Superman/Wonderwoman: It Could've Happened

Disclaimer: I do not own any DC related characters present in this fanfiction story.

Author's Note: Hello any whom have gotten a chance to check my story out. I'm really happy with what reviews I've gotten. Besides my love for the characters, they are a part of what keeps me writing this story I enjoy. Now I'm forewarning anyone who reads this that there is little if any "action" to appear in this chapter. Every so often I've got to set my sights on strictly character development and plot set-up. This is one of those chapters where there is pretty much all talking and some foreshadowing to come. If you like this like I do in novel's I've read than all the more better! Still, I warned you! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and would love for more reviews! Thanks again, and enjoy!

-DarkRaikoh

"I got to tell you, Smallville, it is taking a lot of forced willpower to keep you on this shared byline with me." Lois was taking long, fast strides in her walk, heels making loud "clacks' against the floor of the Daily Planet editing room. She barely took the time to even look at the lumbering Clark Kent following behind her.

"By what reasoning, Lois?" Clark had the right words to say, but never the level of commitment necessary to reinforce his point. He would always start of strong but slowly lose momentum, his original point sort of dying in the end. He continued his defense nevertheless.

"Perry sent both of us to cover the Princess' conference. We both split the note taking and furthermore half the story angles and quotes are from my note pad." Lois raised her index finger, the room lights adding a short of gleam to her violet nail polish.

"You left me alone, "partner". I thought I was going to be trampled by the press and politician combo if the looming terrorists didn't kill me first. I know that chivalry is dead, but I was starting to think you might've been a cut above the average male, personality wise, Kent." Clark finally managed to match her speed, his awkwardly moving legs synchronizing with hers as he turned to try and talk to her more personably.

"How many times do I have to tell you I was thrown into the ocean? The very second that chaos began some big guy rammed into me and over I went!" He was throwing his arms out in an almost fit.

"Honestly, Smallville…"

"You know I'm not a strong swimmer. Remember what happened at that protest in California where they were freeing those whales?"

"It just seems that a lot of these unfortunate things happen to you, Clark," She actually took her eyes off her notes and glanced at him, "Can never catch a break, or what?" As if sharing one mind, the two of them had stopped together amidst a sea of reporters trying to make deadline.

"Born clumsy and unfortunate I guess," He scratched the back of his head part casual, part embarrassment, "Come on Lois, I turned up at the hotel within the hour as I always do. Can't keep me away for long."

"Perhaps so, but wouldn't you start to worry if I disappeared after a giant mob brawl and a failed assassination attempt?" Clark raised his eyebrows a little in surprise, and pushed his sliding thick-frame glasses further up on the bridge of his nose. A slyly grim began to curve on his face.

"You… you were worried about me?" Perhaps a touch of scarlet formed on Lois' face, before she gave a large eye roll and began walking again.

"Anyone ever tell you, you read too much into comments?" Clark stood in his place for another short moment, sheepish grin still on his face before he attempted to catch up with her again. No more than five feet ahead was a single door in their path. It was a door of great significance to every single reporter employed by the Daily Planet. Its appearance wasn't special in any particular way, just a simple, brown oak door with a translucent window blurring the contents on the other side into muddled, incomprehensible shapes. In the smack-dab center of the window were giant, bolded, Times New Roman letters that spelt out "EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: PERRY WHITE". Under any normal circumstances, an employee was to knock first and be ushered in by the Chief's distant voice. The Daily Planet was hotwired to all news feed all around the globe, so logically being its Editor-in-Chief produced mountains of work to be read and written through, phone calls to be answered, irritating rookies to be shooed off etc. etc. Fortunately for the duel reporters and unfortunately for the Chief, Lois was not up on her door etiquette. Her hand reached for the silver knob and she threw the door open.

"Darlene is my mocha here yet-Oh." Perry White had been staring down at an article about some urban legend about a bat creature in Gotham City; he wasn't much one for gossip and speculation. On either side of his desk were stacks of paper that reached about three feet off the surface. What had begun as rock hard facial features slowly sagged out of weariness when he realized it was once again Lois who appeared uninvited. Just behind her, Clark Kent, introverted as hell but a damn fine writer.

"Lois. Kent." He gave a nod to them, running a hand along fresh stubble that had just poked out of his chin that morning. It was hard to tell how old the Chief was, and everybody feared asking him. His appearance gave a strange contradiction with itself that made the age question all the more unanswerable. On one part, his hair was a dark shade of silver, his voice gruff and his facial expressions quite mature and father-like; but at the same time he possessed this youthful vigour to him when it came to capturing the news. Obviously decades of chasing after stories and phenomena did wonders to the aging process.

"I e-mailed mine and Smallville's coverage of the press conference and assassination attempt this morning, Chief." Lois was always at the forefront of everything. As she stepped closer to his desk she noticed that the office smelt less like cigar smoke than usual, perhaps he finally took her advice and cut back on that nasty habit of his.

"Not a doubt in my mind that you wouldn't Lois. Why you and Kent here are quickly becoming the tour de force of the Daily Planet. Who better to count on for flying in and out of Greece with a top story than the Wonder Twins." Perry meant this in the utmost honesty with a limited amount of sarcasm; Clark knew Lois would not take it that way. He scratched at his brow while he could feel the scathing aura projecting off of Lois. She was a sweet person deep down, really, but she was also fiercely independent. Her name was "Lois Lane" after all, not "Lois Lane and Clark Kent"; he desperately hoped she wouldn't take this out on him somehow.

"Still rummaging to find a good shot to go with the article though," He scanned some of his drawers and the cluttered jungle on his desk, "We must've had a good half dozen Planet photographers there and none of 'em could get a half-decent shot of the heroes in action."

"Mr. White," Clark piped up, taking a step forward and lifting that invisible force field that seemed to surround him constantly, "If I may, Superman and Wonderwoman moved really fast, I think if I were a photographer it'd be really hard to take a shot of a solid image with those two zipping around helping everybody." Lois took a momentary glance at him, no real meaning behind it, just acknowledging his presence. Meanwhile Perry gave him a real scanning look followed by a toothy grin.

"For the last time, Kent, call me Perry! For the love of the late King Presley, you've been working here for a solid year now and you still use the "Mister". You can call my dad Mr. White god rest his soul, but you're gonna' make me feel as old as him." Clark's eyes widened a little, Perry noted that he got taken aback very easily.

"Well, I'm sorry Mister-…Perry." He said the first name in a struggled fashion as though he were being tortured for it.

"Give Smallville a break," Lois chimed in, "That's what they're like in those small rural towns, all "pleases" and "thank you's" and 110 formalities, country seed hasn't adapted to city life yet." A wicked smile curved across her face and he shot her a glare.

"It's good you bring light to the Superman and Wonderwoman issue though Kent." Perry sorted through some files of his, not looking at them but still giving his full attention sub consciously.

"Issue? There's an issue?" Clark said with an ignorant surprise.

"Well, perhaps issue isn't the best word to use for the potential we have here." It was hard to explain, but the expression on Perry's face made it seem as though he were really craving to chomp on a cigar at this point in time.

"You're spiraling around the sink hole, Chief. What's the point you're getting at?" It seemed the Editor-in-Chief had found what he was looking for, snatching it out of a red file and standing out of his chair. With the assistance of stronger than normal perception, Clark noted it to be his and Lois' article.

"Lois, Kent, this is solid A material if I ever read it. We've got a huge issue here dealing with an attempt on the life of a peace ambassador from an island nobody knows the location of. There's prime conflict and hidden facts yet to be revealed… but from the public's opinion, it's about to be bumped from the front page."

"WHAT?" Lois took one long stride towards the desk and threw her hands flat upon it. She was dedicated to her job in such a way that any submitted article of hers HAD to make the front page, it was her philosophy and it had done her well for her career; both men in the room could understand this outburst of displeasure.

"There… is something else the people want to know more about…" If the Perry White was ever at a loss of words, it was around Lois Lane.

"Which is…?" A single finger began to tap on his desk, she had to know whatever this hot issue was, chances are she would have to pursue it herself to stay on top.

"Right, the main issue in itself that people want to know IS Superman and Wonderwoman." The tapping stopped instantly, Clark stiffened too; it was as though his body froze completely at will.

"What about Superman and Wonderwoman?" He was the one to ask the question.

"Exactly!" Perry threw a finger at Clark like a loaded gun, "What about Superman and Wonderwoman? These costumed people are showing up everywhere now, fighting crimes, righting wrongs. Central City's got that speedster guy while Star City has a modern-day Robin Hood; but we as the average people have YET to see these guys team up before. Bam! All of a sudden we've got the Man of Steel and the Amazonian Princess of Might side by side pummeling those terrorists! And people want to know why. Are they going to work together in the future? Are they old college friends? Are they seeing each other?" When the latter question was asked, Clark could've sworn he heard Lois' knuckles cracking, he fought back a gulp. Perry continued in his ranting explanation.

"THESE are what need to be shown on the front page, more Wonderwoman and Superman coverage! They are the super powered equivalent of a celebrity couple more or less."

"Um… Perry." Clark half raised his hand.

"Kent?"

"Not meaning to reign on your parade… and not doubting your abilities to spot a good story… But I don't think there was any hint that explicitly stated they were a couple… I'm pretty sure they had just met on the spot…" The thing about Kent, Perry noted, was that he had a lot of hunches, especially about the Superman coverage. Oddly enough the majority of his hunches would turn out correct, as if he went bowling with the guy or something.

"Well Kent, that's why I pay you reporters, I want you to get the lowdown on these two. Lois," he turned to she who now had her arms crossed in an air that seemed unimpressed, "You get the one-on-one's with Superman the easiest, work your magic to get his angle."

"Perfect," Clark began to think, "Now I have to dodge questions about Superman's personal life, what are we in high school again?" He really had not considered the effect just a casual conversation with Princess Diana would have on the public, forgetting how easily they jumped to conclusions.

"You listening to me, Kent?"

"Huh? Sorry Chief, jet lagged still I think." He planted himself back into reality.

"Right. I was just hypothesizing that with Lois having such a knack for talking to Superman, perhaps by some act of God the same will work for Wonderwoman and you." Even as Superman, Clark assumed he wasn't really going to run into the Princess that much again, a woman with her kind of schedule.

"I think that's a little easier said than done, Chief," Clark adjusted his glasses a little, "I mean however Lois got Superman's attention… whose to say that it'll work on the Princess as well…" He remembered exactly how Lois had gotten his attention for the interview. It had first appeared that she had driven her car off a bridge into the deep water. He had heard her screams from across the city, shooting through the sky and fishing her out in time before any water leaked in… It was then he had noticed the air tanks under her seat afterwards, she was a good reporter after all.

"I always knew you respected my abilities, Clark," She winked at him mockingly.

"You're a reporter Kent! And a damn fine one, you've managed to snag stories bigger than this, like the weapons of mass destruction in Khandaq, brilliant work!" These were all buttered words to coax what was assumed to be an easily swayed Clark Kent.

"I don't know Chief… She flies everywhere around the world, country to country. I can't just get a plane ticket for every place she's been..." There was a long pause of awkward silence as both Lois and Perry stared him down.

"Have you been so wrapped up in your little hick town world that you've been missing the news?" Lois was in joking shock.

"Hm?"

"Great Caesar's Ghost, Kent! You WORK at a newspaper publisher and you still missed it?"

"Missed what?"

"It's been all over the TV," Lois began to explain, "Jack Ryder's been reporting it, Wonderwoman's got another press conference today in Metropolis in say… oh I don't know, 2 hours?"

"And you two are going to be there!" Perry chimed in.

"But we were already at the press conference in Greece, how could it be much different?" Clark posed the question. Lois turned, sitting herself on the edge of the desk and kicking her legs casually.

"Chances are, Smallville, that all the questions directed to her today will be about the assassination attempt."

"Or the Superman factor." Perry wanted to make note. Lois responded by giving a heavy roll of her eyes, Clark fought the temptation to grin.

"Yes… that too."

"Looks like you two will have your hands full on the super duo." Lois got off the desk and whipped back around.

"But Chief! What about the terrorists? We haven't even gotten reports on their interrogation! There's got to be a big story there!"

"Lois, you're a fantastic reporter, but you need to learn the concept of prioritizing. Wonderwoman and Superman are the immediate story; all the terrorism we got going on around the world makes your other story more of a sideline; you can tackle it when you get the interviews with you know which two. Are we clear?" Perry White didn't use a strict voice, but you didn't want to deny him either.

"…Yeah, crystal." Lois said in an almost downtrodden manner, slinking past Clark and out the door.

"Uh, Lois! Wait!" Clark immediately turned on his heel and chased after her, door shutting behind him. People seemed to keep a short distance away from her at all time when she was marching the way she was, as though she were surrounded by a repelling aura.

"Lois! So I figure we'll get ready and head to the press conference together?" Clark addressed the issue immediately, better to get it out of the way with her.

"Not going to the press conference, Clark."

"You-what?"

"You heard me, not going. If he wants a gossip columnist, he can consult Cat Grant. Me, I'm going after the terrorist story; it's your call what you want to do." She felt Clark's hand come down on her shoulder and she was stopped instantly, being such a docile guy he seemed stronger than he let on.

"Lois, you know Perry means well…" Lois turned around to look up at Clark. He was mild-mannered, he was sometimes clumsy and didn't always speak up for himself, but he was also one of those genuine guys you could at least confide something into.

"I know Clark. Perry's a brilliant Editor, probably the best there is. Unfortunately for the newspaper business, he's got to keep up with the stories most wanted rather than the most important… But this whole superhero/coupling angle just isn't my forte. That's why I know you can cover for me when you attend the conference." She turned around briskly once more and made to leave.

"Wait, what?" Clark went to follow her but the tone of her voice didn't seem to allow it.

"One of us has to be there, Smallville!" She said shouting behind her, "Call it breaking even with the Greece ditching yesterday!" And with that said she disappeared into the masses. Lois Lane seemed to bring new meaning to the term bipolar, any inside thought she was ready to reveal was quickly withdrawn back into her hard shell of an exterior.

"Clark! Hey CK!" He would've recognized that young, rich in enthusiasm voice anywhere as it came bounding from behind him.

"Hey Jimmy! I thought you weren't coming in to work today?" Jimmy Olsen had a great heart within him, but at the same time possessed his own atmosphere of awkward. In many ways he reminded Clark of himself when he was younger, just trying to find his place in the bigger world. He always carried a top-notch camera either around his neck or in his hands, and this became the cause of some pretty professional shots in the Planet; even some front pagers.

"Are you kidding?! Wonderwoman… IN METROPOLIS… You think I'm going to be eating Fruit Loops on my couch when she gets here? No thank you, I'm grabbing a press pass and snapping some shots!" He motioned with his camera, checking the zoom and focus for what was probably the twelfth time. Clark chuckled and patted the cub reporter on the shoulder.

"Well then how's about you carpool with me there?" Jimmy's face lit up with that child-like excitement, despite him being somewhere around nineteen years old (or so Clark thought). Naturally, Superman was Jimmy's favourite hero above all, but Clark filled the role of a more local personable hero to Jimmy; and of course the photographer was unaware that both local and grander hero were actually the same person.

"That would be AWESOME CK! I can see it now! The Kent and Olsen Dream Team! One's a Pulitzer prize writer and the other is a gritty, always gets his shot photographer!" Jimmy held his hands overhead as if visualizing the two in a shot before his eyes.

"…Yeah, Ha, I think I can see something like that in our future." Clark looked at the boy with some puzzlement but accepted it as just Jimmy being Jimmy, "Anyway, I need to sort through some papers and formulate some sort of plan as to how I'm going to get a personal interview with the Princess." Clark almost groaned out the last part of his tasks. He supposed the easiest access to talking to her would be as Superman, the two of them seemed to reach a mutual respect for each other, and she was very welcoming to conversation with him.

"But the interview should be Clark's accomplishment… not Superman's." Despite having such awesome power at his disposal, Clark still liked to limit his using of them, only when helping people were they necessary.

"Hey, Clark?"

"Yeah Jimmy?"

"What's she like?" Jimmy was staring down at his camera it seemed on purpose when he asked the question.

"Hm?"

"The Princess… Wonderwoman. You and Lois were at her conference in Greece… what was she like?"

"Oh, um…" Besides writing it down for the Planet paper, Clark had never planned on expressing his personal opinion of the Princess; he found it oddly difficult to put in words.

"Well Jimmy… she is a spectacle to say the least. Just standing on a stage… or probably just in a room, she boasts this presence that demands attention. Yet, she doesn't do it intentionally, it is just the sheer marvel of her. Honestly I don't think there is a vain bone in her body. She is in every right the physical manifestation of a positive message, one of peace, and I believe she will succeed." The way words came out of his mouth were majestic in a way, he hadn't expected them.

"You talk as though you know her on a personal level." Jimmy cocked an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Clark's head twitched over to look at Jimmy, "Oh, no. Not me… I honestly am not certain whether or not I'll be able to bring myself to talk to her." His face turned a touch of pink, Jimmy pegged Clark as the chivalrous type that was shy around pretty girls. The two had been so involved in their conversation that they had failed to notice the change in the flow of reporters. What had been packed rows and columns through cubicles seemed to space out and empty.

"CLARK! JIMMY!" Steve Lombardi, a guy who was usually writing for the local news section vigorously signaled them over with his thumb to the window. There was already a procession of employees squeezed against the glass like a mad fan group in line for concert tickets. The two gave each other a look and then trotted over at a quick pace.

"What's going on, Steve?" Clark came closer to the mob; despite a slight hunch in his stance he was a head taller than most people. It was then that his quick eyes caught the golden figure that streaked across the sky, that gleaming beacon of hope he had just met.

"Wonderwoman, Kent! Wonderwoman's doing a city fly by to greet the people! Damn she's beautiful!" From his vantage point, he saw that the Princess had stopped, hovering hundreds of meters above the streets below, looking down upon the people with a warm face. Clark then checked his watch, about an hour and a half until her press conference, the reporter in him told him to take advantage of the situation.

"Think I'm going to have to take a page out of Lois' investigative reporting methods."

"Look at her, CK. She's not soaking in the fame like some celebrity, she's just greeting us average joes, so majestic and-." Jimmy turned to find Clark had gone. For a guy well over six feet, he sure was good at disappearing.

"CK? Clark?" Jimmy scratched his head and scanned the mob, no sign of him, "Better not stand me up for the conference!"

"I suppose from a modern, architectural stand point, this Metropolis is a rather beautiful city." Wonderwoman hovered, relaxed just above the city's sky line, her legs dangling in a way that would be terrifying to someone unused to the concept of self-flight. She had arrived in Metropolis at about 1pm Eastern Standard Time, but had kept a low profile up until this point. Actually, it had been Priscilla's idea what she was doing now.

"Metropolis is the city Superman is most commonly seen in, they love a good fly by! This is your runway walk, Diana. Fly above the people, show them your warmth and acceptance of them, kiss babies, I don't care! I want them to see every positive side to you that I see on a day-to-day basis." The conversation had occurred on their private jet from Greece, this being entirely confidential. Whose to say that there wouldn't be another attack against the Princess? Following the conversation with Superman the night prior, it had completely slipped her mind, questioning the terrorists; she also doubted Superman got around to it what with the Earthquake or whatever hundreds of lives he was saving. She had to make note not to be so careless or get as easily distracted for future reference. She extended her smooth arms above her head, folding the hands together in a streamline and then dove towards the main street beneath her. To add spectacle to it all her entire body began to spiral, the natural light reflecting off of her outfit in glorious patterns. About thirty feet above the street she let her arms lose and pulled up instantly in a display that would make any bird jealous. Cars were stopped, people were crowding the streets, applauding and cheering at her. She wondered if this was the kind of reception that Superman got all the time. She gave a big, warm smile down to everyone, melting their hearts in the process before continuing ascension. She went even higher this time, but with purpose. A little thought at the back of her mind made her want to scan the skies around her. Maybe… just maybe she would see the blue and red streak across the sky, hover up along side her, give a friendly "Hello" and "How have you been?" Who knew if her new super friend was even on the same continent at this present moment?

"You are thinking way too much into this miniscule matter." She reassured herself and prepared to move on wards to the other areas of this grandeur town. She didn't QUITE get her blue and red streak in the sky…

"HELP! HEEEEEELP ME I'M SLIPPING!" A man's voice, a panicked man's voice. Diana's muscles tensed and her heart picked up pace a little. She scanned at the building tops below her. The people below started to react to the shouting as well, the dots in the street pointing up in the direction where they thought it was coming from.

"HELP! OH NO! HEL-AAAAAAAH!" She pinpointed the sound now. A flailing heap of suit and tied man was dropping through the sky like a rock. And as she had done countless times before, Wonderwoman dove down at incredible speed. The man's fall had had a head start, but she could out race any gravitational pull. The man was about halfway down a building that had a giant golden sphere on it's top before the mighty arms wrapped around him. Diana had clutched him in the most comfortable position she could, slowing their descent and shooting away. The cheers had erupted into a thunderous roar of approval; the people of Metropolis really loved their superheroes. She took the two of them to a distant building top, away from the prying eyes of the people. It was under her assumption that the man had had quite a scare, and was probably a touch embarrassed being saved by a woman. They touched down and she let him stand… which he did rather casually for a man who almost plummeted to his death.

"Are you alright?" She kept a hand on his shoulder, thinking he may have needed some sort of comfort.

"Never better," He pressed a pair of thick-rimmed glasses up on his nose before holding out his own hand, "Clark Kent, Daily Planet, mind if I ask for an interview?"

"Are all men this insane? Are they all so foolish and irrational? Did the simple concept of common sense take time to pass through that obviously thick head of yours?" Wonderwoman held the feeble man up by one shoulder, his feet dangling helplessly just an inch above the rooftop. Her hold was firm, but she made sure that her touch remained gentle enough not to injure him.

"I-I'm terribly sorry, ma'am-I mean Princess Diana." The man seemed to be on verge of a nervous crash. She wasn't sure whether this was because of how easily she lifted him like a feather or because he was simply in the presence of a woman.

"Who's to say I was going to be there? Who knew whether or not I would have gotten to you in time? Your life that easily thrown away over a newspaper story?" She shook him a little to potentially rattle an answer off his lips. He threw a shaky hand up to his thick glasses and stopped them from flopping off his nose before giving his answer.

"Call it blind faith or naivety. I was absolutely certain you would catch me in time; and it seems my hunch proved true… didn't it?" Her eyebrows ruffled a little as if she contemplated what to do next. Suddenly Priscilla's stern, by the book voice echoed through her head.

"Now, lighten up on the warrior bit. I mean, I'm one of the first people you'll find backing up female power… But intimidation doesn't do great for your image. You'll have to practice more with your patience and kindness to win the people over…" Her arm muscles loosened and she lightly placed his feet back on solid ground. He waited for a moment, as if expecting a formal permission given, before making a large exhale of air.

"You news people are a persistent lot, aren't you?" She said with a weak attempt at humour. Mr. Kent readjusted the tie around his neck and shined an idolizing smile her way.

"It's the top stories that are keeping a roof over my head, it's a risky way of life, but a necessary one. Anyway, my original intentions were-."

"Wait a minute! I know you…" The dawning of an epiphany stretched across the Princess' flawless portrait of a face, "Mister Kent, you attended my conference in Greece. You were the one that questioned my goals of peace." Her memory served her astoundingly well. Clark had always gone out of his way to be the man that was forgotten easily, pushed into the back of somebody's cluttered mind. It was a rarity to have anyone, especially someone as big and influential as the Princess Diana remember who he was.

"Uh… yeah, guilty as charged I'm afraid." It could've been worse, she could have somehow seen through his rather simplistic mild-mannered disguise. She put her hands to her hips, and Clark was met with one of the sternest of looks he had ever received.

"You know, in public I never got the opportunity to confront you over your question."

"I'm sorry?"

"Your skepticism, you asked me whether or not my mission was realistic. Are most men as optimistic as you are?"

"Please Princess, don't misinterpret me," Clark tried not to sound too defensive, this interaction with her was far more awkward than when he was Superman, "As a reporter, I often have to play devil's advocate. There can never be one side to a story Princess; the reporter always has to look for at least two. We've got things here in the media called "bias" and "libel writing"… It's a morally sticky job, but someone's gotta' do it."

"Please, Mr. Kent, don't call me Princess; Diana suits me fine." It was just like she was the previous day, treating both man and Superman equally; she was spectacular.

"Spectacular? Easy Kent, just met her."

"So what is it you really wanted to know, Mr. Kent?"

"Clark."

"Clark, why should I grant you a private interview when I have a legion of other reporters waiting for my attention? As you people would say… sell your point to me." Her awkward grasp of the modern world was entertaining, bringing a slight grin to his face.

"Well I guess I should be honest with you, Diana… my Editor wanted me to get the low down on your relationship with Superman…" It was always weird referring to his duel-identity in a conversation, the spandex seemingly pulsating underneath his civilian clothes when the "S" name was mentioned. Diana's eyebrows lowered, shoulders slumping, she was unimpressed. And who wouldn't be? You come to a brave new world trying to make a difference, and all the people want to know is your social calendar, it must have been upsetting to say the least.

"But…" Clark continued, "I'd be lying to you if I said that's what I really wanted to find out for myself." A look of intrigue now, running a slender finger along her chin, he couldn't help but observe the sheer finesse of her physical form. It was all so breath taking and infuriating to have on the mind at the same time.

"So tell me, Mr. Kent. What exactly is it you really want to know?" He had her on the hook, now it was a matter of reeling her in with the right response.

"Something disrespectful about comparing her to a fishing metaphor," Clark was having a problem with internal thoughts as of current, "Alright Clark… don't blow it… those years of college and back packing had to have taught you something about people… Here goes…" He literally took a deep breath before giving his answer.

"I want to know you, Diana. Sure, you've addressed the main points of what you want, and ideas of how to achieve that goal. But I have to tell you; people would respond a lot more if they knew your own personal feelings on the matter, where your heart is coming from. It humanizes you, and it'll make the public like you all the better… trust me; they can see the goddess on the TV screen, now let them read about the woman on paper." He ended with an equally drawn out exhale and anxiously waited for her to comply. Diana wondered if this reporter knew Priscilla at all, it seemed almost as though he took a page from her own publicity advice; yet… his words striking more poetic.

"Clark," The realization of time passing had just come to her then, "I am going to be late for my conference prep time if we stay up here much longer," A pleasant smile came from her warm features, "How would you like to stand in the stage wings during my presentation, hm? We can conclude with that interview afterwards." The man went wide-eyed; a tint of red flushing over his cheeks, this particular one got flustered very easily.

"I-uh… That would be wonderful but… You know I've got a good friend of mine I promised to attend the conference with. In all my conscience I can't stand him up." He shrugged his shoulders as if in defeat, losing such a great opportunity.

"Let him come too, then."

"…Really?"

"You know the location of the Centennial Park amphitheatre? Go around the back, when you get to security ask for Priscilla Rich, and tell her your Diana's special guests, then show your press passes. I'll handle it." She winked casually, as if this were the least she could do for him, like they had known each other for months as oppose to minutes.

"Pri-Diana… This is… really amazing of you." She had already turned and was making her way for the building ledge before she turned briefly.

"I always thought it was hard to find a man with an honest heart. In the course of a day I've already found two. I think we can help each other Mr. Kent, it's the least I can do." He didn't have the time to show his swelling gratitude, she had leapt over the edge and took off like an elegant bird. Clark stood their frozen in his tracks, reassuring himself that all of that had just happened.

"And who ever said Clark Kent wasn't as likeable as Superman?" He gave himself a personal pat on the back and soon too had the time epiphany.

"Oh jeez! Jimmy!" The suited reporter became a gray blur as he shot down the building stairs much faster than a normal human could.

"Come on ya' meat heads! Back it up!" Dan "Terrible" Turpin was throwing his arms out in circles as he tried to fight off a wave of the press. Reporters and news people alike were flashing cameras and clawing hands out, trying to somehow magically reach past the blockade they had set up. News of the assassination attempt on Princess Diana had traveled fast, naturally. Despite having the notoriety of being one tough female heroine, her safety was still compromised. And since her next meeting was in Metropolis, logically they would call up Metropolis' best law enforcement to assure the Princess' safety. The Metropolis Special Crimes Unit (or SCU for short) was the bread and butter of the police. They were the ones who went in to fight the toughest baddies when Superman wasn't around. Turpin had seen some of the worst of it, from the life-sucking Parasite, to that spark shooting Livewire girl. But now, Director Maggie Sawyer had stuck him in the irritating job of crowd control. On either side of him were about a half dozen armoured officers, heavy ballistic shields held out in front of them. Turpin wanted no such thing, simply dressed in his blue work suit, red tie, and a black derby hat squashed firmly on his head.

"Get that camera outta' my face before I make ya' eat it, kid!" He called threateningly to some young, wet behind the ears photographer. Dan Turpin didn't garner a nickname like "Terrible" for gentle public relations towards the people. He was seasoned, tough as granite, and easily set off if you got on his bad side. Even his face seemed unrealistically aggressive: a hard jaw, intensely black eyes, a pair of thick, bushy eyebrows placed at sharp angles, and the gray hair of a man who had seen a lot of bad stuff.

"Damn it Maggie, you owe me a big one." It was typical of the young ones like Maggie, going overboard, putting up more men than was actually needed. There was nothing here out of the ordinary, just a bunch of soulless media representatives. Besides, Greece was one thing, but to stage an attack on the City of Tomorrow? That was another. Everyone knew that Superman was always patrolling the skies, looking for trouble. And the point was made for what he and the Princess could do as a team.

"Ah, Supes… You ever had to do crowd control before?" Turpin thought humourously in his mind. He was a little weary the first time Big Blue popped out of the sky… He WAS an alien after all; movies never gave them the greatest of reputations. But the Man of Steel turned out to be as harmless as E.T. so long as you were on the right side of the law. Suppose Wonder Woman was just like him, perhaps that was merit enough to give her a listen.

"Excuse me, Inspector Turpin?" A suave, crisp voice came from his right, and he spun around.

"Who the hell-?" His hand was wresting on the pistol he kept at his side at all times.

"At ease, soldier! I mean no harm." The man threw his hands up in self-defense, a man in heavy brown trench coat and a fedora tilted to the side on his head. Not much could be seen of the face, the way the hat cast a shadow over it, but Turpin could see the sides of his platinum blonde hair.

"How'd you-?" In all honesty, it seemed like the man had simply appeared out of thin air, but normal people just didn't do that, "How'd you get past the blockade? We got this here locked tight, nobody could-."

"I came in through the back, I'm one of the special personnel assigned to the security and protection of our special guest Ambassador." The officers paid no attention to the two conversing, merely keeping their eyes on the news hungry crowd.

"Does the special personnel have a name?" Turpin couldn't help but sound slightly perturbed, he'd heard nothing about any such additions to the security staff.

"Detective Resa. I was shipped over from Greece's special services. We've never had the pleasure of meeting." He held out his hand in a polite gesture of shaking. There was something about this man that set Turpin off, something he didn't like. Perhaps it was the fact he could only see the lower half of the man's face, the eyes barely visible. Also, there was the supposed Detective's smile, there was sharpness to it, the kind of smile you'd find on a shark.

"Yeah. Nice to meet ya'-." Deciding it best not to be rude with the detective, he threw his hand out to complete the handshake… his arm was on fire. He wanted to yelp at the sudden pain, but found his vocal chords hushed, not even a rasp escaped his silenced throat. Detective Resa's grip was impregnable; Turpin couldn't rip his hand free. The only thing he could really do was swiveling his eyes down to observe it. Every single vein and artery in his one forearm was a swollen, pulsating deep red. Was that why it burned so much? The thick red stuff began to grow, spreading through the veins and all throughout his body. Detective Resa gave a soft tug and brought Turpin's ear close to that shark smile of his.

"I am told your aim is impeccable with a firearm, Inspector Turpin." His crisp voice became a soft, slithery hiss in his ear; "Terrible" Turpin was indifferent to it, he only felt the sensation to listen carefully.

"The Princess Diana speaks nothing but ill, tasteless lies, I want you to use that talent of yours when you know it right. Do you understand?" Turpin's brain absorbed each word like a sponge and he gave a nod of his head.

"Goooood. Now tell me, who is it you serve?" The answer came to him so quickly, so obviously. He knew this answer would please this man.

"I serve the Spear obediently." He spoke monotonous, without the usual punch in his voice.

"I trust your word, Mr. Turpin, but now is your chance to prove it. You know what you must do, now." With these final instructions, Detective Resa had vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Cheers erupted from the crowd of people, but they did not reach Turpin's ears. He turned around to face the large stage, an eloquent figure practically of gold walked gracefully up to the podium set just for her.

"It is with great pleasure that I address the citizens of Metropolis." Her soothing words were the only sounds he could hear, as they cut into him deeply, making him even angrier. He moved his right arm slowly, so as not to cause any alert by his men, he reached for his pistol…