(A/N: I want to take a moment and explain that this story is set between chapter fourteen and fifteen of Last Night. The story will continue after that chapter, but it is important to know this so that if you feel confused about the story itself you really should go back and read Last Night before reading this one. Thanks.)
Justice League the Next Generation
Chapter 1 'A world without Superman'
(Small Ville Kansas: Kent Farm – Hay loft.)
Kal Kent looked at the girl with him. Amber West looked so much like her mother Linda except that she had copper red hair and green eyes. The two of them had been best friends since either could really remember. Amber, her brother Johnny, Their dad Wally, and their mom Linda had been coming to visit his mom every year he could remember. Of course since Johnny and Amber was twins they would barely separate. But this year Johnny was too busy writing his girlfriend Mary to really take any time to spend with Kal or Amber. Of course to Kal this was just fine since he really got to take in how beautiful Amber was.
"What?" Amber asked as she lay across a bale of hay.
"Nothing, I feel kind of stupid." Kal said as he sheepishly smiled and ran his fingers through his hair unconsciously.
"Now I really want to know. Tell me please." Amber pleaded batting her eye lashes and smiling as Kal tried his hardest not to notice.
"I just… I just never realized how pretty you are." Kal answered honestly as he tried to look anywhere but Amber's brilliant green eyes.
Amber blushed for a moment before she got up quicker than Kal had ever seen anyone move before and kissed him gently on the lips before she stepped back and tripped over a bale behind her. She landed with a thud on the old boards of the barn and let out a small laugh.
"Heh… Am I still pretty when I'm clumsy?" She asked trying to play off her embarrassment.
"Yes." Kal said before he could think.
Amber looked at him again and a small happy smile crossed her lips. She felt Kal help her up and looked again into his eyes.
"You're really handsome. I guess I didn't notice it before either. Kind of hard to notice it though when the three of us are trying to sneak out of old man Peterson's field after going cow tipping." She said as a blush covered her cheeks.
"Kal! Amber! Dinner!" Came the voice of Lois Lane-Kent as she called off of the front porch.
"Guess we better get down there." Kal said as he walked toward the latter and slipped. Amber ran faster than she ever had and looked to see Kal floating above the floor. He looked up at her and instead of looking frightened she stared at him in awe. She moved toward him slowly and saw how he simply floated above the ground.
"Wow.." She said as she looked at him.
"You're… You're not afraid?" Kal asked.
"No… That is so COOL! You're just like Superwoman! Except, you know, that you're not a woman obviously." Amber said as she stammered for a second.
"Have you ever seen what this place looks like from the sky?" Kal asked as he looked at her.
"No…" She started to say before she felt him pick her up and they both shot out of the barn door and lifted high into the air.
Amber hugged onto him for dear life afraid to look down or look anywhere else but his neck and chest.
"Don't be scared. I'm not going to drop you." Kal said softly.
"I just… I really don't like heights." Amber answered sheepishly.
Smiling with understanding Kal began lowering the both of them to the ground. Amber looked at him again and this time she looked as though she was really seeing him for the first time. Kal stood there uncertain of what was going to happen before Amber kissed him deeply. For several seconds they stood there in the light of dusk until the both of them heard a forced cough from Kal's mother.
"Like I said… Dinner." Lois said as she watched both teenagers walk toward the porch.
As they passed her Lois smiled slightly. It was nice to see Kal falling in love with someone. She turned around and walked inside to see Wally setting the table with Linda's help.
"You know the both of you don't have to do that." Lois said as she walked toward the large dining room table.
"Nonsense we're staying and eating your food. It's the least we can do. By the way have you seen Johnny?" Wally asked as he looked around.
(Grayson house - Jameston NewYork – One hour from New York City)
Mary Grayson closed the back door of her family's two story victorian style house and walked out into the yard. Johnny had said that he was going to meet her in her back yard and no sooner had she stepped six feet out past the back porch then she saw him quickly leap over the fence and land softly on the grass. Smiling she ran toward him and caught him up in a sering kiss.
"God I missed you." She said as she looked lovingly into his eyes.
"I missed you too Mary. You know if dad knew that I was here instead of back at the Kent Farm he would want pitch a fit." Johnny said as the two walked toward a bench and sat down together.
"Have you thought about it?" Johnny asked.
"I've told mom that I've applied to go to Central City College. She's a little disappointed that I don't want to go to NYU. I think that she wanted to take me shopping while was I was in college. Sort of a mother daughter thing." Mary said as she looked at the way Johnny's face appeared in the light of dusk.
"I'm sure that she could still take you shopping in Central City." Johnny said.
"What's that?" Mary asked.
"What's what?" Johnny asked.
Not more than three seconds after he asked did he hear a soft thud behind him. He turned to see his father standing there dressed in his costume.
"Oh man…" Johnny said.
"Mary." Wally said.
"Hi Mr. West…. Please don't get mad at Johnny I asked to see him. I just miss him." She said as she looked at him.
"I should be mad at both of you. Johnny you ran here from Lois' house. That's stupid! If anyone saw you they would know who you are!" Wally said as he stared down his son.
Within seconds the back door opened to the house and Galatea stood there holding a robe closed and looking at Mary and then at Johnny.
"Wally." She said before she looked at her daughter.
"Mom I can explain." She started before her mother narrowed her eyes at her.
"You could have and might have endangered Johnny and his entire family. Go inside and wait. Your father will be down in a second to tell you exactly what kind of punishment you can expect." Galatea said as she looked at her daughter.
"I'm not a little girl anymore! You can't just punish me!" Mary shouted.
"Excuse me." Galatea said before she grabbed Mary by the wrist and pulled her over her knee.
"You're acting like a little girl so should I go ahead and spank you in front of your boyfriend like you are one, or are you going to go inside and wait?" Galatea asked.
"I'm going…" Mary said in defeat
Galatea let her up and Mary turned to Johnny with an 'I'm sorry' look. She then walked inside of the house and left her mother standing outside with Wally and Johnny.
"Wally do you need me to fly you both back?" Galatea asked.
"No, I brought Johnny's 'running' suit. But if he can borrow your bathroom to change that would help." Wally said.
"Of course." Galatea said before she lead them both into the house.
"third door on the left like always Johnny." Galatea said.
Johnny walked past the room where Mr. Grayson walked into. He stopped to listen for a second.
"That was so stupid Mary! Do you even realize how much danger you may have put Johnny's entire family in? Grounded from T.V. and going anywhere isn't going to cut it this time. You are grounded. You can't go out on any dates with Johnny, no movies, no going out to eat with friends, no where except for school, home, and training on the watchtower. Do you understand?" Dick Grayson asked.
"Daddy that's not fair!" Mary said
Johnny looked in to see Mr. Grayson standing there in a pair of sweat pants and a teeshirt. Mary was attempt to show a little pout and get her father to let her off easy.
"Don't even try it. And Johnny you better go ahead and get changed right now." Dick said as he faced Mary.
Johnny stepped back and ran toward the bathroom. He didn't know how Mr. Grayson did that, but it scared the hell out of him.
(twenty – five minutes later – Wayne Manor)
Bruce answered the phone after the second rang.
"Hello." He barked the answer.
"Hi Bruce." Dick said.
"Dick, how's the family?" Bruce asked.
"Fine, except that Wally's son and my daughter did something stupid." Dick answered.
Bruce rubbed the bridge of his nose and sat down in a chair.
"What the hell did they do?" Bruce asked.
"Mary convinced Johnny to 'run' out and see her. He was at the Kent's farm." Dick said.
"I see. I'll check the net and see if anyone has taken a pitcher of a blurr and posted it. Talk to you later Dick." Bruce said as he stood and began walking toward the cave. He stopped when he heard a soft moan.
Thomas don't be this stupid. Bruce thought as he opened the den to see Kiva Stewart and Thomas on the couch.
"Thomas." Bruce said eveningly.
Thomas sat up and Bruce saw Kiva quickly cover herself.
"Bruce what is the commotion?" Diana asked as she looked at the situation.
"THOMAS!" she roared as she looked at her son.
"I…. I'm really sorry Mr. Wayne!" Kiva stuttered out as she looked at how angry Diana appeared to be.
"Stay there. We're going to call your parents." Bruce said.
Kiva's face suddenly became covered with worry, but Thomas put his arm around her and held her close. Kiva's wings folded in slightly.
"My mom is going to kill me." Kiva said as she sat there.