Summary: Robin tore out the R in his uniform and became Nightwing. Some say that he grew up. Some say that others began to don the name. But that can't be all, can it? Robin was the name his parents gave him. He wouldn't throw that away just because he got old, or because others began to go by that name. It's all that defined him. So why? What's the real reason he became Nightwing? And if it involves the man under the black and orange mask, a buried conspiracy, and an evil force, why are we still here? Join the journey as a boy becomes a man, and secrets revealed.

This is my very first fanfic. I have never written any other fanfic in my entire life. Please go easy on me.

Let's just say that Slade faked his death on the episodes with Terra. Terea had died and he helped out stop the end of the world which Trigon tried to bring. I forgot most of the episodes that happened after Trigon. I'm not so sure about the events, but this is what happened in my story's world. Slade alianced with the Brotherhood of Evil, for some kind of a grand scheme, but on the last minute, they betrayed him. So he was bent on bringing them down. Slade thought that he couldn't face them alone, so got help from the Teen Titans. The Titans, reluctantly, especially Robin, helped him out, knowing that they couldn't go against them on their own as well. They planned on taking him down as well after they got the Brotherhood of Evil, but he ran away before they could.

That's what happens in this world. Don't get it confused with the original.

Here goes nothing!

Oh, and by the way, I don't own the Teen Titans. If I had, I wouldn't be writing this fanfic. I'd be making a whole season(maybe two) out of it.

Chapter 1

It was a normal day for the Titans. No. I should say relaxing since a normal day would involve kicking some villian's butt. No. It was a very relaxing day. Too relaxing for Robin. It made him nervous. Even as he was out at the pizza place near their Tower with the other Titans. But he tried to hide it since he wanted his friends to relax and have fun for once. It was enough for one person to worry and be on guard. The rest didn't have to suffer with him.

He smiled as Beast Boy and Cyborg had another one of those arguments about eating meat. It was quite nice, he supposed. This was as close as he could get to being normal. Of course, people stared at them and tried to get their autographs, sure, but at least there was no hero work to be done. And besides, he used to get that a lot even before he became a full time Robin.

Then, a man grabbed his attention. He strode quickly into the park. The pizza place, whatever its name was(they just called it the 'pizza place'), overlooked the park. It was on the second floor. They sat at a table outside, with a great view of the park. The man was wearing a long-sleeved, turtle-necked, mud-colored shirt. He also had one of those gloves which only covered the fingers half way. One of these gloved hands was in the pocket of a pair of black jeans. He wore a cap and the shadows hid his face. A long ponytail protruded from it.

He caught Robin's attention. Even when he was facing the other way. There was nothing wrong with his outfit. If he didn't consider the fact that this was probably the hottest day of the year. He felt as if he was being steamed alive. Wonder how that man felt. But he showed no sign of it whatsoever.

Robin shook his head. People had their own reasons for everything. But... There was still something else. He wondered about the man's outfit after he got a good look at him. And what would make Robin stare at a passing-by civilian?

The answer was easy but it wasn't what he wanted to get. The man held himself with so much power. He radiated such power that made Robin feel that even he might not be able to win a fight against him. That made him nervous. With that much power, he could do anything. And what were the chances of him using it for good?

"Robin? Is there something wrong?" Starfire asked him cautiously.

"It's nothing." He assured her, smiling.

Yes. Nothing. Those powers could be used for good. He himself and his friends were an example of that. He was probably just being paranoid. Probably.

He took a bite from a slice of pizza and enjoyed himself. After checking that the man took a seat on a bench near them. He raised an eyebrow at one of BeastBoy's jokes and raised it even more when Raven desperately tried not to laugh, but failed.

"Hello, mister." He heard someone, probably a little girl, speak.

He smiled at that even though it wasn't directed to him. One of the reasons he liked this place was that it was next to a park. Meaning, there were lots of families around. And so were little children, with their innocence flowing in them endlessly.

"Hello, little girl." A low chuckled followed.

Robin froze. That voice. That low, sly, slithering voice. He'd never forget that voice. Dread seeped into his body, paralyzing it, making him feel numb, inside and out.

"What are you doing here by yourself? Where's your mother? It's dangerous for a pretty girl like you to be all alone."

The man. It had to be him. He should have realized it sooner. He cursed himself for letting his guard down. He cursed himself for freezing because of him. He knew he'd come back sooner or later. He should have been prepared. He cursed himself for his stupidity.

"Is your mother near?" He asked.

"I.. I think so."

"Well, can you see her?" He chuckled as he spoke.

"No. I don't think- Mommy!" The girl shouted in delight.

"Oh, Lily! Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you! I've been worried sick!" A concerned mother scolded.

"I don't know. I was looking at the roses when I couldn't see you. He told me to look around, when I did, you were there! Like magic!" She giggled.

Robin was starting get over the shock. He thought hard, tried to make sure he was certain. He was. He ignored his friends' concerned looks and jumped out of his seat.

"I don't knw how to thank-"

"Slade!" She was cut off by Robin.

He jumped in and started attacking him. The navy cap hid his other features but showed his mouth, which was smirking. Anger flushed through him. He wasn't fighting against the mercenary. He was being played with. Slade blocked his attacks with ease, as if he wasn't really trying.

"Dude, what are you doing?! That's not Slade!" Beast Boy shouted.

"Yeah, man. Calm down." Cyborg tried to calm his friend down. Tried.

"Azurath Metrium Synthos!" Raven held Robin with her dark energy and detatched him from the man.

"Let me go, Raven!" He nearly screamed.

"I am truly sorry." Starfire appologized as the man pulled down his cap even more, only exposing a part of his smirking mouth.

"What are you sorry about?! He's Slade!"

"Dude! You're not satisfied with obsessing over Slade every day, you have to ruin our only chance of a day off?" Beast Boy complained.

"Beast Boy's right.. partly. You're too obsessed with him. Obsession's never healthy." Raven told him flatly.

"Ugh! Why can't you guys see that that's Slade, the man who not only threatened us more than once, but tried to take over the world?!"

The woman held her child close, and looked around, worried. She didn't know what to do.

"You should probably go. I can handle this. Besides, I think someone's waiting for you." He spoke to her, smiling.

A man was briskly walking to her from a little away with a worried look on his face. He seemed to be her husband, the child's father. The woman seemed to hesitate. The man did seem so nice. He nodded reassuringly. She walked to her husband and after one last look, walked away.

"See, the dude's a nice and caring guy. Can we please go back now?" Beast Boy complained.

"He's not nice and caring! He's Slade!"

"Yeah, like the last three hundred other innocent civilians? Come on, man." Cyborg seemed to be tired of this argument.

"But-!"

"He's right." Raven told him, slowly moving him away from the man.

Starfire looked at him with concern, as if he was out of his mind. He growled. Suddenly a beeping sound came from the man's pocket. He brought a pager out, looked at it, and put it back.

"I'm sorry, Titans, but I need to be going. I hope we could clear this awful misunderstanding, but I'm running out of time." He smiled appologetically.

"Oh, no. It is us, who are truly sorry." Starfire appologized.

"You're letting him get away?!" Everybody ignored him.

"I am sorry, since I probably gave something to bring this terrible misunderstanding. But it was still nice to meet you Titans. Again. Especially you, Robin. I'm a big fan of yours. On normal circumstances, I would get your autograph, but I am in a hurry. And even if I wasn't, I doubt you could give it to me. I hope I could see you some other time."

He whispered the word 'again' so softly only Robin could hear it. His masked eyes grew wide. He could see a smirk. A smirk that said 'I. Win'. He scowled and growled. The man, whom we now know as Slade, smiled at him once more and turned away.

"Stop him! It's really him! You can't let him get away!" Robin struggled against the black energy that bound him tight.

"Please, Robin. May we not go back to the having of fun and eating of pizza?" Asked Starfire.

He scowled at the now disappearing figure. He reached his belt and took out a small bomb. It was used more for distraction than to cause damage. It would serve its purpose now. He threw it down at the ground.

The explosion caused Raven's concentration to falter, releasing Robin. He started to fall but the explosion threw him up. He pushed with his hands against the approaching ground and backflipped. He looked around. Slade was nowhere to be seen.

"You nearly hurt Raven!" Beast Boy shouted as Raven picked herself from the ground.

"And you let Slade get away!" Saying that he was furious would have been an understatement.

"Robin, even if he was Slade, he's gone now. Forget about him. For now. Rest. And tomorrow, we'll look for him." Raven tried to calm him down. Again, she tried, proving once more that no one could calm him down on the matters of Slade.

"How can I relax and have fun when I know Slade's out there?!" He scowled at his friends. "I'm going to go back to the Tower and look for any abnormal activities that could be Slade's doing."

He turned around and left. The Titans looked at each other. Their leader and friend was obsessed with that man. Obsession never leads to a happy ending. History taught mankind exactly that. The hard way.

A/N: I hope you liked it! Please understand if there are spelling and/or grammatical errors. English is not my first language. But please, point them out so that I can correct them. I hope it wasn't too short or anything. Anyway, see you next chapter!