FicWad

I do not own Smallville
a/n: I do realize that this story does not coinside with comics/shows/movies completely but bear with me here. It's what worked.

Chloe and Clark sat at Chloe’s desk, in the Daily Planet, talking. Chloe stared into Clark’s baby blue eyes and an awkward silence overcame them. She suddenly looked away, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“About that kiss… It didn’t really mean anything. The world was literally about to end right?” Chloe said quite uncomfortably.

“That’s too bad; it sure meant something to me,” Clark slyly remarked, feeling a bit disappointed and heartbroken.

Chloe turned and looked at him blinking away tears. “Stop teasing me! It’s not funny. What, are you on RedK again ‘cause I know you don’t really mean it you never do, do you?”

“No, no. No RedK, I promise. I really do mean it, I care about you Chloe. You’re special, different from other girls. You’re the one person I can trust with my secret, you protect it without even thinking. You don’t judge me no matter what I do or who I am,” Clark assured her as he tucked Chloe’s hair behind her ear and gracefully stroked her cheek. He leaned in closer, their lips ready to kiss.

“Chloe! Get back to work! And why is this guy here? Your little boyfriend will have to leave,” Perry White yelled interrupting their kiss before it began.

“Yes sir,” she said to him nodding. Then to Clark she told him, “That’s my new boss, Perry White. He’s very strict. Sorry but you’ll have to go. Oh and about what Perry said, ‘your little boyfriend’. Well are you… I mean you’re not little at all but the boyfriend part?”

“Well… umm... I was kinda hoping for that. But I mean if you don’t want to then that’s fine too,” Clark answered getting back to his usually, awkward, shy self.

“No! I mean of course I’d love to be your girlfriend Clark,” Chloe replied smiling sheepishly. Clark pecked her on the cheek and left, walking out the Daily Planet’s huge double doors.

Clark was on the way to his truck when a man bumped into him, jabbing something into Clark’s side. Curious to what it was, he quickly used his x-ray vision to see what had jabbed him. A grappling hook hung from the man’s belt. “Why would a man be carrying a grappling hook?” Clark wondered out loud.

Suddenly the man turned to look at Clark and started walking his way. When he got near to Clark he look him straight in the eye and accusingly asked, “How did you know I have a grappling hook?”

“Wait, you heard me?” Clark asked amazed.

“I have very acute hearing. So are you going to answer my question?” he replied.

“Umm… Well… The wind caught your coat and I saw it,” Clark replied.

The man glared at Clark for a minute then finally seemed to buy it, not wanting to cause any more trouble.

“Name’s Bruce Wayne,” he said, extending an arm out to Clark. I just barely got here and I’m looking for a place to stay. Know of anywhere good? The market is horrible this time of year.”

“Umm… not really. You could stay with my mom at the farm. There’s an extra room since Lois moved out,” Considering Clark had been arrested a couple of times in his life he was relieved that this man didn’t want to cause any trouble.

“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to be a burden. I’m sure there are other places. I’ll just keep asking around,” Bruce replied.

“You wouldn’t be a burden. Since my dad died my mom has been pretty lonely. Besides Lionel Luthor she doesn’t get many people around to visit. I’m sure she’d love your company.”

“I’m sorry for the loss of your father. Wait, did you say you were friends with Lionel Luthor?” Bruce interrogated, his sympathy flushing down the drain.

“I wouldn’t say friend. It’s more like I know him. Although I guess my mom is kind of friends with him. It’s complicated. Why do you ask?”

“I just don’t like him that’s all,” Bruce replied, shrugging off his anger.

“Who does?” laughed Clark. He knew Bruce was being less than truthful but decided to ignore it. This guy didn’t look like someone to argue with. Better to help him as much as possible than to get in a fight. “So, you didn’t answer me, are you going to take me up on my offer to stay at my house?”

Bruce thought about it for a minute then finally gave in. “Sure, why not? I have no where else to go.”

Clark drove his Dodge down the dirt road towards the Kent farm with Bruce following in his car. They walked in the front door and saw Martha baking muffins.

“Hey Clark, do you think you could grab the batch of muffins that are in the oven?” she asked with out looking up. When she did she asked, “Who’s this Clark?”

“This is Bruce. I was wondering if he could stay here for awhile. Just until he finds a place of his own,” Clark answered hoping for the right reply.

“If it’s not to much of a burden,” Bruce added.

“No, of course it isn’t. Any friend of Clark’s is welcome here. You can stay in Lois’ old room. I’ll go make up the bed now,” Martha replied.

“Thank you Mrs. Kent,” Bruce gratefully called after her as she climbed the stairs up to Lois’ room.

“Please call me Martha.” She ran up the remaining stairs to make the bed for Bruce, leaving the two men standing in the kitchen.

“Do you want something to drink? Sorry we don’t have any alcohol. My dad was the only one to drink and once he died…,” Clark trailed off. Coming back he said, “We do have some freshly squeezed organic orange juice though.”

“That’s OK. I don’t drink either. Organic hmm? You don’t hear that word much in Gotham. Orange Juice would be great thanks.”

Clark poured him a glass then sat down. They talked for hours about their lives as if they were old friends, Bruce about his life in Gotham and why he moved to Metropolis, and Clark about his time in Smallville and his later ambitions in becoming a reporter. Clark finally told Bruce that he should be getting back to his dorm.

“Goodnight Clark and thanks for everything.”

Clark left Bruce in the kitchen and drove off to the thriving city of Metropolis. Martha came down stairs and sat down on a stool across from Bruce.

“So, why did you move to Metropolis?” Martha asked.

“I’m in law enforcement and there’s been trouble down at the Luthorcorp plant. I was sent here to check it out,” Bruce lied.

“Well you’re certainly welcome here,” she replied.

Driving back to his place, Clark glanced up at the looming Luthorcorp tower with hatred. Ever since the Luthors came into their life things have continuously gone down hill.

All of a dark, caped man in a mask swooped down from the top of the building.

Clark pulled over and sped off towards the tower at super speed, abandoning his truck. When he got there he saw the man tying up a robber with a rope he had gotten off a utility belt around his waist. Clark ran up to him just as the man was finishing.

“That was amazing. Who are you?”

“No one of consequence,” the dark man replied.

Clark who was looking at the man’s utility belt finally looked up at the man’s masked face and dark costume. He snorted attempting to hide a laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“You look like a bat,” he chortled.

“Well the press do call me Batman. It’s my disguise,” he said partially disgruntled.

“Nice gadgets,” Clark said trying to strike up a conversation.

“Thanks, I made them myself. Listen I have to go. I’ll talk to you later Clark,” Batman turned to leave but was stopped by Clark’s outreached arm.

“How do you know my name?” The man turned to face Clark and he saw his grappling hook for the first time. Everything clicked. “Bruce?”

Realizing his slip up Batman quickly replied, “Bruce? Who’s that? Sorry kid, you’ve got the wrong guy.”

Clark shrugged not believing him but let him go anyways. The man disappeared into the darkness.

When Clark got to his dorm he decided to phone his mom to test his theory that Batman was in fact Bruce. If Bruce wasn’t there then his theory was most likely right.

“Hi mom, is Bruce there?” Clark asked when his mother picked up the phone.

“No sorry. He went out for a drink,” Martha replied.

“Mom, Bruce doesn’t drink. I’ve gotta go. Love you, bye,” Clark said hurriedly.

“Clark!” Martha said but he had already hung up.

Clark sped off towards the Daily Planet. He came in the door and Chloe saw him.

“What are you doing here Clark? My boss is ready to snap.”

“Sorry can’t talk,” Clark replied as he started running up the stairs.

“Clark!” Chloe yelled after him but he was already gone. “Can that boy ever stay in one spot for more than a minute?” she wondered to herself.

He reached the top of the Daily Planet building and stood very still on the edge of the roof. He turned his head to the side and listened very carefully for a sign of Bruce. A few minutes later he heard it.

“Stop right there!” came Bruce’s voice, floating on the wind.

Clark jumped off the roof and fell a few feet before gliding up towards the sky. He flew high above the clouds and buildings so he wouldn’t be seen. A while later he was right over the spot where Bruce’s voice was coming from. He rotated slightly so that he was standing vertically and sank down towards the ground.

Bruce looked up and saw Clark descending. The man he was fighting was unconscious on the ground. Clark landed lightly and walked toward Bruce with a determined stride and a smirk on his face.

“How did you do that? Do you have wires or something?” Bruce asked cocking his head inquiringly.

“No wires, no tricks. I defy gravity all on my own,” replied Clark with a convincing smile.

“Yes but, how?” asked Bruce dumb struck.

“I was kind of born this way. Long story.”

“Huh, I guess I’m not the only hero in this city,” Bruce replied.

“Bruce, can I ask you something?” Clark inquired.

“You can ask me but like I said before my name isn’t Bruce.”

“You can cut the act. You sound like him, Bruce mysteriously disappears when Batman appears, you have the same grappling hook and the same bone structure as Bruce,” Clark challenged.

“Bone structure? How do you know what my bones look like?”

“I can see through things. X-ray vision,” Clark replied smugly.

“Fine, I’ll cut the act. Now what did you want to ask me?”

“How did you make all those gadgets? They’re more advanced than anything I’ve seen. Who comes up with these ideas?” asked Clark.

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m a genius,” Bruce teased with a chuckle.

“Well you should probably head back to my house. My mom will be wondering where you are,” Clark said mildly surprised.

“Well I wouldn’t want to worry her,” he said with a smile. “Want a ride?”

“Yeah sure,” Clark answered flashing his dazzling smile.

They walked a block to Bruce’s car and when the got there Clark commented, “Nice car.”

“You should see my other one,” Bruce slyly remarked referring to his batmobile that he had left in Gotham which he explained on the way to Clark’s dorm.

“I’m leaving tomorrow Clark.”

“Why?” Clark wondered.

“Metropolis already has a hero. I’m going to go where I’m needed. I’m sure you can handle Luthor. That’s the only real reason I came to Metropolis, I’m heading back to Gotham.”

“That’s too bad, I’m starting to get used to your company.”

“Starting?” laughed Bruce.

Bruce dropped Clark off and in the morning was gone with out a trace. Clark listened intently and heard Bruce’s car rolling along the road. A smile stretched across his face as he went inside.