Clark walks the streets of Metropolis. It has been a shock to him just how different everything is in one year. Fifth street isn't what it once was. Some of the local restaurants and video stores have closed up. The Cartwright's community center was gone. They had moved the Chicago. Ernest at least had gotten a nice job at a five star return in the city. Between Cyborg Superman and Doomsday, the city was under massive construction. One place that hadn't changed was Bibbo's diner. Clark enters for breakfast.
"What can I get for ya?" Bibbo asks.
"Just a coffee, black." Clark says.
"Coming up." Bibbo says.
Clark sits there. He was nervous. Today he was supposed to meet with Perry and hopefully get his job at the Planet back.
"Here ya go." Bibbo says, as he serves Clark the coffee.
"Thank you." Clarks says.
Clark takes the cup and begins to chug the coffee. Bibbo looks on in shock.
"Isn't that hot?" Bibbo asks.
"It's fine." Clark says, as he leaves a generous tip on the counter and walks out.
Clark heads to the Daily Planet. The elevator opens.
"Mr. Kent?!" Jimmy Olsen says in shock.
"You're back." He continues.
"Hello Jimmy, how's it been?" Clark asks.
"Oh well you know it's been a wild year sir. What with Superman dying, Cyborg Superman appearing, Superman being resurrected. Plus-
"Jimmy, Jimmy, that's great and I want to hear all of it, but I have to meet with Perry right now." Clark says.
"Mr. White is in his office." Jimmy says.
Clark walks between the desks at work. Everyone notices him there. Ron Troupe, Steve Lombard, Cat Grant, they all take a moment to look at him. Clark looks over at Lois, and Lois looks back. She gives him a nod of encouragement. Clark returns with a nod of his own.
"Look who's back." Cat Grant says to Lois.
"Yeah." Lois says back.
"Is this going to be awkward for you?" Cat asks.
Lois looks at her computer and begins typing. She isn't typing out anything real. She's just pressing random keys on the keyboard.
"You two are already back together?" Cat claims.
"What?!" Lois asks, unsure of how Cat could tell.
"I can read people Lois, it's one of my special talents." Cat says.
"Hm, that list is just always growing, isn't it?" Lois responds with some snark.
"Well congratulations Lois, really." Cat says.
Lois stops typing.
"Thanks." She says, genuinely.
"With Clark out of the way, I guess that makes Superman Metropolis's most eligible bachelor again." Cat says.
Lois tries to keep her face neutral.
"Yeah, either him or Lombard." Lois says.
Cat smiles and heads back to her desk.
Clark enters Perry's office.
"Kent! It's good to see you." Perry says.
"Good to see you too sir." Clark says.
Perry's warm greeting ease Clark's nerves slightly.
"So let me guess, you want your job back." Perry says.
"Well um, yes sir." Clark says.
Perry sighs.
"Kent you know Daily Planet policy says I have to give you a six months sabbatical, but you've been gone a year." Perry says.
"I understand sir. But there were… circumstances." Clark says.
"Lois?" Perry asks.
"Excuse me?" Clark responds.
"Does this have to do with your break up with Lois?" Clark asks.
"Break up with… Lois?" Clark asks, rather confused.
Clark hadn't pieced together that in his absence most people assumed that Lois and him broke up.
"Now I don't want you two to have this situation interfere with your work." Perry says.
"Sir, Lois and I are fine." Clark says.
"Oh, well good." Perry says.
"So Mr. White, can I have my job back?" Clark asks.
Perry sighs again.
"Kent, the truth is circulation is down currently. With the destruction of Fifth Street, the Planet doesn't circulate the way it once did." Perry says.
"Mr. White, please. I feel as if I belong at the Planet." Clark pleads.
"I can only let you back at a pay cut." Perry says.
"How big of a pay cut?" Clark asks.
"Thirty-percent." Perry says.
Clark sits there for a moment. He didn't have any rent to pay currently. He was either sleeping at the farm in Smallville or his fortress in the arctic. But this job got him into places he otherwise couldn't go. And any money could help his mother with expenses on the farm.
"Okay Mr. White, I'll accept." Clark says.
"Very well." Perry says.
The two shake hands and Clark is reinstated at the Daily Planet.
Clark heads back to his desk. He was looking a little blue. Lois approaches him.
"Perry didn't give you your job back?" Lois asks.
"He did, just for a lot less money." Clark says.
Perry approaches the two.
"Uh Lois, I just got a call." Perry says, he seemed kind of nervous, which was very uncharacteristic of him.
"What is it chief?" Lois asks.
"It turns out since Superman isn't actually dead, there is really no need for an article called The Death of Superman." Perry says
"What are you saying chief?" Lois asks.
"They're revoking your Pulitzer." Perry says.
"What?! How can they do this? This isn't right. We mourned Superman." Lois says.
"But now he is back. I'm sorry." Perry says, he heads off before Lois really loses it.
Lois heads into the hallway to be alone. Clark follows her. He looks over at her. She is furious. He tries to hug her.
"Don't touch me right now." Lois snaps.
"Lois, I'm sorry." Clark says.
"It's unfair. I poured my heart into that article." Lois says.
"I know you did; you always do." Clark says.
"Yeah but, I just- that was the hardest article I ever had to write." Lois says.
"But aren't you glad that I'm not, you know, dead?" Clark asks.
"Of course I am, but right now, I just want to be alone." Lois says as she walks off.
Clark sighs.
That wasn't Clark's only big meeting of the day. Next Clark was going to make his way to Gotham City. He was going to meet with Bruce Wayne. Bruce had become even more reclusive over the past year. It didn't start that way. Bruce was the one that recruited everyone for the Justice League. But while he was away from Gotham, Robin, Jason Todd, was trying to handle crime himself. Then The Joker escaped from Arkham Asylum. He captured Jason and tortured him, before finally killing him. Batman took Joker down, put him in a full body cast. But since then, he's cut off all contact with the League.
Clark knocks on the door to Wayne manor. Bruce's butler, Alfred, opens the door.
"Mr. Kent?!" Alfred says in shock.
"Hello Alfred, is Bruce here?" Clark asks.
"He won't see you sir." Alfred says.
"Alfred… please." Clark pleads.
Bruce lays in his bed. He's trying to get some sleep before he goes out on patrol as Batman that evening. There is a knock at his door.
"Go away Alfred." Bruce says.
There is another knock.
"I said go away!" Bruce says, as he throws his pillow at the door.
Suddenly, the door is smashed open. Bruce sits up, instantly alert. He looks at who is standing in the doorway. It's Clark. For a moment there is shock in Bruce's eyes. But he quickly composes himself.
"Welcome back." Bruce says.
"Can was talk?" Clark asks.
Bruce doesn't respond.
"I spoke with J'onn. He told me all you did to put together the Justice League." Clark says.
"A lot of good that did." Bruce says.
"It can do good. But they need you." Clark says.
"They have a speedster, an amazon, a space cop, a Martian, and an Atlantian king. I don't think they need me." Bruce says.
"You're wrong Bruce. They need your mind, your ingenuity. Yes they do have all these great and amazing powers, but you, you were the soul of all this." Clark says.
Bruce just lays up in his bed, not saying a thing. Clark looks away for a moment.
"I'm sorry about Jason." Clark says.
"Don't." Bruce warns.
"I know it can't be easy." Clark says.
"I said don't." Bruce warns again.
"Just know that you can always talk to me." Clark says.
"Get out, and I'm billing you for the door." Bruce says.
"Yeah, well my pay just got cut so it may take a while." Clark says as he turns to leave.
"Clark." Bruce then says.
Clark stops for a moment.
"I'm glad you're back." Bruce says.
Clark nods, then he leaves.
Clark's next stop is the Happy Harbor Rhode Island. He is there to meet with the Justice League. J'onn had given him the invitation to join. Everyone was there today: J'onn, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman. This was Superman's first-time formally meeting Wonder Woman and John Stewart, the Green Lantern.
Superman approaches Wonder Woman.
"Hello, nice to meet you." Superman says as he extends his hand.
Wonder Woman shakes his hand.
"It is an honor to be in your presence." Wonder Woman says.
"Um, thank you." Superman says. He always felt funny about someone feeling honored to meet him. In his mind he was always Clark Kent farm boy from Kansas first.
Everyone gathered to listen to Superman speak.
"You all have put together the foundation of something truly special. But it's time we do more than that. It's time we truly become a team." Superman says.
"What are you proposing?" Green Lantern asks.
"I'm saying we need to get more in touch with the public. Get a headquarters in the light of day. Because if we want to save these people, it's best we walk among them." Superman says.
"What is the best way we can go about getting in touch with the public?" Wonder Woman asks.
"I have an idea." Superman says.
The headline of the Daily Planet the next day reads Superman Joins the Justice League by Lois Lane. It's a two-page interview with all six members. The article discusses their plan to make the league more accessible, and their mission to help those in need. It also speaks of an upcoming press conference in Washington D.C. the league is planning. The paper does great sells.
Far beyond the reach of Metropolis, Billy Batson reads the paper. He had given up his role as Captain Marvel once Superman died. He was able to syphon some of his powers to his step siblings, Feddy and Mary, who have taken the hero role in his place. Still, with one word he could become Captain Marvel again. He felt rejuvenated reading this article, and just by the fact that Superman was still alive. After he finished reading, he steps out onto the roof of his foster home. He looks up into the night sky.
"Shazam." He says.