A/N: So this was just a little plot bunny I've been pondering for a while. I take some liberties with the canon, so if you see something that causes your canon filter to throw up some red flags, just suspend your disbelief for a bit.

I've always thought Robin was underrepresented in the show, and I've always found it hilarious that in one (that I know of) of the early Batman comics, Batman actually has Robin cross-dress as bait, so I decided to expand on both ideas, and voila! This was born!

You may also notice the first few chapters are hardcore Artemis focused. Trust me, it's still all about Robin, just told from her point of view. Robin plays a large role in the near future. I've just always liked the relationship (platonic) between the two of them, and there's nothing I like better than the one other human teammate seeing how BAMF Robin can be, even next to their super powered friends.

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." -Coco Chancel

It all started when Hal Jordan came to visit Mount Justice. Or maybe even with that comment Black Canary made a few days ago... Whenever it started, Artemis was sure it wasn't her fault.

"So those are the mission parameters," Batman finished, drawing Artemis back in to the Team's most recent mission briefing. "Just remember, while the success of the mission is important, this is also an opportunity for you all to work on your stealth skills, of which I am told some of you are potentially lacking."

As Superboy grumbled across the mind link and Batman glared at Kid Flash, Artemis could have sworn she felt his disapproving gaze travel across her as well. Did he hear that conversation with Green Lantern? Is that really why he was assigning them this mission? She figured he had to have at least some parts of Mount Justice bugged—c'mon, he was Batman—but she also assumed he couldn't possibly be listening to everything they said. Right?

"Black Canary will work with you each individually on details as needed, so I will leave it to her for now. Short of an emergency, you will not be able to reach me for the rest of the day, but Canary can answer any other questions you may have," Batman finished, before abruptly turning to head towards the zeta tubes, causing his cape to do a rather impressive flourish behind him. Artemis could read between the lines of those little parting words. He had better things to be doing today. So don't screw up. The man was just a great big ball of fun.

"Hehehe, this should be fun!" she heard Bats the Younger cackle to her left. How were those two partners? Robin just seemed so different from his imposing mentor!

"Ugh, some fancy party? And we have to go as civilians?! Not my idea of a good time, thank you," Kid Flash complained loudly. "Just cause this is your thing, Boy Wonder, doesn't mean we all like having to get all pretty."

As Robin started making faces as Kid Flash in response to the 'pretty' comment, Artemis whipped her head around to stare at the more obnoxious resident ginger. What did he mean by that? He specifically said 'pretty'...Did he know... Well, if it was common enough knowledge that Green Lantern thought it was funny conversation material, then Artemis supposed Robin's best friend might be aware... Or was he talking about something else? Some inside joke between the two? Ugh, she hated having more questions than answers! Everyone else on the Team knew each others secrets...why was Robin the only one she still had questions about?

"Alright Team, we're going to have to go into Happy Harbour to get appropriate outfits and disguises for tonight. Think about the character you can play that will work with, while helping to disguise, your current appearance," Black Canary advised, leading the Team to the garage and eventual exit of Mount Justice.

"What does that mean?" Superboy whined.

Not giving Superboy further chance to moan or Black Canary a chance to answer, Wally quickly ratted out his buddy, saying, "Why doesn't Robin have to come shopping?" The hero in question was making his way down the hall away from his teammates and their imminent shopping adventure when Kid Flash called him out.

"Because Robin likely already has a disguise and all its necessary pieces," Black Canary explained.

"I call shenanigans!" Kid Flash cried out, making a last ditch effort to not have to go try on suits and ties without at least having Robin suffer with him. "No way you already have a fancy outfit disguise just ready to go!" Why Wally emphasized that one word, Artemis wasn't quite sure. Like he already just had normal fancy outfits as his civvies? Weird.

"'Course I do, Kid!" Robin called back, his shit-eating smirk growing until it took up most of the bottom half of his face. "But it'll take me a bit longer than you guys to get ready, so I'm gonna go get my stuff and get started."

But Robin didn't move to go get anything. He just stood there, clearly waiting for Kid Flash to say something. The speedster didn't disappoint.

"Why's it gonna take you so much longer?" Wally asked.

"'Cause 'Mis wants me to dress up as a girl," Robin casually explained and then immediately headed to the zeta tubes, effectively ending any further interrogation.

Artemis face-palmed.

Hal. Definitely Hal's fault.

SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER

"You suck at acting, Boy Blunder!" Artemis called, as their team once again lost a point in the very high stakes game of charades.

"I'm great at acting! It's not my fault you suck at guessing!" he quickly countered.

"I think you both just suck at charades," Superboy muttered, adding another point on the board for his and Wally's team.

"Artemis?" Black Canary called from around the corner, as Robin and Wally started bickering over tallying and scoring procedures. The archer sighed before uncrossing her legs from where she'd been seated on the couch and rose to follow Canary.

"Counseling?" Kaldur asked as she passed him. Smug bastard just sat there sipping hot cocoa. He may be acting like the mature and thoughtful leader, asking about where she was going, but she could see right past those caring eyes...Despite everyone's expectations, he and Meagan managed to wipe the floor with all of them in charades. Artemis suspected telepathy to be at work. No way that stoic Atleantean was that good at this game.

"Yeah," she answered. "Stupid Failsafe mission."

Even though she tried to be quiet, it seemed Meagan was still able to hear, and looked over in an expression that Artemis could only assume was apologetic sympathy.

Ever since that disaster of head-space mission where the Martian went kind of crazy after Artemis fake-died, each member of the Team was required to go through regular counseling appointments with Canary.

"Still don't see why I have to go—I died before any of the depressing stuff happened," Artemis muttered under her breath as she headed to where Canary had disappeared into the little room that was doubling as the therapy office.

"You have to go because you're part of a Team," Canary reminded her, causing Artemis to hunch a bit in embarrassment, not realizing the older super hero was close enough to hear her complaints. "And you know this isn't just in response to that mission. We all—" and by 'we all', Artemis was pretty sure she meant her and Batman, "-just want to make sure you're handling everything alright. Being a superhero can be a stressful job."

"Yeah, well, I'm missing out on a killer game of charades to tell you everything is alright," Artemis said sarcastically. She hated these sessions.

Canary raised her eyebrow.

"I mean," Artemis continued, "we were losing, but that was totally cause Birdbrain can't act to save his life. I think I was getting close to having Connor switch with him. At least then I'd have eye-candy on my team."

Artemis had only just finished her explanation before Canary started laughing quietly to herself.

"What?" Artemis barked, assuming Canary was laughing at her.

"I'm sorry," Black Canary said, quickly bringing her mirth under control. It's just funny that you and Robin were losing. He's one of the best actors I know. Besides Batman, of course."

A beat of silence.

"What." Artemis couldn't even bring herself in inflect enough to make the word sound like a question.

"Well, it's just such an integral part of what they do," Canary added. At Artemis' continued nonplussed expression, she continued. "You know how you and Wally are yourselves when you're out of costume, no need to hide? Well, for the most part?" Artemis nodded. "And when you're in costume, you have to be a slightly different person, to protect your secret ID. You wear different clothes, sort of use a different name," Artemis grimaced at the reminder that her superhero identity was painfully easy to tie to her civilian one. "and you make sure never to associate your civilian ID with that of your superhero?" Artemis nodded again.

"Well," Black Canary explained, "It's a bit of the opposite for Batman and Robin. They both purposefully crafted a civilian identity. The only times they can really be themselves, as much as Batman ever really is himself, is when they are Batman and Robin. Any time he's not on a mission with Bats or here at the Mountain with you guys, Robin has to act out this very different character. Trust me, if you met him on the streets, you would have no idea that he's the guy you were just playing charades with."

At this, Artemis just sat there in surprise.

After a moment or two of processing, she looked up at Black Canary and asked, "Wouldn't that get lonely? Having to live this fake life no one knows about whenever he's not being Robin?"

Canary just looked sad for a moment before answering, "Why do you think he's always so excited to hang out here with you all?"

"Seriously?!" Artemis exclaimed in exasperation. They had been at this dress shop for what felt like hours, and she was ready to go home. "Just because I have to pretend to be a... a debutante for this stupid undercover op doesn't mean I have to act like one! I've tried on like ten different dresses already! Just pick one!"
"Actually," Meagan piped up from where she was examining a floor length pink satin monstrosity, at least in Artemis' opinion, "you do kinda have to act like one. Isn't that the point of having a fake ID and everything? We have to pretend to be these characters?"

Artemis really hated when Meagan hedged her sentences even though she already knew the answer. More than that, she hated when Meagan had a point. To top if off, she hated when that point meant trying on yet another dress.

"Artemis," Black Canary began with a sigh, "part of this assignment is learning how to put together a cover. Batman and I gave each of you a dossier for who you're supposed to be tonight. The rest—making that person come alive enough to be believable—is up to you. And some of that means putting in some hard prep hours to make sure everything is just right."

"Well if this one isn't 'just right', I'm just going to pick one from that pile of discards right over there," Artemis groused as she stepped out of the dressing room, adjusting the simple A-line princess style dress.

"Oh that's so perfect!" Meagan cried, clapping her hands together. "Don't you think, Canary?"

The older superheroine smiled and motioned for Artemis to do a full 360.

"I think that will do quite nicely. Artemis, what do you think? Does it match Penelope Park?"

"I still think that's a stupid undercover name," Artemis muttered, smoothing her hands down the front of the dress. "She's supposed to be pretty classy though, so I guess she could get away with wearing something like this. I mean, we are getting it from this designer shop, so we know it's something a rich girl would wear." Black Canary nodded.

"Plus," Artemis added, smiling as she spun the skirt out a bit, "I can totally a decent amount of weapons under here, with these layers to hide the lines!"

"Good," Black Canary smiled back. "You already have the League credit card, so get that dress and Meagan's, and then go find some shoes and accessories. Remember, you have a limited amount of time to make those purchases as well as doing your hair, make-up, and nails before we have to leave for tonight. I'm going to make sure the boys know which end of a suit is up."

Artemis gave a long suffering sigh before turning back to the dressing room to put her civvies back on. M'Gann was practically jumping with joy at the idea of the activities Canary had just listed off, but all Artemis could think was that no agreement with Robin was worth this.

"So I'm supposed to get a tie that matches the suit? Or the shirt?" Superboy asked, a handful of ties in each large Kryptonian fist, a somewhat dazed expression on his face.

"I don't know, dude!" Wally answered back, feeling less daze and more frustration. "Robin's usually the one I ask all those kind of questions to, and he's not here!"

"Yes, as I understand it, he is..." and here Kaldur paused, seeming to consider his words before speaking them aloud, "...cross-dressing for this mission? Is that the correct term?" Somehow their resident Atlantean had managed to get a staff position in the undercover line-up for the evening, and so would be wearing the catering company's uniform, allowing him to bypass the whole painful 'choose your dress-wear' process.

"Yes. No. It's...complicated," Wally attempted to explain, stepping into one of the fitting rooms, raising his voice just enough that he could continue the conversation. "He said he was gonna dress like a girl, so I guess technically that's cross-dressing."

"Why would he do that?" Superboy asked, confused.

Kid Flash sighed, deciding the dark red shirt just made his hair look ridiculous. Maybe the purple one instead?

"Apparently he's doing it because of some bet or something with Artemis, I don't know," he responded. "He's crazy good at the whole undercover thing, so maybe he's just upping the ante? I know he's done the whole girl cover before, but that was when Bats needed a young girl as bait and didn't want to endanger a civilian. Maybe it's just to see if he's good enough that we won't recognize him. I love the kid like a brother, but who knows what goes on in that crazy head of his," Wally explained, deciding the purple shirt made him look like a pimp and white was just too plain. Baby blue it was.

"But..." Superboy questioned, picking a tie at random and adding it to his small pile of clothes, "won't people know? I mean, he's a boy."

"I too am curious," Kaldur admitted, picking up the tie Superboy had selected and replacing it with another that was better suited. "I understand that Batman and Robin are quite good with disguises, but it seems...untenable that Robin might be able to successfully masquerade as a young woman the whole evening."

"I dunno what 'untenable' means," Wally responded, emerging from the dressing stall, chosen shirt in hand, "but as much as I want to doubt that he'll be able to pull it off, I also know that he wouldn't choose a disguise for an undercover op unless he thought for sure he could make it work."

Of course, Kid Flash had the added bonus of knowing that whatever disguise Robin ended up wearing had to be good enough that neither the Team nor the party attendees would be able to recognize him either as Robin or Richard Grayson, lest he suffer Batman's wrath. If Robin thought he could go undercover as a girl while meeting Batman's standards...well let's just say if there really was a betting pool (and he suspected some sort of bet or dare between Artemis and the resident hacker based on his friend's earlier comment) he wouldn't be putting any money against the Boy Wonder.

A/N: I'm almost done with chapter 2-just needs some finishing touches, so it'll be (hopefully) up in a few days. I hope to update this fic about once a week, so hang in there!