Title: Let's Start From the Beginning
Rating: low T
Word Count: 3,700+
Characters: introducing: Aquagirl!Lorena Marquez, Kaldur/Lorena, the Team, King Orin, Queen Mera
Summary: Her eyes are a rich chocolate brown, but it sucks that the first time he looks into them, they're brimming with unshed tears and swimming with confusion.
Prompt: #34: memory
Other Inspirations: none
Notes: I only know of Lorena's character, meaning that I've read a few descriptions of her and a few scanned comic pages and that's about it. Basically, she adopted her own personality and relationship with Kaldur, so I'm sorry if they're inconsistent to the comic background to those of you who actually know her. I liked how she turned out, though, so I hope to write more of her (: I dub this universe the "Aquagirl 'verse"
Let's Start From the Beginning
He hadn't expected much when he'd seen her body floating there and, on an impulse, dove deeper and brought her to shore. Maybe he'd been captivated by her beauty, the way her dark hair flowed in the water, the color of her tanned skin, and figured leaving her there like that where no one could see it, too, would be a crime. She really was stunning.
But he noticed she was still breathing, her chest rising up and down softly and slowly, almost unnoticeably, like someone sleeping.
He doesn't know why his throat feels dry as he takes her wrist oh-so gently in his hand and runs his thumb over her skin, pressing slightly, feeling something pulsing faintly. He gulps a little and licks his lips and just forces himself to get closer, even if it's an invasion of personal space, and presses his ear to her chest.
She has a heartbeat.
And it's not like just some heartbeat. It's vibrant and thrumming and almost rhythmic. It's kind of fascinating, just like her.
"Aqualad!" Robin's voice echoes somewhere above him, then there's a muted crunch as his light, acrobatic body lands in the sand. "Whoa. Is she…?"
"She is alive." His voice comes out in a whisper, conveying the shock he felt—still feels—over that fact. "I pulled her out of the water."
"Out of the water?"
There is beeping and silent whirring before he can answer, and Kaldur doesn't need to turn around to know that his holographic computer is on and no doubt searching the Watchtower files for residents of San Diego so that they can put a name with this face. "It was just a few minutes ago," Kaldur reports, "but I… she had actually been under the water for I do not know how long before I got to her."
"Wait, wait." Kaldur turns to meet the whites of his mask. "Are you trying to tell me that she can breathe under water?"
"I do not know what I am trying to tell you, Robin."
Robin's eyebrows shoot up his forehead and he exhales a heavy breath, returning to his holographic screen. "Wait till Batman hears this."
... ...
They take her back to the Mountain with them rather than a hospital, and Batman rushes her into the infirmary and tells the Team to wait in the living room. It'd been a long day because of the earthquake, with half of San Diego now underwater. They'd done the best they could to salvage the rest and now the League is still out there trying to guide the citizens through the chaos.
"Her name is Lorena Marquez."
Kaldur turns around and sees Robin sliding onto the island countertop and Wally sitting on a barstool, chips in hand.
"Your mystery girl," Robin clarifies before Kaldur can ask. He can faintly make out the picture as it reflects off of his shades from his holographic computer. "Bats found her file on the fly over."
He's very curious right now, but then again, curiosity killed the cat, didn't it? "I am unsure if we should examine her file when we are not supposed."
"Come on, Kal," Wally cries, "This is the first time you've showed interest in a girl since…" Tula. "…well, forever! We're going to look. It's for your own good, buddy."
True enough, the face flickering against the blue screen is a match to the girl he found. Her picture seems to be a school photo, with her name above in white and all this information scrolling to the left. It feels wrong to be reading all of this, learning things about her without her permission, so he doesn't read anything.
He just studies her picture and wonders what a girl like her was doing in San Diego.
... ...
Her eyes are a rich chocolate brown, but it sucks that the first time he looks into them, they're brimming with unshed tears and swimming with confusion.
She's lost her memory.
According to King Orin, her parents were among those reported to not have survived. Batman's posture is rigid and stiff and Robin is beside him with his lips pursed and body equally tense. The Team is trying to comfort Lorena and break the ice while the four of them stand to the side and contemplate the decision to tell her about her parents, or make something up and get her adopted into a new family, or…
"To throw her into a life of crime-fighting, though," King Orin says, mostly to himself, and Kaldur sees Batman look at Robin.
"She has the abilities," Batman reminds. "But the decision will be entirely hers."
"Whether we should offer it to her is my question, Batman."
Batman presses his lips together, and it's the first time Kaldur has seen anyone cause him to do that.
"We don't have to make her decide right away, do we?" Robin reminds. "She still needs to stay for a while to make sure she makes a full recovery."
"Good idea, Robin," Batman says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll continue to test the length of her capabilities and take it from there. The decision will be hers to come by. Arthur, will you…"
"I'll take responsibility for her," Orin finishes, and Batman nods. "Kaldur will help as well, won't you?"
Kaldur turns to look at where Lorena is sitting with the others, missing the way Robin and Orin are smiling at him. "Of course, My King."
... ...
"We may take a break, if you wish to."
Lorena grasps the hand he extends to her as she lifts herself out of the pool. It doesn't hurt him, of course, but he notices the way she grips her fingers really tightly around his every time she gets in and out of the water or how she squeezes onto his arm when he stands beside her for her twice-daily check-ups. He hasn't pointed it out, though, and neither has she, so it's probably just a reflex.
"I'm alright," she assures, and doesn't say anything else as she wipes her face with a towel.
She hasn't left the Cave since arriving nor has she requested to, and she hasn't even asked anything about her past despite her lack of memories. It's not hard to tell that she's dodging and just going along with everything they tell her. If they asked her to join the Team, she just might.
"Would you like to go down to the beach, then?"
"Kaldur'ahm," she laughs, "it's alright. I'm really not that tired yet."
He gives her a small smile. "My friends call me Kaldur. And I was simply suggesting that we take the training outside."
She blinks. "Uh…"
"The sunlight will be good for you," he assures.
She gives this little grin and looks up at him. "Sure. Let's go."
... ...
They're returning from swimming laps in the pool when they walk into the kitchen and M'gann is not-so-surprisingly in the middle of baking. Conner is standing with the small of his back against the counter off to the side, arms folded across his chest as he watches. "The others have returned home already?" Kaldur asks curiously, looking around. It's barely even evening.
"No," Megan informs, "Robin and Zatanna took their motorcycles out for ride and I think Wally and Artemis are sparring in the gym."
"They're always in there," Lorena points out, missing the way Megan, Conner, and Kaldur look up and give these knowing smiles to each other. "What're you making?"
"I'm trying this apple pie recipe. Oh, and making snickerdoodles," Megan says cheerfully. "Want to help?"
Lorena's eyes flicker to Kaldur in a moment of hesitation.
He smiles encouragingly. "Conner," he says, turning to look at his friend, "Would you like to accompany me to the hanger? I believe Batman said something about working on the vehicles there."
Conner just shrugs, "Sure. Whatever," and heads for the hallway, and Kaldur follows. When he looks over his shoulder for a quick check, Megan is smiling and handing Lorena an apron, and Lorena traces her finger along the edge of a mixing bowl when the Martian has her back briefly turned away and pops it into her mouth, accidentally meeting his eyes as she licks the cookie dough off.
He chuckles at the way she blushes and tells Conner, "It is nothing," when he asks what's so funny.
... ...
(When the girls come down to the hanger to visit a few hours later, she holds the plate full of cookies in front of him and then giggles at the grin he gives when he takes one. Then she's actually laughing when Megan asks what's going on and Kaldur realizes this is the first time he's heard it.)
... ...
It's late one night when he's feeling restless and can't get to sleep, so he walks out of his room and into the kitchen for a drink or maybe a midnight snack.
He should've been more wary when he saw the light on at the other end of the hallway but didn't think much of it until he sees Lorena sitting at the island, kicking her feet back and forth as they dangle off of the barstool and holding an empty glass between her hands.
"Is everything alright?" he asks, and watches her jump slightly in surprise at his presence.
"Kaldur," she breathes. "I'm fine, I guess. I, um, just couldn't really get to sleep." She furrows her eyebrows. "What about you?"
"It seems that I have trouble sleeping tonight as well," he says simply. "My friends have told me that a snack or a drink may help with it."
She lifts her glass. "I drank water, but it wasn't all that helpful."
He nods and gets his own glass from the cupboards, and then pulls a pitcher of orange juice from the fridge. "Perhaps something with a little more flavor?"
She shrugs one shoulder but smiles and pushes her glass towards him, and he only fills their glasses halfway before putting the pitcher back. He watches as she takes a small gulp and lets out this refreshed sigh, grinning at the way her lips curve upward into a smile before taking a sip as well.
"Well, that definitely was refreshing," she admits, "but I'm not sure if I'm all that sleepy yet."
He walks over and sits down. "Then there must be something on your mind that is troubling you and preventing you from resting."
She exhales a humorless chuckle and shakes her head, drinking some more orange juice before answering. "That's an understatement."
"I am here to talk about it, if you would like."
She licks her lips absently. "It's kind of a lot to dump on you in the middle of the night, don't you think?"
He knows it's meant to be a rhetorical question, but he shakes his head anyway and replies, "Then that also means it is a lot to keep inside as well."
"Touché." He chuckles and she smiles somewhat tiredly at him. "I promise I will, just… just another night. Losing my memory and then being brought here can just be a lot to think about at once."
His eyes soften. "I am sorry we are keeping you here like this."
"I'm not." She shrugs her shoulders and looks at him with upturned eyes. "If I really am … special or something… then I'm glad that you guys are letting me be a part of this, I don't know, whole covert world you've got going on." She laughs a little, probably at how ridiculous it sounded. "I'm glad that I met you guys. I know I still am, but most of the time I feel like less of a stranger here."
"We are glad to have you here as well," he tells her, and she bites her lower lip and smiles.
... ...
He was a little nervous about returning home.
It was just for a visit to see Queen Mera and King Orin's newborn child, and both personally asked him to come, so he wasn't about to say no. But as much as he loves his friends, he can't be around Tula and Garth knowing they're in love and feel completely comfortable yet. He's still immensely happy for them and nothing will change that, though, so usually he'll grin and bear it.
However, this time around, he's also worried about leaving Lorena back at the Cave. The rest of the Team will be there, of course, and she's comfortable with them by now. But he caught that slight look of uncertainty on her face when he'd told her they'd have to put off training until tomorrow because he was going to be gone for a few hours.
"I will be back by the afternoon," he assures. "The others will be here with you."
"I'll be fine, Kaldur," she says softly.
He chuckles and she furrows her eyebrows at him. "It is alright to admit when you are worried, Lorena," he tells her, putting a hand on her shoulder.
She breathes deeply and swallows a little before nodding, and he squeezes a little in a comforting way before stepping back. "Just…" she begins when he's setting coordinates for the transporter, and he looks back at her over his shoulder. "Come back soon?"
He smiles and says, "Of course," before disappearing into a flash of bright light.
... ...
"So Kaldur, how is Lorena adjusting?" Orin asks over lunch a few hours after his arrival, his son cradled in a bundle of blankets with the Justice League logo in his arms.
"She is noticeably more relaxed now, My King."
Mera is sitting between her husband and Kaldur with her arm draped over his shoulder. She hasn't really let go of Kaldur since Orin took the baby from her and she hugged him tightly, and Kaldur notices it's the same motherly way Iris acted with Wally when he and Robin used to frequently join the redhead and his aunt and uncle for dinner before. Iris always needed to have her arms around one of them.
"Oh yes, Orin was telling me about the girl you found," Mera says. "It sounds as though she possess similar abilities as Atlanteans."
"Yes. We have confirmed she can breathe the oxygen in water like we can, and that she possesses enhanced durability and strength," Kaldur informs. "That is all, however."
"Meaning she has no idea about sorcery," Mera deduces.
"But not necessarily meaning she doesn't have the capability to," Orin adds. "Perhaps you can test this, Mera."
She nods. "For now, however, I think she needs to have the time for the dust to settle in her life before introducing even stranger things to her."
"You are not that strange, My Queen."
Both Mera and Orin laugh. "I am glad you are in higher spirits, Kaldur," Mera tells him.
"My Queen?"
She runs a hand over his shaved head. "You may hide it well, Kaldur, but it is easy for me to see how hard it can be for you to visit when Garth and Tula are around." He looks at her and can't help but return the smile she gives him. "This girl has become a good influence on you. Perhaps you were meant to find her."
"My Queen," he says, fighting the heat rising to his cheeks. She just laughs again and asks the chef to bring out dessert.
... ...
"Stand still and hold your arms out. Oh, and hold this," Robin instructs, giving her one end of the tape measure as he drags it across her wingspan. "Okay, you can put your arms down."
"What do you think? Red to match Kaldur, or…" Zatanna shrugs at Artemis's question and looks at where Kaldur is sitting between Conner and Wally as they're in the middle of whatever game they're playing. "Then again, almost everyone on the Team has some splash of red on their costume. Maybe that'll be like trying too hard to match."
"Everyone except you," Wally points out, and laughs as he ducks to avoid the pillow she chucks at him. "And Zatanna! Sheesh, you didn't let me finish!"
"As if that's what you were really going to say," Artemis scoffs.
Robin chuckles and wraps the tape measure around Lorena's waist. "Why don't you guys just have Miss M show you?"
Lorena blinks. "Huh?"
M'gann lowers a plate of fresh cookies onto the glass coffee table and beams. "I forgot you haven't seen my shape-shifting yet. Oh, but only if you're okay with it, of course."
"They're really good," Robin reassures. "It'll be like looking into a mirror. You should try it."
Lorena laughs and brushes back some of her bangs, "Sure."
He's not sure who hits pause, but their game freezes and Kaldur looks over his shoulder to where Robin has Lorena on a pedestal to take her measurements. M'gann gives a little twirl and lifts her arms a bit like she always does when she shape-shifts, and they all laugh in amusement at the way Lorena's eyes widen and she lets out this breath as M'gann shifts into an exact copy of her, with a different outfit.
When the shock dies down a little more, Lorena arches an eyebrow slightly and kind of purses her lips. "Yeah, I don't think red is my color."
"What about blue?" Kaldur suggests.
"Blue?" M'gann shifts the color of the costume and Kaldur smiles at the way Lorena's eyes light up. "Is this better?"
Everyone in the room kind of mumbles their agreement, and he wonders if it's supposed to mean something when Lorena's eyes meet his over M'gann's shoulder when she says, "It's perfect."
... ...
Her very first mission, she stands at the center of the Cave with her fingers over her temples and is mumbling to herself. They're waiting for the four to arrive through the transporter, and Conner and M'gann are kind of off in their own little conversation, so Kaldur places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes slightly and tells her that she has nothing to worry about.
"I'm going to forget all of our training, Kaldur. I just know it."
"You are going to perform spectacularly," he assures, "and the Team will not let you disappoint yourself. I will not let you do so."
She smiles a little. "Really?"
"It will be a memorable debut." He grins. "So grand that even you cannot forget."
She shoves his shoulder playfully as she laughs and says, "Shut up," and he can tell she's calming down a little more.
(When their mission is a complete success and they're boarding the bioship so they can return home, he takes her by her elbow and says that he knew she was going to make a great Aquagirl. She blushes a little and slips her hand in his and that smile never leaves her face for the rest of the night.)
... ...
There's a knock on his door in the middle of the night, and he was awake anyway, but he still hesitates and wonder who it could be. When he opens it, Lorena is standing on the other side with her arms folded across her chest and a pleasant smile. "Sorry if I woke you," she apologizes, tilting her head a little.
He shakes his head. "I was already awake."
"I was kind of hoping you were," she says in this soft voice, looking up at him, "because… I'm ready to talk about it."
He smiles a little wider than he thinks he is and follows her down the hallway and into the kitchen. She gets them both glasses from the strainer and sits on the bar stool as he pours from the pitcher.
She talks the shock over the loss of her memory and feeling uncomfortable those first few days at the Cave and being completely lost in the situation, and he grasps her hand across the counter when she gets teary-eyed and a bit choked up. He hates that she's been holding this to herself for so long but is also torn with feeling glad she's finally comfortable with opening up, especially to him.
When he tells her this, she chuckles a little and gets up and lowers her empty glass into the sink. Then she walks over to him and shrugs on shoulder and says, "Of course I'm comfortable with you."
"I am glad, then," he sort of whispers.
She takes his hand in hers and places it at her waist, standing with her legs between his knees and her face so close to his that he can count every one of her eyelashes. She places her other hand on his cheek and presses her lips against his, and he can't help but notice that they taste like orange juice.
... ...
He's surprised at how perfectly calm he (mostly) feels right now, considering everything, but he figures it has a lot to do with the way Lorena gripped his fingers as they stepped through the transporter. It's pretty much her tell that she's nervous and that's probably why he's not, since he's the one thing that seems to be able to calm her down.
She was quieter than usual but still entirely polite during the introduction, and smiles at him from over Tula's shoulder when the girl gives her a hug.
"It is so good to finally meet you," Tula gushes as he pulls back. "We have heard wonderful things."
"Kal's told me amazing things about you two as well," Lorena tells her.
Garth places a hand on his shoulder and smiles when Kaldur turns to look at him. "She's definitely a keeper, Kaldur," he says, and Kaldur smiles back because, yeah, he already knew that.
"Come on," Tula says excitedly, grabbing their attention, "Let's go give Lorena a tour!"
... ...
The sun is blazing overhead with their laughter filling the air as the Team runs around the beach at the base of the Mountain.
He's standing with his calves in the water and laughing as Lorena is running around and flailing her arms about. Robin and Zatanna are splashing water at each other and trying to knock the other over, and Conner and M'gann are playing with all of the beach balls they brought out, and Wally is wrapping is arms around Artemis's waist and taking her down with him as a wave washes over them.
Lorena runs over to him and throws her arms around his waist, and he chuckles and places a hand on the small of her back to steady her. "What are you doing?" he asks, one eyebrow raised.
She just shrugs her shoulders and pulls him down to press a kiss to his cheek. "I'm making memories."