A/N: Six reviews ain't bad. Really, it isn't, especially to a writer like me...I don't normally get many reviews for one chapter, so it makes me happy! Thank you for your compliments and such, and I hope you all keep on reading.

.XX.

Star City Outskirts, forest area - Point 71 - December 25 - 00:00

Feeling the cold wind dance over his face like icy fingers, he blinked and lifted his head. Strong arms grasped his and dragged him out of the boot of the car and placed on solid ground. The sack was removed from his head and tossed into the boot alongside the handcuffs before the door slammed shut. Looking around, blue eyes locked onto a red head and a blonde, and he raced over them, tackling them both into a hug, albeit careful of their numerous injuries.

"Oh my god, Dick...your neck...what happened to you?" Wally asked, frantically, running his eyes over the younger boy's frame, scanning for any potentially fatal wounds. Artemis gripped his shoulders and massaged them, worry in her eyes.

"Defiance happened." Tyler spoke up, eyes kind. "But it won't happen again, will it, Richard?" There was a warning tone in his voice and Dick ducked his head, latching onto his siblings' arms in a death grip. Tyler nodded, before clapping his hands.

"Now, you know what is going to happen. We're going to walk into the ballroom, and you're going to act like the best children in the world." he started. "That means referring to me as daddy or father, of course!" he added gleefully, causing the three youngsters to flinch.

"Richard, your injuries will be passed off as a kidnapping event that happened a week ago. You're really scared so you'll be clinging to either me or Artemis and Wally. People eat that kind of thing up. Understand?"

Dick nodded, head still bowed.

"Good. Now remember, the top dogs will be there. Oliver Queen, Bruce Wayne, and even Lex Luthor will be present. If any of you step out of line...lets just say, it'll mean a hard time for you back home..." The three children cringed at this. They remembered what had happened to Artemis when she...played up at the last party. Her screams were horrifying.

"Finally, remember your names. Wallace, you're?"

"Rudy Andrew Westermen..."

"Artemis?"

"Jessica May Westermen..."

"And Richard?"

"...Ryan Paul Westermen."

Tyler clapped his hands again, smiling. "Good! Now, put these on." He handed out contact lenses. Hazel for Wally, chocolate brown for Dick and sapphire blue for Artemis. The three slipped them on with no complaint with ease, gained from years of unfortunate practice.

Nodding in approval, Tyler moved his hands to his sides, spreading them slightly. "Excellent. Shall we be off then?"

Three reluctant nods and five minutes of walking later, and they were stood outside a large building, clearly owned by Oliver Queen. Placing a hand on one of the doors, Tyler turned to Wally.

"And Wallace, keep that chain around your neck. We don't want anyone seeing your...gift."

Wally grimaced at that but nodded.

The sound of music reached their ears as Tyler pushed open the ballroom door, ushering the children through. They observed their surroundings.

It was fancy, almost ridiculously so. A large chandelier that seemed to sparkle hung from the ceiling as couples danced underneath it. A long buffet table stood at the side of the room, complete with a chocolate fountain and a punch bowl. Wally felt his stomach growl quietly at the sight. Damn his stupid gift. According to his tutor, his gift gave him an incredibly fast metabolism, so he was constantly hungry. It didn't help that the food they were given appeared to be mutated cow slop. He fumbled with the chain around his neck absentmindedly, before stopping after receiving a glare from his so called father.

The chain served as a seal that prevented his gift from...activating. Was that the word? Maybe showing? Bah, all he knew is that he couldn't use it while wearing the chain. Sometimes he cursed his gift, mainly because it meant that he was the only one who had to be heavily drugged everyday so he experienced a weird case of amnesia for a while until he was needed for training. But tonight...his gift would be essential for their escape.

"Oh, Tyler! Is that you, darling?" a sickeningly sweet voice snapped him out of his thoughts as his eyes fell onto a brown haired woman with brown eyes wearing a skimpy wine red dress that showed an inappropiate amount of cleavage and thigh.

"Maria? Hello! It's been a while, too long, I say, too long!" After exchanging kisses on each cheek, the woman, now named Maria, looked at the children unwillingly accompanying Tyler.

"OH! And is this little Rudy, Jessica and Ryan?! Oh you've all gotten so big!" The three of them received a sloppy kiss on the cheek, which they quickly wiped off when she wasn't looking, Tyler chuckling while they did so. It wasn't long until Maria's gaze fell onto the now purple bruise around Dick's neck.

"Ryan? Ryan darling what happened?!" she fussed, prodding it, causing Dick to force himself to hide a wince. The eleven year old frowned as the unwelcome brunette turned to Tyler. Her fussing attracted the attention of two of the men Tyler had hoped to see, the host of tonight's ball, Oliver Queen, and Gotham's prince, Bruce Wayne.

"Forgive us, we just wondered if something was wrong, after all, this fair lady seems to be quite upset." Bruce apologized, while Oliver nodded. At Oliver's side stood a tall teenager, who seemed to be around fifteen years old. The teen had red hair and blue eyes, and he looked quite miffed about having been dragged over by Oliver, until he set eyes on the numerous bruises that covered Dick.

"Woah kid what happened?" he cocked an eyebrow, restraining himself from leaning in to inspect the bruises.

"Roy!" Oliver warned, before turning to Tyler. "Mr Westermen, please excuse him, he's not quite used to social gatherings...but he is right. What happened?"

"Ah, Mr Queen, Mr Wayne, you see, my beloved son got kidnapped just last week, I had taken him and his siblings to the park, turned my back one minute, and the next he was gone!" he clutched his heart, ever the one for theatrics. Playing his part, grudgingly, Dick latched onto Artemis' arm tightly, shying away from the adults.

Bruce raised a subtle eyebrow, staring at the bruises.

"I searched high and low for him, I hired the best detectives in the country, until finally we found him. The poor boy was beaten to near death...I was distraught...but luckily he's making full recovery, right, son?" he ruffled Dick's hair, causing Dick to tighten his grip even more on Artemis' arm. He nodded slightly.

By now, quite a crowd had gathered around to hear the story, murmurs of sympathy coming from some people.

"I'm sorry, but I don't recall it being reported on the news?" Oliver asked in a way that made it seem like a statement. Tyler frowned.

"I couldn't very well entice other evil kidnappers to nab my other two, I was distraught when Ryan went missing, I'd have been devastated if Rudy and Jessica were gone too!"

More murmurs arose, this time from many people complimenting Tyler on his parenting, causing him to hide a grin.

Artemis seethed. How could these people not see that those bruises were caused by Westermen himself?! Is society really this stupid?

"Ah, understandable...well, I'm glad that you're alright, Ryan." Dick nodded mutely, while Oliver clapped his hands. "Now everyone, shall we continue with the ball?"

As people started to dance again, Oliver turned back to the three children. "Why don't you three hang out with Roy? He's lonely you see, there's not many people his age, so keep him company and be nice to him, okay? He's shy." Roy balked at that.

"I'm not shy! And I don't need company from some kids!" "Now now, Ro-" "Never mind now now!"

Tyler frowned again. "Well..." Bruce interrupted this time. "C'mon, they're kids, they need to be around people their own age, right?" Tyler sighed.

"Very well then, but stay where I can see you!" the warning in his tone was clear to the three siblings. They nodded, eager for their escape. They headed over to Roy who had just stormed off.

"Sorry about that...I'm very overprotective, I just want the best for them..." he laughed. "Well, Mr Wayne, Mr Queen, I've been meaning to talk about a business propos-"

It was Oliver who cut him off this time. "Awh, it's a party, let the business go for a while, have fun!" He turned to Bruce. "Shall we then?" Receiving a nod, the two headed off towards the back of the ball room, leaving a fuming Tyler to be swamped by women.

Once out of earshot, Bruce turned to Oliver, frowning.

"I don't know about you...but I don't trust that man..." Oliver nodded, stroking his goatee.

"You and me both, Bruce. Did you see those kids? They didn't look happy in the slightest, and their faces were dark in some areas!"

"But the youngest, Ryan, was it? That was hardly a kidnapping accident last week, those bruises, especially the bruise around the neck, were fresh. The one around the neck was shaped like an adult's hand."

Oliver gasped. "Bruce, you don't think..."

Bruce shook his head. "I don't know, Oliver...but I will look into it..." There was a grave tone to his voice. "If he is abusing those children, then I will gladly call the police, no child deserves that..."

...

Queen Lawns - December 25th - 00:35

The sound of a gun cocking caused birds to shoot from trees.

"Ready? We go in, kill them all, and rob them blind. Got it? Lets do this before the cops come, yeah?"

"Yeah. Good luck, man."

"You too."

"Wait, do we shoot them?"

"...Get out of here."

.XX.

A/N: Whelp. Here it is. I hope you enjoyed it!