Disclaimer: I own nada.

A/N (#0.5): LOL I MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE LAST TIME! In my daze and rush, I completely forgot to remove one scene! So here's, um, the final version xD

A/N (#1): Another chapter, woot woot~! You must be wondering why I'm updating lately (or not), it's because we finally have net again! YEEEZ! I'll finally live once again *insert intense sobbing* I feel reborn! Even though it's as fickle as a woman's mind and mood. This, coming from a woman herself, haha. Although, as always, don't expect me to update consistently cuz midterms is hell and finals is just around the corner like Christmas, expect creepier and full of dread. Ugh. Anyways, enjoy and leave a review if you can!

NOTE: Please, go back to the previous chapter (Chapter 4) and read it again. Or more specifically, only the part where Bruce is cradling Dick to sleep, and yes, you guess right, I inserted Bruce singing in there once again *winks winks*

WARNING: Umm… a sappy moment and fighting scenes that absolutely sucks. Apparently I couldn't write a fighting and a love scene to save myself, haha. And grammar mistakes because I don't have any beta's and English is not my first language sorry T_T VERY LONG CHAPTER AHEAD.

Rewritten: 04.12.2017


Chapter 5: When Eyes Met

They were half-way through the first part of the concert and Bruce actually found himself having a great time. For one, there were no snotty, uptight socialites that he have to deal with (some of them actually donated some money for this, but they didn't bother to attend because it wasn't somewhere classy); two, seeing the faces of the children from different orphanages was totally worth the money and time he spent; three, being surrounded by his friends actually feels nice and four it has to do with the little bundle of joy in his lap. They were all having a really, good time.

Dick woke up before they have to go on-stage but refused to let go of Bruce nor to be put down and clung to his neck tightly, pouting fully all the time. Bruce quickly gave up and walked on- stage with Dick clinging to him like a baby koala; he flashed his unnervingly charming smile and Dick, being a good boy did as he what told earlier; he smiled and waved to everyone for a few minutes before burying his face back in his Daddy's neck. The media, of course, ate it up like hungry hyenas and flashed their cameras all the way as Bruce walked to their assigned platform and sat down in the chair assigned to him. He placed Dick on his lap, already knowing that Dick would refuse to sit next to him- not that he got any complains. To his right sat Mare, and to his left sat Jim Gordon, next to Jim, of course, was his daughter Barbara and next to Barbara were two empty seats. They were in a platform made for them as they were the 'guests of honour'; and right in front of them, rows of seats are lined up where the audience and reporters were seated who were facing the center stage, but they still got a nice view of the stage of course.

Right now, Bruce and the others were watching the band that apparently had dedicated a song to Batman- touching really, but it's not Bruce's type- and the answer to his unanswered musings about the Batman costume has been revealed. The man in the Batman costume was now mingling and dancing between the audience's seats, encouraging them to sing or dance or both along. Children of all ages loved it and keep reaching out to the Batman. Bruce smiled as he watched this, an oddly relaxing feeling shot through him for a moment before it disappeared.

A movement to his right caught his attention and he looks at Mare- who was looking at the darkening sky, down at her watch and back again to the sky- and raised a brow.

"Expecting someone or something falling out of the sky?"

Mare jumped in her seat and looks at him like a deer caught in a headlight. "H-how did y-you know a-about t-that?"

Know about what? Now this got Bruce confused and concerned but he didn't show it, instead he chose to reply playfully. "You are looking at the sky."

Mare blinked slowly at him, and it took her a moment to realize that Bruce was only joking. She laughed, sounding more like a sigh of relief. "Oh my God, you got me for a second there Bruce, I thought you caught me!"

Bruce smirked and feigned indifference. "So, what is it this you're hiding eh, Mayor?"

"Fine, I'll tell you," she sighed and shrugged, "you'll see him anyway and this is supposed to be a super-secret for the kids, okay?" She looks at the sky again, this time a little frightened. "And I really, really hope that the big, bad bat of Gotham won't get mad at me. I heard from Jim that he's quiet territorial over Gotham."

Bruce cocked his head to the side; utterly confused and his brain working in overdrive. Him? Who? Super-secret for the kids? And what does me being territorial got to do about it? So what if I don't want any other heroes in Gotham City, this is my city. The meta-humans or- Bruce felt his brain short circuit as realization dawned upon him.

Mare kept talking, completely unaware of the internal dilemma her friend is going through. "—I guess if Gotham City was yours and mine during the day, Gotham City pretty much belonged to Batman at night."

You got that right. So why did "You invited Superman."

"Yes." Mare winced. "Look, I heard the hero loves kids and vice versa so I thought the kids would love it if Superman was here. I invited him as a surprise for the kids and probably to all of the people here. That's why I am worried about Batman's reaction to this- I don't want to face the wrath of the hero of Gotham."

"Yet you invited Superman."

"It's for a good cause!"

"So you invited Superman."

"Yes! And that's why I'm telling you about Batman!"

"Because you invited Superman."

"Uh-huh! Bruce-"

"Did he agree? Will he come?"

"Yeees," Mare said slowly while looking at her watch and then up to the sky, "in fact he should be here any minute now."

As if on cue, a red and blue blur zipped across the sky causing the people to jump in surprise from the sudden wind. On instinct, Bruce bent over Dick protectively and covered him from the harsh wind until it passed through them.

"Whoa, what was that?" Dick asked in curiosity and slight awe. Bruce's Daddybat's instincts were screaming at him to take Dick away from here before his hero worshipping switched from Batman to Superman. Bruce groaned inwardly but stayed put as Mare stood up and walked back to the stage.

Bruce rolled his eyes internally and sighed. Too late, his instincts told him dejectedly.

Besides him, Jim abruptly sat back on his chair heavily; as if his bones stopped supporting his body, and rubbed his forehead. He let out a long, deep sigh that got Bruce slightly worried.

"Is there a problem, Commissioner?"

Jim looks at him with tired eyes and gestured towards Superman who was now greeting the audience. "Looks like I've got a lot of explaining to do to Batman tonight." He straightened himself before adding dryly, "Hope he's in a good mood."

Before he could form a reply, another movement caught Bruce's attention from the corner of his vision but he dismissed it as someone who is part of the concert's crew just moving around, despite the sudden apprehensive feeling he got in his chest, he rationalized that nobody suspicious could got in easily.

Dick squirmed in his lap, fidgeting from right to left and back again. Bruce frowns down at him. "Dick, are you feeling alright?"

Dick looks at up at him, an uncomfortable expression on his adorable face. Bruce's heart clenched with worry, what got his baby bird uneasy?

"I'm…" Dick starts, then falters as he looks down on his lap where his hands were clasped together and twiddling his thumbs, "I- I don't know e- exactly…I j-just suddenly feel…queasy, I guess?" His baby blue eyes nervously flick around the concert grounds and his eyebrows forms a little 'v' between them. "I h- had a bad feeling…" he mumbles softly.

Bruce worriedly looks at him and scanned the concert grounds himself. The suspicious movements he kept noticing earlier ceased and he sees nothing out of place or relatively suspicious. Still, Dick's sudden queasiness only heightened Bruce's feeling that something is going on. Dick grew up with the Amazons after all; he was raised and trained to be sharp like a warrior. Bruce doesn't know what's going to happen and he hates it. He got a gut feeling that he's not going to like whatever's going down one bit.

Everyone kept quiet as the mayor took the microphone from Vicki Vale and beamed at them; albeit a little nervously. She glanced briefly at the sky before addressing them.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Mayor Marion Grange of Gotham City as you all know. Tonight, I have invited a very special guest to join us for this event." She paused as murmurs broke throughout the crowd. "May I present to you, the Man of Steel, SUPERMAN!" (1)

Before the crowd could even process what the Mayor said, the stage exploded.


The audience panicked and run for cover or to the exit. Some children tripped and narrowly missed being trampled upon. The crew came out of the backstage and started helping people out of the concert grounds and take cover for themselves. Flaming debris arched out to the sky and into the ground; falling dangerously closed to some people. Jim and Bruce jumped out of their seats, both of them clutching their own child protectively. They locked eyes but before one of them could utter a word Barbara screamed as a huge, blazing debris was coming their way, she screamed again as Jim pulled her into his arms and jumped down the platform with Bruce and run madly for cover. They barely ducked behind some row of chairs before the platform exploded behind them. Dick and Barbara screamed as they heard the explosion; both of them covered protectively by their fathers. Breathing heavily, Jim dared to peek his head out to look at the platform and almost instantly pulled it back as a series of explosion went off. The people screamed as the concert ground's barriers exploded and armed men with guns entered, blocking the people's path and surrounding the entire ground.

"Daddy, what's going on?" Dick asked looking up at Bruce, small voice and big blue eyes reflecting every ounce of fear the little boy's feeling. He clutched Bruce tightly and Bruce squeezed him back.

"It's the Joker's goons!" Barbara screamed as she got a clear look at the armed men with manic expressions on their faces. "Daddy it's the Joker!"

Jim frowned, confused. That can't be right, he thought, Batman caught the Joker three nights ago and if his body's condition is any indication he won't be able to go out of Arkham for at least three months.

Bruce frowned too, thinking of the same thing. Damn, what is going on here? I can't and I am not leaving Dick and I can't change into Batman without exposing my identity plus I don't have my costume. He felt his inner coat pocket as well as his pants' pocket, feeling slightly relieved of his few gadgets there. And where is Superman and Mare?

A single gunshot rung out and people automatically ducked upon hearing the sound. Bruce and Jim both poked their heads out to look at the source and found a scary sight. People, especially and mostly kids, we're cowering away from the goons everywhere, they were slowly getting herded into a small circle at the center of the ground where more goons were waiting. Some reporters of course, will always be reporters despite their situation and were filming the whole scenario. Harley Quinn stood atop the debris of the stage holding out a gun and her hammer on the other hand. She had a crazy grin on her face as usual, but there is something wrong with her.

"BATMAAAAAN! COME OUT, COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE~!" Harley sing- sang at the top of her lungs. "COME ON ITS ALREADY DARK ENOUGH FOR YOU TO COME OUT RIGHT?! WHERE ARE YOU~?"

She stumbled on her perch a little but continued to shout for Batman. "BATMAN! COME OOOOUT~! I GOT INNOCENT PEOPLE HERE! AND I'M GONNA SHOOT THEM ONE BY ONE UNTIL YOU SHOW YOURSELF!"

Bruce and Jim's eyes widened, this is bad. Harley Quinn sounded serious and she looks out of her mind more than ever. Her eyes were wide and dilated, red rings surrounding them, and her maniacal grin was spread over her face more than the Joker's it got to hurt. What are they going to do now? Police and fire trucks sirens sounded in the distance but it's a long way off. They don't know what Harley Quinn will do in that small span of time. They have to do something.

Another shot was released and all of them dropped to the ground. Harley was red in the face now as she screamed again, "BATMAN! I AM GETTING IMPATIENT! COME ON OUT OR THE NEXT BULLET WILL BE ON A KID'S HEAD! BATMAN COME OUT AND TAKE ME TO ARKHAM TOO! BRING ME BACK TO MY PUMPKIN! I WANT MY MISTAH J BACK!"

Is this what is this about? Bruce thought furiously. She wants to be with The Joker? If that's so why is she doing something this large? Normally she will commit a crime enough to get his attention and get her to Arkham. Something's seriously wrong with her tonight.

"Daddy, I'm scared." Dick cried, tears rolling off his eyes. "Where's Batman? Or Superman? Where is Aunt Mare?" Bruce looked down at him sadly, cursing himself internally for not being able to do anything. He got to protect Dick and the people here no matter what happens.

"BATMAAAAN~! I AM WAIT-HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" Harley swayed on her feet, flailing her arms wildly as the mountain of debris she stood upon started to move. "HEY! WHAT'S THE- AHHHHH!"


Superman bursts out of the rubble just beside Harley who had fallen on her butt. He floated heroically above the debris and the people instantly cheered at his appearance; relieved. They were safe! In his arms, he was holding an unconscious Vicki Vale and one badly wounded Mayor. His unnatural blue eyes eyed the scene in front of him and scowled. What's going on here?

"IT'S SUPERMAN!" The crowd cheers despite being surrounded by armed men on all sides.

"HEY! YOU'RE NOT BATSY!" Harley screamed from her sit, gun pointed accusingly at Superman. "YOU'RE NOT EVEN FROM HERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! YOU'RE NOT THE ONE THAT I WANT! GO AWAY!"

Superman glared at the sight of the gun pointed at him and promptly melted it with his laser eyes. While Harley Quinn panicked over her burned hand and melted gun, he dropped the Mayor to the ground and handed her the unconscious woman.

"Go," Superman said to them. "Find someplace safe where you could hide."

Superman could see the hesitation in the Mayor's eyes, obviously worried about him, but then she shook her head and looks at him meaningfully before half- dragging and half- carrying the female reporter away from him.

Not far off from the destroyed stage, Bruce and Jim we're having a silent debate. Bruce was volunteering himself; he's Batman (not that the Commissioner knows that) and he can run faster than Jim, and Jim was adamantly refusing him; there was no way he will let Bruce Wayne endanger his life, God only knows how much Gotham needs a person like him.

Dick noticed their debate and his eyes widened, even more frightened. "Daddy you're not planning something reckless, are you?"

Barbara unburied her head out of his father's chest and looks up at him with wide eyes. "You are?!"

Jim groaned internally. He kisses his daughter's forehead and hugs her tightly before promptly dropping her in Bruce's lap besides Dick. "This argument is over. I am going out there because I am a police it's my job. You stay put here Mr. Wayne lest you got yourself killed. You protect the children." With that he run out of their hiding spot, effectively catching some of the goons' attention, they started shooting and chasing him instantly.

Barbara's scream of Daddy was cut off as Bruce hastily covered her mouth with his hand. Tears streamed out of her wide blue eyes as she could only listen to the guns ringing shot after shot.


Harley jumped to her feet in surprise as gunshots rang throughout the ground. She whirled around and saw her goons chasing after a large man. She squinted and her eyes widened in delight as she saw that annoying, good-for- nothing, uptight man who calls himself the Commissioner of this freaking city. "Get him! Get him! GET HIIIM! HE CAN BE USED AS A MUCH MORE GREATER LEVERAGE AGAINST BATMAN! GET HIM!"

Harley grinned triumphantly; she can almost feel her impending victory- but apparently not her impending doom. She turned back around as she remembers that she got company, to her horror she found Superman flying a little meters towards her. She swung her hammer almost instinctively as he came within a feet from her and heard a satisfying crack as Superman was thrown against the wall.

She breathes heavily, arm still in position from her throw, a slow maniacal grin splits her face as her wide eyes watches as Superman struggles to stands up nursing a broken jaw. She cackled a broken laugh. "HA! Take that Man of Steel you're nothing but- ugh!"

Harley feels like she's flying, only backwards. All too soon for her liking it stopped as her back hit something hard and she dropped to the ground letting out a scream of pain. She looks up at Superman who was looking down at her with an uncertain look on his face.

Oh my, she grins up at him widely, he's afraid of hitting a woman. This'll be fun.

She stood up and attacked him without thinking. But not before throwing a time bomb in a random direction.


Barbara had calmed down enough to watch silently as his father got caught and get dragged to the other victims. One goon, who is obviously enjoying this event far too much, smacked the back of her father's head with the hilt of his gun eliciting a pained "Ow!" from her father before laughing hysterically. She hisses through clenched teeth. Oh, that stupid goon is going to pay.

"Superman!" Dick suddenly exclaimed worriedly. Barbara and Bruce twisted around and saw as Superman got thrown against the wall from Harley's hammer. They all winced as a huge crater was made on the wall and as Superman struggled to get up.

A movement behind Superman caught Barbara's eyes and she whispered-shout excitedly to Bruce as she points towards the retreating figures. "It's Aunt Mare and Vicki Vale! They need help!"

She turns to Bruce who has his lips in a tight line, eyes hard and brows furrowed fully, obviously thinking furiously. His arms tighten around Dick before sighing resignedly. He looks down at Dick forlornly, kisses his head before handing him to her. He starts to get up but not before putting a strict face and warning them. "Stay here. Stay safe. Stay silent. Do not go anywhere else." He suddenly disappeared like he blended into the shadows.

Barbara blinked. Did that just happened? Probably a trick of the light, er, dark.

"Daddy…" Dick said too softly that Barbara tightens her hug on him. Oh this poor little angel, Barbara thought as she looks worriedly at Dick. His voice, oh his voice, it contains too much sadness, it's too frightened, too broken and dejected that it sounds like the cruel world had abandoned him all alone.

"Shh, Dickie I'm here… I'm here, it's okay, it's okay…" Barbara whispered soothingly to the boy and hugging him more tightly.

Dick's small smile was the last thing she saw before everything went to hell.

There was a loud BOOM and then there's nothing but the heat as she flew in the air until the darkness consumed her.


Bruce walked quickly and quietly towards the Mayor and the reporter. He stuck to the shadows almost out of habit but mostly because it's the best way to get to them unharmed and without attracting the goons' attention. From this distance, he can see Mare half- carrying, half- dragging Vicki Vale by her arms who was still unconscious; he can see Mare getting weaker by the second as she kept stumbling in her feet. He quickened his pace.

He heard Mare's labored breathing before he reach them. "Mare!"

Mare started and looked around for him. "Bruce?!"

Bruce emerged out of the shadows he's hiding and rushed towards them. He easily scooped Vicki Vale up and threw her over his shoulder and then wrapped an arm around Mare's waist to support her. Mare wrapped her own arm across Bruce's shoulders and leaned against him slightly as they walked (Bruce slightly dragging her).

"Are you okay?" Bruce asked Mare as he saw the large gash running across her forehead with blood flowing freely from it.

Mare nod and winced immediately, internally regretting the action she made. "…I'm fine; Superman protected us from most of it. Where are the others? Did everyone escaped?"

Bruce shook his head, eyes scanning somewhere near they can hide. "Dick and Barbara are hiding, Jim got caught as he provided the distraction Superman needed to put you two down, and some people are taken as hostages." Mare sighed sadly.

Finally, Bruce spotted the trailer where the host and performers got ready earlier. It's upturned now but it can still provide as a good cover. He hurriedly went there as he can, with Mare close to collapsing and leaning more against him than walking. Once they reached it, he gently set Vicki Vale down and help Mare to sit up straight as he ripped his coat (Alfred will throw a fit, this is pretty expensive even for them) to make a makeshift bandage for her head.

"Stay here I'll go get Dick and Barbara." He told Mare who nods slightly at him. He was literally meters away when he saw something suspicious dropped not far from where the kids are hiding. Then, another huge explosion happened before his eyes.

"DICK!"

He ran into the fire without thinking.


Superman kept dodging Harley's punches, her bat long since broken and forgotten. It was ingrained him not to hurt woman since he was a child, but dang it, this woman is testing his patience and control. He saw her threw something before they engage in a dance of punches, but it didn't register in his mind that it might be a bomb until another explosion happened near them. His eyes widen in shock, and then narrowed dangerously at Harley who smiled innocently at him. Not left much of a choice, nor time, he uses all of his super speed into the blazing heat before the explosion reach its climax. He spotted two small figures thrown away by the explosion to opposite directions. He set his jaw determinedly and speeds over to the nearest one from him. It was a girl, with hair as red as the flames around them, and she's unconscious. Swiftly, he turned around for the other figure and added a burst of speed. He's within reach from the boy when something huge and black in a vague shape of a human enveloped the boy in a protective ball before the flames surrounded them.

They rolled to the ground, with Superman's cape singeing and his body bent protectively over the three figures, until he hit another row of chairs and they stopped rolling. Superman groaned and pushed himself up to his arms, dazed. God, his head hurts due to the ringing in his ears. He vaguely heard the police and the ambulance arriving, more people screaming, Harley laughing maniacally with her goons who had regained consciousness as they fired off their guns and threw more explosives. Since when does Harley use explosives as a weapon anyway?

Something, or rather someone, groans and shifts beneath him. Superman's breath hitched as the figure's legs unintentionally brushed near something… sensitive. He closed his eyes as he shook his head, trying to regain his bearings. He heard the figure's breath beneath him silently hitched in a very embarrassed way and he opened his eyes to see why.

Once he opened his eyes, Superman's recently gathered bearings instantly scattered away with the wind.

Superman found himself staring into a perfect shade of a mixture of midnight blue and navy blue eyes. They were deep and soulful, as if the eyes had seen terrible, terrible things and have somehow managed to keep seeing beautiful things anyway. Superman felt a familiar tug in his gut, drawing himself closer to the man beneath him, and before he knew it he was drowning in the sea of blue… which has the exact same shade of the colour blue that surrounds the moon… the one he kept staring up at night…

He couldn't breathe.

Him, Superman, couldn't. breathe. Why does it feel like being near a Kryptonite?

It was like watching a movie in slow motion. Everything around him slowly stopped moving, sounds cease to exist, and suddenly his world is narrowing down to those deep pools of luscious navy blue.

And nothing exists anymore except for those tantalizing blue eyes, framed by thick and long, dark lashes- those eyes are like an ocean during a storm, pulling him deeper into him and drowning him in swirls of blue and ranging indescribable emotions, making his head throbs, making his heart pound faster almost like its aching for someone, making his blood sing in…pleasure.

He couldn't pull away.

He doesn't even want to.

Something in those eyes are calling to him; beckoning him to move closer…and something within him is responding, impatient even to the point it's roaring within him to move. To pull him closer to him, to trap him in his arms and to never let him go…ever

Vaguely, he's aware of the provocative position they are in. Superman has his arms pinned above the man's head, with the man lying completely beneath him and their legs tangled together. The only barrier between their chests was the unconscious small boy lying above the man's chest. Still, Superman couldn't help but notice how perfect the man seems to mould into him. The man fits perfectly in every nook and crannies his body seems to have, as the cliché phrase goes, the man fits into him like a puzzle. It doesn't help that one of the man's arm was wrapped around his neck, and the other one was pressed against his chest, right above his rapidly beating heart, as if preventing Superman from crushing the child between them.

But he couldn't and wouldn't move, he's frozen in his spot and continuously drowning in those magnetic azures, because he's afraid that if he moved, whatever is happening will be broken…and will leave him broken as well.

Ever so slowly, without breaking whatever is happening between them, he studies the man in front of him. And dang it, because he was so, so beautiful; probably the most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes upon on.

He guess that the man in front of him was younger than him by a year or two, almost as tall as him only he's a couple or more inches taller, and he is very muscular; without even using his x-ray vision he can see his muscles straining underneath his expensive looking suit… He focused on his face before his thought goes elsewhere dangerous…His dark chestnut hair, almost black, was styled to the side framing his handsome face perfectly. He has chiselled cheekbones and a firm jaw, his pouty, kissable lips were opened slightly almost beckoning him to… He focused back on his hypnotizing navy blue eyes. Oh such a wonderful colour on a beautiful man…

He took a deep breath and his scent reaches him; he smells clean and of expensive cologne; a hint of midnight and roses and milk, and he still…couldn't breathe. He feels like he's staring at his world that he couldn't live without.

Superman's heart constricts painfully. This man painfully reminds him of his lost beloved.

The little boy in the man's arms shifted and he's suddenly reminded why he came here in the first place.

And just like that…the spell was broken. The man moved his focus back to his son, and Superman felt an oddly hollow feeling in his chest as those beautiful blues were suddenly gone from his vision.

"Daddy…" A broken and scared voice said from underneath him that he started. The little boy wakes up and opened his large baby blue eyes.

All of a sudden, Superman felt his world begins to crack. His mind started to drown as multiple emotions rose within him, all of them trying to get his attention fist.

Daddy… the child called the man Daddy. Shit, the man is married.

Superman tried to rationalize his thinking. Of course he is, he got a child. Why on earth are you suddenly… upset over a stranger's marital status? Superman closes his eyes once again, hiding the pain in them. Of course he's upset; of course he feels his heart break again, of course.

He heard the man comforting his child lovingly, saying sweet nothings to him in Romani that Superman barely understood as his mind is drifting away. It took tremendous effort, but Superman managed to pull himself away from the man and his son.

He doesn't know why, but even though he could feel his heart breaking, a sense of protectiveness− hell it's actually bordering on possessiveness− rose within him. He has this sudden urge to protect the man and the child from any harm, no matter what it takes.

Without sparing the man on the ground another glance, Superman flew away from them.

If he did, Superman has a huge possibility to see the man's disappointed face.


Superman eyes the scene from above; the hostages are gone; escaped to the safety of the police and medics or still in hiding. Harley and three of her goons are scattered in the grounds, running and shooting or just basically toying with the police force. Every once in a while, Harley will pull a grenade from her pocket and threw it randomly, or will pull out a bottle of beer and take a swig, laughing drunkenly all the while. He shook his head. This is over.

Superman took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Rage was building within him. Rage directed at himself: for remembering, for hoping.

It didn't work.

With all the surrounding sounds muted to him, Superman dove down and attacked Harley and her remaining goons ruthlessly.


Barbara woke up to his father's voice calling her frantically. Gee Dad, can't I have another five minutes? I need my beauty sleep.

But then she heard a smaller voice; crying out her name that she snaps her eyes open and shot up straight. Oh my God, why on earth the earth is spinning? And ouch, my head hurts.

"Easy darling…" her father's voice said as he came and swam in her vision. She felt his rough hands on her shoulders as he gently pushes her down on the semi- cold ground, she could feel the heat from the explosions warming up her body and the ground. Wait a minute…ground? Explosions? The small voice? I am not in my bedroom! I'm… she groaned as memories came flashing back at her. Wait… where is that small voice? Where's Dick?

Panicking, Barbara shot up straight again and gasped. "Dick!"

"I'm right here, Barbara."

Barbara looks up so fast that her head spins much faster than before and she almost fell back to the ground if not for her father catching her. Her vision double, tripled, and doubled again until finally she can see clearly. Dick was clinging tightly to his Dad, and Mr. Wayne was clutching his son protectively. She would have 'aww'-ed again at the sight had her head stops pounding.

"Are you alright?" Her father asks worriedly. She nods her head and then shook it furiously to erase the cobwebs in her mind. She looks around and a gasp escaped her lips. She couldn't believe what she's seeing.

Simultaneous gasps followed hers, and based on that alone, Barbara could tell that they feel the same way as she does.

They all watched as Superman pounded the villains to the ground, before he threw all of them into the air… and catch them just to smash them to the ground. Superman raised an arm to wipe the non- existent sweat from his forehead. Dang, the alien wasn't even out of breath.

Barbara felt a shiver run down her spine. It wasn't because she witnessed something like that, it wasn't because she knew that Superman seems pissed, but it's because of Superman's cold, cold eyes...


Lois and Jimmy were gaping at Superman. This is the very first time they saw the meta- human on a… rampage? Lois shook her head as she tried to suppress the shivers raking through her body. Clark, what's wrong?

This is the first time she saw the man mad.

To say it was scary was an understatement.

Superman's face was like a Greek statue: cold, hard and emotionless.

And oh, his eyes are so, so cold. They weren't like that before.

While it was true that Superman seems mad, and the way he fought today was practically ruthless compared to his previous fights before, Lois couldn't help but internally applaud his friend from stopping once he saw Harley and her goons practically on their way to their death beds.

Medics run in, surrounding the falling villains and the rest of the hostages.

Once again, the world was in motion.


Superman stood to the side as medic and the GPD rushed all around him. He has his eyes closed and was breathing in a rhythmic pattern, trying to diffuse the remaining anger left in his system. He honestly doesn't know what happened. All he knows was that he was angry and he needed an outlet. Harley and her goons just happened to be that outlet.

"I must thank you Mr. Superman, for saving this day."

Superman's eyes snapped open and he turned around, finding himself facing the big man who served as his distraction before him. The red headed girl from earlier was beside him, her arms were wrapped around his waist and he has an arm around her shoulders. The man glanced down at the girl before smiling gratefully at Superman.

"And for saving my daughter."

Superman shook his head, smiling slightly. "It was nothing. Besides, I owe you my thanks too. If it wasn't for you-"

"It's part of my job. Don't worry about it." The man smiled reassuringly at him. "My name's Commissioner Gordon by the way and this is my daughter Barbara."

"Thank you for saving me and my friend earlier, Mr. Superman." The little girl chirped.

"You're welcome dear." Superman bent down to her level and smiled warmly at her. "How's your little friend by the way? Where is he?"

"He's fine; he's with Mr. Wayne now, look!"

Wayne? As in Bruce Wayne? Superman straightened and turned to look at the direction she pointed. He saw the beautiful man earlier, holding the little boy tightly in his arms. The sight somehow captivated him and he subconsciously took a step towards them when a flash went off at his side. Several flashes followed immediately and he flinched slightly at the lights. Too late, he was surrounded by the reporters bombarding him with questions after questions. He glanced to his side, and found that the Commissioner and the Mayor (who went to thank him but the press got to him first) were also surrounded together with him. Barbara had thankfully and luckily slipped off unnoticed.

Superman sighed inwardly and smiled for the cameras, answering their questions as fast and much as possible. Truthfully, his mind and ears were focused on someone else. He was itching to go to the little boy earlier and check on him.

A familiar brunette forced her way through the throng of her fellow reporters until she stood in front of Superman. Louis. Superman mentally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Lois and Jimmy unharmed. However, he was harshly brought back to reality when his eyes met Lois.

Oh, he got a lot of explaining to do later.

"Superman!" Lois beamed at him. "How nice to see you here! How- ugh!"

Superman winced inwardly as another reporter shoved Lois out of the way, whether purposefully or not he could not tell. Lois nearly screamed in frustration, but the expression in her eyes was enough to pin Superman in his place.

Superman didn't argue. He felt all of the conflicting emotions within him drained out of his system. The urge to go somewhere else than answer the reporters' questions vanished.

"So what can you say about saving this night, Mr. Superman, sir?"

Superman beamed at him and the cameras flashes more furiously. He answered the press vigorously, smiling here and there. At one point, his super hearing picks up a limousine arriving in the scene, and the beautiful man and his child walking away from the chaos. Superman forced himself not to look, not to care.

He stayed put on where he is and let the man go.


Bruce was murmuring sweet nothings in Dick's ear as he held him tightly. Sometimes in Romani (2), and sometimes in English. Either way it always goes like this:

"Shhh…Dickie, I'm here…"

"Don't leave me…don't leave me again…"

"Never. Again. "

"Stay with me…"

"Always."

"Daddy…"

"I'm here, my little bird…"

"I love you."

"I love you more."

Dick was curled against his chest tightly, and he refused to let go of Bruce ever since they reunited after Superman saved him, and Bruce refused to let go of him either. That's why there's a paramedic stomping her feet away from them, frustrated by their lack of cooperation. But they both have attained minor wounds only, nothing Alfred couldn't fix.

Tear tracks shone on Dick's pale face, his eyes closed as he drifts off to sleep after exhausting himself from crying. Bruce, in his whole life, never felt so guilty, not even when he was caught stealing Alfred's cookies when he was nine. Just one look at his little angel he feels painful stabs in his heart.

I shouldn't have left him, he bemoaned inwardly. I should have been there the whole time to protect him. I almost lost him…

Dick's fists curls more tightly in his coat for a second before relaxing again. He looks paler than usual, but otherwise he still looks like the doll he is. Long, dark lashes touching his cheek, pinkish lips in an adorable pout, and his messy hair framing his face perfectly. Bruce presses a firm and loving kiss on his forehead before resuming whispering soothing words to his son and rocking him gently. Alfred should be here soon…

Distantly, Bruce heard cameras flashing and the press clamouring over the Man of Steel. For some unexplainable reason, an invisible shiver went down Bruce's spine as he heard his voice. The voice sounds like cool water washing over his skin, relaxing his tense muscles, and wrapping him…

Bruce shook his head, now is not the time to reminisce.

He heard the familiar sound of his limousine rolling into the entrance and waited until Alfred got out of the driver's side, a worried expression decorating his aging face. Bruce smiled tightly at him as he walks towards the limousine.

He didn't look back.


A/N: WHOOOHOOOO~! It's finished~! ^_^ Whatcha' say? Whatcha' say? LOONG isn't it? xD Anyways, I'm tired, you're tired, and my arms are aching from all the typing I've done. Goodmornight guys~! (Because I am uploading this at 3:30 in the morning guys, sheesh) Reviews puhleeeease~!

Ps. I'm going back to school on Monday so uploading might be a little problem :( .

Footnotes:

1) I so suck at speeches.

2) I don't speak Romani so just imagine that they do speak Romani sometimes. xD

Replies:

Ficker: I'm guessing you're a new reader of mine so I'm gonna explain this to you: Originally, this story already has 16 chapters, 2 of those are author's note. I'm currently rewriting the story, so I put that very last chapter as a note to the readers to update them of, well, the updates xD I'm sorry if you got confused. Aaand I don't remember threatening anyone to review~ xD Begging, YES. Did you got threaten by the amount of fictional characters I imagine to surround my imagination fortress? xD

Wildtrance: Your wish is my command~