"So you've taken a liking to my reporter friend?" Bruce smiled. He put one hand on either of her hips and began swaying along to a new song the band had struck up.

"Don't change the subject." She ordered with one arm draped lazily over each of his shoulders. "Tomorrow is all about you, Car, I promise!" She gave her best impersonation of his gruff voice. "Then what was all that talk with Clark about a meeting?"

"Remember when I said there were things that even you didn't know about me?"

"So Clark Kent gets to know but I don't?" She hissed. Her voice dropped down to a whisper because otherwise she'd be screaming. "Who are Diana and John? What are you not telling me, Bruce?"

"It's a lot easier if I show you." He dropped his hold on her waist, and held one of her hands again instead. He guided her away from the dance floor and over to the bar where Alfred was keeping a watchful eye on the party. "Alfred, Carly and I are going downstairs…"

"Downstairs, sir?" The butler seemed surprised.

"Yes. The time is well overdue. Would you mind…?"

"I'm certain I can handle things in here for the rest of the evening, Master Bruce." Alfred agreed with an understanding nod.

"Thanks." Bruce nodded before pulling Carly out of the room and up the hall. They were standing in front of the grandfather clock.

"Bruce, what are we…"

"At eight years old, most kids dream of growing up to be things like a fireman or a movie star. But I already knew what I was going to be when I grew up. I was going to be a Wayne. Being a Wayne meant working hard and never giving up. No matter what you're up against. It meant giving back to people, regardless of the cost." Carly listened quietly and intently. She knew what he was going to say next, but she didn't dare interrupt. Bruce never talked about his parents and especially not about their death.

"On a chilly September night at ten forty-eight pm, my parents paid the ultimate cost. No amount of money can save you from the one thing that comes for us all in the end; death. From that day forward I vowed that they wouldn't die in vain. I was going to clean up this city. And if not as Bruce Wayne, then as someone else. As something else." Bruce reached out and spun the hands on the grandfather clock. He set the time to 10:48pm. There was an audible click. He pried open the face of the clock and exposed a secret set of stairs.

"This is my something else." Still not releasing her hand, Bruce started walking down the stairs. Carly had no choice but to follow him into the dark as the grandfather clock swung closed. She didn't know what she expected, following him into some sort of secret basement lair, but it certainly wasn't the lit up cave that she found. A giant supercomputer sat directly at the base of the stairs. The walls were covered with weapons and most notably a large black vehicle she'd seen only on TV, spun on a rotating platform.

"So you're like the Batman's number one fan?" She put a hand on her forehead not sure what she was seeing.

"No I'm not…" Bruce chuckled. He had thought she would get angry. Maybe even tell him off for doing something so dangerous. He hadn't expected her to miss the point so completely. "Car, I am Batman."

"What? No you're not!" She laughed again. "Now if Clark Kent told me he was Batman, that I would believe. His shoulders are wider than my bedroom…"

"Well he's Superman so…."

"How much did you have to drink tonight, Bruce? I'm going back to the party." He stepped in front of her, blocking the path to the stairs.

"I'm serious, Carly. It's me. I'm him. I'll prove it to you." He went to the computer and typed in coordinates. "Step into that tube."

"Fine. But this is so ridiculous, Bruce." She did as he asked, stepping into the glass containment chamber that he'd pointed to. She made sure her large skirt was completely encased with the rest of her before shutting the door.

"Do you still get motion sickness? I guess we'll find out." He smiled before hitting send. The sensation started in her toes. Almost as if her legs had fallen asleep. The tingling spread up her legs then to the rest of her body. She closed her eyes as bursts[p- of light began to block her sight. It only took a few seconds before everything stopped. Carly could feel her feet again, the heels of her shoes clinking against the glass. She opened her eyes and quickly squeezed them shut again. Wherever Bruce had sent her was bright, she could hear voices. She was scared, but she trusted him.

She took a few deep breaths, waiting for the motion sickness to pass enough so that she could move. When her risk of vomiting decreased, she opened her eyes again and stepped outside. Three pairs of eyes were watching her carefully. Eyes that like the Batmobile, she only recognized from newspapers and television. Trying not to show her fear, Carly looked at them too.

A man she'd come to identify as "The Flash" from the reports coming out of Central City, was leaning against a computer not unlike the one she'd just seen in Bruce's lair. His arms were crossed but he looked far from intimidating. His eyes seemed to laugh from behind his hood. Next to him stood a hero whose name she didn't know. He was obviously an alien as his skin was green and his eyes were glowing red. He didn't give off the appearance of being a threat though, if anything he looked upon her with concern; like she were a startled deer about to bolt from the scene. The third person was so clearly Wonder Woman. She stood tall with her shoulders back, her hands resting at her sides. Carly would later swear the other woman's hair seemed to be moved by a private breeze.

"Does this mean I lose the bet?" Flash frowned, looking over at the alien man.

"I think this means we'll have to talk with Batman." He replied. As if on cue, a fully decked out Batman stepped out of the tube that Carly had just barley stumbled from herself. His only exposed skin were his jawline and his eyes. She'd never been this close to the Batman before, but now knowing what she was looking for it was subsequently obvious that Bruce's eyes were looking back at thorough the cowl.

"Evening." He must use a voice changer to disguise his voice. She thought as a darker, deeper voice reverberated from Batman. "I see you've all met Carly."

"Pleasure to meet you Carly. They call me, The Flash." He introduced himself with a wave.

"I am Diana, Princess of the Amazons. But those of earth call me Wonder Woman." She introduced herself with a firm handshake.

"Diana! As in 'we have a meeting tomorrow night' Diana?" Carly asked Bruce from over her shoulder. He nodded stiffly in his Batsuit.

"You must be speaking of the Justice League meeting tomorrow." The Alien stepped forward. "I am J'onn J'onzz, a green Martian from the planet Mars. Your people have decreed me The Martian Manhunter, though I do not prey on people. I will also respond to John Jones, my earthling name."

"John, winner of the bet?" Carly nodded, shaking his hand. "It all makes sense now."

"I'm afraid we can't stay long." Batman said. "You can meet the others tomorrow."

"There is no way you're getting me back in that thing!" She pointed at the tube. Bruce forgetting who he was talking too, and playing into his Batman character, glared down at her. This didn't work as Carly was suddenly doubled over in laugher.

"Did you… Did you really think you could scare me? Does he try that trick on you guys?" She looked over at the heroes. J'onn shifted his weight uncomfortably while the flash practically cowered behind the Martian. "Tough crowd apparently. Fine, I'll get back in, but I want another dance with Superman." Carly found herself once again stuffed inside the glass tube in an overpriced dress and waited for her motion sickness to be triggered again.