• January 12, 2018 •

The space pod that had been damaged due to the crash was finally fixed by Tim and Brainiac working together on it. And as it was ready for flight again, Mon told his friends that they had to leave.

According to them, the world in the 31st Century needed the Legion and they couldn't stay back in their past for too long. Tim was once again very dejected to learn that Mon as well as his new supercomputer friend were leaving.

But of course, they couldn't stay in a time that wasn't their own.

A new feature that Tim and Brainiac had worked on for the space pod was a wormhole detector. Through that, they could assess which wormhole could propel them closest to the time they wanted to go back to.

It would be a rough guess but at least they could make use of it and go to the nearest possible time then figure their way back from there.

"So you're leaving again," Connor remarked as they were all gathered to bid farewell to Mon, Imra and Brainiac.

"Yes," he nodded, "but I have some unfinished business to tend to in this time before returning to the 31st Century."

"Oh," Kara spoke up, "and what might that be?"

"I have to go to Daxam," Mon replied, taking in a deep breath, "I figured I couldn't just leave my planet to get destroyed."

Imra and Brainiac seemed to be on board with his idea too as he had discussed it with them already. Brainiac had initially objected, saying that stopping Rhea from destroying Daxam would have consequences in the future. But Imra had supported Mon's decision, saying that even if they couldn't stop Rhea, Mon at least deserved to know what had happened.

And then it would hardly be different from another adventure they would be embarking on as members of the Legion.

"It's going to be dangerous," Richard warned, "we don't have any news of what's going on at Daxam but I have a feeling things aren't well."

"I know," Mon sighed, "things can't be well. Daxam will get destroyed at this rate and it's already a wasteland."

"Be careful," Wally added, "and if there's any way for us to help, let us know."

He smiled and Imra spoke up, "hey, you guys have done such a lot already. And especially you, Tim, even Brainiac is impressed by how smart you are. If it weren't for you, the wormhole detector wouldn't have gotten to completion."

Tim beamed at the compliment, "oh come on... He's a twelfth-level intellect. How can he be impressed by annoying little me?"

"That's true though," Megan remarked, "you might be a genius but you sure as hell are annoying."

Tim's smile widened as he looked at Meg, quite accustomed to her constant reminders of how annoying he was, "oh yeah. There are some special people to whom I am extra annoying."

"Keep me out of that wretched list."

By evening, the weather was clear and the guests from the future were ready to leave on their next mission. Mon-El of Daxam would be returning to his planet for one last time in order to see what was going on there and if his people needed his help, he would do all in his power to set things right.

Going against his mother on his own had been a foolish decision earlier but right then, he had Imra and Brainiac with him. And in Imra's words, they were the best team who had always made it through their missions victorious.

Tim gave the space pod one final inspection and declared it ready for take-off. Shortly after, Mon and his companions had gotten in the space pod, taking their seats. Imra took the controls and shot a thumbs up at the Young Justice waiting outside.

Bidding them a last farewell, the space pod ascended into the air and shortly after, it vanished from sight.

Mon-El had no knowing whether he would meet them again or not but he was satisfied that he had met them once more. Life was unpredictable and if their fates entwined again, he might meet them another time.

"So how's this Queen Rhea like?" Imra asked, as they were heading towards Daxam, "I just realized you've never told me much about my mother-in-law."

He shook his head, a smile creeping over his features despite the fact that he was slightly tense on going back to Daxam after so long, "well, the first thing you should know about her is that she won't be glad to meet you. At all."

"Yikes, the classic mother-in-law hating her son's wife scene?"

He laughed, "Imra, this is not a telenovela. Besides, I think by now she would hate me just as much."

"Though when you think bout it, your entire life is a telenovela and that too with a lot of unexpected plot twists," she laughed as well, her main motive for keeping him talking was to distract him from the tension that was slowly building up inside him, "how many love interests have you had again?"

"Oh come on, I'm never going to hear the end of it, am I?"

"Seems like neither am I," she winked, "if you should know, I have been keeping a count just in case."

He shook his head, smile still lingering on his lips, "you're the last one, I promise."

"The count shouldn't increase then, lover boy," she teased, steering the space pod to the vicinity of Daxam, "I intend to remain the last."

***

• February 14, 2018 •

The beach seemed to be a favorite spot for both Zach and Kara. Over the one year that they had been dating, they had come to the beach most often. 

Sometimes they came there to see the sunrise or the sunset, always trying to avoid the crowds and go for a long walk by the sea, just the two of them. 

Right then they had come way before sunrise, just like they had done so last year.

There was no one around and the sky was still slightly dark with there being still some time left before the sun would rise and shower its golden light over the world.

The water was cold but tranquil as they walked along the edge of the shore, the shallow waves brushing over their feet. 

Kara's hand was held in Zach's as the two walked over the soft wet sand, feeling content in each other's company. They had reached that point in their relationship where words weren't always needed to express how they felt, their silence also spoke volumes and made them feel comfortable.

The sky had started to lighten indicating that the sun would be over the horizon soon. Zach smiled, turning to look at Kara who was eagerly watching the sky above.

"Do you remenber the first time we came to watch the sunrise?" He asked, feeling her grip tighten on his hand.

"Yes, how could I forget?"

"And you told me that it was long since you had seen something so beautiful as that sunrise," he remarked, smile widening."

"And you had said it was the same for you," she replied, tearing her eyes away from the sky to look at him.

"Well, back then I wasn't referring to the sunrise," he mumbled.

She laughed, pinching his cheek lightly, "of course I knew that."

"Hey, you knew?"

"Yes," her smile widened as well as she gently placed her arm around his neck, "it was very obvious that I had caught your eye since that Homecoming dance."

"Caught my eye, you definitely did. I have been smitten ever since."

"Cheesy but cute," she remarked, brushing her lips over his delicately.

"Well, you can be pretty cheesy too, y'know."

"Oh yeah? Name one instance..." She challenged but then laughed, recalling herself all the times she had made cheesy comments to him.

His reply was immediate, "that part when you said that to you all of me is beautiful?"

"That and a few more too came to mind just now," she shook her head, a smile playing upon her lips, "but what can I say? You make me want to be that way towards you. I love seeing your reaction whenever I say stuff like that."

"Okay... So here's one more thing to add to that list of things Kara Danvers loves about me."

She shoved him playfully, "hey. I love you, idiot. So of course I love everything about you."

"See, another cheesy comment."

The sun had risen by then and golden light was engulfing them ethereally, reminding both of the Valentine's Day date last year. The scene was much similar though a lot had changed in that span of a year.

And though things hadn't been golden and bright all the time, they were glad that they had made it through.

"You know I read somewhere that one human being is equal to a hundred million reasons," he spoke up, taking off his specs and placing them in his pocket, "and any of those reasons can make life worth living or leaving. I had always been fascinated by this idea but never really realized the intensity of it until... Until you gave me that one reason to stay when my life felt like it had nothing left for me to hold on to."

She knew he was referring to the time when he had barely survived that explosion and had gotten extremely dejected to realize that he wouldn't be able to chase his dream of becoming an international level Olympic Athlete.

"It's been difficult letting go of my dreams," he resumed and she was listening closely because he seldom opened up about himself like that, "it's been hard but I am glad you stayed by me and helped me out through it. You and the rest of my family and friends... I am grateful to all of you. You all are my million reasons that make my life worth living."

She did not say anything just yet because she did not want to interrupt him. But he had turned silent as if he had said what he wanted to.

When he didn't resume either, she spoke up, "you are yourself an embodiment of all those reasons that make people want to be optimistic and cheerful. Why shouldn't we do the same for you?"

"Still. It's good to know that you all care for me so much."

"Of course we do. It's hard not to care for such an adorable dork like you," she laughed, watching his eyes sparkle in amusement as well.

He smiled, looking up at the golden sky that was indicating another sunrise, a start of another day. Another million reasons waiting for them to unfold one by one.

"I love you, Kara," he confessed, lifting her hand up and kissed her knuckles.

She smiled, leaning closer as she connected their lips together. "I love you too. A lot."

***