AN: This is a one-shot dabble. Basically Robin's in a mental hospital and Slade comes to visit him. Just a random idea. If you want more, I'll write more, but just thought I'd share what I had.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Robin wasn't sure why he'd done it. He supposed he'd just broke. Constantly having so much pressure on your shoulders was hard for anyone. He had the pressures of everyone's life at stake with every move he made and when he'd failed to protect three innocent lives in a row, Robin blamed himself. His friends tried to tell him it wasn't his fault. They tried cheering him up, but nothing worked. Robin settled in such a deep depression that his friends had called the Batman to step in and try to knock it out of him. Robin went back to living with Bruce for a little bit, but this only sped up the process. Having his only outlet stripped from him, Robin finally did something he never thought he'd do.
Of course he'd been caught. Just in time too. Had Alfred found him a few minutes later, he would've died. His story circulated around almost every newspaper in New York. 'Billionaire Bruce Wayne's son attempted suicide'. There were thousands of stories that had theories on why Robin had done it, but none really knew. Some stories even begin taking this opportunity to feed the public lies of Bruce Wayne, on how he was an abuser since Robin had had several unexplained bruises from his last fight in Jump City. Bruce took the stories in silence, even thought Robin knew he'd hurt the man deeper than anyone would understand. This only piled guilt on Robin. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he was a failure, and he couldn't live with himself.
Bruce had paid for him to be sent to the finest mental hospital there was around there. Robin now sat in a roomy cafeteria staring down at his hands on the table top. Robin hadn't eaten much in the past three days there. In fact, most doctors were worried they were going to have to force feed him through a tube or an IV.
"Richard?" A chirpy voice came from his left. Robin didn't bother looking up. He knew that voice to be Rachel, his personal watcher, since he was on one on one for trying to hurt himself last night. "Richard, come on, honey. You have to be hungry. Please try to eat something." She suggested. Robin didn't say a word. He hadn't said a thing since he got here. Doctors and professionals had tried several times to get him to talk, some even snapping and screaming threats at him, but nothing worked. Rachel sighed. "Do you want some water, sweetie?" She asked trying to get him to accept something. Robin shook his head and continued staring down at his hands. Rachel begin going into a long lecture about how they were going to have to force feed him soon if he didn't eat anything, but Robin tuned her out.
That night visitors came from all around to visit the other patients in the hospital. Bruce came to talk to Robin, but Robin didn't say a word during their time together. Half way through the sessions, Bruce bid him a farewell and left. Robin didn't expect anyone else to come after that, but as he begin to head back to his room, a nurse stopped him.
"Richard?" Robin looked up at Kathy. Kathy smiled sweetly. "You've got one more visitor, if you're up for it." She said. Robin sighed and nodded hoping it wasn't a reporter or something. Though, Bruce monitored everything that happened to Robin here. Robin was sure he wouldn't dare let a reporter in to see him.
Robin took a seat at the table and stared down at his hands. He felt someone slid past him and sit across. Curiously, Robin looked up, just to see who it might be. He guessed Alfred, but to his surprise, it was a tall, muscular man with white hair, a goatee, and an eye patch. Robin reeled back in his chair in surprise and nearly fell out of it.
"Shhh." Slade smirked. Robin's heart beat fast and uneven as he stared up at his worst enemy. How had HE gotten through security. Robin's mouth went dry as gears turned in his head on how to get the man away. But Robin knew he couldn't just fight him, as Robin would've liked to. He instead would have to get the nurse's attention and tell them to take the man away. How had Slade gotten past security?!
"Richard, there's no need for alarm. You're going to scare the nurses here." Slade mused calmly. "I just want to talk calmly, and we can either do it in the safety of this hospital, or I can forcibly take you out of this hospital where we'll still have to talk, just in a least safe place." Robin looked around. Slade was basically telling him to either sit through this talk here, or he'd hurt people to break him out of here where he'd still have to listen to the man. Robin glared back at him. Robin didn't have any doubt in his mind that Slade could break him out if he wanted to. Robin vaguely wanted this so he could find a way outside the hospital and finish what he'd started, but then Robin thought about it. Many people would get hurt if Robin allowed Slade to take him out of this hospital. He'd already hurt enough people. If the man just wanted to talk, then fine, he'd let him. He didn't have to respond.
Robin looked back down at the table as if to show he'd made his choice. Slade seemed amused. "Now then. Care to explain what you were thinking?" Slade asked. Robin said nothing and so Slade continued. "I know what happened. I've been keeping tabs on you." Slade answered for him. "I just would prefer to hear it from you." Again, Robin didn't answer, so Slade nodded and leaned forward a little. "Richard, I know what you may think, but there's something you've got to learn. You can't save them all." Robin clenched his fists glaring down at the balled hands wishing he'd leave now. "I know it's hard." Slade actually seemed sincere, Robin noted. "Death is not something you take lightly." Robin flinched. "There's no easy way to handle something, but this is not the way. Richard, you and I know you are destined for bigger and better things than this. You've yet to unlock your full potential and throwing your life away over one failure is something anyone who cares about you will not tolerate."
Robin actually hissed at his words and spoke for the first time in about week. "Go away." He growled lowly.
Slade chuckled lowly. "You and I both know I'll stay as long as I please. But that's beside the point. The point I'm trying to make is this… You made a mistake. People died from your mistake. Now you can either blame yourself for all eternity and live a very selfish life where you feel sorry for yourself and refused to try anything again in fear you'll fail. Or you can pick yourself back up and get through this depression, and continue through your life giving back to others what they can't repay. The choice is yours, Richard. Wallow in depression, or try again."
Robin sat there stunned into silence. This was his enemy telling him to get up and try again? He wasn't even gloating about how close to winning he was. He wasn't praising Robin for almost completing what most people had been trying to do for years. And Robin overall, was furious! Who was this man to tell him to keep going?! He didn't understand how much of failure Robin was. Robin didn't want to hear him accuse him of living a selfish life. Robin had given almost his whole entire life to others! He deserved to hear nice words of encouragement, not some brutal truth shoved in his face.
Slade didn't wait for a response. Instead he got up from the table and walked over to a nurse writing something down for them before leaving. Robin sat there fuming a moment before getting up and storming to his room.
Later on, the nurse informed him that Slade had left his phone number up at the front for Robin if he wanted to make a call. And after much thought, Robin finally decided to do so. The phone rang only once before it connected.
"Yes, Robin?" Slade's silky voice mused through the phone.
Robin hesitated. "Thank you." He said finally.
"Welcome." The man replied. They were silent for a moment. "When should I expect you home?"
"It might be a while." Robin replied honestly. Slade hummed softly over the line.
"I could come get you." Slade offered.
"No." Robin said. "I need to think some things over."
"Of course. It was only an offer. Get better, Robin. There's a lot waiting for you on the outside."
"I will." Robin promised. He wasn't sure if he was making the promise to Slade or himself.
"Until next time." Slade said calmly.
"Slade?" Robin hesitated.
"Hmm?"
"There's another visitation day on Tuesday. Bruce has a meeting…" Robin trailed off.
"I'll be there." Slade promised. There was another long silence.
"Goodbye." Robin finally said.
"Goodbye." Slade repeated. Then Robin heard the phone disconnect. Robin set the phone on the hook unsure he had made the right decision to ask Slade to meet him again. But he couldn't take it back now.
