Standard Disclaimer-again.


I stared in wonder at the roof of Wayne Tower; Batman was fighting to the death - almost - with Cheetah. The seven founding Justice League members were all in Gotham. Which was rare enough, but to have their respective enemies here as well? It was like a criminal convention. Superman had taken down the Joker, Wonderwoman had Killer Crocker, Flash and Green Lantern had Shade. Each of them had succeeded in their fights, Batman seemed to be struggling.

It irritated me that at first they assumed him to be like them, but when they knew he wasn't - Batman was one of the few men I knew who could take down Superman.

I came out from my own shadows to stand next to Superman; I wasn't surprised that he knew I was there.

"Commissioner Gordon."

"Superman, looks to me like Cheetah isn't fighting Batman anymore, if you catch my meaning." I could see his eyes widen: so he new - probably x-rayed him when his back was turned.

"You know?"

"Of course, I've been keeping an eye over the years. He survives things even you couldn't; besides he's angry. He loses focus when he's angry."

"How would you know?" I looked at the cocky fast runner.

"You douched one of his punches once, he told me about it; you'd insulted Bruce Wayne's butler correct?"

"That was skill dodging one of his punches." I was right, I Flash was arrogant.

"No, he lost focus." I turned back to the roof to see the dark knight fall from his own building. "Superman," I whispered. He understood.

"On it." He flew off, I ran after him yelling for someone to get Cheetah and Batman's belt as I went I heard a crash of flesh on metal as superman slowed to a stop at the entrance to an alley. He was muttering to himself, clearly not knowing about Batman's skills. I skipped to my knees beside my should be dead partner.

"Batman, Bruce; it's me, Jim." I whispered into his ear, I heard a cough and a selection of mumbles that meant is anyone else here. "No" I whispered back as I waved for superman to be quiet. I stept away from the Batman as his badly broken body knitted itself together. Pops and cracks and clicks seemed normal to me over the time I'd see this but the krypton was definitely disturbed, particularly as Bruce's once broken neck snapped back into place. I had to admit it always astounded me, to see him heal after anything from a small scratch to this; falling from the roof of a thirty five story building.

His wounds knitted together as they always had whether it was all those years ago or just a couple of months. I pushed superman closer to the clearly irate Batman as he got calmly to his feet and stretched, making sure all his joints were in the right place. Batman growled at me as he clicked his neck which made the krypton I was using as a shield fly back to wherever the others were; leaving me defenceless before the Batman.

"Look I'm sorry, but it was a matter of time."

"You didn't have to lie Jim; I knew he was there."

"Of course you did," I muttered as he chuckled.

"I may have a limp for a few days Jim." I caught what he was asking.

"Need a hand?" I held out my hand for him to help himself onto his feet. Bruce grunted when his feet were firmly planted on solid ground; I took it to mean thank you. I watched him hobble for a moment, before I offered him my neck to support his weight.

"Thanks,"

"Don't mention it."

"Don't intend to," I chuckled lightly as I passed the limping Batman over to Green Lantern when Wonderwoman returned with his belt and an unconscious Cheetah. I noticed the glare superman gave Batman, but it had nothing on the dark knights own death glare. I smirked as superman shuddered - I really didn't want to be on the watch tower right now, but then neither did the bat.