Chapter 24

He shifted in his chair slightly as he stared at Lois' serene face. It was kind of Bruce to lend him some clothes although they didn't fit exactly right. Regardless the idea of Superman walking around in Bruce Wayne's mansion was not a good idea, so he gratefully accepted them. Bruce Wayne was too much of a celebrity to not expect impromptu visitors from time-to-time. And usually those visitors held cameras. No wonder Bruce's hideout was a cave. Which was where Bruce still was. Vaguely Clark wondered if Batman slept during the day like his moniker suggested.

At 4:30 in the morning he should have been sleeping too, but he couldn't. The sound of Lois' breathing was a balm to his soul and overtaxed mind. So much had happened. Luthor was a tangible threat to him now. Suddenly he had a super-powered enemy again. Although Batman had powered him down, his instincts told him that that wasn't the last time he would see Metallo. He and Batman were working together. Sort of.

He rolled his eyes. Even after laying out the logical arguments that he shouldn't go near any of those facilities he was still annoyed.

With everything out in the open with Kassandra and Barbara, he had had more time to think. He had decided he definitely wasn't mad at Kassandra. Not having much choice in matter, he could forgive her role and he liked her. The situation with Barbara was more complicated. Whether he would admit it or not, he cared for her like a brother would care for a sister, but what she did was beyond Kassandra's transgression.

Although they were quiet, he heard footsteps before they reached the door. The person's heart was racing.

"Lois is recovering well," said a voice behind him. He knew who it was. He didn't care, but he had a pathological problem where he couldn't ignore people.

"Mr. Pennyworth seems to know what he's doing," he said without looking at her.

"He's a medic."

In spite of his conversation partner, he turned slightly and raised an interested eyebrow.

"And he's had a lot of practice," she joked, but Clark didn't take the bait. His face remained stubbornly cold before he turned away from her again. Instead he focused on Lois, taking her hand and willing the intruder to leave. But she didn't.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Why?" he asked growing more irritated by her impertinent question.

"We need to talk and since our conversation will probably devolve into yelling I think it would be best if we left the room. I don't want to wake Lois."

He couldn't deny her reasoning, so he nodded slightly, kissed Lois' forehead and followed her out.

Were it any other time he would appreciate the beauty of Wayne Manor. It was all dark thick wood emanating a sense of strength and warmth from within. A family had lived here. However briefly.

As they walked into the kitchen, Clark was taken aback by the size of the room. It was modern looking, but still held the older charm of the rest of the house. Barbara made a beeline to the coffee machine, pressed a couple of buttons. The coffee maker sprung to life. Leaning back against the counter, Clark tried to ignore the silence and her by focusing on the machine heating up then filtering the liquid then pouring the hot liquid into the pitcher.

"You're mad at me," she said matter-of-factly. Man she just wouldn't let him ignore her.

Clark shot her a look that clearly said 'Are you surprised?' and she sighed.

"I'm so sorry."

"You're sorry?" So angered he was by her statement that he had to stand straight. "You lied to me about everything. About your name, about the blackmail, about you spying on me in the first place!"

"I understand that you're mad; I'm mad at me too," she said defensively.

He knew that and begrudgingly he wanted to understand, even to sympathize, but he just couldn't get past this one thing.

"Lois told me about your conversation."

"Then why are you so angry?"

Lois had told him everything they had spoken about: her past (her real past), her motives, her qualms with her mission, her feelings about his family. His heart told him to care, but he just didn't want to for a very good reason.

"Because I believed you even after your lies. You toyed with my emotions and you used me. I gave you a second chance and you just threw it in my face."

To her credit she looked ashamed and could barely look at him. When she spoke her voice was breaking. "That is completely true. What I did was wrong and despicable. And I deserve your anger."

But when she finally made eye contact with him, he was surprised to see anger there too. "But you know what? At the same time, you have a lot of nerve judging me for having multiple identities."

"What?" he asked incredulous.

"How many names did you go through during your wandering days? How many people did you trick into believing whatever back story necessary for your own purposes?" she practically yelled with tears at the corners of her eyes.

Clark went to speak, but she cut him off.

"Don't tell me you were just hiding! You lied your way all the way up Ellesmere because you heard about the scoutship. You lied to learn the truth."

Surprised and begrudgingly impressed, Clark was momentarily stunned by the sheer amount of knowledge she had about him. But he quickly regained his composure and his incredulity by her audacious claims.

"I did what I had to."

"As did I."

The nerve of her! Clark glared, but in the back of his mind he knew she was right.

"You should know I didn't want to lie to you; I had to. I didn't do what I did to hurt you. I believe in what Bruce is planning. I did it because Bruce is right."

"'Talk is just noise,'" he said a little bitterly.

"Yes, so I lied to learn the truth."

She had a point. He was probably one of the most dishonest people in the world. He had to be, but regardless of her intentions and her correct assertions, he was still hurt and remained angry.

"Why change your name then? Why the blackmail story? After we found you out, why didn't you just stop? You seemed pretty convinced of me by then."

She shook her head a little and put up a defensive gesture. "That wasn't my decision. He wanted me to use that identity and he said you had to figure out everything by yourself."

"I don't understand."

"Bruce is meticulous when profiling people. He wanted to know how you would respond if someone who had wronged you actually needed your help." She grimaced. "Also he was worried you were...stupid."

"That's dangerous game."

"Not with you," she said with teary eyes.

Clark sighed. He could feel his anger slip away. "So the blackmail story..."

"Was to make you dig deeper," she finished for him.

"I didn't discover your identity; that was Lois."

Barbara smiled a little. "Nobody's an island, Clark. Besides you brilliantly figured out Bruce's identity."

He blushed a little; he was proud of himself for doing that.

He gave her a long appraising look. "You know I never asked. How did you..."

"Very few objects fly as fast as you and all of those things are closely tracked," she deadpanned.

Clark's eyes grew wide with fear. If she had found him that easily than what about the government? What about his enemies? Reading his mind Barbara smiled reassuringly.

"It's okay. I fixed that problem."

For a moment he wondered how and then he remembered her computer skills. Why would she do that for him? Why would she protect him? He looked up at her with gentle eyes.

"You need to know that I never meant to hurt you and I hated every moment that I lied to you, but I loved every moment I got to spend with you and your family. I am so sorry," she said with eyes and a voice like she meant it.

"So what do we do now?"

"What do you want to do?" Barbara asked hesitantly.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell me?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment. Genuinely he wondered what she would say now that everything was completely out. "Bruce really isn't that bad. You just have to get to know him."

Clark looked away. All this time, all the lies, all the diversions, truly he didn't know Bruce. Or Barbara even. Maybe he knew Kassandra. Maybe this was a chance for them to actually become acquainted.

"I want you to promise me that you will never do that to me or to my family again," he said firmly.

"I swear," she replied with conviction.

Clark smiled genuinely. With a relieved sigh, Barbara poured him some coffee and retrieved the sugar and cream. Both with cup in hand they stood in companionable and comfortable silence.

Maybe they could start over.

"By the way," he said after taking a sip,"good luck and come back in one piece."

She chuckled. "Thanks."