The next day…
A military jeep drove down the road in Hampstead Heath, a small county just north of the greater London area. It's where you began to get away from the hustle and bustle of the tall buildings of an urban city such as London and more into the suburban homes and enchanting quiet nature of the English countryside. Families tended to their communal gardens and the infectious celebratory mood from London was same in these quaint suburban areas as with the war over many were ready for a return to normalcy. Anyone outside tending to their gardens or outside waved at the two people in the military jeep and the two passengers waved back. Driving said jeep was Clark and in the passenger seat was Peggy. Clark was wearing a navy-blue three-piece suit and matching hat with thick-rimmed glasses on his face while Peggy wore a dark blue dress jacket over a white silk blouse with a matching pencil skirt and heels. To complete her ensemble, she had a hat and a pair of red sunglasses. They were dressed in civilian clothing because they were on their way to meet Peggy's parents and being out of uniform would be good for the situation.
Peggy directed Clark down the road and had them make the turn to Peggy's home and it was there the jeep drove down pebble road of a large estate. She told him that her family's estate was substantial as it had been in her family for generations. Her father was the latest to call it home having been a veteran of the great war and now worked alongside political and industrial leaders of the country hence why they could still afford the estate. Clark parked the jeep and got out before helping Peggy and the two looked at her home.
"It's very nice. A lovely home." Clark said.
"Yes, it is though admittedly growing up it sometimes felt like a bit of a cage though that may have been my fault. When I was younger my brother Michael and I often got into plenty of trouble." Peggy admitted.
"I'm guessing that includes the incident where you broke into the home of your headmaster and stole his wife's underwear and a bottle of brandy? That was definitely a shock to hear. Young Peggy was quite the spitfire though that never changed. You just got more dangerous and precise." Clark said and Peggy gave him a playful smirk.
"And don't you forget it." She gave him an enticing wink when the door to the estate opened and out came her mother and father.
"Peggy!" They rushed over and Peggy walked over to them in a big group hug. Clark smiled as he took the scene in. Seeing the usually stoic and poised Peggy Carter being pampered and squished with love by her parents was truly something special to see. Another young woman walked out of the estate with a young four-year-old at her side.
"Peggy." The woman came over and hugged her. "It's so good to see you."
"You too, Sandra." Peggy held her close when Sandra's son Oliver rushed over and hugged Peggy's leg. "And you too, Oliver."
"Hello, Aunt Peggy."
"Hello, little one." Peggy pinched his cheeks and kissed his head when she saw her family look at Clark. "Mother, Father, Sandra, Oliver, I've brought a guest."
"Yes, you have." Peggy's father Harrison noted.
Peggy walked over to Clark and looped her arm into his. "Everyone…I'd like to introduce you to my fiancé, Clark Joseph Kent. Darling, this is my family. My father Harrison, my mother Amanda, my sister-in-law Sandra, and my nephew Oliver."
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you all." Clark removed his hat revealing his usually combed back clean-style black hair was now a little curly. That wasn't the only change Clark had made to help distinguish himself from Superman. He changed his demeanor and tenor of voice, so it was a little higher compared to his usual deeper baritone, but the biggest change came in the form of his glasses which weren't regular glasses. Well, in the beginning they were but to help better separate Superman from Clark Kent he had Kelex us a small sliver of Kryptonian Liquid Geo to modify the lenses. They created a subtle hypnotic effect that makes Clark's facial features appear different to everyone around him so that his face as Superman can't be mistaken for Clark Kent. They worked because Clark accidentally bumped into Peggy wearing them and she didn't recognize him until she saw the clothing he was wearing and knew it had to be Clark. She was quick to call them Hypno-glasses but it's because of them and his own changes to his demeanor that would ensure that Clark Kent could have a life again with Peggy Carter and things wouldn't get complicated because of Superman. "Peggy and I have been waiting for this moment. I'm just sorry it took so long for this to happen."
"With the war ending we felt it there was no better opportunity for us all to finally meet." Peggy said to her family, and they all smiled, happy to finally meet the one who managed to enchant Peggy into marriage. Hopefully, this one will stick. When they had heard that Peggy found a new man and that they were dating they were ecstatic. Her parents in particular since it meant more future grandchildren and after how Peggy ended things with her old fiancé Fred Wells, they were worried she may never get engaged again but here she was with her new fiancé. When Clark and Peggy discussed their future after the war and realized that Peggy Carter and Kalvin Elbert had to stop so that Peggy Carter and Clark Kent could be, she informed her parents that she was seeing someone. The two had produced quite a ruse.
"Well come in. Please, come in. We've got a spot of tea ready, and we have plenty of time to talk. There's a party tonight and the whole town is invited so you'll get to meet everyone." Peggy's mother led them into the house so they could get to know their future son-in-law.
Later that night…
Clark was side by side with Peggy at a party held at the estate of a friend of her family. Peggy made introductions with Clark to family friends, and they all chatted while music was played by a live band, drinks were had, and food was shared. With the end of the war there was more cause for celebration than usual as it meant many sons and fathers would be coming home soon.
"…and I kid you not, my friend's two girlfriends meet him at the same place by happenstance, and it was not pleasant. He showed up the next day and his cheeks were as red as tomatoes." Clark said, which earned some laughs. He was recounting a funny story from his unit at the supply division which wasn't true but no one else knew that and it earned plenty of laughs. Peggy smiled as she saw how well Clark was ingratiating himself with her friends and family but considering how charming he was then it was no surprise. This wasn't Superman working but Clark Kent and the plan was working like a charm.
During tea, Clark was his polite and charming self as indicative of his mid-west United States upbringing combined with the tremendous job his parents did in raising him. Peggy's parents found him to be the perfect gentleman. Kind. Caring. Compassionate. Funny. He ticked all the right boxes for a future son-in-law. He didn't cower under the gaze of Peggy's father, and he charmed Peggy's mother which was the bigger battle and Oliver loved him. Clark's backstory to her parents was pretty much the same as his life…with some omissions and changes. Grew up in Smallville, Kansas to Jonathan and Martha Kent and an orphan who didn't know his birthparents. Helped run the Kent family farm in Smallville and when his dad passed away when he was seventeen he took over running it with his mother. His mother wanted him to go to college, but they couldn't afford it, and he was needed on the farm. When the war broke out he wanted to help but taking care of the family farm took priority until his mother assured him it was ok. Clark joined but because of his asthma and near-sightedness he wasn't fit for combat, so he was put in the supply division.
He regretted not being able to do more but surprisingly it was Peggy's father Harrison who assured him that his job was just as important. He knew firsthand that the soldiers on the frontlines were important, but they couldn't do anything without the dedicated support network. Military logistics was just as important as combat and Harrison had tremendous respect for all elements of the armed services. Peggy's mother Amanda actually liked that Clark's role in the military was safe as it meant that the family didn't need to risk another loved one dying like Peggy's older brother Michael. The final part that helped win Clark over with Peggy's parents was the story of how they met. Clark was initially stationed in the US moving supplies before his company moved to the UK following the success of Operation Husky and the invasion of the Italian mainland. He had been in the London area for a while before he ran into Peggy when he had a day pass. He was reading a newspaper and accidentally bumped into her, and Peggy punched him in the face, thinking he was going to mug her. The second that left his mouth her entire family broke out into laughter and Peggy hid her face in embarrassment. Again, it was a fake story, but they sold it well.
Clark and Peggy planned out their history, but the core was the same. They started off small with a few dates and got to know each other and while their work kept them busy their bond continued to grow until it blossomed to this point. With the war in Europe at an end Clark and Peggy wanted to move forward together and get married when the war was over. Peggy didn't have a ring yet as Clark wanted to meet her parents and Peggy wanted to meet Clark's mother first but they both acknowledged that they would get married once that was all said and done and the war was over. An odd circumstance but Peggy's family were happy for her, and they liked Clark. They also hoped to meet Clark's mother soon enough and when Peggy had a ring they would plan the wedding.
The day continued into the evening and the party with family and friends and Clark charmed everyone. He made up jokes about the men in his company, many of them based on Howard's exploits and everyone ate it up. While the stories may have been fake it wasn't the point as it was Clark that was being sold to everyone and safe to say that he made a good impression.
Clark noticed Peggy's champagne glass was empty, so he took it and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be right back with more."
She smiled as Clark walked over to get her a refill. "You got a good one, Peggy." One of her old friends said and the others nodded.
"Yes, very charming, and nice for an American though I do hope you and Clark will stay around in London. Not sure how well you'll do on a farm. Roosters waking you up every day, smell of cows not too far off, and hard farm work? Does that sound appealing to you, Peg?" Another friend asked and she didn't shake her head.
"There's a certain appeal I see. Peace and quiet, no madness of the big city, and after everything with the war…I think I wouldn't mind that." Peggy admitted.
"Sounds like quite a lot has changed." They heard and saw a man in a British military uniform walk over. They all recognized him as Fred Wells, Peggy's former fiancé. "Hello, Pegs."
"Hello, Fred." Peggy greeted him back and there was a momentary awkward introduction before the two shared a hug. "It's good to see you alive and well."
"You, too. Looks like the SOE treated you well." Fred said as Peg noted the markings on his uniform.
"And the army you. Second Lieutenant. Congratulations." Peggy said to him.
"Thank you. Battlefield promotion in France. You know, I ran into the Superman there. Honest to God. Incredible experience." Fred spoke, keeping the small talk going when Peggy noticed the ring on his finger.
"It must have been. Glad you made it back home safely to get married. Who's the lucky lady?" Peggy wondered.
"Uh, her name is Nathalie Mareux, I met her in Paris. And from what I hear congratulations are in order for you as well." Fred said as there was a moment of awkward silence given their history. "I'm sorry for how things went, Peggy."
"As am I but I'm glad you're happy. You are happy, aren't you?"
"I am. Are you?" Fred asked and Peggy nodded. "Good. That's all I ever wanted. Well, I just wanted to pop over and say hello. Don't be a stranger, Peg."
"You too, Fred." Peggy bid him farewell and he rejoined his wife over by some of his family. She was a stunning French woman with long flowing brown hair who seemed to have been welcomed with open arms by Fred's family. Good. Peggy was happy for him and glad that things worked out after how she left their engagement. When her brother died Peggy vowed to never lose what made her a spitfire in honor of him and it meant leaving Fred and the life she knew wasn't hers. Fred was heartbroken but surprisingly accepted what happened though she believed he thought it was temporary. Just the grief of her brother dying but when her acceptance of the SOE's offer became permanent and then joining the SSR he got his answer. What they had was in the past and they both moved on. Peggy felt a hand touch her arm and Clark walked up to her side with a glass of champagne.
"Everything ok?" Clark wondered.
"Yes. Just a bit of déjà vu and reminder of what could have been in another life." Peggy admitted.
"I see. Any regrets?" Clark asked and Peggy gave him a loving and tender kiss.
"Never. You?"
"Absolutely not." He replied, holding her close and they enjoyed the rest of their evening. It wouldn't be the last though the next time would be a while.
Two days later…
Clark was dressed in a US army uniform to avoid any unwanted attention as he lugged his bag of clothes and personal affects with him on his walk to the shipyard to catch a transport ship out. Today was the day he was leaving for the Pacific, and he didn't need the big sendoffs or all the pomp and circumstance. He already said goodbye to everyone including Colonel Phillips, the Howling Commandos and Taskforce Vanguard. Most if not all members of Taskforce Vanguard were given leave to return home for those that could but others whose situations weren't as easy would stick around London until things could be worked out like Polina. She was grateful to not have to return to Russia considering she didn't have anyone left and was granted asylum. Arthur Kingsley and Richard Webb would look after her for now along with Peggy and the Howling Commandos who wanted to stick around a little longer and help with the cleanup in Europe. There were some tearful goodbyes but a general consensus among everyone that if the SSR or Clark ever needed them to return to duty then they would. Still, many were able to go home and see their loved ones and they treasured that.
Clark arrived at the shipyard and produced his papers to the ranking officers before being directed to his ship. That's where he saw Carter Hall with Shayera and Dan Garrett waiting for him. They were in civilian clothes as well but had bags with spare clothes and supplies. "What took you so long? We figured you would have gotten here earlier." Carter remarked.
"I thought I told you that I was going to the Pacific alone." Clark pointed out.
"You did and we're not going with you. We're just catching a ride back on a ship courtesy of Colonel Phillips. Is this your transport ship?" Dan questioned, being obviously sarcastic with his delivery.
"Dan, I was serious. Your war is over." Clark told him.
"Actually, ours isn't. Our involvement doesn't even scratch what you and the others have been through. We're doing some catchup of our own." Shayera corrected him. "What can we say, Kal. You inspired us."
"We know why you said what you did to the others but we're different, Kal. You know that and Colonel Phillips knows that too. When we asked to join you, he told us that you wanted to go alone but we made a pretty convincing argument." Carter said.
"Figured that we've spent most of the war hiding so it was only fair to do our fair share. Besides, we're not military. We're special consultants working with the SSR, so we don't fall into the normal chain of command. Colonel Phillips said we were free to go so we're deciding to go with you. Make a fuss all you want but you don't have control over civilians." Dan added.
"And being civilians, we can go where we please and if we so happen to be heading the same place as you than that's just a mistake in transportation. We missed our trip back to the States." Shayera quipped. "Seriously, Kal. You can fight us on this but we're not leaving. So, suck it up and let us help you end this war sooner."
Carter chuckled in amusement. He loved it when Shayera got feisty. "You heard her, Kal. You want to waste energy fighting us on this or just admit defeat and let us get to work."
"Balls in your court, Kal. Just make it easier and admit defeat." Dan added and Clark sighed in annoyance. One of the few times he'll admit defeat.
"I still think this is a bad idea." Clark told them.
"Duly noted but get used to it, Kal. You inspired people so get used to others following you." Carter said and they all boarded the ship. Clark begrudgingly followed them, but the corner of his mouth started to curve into a smile as he remembered something from Captain Rip Hunter and those heroes from the future.
"…your influence and history as Superman begin here during the war, but it will last for centuries into the future and extend even beyond earth. Your hope, your compassion, and your ability to inspire others is something truly special and unseen throughout history…"
Guess that was right after all.
September 1944
The Pacific theater of World War 2 was just as brutal if not more so than the European theater. The Empire of Japan had steadily been carving out an empire larger than Europe since the late 1930s with the second Sino-Japanese war with the Republic of China. It escalated with the invasion of French Indochina and then signing the Tripartite pact with Axis Germany and Italy. The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, is when the conflict turned into a world war. Over the course of seven hours the Empire of Japan coordinated attacks on the US-held Philippines, Guam and Wake Islands, the Dutch East Indies, Thailand, and the British Empire in Borneo, Malaya, and Hong Kong. Their goal was to destroy the only real opposition to their Pacific dominance, being the US Pacific fleet and maintain their sphere of influence in East Asia. The attack on Pearl Harbor crippled the US Pacific fleet leaving the Japanese unchallenged in the Pacific. The Japanese Navy and Airforce were the peak of modern warfare at the time. More modern ships, better aircraft, and better trained pilots. Things looked bleak but it wasn't the end just yet.
Thankfully, the blow the Japanese hoped Pearl Harbor to be to the US Pacific fleet wasn't as decimating as they thought. Three aircraft carriers and a few support ships were out at sea during the attack, and the US had the industrial potential to make more but needed to bide time. Japan pushed their advance west and secured key strategic areas for their empire but soon enough the tide began to slowly turn. In February 1942, the remnants of the Pacific Fleet had their first counterattack with air raids on the Japanese at the Marshall and Gilbert Islands in the Central Pacific where they bombed airfields and ships. Following that in April 1942, Japan was bombed for the first time in the Doolittle Raid where a squadron of Army Airforce bombers hit Tokyo. The US push against Japan continued and in May 1942, the US Pacific fleet stopped the Japanese from cutting them off from Australia and halting their advance on their Pacific ally at the battle of the Coral Sea. It was a tactical victory for Japan in that they came out of the battle losing fewer ships and took down a US carrier but there were still carriers left for the US, and their advance towards Australia was halted. This setback was followed by a catastrophic loss of four Japanese fleet carriers at the Battle of Midway. Clark remembered hearing stories Wade Jackson had told him about the battle. Wade was a Navy dive bomber and sunk two Japanese carriers. Midway proved to be a turning point in the Pacific war as the Japanese navy lost its offensive strategic capability and wasn't able to reconstruct the critical mass of the number of carriers and air groups it had lost while the wartime industry output of the US ramped up.
Australian land forces defeated Japanese marines in New Guinea in September, and the US achieved victory at Guadalcanal. These victories put the Empire of Japan on the defensive for the remainder of the war. During 1943 and 1944, Allied Naval, Air, and Land forces backed by the industrial might and vast raw material resources of the United States advanced through the territory of the Empire of Japan but that's not to say it was easy. The toll the war took on everyone couldn't be understated whether it was the weather, disease, or the sheer mental strain the war had on the men. Numbers of combat fatigue were skyrocketing. Bit by bit, the Allies pushed the Japanese back further and further in the Solomon Islands, capturing Rabaul in New Britain while amphibious assaults on the Japanese garrisons in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands seized them as well. In the Spring of 1944, the Allies seized the Northern Marianas which was a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising of fifteen dormant volcanic mountains/islands that lie south-southeast of Japan, north of New Guinea, and east of the Philippines. Securing the archipelago would disrupt the movement of Japanese airpower to and from the southern Pacific and allow the construction of advanced naval bases closer to Japan along with creating airfields for bombers to reach the Japanese home islands. Not only that but it gave Allied commanders several possible objectives for the next phase of operations which goes to show how much of an advantage they had gained over the Japanese. By July, the Allies had captured the island of Saipan, recaptured Guam, captured Tinian which were all extensively used by the US military and the battle of the Philippine Sea ended with a US victory and virtually erased the Japanese Navy's ability to project airpower at sea.
It was now September and in order to secure the flank for the US forces preparing to attack the Japanese Forces in the Philippines, the US Marine and Army forces would land on the islands of Peleliu and Anguar in Palau. Peleliu also held a large Japanese airfield, so it was of strategic importance to take out and then to take to use for Allied bombing runs. Allied strategists estimate that the amphibious landings and total success would only take a couple of days unaware of the drastic change in Japanese defensive tactics that awaited the US Army and Marines. The Japanese army deployed the 4th Infantry regiment on Peleliu and their commander Colonel Kunio Nakagawa to defend the island. They took advantage of mining and tunneling engineers to turn the island into a fortress complete with winding tunnels and hundreds of hugely defended Strongpoints. None of this was visible to Allied reconnaissance flights but these defensive strategies were designed to cause extract casualties. Not only that but Allied strategists had no idea the hellscape the Marines and Army would face. Peleliu was an alien landscape of coral spires, canyons and cliffs that made perfect defensive terrain. The attackers would find themselves fatally exposed from multiple directions.
The battle of Peleliu would be bad…if not for some help that was arriving at the opportune moment.
At 8am on the 15th of September 1944, three Infantry regiments of the US First Marine Division approached the beaches along a three-thousand-yard stretch of the southwest coast of the island. LVTs shipped Marines to and from the ships to the beaches where they were hit with heavy enemy fire. Despite the cover from US Navy airplanes and Naval artillery 60 LVTs and amphibious trucks were destroyed at the water's edge to the beach. The marines were hit with heavy enemy fire when they made the beachhead and pinned down by Japanese machine guns and artillery fire.
To say that the beach landings were chaotic is an understatement. Heavy enemy fire and the chaos of war did that with the 5th and 7th Marine regiments landing on top of one another which wasted time as their commanding officers then had to separate them. The Japanese defensive strategy was working so far as their fortified positions and machine guns along with minimal to no cover for the landing marines made them prime targets. Thankfully things weren't a total loss as the Marines pushed through literal hell and M4 Sherman tanks managed to make it ashore. Together, bit by bit they managed to overwhelm the Japanese defenses and entrenched positions on the beach to push north into what used to be the native jungle forest but was now a charred, eerie maze for them to navigate. Their landscape and the chaos of war wasn't helped by the overbearing and oppressive heat that sapped Marine strength with little to no shade in sight.
The marines managed to get to the southern edges of the airfield where heavily entrenched Japanese defenses along with advancing Japanese soldiers accompanied by Japanese Light tanks kept them pinned down as much as the artillery and mortar fired they were under. Thankfully, the M4 Sherman tanks made quick work of them, but the Marines halted their advance when they were sighted by Japanese artillery. They established their perimeter at the edge of the airfield, gathered their strength, and let the Navy artillery and planes sort through them while other elements secured the beachhead for supplies. The marines were given a reprieve though it wasn't perfect Japanese AA guns in the airfield were shooting down Navy planes thus negating airstrikes and leaving Naval artillery as the primary offensive measure for now. The sounds of artillery guns lulled the marines to sleep for their first night but come morning they would need to cross the airfield in order to secure it.
They landed with ten thousand troops and the first day cost them eleven hundred.