Author: Here's a short one shot of Raven (briefly), Robin and Slade along with the H.I.V.E. members Jinx, Mammoth and Gizmo. Thanks all my lovely readers. I'm glad you guys like the stories so far. :D Oh! One more thing! I'mma be gone for a few days, so I'm posting this in advance. By the time I get back I'll have jotted down several other story ideas I'll create. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't think DC Comics will never be mine. :'c Oh well. At least it was made so we can love and enjoy it, so yay!

[Tialuvssladin101]
No, I sadly don't support Sladin because of various reasons, though I do support the other two; apprenticeship and father/son. There are a lot of other good stories that delve into Sladin. I'm sorry though! Thanks for reviewing. ^ ^

Time was but a number of which to correlate with. It was indefinite, spanning until it either came to an end or went beyond human expectancy. It could last forever.. or a few more minutes. Life was uncertain.

Why was he thinking about time? That's all he seemed to have now-a-days. Robin was seated atop the T-tower, his feet dangling over the roof's edge, his masked eyes scanning the horizon and the city spread out beneath it. A gentle smile caressed his face. This was his home.. and he would do what he must to protect it from those who wanted it for themselves.

A soft flutter of cloth shifted behind him and he half-turned to glance at the source. Raven was walking toward him, her cape billowing around her from the soft breeze that floated about. His face was washed clean of that smile. He wasn't not happy to see his friend, but he had requested alone time, to think to himself, quietly and uninterrupted.

"Even though you said you wanted to be by yourself.. I figured company was what you were really asking for." Raven's lilt rose as she seated herself beside him, but instead of letting her feet hang over the edge like him she crossed them before her, just inches from the side of the building.

Robin returned to staring out into the scene before them and he placed his hands behind him, supporting himself as he leaned back. "Perhaps.. I just.. I just wonder if we're actually making a difference. We bring down a villain, another appears. Every one we put behind bars one more escapes and roams free, doing who knows what. It feels like we're repeating these battles.. but in different ways, different places."

Raven could tell Robin was hurting inside. The pain in his voice was obvious for one who knew where to look.. and was partially empathetic to the emotions of others, specifically the male beside her. "I know how you feel, Robin. I consider that almost every day.. it seems the battle between good and evil is never over." He nodded to this, sighing.

Yeah, never over. That was the perfect way to explain it all.

He hunched forth, well more like leaned/bent forward, and cupped his chin with a hand, the elbow of that arm resting atop a knee as he studied the skyline. His other arm laid in his lap. "Yeah.. it does-"

Suddenly his communicator, and Raven's, started to beep, the sign that trouble was present somewhere. Raven groaned and Robin stood, taking out his device. "Robin here. What's going on?"

Beast Boy's voice cut onto the wave, rushed. "We got a bad guy wreaking Pizza Corner! We're heading out. You coming?"

"Raven and I will cover it. You guys take the day off. We'll be fine." Robin said, his voice tired as he answered the shifter.

"You sure Robin?"

"Yeah." Robin replied, Raven delivering to him a bewildered look.

He put his device away and glanced to Raven.

"What if we can't handle it alone?" Raven questioned, confusing in his voice.

"Then we'll call back up."

Raven nodded, beginning her 'chant', the blackness consuming them both in the shape of a bird. They were 'transported' to the side street of the restaurant, the dark bird opening to deposit them there. They saw how the ground was rippled up like waves, chunks broken and tossed about. The sign of the Pizza Corner was half hanging, dangling precariously over a group of civilians who were standing and watching in terror as Mammoth raised his fists again to once more strike the ground.

Robin pointed at the bystanders, looking to Raven. "Get the people out of here!"

She nodded and ran off to tend to this task. He charged toward Mammoth, the brute noticing him. He took out a bomb and jumped, chucking it at the tall, brown haired H.I.V.E. member. Where were his teammates, Jinx and Gizmo?

He raised his hands, the bomb exploding on his arms to shower him in smoke. He began to cough, slashing at the gas to make it dissipate. Robin took the time to get his Bo-staff out, expanding it to it's full length. He ran at the man, who was staggering out of the smoke, his eyes stinging, and was about to strike when suddenly a pink bolt struck him, tossing him aside and causing him to skid against the pavement, his Bo-staff flung out of reach.

He rubbed his head, leaning up onto an arm and a shadow was cast over him, forcing him to open his eyes to glance up. Gizmo was up on his spider device, the legs surrounding him. He leaned down and sneered at the titan leader, who was sore from the blast he had taken.

"End of the road, snothead!"

Robin smirked at him in that knowing way and held up a blinking device and said, "For you, maybe." He smacked it onto the boy's back and rolled away, getting up to run.

"Hey! What'd you do to me?!"

Robin turned to see the spider legs spazzing out and he snickered when the legs crumbled to pieces, the backpack short circuiting. Strong arms suddenly circled his chest, trapping his arms to his side and pinning him back against a broad chest. It was Mammoth. "Not so tough now, little birdy." The rumble of the male's voice vibrated his back and he snarled angrily and squirmed, but was unable to break free. He was held up in the air, his legs flailing to find purchase.

He squeezed harder and Robin cried out. Raven was locked in a heated bolt battle with Jinx, but when she heard the cry she started to run toward him. "Robin!" A bolt struck her and she was dropped to the ground, her back sizzling with smoke.

"Raven!"

"Boss man wants you.. but I don't see why. You're nothing special. Just a little pathetic bird with clipped wings." Mammoth snorted as he kept his hold on the titan leader, who was slowing reaching a hand toward his belt.

"Mammoth!" Jinx yelled. Right as Robin had pulled a smoke bomb out a bolt struck his hand, forcing him to drop it. He hissed and glanced up to see Jinx scowling at him. "Nice try, hero." She said almost.. bitterly.

"Just knock the snot nose brat out already! Jeez, can't you do anything?!" Gizmo had discarded his gear and was standing to their left with his arms folded against his chest.

"Right." A sudden blow struck the Boy Wonder's head and stars began to flicker in his vision. He saw Jinx walking toward him and Gizmo grinning.. before darkness consumed him and he slumped over in the H.I.V.E. members arms.

Several hours of unconsciousness floated by.. before he awoke in a room that was dimly lit by a single overhead light that flickered occasionally. He sat up slowly, glancing around the simple (wood walls and ceiling, concrete ground) room. His head ached and he tried to reach up to rub it but the jingle of something caused him to look down.. and he was greeted with the sight of his hands chained to the floor. He could move them a bit, but not high enough to rub his head.. so he lowered it, rubbing it as much as he could. His body ached from the hold he'd been in and the bolt that had hit his side.

The door suddenly opened and in walked someone he hadn't expected to see.. he had figured Brother Blood had him captured.. but instead he was greeted by the tall and armored frame of Slade, who had a gleefully sparkling single eye locked on him.

His heart dropped into his stomach.. and his blood ran cold.

Not again. Not another attempt to make him the man's apprentice. He felt something akin to a small amount of fear shimmering in his chest, almost an ache, but not quite.

He mustered up his darkest glare and shot it toward Slade, who was chuckling as he entered the room, leaving the door open behind him, as if not concerned. Of course not. His prize was chained to the floor. Robin wasn't going anywhere. He jerked up, a feeble attempt to check the chain's strength and was rewarded by the metal biting into his green gloves and being pulled back down to the floor.

Slade's chuckle grew louder, echoing around the room. He moved forth to crouch before the boy, arms resting on his knees and he was a bit away so that even if Robin tried to attack him he'd be cut short. Robin realized this after glancing at the chains. He returned his masked gaze to the villain, who was tilting his head at Robin, as if a new angle could shed light on something.

"What do you want this time, Slade? I see you got the H.I.V.E. students doing your work for you. How sad." He chided in a sharp bite.

"Robin! What a lovely day for you to.. drop by." The man responded with a knowing sound to his smooth voice. "I heard you didn't put up much of a fight. I expected better from you, Robin." It was just like Slade to prod at him. "Why do you continue to disappoint?" He straightened his head. "The H.I.V.E. were only meant to retrieve you, that was all their use was."

"Why waste time hiring those mindless fools to get me? Seems like a statement of I can't do it myself. Surely if I was as 'valuable' as you lead me to believe you'd have done the work yourself.. or are you truly weak now, Slade? Did Trigon put you in your place?" Robin snapped, a smirk growing on his face.

Slade didn't respond for a few seconds, as if shocked by the venomous words the boy spat.. but then his right hand flickered out to grab the boy's chin, fingers holding his cheeks to keep his head still.

"It seems I have to teach you a thing or two first.. like respect." He pushed the head aside and stood abruptly, turning to walk back toward the door.. but not before Robin's voice followed him.

"That's the thing, Slade. You can't teach me something you don't have!" The words slipped from his tongue like the blue liquid of a water fall.

Slade paused by the exit and peered over his shoulder, one hand holding the frame of the door. His eye was narrowed and when he spoke his tone held satisfaction instead of irritation. "You're as ruthless as I am, Robin. We're more alike than you know." And he was gone, the door shutting behind him.

Robin was alone.

Author's Note: Yay for Robin and Slade! I have so many cool ideas in store for the pair and as we progress with these random one-shots you'll see other characters thrown in, such as Red X in the next one. :P All the stories aren't going to be simply Slade taunting Robin. You'll see other stories like fights, parentage, a bit of interrupted love, adventures, etc. Anyway, thanks for reading! Ta-ta!