Secret Admirer
Part Two
"Why do I get the feeling you are only here to see what my secret admirer brought me this time?"
Donna dropped herself onto the comfy sofa in Diana's office. As usual, Diana was working at her desk adding the finishing touches to her speech for the Embassy's charity dinner. "Because you are gifted with Athena's wisdom."
"And I am your sister. I know you very well."
"Can you blame me?" Donna sifted through the magazines on the end table. Not one Cosmopolitan or Vanity Fair. "This secret admirer is romantic. I want to see what he will give you to make up for the bra and panties, and I want to see if he will do the impossible."
"The impossible?"
"Melt that cold heart of yours."
Diana crumpled a sheet a paper and was ready to throw it at her sister when Ana burst into the room baring gifts from Diana's admirer. "Oh, I can't wait to see what he got you this time!" Ana was nearly jumping up and down in excitement with another bouquet of flowers; roses this time and another red box. "This is so exciting." Ana gushed. "Aren't you excited¸ Princess?"
"Cautious and curious would be the correct words to describe my feelings." Diana pluck a card from the red box. "Princess, hours of searching and molding this gift for you is worth the smile on your beautiful face."
Intrigued, Diana opened the box. Her eyes widened, stunned. Donna's mouth dropped. Ana squealed with joy.
It was a diamond necklace.
"Oh, Princess, it's beautiful," Ana marveled at the third gift sent to Diana from her secret admirer. Upon closer inspection of the diamonds, Ana noticed the silver lettering of Για την πολύτιμη Diana μου between each diamond. "What are those? A symbol with your name?"
Diana noticed it immediately and a lump formed in her throat. The anger she had at her admirer yesterday for the last gift melted away to a tingle of excitement and wonder about this man. "It's Themysciran. It says 'For my precious Diana.'"
Donna smiled. Seem her sister can be moved emotionally after all.
"Wow," Ana was awed. "He made another gift for you. He must care for you a lot and he certainly made up for the last gift. You are going to meet him, right?"
Diana studied the necklace in her hands, the silver Themysciran letters winking at her. Diana had no use for jewelry unless it could be used as a weapon but she had to admit this was nice. She could wear it at the upcoming Embassy dinner. "I think I will."
"So, you've decided to forgive him?"
The question came from Clark as he and Diana had dinner together in the Watchtower's cafeteria. His shift was ending and hers were beginning in half an hour so Clark suggested they grabbed a bite to each before he departed the Watchtower. It was there Diana showed Clark the third gift. Clark was her best friend and Diana wanted his opinion on the matter. What he had to say meant a lot to her and even though Clark wasn't drawn to her romantically, Diana knew Clark would give the best advice on the matter.
Clark studied the jeweled necklace in his hands. "What are these words?" Clark asked of the silver letters between the diamonds.
"It's Themysciran: 'For my precious Diana.'" Diana's shoulders slumped disappointed Clark didn't notice the Themysciran translation. He knew how to speak several languages but he didn't know Themysciran? Strange, she thought he did. Why learn so many languages and not her own? It was insulting.
If I had any doubts before, I don't now. Kal isn't my admirer.
"He has money that's for sure," Clark placed the necklace back in its box and handed it back to Diana.
"It's more than him having money," Diana defended her admirer. "He mined these diamonds and handmade this necklace for me, carving out the words of my home country. I think he cares for me deeply and genuinely wants to impress me."
"And he thought he was doing that with the bra and panties?" Clark asked skeptically.
Diana flushed as she recalled her reaction to the gift. "I think I jumped to anger too soon on that. I believe there was practical meaning behind the gift."
"I hope so otherwise he will be slapped into next week by you," he joked. I wonder how she will react knowing it was from me? If she hits me, I'm mentioning Kara, too. "How are your feelings for this admirer?"
"I am moved by his kind words and gifts. Still, I'm hesitant to embrace my feelings."
Clark's curious eyes bore into hers. "Why?"
Diana wondered if Clark's eyes could look into hers and see her true feelings. I don't want to be let down again. "I don't think it's wise to be completely enraptured by a man I haven't seen because he gives me thoughtful gifts."
"Athena's wisdom at work again. Good point. You're using your head."
"Don't I always," Diana whispered.
It was very low and if it weren't for his ears, Clark wouldn't have heard it. "What does that mean?"
"Donna has told me I think with my head too much and not my heart. She says I need to embrace things without the consequences."
"Like with this admirer?" Clark guessed.
"Yes."
Clark covered his hand over Diana's. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. I'm sure your admirer wouldn't want that."
His touch was always warm and comforting. It always made her feel safe and yet excited. Would her admirer make her feel that way if she held his hand? "And how would you know what my admirer is thinking?"
"I don't," he cleverly lied. "I'm putting myself in his shoes. This admirer obvious likes you for who you are so he wouldn't want you doing anything you don't want to do."
"Do you think I should give this man a chance?" Diana asked. "Donna almost pushing me to meet him. She thinks I need to enjoy myself, be in a relationship. She thinks I lack emotion." She sighed. "In other words, besides work, I don't have a life."
"I wouldn't say you don't have a life. You have a wonderful life. On the romantic side of it, you're being careful. You are a very special woman, Diana, and your heart is very precious. You shouldn't give it to anyone but only to someone who is worthy of you. You deserve happiness, Diana. You deserve to be loved. I only hope this admirer can give you what you deserve."
Diana knew who could make her happy but he only saw her as a friend. As Clark withdrew his hand from hers, Diana thought it was time to see if someone else could make her happy.
The next gift was diamond drop earrings with the same silver lettering in Greek. Αγάπη (Love) was on the right earring and ελπίδα (Hope) was on the right.
"It's part of an outfit!" Donna knew it. "Unless," she grinned wickedly, "he wants you to meet him wearing the necklace, earrings, bra and panties and smelling like the perfume he made for you."
"He's a romantic," Ana was rearranging the fresh pink roses in a vase. "He wouldn't dare ask the Princess to meet him dress like that."
Diana removed the earrings from her ears and carefully placed them back in the box. "Two more days before another gift and we meet."
Donna spotted the smile on Diana's face. "You're loving this!" She was so happy her sister was taking a chance at romance instead of being standoffish with it. "I'm so glad you are acting like a woman and not some robot."
"I never acted like a robot," Diana defended herself. "I'm being cautious. I don't give my heart to just anyone.
"As you shouldn't, Princess," Ana supported her. "I think you know this admirer. He knows the size of your intimate garments. He knows the language of Themyscira. The admirer isn't a random stranger. Perhaps, it's someone in the Justice League like Superman."
"Superman would not send Diana underwear," Donna said, keeping out the real reason she knew Clark wasn't Diana's admirer. "He's too much of a gentleman and boy scout."
Ana wasn't so quick to dismiss Superman. "A gentleman can have a wild side, too. My husband, Don, is the sweetest guy but he can be so naughty at times. It wouldn't surprise me if Superman is the same way."
"Don? Naughty?" Donna met the man a few times and he was a polite gentleman. She couldn't imagine him having a naughty thought. "Your husband? The man you met in the park where he jogged past you and into a tree?"
Ana beamed, "That's the one."
Appearances can be deceiving, Diana thought. But Kal isn't the admirer. There's one way to prove my admirer isn't Kal.
"If you had let me, I could've found out Diana's reaction to the necklace and earrings."
In the Fortress, Kara sat on a table, swinging her legs as Clark sealed his final gift to Diana in a large red box. It even had a big bow on it. Being a conspirator, Kara was privy to the gifts Clark gave Diana. She also knew of his plans for when he revealed himself to Diana.
"Don't need to, Kara. I know Diana loved it."
"Why? Did you ask her?" Kara watched her cousin write a final note to Diana on a blank sheet of paper and handed it to Kara for her to write on the card Diana will soon read. "Or were you spying on her when she opened the box?"
"I know Diana."
You know her so much you are being her secret admirer instead of telling Diana how you feel. Right. "I wonder how Diana will react when she finds out you are her admirer."
"Shock?" Clark guessed. "But happy."
Kara was certain Diana's reaction will be a little more dramatic and she wanted to see it. "Can I come? I only want to see Diana's reaction and I'll leave you two alone."
Clark knew Kara long enough to know she would not leave him and Diana alone. "No, you won't. You'll find some way to stay and tease us, especially me. I'm sure you have some story babysitting me on Krypton where I crawled around naked that you've been waiting to tell Diana." He handed Kara the box. "Just deliver the box and flowers. Please."
Kara teasingly saluted Clark. "Aye, aye, Captain."
Kara patiently sat in the cab with the box on her lap and the flowers to her side. She was a little sad. This was her last day delivering gifts to Diana. When Clark got back from his space trip, he wanted to take over and deliver the gifts but Kara wanted to keep at it. It was fun playing the role of the secret admirer and it was so easy anyway, especially her disguise. She wore six inch stilts, a dark suit, trench coat, a scarf to conceal her face, dark sunglasses and a hat.
The cab dropped Kara in front of the Embassy as he always did. She had him wait for her and went to the Embassy gates to drop the gifts as schedule. But this trip wasn't going according to schedule. As soon as Kara placed the gifts by the gates, a hand reached out and grabbed her right wrist. A hand with a silver bracelet. Kara turned her head, hoping it was Donna. If so, she could trust her to keep the secret and let her go but it wasn't Donna. It was Diana.
Kara immediately thought pulling the hand away and flying away, but that could give away Clark being the admirer. She wanted to kick herself for not being more aware of her surroundings. She thought she would get caught the first three days and was on guard but with each passing day, she lowered it.
Stupid, Kara. Stupid. Stupid!
"Don't be alarmed," Diana said gently. "I only want to talk." She noticed her admirer staring at her lasso. "I won't use it," Diana promised.
So, this was her admirer. Diana wasn't sure what to think now she finally confronted him. He was tall but not too tall. Diana had an inch over him in height. His frame was slim even under the trench coat. With her hand over his wrist she noticed it was small, too, almost feminine. Was her admirer a woman or a very skinny male?
"Are you the one who has been sending me the flowers and gifts?"
What do I do? Crap, it wasn't supposed to happen like this! Kara nodded.
"Thank you for the gifts. They were very thoughtful. Now that we are standing here, you don't have to hide your face. I want to see you. We can go in the Embassy and talk." Diana pulled her admirer's hand to follow but her admirer didn't move. Under her strength, he didn't move? This gave Diana her first clue. Her admirer was stronger than he looked. "Do… do I know you?"
Kara panicked. Like Clark, who can disguise his voice with muscle control, Kara lowered hers to sound like a man. "No, you don't. I'm just a simple man."
"I don't think you are," Diana didn't believe it. "You're strong, stronger than the average human."
"I am not," Kara used her deep voice again.
"When I pulled you to follow? You didn't move. You resisted my strength."
Great going, Kara. "Why do you want to talk now? Why not wait until tomorrow?"
"Why wait when we can talk now?" Diana gently asked. "I know you are someone I know but who is the question I want answered. I… appreciate these gifts but I must confess to have feelings for someone else. Initially, I thought you were he but I was proven wrong. As much as I try to forget him, as much as I am trying to accept he does not see me more than a friend, it's hard but I am willing to try a relationship with you."
She loves Clark. She's tortured by her feelings. Clark better not blow this or I'm gonna kick his butt! "Diana, please don't say anymore. Take the gifts. Answer the request of the letter."
Suspicion suddenly arose in Diana. "You called me Diana. My admirer always called me Princess. You're not him. Who are you?"
Diana reached for Kara's scarf but Kara pushed her hand away and broke Diana's grip on her. "No! Don't ruin this."
"Ruin what?" Diana uncoiled her lasso. If he was the admirer as Diana initially thought, she wouldn't be forced to do this. What if this was some trap? "Who are you?"
Dammit, she's pulling out her lasso. Clark is gonna kill me if Diana busts me. "I'm just the messenger!" Kara put her hands up pleadingly, "Please don't use the lasso on me!"
Diana only tightened her grip on the lasso, "Messenger for who? Ares? Circe?"
Kara edged closer to the cab. She couldn't let Diana get the lasso on her. "No! Someone who loves you! He's crazy about you but he's too stupid to say it and thinks being a secret admirer is a way to romance you! Please, don't put the lasso on me. I'm telling the truth!"
Whoever this person was seem genuinely scared of Diana using the lasso on her. Diana held the lasso in front of the messenger threateningly. "So, this isn't a joke? Or a trap?"
"I swear it's not. I told him to tell you but he won't listen to me."
Diana lowered her lasso. "I believe you but if you are lying, I will find you and make you pay."
Kara didn't answer to that. She dived into the cab and ordered the driver to drive. "I'm never getting on Diana's bad side."
Diana looked at the fleeing cab with the frightened messenger inside. Diana thought of the messenger and the clues she was able to pick up on the admirer. He had money. He had means to travel. He knew Themysciran, which meant he was very knowledgeable. He knew the size of her undergarments which meant he has been around her long enough to guess her size. Looking at the last box, Diana deduced the outfit he wants her to wear when they meet was in there. Again, it goes to him knowing her very well. It wasn't Clark. Diana knew that. This admirer was being very sneaky and…. "Oh, Gods," Diana gasped. "Could my admirer be Bruce?
"I was supposed to get that," Ana said seeing Diana return with the flowers and box.
Donna groaned and slapped her forehead. "Don't tell me you met him before you were supposed to!"
Diana dropped her gifts on her desk. "No. His messenger."
"Messenger?" Donna and Ana said together.
"Yes. My admirer's messenger has been dropping off the gifts the entire time."
"So, we're back at square one in guessing who the admirer is."
"It's not him, Donna," Diana said.
Ana placed the flowers in an empty vase. "You can guess later, Princess. Let's see what he got you."
Diana opened the box and pulled out a red pair of Grecian sandals and a red, floor length dress. The material of the dress was silk and looked her size. It was sure to bring out the curves of her hips and breasts.
While Donna and Ana marveled at the dress, Diana read the card, "Princess, while any color brings out your beauty, I am particularly fond of you in red. Please meet me at the Parthenon in Athens, Greece tomorrow night at eight. There, I will reveal myself."
"Well, at least you know what to wear," Donna joked.
"Yes." Hera, Bruce is a dear friend. Could I really be more with him?
Diana arrived at the bat cave unannounced later that evening. Diana thought she could stay away and wait for tomorrow night but she couldn't. She had to confront him now. Bruce was in the bat cave with Alfred.
As soon as Alfred saw Diana, he turned to leave. Diana assumed it was due to their confrontation earlier. Maybe I should apologize to him. He was only following Bruce's orders.
"What are you doing here?" From his tone, Bruce wasn't happy. "I'm in the middle of something."
"I came to talk about tomorrow night. I know."
Bruce frowned at her. "How do you know? Who told you?"
"Alfred," Diana answered but explained. "Well, not intentionally. I forced it out of him."
"Forced…?" Bruce went from puzzled to annoyed. "Why the hell did you do that? Do I butt in your business?"
For someone who is in love with me, he has a funny way of showing it. "I….actually, yes you do. Why the animosity? It is my right to know. It concerns me."
"Concerns you?" Bruce scowled at her. "Gotham is my city. The Joker is my enemy. Not yours. You may have tangled with him a few times but it doesn't mean you have seniority on dealing with him! I do!"
"Joker?" Now Diana was completely confused. She was also embarrassed because if Bruce had plans against the Joker tomorrow night, it meant he wasn't her admirer. "Then who is?" Diana wondered aloud.
"Who's what?" Bruce growled annoyed.
"I was mistaken. I'm sorry."
"Wait," Bruce stopped Diana from leaving. "If you weren't here about the Joker, then why are you here?"
Diana's face flushed, "Oh, nothing for you to be concerned about." Before Bruce could ask anymore, Diana flew out of the cave.
Bruce shook his head at Diana. "Amazons." Still, Diana's behavior was odd even for her. Bruce went over to the console of his computer and punch in Clark's comlink.
"Superman here."
"Kent, what the hell is wrong with Diana?"
"Hmm, that's strange."
"What's strange?" Kara asked as she entered the kitchen of the Fortress. The counter was filled with a variety of food and dishes. Her cousin was busy prepping the meal he planned for Diana tomorrow night. Krypto was in the kitchen as well, following Clark around, waiting for him to drop a morsel of food on the floor.
Clark turned his head, acknowledging Kara. "Hey, you're in time to test some of the food I'm making for Diana tomorrow night."
Kara picked up a plate. "Well, I'm famished so lay it on me." Clark dropped a spoonful of Briam, an oven baked ratatouille dish, on her plate. "Smells delicious. So, what's strange?"
Clark added a heaping serving of Greek beef and potato stew on pasta. "I was talking to Bruce. He said Diana wanted to talk to him about tomorrow night. She said she knew what he was doing."
Crap, Diana thought her admirer was Bruce. Kara turned her head away from Clark to grab a slice of herbed yogurt cheese bread. "What's Bruce doing?"
"He is stopping Joker from recreating a Valentine's Day massacre."
Kara took a bite of the bread. "Oh."
"Bruce thought Diana found out about it and wanted to help but he got the feeling she was there to talk to him about something else." Kara noticed Clark staring at her. She saw a vein popping from the side of his head and his lips formed a tight light. Kara chewed her bread faster.
"Kara….?" There was an edge to Clark's voice.
"Yeah….?" She said innocently.
"You told me there were no problems delivering the last gift. Did you lie to me?" He warned her, "And before you lie to me now, just know I heard your heart rate jump when I told you Diana wanted to talk to Bruce about tomorrow night and I'm looking through you right now."
Kara saw no use in lying now. Clark would see it. "Diana caught me delivering the last gift. She questioned me but I didn't tell her you were her admirer. I didn't know she would think it's Bruce."
"What?"
Even Krypto jumped back from his master.
"I had no choice!" Kara argued. "Diana threatened to use her lasso on me! I had to assure her it wasn't a joke and this wasn't Ares or Circe's doing. She doesn't think it's you but she wants it to be so badly. I feel sorry for her."
Feeling sorry for Diana and frustrated with her cousin, Kara slapped Clark.
Clark touched his cheek, shocked, "What was that for?"
"For making Diana an emotional wreck. She all but said she's in love with you and thinks you see her only as a friend but she wants to make the relationship work with me… her admirer… argh! You!"
Kara slapped his other cheek.
"Kara!"
"That's for confusing and frustrating me! I told you to tell Diana but no you had to go about it this way." She noticed Clark taking a few steps back. "What?"
"You look like you were going to hit me again. You are a female but you're a Kryptonian."
Kara warned him, "You think that's bad. Imagine what may happen tomorrow night if Diana isn't putty in your hands once you revealed yourself."
For the first time, Clark was nervous about tomorrow night.
Diana stood before the mirror wearing her admirer's gifts. After embarrassing herself yesterday, she decided not to think of who else it could be. It was better to wait and see. She sprayed her body with the perfume she was given, wore the red sandals, the lacy bra and panties, the red dress, diamond earrings and necklace.
A part of her was excited but the rational side in her thought she was crazy to do this.
"You look hot!" Donna cheered her on.
"Thank you."
"Whoever he is, he has great knowledge in knowing what looks good on you. I bet he fantasized about that a lot." Donna reached in Diana's closet for her blue cloak. "He probably pictured you in nothing but bed sheets giving him a come hither look." Donna folded the cloak over her arm. "Do you even know how to make a come hither look?"
Diana snatched the cloak from her sister. "Ha ha," she dryly said as she put the cloak on.
"Are you going to kiss him?" Donna asked eagerly. "Sleep with him?"
"During the first meeting?" Diana scowled at her sister.
"I'm teasing you. I know you're not like that." Donna shook Diana. "Gods, you need to loosen up! I hope this guy can do that for you."
Diana put the hood of the cloak over her head. "I'm leaving now."
Donna embraced her sister. "Good luck and I hope he's a winner."
Diana arrived at the Parthenon exactly at eight. No one was waiting for her but lights were beckoning her inside the temple. She walked up the steps to the temple, making note of the incensed candles lighting her path. She spotted a table was covered with a red cloth laden with food. Greek food.
Diana recognized each dish. Herbed yogurt cheese bread, cucumber and feta cheese salad, Greek squash, Briam, baked lamb with potatoes, Greek beef and potato stew on pasta with chocolate loukoumades and Greek honey cake for dessert and a bottle of wine chilled in an ice bucket.
Diana removed her cloak and laid it on a marbled seat. She leaned over the table looking for a card, thinking her admirer left instructions.
Suddenly, Diana realized she wasn't alone. Standing straight she felt a presence behind her. Her admirer was here. Diana prepared herself to turn around and face him but a familiar voice stopped her.
"I was hoping you would come."
Diana gasped. Her hands fell over her heart as her eyes glistened with tears. She couldn't believe. Was it really him? Slowly, Diana turned to see Clark standing behind her. He stood before Diana holding a bouquet of orchids. His cerulean eyes sparkled. His smile was perfect and as always, he looked so strikingly handsome in his suit. For a moment, Diana lost her voice. "Kal…. it's you."
Clark touched her face with a gentle hand. "You look as beautiful as I imagined you would look."
"You're my admirer. You did all this?" Diana asked in disbelief. "You made the gifts?" She glowered at him. "You sent the bra and panties?"
"That was Kara."
"Kara?" Diana gasped. She was the messenger!
"She wanted to get a gift," Clark explained. "I had no idea it would be bra and panties, but everything else was from me." He smiled proudly. "I'm your secret admirer."
Clark expected Diana to ask more questions; ask about Kara's involvement. Perhaps even hug him, acknowledge her feelings, and hopefully kiss him. What he didn't expect was a punch from Diana that knocked him down the temple's steps.
It happened too quickly for Clark to react. One moment he was standing before Diana and the next he was rolling down the temple steps, getting tangled in his cape. He came to a stop at the bottom of the steps dazed, confused and covered in orchid petals. He sat up and flipped his cape off his face.
Diana floated to the bottom of the steps. She wasn't happy. "You mislead me the whole time!"
Preparing for another punch, Clark put his hands up. "But for good reason, Diana. I didn't want you thinking it was me until today."
"I was racking my brain, trying to figure out who my admirer was. I was angry you sent me bra and panties, touched by the necklace and earring. I almost interrogated Kara in my lasso. I almost embarrassed myself with Bruce, thinking he was my admirer and wondering how I will break it to him I don't feel…" she didn't want to say it. "I was going up and down with my emotions with your touching letters. I…" she stopped as she took note of Clark sitting on the ground with his cape bunched, orchid petals scattered around him on his head, chest and legs and the worried look on his face that feared he blew it.
A tiny smile curved her lips as she started to snicker.
Gods. Donna is right. I do need to loosen up.
Diana crouched before Clark, meeting him at eye level. She flicked a flower petal from his hair. "You." She mused. "You are my secret admirer. You are the one Kara says is crazy about me. You, in your letter, said my caring heart and forgiveness of others inspires you and gives you hope."
"Yes." He reached for her hand and gently kissed it. "I hope you can forgive me for my deception."
Diana's heart fluttered at his touch. "Oh, Kal." Before she could embrace her feelings and him, Diana had to ask, "But your divorce? You said you wouldn't date anyone until it was final."
"Though my marriage was over years ago, I have officially been a single man for twenty hours."
Diana linked her hand with Clark's and kissed it. "Deception forgiven….my love."
Clark caressed one side of Diana's face with his strong hand. "I love you, too, Diana. I've loved you for the longest time."
Diana gazed at Clark, her secret admirer, her love, her man with a rejuvenated heart. He loved her and she loved him. For the first time in years, Diana was finally allowed to do something she always wanted to with Clark. She pulled Clark to her lips for the first of many kisses in their long, passionate, happy life together.
The End