4/18/05 - 6:45AM - Smallville Medical Center - Smallville, KS
Diana woke up slightly uncomfortable but nothing a little stretching wouldn't fix. She had slept on the floor in a quiet examination room on the cold linoleum floor. She had slept in worse places, but she knew it was the only place she could sleep without anyone seeing her as weak.
She got up and left the room, looking up and down the hallway as the girls were sound asleep. She then saw how Carol was asleep in one of the chairs at the lounge with a blanket over her shoulders. Hal seemed to be able to stay awake as he had a cup of coffee in his hands and was more than capable to stay awake...
"At least for another hour. Then I relieve Carol." said Hal.
"I see." said Diana. "And it won't hurt your pride having to sleep elsewhere while Carol watches over them."
"Its Carol, Diana, its not too hard to watch her sleep. Uh sorry that sounded kinda creepy." said Hal.
"No, Hal its sweet." said Diana. "She's really lucky to have you."
"What?" said Hal.
"I said she's really lucky to have you... watching over her." Diana added unconvincingly
"Whoa. Me and her? Yes!"
"Don't sound too surprised, Hal. She's cared for you for years. How else would she be the Queen of the Star Sapphires without her love for you."
"She just always seems so uptight and professional. But every now and then there are moments when she reveals an adventurous side to her that you can't help but fall in love with. I ... never would have thought she could do it all."
"That's why you two are perfect for each other. You both fly in face of authority yet respect the rules the authority comes from. You are willing to fight for each other and others. The greatest will and the greatest love. I'm surprised you two didn't realize it when I told you that yesterday."
Hal couldn't help but be happy at what Diana had told him as he looked upon Carol with a smile on his face. He left Diana and continued watching the other three girls. He then sat next to Carol while softly placing his arm over her as she unconsciously reacted by curling up next to Hal with a smile on her face.
Diana couldn't help but smile herself watching the two as she turned to see Steve standing by the door.
"So how are you handling the job Steve?"
"Standing by watching my old buddy go mushy at the sight of his queen? That would make him what's the word a.. consort."
"Exactly. But I was wondering how was Clark?"
"I checked an hour ago and seems to be doing alright, for someone asleep over half a day now."
"How are the deputies?"
"They change shifts every couple of hours. Some return to the station while others use a bed in an unoccupied room. All things considered Clark is in good hands."
"Until then we just wait." said Diana as she sat down next to Steve once again guarding the door. "How are the Kents?"
"Out in their sleeping bags, thanks for that by the way. How they've been handling it the other day it would have taken an army to get them to sleep in an unoccupied room.
I also walked by the windows and noticed lit candles well into midnight as the people outside continued to hold their vigil. By the way when you got here with that ring did you happen to walk by the newspaper and little TV station here and 'convince' them to not write about this."
"Depends what you mean by 'convince.' I didn't use the ring or hurt them in anyway. I merely told them very kindly that they shouldn't write about this or report to any wire service about him. Knowing what was at stake they held of any story at least for another day."
"I see." said Steve as Diana continued.
"Afterwards I'll use the ring and eliminate this from their memories. Everything from their notepads to their cameras will be erased."
Diana and Steve then waited quietly as they continued making some small talk. They talked about his fight with Jason Teague, to which Diana was more than willing to recreate with some stylized commentary. Steve looked happily as Diana recounted about what she told him about his life. He felt happy knowing how good friends they were going to become. He was rather amazed to hear he was her first kiss, by the reflecting pool in D.C. no less. Even he never expected anything romantic to happen there.
They talked for a while until the sun began to fill into the lounge. As soon as it happened the crowd outside seem to get louder as it soon began to become shouts as Diana and Steve opened the door into Clark's room as they saw him open the window to his room as he let the sun in fill up the entire room. He was dressed in his red jacket and blue t-shirt and jeans as he turned away from the window and saw Diana and Steve.
"Kal-El!" screamed Diana as she ran to Clark by the window gripping him by the shoulders in a tight hug.
"Ow. Easy there Diana."
"I'm sorry I do forget that you do get hurt sometimes."
No sooner did Diana and Clark speak up did Martha and Jonathan wake up and though somewhat groggy raced to their son hugging him tightly as the rest of the crowd erupted in cheers as they saw the Kent family awake and happy as the town's great hero had awoken.
Clark was being checked on for hours as Diana and Dr. MacIntyre continued to check on him while the Kents watched on. Clark described himself as fine, but Diana wanted Clark to be honest with the doctor as he continued to examine him.
"Now how do you really feel Clark?" said the doctor.
"Dizzy. I just need some air."
"It could be the sign of massive blood loss as well as oxygen deprivation. Your fingers are pink but there are some blue traces around them. How long was it before you heard his heartbeat Miss Prince?"
It didn't even bother Diana that the doctor referred to her via her phony last name but she answered nevertheless.
"According to Chloe I was gone for about ten minutes. I flew him right into the sun and caused his body to heal. It was a round trip from here to the sun with the technology I used. So, probably five minutes but there was some time before I used those radiation inoculations to revive the Kents and Chloe before using it on him. So add maybe two or three more minutes."
"I can't examine your head for brain damage normally Clark so I want to do some other checks. Your reflexes, your eyes, hearing..."
"That really isn't necessary doctor." Clark said.
"Kal-El you were in a fight for your life yesterday." said Diana with a worried tone in her voice. "A possible concussion from Hardcastle, the radiation exposure, the coma and lets not forget you are a living being not a plant. Sunlight and food aren't going to be enough, though I think you could use some food as soon as we get out of here. In the meantime you let the doctor examine you okay?"
"Please Clark." said Martha who was standing with Jonathan as they stood in the examination room. "Listen to Diana and the doctor."
"Fine."
Some time had elapsed and which Dr. MacIntyre was convinced that Clark was able to leave. But before anything else happened Diana wanted to take the time to speak to Steve, Hal and Carol. She left the Kents in the examination room as she found her future friends in the lounge.
"I want to personally thank all of you for what you did for Kal-El. You are all as much family as you are my friends and I ..."
"Hey. Don't mention it Diana." said Hal. "I'm honored to have been there for you and Clark. I only wish we could have seen ourselves what it is that made you trust us so much."
"Actually. I think I can, in fact lets wait for Kal-El."
Eventually Clark was released by the doctor with the advice he take it easy for the rest of the day. To which Diana sounded a little disappointed considering what today was. But she knew there were ways to honor this day. No sooner did he leave the room did Chloe run up to Clark hugging him tightly.
"I'm so sorry you got shot trying to save us Clark. I swear that..."
"Chloe. It's okay. I'm going to be fine."
Chloe wiped away her tears as Lois had snuck up behind Chloe with a smirk on her face.
"Uh Oh." said Clark. "You're speechless that's never a good sign."
Lois opened her face in a wide smile. "Not bad, Clark."
"What happened to Smallville?"
"Doesn't seem to fit after what just happened these past couple of days. Especially given that badass of a family tree. Though I have to admit I'm a little suspicious after hearing about the Intergalactic Pirates of the Caribbean and the X-Ray vision that Chloe told me about." Lois said as she shifted uncomfortably with her arms covering her chest.
"Lois! I've never.."
"Kal-El!" said Diana as she took him by the arm as she led him straight to the lounge where a hologram was set up via the computer as Steve, Hal, Carol, Jonathan and Martha were sitting as Clark saw the images of a multitude of monstrous creatures flying everywhere as it seemed everyone was in a panic. He then saw Hal, Diana and himself only it wasn't exactly them at least not how he saw them. Having only met Hal minutes ago he still saw some differences in the man sitting down and the one he saw on the hologram still wearing a pilot's outfit. Clark was wearing glasses and a suit, Diana in her naval uniform.
He then saw Bart Allen who he recognized from his time in Smallville some months back only looking much older. He then saw a very athletic blonde man who had the appearance of a surfer by the beach as he saw the creatures. He then saw another blonde man in a suit and tie yet in a goatee. He then saw a little boy walking in a white hoodie as he ran for his life yet helping a little girl from danger. Clark then noticed another man in a suit who looked particularly arrogant and smug with a bevy of panicking girls as he ran to a corner where his demeanor immediately changed. Those eyes looked fierce and angry.
Then a loud shout bellowed from each of these individuals.
"Up, Up and Away!"
"In Brightest Day!"
"Athena Guide Me!"
"Catch Me If You Can!"
"For Atlantis!"
"Ready, Aim!"
"SHAZAM!"
"I'm Batman!"
Clark and Hal looked amazed as they saw not just themselves but an entire team of amazing people. Clark saw Diana looking as mighty as she had that day against Hardcastle swinging her sword and her lasso. Others such as Bart racing in red as he evaded several creatures. The surfer dude actually sending a tidal wave down on his enemies. A goateed man firing arrows, one seemed to become a boxing glove when it hit while dressed in a hooded green outfit. The little boy after shouting that odd name had become a powerful man taking on several foes while flying into the sky. Then came the man called Batman who looked like an ordinary man in a fearsome black costume as he manipulated an aircraft firing into the creatures. Hal dressed in a green armor creating blasts of green energy, as well as calling upon giant baseball gloves to catch people falling from buildings. Clark himself gasped as a mighty blue suited character with a red cape used heat vision to cripple several creatures. What was so surprising was that the man was him.
At the end of the recording Clark, Hal and Diana saw their older selves congratulated by a whole crowd for saving the world. The crowd then called them all by one name. The Justice League.
Clark and Hal looked like they were punched in the gut and then hugged as they saw their glorious destiny realized before their eyes. For there were hugs and not just hugs as Carol kissed Hal with the pride and love for the man he will become. Martha and Jonathan grabbed Clark by each of his shoulders as they each apologized as they saw with their own eyes what they were holding him back from.
"Son, we are so sorry." said Jonathan.
"You both couldn't have known." said Clark. "This was my fault. I didn't want this. But now I would do everything in the world to make sure it happens."
"You will one day, Kal-El." said Diana. "And it is true you are held back. But now is not the time to point fingers. You fulfill the destiny your father wanted and so much more. We have our regrets but in the end we continue to do what we do. Accomplishing wonders."
Diana walked out of a room as Steve, Hal and Carol walked out with a slightly vacant expression on each of their faces as Diana placed something inside her pocket.
"What happens now?" said Clark.
"Well Steve and Carol return to the Pentagon. Steve answering to Phil, um, his commanding officer. Carol back in the intelligence division and Hal flies his plane back to McDonnell. They'll look back on what they did on the past couple of days with something really mundane. With no one knowing they were missing. We will see them again Kal-El, for the first time."
After some time the deputies were formally released as the hallway was being opened up as Clark and the rest of his friends and family walked out of the hospital. They were told that their truck was waiting for them outside as they saw the front doors only to see a vast crowd in front of the hospital cheer both him and Diana.
They walked out the doors as Clark and Diana stepped out to a loud roar of people cheering them on. It was as if these people actually saw what he became in that last recording only Diana admitted to Clark that she didn't have to show them anything.
"They know a hero when they see one Kal-El."
The deputies did their best to clear a path for the rest only Clark could see and hear everything they said. Clark saw his team mates chant his name, but also heard the word Tuesday thrown about. 'My twin ancestors!'he thought with some aggravation. He saw Joseph Willowbrook do the smallest of nods in his direction. But even more amazing was seeing the front row, which brought a wide smile to Diana's face as she saw children playing. One was a little blonde boy running around in a red jacket, blue shirt and jeans. Another was a little red headed girl in a red and blue bathing suit wearing a crown and swinging a toy sword. The children then both looked up to the heroes they were imitating as they suddenly embraced them both.
"So good to have you back." said the boy.
"Thank you for saving him Wonder Woman." said the girl.
Both Diana and Clark returned their hugs and the looked around them as everybody else continued to praise the two of them with cheers though eventually they cleared a path. Clark then moved to the back of the truck with Diana as they continued to wave to the crowd of people while his parents, Chloe, Lana and Lois took their seats in the truck. As they crowd continued to cheer both Clark and Diana.
Reverend McCay was able to return back to the room the Kents had left. Mistakenly leaving behind his Bible. He was happy to see that it was open as he read a section of it highlighted. Luke 15:4-15:6:
"What man of you that hath a hundred sheep: and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders, rejoicing.
And coming home, call together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost."
"Good words." McCay said aloud as he saw the crowd rejoice at Clark Kent's return. "Thank you Lord. For he is truly coming home. "