Batman's pov
As we listen to Erik the door opens and the team comes in. Kaldur's holds a picture in his hand and slams it down on the table in front of Erik.
"You give me one good reason I don't tell Matthew what you did?" He demands.
It's a picture of Erik's mom dead body. Erik freezes completely at this. He looks at Kaldur with fear and pain in his eyes.
"Matthew will kill me if he knew." Erik says.
"I do not think it's a bad idea. Now talk. I'm running out of time." He demands angrily.
"I don't know where he is. I got the letter this morning." Erik says with pure fear in his voice.
Kaldur is right since only have 2 hours till his mother dies. I have honestly never seen him so desperate. He reminds me of me. I pray that he doesn't turn into me if she dies.
"Aqualad we need to leave." Arthur says.
Kaldur nods as he walks over to Roy. We head to the ships and back to the mountain. We land and head to the meeting room.
"Did he give you a location?" Roy asks.
"No. He gave names of the children he killed." Oliver says.
"What are we going to do?" Megan asks.
"My mother is going to die." Kaldur says with tears glistening in his eyes but refuse to let them fall.
The room falls silent as Kaldur runs out of the room. Roy goes to follow him but I stop him. He look at me and nods letting me know to go.
"Go to the pool. He'll be there. He like to look at the water when things are on his mind." Roy tells me.
I walk to the pool and see Kaldur sitting at the edge with his shoulder shaking. I place my hand on his shoulder gently. He turns around with tears falling down his face and I
look to see his hand shaking. I sit down next to him and place my hand on his. I hand him a tissue from my pocket and he mumbles a 'thank you' and wipes his tears.
"I never told her I that forgive her for what she did. Or why she did it. It took me too long to understand but I finally did. In that long time of wondering I hated her. She is going to die knowing that I hated her. It is like I am losing her for the first time all over again and I can not stop it. That is a burden that no one should have to bear. I know you know what that feels like." He says with pure anger and sadness in his voice while wiping his tears.
Behind my cowl my eyes widen slightly. I may have actually under estimated him.
"It is alright Batman. I have not and will not say anything. I know that if we give him Thomas he will just kill her anyway. What are we going to do?" He asks with his voice sounding unlike him.
Before I can even answer him we hear a crackling laughter. We run to that meeting room to see Joker laughing tossing a knife in his hands. There is Selene chained to a wall
with tears flowing down her face, cover in more blood.
"Hey justice dorks." joker cheers as he dances around like a fool.
"Joker what have you done to her?" Kaldur orders.
"We were just having a little fun. Right my dear." Joker crackles while sliding the blade down her cheek.
"Calm down Joker. Enjoying the view son." Manta purrs.
"I am not your son. Now let her go!" Kaldur demands.
"New game. Tell me where Thomas is or mommy gets it. Understand." Manta says.
Kaldur looks at me with a rare frightened look in his eyes. He is almost begging me to help with his eyes.
"Tick tock. You're running out of time fish boy." Joker taunts holding the knife to Selene throat.
"Ok, enough. I'll make you deal. Let me take her place." Kaldur says with a look of defeat on his face.
"Kaldur don't." Arthur says.
"She is my mother. What choice do I have?" Kaldur explains with a determined look in his eyes.
"Mommy's little solider." Matthew says.
We all turn to see Matthew leaning against with a devious smirk on his face. He walks to Selene and stroke her cheek lightly. Kaldur growls in the back of his throat in rage.
"Have you always protected her?" Matthew asks.
"You know that answer. Let me take her place." Kaldur says with an awkward calm in his voice.
"Why do you defend her? She is part of the reason you can't even look your own boy toy in the eye and not want to run away. She caused you pain. She abandoned you when you needed her the most. She let the Manta in your house, the same person who took over a decade of your life away from you and you want to rescue her. Why?" Matthew asks but whit an odd tone in his voice.
"You are right Matthew. She did abandoned me. She did let him in our house. But I forgive her. She gave up a decade of her life to get better so I that I could have a life. She already lost her life to a ma- a monster like you once, I swear on Neptune himself I will not let that happen again. She gave me a second chance, herself a second chance. If I have to give myself up to a monster like you to protect her then so be it. If any of us deserve to die for sins, let it be me. I lived the life she wanted for me. I want her to live this life too. She deserves that. Please, please let me save her this time." Kaldur says as his face begins to age slightly and tears rim in his eyes but he refuses to let them fall.
"Fine. But there is another price." Matthew agrees.
"What price?" Robin asks with curiosity in his voice.
Matthew doesn't say anything. He just stands there like a lion waiting for his prey.
"I want to talk to her." Kaldur demands.
"In English." Matthew warns while moving for Selene to be seen.
"Mother?" Kaldur asks like a frightened child.
Selene doesn't say a word. She doesn't even move. I look to see Kaldur's hand shaking, clenched in a fist. This is starting to worry me. I'm actually afraid of what he might
do if she's dead.
"Mom. Please. Say something." Kaldur begs as his body starts to shudder.
"My son." Selene whispers in pain.
"Mother listen to me. You are going to walk away from this I promise. I won't fail this time. I am coming to get you ok. Just hang on for a little while longer. Ok. Can you do that for me?" Kaldur explains with a light smile.
"I love you kaldur. You are my greatest treasure." Selene whispers while smiling to him.
"I love you too mother." Kaldur says softly smiling back at her.
"Meet me at the old children's hospital in Gotham." Matthew orders while signing off.
"You do realize how stupid you are. You know that right?" Roy ask with anger lacing his voice.
"I know." Kaldur says simply.
"Why did you make that deal?" Roy asks trying to keep calm but failing.
"Would you do the same for me? Or Oliver?" Kaldur asks.
"You know I would." Roy answers.
"Alright then. I will be fine. If Matthew wants to mind games, I will play it with him." Kaldur explains.
"How?" Megan asks with curiosity.
"We will deal with that matter later. We need to get to Gotham. if we know Matthew he will send his lackeys to get me." Kaldur says.
"Lets go." I order as we head to Gotham.