DISCLAIMERS/NOTES
1. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun.
2. As always, I'll point out this was written over a decade ago, when, here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air. So Hawkgirl had not been revealed as a spy, and the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of Unlimited wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, "The Savage Time". All my Wayback Wednesday stories are numbered chronologically, if you get stuck.
3. Funny story behind this instalment. Back when I originally posted this story on that JL:TAS fansite back in 2003, the first half of this particular chapter resulted in a "Post Did Not Register"-type message on the RPG forum - I'm sure you know the type of message I'm talking about. Anyway, that resulted in me attempting it five times in total... but as the wonderful internet often does, it was messing around, and the post did in fact register everytime, resulting in the chapter being posted five times in a row. Appropriately enough, the first response was "I enjoyed this chapter I read it five times!" Go figure.
4. There are aspects of these stories that, in hindsight, I would change. However, I have kept them as I originally wrote them for history's sake. Not laziness.
PART 5
He sat there, cross-legged, on the floor.
There was no light in the room, apart from two candles, also on the floor.
He slowly raised his head, his eyes closed, his arms on his knees.
He began to breathe heavily.
"Spirits of the passed… I call to you."
He stayed there, motionless, as the candles continued to flicker.
"I ask you… as I have done every dusk… to watch over two…"
There was silence.
"I ask you… to protect them… to watch over them… to keep them from harm…"
His breathing slowed, until it was over two minutes between every breath.
"Keep them from danger… keep them from my enemies… as I did in life…I ask you to do in death…"
The candles began to flicker more vehemently.
"Protect them… keep them safe… until the day that I may do so myself, once again…"
Suddenly, the flames burst up, creating small fires by each of his knees.
"The flames represent their life… their spirits… they are strong… as they forever were… as they forever will be…"
The flames dimmed.
"I no longer fear death… I no longer fear the passing… for when I do… I shall be with them again… I shall be able to protect them in death… as I did in life… I no longer fear death… for I no longer fear the flame…"
The candles returned to small flickers, barely illuminating the room.
"But until that day… I ask you to watch over them… until the day that I may do so myself, once again…"
The flames flickered in the room's air.
"My'ri'ah J'onzz… Lucy Cartwright Jones… I ask them to protect you… as they have… as they will… until I may join you… and protect you myself… as I did in life…"
The flames began to calm, until they were just still, firing motionlessly from the candles.
"My'ri'ah… Lucy… I love you… when the time is right… I shall be at your sides again… for all eternity…"
There was silence.
An hour passed.
J'onn began to breathe normally, and opened his eyes. He looked at the candles.
He slowly picked them up in each hand, and blew the flames out.
He then got to his feet, and went to his bed…
/
The door opened slowly, and she looked into the room.
Clark smiled at her. "Hi."
"Hi," she said, entering the room. She closed the door behind her, then ran her hand through her hair. "What are you still doing up?"
"I wanted to wait until you got here," he said. "How was the conference?"
She sighed. "Boring. It was all the same. Just a bunch of guys in long coats and pointy hats spouting gibberish."
He smiled. "That 'gibberish' has kept you alive."
She chuckled. "You know what I mean. I mean, yes, this is what I do, but… when you get to the technicalities of it, it's really dull."
"You're here, now," Clark said. "Surely that's better."
She went upto the bed, and climbed onto it, crawling along the mattress to him. "You know it is…" She reached him, and they leaned their heads close. They kissed tenderly, quickly yet deeply. She smiled and sighed. "I've missed you today…"
"I've missed you too," he said. "I had to host my party all by myself."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I'll be here all day tomorrow, I promise."
He looked down.
She frowned. "What is it?"
"The others…" he said. "They…"
"They don't know about me, do they?" she said.
He looked at her. "No. Only Bruce and Diana know."
She moved away from him. "Are you that ashamed of me?"
Clark frowned. "What? Of course not… you know that. It's just…"
"Just what?"
He clenched his jaw. "I… we need to talk."
She frowned again. "About what?"
"I'm sorry…" he said, "but I need to know where this is going. I… really care about you. After Lois… I didn't think I could love again… but with you… I'm happy again. I…love you."
She smiled, a tear running down her face. "Oh Clark… I love you too…"
"Really?" he asked.
"Of course," she said. "How can you ask that? I've always loved you, Clark. And I always will." She took his hand in hers.
He brought his other hand to them, and held hers in both of his. "So… you're here… because you want to be here?"
She stroked his cheek. "Yes. I'm here for the long haul. If you'll have me."
He wiped the tear from her face. "Of course I will… you've given my life new meaning… I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
They leaned close to each other again, and kissed. They pressed their lips together, deepening the connection. They never wanted to let the other go.
Eventually, they reluctantly separated their lips. She smiled at him lovingly. He took her face in his hands.
"I love you, Lana…" he said.
"I love you too, Clark…" she said.
They kissed again, and slowly lowered themselves down…
TO BE CONCLUDED
