The Icarus Files -- Part 3

By superninja

All characters belong to DC Comics/Warner Bros. Paul Dini & Co. DID let the dogs out (I heard in on the internet the other day, so it must be true).

***

There was nothing like it.

The blue and white orb hung in the distance, seemingly like magic. He had seen pictures of it before, but nothing could compare. Nothing…

A tall tower that shot up into the cosmos distinguished his father's moonbase. He wondered how many lucky adventurers, like himself, had been privy to such a sight.

And the day was young. He hadn't even met his father yet! The anticipation was the best feeling he had ever had in his young life.

His mother had been there when he had arrived. It was uncomfortable at first, being carried on a beam to the moon.

His fathe…*Bruce's* voice came to him in that moment. It told him not to trust others, to be wary of an open hand. But he quickly pushed it aside and gave his mother the coordinates that would take him home.

Home. The word was so confusing to him now. Less than two days ago, he had thought his father was Bruce Wayne…the costumed hero known as The Batman.

But after a short flight to the Fortress of Solitude (even though by accident), he had discovered his true lineage. His mother was Wonder Woman, and his father was Superman.

Never would he have thought that he would fit in, but somehow the hope had become possible in such a short time.

A place in this world.

And now he was in a fortress on the Moon…waiting for the moment when a reunion would take place.

***

Watching him from the shadows, Bruce looked at a mirror image of himself. Although he was tall, he stood with a slight slump, as though catering to his lessors. No, he looked weak. Weak like father. When he thought about his father, he wished that the man had more of a backbone…and this poor creature seemed similarly afflicted.

Bruce reveled in the thought that he resembled Mother. Mother was strong -- she was a warrior! And she would be the one that would lead in the end. Father was too soft now for that sort of thing.

How human the poor creature was. Waiting with baited breath to be reunited with his true lineage. Something inside him hoped that he would be more like Mother, but his instincts told him otherwise. If he could understand the way of things, he would be a powerful ally. If not, he was just another obstacle.

That was what he wanted, more than anything. He was the son of Kal-El. It was his birthright to carry on his Kryptonian lineage on this world. After his father was gone, they would be the last of their kind.

To even think of Krypton fading away into dust was hypocrisy.

***

"You're…you're…Superman!" he said with excitement.

Superman surprised him by clutching the younger man tightly to his chest.

"Caleb…my son…I've waited so long…"

Icarus was nearly out of breath in his crushing embrace. His father was so noble, so strong. The only betrayal of age was a smattering of gray through his temples, and yet…he was almost killing him with a hug.

"F-f-father…I…"

Wonder Woman and Bruce watched on as father and son were reunited.

Diana noticed her son's discomfort, and hugged Bruce with reassurance.

Bruce took comfort in it. His mother's affection said to him, "He will not replace you."

Mother was always so dependable.

They turned simultaneously, watching the two men embrace. Father and son glowing with more joy than a thousand stars.

At that moment Diana felt a pang in her heart.

***

Introductions were made all around. Icarus had been quite happy finding out he had a brother in Bruce, although when he'd learned his name, it took him off guard.

Their father spent little time introducing him to his fortress of operations. He explained the Fortress of Solitude on Earth had been long abandoned, due to the government's distrust of his powers.

Since then, he had taken over the old base of operations of the JLA, and had made them a new Fortress…one that could monitor Earth and any extraterrestrial dangers to it.

This had troubled Icarus. There was the distinct feeling that somehow his new family had been exiled to the Moon…but he kept his thoughts in check.

There was time to discuss it later….a lifetime.

***

Diana retired to the bedroom, stepping into the sonic shower to wash away the remains of the day. Trivial thoughts seeped into her mind, but were pushed back by the constant reminder of her betrayal.

She had lied to them both. There was no stopping it now, and she wondered who in the end would pay the price for her deception. She hoped in would fall full measure on her and her alone…but something told her otherwise.

"Diana?"

She started when she heard his voice, and gave the command to stop the sonic beam. Taking a dressing robe from the closet, she put in on and stepped out into the bedroom to see Kal sitting at his typewriter.

Probably making another journal entry.

His fingers moved with inhuman speed over the old keys. It was the very same typewriter his father had given him before he journeyed to Metropolis to take a job as a reporter for the Daily Planet.

"Kal," she replied, leaning over him and hugging his head to her cheek. He kissed her solidly and then turned back towards the piece of paper moving rapidly out the end of the typewriter.

"I'm so happy," he sighed.

Diana sighed as well.

"Isn't he remarkable?" he said aloud.

"Kal," he laughed, "You have known him for less than twenty-four hours!"

"I know, I know," he grinned, continuing his typing. "But it's like a breath of fresh air has blown our way. Our *son*!"

"Yes, I suppose…" she replied. "But we already have a son."

"He reminds me of myself, Diana," he continued. " I can see it in his eyes. So young, so optimistic about the future…"

"And were you not before?" she asked, a little put off.

He stopped his work, instantly regretting the words he had let slip out. Bowing his head, he put his hand to his temple and rubbed it.

"I'm…sorry…" he slowly answered.

"Alright," she said stiltedly. She let go of him when he said nothing, moving away from him and disrobing, slipped beneath the soft shimmering sheets.

"I'll come to bed in a minute," he started, turning on his reading lamp as Diana simultaneously switched off the lights to their room, bathing them in darkness.

"It's…good to have him home Diana."

"Yes, Kal. It is."

***

Icarus couldn't sleep.

It would take some time to adjust to his new home, and he wasn't used to the unfamiliar surroundings. He also missed Barbara, Oracle…despite the fact that she was a hologram she'd been his best friend for as long as he could remember.

Maybe when things had blown over between Fath…Bruce and his family, they could reach and understanding and allow her visits to his new home via computer.

Was Barbara compatible with Kryptonian technology?

He hoped so.

Tossing and turning, Icarus gave up and decided to go take one more look at the Earth from the viewpoint.

He put on his slippers, amazed at how cold the floor felt beneath his feet, and was grateful that his parents had taken the time to provide him with a wardrobe upon his arrival.

Padding down the corridor, he concentrated for a moment and took to the air, flying through the sleek steel hallways, his robe flapping behind him.

Lighting softly on the ground, he leaned out and pressed his hands against the glass, reaching towards the planet below him. The glass was so cold he let out a shiver.

"Cold, are you?"

Startled, he spun around to find Bruce eyeing him in the archway, hidden in the shadows.

"A little," he said, offering an uncomfortable grin. "I've never been to the Moon before."

"Me," he said, striding confidently towards Icarus, "I don't feel the cold. Unless I want to."

Icarus was troubled by his comment for a moment, and then a thought dawned on him, filling him with excitement.

"You know how to fly too?"

Bruce practically laughed at him, making Icarus frown.

"Of course I can…can't you?"

Bruce's eyes narrowed in his appraisal of his brother. Icarus' pride forced him to lie a little.

"Of course I can."

Bruce raised an eyebrow, coupling it with a smirk. "I saw you down the hallway earlier."

"I said I can fly," Icarus said more sternly, then caved beneath the other's gaze. "Just not…very well."

"Well," Bruce said, leaning over the banister next to him. "I can help you, you know?"

"Really?" Icarus replied his excitement returning.

"Sure," Bruce answered. "I fly around the Moon all the time. You don't have to breathe in space."

"I don't know," Icarus said, dreading that he had ever started this conversation. "I-I've never tried."

"Of course you haven't," the other smiled back. "You said you've never been to the Moon before."

"That's true."

"Really, growing up on Earth has taught you some nasty habits, I'm sure," Bruce began. "Like breathing, for instance. If you think about it, panic might set in, but who knows? Maybe you can breathe in space?"

"Can Mother breathe out there?" he asked, looking towards the horizon. He was surprised he had never thought about it before. But then he'd never had to.

"No, just Father," Bruce said. "I take after Father. If you take after Mother, well…maybe you can't. But we can always find out!"

"I'm just happy being able to fly," Icarus began. "I never thought I would be able to. My Fath…Bruce…tried to keep me from it."

"Ah," his brother sighed, "My namesake." Curiosity got the better of him, and he leaned in conspiratorially. "What's Bruce like?"

Icarus backed away, staring back into Bruce's eyes, a little more almond-shaped than his own. Like their Mother's.

"Go ahead," Bruce whispered, "You can tell me."

Confused, Icarus leaned towards him, whispering his reply.

"Okay," he said softly, "But why are you whispering?"

"Because they can *hear* us," Bruce grinned from ear to ear.

"Really?" Icarus said, looking around the room for a moment. "Do you think they're listening?"

"Probably not, but, ever since Father found out about you…let's just say I'm the only Bruce welcome in the household."

***

Icarus thought about everything he had turned his back on down on Earth.

Bruce was in failing health, and the only family he had was on the Moon on the brink of starting his life over again. It hurt his heart.

"First tell me why you don't live down there," Icarus asked.

Bruce frowned at him and turned to look down at the planet. Icarus watched darkness play over his Brother's face. The same darkness he had seen in his old father's time and again -- disappointment and disgust.

"What is Earth?" Bruce asked, motioning with his hand towards the globe. "Just another planet of semi-intelligent beings who do nothing but squander what resources they have and waste their short lives working like ants beneath a hill."

Icarus recoiled in shock as Bruce continued.

"Nothing lasts forever, granted, but we last much longer than they do. We have the benefit of learning from the past, and the strength to lead in the future and what do they do? They fear us; they rejected us and finally forced us out of their polluted atmosphere."

"I-I'm so sorry," Icarus began.

"I got over it a long time ago," Bruce said nonchalantly.

"But surely you must know that all humans aren't like that."

"Yes, yes…that's what Father says." He paused for a moment. "But then Father allowed them to do this to us. I guess that's what happens when you grow up among their kind. You become all soft and sympathetic."

Icarus was annoyed by his Brother's indignation, but took the chance to try to open up to the other, and change the topic all together. Bruce's attitude was disturbing him.

"Not where I lived."

"Really?" Bruce asked. The traces of bitterness left his face and he looked at Icarus with genuine interest.

"Yeah. My father…Bruce Wayne…was a genuine taskmaster." Bruce didn't reply, so Icarus continued. "Day in, day out, driving me all the time and at the same time convincing me that I wasn't good enough or strong enough to go it alone. He was protecting me, I guess, but from what, I'm still not sure."

"Maybe he didn't want you stuck up here will all the rejects?"

"You know…I don't think that was it at all. He had a history of being overly protective of those left in his charge. A very tragic, painful history."

His emotions got the better of him, and his thoughts drifted to his father, alone now, in Wayne Manor. Probably just turning in from a night of prowling Gotham.

"It…wasn't easy to leave."

***

"Is he a ghost, or a demon or something?" Bruce asked.

It was Icarus' turn to smirk at his Brother.

"No," he replied. "For someone who doesn't want anything to do with Earth, you've managed to pick up some of their nasty habits."

Bruce clenched his jaw and looked away.

"It's just that Mother won't talk about him. And forget mentioning him to Father."

"Do you get Jerry Springer up here too?" Icarus laughed.

"What is 'Jerry Springer'?" Bruce asked.

"Nevermind…The point is, the man that raised me was entirely human. All too human, in fact. All that stuff about him being a 'demon' and a 'ghost' is made up by the locals to explain the Batman. Fairy tales."

"Oh, you mean like the myths of Mother's people."

"Well…," Icarus began, "I always thought those were kind of real. Mother made them seem so. She used to tell them to me, before she left."

"Not all of them," Bruce replied. "Some of them are a tad embellished. But tell me again about the Batman."

***

Bruce couldn't get enough of his stories about Batman.

Finally when Bruce had shaken him away for the second time he'd fended him off saying he was in need of rest.

His Brother had looked slightly annoyed, but he gave his consent by rising into the air and turning town the corridor to his quarters.

As Icarus got to his feet, too exhausted to attempt flying, he heard his Brother's voice echo down the corridor.

"I want to hear more stories about the Batman."

Icarus nodded his reply and took a long walk down the hallway to his room.

***

To be continued