A YEAR LATER (the year before season two begins)
February just a couple of days after Valentine's Day. It happened so quickly. Looking back at the mistakes she shouldn't have been left by herself someone should have been there with her then Klarion wouldn't have gotten her in the first place. When this mission started getting so big we should have protected her better. Tula is gone now….self-sacrifice. Her life for the life of world. All the lives in the world, the villains who caused this, the millions who were at their jobs, the other millions who were asleep peacefully in their beds….they will never know of her sacrifice. How she sacrificed her life to defeat Tiamat, a powerful alien being that was brought back to life by Klarion.
This was the first hit to our team. The second hit closer to home. Jason Todd was a stubborn pain in my ass who had creeped his way into my sister's life and made up her whole world. He was a sarcastic asshole who was the sweetest young man to Cassie and was always trying to better himself for her. It was a horrible night in Gotham and Joker ambushed him and kidnapped him. The details are unclear but in the end he died. The building his body was in blew up and no body was recovered. I've never been so worried about my sister than watching her heart break into a million pieces as Nightwing and Batman told her. I couldn't help her that much I was still dealing with my own broken heart.
A couple weeks after Tula died, after her funeral was finished. We went on our first mission. We had gained information on a huge drug buy going down in Happy Harbour of all places. With the city bordering the Atlantic Ocean, it was one of the larger ports on the west coast their harbor was the length of the entire city. Aqualad with alpha came from the easy and beta and I came from the west. We moved in the shadows trying to find location. Alpha found it and ensued in a battle, it was an ambush, Beta rush to their aid but by the time we got there it was over.
"What happened?" I asked as we got there. I saw several bodies on the ground which Robin and Bumblebee were currently restraining.
"Ambush from Sportsmaster and Shadow assassins," Nightwing stated.
"Is anyone injured?"
He shook his head, "Nothing but the usual bruises." He laid a hand on my shoulder. "They were here to give information."
My eyes crinkled in confusion under my mask, "What? What information and Where is Kaldur?"
"He went to the cave to make sure the information we received was true."
"And that information would be?" I asked, knowing he was giving me a run around. He moved his hand away.
"I will leave that to him to tell you," he said and then walked away.
Perplexed by this I told him I was going to the cave and road away on an energy disc. When I arrived at the cave Aquaman was leaving a seemingly angry Kaldur. I approached him from behind, "What is it?" I asked as I laid my hand on his shoulder, "What's got you so angry?"
"Lies." He snapped out, "The man who I have been calling Father for almost two decades is not truly my father."
"That's what Sportsmaster told you?" I asked, "How do you it is true?"
"I asked my king if the accusation was false," he said rubbing his forehead, "He said what Sportsmaster said was indeed true."
"I…don't exactly know what to say," I told him honestly, "I can't tell you how to feel because I always knew my father. I can't tell you what to feel towards your parents because I don't know their side. They could have done it to keep you safe and tell you when they felt it was the right time. But I do know one thing." I stepped forward and placed a hand on his upper neck with my thumb lightly running along his jaw line. "I love you because of you not who your family is. The Team respects you and cares about you because of who you are as a person. And the man you have been calling Father for almost two decades is your father. Rather it be by blood or not he was there for you when no one else was. Just remember that when you talk to your parents."
I gave him a kiss on the lips and let him calm down so he could brief Batman. After that he left to go to Atlantis. When he arrived he was angry and I could see why….he had just discovered that his biological father was a villain. I actually knew what that feeling was and comforted him as much as I could. He coped with it over a couple of weeks and he got better about it and wasn't so silently angry. Now I know what you're asking why was I broken hearted when he got better and we were still together let me answer that with a name…..Richard Effin' Greyson. He had an oh so brilliant idea that he shared and that made things ….complicated.
He approached us the one day and had us all meet on the harbor in Happy Harbour. We meet on one of the piers that was rather deserted and walked into an abandoned shipping factory. "Seriously, Dick, what is this about?" I asked slightly aggravated as I watched my footing so I didn't trip over left over junk that was scattered about on the ground. "And why couldn't we discuss this at the cave?"
"To many ears," he answered without missing a beat, "the less people who know about this the better."
"Know about what?" I ask curiously, now intrigued.
He paused, "I have a plan to take down the Light from the inside."
"How do you know we can accomplish that?" Kaldur inquired.
"Yeah," I asked skeptically, "Who does any of us know on the inside?"
He looked at me with sympathy and then stared at Kaldur. I looked at him in confusion and then my eyes widened, "HELL NO!" I yelled angrily. "We can do it another way, we are not doing that. He is not doing that."
Kaldur looked at me in confusion, "Who is not doing what?" he asked confused.
"He wants you to go undercover," I told him, "And he isn't doing it. The risk is extremely too high."
"For who?" Dick asked, "Him or you?"
"Oh don't you even dare Richard Greyson," I snarled, "You cannot ask me to be open minded when you are trying to send my boyfriend to the fucking slaughter house."
"Are you going to really be that selfish?" Dick asked angrily, "You'd rather him be here with you then take down the Light and save the world."
"Of course I do!" I snapped, "We can take them down another way."
"But it'd be strategically better to have someone on the inside."
"He is not a strategy! He is a person! Not a chess piece," I said.
"Well why don't we ask when he wants?" he snapped back. We both turned and looked at Kaldur who had been quiet the whole time we were arguing.
He looked at me, "It would be a….smart move."
My heart cracked, "No, you'd be going undercover, acting as a double agent, surrounded by the world's worst villains, by yourself," I reasoned.
"It would be for a good purpose."
"Kaldur, are you sure you know the risks of this?" Dick asked. Oh, now you are concerned for his safety! I thought at him angrily.
"The risks and sacrifices are high but the safety of the world is a top priority," Kaldur answered diplomatically.
"You are actually going to do this?" I asked quietly. Kaldur turned and looked at me and grabbed my hand. I shook mine out and folded my arms over my chest as I looked at the ground.
His arm fell to his side, "It's the right thing to do, Carter."
He was right it was. It was our job to protect people at any costs. That job until now always had us as partners and now he wants to go and get friendly with the enemy and protect himself.
"He will be okay, Carter," Dick said.
I narrowed my eyes, "Oh really? Are you going undercover with him and going to watch his back? Because unless you are doing that or can see into the future I don't think your word is actually a guarantee."
"Carter—" Kaldur started but I cut him off shaking my head.
"Kaldur, right now there is literally nothing you can say to make this better," I said in a sorrow tone, "Because I see it in your eyes you are going to do it. I can't argue with it." He stayed silent and that just confirmed it. "I'm going to go."
"Carter—" he protested and tried to grab for me.
"I can't be a part of planning your funeral, Kaldur," I said staring ahead of me, "I love you but I can't." As soon as I exited the warehouse I ran back to the cave. I passed by the others and ran straight to the zeta tubes.
I arrived at Palo Alto and ran to my house. I locked all the doors closed all the window curtains and sat in my room. I broke. He came not even thirty minutes later. He rang the doorbell and knocked on the door. He even came around to my backyard and jumped up to my second story porch. He knocked on the door to my room. "Carter, I know you are in there." He said in a broken tone. "Please, open the door."
I stayed were I was, "Why? So you can see how much of a mess I am and you haven't even left yet?" I let out a humorless laugh, "I'm not opening the door, because as soon as I do you will change your mind. I can't let you allow me to be selfish."
He sighed, "Carter, you are not selfish. You are being caring and protective." He said, "Please let me in, I would prefer not the have this conversation through the door."
I was silent for a moment before I wiped away my tears and slowly got up and made my way to the door. I unlocked it and opened it, stepping behind the door until he came in. I closed it and locked it as soon as he was in the room. I wrapped my arms around my chest and stared at the ground. I could feel his eyes on me but I didn't look up. "When does Dick plan for you to start your mission?"
He sighed, "As soon as possible." He said, "It's a very difficult predicament." He paused because usually in this moment I would give some sort of sarcastic remark. "I don't want to leave you."
"Yeah, but you still are," I said pursing my lips.
He nodded, "It's the right thing to do."
"Sometimes the right thing is the wrong thing to do," I said, "Just promise me you will try your hardest not to die."
He threw me a sad smile, "I promise to help take down the Light as quickly as possible so I can come back to you."
I nodded and gave him a small sad smile of my own, "Good." I approach him and step into his arms. "I'm going to miss you," I said which was slightly muffled since I was in the crock of his neck.
"And I you," he said, "This is going to be the hardest thing I ever do."
"Just don't let them change you to drastically," I plead, "They will make you do things to prove your worth and your loyalty to them."
"I will try to not let them affect me," he promised, "I love you, Carter, and I will make my way back to you."
"I love you too." I said, "And damn right you will." He laughed and brought his lips to mine. He stayed the night and left in the morning. I didn't see him for 11 months 3 weeks and 2 days.