Author's Note: Ridiculously delayed and short, I know, but the edits are done. Anchor, Respond, and Branches are now finally back up to their originally advertised word counts. Character ownership goes to DC Comics.

For a few minutes longer, I look down at the mortal below. "To think so grim, so dark a man would act so…frivolously."

"It's not frivolous," my visitor tells me. "He is acting out of love."

"If you say. I grant that I am no expert. Such matters are your realm."

"Even so, you have done much to help me over these past few weeks. I appreciate your assistance."

I turn from the mortal world, facing my visitor as she steps closer. "I never doubted that you do. Regardless, I used the opportunities to answer my own questions, so you needn't thank me. Still, I must admit I am surprised you waited so long before again seeking my help."

"Even my patience is not eternal. Certainly, eternity will not wait for him."

My visitor steps past me, looking down at the world of mortals. I follow her gaze back to the mortal man below. He is in a store, an older man following him as he looks into a series of displays.

"You tested her resolve. She broke as you had hoped and it presented us with the perfect opportunity to align our interests. I used the opportunity to find where her heart would lay if she were to open it and you found who could bring her back from the brink. I suspected a single person would provide the answer to both questions, but who would have guessed our first choice would be correct?"

I nod in agreement. My visitor steps back and turns away. "Are you satisfied with the result?" she asks.

I turn to respond. I can't help but look back to the mortals' realm before the words escape my lips, "Certainly, yes."

"I am glad to hear." My visitor takes a few steps away. "I must take my leave now. I will return should I again need your services."

I nod in response, then turn back to the mortal world. A soft, white glow fills the air and my visitor is gone. I have time for a quick breath before I feel a wave of heat from behind and my surroundings are painted a fiery red. I'm about to have another visitor.

I have barely a moment before the fires will fade and my new guest will arrive. "And no," I say, finishing my previous answer as I turn.

Author's Note: Reviews are welcome and appreciated, but certainly not required. Thank you for reading.

Had to break the mold for this one. I've had Bruce's last line in mind from the start of writing Branches (though it did change a little; first from a spoken line to a thought and then the situation around it), but this quickly became how I wanted to close out Branches' story. I knew I couldn't have the scene be from either Bruce's perspective or Diana's and I certainly didn't want to break the flow of a chapter, so this was moved to its own epilogue.

Now, I have been a little obsessive about word counts, so I've been hesitant to include these in the chapters, but I have two anonymous reviewers who I want to thank, Readsalot101 and butterflyV. I hope you're both still reading. Readsalot101, I'm happy to see you enjoyed that view of Superman. The idea for Branches started with that sequence as a big what if. butterflyV, I hope you've enjoyed Bruce's progress from the start to end of Branches. I'd like to think he's better about being in a relationship now than he was at the outset. And don't worry, I don't intend to leave Lois and Clark's relationship as it is. I know there are at least a few others who'll be happy to hear I haven't forgotten them.

With each chapter, I've found myself to especially enjoy the way reviews start this sort of open dialogue between reader and author. I look forward to continuing the discussions in the future, both on what I've already posted and whatever comes next. Thinking of discussions, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this sort of dual first-person perspective. These past three fanfics have been something of a writing experiment in that regard. Moving forward, I do plan to keep anything in this storyline in first-person (and with the same naming convention), but I am going to break into the third-person eventually.

Thank you for reading and look forward to more!