Here it is! The much anticipated second instance of brotherly (birdly?) love from everyone's favorite little bird!

Shout outs to E-Scope5426, ZigZaggy, Infinite Alpha-Omega 1, Amara Rae, DoggieFanNumber1, RandomKitty101, Sairey13, TheGirlNightwing, GeekFreak, Immaworkin, Sporks, and Can'tShutUp! You guys make me feel whelmed! Have a virtual cookie! (::)


ENJOY!


Mount Justice: September 5, 11:02 a.m.

"Tell me my friend. Do you ever wonder what would have been if our positions had been reversed?"

Garth shook his head, smiling down at Tula as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Never."

Kaldur smiled. "Neither have I ."

He couldn't stop thinking about that conversation. Standing there at the zeta tube, gazing at the woman he loved in the arms of another. For so many years, those two had been his best friends.

None could have been closer.

He was happy for them, he really was. And he had told them so before he left, congratulating the two of them. They had both apologized, feeling as though they had betrayed him in some way, as he'd never made his feelings toward Tula a secret. He had reassured them that this was not the case.

But a very small, traitorous part of him couldn't help but feel that they were right.

Kaldur sighed and looked away, leaning back against the wall of the kitchen, his arms folded over his chest. He was only half listening to the team's conversation as they sampled M'Gann's latest cooking creation of the charcoal variety.

He absently chewed on a bite of his, the rest waiting in his hand to be eaten.

They might've been cookies once, before their trip through the culinary hell fires. Then again, they could just as easily have been biscuits, or maybe really flat cupcakes.

There was no way of knowing what it was supposed to be unless they asked M'Gann, and that would show her that they couldn't tell and that she had failed.

Hence, asking M'Gann what on earth she'd been trying to cook was an unspoken taboo.

"Kaldur?"

Kaldur looked up in surprise. The rest of the team was looking at him oddly, and M'Gann was floating right in front of him, a concerned look on her face. Belatedly, he realized he hadn't finished her sample, and he wasn't entirely certain how long she had been floating there trying to get his attention.

"Is everything ok?" M'Gann asked. "You haven't taken more than a bite.

Kaldur offered up a small, tired smile. "My apologies M'Gann, I was distracted." He took another bite of his burnt whatever it was.

M'Gann smiled back uncertainly.

Kaldur wasn't one to linger over anything, and he was usually the one she could best rely on to deliver honest criticism without hurting her feelings. She knew that her cooking skills were poor but she tried anyway, because Kaldur had encouraged her to keep trying to improve.

"Are they any better than the last batch of cookies?" she asked anxiously.

Ah, so they were supposed to be cookies!

Kaldur smiled and nodded.

This recipe called for a pinch of salt in amongst all the sweeteners, and truthfully, Kaldur believed that she might have added more than a pinch by mistake. Usually her recipe was sound, she just tended to leave things in the oven to long.

"You are improving with each and every attempt M'Gann." He reassured, forcing as much warmth as he could into his voice.

It must've worked because she seemed happy enough.

"Hey Kaldur!" Artemis called from across the kitchen. "Boy wonder here says Bats is giving us the next week off. When will you be heading out for Atlantis?"

Kaldur kept himself from wincing at the mention of Atlantis with a supreme effort of will.

He straightened up from his position against the wall. "I will not be returning to Atlantis during the team's hiatus this time. My king requires my presence on the surface." He turned and quietly left the kitchen.

He didn't notice the shocked looks that followed him.


Mount Justice: September 9, 5:29 p.m.

Kaldur drew his knees up against his chest, watching as the waves slowly rolled in from Happy Harbor, crashing down and breaking on the sands of Mount Justice's shore.

True to what Robin had claimed, Batman had indeed given them the week off from missions. And the past several days had been torture for Kaldur. At least if they'd had missions he would've had something to focus on, keep himself distracted from the mixture of joy and pain that was Garth and Tula's love and friendship.

But there were no missions, and the Atlantian had found himself with way too much time on his hands.

And no matter what he tried, Garth and Tula were at the forefront of his thoughts, bringing a monsoon of emotions with them.

He did miss Atlantis, and he missed his two friends waiting there for him below the surface. But, for the time being, it would be better for all concerned if he remained here on the surface.

He sighed, crossing his arms over his knees and resting his head on them.

Four days into the seven eventless days the team had been given.

Three to go.

At first he had sought out his friends, thinking to distract himself with their company. But he soon found that he couldn't focus. And so he had eventually sought out solitude, that he might attempt to sort out his emotions in private.

That hadn't really worked either.

He felt horrible, but he didn't want his friends to know that something was wrong. He didn't want to tell them his troubles.

It wasn't that he didn't trust them, or care for them, or doubted that their friendship was genuine. He put his life in their hands every time they went out on a mission, and they had placed their lives in his by naming him their leader. And he knew that if he took his troubles to them, they would do whatever they could to help him. There was no lack of trust and care between him and his friends.

But he kept this latest blow to himself. It somehow seemed…to personal to share.

The sound of quiet footsteps in the sand came to his ears, and after a moment someone settled in the sand beside him. He remained where he was, outwardly calm, though in reality he was tense as a bowstring.

"Mind if I join you?"

He raised his head to look over at Robin. The boy wonder was dressed in jeans, tennis shoes, and a dusky red t-shirt, the sunglasses that hid his eyes when he was in civilian garb perched on his nose.

Frankly Kaldur was surprised he'd heard the diminutive ninja approach at all.

"Not at all." He answered quietly and he turned his gaze out to the harbor, eyes seeking out that sight of the open sea beyond the harbor mouth.

A companionably silence fell between them as they sat gazing out to sea.

"What do you see?" Robin asked softly.

Kaldur dragged his eyes back to Robin, frowning in confusion. "What?"

Robin gestured out to sea. "What do you see when you look out at the ocean? Me, I see a boundless sky with a sea gull here and there. An open horizon, endless possibilities. And somewhere in the back of my mind I know that there's a city out there somewhere. Some people see the home of man eating sharks. Others see pretty sunsets. Some see their livelihood. And some see the storms and hurricanes they've lived through."

Robin finally looked at Kaldur. "What do you see?"

Kaldur starred out at the water. What did he see?

It was several moments before he answered. "I see my home." He answered softly. "Beautiful. Moving. Alive. It saddens me that not many will know the world below the waves as I do." He sighed. "I see my home, so close, and yet so far away. I need only walk a few feet to step into the ocean, but I would need to swim hundreds of miles to reach the city of my birth."

Again they fell silent, watching the waves roll in. And again, it was Robin who broke that silence.

"Are you alright…?"

"Why would I not be?"

Robin gave him a look that clearly said he wasn't buying. "You and I both know better than that." He answered gently. Kaldur didn't answer and Robin reached out to place a hand on his arm. "Kaldur, you've been out of sorts ever since you came back from Atlantis five days ago."

The Atlantian raised an eyebrow and Robin grinned and answered the unspoken question. "Yes, you're that obvious. But only to someone who knows you and is really paying attention." His smile softened. "…what's wrong?"

Kaldur sighed. "When I returned to Atlantis last week I found that some…changes, had been made. I am still attempting to come to terms with them."

Robin's face became concerned. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Kaldur smiled sadly and shook his head. "No my friend, though I appreciate your concern. I will be alright before long."

Robin nodded, though clearly still worried. After a moment, he scrambled up on his knees and pulled Kaldur into a hug. "We're all here for you Kaldur, you know that right?"

Kaldur broke the hug and nodded.

Robin smiled and stood. "Good. And when you're ready to talk, any one of us will be more than happy to listen."

Kaldur watched as the diminutive ninja silently made his way back across the beach towards the mountain, his silent steps making it abundantly clear that the only reason Kaldur had heard him before was because he wanted to heard.

A soft smile touched his face, and he returned his attention to the sea.


Robin glanced back, making sure that Kaldur was remaining out on the beach for the time being. Once he was sure, he made his way to the living room.

M'Gann. He thought silently to the Martian girl. Do me a favor and link up everyone but Kaldur.

In the kitchen, M'Gann frowned but nodded, her eyes glowing silver green. Link established. She answered.

Hey, what's up? Wally thought back, literally zipping through his homework in his bedroom.

Ok, has anyone else noticed that Kaldur hasn't been whelmed lately, or is it just me? Robin silently thought at the others, settling himself into the corner of the couch and bringing up his holo-computer.

Definitely not just you. Wally answered, pausing in his schoolwork.

In the gym, Artemis lowered her bow, the target at the other end bristling like a pin cushion with her arrows. Her goal had long since ceased to be to pull a 'Robin Hood' and split one arrow with another. Instead, she sought to plant her arrows so close they touched, hitting the target in perfect geometric patterns.

Yeah, Kaldur's been off his game for days. She thought, heading towards the target to inspect her handiwork. That training session with Canary was a joke.

Conner frowned, tightening a bolt on one of the team's motorcycles in the hanger, sphere beeping quietly behind him as she rolled closer to watch. I know something's wrong, but he looked alright at practice.

And why are you complaining? You won the match! Wally silently exclaimed. He dropped his pencil on the desk and got into one of the drawers, rummaging through a layer of empty wrappers to find one that still held it's protein bar.

Artemis ran her fingers over the target, checking the amount of space she still had to eliminate between the heads of her arrows. You weren't the one fighting him. She thought irritably at him.

The biggest gap was about a half inch, but most were less than a quarter inch. Together, they formed four squares (one of which was skewed to the left), two filled triangles, and a somewhat lumpy circle she'd yet to perfect.

Not bad Arty! Robin commented watching his friends through the hacked security cameras.

She rolled her eyes and gave him a small smile, knowing he was watching.

Her eyes narrowed however when she began to retrieve the arrows from the target. You didn't fight him Wally. She thought grimly. He put up a good front, but he let me win.

Why would he do that? Conner wondered at them.

In the kitchen, M'Gann shook her head as she rinsed another dish in the sink. I don't know. She thought back. But even before he went to Atlantis last week, he seemed kind of sad.

Homesick. Robin supplied.

M'Gann nodded. That's it. But since he came back he just seems so…

She floundered, trying to find the right words. …I don't know, he just feels so crushed. I don't know how else to describe it. It's weird. He's sad and disappointed, and if I didn't know better I'd almost say he lost someone, like maybe they moved away. Or went somewhere he couldn't follow. But at the same time he's happy too. Not for himself, the happiness is for someone else. But the emotions are so strong I feel as if his heart's going to break!

Conner set down his wrench, patting sphere before reaching for a grease rag. So who's got an idea? He asked, wiping his hands.

I already tried talking to him, but I'm not the one he needs right now. Robin thought back. He downsized his holo-computer for a moment and pulled a dark red phone from his pocket, firing off a quick text before pulling up the computer again.

For lack of something better to do, he began hacking the league system.

Artemis dropped another arrow in her quiver, frowning. The one he needs…? She repeated.

When you're hurting, there are just some people you instinctively reach for. Wally answered, using the same explanation Robin had once used on him.

He winced, remembering his own experience with this phenomena. He'd found himself turning to Robin (or Dick Grayson if he was in civvies), often calling or texting him at all hours of the day or night while he recovered in the safety of his Aunt and Uncle's care.

Robin knew things about him no one else did.

He picked up his pencil again, resuming his homework at a more normal human pace. It's not that Kaldur doesn't trust us, he does. It's just that…well, like Rob said, we're not the ones he needs. He might come to us eventually, but he'd open up to that other someone a whole lot faster.

So, who does Kaldur need? M'Gann asked, levitating those dishes that had already been dried into the various cupboards while she dried those still in the sink.

He rocks in the tree top, all the day long. Hoppin' an' a boppin' an' a singin' his song...

Robin downsized his holo-computer before scooping up his phone and flipping it open, abruptly ending the cheerful song. He grinned as he read the text. No worries folks, that bill won't be hard to fill. I've got him on the other end of the line. Give me a few minutes to plot with him. If the rest of you could come up with some excuse for us to go to Star, that'd be great.

Artemis shrugged, dropping the last arrow in her quiver. That shouldn't be hard. Would a team bonding exercise work?

That'd be perfect. Robin agreed, answering the text and returning to his hacking.

A plan was forming in the back of his mind, and he was going to need temporary control of some of the computer systems…


Star City: September 9, 8:45 p.m.

"Here, try some of this!"

Kaldur eyed the huge gob of pink fluff currently being held in front of him uncertainly. He'd seen Wally eating some, but then again he was almost positive Wally would eat anything if he was hungry enough. "What is it?"

Robin grinned, carful to hide the excitement, anticipating the mischief he'd be enacting later on that night. "Cotton candy." He answered.

Kaldur carefully took some, and Robin couldn't suppress a smirk at the thought that his poker face was a heck of a lot better than Wally's.

In the end, getting Kaldur to Star City had been relatively simple.

Artemis had been on patrol in Star the week before, and had seen posters for a street carnival. It hadn't taken long for the boy wonder to ascertain whether the carnival was still there and how late it was running.

It had been perfect for their needs.

From there, they had carefully set out the rest of their plan. Kaldur would never actively seek out help, and so they had to trick him into it. Once Robin had explained his idea, the rest of the team quickly grabbed shoes, jackets, and (in Artemis' case) civvies since she'd been practicing her bow.

The plan was simple, both in design and execution. They would soon learn whether it would pay off.

M'Gann was sent out to the beach to lure Kaldur back in, and of course Wally couldn't help but draw a joking reference between their trap and fishing.

He'd been rubbing the back of his head and giving Artemis a dirty look when Kaldur and M'Gann returned.

The bait of an evening spent enjoying a street carnival with his friends was swallowed, hook, line, and sinker, and it hadn't been long before Kaldur found himself clinging to the rail of a swiftly turning disk labeled the
"Tilt-a-Whirl" with a happily screaming red headed speedster beside him.

Kaldur smiled and nodded politely.

While he enjoyed them from time to time, he wasn't overly fond of sweets, and this cotton candy stuff was incredibly sweet indeed. "I had thought cotton was inedible, and cultivated from a plant…"

Beside him Artemis laughed, leaning around Kaldur to snitch some of Robin's cotton candy, which he graciously allowed. "It is. They call this Cotton Candy because it's fluffy like cotton, but it's made out of sugar, thus it's candy."

Kaldur nodded. It made sense when explained that way.

Wally suddenly came running over, his speed just under what would be considered an unnatural speed for a human. He stopped in front of them, all wide smiles, freckles, and shining eyes. "So what do you guys wanna do next?"

Conner shrugged, sharing some of his own Cotton Candy with M'Gann. As long as his friends were together, or as long as M'Gann was near, he didn't really care what they did next.

Robin laughed, handing Kaldur the cotton candy and passing a red and white bag of popcorn to Wally.

"Dibs on the Ferris Wheel!"

"Deal!"

The two took off, calling over their shoulders that they would save a spot in line for them, Wally calling them slowpokes of course.

Kaldur laughed as he watched the two of them race away, laughing and pushing at each other before one would dart away, leaving the other to chase after him.

Robin and Wally could always make him laugh with their antics.

The team's eyes lit up when they saw one of the first big, really genuine smiles they'd seen on Kaldur's face in some time. It seemed Robin's idea to lift Kaldur's spirits was going well.

Now if only he would fall into their trap to get him talking, and accept the help and comfort that was offered.

Kaldur looked to Artemis, Conner, and M'Gann. "Shall we go?" he asked with a soft smile.

Artemis laughed and linked her arm through Kaldur's so that they parodied Conner and M'Gann's pose, though where Conner and M'Gann were clearly a couple, it was just as clear that she and Kaldur were just good friends.

"We shall." She agreed.


Star City: September 9, 10:30 p.m.

Kaldur smiled contentedly as he walked along the darker sidewalks of Star City with his friends.

It had been a long evening, but thoroughly enjoyable.

For a short time, he had been able to forget…no, not forget. He could never forget Tula and Garth, or the love he held for them. He had instead managed to, somehow, put them to one side for a time.

But now as he walked along the dark sidewalks with his friends, the pain was slowly creeping back in.

Maybe it was the dark between each streetlamp, or the cool of the evening that had brought him back to this anguished mood, but the cheerful chatter of his friends could no longer buoy his spirits.


Robin watched Kaldur surreptitiously from behind his shades.

Those shades looked out of place here in the dark, but he really didn't have much of a choice. If anyone asked, he could always tell them that he had a rare eye condition that necessitated shades, even in this dusk.

He could see Kaldur slowly sinking back down into the anguish that had been so constant since his return from Atlantis. He looked to Wally and gave the barest of nods, grinning. Wally laughed and nodded back, ostensibly at a joke Artemis had just told.

Link established. M'Gann said silently into their minds. Minus Kaldur of course…I still don't like doing this.

Robin smiled, then pretended to feel his phone buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out, reading the imaginary text before sending off a real text to alert their fisherman that the fish was almost ready. All the team had to do was net him.

Then they would leave it up to the fisherman to reel him in.

Arriving at the hidden entrance to the zeta tube, Robin made the first move. Giving off his trademark cackle, the boy wonder darted forward into the zeta tube, childishly sticking his tongue out at Wally as he did.

"Beat you Wally!" he cackled before the brilliant light of the zeta enveloped him.

"Dude, that is so not fair!" Wally whined, jumping in after him.

Again the flash of light. Artemis rolled her eyes and stepped in. After her came M'Gann, then Conner.

Finally, it was Kaldur's turn.

The Atlantian stepped forward into the zeta tube and stood still, patiently waiting for the flash of light that would take him back to the mountain. Nothing happened. Kaldur frowned, that was odd.

He waited a few moments more, but still nothing happened.

Kaldur stepped out of the zeta then back in. The zeta yielded no better result. He stood outside the doors, scrutinizing it thoughtfully. The zeta didn't look damaged. Perhaps there had been some sort of damage done to the tube at the other end?

He tried keying in a new destination.

Still, nothing.

"I'm pretty sure that phone booth hasn't worked in years. Maybe you should find a different payphone for your late night phone call."

Kaldur whirled in surprise, one hand reaching behind his back and up underneath his jacket for one of his water bearers. Even in civilian garb, he always wore his pack.

He was surprised to find that his unwanted visitor was up on the roof!

After a moments scrutiny, he relaxed. The interloper was carrying a bow and, unless Kaldur's eyes were deceiving him, the man appeared to be dressed in red.

"Hello Red Arrow."

Red Arrow's eyes widened behind the white lenses of his domino mask. "Kaldur?" He slowly lowered his bow, dropping down into a crouch on the edge of the roof. "What are you doing here in Star?"

Kaldur gave the zeta tube what approximated on him as a dirty look, on anyone else it would've been a very slight grimace. "There are no missions scheduled for this week. Artemis knew of a street carnival here in Star City, so…"

Red Arrow chuckled. "So the team thought it'd be fun and dragged you along for the ride, is that it?"

Kaldur gave a soft laugh and nodded. "It was fun." He agreed. "But that is essentially correct."

Red Arrow grinned, his eyes sweeping the alley. "…where are the others?"

Kaldur gestured to the zeta tube, allowing some of his frustration to show through. "They went through before me. It seems that there has been a malfunction somewhere in the system, as I am unable to get through."

Red Arrow frowned and hopped down off the roof. "That's weird. Let me try." He stepped into the zeta tube and, just like Kaldur, the tube remained completely lifeless.

There was a soft buzzing sound and he fished a plain black cell phone from a pouch on his belt, checking the number before answering it.

"Yeah." There was a few moments silence as he listened to whoever it was on the other end, then he nodded. "Already there….yeah, I just happened to stumble across him….So what's wrong with the tubes?"

There was a much longer silence as whoever it was on the other end apparently explained the current difficulties. At the end he shrugged. "…Listen, figure things out on your end, I'll handle this one….no, I don't mind…You're welcome. Keep in touch." He flipped the phone shut and returned it to the pouch on his belt.

"What seems to be the problem?" Kaldur asked.

Red Arrow turned back to face the Atlantian. "Bad news Kal. Seems there's a virus loose in the zeta systems, none of them are working. You're essentially stuck here until Rob and the other computer geeks can run it to ground."

Kaldur nodded and quietly took a seat against the alley wall, apparently settling in for the wait. "Very well. Did Robin give any estimate on when they might accomplish this?"

Red Arrow shook his head. "Not tonight at any rate." He answered. "Come on, you can crash at my place, I'm not leaving you in this alley all night."

Kaldur raised an eyebrow. "I would not wish to impose upon your hospitality." He answered. "And I am quite capable of looking after myself should the need arise."

Red Arrow rolled his eyes, Kaldur couldn't see it due to the mask, but he knew it nonetheless.

He knew the man beneath the mask all too well. "I know you can Kal, but I'm offering anyway. The couch is open, and it's gotta be better than spending your night out here."

Kaldur was silent for a moment, then nodded his agreement. "Very well."

Red Arrow grinned and offered his hand. "Great, then let's get moving."

He hauled Kaldur back up onto his feet and led him to a nearby fire escape. The two had crossed three rooftops when the sound of a man yelling, laughter, and breaking glass caught their attention.

The two turned as one toward the sound.

They soon found it was a gang, breaking in the windows of a late night liquor store. The owner was trying to stop them, but honestly, one against ten just weren't good odds.

Red Arrow was silent for a long moment, assessing the scene, then he smiled at Kaldur. "You up for a little late night rough house Kal?"

Kaldur smiled and silently slipped out of his jacket and shoes, leaving him in a red T-shirt, blue jeans, and his pack. It wasn't his uniform but the color scheme was close enough, it would do for tonight.

He gestured to the vandalism below. "Shall we?"

Red Arrow merely grinned, and fired.


Mount Justice: September 9, 10:58 p.m.

"Hey, how goes the fishing?"

"Already there." Roy's voice said on the other end of the line.

Robin grinned. He turned and gave his team mates a thumbs up. "That was fast. You really are worried about him aren't cha' Roy?" he teased. He heard Wally snicker behind him.

"Yeah, I just happened to stumble across him." Roy answered. It sounded as though he was hiding his irritation at Wally very well.

"Think he suspects?" Robin asked.

"Wait, so you're telling me we just handed Kaldur over to Red Arrow?" Artemis exclaimed behind him.

"So what's wrong with the tubes?" Roy answered.

Ah, that meant this phone call was definitely being made in Kaldur's hearing range. 'So what's wrong with the tubes' was code for you better be really good at shooting the bull.

Thankfully, Robin was.

"Ok, I've hacked the Mountains systems and jumped from them into the league's systems. To anyone else, it's essentially going to look like a virus got loose in the zeta tube network. As soon as I hang up with you, I'm going to get in touch with the league and call their attention to it. If I'm lucky, no one but Batman'll see what I did, and normally he won't call me out in front of the league. I might be grounded for this, but if it works it'll be worth it."

He heard Roy harrumph on the other end of the line, and Robin idly wondered how hard it must be to pretend to be cranky all the time.

"Listen, figure things out on your end, I'll handle this one." The redhead stated.

Robin chuckled, that basically translated out as code for 'wish I could help, but you're on your own with Batman. Good luck!' He honestly couldn't blame the archer in the slightest.

"Thanks a lot…" he grumbled good naturedly.

"No, I don't mind" Roy answered.

Robin shook his head, laughing. If Kaldur still didn't suspect anything then Roy must've been a prince amongst poker faces. No one rivaled Batman.

"Hey Roy? Thanks for doing this. Really."

"You're welcome. Keep in touch."

The line went dead on the other end. Robin smiled and flicked his phone shut. Kaldur was where he needed to be now.

"I'm telling you Arty! Red Arrow's going to take good care of Kaldur! They're best friends!" Wally yelled.

That did prompt a laugh from Robin. He hit the first speed dial on his phone and put it to his ear again. Catching hold of Artemis' elbow he said calmly, "Artemis don't worry, Kaldur's in the best of hands. Now if you and Wally would keep your voices down, I'm trying to talk on the phone."

Artemis whipped around, dark eyes flashing.

"And who's so important on the other end of that phone?" she growled, not in a very charitable mood.

She and Roy didn't tend to get along very well. Whereas fights between her and Wally tended to be more needling at each other, fights between her and Roy were a little more real. It hadn't happened yet, but no one would've been surprised to see them trade blows.

Robin grinned when the man on the other end of the line answered. "Batman, we've got a little bit of a problem."

Both Artemis and Wally immediately shut up, mouths closing with an audible click.

Robin gave them a triumphant smirk then turned his back to them, putting one hand over his unoccupied ear. "No, Artemis and Wally were arguing. That's not why I called."

On the other end of the line an elderly male voice laughed. "I trust you will explain this to me in full at a later date?" Agent A asked.

"Yes sir."

"Very good then. Now, please explain this small difficulty you spoke of and I will relay the information to Batman, along with a stern admonition not to leave his phone behind in the Bat Cave in the future." Agent A answered. "I have a pen and paper close at hand."

"Yes sir." Robin answered dutifully, as if he were reporting to Batman.

He knew that Conner could probably hear both ends of his conversation and would know for a fact that it wasn't Batman on the other end of the line, but he also had a sneaking suspicion that Conner wouldn't out him either.

"We were coming back from Star City when the zeta tubes went down, with Kaldur still stuck on the other side in Star. I've checked the zeta networks and it looks like there's a virus loose in the system. I'm trying to run it down but I figured the more people hunting this thing the better, I don't know how many zeta tubes it's affected."

That was a lie, he knew that there would be exactly fifteen tubes down all throughout the world, and that with the exception of the one in Star City, they would never go down in a city a hero was currently at work in.

"And what of young Aqualad?"

Robin had to work really hard to keep the image of a mini Kaldur toddling around the mountain, waiving a water bearer like a rattle, out of his head.

"We've got that covered. Red Arrow's been called in and he said he'd be willing to let Kaldur stay at his apartment for the night if need be…"


Star City: September 9, 11:28 p.m.

"I don't have much in the fridge but you're welcome to it."

Kaldur gazed around the apartment, smiling a little. It was very much Roy. He followed the redhead into the kitchen. "No, thank you my friend, I do not require anything."

Roy had opened the fridge and was now pulling a dark brown bottle out. "You sure?"

Kaldur firmly shook his head no.

Roy frowned and followed the Atlantian's gaze to the bottle in his hand. He chuckled and shook his head. "You can put that disapproving look away, this's just root beer. Between you, Wally, Robin, and Dinah all threatening to come and kick some sense into me if I ever did that again I've got more than enough incentive to stay clean."

Kaldur nodded, relaxing and letting his relief show through ever so slightly.

Roy had been very reckless in one of his rebellious stages. If Kaldur never had to deal with a drunk and or high Roy ever again, he would be eternally grateful.

He never wanted to see the proud red head reduced to that state again.

Roy had sauntered over to the counter and fished down a glass. He filled it at the sink and passed that to the Atlantian, knowing that Kaldur generally preferred water. From there the two made their way into the living room and settled in on his ratty but still relatively comfortable couch.

At first they watched T.V., but they soon fell into talking and telling stories.

And when Kaldur's stomach rumbled during one of Roy's stories- mortifying the proper, well mannered Atlantian- Roy merely laughed and took him back to the kitchen.

He taught Kaldur how to make grilled cheese, laughing when Kaldur accidentally smudged a bit of bright yellow butter on his mocha colored skin.

When Kaldur flushed and tried to wipe it away, only smearing more across his cheekbone for his trouble, Roy only laughed harder and tossed him a damp rag while he continued to grill their sandwiches on the stove top.

Once the sandwiches were finished the two returned to the living room couch, settling in to watch more T.V. while their mouths were full.

Roy really didn't mind talking with his mouth full, but he knew that Kaldur would never do it and he didn't want him to feel like he had to choke down the sandwich to answer Roy.

So he kept his mouth shut.

Once their impromptu dinner had been finished, the plates set on the coffee table to be picked up at a later date, Roy judged the timing right. Now he just had to give Kaldur a little push.

Which was harder than it sounded, as Kaldur was a very perceptive person and could usually tell what those around him were getting at.

"So how've you been?" he asked, lazily leaning his head against the corner of the sofa, eyes locked on the screen. Somehow, they'd ended up on a channel that was showing Flipper, the one staring Paul Hogan and Elijah Woods.

He wasn't entirely sure how they'd ended up watching that, they'd just sort of silently agreed to it somewhere along the way.

On the other end of the couch, Kaldur gave an all but invisible flinch. He quickly mastered himself. "I am well."

Roy tilted his head a little to look at his friend out of the corner of his eye. "Well that sounded convincing." He answered dryly. "Put a little more effort into it and you might convince me I need to breath to live."

When Kaldur made no reply Roy opened his eyes farther and sat up, turning to face him. "Kal?"

"When I returned to Atlantis last week I found that some…changes, had been made. I am still attempting to come to terms with them." Kaldur answered, using the same explanation he'd offered Robin.

Roy cocked his head, eyes narrowing. "You wouldn't be this upset about just anything. So whatever changed must've been really important to you." He said shrewdly. Cupping his jaw in his hand, he rested his elbow on the back of the couch. The volume on the T.V. was turned down, and Roy gave Kaldur his full and undivided attention.

"Shoot."

To anyone else, Roy's approach would've seemed like the height of brashness, lacking in every subtlety known to man. But the truth was, Roy just didn't do subtle.

And in this case, he didn't need to.

Kaldur was silent for several long minutes, grey eyes calculating as he watched Roy across the couch from him. Roy didn't say a word, waiting with the patience of a saint while Kaldur made up his mind on what and how much he wanted to tell Roy.

Getting his thoughts in order.

"I have become somewhat…estranged, from my two closest friends below the surface." He said slowly. Roy made no comment, allowing Kaldur to tell the story at his own pace. "I had become distracted here on the surface. My heart longed for home. When my distraction left my team vulnerable on a mission against Clay Face, Batman sent me home. He told me that I needed to sort out my feelings, that I had to make a choice. He was right. And I went."

Kaldur winced. "My two closest friends below the surface are Garth and Tula. I have known them for many years. I have loved Tula almost as long…"

Slowly, the story of how he had considered leaving the team and returning to his studies with Tula and Garth unfolded. He told of learning that King Orin and Queen Mierda had finally conceived, and of how Tula had informed him after dinner that night that she had fallen in love with Garth. About Black Manta's attack on Poseidonis, the subsequent fight, and of his return home.

All throughout the story, Roy remained silent.

Kaldur sighed, propping an arm on his knee. "I know I should be happy for my friends, indeed, I am happy for them. But at the same time…" He looked away, tears welling in his eyes as he gazed down at the floor.

And that was what Roy had been waiting for. Kaldur's breaking point.

He quietly stood and moved closer to his friend. Kaldur raised a hand to his cheek, wiping at the tears then pulling his hand back to look at his finger tips, as though he wasn't entirely sure what was going on.

Roy had to work really hard not to smile at the confused look on Kaldur's face when he realized that Kaldur genuinely didn't know what tears were. Living in an underwater environment, Kaldur would've never seen tears on either himself or others.

He'd probably thought tears were just a surface dweller thing.

He settled on the couch beside Kaldur and pulled him into a brotherly hug. For a moment he felt the Atlantian stiffen, but he didn't loosen the firm hold he'd taken on his friend.

Then Kaldur relaxed into the hold, letting the last of his walls fall.

He cried freely against Roy's shoulder, his arms wrapping around the archer. He didn't try to stop the tears, he knew Roy would not judge him weak for shedding them. So he let them fall, letting the pain and hurt he'd carried since Tula's revelation wash away with his tears.

And all the time Roy was there, warm and comforting. The Archer said not a word, nor did he have to, his silent presence more than enough for what Kaldur needed.

He merely held him tight, his chin resting in Kaldur's short, pale hair.

Off to the side, the quiet, happy chattering of the dolphin on the screen seemed an odd counterpoint to the sadness the room currently held.

Eventually Kaldur quieted, and Roy was pleased to see that Kaldur had literally cried himself out, falling asleep against his friend's shoulder. Carefully re-arranging them so that they were laying back a little against the back of the couch, he snagged a blanket from under the coffee table with his foot and carefully draped it over the two of them.

He knew the blanket wouldn't really make a difference to Kaldur, having lived at the bottom of the ocean most of his life Kaldur didn't really mind the cold. In fact, Kaldur's skin was always quite cool, that was why Roy wanted the blanket, and it didn't really seem fair to hog the covers. Even if he knew the other wouldn't really want or need it.

It was the principal of the thing.

He rested his chin on top of Kaldur's head again and closed his eyes.

He didn't know if Kaldur's problems were solved, in fact he strongly doubted it, you didn't get over a broken heart after just one good long cry. Even if said cry was made in the arms of a friend. But at least Kaldur had confronted his problem, and if Dinah were to be believed when she was on one of her 'counselor' shticks, that was a big part of the healing process.

Kaldur would recover with time.

Roy just hoped that one of these days Kaldur would find someone he could love as much as, or perhaps more than, he had loved this girl Tula. And that said future girl would feel the same way.

"G'night Kal…" he whispered.


Mount Justice: September 10, 6:30 a.m.

Robin stood before Batman in the living room.

The rest of the team watched from the kitchen, and they all had to admit they were impressed that Robin wasn't scared stiff.

The dark knight had arrived early that morning, demanding an answer from Robin as to why he had introduced a virus into the zeta tube network. Apparently he'd managed to track it back to Robin's holo-computer when he'd realized that the virus had parameters.

It stayed in the zeta systems, and it only affected zeta tubes that wouldn't need to be used, leaving the most commonly used ones and the computers that controlled the zeta network untouched. With the exception of the Star City tube, which had remained down the entire time.

He wanted to know what his son had been playing at.

Robin had reluctantly explained as best he could about Kaldur's apparent misery, what little he'd learned from the Atlantian on the beach, and of the team's plan to help him.

Batman was now scrutinizing Robin, the boy wonder could almost picture the arched eyebrow behind the cowl.

"And did your plan succeed?" he asked.

Recognize. Aqualad. B. Zero. Two.

"We're about to find out." Robin answered out of the corner of his mouth as he watched his friend emerge from the brilliant lights of the zeta tube.

Kaldur stopped in surprise at the sight of Batman, then obediently came forward like the trained soldier he was. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

Batman gave Robin a look.

It seemed that the team's plan had worked, Kaldur's outlook seemed to have improve somewhat. This was the most cheerful the dark knight had seen the Atlantian in some time.

But he couldn't let Robin get away with introducing that virus into the systems.

"I came to pick up Robin." He answered Kaldur. "He's grounded for a week, as of now." To Robin he added, "You've got three minutes."

Robin nodded and darted into the kitchen. Kaldur frowned and followed.

In the kitchen, he found Robin apparently settling a bet with Wally.

"Dude, told you he'd only go with a week. The sentence is always lighter when it's for a good cause." Robin laughed, keeping his voice pitched low so his mentor wouldn't hear him.

Wally snorted. "And April Fools day on Uncle B's computer was a good cause?"

Robin grinned. "It is when your uncle took a shot at J'onn and nailed Batman instead! You should've seen his face when he got home that night, I thought Barry was a goner for sure!"

"Enjoy your sleepover?" Artemis teased.

Kaldur chuckled. "We talked a great deal." He answered, his tone letting them know that he had indeed enjoyed it.

"Gotta run!" Robin called, darting past him. His three minutes were apparently up. An instant later, the computer began to chime.

Recognize. Batman. Zero. Two. Robin. B. Zero. One.

Kaldur glanced back over his shoulder in the direction the boy wonder had gone, then looked back to his teammates. "Would one of you be kind enough to explain what Robin has done this time to earn such a punishment?"

He saw his friends stiffen and glance at each other, and even though there was no psychic link, he could easily read the message in the glance.

And that message immediately made him suspicious, because it read:

Crap! Who wants to be the martyr and try to explain this one away?


Bat Cave: September 10, 7:01 a.m.

"Am I grounded from being Robin, or is it just from the team?" Robin asked as they stepped from the zeta tube.

The dark knight paused, glancing at his son and protégé out of the corner of his eye.

"Why Red Arrow?" he asked, apparently disregarding Robin's question. "You and your team could just as easily continued to pry until he told you what was bothering him."

Robin shook his head. "Nah, that would've just made us pests. Sometimes there's more to being a family than just being there for them. Sometimes you have to know when it's not your presence, but your absence that's needed. We could've kept at him, but a lot of times you tell your friends things you'd never tell your family. We would've had to push and prod, but Roy's his best friend up here on the surface, and he'd 'ave been more willing to open up to Roy. We just had to trick him into going to see Roy."

Batman was silent for a long moment then made his way farther into the cave, black cape making him seem more a shadow that had somehow detached itself from the wall, rather than a man.

"You're only grounded from the team."

A smile lit Robin's face at that, and he narrowly resisted the urge to do a fist pump.

"And it's your responsibility to deal with that virus in the zeta systems. The Network's still cycling on and offline."

Robin laughed and nodded. "I'll get right on it!" he called, trotting over to the Bat Computer.

The virus wouldn't be too hard to deal with, he'd programmed it to self destruct provided you had the right password. Then all he had to do was correct whatever small changes had been made to the zeta tube programming.

He settled himself into the computer chair and keyed into the computer.

He hadn't been kidding when he'd told Roy that this grounding was worth it to him. As far as he was concerned, the team was his family, and he would've done a whole lot more to help Kaldur.

He smiled. "After all," he whispered. "this is what brothers are for…"


And there ya go fellas! Round 2 has been completed! Now who do you think should be next?

Review! Or else a certain ninja shall infest your computer!

Until next time...