A.N.

Hello everyone! So I know it's been awhile but here's another chapter, I want to thank you all for being so patient and kind. I've been neglecting my stories while I've been at college, and to be honest as a Senior my time is limited, but I love this fandom and am so grateful you all are still here.

This past semester has been crazy with me dealing with my anxiety and depression, and I had an amazing experience that took up most of my time. I wrote a play and it was chosen to be part of a series at my university. It was a very personal piece, and I was able to direct it and I obtained some incredible feedback. I have found a passion for playwriting and I know that I would never have gotten here today if I hadn't gotten into fanfiction, and if I hadn't heard so much amazing feedback from all of you.

You all helped me to grow as a writer, and it's because of you my play could be put on stage. I have never been so connected to a piece and I know I wouldn't have had the courage to share it without all of you. I started this series in 2012, and a lot has happened since then, and as I navigated my teenage years into adulthood you have been with me. This chapter is a thank you, for believing in me and my writing, and for sticking by me for almost seven years, as I grew as a writer. I love you all more than you can possibly imagine, thank you for everything and enjoy.

BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK

When you're under the influence of something, whether it be drugs or alcohol, there's a part of you that is always aware of what is happening. A small part of you that knows you're not in control of what you say or what you do, but isn't able to do anything about it.

As Dick watched DeathStroke approach him with a syringe a small part of him screamed at him to run. Inside he knew he should fight, he knew he should leave and run to Bruce and pray that his adopted Father could keep him safe. But the drugs Catalina had been administrating suppressed those instincts, kept his feet rooted, and convinced his body that Slade Wilson could be trusted. So, Dick had no choice but to stand still as the needle punctured his forearm, barely flinching as he felt the drug being poured into his body straight through his veins. For a moment, it felt as though time stopped, Catalina, Dick, and Slade waiting for something to occur. Then Dick collapsed.

Vaguely he could hear the panicked voice of Catalina yelling near him, but the only thing he could focus on was the vertigo swirling inside his head. An intense pain filled his body as a small part of his subconscious fought against the drug pumping through his system. But it couldn't be helped, he felt as though that last of his sanity, the last of his free will, was being pulled from him and was being given to the two other individuals in the room. His mind focused in on the overlapping voices of Slade and Catalina, longing to give itself to them. Any loyalties he had to Bruce or the team were quickly dashed and instead he felt an intense desire to give in to the needs of the two villains surrounding him. He had to do what they asked, and more importantly he wanted to, he wanted to make them happy, he wanted to be praised by them, he longed for their approval. Slowly the pain faded and in its wake all that was left was an unbreakable devotion to the ones who had captured him. He heard Slade's voice coaxing him to open his eyes, and it was only then that he realized he had closed them when he collapsed.

Opening them he saw the older man looking down at him, the mask hiding his true feelings, though he seemed pleased when Dick complied.

"Are you alright?" Dick heard Catalina speak and turning his head, he saw her kneeling to the left of him peering down anxiously as though afraid he would disappear. Dick was willing to do anything that would whip the look of worry off her face.

"I am alright." His voice sounded weird even to himself, alien and dazed as though it wasn't him that was speaking. But Catalina seemed pleased by his words, so he didn't dwell on that for long. DeathStroke pulled his chin with a firm yet gentle tug so that Dick's focus was now on the man. When Dick didn't fight the touch and instead looked expectantly at him Slade let loose a small chuckle.

"It would appear that the drug administration was successful. Richard, do you know who I am?" Dick nodded, of course he knew who he was, Slade Wilson, he would do anything to please the man. "You know who I am, good, do you know what I want." Dick shook his head, he didn't know what the man wanted, but he fervently wanted to get it for him. "I want you to be my apprentice, I want you to do everything I command, and to work with me as I mentor you, do you think you can do that for me?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation, he would do as Slade asked happily, the man let out another chuckle but didn't relinquish his hold on the boy's chin.

"Yes, what?" Without any further prompting, Dick knew exactly what Slade wanted to hear.

"Yes, Master." Before another word could be said a loud explosion drew the attention of all three of them. Where the front door had been there was now a large smoking hole, the figures of Batman and the rest of the Batfamily stood there glaring down at DeathStroke.

"Richard these people want to take you away from me, you can't let that happen, can you?" Standing up Dick placed himself in front of the still crouching Slade and faced the heroes. All of them looking at him with various looks of concern.

"No Master." He launched himself at them.

BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK

Bruce wasn't surprised when his oldest son threw himself at them, a vicious need to protect DeathStroke and Catalina from potential harm driving him forward. If anything he anticipated it, he knew Dick wasn't in his right mind thanks to the work of two psychopaths, and he knew it wouldn't be easy getting him back. What he hadn't anticipated was how hard it would be to fight his own son. While he, Tim, and Damian were hesitant to harm the teenage acrobat, Dick held no reservations. He attacked them with a ferocity that they were not expected. It didn't help that Catalina and Deathstroke had joined the fray, though Catalina was clearly an amateur she could no doubt hold her own.

Bruce was glad he had sent a message to the League before coming to the nearly abandoned apartment complex. He knew that the three of them would not be able to hold of Dick and his captures for long. Just as he was thinking this, the familiar sound of whistling wind drew his attention and Flash appeared next to him throwing himself into the fight. The rest of the league not long behind him.

What he hadn't been expecting was for Catalina and Slade to withdraw from the fight, the older roughly grabbing the youngers arm as Dick continued to Battle. He moved them towards the open window.

"What are you doing? We can't leave Dick?" She said attempting to unsuccessfully pull her arm from his grasp.

"Trust me." And with that Slade launched the two of them out the window, the Flash running after them instantly. Dick who has been fighting the two younger Bats was suddenly enveloped by Diana's lasso, though he continued to fight against it.

"What have they done to him?" The Amazon asked, looking sadly at the young man within her grasp.

"I am not sure, but it would be best if we could figure this out at the watchtower." He looked pointedly at Martian Manhunter who stepped forward and immediately pulled Dick into unconsciousness. The teenager stopped his fighting and sagged to the floor asleep. Gently Bruce pulled the lasso from around him and picked him up, cradling him in his arms. He wasn't sure why DeathStroke left, and why he seemed so unconcerned with leaving his "apprentice" but it made Bruce nervous. Tightening his grasp on the teen Bruce walked out of the apartment, he didn't know what Slade was planning but he would do whatever he had to do to protect Dick from him.

BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK

Once they had finally put a few miles between them and the leaguers, the two-villains stopped within an abandoned alleyway to catch their breath. Roughly Catalina pulled her wrist out of Slade's grasp, glaring furiously at the villain.

"What the hell was that about? You just let them take Richard away from us, how are we supposed to get him back now?" Slade seemed unperturbed by the young woman's words and instead began clicking away at the small holographic computer on his wrist. Angrily Catalina grabbed his arm and attempted to pull it towards her. Within a moment, she found herself pinned against the alley wall, Slade's forearm crushing her airway making it hard to breathe.

"I do not owe you any explanation for the things that I decide to do." There was so much malice in his voice that Catalina flinched from the sound of it, but his hold on her remained firm. "You are merely an accessory, a tool for me to use to obtain what I want, I do not need you and I can dispose of you quickly and quietly if I wished. I have decided not to kill you yet, but if you try to assert yourself again I can change my decision. Do you understand me?" Catalina nodded, too afraid to speak, after a moment DeathStroke released his grasp on her and returned to the computer on his wrist. "Richard is under our control, my last command to him was to not let them take him away from us. Which means he will do everything in his power to find his way back to us." Enlarging the hologram on his computer he pulled up a map with a blinking red light on it. "I slipped him a tracker, once he escapes he will be able to find his way back to us.

"But what makes you think he will be able to escape?" As soon as the words left her mouth Catalina stepped back as though expecting another attack. Deathstroke however, chuckled lighting turning off the computer.

"Richard is probably one of the most powerful leaguers, and though he is under our control he still retains all of his skills and knowledge. I have no doubt that he will be able to find his way to us, the only question that remains is how long will that take?"

A.N.

Hope you enjoyed!