Off the Deep End

A Final Shock

A/N okay here's our real big clihe, incoming, good luck

Thalia insisted that Dick be able to have a shower and eat and change into decent clothes before they talked. The clothes supplied turned out to be pants that were cut similar to sweatpants but somehow made fancy, and Dick couldn't for the life of him figure out how they'd managed that, and a long sleeved shirt with a hood and dark blue lining and flat shoes.

There was a perfect spot to hide a knife and a spot to slip a sword on the belt- he figured out a way to keep his escrima sticks there.

He opened the door to the room he'd been allotted and was met with the woman he'd been fighting out in the desert. She was wearing clothes of a similar cut and style to his own, she wasn't wearing a mask and Dick committed her face to memory. Tan, dark green eyes, straight nose and defined jaw, dark hair cut short.

"hi," Dick said, "uh, I think we got off on the wrong foot."

"that would be one way of saying it," she smiled, held a hand out, Dick shook it, "Alexandra."

"Dick, but you knew that."

Alexandra's face fell slightly, the kind smile replaced quickly.

She motioned to follow and Dick did, striding through the halls.

"how do you do with surprises?"

"what kind?"

"secrets," she said, watching his face, "things you don't know about."

"personal?" he asked.

She didn't even need to consider, "very."

Dick raised an eyebrow. He considered it. He'd gone through plenty of personal surprises in the past few days.

"I usually would say I'm good and I'd like to say it. but as of late, I haven't taken them well."

"truthful, that's honourable."

"well, it's how my father raised me."

Alexandra's face seemed to fall, he seemed to have hit a nerve. He filed that away for later.

"well, I would ready myself if I were you." Alexandra turned down a hall and walked up to a door. She stood by it, her stance mildly militant, she seemed to be high up the ladder of the league and well-trained if the fight he had with her was any indication.

The door opened, courtesy of two doormen who stood guard.

Dick and Alexandra walked in.

They were met with a dining room; a long dark-wood table, candle-esque chandeliers made of glass and warm-tinted light, three places set with fancy looking stuff with way less different types of cutlery than you would expect, a fancy rug stretched underneath. Thalia sat at the head, the other two places at either side. Dick took her left and Alex her right.

"where's your bird friend?" she asked.

"hunting, it's night time after all," he crossed his arms and stared at the food set out, he wouldn't touch it. not because it could be poisoned, but because of a degree of stubbornness, "I believe you promised me answers."

He also believed that it was strange Alex was present.

"yes," Thalia said, fingers hesitating over her fork, she raised her glass to her lips, "you want to talk about your father? Why would you come here for that?"