They spent the rest of the night looking for Bruce, searching everyplace they could think of. And as J'onn entered yet another store in the oezik, he had to fight back a growl of aggravation. He was mad. At his k'nichtka and v'lmnta, for immediately assuming the worse. At Bruce for not coming to him when he needed help. And at himself for not noticing that he needed it. If only he'd been more aware...if only he'd asked more questions, instead of just deciding to keep a close eye on him.

Now his friend was gone and from the way things were looking, he wasn't going to be found until he was ready.

Sighing, he left the oezik and slowly started back home. The sky was turning a light pink now and would soon be turning it's usual yellow color. He couldn't search any longer; it was time to meet back with his family and tell them that he hadn't had any luck.

So caught up in his thoughts, it took nearly three times for Jor-El to call his name before he noticed. "Jor, I'm not really in the..." His sentence fell short upon seeing the small form he held in his arms.

"Is that...Bruce?"

Jor-El nodded, his eyes not at all twinkling like usual. "I found him in the R'tli'gak, staring at the display of Earth." He bit his lip. "I think there's something wrong with him."

Was going to ask him what he meant, when he saw Bruce's eyes. They were completely dead. Blank.

"Bruce? Bruce what happened?"

Nothing. Looked at Jor, silently asking if he'd had any success, only for the Kryptonian to shake his head. "I've tried everything."

They kept trying during the entire trip home, talking to him and asking questions, so desperately wanting to fix whatever was bothering him. Except they couldn't unless they had some idea of what was going on.

But Bruce didn't say a word.

()

When he found out, he didn't remember what he felt, or if he felt anything at all. A split second of loneliness perhaps, but then there was a pleasant numbness that threw everything into a haze. His body moved on autopilot, his mind completely blank on the ongoings around him. A few times he heard a faint noise, like someone was trying to talk to him.

Or trying to get him to talk to them.

Bruce wished they'd stop. He didn't want to talk about it. Didn't want to explain or have a heart to heart. Right now he just wanted to forget.

Forget about what he'd seen when trying to get back to Earth.

Forget about the bows and arrows and the huts and weird clothing...

And so long as he let the numbness wash over him, he could.

How many sols had passed since he'd made that discovery? That the humans on Earth weren't like him at all? That this Earth was the Earth of his past? It seemed like forever, but he wasn't exactly sure. The only thing that Bruce was aware of was waking up and going to bed. Everything else between those two points was a complete and merciful blank.

In this state he didn't have to deal with those k'nika's laughter.

LAST ONE OUT IS A HUMAN!

Didn't have to struggle in yvidn'm just to get barely passing marks.

I heard humans were mjretvos this is just too good!

Or Lhed Xojil's disappointed stare.

Or the fact that his home didn't exist yet.

Bruce was tired of this and he wanted to go home. Back to Gotham; to Alfred, who would have asked for his side before judging him.

Except he couldn't. Martians were an advanced race but not that much. He knew this as it'd been one of the questions he'd first asked J'onn upon learning just where he was.

"MARS?! Do you have like um floating things?!" His eyes had widened. "What about...time machines?" Thinking that if he could get a hold of one that maybe...just maybe he could go back and save them...

A chuckle. "Floating things, yes. Time machines, no."

Felt his hopes crushed but that was okay as he hadn't really been expecting a yes in the first place.

"That sucks."

He was starting to learn that good things didn't happen to him a lot.

If he returned to Earth in this time he'd probably die. And if he left his daze-filled state he'd have to deal with the laughter and judging. He wasn't ever going to see Alfred again. Wasn't going to be able to see Gotham again. He'd told himself over and over that he had no plans on going home, but he'd felt comforted by the fact that if he wanted to that he could. It was a reassuring feeling; knowing that if things got too hard here, that he could just go back home.

But now it was taken away and he was stuck here, in a time where everything he knew didn't even exist yet and if it didn't exist then he shouldn't have to remember it.

It didn't work like that though; he did remember it. Remembered everything. And he just so wanted to forget...

As if on cue, the haze started to return and Bruce knew in a few seconds he'd just be existing for the next few hours, with no thoughts or worries to bother him.

He didn't belong on Mars.

But he didn't belong on Earth either.

A sharp pang in his heart, before the haze took it away, and he was simply there.

Maybe this time it'd stay longer.

Maybe it'd stay for...

Ever.

Yeah.

He'd like that.

()

Xish'ilh wasn't used to feeling guilty.

He wasn't one who apologized for doing things. His mentality was if it happened it happened and there wasn't anything one could do about it. He didn't say sorry if he sometimes spoke too harshly or said cruel things.

Phrases like I didn't mean it were stupid. If you didn't mean it then why would you say it? There had to be some part of you that meant it, even if only a little. Didn't mean it? Lies. They were just sorry it hurt the person's feelings.

Nothing to make fun of by any means, but saying I didn't mean it was lying. And of all the things he hated, lying was one of them.

Lying meant that you were ashamed of saying the truth. Too cowardice.

Xish'ilh wasn't a coward.

So when he'd said that the human was mjretvos, he meant it.

The human hadn't answered one question right and his Martian had just been horrible.

If it couldn't give simple answers then it meant it was mjretvos.

So he'd been merely stating the truth. If the human didn't like it that was his problem.

Xish'ilh didn't lie. He didn't say sorry and he didn't not mean things.

So why was he feeling so guilty?

It was the human. Ever since day Bruce had punched him—something that still pissed him off—he'd fallen silent, refusing to speak. Even the b'ivnor hadn't been able to get a response out of him. It had gotten him into trouble for many times until the b'ivnor had given up, realizing that she wasn't going to get him to talk.

Still, it wasn't any of his business.

So what if the human didn't speak?

So what if it's eyes looked completely lifeless, much like his k'nichtka's had when his v'lmnta had died?

So what if it was about to get beaten up by Tib'zh and Iloyu?

It was the own human's fault; walking right into those two. Everyone knew to avoid them. Their tempers were legendary and they weren't above pounding someone younger then they were. Not only had Bruce just walked into them, knocking the disks out of their hands, he hadn't even apologized. Not that it would have mattered though. A simple thing like that was all it took to enrage the two brothers.

None. Of. His. Business.

Not. His. Fight.

Then why in the hell was he running forward, with the intent to make them back off?! Why was his body moving of it's own accord? Why wouldn't it just do what his mind told it to and just walk away like the others were?

The answer revealed itself as he shoved Bruce out of the way, taking the punch that was meant for him. It was hard enough to send him sprawling to the floor, next to the human, who'd fallen down also.

Because that would have been cowardice.

Xish'ilh looked up at the two towering Martians and gulped, silently praying to H'ronmeer and back that something, anything would happen to draw their attention away from--

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!" At seeing a b'ivnor run towards them, he breathed out a sigh of relief, mentally apologizing for all those times he'd called H'ronmeer mjretvos compared to Lord L'Zoril...he hadn't meant to say it, really...

Tib'zh and Iloyu were led away, both shooting them dark looks that promised vengeance. Xish'ilh pulled himself into a sitting position and looked over to see how the human was faring, only to gape. Bruce was walking away from him. Without so much as a 'are you okay' or 'thanks' or his personal favorite 'I am now in your debt for eternity and shall do whatever you say'. Nope. Just walking. Away. From him. HIM. Xish'ilh, who'd just saved him.

M'NKTE!!

"HEY! I JUST SAVED YOU!" He shouted, not caring in the least at how the others were staring at him strange. "IS THAT ANY WAY TO SAY THANKS?!"

Wasn't really expecting an answer at all, which was why he was so surprised when Bruce'd stopped and said, "Nobody asked you to." before continuing on.

Growling, he stood up and started home. Nobody asked you to?! What type of thank you is that?!

He huffed. If Bruce thought he was going to save him again then he had another thi--

Nobody asked you to.

Heh. So it pissed the human off when he saved him?

Xish'ilh smirked. Well then he'd just have to keep saving him, then wouldn't he?

()

"...haven't been able to sleep lately. I'm worried about him, Jor." J'onn stated softly, gazing into his now empty cup with a pensive look on his face. "He hasn't said a word in..."

He frowned, disturbed that he'd lost count of the sols. "...ages. And today he came home with bruises on his arms."

Of course he hadn't told them where he'd gotten them, which lead to L'helum storming out of the house, cursing up a storm and Naculh cleaning up in a feverish manner, no doubt going through all types of possible scenarios in her mind. Lhed Xojil hadn't found out about the bruises yet but once he did...

J'onn was seriously beginning to consider going into Bruce's mind. It was the only thing he could think of that could help solve just what had caused Bruce to cave in on himself. However, the chances of him being able to get in were slim; most likely the Monster would be there and if L'helum couldn't best it, what were the chances of him being able to?

"Maybe he's homesick." Jor-El suggested, jerking the Martian out of his thoughts. "What?"

The Kryptonian shifted, tugging at his shirt collar uneasily. "Well, I did find him staring at that display of Earth...what if he just misses his home and doesn't want to admit it?"

He sighed, shaking his head. "V'lmnta has already asked him that."

"And?"

"And Bruce didn't say anything."

Jor slammed his cup down, eyes flashing irritably. "Ask again! Except this time, in his head! He's ignoring you on the outside, so try talking to him on the inside!"

He rubbed his fingertips nervously. "I've told you about that Monster of his--"

"So?! You'll just have to defeat it!"

Growing angry at how simple his friend thought it to be, he snapped, "Defeat the Monster?! Wow that's so brilliant! Why didn't I think of that!?"

"It can't be that hard to defeat J'onn!"

"You haven't seen it! How would you know?!"

"Bruce is human! You're a Martian! How can you be afraid?!"

"It threw L'helum across the room!"

"L'helum's a m'nkte! He doesn't count!"

"Well so are you! So you don't count either!"

"I am NOT a m'nkte!"

"That's not what BRUCE thinks!"

"He forgave me for that!"

"Doesn't mean he changed his mind!"

"GO INSIDE HIS HEAD J'ONN!"

"YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!"

"YOU'RE SUCH A K'NIKA!"

"AND YOU'RE SUCH A M'NKTE!"

The yelling died down, both of them glaring at each other with hate in their eyes. The only sounds were the ones of their harsh breathing. Until Jor-El's shoulders started to shake. J'onn was determined to stay mad at the Kryptonian, but soon found himself laughing also, their argument echoing inside his mind. His laughs died down to chuckles and he gave Jor a firm poke. "M'nkte."

"K'nika."

He sighed, nodding his head. "Alright, but if I'm going, you're coming with me."

Jor-El grinned. "Then I can face down this Monster and show you there's really nothing to be afraid of!"

While he knew the situation was serious, J'onn couldn't help but smirk. Obviously he still held onto some of his beliefs that because Bruce was human, he was a weak creature. One would think he'd learned something upon their first meeting but...

Ah well.

He'd learn soon enough.

()

:dances: review! Review or I shall POUT. Oh yes. Pout. ;.; do you want me to pout?