Year Twenty-Nine: Valediction

Author's Note: See below for additional notes...


Excerpt from THE WAYNE LEGACY (published: 2736 BCE)

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By the midway point of the twenty-second century, however, the internal conflict within the Batclan had erupted into open conflict. As of 2153 BCE, three factions had evolved. The first, generally considered the Conservative element, was descended from the Drake line and were long considered to be the true heir to the Cowl given that their progenitor, Timothy Drake, was Bruce Wayne's chosen successor. In 2099, however, the Drake claim experienced a significant setback when genetic testing confirmed what had long been suspected: Cassandra Drake was not the first Batman's daughter as had been claimed.

Two other factions remained: the Radicals, directly descended from Damien Wayne via his relationship with the third Catwoman (identity unknown; click here to review most likely suspects), pressed for a far more aggressive and proactive response against crime, while the Liberals, who traced their descent from Richard Grayson, the first Robin and the second man to wear the Cowl, were more focused on rehabilitation and infrastructure. Interestingly, the same genetic testing that hampered the Conservative argument also revealed an unexpected familial connection to Wayne through the Liberals, and careful examination of that family tree indicated Helena Bertinelli, the mother of Grayson's son, to be the logical blood relative to Bruce, though no explanation for this connection could be found. It would later be theorized that she was Wayne's half-sister through his father and an unknown mother, although discrepancies in the research ensured that questions continued to persist to this day.

In 2154 BCE, in the very middle of the global economic depression that would later result in the first round of hostilities between the United Nations and the Global Caliphate, the conflict between the three factions became open warfare, forcing the Gotham SecForce to shut them all down. There were a number of casualties in the five week police action and it seemed that the legacy of the Batman had finally been stamped out. This belief would change three years later, however, when Thomas Kyle, the SecForce captain responsible for crushing the erstwhile 'Battle for the Cowl' entered the scene as the latest Batman. Although few were aware of his identity until decades after his tragic death, Kyle was a direct descendant of the first Batman. On his mother's side, he could also trace his ancestry to both Drake-Wayne and Grayson-Bertinelli, which made him nearly a perfect union of all three factions. For the majority of his twelve years as The Batman, Kyle would also be in charge of the SecForce unit officially assigned to apprehend his alternate identity, and it was this other job that resulted in his staggering successes.

Continue to THOMAS KYLE (2125-2166)

/-\

Suddenly, there was a knocking at his window.

At first, Bruce ignored it – he simply had too much work to do at the moment to even notice what was probably another stupid bird trapped in the grill covering the study window. The mesh was necessary – they were on the twenty-ninth floor, after all, and no one wanted adventurous children to fall from such a height – but the noise repeated again and again and again. His temper, already short thanks to this afternoon's excessively long meeting with the CFL who were fighting him tooth and nail over the reforms necessary to keep Gotham competitive in the national arena not to mention yesterday's bitter argument with the NRA over his continued push for tightening certain gun laws, flared brightly and he pushed away from his desk, intent on finding something long and pointy to push the trapped avian free. He even briefly considered grabbing his nearest taser and simply stunning the damned thing into silence, but that seemed unnecessarily cruel so it was only a momentary thought borne of frustration. One of Selina's umbrellas was close at hand and he snatched it up, noting only after the fact that it bore the unmistakable signs of having once belonged to Cobblepot – yes, this was the old smoke delivery model; when had she stolen it? It wasn't from his trophy room. When he turned toward the window, though, he dropped the umbrella to the floor.

Because there, floating just outside his window, were Clark and Diana.

They appeared to have not aged a day – both still looked to be in the absolute prime of their youth and Bruce was all too aware of the gray in his hair, the lines on his face, even the hitch in his step and the way his spine would just lock up at times – but it was unmistakably them. For a moment, he thought that he might be imagining things as they were hazy and indistinct, but Clark gave him an all too familiar 'hurry up' gesture and Bruce finally realized that Diana's arms were crossed. He suddenly remembered how she could vanish from sight by touching her bracers together and stumbled quickly to the window.

"Do you have a spare bed?" Clark asked as he floated through the open window. He was, Bruce realized, almost carrying Diana and she had a strained look to her face. Even more curious were the flickers of electricity that seemed to crawl up and down her body. Bruce nodded, still not quite able to form coherent sentences, and threw open the door to the guest room. He watched in something quite close to actual shock as Clark drifted to the bed and lowered Diana to it. The Amazon murmured something under her breath and Clark nodded before replying. It was in a language Bruce did not know, but his stunned brain finally kicked back into gear and he began noticing things that had, until now, escaped him.

The two were wearing strange clothes crafted of an unusual-looking material. Diana's was the most different, though in many ways, it was similar to what she'd worn before – the Themysciran eagle that so closely resembled twin stylized W's was upon her chest and red was still the dominant color – but the outfit itself utilized the same aesthetics as that of those children who had aided the League some years ago during the Sun-Eater crisis. Her outfit almost resembled a sleeved leotard, with extra strips of clothing in the front and back fashioned like loincloths. A solid bar of black decorated with a starfield that somehow shifted slightly ran down the center and split up the dark crimson of the rest. Her legs were mostly bare, and he recalled hearing her once admitted to preferring that for simple economy of motion, but she wore gloves now, though they were almost hidden by her bracers. She also wore a wide belt with a stylized L upon the buckle – that too was identical to what those children had worn.

Clark's uniform rather closely resembled his old hard-suit, but was more streamlined than before. Blue still dominated but now, the red was brighter and bolder. The House of El crest upon his chest was directly connected to the flowing cape – how he removed the thing, Bruce couldn't tell – but it had been altered ever so slightly. Like Diana, Clark also wore a belt with the stylized L.

"Thanks," Clark started once he rejoined Bruce in the study, pulling the door shut behind him. This close, Bruce could tell that, regardless of how little his old friend appeared to have changed, things had not been easy. Clark's eyes were so very different than before…

"Nine years, Clark," Bruce said. He pulled the door leading to the rest of the penthouse shut after giving the room beyond a quick glance. "And look at you," he continued. "You haven't aged a day."

"Only nine?" Clark shook his head. "A bit longer for us," he said in a tone that clearly indicated no interest in continuing that line of discussion. There was a hardness to him that was new, an economy of motion that Bruce had to admire. Wherever he'd been, it looked as though Clark had finally learned to really fight. "We're not even supposed to be here," Kent admitted as he ran his fingers through his hair. "But the Fortress wasn't where it was supposed to be and …"

"Kara moved it," Bruce interjected. He stepped closer and offered his hand. "It's damned good to see you, Clark."

"And you." Kent's smile was genuine, but he didn't move from where he stood. "I'm having trouble readjusting to human norm strength," he said almost sheepishly as he glanced down to the offered hand. Bruce grinned and then, without thinking about it, embraced his friend. He could feel the inhuman heat boiling off Clark, but it was so good to see him!

"You're making a habit of this," Bruce said a few moments later. "Disappearing for years on end and then appearing out of nowhere."

"This will be the last time," Clark said softly. He glanced toward the closed door separating them from Diana. "We here to investigate some things but …"

"You're not coming back." Bruce almost scowled. "Why not?"

"Nine years, you said?" Bruce nodded. "For us, it was closer to a thousand." His disbelief must have shown on his face because Clark sighed. "It's … complicated," he began.

"Then start with something simple," Bruce instructed. "What's wrong with Diana?" To his surprise, Clark smiled slightly.

"I thought you wanted to start with simple," he muttered wryly. Shaking his head once again, he slowly took a seat on the leather couch. "We came back to visit Themyscira," Clark said, "but we instead found something else." His expression hardened. "And her father left something for her."

"Her father?" Bruce frowned. "I thought she was molded from clay." Clark sighed once more and opened his mouth to reply. Bruce spoke quickly. "Start from the beginning," he ordered. He took his own chair.

/-\

Wind howled like thunder. Snow and ice swirled in the raging torrent, reducing visibility to virtually nonexistent. The temperature dove – it had been cold before, but now, it became simply intolerable. Humans could not survive here, not without considerable protection and even then, they would barely be able to function. But then, the two who stepped out of the spherical device could hardly be called human.

"Retrieval in thirty-six hours," a mildly disembodied voice announced and a moment later, the Time Bubble dematerialized with barely a sound, leaving the two standing atop the hardened ice. Together, they kicked up from the surface.

"No sign of the diamond here," Clark announced as he looked up from the ground, blinking rapidly like he always did when shifting between his enhanced vision and normal sight. He gave Diana a look. "Which first? The Fortress or Themyscira?"

"We can do both," she replied. "You take the Fortress." Kal gave her a long, concerned look – she appeared troubled, which was understandable given what they'd found in the Legion's time, and did not even try to conceal this fact from him – before finally nodding his agreement.

"I shouldn't be long," he said. "As soon as I'm done, I'll catch up with you." Diana nodded as she sprang up into the sky.

He poured on the acceleration, arcing up and over the planet below. The Legion flight ring vibrated against his ring finger as it sent a concealing energy pulse that would confuse all but the very most advanced sensor suites – few things in this time period would be capable of penetrating the cloak, though Clark suspected his passage would be noted by at least a few. He reached the North Pole long minutes later, but to his surprise, could not locate the Fortress. Pausing for a moment, he strained his senses but could find nothing.

The Fortress was gone!

/-\

"Kara moved it," Bruce repeated. At Clark's questioning look, he continued. "There were a couple of breach attempts by the Daemonites and then later, by Majestic when he thought she was working with them, so she relocated it to the moon." He scowled. "And then, they tried to break in there, so she moved it again. It was in orbit around Mercury briefly, but now, I don't know where she moved it."

/-\

The sky over Themyscira was clear as he descended toward the island, but Kal-El could tell that things were every bit as dire as they'd feared.

He located Diana quickly enough – she was kneeling in the remains of the palace, her head bowed – and he carefully touched down alongside her. Apart from them, there was nothing alive on the island, not even the tiniest grub, and Clark could see the remnants of parademon legions, now buried under years of overgrowth. Very few of the buildings remained fully intact and of those that yet stood, all were heavily damaged.

"I found my mother's crown," Diana murmured softly. Tears trickled down her face. "They're all gone. My sisters. My mother." She looked skyward. "My gods. All gone."

"I'm sorry," Kal whispered. He reached for her and Diana fell into his arms, the tears coming harder and faster now. It was Lara all over again, he reflected though Clark wasn't falling apart himself. For the first time in a very long time, he could be strong for her. It was not as if they had truly expected a miracle – in the 31st Century, the island was just as abandoned and as desolate as it was now – but they'd both hoped to at least discover that the Amazons had fled.

/-\

"Darkseid destroyed them?" Bruce stared his old friend with barely hidden horror in his eyes. "Why didn't we know about this?"

"Hermes." Clark was staring at the door leading to the guest bedroom and Bruce suspected he was watching Diana through the wall. "When he died, he sealed off the island and this world from Apokalips and New Genesis." Bruce frowned – he hadn't given them much thought, but now that Clark mentioned it, Orion and Miracle and Barda had not been seen on Earth for a very long time. "But I'm getting ahead of myself," Clark added.

/-\

They were still kneeling there when the Exile appeared before them.

Centuries of bloody combat had honed their reflexes to lethal sharpness, and both of them were airborne almost the very instant that the figure appeared, automatically assuming defensive postures. Diana was the first to let her muscles relax – Stormbreaker fell from her grip, slamming into the dirt with a loud boom – and she flashed forward to embrace the woman standing before her.

It took Clark a moment longer to recognize Artemis. Her hair, once the color of flame, was now pure white and her face had been badly burned at some point. Much of her body was hidden by a deep scarlet cloak, though it did not conceal well and Kal noted dozens of vicious but long-healed scars upon the woman's body. Her left arm was gone, missing from just above her elbow, but the clear silver light that glowed from her eyes hinted at some unknown power.

"Diana of Themyscira," Artemis intoned in a voice that was not her own. His wife pulled back from the woman and Clark could see how quickly her body language transformed. Stormbreaker quivered, but did not leap to her hand as the entity within Artemis continued. "You have returned," she said. Her silver eyes flickered briefly to Clark. "As was foretold." Artemis bowed her head. "You are now the Last of Us," she said. "Father Zeus' Mantle falls to you."

"Lady Athena," Diana breathed, dropping to her knees before the woman who had once been her friend. Kal floated closer, not quite relaxing. To his surprise, Athena-Artemis offered him a very tiny smile, nodding as she acknowledged both his presence and his protective posture.

"I present to you the gift of your Father's Mantle," she said as she stretched out her intact hand. The cloak parted, revealing her unclothed body beneath, and Clark's breath caught at just how badly maimed she was. There was no way a human being, even an augmented one, could have taken such injuries and lived! Lightning coursed up from the earth as he realized this fact, crawled across Artemis' body and down her outstretched arm, before exploding outward, enveloping Diana in a solid sheet of electricity. She screamed.

And thunderbolts erupted from her.

/-\

"Zeus?" Bruce leaned back. "Zeus is her father?"

"We'd suspected it for a while now," Clark admitted, "but this was the first time we had confirmation." He exhaled deeply. "The lightning … it threw me across the island. By the time I recovered and got back …" Again, he looked away. "I found Diana holding Artemis' body." He was silent for a long moment. "I guess she would have died years ago if it hadn't been for Athena, but still …"

Bruce nodded his understanding and the two men sat silently for several minutes. There were a million questions racing through his mind, but Bruce didn't know where to start. Finally, he chose the obvious.

"Why aren't you coming back?" he asked. "The world needs Superman and Wonder Woman." Clark sighed. In that moment, he looked so much older than before.

"I shouldn't be telling you this," the Kryptonian said hesitantly before shrugging. "Keep this out of your memoirs, Mister President," he added with a very tiny smirk. Before the title could fully sink in, Clark was continuing. "When we returned from Asgard, a thousand years had passed. The world had changed, but the problems were still the same, just on a larger scale. A much larger scale." He hunched his shoulders. "And Earth history had already recorded that we never came back."

"Oh." Bruce looked down. "I see," he said softly. "You'd screw up the timeline if you came back." Clark nodded.

"It'll be rough going for a while – it always is – but I've seen the future, Bruce." He smiled. "It's worth it." He started to speak again, but his attention shifted to the door leading to the rest of the penthouse. A moment later, Selina pushed the door open.

"I didn't hear you come in …" she began before trailing off abruptly the moment she noticed Clark sitting on the sofa. Her eyes widened and she quickly glanced back the way she came.

"Don't worry," Clark said before tapping the strange ring he wore. In the blink of an eye, he suddenly appeared to be dressed in slightly unusual-looking clothes that did not look completely out of place. He smiled a half second before the twins came barreling through the door.

"Daddy!" the two five year olds shouted as they sprang up and onto his lap. Bruce almost winced – they were getting too big for this and his body had already withstood several lifetimes of abuse – but bit the instinctive groan back and caught them before they went tumbling onto the floor.

"Behave," he ordered sternly. "We have a guest." As one, they squirmed around on his lap and stared at the dark-haired stranger sitting on the couch.

"Hello," Kent said with a smile. "My name is Clark." Bruce exchanged a quick glance with Selina even as their son wiggled off his lap and advanced toward the stranger sitting on the sofa.

"My name is Clark too!" the boy said brightly. "Mommy said I was named after a real super-hero! Were you named after him too?"

For a long moment, silence reigned and Bruce had the unexpected pleasure of seeing Kal-El of Krypton, the Superman himself, sit speechless in the face of a question from a child. He smiled.

"And this is Diana," he said before nudging his daughter slightly. "Say hello, Diana."

"Hullo." Normally the more adventurous of the two, she was invariably the shyest around strangers. Once that wore off, though, she was a demon on two feet.

"Children." Selina's voice didn't sound any different to Bruce, but the twins reacted to it as if they'd been hit with tasers. Together, they turned to face her, hangdog expressions already appearing on their faces. "Say goodnight. It is long past your bed-time." There were the usual whines and complaints, but all Selina had to do was frown and the twins were in motion, darting through her legs and racing toward their bedroom.

Bruce wondered if he could get her to teach him that look.

"It's good to see you again, Mister Kent," she said as she started to back out. She froze the moment she realized that Diana was now standing in the other doorway.

"Your children are beautiful, Selina," the Amazon said. Her eyes were moist and Bruce realized that she must have heard them.

"Thank you." Selina hesitated – she'd always had a little bit of difficulty interacting with these two; it was as if she didn't know where she stood in their eyes, which was always amusing given how poised she was with absolutely everyone else – but the sound of shouting rescued her from the momentary awkwardness. "I'd better make sure that they haven't killed each other," she said before ducking out and pulling the door shut behind her.

"Clark and Diana?" The almost strangled question coming from one of if not the most powerful man on the planet at the moment made Bruce smile.

"It was Selina's idea," he admitted. He stood as Diana floated across the room and stepped forward to embrace her tightly. Like Clark, she barely touched him, but even that caused him to grunt. "I'm sorry about your mother and your sisters," he said as she released him and carefully took the seat next to Clark.

"And you have our condolences on Alfred's passing," she replied. Kent grimaced – it was the look of a man who had just realized that he'd forgotten something, but considering his still rather visible concern over the woman next to him, Bruce did not take it personally. "We originally sought you out at the manor..."

"We relocated after I won the election," Bruce said. "It was too much trouble traveling back and forth … wait. You called me Mister President." He pinned Clark with a look.

"Did I?" Kent shrugged. "Perhaps I misspoke." His eyes danced, though, and Bruce felt a solid ball of lead settle in his stomach. He didn't need to know that. God help him, he was just getting used to dealing with Gotham politics! If he hadn't tapped Barbara as the Deputy Mayor, he doubted he'd be able to keep his head above water! Sure, most of the pundits were convinced her selection was simply a political move, both to shore up support with the people who had backed Jim and to reach out to skeptical women voters (which he had to admit was necessary; his dating exploits from his youth were a matter of public record), but in truth, he was afraid he'd be lost without her.

"Stop it," Diana instructed, elbowing Clark slightly. On a normal person, Bruce suspected that she would have broken ribs and, from the fleeting expression of concern on her face, she'd just realized that herself. Kent was made of pretty durable stuff, though, and simply accepted the jab with another slight smile.

"Yes, ma'am." It was such a familiar scene that, for a heartbeat, Bruce was momentarily transported back to the old days, when he still wore the cowl and these two were always around. They'd always had such an easy rapport, even before they became aware of one another in a romantic sense. He desperately did not want this moment to end.

But, as with all things, it did.

"I need to make contact with Kara," Clark said. "No one else can know we're here, Bruce."

"Why?" Bruce leaned forward once more. "I recognize those belts of yours," he said. "A couple of years ago, shortly after the two of you vanished, there were a handful of kids running around with powers and they were wearing those." Clark and Diana exchanged a quick look. "They called themselves the Legion and, from what Tim told me, he didn't think they were from this time."

"Dammit, Bruce," Clark scowled. "We don't have time for your games." Diana touched him lightly on the hand and Kent sighed heavily.

"The situation is dire," she said. "Darkseid is moving once more – we are still investigating, but whatever he is doing involves temporal manipulation."

"Time travel," Bruce spat out. He hated the idea on principle alone. If people could travel through time, then why couldn't they prevent disasters from happening? Why couldn't they prevent good people from being murdered for senseless reasons?

"The team you interacted with was one of a half dozen we've got investigating key junction points," Diana continued. "For the most part, they have explicit instructions to avoid direct interference." Bruce's eyebrows rose. "Preventing the Sun-Eater from destroying Earth was a special case," she said.

"Particularly since it's still around in the 31st Century," Clark muttered. He abruptly cocked his head and his eyes swam out of focus. "Kara's in Gotham," he said before rising. He looked at Diana and she nodded. "I'll be as quick as I can."

"The clock is ticking," Diana said before adding another word in that language Bruce didn't know. It had the sound of an endearment, and from the lop-sided smile Kent gave her in return, that was probably a safe bet. He nodded and then blurred through the open window. Bruce glanced in the direction that Kent had just exited before shaking his head.

"I see some things haven't changed," he remarked. Diana smiled.

"While he is gone," she said, "you may ask the questions I can tell you want to ask." Despite himself, Bruce had to return her smile – this had always been their relationship: blunt and open, without any deception. He'd never been able to lie to her.

"Is there anything you can tell me that won't violate your … temporal prime directive?" he asked. Diana cocked her head, a slightly confused expression flashing across her face for a moment. It vanished quickly enough as she pieced together his meaning.

"Very little," she admitted. Bruce realized that he was staring at her eyes – he could see tiny sparks and flashes occurring within and … were his lights flickering? They were. "I apologize," Diana said as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "I am finding this … transition difficult."

"I'll bet." Bruce started to speak again, but Diana inhaled sharply and glanced away, her eyes still closed. She must have sensed his questioning look because she smiled.

"It is Kal," she said. "He just made contact with Kara." Bruce blinked. When exactly had she developed super-senses like that?

"And you know this how?" When she opened her eyes again, they were glowing.

"My father was the god of the sky, Bruce," she said sadly. "I can feel it."

/-\

All he had to do was whisper her name.

From where he stood in the sky, once more wearing his Legion uniform, Clark could see Kara react. She had been descending toward a clinic of some sort – thanks to his senses, he knew Luthor was within, but he had no interest in speaking with that man, not with all of the unresolved emotions that centered around him and his foreknowledge about what Luthor was up to – but she froze at once, scanned her immediate surroundings and finally oriented on him. Less than a second later, she was streaking up toward him, moving at just shy of Mach One.

His combat reflexes almost kicked in – she was coming in fast and in his experience, things that moved that quickly toward him were never good – but he squashed his instincts and forced himself to stay put. A bare half second later, Kara hit him, her arms coming around him in a tight embrace that he actually felt. Tears splashed down her face and he found himself returning her joyful smile. Still, he applied only a fraction of his strength when he hugged her back – the last year working alongside the Legion had confirmed just how much greater his abilities were, which made sense given how long the war in Asgard had raged, not to mention the last days of it, as Apollo burned so brightly that he could break the world without too much difficulty.

"Rao!" Kara exclaimed as she floated back slightly, never once releasing her hold on him. "You're back!" Her face glowed with joy and Kal felt something tear inside him. God, he wanted to warn her, wanted to tell her of what was coming, but he knew he couldn't. Hinting to Bruce about his political future was one thing, but telling Kara that she and Bill only had fifteen or so years left? In the Legion's time, Superwoman and Captain Marvel were regarded as two of the greatest heroes of all time because of how they would sell their lives to save Earth and stop Imperiex from rampaging across the galaxy. Before they'd come back to this time, he and Diana had even visited the statues erected in their honor, christened a decade later by another President Alexander. The irony of one of Lex Luthor's descendants dedicating a memorial to a Kryptonian had not been lost on either of them.

"It's good to see you, Kara," Clark said and it was. The white hard-suit and red cape went remarkably well together, and seeing someone else wearing the House of El sigil was wonderful. He could not ignore how much older she looked, of course – that too was in the historical texts and her rapid aging (for a Kryptonian) would be a factor in her decision to retire in a few years, which made her and Bill's return even more dramatic. They would in their sixties when they fell, and that was no age to die, not even for a human. Kal pushed the stray thoughts away and hardened himself for what was to come. "But I'm not back," he said. "Not for good."

/-\

"Two," Diana said in response to Bruce's question, though her expression was sad. "We had a third," she continued softly, "but Lara died during the war."

"I'm sorry," Bruce murmured. Diana smiled softly.

"Thank you," she replied. "We have no time to speak of the past, Bruce," she continued, leaning forward slightly. "Kal hinted at your future." Bruce almost winced at that. "I would tell you more but … safeguards were put into place before we came to this time to ensure that we would not inadvertently reveal certain things and thus alter the timeline."

"The telepath," Bruce guessed. "The blonde … Saturn Girl, I think they called her."

"Just so," Diana said with a nod. "I will tell you this: Earth … not the United States, but Earth will need you in the White House to help shepherd this world through a terrible calamity."

/-\

"I do not understand," Kara said tightly. Her voice was clipped, sharp, and Clark grimaced at her anger.

"You're a scientist, Kara," he replied. "You understand temporal theory better than I ever will." At that, she scowled, looking away as her entire body language shifted to one of defeat.

"So this is goodbye, then," she said. "I will be the last Kryptonian alive in this time period." Clark … no. Kal-El floated closer and pulled her into a hug, taking care not to hurt her.

"But you won't be alone," he replied. "I've seen the future, Kara. I've seen your life … and Bill's." It wasn't a lie – the romance of Kara Starr and William Batson was one of the most popular stories in the 31st Century; he'd seen at least three different holovids about it – but neither was it entirely true. God, he wanted to tell her!

/-\

"You don't leave me much choice," Bruce muttered. Unless she'd radically changed – and somehow, he doubted it, not with her Lariat coiled around her left arm – Diana was being truthful. "I thought I'd retired," he grumbled. "Being the mayor of Gotham … I ran because Jim Gordon guilt-tripped me into it." He blew out a frustrated breath. "I sure as hell didn't actually expect to win."

"Liar." Diana's remark came with a smile to soften it. "You are the Batman," she said. "You never do things halfway."

"I was the Batman," Bruce replied. "That's Tim's job now."

"I stand corrected, Mayor Wayne," Diana retorted. She glanced down at the ring on her finger – Clark had worn one like it as well, complete with that stylized L embossed upon it. Were he any other man, Bruce might have made a wry comment about this Legion's fetish for their symbols, but his hypocrisy only went so far. "Our time dwindles," she said as she rose to her feet.

/-\

"Where exactly on Antarctica?" Kara asked. Her anger and sadness was gone, replaced by the steadfast determined expression he knew so well.

"Someplace it won't be noticed," Kal-El replied. "When Diana and I arrived, the diamond was about nine meters below the surface." He frowned. "I didn't even know it was there until later …" Kara nodded.

"That tracks with my study of it," she said. "None of the instrumentation in the Fortress can even detect it and Bill can't even touch it without getting a headache." She frowned the moment she noticed he had glanced away. "What?"

"Diana has called Stormbreaker back," he replied before turning his eyes back to her. "It's time for us to go." Kara nodded silently and followed him as he drifted down toward the Wayne penthouse.

/-\

Bruce struggled against the flood of emotions spilling through him as he watched Clark and Kara drop down out of the sky. He was standing on the small balcony of the penthouse that he so rarely used, gripping the rail tightly as Diana lifted up slowly, taking to the air and giving Kent room to touch down.

"Goodbye, Bruce," Clark side. "I'm sorry I won't be able to hear you give your first state of the union speech." Over Kent's shoulder, Bruce saw Kara react to that.

"Make sure you watch a recording," he replied through a suddenly thick throat. Abandoning his normal sense of decorum, Bruce stepped closer to his friend and wrapped both arms around him. "Kick his ass for me," he said. "Kick it so hard that he tastes your boot." Clark grinned.

"That's the plan," he said. "I'll make sure he knows the Batman sends his regards."

Overhead, a low boom drew Bruce's eyes and he watched as a golden hammer streaked down out of the clouds. Without looking, Diana held up her right hand and the bizarre weapon slapped into her palm. She glanced down at her ring – Clark did the same thing – and they both frowned.

"Look after those kids, Bruce," Clark ordered. He lifted up off the balcony and slid into place next to Diana. The two clasped hands before shooting up, higher and higher, moving so quickly the air trembled in their wake. Bruce swallowed and exchanged a long, knowing look with Kara Zor-El. Without a word, she floated down and followed him into his study where she accepted the glass of brandy he poured. They drank in silence.

It was the last time either of them would see Clark or Diana.


A/N #2:

There is one chapter remaining, so this is the last we shall see of Bruce. Know that he lived a good, productive life. And sorry, but I just love the notion of The Batman becoming the POTUS.

And no, none of the stuff mentioned in the excerpt at the beginning is from anywhere but my fragile, eggshell mind. I just don't like how, in the Legion era, it seemed like only Kal had a real legacy. Obviously, we know why there are no Amazons in the Legion era of this fic, but the Bat is one of the Trinity so ...

Also, yes, I'm fully aware that modern DNA testing would be able to easily determine that Helena is Bruce' (and Selina's) daughter, but you know the Bats would foul up all the samples. Plus, she's from a different reality, so maybe that's why everything was all wonky.