You guys are so sweet! So I updated as quickly as I could, for you sweet sweet reviewers.
A few answer for you reviewers.
Dark Goddess Of Shadows- I intended for her to take the bullet to protect M'gan. I mean of course she wanted to protect Conner too, but it was a whole, even if you don't think so, I'm willing to give my life for you thing..
Anbu Fox- Yes. She's kind of Mama!Sparrow I guess. She's a.. family person. Don't f with her family and you're fine. But she's also very needy.. She needs to be accepted by Bruce. She bust her butt to prove herself to Bruce soo.. the whole 'self sacrifice' thing is second nature.
Fairfarren-Silvermist Fawn- I know it's late, but I've never tried beta-ing.. I'd probably be horrible..
CHAPTER 45
When the Batman entered the small room, lips drawn in a small tight line and expression cold, J'onn knew the man needed to be alone. It was a long moment of mental coaxing to get the girl to raise from her seat. As she turned, guided by J'onns gentle hand, she could not raise her head to face the dark figure standing just inside the doorway. J'onn guided M'gann out with a gentle hand on her back, staying behind just a moment after she'd left.
"We're here my friend." He said softly, reaching up to place a hand on the mans shoulder. Batman was swift to step aside from the touch. J'onn nodded his understanding. He would leave Bruce to mull in his own thoughts. No sense harassing Gothams dark knight when he could be of use to the children.
When the door was close, the room was cast in shadows from the soft glow of the monitors, the beeps and whirs reverberating off the walls to suffocate the room in an endless echo. Her skin was pale, paler than normal, with a sickly blue tint to it. He shivered for her, the blanket only drawn up halfway, allowing the tubes in her chest and the IVs running into her arms to go unhindered.
Bruce pulled the cowl from his head, allowing the material to hang from his neck like a hood as he stepped forward, taking the seat by her bedside. After some moments spent looking at her unresponsive form Bruce put his head in his hand, elbow propped on his knee. Of course he knew the door had opened, and of course he knew he was no longer alone in the room. He didn't flinch when the hand landed on his shoulder, rather he reacted quite coldly, the scowl clear on his feature. "Why are you here Clark?" The hand on his shoulder stiffened for a moment at his tone, quite clearly taken back by his cold demeanor.
"None of use could have known Bruce." Clark offered, removing his hand. Somehow he felt that the truth was of no comfort to the dark figure. Glancing over to the crisp white sheets draped so delicately over the fragile form, the shallow rise and fall of her damaged chest.. He found his words weren't even comforting to himself. For all the cockiness she'd shown him, the snark in her words and her challenging disposition towards him, he could now see her as the child she really was. Young, innocent and very much hurt and lost. A sinking blackhole settled in the pit of his stomach.
He stepped back. There was an ache that tugged at him at the remembrance of the scene he'd arrived to. Much of the young team had already been taken down. Kaldur had groaned from off in the corner, burns scorched into the flesh of his back. Artemis struggled to draw the string of her bow, wounded arm shaking with stress. He'd of course looked over find his... clone.. in the mist of things. He'd seen the boy, hunched over, green in the face. The Superboy, of course had a look of desperation, sweat dripping down his face and very ill looking. It was then he felt it, from far across the room, that familiar tickle running up his back He could see the krptonite a blessedly long distance away. It was a small piece and at this distance it had very little effect, but he knew it's teasing ache all the same.
Of course it'd all been forgotten once it was discovered Sparrow had been so gravely wounded. Batman himself seemed so turn between continuing his attack on the enemy that would slip away in the comotion of getting Sparrow the attention she so badly needed.
"Bruce." He tried again, his throat suddenly dry. Clark was certain the room grew physically colder at Bruce shrugging him off. He released a silent sigh, giving one last once over to the girl. Her signs were strong for such trauma and while she may not be up and about in the next few hours, he was certain she'd make a full recovery. She was far too stubborn to die, much like the bat himself. "I'm here when you're ready to talk.." He said as he turned to leave.
He was already at the door, knob in hand and just a sliver of light slipping through the cracked door when the gravely voice rasped out from the side of the bed.
"Clark.."
"Yea?" He answered, turning back to watch the cape clad back. Bruces head was no longer in his hands, his gloveless hand now calmly placed over the slim digits of the child laying on the bed.
"Thanks." Was the short, clipped answer, said with as much emotion as one could expect from the man. Clark smiled, turning to leave the room.
Once the door was closed, the sad smile faded. Images came unbidden to his mind. There was something he had to do.
~O~
Conners hand fisted against his throat, eye fixed on the horizon over the body of water. He could still feel the tightening in his chest, the burning threads leaking into his veins. The churning nausea. The fear that had gripped his heart at being so helpless, watching the bullets fly at M'gann and not being able to do move, to take the bullets for her. Watching in horror as the blood poured from Sparrows chest
"Superboy..?" Came the quiet, hesitant call.
Conners head shot up to see the blue and red figure floating silently just off the ledge he had been sitting on. The name caught in his throat, a choked sound wheezing past his lips. "Superman.." There was a long awkward silence shared between them. "How'd you know.."
"I cheated.." Came the soft reply as Superman pointed to his eyes.
"Oh. Right.." Conner said, adverting his eyes. Just another power he'd yet to get. Another weakness.. another failure. Superman floated over, taking a seat next to the dark haired teen who made a point of it to not look at the older hero.
Clark intertwined his fingers on his lap, his thumbs twiddling just a little. His mouth opened several times, no sound making it past his lips. He turned away, steeling himself before turning back."I thought.. maybe you needed to talk about what happened today." He offered gently
Conner gave a soft intake of breath in surprise as he turned hurting eyes to the man of steel. With a huff he turned away, muttering under his breath. "I failed them."
"Them?" Conner didn't answer, his throat too choked to speak. "Sparrow.. and Miss Martian?" Clark asked without needing an answer, though the slump of the teens shoulder was more than enough. After what had happened that day, it'd been revealed what had happened that night on the beach, M'gann breaking down in tears , looking for answers to why the young girl had thrown herself in front of the attack for her.
"I should have taken the bullets." Superboy growled out. "I couldn't even protect M'gan! And now because of me.. Sparrow..." Superboy couldn't finish, his throat closed with emotion. He felt a large hand close on his shoulder.
"I wish I could tell you not to blame yourself, but I don't think you'd listen even if I did." Clark swallowed, looking out to the water. "I know it's hard. Feeling helpless. It's worse when someone you care about is in danger and you can't protect them." He paused for a moment, feeling the shoulder beneath his hand shake just a little. "unfortunately, choosing this life, usually means just that. And all we can do is hope that everyone comes out alive at the end."
Clark watched the boys eyes. They were cold, not the type of cold where he was shut off, but the cold that happens when reality seeps into your heart, crushing that ideal that everyone once held. The cold of the harsh world. Superboy nodded, turning to look out over the skyline. The stars had just begun to fade into the pink of the rising sun over the water. Somewhere in the distance the morning birds had begun their songs. He took a deep, calming breath.
"Superboy. I." He paused when the clones eye fell on him. "I'm not sure I'm ready to be a father to you. Not sure I could really be a father to anyone." That gaze, an exact replica of his own was so intense, so full of dying hope. "But.. I'm willing to try.. If you're willing to try with me." For the first time, since that first night, where the boy, dressed in white with his S insignia inscribed across the chest had looked to him with hope, Clark saw a light in those baby blue orbs.
"Conner." Came his soft voice. Clark raised a brow. "They named me Conner."
"I'm Clark" was Supermans soft reply.
AN- yay.. angsty Bruce and attempted daddy Clark.. I think the next chapter will have more on Bruces reactions.. and I think everyone will be like WTF! with the way things are gunna go after that.. but you gotta hang on through it, cuz it's for a reason.. Yup.. back to developing.. (as it is I got Arty beginning to accept that blood doesn't determine you, clark being nice to Superboy, Dick.. well one he's not as spoiled as an 'only child' anymore plus.. there's a lot more character development for him. So yay.. plot!) I do so hope to hear from everyone again, and reel back in those I may have lost with my lack of updates. Give me a review, brighten my day and I will love you forever.
