AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm not gonna lie. It was hard for me to type this chapter. I had to push myself to keep going. I've been slacking off very badly from my daily typing regime. I've been busy with work and applying to jobs. Lately I decided to step up my game when it comes to my writing. I still enjoy it though. I'm glad I was finally able to update this fic most of all. I've had a lot of people asking me when I meant to do it. Sorry the update took so long, guys.

On, and in regards to my writing job I currently have. I'm ghost writing on the side to make some extra cash to help pay my bills. The work is pretty easy, and enjoyable. It requires me doing a lot of research most of the time. I've learned quite a bit from it so far. Anyway, I am working on a novel (possibly two I have some ideas I want to see on paper) and if any of them get published you can bet this will be the first place I tell anyone.

Chapter 16

Bruce stood rigidly in what he sensed was a room. After the initial scene from before Slade had just laughed at them both. Impressed by his former adversary's defense Slade and Dark had both decided to continue their journey. Bruce had been shuttled back into the back of the truck. They had driven for another two hours before they had taken a plane. At that point the men had taken him out. Bruce was told to get undressed and change into the clothes they gave him. He did so only to join them on the plane.

At some point Bruce had fallen asleep on the flight. He still had no idea where they were headed or even his surroundings. He supposed perhaps it was to his advantage he was blind. His kidnappers didn't seem him as big a threat. Of course, Bruce could have easily have fought them both off. At least he thought so. Breaking the hold Dark kept on his arm to make a run for it. But to where? He didn't even have his cellphone with him. If he had had Krypto at his side Bruce would have been more confident in making an escape. Since he was lacking even his loyal hound he could do nothing but keep quiet. Listen to the instructions given to him. And simply wait for what came next.

Then he was being shaken awake. Dark hauled him off the plane and Bruce was shoved into another car. At least this time he got to ride in the backseat. Bruce stayed quiet during the entire drive. He listened carefully to the noises outside. At first he heard other cars passing by them. From time to time someone was cursing another person out. He identified the language as English, but with a heavy Irish accent carried along with it. Ireland? They had come to Ireland? Why?

Still, he stayed silent. Eventually Bruce guessed they left the city. The sounds of passing cars began to fade away. Soon becoming a rare occurrence which only happened every few minutes. Eventually the sound of the engine as the car bumped along a gravel road was all that could be heard. Bruce sighed quietly resting his cheek against the cool window. From the front seat Dark sat quietly as he watched the road. Slade drove the car keeping his eyes forward. His mentor said nothing choosing to be silent.

Soon they came to a large house set far away from the road. Slade didn't hesitate as he pulled into the long driveway. Once he was out of the car Dark was already leading Bruce to the house. Shaking his head at the younger man's seriousness Slade retrieved their primary weapons from the back of the car. The rest of their firearms had been delivered to a warehouse across the country for safekeeping. Slamming the trunk shut Slade walked back around and headed inside.

"I still don't know what you plan to do with him." Slade stated bluntly. Dark had just got done locking the door to a spare bedroom. No doubt Bruce was in there probably wondering what fate awaited him.

"I have my plans. We can use him, Slade. Don't you understand?" Dark demanded. Kicking off his boots into a far off corner the younger mercenary sat down heavily on the couch. Removing his hat he tossed that off to the side as well.

"I understand a lot of things. What I don't understand is your obsession with him. He's a broken man, Jason. At best he can clean the house. From the information you gave me that's all he's capable of doing anymore. Hell, I'll let him cook dinner if you want. If he doesn't try to poison us first." Slade stated. The younger man turned to glare at him. Steely blue eyes narrowing at his mentor below a mess of stringy black hair.

"He has knowledge, Slade! Even if he doesn't look it Bruce never forgets anything. Think, he has the secrets to the Batcave all in his head. Every vehicle he's ever driven, every gadget, and strategy he's ever implemented is stored right up here." Jason said breathlessly tapping the side of his head for emphasis. Slade snorted going over to the fridge. He peered inside, but there was nothing stronger then soda. He grabbed a coke and went to sit down. Deciding he would let the other man rant if he wanted too.

"We'll never have to bother with fixing another weapons system again! Heck, Bruce can even build computers if he wants too! If you only knew the power of the Batcomputer-

"One problem, Jason. Even if this man is Batman, which I highly doubt he is, he had his sight back then. Even if he just drew up blueprints for us he has no idea what is in front of him. Building something? Forget it. He'll misplace something and whatever it is he does build well no doubt fall apart seconds within use." Slade argued. Jason frowned at his mentor hating him for not looking beyond what lay in front of him.

"Just give me some time. I'll find a way to get him to talk." Jason promised. Slade only shrugged his shoulders drinking his soda. His expression already showed his was bored with the whole affair.

"Do whatever you want. Just keep him here if need be. I could care less what you do with him."

"Just wait until you're driving in an updated version of the Batmobile. Then you'll thank me." Jason promised him. Slade ignored him reaching for the newspaper. Sighing at his mentor's ignorance of the opportunity laying before them Jason left him alone to head to his own room.

In the room Bruce stood quietly. He listened in to the conversation not surprised by who it was. The voice had sounded so familiar to him. He had been sure…sure Jason had been out there somewhere. Slowly, Bruce made a slow circuit of the room. Reaching out to brush his hands along the furniture. A twin bed, a chest of drawers, and thankfully a small bathroom with a shower.

Bruce drank from the tap eagerly his mouth having gone dry. Ever since his kidnapping he had been offered nothing to eat or drink. By the way his stomach was growling Bruce judged he probably had no eaten for a day or two. He usually had a pretty good sense of time. Right about now if he was at home he would be preparing a secondary lunch for Connor. Thinking of the teen made Bruce's stomach ache. He hoped wherever Connor was he it was safe. There was no doubt in his mind Superman would be going after the person who had blinded him in the first place.

Superman.

The name alone sent shivers down Bruce's spine. He hated the thought of ever being trapped beneath that man's thumb ever again. The pain he had been through for so many years. Even to this day Bruce was ashamed to admit he still feared the Kryptonian. Just the idea of Superman coming to claim him out of revenge made the blind man reconsider his life. If it came down to it Bruce thought he might even commit suicide. Better a quick painless death then the slow agony Superman would put him through.

"If I die young, bury me in satin.

Lay me down on a bed of roses.

Sink me in a river at dawn.

Send me away with the words of a love song."

Bruce sang the song quietly to himself. Letting the words roll off his tongue he made a slow circuit of the room again. He ended up sitting on the edge of the bed. Quietly singing to himself to pass the time. He eventually finished the song. Moving onto at least three more wondering how many of them he could sing before his memory failed him.

Thankfully, it didn't. After an hour of soft singing Bruce's throat became soar. Forcing him to stop. He swallowed dryly. Going back to drink some more water to help stop the growling in his stomach. He mentally apologized to his stomach for not being able to eat anything. Were they planning on starving information out of him? If that was their plan Bruce had to admit it was a bad one. They had simply to ask him and he would give them the information. At least what he could remember of it. The last time Bruce had actually used a computer had been nearly six years ago. Not counting the time he had asked Ned to send a message to Dick for him.

Time passed by. Bruce felt the steady drop of temperature as night approached. At one point he took his shoes off to crawl into bed. Curling beneath the blankets in a corner of the bed. His thoughts turning towards home. Strange, how despite the circumstances which had brought him to the small farm had resulted in happiness. Bruce had even come to enjoy his quiet existence.

Unlike his days as a CEO and Batman there had been no more stress. No more dashing around Gotham City or rushing to the next meeting. Worried about whether he would be able to make the next deadline. Pouring over clues in the wee hours of the morning trying to determine Two Face's next course of action. While his persona as Batman had given him much it had also taken away from his life as well.

Bruce found he had rather enjoyed the life he had on the farm. Despite his blindness he felt he was able to enjoy the simple things in life. Such as pulling freshly baked bread from the oven enjoying the warm scent of it. Being outside with the sun pounding on his back as he tended to his garden. These simple pleasures Bruce found he had come to enjoy immensely. The number one highlight of his day being when Connor came home. When the boy came to him with Krypto and they all sat down to a meal. Such simplistic things. How he had come to cherish them.

Eventually Bruce fell into another sleep having nothing better to do. His dreams were blissfully free of any nightmares. Instead his dream felt strangely real. He had his sight back. Bruce blinked in the dream and touched his face. He felt his eyelids wondering how in the world he had come to be there. At first all he saw was blue sky. Then he heard the soft lapping of the waves. When he glanced down Bruce saw there was soft sand between his toes.

"Bruce?" Bruce looked up at the sound of the voice. At first he felt fear lance through him. A familiar figure was coming towards him with a huge grin on his face. Well-muscled and a few inches taller the young man walked at a sedate pace. Bruce gasped, beginning to back away from the figure. A pained look crossed the younger man's face. His eyes were a forget me not blue with messy black hair. Dressed in blue jeans, military boots, and a black shirt with a brown leather jacket he could have passed for a teenager.

"Hey, it's okay. Bruce, it's me, remember?" The young man said. There was a pained note in his voice as he spoke. Bruce blinked still wondering how in the world he was awake in his dream. Then he realized quietly what was happening.

Ah, lucid dreaming. How interesting. I never thought I would ever experience this.

Bruce thought as he gazed at the young man. His thoughts raced attempting to place his familiar voice. He looked strikingly similar to Clark. In fact, he sounded almost exactly like him. Only several years younger.

"Connor?" Bruce said with a soft gasp. Connor's smile widened in delight at this realization. Or, rather Bruce's version of the young man. A shame he had never been able to see Connor's real face. His subconscious must have made this version of Superboy for him to interact with.

"I've been looking all over for you. Bruce, I just wanted to say….look, I'm sorry, alright?" Connor insisted. He walked across the beach his boots crunching in the sand. He closed the distance between them in a matter of seconds. The next instant Bruce was caught up in a hug. Connor crushing him to his chest in an achingly familiar embrace he had experienced nearly three dozen times.

"I'm so sorry, Bruce. I never meant to scare you. I just hated the fact I couldn't protect you. I'm not strong enough to take on Superman. I don't think I've ever been." Connor whispered into his hair. Bruce felt his throat lock up. Despite it being a dream he wrapped his arms around the young man's shoulders. Squeezing him back to reassure him.

"I forgive you, Connor. I was never angry. As for Superman…there's so much to tell. Yet I can't tell you. I'm scared it would hurt you if I did." Bruce said pulling out of Connor's embrace. He reached up to touch the young man's cheek. He ran his thumb along Connor's skin feeling how smooth it was. It felt warm beneath his touch. If Bruce had not known he was lucid dreaming he would have thought the entire experience real.

"Do you know where you are, Bruce?" Connor asked. He reached up to touch Bruce's hand with his own. His fingers curling over his mentor's slim ones. Connor turned his head gently kissing the palm of Bruce's hand. Closing his eyes as his lips brushed the palm .

"You shouldn't do that." Bruce stated quietly. He felt the blood drain from his face at the small gesture. Guilt rose up like bile in his throat.

"Why not? I like it. Don't you?" Connor asked him his blue eyes focusing on Bruce again. For the first time Bruce felt himself blush.

"I appreciate the gesture. But Connor, you have to understand. You're so young. It's not fair. I would be taking advantage of your…inexperience. Right now our relationship-"

"Consists of me protecting you. Of me worrying about you every second of everyday. Bruce, I know what it seems like. I'm only two years old. Barely." Connor responded his voice smooth and mellow. A voice which he rarely used unless he was trying to deliver home a point.

"You still need to experience the world. If you're interested in that sort of thing you need to educate yourself. I can't….no, you're asking me for to much." Bruce stated his voice carrying a note of panic. Connor gazed at him intently.

It's just a dream. A dream, Bruce! Don't fool yourself into thinking this is the real Connor. Then again…there was evidence Clark could communicate with others using his mind. He never pursued it thought because of the implications that meant. Does that mean Superboy inherited that power as well?

"So, you're saying when I'm educated I can be with you? Okay. Let me say this then. I lied when I said I didn't know anything about sex." Connor stated. His tone so calm and smooth Bruce wondered if this was indeed the same selfish teen he had to deal with.

Bruce opened his mouth to respond. Only a second later he felt a deep wrenching in his gut. As if realizing what was happening Connor opened his mouth to scream. Reaching out to clasp Bruce's hand in his own. Despite the hold Bruce felt himself rapidly falling. Then with a jolt he woke up to the sound of someone opening his door. At first he wondered what had woken him up. Only to feel a hand on his shoulder shaking him.

"Wake up, Bruce." Jason said. He frowned at the dazed look on the man's face. He shook his former mentor again hoping to wake him up further.

"Come on. Breakfast. You need to eat." Jason stated as he rose from the bed. He headed back into the kitchen to eat his food. He had gone out and bought some breakfast from the corner store a few miles down the road.

Bruce slowly woke up. As he got out of bed he touched his face. Secretly mourning the loss of his sight once again. Yet the dream left a deep ache in his chest. He brought up the image of Connor's face in his mind's eye. Strange. Maybe that was what the clone truly looked like. Still, he had best not raise his hopes. Getting up Bruce followed the scent of fresh food. His stomach beginning to growl in anticipation of a meal.