Robins POV

"What happened after that?" Artemis asked.

I turned to the side to look at her, then directed my gaze to the floor. I smiled a little to myself. This memory happened such a long time ago, she had probrably already forgotten it, but I never did. The details of everything were still as vivid as if it just occured yesterday.

"I couldnt bring myself to hurt her" I silently said.

"That girl...was Zatanna" I looked towards Wally. "Wasnt it?"

I nodded silently, not sure what words to say at the moment. Were they surprised? Relieved? Scared? I frankly didnt know.

"I was so surprised at what she did" I mused. "She was so innocent"

Then my face took on a more serious expression. "Since I couldnt hurt her...like how I was...instructed to do" I hissed. My voice took on a more gentle tone as I said this. "I had to let her go" A small, gentle smile involuntarily formed on my lips before I could conceal it.

"How did she escape?" I knew Wally would ask that.

"I helped her" then I smirked "Only as far to the main entrance though, alarms would sound off, recognizing my bio signature if I ever stepped outside without my masters permission." The word master left a vile taste in mouth as I said it.

"Why?" I knew he would say that too.

"It doesnt matter why, I helped her and thats it" I said nonchalantly. Trying to hide my expression from them, I turned around so that my back was all they faced.

"Did you experience love at first sight or something?" he joked, yet I didnt laugh.

Thats when he hit it. The bullseye, right on the red dot. He was absolutely right.

The love I felt for her was not something that progressed over time, but it did grow over time.

Ignoring Wallys comment that shot to my heart like a bullet, I continued telling 'my ever so fascinating life story'

"She then grew up and so did I, we met at the team again but she didnt rememeber me" I said the last bit with mock humor. "And then the rest you guys know yourselves" I explained further.

"Thats not the whole story my friend" My shoulders went rigid as I realized I had been found out. Sometimes I hated Kaldurs sense of insight.

"Whats not the whole story?" I questioned him casually.

"No more lying to us Rob" Conner siad. Come to think of it, that was the first time I heard him speak all day.

I fidgeted nervously, I didnt know why I was...terrified at the moment. I had never experienced so much fear, nervousness and uncertainty in one day. So many emotions in one go, I could barely handle myself properly. I was already beginning to gain back my cool, but only for it to melt again in a few minutes.

M'gann smiled her ever so usual smile, but I couldnt help but think it was all too strained.

I looked down towards my hands, somehow feeling a little regrettful with my decision. "Why did I do this?" I wondered silently to myself.

Wasnt it just safer to leave things just as they were? Broken, bloodied, hurt...but stuff like this could heal right? It would leave scars, a small imprinting but nothing more, and then everything would vanish with the wind. Nothing but whispers in the wind.

"No" something in my mind countered.

I was being a coward. A gutless, heartless coward.

The need for self preservation was strong, but not strong enough to cloud my other senses. If I somehow left, right now at this moment, would everything dissapear?

Like as if from a dream...

But thats what a coward would think of. Running away wasnt the answer.

Yet at the moment I didnt know the answer to all the questions I was being faced with. All the strained smiles, memories that shot through me like a bullet, all these emotions that seemed to mark my every being with another scar.

I couldnt handle it by myself.

Yet what I couldnt really grasp, was when I was ever really truly alone?

"Perhaps" I thought.

"What are you thinking about Rob?" Artemis said outloud.

"How bold of her to ask me" I smirked.

"Nothing" I said stoically. That was always my automatic response when it came to questions such as these.

Nothing.

Cause it really was nothing I guess, just me pondering my thoughts and decisions.

But I know that was a lie.

"No more lies, no more secrets" she whispered to me.

I turned to look at her, studying her. Her posture was strong and defiant, brave. Yet inside her eyes held the softest of emotions. Pity and kindness. It was something I wasnt used to seeing in people anymore since I had grown so cold and didstant.

"Yeah" I solemnly said.

"What happened after that?" she encouraged.

"There was a complication" I started awkwardly, afraid of what they would think of the outcome.

"What complication?" the word drew on longer than it should have.

"Death, betrayal...punishment" I said.