a/n: First update of the New Year! Huzzah! Please enjoy. :)

Title: Not Alone

Characters: SuperWonderBat

Rating: K+

Warnings: None

Description: It's called the Fortress of Solitude for a reason. Diana must not have gotten that memo.

If it was up to Bruce, he'd still be in the Batcave as he was supposed to be, watching over his city.

Unfortunately, Diana had never learned or been taught how to take no for an answer.

All of Bruce's logical arguments had been ignored. All of Batman's reasoned statements were given the same regard.

Sometimes, a man just wanted to be alone, Bruce had said.

Not this time, Diana had insisted, fingers locked around his cape and threatening to tear the reinforced fabric.

It's called the Fortress of Solitude, Bruce had reminded her. There's a reason for that.

We have a long-standing invitation, Diana had declared. Besides, not everyone prefers to brood in silent isolation.

That doesn't give us the right to barge in unwelcome! Bruce had all but huffed, trying not to be offended and failing.

Diana had glared.

An hour later, Bruce was strapped into Diana's jet, on their way to the Arctic. All of his objections had been overruled. He had no choice.

It wasn't that Bruce didn't want to be there for Clark. They were partners and lovers and everything in between. He simply wanted to offer Clark the privacy he felt he needed.

Diana was the one with other ideas.

"Don't expect him to be happy to see us," he muttered.

"I fully expect he'll be sulking," Diana replied, her cheerful tone at odds with the way she gripped the throttle. "Much like you are now."

Bruce didn't dignify that with a retort.

They landed, none of the Fortress' defenses rising to greet them, prompting a smug look on Diana's part. Bruce ignored her. The lack of challenge only meant they were still recognized as allowed visitors.

It did not mean Clark wanted to see them.

"Clark?"

Bruce followed Diana as they moved through the many rooms and corridors of the Fortress. In many ways, it resembled the Batcave with all of the memorabilia.

They found Clark where Bruce expected him to be, staring up at the statue of his parents. He'd removed his cape, but nothing else.

He didn't turn to greet them.

Diana sighed. "There you are," she said and Bruce was content to let her take the lead.

"Here I am," Clark answered.

"You haven't been answering our calls," Diana continued, daring to approach Clark. "We were worried."

"We?" Clark repeated and he half-turned, gaze flicking to Bruce, who was finding comfort in the shadows.

Sometimes, Clark had these moments. They were few and far between, but it was like his Kryptonian heritage clashed with his Earth sensibilities and something went cross-wired in his brain. If he carried guns, Bruce would call it an 'itchy trigger finger'.

Hopefully, this wouldn't be one of those times. But Bruce had not survived as a crimefighter this long by being unprepared.

"Yes, we," Diana said, unperturbed and of course she would be. She was an Amazonian princess, half-god, and nearly as invincible as Clark.

"I'm fine," Clark said, his tone far from matching his claim. "I don't want any company right now." That, at least, rung as truth.

"The last thing you should be is alone," Diana insisted, shooting Bruce a look that demanded his cooperation. Or else.

He sighed to himself. "It wasn't your fault," Bruce said. "There's nothing you could have done." This, too, was the truth, but it when it came down to it, Bruce wasn't sure who had more capacity for self-blame: himself or Clark. At least he admitted it.

"I should have done more," Clark insisted, his words taking on a sharp edge, his hands curling into fists. The tense lines of his back were a testament to his agitation.

"You are powerful," Diana said, her soothing tone a magical ability into itself as she drew even closer, unafraid. "But you are not a god. We do our best, try our hardest, and never give up. That is all we can do." She placed her hand on his shoulder. That he didn't shrug her off was a good sign.

Bruce dared approach, stepping out of the shadows, offering his pragmatism in counter to Diana's optimism, knowing that Clark appreciated both. It was not unlike the tug he felt between his Earth heritage's human emotion and the Kryptonian scientific rationale.

"You're not alone," he said, feeling the weight of the shadow of Clark's parents over them. He could related. He had the massive painting in Wayne Manor; Clark had his statue. "And if I remember correctly, you're the one who taught me that."

Clark's head dipped. He exhaled audibly. His hands unclenched from their firsts. "Only you would turn my own words against me, Bruce."

"It's a special talent I have," Bruce said wryly.

"Among many others," Diana said and squeezed Clark's shoulder, pressing against his side in comfort. "I know you want to be alone, but will you let us be alone with you?"

"That doesn't make any sense, Diana," Bruce said, but he allowed himself to step fully out of the shadows, discreetly tucking away his sliver of Kryptonite.

"It's not supposed to."

Clark shook his head. "Why is it that Bruce is allowed to sulk but I am not?"

"For Bruce, it's a natural state of being," Diana teased, tossing a wink Bruce's direction.

Bruce glowered. "I take exception to that."

"It's only offensive because it's true," she retorted with obvious amusement.

"I do not sulk. Or brood for that matter!" Bruce argued and noticed, to his relief, a smile growing on Clark's face.

If familiar banter was all it took, then Bruce would continue.

And maybe he would consider conceding that Diana had been right.

Maybe.

a/n: A few more updates to come as I catch this one up to all my other posting places. :)

Reviews, as always, are welcome and appreciated.