“I just couldn’t do it anymore…” He muttered, red cape tattered and torn, hanging loosely from his neck.

“You understand, don’t you Lois?” Clark didn’t expect a response, how could she understand?

“Every day a new disaster… After defeating every villain in the galaxy, I had thought I’d finally earned myself some peace. Some rest. Maybe start a family,” he reached down and brushed the hair out of her face, “just you and me, a small cottage on the coast. Like we’d always wanted.”

He stood to peer out the window, watched as flames engulfed the city. “You know I had to do it… there was no saving humanity from themselves. They were always destined to destroy each other. Can’t you understand that Bruce?” He looked to his oldest friend, but of course he couldn’t. Bruce was too noble, too hopeful.

“Just know that I loved you all…” Clark looked out over all of them. His love, her spine impossibly twisted, terror frozen on her face. The head of each member of the Justice League placed around her ceremoniously. Their mouths hung open as if singing hymns, Clark could hear them now, in joyous harmony. Finally at rest. Finally at peace.

He went to his knees and took a moment to smile at each of them. Then he reached down and grasped the hilt of the kryptonite blade in his abdomen, pulling it to the center of his stomach. The pain was almost unbearable, but he continued to twist the edge upward, pulling it up and into his heart.

Finally at rest. Finally at peace.