A/N: I want to give a big shout-out to Zutara407, KKCopper, and Rowanfall; thank you all so much for reading loyally, reviewing kindly, and enjoying my story so much. You're words are very thoughtful and I thank you that you didn't judge my story before it had even started. Enjoy this next chapter, please remember to review. Oh and props to anyone who understands why Calian is laughing about the curly lock of hair, message me with your guess and I'll tell you if your right.
Thursday, 1st of December
4:46pm
"You didn't have to," Cali said, turning to Kaldur and trying not to smile.
"Calian, you have done little but sleep, eat and stare out the windows for the two weeks you have been with us. One cannot stay inside forever,"
"Thanks Kaldur," she spun and kissed his cheek and turned back and walked to the water, pausing in her pace only to take off her shoes and socks.
He watched her, fighting a feeling of familiarity that began to rise inside him. Calian darted up to the water and hesitantly tip-toed along the wet sand; standing in the water where the waves lapsed peacefully over her feet.
"It's warm for December!" she called to him.
"Does that surprise you?" he asked, laughing to himself as he started walking after her. He felt anxious, and conniving. He wanted to continue one of their previous conversations and felt there was but one way to go about it.
"…yeah, Gotham's water is always cold," she said, looking up from the waters.
"Ah, yes. I am well acquainted with the Waters of Gotham. You like the ocean?"
She was laughing and racing the waves, walking out as they ebbed and jumping back so as not to get soaked. The way she smiled again struck certain chords, and he tried to push them away, believing them to be memories of Tula.
'Yeah, I do. My parents…" she stopped, her face caught between falling and a distant smile. He waited, watching as she swallowed hard and brought the smile back; it was the face she'd worn every day at school. "we used to go to the beach a lot. They taught me to swim, we'd go down just about every day of the summer. We'd drive down to Metropolis,"
"You miss them greatly,"
"What about your parents, Kaldur?" she asked, turning to him, her eyes held a question and he felt she wasn't simply changing topics but honestly curious.
"I did not know my parents," he said, trying to keep emotion from his voice. "I was raised by the Atlantian School and my King."
"Is it nice?"
"I do not understand," he looked at her, his head to one side.
"Atlantis, I mean. Is it nice?"
"Hm. It is more beautiful than anything I have seen in the surface world," he smiled proudly.
"You love it, huh?"
"Of course. It is my home; it is a great city with a wonderful king and queen. Are you not proud of Gotham City?"
Her lips twitched and he saw a sad smile. "I could never love Gotham city"
"Come," he said, taking her hand. "There is a cove this way; when the water rises high enough it gets caught in the stones here,"
Kaldur guided her towards a tide pool. "This is generally what happens with the tides Kaldur," she laughed as he stepped in.
"Humor me," He offered her his hand to help her down.
"Hey…" she stepped in next to him "it's—the water's warm,"
"It is a natural spring from the mountain; the tides serve to cool it down,"
She didn't let go of his hand as she moved towards the center with him. He couldn't help getting distracted by her anklet.
"Calian," he began, turning to face her; he almost regretted doing so because her hand slipped from his when she did. "What you were saying before, when you and Megan fought?"
"What do you mean," her smile was still innocent and unsuspecting.
"You said something," he paused and took a step back from her. "You said, something about tearing my team apart?"
"I don't think that's what I said," she said, her smile gone as she turned back to the water; he watched her trace her fingers over the ripples in the little pool.
"Do not split hairs," Kaldur groaned. She was unresponsive and continued playing with the water, so he changed tactics. "Megan was very upset,"
"…guess I should tell her I'm sorry,"
"arg," he growled under his breath; he got an ornery look on his face and used his powers to splash her.
She gasped and pulled back, the action causing her to slip and fall into the water fully. She looked up to him with a shocked expression, her eyes doe-like. He swallowed hard; he wasn't sure what he had expected, but certainly not a reaction like this. He'd seen her play with other guys like this at school and at parties; had he gotten the surface world wrong yet again?
"I am sorry," he started to apologize, leaning down to help her back to her feet.
She took his hand and looked up to him, letting him lean closely to her; she saw his muscles flex as he pulled her up. Before he realized it her face had split into a terribly mischievous grin and she used her dead-weight to pull him down into the water, tangling his legs in her own to bring him down. She laughed as he splashed down next to her; he took great care to brace himself as he fell, ensuring as much distance between their bodies as gravity would allow.
"Consider us even." She laughed out, her eyes closed in guarding from the splash of the salt water.
Kaldur felt a slight twinge of anger when he'd finally hit the bottom, but looking up and seeing the smile on her face, watching her try to blink through the water that coated her eyes, he felt it ebb away. He felt himself soften when he looked at her. Her lip was still a little swollen and discolored, but there was a light pout to it under the wound. Her cheeks were pale, enough so that the bruises there and around her eye—though very well into healing—stood out drastically and marked her. However, her face remained unmarred by these, at least, that was what he found when she smiled, or laughed.
He continued looking at her face; not sure what emotions were coursing through his body as he did so, but rather he was reserved to let them play out and surface so he could better understand. That was the reasoning behind why he did not instantly try to get up when she opened her eyes. Instead, he let her look up into his face from beneath her long brown lashes, let her smile of innocent play slowly fade into a line of uncertainty. He watched the blood flow to her face and color her cheeks, fighting with the color of the bruise.
"Then we are even," he said calmly, looking over her face.
…
He was poised over her carefully. Calian took note of his arms, placed so that his body hung over her; his arms were taught in suspending him. He looked calm and at ease but she'd been in this situation before; she could tell by his face that there were definitely different intentions with him than the others, but it was nonetheless something that made her squirm.
But, she'd wanted to see those stormy grey eyes looking into hers. Now that they were—
"Then we are even" Kaldur said, looking down at her.
He smiled, and began moving—still carefully—off of her. "I am sorry—"
"I did it," she said, quirking her brow argumentatively.
"Regardless," he offered her his hand again. This time she took it and let herself be pulled up to him.
Clearing her throat Calian began to wring out her clothes. "So…"
"Calian, I need you to tell me what you meant."
"Back to this again," she sighed, pausing for a moment to reply. "Kaldur, I don't want to—"
"It has little to do with what you want Calian." He stole himself for composure. "I will not let any harm come to my team, to my friends. It will not happen. Now, what was it you meant Calian, when you said you were only good for tearing people apart?"
He was thinking about the mole in his team; maybe this had been her plan all along and the two were somehow connected?
Her jaw clenched and unclenched several times before she opened it, but she said nothing. He watched her swallow, look at the ground, and wring out her clothes some more. All the while she seemed to be working to keep her face calm.
"You know my parents died right?" she didn't wait for him to respond. "That my parents died in a car crash nine years ago."
She swallowed and sat heavily down in the sand, staring at the waves. Her words hung on the air and Kaldur felt suddenly uneasy about asking her.
"But…no one knows that I killed them,"
When she turned to look at him her eyes were brimming with tears and her face was contorted with hurt.
…
4:46pm
"Where's Kaldur?" Artemis asked as she stretched through the portal.
Wally and Megan looked at each other.
"Outside,"
"On the beach,"
They said together.
"Oh, okay," she said, looking questioningly at them.
"Hey Conner," Megan said, averting her gaze; after all that'd happened in their undercover mission she didn't know where they stood. "Up for helping Wally and me cook dinner?"
"Sure," he shrugged, letting his eyes meet hers.
"Hey Robin," Artemis said as she was getting a glass of milk from the fridge.
The boy-wonder stretched; he'd had a long night with Batman and couldn't have been happier. They'd been on patrol, just like old times.
"Hey Artemis,"
"Anyone heard if we've got another brutal training session with Black Canary today?" the blond questioned as she put the milk back, watching the others stroll into the kitchen.
"Nah, haven't heard anything," Wally said, running with his speed to keep her from closing the fridge so he could grab a snack.
"We're making dinner Wally," Megan reminded him with a smile.
"Dude, I gotta eat to keep my speed," he winked, causing a slight frown from Superboy.
"Would you two like to help?" Megan smiled pleasantly, her entire being welcoming.
…
4:48pm
Kaldur stood in stunned silence for a moment, trying to process and understand what she'd said on his own. He didn't want to say anything and interrupt her, but the allegations she'd made against herself were frightening.
"Calian, it is not even probable that an eight year old child killed her parents." He said softly to her, hesitantly stepping forward.
"It doesn't matter, it's still my fault. I got them killed Kaldur." She drew in a shaky breath and turned a broken gaze back to the sea before she continued.
"My parents had me in ballet classes after my mom decided she couldn't teach me anymore. I got good, really, really good. Ballet is in my blood…or something I guess. I started getting rolls in companies for stage-work, for the children in some productions. Like, a doll in The Nutcracker or something. They were just small parts with little dancing, but they started getting bigger fast.
"When they died…" she paused, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "When they died, they'd taken me to the beach for my birthday. We stayed there all morning, and my dad taught me how to dive off the rocks. But…I had a performance that night. When it started getting later I got nervous. There were rules, I had to be at the stage at a certain time for rehearsal, getting costumes, final adaptations and that such. I got nervous and started complaining that I'd be late, that we needed to go.
"So we all piled into the car." Her voice got weak. "I kept saying we were going to be late, that we had to hurry. We had to make that dance; it was the most important of my life. My mom said that I was playing a drama queen and needed to calm down. It wouldn't be the end of the world if we were late. My dad told her to 'ease up' on me, after all, he said, she was the reason I was so caught up in dance anyways. He said she'd been pampering me with these dances; mom started saying that he was the one who spoiled me with games and toys, always calling me a princess. It was stupid, really.
"But I kept putting in my 'two piece'. I would defend one, then the other, then get so worried about that stupid performance that I'd start whining and begging my dad to go faster. God, I was being such a pain…" she clenched her jaw again. "My dad got mad, because I was being such a spoiled baby and I wouldn't stop yelling at them and he yelled at me to be quiet. 'Be quiet', he said 'or I'll turn this car around and we'll go home and you won't dance at all'. I went into hysterics, saying he couldn't do that, looking to my mom, telling her to make him let me dance. Mom was so angry with him. She said something, threatened something maybe, I don't remember. Whatever it was, it got his attention and he got quiet.
"Then mom got real quiet and looked out the window, over the ocean. And dad…dad looked to me. It was just for a second…and he smiled. He started to tell me that he was sorry and it'd be okay, that I'd make the dance… And then…"
Her voice started choking. It took her a long while to get herself composed this time. She sniffled, trying to wipe her eyes before the tears spilled out so that she wouldn't cry again, trying to control the muscles in her mouth from turning down wards. Her breathing was shaky at best.
"…and then a driver in a red pickup truck hit us head on doing almost ninety miles an hour. He was drunk, at six in the evening. He was drunk. And he hit us. And they…they…"
He watched her shoulders shake as she drew her dancer's legs up to her chest and hugged them tightly.
"I…" what was he going to say, 'I am sorry'? "I did not know that you were in the car too…"
"I saw them dying."
"But…I still do not understand Calian, how—"
"I started the stupid argument that caused their crash Kaldur, I sat there and watched them dying! I acted out and made my only other family hate me." she gave a wry, tearful laugh. "I'm still such a spoiled brat and was so 'perfect'" she spat the word "that my team started to hate me. Get it now?"
The boy sighed heavily and walked slowly towards her. Running a hand through his hair he sat heavily down next to her. "Calian…" he stole himself to look over her for a moment. It was not narcissistic pride, nor self-conceit that she had spoken through. He could see that she was nearly crushed under the guilt—whether deserved or not—she felt. "None of that was your fault,"
She gave a cruel laugh and shook her head. "My parents are dead and that's my fault,"
"They are dead because of an irresponsible man behind the wheel of a vehicle. You could not have done anything."
"You don't get it, if I hadn't been making such a scene and yelling at them he would have been paying attention to the road! He would have seen the truck and he could have swerved. Our car could have been dented instead of…"
She stopped again, finding that the imagery was overtaking her thoughts.
"Calian, do not think of it. You could not have done anything; if your father had been able to swerve he would have. Their deaths are not on you,"
She shook her head and buried her face in her knees.
…
5:16pm
Kaldur didn't know what to do. It was the second time he'd seen her crying, but this time she wasn't distant from him. She was sitting right next to him, weak, helpless, and uncertain. And he was frozen in an apprehension drawn from his love for Tula.
The sun was beginning to set along the far horizon, spraying the sky and ocean with colors of fall and fire. As it died the sun glimmered against the bracelet she wore around her ankle and Kaldur felt part of him breaking. He knew that bracelet because he'd made it. But he didn't know how she'd gotten it. What was worse, he feared that now she'd confessed this weight from her heart, she would close herself off even more than before. It was a human being's first reaction to pain and loss.
He didn't understand why his heart was hurting him this way. He had seen plenty of people cry, had cried himself for his parents, for losing Tula, in frustration after a lost battle. He'd seen friends cry out their hearts, as well as children for whatever reason. He'd seen his team become moved to tears. But nothing struck him so painfully close as watching her cry.
Turning off his head and his reasoning Kaldur moved closer to her and slowly folded her into his chest. He was surprised when, far from resisting, she almost gladly accepted his embrace. She had her arms locked around her chest, as if to protect herself, to keep something out.
Or, to keep the real pain in. He thought. There was something almost radiant in the pathetic-ness of her tears. Kaldur kissed her forehead, drawing her body into his and letting her cry into him.
…
5:30pm
"Sorry," Calian tried to pull away, still sniffling but waking from what she realized had been a semi-sleep.
"It is alright," Kaldur said, not resisting heavily her movements away from him, nor forcing her away from him faster than she moved.
She wiped her eyes on her jacket sleeve, now only damp, and looked at the ground and the sea and the sky, avoiding his eyes.
"You know," he paused, again trying to force his reasoning away and to just act. "Megan really admires you,"
Calian scoffed and looked at him in disbelief. After her eyes searched his face for a moment, her own features changed with a look of surprise. "…really?"
"Yes, she does. If you wish to apologize, talk with her about cheerleading."
"…Kaldur, can I ask you something?"
"Of course,"
"Why is it you're so tolerant and nice to me? Wally had a crush on me, and I get that. But, I don't get you."
"You see that sea shell?" he asked her, changing the subject.
"…yeah…" she said slowly, not understanding where this conversation was suddenly going.
"See how the outside is rippled and rough, its colors neutral and soft: creams and whites, some browns maybe, blacks?"
"…yeah, most shells are like that…" she said, humoring him.
"And then the inside—"
"Is smooth and shiny and very pretty with mother-of-pearl-ness. Yes, I know sea-shells Kaldur. I had a collection once," she teased, her brow slightly furrowed as she tried to hurry him to his conclusion.
"You are a very impatient girl," he mused, looking at her fondly.
"Part of my charm."
"So I see." She started and looked at him, but his gaze had turned to the sea shell he'd picked up and was turning over. "I believe, Calian Leal, you are much like these shells. Your treasure is somewhere on the inside. However, you use any method you can from outside to hide it away. That is why,"
"…hm. So you're Sherlock Holmes, and I'm a mystery?" she said quizzically. "…I'll take that as a complement?"
Kaldur blushed. "I did not mean—"
"Relax," she smiled gently, and stood, brushing herself off. "I smell dinner cooking…if I'm invited," she paused and offered her hand.
"You will be my guest," he stood and bowed, offering his arm playfully.
…
Friday the 9th of December
3:17pm
"You're pretty good you know," Calian said, startling Megan as she practiced her cheerleading moves.
"Huh? Oh! …you really think so?" Megan's face burst into a smile.
Calian nodded to her and sat down on the couch. "If you keep working at it you'll make the Knights next year."
"Oh really!" Megan dropped the pompoms and clapped her hands excitedly.
"I could show you some moves…if you wanted…" Calian offered, shrugging.
"That would be wonderful, please," Megan said, inching closer on the couch.
"Alright, got music?"
…
3:29pm
"…what's that?" Conner asked around eating a cereal bar.
"Calian and Megan," Wally said, his jaw hanging open. "they're practicing cheers,"
Conner paused in the doorway looking over Wally's shoulder. He continued watching his brows arching appreciatively.
"Like this?" Megan asked, doing a high kick and spinning.
"Yeah. Okay, and then you do a back-hand spring—that should be easy for you," Calian smiled as she leapt back.
"When you land, you draw your leg up," Calian brought her knee to her chest. "And kick,"
"Got it," Megan said.
"Kay, ready? On three,"
Calian restarted the music and did a count off and the two girls began a new routine, Megan watching Calian to keep time, Calian glancing at Megan to give reassurance. They made a good pair.
At the end of the routine Calian began improving, turning the cheer into a dance. Megan caught on quickly and the two had a great dance in no time. They were laughing as if they'd been friends for years.
"No doubt, there's a spot on the varsity team next year if you want it. Kiss that 'welcome to the Knights' hello," Calian laughed as they wound down, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"…How can you be sure if you're not going to be on the team," Megan said, a fight wavering on her voice between being obstinately angry and sad.
"'Cause I trained the girl who's taking my place," Calian replied with a little shrug. "I taught her what to look for, what to admire; she knows what to improve and what to emphasize. She'll know you're a good athlete."
"You guys know how to swing?" she asked suddenly, whipping around to face Wally and Conner. Blushing, the two boys fumbled over their words trying to say no and explain what they were doing all at the same time.
"Well, you're going to,"
…
4:45pm
"okay okay no more!" Wally yelled, laughing out his breaths.
Megan and Calian were both giggling fit to die and sat back on their heels. They'd planned quite a successful assult on Wally with Conner's help and had finally gotten the jokester back for his pranks and puns. The fact it was a tickled retribution made little difference.
"I suppose there's nothing that gets past you?" Calian joked to Conner who'd stayed out of their playful brawl for fear of his strength.
"No. It doesn't."
"Ah…should have guessed…" Calian nodded, trying again to control the muscles in her face.
"…"Conner narrowed his eyes, looking hard at her and Megan from the ground.
Cali and Megan… "Wally!" he grinned, turning around to find the speeder behind him, caught in a guilty grin. "Hah, nice try Ca—"
But it was M'gann who had the surprise for him.
"Hey!" he growled as he was caught off guard and lifted from the ground.
"How long ya think you can hold me?" he challenged her, arching his eyebrow tauntingly.
"ooohhkahay," Calian trailed out after glancing at Megan. "We're getting gone," she winked to Wally.
"Wait, why?" he asked, looking confusedly back over his shoulder at the other two.
"Uh…gonna find—Artemis!"
…
4:58pm
Artemis stopped and jerked backwards to keep from walking headlong into Calian.
"What?"
"uh…" what was she supposed to say? Megan and Conner were seconds away from sucking face so she'd pulled Wally out of the living room? "hey…"
The blond looked at her indomitably. With her stares, Calian almost had trouble believing that she was in fact the elder of the two girls.
"You just get back?" Wally asked, unconsciously stepping in.
"I—uh…well, I—I…yeah, yeah I just got in." she stammered out. "I had a thing after school."
"Ah, cool. Well, it's about time for dinner, wanna help me and Calian?" Wally asked; Calian caught Artemis' eyes flick towards her.
"Actually Wally I'm no good in the kitchen. I don't really know how to cook," she said stepping away from him. "I'll…go see if I can help Di—Robin with the chores or something,"
She darted around the corner.
Calian couldn't explain it. There was something about the other's girl look that made her feel…anxious and panicked. There was a cold and calculating look in her eyes that unnerved Calian and she didn't know why.
"Calian?"
She jumped, not having realized that she'd been pacing in the library, she'd never been a pacer. "Hey Kal,"
Was it his eyes that made her so relaxed?
"Are you alright?"
"Oh, yeah. Just thinking,"
"Do you always pace frantically when you think?" he asked her, crossing his arms as his head tilted gently in inspecting her.
"Uh… I mean I…" she let out a breath and let her shoulders relax. "I was just a little frazzled I guess,"
"Is something the matter?" he straightened and took a step forward. "Did something happen between you and—"
"No," she interrupted him, shaking her head hard. "No, it wasn't anything like that… Have you ever known someone who just makes you feel…guilty?"
He adjusted himself again, allowing his position as leader to roll off his shoulders just a little lower than before. His brow furrowed as he tried to guess what she was getting at before she spoke again.
"Yes," he answered stalwartly.
"And, you feel guilty even though—at least for that moment—you've done nothing wrong?"
"Yes," he answered again, thinking back to old men with trenchant eyes and mother's with scornful gazes.
"I was just having one of those moments. That's all,"
Kaldur clenched himself on the inside; he didn't want to think he was falling in love with her smile.
…
6:32pm
"I'm sorry that dinner is late tonight," Megan apologized, blushing.
"No worries babe, your cooking magnificence more than makes up for it," Wally winked, gobbling down another spoonful of potatoes.
"It's delicious Megan," Conner agreed, gazing at her.
"Oh…thank you, Conner,"
Calian looked on a little enviously at the two and was amazed that the rest of the young team didn't seem to see it as well.
"Wally I thought you and Artemis were—"
"We had training. It's pretty important for what we do." Artemis said with a naturally fluctuating voice.
"Oh, right. I just thought that Wally—hey, you guys wanna play a game?" Calian asked, interrupting herself when she caught the look Kaldur was sending her.
She could read his face. 'Please, please do not start something up again. Do not antagonize her.' She was sure he was thinking.
"A game?" Dick scoffed, stopping his fork mid-lift.
"Haha, it's not as dorky as it sounds. It's to see how well you know each other." She said, straightening.
"…like, a team building exercise?" Megan asked, brightening.
"…sometimes."
"Explain it to us," Calian turned her eyes back to Kaldur, who's chin rested on his interwoven fingers, his dinner forgotten.
"Well, everyone gets a glass, filled to the top. Then we go around the table and tell three stories. Two of the stories are true things that have happened to us, one of them is something completely made up. The rest of us try to guess which story is the lie. If we guess right, the teller has to down the entire drink. If we get it wrong, we all take the drink instead. After a few rounds, to make it harder, we tell four stories; two are true, two are fal—"
"So it's a drinking game?" Artemis put down her fork and looked directly at Calian, finding she could no longer eat through the rules the girl was listing off.
"Traditionally, yeah. The point is usually to get shit-faced drunk at parties." Calian gave her a wry smile through pursed lips. "However, it doesn't have to be. We can use anything from sparkling cider to milk to club soda."
"Heh, sounds kinda fun," Wally shrugged.
"I dunno…" Dick hesitated; Batman had forbid him from telling his teammates his true identity. That had sort of, kind of, fallen through. But he still wasn't sure how much personal information he should give them.
"Don't worry I just thought…it'd kinda be something nice to talk about…" Calian shrugged and smiled off the hesitance.
"I think it is a good idea," Kaldur said; his team needed something to pick themselves up. "Megan, I think we have some orange juice in the fridge. Calian, would you do the honors?"
…
8:09pm
The table was in an uproar, laughing hysterically at one of Wally's stories. They had tears in their eyes and running down their cheeks while he told about one of his first escapades with the Flash.
"Alright, alright, alright," Wally chuckled, grinning happily at having reduced them to little more than slumped in fits of giggles. "Which one is the false story?"
He looked around the table expectantly, daring them to answer.
"My vote goes to you actually kissing Sarah Adams," Dick laughed across the table.
"Me too," Conner agreed, chuckling into a glass of water and clearing his throat.
"I think it's the one about the cat and your cousin," Calian shook her head and erupted into another round of giggles.
"I second that one," Megan smiled, trying to contain herself from bursting into another round of laughter and wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I third it," Artemis said, causing Calian to look up. "Hey, he's fast enough he could plant one on the president if he'd wanted to." She shrugged, her smile only making her look all the haughtier.
"I suppose that leaves my choice the odd one out." Kaldur said, leaning back in his chair. "I suppose,"
"C'mon, side with us Kaldur, we don't need another round of paper-rock-scissors for a tie-breaker," Megan giggled out.
"Dude come on, totally feel the aster on this one. There's no way he kissed Sarah!"
"I think my choice must rest with the ladies on this one," Kaldur conceded to the cat story.
Conner and Dick groaned, shaking their heads as they agreed that the cat story was the improbable falsity. The girls began laughing again.
"…geez, you guys suck!" Wally said, looking around at them disbelievingly.
"I knew it!" Dick shouted triumphantly, pushing himself up from the table.
"You're wrong too," Wally said, shooting his friend down with a roll of his eyes. "It was the last story about me and Flash!"
The table erupted again, their laughter echoing through the kitchen.
"What? I'm serious!" Wally protested, looking around at them.
"I don't know that I believe you," Artemis laughed.
"C'mon you guys, drink up. You lost," Wally said, crossing his arms and slouching in his seat.
"Okay, time to up the ante," Calian said, downing her oj in two deep gulps.
"What, more questions?" Conner asked, stretching.
"Yeah, but we're gonna get a drink that's not fun to drink," she said, standing and collecting the glasses and pitcher.
"You're not going to find any alcohol in here," Artemis said quickly, turning around to watch Calian carefully.
"Oh, really? I can't imagine why," Calian quipped. "Screw the booze, I'd be skinned alive if I tried it anyways. Nah, we're just gonna make it so that we're trying to abstain from drinking, as opposed to not minding."
They watched her rummage through the fridge; she added soda, apple juice and then chocolate milk.
"Gross," Dick wrinkled his nose as she set a glass in front of him.
"Haha, that's the point kiddo. Now, who's turn?"
…
Their game continued on for another hour or so. The laughs continued and they were all having a good time, without Artemis and Calian bumping heads.
"See, it's not just a useless game is it?" Calian said, lifting her glass in mock toast as she and the other's drank for losing this round to Megan.
"Well, it's entertaining yeah, but it doesn't really serve any needs," Dick shrugged.
"Someone once told me you can learn just as much from someone's lies as from what truth's they tell," Calian shot back, wrinkling her nose in disgust after downing the horrible mix.
"Pfft, who said that?" Artemis scoffed turning into her drink to keep from saying more.
"…a very good teacher,"
Kaldur saw the distant smile on her face and decided that Calian was talking about her father.
"I believe that it is your turn Calian," Kaldur interrupted, taking the drink pitcher and pouring another round.
"Heh…alright…" she leaned back and wracked her brain. Mostly she'd just been telling simple stories about school; said this to so-and-so, did this cheer and such-and-such happened. Her lies and mostly been obviously made up; actually, she'd suggested the game but she'd been putting the least effort into the stories out of all of them.
"Once upon a time there was a little girl," she started in a sing-song voice, kind of tilting her head back and forth as she spoke. "whoooo….went to the beach with her family every day. One day…the family built a sand castle…and…. And built up the walls almost as tall as she stood; they dug out the bottom until she could stand inside and couldn't see out unless she stood on her tip-toes. Then they filled the castle with water and caught snails and crabs, little things from the tide pools and placed them in the castle, on the walls and in the rooms. It was like a flea circus without the electronics."
"Uhm….oh! So, there was this guy, a senior… Brandon Calfaux, the guy with the stringy, straight hair, who wouldn't leave me alone. He'd ask me to all the dances, hit on me at all the games. And he'd send flowers to my house," Megan was riveted, thinking she was going to hear some tale of earth-girl romance. "Sorry Meg, nothing happened." Calian grinned. "So he graduates and goes away to college, right? Well, the guy sends me a letter—creepy as hell however he got my address. Well, in it was a cheesy love poem of undying affection and a lock of curly hair in the envelope.
"And…hm. One last one right?" Calian drummed her nails along the side of her glass, grazing her upper teeth over her lower lip continually, her eyes glossing over the table, seemingly looking for some spark on inspiration.
Kaldur watched her eyes glass over as she stared at the wood of the tabletop. She stopped chewing her lip and let the corners of her mouth glide up into a soothing smile. She brushed a finger over her lips while she thought it out, smiling over nothing. When she spoke her voice was dreamy and far away.
"When I was a little girl I stayed with my godparents on the beach. Every day that I was with them they let me go down to the water to play. I would dance in the waves, kick up the sea foam. I loved going down just after dinner, because it was sunset…
…Calian giggled and twirled in the sand, letting the gentle waves hit her legs with their ebb and flow. Every evening she went down and danced to the ever-chancing music that the sea made. One evening of her stay as she was dancing the waves were playful and hit her with enough force to knock her down. She fell, getting soaked form the waist up and giggled, splashing water out towards the depths, as if splashing a friend. She was getting up to resume dancing when she caught sight of someone. Startled she turned around, falling again. When she brushed the sea water from her eyes and looked back, there was nothing. But Calian didn't buy that. She had seen something there. Getting up she walked slowly and quietly through the waves towards the rocks to her right. She craned her neck, peering carefully around to see what it was.
There was nothing there, but, not deterred, she clambered without skill up onto the rocks and poked her head over the other side. As she looked down her eyes met the most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen. They were silver, like the glint of ocean off of the inside of a shell. She looked into the boys eyes, entranced as he looked back at her. He stood from his crouching position, his face unreadable. She blinked a few times; his light hair was still glittering with sea salt and droplets of water, his skin was kissed by the ocean's sun.
"You are a good dancer," he said to her.
She blushed and giggled, looking away. This made the boy uncomfortable and he shifted, his brow wrinkling a little bit at her.
"No, don't be angry," she said, hurrying to slide down the other side, her romper pulling up to show the attached shorts beneath. "I'm Calian," she said, giving a little girlish bow.
"I—I should not be talking to you," the boy said, backing towards the ocean's waves.
"…oh…why not?" her face fell and her lips pouted at him, her sea-glass-green eyes sparkling out from under heavy lashes.
"…you…are different than me…than my people…" the boy paused, looking back over his shoulder.
"Is that wrong?" she said, tilting her head, the few random braids she wore swinging slightly.
"…your people are…are not good. They are bad people, and I am not to a-as-associate" the boy took trouble sounding out the large word "with you or your kind,"
"I'm not bad," she said, putting her hands behind her back. "I like you. We could be friends. Would you like to be my friend?"
He had taken the hand she'd offered to him. Every evening after that they'd meet at the rocks. He showed her the tide pools and she would dance for him. She never said anything about his hands or the marks on his body and neck. The boy realized that she didn't think they mattered. She saw them, noticed the skin between his fingers because she'd adjust her own when they held hands. She just didn't care about the difference. She'd asked where he'd come from once, and after he said he couldn't tell her she said nothing of it again.
They would play for hours by the water; her nose was sun kissed pink that summer. They build the best sand castles together—he was an expert. He found her beautiful shells with which to make the doors, the thrones and the bridges. He would tell her the most magnificent stories as they built the castles. He told her about the castle he lived in, about the dolphins and fish and his king. He spoke of his best friend, a boy that he trained and went to school with. He had wonderful stories of school. He reassured her when she confessed her worries to him about her own upcoming school year.
But Calian's evenings at the beach with her new found and mysterious friend were drawing to a close. She would be going home in two day's time. He found her crying one evening, hiding from him away from their usual meeting place.
"Calian, what is wrong?" he asked, sitting down and putting his arms around her.
"…I have to leave soon. Tomorrow is the last day I'm here. I want to stay friends! What if we can never play again?"
"Do not cry," he said, resting his head on top of hers. "We will always be friends. Come, let us enjoy today and tomorrow. Shall we make another castle?"
He brushed off her tears and pulled her to her feet, leading her back towards the rocks. They spent wonderful hours that day making the grandest sand castle to have ever been made. Then the evening shifted to night and she was called back inside.
"Do you love me?" she asked as they crouched close together in front of their magical castle. Her green eyes positively glowed in the light reflected to them off the water by the almost-set sun. Her eyes were so earnest and innocent, her lashes catching the moonbeams.
He looked at her, constantly reminded of their fading time together as the voices of her guardians grew louder calling her name.
"Do you love me?" she asked again, worry creeping into her face now.
"Yes." He nodded once.
She smiled and quickly hugged him. "Then we'll always be friends…even…even if we never meet again."
With that she hurried off to intercept the adults who were frighteningly close now. He watched her skirt off, admiring her bare feet dancing over the sand. As he backed into the growing waves he watched her back receding into the light emitted from the glow of the houses. He knew what he was going to do. He wanted to give her something to remember him by.
The next evening the boy was there early, waiting for her. He knew they would only have a few minutes together, just long enough for him to say good bye and give her his gift. His heart was racing.
"You're here!" she said, beginning to run to him when she saw him from a distance.
"Of course," he laughed, catching her in her hug. "Calian,"
She pulled away and looked at him, her eyes glittering. "Will you dance for me?"
Her face broke into an innocent smile and she nodded, her chestnut hair bouncing in her ponytail. She pulled away from him and made a little curtsy, and she began to dance, closing her eyes and listening to the ballad the sea gave her. He clapped when she'd finished, standing and bowing to her, offering her his hand. She took it and let him pull her to the side, out of view from everything. They stood with their feet in the waves, the sea foam building up around the rocks and their legs.
"Calian…I—I made something for you," he said, holding her hand and not meeting her eyes. "It—it means…'forever' where I come from. So…you will always have something to remember our friendship,"
He drew forth a bracelet, the likes of which she'd never seen. Its thread was a silver-green metal, braided and beads intertwined within the strands. In the middle was a mother-of-pearl shell. She looked at it and gasped. Her mouth hung open, speechless.
"I…thank you so much…I don't…what can I…" she threw her arms around him in a hug of gratitude. "I love it."
"There is one other thing…" he hesitated.
"Wait," she pulled from the embrace, blushing. "I…have a gift for you too…butyouhavetocloseyoureyes."
He paused a moment and then, taking her rushed words to be hurried from her encroaching time of departure, he did as she asked. He waited a moment, standing there with his eyes closed. His slate eyes flew open when he felt her lips at the corner of his in a kiss. They looked at each other for a moment, and then Calian turned to run towards her parents who were calling out her name.
"Calian, wait!" he called, catching her arm. "I…need to tell you something. My name…it's—"
—okay, so there are your stories," Calian said, stretching her arms over her head.
They all talked together, Megan musing out loud which was more probable of the sandcastles, Artemis making crude assumptions and innuendos with the letter story. Only Kaldur remained silent, trying to keep his face expressionless in thought.
They began joking with each other. And with the good humor the jokes and teases started flying, and when they started flying the jokes began to subtly turn into slight jabs.
"Okay, maybe it's not totally authentic but come off it," Wally was saying "the idea of a 'boy from the sea' who 'builds magical sandcastles with a little girl he doesn't know, no way. I do give you props on creativity though,"
" I dunno, catching crabs and snails and tide-pool creatures and placing them in a hollowed sandcastle doesn't sound legit either,"
"I'm with the Wal-man on this one," Dick said. "that last story was too outta here to be real. It's definitely the one about the dancing-sea princess and the boy-from the sea one that's the lie,"
"I third that. No way a love story like that really happened. A little boy coming out of the sea?" Artemis scoffed, waving her hand as if to dismiss the notion.
Kaldur cleared his throat. "It is not possible for someone to come from the sea?" he questioned playfully.
"Well, your people aren't allowed near the surface, are they?" Dick asked, shrugging at their perfect logic. "Isn't it like…against the laws?"
"Not so dramatic, but yes. We do not tend to come close to the surface dwellers unless we must," Kaldur submitted, deciding not to play devil's advocate.
"I dunno…" Megan started.
"I gotta say I'm with the other's on this…" Conner said, sending an apologetic look to Megan.
"Well…I guess Calian's last story is our pick. Kaldur?"
"I believe I will sit this one out," He smiled, pushing his empty glass away from him in an off-hand way of saying he didn't think that his stomach could handle more of the drink. He was really thinking about her story.
"Then it's decided. The last story was the lie," Artemis said, turning to face Calian.
Calian struggled to smile and Kaldur knew without looking it was the smile she had reserved for Artemis and for School; it was not her smile.
"Caught me," She said, fighting to keep the dryness from her voice.
"Ew, so you really had a senior stalk you?" Wally demanded, sticking out his tongue.
"Heh, yeah," Calian said before chugging the glass of liquids down as fast as she could so she didn't taste it.
"Wait, I don't understand something," Megan said, stopping and looking hard at Calian.
"Hm?"
"Well, you said that boy had long, straight hair."
"Yeah…"
"So…why was the lock that you got in the envelope curly?" the alien asked.
Calian's eyes danced around the room; the others were looking at her expectantly, none of them understanding. Her face twisted as she resisted the urge to laugh hysterically. Through her giggles she managed "Don't worry. When you're older you'll get it,"
…
9:47pm
"It's alright, I'll help with dishes tonight," Calian said, starting to collect the plates from off the table.
"Oh, thanks Calian!" Megan said.
"I can help her this time M'gann." Kaldur said, placing a webbed hand over the Martian's. "You always make dinner, it is not fair you should also always clean up."
"Yeah, go get some sleep" Calian laughed to the others.
"Yeah, I should be heading home," Wally said stretching.
"Me too, I gotta report to the Bat-cave for a meeting with Batman tonight," Dick muttered, yawing.
"I should get back too…school tomorrow and all," Artemis said, eyeing Calian as she turned to go.
"Guess that leaves the four of us," Megan smiled.
That suited her and Conner just fine, and Calian and Kaldur were set as well.
"Good night then." Kaldur said to his team before they all diverged for the night.
"That was enjoyable," Kaldur said, choosing his words precisely.
"Hm? Oh, the game. Yeah, it's pretty fun even when you're sober," she joked, sticking her tongue out.
"The lock of hair that you received," he began, tip-toe-ing around the topic he wanted to speak about.
"Lock of hair…" she said, stopping over the table as she was reaching for Wally's clean plate.
"The one from your story," he said again, now pausing in his own work to look at her. She made no response and her eyes remained questioning. "The lock of curly hair you said you received. From the boy…the junior…"
"Oh!" she shook her head and laughed. "Heh, yeah, what about the lock of hair?"
Kaldur mused over the detail she hadn't corrected him on, debating if he should try another.
"This…Ben—"
"Uh, no it was, uh…ah,"
"Bradly?"
"Er yeah, sorry. What about him?"
"I am simply wondering what Megan asked about. If he had straight hair, why was the lock he sent you curly?"
This again set the girl laughing, almost uncontrollably this time.
"Wait," she said, after catching her breath. "You mean…you really don't know?"
He shook his head. As he looked at her, her cheeks started to get flushed and soon it looked either like she'd been slapped or had applied a very liberal amount of rouge to her cheeks. She started blinking heavily and was again chewing at her bottom lip.
"…it…embarrasses you?" he questioned, keeping his face towards drying the dishes she handed him and looking at her from the corner of his eye.
"Hah, that's an understatement Kal. I actually think I'd have to be drunk to tell you,"
"I see."
…
Calian wondered if he could hear her heart pounding. Did he have hearing like Superboy? Could Superboy hear her heart? Or would he be too preoccupied with Megan to care that her heart was thundering along like a locomotive train chugging along some tracks across the wild west? She felt a shiver run down her spine as the silence between her and Kaldur continued.
It wasn't even an uncomfortable silence. But that was what she was finding to unnerve her so much. That it was comfortable.
"Calian," she hoped he couldn't see the shudder that ran through her; he had a deep, rich voice.
"Yeah?" was he looking at her because of how breathless she was?
"Batman…" Kaldur paused, unsure of how much he was to reveal at this point. "…knows a man…an important man in Gotham. Every year he hosts a Christmas Ball; there is always a mix of league members there to keep an eye on things, but many go off duty as well, sometimes in disguise. It is a charity; Mr. Wayne invites the richest men and women of Gotham. Sometimes there are themes, such as Monte Carlo night."
"That sounds wonderful. What does the charity go to?" she asked, stopping in her work to smile adoringly at him; he warmed at the look of joy she had to learn that someone as rich as Bruce Wayne cared.
"I believe a multitude of things; I know for sure that…there is an orphan's fund by the city that he contributes to." Kaldur said, smiling back.
"That's so awesome! So this Mr. Wayne—" she stopped midsentence and froze with her hands in the sudsy sink. "Wait…like…Bruce Wayne?"
"…yes."
"Woah."
"I was wondering…" Kaldur paused and cleared his throat. Now he understood Megan's fascination with being an earthgirl. Now that he was in this position, he understood some of the difficulties of being a surface dweller.
"What?" she laughed a little, smiling at him unknowingly.
"Well, we have all been invited with our mentors to make an appearance. I will of course be going as Aqualad and not Kaldur'Ahm…though I have no disguise." He realized he was babbling and this confused him. "Ahem. Miss Martian will go with her Uncle as the Mores', Artemis and Green Arrow, Wally and Flash, Superboy…"
"He doesn't get much from Superman…does he?" she questioned softly, inadvertently changing the topic.
"No…but I believe he will be attending as well. And Robin too, with Batman of course…"
She continued washing dishes, waiting for him to continue.
"We have not yet been told the theme or the time…but…I would very much appreciate…that is, if you would like to, I mean," he realized that unless Red Arrow wasn't going, she'd have little choice but to make an appearance. "Would you mind very much if I asked you to accompany me?"
Calian stood there with the same smile, washing the dishes; for a moment he thought she hadn't heard him. Then she dropped the plate in the water and started, looking a little startled as what he'd asked set in. "Wait, like…you mean me and you go to this thing together?"
"Of course if you do not wish to do so—"
"No, no, of course I would certainly wish to do so," she said, shaking her head and smiling at him. He looked over her face carefully. It was her real smile, the one that touched her eyes and made her face glow. She continued smiling and her eyes began darting from his face to the dishes and trying to slyly look at him (though he caught her doing so).
Kaldur realized she was embarrassed by him looking at her, and that, even more surprising to him, his request had caught her completely off guard. She hadn't been expecting it in the least.
A/N:so sorry it took so long but hotdang! This chapter is frickin 23 full pages in word! O.o