The Apprentice.

Chapter one

P.O.V of Robin
The job was another thieving one, it seems he did want to start me small and build me up. But it wouldn't work, I would fight him every time and one day, one day I will beat him. The alarm tripped as I grabbed the shrink ray and the doors burst open as guards came in to try and arrest me.
I had already planned my escape and I ran towards the window, already weakened from the guards shooting at me and leapt out into the open air. I twisted around and shot a grapple up to the roof, and smirked as it found its hook on the edge and propelled me up, the surprised faces of the guards following me and I gave them a cheeky wave. I arrived at the top and flipped to land on my feet and continue running across the next rooftop, but as expected, the Titans were standing right there and I pulled to a stop.

"You're not like him." Cyborg said as he armed his sonic blaster, "You're nothing like him."

"You don't know anything about me." I growled back as I threw some disks at them and ran straight past them and leapt across to the other rooftop.

I didn't look back as I ran, I couldn't bear to see them again, because this was not what I wanted, and I'm not sure I could go on fighting them. Even if it is the only thing that keeps them alive and able to protect the city from other threats. But I was only three rooftops away when they landed in front of me again.

"This is not you Robin." Starfire said. "Why do you do these evil deeds?"

I didn't reply to that one, if they weren't going to let me go peacefully, I'd have to use force.

I launched myself as Cyborg first, he seemed like he had comfortably taken the place of the leader and I find taking the leader on first generally unnerves the others. My boot connected with his chest and he went flying backwards and over the roof. I ran across and leapt over the gap, prepared to throw down a line to catch him but Raven had beat me to it and as I went over he came upwards and knocked me back towards the team.

"You and Slade as nothing alike Robin." Cyborg growled as the team began to circle me, "You're not going to end up like him. Just come back home."

"I have a new home now." I said and launched back into action.

I jumped up to Raven and threw her into Beast Boy, then using my momentum to flip back over and kick Cyborg away just as I was blasted by Starfire. I was hit back but flipped over to land on my feet and stared at them as they assembled again.

"One last chance Robin." Cyborg said as he readied his sonic blaster.

"Then I'm sorry to let you down." I replied as I threw down a smoke pellet laced with sleeping gas and quickly ran from the scene as I heard them drop to the floor.

I'm more sorry than you know.

I walked back into the hideout, dumped the shrink ray on Slade's desk and headed further inside to hide amongst the gears. And that was when I finally let the tears fall. Not once had I cried since my night terrors stopped, not once until now.

I cried for the team I had lost, the friends I had betrayed, at the probes in their systems and how I couldn't even tell them what was going on. I cried because the responsibility on my shoulders suddenly became too much, and the guilt was only going to get worse.

A couple more minutes later I had composed myself, dried my eyes and headed downstairs to see Slade was already tinkering away with his new weapon. But he didn't know I was here, the perfect time to strike. As silently as I could I went over and aimed a punch at the back of his head. My smirk faded as he turned around, faster than the eye could see, and grabbed my fist, looking at me.

"You really are becoming more like me." Slade said, "Keep it up and you'll be perfect in no time."

He gave my wrist a little twist then let go, turning back around to continue his work. Dismissing me as a threat altogether. It took all my self-control not to try to attack him again, I was not like him, I did not attack when the enemies back was turned.

I walked back off and towards the room that had been set up for me to stay in, laying down on the mattress and drifting off to a fitful sleep.

P.O.V of Raven
Cyborg's fist came down on the countertop, leaving a splintering crack down the middle of it, "We have given him enough chances to say anything. I say we don't hold back, we bring him in, and then we see what he has to say."

"I have to agree with Cy on this one." BB said as he nursed his head, "We've given him more than enough chances to explain himself. If he won't listen, we have to bring him down."

"No, Robin is not a crim-" Starfire began but I cut her off.

"Face it Star, Robin doesn't want to come back." I explained, "And if he wants to be a criminal, we're going to have to treat him like one."

"Lies!" Starfire shouted, "Robin is a titan and he always will be. Nothing you can say or do will ever change that."

I rolled my eyes at her, whenever we had this conversation it always came back to this. She just couldn't accept the truth, even as it stared her in the face, even when it hurt so much. When no one replied she stormed off, the door slamming behind her.

"When is she going to accept it?" BB muttered under his breath and I elected to ignore him.

"Raven," I looked over to Cyborg' "Next time we get an alert about him, I want you to stay concealed until his guard is down and then trap him. Then we'll hit him with everything we've got."

"Are you sure?" I asked, "I'm not sure I'll be able to hold him long enough to keep him still."

"Just do your best. That's all we can ask." Cyborg smiled at me, "Now, I don't know about you but I'm going to go sleep off the rest of that sleeping gas. Goodnight."

He locked up the tower and went off to bed, closely followed by Beast Boy but I couldn't bring myself to sleep. Robin was out there somewhere, right under our noses, and we couldn't find him. We couldn't help him. No, not help anymore, bring in him. He had to go to jail, he was a criminal no. Maybe a criminal as challenging as Slade.

P.O.V of Starfire
The team was not right. They just don't know Robin like I do. I took one final look at my room, slung my bag over my back, and headed off and out of the tower. I wasn't coming back until I had found Robin and proved to the team that he was still on our side. He'd never betray us, never.

I flew over Jump, looking everywhere to see if I could find him but when searching the surface proved useless I turned down to look in the sewers, using a blast as a light to see by. But even in the sewers, underground trains and long forgotten tunnels I could not find Robin or any clues to his whereabouts. I did not even know if he was still in Jump. So I'd have to extend my search beyond my city and look over other places, it was the only way to find Robin. And I would not rest until I did.

P.O.V of Robin
I could hear movement the other side of the wall and woke up instantly. It wasn't Slade, he was so silent I doubted even Batman would be able to hear him. I heard a voice, muffled, but distinct in tone and pitch. Starfire. Right the other side of the wall to me. And I still couldn't communicate with her. I went over to the wall and pressed my ear closer, maybe she had figured out where I was, maybe she'd go back and tell the team.

But she continued onwards, barely stopping but to call out my name. I stayed by the wall for the rest of the night, imagining her coming back and bringing the rest of the team with her. Preferably Raven as she's probably the only one strong enough to hold Slade and I. What I wouldn't give right now just to go home.