Chapter 6:

AN: ok so here's the next chapter. And I'm very sorry for the messed up chapters earlier, I had no idea my computer was messing up the copy and paste so bad. But fixed them all now, and thank you all who reviewed ;) enjoy the new chapter :)

Dick woke up staring up at darkness but he could see the bats hanging from the ceiling. He knew he was in some kind of cave. He raised a hand to his head. He instantly realized his skull mask was gone but he still had his domino mask over his eyes.

As he went to sit up he felt the strain on his side and the tug of bandages around his torso. When he managed to sit up he noticed he was in some kind of infirmary. When he looked around he found a glass of water on the table by his bedside, an empty bed besides his and a chair with his shirt and mask on it.

He got out of the bed and started putting on his top. As he was adjusting his cape he heard small, familiar footsteps. Robin. Dick looked over his shoulder and saw Robin, still in his costume, in the doorway looking a little surprised.

"You should be resting," he said quietly.

"I'm used to it. This isn't the first time I've been shot and not the worst either," Dick explained as if it were nothing.

"How many times have you been shot? Was it that many?" Robin asked timidly.

"I've lost count, my mentor would shoot me if I messed up or if I disobeyed," the fifteen year old explained.

Robin got a sad look as he looked up at Red X. Red X looked back at Robin for a minute before he turned towards the door. Before he could make it all the way through the doorway he bumped in to a strong, well built chest, covered in a grey suit with a black bat.

He looked up to face the Batman "oh hey, I'm just going to get going now so..."

"You were just shot a few hours ago and your already up and leaving?" the bat asked sounding slightly interested.

"Well yeah, my mentor made me fight and go on missions in worse conditions than this," Red X spat the word 'mentor'.

Batman narrowed his eyes, "who is your mentor?" he asked getting suspicious.

"Was, my mentor was Deathstroke," Red X looked down almost ashamed as he spat the name with hatred.

Red X heard an almost inaudible gasp from Robin who was still behind him and heard the whole conversation. Batman just stood there for a few minutes.

"What do you mean 'was' your mentor?" Batman asked, eyes narrowing further.

"I was his prisoner for six years, only about a month before he started training me, I was nine. I was in the juvenile detention center for about a month before I met him. And no I wasn't a criminal, the orphanages were all full, or so they told me, and a nine year old circus kid who barely knew any English could hardly argue. I was beat up without mercy by the older kids, so when he came I thought it was a blessing, but he was only worse." Red X sighed but continued when no one objected, "during training all he did beat me until I eventually began to catch on, then he would only step it up more. After a few years he let me go on missions, I wouldn't kill anyone, so when we got back I was punished. That's pretty much what happened, it was quite repetitive."

Robin looked up at Red X, still only in his Domino mask. His ebony hair came past his ears and hung down slightly in front of his mask. Robin realized red X couldn't be too much older than himself, maybe 14 or 15 years old. Robin was only 11. He was always only with Batman and Alfred, he barely ever got to go see the team, let alone just hang out with them. He wanted a real friend.

"You should stay here, you're still hurt and…" Robin started finally finding his voice.

Red X had been lost in the world of his memories when he finished the story of his life. Robin just kept surprising him; he actually wanted him to stay? Even after knowing the truth? He just stared at Robin for a minute but before he could say anything Batman broke the quiet.

"Robin…" as they stared at each other for a minute before he continued, "Fine, but he will only stay in the Batcave and then he will be staying at the mountain until I can confirm his story."

Robin broke in to a big grin. He would finally have someone to talk to. He almost wanted to jump up and down in excitement, almost.

Red X almost fell over; he couldn't believe how easy it was to get in. but it was obvious that Bats was only being this generous was for Robin, so he still didn't trust him. But he was ok with it for now. If the Batman just all of a sudden trusted him fully, he would have thought he was dead.

So Batman laid down the rules:

1) Don't leave the Batcave

2) Don't go 'upstairs'

3) Don't steal anything

4) Don't kill anyone

5) Stay away from the computer

6) Don't leave the infirmary during 'sleep time'

7) Don't argue with Batman

8) Don't argue with Robin… unless it breaks other rules

After number eight, Red X pretty much stopped paying attention; he figured he got the gist of it.

After the rules were set, Batman sent Robin to bed (after much protest) and he locked Red X in the infirmary and left the cave. Dick walked around the beds a few minutes before the sleep hit him and he lay in bed and quickly fell asleep.