Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or settings. It all belongs to DC.

Summary: Story Five in my "The One I Desire" series. Slash Paring (Dick and Roy) A camping trip. Two tents. Wally, Donna and Garth are in one. Guess who's in the other? So far, we've looked at things from mostly Roy's point of view. This time, we find out what Dick is feeling. .

WARNING: Slash... no sex.

Thank you to those who have read and taken the time to review the other stories in this series. Most of you have reviewed anonymously, so I haven't been able to reply. I want you to know that I appreciate your encouragement.

If you are interested in reading the first stories in the series, you will find them at fanfiction net and on my homepage which is listed in my profile.

All the Right Reasons

Part One

The morning trek into the gorge had been fun and relaxed as expected.

The afternoon climb up the cliff face of Mt. Warning had been strenuous, which was just what he'd hoped.

Reaching the top and looking out over the valley with the wind in his face had been exhilarating.

Climbing down had been hell as his body hit the wall and his head throbbed with a killer headache.

Now, trying to assist with setting camp, Dick didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to remain vertical.

Grayson licked his lips as his vision blurred in and out of focus. The voices of his companions laughing and joking sounded a long way away in the falling dusk. Limbs heavy with poison courtesy of Poison Ivy, refused to function as he attempted to hammer the final peg into the ground. Sighing, Dick reached for his thumping temples. He'd known this would happen, but then, that was why he'd suggested a weekend away rock climbing with his four best friends. Strenuous activity within a safe environment was perfect for forcing the poison from his system.

Gathering the final ebbs of his dwindling strength, Dick pounded the peg two more times and let the hammer slip from his weak fingers. He shut his eyes and tried to control the strange swirling colours dancing in his head. For a split second, he contemplated telling the others what was going on, but he decided against it. Donna would make a fuss and they'd all try to 'look after' him. He didn't want that. This was supposed to be a fun weekend away.

Grayson turned and walked across to the fire Wally already had blazing, and sank to the ground across from Garth. The temperature was dropping as rapidly as the setting of the sun. It was going to be a very, very cold night.

"… beans, Dick?" Grayson blinked and glanced up at Donna, having only caught the end part of the question.

"Sorry?"

Donna smiled. "Tired? It was a big day."

"Yeah. What about beans?"

"Baked beans okay for dinner?"

"Yeah, great."

NNNNNNNNNNN

Darkness encircled the relaxed group gathered around the fire wrapped in blankets. Laughter, jokes, and general banter was the order of the night, just as it had been all day. These five young adults enjoyed nothing better than spending time together in 'normal' circumstances, for when they usually saw each other, the circumstances tended to be far from 'normal.' Outings such as this enabled them to leave their complicated and complex lives behind them to bask in the simple pleasures associated with friendship…or more correctly, family.

"It's freezing," Roy shivered. "Whose idea was it to camp out here?" he asked, shooting an accusatory look in Dick's direction. "Ahhh, that's right. Our fearless leader."

Dick smirked, allowing his blanket to slip from his powerful shoulders. The inferno burning within him was enough to keep out the icy temperatures. "I thought you were supposed to be-hot blooded, Harper."

Roy wrapped his blanket further around himself and mumbled, "Not in the arctic circle, I'm not."

"Stop complaining. I'm not cold," Garth teased, his own blanket lying casually across his legs.

"Because you're a cold fish."

"Oh, ha ha,"

"Do you think we'll all fit in one tent, tonight?" Donna asked, snuggling up to Dick. "You're as warm as toast," she added. At the end of the meal, she'd sat down beside him as she always did.

Roy felt the odd twinge of… was it jealousy? Yes, jealousy, but not of Donna -- only of the fact that she could hug Dick without fear of prejudice. Several nights earlier, Roy had kissed Dick… actually kissed him. He honestly hadn't meant to. It had surprised the hell out of him and really thrown Grayson. The night after, Harper had cornered his friend at Titan Tower and forced him to confront what had happened… only things hadn't quite gone to plan and before Roy had known what was happening, he had Dick up against a wall, ravaging his mouth and lighting him up via the pressure points in his back. It had all happened so quickly. Even Roy was left trying to get his mind around it. The thing that stunned Roy more than anything was that Dick hadn't truly fought back and had been prepared to admit that he 'felt' something. He'd actually agreed to take things one day at a time… whatever that meant. Unfortunately, the two hadn't seen each other in the days since.

Had Dick been avoiding him, Roy wondered. Then again, it had only been two days. At no point during today's trek or climb had Dick mentioned anything and so Roy wasn't sure if his friend had simply decided to call everything off, or if there had been anything 'on' in the first place.

Roy's eyebrows drew down with consideration as he watched Dick slip his arm around Donna. "Must be the company," Grayson commented.

"Maybe we should sleep in only two of the tents," Wally suggested, glancing toward the three, three-man tents pitched close together. "There were five in the bed and the little one said, roll over, roll over," he sang in a distinctly off key voice.

"Good, Lord. Singing isn't your thing is it?" Donna laughed. "Actually, sharing two tents sounds best. Keep us land-lovers warmer with three to a bed," she added, winking at Garth. A gust of wind hit the group. "Wow, the temperature really has dropped."

"I'm not sleeping with Gillhead. He snores," Wally complained.

"I do not. I've told you before that that is just my gills opening and…"

"Yeah, yeah. You sound like a train. Man, it is cold, isn't it?" Wally began to vibrate, heat radiating from him.

"I'm sleeping with you, Wally," Donna laughed. "You shiver fast enough to generate heat."

"When you're hot, you're hot," Wally agreed, winking at her.

Roy's eyes remained on Dick. Grayson had been animated for most of the day, much as he used to be when they were young. Growing up had effected Dick more noticeably than any of the others. For some reason, Dick saw responsibility as a personal calling. Only when the five of them were alone like this, did he briefly recapture the relaxed nature Roy loved to see. However, in the last hour, Dick had become quiet. Harper's suspicious nature tweaked. The flickering light reflecting off his best friend's face revealed what Roy suspected. Without a word, he rose, walked across to Grayson and crouched down in front of him.

"What?" Dick asked, his right eyebrow rising.

Roy reached for his friend's brow, withdrew his hand, rocked back on his heals and shook his head. "Why didn't you say something?"

Donna sat up, the blanket that had been wrapped around her, falling to the ground.

"Problem?" Wally asked.

Dick glared at Roy.

"You two care to share?" Garth asked.

Roy glanced at Donna and jerked his chin toward Dick. "There's a reason he's as warm as toast."

Donna reached for Dick's cheek. Her eyes grew wide. "You're burning up."

"It's nothing."

"Nothing!" Donna cried, sliding her palm to his brow. "My, God, Dick. You're ill."

"Will you calm down," Grayson grumbled, batting her caring hand away. "Just a bit of a fever is all." He shot Roy another glare. "Thanks a lot."

"How long were you just going to sit there? Poison Ivy's poison?" he asked, reaching for Dick's shoulder and squeezing it.

Dick sighed and conceded with a nod. To be honest, he didn't have the energy to argue. "Yeah, I guess I did a bit more than I should have."

"You need to rest," Roy insisted firmly, taking the blanket from around himself and draping it about Dick. "And no, you don't have a choice. You have just been deposed, oh, great leader. Just do as you're told."

"What the hell is going on?" Donna demanded.

"He was poisoned the other day and it's still in his system. I assumed he'd recovered, but clearly I was wrong," Roy noted. "What the hell are you trying to prove?"

"Nothing," Dick snapped, tossing the blanket away in frustration. "The poison just has to move through my body at its own pace. Exercise speeds it up and so… hell, I don't need to defend my actions, do I?"

"Defend, no. Do as you're told… a whole other ballgame," Donna stated. "You should be in bed. I'll fly you home." She gathered both of the blankets Dick had discarded and arranged them around him. His hand started toward them. "Leeeeave it."

"After a night's sleep, I'll be fine and I can sleep here just as well as anywhere."

"Fine, but I want you in bed now," Donna ordered, climbing to her feet and staring down at Dick.

"Yes, mother."

Her eyes became flinty and dangerous. Arguing with Donna was not wise when she was in mother hen mode.

"Back to who sleeps with whom," Garth jumped in. "And I don't snore."

Roy pulled Dick to his feet, a little surprised at how little help Dick was able to offer. "Dick?"

"I'm okay," Grayson replied in a hushed voice.

"If you've got a fever, you need to stay warm," Donna declared, adjusting the blanket. "I think it would be best if Dick, Wally and I share one tent."

"Ha. You get stuck with the snoring express, Roy," Wally chuckled.

Harper and Grayson continued to stare at each other, apparently oblivious to all else.

"Come on," Roy coaxed, taking Dick's elbow and guiding him toward the tents. Donna followed.

Dick turned slowly as he reached one of the brightly coloured canvas structures. "Looks like Speedy's stuck with nursemaid duties," he stated, ducking down into the tent. "Good night everyone."

Roy tried to hide his surprise. He honestly hadn't expected Dick to nominate him as his bedfellow. Was this an invitation to see where the evening took them? Even if it wasn't, Roy could always turn it into something, he decided.

As Roy pulled the flap back, Donna grabbed his arm.

"I'll look after him, Donna," he whispered.

"Keep him warm. And if his condition deteriorates, I want to know about it."

"You got it, Mother."

Donna's eyes shot metaphoric flames at him.

Roy raised his hand in apology. Despite the limited light, he could see she was worried. "I'll call you."

With that, Roy entered the dark tent. Dick was lying on his side on top of his sleeping bag, not in it.

"Aren't you going to change into something more comfortable?"

He received a negative grunt in response. Roy frowned and thoughts of a 'fun' evening faded. He knelt down beside Dick and reached again for his brow.

"I'm okay," Dick mumbled.

"Bullshit. People go to Hell for lying, Grayson. What's Leslie's phone number?" Roy demanded, pulling his cell

phone from his pocket.

"Roy…"

"Either you tell me what it is so I can contact her, or I'll call out to Donna and have her fly you back to Alfred."

Dick rolled onto his back and rolled his eyes.

"Cough up the doctor's number, Grayson, or you spend the night in Alfred's care." There was genuine concern highlighting his features.

Dick sighed. "Roy, relax. I'm okay. Really. There's nothing Leslie or Alfred can do. I just have to sleep this off. It's my own damn fault. I should have said something earlier."

Roy pursed his lips and then tossed the phone to the side deciding an argument was the last thing Dick needed. "You should get into something more comfortable to sleep in. Did you bring sweat pants?"

"Yeah." Roy dug them out of Dick's bag and tossed them to him. Both men changed, Dick panting heavily as he lay back again. The poison had sapped his strength and had left him feeling miserable.

"You need to get into the sleeping bag, Dick. It's freezing."

"Freezing? I've got an internal heater."

"Yeah, I know. We need to keep an eye on that fever. Get into the bag." With Roy's assistance, Dick did so. He shut his eyes and waited for the ache to stop. Comforting pressure was applied to his shoulder. Roy was there.

"Why'd you nominate me and not Donna?" Harper asked curiously, giving Dick's shoulder a final squeeze before climbing into his own sleeping bag. He needed to know if this had been invitation or not. "She'd have been a better nurse."

"Leslie took a blood test this morning. While the pheromones are almost gone, the poison levels are still the same. But I wasn't prepared to take a chance. Last thing I needed was me getting a 'reaction' when sleeping with the others. At least you'll understand if anything happens."

"So, I have to blame it on the drugs if your hands start wandering?" Roy asked. He heard Dick chuckle. "The pheromones are gone but the poison isn't? How does that work?"

"Leslie isn't sure. It looks like the poison is being stored in my adrenal glands, so it's released with exercise." Abruptly, Dick shivered. Roy frowned. Dick's fever was still raging, so shivering wasn't a good sign. Harper pulled down his sleeping bag zip, yanked out his upper limbs, rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around Dick.

Grayson glanced over his shoulder and in a tone of voice reminiscent of a teacher stating something he'd said a dozen times asked, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm trying to warm you up. Hey, it's done wonders for me, already. My temperature's gone up several degrees," he added, squeezing Dick.

"You're incorrigible."

"When we get home, I'm going to look that up in a dictionary and if it isn't very nice..." his hand darted to Dick's side and unmercifully he started tickling.

"Speedy… Roy, don't!"

"Hey, keep it down you two," Garth yelled.

"What the hell are you talking about? I want to know what Roy's doing?" Wally shouted.

"Dick is just playing hard to get," Roy called out.

"I've told you before, not on the first date," Dick chuckled, elbowing Roy.

Harper rolled onto his back laughing. As the laughter died out, his thoughts drifted. Here he was again, in bed with Dick and he really wasn't certain what Dick's 'take it one day at a time' meant. 'Should he…? Grayson shivered beside him. "You okay?"

"Just cold."

Roy drew in a deep breath and felt his chance of moving their relationship forward, slipping through his fingers. Then again, it was clear this wasn't the time. Dick was ill. Harper wrapped his arms around his friend a second time. "Better?"

"You can't sleep like that."

"Grayson, you'd be surprised at the positions I can sleep in."

The ill man shifted and made a pained sound in the back of his throat.

"Dick?"

"Relax, Roy. I'm just a bit achy."

"A bit. There you go again getting those adjectives wrong. How the hell did you pass English, Robbie?" The banter hid both his disappointment and concern. "So, why the hell did you suggest a weekend away climbing?"

"Only way to work the poison through my system is activity. With you guys here, I just thought it was a good opportunity to get it over with in one hit. This is my own fault. Leslie said I shouldn't push it too much."

Roy's strong desire to protect his best friend left him shaking his head. Dick's breathing was a little laboured, and the soft moans as he moved in an attempt to get comfortable fired up Roy's temper. "This is ridiculous. There's got to be more she can do for you?"

"Nope. Just activity and then sleep off the effects. It could be worse. The pheromones could still be in my system."

There was uproarious laughter from the others. "Wally, do that again and I'll break you in half," Donna giggled.

"Oooo. Wally, you're a brave man," Roy called. "So, what are the three of you doing? Dick and I are all snuggled up like two bugs in a rug."

"We're playing sardines," Garth called.

"Enough," Donna snapped. "Get some sleep. Dick needs to rest."

"Yes, Mother," all four men called as one.

Dick shifted and despite his best effort to stifle it, a groan was drawn from him.

"Just try to rest, Dick," Roy encouraged. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"I seem to be depending on you a lot, lately," Grayson commented.

"Hey, another few million times and maybe I'll be getting close to repaying my debt."

"There's no debt, Roy."

"Yeah, I know. Now, close your eyes and go to sleep, sexy. I can't take advantage of you while you're awake."

"You wish, Harper. I'd break every bone in your body," Dick stated, beginning to blink steadily.

"Whatever turns you on, Robbie." Roy reached up to check Dick's temperature. "It's coming down."

"Roy, I keep telling you. I'm okay. Just a bit tired."

"Now that you've invited me into your bed, you aren't going to claim you've got a headache?"

Dick chuckled and patted Roy's hand that was hanging around his chest.

"Just two things before you go to sleep."

"Mmmm?" Grayson asked, sleep tugging at him.

"Do you think we would sleep better if we both took all of our cloths off?"

"No," Dick mumbled, amused.

"What about if we were to share the same sleeping bag?"

"No."

"You know that the act of sex raises a man's body temperature?"

"So does having a fist thrust down his throat," Dick murmured, sleepily. "Man, I feel zapped." He'd definitely done too much. Every muscle in his body was protesting against the poison. He was also starting to feel really cold. A shiver rippled through him.

Roy sat up, grabbed a blanket and tucked it around Dick before wrapping him up in his arms again.

"I can't afford to overheat," Dick pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. Go to sleep, Robbie. I'll keep an eye on you. I've got everything covered."

Content in that knowledge, Dick allowed darkness to rise up around him.

Roy sighed. So, was it on or off? Dick had given no indication that anything had changed. They had shared the same jokes about 'it' as they had for the last few years. "One day at a time," Roy murmured. "What the hell does that really mean?"

Continued in Part 2

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