Raquel walked through the corridors of her hotel in Venice. As glad as she was to be in the beautiful city it was late and she was tired. She was also suffering from some serious jet-lag one minute she'd been in Happy Harbour at 8 o'clock; she'd gone through the teleporter and she'd been sent here and arrived at 3 o'clock in the morning! It didn't make her feel any better knowing just what her mission meant.

There had been sightings of a large black object in the waters around the city. Although it was probably nothing the league had decided that it would be better to make sure that it wasn't Black Manta. So they'd sent her out here, alone to check things out. She'd always wanted to see the beautiful city but somehow going hunting for Black Manta and his men seemed to ruin the trip. So far at least she hadn't seen anything.

The young woman dropped her bag at the door and got the keys that the woman at reception had given her out of her pocket. She struggled with them and the lock due to the lack of light. She cursed a few times before finally succeeding in opening the door. She stepped inside of her room.

The superhero was forced to squint because of the darkness. The room was basic, cream coloured with a bed and a table. She went in, to the right was a small bathroom. It would just have to do. The window had been left open to help air the place out because of the warmer temperatures. With a sigh the 19 year old dumped her bag and took her communicator out of her bag. She called up Nightwing seeing as Batman would probably be looking after Gotham by now.

"Hi Rocket." Said the familiar voice of the ex-Boy wonder "You get there ok?"

"Yeah sure... You didn't tell me how tiring that thing was!" She complained getting her stuff out of her bag

"You get used to it..." He assured her "Find anything?"

"No not yet... I haven't really had much time. I think I'm just going to hit the hay and search tomorrow."

"Sure... Just don't you get into any trouble..."

"You sound like Icon!"

"Yeah well be careful!"

"I will!"

With that she hung up and let out an exasperated sigh, as the recently named 'team leader' Nightwing was somewhat overprotective... As was Icon, between the league and the team it was hard to know who seemed to be worrying more about her. She sat down on her bed and starred into space for a few moments thinking of what she'd do tomorrow.

"He is right you know, you did always used to get yourself into trouble."

The blood instantly drained from Rocket's face. She stayed perfectly still like she'd just been turned to stone. She recognised that voice... It was one that she'd once loved to hear now it brought pure hatred. Slowly she turned to face the figure in the dark corner of her room, eyes wide with fear. It was too dark to make out correctly but she already knew who was there.

"As I recall..." Continued the voice "I used to have to save you..."

Kaldur'ahm stepped into the light. In the four almost five years since the events of New Years day he'd grown in height and strength and now towered over Raquel. He no longer had a teen's face and now resembled the young adult he was. She hadn't seen him in four years and judging by the armour he was currently wearing she didn't want to. Her ex-team mate was dressed from head to foot in a heavy black armour with black manta's logo on the shoulder.

He stood arms folded across his chest starring down at her. His once kind silver eyes now seemed some what darker and more menacing. Rocket spent a moment looking at her old friend before her eyes narrowed and filled themselves with hatred.

"What do you want?" She hissed, Kaldur smirked

"To talk..."

"Yeah? Well you might as well kill me now cause I'm not talking!" She declared

"You misunderstand me..."

He took another step towards her. Rocket instantly jumped up, combat ready. She used her powers to create a force bubble around the traitor. Kaldur didn't even bother struggling, he knew her powers; he'd fought by her side for long enough to know that hitting the bubbles made them stronger. He drew out his new and improved water bearers from his suit and started to channel water.

Some of the water from one of the many canals outside Raquel's bedroom rushed in through the open window. Before the superhero could react she was surrounded by water which suddenly became dense, immobilizing her. Distracted the bubble keeping Kaldur prisoner disappeared. She struggled briefly but uselessly against the prison the atlantean had created.

"This is Venice, Raquel, we are surrounded by water I have the advantage here."

"Let me go!" She demanded

"I cannot do that Raquel as we both know as soon as I do you will attack me." Damn, he knew her too well

"What do you want?"

"As I have already said, I wish to talk..." He said very calmly sitting on the bed

"You're a traitor Kaldur'ahm." She told him "Why would I want to talk to you?"

"Because not too long ago, you and I were together." He reminded her

Rocket looked at her feet in shame. She hadn't forgotten... The night when they'd walked hand in hand across the beach and he'd told her of the wonders of Atlantis but that was years ago! She'd moved on!

"You're nothing to me! Just another one of Black Manta's henchmen!" She told him "You're not my Kaldur... He died when Sha'lain'a and Calvin Durahm did."

"What would you of had me do?" Roared Kaldur suddenly jumping up and standing less than an inch away from her "The brother of Orin, Orm had just had my entire family executed for treason! I was alone Raquel! Then my blood father came and offered me a chance to get even!"

"You didn't have to accept!" She yelled back at him

"What would you of done?" He snarled

"Gotten the league's help, Aquaman would of..."

Kaldur suddenly exploded with rage. He turned his back on her and stormed over to the small wooden table in the corner of the room. With one powerful blow from one of his fists, he shattered the wood as if it were glass and set about trampling the pieces. Raquel looked on, in shock... How could she of ever considered him her friend and more? He stopped after a few seconds and looked at his fists. Slowly he walked back over to Rocket but stayed a little further away this time.

"Tell me Raquel, what punishment did Orin inflict on Orm?" He asked calmly

"None..." She said after a pause

"The only time I have ever needed something from my king and he simply lets the murderer of my family walk free as if nothing had ever happened. That is why I accepted the offer of my father Raquel, not for myself but for the honour of my family."

Every time the traitor used her real name. Raquel unwillingly shivered. She hated that. How could he still have such power over her? No other foes that she'd battled could do that, so why could he?

"Kaldur..." She muttered "You were never a bad person... When I first heard of what you'd done in Atlantis I-"

"You attacked Orin, I am aware." He said with a faint smile

"I was going to say I didn't believe it..." She caught herself before she smiled back "Then when we were shown the evidence..." Kaldur looked away down at his feet "Kal... I cried all night."

She'd never admitted that to anyone. Sure the rest of her team had guessed it. She hadn't come out of her room for 7 hours afterwards. The Atleantean turned his gaze towards her, for a moment it was the teenage Kaldur that she saw in his eyes but almost as soon as he reappeared. He disappeared and the young man frowned.

"I am sorry to hear it." He said

"Kaldur, you told me that you once loved Tula. How could you-"

"She was protecting Orin and about to attack my father. I merely took advantage of the fact that she thought I was her ally." Kaldur sounded strangely cold "I took care not to kill her..."

"Doesn't make it right, some of those wounds will never heal..." Raquel declared

"You are talking to me as if I care." Kaldur said

"That sounds like Black Manta talking." She told him

Kaldur looked back at her. It was an annoyed and almost angry look which she made sure to give him back. She was still struggling against the water holding her in place but to no avail. She had to hand it to him, this could probably hold Superman. The more she struggled the more she became tired.

"I am the son of Black Manta, you would do well to remember that."

"Oh! So now you're threatening me? Real nice Kaldur."

"No. I am not..." He tried to defend himself

"Yes, you are!" Kaldur looked somewhat ashamed "Why did you come here Kaldur?"

"I have told you twice, I wish to talk."

"What about? So far, you've captured me, threatened me, given some pretty shaky excuses and meant that I'm going to have to pay for that table when I leave this place."

The Atlantean looked at his feet and let out a sigh. There was quite a long pause. Because of the late hour, everything was dead quiet. It would have been very peaceful if she hadn't of had the son of Black Manta currently holding her captive in her bedroom with no rescue coming.

"I miss our walks across the beach..." He admitted "I miss spending time with you and having someone to talk to..."

"Wait a minute buckshot... You came in here and captured me, because you were lonely?"

Kaldur looked at his feet then back up at her. It was the first time tonight that she'd actually seen him looking sorry or even somewhat sad. It was then that she understood... It was all too clear in his eyes : he still loved her. She spent a moment looking at him, unsure how to react to this new discovery.

"Kaldur, you know we can't be together any more..." She said softly

"I know..." He responded "But I wish it was not so... I love you still."

"Oh Kal..." She muttered

Kaldur let out a deep sigh and released Rocket from her prison. The water rushed back out of the window and into the canal bellow. Despite being free the hero didn't attack but rather stayed there looking at her old friend compassionately. She then noticed to her surprise that she wasn't wet.

"I'm dry." She noted to Kaldur

"Of course you are, I did not let the water seep into your clothes." He told her

"You can do that?"

"My powers have grown under my father's tutelage."

"I'll be careful."

"I will never hurt you Raquel." He promised

"It's too late for that Kal." She told him

Black Manta's son looked down at his feet in shame. Rocket sighed and took a few steps towards him, she placed a hand on his shoulder, she doubted that he could feel it because of the armour but still... He looked down at her with sorry eyes, pleading for the forgiveness that he dared not ask her for and that she could not give him.

"I regret so much Raquel..." He said almost tearfully "I wish we could be together as we used to."

"We both know that's impossible Kal... Do you really see the league letting you come back?"

"No and they are probably wise not to allow my return."

"How did you know I was here?"
"I have my sources..."

"Another mole?" Raquel dreaded the thought but Kaldur chuckled

"No, fear not... I would not be so cruel as to allow the team to be put through that again."

"Yeah, I only just joined the team and suddenly it was 'everyone's a traitor'"

Raquel laughed and Kaldur joined in, as soon as they realised what they were both doing they stopped and looked at each other. Letting an awkward silence settle between them. It suddenly struck, Rocket that they hadn't stood this close to each other in four years. She looked at his silver eyes, gazing into them and trying to read his feelings but failing. She looked down at her feet and smiled.

"You still smell of the sea..." She stated after a few moments

"And you are still beautiful..."

Kaldur raised her chin to make her look at him. Without knowing why, she wrapped her arms around his muscular neck and leant over kissing him. He quickly kissed her back. Inside, Raquel was going insane. Her mind was screaming that this was a bad idea, that Icon and her team mates would disapprove and that this person was a traitor. Yet her body and heart was contradicting all that.

God, what am I getting myself into? She thought to herself