It wasn't his first choice, and all the disadvantages of the environment felt like weapons pointed straight at him. Allies were available, but an equal amount of 'enemies' lurked around. There were also the loose cannons, and those were even more unsettling to consider. They added variability to the outcome of this meeting. Bruce hated variability.

Unfortunately, the offer to meet on the Batcave- or the Manor- was rejected. Clark was too trusting- or arrogant - to fear deception, but Diana was neither. She had immediately pointed out the dangers of walking into Batman's 'command center', and talked Clark into rejecting the offer as well. Of course, it was an intelligent decision. But inconvenient to him.

He was the last to arrive. In the teleportation room stood the rest of the League's core members: Green Lantern, Flash, Acquaman and Cyborg. They were offended by the exclusion, but accepted their decision to meet alone. Bruce, Clark and Diana had grown close over the years, and before things got out of hand-more than they already had- they had to sit down and talk as friends.

"Then why the uniforms?" The Flash had asked, his voice soft.

Neither of the Trinity members had answered, but they knew exactly why.

Diana and Clark were already at the conference room waiting for him. He was hunched over on his chair, and she had her hand on his shoulder. Whatever they were talking about was interrupted by his presence. They raised their heads in unison to glare at him.

"Why are you late?"

It was a power move. It gave him a sense of control over what was happening. It punished those being an annoyance to him. That 's why. Of course, he didn't voice any of that, but it was important to always be aware of one's primal motivations. Be them wrong or right.

"Problems in Gotham. Let's begin." He gestured at the table for them to sit.

They glanced at each other and walked to sit on the floor instead. Batman took notice of how Diana began to move first and the small-perhaps subconscious-gesture she made with her head to encourage Clark to follow. She sat down, legs-crossed, and Superman joined her.

"We want to be close. With nothing in between us." Diana explained as she removed the lasso from its holster and began to uncoil it. "Isn't that the goal of this meeting? As friends, Bruce…Perhaps you should remove the mask."

As always, his passive-aggressive habits ended up hurting him more than anyone else. These two were already a united front, and he had left them alone for almost 30 minutes, his inconsiderate tardiness another point to bond over against him.

"We are not children. This is a meeting."

"Sit down, Bruce!" Clark snapped. "You wanted this meeting. Now you're 30 minutes late because you were busy. We are all busy. Sit down. Please."

He waited for a few moments before sitting on the floor across Superman; the long pause a statement that he would not respond to aggression. At least Diana also seemed concerned by the burst of anger. It wasn't surprising, however. Or uncharacteristic of Clark since the…Event had happened. One of the reasons this meeting was needed in the first place…

Each took hold of the Lasso of Hestia. Another point of contingency when arranging this meeting. Batman was afraid of what this thing may show of him, but Diana was right: they could not hide anything from one another, or from themselves, if this was to serve its intended purpose. This meet-up could fix their fissured friendship, or destroy it for good. And considering the decisions each of them had to make, no mistakes could be afforded.

They would meet with bared souls. For better or for worse…

It was disorientating. It felt like they were one individual with three twirling awarenesses. It took only a few seconds to recover his sense of self amidst the storm. It frightened him that Diana was calmly waiting for him. Clark was also there, but he felt unwilling to do much. Like it was all the same if he got sucked into the chaos of the connection, or retained his sense of individuality. Nothing really mattered anymore…

Batman shook his head.

"..I've used this before. Why is it like this?"

"We are reaching out to each other, Bruce. Take your time."

He was ready, but a moment of pause was welcomed. The overwhelming sorrow gushing out of Clark had been expected; but the cold rage pulsating off of Diana was startling. J'onn had warned him about it, but to feel it himself was something else. And she knew now that he was aware of it. Her gaze was calculating as she stared back at him.

"You're afraid of us." She said.

Bruce grew tense. Of course they would zoom into his denied emotions and thoughts, as he had done with theirs. But fear was inaccurate. Wariness, perhaps. Cautious. A natural reaction in the presence of such powerful entities…

"...entity…?" Superman groaned, and Bruce winced at the wave of pain coming out of him. "I'm no less of a person than you are, Bruce…Maybe more."

"You…are the closest thing I have to a friend, Clark…I…respect you. I c-care..for you. But can you blame me? You're acting against the Law, and no-one can stop you. You already took a man's life…"

"I took two people's lives, and I killed a monster." Clark spat back. "If you had dealt with it like you should have, my…Lois and my child would still be here…"

"We are not gods, Clark. We should not allow ourselves to decide who gets to live or to die. Forget the Joker. What's this done to you? The decisions you're making…"

"We are making these decisions as a team, Bruce." Diana interrupted.

"You're taking advantage of his sorrow then!" A rush of overwhelming anger flowed through the lasso. But underneath, hesitation. It was enough to give Diana pause, and spark doubt in Clark's heart. Bruce felt hope; an opening to reason with both of them. "You're both in pain. And angry. Diana…you know changes of power are never peaceful. You'll have detractors that will not attack you. They will attack your supporters. Factions will be created. People will oppose you, whether you're right or wrong. Are you willing to endanger millions of innocent people to impose a new order that neither of you can be certain will work at all? I am not."

Clark was accepting his argument. The wave of hopelessness coming from him was disheartening. He was such a paragon of hope; and it was dying. And although Bruce was willing to take the loss, Diana wasn't. It caused her a tangible pain, and the lasso burnt as she struggled against the reality it was showing her. But she did not let go. She bared its fire for a few moments, before surrendering…

"...if we do nothing, then nothing will ever change." She said, each word strained as it came out. Her eyes shut, as she seemed unable to look them in the face as she spoke. "People will suffer anyway. Millions will die anyway. That's what people do. They cannot govern themselves. Aggression subjugates peace. And the more aggressive, are the most selfish and evil. That 's why. Those who are evil will always climb to power and govern through corruption, oppression and misery…Someone from the outside must put an end to it. Someone like me, like you…We can end human suffering for good, even if the transition there feels wrong."

"You are not a god. You have no right to take people's freedom…"

"Did Lois choose to be a victim of your monster?!" The anger was back, and this time, no doubt could reign it in. She glared at him with such venom, that Bruce for a moment feared an attack. But she stayed put, grabbing the lasso with fierce determination. "Do the millions of children that get slaughtered in war have a choice, or those who starve to death? How many tyrants are out in the world, Bruce? And what are you doing about it? Or because they are human like you, it's fine? People are not numbers. Each individual out there counts, even if you don't know their name. A monster you know has more value to you than the faceless individuals they slaughter? You put your moral values and philosophy above people's lives! Had Gotham's justice system do its job, and put that thing down, Lois would be alive, as hundreds of others. Or thousands! How many more rabid beasts like him are in Arkham, coming in and out like it's nothing!"

Clark let go of the rope. He covered his face with a trembling hand to hide his tears, and stood. Diana let go of the lasso and tried to move closer.

"...I-I'm sorry…Clark…"

"...I…I cannot do this right now…I can't."

"..."

"Go home, Clark." Bruce said, coiling up the lasso, and handing it back to Diana. She took it with a sigh. "Or to your Fortress. Anywhere where you can rest. Let us worry about the world for a while."

Clark said nothing as he left the room, snapping at those waiting outside to let him pass and to 'not crowd him' anymore. A violent 'boom' sound erupted in the halls as he took off in flight the second a window became available. Nobody could tell now where he would go, but they all hoped he would find some rest wherever it was.

Diana and Bruce stood in silence for a long time as the rest of the core Justice League members walked into the meeting room.

"...you need help, Diana…"

"...oh, please." She snapped back. "You are set in one thought, and nothing will ever take you away from it."

"...I am not a god."

"...I am not…"

"You are close enough to one, Diana. As Clark is. You are dangerous."

"I save people's lives. You…You're as bad as your monsters." She approached him and they stared at one another. "You do what you do to feel better about your loss. A loss that was preventable had your government do its job properly." She sneered. "You've changed nothing in Gotham. You've thrived in it, as another creature in it. Clark will be the last victim of this world's corruption and evil."

It was a split-second decision, but strategic. An attempt to goad her into a reaction Flash and Green Lantern would consider unacceptable. Be it another radical comment, or better still, physical violence. Anything that would tip the scales in his favor…

"I'll have a room ready for you at Arkham."

Diana stopped on her way out, turned…and said nothing. Did nothing. It was just a look. Bruce felt its weight. A silent declaration of war. One would battle the other, each convinced of the righteousness of their struggle. The Justice League was thus no longer one. The unity of good was dead.

The Joker had won.