Chapter One

Different Paths, Same Destination

Clark stared at his brother, worry showing in his eyes. "Do you have to go?"

Bruce nodded slowly. "I have to. I need to work my anger out, to learn what I need to learn."

"And that is?"

Bruce shrugged. "I don't know. There's a Dojo in Japan that I'm going to, then after that... we'll see."

Clark blinked the tears from his eyes. "Is this because... because we're not really brothers?"

Bruce grabbed Clark in a hug which almost managed to break his ribs despite his newly-discovered abilities. "Clark, you heard what Alfred said. It didn't matter to mum and dad where you came from, and it sure as hell doesn't matter to me. You are my brother. So what if you came in the rocket ship in the cave? So what if your DNA has four strands instead of two? In every way that counts, you are my brother, and nothing, nothing! can change that."

For another moment, the two embraced, then Bruce let go and stepped back.

"Darn. You made me get all emotional again. So much for my reputation."

Clark grinned, wiping away the tears that threated to spill down his cheeks. "Well, someone has to, you know. I'll visit you, see how you're getting on, report on our company..."

"Date all the pretty girls in my absence, get chased by the mums trying to wed you to their daughters, continue to get straight-A's in college even though you're only fifteen." Bruce laughed.

"You get straight-A's too." Clark countered. "And you don't even have to copy my homework."

For a moment, the two of them stared at each other, then so simultaneously it could only have been an accident, they sighed.

"I'll miss you, Bruce."

"I'll miss you too, Clark." Bruce said sadly, "But I have to do this."

Clark nodded, then caught his brother up in a final embrace. "I know." he whispered. "I know."

x

Alfred paused by the library door and watched the motionless figure that was sat in mid-air, staring out of the window. After a few moments, the figure half-turned and smiled.

"I know you're there, Alfred. I can hear your heartbeat."

"I should know better than to try and spy on you, Master Clark." Alfred said ruefully as he entered the room. "Practicing your flying again?"

Clark blinked at him, then looked down and his eyes widened. An instant later, he seemed to wobble, then he dropped onto the floor.

"Master Clark!"

"I'm fine. Super-tough, remember?" Clark grinned. "Sorry, Bruce described meditation to me during our last phone call, and I wanted to try it. Sorry for worrying you."

"Not at all." Alfred said his voice mildly chiding and Clark grinned as he stood up.

"Flight, enhanced strength, super-hearing..."

"Laser vision." Alfred added and Clark blushed.

"Oh, yeah. That was... embarrassing. Well, at least it lets me shave."

"Once Lucius was able to find a mirror which doesn't melt when you fire your eye-beams at it." Alfred reminded him and Clark nodded.

"Yeah. He's really fascinated by my powers. Thank goodness, having you and him helping has made adjusting a lot easier."

x

The flying figure somersaulted through the air, hands reaching out and the other trapeze artist caught him with the ease of long practice. The backswing took them to the platform where they dismounted to applause.

"Who's that?"

"Clark!" the other figure shouted, grabbing a rope and sliding down. Reaching the ground, he caught the visitor in a hug, before turning to his mentor.

"Sir, this is Clark, my brother. Clark, what are you doing here?"

"I was nearby and came to check you were OK." Clark grinned. "Nice tights, the leotard suits you."

Bruce laughed and slapped his brother lightly across the head. "If you'll excuse us, sir, we have some catching up to do."

"Not a problem." came the reply. "Be back in an hour, we'll resume practice them."

"So, what happened at the Dojo?" Clark asked.

"Oh, within three years, I was at master-level." Bruce shrugged. "Sensei said that only experience and students of my own could let me improve, so I started looking for other things. Zatara's teaching me escapology, while the Graysons have accepted me as a temporary member while I learn acrobatics."

"Performed yet?" Clark grinned and Bruce nodded, a wry smile on his face.

"Yep, I'm currently an honorary Flying Grayson until I decide to leave. I've still got a more learning to do."

"Un'ca B'uce?"

Clark looked down and smiled at the wide-eyed boy staring up at them. "Hello, who are you?"

Bruce lowered an arm and the boy scrambled up it, perching himself on Bruce's shoulders. "Clark, this is Richard Grayson. Dick, this is my brother, Clark. Say hi."

"Hi c'ark."

"Hello, Dick." Clark smiled. "So, Bruce, is he your protégé?"

Bruce's glare would have frozen a lesser man, but Clark simply grinned, having been on the receiving end of it many times before.

x

The sound of moving metal echoed through the cavern and Lucius sat back, watching with a critical eye as the heavy weights moved up and down. After a short while, the movement stopped and Clark slid out from underneath them, sweat lightly beaded on his brow.

"So, what was that?"

"That was three hundred tons, and you're barely breaking a sweat." Lucius said, awe infusing his voice. "You really are growing stronger."

"Faster, too." Clark said. "Flying and running. I think I almost broke the sound barrier last week."

"You'll want to avoid doing that around populated areas." Lucius said, trying to hide his wry smile. "It could get expensive repairing all those broken windows."

Clark nodded as he sat up. "Heard from Bruce lately? Last I heard, he'd left the circus."

"He has." Lucius said. "I directed him to a friend of mine in Africa, a good detective. Said he'll take on Bruce for a bit, show him the rudiments of investigations."

Clark nodded as he began his isometric exercises, pitting one set of muscles against another. Lucius glanced over at the wreckage of the former exercise machine in the corner and hid another smile.

"We found a few more odd isotopes of Kryptonite." he said. "If you are willing, we can see if any of them have any effect on you, there may be something useful this time."

Clark shrugged. "Hmmm, well, as long as it's a small test. Remember what happened with the red? Or the yellow?"

"We found both a blue and and odd phasing Kryptonite." Lucius said. "The phasing one seems to be... phasing regularly, but I am having my scientists look into that one. I won't let any of it near you, regular green Kryptonite is bad enough, even though it makes a superb power source. The blue... not sure about that. The emanations aren't strong, but they're complex."

"Bring it over tomorrow." Clark said with a shrug. "I have several days after that free, so we can find out what it does."

x

"Welcome to Gotham Tonight! Today, Bruce Wayne, one of the multi-billionaire Wayne Twins, returned to Gotham after spending six years travelling the globe. Re-united with his brother, Clark, the two of them have promised that their twenty—first birthday next week, when they inherit the positions of joint-CEO's of Wayne Enterprises, will indeed be one to remember..."