Pawn of the Sea

Chapter 11

Author’s note:  Sorry this one took so long. Next one will be faster. Thanks to my  fab beta, Simon.

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Dick's eyes snapped open and darted wildly around the room for a moment. He tensed when he felt a cool hand brushing the hair away from his forehead, and blew out a small breath of relief when he turned and saw the hand's owner.

"Hey, Babs," he breathed out softly.

"Hey, Sleepyhead," she replied with a small smile. "How are you feeling?"

Dick struggled to sit up and grunted in frustration at his weakness.

Barbara smiled wryly and pushed the button on his bed, raising him slowly into a sitting position, and earning herself a dirty look from the patient. "Very funny," Dick huffed, still feeling a bit groggy and disoriented.

Barbara shrugged innocently. "What?"

Dick's face softened into weary half-smile. "I've been better, Babs," he stated quietly.

"I know," Barbara answered simply.

"I don't just mean the poison," Dick replied, avoiding looking into Barbara's eyes.

"I know, Dick," she replied. "Look at me." She strained from her wheelchair to reach up and gently move his chin so he had to face her. She gazed at him earnestly. "I know what happened to you."

Dick's jaw clenched. "Who told you?"

"I heard Garth and Bruce talking about it. I'm sorry, Dick. I didn't mean to, but, Dick, I think I can..."

"Don't Babs. I can't do this with you."

"Dick, let me help. Garth is..."

"Garth can't even look at me right now," he ground out through clenched teeth.

"But that's only because..."

"I said no! Just stop it, Babs! You can't help me with this."

Barbara pulled away from Dick and moved her chair away from his bed a few inches. "Who better than me?" she replied calmly as she searched his face.

The anger drained from Dick as he collapsed against his pillow. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"It's all right. I don't expect you to think about me right now, but you should at least respect me enough to listen to what I have to say." Dick simply nodded and Barbara continued. "Garth loves you."

"How can he? After what happened to me...what I..."

"So it was all a lie," she responded. "Everything you said to me back then, about how it didn't matter, how you still loved me no matter what. That was all a lie?"

"No, that was different. I did love you and it didn't matter to me. You were the one..." Barbara just stared at him as he trailed off. "It's different with me," he finished lamely.

"I know you think it is, Dick, but it's really not. Garth can't look at you because he feels guilty for not protecting you. Think of how you felt when you saw me again after what happened to me."

"I should have been here to protect you."

"Which is silly, but I'll lay odds that's how Garth is feeling right now."

"It tore us apart, Babs," he almost whispered. "I'm scared the same thing is going to happen to me and Garth."

"You're right, Dick, I was the one. I couldn't let you love me this way. I pushed you away and there will always be a part of me that regrets that." Barbara moved her chair back from the bed even further and turned toward the door.

"Oh, Barbara," Dick carefully climbed out of the bed, grabbed his IV pole and slowly and carefully made his way over to his former lover.

"Dick, stop it!" Barbara exclaimed when he came into view. "Get back in bed!"

He put his fingers to his lips. "Shh, it's okay. I'm fine." He moved in front of her and sank down to the floor, resting his head on her legs. "I'm so sorry," he whispered as tears began to trail down his cheeks.

"It's all right, Dick." She stroked his black hair, and let him cry, fighting to hold back her own tears. "I've made my peace with it and I can see how happy Garth makes you. Give him a chance, love. Don't push him away. Don't make the same mistake I did. You two can get through this together."

"I'll try. I promise," he sniffed out, once he could speak again.

"Good. That's good."

Dick stayed where he was, enjoying the comforting touch of Barbara's strong fingers carding through his hair. He didn't tell her how he had let Braden do those things to him and how his body had betrayed him and responded to the other man. He didn't want to cause her any more distress and also he wanted so much to believe her when she said things would be all right.

After about twenty minutes of the two of them lost in their own thoughts Dick shifted a bit. "Babs?" Dick raised his blue eyes up to meet hers.

"Yes?" she asked as she stroked his cheek gently.

"I need you to call Bruce or Tim for me."

Barbara's expression became concerned. "Why? What's wrong?"

Dick looked rueful. "I think my legs gave out on me again. I don't think I can get up."

Barbara stared down at him, not exactly sure what to say, and Dick just stared back. Suddenly they both burst into fits of laughter with maybe a few tears mixed in, and it was quite awhile before either one of them was in any shape to call for help.

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Garth made his way into the Cave after being woken by Alfred, who said Tim had an urgent message for him. He let his gaze wander to the infirmary for a moment and then he shook himself and approached Tim. "You called?" he asked the younger man.

"Yeah. Aquaman wants to talk with you." Tim punched a button on the keyboard opening the link to Atlantis.

"Thanks," Garth replied.

"No problem. I'll be in the changing room if you need me."

Garth nodded and turned his attention back to the impatient image of Aquaman. "I need you to come home, Garth," he blurted out bluntly.

"Well, hello to you, too, Arthur," Garth replied with a small smirk, thinking how much the man sounded like Batman, and how much both men would hate the comparison. "And why exactly am I needed at home all of a sudden?"

"Braden's trial is starting in two days. We need your testimony and I want you to do it in person."

Garth nodded thoughtfully. "So soon?"

"You've been up top too long. You forget that our wheels of justice turn a little faster down here."

"I don't know, Arthur," Garth hedged. "It's just a tough time to leave Dick right now."

"Garth, we need you here on this. We have a strong case, but Braden is still a member of the royal family. We need to show a united front."

"I understand that, but I can't leave now. It's complicated, Arthur. I'll just have to testify by video feed."

"This is a mistake, Garth, you should be here," Arthur replied darkly.

"You'll just have to accept it. I'm not coming home. Tempest, out." Garth turned off the feed before his king could reply. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"You should go."

Garth jumped a little and raised his eyes to see that Batman had entered the room. He sighed again. "You heard?"

"Just enough to get the gist," Batman replied. "You should go," he repeated.

"I can't leave Dick. Things between us are too fragile right now."

"The space may do both of you some good."

Garth stared and then started to protest. "But..."

"I'll look after Dick and you can come back right after the trial. Arthur is right. Justice must be served and they need you to help. Your testimony will mean more if you are there in person. You must do this for Dick."

Garth looked into Batman's eyes for a moment and nodded. "All right, I'll go. I'll leave tomorrow."

"Good man," Batman replied. "Don't forget to call Arthur back to tell him before that vein bursts in his temple."

"Is Aquaman pissed again?" Tim asked as he came back in the room suited up as Robin.

"I'm afraid so," replied Garth wryly. "But what else is new? I seem to have a knack for angering him."

"One of your more admirable traits," Batman replied.

"Whoa, Batman has a sense of humor tonight," Robin exclaimed. "Dick must be doing better."

Batman ignored his comment and turned to Garth. "Leslie said he can move up to his bedroom tonight."

"It's not too soon?" Garth asked, his voice barely masking his concern.

"She said it's just a matter of waiting out the poison now. We'll move some of the monitoring equipment up there with him so he'll be safe."

"Good. It will be good for him to recover in his own room," Garth replied quietly, even as he noticed that he had lost the other man's attention to the matter of his nightly patrol of Gotham.

"Yes, it will," Batman replied distractedly. "Let's go, Robin," he called to Tim, who just rolled his eyes and smiled as he made his way to the Red Bird.

Almost as an afterthought Bruce turned back to Garth. "You'll need to help with Dick getting moved to his room tonight."

"I don't think..." Garth began, but Batman cut him off.

"Tim and I can't do it, we're on patrol, and Leslie and Alfred certainly can't handle it themselves."

"But Roy, Wally and..." he trailed off as he heard a ruckus in the cave and Arsenal, Flash and Troia entered, all suited up and ready to fight crime.

"We were getting a bit restless now that Dick's out of the woods, bro," Roy told Garth with a wink. "Need to bash some heads together."

"Sorry," Batman shrugged at Garth. "They can't help either; they're helping out with Bludhaven tonight. There is too much going on for Tim, Cass and I to handle alone."

"Oh, well, maybe I should come with you then." Garth looked almost desperate.

"He asked for you." Batman leaned in closely.

Garth swallowed and almost smiled. "He did?"

Batman nodded once and turned abruptly to the Batmobile. "Let's go," he called to the others.

Garth all but ran to the infirmary and Batman couldn't suppress a small grin.

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Braden sat down at the small table across from his Justice Representative. "So, Callista, how is my 'case' coming?" he asked, slightly emphasizing the word case as he furtively eyed the guard who was watching them.

The young Rep leaned in a wee bit closer. "I think it is coming along nicely, My Lord Braden," she answered formally, but with a small smile.

Callista was a young woman who had just gotten her Justice Representative certificate. Braden had met her months ago through mutual friends and had been on and off again lovers with her ever since. She adored and worshipped Braden, and had often made it clear she wanted a more permanent arrangement between them. The fact that Braden was now on trial for kidnapping and attempted murder did not seem to phase Callista in the least.

Arthur, and everyone else, for that matter questioned Braden's choice of someone fresh out of school to represent him, but Atlantean law stated that he was free to choose his own Rep so Arthur kept his mouth shut and tried to keep his eyes open for trouble. It was a strong case at any rate and Arthur was not worried in the least about them losing, especially since Garth had come to his senses about coming to the trial in person. Still it didn't quell all of his suspicions about Braden's relationship with his young Rep. Unfortunately Atlantean law also allowed for private visits between client and Rep, so Arthur's guard was required to leave, locking the door firmly behind him.

"Good," Braden replied simply to Callista, perfectly satisfied that the woman would carry out all his wishes when the time came. "I'm sure I will not be disappointed." He then smiled and leaned back in his chair. "So, tell me how you're going to get me off, Representative."

Callista smiled back and moved slowly around the table, dropping to her knees in front of Braden's chair.

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