AN: So, I decided I'd write another chapter. Maybe I'll even make this into another story. I got muse for it and decided it couldn't hurt.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

As Tuesday approached, Robin felt more and more nervous. He'd actually just asked his enemy to come see him. How dumb could he get?! Yet, Robin couldn't help it. Unlike Bruce, who would just awkwardly tell him it was going to be okay and go into a long speech about how he HAD to live, Slade had simply stated facts and gave him a choice. Granted, Slade had obviously been loading his words to sway Robin to one side of the choices given, but it had worked admittedly. Robin wasn't sure why he'd actually called Slade and hadn't just handed the number to Bruce to trace and find him. Well, Robin was still thinking about doing that, but then part of him just didn't want Bruce involved. This was his fight and he needed to make his own mistakes by trusting his people his own ways and not calling on Bruce to fix everything.

Robin had started taking a turn for the better, the doctors noticed. He'd actually accepted some food into his system and finally broke the silence during one of his meeting with the doctors. Granted, he declared he wasn't going to be put on any medicine, which worried a lot of people as well as frustrated quite a few, but they supposed he was doing better than he had been, so they didn't pressure the medicine too much. Robin still didn't talk about his past with doctors, and didn't share during meetings, nor did he tell them much on why he was here besides that he was depressed, but it was definitely a start.

Bruce dropped by early Monday morning and bribed a few people into letting them see his son on Monday since he couldn't attend on Tuesday. Robin had been pulled from group, not that he was complaining, the group had been about drug rehabilitation. Robin had never tried any drugs nor had he ever misused any except his attempt of overdose on pain killers. Robin sat down across from Bruce and nodded a hello at him faking a warm smile that Dick Grayson would've wore upon seeing Bruce in this situation. The doctors left Bruce and Robin alone to talk, taking a seat behind the desk so that they could watch just incase Robin went psycho or something.

"How you holding up?" Bruce asked giving his own fake warm smile as well. Yes, Bruce was happy to see Robin, but he had odd ways of showing his affection towards his son. Bruce had always been very distant and even more so as the Batman. He'd become emotional detached from the world ever since his parents had died, and Robin, he could see, was growing the same way. He wished he could teach Robin how to reach out to others with his problems, but even if he knew how to do it himself, a part of him still found it as a weakness to do so.

"Doing better." Robin replied. That actually shocked Bruce for a moment. The last visit, Bruce had done all the talking and Robin hadn't uttered a word. He'd expected a non-caring shrug from the boy, but he had heard from the doctors that he was indeed doing a little better than when he'd first entered. It seemed they were correct, and a part of Bruce started hoping that Robin would make it through this in one piece. He hadn't been so sure last week, and he still wasn't positive, but he'd focus on the small accomplishments right now.

"That's good. Learning anything?" Bruce asked just wanting to hear Robin speak again. Robin gave an indifferent shrug disappointing Bruce a little. "Alfred's been worrying about you." Bruce tried engaging him in the conversation again.

"I'll give him a call later today." Robin dismissed it. Robin knew that this was Bruce's way of saying he was worried too, but he'd pin the blame on Alfred alone rather than owning up that he had feelings under his mask. Robin actually felt a little irritated by pointing out that fact in his head. Why couldn't Bruce just say what he meant? Why was it always some hidden code?

Bruce nodded watching Robin carefully. "Anything interesting happening?" Bruce asked awkward and clearly wanting Robin to lead the conversation.

Robin was half tempted to go into a rant about how bored he was here, about how the only source of entertainment was a handful of groups every day, and then TV. He wanted to rant about how he needed access to the gym more often to do his work out before he felt too far behind, but he didn't say any of that.

"How's Rachel, Victor, Garfield, and Kori?" Robin asked not sure if he wanted the answer. Those were the civilian names of the Titans.

Bruce paused as if considering the question. "They're fine." He lied and Robin could tell it was a lie. Again, irritated spike in Robin as he found himself again thinking about how Bruce would never just tell him everything.

"How are they really?" Robin tried again.

"Rachel requested to come see you, but I didn't think you were ready." Another spike of frustration came through him. So now Bruce was in charge of who he could and couldn't see? If that was the case, how had Slade gotten past his defenses? Robin wanted to point this out, but the fact was, Bruce didn't know about how Slade had came to see him yet. And finding out would cause a lot of chaos Robin wasn't prepared to deal with. Then there was a small part of him, who actually did want Slade's presence to remain unknown so he could come to visit again. It was strange, but Robin realized he'd found more comfort in Slade's words than Bruce's. At least Slade didn't chase him in circles, he said what he meant and left Robin to accept it.

"I'm fine." Robin said almost defiantly. Bruce gave him a look that clearly stated he didn't believe him.

"Why are you here?" Bruce asked. Robin knew he was not only pointing out that the fact he was in a mental hospital screamed he wasn't fine, but he was also probably about to go into a another lecture on how Robin NEEDED to stay alive.

"Because you sent me here." Robin retorted a bit snappy.

"I did it because I care." Bruce said. Robin found a hard time believing this line. He was sure Bruce did care and didn't want him dead, yet Robin still couldn't nod in agreement to the statement. Bruce may have cared for his well being and that might have been a part of the decision, but Robin also felt like the other part had been control over his life and a punishment. Bruce was always trying to control him.

"I'm sure." Robin said simply and then changed the topic before Bruce could cut in with a lecture. "I'm supposed to be in group right now." Bruce took the hint. He nodded.

"I'll tell Alfred you said hello." Bruce said before standing. Robin also stood. They didn't give each other a hug goodbye, like most families did. Bruce had never been a touchy-feely person and neither had Robin. "Do you need anything?" Bruce asked. Robin shook his head and so Bruce nodded and departed.

Robin waited anxiously at the table on Tuesday. What was he thinking allow his enemy back into his life?! Maybe he was still a little suicidal. Still, Robin supposed Slade would've come if he wanted to whether or not Robin had asked him. Slade could damn well do nearly anything he wanted and get away with it. That's what scared Robin. He knew now the decision to let Slade come back to talk to him was a bad one. He knew now that he should've given Bruce Slade's number and had told him about his appearance. He should've allowed Bruce to switch him to a different hospital and hire a security guard for him. Though, Robin doubt that would stop the villain. It hadn't been hard for Slade to find him in the first place, and it wouldn't be hard for him to do it again. Still, Robin was regretting this decision now.

As guest begin to filter in, Robin vaguely hoped that Slade would just not show up. But of course, only after a few minutes of waiting, Slade slipped into the seat across from him quickly, his one grey eye fixed on him. They sat in an extremely long dose of silence before Slade broke it.

"This is quite the speech you've prepared." Slade mused. Robin's mouth twitched as an invisible string tried to get him to smile, but it was gone just as quickly. He shouldn't find Slade's mockery amusing.

"What do you expect me to say?" Robin asked quietly. Slade smiled, and Robin noticed that unlike Bruce's smile, it was a real one.

"I supposed I can do the talking if you are feeling tongue tied." Slade nodded. "Do you want news on your friends?" Robin looked up at him. Of course he knew Slade kept tabs on the Titans, but the question didn't seem like a menacing one, it seemed quite the opposite actually, friendly. He was actually offering information Bruce wouldn't provide him with. Robin briefly wondered if Slade had watched his and Bruce's meeting but pushed the thought away. He nodded though he did feel slightly nervous of what he would hear from Slade. Slade wouldn't sugar coat it, and Robin knew that. Whatever Slade said, would be the real deal, and part of that scared Robin, the other part made him egar to hear it from him.

"Rachel is probably the strongest out of them all." Slade started. Robin nodded. He knew that. Raven would've known about the suicide attempt, since she knew of his civilian identity, but she wouldn't have told anyone. To them, Robin was still with Batman, not in a mental hospital. "She's been meditating more than usual and keeping in contact with Bruce of course. Kori has decided to take a trip back to her home planet for a little while. She is not holding as well as the others with your disappearance." Robin felt a pang of guilt for Starfire. If she was simply getting this depressed without the knowledge of his attempt, Robin would hate for her to find out. But Slade continued. "Victor has taken on the leader role for now and has been training explicitly to keep himself occupied." This much Robin had expected. Cyborg had always been second in command and often used a gym to work off emotions, like Robin. "Lastly Garfield is drowning his sorrows out with movies, junk food, and video games. Not much of a change with him expect that he makes less supposedly funny jokes." Overall, it was not as bad as Robin thought it would be.

"How's the enemies?" Robin asked hoping that the Titans weren't too overwhelmed with villains attacking.

"Pathetic as usual." Slade replied he then reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a puzzle book. Robin gave him a strange look as he slid it across the table toward Robin. "Think nothing of it. I just thought you must be bored here since it seems like the only excitement during your day happens to be meal time." Robin picked up the book suspicious but flipped through it anyway to check from some hidden message. He didn't see any writing in the margins or anything that suggested it was anything other than a puzzle book so he set it aside and stared back at Slade.

"Thank you." He said simply. Slade nodded with approval.

"Anything else you want information on?" Slade asked. Robin shook his head feeling grateful for the offer, but he didn't want to push himself too far. This was still his enemy after all, wasn't it? "I must say, I'm a little surprised." Slade admitted. Robin looked at him.

"Why?" He finally asked.

"I expected you to turn me in already. Inviting me for another visit had been quite a surprise and even more so of a surprise that it wasn't a set up." Slade replied coolly. Robin's eyebrows creased. So Slade had expected Robin to give him away? Then why had he still came?

"I can handle my own problems" Robin said firmly. Slade nodded.

"I never said you couldn't." Slade assured.

"I could still turn you in." Robin threaten. Slade merely chuckled.

"Richard, it would take more than a man dressed in black to take me down. But do what you must. The fight might be amusing."

"They're not going to let me continue, you know." Robin said suddenly. Slade knew what he was talking about but asked anyway.

"Continue what?"

"My alter ego. None of them would let me keep it after this." The thought was depressing. After his stunt, he'd be surprised if Bruce didn't lock him away in the manor forever.

"Because you've always been one to do what others tell you, right?" Slade purred.

"They will find a way to stop me." Robin pointed out.

"Only if you let them, Richard. You and I both know, when you want something done, you will go to nearly any lengths to get it. There's very few people in this world who could truly hold you back against your will. Give it time, find the weaknesses, use them and keep moving. Life is simple. You eat, you drink, you sleep, you breathe. Not necessarily in that order. Living is the hard part." Robin blinked.

"That was cheesy." He teased.

"Sometimes, that's the only way to get through to a child." Slade mused. Robin shot him a glare, but it was playful. He knew Slade didn't really think of him as a child, unlike Bruce did. Slade was only teasing him and Robin actually found that as a relief.

"When I do get out of here, I'm going to beat you for that." Robin threaten.

"I look forward to it." Slade said. Visiting time was coming to a close and Robin watched as other visitors begin to stand to leave. He looked back to Slade who remained seated, relaxed as ever watching him. "I suspect you'll have some explaining to do to Bruce tomorrow. He'll probably be moving you as well." Robin again blinked.

"How do you know?" Robin asked. Slade nodded to a nurse on the phone.

"She's talking to him right now. Which is my cue to leave." Slade stood up and Robin stood with him.

"The number?" Robin asked a bit concerned now that Bruce was going to track Slade down.

"Has already been disconnected." Robin felt slightly relieved but also disappointed. He secretly wanted the number in case he ever needed to call him again. Slade noticed and smiled. "Reverse the last four digits if you need me." He said before walking away. Robin was stunned to silence as he watched the man leave, then he felt slightly giddy.

So, any comments? Should I actually write this into a story, or is this just crap?