Wrong Parent (Dick Grayson)

16--Captive

I've never mentioned it before, but the inspiration for this story came from Evil-Bat-Cat 's story Alternative. I tried not to copy it, but, I'll be honest, Robin being from Cadmus was not my idea. Sorry!

I was still recovering from my injures, so Spare decided that training wouldn't do me any good. He had broken my wrist badly and all I could do about it was wrap my old shirt around it and hope that it wouldn't get worse.

Slade was out and I was held captive in the house. The door was locked, the windows too, and I was wearing a collar that shocked me if I got within a foot of either. I stayed on the couch most of the time, walking the news halfheartedly. I found out that the League and the team were looking for me, which should have excited me, but it didn't. They wouldn't find me, and even if they did, they would be killed.

I shut off the tv and limped into the kitchen. There wasn't much food and Slade had warned me that I was not to eat anything of his, leaving me with the rotten, expired things. I took a two week old yogurt out of the fridge and opened it, retching at the smell. I'd gotten used to three meals a day plus snacks when I was with the team, but now it looked like I would be eating to survive again. I grabbed a spoon and scooped out a small amount of yogurt out of the container. I swallowed and took a tentative bite. I almost threw it up. It was moldy. I forced myself to swallow and took another bite, gagging. He's going to poison me one of these days.

After I had finished the yogurt, I slunked back to the living room and wrapped myself up in a ratty old blanket that smelled like mothballs and mildew. I moved my broken arm the wrong way and pain shot up my arm, causing me to wince. I readjusted myself and turned on the tv and watched the news for a little bit. If Slade came home right now and saw how comfortable I was...I dreaded what he'd do to me.

The phone rang, causing me to jump. I didn't know if Deathstroke wanted me to answer the phone or not, so I let the answering machine get it. "Renegade," Slade's voice rang. "Pick up."

I grabbed the phone and held it up to me ear. "Yes, Master?" I asked, only just above a whisper.

"I want you to make me supper. I'll be back at 6:00, sharp." And with that, he hung up. Slave once again. I glanced at the clock on the wall. 3:17. I decided to start supper at five o'clock. For now, I would rest and try to forget about my miserable life.

~

I had just finished setting the silverware by Slade's spot when the door slammed open. Slade took off his mask and sat down. He glanced at me. "Good work, Renegade," he said. "I thought you'd be out of practice." He glanced behind me. "Put you did make quite a mess that you didn't clean up."

"I was just about to..." my voice trailed off and I instinctively took a step back as Slade stood at his full height and raised his hand. It came down hard enough to knock me down, smacking my head on the table. I laid there until Slade growled at me to get up. I did so, trying to ignore the blood running into my eyes. How much more head trauma can I take?

"Get going," Slade said in a dangerously low voice. "And I might think about feeding you my scraps."

I nodded and tried to make myself look as small as possible as I washed the dishes, my head aching. I wiped the blood away so I could see clearly. I could feel Slade's gaze stabbing into my back. I tried to ignore it, but it was impossible. My body shook in fear and exhaustion. I hate my life.

Once I was done, Slade ordered me to sit on the floor by his seat. I did so. He set his plate on the floor with the bits and pieces he had left over. I had been tempted to eat the extras that were left in the pans when I had been washing dishes, but I didn't want to get hurt again. Now, all I had to eat was about three peas, half a piece of garlic bread, and a couple spaghetti noodles. I made the meal last as long as possible before bringing the plate to the sink and washing it, although I had literally licked it to get everything off, something I knew Slade loved to watch me do since it brought me even farther down than the level i was at now, and it was painful. I was still just an orphan beggar who would have probably been a drug dealer if I hadn't been adopted. Now I was a trained assassin that was treated like a dog. It sickened me.

I put the plate away and walked back to my "room". Who am I kidding? My cell. Slade locked the door and I was engulfed in darkness.

I made myself as comfortable as possible, preparing ,myself for another sleepless night. All I want...is to get out of this hellish nightmare..."