COMING FACE TO FACE

CHAPTER NINE

Lara, daughter to Wonder Woman and Superman, attained her first year on a fine summer's day. Her Grandmother and many self-proclaimed aunts had decided that a formal temple ceremony would be conducted, followed by a feast to celebrate and officially herald this precious new addition to the tribe.

The day had been a happy one. The Amazons had been gratified and honored to see Hera appear and bless the child. Accompanying her had been Apollo, God of light, truth and the sun, and his twin sister, Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, wild things and the moon. They were announced as Lara's patrons.

They represented the balance as Lara was a product of a union that had not been foreseen even by the Gods of Olympus themselves. She had not been born of clay and magic but from a man and a woman who happened to be two of the most powerful and gifted beings to walk planet Earth. Her abilities promised to be far above those of her parents, and the Amazons and Gods recognized these would have to be carefully shaped and nurtured. Her mother's dream was for her to learn to use them wisely and for the benefit of all beings.

This wish Diana of Themyscira did make as she lit a taper and put it to burn on the altar. She then turned to move back to her place near Donna and Hippolyta. Donna, who was holding Lara, handed her over. Penelope moved to lead them in a final prayer of thanks giving. The Gods smiled and flowers rained down upon the congregation.

It was then Lara sneezed on Diana's shoulder. The sound was reminiscent of a gust of wind and the flowers dispersed into the air like a breaking wave and the group of guardswomen just behind them felt themselves going down to the floor like ten pins.

Diana gasped in alarm. "Gods! I am so sorry…I…Are you alright?"

Euboea, who was one of the victims, rose with sheepish smile. "Yes, Princess, we are fine. Just our dignity …There is certainly no doubt of her sire."

Donna snickered. The sight of the guards on the floor in such a serious ceremony was too much. Lara looked at her aunt who could not contain herself, and clapped her hands and gurgled loudly. Her baby laughter made everyone begin to smile, even Hippolyta.

Diana looked apologetically at Penelope. "Pardon for the interruption…"

Penelope smiled. "Laughter is never unwelcome, Princess."

The temple ceremony resumed and ended without incident. All the Amazons then left for the great hall where the feast would take place. Diana sat with Lara on her lap as her mother made a speech, and then watched her many sisters come up, one by one, to greet and give the child gifts for her birthday. Hand-carved animals from fine woods, and marble; ornamental bows and arrows or small swords, parchment with fine words of wisdom, poetry and sketches; hand made clay, porcelain and silver ornaments; embroidered blankets and even beautifully crafted jewels were amongst the many gifts laid at Lara's feet.

It was a happy day and yet Diana's smile was not as dazzling as it could have been and her eyes often looked towards the windows as if searching for something. Hippolyta, who watched her daughter, and was in tune with her moods, knew what was bothering her.

Lara's father had been the only male to be invited for this special day. He had been told of it two months prior to the date and had been very gratified to even be considered to come to such a ceremony. He had promised he would be there. But the day was drawing to a close and Diana saw no flutter of a red cape nor heard that sound of wind rushing that always seemed to make her heart beat faster.

Lara eventually grew cranky with the noise and a need to sleep and Diana excused herself from the feast to take her back to her quarters. She had just laid her down when there was a knock on the door. It was Hippolyta.

"How is the little one?"

"Finally asleep. Sometimes having so many people and so much activity seems to wear her out. Her senses are more like Clark's. It must be hard when one is so small not to be able to tune everything out. She will sleep like a log. It was an exciting day albeit a wearying one." Diana gestured for her to come in and take a seat.

Hippolyta sat down in a chair and looked at her daughter as she picked up one of Lara's sandals from the floor, and then dusted out mashed bits of honey cake from the child's red cape. It made Hippolyta smile inwardly at the motherly look on Diana's face as she did it. It also made her sigh. The child she had reared and loved was now a mother herself. How time had flown!

She mused conversationally, "So any word of Superman?"

Diana looked up. "No… Donna said when she called the League, she was informed that Superman and Green Lantern had been sent off on a routine diplomatic mission to Rann two days ago. They were to attend some meeting but it seems there is some trouble with Thanagar and they had to remain."

"Ah, I see. That would explain it. He has never missed coming to take Lara for her time with him. I hope all is well with him."

Diana put the red cape down in a chair and murmured, "So do I."

"You are going to leave this arrangement with Lara?"

"Well, it makes sense whilst she is this small to let him have her every weekend to establish and maintain bonds. I think once she is older and understands, separation anxieties would have lessened and she could probably go and stay for longer spells. He is very good with her. She seems so much calmer when she comes back from her time in Smallville."

"And you and he?"

Diana blinked. "What?"

"Don't look at me like that, Diana. Donna said he is free …"

"Mother, can we please not talk of Ka…Clark…"

Hippolyta saw the stubborn turn to her lips and sighed. "Fine. Are you ready to go back?"

Diana took in a deep breath. "Yes."

"But no Justice League?"

Diana shook her head. "No. No, Justice League."

"Donna is very relieved you are taking back up the mantle of Ambassador. She, I think, finds it rather tedious."

Diana smiled wryly. "Well, it can be. I am glad we are moving from Gateway City to Washington."

Hippolyta said, "I know the Wonderdome has done wonderful work but according to Donna, its magical nature is somewhat off putting to the more conservative elements. Also it seems your Garden of Dreams has er…been very indiscreet, showing a little too much of your subconsciousness…"

Diana blushed as she recalled Donna telling her during the last tour someone shouted out "Isn't that Superman?" It seemed the crystals had taken the form of her and Superman in an intimate embrace.

Diana turned the subject swiftly. "You said we were going to have a new staff?"

"Yes. I think you should hire people from the outside. We will only have our Sisters for security. Donna has short listed several people for you to interview and I am sending our own Ferdinand to help you."

Diana smiled at the thought of the Minotaur she knew from childhood. "It will be nice to have him there. What of the building itself?"

"Timandra and Donna have already looked around and chosen one. They say it is more Romanesque than Greco but still is large and in a perfect location. All it needs now is for its Ambassador to go in."

Diana sighed. "What a pity I cannot have Lara there with me."

"I know, but she is weaned now and she will be here and well looked after, and you will be coming home via the portal every evening. Besides, I think you need this. You have been away from what you have been accustomed to for nearly two years. It is time to reconnect with the outside world."

Diana nodded. "Yes. And before I do that there is something I must do…"

Hippolyta looked at her face and began instantly, "Diana, that would not be wise…"

"Mother, I must. I feel responsible and I want to at least say I am sorry."

Hippolyta sighed. "Oh daughter, you don't know the fury that lies in a woman's heart when she thinks she has been rejected for another."

Diana said sadly, "I know. She probably hates me. But I need to do this."

Lois Lane sat at her desk finishing up a new story that she had been pursuing. It had been a tough assignment but she had gotten through it and actually succeeded in exposing a case of fraud and corruption at the highest levels in the prison system. The warden himself had been taking bribes and there had been murder and abuses going on under his watch with his sanction.

It had been a draining three months for her but it had been worth it and all this time she had to weather smirks from Cat Grant and looks of sympathy from other staff members. No one knew the whole story but many were frankly not surprised she divorced Clark Kent. He was a good reporter but for someone as vibrant as Lois, he was seen as rather too quiet and dull.

If it had not been for Richard White, Lois may not have gotten over the last tough months when the divorce was finalized. He had been there for her but strangely enough had been very blunt and forthcoming with her. He never sugar coated anything and he was frank to a fault and even told her when she was being a bit of a brat. It was odd since Clark used to be the opposite. Always listening and supporting and never really challenging her. Lois had gotten used to that, and getting her own way because there had been a Superman to always bail her out. Now having to really fight for her corner and prove to someone like Richard that she could get scoops the normal way and not act rash and throw herself into danger and wait to be rescued, proved to be somewhat fulfilling.

A tiny smile played on her lips. Richard had even offered to buy her dinner. There wasn't much that could ruin Lois' day. Until Jimmy came by and whispered, "Someone is on the roof to see you."

Lois stiffened and was about to snap at Jimmy but the young man was called away by Perry White. Jimmy shrugged helplessly and mouthed. "Sorry…"

Lois did not know why but her heart did skip a beat and found herself fuming. She was at work! She told him if he had to contact her to call or e-mail first. She had not seen him in months and she preferred it that way.

Grumbling, she left her desk and took the lift to the roof. She reached the top floor and stomped up the steps to the heavy iron door. This was something she used to do often in their courting days and it used to be a thrill of going up and meeting him and flying above Metropolis. Now it seemed like another life time. It was odd. Richard had a love of flying too and had his pilot license. He had offered to take her flying and she had refused…She was not sure why.

She snorted as she stepped out onto the roof. "This had better be good…I have a deadline, you know…I…"

Lois's voice halted and she turned a deep red. Standing there was not Superman as she had expected. It was Wonder Woman. But she was not in her uniform. She stood in a white tunic and sandals with a red cape.

"Lois…thank you for coming…"

"I thought it was Clark. If I knew it was you, believe me I would not be here! You have a nerve coming here!"

Diana began quietly, "I know you are angry with me but I need to tell you how sorry I am for all that has happened."

"Really? You are sorry for me? The woman who caused my marriage to crumble is sorry for me."

Diana said sadly, "Lois, do you know how horrible I feel to know that your marriage ended? If I could have done anything to prevent it I would have…I tried to even undo what happened in Clark's mind so that he could live his life but that turned out to be a grave mistake…"

She said acidly, "Maybe if you had not slept with a married man in the first place all of this would have been avoided?"

Diana blinked. "It…was one thousand years and I…we…thought we were not going back. We thought everyone was dead and it was only then we…Please, if I knew we had a chance of coming back, I would never have …"

Lois folded her arms and looked at her ironically. "How sweet. He said the same thing. Tell me, would you have stopped yourself from falling in love with him too?"

Diana looked stricken. She said nothing. Lois observed dryly, "Cat got your tongue, eh? You are not fooling anyone, you know, with this innocent kitten routine. You may be able to bat your lashes at Superman but I know you were after him from day one."

"That's not true…I …we…He was my friend."

Lois said scornfully, "Yes, friends who end up sleeping together and having a child. That did the trick, didn't it? The baby. No better way to trap a man."

"But I didn't…" Diana looked at her nonplussed. "Lois, you are making this into something truly ugly. My daughter is a miracle and I never expected to even have a child."

Lois drawled, "So very convenient for you, Princess. You keep saying you did not want to hurt me and would do anything to take away my hurt. I learned my husband slept with you and had a child with you! I got divorced! What could you do to take away even a fraction of my pain?"

Diana swallowed. "I am so sorry."

"Sure you are. This is just about you coming here to feel better. What if I said to you, I still wanted him and wanted to try again? Will you be magnanimous and step aside? Could you promise me that you would never ever open yourself to any relationship with him?"

Diana was pale but steadily said, "I have no relationship with Clark other than we share a child together and if that is what you want, Lois, I swear on my Gods, I would do what you ask."

Lois frowned and stared at her in some amazement. "You know, for a minute there I think you mean that…"

Diana responded, "I do mean it…Lara is Clark's daughter and I would never deprive her of her father and that is all that it needs to be…I would stay away, step aside. Are you asking it of me?"

Lois was tempted. She was fully aware that she and Clark were over but there was a part of her that wanted this woman to suffer. One word and she could probably ruin any chances of them getting together again. That would serve them right. To love each other but never be able to be together for the shadow of guilt over Diana's head. She stared at Diana's face and the sincerity in her eyes. Open and blue and devoid of deceit .So much like Clark's.

Lois suddenly threw her hands up in exasperation. "You would be a martyr to drive me up a wall! Damn you and damn him with your nobility and selflessness. Couldn't you one day just be a bitch so I can feel better about being horrible to you? Oh, just go away and stop looking so miserable. You love him. It's written all over you. My life isn't going to stop or end because I got divorced. You can count on that. Lois Lane is not a quitter and I have quite a life ahead of me, thank you very much."

She turned away leaving Diana looking rather bemused. It always gave her satisfaction to have the last word.

"Foolish, swimsuit-wearing Amazon. Do I have to spell it out for you?" she grumbled. But she actually felt better when she returned to her desk and Richard White's voice sounded behind her.

"There you are. I want to make reservations for us but I want to know what kind of food you like…"

Lois suddenly smiled. "Surprise me. Oh, and Richard?"

"Yes?"

"I would love to go flying with you."

His smile was charming. She never noticed how truly handsome he was until now. "Well how about I make that reservation somewhere we can fly to?"

Lois nodded. "You do that."

Superman and Green Lantern docked a Javelin in the hanger of the JLA satellite a week later. They stepped out both looking exhausted. It had been a trying week of negotiations and trying to stop two rival nations from going to war. There had been insurgent activity and riots, and thankfully both were able to finally leave with some semblance of a peace established.

They both met J'onn on the main observation deck whom they debriefed. Superman offered to do the report. Lantern was grateful for this as he was exhausted. As Superman sat at the console and his fingers moved as a blur over the keyboard, J'onn said, "You look tired. When did you last get any rest?"

"I grabbed an hour on the flight in. But GL needed it more than I…so I flew most of the way."

"Well, when you are done you should try to get some sleep."

He looked up at that. "I can't. This mission threw me off by an entire ten days."

"Yes, I know. I made an excuse for you at you work place and they think you are recovering from chicken pox."

He said, "Thanks but I missed Lara's birthday. I thought I could perhaps go to Themyscira to drop off her gift…if Diana will allow me. "

J'onn tilted his head at him. "You are aware Diana is not on Themyscira?"

He stopped. "She isn't?"

"No. Diana is in Washington DC. She is preparing to take back up the mantle as Ambassador."

"Washington DC?"

"Yes…They have dispensed with the Wonderdome and going for a standard building and hiring non Amazon staff according to what Donna has told me. Diana is currently overseeing the furnishing and last minute arrangements before the staff go in."

Superman's fingers moved swiftly once more. "Is she going to come back to the League?"

"No."

He finished and pressed save and print. He rose. "There's your hard and soft copy, J'onn. Excuse me. I need to freshen up."

J'onn nodded. "Thank you, Superman. Get some rest too."

Diana walked through the rooms of the Embassy on the ground floor and took note of what had to be done. The furniture had been moved into rooms but not yet arranged. In the large circular foyer unopened boxes were stacked almost to the ceiling. They contained books, ornaments, dishes, records from the old embassy, sheets, curtains, mats, lamps, and many other things required to decorate the rooms.

The task of unpacking itself would have intimidated any human but for a super powered Amazon, it was just what she needed to keep her busy.

She hovered to the top boxes and brought them down. She knelt to the floor and opened the box to peer in at the contents. It held books, stationary, and the Embassy records. Two hours later the room used as her office had been put into order as well as the sitting rooms and the main atrium. Books for the library she left in that room as it required cataloging and referencing, something that would have to be done by the new staff.

She went back out into the foyer and went into two more boxes that held decorative ornaments, pictures, and weaponry for the walls. Diana sat on the floor studying a framed photograph of her and Nessie. It had been taken shortly after her coming into the Patriarch's world. Gods, she had been so young and naive back then. Nessie had only just been teasing her about Superman and having the "hots" for him. Diana sighed. How blind she had been back then. She had understood so little and expected so much.

Footsteps echoed along the corridor. Diana looked up. It was one of her sisters, Cacia, who was on guard duty.

"Princess…" Cacia looked slightly annoyed.

"Yes? Are the paparazzi giving trouble again?" It seemed since news of Princess Diana's re-appearance the journalists were all tripping over themselves to get a first picture of her.

"Yes. Hera, will they never give up? I caught one climbing the back fence. What shall we do with him?"

Diana sighed. "Why will they not leave me in peace?"

"I suggest you get this one arrested. He has actually been found on the compound. You have been too easy on them, you know."

"I'll leave it to your judgment."

"I would also, Princess, bring in some of our best Themysciran hounds to guard the compound. Remember this is not the Wonderdome, which had its own protective instincts and would detect threats easily."

"Yes, I know. But we want to try to make this place less formidable and people friendly. Our hounds may seem a trifle fierce. Steel, one of my trusted JLA allies, will be helping in the installation of a proper security system tomorrow."

Cacia bowed. "Very well, Your Highness. I will see to this nuisance." She withdrew.

Diana sighed and picked up the two boxes with ease, flew up to the room that would be her bedroom. She put the photograph on the top of a writing desk. How she wished she could have one of Lara. But she couldn't risk that. No one must know she had a child.

She proceeded to pick up weapons and began to arrange them on the wall. She was about to place the sword of Hephaestus, her mother's gift to her, on a bracket when she heard a noise above. It sounded as if the door to the roof was being ripped open. Diana's heart began to beat faster and her fingers curled tightly about the hilt of the sword. She hadn't been back in the world for what seemed like ages but she knew she had left behind many enemies and that they would all be very eager to find her and settle a score or two.

She took in a deep breath and floated stealthily out of the room towards the sounds. At the end of the corridor was the curving stairs to the roof and she could hear the footsteps with her sharp ears. Diana waited behind a wall and when she saw the hulking shadow loom, she swung her sword with a screech, "Intruder! How dare you breach this place?"

A powerful forearm met the blade. She felt herself pulled forward, the sword torn out of her hand and she was pushed against the wall, her own blade at her neck and none other that Superman himself was staring at her. Their faces were mere inches apart.

His eye brows rose and he asked wryly, "Is this how you greet your guests, Madam Ambassador?"

Diana gasped, her face reddening. "What are you doing here?"

He removed the sword at once, passed it back to her and winced. His sleeve was slashed and arm was bleeding as he bent to retrieve a gift wrapped box that had fallen to the floor when she attacked him.

"I came to drop off Lara's gift. You are pretty jumpy, aren't you?" He gave her the gift.

"Oh…Thank you." She accepted it and looked at his wound and winced. "I'm sorry but I thought you were an intruder. All week we have been plagued with paparazzi and when I heard the door being torn off. I assumed someone was breaking in. You know guests are not expected to tear off roof doors and enter at will, Superman."

"Touché. But it was the only way to get in without me being a splash on the front page of the National Enquirer. I welded it back in place. I had no idea I would be jumped and nearly beheaded. So you decapitate first and ask questions later?"

Diana said defensively, "I'm alone here, except for a handful of guardswomen outside. I thought you could be anyone…You should have called or used your super vision…I could have hurt you…"

He looked at his arm and began staunching it with his cape. "Oh, this is stinging quite nicely thank you. And you know, I'm not so paranoid or forward to invade your privacy by looking through walls."

She sighed. "Let me bind that up. It's magical and will not heal right off…"

They went downstairs into the kitchen. He looked around at all the boxes. "You are doing this alone?'

She put the gift on the table and gestured for him to sit. "I ..It helps…Keeps me busy."

He sat and was able to look at her fully for the first time. She was in jeans and a white t-shirt. Her bracelets were on her wrists and the girdle of Gaea looped about her waist. Her hair was in a simple braid with the tiara. She looked young and school girlish. He could hardly believe by looking at her she was the mother of his child.

She turned to the boxes. "There is a first aid kit somewhere and some Themyciran medicines."

He indicated to pile. "Third one down."

She nodded and picked it up. Rifling through it, she found what she needed. She pulled a chair and gently took his arm. "I am going to have to cut your sleeve open," she said apologetically.

He smiled boyishly. "Like old times. Go ahead."

Diana tried not to notice how much she missed that smile and cut open his sleeve to bare the long deep cut. She began to clean the wound. "Hera, it's deep. Sorry…"

"I'll live."

She picked up a pot with some healing salve and using her fingers gently packed it into the gaping wound. She looked up to see him studying her silently and tried to make conversation as silence seemed to make her nervous.

"When did you get back?"

"Half and hour ago."

Diana looked up. "Oh. No wonder. You look tired…"

"Well, I haven't slept for days and Lantern needed the rest more than I did. I flew us back."

"You should get some rest, Clark. This could have waited…"

"I wanted to see Lara…I'm sorry to have missed her birthday. How is she?"

Diana began to bind his arm with a bandage. "She's fine. She's walking very well now and is trying to talk…but it's more garbled speech…She loves that rocking horse Pa made for her."

"Not saying Dada yet then?" he half jested.

Diana lips twitched. According to Martha Kent, Lara was being coached by him and Pa to see whose name she would say first. "No…not yet…"

"How was the ceremony?"

"It went well. Apollo and Artemis were announced as her patrons."

"The Gods made an appearance?" He sounded surprised.

"Yes. Hera gave her blessing. …" Diana suddenly smiled. "Lara sneezed during the ceremony and blew a group of the guardswomen over."

"She did?" He began to laugh but a look of pride shone in his eyes. "Well, it could have been worse I guess. Could have been heat vision. You know, I burnt down the barn and many a chair, tree, and shrub as a baby. You will need to fire proof some stuff or at the very least have water at your finger tips. Ma slept with pails of water near her…"

Diana nodded. "Yes, I had thought of that. There, that will do for now."

"Thank you. J'onn said you won't be coming to the League."

"No." She sat up quickly to avoid his gaze and discard the bloodied bits of gauze.

"Will you ever come back?"

"I don't know, Clark. It's better this way. I'm sorry for everything. For your divorce. For your having to move from your job and your city and people you love."

He said heavily, "I'm dealing with it."

She began, "Clark, I know you were very angry with me. You had every right to be."

He stood up and walked over to her. "I was angry at what you did. Not you."

She turned and looked into his eyes. "Will things ever be okay with us again?"

"The day I stop seeing that stricken look in your eyes when I am near you…maybe. My anger is no different than your feeling you need to shoulder the blame."

Diana confessed sadly, "I went and saw Lois a few days ago."

He looked slightly taken back. "Why?"

"I wanted to tell her that I was sorry. She was very angry."

"I could have told you that, Diana."

"I did not expect anything from her, Clark. I just had to face her. It was one of the worse things I have ever had to do in my life."

"I know. I've been there. Ma said time is the only thing that will help this situation."

Diana blurted out. "Clark, if you had a chance to make amends and she wanted you back…would you?"

He frowned. "What? I…" Before he could reply, the JLA comlink beeped. He answered it somewhat impatiently, "Yes, J'onn?"

"Superman, I'm sorry to interrupt but the Parasite is attacking people in downtown Metropolis. I would have asked Steel but he is not available."

"I'm on it, J'onn," he returned. He looked at Diana soberly. "I have to go."

"I know. Be careful," she warned, mindful of the abilities of the Parasite. "And if you need help…"

He walked to the back door and opened it. "I know." He added before he flew off, "I loved Lois and I still care for her wellbeing. I always will. Just as with Lana and Lori. But I'm not in love with any of them."

He was gone. She exhaled and felt one of the gnawing doubts in her heart ease. She looked at the gift on the table and picked it up. She opened it and her eyes softened. It was a snow globe. Inside was a realistic carving of the Smallville farm house and trees and fields and engraved on the bottom was …" To Lara…Happy First Birthday from Daddy, Grandpa and Grandma with lots of love."

Diana sighed and floated upstairs to put it on her bedside table. When she returned home later she would show it to her daughter.

She was putting last minute touches to the bed by smoothing the covers and fixing the pillows when she smiled. Her mother would be surprised to see her being domestic but having lived with Julia on Kefalonia, Diana had learned how to be self sufficient. It was not every time she would be surrounded by servants and Diana herself did not expect anyone to wait on her.

She suddenly heard the sound of the door opening again from above. Diana's heart skipped a beat. She tried to chide herself for it. She wondered if he had come back to go see Lara and if everything with the Parasite had turned out okay.

She chided, as she floated along the corridor, knowing he would fully well hear her, "I am going to have to bill you for that door, Clark…I…"

She gasped. Staring at her was no Superman but her very own self! Before she could react a fist arched and slammed into her jaw. The power of that punch sent her flying down the corridor and slamming into a wall. Diana shook her head in a daze as she tried rising. A pillar was torn out from a recess and came at her. Diana braced her arms as it smashed and crumbled upon her.

Hands that wore bracelets grabbed her by the neck and tore the lasso off her hips. It tied her with it and dragged her into the bedroom. Eyes scanned and saw the means to activating the portal to Themyscira. It was a long cheval mirror in a far corner.

"Well, Princess, time for me to go home."

Diana struggled and gasped, "Who are you?"

The imposter reached down and took the tiara off her head and placed it on her own. She glanced at herself in a mirror. "I am you, Wonder Woman."

"What do you want?"

The imposter smiled. "Guess." She took up the snow globe and studied it. "So sweet. Made of Kryptonian metal and glass…Very strong..." She raised it and stuck Diana hard on the back of the head. Diana slumped to the floor. The globe thudded to the floor and blood pooled under her head.

The imposter went to the cheval mirror and activated the portal. Light flashed and a long corridor seemed to appear. The person now looking like Wonder Woman floated into it, and vanished leaving behind the inert, lasso bound body of the real Diana of Themyscira.