Disclaimer: The characters within are owned by DC Comics and not myself.
Bruce Wayne winced as he lowered the barbell back down onto it's stand and sat up. He gritted his teeth as a wave of pain stabbed him in his back. He took a deep breath and managed a curse under his breath before reaching over to a nearby bottle of water. He had managed to raise it to his lips when he heard a noise to his left.
"Alfred let me in." Clark Kent said as he made his way down a small flight of stairs and to the floor of the Batcave. Bruce stood to face him and quickly reached for a towel to wipe the sweat off his forehead.
"Is everything okay Clark?" Bruce asked, assuming the worst.
"As far as I know." Clark responded.
"I thought maybe there was trouble." Bruce said as he walked over to stand next to one of the larger computer screens in his bunker.
"Is that the only time I'm allowed to come around.. when there is trouble?" Clark asked with a half smile as he made his way over to stand next to Bruce.
"No.. that'.. not.. I didn't mean that, it's just.." Bruce searched for the best wording.
"I get it.." Clark replied as he scanned the many screens in front of him at all of the various parts of Gotham that were being monitored. He turned back to Bruce. "I suppose... well.. you and I have a complicated friendship."
"Yeah... but don't take it personal, all of my relationships are complicated." Bruce replied as he walked over to a nearby table and proceeded to pour himself a drink. He turned to Clark to offer him one but Clark shook his head in the negative. "So what's up?"
"A lot of things I suppose." Clark replied. "But mostly.. I just.. wanted to apologize for.."
"Stop.. no need." Bruce cut Clark off.
"I still feel it's in bad manners not to." Clark explained.
"I know you do Clark.. and that's what makes you, you.." Bruce responded. "But honestly.. if anyone should apologize it's me.."
"How about we just agree to put everything in the past behind us?" Clark offered.
"Agreed." Bruce said before taking a sip of his drink. Clark crossed his arms and leaned up against a nearby desk.
"I noticed your bruising.." Clark said with a nod to Bruce's midsection. "You going to get that looked at?"
"I'm fine." Bruce dismissed the notion.
"Really.. because I can see you have.." Clark began to diagnose Bruce using his x-ray vision.
"Fractured ribs, bruised kidney.. I know.." Bruce finished for him. He finished his drink and sat the cup down. "After twenty years of this.. it's nothing new."
"Twenty years..." Clark considered the words. "I don't see how you are not broken down by now.."
"Who says I'm not?" Bruce asked wistfully.
"I have fought you... if this is you broken down, I would have hate to have met you twenty years ago." Clark said. Bruce let out a slight chuckle.
"I don't know Clark.. maybe you would have gotten along better with him.." Bruce countered. "Then there was.. well I had more hope."
"I don't think you are without it now Bruce." Clark said as he uncrossed his arms and glanced around the Batcave. "If you did.. none of this would still exist.. you and Diana would not have put the team together.."
"Maybe.." Bruce agreed. "I owe that to you though."
Clark shook his head no.
"Believe me or not Clark... what you did.. your sacrifice.." Bruce paused. "It made me remember why I started all of this in the first place.."
"Bruce.. I've learned from you too.." Clark responded. "I was naive to a lot of things, but meeting you.. and don't misunderstand this, meeting you has made me realize that the world is sometimes not always black and white.."
"Great.. don't tell me I'm corrupting you." Bruce said shaking his head and chuckling slightly.
"No.. just teaching me." Clark replied.
"Well.. Clark.." Bruce said as he walked over to Clark. "Don't stop being you, because the worlds needs you..."
"It needs you too Bruce." Clark replied.
"I don't know..." Bruce began to dismiss the notion.
"The team needs you too.." Clark continued.
"The team.." Bruce considered them.
"Diana came to visit me yesterday." Clark informed him.
"Really?" Bruce asked, intrigued.
"Yes." Clark answered. "She um.. just wanted to talk.."
"I see." Bruce replied, he turned to lean up against the desk beside him mimicking Clark's actions.
"What do you know of her?" Clark questioned glancing over at Bruce.
"Amazonian.. Princess.. Goddess.." Bruce began. "The usual stuff."
"I suppose.." Clark said with a chuckle. He considered Diana for a moment, getting lost in thought. Bruce studied him.
"You um..." Bruce began, jarring Clark from his thoughts. "Better be careful, Clark."
"What do you mean?" Clark asked.
"Falling for her.." Bruce said with a wink.
"No.. no... Lois.." Clark responded with a dismissive wave of his hand. "It's just... all my life... I've felt different.. and now meeting her.."
"She's special.. I get it." Bruce finished for Clark.
"Yeah.. there's a connection there." Clark replied.
"It makes sense." Bruce agreed turning to eye some of the cams behind him.
"I'm hoping we can be friends.. all of us.. the League." Clark replied.
"I doubt you'll find any resistance in that.. well maybe Arthur but that's just because I'm not sure he has any friends." Bruce said with a smirk.
"Can I ask you something Bruce?" Clark inquired.
"Shoot." Bruce responded as he walked over to a nearby table covered with weapons and picked a grappling gun up to examine it.
"Steppenwolf..." Clark began. The name garnering Bruce's full attention. "He won't be the last will he?"
"Doubtful." Bruce agreed turning once again to tinker with the device in his hand.
"Do you think we'll be ready?" Clark replied.
"I think so.. I'm always ready.. I have to be." Bruce answered. Clark nodded as he considered his words.
"What about the others?" Clark questioned. Bruce turned his attention back to Clark.
"I think they'll be ready too... Clark can I tell you something?" Bruce asked.
"Sure." Clark answered.
"When you were gone... well...what I mean to say is that I underestimated the effect you had on the world.." Bruce began.
"Bruce.." Clark began to dismiss his praise, but Bruce put a hand up to halt him.
"In twenty years, I never really inspired that in anyone." Bruce continued. "To the world.. even those with abilities I was just a nut in a costume or even worse an enemy..."
Bruce walked over to stand in front of Clark placing a hand on his shoulder. He offered him a half smile.
"You inspired a different reaction in these people though.. yeah sure.. some will want to test themselves against you.. but others.. they'll want to fight by your side." Bruce stated. "Barry, Arthur, Victor, Diana.. and.. all of us.. you inspire us Clark... so you ask if we will be ready... we will be."
"Thanks Bruce." Clark said, touched by the genuine revelation from the usually reserved and stoic Dark Knight.
"Why do you think Diana came to you.." Bruce said his smile widening as he walked back over to the table of weapons and gadgets. "She hid in the shadows for years.. she's been here longer than any of us."
"She.." Clark searched for the right words. "It's incredible.. her story.. well what I've heard of it from Victor."
"You should talk to her about it sometime, she has lived a pretty incredible life to say the least." Bruce suggested.
"I should." Clark agreed. "Listen... I should be getting back to Metropolis but if you ever wanna talk or need my help.."
"I know where you are." Bruce said with a nod. Clark smiled and turned to leave back up the stairs meeting Alfred at the top of them.
"Leaving so soon?" Alfred asked.
"Yeah.. gotta be getting back." Clark responded.
"Well.. it's good to have visitors coming around here again." Alfred stated with a smile and Clark returned with one in kind. "I'll show you out."
"Thanks Alfred." Clark said as he started to follow the older gentleman.
"Clark!" Bruce's voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs. Clark turned to him.
"So Barry beat you pretty badly huh?" Bruce asked with a smirk. Clark shook his head and chuckled.
"Yeah.. the kid's fast." Clark called back down the steps.
"Fastest man alive." Bruce responded. "That's what he is calling himself now."
"It fits." Clark replied. Bruce nodded and disappeared into the cave. Clark laughed once more thinking of Barry. Clark pulled his phone out of his pocket and began to text Barry inquiring if he'd be up for brunch.