1999, 17 Years Ago

Her starry green eyes bored holes into all of them.

It seemed to all who watched her that she knew, that she must have known, exactly what had and would unfold into her life, that she knew precisely what was happening everywhere, and how to make the most of her time.

It must have been, for how else would she have known to have herself recorded, to have all of them found, at such a crucial time? How else could she have designed it so intricately, so that everything would work out just in her last waking moments? She knew of the little precious time she had left, for sure. She knew of everything.

Her eyes held them. Mesmerized them. Her family stood behind her, her enemies to the front. She looked back, at all of them, knowing how much she was going to cost them, how her brother and sisters needed her.

Diana and Sarra needed her voice of reason, she knew Lois couldn't handle the insanity without her by her side, she knew Alexander, her only brother, she knew his heart couldn't break any more times. Her child needed her, Eiyan needed her. Her actions would hurt them, they couldn't handle it. She knew. She knew all this, and still couldn't change her mind. Not when she was this close, she couldn't let Alyss down, no matter how badly the rest were hurt.

She faced the cameras. Her haunting eyes won the hearts and minds of the thousands that watched as her life unraveled before the world. Of all those who had hated them, who had sent everything they could to destroy them, they were now the ones held hostage, trapped in their minds by a girl who hadn't the strength to even hold her own child. A strange smile came across her face, fleeting, sad.

"I'm sorry." her voice cracked. She raised the gun.


2009, 10 Years Later, or 7 Years Ago

The opportunity was to good to be true. The theory was impossible. And yet, Clark found himself drawn to it.

New Krypton. A planet where the survivors of his home lived, thriving upon a planet nearly a clone of the one they had left. He was all ready in space, it was only a couple hundred light years away. He knew the Earth needed him, the League needed him. But for once, he wanted something for himself, damn it. He wanted to see his family, he wanted to go. The League would be fine without him.


2013, 3 Years Ago, or 4 Years Later

Clark Kent walked into the Watchtower for the first time in a month. As he strode into the commons, everyone turned to look at him. Most glared. Everyone looked...different. Older. Their faces were lined, their eyes cold, as if they had been through a thousand wars.

"Where have you been?" Diana's voice was shook the room. "Disappear for four years, no call, no nothing. Four years, Kal! Do you know what that's done to us, do you know what that's done to Lois? Hera, where were you?" She was the only one that wasn't wrinkled, but her eyes were changed as well. They were tired, and angry.

"Diana, calm down. I've only been gone a month, on New Krypton, it's amazing, the technology-"

"You've been gone for four years, Kent." His voice cut across the room, stopping all whispers. "And I don't care where you've been. Welcome to WWIII."

"There's no way, I was only-"

"Save it." The Batman resumed typing.

"It was only a month." He whispered to himself. Sickened, he began to draw battle plans.


2016

7 years into WWIII, the Taliban apeared to be winning. People were losing hope, and The Daily Planet was losing business. It also had a war in its own office.

"Lois, how was your weekend?"

"No."

"Do you want some coffee?"

"No."

"Can I do anything for you?"

"Drown in air."

"Can I come over tonight?"

"You can castrate yourself."

Lois was tired of him. At first, she was angry. How dare he leave her, leave them, just when...but now she simply wished he was dead. It'd solve all her problems, and half the wars.

Clark didn't know why she was so angry. Perhaps it was the War, perhaps it was because he hadn't once seen her go out in 3 years. But it didn't matter. She needed him, he was sure of it.

Lois didn't need him. She didn't need anyone. Not again. Never again.