Monday. Clark dragged his feet through his classes, more than a little worn out. Chloe's article hit the newstands on Sunday, and the day had gone by in a blur. Gabe had insisted on taking Chloe, Clark, Lois and Clark's mom out to dinner to celebrate. The restaurant was a small, family run place, just outside of Smallville, and the owner proudly asked Chloe to sign her article, and took a picture of the whole group to frame with it. Chloe was radiant, her excitement a more powerful cosmetic than any other Man had ever created. Clark could not resist her. Gabe and Mom were very happy at the developments, and Lois, well, she took the news in her own, individual style.

With a roll of her eyes, and a sarcastic laugh, she summed it all up in one eloquent sentence. "Well, cuz, I'm just glad it's not me he's moon facing over, because, eew."

And, after that, even Lois was pleasant to be with, and Clark wasn't sure if it was because everyone was happy for Chloe, or that he was just so proud and glad to have her that he felt that way on his own. All in all, a great night. Which left Clark in sort of a hung over mood. He'd never actually been hung over, since alcohol had no effect on him, but all the same, he just couldn't focus on anything at all, and had to fight the urge to ditch school entirely and go up to Metropolis and see Chloe.

So, when his phone rang, Clark had no hesitation at all about answering it with,

"Hey, gorgeous, win your Pulitzer yet?"

"Clark," Lana's voice was a hoarse whisper. "I need to talk to you. It's important."

"Lana? Are you okay?" Clark was surprised to hear from her, and was relieved when she breathed her reply.

"Yes, yes. I'm going to be at the Talon. See you there later, okay?"

"Sure, Lana." Clark hung up, and frowned at the phone for a minute before dialing Chloe.

"Chloe Sullivan." Chloe sing-songed into her phone. The article had created a lot of buzz, enough to get her off obits and lost pets and into a desk on the second floor, under the reproduction Tiffany lamps. Pauline Kahn had informed Chloe of the change in location when she came in after her first class, via a terse e-mail.

"Hey, Chloe." Clark smiled into the phone, and Chloe could hear it. She loved his voice and how she could visualize his face as she listened to him. "Lana just called me." He sounded puzzled.

"What did she want?" Chloe asked, a little nervous that things were going to change again.

"She said she wants to talk to me about something. Chloe, she said she's fine, but she sounded weird, like she was sneaking in the call while Lex wasn't around."

"Well, that's possible. I'm sure Lex wouldn't like her calling you just to say hi behind his back." Chloes reasonable explanation seemed to soothe Clark a little.

"Anyway, Lana asked me to meet her at the Talon later. I'm going to head over there after my last class and just see what's up. Meet you for pizza after you get off work?"

"Definitely. And, Clark, use the elevator." Chloe grinned, and she could hear how happy he was for her.

"Seriously? Where are you, on the 70th floor, with all the big time reporters, under the fancy stained glass lamps?"

"Ha. Let's just say the lamps are fancy but a whole lot cheaper, and my view is of the building next door. But, the second floor windows do let in more light and it is a sign of an upwardly mobile career." She explained, self-depreciating, but Clark wouldn't have it.

"Chloe, I could not be prouder of you. You'll get to the 70th floor, don't worry. I gotta get to class, so I'll see you later."

"See you later, Clark." Chloe hung up the phone and looked around. Yes, it's definitely a step in the right direction.

"Did you see this?" Lionel dropped the Daily Planet on Lex's desk with a furious growl. The employees in the executive offices of Luthorcorp had been lying low today, and now Lex knew why. He turned the paper around and studied the article with mock interest.

"It's a good article." Lex replied smoothly, looking at the front page picture of Bruce Wayne. "It's a stock photo, but Chloe did a thorough job with the interview. Bruce was always a hard guy to get to know."

"And just how did Chloe Sullivan, college freshman and Daily Planet nobody get to Bruce Wayne when Lex Luthor, fellow Excelsior alumnus couldn't even get a handshake?" Lionel WAS mad, and Lex smirked, leaning back in his chair. He loved his father angry. It took him off balance, made it easier to get information from him.

"What's the matter, Dad? Your spy network falling down on the job?"

"Lex, I don't think I need to tell you the problems having Bruce Wayne in Metropolis will cause us." Lionel ran his hands theatrically through his long hair. "That River Walk development deal will net him millions by the time it's all finished. And their pharmacuetical division is ahead of ours with drugs that treat cancer and AIDS."

"Is that all you're worried about, Dad. We've netted the last five government contracts we've bid, and that was over Wayne Industries. There's plenty of room in Metropolis for Bruce Wayne. Who is that other guy, the one developing the condos on the North side of town?" Lex frowned, thinking. "Oliver Queen."

Lionel waved a hand, dismissing the other tycoon. "Queen is not a threat. He's small time compared to Bruce Wayne. And then, how he won the Swann papers in that auction, Lex."

"The Swann papers? I didn't realize you were bidding on them too, Dad." Lex stood, and walked to the large plate glass window that constituted the primary wall of his office. "And here I thought that I was the only one still interested in them."

Lionel did not miss a beat. He rubbed his beard, and eyed Lex with a cagey smile.

"Well, I had no idea you were bidding on them, Lex." His smile grew wider, and Lex could see something in the situation amused his father greatly.

"Yes, you did." Lex looked out the window mildly. "I told you I wanted them for the Luthor Astrophysics division."

"Come on, Lex. The Astrophysics division has no use for Virgil Swann's research about red stars." Lionel folded his arms, laughing. "It's a good cover story for why you really want them, so I'll play along."

Lex counted to ten before he made eye contact with his father. "And what did you want with information on red stars, Dad?"

"I wanted it as a donation to the Metropolis Science Museum. Bruce Wayne isn't the only one interested in preserving Dr. Swann's work. I admired the man tremendously."

Lionel shrugged. "Oh well. I guess this victory goes to Bruce Wayne. But this," Lionel leaned forward and pointed at the newspaper. "Chloe Sullivan scooping this interview is unacceptable."

"Lana said Chloe'd run into Bruce Wayne a couple of weeks ago at the River Walk festival." Lex felt the edit, substituting Chloe's name for Clark. If his father was interested in the research, Lex wanted to be sure he figured out Clark's secret first. It was the least that could happen. Plus, Lionel already hated Chloe Sullivan, given their past history, so no new damage would be done. Lex watched his fathers face change from rage to a controlled, composed expression that always boded no good.

"Chloe ran into Bruce Wayne, two weeks ago." Lionel nodded. "And her interview is published today, and all is right with the world." He stopped, seeming to calculate some plan, and then shook his head. "Well, let the chips fall where they may. Enjoy the paper, Lex." The older man started to walk out the door, and Lex decided to drop the bomb on him as a parting coup de grace.

"Hey, Dad." Lionel turned around, and Lex walked around his desk to lean on the front.

"If you are thinking about pulling strings to get Chloe Sullivan fired, forget it."

"What?" Lionel took two steps toward Lex and stopped. "I'd like to know why, Son."

"Because I personally own the Daily Planet, so the strings end here. Because with everything Chloe Sullivan knows about our family, Luthorcorp, and the frequent weirdness that goes on in and around Smallville, I think the best place for her is at the Daily Planet, where I can keep a watchful eye on her." Lex fixed his father with a triumphant smile. "Moving up is strictly her prerogative. I'll just make sure the signature on the paychecks is the CFO's and not mine. Oh, and Dad?"

Lionel did not bother this time to hide his impatience, and Lex reveled in his father's discomfort. "Leave Bruce Wayne to me."

Lionel turned on his heel and strode from Lex's office. Lex watched his father leave, waiting until the door swung shut behind him. He picked up the phone, and waited until his assistant answered.

"Get me Bruce Wayne. Call his office, but get me through. I want to congratulate him on his interview. Oh, and send a bunch of sunflowers to Ms Chloe Sullivan at the Daily Planet. The note should read "Just remember who knew you when, Lex." And have the florist send as many irises they can get to Lana Lang. The address is my guesthouse. The card should read, "To me they are olive branches. Forgive me. Lex." Yes, I think that's it for now, and don't forget about getting Bruce Wayne on the phone."

He hung up and looked out the window again, to the spinning golden globe perched atop the Daily Planet Building and stood there, looking for a long time.

Clark got to the Talon just after two, and as soon as he walked in, he could see Lana.

She looked different, more tailored and grown up, and was very involved in the book she was reading. He made his way toward Lana, and sat down at the table across from her

Lana looked up, and she smiled, holding up her book. "Required reading for my Literature class."

"Hey, Lana." Clark set his backpack down and brushed Lana's cheek with a friendly kiss. "What did you want to see me about?

"I saw the Chloe's article, the interview with Bruce Wayne." Lana began, setting her book down and folding her hands on it. "It was good."

"Why don't you call her and tell her, Lana? Chloe'll be glad to hear from you." Clark asked, studying Lana's face. "But Chloe's article is not why you are here, is it?"

"No." Lana waved the waitress over. "I'll have another chai tea, please, and Clark?"

"I'll have a large hot chocolate, and a piece of whatever pie you have today."

The waitress nodded and headed back to the kitchen. "Lana?"

"Clark, it's Lex." She said, shaking her head. "I can't believe I'm doing this. After everything, I'm still worried about you." She smiled briefly and sighed. "I probably shouldn't have come, but everything that I've seen is finally starting to fall into place, and I couldn't have NOT warned you." Shame and worry took up equal space on her lovely face.

"What's wrong, Lana?" Clark leaned forward, and Lana covered her face with her hands.

"Lex has a room, Clark. A room filled with these things – articles and pictures, the crushed car he was driving the day he thought he hit you. It's a room all about you, Clark." Her voice was muffled, but Clark could see how tortured Lana was over this.

"I thought he got rid of it." Clark gasped, amazed. "He swore…."

"It's all some sick idea he has, about you." Lana continued urgently. "I'm worried about him, too. It's like he's losing his grip on reality again. I mean it, Clark. I'm afraid of the damage he can do. Clark," Lana reached out and put her hand on his. "Lex thinks he knows your secret. He thinks you are an alien. All he's doing now is gathering enough proof."

Clark was dumbfounded. "What?"

"I've been going over it in my head, and I can see how you might be a meteor freak, like Tina and the others. That makes sense, but an alien I just can't see. You're nothing like those monsters that landed here this fall, nothing." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I can't believe that's even possible."

"Did you tell him that, Lana?" Clark asked, but he already knew the answer. Lex would not be dissuaded by Lana's opinion, no matter how strong his feelings were for her.

"I did." Lana's eyes filled with tears. "It was like he became another person. We fought all night. I told him I watched you die, and that maybe being a meteor freak helped you come back to life. " Lana leaned forward. "You need to be careful. He was very upset that someone named Bruce Wayne beat him at some auction, and now this. I don't think I could stand it if anything happened to you, or Chloe." She stood, picking up her book. "I'm going to get my tea to go."

"Lana, you can't go back there. If Lex finds out you spoke to me…"Clark put his hand on her arm. She smiled at him, more serenely than he'd ever seen her smile, and in spite of the stress she'd been under, Clark had never seen her more beautiful.

"He won't. And if he does, it doesn't matter. He knows I love him. And he loves me. That should be enough to keep me safe. Just you be careful." She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Give Chloe my love, Clark. Tell her I miss her." Lana walked quickly to the back office area of the Talon, and Clark looked down at the table for a moment. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. Lex was definitely on his trail now, and Lana, in her way, had tried to protect Clark by offering up the meteor freak explanation. But Lex was smarter than that, more willing to really look at the possibilities and potentials of having his own personal alien to control. Not for the first time, Clark remembered Lex's face when they had discussed Naman and Sageeth in the loft. Lex had been fascinated with the idea of Sageeth as an anti-hero, a being whose purpose was to keep the mighty Naman in check. The Kiwatchee people and Clark shared a different interpretation of that legend, but Lex had never really given up on the idea. The second meteor shower, the two disciples of Zod and Dr. Fine had only reinforced Lex's commitment to his cause.

"Now what?" Clark said aloud hopelessly, looking around the room. Not finding answers in the Egyptian décor, or the unknowing faces of the people around him, Clark reached into his wallet, dropped money on the table and left, leaving his pie and hot chocolate untouched. It was time to call Bruce Wayne.

The bouquet of sunflowers took up the lion's share of space on Chloe's desk. Once she had read the card, Chloe had to battle a fierce urge to drop the whole thing out the window, but the second floor would not have caused the kind of damage to the innocent flowers as she would have liked. That was Lex, though, playing both sides against the middle in a game that only he knew the rules to. Chloe had finished getting settled at her new desk, collected her pager and updated press pass from the division editor. Now loading her gift from General Sam Lane and Lois, that had been accompanied by a quick note from the General himself, one of those all in one phone/pda things – with all the data she could from her old cell phone and laptop.

"Hi, Chloe." She looked up, hearing Lex and his purred greeting. "Did you have lunch already?"
"Yes, with my Uncle Sam and Lois about ten minutes ago. What's up, Lex?" Chloe asked. She had always been able to play Lex's games, keep a poker face and not let him know he had gotten under her skin.

"Just wanted to stop by and see how you liked your new surroundings, and to check if my flowers came." Lex touched the petals of the sunflowers gently. "Lana told me you liked sunflowers."

"It was very nice of you." Chloe did not look at the flowers. "Thank you, Lex."

"So, I've been trying to get in touch with Bruce Wayne since your article came out, and no luck." Lex said neutrally. "But, I'm sure you have your methods."

"Actually, Lex, he found me." Chloe replied, folding her arms across her chest. "So no, other than calling his office, I don't have any secret way of getting to Bruce Wayne."

"Too bad. I was hoping to get a bunch of Excelsior alumni together for a mini reunion out at the mansion." Lex seemed to be waiting for something. He leaned over and picked up Chloe's new smartphone. "The General has good taste. Now I can see why my humble offering has fallen short." Setting the new phone back on the desk, he laughed and walked away, the words "Good luck, Chloe" drifting on the air behind him.

"Arrgh." Chloe groaned, dropping her hand to the desk. She felt paper under her hand, and picked it up. The card from Uncle Sam's gift. Chloe hadn't read it at lunch because her uncle had insisted she read it later. Being a military man, General Lane was unable to show his emotions, and unwilling to deal with emotional outbursts from others. Chloe opened it and read it, needing to be grounded after her Luthor encounter.

"This should keep you on track, baby doll. " the note read, and Chloe grinned. Her uncle's handwriting was heavy, blocky and authoritative, like the man himself. "Just don't go looking for any inside info from your Uncle Sam. I can tell you that your mom would be awful proud of you, baby doll. She really would. You're a lot like her, in all the ways she was great." Chloe wiped her eyes quickly, hoping no one around her noticed. "Couldn't be prouder of you if you were mine. Love, Uncle Sam." Chloe sighed, and her eye caught a post script, in Lois' loopy handwriting. "Just don't go text messaging Smallville with it all the time...i heart you is really just gross. L"

Chloe laughed. Lois's sense of humor was always enough to make a bad situation seem less bleak. Feeling a little better, Chloe sat back down to finish getting herself acclimated to the new space.

"Mr. Wayne?" Bruce looked up from his desk. His assistant stood in the doorway, a puzzled expression on her face.

"What is it, Rita?" He hated interruptions, but he felt badly for Rita. She put up with a lot in the line of duty, and today's barrage of calls after the Daily Planet interview hit the stands had been stressful to say the least.

"A Clark Kent is calling, sir. I don't remember seeing him on your list to put right through, but it sounds urgent."

"Put it through on the secure line." Bruce replied quickly, "And close the door."

"Yes, Mr. Wayne." Rita pulled the door closed. Two seconds later, the secure phone rang.

"Clark? Everything okay?" Bruce spoke without preamble or pretense at courtesy. If Clark was calling already, it had to be serious.

"I think we need to talk, Bruce." Clark Kent's voice was somber. "About Dr. Swann's research, and how it applies to me." Clark felt his resolve waiver. How do I know I can trust him? Clark's thoughts raced through his brain, fear making him cold as stone.

"Clark, if there is something in Dr. Swann's research that puts you in jeopardy, I want to know. But doing this on the phone is not smart. I can have a helicopter there for you in an hour. Is Chloe okay?"

Clark smiled in spite of himself. "No, there's no immediate danger and Chloe is fine. But I think I'm going to need more back up on this than Chloe and my Mom. There are things about me that people have been trying to find out for a long time. Somehow, I think you can relate to that." Clark heard Bruce Wayne's sharp intake of breath, and then the billionaire laughed. It was going to be alright, Clark thought, relieved. The instinct to trust Bruce Wayne with this was a good one.

"You got that right, kid. I know all about that. Get to Chloe, and I'll send the helicopter for you in Metropolis." Bruce looked at his watch. "Better still, get to the Metropolis Municipal Airstrip. Do you know where that is?"

Clark thought a moment. "That's on the North Side of town, right?"

"Yes. It will take me two hours to fly to Metropolis myself. Get to the airstrip with Chloe and wait for me. I'm on my way." Bruce hung up the phone and hit the intercom.

"Yes, Mr. Wayne?" Rita answered, as usual, immediately

"Call the airfield and have my new plane prepped for a trip."

"Mr. Wayne? The new plane isn't ready, sir. The test pilot said…"

"I know what the test pilot said, Rita. Just get it ready." Bruce hung up the intercom and got up. Time to take the new bird for a spin. If the specs were right, and Wayne Aeronautics had done their job, she should make Metropolis in an hour.

Clark arrived at the Daily Planet in about ten seconds after he ended his call with Bruce Wayne. He found Chloe at her desk, working on an article she'd been assigned by the floor editor. She was frowning at the monitor, and Clark grinned just watching her.

She looked up, spotted him and waved happily.

"Hey, you're early!" She said, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. "I'm starving."

"Chloe, listen." Clark put his hands on her shoulders. "We need to get to Metropolis Municipal Airfield. Bruce Wayne is coming to meet us."

"Why?" Chloe's eyes were filled with questions. "What's going on, Clark? Is everything okay?"

"Let's get out of here." Clark said simply. "I'll tell you everything when we are out of here."

"Okay, Clark." Chloe did not question him further. She gathered her things, handed Clark her laptop and slid her hand into his. "Lead on, Kent."

"Bruce, Bruce!" Lucius Fox ran to catch up with Bruce Wayne. "Slow down, Bruce. I'm an old man!"

Bruce turned, grinning. "The last time I called you 'old man', you changed the command codes in the Tumbler and I had to hot wire the thing to get it going."

"Rita told me you want to take the stealth jet out. You know it's not really ready for use. I can't guarantee all the systems will be completely functional." The new C.E.O. of Wayne Industries took a deep breath in. "Are you sure you want to take it out?"

"Lucius, it will be fine. Just a short trip to," Bruce began, and his friend raised his hands.

"Remember, I'd rather not know what's up. Just be careful, and remember your fuel reserves are limited. There are three charged canisters of fuel in the storage hold, but they are really only for emergencies." The older black man instructed, "Everything else is touch and voice command, and I've already contacted the test pilot and told him to be ready to go with you." The elevator chime bonged gently, and Bruce Wayne raised an eyebrow as he thought over this last bit of information. The elevator doors opened, and Bruce got in.

"Call him back, Lucius. I won't need the pilot. I'm going solo." The elevator doors closed before Lucius could argue the point any further.

Clark and Chloe made it to the municipal airstrip in plenty of time. Clark had filled Chloe in on the details, meeting Lana at the Talon, talking to Bruce Wayne and the decision to tell Bruce Wayne about his secret. Now, they were standing behind the fence, watching the private jets take off and land while they waited for Bruce to arrive.

"Clark, have you lost your mind?" Chloe was aghast. "How do you know that you can trust Bruce Wayne with this secret? I mean, you've known Lex forever, and you could have told him at any time, and you realized you couldn't. You know Bruce Wayne what, all of five minutes, and you're okay with him knowing?"

"First of all, Chloe, Dr. Swann was willing to trust him with the data. He had to know Bruce Wayne wasn't going to drop it all off in some warehouse forever. Second, if one billionaire will stop at nothing to get at my secret, one knowing my secret can be a powerful ally, and third, Chloe, I'm all out of ideas. This is big – and I think that Bruce Wayne can help me." Clark pulled Chloe close. "And the one thing we learned about Bruce is that he's a good man with other people's secrets."

"I don't know, Clark." Chloe shook her head, and then rested it against Clark's chest.

"I'm not feeling very good about this." Suddenly, Chloe looked out toward the end of the runway, and gasped. "Clark, what the heck is that?"

A black boomerang shape cut through the eastern sky, slicing the impending dusk almost silently. There was no engine whine, no rumble of the landing gear as they extended. The wheels of the jet screeched on the tarmac, the air brakes and flaps marred the smooth lines of the wings. The matte black jet came to a halt, and the hatch opened with a hiss. Bruce Wayne, flight suited and looking quite pleased emerged. He looked around, and spotting Clark and Chloe, waved.

"Come on, Chloe." Clark kissed Chloe on the head, and led her toward the plane.

"You don't think I'm getting in that thing, do you?" Chloe asked, her apprehension a near physical presence between them. Clark ignored her fear and gently pulled her along behind him.

Bruce Wayne reappeared at the hatch. "The brave and intrepid reporter, Chloe Sullivan afraid of a little experimental jet? My, my." He was almost jovial, and his gentle mocking tone did for Chloe what no amount of encouragement from Clark could have. Chloe swallowed, and climbed the short stairs into the jet. Clark, amused at Chloe's response to Bruce Wayne's unspoken dare, laughed out loud, in spite of himself.

"You can't keep a Sullivan girl down." Clark said, putting his arm around Chloe. But the inside of the jet was all Clark could see. His curiosity was nearly overwhelming – Clark wanted to check every control, examine every screen. But he kept his arm around Chloe, who seemed to be experiencing the same sense of awe.

"Good." Bruce Wayne nodded, his face solemn again. "You're going to need to be tough, Chloe."

"I'm okay, really." Chloe said, looking around the cabin. Except it wasn't a cabin, not like the comfortable, luxurious cabin of Bruce's private jet. No one was playing Star Wars video games here. There were no windows, and there were all kinds of panels and controls, lights and buttons the whole length of the cabin, one end contained the command center, complete with four seats that looked like they'd been lifted from a space shuttle. The other end had a wall, with two doors.

"Yeah, I know." Bruce looked around himself proudly. "The back two areas are storage on the left, and a small crew area, with a small kitchen and rest room on the right. We put something less complicated together for the military, but this is built to spec."

"If it has a transporter pad, I'm so out of here." Chloe laughed, hiding her nervousness, and Bruce laughed with her.

"I don't know, Clark, should I show her the teleporter, or wait until Mr. Spock is done setting the coordinates for the Gamma Quadrant?"

Clark had been looking around in awe. "This thing can break the sound barrier, can't it?"

"It could, but then that defeats the purpose. I designed it for low and fast – keeping out of any radar at all. The hull is completely soundproof, and nothing, I mean nothing gets out of here. " Bruce pulled the hatch shut. "If anyone placed unauthorized surveillance equipment on this, they wouldn't get anything back but static." He moved into the pilot's seat and put on his 5 point restraint harness. "You two better get locked in. We've got some serious flying to do.'

They had been in the air about twenty minutes before Bruce engaged the auto-pilot and turned to Clark. No one had spoken a word the whole time, and Clark was pretty sure that Chloe's grip had cut off circulation in his hand.

"Okay, now that we are up, I have a few things I'd like to get said." Bruce pivoted his chair and accessed the computer screen on his right. Clark and Chloe could easily see the screen. "Clark, you don't need to tell me what Lex wants to know. I figured it out already." A simulation of a meteor shower, the first one, appeared on the screen. "Dr. Swann gave me the figures, and I did the rest of the math myself. Not being a big believer in extra terrestrial life, I was suspicious, but I refuse to believe that Virgil could have been that wrong about anything." Bruce watched Clark's face. "So, nice to meet you, Kal-El."

"But if you already knew, when did you figure it out?" Chloe asked, amazed.

"I'd known about Kal-El before I'd met either of you at the RiverWalk Festival, but didn't make the connection until I got back to Gotham. That's why I set up the interview, and why I wanted to Clark to be there. I didn't know if Clark was Kal-El himself, or was in some way connected to Kal-El, like helping Virgil track him down. Right before our interview, it all came together for me." Bruce nodded. "It occurred to me that if Lex was your neighbor and he hadn't figured it all out yet, then someone was doing a pretty good job of covering your tracks." The billionaire turned and smiled at Chloe, who had lost her fear of the unknown jet in the shock of Bruce's revelation. "So, now the million dollar question, Clark. Why don't you want Lex to know what's going on? I'd lay odds that you've had some run-ins with him already, and your instincts are to let him linger in his ignorance for a good long while yet."

"I never told Lex because I was…" Clark began, and after a pause, "Afraid. I was afraid they'd find a way to lock me in a lab, experimenting on me. Lex has a whole collection of meteor freaks and genetic anomalies in a place called area 33.1"

"We don't know for sure the place exists, Clark." Chloe added. "All I had was the word of a psycho computer programmer, an energy freak and our favorite vigilante Andrea. Not exactly the testimony of unimpeachable sources." She rolled her eyes. "The Luthors are two things, desperately power hungry, and.."

"The other is insanely curious." Bruce laughed. "Lex is always looking for the edge, and sometimes the edge is just playing things cool and hanging back. But Lex never knew that; given Lionel, Lex may never learn that. Their lust for power and information will be their undoing, Clark, it's just going to take time. As for Area 33.1, I've heard rumors about a place doing testing on meta-humans, but I didn't have much to go on. I'd ruled out Gotham City as the testing grounds, but didn't think about Metropolis."

"But you weren't going to say anything about me, even though you knew." Clark spoke again, his voice full of shock. "And now that I've told you, you could be taking me to a testing center now. We don't even know where we're going."

"Why? You don't build trust with someone by slapping them with their secrets, Clark. I figured when you were ready, you'd tell me what you wanted me to know. When I got your call today, I knew you were ready to tell me. As for genetic testing on aliens, I think that's a little out there, even for me." Bruce looked back at the auto-pilot. "We're almost at our destination now. I wanted to bring you to the most secure place I could think of." He turned and took the controls of the plane again. "We'll be there in ten minutes. Oh, and Chloe," He turned to look at Chloe over his shoulder. "I trust you, but this may be more than your little reporter's heart can stand, so, I'm giving you a warning. If word of anything you see or hear in the next hour makes it into any paper, any where in the world, your career as a journalist is over." He turned back and dipped the plane into a sharp dive, guiding it into a large, oblong cave. Bruce landed the jet and undid his straps.

"We're here." He got up and held out a hand to Chloe. "Clark, I brought you here as a quid-pro-quo. I know about you, and now it's time to tell you more about myself. We all have secrets, and this is mine."

Chloe stood alone, looking around her. Nothing she'd ever seen in her life could have prepared her for this. All around her were examples of technology that the world had never seen, and a glass case, roughly seven feet tall and lit from within was a suit of body armor that Chloe swore she'd dreamt about in her nightmares. There was a sparring ring, several examples of rare Tibetan weapons, and a computer set up that would have made Bill Gates weep with envy. A shrill scream sounded from over head, coupled with the sound of many leathery wings flapping caused Chloe to cover her head and duck. As she rose, she spotted Clark, who was also looking around in amazement, but he had followed Bruce to the computer area, where a 72 inch monitor glowed to life.

"Clark, Chloe, welcome to the Bat Cave." Bruce gestured around him. "I've still got a lot of work to do on it – it's not really perfected yet, but it's home."

"Home?" Chloe found her voice. "This is your home?"

"Well, not technically, I don't get my mail here." Bruce turned around and looked at Chloe. "Come on, Sullivan. Is that really the best you can do?"

"You're that vigilante that's been working on cleaning up Gotham City." Chloe's eyes widened as realization dawned across her face. "You're Batman." Her fingers twitched and Clark knew she was dying to write it down.

Clark turned and looked at his new friend, aghast. "You're Batman? THE Batman?"

"That's what they call me, and yes, I guess it works. I want people to be intimidated by this, it's really a powerful tool, intimidation." Bruce shrugged. He was more relaxed and at ease then he had ever appeared thus far, and Clark liked this Bruce Wayne very much. "I'm not a meta-human, I have no amazing powers. Just me, my gadgets, and..."

"An IQ equal to Albert Einstein." Chloe added, looking around. "I can't believe it, Bruce Wayne, the playboy tycoon by day, hero by night." She looked at the body armor again and shuddered.

Bruce smiled. " Look, Clark. I wanted to you to see this, because I wanted to help you understand that I won't ever betray you. I'm honored that you told me your secret, and I'm returning the favor by showing you mine." There was a click, and then the sound of Alfred, Bruce's loyal assistant, echoed through the cavern.

"Mr. Bruce, shall I bring refreshments down for you and your guests? I'm sure their flight was quite unnerving, and the tour of your, ehem, den has left them needing some strong tea."

"Yes, Alfred, quite right." Bruce nodded. "We'll take it all here, if you don't mind."

"No, sir, of course not. Would Mr. Kent like some apple pie? It's not homemade of course, this being cooks night off, but I assure you, it's very good."

Clark gasped and looked at Bruce, who merely shrugged. "I don't even know how he does it, Clark. Just go with it."

"Um, yes, thank you, Mr. Pennyworth." Clark replied and the older British man chuckled.

"No sir, I'm just Alfred. I'll be down directly." There was another click and the intercom turned off.

"Alfred raised me after my parents died. My uncle lived with us for awhile, but he died right before I went to Excelsior." Bruce began his story simply. "I spent a long time grieving for my parents, wishing I could get them back, get back at whoever had pulled the trigger. Sending their murderer to jail was not enough." His hand touched a photograph of a couple and a small boy. Silently, Bruce handed the photo to Chloe who took it, eager to study the faces in it. "Did I ever tell you, Clark, that my mother's name was Martha? I thought about that when I saw your dossier in Dr. Swann's research." Bruce looked up at the computer screen. "It became a life quest for me, to stop anyone from suffering the way I had. But it didn't help." Bruce looked over at Clark. "You just lost your father, didn't you?"

"Yes, the night he was elected State Senator." Clark nodded. "That's how Mom got the job."

"I'm going to give you some advice, Clark. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way. Your pain, your suffering, and even your love, "He looked over at Chloe. "Can be weapons that are used against you. I learned that, and when I said goodbye to my 'Chloe Sullivan' it was the one of the hardest things I've ever had to do." Bruce clapped a hand on Clark's shoulder. "But you are different than I am. Super powered, stronger than steel. I know that Dr. Swann found messages from your home world about your destiny being to conquer, but I'll tell you Clark." Bruce's face was somber, and he suddenly looked very, very old. "There is more merit in stopping those who would destroy, those who would live outside the laws and gorge themselves on the blood, sweat and tears of the average person. Being a tycoon is really my part-time job." Bruce released Clark's shoulder. "What you have to decide is, are you ready to do what it takes to become who you are meant to become, without anyone else's expectations get in the way?."

"All I've ever wanted to be was normal." Clark replied, as Alfred made his way toward them, from some unseen passage. "That was all I ever wanted." His eyes sought out Chloe, who was gratefully accepting a hot cup of tea and a large sweater from Alfred.

"Me too, kid. Me too." Bruce nodded, his nearly black eyes full of a sadness that Clark recognized from his own grief. "But that's not what hand we were dealt. And, Clark, I meant it about Chloe. She's one in a million. Don't let her go, and don't end up like me, alone and in the dark."

Lana sat alone in the screened in porch of the guesthouse. Her high school yearbook sat on the table beside her, and Lex's bouquet of irises were on the counter, in a vase Lana had kept from the days when Aunt Nell owned the town florist shop. The last few days had given Lana an education that she had never bargained for. Lex's Clark Kent museum had only been the tip of the iceberg. Since that night, whether because he was plagued by insecurity, or trying to lead her to betray him, Lex's moods had been black, sinister even, and Lana had on more than one occasion wondered if she had done the right thing getting so involved with Lex this fast. She had been sitting on this porch for hours, the tea beside her was ice cold. Not for the first time, Lana wondered about Lex's mother, and why she hadn't had the foresight to kill Lex in his cradle to protect him from Lionel, instead of waiting for Julian to be born. The disgust and loathing that had sprouted during her tour of Lex's secret room had grown and intertwined with her love for Lex, which had been all consuming and sudden, and the fruit that was borne of that tragic combination was bitter in Lana's heart. And Lex was the product of another woman's tragic love and bitterness. And Lana knew, that no matter what happened, her place was with him, to make things right for him as well as she could. And if that meant letting Clark know if there was trouble brewing before Lex could get himself in deeper, that's what Lana would do. It was for Lex's own good.

"It's cold out here." Lex said, entering the porch without making a sound. He draped Lana's pink blanket around her shoulders. "You'll catch your death."

"I'm just sitting here thinking." Lana said after a long moment of silence. "I'm thinking about what your father said to me last week."

"Lana, not again." Lex sighed impatiently. "I'm not going over this again. Weren't the flowers enough of an apology for yesterday?"

"No, it's not that. The flowers are beautiful. I know you love me." Lana reached for Lex's hand. "I was just thinking about what made Lionel so bitter. Why he is so anxious to see you hurt." She kissed Lex's hand. "I thought parents were supposed to love their children."

Lex nodded. "That's the major consensus. But my father is not the norm. Have you really been sitting out here all this time thinking about that?" He pulled Lana from her chair and hugged her, reveling in the softness of her hair, and the warmness of her body.

"I was just thinking about what I would do to keep someone I love from hurting themselves." Lana said softly into his chest.

"Me, too." Lex willed the image of Lana and Clark together at the Talon today to go away, and to ignore the yearbook on the table. Old feelings didn't matter anymore. Only the future mattered. And Lana, whatever petty betrayal she dished out, was a large part of the future Lex had planned for himself.

Tuesday. It was almost dawn when Bruce's stealth jet touched down at Smallvilles airport. They had spent the entire night in talking, Clark and Bruce going over the volumes of Dr. Swann's research. The friendly atmosphere had nearly vanished when Bruce suggested to Clark that flying would probably be a good idea. Clark had immediately shut down the idea, and Bruce had seemingly given up, but had handed Chloe a CD-ROM that detailed Dr. Swann's speculations on that still as yet untapped ability of Clarks. And it seemed, for the first time since Chloe knew Clark, that he had begun to truly embrace his potential, to become a hero, not a conqueror. She had never been more proud of him. Clark and Chloe said their goodbyes to Bruce, but not before Bruce extracted from Chloe yet another promise to not write about anything she had seen and heard that night. Clark could feel Chloe's resistance to that promise, but she gave it anyway. There were tears in her eyes when she hugged Bruce after her promise, and she nearly gasped when he folded his arms around her too, giving her a brotherly hug. Bruce leaned down and whispered something to Chloe, causing her to release him and look into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity. When she turned away, Chloe's face was a study in grief, but Clark saw something else, something he'd never seen before in her eyes. She went to Clark and put her arms around him, and sobbed twice, before wiping her face.

"Clark." Bruce held out his hand. "I won't call you Kal. It doesn't fit you, that name, does it." Bruce tipped his head and studied Clark in the new light of the morning. "You look like a Superman to me."

"Superman." Clark raised his eyebrows, saying the word doubtfully.

"Well, maybe not." Bruce teased. "I'd call you Robin, but you don't fly. How about Running Guy, or Super X-Ray Man?" Clark could sense the same unspoken dare Bruce had used to get Chloe into the stealth jet. "You'll never know until you take off, Clark."

Clark shook Bruce's hand. "When I do fly, Bruce, you'll be the first to know, well, after Chloe and Mom. And as for a secret identity, Batman, I am definitely not a Robin."

"You're right." Bruce laughed, releasing Clark's hand. "Don't worry about Lex, Clark. I'll distract him for awhile, keep him off your trail." With a parting wave, he climbed back into the jet and then turned around. "Clark!"

Clark and Chloe turned around. Bruce was leaning out of the hatch opening.

"The day is going to come, Clark, when you are not going to be able to hide in Smallville, Kansas anymore. That's the day you will truly realize that your being here on Earth is only the beginning of a bigger destiny. You'll be ready to use your powers to help others, and yes, you'll fly. There are people out there who will need help, and it will be

the kind of help that only you can give. When all that comes together for you, I'll be there to help you get started, if you need to. Meanwhile, have fun. Enjoy what time you have. " He gave them a small, sharp wave and pulled the hatch closed.

"That was the strangest night, ever." Chloe said, snuggling close, Clark's arm a comforting presence on her shoulder.

"Stranger than the night you were possessed, kidnapped and held in a mass murderers basement? Stranger than being transported to a fortress of ice in the middle of the Arctic wasteland? Stranger than…."Clark rattled off the litany of their adventures, and Chloe laughed.

"Okay, okay, it's definitely up there on the weird-o-meter, though. I would have never thought Bruce Wayne was the Batman of Gotham City. " She looked around cautiously.

"It's amazing how he's been able to compensate for not having super-powers. And all of the people he's helped. Did you know that the Ra's Al Ghul crime syndicate took a big hit when Batman started working in Gotham City?" Chloe looked up into Clark's face. It was obvious he had no idea who Ra's Al Ghul was. "Really, Clark, what do you read in the newspaper? The comics and the weather?"

"I like the sports section, too." Clark said, letting Chloe punch him in the arm. "And your articles."

"There is a lot of good to be done in Metropolis, Clark. And you could do it." Chloe said, changing tactics. "Maybe Bruce Wayne isn't entirely wrong."

"Wrong about what?" Clark scooped Chloe up into his arms. "Ready to go home?"

"No, not yet." Chloe said, enjoying being held by Clark this way. "Bruce wasn't wrong about you being a Superman. I mean, I've always thought you were pretty Super, Clark."

"Chloe," Clark warned, loving how her grin widened and how the dawn touched her face and made it glow. He didn't want to think about Bruce Wayne anymore. He wanted to lose himself in this beautiful girl in his arms and forget everything. For now. But, Chloe was Chloe, and she was not letting it drop.

"Only I don't see you in black. That's Bruce Wayne's deal. No, I see you in blue, with a red cape. Wouldn't that be nice, Clark?" Chloe reached up and kissed him. "Girls love a hero. And you look amazing in blue and red." She said, breaking the kiss and looking into his blue-green eyes.

"The only girl I care about is about to get super-speeded back to my loft. And no, no way I'm wearing a red cape, ever." Clark kissed her nose. "Hang on, Chloe."

They took off together, Clark holding Chloe tightly against him, faster than the eye could see.

"Alfred." Bruce Wayne spoke into the headset microphone. The camera on the bottom of the plane caught Clark and Chloe before they vanished, and Bruce smiled.

"Good morning, sir. Are your friends home safely?" Alfred asked neutrally.

'Safe and sound, Alfred. Listen, I need two favors. First, call Rita and cancel everything today, then have her call Lex Luthor. "

"Lex Luthor, sir?" The British man was non-plussed.

"Yes. I'd like to talk to him about becoming my partner in acquiring a major league baseball team. Make arrangements for a day at Green Socks Stadium. Let's get Mr. Luthor nice and distracted, until Clark finds his feet."

"You mean his wings, don't you sir?" Alfred chuckled and Bruce smiled.

"I say feet, you say wings, Alfred. Then get Lucius Fox on the phone and tell him I want to know all about parachute material."

"Parachute material, sir?" Alfred usually did not question Bruce, but today he sensed a change in Bruce's demeanor, a slight lightening of spirit.

"Yes." Bruce replied simply. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason, Mr. Bruce. It just seemed like an odd request at 6:30 in the morning. And, if you don't mind my saying so, sir, you seem a little more relaxed today."

"You know, Alfred, I think I'm going to be getting some help keeping things in this crazy world we're in in some order before long." Bruce nodded. "And I could definitely stand knowing there was someone out there on my side."

"That would be nice, sir." Alfred sighed, feeling a bit relieved himself. It would be good to know that Bruce finally had allies that could fight with him. It would be good for him to finally have friends that he can trust, Alfred thought. I won't be here for him forever.