AN: Thanks for the reviews!

The Bounty Hunter

Part Nine

Hal and Shayera were the first to return to the Javelin. Hal placed Kal's ship in a Freight Loading Room and took his seat in the pilot seat. As soon as J'onn, Lobo and Maxima returned with Diana, they were making an immediate exit from Apokolips.

Shayera leaned on the back of her seat waiting. "I wonder about Diana's mental state. Anything could've happened to her on Apokolips. She's been here for three days."

That was true. Darkseid could've tortured and forced himself on Diana in all this time but J'onn didn't indicate that. "I'm worried, too, but J'onn said Diana is fine."

"And don't you find that odd?" Shayera asked. "Darkseid wanted Diana as his bride. She was here for three days. That sick monster would've started immediate brainwashing on Diana and raped her."

"It takes more than three days to crack Diana." Hal was confident in Diana's ability to resist mind control. "Diana would not let Darkseid touch her. She would fight him with everything she had and if she couldn't defeat him, it wouldn't surprise me if Diana would rather kill herself than let Darkseid touch her. J'onn, Lobo and Maxima rescued Diana in time."

"I hope so. I only wish I had a chance to have a crack at Darkseid and a second shot at that bounty hunter he hired." That was only Shayera's regret about this mission. She missed the big fight.

"Me, too," Hal agreed. "I wonder if that Kal guy was there. J'onn told Lobo Kal won't get what he wanted from Darkseid whatever that is."

"Who cares about him?" Shayera certainly didn't. "Whatever Darkseid did to him he deserves it."

The Javelin mildly shook as a boom tube opened. Shayera steadied herself from falling. Hal turned his head, expecting Diana's entrance. J'onn stepped out first followed by a bickering Lobo and Maxima. The boom tube closed and there was no sign of Diana.

Hal opened his mouth to speak but Shayera beat him to it. "Where's Diana? You said she was with you. You said you were bringing her back."

J'onn readied himself for the backlash. "That was the initial plan but after we were reunited with Diana, she decided to leave with Kal."

"The bounty hunter?" Shayera shrieked. "He's still around? What the hell were you thinking letting Diana leave with him?"

"I trusted Diana's decision." If Shayera was furious, J'onn could only imagine how Dinah or worse how Queen Hippolyta will react to the news.

J'onn couldn't get another word in for Lobo and Maxima's arguing overshadowed him. "What do you mean you want to see other people?"

"It's what I said! Why are you against this now, Lobo? You wanted an open relationship!" Maxima raised her chin at him haughtily. "Angry you are being called out on your hypocrisy?" she snorted. "Typical male."

"Being open and seeing other people are two different things!"

Maxima crossed her arms over her chest. She couldn't wait to hear Lobo explain that. "How so?"

"Seeing other people means you want to dump me!" Lobo couldn't handle that. He dumped women. He didn't get dump by them. That went against the law of nature according to Lobo.

"And I do!" Maxima didn't hold back on her feelings. "I'm done with you. I saw you happily letting Knockout grind you and I saw you kissing Lashina! I'm not putting up with you anymore!"

Lobo knew that was a lie. She dealt with it before. There was one real reason she wanted to dump him now. "You're only saying this because you want Kal. It ain't gonna happen. Kal doesn't want you! Kal can't stand you!"

"Jealous?" Maxima smirked. "Serves you right. You blew it with me! I don't need you and I can get any man I set my eyes on and if I want Kal, I will get him! Once I put my charms on him, he won't be able to resist me."

"Did you miss that hot babe that left with Kal? He's not gonna want you as long as he has that."

Maxima wasn't one to back down from a challenge. "We'll see about that."

"Nothing gets better than the Main Man," Lobo boasts proudly. "And going after my friend is low."

"Almost as low as you kissing a woman in front of me and letting another to grind against you?" Just the memory of that made Maxima punch Lobo's stomach.

"Will you two shut up?" Shayera yelled at them. "No one cares who's dumping who!"

"Butt out!" Maxima snapped at Shayera. "You're just jealous!"

Shayera gripped her mace. Looks like she was going to get her fight after all. "Jealous of a loudmouth like you?"

"Of course you are. If the men here had to choose between you and me, they would most definitely want me. You probably never had a man fight for you. Who wants to mate with a bird lady?"

"I missed the fight on Apokolips. I'm making up for that now!" Shayera lunged for Maxima but J'onn grabbed her, holding her back from Maxima who had her sword drawn as well. Even though she couldn't hit Maxima with her mace, she kicked her legs, hoping to get a hit on her.

While J'onn held Shayera back, Maxima continued to mock her and argue with Lobo who didn't accept being dumped. Watching the exchange, pushed calm Hal Jordan to his limits. "SHUT UP!"

The Javalin suddenly became silent as all eyes turned to Hal. "I don't care about you and Lobo, Maxima and I wouldn't choose you over Shayera. I do care about my friend, Diana, and I want to know why she didn't return but there isn't time. We need to leave now. The last thing we need is Darkseid detecting us! So, everyone sit down, shut up or I will eject you from the ship in mid-flight!"

Everyone quietly fell into their seats.

Maxima eyed Hal curiously as she buckled in. "I like this Green Lantern's confidence. Kind of sexy. I can so get him if I want."

Lobo rolled his eyes.


With the invasion of the Lobo clones in the Tower of Rage, all parademons and guards were sent to the throne room and the surrounding corridors to deal with the attack. It made it easier for Kal and Diana to slip away unnoticed. Only four parademons were left to stand guard at the tower's entrance. Though she received minor injuries in the fight, Diana defeated the parademons, making way for her and Kal to easily board his ship.

Taking Krypto from Kal, Diana sat in the copilot seat while Kal launched his ship and flew away from the Tower of Rage. He didn't spare the fuel. Parademons tried attacking but Kal easily shot those down, activated the boom tube and escaped Darkseid's universe.

When the boom tube closed, Kal leaned back in his seat and sighed in great relief. "We made it." He smiled at Diana. "I was actually worried our plan wouldn't work."

"Worried? You?" Diana mocked. "I cannot believe it."

"I worry sometimes." Kal pushed himself out of his seat. "The ship's on autopilot and we're in hyperdrive until we reach our destination. Let's take care of Krypto and you." Kal frowned at the marks on Diana's arms and legs. "I told you to let me fight the parademons."

"You were holding Krypto." Diana followed Kal out of the cockpit. "And I'm a fast healer."

"Still have to check out your wounds. I don't want you getting an infection."

Why was he acting so concern now? Diana wondered. Following behind Kal, Diana noticed Kal's bare back. His shirt was burned by Darkseid's Omega Beams and in the midst of battle, she didn't notice. Now Diana couldn't help but stare at strong, muscled back in front of her.

"Don't you think you should put on a shirt first?" Diana didn't want to be in close proximity of Kal shirtless. It was almost as bad as being with him naked and she didn't want to recreate that event again!

"You've seen me naked and you're complaining about seeing me shirtless?"

"Not complaining." Hera, was there ever a back that looked so perfect? "I think you should be covered up more."

Kal suddenly turned around almost causing Diana to bump into him. He was smiling at Diana. Why? "Silly woman." Kal leaned forward and kissed the tip of Diana's nose. "Carnal thoughts about me again?"

At the touch of his lips on her nose, warmth spread all over Diana's face. By the growing smile on Kal's face, she knew she was blushing.

Curse that man.

"I am not having carnal thoughts!"

Kal laughed. "Such defiance. If you react like that, then it must be true." Kal kept walking down the corridor. "I would walk around naked for you since I know you enjoy that but we have to treat you and Krypto first."

If she wasn't holding Krypto, Diana would kick Kal. She followed Kal in a room. It was smaller than the other rooms in the ship. There was a sink, cabinet, basic medical tools on the wall and an exam table in the center of the room. "You have a medical room?"

"It's not used much," Kal went to the cabinet to pull out a jar and a roll of bandage. He cleaned his hands at the sink. "Put Krypto on the table."

Diana laid Krypto on the table. Krypto whimpered and Diana stroked his white fur to soothe the dog. The wound he received from Bernadeth was deep but it was slowly healing. "What is that?" she asked of the jar.

"A healing balm from Urvashi's world. She always stocks my ship with her world's medical supplies since it's effective on me and Krypto." Kal opened the jar and dipped his fingers inside. His fingers were coated with a blue cream. "Hold him," he warned Diana. "This is gonna sting him."

Kal gently placed the cream on Krypto's wound. The dog growled and wiggled his legs and wagged his tail. He tried to get up but Diana held him still, while gently rubbing a hand over his head and back to distract him. "I'm sorry," Diana apologized. "This is my fault."

Kal dipped his fingers in the jaw again. "What are you talking about?"

"Krypto got hurt again."

"And you're blaming yourself?" Kal applied a second coat over Krypto's wound. "You shouldn't. If anything, it's my fault Krypto was hurt. Twice."

Diana didn't understand. Why was Kal blaming himself? Kal closed jar and unrolled the bandage. Kal placed the bandage over Krypto's wound. "I was the one who decided to go after you. I was tempted by Darkseid's offer to kidnap you. You were only doing what you needed to survive. I can't fault you for that. I was the one to put Krypto in harm's way because of my decision."

There was a sense of honor in Kal. Diana hated how that made her heart feel. "You can't blame yourself, Kal-El. You want to know who you are. Anyone would be pushed to do anything to get something they always seek." Diana experienced that herself with her failed deal with Bolloq. Thinking of Bolloq forced Diana to think of Kal coming to her rescue and the kissed they shared. Diana shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "Um, how often should we change Krypto's bandage?"

"We don't have to do that. The balm and bandage speeds up the healing process on his wound." Kal dried his hands and left the room. "You are not dealing with Earth's medical techniques, Diana."

He called her by her name again. She liked the sound of his name on her lips. Her own lips twitched in a smile. Thankfully Kal didn't see that. She didn't want him thinking she liked how her name sounded on his lips.

Kal returned with a wide, oval shaped disc. Diana was confused on its use until Kal placed Krypto on it. Kal turned a dial on the disc. It hummed and Krypto began floating around the room. "It'll be best if Krypto didn't walk until his wounds have healed."

"Very inventive," Diana remarked.

"I guess it is to you." Kal saw discs like this since he was a kid but Diana, who grew up on primitive Earth, knew nothing about this kind of technology.

Kal patted the table. "Come on. You're next."

"Next for what?"

"Your wounds."

"My wounds will heal fine. I don't—" Diana protested as Kal lift her and placed her on the table. "Stop that," she protested.

"I will have to work on your stubbornness." Kal uncapped the balm jar again. He covered a finger in blue cream and rubbed the wound Diana received when Steppenwolf shot her. Diana winced. The cream was hot on her skin. It amazed Diana the cream could be felt on her tough skin.

As Kal covered the wound with a bandage, Diana told him, "I'm not stubborn."

"That's the first thing a stubborn person says. Maybe some space travel will settle your nerves." He rubbed cream on her lower thigh just above her left knee. A parademon struck her here. Diana winced at the heat on her skin. Kal lowered his head and blew his breath over the wound.

The cool sensation of Kal's breath on her leg forced Diana to shudder. That felt too good. Not only that, but there was something unsettling having Kal's head between her legs. If she closed her eyes, she could recall the dream she had of him. She could picture his head a little higher, his mouth opened, touching her… "Don't," Diana gasped. "Don't do that."

Kal pulled his head up. "Your skin was hot. I was only cooling it down." Kal was grinning. He knew it was more than that.

Diana put a hand on Kal's chest, trying to put some distance between him and her. "I can apply the rest of the balm on me."

"Then would you mind putting the cream on me?" Kal suggested. "Those Omega Beams hurt."

"Do it yourself," she told him. If she touch the muscles on his chest….

"After all I've done for you, you can't rub the balm on me?" He pouted. "It really hurts. Your touch is so soothing to Krypto. Can't I experience that soothing touch just this once?"

There was a starburst wound on his chest where her hand rested. Was he really in pain or was this just a sting? Kal was very strong. Perhaps it was only a flesh wound, a tiny scrape. Diana squeezed the hard flesh.

"Ow!" Kal yelped. "What did you do that for?"

Diana pulled her hand away shocked. It did hurt Kal. Suddenly, Diana felt very foolish. Darkseid can disintegrate a human with his Omega Beams. Kal was lucky this mark was the only effect he received. "I… I wanted…. I'm sorry." It wouldn't hurt to rub the balm on Kal's chest. He saved her from Darkseid. He held up his word to protect her from him. She couldn't refuse this one request from him. Besides, Diana was always a compassionate person. How could she refuse someone in need?

Diana took the jar from Kal. She dipped her fingers inside the jar and rubbed the blue cream on his chest. Never before has she felt skin so hard, so smooth and so many muscles. Hera, what a beautiful chest. Aphrodite couldn't have molded a better body. Why couldn't he have his wound on his back?

Diana applied another coat on Kal's chest. Her finger slipped from his chest to the muscles on his abs. His muscles felt good under her fingers. She slowly traced the lines of muscles, not really wanting to stop but knowing she should.

Kal cleared his throat. "Not that I mind you rubbing my stomach but the wound is on my chest."

Diana pulled her fingers away as it was on fire. "Sorry."

Kal grinned. "Don't be." Kal saw Diana's face flush with embarrassment. He hopped on the table, wrapped an arm around her and kissed her cheek. "I never met a woman so beautiful who blush at the silliest things. We will work on that."

Work on that? What did he mean?

"I think for our first outing I'll take you to a planet of water where there are civilizations of dolphins, whales, and other sea creatures beyond the ones you know on Earth and merpeople, even more magnificent than Aquaman. Or we can go to Florana. It's a planet of gardens, far beautiful than the gardens on Earth. I'll find a flower just for you," he promised. "There are thousands of worlds out there, Diana, with smells and taste that will awaken your senses. I never thought much of them but I think it will be special seeing them with you."

Diana watched Kal curiously. Why was he talking this way? If she didn't know any better, Kal was thinking of taking her on a date.

"Oh!" His handsome face lit up at the idea he had in mind. "I will take you to Gallinore for our first outing. Yes, that will be the perfect place."

"What's that?"

"It's a beautiful world in the Hapes Galaxy. It's famous for its rainbow gems. You will call it jewels like diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. The pristine waters on that planet are the purest I've taste. Gallinore has four moons so bright it fills the night sky. You would look very beautiful under that sky."

The way he looked at her; such desire; such happiness; it made Diana uncomfortable. "Why are you saying such things to me?"

Kal chuckled as he brushed a lock of hair from Diana's face. She was so cute. Did the men on Earth not know how to court a woman? "You're my woman now. Shouldn't I say such things to you?"

Kal moved in to kiss Diana but leaned back. Oh, no. He got the wrong idea about her. "What are you saying? I'm not your woman."

Kal was bemused. "Of course you are. You said you will come with me. You said it in front of your friend."

And he thought because of that declaration that made her his woman? "Wait." Diana hopped off the table, putting distance between them. "That doesn't mean I want you or make me yours."

Kal frowned. He didn't like the way this was going. "You're not making sense, Diana. You had a chance to go home. I wouldn't have stopped you. Why stay with me if you didn't want me?"

It was a good question. Too bad she didn't have a good answer. "You misinterpret that, Kal-El. I wasn't expecting J'onn to show up and I didn't want to leave you like that. I think after all we've been through we should have a proper goodbye." Hera, even Diana wasn't buying what she was saying. "I should at least know what's on that Rubix. You kidnapped me for that. I should learn what's on that, too."

Kal could not believe his ears. He couldn't believe Diana. Surely, he did not miss the signals. He was certain Diana's desire to leave with him and not her friend was an admission of attraction to him. They were free to explore their feelings now. She didn't have to worry about Darkseid anymore and he had his Rubix. Why was she holding back?

Not only was Kal frustrated with Diana he was embarrassed, too. He expressed his feelings for her, was playful and affectionate with her and she turned him down. He wasn't one to be open with his feelings. It was why he engaged in relationships that didn't go anywhere, but now that he wanted more, he was turned down and he didn't like it.

"Fine." He angrily hopped off the table. "If that's how you want it, I'll show you what's on the Rubix and you can be on your way."

Kal stormed out of the room leaving Diana to wonder if she made the right decision.

"Of course I did," Diana told herself. "I shouldn't get involve with a man like him. He's a bounty hunter, a mercenary for hire. I'm an ambassador. I'm not attracted to him. Sure, Kal-El has a nice looking body but that doesn't mean he's suited for me. He's not my type at all. I don't want him."

If that was the case, why didn't Diana believe herself?

Diana caught Krypto looking at her. He didn't believe her either.

Kal returned with the pouch he had the Rubix in. "You want to know what's on this Rubix? Fine. I'll show you and you can go home." Kal didn't want share the Rubix with her this way but since Diana was anxious to see it and get away from him, so be it.

Kal opened the pouch and pulled the cube out. One of the first things Diana noticed was the symbols on the cube matched the symbol on Kal's shirts

"Is that your family crest?" Diana asked of the symbols.

"Yes. Darkseid told me so when I touched the cube during our first meeting. I think that is one of the few things he was being truthful about."

Touching the cube activated it. The El crests on the cube glowed. Just as when Kal first touched the cube, Kal's small room transformed into a room from his home world and he saw his parents once more. Krypto barked excitedly seeing the pair, leaving Kal to wonder how much of their home world does Krypto remember.

Diana immediately knew this was Kal's parents. The resemblance was striking between Kal and his father and there was no mistaken his eyes came from his mother.

Lara spoke, "Our dearest, Kal-El. We hope your journey to Earth was a safe one. You left us too young to remember us, Kal-El, but I am your mother, Lara."

Earth? Kal was to come to Earth? The news not only shocked Diana but it floored Kal as well.

"And I am your father, Jor-El. By the time you see this, you will be on Earth in the care of Earthlings who I hope are taking good care of you. I wish we could see you grow up, Kal-El, but Rao didn't see it that way. Krypton, our home world, was dying. Our planet's core became unstable, causing quakes that lead to our inevitable destruction."

The hologram shook. Jor-El and Lara balanced themselves against a wall. When the quakes passed, Jor-El continued, "I went to the Krypton Council with my findings of Krypton's doom but they didn't listen. Your mother and I began building a ship so we could escape Krypton's destruction. Only….only there was only time to build a ship to save you and your pet Krypto who will protect you in your new life."

"Enclosed in your ship are files of our home world stored in the Rubix. It's a puzzle only you will be able to figure out and only you will have access to. Learn and study our culture, Kal-El. Be proud of where you come from but don't share the vanity of our people that have caused our deaths." Tears began to flow from Lara's eyes. "My sweet, Kal-El. I'll always love you."

Jor-El resumed, "As you grow on Earth, you will discover you look like Earthlings but know you are not like them. Under the Earth's yellow sun, you will develop several powers that will separate you from Earthlings. Your strength will grow exponentially, your speed will increase. You'll be invulnerable." Jor-El warned his son, "It is a gift. No matter how isolated you may feel, don't think of these powers as a curse but a gift. Do not abuse these powers, Kal-El. You can do so many great things with them. Why, if I had the powers you possessed, I would've saved our world, raise you….I could hold you in my arms right now." A tear rolled down Jor-El's cheek, his voice overwhelmed with grief, "My Little Kal-El."

The hologram of Krypton fade around them. Kal stared at the cube visibly shaken. He knew the cube would give him answers to his past but he was not expecting this.

Kal opened his mouth to speak but no words came from his mouth.

Diana had trouble processing the information as well. Kal was to come to Earth as a baby. How could that be?

It took a minute but Kal found his voice. "If I were to come to Earth as a baby, then how did I end up with Dirk and Saki? Why did my Pops stop my journey to Earth?"

There was anger in Kal's voice. "You said your adoptive father found your ship in spaceship. Perhaps he didn't know about Earth but saw an innocent baby traveling in space alone and took you in."

"By doing that, he changed my life!" Kal paced the room as hundreds of thoughts ran through his mind. "I always thought I was to be more than a bounty hunter. I always thought there was something else meant for me in life. Whenever I voiced it to them, I was shot down. They nearly pressured me to follow in their footsteps. They took my life away."

"You don't know that. Maybe your ship malfunction and Dirk rescued your ship. Maybe Jor-El miscalculated and sent your ship off course. Don't be angry at the people who raised you, Kal-El. After all, you're here because of them." Kal's face shadowed with anger and pain. Diana wanted nothing more than to draw him in her arms but she resisted. She had to be cautious of her feelings toward him. It was dangerous being in his presence now. Seeing Kal vulnerable could force her to do something foolish. "You cared for them enough to want to know who murdered them. Whatever they did, I'm sure it was out of love for you."

"If they love me, why hide the truth from me?" Kal asked. "All these years, I was lead to believe my birth parents abandoned me when in fact, they saved my life. They saved me and Krypto from our dying planet. I hated them and my parents loved me. Fruck." Kal dropped to the floor no longer able to stand. In fact, he felt sick to his stomach. "The things I thought of them and I was wrong. If only I'd known the truth….."

This time Diana couldn't hold back. She dropped to the floor and wrapped her arms around Kal. "Don't. Don't curse yourself. Don't be angry. You didn't know."

Kal put his hands on Diana's arms and leaned against her, drawing himself further into her embrace. "I thought if I learned the truth, I would learn who my parents are, I would finally be reunited with my people and learn where I come from but I have nothing. They're all gone and have been for years." He sighed heavily. "I'm the only one left."

His admission was heartbreaking. You're not alone. Diana thought the words but she didn't have the courage to say it.

"I'm only left with questions. What kind of life would I have if I arrived on Earth as a baby? Would we even know each other? Would we even be friends? Enemies?"

Lovers? Diana wondered.

Kal sighed, "I guess I will never know."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I don't know. Now that secrets of my past have been unlocked, I can finally move forward with my life. I only stayed in the bounty hunter business to find out the truth of my parents death. Now there is nothing holding me to that. I'm free to do what I want. What that is I'm not sure."

Diana knew she wasn't thinking straight. Being in Kal's presence was having that effect on her. She told him she didn't want intimacy with him and here she was holding him, comforting him over the shocking discovery of his past. Learning of his past, Diana couldn't help but wonder what kind of life they could've had. Perhaps Kal could've been a member of the Justice League. Perhaps they could've been friends, free of the tension that lied between them.

"Come home with me."

The words escaped Diana's lips before she could take it back.

Kal looked at Diana, not believing what he heard. "What?"

"Earth was the place you were meant to come to. Come back to Earth with me. See the planet you were meant to grow up on. You always thought you could be more than a bounty hunter. Maybe you can find that on Earth."

"To Earth. You do realize what happened the last time I was on Earth?"

Diana smiled, "Yes, but this time you are not out to kidnap anyone. What have you got to lose?"

Only his heart to Diana and it was worth the risk and maybe, she wouldn't mind losing her heart to him.


"You're certainly looking a lot better." Dinah beamed as she entered Bruce's room at the Hall of Justice.

For the past three days, Bruce was stuck in bed receiving medical treatment for his injuries in his fight with Kal. He wore a cervical collar to deal with his neck injuries. Per Dr. Midnight's suggestion, Donna applied the purple ray in short bursts to his neck and back to heal the nerves.

"Looking a lot better?" Bruce growled. He wore a brace around his neck, preventing him from turning his head. He was being fed intravenously because he couldn't deal with anyone but himself feeding him and with his hands in a cast, he couldn't do that. He needed painkillers to deal with the fall his body suffered and he had a bedpan! "I'm still stuck in this bed, Dinah. It's been three days but it feels like I've been injured for weeks."

"It usually feels that way." Dinah was bedridden herself once so she sympathized with Bruce's plight. She took the seat by his bed. "Donna told me she was able to heal the injuries in your ear. You can hear again."

"I rather walk out of here."

"Not yet," Dinah told him. "We have to heal your neck injuries first and we can only apply the purple ray in short bursts. You can't overdo it."

Bruce knew she was right but he didn't have to like it. "Any word from Hal about Diana?"

"You should really focus on your injuries and not ask about Diana, Bruce."

"I'm stuck in this bed, Dinah. In my state, I'm not gonna run off and do something stupid."

No, you already did that fighting a guy who took out Zatanna, Hal and J'onn. However, Dinah couldn't blame Bruce. She would've done the same thing. "We haven't heard from Hal yet. It's only been a day, Bruce."

Bruce wished he was on the mission. He always wanted to be in the loop. For the first time, he was left out and he hated it. In his recovery, Bruce watched footage of the Justice League's embarrassing battle with the alien and his dog. Many news outlets had the video on their websites. There were also civilians who posted their accounts from their camera phones on their Facebook and YouTube accounts.

"I looked at the recordings of our battles."

Dinah groaned. "Bruce!"

"I needed something to do while I'm stuck here. Whoever that brute was, he knew of our abilities. He knew how to take us out. He has been watching us."

He was telling her what she already knew. "Bruce, the Justice League already knows this. There are videos of our battles on the Internet and it has been since our formation. You're making it as if that guy has been in close proximity of us before the battle." Bruce's expression didn't change. He was serious. "That's impossible. We would've known."

Bruce raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Would we?"

"Of course we would have!" Dinah argued. At least Dinah did before Bruce started planting doubts in her mind. He obviously knew something she didn't. "What do you know?"

"After watching the footage, I had Dick study the skies for the past two months of any unusual activity. Any alien ships that have come to Earth run on their own special fuel. Earth doesn't have the technology to track any vapors from alien ships but it can be tracked with using the Thanagarian technology we have in the Hall of Justice. Dick stored his findings on my iPad yesterday."

Dinah picked up the iPad on the nightstand. She touched the icon dated with the day of the battle. Words of information rolled on the screen and what Dinah read, she found upsetting. "The alien was here over a week ago." She frowned. "What is Dick talking about when he said there was an unusual amount of turbine jet exhaust over the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park?"

"That's where Diana's kidnapper hid his ship. In plain sight."

"Under a cloaking device you mean," Dinah said. "Even in New York, people would notice a ship floating over a reservoir in the park." Dinah was frustrated the Justice League missed it. It made them appear incompetent they dropped the ball. Three days after the fight, they were still being skewered by the news outlet who usually praised them and their efforts. "How did we miss an alien ship coming to Earth?" Surprisingly, Bruce didn't have an answer to Dinah's question. "With Diana living in New York, I bet this guy made trips to the Embassy and Diana never noticed. He was watching her like a stalker."

"I'm sure. Keep reading."

Dinah touched the screen, scrolling to the next page. "He was in the Hall of Justice? He was here the day before our fight?"

"I remember you and Ollie arguing with Wally blurring in the Hall of Justice. I didn't give it much thought then but I later remembered Wally was here thirty minutes before you arrived."

"So it was the alien who blurred in the building and not Wally." I guess I owe Wally an apology. Dinah read on. "Dick did a scan of the building. The infrared cameras picked up the body heat of something following Wally to the conference room where the meeting was. Regular cameras has no visual?"

Bruce explained. "He followed Wally with a device that made him invisible. That's why the cameras didn't pick him up. That's why we didn't see him."

"If he followed Wally, then he was there during the meeting. Wait," Dinah recalled the odd occurrences during the meeting. "You think he was the one who grabbed Diana's butt?"

"And stabbed J'onn's neck."

Dinah remembered that. She also remembered what Hal told her of the positron device that was used on J'onn. "That's how he got J'onn's DNA." All of this sudden knowledge made Dinah angry. She was angry with the alien and she was angry with Bruce. "You had Dick do this investigation and not tell me? I'm in charge, you know? Why leave me out of the loop until now?" If he wasn't injured, Dinah would hit Bruce with his iPad.

Bruce didn't regret his decision to withhold information from Dinah until he was ready to tell her. "I have a higher rank than you."

"You're injured!" Dinah snapped. "You are off the roster until you recover!"

"I'm off the roster but it doesn't mean I can't work behind the scenes."

"I'm gonna hit, Dick," Dinah vowed, "And once you are well, I'm gonna hit you."

"Don't get angry with me because you failed to do what I did."

"In other words, not think like you." She knew Bruce meant that. He was undermining her ability to lead the Justice League in his, J'onn and Diana's absence.

Zatanna rushed into the room excited. "The Javalin's entering Earth's atmosphere. They'll be here in minutes!"

Dinah turned in her chair, shocked at the news. "They're back already? It's only been a day."

"How's Diana?" Bruce asked.

"Hal didn't say." Zatanna saw the concern on Bruce and Dinah's face. "I assume she is fine."

"You assume?" Bruce didn't like that answer.

Dinah place the iPad on the nightstand rose from her seat. "Let's go, Zatanna."

"Wait," Bruce called out to them. "I need to be wheeled in. I want to debrief them, too."

"Hmph!" Dinah rejected him. "Maybe next time you will include me in your investigations instead of leaving me out."

"What's that about?" Zatanna asked when they left Bruce's room.

Dinah was too upset with Bruce to go into details. She would only say, "Even injured, Bruce can be an ass."

Zatanna shrugged. "What else is new?"

Dinah and Zatanna reached the docking bay just as the Javalin landed. With them were Wally and Donna, who was anxiously awaiting the return of her sister. The ramp opened. Hal, J'onn and Shayera stepped off.

But not Diana.

Donna was the first to ask. "Where's Diana?"

Hal, who now knew the whole story, glared at J'onn. "I'll let J'onn explain that."

When they returned to Almerac to drop Lobo and Maxima off, J'onn explained in detail everything that happened in the Tower of Rage. Hal shared Shayera's anger and disappointment with J'onn but he didn't voice it like the Thanagarian. Now that J'onn was explaining it to Donna, Dinah, Wally and Zatanna, the Green Lantern knew his friend was going to put through the ringer again.

"How could you let Diana go, J'onn?" Dinah yelled. "You knew she was in danger with Darkseid and you let her go off with the man who kidnapped her?"

Even lighthearted Wally was angry with J'onn, "Not only did he kidnap her, but he and his devil dog kicked our butts! Diana's not safe with them!"

"It was Diana's decision to go," J'onn tried to explain to his friends but nothing he could say would cool their anger towards him. "Diana wasn't under any mind control. I sense a change between Diana and Kal. I read his mind. He wouldn't harm Diana. I trusted my instincts to let her go."

"Oh, my gosh," Zatanna figured it out. "Diana fell in love with her kidnapper. Classic case of the Stockholm syndrome."

Shayera rolled her eyes. "Diana did not fall in love with her kidnapper. She's under some mind control."

"J'onn said she wasn't. No. Diana left with this Kal guy under her own free will." Zatanna shook her head disappointed. "I thought Diana was a smart woman but she's not. Now I know why Diana never got into all those good guys she dated. She wanted a bad boy."

"Diana's not the bad boy type," Wally jumped in the conversation. "I'm a bad boy and Diana never wanted me."

Shayera rolled her eyes at the speedster. "You're not a bad boy, Wally. You're just a boy who is not man enough for Diana."

"Hey!" Wally protested. "I am so a man."

"We're getting off topic!" Dinah was on the verge of releasing her siren cry to shut everyone up. "J'onn, you should have brought Diana back and you failed to do so. She was obviously under some mind control even you can't detect. You will be the one to tell Queen Hippolyta we failed to bring her daughter back. Not me!" Dinah shook her head and waved her hands in a gesture of 'No.' She was not going to tell Queen Hippolyta the Justice League let her daughter leave with her kidnapper.

Donna, who was silent as J'onn recant his encounter with Diana, decided to speak up. "J'onn, I'd like to speak with you alone." J'onn agreed with Donna's request. He angered his friends and was not comfortable being in their presence now and neither they with him. Donna, it appeared, was not angry with him.

Alone in the hallway, Donna asked, "How did my sister look to you, J'onn? Did she look healthy?"

"Yes. There weren't any signs of torture or fatigue one suffers being on Apokolips as a prisoner. I would go on to say Diana wasn't on Apokolips for long."

"But how can that be?" Donna asked. "Diana was taken three days ago. If the bounty hunter wanted this Rubix from Darkseid, wouldn't he have taken Diana to Apokolips immediately?"

It was something J'onn couldn't figure out himself. He read Lobo's mind. He knew Kal desperately wanted this Rubix but he obviously didn't bring Diana to Apokolips after the battle. "That's what makes Diana's healthy condition all the more mysterious. She wasn't under any mind control, Donna. I checked. Diana went with Kal under her own free will."

"Are you sure J'onn?" Donna needed J'onn to be certain. "You didn't think Diana was in any danger?"

"No. Something transpired between Diana and Kal. I saw it in their eyes when Kal said goodbye to her. Diana didn't want to leave him."

Though worried for her sister, Donna unexpectedly, smiled. "Guess Diana met a guy she would go on more than one date with." She giggled. "How ironic it's her kidnapper. Mother, won't approve of him at all. Mother!" Donna put a hand over her mouth in shock. "We have to tell my mother about this. She will be furious."


Donna stood with J'onn as he told Queen Hippolyta of his trip in space; from learning who Kal was, his thoughts Kal wasn't evil as he and the Justice League initially thought, reading Lobo's mind to know where Diana was and why Kal took her and lastly finding Diana on Apokolips and letting her leave with Kal.

Over the discourse, Donna saw her mother's face change from concern, shock and anger. If her mother could summon the most violent storms to express her anger, she could with the expression on her face now.

When J'onn finished, Hippolyta didn't say anything. She sat on her throne staring at J'onn with a stony, livid expression. It was scary for the next ten minutes there were silence in the Themyscira throne room. Two of the guards feared Hippolyta died from shock of the news. Only the blinking of her eyes told them she was still alive.

"Mother," Donna spoke gently, "don't you have anything to say to J'onn?"

Hippolyta shifted in her throne slightly. "I've listened to what you had to say, Martian. You saw my daughter, had a chance to free her from her captor and you failed to do so on a gut feeling?"

J'onn stood bravely expecting the backlash. "Yes. If I felt Diana was in any danger, I would've taken her but she wasn't."

"If you felt?" The angry roar of Hippolyta's voice caused her guards to jump in fear of the Queen of Themyscira. "I cannot believe you stand before me failing to bring my daughter back. If I were any other queen, I would have your head for such failure."

"Mother," Donna stood in front of J'onn. Hippolyta had Hephaestus sword at her hip. There was a chance she would strike the Martian in anger. "You know J'onn is a good friend to Diana. Instead of being angry with him, perhaps you should accept Diana chose to not come back yet. She said she will come back on her own. I believe she will. We should accept that."

"I will not accept that!" Hippolyta yelled. "My daughter runs off her with kidnapper and you expect me to consent?"

"Not consent," Donna tried to calm her mother, "more like trust Diana. Diana has always done right before. We should trust her decision now."

"Diana is with a man. She is obviously attracted to him and her rational thinking is clouded by feelings she is not ready to deal with, feelings she does not understand." Hippolyta thought better of her daughter. "I can't believe Diana let her emotions ruled her. Running with emotions brings nothing but trouble."

"I think it's time Diana let her emotions rule her," Donna spoke up defying her mother.

Hippolyta looked at Donna in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"I think it's time Diana finally feel something and not be a robot. That's what she's been since living in Patriarch's world." Now that Donna started, she wasn't going to back down. "Diana only works in Patriarch's world. If she's not working for the Embassy, she is working for the Justice League. She never has any fun. She never enjoy the pleasures that world has to offer. Even when going on dates with men, Diana is not happy. She probably doesn't even know how to be happy because she goes on one date with men. I don't claim to know what is going on with Diana and Kal, the bounty hunter, but I bet Diana is happy for once. I bet Diana is in the company of a man she likes and you, as her mother, should accept that!"

Hippolyta stared speechless at Donna. Never before has her daughter spoke to her that way. "As your Queen, I could have you punished for such insolence but as your mother, you get a warning. If Diana wants fun with a man, she will have it as I cannot do anything about that. That fun ends when she returns and if Kal returns with her, he will face my blade."


AN: I fear for Kal's safety. LOL!

Hellacre: Yes, Diana is scared and unsure of her feelings since she never experienced it before.

Thankfully, Kal sees that and will take it easy on her. I bet I frustrated you with her. Maxima won't listen. She think all men wants her and she wants Kal and it'll be fun to see her fail. Yes I was giggling when Darkseid got hit with the bat. It's something I always wanted to do.

Sweet Heavens: Thanks for the review. No, I don't see Diana and Maxima engaging in a bitch fight. Maxima will be catty with Diana but Diana is above the pettiness and name calling. Kal isn't attracted to Maxima and Diana will soon learn that so there's no threat with Maxima. Someone else on the other hand being a threat between Diana and Kal is possible but there won't be any physical fighting.

Wonderbee: Thanks for the suggestion. I had fun writing the Lobo scene.

Unoaranya: Thanks. The League is confused and Hippolyta is pissed. I fear for Kal when he meets her. LOL! She won't be happy!

Ben: Yep. Hippolyta is pissed off. Kal's in trouble. LOL! Diana is frustrating in this chapter isn't she. She's making it so hard for Kal. Just be honest with your feelings, Diana. Seesh! LOL! I don't know about including Lois. If I have to, I want it to be a legitimate and not throw Lois in the story because of her connection to the Superman mythos.