CHAPTER FOURTEEN, STEEL THY HEART
A/N: Because you demanded it, Superman has finally recovered. There are some guests who are in this chapter, too! Not much in the way of action; just advancing the story at this point. Thanks to all; you made some very good suggestions! I can't say I will use every one, but I am reading your comments, and I can safely say I will try to use as many as I can! Read and review.
Batman and Catwoman returned to the Watchtower in the morning. Selina yawned and stretched, earning a glance from the Dark Knight. Wonder Woman caught the exchange as she passed them in the hallway on her way to breakfast.
Glaring, she said, "And where did you two go last night while Superman was incapacitated?"
"Oh," Catwoman said casually, "we just had a night on the town."
Selina loved baiting women who seemed to be interested in any men she was interested in, or was pretending to be interested in. The Mistress of Cats had wanted to get even with the Amazonian Princess ever since she had heard about Batman and Wonder Woman. Now, though, she found that it held an empty victory as she saw the anger in the other woman's blue eyes.
"Nothing happened," Catwoman said; then, when the Princess crossed her arms, she said with more force, "nothing happened! I'm not the kind of cat who steals another feline's chew toy!"
Wonder Woman sputtered a little, but then calmed down. It would not do, she decided, to let the other woman upset her. She could rise above this, and she would, as she fortified herself with a nice, hearty meal. She would eat, she would wait until the best time to have sharp words with Bruce; then if she wanted to be irate, she would do so. Firmly resolved, Wonder Woman went to the cafeteria.
Selina walked in the opposite direction toward the medical area. Batman silently walked behind her. When she started to go in, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into another room.
"What gives?" the Catwoman asked.
"You tell me," Batman said. "What was that exchange all about? Why didn't you tell her the truth about Sylvia Summers?"
Selina threw him an incredulous look. "Oh, come on now!" She shouted. "She wouldn't believe me! She thinks I was having an affair with you!"
"And, you let her think that instead of telling her what we were really doing," Batman countered. When Selina crossed her arms and pouted, the Batman asked, "why?"
"Because six months ago, she stole you from me!" Selina accused. The usually unflappable Caped Crusader's twitching mouth revealed his annoyance.
"She didn't steal me from you!" Batman snapped. "I went to her." Selina's mouth hung open, as Batman explained, "You got too close, and she was a friend who listened to me. I'm not great at revealing my more tender moments, as you well know. But when I told her about us, about you and your…obsession with me, Wonder Woman listened to me, and she was able to give me what I needed more than anything: space. We went out as friends; then, one thing led to another…."
Selina pushed him so that he slammed into the corridor's wall. "And you slept with her while you were dating me?!"
Batman shook his head, saying, "No, we didn't take things that far. We just held hands, and we did kiss one time, but that was all."
Selina tried to process that information. Okay, so Bruce wouldn't lie about how far he took things with Wonder Woman, and the Catwoman was happy that he didn't have sexual relations with the Amazon, but she was still angry about the fact that he saw her at all behind Selina's back. The Mistress of Cats studied the Master of Bats just then and came had an epiphany. She realized that she did not love Bruce. Oh, she was still affectionate, and she was territorial, in part because she was just so used to the idea of him. But Selina did not love him, and she had not for a long time. Bruce was the fantasy: a Knight in a dark tower who would court her, and would pretend to cherish her, but who got on his high horse and went to another damsel in distress when it suited him. He never bestowed his heart, and woe to any woman who tried to secure it.
The Catwoman breathed a soft sigh of a woman who just came face to face with the truth, and who was finally okay with it. She caught a glimpse of the Man of Steel beyond the entrance to the medical area, and she knew without a doubt that she wanted to see if maybe, just maybe, he was the ideal man for her.
"Well," she said, sounding almost relieved, "I guess it's over."
Batman didn't show it, but he was confused. Had he won the overall game with Selina that men and women played in affairs of the heart, or had he lost it? "I guess it is," he said finally. Before she walked inside the room, she heard his voice.
"Superman and I don't always get along, but he is important to me," Batman said, punctuating his next words. "Stay away from him, Selina. He doesn't know you like I do." He walked away from the sick bay area.
Selina wasn't angry at him. The Batman couldn't be anything more than who he really was, after all. She walked into the sick bay where Supergirl was reading the latest Teen Scoop issue.
"Is he all right?" she asked. The Girl of Steel wasn't repulsed or upset that the legendary Catwoman had chosen to ask. She took in Selina's appearance with aplomb. Kara had some unusual friends. Why shouldn't her cousin be the same?
"He' s recovering," she said. "I understand that you stayed with him when he was sick in Luthor's bathroom."
"Yes, I did," Selina told the teenager. Supergirl smiled.
"That was way cool," she said. "Did you want to see him? He'll be up and about in a few minutes. Once the Kryptonite's gone, it doesn't take long to heal."
The Catwoman looked over to the superhero. There were things she wanted to say, about her sudden feelings for him; about wanting to get closer to him as a friend, and even about her and the blonde. But as she heard some other heroes approaching the medical area, Selina decided that she didn't want to talk to Superman with his colleagues around.
"No, that's okay," she said. "He knows where to find me."
Supergirl hastened to assure her. "Don't let these yahoos intimidate you," she said. "They'll keep their opinions to themselves if I tell them."
Catwoman was pleased that Supergirl was going to stick up for her, but she didn't necessarily want the younger Kryptonian fighting her battles.
Besides, she thought as she decided to keep his teleportation device a little longer as an incentive for im to visit, it'll be fun seeing him again!
"No, but thanks just the same," Selina told Kara. "I think I'll just go. I'll talk to him later."
"Okay," Supergirl said. Selina left the room and went into the corridor. When she glimpsed the young Captain Marvel rounding the corner with Nightwing, she teleported away.
By the time the superheroes came into the medical area, Kal El was sitting up.
"Hey!" the newly elected Captain Marvel exclaimed. "He's awake!" His tan hand reached out to shake Superman's.
"How're you doing, pal?" he asked. Superman was glad that this Captain Marvel, (known in his off hours to some as Fred Freeman,) was much more congenial than the original. His hazel eyes met Supergirl's and they acknowledged each other. The Man of Steel didn't miss the exchange. He decided to have a little talk with the young, sable haired superhero concerning dating his cousin soon.
"I'm fine, and ready to be out of here," Superman said.
"You might have to talk to the warden about that," Nightwing joked. Just then, the "warden", otherwise known as the Atom, came into the room.
"Well, well, well," he said to Superman. "I see you're up and about."
"And ready to be released," the Kryptonian male told him. "My healing ability's much faster than most people's, remember?"
After saying "excuse me", to the other heroes, the Atom looked at the medical data. He pulled out a stethoscope as the others watched and listened to Superman's heart. "Heart like a hammer," the diminutive superhero reported, "blood pressure normal, radiation levels: non-existent, and…" he paused.
"How are your strength, vision types, and your other abilities?" he wanted to know. Superman floated a few inches off of the bed and then stared at the ceiling. The heroes eyes drifted to it. They saw a tiny burn mark on it. Then, as they looked back to the male alien, Superman took part of the metal chair with bars that was by his bed into his hands with ease and bent the chair down slightly. Then, he bent it back into its original shape.
Raising his brow, the Man of Steel asked, "convinced?"
"He sure gets my vote," Captain Marvel commented. Nightwing nodded his agreement. Supergirl gave him a thumbs-up gesture.
The Atom sighed. He always liked keeping patients for further study of their anatomical structure, but he knew Superman couldn't stay there forever.
"You'll promise me to look after yourself?" he advised. "I don't want a repeat of this sort of thing."
Superman said, "I can promise to take care of myself. As for the rest, that's in the hands of Fate."
The Atom suggested to the other heroes, "perhaps we should brief the others on his condition."
"Sounds great!" Captain Marvel shouted. He and Nightwing left with the Atom. Supergirl hung back for a moment. Her blue eyes were still slightly concerned.
"You really will be careful?" she asked. "I mean, if blondie is out there still, she could use the same stuff on you again if she finds out she didn't finish the job."
"I don't think that'll be an issue," Superman said. "But I'll coat my costume with lead dust this time."
Supergirl seemed satisfied. Her cousin changed the subject as he rose from the bed and, crossing over to a panel, changed out of the medical robe he was in and put on his regular costume.
"So," he said as he threw on his cape, "Captain Marvel, eh? Thought you were dating the Flash."
He came out from behind the panel in time to see Supergirl smiling slyly. "Oh, cuz," she cried, "how can you be so last summer? The Flash was last year! He was okay; we separated as friends, but Freddie is so much more mature!"
Freddie, mature? Superman thought about the teenager. Oh, the nineteen year old man was a nice guy, he thought, and the second Captain Marvel was a gentleman to her, at least when he saw them at Justice League functions, but mature? Kal-el decided he would reserve judgment on that.
"You'll be careful?" Superman asked.
Supergirl rolled her eyes, but said, "Yes, I will. I promise not to sleep with him until I'm at least thirty."
Superman teased, "Thirty-five." Supergirl leaned over and kissed him on his cheek. She loved her cousin so much, and his concern was great, even if it could sometimes interfere with her social life.
"You'll also be careful with the Catwoman?" she asked. Superman was astonished.
"How do you know about…?" he asked.
"She was here," Supergirl reported, shrugging. "And she seemed anxious about how you were doing."
Superman murmured, "I'm anxious about her, too." He felt inside of his cape for his teleportation device, but after a moment, he came up short.
"Do you mind if I borrow your teleportation device?" he asked Supergirl. She frowned, but handed it over, inquiring what happened to his.
"I'm not sure," Superman said, though he knew exactly who had it since he'd heard her muttering that the blonde would pay for her crimes.
"Oh, well, I'm sure it'll turn up soon," Supergirl said, none the wiser. She paused for a moment before walking out of the medical room.
"I think you both would be good together," she commented. "Go for it." Supergirl flounced out. Superman chuckled, shaking his head back and forth.
She must get it from Ma, he thought. He programmed in his apartment building, and seconds later, found himself inside the lobby. After opening his door, Superman changed clothes and went to work. When he started typing the articles he planned to write that day, Clark thought about what to do concerning Selina.
XXXXXXXXXX
That evening, Catwoman had peeled out of her costume and was doing her hair when she heard a knock at the door. Hoping Superman had come to call, she said, "Hang on a minute!"
She ran past her pets into the bedroom and threw on a silk robe of midnight blue trimmed with emerald. Selina opened the door to Clark Kent. He was holding up some flowers—tiger lilies—and he was dressed in a golden shirt with a black jacket and taupe hued pants. His tie, a black one with gold diamonds on it, complemented his suit perfectly.
"Hi," he greeted. Selina stood with shock in her eyes. Why was Clark there, and why did he have flowers in his hand?
"Hello," she said. Clark looked at her with his deep eyes.
"May I come in?" he asked. Selina opened the door wider. Clark strolled in, the flowers against his side.
"Were you getting ready for bed?" he asked. Selina looked down at her robe, then up at the journalist, who seemed to be saying something provocative behind that simple question.
"No, this is more of a lounging robe," she responded. "Why are you here?" Clark held up the lilies again.
"Special delivery from a mutual friend," he said. Selina took the flowers and went to her kitchen, selecting a vase for them.
"Tell him I appreciate the gesture," she said, running some water into a brown, tortoise shelled vase, "but he could have had them delivered by a Metropolis Florist person, or he could have brought them, himself." She turned off the water and put the flowers on top of a cabinet where the cats couldn't reach.
"Well," Clark responded, "he wanted to come, but there were Justice League things, and other missions. You know how it is."
"Couldn't tear himself away from a mudslide in California, right?" Selina asked, her voice containing not even the slightest bit of disappointment.
"Something like that," Clark answered. "So, I volunteered."
"For what exactly?" Selina wanted to know.
Clark looked into her emerald eyes and said, "How about dinner?" The Catwoman thought about Clark's offer and considered her response.
A moment later, she ran her tongue over her lips, saying, "Give me time to change." Selina ran inside her bedroom while Clark waited. He grinned, glad that he had decided on his course of action.