Note: Ok, so for those who are reading this…this is a pretty intense chapter. But it was necessary to set things up. I promise I'll get back to Lois in the next chapter and C/L will be in the same space VERY soon. Thank you so much for all your support on this. I wasn't sure if I should continue, but I'm having too much fun writing this one so…

Thank you, thank you!! REALLY appreciate feedback!! Thanks!

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Chapter 10

Bruce Wayne never saw it coming.

He was instantly thrown against the wall with a force that knocked the breath out of him. His head snapped back causing an explosion of stars behind his eyes. When he blinked against the pain, a furious Clark Kent filled his view. An arm of steel pinned him in place, his feet dangling a foot off the ground.

And the Bat was paralyzed.

He'd never encountered anything this powerful. This untamed.

"Why would Lex be calling you on your private line about Lois? WHY?!" Clark demanded, his eyes blazing. Flashing. Flaring.

Blue turned to red. Red to blue.

Bruce gasped. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Alfred. Bruce shook his head slightly, a sign to the older man not to attempt a rescue. It would only anger Clark more. That was clearly the last thing he needed.

"I…I don't…know."

"How well do you know him? HUH?!" Clark pressed him further into the wall. Bruce swore he heard something in the wall behind him, crack.

"Well…enough."

"Is that so? Tell me, Bruce…" Clark growled his name like a curse. "…is that how you knew about my past with Lana? With Lex? Did you and your best friend swap stories of all your malicious manipulations over a glass of wine? Laugh about all the lives you've destroyed by playing games from your untouchable ivory towers…"

"No. No, I swear." His adam's apple bobbed.

"I. Won't. Let. You. Destroy. Lois." Teeth clenched, the veins in Clark's neck jerked angrily. With every punctuated word, Bruce felt himself pushed further into the wall.

Recognizing Clark's actions for what they were, Bruce hastened to distance himself from the true cause of Clark's overwhelming rage. "Lois is safe…with me. Lex is no…no friend of mine." He pulled in a ragged breath and played his trump card. "Oliver Queen…is."

Clark blinked at the name. "Oliver?"

"Yes. One of my…best…friends…" Bruce struggled to breathe. "Clark, please…please…let me …"

Doubt haunted Clark's eyes, but Bruce no longer felt like he had a boulder sitting on his chest. "What? Explain?"

"Take his call." The quiet reminder brought Clark back to the center of his personal storm. "It may be…the only way to find out…where Lois is."

One moment of indecision.

Then with one final shove, Bruce Wayne dropped to the ground.

And left his imprint in the wall.

A barely controlled Clark spun away from him and began pacing like a caged animal in front of the desk. Alfred rushed to aid his master, his pale blue eyes warily watching Clark's every move.

Panting from the lack of air, Bruce stumbled to the desk and nearly fell into the large leather chair. He took a brief moment to compose himself. Any other man in worse physical shape wouldn't have recovered for a week.

At least.

Bruce reached for the phone.

Clark's large hand clamped over his. "Speaker."

"Fine." Bruce spat back through clenched teeth, his wary gaze never leaving Clark's. "But…not a word."

Clark's eyes narrowed.

"My fiancée, my rules." Gaining back a large measure of control, Bruce's eyes flashed with unmovable determination.

Clark backed away, his agreement implicit.

Bruce hit the button. "Bruce Wayne here."

"Took you long enough." Lex's smooth voice filled the room. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say I kidnapped the wrong incentive."

"Where's Lois?" Bruce demanded, trying to keep his own rising fear out of his voice.

"Safe enough." Lex answered. "For now."

"What do you want, Luthor?"

"What's mine."

"Care to be a bit more specific?" Bruce couldn't hide the loathing in his voice.

"Oh…I think you know."

Bruce's eyes narrowed. At this point, he was seriously tired of all the games. "I'm not in the mood, Luthor. Just tell me what you want."

"What I want, you can't give me." Lex answered cryptically. "You can, however, give me the means to get it."

Bruce glanced up at Clark, who looked like he was about ready to explode with frustration. Bruce held up a calming hand. "This call is over in five seconds if you don't tell me straight what you…"

"A property of mine was raided about a year ago." Apparently, Lex realized he'd reached Bruce's limit. "I don't know which of your friends did it…whether Green Arrow, the Bat or both…and I really don't care. What I do know is that they gave what they found to you for safe keeping." Lex paused, his voice lowering dangerously. "I want back what was stolen from me. In exchange, you get back what I stole from you."

Bruce didn't hesitate. "Fine." The agreement was made through clenched teeth. "But I'm warning you, Luthor, if she's not in perfect condition when I see her, I will unleash my full power against you. There will be no place for you to hide."

"Do as I say and there will be no need." Lex responded calmly.

Bruce eyed Clark carefully, gauging. Measuring. He had to handle the next few moments with kid gloves or it could be more than just Lois that would need rescuing. "When and where?"

"An hour." Lex began. The rest of his instructions were silenced as Bruce grabbed the phone, ensuring complete privacy from an over-reactive, out of control Clark Kent.

Clark tensed and took a menacing step forward.

But it was too late.

Too late for action. Too late for super hearing.

"I'll be there." Bruce replaced the phone.

"Just who do you think you…"

Only to have the desk ripped up from its place, leaving Bruce vulnerable once again.

He was ready this time.

With one flick of his finger, Bruce flipped a switch on his watch. Seemingly from nowhere, something flew through the air. Several somethings. Glowing, green somethings.

And hit Clark square in the chest.

Clark instantly fell backward. He clutched at his stomach and stumbled to the floor.

Bruce catapulted himself out of the chair to kneel by Clark's side. "Clark, listen to me. I don't want to do this. I don't want to hurt you, but I have to know I can count on you to stay calm. If you don't, we could both lose her."

"How…how did you…" Struggling against the pain, Clark's question went unasked.

But not unanswered. "What Lex wants. It's you, Clark. He wants everything he ever had…on you. Papers. Experiments. Journals. Everything."

"But…how…"

Panic filled Bruce's eyes. "Clark, please. Make a decision. Are you going to work with me to get her back or do I have to trap you here in pain like this while I go rescue her on my own?"

"Lois…"

"Needs both of us right now."

Clark writhed in agonizing silence, unable to speak.

"Clark!"

Nodding, Clark agreed.

"My way."

Clark nodded again.

"No needless heroics. Do everything I tell you. Can you handle that without going all Krypto on me?"

Clark gasped at the reference, his eyes widening.

"Clark! Can. You. Handle. It?"

Clark's eyes squeezed shut. His head bobbed in agreement, as his answer became an agonized whisper. "For Lois…yes. Yes, anything…"

"Alfred! Alfred, help me!" Chest rising and falling with relief, Bruce's command was a harsh staccato.

In no time, the Kryptonite tipped arrows were quickly removed from Clark's body and Clark instantly began to relax. Wrapping the arrows in a cloth, Bruce handed them to Alfred. "Keep them close, but not too close."

"You won't…" Face flushed with the previous struggle, Clark swallowed hard. "…need them."

Gaze slipping to the young man lying on the floor, quickly regaining his strength, Bruce's lips tilted for the first time in what seemed like forever. "That'd better be a promise."

Clark nodded. "It is."

"Here." Bruce stood and held his hand out to a fully-recovered Clark Kent. "Let me help you."

Clark eyed the proffered hand a moment before hesitantly reaching up and grasping it firmly.

Eye to eye the two men stared at each other. An uneasy partnership had been forged. Still rivals. Now partners.

With one common enemy.

One common love.

One common goal.

"So, what exactly do you know about me?" Clark ventured quietly.

"Everything." Bruce shrugged then took a deep breath. "And…I suppose now, it's your turn. Come on." He slapped Clark on the back before turning toward the door. "We have a lot to do. And you…" He called back over his shoulder with a wicked taunt. "…you need to suit up."

A stunned Clark stood rooted to the floor. A dark eyebrow rose. He swallowed hard.

"Suit…up?"

Tbc…