Hello all! This story has been kicking around my hard drive for about 6 months, so forgive me if it's a little bumpy (I wrote in a very sporadic fashion). Also forgive me if the updates aren't super regulated or close together; it's a little difficult to continue a story when you don't quite remember where you were going with it.

Also, if you guys have any questions about who the hell this Maxwell Lord guy is or what happened in Infinite Crisis, feel free to say it in a review or PM, I'm totally open to helping and I'll try to answer it myself and/or direct you to sources that will hopefully explain things.

This story is probably going to have a mixture of the comic and cartoon continuity because I enjoy them both, so let me know if that ends up making things confusing or not.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Obviously (and sadly), I don't own Justice League, Batman, or Wonder Woman. And also, like every other egomaniac, I love reviews.

Diana and Bruce rarely fought, not seriously anyway. They certainly had their bouts, it was impossible to avoid with their personalities. But after they decided it was all worth it, they both put in the effort not to fight. Or at the very least, not to yell.

So, when Alfred could hear the two of them from the cave, he was less than pleased.

The evening began with Clark stopping by the cave after Bruce's patrol. Hoping he was alone, Clark didn't hide his worry. Considering who he was visiting, it wouldn't have mattered much either way. Bruce could read him like a large-print book. And to think, Clark was the one with the super-vision.

So when Clark rushed in the cave with a stressed "Bruce," he just about flew into the wall when he saw Diana.

He adored Diana, loved her like a sister. The three of them made up the "trinity," as Lois liked to refer to them. But, this particular parcel of news was not meant for her ears, not yet at least. It would be distressing, to say the least.

Before Clark could back pedal and pretend he wasn't the world's most tactless metahuman, Diana was out of the chair that was fixed next to Bruce's post in front of the computer. As he looked at Bruce's empty chair, he realized the only person that was in the room was the one person he didn't want to talk to right now.

"Kal?" Diana called out uncertainly, concern etched in her face. "Kal, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered none too convincingly. "Where's Bruce?" he asked, trying his best to pretend he wasn't worried. He felt like he just told Wally Santa didn't exist.

Diana could tell he didn't want to talk to her, and Clark could read the hurt that brought her.

"Bruce is restocking the jet," she said, eyes narrowed. "I'm sure he's just finishing up," she continued, skeptically. Clark desperately wanted to fly toward the garage, but that would put Diana on edge. So he waited. He could tell Diana was getting a little enjoyment out of watching him squirm. Bruce is rubbing off on you.

Bruce walked up to the computer platform to find Diana and Clark in a standoff. Really, it looked like more like a silent interrogation. His interest was piqued.

"What are you doing here, Kent?" Bruce asked as he sat in front of the main console. The silence that followed began to eat at Bruce's patience. He turned the chair to see Diana staring at Clark intently as he actively and visibly searched for words.

Though the cowl was down, Bruce was as intimidating as ever, and it really didn't help the situation. Clark swallowed his anxiety, his Kent persona, and stood up straight. This did nothing to comfort Diana.

"Don't worry, I know when I'm not wanted," Diana said as she moved toward the stairs. Clark was relieved to hear more suspicion in her voice than anything else. As she ascended, she continued, "I won't need the lasso to get the truth out of either of you."

Hearing the door close, Bruce's eyes narrowed at the alien in front of him. "Spit it out, Clark," he nearly barked.

"Maxwell Lord is alive," Clark blurted out. If Bruce were the type of person to be surprised, he would have raised his eyebrows. Instead, his eyes narrowed. Clark was about to say more, but Bruce already knew what was coming.

"And he's gunning for Diana," Bruce deadpanned as he turned to the computer, bringing up his fugitive database while connecting to Oracle. "How do we even know it's actually him?" Bruce asked, obviously very skeptical as he continued typing up his field report.

"Facial recognition on the Watchtower database, not to mention triggering INTERPOL and the FBI watchlist searches," Clark answered. Bruce turned in his chair looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Superman couldn't help but be a little offended. "I am actually a competent reporter, Bruce. Please give me some credit." Bruce merely turned back to face the screen and continued to type up his field report.

"Why, exactly, are you trying to hide it from Diana?" Bruce asked, sounding genuinely curious as he typed away furiously. Clark sighed.

"I don't want to bring this all up again," Clark said, clearly about to continue before Bruce stopped him.

"She's a big girl, Clark. She'll be angry. Trust me, you don't want an enraged Amazon," Bruce stated. The two remained in silence as Bruce stopped typing.

"You want me to tell her," Bruce said, turning in his chair to face Superman.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bruce, I'm not afraid of Diana," Clark scoffed.

"I never said that," Bruce said, a smile in his voice as Clark realized he let out far too much. "Besides, you are a terrible liar." Superman smiled, crossing his arms and looking at the progress Bruce had made in a few minutes. Bruce turned to see the smirk on Clark's face, and turned toward the computer with annoyance. Superman knew his mistake, he was actually surprised they had managed to keep it so light up until this point.

"Our history with Max Lord doesn't exactly bring a smile to my face Kent, but then again, we never quite see eye to eye," Bruce said darkly.

"I'm sorry, Bruce," Clark said sincerely. "That's not what I meant—"

"Save it, Clark, I know what you meant," Bruce replied coldly. Superman stopped, looking intently at the man before him whose mood was darkening by the second. "What do you plan on doing to make sure history doesn't repeat itself?"

"What would you have me do, Bruce?" Clark asked incredulously, fuming. "I can't guard myself from mind control, not unless you've masterminded some brilliant ideas that you're not sharing," he continued, cooling down.

"You don't get the luxury of no responsibility. Talk to J'onn, see what he can do or who he can contact. Now let me work," Bruce said, voice monotone.

That went better than expected, Clark thought as he flew out of the cave.