Chapter 19: Escaping Circe
After a little while the group lose their pursuers and stop to take a breather. Donna lays Diana down.
Diana is in tears at the pain and the terrible thought of losing her baby.
“How is she?” Terry asks.
“I don’t know.” Donna answers.
Marina bends down next to Diana and strokes her head “Shh, shh. It’ll be alright.” she says as she sends a telepathic suggestion into Diana’s head. Diana’s eyes flutter closed.
“I suggested she should rest but we have to get her medical treatment.” Marina tells them.
“Well the magical ball of string seems to be saying we go this way.” Terry says as it unravels itself down another passage.
Kal finally stirs from where Matt put him down. “What happened?”
Matt says nothing but looks in Diana’s direction. Kal follows his eyes and sees Diana lying unconscious on the ground. Oh god no. “Diana!”
Kal shoots up and rushes over to where she is lying and strokes her head. “What happened?”
“The Minotaur. It charged her, hitting her right in the stomach.” Donna tells him.
“Oh god the baby?”
“We can’t tell but we have to get out of here and soon.” Marina tells him.
Footsteps of the creatures can be heard approaching “Time to leave.” Rex says. He then notices Kal hovering over Diana “Kal we have to go.”
Kal nods “I’ll take her from now on.” he says as he picks Diana up despite his own injuries and lack of powers.
No-one says anything at the pained expression on Kal’s face as they head off. They manage to go a while without meeting any other creatures or anything for that matter.
“This is way too easy.” Terry comments.
“Don’t jinx it.” Rex tells him.
They finally come out the maze and to the gate at the front of the manor but standing between them and the gate are seven costumed figures, all original seven members of the Justice League, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, the Flash and the Martian Manhunter.
Circe floats down from above. “Do you like my welcoming committee? I was thinking how seeing Superman and Diana was just like old times so I brought the old times back.” A wicked smile forms on her face “Destroy them all except Diana.” Circe can’t directly or order her minions to lay a hand on her but from the look of it she won’t need to.
Kal’s face darkened at the sight of all this but on the plus side he seemed to be clear of whatever was blocking his powers. He could feel them return. He places Diana down. “Matt look after her please.” Matt nods and goes and kneels beside her.
“I’ll take my double.” Kal tells the others.
“I’ll guess I’ll take on Batman.” Terry says.
“The fake sister is mine.” Donna decides.
“I shall engage my predecessor, no offence to WarHawk.” Kai says considering this Green Lantern was Rex’s father.
Rex smirks “None taken. In fact I feel like taking on my fake mother personally.”
Barda twists the rod in her hand “I’ll handle J’onn.”
“Guess that leaves us with the Flash.” Micron says referring to himself and Aquagirl.
“Be careful around him.” Kal warns knowing just what the real Flash was capable of.
Then the battle begins.
Kal and Superman lock hands together in a test of strength “Hey I age pretty good.” Superman says.
“You have no idea.” Kal says back as they both fly upward, hands still locked together.
Meanwhile Terry and Batman circle each other “So you are the one I chose to succeed me?” Batman asks sceptically.
“Chose, accidentally stumbled into the Batcave. Same thing in the end. But I was always destined for this wasn’t I dad?”
Terry is surprised at the fact his double stops with surprise written on his face. He wasn’t sure how Circe had created these doubles but he did what Bruce taught him and took advantage of the hesitation to land the first blow.
The two Green Lanterns battle up in the air now that they are outside the restrictions of the maze.
“So you’re who they chose to replace me, some punk kid.” GL mocks as he fires a blast of energy as Kai.
Kai raises a shield “You try to use your ring like a battering ram, relying on raw power when a true Green Lantern needs skill and subtlety to achieve their full potential.” Kai says to GL.
“I hear a lot of talk kid but no action.”
“Very well then.” Kai says as he drops the shield and meditates a powerful aura around himself. He then raises his rind hand and GL braces himself as a beam of energy heads towards him. It then splits into 2, then 4, then 8 and each heads off in a different direction. GL raises a shield around himself but the beams go through it like it is not there and hit him knocking him to the ground.
“How?” GL asks.
“Even the strongest shield has a weakness especially if your focus is divided. You didn’t know which one to focus on so you ended up focused on none of them.” Kai then reaches down and pulls the ring off GL and he fades out of existence.
“So come on son. Make your mother proud.” Hawkgirl tells Rex.
Rex attacks her and she blocks his axe with her mace. “You are not my mother!” Rex shouts at her.
“Now don’t raise your voice to me.” Hawkgirl tells him as she now attacks him.
Rex blocks the attacks barely. This fake was nearly as good as his real mother but not quite as he dodges a blow and launches himself at her. His theory being that he should be physically stronger than her. He manages to get her into a bear hug only to have her head butt him. “Ouch.” he says as he rubs his head only to find himself being punched shortly afterwards.
“Hmm still a lot to learn I see.” Hawkgirl say as she stands over him and raises her mace to hit him. Rex rolls to the side and she misses. This may go on a while he suddenly realises.
Meanwhile Donna is eyeing up her fake sister.
“Do you really think you can take me little sister?” Wonder Woman asks.
“Well even if you were the real Diana which you’re not I could still take you. The question is just how badly I’m going to beat you.”
And with that Donna launched herself at her fake sister and engaged her in battle.
“So J’onn how do you want to do this?” Barda asks
“With me destroying you.” J’onn replies.
“Yeah I figured you would say that.” Barda replies as she fires at him from her rod which J’onn avoids by phasing.
“Won’t save you forever that.”
“Doesn’t have to.” J’onn says as he flies at Barda who gets her rod to fire a column of flame at J’onn who freezes instantly.
“Shouldn’t have made you so much like the original.” Barda comments as she charges at him with a punch that sends J’onn flying back.
Meanwhile Micron and Aquagirl aren’t having much luck with Flash.
“Oh come on you can do better than that.” Flash mocks as he avoids their attacks.
He is just about to attack them himself when he is encased in a green bubble. It is Kai who has come to help after defeating GL.
“This won’t hold me you know.” Flash tells him as he punches the bubble with his full speed casing it to shatter and he then zips off with Kai in pursuit.
Meanwhile Matt watches staring at the manor gate when he remembers Circe words about how they have to get home. All they have to do is get through the gate. He picks Diana up “Terry! The gate! We have to get through the gate to end this.”
Terry who is engaged in a very close fight with Batman hears him and comes to the same realisation.
“You know I can’t let you go through that.” Batman says.
“Afraid of going home are we? Afraid of what Circe has turned you into?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. You are a threat. One I have to destroy.”
“No I am your son. The one you trained to take over from you Bruce.”
Batman freezes and then takes off his cowl and as he does so he fades away. Ok Terry can’t help but think that was very strange but he heads off to meet up with Matt. “Superman we have to get through the gate!”
Kal finds himself knocked out of the sky and down to the ground by his double. “You are not going anywhere.” his double proclaims.
Kal watches Matt carrying Diana towards the house “Even if it could save our child.”
Superman stops “Child?”
“I know you wish for that.” Kal tells him as he gets to his feet. “To not be alone anymore. To not…”
“be the last.” Superman finishes. “But Lois?”
“We have our time with Lois and we are happy but one must not dwell on what has past.”
“Don’t listen to him.” Circe tells Superman. “He’s confusing you.”
Kal eyes her angrily with glowing eyes “If you have killed my child I swear no place on this Earth will be safe for you.”
Then Superman is looking at her with the same glowing eyes and then launches himself at her but he fades away before he can.
Circe snorts “I created him, ungrateful brat.” She sighs “That’s what I get for trying to make them as real as possible I suppose.”
Kal could care little as he rushes over to Matt and Terry and as they cross the threshold of the gate the maze and their doubles fade away and Gotham is restored to how it was. Kal takes Diana in his arms and now that his powers are restored looks her over.
Circe watches him “So what’s the diagnosis? Will she die along with your child?”
Kal doesn’t even look at her. “Leave or I let Barda loose on you.”
Barda is hitting her hand with her rod in anticipation. “Oh yes please let me. It’s been too long in coming witch.”
Circe looks at Barda with distain “Fine. I’ll leave but not because of you threats but because I choose to.” Circe then vanishes.
“Good riddance.” Donna says as she rushes over to Diana. “So do we take her to a medical facility now?”
Kal shakes his head “No. We don’t have to.”
All look at him in confusion.
“I’ll explain inside. She does need to rest.” Kal says.
All of them follow him inside the manor.
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Diana’s eyes flutter open. Where is she? She’s in a bed? She remembers what happened. She shoots upright. “The baby!”
Kal is there and takes her shoulders “Easy Diana. It’s alright. Everything is alright.”
Tears are threatening Diana’s eyes “Oh Kal! The baby!”
“The baby’s fine.” He reassures her.
“It is?” she asks scarcely able to believe it.
“I looked and the baby is fine. I guess it’s as tough as the mother.”
“More likely the child benefited from your invulnerability.” Kai who is standing at the back of the room along with everyone else says to Kal.
“But the child is only two months old.” Diana reminds him.
“Diana. We really don’t know how this pregnancy will work. I’m Kryptonian and you’re an immortal Amazon. We didn’t really know how it would work with Lois.”
“Lois was pregnant?” Kal had never told her that.
Kal’s face saddens “Once but she miscarried.”
“Oh Kal I’m so sorry.” Diana says as she pulls him into a hug.
“Thank you.”
Diana pulls back “So what happened to Circe?”
Donna snorts loudly “Ran off before we could get her. I’m surprised you let her go Kal.”
Diana looks at Kal “She had the impression she had killed our child so I let her leave with it. Maybe it’ll mean we’ll be left alone for a while.”
“If our child is fine. What was the pain?” Diana asks.
“There was damage to the lining of your womb but it seems you heal remarkably fast, much faster than I thought you did.”
Much faster than Diana thought too but it didn’t matter. As long as their child is safe. “I guess this means our wedding’s off.”
“Oh don’t think you’re getting off so lightly.” Kal tells her. “It seems time in Gotham was frozen while we were lost in the maze so our wedding starts in about 5 minutes.”
Diana was aghast “But Kal look at me, us. I’m in bed and your suit is ruined.” It was cover in cuts and tears caused by various weapons.
“So?” Kal teases her lightly.
“So…” Diana begins “What are you waiting for? Is the man that can marry us here?”
Kal chuckles “Yes he’s downstairs with Dana.”
“I’ll get them.” Matt says.
“Terry I hope you didn’t lose those rings.” Kal says.
Terry’s face morphs into near panic as he searches his pants’ pockets. Oh he hopes he didn’t leave them in his long discarded jacket. He finds them in his back pocket. Oh thank god. “I’ve got them.”
“Good for you or I would have to kill you.” Donna tells him as she walks over to the bed and sits down next to Diana. “So how are you doing sister?”
Diana notices a slight bruise on Donna’s face “How did you get that bruise?”
“You gave it to me.” Donna says.
Diana’s face frowns up in confusion until Donna breaks into laughter. “I mean a double of you Circe created gave me it. Even a fake you packs a hell of a punch.”
Diana laughs with relief more than anything. “I am so glad you’re here.”
“Me too. I wouldn’t have missed all this fun for anything. What will we do about Eris? She was the one who went to Circe after all.”
“Eris?” Kal asks. He knows that name but can’t quite place it.
“She is Ares' sister.” Diana tells him. “It seems she is upset about what we did to Ares and as for what we will do. Nothing for now. If Circe tells her that my baby is dead maybe it’ll get them all off our backs for a while.”
Donna was very sceptical “Diana they’re the Gods. Surely they will notice that the baby is not dead.”
“Eventually yes but from what I hear they are busy with Zeus and Hera. I’m not sure how they found about me being pregnant in the first place.”
“Could be something to do with the fact you pray to them everyday that your child will be healthy and well.” Donna suggests.
“I wasn’t sure they were even listening but now you say that I guess they were.” Diana admits.
Kal takes Diana’s hand in his and places their hands over her stomach “It doesn’t matter if they find out now or later. They will not harm our child as long as I’m alive.”
Diana smiles at his promise knowing Kal means every word. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Kal responds and they share a quick kiss.
“We are so going to be redundant soon.” Micron says.
“What do you mean?” Kai asks.
“Are you kidding? A child of Superman and Wonder Woman. Can you even begin to imagine the power it will possess?”
Kal and Diana stare at them “Don’t you dare say anything about our child.” Diana warns them. “Our child is a blessing and if anyone says one bad thing I swear to the gods I will hurt you.”
Kai and Micron shut up while Barda can’t help but snigger. “You know Barda you’re taking this very well/” Terry comments. “I thought for sure you would be more upset at how we kept this from you.”
“Oh I am upset Terry but I’ll save it till after the wedding. I love weddings. I remember mine to Scott like it was yesterday.”
Ok Terry is now officially creeped out. He thought for sure Barda would blow a gasket and she likes weddings? What freaky world is he in now?
“I’m glad you like weddings but you are not attending mine dressed like that.” Diana says.
Barda frowns “What is wrong with what I am wearing?”
“We were going for low profile.” Kal explains. “And in case you have forgotten you’re the Justice League. You’re the opposite of low profile.”
Barda narrows her eyes at Kal “You and I are going to have a long talk about all this Kal. I can’t believe you managed to keep this secret from me. Wait a minute.” Barda’s gaze turns to Diana “It was you I heard up at the Fortress wasn’t it?”
Diana giggles “Yep.”
Kal shakes her head “I told you to shh.”
“Yeah but where is the fun in that.”
Kal chuckles “We still have to do something about them though.”
Kai solves their problem “We should return to the tower anyway and get back to monitoring for emergencies.”
At that Marina gets a forlorn look. “You can stay if you want Marina.” Kal tells her.
Terry looks her over “I think Dana has something that would fit you if we’re going for blending in.”
Barda sighs “I guess that means I’m not staying.”
“I’ll make a recording for you. How’s that?” Terry asks her as a compromise.
“I suppose that will do. Well we better go before we’re seen.” Barda says.
Micron opens the window and he, Kai, Rex and Barda leave.
“Right come on Marina we’ll see what we can find for you to wear.” Terry says as he leads Marina out of the room.
“Wow I think Barda was upset or very, very angry.” Diana remarks.
“I would go with the second option.” Kal says knowing Barda as well as he does.
Just then Bruce and Barbara burst into the room ahead of Max. “The gang gone?”
“Yes. A bit hard to explain why the Justice League would be attending a run of the mill wedding.” Kal tells Max.
“A bit hard to explain why Superman would be here.” Max says while she gestures at her eyes indicating Kal is missing his glasses.
“Oh right.” He fishes into his pockets and amazingly they are unbroken. “Hey finally I get a break.”
Diana smirks “Kal, sweetie, you got a break when I agreed to marry you.”
Donna bursts out laughing at that. “Oh that’s a good one sis.”
Even Max chuckles while Kal rolls his eyes and mutters how he is being ganged up on. He cleans his glasses and puts them on.
Shortly after that Terry and Marina return with a camera to record the wedding on followed by Dana, Matt and the official who is going to perform the ceremony. Diana sits up in bed and Kal sits beside her. Terry and Bruce stand by Clark’s side while Dana, Marina, Max and Barbara stand along with Donna by Diana’s side of the bed. Matt is the one who got volunteered to record the wedding. Hopefully, at least as Terry is concerned this will placate Barda somewhat.
The official begins “We are gathered here today to join together in marriage Clark Kent and Diana Prince.”
While he spoke Diana and Kal looked into each other’s eyes signalling unspoken for now how they loved each other.
“The rings?” the official speaks which brings Kal back to the moment. Terry hands them over and Diana sees them for the first time. She had decided to let Kal surprise her. She looked them over and noticed the tiny Greek wording engraved on them. Gods she loves that man.
“Diana do you take Clark to be your husband forsaking all others for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” Diana answers without hesitation as she slips the ring on Kal’s finger.
“And Clark do you take Diana to be your wife forsaking all others for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” Kal says with equal certainty as he slips the ring on Diana’s finger.
“Is there anyone here who opposes this union?” the official asks.
No-one speaks.
“Then by the power invested in me under the law I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
At that Kal and Diana kiss passionately while Donna lets out a sigh. As the kiss continues her sigh becomes annoyance until she hits Diana on the shoulder “Enough already. I would like to eat thank you very much and Dana did pay for that caterer.”
Diana ignores her and continues the kiss until she actually needs to breathe. Kal smiles at her “Hello there Mrs Kent.”
Diana smiles back “Hello to you too Mr Kent.”
“So are you feeling up to eating something?” Kal asks her.
Diana nods “I think so but can I go down the stairs?” she asks not wanting to just lie in bed.
Kal gives her a disapproving look.
“I promise I’ll lie down on the couch and if it makes you feel better I’ll let you carry me down the stairs.”
Donna nearly faints “Wow I never expected marriage to soften you that quickly.”
“Shut up Donna.” Kal and Diana say together.
Donna waves her hands at them and heads off. Unbelievable. They’re already speaking in stereo.
Dana says her congratulations as does Max.
“We’ll be down in a minute.” Diana tells them.
Terry and Matt say their congratulations and they all leave with Bruce and Barbara and the official.
“It’s a shame I never got to wear that dress that was made for me.” Diana says.
“Why don’t you wear it now? Shame for it to go to waste.” Kal tells her.
“I suppose and what did Dana tell that man about why I was in bed and you look like that?”
“I’m not sure you want to know.” Kal tells her after overhearing what Dana had said downstairs.
“Help me up.” Diana says and Kal helps her out of bed and she walks to where her wedding dress is still hanging up. “It can’t have been that much of a lie.”
“Well for you it was food poisoning.”
“That’s not so bad. What did Dana say for you?”
Kal scoffs “Involves me and something involving alcohol and dogs and I am not explaining further. She has a very disturbing sense of humour.”
Diana chuckles as Kal helps her into her dress.
“So you’re actually letting me carry you?”
“Don’t get use to it. It’s for appearance sakes only.”
Kal picks her up “Did I mention that I love you?”
“Not in the last two minutes certainly.”
“I love you.” he says as he gives her a kiss.
“I love you too and I can’t tell you how relieved I am that our child is ok.”
“Me too. Speaking of which we’ll have to choose godparents at some point.”
“I know but that’s not all. I’ll have to tell the Senate at some point that I’m pregnant before it becomes obvious.”
“If you want me to be there that day just let me know.”
“I think I will. In fact I should probably do it once the Senate returns from the recess. Are you free in a few days?”
“For you I’m free any day.”
“Thank you. Come on lets go down. I’m hungry.”
Kal with a smile “I am yours to command your Majesty.”
Diana gives him a playful slap on the shoulder as he carries her down the stairs.
