Several ideas in this chapter need credits- first off, thanks to MQ for the Lego Batman idea, and for toning back several characters who threatened to run wild in this one. Secondly, thanks to Kyer for her inspiration in the last chapter's review about the cookie jar. It was such a good idea, I had to use it. :)

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"Carefully, J'onn…" Bruce said, sitting at the Batcomputer. Data filled the enormous screen as J'onn scanned the shard of the Amulet with a miniature camera/laser/scanner. A three-dimensional copy of the purple sliver appeared next to the text as he finished the final pass with the device. Setting down the scanner, J'onn returned to stand next to Bruce's chair. He scrutinized the data thoroughly, frowning.

"Is there any way you can run a test to see if it has an aversion to electrical charges? I'd be interested in finding out if it was just Morgan's magic, or if this is just as affected."

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "Or if it was just Shayera's mace."

"That, too. We'll need to get more information on both the Amulet and her mace to be sure."

"Would you two mind telling me why you're planning on borrowing my mace, then?" Shayera appeared, walking down the stairs with her hands on her hips. She flew over to stand next to them. "I'd like to be consulted before you take my stuff… it's called common courtesy."

In place of an answer, Bruce pulled up the video clip of the transformation. He paused it when the mace's disturbance was particularly visible. "This is why we'd like to run some tests on your mace." He enlarged the picture, zooming in on the mace itself.

She stared intently at the screen. "I see your point, and it's a good one, but I'll just warn you that running any tests with my mace and that tiny scrap of rock," she said, pointing at the shard, "will destroy any magic that could be left in it, if there is any. Be careful… if you don't know what you're doing, you could bring this whole place down."

"Thanks for the warning," came the sarcastic answer.

"Hey, I'm just saying I'm not going to be held responsible for anything that goes wrong."

"Your concern for our welfare is noted."

Offended, Shayera flew off to the stairway, headed for the Manor entrance. "The mace is in my bedroom," she shot over her shoulder. "Don't hurt yourselves bringing it down."

Bruce folded his arms and turned back to the Batcomputer, browsing the data that was still processing through the super-computer's hard drive. J'onn placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You didn't need to be so harsh on her." After waiting for an answer, and receiving none, he continued. "We're all having a hard time here. You've gone out of your way to keep our … situation … from being discovered. That is admirable, but it gives you no right to speak so harshly. We are all trying our hardest to find a solution, you the most of all of us. But Shayera has more than you know on her mind right now. She's been gone from our lives for quite some time, and is now forced, against her will, to -"

"Look, I see your point, alright? Could you just go and get the mace?"

J'onn retracted his hand. "Very well. Just know that we're your friends. We're here to help you. Don't shut us out." The Martian flew to the ceiling of the Batcave and phased through it to the Manor above.

Bruce sighed and placed his head in his hands. Was he really shutting them all out? He just wanted everything to go back to the way it had been. Why had Morgan gone back on her word?

He was tired of being small and puny… What had happened to all his years of training, all his work to achieve the peak of physical strength? Why hadn't that transferred over when he'd been changed? Instead, he was a child once more; he was helpless to protect those he loved. He heard their voices in his head again, the sounds and memories all too vivid.

The chatter of a crowd leaving a packed theatre on opening night. The laughter of a child, filled with the sights and sounds of an exciting movie. The quiet, happy talk of the child's parents as they walked together, just behind their son. The cars honking their horns along a busy street. "It's a short-cut," the father's voice explains. Footsteps, the quiet of a back alleyway. The rough voice of a stranger, demanding the mother's pearls. The father protesting… A gunshot. A woman's high-pitched scream. Another gunshot. Pearls hitting the ground, one… at… a… time…

Bruce pulled his cowl over his head to hide the tears that fell from his open eyes.

Trying to get his mind off the past, he concentrated on the Amulet. Morgan had said something about it making Mordred more powerful than she could ever be. But when the Amulet had been destroyed, Mordred said he'd absorbed too much of the power for it to make a difference. Had he absorbed all the power? Either way, they'd tricked him into defeating himself.

"A bargain's a bargain" she'd said. So WHY had she gone back on her word? A bargain's a bargain. He could see her standing in front of him, in front of the four League members. Her impassive metal face made it impossible to see any expression, to guess what she was thinking. He had to look up at her from his shortened stature. A bargain's a bargain. She lifted up her hand… He felt that chill of premonition… A bargain's a bargain.

***

"Who ate my cookies?!?" Alfred walked from the kitchen to the media room and stared down at Clark, Diana, Shayera, John, and Wally, an empty cookie jar in hand. "I'd baked those for this evening's desert- whichever of you ate them will be required to bake a replacement batch with me. I will not tolerate stealing from my kitchen!" He scanned the room again and glimpsed red hair ducking out of view. "Master Wally."

Said red hair appeared again, followed by the rest of the boy. "Yes, Alfred?" he asked, trying to look innocent.

"Cookies."

"Where!?" Wally was at the butler's side instantly.

"That is precisely what I wish to know."

"Oh…" his face fell. "Um… er… well… you see…"

"I was hungry last night," Clark spoke up, taking the blame. "I smelled cookies in the kitchen, and flew down to get a snack." The thankful look on Wally's face more than made up for the boy of steel's guilt at the small fib.

Alfred nodded in disbelief. "And you ate all the cookies yourself?"

"I was hungry…"

"Hmm. Very well, then, I expect you in the kitchen shortly." The butler turned and walked back into the kitchen, nowhere near convinced.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Wally jumped on Clark and hugged him. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! Why did you do that?"

"You didn't want to bake them. I don't mind cooking- used to help Ma with the baking all the time." Clark grinned. "And I've tasted your cooking before. No offense, but my cookies will be edible."

"Hey!"

John laughed. "Sorry, Wally, but he's right. Last time I ate at your place, we had to order out, remember?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

John draped a hand over Wally's shoulder. "No big deal, man. You're out of having to bake. C'mon. I want a rematch." He handed over a controller to the video game.

A huge grin split Wally's face. "Naw… I've got a better idea. Take a look at what I found when I was… not eating the cookies last night." He zipped over to the cabinet where all the video games were stored and selected a title, holding it up for all to see.

"No. Way." "You've got to be kidding me." "Ha! That is hilarious!" "Does Bruce know that this is in his house?" The other four league members laughed and spoke over each other.

"Dunno, but I say we give it a try." He was at the console in a split second, urging the tray to open so he could place the disk inside. "C'mon! Hurry up! Open! I command you!" He switched out the racing game with the new tile. The tray slid inside, and Wally sat on the couch, controller in hand, bouncing in excitement.

The console's title screen appeared, followed by the creators of the game. Finally, the main menu page of the game appeared, superimposed with the title of the game: LEGO BATMAN.

***

A woman's voice spoke from the earpiece of his cowl, interrupting Bruce's thought process and causing him to jump slightly.

"When are you going to fill me in on the situation, Batman? Or did you forget that I monitor all of your life support systems in your Batsuit?" Oracle. The one person he trusted, other than Alfred, to keep track of his vital signs. Why hadn't he thought about her till she contacted him? "Either you've been using the most effective diet program I've ever seen, or you've got the vitals of a child. I've been patient long enough- what happened?"

After a moment of mental debate, he came to a decision. "Oracle, I need you to take a look at this data I'm forwarding to you now. Find out what you can about the Amulet of First Magic and get back to me as soon as you can."

"Alright… I see my child theory was correct." He could hear barely-stifled laughter from the other end of the transmission. "Amulet of First Magic. Got it." She paused. "Does Tim know?"

"What would he know about the Amulet?"

"Stop avoiding the question. You know what I'm talking about."

After a pause, Bruce replied. "No. He must have stayed at Brentwood, and hasn't come to the Batcave today. I'd rather you keep this on a need-to-know basis, anyway."

"Fine… but you know he's going to find out eventually." She sighed. "Oh- here's some information for you. The Amulet of First Magic is considered to be a myth among most experts, but rumor has it that it was kept in a secret temple. No hint of a location given here… I'll look more into that; it sounds fishy. I'm sure I can dig up a bit more info there. Um… Not much else. You probably already know this stuff..." Her words became choppy as she apparently read from a list. "Gives great power… disguised as a pendant… possible curse… ooh!" she exclaimed. "Did you know that it has a guardian? Some sort of stone golem… Looks like the guardian is supposed to be in that secret temple. Any of that help?"

"Keep on it, Oracle."

"That bad, huh?"

"Between the data I've sent you on the Amulet, and the magic itself…" he paused. "See if you can find the location of that temple. It might have some information on reversing the spell."

"Who cast the spell?"

"Morgan le Fey."

"I'll pull up information on her, too."

"You're the best."

"I know." The transmission ended.

Bruce sighed again and tried to regain his previous thought train, but failed. He needed a break. He slid out of the tall chair and walked up the stairs, still in costume.

In the hallway of the Manor, strains of dramatic music reached his ears. He turned towards it, seeing lights on in the Media room. Following the sounds, he turned the corner and entered the room where five of his friends sat, glued to the television. Wally held one video game controller, John another.

His eyes widened when he looked at the big-screen TV. "What are you playing?!?"

Before they could answer, a high-pitched voice came through each of their comlinks, sounding slightly panicked.

"J'onn, are you there? Please tell me you're there."

J'onn came into the Media room, pressing his hand to his comlink. The other six looked at him expectantly. "Answer him," Bruce mouthed.

"This is J'onn. Go ahead."

"Um… J'onn… Could you come up to the Watchtower, please?"

"Who is this?"

"This is Mr. Terrific. We've got a…" he paused, "little… situation up here."

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Let me know what y'all think about me adding in Oracle. It's the first time I've played anyone from the Bat-Universe besides Batman and Robin... but I just love Oracle to death, now that I've become infatuated with the graphic novels. Also let me know if you think I should make her a bigger part or not. She just popped up in my mind last week, asking why the heck Bats was asking J'onn to do all this research, and not her, since she's the best... as was established above.

I also tried writing angst for the first time in a LONG time... and remembered why I don't normally write angst. I've been depressed all day after writing the first part of this chapter. It took me till after lunch to get over my (and Bruce's) sadness. I wanted a cowl. Just sayin'.