(no subject)
Who: Robin, Slade, others later
When: A few nights after Raven's kidnapping
Where: Titans Tower
*~*~*~*
"ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd..."
Robin glanced up at his computer screen, not bothering to scold himself for accidentally setting his elbow on the keyboard in front of him. Pushing the small black device forward, he rubbed the sides of his face and groaned. Man he was tired.
Third night... or is it the fourth? he said in his mind to no one in particular, glancing between his fingers at his tired reflection in the lamp head nearby. Not a wink of sleep since Raven had been taken... not that he hadn't tried. He'd tracked down addresses, gone through dozens of files, visited multiple prisons, inspected the security footage countless times; and when there was nothing to do but wait, worry, and watch live satellite coverage over completely desolate locations, he knew he ought to take the time out to rest. Even Robin had learned that depriving himself of sleep over too long a time wasn't good for him. But even despite his decision to rest... he couldn't fall sleep for anything.
She wouldn't let him.
It never ceased to startle him every time she spoke. No matter when it happened, her voice would always come as a surprise; sometimes quick and intense, sometimes slow and weak. Cries of pain, groans of exhaustion, random bursts of emotion... none of which he could answer, but all of which he heard. He didn't know how she was communicating with him; her thoughts seemed so scattered when they came, that he wasn't even sure she was doing it on purpose. Off and on at random... sometimes hours apart, sometimes minutes. He could never tell. He could never predict it... but it never let him rest.
He hadn't cried yet. He was tired enough that the last wave of loneliness almost pushed him to let it out in tears, but he hadn't. It was instinct to force such things back inside... back down, hidden, where they belonged. Whether he wanted to cry or not almost didn't matter; his pride had made it a natural reaction to hold back tears. So far, his pride had kept them all in. But the longer time passed, the less prideful he felt.
"Can I come in, Robin?," he mumbled into his arms as they laid against the desk. "Sure, Raven, I don't mind. What's up?" "...I can't sleep." "Oh, well, you know you're always welcome here. I wanted to finish up some filing before I went to bed, but I don't mind hitting the sack early." "Okay... you're sure?" "Sure, why not? I can do it in the morning just as easily."
Robin sighed to himself. "Raven... you're taking all the blanket." "I'm cold." "Well, I want to be warm too, you know." "You're an oven already. I'm a freezer." "Fine. I'll scoot closer." "Okay." ... "...You asleep yet?" "Yes. I'm fast asleep, Robin. That's why I'm talking to you." "...Sorry."
Robin closed his eyes, holding his forearm just a bit tighter. He hadn't really thought much of those few nights; letting her sleep next to him in his over-sized bed was little more to him than another chance for him to be with her. He hadn't expected missing it so much... above all else, he almost missed that... just hearing her steady breathing until she fell asleep... safe by his side.
Unlike this night. Much unlike this night.
No sleeping, no Raven... no answers, no clues, no leads, no peace. No rest, no silence, no break from the near constant stream of worry and doubt... time didn't care; it kept going on, even when Robin wanted it to stop dead in its tracks. He knew he should be doing something... he knew he should be finding something, figuring something out... but for the life of him, he'd exhausted nearly every resource he could think of.
And still nothing ... Just... nothing.
When: A few nights after Raven's kidnapping
Where: Titans Tower
*~*~*~*
"ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd..."
Robin glanced up at his computer screen, not bothering to scold himself for accidentally setting his elbow on the keyboard in front of him. Pushing the small black device forward, he rubbed the sides of his face and groaned. Man he was tired.
Third night... or is it the fourth? he said in his mind to no one in particular, glancing between his fingers at his tired reflection in the lamp head nearby. Not a wink of sleep since Raven had been taken... not that he hadn't tried. He'd tracked down addresses, gone through dozens of files, visited multiple prisons, inspected the security footage countless times; and when there was nothing to do but wait, worry, and watch live satellite coverage over completely desolate locations, he knew he ought to take the time out to rest. Even Robin had learned that depriving himself of sleep over too long a time wasn't good for him. But even despite his decision to rest... he couldn't fall sleep for anything.
She wouldn't let him.
It never ceased to startle him every time she spoke. No matter when it happened, her voice would always come as a surprise; sometimes quick and intense, sometimes slow and weak. Cries of pain, groans of exhaustion, random bursts of emotion... none of which he could answer, but all of which he heard. He didn't know how she was communicating with him; her thoughts seemed so scattered when they came, that he wasn't even sure she was doing it on purpose. Off and on at random... sometimes hours apart, sometimes minutes. He could never tell. He could never predict it... but it never let him rest.
He hadn't cried yet. He was tired enough that the last wave of loneliness almost pushed him to let it out in tears, but he hadn't. It was instinct to force such things back inside... back down, hidden, where they belonged. Whether he wanted to cry or not almost didn't matter; his pride had made it a natural reaction to hold back tears. So far, his pride had kept them all in. But the longer time passed, the less prideful he felt.
"Can I come in, Robin?," he mumbled into his arms as they laid against the desk. "Sure, Raven, I don't mind. What's up?" "...I can't sleep." "Oh, well, you know you're always welcome here. I wanted to finish up some filing before I went to bed, but I don't mind hitting the sack early." "Okay... you're sure?" "Sure, why not? I can do it in the morning just as easily."
Robin sighed to himself. "Raven... you're taking all the blanket." "I'm cold." "Well, I want to be warm too, you know." "You're an oven already. I'm a freezer." "Fine. I'll scoot closer." "Okay." ... "...You asleep yet?" "Yes. I'm fast asleep, Robin. That's why I'm talking to you." "...Sorry."
Robin closed his eyes, holding his forearm just a bit tighter. He hadn't really thought much of those few nights; letting her sleep next to him in his over-sized bed was little more to him than another chance for him to be with her. He hadn't expected missing it so much... above all else, he almost missed that... just hearing her steady breathing until she fell asleep... safe by his side.
Unlike this night. Much unlike this night.
No sleeping, no Raven... no answers, no clues, no leads, no peace. No rest, no silence, no break from the near constant stream of worry and doubt... time didn't care; it kept going on, even when Robin wanted it to stop dead in its tracks. He knew he should be doing something... he knew he should be finding something, figuring something out... but for the life of him, he'd exhausted nearly every resource he could think of.
And still nothing ... Just... nothing.