AN: Well, I'd like to thanks my reviewer and everyone that read the fic^^ You were great support for me... This fanfic take place in the second season of Justice League somewhere between the episode Death of Superman and Starcrossed.

AN2: I had a review saying that Flash was also human... I know it, really. So is green lantern. That's why the title of the fic isn't "The only human" or "Human" no, the title is "Only human" Flash and GL are human+Superpower.

Disclaimer: As said in the first chapter, I'm not working for DC comics, none of those heroes are mine.

Chapter 3: Never again

"Why did you do it Bruce?" he asked to himself.

Then, came a weak voice. A whisper that only superman could hear.

"Because... it was all I could do..."

All he could do? Well he certainly wasn't expecting that. Clark didn't understand the answer he just received, but then something else occurred to him... He wasn't expecting any answer at all! Bruce wasn't supposed to be talking, right??? Well, Bruce was talking sooo... The man of steel looked at the face of his friend, not knowing what to expect. He gazed at that face he knew so well, at that friend he fought as an ally and as a rival so many times. The man, lying down in front of him, the man that was like a brother to him... Hell! He wasn't just like a brother. He was a brother to him. Superman saw that Batman's face wasn't as pale as before. Bruce was... he was

"Bruce! You're awake!!!" said Superman, stopping himself from hugging the wounded, not wanting to hurt him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like someone who received a bullet Kent." Stated the dark knight. "That aside, I guess I am alright."

"I'm so glad, we were all..."

"I know... I'm not sure what you all said, but I could feel them beside me."

"What do you mean? You were conscious?"

"No... I wasn't..."

"You're not gonna explain am I right? You won't explain why you put your life in danger neither I guess."

"And they say I'm the detective."

They stayed silent for a while, Superman not feeling at ease and yet, he was relieved. Everything was going to be alright now. Batman was back. Thanks God, Bruce was going to be okay.

"I'll go tell the others you woke up. They're all going to be so happy about the new!" said Clark, breaking that silence.

"No, not now... They need to rest. If you wake them up now, they won't be able to regain any strength. We don't know what can happen tomorrow."

"You should think a bit more about yourself Bruce. It's not the first time you're wounded and it was worse this time. You could have died... and all you think about is that the other should sleep!? You are so... so..." Started Superman, feeling angry against his best friend.

"So what? Reckless? Is that what you were going to tell me Clark? Well I calculated every option. That was the only logical choice. I couldn't disarm him before he would have the time to shoot one or two time. The kryptonite smoke was already killing you. One bullet going through any part of your skin and you were done for. What choice did I have? Let you die maybe? Lat me tell you that it wasn't an option." Answered the Bat.

"We all knew what could happen to us when we started Batman. How is that different?"

"Simple. How would the world, how would everyone react if Superman was to die? You already died once... no one would be able to suffer that much for a second time. Can you think about it? I can't."

"And you think it would be different if you were the one who had died?"

"I had a chance of surviving. Not you."

"And you had a chance of dying too! Why did you risk your own life like that?!"

"I already told you."

Superman looked at his friend lying on the bed right in front of him. He was alive. Then again... something of him almost looked dead, broken. It was the first time Clark was seeing that part of Bruce. A weak exhausted Batman and he wasn't used to it. The dark knight actually looked human instead of the demon lurking in the shadows he usually showed to scare the criminals. He was standing in front of the human, not the symbol.

"And you did a great job with that. I am alive and so you are, but think about the fact that some people still need you. Even if the world needs me, you have a family. Barbara, Tim... even Dick! They need you. You're a second father to those kids, their guardian.

For once, Bruce stayed silent. He didn't want to admit that Clark was right. Like everyone knew, Batman was too stubborn to admit when someone was right about him.

"Well next time I'll be the one dealing with the Joker so you won't get caught in his tricks. If you weren't in danger, I wouldn't need to save you."

"That's a deal then."

They shook their hand, but the move made Bruce feel some pain so he lied down once again.

"You should go to rest now Clark. You have some black circle under your eyes. I think Lois will notice since you have to work tomorrow."

"I could say the same thing to you. Even Batman need to sleep once in a while."

"I'll think about it."

Superman got up, said goodnight to his friend and walked slowly to his room... Of course he took a small detour by the monitor room to warn J'onn that Batman was finally awake. The martian just nodded, but Clark knew he felt relieved as well.

Yes, J'onn was relieved indeed when he heard the new about Batman. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl were always asking question about why Superman had been so weird and everything. Because of that, it had been hard not to think about Batman's condition. He respected Batman, now more than before and it would have been sad to lose such a great ally.

"J'onn, I heard Superman talking behind you, why is he still awake?" asked the voice of Green Lantern

"Oh, yes. Superman was just giving me some information."

"Information? What kind of information?" asked Hawkgirl

"I'll tell you all about it when your mission is over."

That was his final word and they knew it, but they couldn't help being curious about it! GL and Shayera may have been on a mission, but that wasn't a reason to keep them in the dark about whatever was happening. They knew something was wrong and they also knew J'onn and Superman didn't want to tell them so they could concentrate on the mission... They had to evacuate a complete Island because of a volcano eruption. They were almost finished with it.

"Something's weird up there." Said Shayera

"You noticed too uh? First Batman can't do the monitoring duty, then Superman seem to be thinking about something else"

"And then J'onn that keep it secret, saying he would explain the situation after the evacuation."

"We better hurry up and we will know what that is all about."

"We're almost done anyway"

"Yeah, the sooner the better"

---------

Sleep... like he needed that. Batman definitely didn't want to sleep, but it was true that Bruce was indeed tired. Even he could not control it, but he didn't want to go back to that darkness. It was painful and... No, he didn't want to go back and that why he felt uneasy about sleeping. Of course, he knew that it wouldn't be the same but...

"Damn I hate being stuck in my bed." Muttered the caped crusader.

If he wasn't in a condition that bad, he would have already got up to go to the manor... in order to avoid the other member of the league... He knew that tomorrow morning, they would be here, talking around him, saying that they were relieved... he knew that... He didn't like that. Affection, friendship... love... today was the proof that it could all break down like a piece of glass. If Superman had died... again... no, he would never allow it. He would protect with his life every other member of the league and of his team. He wasn't an eight year old little boy that couldn't save his parent anymore. He was able to do something. Able to protect them.

So that it wouldn't happen...

Never again...

"Never again..."