Chris – Gone

A/N; I am basing this on a loss my family recently suffered of a very old and very dear friend. Sleep sweet Aunty June.

Metropolis never looked so good, Chris thought as he flew towards home. The weekend had been a constant battle to keep the state of California from becoming a pit of Hell on Earth. He hoped Raven would be alright, as she had endured the brunt of the fighting. He was physically and emotionally exhausted and wanted nothing better to do than sleep for a month. When he landed on the balcony of his family's apartment, he knew that his sleep would have to wait. Lois was sniffling as she talked with Clark about her dear old friend June. Chris had met June several times and fell in love with her. She was an older woman, who loved life and lived it to the fullest. He'd always referred to her as Aunty June. Sensing something was very wrong, Chris cautiously stepped inside the apartment. His heart fell when he saw the tears in Lois' eyes.

"What's wrong Mom?" he asked, hurrying to her side opposite Clark on the sofa.

"I just got a phone call," she sighed. "June had a massive heart attack and died yesterday."

"Wait…what?" Chris stammered. "She's only…"

"Eighty two," Lois finished.

"You're kidding?" Clark asked in amazement. "I thought Ma was older than June." Lois shook her head no.

"Wait. Wasn't she on that trip back home?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, she was going to leave Wellington for Australia today," Lois replied. "I guess that's not happening now," she sniffled.

"At least she was home with her family," Chris offered helplessly. Lois actually chuckled at that.

"According to her daughter, she looked fabulous too," Lois said.

She went on to explain how June had said she wasn't feeling too well and had an ambulance called to the house. The medics confirmed that she had had a mild heart attack and took her to the hospital. June's daughter went on to say that she was sitting up in bed, all dolled up as usual and looking like the Queen of the May. Clark and Chris laughed with Lois as they could easily picture the scene. "June sent Cheryl home to go get her night cream and all that sort of stuff. When Cheryl got to the house, the hospital called and said that June had taken a sudden turn for the worse." Lois paused for a moment. "When Cheryl got back to the hospital, June was already gone."

"I'm so sorry," Clark murmured.

Lois sniffled again. "Cheryl said she looked so serene, like she was just asleep."

"Is Cheryl going to let you know about any funeral arrangements?" Chris asked. Lois nodded.

"Yeah, I told her I could get to New Zealand easy enough, and would like to know the details," Lois replied. "And you two are more than welcome to come with me."

"We'll be there," Clark promised. Chris added his agreement to the statement. Lois smiled softly.

"It's funny," she said. "Cheryl thinks her mom had a premonition that something was going to happen."

"How so?"

"June left her green card back in Virginia. Like she knew she wasn't coming back," Lois replied.

Later that day, Chris called Lian to inform her that he might not be at the Tower the following weekend.

"What's wrong?" Lian asked.

"And old family friend of Mom's passed away," Chris replied. "We're heading to New Zealand for her funeral as soon as we know the details."

"I'm so sorry," Lian offered. "Did you know her at all?" she asked.

"Yeah," Chris smiled. "She's like the crazy cool grandma everyone wishes they had," he answered.

"How are you taking it?" she asked after a moment.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "I mean it bothers me that I'll never see her again, but at the same time we've been kind of laughing as Mom recalled all the fun times we had with her." Lois called out for him just then and he said that he'd be right out. "Hey, I have to go," he told Lian.

"Okay. Call me if you need to talk or anything," Lian offered before wishing him well.

"Thanks, talk to you later," he said and ended the call. He headed out into the living room where Lois was and looked at her expectantly.

"We're leaving tomorrow night for Wellington," she told him. "I pulled some strings and reminded Bruce that he owes me a favour."

Chris blinked at that. In reality Bruce Wayne hasn't hesitated in offering the family one of his private jets for the trip, when Clark had called to give him the heads up that he might be gone for a few days. When Bruce called Lois to offer his condolences, he let her feel as though she had wrangled the jet out of him. It was an eighteen hour flight, interrupted by a stopover in Hawai'i to refuel. Even in the luxurious accommodations of the plane, the flight had dragged for Clark and Chris.

Cheryl was waiting at the airport to greet them and had insisted that they stay with her. It had been a few years since Lois and Cheryl had seen each other, but Chris found it amusing that they picked up like they'd seen each other just yesterday. Cheryl had found further proof that her mother knew she was never returning to America, in June's suitcase. Clark and Chris had heard about the birthday card many times, they'd even seen it on several occasions and the unusual place of honour June had kept it at. June had loved it so much that she had framed it. Cheryl asked Lois what she wanted done with the card, and Lois insisted that it go in the casket with June.

"Hell, she's kept it for what? Twenty five years now? Let it rest with her," Lois smirked as she read the funny card one last time.

"Well considering where Mum kept it," Cheryl smirked, causing Lois to howl in laughter.

"In the bathroom on the tank of the toilet," Lois laughed. "Just goes to show what she really thought of me."

"Yet Mum insisted, it was because that was the main loo in the house and everyone could see it there," Cheryl snorted.

"Yeah right!" Lois and Cheryl both laughed. Later Cheryl insisted on taking them out to dinner and Chris learned even more about the lovely older woman he's known as Aunty June. Cheryl was touched when she heard him refer to her mother by the title.

June's funeral was lovely and filled with laughter. Lois would remark later that it was absolutely perfect for the woman she had known since she was a teenager. Later as she was laid to rest in a cemetery overlooking Cook Straight, did it finally hit Chris that June was gone.

"At least you were home," he whispered to the wind. He thought of the few times she'd tucked him in, when they'd visit her in Virginia and a smile curled the corner of his lips. "Sleep sweet Aunty June."