Hey, guys! Long time, no see, eh? I've had a lot going on with work and everything so I haven't had as much time to crank out stories. Hopefully, my life might've settled down enough where you'll get more updates.

Yes, I don't own most of the Joker's speech in this. I'll give anyone virtual cookies if you recognize his speech. XD And, yes, the Joker wasn't super creepy and yes, on a normal day Robin wouldn't be able to take him down that quickly or alone but he wasn't planning for there to be another kid hero. This takes place a couple of months after Gotta Go Fast (haven't decided how soon after). As of right now, I'm still writing Speedy and Wally actually meeting for the first time so that'll be next.

Note: The two bolded words are Romani as is the last word of the chapter. I'm experimenting with his speech a bit for It's Just Us. Also, any grammar mistakes from Robin are intentional (because I feel he lets his guard down a bit around his friends.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own.

"Why have you captured us?" Kid Flash growled from where he was bound. The Joker stopped his laughing and looked over at the young sidekick as if he had wanted nothing else but for someone to ask that question (which he probably had).

"Because, I need you as bait for dear old Batsy!" The Joker exclaimed.

Robin rolled his eyes and muttered, "Of course."

"You see, I learned something when I was in Arkham." The clown nodded sagely at the incredulous looks he was getting. "I learned that life is- well it's messy," His voice lowered during the second half of the sentence.

"Is he serious?" Kid Flash asked Robin who grimaced slightly.

"Unfortunately, seriously heavy on the un." The Boy Wonder responded steadily ignoring the confused look on his fellow heroes face.

"What?" He hissed- trying to keep his voice low. Joker, however, continued talking as though the pair were paying him their uttermost attention.

"It's complicated. And you think that killing people would make them like you but it doesn't- it just- it just- it just makes them dead." The Joker sighed wistfully. Kid Flash leaned forward to whisper in Robin's ear.

"He's absolutely crazy," He murmured and Robin snorted quietly.

"Are you just now figuring that out?" He whispered back and the speedster scoffed.

"Naw, it's just- his stupidity is showing," He deadpanned and the Boy Wonder had to hold back a laugh.

The Joker is still talking as though the pair hadn't interrupted him, "And when everyone else is dead you're all alone." Kid Flash snorted again and held back a curse when Robin elbowed him in the stomach. "I would sit there alone, and I would think to myself 'maybe with Batman, everything would be okay'." The two young heroes exchange raised eyebrows before Robin spoke up.

"Is okay… good?" He asked cautiously. The Clown Prince of Gotham looked at him in fake shock.

"Why yes, Boy Blunder, okay is wonderful." The Joker proclaimed as he spread his arms out wide. Robin's eye twitched at the use of the name 'Boy Blunder' and Kid Flash tried to hold back a laugh.

"I think he's starting to grow on me," The redhead snickered in the acrobat's ear. Robin glared at the Joker while simultaneously throwing his head to the side and head butting Kid Flash's nose. The clown waltzed over to the table in the middle of the room while the speedster cursed quietly.

"Wonderful time for you to grow some balls, Kid Wimp, when we first got caught you looked like you were about to wet yourself," The acrobat sneered quietly. Kid Flash frowned at the nickname.

"He doesn't seem very scary though," The speedster responded though he felt less confident when he felt (more than saw) Robin toss his head slightly in front of him.

"Tt."

"He doesn't normally act like this?" Kid Flash asked unsure. The Boy Wonder snorted softly, staring up into the rafters of the abandoned building.

"Eccentric? Yes. Like killing is wrong? Hell, no." He explained impatiently and he started squirming, "Of course, when he first escapes Arkham, he's always in a weirder mood than usual." The speedster frowned at that but couldn't think about it too hard as Robin was trying to move his arm at a weird angle and he was in the way.

Kid Flash scooted back slightly, sensing that that was what the hero wanted and asked, "When he first escapes? Don't you guys normally put him back in whenever he starts something?"

"No," The Boy Wonder scoffed, torn between looking a little smug and put off, "I mean- me and Bats are good at what we do but we can't stop every plot or catch him every time we confront him." He stopped squirming momentarily and smirked bitterly at his friend, "There's a reason he's considered Bats' arch nemesis- and it's not just because he goes 'round proclaiming 'bout it either." Kid Flash's eyes flickered towards the clown who was humming quietly as he picked up one of the knives on the table and flinched.

Then Robin popped his arm out of his socket.

"Dude!" Kid Flash exclaimed and the Joker whirled around at the sound. Robin grimaced but continued doing whatever he was doing (the speedster couldn't really tell at this point) at a pace Uncle Barry would be proud of. His bonds fell away and the Boy Wonder popped his arm back in his socket at the same moment an arrow whizzed past the redhead's ear releasing smoke into the air.

The Joker let out a cry of outrage while Kid Flash let out a cry of shock. Robin flipped over the smoke and delivered a kick to the clown's face. Speedy burst out of the smoke while drawing an arrow from his quiver like a sword. He released it and landed beside his fellow redhead in a crouch. The archer drew another one of his arrows and using it cut off the ropes that held Kid Flash down.

Just as Speedy hacked away the last of the ropes the Joker crashed to the ground at their feet. Robin landed gracefully beside the criminal.

"That was really quick!" Kid Flash exclaimed with wide eyes. The Boy Wonder shrugged.

"We took him by surprise- he probably didn't think we had an ally. I assume he thought you were Bow Breath here because frankly you aren't exactly well known yet."

Speedy snorted, "Don't act so modest, Boy Blunder, it doesn't suit you. Besides, I can't believe you got yourself caught, again." Robin glared at his best friend and sniffed.

"If I hadn't had to look out for Kid Moron over here I would've been fine." The raven snarked and the archer raised an eyebrow at his friend.

"Robin, play nice," Speedy admonished Robin- imitating the hero's high voice. He turned to Kid Flash, "Ignore him, KF; you've better people to associate with." The archer sniffed snootily, ignoring the acrobat. The speedster- after recomposing himself (he still hadn't quite gotten used to the pair's bickering yet)- smiled slightly.

"Come at me, bro." Robin motioned but then sighed, "I know, wasn't blaming him- not my fault he's a neophyte-"

"A what?" Speedy cut in with a put off expression.

The Boy wonder blushed and answered, "It means rookie."

"Man," The archer whistled, "Alfred has really been nailing you with this English thing, huh?"

"Yup," Robin sighed, "It's not like I'm even that bad! I mean, admittedly, when I first came to live with Batman I had trouble forming a coherent sentence with the words I knew! Now I sound as if it's my native tongue- um, first language! It's completely unnecessary, emphasis on the un."

Speedy paused in the act of tying up the Joker and stared at his best friend, "Sure you don't need those English lessons?"

"Um, guys?" Kid Flash jumped in, shifting slightly. "Shouldn't we be getting him to the police and then getting back to our mentors? I mean, we weren't supposed to leave West Gotham…" He trailed off at the pair's look.

"He's right," Robin nodded, "I'd forgotten. They're going to kill us." The Boy wonder didn't look too bothered by that thought and flicked his wrist to bring up his computer. He moved to the side to send a signal to the police. Kid Flash on the other hand had paled at his fellow hero's words.

"Maybe we'll keep you around," Speedy agreed, flashing a smirk at his fellow red head. Kid Flash blushed but smiled happily.

"What are we going to tell our mentors though?" The speedster asked, his face falling. The archer shrugged nonchalantly while Robin ran a hand through his hair.

"Yes, Kid Flash, what are you going to tell us?"

Robin groaned, "Gunoi."

There you have it, there you are!

So, a couple of notes. One, the prequel to this It's Just Us has its first chapter up. I would love it if you would read it and review so I know how I'm doing on that end (because it's a bit more emotional and angsty). Also, I'm going to include the Wally!angst I have planned into a separate three-shot because I feel like it might disrupt the flow of this story.

Seriously, if you recognize Joker's speech then tell me! I wanna know. (grins) Also, you should go read Robin Wingster's story War of the Bats in the Batman section. (Yes, Anne, I'm advertising it again!)

~Dawn