Wally looked over at his mentor who seemed to be dragging his feet across the mountain, instead of his usual speedy way. The flash Wasn't the only one who has been like this, it seemed to spread from one hero to the next like some weird cycle.. The rest of the team seemed to notice as well. After all, this was going on for more than four months.

"Green arrow wouldn't even move when he came back from the watchtower ;Like all of his energy was drained" Artemis complained. "I had to team up kid idiot to patrol the city while he went to probably sleep the night away!"

"Hey! It is not like I had a say in the matter, my uncle has been like that too y'know!" Wally crossed his arms stubbornly. "Ever since that meeting Batman called to the watchtower, The League seems to be either exhausted or completely on edge."

Kaldur frowned. "He is correct, whatever the meeting was about, it seems to be taking up a lot of our mentors time."

"Maybe they are guarding something?" M'gann offered. "Something that is hard to control..." M'gann remembered the grim expression on Martian Manhunter's face before it was his turn to go to the watchtower. Never had she seen her uncle look..worried..It must have been dangerous whatever it was.

"Or someONE" Connor interjected " Have you noticed how quiet it has been recently?" HE looked up to see that his team did not understand what he was getting at. "There has been no news on Renegade..He has not showed up here after that meeting in the watchtower."

Wally nodded. "That is a good point.. But the entire league babysitting one person, that is crazy!"

"Yeah, he looked even younger than us, he would not need all that supervision" Artemis agreed.

"Perhaps it is time we asked our mentor's face to face." Kaldur nodded.

------

"It is none of your concern what we are doing." Batman scowled.

"Come on Bats, it's about time your little bird left the nest." Flash said eagerly. He wanted more than anything not to have to babysit today. Don't get him wrong, in a weird way the kid was dare he say warming up to him--Flash would like to believe that he was the favorite after the past few months even if he was still called 'delivery boy'.

"Little bird?" Wally asked, looking confused, Batman giving a glare now at his uncle.

"He is referring to Robin." Batman spoke in a dark tone. He did not want to bring up Dick until he was sure that he would no longer be a threat. He did not even want him in the business at all.. He was rather angry when he found out some of the League spent their babysitting hours training with the child rather than watching them. He put in his say that the child was a complete threat, yet he still finds most of the heroes treating him like he was some cute little child that would not hurt a fly. He knew for a fact that Ren--Robin was using that to his advantage. It is hard to even say if he was learning any good from them at all.

Flash smirked a little, taking the risk of opening his mouth again. "Batman here has taken on a protege~"

The entire team looked shocked. Batman worked alone, he would never work with someone especially a kid--Gotham being the dangerous place it was.

Batman scowled deeper. Robin was NOT his protege, he is his responsibility to keep under a tight leash.

"But then..why are you helping" M'gann asked curiously.

"Ah well.." Flash fumbled a bit at the question, not sure how to answer. "Well I sorta have been teaching him the ropes as well... a lot of the league has--"

"Enough!" Batman barked out. "That is enough."

The flash flinched, whispering to batman, just out of earshot of the team (well except superboy, who was listening in) "Come on Batman... He has gotten better..he even is showing emotions..."

Batman growled a little, remembering one of Dick's mental breakdowns. He had tried to play it off afterwards, but it was Martian Manhunter's day, emotions are impossible to hide from him. Though still, neither of them exactly spoke of WHY the breakdown happened..Dick seemed to respect Manhunter for that. "WE will discuss it later. For Now, I have a Mission for the team."

----

Batman returned to the watchtower shortly after with the Flash. The air was tense and Flash knew exactly why..he opened his big mouth about Robin.

"HEY! It's delivery boy!" A voice called out, rushing over to greet the two heros. "I was wondering when we were going to complete our game of poker!~"

Flash shivered. He was still in the hole from the last time he played with the kid, he had been in debt to this kid, he had to pay his way in my sneaking in chocolate bars for Robin. Did not really help the whole 'delivery boy' situation either. " Maybe next time Robin." He smiled softly at the teen. He really WAS getting better, he had less of that creepy vibe..still, he seemed to scare the living daylights out of anyone who let down their guard. He kind of reminded him of Batman in that way: stealthy and popping out of nowhere. Flash was just glad that he did not have to play any form of hiding seek with the kid. Coming from Green Arrow and Superman, they could not find the kid for an entire hour, and that was with Supe's x-ray vision.

Renegade, now known as Robin, gave a knowing smile..the creepy one that Flash always hated. That smile meant he was up to no good, that was for sure. "You came with Batman. Oooohh You must be in troubbblllleeee" Robin mocks, letting out an eerie laugh. "What did you do Delivery Boy? Blab about me?" He paused when he saw Flash pale. "Ohhhh you did didn't you!" He chirped excitedly, moving over to Batman's side and mimicking his scowl. "Shame on you, no tv for a week." Dick growled and wagged his finger at Barry, but a smile was threatening the corners of his mouth.

Flash tried not to laugh, he really did. He WAS in trouble with the Bat, but Robin always made it really hard to stay serious. One of his many talents is lightening the mood of the room...when he wants to. Barry let out a snicker, earning him a glare from Batman. "What? He does a good impression. He definitely would have been your protege."

Dick seemed to find that comment even more hilarious "Him? He hates my guts!" Dick laughed. "Sure my old mentor tried to kill me MULTIPLE times, but you guys said that's not how mentorship works~"

Both the heroes froze at the mentioning Of Deathstroke. They have all seen the scars on Robin's body, the whip lashes, the stab marks, the bullet wounds, needless to say this kid has been through probably more ways of torture than any of them have. It would not be surprising if that was why the kid was so twisted. "You are right. Mentors do not do that." Batman said coolly " But you are wrong in saying that I quote 'Hate your guts'."

Robin laughed. "Please, you wanted to keep me in a cell for the rest of my life. Not blaming you by the way, just seems like 'Hate your guts' material." He hummed a bit before returning to the previous conversation. "So delivery Boy, who'd you blab to?"