Beautiful Illusion

Another Superman/Wonder Woman challenge and idea I had to give a go!

Year 3018

Elder Clark Kent and his wife Diana Kent sat on the porch of their lovely home, holding hands. With joyous smiles, they watched the sunset and their kids, grandkids, and great grandkids having a good time.

"We did a good job raising 6 incredible kids."

"Yes, we did, Dear."

"We've had an amazing life together."

"It was magical. All we ever wanted."

Tears welled up in Diana's eyes. She was trying to hold them back just a bit longer. Clark, too, had tears in his eyes.

"But it's time to let go."

"As selfish as it may seem, I don't want to let go, Kal-El."

He sighed and looked into his wife's eyes. He slowly raised his hand to caress her cheek.

"It's not selfish but we both know..."

"This is not real."

To hear those words...it was like a bullet was shot through both their hearts, shattering them.

"We've lived through it all until the very end."

"1000 years."

"1000 beautiful years."

"Diana, I want you to know...what I felt all these years and what I feel now...is very real. I love you."

She nodded slowly, tears running down her face uncontrollably. "I love you, too."

Clark smiled and kissed her passionately. They poured all their love into their one last kiss.

As they pulled back, they heard voices.

"Superman! Wonder Woman!"

"Aw, man. Why aren't they waking up?"

"Superman!"

"Wonder Woman!"

"We have to wake up, now."

Clark and Diana simultaneously awoken and sat up abruptly. They looked at each other and saw they were young again and back to reality as Superman and Wonder Woman. They looked around and saw they were surrounded by the Justice League staring at them with worried, questionable expressions.

"Are you two okay?" Flash asked.

"Uh...yeah...I...I think so," Superman stuttered.

Wonder Woman was still silent in a daze.

"Wonder Woman?" Cyborg asked.

She looked up at him. "Yes, Vic, I'm...I'm alright."

"The evil plant thing had a tight hold on both of you," Lantern said. "What did you see?"

"A sunset. A remarkable sunset," Superman answered.

"Children," Wonder Woman simply stated.

"Anything else?"

Superman and Wonder Woman glanced at each other.

"No..." they answered in unison.

"We need to get you two back to the WatchTower."

When they all arrived to the WatchTower, the rest of the league kept asking them what happened. But they barely talked about it and really didn't want to. They were both confused, hurt, heartbroken.

Metropolis

Clark Kent flew to his Metropolis apartment. He came in through the patio and sighed.

"Finally home, Smallville."

"Hey, Lois."

She smiled, stepping in her tip toes and wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him. Though, when he barely kissed back, she pulled back with a frown.

He looked dazed and felt so distant.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just...tired."

She raised her eye brow questionable and folded her arms.

"Tired? You don't get tired."

"Mentally."

"What happened?"

"Just a mission went a little off."

"Oh. Well you've been going on a lot of missions lately. Maybe you need to take a little break. Spend time with your wife."

"Superman can't have a break, Lois."

"Clark, I'm sure the rest of the Justice League can handle it. Married a year and I still haven't had a proper honeymoon because oh, Superman had to go off to stop a Volcano. Diana could've handled that."

His heart skipped at the mention of Diana's name.

"Clark?" Lois snapped her fingers. "Clark?!"

"Wha-? What?"

Lois rolled her eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Here you go again with barely answering when I ask you questions. The last time you kept the biggest secret, 9 years ago. How can I have married you and I can't even trust you in the first place! I tried to give you a chance. I understand your small town boy ways but Clark you are a grown man. Man up and put me, your wife as your number one priority!"

"Lois, I'm trying to balance all of this. But I need you to understand-"

"No! I've been understanding. I've been patient. You begged me to give you a chance and I did."

"I never begged you for anything."

"Oh really?! You didn't come into the office gawking at me like some creep? But I decided to be nice to you because of the country mouse simpleton you acted like!"

"Lois, I'm not about to argue with you! I've never gawked at you. And you decided to be nice to me? Well thank you very much. I'm so grateful." He said sarcastically. "I didn't need your sympathy...never needed nor wanted it and I don't need or want it. You were surely more interested in Superman anyway and the country mouse simpleton be damned. The truth is the only reason why you gave me a chance is because you found out Clark Kent was Superman!"

Lois narrowed her eyes. She wanted to slap him but knew she couldn't.

"You must've hit your head on some goddamn boulder because clearly you got the sense knocked the hell out of you. Im going to bed. It's best you stay in the other room."

Lois stormed off and slammed the bed room door.

Clark sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He was more than happy to be alone right now. He needed space to think. He still hadn't been able to wrap his head around his and Diana's shared illusion, caused by the Black Mercy.

Black Mercy is a plant that creates a dream of a person's perfect life by tapping into the pleasure centers of a person's brain, while keeping the victim totally paralyzed.

He did love Lois and thought that maybe this with her could work out for the better. That's why he married her. But nothing has changed between them with Clark being so hesitant to trust and tell her things. That feeling has actually became much worse.

But not only that, they couldn't have kids together given that Clark was not human. Clark knew that they couldn't long before and had resigned himself not to having children. Lois however, still could have children with other men if she wanted to, but chose not to and chose to be with Clark.

She focused more on her career. And although Lois seemed okay and content, Clark did not truly know if that's how she truly felt. He felt so guilty.

Having the dream with Diana, he never expected. Clark has tried to bury his feelings for Diana for a long time but for some reason he just couldn't. The life they could have together. Seeing that it was a possibility, it was now much harder for him to give that up. He did not realize he really wanted it and now would miss having it.

London

Diana Prince took a stroll before going home. She had to clear her mind.

She kept her head down barely paying attention to what or who was in front of her.

"So...late dinner?"

She stopped walking abruptly and looked up.

"Steve?"

"Hello to you, too, Angel."

Diana gave him a weak smile.

Angel. She didn't exactly agree to the nickname and was annoyed every time Steve would call her that.

"What are you doing here?"

"Haven't seen you in a couple of days and you've missed my calls. Have you been ignoring me for some reason? Have I given you a reason?"

"I've just been quite busy."

"Too busy for me? We could at least have a minute."

"I'm really tired and would like to relax."

Steve smirked. "I can help you with that."

"I would like to relax alone."

He frowned. "Diana, what's wrong? Are you still mad because I said I wasn't ready for us to settle down?"

Diana rolled her eyes and sighed. "No. You've made it clear what you want and I know what I want."

"It's not what you think. The reality of that is not the happy fairytale you might have read in books. I'm trying to help you understand that but you can't seem to listen nor pay attention."

Diana closed her eyes for a moment having flashes of her illusion with Kal. Opening her eyes, she glared at Steve.

"Why do you insist on talking to me like I'm a child?!"

"I wouldn't have to if you wouldn't act like one and even worse a spoiled princess. I'm not one of your servants. I don't bow down to you."

"I'm not telling you to. I don't expect you to but you expect me to bow down to you?"

"That's not..." Steve sighed dramatically. "That's not what I'm saying." He stepped closer to Diana. "Look, I'm just not sure yet if I want marriage and kids period. But having you, I feel like when I'm ready for those things, you'll wait for me, right? That's the kind of relationship we have. Patience makes this work for us. I sure do need a lot of patience with a girl like you. I don't even know what your bedroom looks like." He took Diana's hand. "Come on. Until then, we can practice that kind of domestic life. We need to take that step now before anything else."

His supposed sweet talk was not at all working. Diana snatched her hand away.

"I wait for no man and I'm not about to give myself to a man for his self satisfaction. I'm not naive, Steve. Not only have I read enough but I've seen enough to understand and know exactly what you are doing. I'm not sleeping with you because that's what you want! No amount of nice talk is going to make me change my mind."

Steve shook his head and laughed a bit. "I see. Why are you so hesitant with me but it sure seems like you'll do anything for Superman?"

"Unlike you, Superman actually respects me and treats me as the woman I am!" Diana waved her hand. "I'm not arguing anymore with you. This isn't about him and he shouldn't have been brought up. I said I was tired and I want to relax. You need to go home and leave me alone in peace."

Steve shook his head again. "Alright whatever. I'll call you in the morning. You should have a better attitude then."

Steve leaned over trying to kiss Diana but she turned her face to the side and his lips brushed against her cheek.

Steve frowned and nodded. "Whatever."

As he was walking away, Diana hurried into her condominium building without looking back. Steve looked back thinking just maybe Diana would stop him and apologize but she didn't. It didn't surprise him much. To him, Diana didn't know how a woman should be affectionate towards a man and it was up to him to teach her.

Diana groaned in frustration as she closed her front door and leaned against it.

She didn't want a fairytale and knew it wasn't possible but Diana knew she could have a family of her own one day. The only man that has ever made her feel so open to think of it was Kal. He respected her, treated her as an equal. Of course, one would think Kal being seen as a God, it was nothing more than an infatuation but Diana saw him as more than that and her feelings for him was so much deeper.

The illusion flashes were emotionally torturing her and she was torn. Apart of her wanted to forget about what she saw...what she felt and is feeling. But the other part of her wants to keep holding on and cherish it.

After a while, Diana took a long hot shower and curled up in bed. Back in Metropolis, Clark did the same, sitting on the edge of the bed, in the guest room, looking up at the ceiling. They were miles apart, yet their hearts and minds were so close, replaying back the beautiful illusion of their shared hearts desire.