"I'm going to kill you." The words that came out of Batman's mouth weren't said in anger, or grief. It wasn't even said in his usual naturally intimidating growl, which had been perfected to instigate terror. The words were said with a calmness, a stillness, that belonged to Bruce Wayne and not Batman. And perhaps that was why they were the most terrifying thing to ever come out of his mouth. Because it was not fueled by hatred or passion, it was matter of fact, and in that moment Bruce knew he meant it. The anger that had come when he threatened Catalina was pushed away, he knew to defeat the man in front of him he couldn't be controlled by his emotions. Said man simply chuckled at the declaration as he made his way deeper into the room. "You think I'm joking?" Out of his peripherals, Bruce saw Dick flinch as DeathStroke strolled past, but the green energy orb Manhunter encased him withheld strong. DeathStroke, on the other hand, spared the boy no notice, his eyes only on Batman.

"Bruce, I have no doubt in my mind that you believe that you can kill me, I even believe that you intend to. Which is what I find so hilarious." DeathStroke stopped a couple of feet in front of him, relaxed but armed, taking off his mask he threw it to the side. And for once Bruce found himself staring into one piercing gray eye. "Your strong Batman, and you've raised a strong sidekick that is true. But under my tutelage, Richard has flourished, has gone down the path of reaching his true potential. You should be thanking me-"

"Thanking you?" The words while still calm did nothing to hide Bruce's destain. Slade's eyes flashed dangerously, unhappy as he was to be interrupted.

"Yes Bruce, thanking me. Richard was being wasted with your little league, you didn't truly appreciate his talents, truly understand all that he is capable of. I do, I understand him, and I always have. With each decade, each time jump, each kidnapping and apprenticeship I have watched him grow into the man he was meant to be. But you and your team are always there to put an end to it, just as he's about to give in to the urges he's always had. He's not some golden boy, not some hero, he can be deadly if you let him. We're alike in that way." Throughout his speech Bruce watched as Dick took in every word, his sons face slowly morphing into shame as he no doubt thought about all the terrible deeds DeathStroke made him do.

"You're right." Dicks eyes snapped back up and meet his Father's, a look of betrayal flashing across his face. "You're right Slade, we don't appreciate him enough. I held him back from any dangerous missions because I was afraid that he'd get hurt, I haven't taught him everything I know because I'm afraid that once there's nothing more I can give him, he'll leave me like they always do. I've held him back, but not because he's a monster, because he's a greater hero then I could ever be. He's gone through things that would break anyone else, have broken me, and still finds the good in people. Still finds a way to keep fighting. He is strong and skilled, but the thing that you'll never understand Wilson is that Dick never had the potential to be deadly. The reason you've failed time and time again to fully convert him isn't because I've stopped you. It's because Dick has."

Still looking into his son's eyes, he mentally requested to Manhunter to let Dick go. Dick for his part didn't react at all to his new found freedom, and instead stared at his Father an unreadable look on his face. "Dick, I'm sorry I couldn't stop this from happening, and I can't imagine what you've been through the last few months because of me, because of Wilson. But I'm here, and I love you, and maybe we can't fix this, but we can try." At that Dick launched himself at Bruce, the other heroes in the room startled forward, but holding up his hand he stopped them. When Dick reached his Father he didn't attack him, just wrapped him into a hug and clung tightly.

"Well isn't that sweet." For a moment Bruce had forgotten Slade was there watching everything unfold. But wrapping his arms protectively around Dick, he looked up at the still smirking mercenary. "A very touching speech Batman, I truly started to tear up, I did. But as lovely as I think your sentiments are, you're forgetting one important thing. I control Richard. Isn't that right Renegade." Dick flinched at the name but didn't look up from where his head was buried into Bruce's chest. "Yes, so why don't you be a good little apprentice, and come over here?" Bruce felt his son's body tense up, but he made no move to leave. Slade's smirk seemed to drop a fraction. "That was an order, not a request Renegade, come over to me." Again there was slight tension from Dick but he did not move. Moving a step closer to the pair Slade's eyes were fixated on the back of Dicks' head "NOW!".

Everything was still, everyone staring at Dick waiting for something, anything to happen. After a moment, Bruce felt his son slowly leaving his embrace and felt his own arms tighten in response, and a flare of panic wash over him. Dick kept moving, however, and as he pulled away Bruce felt a cold hard object being pressed into his hand. Schooling his face so as to not let on, he reluctantly let Dick leave his grasp and take a few steps towards the now gloating man. As soon as Dick was in his reach Slade grabbed his arm and forcefully pulled him over to his side.

"You see Batman, he belongs to me, and as long as I control him I am invincible." Discreetly under his cape, Bruce got a better grip of the object Dick placed in his hand and catching Dick's eye he gave him a small discernible smile.

"You're right, if you controlled Dick you would be invincible." Quickly before Slade could process his words Bruce pulled up his arm and quickly fired the gun he had been given right into Slade's head. "It's a good thing you don't."

As DeathSroke's body fell the room erupted into chaos. Dick threw himself away back towards Bruce, who caught him and pulled him back into his arms. Catalina let out a short scream whether in surprise or horror, who could say? Manhunter, though not surprised, used his powers to pull the gun from Bruce's grasp and crushed it, before throwing it to the side. Artemis ran over to KidFlash who was startled awake by the gunshot, while the rest of the team cautiously walked over to Slade.

"Is he dead?" The question came from Superboy, who looked uncharacteristically shaken. Kaldur, leaning over the body, placed his hand against Slade's throat to check for a pulse. After a moment, he looked up and nodded. "Good."

A weight Bruce didn't know he had seemed to be lifted by the confirmation, and his arms wrapped around his son a little tighter in relief. It was then he realized Dick was shaking, and looking down he saw tears rushing down his face, as he struggled to keep he breath controlled. Hoping the team wouldn't notice, he used his cape to cover his son, and looking up he made direct eye contact with J'onn.

"Will you take care of this?" The Martian just stared for a moment, and for a second Bruce was worried he was going to berate him about the killing. But instead, he felt a calming wave wash over him 'of course' echoed inside his mind. Giving his friend a small smile, he began to lead Dick away from the group, only to be stopped by another thought as he was walking out the door. 'You did the right thing, killing DeathStroke, no one will think any less of you for it.' I deep fondness rushed through him, and for a moment he sent a wave of gratitude to his fellow leaguer. He would never regret what he did, but he was glad to know that his team was on his side.

"Come on Dick, let's get you home."

BREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAKBREAK

Getting from DeathStrokes base in Bludhaven back to the Batcave was surprisingly easy. There was a zeta-tube located just a few blocks away, and after a few moments of tinkering, the booth zapped them swiftly home. Dick hadn't said anything but had stopped shaking, which was a relief. As they stepped through the teleporter Bruce made direct eye contact with Alfred, who seemed to deflate with relief as he took in the sight of the young master wrapped in his Father's cape. Quietly he moved out of the cave, and Bruce hoped that he would be able to keep Tim and Damian at bay, just for a moment.

Slowly he walked his son over to the medbay. Even though Slade was gone, Dick was still flush full of whatever poison the villain had doped him with. He needed a severe detox, only then would he be fully back to himself. Sitting Dick on the bed, Bruce began taking stock.

Dicks' face was blank, though tear tracts marked how much he had cried earlier. He was only in a pair of pants, and so all the bruising and scarring that Bruces hadn't been able to see clearly was fully on display. One of the hickies Catalina had given him drew Bruce's attention and gently reaching out he rubbed it with his hand, another hot flash of anger spiking through him.

"I'm sorry." The voice was small, and raspy, and flicking his eyes up, he saw Dick looking at the litany of bruises on his body. "I'm sorry, I tried to stop her, I did but I couldn't, Even though I could before when I stopped myself from hurting you. And then she made me enjoy it… and... and I really wanted her to stop Dad, I did I swear b-but I couldn't and I-" Cutting him off, Bruce pulled him into a tight hold, as tears began filling his own eyes.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this. Not for a second. You've been so incredibly brave, and I am so proud of you. I'm so sorry that this happened to you, and that I couldn't stop it. But it's not your fault, maybe it's not even mine. It's Slades and it's Catalinas, and they should have never done what they did to you. And you should've never had to go through it." Bruce could tell that Dick didn't believe him. "I know that maybe you don't believe that now, but I hope you can eventually, it's gonna take a lot of time to get better, but I will be with you every step of the way."

"What if I never get better?" Releasing his son, Bruce kneeled so he was looking him straight in the eye.

"Then I'll be there every step of the way anyway. You'll never get over this Dick, but with work I think we can move past it." Standing up Dick walked away from his Father though not far, he seemed to take in the cave, his home, as he thought of whatever it was he wanted to say. Bruce was content with just being in the same place, in knowing that at least physically his son was safe. They could deal with the rest later, DeathStroke was gone, and there was no way that he could come back.

"I don't blame you. I feel like I should be angry or scared. I was before when you guys first came through the base. I was so fucking upset because I didn't deserve that. I didn't deserve to be used like that, and I didn't deserve to be hurt like that. And I was so fucking angry because they just used me." Dick started pacing around as the words began tumbling out, no longer forced to censor himself. "And now he's dead and it's like none of that even mattered because it's over. Because it's resolved. So what's the use of feeling angry when he got what he deserved. But I'm so fucking angry because it's not fair."

Punching the air with both fists he stopped walking and turned back to Bruce. A look of despair upon his face, choking out his next words. "It's not fair, and now every-everyone on the team knows, they know what happened to me. And they'll always know, and every conversation we have, every action we take moving forward is going to be tarnished by the fact that this happened to me, and they know. And it changes everything, and I am so furious because I was supposed to have control but I didn't. And in the end, I couldn't take him out." A wave of exhaustion seemed to hit him, and walking over to the cave wall he leaned his body against and stared at the floor. "I was in control when I gave you the gun, I could have shot him, but I was scared to be the one to take him down. But now that it's over its like it doesn't matter, but it does. Cuz I'm the one who has to live with the memories, I have to live with it. And I should be angry, and I should cry, and maybe I should blame you. But I don't and I just want to move on." Standing up Bruce made his way over to his Son so they were standing in front of one another, but not touching.

"I don't know what to say to help Dick, I-I don't know how to" Letting out a breath of air, Bruce sighed heavily "I missed you Dick, so much, and I love you. And it's okay that you feel this way now, and it's okay if you always feel this way, or if it changes. Because you're right this happened to you. And maybe you weren't in control of how it went down, but you can control what happens moving forward." Reaching out his hand he grasped Dick shoulder, and for the first time truly cried. "You're so young, God your so young Dick. Fuck." Shaking his head, he tightened his grasp. "Your so young and the only thing I can say is, we have so much time to move forward, don't let Slade ruin any more of your life. Okay?" Nodding Dick pulled his Father into his grasp and held him as he cried. They were partners, they were family, and for now, the only thing they needed was to know the other was safe.

Maybe you never truly get over the things that have hurt you, or maybe you do but it takes a year, or five, or ten. You never truly know if you're crossing a hurdle until after you've crossed it. And maybe you won't be able to cross it. But you can hope that you will, and maybe that could be enough.

The End.

A.N.

First off I wanted to thank you guys, everyone that's held onto this story. I've been holding off on ending this, because this is it for me. No more fanfiction, at least for now. I've definitely been using it as an escape, when I should have been facing my own demons. I've poured a lot of myself into these stories, and I want to thank you for letting me. Words can't express how much this has meant. It's been 7 years since I started this story, and a lot has happened in that time. And just, thank you, for everything, for growing up with me. For caring about the stories I've needed to tell. For being my support system when I needed one. Thank you.

Sara