A black vail dropped over Superman. A darkness began to rake into his soul; It clawed with power even the Man of Steel could not hold back. Blood trailed down his fingers; A murmur of a tickle danced on his skin. He fell to his knees. The earth shattering under his weight. His arms fell limp at his sides. His stained hands being cleansed by the falling rain.
Screams began to soften into nothing in his eardrums. The sounds of falling skyscrapers fell to deaf ears. Superman was defeated. As was the bloody corpse of the enemy he faced only seconds ago. The line he promised he would never cross was dissipated in only a moment.
A firm grip of a hand rested on his shoulder. He moved his gaze to look at the blacked cloaked figure in front of him. The man's expression oozed sympathy. A tremble snaked up Superman's spine. He yearned for range, hatred even from the dark knight. Hate me, he screamed in his vacant thoughts. Please, he begged. Laced with the rain on his face, tears began to fall with them.
The Dark Knight fell to his own knees in front of the shattered man once held up by steel. He cupped his hand around the others cheek. Superman stared blankly ahead. A thumb wiped away the tears caught in the corner of his eye. His head melted slowly into the touch. He looked into the knight's eyes. He smiled faintly. A warm fire ignited in his heart casting light into the shadows of his soul.
Superman lifted his arm and mimicked the other man. He rubbed his thumb across the stubbled cheek the peered through the bat mask. A force lunged him forward and he embraced the dark knight. He melted. Soft sobs erupted from his mouth. Strong arms wrapped around him.
"You can't be strong all the time." he murmured.