AN) Hey! I hope you guys are doing awesome! I've been super busy, so sorry for the crazy delay. I had my mission's trip to LA two weeks ago and last week I was in Cleveland for the U2 concert! Also, shout out the guy who noticed I was having a panic attack when I lost my dad and the crowd and got everyone to move Fezzik style. You literally save my life man, you rock. I'm glad I got to update today, and you all need to thank Xnia Red for this. I've been having some mental health issues, but I've been doing better, and Xnia Red's review kind of confirmed for me that I'm doing okay. Just reading their little review made me so stinking happy. Oh yeah, I got my permit! Almost able to drive! I also got first place in my 4-H writing project, so that was a huge confidence booster. You guys didn't come here for this…on with the show!

She seemed to be trying to size him up, Richard moving away from her. She was an unknown, he had never read a file on her or seen her before. The last unknown he had encountered had tried to beat him to a pulp, so Raven wasn't winning his trust immediately. She seemed to be feel awkward, perhaps it was because she was in the same room as an assassin. Richard wasn't too fond of meeting competitors, mostly because they seemed to agitate Master greatly. He smirked to himself, she was probably fighting the urge to arrest him, but she didn't seem to be the type of hero to slap handcuffs on villains. Richard wanted to keep the uncomfortable air going for as long as he could, unsure how to though. Why the hero didn't just leave was beyond him, he had no wish to talk to her and she probably didn't want to stand there all night.

"Would it be too much trouble to ask you to leave?" She raised an eyebrow, her cape shifting to allow her arms to cross across her chest. "I prefer to sleep without people watching me."

"It's five in the afternoon." Great Scott, did this woman know how emotions worked? Even his master displayed some emotion, he would've figured someone who worked with the Flash would show a little more life. Batman worked with the Flash, so there must be a few exceptions.

Richard didn't believe for one second that this woman and her team were independent from the Justice League. They were probably just B-tier heroes that the media never covered. Like Constantine, only reason Richard could put a name to that face was the grudge they held. Constantine wanted a magical artifact, Master wanted to steal it for a client, and no one had decided to let Richard know that the man in the trench coat who looked like a drunkard had magical powers. The fight they had, though short lived, as intense. Richard learned some colorful words and Constantine got a broken jaw. He also got the artifact and boom, that's why Richard was locked in the lair for a week.

"Well excuse me for having a nocturnal lifestyle." He quipped, grabbing the folded sheet and letting it fall out of its sheet. "Would you mind holding these?" He picked up the pillow, tossing it lightly over his shoulder, the tan blanket soon following it. He didn't hear them hit the floor so Richard guessed she caught them.

This fitted sheet was nearly impossible, Will normally took care of chores and stuff, but Richard had made his own bed. He gave a small nod to his work, rubbing his head gently. It ached a little, probably from getting jumped, probably feel better after he napped. Scott often took to referring to Richard as a cat since he would randomly pass out throughout the day, he had to agree. He also liked it when people would run their hands through his hair, it felt nice. It was basically how Master showed affection. Richard turned, slamming his chest into a floating black table.

"Bloody…what is that?"

"It's a construct." She explained, Richard hesitantly grabbing the blanket off of it. "Part of my powers."

"Let me guess, dark magic?"

"How could you tell?" He thought he heard a laugh in her voice, but wasn't positive.

"For one, it's dark and you have to have some sort of powers. Two, you're levitating. And three I've ran into magic users before." Richard whipped the blanket through the air, letting it fall gently onto his cot. It was a tad over dramatic, but he liked to watch it fall. It rarely fell smoothly for him though so he had to get rid of the bumps.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk?" Raven had moved closer, holding his pillow towards him. "I'm a telepath, I can work with human emotions. I can sense how you feel. I may not feel it myself, but I'll be able to understand what you're going through."

"Miss, I don't want you crawling around in my brain." He sighed, letting the pillow drop. "I don't need your help, seeing as my only problem is that I'm here—"he gestured to the drab room, wishing it would melt into his blue walls and loft bed with the desk underneath—"instead of reporting in from a mission."

"You were going to kill someone."

"I didn't want to, honest."

"Then someone was making you?" Richard could tell she was an excellent speaker, her words were guarded carefully.

"It was a job." He was tired of debating this, he was met with the same argument from different mouths, and he didn't know how to get it through their thick skulls that they were wrong.

She nodded. Richard blinking as Raven didn't challenge him anymore. "Ok." He hadn't been expecting that. "Well, at least we talked." She tricked him! His brow furrowed, a small smile on her usually stoic face. "Richard, I promise," she reached out, hands gently grabbing his arm. He pulled away, not trusting her touch yet, he probably never would. He met her eyes, surprised as he could see the honesty in them. That was very hard to fake, he guessed the only emotions she showed were real. "I am not trying to brainwash you. I'm just trying to help you see things for yourself and make your own decisions."

He nodded. So, he could probably trust her. She might be like Jason. Jason was the only other person who he had seen that look on.

"Thank you. I am going to get some rest."

"I'll come back soon and see if you need anything."

"If you have apples they're always welcome." She nodded, letting his cell door close behind her.

Richard sank to his bed, running his hands across his face. The throbbing was steadily getting worse, he feared what would happen eventually. Why hadn't he said anything? He probably could've gotten some Advil or something. No, that would've been admitting weakness. Master hated whenever Richard would complain about his head hurting. Apparently it wasn't that bad, it wasn't that big of a deal, it wasn't worth bother his master about. Most things that pertained to Richard seemed to not be worth bothering his master about. Richard figured Master was disappointed in him not growing as much. There always seemed to be something that wasn't good enough. His attitude, his humility, his obedience, his performance on the job, heck—even how he acted as a civilian disappointed Master. Richard didn't want to show emotion around the man. He knew it was bad to cry, smile or complain because he was a weapon. It wasn't his place, he wasn't truly human. He was Master's prized weapon.

He sighed, swinging his legs up. His head didn't hurt that bad, so he would ignore it. It's what Master would tell him to do. Ignore being sad, ignore feeling like laughing, ignore everything. Richard wished he could, he wished he could get rid of everything that made his master disappointed in him, but he couldn't. It just wasn't him to not be happy. Especially when he had things to be happy about, his art, his friend, being able to go outside, not getting hit too hard. He liked to be happy, Richard really liked the feeling.

He could be better when he got back, right now he would have to survive. Richard curled tightly, he slept defensively. He kept his back to the wall, his knees pressed against his stomach, one hand resting on the back of his neck, his chin tilted down while his spare hand shielded his face. He guessed he had developed this habit when he was little, since Master had attacked him at random to build his pain tolerance.

His head was uncomfortable, but it would be better once he slept. Sleep made everything better. Richard looked around as the lights began to dim until they were at a low glow. Raven must've made that happen. Whatever.

Breakline

It was hot, it was really hot. Richard groaned, curling tighter and fighting to keep his eyes closed. It felt like he was melting, he batted the blanket off, wiping the beads of sweat that dripped off of his face away. His clothes were soaked, Richard gulped in air. His hands were shaking, twitching as he tried to get sweat out of his eyes.

He needed water, maybe Raven could hear him if he shouted through the door? He sat up, and the world turned red. The fire lit inside of him, hands grasping at his head. It felt like Master was taking his whip to it, hot strike breaking apart his brain. He put pressure on his feet, crying out as he went down. He was shaking, he couldn't walk. Everything hurt, the fire was going to kill him. He screamed, tearing at his head, trying to stop it.

His own breathing hurt his ears, his heartbeat was too loud. He wanted to die, Richard wanted to snap his own neck as he had done to so many others. He felt something cool on his cheeks, letting the tears fall to soothe the heat. He didn't care that he was crying, it felt good.

There was thunder coming towards him, he groaned, trying to block everything from his ears. He heard his name, saw confused blurry faces towering over him. He whimpered, trying to tell his need, but his mind wouldn't let him.

"My…pills…I-I need them…pills…please." It sounded like he shouted them, Richard wincing as he spoke.

Something was cold, he felt something cold. A hand on his cheek. He didn't care enough to shy away, it felt good anyway. He leaned into it, murmuring his message. The fire was dying, how was it dying? He hadn't taken his pills, he needed his pills. He looked to the source, meeting pained purple eyes.

"W-what?" He was able to gurgle out, shaking.

"It's alright." Raven's voice found his ears. "I'm just taking some of the pain, you're okay."

"No…n-no…not okay…" He didn't want her to feel this. This was Hell. That's how Will said he looked during his withdraws. "…pills…need pills…"

The fire was dull, he still shook, his body twitching against his will. A second voice echoed in his ears. A second pair of hands grabbed his arm.

"It's okay, Dick." Metal was in his arm, he hissed as the needle found his arm. "It's just a sedative, we're going to help you."

"No…pills…g-give me…need…" It was going dark, he still ached but he felt numb. "Don't remember…can't…won't…don't w-want…" He needed the pills, he didn't want to remember how they brainwashed him. Richard didn't want to remember how he was going to betray his master.

"It's okay, it's okay." A voice soothed, arms circling him. He was almost gone, the ache was still there.

"Kill me…please…j-just kill me…" The words bubbled out of his mouth, his head swinging as it all went black.

Breakline

The boy lay on the examination table. Several worried faces in the room. Young Justice had been sent back to the Cave to regroup so the extremely vocal teens weren't freaking out. That was the only good part of the situation. Red Robin was briefing his team in the hall, so the adults were the only ones present.

Batman was examining the bloodwork results, Barry looking over his shoulder.

"I've seen that before." The speedster said, Bruce glancing at him. "It can be used to erase memories. Kinda helpful for villains to get henchmen out of civilians."

"Slade made him forget us." Clark shook his head. "He takes the pills and it blocks his memory of what happened with us?"

"Slade's modified it to block the memories he wants to." Bruce was typing, pictures of pills flying across the screen. It froze on what Richard had been taking. "Dick's grown addicted. We'll have to give him smaller doses."

"I'm concerned about the drugs." Ollie raised his hand. "Is that really the best idea?"

"Having him go cold turkey would be more harmful." Dinah glanced at the boy, sweat still glistening on his face. "I'm more worried about him wanting to die."

"With the way he was screaming I'd want to too." Barry sighed. "I might be able to find a weaker drug at the lab, let him get the chemicals but not have the memory wiping."

"That's the plan then."

"Man I hope this works," Ollie sighed, "for our sake and his."

AN) I would like to thank you all so much! I hope you enjoy! Please, leave a comment. I'm always in search of ideas to make your story better. I love you all bunches, you are valid, important, intelligent and strong. Never forget that. Bye FanFam!