DISCLAIMERS/NOTES

1. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun.

2. As always, I'll point out this was written over a decade ago, when, here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of Unlimited wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my Wayback Wednesday stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck.

3. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change. However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness.

4. This is, for all intents and purposes, the final instalment of Wayback Wednesdays. Thank you to everyone who's read, reviewed and supported this series over the past two years. I hope you enjoy this last chapter.

THE STORY SO FAR…

Superman/Kal-El
Age (approx): Mid 100s (age slowed)
The Man of Steel continues to protect the Earth from the forces of evil and natural disaster. He is ready at a moment's notice to respond to danger, and keeps connections to the Justice League, though he is no longer an official member.

Batman/Bruce Wayne
Age (approx): N/A
Batman is still the Dark Knight Detective, and doubles his time protecting Gotham and providing strategy for the Justice League. Still happily married to Diana, Bruce is considering temporarily giving up his crime fighting to spend more time with her.

Wonder Woman/Diana Wayne
Age (approx): N/A
The chairwoman of the Justice League, Diana continues to serve as Themysciran ambassador to Man's World. Still happily married to Bruce Wayne, Diana also spends much of her free time with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Emerald Knight/John Stewart
Age (approx): N/A
Still wielding the final power ring, the Guardians' final protector is beginning to regain his Humanity. He thinks more like John Stewart again, and his personality and emotions are returning, when he does not want them the most.

Flash/Wally West
Age (approx): Late 40s
Adapting to the present world, the Fastest Man Alive had rebuilt his life. He has made relationships with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and is once again Keystone's defender. Most importantly of all, he has finally won the heart of Hawkwoman, and they have been married for a few years.

J'onn J'onzz/John Jones Jr.
Age (approx): N/A
Helping Earth finally colonize Mars, the last Green Martian alive settled in his new home, reassuming a Human identity to start his life again. He is the Mars Colony's protector from danger of all types.

Hawkwoman/Shayera West
Age (approx): Late 30s
Aging normally again after having her age regressed, Shayera reassumed her old crime fighting role, determined to make her life work this time. Finally falling for him, she married Wally West, and the two have two children.

PART 1

Superman looked up from his book. It had taken him over five minutes, but he had finally finished it. It was a good read.

He closed it and placed the book on the side table. He looked around him.

Things were finally finished.

He smiled approvingly.

It had taken him ten years… but his work was finally completed.

His thoughts returned to a decade earlier… when the Justice League had faced the White Martians for the second, and last, time. In the battle, Jo… the Emerald Knight… had destroyed the aliens' warship.

And in the process, over half of the Fortress.

It had taken Superman a large amount of time to restore the place. Not clearing away the debris - that had taken a couple of hours. But when he saw how much devastation there was… how much work would have to be done… he began to have ideas.

Instead of rebuild it as it was… totally redesign it. Bring the Fortress into the 22nd century.

It had taken a long time. First, he had to decide what to do. That alone had taken over a year. There was so much he wanted to do… technology he wanted to bring to the complex. Figuring how it would all work together had taken a long time.

And then, there was the actual task of rebuilding it. He was never that much of a techno-expert… he had more knowledge than a Human, of course, but the material he was bringing in… was cutting edge. He had had help, of course, but for the most part, he was learning as he went.

But now… it was finished. The Fortress of Solitude was once again the most sophisticated base of operations on the planet.

Though he would never tell Bruce that…

Superman stood up and went over to the drinks cabinet. He took down a bottle of Mount Dew from the shelf, and opened the top. As he poured himself a glass, he saw his reflection in the mirror on the wall.

He was still relatively young. He was over 100, yes… but he looked no older than his mid-40s. His hair was greying, though only at the sides. He had a few wrinkles… but if he were to live a private life again, he would still have to wear makeup to look older. If Clark Kent would have survived into his 100s, at all…

His attire had changed, also. It had become more Kryptonian… more form fitting. It covered his entire body, only his head free. He had Kryptonian material down his arms and legs… the soft substance which was the fashion of his birth world. The costume was almost entirely black… in honour of both his alien and Earth origins, of which both were lost to him forever. And his chest logo, though back in the original design, was still red and black… in memory of his wife.

But he had not forgotten who he was. He was Clark Kent. Son, husband, friend. His Human life may be gone forever… but he would never forget it. It was what kept him going.

Superman filled his glass, and put the bottle on the table. He lifted the drink, and was about to take a sip, when his alert alarm beeped.

He smiled. He went to the lounge door, and left the room, heading for the Fortress entranceway.

The first of his guests had arrived.

/

"Hi, Clark!"

Superman held the door open, and smiled wide. "Hi Wally, Shayera. How are you?"

The Flash and Hawkwoman, aka Wally and Shayera West, returned the smile. "We're great, thanks," Shayera said. "You?"

"Well, I'm in a pretty good mood at the moment," Superman said. "Please, come in."

He moved away, and the Wests walked into the Fortress. Flash put down his bag from over his shoulder and looked around. "Woo-wee," he said. "I haven't been here in awhile, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't like this before."

Superman closed the door. "No, the walls are new. Pure gold. I dug it out myself. The hard part was cutting the design into it."

Hawkwoman looked at the flowing design imbedded on the walls. "It's beautiful, Clark," she said. "Are these Kryptonian symbols?"

"Kryptonian, Earth, Martian, Thanagarian, New God… pretty much any race you can think of," Superman said. He picked up Flash's bag, then went upto Hawkwoman. "Please, I'll take that," he said, motioning at her bag.

"No you won't," she said. "I can carry my own bag. And give Wally his. I won't have you acting like a butler around us."

Superman held his hand out. "I don't mind, really…"

"Yeah, come on, hon," Flash said. "It would be impolite to turn down his hospitality…"

Hawkwoman pointed a finger at her husband. "Don't give me that, mister. You're the Fastest Man Alive, but you're also the laziest. You will take your own bag."

Superman kept his hand out. "Shayera. You're my guests. You'll be staying under my roof. I'll put your bags outside your room and you can sort them out later. Now just give me your bag."

Hawkwoman put her hands on her hips. "You'll have to take it from me."

Suddenly, a wind brushed passed her, and when she looked in front of her, Superman was gone.

And so was her bag.

"Just make yourselves at home," Superman called from the other room. "I'll be with you in a moment."

Hawkwoman put her hands back on her hips, as Flash went upto her. "You don't want to say no to the Man of Steel…"

She looked at him.

He went quiet.

Hawkwoman walked towards the lounge, grumbling. "Freakin' Boy Scout, I should stick my mace right up his steel…"

Flash held his head, groaning. "Damage control, Wally, damage control," he muttered. "Maybe for once it'll work…

TO BE CONTINUED