...And it's been split into 4 parts…

Blackfire will be in the next chapter I swear! Only at the end and a flashback, but she will be there.

Italics are flashbacks

Robin's POV

You know, I'd been so caught up in the idea that the villains were gonna kill me that the idea that they'd be impressed had completely slipped my mind.

But obviously they were, considering this group appeared to be fawning over me.

"C'mon kid, please?" Penguin wouldn't stop pestering me for an autograph, and it was starting to get annoying. I would just give it to him, but I also knew the real reason he wanted it.

Unlike most of the villains in the group, he wasn't impressed. No, he just wanted money. And selling my autograph would get him just that.

Only problem is I see right through him, and there's no way I'm helping the man who once killed an innocent boy for his lunch money.

"You made the right choice, kid" Doctor Light said as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks. Means a lot coming from you" My words seemed warm, but my tone was cold. And I couldn't help but get some sick satisfaction by his embarrassed expression.

"Told you he'd think you were a joke" Mumbo whispered to him as they walked away. Doctor Light had a defeated expression on his face. Oh, if only it were like that.

If I were any of the other Titans, I would've thought that -that Doctor Light was no more than a joke.

It doesn't have to do with the others being stupid or immature. With the small threat he is to us heroes, it's easy to forget how real his threat is to civilians.

And even though I knew they could handle it, I'd still taken it upon myself as leader to keep them blind to the true extent of his crimes.

I don't think you're a joke Doctor Light. I think -no- I know you're a monster.

I knew that the moment I learned you were a serial rapist.

After a few more congratulations, the small group -by some miracle even penguin- all seemed to have gone on their way and I was left alone.

I guess I really didn't need to plan my every move anymore, but I still wanted something to drink, so I continued over to the table to grab some apple juice.

"Oh, look at you! A Traitor to the league themselves!" I may have screamed when Harley Quinn came out of nowhere -no, like seriously, are we sure she has no powers?- and began cooing over me.

"Oh aren't you the cutest little thing? Yes, You are! Don't you agree, Puddin'?" As much as this was the preferred option over dying, it still wasn't exactly an option I liked. Harley Quinn was quickly the biggest culprit of this. She reminded me of one of those old ladies I'd meet at those fancy rich people events Dad used to take me to. Actually this whole thing was starting to remind me of those events -and trust me when I say that the only things that were worse than those parties were death and (most of the time) kidnappings.

"Eh, he'd be cuter if he were covered in his own blood begging for mercy" Joker said with a shrug. I winced at the mental picture he'd just created.

Harley walked over to him "Mister J, this is a child we're talking about. A child who just betrayed those self-proclaimed 'heroes'. Have some manners!"

This wasn't going to end well.

"Harley, darling, why don't we talk about this somewhere a little more private?" I could recognize that twinkle in his eye. I could sense the dark intentions behind those words.

He wasn't planning on talking, he was planning on hitting. The poor woman was in for a beating.

"Of course, Puddin'" I'd always pitied Harley. She wasn't like most of the people here. she wasn't a villain, but a victim.

Harley was just a psychiatrist he'd manipulated into this life using lies of a troubled past. She'd fallen for him and was trapped now. Sure, she'd temporarily leave, but Harley always ended up returning, out of some misplaced love for him. He had her wrapped around his psychotic finger, and she couldn't get out.

I'd learned an important lesson from watching their relationship throughout the years -don't fall for villains. No matter how misunderstood they appear, it's just a trap.

I sighed as they walked away. I felt bad for causing the beating, but I also knew not to blame myself too much. Even if I hadn't caused this beating, the relationship would be the same. I could only pray that someday she'd find her way out of the abuse.

After that little encounter I managed to grab some apple juice with relative ease. The doughnut was a little harder, and I ended up grabbing two in order to not return for more. After all any more than two would be pretty unhealthy.

I walked over to the window and felt a large wave of nostalgia overcome me as I overlooked the city I had once protected.

It all brought me back to years ago, 4 to be exact. Back then I was only ten…

Me and my dad were on the roof of a Wayne Enterprises building. While the view wasn't as large as the League's view, it still gave a good look at the city below.

"...and there was that time I…" I said, recounting all my recent victories with pride.

"Why are you telling me this, Robin? I was there for most of these stories."

"Well I just thought you'd want an update on my progress!" I replied cheerfully

"Well I would prefer an unbiased report" he said in response.

"I'm not being biased!" I claimed proudly. To my disappointment he only chuckled in response.

"Well then, I suppose I should just forget the fact that just last Thursday you got a severe pwning when you needlessly attacked Talia" I blushed with embarrassment at the memory. His stupid beloved assassin girlfriend had been visiting on friendly terms, but I'd gone ahead and attacked anyway.

"She cheated!" I defensively claimed.

"How do you cheat when someone randomly attacks you?" he said with a smile. The warmth that came from him was rare to most, but I was his son. And he loved me more than anything in the world.

"Look, Dick" he said, putting his hand on my shoulder, "As fatal as losing is in this line of work, not acknowledging it is even more so. If you don't acknowledge your failures, you won't figure out the mistake you made. If you don't, you'll only repeat them. Next time, with worse consequences"

Obviously I hadn't taken the lesson to heart. If I had then I wouldn't be stuck in this situation. I should've learned from Red X not to go behind my friends back to catch Slade.

I mean I hadn't exactly gone behind their back, but I could've notified them where I was going. But I didn't.

And as much as I hated to admit it, I had known at the time that I needed to notify them. But I hadn't, out of a selfish fear that they'd tell me to wait, that they'd argue I shouldn't be the one to fight Slade because of my recent behavior, that they'd send someone else out instead.

And because of my obsessive need to be the one who took down Slade, I'd fallen right into his trap.

Just look at where I am now.

The failed protege of the great Batman…

The failure of a leader to the Teen Titans…

God, is there something I am that doesn't have the word 'fail' in it?

Well, let down means the same thing.

I mean I guess there's also 'Slade's apprentice'.

But mostly?

I'm a failure.

Don't know if the Robin angst makes up for a lack of Blackfire.

Probably doesn't.

She'll be in the next chapter, I swear!

Reviews encourage updates