While Metropolis had a huge military-led funeral procession that nearly every citizen of Metropolis attended in addition to a candlelight vigil in Superman's honor, a small funeral for the farmboy-turned-reporter was held at the Kent farm in Smallville. His casket lay open in the living room for a viewing before the service took place.

Bruce and Kris made the trip from Gotham to Metropolis to pay their respects.

Karly slowly walked up the stairs and went inside Clark's old room to get a moment of quiet. She wondered how much time he had spent up here as a teenager possibly dreaming about her. Both of them had always had eyes on each other all throughout high school, but neither of them had been courageous enough to make a move.

She had thought that this was fate's way of working things out, but it appeared fate just wanted to laugh in her face.

The door creaked open and Martha walked inside. She gave Karly a sad smile as she handed her a small package.

"Clark had this sent here so he could surprise you."

Karly took the package from her, and Martha tearfully left. Confused, the young woman took a seat on the bed before opening the package and pulling out a tiny black bag.

Her heart sank. Out of the bag fell a beautiful ring.

Karly put her hand to her mouth as more tears blurred the view of the diamond.

Kris lightly knocked on the door. "Karly?"

Karly looked up at her and showed her the ring as she gave a pained smile. "He was going to propose."

Kris had no idea they had been so serious. She was still confused that a Karly Mathis even existed in such a famous universe, much less was Superman's girlfriend. But it appeared that she had indeed replaced Lois Lane in this universe.

It must break this girl's heart to realize that she very nearly had a fiancé.

Tears began spilling down Karly's cheeks. "He was supposed to be invincible," she cried. "I mean…I've only seen him seriously hurt once in the past two years. This…this was never supposed to happen."

Kris quickly came to sit next to her on the bed and put her arms around her as she began sobbing. She quietly shushed her and held her tightly, wishing that she could tell her everything would be okay.

In her world, Superman came back to life after being killed by Doomsday as written in the comics. Of course, she hadn't known that before. When she was very young, Kris had stumbled across an old comic of her dad's that ended just after Superman died at the end of the battle. Not knowing at that age that comics were more than one volume long, Kris had spent several years believing that in that particular universe, Superman died. It was only much later did she learn that he actually came back to life.

But in this world, she had no idea if that was the case. It could be that Superman was gone for good. If not, that would be great, but she could never fill Karly with that kind of false hope. Besides, if she told Karly that, she would also end up having to explain she knew Superman would die at Doomsday's hand, and she was sure that wouldn't go over well.

After the procession, Clark's body was buried in the same cemetery as his father. The crowd dispersed until only Karly was left behind, staring down inside the six-foot hole.

She felt as if she was in some kind of horrific nightmare and that soon, she would wake up and Clark would be in her kitchen cooking her breakfast.

But she stayed awake, and Clark stayed dead.

Kris and Bruce watched her from several feet away.

"I can't believe I was almost the one to cause all this," Bruce said softly.

Kris took his hand in hers. "But you weren't."

"I was so convinced that he couldn't really be…human. But seeing all this…a girlfriend he wanted to marry, a loving mother, caring neighbors…I mean, if it hadn't been for you…"

"I'll always be there to pull you back when you get too close. That's what wives are for."

She gently kissed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Diana came up behind them and stood next to the both of them, all of them looking sadly at Karly.

"All the circuses back east, burying an empty box," Bruce said.

"They don't know how to honor him, except as a soldier."

"I've failed him…in life. I won't fail him in death. Help me find the others like you."

"Perhaps they don't want to be found."

"They will. And they'll fight. We have to stand together."

Diana sighed. "A hundred years ago, I walked away from mankind. From a century of horrors. Man made a world where standing together is impossible."

"Men are still good."

Kris smiled. It had been a while since he believed those words. It would've been nice if Superman hadn't had to die first, but she would take her small victories where she could get them.

"We fight. We kill. We betray one another. But we can rebuild. We can do better. We will. We have to."

"The others like me. Why did you say they'll have to fight?"

"Just a feeling."

At least the Justice League was still in the works. It wouldn't be the same without Superman assuming he did stay dead, but it was still going to be pretty awesome. This universe's Diana was proof enough of that.

Bruce and Kris walked inside their home and took off their black coats.

Kris poured them both a glass of wine.

"Bruce…I've been thinking," Kris said as she sipped the wine.

"Thinking about what?"

"About…us having a child."

Bruce looked at her in surprise. "Really?"

"I think the both of us are too old by now to have one of our own, and I don't know how I would feel about bringing a newborn baby into this kind of life we live. We wouldn't even really have time to care for a newborn. But…there are a lot of kids who need a good home. And despite it all, we would be pretty awesome parents."

Bruce took a sip from his glass, contemplating what she was saying.

"Our old home is full of kids who need a mother and a father to take care of them. Some of them have never known life outside of an orphanage. We could give one of them the home they need."

Bruce had never thought about having a child before. With his life, he didn't think it was possible.

Then again, despite what Kris said, she probably could care for a newborn baby and coach him on his Batman trips at the same time. He wouldn't put it past her.

But having one who was a bit older could work out well since they wouldn't need to be with them every second of the day.

Kris put her hand on his arm. "Just think about it, okay?"

Bruce lightly touched her hand and turned to face her. "I don't need to think about it. Let's do it."

Kris smiled. "Really?"

"Really."

After watching a couple ripped apart, Bruce wanted nothing more than to appreciate his wife for everything she was to him. He loved her more than life itself, and he hated how much he had been neglecting her for the past several months.

He pulled her towards him and pressed his forehead against hers. Then he gently kissed her, moving his hands up into her hair and slowly taking it out of the bun she had put it in for the funeral.

He leaned down and put his arm beneath her legs so he could lift her up into his arms. They began to kiss each other more passionately.

Bruce carried his precious wife into the bedroom and kicked the door closed behind him.