Love Lived, Love Lives (part 2)

Inspired by Superman/Wonder Woman 5, 7, 12, and 25. Few Rebirth references...

Watch Tower

"Superman's dead, man. I looked up to him. Aren't you just being, you know, paranoid?" Cyborg said to Batman.

Batman frowned looking out the giant window down to earth. "I told him once to question everything, that is was the only way to find the truth."

"He was our friend, Batman. Let's at least have time to deal with losing him."

Wonder Woman was sitting quietly. So many things were going through her mind. She hunched down a bit running her hands through her hair.

"He was more than that to us...much more."

Silence.

Yes, Superman meant a lot to the rest of the League. He was their friend, their brother but Diana? He was so much more to her. He was her shoulder to lean on, her partner, her lover. They all knew it and respected their relationship. Even Barry, Hal, and Shazam enjoyed teasing Superman and Wonder Woman about it.

Arthur sighed and sat down next to Diana. He put his arm over her shoulders. "I can't imagine your pain, Diana. Are you okay?"

Of course she wasn't okay and far from it.

"I'm angry, Arthur. So angry. Not just because of the loss of him, he's the man I knew yet still a stranger."

This stranger. This Superman once seen when this world's Superman died. Where did he come from. Why was he here? How is that just as their Superman was dying and died this one just so happened to appear.

He looked like the Superman Diana knew and loved but it wasn't him. From his appearance, he looked to be much older and he didn't have any connection to the League what so ever.

Seeing this man that looked like her lover she watched die, tore Diana apart even more. She was lost. Lost and alone. But she had to stay strong...for her child.

As weeks passed, the League had decided to give this new Superman of another world a chance. This world needed as much help as it could get after an invasion.

"I couldn't make out everything, but the feeling I got was that this is just the start. Something truly terrible is coming, bigger than we've ever faced," Arthur explained.

"We'll be ready, Arthur," Diana assured.

"Will you?" Batman asked the older Superman.

"I'll be around," he stated as he flew off.

He kept his distance especially from Diana.

Another month passed. Diana tried to keep herself busy with work but it was becoming physically and emotionally draining. She was changing and it wasn't for the better.

"Diana, you need to stop and take a break."

"I can't, Bruce. I have too much to do."

"No, you don't. Clark wouldn't want you doing this."

"Clark's not here!" she snapped.

Diana sighed then sat down in a chair and buried her face in her hands.

"Diana, you have to think about what you are doing to not only yourself but that kid of yours."

Diana instinctively placed her hand over her stomach.

"You've backed off of big battles but I think it's time you backed off completely."

"The world needs Wonder Woman."

"There won't be Wonder Woman if you don't take care of yourself."

Diana sighed and stood up. "So what do I do?"

"Until you have that kid, stay home."

"Bruce, I'm not-"

"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. Clark would want you safe. I advise going to Themyscira."

"What?!"

"It's the only way, you'll keep yourself calm. All communications will be off until necessary."

Diana rolled her eyes and sighed. She knew Bruce was right and this was the right and safe choice for her. "Fine."

London, Diana's Condo

Diana sighed as she packed her bag to take a couple things with her. She placed her bag on the sofa as she picked up a frame with a photo of her and Clark. She smiled. Gods, how she missed him. Staring into his eyes, full of adoration and love for her, him holding her in his strong arms and that charming handsome smile.

Knock. Knock.

Diana frowned looking in the direction of the door. She put the picture down and went to the door, looking out through the peephole.

"Oh...wasn't expecting you." she said as she was unlocking the door and opening it. "Hello, Steve."

"Diana." He cleared his throat. "Hello."

Awkward silence.

"Well...uh...I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm fine."

"You don't look it."

"It takes time to grieve. What is it that you really want, Steve?"

"It's a little weird to just stand here, may I come in?"

"Sure."

Diana stepped aside. He walked in looking around.

"I remember when you first got this place. Changed it a bit."

Diana sighed closing the door "Well yes, needed some accommodations, adjustments."

"For Superman?"

"Clark."

"Right. Clark."

"If you must know. A friend of mine, Zola, is staying here with me."

"Oh." Steve rubbed the back of his head nervously. "My condolences on your loss though, Diana."

"Really?" Diana questioned with a raised brow.

Steve frowned. "Yeah, I'm being sincere."

"Since, when? You haven't actually given any respect to my relationship with him. I told you that I cared and love you as my friend. I moved on. In retaliation to that, you had the audacity to believe that I was with him just because we both had the gift of powers and matching colors...really? You would think so low of me?"

"Diana...I...look, I just didn't understand why you chose him?"

"I fell in love with him because he actually treated me as an equal, never talked down to me, sounding like a parent! He treated me like the woman I am not a child that was told what to do and when to do it. You know what he did for our first date? He took me to dinner. Not with government officials, not me still dressed in uniform. It was just me and him, in civilian clothing, having a nice quiet dinner. Something I never had. Those simple things he did for me made me fall in love with him."

"Really, Diana? I have helped you! Put my job on the line for you. But sounds like you just had it easy with him."

"Easy? You know damn well our relationship wasn't easy! I understand why Clark wanted to keep our relationship secret for a while because it did create problems and you were included in some of them. Judging us. Trying to destroy us either by creating this image he and I would one day turn on the world or threatened us with death if we weren't controlled. But you know what? We overcame those problems and we were happy together. So don't you EVER belittle my love for Clark and what I had with him! Don't you dare try to talk down on him now that he is gone! And so what? I never asked for you to do anything for me. You didn't have to at all. But what? Since you did, now I owe you something?"

Steve sighed. "That's not what I meant."

"So what did you mean? You were my first friend in man's world. We shared experiences I will cherish as anyone would do. But I realized my feelings didn't truly go beyond that, I loved and cared about you...as my friend."

He shook his head and looked down. He looked off to the arm of the sofa and saw a book. He leaned down and picked it up.

"What To Expect When You're Expecting...?" Steve questioned. "This is really old. Your friend... expecting?"

Diana took the book. "It's mine."

"Yours?"

Diana was silent as she placed the book in her bag.

Steve frowned again bewildered. "You do look a little different. You're pregnant?"

Diana was silent.

"Diana. Are. You. Pregnant?"

She looked up at him and stared intently.

"Well? Are you?"

"Yes. Yes. I. Am!" she said mocking his tone.

"It's his?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Who else would it be?"

"You two were broken up."

"Obviously, we worked it out."

Steve stepped closer and put his hand on top of hers. "I can help you, Diana."

She moved her hand to zip her bag. "I don't need your help especially when you expect something owed in return."

"Where are you going?"

"Back home to Themyscira."

"What? Why?"

"I need time for myself and my child, Steve."

"I'll go with you. Take you there."

"No, I'm going alone, which I prefer."

"You don't have to go, Diana."

"I want to. I have to...for me. Can you give me some kind of respect at least with this?"

"I'm...I'm sorry. Ok. Alright."

Steve leaned in to hug Diana but she moved back.

"If you are done now, it's time for you to go so I can finish packing."

"Wait a minute, Diana-"

"Please leave."

Steve stood there just staring at Diana. She has changed. She wasn't the naive young girl he first met anymore.

"Alright..." he sighed and left out.

The next day...

Diana said her last good-byes to the league.

"This is good for you, Diana," Bruce exclaimed. "But just in case, here's a communicator."

"Thank you."

"And...one more thing." He was hesitant but handed her a stuffed bear.

Diana smiled. "I'm sure she or he will love it, Uncle Bruce."

Themyscira

Diana sighed as she flew down to the temple entrance.

"Diana!"

She turned and smiled. "Dessa!" She embraced her. "It's so great to see you."

"Are you alright?"

Diana's smile faded a little. She shook her head. "I will tell you everything."

"You will be staying?"

"Yes, for quite a while."

Before getting completely settled, Diana visited to where her mother once was as a golem, cursed by Hera, Queen of the Gods, a scorned Goddess because of her cheating husband.

She kneeled down, sitting on her knees, and touched the ground.

"Mother...I miss you. I wish that I could've spoken to you in person. But I'm not sure still after all these years if I could say what I've wanted." Diana sighed. "I told you about the companion I chose...the doubts I had with him...the weakness I thought I was feeling for even thinking about him so much. I realized it was not a weakness. It strengthen me. We strengthen each other. I understood more with him. I felt more with him." She rubbed her hand across the ground. "But now I have lost him, like I lost you. It hurts me. The two most important people in my life...in my heart were taken from me. Though, there is a new life growing inside of me, Mother. I am to be a mother now. I hope and pray to the Gods that my child will never have to go through any of the pain I've gone through."

Later, in the royal temple, Diana's room

"Were you sure there was nothing to be done?"

"I'm sure it was but for some unexplained reason that I or anyone else will never understand, he chose this path. Looking into his eyes for that last time...I could see he was still filled with so much regret."

"Did he know? That you were with child?"

Diana nodded. "Yes."

"Did he not think he was worthy?"

"He always had this doubt thinking even he wasn't good enough for me. I think that's why he was so obsessed with getting his powers back. He thought he was letting down everyone." Diana looked up at her with tears streaming down. "That didn't matter to me. Powers or no powers. It never did. I loved him. I loved him, Dessa."

Dessa sighed and sat closer to Diana embracing her.

"I loved him..." Diana repeated in a whisper.

As the months went by, Diana was coming closer to the day she would see her child.

She stood on her balcony, rubbing her stomach slowly, looking out into the ocean.

"It's almost time, little one. I can't wait to see you."

The day of the birth...

"Breath, Diana. Just breath..."

Diana tightened her grip, holding two Amazon guards' hands.

"I'm...sorry...Delphenia...Masika..."

"It's okay, my Queen," Delphenia assured. "Just hold our hand as tight as you need."

"Push, Diana. Push," Helena the elder Amazon healer said.

Diana let out a tired strained scream which was over shadowed by the loud cry of the baby.

Helena smiled. "She is here."

Diana smiled and cried. It was unbelievable.

"Wait!" Jocasta, the second healer gasped. "There is another." She looked up at Diana shocked. "One more push, Diana."

Diana shocked as well, took a deep breath and pushed once more. Tears continued streaming down her face as she heard the second child cry.

"It is a male."

"Congratulation, my Queen. Two miracles."

The amazons had changed so much over the passed couple of years. It was all because of Diana. Some of them still needed time, set in their ways, but they were willing to change for the better, be more accepting. Diana having a male child, their first thought would've been to get rid of him. However, they knew that was not an option and they would have to embrace him as their little Amazon Prince.

Helena and Jocasta wrapped the babies in blankets and carefully handed them to Diana.

Diana smiled and cried more. She kissed their tiny foreheads. They both had a full head of cold black hair and dimples. "They look just like their father."

"He would be proud," Dessa whispered.

"What are their names?" Masika asked.

Diana smiled. "Hello, my children...Lyta and Jon."

Mount Olympus

"Two? Two half breeds? At the same time. Can you feel it? The half breeds will have power beyond imaginable," Strife stated.

"That is not our concern as of now," Hera said.

"So what shall be our gift?" Hermes said.

Eros looked down into the scrying pool. "What Diana desires the most."

"Are you sure, Eros?"

"Don't you see, there is nothing more we can ever give except this one thing. It has been proven of its worth."

Strife rolled her eyes. "All of this sappiness is getting on my nerves but you are right, Eros."

Hermes raised his brow. "Are you actually talking in a soft manner, Strife?"

"Shut it, bird man, I'm already feeling nauseous."

Hera raised her hand. "Enough. We have all agreed upon the gift from the Gods. It shall be."

8 months later...

Diana smiled watching her babies play with the sea shells on the shore. She looked down tracing a heart in the sand, then sighed looking up and out onto the sunset.

"Lyta, Jon, it's almost time for you to eat and sleep." She stood. "Come on, my loves." Diana leaned down picking them up.

Diana turned around to start walking back to the temple. Lyta and Jon threw down the shells they had and giggled. Diana smiled and shook her head.

"You two are already becoming mischievous."

"Ah..heh!" The twins said in unison. "Heh!" The both were reaching back.

"What is it?"

She noticed they were both staring back over her shoulder still reaching.

"What?"

Diana turned around and gasped. Her heart immediately started beating fast. She held onto the twins tighter as tears started to well up in her eyes.

"You...it...it can't be..." she closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"Diana..."

She tensed as she felt a hand cup her cheek. She exhaled slowly opening her eyes. Tears started streaming down her face.

"Clark...?"

"I'm here, Diana. It's really me."

She shook her head again, refusing to believe.

"I'm here." He cupped both her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

"Oh Clark!" She broke down.

Clark embraced her, holding her tight. Diana knees felt weak and she could barely keep standing. They both kneeled down. He kissed the top of her head.

The twins looked up at Diana, confused as to why their mother was crying and started crying too, now starring at Clark. He looked down at them and smiled. He touched their little faces. It was so surreal to him. His heart soared looking into their innocent blue eyes.

"Hey, kiddos. I'm your dad. It's okay. No need to cry." He kissed their foreheads, trying to hold back his own tears. "They are beautiful, Diana."

"How? How are you here? It just seems too good to be true."

"You were heard. I heard you, Di. We can be a family. The family we deserve to have together." He cupped her cheek again and kissed her softly. "Sometimes good is what it appears to be...good. Remember that?"

"I've missed you...so much," she whispered.

"I know. And I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Clark."

Diana handed him their twin babies to hold and cupped his face. She pressed her forehead against his not able to stop crying.

"Clark...darling...I..."

"I know."

She smiled and kissed him passionately.

Later...

Clark helped Diana feed the twins. He couldn't help but laugh seeing how Jon took hold of the bottle.

"He isn't messing around."

Diana smiled. "Jon, our strong boy, has a strong appetite. Lyta is a little bit more patient."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for their birth. I wasn't there for the whole pregnancy."

"It's all right. Given the situation, how could you have been? It still pained me. But even though you weren't here physically...I felt you with me everyday. In my heart."

"I was, Diana. You held me there and now I'm here. I have another chance to be exactly where I belong."

Lyta and Jon pushed their bottles away and yawned.

Clark smiled. "Do they do that often? They are in sync."

"All the time. The joy of twins."

"Twins...wow..." Clark said amazed. "It's unbelievable."

They yawned again, closing their eyes falling asleep.

Diana stood up holding Lyta. "Their bed is here."

Clark and Diana laid Lyta and Jon down. Clark smiled leaning down, placing a gentle kiss on their foreheads.

"They are so precious," she said as she leaned down to kiss their cheeks.

Clark wrapped his arms around Diana's waist from behind as they watched over their twins. As he kissed her neck, Diana closed her eyes and exhaled.

She opened her eyes, turning around to face him and smiled. He pulled her into a loving embrace.

Diana laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Clark pulled back from the embrace, wiping the tears from her eyes. He softly kissed her and smiled. He kissed her again but this was deeper and longer than the other and they couldn't stop.

He lifted her up. Carrying her bridal style over to the bed. He gently laid her down on the bed and continued kissing her. He moved from her lips to her neck, making her moan then descended down to her exposed collarbone as her fingers went through his hair.

Diana pulled his face back up to her, kissing him with so much passion.

Not wasting any time, they took all of their clothes off.

Diana pushed him to lay on his back. She stared down into his eyes. Clark reached up and cupped her cheek. She smiled. To feel his touch again like this was magical.

She leaned down kissing him, running her hands down his chest. She was ready for him, lowering herself onto him. She closed her eyes and let out a pleasurable sigh, enjoying the familiar feel of his length inside her. Clark held onto her hips as Diana moved in a slow rhythm.

They rolled around in the bed, not breaking connection. Her breast pressed against his chest as her back arched. Her legs instinctively wrapped around him. Clark pushed Diana's legs up higher, thrusting into her, kissing her neck and sending shivers through her body.

Diana bit her lower lip and breathed heavily. She kissed his neck and dug her nails into his back as Clark thrust harder and faster.

"I love you, Di," Clark whispered kissing her neck.

"I...love you...too."

Diana felt herself about to climax and she knew Clark was close. She let out a silent scream and gasped as she was sent over the edge, trembling from the after-effects of their climaxes.

They were trying to catch their breath as Clark gently rested his body on top of Diana's.

"Clark?"

He smiled at her as Diana ran her fingers through his hair and caressed his cheek.

"You are really here."

"Yes, Di. I'm really here."

She nodded, silently thanking the Gods and started crying tears of joy again as they shared another deep passionate kiss, reveling in being in each other's arms again.

Early the next morning...

Diana opened her eyes and quickly sat up. "Clark?"

She heard a whisper coming from the balcony. She got up looking over at the baby bed.

"Kal?"

He smiled turning around cradling the sleeping twins.

"Hey, Di. I heard them waking up, starting to make a fuss. I wanted you to get your rest."

Diana kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Darling." Diana kissed her babies' cheeks. "They are sometimes stubborn in the mornings but they are very peaceful now."

"I think I bored them with the talk I was having."

Diana laughed softly. "I take it as they feel safe in their father's arms." Diana sighed lovingly. "You know, still just for a moment, I thought last night was just a dream."

Clark looked at her still flashing his charming smile and shook his head slowly. "It's a dream come true...for both of us. This is what we wanted together. How it all came to pass was unexpected but we are here now and as I said and will keep saying...right where we belong." He leaned over kissing her forehead.

"What about going back to Metropolis? I'm sure Bruce, in his own way, and the rest of the league will be overjoyed to see you. But the Superman of another world, how can this world have two Supermen?"

"I just want to spend more time with you and the twins. As for as the other Superman, well we have a whole couple of fleets of Lanterns, I think we can make room for two Supermen to co-exist. It ups the safety of this world and everywhere else. There shouldn't be a problem."

Diana smiled and nodded.

"Remember what we talked about in London? About the world taking a breath? Holding it in?"

"And eventually it will exhale..."

"Well it's holding it in again for us and I want to take advantage of that instead of taking it for granted. I did that once. I won't do it again. I love you, Diana. Lyta and Jon."

"I love you too, Kal."

"Whatever else happens, Diana, we will be ready."

"We can not do this apart. We are better this way." Diana leaned up kissing him passionately. "Because we will always be each other's shelter from the storm."

This is all they ever wanted, all they ever needed and deserved. They could never feel alone when they are together. The love they share is so powerful, so pure. Wrapped in each other's arms, embracing their children, feeling safe and secure. They have this undying love for each other that will never go away.

It had taken them so long to get where they are now. But this is exactly where they belonged. They would always only be for each other, partners, soul mates, and their hearts are complete... Forever their love will live.