Beyond the Night: Beyond the Team (Young Justice/Teen Titans fanfic)

Finding a Robin Nest

The seconds ticked by, yet already the time lapse felt like days.

Zatanna remained with the ship, insisting someone stay behind in case they needed to call for help, something which wasn't met well with the younger teams. Red Arrow seemed the worst, but upon her pointing out they needed to find Robin he proclaimed, "I'll retrieve him."

"Say what?" Kid Flash seemed quite displeased with this.

"We should stick together and work as a team."

"Why don't you tell that to Robin when we find him Aqualad? After all, he didn't stick with the group, nor did he work as a team."

"Hypocrite."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Kid Flash means..."

"This is probably not the best time to explain what Flash means to Red Arrow, Superboy."

"Exactly what are we going to do." Kid Flash piped up.

Zatanna frowned, her arms crossed. Thankfully, she didn't say what she thought so the others could hear. "I'm thinking I should call for help. No, I will be, despite the fact they're not going to like it."

"Do what you want." Red Arrow. "I'm rescuing Robin, and on my own."

"Of all the..."

"Ignore him Kid Flash. Meet Superboy and I up at the location of the ice fort Batman mentioned."

"What? Are you saying the mission takes precedence over Robin." Kid Flash seemed quite worried, yet Zatanna for some reason she was sure he was the last person to underestimate Robin's abilities. Calling for help seemed like a good idea.

"No. I'm thinking if something happened to Robin, that's where we'd find him. If nothing happened, that's still where we found him as he'll be focused on the mission."

"Okay. Meet you over there."

Zatanna switched her communication line over to a private line, still listening in on the team. Pushing a button, she took a deep breath hoping she was making the best decision. The red robot of the Justice League came on screen. "This is Red Tornado."

"Red, I am thinking we may need some help."

"It is the team's mission. They should be handling this on their own. If they need help, they will ask."

"It's not that simple."

"Do you think the team doesn't realize they're in over their heads, or do you think they will not need to ask for help?"

"The only one I'm honestly worried about asking for help if he needs it is Red Arrow. No, I'm more concerned with a potential medical issue involving the only person capable of flying us out of here."

"You do not know how to fly the plane?"

"This is not a model I am familiar with. I am able to run the communication device, but having just gotten back to the League, I have not done any simulation training on this plane. I'm also not yet apprised to the ability of the team, so I don't know what their first aide abilities are like, so I'm likely to be the one administering first aide."

"I will come."

"Not Batman?"

"Batman is taking care of league business and is currently unavailable. This said, if Robin is in trouble, Batman is actually the worst person to call in."

Zatanna took a deep breath, remembering the look Zatara gave Batman. "I'm actually 'not' the most overprotective person in the league."

"The team may also see you asking for help as a lack of trust in their abilities."

Her eyes closed, her memory flickering to the nightmare she kept having of little Dick Grayson falling and smashing to his death. Sometimes John fell with him, but other times John stood there, pointing, and blaming her for the death of the cousin he thought of as his little brother. Her eyes snapped open. "It's not about trust." Except, regarding Red Arrow it was. "No. It's about doing the right thing."

Wally yelled over the communication system. "That idiot!"

"Red Tornado, please come. I've got to go and see what's going on now." She switched back to communicating with the team. "What is it? What is going on Kid Flash?"

"That stupid, stupid Roy!" For some reason she guessed Kid Flash was referring to Red Arrow. "He set off the damn alarms."

"Wait for Superboy and I to get there before..."

"I can't wait. Rob's my friend. I can't let him think I'm not. I can't."

Zatanna took a deep breath, swallowing. "I want to trust them. I do. But Red Arrow's put them into a difficult situation simply because he didn't think. This isn't to say Robin isn't to blame somewhat, but that child did not need to hear some of the things that older boy said."

The voice in the back of her head spoke up. "Yes, well, Red Arrow's not likely to know the real trigger behind why Robin's upset, and if he did..." Zatanna shuddered at the thought, thinking Red Arrow might blow up at Robin, or something worse.

"Also, Kid Flash's brought up the friendship issue quite a bit. I wonder what that's about, and if he knows anything." She decided to speak. "Kid Flash. If you do go in without Superboy and Aqualad, do be careful. If you're reckless, and Robin is in need of our help, not thinking straight will not help him."

"Alright Zatanna."

"In the meantime, I am going to head in their direction. It's not a matter of not trusting the team. It's a matter of not trusting Red Arrow, and I can't for the life of me let another child – albeit teen – die on my watch."

~B~

"How do you feel, being replaced?" Robin was wearing the Red X again. "Isn't it this all over again?"

"That..."

"That's what is important to you, isn't it Cyborg? That I'm now a part of another team, like before? That I am leaving you behind to fend for yourselves. That I don't care."

Cyborg frowned, before launching his fist at the fake Robin. "Shut up! If that incident means anything, Robin always puts others before himself. Which can only mean one thing. I won't let you say otherwise.