-Lexi's POV-
"Come on, let's go!" I hissed to M'gann. We were on our way to pass and receive information to Aqualad. Dick had said that the plan to take down the Reach and the Light was near and that we needed to collaborate with Aqualad to know what was going on. The Light's submarine ship was docked near some warehouses in Gotham, right on the water. Our job was to meet Kaldur inside the designated one, pass on the information, and get out. Simple, right? That's what we thought too. But it's crazy how a day can go so wrong so quickly.
"Ready?" she asked me as we jumped stealthily from one warehouse roof to another.
"You know it." I grinned deviously as we landed on the roof of the building that we were meeting Aqualad at. Miss Martian grabbed my arm and phased us through to the inside. We landed on the ground soundly and then ducked behind some crates as Reach and Light soldiers walked past us.
"Where is he?" she asked me mentally.
I glanced around the large warehouse, not seeing much except crates and soldiers. Then the front door opened.
"Kaldur'am, this is unnecessary. None of the inventory need checking. The weapons inside the crates are secure." one of his assistants said to him.
"I do not want there to be room for any error." Aqualad said simply.
"Then do not worry about such petty things. I would be glad to-"
"I'll do it. Everything must be just right for the summit. I need these weapons handy in case anything goes wrong there." Aqualad insisted. The servant bowed and nodded, not saying anything else. Kaldur glanced around the room and spotted a tiny, seemingly insignificant little black dot on one of the crates that we were behind. The little black dot the I had put there for that very purpose.
As he wandered toward us, I couldn't help think that everything was going to go as planned. He was going to do a simple pass of the flashdrive from himself to me, and I was going to place our intel in his hand. It was something that could have been done easily and without complication, you know, unless something happened to put a bump in our plan.
Like Black Manta, Kaldur's father, walking in at the exact moment.
"Kaldur, my son, the Light has requested our presence in a meeting. Come." The man said, putting a hand on Kaldur's shoulder and leading him away from us.
"Aqualad, what now?!" M'gann shouted to him mentally.
"I do not know. We will have to find another way." he replied.
"Maybe not." I told them, not giving away any of my thought, because otherwise, the plan that I was forming in my devious mind wouldn't be as believable.
"YOU!" I practically shrieked. Everyone in the room turned to look at me as I jumped from behind the crates and advanced on Kaldur.
"What is the meaning of this." His father said.
Kaldur looked thoroughly shocked to see me. I don't think that he actually knew that I was there until I had first spoken.
"Fox, what are you doing here? What is your business here?"
"I'm here to avenge Artemis!! You sick, awful, horrible person! YOU KILLED HER!" I cried, leaping over his guards and giving him a hard punch to the face.
Of course, I knew that Artemis was alive as well as he did, but no one else knew that.
"She was your best friend!" I spat, giving him the most furious look that I could muster, giving him a hard punch to the gut, meanwhile slipping the flash drive into his pocket. Then I grabbed his hand and swung him around, sending him crashing into a wall, stealing the flash drive that was in his hand from him. Then I reached into my utility belt, slipping it inside for safe keeping while pulling out a batarang and aiming it at Kaldur just for show.
I think that everyone around us was in such shock that they didn't move until they saw me pull it from my belt, knowing from experience with Batman that a batarang in the wrong(or right) hands was a dangerous thing.
"Protect my son!" Black Manta shouted, sending the guards into a frenzy. They quickly surrounded me, and my trained eyes surveyed the area around me, looking for an opening to escape. There was none.
Luckily, M'gann had my back, flying in and grabbing me, phasing us through the walls and into the night. "Check your pockets!" I shouted mentally to Kaldur.
"You're crazy!" M'gann exclaimed as we flew back to base at Nightwing's warehouse in Bludhaven.
When we got there, it was empty except for Superboy and Robin, who were asked by Dick to wait for our safe return while he went out and ran errands. I knew that this meant that he was going to check up on Alfred. I quickly stepped into the shower and got out just as fast, slipping on some sweats and a sweatshirt, wandering down to the workout room with a book.
Reading was the best relaxation in the world, and this seemed to be the only unoccupied room in the entire place. After about an hour, I sensed another presence. Looking up, I noticed that it was Dick.
"Hey." I smiled, standing up and going over to him for a kiss. When he didn't reach for me or make any attempt to touch me, I pulled away, furrowing my eyebrows. "What's wrong?" I asked, taking in his obviously pissed expression.
"M'gann told me what happened." he stated, crossing his arms.
"Yeah, isn't it great? I have the flash drive in my belt. We were waiting on you to watch it."
"No, you don't get it."
"Get what?" I asked confusedly.
"Do you understand what risk you took tonight? You could've been killed Lexi."
"Dick, this entire lifestyle is a risk." I snorted, rolling my eyes.
"Then just make it ever more dangerous why don't you?! By all means, jump out in the middle of a warehouse swarming with enemy soldiers."
"Calm down Dick. Everything turned out fine."
"But what if it hadn't!?" he snapped, catching me off guard with his loud tone. He had never used that tone with me.
"Well I'm sorry for doing that so the mission that you assigned us could succeed! I'm just doing what Batman taught me!"
"And what might that be!?"
"To sacrifice everything for the sake of my mission. What's done is done. We succeeded. Get. Over. It."
He ran a hand over his face."Don't be like him. You owe this world nothing. If it's between your life and the mission you choose your life. That is an order."
"What about Artemis and Kaldur? They are risking their lives in enemy territory as we speak!"
"That's different." He insisted.
"How so?"
"Lexi, if I lost you, I'd die. I'm saying this as your boyfriend. I love you. Don't put me in that position." He said, vulnerability and sadness flashing through his eyes. My stiff facial expression softened.
"Dick," I said quietly,"I love you too. You know that. But I want this to be over. I want all of this to be over so that we can relax and be together peacefully for awhile. I also want Artemis and Kaldur safely home." I smiled softly placing a kiss on his cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, hopefully. Asking me not to take risks isn't really realistic anyways."
"I know that." he began. "All I'm asking is that you maybe hold back on the risks unless I'm there, to protect you and keep you safe."
He said it with such love such tenderness. The way he looked at me with adoration almost, like we worshipped me.
I should have been touched. My heart should have melted at his words. But I wasnt, and it didn't.
Instead, I was pissed.
"Excuse me?" I snapped, pulling out of his embrace quickly.
"Baby, what's wrong?"
"Are you implying that I can't take care of myself? Because I can, Dick." I spat his name, meaning it as an insult instead of simply stating his name.
"I know that but... I just meant..." He stuttered.
"I know exactly what you meant." I sneered. "Save the excuses for someone who cares."
Then I stormed out, my mind running back to all those years ago when he left me.
"Dick..." I muttered as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He stiffened, and hesitantly hugged me back. When we let go of each other, I had happy tears in my eyes. "Dick, you look so much older! I have so much to tell y-"
"No." he said. His voice was the same, yet different. It was harder, more rough.
"Huh?" he looked so upset. I could see his eyes flashing with an emotion that I could only place as annoyance.
"I came here to tell you something. We can't be friends anymore." His face was blank and cold. He wasn't even looking at me properly.
"D-Dick, but... you said... friends forever." I stammered.
"Oh grow up Lexi. We were nine. I can't be friends with you. You're to weak. You can't take care of yourself. I can't associate myself with weaklings. Plus, you're just circus trash. Now, I'm the son of a billionaire. I can't talk to people like you. I'm sorry Alexia, but we really can't talk anymore. Don't call me. I've got to go. Just leave me be. " And with that, he turned on his heel and walked to the car that was waiting for him. My best friend had left me. And now, I was literally all alone.
I didn't even notice myself begin to cry until I slammed the front door of the warehouse closed behind me as I stood outside in the cold air.
Deep breaths. Calm. I mentally chanted in my head until my heart rate went back to normal.
He still thinks that I'm weak. I thought that I was on the same level as him now, but I guess he still didn't think that I could take care of myself.
Well he's wrong. The voice inside my head said, and I agreed with it silently as I began walking away from the warehouse, praying that I could find a cab to take me to Gotham at this time of the night. But I didn't get far.
"Lexi!" Dick shouted as he chased after me.
"What Dick." I snapped, spinning around to face him.
"You. Just you." He said breathlessly. "Let me explain."
"I don't need it. I remember what you said to me all those years ago. Apparently you meant it."
"No! Lexi listen to me." When I said nothing, he continued. "Lexi, I know that you can protect yourself. I know that better than anyone. I've seen what you can do. But things happen! Think about Aquagirl! Tula... she knew what the risks were! She was an amazing fighter! And they killed her! And Jason! Joker beat him and then blew him up! Two amazing, skilled Team members, both dead. It just takes one second, one mistake. I don't want that to be you. I just meant that I want to be there to protect you, even if you don't need it."
I gulped, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill. I hated when people talked about Jason. I never knew Tula, but I loved Jason like a little brother. Even though I had left, once I visited Gotham and ran into him in his Robin costume. I told him who I was and we kept in touch and grew rather close. When he died, it hit me hard.
"I'm sorry Dick... I-I..." I stammered, not really knowing what to say.
"Aw, Lex.. I didn't mean to upset you. I just... I just wanted you to understand." he said soflty, wrapping me in his arms. "I love you."
"I love you too." I mumbled.
"Come on." he told me, pulling a jacket over my shoulders to protect me from the chilly night. "Let's go see what's on that flash drive."
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Alright, there was a bit of drama for you guys ;) its almost overrrr. Like a few more chapters!! I have this reaalllyy cool ending planned. YOu guys wont expect it. And no, Lexi and Aqualad will not date. Okaayy COMMENT AND VOTE MY LOVES!