Pleasant dreams, sad memories...

This was a VERY different experience for Diana.

Superman… Clark had managed to help her get a modest set of clothes that fit, along with matching shoes and a pair of non-prescription glasses to wear for a mock date out for the day. Nothing overly flashy, just a dark blue sweater and matching knee length skirt and heeled shoes. At first, the attire seemed so unusual for her when putting it on and looking herself over in the mirror when fully dressed; although comfortable and granting her a fair bit of freedom of motion, the clothing women wore in man’s world just felt so alien to her. Many were brightly coloured or bore garish textures or additions that made her think they were trying to rival birds in their colours and plumage. Still, the attire Clark had managed to get her was to her liking.

When she was fully dressed and exited her quarters in the halls of justice, she found Clark waiting for her, wearing a pair of grey slacks and a blue button shirt, along with a thick pair of glasses that made the man seem nebbish, even for someone who was 6’3.

“Are you ready to go?” He asked, a welcoming smile greeting her.

“Yes.”

She still didn’t know what he had planned for them as he walked with her outside and made their way down the steps to go out onto the street, walking past pedestrians and crossing the street, surprising Diana that they did not even bat an eye lash in her presence, like she was invisible to them. Eventually he had led her to a homey looking Greek restaurant not 3 blocks away from the Halls of Justice, even going so far as to open the door for her, something she was told was a gentlemanly thing to do when she was with Steve.

Once inside, the two sat at a table in the middle of the restaurant, going over the menus until a waitress came by and took their orders. While ordering, Clark got a call on his cell phone, smiling into the phone as he talked to Lois, handing his menu to the waitress and nodding to Diana to do the same. Making her order, Diana handed her menu to the waitress and watched the woman walk away, looking around the restaurant to find everyone eating, talking, laughing, and not a single eye was on her the entire time.

“That was Lois, she’s on her way, she just got held up at a meeting…”

“Clark?”

“Yeah?”

“This actually works!” She smiled, pinching the frame of her glasses to show emphasis on them.

Smiling, the man shrugged. “I know it.”

“To HIDE in plain sight as one of them.” Looking around the restaurant again, it excited her to see that no one was crowding around her, begging for her to sign her name on papers or asking her questions about her island home.

“Not hide as much as BE one of them.” He shrugged again, enjoying her reaction.

Turning to face him, Diana tilted her head, somewhat confused by his statement. “The difference illudes me.”

“We can just blend in. Be like the people you help every day.” He nodded over to a few couples chatting in booths of their own or sitting at the bar of the restaurant. “Today, you can do whatever you want without the hassle of being Wonder Woman and all that comes with it.”

Thinking that over, Diana heard the jingle at the entrance, hinting someone else entering the restaurant. It didn’t take long for the new arrival to stand at the front of the table, smiling down at Clark who looked up sheepishly yet pleased to find his wife there with a hand resting at her side. Lois Lane smiled back, the woman wearing a burgundy buttoned blouse and black skirt, and her hair tied back in a loose bun.

“Hey Smallville.”

“LOIS, hi.” Clark grinned, shifting over to give the woman space to sit next to him on his side of the table.

Joining the man in the seat, Lois extended her hand out to the other woman, bearing a confident smile as she did so. “Lois Lane. From the Daily Planet.”

Doing the same, Diana shared Lois’s smile. “Diana… Prince.” Seeing Clark’s nod of approval, Diana tilted her head, keeping her smile up as they let go of each other’s hands.

“Oooh, that’s some grip.” Lois commented, nudging her shoulder against Clark’s playfully. “Sorry for the wait Smallville, Perry had me pulling an extra hour’s work on the floor.”

“That’s okay, you didn’t miss too much, the waitress will be back to order drinks. I ordered a side dish in the meantime” Clark explained, turning his attention to Diana sitting across from them who watched the couple interact. “Diana… Is job hunting.”

“Oh!” Lois exclaimed, her eyes going wide. “So, this is an interview?”

“No.” Diana replied. “It’s… A date?”

“Oh… Right.” Turning to look back at Clark with a sly grin, the woman leaned back in her seat and bumped her elbow against the man’s arm. “Nice manners farm boy, a girl like this you send to someplace posh. It’s a WONDER women go out with you at all.” Looking back to Diana, Lois winked back at her.

“I wanted to try this someplace familiar; local. Someplace where she’d feel comfortable.”

“Hmm, that’s my Smallville.” Leaning forward towards Diana, Lois crooked her finger, gesturing for the amazon to do the same, listening in as Lois shared something between the two. “When he took me out on our first date, it was at a mom and pop’s diner at the harbourfront. Tried to win me over with apple pie and a root beer float.” She smiled, leaning back in her chair again and playfully scritching up Clark’s hair with her fingers and making the man blush with the attention. “It worked obviously… And Diana, I just LOVE your glasses.”

“Thanks. They’re new.”

It didn’t take long for the waitress to return and offer the three drinks, indicating their food would arrive shortly. In that time a side dish was placed between the three; cheese dip with flat bread to dip into it. Taking a heated slice of flat bread and dipping it into the cheese dip, Lois waved her free hand to find it was still a little hot, but not unpleasant.

“So, I take it Clark is helping you with ideas?”

“He’s…” Looking over to the bashful man plucking a slice of flatbread off the plate to dip it into the cheese, he took a bite and whether intentionally or not, struggled with a dollop of spinach cheese hanging from his lip, making the woman fight back a laugh, even as Lois caught what she was staring at. “He’s helping me find options.”

“Well… If you’re looking for a hobby when not saving the world, why not take up a part time job, help you meet people.”

Wiping his mouth, Clark mulled on that, looking up at the ceiling in thought. “I think there’s an opening at the museum, you could have a lot of fun working as a curator, or even a museum guide.”

Folding her hands together under her chin, Lois’s eyes perked. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea.”

“A curator?” Diana blinked.

“I think you’d be great at the job Diana; you could give tours in museums, teach history to groups of visitors, maintain artifacts and appraise art, you could teach a whole new generation about the past.”

“I…” Folding her hands together at the table, Diana sat speechless, unsure what to think until the waitress returned with their orders. Looking down at her grilled vegetable souvlaki with rice and salad, she looked over to the orders Clark and Lois had ordered, finding the man had ordered a plate of chicken, rice, salad, and potatoes large enough to feed two people. Looking back down at her meal she picked up the skewer and bit into a grilled tomato and pepper, her eyebrows rising at the delicious taste as she went for another bite.

Looking out from her surroundings while chewing, she found several couples in the restaurant enjoying each other’s company. Some talking about their day, comparing notes as they listened to each other’s tales. Others ate, enjoying the meals they ordered and smiling to each other. One couple she noticed, secluded in some privacy at the corner booth at the far end of the restaurant leaned together to kiss. Turning her attention back to Clark and Lois, she found the two smiling back at each other, with Lois precariously wiggling a fork full of grilled chicken in front of Clark’s mouth, giving the man the idea to open it so she could feed him. Taking the chicken, Clark chuckled to himself with a full mouth as he stuck a fork into a potato and did the same, wiggling the fork in front of Lois.

Looking down at her meal, Diana lowered her fork to the table and folded her hands together. It took the couple sitting in front of her just a few seconds to realise that she was crying.

*

Waking up slowly, with a tear making its way down her cheek, Diana opened her eyes to look around, finding she was still in the stables.

“Another dream… Another memory…”

Wiping the tear away, she looked down to find Jumpa still resting her head in her lap, having still slept peacefully while Diana was there. Across from her Epistome stirred, stretching her arms over her head after the sunlight that cut through the stable’s skylight made its way to go over her eyes, making it impossible to ignore.

Looking down against and stroking her fingers through the kangaroo’s fur and ears, the animal opened its eye up to the princess and gave an unusual grin.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Wide eyed awake hearing the roo talk English with a Brooklyn accent, Diana stopped herself from getting startled, stiffening her lower lip down at the chuckling animal and blushing hotly.

“Boston… How long were you…?”

“A few minutes ago, after the whole American Gladiators bit, I wanted to lay low….”

“Did you know what happened to Aello?”

His face taking on what could dare be called a smirk, Boston answered. “The big’ol bag a bitch that wanted to roast me over a fire like a corn dog?”

“She is becoming something Boston, I fear the worst she is, the worst she may become.”

Snorting, Boston turned to lay on his back. “Couldn’ta happen to a nicer lady, you ask me.” Snorted the kangaroo, his ears darting back and his tail thumping the ground. “Sounds like she’s acting just like she is… So, why’re crying? Bad dream?”

Slowly dropping her defenses, Diana’s shoulders sank.

“Not so much a dream than a memory. A long time ago I hurt Steve, I stepped away from our relationship because my… Presence garnered the attentions of those who would want to harm me and the ones I cared about.”

“So, you pushed him away, huh?”

Breathing in sharply, Diana didn’t reply save to slowly nod her head. Her face sullen.

“Ooooh… Tough break.”

Stroking her fingers through Jumpa’s fur and ears, Diana looked away, her mind wandering as she stared off into the morning sun shining through the stables and seeing the sunbeams in between. “I thought I was keeping him safe… And all I REALLY did was break his heart.”

“Can’t call it a relationship if you never see each other, Dee.” Explained the kangaroo. “Otherwise, all your doing is caring about a stranger.”

“I understand that now… Superman…” Chuckling to herself somewhat, her smile returned. “He tried to help me, he and Lois showed me where I failed. And showed me a glimmer of hope”

“Yeah, big ol red and blue is good at that.” Looking down at his feet while Diana continued to scratch behind his ears, Boston found the body he possessed kicking his legs up into the air. “Heh… Look at that, I’m not even in control of that, neat… So, what are you going to do?”

“What are YOU planning for my sisters?”

With what control he could with his paws, the kangaroo made a gesture that he was zipping his mouth closed.

“Fine then.” Sitting up, Diana brushed the hay off herself as Jumpa rolled to get on all fours and look up at the princess. “I KNOW you have no plans to hurt my people, I see that now, but what of the others? The ones your wish has exposed their worst selves?”

“My princess? Why are you talking to Jumpa like that?” Asked Episteme, the woman now wide awake and looking up to see her Wonder Woman looking down at her favorite animal like a mother to a scolding child, her hands at her sides.

“I was…”

Seeing Jumpa behaving like herself again, scratching at her ear and looking over to either woman with a grunt. Diana’s shoulders slumped, realising Boston had left. Looking to the dark-haired woman sit up to brush hay off her tunic, Diana smiled and approached the woman, resting a hand at her shoulder.

“Need help with the stables this morning?”