Just arriving in a Limo, the team in their human identities arrived at Arkham. Including Bruce Wayne as one of them. Starfire seemed to stick out a little, but Artemis dressed her as a beach babe and threw her hair in a blonde wig. So she looked believable, as well as having her eyes contacted with blue contacts.

They walked up to the Asylum and made their way to the visiting section. It was a nice open room with tables set up for people coming to see others in the Asylum. There were a few visiting in some tables. But in One, 'Wayne' was marked on a table by a slip of paper, and they went over and took their many seats. And here, they waited for around 20 minutes to see Richard. One of them waiting to meet him.

"This way." A female opened a door that buzzed.

Walking out was Canary in her outfit holding a Rubik's cube. She was waiting for someone to pass her. And this someone was wearing black and white striped outfit matching a prisoner outfit, only it wasn't orange. This someone was also a kid. This someone was Richard Grayson.

The team smiled widely at seeing him, and Starfire gave him a soft smile. Bruce though, gave him a joyful and loving look. Richard looked at them all and approached shyly and sat down, him looking like he had been crying. He looked down at his hands, folded on the table as he tapped his fingers, waiting for Canary to sit down beside him. Once she did, she handed him the cube and he instantly began to work at it, smiling as he did so.

"Is he Okay?" Bruce looked to Canary.

"He finally broke down." Canary frowned and sighed. "But he knows what he did was wrong." She whispered to him and sighed. "So, who's the new girl?"

"Koriand'r." Bruce smiled. "An alien from Tameran. Her and Megan get along." He whispered.

"Oh fun!" She hired happily.

"So, this is Richard?" Starfire smiled and looked to Bruce.

"Yes. He is in a rough patch currently. We may have to fill you in.", Bruce spoke softly.

"Wally in the hospital?" Richard instantly looked up at Artemis.

"Yeah. He had surgery to fix his elbows. They were able to restore them." Artemis smiled. "He is still sleeping. Hasn't taken up yet. It's the first time I've seen him so still and quiet ever." She sighed.

"I see." Richard handed the solved Rubik's Cube to Canary. "It's nice to see you all."

Everyone smiled and nodded.

"You look like shit." Connor then spoke.

"Oh haha." Richard chuckled weakly.

Richard looked to Starfire and blinked a few times. He smiled weakly and she Smiled gleefully back.

"Hi friend. " She waved. "I'm Koriand'r."

"I'm Richard." Richard held his hand.

"Hehe, I know." She shook his hand and looked at the cube.

"Is that a cube of puzzles?" She asked.

"Yes." Canary nodded as she mixed it up to where nothing was connected and handed it to her. "Want to try?"

Starfire took it and began to twist as she tried her best to match things up. Richard stared at the cube and winced as she made some wrong moved, resulting in a jumbled cube, some colors solved. But not all. He then took it from her hand and solved it quickly before handing it to her.

"There you go." He smiled to her.

"Thanks." She giggled in amazement. "You are the very smart."

"So, Richard. Any progress?" Bruce asked.

"I guess so?" Richard seemed confused. " I miss everyone." Richard seemed sad. "I miss Alfred."

Bruce winced and looked down and placed his hand over Richard's and caressed it.

"I do as well. But he is gone." Bruce sighed and looked down at the table.

The two both shared one another's pain. But only one of them held massive guilt. That one being Richard.  Richard looked up at Bruce and saw his face. How in pain he was broke Richard's heart. Artemis looked down and hugged her arms together and shuddered, remembering the gory scene she stumbled into.

"Hnhnhnhnhn~!" Laughing echoed through the hallway behind the door.

Everyone turned to it and watched.

The window revealed nurses pushing a hospital bed and IV drips. In the bed was A mummy looking man, wrapped in bloody bandages. He laughed as his hands ran along the window, blood smearing on the window as he did. Richard narrowed his eyes and felt anger boil in him. His fists closed and opened and he shook.

"Richard." Canary placed a hand on his shoulder.

Richard looked to the hand and then to her and sighed some. He relaxed easily due to his meds and he leaned his head on her shoulder. He closed his eyes and mumbled things under his breath.

"Tired." He then whispered.

"I think we should get going. Got a few errands to run." Bruce stood.

"Yeah." Richard hummed. "I need a nap."

"We are looking forwards to you getting better." Kaldur smiled. "It's not the same without you."

"Glad to know I'm missed." Richard hummed.

"Get well Richard." Megan smiled and stood tall and walked towards the Exit with her arm linked with Conner's.

Cyborg patted his back and exited with everyone. Leaving just Bruce Canary and Richard. Bruce bent down and kissed Richard's forehead and patted his head.

"Stay safe." Bruce spoke.

"I will." Richard smiled at Bruce.

They parted ways and Canary walked Richard to the door. She typed a code in that opened the door and walked inside. Richard looked down the hall as nurses were holding down Joker in his bed, him trying to get out. Another came running down and Injected something into his arm. Joker laughed loudly as it didn't work. They weren't able to knock him out with drugs. Only by hitting him hard enough.

Richard narrowed his eyes and growled. He then took of in a sprint. Canary gasped and dashed after him, her being faster. Richard ran to him and raised his hand and struck his jaw, knocking the lights out of him, all while almost breaking his jaw. He growled and almost did more but Canary grabbed his wrist and huffed.

"Richard control yourself!" Canary spoke loudly.

Nurses looked at them and stood on standby as they waited for him to do something bad. But Richard calmed down. He then shook his hand and huffed.

"You hit the nerve right here.", He then tapped on a spot on his jaw. "It will instantly knock him out. There is one in his neck too.", Richard then walked away from the bed. "Make sure you are rough on him. He doesn't take kindly to people being Gentle."

Canary looked at him before following. She sighed and grabbed a voice recorder and pressed on it.

"All progress was lost after an interaction with Joker." She sighed and placed it into her pocket before continuing to follow, soon walk with and in front of the boy.

********

In the cafeteria, Richard sat Beside Slade, eating his food in silence, due to being uncomfortable sense literally everyone was glancing or staring at him. Slade was there to protect him though. And everyone thought of Slade as a king to the place. They respected him. But they were all eyeing the fresh meat beside him as if sometime to consume. Or kill.

"Wilson. W-wh-whooooo! Is the newby?" A skinny male smiled as he scooted over to him.

"He's my property. Not yours." Slade growled and the man then cowardly moved away.

Richard ate slower after that remark and soon stopped eating all together. He took his medicine on his plate and just sat there and laid his heard in his folded arms on the table and closed his eyes, knowing he won't be harmed around Slade anymore.

"Why did you stop eating?" Slade raised his brow, looking to Richard.

"Not Hungry." Richard mumbled.

"You need the strength." Slade spoke and stopped eating until Richard ate. "Now eat."

"Not. Hungry." Richard basically growled.

"Richard." Slade looked at him.

He didn't get even a glare. He got the cold shoulder. This annoyed him. Slade grabbed Richard's jaw and forced him to look at him. Richard's breath caught in his throat and eye looked at Slade with an angry look.

Everyone akwardly looked away from the scene.

"I said eat. When I say eat. I expect you to eat." Slade growled angrily.

Richard slapped his hand away forcefully and punched him across the face. Making everyone gasp and look at Richard with shock. Them finding him brave in punching an assassin.

"I said I'm not hungry! Which means I won't eat! Which means stop asking! I'm tired of you ORDERING ME AROUND! IM NO SLAVE! IM NOT PROPERTY! TREAT ME LIKE IM A PERSON! Or I swear I will make life for you here hell." Richard eyed him with a very serious glare.

There was no mercy in his eyes, and a twinge of something else that made others feel off. Slade blinked, staring to the side in surprise. He then stood and moved his head to face Richard. The two stared one another down, and the guards only laughed in amusement due to a corrupt system in Arkham.

"Was that a threat?" Slade asked in a dark tone, his eye showing no mercy either, as well as the off look.

Their eyes were identical.

"You bet your ass it was." Richard hissed.

Richard turned around and began to walk off. However, Slade wasn't going to take that. He walked up behind Richard and grabbed the back if his neck and began to walk. Richard went to hit him but Slade caught his fist and gripped his hard. Richard felt things pop and he winced only slightly.

"Don't hurt that boy!" Rose growled and grabbed a steak knife and threw it to the point it cut through the air.

Richard's instincts kicked in lightning fast. So when Slade whipped around to catch it, Richard dashed in front of him and the knife stabbed into his shoulder. Slade gasped and looked up to Rose with an angry look. Her looking back with an "oh shit" look and she held her hands up.

"That was a mistake." She spoke honestly.

Richard tore the knife out and his pupils constricted. He then ran forwards, holding the knife in his hand. Rose then began to block slashes and That was when people rushed in to separate things. They grabbed Richard and he panted and dropped the knife. Others took Rose out of the room to lecture her on throwing knives, and to get a higher aim. Richard was then rushed to the infirmary where his stab wound was to get fixed.

Slade face palmed. "I have such a good life." He groaned.

Over the course of a week Richard had a lot of incidents with others. He was easily triggered to go into a sort of kill mode. Slade would do his best to stop him. He also followed Richard to his meetings with Canary now. Richard seemed to be doing a little worse now that Slade was around more. He was scared of him. But didn't show it. But Slade had advantages over Canary. Because as much as Richard disliked the man. He was loyal to him on an almost robotic level. Richard also heard about Joker healing quicker then normal, and was now able to come outside the Infirmary and roam around.

Canary was currently solving a puzzle with Richard. Slade was observing over Richard and almost supervised him. Richard learned from his outburst at Slade. Now he was unable to say no to him anymore.

"You are overthinking. Just relax." Slade hummed softly.

Richard then relaxed instantly and stopped thinking and managed to solve the puzzle fairly quickly afterwards like a trained dog.

Canary growled. "Slade. Leave!" She pointed to the door.

"No." Richard mumbled with a dead look.

"Shall I leave?" Slade asked Richard.

"..." Richard looked down. "No sir."

"Do you mean that?" Slade smirked at Canary as he spoke.

"From the bottom of my heart." Richard spoke again with no emotion. "I would like us three to play a game."

"What kind of game dear?" Canary frowned some.

"Truth or Dare." Richard looked up at her and his eyes went to normal.

"Heh, alright. Let's all play Truth or Dare. Who goes first?" Canary asked.

"Me." Slade hummed. "Canary, truth or dare?"

"Truth." Canary smiled.

"Have you killed someone before?" Slade asked.

"Yes." Canary. "Richard. Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." Richard smiled.

"I dare you to back flip off the wall seventeen times without stopping." She smirked.

Richard smirked wider. "Child's play."

Richard ran at an empty wall and ran up it before back flipping off and landing. And immediately ran at the wall and ran up to flip off of it again. And he repeated this until he reached seventeen. Then, he sat back down , barely beginning to sweat.

"Impressive." Canary hummed and clapped her hands lightly.

"Slade. Truth or Dare?" Richard smiled at Slade.

"Dare." Slade hummed with a mischievous smile.

Richard smirked. "I dare you to bite your hand. Deep enough to draw blood." Richard crossed his arms. "As an oath to never say Little bird again."Richard growled. "Make a blood vow."

Slade looked at the two who waited in anticipation. Canary watching with a serious look. Richard having a hopeful look in his eyes. Slade then looked down at his hand again and braced himself. He then brought his hand to his mouth and grabbed his hand with his other and bit down and growled to push his teeth down enough to draw blood. He then held his hand out and let the blood run down his hand and onto the floor.

"I vow to never say Little Bird again." Slade spoke. "Promise. Now. Canary, do you have a large band-aid?"

Canary reached into her desk and grabbed disinfectant and a large band-aid and set it on her desk. Slade walked to to the desk and patched himself up before going to sit back down.

"Richard. Truth or Dare?" Slade asked.

"Truth." Richard spoke, a sign if distrust was him saying truth.

"Okay. Richard, do you want to go back to fighting crime?" Slade asked.

Richard looked over to Slade and felt a chill go down his spine the moment his mind screamed 'no' and 'yes' at the same time. One enjoyed killing people. It was sick. But it made life thrilling. And then he found killing disgusting on the other half. Killing has always been wrong. And each guy should go down by the book's rules. But that was what Bruce taught him. What Bruce lived by.

What did he live by?

What did Richard Grayson live for?

"Richard?" Canary spoke with a a bit of fear and concern.

Richard Blinked a few times and looked at her and then at Slade and back down again and frowned.

"I-I..." He looked away to the side. "I don't know." Richard spoke truthfully. "Canary. Truth or Dare?" Richard looked up at Canary.

"Dare." She spoke softly, frowning.

"I dare you to kiss Slade." Richard smirked.

Slade growled and looked at Canary. Canary shrugged and stood. She walked to Slade and bent down and he only glared uncomfortably as Canary pulled him into a long kiss, her knowing how tense it made him. Slade's eye landed on Richard and he narrowed his eye in anger, but Richard only giggled. Canary then pulled away and laughed.

"You are so tense." She winked and walked back to her desk, pulled her chair out in front of it beside Richard and sat down.

"Slade, Truth or Dare?" Canary asked smugly.

"Dare." He folded his arms and crossed his legs.

"I dare you to take off the eye patch." Canary hummed in curiosity.

Slade sighed and chuckled. He took his eye patch off and revealed his socket. An empty socket.

"Yikes." Richard shuddered, having never seen that thing.

"Oof." Canary hummed.

"Richard. Truth or Dare?" Slade asked.

"..." Richard thought a little before getting serious. "Dare."

"Heh, alright. Well, Richard. I dare you to walk out the door and scream 'fuck the system' as loud as your little lungs can." Slade snickered.

Canary giggled and motioned for Richard to do just that. Richard akwardly stood and waddled over to the door and opened it. He then drew in a very deep breath. 

"FUUUUCK THE SYYYSTEMMM!" Richard screamed as loud as he possibly could.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Canary and Slade laughed in unison.

"Quality!" Slade slapped his knee and laughed before calming down to chuckles.

Canary laughed like a maniac and fell over and held her sides.

"That was priceless! They way you screamed! HAHAHa!" Canary wheezed.

Passing nurses just stared into the room with pure confusion and distraught facial expressions. This making Richard join the laughter.

This was quality time.

It was nice.

Everyone was getting along.

Things were looking up...