...And Children of All Ages

Aqualad, Kid Flash, Artemis, and Robin did not live in Happy Harbor. They all had there own mentors and villains to deal with. This made together time harder to come by. But getting to know each other and understand each other was important if they were going to be an effective team.

"I still can't believe they arranged a play date for us." muttered Wally.

"We need to get to know each other," Kaldur reminded him.

"I know that," Wally muttered, "But we don't need them to make the plans for us. Set up times and activities. Flash gave me board games to bring."

"What are you hiding Megan?" Robin said suddenly, and the other two heroes looked at there martian team mate. She had a large grin on her face and her hand behind her back. She was hiding something.

"I got a surprise for you guys." She said brightly, removing her hand and revealing six tickets. "We're going to the circus."

"Haley's Circus." Wally read off of his ticket, "I've been to that one, it is suppose to be the best on earth. They use to have these amazing acrobats too." Wally's eyes lit up. "Hey Robbie, they were in Gotham last, did you see them?" He looked at the younger boy, "Robbie?"

Robin was no longer in the room.

"Were did Robin go?"Wally asked.

"No idea, he just disappeared." Kaldur said

"I didn't even hear him go." muttered Superboy.

"He has got to stop doing that." Wally complained.

"Did I do something wrong?" asked Megan with a frown. She had seen stuff about circuses on TV. It had looked like fun. Red Tornado had agreed it was a good idea. But Robin's face when she had shown them her surprise made her doubt it.

"No," Kadur assured her. "Robin was being..." in truth, he had no idea what Robin was being.

"Well, this calls for an explanation." Wally snapped, and led the way through the cave, searching for the youngest member of the team.

He was not in the usual places. He wasn't hanging around the bars in the gym. He wasn't in the kitchen. He wasn't in the main computer room.

Returning to the living room, Megan turned to Superboy, "Can you use your super hearing, figure out where he is."

Superboy listened intensely. Dang, the kid was good. Was he even in the cave anymore. He waited a few second and then heard the muttering, though it was hard to work out what exactly was being said.

"Come on," Whisperer Superboy, leading them back to computer room, where they found Robin hiding in the shadows of a corner, speaking into his personal computer.

"Are you sure there isn't some kind of major break out at Arkham, or that the Commissioner needs a serial murder investigated, or that the mob needs to be taken down?" Robin begged.

"No, as I have already said, tonight is the gala, which last week you declined an invitation to. I believe you said something about the evils of the monkey suits." Batman said back.

Robin hung his head, "I know, but things change." He muttered.

"Such as?" Batman pressed.

"Megan, she had a surprise all planned for us." Robin told him. "An outing for us.

"That sounds nice." Batman responded, "I don't see the problem."

"She got us tickets to the circus, " Robin admitted. "Haley's Circus." Just saying the words brought back memories of breaking ropes and falling parents.

"I see." Said Batman, though his tone gave away nothing. However, Robin knew He was not just considering Dick's emotional health, but also the risk to his identity.

Suddenly, Robin stiffened, "You know," he said, "It is normally considered rude to ease drop."

Turned to look at his team mates, his glare could rival the Batman's.

"Yeah well, what's the big idea?" snapped Wally.

"Robin?" Asked Miss Martian, "Did I do something to upset you?"

"No." Wally said quickly, "You didn't do anything, he is just being..."

Exactly what Robin was being was the team never found out, because they were distracted my the computerized voice calling "Recognized, Batman."

All six teens ran towards the entrance were Batman was materializing.

"It appears, Robin, that we have a case that was not nearly as complete as I thought." He inclined his head ever so slightly, "Let's go."

"I'm sorry guys," Robin muttered as he followed his adoptive father, "But I...its...a circus, I can't."

Unseen by his friends he smiled as was about to leave.

"Clowns," He heard Batman say behind him, "It's a major phobia he's had for years."

They both returned to the cave minutes later.
"Clowns?" Robin asked.

"It seemed like a plausible excuse, and if they give you any trouble about it later you can always blame the Joker." Bruce said as he removed the cowl, "Alfred has you suit ready."

Dick sighed as he went to change. Wondering how he was going to save face with his team, and deal with the society gala. At least Babs would be there tonight, maybe she would have an idea.

Back At Mount Justice, The others simply stared in the Dynamic Duo's wake.

"Robin is afraid of Clowns?" Kaldur said, slightly unbelievingly. That just seemed so mundane for the boy wonder.

"I suppose I should have asked before I got the tickets," Megan said sadly.

"It's cool." Artemis assured her, "We can all go and still have fun."

Superboy however, was chuckling. "I can't believe Robin is afraid of clowns."

"Hey," Snapped Wally, "Clowns are scary.

A/N- So, I'm kind of obsessed with Young Justice, I'm also an eighteen year old girl, so not exactly the target audience, I've also recently gotten a bunch of my dorm mates addicted too. You might notice that Artemis seems kind of tacked on, that is because I started writing before she showed up, and I just kind of added her at the end.