Author's Note: The second "Joker catches the Team" chapter. Enjoy!

Tell me again why we came to Gotham again? Artemis groaned. She test her arms against the restraints again before banging her head against the table she was strapped to.

Because we keep getting covert missions here for some goddamn reason, Rocket huffed.

Don't squirm so much, Rocket, you're bumping against my table, Kid Flash protested.

This is nothing, Robin said, it's not like it's the first time the Joker managed to get the jump on me.

We know that, Robin, we were with you. Remember? Artemis rolled her eyes.

Robin didn't appear to have heard her and continued, Yeah. And let me tell you, it is not fun. Like one time, Poison Ivy had me trapped in some plant that left hives all over my –

Robin, I just said we were captured by the Joker before, didn't you hear me?

– and I know this isn't the right time to talk about it, but I'm just saying that the guys here in Gotham aren't like your common crook, Robin continued.

Did you just not hear what I was saying? Artemis's eyes widened. She tried craning her neck over to where Aqualad was strapped down, Is it me, or is Robin going deaf?

– and then Mad Hatter wanted me to be a test subject for this new microchip he was working on that would have made anyone with it act like a chicken being chased by a coyote in heat, Robin sounded melodramatic, which Artemis found odd considering how what he was describing didn't really warrant angsting over.

Dude, we get it, can you come back to Earth and help us figure out how to get out of these restraints? Kid Flash asked irritably, We don't need the details!

Yes, KF, I did have to go through that shit ever since I was nine, Robin responded while Kid Flash began stammering, How else do you think I'm keeping a cool head right now?

Earth to Robin, we weren't asking you that! Zatanna said nervously.

…but that doesn't compare to what the Scarecrow did to me, Robin continued, and I know you guys might be wondering 'How is Robin still in the crimefighting business?' And I'll tell you it's because I live with a mentally unbalanced man who never once in his life thought that he could have gone through therapy to deal with his own traumas and decided that not making me go through therapy would be beneficial, somehow –

ROBIN, SHUT UP! Everyone shouted simultaneously.

OWWWW! Robin winced, What the hell was that for?!

We've all been captured before, Robin, stop acting like we're new to this! Kid Flash snapped, I was just abducted by the Rogues last week! I told you about it! REM-EM-BER?

Psimon and some soldiers were torturing me in Bialya that time we lost six months' worth of memories, Superboy growled, We get captured on missions, sometimes. Maybe it isn't like what you deal with in this city, but we've been through it enough to know what happens.

M'Gann, why aren't you getting the gag out of my mouth?! Zatanna sounded exasperated. You could have done that a while ago!

Sorry, Miss Martian said sheepishly, Someone – she directed her thoughts towards Robin – wouldn't stop talking for two seconds. Hold still for a moment.

Only thing I can do…. Zatanna grumbled.

You did? Robin blinked. Oh…how did I forget that? …and how the hell did I forget last time, too?

Wait, you mean you weren't just ranting and ignoring us on purpose? Rocket stared incredulously.

Robin shook his head as best as he could.

I believe I speak for all of us when I say that something is rotten in the state of Denver, Aqualad furrowed his eyebrows.

Denmark, Kal, Robin corrected him.

My apologies.

And KF, I remember last week. But didn't you say they kidnapped you so you could have a sleepover with them? Robin sounded confused. Artemis couldn't tell. All she could properly look at was the ceiling. Am I phrasing it correctly?

…yes, Kid Flash sighed.

The noises in the room were the background noises of sirens in the distance.

What. Zatanna asked.

Later…I…I just don't want to talk about it.

I just need to get the gag out of Zatanna's mouth before the Joker comes in, M'Gann started.

SLAM!

Too late, Artemis said.

"Hello kiddies," Joker's pasty-white skin stretched around the mouth upwards, "Your dear ol' Uncle Joker finally cleared off his plate, so he can spend time with you all."

He turned his head towards Robin, shaking his head at him, "Though I have to admit I wasn't expecting Bird Boy to neglect telling me you were all coming to see me. Eight times the fun, I suppose."

Miss Martian, Aqualad avoided locking eyes with her in case the Joker looked his way, Do something!

Like what? Remove the Kryptonite chains that are too tightly wound around Superboy? Miss Martian asked sarcastically. Enter the Joker's mind and hope I don't get lost or have him recite something like Bane did. Finally remove Zatanna's gag without the Joker seeing my eyes go green?

USE YOUR TELEKENESIS TO KNOCK HIM OUT! Robin snapped. HE DIDN'T HAVE AN INHIBITOR COLLAR ON YOU EARLIER –

"That reminds me," the Joker said, "I have a present for the niece that's so no, she's green."

Before Miss Martian could stop him, the Joker quickly slapped an inhibitor collar on her neck.

Gotta think of something, Artemis thought. An idea came to her and she tried to keep the shakiness out of her voice, "Hey, um…Uncle J? I'm a really big fan of your work and I just want to say that I'm so happy to meet you in person."

She fought the urge to vomit as the Joker's pasty-white face was close to her, "You really mean it? You actually find my work worthy of respect?"

"Yeah," Artemis nodded a little, noting the strap around her forehead that kept her pinned, "I mean, anyone who could take down all of the Team without much effort is worth respecting. I mean, you already kept our magician from using her magic to cast a spell –"

"I on' hink ur helping!" Zatanna spoke with the cloth gag around her mouth.

Artemis continued, "And you just put on that collar to keep Miss Martian from using her TK."

"I should have done that sooner," Joker nodded solemnly, "But I figured the bombs around her table would have kept her compliant."

"Pressure or timer?" Artemis asked.

"Pressure, of course," the Joker cackled, "If she moved, everyone else in the room would have went BOOM!"

"Oh, that is so evil."

"Isn't it?" The Joker grinned, "Forcing her to go through all that misery just so no one suffers for her actions. Brilliant!"

"And just using a sliver of Kryptonite on Superboy," Artemis was thankful that the Joker didn't look at him when Superboy was brought up, "Talk about keeping it in budget."

"That one was Harley 3's idea, actually," there was a frown on the Joker's face now. Artemis shivered. "If I wanted to keep it in budget, I would have just used a crowbar on you all and be done with it."

"And then taking away all of our gear so we couldn't try escaping was genius!" Gotta keep him talking, Artemis thought, as long as he's busy gloating, he won't get any ideas.

CRACK!

"Too bad you didn't know Kryptonite isn't as effective on half-Kryptonians," Artemis allowed herself to smile as Superboy charged at a startled-looking Joker.

Kaldur waited until the mission debriefing was over and the Team disbursed before tapping Batman on the shoulder.

"May I have a word with you" He asked. Batman nodded. Kaldur looked over to Robin, who appeared to be talking to Kid Flash, but had his head slightly turned to where Batman and Kaldur were. Kaldur flickered his eyes over to where Robin was when he caught Batman's eye and flickered them over to the hallway. Batman nodded, understanding that Kaldur wanted the conversation to continue in private.

"What is it, Aqualad?" Batman asked when Kaldur brought them into his room and closed the door behind him.

"When we were captured by the Joker…again," Kaldur groaned as he was forced to remember the ordeal that the Team had barely managed to get out of, "Robin kept on ranting on how it was a common occurrence to him. Even when we told him that we were not inexperienced with being captured on missions, he kept on describing scenarios where he was in the hands of your enemies, as though he did not hear us."

"What is your point, Aqualad?" Kaldur flinched at the cold tone and steeled himself for the point that he wanted to discuss.

Kaldur suddenly felt as though the conversation was not going to go in the direction he was hoping for, but pushed forward with it, "Has Robin ever received counseling for what he goes through in Gotham?"

"That is none of your concern, Aqulad."

Kaldur bit his lip and pressed the issue, "As his team leader, the mental health of everyone under my command is my concern."

Batman's tone didn't change as he answered, "And as his mentor, I –"

"Yes. Or. No," Kaldur responded coldly.

Batman began to walk out of the room when Kaldur held his arm out in front of him.

"I will have to assume that he isn't currently seeking counseling for anything he goes through in Gotham if his unprovoked rant earlier is evidence enough," Kaldur kept his gaze on Batman, almost daring him to attempt to brush off the issue, "I understand that there are times where intervention is not necessary where you are involved, but speaking as Robin's leader and his friend, I would appreciate knowing that he is receiving support when necessary."

"You're making this kind of assumption based on one incident?" Batman asked coolly.

"Yes," Kaldur knew how ridiculous it was from Batman's perspective, but he rather ensured that there was no problem now rather than find out later at an inopportune time and place, "Isn't there a mindset you have about addressing issues before they get out of hand?"

"…yes," Batman nodded. He sounded weary, "Robin – understand that what I am about to tell you is confidential and will be abridged for the safety of the identities of Robin and myself – takes after me in more ways than one. He uses stealth as his tool, doesn't appreciate things being kept from him, and…he's stubborn. I have, under pressure, suggested to Robin that he seek support so whatever we deal with in Gotham doesn't affect his personal life or his sanity. He refused and as his mentor, I had to respect his wishes."

"It is not a matter of respect if his sanity is an issue," Kaldur argued.

"After Independence Day, he wouldn't talk to me for a week after my decision regarding the Team was made," Batman continued, "he saw it as a betrayal of his trust, after everything we had gone through together. When he first started out…"

He paused, and Kaldur thought he heard a shudder come off Batman for the briefest moment.

"…when Robin first started out, he put one-hundred and ten percent into everything he did on patrol, to please me. But, at the same time, he was desperate for me to notice him. It wasn't easy, I never in my life had planned on becoming –"

A parent, Kaldur could have sworn that those were the next words that Batman was going to say. He just knew it. But he knew that the admission alone would have made an open secret public knowledge that neither Batman or Robin might be ready to acknowledge to the rest of the League.

"A mentor?" Kaldur suggested.

"Yes," Batman said quietly, "In that short span of time that I began, I quickly learned that keeping secrets that Robin had a right to know about was a poorly thought out process."

"What do secrets have to do with this discussion?" Kaldur asked.

"Keeping secrets from those who deserve to know their contents would be a violation of trust, and trust is an important part of my relationship with Robin. He and I are equals, and therefore, I need to treat Robin as an equal and respect his wishes as best as I can."

"Can we both agree that in this situation, the issue is not respecting him, but merely making sure Robin is alright?"

Batman sighed, "I'm starting to see your point, Aqualad. I suppose the first step would be to let Black Canary know to bring up stuff in Gotham during her sessions with Robin. Of course, I wouldn't be allowed to know what they were talking about without Robin's permission, so Robin should at least know that he is allowed the right to privacy."

"Thank you," Kaldur nodded, "I will end this discussion and keep my eyes open."

"Of course," Batman nodded in return.

"Hello, Robin."

"Hey, Canary."

"How have you been doing this week?"

"KF and I're going to see a new movie over the weekend. Then there's an old family friend coming to visit. I can't wait to meet them, actually."

"That's nice. I look forward to times I can see old friends, also."

"And…I've been thinking about our last mission, too…"

"Oh?"

"Yeah…I was thinking about it. A lot, actually. Well, more like how I was reacting…you can't tell Batman…"

"Nothing leaves this room."

"…sometimes, I just hate the downsides to being a hero…especially in Gotham..."

Author's Note: You have no idea how close I was to changing the way everyone looked at the fic. I almost decided to include Mxyzstplk as the source of the clichés that kept popping up, baffled by how everyone seemed to move against his expectations. It reminded me of a LOTR fic, The Game of the Gods, where two higher deities that are apparently a part of the lore played against each other in a chess-like challenge. One side relied on Maru Sues. The other simply used invoked reality on the game piece and the Mary Sues would die every time.

Shout out to the reader who suggested this to me…I just can't find their name or the message with their suggestion. I am so sorry! Thank you, Reader, for the suggestion for this chapter, I hope you liked it! :) They said that the Team would act surprised while Robin listed off all the times he was captured in Gotham, even though there had been several times in the show that they were captured and even tortured at some points. Superboy mentioned Bialya, when they all lose 6 months' worth of memories and he was captured by Psimon. Then there was Independence Day when Robin, Aqualad and KF were captured and Cadmus attempted to clone them.

This chapter was not as long as I wanted it to be, but I am trying not to sacrifice humor for the sake of drama just so the fic feels more fleshed out.

Batman could make Robin go to counseling, as he is a minor, but there is also the possibility that even if Robin was forced to go earlier, he wouldn't have wanted to talk about anything, even if it was with Canary. Basing this notion on what I understand in therapy and my own experiences – no, I am not crazy, I just had some stuff I wanted to get off my chest – helps with the counseling scenes. The lack of descriptive detail was intentional on my part, just to focus on what Canary and Robin were saying.

Thanks for reading this far and don't forget to review!