A/N

Thank you for every Review, favourite and follow guy's it means a lot so please keep it up. Also is anyone good at drawing, I'm not so if anyone could do me a huge favour and draw a cover, the winner will get either a one shot or a chapter in put.

Also I am going to try to get my next chapter up by Friday, I work better under pressure and also reviews would help XD.

Disclaimer: I still own nothing.

Chapter 4

0000-Dick Grayson-000

Location: Unknown

Date: 8th July 2013

Time: 2:00 PM

It hadn't been long before Wintergreen had turned up with some clothes, instructing him to wear something sporty. They had then had Lunch and Dick quickly realised that Will was an amazing cook. He couldn't recall ever tasting anything so good – his mom was a great cook so that was really saying something.

He was now standing in the centre of the training room opposite Slade. The man was wearing the gear he had been wearing when he had captured, minus the mask and armour. Dick would be lying if he said that the absence of those items made the man look any less intimidating. The man was like a giant; Dick seriously doubted he would ever reach anywhere near Slade's height – it was more than just his height though, the man had an air of authority about him that made Dick want shrink back. It was that that Dick both admired and feared about Slade – sometimes simultaneously. Dick wanted to be strong, like Slade; if he was, he could protect the people he cared about. He wouldn't be helpless ever again – he wouldn't have to rely on other people to look after him. He wouldn't have to be poor, weak, Dick Grayson.

He could make something of himself.

Slade walked a few feet away from Dick, before turning towards him.

"Before I can teach you anything, I need to see what I have to work with," he fell into fighting stance and beckoned him. "Attack me."

Dick shot him a confused look. Was he mad? Dick couldn't fight him. He had never been much of a fighter. Sure he had gotten into his fair share of fights back at the circus; he had won a lot of them but they had been mostly playing around with his friend Raymond. Raymond had been the more boisterous of the two, jumping straight into things; while Dick preferred calculating the outcome beforehand. That wasn't to say Dick wasn't a risk taker, no he was quite the opposite. When it came to being in the air Dick never looked back. His dad had said that it would get him into trouble someday. He was always looking forward, never back brushing away the things he didn't want to deal with.

Slade seemed to sense Dick's hesitancy to attack, so lowered his stance.

"I want you to attack me with everything you've got. As if your life depends on it, as if I was Zucco – "

White hot fury engulfed Dick as he charged at Slade. How dare he mention that murder.

He threw a sloppy punch at Slade, who easily caught the fist. Dick still wasn't thinking at all as he threw another punch at Slade, once again ending up in Slade's overly large fist.

Slade spun Dick around and gathered his hands, enveloping them with one of his own pulling them behind Dick's back.

Dick struggled to get free but the man's grip increased as he grasped Dick's shoulder with his free hand. Dick could feel the man's breath against his ear.

"Calm down. You're fighting with your anger; when you fight angry, you fight blind. You're not thinking, when you don't think, you don't win. Your opponents will endeavour to use any advantage they can against them. Don't give them any advantages, Dick"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

He pushed Dick away, causing him to stumble. Dick quickly regained his balance and made to charge again.

Hold it Grayson. Dick thought, his eyes flitting around the room. Fight smart.

He broke into a run towards Slade and slid under the man's legs. Slade spun around but before he had chance to react, Dick flipped into a one handed handstand and delivered as powerful a kick as he could muster to Slade's chest before cartwheeling away.

He couldn't contain his excitement. He had hit him – He had actually managed to hit Slade. A big smile spread across Dick's face.

He looked up at Slade. The man was still standing in shock; his eye wide with shock.

"Ha-ha, yeah. I actually hit you!" Dick threw his fist in the air, "I didn't think I could do it, but I did."

He beamed up at him but quickly lost his grin.

Was Slade angry?

Was he mad that Dick had got a hit in? He had only been doing what the man had asked – he shouldn't be angry should he?

Maybe the man didn't really want to teach him; maybe he just wanted to shove the power he had over Dick in his face; prove he was better, stronger.

Slade began to walk over to him. Dick's heart almost stopped as he stood rooted to the spot, waiting for the reaper to claim him.

I'm dead, Dick thought.

Slade was in front of him, his hand raised slightly.

I am so dead.

A hand clamped down on Dick's should.

Oh boy, he is so going to –

"Nice job." Slade said, Dick's eyes shot up as he looked up at the man towering above him; a wave of relief flooded his entire being.

"Thanks!" Dick beamed, his smile returning as a mischievous grin "I gotcha; bet you didn't see that coming, Mr know it all."

"I must admit – no I did not expect to be attacked by a flying squirrel." Slade drawled, shooting a wry look at Dick.

"Hey! I am not a squirrel." Dick huffed, though it came out whinier than he would have liked.

"Really? You could have fooled me." Slade smirked as he lifted his hand to ruffle Dick's hair.

"Hey – "Dick began in annoyance, but to his dismay, the hand remained to ruffle his hair once more before retreating.

Dick huffed slightly and pouted as he began his desperate attempt to fix his hair; the only person allowed to do that was his Dad. He heard Slade chuckle from behind him.

"Cute." The man drawled.

Dick flushed and diverted his gaze to the floor. He heard footsteps moving away from him, he looked up to see Slade standing in the centre of the training room.

Time: 4:00 PM

The next part of his lesson consisted of avoiding Slade's attacks adrenalin pumped through his veins in such a way that he was reminded of the times him and Raymond used to go train racing back in the circus, he loved the way the wind blew through his hair as he flipped from train – to train. Granted, it had gotten him into a lot of trouble when his parents found out that he had been doing that, never the less, he still remembered the thrill he received.

Dick hadn't realised he had zoned out until he found himself flung over Slade's shoulder. He landed on the training mat area with a thud. He didn't know whether Slade purposely threw him there or not but he was thankful, as landing on the hard, unforgiving floor would have hurt. A lot.

Despite the relatively soft landing, Dick was still struggling to catch his breath. Slade walked over and held his hand out. Dick accepted and was hoisted up.

"Play to your strengths Dick; you're an acrobat. You are more flexible than me – use that to your advantage next time," Slade lectured "well I can see your mind isn't in this exercise at the moment, so why don't we try something else"

Slade walked over to the weapons case and pulled out the bow and quiver Dick had seen previously, he walked over to a door Dick hadn't noticed and gestured for Dick to follow him.

Dick did so and discovered that behind the door was a shooting range, he saw a number of guns on the wall and he felt a knot in his stomach. The man being a murderer once again popped into his mind. He had almost forgotten the fact as the man seemed so…human. He couldn't picture someone who killed to be human, even in his sleep Zucco wasn't human, he appeared as a grotesque demon from hell.

Dick felt something cold being thrust into his grip; he looked up to see Slade positioning the bow correctly. He walked Dick over to stand in front of one of the targets; he gave him a number of instructions on how to hold and fire it safely, before aiming and firing it for him. Dick could feel the vibration from the string as the arrow went soaring and hit the centre ring of the target.

"Whoa…" Dick trailed of, he felt Slade move from his side and back away.

"Now you try." The man said.

Dick replayed Slade's instructions in his head, aimed, fired and… missed.

His second attempt bounced of the wall and went sailing towards Slade who caught it, without batting an eyelid.

"Careful" Slade barked.

Dick had a good aim; he had been taught how to throw knives accurately by the circus's resident knife thrower. Maybe if he aimed a little higher than he wanted like he had done back in the circus, he would have better luck.

His next try hit the target, but barely burrowing its head in the outer ring so he tried again, calculating what angle he needed to aim at.

The next arrow went shooting straight towards the centre of the target and landed almost dead in the centre. Dick heard slow and heavy clapping from behind him. He turned to face Slade; he had a look in his eye, pride… perhaps.

"You have an impeccable aim once you got the hang of it, how did you get such a good aim?" Slade asked.

Dick figured that there was no reason not to tell the man so walked over to him. He stopped as he reached him.

"Back in the circus I used to go and watch the other acts train, they used to teach me all sorts of stuff; I figured that if I aimed the bow like I used to aim knives I would have a better chance of hitting something."

"You mean other than me?" the man enquired with a smirk. Dick blushed heavily and diverted his gaze, muttering his apology through his embarrassment.

The man chuckled and once again tousled Dick's hair, Dick realised that getting in a strop over it would just make him look like a baby. He decided to change the subject.

"I still don't get why you're teaching me this stuff, I mean I'm not gonna kill anyone." Dick stated firmly.

"Well if I don't teach you how to fend for yourself no one else will."

"You're a criminal, why do you care?"

"Think of it as community service – I'm atoning for all of my sins." Slade mused.

Dick could feel tears fighting to escape but regained his composure. The man was making him out to be some charity case he had taken pity on, he hadn't seen potential, he had seen an opportunity, and now Dick was just a burden. No; the man kidnapped him, he had no right to treat Dick like a charity case, he didn't ask for the man to drug him and take him to his home.

"I DON'T WANNA BE HERE! I am not some charity case you Je – "Dick yelled at the man.

Slade stood up and stalked towards Dick, he now felt like he was facing a lion. Dick shrank back in fear. Slade grabbed him by the front of his shirt, lifting him up to eye level.

"You will speak to me with respect Richard," The man said calmly yet deadly "Do I make myself clear."

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes Sir." Dick mumbled, a tear escaping his blue orbs. He began to wipe his eyes and Slade released him.

As soon as Dick reached the floor he ran towards the door.

"Where do you think you are going young man?"

"AWAY FROM YOU!" Dick cried as he flung the door open and escaped the room.

0000-Slade Wilson-0000

Location: Haunt, Jump City

Date: 8th July 2013

Time: 5:45

He let the boy leave. Of course he could have stopped him; he could've gone after him, but he didn't. Dick needed time to cool down; besides, Slade felt bad, he shouldn't have said what he did. Even as a joke. Now the boy thought he was just a charity case and that was far from the truth. Now that he thought about it, he didn't blame Dick for exploding. He had just made Dick feel utterly worthless.

I am such an idiot. He thought as he made his way to the boy's room.

He soon found himself outside the door. He knocked. No reply. He turned the handle and pushed the door open, though there was some unexpected resistance. The boy must be sat in front of it. Carefully, to avoid hurting him, Slade pushed the door open enough so he could slip through.

He instantly saw the boy burry his face in his knees upon realising his defences had been breached. Slade crouched down in front of him and lifted his head up by his chin. The boy's eyes were puffy and his cheeks were stained with tears. He tried to pull away but Slade wouldn't let him.

"Dick –"

"Just leave me alone." The boy sobbed.

"I didn't mean what I said. You are not a charity case here Dick and I'm sorry that I made you feel like one."

Slade wasn't sure how to proceed. He was out of practice, no having used any parenting skills for such a long time. He had apologised, which was a rare occurrence in itself. He reached out with his other hand to wipe some of Dick's tears away. That seemed to work because Dick's sobbing quietened to sniffling.

He then placed the hand not supporting the boy's chin in his mop of raven hair, and ran his fingers through it. Dick seemed to calm down slightly, seeming to collapse from exhaustion into Slade's arms, his head resting against Slade's chest.

"I miss them…" Dick trailed off; his voice was so quiet that without his enhanced senses, Slade probably wouldn't have heard him.

Not knowing what else to do, Slade removed his hand from Dick's chin and began to rub the boy's back, his other hand remaining in his hair.

It had been so long since Slade had done anything like this, that it felt awkward, alien almost. He wasn't one for showing his emotions or providing comfort. He had managed for his own children so he guessed he would have to manage for the seven year old he now had in his possession.

Slade could hear soft but shallow breathing, Dick was asleep. He looked at his watch, it was almost six o'clock, he sighed before shifting Dick so he could stand up. He carried Dick to his bed, pulled back the covers and slipped him in. He turned to leave, but stopped, he was suddenly hit with a long forgotten paternal instinct, urging him to push the boy's hair out of his face. He gave in, before hastily leaving the room.

It had only been a day and the blasted boy was turning him soft.

A/N

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