This story is for Toruviel/Monika who wanted to know what happened when Batman came to visit, as is mentioned in "Old Friends"…
Adding two stories today! Not the long one, yet, it's ALMOST done… people keep asking for it… yeah, it's long but what if it sucks!? Half an hour or so of your life will just be GONE… think about that when you read these short ones… ;o)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. Still. It's surprising, really…
Pairing: Slade/Robin
Warning: Phew… no real slash… I mean, it's a slash pairing, but if you can't stand a kiss or two… ;o)
Background: This is getting complicated… this is also a future-fic to "Terms…" set before "Old Friends" and after "Cold"… This is getting so weird I'm thinking that I just should have continued "Terms…" -sigh-

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Old family

"Check the model of the alarm system, then call the sales people at the company and ask some questions. See if you can find any weak spots." Slade ordered.

Robin nodded, getting to work. Slade was in 'boss-mode'… well, he was the boss, after all. Robin accepted that. Slade had lot's of things to teach him, and it couldn't just be all play… when they worked they worked hard and seriously.

Suddenly the perimeter alarm went off.

"I'll check it out…"

Robin got up and went to the monitors. Black. Ooo-kay… Not just a nosy kid, then… He grabbed his belt and made it downstairs. As he found the intruder his jaw dropped for a moment. It was just a second, though, and as he appeared in front of the man, he was again collected.

"Batman. Nice of you to drop in. Could have used the doorbell, though…"

"There is no doorbell, Dick."

"Oh… you're right. Well… come on in."

Batman couldn't hide his surprise at the invitation, but followed Robin in to an elevator. As the doors opened Robin led him to a control room.

"Who was it?" Slade was sitting with his back towards them.

"Your father-in-law." Robin grinned, and started to chuckle as both men jumped.

Slade got to his feet.

"Bruce." he nodded.

"Slade."

Oh, there was no love lost between those two.

"I'm sorry about the joke" Robin said, seeing that he made both men even more uncomfortable. "I guess I lost the right to call you my father when I joined Slade, Bruce."

"I will always be your father, Richard."

It was Robin's turn to be surprised… then Batman continued. "Weather or not I want to, is another question."

Robin relaxed. He was afraid Bruce would try to lure him away with old promises… hostility, though, he could take. Hostility he deserved in a way.

"Robin. Come here." Slade was being possessive. Robin knew better than to argue, though, and obediently joined his side.
"What are you doing here, Bruce?" Slade wanted to know.

"I came to talk to Robin."

"No." Slade said simply

"Are you so insecure about your hold on the boy?" Batman sneered.

Slade growled. Robin realized that this could get ugly. Fast.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Slade." Robin said firmly, taking half a step and placing himself partly in front of the man. The gesture could be perceived as protective, but protecting who? There was no way to tell.

"All right." Bruce turned his eyes towards Robin. "Richard… It's Alfred…"

Robin felt his heart and stomach freeze.

"Is… is he…?"

"No. He is alive. But his heart…" there was emotion in Bruce's voice now. The old man had been the only constant in the millionaire's life and now… "He has a heart condition. He is having surgery. Tomorrow. He… he has asked to see you…"

I should have known Bruce wouldn't come here willingly… Robin thought wryly. What to answer, though…?

"I… I…" He turned and looked up at Slade, placing his hands on the man's hips. "Can… can we go? Please?"

Slade looked down on his boy, frowning. The boy was begging him, though, and those blue eyes were so damn hard to resist.

"Yes. As soon as I confirm things with the hospital."

"Thank you…" Robin said softly and embraced him, not so softly. There was a low, angry sound from Batman, and Slade grinned as he kissed the top of the boy's head. Robin looked up at him, a glint in his eye telling Slade he knew perfectly well why the man had just done that, but out of gratefulness he was willing to play. The boy tilted his head back and let his hands up around Slade's neck, pulling him down for a kiss.

"I'll wait outside. Be out in fifteen minutes or I'm leaving." Batman growled hurriedly and disappeared into the elevator. Robin couldn't help but snicker as the doors closed. Slade merely smiled and let him go to turn to one of the computers. It took only a few minutes to hack into Gotham's hospital records and they soon found Alfred's journal.

"It looks genuine… but we should be careful none the less."

"Aren't we always?" Robin smiled.

"What? You? Let's go. Can't keep dad waiting." Slade grinned.

Robin latched on to his arm.

"Promise you won't call him that! He will FREAK!"

"I know."

Robin swallowed. Oh god. Three hours on a plane with Slade and Batman…? Could someone just end his misery now, please?

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As Bruce met them in front of the building he was in civilian clothes. Robin and Slade already was, as they had planned to stay in… they didn't wear uniforms as such anyway, just a bit of protective gear. The drive to the airport was quiet but almost civil. They entered the Wayne jet, eerily familiar to Robin, and picked their seats among the few chairs. Robin sat next to Slade, of course, and Bruce chose a seat opposite.

Robin was serious now, thinking about Alfred. He had really missed the old man and now he was afraid. Afraid he would loose him and afraid of the reason Alfred would want to see him. If he wanted Robin turned himself in. Leave Slade? It might be the man's dying wish! Robin bit his lip and reached for Slade's hand. Slade let him, probably just to annoy Batman, but Robin didn't care. He curled up in the chair and rested his head against the man's shoulder. He squeezed Slade's hand and played a bit with his fingers, trying to calm down.

His serious eyes met Bruce's.

"Does… does Alfred hate me?"

He felt Slade stiffen. He knew the man didn't like that he cared about his old life, but Robin did, and wasn't about to hide it, just as he wasn't about to hide his feelings for Slade.

"No, Richard. Alfred loves you. He is just disappointed with your… poor choices." He glared as Slade, who tensed even more.

"I can see how joining Slade was a poor choice from your point of view… but you don't know everything. It was the right choice for me."

"Hurting people is never the right choice!" Batman snarled.

Robin didn't answer, gripping Slade's hand even harder.

"No, Bruce. I guess letting people get hurt is better…" Slade answered instead, icily.

"What is that supposed to mean, Deathstroke?"

"He means that by just putting people in jail you just leave them to hurt and kill again in the future. You never stop them."

"Maybe I should learn from that and make an exception…?" Batman's voice matched Slade's in every aspect.

"You would have to kill me too." Robin asked quietly.

"Richard…" Bruce's voice was tense. "Slade is a murderer."

Robin looked him straight in the eyes now. "So am I."

Bruce paled a bit. He hadn't kept up with the news then. Or chosen not to believe them, perhaps.

"So you are truly lost." he whispered.

"Yes. To you. I found the true me, though."

"Just… don't tell Alfred. It would kill him. If you still care about him, then don't let him know the full extent of what you have become."

"I am not ashamed of my skills." Robin snarled "But as you wish. I'll play the good boy. One last time. For Alfred."

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The rest of the flight was spent in silence. As they landed in Gotham, Robin got even more edgy, even shrugging of Slade's hand on his shoulder.

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The boy's hands shook slightly as he entered the private hospital room. That was what he felt like. A boy. Small and scared and helpless. He had left Slade and Bruce outside, hoping they wouldn't tear the place down in his absence. Walking up to the side of the bed his eyes filled with tears at the sight of the pale man. He looked so old. So frail. He seemed to be asleep, but as Robin grasped his hand lightly his eyes flickered open.

"Master Richard! You came!" There was a large smile on the old man's face.

"Of course I did!" Robin exclaimed, leaned down and hugged his friend as hard as he dared. "Are you all right? How are you feeling?"

"Better now, my boy." Robin recognized the old familiar twinkle in the man's eyes and smiled.

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Out in the corridor tension was building.

"Congratulations." Bruce sneered. "You robbed the world of a fine young man."

Slade, determined now not to loose his temper and take the higher ground here, just calmly looked at the hero.

"I love him, you know." he told the other man.

Bruce snorted in disgust.

"You are not capable of love!"

"Funny." Slade smiled, not being able to resist. "That's exactly what Robin's been telling me about you."

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"Why… why did you want to see me?" Robin asked nervously.

"I have missed you, dear child… I wanted to see you at least one last time…"

"Don't talk like that! I have read the medical report; the surgery is a standard procedure!"

"Yes. But at my age… you never know, do you?" Alfred smiled. "How have you been?"

"Fine… I'm fine… I'm actually happy…" Robin smiled through his tears. "I'm sorry to be a disappointment, though…"

"I had hoped for more for you in life, but maybe the only thing we should ask for is happiness." Alfred sighed. "Bruce has tried to protect me, you know… But I haven't been the butler of the greatest detective in the world all these years without picking a few things up."

Robin's eyes widened.

"Yes, Robin. I know what you have done, what you have been part off. I want you to promise me something."

Robin longed to say 'anything!' but he was so scared of what the old man might ask.

"What?" he asked gently, cursing himself for being a coward.

"For every life you take, you save one. And you will never, ever take the life of a child." The old pale eyes pierced his heart, daring him to refuse the request.

"I promise, Alfred. I promise."

A moment later a nurse came in, telling them visiting hour was over. The operation was scheduled in the early morning, and that was just a few hours away. Robin gave the man a fierce hug.

"I love you, Alfred."

"I love you too, master Richard. Please remember your promise."

"I will. For you."

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As Robin left the room he walked into Slade's arms and, holding on to the man, he let himself cry.

They didn't leave the hospital as they decided to wait through the operation. As Alfred was rolled out of his room Robin and Bruce walked on either side of the hospital bed, holding his hands.

Robin tried to sound cheerful, but then left Bruce and Alfred alone.

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The waiting was one of the worst times in Robin's life. He took the opportunity to tell Slade about the promise he had made. The man didn't like it, but he could see in Robin's eyes that if he tried to stop him in this endeavor, it was a deal breaker. Robin would leave.

"I don't mind the part with the children; I'm reluctant about that myself. But playing hero again?"

"One life for everyone I take."

"All right. Just do it quietly… we don't want any bad press, do we?"

Robin smiled at this and Slade smiled back, glad to have eased the boy's worries for a few seconds.

Two hours later the surgeon walked in to the room. Robin got to his feet even quicker than Bruce, and held his breath.

"The operation was successful, and Mr. Pennyworth is in the recovery unit. You will be able to see him in an hour or so."

"Thank you, Doctor. Thank you very much." Bruce said and shook the man's hand. Robin just smiled, eyes brimming with tears of happiness.

"Should we stay? Would you like to see him again when he wakes up?" Slade asked.

"No… no I think we should go home…" Robin answered.

"I'll go arrange for a plane." Slade nodded and left the room.

"You could use the Wayne jet…" Bruce reluctantly offered Robin.

"No. We have one of our own stationed here." Robin shrugged, and inwardly smiled as he noticed Bruce raise an eyebrow. "Please tell Alfred that I love him and that I won't forget our deal."

"What deal?"

Robin was slightly surprised that Alfred hadn't told him.

"That's a secret." he grinned and left the room to find Slade.

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Two weeks later a woman found herself being rescued from a group of gangsters by a lean boy in a black ski mask. It was over so quickly that she never got a chance to thank him. And so… over time… the whispered rumors began…

THE END.

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A/N: Okay… did anyone get a bit misty-eyed? At all? This story surprised me… you see, it was kind of supposed to be a funny one at first… ANd I mean like REALLY funny... and when it turned sadder… Well, I had actually WRITTEN the line 'and that was the last time he ever saw him' but I couldn't ok? I had to let it end happily after all… couldn't kill off old Alfred… What am I? A monster? Turning Robin to an assassin is bad enough… but I like him bad sometimes… just can't help it…

A big THANK YOU to those who liked the Red X-story (and told me so)... I have started another one, that MIGHT be a full length story... well... several chapters at least... bouncing off from that one... that meant I actually had to give the guy a face and a name... damn... but I'm quite happy with him...