Origins – Chapter 21

Inside The Batmobile

"So…" Chloe sat vigilantly in the passenger seat of the dark knight's tank like vehicle. First thought that came to mind when she saw it was, 'what is that?' She was never really the automobile type and wondered briefly how the hell they were going to get away in that load of crap.

Once inside, she realized her earlier assumption was completely out on left field.

"Nice car," she says to his quiet veneer hoping to strike a conversation in an otherwise surreal situation. Chloe wondered where the heck Clark and Lois are, but then figured they were flying to where ever they were going to meet. Batman seems harmless enough, at least towards her.

Chloe makes a mental note to curse Clark for letting Lois fly with him instead of her, she feels totally out of the loop.

Batman remains silent and Chloe is now figuring out why Lois hated uncomfortable silences.

"How long have you known Lois and Clark?"

Still not a word from the man dressed like a bat. For a second, she contemplated the idea that maybe she was held captive for longer than she accounted for.

"You know, this really is a cool car. Kind of a cross between a Lamborghini and a Hummer isn't it?" Chloe almost caught a change in his expression despite the fact that he's wearing a mask.

"Okay, I'll just keep on talking to myself then," she sighed.

When she looked away Batman finally smiled, listening to her bumble on. He sensed traces of her cousin in her but they were very much the opposite. "This was originally called the Tumbler," he finally spoke, surprising Chloe in the process. She turned to him, giving this hero of hers her undivided attention.

"What's it called now?"

"Whatever anyone wants to call it," he says with a smile and Chloe smiled in return.

"That's nice of you." She wondered who the man behind the mask really is, but at the moment, she was digging the mystery. All of the sudden, cursing Lois and Clark for leaving her with him didn't seem to bother her at all.

Flying above the clouds

Lois is enraptured being held above the clouds as Clark fell into a calm cruising speed. "You sure we should've left Chloe with Bruce?"

"Don't you trust him?"

"I do," she replied honestly. "But Chloe barely knows the guy"

"Everyone will know everything soon enough"

"You ready for that?" she asks, knowing that as soon as they descended on the earth to meet with Bruce and Chloe that Clark will be revealing to the billionaire who he really is, or, to be specific, where he really came from. He is still Clark Kent to her.

"You took it well," he reminded her.

"That's because I'm sleeping with you," she says with a smirk. "It's an excellent ice-breaker"

Clark grinned and shook his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

Lois held onto him, brushing her hand through his wind blown hair. "For starters, you can warm me up," she smiled.

Now that's something he'll never tire of doing.

Several Minutes Later

'The Tumbler' speeded through the woods with immense speed finally jumping into a waterfall. For a brief moment, Chloe thought he was absolutely insane but then realized that it was all just a cover. In the end, she relaxed and that's all that mattered.

She exited the vehicle and was full out amazed at the underground construction. It still held the natural cave affect but Batman made countless modifications throughout various areas.

"You live here?"

Batman shook his head and looked passed her. "How did you two get here before we did?" he asks both Lois and Clark approaching them. Before he could get an answer though, Chloe ran towards them for another hugging session.

"I'm so glad you guys are all right"

"Right back at you cuz"

'Who is he?' Chloe mouthed to Lois silently about the masked figure. 'Wow,' she says making Lois roll her eyes and shrugs. "Hey," she says her volume picking up loud enough for the two heroes to hear. "I'm gonna give her the tour, why don't you two talk a bit"

She pulled Chloe away and Chloe watched the two curiously, wondering what exactly is going on. In a matter of minutes, everyone will know everything.

Quiet Area in the Batcave

"Are you telling me that you just learned about Clark a few days ago?" Chloe asks once more in apparent disbelief. She had thought she knew for a while now about where Clark came from.

Lois nods.

"So you two – you know – we're getting inv – "

"Sex! Chloe, say it with me," Lois teased and the two ladies laughed. "Yes, we've gone there long before his gifted display at Uncle Luke's"

"And that didn't bother you?" Chloe was fascinated and amazed at how well her cousin was handling things.

"How can I hold it against him when I love him too much?" Lois tries to explain. "Yeah, it shocked me but – after everything that's happened between us – I can't blame him for wanting to protect himself and the people around him"

"Wow, you're really handing this well"

"Oh, I'm overwhelmed. I still am, in fact. And even though he neglected to tell me about that part of himself before he and I gave in to instinct, in the end, I wasn't hurt by it." Lois paused. "Are you really sure it's okay talking about Clark like this with you?"

"Of course it is, I've had some intense self-therapy while I was locked up"

"Because, I can always work around it"

"Lois." She hugged her cousin for dear life. "I love you, and I love Clark. That's all that matters"

The let go and Chloe's nose scrunched up. "How do you think Clark and Batman are holding up?" Chloe still didn't know the identity of the dark knight.

Lois grins. "I'm sure Batman's getting an earful"

Cut to Bruce and Clark

"So let me get this straight," Bruce removed his masked, Clark Kent's revelation made his suit too tight to be in. He was floored by what he shared. "You're an alien?" Clark nods. "From another planet?" Clark nods again.

Bruce breathed, leaning back on a nearby table. That's a lot to take in.

"I knew you were weird but – "

"Thanks," Clark says feigning hurt.

"An alien," Bruce says again. "That sucks"

Clark is confused. "Why?"

"I'm going to have to better my toys just so I can keep up with you," he smiles at Clark.

In that moment, the two realized in silent confirmation that they were a part of something great, something that to most people are intangible, to them were plain in sight to see. A true friendship was born that night.

Two men, one man helping to protect those who can't protect themselves, and another who serves the people anyway he can.

After a moment, Lois and Chloe appeared, Chloe gasping in surprise at the man behind the mask.

"You're Bruce Wayne," she says, her voice full of shock.

Lois smirked. "I see introductions aren't necessary." She crossed the two to make her way towards Clark. "How'd it go?" she whispered to his ear.

"Better than I thought," he whispered in return, his eyes full of love and hope. "We're going to be okay"

They look back to Bruce who was now engaged in an animated discussion with Chloe. They seem to be hitting it off.

In the distance, Alfred Pennyworth watches the two couples interact all the while nodding his approval.

"It's about time to see some light underneath all this darkness"

He takes a look at them once more before disappearing upstairs. Dinner for four, it sounds just about right.

The End

Author's Notes: So… what'dya think? I covered the necessary dialogue and avoided the obvious ones because Clark telling Lois about himself once was enough, I didn't want to do a redux. Chloe, of course, has been over her crush on Clark and was simply processing the Lois & Clark relationship that was intentionally hidden from her and the rest of Smallville.