Pairings: None
Rating: T
Categories: Action/Adventure/Family/Friendship
Warnings: Violence
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: Robin's age isn't enough to save him.

Notes: On Livejournal, at the Young Justice Anon Meme, there was someone who called for Robin or Speedy/Red Arrow, and how the effects of a condition called Juvenile Arthritis would infringe on their lives as heroes. This is a subject that I was cautious in writing because I have relatives that are near and dear to me who deal with arthritis and it's a sensitive subject. But I feel it's a topic that shouldn't be shied away from, so I left my comfort zone and gave this prompt the serious attempt it deserved.

I am fortunate enough to know someone like Keppiehed, who took the time and consideration to encourage me along the path of writing this story. At first, this fanfic was the three page 'part one', but at her recommendation I developed the story into what it is now. Her suggestions at refinement made this tale a stronger and better-rounded story, and for that I am forever thankful.

Part One – Discovery

It began with dismissible happenstances: Robin's aim would be half an inch off because his wrist wouldn't bend like he was accustomed to, or his landings weren't as smooth due to his knees giving out. Such instances could be recalculated or compensated. He tightened his gloves and kneepads to hold the joints steady and relearned how to connect his attacks all over again.

But the missions got harder, the villains trickier, and his situation worsened with the influx of demands he placed on his body. Batman became suspicious during one of his practice excursions at the manor when a noticeable tremor entered his acrobatic feats. He would stall in his movements, unable to maintain previous records on the parallel bars. No doubt his mentor was in the Batcave now, scrutinizing footage of his past and present performances to hypothesize what was wrong.

Not that Robin would admit to a problem. He was sixteen-going-on-seventeen, not eighty-nine-going-on-ninety, and that was too young for someone as active as him to encounter issues. Of course, he couldn't pass a complete bill of health – he fought crime in Gotham City – and if that wasn't enough, he also did so on a global scale. Robin had bruises, scars, broken bones and sprains to show for the dangers he faced. Given the opportunity and the correct remedy, he'd bounce back to normal, thanks to the promise of youth.

Except one time, that wasn't good enough anymore.

The assignment was to secure a museum containing rare and sacred artifacts from impending threats. His job was to monitor activity and upkeep of the electrical security measures already in place. Connected to the safety cameras as he was, Robin was the first to detect the thieves long before they posed a threat, announcing their presence via the mental link M'gann had prepared, and he moved to intercept them on his own.

He'd kept to the shadows, wincing whenever his joints creaked despite realizing that they had no way of alerting the enemy to his presence. There were five targets – all male, middle-aged and amateurish. Robin had disposed of six times that, all of whom were more able bodied. He didn't need to leave his hiding spot to take down two with knockout gas, and caught the third off-guard, too, with a calculated set of punches to several nerve clusters in his chest.

Losing his surprise advantage, the other two managed to retaliate. Robin threw a set of bolas to tie up one, leaving the ringleader for last. He shifted into a stance, cackling and motioning for his opponent to come and face him. The man charged with no finesse to speak of, his fists swinging. Robin skirted out of the way and tried to sweep a foot out in an arc that would catch the back of the enemy's leg, but as Robin got into position a hot, searing flare of pain shot through his bent knee and rendered him open for assault.

The man would have taken advantage of it, except a spout of water sprayed from a nearby water tower, shoving the trespasser against a brick wall. He sputtered and fought against the current, but it didn't let up until he collapsed.

Aqualad was stationed by the skylight he'd exited, not moving until he was sure that the threats were eliminated. His teammate approached as Robin clutched his leg, thumbs working the joint like he'd been forced to do previously, but the trick was unsuccessful and caused him to hiss through his teeth.

"Can you move?" Aqualad asked.

Robin tried to push aside the agony and stand. As he faltered, Aqualad resorted to carrying him, requesting M'gann to summon her bioship for immediate evacuation.

"How long?" Batman asked, though the question seemed rhetorical. Robin's face must have given away his thoughts because his mentor continued. "I have my suspicions, but tell me."

"Awhile, I guess." He was purposely unclear. "But the pain has been manageable. I'm accustomed to it and don't even notice. This isn't as big a deal as you're making it."

"Ignoring this is why we're here," Batman said, his voice level but not belittling. Robin still shrank back into the hospital bed.

A hand gripped his leg from over the sheet, close to the swelling there. The touch was a source of support, but Robin still turned his head away. Accepting even this much made him feel pathetic.

"There are options," Batman mentioned. "None will be easy and won't repair the damage, but I trust that you can face them regardless."

Robin hesitated, deciphering the meaning behind the words. He could see where this was going: years of therapy, medication and maybe, later, injections or surgeries, all with possibilities of failure.

But there was nothing about being kicked off the team.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I won't let this slow me down."

"As I recall, you did mention wanting to lead the team someday. Until then, you will perfect your remote hacking skills and improve your investigative abilities. Are we clear?"

"Sure. I've been meaning to have the others do more of the grunt work on the field, anyway. The team was starting to get lazy with me there to handle the bad guys for them," Robin conceded, the both of them exchanging tentative, knowing grins.

Part Two – Down Low

The circumstances surrounding Robin's health were never publicly mentioned. He was still deployed on missions, which were so covert as to actually remain covert; compared to their usual fare, it could almost be referred to as laidback. As time wore on Robin would hang back, remaining on the bioship or beyond the perimeter of infiltration points. Few questioned the change in his demeanor toward activity on missions outright, though that didn't mean no one noticed.

Kid Flash would tease him about his lack of drive, his remarks increasing in quantity and intensity as time wore on. Robin identified the comments for what they really were: prodding. His friend's humor overshadowed his concern and true intentions. The others voiced their own apprehension for similar reasons, but he expertly deflected their worries.

As Robin received treatments, excuses for his disappearances were an art he both loathed and valued honing; the time spent away covered up as 'Dynamic Duo' excursions elsewhere or private assignments.

Despite his best efforts, it was only a matter of time before the truth came out.

Robin was sitting atop one of the corporate offices in Gotham, admiring the scenery of night lights, bustling activity and the sounds of city life that many big towns tried to emulate, but never quite resembled. Gotham had a unique rhythm of its own, a beat that echoed danger and solitude.

He avoided looking at the skyline, though; Robin hadn't revered that view for awhile now, not since his body couldn't greet it, too. Scaling the skyscrapers, leaping across rooftops and fighting on the streets were a liberty he was rarely afforded. The measures taken blurred the edges of pain, but couldn't change the fact he was trapped in a body that physically couldn't handle the stress of combat, much less his extreme acrobatic style. The action involved in their line of work was sorely missed, as were the stunts he'd accomplished. The moves his parents had taught him were their last legacy to him – a way to keep them alive, but now he'd lost even that much.

Bowing his head, Robin decided to turn in early. Patrolling Gotham City was sort of meaningless in his condition, and he predicted the negative turn of his thoughts. Then a breeze, subtle to those not attuned to the way the city worked as Robin did, caught his attention and he turned to regard Kid Flash standing behind him aways.

"Hey, 'sup?" his friend greeted him, unusually subdued.

Robin refrained from allowing his surprise to show and instead offered a smirk, welcoming him in kind. It was strange for heroes to trespass in this place. His mentor set precedence that forbid them from working in his territory, not that it was always followed. The partners and younger relatives that fought alongside them generally obeyed the unspoken rule, too, but he knew Batman was lenient when it came to the next generation of superheroes. In the past, it used to bother Robin that exceptions were made for people, but right then he didn't mind having the company.

"Quiet night?" Kid Flash asked, approaching him. He crouched at Robin's side, arms tucked between his knees.

"As if," Robin said. "Nights in Gotham are never quiet. I just…wanted to take in the sights."

A glower flickered across Kid Flash's features, the expression over so quickly that Robin nearly missed it.

"What is your deal?" he demanded. "You're not acting like yourself and I…everyone has noticed you hesitating to apprehend criminals. You're excused from training with Black Canary and you spend more time here than you have ever since the incident with Cadmus."

"Aw, you guys miss me that much?"

Robin meant the inquiry as a joke that could be thrown away, but Kid Flash stared at him past his goggles and said, "Yeah, we all do. Even Artemis, not that she'll admit it. I didn't think she even had it in her."

"It's not like I've left," he argued, once he got past his friend's admission.

"Our team info structure is off, dude," Kid Flash said. "Again, might I add? I mean, look…we were just starting to adjust to a new member on the team and finding our roles. Then without explanation you stop participating in the field?

"It sucks without you there. I can't speak for the others, but I have to admit that I miss your disappearing acts. Even when I didn't see you, it was reassuring that you were there. Somewhere. It's not the same with you elsewhere. Our only assurances that you're with us is a communicator or Megan's mental link."

The degree of honesty took Robin aback, and several of his own emotions went running rampant. A part of him was insistent that he must be off kilter like his friend said, otherwise he wouldn't be caught so surprised. He'd managed to stay in control, but he was losing his edge. Another side of him was touched to hear that his teammates needed him still, maybe as desperately as he needed them. His response took too long; Kid Flash's fingers ceased in their drumming on his shins as he rose to his feet.

"You're Batman's protégé and I know you won't crack, no matter how insistently I pester you, so I won't play the bro card. Secrets are, like, you Gotham City folks' livelihood, I get that, but after you showed me…" He trailed off, eyes flickering to Robin's mask and then to the ground. "Nevermind. My point was we're here for you, okay? If you don't want to tell me, then you need to tell someone."

As Kid Flash turned to leave, Robin caught him by the wrist to stall his exit and murmured, "It's not that I don't trust you. The circumstances are just…difficult for me."

It must have taken a great deal of self-control for his teammate not to speak up in the time it took Robin to release him and grip his gauntlet. Fingers disengaged the safety precautions and undid the latches. All the while, Batman's voice lectured in his mind never to let down his guard and become defenseless in a city that preyed on weakness. He ignored the warning, revealing his pale arm and raising his hand, all his fingers spread as far as he could manage.

Kid Flash hesitated half a second, and then slowly – for him – lifted his goggles from over his eyes. There wasn't an explanation that Robin could find on why that simple gesture alone made the moment easier to bear, but his shoulders relaxed a fraction. His friend took his hand in both of his, examining the skin along the knuckles.

"What am I looking for?"

"It's worse in the mornings," he said, voice still soft, like he was talking more to himself than Kid Flash at this point. "Therapy helps, as does swimming. If I don't keep up my endurance or strength…it hurts."

Coupled with his vague explanation, comprehension dawned on the other boy's face after several long minutes of staring at their joined hands. He bared his own and aligned their palms. Freckles meshed with Robin's fevered skin, the swelling more noticeable on his smaller hand when compared to Kid Flash's.

"Is this limited to just your hands?" he asked hesitantly, trying to search Robin's gaze through the white lenses of his mask.

"No."

Robin didn't elaborate, and Kid Flash didn't demand any more answers. They moved their fingers until it became like a handshake. He pulled Robin to a standing position, trying to be careful, but Robin still stumbled because he'd sat for too long.

"Let me…may I take you home?"

He might have been offended by the offer if it wasn't a tradition they had. On the few visits Kid Flash was permitted to make to Gotham City, his running was vastly superior to any form of transportation in his or Batman's possession. This fact was often a matter of contention for Robin's mentor, which made it all the more fun when he was given the chance to arrive with Kid Flash in tow in under the time needed for him to return.

"Thanks," he said, bestowing the one word with hundreds of connotations.

They both made themselves presentable and Kid Flash let him onto his back, waiting for Robin to get comfortable, which he appreciated. A reason for his hesitance in admitting his condition to his friend was the fear that their status would change, but he saw now that Kid Flash didn't consider him as inferior. He looped both arms under Robin's legs for stability and then they were off.

He activated his wrist computer in the meantime and programmed his R-Cycle to return to the hideout without him. A slight dip as they crossed rooftops fumbled his fingers across the holographic touch screen. Kid Flash sensed his body tensing and gave his leg a questioning squeeze, since he couldn't run at such high speeds without looking where he was going.

"Do that again," he instructed, tugging on his friend's shoulder and toward another rooftop. Effortlessly, Kid Flash leapt across it, that sensation of freefalling short-lived and marvelous. "Again!"

Kid Flash bounded from more buildings, and though he struggled with the effort of upward momentum, he still made the attempt to scale the taller structures for longer jumps. The wind ruffled their hair and whipped Robin's cape behind them, laughter erupting from him at each plummet and landing.

They took the long way back.

Part Three – Decisions

"The scanners are showing five heat signatures at the west end of the building, seven in the south and three around the northeast. All participants are go," Robin informed his five colleagues.

His wrist computer was analyzing the hidden base for enemy activity, identifying the guards and staff through the base's advanced detection software. Robin had hacked the private network and replaced the feedback with an endless loop of footage and readings. Robin's machine received the true information to use to their advantage. Positioned a reasonable distance from the structure itself, he tapped into their underground resource of electronic wiring and directed his team across the enemy's territory.

Rumors of unsanctioned experiments on endangered species of animals were reported, and their mission was to find either evidence proving the reports or to the contrary. While he was occupied preventing his friends from exposure, the others would sneak into the facility and investigate the premises. Photographic verification or documents citing the work conducted there would be enough for the League to pursue action against the group.

"Acknowledged, Robin. Ready for potential radio silence – there is no telling if communication will hold within the confines of the labs," Aqualad responded.

"Roger."

Robin continued to survey the data, but after a couple minutes of this he was forced to shift positions. He sat with his back against a tree, one leg stretched out in front of him and the other curled up against his chest. The lower half of his body was starting to go rigid from the amount of time he sat, and he absently tried rubbing to relieve the joint that pressed on his torso as he kept a close eye on activity. The team had successfully made contact with the first row of buildings and was entering through a fragile point in the wall, but at that angle it would be impossible for most of them to detect where the two intercepting groups of soldiers was coming from – and fast.

"Wait guys, I'm picking up signatures in quadrant-"

Robin was cutoff at the sound of an incoming projectile. He was forced to abandon his post, but not before a throwing knife snapped the cable connecting him to the enemy network. Cursing as he lost visual of both his teammates and their closest threats, he resorted to the communicator.

"Guys, hey…anybody read me?"

"R-bin? We didn't co-py that las-"

Aqualad's voice was lost altogether as the radio transmission gave out, as did the others'. He was out of M'gann's mental range, so now he was not only separated from his group, but they were both operating blind. Forced to concentrate on the immediate threat, Robin focused on eliminating the lone guard that had discovered his hiding spot. He didn't waste time with the usual witty banter, intent on finishing this swiftly and efficiently.

The woman was not the same as the ones he'd seen patrolling the secret facility; she had the air of a hired mercenary. She was adorned with lightweight armor meant to retain fluid motion and a vest equipped for long distance combat. Weapons were attached within reach, and she grabbed more blades to toss at him again.

He back flipped to avoid the sharp instruments, each knife embedding in the ground inches behind him. He took refuge behind a thicket of trees, more blades sticking to the trunk he used for hiding. She tried luring him out with explosives. A grenade landed close by, and instead of dodging to the sides and into the open, he took to the treetops. Jumping that height was out of the question – his joints were already protesting acrobatics as simple as the ones he'd just accomplished, so he grappled a tree and perched on a branch hidden in thick foliage.

Even during the explosion Robin never lost sight of the enemy, who was skulking around his previous position. Fighting her one-on-one in close combat was foolish in his condition, and Robin didn't want to draw more attention than what he already had. With expert precision, he knocked her unconscious with a dart that would leave her asleep for a solid twenty-four hours. He spared a few seconds to be certain she would not awaken and then carefully scaled down the tree.

"Come on, come on, come on," he said under his breath, chanting the two words as he hurried to the area he'd staked out. Robin reconnected his gauntlet computer to the hidden network and regained the progress he'd made.

What he saw caused his jaw to clench – his friends were in danger of being apprehended. Aqualad and Artemis were wounded, the latter to the point of bleeding, and Kid Flash had gone through one too many glass walls. M'gann was being held hostage; she was unconscious and sporting various burn marks already. The guard that held her had aimed a flamethrower at her head. Superboy was forced to stand down due to the threat. A horde of security personnel moved in to keep him pliant.

Located thirty-five minutes away and without transport, Robin seriously debated whether or not to contact the League. The covert group was on rocky terms as it was, and if a Justice member was forced to bail them out and were caught in such shady territory it would be bad news. No, it was up to him to save everyone, and he had to trust that his team would do what they had to do to survive until he arrived to back them up.

Accessing a compartment of his utility belt, he retrieved a dosage of pain medication. The amount was just enough to last an hour and a half, max. It wouldn't completely mask the pain, but it would allow him to work past it. Anything stronger inhibited his concentration and that was a risk that couldn't be afforded on the battle field. Injecting the serum, Robin hurried to his friends' aid, making the long trek on foot.

The sensors were even easier to override on the actual base; Robin bypassed most threats by taking to the roofs. He sneaked in through a hole he made and resorted to crawling along the ceiling using magnetic pulses in his kneepads and gloves. The metal beam construction of the building and steel panel surfaces made traveling this way ideal.

He located M'gann first, who was kept separate from the others and heavily sedated. A pair of guards was positioned at each side of the door. Robin lowered himself by turning off the power in his gloves and tapped one of the guards on the shoulder, punching them out as they turned at the touch. He leapt onto the other guard's shoulders when their attention was alerted. Robin wrapped his legs tightly around their neck in a sleeper hold. Now safe to enter the room, he deactivated the lock and rushed to release M'gann from her restraints.

"Miss Martian? You with me?"

"No Uncle J'onn, I can't have another Oreo," she said, and proceeded to mumble incoherencies.

He examined her eyes with a penlight on his person, and her pupils not only showed signs of being under, but they shifted colors. They went from brown to yellow to purple, and settled on a blend of blue and white. Even in his peak condition, Robin was not physically strong enough to carry her, but leaving her behind also wasn't an option. He searched his utility belt for anything that would help, hoping that her alien physiology would combat the sedatives coursing through her system faster than it would a human.

"R-Robin?" M'gann eventually asked.

"Yeah?"

"I don't feel so good," she confessed.

"I know, but can you hold it together long enough to find the others? Everyone else was taken hostage, too," he said.

At the news, M'gann nodded and prepared herself, getting to her feet. She wasn't up to flying yet, but she could telepathically search for their group. The act strained her a great deal, and Robin had to support her for balance, but M'gann was as determined to find them as he was.

The rest of the team was locked up two structures over, amongst various animals in different stages of scientific development. That solved the issue of their initial objective. The latter group was caged together, while their friends were being held in individual, high-tech prisons amongst the beasts.

Upon their arrival, M'gann mentally pushed three guards in a closet after Robin tied them up, and Robin dealt with the two scientists inspecting their new 'lab rats'.

"Hey, Space Emerald! Glad you're all right," Kid Flash called to M'gann, and offered her a wink. "You too, Robin. What took you?"

At seeing M'gann alive, Superboy no longer held his strength in check but ripped his cage apart, helping to free Aqualad and Artemis. Robin released Kid Flash.

"I took the scenic route. How is everyone?"

"We need medical treatment, but it can wait," Aqualad reported. "I also have all we need." He demonstrated by revealing a tiny camera that had been secreted in the fin of his legging. "We have completed what we came to do. It's prudent that we escape while the opportunity has presented itself."

"Oh, but I wish there was something we could do for these poor animals. They look so abused, and they are…unhappy. Frightened," M'gann lamented, eying the rows and rows of contained experiments.

"I know, but it's not as if your ship can hold all of them, much less us with them," Artemis said, retrieving their weapons. "The better question is: how are we leaving? We really underestimated the number of security personnel and their skill level."

M'gann nodded, but still seemed uncertain. That gave Robin an idea. Walking to the control panel of every cage there, he grinned and started typing in commands.

"Uh, Rob – I recognize that look. What are you planning?" Kid Flash asked.

"I've devised our way out of here," he announced, unlocking the cages and sounding an alarm. As soon as the doors opened it became utter chaos, the commotion distracting the staff long enough for the team to break for it. They ran full out, retracing Robin's and M'gann's steps. At the last leg of the journey, Robin's time was up.

"Ergh, not now," he muttered. His medication had worn off and the strain of that night caught up to him. His steps slowed until he limped outright, his teammates gaining distance and farthering themselves from him. Robin gritted his teeth and continued on sheer force of will.

Sudden heat at his back signaled that an accident had occurred, possibly due to panicked workers or one of the animals. He dared not risk glancing back because it'd decrease his already sluggish speed. Then, without warning, he was swooped up by his utility belt and onto Superboy's shoulder. In Robin's determination to escape, he'd forgotten that his teammate had positioned himself at the rear in defense. Now, he hurried to reach the exit before the fire burned one of them alive. Superboy reached their destination at the last possible moment and jumped. Artemis and Aqualad caught him by the elbows, guiding him away from the explosion and to steady him.

"Are you both all right?" M'gann asked, already scanning them for injury.

Superboy nodded, then shifted Robin until he was holding him under the arms and out in front of him. He was scrutinizing Robin. He squirmed in his grasp, hoping his friend didn't have x-ray vision and had forgotten to tell them.

"You can put me down now," Robin instructed.

"No," Superboy said. "Why did you fall behind? Are you hurt?"

"Nah, it's cool."

Superboy flinched, and Robin knew what it was like to kick a puppy.

"You struggled to keep up," Superboy persisted, perhaps stubbornly, after witnessing Robin's lie for what it was.

"Can we like, not have this conversation now?" Kid Flash asked, coming to Robin's rescue. "Bioship now, interrogations after, okay?"

Superboy frowned, obviously ready to continue the conversation, but their leader agreed with Kid Flash's sentiments. And so the group fled to M'gann's spacecraft, Superboy refusing to release Robin until they were on board. As the group settled in and M'gann controlled the bioship toward their volcanic headquarters, Superboy positioned his seat backward. He glowered in Robin's direction, both hands gripping his knees. Robin remained silent, giving no outward sign he was fazed by the other boy's behavior other than the thinning of his lips. Kryptonians, even clones, may be stubborn, but Batmans and their protégés possessed ironclad wills.

The staring contest lasted half the trip.

"U-um, so all those animals we released… Will they be all right?" M'gann asked to break the silence.

"Sure, beautiful. With the proof we have and it roaming out in the open, the League will have to step in," Kid Flash said, aiming for laid-back, but his eyes shifted between Robin and Superboy nervously.

Artemis slammed both hands on her thighs, attracting all their attention, and said, "All right Robin, just man up already. You know Superboy won't let up until he's sure you're okay."

"Artemis is right," Superboy agreed.

"I said I'm fine!"

"You're not!"

"Am too."

"You're not telling the truth," Superboy said, the confused expression that crossed his features as difficult to accept as the flinch.

"If you came into contact with something in that facility, we should know. It's not sensible to let a wound from there fester," Aqualad advised, and Robin prepared to pounce on the explanation when their leader gave him a stern look. "Unless the problem stems from a prior predicament?"

Robin slouched in his seat, wishing they were at base because he was running low on excuses. He started as the seat shifted around him, as if offering him a hug.

"Robin…" M'gann started.

"Stop pressuring me!" Robin snapped, the back of the seat releasing him instantly in alarm. "It's not anything I can't handle."

Everyone remained silent after his outburst except Artemis, who released a sigh that disturbed the wisps of hair that had come undone from her ponytail.

"Fine, whatever – we all have personal details we want kept secret. I can respect that. But you have to promise us you'll call for help next time, all right? We each have our limit and so help me, if I find out you pulled the same sacrificial stunt a second time I'm carrying you, and you won't like it if I do."

"Deal," Robin said, and made certain to catch Superboy's eye in particular. "Seriously, I promise. I…Batman and I have this handled."

After a beat, Superboy nodded in acceptance and turned his seat to face the front. The rest relaxed as the confrontation was averted. The relief that flooded the interior of the ship was almost palpable. Robin felt it most of all; his secret was kept intact and the mission was completed.

He gripped his wrist to cover the tremors showing through, intent on keeping his word. He would handle this, and he could – if this mission proved anything, it was that he wasn't incapacitated. When it came down to it, he was still capable of performing.

A nudge to his upper arm startled him out of his thoughts. It was Kid Flash, and he was tentatively grinning; the upturned corner of his mouth more of a question than an offering. Robin provided a genuine smile, the grip on his wrist loosening so he could give his friend a bump against their knuckles in reassurance.

Soon he'd return to Gotham, and Batman would probably lecture him and Alfred would patch him up and there'd be bouts of physical therapy for weeks, but it was worthwhile. It'd always be worthwhile.

-Fin-