My heart raced as I sped through the streets, weaving through cars and the occasional pedestrian. A smile broke out onto my face as my eyes locked onto Titans Tower. I was going home. I never thought that I would see the inside of it again. The training room, my bedroom, the living room—I was so sure that they were lost in memory, but no, I'm going home. And in that moment, that was all that mattered.

As I pulled up to the tower, Kid Flash raced over to me. He looked worried.

I shook my head. "Not good?"

Kid Flash shrugged. "They are willing to hear you out."

I nodded, but Kid Flash was already gone. Hopefully he can work things out with the Justice League.

I walked up to the tower, half expecting the doors to open for me. I wasn't surprised when my presence caused an alarm to go off. My first instinct was to run. I had gotten so used to running over the last few months that I was ashamed that that was now my go to move. I will have to work on that when things get worked out.

Time pastes slowly, but I wasn't long before the alarm stopped and the door opened. I stood there for a few moments, heart beating, palms sweating. What was I doing? What would is say to them? I've thought about it, of course. I played over and over in my head the words that I would let slip through my lips if I ever had this chance. Now I have it, but the words that I had thought about so much over the last few months were nowhere to be found.

"You can come in, you know," Raven's voice said, bringing me out of my thoughts. "That's usually what an open door implies—that you can come in."

I chuckled uncomfortably. "Well," I explained, "I didn't think I would ever see this door open for me again. I was a little thrown off."

It was silent for a moment. "We—I missed you."

It was the only form of affection that Raven had ever given me and it meant the world to me. "I missed you too," I whispered. "I missed you so much."

Raven stepped out. A small, ever-so-slight, smile played along her lips. She reached her hand out for mine. I let her take it and I let her lead me into the tower. I followed her as she led me to the door of the living room area. But before we went in, Raven turned me to and my heart sunk as I listened to what she had to say.

"We missed you, Robin. A lot. But that doesn't mean we forgive you and it sure as hell doesn't mean we trust you." She looked at me with such an intense gaze that I was sure that it would burn a whole into my scalp.

I was the first to look away. "I understand."

She nodded and opened the door. My heart skipped a beat and my mouth went dry when I saw them. Cyborg looked angry, Starfire looked heartbroken, and Beast Boy looked happy. It was defiantly a room full of jumbled and mixed emotions. I opened my mouth hoping the right words would find their way out, but Starfire beat me to it.

"Are you coming home?" she looked at me with wide green eyes that were glossed over with unshed tears.

I nodded. "If you'll let me."

Starfire's eyes light up, "Yes! Of cour…"

"We need to talk about a few things first." Cyborg said in a deep, stern voice.

Again, I nodded. It seemed to be the only action I could do. "I understand," I told them.

Cyborg gave me a curt nod. "Start talking."

I did. I didn't leave a single detail out. I told them a play-by-play of everything that had happened over the last few months. I ignored their shock and concern about the probes in their body, I ignored their pity when I told them about my depression, their amusement when I told them about my time at Hive Academy, and most of all I ignored Starfire's hurt expression when I told them about Jinx and how close we had gotten.

"So Hive Academy?" Beast Boy said with a grin.

I laughed. "Yeah, it was…it was something. I had somehow managed to tick off every teacher there and the students…well most of the students weren't too bad, some of them even tried to help me out a little bit. But Jonny Rancid tricked me into helping him rob a bank. So there was that."

"He tricked you?" Raven said with a raised eyebrow, her lips quirked to the side.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah, it was kind of my fault though. He asked if I want to hang out with him and a few others. And I said yes without asking the right questions. Actually, I didn't ask any questions—I just kind of went with him. What is wrong with me?"

I looked over at Cyborg. He looked less angry than he did before, but his facial features had softened a little bit.

"Robin," he slowly began. "I'm sorry about what you had to go through and as much as I would like to say that we never gave up on you, saying it would be a lie. I am glad that you are back, really, I am, but the trust we once had is gone. And for us to be able to work with you and build the trust back up we need to set some ground rules." He paused and I nodded for him to continue. "Rule one: you are not the leader of this team anymore. I am. You and the others will answer to me and follow my orders. Rule two: you will have a curfew. You must be back at the tower by 9 pm every night unless you have permission from me, and me only, to be out later. Or if we are called out on a mission, you are allowed to leave the tower. Rule three: for the first three months you will not leave this tower without a chaperone. One of us has to be with you at all times. I know this seems unfair, but we need to make sure that you aren't communicating with anyone that you shouldn't. That includes Jinx. In fact, let's make that its own rule. Rule four: You will not speak to Jinx or anyone else that had or presently attended or attends Hive Academy. Rule five: I, or anyone else who is leader at the time, has the ability to change, alter, add, or take away any rule they see fit. And finally rule six: if you are to break any rule your punishment will be handed out by me or whomever is leader at the time the rule was broken. The punishments can and will vary from a vocal reprimanding, extra workout sessions, loss of meals, isolation, and in extreme cases corporal punishment. Do you understand the rules? Yes or no?"

My head was spinning. I looked at each titan and every one of them looked at Cyborg with horror plastered onto their faces. It was apparent that he had no cleared these rules with the rest of the titans.

Raven tried to stand up for me, "Cyborg…"

"No," he snapped. His put his hand up toward Raven, but his eyes never left mine. "These rules have been carefully thought out. Robin does not deserve the rights that you three have. The trust has been broken. It is Robin's responsibly to build it back up. And he can build it back up by following these rules. Robin, I will ask you one more time and one more time only, do you understand the rules? Yes or no?"

How could Cyborg be so cruel? It was amazing how much he was acting like Slade. I would obviously have to walk on egg shells around him for a very long time. The first one I understood—no one would expect me to take over as leader right away, even I wasn't foolish enough to fantasize that they would allow me to take charge. But this—these rules—they were ridicules. But what choice did I have than to obey?

I started to nod, but stopped. He wanted a verbal answer. Slade had always wanted a verbal answer. "Yes, sir." I said.

"Yes, what?"

I inwardly groaned. He was going to worse than Slade. "Yes," I said, trying to keep my tone respectful, "I understand the rules that you have set in place and I agree to follow them."

Cyborg nodded, satisfied. "Now, tell me more about Mr. Onen and what is happening with that."

I told them the whole story. I told them about how Slade had once been a hero and he was getting his team back together. I told them that Mr. Onen wanted to take me away and make me his apprentice. I told them about the bombs and the Justice League. "Will you help?" I asked when I was done explaining everything.

"We'll help. I'm going to get the T-car ready, everyone be ready to go in twenty minutes." With that, Cyborg left. Leaving us four to awkwardly stare at each other.

I was shaking slightly and unshed tears filled my eyes. I was thankful for my mask. I didn't want them to see me cry. I wasn't sure why Cyborg felt the need to treat me like he did, but the fact of the matter was he didn't think of me as his equal. What made it worse was the he showed that he didn't respect me in front of the rest of the team. What would they think of me now? How would they treat me? If Cyborg never showed any respect towards me would they? Or will it be like living with four Slades?

And Jinx. What was I going to do about Jinx? I couldn't just leave her. I couldn't just stop talking to her. She was there when no one else was. She helped me get through my first days at Hive Academy and my heart-to-heart with Slade. She was there when we confronted Igneous in Paris. I told her I loved her. I do love her. I can't say goodbye to her. What was I going to do?

"Robin," Beast Boy's soft voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Um..we didn't know about the rules…we never thought…we'll talk to him, okay?"

I took a deep, shaky breath. "No, it's okay. I'm used to it. I know how to follow strict rules. Besides, I don't know what I would have done with all my new freedom. I probally would have gotten into some trouble. Its better this way." I lied through my teeth. I tried to sell it with a smile, but I couldn't get my lips to up. I looked away. I didn't want to make eye contact with them.

Raven placed a hand on my shoulder. "We'll talk to him."

I smiled at her, it was a pity smile, but it was all that I could offer. Cyborg wasn't going to change his mind. I ran away from one Slade and right into the hands of another one.