Author's Note: Seriously tho- can we talk about 4x22? Brainy getting rebooted? Also his SCREAMED AFTER THE BAD GUYS NOT TO HURT NIA?!

It deserves a fic, you know? :P

Summary: Lex Luthor uses Nia to try and break Brainy, just because he thinks it'd be fun.

Spoilers: Spoilers for 4x22, but it is a massive cannon divergence so you don't need to know like any other part of the plot because I just ignore it lol

The entire time Brainy was screaming after Nia, being rebooted, and attacking six armed guards at once, he had no idea that he was being watched.

"Oh ho..." Lex Luthor murmured, staring at the security feed in rapture. "Now- now this could be interesting. Oh yes... breaking him could be rather fun."

He spun around to one of the two guards standing watch in the doorway. "One of you! Who was this alien brought in with?"

One guard, the older one, glanced at the other. Lex rolled his eyes. "Sorry," he gritted. "Would you like to phone a friend?"

"Uh, n-no, no," the older guard managed, resisting the urge to glance to his left again. "Uh... we've- we've seen a lot of aliens brought in, sir, but... I'm pretty sure- almost positive- that it was that superhero-vigilante girl. Uh- uh, Dreamer."

Lex turned back to the screen and rewatched the footage, this time without sound. "Yes..." he murmured as he observed the transformation from protective friend to emotionless destroyer once more. "He will be quite fun to play with. Bring him to me and lock him up so that he cannot escape!"

The older guard hurried off to do Lex's bidding, and Lex turned to the younger one. "And then bring me this Dreamer. And one of those electric stick things."

The guard nodded and also ran off. They both knew it wasn't wise to keep Lex Luthor waiting.

Precisely twelve and a half minutes later, Brainy had been apprehended and locked into a wooden chair with chains. No technology to control meant that he wasn't about to escape anytime soon.

Nia had been brought in from her container and was strapped by her wrists and chest to a silver chair. A bag had been placed over both her and Brainy's heads, but when Lex walked into the room the bags were lifted.

"Brainy!" Nia cried.

Brainy looked past her, expression not even fluttering. Lex watched the interaction with interest. It seemed that this "Brainy" had somehow shut off all emotion. It was an interesting feat, probably only capable of someone who was techno-organic.

"Hellooooo, everybody!" Lex greeted, raising his hands in the air and waving them around a few times. Nia watched him with wide eyes, but Brainy continued to stare at the same spot of wall just beyond Nia's shoulder. "I have brought you here today to have a bit of fun."

He walked over and slapped Brainy lightly in the face. Nia flinched as if she had been hit, but Brainy didn't even twitch. "You see," Lex continued, turning around to face Nia. "Your little friend here has been... rebooted. Or so he says. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I'd rather like to find out."

He sauntered over to Nia and put his hand on her cheek. She squirmed, trying to get away from him. "He seemed to like you quite a bit before my guards got to him," Lex went on. "He was positively broken up when you got taken away. I'm pretty sure that he even cried."

Nia glanced over at Brainy, the skin between her eyebrows creasing. Brainy didn't look back.

"What- what do you mean he's been... rebooted?" Nia spoke up, hating for having to ask Lex Luthor about something of importance to her.

Lex shrugged. "His words, not mine!" he chirped. "But he does seem a bit different, don't you think?"

Nia nodded absently, trying to reposition her head so Brainy was looking at her. He kept staring at the same spot, nearly unblinking. "Can you... fix him?" Nia asked, voice shaking slightly.

"Well, that's what I'm gonna try," Lex told her. "Or really... I'm gonna break him."

He held out his hand and received one of his electric pokers, and then stuck it into Nia's side. Unprepared for the sudden onslaught of pain, Nia let out a scream and doubled over. Brainy blinked, but it was hard to tell if it was because of the scream or simply because he needed to.

Lex pulled the poker back, letting Nia catch her breath. He glanced between Brainy and Nia, trying to figure out if he was wrong.

But then he remembered the anguished look on Brainy's face, noticeable even through the security feeds, when Nia had been dragged away from him. He had looked near tears then. And there had definitely been tears on her behalf later. No, Lex was right. Lex was always right.

He stuck the electric-tipped poker into Nia's side again, and let her writhe about in pain for awhile, watching Brainy's face. His eyes, at least, had moved to rest on her. He seemed to be looking slightly... confused.

Nia was gasping, and Lex removed the stick. She crumpled forward, chin brushing her chest, held up only by the strap around her shoulders. Brainy slowly turned his gaze to Lex. "Why are you... doing this to her?" he asked, voice flat.

"To see if I can get a reaction," Lex told him, observing thoughtfully.

"Well then." Brainy sat back, curiosity sated and eyes studiedly blank. "If you wanted to get a reaction you should have told your guards not to reboot me. I have no... reactions. I don't care about her."

Nia's head shot up and her eyes, already red, welled up with tears. "What the heck is wrong with you?!" she screamed. "Brai- ah- AHH-"

Lex had rammed her with the electric stick again. Tears started to stream down Nia's face. "Please-" she screamed, squirming away from the pain but getting nowhere. "Please- please stop- please-!"

"Begging is no sign of a hero," Brainy told her blandly. "Supergirl would be disappointed."

Lex took the poker away and Nia lifted her head. Her entire body was trembling and she was breathing heavily. "How- how could you say that?" she asked, her voice breaking. "Brainy- you're my family."

Brainy's left eye twitched. He blinked a few times, rapidly, and his leg jerked. Then all reactions to that statement faded and he continued to stare blankly in Nia's direction.

Lex was intrigued. But he was also getting bored. He wanted to know what was going to break Brainy and he wanted to know now. He raised the poker and swung it like a baseball bat into Nia's face. There was a crack, a groan, and when the poker fell blood was streaming down Nia's face.

There was a shaky intake of breath from behind Lex. He spun around to find that Brainy was trembling all over, head jerking repeatedly to the left like he was trying to get water out of his ear. "D-d-d-d-don't-" he muttered, his voice sounding more normal and less low and robotic. "D-d-d-d-don't..."

Nia's eyes fluttered, blood streaming from her broken nose. "Brainy?" she whispered, lips trembling.

Brainy jerked his arms, chains holding tight. Lex took a step back, and then moved the poker back to Nia's side. She let out another scream and Brainy let out an answering yell of anguish, tears spilling out of his eyes in a sudden rush. "D-d-don't- D-d-d-don't- DON'T HURT HER! STOP! DON'T HURT HER!"

Over the sound of Nia's screams, Brainy let out a cry and wrenched his arms upward. Somehow, with a superhuman feat of strength that Lex didn't even know was possible for a non-kryptonian, the chains snapped. Brainy ran forward, tripped, but still managed to tackle Lex. The two of them crashed to the ground and rolled, guns aiming and cocking all around them. No one dared shoot, however, because of the chance they could hit Lex. The guards shifted, looking at each other nervously, waiting for a clean hit.

Brainy leapt to his feet once the rolling stopped and punched Lex in the face. A gun behind him fired and he ducked, fingers locking behind his back. Then, using the chains still attached to his wrist, he flicked out his hand and caught the ankle of the nearest guard. With another flick of the wrist, Brainy sent the guard flying into the two next to him.

In seconds and a few more maneuvers, the seven-some guards that had been scattered around the room were either unconscious or groaning on the floor. Brainy ran up to Nia. "Nia-" he panted, falling to his knees and placing his hands on either side of her face. "Oh my God, Nia-"

Brainy put his arms around her and hugged her so tightly that Nia could barely breath, rocking back and forth slightly. His shoulders began to shake violently and Nia realized he was crying.

"It's okay," she soothed, her voice stuffy from her broken nose. "It's going to be okay."

Brainy pulled back and hastily wiped his cheeks. "I will- I will get you untied immediately," he mumbled, pulling randomly at straps and tugging at things until Nia's bounds became undone. Weak from pain, she bent at the waist and Brainy caught her by the shoulders, pulling her up into his arms.

"I am.. so sorry," he murmured, tucking his face into her neck and holding her tightly. Nia rested her head against his shoulder, his skin warm from exertion, and shut her eyes. Brainy could feel her body trembling. "I promise you," he went on, voice low. "I will- I will never get that way again. I will never look on while you are- are being hurt, and- and I will never say that you are a disappointment and-"

His voice broke. "I was rebooted," he whimpered. "I was rebooted but it is no excuse."

"It's okay," Nia whispered again. "I forgive you, Brainy. You weren't yourself. Let's just get out of here and go home, okay?"

He nodded, face wet against her skin, and then looked up as he took off into the air. When they landed at the DEO Nia lifted her head, confused. "Brainy, why are we here?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Your nose..." Brainy swallowed and glanced down at her. She suddenly realized there was blood caked on her face and staining the collar of his shirt. "It needs... tending to."

Nia nodded slowly and reached up a hesitant hand, brushing her face. She winced. "I think it's broken."

"It needs tending to," Brainy repeated, head bobbling as he suddenly seemed filled with a sort of frantic energy. Keeping her tight in his arms, he strode towards the medical bay. "Director Danvers! Your presence is required immediately!"

Alex glanced up and was soon running up the steps. "Nia!" she cried. "What on Earth happened?"

"Lex Luthor happened," Nia grumbled, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed at being in Brainy's arms, bridal style, like a damsel in distress. Especially in front of Alex, who had probably never had to be carried away from a fight like this in her life. "Brainy, you can... put me down now."

"I will do no such thing-"

"Brainy!"

He hurriedly set her back on her feet. Immediately, Nia's legs gave out, and Brainy was forced to catch her around the waist again. "See!" he cried, giving her a frustrated look. "This is exactly why I was carrying you. Lex Luthor was not gentle with you, Nia Nal. Please let me help."

Nia's face was burning with embarrassment and she felt like she might cry. She felt Alex take her open arm and she and Brainy took her to the med bay.

"Alright, do you two want to tell me exactly what happened?" Alex demanded as she took a clean cloth and began to wipe at the blood coating Nia's face.

Brainy's head dipped in shame. "I was... rebooted," he murmured. "And stood idly by as Lex Luthor tortured her to get a reaction of me."

Alex's eyebrows went up, but she didn't comment or judge. Nia hurried to jump in and defend Brainy. "But- but he came back to himself," she added. "And then he took out seven guard and- and punched Lex Luthor in the face, and busted out of chains and everything, all to save me."

"I was the one that put you in that position!" Brainy yelled. His hands flew up to his hair, tugging at it. Nia reached for him but he spun away, breaking into a frantic pace. "I- I put you in danger. Even just my- my reaction to you being taken away- it put you in danger! Lex Luthor knew- He-he knew what would break me- he knew that I love you!"

Brainy stopped mid step and pivoted on his heel. Nia was watching him with wide eyes and Alex's eyebrows were even higher.

"I... I am sorry," Brainy murmured, his shoulder slumping. "I hadn't wished for you to find out in this way."

Nia pushed herself into a sitting position. "Brainy," she said gently. "Come here."

Eyes cast downward and cheeks turning dark with embarrassment, Brainy walked over to Nia's bed and clasped his hands in front of him. "I apologize, Nia Nal," he murmured. "You deserve... you deserve more than me."

Alex turned and quietly left the room as Nia reached out and put her hand over Brainy's. "Stop it," she ordered him gently. "I deserve you. And that's a good thing, because I want you, too."

Brainy sat down heavily on the bed. Nia took his hand and stroked the back of it with her thumb. "Okay?" she continued, reaching out and wiping a lone tear off of Brainy's cheek with her thumb. "Brainy, I want you."

"Why?" he asked, peering at her.

Nia shrugged and gave him a half-smile. "Because I love you, too."

"Even after... everything?" Brainy asked uncertainly.

"Especially after everything," Nia told him, and kissed him.

When Brainy pulled back, he looked at her with so much emotion that it made Nia's stomach flip. He reached up and swiped at his eyes, dragging his hand down his face. "You are... so beautiful," he murmured, looking at her with his head slightly tilted and a furrow between his eyebrows. "I don't think I will ever see how someone as- as incredible as you could want someone like me."

Nia took his hand again. "Then I will spend the rest of my life trying to show you why," she whispered.

He kissed her this time.

Author's Note: AH why do I love sadPuppy!Brainy so much? XD