The runaway

Chapter five

It's been a few nerve racking weeks since sportsmaster invaded the cave, yet nothing has happened yet.

I become more relaxed, and even started patrol of Gotham with Bruce again. We decided that it's been enough time for dick Grayson to come back without causing a link to be connected between dick Grayson and nightwing.

I walked out of the zeta tubes, greeted by an overly active speedster.

"Come on wing, we're doing team bonding time." He dragged me towards the living room.

He plopped down next to Aqualad and Artemis put me between her and Wally.

They turned on the TV, and argued for a good hour about which channel to settle on, Artemis wanted to watch Gotham news, Wally wanted to watch some action movie, Aqualad wanted to watch an ocean documentary, M'gann wanted to watch Hello Meghan, and Connor wanted to watch static. 

Eventually Artemis won after she threatened to murder everyone. The Gotham news flashed onto the announcement of me coming back. Well Dick Grayson coming back.

"Mr. Grayson Mr. Grayson, where have you been?"

"Mr. Grayson why have you returned to Gotham?"

I winced internally at the voices, remembering how pushy they were. I got up, claiming that I wanted a drink of water, when really I was heading to the gym.

Almost sent me into a freaking panic attack, but I managed throughout the entire ordeal.

Taking a deep breath, I walked into the gym, finding myself in front of the punching bags, I started my routine.

I did it again, I lost myself, and when I felt a presence behind me, I turned my heart dropping to my stomach for a second before I realized it was just the team.

Taking a deep breath, calming my racing heart, I relaxed ever so slightly. "Sorry guys, I-I uh, needed a uh breather." I left, but I felt them follow, so I jumped onto the nearest couch, and waited for the questions to start flowing.

"My friend we need to talk about what just happened" Aqualad started.

"Dude we tried getting your attention but it was like you weren't even there" Wally spoke.

"So when I was with....... him, the only place I could go to place my frustrations and to also vent them was the indoor gym, so it became where I would go when I needed to express my anger. Now I've discovered that even though I still find a punching bag, I generally am not even mentally in the room, I'm back in the clutches of Slade, so yes you couldn't get my attention because I was having flashbacks, and the only thing that snaps me out of it is if something happens to distract me" I rubbed my wrist, taking some deep breaths. It was hard to talk about it.

"Listen it's late, I suggest that we all go to bed" I said, breaking the tense silence that had settled.

I felt them watching me, no doubt they'd discuss it when I left but I was too exhausted to care. I hadn't been getting a fantastic amount of sleep the last five years so, I'm tired.

I fell into the deep black void that approached with the promise of sleep, but I know it's just a ruse for when I have nightmares.

...
Middle of the night
...

I was awake, which sucked because I had finally chilled out enough to actually sleep.

There was a loud crash.

Deciding there wasn't much to worry about, because there's no way Slade knows where I am, I go check it out.

I wasn't dressed in my suit, actually I was dressed in sweatpants and a grey t-shirt, and I didn't have shoes on, so when I discovered that one of the few windows in the mountain was crashed open, I was panicked a little.

That meant someone was here.

My heart quickened in pace, while I backed up, I bumped into an all too familiar shape that made my heart stop.

Slade.

He leaned next to my ear. "Scream or alert the other heroes in anyway, and I'll kill them all" I nodded.

He didn't back away, instead put a hand on my shoulder as I flinched. "That little stunt you pulled, alerting the Bat when sportsmaster came for you, that was a poor choice on your part, becoming a hero, also a poor choice, then there's the fact that you blew up my base, now I'm not very happy right now" I felt my hands start to shake at his words. "Now you come along quietly and maybe this will be even slightly better for you" I nodded.

He started walking in front of me, knowing that I'd follow him. I feared him too much to disobey him to his face, and I also knew he'd keep his word of killing everyone here if I stepped out of line, so I followed defeatedly.

It was going to be horrible for me when we got to his new base, I could only hope that my friends would be able to find me, I'm not strong enough to face him alone, If I tried, well there's a reason even the leaguers fear him.