Chapter 16: Wedding Preparations Part 2
The next morning Dana, Diana and Donna go off to find dresses after they have dropped the children off at Terry‘s mother‘s. Dana knows of several exclusive places where the staff are very discreet. It just in case someone recognises Diana even though Dana highly doubts it after all these decades. Meanwhile Kal and Terry go and pick up Matt so they can A, tell him and invite him and B, so he can join them in hunting for a suit for Kal, Clark.
Kal and Terry are at Matt’s house. Matt looks Kal over in his suit and glasses. “He’s really Superman?”
Terry rolls his eyes “Yes Matt he’s really Superman. Is that so hard to believe?”
“Well yes he just looks, well not like Superman.”
Kal arches an eyebrow but says nothing.
“That’s the point Matt. It’s called a secret identity and while we’re out in public his name is Clark.” Terry tells his brother.
“Would it prove it if I lifted you up with a single finger?” Kal suggests to Matt.
Before Matt can answer Terry cuts in “Don’t encourage him. He’ll have you lifting the whole house before too long.”
“You’re exaggerating Terry.” Matt hits back.
“Uh-huh. Do I have to mention what you did when I told you I was Batman?”
“Let me guess he wanted to see the Batcave.” Kal says. Everyone always wants to see the Batcave.
“Among other things.” Terry says.
“Oh come on it was the Batcave and besides I think I took the whole thing quite well considering it was then you told be about Amanda Waller and Project Batman Beyond.” In fact Matt was quite proud of himself the way he took the revelation that genetically speaking he was the son of Bruce Wayne.
“You told him?” Kal asks Terry.
“He had a right to know. In fact I’m curious when did you find out about it?”
“When that star creature had you join the league. All league members undergo a physical including a DNA test and I would know Bruce’s DNA anywhere.”
“You can remember all that happened when your mind was being controlled?”
“Not at first, it came back over time.” Kal explains.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Terry asks.
“When the memory came back I went to see Bruce, he already knew, and I asked him about it. He said he didn’t want to stain the memory of your father and asked me not to say anything. I wasn’t thrilled about the idea but he made me promise as his friend not to say anything. Maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do and I’m sorry if I broke your trust.”
“It’s actually ok. I’ve come to terms with it. Truthfully back then I don’t think I could have handled it so you probably did the right thing in not telling me. I even forgave Waller eventually.”
“As thrilling as this conversation is can we go shopping now?” Matt steps in impatiently.
“Yes we can.” Kal says and all 3 head off.
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In the limo Diana watches Dana on the phone as they head into town.
“You can?…That’s great…Yes thank you.” Dana snaps the phone shut. “Good news there was a cancellation and we can have the ceremony in 3 days.”
“Great.” Donna says. “Hey that even leaves you a free couple of days for a honeymoon. Of course not that you really need one considering.” Donna’s eyes drop to Diana’s stomach as she says this.
“Funny Donna.” Diana responds. 3 days! She’ll be married in 3 days! If she wasn’t a trained warrior she would let out a scream of joy.
“So what about the catering?” Donna asks.
“I’m working on it.” Dana says as she dials a number into her phone.
“So 3 days to go. Are you nervous?” Donna asks her sister.
Is she? Diana thinks for a moment before answering. “No just excited I think. I have no reason to be nervous. We love each other.”
“Aw that’s so sweet. I think impending motherhood is softening you.” Donna teases.
Their conversation is interrupted by Dana on the phone “I know it’s short notice…I don’t care how much it will cost…My name….Wayne…W.A.Y.N.E…Yes that Wayne…Yes you can send someone up this afternoon…3 o’clock should be fine…thank you…goodbye.” Dana snaps the phone shut.
“That wouldn’t be you taking advantage of the Wayne name would it?” Donna asks light heartily.
“Well this is a special occasion. I don’t do it that often. I mean at work I still use Tan.”
“Ignore her.” Diana says to Dana “She’s just teasing. So where are we going?”
“Anywhere that will make a dress in less than 3 days.” Dana answers.
“Sound like you’ll be using the Wayne name again.” Donna comments.
“And the Wayne credit card.” Dana adds.
All 3 laugh at that.
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“So what is the name?” the assistant at the desk asks.
“Wayne.” Dana responds.
The assistant springs up at that “Oh of course Mrs Wayne, you called this morning about a wedding was it?”
“Yes.” Dana answers.
“Right wait here I’ll get Mrs Genaro.” the assistant the disappears off round a corner.
“Have you used this place before?” Diana asks as they wait.
“Yes this is where I got my wedding dress made. It was a gift from Bruce, he insisted on it actually. I think it was his way of expressing how he felt about me and Terry.”
Diana nods in understanding. Bruce was never good at verbally expressing his feelings. The assistant returns with a middle aged woman.
“Mrs Wayne.” Mrs Genaro greets them. “It is wonderful to see you again.”
“You designed Dana’s wedding dress?” Donna asks.
“Of course.” Mrs Genaro answers.
“Yes it’s lovely to see you too.” Dana tells her. “I’m afraid we are doing this on short notice.”
“Yes my assistant told me. That will push up the cost you are aware?”
“I am. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s done in 3 days.”
Mrs Genaro arches an eyebrow “Well I do like a challenge. So who is getting married?”
“I am. Diana Prince” Diana says as she introduces herself.
Mrs Genaro studies her “Well aren’t you stunning. All we need is something that will show off your figure.”
Donna giggles “Yeah because she won’t have that figure much longer.”
“Donna!” Diana admonishes.
“Am I missing something?” Mrs Genaro asks.
Diana clears her throat “I am with child.”
“Oh congratulations. How far along are you?”
“About 2 months.”
“Well that’s great. Well we should get cracking. We have little time.” Mrs Genaro snaps her fingers and half a dozen people appear. “Elizabeth.”
A woman in her thirties steps forward “Yes Mrs Genaro.”
“You take Mrs Wayne and…” she doesn’t know Donna’s name.
“Miss Donna Prince.” Diana supplies for her sister.
“and Miss Prince. You are related?”
“Sisters.” Donna supplies.
“Of course I can see the resemblance. Well if you go with Elizabeth she’ll take care of you.”
Dana and Donna head off with Elizabeth.
“Right Miss Prince.” Mrs Genaro addresses Diana “Come with me.” Diana follow her down the corridor.
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Meanwhile Kal is trying on a suit and looking himself over in a mirror.
“You like?” Terry’s personal tailor Mr Sheridan asks.
“I do. Do you think it’ll be good enough for my wedding?”
“Oh Mr Kent, your bride will be speechless and I haven‘t even done the alterations to it yet.” Mr Sheridan says with unashamed pride in his own work.
“You look good Clark.” Terry says as he walks out of the changing room in his own suit.
“Thanks, so do you. What about Matt?”
Mr Sheridan is picking a few loose threads off Terry’s suit. “You look terrific Mr Wayne. I believe your brother should be only a moment. In the meantime I must say it is a pleasure as always that you chose me and my company to do this for you.”
Terry fights the urge to roll his eyes at the blatant sucking up “It is no problem Mr Sheridan. My father always said you were the best.”
“Ah yes. I miss Mr Wayne. A valued customer to both my father and grandfather.”
“Of course.” Terry answers as Matt finally appears. “So how is it Matt?”
Matt tugs at the collar “It’s fine.”
“So?” Mr Sheridan asks.
“These will be fine.” Terry answers. “You can finish the alterations in time?” Terry asks. Dana had phoned and told him about the date she had managed to get.
“Of course Mr Wayne. My staff shall not sleep until it is done.”
Terry smiles “I hope that is not necessary but I appreciate the gesture. You can add them to my account.”
“Of course Mr Wayne.” Mr Sheridan.
Kal, Terry and Matt head back to the changing rooms to get out of the suits.
“So just 3 days to go Clark.” Terry says to him.
“I know. I can barely believe it.”
“Getting cold feet?” Matt asks.
Kal smiles “Not for a second. It was the same when I married Lois. I knew what I was doing was right and I know the same thing here.”
“That’s how I felt when I married Dana.” Terry says.
As Kal closes the changing room door he can’t help but smile. In 3 days he’ll be married and for some reason he just knows without question that this is going to work out ok. If it wouldn’t embarrass himself he would give out a whoop of joy right about now. These 3 days can’t go fast enough as far as he is concerned.
His thoughts are interrupted by a large explosion in the distance. Oh come on give him a break. What is this now?
Terry also picked out the explosion and he got changed as quick as possible and he and Kal left Matt to make their excuses to Mr Sheridan. Terry had left his suit in the car. He rarely leaves home without it. He summons the Batmobile and gets out to find Kal hovering there in his suit. “Where did you leave that?”
“At the manor.”
“You flew there and back already?”
Kal nods. “So are we going?”
The sound of the Batmobile approaching is heard “Yep.”
With that they both fly off in the direction of the explosions. They arrive at a partially destroyed building. “That’s the new courthouse they were building.” Terry says to Kal. Once there Terry hears the unmistakable laughter of Mad Stan. Oh come on.
“Let me talk to him.” Terry says. “I’ll distract him and you can find the rest of the explosives. Trust me there’s always a lot of explosives.”
Kal nods in agreement.
Terry finds Stan as always detonators in hand ranting something about the establishment. “Aren’t we getting a little old for this Stan?” and it was true. There was a distinct grey to Stan’s hair now.
“You think this is funny Batman.” Stan yells. “Don’t you see what is going on. The recent drop in crime man. It’s the corrupt establishment finalising their strangle hold on society.”
Terry could see Superman zip about in the background. “Come on Stan put the explosives away. We both know how this will end. I kick your butt and you go to jail.”
“That’s not how it ends Batman. It ends in a ball of fire.” Stan presses the detonator and several miles above them the explosives go off.
Stan keeps pressing the button. There is a cough from behind. Stan turns to find a slightly smudged Superman “So Stan is it? You going to surrender now?”
“Do you think I’d surrender to you? The stooge of the corrupt government. They’ve been using you as their tool of oppression for decades man.”
Kal arches an eyebrow and looks at Terry.
“Don’t ask.” Terry says as he punches Stan. Stan goes flying off and lands in a heap. “For over 20 years I have had to listen to him.” Stan gets back up “Come on Stan lets do this the easy way.”
Stan smirks “Don’t think so Batman.”
Kal just stood there. Obviously this was something Terry needed to do for himself. He would intervene if he had to. He watches the fight for a while. This Stan was obviously quite strong but eventually Terry subdues him and handcuffs him.
“Are you ok?” Kal asks.
“Yes I’m fine. Thank you for letting me handle that.”
“I thought it was something you needed to do yourself.”
“It was. He’s been doing this for over 20 years now. You’d think he would learn after the first time I threw him in jail. Anyway you took care of the explosives thanks for that.”
“It’s fine. You weren’t kidding about how much there was. Where does he get them all?”
“He makes them. His own recipe.”
The police sirens signal the police’s approach.
“Better late than never.” Terry feels the need to comment. “Not the same since Barbara retired.”
They stay long enough to see Stan carted off. “We better get back to Matt.” Terry says and with that the two of them leave the scene.
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“Superman’s getting married!” Max shouts.
Terry mutters a prayer that he soundproofed this office. He had only dropped by to invite Max to the wedding seeing as how she met Superman. “Yes Max and could you keep it down, we’re trying to keep this below the radar.”
“Sorry.” Max says in her normal tone of voice. “So he’s really getting married?”
“Yes Max.”
“Anyone I know?”
“You might have heard of her.”
“Go on.” Max encourages Terry.
“Wonder Woman.”
Max’s eye’s widen “THE Wonder Woman.”
Terry nods and then seeing Max about to scream again puts his hand over her mouth “No more screaming Max.”
Max nods and Terry moves his hand away “Sorry but you have to admit this is incredible even though I thought no-one had seen Wonder Woman in over 50 years.”
“No-one has, she’s been living on Themyscira, she’s been ruling Themyscira as Queen.”
“So how did she and Superman get together?”
“A couple of months back she came back needing his help and well it just sort of progressed from there. At least that’s what Clark tells me.”
Max chuckles “You know even though you told me that was his name that night we had dinner I still can’t get over that he is called Clark.”
“I don’t think Kal-El would blend in as well so you’ll come?”
“Are you kidding? Miss the chance to meet Wonder Woman. Not on your life Terry.”
Terry chuckles at her enthusiasm “Ok but her name’s Diana.”
“Right gotcha.”
“Oh and her sister Donna is also here.”
“Wonder Woman, I mean Diana has a sister?”
“Yes she does.” Terry states.
Max suddenly realises she has lots of thing to do. She has to clear both her and Terry’s schedules and then she needs a new outfit. She sighs “You know more notice would have been nice.”
Terry shrugs “Don’t blame me I only found out last night and I spent this morning getting a new suit made and then I had a run in with Mad Stan.”
“Mad Stan? Isn’t he getting on a bit by now?”
“That’s just what I said. He didn’t appreciate my opinion as usual.”
“Terry he hasn’t ever listened to you. He just keeps trying to blow you up.”
“I know. He partially demolished the new courthouse before I could stop him.”
“Oh the mayor’s going to love that.”
“Well he’s going to love us, especially when we offer to cover the cost of rebuilding it.”
“Terry…” Max begins, not entirely convinced that is a good idea.
“Come on Max. Every so often you just have to be generous and do a little bit for the city.”
“Alright.” Max concedes “but you are the one that can tell the board.”
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“I’m curious.” Diana begins as she gets ready for bed that evening.
“About what?” Kal asks.
“The League doesn’t wonder where you are and is it me or are things quieter than I remember.”
“For the first part I checked in this afternoon before you got back and the second yes it has been quieter lately. I think it’s because Ares is out of the picture. He was responsible for a lot of the trouble in the world.” Kal says as he gets into bed.
Diana joins him and thinks about his words. She wonders how Ares is enjoying the Underworld. She hadn’t actually heard from any of the other Gods about whether they approved or not. She assumed that was because Zeus and Hera still weren’t talking to each other. “I think you’re right.” she says to Kal.
Kal kisses her “Just over 2 days to go.”
Diana returns the kiss “I know. I can hardly wait.”
“How did your dress fitting go by the way?”
“Good. It took some time before we could agree on what I would like. Did you find a suit ok?”
Nothing. Diana looks over at him “Kal?”. He seems frozen.
“Oh don’t worry he’s fine. I just pulled you out of time.” a voice from the other side of Diana says.
Diana turns to the voice and sees the figure standing there. An impossibly beautiful and perfect woman “Aphrodite?”
“Hello Diana.”
Diana suddenly realises how inappropriately she is dressed to be speaking to a goddess.
“Oh don’t worry about how you look. It’s fine.” Aphrodite assures her.
“What brings you here?” Diana asks.
“Yes sorry. Its been a while I know. We’ve been busy trying to keep Zeus and Hera from killing each other. We’re sorry about Ares and what he did to your sisters. They sent me, well because they were worried you would hit anyone else.”
“They would have been right. I mean no offence but we were promised…”
Aphrodite cuts her off “Yes I know that Themyscira would be protected from Ares. Like I said, sorry about that.” Aphrodite looks around the room “So sneaking off and getting married. Hardly becoming of a queen.”
Diana blushes in embarrassment “I know. It just sort of happened.”
Aphrodite waves her hands “You don’t need to explain it Diana. Goddess of Love here. I know how you feel and he feels the same way. By the way you two are just so cute together.”
Diana clears her throat “So is there anything the Gods wish of me?”
“No not really but we are going to have to discuss your child.”
Diana was getting slightly nervous at that “What about my child?”
“The child was unforeseen. They don’t like the unforeseen.”
“Well I haven’t broken any of their laws.” Diana states quite forcefully.
“Oh believe you me I know and that’s one of the things that is annoying them.”
“What are they planning to do?” Diana asks.
“For now nothing but you must know how powerful any offspring between the two of you could be.”
“Well the thought had occurred to me.” Diana admits “but I mean I never thought I could have children. Do you know what powers the child will have?”
Aphrodite shakes her head “Not precisely. This is a totally unforeseen occurrence Diana. It makes Gods nervous when something happens they don’t know about.”
Diana tried to read Aphrodite’s face “They fear the child will have power to threaten them don’t they?”
Aphrodite looks down “The thought had occurred to them. Yes.”
“That is ridiculous. The child will be raised by me and Kal and will have our beliefs.”
“That’s kind of the problem.”
“What? Kal?”
“Yes. You know they’ve never been comfortable with him. He was as unforeseen as your child.”
Diana shakes her head “But he has done nothing but try to make the world better. I thought that was what the Gods wanted and oh yeah he got rid of Ares.”
“Yes I know. That last thing has got him some fans, especially Athena. She’s been having a good laugh at Ares expense. In fact I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her so happy.”
Diana can’t help but feel they’ve lost track here “So are they or are they not going to do something? I should add that if they try to harm my child I will hunt them down.”
“Yes they figured you would say that. Personally Diana I’m happy for you but as for them. Well they’ve decided that they’ll wait and see. You need to know that they will be watching. If it means anything to you, you and Kal have my blessing.”
“It does mean something and will you tell them my child is not a threat to them or anyone else. It is a miracle and a blessing that the whole world will benefit from.”
“I’ll pass it on. I’ll leave you to rest. Goodnight Diana.” and with that Aphrodite fades away.
“I did.” Kal says
“Hmm sorry what?” Diana asks.
“I did find a suit.” Kal says.
“Oh right that’s good.” Diana says as she tries to remember where they were in their conversation.
“You alright Diana?”
“I’m fine.” Diana says. “Kal do you think out child will be a blessing?”
“Of course. I’m surprised you even have to ask. What has brought this on?”
Diana not wanting to worry Kal with what the gods think “I was just thinking about how people will react because one day they’ll have to know especially if the child has our powers.”
Honestly Kal hadn’t really thought about what to do if the child were to have his powers “I would hope that people would be happy and understanding for us. Just think of all the good our child could do Diana.”
“It’s probably selfish but I think about the joy a child will bring to us.”
Kal kisses Diana’s forehead “That’s not selfish, it’s perfectly normal and I think about that as well.” Kal looks into Diana’s eyes “This child is as important to me as you are and I know without question what a blessing he or she will be.”
Diana looks back into Kal’s eyes and smiles. He is so convinced and that’s good enough for her to know everything will be fine “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Kal responds.
They kiss once more and then settle into each other’s arms as they go to sleep.
