Forgotten Bonds – Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two
Puzzle Piece

February 23rd, 2009. Monday, 7:06 am.

Dick had been relieved once again when he saw Slade returned from his secret mission. Dick didn’t ask the man anything about it. He figured he wouldn’t like the answer, whether or not Slade gave him one, and he didn’t feel like fighting with the man over it. They had different morals, different opinions, but so long as the man didn’t force the worst one of all on Dick, then he would just leave it at that. Dick fully understood why Slade thought the way he did, but that didn’t mean he supported it or had to follow it – or at least for now, anyway. But hopefully he would never have to.

Thank goodness for small miracles.

There was something anchoring about Slade when the man was in Dick’s presence. Once more, Dick was trying to ignore the thoughts he was thinking about over this man, but the more they tried to insistently flutter at him in their trilling ways, the more he knew it was only a matter of time before he accepted them. If he did, though, he was emotionally bound to the man. In his heart, there would be no leaving Slade. He’d always miss the special simple, even homey feel to this place.

Feelings that he had long missed and long needed.

But wasn’t that what Slade wanted? Didn’t the man want Dick to become emotionally attached to him? That way Dick wouldn’t try to stop him any more. Even if there ever came a point when Slade no longer needed him – no matter how much it destroyed Dick – there was just no way Dick would ever find himself able to fight against the man.

They were no longer just the Hero and the Villain in Dick’s eyes.

But what of the Titans? How would they feel if they knew Dick would choose to stay with Slade? This was Slade, after all – the criminal they had tried so hard to stop. But Dick saw the man for so much more than that. There were so many layers to Slade and Dick preferred the human side far greater than anything. He respected that man so much. There were even times where he wanted to aspire certain traits from the man in himself.

It wasn’t like Dick wanted to be the man’s apprentice. He didn’t want to be the criminal that Slade was trying to train him in becoming. He desperately wanted to stay here, but also be the person he wanted to be. He wanted to be a hero; he wanted to help others and not hurt them. But could that ever happen? Could he and Slade reach such an agreement? One where Dick was allowed to be in the man’s life and learn from him, but also be the hero he always needed to be?

Well, as if that would ever happen.

But experiencing that special feeling of someone needing him was something that Dick himself needed to survive. After all, Batman had stopped needing him. Dick couldn’t handle being thrown under the rug, so to speak. That’s how he had felt with Batman. The first sign of danger and Batman was ready to give up on him; tossing him away so easily. Yes, Dick understood that the man had been, perhaps, protective over him, but that didn’t mean Dick still couldn’t be the man’s partner and still be by his side, right? But it just didn’t happen that way, leaving Dick far more worried about being left behind in more ways than one because of it.

But Slade wouldn’t, right? He wouldn’t stop needing Dick, no matter what, right? He’d protect Dick instead tossing him aside, wouldn’t he?

There was no other apprentice better than Dick.

Right?

It was yet another morning where Dick was quietly eating his breakfast; cold cereal with a healthy sized plate of fruit. His thoughts kept him quiet; not really willing to talk much at that moment in fear that his feelings would come tumbling down on him in their crushing weight. Dick grabbed a slice of melon while he absently watched Slade read the newspaper.

The man was about to take a bite of his cream of wheat when he suddenly dropped the spoonful onto the floor with a splattering clatter. The man grabbed the paper with both hands as he stared at it intently. His hands shook against the paper and he slowly rose to his feet. Dick was slightly alarmed at the man’s expression. There was a hint of betrayal, growing rage, and deep set sorrow inside the man’s grey blue eye.

Then, in a sudden snarl, Slade slammed the paper down onto the table and swore loudly. Dick’s eyes bugged out and Wintergreen looked thoroughly appalled.

“Slade!” admonished Wintergreen, aghast. “Not in front of the child!”

Dick grabbed his orange juice and ducked his head as he took a sip. He was finding it mildly amusing that Slade had sworn, although he felt a little alarmed as well. He had never heard the man do that before – not even when Dick had pulled both crazy explosion stunts. And the man had been fuming on both occasions.

But what could’ve made Slade so furious?

“Shut up!” snapped Slade as he snarled at Wintergreen, jabbing a sharp finger at the old man. He whirled around and marched out of the kitchen in a complete ranting rage.

“How dare that woman! Wait until I get my—How dare she—Oh, when I—Rrgrrrrrrr!”

Dick apprehensively watched the man storm down the hallway. After he watched him disappear around the corner towards his bedroom, Dick turned his head to stare at Wintergreen. The old man looked momentarily stunned by the whole thing.

Dick looked over onto the table and grabbed the paper that Slade had thrown down. On the cover was an article about a sixteen year old girl winning the California State Science Fair. She was smiling with an almost smug look on her face as she held up the trophy she had earned. Dick frowned as he took a closer look at the photograph of the girl. She looked vaguely familiar, yet he knew he had never seen the girl before – it was something about her face structure. Her appearance was very unusual with her pure white hair; her eyebrows and even her eyelashes were pure white. Dick figured she had to be albino – he could see the violet red eyes somewhat in the photograph.

With a shrug, he set the paper aside and picked at his breakfast.

“What do you think is the matter with Slade?” asked Dick, looking up at Wintergreen after a moment. The old man looked at Dick and gave him a concerned expression.

“I don’t rightly know. Be a dear and go find out, will you?”

“While he’s in that rage? No, thank you,” said Dick with a decidedly firm shake of his head.

“Oh, please; he’s not going to hit you – you know that,” said Wintergreen with a light smile; leaning an elbow onto the table surface.

“No, but he might resort to that more embarrassing way that you put him up to,” retorted Dick. He shuddered and shook his head. “Not happening this early in the morning, thank you.”

“Oh, but you can spare a swat or two in the name of curiosity, can’t you?” asked Wintergreen with a wry, mischievous grin. Dick gave the old man an incredulous look.

“Why don’t you sacrifice your hide, old man?”

“Keep that up and Slade will be the least of your problems,” said Wintergreen with a dangerous smirk. “Now go on, spare me the dramatics and go see what’s got Slade into a tizzy.”

“A tizzy? More like a rampage,” contradicted Dick, slowly getting to his feet.

“Go on, get!” snipped Wintergreen, clapping his hands once and pointing to the hallway; that smile still ever so dangerous. Dick hurried away, not liking the glint in the old man’s eyes. He took a deep breath as he walked down the hallway. It wasn’t like he was nervous. Not at all.

Yeah, right.

But he seriously hoped that Slade wouldn’t be too mad for bothering him. It was obvious that the man was absolutely furious about something. But he had only been looking at a newspaper. What was so infuriating about that article?

As Dick reached the man’s bedroom door, he hesitated. He didn’t really want to knock and let Slade know he was there. The man would only snarl and hiss at him, probably. Quietly, Dick turned the knob of Slade’s bedroom door and cracked it open. Slade’s furious voice flooded into the hallway immediately.

“—dare you! How dare you!” Slade was screeching at someone – shouting terribly in his fury. Dick cracked open the door more to see Slade standing at his computer desk. He was leaning a hand on the surface as he glared up into the screen. Dick was shocked to see that Slade was talking with a woman on that computer screen.

“You’re out of our lives, Slade. You have nothing to do with us any more,” snapped the woman spitefully. Dick eyed her carefully, gauging her to be in her late fifties. She had dark brown hair – probably dyed, since there was no grey hair – and deep green eyes. Her expression was just as furious as Slade’s.

“I, at least, have some right to know if my daughter is still alive!” snarled Slade at the top of his voice. Dick sucked in his breath; feeling as if the wind had been blown out of his lungs.

Slade’s daughter is still alive? Rose is still alive?!

“You don’t have any rights!” cried the woman. “You destroyed everything. How could you, Slade? What was so important that it had to cost us everything?”

So, the woman on the screen… must be Slade’s ex-wife, Adeline.

“Oh, yes,” snarled Slade sarcastically. “I planned it all out. I planned for Grant to be murdered, for Joey’s voice to be stolen, for Rose to be blown up or to disappear. Yes, I planned it all! Blast it, Addie – you know that’s a crock!”

Slade pushed himself off the desk and jammed his hands onto his hips. He turned his head away as he let out let a huff-like sigh. There was stilled silence between the two of them as it seemed like their tempers deflated completely. After another moment, the woman spoke up again.

“It’s Sadie now,” whispered Adeline. Slade turned to look back at her.

“What?” asked Slade, matching her tone.

“She goes by Sadie Roeslyn now. She’s changed… ever since then,” said Adeline, her voice sounding so broken and torn. “She’s detached from me and Joey. She’s been so distant all these years, almost as if her soul died. And then, she moved out two years ago.”

Adeline’s expression changed swiftly back into full blown hate towards Slade.

“This is all your fault!” cried Adeline hysterically, pointing at him once and setting a hurt, yet enraged look onto the man. “If you hadn’t been so selfish in your choices, then none of this would’ve happened! She’s changed, Slade. Into something… it’s almost frightening. But I’m so thankful for one thing – she has powers, but she refuses to use them.”

“You should at least let me see her once.”

“No!” screamed Adeline so fiercely that the speakers distorted. Dick flinched at the terrible tone. “You are not to see her. She does not want to see you and I don’t want you seeing her either. You made your choices, Slade. Now you have to pay the consequences of such things. Don’t call me again.”

The screen went black.

Dick scrambled away from the door, shutting it, before leaning against the wall; breathing heavily.

He couldn’t believe he had just done that. He had eavesdropped on Slade’s private – very private – conversation with his ex-wife! What the freaking heck was he thinking?! Well, it was obvious that he hadn’t been. His beating heart would not calm down. He had to calm down. If Slade found out…

Dick flushed deeply; his stomach churning with apprehension. Oh gosh, he prayed Slade wouldn’t find out. The man would kill him – wale it into his hide good for this and Dick seriously wanted to go just a little longer than two days in between incidences, thank you very much.

But then, it felt as if something died inside his heart.

Dick took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying very hard to calm himself down.

There was something else going on inside Dick’s heart and he wasn’t quite sure what it was. It was as if the beginning of a terrible storm was building inside his chest. He was actually feeling somewhat irritated over the whole thing. He just couldn’t understand why.

Suddenly, the door opened and Slade stepped out. He looked momentarily startled when he saw that Dick was standing there. A calm swept over Dick and his expression went blank; everything dying inside. Slade’s eye narrowed as he folded his arms and sent a stern glare at Dick.

“How long have you been standing there?” demanded Slade. “Did you listen in?”

“Not long and no, sir,” lied Dick. He wasn’t sure what was coming over him. He never could lie easily without detection and especially to Slade. “Will sent me to find out what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong,” muttered Slade, turning his head away; his chest heaving once.

“I see. Well, I’m going to my room for a bit, sir,” said Dick evenly. Before Slade could say anything to that, Dick whirled around and walked to his room; slamming the door a bit too hard behind himself.

He took a deep breath and let it out through his nose.

A tempest of emotions blew madly inside Dick. He couldn’t control them. There were so many different feelings that rose up inside his heart, he could barely keep track of them. Mixture of fear, anxiety, anger, betrayal, jealousy and many more rushed through his soul in a terrible overwhelming wave.

There were so many, Dick nearly reeled at the door from their overpowering weight. They were so strange, his feelings. He just couldn’t sort them out. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling anxious or angry or betrayed or jealousy or fear – but he was. There was nothing to be afraid of, nothing to jealous of, nothing to feel betrayed from, nothing to be angry over, nothing to feel anxious over – there was nothing at all.

But then, he realized the source of his feelings.

And then, a wave of self hate flowed through him.

He hated himself for feeling these feelings. Why should he feel jealous? He should be happy, thrilled for Slade that his daughter survived. Rose was alive! He had never begrudged someone like this before. Why was he feeling this way? Why was he feeling afraid? Was he worried that Slade would choose his living, real child instead of him?

Dick curled his arms around his chest and slid down to the floor. Why was he even thinking like that? What was he expecting from Slade? To be his father now? But that was stupid. Slade could never be his father. His father, John Grayson, was dead. No one could take his place. Dick could never have another father; could never have someone to care for him like that; could never have someone to lean on, to learn from, to look up to; to tell him everything was going to be all right – to love him.

Right?

Dick dropped his head into his knees; breathing deeply.

But that was exactly the feeling that he had been trying to run away from; to hide it away deep inside his heart. Now the fear was completely tearing him apart and that solitary single feeling could now rise unobstructed throughout his soul. That one crazy, amazing thought that had been constantly trying to overtake him the past few days.

He wanted Slade to be his father.

But it could never be.

This was his fault, though, for letting such a feeling rise inside his heart. Dick had let Slade manipulate his feelings. This was what the man wanted, wasn’t it? A loyal apprentice; a loyal heir; a loyal partner. But being that didn’t mean that Slade would be the same in return. He was just a tool to the man, wasn’t he? There was no way Slade could’ve developed any type of fatherly feelings for him.

A shuddering sob burst from Dick’s lips before he could stop it. He clamped his mouth down viciously; forcing back any other sobs that wanted to break free. He wasn’t going to cry over this. He couldn’t. He had to remain strong. Oh, why did he have to get attached to the man? The Titans would never be able to understand it – he didn’t even understand it.

It was the strangest thing ever. Dick just couldn’t understand it himself. But there was no denying that he still had felt those overwhelming feelings of abandonment when he had thought Slade had died. He couldn’t bear it if Slade abandoned him; if the man didn’t need him. Even though Slade had reassured Dick that he was still needed, the man hadn’t known Rose was still alive at the time. There was a great possibility that Slade would choose her instead.

And that would just prove how nobody truly wanted Dick any more.

Dick rubbed his face in his legs. No, he couldn’t think like that. That was stupid, degrading thinking. He had to think more positively – had to think like Starfire. She would see all his good points. His friends still wanted him, right? Surely they knew he hadn’t just left them on his own.

He had to push that wistful, impossible wish away. He couldn’t hope for the impossible – it would only tear away his soul, making him go completely insane. There was no way Slade could ever be his father and that was that.

Impossible things could never happen.

That didn’t mean it didn’t break his heart, though.

Dick could feel hot beads of tears begin to seep from his clenched eyes. He rolled forward and got to his feet; hurrying to lie face down onto his bed. He buried his increasingly wet face into the soft pillow.

There he let the silent sobs rack his body.

ooOOOOOoo

February 23rd, 2009. Monday, 7:22 am.

Slade strode into the kitchen, still feeling outraged at Adeline and betrayed that the woman had kept such an important secret from him. His daughter, his precious little girl, had been alive all this time. There was a huge torrent of conflicted feelings over that. He desperately wanted to see her, but he understood that he no longer had that right.

It heartened him that she was alive, but sickened him that he had missed seeing her grow up. At least with Joey, he had kept tabs on him. He had so many pictures of his dear son, they could wallpaper the entire Titans Tower. But he couldn’t understand how he hadn’t seen Rose at all in those pictures. Slade had watched Joey grow up, but only as an observer from the sidelines. He couldn’t be involved in his son’s life any more.

He had lost that right.

Slade sat down in a chair slowly, grabbing the newspaper with the picture of his daughter. She was beautiful – simple as that. She resembled him quite a bit, but the whitened features changed her appearance greatly from what she had looked like as a little girl.

“Slade, what’s going on around here?” asked Wintergreen, sounding slightly exasperated. “What on earth got you into such a rage?”

Slade looked up, forgetting that the old man was still at the table. Slade wordlessly handed him the paper. Wintergreen accepted it and looked down. After a moment, he looked up.

“This…?”

“That is Rose,” said Slade in a low undertone.

“Sarah Rose?!” cried Wintergreen; his eyes snapping back down to look at the paper. “By the stars above… It is her… But how…?”

“Apparently she lived through the explosion,” said Slade, his voice void of any emotion. “Caused some physical changes, but that’s her. That’s Rose… All grown up.”

“You called Adeline?”

Slade nodded.

“My word… So beautiful,” murmured Wintergreen. “I always knew she would be a pretty little thing when she grew up. I always said you’d need a shotgun to keep the boys away.”

Slade chuckled; sounding almost injured.

“Grant and Joey were more than glad to volunteer in the job of guarding their little sister,” said Slade quietly. “Do you remember the time when she first went to preschool?”

“Oh, yes!” said Wintergreen with a remembering smile. “There was that nasty little Porter boy. Vicious little thing. Didn’t he antagonize Sarah Rose?”

“He did,” smirked Slade, leaning an elbow onto the table and resting his chin in his hand. “Grant and Joey were so furious with him, I was afraid they were going to sneak off together and attack him. It’s one thing to fight your enemies, but a four year old boy just doesn’t know any better.”

“Well, it’s not like she needed any help,” said Wintergreen, his face still brightened with a smile. “Such a little spitfire she was.”

“Just like her mother,” murmured Slade, his eye darkening; his mood failing. He looked away for a moment, pensive.

Wintergreen frowned suddenly.

“Slade, where’s Richard?” asked Wintergreen, glancing down the hallway for a moment. “I sent him after you to see what was wrong.”

“He said he was going to his room for a bit,” said Slade with a shrug. Wintergreen began to look concerned.

“Did he walk in on your conversation with Adeline?”

“He had better not,” said Slade, raising an annoyed eyebrow. “He told me he didn’t.”

“What if he lied?” asked Wintergreen. A dark light entered Slade’s eye.

“Then, he’s off to a bad start today, isn’t he?” said Slade in a suggestive tone. “Although, I’m surprised if that’s true; that he was able to manage it. He’s normally a terrible liar – at least to me.”

Slade stood up from the kitchen table and made his way to the hallway.

“Don’t be too hard on him if he did,” called Wintergreen after him.

“Listen in if you’re so worried,” said Slade, glancing once to smirk at the old man before turning back to his walking.

Slade strode to the boy’s room, but when he reached the door, he paused for a minute. He should knock, even though he normally didn’t feel the need to do so. The two of them were beginning to develop the feeling of familiarity. It would be better if he knocked, even if he was coming in to find out about the boy’s behavior.

Thus, he knocked.

There was no answer.

“Dick, I’m coming in,” said Slade. He had knocked, but he wasn’t going to wait for an answer. He opened the door to see the boy scrambling up from off his bed. The boy made a mad dash to his face with an arm; swiping it quickly. Slade frowned slightly for a moment. The boy’s eyes were red.

Had Dick been crying?

Slade walked over to the desk and slipped into the chair. He leaned an elbow on the desk’s surface as he stared at the boy. He was acting strangely, but Slade wasn’t sure exactly what was wrong.

“Dick, what’s up?” asked Slade pleasantly. Dick’s expression was classic – his face scrunched up in a disbelieving, incredulous stare. Slade fought back a chuckle at the sight. He sobered, though. “What’s the matter? You look unhappy.”

The boy shook his head softly and remained silent.

“Answer me. I’m not here to have a conversation with myself,” said Slade, keeping his tone firm, yet soft. There was a small noise from the boy before he pushed himself to the edge of the bed. Then, he let out a deep sigh. Slade raised an eyebrow. The boy completely looked like the world had ended.

“Dick, what is the matter with you?” asked Slade, completely puzzled and exasperated. There was another moment of quiet before the boy finally opened his mouth.

“Look, I get it, all right?” whispered Dick, his tone bitter. He gave out a tired sigh of defeat. “You won, okay? Are you happy now? Is that what you’ve been waiting to hear all this time? You won.”

What on earth is this boy talking about?

Slade watched as a deep pain entered Dick’s startling blue eyes. He almost looked beaten down by something. Confusion was the thing that settled inside Slade. Why on earth was the boy acting like this? Hadn’t things changed now? What could’ve brought this sudden depression upon him?

“I… I care about you now,” said Dick in a terribly soft whisper. Slade had to strain to hear the boy’s voice and was startled by what he was hearing. “Was that your goal all along? To get me to like you, care about you so I won’t stop you any more? Well, you won. It’s fine. I won’t…” Dick’s chest heaved in a deep sigh. “I won’t try to stop you. Just… Just don’t hurt innocent people and I won’t stop you. You can send me back now. The Teen Titans officially won’t try to stop you. We’ll look the other way.”

Slade wanted to retort about how cute Dick was to actually think that the Teen Titans could actually pose any threats to him, especially if he really wanted something. But he held back; truly hearing what the boy was saying.

Why was Dick sounding as if he thought… It was as if Dick thought Slade was going to discard him or something. Where did he get a strange idea like that? What on earth was going through that boy’s head?

“Dick,” began Slade, still unsure how to proceed with this. “What are you talking about? You’re acting as if you’re going back to the Titans.”

“Where else am I gonna go?” shrugged Dick despondently. “Batman fired me. I at least have to try and apologize to my friends about the whole Red X mess. If they don’t forgive me…”

“If they don’t, then they never were really your friends,” commented Slade in a light tone. Dick just shrugged again and glanced down. Slade sighed and shook his head. He let a wry smirk spread through his features.

“What makes you think you’ll be able to escape? You haven’t been able to yet,” drawled Slade.

“It’s not like you’ll need me any more,” murmured Dick.

Slade was getting tired. Hadn’t he just reassured the boy that he still needed him? The boy had even thrown that ridiculous tantrum over it. Surely he had made himself perfectly clear on the whole matter. Slade just didn’t have the patience for a wild goose chase. What could’ve brought on such behavior? Why was the boy so moody? Sure he was a teenager with all those annoying new hormones that came with puberty, but Grant hadn’t been this bad.

“Enough of this, Dick. Out with it,” said Slade, his chest rising once in his confusion. “What on earth are you talking about? What gave you such an idea that I won’t, as you say, need you any more?”

“Nothing…” muttered Dick.

“This moodiness will cease at once, Dick,” snapped Slade. “My patience is wearing thin with this cryptic nonsense you’re going on about. Out with it already.”

“No,” whispered Dick.

Slade’s eye narrowed darkly.

“Excuse me—Did you just say ‘no’ to me?” asked Slade in a deadly tone.

“Yes, sir,” whispered Dick; still not looking up at him. Slade was officially confused. Was the boy testing him again? He thought they had gotten passed all this nonsense. It had been almost a month since the boy had pulled that stupid testing of his trust stunt. Was he doing it again?

“Have explanation for your behavior or are you just itching for an educational trip over my knee?” asked Slade sardonically. Dick gave another despondent shrug. Slade raised his eyebrow. When did the boy become so self destructive? Normally, Dick would stiffen up and be in a rush to appease Slade after such a threat.

Something very strange was going on.

“Dick, you have ten seconds to explain yourself or I will execute my threat,” said Slade, bringing out the sternness in his tone. There was no response from the boy. Moments passed – seemingly ten seconds – until the boy stood up and faced Slade; standing directly in front of him. Slade was absolutely astonished by this act of compliance from the boy.

Dick’s eyes were cast down, but Slade could still see into them. Something inside Slade’s heart stirred when he saw the look within them. There was an endless amount of despair and hopelessness in those deep, crystal blue eyes. It was as if there was no life in those orbs; just an endless death of light. They were void of all everything. Not even the day after Dick’s mask had been removed had his eyes held this look. There was something far more inside them now.

A loss of something precious.

Slade sighed deeply. “Dick, sit back down.”

A small light of confusion entered the boy’s eyes before he obeyed; walking back and sitting gently on the edge of his bed.

“Aren’t you going to…”

“As much as I am thoroughly irritated by your behavior right now,” began Slade sternly, but he softened his tone a bit before continuing. “I am more so confused and would very much like a proper explanation.”

Again, Dick reacted in his usual annoying manner: he shrugged.

Slade was at his breaking point. What on earth could be going on in that head of his?

“Dick, please,” said Slade; tiredly rubbing a hand over the fur on his chin. “I am at the end of my rope here. You have to talk to me or I can’t figure out what is going on. Why are you so miserable?”

Dick shook his head.

“Everything’s fine, sir,” said Dick quickly in a very low, flat voice – almost robotic.

Slade fought back a growl. Where was the boy with fire? With spirit? With eagerness? With hope, desire, cheerfulness, happiness? Where on earth did that boy go? How could Slade get that special child back?

“Stand up. Get over here,” said Slade, his tone going sharp. Dick’s eyes widened suddenly; fear flooding into them.

Oh, so when he’s in charge of when I can punish him, he’s okay with it. But when I command it, he’s all scared and hesitant. Why am I not surprised?

“Move it!” snapped Slade. Dick jumped and fluidly stood up. He dragged his feet as he walked to him. Slade grabbed him firmly by the arms and turned him to the side. He landed a hard strike to the boy’s backside – there was a sharp intake of breath from the boy – before swiftly turning him back to face him.

“Now, we can keep this up,” said Slade, giving the boy a firm shake. “I grow exceptionally tired of this moody game you’re playing. You better explain yourself before we make a day of it and I warm your hide until dinnertime.”

Ah, the boy’s eyes couldn’t go any wider at that.

“Oh, yes,” said Slade, holding back a smirk as he latched onto what he hoped would make the boy more receptive in talking. “I have all day to have at your backside until you talk. You remain silent; I have at you. You talk; I listen. It’s as simple as that. Don’t make this hard on yourself.”

Dick’s face fell into a scowl and he squirmed in Slade’s tight hold.

“Just leave me alone,” murmured Dick. “Let me go.”

“It speaks!” cried Slade in mocking. Dick glowered at him, but Slade gave the boy one hard shake. “Lose that face.” Thus, Dick’s face fell into a moody pout. Well, that was better than before.

“Ten seconds to decide,” said Slade, his eye glinting warningly. “Ten seconds or this’ll be the start of a very long and sore day for your hide.”

Dick’s lips trembled.

So, he was nervous. Good. Slade at least was getting some reaction out of the boy.

“Nine, eight, seven, six,” started Slade, counting decisively. He really didn’t want to have to do this, but the boy honestly wasn’t giving him any choice now. The more the boy got into trouble, the more Slade disliked having to discipline him. Why couldn’t the boy just obey? There was almost a hint of disappointment inside Slade’s heart when he had to deal with the boy like this. Surely not, though.

Dick’s lips began to tremble so hard that he bit his lower lip in order to steady it.

“Five, four, three.”

The boy’s chest rose up and down as his breathing quickened.

“Two, one—”

“All right!” cried Dick desperately. Slade stilled; hoping the boy would finally say something of understanding. “All right, I–I listened in on your conversation!”

Slade’s eye narrowed.

“You did what?!” breathed Slade.

“I–I listened at the d–door,” stammered Dick. “I heard everything, okay? I know your daughter is still alive. I’m–I’m sorry about eavesdropping.

Oh, you will be…

“Look, I get it, all right?” continued Dick, before Slade could scold him for eavesdropping and lying to him about it. The boy’s voice cracked under the obvious strain of his emotions. “I understand if you want her instead, okay? I understand if you don’t need me any more to be your apprentice or heir. I get it.”

Slade paused. He was getting more confused by the moment. What did Rose being alive have anything to do with wanting Dick as his apprentice?

“I understand if you want your real daughter,” murmured Dick, his voice dropping to a low whisper. His thoughts spilled from his mouth in a continuous stream of whispers, as if to himself. “I get it. I’m used to anyway. Just stop with me, already. I can’t take this any more. I’m gonna go crazy; getting crushed with all these freaking feelings. I’m sick of this rollercoaster I feel I’m on. I’m such an idiot for letting you manipulate my feelings like this. Shows how weak I really am. I just want to go back to my life. Just let me go back already. You won, all right?”

Slade’s grip on the boy’s arms lessened in surprise as he heard Dick’s words. Was the boy stressed again? But over what? Everything had been going perfectly well. So much that Slade had even allowed the boy to come with him on a contract. Yes, it had been a little traumatic and bit of a mess, but Slade thought the boy was made of stronger stuff than that.

Had he been wrong? Surely not. The boy was filled with fire and spirit. He was strong. But honestly, what on earth was going on in that boy’s head?

There was a sharp intake of breath in Slade’s ear. Oh, good. Wintergreen was listening. Oh, blessed day. Finally, someone understood something around here. Maybe if he shared with the rest of the class, they could get to the bottom of this stupidity and not have to wallop the child’s to find out.

“Slade, he’s feeling insecure,” came Wintergreen’s reverent voice. “He’s worried that you’ll replace him with Sarah Rose – that you won’t need him any more.”

This was utter nonsense. What could’ve given the boy such a ridiculous idea?

The boy was feeling… jealous? Slade’s eye widened involuntarily. The boy was feeling jealous? How could that have happened? Slade figured that the boy had grown attached to him over the recent weeks; especially after he saw the boy actually crying over his supposed death.

But the boy was feeling possessive and worried about his place with him.

Slade nearly reeled at that. He was baffled – thoroughly baffled to no end. Had he really reached this point with the boy? Had Robin, the Boy Wonder, truly grown that attached to him, Slade the deadly mercenary assassin; archenemy to the Boy Wonder?

Stranger yet, Slade had felt a small – very small! – feeling of fondness over the boy – if he admitted it. The past six months with the boy had brought out so many feelings that he had long buried in his heart over eight years ago with the destruction of his family. Dick was resurrecting long forgotten knowledge that had once been second nature to Slade.

Knowledge of a father.

“Let me get this straight,” started Slade slowly; tightening his grip on Dick’s arms. “You think that because my daughter is alive, that I would rather have her as my apprentice and heir. Is that what you’re thinking?”

There was a long quiet, motionless moment. Then, Dick gave a tiny nod of confirmation.

“That,” started Slade, “is the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard.”

There was another sharp intake of breath in Slade’s ear. He held back a smirk at the old man’s shock. Dick’s eyes widened in surprise. Then, confusion set in.

Slade firmly pulled the boy closer to him, so that his legs were touching Slade’s knees. He pulled him forward, so that Dick was forced to lean down towards his face. Merely a few inches away, Slade looked directly into those crystal blue eyes that were filled with so much longing.

“Listen carefully. I want you as my apprentice. No one else. Even if Grant were still alive, I would’ve been drawn to your exceptional skills and abilities. You are unique. You are special.” Tears began to fill in the edges of Dick’s ever widening eyes. “You are extraordinary. You are a prodigy. You are strong. You are intelligent. Why on earth wouldn’t I choose you?”

Dick visibly swallowed.

“Answer my question.”

The boy swallowed again; no longer blinking as his eyes began to glisten even further with his tears.

“I–I don’t know,” whispered Dick, his voice heavily cracked with emotion.

“You don’t know?” asked Slade incredulously, releasing the boy’s arms to fold his own; his eyebrow rising as well. “Then, why even suggest that I’m planning to replace you? That is utter nonsense. I haven’t gone to all this trouble just to toss you out at the sight of a ‘shinier’ recruit. You’re such an oddity, you know that? Five months ago, you were chomping at the bit to escape and now you act as if you’re worried you might be forced to leave? You really are—”

Slade was cut off as he was enveloped by the boy’s arms. They wrapped themselves around his neck as the boy’s head settled into the nape there. Shock rippled through Slade. The boy was… hugging him? No, that couldn’t be. That just couldn’t be possible. It was absurd, thoroughly and completely absurd.

But there he was, arms curled around Slade’s neck. It was a hug. The Boy Wonder was hugging Slade, Deathstroke the Terminator – of his own free will. Now that was the most mystifying thing to have ever happened to Slade.

A soft whisper murmured in his ear.

“Thank you.”

Another stirring swelled inside Slade’s heart. Had his words really been all that touching to spur such an impulse from the boy? He hadn’t said anything too out of the ordinary. Slade had merely said truth to the boy. What was so emotional about that?

Well, whatever made the boy reach the point of actually reaching out and hugging him, Slade wasn’t going to push him away. That was obviously the last thing the boy needed right now. So, Slade unfolded his arms and patted Dick gently on the back with a hand.

“Oddity doesn’t even begin to describe you,” muttered Slade; yet a smile tugged at the side of his mouth.

The arms tightened around his neck briefly. A soft warmth flowed from those small arms. It felt so strange being hugged by a child. It had been over eight years since Slade had been hugged by one of his children. There was something so sacred, so special, so innocent about a hug from a child.

It brought quite a few old emotions to the forefront of Slade’s mind.

“All right, enough of this,” said Slade, after a few moments of amusing the boy in his hug. Dick withdrew slowly, wiping an eye roughly with the back of his wrist. His eyes were reddened slightly from the effort of withholding his tears.

Slade reached up and carefully clasped the boy’s cheek with a hand, wiping away a stray, traitorous tear with his thumb.

“No more tears,” said Slade in a soft undertone. “There’s nothing to cry about right now. Cry when there is.”

Dick had been startled by Slade’s hand, but he nodded quietly to the request; relaxing visibly. Then, after Slade withdrew his hand, he sent a firm glare on the boy, who stiffened slightly beneath it.

“Now, on to the matter of eavesdropping that was recently and sneakily committed,” said Slade, his eye glinting suggestively. Dick’s face crinkled up sheepishly.

“I’m sorry?” tried Dick in a soft whisper.

“Mmm… Yes, you will be,” said Slade. Dick scrunched his eyes closed expectantly. Slade smirked. He stood up, giving the boy just another moment to endure in worry before placing a hand on his mop of raven black hair. He ruffled the hair as Dick’s eyes popped open in surprise. Slade leaned down to the boy’s ear, putting some of his weight down so that the boy hunched from it.

“Don’t do it again.”

Dick blinked for a moment before nodding. “Yes, sir.”

“Good.”

Slade clasped the boy firmly by the chin with his spare hand and forced Dick to look up at him from the side. A sharp light entered Slade’s visible eye.

“And if you ever lie to me again, you will live to greatly regret it,” said Slade silkily in a dark whisper. “Do I make myself clear?”

Fear and perfect understanding filled the boy’s glistening eyes. He nodded rapidly.

“Y–yes, sir,” stammered Dick with a squeak.

“Good boy.”

The boy smiled at that. Slade wasn’t sure why that would bring a smile to his face, but it did. It was always strange that little snippets of praise brought such a reaction to the boy.

Very strange indeed.

“All right, then. I’m going back to finish what’s left of my probably now cold breakfast,” said Slade with a smirk, his hand still laced through the boy’s hair. “Are you coming?”

“I’ll be there in a minute, sir,” said Dick with a bright smile.

“Well, all right, then,” said Slade, ruffling the boy’s hair once more before turning away and walking out of the room. The boy was still smiling brightly as he left.

Such a strange child indeed.

ooOOOOOoo

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