Doomed to Fail

Dream Come True

Lefu opened her eyes to find Superman peering down at her. Lefu moaned and sat up, rubbing her head.

"What's going on? Where's Lyla? Is she—?" Lefu asked, already knowing the answer. Superman shook his head, looking grim.

"She's gone Lefu. She fought to defend you," Superman said gently, patting her head in comfort. Lefu's blood went cold.

"She knew. She knew this whole time," Lefu admitted brokenly. Lefu held herself, feeling sick in the stomach.

"I was dreaming; it was a nightmare. I did so many terrible things," Lefu said quietly. Superman pulled her into a hug.

"Darkseid lives for manipulation. He has hypnotists, scientists and sadists whose only functions are to break you. Darkseid is evil," Superman told her firmly. Lefu shook her head.

"No, I showed him what is really evil. I've opened a door within myself that I'm not sure I can close again," Lefu admitted, avoiding his eyes. Superman gently tipped her chin up with his finger, making her gaze into his baby blue eyes. Superman smiled down into her new silver blue-eyed gaze.

"You're here with me. And you're ok. Nothing else matters," Superman told her firmly then kissed her roughly.

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Lefu lay in bed wrapped up almost from head to toe in injuries. Her wings slowly repaired themselves but their normal white color never came back, instead staying a constant shade of gray. She refused any type of visitor instead spending her days watching the day pass by from her apartment window, not bothering to do anything except to drink water and stretch.

She stayed inside her apartment ignoring the constant knocks at her door. When she finally was able to fly, that's when she smiled to herself again. Lefu slipped on a backless turtleneck and slacks, not bothering with shoes and took off into the skies. She flew as fast as she could, straight through the cloud layer until she was above the Earth, gazing down at it, her hair floating in space. She floated there, enjoying the silence before making her descent back towards Earth. She glided above the clouds, enjoying her flight and landed in a grassy field. A gust of wind blew past her and she was aware of Superman behind her.

"I thought you would never come out of your room," he said. Lefu turned back to face him.

"I was recovering. I just got out to stretch today," she said calmly. Superman looked her over carefully. Lefu still looked pale and her grey wings didn't help her complexion.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her. Lefu gave a small smile.

"I'm ok. I think I'll go back to work but otherwise, nothing major going on with me," Lefu told him. Superman stepped towards her and cradled her face in his hands. She leaned into his touch.

"I missed you," he said quietly. Lefu opened her eyes and held his hand to her face.

"I know. I need to get back. I'm still not feeling well," she said lamely. Superman pulled his hand away and clenched it into a fist at his side. Lefu launched herself into the air and circled above him, indecisive. She let herself fall and he didn't disappoint. Superman caught her in his arms and smiled at her.

"I fell," she lied, avoiding his eyes. He chuckled.

"I'll always catch you if you fall," he teased her. She blushed and shoved her face into the crook of his neck as he flew her to her patio. Superman held her steady as he set her back on her feet. She smiled up at him and patted his chest playfully.

"Good boy," she teased him. He laughed and pulled her into a tight hug, kissing her.

"I really missed this," he admitted. Lefu chuckled.

"Me too," she said and mumbled, "You're welcome to see me anytime just by walking in from my patio." Superman smiled and stroked her hair.

"Then I'll see you tonight. Keep the door unlocked for me," he told her gently. He flew away with short but sweet good-bye kiss. Lefu smiled to herself and turned on all the lights, making sure to leave her patio door unlocked. Lefu then padded towards the bed and hopped in. She snuggled into the blankets as her wings faded, leaving a few feathers behind. No sooner when her head touched the pillow, she passed out. Superman appeared and smiled down at Lefu's sleeping form. He changed into a pair of pajamas and slid into bed with her, holding her sleeping form all through the rest of the night.

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The rest of the time passed in relative bliss. Lefu returned to work and everyone at the office knew that Clark and her where an item. She would tease Clark relentlessly with the racy photo from Halloween, displaying it proudly in a frame on their desk and on her bedside dresser at home. They would fly in through the skies together and she would leave him to do the hero stuff, watching from afar to make sure he was all right. It wasn't until she had a dream that rocked her world. In the dream Lefu sat on top of the ledge of the Daily Planet building, looking out at the setting sun. Superman was flying away from her. She became aware of someone watching her. She turned to see Michael looking down at her with a grim expression.

"Michael, I didn't think I'd see you again so soon," Lefu commented. Michael sat down on the ledge next to her, his large white wings rubbing up against her grey ones.

"You want this to happen?" He asked, motioning out to the scene unfolding before them. Superman fought with the monster Darkseid below them. Superman was being pummeled. Lefu cried out involuntarily, covering her mouth with her hands to stifle her cry. Superman carried the creature high above the atmosphere and used the re entry to slam Darkseid into the ground, killing it. Lefu watched herself launch into the air towards Superman before he made reentry. She wrapped him in her wings, kissing him.

A flash of white light enveloped them for a second before they both fell back to Earth, Lefu protecting him with her own body. They fell to the ground in a flurry of feathers. Her broken bloody wings fell back and revealed Superman on top of Lefu. Superman stumbled out of the crater carrying Lefu in his arms and collapsed to his knees. He gently touched her face.

"Did I?" He asked her. Lefu gently cupped his face and smiled through the blood trickling from her mouth.

"Yes, you did it. Everyone is safe," she whispered brokenly. Superman gasped and held her to him tightly.

"Good... That's all that matters..." Superman said brokenly and fell back; Lefu closed her eyes. The echo of her death sent out a shockwave that toppled nearby buildings and knocked over everyone in the city, covering them in dust. Her wings remained spread out on the ground before them. Jimmy snapped pictures the entire time, in a sort of shock.

"Is this what you choose to happen?" Michael asked Lefu. Lefu wiped the tears that fell from her eyes.

"Yes, that's what I choose," Lefu stated strongly. Michael clapped her on her shoulder.

"Then may God be with you sister. You will die a proud death and we will all mourn your loss," Michael said, "Good bye Lefu, one whom god helps." Lefu closed her eyes, tears streaking down her face. She opened her eyes to find Clark looking worried.

"Are you ok? You wouldn't wake up no matter how much I shook you or how loudly I called out your name," Clark said worriedly, wiping her tears away. Lefu held him tightly in her arms.

"It's nothing. Just a bad dream," Lefu said and smiled at him. Clark smiled back and kissed her.