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.

THE STORY SO FAR…

Superman/Clark Kent
Age (approx): Mid 60s (age slowed)
Still the World's Greatest Hero, Superman leads the growing group of heroes in Metropolis, and is trying to deal with his wife Lois, who has retired from reporting, but is not happy about it.

Batman/Thomas Wayne
Age (approx): 31 (age slowed)
Just as capable as his father, Thomas has kept crime from getting out of control in Gotham for a decade, despite the city's growing drug trading. He has everyone's respect, but still considers himself inferior to his father.

Wonder Woman/Diana Wayne
Age (approx): N/A
Still married to Bruce Wayne, Diana divides her time between serving with the Justice League, and caring for her and Bruce's three youngest children, 13-year-old Jason, and nine-year old twins Dawn, who is blind, and Monica, who is paralysed from the waist down.

Green Lantern/John Stewart
Age (approx): Late 60s (age slowed by power ring)
Returning to his role as Green Lantern of Earth, John Stewart rejoined the Justice League, and is more easy-going than he was before. He remarried Shayera Hol, and the two are thinking of having another child.

J'onn J'onzz/John Jones
Age (approx): N/A
J'onn is still in the Justice League, and is the one member who has never left at any point in its 30-plus year existence. He has been involved with Lucy, a girl in his building, but is unsure whether to tell her of his alien origins.

Superboy/Joel Kent
Age (approx): 27
Though matured over the years, Joel still hopes to impress his father, and takes unnecessary risks.

Batwoman/Grace Wayne
Age (approx): 29 (age slowed)
Bruce and Diana's second daughter continues to patrol the streets of Gotham alongside her brother.

Bruce Wayne
Age (approx): Mid to late 60s
The World's Greatest Detective, the original Batman helps his son Thomas, the current Dark Knight, protect Gotham. He is still married to Diana, but has insisted that they have no more children.

Shayera Stewart
Age (approx): Late 50s
Retired from crimefighting, Shayera consults with her daughter Tarran, Hawkgirl, in her own career. Having remarried John Stewart, Shayera is again happy, and wants another child.

PART 1

Diana watched as Dawn trailed her hand across the page of the book, her fingers going over every bump of brail.

Diana was so proud of her daughter. Born blind, Dawn had coped with the situation amazingly well… better than Diana herself, in fact. Although she was only nine years old, she had mastered brail, and thanks to her father's teachings in self awareness, could move around the world with an ease that some people with sight lacked.

Of course, Diana was also proud of Dawn's twin sister, Monica. Unable to move from the waist down, rather than use it as a handicap, Monica had met her condition with strength and determination. Refusing cybernetic legs, she had studied long and hard to make her mind as sharp as it could be. Like all of their children, she was older than her years.

Diana sighed. It warmed her heart that her children had grown into fine people. Faith, wanting to learn more of her Amazon background, moved to Themyscira, a move Diana herself could do, as her mother Hippolyta had lifted the banishment she had given her all those years ago. But of course, Diana was happy where she was.

Thomas and Grace, of course, were doing fine jobs as protectors of Gotham. Although all of Bruce's enemies had either retired or died, his children still faced dozens of psychotic criminals, and met each of them with as much strength and resolve as their father did, and it made both Diana and Bruce proud.

Clark, deciding crimefighting was not the life for him, had found a new place for himself. With his keen business intellect, he had led Wayne Enterprises through several recessions, and continued to keep the company away from the hands of Derrick Powers.

Dawn and Monica, of course, had special places in Bruce and Diana's hearts. Born with handicaps as a result of Diana's brutal beating by Talia, they had fought their own battles as well as any of their friends or family. They were Diana's little princesses, and she was more proud of them than she could ever say.

And then there was Jason. The black sheep of the family. Diana did not like admitting it, but he did not fit completely well with the group. He was immature. Impulsive. Arrogant. Bruce had given him the Robin identity, hoping it would help him become more sensible, more disciplined. But if anything, it made him worse. And for some reason… he seemed resentful of his siblings. Still, it was just a matter of time before he matured and would start acting sensibly.

Diana leaned back in the coach. She loved her life. She was married to man she loved, they had seven children… and she had wonderful friends. Her life had been like a dream. And her heart was filled with love, of her husband, of her family… of everything.

"Mommy?"

Diana lifted her had from the back of the coach. Dawn was staring ahead of her, in the direction of the wall, her book closed. "Yes, sweetie?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you were OK," Dawn said. "You hadn't said anything for awhile, but I could hear your breathing, so I knew you were still here."

Diana smiled. "I was just thinking."

Dawn tilted her head. "About Daddy again?"

"Why do you say that?"

"You're always thinking of Daddy," she said. "And last night you were screaming his name…"

Diana went red. "Yes, OK, that's enough. Why don't you… carry on with your book?"

"I think I'll go get a Latin one," Dawn said. She then turned her head at the doorway. "Hello, Daddy."

Diana looked at the doorway, and saw Bruce standing there. She smiled. Her daughter knew he was there before she did.

"Hello, Dawn," Bruce said, walking slowly into the room. Diana immediately noticed something was wrong. His shoulders were sunk, and his expression was grim. He used to OFTEN be grim, but he had been happier for so many years… she knew when he was upset. "Why don't you go get your Latin book?" he said.

"OK," Dawn said, getting to her feet. She went over to Bruce, with perfect balance. Every piece of furniture in the house, every pot plant, every table had a set place, and she knew exactly where to walk without bumping into anything. "Bye, Mommy!" she said, waving as she walked.

"Bye, honey, be careful," Diana said. "Go wait for one of your brothers or sisters to meet you there." She knew Dawn did very well despite her blindness, but like any mother, she would not take any chances.

After Dawn had left the room, Diana looked at Bruce. Her face fell, and she sat up. "What is it, darling?" she asked.

Bruce looked at her, a pained expression on his face. "This isn't easy for me to say…" he said, "so I'll just say it."

Diana did not like the sound of that. "OK…"

"Faith is happy with your mother," Bruce said. "She enjoys it on your island."

Diana frowned. "Yes… why?"

Bruce looked down. "I want you to go there with the kids, and stay there."

Diana's eyes widened. "Bruce… what are you saying…?"

Bruce took a deep breath. "I think you should leave."

TO BE CONTINUED