Kaldur'ahm's POV
The mission was an overall success. We located the enemies base and gathered the intel we needed. There were minor difficulties, but nothing too serious. The team got into a small scuffle, but we had experienced worse. In the end, we got the job done.
We only called in backup from the Justice League because those were our orders: To apprehend the Light's workers and secure their lab off of the island of Star City. When we got back to Mt. Justice I was summoned to the briefing room. Based on the atmosphere in the room, I could tell I did not want to be here. Batman was standing across the room looking at me. His face was stoic, but he was looking at me like he was looking past me. This was not unusual. The presence of my king, however, was.
Aquaman was looking at me strangely. He looked really confused. Worried.
"Kaldur…" His voice failed him.
"Was the mission not a success?"
"In a manner of speaking." This came from Batman.
"I do not understand. This was a recon and apprehend mission. We have done both. There were no casualties and only minor bruising on our side. We were careful."
"Aqualad have a seat. We want to play you a recording from one of the men we have in holding."
I tentatively took my seat. We were never let in on the interrogation part of missions. That was reserved solely for the Justice League. We had a task and fulfilled it.
I froze when I saw who was on the screen.
I attempted to look relaxed, but I knew I was failing spectacularly. Aquaman looked like he was faced with the biggest threat to his kingdom, and it would not surprise me. I could be wrong. This man. Dardanus. He abdicated the Atlantean army years ago and sided with Black Manta. This could be what it is about. I just need to regain my composure. Batman looked a bit sympathetic. It was not so much his eyes, which I could not see, but the way he tilted his head in my direction.
"What were you doing in Star City? Has Black Manta expanded his reach?"
No response.
"I am your King. Answer me."
"You are no longer my king. The time for Kings and Queens are past. The victory goes to those strong enough to take it."
"Manta tell you that? He may not call himself King, but that is where his true intentions lie. You will not escape justice this day. He cannot even protect you. And if he could, we both know he would not."
Laughter. Strange. Queer. Delusional laughter.
"He cannot protect me? You cannot protect your charge."
I stared blankly at the screen. I was doing my best to remember to breathe.
"You do not even know. But how could you? Durahm is a good boy. He knows when to keep a secret."
"What do you mean by this cryptic message? Be clear or hold your tongue."
"He remembers. I bet he can not forget. Did you know? You were not his first mentor. I was. In the Atlantean army. He was a green boy then. Smart. Lonely. So lonely. Always lonely."
No one interrupted him. I wished they had.
"He was so…special. He advanced so fast. He needed the extra attention so that he would impress the board. He needed to keep his army grant. His parents were struggling as it was you know. But Durahm…he was helping them really. Less of a financial burden. So selfless. Always so selfless."
Forget breathing. I did not need to breathe.
"He was so good. Ask him if he remembers me. Remembers us. We took him in. We set him above the others. He was so talented. Barely ever cried. He was so warm. So tight around my c-."
Aquaman had thrown the table over and was choking the man. Hitting him. Trying to get him to stop talking. To stop spilling secrets. My secrets.
"My son? A child? Have you no shame?"
Superman had appeared in front of the screen and was attempting to stop Aquaman. And if Green Lantern had gotten in a few good kicks, and Batman a combination of well placed punches to the gut, well…Superman could not be in more than one place at a time.
"He needed it. He begged us for it."
I had enough. Tears were threatening to spill over. I stood up and pushed away from the table.
"Please. I do not wish to see this. Please stop. Just…do not… I can not… Stop."
Batman swiftly stopped the tape.
"Aqualad-"
"No. No. No. No."
Aquaman sat me back down and had kneeled in front of my vision.
"Kaldur'ahm. Please try to be calm. Breathe."
"Not this…Too much."
"It will be well Kaldur. We just need to ask a a few questions."
"No one was supposed to know. Ever. They promised me this." I was talking to myself.
Batman came into my line of vision.
"Kaldur." He never called me by my name.
"We want to help you."
I wanted to be anywhere but here. As large as the room was, it was not big enough.
"I do not require this attention Batman. I have healed long ago. I speak truly on this matter."
It took him a second to understand what I was saying. He grimaced.
"I don't mean physically Kaldur. We want to -"
"That is not necessary. I will resign." I got up to exit.
Aquaman stopped me from leaving.
"We do not want you off of the team Kaldur. We only want to know what happened so that we can help in the best way possible. You do not have to leave the team."
"I can not be a leader after… this."
"Kal-"
"I am compromised." Why could he not leave me to myself? Why could he not see that I was compromised? I had taken care of myself for years. I could do it again.
"Aqualad. Please stay seated." Batman took over. Aquaman looked very uncomfortable.
"Do you want to tell us what happened?" Did I want to?
"Please do not ask this of me. It is better left alone. He is apprehended. Let us leave it at that. Can this thing not be done?"
Aquaman made a strangled noise in his throat.
Aquaman's POV
He looked up at me with such innocent and desperate eyes. He wanted us to let him keep this buried. I could not, in good conscience, allow that. If he had asked for anything else in that moment…I would have given it to him without hesitation.
"Kaldur. I hope you know that I care for you. Not only as my protégé, but as a son as well. Anything you tell me will not change our relationship."
He was the son I chose. He saved my life and I knew I could ask for no better. None more loyal.
With this new revelation, I could not help but think of all the times he insisted he was ok. Times that sleep eluded him. When he was more hurt from training than he let on.
Sha'lain'a. Calvin. They would have to be told. I promised them that I would protect their son. Mera would be so disappointed in me. For not knowing. Not seeing.
Kaldur. He deserved a better mentor. Not one who took everything he said at face value. But one who could see past the mask and help him heal.
Kaldur'ahm's POV
"I had to. I had to. I knew it was wrong, and it was my fault for letting it go on for so long-"
They were both shaking their heads. Telling me that, no, it was not my fault. That I was wronged. That I was not the guilty party here.
Batman's POV
I was not surprised that Aquaman seemed lost for words. I do not know what I would do if this ever happened to Dick.
Clark would stay with the scumbag for the night. He was the only one with enough self-control to not end his life.
I am glad we stopped the tape when we did. The man got more explicit the harder we hit him.
I had read Kaldur's file.
I know this is personal now, but I could not help but put my deduction skills to use to see why they had chosen him. He was a textbook case victim as far as picking one went.
Lonely, he had said.
Lonely indeed. He had no friends except for two who he had only met shortly before becoming Aqualad. His parents were poor and he was relying on a grant to keep him in the Atlantean army school. They probably threatened to have him kicked out if he did not cooperate.
I can not name how many of my elite peers were caught abusing children under the guise of philanthropy. I myself was under scrutiny when Dick became my ward.
People saw that I was a playboy and jumped to the conclusion that I was like that.
They could not have been further from the truth.
We were going to have to be careful with Kaldur. He was known for his self-sacrificing ways. He would blame himself. We could not let this ruin him.
I started the questions.
Kaldur's POV
"What is his name?" Before I could answer my king answered in my stead.
"I do not think he knows that. In the Atlantean Army trainers are known by what they teach and are assigned a number. It is to decrease the possibility of playing favoritism based on where one comes from."
Batman looked a little surprised at this.
Aquaman would have normally been right, but I did know his name. Dardanus. I knew all of their names. Dardanus, Arion, Kordax, and Topo.
"Nay my king. He told me. We were friends once?"
I did not know how to explain that they were not always monsters. That we used to just talk about good things. We did not always have secrets.
"Son. He led us to believe that there were more of them?"
He wanted to believe that this was not true. I could see it in his eyes. I could not meet them anymore. I began to cry.
"I do not want to do this."
His hand fell on my shoulder.
"It is okay Kaldur. They broke the rules. Not you."
"What will you do?" They shared a look.
"We have to notify your parents." Batman added in his opinion.
I could not allow this.
"You can not. This would hurt them unnecessarily. I will tell you all. If you would only promise to keep this between us."
I was desperate. My parents would blame themselves for my deceit.
Aquaman spoke quietly.
"We cannot do this Kaldur'ahm. Your parents deserve to know. Aside from this, you are a minor under both Human and Atlantean law. I am bound by oath to tell your parents. They will understand-"
I sobbed. There was nothing else to do. I could not persuade him. My darkest secret was being aired out to two men I looked up to. They will think me weak.
"Please Annex Orin. I cannot tell them. I cannot."
He held me. I wished Batman would leave. He is making me anxious.
He must have read my mind because he left the room.
"Kaldur. Son. Please believe that I have your best interest at heart."
"If you tell them they will blame themselves. Please do not do this to them."
"Aqualad. I know your parents. They both love you fiercely. There is nothing they would not do for you. They will not turn you away or shun you. Do you believe this?"
I just sobbed more. He hugged me tighter.
"I am afraid."