Everyone looked as if they were waking up from a dream. Or a nightmare, a feeling Bruce could well relate to.

"Oh, Clark, I'm so sorry," were the words that came out of Lois' mouth first as she threw her arms around him.

"It wasn't your fault. You had no choice. Believe me, I know the power of the equation," he said, embracing her, drawing comfort from her embrace. It was beautiful and inspiring to watch a couple so close to each other.

Clark looked out at his superhero friends, who had all been waiting for them to come to themselves, when the long hug was finished. "I shudder to think what would have happened if we'd all fallen under the power of the Anti-life equation."

"I don't think that would've happened," Diana said. "You can't extinguish mankind's or womankind's hope when it comes right down to it."

Bruce took her hand in his. He'd never heard truer words spoken. He'd thought after Robin's violent death that the last shred of hope he'd carried after his parents' gruesome murder had been extinguished. He'd substituted alcohol for hope as he made it his mission to numb himself from the evil that enveloped the world.

But hope didn't come from a bottle. It didn't even come from fighting against the rising tide of darkness. It came from outside one's self. In eyes as brown as Grecian clay. It was seen in the form of friendship extended from a man you'd treated very wrong indeed. And, he thought as the rain began gently pelting his skin and washing away the grime, it was a gift that was showered down from heaven if only you let your soul feel it.

sss

The world was wiser after the second attack to come from space. They saw the need to have a line of defense. While nations prepared nuclear weapons and plans for another invasion from the unknown, Aquaman, Cyborg, Wonder Woman, Flash, Batman, and Superman sat together in the new building Bruce Wayne had built with the latest technologies. He'd dubbed it, Watchtower. It was evident there were things that would crop up that no superhero could handle alone, and they all wanted to be a part of a permanent association. With any luck, the association would continue to grow.

The only member missing from their current team was Kara, who'd had school in Smallville, where she was busy catching up on not only schoolwork but Earth culture.

Gathered around a circular table with pensive expressions and amazing abilities and a determination to fight for justice, they could have been the knights of the round table, Lois mused as she stood in the background, making notes of this historic occasion. Justice League, she scribbled the name on the side for Perry's approval later.

With a democratic mindset, the league all wrote down the name of the person they thought should lead the team of heroes.

Lois as the only non-voting person in the room did the honors of the tally. It was a dead tie: three for Superman and three for Batman.

If the group wondered if Batman or Superman had voted for themselves, they didn't wonder long.

"It should be you," the Man of Steel said to the Dark Knight. "With your understanding of the criminal element and your ability to make tough decisions, you'd be a great leader."

"But with your powers and people skills, it should be you. You'd know how best to utilize everyone on the team."

And so it went back and forth, the candidates arguing not for themselves but for the other.

Lois had promised herself she'd only be a spectator as a journalist and as only the fiancée of one of the members, but she broke into the argument at last. "This new bromance of yours is almost as disgusting as your enmity was." Though it was obvious by her slight smile and sparkling eyes that she teased. "Why don't you both lead? With your skepticism and your optimism, you'll make natural partners that balance each other out."

Clark smiled at her because she could have been talking about them, but she was right. Differences made for strength and balance; it was the perfect solution to the problem. "What do you say, Batman? Care to colead with me?" He offered his hand in a handshake to seal the deal.

Bruce gave him a rare smile and shook his hand. "I can think of no finer arrangement."