Off the Deep End

Bridge

The two trekked back to the motel room without any fanfare. Isabel returned to her scouting and Dick to his computer. Kaldur stood in the middle of the room, staring at the ground with a frown.

Dick paid no heed, instead making sure nothing had gone awry tech-wise while they were absent. Everything was fine, a quick look at the cameras revealed dim rooms inside the mountain, no one was about, Wolf was sleeping on Superboy's lap on the living room couch. Conner must have fallen asleep watching static, someone likely having come and turned off the tv but left the hero and his dog to rest. Dick felt a pang at the sight.

"why did you do that?"

Dick blinked and turned to face Kaldur, who was staring at him with a confused frown.

"what do you mean?"

"you saved those people, why?"

"there was no reason not to," Dick said with a shrug, then turned back to his computer.

"I didn't ask for the reasons not to, I asked for the reasons why," Kaldur said, "what did you gain? What made you want to go out of your way to help some random millionaire kids?"

Dick looked over his shoulder at Kaldur, realising that this wasn't going to be a quick conversation. He turned and leant against the bench, crossing his arms.

"I didn't gain anything, I didn't lose anything. It wasn't out of my way because the mobsters were easy targets, it took very little effort. I did it cause..." he shrugged, "why do I need a reason?"

Kaldur took a step forward, voice going low, "that doesn't sound like something an assassin would say."

Dick smirked and pointed to his face, "no mask, see? I'm not Renegade, I'm Richard-" he snapped his mouth closed, not having realised how he was going to finish that sentence before the second last word was out. Kaldur noticed the strange tone and the clear sign there was supposed to be more. He let it slide.

"you're always an assassin, you don't need the fancy gear," Kaldur said.

Dick let his expression drop and with it so did his stomach, "I'd thought you'd probably understand."

"I don't."

"don't lie to me," Dick said, a glare breaking out.

"what?"

Dick stepped forward, he and Kaldur were barely a handsbreadth apart as Dick stared into his eyes.

"you don't fool me, Kaldur, you never have."

Kaldur grit his teeth, "why don't you take that to Ra's Al Ghul? Or Savage? Or my father?"

As Dick remained silent Kaldur forged on.

"exactly, you don't know anything. you have no proof. Just a feeling."

"that's enough for me," Dick said, "and you're not denying it."

Kaldur tensed.

"so it was a test, then?" Kaldur asked, "to see what I'd do, given the chance to fall back on my old days as a hero?"

"No," Dick said, scowling, "it wasn't anything. I stepped in because-"

"because it was the right thing to do?" Kaldur said with a raised eyebrow. His tone was somewhere between mocking and dry, as if he wasn't sure if he was supposed to be being sarcastic or attempting to persuade.

"I- no," Dick said, "look, whatever, it was a split second decision. There was no consequences, no weight. Just a couple people about to be hurt. So yes, I stepped in, don't start suggesting-"