So... if anyone has read my story First Impressions, then you probably already know that I absolutely adore Superman as "Uncle Clark," and another story featuring him and everyone's favorite boy wonder was likely inevitable. And now... voila! Another Clark meets Dick for the first time story! Just... slightly different from the last one.

It didn't really come about the way I had originally planned, but I hope that you enjoy the end result! :)

Disclaimer: Young Justice and characters are property of DC comics.

The Batman had a partner.

Out of everyone in the League, Superman was sure it could be safely said that he was the most surprised by the news. Having just returned from an off-world mission that had taken much longer than originally anticipated, he supposed it made sense that he would be the last to know but, still, learning that their most reclusive member had taken on a partner came as a shock.

He certainly wasn't the loudest among the surprised.

No, that title went to Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, who let loose a string of unholy curses that made Diana frown.

But as the member of the League who had known the Batman the longest, who would occasionally enter into a semi-partnership and was even, dare he say it, friends with the Dark Knight, he was certain he was the one who'd been most left out of the loop.

"Clark?" He noticed Diana's eyes were on him. She looked concerned and maybe even a little bit amused.

Superman realized that his jaw had dropped open and that he must look like something similar to a dying fish and he closed it quickly.

He didn't even have it in him to be offended when his super-hearing picked up Oliver mentioning something of the sort to Dinah.

Superman looked to all present, realizing all eyes were on him now. He cleared his throat, really not wishing to deal with this right now.

"There's… someone I need to see," he said, deliberately vague, even though it was no secret to all present that that someone was the Batman.

And that was how Clark found himself inside the Batcave, uninvited (Bruce could kill him later), trying to make sense of it all.

He alighted soundlessly on the stone floor.

Bruce was already there, his back turned as he sorted through files on the computer.

He gave no indication to being aware of Superman's presence, but that didn't fool him.

The Batman was always aware when it came down to his cave. Always.

Clark cleared his throat, deciding it was best to start speaking right away.

"Bruce, we need to talk."

Finally, Bruce spun his chair around. His hands were pressed flat against each other, his face deadly serious.

"What are you doing in my city?" And in my cave. The words were unspoken but they hung threateningly in the air regardless.

"I don't remember alerting you to a crisis in Gotham." Bruce looked decidedly… displeased, but not angry… yet, so Clark figured there was still time for this interview to avert disaster.

"Hello to you too." Clark grinned, cracking a joke. If he could ease the tension... Bruce didn't smile. Of course he didn't.

When that doesn't work, he cleared his throat. Again. So much for easing the tension. "That's because you didn't."

And there was the Bat-glare.

Clark rambled on hurriedly. "Actually, I heard you'd taken on a partner." He paused. "I thought you'd at least have told me."

Bruce raised an eyebrow mildly. "Last time I checked, what I did was none of your business, Clark."

"It's not," Clark said quickly. "But I was hoping you would tell me, since we're, you know, friends."

Bruce gave him a look.

"Okay, maybe we're not." Clark hurriedly backtracked, raising his hands placatingly. Ouch. That hurt.

And sheesh. He'd almost forgotten how ridiculous Bruce was when it came to concept of friendship.

"So…" he continued awkwardly… and, really, he wasn't sure how this interview was going to get any worse, so he might as well proceed "... uh, who is this partner?" A thought hit him and his eyes widened. "It's not… you didn't… you and… I mean, Catwoman isn't… Did you? Is she?"

Bruce shot him a furious glare and Clark almost stumbled over his words in his hurry to get them out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to…" Okay, so apparently this could get worse.

With a considerable amount of dignity, Bruce grinds out, "Catwoman is not my partner."

Oh, thank Krypton.

Bruce still frowned at him and Clark wondered if his relief was really that obvious.

"Bruce!"

A childish voice preceded the young boy who came darting down the steps at a speed that made Clark almost sure he was going to trip and fall and Clark was halfway prepared to catch him (even as he wondered what a child- a child- was doing in the Batcave).

Miraculously, the boy reached the bottom step unharmed… and before he noticed their superhuman visitor.

"Whoa, Superman!" He halted, staring at the Man of Steel in awe, and giving Clark a good look at him.

The boy wore a red uniform, a dark cape cape with a yellow underside flowing from his shoulders until it reached his ankles.

It took a moment for him to reach the conclusion, but once he did, his eyes shot open in surprise.

This boy… he was the partner Batman had supposedly taken on? He didn't look more than eight!

"Bruce…" Clark began.

Bruce had straightened, pushing himself out of the chair, and moving away from the computer station.

"Dick," Bruce said tersely, addressing the boy. "Give us a minute. You finish working on that case file from earlier."

"But…!" the boy-Dick-protested, looking disappointed, even through the domino mask he had in place, before obedience won out and he trotted off, hopping into the seat Bruce had only moments ago occupied.

Clark felt sorry for him. This wouldn't be the first young boy he'd met with a severe case of hero worship.

"You… you took a kid as your partner?" Clark turned his full attention on Bruce, once they'd moved out of earshot of the boy, looking at the man as if he were insane.

"Protege," Bruce corrected almost automatically.

"You think that matters?" Clark stared. "He's a kid! He can't be more than eight!"

"Dick is twelve."

If anything, Bruce merely looked frustrated with him.

"But…" Clark glanced at the kid, who had to know they were talking about him, but who kept his gaze steadfastly focused on his work as he typed away. "He looks so small."

"But he's capable," Bruce said, firmly.

Of that, Clark had no doubt. Bruce would never have taken him on as a partner-protege-whatever, if he weren't.

"But he's so young," Clark said, eyes once more drawn to the young boy.

How did he get drawn into the Batman's life?

"His parents are dead," Bruce explained, his voice softer, almost gentle, as he regarded the boy.

Clark glanced back at Bruce. It was sad that he realized he shouldn't have been surprised.

"They were murdered," he added almost unnecessarily.

Oh.

Oh.

"That's terrible," Clark said, but that wasn't enough. It wasn't enough.

It was expected for one to outlive one's parents, but no one should ever have to lose them so young.

And the fact that they lived in a world where a child could lose his parents, both his parents, to murder… That there are people who would take a child's parents away from them...

It wasn't his place to ask the how and when, so he kept his mouth shut, waiting for anything Bruce might add.

He almost missed what he said next.

"Haley's Circus."

"I'm sorry?" Clark's attention snapped back to Bruce.

"His parents were performers-trapeze artists, specifically-at Haley's circus," Bruce explained slowly. "There was a fatal accident when the trapeze snapped. They fell to their deaths."

"It wasn't an accident though," Clark supplied.

"No." Bruce shook his head, and Clark got a rare glimpse at the anger leaking past the metaphorical mask he kept in place. "It was sabotage."

Sabotage. Someone had sabotaged the boy's parents.

There was already enough pain in this world. Pain that didn't care about youth or innocence. Couldn't one single person be spared?

Oftentimes, it seemed not.

It was one of the tragedies of life.

One they couldn't seem to change. No matter how many times they tried. How many people they saved.

He ran a hand through his air.

He wasn't usually this bleak, but… when confronted with something like this, how could he not be?

"You've got your thinking face on," Bruce observed dryly, snapping Clark out of it.

"Oh?" He realized that he must have.

"Why?" he finally asked. "Why the crime fighting?"

He knew why Bruce took to crime fighting, why the Batman came about, but why bring the boy into it?

He didn't get a chance to hear the answer.

Across the room, the boy finished his task, pushing the chair away from the computers.

Clark's sensitive ears pick up the sound of the wheels scraping delicately at the hard floor.

"Are you going to keep talking about me or am I free to join the conversation now?" the boy asked and Clark was surprised at how… mature he sounded as opposed to earlier.

And Clark was struck with the thought that if this boy was indeed going to be the Batman's new partner, than maybe there was no one better suited to it.

Besides, Bruce needed a little light in his life.

Bruce heaved out a sigh and Clark raised an eyebrow. That was more emotion than most of the League could evoke from him on a good day.

Apparently taking that to mean "yes," the boy scampered over.

"Superman," Bruce said, looking at Clark with eyes that were very narrow, "meet my ward. Dick Grayson."

Clark ignored the glare and knelt on one knee so he could better face the kid. "Hey!" He put on his best friendly smile… even though the kid wasn't four. In fact, he looked mature for his years. Which was to be expected from a protege of none other than the Batman. He was going to say more, maybe introduce himself, really introduce himself, but the boy spoke first.

"So," he said, looking Clark in the eye, before shifting his gaze over to Bruce, maybe a little sheepish, maybe a little challenging and maybe a little mischievous "do I have the Superman stamp of disapproval or something?"

Clark raised his eyebrows in surprise at that. He really didn't think his disapproval (or approval) would matter much here, but… was the boy hoping for his approval?

It might not be so surprising… he was Superman after all. There were plenty of young boys who'd likely give anything for his… approval.

Somehow that word didn't sit right with him now.

He waited a moment, before deciding the boy was teasing… but it wasn't hard to imagine that he would be a little serious.

Clark glanced over at Bruce, phrasing his words in his head. "I don't necessarily… agree," he said, choosing his words carefully, "with this, but…" he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "I don't think he could have chosen better."

Dick gave him a little sideways smile. "Thanks… but I already knew that."

Clark couldn't help but grin back. "Right."

He'd meant what he said. He was sure Bruce had chosen the best.

But he was going to learn the reason why.

Just not now.