Disclaimer: The characters within are owned by DC Comics and not myself.
Diana Prince squeezed through a crowd of people walking slower than she cared for. She smiled politely as she bumped into one of them before quickening her pace even more as she continued down the sidewalk. She glanced up at one of the buildings above her and smiled whimsically. Once she considered London to be a hideous place, but over time it had grown on her and now she loved every building, street and person.
Diana glanced down at her phone to check the time. She smiled when she saw a text from Bruce Wayne on her screen. She swiped the screen and began to read the message, careful to keep a balance between reading it and watching in front of her so as to not run over anyone.
"Diana, hey.. I was just checking in with you, hoping we can chat sometime, got some plans I'd like to go over with you.
"Call me when you some free time."
"Oh and say hi to Clark for me."
Diana stopped as she read the last line. She furrowed her brow and stared at the screen for a moment. She couldn't understand why Bruce would be asking her to say hello to Clark. She began to type out a response when she heard a voice behind her.
"Excuse me miss.." the voice began and Diana smiled immediately. She turned to see Clark Kent standing a few feet behind her. He walked up to her. "Know any good tourist traps nearby?"
"I do.." Diana replied with a grin as she played along.
"Would you be so kind to point me to one.. you see I'm new here and.." Clark paused to smile.
"Come here." Diana said as she embraced Clark in a hug before pulling back to look at him. "What are you doing in London?"
"Well..oddly enough.. in my travels I've not spent much time here.." Clark replied.
"So you are just sight-seeing?" Diana asked.
"Well that.. and I have a friend that lives here and I very much wanted to pay her a visit." Clark answered. "Although I suppose it was poor manners for me to show up like this.. she may have been busy."
"I'm not busy." Diana replied before the two began to walk in step together continuing her path down the sidewalk. "Oh.. Bruce says for me to tell you 'hi'."
"Ah.. he told you I was coming.." Clark responded. "I never really told him I was coming, funnily enough."
"Well I'm glad you did, I know it's only been a few days since I saw you guys but I miss you all." Diana said. "I guess I'm the odd one out, not living in the U.S."
"Diana.." Clark stopped his steps and turned to her, prompting her to do the same.
"Yes?" Diana responded.
"Is there somewhere we could go and talk?" Clark asked.
"Well I suppose we could go anywhere in the world.." Diana replied with a grin. Clark smiled in response and nodded.
"True." Clark agreed. "But I was referring to nearby."
"Well I was just heading to my place." Diana responded.
"Lead the way." Clark said as the two continued walking.
(****)
"Excuse the mess, I've been kind of busy lately and well.." Diana said as she she pushed open the door to her apartment. Clark walked in behind her and glanced around at the spacious flat. He shrugged a little as it all seemed to be neat and tidy.
"If you consider this a mess, Diana.." Clark said as he followed Diana into her living room.
"Well.. just the same." Diana said with a laugh as she placed her bag down on the table by the hallway entrance. She turned to Clark. "If you like we can go out on the balcony."
"That'd be fine." Clark replied as he followed her to the sliding doors leading out onto a large balcony adorned with plants and a patio set.
"You want a drink?" Diana asked as she gestured to a mini bar in the corner.
"No thanks, I'm flying." Clark joked, prompting a grin from Diana. Clark walked over to the balcony to look out over the street below. Diana walked over to stand next to him.
"Kind of deja vu.." Diana remarked.
"What's that?" Clark asked.
"Just a few days ago, I was coming to visit you." Diana replied. Clark nodded. "So what's on your mind?" Diana asked.
"I was talking to Bruce.." Clark began. He placed his hands on the railing in front of him and took note of the vines growing along the length of it. "It just occurred to me then that.. well..what I mean is that.."
Clark turned to Diana. She was smiling and waiting patiently for him to explain his visit. Suddenly he felt nervous and wondered if it was how she felt when she came to visit him. On the way over he hadn't anticipated nerves coming into play the way they were and he wasn't sure why they were.
"It's just... all my life I've felt kind somewhat of an outsider here in this world.." Clark said with a nod out to the skyline in front of them. Diana nodded in understanding of his words.
"I understand." Diana said.
"That's the thing.." Clark replied. "Until Zod... I always assumed I'd never meet anyone like me.. and then that turned out to be.. well not so good."
"Yeah." Diana agreed.
"But then, I met you.." Clark began. He smiled. "I've only heard bits and pieces of your history but from what I have heard.. it makes me want to get to know you more."
"Kal.." Diana said as she placed her hand on his arm, touched by his admission.
"I think I know exactly what you are saying." Diana stated. "After I left Themyscira.. I've always felt out of place."
Diana walked over to sit down in one of the patio chairs and Clark followed suit to sit across from her. She took a deep breath.
"When I left with Steve.." Diana began.
"Steve.. can you tell em about him?" Clark asked. Diana's eyes shifted from Clark's to the sky for a moment before back to Clark.
"Steve.. wow.. I don't usually talk about him.." Diana replied.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry.. you don't have.." Clark began.
"It's okay, Kal." Diana gently cut him off. "It's just.. Steve was the first man I'd ever met and loved."
"He was a soldier correct.. a spy?" Clark asked.
"Yes.. a very good one." Diana responded, the fondness for the subject clearly evident in her voice. "He taught me more about humanity in the short time I knew him, than anyone else has in all the time since."
"He gave his life to help stop the first World War is that correct?" Clark questioned.
"He did.." Diana said. She felt a fresh tear building in her eye and quickly reached up to wipe it away.
"Diana.. I'm sorry." Clark said sitting up on the edge of his chair.
"It's okay.. it's just after I lost him... it showed me how fragile human life can be.." Diana stated. "I have always been afraid to allow myself to feel like that for anyone else again, for fear of losing them too I suppose."
"It makes sense." Clark said as he sat back again and considered the thought.
"So yeah.. I've just kind of stuck to myself... showing up when I was needed but never getting too attached." Diana explained.
"How do you do that?" Clark asked.
"I don't know, after so long it became natural." Diana replied. "And of course I could never stick around somewhere too long for fear of being recognized or found out.."
"Yeah." Clark nodded as he digested the information.
"I returned her not too long ago.. I suppose at some point I'll have to leave again." Diana said with a hint of sadness in her tone. She rose from her seat to go pour herself a drink. She smiled as Clark rose as well when she did. She wasn't accustomed to someone with those kind of manners in this modern age. She walked over to the bar and began to pour, she turned to Clark. "Are you sure you don't want anything?"
"I suppose a drink wouldn't hurt." Clark replied with a smile. Diana poured him a drink in a glass next to hers and then brought it over to him. She watched as he waited for her to sit before he sat down as well, once again smiling at the gesture.
"Alcohol doesn't effect you.. right?" Diana asked.
"Right." Clark replied. "Though I hardly drink."
"So.." both spoke in unison.
"I'm sorry go ahead." Clark said as both shared a bit of a laugh.
"No you go.." Diana responded.
"Well I was just going to invite you to continue actually." Clark replied before taking a sip of his drink.
"Oh.. well.. not much more to it really." Diana said. "I just understand what you mean when you speak of feeling like an outsider."
"You cannot return to Themyscira?" Clark questioned. Diana shook her head.
"It's forbidden." Diana answered. Clark nodded and understood it was a subject best not to pry on.
"I um... and I hope I'm not being too forward Diana." Clark said as he sat his drink down on a table next to him and sat forward in his chair. "I hope you and I will be friends for a long time.. all things considered we.."
Clark paused. The weight of what he was about to say hit him harder than he had anticipated. He sighed.
"We will outlive everyone we care for." Diana finished for him. Clark nodded.
"Yes." Clark agreed.
"It's true.. I've done it many times over." Diana stated. "It will be different with you Kal."
"Yes.. it will." Clark said as he offered her a smile. She responded in kind. "It's why I flew across the globe I guess."
"What's that?" Diana asked.
"To feel that connection again." Clark answered. Diana tilted her head and considered Clark for a moment. She searched his blue eyes for a moment until she was satisfied with what she found. Sincerity. Authenticity. His words were not hollow like many people she had met in her life. There was something about Clark that reminded her of him. Steve.
"Kal.." Diana searched for her voice, but it was raspier than usual. "This connection.. I feel it to you know.."
"I'm glad." Clark replied with a smile. "Can I confess something to you?"
"Sure." Diana answered.
"Last we spoke.. I told you about a fear of mine..." Clark began.
"I remember." Diana said.
"Another one has always been that I'd end up alone.." Clark confessed. Diana sat forward in her chair now.
"You know.. like we talked about, everyone I love would die.. my mother, Lois.." Clark continued. "Then.. what.. do I start over.. find new people to love, only to lose them too?"
Clark lowered his head to glance down at the ground beneath him. He clasped his hands together and took a deep breath.
"It's just something that is always in the back of my mind, but I try to ignore you know." Clark said. "And now.. meeting you and knowing you have lived that life.."
"It's not easy Kal.." Diana said. "Some days you wanna be mad.. some days it's sadness, but mostly you find a purpose.. something to keep you going and you cling to that... I think that's true of anyone no matter what their mortality may be."
Clark smiled at her words and nodded.
"Thanks Diana." Clark said. "Like I said.. I hope we can always be friends."
"We will.. I'm sure." Diana said returning his smile. Clark stood up from his chair and glanced out at the sky in the distance. He turned back to Diana who had stood up as well.
"I should probably be heading back.." Clark said.
"Are you sure.. it's almost time for dinner and I know a great place around the corner.. my treat." Diana suggested. "Plus there is a lot more I'd like to know about you."
"Well.. it would be rude of me to turn down an offer like that." Clark replied with a grin.
"It would.. and if there is anything I'm learning about you Clark Kent.. is that your manners are impeccable." Diana praised.
"Thank you." Clark responded. The two began to head inside when a sound of a siren went off in the distance. Clark stopped and turned to listen, with Diana doing the same. They both looked at each other and nodded.
"What do you say?" Diana asked nodding in the direction of the siren.
"I'm here to help." Clark replied as he followed her leaping off of the balcony to the rescue.