Disclaimer: Oh, great, another one of these things. Do you honestly have to hear it from me? Do you? Yeah, I guess you do--otherwise lawyers will be jumping down my throat for money. So here it is: I don't own Teen Titans or anything related to the DC Universe.

Author's Note: Well, It's both late and a bit shorter than normal. Let's put it this way, I got all I wanted to say out in this chapter. And I think I get my point across. The fact that I didn't use as many words as normal doesn't matter. But even though it's short, it's still late and you must know that I am deeply sorry about that. It's not easy when you're being sleep deprived, okay? Oh, I do want to send a shout out to KaliAnn. She put some pieces of my story into her "Time Warp Travel" and you guys should check it out.

Also Happy Belated Halloween! Who's still on a sugar high from all of that left over candy? I am. I think that's what's kept me up and able to finish this. And the fact that I read the first Superman Batman Annual which had me laughing so hard, I thought I was going to die laughing (If you're wondering how that relates, Slade was in it). One more thing, don't forget about the last chapter, please. So yeah, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Now, onto Chapter Twenty (can you believe it, we're on Chapter Twenty!)!

-T-

What?

Chapter Twenty

I had gotten up around four and had been back at work for three hours by now. Around this time, Robin would normally have come in for training to start, but because I let him sleep in, he wasn't. While I knew that I wanted Robin to take on the challenge of getting the prototype, I hadn't given enough thought to it as of now. Sighing, I sipped on water to keep me focused.

The honest fact was that while Robin probably wasn't going to enjoy these first couple missions, I was. I wanted them to make an impression. No, Robin wasn't going to stay out of the spotlight. I wanted people to know that their beloved defender was now aiding their greatest threat. And I wanted the Titans to get that most of all.

However, how to do it was the question. Looking at Wayne Enterprises, I found that it would be hard to make a lasting impression with a moderate fight. That's why for the last two hours I had done nothing but research weapons or potential weapons in Jump City. It was in the Needle that I found a weapon that would suit my purposes.

The Needle held a thermal blaster. One that I could easily modify once Robin brought it to me. If he needs a weapon, he'll bring it to me. I'm not going out for it. Once the modifications were made, I'd give Robin the assignment to get the prototype. Of course the purpose of these assignments would not be revealed to my apprentice as of then. He'd find out as time went on.

Since I didn't want too many disturbances getting the blaster, a nice sneak-in would be easy enough. I knew that Robin was capable of that after Red X. That gave me another idea. The guards being alerted on the way out wouldn't be such a bad thing... I smiled as the shocked faces came to mind. Afterwards I'd let Robin have his big entrance in and out of Wayne Enterprises. That would be a good enough start for my apprentice.

Leaning back in my chair, I sighed. While I had the entire plan laid out, I was still worried about Robin. I knew that I wasn't exactly hitting what had caused his outroar yesterday with the 'not enough sleep' theory. And it bothered me that I couldn't figure it out. A fear of height was unlikely. Not actually being able to balance was automatically not an option. I went through about fifty of these sorts of options, but nothing seemed to fit the situation. That being said, there wasn't a chance that I wasn't going to attempt to get an answer out of him.

Since I had some time to kill, I decided to construct the two layouts of the Needle and Wayne Enterprises into the cube for Robin to toy with when he got up. Once that was done, I went to the gym for a bit of practice. That lasted a good two hours. Wintergreen greeted me in the hallway on my way back to my room.

"Sleep well?" He asked casually.

"Well enough," I responded.

Wintergreen nodded and continued, "So you've planned out tomorrow?"

"Finished it this morning," I replied, opening the door to my room simultaneously.

"I see," He sounded sullen.

"Will, are you sour about yesterday?" I asked my friend.

Wintergreen shook his head, "I am by no means sour at you, Slade. He's your apprentice and you can train him as you wish."

"You just don't think my method yesterday was effective."

"It was effective, Slade. That is obvious. Perhaps it was too effective in more ways than one," with that he ended.

I nodded, but I was actually more interested in getting ready for the day. After I was ready, Wintergreen brought breakfast in and I ate sparingly. I looked up at the clock which read 10:17 AM. Finishing up, I went to the lab. I was checking the configuration of some computer micro chips when Wintergreen came in.

"He's awake."

'About time', "Well, why don't you get him some breakfast then. He's probably famished. Tell him he doesn't have any training today."

"Duly noted, sir."

"Oh, and give him this for practice," I tossed the little cube to Will.

I stopped working on the chip once Will left and sighed. I had been ignoring thinking of how to play out the conversation. The art of conversation is often planned out in ahead even as late as a milli-second before they begin. I wanted it to go smooth, but I didn't want it to be so loosely laid out that Robin could steer the conversation another way. A ground level should be applied first, but after that casually... Wintergreen had come back.

"Tell him to take a shower," I responded, knowing it might get Robin in a calm mood if he wasn't already.

I started working on the chip again. I knew that I could only do so much in trying to plan out a conversation. As long as casually took precedence and I didn't let him steer the conversation away from its destination, then I would probably be okay. About fifteen minutes later, I left the lab for Robin's room. Wintergreen met me in the hallway.

"Doing a bit of damage control?" He asked.

"I don't see why you think that it's necessarily 'damage control'," I responded.

"Good luck," Wintergreen looked as though I was walking into an electric chair.

It wasn't damage control. It was more like reassuring that there wasn't any. Even if Robin wasn't in the best mood, maybe I could improve it somehow. I reached his door and slowly opened it. Robin was rubbing a towel on his head to dry his hair. He briefly looked up at me, then turned his gaze away. So he was a little testy today...

I started the conversation, "Afternoon."

Nothing.

I continued to show that the silent treatment wouldn't make me leave, "I see you've eaten. That's good."

"So I'm assuming that you got a good night's rest?" I asked him moving towards him.

"What's it to you?" So the boy does talk.

I responded, "I just wanted you to have a good night's rest is all. That a crime?"

After a short pause, he bitterly, but softly said, "No."

"I guess we can agree on some level then."

"Some level," He was trying to be unpleasant so that I would leave.

That wasn't going to happen. I wasn't leaving until I got an answer out of him, even if I had to talk with this near mute boy for hours. I had the patience for it and knew how to handle silent conversations. Joey had done the same thing with me on numerous occasions. While I probably deserved half of them, he'd also do it when he was just plain mad at me. So I knew how to get answers out of people who wished to remain silent.

"Robin, yesterday," I walked up behind him, "Something happened, didn't it?"

He was silent, "Mind telling me about it?"

Robin swiftly moved to face me, "Yeah, I do actually. Is that so hard to believe?"

Robin once again turned his back on me. 'Well, at least he's talking,' I thought to myself. I just had to keep easing the conversation in the direction of an answer. I knew that he was angry, but he always seemed to be this way only when he was angry and if he did talk a bit, it would probably relieve a bit of his anger.

I told him, "I don't think you need to be angry at me, Robin. I'm just trying to understand what happened."

I put my hand on his shoulder, hoping that maybe that would encourage trust or calm him a bit. But no, Robin decided to place his shoulder out of my grip.

Bitterly, Robin turned again to me, "Maybe I don't want you to know. Maybe I want you out of my life."

I could see that he was angry. It was livid on his face. His frame shook slightly and his gaze was only that of the slits. Again I tried, "Robin, calm down. I'm not trying to intrude. All I'm asking is for you to tell me enough so I know why you went off like that."

Robin started to yell, "No! I won't!"

As Robin answered, he threw his arm to the side. If he was going to be unreasonable and expected that he was going to get his way, then he was way off. I caught his arm and brought him closer so that he could see that I was serious when I said this, "I hoped you'd be in a better mood if you got enough sleep today, Robin."

"It wasn't a matter of sleep, Slade," he replied quietly. I saw his gaze land on his arm, "Let go, Slade."

A sour attitude isn't always going to be automatically redeemed by a soft phrase, "I don't think so, Robin."

My apprentice struggled and squirmed in my grip, but I wasn't about to let go. Robin's gaze was distasteful and the 'you enjoy seeing me lose, don't you?' look. While I did enjoy winning, nobody was winning this one and I had no intention of making him feel bad about giving in and telling me what was wrong.

"Why don't you just tell me what bothered you yesterday?" I asked again.

"Slade, please let go," Robin ignored me.

I shook my head and looked him in the eye, "Not until you answer my question, Robin."

Robin's face contorted into that of a child angry and upset, "You want to know what was bothering me yesterday? It was the fact that I have to be reduced to your lowly, disgusting apprentice! You know why it's lowly and disgusting? Because that's exactly what you are, Slade! That's exactly what you are!"

My eye must have raised slightly. I let go of his wrist. It was a bit of a shock, but at the same time it was a lot more. I knew that he had said it out of anger and that it wasn't what was the cause of what happened yesterday. The insult however... It was my turn to narrow my eye. Robin looked up at me half-shocked at what I said and the other half staring at me in bewilderment.

SMACK!

I watched as Robin found himself practically kneeling on the ground. He grabbed his jaw and looked up at me, wide-eyed.

"I came in here to see if I could figure out what was bothering you yesterday Robin. I guess you just wanted to get that off your chest instead, didn't you?"

Robin kept staring at me. The next moment Robin was clutching his stomach after a swift kick to the gut. I knew that there seemed nothing fair in this. But what did he expect? Deliberately insulting someone was not going to gain favor from them and it was also utter disobedience. I would Not have a disobedient apprentice. And if Robin still didn't get that, he was going to be punished until he did.

"And now that you have, you have to accept the consequences; the punishment, that will follow," I took a couple steps towards him as I said this.

I grabbed his short, black locks of hair and yanked him up with a painful string. His ankles clanked against my shin guards, but it did him no good. Even as he did, I noticed that his ankles became red with the heat. As I brought him up, I aimed a well placed elbow into his back. When it hit on contact, he screamed good because of his armor. It only hurt me. Dropping him, I kicked him in his chest as he fell. For the last blow, I landed a swift boot into his face and he fell to the ground.

Robin coughed hoarsely. My apprentice got up on his knees and brought his hand to his mouth. I grabbed his shoulders despite his initial refusal. I stared at him hard in the eye. Robin didn't move a muscle as though paralyzed with fear. Good. I wanted him to get that I wasn't someone to mess with and that as my apprentice, no matter how good or obedient he might ever be, he would never overrule me.

If he wanted to be on my bad side, that was his choice. Being on my good side would probably benefit him though. He was going to be my apprentice, whether he liked it or not.

I finally spoke and while softly, I knew that Robin heard every word, "I hope that was enough to remind you of your place."

I let go of him and he dropped back to the ground. I watched him stay there for a moment. I knew that he had heard me. I knew that he was trying to put everything I had said in stored memory. I knew this and I waited.

After a minute, I asked again, "You ready to talk a bit?"

In a mere whisper, "No."

I didn't expect 'yes', but it was worth a shot. Robin breathed in heavily and I could see it easily. His mouth closed and for a couple seconds his face contorted and soon subsided. I got down and forced his chin up so that his eyes would meet my own.

I shook my head, "I like that spark about you, Robin. It's hard to beat an enemy with that spark in him."

I smirked and laughed slightly, "The Titans will be in for quite a surprise won't they?"

I knew that he didn't know that I was talking about when I said that, but the internal joke was at least enough to lighten my mood a bit. Robin kept staring at me as though as mute as Joey.

"Quite impressive, the performance you've been giving me lately, Robin," I continued, "Except for that slight outburst, you haven't said a word against me."

Still nothing, but I could tell that he was tensing from the words. I knew that what was swimming around in his head could be any number of things, but I didn't bother trying to list them in my head. It would have been a waste of my time. Although I could only guess that he was not liking the idea of how alike we were. He'd come to like it soon enough. Besides, he was at least starting to accept it.

I came so close that my voice literally poured into his ear, "Apprentice, I am very pleased."

I could see him shut his eyes tightly. I let go of him and stood up. I took a step towards the door, but softly stepped back as I decided against it. Robin was sprawled out on the floor and for a minute, he didn't move. Then I saw him begin to move. He started to get up, facing the opposite of the door. As he turned, his eyes widened as he saw me. He must have thought that I had gone.

It was interesting. I could see things in Robin that we had in common. Knowing when a fight is lost, is one of them. I guess it was only fair to let him know that, "You know what, Robin? With every moment that passes, I find more qualities that we have in common. You realize that, don't you?"

I smiled slightly, even though something nagged at me. But there was nothing else to say. There was nothing else to do. I knew the answer that I had wanted was really no longer an option, but I frankly didn't actually care. So, I left and locked the door. Wintergreen wasn't outside, for which I was grateful. Every time I talk with Robin I feel that Will can find something to criticize and I really wasn't in the mood at the moment.

I went back to my room and decided that I was in need of something relaxing to sooth my temper. I got ready and went to the room down the hall. The sauna heated in a matter of minutes, but before I went in the cedar-smelling, steam room, Wintergreen came by.

"How long will you be in?" He asked.

"Give me twenty minutes probably, minimum," I responded and let a smile out, "I don't know, Will."

He nodded in acknowledgment, then a thought occurred to me, "Would you go in and check on Robin, I think I might have loosened a tooth or something."

Wintergreen almost look irritated for a moment, but it subsided, "Well, at least it wasn't a broken bone."

"Wintergreen, I'm not in the mood," I told him, "Just check and do something if there's a problem. He's probably not in the best mood, so just say you snuck out the supplies. I don't think he'll want to accept any help from me as of right now."

Wintergreen nodded and I went into the sauna. The steam hit me like a wave, but I soon got used to it. I relaxed against the wall and closed my eye. Well, getting an answer was out of the question now. Whatever it was though, I really didn't care about it right now. What I cared about was Robin's behavior. Even though I want Robin to like it here, he has to understand that he is still my apprentice and that I overrule him.

I opened my eye and saw the mist in the air. I breathed it and relaxed. For a moment I let myself drift back to a time where I didn't worry about any of this reality. I had come home and immediately a five year old ran up and jumped up on me. I smiled at Grant and then saw Addie carrying Joey over. She was smiling.

I came back to the present. I guess all parents want their kids to succeed in life and I guess parents punish them to make sure that they get it into their heads that it's wrong to do this or that. But no matter what the circumstances are, I don't think there's a single parent that cares about their kids that like to hand out punishments. I had experienced that with Grant and Joseph, probably Grant more often on occasion, but still.

It's also true with trainers. Trainers aren't there for their students to fail. They're there so that their students succeed. Then one considers how a Master and Apprentice work. Masters are a special type of trainer; almost a cross between a parent and a trainer. Masters train a student in a specific area, and, depending on the agreements and deals made, their power over influencing their student varies.

In Robin's case, I had pretty much every bit of power over his life. However, despite all of that, I wanted Robin to be here more so willingly than out of force. Punishments are undisputably a form of force. I may relish in having power, but sometimes giving out punishment is not exactly favorable; to me or anyone else for that matter. It was a feeling that I had had often around Grant and Joseph when they did something wrong. I don't know how accurate a description that is, but it will have to do. Wintergreen arrived and opened the door, and I felt a rush of cold air come in. He saw I wasn't coming out yet, so he stepped into the uncomfortably (for him) hot room.

"Nice job, you've managed to loosen some teeth," He told me with an obvious air of sarcasm.

"Where?" I asked, wanting for this to be quick.

"The lower back area, on his right," he replied, then continued, "I must have missed something because I swore that I thought you wanted the boy to be happy here."

"He'll get over it," I replied.

"Slade," Will shook his head, "That was a beating."

"He's taken fights with me before, Wintergreen," I said.

Will was in high disapproval right now. I could tell because he was voicing it.

"Listen, Will, I need some time to think right now, just..." I trailed off, "Just leave my dinner in my room."

Wintergreen left again. I thought back to how Robin had taken it. I knew that I had gotten something across to him. I could sense it. He had been afraid. It's odd that the so called 'protégée of Batman', who dealt with fear all of the time could also be so susceptible to it. I guess that's what being a hero does to you. Then again, I've felt a good amount of fear in my life and I'm not one who pronounces themselves as a 'hero'.

Fear, it's an interesting little thing, isn't it? Almost like an air that could travel. It could go into your throat and strangle you, making you unable to breathe. At the same time, it could freeze you as though you were encased in ice. It's chilling. It makes you pant and sweat. You hear the blood pounding in you head whenever it's around. It can be an ally or a foe.

Finally I got up and hit the off switch and waited for the air to cool. As the hot steam became water droplets that couldn't be distinguished with my sweat, I came to a conclusion. Robin would probably get over this. With time. I wasn't going to move Robin's little expedition though because of this. He'd probably deal with this a lot during this apprenticeship and he'd have to learn how to handle it. I wasn't one to ever go soft and I wasn't about to give him special treatment. If I knew Robin, he'd bounce back. Besides, that adrenaline rush would give him a little thrill and that could lighten his mood.

And give him a real taste of a criminal's adrenaline rush.

That, I had a strong feeling, he'd like.

As I came back to my room, Wintergreen had done as I had said and left my dinner by the door. I ate, being famished from not having a great breakfast and barely (if any) lunch. Once finished, I decided to get a good night's rest so that tomorrow, I'd be alert. Neither dreams nor nightmares followed me that night. That was probably good.

Distractions were something I didn't have time for.

-T-

A/N: So who got the point of that chapter. It was supposed to be more like Slade saw it as punishment that Robin deserved and that Robin would get over it. Like a child does when they get punished by their parents. Get it? Sort of? Kind of? There's a lot more to it, but that's a basic summary. So how was it? And yeah, tomorrow's the big day for Robin. Poor guy. Thanks again for reviewing! Later! ;-D

Rena