Chapter 19: The Morning After
Diana wakes up the next morning feeling she may never have slept better in her life. Then she remembers the wonderful dream she had that Kal had come back to her and dreads what will happen when she opens her eyes to find he is not there just like always. It is then she realises she is being held in a warm, comforting embrace. Her eyes flutter open. It wasn’t a dream she realises at the image before her of a sleeping Kal. He looks so adorable she can’t help but think. It is still dark. The sun hasn’t risen yet so she takes the opportunity to cuddle into him even tighter.
“I have to leave soon you know.” Clark tells her, his eyes still shut.
“I thought you were asleep.” Diana responds.
“I was but the littlest thing wakes me up. Curse of super senses.” Clark explains.
“Sorry.” Diana apologises a little guiltily.
Clark opens his eyes and smiles at her “Don’t be. It’s fine but I really do need to go soon.”
Diana sighs with disappointment. “I know.” she says softly.
“We also need to talk about us.”
“I know.” Diana says once more. She knows that there are difficulties in trying to pursue a relationship together considering who they are.
“This won’t be easy but I’m willing to give it a try if you are.” he tells her.
“I am willing.” Diana responds with the only answer she can give. She can’t risk losing him now that she has just got him back.
“Despite the fact I am only a farmer’s son? I can‘t give you what Bruce can or a prince might be able to Diana. I’m not rich. I have to work for a living.”
“That doesn’t matter to me any more than it bothers you I’m a Princess. Like you said last night Kal I am in love with you, the real you. I don’t care where you come from or how rich or poor you are because deep down at our cores we are the same. We believe in the same things, we want the same things for the world. You are my friend, my ally, the man I love.”
“I love you too Diana.”
“So when shall we meet up to have this talk?” she asks.
“I’m going to need a few days to get my life back in order but maybe I can see about getting this weekend free.” he explains. “What about you? How are you for this weekend?” he asks her.
Diana thinks about what she has on her schedule for this weekend before answering. “Nothing that can’t be rearranged.” she finally decides. This talk, this path she and Kal are about to journey upon being the most important thing right now.
“So how about we meet up at the Fortress Saturday morning. I’ll make you breakfast.” Clark suggests as a pace they can meet up and talk alone.
“How about Friday night and you make me dinner.” Diana suggests back considering the last time they even tried anything remotely like this was interrupted by Circe who coincidentally still hadn’t managed to escape the Underworld, at least not yet.
Clark thinks about if he can manage that. “I think I should be able to do that. I’ll let you know if I can’t. Ok?”
Diana nods. “Sounds swell.” she says with a little cheeky smile.
Clark chuckles at that and kisses the top of Diana’s head. “I have to go. I need to shave and change before I see my mother.” he tells her thinks if he doesn’t go now he won’t have the will power to do it later.
Diana sighs disappointedly but she understands as she gets up. Clark gets up as well and heads to the balcony with Diana following him. Clark walks out onto the balcony and turns around. Diana leans against the doorframe still wearing Clark’s shirt still not fully aware of just what effect that is having on him. “So I’ll see you Friday night.” Clark tells her.
“I’ll be there.” she promises.
Clark smiles lovingly at her. “I love you.” he says thinking he’ll never get tired of telling her that.
Diana returns the smile. “I love you.”
Clark then shoots skyward and Diana watches him until he disappears from sight. She can barely believe last night happened, that he came back to her and now they stand on the threshold of something wonderful, she has no doubt in her mind of that. She finally has the one thing she wants most in this world. Kal being the only reason she is truly selfish over anything. After all she has needs, wants, desires just like anyone else and right now she needs, wants and desires Kal and this Friday they will work out together how they can both have what they want.
“Diana?” Donna asks her sister after coming to check up on her after hearing about Superman’s return. Diana turns to face her sister and Donna can’t help but notice the smile plastered on Diana’s face. “He was here, wasn’t he?” Donna asks Diana.
“Yes. He came to see me Donna, he came back to me, he…” Diana clutches at the shirt she is wearing struggling to find the words to convey her emotions.
Donna can’t help but smile at her sister. “What did he say to you?”
“He told me he loved me.” she says with delirious happiness.
“And I’m assuming you said it back to him.”
Diana nods.
Donna then rushes over and hugs her sister. “That’s great Diana. I am so happy for you. I knew there was more than friendship between you and Clark.”
“Kal.” Diana corrects her.
Donna breaks the hug and looks at her sister “Clark, Kal, whatever. He’s the same man isn’t he?”
“I guess so. It no longer matters. I love all of him.”
“So are you two dating now or what?” Diana looks at Donna disapprovingly for being nosy. “What? I’m curious and if you are you better tell mother before she finds out.”
“Before she finds out what?”
Donna spins round and standing there at the doorway is her mother. Diana just stares blankly at Hippolyta for a minute before she regains her composure. “Mother. What brings you here?”
“I came to check up on you Diana.” Hippolyta tells Diana. She had been worried about her and how she was taking Superman’s death. “Now what aren’t I suppose to find out?” she asks getting back on to what she overheard.
Diana looks at Donna for help but Donna just shakes her head indicating to Diana that she is on her own. Diana gulps. “Well mother…you see…Kal…Superman...he’s back.”
“I see.” Hippolyta answers flatly. “I’m guessing that is his shirt you have on.”
Diana looks down at herself as she remembers just what it is she is wearing. “Erm yes but it isn’t what it looks like.” Diana tries to assure her mother.
Hippolyta arches an eyebrow “And what does it look like my daughter?”
“We just talked that’s all. He came to tell me he was alive and what had happened to him.” Diana explains.
“That all?” Hippolyta asks.
Diana gulps once more. “Erm…well…we discussed the possibility of us courting.” she admits nervously worried by how her mother will react.
“I see.” Hippolyta says flatly once more giving away nothing of what she is thinking. “And what did you decide?”
“That we would like to try to be in a relationship together.”
Hippolyta says nothing and stands there for a moment in quiet contemplation.
“Mother?” Diana inquires nervously at her mother‘s silence.
“Does he love you?” she asks Diana.
“Yes.” Diana says without hesitation
“I see.”
Diana is getting a little tried of this. “Mother just say what you have to say.” she states.
“What is there to say Diana. You’ll pursue this relationship whether I approve or not just like you pursued your previous relationship.” Hippolyta says coldly.
Diana notices something different though in her mother’s voice. It wasn’t this cold when she told her about Bruce. “You have an issue with Kal, something that didn’t bother you with Bruce.” she says airing her thoughts out-loud.
“Men are men Diana. After all I wasn’t exactly thrilled when Donna started her relationship either.” Hippolyta says while giving Donna a small glare.
“You’re lying.” Diana says bluntly.
Hippolyta’s face hardened at that comment. “You should be more respectful to your Mother and your Queen.”
“Just tell me what you think Mother!” Diana demands.
“Very well. I think I have seen him break your heart twice, once when he refused to pursue a relationship with you before and again when he appeared to die. Each time I was there for you and I will be again when he breaks your heart once more.”
It is now Diana’s face that hardens. “How dare you!” she says angrily.
Donna grabs Diana’s arm. “Diana don’t.” she pleads with her sister.
Diana shakes Donna off “You judge him without knowing him. He admitted he made a mistake when he refused a relationship and I have forgiven him and as for him dying…I don’t even know where to begin with your twisted logic. It wasn’t exactly his choice mother and you can’t protect me from being hurt forever.”
“I can try.” Hippolyta says in a voice choked with emotion and a tear running down her cheek.
At this Diana’s face softens. She walks over to her mother and takes her hand. “Mother. I know you want to protect Donna and I from what you endured but Kal, Kyle, they are good people. I know Kal makes mistakes, everyone does, but he always tries to make amends. I love him mother. I need to do this, to at least try to make a relationship with Kal work. Please say you understand.”
“I understand Diana.” Hippolyta admits honestly. “I felt as you did once. I just pray it will turn out better for you than it did for me.” she says in reference to what happened with Heracles.
Diana smiles gently at her mother. “Kal is not Heracles mother. For 4 years he has been my friend and my ally. I know what truly lies in his heart is kindness, compassion and a belief in truth and justice.”
“Just like you.” Hippolyta comments.
Diana looks at her mother with, kind, sympathetic eyes. “He is the love of my life. I no longer have any doubt in that. I just wish he hadn’t had to die before I realised it but the fates were kind and sent him back to me. Mother I must do this.”
Hippolyta squeezes Diana’s hand. “I know but if he breaks your heart again I will make him sorry he was ever born.”
“He won’t.” Diana says assuredly.
Hippolyta wipes the tear from her cheek and looks at Donna who is still standing there. “The same goes for that man you are courting as well Donna.”
Donna rolls her eyes “Yes Mother.”
“And don’t roll your eyes at me.” Hippolyta tells her off.
“I apologise Mother.” Donna says.
Diana can’t help but smile with amusement at Donna being told off. It was just like they were back home when they were younger. “Well I should get changed and then we can sit and have breakfast.” Diana decides.
“Good idea.” Donna says in agreement. “Ferdinand is usually up by now isn’t he?”
“Yes.” Diana answers.
Donna walks over and takes her mother’s hand from Diana. “Come mother. Ferdinand makes an excellent breakfast.”
Diana watches Donna and her mother leave before heading for the bathroom so she can have a shower. All in all her mother took that quite well she thinks. Of course who knows how her fellow Amazons would take it. She had always been careful to keep any relationship she had secret from them, even thought truthfully there had only really been Bruce and that never progressed very far or been very serious. This one with Kal, assuming they could make it work, was the real thing and she supposed at some point they would have to know. She removes Kal’s shirt and can’t help but take in the scent he left behind on it after lying next to him all night. She sighs at how comforting she finds it. She puts it down and steps in the shower. She can barely wait until Friday and then she and Kal can finally be together.
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After heading home and having a shower and a shave Clark changes into a new Superman outfit. J’onn had kept his apartment spookily neat and tidy while he had been pretending to be him. Well apart from the Oreo crumbs on the floor. He soars upward into rising sun and lets its energy fill him and remove the last traces of the scars he had from his trip to the future. He takes in Metropolis below him. The League had managed to keep a lid on things without him. He was glad. This is why it existed and over the last few years they had slowly expanded the membership. They were now enough of them to allow days off, holidays even. Before his ‘death’ they were even talking about the possibility of building some sort of monitoring station in orbit although that was years away at best. He had even let Bruce study Kryptonian technology as an aide to that idea.
Once Clark feels rejuvenated enough he shoots off towards Smallville and his mother. He never felt like he visited enough but his mother told him she understood how busy he was. Time was catching up with his mother slowly but he hoped, prayed she still had quite a few years left yet. All too soon the house comes into view and he floats down outside the door. He can see his mother in the kitchen. She always did rise with the sun. He hopes this won’t be too much of a shock for her. He can only imagine with horror how she took the news that he was dead. He summons up the nerve and walks in. “Hey mom.” he greets her.
Martha stares in total disbelief at the sight before her. When she had been told of Clark’s death it had hit her just like when Jonathan died. “Clark?” she asks before her eyes roll back and she faints.
In the blink of an eye Clark runs over and catches her mother before she hit the ground. He quickly looks her over. She’s fine. She only fainted, thank god.
“Martha are you ok. I heard voices I…” Ben Hubbard trails off at the sight before him. “Clark? Is that you?”
Clark picks his mother up. She had been living with Ben Hubbard for a few years now. He used to work the farm next to theirs. He hadn’t exactly been thrilled by the idea of his mother seeing someone but he understood her need for companionship. It was one he felt as well. Inevitably of course they had had to explain to Ben about him being Superman. “Hi Mr Hubbard. Yes it is.”
“You’re alive?” Ben says barely believing it. Martha had been devastated when they thought Clark had died.
“I am.” Clark answers as he carries his mother through to the lounge and lies her down on the couch.
“What happened?” Ben asks.
“Mom only fainted. Physically she’s fine.” Clark answers.
“I meant to you.” Ben clarifies for Clark.
Clark turns to look at Ben. “Oh that. It’s complicated and a long story. Short version is that I was sent to the future and this is the closest to the point in time I left I could get back to.”
Ben just stares at Clark trying to take it all in. Every since he had had the honour of knowing the truth about Clark he had found that pretty strange things tended to happen to him. His attention is caught by Martha stirring.
Clark notices that as well. “Mom?”
Martha opens her eyes and finds Clark standing there next to Ben. “Clark?” she asks once more.
Carks sits down on the edge of the couch “Yes mom. It’s really me.”
Martha sits up and puts her arms around him and Clark does the same to her. “Oh Clark. I thought I had lost you.” she says with tears running down her cheeks.
“I know mom and I’m sorry but I’m back now.”
Martha pulls back and looks at him and runs her hands down his cheeks checking him over.
“Mom I’m fine really.” Clark tries to reassure her.
“You look thin. Have you been eating?” she asks fussing over him.
Clark chuckles. It doesn’t matter how invulnerable he is, his mother never stops fussing over him.
Martha frowns at his mirth. “Clark Jerome Kent!”
Clark cringes at the use of his full name. “Mom I’m fine. I’m more worried about you right now.”
She waves him off “I’m fine Clark. I’m more interested in what happened to you. They said you were dead.”
“Not exactly. I was sent to the future.”
“Like the time those Legionnaires came for you?” Martha asks him referring to the time he ended up in the 31st century.
“Sort of but much further forward and into an alternate timeline.” Clark tries to explain as simply as possible.
“Alternate what?” Ben asks.
Clark looks at Ben. “Timeline. In the future with the Legion I never died but in the one I ended up in I did. The future isn’t written in stone. It is what our decisions make it to be but now that I’m back I’m hopeful that nightmare of a future I saw won’t happen.”
“Nightmare?” Martha asks curiously.
Clark takes a breath and explains the whole thing with Savage and how the human race had become extinct.
Martha takes Clark’s hand. “Oh honey. It must have been awful.”
Clark smiles sadly “It was but it helped me realise one thing.”
“What’s that honey?” Martha asks.
“You remember Diana right?”
Martha nods. She had met her once. She had been curious about where Clark grew up. Lovely woman really and Clark was obviously taken with her.
“Well I realised that I…that I love her.”
A broad smile appears on Martha’s face. “Oh honey that is wonderful.”
“It is?” Ben asks somewhat confused.
Martha scowls at Ben. “Of course it is.” she says before she turns her attention back to Clark. “Does she know?”
Clark nods “I told her last night.”
“And?” Martha asks expectantly.
“She told me she loved me back.” Clark continues.
“And?” Martha asks once more prompting him to continue.
“And I’m making her dinner on Friday so we can talk about it.”
Martha smiles. Clark’s whole face has lit up as he speaks. She was worried she would never see that look on his face again after Lois. He is unquestioningly in love and she couldn’t be happier. All she has ever wanted is for him to be happy although grandchildren would be a nice bonus. Martha stands up off the couch.
“Martha you should be resting.” Ben says concerned for her.
“Nonsense. I’m fine.” she dismisses his concerns before turning her attention back to Clark. “Now have you had breakfast?”
“Well no but…”
Martha cuts him off “No buts Clark. Now get changed and I will make you something to eat.” she tells him with her no argument look.
Clark concedes defeat at the look his mother gives him. “Yes mom.” he says as he heads upstairs to find a change of clothes he keeps here.
Martha smiles at her victory before she notices Ben looking at her. “You have something to add?” she queries of him.
“You just ordered Superman around.” he says shocked at how easily Clark conceded.
“Superman or no Superman he is my son and I raised him to respect his elders. Now let us stop wasting time here when there is breakfast to be made.” Martha informs Ben before she heads back to the kitchen.
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Chloe is laying her beautiful baby son down to sleep after feeding him. Jimmy is away to the shops with their now 3 year old daughter Lois so she actually has a few free minutes of peace and quiet. These last few weeks had been difficult at best. Clark’s death, giving birth but Chloe feels she finally just about has her emotions on an even keel again. Her moment of peace is interrupted by the door bell ringing. She groans. She just can’t get one minute of peace. She goes to the door and opens it to be met by Clark. Chloe frowns up in confusion. “J’onn. What are you doing here?” she asks knowing J’onn had been impersonating Clark since his death.
Clark can’t stop the laugh that comes from himself. After breakfast with his mother he went back to his apartment, got dressed properly, glasses and all, and made his way to see Chloe, who he was in no doubt was still on Maternity leave. Mainly because that is what his mother told him. “Close Chloe but I’m the genuine article. I’m back.”
Chloe stares at him in total shock for a minute before she throws her arms around him, tears running down her cheeks in happiness. “Oh god Clark!”
Clark tries to sooth her. “It’s alright Chloe I’m here.”
“Is it really you?” she asks.
“It is really me.”
Chloe then stops hugging him and starts hitting him. “What the hell is wrong with you!? Letting everyone think you were dead. Do you have any idea the hell I’ve been going through!? What your mother has been going through!?” she yells at him.
Clark, even though Chloe can’t actually hurt him, tries to shield himself while at the same time he is actually laughing. “Chloe! I’m sorry. Please stop.”
Chloe stops and glares at him “This isn’t funny!”
Clark stops laughing “You’re right but you were tickling me.”
Chloe arches an eyebrow “Tickling?”
Clark shrugs “Well what do you expect? I’m invulnerable. Your hits aren’t going to hurt me.”
Chloe shakes her now very sore hands “Don’t I know it.”
“Sorry.” Clark says sheepishly.
Chloe shakes her head for him not to apologise and gestures for him to come in. “So come on lets hear it. Where have you been?”
Clark wanders in while Chloe shuts the door behind him. “You may want to sit. This will take a while.” Clark tells her.
Chloe sits there as Clark retells his trip to the future once more. “You look no different.” she comments.
Clark shrugs “Last night I was covered in scars but they healed as soon as I was in the sunlight this morning.” he explains.
“You seem to be handling this very well.” Chloe mentions. After all he appears no different.
“Well yes I am I guess. Although I fear I might be suffering nightmares of seeing you all die for a while but I’ll be ok in time. I always am.”
Chloe takes Clark’s hand “It’s ok to be upset you know.”
“I know but I think I’ll be alright truthfully. Now how are you? I hear I missed some excitement.”
“Excitement? What excitement?” Chloe asks innocently pretending she doesn’t know what he is on about.
Clark smirks “Oh I don’t know. How about a certain someone’s best friend giving birth to a baby boy named after said best friend? Thank you for that by the way.”
“Yeah well it was a tribute to a dearly departed best friend. Guess I’ll have to change it now.” Chloe jokes. “By the way who told you?” she asks him.
“Diana, last night.” Clark answers.
Chloe arches an eyebrow “Oh I see. She gets to see you last night but I have to wait until this morning.” she says in mock anger.
“So did my mother.” Clark says in a rather weak defence of himself.
“Diana ranks above your mother now?” Chloe asks in some surprise.
Clark starts to scratch the back of his head nervously. It’s a terrible habit he knows. “Erm well you see I realised something trapped in the future.”
“What?”
“That I am madly, hopelessly, completely in love with Diana.” Clark admits.
Chloe smiles broadly. “About time!” she states loudly. At last Chloe thinks to herself. She was beginning to wonder if Clark would ever see the light. Just then the baby starts crying. “Duty calls.” she says as she gets up and heads to the bedroom.
Clark watches her go then the front door opens and in walks Jimmy and Lois. “Uncle Clark!” Lois proclaims before he runs over to him before Jimmy can stop her. He and Chloe hadn’t had the heart to tell her yet that Clark was dead.
Clark smiles at the little blond girl as she runs over and he picks her up and puts her on his lap. “Hello Lo. How are you? Have you been good?”
Lois nods enthusiastically in response. “Yes Uncle Clark.” she answers.
Clark kisses her gently on her forehead before looking at Jimmy “Hey Jimmy!”
Jimmy looks on totally confused as to what is going on.
“Hello Clark would be the proper response Jimmy.” Chloe tells him as she walks back in with baby Clark.
Jimmy looks at her total confusion written over his face.
“It really is me Jimmy.” Clark tells him for his seat, Lois still on his knee.
Jimmy still looks at Chloe wanting confirmation. “It really is him Jimmy.” Chloe assures him.
Clark stands up and puts Lois down as Jimmy walks over and puts his arms around Clark. “Thank god CK.”
Clark pats Jimmy on the back “It’s nice to see you too Jimmy.”
Jimmy steps back “Where have you been?” he asks.
Clark rolls his eyes at the prospect of retelling the story. Why couldn’t Jimmy have been here when he arrived? Thankfully Chloe saves him. “It’s a long story Jimmy but first Clark Kent meet Clark James Olsen.” she says as she walks over and then hands the baby off to Clark.
Clark takes the baby and looks him over. “He’s beautiful Chloe. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Chloe tells him as she watches him cradle baby Clark.
Clark notices Chloe watching him intently. “You know Chloe I’m really not clumsy. I won’t drop your baby.” he says thinking that is what is worrying her. After all he held Lois as well when she was a baby.
“No its not that.” Chloe tells him dismissively. “It’s just it is still amazing that you can move mountains yet hold a baby so gently.” she says with a hint of awe in her voice.
“Oh that. I have had lots of practice. In fact when I was growing up dad would have me learn to control my strength by having me practice with an egg. His view being that if I could hold an egg without crushing it then I could hold anything.” Clark tells them with a nostalgic air. He really misses his dad.
Just then the doorbell rings once more. Clark pays it little attention as he rocks the baby gently. Chloe goes and opens the door.
“Clark!”
Clark’s head shoots up. “Lucy!?” Oh God no is Clark’s first thought at seeing Lois’ little sister because every time she comes to visit Chloe she ends up hitting on him endlessly and from the predatory smile she has as Chloe lets her in this time is not going to be any different.
“Clark.” Lucy says in a sultry voice. “I didn’t know you were coming to visit. Chloe has said you were busy at work every time I asked about you.”
Clark figures that was so she wouldn’t have to meet J’onn impersonating him which was wise on Chloe’s part. “I was but I decided to take some time off to spend with my name sake here.” he answers.
“And you look so natural doing that. Lots of women find good parenting skills attractive in a man you know.” Lucy mentions.
Chloe rolls her eyes behind Lucy’s back. Let the flagrant flirting begin she thinks.
Clark swallows hard. “Really I didn’t know that.” he says in his best bumbling Clark Kent kind of way. He wanders over to Chloe and hands baby Clark over. “Well as much as I would like to stay and chat Lucy I do have to get to work.” Clark says as he heads for the door.
Lucy pouts, yes actually pouts. “Too bad but maybe we could catch up later, say over dinner this Friday. What do you say?”
An almost wicked smile forms on Clark’s lips. “I’m sorry Lucy. I have a date Friday.” he cheerfully tells her.
Jimmy looks almost as shocked as Lucy at that. Clark hadn’t been on a date in years. “You have a date CK? Anyone I know?”
“Yes, no, sort of.” Clark answers lamely.
“Does this mystery woman have a name?” Lucy asks.
“Yes her name is Diana.”
‘Diana?’ Jimmy mouths at Chloe confirming if it is the Diana he thinks it is to which Chloe nods.
Clark opens the door “Well it’s nice seeing you again Lucy but I have to go. Jimmy, Chloe congratulations again. He’s lovely.” and with that Clark leaves closing the door behind him. He stands there for a moment, smiling as what he just said sinks in. He has a date with Diana and frankly Friday can’t come soon enough.
