Fic: Everyone Pays(Slade, Joey)
Title: Everyone Pays
By:
milleniumrex
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Slade Wilson, Joseph Wilson
Words: 992
Summary: There are few things more powerful than a father's love, no matter how twisted. One of those things is a brother's love.
Author's Notes/Warnings: This is a prequel to Freedom in Helplessness and For One Moment, and is set about six week's after Rose's diving accident. The idea for this prequel came fromgreeneyelove, so thanks. :)
Slade Wilson did not like to think of himself as a cruel man. He was ruthless, yes, and certainly believed the ends justified the means. But the one thing that had always stayed constant was his love for his children and his desire to keep them out of harm's way. He had failed Joseph, allowing his enemies to get to the boy and cut his throat. He had failed Grant, and his son had paid for it with his life. No failure stuck in his mind more than when he was forced to kill Joseph. That he had since returned did nothing to dull the pain of that action. And then there was Rose, his beautiful daughter. He wanted nothing more than for her to live up to her potential, to embrace what she could be. The Titans had been holding her back, keeping her from embracing her warrior instinct fully. And now his dreams for her were shattered forever, not by a rogue villain or a sniper's bullet, but by a simple swimming accident with consequences more devastating than he could bear. The daughter of Slade Wilson would not live out her life as a helpless cripple, and Slade would do anything in his power to ensure this.
The plan was simple. He had waited until Rose's condition was stable enough so she could be moved. Now that she had burned the serum out of her system, there was no real chance that these fools at the hospital could do anything to improve her condition. So he had found someone who could. Ra's Al Ghul, and his Lazarus Pit. He would take her from this place and bring her to the one man in this world who could make her whole again. There would be a price. Her mind would be affected, but it would be temporary. The tradeoff that the Demon's Head wanted was 10 years of service from Rose. It was a high price, but worth it. He knew his daughter might hate him for essentially selling her to Ra's, but in time she would thank him. It was almost time. The Flash boy left Rose's side for all of ten minutes every night, to get coffee and do a running patrol of the area. That would be all the window he had. He hoped he wouldn't have to kill Bart. Seeing how the boy tended to Rose, he had developed somewhat of an affection for him. Still, if he got in the way, he would need to be dealt with. Slade looked at his watch. Almost time.
A strong hand gripped his bicep. Slade whirled around to stare into the face of his son.
"Joseph. So, they finally got you out of that clone's body?"
Joseph nodded, getting into a fighting position.
"Really, son? You're going to fight me over this? You can't seriously want this life for her."
Joseph stayed in the same position, blocking Slade's advance. Slade sneered.
"Why don't you talk, boy? Anyone who can think realizes that your vocal cords were healed when you got your new body. Why do you keep up this charade?"
Joseph cleared his throat. His voice was raspy and raw, but clear.
"I'm not used to talking. I'm more comfortable with this. But if you insist. I can't let you take Rose."
"She's broken. I'm going to fix her. And if it doesn't work, I'm going to do what she asks me to. And if that's something that neither you nor that weak-kneed little speedster in her room would be willing to...well, I'd rather have that on my conscience rather than let her suffer."
"I don't want to fight you. Despite everything that's...happened between us, you are still my father. But if you come near her, I'll have to stop you."
Slade drew his sword. Joseph made no move to do the same. Instead, he simply turned towards Slade's vantage point, where he could see his sister through the window. Bart had just returned to the room and assumed his usual place by the bed.
"You've missed your window for tonight. I'm sure you'll try again tomorrow, but I'll be here then too. I know, in your own way, you're trying to help her, but the price is too high."
Slade roughly grabbed his son by the shoulders. "Too high? She's a prisoner in her own body. You have no idea what I'd do to fix that. No. Idea."
"You're talking about selling her to a monster. Her life, even shattered as it is right now, is still hers. You're taking that away from her."
"So what? I'm just supposed to step back and let her suffer?"
Joey nodded. "She has to figure out if she's willing to deal with the life she has now, or if she'll sink into despair. We all have our crosses to bear now. She has to face the fact that this is her life now. I've got to watch the sister I was only getting to know deal with a life-changing tragedy. And you....you have to step away and not interfere. You've lost your right to make decisions for her. And if you love her as much as you say you do, you realize that."
"....She knows how to reach me. When it becomes too much, she won't turn to you, or to the speedster boy. She'll turn to the only person who's willing to do what it takes."
Slade disappeared into the shadows as Joseph sat down and picked up his father's binocular. Peering into Rose's room, he could see her smiling softly as she talked to Bart. It wouldn't be easy for any of them. Everyone would pay a price now, be it in body or soul. But Rose still had a family who loved her and would move heaven and hell to make sure she had a life worth living. And maybe that would make all the difference.
By:
milleniumrexRating: PG-13
Characters: Slade Wilson, Joseph Wilson
Words: 992
Summary: There are few things more powerful than a father's love, no matter how twisted. One of those things is a brother's love.
Author's Notes/Warnings: This is a prequel to Freedom in Helplessness and For One Moment, and is set about six week's after Rose's diving accident. The idea for this prequel came from
greeneyelove, so thanks. :)Slade Wilson did not like to think of himself as a cruel man. He was ruthless, yes, and certainly believed the ends justified the means. But the one thing that had always stayed constant was his love for his children and his desire to keep them out of harm's way. He had failed Joseph, allowing his enemies to get to the boy and cut his throat. He had failed Grant, and his son had paid for it with his life. No failure stuck in his mind more than when he was forced to kill Joseph. That he had since returned did nothing to dull the pain of that action. And then there was Rose, his beautiful daughter. He wanted nothing more than for her to live up to her potential, to embrace what she could be. The Titans had been holding her back, keeping her from embracing her warrior instinct fully. And now his dreams for her were shattered forever, not by a rogue villain or a sniper's bullet, but by a simple swimming accident with consequences more devastating than he could bear. The daughter of Slade Wilson would not live out her life as a helpless cripple, and Slade would do anything in his power to ensure this.
The plan was simple. He had waited until Rose's condition was stable enough so she could be moved. Now that she had burned the serum out of her system, there was no real chance that these fools at the hospital could do anything to improve her condition. So he had found someone who could. Ra's Al Ghul, and his Lazarus Pit. He would take her from this place and bring her to the one man in this world who could make her whole again. There would be a price. Her mind would be affected, but it would be temporary. The tradeoff that the Demon's Head wanted was 10 years of service from Rose. It was a high price, but worth it. He knew his daughter might hate him for essentially selling her to Ra's, but in time she would thank him. It was almost time. The Flash boy left Rose's side for all of ten minutes every night, to get coffee and do a running patrol of the area. That would be all the window he had. He hoped he wouldn't have to kill Bart. Seeing how the boy tended to Rose, he had developed somewhat of an affection for him. Still, if he got in the way, he would need to be dealt with. Slade looked at his watch. Almost time.
A strong hand gripped his bicep. Slade whirled around to stare into the face of his son.
"Joseph. So, they finally got you out of that clone's body?"
Joseph nodded, getting into a fighting position.
"Really, son? You're going to fight me over this? You can't seriously want this life for her."
Joseph stayed in the same position, blocking Slade's advance. Slade sneered.
"Why don't you talk, boy? Anyone who can think realizes that your vocal cords were healed when you got your new body. Why do you keep up this charade?"
Joseph cleared his throat. His voice was raspy and raw, but clear.
"I'm not used to talking. I'm more comfortable with this. But if you insist. I can't let you take Rose."
"She's broken. I'm going to fix her. And if it doesn't work, I'm going to do what she asks me to. And if that's something that neither you nor that weak-kneed little speedster in her room would be willing to...well, I'd rather have that on my conscience rather than let her suffer."
"I don't want to fight you. Despite everything that's...happened between us, you are still my father. But if you come near her, I'll have to stop you."
Slade drew his sword. Joseph made no move to do the same. Instead, he simply turned towards Slade's vantage point, where he could see his sister through the window. Bart had just returned to the room and assumed his usual place by the bed.
"You've missed your window for tonight. I'm sure you'll try again tomorrow, but I'll be here then too. I know, in your own way, you're trying to help her, but the price is too high."
Slade roughly grabbed his son by the shoulders. "Too high? She's a prisoner in her own body. You have no idea what I'd do to fix that. No. Idea."
"You're talking about selling her to a monster. Her life, even shattered as it is right now, is still hers. You're taking that away from her."
"So what? I'm just supposed to step back and let her suffer?"
Joey nodded. "She has to figure out if she's willing to deal with the life she has now, or if she'll sink into despair. We all have our crosses to bear now. She has to face the fact that this is her life now. I've got to watch the sister I was only getting to know deal with a life-changing tragedy. And you....you have to step away and not interfere. You've lost your right to make decisions for her. And if you love her as much as you say you do, you realize that."
"....She knows how to reach me. When it becomes too much, she won't turn to you, or to the speedster boy. She'll turn to the only person who's willing to do what it takes."
Slade disappeared into the shadows as Joseph sat down and picked up his father's binocular. Peering into Rose's room, he could see her smiling softly as she talked to Bart. It wouldn't be easy for any of them. Everyone would pay a price now, be it in body or soul. But Rose still had a family who loved her and would move heaven and hell to make sure she had a life worth living. And maybe that would make all the difference.