Trust and Verify

Kaldur knows he'll never be able to truly match Robin's skill or speed, yet he does have a few years on the crimefighter, and in terms of strength he far outpaces the boy. That makes their bouts more or less equal, though Kaldur finds himself wishing he could at least score ONE concrete hit on him.

At least he's got more stamina than Robin, and when they stop by mutual consent, the younger hero is breathing hard, next to Kaldur, who hasn't yet broken a sweat. (Although, of course, Atlanteans do not sweat to begin with.)

"I'll get you next time." Robin promises as he heads for the benches.

Kaldur raises an eyebrow at that. "You 'got' me nearly thirty times in that match." He glances at the nearby monitor and amends his estimate. "Thirty-seven. According to the training computer, you won."

"Yeah, well, fights don't run by computers." Robin snorts, slinging a towel across his shoulders. "So long as the enemy's still standing, I lost."

"My king would tell me that so long as you are standing, you assuredly have not." Kaldur shrugs.

Robin gives a wry little smile. "Tell that to Batman."

There really isn't an answer to that, so Kaldur just chuckles and tosses Robin a bottle of water. He catches it effortlessly and glugs it down. "Say, did you talk to Artemis?" He asks, wiping his mouth.

"Yes." Kaldur nods. "You were right, but I do not think more discussion from me will solve the problem."

"That makes sense, yeah." Robin nods, staring at the water bottle.

"Perhaps you might speak with her? She might react better to concern from a non-powered teammate…"

Robin shakes his head. "Nope." He says, tossing the water bottle back. "You're the leader, it's your job to bug people about their issues. Me… heck, I'm practically the kid of the group."

"If anyone, that is Wally." Kaldur grins, popping off the cap of the bottle.

Robin laughs at that. "Maybe WALLY could talk to her about it." He mutters. "But he's a terrible liar. Plus, it would be pretty obvious after your talk." A thoughtful look crosses his face. "You know, actually, with the right hint to Wally, the situation might take care of itself."

"Hm?" Aqualad glances at his smirking friend, trying to catch his meaning, and slowly enlightenment dawns. "Ah. I see what you mean." A grin curves his mouth. "Curious. Do you really think…?"

Nodding knowingly, Robin replies: "Ohhhh yeah. Trust me. You may not have been there for all of the simulation, but even so, you had to have picked up on Wally's… reaction."

"Now that you mention it, yes." Kaldur taps the water bottle against his chin. "And considering some things they both said earlier… yes, I believe you are right." Popping the lid off the bottle, he muses: "I wonder when they will discover it."

"Haw!" Robin laughs. "Oh, I SO need to be there when that happens." His voice breaks away into his trademark laugh. "Wally's can be so oblivious, it's hilarious."

Kaldur allows himself a fond little smile. "Would you say that you know him better than he knows himself?"

"I'm saying that wouldn't be saying a lot." Robin chortles. "But yeah, you and me both. I guess it makes sense… we've worked with him for years, of course we know all about him."

"I do not believe time is solely responsible for your knowledge of him," admonishes Kaldur, tilting his head back and raising his brow. "Do you not already know Artemis equally well, despite your incredibly short acquaintance? In that regard, at least, you are ahead of me."

Curiously, Robin winces, looking almost… guilty. "I don't know if I'd say AS WELL AS." He rubs the back of his head. "That was… more luck than anything, really." Kaldur rather doubts that, but he lets Robin continue. "Just… part of basic analysis. Like what I do for everyone. And really, it's not important." He shoots Kaldur a nervous look before adding, hesitantly. "I could… tell you. If you want to know."

"No." Kaldur's surprised by the offer, it's unlike Robin to volunteer information, particularly information that Batman's restricted. But even so, his decision is easy. "If you say it is not important, it is not important. As Batman says, she has a right to her secret identity, a right I shall respect."

"Batman and I didn't." Robin mutters. "You're the leader, it's important for a leader to have all the facts regarding his teammates!"

He seems to be almost arguing, and Kaldur wonders at this turn of character. "I am in command in the field, but it is Batman who truly handles the team." He reminds Robin. "Batman—and you—know all the facts about Artemis, and have elected to trust her regardless." He crosses his arms. "That is good enough for me. I trust your judgment."

Glancing away, Robin shakes his head. "That's… great."

Kaldur frowns at the boy's tone. "Is… something wrong?" He asks.

"No… not… well that is… it" Robin slings the towel off his neck. "No. No, there's nothing wrong. It's great that you trust me and Bats for that sort of thing. It really is." He smiles.

There's a small pause, and then Kaldur lifts an eyebrow. "I sense there is more to this than you are saying."

"Yeah, there's a 'but' hanging onto that." Robin nods shamefacedly. "It's great that you trust people like that, but at the same time... I can't." Looking pleadingly at Kaldur, he explains, "I mean, I literally can't trust people the way you trust people. You…" He gestures vaguely. "You trust surface people because Aquaman does. You trust Artemis because apparently Bats and I do. You trust there's no mole on the team because of how you've fought alongside them all."

Kaldur cocks his head. "I assumed you also felt there was no mole on the team."

"Well… yeah…" Robin squirms uncomfortably, "…but because of analysis and logic, not because I actually trust trust them. Heck, I've even run analysis on you and KF, and not even ROY suspects you guys!" Almost as an afterthought, he adds, "I run one on him, too."

"Robin, you are merely being cautious." Kaldur assures him.

"I'm being paranoid!" Robin insists. "I should be able to trust you guys, that's how teams work! I really should not be constantly suspecting people who've pulled my butt out of the fire more times than I can count! I ought to be… like you." He slumps a little. "Actually able to trust my friends because they're my friends. Not always seeing dark motives in everything."

A silence. Kaldur is honestly at a loss; its unlike Robin to talk this much about himself, and especially unlike him to be so openly critical of his mentor's methods.

But finally he smiles and sits next to Robin on the bench. "Robin, do you remember my explanation for why I said nothing about the mole?"

"Yeaaaah…." Robin looks a little doubtful. "You said you didn't want to tip off the potential mole or cause unnecessary dissent in the team."

Kaldur blinks, taken off-guard. "No… well, yes. I did say that." Coughing, he tries again. "Do you recall, then, why I said I believed in the first place?"

"Yeah." This time understanding slowly dawns across the young boy's face. "You said as leader, you had to examine all possibilities."

"Including the likelihood of a mole," nods Kaldur. "I did not believe in the existence of a mole anymore then than I do now. But it was my duty, as leader, to be suspicious. And, perhaps because I did not truly believe in it then, I was not suspicious enough." He places a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Your suspicion—or perhaps caution—is part of what makes you such an ideal leader, Robin."

He could swear the Boy Wonder nearly blushes at that, as he looks away. "You're the Team Leader."

"For now. But someday perhaps some better man may be found to replace me."

"Ha!" smirks Robin. "Trust me, you'll be inducted to the League before that happens."

But Kaldur just shakes his head. "I hope not." He says softly. At Robin's skeptical look, he smiles. "Robin, I greatly regret that I was unable to see how you handled leadership in my absence during the simulation. My main consolation is the hope that I may experience it in the future."

"I… really don't think you wanna." Robin winces. "It was a flop. I killed the whole team, apart from M'gann and J'onn. Not exactly great leadership there."

"You destroyed the alien mothership. Succeeded where the entire Justice League—and I—had failed." Kaldur reminds him. "You had the respect of the entire team, including Superboy, and they trusted you with their lives."

"Sure, and I repaid it by sending them all to their deaths." Robin shivers a little. "Not like you. You got us all out of the Hall of Justice safely. The only person YOU killed was yourself."

"And accomplished nothing by doing so. There was no point to our capture of the alien vessel, no reason to go to the abandoned Hall of Justice. The deaths of your team at least counted for something. Mine…" Kaldur shakes his head, "…did not."

"That's… not… true." But Robin is clearly casting about for a convincing rebuttal. "You… ah… you saved J'onn! If he'd died we'd have never gotten out of there! And if we'd never have gone to the Hall of Justice, we'd never have met up with him."

Kaldur shakes his head again. "Martian Manhunter would have appeared wherever we were in the simulation. And even if your statement was accurate, that was not the reason why I suggested we return to the Hall of Justice." Leaning forward a little, he continues. "Shall I tell you why I did so? Because I was not meant to lead."

Raising a hand at Robin's outburst, he explains, "I am a soldier, Robin. Not a general. All that I have done, I have done in the service of Atlantis and my king, but I have no ambition or creativity to lead others."

"You lead us well enough." Robin looks a little angry.

"Because duty commands it. I lead as a service to my king, to the League, and to…" Aqualad coughs a little, "…to all of you. Even in leading, I but follow the orders of Batman, seldom turning aside from the path he has laid out. A noble task, doubtless, but unfitting for a leader, who must be ready to think on his own." Kaldur gestures with the water bottle. "When we visited the Hall of Justice, I was not looking for remnants of the League, so much as I was looking for someone to give me orders." He holds up his hand. "Not a general. A soldier. Thus, when the moment of crisis came, I reverted to the soldier I always have been, sacrificing my life and robbing my team of their leader." He smiles at Robin. "Though fortunately they found a better one."

"Better how, exactly?" Robin snorts, looking oddly distressed.

"One who achieved results," returned Kaldur. "One who did not need to wait for orders or plans from others. One who had the creativity and the independence to create a plan of his own, instead of running around trying to find the nearest general. One who could inspire the loyalty of an entire team in my absence, and take over without debate."

"They accepted it because we were up against the rocks and it was our last chance." Robin answers. "That plan was more last-ditch desperation than creativity, it was literally our last chance."

Kaldur raises his eyebrows. "It was a well-executed last-chance, then. Besides, have you not since led two missions? One of which deviated from ordered parameters, and another that was not even commissioned by our superiors?" He smiles. "Was it not your idea to investigate the fire that led to Superboy and Young Justice?"

"Lucky break," mutters Robin shaking his head. "You don't get it, Kal. I knew I was sending Conner to his death, and I didn't… I'm not even sure I cared." Glancing over at Kaldur, he adds, "Not like you. You watch over us Kaldur. All of us. You make sure we're all taken care of."

The statement takes Kaldur by surprise, and he takes a second to ponder it. "I… suppose so." He blinks a few times. "Well… I am worried, of course, and it is important for the team…"

"Oh please." Robin snorts. "You don't do it just for team spirit or whatever. That would be me. You're genuinely concerned about us. You honestly care for and trust your teammates. It's what makes us follow your orders so easily—we know you'd never risk us unnecessarily. Me?" Robin sighs. "I could fake that, maybe… pretend to be concerned, pretend to trust… but it wouldn't be real. It wouldn't work."

Kaldur feels Robin is being too hard on himself, but he doesn't say anything, sensing that it would just put Robin off. It's natural, he supposes, for everyone to question their ability to lead. But he has no qualms about Robin. The boy was meant to lead this team, that much is clear. Kal really feels as though he's just the warm-up leader, that he's just keeping the team together until Robin's ready—or old enough, anyway. Some people are born leaders, and Robin is as much one as Kaldur's own King Arthur (privately Kal feels certain Robin was born into some noble aristocratic line). He's innovative, decisive, charismatic, and enthusiastic. And when it comes to sheer skill, no one in the team can match him.

It puzzles and gratifies Kaldur that such a promising young boy somehow looks up to him.

"Ah, whatever." Robin snorts. He playfully punches Kal, recalling the Atlantean from his thoughts. "Do not worry about tomorrow, right? Although I'm not so hot at that either." He frowns momentarily. "But still." He stands. "Let's get going and see what magic M'gann's working in the kitchen." He sniffs dramatically. "Smells good."

"Indeed." Kaldur's sense of smell is virtually nonexistent, but he stands to follow the boy wonder out. A thought occurs to him. "Speaking of magic, Zatanna seems to be settling in well. She mentioned you'd been helping her."

Robin, the master of mastered emotions, turns bright red. "Uh… um… yeah." He risks a quick look at Kaldur. "What about it?"

Kaldur allows himself a small smile. That, at least, is something he can help Robin with.

A/N: Or not, considering Dick Grayson's romantic history in the DC universe. Girls fall in love with him at the drop of a hat.

Longest section yet. Fitting, perhaps, for the coolest character in the show, but I'm still not sure I got across what I wanted to. Robin and Aqualad have such a fascinating dynamic on the show. They interact as equals, despite the age difference, and Kaldur obviously has an enormous amount of respect for Robin. But at the same time, Robin seems to look up to Kaldur in ways that he just can't with Batman.

The timeline is a bit messed in this... I started writing it before the new episodes, but then I had to include the latest episode, just because it was so cool. And, by the time you read this, it'll be revealed who the mole is, which obviously I don't know yet. But it'll work, for now. The next chapter will doubtless be off-canon too, but I don't care. Let's just say we have a mystery guest arriving.