Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Dreams And Destinies ❯ Slade 1, Teen Titans 0 ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8

Slade 1, Teen Titans 0

 

Ten minutes later, Robin was lying still unconscious in the medibay, his wounds had been bandaged and Starfire was keeping a vigil by his side, waiting for him to wake up. The others were at the other end of the medibay trying to figure out just what the heck was going on.

“It had to have been Slade.” Raven said darkly. “He must have attacked and taken Lyllandra.”

“But why?” Cyborg asked. “If we're to go by what Slade said earlier,” At Raven and Beast Boy's looks, “I know we can't believe anything he says, but he did say that he brought Lyllandra here to hurt us. And now he abducts her? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Why not just let her do whatever he was going to have her do to us?”

“Maybe everything was not going according to plan with him.” Beast Boy suggested. “If he did send Lyllandra here to hurt us, then she should have remembered the ring and her mission. She shouldn't have been so frightened and she certainly shouldn't have fallen for Robin. Something must have gone wrong with his plans and so he's taken her to set them right.”

Cyborg's eyes widened and Raven walked over to Beast Boy and put her hand on his forehead. “Well he doesn't feel feverish.” She stated.

“Hey.” Beast Boy said irritably.

“Sorry man.” Cyborg said barely containing a grin. “But she's got a point. You are not known for the bright observations.”

“Doesn't mean it's not possible.” Beast Boy turned his back on the others pretending to be mad but he couldn't possibly be mad. He had an idea that he wouldn't be mad at anything for the rest of his life. He was just too damn happy.

“Please all of you focus!” Came from Starfire still seated by the table where Robin lay. “This is a most serious situation! Whatever the reason Slade took Lyllandra the outcome can not be good. We must find her!”

“Sorry Star you're right.” Cyborg apologized.

“What was in the report on the ring Cyborg?” Raven asked and everyone turned their eyes on the half mechanoid.

“Well first off, the reason why none of the other tests could even find out what it was made of is because it's not made of anything.”

Now Beast Boy's face displayed his characteristic blank look. But no one in the room could blame him this time.

“Yeah I know it's not possible right?” Cyborg came back. “But this explains everything.” He laid out the spectrometer report so everyone could see. “See this energy reading? This ring,” He held it out in his hand, “Is made of light.”

“Light?” Raven said thoughtfully. “Light huh? That's….interesting.”

“What like a hologram?” Beast Boy shook his head. “But holograms aren't solid! And this thing was definitely solid!” He walked over to where Robin lay and poked him in the forehead. “Robin's got a welt from this thing from when Lyllandra tossed it at his melon. There's no way that it's made of light!” He kept poking Robin's forehead, not paying attention, when suddenly a hand reached up and grabbed his with enormous strength. Beast Boy yelped and looked down to where Robin had his hand and was pulling it away from his head.

“Definitely not feverish.” Raven said with a sigh.

“Robin!” Starfire exclaimed happily. “You are awake. Oh Thank Tamaran you are alright!”

“I'm pretty far from alright.” Robin groaned as he sat up.

“Hey man you should take it easy.” Cyborg rounded on him. “Wait till your head clears.”

“My head isn't going to get much clearer than this believe me.” Robin replied. “Not after what I've just been through.”

“What have you just been through?” Starfire asked helping Robin to his feet. “If we are to find Lyllandra then we must know what happened to you.”

“Don't worry Star. I'll tell you everything that happened.” Robin was still feeling shaky but he knew that however he was feeling, Lyllandra was probably feeling much worse. “None of this is her fault.” He said without intending to speak.

“None of what was her fault?” Raven asked stepping closer to Robin.

“Nothing.” Robin suddenly snapped. “Look let's go out to the common area couch. I'll tell you everything I know there and we can figure out what to do then.” Starfire persisted with her worry about his state of health but he just shrugged her off and left the medibay. Normally Starfire would have been stung by his actions but she knew that right now, all of his attention was on Slade and Lyllandra and nothing she could say would change that. He would not think of his own welfare until Lyllandra was safe. So the best thing for her to do would be to make sure he stayed in one piece in the fight she knew would come.

When everyone was seated on the half moon couch Robin opened his mouth to begin his tale but shut it again really quickly when he saw that Beast Boy had taken the seat beside Raven and though both eyes were trained on him waiting for him to speak, they were holding hands! Eyes wide he looked at Starfire and Cyborg but Starfire just smiled and Cyborg shook his head. Robin looked at the cozy twosome once more and saw the blush on their cheeks at his reaction. He just sighed. After the last couple of days, he was willing to accept almost anything. Resolving to get the whole story later, he shrugged in defeat of understanding and began.

(Warning! Flashback in progress!)

“What are you?”

“Now is that any way to talk to the man who saved your life?”

Lyllandra froze. “What the hell are you talking about?” she asked forcefully but at the same time a dreadful feeling of certainty came over her. “My cancer. Did he?”

“Get away from her!” Robin came bounding over the tables in his way. Slade shoved Lyllandra away from him. She hit a nearby wall and sank to the ground clutching her left shoulder. The communicator fell to the ground and shattered.

Robin flew at Slade with all the force he could muster but Slade met him blow for blow.

“What do you want Slade?” Robin yelled furiously as he landed another kick to Slade's arm. “Why is Lyllandra so important to you?”

“I told you that the last time we met Robin.” Slade replied, grabbing Robin's shoulder and throwing him to the ground.

“That's bull!” Robin jumped right back up. “Lyllandra would never hurt us! Especially on your command!” He delivered a devastating blow to Slade's right leg, rendering it numb. Slade collapsed to the ground, but his eyes still shone with amusement.

“You just don't get it do you Robin?” Slade was actually smiling under his mask. Robin always played right into his hands!

“Why don't you enlighten us then?” Came from Lyllandra where she had managed to stand up and was walking to where the two were fighting.

“Lyllandra get out of here!” Robin yelled.

“No way.” Lyllandra practically growled. “I want to know just what the hell is going on here! What do you want with me?” She yelled at Slade. “You said you had sent me here to destroy the Teen Titans.”

“And so you shall.” Slade answered simply as he began to stand up again. Robin ran at him again but Slade just blocked the punch and sent Robin sprawling backwards into a table with one of his own.

Lyllandra's eyes blazed. “Did Robin hit you one too many times in the head? I could never hurt them! Not only am I obviously no match for a bunch of superheroes but they're my friends!” She looked over to where Robin was slowly getting up and sighed internally with relief when he seemed not too badly harmed.

“But my dear girl.” Slade had stood up completely now and was advancing on Lyllandra. “That is exactly why you will destroy them!”

Lyllandra just scoffed. Evil and insane as this guy obviously was, he had another thought coming to him if he believed for a second that he could make her hurt her friends. She looked at Robin where he had managed to stand up and was looking at Slade in shock too. “Does that make any sense to you?” She called to Robin. Without waiting for a response she turned back to Slade. “You're insane.” She practically spit at him.

“Oh really?” Slade was now just a few feet away from Lyllandra. “Tell me then my dear. How have you been sleeping lately?”

Lyllandra's look of anger melted off her face in an instant. Robin's expression too became uneasy and confused for the statement meant something to him but he had no idea why Slade would be asking Lyllandra.

“What….what are you talking about?” Lyllandra tried to sound bold but she could not disguise the fear in her voice. The same awful feeling came over her again as all of a sudden, the pieces started to meld into some horrible sense. “It's not possible.” She barely whispered.

“Oh I'm afraid it is.” Slade's enjoyment of the situation was clearly evident in his voice. “You too Robin.” He said without turning his gaze from Lyllandra. “You've seemed quite tired the last little while. I wonder if you haven't been having a little trouble sleeping as well.”

Lyllandra looked at Robin in disbelief. Robin just looked at Slade with pure venom. He had guessed by this time that Lyllandra was the girl in his dream, her beautiful eyes were just like the ones he saw close in anticipation of his kiss every night. But he'd had no idea that she was having the same dream! And now Slade knew about it too! “What have you done!” He yelled and with a grunt of effort, leapt at Slade and landed a powerful kick right in his face! Slade rebounded backwards, landed on his back and did not move.

Lyllandra ran over to where Robin kneeled on the ground breathing heavily. “Robin are you alright?” She checked herself and shook her head. “I'm sorry, stupid question.”

Robin did not respond. His mind was a chaos of thought. “Slade knows about the dreams. The only way he could know is if he….but that's impossible! Isn't it?” He became deeply troubled as the ideas formed themselves in his head. Slade loved to mess with his head. But his feelings were his own….weren't they? He was so engrossed in his disturbing thoughts that he barely heard Lyllandra yelling at him.

“Robin for crying out loud will you snap out of it? We need to get out of here!”

“What?” He regained his senses and focused on Lyllandra but avoided looking her in the eye. “No. You get out of here. I'm not going anywhere until I get out of him what he's really up to.”

“But you're hurt!”

“I thought you wanted to know once and for all what was going on? What Slade wanted with you?” Robin made to stand up and winced at the pain in his arm.

“No.” Lyllandra said with a definite shake in her voice as she tried to help him to his feet. He gasped as the vertigo of standing up made butterscotch out of his head. “I don't think I want to know anymore. He's insane. Totally insane and he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.”

“But what he said about your not sleeping well.” Robin's intuition was telling him he may not want to know but his need for the truth won out. “Lyllandra have you been having strange dreams lately?”

“No Robin!” Lyllandra sounded almost frantic. “We can't…We have to get out of here before he comes around and”

“Too late.” Robin didn't even see Slade's fist but he felt the impact hit him just above his right eye….

“And then the lights went out. That's all I remember. When I came to again a few minutes later, Slade and Lyllandra were gone.” Robin looked away from the others. He couldn't say what was troubling him the most. He didn't think Slade would hurt Lyllandra. He wanted her alive or he would have killed her right there and then. So that meant she was probably safe for the moment. But what Slade had said about his and it turned out, Lyllandra's dreams. Robin really didn't want to admit it but it made sense. If Slade did bring Lyllandra here then, even though he had absolutely no idea how the hell he would have done it, Robin had to accept that Slade had caused the dreams that had made him fall in love with Lyllandra. And if that was the case, could he even trust his own feelings?

“Robin.” Raven interrupted his disturbing thoughts. He saw the look on her face and sighed with resignation.

“Yeah I know Raven. I should tell….”

“I knew Lyllandra was having the same dream as you Robin.” She interrupted. At his look. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I didn't feel anything malicious about it, even when you started telling me about it weeks before Lyllandra showed up. And once she was here, I was too messed up in my own head to do much about it anyway.”

“Yes. What was this dream of Robin?” Starfire looked at Robin and Raven confused.

Robin sighed again. He did not like the idea of telling everyone something so personal but it seemed what he thought was personal was turning out to be one of Slade's big jokes. But if it meant getting Lyllandra back safely then…

Robin haltingly told everyone about the dream he'd been having for the last several weeks, helped along by Raven when an aspect seemed too embarrassing to get out. Starfire was quiet throughout the telling and when Robin finished, she seemed very upset.

“Star, what's wrong?” He asked.

“If this dream is the reason you felt attracted to Lyllandra and now you have discovered that Slade was somehow giving you this dream, does this mean that you no longer care for Lyllandra?” As usual, with her characteristic innocent questions, Starfire had managed to hit the problem square on the button.

“I….don't know Star.” Robin answered morosely. “I don't know what to think anymore. About any of this. All I am sure of right now is that Slade has Lyllandra and we have to get her back safe. That's all that matters.”

“Agreed.” Cyborg replied softly. He looked deep in thought over something but said nothing.Beast Boy stood up and looked fiercely at everyone. “What the heck are we waiting for then? Let's get out there and save her!”

Cyborg stood up then and said, “You're right BB. Robin do you have any idea where he might have taken her?”

“Not a clue.” Robin admitted. “I was unconscious remember? I didn't exactly see which direction he went in.”

“Then we will search everywhere until we do find where they are.” Starfire declared and without another word to anyone, she stood up and marched off out the door.

Beast Boy, Robin and Cyborg looked after her stalking out the door in surprise. They weren't used to Starfire being so bold but Raven smiled thinly. “One thing is for sure. Whether Slade sent Lyllandra here to harm us or not, her presence has certainly caused a lot of changes over the last couple days. All of them good ones I think.” She looked at Beast Boy when she said this last and he smiled. He took her hand and they walked out of the tower together.

Robin felt a horrible sense of ambivalence washing over him. Raven was right. Lyllandra had changed all of them in one way or another. Especially him. But it wasn't real. Any of it. He shook his head angrily and practically ran out after Raven and Beast Boy.

Cyborg stood at the entrance of Titans Tower for a moment staring at the ring which still sat in the palm of his hand. Then, instead of following the others, he turned right back around and ran to his lab.

Lyllandra struggled against the bonds that held her immobile. She did not know how long she had been unconscious but when she had come to, she was lying on the floor, her hands and feet bound behind her back with plastic cord that cut into her deeper the more she fought to free herself. As she twisted and turned frantically, so to her mind was struggling to understand all she had learned. Hard enough to wrap her mind around Slade's part in her being here and her dreams, but even more alarming was the revelation about Robin and his connection to her dream. But unlike Robin, this revelation didn't cause doubt in Lyllandra's heart. She knew her feelings were real. Even though she had never seen his eyes and hadn't known for sure until now that they were the same eyes she dreamt about, there had been something about him. Something that made her heart skip and her stomach flop. No dream had caused that. She had felt a connection to Robin almost instantly upon seeing him and even now, knowing that their enemy had caused the dream, the feeling did not diminish in her heart. She knew she loved him. And she knew he would come for her.

Not that she had any intention of sitting there like a damsel in distress until he did decide to show up. Giving up on freeing her hands, she directed her attention instead to sitting up. She grunted and groaned until at last her body obeyed and, though she still felt like a roped hog, at least she was upright. She looked left and right, trying to find something to cut her bonds with…there! A sharp edge of a cut off pipe! She wriggled and squirmed her way over, constantly keeping her eyes and ears open for Slade's return. After knocking Robin unconscious, Slade had overcome her easily and when she had awoken again, she was unable to move with a large knot forming behind her right ear. She had been unprepared. She wasn't going to let that happen again.

She managed to position herself so that with careful movements, she could run the plastic wire against the sharp edges of the pipe. She rubbed as hard and fast as she dared. It seemed to take forever and every small noise made her jump but at last her efforts were rewarded. Her hands were free. She winced as she stretched her cramped arms and rubbed her raw wrists. Then she set to work undoing the ties on her ankles. Within moments she was free. After taking a moment to massage her sore and bloody ankles, she gingerly stood up, ignoring the yelling of her joints and muscles. She looked around for an exit and saw double doors to her far right. She started towards them then stopped. The door looked too obvious. “That's probably where Slade is.” She surmised. Turning around she saw another door that was almost hidden by boxes. Sliding in between them she leaned against the door and it opened so easily that she stumbled inside.

Standing up straight, she looked around at her new surroundings. She was in a small, rectangular room, probably no more than 8'by 8'. There was a metal table in the middle and at its head were several computer monitors hooked to various machines. Lyllandra had been in enough hospitals over the last several months to know that these machines gauged a person's life signs. As she looked around, she saw that indeed this room resembled very closely the type of room she'd spent much of the four months previous to her arrival in. Pictures flashed through her mind of lying on tables like this, needles and IV's enough that she could barely tell where her arm ended and the metal began. The hot feeling as the chemo treatment winded it's way through her system, systematically seeking out and destroying the cancer cells…and any other cells they came in contact with for that matter. This was a room for treating cancer. So what on earth was it doing in here?

Lyllandra's brain was screaming at her to leave. She'd watched enough suspense films in her life to know that a small room with only one exit meant nothing but trouble. But something caught her eye in the far corner of the room. Ignoring her brain's sensible entreaties to flee for the moment, she limped over to a counter. On the counter were several vials of liquid the same colour as the chemo substance she'd come to know. There were several of them lined up on a tray and beside the tray was the item that had caught her attention and she gasped upon recognizing it. It was a picture she knew. The same picture that had glowed so bright as to blind her just those few days ago. It was the picture of her sixth birthday!

“What the hell?” She picked the picture up and held it in her hands. It felt just like the one she had last seen in the photo album back home. She couldn't even begin to fathom how it got there but it solidified the truth of Slade's involvement in her being here.

“He really did bring me to this world.” She said not even noticing that she spoke. “I can't imagine how but he did bring me here and….he cured my cancer…” She looked around. “In this room?” She walked over to the table. “But how? The doctor's in my own world couldn't cure me. Despite their best efforts, I was dying. But Slade takes it all away just like that? How and for God's sake why?”

“Do not worry my dear girl.” A deep voice sounded behind her. “Everything will become clear very soon.”

Lyllandra sighed and shook her head. “I knew it. I just knew it.”

“You escaped.” Slade sounded impressed. “I can see why Robin is so attracted to you. You are certainly proving yourself to be a strong, independent woman who can take care of herself, someone not to be messed with.”

“Then why are you messing with me?” Lyllandra was scared of what Slade was planning to do with her but she was also angry at his nerve. That he should disrupt her life (or what was left of it) and throw her into a turmoil of sleepless nights, overflowing feelings and moments of terror. Her anger, for now at least, surpassed her fear. “I'll bite. You brought me here from my world and cured my cancer. Tell me how.”

“Patience.” Slade admonished her. “I can't possibly tell you my secrets yet. Our audience hasn't arrived.”

Lyllandra scowled. “You're luring them into a trap aren't you? They won't fall for it.”

“Oh but they will.” Slade countered, taking a step closer to Lyllandra. She took an unnoticed step backwards towards the table. “You see Robin will not only be concerned for your safety, he'll also be furious that I managed to take you from right under his nose. That coupled with his learning of my influence in the matters of his heart will make him unsure, unconfident and careless. And the other Titans will follow him right into my hands.”

“You're wrong.” Lyllandra snarled. “Robin is more focused and determined than anyone else I've ever met. I am sure he'll come for me but he won't do it your way.”

“I'm sorry to disappoint you…” Slade took another step towards Lyllandra, forcing to her to back up once again and she felt her rear hit the table. She looked back a moment to keep from falling over. Slade took his advantage and ran into her, knocking her back onto the table. Lyllandra fought and kicked, she even managed to rip the “S” logo off Slade's uniform, but ultimately he was stronger. He pinned her down with one arm and another reached over for a large syringe. “I'm afraid my way is the only way.” Lyllandra screamed as the needle punctured her arm but she was silenced almost immediately as the drug infiltrated her system and she lost consciousness.

She was in the forest. The tall trees prevented all but the tiniest spots of light to break through, illuminating her surroundings just enough so she could see. She recognized this place and at once the familiar feeling of anticipation washed over her. The rendevous with Robin was close now. Just like he was close. She could hear him making his way through the brush now, making his way towards her. Her heart fluttered wildly as the noises grew louder. She was no longer nervous, as she had been all those times before, because now she knew that she would finally see his face. Robin would come into the clearing, mask free, and she would see him because now she knew it was him. He was the man she had been in love with for weeks before even meeting him. And now that he knew too that she was meant for him they had no more reason to hide their identities. He would come to her, take her hands in his and kiss her again with all the passion she knew he felt. And she would kiss him back, and the dream would stop because now she could live it awake.

She heard him come into the clearing and stop behind her. But he did not put his hand on her shoulder as he had done so many times before. A new feeling appeared in Lyllandra's heart. She could only call it doubt. She forced herself to turn around and when she did she saw that it was indeed Robin standing before her and she could see his face, but the look he wore was not one of love. It was sadness and anger that was displayed over his handsome face. It added ten years to him. He still wore his mask and he would not look her in the eye.

She tried to ask what was wrong but no sound issued from her mouth. Robin did not have that problem. Still avoiding her gaze he said. “It's not real. It never was. It was all a big joke. I don't love you.”

Lyllandra's eyes widened in shock but she still could not move. She silently screamed that it didn't matter how it had started, all that mattered was the feelings they had now and the connection they shared. But Robin was already receding back into the forest. Lyllandra wanted to run after him but her feet would not obey her commands. She could only stand still, tears streaming down her face as she watched the man she loved walk out of her life forever…..

Slade had fixed Lyllandra to the metal table with braces on her feet and over her left wrist. Her right hand was free however and it was on that which Slade had been focusing since knocking her out. He studied the mark on her right middle finger and frowned. That was not supposed to have happened. If he'd known about the mark, he never would have given the ring to the Titans during that first battle. But he'd thought that once the girl was in this world, the ring would be useless. That was the way the old texts had proclaimed it anyway. And he so wanted to see Robin's reaction to the knowledge that the woman he loved was actually working for his greatest enemy. But this was something entirely new and unexpected. And if there was one thing Slade hated, was the unexpected.

He knew she did not have the mark when she had first arrived here in his lair a week ago. He sighed in frustration. He'd been so methodical and thorough. He'd researched and planned everything to a perfect point. He'd studied those ancient pieces of scrap until his eyes threatened to fall right out of his head. But apparently he'd overlooked something. He thought back, going over the last few days in his mind.

After watching the effect the dreams were having on his two `subjects' for a few weeks, he'd decided that the time had come for them to meet. But there was the issue of the girl's illness. He'd admitted to himself that perhaps he'd made a mistake in his choice of a suitable woman for Robin to lust after, in truth he couldn't remember why he'd chosen her in the first place but it was too late to turn back now. The dreams were progressing nicely and to choose someone different would have upset his plans terminally. Fortunately, his connections gave him access to things that normal people never saw. Including ground breaking medical treatments. So he'd cast the spell and made the ring appear to Lyllandra and she had landed in the middle of the circle looking much the way she did now but Slade knew the spell had only worked so far. It was only holding the cancer at bay and the disease would return soon and with a vengeance and all his plans would go belly up. He had brought the girl to the room they were in now and kept her unconscious for four days, all the while pumping her full of the dark liquid that she saw as a typical chemo treatment but was in fact much more. In four days it had rid her body completely of the cancer eating her life away but once he stopped the treatment, there was no sign anything had been done at all. When Lyllandra woke up she would not remember her time with Slade, it would seem to her that she was miraculously cured of her cancer and she would focus on the Titans, especially Robin.

But then the mark had appeared. Slade didn't know if it would pose a threat to his plans and he could have left well enough alone and let her get in even deeper with the Titans. The closer she was to them, the more painful it would be for them later. But he couldn't take the risk of the mark turning into something he couldn't handle. So he'd had to change his plans a bit by abducting her early. He would have liked her to have more time with Robin, to solidify their relationship so that she would truly own his heart. But they had connected in a way even Slade thought was impossible. Why, the girl had been here only two days and she was already convinced she was in love with the headstrong leader of the intrepid Titans. And before Slade had interfered, Robin was starting to believe he was in love with her as well. Slade chuckled to himself as he peered closely at Lyllandra's finger through a magnifying glass. He had to hand it to the little tramp. She had entrapped Robin's heart more quickly than he thought she would, even with the influence of the dreams, and that made his forced change in plans a little easier to bear. That and the pain Robin had been caused learning that Slade was the real reason he felt anything for the girl at all. Slade had wanted to fill Robin's heart with doubt and pain. It would make him reckless in his desire to thwart Slade and it would lead to his downfall.

Slade decided that the mark was nothing of concern and looked at the unconscious girl on the table, smiling beneath his mask. “It may be a little earlier than I had expected Lyllandra my dear but tonight, you will destroy the Teen Titans.”