Chapter Seven: Sleeping Beauty

AN: Hey sorry for the long wait. Enjoy!~~

Tim jerked awake in a pitch black room. His muscles throbbed as he sat up from the cold hard ground. The room was alien and quiet. All he could hear was his heartbeat in his chest as he waited for his eyes to adjust. He cautiously stood up as he saw the outline of a door a small hint of light leaking out from the bottom. Hands outstretched in front of him he skimmed his hand up and down the surface until he found the small circular knob. He blinked as he entered a brightly lit hallway. The carpet was soft against his bare feet. Thoughts flooded through his brain. Am I in the manor? Did batman-did Bruce come and save me?! Finally able to see his body, Tim looked down at the bulky bandages strapped to his skin. How long was I asleep?

He wandered through the hall. Opening doors and looking into rooms. He realized that this wasn't the manor and a sinking feeling flooded his gut. Anxiety overtook him and he started to skip doors not wanting to know what was behind them anymore. Instead he favored a larger mahogany door that looked different somehow from the others. With sweaty hands, he grasped the handle only opening the door slightly. He peaked inside and saw what looked like a dining room. The table was full of every breakfast food you could imagine. Tim's eyes skimmed over all of them, saliva practically dripping out of his mouth. His stomach demanded that he eat something but he hesitated. He looked around realizing that he had taken several steps forward into the room. He stiffened noticing that someone was sitting at the head of the table motionless; watching him.

"W-who's there?" Tim fumbled out unable to find his voice

"Son!"

"D-dad?" He asked completely confused.

"Hey what are you doing just standing there? Come sit by your old man." Tim robotically obeyed and sat in the seat the man gestured to.

"W-where are we?" Tim asked relaxing a little bit. Temptation overwon logic as he began to fill his plate.

"What are you talking about?" He laughed in a shockingly familiar way. "We're at home!" Tim froze fork midway from his plate to his mouth. The Joker squinted at him. "Are you okay, son? Maybe I pushed you too hard during training yesterday."

'My little Robin...You know you are my Robin now, right?' Events came flooding back into his memory from yesterday. He shivered but not from the cold. Tim put his fork down his stomach suddenly feeling tight and queasy.

"He's not going to come is he?" Tim breathed to himself. The Joker laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Who are you talking about? Who's coming?"

Tim, who had tensed at the touch, just shook his head and said "No one."

"Well, alright." The Joker shrugged. "Drink all of your coffee, okay? Its not cheap." Tim tensely gulped it down not wanting to take the chance of pissing him off. He felt beady eyes on him until he drank the last drop. "Finished?" Tim nodded. Then the Joker said loudly making Tim jump, "Okay! Time for training!" And he snapped his fingers. A bunch of goons came out and grabbed Tim. Panic overtook him.

"Wait! No! Please no! I drank it!" He struggled against them but they overpowered him and dragged him down the hallway and into the room he woke up in. Throwing him onto the ground roughly, they turned on a single light which revealed everything. There were shackles on the wall beside a fireplace that was being lit by a larger figure. The same steel medical carts from before lined a close by wall.

"Do you like your new training room, Son? I just had it re-done." He boasted as the goons chained Tim in the shackles. Tim felt his panic slip away being replaced by defeat and resignation, and he hung there limply.

"Yes sir." He answered numbly. Faintly aware of crackling of the now-roaring fire.

"Aw come on, Son. Let's get a smile on that face!" The Joker encouraged as he went over to make a selection from the instruments. Choosing one, he struted back over to the dangling boy. "Now repeat after me. 'I am nobody.'"

"I am nobody." Tim repeated with very little hesitation.

"'I am worthless.'"

"I-I am worthless."

"'I am nothing.'"

"I am nothing."

"Good!" The Joker brightened considerably. "Now repeat all of that, and say it like you mean it."

"I am nobody. I am worthless. I am Nothing." Tim said in a monotone voice. The joker tsked, shaking his head and brought his hand up to slice at a bruised section of skin.

"Say it with some conviction! Shout it out! Project you voice so everyone can hear!"

"I Am Nobody! I Am Worthless! I Am Nobody!" Another slash.

"AGAIN!"

"I AM NOBODY!" Tim screamed with all his might arching against the restraints. "I AM WORTHLESS!" He slumped back down exhaustion taking over him. "I am nothing." He finally whispered. "I am nothing...I am nothing."