Those of you of whom read the original - here's the change!

Kaldur and M'Gann wobbled as they helped Artemis and Wally try to stand. Red Arrow was panting next to them, his hands on his knees. He gritted his teeth and glared at the large robots that were edging towards them. They were almost spider-like in design for at least the four legs. The thing was armed to the teeth and non of them could find a weakness to it.

"This is great," Red Arrow muttered. "We've been whacked across the room multiple times and these things are still multiplying even though they have no reason to."

"And Superboy is off after Luthor," Artemis muttered as she tried to hold herself up. Her injured leg twitched and gave out on her. "Ouch."

"Luthor's been known to carry Kryptonite with him too," Aqualad sighed as he let Wally slump pitifully to the floor, a hand on his head. "Ears still ringing?" Wally nodded weakly. "Keep your hand there then."

He did as he was told as Kaldur helped keep pressure on the small wound. He was still surprised by the fact that head wounds, no matter how small, on humans would bleed profusely; like fountains that never turned off. There was nothing wrong with unending fountains of water but he couldn't really get over the fact that it was blood he was seeing do it.

"There has to a weakness on these things!" M'Gann almost wailed. "They can't be indestructible! Think what that would mean for the League!"

"Think what that means for us," Roy growled.

Kaldur tried to not sigh again at the attitudes of his teammates. Sometimes, it was very difficult to believe they could get along. Roy hated the idea of being glorified sidekicks. He refused to be a real part of the team because of that. Robin and Wally were alright with the whole idea since they had worked they're asses off to get where they'd gotten; though yes, they'd been about as unhappy about how things had almost turned for them on the fourth of July. However, Roy had been the only one to walk away from it.

He had gone solo and even then, he didn't know how to work alone. He didn't know how to work with a team either. Robin wasn't very good with it either considering he had more training and could be counted as competent on his own. Wally…he wasn't as serious on some things as Kaldur would have liked but he still had loyalty to friends. He was probably the most adaptable of them all too considering.

"We're screwed," Wally mumbled softly, the look on his face clearly saying he had hoped no one would hear him say it. Kaldur however was close enough to hear him and gave him a soft glare. Wally had enough tact to look abashed. Artemis had heard him too but she'd looked up as if to plead to a god to give her patience.

"Maybe not," she whispered as a dark figure dropped from the rafters, cape fluttering like the wind itself through sheets. She recognized the movements of a sharpened escrima stick as it stabbed downward into the head of one of the robots. The small body on the other end shot towards the ground, its weight lifting the robot's head into the air with a wrenching noise.

A soft tap of well insulated boots reached their ears as the cape fluttered down around the small frame of their youngest member. Roy was happy to see his old friend without bandages on him again – god knew he wasn't the only one who felt Robin was too young to be in this business. He worked in Gotham too. Something was wrong with anyone who wanted to save that town which was probably what accounted for the insanity of the criminals.

"Found the weakness," Artemis muttered softly as she managed to hold herself up and pull her bow taught.

As she did, M'Gann kept a reassuringly firm hand on her lower back to just allow her to know she had a person to help her out should she need it. The Martian's other hand however rose in a slight warning before three heads popped into the air. Artemis' bow let off a twang as she released it. Another head snapped off its base followed quickly by another two as Kaldur and Roy attacked with a strange ease.

Robin glanced over his shoulder at them, his lips moving as he counted. He had the right number but he didn't see the right face. He glanced about to see a staircase that he could get to easily…if his vision would stop swimming for two seconds that is. His lungs were heaving from climbing up the roof of the garage and he had a feeling that ditching the cycle outside wasn't the greatest idea but his was far more panicked about Conner.

Luthor…he'd have that rock on him. Robin had to get to him before he hurt his teammate. He didn't want to loose any more people he cared about.

"Dick, honey?" his mother called, her voice floating down the steps. "Come on sweetheart. You're doing well."

"You're close to flying Son," his father called.

"I know," he breathed. The somewhat conscious part of his brain managed to tell him to say they should call Batman. That same part of his mind already told him that the cycle he'd taken had a tracker in it. Besides…whatever the hell these spider things were, they creeped him out and he wanted to get away from them.

"Robin?" Kaldur called after the boy as he raced past the robots and up the stairs. The boy didn't even turn to look at who called him. The Atlantean watched his disappearing figure with concern until Roy snapped at him to pay attention.

"The faster we take these things out, the faster we get to Robin and Superboy," Roy rationalized. "We have to get past these things!"

"I know," Kaldur sighed as he lifted a hand to his ear. He may as well tell Batman he'd been right that something was wrong with Luthor's new toys. Bruce Wayne had been right to not want anything to do with the possibility of weapons.

However, as soon as Batman's aggravated growl reached his ears, Kaldur knew something else had gone wrong.

"The problem with trying so hard to protect the world is that there's always someone you have to worry about stopping you," the bald man was saying.

Conner couldn't really pay attention to him, his ears ringing loudly as his lungs seemed to collapse and twisted at the same time. He tried hard to breathe as he tried to crawl away from the glowing, green rock in the man's hands. Of course, the man stayed close after each movement. He tried to focus as his vision blurred and his stomach twisted in tighter and tighter knots. He felt like he was being ripped apart by four horses going in different directions while also being crushed into a cube.

"Superman had many chances to be on my side of things," Lex stated as he knelt closer. "It would have worked out well for both of us; I'd seen what he could do to my own, hand designed weapons bare handed. I really could have used a body guard like that on my side. The problem is, his little morals got in the way."

"T-that…" Conner gasped as he tried to glare. "R-rock…"

"I know very damned well what it does to the original Superman…I'm glad to see it works on you as well," Lex smirked. "Count on Cadmus to do well in making a perfect clone. The personality however…Well, I guess it does take a certain – lifestyle or whatever to get that outlook on life." The rock got closer and glowed brighter. Conner gritted his teeth as he tried to scream, his throat closing in on itself. "You were in a pod for how long again?"

"Y-you…h-have a t-tie th-there?"

"No; I have my fingers in multiple pockets. I'm up on quite a few things."

Conner's gritted teeth began to grind as he watched that rock edge back and forth, the man's smirk getting wider as he watched what happened as sweat began to sting his eyes. That damned rock had to go and it had to go now.

"G-get…it a-away," Conner heard himself moan.

He barely saw Lex smirk before an escrima stick slammed into his head. The green glow flew across the room; Conner could feel feeling begin to creep back into his appendages. His vision began to clear as he struggled to sit up even a little. He blinked as nausea edged through his body. He watched a red and black blur beating the pulp out of Lex deftly; almost like it was automatically acting on mechanical reflex.

Like it really wanted to beat the living shit out of the guy under him.

A loud thud reached Conner's ears and he glanced back up to find Robin standing over Luthor panting like a dog, legs wobbling to the point where they barely held him up, cheeks pick from something Conner couldn't place, and translucently pale.

"You don't look so good Boy Wonder," an injured Lex Luthor chuckled painfully. Robin didn't reply with more than a weak glare. Sweat beaded his brow as he panted, his head lolling back and forth slowly as if he were finally taking in the room. "Did the little bird lose its way?"

That earned him a dark glare.

"Robin," Conner winced as he pushed himself up. He stumbled over, his blue eyes searching out the Kryptonite instinctively. "The guy's messing with you," he lied before pressing the man's neck firmly causing him to fall unconscious. It wasn't as if the injuries weren't going to make him go under all by themselves but Conner wanted to actually beat the shit out of the man himself for having a power over him.

"Conner?" Robin asked, sounding confused.

"That stuff's still in the room…" Conner grunted as he stumbled toward the door. "I think I want to go sleep for a month."

"Conner…how'd I get here?"

Conner froze and glanced over his shoulder to glare at Robin confusedly. Robin was looking at him, his domino mask almost all white. The youth continued to pant heavily, his cheeks bright red and pale at the same time. Conner gestured for him to come closer only to be forced to catch him when he tripped on his own feet.

"You feel…hot," Conner grunted.

"I don't feel it," Robin muttered, his legs giving out. Conner groaned as his own legs refused to allow him to hold two people up. He glared at the green rock as he dragged both of them to a wall so he could have his back supported as he let Robin use him as a pillow.

"You…don't feel how warm you are?" he asked as he set the back of Robin's head on his shoulder, a hand on his forehead. "You feel warm to me."

"No…I feel…tired though," Robin panted. "You make a good pillow Con."

"Get some rest," Conner growled. "No human should be this warm."

"Remember the files?"

"Sleep!"

"I…The last thing I remember…clearly…Scarecrow got me with…something." Conner stiffened. "I was in the cave…in Gotham…then…I'm here. I…don't…know how."

"Sleep Robin, before I knock you out," Conner growled. It didn't sound as threatening as he would have liked but then again, that rock was still there. "You need rest."

"M'kay," Robin slurred as he fell asleep.

"Good…" Conner breathed as he held his friend close, the heat almost relaxing if it weren't so much and coming from such a small body.

He couldn't tell how much time passed before Robin was sweating heavily and began shivering. Conner glared at the rock again, his own body feeling like it was being ripped apart as he waited for help. He was about to give up and just resigned himself to letting the effects of the Kryptonite hit him when he was suddenly surrounded by black with blue highlights.

"When did the fever break?"Batman's gravely voice demanded as he took Robin's limp head into his large hands.

Conner shrugged and shook his head, noting how the movement had improved slightly. He searched for the green glow only to find the room bathed in moonlight and fluorescents. He screwed his face up in confusion.

"Kid Flash has already taken the Kryptonite somewhere. If he bothers to do as I asked, he'll get it sealed in lead and send it to me later so I can find it a safe place – if Clark burns all the Kryptonite on earth I won't be able to…Answer my question!"

"A while ago…the Kryptonite stuff was messing with me."

"It does that. Avoid other colors of it." Batman suddenly cussed as he dug at his utility belt to pull a syringe from it. "Please work," he muttered before biting the cap of the syringe off and then stabbing it into Robin chest. "Hold him."

Conner was about to ask what he meant when Robin's domino mask flashed from mostly black to mostly white; and he started screaming. His back arched and Conner's arms gripped him gently; well as gently as he could. Batman grabbed robin's legs and held them still as he watched his protégé scream and writhe. Robin clawed at Conner's arms leaving pathetic, red welts.

"What did you just do?" Conner roared.

"He left the cave before a real antidote could be made," Batman explained. "I've just given him the best thing I have which was made from what little blood I had to use to make it."

"He's screaming like someone's killing him slowly!"

The screaming suddenly ceased as Robin's vocal chords finally gave out and he slumped back into Conner's torso, panting. Batman cupped Robin's face gently and brushed the boy's sweat soaked hair from his brow and he gazed at him worriedly. Up close, Conner could finally see the stubble that was growing on the man's chin, growing thicker than it usually may have. When had he last shaved?

Looking closer, he began to see the beginnings of a bruise on Batman's left jaw as well, the bruise similar in shape to Robin's tiny fist. He remembered a bit about what he'd read on Scarecrow though, he'd never expected it to be strong enough to get Robin to punch his mentor in the jaw. This fear toxin must have been strong to get her to that.

"Robin," Batman hissed gently as he shook the boy's chin softly.

Conner couldn't help but notice that Batman's hands were a bit bigger than his own but still smaller than Superman's. It was like watching himself hold Robin as he watched the boy's face be almost swallowed by Batman's hands.

"Come on! Talk to me." Conner's breathing hitched at the almost desperate sound that strangled Batman's voice as he tried to revive his student. "Come one Robin. Wake up."

"You…sound scared," Robin mumbled. "It…sounds…wrong."

Batman hung his head as he stifled a laugh. Conner felt his arms release Robin as Batman pulled him close. He swallowed the bile that made him want to hurl. The relief that his friend was alright should have been overwhelming any other feeling but…As easily as he could see Martha Kent and Lana Lang taking him in as family, he could never see Clark acting the way Batman did around Robin around him.

"I'm leaving," Conner muttered softly before stumbling out. He made it down the steps only to run into the team and their mentors – complete with Superman. He couldn't help but glare at the original Kryptonian. The man blinked in amazement and confusion but before he could say anything, Conner was striding for M'Gann's bioship.

"I'm not asking what happened," Wally grunted as he rolled a lead shielded container around in his hands. Flash was eyeing his nephew's hands carefully, making sure he didn't drop it. Batman had reamed him on doing that before after all.

"Like I'd tell you," Conner hissed over his shoulder. "Robin's fine by the way."

"You're going home," Batman's voice commanded as he entered the area. Conner could hear the sharp intakes of air as he stomped on. He could only guess Batman was carrying Robin like an injured child – like he was.

"What -?" Kaldur began, Aquaman almost echoing him.

"Later," Batman Stated Calmly. "I need him to actually sleep this off so don't expect me to call for a while."

Conner hopped into the bioship, turning to glare at the slightly disappointing expressions on their faces. In Batman's arms was a panting and shaking Robin who looked small and vulnerable. Conner sobered slightly at the sight but instantly returned to being stubborn when Superman glanced at him.

"Fine," Clark stated. "Get him taken care of and then explain what the hell happened."

Batman scoffed at him and strode off to get Robin to the safety of their cave in Gotham. Superboy watched, his eyes softening in their malice as he followed the Dark Knight's movements. He missed Clark noticing it and storing it away.

"Go home," Clark commanded the teens. "Go home and rest up. You've had one hell of a day. Sleep it off."

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