Public Enemies SGA

by PaleoM

Birthday fic for a friend. SGA McShep AU story. When the world turns on Superman John Sheppard , it's only Batman Rodney McKay that remains to watch his back.

The following story is largely based on Superman/Batman - Public Enemies of which, sadly, I own nothing. All rights remain the property of DC Comics. The dialogue and action matches the film with the exception of two sections. (1 – Dr. Beckett and 2 – The addition of a McShep ending). It can be viewed along side the animated film (which is almost McShep in its own right). I merely added thoughts and changed reasons, (and of course the names), to enforce the McShep aspect. So, read on to see how John Sheppard (Superman) and Dr. Rodney McKay (Batman) realise the inevitable...

Official Summary: .org/wiki/Superman/Batman:_Public_Enemies

Tags: SuperBat Series, McShep, SGAFic, AU.
Words: 31,793

Public Enemies

Economically and socially America fell down. People are turning to crime to feed their families, to save their homes, and those that don't turn to crime end up in army tents laid out in disused parking lots by the Government. People don't feel safe anymore, they have lost faith in their fellow man, are losing faith in their Government and their country. Few think they can return to the things they had, that America will ever be rich again, that America will ever be whole again.

Out of all this desperation, out of all these lost souls, one man steps forward. He wouldn't be on the list people made in their minds of their saviour and with the current climate he uses bribes and desperation to obtain the highest, most respected position in America. In America's darkest hour, Lex Luthor becomes President of the American people.

Most think it's a sign of the times, but Lex Luthor rewards the people who gave him this power and he does right by them. He brings back a stable economy, lawful streets and the American people find their homes safe again, their families safe again and they reward Lex Luthor with their love and affection, forgiving him his past trespasses.

Once secure in his position, he addresses his people. He didn't know it then but it was the beginning of his downfall. Yet again he had allowed his personal wants to guide his path and he stopped working for the people of this great nation. He forgot that the office of the President is to serveand because once again he thought only of himself and not the people, his path led to destruction. His first step sounded like this...

Lex Luthor stood at the podium and looked out over the sea of eager faces, everyone waiting to hear his words and he felt the power within him, the power to lead, to guide, to mould these people to his will. He took a deep breath and felt his voice rumble in his throat as it spread out over his subjects, resonating with power and falling on eager listeners..."And not the least of the problems we face is that of Aliens and so called Superheroes who act on their own as judge, jury and often executioner. No one is above the law, I learned that for myself many years ago, and now this principal will be the driving force of my presidency. I have already taken steps to bring some of these super humans into the service of our government where their unique powers will be utilized for the benefit of all Americans." He turned slightly to his left, extending his arm to throw attention to the newest additions to the stage, "They are Captain Atom, Black Lightning, PowerGirl, Katana and Major Force." He turned back to the audience, waiting for the applause to die down, placing his hands on each side of the podium, he continued. "I hope that in the months to come many more will voluntarily make the choice they've made and if they don't they will find that they are not as far above the law as they think."

In another part of the city on another day the police sirens peal through the sounds of the city, the thrum of a news station helicopter hovers overhead as they film the drama below. For the last hour, three police cars have been chasing down a criminal who has stolen a red car built for speed, capable of 200mph the car races through the streets, the driver focused only on putting the police cars far behind him. With his attention on those cars as he races under the bridge, he doesn't see the traffic jam till it's too late. Letting lose a gasp of fear, he breaks and knows it's not enough. The car ploughs into the rear of the cars and manages to hit the line of traffic in such a way that he causes minimal damage but makes his car sail through the air. The criminal is already bracing himself for the impact he knows is coming when the car levels out and keeps sailing harmlessly over the traffic, he leans out the side of the car and sees the edge of a red cape flapping in the wind. He knows he's safe, but he also knows his freedom is gone. He sinks into the seat and waits for his punishment. As he does so he sees three figures land ahead of him and groans, as if Superman is not enough, now Captain Atom, PowerGirl and Major Force are there as well. He waits for the car to settle, feels the slight jolt as Superman lands, still holding the car above him as if it were a toy, and he waits...

Superman lands smoothly and straightens up, ready to lower the car back onto the road when he's distracted, "So, this is what you've been up to these last few months," he knows that voice, the voice of Captain Atom, used to respect him and still does even if he doesn't agree with his choices. He turns to acknowledge Atom, seeing PowerGirl behind him, quiet, always thinking before she speaks.

He notices Major Force just as he speaks in his sarcastic tones, "Chasing cars?" Always antagonizing, just the mere presence of him is able to make Superman's anger levels rise although he tries not to show how easily Major Force has got to him.

"I help where ever I'm needed," he replies, not sure if he managed to keep the surliness out of his voice.

"But you haven't been needed much lately have you?" Captain Atom pushes and Superman doesn't know what the man wants from him, and he's sure he heard sarcasm under those tones and wonders if this respect thing is only one way.

"What do you want?" he replies sharply, already tired with this conversation, already knowing which direction it will take.

"We want you to admit something," Captain Atom starts as he approaches and it still sounds sarcastic, goading almost, to his ears. The forgotten gun man chooses that moment to lean out of the car that is still raised above Superman's head and if truth be told he feels a little foolish that he completely forgot the car was there, wonders if they think he's holding it there for a potential weapon or to show off, doubts that they know the real reason and wonders which he prefers them to think.

The gunman's high pitched voice breaks into the silence, "I'll shoot myself, I swear."

Sometimes Superman thinks Batman might be right, the average human is really, really stupid but he's sworn to protect them all, even the stupid ones. "Just a minute," he says casually to Captain Atom before turning his attention to the car above him. He looks up through the car with his X-Ray vision and easily pinpoints the gun in the man's hand. He activates his laser vision (which still feels really, really cool) and it travels through the car, hitting the gun on the way, distorting the metal. The man screams as he drops the now harmless gun into the foot well. Superman lowers the car to the ground just as the police arrive to take the man away without a word to him, not even to acknowledge he is there, let alone caught the bad guy without a shot fired. Becoming tired of everything, he turns back to the trio, two of whom he used to count as friends. "Now, what am I supposed to admit?"

"That Luthor hasn't done a bad job."

He can't stand and listen to this and he won't waste his words again. He used to count Luthor as his friend all those years ago on the farm, thought he knew him like a brother before Luthor betrayed him. Everyone knows the story yet no one truly understands. They think that Luthor betrayed him on a personal level and yeah it was personal but they don't seem to understand that if he can betray a brother, he can betray a country. Everyone refuses to see that power is Luthor's only loyalty, his only love. He turns and walks away, feeling old wounds hurting again.

He hears Major Force, "Told you this would be a waste of time," and part of him wonders if Major Force remembers about the super-hearing and then figures he was counting on it because he just likes to push. He hears the soft running feet of PowerGirl as she follows him and steadies himself, already knowing he'll stop for her.

"Luthor did the one thing nobody was expecting," she says to his back, "He made things boring again and boring's good, isn't it?" He can hear her voice, almost pleading him to understand, or for reassurance, Superman's not quite sure. Listening as she continues even though he told himself a million times he wouldn't, "The economy is back to normal, crimes down, there are no wars or anything."

He swore he wouldn't do this again but he can't help but try yet again. "He's up to something," he replies, jaw tight, already knowing he's wasting his words, half turning back to her, praying that she listens this time, "Can't anybody see that?"

It's Atom that responds, with his deep voice, "That's what I thought at first, but eventually I realised all he's trying to do is put that formidable intellect to work and doing such a good job no one will have a choice but to respect him. It's all about ego now."

Wasted words, he turns back to face them, "I'll never respect him, he's a sick man," he wants them to understand he can never accept Luthor again.

Major Force pipes up with his useless two dime's worth, "He's not the first to sit in the Oval Office,"

"He's right," Atom agrees, "There have been womanisers, drunks, crooks but Nixon helped turn our worst enemy into our best trading partner and Johnson gave us the Voting Rights Act."

But those never reached in and ripped my heart out, besides they were just selfish men. I've seen into the mind of Lex Luthor and its pure twisted evil. "Thanks for the history lesson, but I'm not buying it," he turns to leave.

PowerGirl edges forward, a final plea, "Come on, work with us. Please? We need you."

He feels like he's betraying them when it should be the other way round, he would never, could never serve Luthor. "Sorry," he says as he leaps into the air.

He goes supersonic, wanting to put as much distance between him and his old friends but not fast enough as he hears Captain Atom, "I guess Lex Luthor's not the only one with an ego," and it hurts.

Lex stands at the spectator gallery, raised above the control floor, with his assistant stood by his side as always. He watches the huge screen in front of him, the large green asteroid that literally glows, trailing gasses against a black backdrop, broken only by stars. As devastating as it is, he can still see the beauty in it, maybe because of how devastating it is.

"Is the spectrographic analysis complete yet?" he asks.

"Yes, Sir," a voice rises up from the control floor. "And the new data confirms our original analysis. The meteor is pure kryptonite, a chunk of Krypton, the size of a small country."

"That planet's been an endless source of grief for me," he mutters.

The controller continues, oblivious to these words, "The new numbers also indicate our original estimate of time of impact was right. Seven days."

"Correction, there's not going to be any impact," his voice drowning in authority, dispelling all doubt.

Miss Waller, his assistant asks, "What's the plan?" Despite her large frame, her voice is smooth and gentle, like chocolate and silk.

"Missiles," and he can't keep the smile out of his voice, almost makes the word sound smug.

"We've never shot down anything that big before," she replies and he can hear the wariness in it, terrified of upsetting him but brave enough and good enough at her job to do it regardless, he respects that.

"The missiles will work. When I first heard about this I started doing the calculations myself." He finished, thinking the subject closed but he could still hear the unsaid words hanging in the air between them, "You're brooding, Amanda."

"I'm just thinking we have all sorts of other firepower."

"You mean those so called Superheroes?" he asked, an edge to his voice. God, did he hate calling them heroes.

"They do work for you now. Most of them anyway." He could hear the sullen tones as she tacked on those last words and could feel his ire rising knowing full well who she meant. Superman.

"That's to keep them from working against me. I'm not going to put the fate of this planet in the hands of... of... freaks and monsters." He falls to a stop, angry at himself for showing his feelings so readily.

"That's not why you won't use them," she responds accusingly.

"No?" and he can hear how ominous he sounds; can feel the oncoming storm as his anger gets nearer the surface.

"You want all the credit for yourself."

"Careful," he threatens as he crosses his arms and turns towards her. He respects her, but knows he isn't going to like what's coming and isn't beyond trying to intimidate her into choosing to say nothing at all.

"Try thinking of it this way. If you don't reach out to some of those freaks and monsters there might not be a planet left to feed that massive ego of yours." She turns and walks away, back straight and never looks back once. She never did respond well to intimidation and he can't help that burst of affection when she shows how strong she can be, even if it does cost him dearly sometimes. "Now, if you have nothing else for me," she finishes as she walks away.

He let her get almost to the door before calling out to her, "Miss Waller." She stops but doesn't react in any other way, not even to turn around. Begrudgingly he breaks the heavy silence, "Thank you for your honesty."

The bat cave is dimly lit and there is a chill to the air as the temperature is kept to the optimum degree to make sure the computers are kept running as well as they should. Batman sits at his console and it looks as though he is deep into the data that is scrolling past the screen but Superman knows he's got one of those bat ears tuned into Lex Luthor on the huge screen in front of them. He himself stands still in front of the monitor, his whole body tense in anger and arms crossed over his chest. Superman watches Lex Luthor as he finishes his speech and literally vibrates with anger...

"...And I want to assure all Americans and all the citizens of the world that I intend to handle this meteor with the same efficiency that characterised my previous endeavours but as a precaution I'd like to meet with Superman as soon as possible. It's time to bury our rivalry once and for all and work together for the good of mankind."

The volume easily falls into the background as Batman speaks, their voices easily drowning out the voice of Luthor. "This is one time he's not lying," Batman says keeping his back to John.

"About burying the rivalry?" Superman asks in disbelief, "I don't think so." He's thinking that maybe he's wasted his words again, failed again to find someone who understands, someone who would not betray him and wonders if it was more hope than interpretation that misled him to thinking that Batman would never ask that of him, never ask him to forgive Lex Luthor.

"No, about the meteor," Batman replies, the word stupid left unsaid and Superman relaxes the shoulders he had tensed without even realising. Batman reaches across the console and brings up all the available data he has so far before he continues, "I've been following it the last few days with my own instruments."

Superman smirks at the smug undertones Batman uses whenever he talks about his computers and gadgets. The thought that these little inconsequential moments he finds joy in, that have become precious to him, are at risk and their future is in the hands of the man he hates most on the planet soon wipes the smirk away again. With the meteor made of Kryptonite, he is powerless to help. "I could go up there in a lead suit and smash the thing," he says mulishly.

Batman rises and stalks over to him, "There's no amount of lead that could keep out so much radiation, and it wouldn't stand up to all that smashing either." Batman continues to stand there glaring, his mouth thin and tight.

Superman keeps looking ahead, determined not to look at him, not to see his worry, not to have to lie to him and say everything would be fine. He tries to ignore the warm feeling that blooms through him at the notion that Batman does care, even if it's not quite enough. He needs some distraction and the first words he thinks of he says, "Got anything better?"

Batman walks away, back to the console. "I'm working on something with one of my contacts."

Silence hangs between them as Superman watches the screen for the information on the meeting that Luthor wants and Batman, with his back to Superman, watches his own data on the meteor scroll past on the console. Superman turns to leave without a word, not sure what to say so says nothing. He's walking away when Batman speaks, breaking the silence. "You're going to go ahead and meet with him, aren't you," and it's more statement than question and more angry accusation than not.

Superman pauses, he doesn't want to get into an argument before he leaves. You can never be sure you'll return to take back angry words, so he always tries to keep them to himself. He tries to keep it light, "You know me too well. I can't just stand back and do nothing," he walks to the opening in the cave that leads up into the night sky.

"Well, when it all goes south," Batman begins, keeping his back to Superman and his face hidden in the viewfinder, "Don't count on me to save you."

He won't lie to himself, it hurts to hear those words, to know that he doesn't count that much to Batman, but he's not surprised. Batman keeps to himself, frowns on any close relationship as a possible weakness, and god knows they've argued over Lois before now. He heard once that there used to be a beautiful partner called Robin, but the rumour also says it was his sister and that his real name is Mer so it's hard to know how true it is. They say she just disappeared one day and Batman's heart grew colder and his tongue sharper. Some say she died, and some say she couldn't stand to be around Batman any longer. It crosses his mind sometimes, but he doesn't know how it changes anything, so mostly he just forgets and carries on as if he never heard the rumour. In the heat of an argument he wants to mention that Batman had a partner once too, but he can never bring himself to say it.

He hides his hurt and answers with a smile in his voice that he doesn't feel in his heart. "I won't. I know you pretty well too."

He leaps into the air and even with his super-hearing he is gone too soon to hear the whispered words, "Not as well as you might think," and doesn't see a gloved finger follow a moving dot on the radar screen.

A disused air strip with an abandoned tower and three large hangers that echo their emptiness lay forgotten over the river. Suddenly the bright moonlit night is emblazoned as two cars roll over the bridge with their headlights on full beam. They pull up, one with the licence plate 'PRESIDENT1'. The air strip falls back into shadowed moonlight as four men in black suits exit the second car and a single man exits the first, strangely he is wearing sunglasses as he opens the rear door to let Lex Luthor climb out. They all stand and wait, knowing Superman will show...

Superman lowers slowly to the ground, the red cape billowing in the air currents he's creating. He knows Lex hates this pose, thinks it looks heroic and therefore it annoys him. Superman knows it's petty but he can't seem to stop himself being petty around Lex. He lands on his feet and takes a step forward, poised for anything as he speaks, "Well?"

Lex Luthor smiles, "Somehow, I knew that would be the first word out of your mouth."

Superman remains silent, knowing he can't say anything without betraying how much Lex got to him with those words. Of course he would know, would be able to predict, Lex Luthor knew him better than any other person alive...once. He doesn't know him anymore and he's not about to give him any clues on working him out.

Lex Luthor continues, all humour gone now, clipped business tones, "When the meteor gets close enough I'm sending up a dozen missiles, each ones going to have a 50 mega ton war head."

"What do you want from me?" he responds sharply, the earlier anger not fading an iota. Just being in Lex's presence, just listening to him talk without retaliation, without accusations that he wants to shout and scream is taking all his control. God how he wants to hurt him. It scares him sometimes that he can hate a person this much.

"Some of my people don't have as much confidence in this plan as I do. They think I need a back up," and Superman can hear how much it hurt Lex to acknowledge that someone out there doesn't have complete faith in him, he wonders briefly who it is.

"With the whole world at stake, that's not a bad idea," because the world in your hands scares me, he doesn't add, doesn't need to.

Lex steps forward, extending his hand. "Does that mean you're willing to work for me." Genial and smug, thinking that he's just going to capitulate, fall back into the old ways where Lex can manipulate him and guide him. Hell no.

"For you?" Superman repeats in disbelief, keeping his hands open so as not to betray his anger and it takes more force than he likes to admit.

"Yes. You'll be working for me, but only in so far as I represent the country that adopted you and that you love." Superman's sight begins to blur and his mind is clouded, only the anger sharp and bright. "What's wrong?" Lex continues all fake concern and real sarcasm, "was I getting too sentimental."

Even though his sight is blurred it doesn't matter, he doesn't need to see it, he can hear it; the smug, gloating smile that makes him want to rearrange Lex's face. With what strength he has he rushes forward and grabs Luthor by the lapels of his expensive suit. "Luthor," he growls and even his voice is weak. It's not even what he wants to say, he wants to ask why? Why are you betraying me again? Wasn't slicing into my heart once enough for you?

"You think I'd be crazy enough to meet you without some kind of protection?" Luthor drawls, looking over his own shoulder as his mouth pulls into a cruel, smug smile.

Superman follows his gaze, just in time to see the blonde haired driver remove his sunglasses to reveal his eyes that shine iridescent like green stones and then the driver is pulling open his shirt to show that the same green light is glowing from beneath the skin of his chest and suddenly Superman knows who the driver is, recognises a piece of his home planet and the hold it has over him and knows that there is only one man alive, if you can call it that, who carries Krypton closer to his heart than Superman. "Metallo."

"Who else could stand up to you?" Lex says, his voice silky and warm, enjoying the pain he knows Superman is feeling.

Superman stumbles, his hold on Luthor slips away like mist. He flings out a fist, hoping to make contact, but he's already too weak and all he manages is to push Luthor to the ground. He stumbles back, his head feels like it's going to explode in pain. He raises a hand to his head but stumbles again, falling onto the car bonnet and feels it crumple beneath him. He puts a hand out and finds the wing mirror and he crushes it in his grasp, feeling the glass breaking, cutting into his skin. This new pain flares into his senses, pushing the rest away, allowing him to focus. He lifts his head in time to see the security guards help Luthor up and take him to safety.

"Shouldn't have done that," Metallo says, "He's the president."

Superman sinks to his knees and Metallo rushes forward and hits him hard, a hard right followed by a hard left and another right that leaves Superman disorientated. Suddenly he feels Metallo's hands gripping painfully into his hair and he's lifted up and rammed into the bonnet of the car. He knows he has to fight back and he hits out with his left, making contact that he knows is pure luck as Metallo is knocked back onto the floor.

He stands up, stumbling again. He needs to get away but just doesn't have the faculties to fly. He needs a weapon, still too disorientated to use his laser vision. As his knees give underneath him he leans heavily onto the car above the wheel, he reaches down and yanks the tyre from the axle and throws it at Metallo. It hits him head on, bouncing over and away as Metallo falls back down again, but already he is beginning to rise. Superman picks up the car, the only weapon he can use, and throws it on top of Metallo and then he backs away.

This could be his only chance so he gathers all his strength, all his focus and manages to activate his laser vision which he aims at the petrol tank of the car that is still pinning Metallo to the ground. He manages enough to ignite it and the car explodes. He stays watching and hoping, strength only enough to keep him up right, but suddenly Metallo is there, rushing out of the flames, his skin burnt away. Just his metallic skeleton remains, the piece of Kryptonite still embedded in his chest, still killing Superman slowly.

Metallo uses a quick left to his gut, followed by a right uppercut to send Superman flying up in the air to land hard. Superman drags himself up, only to receive a left hook, followed immediately by a punch to the gut that steals his breath and then another left hook followed by a right and then another left. Superman doesn't know how much more he can take, he clenches his left fist and brings it up, manages to hit Metallo but not hard enough. Superman throws everything he has into the next right hook and this time his enemy sails through the air but the strength it took drops him to his knees. On all fours, he lifts his head, only to see him stand and straighten his jaw, as though Superman had never made contact and the thought that nothing he could do can affect him, and that he is going to die today settles into his mind. Then he feels a cold dread, watching as Metallo's hands morph, changing one into a hammer and the other into a chainsaw.

Superman sees the chainsaw aimed for his head and his survival instinct kicks in, managing enough energy to push himself upright and therefore narrowly missing the edge of the chainsaw as it sails past his body to dig into the earth. He hasn't enough energy to fight back so he just tries to dodge, ducking right and then left but he's too low swerving right from the hammer and Metallo brings his knee up to grind painfully into Superman's jaw and he is thrown onto his back, breathless. Before he can react the hammer is falling and hitting him straight in the face, not sharp enough to break the skin but heavy enough to push him into the ground with so much force that the cement is crumbling away beneath him and the blackness of oblivion is knocking on the door. Suddenly the hammer morphs to a vice that wraps around his head and lifts him up like a puppet with cut strings. Even through the metal vice he can hear the chainsaw start up and he knows these are the last seconds of his life unless he acts now.

Strength fills him, he doesn't know how, knows it won't last long as he reaches out blindly to grip the chainsaw and manages to hold it at bay, while he activates his laser vision to blow the vice apart. He doesn't have to worry about accuracy as the vice surrounds his head, knowing the heat will weaken the metal and waits until suddenly it fractures and explodes, taking half of Metallo's arm with it. Metallo is on the floor and Superman rises to his feet only to fall again but this time with intent. He clenches his fist, putting his whole weight behind him and pounds a right hook into Metallo's face as he falls. Something explodes, though he didn't see what it was, just felt it's energy pushing him up and away as he sails through the air, hitting the link fencing but the force sends him sailing right through and over the edge and suddenly he's falling. He falls the twenty feet to a cemetery below but the momentum keeps him tumbling, bouncing through the cemetery, taking headstones out as he goes, and no strength left to do anything but take it and wait till his momentum stops.

Superman slowly gains consciousness from out of the black void, eyelids flickering until he can open them fully, his mind is still clouded with pain and the first thing he realises is that it's raining. He lifts himself up to a sitting position, looking around the cemetery and then he sees Metallo stalking through the tombstones and knows this is his last chance and it's only luck that he's even got this far. He picks up the largest stone he can find, probably one he broke on his way through, but he had already passed out by then to know for sure. It's like a monolith and he hefts it up over his head and throws it at Metallo's back, who seems to sense it and turns, but too late to stop it as he is rammed into another tombstone behind. Debris and dust fill the scene and Superman watches the rain dampen the dust to clear it away fast. He sees Metallo lying prone with his jaw at an odd angle and thinks maybe; just maybe he's done it. Then Metallo snaps his neck forward, jaw clicking into place and suddenly he's back up and running towards Superman who's throwing another rock at him but Metallo knocks it aside with a wave of his hand, it doesn't even slow him down.

Superman picks up an ornamental concrete vase, rips it out of the ground and holds it over his head but Metallo is too close, the green stone of his home planet weakens him and he only just has the strength to push the vase to one side, not wanting to drop it on himself and then Metallo is right there placing his hand around Superman's throat. Metallo lifts him up, the grip tightening, causing a sharp pain in his chest as he suffocates and Superman knows he's done for. In desperation he tries his laser vision one last time but without strength and focus it's erratic and badly aimed, useless. Just as panic is starting to flitter on the edges of his subconscious, just as he's starting to think about the things left undone, left unsaid there is a small explosion in Metallo's bicep, cutting through the hydraulics in his arm and making his hand weak and useless. Superman slips to the ground, precious air flowing into his lungs, still too weak to move.

All he can do is watch as Metallo turns and two more metal shapes embed themselves into his chest, followed in quick succession by a third. Blue electricity charges around him and across his body affecting his circuits, and the control he has over them and Superman is just realising the shape of those metallic barbs when suddenly he's suddenly right there. Batman lands behind him, putting strong arms around his bodyandlifting him to his feet, pulling Superman's arm across his shoulders, as Batman's other arm slips around his waist. Superman knows he's in a bad way when he can't stop himself from leaning into this warm body, revels in the strength that's holding him up as he limps away. Batman came for him and there's a lot he wants to say, instead he warns, "That's not going to hold him for long," knowing the electrical charge won't incapacitate Mettalo for long.

"I know, that's why you have to get out of here."

He's about to say us, that's why WE have to get out of here, because he's not leaving Batman to face Metallo alone, but the words never leave his mouth because suddenly there is an Iron vice that grips Batman by the throat and yanks him out from under Superman's arm. He turns just in time to see Metallo throw Batman's limp body against the wall. Debris and dust raining down from the impact and his own heart clenches in fear. He knows what damage that did to him, but Batman is only human. He knows Batman can't take much of this treatment before his armour gives and his battered body breaks, but his own strength is fading fast and he's already collapsing to the ground as Batman is swept through the air and then jerked to a halt before it begins again. He sees Batman reach behind him and pull out another metallic barb, shaped like his insignia, and he knows Batman will fight with everything he has as he watches the barb fly through the air with deadly accuracy to embed itself into Metallo's chest.

Metallo doesn't even loosen his grip and with slow deliberation he reaches up with the other hand and pulls the barb from his own chest. Superman's eyes are drawn over Metallo's shoulder to see Batman trying uselessly to prise the metal that's wrapped around his throat loose and he can't lose Batman, the one person who stood beside him when no one else would, who came here to save him against all common sense.

He rallies himself and stands up, centres himself and pushes the panic away, gathers his ebbing strength once more. He fires his laser vision with deadly accuracy and shoots the arm that's holding Batman in the grip of death. Batman falls hard and lies still and Superman's trying real hard not to think about what that might mean. Metallo is knelt down now, holding onto his shoulder that's smoking where his arm used to be. He's putting his hand to the ground and Superman catches a flash of green before Metallo's hand morphs around it to form a gun.

"Superman," he says as he climbs to his feet, "from me to you," he says, his tones smug as he lines up the gun and fires. Superman can see it coming, can see a shard of green light flying towards him but just can't react in time, but he does see Batman climb to his feet in the background and as the shard of Kryptonite embeds itself into his skin and pain explodes throughout his body, all he can feel is relief because Batman is still alive. Superman is falling backwards from the blow of the impact and feels the ground swallow him up as he falls to land in an open grave.

As impressive as it looks, he doesn't actually see Batman run up behind Metallo and connect magnetic mines to the metal skeleton as he pole-vaults over him to land within the open grave.

He just knows that Batman is suddenly there, leaning over him, protecting him, and then there is an explosion of light and heat and fire that is gone as fast as it appears and he knows Batman has saved him again, but it might not be enough. "What was that explosion? Plastique?"

"Something like that ," Batman says and his voice is grim and rough as he pulls tweezers from his utility belt and Superman has a crazy notion about what else he carries in that thing but then he realises what the tweezers are for. Batman is trying to remove the Kryptonite from his chest and there just isn't time. He has to warn him, "It won't stop him, he's gonna reconfigure." Get away, please don't die here because of me, he wants to say but Batman cuts through his words.

"Don't worry about that now," and the voice is still grim but this time it's tinged with anger and Superman knows there is nothing he could say that would make Batman leave now because he is one stubborn son of a bitch when he's angry. He knows that Batman is angry because he told him to leave, because he would be if their roles were reversed. He knows Batman would have demanded it of him if he was lying here, wouldn't have been able to stop himself any less than Superman can, because each other's survival has always been more paramount than their own, and that's also why he knows Batman isn't going anywhere. He leans back, thinking his luck has to have run out by now, and listens to the voice of his friend, "the Kryptonite is near your heart. I don't know if I'll be fast enough to get it before the wound closes."

"Where's the Flash when you need him," he jokes quietly.

"Do me a favour, and lose the sense of humour," Batman growls, eyes narrowing as he tries to grip the shard again in the dim moonlight.

"Do us both a favour, buy one," he responds, not entirely sure if he's just loosing it a little or trying to push Batman away, trying to get him to make the right decision and save himself, because Batman has the best sense of humour he knows.

Suddenly bits of debris are falling on them and they both look up to see Metallo with his arm in a digger shape and it's full of earth. Superman, with the state he's in, only has time to process that, but Batman's thinking faster as usual, he's already moving as Metallo turns the arm over and the earth begins falling over them as Batman leans over him trying to protect him, risking his life for Superman's and he can't let that happen.

He notices a board to his right, placed there to shore up the sides of the empty grave they are lying in. He grabs it, ripping it loose and holds it over them to keep the rest of the falling earth at bay. In the darkness, all he can hear is Batman's surprised gasp that he's not dead and then rustling with heavy breathing that's he's trying to ignore. Suddenly there's a clink like breaking glass and fake neon light fills the confined space they are trapped in. "We can't go back up," Batman says as he lays the tubular light on Superman's chest.

"He might still be there," Superman confirms.

"And neither of us are in any shape to take him on."

And Superman wonders how badly Batman is hurt, "Then what are we supposed to do?" he says, anger at the situation, anger for not being able to save Batman, anger at himself bleeding into his words.

"The whole cemetery was built over the old sewer system," and of course Batman would know that, Batman knows everything.

"But how can we…" Superman begins, but stops when he sees Batman reach mutely into his cape and pull out another magnetic mine only this one has ten seconds on the clock.

"Are you up to it?" Batman asks gently, his voice full of care and woe.

"Well, we'll find out won't we," he says because if this is the only chance Batman has then he's taking it with both hands. He smirks up at Batman who is holding his gaze while the mine counts down.

They don't know that Metallo is walking away, thinking himself victorious. They don't know that the explosion brings him running back to the graves edge. They don't see the muscle bound shadow that falls across him, don't see him turn and greet the shadow with an annoyed, "Oh, it's you." They don't see Metallo's final minutes of life as he, in turn, ishunted down and destroyed.

Meanwhile in the sewers below, the sound of running water and the sharp sounds of drips from broken pipes echo through the tunnels. In a large chamber five tunnels converge, the water running down into a main reservoir like waterfalls, churning where they hit the surface, spreading out into a calm underground lake, manmade and square. The rumble and groan of rock moving against rock reverberates throughout the chamber. A slab of rock that used to make part of the world above now sits in the water, leaning heavily against a mound of rock and crystallised chemicals that is made by this strange, dank world below. Then it trembles again, the same reverberating groan of rock against rock, the noise echoes through the chamber until it finally moves, flipping over and away to reveal Superman pushing up out of the thigh deep water. He collapses over the stone in front of him, one of the two stones he had felt weighing against him, the other having fallen on him when the explosions had thrown them into the sewers…..

His strength is slightly better but he can feel the Kryptonite's cold near his heart, flashes of pain that make his whole body clench and tremble, that leave him breathless and each time a little weaker than before.

When the pain ebbs, he looks around, knowing the pain will return yet again. His eyes widen and suddenly fear is more real and more biting than the pain as he looks upon Batman's body, limp and floating face down in the water. He sees that Batman's upper body is perched on another rock and hopes that it is enough to keep him free of the water. "Batman," he breathes and he can't stay there staring any longer, he has to know. He pushes himself up and wades through the water to the body of his friend.

He pulls Batman's lifeless body from the water and turns him over on to his back against the rock. His hands fall to Batman's shoulders, "It's not ending here, I won't let it," he swears and suddenly Batman's coughing, water flowing over his lips, thank God he's alive.

Superman puts a hand to his neck and Batman's body jerks to the side. Superman's not sure if it's away from his touch or just to move onto his side so he can choke up more water.

Only conscious mere minutes and already he's talking, that's Batman. "I thought…" and there's a pause while he chokes some more but Superman doesn't interrupt because hearing his voice is the sweetest sound he's ever heard. He hangs, waiting for him to continue, waiting to hear more and he's not disappointed, "I was supposed to rescue you," Batman finishes, throat sounding raw. He's not sure he believes that was what Batman was going to say originally but can't fathom what it might have been so he lets it go.

"There might still be time for that," Superman jokes, more serious than he likes to admit, putting a hand to his chest as another wave of pain hits him and suddenly Batman is up, the lines of his body tense, watching but not touching. Superman continues, "Can we get to your cave from here?" he asks, and trying not to let on just how close to death he is.

Batman turns, "Eventually," he says concisely and that's never a good thing. A man of few words is not Batman, that's an angry man, an upset man and Superman tries to ignore the thin tight line of his mouth as he reaches out to take the arm that Batman is offering. He can do no more than hold his hand though, his strength slipping away, and he's thinking maybe that's not so bad, when he feels Batman pull his arm across his shoulders and puts an arm around his waist. Batman pulls upright, dragging Superman with him in the process, and he can hear the tense gasps that he makes showing how much effort it takes but he still marvels at the strength in this man who is only human and yet so much more. He leans into Batman's body, relishing the heat that he feels. He looks up into Batman's face when he hears his voice, "Time for you to see my side of the world."

And they are moving, dragged along in Batman's wake as always. Batman turns on a torch that Superman didn't even see him reach for, moving like he knows where he is and choosing a tunnel with determination and he hopes it's not a bluff because he doesn't want to die here. The light shines over the rats squirming and running at the side of the tunnel, as they run for the shadows that make them feel safe and he thinks about Batman lurking in the shadows and finds it depressive.

He speaks more to try and lighten his mood, and maybe a little because he wants to hear Batman's voice again, "Good company you keep," he teases with a smile, but Batman doesn't respond, he gasps instead with a trembling breath that tells of the pain he must be in. Superman puts a hand to Batman's chest to keep him upright as Batman drops the torch into the murky waters. He feels his hand rise and fall as Batman's takes a deep steadying breath and then Batman is flinching again and moving away from Superman only to fall to his knees, gasping in pain.

Superman takes the steps necessary to reach him and puts a hand on his shoulder hesitantly, that's twice he's flinched away from his touch and he's trying not to let on how much it hurts and hoping that he allows this. He kneels next to him in the water, "Come on Batman, stay with me."

Don't leave me now.

Batman gives another grunt of pain and slowly gets to his feet and yet again Superman is in awe of his resolve. They lean into each other as they turn down another tunnel and then there is a door. As they pass through it Batman starts talking, "You know who I was thinking about the other day?"

It's apropos to anything and throws Superman, but he answers anyway, "Who?"

"Magpie."

He's confused, doesn't know where this conversation is going and wonders if it's the conversation or if he's maybe losing it a bit, "The criminal?" he queries as Batman helps him down a flight of stairs and at least this part of the sewer is dry.

"Do we know another Magpie?" Batman asks, like this is a normal conversation.

He's feeling a little lost but he finds talking about something else takes his mind off the pain and he doesn't really want to stop, so to keep the conversation going he asks, "Whatever happened to her?"

"She died," and the way he says it, like he was there, like it was something personal piques Superman's interest.

"No, you sure?" Superman prods, hoping for more information because he knows how private Batman can be and knows he won't ask outright because that's an understanding they've always had. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to.

"Reasonably," Batman says and Superman knows what he means. He's lost count of how many times past adversaries have a habit of popping up again like ghosts only to learn he missed the first time and sometimes he wonders if he has actually killed a single soul and regrets every guilty thought he endured afterwards, only to find out later it was for nothing.

"Why is it the good villains never die?"

"What the hell are good villains?" Batman says and there is the familiar bite to his words that make Superman feel better somehow. Suddenly the tunnel ends with an electrified metal grating across their route, the warning sign attached to it making the dangers clear.

"Can you do it?" Batman asks, his voice soft with worry again. Superman knows if he says no that Batman would find another way but this is obviously the quickest and Batman falling to his knees in pain, face distorted in agony is still fresh in his mind and he wants Batman to get aid as fast as he can, Superman knows he can't and won't risk Batman's life anymore than he has too.

"Sure," he says, stepping away from Batman's warm body. Pain grips his heart and he can feel Batman's hand across his back, can sense him about to find another way so he looks up at him with an easy smile and says, "Bend steel and all that." He straightens and walks towards the grating, using all his focus not to let the excruciating pain show as he walks up the steps. He stumbles into the wall but rights himself and carries on before Batman can stop him. He falls onto the grating, gripping it in his hands as electricity falls all over his body and he knows he hasn't got long, that black void is knocking on his door again.

Superman leans back, throwing his body towards the stairs, pulling the grating towards him. The grate bends and as electricity arches over it Superman can feel it, like barbs of pain all over his body until the grate suddenly tears away to sail over his head and without the pull of the grate, he can no longer hold his weight as he falls and slides to the base of the steps he just climbed.

Batman is there, "John!," he calls, a whisper full of emotion, as he falls to kneel beside Superman, an arm across his back and a hand on his bicep to support Superman as he lurches to his knees. He should be surprised that Batman knows his alias but really he's not because of course Batman knows, Batman knows everything, well almost everything.

All he can think to say is, "tickles," still feeling the residues of the electrical currents course through his body, little jabs of pain at every nerve ending they find and suddenly he's back down again. It's just Batman's strong capable hands that stop his face from landing in the sediment that spreads over the floor of the sewer, but he can still smell it and he's thankful he was spared that.

Suddenly there is the sound of a gun being cocked and loaded and a carefully clipped voice calling out of the shadows, "Halt. Identify yourselves." Before Superman can respond he feels Batman tense at the sound of the gun and relax at the sound of the voice and figures it must be okay.

"Alfred it's me," Batman says, deep and exhausted.

"Rodney. How many times? It is Radek," and now he can detect the foreign accent, middle European is all he can figure in his current state and he's trying to figure out how, in the entire sewer system they manage to bump into someone Batman knows, no, Rodney. This person knows the man behind the mask and he's given him a name, Rodney. It sounds like Batman is safe now and with someone who will make sure Batman's okay, so maybe he can finally rest his eyes. He closes them, still listening to the voices around him.

"Whatever, and I've told you before, It's Master McKay."

"Only in front of company, yes? And not if I can get away with it," the stranger answers.

Superman is trying to figure out if Rodney is Batman's real name but still doesn't know who Alfred, Radek, and McKay are and wonders exactly how many people are down here. Thinking hurts and he doesn't fight too hard when oblivion takes him.

John's eyes flutter open, his throat making disappointed moans on behalf of his body while his mind is still too wrapped up in sleep to care. As wakefulness starts to creep into the darkness, memories and senses start to return too. He'd been dying, Kryptonite embedded in his chest, near the heart. He slapped a hand to the wound and found it closed, had he been too late? Had the wound closed over the shard, encasing it inside as John's body died around it? But he felt okay, energy levels back up. Batman must have removed it. He relaxed, his senses moving beyond his body, feels the softness of the sheets below him, the mattress below them embracing him, his heavy head sinking into the soft pillows. He looks down to find an embroidered throw, decorated in rich gold's and reds and looking further finds himself in a large double bed, rich dark wood that sweeps up into a canopy, edged in heavy curtains that match the throw. The room is huge and screams two single words, expensive and comfortable. A large chair that looks as comfortable as the bed, big paned windows that stretch out from the floor so high that you have to look to check they don't reach the ceiling. The curtains are also pulled back on the windows, showing a small balcony, only the sky and treetops visible from this angle. He can't figure out where this is, he knows damn well it's not his home and he can't see Batman in here, for starters it's too bright for a man who loves the shadows.

Sighting his uniform laid out over a chaise-long, and pulling back the covers, only to realise he is naked, so goes straight to his uniform and dresses, feeling less vulnerable in the red and blue suit. While dressing his attention is distracted by photo-frames over the mantelpiece of a huge fireplace, well that rules out the hotel option he was toying with. Walking over to the fireplace, hoping just to find a clue as to his whereabouts, but now he's really confused. As an investigative reporter he knows the who's who of this town and he would swear that the face looking back at him from the frame is none other than the millionaire, Dr Rodney McKay, he's seen this face countless times through work at the Daily Planet and that is definitely him.

While he's trying to figure out where Batman and Rodney McKay would spend enough time together for them to become friends his memory supplies the reason. A voice talking to Batman but calling him Rodney, there's another picture of Rodney, a full body shot and he can see the basis of Batman. The body is not rippled muscle that he's used to but there are muscles under the tight t-shirt sleeves and the stocky body could well hold the strength he knows Batman has. He's studying the photo, looking into blue eyes. Batman's mask has eye shields that shine white and he figures he knows why because one look at those blue eyes and he would know them anywhere, regardless of any mask. He runs a finger against the next picture, a close up of Rodney with the light hitting him in the face and the light makes his eyes iridescent.

Further along is a picture of a beautiful blonde with a baby in her arms. She is smiling and it lights up her face, she has the same blue eyes and they are alight with joy. And John has no doubt that the baby in her arms is hers, and he wonders if he is seeing the resemblance of the eyes out of hope or if Rodney is the father of that baby. Suddenly, he is reminded of the story he was told, that Batman used to have a partner, a beautiful female partner. He touches her face with his finger, wondering if her name is Robin.

"That'll be Jeannie, smiles like the sun, that one," says a deep Scottish brogue behind him.

His heart is in his mouth as he turns. He has the hearing of a bat, but only if he's paying attention and he was lost in thought here on the mantelpiece. There is a man, stocky build, heavier than Rodney but strangely similar. Blue, blue eyes but a full head of hair that's as black as the night.

"Did I make you jump, son?" he asked, seeking forgiveness by the lilt of his voice.

"No, no….well, yes actually but it's alright," John smiles, feeling comfortable around him already. He wasn't quite sure how to proceed, the man didn't seem surprised to find Superman in Rodney McKay's bedroom but that didn't mean he knew about Batman. He figured he must know Rodney though so he'd be okay starting there, "You a friend of Rodney's?"

"Oh, aye. I've known Rodney for years. Of course, I may have walked away if I'd known that I'd spend my time stitching him and his friends up. What is it with you Superheroes and your death wishes?" He held out his hand, "Doctor Beckett, call me Carson." Well it seemed he did know about Batman.

John took his hand and shook it, a dry hand with a firm shake, "Doctor?"

"Aye, who do you think removed that shard of Kryptonite lad. I put it in a lead box but Rodney's already destroyed it, between you and me he seemed to take more enjoyment out of that than he usually does. I think he may be developing an enjoyment of explosives." He had taken John by the arm, leading him to that big comfy chair and pushing him down into it, "Sit down lad. You look as if you're fully recovered but I just want to check you over before you go out there again."

"I'm okay," John said, but still found himself helping the doctor remove his shirt. He looked over Carson's shoulder as he worked, John's eyes flowing over the pictures. "You know Jeannie, too?" he asked.

Carson's eyes shot a look at his face, an instant of intense scrutiny before he returned to his work on John's chest, talking into his shoulder, "Aye, I know Jeannie." There was a heavy pause, followed by, "You?"

"No. I just know Batman. Haven't even met Rodney yet, well not while I was conscious anyway."

Carson gave him a quick confused look but seemed to figure it was best not to ask. "Well, I'd best take you to Rodney. He and Radek are working in the lab."

"Is Jeannie his sister?" John asked, just needing to know.

Carson studied him for a long time before he answered. "Jeannie was his sister; she fought by his side as Robin. She truly led a double life, unlike Rodney who lives, breathes Batman. Jeannie was removed from the spotlight at an early age, leaving Rodney to bear the brunt of it. You know his story no doubt?" he asked, John nodded his agreement; everyone had heard how Rodney's parents were gunned down, leaving two orphans behind. "Yes, of course you have, everybody knows the story," John frowned at the bitterness in Carson's voice but kept quiet as he continued, "and everyone thinks that means they own a piece of him, not everyone knows about the pain, the driving need in Rodney to save anyone else from having to deal with that suffocating pain. Pain that consumes you," Carson shook his head, shaking off the anger like rain, "Jeannie met someone and married them. She fell pregnant. She walked away from Robin, never looked back. Rodney has a hard time understanding how she can do that, they haven't spoken in years but he'll keep her secret, which means he has to keep his own. If anyone learns who he is, it puts her in danger and he would die before he did that." Carson looked John in the eye as he stressed those last words and then he continued more hesitantly, still looking him in the eye. "Don't mention her to Rodney, it makes him do irrational things." Carson held his gaze, not at all intimidated by the fact John could literally kill him with a glare.

"I won't say a word, and no one will learn his secret from me," John said, clearly and sincerely. Carson watched him for a moment before nodding.

"Come on, I'll take you to them. If you haven't met Rodney before, wait till you see him and Radek together. It's quite an experience," Carson said, a playful smirk and a mischievous light in his eyes.

John got up and followed him, still feeling like he hadn't actually woken up and he was still dreaming, everything had a surreal edge to it. Carson took him down wide halls, with plush carpets under foot that put a spring in your step, wanted or not. They descended a wide staircase leading to a large foyer. Not a soul in sight. Carson must have read his mind, "You don't have to worry about anyone seeing you, Rodney only has the staff in once a week unless he has a function on. He doesn't play well with others."

That made John grin, something familiar. Nothing here linked to the man he knew and he wondered which one truly wore the mask as he followed Carson into the library. Carson walked straight over to the desk, picking up the red phone he dialled a number and then hung up. A section of the bookcase slid aside and John grinned again. Clever. Here was a piece of Batman. Carson indicated for him to lead. "I've got to get back to my day job. Tell him he owes me the good brandy. Just follow the tunnel straight and it will lead you to him. It was good to meet you."

John shook his hand again, "Thank you for everything you've done."

Carson nodded, "Pleasure son, try not to make it a habit, eh?" He grinned and walked away.

John went through the door in the wall, which closed behind him. He followed it down and it gradually changed from panelled walls to rough rock face, the light fading to a hint of blue that bled into the tunnel from some unknown source. As he walked through he started to feel more relaxed, surroundings started to feel more like the Batcave, more like the man he knew. He started to hear voices and then the tunnel opened up onto a balcony that overlooked a laboratory, with the bat cave he had stood in yesterday at the rear. Had it really only been that long.

He looked down to see a man standing behind Rodney. That must be Radek. He was just putting the last of the bandages on Rodney's back. John winced at the vivid bruises that littered his torso. Rodney looked back at Radek without looking him in the eye, looking vulnerable in his own skin. "Thank you," he mumbled as he got up, walking over to a pile of black cloth. As he pulled it up, Superman realised it was his suit. John watched as Rodney climbed into his Batman suit. John always thought the whole thing was sculptured but looking at McKay's broad shoulders and wide back and what it tapered into, visible even in boxer shorts when he bent over, makes his mouth go dry and if that suit is sculptured then he thinks he may be looking at the master mould. Rodney is dressed now, the mask hanging around his neck and down his back and looking at him, in stylised black, with the bruises along his ribs hidden away, John realises that he never saw below this skin before today.

He's only just now realising that underneath that outfit lies flesh and blood that has no defences but those he makes himself. Unlike most of the heroes and villains who are made, who have this life forced onto them, he realises, shockingly, that Batman made himself. He could have led a normal life, and John smiles because he can't imagine Rodney being normal, and he knows that amongst everyday mortals Rodney still would have soared above them, would have stood out in any crowd.

To stand by and watch an innocent be harmed is impossible for Rodney as it is for Batman and he can't see him ever backing down from anybody or anything. Rodney's a hero, but to think he chose this life, a lonely life of shadows and pain but then from the recesses of his mind he remembers; he saw him one night and the image has always stayed with him. High on the rooftops of Gotham, looking up at a full moon and he looked so sad as he murmured "Will you dance with the devil in the pale moonlight," so quietly that only John's super hearing managed to catch it and he's never figured out what that means but he knows it cuts through Batman's heart because he could hear the rawness of it in just a whisper. So maybe he was made and John's not sure he wants to know how but he's betting it started with the death of his parents.

He listens to Rodney and Radek arguing;

"I am just saying that we have twenty-five bedrooms and you put him in your bed," Radek says, not looking Rodney in the eye.

For that matter, Rodney is not looking Radek in the eye when he answers either, "I didn't want to bother having to reset another bed. I try to save you work and this is the thanks I get."

"I do not change bed clothes, Rodney," and then in a complete change of subject, or maybe not, "John is a very good looking man, is he not?" Radek asks apropos of anything and his voice is anything but casual. John finds himself holding his breath, waiting for Rodney to answer but all he does is glare at Radek until he fumbles the tweezers he was trying to lower carefully into the sterilization unit and they drop with a clang and a couple of pings as they bounce on the metal surface. He notices Rodney's mouth curl up into a smug grin as he lowers his face to hide it from Radek and John can't help the low chuckle that escapes him.

He sees both of them snap to the noise and watches as Rodney's face blushes red while his eyes show only a depth of vulnerability that makes John want to hold him and tell him everything will be fine. He knows that's a bad idea seeing as Batman is straight so he just carries on as if his arms don't already feel the loss of something they will never have. "So, what were you glaring at poor Radek about now?"

Rodney waves a hand in the air and says casually, "McFumbles strikes again," and it totally belies the blush in his cheeks and John's trying not to smile about the fact that the 'Dark Knight of Gotham City' is blushing like a thirteen year old girl, even if he doesn't quite understand why.

He could go find the stairs but he can't be bothered so he just flies down to them, plus he knows it annoys Batman. "Hello, Rodney," he says softly, and it seems strange to use his given name but it rolls of the tongue better than Batman does. Batman does a double take and then Rodney smiles, "Hey."

John looks over at Radek and says hi, anything to distract from what that smile does to Rodney's face….and what it does to him.

In the white house, the president stands before the camera's and all he wants to do is smile but he pushes it down as he begins his speech, no preamble, he heads straight in twisting events and using words to betray his people...

"John Corban might have been more machine than man but he was still human, a human being who certainly didn't deserve this," he pauses while they switch to the image of Metallo's burning metal frame, eyes empty, the smoking remains in a crater of blackened earth. Giving the audience a moment to take in the horrors, to imagine what Metallo's last minutes must have been like, before moving on. "He came to me months ago, seeking a pardon and a fresh start and mindful of my own history as well as his enormous potential for good I granted him both. In the short time Mr Corban had left, he worked hard for this country, helping to keep her secure from terrorist's threats. Then last night, John Corban was murdered, murdered, our prosecutors believe, by a man who used his own freakish power to settle a personal score, in violation of the laws that bind us all, a man who calls himself Superman. I met with Superman to try to enlist him in the government's effort to stop the meteor." He knows the image of himself holding his hand out to Superman is playing and he knows his voice will be played over the film, it's not as though they can play the actual audio. "He of all people should have been eager to help, but instead he lost his temper. Metallo stepped in to protect me and this is what Superman did to him."

He paused again, knowing that the audience would now see Superman throwing the car at Metallo and using his laser vision to make the car explode. He closed his eyes, pushing the joy away and forcing his face into the semblance of regret that he felt none of, ready for when the camera returned to him. He counted in his head and then opened his eyes, portraying a man caught in grief, as he opened his eyes and spoke again to the nation. "I know many of you will find it difficult to believe that Superman could do something like this. I shared that scepticism until some of our top scientists reminded me that Superman's vulnerability to Kyrptonite can have a psychological component."

He stood up, finger tips spread against the desk, "In other words," he continued as he walked away from his desk to the drop down monitor to the right of it, "the radiation from the approaching meteor," he uses his hand to indicate the screen. Visual effect after visual effect to turn a nation against his own enemy, "is affecting Superman's mind. He's a danger to us all now and to himself as well." He walks back to his desk to deliver the final blow, "In accordance with that, I am announcing a bounty on him to the amount of one billion dollars. It pains me to do this but as our planet now faces its greatest peril we cannot afford to be distracted by one man's growing irrationality. Thank you and good night."

He knows he has a smug smile on his face but he can't keep it in any longer and he wills everyone to just leave him alone in the oval office already. Soon enough they are all gone, camera equipment, everything as it was that morning. He sits alone at his desk, leaning back he loosens his tie and starts to pull out the top draw of his desk. Just visible is the green liquid in a gun style hypodermic but a knock at the door distracts him, "Come in," he calls.

The door opens and he sees its PowerGirl so he surreptitiously closes the desk draw again as she speaks, "Mr President, can I talk to you? It's really important."

Luthor raises an eyebrow and nods acquiescent. She moves to the centre of the oval office seal standing tall, "He didn't do it, I'm sure of it."

He doesn't need a name to know who she's talking about, Superman, and God this loyalty makes him sick. "Oh, really," he says as he steeples his fingers and smiles over the top of them and the fool girl doesn't even realise that all he wants to do is kill her, kill them all.

"It's just not in him," she says stubbornly.

"Do me a favour," he asks silkily, as he stands languidly. "Think back to three years ago, could you have even dreamed back then that I would be president today?" he asks as he walks around the desk to stand before her with his arms open wide. Voice gentle and mild, belying the anger that he has to answer to her, "Did you think it was in me?" and he sees her confidence crumbling away, doubt entering her eyes as he pushes it home, "Then if I could change that much, couldn't he?"

Her arms drop to her side, head falling forward and he catches tears in her eyes as she hangs her head. She believes him and inside he's laughing. How easily they want to believe in the goodness of people and to believe Superman over him, but then she would have to acknowledge that she was wrong to follow him and if there is one thing he's found out about Superheroes it's that they hate to admit they were wrong, mostly to themselves.

The batcave is awash with colours reflected out from the large view screen that replays the latest speech made by Lex Luthor. It was aired while they recovered and now Batman sits in the high backed chair watching it for the first time, in the uniform of a hero with the mask uncovered and hanging around his neck as he watches the screen closely. He hears Superman land softly behind him just as Lex Luthor accuses him of being a murderer...

"Does he think anybody's going to believe that," Superman claims and the anger in his voice is clear. Rodney knows that Superman always hopes for the goodness of people but he knows better, he created Batman as a dark hero because humanity is dark and he is rarely surprised, he knows they will believe it.

When Rodney hears Lex Luthor offer one billion dollars as a reward he knows most won't even care, as long as they are paid for the carcass of the man who saved their miserable lives a hundred times over. They both gasp when they hear it, but Batman thinks it's for different reasons. He knows this will pit them against the world, people who didn't care and who lived their own blinkered lives will suddenly be seeking them out. He thinks Superman is gasping because he can't believe Lex Luthor is that desperate and how wrong Luthor is if he thinks he can buy an entire human race to do his bidding with money and Batman doesn't have the heart to tell him that Lex Luthor can.

He keeps watching the screen as the speech ends and the window closes, switching to a view of the oncoming meteor. He can hear Superman pacing backwards and forwards and can hear the anger in his footfalls, imagine the anger in the lines of his body as he hears him muttering, "Growing irrationality, who does he think he is?"

The president of the United States, Batman thinks but is wise enough not to say it. Instead he turns to him, "Can it affect your mind?" he asks curiously. Not that it would change anything, he would still follow Superman over Lex Luthor any day, but it would be good to know now.

"No!" Superman turns to him, so he raises his eyebrows and Superman capitulates, "I mean it never has. Look this whole thing is just plain ridiculous. I can prove I didn't kill him."

"How?" Batman asks, already knowing what his answer will be.

"You were with me the whole time and..." Superman catches the look on his own face and understands. They know we're friends, they know I would lie for you and I'm hardly an example for walking in the light."Oh."

Rodney doesn't say it out loud but he thinks it, because he was trying to kill you and if I could have done that to him, I would have without a thought. He stands up, pushing himself away from his chair. "I'll figure out a way to clear this up later. Right now you and I have a meteor to stop," he says as he pulls his hood over his head and as he settles the mask over his eyes he feels safe again, invulnerable again, shrouded in protection of his own making that won't let him down and he would do well to remember that everything else lets him down, even his own sister.

A moonlit night, bright enough to make out the details of the building perched on a cliff top. A single winding road leading up to it, past the stone slab that has 'STARLABS' engraved in it, that is lit up bright by spotlights hidden in the bushes that surround it. Batman is on the roof top, panel open and already rerouting or killing the cables to disarm the alarm system. A tool in each hand that creates blue sparks amongst the wires, causing reflections of blue light to flicker and charge across his face. He hears Superman land softly behind him but doesn't turn...

He's pissed off, even if he knows it's stupid and childish. "You're late, what took you?" he growls at Superman, still not looking at him.

"I, er, honestly don't think you'd understand," Superman responds, like he's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Lois," Batman says and it's not even a question because of course he's been with Lois. Superman just hums in agreement and they've had this argument before but Rodney is feeling more fragile than he should tonight so he just growls back at him, "You're right." Before Superman can try to respond, the sky hatch opens. Batman is there in a second, hooking himself onto the side and abseils quietly and quickly to the floor, making a feathers sound as he lands.

Within moments, Superman is floating to land just as softly by his side, "You know you didn't need to use a wire, I could have carried you."

Rodney almost turns to him then in disbelief; he was sure he heard a plaintive whine under those tones but dismisses it immediately as his over active imagination. He did sound sulky though to his ears but Rodney is still just angry, angry enough to lie through his teeth, "Between you and me, I hate that," and before John can respond he stalks away, walking over to a console, speaking before John can, "this won't take long."

They work in silence and Rodney loses himself in the processes, trusting Superman to watch his back even if the silence is a little heavier than usual. He can hear John shifting, "See something?" he asked softly.

"Smell something," he hears Superman mutter as he walks off. Batman watches him go and then narrows his eyes at his back, knowing he will follow. Damn fool will get himself killed otherwise, right.

Superman walks through the doors, pushing both wide open and letting them fall noisily behind them. Stealth isn't one of John's strong skills, with his invulnerability he doesn't need to hide in the shadows that Rodney greets like old friends. He's about to comment that he should be more quiet if he wants to continue without alarms and guards, when his nose senses something too, "Now even I can smell it," he says instead.

He sees the small oblong doors stacked next to each other, row upon row on the opposite wall and knows he's in a morgue. Superman stops at an observation table with a deep metal casket on it and then looks up at Batman. Superman slides the lid off to reveal the twisted, deformed skeleton of Metallo.

Rodney's still waiting for him to move because he can't believe someone actually managed to kill the son of a bitch and if he wasn't so worried about what John would think, he'd chop of Metallo's head and bury it in salted ground, consecrated at that, just to make sure.

"They must think I did this with my heat vision," Superman says and Rodney can hear the hurt injustice bleeding into his voice.

Batman pulls a sensor pad from his pocket that looks like a calculator he had as a child and scans the remains, he pulls it back to read the display. "You couldn't have, not unless your heat vision is radioactive. It's not is it?" he asks suddenly a little worried that maybe he needs to create a radiation sun cream, Superman shakes his head but Rodney thinks he might invent the sun cream anyway and makes a mental note.

Superman is still staring down at Metallo, unmoving and Rodney's just starting to wonder if Superman is also trying to think of somewhere to buy salt from at this time of night when the doors burst open and two security guards walk in, guns already un-holstered and at the ready. The guards freeze, sharp breathes of surprise, and maybe a little fear, when they realise they're facing Superheroes.

Rodney pulls a barbed smoke bomb from his belt and raises his hand to throw it when Superman grabs his wrist and admonishes him, "No," his tone deep and authoritative and Batman finds himself gasping, mouth falling open as he turns to Superman. "This way," Superman tells him and he's up and taking Rodney with him, even before Rodney can figure out what's going on. A loud boom is heard as Superman flies through the roof like its paper and suddenly they're in the night sky. "Now, I really do look like a criminal," Superman says resignedly as he flies, Batman dangled precariously below him, only his hands holding onto Batman's as he is dragged through the sky.

"It's done wonders for me," he replies sardonically.

"But how do we get the data now," Superman asks him, the frustration clear.

"There's one other possibility..." and suddenly there is a piercing sound that blots out all thoughts and actions. Batman doesn't feel Superman's hands falling open, just a lack of pressure, stark emptiness of his hands and then he's falling, tumbling.

Black, green, black, green. Earth and night sky, earth and sky as he tumbles out of control. As he gets nearer to the earth his mind starts to clear and thought returns. He starts to take in the details and he notices a huge statue of a globe as he's flying towards it. He reaches into his belt for his bat harpoon and wire and tries to aim as he throws, it catches and suddenly he's swinging around the globe like Spiderman on a string.

Before it snaps taut, he takes the controlled momentum he's made and uses it to swing in a somersault to land softly on the grass, his cloak falling sharply around him, but he's not alone. He knows he shouldn't look away from the danger suddenly appearing all around him on all sides, but he has to. He glances up, looking for Superman to see him tumbling in the assault of Banshee, fear as she snakes a hand around John's throat and screams at him. Sound as a weapon and they fall into the forest beyond, foliage and earth erupting where they land and he's thinking the worse because he knows more than anyone that Death doesn't follow those who deserve it most, Death follows those you love most.

He stops breathing, just small breathy gasps of shock but then there is a blur of red and blue and he knows this is Superman fighting back and he watches as they go up and up and beyond where he can see and he knows now that John's plan is to take her up where the air is thin, till she passes out. Suddenly he needs all his attention on the ground as the four villains he landed right in the middle of start circling in.

"Where's your friend?" asks the short guy in the smurf suit with white hood and gloves, waving a ray gun at him. Behind that guy is Frosty, a tall man in black with a mask of ice who's holding his hands up and if he couldn't see the winter air around them, he can feel the freezing temperature from here.

"Yeah, the one who's worth a billion bucks," comes the snide female voice to his left and he takes in the shapely blue figure with thigh high boots and a black bikini as dark as her hair, and behind her is Mr Ice. A man in a funny suit with some sort of containment pack on his back that's linked to some kind of rifle in his hands that Batman doubts shoots bullets. This isn't exactly a summer night but the air is already falling rapidly from these guys.

He doesn't bother to answer her, just looks at her with disdain.

"You want to play it that way," she smirks, not sounding at all disappointed that they're gonna have to beat it out of him. Suddenly she throws her arm out towards him and produces a volley of icy beams and who the hell are these guys, the ice cream gang?

Batman manages to push himself to the side, out of the icy walls path. He catches a wide grin on her face as they run towards him and can't help but think maybe she's the cat and he's the mouse as he turns and sprints in the other direction. Ducking out of experience more than any real knowledge, Batman sees another blast go over his head, leaping over the water at precisely that moment, knowing the air will be clear, as volleys can't follow that closely.

Batman spins in the air to land on his haunches, facing the enemy. He can't handle these by himself and knows it, the voice activated radios in their ears coming to life at the sound of his voice as he demands help, "Superman."

"Little busy at the moment," comes the strained reply and God he wants him back here right now so he can strangle him for that. What does Superman think he's doing down here exactly.

A concentrated blast hits his forearm and although his gloves protect the skin, ice still forms around the left wrist. Batman flips backwards, away from the blast but every time he lands he has to flip again, pushing himself away and knowing he's only just missing these shots. "When you can, bring the heat," and his voice sounds forced due to the angle of his body as he speaks.

Batman's leaping away, thinking of another strategy when his world abruptly stops with a painful lurch. Suddenly he is still and cold to the bone. Ice covers the floor and flows up and over his body, covering him to the chest and trapping his arms to the sides. He is immobile, cold...and vulnerable. Batman can hear them approaching and knows he's as helpless as a kitten but he's still got one claw left and strikes out, thankful he can still use his voice, "Now!"

Batman should probably elaborate, but Superman's smart and quick and if he elaborates, then he'll ruin the surprise. He just hopes that Superman heard the urgency in his voice and is able to do something about that. Suddenly there's an answering burst of red in the night sky and then beams of heat start raining down with intent, all falling behind him and he knows that's one threat gone. Beams cut through the ice, following the contours of his body, the ice falling away and heat flooding through him, he's grateful for the warmth, driving the chill from his body. Batman's standing on the floor again and instead of looking at the possible threat behind him, he's looking up, looking for John. Superman is floating down like an angel out of the stories, carrying the limp body of Banshee in his arms like she's a maiden in distress instead of the villain she is. He's too soft, too good, Batman thinks to himself.

"You okay?" Superman shouts down to him as he nears the ground.

Batman turns away to find himself looking at the four who were attacking him. Not so soft after all, he thinks. "Better than them anyway," and he can't seem to take his eyes of the four bodies till Superman lands next to him and interrupts his thoughts.

"Banshee's out, can you keep her that way," Superman asks

Batman looks up into his face and then at the woman in his arms. He reaches into the utility belt and pulls out a small black disc with a red light in the middle and attaches it to her throat, "Hypersonics," he explains to Superman as it's activated and the red light glows. "Effective, even on meta humans. If she tries anything this will drive her scream right back at her," and he sort of hopes she does try it.

There's heavy stomping from their left and they both look , only to find the steam created a fog bank. "More?" Superman asks in tired disbelief.

"Everyone wants that reward," Batman says.

Out of the cloud of fog two muscle-bound silhouettes start to take shape. He notices Superman lower Banshee to the ground, and his hands had barely left her body when the form on the left solidifies into a hunk of purple metal with a large disc of light across his chest that lights like a fire within and a ray shoots out in a wide beam to hit Superman head on, the force pushing him up and away. It cuts out, just in time to see Superman's limp body smash into the corner of the building only to rebound away to the ground, dust and debris falling in his wake.

Rodney wants to follow, wants to run, needs to see he's okay but suddenly the other character is rushing toward him, and this guy really does look exactly like the Hulk except he's white, black shirt and trousers hanging in rags from his body as his abnormal muscles burst outwards. Batman struggles but can't move his torso, held fast in this Neanderthals grip. Huge white hands that nearly circle his body hold him by this biceps and lift him up as if he were air. Over the creatures shoulder he can see the purple guy slamming fist after fist into the face of Superman. The white hulk in front of him switches his grip so he is only holding Batman with one hand but even then, writhing and struggling with all his strength, he might as well be bound from head to toe.

"All you are is a rat with wings," the Neanderthal teases as he lifts him, still struggling to no avail, up in the air, "and there's no better way to get rid of a rat than by drowning."

The hulk is moving towards the water and Batman knows what's coming but there is nothing he can do. Suddenly he is under water and his chest is getting tighter, his struggles more erratic and the last thing he knows is panic before oblivion takes all his fears away, leaving him lifeless.

Superman feels the blast in his chest, exactly where the Kryptonite used to be and it knocks him into the wall, makes him weak for a moment and he slumps to the floor. He sees Mungol coming ever onwards and tries to struggle to his feet but the energy has not built up enough yet. Mungol picks him up and throws him repeatedly against the wall. He should do something but he isn't even noticing the pain, because over Mungol's shoulder he can see a white hulk of a man holding Batman up, while water runs of him in droves and he prays Batman, Rodney is faking. Please, please let him be faking.

Even at this distance he can hear the hulks lumbering voice, "There, that wasn't too difficult, I'll have to ask the Joker why he's had so much trouble doing this over the years." He watches as the hulk pulls Batman's limp body to him, "So this isn't a complete waste of my energies, let's have a peak under that cowl."

Superman watches, helpless and afraid, because he knows Batman wouldn't allow that if he was alive, no matter the victory, he knows it's a risk Rodney wouldn't and couldn't take. He would never risk retribution on his sister and if any villain learnt his real identity, they would attack the thing he held most dear, Jeannie. He sees the mask start to lift and then gas is hissing out from under it to surround the white hulk and even in his grief he smiles bittersweet, that even as he dies Batman can't stop fighting. Never giving an inch, even when there's nothing left.

Mungol finally breaks through the wall and tosses Superman in. He flies across the floor, listening to Mungol approach but he keeps thinking of Rodney's body out there and then it occurs to him that if it's left out there, then they will learn that Batman is Rodney McKay and they will realise that Jeannie was Robin. She won't be safe and Rodney's biggest fear will be real.

He won't let that happen. He failed Batman once, but he won't fail in this. He turns and catches Mungoll's fist in his hand and holds it there. "What do you need with money, Mungol? All you've ever cared about is ruling the universe." He strikes out, so caught up in his own anger and vengeance that he doesn't hear anything but the roar in his ears, not even Grundy's voice. He can't see from where he is and with the overwhelming emotions blocking all his senses he doesn't know that all is not lost.

"Grundy not feel good," as he rubs his eyes, trying to clear the gas from them.

"Grundy gonna feel a lot worse," Batman responds as he lifts his arms up high to bring them down hard on Grundy's arms. He's released and falls gracefully to his feet but doesn't waste any time as he throws everything he has into his next punch, and as it takes Grundy's breath, forcing him to bend over in pain, Batman follows it up with an uppercut but his fists just aren't strong enough. He kicks out high and hard, catching Grundy in the throat, knocking him back into the water to lie still.

John knows none of this, his thoughts filled with anger, fuelled by loss, his thoughts focusing onto a single person. Luthor, It's always Luthor who manages to hurt him most and he can't hold back, it maybe Mongol he's hitting but in his head it's Luthor. He pushes back and knocks them both through the wall, following it up with punch after punch. "You wanna be Luthor's boy now? I'm sick," he shouts, almost primal, as he throws a right hook, followed by a left, "of Lex Luthor!," followed by a full body punch that sends Mongol flying to land hard, unconscious. John stands there, vibrating with anger and then he remembers where the anger came from and he turns slowly, not wanting to but expecting to see the body of Batman, still and empty lying near the fountain. As he's turning he hears a gasp and hopes impossibly that it's Batman but it's not, its Grundy flying through the air to lay still in the waters. Batman stands with his back to him, muscles bunched and ready for a fight. Batman is alive, Rodney is alive and not only that, he is kicking arse. The relief nearly undoes John, it's like a physical blow and he realises just how unusual that is, sure he cares about everyone on this planet but never has he felt relief to this degree, where it leaves him exhausted and dumbfounded. He has his epiphany that Rodney means more to him than anybody else, out of the billions of people on this planet his heart chose Batman and he's okay with that. That he has to have his epiphany now, when they are fighting the whole world surprised him. It's frustrating, knowing how right this is and knowing he can't act on anything he feels because they still have an enemy to fight before he can even begin to think about this. Then there is Lois and how does he decide between Lois and Batman and has he got a thing for snarky, angry people or what. Secondly, he may not come out of this alive and Rodney's doesn't deal well with death. Thirdly, he thinks bitterly that none of that even matters because Batman is not gay. He knows about his dubious relationships of the past, the League is always full of gossip about relationships, and as dubious and wrong as they were, they were all woman. Batman is drawn to woman with a dark streak and John is a man with a reputation for goodness. How opposite could he be to what Batman wants. Lois was enough for him before, he just has to decide if he can still be with her when he knows now that it's not love, because this painful emptiness inside, this, is love.

He steels himself and starts to approach Rodney when a harsh looking woman, tiny with a black bob and dressed in a red cut suit, is kicking Batman into the water again. Superman lifts off ready to swoop in and protect Rodney but Batman drags himself up, "Shiva," he says, his voice deep and gravely, "Miko," he whispers softly and John can hear the history there, can see it in Batman's face when he looks at her, can feel it like a weight inside himself. She flips, kicking out as she does so and Superman hears the painful grunt as Batman is thrown back but he figures if he knows her then he knows how to defeat her. Batman is back up in an instant, Shiva is fighting Kung Fu style, both arms are a blur and Batman's holding her off one handed and Superman's watching this man who hits without discretion, this man who never shows mercy failing to hit a woman who's attacking him and it hurts that she must have meant that much to him once upon a time. Batman doesn't hit out, just defends until an attack nearly gets through. Both his forearms come up to stop the blow, her fingertips way too close to his throat and then he's twisting her arms away and play time's over thinks John as Batman puts a right hook across her face, his body twisting to put the utmost energy into it and she sails away to lie unconscious like the rest, and if John is smiling a little more than he should, then that's just his business.

He glides down to land softly next to Batman, trying not to drink him in, "Mongol wasn't his usual talkative self."

"And Grundy sounded like William F. Buckley," Batman replied tautly.

"You think there's some kind of mind control going on?" Superman queries, "A telepath, or maybe a...?" but he never gets to finish that thought, as a fist made from purple smoke encapsulates him, solid enough to squeeze tight and immobilize him as tightly as Mongol could have but vague enough that he can't get a grip on it, can't push against it.

Batman follows the smoke back to the extended hand of another shapely woman in black and purple, "Nightshade," he says and there is anger there. Superman's just thankful it's not another historic girlfriend and he's starting to wonder just how much of a Lothario Rodney actually is. The fist is closing tighter, he can feel his breath fading away and it's already getting harder to think.

"Interesting," Nightshade responds, "Even the lesser ones have some value when their powers are put to proper use."

"I know that speech pattern," Batman says, his eyes narrowing dangerously and John really shouldn't be enjoying that.

Nightshade smiles as she lifts her left hand up, claws extending from her fingers. No, not claws, thorns and Batman seems to realise it at the same time, just managing to grasp the one flying towards his face with his hand as the other three go wide. He throws it away to the side as he turns and runs, both of them knowing he won't be that lucky again. There's a huge rock that he pole vaults over, making it just in time, just as he lands on the other side the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the barbs sound out as they embed themselves in the rock. Superman struggles against the vice like grip and then something catches his eye, he notices Batman glancing over at him, worry clear in his face. He points upwards, "top of that building," he gasps out, struggling against the pain in his chest. He watches with worry as Batman dodges another volley from Nightshade before he can glance up.

Now he sees it too. A huge gorilla with a white shine to his eyes and an all too human enjoyment of their predicament. He hears Batman's voice, "Grodd, of course."

He hears more than sees Nightshades next volley, Batman flings himself back against the rock, out of harm's way. Superman's voice is strained as he calls out, "Had to be a telepath. Heard a gorilla's heartbeat."

Batman peeks over the boulder and ducks quickly as another volley of thorns sails over head, the second they've passed he aims and fires. A missile with bat wings, but more important is the thick black wire that trails behind, running through his hands as the missile aims straight and true for its target. It loops around the gorillas neck and Grodd retaliates immediately, standing tall as he growls, pulling at the thick black wire. Batman knows he can't best Grodd in strength but he knows Superman can. He manages to keep hold of the wire as he moves over to Superman. As Superman stretches his arm out so it' free of the poisonous cloud that surrounds him, he feels Batman placing the wire in his hand and as he closes his hand around it he hears Batman say simply, "Pull."

He gives a sharp flick of his wrists and Grodd is falling towards them. Superman struggles to stand, throwing out a right hook that meets the falling Grodd just right, to send his unconscious body falling away. Suddenly, Nightshade is shaking her head, trying to focus. "Hey, what?..." she mumbles. Batman pulls a gas cylinder from his utility belt and sends it flying. The gas knocking her to the ground, senseless. Superman stands tall, feeling his muscles unknot as the tension is released, the muscles bunch again as he flexes them, and flinging the black bindings off, the cloud dissipating as the link controlling Nightshade loosens its hold of her, so easily done now she is no longer in control of the smoke that bound tighter than any rope.

"We're surrounded. I can hear them coming," he warns. Batman readies himself at Superman's back with a deadly knife in his hand.

"I suppose it's useless to tell you to leave," Batman asks reproachfully.

"I wouldn't miss this for anything," he says with a grin.

"You're funeral," Batman retorts.

"Already had one," he says.

A thirty foot cavewoman steps between the trees, a lizard man at her feet, a muscle bound purple figure to the left of them and a muscle bound figure in front of them who looks like an alien fly. To his left is another muscle bound man in orange, his brown coat blowing in the wind with blades spinning in his hand, his face covered in bandages. Behind him is a He-Man look alike with the face of a cat, behind him stands a being equally as tall as cavewoman, but his muscle's make him nearly four times as large and he's glowing bright orange, a yellow haze etches his silhouette that looks radioactive. He doesn't have a face, just some obscure mask that makes him look ever more inhuman. Still many more come, stepping and pounding out from the dark of the trees. Most of them muscle-bound, a guy in yellow and orange with sticks at his back and a ninja style to him. A tribal looking guy in purple with a Mohican. A guy in black who looks like spidey did that time when he went bad but this guy's got eyes that shine red like gimlets.

Next is a woman, no less muscle-bound. Spots on her skin like a leopard and her feline face and fangs match with a mane of pink hair and hands that finish into talons. Then probably one of the most bizzarest ones he's seen tonight. Muscle-bound in blue and wearing a black vest but the head of a shark. He watches as he opens his mouth and growls and even in the half light of dusk the rows upon rows of teeth still shine pearly white in the light.

Then they're charging. The purple one flies for Superman who dispatches him quickly with a right upper cut. The alien fly creature immediately takes his place and blasting Superman with a yellow beam that's almost fire. Superman gives him a left hook that knocks him unconscious, but before he can even stand up, the lizard man is on his back, an arm around his neck. Superman reaches back to grip the lizards shoulders and haul him off and over his head.

Meanwhile the ninja guy is the first to reach Batman. Reaching back to take the sticks from his back, when he pulls them lose they have spikes mounted on them, like knifes. Batman raises a protected glove against the first parry and throws a right hook, followed immediately by a left and then an upper right cut that sends ninja guy flying. The shark guy is also charging at Batman who only just manages to leap over him. As shark boy is turning, Batman's kicking out and backwards and manages to send him flying. He turns to see a muscle-bound guy, twice his size, with a helmet. He notices a strange metal cable leading from the helmet to the guys wrist, and when he raises his hand to hit Batman there's a strange hydraulic lifting sound. Batman pulls the knife free from its sheath and leaps over the goliath, reaching out to slice through the cable as he does so. Yellow hydraulic fluid sprays everywhere like blood and as the man looks over his shoulder, Batman spins, adding momentum and weight to his kick when he deliveries it. The man falls to the ground, dirt and dust rising around him due to the impact.

Superman takes out four with his laser vision, grabbing a fifth who has got too close to raise him up and throw him into another. It goes dark as a shadow falls over him, he turns to see cavewoman lowering her foot to stamp on him, a furious growl on her face. Superman dodges the foot and then takes off, heading straight up. She makes a grab for him that he easily avoids and then he's reaching out, fist clenched, as he flies into her jaw bone, a sweet uppercut that sends her falling back, dust clouds of six feet or more rising up at her impact.

Superman sees Batman and lands behind him. He feels Batman press up against him, back to back, as the villains circle them and approach. Then he hears something else and looks up. There is Atom, he watches as Atom lands and strikes, a blue flash in the shape of an atom that enlarges up and out to blast everything in its path. Superman rushes round to stand in front of Batman, to take the blast and protect him, furious that Atom would take that risk with Batman's life and the look on Batman's face says he's not too happy either, although there is a sad resignation to it, like he didn't expect anything else.

As the smoke clears, he sees Atom rising to stand in the epicentre of his strike, MajorForce to his left, glaring at them. PowerGirl is to his right, avoiding eye contact. Black Lightning, who they call Blue on account of his uniform and the colour of his lightning strikes, is up in the air, one fist clenched and loaded. He notices that he has back up in the shapely female in a purple leotard with thick red hair that falls all the way to her toes, but it's the green eyes that make him nervous. Anything green always makes his pulse race a little faster.

"I never believed in the cavalry," Batman says belligerently and he hopes that Superman can hear his undercurrent message that he still doesn't.

"Captain Atom. I wanna thank you..." Superman starts.

"I have a federal warrant for your arrest, Superman," Captain Atom interrupts.

"So much for the cavalry," Superman mutters.

"You sold out to Luthor," Batman accuses angrily.

"I'm doing my duty," Atom says as he steps closer. "Look, this isn't my decision to make. It's the courts."

"Courts?" Batman spits in derisive tones, "This is Luthor's vendetta."

Superman's been watching PowerGirl and how she won't look him in the eye, "PowerGirl, what do you think about all this?"

She snaps her attention to him, and then turns away, cradling her torso in her arms and shying away. Atom steps between them, "It doesn't matter what any of us thinks. Luthor is the president and what he says goes. Now, are you coming or not?"

"Not," Superman growls, glowering at Atom. They advance on them as Batman throws down a smoke bomb. Superman flies through it as Batman leaps up, his wings spreading wide, smoke bombs dropping on their enemies, only a small pang for PowerGirl and Katana who he counted as friends once.

Batman can hear MajorForce, "You piece of..." before the gloop he also dropped lands on his face to harden, creating a mask to blind him. He lands, turns and runs low but stops when Katana comes for him. He blocks parry after parry, delaying what he knows he must do. Eventually he gives into logic and spins around her and delivers a high kick that he knows will knock her to the ground, hopefully knocking her out. When she's lying there, she looks likes she's sleeping and he pulls his cloak around him as the wind whips at the edges of the cloak and at his consciousness.

Batman looks up to see golden green missiles narrowly miss Superman as he weaves through the sky. The female following fast with her hair like a cloak around her. Superman is turning as his laser vision activates but she meets it head on with a beam of her own. There's an explosion, a bright spark in the sky that fades to thick grey clouds and he can't see Superman until suddenly he appears like an arrow through the clouds, grabbing the girl and hurtling towards the earth.

Suddenly there are blue flashes and the ground at his feet erupts as lightning hits it. A near miss. As he turns and runs he berates himself for looking for Superman instead of his enemies. How could he have forgotten Black Lightning. Explosions erupt behind him and he can feel the heat and tingle of the strikes to know how close Blue is to actually hitting his mark, him.

He needs to turn the tables and fast. He leaps up and pirouettes in the air, pulling barbs from his armoury as he does so, sending them towards Blue. Two hit their target and before either of them can react, while Batman is still in the air, Superman sweeps in from behind taking Blue in one arm, the female still held tight in the other. There's an eruption of debris and dust just as Batman lands on his feet. He's not worried, he knows Superman was in control of the impact and knows his own limitations, even if he ignores them from time to time. Sure enough as the debris clears he sees Superman climbing to his feet. The girls still out cold and won't be joining them for a while. There are moans from Blue that say he won't be out much longer. Suddenly there's a shout from PowerGirl. "Look out."

Born of instinct, of trust in the words of his friends, Superman leaps without a glance, straight up and narrowly misses the beam Atom sends to the spot he was standing in not seconds before. Batman sees the glare Atom throws her way before he too takes off. Superman dodges Atom's volley easily, but the man himself not so much. They grapple in the air until Atom gets in a punch that sends Superman reeling earthbound and a volley of blue energy speeds things up to ensure he hits it hard. Superman lands in the fountain and looks up see Atom heading straight for him. He's locked eyes with Atoms which is why he doesn't see MajorForce tackle him from the ground. Its obvious Superman doesn't see it till it's too late, not even reacting to the powerful arms slung around his waist as MajorForce buries his head against his stomach. Superman is in the water before he's even starting to react and MajorForce is above him throwing punches. First a right hook, followed by a left, followed by a right. Over and over and Superman isn't doing a damn thing to stop him and Batman is just as frozen, watching until Blueis throwing electrical charges at him and he is running again, throwing barbs of his own as he goes.

He hears Atoms strong voice, "Enough."

He glances over, even as he is running from Blue's volleys, he sees Superman's eyes flicker open. From this new angle he can now see that its Atom'srestraining hand on MajorForce's bicep that's caused him to stop hitting Superman. Batman watches as Superman reaches up and grips the other hand, the one holding him down and rips it aside as he flies up. Fast and sharp, he knocks the pair of them to the side and hovers over them. He surveys it all from above and then he sweeps down and around, circling them all he repeats the cycle, going faster and faster until he is no longer visible. He creates a wind tunnel, like a tornado, tinged red and dragging everyone in.

He sees PowerGirl get sucked in with a huge piece of masonry. She won't be able to control her path enough to avoid it. Superman sweeps her up in his arms and probably hardly feels her as he sweeps her out into the calm blue skies. He grabs Batman and takes them to the safest place he knows. Without him there to maintain it, the tornado collapses, and those trapped inside fall to the ground. Bruised, battered and disorientated. Atom looks up to the skies, nothing but empty skies and the fear that he's lost her is clear in his eyes. Atom turns back to the other four. "It's not going to be easy without ."

MajorForce pulls his hand up in a fist, "We should have killed them, when we had the chance."

"We do not kill people, understand?" and the last word is a clear threat.

"Is that right?" MajorForceasks, low and deadly.

Atom's thinking he's going to have to go head to head with him now, but MajorForce just starts laughing, clearly he's not going to push anything today. Atom sighs and pulls the phone from his uniform. He's not looking forward to this phone call but knows he has to do it now.

In a military installation in the hills, deep in the bunker there is a control room. Every eye is inexorably drawn to the screen that dominates the room. Earth, and beyond that, the oncoming meteor with its trajectory mapped showing that it will collide with the planet. Lex Luthor stands on the balcony with his aide Miss Waller and General O'Neill. They look out over the control room, also drawn to the screen...

The General says what everyone is thinking, but only he, it seems, is brave enough to say it out loud, "Some of our scientists were going over the scenario in their computers. They don't think the missiles will be enough to..."

Lex interrupts him, "General, I don't care what your scientist think. The missiles will knock out that meteor. I did all the calculations myself."

"Yes, Sir," and his tone doesn't say I believe, but he's not stupid enough to say outright that he doesn't

Lex is glaring at him, like he's going to say something else when a phone rings in the suit of his bodyguard. The bodyguard takes it out of his pocket, handing it over to Luthor who takes it from him, flipping it open and bringing it to his ear. O'Neill can't believe he makes his bodyguard carry his own phone. What, is it too heavy for him? O'Neill is standing not far away from Luthor and listens unashamedly to the conversation.

"Captain Atom, this isn't the best time."

Atoms response is clear enough to be heard by those closest to Luthor, "I'm sorry, Sir, but you wanted to be kept apprised."

"Yes," and Lex sounds weary, frustrations barely contained, "Fine. Do you have them in custody?"

The muffled voice replies, "No, Sir."

Lex Luthor erupts and this is the man O'Neill always knew was underneath. Eyes wide and blazing, lips pulled back in a snarl as he shouts down the phone, "What happened?"

"We lost PowerGirl," and even from here O'Neill can hearthe emotion layering those words.

"She's dead?" Lex asks bluntly, and he sees the anger slink away, as if appeased by her death.

"We're not sure. She..."

Lex interrupts ruthlessly, ignoring the obvious pain in Atom's voice. "Captain Atom. I have three words for you; Finish Your Job." He hangs up the phone, a finger on the button like a finger on the trigger of a gun. "Superheroes," he mutters and the disdain is clear to everyone within earshot and O'Neill isn't sure how much longer he can work for this man and still have any respect for himself.

Standing out against the skyline is the Globe, with the words 'DAILY PLANET' embossing it. Superman's always felt safe here. The whole world is after him, but not here. This place reminds him of Clark Kent, the humanity he was never born with but values above all else. He's stood here now; PowerGirl sat in front of him on one of the ventilation housings on the roof...

"You alright?" he asks, standing tall with his cape blowing in the wind.

Looking dejected and lost, "Uh-huh."

"What made you do that?" he asked

"Warn you? It just sort of came out," and something about the way she shrugged, about the way she avoided his eyes when she was consciously thinking about it made her seem scared of him.

"You don't think I killed Metallo, do you?"

"Don't know. Luthor says you did." And that hurts that it's Luthor's word she takes and his that she questions. Batman interrupts before he can say anything, which is probably for the best.

"Tell me something, PowerGirl. Now that you've been up close and personal with Luthor how do you feel about him?"

"He's the President," She answers, obviously perplexed.

"But, how do you feel when you're around him?" Batman persists

"He... he makes my skin crawl."

"Sometimes you have to trust your instincts," Superman says to those present, but his thoughts are on long ago.

"But how do you know when?"

"Now," Batman growls and there's something in his voice that brings Superman out of his revelry. He follows Batman's eyes to the left and it's the same four Superheroes he thought they'd lost. He's so tired of fighting his friends.

MajorForce shouts out, sharp and horrible, "See, she's a traitor."

"Is that true?" Atom asks his voice gentle and Superman is sure he hears something other than curiosity under those words, a level of hurt that he's just figuring out.

"It's complicated," PowerGirl replies gently, begging them to understand.

"No, it isn't," MajorForce grates out, his face distorted in a frown and sends a burst of his radioactive beam at them. They all manager to dodge it, Batman even manages to throw a small weapon as he bounds away. The projectile exploding over the torso of MajorForce, not enough to hurt him but enough to distract him as the beam blinks out of existence.

PowerGirl sweeps in, aiming straight for Atom and delivers a blow to the jaw that knocks him to the floor. Before she can do anything more, Blue attacks from her right, a solid beam of blue electricity, burning brightly with lightning charges pulsing through it. The force of the attack pushing PowerGirl up, and away from Atom as he climbs back to his feet.

She's trying to fight back when green bombs of light rain down on her as the female with the flame red hair joins in the fight. It's too much and she's knocked back. Superman flies up and catches each of them with his right fist as he flies by. The energy beams stop and PowerGirl lands heavily on the roof top below her.

Atom flies after him and he turns. They start trading punch for punch. Below him he can see Batman approaching MajorForce and his stomach clenches cold. Batman runs across the rooftop, throwing another bomb as he goes. MajorForce throws volley after volley and Batman avoids them all. He jumps and spins throwing three barbs with one hand quickly followed by another and he looks beautiful, silhouetted against bright orange, so bright that it bleeds into the shadows of his cloak. Superman just realises where that colour comes from, the ethereal light, when the beam makes contact and Batman goes sailing backwards.

But, before he can do anything his eyes are drawn to MajorForce. The beams stopped because he's busy trying to maintain the shield that has three bat shaped barbs trying to edge their way through. They suddenly fizz and fall inert to the floor and MajorForce lets the shield go, a smug smile on his face.

Superman's just toying with the idea of throwing Atom at MajorForce when five little spheres rattle in around MajorForce and he'd know that design anywhere. They explode and the floor opens up beneath MajorForce, sending him falling through.

With Batman out of immediate danger he can concentrate on his own fight. He ducks under Atoms fist and placing a right hook directly into his face. Atom flies back to land hard on the rooftop.

His eyes seek out Batman to see him sitting up, one arm across his chest. He doesn't look good and he's reminded again that he's only human, unlike every other person he's fighting here, he is not indestructible. Suddenly MajorForce is bursting through the roof and shooting a beam at Batman. Batman bounces away with not much room to spare. MajorForce strikes again and again and there's a blur of black amongst the flames and when MajorForce stops the rooftop is blackened and smoking and deathly silent.

Superma's eyes rove over the rooftop. He spots Batman safely sequestered behind a pile of rocks, just as Batman shouts across the rooftop, "Tell me something."

"What do you want, dirt bag?" MajorForce snaps back.

"Did Metallo say anything before he died? Was he surprised to see you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about?" MajorForce snapped.

"What did Luthor promise you? Money?"

"What do I need with money? I'm living energy."

"You're not going to tell me you killed him for your country, are you?"

"Some of us still believe in putting our country first."

"Sorry, but I don't see any patriotism here. All I see is a psycho who's latched onto an excuse to kill people and who's so stupid he doesn't realise he's being used by Luthor."

MajorForce explodes in fury, snarling as he throws volley after volley at Batman.

"PowerGirl, Don't!" Superman shouts but too late to stop her as she flies straight at MajorForce, at top speed with her fist clenched in rage she flies into him like a speeding bullet.

"Do you know what you've done?" MajorForce asks her, all superiority gone as he tries to hold the energy in over the gaping hole in the stomach of his armour, his shield, the cloth that gives him form and contains the energy within. Without structure the energy within, his very being, starts to seep out, bleed apart.

Superman lands between Blue Lightning and Flame Girl, "Can either of you contain that radiation?" His voice taught with the knowledge of how bad this is.

"I might be able to put up a force field," Blue offers.

"Go," Superman urges, might is better than nothing.

Blue runs over to MajorForce who is just dropping to his knees in agony. Blue throws his energy at MajorForce, lifting him up and sealing him in a bubble that is already full with the radiation escaping MajorForces body suit. Batman appears at Superman's side, "He's not gonna be able to keep that up very long."

"I can absorb it," interrupts Atom and turns towards MajorForce.

Superman knows that much energy will take Atom up to his limit, he won't let him die, there must be another way, maybe he can take him up into space, it would be close but he might be able to make it there before the radiation overcomes him. "Captain, I can't let you…" he starts, noticing Batman's stony silence but he's interrupted by Atom, not Batman.

"I was watching and listening. This is the least I could do."

Superman watches Atom float over, passing an eye over the situation before he turns to Black Lightning, who's still struggling to hold the barrier in place, "Let's do this," Atom prompts and Blue nods, because there just aren't words for this. Atom opens his arms wide, looking like De'Vinci's man and the energy funnels from Blue's shield to the chest of Atom.

MajorForce's body stretches, his back angles, and he screams out. Atom a bright shining halo, his fists clenching as the tendons of his body tighten in reaction to the pain and then he's crying out loud and primal and the energy is building till it's too bright to look at him.

Everybody shields their eyes, hears the crack of energy, their skin tingling with it. They feel it die away and open their eyes to the devastation. Superman gets there first. The shrivelled empty suit of MajorForce lays smoking amongst the decimated concrete and twisted bars. Atom's body lies twisted nearby. Blue Lightning and FlameGirl crawl in to the crater to lift him up. He's out and he's hurt bad but he's alive. Superman just hopes he can get help before it's too late.

Deep in the hills, the claxon sounds, birds in flight, spooked by the noise. Hydraulics pushing rockets to the surface. Deeper still underground is the control centre. Console after console registering every piece of data available. Above them, on the gallery stands Lex Luthor who is calling out the countdown…

"Five… four… three… two… one. Liftoff."

The rockets ignite, "And they're away." The entire staff turns to the balcony he stands on and applauds.

General O'Neill is watching the screen over the female operatives head. He turns to Lex, "Wormhole generator engaged." The rockets aimed straight and true for the wormhole generated in space. They fly through smoothly to exit just ahead of the meteorite. Back in the control centre they watch everything unfold. "Right on target," comments the General.

All ten rockets hit the surface of the meteorite exactly as planned. The screen is filled with fiery explosions and everybody cheers. Lex turns to hug his aid, loyal to him throughout. "Don't worry. I'm not going to say I told you so," he jokes light hearted, feeling her weight in his arms.

"Good thing," she says. Everything feels heavy as he turns back to the screen.

"General, what the hell happened," he demands unable to tear his eyes away from the screen that shows the meteorite untouched and heading inexorably to Earth.

The General turned, "You... er… We didn't take into account all that radiation. It detonated the warheads before they hit."

"So, the meteor is…"

"Still on course," the General confirms.

Lex turns and leaves, he enters his study shutting the door in the face of his aide who had followed close on his heels. Message sent loud and clear without a word, Leave me alone! He shucks his jacket, rolls up his sleeves and gets to work, trying equation after equation but nothing works. The floor slowly becomes littered with dead ideas. He's failed.

He stands up, leaning heavily into the table, hands sprayed flat. He looks into the top draw of his desk, it's laying open and the liquid chemical seems to glow more brightly than ever before. Alluring. He can't fail, and he still has one last option. He's hesitant, some part of him knows this is the path to destruction but the greater part, the part that defines Lex Luthor refuses to accept failure, at any cost he will succeed. He rolls up his sleeve, heavy of heart, in his mind doing the only thing left to him.

Meanwhile, outside the very same building, across the valley Batman assesses the fortress. Aware of Superman and PowerGirl behind him.

"Well, this is it," PowerGirl states, very obviously he thinks. "Luthor's even got his own office in there. This has to be where he's keeping the information you want," she continues and Rodney's gritting his teeth because he really wants to ask her if she'd ever thought about changing her name to Captain Obvious but he knows Superman won't let him get away with that. Superman's gentle around her, softer and maybe that's another reason he's gritting his teeth

He interrupts her, if only to shut her up. "And by now, they must have the numbers we need on the meteors radiation levels."

"So how do we get in?" she asks Superman.

"Don't worry. We've got it worked out, but you need to be somewhere else right now, remember?"

She turns to him, wide blue eyes of adoration, "Yeah, but…" she starts.

"Go," and the deep command of his voice stops her short. Batman almost feels sorry for her, You're wasting your time, sweetheart. Lois holds his heart and if he sounds a little bitter, even inside his own head, well that's his business. PowerGirl takes off and she's not happy.

"They're bound to have all kinds of radar. We should go the rest of the way on foot," Superman says, PowerGirl's already gone from his mind and Rodney can't help but wonder if Batman disappears from his thoughts as easily when he leaves.

Rodney just nods and starts to lead the way. Superman asks, "We do have something worked out, don't we?"

"No, but I'm sure it'll come to me." Batman teases.

There's a sound like a hurricane, there and gone again in an instant. A roar in the ears and Superman's gone. An explosion in the rock face tells Batman all he needs to know and he's running towards it even as the debris is still falling. Suddenly he's surrounded in netting and falling face first to the ground. He looks towards the sound he can hear, struggling against the bonds to do so. He's rewarded, the sight of Hawk silhouetted against the sun. Now he knows who the enemy is.

He can see Superman lying amongst the rubble ahead of him. Disorientated but alive. He's about to call for a little assistance when a man in red and gold floats down to land in front of Superman, all his attention on John as he gloats. "It doesn't take the wisdom of Solomon to know when you should stay down." Rodney agrees whole heartedly but he knows John better than anyone and sighs as he watches Superman climb to his feet.

"Tell me something, Captain Marvel. Would Solomon have gone to work for Lex Luthor?" Superman asks, and Rodney hears the edge in it that means he's declaring war. It always amazes him that not everyone can hear it. He thinks Superman is going to use his fists but it's his eyes, they glow red, a nanosecond warning before lasers leap from his eyes and it's a direct hit but it seems that nanosecond was enough because Marvel has managed to erect an invisible shield, but its only stopping the laser from penetrating, the force of Superman's blast is still managing to push against the shield, to push Marvel backwards.

Suddenly, Batman can't afford to spend an ounce of attention because Hawk's finally decided to progress his own plan as he shouts down to him. "Batman, don't make this anymore difficult than it has to be." Batman is wishing he could just stay down but the stakes are too high. He's finally managed to wiggle his pincers to the net and he starts cutting himself free.

He risk's a glance at Superman who has resorted to his fists, giving Marvel a right hook followed by left followed by right. He manages to get in seven hits before Marvel captures his fist and throws a few good hits of his own, good enough to make Batman wince.

Hawk suddenly realised Batman was cutting the net free and not just lying there like he was trying to portray. "You wanna play it that way? Fine," Hawk shouts and this can't end good. He hears the beat of Hawk's wings as he nears and so he gives up all pretence and non-movement, hurrying to cut the last of the bindings away. He can hear Hawk right behind him, the beat of his wings getting louder and louder and he hopes he is fast enough. He hears a pause that, he guesses from prior experience, is Hawk raising his hammer. He cuts the last rope and leaps away, feeling the wind rippling down his cloak as he does so and knows he just missed death by hammer.

Turning he sees Hawk swoop away, ready for another attack. He grabs his weighted rope and throws with perfect aim, the rope wrapping around Hawk's arms and torso but his wings are still free and he beats them slow and full, enough pressure to pull Batman along, regardless of how deep he digs his feet in.

He glances over at Superman to see if he can help. They're trading blows but so evenly matched there is no winner until Marvel gets in a lucky shot that pushes Superman to the ground. Marvel stands over him, "You know, you've never been any good against magic." He grips Superman's hair and pulls him up on his knees, face now tilted up as he continues, "And magic's what I'm all about." He pulls his fist back and using as much force as he is able, hits once more. Superman barrels through the air, twisting and limp. He hits the ground hard, sliding through the earth to stop, with a mound of earth behind him that had been pushed up ahead of him as he slid.

No, Superman can't help him right now and he shouldn't have watched for so long. There's a sharp crack and Batman feels his feet leave terra firma as Hawk gets a firm hold on the rope that was holding him captive and rises, leaving nothing but air around Batman. Now with the tension between Hawks grip on the rope and those wrapped round his torso gone, the rope falls and slithers from Hawk's body. Batman sees the blow coming but, with no purchase and no flying packs, remains helpless to stop it. He feels the hard impact of the blow and the air whistling past before his body hits the ground hard, air pushing out of his lungs, pain sparking across his shoulders. He bounces away, another sharp impact on his shoulder and he's flipped onto his stomach and sliding towards the cliff. Batman manages to stop his inertia but all that tumbling knocked an idea loose. He contacts Superman while he can. "Superman, castling."

He hesitates, wondering if the chess reference is too vague for John to get, he knows he can play but doesn't know if he'll connect the move and he's relieved when he hears Johns answer in his ear, "Good call."

He sees Marvel flying towards Superman. Sees John stand steady and he knows they're doing this right now. Superman grabs the wrists of Marvel and before he can react Superman is spinning and letting go. Marvel fly's through the air, confused. Batman ignores Hawk as he sees Superman take off to tackle him. Now they were better suited to their opponents. Batman aims and fires, his missile hits Marvel head on, a little harder than he thought. He runs to the crater but the dust and debris is still settling and he's too smart to wander in blindly.

He waits, and while he is he glances up to see Superman shooting upwards, hands gripped in Hawk's chest straps and he can see his lips moving, probably apologising for what he's about to do. The guy is so nice, it's a little bit sickening at times, a little bit sickening because it highlights how much he himself is not. Rodney knows there's a dark place inside him, knows it's that darkness that drove his sister away. Superman makes him want to try, makes Rodney want to be like him even if he thinks being soft will kill you. The debris settles down and Batman walks warily into the crater, "Captain Marvel?"

There's a boy in the centre of the crater and even if it doesn't make sense, he knows this boy is Marvel. He kneels at his side, "Are you alright?" When there's still no response he shakes the boys shoulders gently, "Say something."

Brown eyes open, the mouth falls into a quick smirk before he utters the word, "Shazam," and Batman knew he shouldn't have let Superman soften him up, he should stay sharp because otherwise bad things happen. Clouds form above them, lightning bursts down and its right were Marvel lies. Shocking white light that forces Batman to stagger back, and then a sudden explosion is throwing him through the air, but he manages to land on his feet. As he raises his head he sees Marvel step out of the smoke, reverted to adulthood with the smug superiority no child could master. He's walking toward Batman and for the first time in forever, Batman thinks he may have underestimated his enemy.

Miss Walker walks through the halls of this bunker, wondering where it all went wrong...

The security detail tries to stop her. "I'm sorry, Miss Waller. No one's allowed..."

She opens the door with her own key and walks on by, ignoring him totally. As the doors close behind her she starts her speech, determined to have her say before he tries to sway her, "Mr President, the whole country's in a state of panic and they're ready to take you out behind a barn and..."

Speech fails her, eyes wide as she takes in the scene before her. Lex was always well built but not muscle-bound as he is now. No doubt due to the fluid he is currently injecting into his body. The fluid is bright green, but its silver his veins are bulging with, his body shaking with pain, "What are you ...?" she starts.

He turns to her, his blue eyes alight with a manic fire, "Just taking my supplements, that's all," he interrupts, saying it so calmly as if there is nothing wrong with shooting yourself up with neon green chemicals.

"Supplements," she repeats in disbelief.

"A little steroidal cocktail for strength and some liquid Kryptonite for... well just in case," and she knows 'just in case' is Superman as she watches him grin wide and feverish as he places the hypo syringe back on the desk.

She can see sweat on his skin as he approaches her, "How long...? She starts to ask but he interrupts her again.

"Since the last week of the campaign, it's given me boundless energy and a clarity I never had before," he tells her as he walks by.

"What about the meteor?" She asks, finally able to complete a whole sentence.

"The meteors going to hit," he says, calm as the open sea.

"It doesn't have to. There are other ways. That boy in Japan."

"I know all about him and I won't be needing him."

"But..."

"Don't worry, Amanda, everything's going to be fine," he turns, placing his hands on her arms.

"Fine?" she says with a glance to his gentle hands. She feels like she fell down the rabbit hole.

"I've come to realise that this meteor is a gift from the heavens. It's going to scourge the Earth of millions, maybe billions of people the planet couldn't sustain anyway. The world that will spring from the ashes will be a better one. Rational, orderly, and you know how I know that?" He asks her as he holds her face in his hands, "because I am going to build that world and of course I intend for you to play a role in all this. A very important role," as he leans in and kisses her.

She doesn't do anything, too shocked by the speech, shocked by the kiss to do anything. And then she's saved by the bell as the intercom beeps. He breaks contact to look over his shoulder as a female voice speaks though the intercom, the tinny voice filling the room, "Mr President, Hawkman and Captain Marvel are here."

"We'll talk more later," he says gently to her, his voice silky and soft as he releases her. She turns and flees, just wanting to take any chance she has to flee and figure out what to do.

Lex Luthor walks down the corridor, his shirt back in place as he does up his tie. The silhouettes of Hawkman and Marvel at the end of the hall...

"Captain Marvel. Hawkman. This is a surprise. You wouldn't know what happened to those fugitives you were supposed to bring in?"

"They're right in front of you," Superman says as he stretches out a red clad arm to take a shocked Lex Luthor by the throat. He lifts him up as he brings his other hand across to rip Marvels uniform from his chest to reveal the insignia of Superman.

"How..." Lex manages to croak out.

"We've had some help," Superman says easily. "Now give us all the data you have on the meteor. Hurry."

"Of course, of course," Lex says as he reaches a hand out towards Superman who loosens his grip, staggering backwards.

"What's wrong, feeling a little green at the gills," says Lex, now standing free and gloating

A Hammer lands heavily into the metal wall, close to Lex, crumpling the alloy and no words are needed, the threat is clear that next time it will strike flesh.

"Well, well, a bat by any other name," Lex says, belying the doubt creeping into his mind because although Superman would only apprehend him in the past, Batman would have crushed him.

"He said hurry, Luthor," and his hand sinks into Lex's shirt and drags him round the corner to throw him at the computer console.

Lex turns to walk away but Batman is there in an instant, the handle of the hammer across Luthor's throat. "All right, all right. I'll tell you where it is." Batman steps back, his eyes wary. "Computer," Lex commands.

"Yes, Mr President," it responds in a female voice.

"Delete all files immediately," he says quickly, grinning at Batman the whole time.

They can all hear the female voice repeating, "deleting, deleting, deleting," as it complies, destroying their only hope.

"No!" Batman roars as he brings his hammer down on the base unit."

"All files deleted," the female voice informs them, detached and calm.

"Aw. You two aren't going to be able to save the world now. Well I'll tell you something. Everyone who lives will see the new world and will have learned never to trust your kind again."

A female voice cuts through. "Shut up." The president's aide Walker, storms in and hands Batman a memory stick. "Here. It's got all the information you need on it." As Batman takes it from her she places her other hand on top of his, "Now, go, save us.

They change back into their own suits and take to the skies. Batman in his glider, Superman flying free on his wing.

Lex looks back at the woman who betrayed him, the woman he had held in his arms and promised the world. "Bitch."

"General, arrest him."

Lex makes a run for it, using his lead to his advantage, returning to his office to empty the last of the compound into his bloodstream. He can hear the soldiers coming but he ignores them. He opens up a secret room, closing the door behind him, talking to himself, "it's like the old saying, if you want someone killed right, you have to kill them yourself."

He climbs into the green purple armoured monstrosity. The panels are large and bulbous, adding mass to Lex's already large frame, jointed knees and elbows. His head completely in cased in a thick helmet with a large visor across the entire front of the helmet. All the angles and lines are running towards the centre of his chest where the piece of Kryptonite is housed. As it closes on him, the last pieces clicking together, he hears the General knocking, "Mr. President, are you alright? Mr. President."

Never better. He thinks as he fires on the door. As he steps through the burning debris he sees that Amanda and The General were thrown against the opposite wall, both lying in a crumpled heap. "I'm perfectly fine, as anyone can see."

The platoon starts firing, P90's powering bullets to spark harmlessly off his suit. He walks through them, knocking them to the floor as if they were toy soldiers, and walks through the hallways till eventually he walks through the same hanger doors Superman and Batman departed from. He initiates the jet engines in the soles of his boots, taking off and heading for Japan.

Superman dies this day, the same day as this planet. Lex Luthor is going to make sure it happens.

Above the city in Japan glides a black shape, a figure in red and blue flying over its wing. The back drop of skyscrapers stretching towards the night sky. The lights of dull and drab apartments sparkling like multicoloured diamonds. They're moving stealthily towards a single tower of glass, glistening from within. The bat glider lands softly in front of the building. As Superman lands softly beside it, Batman pulls open the cockpit and vaults to land beside Superman...

Superman had been studying the building, now he glanced at Batman, "Where does a kid get this kind of money?"

"I had this kind of money, wasn't interested in toys though," his voice unable to hide the pain he still carried, he tensed not wanting to hear the pity in John's voice, he'd heard it all his life and he hated it.

A clattering sound to their left took their full attention. They both turned to see the doors sliding open. PowerGirl stepped out onto the street, "Hi, guys. How'd it go?"

"We had everything we needed," Superman answered as they made their way over to her. "Thanks again for your help with Hawkman and Captain Marvel," he added as they followed her into the building. It was quiet inside and Batman's suspicious nature surfaced. It had been a long time since a pretty thing had been able to blind him. "Wait a minute. Why aren't you with the boy?"

"I'm close enough right here," she replied as she cast a glance towards the long corridor. "And he's not really that much of a boy, you know? He's thirteen," and the cringe worthy embarrassment on her face said so much more. In that costume, any thirteen year old boy would create a crush. "He's down that way, I'll just stay back here."

Batman and Superman exchanged glances as they both struggled to hide their smirks. They were half way down the corridor, with twenty foot robots lining the walls, when they heard the jet pack. By silent agreement they both stopped, waiting for Hiro to reach them. Rodney wondered what Superman would make of Hiro, he himself had no qualms about putting the fate of the planet into the hands of a kid, he knew from experience that age was immaterial to genius. He tried to see Hiro through Superman's eyes.

A child with a shock of hair similar to John's normal style. A long black leather coat with black bdu's and green t-shirt underneath. Hiro reached them and did a loop the loop above their heads. The jet pack sparked as it turned off and Hiro landed perfectly in front of them, smug grin plastered over his face. He figured he could guess what Superman was thinking and knew it was only John's trust in him and a lack of options that he was going through with this.

"Supes, Bats. Que pasa?" Hiro asked, his voice still high and unbroken.

"Is it ready, Hiro?" Batman asked, agitated at the perception Hiro was giving to Superman.

The jet kicked in and Hiro rose just high enough to look him in the eye, "Toyman to you," he said indignantly as only a teenager could. He lifted his nose in the air and hovered around them, speaking as he did so. "I got a copyright to protect, and yeah, it's ready. All I need is some numerals."

Batman reached into his utility belt and held out the data disk, "Everything you need is in here."

"Excellent," Hiro said sounding like an extra from Wild Stallions as he reached for the disc, swiping it from Batman's hand as he landed in front of them again. "I'll input them and then it's blast off time," using the rockets to blast off again in time to the last two words. They both watched him rise up. He could see Superman glance at him and just knew that expressional eyebrow was raised. He pointedly ignored him, choosing to watch Hiro as he landed in front of John, looking over his shoulder at him the kid asked, "Hey, did you guys see PowerGirl when you came in? If you see her again, tell her I'm sorry about the X-Ray goggles," he said as he brought the green goggles in question from his hair to cover his eyes. One of the lenses popped out, landing on the floor with the sound of a dime. "I was just testing them. That's all." He pulled them off his head, "Now, I gotta rebuild them from scratch."

"Hiro... uh, Toyman, can we please see the rocket now?" Superman interrupted and Rodney could hear the frustration in his voice, the fake pleasantness that Rodney was glad he never used on him.

"Sure, sure," Hiro said, flinging the glasses to the side and leading them up the corridor and through the door at the end. As they were walking along a high walkway Hiro spoke up, "I didn't have a lot of time so I based it on a design I whipped up when I was seven." They moved into the open elevator and Hiro operated it upwards, "That's why it has manual controls even though it's not going to need a pilot." The elevator reached another walkway and they followed Hiro along it.

"Oh, one other thing. Back when I designed it, I was way into hero worship," Hero added as he looked up. Superman and Batman followed his gaze. The blue wall on their left turned out tobe the chest of the robot, a chest exactly like John's. Hiro had built his rocket to look like a robotic replica of Superman!

"You are absolutely sure this is going to work?" Superman asked, unable to take his eyes of his very own thirty foot replica. Rodney studied it, not a bad replica even if it was all angles and sharp lines, the handsome chiselled jaw still present.

Toyman's indignant voice answered before Batman could, "Does PowerGirl have big...?"

"Just feed it the numbers, kid," Batman interrupted before Superman jumped to defend her honour.

"You got it," he said, running to a terminal at the end of the walk way.

"Wow," Batman breathed, still looking at the robot. Superman was conspicuously quiet.

Neither of them knew that back at the building entrance someone was trying to get in. "Who's there?" asked PowerGirl. A green light burned through the steel like a blow torch and then it was through. The green energy hit her head on, sending her tumbling across the floor to lie still.

"Isn't there anyway to speed this up, Toyman?" Batman asked, hearing the edge to his voice but unable to hide it. Time was really starting to get rare.

"Sure, go find some other kid with a 210 IQ, and good luck with that."

Superman lifts off, flying away, back towards the front entrance. A whispered 'PowerGirl' etched in worry was Batman's only clue. PowerGirl must be in trouble and Superman's gone to help her. He flicks on a monitor nearby to see what's going on. There's Superman and in front of him, with his back to Superman and the camera, is a metal green and purple body suit and whoever they are they have PowerGirl draped across their arms.

The man turns and it's Lex Luthor. Batman hits another button for sound, just in time to hear Lex say, "Hello, Sunshine." Luthor bares his teeth in what's supposed to be a smile but looks more like the grimace of a sociopath.

He throws the body of PowerGirl at Superman. Batman hears her grunt as shehits the floor so at least she's alive. Superman, so intent on PowerGirl he doesn't see Lex power up and aim. Green light coming out of his wrists to not only hit Superman squarely in the chest but knock him along the corridor, through a wall to arrive here on the ground floor. Batman runs to the balustrade, hands wrapping around the cool metal as he looks over and down below. Superman's lying against a health and safety perimeter rails as Lex comes through the hole in the wall he punched Superman through.

Batman turns to Hiro, "Keep going." Then he vaults over the side, landing and running to get to Superman in time. When he reaches them, Lex has got Superman by the throat, greenenergy seeping over him, casting his face into sickly green and yellow shadows.

Batman throws a bat lasso, like he used on Grodd. It flies around the huge metal arm of Luthor and Batman yanks with all his might. Superman falls to the floor, scrabbling to turn and lift his head towards him. Batman thinks he can see worry in his eyes, anguish for him and him alone but it's just foolish fantasy.

It's enough of a distraction that he doesn't notice Lex's fist close over the black lasso wire still attached to his arm, the other end still held in his own hand. One yank and Batman is flying over head to hit the walkway opposite. He falls to the floor beneath it. Two huge servers knocked loose by his impact rock and then fall over the edge to land on him. It's blackness but only for a minute. As he comes to, he sees Superman struggle to his feet and throw a right hook that Lex catches and twists easily.

Superman is grunting in pain, but Lex is shouting over him as he grips his body, "I can't think of a morning," he says as he lifts and throws Superman, sending him flying to land hard on his back, "I haven't woken up with the thought of strangling you." He drags Superman up by his shirt front and hits him again. "That sanctimonious image of yours fooled everyone, except me." Superman struggles weakly to his feet, just in time to receive another right hook that knocks him against a pillar, "because I know Evil."

Lex raises his hand and green energy shoots out to hit Superman and suddenly Superman's screaming in pain, screaming isn't really the right word for the sound that's pouring from his lips, and when the beam stops he falls to the floor, face still twisted in agony but still, painfully still.

Lex uses the rockets in his feet to fly up to the console walkway that Hiro is still on. "It had to be you, the one other person in the world smart enough to stop that meteor."

Rodney can hear them, some part of his brain is taking it all in but he can't take his eyes off John, even while he struggles against the weight on him, struggles to get to John, his eyes never leave him. He hears Hiro's proud, smug response, "The only person smart enough. You couldn't do it, remember?" and although he knows he would have said the same he wished Hiro hadn't. He's managed to free himself enough that he can look up to the walkway they're on. He sees Lex put his fist into the console and drag something out, crushing it in his hands. Some part of his mind is numb with dismay. Their last plan, their only hope and now millions will die but the part of him he tries to hide is already taking over, the part that cares, the part that has to protect no matter the cost.

He can hear the high whine of Hiro's voice, "What are you doing? How am I gonna guide my rockets?"

"You're not going to," the commanding voice of Lex Luthor, "It's never going to take off."

Batman's nearly free when he sees Lex Luthor throw Hiro across the walkway and buries his hands into the console. The last of the debris is sliding off his back when he looks over to John. The world can wait, first he has to check on John.

As he's climbing to his feet, Superman moves and with a great deal of groaning he's climbing to his feet too. He'll go after Lex, even though he's not fit enough to stand, let alone fight him. Batman comes up with the only way to save John and takes the first step. He throws another Bat line, this one will pull him up once it's embedded in a surface. Sure enough he's floating up, looking ahead because he can't bear to look at John and that look on his face as he's realises what Rodney is doing.

Batman vaults over, onto the walkway and starts climbing the stairs to his death. "Wait," Superman says behind him, short and urgent. He looks behind him but it's empty and then there he is. John swooping up and over the balustrade to land on the walkway. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to fly this thing myself," and even to himself his voice sounds wrong, numb.

"Are you crazy?" Superman shouts and his is anything but numb, steeped in emotions. He's holding his side, limping towards him. Batman knows he needs to move but he can't take his eyes off John, drinking in every detail trying to figure out how to make him understand that he would rather die a hero than live without one, to live without John would not be a life, he's lost everything once and he knows he can't live through that again.

There is a flash of green that reminds him of Lex and then an explosion that is contained and quick. As the smoke clears the stairs between them are twisted and broken. Superman is falling and Batman realises he has to thank Lex for helping him to make this sacrifice. Batman stands on the precipice, cloak billowing around him. He looks over, sees Superman falling, arms reaching out for him, blue eyes wide and so full of emotion it hurts. "Goodbye," he says softly knowing only Superman will hear him and he hopes he hears the thousands other things he never got to say, but most of all he hopes he hears, I loved you always.

He turns and runs, making it inside the robot. He's settled into the cockpit when he sees monitors showing everything outside and there is Superman, flying towards him with a grim determination on his face. He reaches out to lay a finger on the screen against John's jaw when a beam of green light takes him away.

He can see Lex following to land on Superman. For a second Batman hesitates, but he knows if he goes out there and saves Superman he'll take this rocket up regardless of the consequences and Batman would rather risk John's life against Lex Luthor than a meteor of Kryptonite.

He starts flicking on switches and opening up the roof while stealing glances at the fight. Lex has given another two good punches and Batman is willing Superman to fight back. Suddenly there's a voiceechoing through the cockpit that startles Batman till he recognises Lex Luthor's voice, "You come to this planet…" and he realises he must have audio sensors as well as he listens to Lex, "declare yourself the saviour of mankind. Well I think it's time you died for your sins."

He narrowed his eyes at the image of Lex stood over John, he could see the livid anger in Superman's face and he knows retribution was about to begin. With any luck Lex would burn up in his rockets when he ignited this baby. He took one last look at John and pressed the button. The rockets ignite, hot flames billowing out. Lex Luthor tried to take off but he can't rise any further. Superman has a grip on his boot, keeping him there, both decked in yellow, orange light that bled colour. Lex reached up and then swung, his left hand coming down hard, knocking Superman to the side. Taking the advantage of freedom he shot upwards till he was level with Batman.

Batman watches through the cockpit window, helpless to do anything else as Lex powered up and he watches the green energy build. Death would come any minute now, but then Superman was sweeping him away, up and up they went till they reached the wall, almost where it meets the ceiling, and Superman ploughed Lex into it. Holding Lex in place, until Lex uses his rockets to try and break free but Superman uses them against him, taking the momentum to pull him forward and away so Lex flew past him to land on the walkway as the rocket travels by.

Superman landed next to him but his eyes were on the rocket as he watched Rodney fly to his death. He watched till he couldn't see him anymore. Breathing heavy with emotion, too much to bear, then he heard Lex moving and the only emotion he felt was anger, a vengeance burning brighter than anything he'd known.

Lex threw a right hook but Superman caught it easily, muscles bunched as he ripped the weapon in his arm and squeezed till it crumpled under his fingertips. He leaned forward eyes on fire as he locked eyes with Lex, "That was my best friend and you just killed him."

He could see fear in Luthor's eyes, as he threw a left hook, sending Luthor into a support pillar. Blood had appeared round Lex's mouth, from the injuries he was receiving, he wipes it away with the back of his hand, his eyes never leaving Superman as he approaches. Lex suddenly coughs up more blood and looked up at Superman, only now realising what John was capable off, knowing this time Superman wasn't looking to apprehend, he was looking to kill, and mean it.

Lex took off, flying as fast as he could and Superman gave chase. Ahead of them he could see the robot, knowing Batman sat alone at the helm and his anger grew beyond describing. He watched the wormhole beyond the robot open up and the primary rockets fall away, used up and lifeless.

He activated his laser vision, taking shots but too emotional to focus. Lex turned and aimed. A beam of kryptonite that would have had him twisting in painbut he was so far beyond pain right now, in a place he didn't recognise. He fought against the beam and eventually Lex gave up, opting to put more space between him and Superman. Lex tried the beam again but Superman just flew through it, taking shots with his laser vision. Lex used the beam to cut through a metal pylon he was flying past, grabbing it and wrenching it lose. He twisted and threw it at Superman who ripped it in two and discarded half of it, not hindered by his usual worry of people and places below. Only focused on the man in front of him, only anger and violence in his thoughts.

John threw the piece of the pylon and he still held, it flew like a spear taking out one of Lex's jet boots. He twisted in the air and then Superman caught up with him, reached out to him, steadied him as they flew together, their fists gripped in each other's suits. Their hatred finally on par with each other, Lex managed to get an arm free but as he tried to fire, Superman grabbed it, pushing it up and away as he crumpled the weapon beneath his fingers, the satisfaction feeling as sweet as any drug. He slipped back, grabbing hold of Lex's last boot, ripping it off and flinging it aside.

"When does it end, Luthor?" he roared as he pulled back up and gave him a right hook that he felt connecting. Lex flew into the city of Gotham, Superman went sonic to get ahead of Lex, and as Lex fell helpless towards him Superman told him, "I'll answer for you. It ends tonight."

As Lex, still falling, reached him, Superman gave him another right hook that sent Lex into the plaza below, and as his body fell to earth, Superman glanced up at the night sky. Batman would be reaching the meteor about now. He flew down to see that Lex had survived and was just starting to sit up. The energy centre of Lex's chest was sparking green. Superman shot at it with his lazer vision, destroying the stone centre, leaving a gaping hole in the chest cavity of the suit. Lex tried to hold him off but Superman thrust a hand into the hole he had made, using it to get a firm grip, and lifted him up slowly. Superman pulled back his other arm. This was going to be the kill shot.

He had plenty of lives on his conscious but this would be the first time he intentionally took a life. His eyes blazed with anger, with vengeance, with pain so large it replaced his soul. For Rodney, he thought and he prepared to release the power in his biceps, about to plough his hand into the face of Lex Luthor when the night sky exploded. Without even realising it, he lowered both is arms and looked up, mesmerised by the green gasses dissipating in the atmosphere.

An explosion of pretty colours that marked Batman's death. He'd lost Rodney and the anger was pushed aside, replaced by a numb emptiness. Rodney was gone, oh god, Rodney was gone. Everyone around them started to cheer as they realised it meant the meteor had been destroyed. Idiots. Rodney had given his life to save idiots. He closed his eyes in grief, his hands clenching in anger at himself for not being able to save him. He looked down at Lex.

Lex looked back, the worry was still there but the confidence was back. "You can't touch me. We're on American soil now and I am the President."

Superman lifted him up, "Consider yourself," he threw a left hook sending Lex sailing towards a shop in the plaza, and through the plate glass window, "impeached." He turned and walked away. Suddenly, four superheroes landed behind him. He turns but he's too tired to fight anymore.

"Superman," Atom says, "Looks like I recovered a little too late."

Too late to save Rodney, he thinks but PowerGirl is interrupting, rushing towards him to grab his biceps and his attention, "Forget about that. I got a message from Toyman. He says that there's still a chance."

He doesn't have to ask. Rodney. Superman lifts off, going sonic. He flies out of the atmosphere into an array of debris but the one he needs is easy to spot. It looks similar to a Bat Glider, but was obviously an escape pod from the rocket and there is Batman, Rodney, leaning against the cockpit shield, his eyes watching Superman's every move. He feels the grin that spreads across his face, the relief so complete it brings tears to his eyes.

He doesn't waste any time. He gets underneath, shaking his head a little at the giant 'S' symbol underneath. Gripping the glider he carries it down through the atmosphere and into the city and onto a roof top. He leaps onto the wing, lifting the canopy off. Batman is already climbing out. He grabs him by the hand and places a hand on his back, helping him. Inside is a burst of happiness, a feeling of weightlessness because he can feel Batman under his fingers, hear Rodney's heartbeat in his ears.

Rodney is looking at him, a grin on his face that makes it look lit up from within. When they reach the flat surface of the roof top, Superman lets go with reluctance. People are cheering as they move to the roofs edge together. Below them they can see Lex being led into the back of a truck. "The voice of the people should be heard. I am the President. God bless America, God bless Me!" The policeman slams the door shut on whatever else Lex was going to say and Superman's just thankful those things are soundproofed.

"I have a feeling I'm not gonna have to worry about that murder charge anymore," he says with a grin, a grin he hasn't lost since he laid eyes on Batman.

"Would have been an interesting trial though," Batman replies, turning to look at him with that grin still in place.

Superman hears the thrum thrum of a helicopter and knows Lois is coming. Superman takes a deep breath, smelling Rodney's scent on the air all around him, "Wanna stick around a while. Lois and I would…"

The grin has fallen off Batman's face, mouth tight and face grim as he answers, his voice rough, "I can't. It's late."

"Late?" Superman repeats in disbelief as he looks at the sun still a few hours off sunset. "Come on, it's…early." He finishes lamely when he realises he's all alone. He wants to go after him but Lois's helicopter lands on the roof. She gets out and they walk to each other as the helicopter takes off. He takes her in his arms. It's not love but it's a shade of it, he feels deep, deep affection for her. He looks away to the rooftops. He sees Batman turning away from them to drop into the shadows that swallow him up, keep him safe.

"I'm so glad you're safe," she told him.

"I'm glad you are too. We need…er… we need to talk."

Her face fell into a resigned sadness, "So it's time."

"Time?" he repeated uncomprehendingly.

She smiled a bittersweet smile that looked as fragile as glass. "You're special Superman, you're not meant for mere mortals," she gave a huff of laughter that sounded empty, "I knew this wasn't forever…" she trailed off as she looked at him with an intense gaze. "There's someone else," her voice not so understanding any more as she stepped away from his arms, replacing them with her own arms, wrapping around her torso, defensive and fragile.

"I…" how could he say it without hurting her? But they had always been truthful with each other and he owed her that. He took a deep breath, "I fell in love and although I love you, I know now that no matter how deep it is, I feel it deeper for someone else and to stay with you is to lie to you and I love you, respect you too much for that." He watched tears form in her eyes and felt the pain in his heart. Would it have been better to lie to her?

"Do I know her? Is she waiting for you?" she asked, her voice trembling, lips quivering with emotion.

He hesitated but the truth won out, "He, and yes you know him. He's not waiting for me, he doesn't love me that way. I'm not leaving you to be with him. I'm leaving because I couldn't lie to you."

Shock filled her face, quickly replaced with a knowing look. "Batman, well at least it's not another woman."

He jerked back in shock, "How…how did you know?"

"Batman's the only man who stood by you, who you've spent time with, who kept you safe and I owe him for that. I also want you to be happy so listen and listen well, John. Tell him."

John shook his head, "I can't. I have his friendship now, if I were to lose that…"

"He feels the same way, John. I don't know why I never realised it before but thinking of all the times I saw you together, now it all clicks into place. People always looked at me with jealousy, even as John you're a good looking man. Batman always looked sad, resigned. He wants you but doesn't think he can have you." She looked behind to where the helicopter had been. "Looks like I've missed my lift, take me home and then go get your man, John." She gave a small smile, but it held a little more warmth this time, even if it was in stark contrast to the dried tears still on her cheeks.

Rodney watched them embrace and felt it inside, a sadness so deep it was crushing. He turned away and leapt from the building, throwing out a life line that embedded itself into the gantry that passed between the two buildings. He let the line open free, falling fast into the shadows where he feels safe, where the outside world fades to memories. He slink's into the gutters, running silently through alleyways and tunnels but this time he can't outrun the emptiness. In the end he gives into the inevitable that inside he was too dark to be loved, that everybody he loved left him either by force or by choice. Either way he would always be alone. He knew he should stop his contact with Superman, but he knew he wouldn't. When John came to him, he would follow as always because even a piece of him was worth this pain.

He made his way home, where he found Radek waiting for him, "Hey, Raul." He didn't know why he purposely got his's name wrong, but it was addictive and he got a laugh out of it every time.

Today, though, Radek let it go, "Finished saving the world? Good, maybe we can get back to scientific things now if you've finished playing hero." The worry in his eyes betrayed his words. It was better than pity that followed Rodney McKay around in the real world, where everyone knew his story, his pain.

But even Radek's worry was too much today, it made him feel fragile. "You can work on science. Me? I'm going to bath in a muscle relaxant and then go to bed."

"I haven't changed the bedclothes since John," Radek said, and there was a question in there but Rodney was too absorbed to hear it.

"I really don't care, Radek," he sighed, exhausted both mentally and physically.

Radek led him upstairs in silence and he sat him down on the bed and went into the opulent bathroom. Rodney could hear the sound of running water. He slowly stripped down tohis boxer shorts and entered the bathroom as Radek was turning off the water. "I've added the muscle relaxant, Master McKay. I'll wake you later for your evening meal."

Rodney nodded. All his actions foggy and delayed as the last few days caught up with him. Now, he'd stopped, exhaustion flooded through him. His colleague's words and actions filtered through the tired layers of his mind. Master McKay, and running a bath for him with no witnesses to fool in the house. Radek's way of saying Well done, of saying I hope you're okay. His friend was almost at the door when Rodney spoke quietly, "Radek," he called, catching him turn out of the corner of his eyes, "thank-you," he said softly and hoped his friend could find the words he couldn't.

"I'll come check on you later, yes?" he said softly as he turned, pulling the door closed behind him. Rodney stripped off his boxers and climbed in the warm water. Sinking down, muscles loosened and unknotted, bruises burned briefly before the sense of them faded away as the water soothed his body. Wincing at the dull ache in his ribs, he stretched out.

He could feel his eyes floating closed, peace at last from the constant buzzing of his brain, of the depressing ache of loneliness. Next thing he knew, he was being shaken gently awake, the Czech mumblings of Radek bemoaning, "This is not in my job description."

Rodney jerked awake, ignoring the sharp pain in his ribs as he reached out to grip his assailant, shaking off the vestiges of sleep as he did. He jerked back when he found a startled Radek in his grip, "What's going on?" he asked, one hand wrapping across his ribs while the other wiped tiredness from his eyes. The water, now cold and swirling around his naked body, caused hairs to stand up and ripple over his body sending little shivers to his senses.

"You fell asleep in bath. I was trying to wake you so I would wrap you ribs again and you could sleep in bed, that is what they're for. Besides, drowning in the bath tub is not fitting end for Batman."

"Oh." He realised Radek was looking about a foot above his head while he spoke. That probably had something to do with his nakedness. He climbed out and slung a large towel around his hips and then another to pat dry his torso while he walked into the bedroom. He noticed the food on the tray, a hearty stew by the looks of it. He threw the towel on the bed and took the seat on the stool in front of the dinner, suddenly famished. Radek followed him out and picked up the salve on the tray while Rodney poked at the stew. "There is not citrus, Rodney," a hint of frustration in his voice. Though Radek knew, the fact that Rodney was checking in the one place he knew he didn't have to, was a sign of how tired Rodney was. Rodney grunted in acknowledgement and started eating. He yelped when Radek applied the salve, "Hey! That's cold."

"You crack your ribs and go and save the world with just a bandage holding them in place and yet you yelp like a baby because salve is too cold. I hope the villains never discover your weakness. All those hits when all they have to do is apply cold salve to your skin."

Rodney felt a little embarrassed. "I don't like cold," he said quietly, annoyed that he sounded sulky.

"Well, I am done now," Radek said, putting down the salve and picking up the bandage. He started wrapping Rodney's ribs. Rodney lifted up his elbows so he could still eat. He wanted to complain about how tight it was but knew it had to be. The adrenalin of the rude awakening was starting to drain away and coupled with the stew warming him from the inside out, sleep started to creep in again.

"There. All done," Radek said as he secured the bandage.

"Thank you," Rodney said begrudgingly. He hated to say those words, but understood that sometimes it was needed. He put the spoon in the empty bowl and went over to the bed. "I'll see you in the morning," he said as he crawled into bed.

"Yes," Radek confirmed warmly as he picked up the tray and made his way out of the room.

Rodney fell into a deep sleep as early evening became night. Something roused him. He fluttered open his eyes, looking around his field of vision to see what had woken him. He saw Superman, floating outside his window, but not making a move to enter. John didn't seem to realise he was awake, his eyes diverted lower. Rodney realised he had kicked off the covers at some time during his sleep, the towel lost and he was holding his pillow against his body. Superman was outside his window while he was lying there, naked, holding his pillow. Well, this was embarrassing.

He watched Superman's face, waiting for the inevitable smirk but his face held that intense look as his eyes trailed over Rodney's body. He could feel himself start to harden, as if he couldn't get anymore embarrassed. Well, he couldn't lie here indefinitely and if he woke up, maybe he could get away with blaming morning glory, even if it was the middle of the night. He certainly couldn't say that John's friendly perusal of his body for injuries, for what else could he have been doing, had created such a reaction.

He feigned a confused look as he stretched out his legs. Superman's eyes flicked to his face looking startled and maybe the confused look wasn't so feigned anymore. He edged across the bed, being careful to keep the pillow well positioned as he made his way to the window. He opened it up, "We have doors you know, quite a few in fact."

John smiled, looking relieved about something, "I'm not really a door person," he joked as he floated in and stood just inside.

Rodney nodded' closing the balcony door and turned towards him. Silence fell between them. Rodney raised his eyebrows as a prompt.

"Erm…I came to see if you were okay," John said, as he raised a finger to gently prod a bruise on Rodney's shoulder. It seemed bizarrely intimate, probably because he was naked.

"They hurt less when they're not being prodded," Rodney replied, all bluster. This was all getting a bit surreal. He was stood naked in his bedroom with John and only a pillow to protect his modesty.

John snapped his hand back sharply at his words, "I'm sorry." He looked crestfallen.

"It's okay, they don't really hurt that much. Are you okay?" he asked tentatively. "I would have thought you'd be with Lois." And there was that pang of loneliness again. All those wasted hours trying to push it away for nothing.

"Me and Lois aren't together anymore."

Rodney nearly dropped the pillow in shock and had to scramble to catch it and secure it back in place. "Really," he said and it sound strangled to his ears. He tried to dislodge the squeaking mouse that was in his throat because he couldn't have been responsible for that noise. He coughed and spoke again with more dignity, "What happened."

"I told her I was in love with someone else. She said I should go and tell them so erm…here I am." The man of steel suddenly looks like he's made of glass, fragile and vulnerable.

They stand there looking at each other in silence. John waiting for an answer and Rodney trying to figure out why he's here. "You want me to help you find her?" he asks, confused.

John laughs shortly and fondly and then his gaze intensifies as he looks into Rodney's blue eyes. "No, Rodney. I've tracked him down. I'm stood in front of him taking the biggest step of my life and hoping I'm not reading the signs wrong." His eyes drop to the pillow and its now of all times that Rodney remembers that John, Superman, has x-ray vision. He seems a little more confident than when he first arrived but there is still an air of vulnerability about him.

There's a moment of panic that John can tell how he's reacting to being naked in front of him, when the words filter through the panic. Stood in front of him. He was stood in front of him. "But…" the hand that wasn't holding the pillow waved between the two of them. John just nodded, a gentle fear in his eyes, looking like he might shatter at any moment. "But, I'm…" he waved his hand again, just to be sure. John nodded again, swallowing hard this time.

"You… I mean… it's me… you told Lois you love me?"

John nodded again, seemingly speech beyond him right now. Rodney thought he might understand that. Words were suddenly failing him. "Why?" he asked, the confusion clear in his voice. "How could you be in love with me?"

"Because you're brave, you're brilliant, and because you're beautiful, because my heart chose you to be the centre of my world. Because something's just are. I love you and I need to know if you can feel the same, if you're willing to give this a chance."

"John. I try to be a better man when I'm with you but that's not who I am. If you knew me, you wouldn't love me, couldn't love me. There's a darkness in here that scares people away. You were born out of love from your parents. I was born out of vengeance of mine. They call me the dark knight of Gotham City because I'm a vengeful man who gives no quarter, who gives no mercy. I love you John, but I can never deserve you. You're too good for me."

John smiled at him, "You love me?"

"I said a bit more than that, John," he snapped, his voice turning to a pleading whisper as he continued, "Don't make me repeat it."

"That's all I needed to hear. The rest I already knew. I know you'll stand against the world, if the cause is right. I know you'll watch my back when no one else is there. I know that I love you, all of you and I would rather live with the darkness within you than to live without you. I've never asked for anything for myself, now I ask for you. For everything I've suffered, for everything I've lost. If I have you, then it's worth it. You're the reward I want, you."

Rodney just stared at him. He watched as John leant in and touched his lips, he tried to resist but John was kissing him. He dropped the pillow without a thought, pushing his body into Johns, reaching a hand into his hair to hold his head as the other hand slipped around his waist. His throat or maybe his heart made a noise of want of need that he could not control if he wanted to. John answered, his throat humming in need, his lips vibrating against Rodney's. They broke the kiss and put their foreheads together. Both breathless. "That wasn't fair," Rodney said.

"All's fair in love and war, Rodney. I want you and I'll get you anyway I can now I know you feel the same."

"You always had me you idiot."

John grinned wide as he closed the distance between their mouths, their foreheads never separating.

Down in the basement of the McKay mansion Radek switched off the monitors and the beeping perimeter alarms, smiling wide. Finally, there was someone who could love Rodney. Finally someone who might begin to banish the darkness that ate away at his soul, finally someone to save Rodney who saved everyone but himself.

THE END.