"That was sooooo easy! Did you see me; I was all like 'Ha-ha! Not today insane villain!' and just punched him in the face!"

Flash swung a wild left hook, nearly hitting Green Lantern in the back. Wonder Woman gently caught his fist, lowering it to his side.

"Okay champ, let's calm down."

"Sorry, I had sugar! Wheee!"

"Not again."Superman rubbed his temple, the last time this happened…. He didn't want to think about it."Is it true?"

"Yep, he chugged a whole Jumbo Pixie stick pack. Like… thirty or forty of them?"

"And you didn't think it necessary to stop him?" Martain Manhunter sounded as polite as ever, but beneath that there was a very sarcastic voice.

"Not at the time. " Hal shrugged, "Flash, don't try to get a piggy back ride! No! Bad boy, bad!"

Hal grabbed his friend around the waist as he tried to jump on Aquaman's shoulders, the king looking very disgruntled.

"I wanna piggy back ride!"

Superman sighed again, sometimes this speedster was worse than his nephew… and that was saying something.

"Okay buddy, but Aquaman doesn't want to give you a piggy back ride."

"None of us do." Diana glared as Barry opened his mouth again.

"If you calm down, you can pick which door we look in first."

"YAY!"

The Scarlet Speedster took off. He raced to every door, examining it, rattling off something in Flash-speak and whizzing away again. The five out of seven Justice League members there walked on, knowing they would catch up to Barry eventually.

"Guys! Thisonethisonethisone!" Flash jumped in place, pointing to a door like all the others lining the halls. "It has a huge lock on it!"

Superman glided the last few feet up to said speedster and door. A quick laser vision later, the lock was undone. Flash opened the door.

Inside was not what was expected. There seemed to be a dresser pressed against the wall furthest from the door. It was dark; a small lamp standing on said dresser was turned off.

On a wall a thin door hung slightly open, a medicine cabin could be seen hanging against the rough concrete wall. Against the furthest wall, pressed into a corner, was what appeared to be a mattress. A lump of blankets atop its thin surface.

A dull light shown out from Hal's ring, casting a green shadow over the room and its occupants.

"I believe," Martain Manhunter scanned the room," I believe that there is another person in this room."

"Where?" Aquaman's eyes searched the room as well, trying to find a hiding spot.

"Over there, I can sense great fear."

Another person? How, why were they here? Now that Superman thought about it, he could hear a heartbeat other than his teammates, one that was racing wildly.

Flash cocked his head, and raced over to the mattress. He ripped the covers off of it, throwing them off to the side. They landed over Hal. They reeked!

"Great Hera…" was the only thing that could be said at what Barry revealed.

A small child, gasped. Wide eyes getting even bigger, then snapping shut. His head shoved between his knees, arms wrapping around his legs, pressing them against his chest.

He was plastered against the mattress, his back pressed against the hard wall. Small whimpers carried out from the ball.

Barry crouched down, resting his elbows on his bent knees. After a minute, the speedster poked the child on the head. He flinched, Barry withdrew his finger, and repeated the action. He was about to do it a third time when Diana snapped out of her stupor.

"Flash!" She grabbed his wrist."No, leave him be!" she shoved the Fastest Man Alive out of the way, peering down and the trembling form."Sweetie?"This was met by a soft whimper."Sweetie, please, can you answer me? We're not going to hurt you, I promise we're not."

Dazzling blue eyes peeked out of the curled position. Diana was transfixed by their beauty. They were a soft blue, a mix of sky blue, Light Ocean blue. There were speckles of deep blue scattered thought out. Stunning.

But they were filled with such fear. Terror laced into the wonderful blue. Fear danced across. Desperation shown like a light bulb. There message was clear. Like someone was screaming in the princess' ear.

"Please don't hurt me. Please. Please just love me. Please."

It was heartbreaking. Diana gently reached out, to touch the child's shoulder for comfort.

But the child flinched; he curled into a tighter ball, the wonderfully blue eyes hidden by scrunched closed lids. Though gaps in the child's fold, the Amazon could see an expression of fear and pain. He had shied away like she was going to hit him.

"Sweetie. I'm not going to hit you, I promise. είστε ασφαλείς , ασφαλείς μαζί μου μικρό. Υπόσχομαι." (You are safe, safe with me little one. I promise.)

The tension slightly left the child, his beautiful eyes returned. His gaze never leaving hers. She didn't want them to. Clark was next to her, she didn't even notice, very slowly he reached out. The boy backed away, eyes pleading with the princess. But Clark still continued, he gently hooked his arm around the child's waist, lifted him off of the dingy mattress, and gently placing him on the floor.

The boy stood awkwardly, his hands clutched together in front of him, his eyes transfixed on the floor. Now that he wasn't curled into a tight ball, or hiding, they could actually see what he looked like.

He wore a thin shirt, a fading black. It was rumbled, smeared with dirt-and most likely blood. There was a tear down one of the sleeves, revealing thin white scars, and scabs. His baggy sweatpants were just as dingy, torn around the knees. Of what was visible of his arms and legs, were marred by scars and bruises. Even his neck had what appeared to be hand marks, purplish areas. Someone had choked him. His face was marred as well, a large bruise covering his left eye.

His hair was unwashed, unruly. It fell over his eyes in black waves, some strands standing up. The ultimate case of bed-head. And neglect. He looked like he hadn't eaten in days, even weeks. His cheeks were hollow, and he had a starved look in his eyes. One for food and love.

"What is your name son?" Arthur sounded calm and kind.

He bit his lips, words obviously wanting to escape, but he held them back. A habit, an awful habit.

"What's your name kid?" Hal sounded a tad more serious. Apparently the child picked up the angry tone. Hal wasn't angry at the boy, but at the person who treated him like this.

"R-Richard sir." He mumbled, his voice was soft and sweet. It sounded beautiful, but it was drowning in fear, Richard's voice quavering on the last word. "F-Forg-give me, please."He whispered the three words, three simple words that made Diana's heart break.

Hal recoiled in shock. He never meant to scare the kid. But that answer, it scared him, Hal. What sort of answer was that from a kid? How could someone scare a child so badly that they thought any hesitation was a crime?

"Richard, we need you to come with us please."

Richard froze, his eyes peeled back in horror, he stumbled backwards.

"N-No, I-I-I can't!"

"Why not?"Barry scratched his head."Don't you want to get away? This place is creepy."

"I-I'm not allowed to leave, m-my Master said so."

What was that word? What did that little, small baby boy just say? What title did he just give to a person? That didn't just happen. Those words just didn't come out of his mouth. They didn't. But they did.

"Richard, please, come with us." Clark sounded scared.

"N-No, sir I can't. H-He'll punish me, I can't disobey my Master's order's sir, please."

Hal set his jaw. He was getting this boy out of here, if he had to drag him out by his ankles. He couldn't let him be afraid anymore.

"Richard."Hal leaned in close to Richard, he did something he had never done before. He removed his mask . It fell to the floor. Soft brown eyes looked up to the little boy's dazzling blue ones.

"Hal, what are you doooing?" Barry drawled through the mind link.

"Shut up, shut up. Barry, just shut up! Don't you get it? We failed him. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get him to stop being afraid!"

No one else said anything.

"Richard, please look at me buddy."His eyes had danced back to the ground."Dick-" His breath caught, eyes shouting back up. Widening in wonder. "Please, please come with me. I don't want to leave you here. Please, just come. I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise."

"How did you know his nickname was Dick?" The Martain had picked up the stray thought from the boy's rather guarded thoughts.

"I had a friend named Richard back home in California. We called him Rob, 'cause his middle names was Robert. But at first we called him Dick."

"Ah."

Richard's mouth twitched, his eyes closed and opened again. Hal grasped the young child's hands, ignoring the way he flinched at the contact.

"Please, Sir," he whispered," d-did my Master s-send you?"

Hal stopped, closing his eyes, he sighed. The only way to save Dick was to lie. To probably tell him one last, terrible lie.

"Yes."He couldn't say anything else or the truth would come rushing out and they would be back to square one.

"WHAT?!" five exasperated voices shouted, well there was also:

"TI?" from Wonder Woman, but he was pretty sure that was Greek for 'What?'

"I know what I'm doing!"

Dick immediately nodded. Hal smiled he was safe.

"I will always go if my Master calls for me."

Now that didn't make the Green Lantern happy. But the fact the Dick slowly followed them to the door did. Hal counted the steps in his head until they were out of the creepy, creepy haunt.

Dick's walk was slow and pained, he favored his left leg. A limp. He was injured. Oh course he was, covered in scars, welts and bruises. What kind of person could treat a child in such cruelty? Who would? Who would make an innocent soul become petrified in fear if people approached them? Who, who in the world, would force a mere child to utter such a degrading word as 'Master? There was only one person. One villain.

Deathstroke the Terminator.

When the Leaguers reached what must have been the main room of the haunt, Dick looked around curiously, looking for the man Hal told him had sent them. But he wasn't there. Of course he wasn't. He was probably locked up by now, Batman was efficient.

Dick tensed. It was a trap. A test. He could feel it in his stomach. His master would walk out of the shadows. But would he be pleased, or angry? Had the point of the test been to see if Dick would follow direct orders even if he was summoned by someone else for his master? Or had it been to see if he would come when ever? Would he be punished?

Yes. Yes he would. It sent a chill down his spine. But he knew, he really did know, that he deserved it. That he deserved every second of pain he had suffered. Because he was a failure, weak and useless. And that his Master could punish him all he wanted.

There was a movement off in front of him, a blur raced across from the shadows. Dick screamed in fear, he tripped over his own feet to get away from the pain.

"Richard!" the worried voice called out to him.

A hand pulled him up to his feet, continued yanking until his toes barely touched the ground.

"Who are you?" Dick didn't know who said this, the tears were fogging his vision. But the voice has harsh and rough, raspy and dark. " I said, WHO ARE YOU?"

The tears had fallen, and the boy was able to see who was threatening him. But he wished he didn't see. The figure was dark. His face covered in a cowl, a thick cape flowing down over him. His uniform was dark, black and gray. A sneer, a look of hatred and vengeance covered what was visible of his face. Terror. He looked like he wanted to break every bone in Dick's body. And he probably could.

Dick tried to work his voice to beg for his release. But strong arms folded around him and ripped him out of the grasp. His head was pressed against a shoulder, a hand wrapping around his chest. Tears flowed down his face, terror washing through him. That man, was the scariest thing he had ever seen, even worse than when his Master was displeased with him. Which was every day.

"Leave him alone!" a feminine voice commanded."You're scaring him Batman!"

"Geez!"A rich, deep man's voice exclaimed."He's just a kid!"

Dick's arms wrapped around a neck, pressing his face into a strong chest the arms wrapping around him even more. The tears were falling less and less, small hiccups sounded as people yelled at one another. He whimpered. Loud noises scared him, shouting scared him, because after a yell he was usually hit.

"Stop it." The voice closest to him hissed."Stop it now, stop it all of you. You're scaring him. Knock. It. Off."

All fell silent, a soft voice whispered in his ear. Nonsensical words that brought a wave of calm over him. His head was gently rubbed. There was a strange smell. Like, soap. Being clean. It over took the little boy, warmth was added around his shoulders, soft. Red draped around him. More words, a peace overflowing. A strange sleepiness washed over Dick, he didn't want to…fall…. Asleep..

"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. For those who worship evil's might, beware my power: Green Lantern's light." He whispered quietly, over and over again.

Hal held the child close to him. Feeling the child's sobs decreasing turning into little hiccups, then nothing.

"Thanks J'onn."

"He shall sleep peacefully. No nightmares. No dreams at all, in fact. Safest that way."

Hal nodded, looking down at the young face. Closed eyes. A black eye. A scar running down his cheek. But so innocent, peaceful. He was absolutely adorable.

"Out of all of us, you raised six kids; you know how to handle them. And you greet a little boy with 'Who are you'?" Barry rolled his eyes."Unbelievable."

Bruce glared, turning away with a swish of his cape. Superman sighed, motioning for his team to follow the Dark Knight. Hal carefully switched Dick's position to a bridal style, his oxen hair tumbling into his eyes.

A soft, petite hand brushed the messy bangs out of the way. Diana smiled sadly at the slumbering child.

"I'm sorry."She whispered."He looks like an angle, a prince. Even with all the-"

"Abuse?"

She nodded, fiddling again with Dick's hair, slight tears welling in her eyes as his expression flinched, only for a second, into one of pain and nervousness. Her hand withdrew quickly, and the creases on his forehead diminished.

After arriving at the Watchtower, they were stopped by friends. People curious about their mission.

"Barry! Arthur!" Oliver Queen sprinted down the hallway." Wait up!"

Barry wheeled around to smile at his second best friend, Arthur turned his head sideways, and once he got a view of the archer a pleased smile crossed his face.

"Oliver."

"Ollie!"

"Whoa-"the archer skidded to a stop, pointing at the young boy in Green Lantern's arms wrapped up in Superman's cape."Is that what I think it is?"

"He's not an it."Hal frowned, his grip on the slumbering Richard increasing unconsencely."His name is Richard."

"Where did you find him?"

"Deathstroke had him held hostage."Arthur explained to his friend.

"Shut up!" this raised an eyebrow."Oh yeah, don't know too much about Earth stuff. I've got to stop hanging out with those kids…"Ollie rubbed his goatee."So, Deathstroke, seriously?"

"Yes."Batman folded his arms over his chest.

"Crap, poor kid." Arrow leaned over and looked at him. His face softened, but a scowl appeared once again."He hit him."

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know, but-he's so little- I mean, he can't be any older than eight." Oliver gently fingered the boys scar. His hand jerked away as Dick twisted in Hal's arms, fussing slightly. He turned so his forehead was pressed against the Lantern Core symbol."Sorry kid."

The boy mumbled, "Banana…"

Diana giggled slightly, covering her mouth.

"Banana?"John asked.

"He's hungry."Barry had a thoughtful look in his eyes."So am I!"

"Food…" a longing smile spread across Dick's face, followed by a little rumbled from his stomach.

"As soon as we run a medical check, we can eat."

"Hurry uppppp!" Barry bounced in place like a infant girl in pigtails.