10:

Ace O' Clubs. Metropolis.

3 PM

"Dr. Johnson, the boy could not have lived that old if the time stream changed. You said that a metahuman warped Time shortly after the birth of the child."

"Ah yes, that is where I come in."

I set the recorder on the table and adjust the timeline I drew on my stenography pad. "Dead by 3. Approximately 3-5 years after Reset."

That reset made everything start at Prime Earth. This Earth. I frown and take my coffee mug. Something does not add up to Johnson's story. I need to get other names. Other leads. Henderson already says the USA has no record of any Dusnayev coming to town. Of course, but he's a former S.T.A.R. employee? Maybe under a different name.

Dead end.

I sip my coffee. Okay. Again. How 'bout I go back to S.T.A.R. and ask them a few questions about Johnson and an apprentice? I also need other names. Other sources. Until then, I can't trust this man. He and his cohort might be mad for all I know.

But the bloodied kryptonite?

No. He's telling me some grain of truth. No one can just possess a bloodied kryptonite. Battle scenes in Metropolis are usually cleaned up immediately and any kryptonite with Clark's blood on it would get smashed to pieces in the duration of a battle or be taken by authorities. A huge shard like that isn't a leftover.

It's a souvenir…from the former Earth. The earth where our lives played differently.

The Earth where a son was born.

Son. The mere thought of the child…

Scares me to my bones.

Clark and me… Look. Here? We're great friends. We've been through a lot. He saved my life countless times. I screwed him up many times. That's what we've always been. Friends. Partners.

Things got distant when he'd had problems with Edge, and briefly left the Planet to go all rogue with Cat Grant. But hey, I convinced him on that one. I cheered him on even. He got successful. And Perry's itching to get him back again - fix all bad blood and disillusionment Clark had gotten with "mainstream" journalism.

No matter what, Clark is the type of friend that even if you don't see him every day, you can count on him. And when you see each other again, you'll be sharing stuff like you were never really apart in the first place.

Back then, I was thinking it's because Clark's…well…he's just a good guy. In a world where he can do anything, he chooses to help. Just that. To be there when you need a shoulder to cry on. To defend the weak, the voiceless... and to save all living beings in the whole world – good, bad, or in between.

Sure he gets conflicted with that kindness every now and then. He retreats in the shadows when he does. Prefers to remain unseen. Detached. It's unnerving. Even before I'd known that Clark is his secret identity, I've sensed something is wrong. And Clark isn't spilling anything. So who's spilling?

Or maybe I wasn't the one he chooses to spill with.

After all, Carroll's right. He's got Wondy who adores him. An equal partner. And from what it looks like, a very understanding and compassionate woman. Not that bad on the looks department too.

And if Clark's happy…

Then I'm-

"Happy?"

Oh. God.

Speak of the goddess.

She's fuming. Those eyes. Thank God she doesn't have heat vision. Diana Prince walks confidently, her dark hair hanging down and not wearing her glasses. She's in a sleek white dress and white pumps…those metal bracelets are shimmering around her wrists. She's walking straight for my table.

"How can I help you?" I offer, gesturing at the seat in front of me.

She silently takes it, but remains rigid. "Are you happy with what you have done?" Oh. So she spares no hi hello, how's the weather today? I stare at her, composing what I should say but she continues, "You destroyed his life."

I shut my eyes close. How exactly did she find me here? In the middle of Metropolis on a late afternoon? "Excuse me? And how did you know I'm here?"

"I have my ways and means and questions, Lois Lane," she replies in a cold, calm tone, "I want to know why you did it? To someone you called your friend?" Her eyebrows knot. "I do not see any logical reason other than for personal vendetta, for revenge-"

Here we go again.

I narrow my eyes at her. "I don't owe you an explanation, Diana." She places her hands on the table. Those unmistakable bracelets glimmering. I look back in her eyes. Is she trying to scare me? Me? I'm Lois Lane. I don't get thrown off 100-story buildings for nothing.

"You owe me. If Kal-El is affected, I am affected."

You're his wife?

I frown. "By your standards. Not mine. For what I've done, I only answer to Clark. I sinned against Clark. Last time I checked, he isn't married. He doesn't have a better half I should apologize to also." Wow. That came out meaner than what I thought it to be.

Diana, for her part, only glares at me.

I take it time to continue. "Look, Diana. If you think, I'm doing this to destabilize you and Clark. Don't. I have my reasons for 'outing' him. But no personal grudge-"

"You were angry with him," she declares, "You are angry that he did not tell you."

"What? You want me to be happy when I'm the last to know?" I retort, aghast. "To look stupid? You want me to be okay? I don't get you. How would you feel like if it were you?" I pick up my pad and place my things in my bag.

She narrows her eyes. "Don't you think it's selfish to think of your feelings when revealing a secret that is not yours in the first place?"

I pause and look up at her. "Finding out his secret was different from the time I revealed it to everybody." I frown and continue, "Look, Kal-El is different from Clark, from Superman. I knew Clark Kent. I worked with Superman. I've seen Kal in some moments. And out of all three, I don't know who I know anymore. So please."

She raises a hand to stop me. "I did not come here to argue."

I cross my arms over my chest. "You sure are going there."

"The truth is," she suddenly says, clasping her hands together. "I want to ask you. I want to know, if something happened that led you to reveal him to the world."

I narrow my eyes at her. No one has to know that bit. Especially her. "You mean, if we had a falling out? Or did Clark…make a move on me?"

She looks up, seeming to affirm what I said.

"It was so long ago, Diana. Even before you two were committed. We dated. But that's it. I…" I sigh and look down at my bag. "I chose another reporter…and Clark's a good friend of mine. It's scary to-"

"To risk losing that friendship?"

I look up at her. "Yeah. In a way. I wasn't sure of myself back then."

"But now?"

"Now?" I echo. I look away. "Now. I…I had hurt him greatly with that story."

Diana nods silently. "I must apologize for the unceremonious barraging earlier. My emotions get the best of me sometimes. It is new to me…this-"

"Having a boyfriend?"

She cracks a little smile. Just a hint. "And this...conversing with you. For an Amazon, I don't have many female acquaintances in this world."

I nod. "Boys are…" What are boys, Lane? They make the world go around. They make you fall in love…They make you stupid, gullible. They hurt you. Always. "Hard to read. Difficult to be with."

"How are you and yours?"

"Me?" I snort. "Ha. I'm done with men. Cross my heart. Jerk thinks he can order me around and be there when he demands me to. I fall for the wrong guys. Always the wrong guys." I sigh and zip my bag close. "Lately, I've been at peace with myself that I don't need any validation from a man. Maybe romance and family is not in the cards for me. But hey, that's life. We just make the best out of it."

Diana smiles. "You would fit in Themiscyra then."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It's comforting," she replies softly, "I was raised to hate men all my life. But when I came to the outside world, I learned that they could not be all that bad. But yes, they are difficult." Diana shakes her head and takes a deep breath. "And it's different…to feel love."

I stare at her.

Just.

A slight twinge tugs my heart. She loves him, she does. Out of all her badassery, Wonder Woman is a woman…like me. She still feels butterflies and blushes. She talks about romance like an ordinary officemate on a Friday night at the bar (minus the drunken babble). I look away. It's easy to hate someone when you view them from afar...from the safety of a television/computer/cellphone screen or the newspaper. But once you get to know who they really are…and see her genuine affection for yourself, well it's easier to let go of any bitterness. "Very."

"I know you are an honest person, Lois."

I frown. Where exactly is this going?

"I do not want to use my lasso of truth on you, as if you are a criminal. So if I may ask," Diana straightens herself. "Did you ever fall in love with Kal?"