Robin sighed a bit as he was dragged back to his cell. "I am not going to go to some rich guy's house. I would rather die right here." Dick heard of Bruce wayne, the act that ended all acts was to 'honor' the rich bastard. He held a lot of Richard's hate as well. He bet it was nothing to see his parents' deaths to the billionaire playboy, just less trash he would have to see right?

"That is not an option. You are going."

Dick rolled his eyes, walking into his empty cell. "I will escape then. Funny thing, Arkham was pretty helpful. I was glad that allowed to let myself be captured." The boy hummed. He had gotten a lot of information on Zucco's hiding places from Riddler..of course not through a straight answer much to his dismay..but it was better than nothing.

"You will be under twenty-four hour surveillance, there will be no escaping. I believe Bruce would be good for you. Perhaps you will learn something from him."

"I highly doubt it. If he gets in my way he will end up just like the rest of those who try something." Richard gave a sinister grin. "If you are so much of a friend to this guy, why are you letting a murderer walk into his home? Some friend you are Bats."

Batman's eyes narrowed at the boy. He willingly called himself a murderer, he is aware of the crimes he did and felt no regret for doing so..perhaps he was wrong in trying to loosen the leash. "Bruce can handle himself against a child just fine," Batman smirked slightly at the offensed look the child gave him for calling him a kid, but that was exactly what he was.

"I am not going. By the time you come back tomorrow, I will be long gone! So take that!" The boy lashed out, acting very childishly.

Bruce noted this. Not only was he a child, he hated to lose. "I will wait here then until the morning."

Dick glared. "Don't you have anything better to do than watch one prisoner? I thought you were some big hero in Gotham that beat up ALL the bad guys..can't do that here stalking me now can you?"

"I have others on Patrol. It is not of your concern." Batman has asked Green arrow to watch over Gotham tonight, there should be no trouble in that department.

"So more guys in tights?" Dick laughed. Dick never understood the hero outfits of the League. Did they purposely want to be flashy or are they just all colorblind? The only one who somewhat has any taste is the Bat who wears all black..but still , why the hell a bat? Batman pulled up a chair and sat outside of Richard's cell, crossing his arms to show the boy he was not going anywhere. Well that was just his luck. "What are you supposed to be? The queen's guard? Where is your tall fluffy hat? Wait, does that mean if I start making annoying sounds, you wont do anything about it? "he taunted, whistling a bit. If he was here, Dick might as well enjoy pestering his stalker while he waited to be taken away.

-------

The night was almost unbearable. Batman sat silently the whole night, listening to the boy mock, tease, and poke fun at him, however he never showed any emotion from it. By the time Alfred came along, he gave a small sigh of relief.

"I thought this Bruce guy was a playboy..This old man is Bruce?"

"No, this is his butler who will be taking you to him. He is in the car I presume Alfred?"The butler nodded and Batman looked at the boy. "Remember I am watching." And with that he left into the shadows, changing into the civilian identity of Bruce wayne and sitting in the car. It did not take long before the door opened and he was reunited with the teen, who had his hands cuffed. "I take it you are Richard?"

"First, It is just Dick. Second, none of your damn business." The boy glared at Bruce. There was no way that he will allow himself to be kept like some pet to a man that probably uses a hundred dollar bills for tissues. "So what do you get out of this? Oh I get it... 'taking in an orphan' is good for your image. I bet the people just love the modern Annie story. Well Mr. Warbucks, you can kiss my orphan ass because I don't want your fake charity."

Bruce frowned a bit, is that really what the boy thinks this is about? "That is not the reason why I will be taking you in. Nor is it because the Batman asked be to."

Dick laughed, he called B.S to the third degree. "Well if that is not it, please do enlighten me."

"Because you remind me of myself."

If Dick had a glass of water, he would have done a spit take. He bursted out into mad laughter, slapping his knee. "Because I remind you of yourself? That is just priceless!" the smile not quite reaching his eyes. "You are not me..I am not you..we are from two different worlds."

Bruce sighed, the rest of the car ride was completely silent, not a word was spoken as they pulled into the mansion. The boy scoffed at the sight of it, probably not helping his case from his prior comment. He will explain better when they get inside, perhaps he could reach the boy still. They got out of the car, and walked inside the mansion. " Alfred will show you to your room but after, I wish to talk to you."

"Oh goody, not even three minutes in and we are going to have a heart to heart? My lucky day." Dick help out his arms, the chains of the cuffs rattling a bit. "These are not a fashion statement you know. I am dangerous."

"I believe you are skilled enough to cause harm without those on...you could of hurt me in the car and make a run for it, yet you did not."

Dick scowled unhappily. It was because he could never harm an innocent, scum is one thing..but if he killed someone who did not deserve it, he would be just like Zucco.

"The road you are going down..you WILL become just like Zucco." Robin's eyes widened a bit when he heard his mother's voice. It has been so long since he last heard it..he missed her, even if it was just his mind scolding him, this is a torture he did not mind. Tears threatened to flood over, which seemed to get Bruce's attention.

Bruce reached out a hand to try and comfort the boy when he saw tears. He was never really good with children, but he would have to learn quick. "Richard..?"

Dick slapped Bruce's hand away, giving an icy glare. "Don't touch me and shut up! I can't hear her when you talk!" He screamed, body shaking a bit. Is this what he had to do to keep his parents' memory with him? Become something they did not want?

"Richard, We will always be here, but this is not healthy. We did not want this for you." His dad's voice echoed through his head, the words causing Richard to flinch.

"Little Robin, please, you need to let us go..you can be happy if you just let us go.."

"NO!" Richard screamed, causing Bruce to stagger back. "I will not let go! I should not be happy I am the reason you both are dead!"

Bruce walked over to the boy again. He was having a mental breakdown... did he say something that triggered this? Bruce looked over to Alfred. "Go get a blanket Alfred. I am going to bring him over to my study."

"Right away Master Bruce, should I prepare some tea as well?"

Bruce just gave a small nod in acknowledgement before picking up the boy, much against his will. He was screaming and kicking Bruce the entire way as he carried the boy to the study. Bruce set him down and sat across from him. By 'her' he took it the boy was referring to his mother. So it was true that the boy was mentally broken. This will be hard to manage let alone fix, but all that Bruce could do for the boy is try. Alfred came back with a blanket, placing it on the boy's shoulder. Richard did not seem to mind, he welcomed the blanket, cuddling into it, going silent."When I said you reminded me of myself... I meant it" Bruce said slowly. The boy looked up at him, his eyes seeming dead with no light behind them.

"How?" He muttered. Dick was just too tired to grace the man with anymore sarcasm. Whatever it was, he wanted it out of the way so he could be alone to his thoughts, with his parents.

"When I was a boy, my family was murdered in cold blood, shot in an alleyway in back of a theatre. If I did not want to leave when I did, it might never had happened. I still blame myself for it." Dick looked up slowly, awe reaching his facial expressions. It seems Bruce has reached him. "I was obsessed with finding the mugger who killed them."

"Did you find him?"The boy whispered, leaning a bit forward. "Did you get your revenge for your parents?"

"I did, I killed him" Bruce confirmed, his eyes narrowing.

The boy smiled a little. "How did it feel, knowing that you avenged your loved ones?"

"Not as good as I hoped it would, the second I took his life, I felt completely empty..and then nothing but regret." Bruce looked at the boy's frown it was obviously not the answer he wanted to hear. Bruce sighed, leaning back into his chair. "Revenge leads you down a path that only causes more sorrow."

Dick slumped forward, "If not revenge...what? I cannot just forget what was done.. I cannot do it!" Dick choked back a sob as a picture of his dead parents appeared in his head, and then the bodies of the thugs he killed that night in the warehouse. He covered his mouth, trying to keep the wave of nausea at bay but he couldn't, throwing up on the rug in front of him. God, he hoped that wasn't too expensive... Dick let his mind wander more, his parents' voices seeming to fade. "No..NO NO NO! You have to be wrong! My parents deserve to be avenged!"

Bruce slowly shook his head. "Killing is not the answer Dick. It never was. You need to forgive."

"I WILL NOT FORGIVE THAT BASTARD FOR KILLING MY PARENTS!" Dick screamed, tears falling once again.

"I was not talking about Zucco, I was talking about yourself. You need to let go of this destructive hatred towards yourself. We both know your parents would not want any of this. And what you are doing now, Is wasting their sacrifice,"

Dick's eyes widened. "How dare you say that. How dare you say their lives were wasted!" Dick lunged forward, hands wrapping around the billionaire's neck squeezing tightly. "Take it back you bastard! Take it back now!" He glared, watching the other struggle to breath, but he did not seemed scared. "I was the waste..not them..they loved me and because of that they are gone! I am the peice of trash they kept alive.." Dick's voice broke. "They should have let me fall , they should have let me fall to my death. They could have always had another son..But I can never have new parents." He sobbed, letting go of Bruce, hugging himself now.

Bruce sat up, embracing the boy in comfort. "Then become something they would be proud of."

"I am no hero.." Dick sobbed. " I can't be like batman or any of the other heroes..I am useless..no powers..no sense of justice..." Dick shakily let out a sigh, calming down a bit. "Did you know I used to love the city..? My father used to take me when I was young into the city because I would always pester him to. .I always thought they were full of so much life... and I used to hold that false justice..looking up to all the heroes the cities had" Dick scowled "But in reality..the city is just a place of death, there were no heroes who saved me and there was no justice for my parents." Dick moved away from Bruce's embrace. " I can never become a hero."