I don't know how long I've been here. Couldn't have been more than a few days, we get into dangerous territory if left for longer than that.

Father doesn't want me to go crazy after all.

Then I'd be completely useless.

Hallucination Dick has definitely lived up to his namesake, calling me the worst of things he could think of.

That I could think of.

He knew what kind of effect he was having because he was in my mind.

Not real

Not real

Not real

I desperately needed a hug from the real Dick. He'd make everything better, like he always did.

"You honestly think I'd forgive you" Dick scoffed. "After what you did? Betraying me and then going to work for the one man we've been avoiding. I should've let you fall."

Not real

Not real

Not real

The heavy padded door opened, my father standing in its frame, his hands held behind his back. "I see our time in here's been successful," he smirked. When I didn't respond, his smirk morphed into something more sinister. "And I see that any rebelliousness has been washed away."

I closed my eyes in defeat. At this point I'd do almost anything to get out. "Please Father, let me out"

"You may walk out of here if you divulge an identity" He offered. "If not I'll give you a few more hours to decide"

"I can't" My gaze was on him now, tears gathering. "Please, I can't betray him"

Father entered the room, crouching down in front of me. "All I need is one little name, don't think of it as betraying Robin. I'm sure there are heroes who aren't connected to him"

"Hal Jordan" I blurted. He'd surely be able to survive father. There's also a good chance he's off world.

He perked up slightly in interest, smiling for a moment before smothering his triumph. "And who's Hal Jordan"

"Green Lantern" bowing my head, I tried to shove down the guilt. As far as I knew, Hal wasn't in the league anymore, he was semi-retired from being a hero on earth.

That's why there were two Green Lanterns in charge of this sector. Him and John shared the workload.

At least that's what I pieced together from both online forums that held snippets of things leaguers had said while fighting and late night conversations with Dick.

"As a reminder" Father began, tilting my chin up. "You will be under near constant surveillance, I will lock your room from the outside at night and if I so much as think you're planning something, I'll throw you in here again, you understand me?" Father glanced toward the exit before looking back at me. "Wintergreen is here. You know how to act."

I nodded and he got up, heading toward the door. "Oh and Madolyn, if I find out you're lying, you won't like the consequence"

Then he was gone.

Hallucination Dick leaned against the wall, a smirk on his face. He placed a hand on his chest. "Wow. That stung. You betrayed Uncle Hal so easily. Couldn't even beat one little room" he tutted.

"Shut up" I grumbled.

"She said shut up to me" He grinned, eyes shining with glee.

This was going to be a long few weeks.

Father wasn't there when I stepped into the hall but I could smell something cooking in the kitchen.

Great.

An awkward family meal.

"I thought you liked Wintergreen" Dick walked beside me, his hands behind his back in a mocking image of my father.

"I do but what comes with him being here that's the issue" I whispered under my breath. "Real you likes him too"

"Well if you're stupid enough to talk to a hallucination, I'm sure you can get through one measly dinner without betraying my real identity" then Dick appeared on the other side of me. "Or maybe dear old dad will threaten the Room again and you'll give it up out of fear"

Not real

Not real

Not real

I ignored him, stopping in the entryway of the kitchen. Father sat with his back toward me, a newspaper in hand, calmly reading as if he didn't just release his own daughter from torture.

Wintergreen had something in the skillet. In a way he reminded me of Alfred, if he suddenly joined the villain's side. They would probably get along great. But since their loyalties lie on opposite sides, they'd sooner kill each other than chat about the gardens they both secretly had.

"Maddie" Wintergreen greeted warmly. "Well? Are you going to stand there or are you going to eat something? You look like you're starving"

Maybe I'd have more balanced meals if I wasn't constantly on the run from my own father. I added mentally. But knowing better than to turn something down that either man made, I silently retrieved the plate furthest from Slade I could possibly get at the table.

Wintergreen loaded my plate and I honestly didn't know if I could eat it. Even when I was eating semi regularly, it wasn't this much.

After we were all seated, meals in front of us, Father set his newspaper down, lacing his fingers together above his plate, his elbows resting on the table. "Robin will be here in less than a day"

"I'll find a way to warn him" I replied evenly, picking at a piece of toast I'd managed to snag.

"She speaks," Wintergreen threw his hands up in triumph. "Thought you'd gone mute kiddo"

"You will not." Father retorted firmly, pointing his fork at me. "And if you do, I can make your life miserable"

"Slade" Wintergreen tutted. "There'll be no threats while we're eating a meal"

"He deserves to know he's walking into a trap" I snapped.

"Careful," Father warned lowly.

My heart dropped at his tone. Clearing my throat, I tried again, more calm this time. "I will not allow you to hurt my friend"

"Don't be stubborn"

Wintergreen slammed his hands on the table. I jumped, my attention on him now. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Father looking toward his mentor as well. "We are having a meal. No more talk about betrayals or Robin, else I'll beat you both"

"Ooh, I didn't know Wintergreen had it in him" hallucination Dick grinned, sitting in an empty chair with his feet thrown up on the table. He then held his hand in a mocking stage whisper. "Are you scared of an old man, Mads?"

Resisting the urge to snap at him, I shoved a portion of food in my mouth. As soon as I swallowed, I began to feel nauseous.

"Small bites Maddie" freaking Wintergreen noticed. "Slade told me how little you've been eating."

"I'm fine" I refused to make eye contact, instead keeping my focus on some of the greens that'd been cooked into whatever this was.

"Madolyn look at me" Wintergreen demanded, his tone both firm and gentle. Weighing my options, I knew I'd have to look, I didn't have any power here. When I finally did meet his gaze, Father was watching me too. "How long have you been doing this?"

Shrinking back into my seat, I shrugged.

"That's not an answer Madolyn" I couldn't hear who said it, my ears were filling with static and my vision was becoming too blurry to see.

Finally, a voice broke through the fog in my mind. "Breathe Maddie. Just breathe" I followed the words, slowly doing as it said.

Eventually, it began to clear. Wintergreen was beside me, rubbing my back. How had he gotten there?

"Can't have you panicking, then you're no fun" Dick pouted, his arms crossed. It'd been his voice, I realized.

Then why help?

"Maddie" Wintergreen waved a hand in my line of sight, he was kneeling beside me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm just tired"

"Bullshit" Wintergreen huffed.

"Fine, I just don't want to talk about it"

"Yeah. She already gets enough of it from me" Dick pointed to himself proudly. "Well, real me"

Slade set his fork down. "Eat your dinner Madolyn"

His tone made me uneasy, the nauseous feeling in my stomach worsening.

"You're gonna get it" Dick sang, the other men unaware the hallucination was in the room.

"No"

"Slade, leave her be" Wintergreen warned.

Father stood, his plate now empty. He dropped it off in the sink before stalking out of the room, most likely toward the den.

Wintergreen took my food away, scraping most of it back into the skillet. He returned, setting the much smaller portion in front of me.

"I want you to try and eat that"

"I'm not hungry" I bit my lip.

That was a gamble, refusing it.

"Maddie you have to try, It's been days" he sighed, setting his hands on the table. "You will starve if you continue and then you will die"

"Then let me die" I blurted without thinking. I swallowed. "I can't betray Robin if I'm in the ground and all Slade cares about is the identities and weaknesses I've learned."

Wintergreen didn't answer for a while, simply staring at me. He sent a glance toward the doorway, clenching his fists but speaking carefully. "Maddie, what happens when I'm not here?" The way he said it, he already knew and he was angry. "Actually, I'm more interested in knowing how you both hid it so well"

"You'll have to ask him yourself for the why" I swallowed. "As for how, I was afraid of what he'd do and when Robin was added to the equation.."

He processed the words. "Alright, this it's what we'll do" he began to relay his plan quietly, a calculating look in his eye.

"But he's got security and cameras everywhere" I whispered, weary there might be a hidden microphone nearby.

"He's prepared to handle you and maybe Robin. Slade's not equipped to handle me"