Epilogue Part 2: Earth

Diana closes her eyes as his lips caress her skin. It seems like an eternity since the last time she had felt his touch. His strong yet gentle hands glide across her skin searching for those places where she is most sensitive and always they find them with unerring accuracy and speed. His lips touch her neck and she cranes her neck back to give him better access. Her hands wrap themselves in his curly black hair and she can see in her mind his cerulean blue eyes filled with fire looking at her in the admiration only he is permitted to see. "Oh Kal!" she can't help but let out in a breathy moan.

She can feel him smile against her skin before he starts to bounce them up and down...

Wait a minute!

Bounce?

"Mama! Mama!"

Diana's eyes flutter open to the sight of a mass of black curly hair and piercing cerulean blue eyes, like the ones she was just dreaming about, energetically bouncing on her bed. Eyes and hair that in this case belong to a ball of hyperactive energy otherwise known as her son. "Kai?" she queries.

Kai short for Kairos which in Greek implied a right or opportune moment; when something special happened and Diana can say without hesitation or doubt that her son is something special. It could also describe the instant the Kryptonians arrived on Earth and by doing so changed everything. Before they came the world had been spiralling downward but after the Kryptonians everything changed. The nations of the world banded together and started to work for the whole world's common good. Now not that everything is perfect because it is not. No there is still plenty of hate, greed and evil in the world for her and the Justice League to be kept busy but at least there is hope for a better future now where before there had been none.

"Time to get up Mama!" Kai informs her with the enthusiasm only a child can possibly possess.

Diana sits up. It must be after sunrise and she doesn't even need to see out to know that. Since she had had her son she had learned that his biology seemed to be in tune with the cycles of the sun. She then looks at her son with his blue eyes full of wonder and innocence. Even now as he heads towards his 5th birthday he still looks at her exactly the same way he did when he was born. Diana had not known that Kai would be a boy until after the birth. Not because she didn't want to know but because no medical equipment that existed on Earth at the time could fully penetrate her dense skin to get a high enough resolution image of her then unborn child to be able to determine the sex.

She reaches out to smooth some of her son's hair down. "Did you sleep well?" she asks him.

Kai nods vigorously. "Yes Mama! I dreamt I was flying!" he says with much enthusiasm. Kai often wished he could fly like his mother.

Diana smiles at her son's enthusiasm. He was just so adorable that no-one could help but love him. Kai couldn't actually fly yet and for that Diana had no explanation and since she knew next to nothing of Kryptonian biology she had no idea when or even if Kai would ever possess the gift of flight. He was already superstrong, a fact emphasised when shortly after he became 4 he developed a fascination for cars or more precisely lifting them clean over his head and she is not referring to toy ones. "Come on then," she tells him. "Time for breakfast."

An enormous grin breaks out on Kai's face. He loved breakfast, and lunch and dinner and well food in general. It was something that had not escaped Diana's attention that Kai ate more already than some human adults did and she had no idea where he put it all because he was a little bit on the skinny side if anything. In the next instant Kai is almost a blur as he speeds off. Did she mention that he has superspeed too. Of course that could be where all that food goes.

Diana does not hurry as she gets out of bed and moves over to the chair across her bedroom to pick up her robe. She does not hurry because Kai will be back in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Whoosh!

He's back.

"Come on Mama!" he pleads impatiently.

Diana ties her robe closed, turns to face her son and places her hands on her hips and tries to look stern. In response Kai looks at her with those soft blue eyes doing his best...what did Donna call it? Oh yes his best puppy dog eyes expression. One of these days she is convinced that won't work on her but unfortunately today is not that day. However she has to set a few limits upon him. She points at him. "No running Kai. We've talked about this before. How you could hurt someone if you run into them."

Kai nods. Yes his mother had pointed out to him many times that compared to him and her and his father, who he has never met but his mother has told Kai all about him, that compared to them other people are fragile and that he could hurt them if he wasn't careful and he of course did not wish to hurt anyone. "Yes Mama," he says apologetically.

With a nod of her head Diana offers her hand to Kai who takes it and hand in hand they walk to breakfast along the marble corridors of the palace on Themyscira past the occasional guard who even now Diana notices can't help but let their gaze slip to the little boy walking beside her. Upon his birth and discovery of the fact she had given birth to a male child Diana had had many fears about what would happen next. When the Bana, who unlike her sisters aren't immortal, have male children they are simply returned to their fathers in the outside world. Diana's worry was that the Senate would look upon that as the way to deal with a male child. After all they hadn't been exactly thrilled to discover that Diana was with child in the first place but if they exiled her son then Diana had made the decision that she would leave to.

The decision was surprisingly simple for her to make despite it meaning exile from her own home but from the second she first laid eyes upon Kai, first held him in her hands, the first time he gazed at her with his cerulean blue eyes that reminded her of his father, Kai's eyes were just as expressive as Kal's, she knew that no force, be it mortal or divine, would separate her from her son. Diana told her mother this in no uncertain terms. She told the Senate this in no uncertain terms too and in the end they relented, albeit very reluctantly, to permit Kai to remain on Themyscira.

They reach the dinning area.

"Grandma!" Kai shouts merrily at the sight of his grandmother already at the table.

Hippolyta can't stop the smile that smile that comes to her face at the sight of her grandson. Now she will admit that she wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of a grandson at first. The thought of a male child running about Themyscira was not one she was happy to contemplate but when Diana said that if Kai was banished then she was leaving Hippolyta could see she meant it. When Diana stubbornly sets her mind to something no-one and no force in this universe will shift her from her course so the child stayed and slowly over time Hippolyta found herself spending more and more time around Diana's son. She learned, and she will openly admit this, she learned what she had forgotten in her hatred of men that they don't start out like that. It is the events of their life that shape them. Kai was so pure and innocent, so full of the joy of life that at some point Hippolyta realised that she loved her grandson and that it did not matter that he was male.

Hippolyta shifts in her seat to face Kai as he breaks from his mother's grasp and runs at her. Hippolyta opens her arms, Kai runs into them and she lets out an audible 'oof' at the force he hits her with. He was just like Diana in that regard because Diana did the same thing before she worked out quite how strong she was.

Diana gives a little shake of her head. One of these days Kai will remember to be gentler. She walks over to her mother and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "Morning Mother," she greets her.

"Morning Diana," Hippolyta greets her back.

Diana bends down and extricates Kai from her mother's hug and plants him down in a chair just as Donna arrives for breakfast. It was very common for them to eat together as a family. Diana found it nice.

"So what are your plans for the day?" Donna asks her sister about midway through breakfast.

"Meetings," Diana answers simply. "Lots of meetings." That is what she gets for agreeing to become ambassador again. Obviously when she was pregnant she had to relinquish the role to Donna but once Kai was about 2 Diana felt she could find the time to return to her old role which she did much to Donna's relief Diana thinks. Diana thinks Donna was finding it all rather tedious which it can be if Diana was to be honest.

A little later Diana stands in front of the portal which will transport her to the embassy in Washington but first she has to say goodbye to a certain blue eyed mischievous boy who is currently holding his grandmother's hand.. She bends down and kisses him on the cheek. "I have to go to work now. You be good for grandma," she instructs him.

"Yes mama," Kai responds far too easily.

Diana's eyes narrow. Oh she is so onto his game. "Kai I mean it," she says sternly. "You are still in trouble for the last time."

"But mama!" Kai protests.

Diana arches an eyebrow which all it takes to silence her son. Last time he had decided to be mischievous he vanished without trace. They eventually found him in the armoury but not until after her son had decided to become an artist by bending all the various weapons into funny shapes. That took some explaining and then apologising to the chief weapons maker. "Now do you promise to behave?" Diana asks of her son.

Kai bows his head slightly as the floor becomes a lot more interesting. "Yes mama," he replies quietly.

Diana ruffles his hair. "Good boy." Diana moves to give her mother a kiss as well. "I'll be back for him this evening," she tells her mother.

"Don't worry Diana. I'm sure he'll be fine. After all I can remember more than one occasion where you misbehaved as well."

"Mother!" Diana protests.

"Diana," Hippolyta says calmly asking her daughter to try and contradict her.

Diana thinks over her answer. "It was all Donna's doing."

Hippolyta can't help a small laugh. "Of course it was," she says insincerely.

With a shake of her head Diana turns round and enters the portal. Hippolyta looks down at her grandson who is looking back at her with his expressive blue eyes. He already has a look that can make women's hearts melt. Hippolyta can see how Diana fell in love with Kai's father.

It had been a fairly ordinary day for Diana really. Meet with honoured representatives from other nations, make a few representations as in regards for her charities and right now she is laying the beat down on another wannabe super-villain with a preposterous name. It always helped to relieve her stresses beating up on those who still wish to cause harm. After all it isn't like she is getting any...other way to relieve her stresses. Her fist connects with wannabe's face and he drops to the floor unconscious and she definitely was not thinking about her sex life or lack thereof during that. She managed to go for centuries before without even thinking about sexual intercourse. Of course that was before she actually knew just how wonderful it could feel.

Diana blows out a breath as she ties up her opponent whose name she can't quite remember right now. It was something like Dr Evil or Professor Terror or something lame like that. Frankly normally she wouldn't bother but she was in the area and needed the workout. A gust of wind announces the arrival of the Flash.

"You couldn't save any for me?" Flash asks as he looks around at the destroyed robots Diana had worked her way through before she had gotten to the so-called mastermind.

Diana shrugs. "Sorry Flash. Too slow."

Flash frowns under his red hood but at the slight quirk of Diana's lips can see she was teasing him. "Funny Diana."

Diana's lips curve into a full-blown smirk just before her communicator goes off.

"Watchtower to Wonder Woman."

That would be Bruce who since he lost his eye during the Kryptonian invasion had reverted to a almost permanent monitoring position. Diana activates her communicator. "Wonder Woman here."

"Diana are you done?" Bruce asks.

"Almost. I just have to hand this man over to the authorities," she responds.

"Have Flash do it. I need you up here now!"

The urgency in Bruce's voice catches her attention. "Why? What is going on?" she asks.

"Just get up here," Bruce repeats. "We have a visitor. Watchtower out."

The signal is cut off abruptly. Visitor? Now what is this about Diana wonders. She does as Bruce not so gently asked her to and has Flash wrap things up here and has herself teleported up to the Watchtower to be greeted by J'onn. "J'onn what is going on?"

J'onn signals for her to walk with him which she does. "We detected a ship exiting hyperspace a few hours ago," J'onn informs her. "The occupants have requested asylum."

"Well that is interesting J'onn but I don't see why that is so urgent that Bruce demands that I come up here," Diana says not hiding her puzzlement.

By now they have reached the room where the visitors are. J'onn gestures at the glass window of the room. "Look for yourself."

Diana turns her head to look and freezes instantly in shock. "Kal," she whispers and at the sound of her voice she can see Kal turn his head and look right at her or is that right through her. Oh whatever it is it is making her heart beat so ferociously that she is certain that it is about to burst out of her chest and that is at the mere sight of him. She hasn't even gotten into the same room as him yet. Hera she hasn't even begun to ask the fairly obvious question about the blond girl sitting on his lap. In the next moment Diana is rushing to the door which slides open and she steps in.

Kal-El can feel his heart racing. He had heard her voice. That voice he had dreamed of hearing speak his name for so many years and now she is standing there looking as perfect and beautiful as he remembers in this outfit of red and gold with a short blue skirt with representations of stars in white. He gets to his feet with Lana in his arms. "Hello Diana."

Diana swears she almost passes out at the sound of his voice. She has dreamt of that voice. Dreamt of it whispering words of affection into her ear. He looks as she remembers. She wonders if time has any effect on him at all although as she looks closely at his face his eyes seem to be slightly duller than she remembers like they have lost their spark of innocence that she can remember that he use to possess. She can remember thinking that it was a blessing that he still retained it despite being a soldier. She wonders what things have happened to him since they parted company. "Kal," she says simply.

Kal-El smiles as she says his name but he has an introduction to make. "Lana," he says addressing his daughter. "Say hello to Diana."

Lana looks from her father to the tall woman with dark hair and kind blue eyes and greets her with the words her father asked her to speak in the strange language of this world. "Hello Diana."

"Diana this is Lana. My daughter."

Daughter!!! Diana had not allowed her mind to reach that most obvious conclusion of who the girl was but now that she had she wasn't sure how she should feel. Angry at the fact that Kal must have found another woman? Happy that he did just that and that he wasn't alone? Oh Hera help her! She will have to tell him about Kai.

Kal-El can see that this is a little bit of a shock for Diana and he can understand why that would be. He answers what is most likely to be the next question. "Kara was her mother."

Diana's eyes widen at that revelation and then something that has slightly bothered her for all these years finally makes sense. "Is that why she..." Diana doesn't say it but what she means is 'Is that why Kara blackmailed Kal into sleeping with her?'.

Kal-El nods. "Yes. Kara wanted a daughter and she decided that I was the best source of genetic material to father one."

"Was?" Diana asks at his use of the past tense.

"Kara is dead," Kal-El explains simply.

Diana steps in to the room and sits herself down across from Kal and his daughter. This is a lot to take in. She notices Kal sit back down as well. "I tried to keep track of you through Hal but there was a limit to what he could find out," she tells him.

Kal nods in understanding. "Yes. The Guardians decided not to intervene in what was by definition an internal issue of the Kryptonian Empire."

"The war...is it over?"

"It is."

"Did you win?"

"It wasn't about winning Diana. It was about creating a new Krypton but if you mean were my forces victorious over those of my adopted brother and mother then yes we won."

Lana looks on as her father converses with the woman in the strange language. He had only taught her a few phrases so most of the conversation she could not understand.

"Why are you here?" Diana asks him. "And why are you asking for asylum?"

"Because I have no where else to go Diana. I've been exiled."

"They want you to accept...voluntary exile."

Voluntary exile. That was the offer his father had passed on from the council. In the end Kal-El thought about it long and hard and decided that if his banishment, voluntary as it was, would help heal Krypton then he would agree to it. So he resigned from the military and left Kond in charge. He gave a speech broadcast over all of Krypton explaining how his love of his planet and his wish to see it reunited precipitated his resignation and he asked that all those who fought on either side to lay aside their differences and work together in peace to renew Krypton.

Afterwards he returned to his quarters aboard his ship and gathered a few of his possessions and of course Lana's as well since she would come with him. He had promised Kara that he would look after Lana and he would not break his word. He placed everything he wished to take with him in a bag and left what had been his home for many years for the last time.

He makes his way to the bay where his parents were waiting for him with Lana and stores the personal belongings alongside everything that he has already stored aboard. There is also no-one else here. He does not want any big formal farewell. He has already endured that when he resigned. Kal-El just wants a few last words with his parents alone and without fuss.

"Kal-El. Are you sure you this is what you want?" his mother asks him. Lara had just barely started to reforge the bonds with her son that had been severed upon her banishment to the Phantom Zone and now he was leaving and she knew she may never see him again.

"This is the only way mother."

"But exile to an uninhabited planet?" Kara just couldn't accept that that was the right thing for her son and her granddaughter.

Kal-El smiles knowingly. "That is not where I am going."

Lara looks at him quizzically and then she looks at her husband and can tell something from his expression. "You knew!" she accuses Jor-El.

Jor-El places his hands on Lara's shoulders. "It was safer this way," he tries to explain.

"What way? What is going on?" Lara demands to know from her husband and her son.

Kal-El explains what it is he and his father agreed to tell the council about his exile. "I lied to the council when I told them where I was going. There will be some who will wish to seek revenge upon me wherever I go. Some who will never forgive me for the actions I have undertaken so I lied. Anyone that comes after me will find nothing but an empty rock." Kal-El can told the council that had chosen exile on an uninhabited planet where there was no chance of interacting with someone he might have made an enemy of during all the years he served Zod. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a data crystal. "This hold the co-ordinates of where I am really going." He holds it out for his mother to take.

Lara takes the crystal. "Where are you going?"

"To Earth."

Lara stares at her son. She remembers all that he told her about his visit to that planet and how one particular individual he met had changed him. It is then that she truly understands why he chose that world. It is because of the woman. Diana. "Will Lana be safe there?" Lara asks with obvious concern about her granddaughter's well-being.

"Earth's yellow sun will make her strong. Virtually invulnerable. I can't think of any other way to make her safer."

Lara steps forward and places her arms around her son. "Take care of yourself Kal-El," she says her voice full of emotion.

Kal-El wraps his arms gently around his mother. "You too mother."

"I am so proud of you," Lara tells her son her voice now almost choked up. "I love you my only son."

Kal-El has to swallow the lump that has formed in his throat. He had never considered just how much he missed his biological mother until he was reunited with her and now he will have to leave her again. "I love you too Mother."

Lara soon steps away from her son and moves into her husband's arms as Jor-El hold her as she fight to hold back the emotions. "I too am proud of you Kal-El," Jor-El tells him. "Be safe my son."

"Goodbye Father," Kal-El says to him with great sadness. He then bends down and picks up Lana. "Time to go my little ray of sunshine. Say farewell to your grandparents."

Lana is not entirely sure of what is happening beyond that her father has said to her that they have to go away for awhile but she does as her father requests. "Farewell grandmother, grandfather."

That makes Lara sob openly in Jor-El's arms and Kal-El sees it is best if they leave swiftly. He turns and heads into the small 2-man craft and sits Lana down in the seat next to his. He then pilots the ship out of the bay. There is then an incoming communication. Kal-El activates the display. "General Kond-Ah," he says as way of greeting his friend who is now in command.

"Kal-El. It has been an honour serving with you," Kond says as a show of the deep respect he has for his friend.

"The honour was mine," Kal-El assures him. "Protect our planet and our people," he says as a last request.

"You have my word," Kond assures him. "Farewell...and may Rao look over you, both of you."

"You too."

Kond gives Kal-El one final salute. "Farewell my friend."

Kal-El gives Kond a small but sad smile. "Goodbye," he says quietly and with a command he sends the ship into hyperspace. Once the co-ordinates are set for Earth Kal-El sets about readying the stasis chamber. Due to this ship's relatively slow maximum speed Earth was a journey of many months. Once ready he lays down with Lana next to him and activates the chamber and allows sleep to consume him.

When they were near Earth the ship awoke them as instructed and a few hours after that they exited hyperspace in earth orbit where Kal-El was contacted by the Justice League, told to come aboard and that is how he finds himself where he currently is.

"Exile?" Diana queries of him.

Kal-El explains it all. How the council thought it best for the unity of the Kryptonian people that he accept exile and that he chose to come here.

"But why here?" Diana asks.

"As I said before Diana I have nowhere else to go and..."

"And?"

Kal-El looks at her in the eyes with great intensity. "I missed you."

Diana knows that he means to say more than that. It was unspoken but she is certain he also means that he still loves her. She lays her hand on the table and in response Kal-El takes it and squeezes it gently. "I missed you too," Diana says ever so softly.

Outside the room, coming down the corridor is one Hal Jordan who having heard what was going on had rushed up here as soon as he could. He stops next to J'onn and looks in on Diana and Kal-El holding hands and a little blond girl looking on with idol curiosity would be Hal's opinion of her expression. "Whose the girl?" Hal asks.

"His daughter," J'onn answers.

Well that is a revelation Hal never knew. "Where's Bruce?" he asks since he thought Bruce would be here observing everything.

"Organising an emergency meeting of the League to discuss what we do," J'onn explains.

"What we do?" Hal repeats perplexed that that even has to be discussed. "Is there a choice? We can't just send him away you know."

"Can't we?" J'onn asks bluntly.

"J'onn do you know how many species out there hate Kryptonians. Do you have any notion of what will happen to him once they find out he was exiled."

J'onn has a fairly good idea actually. "He is not the most popular person on this world either," J'onn reminds Hal. Lots of people had reason to hate Kal-El. Lots of relatives of people who died during the invasion.

"We can find somewhere remote and obscure for him to live," Hal suggests. "I'm guessing he would not refuse that if he has a daughter to care for."

Hal's suggestion has merit J'onn will admit but still it will require a full meeting of the League to discuss it.

Diana sits at her place at the conference table as she listens in on this meeting and she manages to do so while her mind is occupied with thoughts of Kal and his daughter. As Zatanna pointed out often women are great at multi-tasking. Back to Kal for the moment and being in the same room as him again had left her with that tingling warm sensation she hadn't felt she he left.

"He should be put on trial!"

That gets Diana's attention back to the meeting. Now who said that? Before she can work it out Hal speaks. "And exactly what prison is capable of holding him hmm? Oh wait I know..not a single one," Hal says rebutting that suggestion as derisively as he can.

"He is responsible for the deaths of millions. He needs to pay!"

This time Diana catches who it is who made the suggestion. It is Bruce's former protégé Dick Grayson now known as Nightwing which makes sense. He had been very angry at the Kryptonians due to the fact his girlfriend Barbara Gordon was killed when Gotham was destroyed. Diana doesn't think that even all these years later that Dick has fully comes to term with his grief. Well she needs to correct something. "He didn't order the destruction of Gotham. That was General Zod and he is dead."

Nightwing shoots her a glare. "And you're opinion is skewed by your feelings," he accuses her. "If you were thinking with your head and not your libido you would be the first to agree with me."

Diana's eyes narrow dangerously. Grief or no grief no-one dares accuse her of that. She abruptly stands up. "You want to repeat that!" she challenges Nightwing.

Nightwing stands up but before he can say anything Bruce cuts him off. "Dick. Sit down."

Dick whips his head round in surprise to look at Bruce sitting there calm and composed. "I thought you would be on my side. Gotham was your home and you loved Barbara too"

Bruce does not rise to Dick's anger. "Yes I did but getting into a fight with someone who can take you apart in under a minute is not good strategy."

A minute! Diana could take everyone in this room apart in a minute let alone Dick. She feels seriously insulted here.

Bruce meanwhile is staring Dick down. Getting into a fight with Diana would not resolve anything. It would just get Dick in the infirmary. He had seen and felt Diana's temper so he knew what he was talking about. It takes a good few minutes but eventually Dick sits himself back down.

Flash raises his hand. "Can I say something. Look sure Kal-El led the invasion but he also saved us all in the end when he killed that Zod guy. He is no angel I grant you but tell me who in this room is. Can anyone in this room say they haven't done something disreputable or do I have to mention what we did when Luthor was in charge." Wally is referring to the fact they did a lot of dirty work for Luthor. Rounding up meta-humans to be shipped off god knows where. Even 5 years and many senate committee investigations later they still did not have all the answers.

"Wally is correct," J'onn says in agreement. "We ourselves have committed acts that could have been seen as crimes in better times. We cannot claim the moral authority to be his judges. Besides he has already been judged by his own people. They exiled him which is why he is here."

Ray Palmer aka the Atom speaks and asks the very pertinent question. "So what do we do with him and his daughter?"

Kal-El looks around the bedroom he is in. It is so very different to back home.

"Will this be ok for you?"

Kal-El turns to face Diana. "Yes thank you."

Diana is glad. The League meeting had ended with no real decision in the end but to think it over a lot more and have another meeting which left the question of what to do with Kal-El and his daughter in the meantime. Diana volunteered to take care of it which had resulted in Dick making some very disparaging comment about her 'taking care' of Kal for which she almost slapped Dick into next week until Hal caught her hand. Anyway after that she had brought Kal and Lana to the embassy in Washington. Technically it was Thermysciran territory so she could protect him assuming she could persuade her mother to offer Kal protection. That was one of the many things she had to do along with telling Kal about Kai. Diana hadn't quite worked out how to do that yet and no appropriate moment had arisen to tell him either.

Kal-El steps closer to Diana. He had overheard the whole meeting they had had about him and had heard some who wanted to punish him further for his crimes and some who were willing to be more forgiving to him. He had also heard the slanderous remark one individual made to Diana about her not thinking clearly where he was concerned and how she had reacted. "I am not getting you into trouble with your team-mates for this am I?" he asks with some concern.

"What makes you think that?" Diana asks him.

Kal-El looks a little sheepish. "I don't know if I ever mentioned it to you but Kryptonians have enhanced auditory abilities. I heard the entire meeting."

Diana blinks. No he had not mentioned that but she really shouldn't be surprised she supposes. There did seem very little that Kryptonians can't do. "It's nothing I can't handle," Diana assures him in response to his concerns. "We tend to have disagreements every so often. It is part of being human."

Kal-El places his hand on Diana's exposed arm and she gets shivers from his touch. "Thank you," he says his voice dropping to a husky baritone.

All Diana can do is stare into his blue eyes. Those eyes she has dreamed about for so long. Her gaze drifts down to his lips. Oh she remembers those lips and what they were capable of doing. Their heads draw closer together until their lips are only millimetres apart. She can feel his breath, smell his unique scent. Just one second more...

"Father! Father!"

Kal-El almost jumps back. He had been so caught up in the feel of Diana against his hand, her exotic scent consuming his senses...well he almost lost all sense of reason there and nearly picked her up and threw her on the bed. One second more and he would have but his daughter's shouts have ended that. He had left her in her own room next door to his. Lana bursts into room shoving the door far too hard and the inevitable happens as she shatters it.

Lana looks in horror at what she has done. She doesn't even know how she did it. She then looks at her father and awaits his wrath.

Kal-El lets out a sigh. He isn't mad at her really. She doesn't know her own strength. He moves over and bends down. "Lana," he says to get her attentions.

"Father...I apologise. I don't know how I did that but I never meant to," she explains very upset.

Kal-El strokes her hair. "It's alright.," he reassures her. "I should have told you. On this planet you and I are much stronger Lana and you will have to be gentle when you handle objects and people. Can you do that? Be gentle? Be more careful?"

Lana nods her head. "Yes father. I shall be more careful."

Kal-El gives her a kiss on the forehead. "Good girl." He stands back up and turns to face Diana. "I apologise for the door. She is not use to how much stronger she is on this world."

"It is fine," Diana tells him having only been able to watch Kal talk with his daughter in his natural language and not know what was being said. It is fine. She is not upset or angry. After all when she was little she destroyed a lot of stuff before she understood just how strong she was. Moving on and with the mood broken she better get on and see her mother. "I have some duties to attend to so I must ask you not to leave the private quarters area until I return."

"I understand," Kal-El assures her. Until recently he knew all about having duties to tend to.

Diana nods her head. "I hopefully won't be long." With that said Diana heads out of the room but on her way past she gives Lana a reassuring touch to her cheek to tell her that Diana is not mad at her.

Lana watches Diana leave before she looks up at her father. "I like her father."

Kal-El looks down at his daughter with a large smile. "I like her too."

Diana exits the portal on Themyscira and heads to the palace to find her mother. She is crossing the courtyard when she hears a familiar cry.

"Diana!"

Diana stops to see her sister coming towards her.

"Diana? What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" Donna asks at the surprise sight of her sister several hours too early.

Where does Diana even begin. "Yes Donna everything is alright..mostly. I mean it was just a normal day. Meetings, the odd supervillain, annoying Wally. Then he shows up out of the blue with a daughter I might add and I don't know what to say or feel or anything except that he still makes my heart race and my body heat up and if Lana hadn't interrupted us I would probably have thrown down on that bed and we would be making love and..."

Donna cuts Diana off with wild gestures of her hands. Her sister is actually babbling and Donna isn't quite following what Diana is on about. "Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Hold up there. Slow down and start again. Now who showed up out of the blue?"

Diana looks at her sister strangely. Didn't she say already. "Kal."

Donna's eyes widen as Diana's babble now makes sense. "He's back?!"

"Yes."

"On Earth."

"Yes."

"And he has a daughter?"

"Yes."

"Right and what was that about you almost throwing him down on a bed?"

Diana can see that annoying grin Donna is about to form. The one that says tell me everything in explicit detail because I'm nosy. "Donna not now!" Diana tells her off.

Donna is very disappointed. She wanted details. "Oh alright but what is he doing back?"

Diana tells her and Donna listens carefully.

"He's been exiled and he wants asylum here, on Earth?" she asks wanting clarification.

"Yes."

"Did you tell him?"

"No not yet."

"Diana," Donna admonishes. "He is the father. You have to tell him."

"I know Donna!" she says in a little outburst. "Alright I know but the right moment just hasn't come along yet and I need to see mother first."

"What for?"

"To ask her to grant Kal protection so he can stay at the embassy," Diana explains very matter of factly.

"Right. I see. One question though. Are you nuts?! Mother will have a stroke when she finds out he is back. Do you remember what she threatened to do to him if he ever came back when she found out you were pregnant?"

Of course Diana does but her mother was just in shock and was lashing out. Diana is sure her mother didn't mean what she threatened to do. Well at least most of it. Some of it Diana was certain wasn't even physically possible.

"Mama!"

Diana's head turns round to see Kai run at her and away from his minders. He leaps into the air and Diana has to catch him at head height before she pulls him into a hug. "Kai," she says with all the love she has for him.

Kai looks at his mother from her arms. "Why are you back early Mama?" he asks.

"I need to see your grandmother about something," Diana tells him. "Now before I go do that have you been good?"

"Yes Mama," Kai assures her. He even has his absolutely innocent, wouldn't hurt a fly look to back that assertion up.

Diana can't help but sigh. Kai is just far too adorable for his own good. Just like his father.

"What!" Hippolyta exclaims quite loudly actually upon hearing the news that Diana has brought her. She was merely sitting at her desk doing some work when Diana arrived.

Diana winches slightly at her mother's reaction. "Mother. Please remain calm," she pleads of Hippolyta.

"Where is he?!" Hippolyta demands to know.

"Now Mother please before you overreact..."

Hippolyta fixes her daughter a glare of disbelief. Overreact! How can she overreact when that man who managed to do what Hippolyta thought impossible, that being getting Diana pregnant, how can she possibly overreact. There is no way to overreact in response to that man who seduced her beloved daughter so he could lure her into bed, impregnate her with his seed and then conveniently fly off into the universe never to be heard from again. "Where is he Diana?" Hippolyta repeats with the seriousness necessary to inform that Diana refusing to answer is not an option.

Diana's stance hardens. "No mother I am not telling you until you swear not to harm him."

"Diana he violated you!" Hippolyta accuses.

"Oh he did no such thing Mother. We made love. How many times do I have to say that? Besides you don't hold what you believe happened against Kai."

"He is an innocent child Diana. Even my heart is not so hardened that I would hate my own grandson but Kai's father is another issue completely."

Diana lets out a sigh of annoyance. 5 damn years she has been having this argument with her mother and she is tired of it. "Mother for the last time Kal did not seduce me for the purpose of getting me pregnant. We fell in love and I allowed him...ALLOWED HIM," she feels it necessary to repeat and emphasise that, "to make love to me and for Hera's sake don't make me repeat the fact I would be dead if not for him."

Hippolyta sits in silence as she contemplates that. Diana continues. "Now I will tell you where he is. I will tell you anything you want to know once you swear you will not harm him."

Hippolyta looks up at her daughter and can she her face set in that stubborn expression that says that this is her final position. Take it or leave it.

Hippolyta closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose. She can feel a headache coming on. She looks up once more, lets out a sigh and replies "Very well. I swear I won't harm him."

Diana nods in acknowledgement. "Good. In that case he is at the embassy."

"Oh Diana," Hippolyta begins to say disapprovingly but is cut off by Diana raising her hand signalling her mother to stop.

"I wasn't done. He is at the embassy and so is his daughter."

Yep Hippolyta can definitely say she has that headache now.

"And I want to you to grant them the protection of Themyscira," Diana adds as an encore.

Did Hippolyta say headache? She meant migraine. She signals at the chair across from her. "Diana please sit and tell me the whole story," she requests of her daughter. She deserves at least that before she makes whatever decision she is about to make.

Diana sits herself down and tells her mother about her being called up to the Watchtower to find Kal there with his daughter and him explaining his exile and his request for asylum on Earth. "It would just be temporary protection," Diana tells her mother. "Until the League decide what we do."

"Diana if the other governments find out about this they will not be pleased."

"I know that but what are they going to do. I mean Kal is invulnerable. I doubt an entire army could succeed in capturing him let alone hold him anywhere. If it helps I will take personal responsibility for him."

"Diana that may help me in an official capacity but as your mother...if he does anything then you will face the punishment for his actions."

"I am aware of that mother but he won't do anything. I know him. Who he is deep inside. He may have been a soldier but in reality it was the last thing he ever wanted to be. Besides he is homeless now on a planet of strangers. Why would he do anything?"

Hippolyta can't answer that as she doesn't know him. All she has to go on is her daughter's belief in 'Kal'. It is a strong belief to have lasted 5 long years and there is only one explanation for it and that is that Diana is still in love with him. It leaves Hippolyta facing a very difficult choice. Putting her motherly concerns aside what is the right one?

Kal-El sits in the living area at the embassy next to Lana. One of the staff had put on the...television they called it and found some broadcasts designed for children. Having never seen anything like it Lana is obviously engrossed although Kal-El has to wonder how much of it she is understanding since she can't speak more than a few phrases of the language as of yet. Oh well maybe this is a means for her to learn more of it.

Meanwhile Diana and company are returning via the portal to be greeted by her assistant Julia.

"Julia," Diana greets her. "How are they?"

"Fine. Watching television actually which seems odd for two aliens but what do I know. You probably know more about them than me."

A lot more Diana could say but won't. Even Julia did not know all the details of what happened between her and Kal. Julia walks with Diana as they head through the embassy.

"He is gorgeous," Julia just has to say and he is. Diana describing him, seeing the images from 5 years ago is one thing but to be in his presence was something else entirely.

"Yes I suppose," Diana says downplaying it.

As they near the living area Diana leaves her companion with Julia for a moment as she needs to speak to Kal first. She enters the living area to the sight of Kal and his daughter watching the television. She then has a vision of her sitting there two with the addition of a little blue eyed boy and finds that she likes that vision but that can come later. "Kal," she says to get his attention.

Kal-El gets to his feet. "Diana."

"I spoke to my mother about granting you and Lana protection," she informs him.

"You didn't have to do that," he tells her modestly.

"No but for now it would probably be safer."

Kal-El nods in acceptance of her concerns. "Did your mother agree?" he asks her.

"Yes but only until the League reaches a final decision and only on the condition that I take personal responsibility for ensuring your behaviour."

"I understand," Kal-El tells her and he does. He himself has seen similar circumstances to this.

Diana takes a breath. "There is also something else I need to tell you."

Kal-El is caught by Diana's nervous tone. "You can tell me anything," he assures her.

Diana manages a small but nervous smile. "Kai!" she yells. "Come in here please."

Kal-El looks on with some confusion. He had been restraining from using his enhanced abilities out of respect so he wasn't sure who Diana was yelling for. It is then that a small boy enters, holding another woman's hand, looking a little shy. Kal-El blinks repeatedly to make sure he isn't dreaming because the boy...he looks...he looks like the one from the dream Rao had shown him long ago. A dream where Diana and he had a son. The woman brings the boy to Diana who picks him up.

"Kal," Diana begins, "This is my son Kairos. Kai this is Kal-El. He is your father."

Kai cocks his head quizzically. His mother had told him many stories of his father and now here he was apparently. "Is he really my father?" Kai asks his mother.

"Yes he is," she confirms for him. "Say hello Kai," she encourages him.

Kai turns his head to look at the man. "Hello."

Kal-El can feel the corner of his lips start to curve upward. "Hello," he says back. He then moves to pick Lana up. They might as well do the introductions now. He slips into Kryptonian. "Lana. This is your brother," he tells her.

Lana's face screws up with a puzzled frown as she looks from her father to the boy in the woman's arms. Brother? She has never even considered that she had a sibling.

Meanwhile Diana has to explain to Kai who the girl is. "Kai this is your sister."

Now Kai is the one with a puzzled expression. "Sister?" he queries.

"Like how your aunt Donna is my sister," Diana explains to her son.

"Oh," he says. "Hello," he says to Lana.

Lana says nothing back and Kal-El feels the need to explain it. "You'll have to forgive her. She does not speak much of your language yet. "Lana," he says addressing his daughter in Kryptonian. "Say hello to your brother like I taught you."

Lana gives her father one more quick look of puzzlement before she turns her head to look at the boy once more. "Hello," she says formally.

Greetings over the two children are placed next to each other on the couch while their parents step out of the room so explanations can be given.

"I know I should have told you sooner," Diana says apologetically. "I just didn't know how."

How is a very good question Kal-El thinks to himself. How did this happen?

Diana continues. "A few weeks after you left I started feeling ill, particularly in the mornings."

Kal-El looks at her with no clue what she means. Diana picks up on it.

"Human women suffer from nausea in the mornings when they are pregnant," she explains to him.

Kal-El is caught up.

"I didn't know how it happened or why it happened. It shouldn't have been possible for me to become pregnant but when I realised I was I accepted it as the miracle it was. I love Kai like no one else in this world."

Kal-El lets out a sigh. "It was Kara."

"What?"

"You becoming pregnant." He shakes his head. "I should have realised it was a possibility. Normally Kryptonians take a contraceptive to prevent unplanned offspring but Kara wanted a child so she had been sneaking a neutralising agent into my food. By the time she told me weeks had gone by and I was preoccupied with the looming war against my mother and brother so I," and it shames him to admit this, "never even considered that I might have gotten you pregnant and for that I apologise Diana."

"I believe you and I understand but that is not what I meant."

Kal-El looks at her with renewed confusion.

"I was not born. I was brought to life by the Gods. Before then I was merely a lump of clay. I do not undergo the reproductive cycles that human women do. That is why I consider Kai a miracle because as far as I know he is impossible."

Kal-El does not know what to say in response to that. His knowledge of human reproduction is limited so he cannot provide an explanation to Diana but does it really matter? He has a son. That is all that matters. He turns to look back inside the room at his now 2 children sitting watching the broadcasts. "What is he like?" he asks Diana.

Diana lets out a breath. "He is a wonder yet at he has moments where he can be mischievous. He is still in trouble for the last time he decided to do that. He is generally good and well-behaved though."

Kal-El looks at Diana. "Can he...does he have my abilities?"

"He is strong and fast but he may have gotten them from me. I have seen no evidence of the other abilities I have seen you demonstrate. We tried to analyse his genetic code but to be truthful we had no idea where to even begin to understand the half he inherited from you. We don't even understand entirely how mine works so Kai is a bit of a mystery but he is healthy and happy."

Kal-El is pleased that his son is healthy. Mixing the codes of two different species can be a little bit unpredictable. The other Kryptonian abilities may emerge later when the boy is older. He runs his hand through his hair. This is a lot to absorb. "We really need to talk don't we."

Diana manages a small smile. "Yes. About many things."

Before either of them can start they are interrupted by the sound of laughing from the two children. Kal-El and Diana re-enter the room to see Lana and Kai almost in hysterics.

"I don't think Lana understands what they are saying."

"Sometimes you don't need to," Diana tells him. Especially since they are watching one of those classic Wily E. Coyote and Roadrunner cartoons where there is no talking. Humour, Diana thinks, is one of those universal constants.

That night Kal-El watches as Diana tucks his son into bed. His son. He can still barely believe it. Oh he may be a father to a daughter but it is being bonded to Diana he has long dreamed of. Having children with Diana that has been that fondest wish he dare not whisper out-loud because he never knew if they would ever be reunited.

Diana kisses the boy on the head before she turns round to find Kal-El standing there. "How's Lana?" she asks since Kal was placing her in bed last time Diana saw him.

"Asleep," he tells her.

Diana starts to walk towards him. "Good. That is good." She steps outside the room and closes the door leaving her and Kal standing alone in the corridor. With having two children around there had been no time for them to talk but now that there are alone and he is so close...she bites her lower lip. Those feelings, those long buried feelings that have been in hibernation for 5 years are wide awake and trying to break out.

"I just remembered. I have something for you," Kal says suddenly and in the blink of an eye he is gone and the next second he is back with something in his hand.

"My sword!" Diana says in delight. Well her mother's sword technically and had Diana heard all about how disappointed her mother was in her at losing it.

Kal-El smiles sheepishly. "After I left I found it in my quarters," he explains as she holds it out for her.

Diana takes it in her hand. It was a truly magnificence piece of workmanship even by Hephaestus' standards with its perfect balance allowing the handler to perform a wide range of techniques. "Thank you," she tells him. She looks up in his eyes, those slightly duller eyes as he smiles a smile that doesn't quite show his dimples. What had happened to him?

"War is harsh," he says as if he is reading her mind. "And I had to commit many terrible acts. It weighs down your soul."

Diana has to try and comfort him so she reaches up and places her hand on his cheek. "It's alright," she assures him.

"Is it?" he asks rhetorically. "I killed her you know."

"Killed who?"

"Kara. In cold blood. Her and all her troops."

Diana is shocked. "Why?"

"Because I had to. Because there was no other way. Kara and all those that followed her had no place in the New Krypton so I removed them. It is as simple as that." Kal-El can see that he has shocked Diana. "I have no doubt of the price I will pay for my crimes Diana and I will accept my fate when it comes."

Diana stares at him trying to get a reading on him.

"Well I believe I shall retire too. It is probably best we discuss matters like this when we are rested. Goodnight Diana."

Diana then simply watches Kal turn around and head to his room.

Later Kal lies in his bed thinking. She had to know. She had to know what he had done. What kind of man he had become. She deserves that much and much more. She is still as pure and untainted as he remembered her whereas he had let blackness taint his soul. He can't ask her to restart their relationship so instead he will simply tell her what he has done and leave the choice up to her.

His musings are interrupted by the sound of the door opening. The new door that was fitted after Lana broke the other one. Before he gets a chance to look and see who it is a body slips under the sheets next to him. A female one. He rolls over. "Diana?"

Diana presses her lips to his. She had been lying in bed, unable to sleep, as she thought over Kal's revelation that he killed Kara. Now Kara was not Diana's favourite person by a long way and after what she did to Lois all those years ago Diana would not have shed a tear had Kara been executed back then but it was just the cold starkness with which Kal said he killed her that shocked her. She laid in bed and thought and thought until she realised that she had to make a decision about whether what Kal said changed her feelings about him. Since she is here kissing him in the way she had dreamed about for years you can take her answer as no.

"Diana...mmm....wait...mmm...stop." Diana breaks off the kiss and Kal can see her passion filled blue eyes glaring at him in the dark. "What are you doing?" he asks with a strange naivety.

Diana smiles and runs her hand through his hair. She leans forward and brings her mouth to his ear and whispers "I forgive you."

"You don't even know what I've done."

"We all do questionable things. Myself included but in the end what matters is that I know you. I know what kind of man you are. I know that you feel guilt and remorse deep inside even if you don't express it and you know what else I know?"

"No."

"I know that I still love you as much as I did the day you left." Diana pulls back and she can see tears have actually formed in Kal's eyes.

"I love you too."

Then in the next moment he has grabbed her with that forceful strength she secretly fantasises that someone would use on her, rolls her under him and starts kissing her with hunger and passion. Gods has she missed this and just like her dream this morning his lips move to caress her neck. "Oh Kal!" she lets out in a breathy moan.

Kal-El has to stop for a minute. He has been wishing to hear Diana's voice like this for so long. He has been wishing to hold her against him. To feel her skin against his. He is already painfully aroused.

Diana reaches round to the back so she can caress the nape of Kal's neck. She has not forgotten how sensitive he is there. In response he closes his eyes, he whole body shudders and he lets out a moan which makes Diana smile. When he reopens them she can see his eyes clearly glowing in the darkened room. A clear sign of his arousal.

Kal-El kisses Diana with all the passion he can summon. For 5 long years he has denied himself the touch of any other woman and he is determined to make up for it. He resumes his exploration of Diana's body down her neck and chest. He can remember perfectly each and everyone of Diana's most sensitive areas. He moves onto her breasts and captures one of her nipples between his lips.

Diana tangles her fingers in his hair. Oh Gods! She had almost forgotten what it felt like to have Kal work his magic on her. She can feel the warmth start to spread through her body. She can hear herself begin to whimper and moan at the wondrous torture.

Kal-El takes a moment to move down to her stomach. He feathers kisses over the place he knew had once held his son. To the untrained eye Diana may not appear any different. Her stomach was certainly as flat and toned as he remembered but as his hands move to her hips he is certain they possess just that little extra bit of curviness. His hands move towards her core. Diana lets out a gasp as his fingers delve inside and slowly, deliberately, meticulous massage that most sensitive of areas.

Diana squeezes her eyes shut as Kal strokes her, bringing her closer and closer until the sight of lights exploding behind her eyes finally greets her as she cries out in delight as her climax hits her. Kal moves to lightly kiss her neck and her face and finally her mouth as she lies boneless in the afterglow. It was all she remembered and more but it is still missing the final encore.

Finding her strength she rolls Kal over onto his back and straddles him. She places her hands on his muscular chest and revels for a moment in the strength she feels under her fingers. She brings her head down and kisses Kal in the same way he had kissed her earlier; with all the passion she can muster. Not wanting to waste time she straightens up and is soon sliding down as she takes Kal within her. Both of them moaning in bliss at a feeling both have missed for so long.

Diana begins to move and she can feels Kal's hands slowly trail their way over her abdomen in the way she knew from before yet it still affects her like it is the first time.

Kal-El watches Diana move above him. Move with grace and poise that was beyond his ability to ascribe words to. It is all he can do not to succumb to the release his body so desperately wants but he won't allow it until Diana has reached hers. He meets each of her thrusts with ones of his own and fire pours through his veins.

Time passes and the bed creaks worryingly under the strain but Kal and Diana are so caught up in each other that neither notice it. She can feel it building within her as intense as she can ever remember it being. That fire inside her that begs to be let out and she knows Kal feels it too. Then without warning it strikes and suddenly she can no longer fight gravity as she is consumed by the inferno within. She falls down and kisses Kal so her scream of ecstasy is muffled. No need to wake the children up and try to explain this.

As Diana kisses her cry into his mouth Kal-El is crying his into hers. He had let go at virtually the same moment as Diana and it was just as intense and overwhelming as he remembered it as the fire flows through his veins as he empties himself into Diana in as a long and intense climax as he can ever remember experiencing. It was a good thing Diana kissed him or he is certain his cries would have woken up everyone in the building. The burning sensation in his veins finally fades and he feels Diana collapse on top on him. Kal-El wraps his arms around her and holds her fiercely, protectively. "I love you Diana."

"I love you too Kal." Diana then takes another moment to let her body come down off its high. She can feel him gently stroke her back in the afterglow. She can remember him doing that back on his ship all those years ago too and it brings forth a smile to her face. Diana catches her breath. "What happened to you after you left?" she asks him.

Kal-El tells her. He tells her everything as they lie there in the dark upon a bed whose legs have broken yet neither of them have really noticed. Diana simply lies next to Kal and listens. Not judging. Just listening.

Eventually Diana falls asleep. Kal-El stays awake and tries to work out how he feels. His heart feels lighter he realises. Somehow telling Diana has lessen his burden. Not completely. There are so many things that weigh on him. So much he feels guilt for having to do and he probably always will but if Diana is still willing to remain with him then he can find a way to live with it.

Having a sudden urge he gets up and heads for the balcony that his room has. He looks out at the city around him. One so different to the cities he knows on Krypton yet with all the lights twinkling in the darkness Kal-El will admit it has its own certain beauty. He turns to look at Diana half-covered by a sheet and a sudden feeling of deja-vu hits him. Once Rao had shown him a dream of a possible future and in it he stood on a balcony on Kandor and Diana lay in a bed looking exactly as she does now.

"The scenery may change Kal-El but the story remains the same."

Kal-El turns his head to the side and standing there is what may look like his father but he knows is not. "Rao?"

The man smiles. "Is it not just as I showed you."

Kal-El frowns slightly. "I don't remember having a daughter in that dream," Kal-El points out.

"Ah yes. The daughter. As I told you Kal-El what I showed you was a possible future. You must allow room for variation to account for free will. All beings possess it. You. Diana. Kara. She altered events in a way I did not foresee but are you saying you are unhappy at Lana's existence. Do you wish that she never was?"

Kal-El shakes his head. "No," he says vigorously. "I love her."

"Then what are you complaining about?"

"Nothing I suppose."

"Well now I must go." Rao starts to walk away.

"Wait," Kal-El stops him. "What about Krypton?" he asks Rao. "You showed me a vision of its destruction," he reminds his deity.

"Oh yes. So I did but the architect of that was slain by your hands Kal-El."

"Lor," Kal-El says sadly at who Rao is referring to.

Rao places his hand on Kal-El's shoulder. "I have asked much of you. Perhaps too much but Krypton's redemption could only come through you and thanks to you Krypton is moving back to the path of peace and to the exploration and gathering of knowledge and wisdom. It will not be restored in a day but thanks to you Kal-El Krypton and the Kryptonian race will be reborn."

Kal-El was glad of that but sad at the same time. "Will I ever see Krypton again? Will my children ever walk upon its surface and see its wonders?"

"They may do. The future is never set in stone Kal-El. The journey I asked you to go is at an end. It is time for you to start your own and if that journey leads you back to Krypton that choice is yours and yours alone." Rao turns to leave but stops before he does. "Oh one more thing Kal-El. Your cousin is at peace." Rao leaves but does not vanish instantly. Instead he soars up into the night sky until he fades from even Kal-El's vision.

Kal-El looks at the direction where Rao flew for a few minutes. At least Kara is at peace. He is glad of that but where does that leave him. What is his 'journey' now? Apart from returning to Earth he had really no idea what he would do with his life. As he told Diana he came here because he had nowhere else to go.

Well maybe he should try to rest and think in the morning when his mind is fresher. He returns to the bed and slips under the sheets next to Diana. As he wraps his arms her she responds by cuddling into him. He shuts his eyes and allows his mind to fall into sleep. As he does so he dreams. He dreams of himself helping others, of saving the people of this world from those that would threaten them. He sees himself soaring through the sky. He sees himself dressed not in the black uniform of the military but in a suit of red and blue with his family shield on his chest resplendent in red and gold and as he flies he sees a crimson red cape fluttering behind.

The End.

Author's Note: Well this chapter ended up being much longer than I expected but it included everything I wanted to add. A very big thank you to all those who wrote reviews and to everyone else thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it.