Chapter 21: The Calm before the Storm
“So how are you getting on with fixing up the house in Smallville?” Diana asks one evening as Kal visits her.
“Done. I’m finished repairing it and moving in. It’s been nice to breath in the Kansas farm air again. Maybe we can spend some time there soon. You need a vacation.” Kal really does love being able to go his childhood home in Smallville. The Fortress while it is a nice memorial is not a place to live permanently. Before Diana came back he was in danger of becoming another of the relics he had collected over the years.
Diana snorts “Yeah well maybe after the Senate votes tomorrow I’ll look into that.”
Kal sighs “Diana relax. You shouldn’t let them wind you up.”
“I know. It’s just what if I lose. All this effort, months and months of debate I thought would never end. For a warrior race we can be talkative and indecisive when we want to.”
Kal smiles at her and squeezes her hand “It’ll be alright Diana.”
Diana wants him to be right, she does. Then suddenly the baby kicks “Ooh.”
“Diana?”
“The baby’s kicking. It definitely has super strength.”
“Yeah but from whom, me or you?” Kal asks.
“I don’t know but our child is definitely going to have power. I hope you’re ready for the consequences of that.”
“You mean the having to tell the world one day. Yeah well that is only true if our child wants to follow in our footsteps one day.”
Diana arches an eyebrow and gives Kal a look “I’m the Queen Kal. If we win the vote in the Senate I’ll be a public figure again so therefore it is only a matter of time till the world knows that I’m a mother and then that’s when the questions will start. I can remember what the media were like unless they’ve changed in the last 60 odd years.”
“I’m afraid not. They never seem to change. You should have seen the grilling I got because I went back to wearing red and blue.”
Diana chuckles at that.
“I love it when you laugh.” Kal tells her. He loves the way her face lights up when she smiles.
“Flatterer.”
“That’s in the husband’s job description you know, right after your wife is always right even when she’s wrong.”
“I am never in the wrong.” Diana states firmly.
“Right. Of course you’re not.” Kal says sarcastically.
“What does that mean?”
“Well as I recall you keep saying that my smile won’t keep saving me but it does along with a few other things.”
“Well you definitely won’t be getting that other stuff now.”
“Won’t I?” Kal asks with a mischievous grin on his face.
Diana tries to avert her gaze “Oh no. Not this time Kal. I am not falling for it this time and besides you never addressed my point about what to do when the media find out I‘m a mother.”
“I know.” Kal says as he tilts Diana’s head to look at him but she has closed her eyes. So he kisses her eyelids then her cheeks and her nose before moving down to her lips.
Diana tries to resist. She really does but when he starts to kiss her lips her resolve cracks and she returns the kiss hungrily. “Damn you Kal.” she mumbles out as Kal carries her to the bedroom.
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When Donna sees Diana the day of the vote in the Senate she can’t help but notice how relaxed she looks. “Kal visited last night I take it.” she says to Diana.
“Yes. How do you know that?”
“You have that smile you only get after a night with Kal. It’s sickening really. Don’t you two ever get enough?”
“Nope.”
“So moving on quickly. I can’t believe the Senate has taken this long to finish the debate.”
“Neither can I. I want to say that no matter the outcome Donna thank you for supporting me through all this.”
“What are sisters for? Besides if you win you’ll be sending me as ambassador right?”
“Yes and thank you for making the initial approaches already to the World Assembly. That’ll save time for later assuming we win.”
“Thank Kal. He has some contacts pretty high up you know. He put me in touch with the right people. How does he know all these people?”
“He’s Superman and I think I thanked him plenty last night and the last time he visited and the time before that as well.”
Donna shakes her head “Your hormones will be the death of us all but at least you’re killing Kal in the best possible way I suppose.”
Diana hits Donna on the back of the head “You know I don’t know where you get thoughts like that from. Mother would have been furious at you.”
Donna rubs her head and smirks “And she would love the pregnant, supposedly more responsible older sister would she? I think not. Actually I think she might have fainted at the news you were pregnant.”
Diana frowns “You said she liked Kal.”
“She liked him for a man but considering her low opinion of men that doesn’t mean a great deal.”
Before Diana can say something back they are called in to hear the result of the vote.
“We’ll talk about this later.” Diana tells Donna.
“Can hardly wait.” Donna replies as they walk into the Senate chamber.
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“I told you, you would win.” Kal says as he manages to visit Diana and Donna later that night. The Senate had agreed to the negotiations, just but just winning is better than losing. He is sitting on the couch next to Diana.
“Yep and now I suppose I’m officially an Ambassador.” Donna says.
“Yes and you’re leaving with Kal first thing in the morning.” Diana tells her.
Donna rolls her eyes “So what’s the world like at the moment anyway Kal?”
Kal shrugs “It’s fairly quiet. The odd natural disaster, an occasional super villain. Terry’s investigating some strange thefts of ancient artefacts. Probably some rich collector wanting to add to his secret collection of things that money can’t buy. It’s quite nice really. Gives me time to work on my novel.”
“Oh yes the one you won’t let me read but my dear sister gets to. Haven‘t you finished it yet?” Donna complains.
“No I’ve got writer’s block at the minute and to be fair I think my wife needs the attention more right now than my writing does and secondly Diana’s my wife and everything I own belongs to her as well now.”
Diana smiles smugly “Yeah that is my favourite part of our marriage. By the way how do you explain my absence?”
“Well for starters very few people know I’m married, secondly it looks like you live in Smallville because I ordered the new furniture in your name. It helps it look like you’re still out and about in the world if I make the occasionally purchase in your name.”
“How do you afford all this again?” Donna asks.
“I saved quite a bit during my life and Bruce helped me put most of it away somewhere safe. Its spent all of the last 5 years since I faked my death collecting interest so I’m actually quite rich which I’m not ashamed to admit is quite nice.” Kal explains.
“Oh so that’s why you married him sis. It was for the money.” Donna jokes.
Diana playing along with the joke “Yep and when he least expects it I’ll be killing him and running off with it all. I’m just waiting for him to renew his life insurance.”
“Oh funny. I’ve married into a family of comedians I see.”
Diana leans over and kisses his cheek. “Don’t you worry honey. I promise to make your death quick and painless.”
“Well that makes me feel so much better.” Kal says as he rolls his eyes and wonders just what he has married into here.
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The next day Kal drops Donna off at the World Assembly where she meets up with a few members of the Amazon council who have been helping her. They had felt it necessary to stay while Donna tried to get back to visit Diana as often as possible. After that he flies to the Tower in Metropolis to do his shift for the League.
“Your wife is on the news, sort of.” Barda tells him as he arrives.
And indeed on the news was the story of Themyscira ending its 60 year self-imposed exile from the world. As part of it there was a package of stuff on Diana as Wonder Women before she left. Kal can’t help but smile at the memories of it all but back to today. “Anything happening?” he asks Barda.
“Not much. Another slow day and worse still Terry isn’t here for me to train against.”
Kal shakes his head in amusement. Barda had been deliberately training against Terry ever since his marriage as a way of payback for the fact Terry helped keep it all secret. He on the other hand just had to listen to her lecture how he is the leader and he shouldn’t lie, etc, etc.
“How is Diana?” Barda asks.
“She’s good. The baby kicks with super strength so she finds that a little uncomfortable.”
“You see it’s just like I said. We are so redundant.” Micron comments as he walks by Barda and Kal.
“Why? because the baby has super strength. Big deal. So do I.” Barda tells Micron.
“The baby isn’t even born yet and if it has inherited Superman’s powers that means the child will only get more powerful as time passes.”
“You know I am standing right here.” Kal feels the need to point out as his child is being discussed like he isn’t here.
“No offence meant big guy but come on you can’t tell me you’ve never considered what powers your child will have.”
“I didn’t until Diana mentioned it but so what if my child has powers. I once thought I didn’t need help but I was wrong. The world will always need the League or something like it to protect the world. My child may want to assist with that one day but that decision will be theirs and this is the end of this discussion.” Kal finishes as he walks off.
“Way to go and annoy him Micron-scopic mind.” Barda teases.
“Funny Barda.”
Kal virtually stomps off into the corridor and bumps into Marina.
“Micron really didn’t mean to upset you.” she says to him after overhearing the conversation.
“I know. I think I’m getting a little overprotective. I can’t express what becoming a father means to me. I never expected it. I had come to terms with it not happening short of me losing my mind and finally giving Maxima what she wants.”
Marina chuckles “Yeah I can’t believe she still wants to have your children after all these years.”
“I know. It’s just my luck she would have a very long life span.”
“When was the last time you actually saw her?”
“Just after Lois died. I guess she thought I would be emotionally vulnerable which in a sense I was but I still wasn’t going to go off and rule Almerac with her. For better or worse Earth is my home and that’s never going to change.”
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Meanwhile Terry is in Europe on the tail of the stolen artefacts. It doesn’t add up or at least he can’t make it add up. He can find no evidence that anyone is interested in having these artefacts stolen which leaves him chasing a thrill seeker who is just doing this for the fun of it but that doesn’t add up either. The artefacts that are getting stolen are all Greek and roughly the same age which doesn’t make sense if you’re just doing this for the fun of breaking in. Well here he is in Hamburg. Hopefully he’ll get there before his mysterious thief this time.
Eris can’t believe she has been reduced to this. Breaking into the museums of mortals. She’s a goddess for Zeus’ sake and that Batman has been getting closer to her each time. She has been using her powers as little as possible so as not to tip off her fellow Gods as to what she is up to. She can’t wait till she completes this task. She walks through the museum grimacing at just how badly wrong some of these exhibits are labelled. Anyway she finally comes across what she is looking for, a hollow stone head with two jewels for eyes. She smashes it’s glass case and picks it up.
“I can’t let you take that.”
Eris looks up and there is Batman. “You can’t stop me.”
Terry lands in front of the woman. “Look I’m impressed lady I really am. You’ve been breaking into the best museums in the world without leaving a trace.”
Eris is not impressed with this hero and she doesn’t have time for this. She summons a ball of fire and throws it at Terry who dodges the attack.
Terry knew this couldn’t be simple could it. The woman just had to have powers didn’t she and where the heck did she go? Terry looks around and the woman has vanished without a trace. Ok how did she do that?
Outside across the street Eris had teleported herself onto the building roof. She just hopes none of her fellow gods picked up on that. She hates this but Ares had told her not to draw attention to herself and to escape her brother’s wrath she’ll endure it for a little while longer. Now onto the next location.
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“I can’t believe you talked me into this.” Kal tells Diana as he carries her, flying to Smallville.
“What? I wanted to see where you’re living now. What is the harm in that?”
“You’re 7 months pregnant.” Kal points out.
“And? Kal if you dare say I’m an invalid…”
Kal cuts her off wanting to avoid another temper tantrum “No I’m not saying that but I know you’re uncomfortable and I know the baby kicks quite often now and while we’re on the subject of the baby do you want to know the sex?”
“No! Yes. I don’t know. Stop asking me that. You know I can’t decide.” Diana looks down at the Kansas countryside. With her current condition she’s transferred a lot of her responsibilities to the leader of the council Althea so she has a lot more free time. Donna is still negotiating Thermyscria’s re-entry to the World Assembly so Diana doesn’t see her very often at the moment.
“Here we are.” Kal says as he slowly descends and lands in front of the house.
“It’s just like I remember it.” Diana comments.
“I know. I was feeling nostalgic when I was fixing it up so I tried to make it as close as I could to what it looked like when I was little.” Kal explains.
“You don’t need to justify yourself Kal. I understand. Now why don’t you show me around and then I hope you’ve stocked up because I’m hungry.”
Kal chuckles as he leads Diana in “Yes I stocked up, especially on chocolate since you seem to crave it all the time now.”
“Not all the time. Did you get the chocolate cake I like?”
Kal has to hold back the laughter “Yes.”
Diana ignores Kal’s mirth and takes in the house. It look so much like she remembers when she had been here last and that was a very long time ago. Ok there are a few concessions to modern appliances but Kal had tried to get them to blend in. “It’s lovely Kal and where do you hide all the League equipment?”
“In the storm cellar, well under the storm cellar. I dug out a new chamber to house it all.”
Diana nods in understanding.
“Want to see the bedroom?” Kal suddenly asks.
Diana looks at him, eyebrow raised in surprise. “You still find me sexy even when I’m this big?” she asks hands placed on top of her now increasingly large bump.
“I always find you sexy but I was referring to the baby’s bedroom.” he says with a cheeky grin.
Diana slaps him on the arm “Kal!”
Kal laughs “Sorry but if you want to do that other thing later in our bedroom you are more than welcome.”
Diana shakes her head but with a smile. “Kal I’m not sure I and the baby will be here that often. I still have my duties.”
“I know but even you get holidays and I thought, hoped if you ever need to get away from it all we could spend it here.”
Diana thinks that over. Well she supposes she could. “Yes I think I would like that and thank you for the thought. It was very considerate.”
“Considerate is my middle name.”
“I thought it was Jerome.”
“Not anymore. I dropped the Jerome bit. I never did like it and besides taking the exact same name as I had before is pushing my luck even for me.”
Diana laughs and kisses his cheek “Ok so show me this bedroom and I don’t mean the baby’s.”
Kal looks at her with a wry smile “I thought you were hungry.”
“Oh I am just not for food but for my husband.”
“You promised no more biting.” Kal reminds her.
Diana pouts “Spoil sport.”
Kal picks Diana up “It’s a good thing I love you.”
“I love you too.” Diana says as they kiss and Kal carries her up the stairs.
