FudoTwin17: Hey, guys. Sorry for how long it's been. I'd give you my excuses, but I've got a feeling that you would rather read. :) Anyways, I've had a rough few months, so I hope that you guys aren't too harsh about my horrendous updating habits.

Cat: I repeat; Horrendous updating habits.

FudoTwin17: *scowl* Anyways, love you guys and I'm sorry this. Hope you like it!

Goldfish # 4: She doesn't own YJ or Slade.

FudoTwin17: Ooh! I forgot! Do you guys want me to use my OC? Because I have many uses for her, but if you don't want her, I won't use her.

Cat: Onto the story!

Chapter 9

Artemis was quiet at the end of the day. Going to school had almost felt unreal, but she had made herself go. She couldn't help but stare at the trophies cabinet when she saw Dick's picture and multiple trophies with his name plastered on them. At lunch, she couldn't help it when her eyes wandered to the lonely redhead who sat at his table. And most of all, she couldn't help the sick feeling in her stomach when she headed to the gym after school, hoping to find the abusive teacher that had been screwing with her friend for so long.

She didn't know why, but he was the one that she blamed above all. She heard Dick admit to being played with by the scoundrel. He admitted that he was hurting, even if he didn't say it. He admitted that this man had been playing with his emotions and his past.

Artemis sighed. She wished that she could just have known sooner.

The Batman hadn't planned on showing any of them those videos. However, the bat must have been tired (she'd heard Superman say the man had only slept an hour that week) and exhausted, because when he slipped off for coffee, he'd left the video paused on the screen of Mount Justice. While Superman had begged Batman to go and take a rest for just a few minutes, Wally had gathered them around the video.

Artemis just couldn't get it out of her head. It was burned into her memory, and she was powerless against it.

. . .

"What's going on?" Artemis questioned as Wally dragged her into the main area of the cave. The entire rest of the team were all there, and the glowing, blue holographs floated in front of them. The largest one had a video ready to be played. Her attention was immediately grasped by the frozen picture of her friend in word out clothes and the intimidating, white-haired man with an eyepatch in front of him.

"Bats put up some footage of Rob and that teacher that he was complaining about. I don't know what it has to do with Robin's disappearance, but I figure that it's gotta be important." Wally stated, releasing her hand to type at one of the holographic screens.

"What could that teacher have to do with his disappearance?" Questioned Megan, her eyes determined though sad.

"Don't know yet." Wally stated evenly. "But maybe this'll give us a clue." At that, the video started playing, and their eyes followed their friend.

Robin's breath was slightly short, but fairly even. He seemed angry at the teacher before him. Considering that they were placed in a gym, Artemis assumed that the man was the PE teacher. "I've been working for an hour and a half. The agreement was an hour. I need to go." His tone was oddly cold and it shocked Artemis.

His teacher seemed angered by the show of disrespect of the boy, but his response was calm. "You will stay and practice until I say it is time."

Robin scowled. "I promised my friends-"

"Are your friends more important than your grade?" Questioned the man, eyes flashing.

"Yes! I still have to get my best friend a-" He was cut off roughly by a slap. It must have been painful as the loud clapping sound it made was caught by the camera. It was obviously shocking to him to as he hit the floor hard, eyes wide.

The team seemed to react instantly. Wally gaged, eyes wide. Megan gasped in shock, stumbling forward. Conner made a loud growling noise, fists clenching. Kaldur's eyes widened dramatically, his lips parting in a silent gasp.

But Artemis just stared. She seemed frozen, unable to react. What was going on here? A teacher couldn't hit a student and get away with it! Unless . . . unless the student hid it. But Robin wouldn't do that! He . . . he couldn't. Robin wasn't a typical boy who would just let someone do this to him.

Right?

The gym teacher stood over her friend intimidatingly. He stared heartlessly down at Dick. Though the camera couldn't see Dick's face, she felt like she knew exactly what he looked like; wide-eyed and horrified. The monster's voice came out cold and manipulative. "Here, you will not speak of them." He stated simply. "You will do what I say or your grade will suffer. And you will not speak a word of this to anyone."

Artemis just barely caught a glance at Dick's scowl as he stood. "And if I do?"

The man smiled, chuckling. He leaned in closely and whispered something in his ear. Dick seemed to gag. He stumbled back, eyes wide. From his new stance, she could see how pale he had gotten.

"Do you understand?" The man's oily voice made the hairs on the back of Artemis's neck stand up. Dick only stared until the man's tone hardened. "I said, do you understand?"

She watched, horrified as Dick's head bowed in submission. "Y-Yes, Mr. Wilson."

The gym teacher smirked. "Good." As he turned and began to walk away, he spoke over his shoulder. "You may go. Tomorrow, I expect for you to be here until five."

Artemis gaged, "That's nearly three hours!"

Their eyes widened. They all stared in horror at their younger brother as he collapsed on the ground, eyes wide. He seemed in shock for a moment before he quickly drew a shaky breath and stood. They watched as he gathered his things and slid off camera. The team stood there, staring at the footage in shock until they heard a deep voice speak behind them.

"I've been watching this over and over. I can't seem to figure out just what he said to threaten Dick or if it could be connected to his abduction. He didn't say it loud enough to be caught on tape so even those with super-hearing haven't been able to help." The team turned back toward the dark knight. He stood calmly and tiredly, dark purple bags under his showing eyes and a cup of hot coffee in his hands. "It's the only lead I have at the moment."

The team stared. There was nothing to say and no words to describe their horror.

They needed their little brother.

And Artemis knew she would get him back if it was the last thing she did.

. . .

Artemis sighed. Somehow, after that Artemis had pinned all her anger on him. If she felt anger, she saw his face. It was his fault. Of course, she knew it was really Deathstroke's fault, but she just didn't have a face to imagine. Just that mask.

And Artemis needed the face so that she could image what it would look like when she was done with it. Thus, Artemis found herself in the gym, not really knowing what she was going to do. However, she knew that she couldn't turn back. She had just walked into the gym when she saw someone that immediately stopped her in her tracks.

It was that girl that always sat with Dick. Bette had introduced them before and Artemis had talked with her, though briefly, before. She found herself struggling to remember her name. She knew it started with a B, but . . . Brittany? Brenda? No . . . they just didn't fit.

No! It was Barbara.

Somehow, Artemis couldn't help but wonder what kind of girl had attracted Dick's attention. She wanted to know her. She wanted to know what kind of person Dick could be so tightly woven with. Artemis found herself approaching a bit quickly.

"Um, Barbara, right?" Asked Artemis as she approached.

Barbara turned, eyes wide. She seemed to have changed after her last hour into a pair of dark skinny jeans, a green sweatshirt, and a pair of black converse. Her red hair slid over her shoulder as the girl tightened her grip on her backpack's strap so tight that her knuckles turned white. Artemis couldn't help but notice as her left hand immediately shoved itself into her hood's pockets. "Uh, hi, Artemis."

At the sad look in her eyes, Artemis couldn't help but remember that this was Dick's best friend in school and she knew almost nothing about where her best friend in the world was. She didn't know if he was even alive. At least the team had that information. "I'm really sorry about Dick."

A look of panic crossed her face and Artemis knew that she said the wrong thing. "He-He's not dead. A ransom will come soon. One always does. He-he's coming back." The girl stuttered. It hit Artemis that it sounded like she had tried to apologize about a dead man. Her heart jumped into her throat at the thought.

"Yeah, he is." Artemis agreed. "He'll be back before we know it."

Barbara smiled at her, looking pained. A look crossed her face before she spoke almost hesitantly. "Can I ask you something?"

Artemis's heart jumped as she looked up. "Y-Yeah. Of course."

Barbara took a deep breath. "What would you do if you hurt your best friend in the world before he vanished into thin air?"

Artemis paused at the question, her eyes wandering to the pained look on Barbara's face. She looked so . . . vulnerable. And pained. Artemis ground her teeth at her sudden anger. How dare he take away this girl's closest friend? How dare he cause her so much hurt? How dare he take away the one person in the world who deserved to smile?

Artemis's eyes darkened as she spoke. "I would do everything in my power to get him back."

. . .

FudoTwin17: Wow. That was weird. I had this other whole thing planned with the principal, the footage, and the gym teacher, but I guess that'll be next chapter.

Cat: Hope you like it!

FudoTwin17: Yep! Don't forget to review! And maybe request. I like requests!