Disclaimer- . . . This is the last time I get to say "I don't own YJ" . . .

Okay, this is the last chapter for "Blood Stained Hands". Sad, I know but all things that have a beginning have an end. That's the way it has been and will always be. But don't be sad. I have plenty of other YJ fanfics about different twists on Robin's past.

Chapter 18

"After my parents . . . died, I was kidnapped from the police station and taken in by an elite group of assassins. Being only four and having no knowledge of what they were teaching me, I did what they told me. What could I have done? I was only four. But after two years of harsh training, I started getting orders to kill all kinds of people . . . "

"You had to kill people?" M'gann said, disbelief laced in her voice. She couldn't imagine Robin killing someone.

Robin sighed heavily. "Exactly one hundred, fifty-three people. Ninety-three of them were male and the other sixty were female. All of them killed by a swift cut on their throats. All died with moments because of the extreme blood loss. Want to know any more?"

Artemis snorted, trying to cover up that she was disturbed by mental images of Robin killing someone. "Duh. Like how did you end up with Batman?"

". . . I was ordered to kill Bruce Wayne when I was eight. But before I could, Batman stopped me and asked why I wanted to kill him. After I explained everything, he helped me out and I ended up living with him afterwards," Robin explained, his eyes focused on the space behind his friends' heads and was lost in his memories.

Aqualad frowned as a thought occurred to him. "How does Blade fit into all of this?"

" . . . We were close like brothers, having no one but each other to cling to. And Blade definitely needed someone to cling to."

"Why?" Superboy questioned him, curious.

Sadness crept into Robin's covered eyes. "Because his emotions were unstable. One moment he'd be happy and the next, he would be suicidal. But I managed to give him some kind of balance somehow . . . Or at least, I thought I did."

" . . . It makes sense now. No wonder you didn't want to talk about it," Artemis murmured, guilt seeping into her heart and mind.

Robin shrugged, hiding his sadness in the casual movement. "It doesn't matter now. What matters now is how you're going to explain how you got to be here, Artemis."

Artemis bit her lip. "Great . . ."

"You have fun," Robin joked as he stood up and lurked in the shadows, waiting till Artemis started her story.

"But Robin-" M'gann started but Kid Flash stopped her.

"M'gann . . . What he needs right now is to be alone. Blade's death is hitting him hard."

The team gave him a look.

"What?" Kid Flash said, confused.

"And you know this how?" Artemis asked him, trying to stall.

Kid Flash gave a half-hearted smile. "Let's just say that I've seen him depressed enough that I've learned to read him."

"Ahhhh . . . " Aqualad commented, more curious as to what Artemis had to say.

Noticing that the team was looking at her, Artemis sighed. "I guess I have to tell you guys now."

"Duh," they said in unison, giving her blank stares.

"Well . . . it all started by when I was eight and . . . "

Her voice faded into the background as Robin turned and left the living room, unable to stop a single tear from falling from his covered eyes.

But Robin didn't wipe it away. He just let it roll down his cheek and onto the floor. For once, he was going to allow himself to cry a single tear . . . After all, Blade had been his best friend . . . his brother . . .

"Dick?"

Robin turned and saw Batman step out of the shadows. "Hey, Bruce. I was just going-"

Batman's tight hug cut off his sentence as his face was pressed into Batman's shoulder. "It's okay, Dick . . . It's okay to cry . . . "

Robin's face tightened, trying to stop himself from crying. " . . . Really?"

Bruce nodded. "Yes."

And that's all it took for Robin's waterworks to start.

"I've should have-I should have-" Robin kept saying, unable to finish his sentence.

"Dick, it's not your fault."

Robin shook his head. "No, it it! I should have-"

"Dick, for the last time, it's not your fault."

"But-"

"Do you understand?"

" . . . Yeah."

"Good . . . Now let's go home."

"Okay . . . Dad."

For a split second, a smile was on Bruce's lips and then it was gone. "Come, Robin. Alfred is probably going frantic with worry."

Robin, having seen the smile, smiled. "When is he not?"

A/N- That's the end of "Blood Stained Hands". I'm sure you're disappointed but it was either this or "they lived happily ever after". Did you like how I ended it? Please review! This was published on 3-21-12 with the length of 909 words.