Kara showed Billy the way to the loft in the barn where he'd sleep while he worked for the Kents. "Hope it's okay."

"Are you kidding. It's great," he said as the two sat down. "Sure, beats the subway or a park bench."

"I was glad when Clark told me he was going to get this job for you. I hate thinking of you out there like that."

Billy looked at her. "Mr. Kent doesn't really need the help, does he?"

Kara was caught off guard. "It, um will make things easier for him."

"Kara... He did it because it's going to start getting cold and he wanted me to have a warm place to stay. I know that and I appreciate it. And three-square meals a day! I may get spoiled."

She frowned, "Did you really expect less."

"Well I'm not family."

"You're as good as family to me. Having Kal around is great but it's nice to have someone my own age. I do kind of see you as a brother." She added, "Although I will have to tease you a little." A wicked smile came to her face as she pointed behind him and said, "Farm boy, fetch me that pitcher."

He looked around to see a pitcher hung on a hook. 'The little prankster must have set that up.' He thought. He stood to take it down. "As you wish." As he handed it to her the two broke into laughter, leaning into each other. "Courtney wouldn't have liked that joke." She mused.

"Neither would Jimmy." He paused. "Kind of funny. You and Jimmy are sort of a role reversal you know."

"You mean Kal and Lois? I guess it kind of is."

"Yeah, I wonder how long it'll be before he ends up as the bait in some trap for you."

"He's already been there. Some mobsters had him and Lois tied up."

"Comes with being close to a superhero, I guess."

"Maybe. Your special lady has powers of her own though."

"Yeah, but only when she has her staff. Without it she's just like anyone else."

Kara said, "She'll be okay as long as she keeps her identity secret. Oh, and it should be easy for you to visit her. By your standards, she's not that far away. Just a short jaunt north of here."

"True. I'll have to give her a call."

She sang, "Billy went a courtn' and he did ride uh huh."

Billy responded with "Crambone!" They laughed and Billy added "Got a guitar string n,n,nephew?"

"I love that cartoon," She told him. "Oh, they'll be a big festival when the harvest is done, including a dance. You're welcome to invite her if you want. I'm sure she'll like the muscle that a couple of months of farm work will put on you."

"I just might do that."

"One thing though, she will have to let me have at least one dance with you."

"I think she knows we've kind of adopted each other. She won't have a problem with that."

They sat in silence for a moment when Kara asked, "Do you think we are putting people in danger? I mean people close to us. Like Lois and Jimmy. Are we being selfish to keep these kinds of relationships?"

"I don't know, maybe. But then again, it's not a one-way street. If they know who you are and the dangers involved, they have a say in it to. It would be kind of arrogant to say, 'I know I'm breaking your heart, but I know what's best for you.'"

She smiled, "Sounds like you don't really need to transform to be wise."

"Well maybe a little of it stays will me when I transform back."

"I don't think so," she said, "I think that's pure Billy Batson."

He reached over and gave her a hug. "Thanks."

"You know, I guess Jimmy has to deal with your enemies and Kals."

"I guess that's true. I guess for me the weirdest one is Grodd."

"Oh yeah, Donkey Kong."

"Haha, what?"

"Well I did throw a barrel at him once."

Kara doubled over laughing. Billy added, "At least he can't grab you Fay Wray style."

"Barbra told me he did try to carry her away over his shoulder."

"Yeah, I was there."

"Oh, she told me. Told me you gave him your best Charlton Heston impression."

"HA, HA! Yeah, I remember. That was the time I threw the barrel at him...Oh next time you deal with him, try Grape Ape. He really hates that one."

"Kal doesn't like it when I taunt the bad guys."

"Okay, best to follow his directions. But anyway, a mutant ape is good but I have a better one. My weirdest enemy is a hyper-intelligent alien caterpillar."

"I heard about him, but I thought Kal was just teasing me."

"Oh, he's real; and at least as intelligent as Luthor."

"Well, you win for the weirdest enemy. The Bats win for the craziest one."

Billy shook his head. "Which one? Joker, Harley, Scarecrow, or one of the others?"

"Okay, I guess they have all of the craziest."

"No doubt." He agreed.

She sighed. "Well, dinner will be ready soon," she said, standing up from where they had been leaning against the barn wall. "Besides, if we stay here too much longer uncle John is going to come out here with his shot gun."

"Ha-ha, well we can't have that."

She walked to the edge of the loft. "Let's get going."

"As you wish."

She bit her lip. "He's seen that movie you know."

"Hey, you started it."

"Well, I'm ending it. Unless you want Courtney to start hearing rumors," she said with a smug face as she floated down to the ground.

"Show off!"

"Hey, one word and you can do it to."

"I'll save it for later. Maybe we'll go for a flight this evening."

She got a mischievous grin. "How romantic."

"Now don't you start it. You want me to get a load of buckshot in the backside?"

"Hmm, let me think about that." In retaliation he squeezed her sides.

"He-he. Don't do that!"

"You better run then." She did, at a normal human speed, Billy right behind her. She was going to enjoy having him around for a while.