Foreign Windows

Metropolis

A staccato series of movements overlaid a timeless rhythm. Fingers, lips, legs, arms and torsos were in constant motion.

They held each other's eyes through all of it.

Each believed this was most likely the last time. If it was then they wanted to remember all of it. There were so many risks involved long term, yet the momentary reward seemed to override them. Sometimes it just feels too good to worry about tomorrow.

There was no anger this time.

Different emotions seemed to dominant. Some they acknowledged and some they didn't. The most troubling ones seemed to flash in and out of both their minds, yet this was too new for them to take hold.

They were still strangers.

Knowing they were attracted to each other and some of the facts about their counterpart wasn't the same as really knowing. That involves time and surrender.

Surrender is a frightening word for all of us and they were no different. We think surrender implies defeat or losing. If you view all life as a battle, then surrendering to another seems like the worst possible fate. But life isn't always a battle and surrender doesn't always mean a defeat.

Without risk there usually can't be any reward. This particular surrender is allowing someone in past your defenses. It makes you vulnerable and them dangerous. The world seems to make everyone fight so hard to protect himself or herself from harm, it becomes ingrained to hold everyone at a distance. You tell yourself you can't be harmed if no one gets close. This strategy may work in limiting the pain and vulnerability, but what does it leave you?

Alone.

It's the struggle we all deal with, even heroes, when or even if we should let someone in. No one wants to get hurt, especially by someone close to us. The cruelest cuts of all come from those we've allowed to see us at our most naked, our most vulnerable. Each time it happens, our skin gets a little thicker; our thoughts a little more cynical, our fears become more focused. We hesitate take another chance, but we do.

We do because we remember.

We remember what it felt like that first time and how nothing has come close since. We may stumble and fall several times, but we keep getting up because of that memory. Connection seems too weak a word for it. You felt as if you were almost physically closer to that one person than you imagined possible. Yes, sex is a major part, but it's so much more than that. Two becoming one is the commonly used metaphor, but even that is a shadow of what it really is.

Some things words fail to describe.

Clark and Karen were having sex or making love or connecting or all of them at once. What they were really doing was new to both of them. The invisible armor they both wore to protect themselves and others was slipping away. They probably didn't even realize it. The need they were both experiencing was creating the first cracks. Words were in the distance. Neither was ready for them yet.

They were surrendering to each other. Now time was the stumbling block.

Rome

Helena stood looking out the huge glass windows at the tarmac. The jumbo jets taxied by, bound for every point on the compass. The large, dark sunglasses hid her eyes from everyone around her. Her blank expression belied the ordered chaos inside her mind at the moment. She was twenty-two, in world not her own. For five years she been making the best of it, but she hadn't forgotten. She remembered every detail of her mother dying in her arms and the feeling of helplessness that had nearly overwhelmed her in that moment.

That was the day she met Karen for the first time, the day her mother, Selina Kyle-Wayne died. The pain of that day hadn't diminished, yet time had allowed other memories to reassert themselves. When she thought of her mother now, it was a fuller picture of her whole life, not just that awful day. Helena could still remember how her mother had been able to put a smile on her face even on the darkest days. She's always put a playful spin on all the serious training her father demanded. Helena's mother understood the dangerous as well as anyone; she just chose to meet them with a smile or a smirk on her lips.

Five years, it seemed like only yesterday. Helena felt she'd grown up so much since then, yet she always tried to keep some of that playfulness within herself just like her mother would want.

Situations all around Helena were fluid. She'd tried contact Karen, but hadn't received an answer. That frustrated her and perhaps it was a bit of her father coming through, but she didn't like being in the dark about anything. Reluctantly she knew she would have to wait for Karen to work out whatever she was dealing with, but knowing it, didn't make it any easier. Helena had her suspicions it had to do with Clark. They were more then suspicious really, but without the facts she didn't want to draw any conclusions. That was another lesson her father had drilled into her.

The more immediate and pressing problem was this world's Bruce Wayne, the Batman. He wasn't exactly like her father, but there was enough of a similarity to know he wasn't going to just let it go now that he was on the case. There were to many tantalizing things for him not to want to know everything.

Helena had done the smart thing, run as far away from him as she could. That would buy her a little time, but eventually he would show up on her doorstep. He was the hunter and unfortunately she was the hunted. She could keep running, which was the smart, prudent thing to do, but how long did she want to run? He had all the resources he needed to keep coming after her. The little game with his money had peaked his interested. From his visit to their hotel room, Helena knew they were in his sights now.

So what to do?

She had never liked being the hunted. It was why she chose the name she did, the Huntress. He probably expected her to run and would be pleased when she did. He would believe he had flipped the game on her and that now he was in control. She could almost visualize him down in his cave plotting points on a map, trying to see all the connections. She imagined lines running from her to Karen. Other lines would branch off to the stolen money, while others would lead to Power Girl and the Huntress. Still others would tentatively stretch towards Clark and with that connection there was little hope of him giving up. It was just pieces on a chess board to him now.

Helena decided that 'castling' the safe play wasn't what this game needed. When your opponent has you on the run, the last thing he expects is for you to turn and attack. A small smile came to her lips as she thought even more unexpected was for you to grab the whole board and shake it.

Helena checked her watch. Eight hours from now, a warehouse full of illegal arms would suddenly blow up in a remote part of the Italian countryside. Through her friends in the Italy press it would be reported that the Huntress had struck again at organized crime. Knowing whom she was dealing with, she knew he would know about it almost immediately. At the exact same time as the explosion, Helena, as the head of Starr security would be getting off a plane in Gotham. She wondered if he'd be there to meet her? He would probably see through her alibi, but could he prove it was the question.

If they were going to play this game, the Helena knew she had to use every advantage she had. He would think it was a mistake her coming to his home turf, but he didn't know it was her home turf too.

"NOW BORDERING FLIGHT 834 NON-STOP TO GOTHAM, U.S.A."

As Helena picked up her carrying on and headed towards the gate, she imagined somewhere her mother was smiling.

Metropolis

Clark sat in just his trousers on the side of the bed. Karen was in the bathroom showering and getting dressed. They hadn't spoke about last night or today. She was leaving he knew. He thought of asking her to stay, but wasn't sure he was ready if she said yes. He knew she wouldn't. He also knew he wouldn't ask.

Last night and today had been what it was, that's all. To think it was more would serve no good. It felt like more though, a lot more. Than again he really didn't have the much experience at this sort of thing. He'd been with other women, not a lot, but a few. In those cases they both knew what they were doing and what it was. With Karen he wasn't really sure about anything.

He didn't feel like a man of steel but flesh and blood when he was in her arms. They'd held each other's eyes the whole time, yet other than the need and desire he hadn't any idea what was going on in her mind. Now it was over and he didn't know what happened next. While they were together, he wasn't been thinking about anything but her. Now that it was over, he was still thinking about her. It wasn't just the sex either, although that certainly did cross his mind. He found that now that she wasn't in the room he just wanted to touch her, to stroke his fingertips down her arms just to make sure she was real and he hadn't dreamt it all.

He felt foolish about it. He had enough problems as it was. It was Saturday and in a short while the Justice League would be meeting with the press to answer questions about Dallas. No one expected him to be there. He felt guilty about that, but part of him still wasn't sure he wouldn't just make it worse if he showed up. Clark had talked to his teammates and tried explaining it to them. He hoped they were finally starting to understand each other a little bit better, but time would tell on that. Clark had suggested they not address it at all, but Arthur and the others had thought differently. He and Diana would be at the press conference fielding all the questions. They shouldn't have to, Clark thought.

The door opened and Karen tentatively stepped back into the room. She was dressed and her hair was still a little damp. She seemed nervous, as if now that it was over she didn't know how to leave or if she wanted to leave at all. No, Clark thought, don't try and figure out what she's thinking or not thinking. It is what it is.

"Thank you,' he said. "For staying."

"Thank you for letting me,' she replied.

The distance was there again.

"I know you have to go."

"I do."

"I won't ask if I'll see you again."

"I don't know."

"I'd like it if you did, but …"

"What?" She asked.

"I won't ask for any promises."

"I'm not sure I could give any."

"I know," he replied.

She nodded and glanced towards the open terrace doors. He saw this and stood. They looked at each other.

"I should go, you have that press conference."

"I'm not going." He said.

"Why?" She asked.

"It's just better if I'm not there."

Karen took a step closer to him.

"You should be there."

"I'd probably just make it worse,' he offered.

She stepped closer so they were almost touching.

"No, it should be your words they hear,' she said. "I'm not in any position to give advice, but I think it should be you everyone hears."

"I don't know,' he admitted.

Karen lightly ran her fingers down his cheek. He looked into her eyes.

"Think about it, ' she said.

He nodded and then the moment seemed to end. She took a step back and started moving towards the doors. She stopped just before she stepped outside.

"Thanks again, Clark, for …. well, everything."

"Your welcome."

And then she was gone.

Washington, D.C. – Later

Reporters from all over the globe were crowded around the stage waiting for the Justice League to appear. When it was announced that only Wonder Woman and Aquaman would actually be there an unhappy rumble went through the crowd. It was another five minutes before they finally came out on the stage. Flash bulbs exploded from every direction in waves. To the naked eye it almost appeared they were walking into a strobe light. The barrage of questions started immediately before they could even make an opening statement. Arthur tried to get them to quiet down, but it was rapidly turning into a mob scene. The police tried their best to hold back the pushing crowd, but it was a struggle. Just when it seemed hopeless, a gust of wind washed over the scene and then Superman landed on the stage. Arthur and Diana seemed as surprised as the audience, especially when he stepped to the microphones. His voice rang out over the din and slowly the crowd quieted down.

"You all have questions about recent events and while my teammates have graciously offered to deal with this, I've decided you should hear it from me. Who has the first question?"