JL: The Newest Recruit

Part Thirteen

For The Man Who Has Everything

Clark stood alone in his Fortress of Solitude. Today was his birthday. A lot has changed in the last year. For one he was no longer with Lois but with Diana, a woman he desired secretly since he first met her. Though he still held some guilt after he and Lois had their falling out, he was happier with Diana. He didn't have to hide secrets with her; he could be honest with himself. They've only officially been together for almost three months now but Clark felt it was longer and hoped things continued to be good for them.

This morning he had a birthday breakfast with his parents and Kara. He invited Diana but she opted to celebrate his birthday later that afternoon with Bruce. Being it was his birthday, Clark took the day off from the League and the Daily Planet. The gifts he received from allies over the universe were locked up in his fortress. Clark was going to wait until Diana and Bruce arrive to open the gifts but he decided what harm would it be if he opened one up.

Clark picked up a purple box in a red bow. He tried to look through it but saw it was lined with lead. He grinned. It must be a good gift to be lined with lead and from someone who knew him so well. Clark opened the box and before he could defend himself, dark tentacles of the Black Mercy plant attacked Clark. Their deadly tentacles settled on Clark's chest, subduing the Man of Steel and placing him under a euphoric dream of his heart's desire.

Another year another birthday Kal-El thought as he lied in bed. Some people often looked at their birthday with regret for getting older and not achieving a goal they had intended in the previous year. Kal-El never saw it that way. He saw it as another day he was alive and at peace in his life. He had a beautiful wife who was sleeping soundly beside him, a wonderful son and a successful career as a farmer.

Being the son of the scientist, Jor-El, many were surprised he didn't follow in his father's footsteps. Many had hoped Kal-El would redeem his father after Jor-El's embarrassing prediction that Krypton would explode.

Science fascinated Kal-El but his passion for farming was stronger. When he first set out to be a farmer, he moved far away from the city he grew up in and the people he knew to a small town where he purchased a large stretch of land. He worked long and hard for two years before his farmland turned up profits. Kal-El wanted a wife and child to occupy his lonely life on the farm but his fiancée Lolana ended their engagement before Kal-El left citing she couldn't see herself as a farmer's wife.

Kal-El was saddened by the break up and considered changing his career to win her back but decided he shouldn't change himself for her as he wouldn't want her to change for him.

At his twenty-fifth birthday party, Kal-El was introduced to Diana, daughter of a Kryptonian Council member. Diana was a scholar and keeper of the Kryptonian archives. Though a pacifist, Diana was a master in all forms of combat, which intimidated men from pursuing her. Upon reading of Jor-El's blunder of Krypton's fate, Diana often encouraged the Kryptonian Council to explore other worlds, colonize them in case the worst did come to Krypton. Though many oppose Diana's words, it didn't stop Diana. She made it her personal mission to change the Kryptonian Council's mind on colonizing to other planets.

Kal-El and Diana fell for each other fast and hard. In six months they were married and a year later, welcomed the birth of their son, Van-El.

Kal-El turned on his side and ran a hand alongside Diana's perfect physique as she slept. He buried his mouth in her neck giving her light kisses. Diana shift slightly. Kal-El was more persistent moving to nibble her ear and slipping a hand under her short chemise. "Come on, Diana. You can't deny me."

Diana opened her eyes and rolled over facing Kal-El with a smile. "Why would I want to deny a handsome man like you?" Diana caressed his face gently, giving him a sweet kiss. "Happy Birthday, Kal."

"Is that what today is?" Kal-El feigned innocence. "I thought it was 'Ravish my Wife Day.'"

Diana laughed as she sat up in bed. "It's that, too, but it's also the anniversary of the first day we met and we have a morning tradition to fulfill." Diana kissed Kal-El, and as she helped removed his shirt, her husband was helping her out of the gown. When he started kissing her neck, Diana asked. "Where to this time?"

Kal-El didn't care much for celebrating birthdays but he loved this yearly tradition he and his wife had where on his birthday and their special anniversary, he get to decide where and how they made love. "Shower."

Diana smiled, loving their times in the shower. "Lock the door and I'll get the shower ready."

Kal-El jumped off the bed, making sure the door was locked. Last thing they needed were for their son or his dog Krypto to walk in on them. With the bedroom door locked, he went to Diana who was standing in the bathroom doorway with only a smile on. Just as he was about to reach her, Diana closed the door on him locking him out.

"What?" Kal-El knocked on the door. "Diana, what are you doing?"

"You didn't get here fast enough," Diana said through the door. "Looks like I have the shower to myself."

"Oh, come on! That's not fair. Besides, it's my birthday," he pleaded.

"I thought you didn't want anything special for your birthday," Diana laughed.

His own words thrown back at him. "That's a dirty trick, Diana."

Diana opened the door laughing. "I know." She pulled him inside and drew him close for a kiss. "It's so fun to rile you up."

"You're gonna pay for that," Kal-El promised as he picked up Diana.

"I certainly hope so," Diana purred in his ear.

Wonder Woman and Batman walked up the steps leading to the Fortress of Solitude each holding their gifts for Clark. "So, what did you get, Kal?" Diana asked curiously.

"What do you get for the man who has everything?" Bruce asked.

"Something from the heart. So, what is it?" Diana asked again. "I see you have two gifts for him."

"You know he can hear us," Bruce said. "You want me to spoil the surprise by telling you?"

"Knowing Kal, he heard us a mile away and is watching us now. Unless you lined your gifts with lead foil like me, he already knows what you got him."

Bruce knew his gifts weren't lined with lead and that she was probably right about Clark watching them. "Damn. All right. I'll tell you one. I got him cash."

"Cash?" Diana playfully hit him. "Really, Bruce. Why cash?"

"If it makes you feel any better, the second gift is from the heart," he mocked the words.

Diana and Bruce both stopped in their tracks when they saw Clark, standing still, his eyes glazed with the Black Mercy on his chest. Diana placed her gift on the floor and went to Clark.

"Kal?" Diana saw his eyes. "His eyes are glazed over, as if he's somewhere else."

"He is, Amazon," Mogul said as he emerged from the shadows. "He is living his heart's desire."

"What have you done to him?" Diana demanded.

"A simple birthday gift for my dear friend, Superman," he sneered.

"Superman is anything but a friend to you, Mongul," Batman said. "He defeated and humiliated you on your planet."

Mongul's sneer deepened. "Which is why I gave him the Black Mercy plant as a gift. It gives your heart's desire. He'll never want to give it up. It'll be like tearing off his own arm." He stared at Superman. "I wonder what he's dreaming. I bet he is dictator, ruling the universe and killing anyone standing in his way. It's much more realistic than his pretense of being a force for good and justice."

"Superman would never dream of such horrors," Diana said and ordered Mongul, "Remove the Black Mercy plant on Superman."

"No and if you're thinking of defeating me to get that plant off Superman, forget it. I'll never tell you."

"We'll see about that!" Diana flew at him, throwing two hard punches at Mongul. Diana pulled back groaning in pain. Her hands ached just by punching Mongul.

Mongul grinned evilly seeing Wonder Woman hurting. "This world is mine. He was my only threat to conquering this planet. The rest of you are already dead." He looked Diana over. "I might make an exception in you and make you my lover. If you resist, beating you into submission will make it all the more sweeter."

Diana didn't want to hear anymore. She resumed fighting him again, knocking her and Mongul into another room, doing all she can to beat Mongul down. While Diana fought Mongul, Batman tried to free Superman. Batman knew Diana wouldn't last long against Mongul no matter how strong she was.

"Come on, Clark. Snap out of it."

Batman pulled on the Black Mercy. The black tentacles were locked on Superman refusing to move. Batman tried cutting the plant with a mini laser he kept on his belt but the tentacles were too thick.

Diana's painful scream could be heard in another room along with explosions and a level of the Fortress falling through followed by another cry from Diana. He never heard such pain come Diana's voice. Growing frustrated at his inability to do anything Batman threw the laser down.

"Dammit! Nothing's working!" Batman took a second to calm down and pull on the Black Mercy plant again.

Batman grew hopeful for Diana as he heard the familiar sounds of weapons Clark had collected. "Diana's in the weapons room. It'll buy her some time but not enough." He said to Clark, "He'll kill us all, Clark but he'll do worse to Diana. He'll make Diana his slave; do to her what men have done to her mother and Amazons. You don't want that for Diana." Clark blinked, his eyes were twitching. The Black Mercy plant was loosening it's hold on Clark. "Keep fighting, Clark. Keep fighting."

Kal-El stood over the kitchen stove, making breakfast for his wife and son. Their son, Van-El, was cleaning up the mess Krypto left on the floor. Van-El expected punishment for not training Krypto properly but his Dad was letting it slide. He seemed to be in a good mood today. Van-El thought it was because of his Dad's birthday.

"I hope you don't have any special plans for the day," Diana told her husband. "Van-El and I already made plans for you."

"Diana, as long as it's a quiet day at home with my wife and son, I have no complaints." He turned and saw a mischievous look on Diana's face. "What have you planned?"

Diana rose from her seat and joined her husband at the stove. "First, we'll have a nice family breakfast together; then we'll head into the city to see your father at the research institute. Afterwards, we'll go to that alien zoo Van-El's been talking about and back to your parents' house for your birthday party."

"I was with you until you said birthday party, Diana." He gathered her in his arms. "I told you. I don't need that. I have everything I want here."

Diana cocked her head to the side. "Really? You don't want anything else?"

He kissed her. "Nope. I have all I wanted."

Diana's smile never wavered but there was something playful in her eyes. "Let's ask Van-El. Van-El, how would you feel about having a little brother or sister?"

Van-El shrugged as he pet Krypto. "It'll be cool, I guess."

Kal-El froze. Diana placed his hand on her stomach letting him guess the obvious. "Diana, are you pregnant?"

Diana nodded. "Yes. Now are you sure you have everything you've wanted?"

Kal-El gave Diana a passionate kiss and hugged her tightly. "That and more."

Fight it, Clark. Diana needs you. Bruce's words entered Kal-El's mind.

Kal-El stiffened. Who said that? Who was that man?

"Kal?" Diana looked at her husband concerned as he looked around puzzled. "Are you all right?"

"I thought I heard someone. His voice sounds familiar."

Diana chuckled. "Aren't you a little young to be hearing voices in your head?"

Kal-El relaxed. "Yeah. You're right. Let's finish breakfast and meet my Dad."

After breakfast, Kal-El drove his family to Krypton's capital. On the drive, Kal-El would hear voices in his head. It was a man's voice telling him to fight it. Fight what Kal-El wondered. He also kept saying, 'Diana's in trouble.' But that wasn't possible. Diana was sitting beside him and she was fine.

Kal-El parked his air car in front of the Krypton Research facility. As soon as he got out, the ground trembled slightly. "Did you feel that?"

Diana and Van-El exchanged curious looks at each other and then at Kal-El. "Feel what?" Diana asked.

Kal-El leaned on the air car, placing a hand on his head. "I thought I felt the ground move. Never mind. I have a little headache."

"Van-El, go inside and wait for us in the lobby. I want to talk to your father for a moment."

"Okay, Mom." Van-El cheerily went inside unaware of any problems.

Diana came around the car to Kal-El's side. "Darling, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you in the car, Kal. You were tensing up, looking lost and now you're asking Van-El and I if we felt the ground move." Diana gripped his hands. "We've always been honest with each other, Kal. No secrets remember. That was our promise to each other."

Kal-El sighed. "I'm hearing voices in my head, Diana. He sounds familiar but I can't place him."

"He? What is this voice saying?" Diana asked.

"He keeps telling me to fight it. Fight what I don't know. He says you're in trouble and that you need me."

Kal-El's words didn't make any sense to Diana. "I'm right here and I feel fine. How long have you been hearing these voices?"

"It's started this morning during breakfast." The more he talked about it, the more foolish he was feeling talking about voices in his head. "It's probably nothing, Diana. Let's not think about it anymore and see my Dad."

Kal-El and Diana went inside the building. They took the elevators to the top floor where Jor-El was working.

"Grandpa!" Van-El cried out and hugged his grandpa.

Jor-El returned the hug to his grandson with much love. "Van-El, it's so good to see you."

Jor-El stood and greeted Kal-El with a hug. "Hello, son. Happy Birthday." He greeted Diana with a hug and kiss. "Diana, you're looking lovelier by the day."

"Thank you, Jor-El."

"Mom. Dad. Can I go on the observation deck?" Van-El asked indicating the balcony not far from them and the telescope that gave a view of the large Kryptonian city.

"Yes, but keep where your father and I can see you," Diana told him.

"Okay." Van-El happily went onto the deck and ran straight for the telescope.

Diana looked at her son with a fond smile. "He has such a love for science and looking to the stars. I think he's going to follow in your footsteps, Jor-El."

"Hopefully, he won't make the same mistake as his foolish grandfather and predict the end of the world." Jor-El sighed heavily. "It took me years to build back my reputation after that mistake all those years ago." He looked at Kal-El. "I wonder because of what I did if I turned you away from science and to a life on the farm."

"Of course not, Dad," Kal-El told his father. "I wasn't meant to be a scientist but a farmer. I couldn't be in a lab all the time, working on experiments. I need the open space and I get that being on a farm."

Jor-El chuckled. "You weren't one to be grounded, Kal. You need the open space, the free skies."

You are here for a reason Jonathon Kent's voice came out of Jor-El's mouth.

Kal-El blinked. "What did you say, Dad?"

"I said you were just like Van looking in your telescope at the stars," Jor-El said. "Sometimes I wonder if I should take your mother and move away from this city and retire a quiet life in the country like you."

"You shouldn't do that, Jor-El," Diana said sympathetic to Jor-El. "You made a miscalculation but it's very possible Krypton's fate you predicted can become a reality. I need you to stay on to help with my mission to colonize on other planets. If Krypton should die, our culture will be alive in its survivors."

Jor-El grinned at Kal-El. "Quite the persuader, isn't she?"

You're lucky I didn't use my lasso Diana said the words but it didn't come from Diana's mouth just now. Kal-El was confused. Diana didn't have a lasso so why was she saying it?

I am Diana, Princess of the Amazons.

Keep fighting. He'll kill us, kill your parents, and kill the world. Diana will be his slave.

If someone is in trouble you do what you can to help them, son.

Overcome with the voices in his head, Kal-El swooned. Jor-El and Diana caught him. "Are you all right, son?"

Kal-El shook his head. "No. Yes, I'm fine. I just felt a little dizzy."

"Maybe you need some air," Diana suggested. "Let's go on the deck."

"I'll bring you some water," Jor-El offered.

Diana walked Kal-El onto the deck, near Van-El who was preoccupied with the view he was getting from the telescope. "Is it the voices?" Diana asked.

Kal-El leaned on the railing. "Yes." The ground shook again, stronger this time. He started to say something but somehow Kal-El knew he was the only one feeling it.

"What's being said this time?"

"I heard you and two other men." He looked at Diana. "You said you were a princess."

Diana pointed to herself. "Me? A princess?" Diana shook her head. "That is a dream. What did the other voices say?"

"The second man was older, almost like a father figure. He said I should help someone in trouble." Kal-El grasped his head in his hands. "I don't understand this. I don't understand it at all, Diana."

Diana rubbed his back soothingly. "Don't worry, Kal. We'll find a way through this problem."

Van-El, noticing the seriousness of his parents, pulled away from his fascinating of the telescope and approached them. Seeing his father clutched his head worried the young boy. "Mom, what's wrong with Dad?"

"He's tired, darling. He has a headache," Diana explained.

Kal-El still held his head trying to make sense of the growing voices in his head. Suddenly, there was a new voice now and it made his blood run cold.

Hi, Clark Kent, reporter for the Daily Planet.

It was his own voice but why? Who was Clark Kent? What was a Daily Planet? Why was he hearing these voices that no one else could hear? Why were they saying these things to him?

It's not real, Clark. It's not real. What you're seeing isn't real.

Kal-El stiffened. "Oh, God." Realization dawned on him. He knew that voice now. "Bruce."

"Bruce?" Diana inquired.

Kal-El turned around to face his wife and son. He could hear another voice now. A scream. Diana screaming in pain followed by Mongul's evil laughter. He stared at his family heartbroken. "It's not real. None of this is real."

There was a Diana in his life but she wasn't his wife. She wasn't carrying his child. She didn't birth to Van-El. The Diana he knew was his girlfriend but they didn't have a son together. He remembered everything now. Krypton didn't survive. It died. He left the planet as a baby and was raised on Earth by Jonathon and Martha Kent. The clues were all around him but he never saw it.

"Kal," Diana called out to him. "What's wrong?"

Kal-El embraced Diana. "I know what's happening. I know what I have to do." He cupped his hands in her face and tearfully kissed her goodbye. "I will love you always," he said tears in his eyes. "Never forget that."

Tears fell from Diana's eyes. Her husband was leaving her and she didn't understand why. "Kal, what are you saying?"

Kal-El turned away. He couldn't say anymore or he wouldn't be able to leave. Kal-El knelt to his son. "Van-El, when you were born, it was the happiest day of my life. You're all I've wanted and hoped for in a son. But you're not real. None of this is real and I have to go now."

Van-El started tearing up now, "Daddy, you're scaring me."

"I don't mean, too, son." Kal-El kissed Van-El's forehead and embraced his son. "I love so much and I will never forget you." Diana knelt beside her son, embracing him and looked at Kal-El crying. "I will never forget either of you."

Holding his family around him, Kal-El watched as Krypton shake with violent earthquakes. The ground opened up and lava shot up in the sky, homes, buildings and people fell into the opened ground screaming to their deaths. Kal-El watched painfully as the ground opened up and swallowed Diana and Van-El. They cried for him but Kal-El couldn't do anything to save them. He had to let them go. He had to watch them fall to their deaths before everything turned black.

Superman found himself back in his Fortress of Solitude. He was too blind with rage to notice the Black Mercy surround Batman, drawing him into his heart's desire. He only heard Diana's painful cries and Mongul's cocky laugh. He flew to the sounds and saw Diana on her knees, disoriented not aware of Mongul raising a sharp trident over Diana ready to strike her down.

Superman knocked Mongul away, throwing punch after punch at Mongul, his eyes full of rage. He was going to make Mongul pay for what he loss and what he had to give up to return.

A beaten Diana saw Superman rage on Mongul harder than he had ever fought. He wasn't this brutal when fighting Darkseid. Whatever he experience had to be so wonderful, it was excruciating to pull away from.

Diana looked around. She didn't see Bruce anywhere or the Black Mercy. Was he taking care of it? Diana didn't have the strength to use her legs. The battle with Mongul was brutal for her. She never fought anyone so strong. Even when she sparred with Clark, she knew he was holding back his strength much to her chagrin and yet he was stronger than Mongul.

Diana would focus on that later. Right now, she crawled to where Bruce was. As Diana pulled herself to where she saw Bruce, Diana felt pain all over her body in a struggle. Three of her left ribs were broken, her arms were bruised, legs too sore to stand on. And yet, as she moved, she felt her body starting to heal.

Diana saw Bruce. He was standing but not moving. Diana stood on shaky legs and made her way to him all the while wondering why Bruce was just standing there. Why wasn't he--- Diana gasped as she saw the Black Mercy plant was on Bruce now. "Bruce."

Diana went to him. He was smiling. He looked so happy. No. He was sucked into his heart's desire. "No, Bruce. No." Diana ignored the pain in her arms and pulled on the Black Mercy plant. Her strength was greatly weakened in fighting Mongul. "Come on, Bruce. Come back to us. It's not real." Diana felt no resistance. Bruce was too caught up in his dream. "Snap out of it. Bruce!" Diana screamed. "BRUCE!!!"

The hold of the Black Mercy loosened and Diana was able to use what strength she had and pulled the plant off Batman. The force of pulling the plant off Bruce knocked Diana on her back and forced her to fight the Black Mercy off her! It was attacking her viciously, trying to pull her into its power. One tentacle locked around Diana's neck, choking her. Diana weakened for a moment and the deadly plant drew closer to Diana's chest. Realizing what the plant was trying to do, Diana resisted and punched the Black Mercy, knocking it away from her chest.

Diana managed to get the Black Mercy locked on her arm. Diana looked to Batman who was barely recovering from the dream the Black Mercy gave him. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine!" Batman growled. "Where's Superman?"

Diana struggled to her feet and Batman helped her. "Fighting Mongul. We need to get to him."

Batman helped Diana walk to where Superman and Mongul were fighting. Somehow throughout the fight, Mongul, though violently beaten with swollen eyes, burned marks on his chest, missing teeth, cuts and bruises all over his body, he got the upper hand on Superman. Diana knew how to end this fight once and for all. "Mongul!" Diana called and just as he looked up, Diana threw the Black Mercy at him. It latched itself on his chest and Mongul fell on the ground with a smile on his face.

Batman dropped a line down to where Clark and Mongul were. "Can you fly?" Batman asked Diana.

"I don't think it would be safe if I try it," Diana said. Diana put an arm around Bruce and let him lower them down to the next floor.

Once safely on the ground, Diana went to Clark who was staring at a statue of his parents he sculpted. "I promise I won't ever forget."

Diana touched Clark's shoulder. "Are you all right?"

He didn't look at her. "I'll be fine."

She knew what that voice meant. He wasn't fine. Diana took her hand away and looked at Mongul. "I wonder what he's dreaming."

"Whatever it is, it's too good for him," Batman growled.

Diana looked from Bruce to Clark. Whatever they dreamed, it was so wonderful so perfect, that it was so hard to pull away from it. Neither wanted to discuss the hurt that their dream wasn't a reality.

So, it was up to Diana to take control of the situation. "I'll contact John so he can turn Mongul over to the Green Lantern Corps."

Diana left the room, leaving Bruce and Clark alone staring down at Mongul.

"I'm so tempted to throw him in the Phantom Zone forever, Bruce."

"It'll still be too good for him," Bruce growled. "I saw them, Clark. My parents. They were alive. Dad was beating up Joe Chill. Then I heard Diana's voice and I knew it wasn't real. I saw my parents murdered all over again. Mongul's a rotten son of a bitch."

"I was on Krypton, married to Diana. We had a son and she was pregnant again. I saw my father, Jor-El." Clark sighed heavily. "It was so hard to let that go."

"Krypton's gone, Clark, but your dream of a family with Diana is very much alive," Bruce said. "Happy birthday by the way."

Clark scoffed, "Some birthday."

Bruce handed Clark a card along with a wrapped gift. Clark took it, read the card and chuckled what came along with the card. "Cash. Thanks, Bruce." he opened the wrapped gift and saw a flower. He looked at Bruce perplexed. Bruce was giving him a flower?

"It's a new breed, called the 'Krypton'."

Clark smiled. "Thanks, Bruce. I appreciate this." Clark placed the flower in it's box just as Diana and John returned.

John looked around at the mess the fight with Mongul created. "You guys all right?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah. We'll be fine."

John lit his ring over Mongul. "I'll take it from here. Will you need some help fixing this place back up?"

Clark didn't say anything so Diana spoke for him. "Thanks, John, but we'll be able to handle it."

"Okay then. By the way, Happy Birthday, Clark." John flew out of the room with Mongul trailing behind him.

Once John left, Diana handed him a wrapped box. "This might not be the best time to present this but Happy Birthday, Kal."

Clark took the box and looked at Diana for the first time today. Diana's hair was disheveled and her face and body were covered in cuts and bruises. Looking through her, he could see three of her ribs were broken. "Diana!" he said horrified. "Mongul, did this to you? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Kal. A little sore but I'm starting to heal," Diana assured him. "Don't worry about me. Open your gift."

Clark reluctantly looked away from Diana's injuries and opened the box. It was a reproduction of the bottled city of Kandor. "Diana… it's beautiful." He embraced her, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you so much."

If Clark closed his eyes, he could find himself back on Krypton with Diana and their son.

"I think I should go," Bruce announced.

Clark and Diana broke apart and looked at him. "You don't have to leave, Bruce."

"No, Clark, but I have some matters to deal with. I'll see you later."

Bruce left before Clark and Diana could convince him to stay. "When do you want to get started on the clean up?"

"Not today. Maybe tomorrow." Clark put both his gifts from Bruce and Diana in one hand and walked her with the other hand out of the room. "Let's get your wounds checked out."

"I'm starting to feel better," Diana told him.

"You still have three broken ribs, Diana." When they entered Clark's lab, Clark placed his gifts on a counter. "Lay on the table."

Diana laid on the exam table. "If I were on Themyscira, we could use the purple ray to heal me."

"I don't have a purple ray, but I do have special healing lights." Clark turned on the lights above her. "It was gift from friends I met in space."

"How long until I'm healed?" Diana asked.

Just as Diana noticed since Clark was free of the Black Mercy, he still wasn't looking at her. "Given your state, I'd say half an hour."

"We have time to talk then."

"No," Clark said too quickly. "You rest. I'll be back. I have some things to take care of."

First Bruce was quick to leave and now Clark. The Black Mercy really did a number on them. Diana didn't wait for thirty minutes to pass. She waited until her ribs were healed before looking for Clark. She found him finishing the repairs to the ceiling of his alien zoo room.

As soon as he finished, Clark looked down, saw Diana and floated to the floor. He still didn't look at her, focusing on the aliens behind their protective glass.

"I decided to get started on the repairs after all," Clark said. "It's helping me avoiding my thoughts."

Diana approached him. "The Black Mercy revealed your heart's desire. For Bruce, I'm guessing his parents survived the night they were murdered. You, I'm not sure but I know I am involved. You've hardly looked at me since our battle with Mongul ended."

Clark suspected Diana would confront him sooner or later. Diana wouldn't stop until she go to the truth. "It's too difficult to say."

"You know you can talk to me." Diana turned Clark to face her. "Remember our promise to each other. We don't keep secrets."

Clark recalled his dream where Diana said the same thing. "I know. It's just…." He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "You were in the dream, Diana. We were on Krypton. We had a son and another baby on the way. We were living a happy peaceful life. My parents were alive. It was so hard to give that life up; so hard to realize it wasn't real."

Diana didn't need to experience it to imagine how hard that must've been for Clark to realize his perfect life wasn't true. Diana embraced him and Clark held her tight. One hand ran a soothing arm up and down his back while the other played with his hair. "That had to be difficult."

"It was like ripping my heart out… watching you and our son die and not being able to do anything to stop it."

Diana never thought about children or her having it. So this was a new world for her and yet she was curious about the child she never had. "What was our son like?"

"Perfect. He had black hair and blue eyes like us. He looked like me as a kid, but the shape of his eyes and his smile were yours. He even had a love for science like me."

"So, you want to have children? With me?" Diana guessed. "To be honest I never thought about having children. I'm not even sure I can have a child, Kal. I was made from the clay and I don't have cycles like human women."

"It's all right. I never thought I could have children any way. I am Kryptonian. Having a child would be nice but I'm just as content just being with you."

"As I with you," Diana embraced Kal. They accepted they couldn't have children and yet Diana couldn't help but wonder what it would be like.

AN: In the comic for which "For the Man Who Has Everything" is based on, Bruce gave Clark the new breed Krypton flower and Diana gave him a reproductive bottle of Kandor.

Kairan1979: Wow! That's a good idea for Lois. I never thought about that. You're dead on about the bitterness and anger in Lois though.

Thanks for the reviews everyone. I appreciate it!