You can't save me! You can't change me! Well I'm waiting for my wake up call, and everything, and everything's my fault.
CelticHeiressFiona: LOL uh, yeah about that...
hollywoodthestarsandeyes: Nah, he's too worried about his safety to really get mad at him...sorry if that's out of character for Bats. Vacation? Lucky you. Oh you'll get it. You'll get it all too soon. And you will probably hate me for it. LOL I do what I can. About Breaking the Habit...how creepy! Geez, I didn't even realize it was a Slade quote...maybe he really has poisoned my mind...
CloudsHalo: LOL I like action...I just need a break from it every now and then. When a story is just pure slugging, beating, bleeding, stabbing, I get a bit woosy. You want dark? I'll give you dark! LOL I can see it now...-hugs a gothic looking chick with hazel eyes- oh yeah, that's me all right. LOL and that does not surprise me in the least. Thanks, I always worry about fight scenes, because it's so hard to make them good and not boring. Yeah, I must admit I get a bit annoyed when someone reviews to say hey update soon! or even worse, make a comment that is completely unrelated. I write for feedback, if I didn't want feedback I wouldn't post my crap. Thanks :)
The Wings of a Raven: Wah...I'm sorry, truly I am. It just...it just always happens this way. Cy...what is wrong with Cy? I would like to know. Raven is locked in a fairly decently furnished cell...sorry for ignoring her these past couple chapters, but this is about Wayne...Raven will have her time.
Jordanals: Sorry for ignoring Raven these past couple chapters, but this is about Wayne...Don't worry, there will be alot more about Raven later on. Thanks for reading!
Dominic Monaghan is mine: Yeah, that's why I do it. Thanks!
Aeris-Raven: LOL I do what I can...so do I get to wear a cool costume then? -grins hopefully- So far I am caught up...but I'm terrified that I will bomb the geometry test that's coming up...panic! PANIC! -bows- Slade seems to be the only thing I can do lately...my friend says I am obsessed with him...and maybe it's true. Yes...and when you do you'll probably go "pht how dumb!" because it is terribly predictable... Yeah, I kinda liked that...showed her loyalty to her friends. Woohoo spring break is finally here! Ok, now about Breaking the Habit...I am really sorry if I offended you in any way, because that was not my intention, and I certainly didn't mean to send the message that suicide is a good idea, if that's how it came across. If anything, I wanted to show that it's NOT a good idea...I tried to portray this in Raven's reaction at the end...I'm sorry it upset you, and I also knew someone that cutherself so I know how that feels...I didn't mean any offense in any way.
YokoYami: Yeah, it is pretty depressing...Thanks:)
Umbro Draco: LOL or insomnia, either way. Thanks, I tried to make it really cool, cuz it is something like the lesser climax (not the end, but the middle climax...if that makes sense). I wish...
Mystyre: Good, I would sorely miss your reviews! Lol...same here. How odd. Thanks...you might be wrong there. Yup, that seems to be what he is all about...exploiting everyone else's weakness to make himself "stronger". LOL I doubt they'd take me up on my offer...but the compliment means a lot. Me too...geez, why do I torture him so? LOL dedication or insomnia...
Furubafun24: LOL no problem, I understand computer issues. -bows- :) Well, if I'm gonna do it, I'll try to do it well. LOL I think my natural drugs kicked in after my body realized I wasn't going back to bed. Thanks, man! (I have a habit of adding "man" to the end of my sentences, too)
Strixvaria: We have a Snape, a Dumbledore, a Trelawney, a Mad-Eye Moody (the real one, not Crouch), a Binns, and a McGonagall.
jambey: LMAO! Whippersnapper, eh? Nah that's not ancient...I'll be sixteen in...a little less than 2 years. I feel small...
ravenrocs4eva: Hmm...so I'm amazed the monkeys didn't come to get me by now. Thanks for being merciful.
VerticallyxChallenged: Nah, no big. I understand being busy. Yeah, high school sucks...but spring break is finally here! Yay! LOL oh yeah. Slade, CORNER! NOW! Slade: But...I don't like the corner. I'll be good, I swear! -grins unconvincingly- Dusty: Riiiiiiight.
Betrayed05: Thanks.
SOVEREIGN LORD OF CHAOS: Well...I can't very well do that, unless you want this to end at eleven chapters...Character select lists?
your story ROCKS: I know...it was horrible, wasn't it? LOL don't get behind cuz of me, or I'd never forgive myself. LOL good, cuz that is what I was going for. Sorry it took so bloody long...and thanks for the review on Aftereffects, I'm really glad you liked it!
AnnFaithDarknessGoddess: Yeah I know I write quite short chapters...sorry. Yeah I wanted to bring out alot more of his character in this story...he didn't get much in Aftereffects.
DITZY: LOL ok, how about now?
All righty then...here goes...and uh...geez I'm almost afraid to type this. On a lighter note, I'm scouting for good song possibilities for the third chapter of All in the Game, so if you have any ideas, let me know. ON WITH THE STORY!
His eyes grew wide as his brain struggled to understand. Slade...he knew? No one knew his true identity, save for Alfred and...
"Yes, Wayne. Dick told me." With grim satisfaction, Slade leapt to his feet, attacking the stunned form of his adversary, holding nothing back as he kicked and pummeled, merciless, determined. He would not rest until Batman was out of action, permanently.
Bruce tried desperately to block the frenzy of attacks, but every time he managed to, a much more powerful hit sent him stumbling backwards. There was not a spare second to catch his breath, to focus his eyes. Slade's relentless fury left him shocked, and shocked never one the fight.
Slade smiled coldly behind his mask, drinking in the sweet taste of victory as he drew nearer and nearer to it by the second. Everything was perfect, everything was just as planned. There was nothing Slade loved better than a plan well executed. Destroying Batman was something countless villains dreamt of, prayed for, fantasized about, and here he was, making it a reality.
Slade was jolted from his boastful thoughts as Batman drove a cold, hard fist into his gut, leaving him completely winded. He scolded himself silently for counting his chickens before they hatched. He could see that, as far as Wayne was concerned, this fight was far from over. "A commendable effort, Mr. Wayne. How old are you now? Sixty? Seventy?" He leapt forward, body-slamming him against the wall.
"Try 45", Batman grunted, shoving Slade off him with a force that brought beads of sweat to his forehead. With slightly renewed strength, he threw himself at Slade, doing his best to rip the man to shreds.
But his best wasn't quite good enough.
Batman hit the ground hard as Slade aimed a vicious kick at his face. Blood poured from his broken nose, pain drving the air from his lungs. He struggled to rise, to fight...only to find a cruel metal boot digging into his chest, pinning him to the dusty floor. "I must say, Batman, you were quite brave to come here in the first place. Brave, and yet still so foolish. You rushed straight into a trap, knowingly, no less. Now I understand where Robin gets it."
Unknown to Slade, Robin was at this very moment straining against his bonds. His captor, no doubt in haste and anticipation of the fight to come, had failed to make the knot as tight as he normally would have. There was the smallest bit of slack rope, and if he twisted just right, he should be able to work one hand free...
"So cliche, Batman. Bruce Wayne's parents are murdered while he is yet nothing more than a weak, defenseless child. In hatred of the madmen that committed this heinous crime, he vows to forever fight crime, vainly hoping that, with one more criminal behind bars, with one more pathetic and useless life saved, he could somehow bring back his dear parents. This sounds strangely familiar, where have I heard this heartrending tale before?" With sadistic pleasure, he put nearly his full weight on his opponent's chest, smiling as he felt ribs snap under the pressure, bringing a grimace of pain to what could be seen of Batman's face.
Just a little further...There! As one of Robin's hands came free, one side of his body flopped forward limply, pain and exhaustion making it difficult to support himself. He prayed silently that he had left something...anything...in his pocket. Robin lifted his hand and slipped it into his right pants pocket, feeling around for a moment until his fingertips met with the cold bite of metal. A birdarang...now if he could just throw it...
"You think that just because you acknowledge him now, when his situation is dire enough to demand your attention, it makes you a good father. You think that getting him out of a sticky situation here and there repairs all the damage you have done. Ask him yourself yourself, and he'll tell you it doesn't."
Trying desperately to focus and aim, Robin was painfully reminded of another such situation, seemingly ages ago but in reality, it had happened no more than a month before now. Then, too, one of the people dearest to his heart was threatened by Slade. When would it end? When would he be free of this torment? When would theybe safe?Already fearing the outcome, Robin took aim to the best of his ability and threw with all his might.
Miraculously, inexplicably, the weapon sped through the air, closing in on Slade...
The masked lunatic reached back and caught the birdarang between two fingers. Slowly, menacingly, Slade removed his foot from Batman's chest, and turned on his heel to face his defiant apprentice. "You're going to regret that interruption, Robin."
The former Boy Wonder watched his "master" approach with a sort of detached fear. He was just so tired...so through with this whole scene. Maybe he would be better off if Slade would just finish it now.
"You will learn, Robin. You will submit. Or you will face death." Slade glared at Robin as unaffected gray eyes stared back at him, in a sort of broken defiance. Somehow that infuriated him more than Robin's former fiery attitude. "Who knows, Batman? Maybe if you hadn't treated him like your personal clone, he might not have gotten into this mess. Too late now." Slade drew back his fist and buried it in Robin's stomach.
Robin coughed as a burning pain flared in his chest, hardly getting a chance to breathe before the fist collided with his face, smashing the back of his head into the wooden pole. Through blurred and watery eyes, he glimpsed a dark, shadowy figure struggling to its feet behind Slade. The next moment, they were squeezed shut in pain.
Slade continued to deal out blows, but his attention was directed at the person behind him, growing ever closer. He couldn't help but smile as he waited for a close enough target. Batman was as predictable as dear old Robin...it figures.
Batman forced his legs to move faster, ignoring the searing pain in his chest as jagged edges of bone stabbed into him with every movement. He gritted his teeth, a raging fury and deep-rooted hate gripping his mind in steel talons as he heard Robin gasp and moan in the pain brought on from Slade's vicious blows. This was never supposed to happen. He was supposed to be the one to take the falls, his involvement with villains was supposed to make him pay, not Robin, not Dick. The grimace of pain on his son's face wounded him to the core. He would kill Slade, whatever it might take. He was barely a foot from him, raising a black bo-staff high over his head...
In one fluid movement, with a cold glare at Robin, Slade whirled around, reached for his belt, removed the pistol, and pulled the trigger.
The blast echoed through the silent building as the speeding bullet collided with Batman's chest. A sharp intake of breath rasped in the deafening silence as Batman stumbled backward, eyes wide with shock and pain.
"Nothing personal, Batman", droned Slade, tossing the weapon of his murder at his weakening feet. "I'm afraid you're guilty by association."
His hand drifted to his chest, feeling the warm rush of blood flowing through his fingers. So this was it. This was where it all ended. He felt his legs give out, and hit the dusty floorboards painfully. This was bad...and yet he was somewhat relieved. After so many years, rest was a tempting thought...
"So, how does it feel now, Robin? When your parents died, you thought you would never love again. And then Wayne came along, and no matter how he treated you, you still loved him like a father. How ironic that you should lose him as well." Slade reached forward, a small blade in his hand, and for one terrifying moment, Robin prayed that he would end it now...but no. With an upward slash, Slade cut the ropes binding Robin to the pole and he fell to his knees, pain searing in his leg. "I suggest you hurry if you want to say your goodbyes."
Goodbyes...say his goodbyes...Not possible. Not real.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Robin crawled forward, blood dripping from his split lip, flinching as pain flared up every few seconds. He seemed so far away, so out of reach. Would he ever get there?
Robin's eyes stared at the bullet hole, burned straight through his thick leather costume. The blood flowing from his chest left no doubt that it had penetrated his bulletproof vest. At that range, nothing could withstand the bullet. He tried to speak, but found he was shaking too badly. Instead, he just stared and tried hard not to believe.
Batman smiled a little as Dick's face swam before his eyes, pale and frightened, but still so comforting. He lifted his hand with difficulty, reaching up and stroaking his cheek. Bruce wanted to tell him something, but Batman wouldn't allow it.
Robin slowly reached up and placed his hand over Batman's gloved one. He was barely holding back tears, and that fact filled him with shame. Batman had taught him to never, ever cry, no matter what. What would he think of him now?
"It's ok, Dick."
"No. I know what you said. I know what you taught me. I won't...I won't disappoint you again." Robin's voice was trembling horribly, but still he fought to contain the tears. He would not let the last thing Batman ever saw of him be weak, childish tears. "Batman, I..."
His mentor held up a hand to silence him, then, to the boy's utter astonishment, he reached up and removed his mask. Bruce Wayne emerged slowly from behind it, smiling weakly at Dick. "I don't see Batman anywhere here."
"Bruce, I'm so sorry." The tears began to fall, though he was shaking with the effort of trying to stop them. "I...I didn't...Raven...I'm so sorry."
"Shhh...none of that." He wiped the tears from Robin's cheek with a thumb. "Don't apollogize. There's...nothing to be sorry for." Bruce's voice was barely a whisper now.
"No. If I hadn't told him, you wouldn't be..." Robin's voice cracked, and he fell silent, tears streaking down his cheeks, shaking with suppressed sobs.
"It doesn't matter, Dick." Bruce struggled for a moment, his face twisted in pain. "There's...something I want you to know...something I need to tell you."
Robin didn't care...what did any of it matter? What was the point of this? The damage...his damage...had been done, and no amount of useless apollogies could change that. He had killed Bruce, killed the man he called "father". What use were words now?
"Dick, I know...I haven't really showed it all that much." Bruce chuckled weakly. "Well, ever, but...please know...please know that...I love you. I love you like my son. You are my son. Never...forget that." His hand dropped limply to his side, his breathing slowed, and his eyes began to close.
"No. No!" Robin reached out and gently shook Batman's shoulder. This wasn't possible! He couldn't be losing him, not now...he had finally found someone he could count on, someone he could love. No one would be so cruel as to steal that from him, for the second time inseven years. Through the cloud of pain, through the numb, through the horror, he felt a hand grasp his shoulder, shoving him roughly to the side. "Enough visiting, Robin. Say goodbye to Batman."
One of his robot commandoes stepped forward, lifting Batman as though he was nothing more than a flour sack. Slade stared at it pointedly, and the robot responded, marching towards the very same door that the Dark Knight had stepped through no more than two hours before.
"No..." Robin tried to stand, but using his legs was like trying to walk on jello. He watched helplessly as the robot carried Batman easily through the door. "No...don't take him..."
"Why not? He never cared about you, Robin. You were never more than his personal slave. You weren't his son, Robin."
"Liar", he whispered, staring at Slade with glazed eyes. Something inside him was stirring, waking, building strength...Robin felt himself snap. "LIAR!"
Slade stepped back in slight surprise as Robin leapt to his feet, lunging at him and slamming a fist into his chest. Though he could see the boy was shaking with effort and blinding rage, the blows were lacking in strength. They did little more than surprise him slightly. He tolerated it for a little while, somewhat impressed that Robin could even stand. Apparently, there was still a ways to go before he could truly be molded. A punch, lightning fast and powerful, flew at Robin's chest, sending him flying across the room, skidding several feet before finally coming to a halt. Slade walked over to him, picking him up as matter-of-factly as one would a log of wood that had managed to ecape the furnace. It was time he went back to his room.
Alone, in the dark, in the silence, Robin kicked, screamed, and sobbed as he hadn't done in seven years...since the first time he had lost a father.
Gah, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry...Please don't kill me...actually, I think I just might deserve to be killed...Well, even if you hated it, you might as well review and let me know...By the way, I didn't make a mistake about Robin's eyes...they are hazel in this story, but, as you know, hazel eyes can sometimes change color with the person's mood...hence the gray hue. Until next ime...-Humble and Slightly Afraid, Dusty