A/N: Thank you for the reviews! And thank you to DaisyJane too.

Where you gonna go,

Where you gonna sleep tonight?

And you're singing the songs

Thinking this is the life,

And you wake up in the morning,

And your head feels twice the size

Where you gonna go,

Where you gonna go,

Where you gonna sleep tonight?

This is the Life—Amy MacDonald

Chapter Two

Weeks went by, and Alexa watched him closely. She'd been right when she said they needed him—but even more so when she said he needed them. It was in the way he laughed, mostly. Like he'd forgotten how to. There was genuine joy in it, something she didn't hear very often. She liked it. Older members of the League, like Terry, Barda and Warhawk, were very happy to have him back, and could often be found in the commissary or at the monitoring station, reminiscing about old times.

Alexa knew she spent at least part of everyday thinking about Kal, and the attraction did not take long to show itself.

She'd been looking for an opportunity to spar with him for weeks, as it wasn't often she got to really let loose and not pull her punches. Things had kept getting in the way—the criminal underworld was panicking now that they seriously knew how close to extinction they were in Gotham. They'd launched a full-scale attack on police HQ, apparently deciding that all-out war was the best way to go. It had forced Thomas to join her on her patrols into the city, something he'd not had to do for at least a year. Terry would have been there too, of course, but he hadn't recovered fully from his injuries yet.

Things were going fine before she got a face full of fear toxin. It had been lost for decades, dead along with the former Scarecrow—and then rediscovered just before her mother had reappeared in her father's life. Alexa had come across it before, and had beaten it then, with help from her brothers. But this one was a concentrated dose, with enough potency to attack her metahuman brain.

It was a good time to get it, on the whole—the battle had been won, with a few brave police officers dead, but no more. This was just one random, very lucky attack.

It didn't stop Batwoman going on a rampage.

Alexa dealt with fear like an Amazon; she faced it and tried to beat the crap out of it. She didn't even acknowledge it as fear, so much; it was a need to purge. All she could see was Gotham as she imagined it in the days of her father. When grime and fear and crime ruled the streets, drugs and bodies piled alternately on every corner. And the criminals, laughing like hyenas. It was pure luck she managed not to kill anyone. Finally there was one she came up against who wasn't so easy to defeat. Who gripped her forearms and would not let go.

She fought. She kicked and punched and used every move she could remember. Eventually she got away long enough to take to the skies, flying in any random direction.

And then he caught her again.

"Alexa! Alexa, stop fighting me!"

Oh gods, they knew her name. So they must know everything—her parents, Thomas … She turned and swung wildly at the shadow's face. The blow connected, and he was forced to let go while she carried on fleeing. She had to come up with a way to protect her family … but she was so confused. She felt the beginnings of cool air on her face. Started breathing again. Great, whooshing gasps flowing into her lungs, giving her the strength to fly faster, to get away.

"Alexa!"

Get away, get away, get away … I have to think … must defeat …

"Alexa!"

Get away … must defeat y … Wait. She knew that voice. She knew it. That was a friend, that was –

She slowed, and he caught up to her, grabbing her hands again. Reflexively she yanked them away, but he didn't let go. "Alexa. Calm down. You know me."

She tried, she really did, but there was nothing she could see to recognise. Shadows still hung around her, heavier than any shadow had a right to be. She shook her head. "Can't – Can't see."

She was turned and moved so that she could now see a light. A warm, golden one. Slowly, the shadows faded into double vision, and the light turned out to be a face, the dawn sunlight reflecting from it. And then … silver, to go with the gold, streaks in his hair.

She shook her head again, but this time to clear it. "Kal," she gasped finally.

A look of incredible relief passed over his face. "Oh, thank God. You know me, right?"

She nodded. "What? … that was … How did we get here? And where is here?"

They were hovering about three hundred feet over the ocean, no land in sight, in any direction. "About three hundred miles off the east coast, I think. I swear Diana never flew that fast. Or maybe I'm just getting old."

"But – I – I can't remember –"

"Fear gas," he replied. "Thomas called me in after you started tearing up downtown. No one's seriously injured, don't worry," he said hurriedly seeing her worried expression, "but then you took off. I was the only one fast enough to catch you."

"Oh."

He smiled. "Don't worry. No real harm done."

She put a hand up, touched his face, where there was a cut on his cheek, deeply purple bruising forming around it. "You're hurt. How do you get hurt?"

"Well …"

She coloured. "I did it, didn't I?"

"You were scared."

"Yeah, but –"

"Seriously, Alexa. It'll heal, in this sunlight probably within five minutes," he laughed. It was a beautiful sound, after what she'd just been through.

At his words she could see that it was already healing, closing up right before her eyes. Impulsively, she hugged him. "Thank you."

He smiled down at her—a sweet, old-fashioned smile that she found completely charming. "Any time."

"Let me buy you a coffee, try and make up for it?"

The smile widened as the last of the worry left his eyes. "I'd like that."

"It'll have to be in a couple of days though. I have a lot of damage to undo, I'm guessing." She put a hand to her ear. "Batwoman to Metrotower."

A nervous voice answered her. "Metrotower here. You back, Batwoman?"

"I am. Teleport myself and Superman to the Metrotower as soon as possible."

"Charging now."

When they arrived on the teleport pad, they were met by Warhawk, Green Lantern, Thomas and Barda, all of them armed and all of them in defensive positions. They all looked reluctant, but determined. Shock filled Alexa. It was no less than what she would have done, but –

Kal stepped slightly in front of her, holding up a hand. "She's lucid, relax."

They all did so, and he stepped back to her side again. "Did I really destroy that much?" Alexa asked.

Thomas nodded. "Couple of blocks. And half the G.C.P.D. building. And there were about half a dozen fires burning."

"Then I have a lot of amends to make. Is the plane here?"

"Yeah. You want to go now?"

Batwoman nodded, and the siblings left together in the Batwing, heading back down to Gotham at a screaming pace. They landed in the street just outside the G.C.P.D building, and immediately found themselves at the pointy end of most of the guns the good officers possessed. Most were aimed at Alexa.

"Hold your fire!" yelled a voice.

From behind the closely clustered ranks of police, the Commissioner emerged. Matt looked relieved to see them, but only Alexa and Thomas recognised that his relief was more personal over his sister than it was over knowing Batwoman wasn't about to continue tearing up his city.

"Batwoman?"

"The fear toxin's dissipated," she assured him. "All I'm here for now is to help. If you require assistance, Commissioner."

He nodded, and she blessed Matt in her heart. He knew how important this city was to her, and he knew how guilty she was feeling over destroying so much of it. "The fires are mostly out, but we're not sure how many people might be buried under the rubble."

"I'm on it."

The biggest thing she seemed to have destroyed—apparently by bodily throwing a bus through it—was a supermarket, at which point the whole roof had collapsed. She took hold of it and lifted it up, flying it over to an empty stretch of the park and setting it gently down. When she went back to the supermarket, she closed her eyes and listened hard. She had nothing like Superman's senses, and certainly no x-ray vision to help, but Artemis had given the gifts of the hunter when she was little girl. She had more than enough audial acuity to hear the cries of trapped people though, so she swooped down where she could hear the first one.

It turned out to be a middle-aged woman, overweight and dumpy, but no trouble for Alexa to lift. "Ma'am, are you hurt? Are any bones broken?"

"I – I think my ankle might be –"

"Alright. Stay still."

There was a heavy piece of concrete lying across the woman's leg, cutting off the blood supply—luckily, as it turned out, since her ankle was broken, and her foot was an angle about ninety degrees from where it should be. From her belt, Alexa pulled out some anaesthetic spray, and applied it liberally before she moved the woman.

"Put your arms around my neck," she said, "and don't let go."

"Wait! Are – Are you sure you can lift me?"

Batwoman didn't smile in public, ever, so she didn't now. Her voice carried complete confidence though. "I'm sure, ma'am."

She carried her to the nearest ambulance and set her down gently, then went back for the next casualty. She worked for the rest of that day and well into the night, helped out by civilians and a few members of the League when they had a chance. By midnight, all the people she could hear were out safely, and she was confident that no one would lose their lives because of her. After that, it was just the removal of rubble. Some of the buildings would have to be demolished, but she wasn't going to risk doing that herself—too dangerous by half. She cleared the roads and sidewalks, then Matt insisted she go home and get some rest. When she eventually got home, it was to find that Thomas had cocoa waiting for her. She didn't even manage to drink all of it before falling asleep.

It was midday before she opened her eyes again, and at least two p.m. before she was fully awake. It had taken stumbling into a shower and burning her toast three times before full alertness had arrived. Then it was down into the Batcave, where a sample of the fear toxin that had infected her waited for testing, and she had to write logs detailing the events of the last few days.

"Right," she said aloud, "sample first."

As it turned out, worried phone call from her father first. He hid it well behind anger though, and didn't bother with greetings before he launched into her. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"About …?"

"About letting some punk give you a face full of fear gas, Alexandra! And then destroying half the city—I've taught you how to throw it off before –"

"I know, Dad, but it was a concentrated dose, and I couldn't help it! Actually I was just in the middle of running chemical tests on it to see if it is the same formula I've beaten before. And yes, I might have destroyed a few buildings, but I didn't seriously hurt anybody, and Kal caught me before –"

"Kal?" her mother's voice asked. A second later, her hologram joined Bruce's. "As in Superman, Kal?"

"Yes. Tommy told you he was back, didn't he?"

"He told us you'd met him—what do you mean he's back?" Bruce asked.

"I mean he's back, a full member of the League again. Has been for weeks now. After he saved Terry's life I suggested he come back, and he agreed."

Diana looked impressed. "Well done, Alexa."

"Did you check it was really him?"

Diana hit her husband on the arm. "Bruce!"

Alexa frowned. "What do you mean, if it's really him?"

"When Terry first met him, he was being controlled by an alien called Starro. Almost took down most of the League under its influence."

"How did nobody notice he was being controlled by an alien?"

"Isolation," Bruce said simply. "He lived alone, he operated alone within one city, and while everyone respected him, there were few who really knew him."

"There was at least one who might have noticed, if you'd bothered to keep in touch with old friends," Diana said, a little sharply.

"Or his other old friend might have noticed if she didn't take a forty year vacation to Themyscira," he replied tersely.

"I needed to return home. You know -" Diana began but Alexa interrupted.

"Much as I find your bickering amusing, can we stay on point please?"

They both sighed and moved on, Alexa figured it was an argument they'd already had. Probably countless times. She frowned—the mystery of Superman was deepening. Why would he become so isolated in the first place, and why, after Starro, would he withdraw even more? Unless her guess had been right, and he had been among people on other worlds. She didn't think that was the case though; she was sure he had been lonely. Why would he choose to be lonely?

"Alexa, are you quite recovered, darling?" Diana asked warmly, cutting into Alexa's train of thought.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, thanks, Mitera. Just tired. I spent most of yesterday and last night clearing up the mess I'd made in Matt's precinct."

"I see. And is Matthew alright? How's Terry getting along?"

She told them, then spent about another hour on the holophone to both, during which Bruce calmed down and let actual concern filter through anger that he'd covered it up with before. He even got as far as, "When are you next coming down? We miss you, and your brother."

"Well, I'm free next weekend. Would that be okay?"

"Of course, we'll look forward to seeing you. Let me know the results of the test."

"I will, Dad. See you next week."

Diana blew her a kiss. "Take care, Alexa. We love you."

"Love you, too."

With her parents gone, she returned to her chemical analysis, taking a sample of the toxin and spending the next hour isolating the compounds inside it. Everything matched against the computer's database, except one thing—the active ingredient was a plant extract, taken from a rare plant that grew in the Himalayas and nowhere else. There was nothing strange about finding it in there, except it was in there at ten times the amount any Batman had ever come up against. She felt a little vindicated—and emailed the results to her father with quite a bit of satisfaction.

After that it was writing up what had happened over the last two days, including a detailed account of what damage she had done. When it came to putting down how Kal had snapped her out of it, however, she found her fingers pausing in their flight over the keyboard. Logs were not a place for emotion, only fact—except it had been an emotional rescue. If it was a rescue. She had recognised a friend (an 'ally' she'd call him) and calmed down immediately. And then hugged that friend, and felt incredibly grateful. Why had she hugged him? For that matter, why had he stepped in to defend her just after? Recollecting both instances, Alexa found her heart beating steadily faster, a pleasant shiver racing over her skin.

Interesting … Probably not something to put in the log though …

She spoke aloud as she typed. "'Lucidity returned with passage of time and intervention of League ally (Superman). Superman slightly injured by Batwoman.' And how did that happen?" she muttered to herself.

She'd have to ask her mother if she had ever injured Superman before—theoretically it shouldn't have been possible except with Kryptonite, and there had been none of that around. And she didn't wear her mother's magical armour, which might have been able to cut his skin. But obviously she'd been able to do no more damage than that, which indicated he was seriously tough. She had been wishing for a decent opponent for as long as she could remember. The idea of sparring with him was exciting to say the least. An actual challenge for once.

Curiosity made her access the information Bruce had collated on Superman, and she read through it quickly. She knew most of it already—home planet destroyed, grew up on a farm in Kansas, raised by humans. A comprehensive list of his powers … of which there were a lot … and vulnerabilities … of which there were not many. Ah, this was interesting, and explained a lot: married to one Lois Lane, a reporter, for twenty-six years. Childless. And her father had added a rare personal note.

If anything is likely to push Superman into becoming a threat to humanity, it would be the murder or otherwise incapacitation of his wife. This cause has a probability of .98 according to all possible simulations.

Alexa's eyebrows rose. 1 was certainty, and all possible simulations? The only conclusion she could come to was that Superman had been very, very much in love. Lois had died almost fifty years ago, around about the same time that Superman had begun withdrawing from the world in general. Grief. That answered almost everything.

And she still owed him a coffee.

Slipping her com-link in, she opened a secure channel. "Batwoman to Superman."

There was a slight pause of static, then, "Superman here."

"You free for that coffee?"

"Uh, sure. Here or there?"

"Here. Coffee's better."

He laughed. "I believe it. On my way."

Less than ten seconds later, she heard a knock at the front door, and flew up to answer it. "At least give me a chance to get out of the cave," she said in greeting, though she grinned.

Kal looked a little sheepish. "Force of habit."

She stepped aside to let him in. "Well could you try to break it? Some of us can only go faster than a speeding jet, you know."

"Compromise—shuttle speed."

She chuckled. "Agreed. Now, coffee. What are you in the mood for?"

He looked surprised as she led him into the kitchen and went over to the coffee machine herself. "No butler?"

"No. Not since Alfred died, actually. Dad … well, you know what an asshole Dad turned into, and Tommy and I decided not to bother. We have robotic automatons to clean the place that highly efficient. And how could you know the person you hired was completely trustworthy?"

"Now you sound like Bruce," he commented.

"Force of habit," she echoed with a rueful smile.

Kal pulled up a stool at the kitchen island while Alexa tapped the coffee machine. "Oh, I'll have whatever's easiest."

"And deny me my chance to show off?"

"Show off?"

"Yeah—I can't cook to save my life, but I kick coffee's ass. Anything, really. It's no trouble."

He laughed. "Cappuccino's fine, thanks."

"Sugar?"

"No, thanks."

Sitting there, still in his full Superman garb, in the middle of her kitchen, he looked incredibly out of place. Alexa tilted her head. "You don't own any civvies, do you?"

He shrugged. "Don't get out much."

She grinned. "Apparently not. Et voilà, one cappuccino." She sat opposite him. He sipped, looking impressed. Alexa grinned. She really was proud of her coffee. "It's good, right?"

"I don't know, there's this little place in Metropolis that might be a little better."

"Impossible!"

"Don't worry though—this has got to be the best cappuccino in Gotham."

"And here I was going for world domination. I'm not sure I believe you. You might have to prove it to me." She caught herself suddenly. Was she flirting? That was weird. Deciding to cut it out immediately, she sobered. "Kal, about yesterday …"

He pointed to his cheek, which was unblemished. "All gone, see? So no need to apologise."

"I wasn't going to apologise," she smirked. "Though that was very sweet by the way, defending me the way you did."

He shrugged in an embarrassed way. "Instinct I guess."

"And they say chivalry is dead." She cleared her throat, going back to her proposition. "No, what I was going to suggest was we start sparring together. Obviously we could learn something from one another—I realise I'm not as strong as you, or as fast, but my combat skills are greater than yours and without being too conceited, I'm likely to present you with the best challenge you've had in a while. And I can't remember the last time I had an opponent I wasn't sure of beating. Even GL is getting easy." She finished her coffee, and fixed him with a direct look. "What do you think?"

He considered. "I think it's a sensible plan."

"You don't sound convinced."

"Just imagining what Bruce would say if he learns I'd be trying to beat up his daughter on a regular basis."

"'Trying' being the operative word," she grinned. "Besides, I'm sure you sparred with my mother regularly once, didn't you? There's not really a difference."

Superman's cheeks flushed and he smiled as if at a memory. "Actually he wasn't too thrilled with that at first either until he realised she sparred with him twice as much."

"Dad was jealous?" Alexa laughed.

"Yeah, though not just of me. He gave Flash extra monitor duty for flirting with Diana over coffee," he chuckled.

Alexa found herself laughing with him. "But he got over it and probably thought it was a smart idea tactically, right?"

Kal's expression was mildly shocked and amused. "Yeah, those were almost his exact words."

She couldn't help the shiver of excitement that raced through her. "Is that a yes?" She leaped up from her chair in excitement.

"You want to get started now? At least let me finish my coffee first. I'm only faster than a speeding bullet, after all."

A/N: Review please!