I was so mad at the time I don't really remember what I said to you.” Robin just raised an eyebrow at her and she felt herself turning red again. He wasn't buying it and she couldn't blame him. She really sucked at lying. She sighed into her Coke and remembered her decision to tell him everything.

 

“I'm know I'm going to regret this but…” She started but before she could get another word out another voice interrupted.

 

“Well. How sweet. You're just like two peas in a pod.” Came from just behind Lyllandra. Robin's eyes narrowed to slits and he jumped out of his seat and in between Lyllandra and their uninvited guest.

 

“Slade.” He said simply. “Didn't take you long to crawl back out from the sewers. I should have known.”

“Yes you should have. You're slipping Robin. I told you that the last time we met. Your affection for that girl will be your downfall.”

Lyllandra looked at the man whom Robin had accused her of being in league with. He made no effort to hide himself and the other patrons of the restaurant ran off in all directions to get away. Slade stepped closer and Lyllandra saw that he was dressed entirely in black with a mask that covered his entire face. One side of the mask was black and the other was red. The mask should have made him look ridiculous, but Lyllandra could not suppress a shudder. She could feel that Slade was a very formidable enemy.

Still crouched on the ground, Robin tossed his communicator back to Lyllandra and without taking his eyes off Slade, said, “Get out of here Lyllandra and call the others. Do it quickly.”

Lyllandra needed no more urging. She turned heel and ran in the other direction, trying to open the communicator. Slade crouched down as well and said, “Oh no you don't.” He leapt up and over a shocked Robin and landed right in front of Lyllandra. She stopped short and Slade grabbed her arm hard and brought her right up close to him.

Lyllandra stared into the harsh red eyes of the villain in front of her and could not stop herself from saying, “What are you?”

“Now now.” Slade answered with a trace of humour in his voice. “Is that any way to talk to the man who saved your life?”