A/N: Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. I am going to try to update every Monday from now on but this week was hectic so that's why I'm a little off. I'll let you get right to it, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

It would only take one second to pull the trigger, another for the bullet to leave the gun, another for it to travel, and another to hit its target. What took the longest was the decision, the choice. Dick Grayson sat there on his knees from his vantage point staring at what he could only dub as the impossible choice. He sat there for seconds and then minutes only to find that he wasn't sure if he could do it. It took a buzz to pull him out of his trance; pulling the phone out of his pocket he held it in front of him. He swiped the phone unlocked and put it to his ear.

"I'm sorry to bother you Mr. Grayson but she would just not go to bed without you talking to you first. "

"It's okay Gerta, you can put her on." He said as a smile graced his lips.

Grayson let out a grateful sigh as he listened to the phone shuffle between hands.

"Hi daddy!" Came a cheerful voice.

A part of his heart swayed in the voice, so familiar and so innocent. He chucked lightly and sat back away from the gun to speak.

"Hi Mari, aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

"I'm sorry but I just couldn't go to bed without talking to you first. I miss you."

"It's okay my little bumgorf." Dick had taken to teaching her words from Tamaran every once in a while, it would've been what Kori wanted; "I miss you too."

"What are you doing Daddy?" She asked.

He held his breath unsure of how to respond to her question.

"I'm at work."

"OOOOH! She screamed excitedly, "Are you arresting a bad guy?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Dick looked at the gun and then at Bruce working dutifully at his desk.

"What did he do?"

"He killed a good person."

"That's bad." She stated simply.

"I know. Now you need to get to bed, give the phone back to Mrs. Goldsmith and run off. Remember no flying!"

"Okay bye Daddy, I love you."

"I love you too Mari." Dick said softly and once again heard the phone shuffle.

"Mr. Grayson?"

"Yes; thank you Berta for all your help. Mari's grandfather will be coming into town tomorrow so you won't have to worry about watching her tomorrow."

"Oh it's no problem Mr. Grayson; I absolutely adore Mari."

"Thank you, I will see you soon."

"Goodbye."

Dick then hung up the phone and looked back towards the sniper. With a sigh he walked over to it and began to disassemble it, he placed each delicate piece into a case he had to store it. With a click he closed the case and began to walk away from Wayne Manor; he'd come back tomorrow and every night after until he could do what should have been done years ago…

Dick woke up the next unaware of where he was. Slowly but surely familiarity crept into his bones and remembered that he was in his room at Wayne Manor. After a few seconds he pulled himself to his feet and surveyed the room, it was exactly the same as it was when he left 4 years ago. 16-year-old Dick Grayson's room was a complete mess covered in posters and other paraphernalia. When Dick left 4 years earlier he took nothing with him but his suit and his pride. When he arrived in Jump it was hard to get going. He paid for a small apartment with the money in an account that was meant to send him to college; the account was a mix of Bruce's money and money that was fund-raised after his parent's death. Philanthropists ate up that he was a child star with parents who were murdered. He loathed using the money simply because he felt it was just like blood money, a way for the rich and the elite of Gotham to easy their consciousness' for their corrupt ways.

He let out a sigh and went into his bathroom to shower quickly. Removing all the sweat and oil felt good as it ran down off of his body and into the drain of the shower. Exiting his shower he dried himself off and pulled out his clothes. He slipped into a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt and a blue zip up hoodie. Exiting his room he turned and checked the room next to him. Kori sat sleeping silently and peacefully, he left her alone knowing she was probably just as tired as he was especially if she had stayed up all day talking to Alfred. Dick walked downstairs and went straight for the kitchen and found Alfred cooking, as usual, at 7 in the morning.

"Hello Master Richard, how was your sleep?"

"Long but good." Dick said sitting down at the island

"I take it your conversation with Master Bruce did not go well."

"How'd you know?" He said with a sigh.

"Well Master Bruce came up and started apologizing profusely to Miss Anders."

"He did?"

"Yes he did. It was humbling to see and entirely out of character but Master Bruce has acted quite oddly lately."

Alfred placed a plate of bacon and eggs before Dick and then placed a spoon into his hand. Alfred always did that, it was his way of telling Master Richard he needed to eat and he wouldn't leave that counter until he did.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, ever since the news of Zucco's demise became clear Bruce has acted quite… for lack of a better word, strange."

"Bruce always acts odd; he does dress up in the middle of the night as a bat and fight crime."

"True, but stranger than what is expected of him. He seems to be searching for someone or something and it keeps him gone all day and night. When you saw him yesterday was one of the few times he is at home during the day. Now Richard, I have to ask. Master Bruce told me of your plans to go to Zucco's grave."

"Yeah…" Dick looked down at his plate and pushed the food around.

"Now I cannot stop you just as I cannot stop Master Bruce but I must ask you, for your own well-being, not to go. I understand that you are now a grown man but these kind of things are no good for anyone to go to. Go visit your parent's graves and honor their memory. You haven't been to their graves in so long. It's not good to dwell upon the past Master Richard; you might just forget where you are and compromise the bright future ahead of you."

Richard let out a sigh and rubbed at his eyes unsure of what to do. He then shoveled a few bites of food into his mouth and stood up.

"I think about what you said, Alfred, but I have to go. If Kori wakes up tell her I will be back in a couple of hours, and I'll show her around the city."

"As you wish, Master Richard." Alfred said looking sad, knowing his words had barely braced Dick.

Dick then left the kitchen and went down to the garage. There he found is old bike and grabbed his helmet off of the table. Checking once again the time Dick put on the helmet and turned on one of the bikes. It purred like a kitten and he took off towards Gotham. Wayne Manor wasn't too terribly far from Gotham 15-20 minutes at best, but as he drove Robin remembered how much he had missed zooming down Gotham's streets at break neck speeds. Gotham police was shady and the only part of it that wasn't shady is the Major Crimes Unit, led by Commissioner Gordon. Otherwise the police did nothing in Gotham nonetheless pull someone over for speeding. Bruce wouldn't be happy that he was speeding but Dick would do anything to piss off Bruce at the moment. Taking back streets and driving at break neck speeds he drove towards Gotham's cemetery located on the other side of the city. Dick drove straight through the heart of the city and drove fearlessly across the bridge onto Arkham Island and past the Asylum and across the other bridge to the other end of Gotham.

Eventually Dick arrived at Gotham City Cemetery, where Dick's and Bruce's parents were buried, and where Zucco was now laying. Pulling up into the cemetery he slowed down and thought about what Alfred had said. Stopping he looked at the path that would take him to his parents grave. Dick contemplated if he was ready to see his parent's grave again after such a long time. Even though he didn't feel ready Dick turned anyways and head down. Once he neared the grave Dick stopped his bike and walked the rest of the way up the high at which the grave sat atop. When he got to the top he instantly felt his knees go numb and his body felt weak. He fell to his knees using all of his power not to start to cry he placed his head to the ground and let out a growl. His teeth ground against each other and he slammed his hand against the dirt.

"I promised you I would avenge you. I'm sorry, I can't fulfill my promise. Someone I hate took that away from me, and I'm sorry because I didn't do it sooner. I don't know what you would've wanted me to do, but taking down Zucco seemed right and I couldn't even do that. I'm sorry Mum, Dad; I'm a hero now and because of that I wasn't able to do it. Sometimes I wish I weren't a hero, and I didn't have to stand for truth and justice so that I could do something immoral without the fear of compromising everything that I am. I wanted to kill Zucco for so long; and just knowing that he was sitting in that jail cell waiting for me to come…" Dick trailed off, "My point is, I've done everything in my power to try to live up to your memory but now I think I've failed you. I've let the enemy take away an opportunity that was mine. It was my responsibility to take his life, not Slade's! That just wasn't his right!"

Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably and his face turned a bright red.

"I'm sorry I couldn't take a man's life. I'm sorry I couldn't avenge your deaths. I'm sorry Mum, I'm sorry Dad… I love you."

Dick then stood up and whipped the tears from his face; he willed the puffiness to disappear and tried to forget his moment of absolute weakness. Then he wondered if there would ever be a day when he could go to that grave and not cry. Bruce was able to do it, he just stood stoically and unmoving. Dick wished he didn't show such weakness; if a simple grave could crumble him what could his enemies do? Dick walked back down the hill and remounted his bike and drove off around the cemetery until he saw a small funeral was being held in the distance. He parked a good distance away and began to walk towards it as people began to walk away. Dick stopped next to a tree and watched as member of the mafia walked off and the priest looking a little unnerved walked a bit quicker than everyone else.

Dick then just stood there stoically, unsure of what he wanted to do. He felt a desperate need to spit on the man's grave, to defile it in some action but as the men put the dirt into the grave he knew he would have to wait. Dick wondered just how long he would have to wait and if it was even healthy that he was going to. Taking a look at his watch he realized he had a couple of hours before he would have to be back at the manor before Kori came looking for him. Dick then sat down against the tree and stared at the grave, he stared and stared for a long while losing track of time as he often did when he fixated upon something. After a while Dick eventually heard footsteps from behind him.

"Were you here for the funeral?" A man asked Dick.

Dick's skin crawled as he heard the voice. He looked up quickly to see a well-built man with white hair and a while beard, and an eye patch across his right eye. Dick was little unnerved by the man's presence something seemed oddly familiar.

"Yeah I was."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"I'm not."

"Clearly you did not like the man."

"Not at all, I'm glad he's dead."

"Huh, I see. I was supposed to come to the funeral but I was misinformed by the time."

"So you're a friend of Zucco's?"

"Not exactly; I'm a friend of someone else who attended this funeral."

"Well I don't think they're here anymore, since I'm the only one here. I'm sorry that I'm not sorry for your loss, but I just wish…" Dick trailed off and stood up ending his fixation upon the grave, it was only then that he realized that the grave diggers had stopped. Forgetting about the man Dick walked up to the grave and stoop upon the freshly moved grass, then with anger he spit on the grave. The man stood behind with his hands placed firmly behind his back and watching silently.

"I wish I had put this man here myself." Dick muttered under his breath not expecting the man to hear his proclamation of rage.

"And what if you had that chance again?" The man asked making Dick's ears perk, "What would you do?"

Dick turned to the men unsure of what he was getting at. Suddenly a darker demeanor overcame the man and Dick began to recognize the man.

"Ever since he killed your parent's you have had the opportunity to kill the man responsible yet you never did. Even now after his death you are not relieved by the burden of his presence on this earth, only enraged by the fact that you did not send him to hell yourself. So when I say what you would do if I told you Zucco was still alive, I expect an answer."

Dick stood there silently studying the man's and he looked at the eye and it felt like bricks hitting him.

"Slade…" He muttered under his breath as the man's eye narrowed and a small smile flickered on his lips in response to the statement.

"You never answered my question, Robin, Richard; whichever you prefer to be called it does not matter."

"How did you?"

"I've known for a long time, but that doesn't matter. What matters is why we are both standing here."

Dick mind railed at the moment and he felt it sputter and bounce around in his head like a tangible object that was overloading with emotions. How could Slade know who he was? Is this truly Slade or another robot? Why after all this time would he show me his face? What is his end game?

"You killed Zucco." His voice was low and it was almost a growl, which is the most he could get out of his mouth at that moment.

"Tsk Tsk Dick, you should know better. I don't do anything that doesn't benefit me directly. What positive outcome would come from me killing Zucco?"

Slade began to move from where he stood and slowly circled Dick like a vulture.

"You'd piss me off."

"On the contrary I have nothing to gain from hurting you. Despite what you think I have your best interests at heart. So killing Zucco, an action that is rightfully yours, would only further serve to damage our relationship."

"There was a body."

"A simple trick, destroy the body and get a match for the dentals. I know plenty of people who do that stuff simply for fun."

"But if Zucco isn't dead then he's…"

"Alive." Slade said this with utter annoyance, as if it was a great ordeal for him not to kill Zucco.

"Why?

"Why'd I take him? Why'd I make you think he was dead? All I want is to show you the truth Robin and to get you to willingly come with me I had to provide a little bit of an incentive. Now taking one of your little friends would have sufficed but I chose a victim that deserves what is coming to him."

"What do you have to gain from all of this?" Dick asked.

"If you want to know you'll have to come with me."

"And where are we going?"

"To Zucco."

Dick stood there silently unsure of what to do as Slade turned his back to him.

"How do I know this isn't a trap?"

"You have my word; and my word is law."

In that moment Dick checked his phone once again for the time. He had an hour before he needed to be home; that left him enough time to go with Slade. He felt wary following Slade but his curiosity seemed to peak and the voice in his head that would've told him to be smart and get as far away as possible, disappeared. Following Slade down the hill he went for his bike but Slade stopped him.

"Leave the bike, you will return for it once we are finished."

Staring at the bike for a moment, Dick silently nodded and followed Slade to a town car. Slade got into the driver's seat and Dick got into the passenger's seat. Dick had to say it was the most awkward car ride he had ever experienced. It surpassed even the rides in the bat mobile when Dick and Bruce's relationship was at its worst. Dick carefully studied the directions in which they drove until he eventually became confused. It didn't take him long to realize that Slade was doing circles and back tracking to conceal his hideout. For the most part Slade succeeded but Dick felt he had a good understanding what part of town Slade's base was located. Slade seemed to be a fan of warehouses because where they ended up was a warehouse that was surrounded by empty buildings. It seemed as if that part of the city had been abandoned and Dick was sure that no one could hear screams there. Due to the lack of equipment Dick determined that this couldn't possibly be where Slade was truly hiding but it had been set up for a specific purpose: Dick's encounter with Zucco.

In the center of the large building was Zucco, strapped into a chair painfully aware of his surroundings. He was gagged and tied to a metal chair; next to him was a table full of tools used for torture and a gun. All of these things brought a look of panic to his face but as Richard entered into the room and walked up towards Zucco did the man's face change from panic to outright fear. Zucco simply knew in that moment that he was screwed. Dick looked at the gun and instantly felt the need to grab it and place two into Zucco's head and one into Slade for simply giving him the option to break Bruce's one rule. Knowing better Dick shoved the thought away and tried to forget that he even thought it.

"What do you expect me to do, Slade? Torture him, shoot him? You know I won't." Dick said ignoring the darkness within that was creeping up silently in his throat.

Slade stood there as stoic as he had the entire car ride and didn't respond till moments later.

"That's up to you I guess. This is simply a birthday gift from me to you."

Dick eyes widened since he had forgotten that his own birthday was in a couple of days. His birthday wasn't a big deal and if it weren't for the Titans he would forget completely. He was turning 20.

"Why? You are not my friend, nor are you my family."

"Of course not, but right now I'm the closest thing you have to an ally."

"What do you mean?" Dick asked becoming confused and angry with every word that came from Slade's mouth.

"Why don't you ask Zucco? I'm sure what he will have to say to you is quite enlightening. I'll be leaving now, Richard. Do what you like with the man but when you want answers and you will, text that number."

Slade pointed towards the table and a piece of paper that held seven digits on it.

"Oh, and don't try tracing it, you can't. Take my word for it. Goodbye Dick, I will see you soon."

Zucco's eyes widened after Slade said that and when Dick didn't move to stop Slade but instead stood to think, Zucco began to mumble through the gag. Dick stood there thinking about his next actions as Slade exited the building. Although Zucco seemed to know what he was going to do Dick did not and he couldn't seem to focus with Zucco's desperate mumbles. Finally beginning to get pissed off he removed the gag violently from Zucco's mouth and threw it at the floor. Everything seemed to be getting to Dick and under such intense pressure and confusion Dick's blood pressure rose till all he could do is feel like he was going to burst.

"What?!" The words ripped from Dick's mouth and the action seemed to alarm Slade, as if he didn't see that coming.

Zucco was speechless for several moments and that seemed to anger Dick even more.

"Speak!" Dick yelled at the men.

"Look kid!" He stumbled through his words, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what I did… I-I-I have a lot of money, and… And friends in high places, I can get you anything you want."

"Excuse me?" Dick said incredulously, he gaped at man unsure if Zucco had actually just said that.

"You think you can pay me off and everything with be okay?! YOU KILLED MY PARENTS!"

"Yeah yeah, but that's in the past and you're a good kid… Your- You're not going to hurt me. It's just not in you, kid."

Suddenly Dick lost control of himself; he didn't know what he was doing, he just felt a sick rage in his heart. Dick grabbed the gun off the top of the table and kicked Zucco's in the chest surely breaking several ribs. Zucco toppled back in his chair and hit the floor with a hard thud. Instantly, Dick was over him with one foot on his chest and a gun to his forehead.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now? You didn't even hesitate to kill my parents!" He yelled pressing the gun even harder against Zucco's forehead.

"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "IT WAS JUST A JOB, A JOB!"

Dick froze for a second at those words suddenly wondering if Zucco was so desperate he would lie to him.

"What?" Dick said softly but sternly.

"It was a job! I got a shitload of cash; all I had to do is make the fall look like a mob hit and I had 2 mill in cash in my hands! Please just leave me alone, it was just a job!"

"If it was a job why didn't you report it to the police?"

"If you knew who I was working for you wouldn't have told them either. You wouldn't have."

"Who hired you?" Dick pressed the gun to his head.

"I ca-can't say! They'll kill me, kill me, kid."

"Look at me right now. I have never killed a person before but I'm about to make an exception for you unless you start talking."

"I'm sorry! No! I can't."

Frustrated Dick lifted the gun up and switched the safety off then placed the gun back at Zucco's head. Zucco stared at him searching for signs whether or not Dick was bluffing, and Dick himself wasn't sure if he was bluffing or not. His body seemed to be split in the situation between what he wanted to do and what was right. With no results from his search Zucco closed his eyes and muttered a prayer and something snapped in Dick. He pulled the gun up and flicked the safety back on. Zucco opened his eyes after he felt the pressure of the gun leave his head. He looked surprised but also joyous that he was going to live but he didn't get to celebrate for long before Dick knocked him across the head with the butt of the gun. He got away from Zucco and wiped away the perspiration that had formed on his brow. Dick looked back at the table and debated what he was going to do with that phone number. With no intent to ever contact Slade, Dick pocketed the number and walked away from Zucco's unconscious body. Outside the building was a van with an older gentleman around Alfred's age in the car that had transported him there. Dick slid into the back of the car silently and the man drove him back to the cemetery where his bike sat waiting.

As Dick mounted his bike he felt a chill sweep through him. Suddenly he felt himself shaking violently under that chill. Dick felt cold, and it was not a cold that could be suppressed by some blankets and hot air but a cold that bit deep. Dick could feel the cold down to his very bones and the cold coursed through his veins like something unnatural. It traveled through him without remorse as he drove slowly down Gotham's streets. Eventually Dick made his way back to Wayne Manor and collapsed into Kori's warm embrace. She and Alfred took him away immediately and placed him in his bedroom. Kori placed a warm towel across his head as Alfred through together chicken soup. He downed it quickly do to Kori's force feeding but after the last spoonful he didn't remember much, just her beautiful emerald eyes and Zucco's words.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Like I said there will be a new update next week. Please review, thank you!