Some time later, Diana looked up to find herself standing in a very familiar place. She should have known she would run here if she were hurting badly enough. She looked down, knowing the grim sight which would greet her.

The headstone read 'Steve Trevor.'

He had died so quickly. They had been married for just over four years before he had fallen victim to the E6 virus. Millions had perished in the time span of only six months. The contagion had been an airborne virulent viral outbreak, far worse than any which man had ever encountered before. It had spread faster than the bubonic plague, and the death toll had been catastrophic, particularly in the large cities like Metropolis, Gotham and Gateway City. Earth's mightiest heroes had done all they could, tracking down and interrogating super villains such as the diabolical Lex Luthor, the villainous Circe and the maniacal Joker.

Alas, it had all been for nought. Scientists around the world were no closer to expounding upon the origin of E6 months later than on the first day of the outbreak. All that was known was that those with metahuman abilities or abnormal genomes, such as mutants and the like, seemed to be immune. Yet, no vaccines generated from immune cells had been successful in creating an adequate antivirus. Instead, most attempts had horrifyingly only caused E6 to mutate into an even more virulent strain, and some countries protested against the continued testing due to the possibility of inadvertently creating a strain which would destroy metahumans and mutants and all others as well.

There had been no pattern. Two people standing on the street would succumb, while the person standing between the two of them would run away unscathed. The one positive out of all of it had been when, during the third month, scientists in Metropolis had been able to determine that the virus was dying out of its own accord. It was as if a massive wave had washed over the entire world, and the population simply had to try to ride it out. E6 had eventually taken its place among the greatest mysteries of the world, even above the Bermuda Triangle and the crash at Roswell.

In the end, the reigning theory around the world had been that the wrath of God had been momentarily unleashed on an unsaved world, a kind of prelude to the catastrophic events which would soon take place during the seven years of The Great Tribulation.

Lois Lane had broken the story for the Daily Planet, and that had been when she had contracted the disease. At least Kal had been there when Lois had passed on to the hereafter. Diana had waited at Steve's bedside for over twelve straight hours, never moving. She hadn't even left when J'onn had called her to join them to investigate a major disturbance. Only when that major disturbance had turned into an all out battle had she finally left his side. When she'd hurried back several hours later, the doctors had told her that Steve had expired less than two minutes after she'd left the hospital. It had seemed as if he hadn't wanted her there to go through his final passing on, wanting to spare her from further heartache even in his physical death.

The loss had broken her. She had sat beside the empty bed for another hour, unwavering. She had only become aware of her surroundings when a gentle hand had grasped her shoulder and Kal's voice had spoken quietly to her.

"Diana. It's time to leave. You can't keep him here, and he can't take you where he's going."

At his words, she had buried her face in her hands. Her tears had only then started to fall. Just streams, though. The Amazon within her wouldn't allow the dam to break yet. She had barely noticed as his strong arms had cradled her and then flown both of them out of the hospital room window.

The next week had passed in a blur for Diana. She had probably cried herself into an exhausted sleep. The memories she now retained were mostly just momentary flashes…


She remembered waking up and feeling a very odd mix of cool breezes and warm air flowing all around her. She had finally turned over to find herself surrounded by beautiful white crystals everywhere. She had sat up, and found herself snugly covered by Kal's red cape, the fantastic S symbol lying along the side of her left hip. The cape had been unbelievably warm, and she'd found that she'd liked having it around her. It had felt so good against her bare skin. After she had taken in her surroundings, she had laid her head back down and went back to sleep, hoping that the emptiness and pain inside her would go away.

Some time later, how much later she had no clue, she had stirred again. She had immediately felt the immensely comforting touch of a hand gently stroking through the long tresses of her hair. She had opened her eyes and reached for him without thinking. She had wrapped her arms around his neck and held him in a grip which would have crushed any other man.

It was then that the floodgates had broken wide open. She had cried so many tears that it had felt as if an ocean had flowed from her eyes. It had seemed as if she would never stop crying, and Kal had held her quietly. She had screamed, cried and yelled from her Amazonian soul, and Kal had held her quietly. She had swung, hit and beat against his chest in rage, and Kal had held her quietly. Exhausted and spent, she had finally begun to drift off into a deep discontent slumber, and Kal had held her quietly.

Some time later, how long she did not remember, Diana had opened her eyes just a little, just enough to see Kal leaning over her, his eyes full of compassion, caring… and love. She had inadvertently snuggled closer to him, hoping for more of his comforting touch. Then, slowly fallen back to sleep.

Her next memory was of Kal leaning over her again, lifting her chin kindly, and gently pouring some sweet smelling hot soup between her lips. The Amazonian within her had wanted to fight back, to tell him that a warrior didn't need to be fed like this, but she'd had no strength, and she had relented. The first day she had only sipped a little, the next day more, and on the third day she had sat up to take the bowl from his hands.

The next time she awoke, it had been morning, as she had noticed the rays of the sun for the first time in days. She had vaguely wondered why she hadn't noticed the sun before. She had sat up in bed, holding Kal's cape against her chest. She had swung her legs over the side of the bed. A twinge of fear had slipped into her chest, but the Amazon had quickly stamped it down. This was the first time she had awakened and Kal hadn't been beside her.

Holding Kal's red cape loosely around her, Diana had padded barefoot through the beautiful fortress of solitude. After a short time, she'd heard his voice in the distance and walked toward it. He'd been in his communications chamber which he'd designed and built, and he had seemed to be finishing a conversation with someone. It had sounded like he was talking with J'onn, and it had sounded grave. She'd appeared in the doorway just as he had been disconnecting and his viewscreen had switched off. She had watched him lower his head.

"Kal?" Diana had called out quietly as she'd padded toward him. "What is it?"

At the sound of her voice, Kal had swung around in his swivel chair instantly. At the sight of her, he had graced her with a bright yet tender smile, only for her. He had been truly, truly happy to see her back up on her feet.

A fleeting thought had crossed Diana's mind. She could see how, if she had not been in mourning, a woman could lose herself within a smile like that, and long to see it again. She had pushed the thought away quickly.

Kal had tried to hide it, but he'd lost his breath at the sight of her. Diana had always been stunningly beautiful, even far more so than she'd ever realized herself, but the sight of her had nearly been beyond description. Her long dark curly hair extending down to her lower back had been slightly mussed, her eyes darkened, and the ample amount of her smooth creamy skin showing had seemed to glisten in the light similar to the crystals around her. She had been holding his cape carelessly about her, just using her left hand to hold it against her chest. The red fabric therefore had fallen to the side just past the juncture of her thighs, leaving her long slim well toned legs completely bare. The rest of the length of the cape had trailed behind her slightly as she walked, almost like one of the royal togas he had sometimes seen her wear. She'd still had the regal walk of a princess, and her stride had been poised and graceful.

However, there had been one quality to Diana which he'd never seen before, and it had made her nearly irresistible. She had been vulnerable. The Amazon's heart and emotions had been wide open, and he had never seen this before. He'd had to physically fight the urge to take her in his arms and hold her forever.

"There's trouble," Kal had managed after a long moment, realizing that he hadn't answered her for a several seconds. "We may have a dire situation before us."

Diana had drawn close to his chair , and there had been a war going on inside of her. Her Amazonian side had told her to maintain control of herself and walk behind his chair, and rest herself against the back of it. However, the woman within her had seemed to have other ideas.

The Amazon told the woman that the actions she had been feeling had been wrong and dishonorable to Steve, that as he'd died, so she had to die. The woman had told the Amazon that Steve would want her to live, and to do that, she'd needed Kal's strength and comfort.

For one of the first times in her life, Diana the woman had decided to take what she needed. With a sleek and regal grace about her, Diana had slipped her body into Kal's lap. She'd rested herself on top of his thigh and laid her shoulder against his chest.

It had taken every ounce of self control that Kal had within him not to react. This walking picture of feminine perfection had just settled her unbelievably gorgeous body against his own, and he had been caught off guard. Kal had quickly said a silent prayer that his… excitement… would not proceed down further. She'd needed comfort at that moment, and he hadn't wanted to dishonor her with the evidence of just how fond of her he truly was.

Diana had immediately thought better of her decision to invade his space. But before she'd been able to move an inch, Kal's other hand had reached down under her knees to lift them over his leg, drawing her body even more securely against him. Diana's heart had smiled, and she'd allowed herself the guilty pleasure of reveling in his warmth.

"Do you need to go?" she had asked him quietly.

Kal had looked up into her eyes with a very grave expression. "Yes, and the world truly needs Wonder Woman as well… right now."

Diana had looked down into his eyes, and in them, she'd found all the strength she would ever need. "Yes, let's go."

That day had seen the return of Wonder Woman, and the beginning of a new chapter of her life…