I don't own Young Justice or any of its characters.

Something Was Wrong

Something was wrong.

He didn't know what, but as Batman paced the hangar waiting for the team to return, he knew something was wrong. The kids were probably fine. There was no reason to worry. Batman wasn't supposed to worry. He had no reason to. It had only been a simple mission. The kids had done missions like this before.

"They're fine, Bruce. Nothing to worry about," Batman thought as he waited,"There's no reason for you to worry. You're Batman. Batman doesn't worry about these things."

He wanted to believe what he was telling himself. He truly did. It was supposed to be a simple mission, but he had contacted the team about an hour ago and had yet to receive a response. This wasn't right. They knew not to keep Batman waiting. That's why, a few minutes later, when the Bioship landed, he felt his heart speed up nervously. Something was wrong and he had a feeling it was something absolutely terrible.

The door opened slowly and the team started to exit the ship. Instead of the usual smiles, cheers, or laughter that came with a mission's end, there was a grim silence as they filed out one-by-one. Aqualad came first, no emotion showing on his face. He didn't even glance in Batman's direction. Artemis followed closely behind. She saw Batman and quickly looked away. In the moment he saw her face he noticed the tears streaming down it. Superboy came out of the ship next, gently leading Miss Martian. His face as stoic as Aqualad's. She was sobbing so hard that Batman wondered how she was even able to walk. They stood in a small group just a few feet away, but it felt like they were a mile away.

Batman wondered why no one would look at him. Why no one would speak to him. They looked too afraid? Sad? A little of both? There was something that the team wasn't telling him and he had a feeling it had something to do with the two members of the team that hadn't exited the ship yet.

"Where's Kid Flash and... Robin?" he asked, almost unable to say his sidekick's name, a feeling of dread sweeping over him. He had a feeling he really didn't want to know, because he also had a feeling that the something wrong was Robin.

The answer he was seeking didn't come from someone talking. In fact, it was the opposite. The room was so quiet Batman was sure the team could hear his heart anxiously pounding in his chest. Time seemed to slow down. Stepping out of the ship was Kid Flash. In his arms was Robin. He wasn't moving.

Superboy, who had managed to stay calm this whole time, suddenly made a sound that sounded like a mix between a howl and a scream. His tears started pouring down his face. Miss Martian fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands as she started sobbing harder, if that was even possible. Aqualad just looked away and you didn't have to be a detective to know he was crying.

Batman wasn't aware that he had moved until he was gently taking Robin out of Kid Flash's arms. The teen was crying too hard to carry Robin anyway. Artemis walked over and gently led him to the rest of the team.

"I'm... sorry... Batman," he choked out. But Batman wasn't paying attention to him anymore. All that he noticed was his sidekick. Robin looked like he could be sleeping. His ebony hair a mess, his eyes closed, mouth slightly agape. He looked peaceful, or he would, if there wasn't a bullet wound in his chest.

There was so much blood. His uniform was covered in it. Batman ignored the fact that it was dripping in a puddle at his feet. There was so much blood, but why was Kid Flash the only other covered in red? What had happened? Batman needed to know and he knew only one person who had the full story. Kid Flash.

Batman walked towards the team. They moved away slowly, leaving Kid Flash standing in front of Batman.

"What happened?" he asked the distraught teen in front of him, unable to fully conceal the pain and sadness in his voice. Tears were welling up in his eyes. Batman doesn't cry. Batman shouldn't cry. He had to be strong. But as he looked down at his fallen sidekick, barely listening to Kid Flash's story, tears started to fall. Batman doesn't usually cry, but this was an exception.

It was supposed to be a simple mission.