Close Feelings

WatchTower

"I checked the autopsy report. Mr. Ashby has been dead for almost 2 months," Barry said.

"But he was just at Bruce's party 2 weeks ago," Vic questioned.

J'onn J'onzz stepped into the briefing room. "That wasn't Phillip Ashby. Whoever was impersonating him is connected to the two invaders."

"He was talking to Diana at the party, I remember that," Arthur stated.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "They already had this planned for a while. Superman and Wonder Woman were their main targets."

Alluremour

Tawnee's body was burned the next day. It was a quiet little ceremony ordered by Octavian. Though, afterwards, there was nothing more anyone seemed interested in doing or saying. Octavian, now occupied himself with Angelique.

Two days passed and Kal still hadn't had a chance to meet with Diana. Marcella had been staying even closer to him but it felt more than just for his protection.

Kal sat on the edge of the bed. As every night, he would just sit there, thinking. He couldn't get Diana out of his mind. It was more than just talking about what's going on. He wanted to be alone with her and get closer to her. She was the only person that felt familiar.

He felt a tug on his vest. He jumped up and turned around to see Embry.

"Oh it's just you." He sat back down. "What are you doing here?"

She pointed at the window.

"Something's wrong?"

She shook her head no.

"The garden?"

She smiled and nodded, pushing his arm for him to get up.

"Alright. Alright. But I have no way out. There is a guard outside the door."

Embry shook her head again. She pointed for him to open the door.

Kal frowned a bit hesitant.

Embry nodded.

He opened the door slightly, peeking out a bit. No one was there, not even down farther as he looked. Kal quietly closed his room door and quickly headed to the garden.

Once, there, the hidden entrance was already open. It was so odd that not a single guard was no where to be found.

"Kal?"

He smiled. "Diana."

"Embry wanted me to come here."

"She wanted me to do the same." Kal looked around. "Where did she go?"

"The disappearing act again."

"Well I'm glad I'm finally getting a chance to speak with you."

Diana smiled. "Oh really?"

Kal smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "Did I tell you, you have a beautiful voice, Diana?"

She quirked her brow. "No, you didn't."

"Well, you have a beautiful voice."

Diana tried not to blush. "Thank you."

Silence for a moment as they stared at each other.

"There must be something Embry wants us to see. We will have to find it ourselves since she is gone."

"Ah, well, ladies first."

As Diana walked passed him, he smiled again. He was finally getting the chance to be alone with her.

Flashback

"Come on, Julius! We have to get back to the palace! Your mother and father will not like this at all!"

"Don't worry. I want to show you how beautiful the garden is at night."

"I've seen it many times."

"Looking out your bedroom window doesn't count."

Sapphyre sighed.

"Look, I take full responsibility if anything happens alright?"

She stared at him still hesitant.

Julius laughed and took her hand. "Let's go. I know you are just as curious as I am."

Sapphyre smirked. "Fine."

Flashback End

Diana started to feel uneasy. Kal didn't exactly know what to say. He thought it would be easy with them being alone. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea coming here at night.

"I think we need to head back, Diana."

There was a hissing sound.

"What was that? We didn't see any animals last time."

Kal shrugged. "Maybe they come out at night."

Suddenly something came fast to attack them. Kal grabbed Diana and pulled her close to him. They could barely see through the darkness and fog.

Whatever it was, hit a tree near them.

They heard a hiss again and were just barely able to see it was coming to attack again. Kal moved in front of Diana, using himself as a shield. Diana looked over Kal's shoulder but didn't see anything.

"You okay?"

She looked into his eyes and nodded slowly.

Suddenly, vines took hold of Kal's right arm and wrapped around his chest.

Diana gasped. She tried pulling the vine off of him but it took a tighter hold.

"You need to leave."

"I'm not leaving you."

Before he could say anything else he was pulled and thrown into a tree.

"Kal!"

As Diana tried to move, a bigger vine seemed to move with her but didn't attack. Diana stood still as the vine slowly snaked its way towards her. It trailed up from her ankle to her thigh, then around her waist to her neck.

Diana held her breath and closed her eyes as the vine tightened its grip a bit. It faintly glowed then quickly loosened its grip around her and moved away quickly back into the darkness.

Diana slowly moved toward Kal. As she reached him, she kneeled down to him. There was blood running down his arm.

"Kal?"

"I'm...alright," he said in a faint whisper.

"You're bleeding."

Not only has Diana and Kal lost their memories, but their powers were taken leaving them completely vulnerable.

"I'm sure it's not too bad," he winced. "Just a cut and minor back pain."

"Be careful. Can you stand?"

"Yeah, I think so." Kal tried to pull himself up.

He stood but still slightly leaned on Diana for a little support.

"We can't go to the palace with you now hurt."

"Then where?"

"I saw a cabin the other day. It's not too far from here. We should stay there for the night and maybe someone is there that can help."

Upon approaching the cabin, Diana was amazed at how big it was.

"Does someone live here?"

"It doesn't seem like it."

Diana knocked on the door. It creaked open.

"Is anyone here?" she asked.

The lights were dim and surely no one was there, but it was so clean.

There was obviously no time to look around completely. Diana quickly found a bedroom and Kal laid on the bed.

She went into the bathroom searching through the cabinets for medical supplies.

Embry appeared.

Diana sighed annoyed but relieved.

"I really need your help, Embry. Don't disappear on me again, ok?"

Embry nodded and pulled open a draw with everything Diana needed. She pointed her to a large bowl. Diana filled it with hot water and found a cloth.

Diana rushed back to Kal and sat on the edge of the bed. She unbuttoned his vest. He had a slit cut going across the right side of his chest and his arm had small cuts around from the thorns of the vines. She started wiping the blood off of him.

"It may burn a little."

He winced. "Thank you, Diana."

"No need to thank me. It must have thought we were a threat."

"Clearly it has no problems protecting itself. That thing was the threat."

"Well from what's happened and been happening, I don't blame it. But we just have to be more careful. It wasn't such a good idea coming here this time of night."

"I was thinking about Tawnee. Vernon could've had someone do it."

Diana shook her head. "He just wanted his wife back. He didn't want to kill her."

"Right. Well, I don't know. I just want this to be figured out.."

"Don't worry about that right now. You need to rest."

A sudden moment of silence.

Diana glance up to see Kal staring at her.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" she asked.

"No. What about you?"

"I'm fine."

Diana had her hand on his chest. Kal put his hand over hers.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure..." She smiled as she finished wrapping his arm and covering his chest with bandages. "Alright. No more talk. Get some rest, Kal."

He slightly nodded, closing his eyes.

Diana watched him for a few minutes. When she thought he had fallen asleep, she carefully got up about to leave the room.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"There is another room."

"It would be better if you stay in here."

Diana gave him a questionable look.

"Even if I wasn't in this predicament, I still wouldn't do anything."

Diana just stared at him. She sighed and moved to the other side of the bed. She laid on her side, facing him with her head propped on her hand. "Can you go to sleep now?"

"I just want you to be safe, Diana," Kal said as he drifted back to sleep.

Diana watched over him until she too fell asleep.

A few hours later, Kal woke up. He touched his chest feeling the bandages. It was assured what happened was not a bad dream.

"Diana?" He got up from the bed.

She walked back in with the bowl of hot water. "Sit back down. I was only gone for a few minutes." She set the bowl on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed with him. "I appreciate what you did but that doesn't mean I need you getting hurt again because of me."

"I'm just worried."

"I don't need a guard, Kal. Especially not you trying to be. Anyway, I washed the blood off your vest to put back on. Though it is torn. It's a good time for us to leave. First, I need to see your injuries. How are you feeling?" Diana asked as she wiped his forehead with the warm cloth.

"Doesn't hurt at all."

Diana unwrapped his arm and took the bandages off his chest. "Quick recovery, barely a scar," Diana smiled. She picked up a bottle from the nightstand. "Whatever was used in this bottle really works."

"Thank you again, Diana."

She realized Kal's hand was on her thigh. She tensed up a bit but tried not to let her reaction show.

"We…we really should be going now."

Flashback

"Sapphyre!" Julius called loudly.

"I'm right here. No need to yell."

Sapphyre stood up from tending to the flowers.

"I'm sorry I just don't want you to get hurt."

Sapphyre smiled and embraced him. "Oh Julius, I will never get hurt. Not when I have you. But I can take care of myself as well."

"I know but it's my duty to protect you no matter what. I made that a promise to your mother."

She looked up at him with tears welling up in her eyes. Julius pulled her back into the embrace, holding her tighter."

Flashback End

Kal and Diana was right on time going back to the palace. Marcella and Octavian had not arrived yet. However, they had ran into Sapphyre and Xander in the foyer. It was as if they were waiting.

As Kal and Diana approached, Sapphyre smiled.

"King Kal." She bowed. "Diana."

Xander bowed as well. "Your vest is torn, Sire!" He stated frantically.

"Queen Marcella will not be pleased. I shall have another made," Sapphyre said.

"Sapphyre...Xander, you don't have to bow nor call me King nor Sire. Just call me Kal. And there is no need. I have another one already." He turned to Diana, taking her hand and kissing the back of it lightly as he did before. "You ladies enjoy the rest of the day." He smiled and walked away with Xander following behind.

"He has taken such a liking to you, Diana. I am sure you've done the same."

Diana couldn't find the right response. She didn't want to lie but didn't want to make it seem like more was going on between them.

"It's quite alright. I must admit, I took a liking to our previous King. He and I were…" She looked down. "He was very kind."

"Sapphyre?"

She looked up and smiled. "I'm sorry. I trailed off in thought. Come on, I have a new dress for you. Also, I would like to know what happened in the garden."

Flashback

Two strong hands found their way to Sapphyre eyes and covered them. A voice that sounded so very familiar to her was spoken into her ear.

"Guess who?" it said.

She smiled and touched the hands, pulling them down.

"Julius, you really ought to try disguising your voice or something," she exclaimed as she turned about. She had not noticed that he stood as close to her as he did and therefore bumped into him.

"Oh, sorry," she said as she looked up. She saw the same comforting eyes looking down at her as they always seemed to.

"That's alright," he said.

Of course as a 16 year old girl, it could just be an infatuation. But deep down she knew her feelings for him were more serious. Acting upon them, she could never do. Within 2 years, on his 21st birthday, he was to find a suitable wife. As following tradition, his choice couldn't be her.

For now, she wanted to enjoy every moment with him. They have always been close and that shouldn't change no matter what.

"Julius, do you like being with me?" she asked as her heart beating fast.

"Of course!" he said still looking in her eyes. "I'm with you now, right?"

She hugged him. Although he was a bit stunned, Julius wrapped his arms around her and held her tighter. Pulling back a bit, for a moment, they stood in silence, gazing at each other, as though one expected the other to speak first.

"And you know what?" He leaned down a bit touching her lips lightly. "I love you, Sapphyre."

Her heart skipped a beat. A first kiss…

Julius ran his fingers through her hair, "Not only do I love you, I'm in love with you."

Sapphyre was shocked…speechless.

Julius smiled, wiping away a single tear running down her cheek. He kissed her forehead then pressed his lips to hers once more.

Flashback End

Diana's Room

"I was afraid that would happen. But I was sure it wouldn't."

"Why did it attack us?"

"The garden has feelings much like we do. It was neglected sometime ago. I've been trying to help it get back to what it once was. You don't have to worry. It was a mistake. Kal will be alright."

"I'm sure you know what was in the bottle?"

"The sorceress who made it, Evolyn, was a healer."

"There is so much I need to know. I need to remember."

Sapphyre smiled. "Don't worry. In time you will, Diana."