Title: In Unfamiliar Space [or Boy, I'd Like To Get In His Tights]

Author/pseudonym: J.C.

Rating: G

Fandom: Superman/Batman crossover

Pairings: Superman/Batman (or if you prefer, Clark/Bruce)

Series: The True Adventures of Batman and Superman (Story Two)

Disclaimers: All characters used in this story belong to someone else... but they still insist on hanging around me. And they're superheroes, after all, so nothing I'm doing seems to have any permanent effects on them.

Notes: This is Story Two in the TABS series. It is based on the animated ep entitled, 'Knight Time' of the WB New Batman-Superman Adventures, and makes references to the ep, 'World's Finest' of the same series. It is probably best if you read Story One: Face to Face so that this will make more sense. It tells the story of when the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel first cross paths. These two stories are the setup for Story Three which will have Supe and the Bat meeting due to *my* manipulations. <g> That's where the slash factor goes up. <bg> Hope you enjoy and comments are welcome.

Summary: An atypical day in the life of Superman.

Warnings: None

I went immediately to Gotham, taking the most direct route... as the crow flies. Or rather, as the superhero flies. Sometimes nothing beats being able to just actually take flight. Of course, traveling at super speeds, under your own power, doesn't afford you that down time for thinking that you get on a traditional aircraft, but that didn't stop my mind from turning things over and over.

I'd been telling myself that I was just concerned about the recent crime spree: Criminals were running rampant in Gotham. What was even more disturbing was that they were acting virtually unchecked, because it seemed Batman had disappeared, leaving the bad guys to take full advantage of the situation. That was the only reason for my concern, *not* Batman himself. He wasn't my concern at all. He's a full-grown crime-fighter... he didn't need me looking out for him.

But after dealing with Roxy Rocket, I couldn't just ignore the possibility of *more* of Gotham's unsavory element spilling over into Metropolis, could I? No need to point out the faulty logic in that assessment. I know most criminals aren't just out seeking death-defying thrills like Roxy... they would just stay in Gotham where they would be free to commit mayhem. But there was still a chance. It had happened that one time before. So, that had to be it. After all, it was true what I'd said to her: Superman and Batman aren't exactly friends. As for Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent... well, we won't even go there.

Anyway, I wasn't looking for anything, except to stop a little crime.

<S> <S> <S>

Swooping down in the nick of time... how many times had I done that since donning the blue and red suit? Too many to count. I'm always coming to the rescue, and even though setting foot in Gotham had been more like coming to assist, it was definitely in the nick of time. Robin had been holding his own against the gang of crooks, but he was outnumbered, and losing ground. My arrival coincided with the appearance of two guys with guns that would have tipped the scales in the wrong direction. Couldn't have that... so I got down to business, and made quick work of it. There were more important things on my mind than two-bit thugs and their wayward plans for a jewelry heist. Robin and I had some talking to do.

Yeah, okay. By the time I had landed, I had decided that maybe I was looking for one thing: answers.

<S> <S> <S>

I decided to cut to the chase.

"Where's your boss?"

"Around."

I found it hard to believe that Batman would have left this kid in charge of Gotham's welfare. So I decided to try a new tactic.

"Let's try this another way. Where's Bruce?" Wow, that even *felt* different. I hadn't realized how I had avoided thinking of him as *Bruce*.

I could tell the kid was shocked. Clearly, his partner had never shared the story about how our identities had been exchanged. About how he had bugged me, followed me, and caught Superman changing into Clark Kent's pjs. I hadn't needed him to say a word about who he really was... x-ray vision is one of my more useful skills. And don't even think it... I only used it on his face.

But shock or no shock, Robin was no dummy. He was in over his head, and all alone. I took him up to a spot high above the city, and he told me all he knew. How Bruce had just never come home one day, only sending a message saying about working. How Nightwing and Batgirl had traced the call, and had gone off to Romania in search of, they thought, Bruce's kidnapper. It was plain to see that he needed my help, so, I decided to conduct my own investigation into the matter of the missing billionaire, and also lend a hand in the war against crime in Gotham City.

Before we could go check out Wayne Enterprises, the Bat signal flashed in the sky. Robin was *way* out of his league on that score... no way could he fake being Batman. So that left me. And even though it was my idea, I soon found out that it was easier said than done. I guess I take my superhuman powers for granted, because I had no idea how to *be* Batman. There's a lot more involved than just jumping into his tights. Thank goodness there was a Boy Wonder around.

<S> <S> <S>

We showed up to see Commissioner Gordon, who was the perfect picture of a man on the edge; anger, frustration, and desperation evident on his face and in his tone. I wasn't sure if I was even going to be able to pull off my Bat impersonation. Robin had to whisper the name of Bane in my ear when Gordon showed me a photograph of the latest evildoer to show up in Gotham. And when we were leaving, I was stumped at the edge of the rooftop, until Robin again whispered to me - telling me which pocket the damn Bat-rope was in to swing us off of there. A reminder that for all of his success at fighting crime... Batman was, after all, simply a man.

Nothing like being reminded how alien you are to focus your attention. The only thing for me in Gotham was to find out what happened to Bruce Wayne, and keep crime in check until he returned. And when he was back, I would leave. Nothing else. Nothing else at all.

<S> <S> <S>

I had to hand it to the kid... he knew his stuff. Robin sneaked us into the virtual fortress that was Wayne Enterprises with a minimum of hassle. He seemed to be taking in stride his sudden change of partnership. He only had one question.

"How'd you get the Bat voice down so well."

"Precise muscle control."

It was the first thing that came into my head, but it was also true. I have incredible control over all the muscles in my body, including my throat... but that led to thoughts best left *un*thought.

So, I added, "Plus, I have a pretty good ear," said in my best *Robin* voice.

He was not amused. Somehow I didn't think I was getting the same respect afforded Batman. I sensed he definitely had a different view of *our* partnership. But after all, this was his show... I was just helping out until I got to the bottom of things.

We found a video message that Bruce had sent to his office. Outside of the fact that he had informed them that he was on vacation... the most peculiar thing, (according to Robin, and I tended to agree) was the fact that Bruce was smiling. Continuously. In this weird jovial way. I had seen him smile before, even a few that had been directed at me. There were those polite, social smiles that certain situations call for, some small, smug ones, (those had been for me), and then those slow, seductive smiles that I had seen him give Lois. But not that strange, happy-go-lucky smile that stared at us from the video screen. That smile that made *me* feel strange, forcing me to look away. Which was actually good, because that was how I got our first clue.

Nanites. Microscopic robots crawling around on some papers. After further investigation, I found the phone was infested with them as well... and a needle had been inserted in the earpiece. That solved the 'how' of the puzzle: nanites were used for mind control. But that didn't exactly get us Bruce back. Or rather, get Batman back to Gotham City. Which meant that we had to find out where those robots came from, and Robin had an idea.

<S> <S> <S>

Getting past the guards at Wayne Enterprises had helped bring back one of the differences between Batman and I. Like I had told Robin, that wasn't exactly my style. Getting the low-down from a lowlife just shoved that difference home. That vigilante, brute-force difference that I had first noticed. I was asking the guy for information, trying to appeal to his reasoning, when I heard that 'clue Superman in' whisper from Robin.

"Kick the desk over."

Kick the desk over? I looked at him like he had gone crazy, but he just whispered even more insistently.

"Just do it!"

So I did it. Thinking that maybe that kid had been spending a little *too* much time around Batman. But the desk crashing into the wall definitely got the ball rolling. And grabbing the non-talking miscreant, the Penguin, by the throat, while I growled my best Bat imitation, had him singing like a canary. I had a weird sense of déjà vu -- my first up-close encounter with Batman had been just like this. But then *he* had been wearing this suit, and I had cut in on him in mid-interrogation -- pounding one of Metropolis' resident criminals into a wall.

I ignored Robin's last whisper: "*Now* he's getting it." But it was true. I *was* getting it. It occurred to me that every time I got involved with anything that had to do with Batman, I wound up getting more... physical.

I tend to spend a great deal of my time *not* unleashing my power. Holding back in my everyday identity as Clark Kent, and as Superman, although I wasn't above using my strength to bend situations my way, I never allowed myself to just let go against people. Then again, a lot of what I come up against is alien in nature... like me. Batman has to use different tactics. The more time I spent in his cape and cowl, the more I realized that we were worlds apart.

But his world *was* just as dangerous. To get closer to the truth about the nanites, Robin and I had to crash a meeting of three villains who had decided to put their heads together and exploit Batman's absence. The Mad Hatter. The Riddler. And Bane. And at the risk of sounding like I have a super ego, even the three of them weren't much of a problem for Superman. But this venom-pumped mass of evil going by the name of Bane... I was glad that Batman wasn't there to face him.

After dealing with the three, which meant chasing down the Mad Hatter, leaving the Riddler dangling from the ceiling (thanks to Robin), and deflating, (or is that de-toxing) Bane, we didn't get the info that we expected to hear. The Mad Hatter's opinion was that the nanites weren't manmade technology. According to him, neither WayneTech, LexCorp, nor Star Labs could have produced that particular micro-circuitry... he was certain that it had come from alien origins. So, we had to change the direction of our thinking.

Back to square one.

Back to the videotape. And this time, I got past that crazy smile, and listened. And that's how I got the real clue. The background noise... rocket exhaust. Which led us to Wayne Aerospace... and ultimately Bruce Wayne.

<S> <S> <S>

The joy... I mean, relief... at seeing Bruce was overshadowed by what else we discovered. I don't know why I expected anything that involved mind control and rockets to be easy. It turned out to be Brainiac. I didn't dwell on how it was *my* enemy that had invaded Batman's territory this time. I just jumped in to thwart Brainiac's plan. He had captured Bruce to get access to a rocket building facility, the idea being to escape Earth and spread his evil beyond its atmosphere.

At first, he thought I *was* Batman... come to rescue one of the leading citizens of Gotham. But when I emerged from the onslaught of his energy blasts, I was all Superman.

"Kal-El. I wasn't expecting this. But it is an added bonus."

Cockiness is not reserved just for humans. Maybe all lifeforms share the ability to harbor that particular attitude. But still it took me following his rocketed getaway to bring the adventure to an end.

I had left Robin to keep an eye on Bruce, who was still not quite himself, but seemed harmless enough. And they were still both in one piece when I returned. All that was left was to get Bruce back to Wayne Manor... and Batman to the Batcave.

<S> <S> <S>

I didn't stick around for small talk. Once back on his home turf, Bruce got himself together, helped along by the self-destruction of the nanites that had invaded his body. I took just enough time to make sure that he was okay. When he said he was fine... he smiled at me. A totally different smile than I had ever seen directed at me before. I didn't analyze that, but I took a real close look at him, checking for injuries, before I felt it was okay to go, satisfied when my x-ray vision revealed nothing disturbing. As I turned to leave, I made sure that he knew the kid had done good while he was away.

"You know, for a loner, you sure know how to pick a partner."

I didn't miss Timmy's look of appreciation, and I hoped Batman *and* Bruce Wayne got the point.

<S> <S> <S>

The return trip to Metropolis found me occupied with even more thoughts than the trip down. So many things that I didn't want to go over, but couldn't get out of my mind. Flashes of the last time we had seen each other... squaring off in Metropolis with Lois Lane in the middle. A strange battle between Bruce and Superman, and Clark and Batman... all twisted up because of Lois' preferences.

Sparks had been flying fast and furious between us, right up until he got on the plane to go home. I had thought that maybe it hadn't *all* been male bravado, maybe there had been something more... even showed up at the airport, slipping into the space Lois had just vacated, to see if maybe... But once face to face, that same old pattern of sharp-edged dialogue surfaced, and then he was gone.

Leaving me alone, facing skyward, fighting the urge to fly after him.

But after spending some time in his life... in his shoes... in his *tights*, even, (and *not* in the way that I had that dream about), I was forced to face facts. About how very different Superman and Batman are. Even Robin had commented on it. Not to mention the fact of how different Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne are. Mild-mannered reporter and billionaire industrialist. Alien being and man with a mission.

The pang of regret that I felt was strong. Yeah, he *could* pick a good partner... had good instincts when it came to picking someone to be by his side. We had actually fought together once, but not really by choice. He would never willingly have me as a partner. Not in crime-fighting, and not in....

I didn't even dare to follow that train of thought.

I flew home at a leisurely pace, taking with me the memory of a smile... and another image...

So sue me... I checked him out. Hey, he got an eyeful when he did his peeping Bat impression into my bedroom window. But yeah, I know, I crossed the line with my x-ray vision for my own personal late night viewing pleasure.

I guess you could say, that in a lot of ways... I'm simply a man, too.