Chapter Text
Clark missed Batman. He missed him a lot.
The man had gone missing a few years ago, after Clark had to pry him away from killing the Joker because of his part in Robin's death. The kryptonian and the rest of the league had understood, losing someone, especially a child, is always hard.
Then though, Batman never communicated with them again.
Even when there were threats to the world that could use his help, there wasn’t even a call to say that he wouldn’t be able to show up, just, silence. Of course, they’d tried to go into Gotham to try and check up on him at first, but the residents practically begged them to get out of the city, citing something called corruption or Oracle would take them.
With how terrified and desperate they sounded, the league reluctantly retreated, and left Gotham alone. After all, what could they do if this corruption was actually real? It’s one thing if Batman had been infected by whatever it is, but Superman or the Flash? As much as Clark hates it, better safe than sorry.
Having to step up to full leader instead of co-leader has been absolutely grueling without his friend there, who knew there was so much detective and machine work involved? Well, Batman did but Clark wouldn’t have to be the full time leader if he was here.
Despite everything the league was still going, even in horrible odds they won by the skin of their teeth. Looking back on it, Clark knew that they only won most of those fights by pure luck, and it terrified him to think of when that luck would run out. Also known as right now, with a full scale incoming invasion with millions of enemies.
“We have to try Batman again.” Barry stated, his head in his hands. Protests immediately sounded from Hal and Diana, though for very different reasons. Hal complained that they hadn’t needed the Bat for years, while Diana reminded everyone about the whole Batman having likely been taken over by a dark force. Both, well mostly Diana’s, were good points. Clark sighed.
“Flash is right, even if he won’t answer once again, we have to try. We’re in over our heads here.” There were grumbles and continuing protests but it was generally agreed upon, and Clark punched the long ago memorized number into the mainframe. It rang six times, and sighs were already ringing out when it was suddenly picked up. “Will you stop with incessant ringing? Work is trying to be done.”
…Was that a child?
“Uh- hello, we were trying to reach Batman. Do you… know where he is..?” Barry drew out, clearly as shocked as Clark that a child, probably no older than eleven, had answered a call to Batman. Had he gotten a new Robin? Was the reason he disappeared because he was raising a kid?
The kid scoffed. “Of course I know where he is, he’s working on a case. If that is all, I do have work to do.” Sensing they were about to be hung up on, Clark rushed to continue. “We need his help. An invasion is coming and we can’t stop it without him this time. Please, at least tell him to call us back with an answer.” A few seconds of silence came from the other end, and he half expected to just hear the kid hanging up, before a short sentence came through the audio. “We’ll be right there.” Then the line went dead.
An explosion of noise came as what just happened registered, questions, exclamations, general screaming, but Clark stayed silent. Was this really happening? Would he get to see Batman again after this long? How much had he changed? Was he even recognizable anymore?
Whatever happens, he’ll just be happy to know that Batman is alive.
~
Fifteen minutes later, the league was waiting anxiously at the zeta tubes for their apparent guests. Barry was pacing, Diana was fiddling with her lasso, and Hal was muttering things nonsensically to himself. Clark was just floating there, waiting.
Finally, the tubes activated, and Clark had to hold back a scream at what came out.
Shadowy and bloodied figures, looking not even remotely human at all came from the zeta tubes, one much taller than the others. It had four horns and pure white eyes, and Clark’s heart sobbed at how he didn’t look even remotely human anymore. What had happened to his friend? Was it the corruption Gotham had been so worried about?
He could spot Nightwing and the second Robin in the group, covered in blood and viscera but smiling all the same. It was horrifying.
A small figure pushed through the creatures, a child in a Robin suit, perfectly pristine in comparison to the blood and shadows covering the others. “Turn down the lights, it’s annoying them.”
Barry rushed off to the lightswitch and flicked it off, and the boy nodded resolutely. “Well then, let us go discuss.”
The JL nodded and started to shakily move to the meeting room, Clark feeling slightly queasy as he floated with… “Batman” just a few steps behind.
He couldn’t hear a heartbeat.