First fanfiction! Sorry if it's terrible.

Aqualad entered a dark room of his mountain home. Or more like his second home, the ocean would always be his first. He flicked on the light to get a better look of the unused room. Or so he thought. The bright glow grew from a single lamp hanging from the ceiling like a miniature sun. The dark skinned Atlantian of 16 years was surprised when he noticed Robin there also. The 13 year old was huddled in a ball, in the darkest corner of the room. The light's reach struggled to touch the young boy and he melted into the shadows perfectly.

"Robin?" Aqualad asked. Confusion and concern touched his voice gently. Robin blinked a few times, although Aqualad couldn't see it under his dark shades.

"Yes?" Robin asked. His voice was scratchy and worn. He seemed to flinch back from Aqualad as they spoke; he didn't want to be noticed.

"What are you doing here? Are you all right?" Aqualad asked, taking a few steps towards the huddled form on the ground.

"I'm fine," he insisted, but seemed to catch Aqualads disbelieving look because he added "I'm just hiding."

"Hiding?" Aqualad repeated. "May I ask from what?" His voice was clearly building up worry, though the unmistakeble hint of curiosity was planted too.

"Life"

"I fail to understand," he confessed. The older had been walking closer. He could now see the despair and pain etched in the younger boys face.

"It's just too much sometimes Kaldur; don't you ever feel like that? Sometimes you just want to hide away and pray that time stops and life can't find you hiding and won't drag you out with its claws and tear you to pieces!" Aqualad shuddered a little at Robin's description but refused to back away or show any other signs of discomfort.

"Robin what happened, what's wrong?" he demanded. He hated to see his friend, no brother, like this. He was completely the opposite from how he normally was. Robin was the fun loving; laughing, younger brother that there little 'family' loved. But this? This was what happened when someone snapped a bird's wing!

"Nothing. I don't want to talk!" he said, suddenly sounding stubborn and a little angered.

"So instead you are going to let it build up to the point where you are hiding in a dark room and praying that no one finds you?" Aqualad asked, his eyebrows arching.

"No. I mean yes. I-I don't know" he answered, sounding torn.

"You need to tell someone something Robin! If not about this then at least tell us your real name. You tell us nothing about yourself." Aqualad pressed. Normally he would have left by now, having taken the hints, but the 13 year old was near breaking point and obviously distraught. Robin took a deep breath and suddenly without warning, burst into tears.

"They died Kaldur! And I watched and did nothing. And now every night they come back and they die again and again and I can't take it anymore" he sobbed, pulling his knees tighter. Aqualad was taken aback by this outburst. But soon came to his senses and put an arm around his friend.

"Who?" he asked "Who died? What happened?"

"My parents! They fell and I- I couldn't- I didn't- I watched as they smashed to the floor. There was so much blood and their necks broke and their arms and legs and everything. It was horrible. And now I have nightmares about it almost every night." Robin let out a loud sob as he tried to control himself again. Aqualad was stunned. Was this why Robin was so withdrawn about personnel stuff? Was this what had happened to their families little brother?

"How old were you?" Aqualad heard himself choke out past the shock of this turn.

"9" was all Robin whispered. Suddenly Aqualad was hugging him. Strong arms twisted around the younger boys waist as he turned his body so what the little bird was half on his lap. He let the crying boy's face rest on his chest as tears soaked into his shirt.

"I am so sorry Robin, so sorry."