All the once tall buildings were no more than ash and charcoal. The air was heavy with the smell of burnt flesh and smoke hung in a haze that partially obscured the blood-red sun. Metropolis stood like a barren wasteland. Even the ocean was still like semi-stagnant pools of death and loss, there were no waves as even the wind had left the earth. The skies were blank, no birds flew or sang, And all the while the exhausting heat rained down like the breath of a beast.

There had been so many lives taken by the Kryptonian visitors, but now even they had been drawn back by the return of Superman. A few of them lay lifeless on the ground... but Silvia wasn't sure what had happened to Zod. Superman had taken him somewhere, likely the same place the General had trapped him.

Silvia's eyes flicked around at the destruction, making her way to the middle of the street where she saw a few of the heroes. It was odd. They were standing around and talking like normal people after a hard day's work. It was just jarring for Silvia to see.

Silvia had planned to walk right passed them; just looking at them made her feel uncomfortable. She didn't fit in with any of them - she was no hero. She had been all but useless in the fight. She had seen most of these people do amazing things, things she could only dream of.

The masked woman had just started to think she could get away without getting noticed by the distracted group... However, she was not that lucky.

"Oh it's you, Uh Silvia!" A familiar, high pitched voice called out.

She turned with a loud groan. Something told Silvia that her 'secret identity' wasn't all that secret. "It's just Silvia... No, wait... I mean..." She sighed. "It's Reaper."

"Oh, like how I'm Starfire!" Kori said gleefully. It seemed like a reoccurring thing for her to state the obvious as if it were much more complicated.

"I dunno, dude. I guess." Silvia answered with a shrug, digging her hands into her pockets awkwardly as a few of the superheroes turned to look at her.

"Come, Reaper!" Kori grabbed onto her arm and tugged hard enough for her hand to be yanked out of her pocket then dragged her over to the group with an unwavering grin.

It only took one attempt to get away for Silvia to realize that Starfire had super strength, something that she had absolutely no chance against. "H-Hey what the fu--"

"Friends, this is Reaper! She is a murderer!" Kori forced her inbetween the guy clothed in green that she had seen before, and a man she had never met before. He was about 6'2 with bulging muscles and dark hair slicked back. His outfit was red with a gold lightning bolt on his chest. She had seen a few pictures of him online... 'Shazam', they called him.

"Well, if it isn't 'shoots-gun-and-runs-fast' girl." The green man said with an amused tone, ignoring Kori almost as if this had happened before.

"Yeah. And you're...'makes-green-stuff' man?" Silvia asked.

"You don't know who I am?" He replied feigning insult with a cocky smile. "Surely you've heard of The Green Lantern."

"Umm... No." Silvia cocked an eyebrow and shrugged. "Kind of a stupid name to be honest." She muttered to herself.

"Oooh, burn!!!" Shazam said with a booming laugh, one that extended for such a long period of time that it became awkward - like a child's laugh... but on a man.

Silvia cleared her throat at the silence that followed, cursing the orange-skinned alien for taking her there. None of them had been particularly cruel to her, but social situations weren't her strong suit. "Why'd you name yourself after a phone app?" Silvia asked Shazam.

Lantern wheezed in amusement as Shazam stared at her. "Dude...they stole it from me." He said sadly. "Totally not cool, man."

"Okay, all jokes aside...you did good." Lantern said, planting his hands on his hips. "People tend to think we don't feel fear but we do, and most of the time we feel it the most. What you did was overcome that fear to help others. The Daily Planet will never forget what you did. You'd make a great Lantern."

Silvia frowned. He didn't know what kind of stuff she'd done in the past. What kind of stuff that she'd keep on doing. He wouldn't say any of that if he knew. "Uh...thanks. Whatever that means."

Lantern slapped Shazam on the shoulder and said "We'd best be going, plenty of clean up to do."

"Yeah...downside of super strength is that we gotta lift everything." Shazam added.

They then flew off, leaving Silvia standing there with Kori who was waving intensely at them. "Aren't they nice?" She said in her cheerful voice.

"Shazam is a little weird."

"Oh don't mind Billy; I have been told that he is actually very capable for a twelve year old." Kori said, raising her palm.

Silvia wrinkled her brow then yelped "...He's...he's twelve...?"

"Yes." Kori said as if it were normal. Silvia waited for an explanation but it never came.

In the distance, Silvia caught the distinct silhouette of Superman approaching. He grew, then landed before Silvia and Kori. "It's very nice to see you again Kal-El!" Kori declared, embracing Superman tightly.

He seemed to be very upset about something. Silvia thought that maybe it was the guilt. "Likewise, Princess." He answered.

The pair released and Kori eagerly looked from Silvia to Superman then back again. "So. Uh. We thought you were dead." Silvia started with a deadpan voice.

"Zod thought it was a good idea to say I was dead...to shatter people's hope. He wasn't expecting me to escape."

Superman then noticed Kori's odd staring, and with a smirk, told her "Lantern and Shazam could use your help with the clean up, Kori."

"Oh of course!" She seemed too eager to help to realize that Superman was trying to get Silvia to himself. Silvia's stomach dropped when Kori took off.

Superman's smile faded and he looked into Silvia's eyes. "You've proven to me while I was gone that your heart's in the right place. I may not agree with your methods...but I appreciate your spirit. Cyborg, Starfire and a contact from the Daily Planet have filled me in on what you've been doing."

Silvia gasped when he mentioned the Planet... Clark. She still didn't know what happened to him. "H-Hey, you have...super eyes, right?"

Although still looking weary, Supes raised an eyebrow. "Super eyes?" He repeated, amused.

"You know what I mean. Look, I have a...a friend. I haven't seen him since this all happened and I want you to find him for me."

Superman, without hesitation, nodded. "Okay, describe him for me."

Silvia was once again shocked by how quickly he wanted to help. "Um...black hair, blue eyes, glasses, about your size and height. It's likely he tripped over and hit his head instead of actually being attacked."

Supes seemed to blink nervously as Silvia described Clark.

He looked extremely shocked as he said to her "Wait...wait a second. He works at the Planet?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Kent Clark. I know that guy. He writes a good column." Supes nodded with a grin.

Silvia cocked her head awkwardly. "Actually it's Clark Kent."

Superman's shock seemed to only multiply. "O-Oh. Okay." He looked around but it appeared a little too casual, and his gaze a little too hazy for Silvia to believe he had actually searched. Apparently he had looked though because he soon answered. "He's at his folks' farm in Smallville right now. Just missed the attack."

"Oh goddammit Clark...I spent the whole freaking day worrying about him and he wasn't even fucking here." Silvia sulked, crossing her arms and tensing though she couldn't conceal the relieved exhale that blew passed her lips. "Last time I worry about some nosy reporter."

The edge of Superman's mouth twitched as if he was fighting off a smirk. "Not so concerned anymore?"

"Nope." Silvia quickly answered with a huff. "I guess I should thank you."

"It's no trouble, I'm happy to help."

Silvia's gaze quickly flicked away from the Man of Steel. "I said that I should, not that I would."

A sound much like a stifled laugh reached Silvia's ears, quickly followed by Superman's deep voice. "Of course." He said politely. "Was there anything else?"

"Stop speaking like a waiter taking my damn order and I think I'll be fine."

Superman finally cracked and his usual smile stretched across his face. "I'll see you around then."

"Fuck, I hope not."

Superman lifted from the air, hovering toward an especially damaged building just as Power Girl appeared in front of it. Her nose was red at the tip and her small mouth screwed itself around by the left corner. The closer Superman came to her, the more her round face wrinkled at the effort it took to not break down. However, Silvia listened intently enough that she could hear small sniffles and see two infinitesimal drops of water issue from the nearly closed eyes.

"Kara" Superman said gently and Power Girl jumped into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The large muscles in her arms tensed so much that Silvia assumed that if she held a normal person that tightly she'd break them in half. Superman barely seemed to feel it though.

He quickly embraced her as well, keeping her upright with his strength. Silvia now saw the true impact he made, and how much Metropolis and its heroes needed him. Though she wished the man would leave her to her own devices, she couldn't bring herself to wish death upon him anymore.

Clark, on the other hand... She was infuriated that she had actually worried about someone that personally and intensely. She hadn't felt like that since she was a child. That alone was enough for her to curse him under her breath the whole way back to her apartment.

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