This story has been renamed from the shitty name of "Robin and The Batfamily" to
"Trapped Under Pressure."

(Robin's P.O.V)

I sat in my spot, the only place in Slade's hideout that I could actually escape Slade.

Deep within the regions of gears was where I hid when I wanted some time to myself. It wasn't the same as being away from Slade but it wasn't like I could do any better.

I was sure Slade knew I hid here from time to time but due to the fact you have to get through a small gap in order to get here, I don't think he could reach me. It wasn't like I did much here.

I basically just sat here, the gear I sat on spinning slowly so it didn't make me dizzy when I left. I occasionally dozed off whenever I was here. I had gotten used to the sound of the clicking gears. It used to annoy me, but it doesn't annoy me as much.

I thought about what had happened in the past month. A lot of bad things happened... I suppose Slade's patience had finally run thin?

I looked up at the gears overhead.

There was the time he had tortured me...

My throat was hoarse as I stopped my screaming. My vision blurred. I began coughing up blood and struggled to breath as the blood stopped coming up in my throat and stayed there. I loudly choked on the blood before I turned my head and coughed it up. I gasped for breath, the burning of the injury on my chest making itself known even more with the help of the poison running through my veins.

I weakly protested against the chackles holding me to the table, my wrists being cut into more. I couldn't do it. Nothing I did could stop the pain - nothing could stop Slade. Right now, he had all the power and I could do nothing to stop him.

My arm... Blood dropped to the floor from my right arm. What had Slade done to my arm? It hurt so much...

I had never been in so much pain before... Slade was being careful. I knew that. Despite the amount of blood I was losing, I knew he wouldn't let me die. He'd let me live and suffer. Wintergreen had left to visit what was left of his family three days ago. There was no one left to save me from Slade. No one to comfort me. I was alone...

Was I truly alone? Or...

Is there some one out there I can truly trust?

Electricity sliced through my body, blood splurting out from my wounds faster. I grit my teeth.

Ensure it. Endure it like I always have.

I... will survive this! Somehow, I will survive this hell. And at that moment, I will be who I want to be again.

"You were never truly free, Robin. They constantly limited your potential. They limited your mindset and skills. They kept you hidden away from the world when others needed you most. They were always there. Watching you from the shadows, making sure you never stepped away from them. They kept you chained down your entire life. You will never escape that. Even here, I will chain you down. Because, some things... will never change." Slade's voice echoed in my ear.

I looked down from the gears and flexed my hand in front of my face.

"I will never escape my chains, huh?" I muttered to myself.

"Despite the fact you will always be chained down, I will help you achieve your true potential. You won't be free, but I suppose its better then being chained down and never being able to do things to the best of your abilities." Slade said. How sadistic.

But I suppose it was that kind of thinking that got me to kill Tony Zucco. Looking back on it now...

Why? Why did I do it?

Because I was scared of Slade? What a horrible excuse. Maybe it was because his torture and words got to me? Your weak.

Well... Humans are fragile beings after all. Especially if someone knows how to break them and rebuild them the way they want.

There will never be an excuse for what I did. No matter how confused or scared I was, I will never be able to accept what I did then. Or will I...? No. I shook my head. It's been a week since then. I'm still ultimately surprised at how calm I've been at this.

I suppose nothing can surprise me anymore. But that doesn't make the pain any easier to deal with.

Afterall, blood calls for blood. Hatred calls for more hatred. Hatred and blood call for death. Death calls for even more death.

How did I fall so far?
Why did I fall so far?
Was my entire life set up for this moment?

Who knows?

I had become acustomized to the feeling of falling.

But I never meant to fall so far...

Maybe one day I can pick myself back up again. Maybe one day I can be free. Maybe one day-

A painful pulse radiated through my entire body. My breath caught in my throat as another pulse of pain spread through my body. I clutched my chest, my face twisted in pain and confusion.

What is this pain? I've experienced it a few times. It was most likely a side-effect to the torture. The poison maybe? The pain had started appearing shortly after the torture. It was usually followed with a panic attack before I passed out.

I tried to calm myself and brace myself for the next pain impulse but my body just wasn't having that. I coughed up blood. I fell to my side, clutching my chest desperately as the pain in my heart sent more pain impulses through my body.

Stop...

Blood swam in my throat, blocking me from breathing. I frantically tried to cough it up so I could breath again.

I finally spat the blood out. My vision was too blurred to make out anything. My heart rate was erratic. I was breathing fast.

Why?

I lied there, not daring to move an inch incase it triggered the pain impulses again. I tried to force myself to stay calm, urging myself not to have a panic attack. I closed my eyes, exhaustion taking its toll on my already exhausted body.

I was sure of it. I didn't know it for a fact... But I'm sure that I was slowly dying. My soul was all but dead, there was still a little hope there. But I could not decide whether or not my body would survive.

I was still recovering both mentally and physically.

I wonder...

How much longer will I last?

Would my body - my soul be able to survive this pain and pressure any longer?