A/N: I know I said I would only post on Sundays, but I changed my mind. When I finish a chapter I like it to go up immediately so I can get some feedback before writing the next one.

Some forewarning for those with a low tolerance for violence: There is blood and murder in this chapter, but I did not write it in an especially graphic way, so it should be fine.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewing, I'm glad you all liked the last chapter.

For anybody unfamiliar with Ra's Al Ghul, he's in the Batman comics, he helped train Batman, and is an assassin, among other things.

I've tried to time stamp a lot of the events in this story so I don't get myself and my readers all confused and end up having Slade and Robin walk like a mile yet have it take them six hours. So, you know, pretend that the time makes sense (I have no idea how long it takes to walk where I'm making them go). Anyway, be kind, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: So not mine

Doing the Right Thing

By: Sarah Shima

Chapter 6: It's Time

Dick walked slowly into the hall where Slade waited; the aftermath of his discussion with Bruce sinking in. He had taken time to compose himself and replace the sunglasses, but he was feeling defeated at the moment. His only plan had been to go to Batman for help. Now there seemed to be only a few people who might assist, and finding them could prove tricky. He would go to fellow superheroes, but something told him he needed to know the state of affairs in the world before he started shouting for Superman.

"How'd it go?" Slade asked as Dick approached, with a smugness Dick could not stand.

"He's of no use to us," Dick sighed. "He's too far gone." The pair were on their way out of Arkham and back into the Narrows at this point. Dick took the road that led to the North, intent on crossing a highway bridge to the northern island.

Dick turned his gaze to fix on Slade's face. "What about you, don't you know someone who would help us?"

"If the 'me' in this dimension is alive and well, then I can ensure you that he would kill me on sight," Slade said with a certain pride. "But Richard, don't you have any other friends in Gotham City?"

It took Dick a moment to realize what Slade had just said, what he had just been called.

He knew. Slade knew.

Dick looked up at Slade slowly, intent on hiding any expression of surprise on the off chance that Slade was just guessing. Not that Slade would just guess. Slade smiled down on him, his lone eye boring into Dick's face.

In his moment of shock and horror as his archenemy discovered his secret identity, his next thought came as a surprise, even to him.

To Hell with it all. This will make things much easier.

He would deal with his problems with Slade when he was safely in his own dimension, if they were killed trying to get home then none of it would matter anyhow.

As he responded, he chose to pretend he had not heard the use of his true appellation, just to annoy Slade who was certainly looking to goad him into an argument. "There are three people. One is the butler in Batman's house, second, the commissioner of police, and the other is a doctor who works at the Wayne Memorial Clinic nearby Crime Alley."

"A butler, a cop, and a doctor? Oh yes, I'm sure they will be a great help," Slade responded sarcastically.

"I don't recall you having a better suggestion. Besides, if I can get access to the Bat computers then getting out of here should be relatively easy."

"So are we going to the Bat Lair now?" Slade asked with a smirk. His greed and desire to use their current situation to gain as much information on Robin/Richard as he could was insatiable.

"Actually, it's the BatCave," Robin responded. "That is if it's still there, the cops may have dismantled it already," Robin added.

They walked in tense silence for a while, the busy morning traffic of crime-ridden Gotham speeding by them. They kept to the shoulder of the road, Robin in front and Slade behind. They passed over a four lane bridge that separated the Narrows from the larger island to the North of it.

After about two hours, Robin finally turned to face Slade. "We should probably get something to eat soon," he said, eyeing a Denny's up the road from them. In truth, he was starving, not having eaten since yesterday, right before rushing into that lab to fight Slade. Slade nodded, and the pair walked into the small diner, seating themselves closest to the door as neither actually had any money.

Robin could only wonder what his friends would think if they could see him now, wolfing down pancakes in silence in a Denny's with Slade. How quickly things could change. It was not as if he and Slade were suddenly best buddies, they wouldn't be giving each other hugs anytime soon, but now they were forced to work together, forced to rely on one another. While that was not the most encouraging thought, at least Slade had not tried to kill him yet.

A tall, lean man watched Slade and Robin through the glass windows of the diner, staying at an awkward angle so as to not arouse their suspicion. His employer, Ra's Al Ghul aka Henri Ducard aka the Demon Head, had received notice from his informants of a strange visitor to Bruce Wayne earlier in the day. Ducard's contact arranged for a copy of the video feed from the visit, and most of the men in Ducard's employ, as well as Ra's Al Ghul himself, were astonished by what they saw. So now, Mikel, had been ordered to follow the boy, and see if he really resembled who they thought.

Mikel's cell phone vibrated in his coat pocket, and he reached for it, never taking his eyes off of the pair.

"Mikel," he said.

"Have you been following Wayne's visitor?"

"Yes, sir," he responded.

"What have you learned?"

"He is traveling with an older man, and the two have been heading North on foot. They have just stopped for some food. The younger is quite familiar Mr. Ducard, if I had not been there to see you snap his neck, I would swear he was Grayson a few years older."

"Interesting." Ducard paused, thinking over what he wanted done. "Follow them for a while longer. Let me know when they reach Crime Alley, I think it's time I meet this doppelganger."

"Yes, sir."

After finishing his food, Dick went into the men's bathroom. He washed his face at the sink and then tried to do something to improve his haggard appearance. He stared at his fatigued face in the mirror with disdain. He only hoped that Alfred was still at Wayne Manor, he sure could use something positive right about now. However, it would be a long walk to the Manor, and Dick hated to think of what he would do if the BatCave had been disassembled.

And so, hero and villain skipped out on their bill and entered the streets to some bad news. It was raining; hard. Dick swore silently, knowing how much longer this would make the walk seem, and then wordlessly continued on the road. The quickest route would be to continue on major highways to the Northeast, and then go through the underwater railroad tubes to exit the island and reach the mainland that the Manor stood on. It was looking to be another strenuous day, and Robin had no idea how right he was about that.

Robin and Slade were making good time, and at approximately 4 p.m. the water-soaked pair entered Crime Alley. Robin kept glancing nervously around him as he and Slade walked through the dangerous, darkening streets. However, unbeknownst to him, the two were being carefully stalked.

"They have entered Crime Alley, sir," the baritone voice of Mikel informed Ra's Al Ghul in the shadows of old brownstones, long since destroyed by neglect.

"Good work Mikel. I have sent Karina to assist you. Kill the man, but capture the boy alive."

"Very well, sir."

Mikel waited with growing anticipation, his fingers already drawing towards the hilts of the blades on his belt, itching to fight.

Passing in between two tenement buildings, both Robin and Slade were instantly aware of sounds around them. Nearly silent footsteps, and the slight ring of a blade being unsheathed screamed in their ears. The pair instantly knew that there in a horrible place for a fight to start up.

"I suggest you both surrender," a deep voice called from behind them. Robin and Slade spun around in defensive positions, Robin tearing off his shades in order to see well. "If so, I will make sure that you, old man, die a quick and virtually painless death."

The man stood in complete confidence, clad in dark clothes and a trench coat, a long, thin blade in his hand. He sneered at Robin and Slade as he spoke, and Robin could see Slade's muscles tighten in annoyance. "Will you?" Slade asked skeptically, his hand reaching towards his hidden utility belt. "And what of my young friend here?" Slade added, to keep the man distracted as he searched for whatever it was he needed.

"He is to be captured alive," Mikel said with smugness.

"Is that so?" Slade asked, releasing a handful of mini-bombs. The shiny balls skittered towards Mikel before exploding around him. He leapt into the air, avoiding them, and immediately lunging for Slade. Robin countered with a few birdarangs from his own utility belt. Mikel sliced two in half with his sword, and then caught the third in his hand.

"Bird-shaped shurikens?" he said, puzzled. "Who are you?" he asked, staring intensely into Robin's blue eyes.

Robin instantly became aware of the fact that this man knew he was Robin, Robin who was dead. He had no chance to consider his answer though, for Slade began to fight Mikel hand to hand.

For the first time, Robin saw that Slade was outmatched. He watched in awe and surprise as Mikel slashed at Slade, renting deep cuts in his skin. Slade's blood seeped onto his clothes, coloring them a deep red.

Robin assisted with more birdarangs, and by jumping in for a few roundhouse punches that seemed completely ineffective on the assassin. Mikel caught Robin's right wrist and twisted it, receiving a satisfying crack in response. Robin screamed and Mikel threw him into the wall of the tenement, bashing his head into the bricks as Slade stood to the side, examining his wounds. Robin felt blood on the back of his neck, and kicked out at Mikel, loosening his hold enough to fall to a heap in the cracked pavement.

Slade watched Robin as he leapt up from the pavement, narrowly avoiding Mikel's blade. Slade noted Robin's movements and quick reaction time. Robin was fighting admirably against such an advanced opponent. However, the assassin worried him. It took a man of considerable skill to wound Slade, and he had done just that, as easily as slicing through butter. Slade's injuries were already healing, but he was inclined to believe that the assassin would not leave until he was sure Slade was dead, which, unfortunately could occur, depending on how many pieces he left Slade in.

Suddenly Slade heard a muffled cry, and Robin was thrown to the base of the near dumpster. He collapsed, seemingly unconscious. Slade expected Mikel to come after him again, but was surprised by a sudden slice at his abdomen from behind. He whirled, and found a woman dressed entirely in black, a mask from her nose to her chin, holding a short sword on him. Slade immediately pulled out his bo staff, and began engaging his new opponent in combat.

Slade proved the better fighter of the two, knocking the sword out of her hand, and breaking her wrist for good measure. He soon had his blonde-haired attacker cornered against the tenement building. He forced her to slide sideways against the brick towards a set of windows. Her fists rained on him in vain, and Slade saw how he would end this. He struck out at her head with his right fist, driving her head backwards through the window. The glass shattered around her, creating jagged menaces in the window frame. He drove her neck down onto one of the glass spikes, and watched as blood gurgled from her throat as it pierced through.

Satisfied with his work, Slade stepped backwards, forgetting all about his other opponent.

"SLADE!" Robin's voice called out in warning.

Slade turned in time to see a glint of light reflect off of twin blades aiming for his neck. For all of his skill, there was no time to react. Slade watched, dumbfounded, as the blade neared him. Suddenly,he saw ablack and blue blur arcing over his head towards his attacker.

Dick somersaulted over Slade's head, his instincts taking over as he sought to protect him. However, Mikel reacted just as quickly, and Dick felt his blades slicing into his skin. He shouted in pain, but the sound of his voice was smothered by the rushing in his ears. Dick felt Mikel's blades cut in well practiced, automatic precision. Dick's head fell against the cold concrete, and his vision blurred. He saw Mikel, regaining awareness and control of his actions, stepping backwards in surprise, and then the whole world went dark.

Slade bent down and grabbed the abandoned short sword, lunging for the surprised Mikel. The blade sliced off Mikel's head in one swift, deft movement. As the assassin's body fell to the now blood soaked ground, Slade turned his attention to his unexpected savior.

He stared down at Robin's prone form. Blood pooled around him in crimson stains, and Slade stepped back as the widening puddle threatened to touch him. Somehow he knew he should end it. One blow would be all it would take, one blow and then the boy would be dead, and he would be on his own again. If he did not, then he would be trapped; trapped in this realm, trapped with this boy, trapped with no escape. Alone he could figure out how to get back to his home, Grayson had clearly given him enough information for him to figure it out, but if he was weighed down by the injured…

His fingers itched for use of the weapon, his mind shouted for him to attack. The boy would not even know it was him, he was unconscious, unaware.

So then why did he stand there, just staring? Why was he frozen, unable to move, unable to decide? He had killed before; quickly, cleanly, leaving no trace. Yet he never killed someone who was unable to defend themselves; never done something that underhanded on a job. Sure he had done horrible things to people, used blackmail and threaten the lives of those his target cared for, but he had never gone so far as to kill someone like that. If he did, then his entire 'moral code' would be destroyed.

So what should he do?

He could leave the boy as he was. The disgusting city they were in would produce someone to finish him off soon enough. But how was that any better than finishing him right now? The boy was in pain, every now and then his body would convulse, and he would cry out. He seemed to be going into shock. If he left him, then he left him to suffer and die a slow, prolonged death.

Again Slade prepared his weapon. It would be the humane thing to do, he told himself. Putting the boy out of his misery was the just decision, the only choice he could make.

'Just decision'? Since when had he thought in terms of what was fair and good? And how could he decide that killing someone who could still be saved would be justice. There was no justice in any of this.

His mind strayed to memories of people he had let down, people he had hurt and not thought twice about. His wife who tried to kill him. The sons he had forsaken. The daughter he abandoned. So many people he hurt, so many he let down for his own pleasure and his own selfishness.

His so-called moral code was another fabrication to make himself feel as if he were superior to others. He was supposed to be above them, more important.

And yet…

He remembered that instant of fear – an emotion he abhorred – just as the attack came, the glint of light that reflected off of the blade as it was raised. His own body stuck in place, unmoving, unable to stop what was about to occur. And then the streak of black that turned into a young man who hated him, who put himself between Slade and the attacker. The young man who took the brunt of an attack aimed at him. And who now lay dying at his feet.

What was just anymore? He owed Robin, he owed him his life. And that was not something that occurred often. He was in his debt, and yet, moments ago he had been planning to kill him. That was not the just decision.

He had caused this whole mess, and now it was up to him to correct it. And if that meant saving Robin, then so be it.

Decision made, Slade reached down and lifted Robin into his arms. Then he turned and moved off in the direction of a clinic Robin had mentioned vaguely. It was time to do the 'right' thing for once.

A/N: There you have it, Slade is being :gasp: nice!

So, what do you all think? Any predictions? Criticism? Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? I'm open for all of them.

Next up on my to-do list: If At First You Don't Succeed, and Oblivion.

Have a good day/night, and e-mail dlsky if you love this story!

See ya,

Sarah Shima