• Robin was safe. For now.

• That should've been all that mattered to Slade, even as he continued to gaze at his son still quietly sleeping on the operating table, breathing mask still hissing as it

• continued to recharge and discharge co2 into Robin's lungs. Due to the high amount of Carbon Monoxide that Robin had indeed breathed in during the fire….

• Fire.

• That was the word that had started everything.

• EVERYTHING…..

• Slade had taken DNA after DNA test with Robin to confirm that, Robin was really….

• And, each time, the green monitor beeped:

• Positive. Positive. Positive. Positive. Match.

• Robin was Robin Basil Fortunato.

•

• Slade carefully took off the steel rimmed gauntlets he usually wore and laid them on a nearby table. He didn't want to hurt Robin.

• At least……….

• Not more then he already had……

•

• Beating Robin when he forced him to be his apprentice, not to mention putting his friends' lives in peril. Using his dark powers when he was Raven's father's servant on Robin……

• Making the boy suffer every single minute Slade could determinedly dish out…

• This was almost too much for Slade to fully bear. Tentatively, he watched the little bird's motionless frame.

• Well…..not quite motionless. Robin's thin little chest slowly moved up and down as he breathed-the only indication that he was still alive.

• Did Bruce ever tell the boy he wasn't his father? Did Robin know that Batman wasn't but still thought of him as one anyway?

• The anger dilated from Slade's frame as he continued to gaze at Robin. Very carefully, he pulled some of the wires away from Robin and slowly sat on the bed next to the Titan.

• Heh. The corners of Slade's lips twitched with amusement as he gently pulled Robin into his arms.

• He really WAS pretty much the same weight he had been as a baby……

•

•

• Robin had been a bright eyed, curious infant-barely old enough to toddle step around, but athletic enough, even then-to move around quickly. It seemed Emily and Tim-that had been Slade's old name-a name he knew he could never go back to-spent half of their lives hurriedly pulling Robin away from some unknown danger.

• Emily…..

• Slade had removed his mask, brushing against the scar on his left eye he'd gotten after Emily had attempted to save him.

• If he hadn't lost Robin-been able to hold him like he did now…then per haps he would've never turned to the path less traveled by humanity….

• Perhaps….

• But Slade's eyes had filled with tears. He carefully crushed Robin closer to him, closing his eyes.

• Robin…would he take this explanation? Undoubtedly he would reject it…but….if curiosity got the better of him and he did his own test….

• A splash of hot water fell on Robin's face. Another joined the first.

• Slade slowly shook his head.

• "I'm sorry," he managed to whisper, close to Robin's ear. His shoulders began to quiver, even as his entire frame began to shake.

• "I'm so, so sorry, Robin…..

• My son…

• …My son..."

• Okay, if you really want more, I will try.

• But for right now…

• CURSE THIS INFERNAL MACHINE!