Disclaimer: I Don't own it.
Robin had never had a group of friends before.
Of course, as the son of a billionaire, Richard had a lot of acquaintances. He was an aloof and slightly spoiled kid, who was nice enough and semi-smart. He might have been the only person at his preppy school who was accepted and invited into any social group. His classmates laughed at his awful jokes, and everyone was always one hundred percent on his side one hundred percent of the time.
Dick wondered if they thought he was stupid. "Bastard child" and "Son of a whore" had been the nicest whispered insults he had heard, but if he confronted anyone about it, they had always been too afraid of the Wayne name to say it to his face.
However, all was not lost. Dick could easily say he had two best friends. Wally West and Barbara Gordon.
It didn't help that he had to keep them away from each other, or that Wally didn't know Dick's last name, or that he couldn't tell Barbara about his secret vigilante lifestyle. They had fun and caused trouble everywhere they went. But no matter what, Wally couldn't meet Richard, and Barbara couldn't know Robin.
He hated keeping secrets from his friends, but it was for their protection as much as it was for his.
Conner Kent was another story. He was Dick's brother in every way but blood. The only secret Dick had been told to keep from the Boy of Steel was the identity of his mother. Other than that, in every identity, they were family.
Superboy and Robin were the younger counterparts of the World's finest, so they worked together as partners surprisingly often. Kon-El and Dick were 'cousins' who annoyed their parents and accidentally blew stuff up. Bruce's excuse for how Connor and Richard had become friends was that his car had broken down in the middle of Kansas, and the Kent family had conveniently been there to help.
No matter who he was, Robin, Dick or Richard was always friends with the Kryptonian clone.
Dick wondered if it was unhealthy to think of his persona's as different people. If it was, Alfred might be the only sane person in his family.
Either way, Robin was really only used to having a few true friends. Which is why he found the situation he was in so weird.
It was still nice, but definitely weird.
M'gann and Conner were sitting next to him in a booth, and Wally, Kaldur and Zatanna were across from them. The teenagers were in civilian disguises, sitting in Bibbo's Diner in Metropolis, waiting for the last two of their group. Wally was unashamedly flirting with the Martian in front of him, while the rest of the group listened to Kaldur describe the underwater palace in Atlantis.
They all turned when the door jingled open. Artemis stomped towards them, scowling at something, and took a seat at the end of the bench.
Wally, who was scootching away from her, raised an eyebrow. "Hey Arrow face, how's it hangin'?"
She scowled in the speedster's direction, but accepted the milkshake Robin had tentatively pushed toward her. "Roy's not gonna join us."
Conner and Robin shared a look. It had only been a few months after the young and old dimensions had joined back together, and ever since then the partners of the Justice League had make an effort to hang out together more. Speedy had even joined them sometimes, even if they were all 'young and annoying.'
However, Zatanna had only recently joined them, as she had been mourning her father, and all of their busy schedules of school, patrol, and sleep, had made it impossible for the whole group to hang out. This was the first time all eight of them had been free at the same time. Roy had promised he wouldn't miss it.
"Why not, my friend?" Kaldur asked Artemis.
She scowled into her shake. "He's being an idiot, like always." she said, stirring her drink with a straw. "I mean, I get it, I really do. Ollie can get obnoxious, and sometimes even I want to punch him in the face. But I don't, because he's not my mentor." She growled and looked up. "But just because they're having problems, doesn't mean Roy can yell at Dinah."
Most of the group gasped in shock. M'gann cast a confused look around the table and tentatively raised her hand. "I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but isn't it normal for humans to have conflict with their family when you reach Roy's age?"
Artemis tensed. "It's complicated. None of us are related by blood." She hesitated and took a deep breath, realizing she would have to elaborate. "Dinah and Ollie are a pretty solid couple, but Roy is adopted by Ollie, and Dinah is my legal guardian until I turn eighteen."
M'gann tilted her head and looked to the rest of the group. "I- Um, where I'm from, we don't have anything like that. I don't understand the difference between you and Roy."
Kid Flash leaned back in his seat, looking uncharacteristically pensive. "Having a legal guardian usually means you still have parents, but they can't, or won't, take care of you."
"Oh, I see, thank you." M'gann nodded.
"Anyway," Zatanna said, breaking the somber mood that had fallen over the table. "We were talking about Roy being Roy, right?"
Artemis groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fights between all of us are pretty normal, but Mother's Day is two days away." Seeing M'gann's inquisitive look again, she explained. "Dinah's the closest thing he has to a mom right now, and she took me in when my mom couldn't. We were gonna get her something together, but Roy just went and ruined everything."
"Mr. Moody strikes again." Robin joked, covering how tense he had just become.
Artemis smirked and rolled her eyes. "You have no idea."
M'gann leaned forward on her elbows excitedly, "Oh! Since Artemis brought it up, what's everyone's plans for Mother's Day? We don't have anything like it on Mars."
Kaldur rubbed his chin. "We do not celebrate that particular holiday in Atlantis, but I may visit home again tomorrow."
"I really haven't thought about it much," Wally joked, but Robin could tell that his smile was forced. "I might just have a meal with my Mom, ya know, just talk and eat some good takeout food."
Zatanna shook her head and smiled ruefully. "I've never met my mom." She said. Brushing away the hair that had fallen in her face, she straightened up and her smile grew more genuine. "I do have a name though. Sindella. I think it sounds pretty cool."
Everyone turned to Superboy. The Boy of Steel crossed his arms and snorted. "I don't have a mother. I'm a clone."
Robin elbowed Conner in the side. "Yeah, you took the term 'test tube baby' way too seriously Kon."
Conner whipped around to glare playfully at the smaller boy. "You're a dick." Kid flash erupted into laughter.
"I'm insulted!" Dick exclaimed without missing a beat, clutching his chest in fake agony. "That hurt my weak little human heart."
Conner smiled and shoved the theatrical boy away. "You'll get over it." Robin sat up and stuck his tongue out at the back of Superboy's head, as Conner turned back to talk to the rest of the group. "I might give something to Superman's wife though. She's... well it's complicated, but she's basically my mom."
Wally choked on the fries he was shoving into his face. "Superman has a wife?" he gasped. Conner nodded, and Wally sat back in a daze. "Wow, learn new things every day."
Zatanna snorted slightly and rested her head in a hand. "And you, Boy Wonder? Does Batman have a secret wife we don't know about?"
As soon as she had asked her question, Robin's mouth pursed into a thin line, and his knuckles had turned white around the glass he was holding. His gaze locked on the table in front of him, and his expression went uncharacteristically blank.
When he spoke, it was barely over a whisper. "Word of advice, Zee. Never ask Batman that question." Robin's face was unreadable, but they could hear his emotion. "But...I guess for mother's day..." Robin sighed and looked out the window. "I'll do the same thing I do every year."
The table was silent as Conner placed a hand on Robin's shoulder.
Kaldur began slowly, "We will not ask, but for what it's worth, I am sorry, my friend."
Robin waved his apology away with a half-smile. "It's not your fault."
Slowly, the conversation moved onward to different topics, and the group had fun together, but later that day, when each of the partners had left for their own cities, Dick lay down on his bed and found it nearly impossible to describe the emotions that wouldn't stop racing through his head.
"I want you to know I hate doing that." Robin said, crossing his arms.
"Not telling the full truth can be difficult," Bruce responded from where he was working underneath the Batmobile."But it's for your protection."
"Mom says a lie of omission is still a lie."
"That doesn't stop people from lying."
"Hmph."
"Don't 'Hmph' me young man, it doesn't change my opinion." Batman said, reaching for a wrench beside him. "Words were created for a reason."
"Fine!" Robin ranted, throwing his hands in the air. "I don't really care about the lying thing! We do that everyday!" Dick clenched his fists at his side. "I don't get why we have to lie about it! Why can't they know? Why can't we trust my friends? Why do I have to hide half of who I am? Why not even tell Conner? The League? Why do we keep so many secrets from our family?"
Richard felt himself being pulled into a hug. He hadn't noticed Batman getting out from under the car, and he embarrassedly realized it was because of the tears pooling at the sides of his eyes. Robin quickly brushed them away before they could fall and buried his face into his father's shoulder.
"Are you ashamed of me?" Dick croaked quietly.
Bruce jerked away so he could look his son in the eyes. "No!" he exclaimed, shocked. "No, Richard. Never ashamed." Pulling him close again, Bruce ran his hand through Richard's messy hair. "I may be a terrible mentor sometimes, but I thought you knew what I felt. Diana, Clark, Alfred and I are nothing but proud of the man you are, and who you're growing into. But the point is you're still growing. Every secret we have is to keep you safe, and the more people who know Diana is your mom, the more danger you'll be in."
Richard pulled back and wiped at his eyes. "I can take care of myself."
Bruce shook his head. "In Gotham, yes. But The Justice League is global. There's a lot of people who would want to kill the son of Batman and Wonder Woman."
Robin looked down and kicked at the ground. "So we're never telling anyone else."
Batman paused for a moment. "If both your Mother and I agree that you're ready," He began slowly. "then yes, we can tell the rest of the League."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Seeing Robin's smirk turn into a full blown smile, Bruce hugged him again and turned back to the Batmobile. "Now, aren't you late for something?" He called.
"Oh right!" Robin gasped, jumping up.
"What are and Diana doing this year?" Bruce asked, glancing over at the excited boy while he grabbed a wrench.
Robin laughed as he ran up the stairs. "The same thing me and Mom do every Mother's Day!"
It's nearly one month later, on June twenty sixth, when Superboy goes missing.
The Man and Boy of Steel had been doing their regular rounds around the city, when two explosions erupted simultaneously across town. Superman had ordered Superboy to the smaller fire, while he flew to the building that was now threatening to collapse.
Fifteen and a half minutes later, Clark had put out the fire, stabilized the building, and had just brought the last injured civilian to the paramedics, when he realized Conner hadn't reported in. That in itself was strange, as the other explosion should have been easier to handle. Fearing the worst, Superman had sped to where he had sent Superboy.
What he saw was worse than he imagined.
The fire had been extinguished, and the people were safe, but Conner was nowhere to be found.
Looking for any sign of the Boy of Steel, Clark searched around the area. His indestructible heart nearly stopped in an alley, when he saw the shattered pieces of a glowing green rock scattered on the dirty ground.
His stomach dropping to the floor, but not being able to get any closer without collapsing from the Kryptonite, Clark searched through the rest of the area. Using his enhanced vision, he could see multiple tire tracks leading in separate directions, and faint lead particles were floating through the air.
His eyes glowed red with rage when he realized what had happened. Someone had deliberately separated them, ambushed Superboy with Kryptonite, and after a brief struggle, Conner had been loaded into one of the multiple lead-lined trucks.
Flying high above the city, Clark scoured Metropolis for any lead lined vehicles or buildings Conner could be hidden in. However, in his city, where lead was well known to be the only thing that could keep Superman out, there were too many to count. Still, that would never stop the Man of Steel.
That night, Superman nearly upturned the city looking for his son.
Richard was beyond pissed. In fact, he had transcended to an entirely new level of anger, that words would never do it justice. The two people he was talking to shared his opinions.
"And they didn't tell you until today?" Wally growled from one of the screens in front of Robin.
The Boy Wonder scowled, uncharacteristically angry with the people who raised him. "Not even. I overheard the three of them talking in the cave. They weren't going to tell us."
Richard was currently sitting on the roof of Wayne Manor with his sunglasses on, and video chatting with Aqualad and Kid Flash. He was counting on the lead lining of the Batcave and lack of closeby security cameras to make him safe from his family's eavesdropping. "Kon's been missing for a week, and no one thought to tell us."
Kaldur squinted as he reached for an explanation. "Perhaps they wish to keep it between themselves?"
Robin grinned as he finally broke into the Justice League's Database. "Not hardly." He snorted. "Superman's brought everyone in on this. Heck, they've even pulled in some of the reserve League members! They asked Booster Gold before us! Booster Gold!" Robin took a deep breath. He was dangerously close to losing his cool.
"Wow." Wally deadpanned. "All those veteran heroes, and no one can find him?"
Kaldur raised his hands placatingly. "It is a large world, Kid."
When wally groaned in agitation, a strange file on his computer caught Robin's eyes. He opened it, and all the work he had just done to re-establish his center flew out the window. "I can't believe this!" He whisper-shouted, still remembering the super-hearing alien that was probably still below him. "Batman knows where Conner is!"
"What?" Wally cried.
"Explain." Kaldur ordered.
Robin's blood was boiling so much, that any more and he was at a real risk of exploding. "He's in Cadmus. The place he was born."
Wally's eyes widened. "If they know where he is, why can't Superman get him back? They're the Justice League! They can't be scared!"
Robin scrolled down further on Batman's report. "No... It's more complicated than that. Cadmus just recently strengthened its ties with the U.N."
Kaldur rubbed his chin in thought. "And because of the Justice League's partnership with the U.N., taking down any part of Cadmus would result in severe consequences." he looked between his two friends. "Having every member of the Justice League search is a brilliant tactical move. Cadmus has no idea that the League knows where they are, and will lower their guard. But the Justice league cannot act."
"I... guess that makes sense," Wally said, frowning and running a hand through his already messy hair. Suddenly, Wally's frown morphed into a devilish smirk. "...But we're not the Justice League."
Robin's smile quickly matched his best friend's. "You, my friend, are a mad genius."
Kaldur's smile was much more subdued, but it was there. "Who else can join us?"
Wally shook his head. "Artemis is too busy trying to chase down Roy and beat him up for the crazy stunt he pulled."
"Do you really think he meant it?" Robin asked, as he tried to contact M'gann. "I mean, giving up Speedy?"
"I do not know." Kaldur frowned, thinking about his other friend who had dissapeared. The only difference between Roy and Conner right now, was that Roy had left by choice. "He may give up the name," Kaldur said slowly, "but it is highly unlikely he gave up the life. He will return eventually."
"I hope you're right" Wally sighed.
"I can't reach M'gann." Robin said, lowering his hand from his ear. "She might be training with her uncle, they said they were practicing deep meditation."
"And Zatanna?"
Robin sighed again. "She just started talking to us again a week ago. I don't think we can ask her to fight so soon."
"So it's just us?" Kid Flash asked with a sly smile. "More for me then." Both partners returned the grin.
"Tomorrow, we rendezvous at the Hall of Justice?" Kaldur asked. "It's closest to the laboratory."
"And it's kind of a tradition now, right Rob?" Kid Flash teased.
Robin nodded. "Sounds good. Tomorrow, we go save Conner."
A lot of thoughts crossed Robin's mind after the building collapsed.
The first was how glad he was to have Conner back by their side.
The second was how heartbreaking it had been to see his brother as a brainwashed weapon. Robin had only managed to break the handlers hold on the clone by deliberately placing his life in Conner's hands. Even then, it had been close.
The third was how much he hoped that the ten tons of concrete they had just dropped on the Blockbuster monster's head had at least knocked him out. For some reason, whoever was running Cadmus had thought it was a good idea to release the hulking grey creature from stasis. It was easy to tell that whoever Blockbuster used to be, he was certainly never friendly.
The fourth was how he was mildly offended that someone had tried to clone him, Kid Flash, and Aqualad. That was just rude. And painful. But mostly rude.
The fifth, and probably the most important thing, was the large group of unhappy superheroes standing in front of his much smaller group. Well, mostly unhappy, Superman was too busy wordlessly hugging his son. Robin was fairly sure if Superboy wasn't invulnerable, he would have broken every bone in his body.
"You should have called." Barry scolded. "We thought you three had been kidnapped."
"You will not be doing this again." Growled Batman.
"I am sorry." Kaldur said, not looking sorry at all. "But we will."
"Aqualad, stand down." Aquaman ordered.
"Apologies, My King. But no." Aqualad stepped forward. "We have done good work here tonight, and when the dimensions were torn apart. We have done the work you trained us for. Together, on our own, we forged something powerful. Important." Hearing the conversation, the two Kryptonians walked to the group.
"Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us." Robin said, acknowledging Superboy and stepping next to Aqualad. "Or why teach us at all?"
Kid Flash crossed his arms and leaned back against the rubble. "We need to have experience working with different groups, not just our Mentors. If we don't, one day, we might all leave like Roy did."
Superboy snorted. "It's simple really. Unless you cut off all communication between the eight of us, were going to team up again." He raised a defiant glare at their mentors. "So get on board, or get out of the way."
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