I AM SO SORRY

Chapter 18 - Meetings

The first person Clark saw when he got into the Watchtower that night was, fortunately, Bruce. Or more precisely, Batman. He gave a sigh of relief that the other hero couldn't ignore.

"Busy day?" Batman asked.

"You bet. Everyone kept asking about Claire and all I could say was that she really was mine."

"And that didn't settle it?"

"No. I'll probably give an interview about it to quell all those questions. They're annoying."

"Hm… Lois asked?"

"No… But I'll probably ask her, anyway."

The other hero just nodded. A few feet away, he talked again.

"And how is she after all of this?"

He couldn't help the smile when thinking about Claire, now, and how happy she genuinely looked.

"She's more happy than I've ever seen her."

"That's good to know."

"Yes. I may be losing my mind thinking of all the scenarios that this could go wrong, but at least she's happy."

Batman grinned.

"Don't do that. Leave the paranoid stuff for me. That's what friends are for."

Clark couldn't help but laugh, and now he was really happy that he had given Bruce a second chance at trust after he literally broke into his house in the middle of the night, at the risk of waking a very small sleeping Claire (he was pissed because of that). It turned out that Batman had a soft spot for children, who knew?

"Now, are you ready for the questions of the League? I just left the meeting room because they were too loud about it." Batman asked again, a few meters away from the room.

"Ugh, don't remind me. I'm not sure if I'm ready for it, but… Let's do it anyway."

"We'll be by your side, remember. Diana and I."

He smiled, really happy to hear that. "I know. Thanks."

Bruce just nodded, and together they entered the meeting room, that was almost pure chaos. Everyone was chatting loudly, about a lot of things, from what Clark could gather. Some were talking about the magic trick the villains had pulled, and others about Supergirl. Either way, he knew it wasn't going to be all about the villains in this meeting. He steeled himself for the questions, questions he had wanted to avoid ever since the League was founded, but like Bruce had said to him years before, he couldn't ignore forever.

"Everyone, please take your seats. We're about to begin." Batman roared to the room, that instantly stopped, everyone assuming their places in the big and round table and only murmuring their questions to each other.

Diana came to him, both arms ready for a hug that he gave her with no question.

"Hey, Di."

"Hello, Kal. I assume Lara is doing great." She said, only loud enough for him to hear.

He smiled. "Yeah, she's really happy."

"That's nice to hear. I miss her. After all this is said and done, I would love to see her again."

"I'm sure she'll love to see you, too. I'll set something up."

"We could do it at the Manor. Alfred also mentioned missing her." Batman pitched in the conversation.

He smiled bigger. "Sounds great. Just tell me when."

He nodded and then pointed Diana to her seat, and Clark took the hint and sat beside his team-mate and best friend so he could, finally, answer the questions everyone was dying to ask.

Batman barely made it through the 'Let's begin'.

"Why haven't you told us you had a daughter?" Flash asked as soon as Batman said the last syllable, facing Clark with so much confusion that he felt guilty.

And, truly, he wanted to have a better answer, but he could not lie to them any longer. These were the League founders. His first friends in the field, he knew them all by name, and they knew him. But by the time that happened, Claire was already a secret. Well, not anymore. So, steeling himself, he simply said the truth.

"I'm overprotective."

Hal frowned, unbelieving. "Really."

He shrugged. "I wish I had a better answer for you guys, but that's the absolute truth. The only ones who knew were Batman and Wonder Woman here, and I didn't tell either of them."

"Then how did you find out?" asked Flash again. The others just watched, probably with the same questions.

"I broke into his place back when I figured who he was, to confront him. His daughter was four and heard us talking." Said Batman.

"You mean you woke her." Clark mumbled. Batman only shrugged.

"We were both talking, Clark." He couldn't deny that.

"I met her when she was nine." Diana continued, ignoring them. "It was actually by accident. She was at the bat-cave training with Robin when I went there unannounced and saw her breaking something no nine-year-old should be able to break. Also, she looks a lot like Clark, it wasn't hard to see."

"So, even you two figured it out by accident." Shayera resumed.

"Yes. Look, guys, it's not that I didn't want anyone to know. I'm not ashamed of her." He sighed. "Her mother died, and I'm the only family she has. Ever since I took her, I'm really overprotective. Really. Ask Batman. I didn't want anyone to know that Superman had a daughter, because she might've become a target, and, honestly, I'd go crazy if anything happened to her."

"And what changed, if I may ask?" Asked Shayera again. "She's now out here, out in the open."

"Well, first of, she's older now, and she knows how to protect herself, despite me telling her otherwise."

Batman chuckled with that. He didn't let that stop him.

"Anyway, she also started bugging me a lot more about going out and helping, and after Superboy, well… I couldn't say no anymore."

"But Superboy is here for a few months already." Hal said.

"Yeah. I told you, I'm overprotective. And also stubborn. It took them both a little bit to convince me."

Flash and Shayera actually chuckled with that, which made Clark think they would forgive him, eventually.

"You were just trying to protect her." said J'onn, who so far had been silent. He had understanding deep in his red eyes. "I think we can all agree that's a good enough reason."

Everyone looked at each other, and then at him again.

"You know that if you had told us, we would help you keep her a secret and protect her, too, right?" asked Flash.

He sighed, guilty again. "I know, Barry. Thank you. I'm really sorry, guys. It just..."

"It's okay," Shayera cut him. "we understand, Kal."

He smiled, grateful.

"Well… I'll only forgive you when you bring her here." said Flash, but he was smiling too. "Introduce her to us properly."

Everyone agreed to that, and he chuckled, relieved.

"Consider it done." he promised.

~Two weeks later~

'Done' was actually only at the next meeting, which would be a very important one, but the only opportunity he got to really take Claire to the Watchtower. Of course, he took Conner, too, since he would take the chance to bring his sister to the Cave were his Team was also waiting to meet the Supergirl.

It goes beyond saying that Claire was out of herself with excitement. She wore a dark jeans with the red laced boots she had used the first time she went out, with a classic Superman t-shirt and her black hair in a ponytail. She was apparently using the same logic his brother was with uniforms. He had to take a moment to go to the Fortress to actually make Kelex do some costumes for them.

"Happy, sweetie?" he asked, amused at her awe in the Watchtower. Well, Conner was just as awed, but he was more contained.

"Yes!" She squealed, making him laugh. "Thanks for bringing us, dad."

He hugged her by her side, Conner in his other side. "I should have done this a long time ago."

She shrugged, always understanding.

"It's okay. What matters is now."

"You sound like one of those songs you like." Conner said.

Clark laughed, and Claire scrunched her face, but was smiling soon after.

"Whatever, Kon, I'm so happy!" she squealed again. "We're meeting the League!"

"Well, you. I know them already." He told his sister, smug.

"Jerk."

"Language."

"Sorry dad."

"Well, someone is happy." they all heard the gruff voice before they saw its owner.

Batman came out of the door they were about to go in, just a hint of a smile in his lips, that probably could only be noticed by those who knew him.

"Uncle B!" Claire shouted and went straight for a hug, that he didn't return but didn't let go either, if that was even possible.

Clark saw right through that.

"You came to see us so she wouldn't do that in front of the others, didn't you?"

Batman grunted, and Claire let him go.

"Well, that's just rude, Uncle B."

"Don't call me that."

"Too late, you let me do that when I was a child, it's not gonna stop now."

He looked at her, giving her a true batglare that made Conner, by Clark's side, shrink. But Claire was already immune to it. Batman sighed.

"Just get in."

She smiled, and all of them got in.

The chatter in the room stopped almost as soon as they entered. Claire suddenly was nervous, and waited until Clark was beside her again. He smiled reassuringly to her, and putting his hands on both his children, he talked to his friends.

"Everyone, please meet my children. Kon-El, that you know as Superboy already."

Conner waved and everyone waved at him. They were already acquainted. And then,

"And my Supergirl." he smiled. "Kara Kal-El. Kara, this is the Justice League."

"Hi, everyone." Claire said, small and shy, probably after seeing all of the League united.

Flash was in front of her in less than a blink.

"It's awesome to meet you, Kara!" He said, smiling.

"You too, Flash." She smiled bigger.

One by one, all of them talked to her, hugged her, and she was a little more confident and happy that she was meeting everyone. While J'onn talked to her, Batman told Clark:

"Don't beat yourself up too much because you didn't brought her sooner."

"Are you a mind-reader?"

"No, I just know you."

He smiled. "I'm trying. Thanks."

He nodded and then looked at Conner. "Robin texted me. They're all in the Cave waiting for you two."

Conner nodded. "Okay." Then, he went to Supergirl.

"I'd really wanted to let her talk with everyone a little more, but we have a lot to discuss." Bruce said, in what Clark realized it was an apology.

"I know. And she'll understand."

"Everyone, it was really great meeting you." She was saying, after the heroes realized they were leaving.

Diana and Shayera hugged her one more time. "We hope to see you again soon."

"Me too." she replied.

"As soon as we're able." Superman promised. Then, looking at his children, he added, "Don't wait up. This will be a long one."

They nodded and Claire hugged him. "Thank you," she said, subvocal, only loud enough for him.

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

They separated, and before they actually left the room and the doors could be closed, Claire did what Clark was waiting since they entered.

"Bye, Uncle B." She ran into Batman, gave him a quick hug and a peck on his cheek, and ran away, pulling a startled Conner by his hand, laughing along the way.

It wasn't much time until everyone was laughing too, specially Superman himself, who took pity on Batman and explained.

"He's her godfather."

The teasing only stopped when Batman growled. "Any of you, even think of calling me that, and I'll make sure to execute my contingency plans against you."

No one wanted to see if he was bluffing on that, so taking seats and actually start the meeting was pretty easy after that.

At the Cave

"Are you crazy?" Conner asked her when they beamed to the Cave.

"No, I just wanted to see him squirm." she laughed.

"Again, are you crazy?" He repeated, but she just laughed harder, and he gave up. Her relationship with Batman was still too alien for him.

Draw by the laughter, the Team came for them still on the main hall, and of course, Wally was in front of Claire faster than Conner could warn her.

"Well, hello beautiful." He said.

Claire didn't stop smiling.

"You must be Wally, or Kid Flash."

"That's me." He took her hand and gave it a kiss, and all Conner did was roll his eyes.

Claire laughed. "I'm Kara. Supergirl. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

"I'm Artemis," the archer put herself between Wally and Claire. "Nice to meet you, Kara."

"You too, Artemis."

The others introduced themselves, and Claire was really happy to know them too, and then…

"Hey, girl"

"Robbie!" She squealed and hugged him fiercely, taking his feet off the ground. Contrary to Batman, Robin only laughed.

"Missed you too, Girl of Steel."

"Haha, it wasn't even that long."

"Ugh, it was! Penny One misses you too."

"Yeah, dad told me. He also told me he's planning something to take care of that, so… I'll probably see him real soon." She smiled.

"That'll be asterous."

Everyone groaned at Robin's word, but Conner focused on one thing… "Did you guys seriously just talked in code or something?"

They had matching grins in their faces and Artemis took a step back.

"Something tells me we got another pranker, guys."

Claire laughed.

"Not that much. Robin here and I just go waaay back."

Wally was suddenly jealous. "How far back?"

"Since Bats took me in?" Robin shrugged. "She was my first friend after I moved in. It was really good having someone like her around."

"Aww Robbie" His sister cooed while Wally raged.

"Dude! I thought I was your first friend!"

"Uhh, sorry Walls, no."

Artemis laughed at that.

"Get over it, Wally."

They laughed a little, and Conner realized that Claire was fitting in amazingly. Well, like everything she did, really. He was just happy that now he could talk to his friends about his amazing sister.

And he really looked forward to sharing everything – including the Team – with Supergirl.

Really, I AM sorry it took so fucking long for this to come out. I just can't write for a long time, and then I come back, and then... well, you know. I promise, though, no matter how much time, I WILL finish this story. It just doesn't get out of my head. :)

I don't promise other chapter soon, but I'll try. I can't even tell you how much I wanted to finish writing all in one go before posting, but I felt like I tortured you guys too much.

So, to everyone still reading: thank you thank you thank you for your patience. I hope it was worth it.

And as usual, tell me if there is any mistakes. I didn't beta'ed this. At all. Just finished (and did a little happy dance in my room because of it).