Seven days before the sun went out.
Ron sat in the conference hall at Justice League headquarters. He had arrived at seven thirty, yet it was now nine o'clock. He was still the only one in the room. Don't get him wrong—it wasn't that he wanted to come so early. Billy's school day was longer than the Justice League's workday, so he had to get up early to take the kid to school.
Ron yawned and tossed another Oreo into his mouth. After spending so much time with the Justice League, he had become a little lazy too. He was already thinking about taking a nap in the Lounge after the meeting.
It was not until nine thirty that people began filing in. Everyone exchanged greetings like "morning" and "good morning" through yawns. Only the relatively diligent Diana went to the Lounge to make coffee for everyone, while the others thanked her without so much as moving their asses.
Ron looked at Clark in surprise. Normally, Superman would head into the Lounge around this time, tap Diana on the shoulder, and signal that he would take over. It was probably related to Clark's upbringing—he had some very down-to-earth redneck habits. Put simply, he believed the old, the weak, women, and children ought to be looked after. Since everyone was equally exhausted, he thought it was wrong to make a woman do the work, so he always took over from Diana.
Diana did not like it, but she could never quite out-stubborn Clark. Ron knew it was not sexism, though. Diana was simply too embarrassed to say that Clark's coffee was always scalding hot. Not everyone had a super palate like his.
But today, unusually, Clark was resting his head on one hand, his bright blue eyes flickering in and out.