Superman counted a 23rd day under the foundations of Wayne Manor. He knew where he was because Mr. Wayne had not concealed his face. Kryptonite charges on the door to his cell as well as all four walls of the room kept him peaceful and under guard. That is, quiet and under control. He waited for his host to return. He felt in his bones this night would bring some change. Though he had no way of knowing why. Batman brought a woman gagged and tied. “If you will not give me what I want, perhaps she will.” Bruce teased, his tone bawdy and lustful.
“No, no you can't. You won't!”
'A curious change in attitude.' Bruce put his hands seductively on the woman's shoulder and waist. He leaned in to kiss the reluctant beauty.
“Stop. Stop Please!” Superman cried out, pounding the transparent window of his cell. Suddenly exhausted, he slumped to the floor. “You win. So take me. But spare my friend. Please. I Beg of you.”
“Your friend?”
“Her name is Savannah.”
“How long have you known her?”
“Long enough and well enough to know she's a better human being than any one else I've met on this planet save my father.”
(Possibly misunderstanding this to refer to Jor-El) “Don't worry, she'll be quite safe with me.” Bruce said with only half-real smarmy enthusiasm.
Superman pounded once front wall of his cell. “I'll let you do anything you want to me, only please let her go. Please Bruce, let her alone.”
“I find it hard to believe you're nothing more than friends. What makes you think she didn't chose to be here?”
“Because I know her. She'd have no part in this if she had any-thing resembling a choice. Mr. Wayne, I'll let you do anything you want to me, only please, let her go.”
Smiling with satisfaction, Bruce cut the bindings from the woman's hands and slid the gag from her mouth. He held the woman loosely by the arms in an almost reassuring gesture. “Don't go too far, you understand me?” The woman nodded quickly. And with a look of sympathy to Superman, walked up the steps and out of the room. Bruce stared at Superman with renewed interest. “I require an explanation.”
“I'm not the monster you see when you look at me. And you're not as irredeemable as you believe. And you are right. I wanted to be more than friends with Savannah. She wasn't into it.”
“Who could compete with Superman.” Bruce said, almost jeeringly.
“Excuse me?!” Superman shot back, his irritation showing clearly.
“Am I wrong?”
“About her if not about me. If she'd given me any hint she felt the same I'd have asked her to bond with me__to marry my. When I saw she wasn't I thought, hoped she might be interested in Clark Kent. The only human I could not be jealous of for finding happiness with her. She's simply not interested in that kind of relationship, with anyone. I meant what I said. You've got me. You have freaking Superman at your beck and call starting tonight. Kryptonite will not be needed. Restraints will not be needed, though I will not resist them. Sir I swear on the blood that flows through my veins and on my father's name, my living LIFE is yours. Take what I am giving you and enforce your will upon me alone.”
“Stand up.” Bruce said to Superman. The man barely raised his head.
“What?” Superman said, thoroughly puzzled.
“Rise.” Bruce repeated.
The door to the basement swung open. “Batman, I don't understand.”
“You're not JUST an alien are you___Clark.”
“Is that why you are letting me go?”
“I'm letting you out of this cell. You swore you would live here as my willing captive...As my prisoner.. I expect you to fulfill that promise.” Bruce finished.
“You have no idea how much I meant it when I said restraints and Kryptonite will not be needed. I would happily stay if it means giving you a chance to drag yourself back into the light. THAT is who I am.”
“I find it hard to believe you would do that for someone like me.”
“And that is one thing I hope to fix. Bruce, I know who you are... even if you don't anymore. Do we have an accord?”
“I...I honestly don't know what to say.”
“A 'yes' would be nice.”
“You astonish me.”
Bruce Wayne stared into the eyes of a man he was no longer certain he understood, but finally acknowledged as a man. “You knew her from before?”
“She...She is dear to me, yes. Sure as I know anything I know you do not mean to kill me. What will it take for you to let her go?”
“Sir, I swear on the blood of my heart and on my father's name, whatever you do to me I will not run and I will not fight you. But if you consider yourself a man of honor,” His voice rose desperately. “enforce your will upon me alone!”
“You would go so far as to beg for it?”
“Mr. Wayne, I'm not the cold-hearted evil alien you see when you look at me. That inhuman monster you hate so fiercely and completely. To me honest, if you sent Aisha to safety and out of my life, it would probably destroy me. It would, break my heart I think. But I want her safe, above all. Yes I will beg for it.”
“There has to be another reason.”
“Saving an innocent life who also happens to be dear to me isn't enough?”
“Why do you trust me to listen to you? Why are you so convinced I'M not a cold-hearted evil bastard?”
“Master Wayne, if your battle truly lives and dies with me, I will happily do all I can to help you fight it.”
“Why
would you do anything for me after__after what I've done to
you?”
“Hopefully you'll figure that out quickly. Batman, if
this is what it takes to remind you of your own humanity__ then I am
yours.”
One Night Bruce Wayne offers to give Superman a cellmate. A young woman, 30-something years old with straight auburn hair and emerald green eyes. Bruce shows her to Superman who instantly falls to the floor.
“No, no you can't. You won't!”
'Curious change in attitude.' Bruce thought. To say so aloud would be an understatement so he said nothing.
“You win. Take me. But spare my friend. Please, I beg of you.”
“Your friend?”
“I wanted to be more than a friend. If she'd given any hint she felt the same way, I'd have asked her to bond with me. To marry me.”
“Who exactly could compete with Superman?”
“I thought she might be interested in Clark Kent. It turns out she's simply not interested in that kind of a relationship –at all.”
“I must ask if you are fully cognizant of what you're suggesting?”
“That I will live here as your prisoner. Restraints will not be needed. Sir, I swear on the blood of my heart, my living LIFE is yours. But if you consider yourself more human than...If you consider yourself a man of justice, take what I am giving you and enforce your will upon me alone.”
Bruce looked into human eyes, Superman's eyes. And smiled briefly.
“What kept you fighting until now?”
“The thought of unconditional surrender to a man I don't even understand is quite distasteful to me.”
“Can't argue with you there. What do you believe I want from you?”
“Nothing you haven't already tried to wield. Either you have a distorted sense of moral superiority, or you truly believe I am a threat to mankind and want to ensure I no longer threaten your fair city.” He did not attempt to hide the sarcasm “So. Be. It. Just don't be a jerk to anyone else but me, okay?”
“That is...extremely refreshing.”
“You and I understand each-other. I just don't happen to be human.”
“Meaning?!”
“Meaning humans have an innate suspicion and fear of anything that is not like them. Not hate. More like...Assumptions. Ingrained, established distance and distrust. I see people clearly. I see people as individuals who happen to belong to a group or alliance. Because I am an individual without one.”
“Okay, my head is starting to spin.”
“You didn't expect a verbal sparring match?”
“I didn't expect a freaking telepath!” Bruce shot back, angrily.
“Not what I meant when I said I read people.”
Tal Rho was not an unkindly host. He and his brother ate together, slept in the same room at peace and secure. Days could pass and nothing confrontational would happen between them. But every so often Tal-Rho would get a look in his eye that translated as an end to patience. Always it began with simply a silent look of deep intent. Kal-El would sit on the ground and wait, knowing something like an interrogation was about to start. One day Kal woke up to see his brother stretched on the ground with him, staring at him.
“I'm beginning to see why they mean so much to you. Humans I mean. I never knew any warmth from them. I wish I had known sooner.”
“Known what Tal?”
“That family is true power.” Tal admitted with muted sadness.
“Tal, let's get away from here. We don't have to listen to anyone but ourselves. We can make a life that is entirely our own. Away from humans, away from weapons. Neither tundra nor desert.”
“You wouldn't want to return to your family?”
“I would want to. But I would not chose to. Lois and Aisha are safe. That will have to be enough for me. I truly hate to see you bow like a kow-towing peasant before someone who is your father by blood only.”
“Could you actually bring yourself to leave your family behind?”
“We can. be. Brothers. I surrendered to you, unconditionally. You bring me out of here and forbid me to return home, I won't go back.”
“Kal-El, there really is nothing you could say or do to change me.”
“Then I'll settle for understanding you.”
Tal crouched down, lifted the necklace off his brothers shoulders and threw it away. “You could never hope to.” He whispered fiercely.
“You want your father's approval. I understand that much. Zeta is here. Fixed in into the column so he can manifest when he chooses. This isn't an act. But it is a demonstration.”
“I find it hard to believe you chose this outcome.”
“There IS no choice in this life, only the illusion of such.” Tal-Rho declared. “Pain is a weakness my father removed from me not long after I arrived here. I regret you did not have so dedicated a father.”
“I did. His name was Johnathan Kent.”
“My father would say he did nothing but teach you weakness.”
“You are your father's slave. It breaks me worse than this ever could to see you...so completely helpless to your father's wishes.”
“The you are a fool.” Struck by a thought. “Why do you continue? All you have to do is submit, and this will end brother, I promise you.”
“I fight for the belief that everything and everyone can be redeemed.”
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