Chapter 7: Realisations
Diana awakens to find it is late afternoon and that she is in Kal’s lovely muscular arms. Oh not the right time for such thoughts she chastises herself. Kal is still recovering, she has a hearing to endure and regardless there is much rebuilding work to be done. She tilts her head up and sees Kal asleep. Good he needs to rest. She tries to gently pry herself out if his arms.
“Where are you going Diana?” Kal asks. He had been awakened by her stirrings.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I thought we agreed you needed rest.” Kal reminds her.
“Yes we did but it’s late afternoon and I really need a bath and I have the hearing before the council to prepare for.”
Kal looks at her “They still going through with that?”
“I broke the law. They agreed to wait to see if you would…” Diana trails off not wanting to even contemplate it.
“If I would live.” Kal finishes for her.
Diana simply nods.
“Do you need me to testify in this for you?” Kal asks her.
“They’ll want to know your version of events but I can get a scribe and you can dictate it from here.”
“No.” Kal simply states.
“Kal you’re still hurt.” Diana pleads with him.
“I’ll endure it for you.”
Diana wants to hit him. Why does he have to be so damn noble all the time? “You know I hate it when your stubborn.”
“Well then we have something in common but you’re way more stubborn than I am.”
“I am not!” Diana protests.
“Afraid you are your Majesty.” Kal teases.
“I told you not to call me that.” she warns.
“So are you gong to kick my butt now?”
Diana sits up and shoves Kal’s arms off her “Oh you are impossible. You, you…” She can’t find the words and resorts to pouting only to find Kal lean over and kiss her. Out of instinct she closes her eyes and reveals in the feeling of his lips on her own. The kiss ends but they stay centimetres apart breathing heavily.
“What was that for?” Diana asks as she looks into Kal’s blue eyes.
“Because you’re beautiful when you pout.”
Diana raises a sceptical eyebrow “That the only reason?”
“No.”
“Go on.” Diana encourages him.
“It’s to do with the dream I had.” Kal informs her.
“What happened in it?” she asks curious and nervous to find out why he spoke Lois’ name.
“I thought you wanted to leave.” Kal reminds her.
“This is more important and besides it’s late the hearing won’t be until at least tomorrow.”
“Ok then.” Kal leans back and proceeds to describe his dream and his talk with Lois. Diana can’t help but laugh at his mock indignity at finding out Lois deliberately left him on the couch even after she forgave him. She is surprised at his confession he had feelings for her all those years ago and reassured that he stayed committed to Lois regardless. That’s definitely the man she loves. Wait did she just think love? Oh Aphrodite what are you doing to me?
“Diana?” Kal had seen her lost in thought.
“Sorry what were you saying?”
“I let her go.” Kal states. “In my dream I finally let Lois go.”
“I’m not sure what to say to that Kal.”
“There’s nothing to say. I now realise it’s something I should have done a while ago.”
Diana’s heart is doing flip flops. The one thing she thought would keep them apart and he’s just admitted he’s ready to move on. “So where do we go from here?”
Kal laughs a little “I don’t know. I’m out of practice.”
Diana laughs as well “So am I.”
“I would offer to take you flying but I doubt I could levitate out of this bed at the minute.”
“Well I could always take you flying.” Diana counters
Kal thought about it but his grumbling stomach answered for him “Maybe later. I’m kinda hungry.”
Diana gets up out of the bed “I’ll get you something.”
“Us Diana. Get us something.” He’s going to make sure she eats as well. He gives her a stern look.
“All right I’ll get us something. Stop with the staring.”
Kal grins triumphantly as Diana shakes her head at him and walks off. She comes back a short time later with a couple of plates . She hands one over and then joins Kal back on the bed. “Sorry it isn’t more but our crops were damaged during the fighting.”
“It’s fine Diana. If you want I’ll help with that once I’m better. I miss working the soil. I use to find it relaxing when I was growing up.”
“Well that depends if the council lets you stay now you’re better.”
“Yeah.” Kal says not wanting to dwell on that subject. He tucks in. “So you never told me what happened after I passed out.”
Diana goes on to explain the roof of the cavern collapsing and Ares’ army getting sucked back in. Kal sees her face visibly sadden as she tells him about more of her sisters dying. He places a supportive arm round her shoulders and gives a gentle squeeze. She goes on to explain his 3 day coma.
“Wow 3 whole days. That’s pretty good. Last time I was out for a whole week.” Kal jokes.
“What last time?” Diana asks.
“Oh right you weren’t around that time. It was the last time I battled Luthor. It was his final act you could say.”
“So Luthor’s dead, for sure this time?” They had after all thought him dead many times.
“Lex is, I saw the body, I was at the funeral but Luthors keep popping up. Honestly I’ve come across 2 sons and a daughter so far. Don’t know where he found the time really to father them all.”
“You were at Lex's funeral?” Diana asks confused why Kal would go to Lex’s funeral.
“Had to make sure he was actually buried this time.”
“So what did Lex do to you the final time?” Diana asks out of curiosity.
“Well it was about 30 years after you left, old age was catching up on him despite his repeated attempts at avoiding death or perhaps because of them. His autopsy did note a cellular breakdown occurring throughout his body but I’m digressing. He assembled another supervillain team and…”
“was trying to destroy the league.” Diana finishes for him “Not very original. I expected better from Lex.”
Kal shrugs “We all get stuck in our ways as we age. Anyway he had constructed a new battle suit out of technology he pillaged from somewhere and there we were battling it out. I’ll spare you the details apart from the fact the suit was powered by kryptonite and oh yeah he found out I was Clark Kent and he ambushed me at my apartment.”
“He what!?”
“Found out I was Clark Kent.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flashback.
Clark is sitting at home with Lois on the couch when Lex breaks in through the window. “Evening Mr and Mrs Kent or should I say Mr and Mrs Superman.” Lex then blasts Clark with a kryptonite ray and he tumbles backwards. Lex lands on the floor. “I must say I’m impressed at your ability to keep it secret for so long. No-one would expect Superman to pretend to be a mild mannered reporter from Kansas.”
Clark gets back to his feet. His shirt is blasted away revealing the now black and white S.
Lex notes it “Ahh I see we’ve changed for more conservative colours.”
Lois who has lost none of her bravado and spunk “What rock have you been hiding under Lex?” No-one had seen him for close to a decade.
“Well it’s nice to see you too Lois and where I have been is irrelevant but what I want is to ensure that that alien doesn’t outlive me.”
“That man is more human than you’ll ever be.” Lois responds with hate in her voice.
“Well forgive me if I judge your opinion biased Mrs Kent.”
“Leave her alone Lex.” Clark states as he walks forward. He has to get Lex out of here.
“Certainly Clark.” Lex points his blaster at Clark and fires but Clark dodges and then flies at Lex knocking both of them out the window. They break apart as they fall and both stop mid air hovering.
Clark folds his arms across his chest “You have learned nothing Lex. All these years and you’re still trying to achieve the same old goals.”
“Perhaps, perhaps not but I know for a fact it’s just you and me. My friends are keeping your friends busy as we speak.”
“They’ll fail.” Clark states.
“Not my concern.” Lex answers.
“So is this our final battle then?” Clark asks. “You’re not getting any younger.”
“And you’re not getting any older despite what you want people to think.” Lex responds referring to the grey in Clark’s hair. “But to answer your question, yes this is the last gunfight so to speak at least for you.” Lex tries to blast Clark again. Clark dodges it and punches Lex sending him flying back but causing little damage to the battle suit. “Is that all you’ve got?” Lex mocks.
They both fly at each other and start to exchange blows. Eventually Lex manages to hit Clark with a blast of kryptonite sending him crashing to the street below. Lex then hits Clark with a constant beam before Clark gets back up. “So long Superman.”
“I don’t think so.”
Lex spins round just as Shayera/Hawkgirl swoops in and hits him with her mace. He takes a few steps back and mock dusts the front of his suit. “Now shouldn’t you be battling my associates?”
“I whipped their butts already and now it’s your turn.” Lois had called the Watchtower and Shayera had picked it up. Once she dealt with Lex’s minion she teleported here. Shayera swoops forward but Lex catches the mace with his left hand and back hands Shayera away with his right. He tosses the mace over his shoulder without noticing it land near Clark.
Lex stands over Shayera who has fallen to the ground “Goodbye Hawkgirl.”
“Luthor!” Clark yells.
Lex spins round and Clark hits him with Shayera’s mace cracking the armour. The kryptonite radiation pours out and Clark passes out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“The next thing I know a week has passed and Lex is dead.” Kal explains to Diana.
“How did he die?” Diana asks.
“I cracked the power core. Kryptonite radiation can be deadly to humans if the levels are high enough and both Lex and I received enough to make us glow in the dark. I never meant to. You know me I would never intentionally hurt anyone.”
“I know. How did he find out who you were?”
“You know I never did find out.” Kal admits. He shrugs his shoulders “It matters little now.”
“You know you’ll have to catch me up on all your adventures at some point. I missed a lot being here.” She says it with regret.
Kal noting the regret in her voice “Diana you had a duty to perform. We all have our duties. Even the last Kryptonian has duties.”
Diana looks at him puzzled.
Kal elaborates “Galatea.”
“Kara’s clone? She survived their last battle?”
“She did and it was my duty to deal with her when she went on another rampage. She was genetically Kryptonian regardless of how she was created.” Kal says it with solemnity and seriousness.
Diana notes the tone of voice. “The Phantom Zone.” she states.
“The Phantom Zone.” Kal repeats. “She gave me no other choice. She was too powerful to risk being left in a jail.”
“You don’t need to explain Kal. I understand.”
Phillipus walks in at this time along with a healer who was coming to check up on Superman. She had also heard that someone had seen Diana getting something to eat. She arrives to find Diana and Kal lying next to each other having a talk. “Superman I’m glad to see you’re awake.”
The healer virtually zips around to him so she can look him over “How do you feel?” she asks him.
“Drained.” is Kal’s honest response.
The healer looks under his bandages at the stomach wound. What was a barely healed wound this morning now looks like a scar that is weeks old.
“Oh the scar will probably be gone by the morning.” Kal feels the need to add.
“You are a remarkable being.” the healer says to him.
“I aim to please.” Kal jokes and Diana slaps him on his shoulder “Hey. What was that for?”
“You nearly died and you’re making a joke.”
“I nearly died a lot of times over the years and never once did I get hit for making light of it. You need to lighten up Diana.”
Diana rather insulted “I am perfectly light. You don’t take things seriously enough.”
“Now you’re telling blatant lies about me. I am perfectly serious when the situation calls for it.”
“You are an impossibly stubborn man.”
“Well you are an impossibly stubborn woman your Majesty.”
“I told you not to call me that.”
“I know.” Kal puts on a cheeky grin.
Phillipus watches them banter back and forth. She can’t help but find the whole thing amusing. She decides to add a wry observation “Shall I start the wedding preparations?”
Kal and Diana turn to look at her.
The healer who also noticed the banter “What the general is referring to is that you’re arguing like an old couple.”
Kal and Diana look at each other and then back to Phillipus “We are not!” they both say together.
The healer chuckles and Phillipus shakes her head in amusement but her warrior training kicks in stifling any sort of laugh.
Diana wanting to get off this subject after all she and Kal hadn’t really talked about their relationship yet and in the name of Hera these two are joking about weddings. “Phillipus you can inform the council they can hold the hearing as soon as they are ready.”
Phillipus bows “Yes your Majesty.” She then turns and leaves.
The healer who has finished her checking up on Kal “Well all I can recommend for you Superman is rest.”
“Yeah I figured as much. Thank you.” Kal says to the healer.
The healer smiles and leaves as well.
“So wedding?” Kal asks in an amused tone.
Diana shakes her head “Despite outward appearances Phillipus does have a sense of humour.”
“I believe you but we are going to have to discuss us and soon.”
“I know but I think we should both learn our fate first. The council could kick you off the island now that you’re awake and I may not be Queen for much longer.”
Kal had to agree with her there.
“Well I should get that bath I have been needing for 3 days.” Diana says.
“Yeah you really should.” Kal says and wrinkles his nose for emphasis.
Diana points at him “Don’t start.”
Kal points at himself “Me?” he says with wide eyed innocence.
Diana leans forward and kisses him gently on the lips briefly. “Don’t start.” she says in a soft voice.
“Ok.” Kal says in an equally soft voice.
Diana gets up off the bed and heads off. Kal watches her leave and lets out a breath. His heart is racing at his newly released emotions. He really wants this to work with Diana but he also isn’t ready to go diving in. Yes he’s ready to move on but he would like to take it slowly so he doesn’t mess it up. His feelings run deep now that he can recognise them, perhaps it’s even love. Oh well they have time to take this slowly. That’s the one thing the both of them have is lots and lots of time and for the first time in a while his longevity isn’t bothering him. He smiles, closes his eyes and concentrates on absorbing the last of the sun’s rays as it sets.
Diana can’t help but put her fingers to her lips as she heads off down the corridor. The feeling of Kal’s lips on hers bring a smile to her face. She wonders what it will feel like when he’s at full strength because they are definitely doing that again. At the same time a voice is telling her to remember to take it slow with him. Despite his claims he’s ready to move on Diana realises he’s still emotionally fragile. Oh well that’s ok. They both have time perhaps a lot of time if Kal continues to age at his current rate. Well that can wait, she has to get ready for her hearing. She did the right thing in bringing Kal to the island. She doesn’t doubt it and occasionally rules have to be bent to do the right thing. That’s what Phillipus was on about. She can argue that she didn’t technically break the laws. Sometimes she thinks these laws are out of date as is this isolationist view the council have.
In fact the whole thing needs to change and Diana resolves to not only fight this hearing but to instigate that change in policy. They need to interact with the world again and Diana is determined she’ll be the one to ensure it happens.
