Lois sat typing using a spare computer Bruce had in the penthouse. I sat there and worked on my own things on Bruce's laptop. It was oddly quiet and I wasn't sure how long it was going to take for Clark and Bruce to wrap up this Talia business. Lois then started talking out of the blue. "He was pretty angry," Lois said abruptly. I knew immediately she was talking about Bruce.

"Yep, he sure was," I replied looking away from my monitor to her.

"Does he get like that often?"

"Yes...and no," I replied hesitantly, "he has resting brood face so sometimes it's hard to tell." That was a nice way of saying it. I have overheard new members of the League call him a "crazed loner".

"So how long has that been going on," Lois asked. I laughed inwardly at that question.

"I asked Alfred once if Bruce was born with a scowl and he claims he didn't but I'm not sure I believe him," I replied with a smirk.

Lois laughed, "Funny, but that's not what I meant. What I meant was how long have you two been involved?"

I could feel my cheeks get hot. "We aren't," I replied bluntly.

"Could have fooled me," she replied, "he was doting over you like you two were involved. Also, when I asked you about it, you just turned bright red."

"Why were you so concerned about me dating Clark," I asked trying to change the subject.

"Oh no, we are talking about you now," Lois said knowing exactly what I was doing.

I'm not sure what came over me but words just started to tumble out of me. "Fine. Do you really want to know? I will give you the cliff notes. He crashed the Watchtower into the Thanagarians and almost died. I got angry with him, then he got angry with me. Then I decided to move to Metropolis while I helped the Justice League recruit new members. He ended up kissing me and then said he couldn't be with me. He left, so I left. I came here and had an incident where I was not well. He helped me, and we made up. Now the League is up and running, I'm tying up loose ends, and I have no idea what I'm going to do next."

Lois looked blankly at me. That was a lot of information to process. "He kissed you and then told you he couldn't be with you...I'd have whiplash if were you."

"Emotional whiplash...that pretty much sums it up," I replied. I suddenly felt seen and heard for once.

"So what is going on between you two now exactly," she asked confused.

"We are staying partners. Anything more and it becomes way too complicated," I replied.

"How is that working out for you both," she asked suspiciously.

"It's fine," I replied, "Yes, I had feelings for him but the work is more important."

"That doesn't sound convincing," she replied.

"Being Batman is hard. Probably harder than either of us imagined. Batman is a state of mind. Did you notice how he didn't even use his own front door tonight? He used the secret entrance on the roof to get in."

"You mean how he snuck up on us and gave me a slight heart attack," she replied flatly.

"Yes. That would be it. You see Bruce and Batman can't co-exist. It's too dangerous for him and others. His life as Bruce has to be as separate as possible. He doesn't have superpowers to rely on. Just his wits."

"Can Batgirl and Barbara co-exist," she asked intrigued.

"Yes. I have my wits, but I also have Batman," I replied. I couldn't believe what I was saying. All of this was just spewing out of me. Talking to someone outside of it all is making things clearer.

"But doesn't Batman also have you to rely on too? You seem to be selling yourself short here. You went toe to toe with a trained assassin without any hesitation," Lois looking at me concerned. I suppose she does have a point, but it's just different.

"Let me explain it this way. I put a mask on to become Batgirl. Batman puts a mask on to be Bruce Wayne," I replied making the realization at that moment.

"I suppose that is why Bruce and I would have never worked then," she replied.

"That and you are in love with someone else," I said smirking. Hey if she was going to pry into my life, I could do the same to her.

"Superman and I are not an item," she replied. I thought I'd be a bit cheeky next and really send her into a tailspin.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about Superman. I was talking about Clark," I replied giving her a pointed look.

"Smallville? You're talking about Smallville," she said in disbelief.

"Well, why were you trying to grill me about me and him earlier," I replied. Man, she was in denial.

"I was just curious," she replied annoyed.

"So curious that you made sure you were able to corner me in the elevator about it," I replied, "that level of curiosity makes me think you have more than just feelings of friendship towards him."

"Well, then why aren't you interested in Clark," she spat back annoyed, "oh, I forgot you are only interested in a man who is emotionally unavailable." That was a low blow. I got angry and impulsive. I didn't mean to say the next words because it wasn't my place, but I did it anyways.

"Clark is emotionally unavailable too because, in case you didn't realize, he's totally hung up on you," I spewed venomously. My heart dropped after I said it. I didn't mean to. I didn't want to betray Clark's trust, but we all know he is hopelessly in love with Lois. He just wishes Lois was more interested in Clark and not Superman because at his core he is just Clark.

"You think Clark is hung up on me," she asked confused.

"C'mon Lois, seriously" I replied. She either was so blind to it or didn't want to admit it.

"I'm just conflicted," she replied honestly, "I like Clark, I really do. I don't think I really realized it till you came into the picture. I guess I started to get jealous. But then I see Superman and my stomach flips. It's not like we have a relationship outside of incidents like tonight. Clark just has always seemed so guarded and sometimes it's hard to read him."

"Well as I said before, there is nothing to be jealous of. Besides, I apparently like the emotionally unavailable brooding type anyways," I said with a smirk.

"Why are you so protective over Clark anyways," she ask laughing a bit.

"I don't know. I just am. He's a bit like the brother I never had," I replied not sure how to answer that without saying something that would give away his identity.

The evening dragged on and Lois ended up falling asleep on the couch. I stayed up in case Talia showed up here. I was starting to get really tired when I heard tapping at the balcony glass door. Lois didn't wake but stirred a little. Superman was at the door and he motioned for me to come outside.

"Well?" I asked hoping Talia had been subdued.

"Beloved got her to back off," Superman said.

I could help but laugh at that. "Good because I need some sleep. Your girlfriend is exhausting."

He gave me a pointed look. I decided to change the subject.

"Everyone came out unscathed," I asked.

"You probably got the brunt of it," he replied looking at the bandage on my head, "Thanks for saving Lois tonight."

"Well, I think I've officially done everything one could do in Metropolis. I went to a Metropolis Meteors game, worked at the Daily Planet, and saved Lois Lane from dying."

He just smirked at that last part. "She does have a knack for getting into trouble doesn't she?"

"Maybe some self-defense classes would be a good idea for her," I said in all seriousness.

Kara and I showed up in the Batplane to Superman's fortress of solitude. When we walked inside we saw rubble and debris all over the place. I saw Bruce walking over to us. "What happened," I asked confused. "Where is Clark?!" Kara asked a bit panicked. "He and Diana are making sure Mongul is secure," he replied. I could tell just by looking at Bruce that he was hurting though he was trying to hide it.

"So I guess the festivities are canceled," I asked looking around. Diana and Bruce came in right after I asked that.

"Of course not," Diana interrupted, "we just have a bit of a clean-up party beforehand."

"Mongul huh? Are you hurt," I asked Bruce knowing that Mongul was a heavy hitter.

"I'll live," he replied sourly. The way he responded tipped me off that something wasn't quite right. Clark also looked a bit off.

"I brought a cake," I said not sure what else to say. I walked up to Clark not sure exactly what was going on, but he seemed upset. I lifted the lid to the box so he could see it. "There's this bakery around the corner from me that does special Superman birthday cakes," I said giving a small smile. The cake had a drawing of the Daily Planet and Superman flying next to it.

He smiled a sad smile back, "Thanks Barbara, it looks great."

I put the cake down on a console that was clean and gave Clark a hug after Kara did. "Happy Birthday big guy," I said squeezing him as hard as I could and knowing he couldn't really feel it.

"So how exactly is Mongul secure? I'm surprised you have something to hold him in," I asked looking at all three of them.

"His mind is his prison now, we don't need much to secure him," Diana replied. She explained how Mongul sent Superman a gift called the Black Mercy and how it put the victim in a fantasy world of their own making. My stomach dropped a little. I know what it's like to have your mind manipulated. While Diana explained what happened, I didn't notice till later that Clark and Bruce left the room.

"I understand why Clark is acting strange, but why is Bruce," I asked confused.

"After he pulled it off of Superman, it latched onto him," she replied. With Clark, my stomach dropped, but with Bruce, my heart dropped. I knew what his dream had to have been about. It had to have been about his parents surviving that night.

As we helped clean up the fortress I kept an eye on both Clark and Bruce as discreetly as possible. I was taking a break at one point admiring some of the alien creatures Clark took care of. In the reflection of the glass, I saw Batman behind me. I didn't turn around. I just kept staring at the two creatures gently playing with each other. "I wonder if they even realize this isn't their real home. They seem so happy and content," I said.

"I don't think they are burdened with that knowledge," he replied.

"Must be nice to be blissfully unaware," I said finally turning to face him. He looked a bit weary.

"Bruce," the words weren't coming to me. There was nothing I could say to help him. I wasn't sure what came over me and why I did it. Maybe it was instincts. I reached out quickly and hugged him. At first, he was taken aback but then I felt his body relax. He didn't say anything, he just let me hold onto him.

"I'll be okay," he said breaking the silence. He must have put the pieces together and knew why I was concerned for him.

"Of course you will, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't benefit from leaning on someone once in a while," I said giving his hand a quick squeeze, "it isn't fair what happened to you, and what happened today was just cruel. I'm sorry you had to endure it."

"I did get to experience the feeling of their presence again. Every time someone manipulates my mind, I try to hold onto that," he replied. I was a bit stunned that he was able to reframe the experience like that. I smiled at that and got a little misty-eyed. He looked at me confused a bit.

"Batman being optimistic. Now I've seen everything," I replied.

A couple of days later I walked into the bullpen of the Daily Planet. I had some notes for both Lois and Clark, but neither of there was around. Clark might be missing more often than Lois but Lois was always here by now. I saw Jimmy rush by and stopped when he saw me.

"Hey Barbara, have you seen Lois or Clark," he asked. Clearly, he was just as confused by their absence as I was. Before I could open my mouth Lois walked in as casually as possible. She was smirking for some reason. Then I saw Clark a little disheveled and adjusting his tie. I glanced between the two of them. Something was different.

"Lois, where have you been? We need to get down to DA's office for that press conference," Jimmy said a little panicked.

"Hold your horses Jimmy, we will get there," she replied gathering items at her desk. Lois got up and was on her way out again. She gave Clark a small smile as she left. Clark returned it in turn. Then he saw me and noticed that I had been standing there watching them.

"Morning Barb," Lois looked a little startled for a moment, "I didn't forget about those notes. Just leave them on my desk." Lois just rushed past me after that.

I looked at Clark and tilted my head. Something was definitely different. I rushed up to Clark's desk and sat on the edge of it.

"Alright, what the hell was that," I asked.

"I don't know what you are talking about," he replied logging into his computer.

"Right...you both are about as discreet as the Kool-aid man," I replied giving him a pointed look.

"Do you have notes for me," he replied a little annoyed.

"Yes, if you are going to pretend that you and Lois weren't just kissing before you walked in, then you need to make sure her lipstick isn't on your face," I said giving him a tissue.

He got embarrassed for a moment and took the tissue to wipe his face. "I meant fact-checking notes. You know, the thing you are actually responsible for around here," he replied.

"Alright, you keep your secrets," I said giving him a small smirk, "but if what is going on is what I think is going on, then it's about damn time." At least someone is happy. I was starting to lose hope for all of us.