Batman and the Justice League

One for a Night

Batman and the JL

     Batman walked, half dragged, himself from the batmobile. A gash curved along his inner thigh opening further with each step; a stream of blood followed behind his path towards the medical bay. Bruce inwardly groaned thinking about the cleanup, there would be no help from his butler tonight. Alfred had left for England two days ago for a funeral of a previous friend. Bruce told him to take a well needed vacation while he was there, so his faithful butler was not to be expected for another week or two.

Alfred, the cat, rubbed up against Bruce's leg begging for food. He groaned again having forgotten to feed the animals before patrol. Batcow gave a long moan of protest.
"Shut up." Bruce harrumphed finally reaching the med bay. He ungracefully collapsed onto the bed after having taken the complex first aid kit from the counter. Alfred the cat leapt up and began to rub against his blood-soaked arm, compliments to a piece of metal sticking out of his back. Swatting the fur ball away, he opened the kit and took from the alcohol swabs. Bruce unceremoniously dumped his cape and cowl across the floor, being very gentle with his top armor. Alfred jumped down from the table, as Bruce cleaned his leg wound, and began to knead his cape.

"Don't do that." He threw the cotton swab at the cat, really wishing Damian were here. Alfred the human, before he got the funeral call, had made arrangements for a camping trip for Dick and Damian. It was supposed to be some brother/male bonding time or something. Around the same time, Jim had decided, more so Barbara demanded, that they needed a vacation. Tim had gone off with the Titans last night, so Bruce was pretty much alone in defending Gotham. Batwoman hadn't left, but Batwing was off in Africa for something Batman Inc. related.
"Hrnn..." Bruce grit his teeth finally having made his way to the metal piece in his back. A fresh flow of blood coursed down his posterior as he pulled the last of it out. It was almost dangerously deep, but if he was carful he'd be-

An alert flashed across the batcomputer. The screen flipped to an image at Gotham Harbor's loading docks. Bruce limped to the monitor. He had been surveilling the area for the past week after getting intel that Bane was likely to show up. Sure enough there he was, barking orders to workers carrying crates onto a cargo ship. Bruce couldn't miss this opportunity. He quickly wrapped up his back and leg then hobbled to the suits for a replacement. Settling back into the batmobile, engine started, his JL com buzzed. Bruce sighed, but answered the call.

"This is Batman, go ahead."

"Hey Bruce, this is Clark." His overly lighthearted voice sung over the feed.

"What is it?" Bruce growled pulling the car out of the cave and back into the night.

"I just wanted to let you know that it's twenty past midnight up here." He could hear Clark's fidgeting from his voice alone. Bruce pursed his lips, annoyed.

"I'm aware. Your point?"

"Well, the members meeting was scheduled for midnight. Seeing as you're late I assumed you forgot? I mean with Alfred gone you might have forg-"

"I'm busy Superman. Batman out."

"Bru-" Batman cut off the com before the Kryptonian could finish. He could skip a founders meeting. It was most likely to recap the past years successes and failures, or to determine when they should have another meeting for new member initiations. They could talk about whatever they pleased, because he REALLY couldn't leave Gotham right now. He would just listen to it later anyway from the bug placed there.

The founder's meeting sounded amazing right now. His previous wounds freshly opened with a dislocated shoulder and a couple cracked ribs to the list, he was in no condition to fight someone like Bane. The monstrous man shoved him into another steel crate and Batman swore he could hear an additional rib crack. Throwing a smoke pellet in his face, Batman jumped atop a stack of crates and reached for his grapple gun. Before he could swing to higher grand, a hand yanked his leg and swung him back onto the ground barely giving him time to dodge Bane's elbow for his face. Batman threw several kicks to the brute which, as it failed to every time, had no effect. Bane began to cackle catching his leg again and tossing him across the yard. Bane's henchmen, the ones not loading cargo, began to snigger at the sight of his defeat. Batman clenched his jaw in agitation. His vision was beginning to blur. Discreetly collecting several bomb batarangs and smoke pellets he stood trying his best not to appear off balance. Bane was laughing again, cracking his large knuckles. Batman stood his ground as Bane made his way over, the first to attack usually is at a disadvantage. The large brute was running towards him now. The Dark Knight gripped the hidden weapons tighter in anticipation. He only had one shot.