WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN?

CH.1- HE'S BACK

"TITANS GO!" the cry rang out through the tower echoing with the rage boiling behind it off the walls of the aluminum dwelling.

"Where to, Robin?" asked Cyborg, running into the main room.

"Here. It's Slade." He hissed, hatred seeping through his words. "He's back for…" he was cut off.

"YOU!" cried Slade, every inch of his voice calm yet raging in a way that made the Titans almost quiver. "I have a little lesson to teach you, my apprentice, about betraying your master!" he lunged at Robin, who narrowly blocked a punch to the stomach.

This enraged the titans and they burst into action.

"READY STAR?" shouted Cy. He was answered with a sharp battle cry from Starfire as they both fired at the villain. They watched in awe as he did nothing, just stood there as the blows hit, as though they were two delicate snowflakes falling from a midwinter sky.

"Is that all you've got, Titans?" he asked mockingly, brushing himself off as the dust cleared.

"Not even close!" Raven stated as she soared high above his head, eyes ablaze with a white fire that out shone even the brightest of diamonds. "Azerath metrion ZINTHOS!" she screamed, as the couch was engulfed in a black aura, soaring toward him. Slade merely sidestepped it and watched it pass, silently mocking their feeble attempts. He threw a device which gave off a bright flash of blinding light, temporarily demolishing ones eyesight. Raven flopped to the ground while Cyborg stood there, stars about his head. Slade watched. He knew their every move, all their powers, strengths, and, thanks to Terra, weaknesses. He was not, however, expecting what happened next. As he watched the couch sail by, Robin rushed in from the other side, throwing Slade into it with a yell. Slade was shocked, but quickly regained composure and threw his arm around Robin's neck, listening as the boy gave a sharp yelp of surprise. Slade knew he wasn't hurting him, just holding him there. Robin fought, but could not get free. Beast Boy, noticing Robin, quickly morphed with an angry roar into a tiger, slashing with all his might at Slade.

As Robin Cyborg and Raven recovered, they heard an explosion followed by a soft grunt, then Beast Boy's growl as he fell unconscious due to a blow from Slade.

"Starfire!" Robin said as he dashed toward her. She hit the ground with a soft thud. Cyborg, sight regained, dashed toward Beast Boy who awoke quickly, while Raven brought down all that and a side dish on Slade, who remained unphased by it all and, grabbing her foot, threw her to the floor dazing her.

Robin reached Starfire with only one thought in his mind. 'Is she ok?' He was about two yards away when he felt something wrap around his arm with great force, digging into his skin with a stinging sensation. He yelped. A Whip! Slade had a whip around his arm. With great difficulty he twisted out of it, the whip leaving a spiral cut all the way up his arm.

He checked her pulse… she was ok… just dazed. He felt something… something wet in his glove. Blood… he tore of the glove.

Something wrapped around his stomach, curling up his chest and tightening its grip. He was being dragged backwards with a whip… straight towards Slade!

"No!" he groaned, every muscle screaming his mind whirling… one thought in his mind. DON'T GO BACK TO SLADE! He fought and fought, but to no avail. He might as well give up. Suddenly, the whip snapped, thanks to the teeth of a little green gerbil.

All of the titans except Robin, who was struggling to untangle himself, rose and faced Slade, a Tiger, an angry Tameraenean, a ticked off goth, and one angry cybernetic teen with a sonic canon for a right arm, all in battle stances, eyes glowing with the same message… 'Back off before we MAKE you back off!' Slade took the hint and dashed off into the city. The titans relaxed and walked over to their fallen leader.

Beast Boy and the others still didn't know about the whip… they thought it was a rope. Cyborg helped Robin up as Robin extended his good arm, the right arm concealed under the black and yellow cape that he now allowed to fall over his broad shoulders. Starfire stepped forward.

"Robin," she said. "You need not worry. That madman will not make you work for him again!" She smiled, giving him a delicate hug. He sunk to his knees moaning as she released him. "ROBIN?" she said.

He gasped, it hurt so bad! She had not meant to, he knew, she didn't even know! She had just put pressure on his wounds.

"Friend Robin, you are injured?"

"DUDE!" cried BB. He was worried now.

"It's…. ok…. Star." He said between wincing and gasping.

"Better let me have a look, man." Said Cyborg. He helped Robin to his feet again.

As Robin stood, his arm was exposed, revealing the bleeding slashes that wound from his shoulder down.

"Robin! What…" Raven began, but she was silenced with pure shock as she saw the blood seeping through the cuts on Robin's uniform around his stomach.

"Let's get to med lab." Said Cy.

30 minutes later in med lab….

Robin sat on the medical bed. He removed his shirt and cape carefully so his wounds could be treated.

"WHOA!" Cy said. "Those are pretty deep. How did this happen?"

"Slade's 'rope' was a whip." Robin stated. He thought of the whip digging into his skin and shuddered. He sat still, wincing a few times as his cuts were treated with anesthetic and antibiotics. Raven, hands glowing blue, used her healing powers on him.

"Thanks guys." He mumbled, putting his shirt and cape back on.

"No prob, dude!" smiled BB.

"Only one problem now."

"What's that?"

"He's back."