Chapter Three:

Bruce is sleeping by the time they reach the Watchtower. Clark calls in his code and the hangar doors open for the Javelin. He lands it like the other thousands of times he's done it except this time it feels weird since he has a child sized Batman in his lap. He hasn't even bothered to call ahead to the others to warn them since he's not quite ready to explain what happened. Clark must sit in the Javelin for quite awhile though because eventually a call comes over the comm.

"Superman, are you alright?" It's Diana and he's kind of glad that it is her instead of any of the others. He briefly explains what is going on, not getting too into detail of how exactly it happened yet, and just telling her that Bruce has been de-aged and that he doesn't remember anything before that. "Alright Kal, I'll inform the others."

Sighing, he finally shakes the kid in his lap awake. "Hey, buddy, I need you to wake up."

Bruce slowly opens his eyes and then looks around. "Where are we?"

"We are at the Justice League's headquarters," Clark answers. "You're going to meet the rest of the Justice League."

The boy's eyes light up. "Really, like the Flash and Hawkgirl and- and maybe even Batman will be here?"

Clark chuckles at Bruce's enthusiasm. "Yep, you'll be meeting everyone except probably Batman."

"Because he's off saving the day?" Bruce asks.

Clark gets up, taking the small child with him. "Yeah, he's currently saving the day as we speak." He doesn't like lying but at the moment it's a necessity. "Now, the others in the League might be a little... shocked to see you since they aren't expecting me to come back with a child but you don't have to worry about that okay? I'm sure they'll warm up to you pretty fast." Bruce nods in understanding. "I'm also going to have to talk to them for a little bit without you."

"Are you going to leave me?" Clark senses the panic in Bruce's voice.

Clark smiles reassuringly. "No, of course, I won't leave you."

Bruce hugs him tightly. "Okay." He then looks into Clark's eyes as they exit the Javelin. "Will I be able to know their real names like I know yours?"

Clark begins to float to Batman's quarters in order to put the utility belt there and then to where he and Diana agreed to meet the others. "That's up to them. You'll have to ask and if you ask nicely, maybe they'll tell you."

"I'll ask extra nicely!" Bruce exclaims and Clark chuckles at Bruce's restored energy. Plus, it's amusing to Clark to think about Batman being extra nice.

When he reaches the room the League will be meeting him in, he can tell that everyone is already there with his super hearing. Taking a deep breath, he steps in. He can hear every single intake of breath. There's an excited one from Bruce, a shocked one from Shayera and John, an amused one from Wally, and a curious one from Diana and J'onn. Clark sighs again and really hopes Wally was listening when Diana told them not to say anything about him being a miniaturized Batman. "Bruce, this is the League" He points at all of them. "There's Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, and Martian Manhunter."

Bruce grows shy all of a sudden, which takes Clark by surprise, and buries his face in his neck. "Hello," he says quietly.

"Hello little guy, I'm Wally." Flash takes a step forward but doesn't get too close either. He takes off his cowl.

"Wally?" Bruce peers out from Clark's neck slightly.

Wally nods. "Yep, and you can call me that too, if you want."

After Wally's initial introduction, the rest of the League seem to get their nerve up to speak as well. One by one, they each tell little Bruce their real name. When J'onn finishes, Bruce turns to him. "I didn't even have to ask for their names."

Clark squeezes him. "That means they trust you." Clark looks over to the others who are staring at him with confused and questioning looks. "Listen Bruce; remember when I told you I need to talk to these guys without you?"

"That's now?" Bruce asks.

Clark nods. "Yeah, that's now." He turns to Wally. "Wally, do you think you could find some clothes for him real quick? I'm sure... I'm sure Batman has some for all ages around here somewhere."

"I'm four!" Bruce bounces a little in his arms and Clark has to hold onto him tighter in order for him not to fall.

"No problem, I'm on it." He speeds off and he's gone for maybe one minute before he comes back. "I found these in the medical bay." Flash holds up a pair of grey sweatpants, a white t-shirt, and a pair of white sneakers, each in children size.

"Those will do." Clark takes them, sets Bruce down, and then helps the child put them on. When Bruce is all dressed he says, "Okay, Bruce, why don't you go over there and play." He shoots John a quick look who understands quickly and creates a bunch of toys with his ring.

"You'll stay here?" Bruce asks.

Clark smiles at him and messes up his hair. "Yeah, I'll be right here."

"Promise you won't leave?" The child looks worried and Clark should probably be concerned about Bruce's attachment to him, but he figures that he's not only not going to be in this form for long, but this is also adult Bruce just smaller and less mature. There's no reason to have any misgivings about it.

"I promise." Clark stands then and watches as Bruce hesitantly walks up to the green toys, looking back at him every so often. Clark just smiles at him encouragingly. Once the kid reaches the toys and starts to look them over with apprehension, he turns back to his friends.

Wally is the first to voice what everyone else is wondering. "What the hell happened?"

Clark tries really hard to stamp out his anger but some still leaks through. "What happened is that we were sent to some unknown planet to fight some unknown group of magicians when we didn't know anything about them or how strong they were and especially, especially, when I'm weak against magic." He throws a pointed look towards the speedster for good measure. Wally understands what he is getting at and looks down guiltily. Clark pinches the bridge of his nose. There's no reason to start throwing blame, after all, he is partially at fault since he went along with Wally's advice. Sighing, he continues. "The magicians turned out to be a lot stronger than Batman and I anticipated and we ended up getting captured. Apparently, when they take hostages or kidnap people, they turn them into children in order to raise them as their own. One of the mages was holding a grudge against Batman because of what Batman did to him when we fought and decided it was a good idea to turn him into a four year old for them to raise. I don't think they took into account that I would save him after they de-aged him. We just barely escaped, probably traumatizing a four year old Bruce Wayne while we were at it, and just barely got off the planet with the Javelin."

"That's horrible," Diana says.

Clark nods, remembering what happened. "They're probably going to show up again. They were pretty adamant about getting us back and keeping their 'operation' a secret."

Shayera speaks then. "I'll make sure to keep the Watchtower on high alert."

Clark nods his thanks and then continues. "That brings me to the next thing I want to talk about. I was hoping we could contact either-"

"Clark?" Clark turns to look at Bruce, who is standing in the middle of green toys. He looks suspicious and really, could he be any more like adult Bruce?

Clark walks up to him and crouches down to his level. "It's okay, see?" He picks up one of the toys John manifested and shows it to the child. It's a miniature version of the Javelin. "They're safe to play with."

Bruce eyes the toy, continuing to be suspicious and playing with the end of his shirt. "Is that the plane we flew in?"

Clark turns it around in his hand. "Yeah it is. Want to play with it?" He holds it out but Bruce doesn't take it. "I promise all these are fine. Green Lantern made them with his ring. You know how his ring works?" Bruce nods. "Then you know he won't hurt you."

"Okay." Bruce hesitantly reaches out and takes the small replica of the Javelin.

"There, see? Nothing bad happened." Clark smiles at Bruce's scrunched eyebrows. "Now, I'm going to go finish my conversation. I won't be much longer." Clark gets up and goes back to the group.

"He seems to have taken a liking to you," J'onn mentions.

"Yeah, and you're good with him," John points out.

Clark flushes red. "Well, we have technically known each other for a long time and we're best friends." When he looks to Diana, she has a knowing smile on her face but what she could possibly know is beyond Clark. "Anyways, I was hoping we could contact Zatanna or Dr. Fate to try and turn him back to... you know, Bruce, uh adult Bruce that is."

"I will get on that right away." J'onn dissolves through the floor, disappearing from sight.

"Do you think it's okay to go play with him?" Wally motions to Bruce with his chin. "He's still looking kind of apprehensive of your ring toys GL. Maybe some encouragement will help?"

Clark looks between everyone and can tell they all want a piece of cute, passive Bruce, especially since this is a rare opportunity since they can't have adult Bruce in this mood and mindset. To be honest though, as much as Clark thinks child Bruce is cute and it's nice to see this side of him, he really, really misses his friend slash crush and adult Bruce's personality. Clark wonders if he's the only one who feels this way. "Sure, go right ahead as long as he wants to."

Both Wally and Shayera go up to the boy who has a moment of panic, searching out Clark's eyes, but quickly relaxing again when Clark just smiles at him. "It's weird, seeing him like this," John says, stepping up to him.

"It's not a side of Bruce you get to see every day," Diana adds.

"Or ever." John then goes up to the boy as well to join Shayera and Wally in the game that they are playing, quickly making his ring form a suit of armor around Bruce's body in which the kid laughs at.

Diana stands next to him and watches with her arms crossed. They watch for quite awhile in silence before she speaks up. "You miss the real him don't you?"

Clark huffs in amusement. "You always did know me and him really well."

She then places a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Kal, we'll change him back." She, too, then joins the others.

Clark decides to stand there still, just watching the whole of the Justice League minus J'onn having fun with Bruce. John is right, this isn't something you would ever see with adult Bruce, at least if you were as close to him as John and Wally and even Diana were to him. But Clark, Clark gets to see a different side of him every time Bruce comes to the Daily Planet, or Clark goes to one of his fundraisers, or Superman goes to the Bat-Cave, or his personal favorite, when Clark goes to visit Bruce and the family at the Manor. That's his favorite side of Bruce and it's only something the bat-family and him have the privilege to see. He would miss that terribly if he ever had to give it up permanently.

"Clark!" Clark snaps out of his thoughts at Bruce's laugh, the boy calling to him. "Come play with us." Clark pushes his feelings and nostalgia aside for now. He smiles and walks over to join the fun.

…

"Kal-El," J'onn gets his attention and he quickly tells the others that he will be right back. Diana follows him over to the Martian and stands next to him as J'onn begins to explain things. "Zatanna won't be available to help for at least a few days and once she is, she's not sure how long it'll take to find or come up with a spell to turn Batman back."

Clark's heart sinks. "What about Dr. Fate?"

J'onn shakes his head. "He'll take even longer."

Clark bows his head in dismay. "Shoot." Clark looks behind him and at the kid that is obviously starting to tire out but still playing. "What are we supposed to do then?"

Diana shrugs. "Wait I guess."

A heaviness forms in Clark's chest and he heaves a big sigh. "This is just perfect. Who's going to take care of him in the meantime? We can't have Alfred take care of him because Bruce's family will never let him live it down if they find out. You know he'll get mad about that and then in turn get mad at all of us, mostly me." Diana and J'onn stare at him. "What?"

"You are the best with him and he is most comfortable around you," Diana says.

J'onn adds, "I can also sense that he would rather go with you, Kal."

Clark throws his hands up in front of him, palms facing outward. "I can't take care of him. I have a full time job as Clark Kent and Superman. I can't very well bring him to work with me. What if Perry sends me off or Lois drags me someplace if I do bring him or I have to go fight something as Superman? I can't bring him into a fight, not again." Diana opens her mouth to say something but Clark doesn't let her get anything out. "And he certainly isn't going to be left with a babysitter. Oh gosh, and what am I going to tell people when they see him? I can't tell them he's my kid because they'll be awfully confused on when and how and... and, darn it, they probably won't believe me even if I do tell them he's not my kid because he almost looks just like me, with the black hair and blue eyes and... Oh gosh, I can't look after him. Are you two crazy? Is this a dream? Can I wake up now?"

"Kal," Diana places her hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "It'll be okay, all you have to say is that he is a cousin from across the country that you don't see very often and you are looking after him while his parents are on vacation or something."

Clark scowls. "Yeah thanks Diana, that still doesn't help my job situation."

"I think if you explain things to Perry he will understand and not send you out into dangerous situations and if need be, I can convince him," J'onn inputs. "As for Superman, the rest of the League can handle things for now and if we need your help we will, as the humans say, cross that bridge when we get to it."

Clark then throws his hands up again, this time in exasperation. "Great, just perfect." Diana smiles at him in sympathy though it looks more like amusement to Clark and J'onn is straight faced as always. "I hate magic."

A/N: Thanks for reading. Updates will be every Friday. Next update scheduled for: 11/20/15. To see a full list of dates, please go to my Tumblr, angelcamael, and go to the post under: /post/132217933841/loss-of-time