The Bat and The Bird

The Jeweler's Shop

"Alright team, lets divide and conquer. Super Boy and Miss Martian take the west wing; Artemis and Kid will take the east wing; and me, Robin, and Liliac will take the main hall" Aqualad told them. With the help of Miss Martian, they were able to communicate telepathically.

Liliac reached the main hall first, and when she arrived, it was eerily silent. Robin and Aqualad arrived shortly after, but Robin held Aqualad back.

"What are you doing?" Aqualad whisper-shouted

"Just watch" Robin smiled. Aqualad obeyed and they watched from behind a pillar.

Liliac heard the softest step behind her, whipped around, and struck someone square in the chest, staggering him back. She then delivered a quick, powerful kick to his abdomen, one swift sweep of her leg and the man was on the floor. Her powerful right hook nearly took the guy's consciousness.

Then came the swarm. A dozen men in colorful uniforms came right at her from all sides, Robin and Aqualad sprung into action, but by the time the had taken care of a few, Liliac had handled the rest. The ten or so men she had taken down lay groaning or unconscious on the floor.

"Woah" Aqualad smiled

"I know right" Robin chuckled

"What are you two smiling at?" Liliac asked

"W-Why sooooooo serious-s Miss L-Liliac?!" The first man she took out laughed, with what little breath he still had.

"Joker" Robin narrowed his eyes

"Correct Bird-Boy!" He laughed again, slowly sitting up.

Before he got the chance to say anything else, Liliac kicked him in the head, knocking him unconscious. The sudden move startled her two partners.

"What?" She asked, "I don't like the whole speech crap people do before they beat each other up"

"Fair enough" Artemis said as she and Kid entered the room, adding the men they had taken out to the pile. Super Boy and Miss M did the same.

"The police are outside. Do you mind helping them round up these guys KF?" Aqualad asked

"My pleasure" Kid Flash grinned before running all the guys and the Joker into police vans.  

"How did Joker get that many guys to help him rob a simple jeweler store?" Robin asked aloud

"He knew you were coming, but I must say, you all didn't do a bad job" Superman said in a serious and almost condescending voice as he floated down from the sky. Liliac looked around and quickly spotted Batman, but turned away quickly before he could make eye contact with her.

"You all alright?" Green Lantern asked the group, they all looked between each other to check, and then nodded.

"Good, you better head back to base and rest up. That fight wasn't suppose to be as elaborate and advanced as it ended up being" Aquaman noted

"Although are they ever?" Flash chuckled

"Only if it's a trap" The Martian Manhunter added before sending them all off.

Batman stopped Robin and Liliac.

"How was the Joker?" Batman asked gravely

"Surprisingly easy" The replied in unison. They looked at each other funny, shook their heads, and returned their gazes to Batman.

"Interesting... Here" He handed them small bat clips

"What are these for?" Liliac questioned, examining hers

"If you ever need me, use these. The Joker and many others are automatically going to target you two, even more now that your not with me all of the time. Be careful" Batman said in a voice so low that no one could hear, but after years of training with him, the two could hear perfectly clearly.

"It works two ways" Robin noted, smirking

"Hey, I'm getting old" Batman gave the two kids one of his small, rare smirks. They both laughed softly.

"Yeah right, you're still up and running" Liliac patted Batman on the back, he rolled his eyes in response and Robin laughed again.

"Ready you two?" Aqualad asked from the doorway of the shop

"Coming!" Robin grinned and flipped his way over to Aqualad

"Show off" Liliac and Aqualad rolled their eyes in unison as they walked past a cocky-looking Robin.

"Hey! Those were good and you know it!" He chuckled and ran after them.

~~~

"Where's Liliac? I'd figure our big gun would want to celebrate with us" Aqualad said. The whole team sat in the lounge area with drinks and snacks, talking and celebrating their successful mission.

"Big gun?" Super Boy questioned skeptically

"Yeah dude, she took out the Joker and more than half our guys all on her own" Aqualad chuckled. The team shared a nod, most of them hadn't seen her in action yet, but they took Aqualad's word for it more or less.

"I'll see what she's up to. She's not exactly the celebratory type" Robin chuckled half-heartedly as he got up, "Or the people type" He muttered as he left the room.

Robin's feet echoed softly in the empty hallways as he made his way to Liliac's room.

"Going somewhere?" He asked when he entered Liliac's room and noticed she had a bag slung over he shoulder.

"Home for a little bit" She nodded

"Did you let Batman know? It's been awhile since you've stayed there" Robin frowned slightly. Liliac had moved out and into her house in the slums when Robin had moved in with Bruce, and although she had told him she lived there while she was training with him, she didn't tell him that she was actually Bruce Wayne's daughter. He didn't need to know, and he didn't ask.

"God I haven't been there in ages" She chuckled at the memory, "No, I'm going to my house"

"Oh" Robin was surprised, "When will you be back?" He asked, looking up at her slightly as she neared him. Liliac was about a year older than Robin, and in addition to secretly liking her, he also looked up to her a little, but he'd never admit it.

"Are you worrying again Robin?" She chuckled, Robin rolled his eyes. She always made fun of his worrying about her, he didn't know if she'd ever understand the sincerity of his concern. Liliac fully understood Robin's emotions, and she wanted to reciprocate, but she wasn't good at confronting or expressing emotions. She wanted to let him know that everything he did affected her, and that she trusted him more than anyone else, but instead she avoided her feelings, fearing they made her weak, and therefore was quite dismissive.

"I'll let you know when and if Batman drops by" Robin said as he walked her towards the beams

"Sounds good. See you soon" She lifted two fingers to her forehead and extended them out softly, giving him a casual farewell salute before she was gone.

Robin mirrored her action to an empty room, then turned and went back to the lounge, his mind clouded with thoughts and emotions.