A Note from Lara: Okay, admit it, you've thought about it. All of us as Smallville fans have daydreamed on more than one occasion about what exactly we'd do or say if we got dropped in the middle of 'Smallville'. About just what exactly we'd say to convince the Big Dumb Alien to get his lazy butt in gear. How we'd coax along the relationship of our preference. Well, I was thinking about this the other day, and decided to write a story about what would happen if that actually DID happen to someone. So here it is... "Smallville According to Dianne", a unique look at our favorite characters through the eyes of a teenage girl, cast adrift in a strange yet familiar universe... (Sorry, that sounded way deeper than it actually is. This is actually a very lighthearted piece.)
Life sucks. Or... real life sucks. I learned that very early on. I swear some higher power's been out to get me since I was just six years old. My sixth birthday, actually. That was the day the accident that killed my parents happened. I don't remember them so well, but I remember they were good people. My dad was a doctor, and my mom did some kind of work at this big company. I remember their faces, their voices, I remember that life was easy and simple then.
Maybe it's always supposed to get harder as you get older, but not like that. They said it was a miracle I had survived. That was life lesson #1: All life is precious and oh so short. Don't waste it.
Life Lesson #2 turned out to be: Foster homes suck. A lot. Well-meaning as the people might be, there are too few people with the patience to take in an emotionally scarred little kid and make it work out. I got bounced through so many different homes, I don't remember half of them.
It wasn't like I was a problem kid, nothing like that. I just never quite fit with other people. It was always like there was some kind of barrier- invisible but oh so tangible- between me and every single other person on the planet. And I've always been kind of an introvert, so that didn't help.
When I got to be about twelve I started getting wild- staying nights away from whatever home I was living in, drinking, shoplifting. I think I might've gotten really out of control, if I hadn't been forced to pick up a copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird." I swear to this day that Atticus Finch saved me. I guess I just woke up and remembered that there were still good people out there. Life Lesson #3: Rise above it. I don't care what 'it' is. Just get the hell over it.
Then, one night, I was flipping through channels, when I came across 'Smallville'. You know the show- the one about Superman when he was a teenager. I was drawn in, fascinated by the incredible story, the incredible destiny of this boy- a guy only my age who had no idea who he was, where he'd come from. He'd lost something precious, just like me... even if he didn't know exactly what yet.
But I did, pretty quick. I raced through every season of the show that had been aired by that point, and branched out quickly to EVERYTHING Superman. However, Smallville always remained closest to my heart- Smallville's Clark just seemed so much more... I don't know... relatable.
For a year or so, I was like a woman possessed. TV shows, movies, comic books... Seriously, Chicago's version of Comic Book Guy became like my best friend. I even convinced him to squirrel away some REALLY rare issues long enough for me to scrape enough cash to buy them off him.
And just the way it had been with Atticus Finch, I was inspired by the guy's goodness and strength of character- and unlike Atticus, Kal-El had something else going for him. Two things actually- he was ridiculously, incredibly hot, and he had superpowers. That was something I'd always dreamed of; just being able to... be. To be able to make the things that I wanted to have come off happen without worrying about what could happen. Plus, you know, flying would just be so damn cool.
By the time I turned sixteen, my life still sucked, but now I had something- a character, an ideal- to hold onto, and although I still got shuffled between homes pretty regularly, it was okay. Maybe it seemed strange for a girl like me to have a superhero obsession, but it was the thing I held onto when stuff got hard. And besides, I was a hodgepodge of just about every label people give each other. Why not add 'geek' to the mix?
So, all-in-all, life was pretty normal. Then one night, my world changed... forever. Not to sound all daytime TV drama on you, but it's true. My life changed. Forever. FOREVER.
It was early March, and Shawn, my latest foster dad was wasted. He'd just been laid off from his job and promptly went out and had about thirty cold ones. I was amazed he was still standing.
The problem was, of course, that he was. And he wasn't one of those nice drunks who just starts crying and confessing every dumb thing they've ever done. No, he just had to be one of those types who gets violent. His wife wasn't home- she'd gone shopping. So guess who got to be the target of his screaming? Yeah, you guessed it. Me.
"I don't even know why we took you in in the first place! I told Milly we were just FINE without bringing some dumb kid into my life! But she made me, and now we're stuck with YOU! Ungrateful little bitch that you are," he growled. Seated on the worn couch, I looked up from my comic book, shrugged, and went right back to it. I'd dealt with jerks like him in the past, and it was usually best to just ignore them.
Just my luck, I thougth, when he didn't just give it up and go away. Instead, he advanced on me, balling his hands into fists. "Don't you ignore me, kid. I give you a place to sleep every night! I feed you! I bought the clothes on your back! You sure as hell have to answer to me!" I calmly folded my comic and slipped it into my oversized purse. "Dude, back off," I said blithely, "I'm going to bed."
But now he was standing in front of me, blocking my retreat. "Not until I finish talking to you! You've caused me a lot of trouble, you know that? If you hadn't gone and called me at work, I wouldn't have been fired! And-" "Yeah, whatever," I sighed, "I can't say I'm terribly concerned. You'll find a new job."
Oops. Wrong thing to say. Rage twisted Shawn's face, and his clenched fists came up. "Shut up, bitch. You don't know what the hell you're talking about! I'll knock you so hard you won't see right for a week if you give me lip on more time."
"Childbeating is against the law, man," I said, "Get away from me." That turned out to DEFINITELY be the wrong thing to say. Life Lesson #4: Dianne Morton puts her foot in her mouth on a regular basis.
He was obviously planning to hit me. I didn't like being hit. Drawing up my legs, I kicked him hard in the stomach, then vaulted over the back of the couch. "Don't mess with me, Shawn. I had a friend back in junior high. Street fighter. She taught me some stuff."
Not that he was actually in any condition to try and hit me back. It looked like the beer was finally catching up with him, and he was sprawled over the cooffee table, clutching his gut where I'd kicked him. Clutching my purse to me, I ran out of the house. My feet hit the pavement and I was gone. Running was something I was good at, and always had been.
Half an hour later, I was sitting outside some fast food place, staring at the buildings of downtown, nearly lost in the clouds. It was getting late, and chilly. I'd have to find somewhere to go. I couldn't go 'home', that was for sure. Even if Shawn was passed out drunk by now, his wife Milly would be home and furious.
Finding a pay phone, I fished through my bag for some change. Once I'd turned up a quarter or two, I rang my friend Samantha. She was staying in her aunt's posh apartment downtown, and she'd invited me to come stay sometime anyway.
"Hey Sam, it's Dianne. Think I could spend the night at your aunt's place?" I asked when she picked up. "Oh, sure. It's dead boring without you, you know." I smiled. "Thanks." "Is it alright with Shawn and Milly?" Sam asked. "Um... not exactly." "Oh." That was the great thing about Samantha- she knew exactly what my life was like most days, and didn't demand explanations. She just accepted it for what it was.
"Great. I'll hop a bus. See you in... twenty minutes?" "Sure." I hung up the phone, and made my way to the nearest bus stop. As I sat on the bench, hoping a bus would actually stop here sometime in the next century, I pondered my situation.
My foster dad was seriously pissed at me, I'd run out- again- and I'd actually physically assaulted him. Not to mention, I'd found out this morning that was failing geometry. Again. "Could this day get any worse?" I asked nobody in particular. All of a sudden, lightning flashed. There was a rumble of thunder, and then... it started raining. Not hard, just enough to be really annoying. Life Lesson #5: Never, ever ask that question. Especially if you're me. Because yes, it can ALWAYS get worse. And if you're me, it WILL.
Finally, a bus headed downtown pulled up. I hopped on, made my way to the back, and dropped down in a seat. There was only one other person on the bus- an incredibly aged woman with her gray hair covered with some kind of scarf.
I stared at my reflection in the dark glass. My face was almost unnaturally pale, and my waist-length, stick straight hair was platinum blond. My eyes were a strange shade of green- a color usually only achieved with the help of contacts. My face- in fact my entire frame- was long and thin. People told me that I was very beautiful; I thought they were insane. I was 'exotic-looking' like some weird elf from Lord of the Rings or whatever, but I wasn't beautiful.
Some people mocked me for my hair; those people got socked in the mouth. I kept it braided at all times, so it wasn't like it got in the way. And besides... my mother had always told me that long hair was so beautiful; letting my hair just keep growing and growing was my little memorial to her... I sighed, turned away from the window, and pulled my comic out of my purse.
Twenty minutes later, I heard the hiss of the bus's pneumatics. Looking up, I realized that we'd reached the lake front. We'd passed my stop several minutes earlier. "Shit," I hissed, and got out of my seat. I paid my fair and hopped off the bus. I'd have to walk back to Sam's.
But first, I looked out at the lake. Living so near the city, you would get used to the strange weather caused by living so near Lake Michigan, but the lake has such a personality- I don't think you can understand it until you've watched it and seen it changed.
Today it was a dead, lifeless gray, rippled slightly by wind and rain, with tall waves, as a storm blew in off the water. Drowning water.
I shook my head. Where were all these morbid thoughts coming from all of a sudden? But as I moved, something caught my eye. There was something small and shiny- no shining- on the ground near the cement steps leading down to the water.
Curious, I walked over and picked it up. It was some kind of green stone; it looked so familiar, but... Then I gasped. It was a piece of... kryptonite? At least, that's what it looked like, right down to the sickly green glow. Was it some kind of prop for a TV show or something? But then what was it doing here? Maybe it's a novelty item?
Confusion swept through me. And suddenly I felt dizzy. It was like a fishing hook had lodged itself in my stomach, and the line was being reeled in hard and fast.
Trying to turn, I lost my footing, fell, and tumbled down the steps. As I rolled with frightening speed toward the ledge above the water, I thought, 'This is it. I'm going to die because I picked up some stupid piece of rock from a gift store. And that's the last thing I'm going to think about.' I slipped over the edge, saw the water beneath me... and then nothing.
--
It was like being pressed between two panes of glass. On one side of me, I could see the frothing water of the lake, the exact last image I'd seen before I closed my eyes. On the other side of me was what looked like some back alley.
I couldn't breathe... but I didn't seem to need to. I was being pulled in a thousand different directions, as if I were floating in a vacuum, but at the same time I felt like I was being compressed. My head swam and I feared I would lose consciousness again. What was happening?
Suddenly a young man appeared. He looked to be about thirty, but he could've been any age. He had brown hair and soft brown eyes. He was dressed simply in a white t-shirt and jeans. As he sat down cross-legged in front of me, the strange sensations faded. "Welcome," he said.
"Who are you?" I asked groggily. "I know you have many questions, and I wish we had time to look at them all, but we don't. I will however, explain what I want with you," the man said. I noticed vaguely that his features were utterly unremarkable- the kind of face you could forget while you were still looking at it. The mysterious guy continued.
"I have brought you here because there is someone, someone in another dimension, who is terribly important. He is coming to a crossroads, and the choices he makes soon will affect not only HIS dimension, but ALL of them. And, most worryingly, I cannot tell what he will choose. There is no one in his life that has the power of will to influence him to make the right decisions. The situation cannot be left as it is. Therefore, I have called upon you to assist me."
I nodded. Some part of me knew I should be freaking out, wondering what was wrong with me that my mind came up with such strange dillusions, but this guy, whoever he was, had a calming effect. Just being near him put me at ease.
"So... who am I beating sense into?" I asked. Mystery Dude smiled and said, "You'll know him when you see him. In fact, that was one of the reasons I chose you in particular." "Well, I see we have a new contender for the number one spot on America's Most Enigmatic," I said sarcastically.
"And there's another reason I chose you, out of all the people I COULD have selected. You have a sharp tongue and give no quarter. Even to a complete stranger who could send you anywhere he wishes instantly, you air your true feelings and opinions openly. This will be a useful skill to you." H nodded wisely. I sighed. "Furthermore, you have a unique gift for seeing right to the heart of things, for cutting right down to the truth of the matter and laying it bare for all to see. That may be the only thing standing between the universes and... infinite destruction." He sighed.
We sat in silence for a moment before I said, "Alright, Dorothy's ready to be zapped off to Oz now." Couldn't I just go to Samantha's instead of saving the universe? Or... universes? I shook my head. It was too confusing.
"No, no she's not, quite," said Mystery Dude. He placed his palm on my solar plexus. "I AM sorry Dianne, but this is going to hurt. A lot." "What--?" I managed. And then the world was on fire.
Every inch of my body was burning and I was conscious of a blinding white light coming from the point where his hand touched my body. And then the contact was gone and the fire was gone and I was falling... falling...
--
I woke up with a jolt. For a moment, I thought I was back in Chicago, back on the steps leading down to the lake. No such luck. I was in the alley I had glimpsed from that... other place. How I had gotten here, I didn't know. Maybe this was all just some whacked out dream?
I stood up. There was a faint bruised feel to my body that certainly FELT real enough, but I couldn't be sure. I raised my left hand, inserted my second finger into my mouth, and bit down hard. Tears instantly welled up in my eyes as the pain seared through my hand. I quickly took my finger out of my mouth. Nope, definitely not a dream. This was real. You can get away with pinching yourself in a dream, but BITING yourself? Not a chance.
Looking around, I noticed a couple of guys looking at me in a way I didn't like. Without a second glance at them, I marched down to the end of the alley to emerge on a busy city street.
Where was I? I didn't have a clue. Turning to my right, I wandered aimlessly, trying to find some landmark I recognized. There were none. It certainly wasn't Chicago, and the skyline looked wrong for New York. I could be anywhere. I shivered. The skies were gray and a flurry of snow was coming down.
Finally I rounded a corner and found myself staring at a VERY familiar building. I gasped. There was NO way I was looking at what I thought I was looking at. But I was. I was looking at the Daily Planet building, complete and in color.
And then my ridiculously slow brain caught up with my eyes and put two and two together. The piece of kryptonite that had started off this whole mess, the Daily Planet... I had a sneaking suspicion I knew EXACTLY what I was doing here and EXACTLY who I was here to see. "Mystery Dude, whoever you are, if I ever see you again, I don't know if I'll kiss you or kick your ass six ways to next Thursday," I hissed under my breath.
Twenty minutes later found me sitting on a bench in the main city park, riffling through the contents of my purse. I had my usual staples- To Kill a Mockingbird and my comic books, as well as a Crunch bar- plus eighty-some dollars in cash and a few random knick knacks. You know the kind of random litter you find in the bottom of a purse- pens and old receipts and gum wrappers. Little collapsible hairbrushes.
Eighty dollars might get me a cab as far as I needed to go, but once I'd blown it, I was stranded. But then, if I was right about what I was here to do, who I was here to see, then I wasn't likely to be left out in the cold. But first off, I had to get my hands on a newspaper. I had to find out when I was.
I knew I was in Metropolis; I had clearly come to some kind of dimension where Superman was a very real presence- or would be. If what Mystery Dude had said was any indication, it was probably a Smallville-esque scenario. And he was right- he couldn't have picked anyone better for the job. I knew every date, every fact, everything that had ever happened on the show. I smiled in satisfaction. I LOVE being useful.
So, I had been dimension-switched... into 'Smallville'. When? Before or after Dark Thursday? It was an interesting question, because I could think of more than a few 'whens' that could make my job SO much harder. If Mystery Dude had dumped me here right after Lana faked her death, I was SO screwed. I'd never get through that dumb head of Clark's. Ever. Or if it was after Brainiac fried her brain...
And then the irony of it all caught up to me and I spent several minutes laughing hysterically. I had dreamed about something like this happening for years, but now that it actually had and I was faced with the reality of it... it just seemed like such a huge task. And Mystery Dude had made it sound really serious. Like everything, everywhere, everywhen was doomed for eternity. And I was the one who had to talk sense into the most stubborn man on two planets.
Well, I decided, setting my jaw, I was definitely the girl for the job. Stubbornness was something of a strong suit of MINE. As was not coddling somebody's feelings. No matter how much respect and awe I might have for the guy, he was NOT getting the soft treatment. Not this time. Chloe had been doing that for way too long.
And with that, I stood up, found a newsstand, and scanned the newspaper. The date jumped out at me- February of 2008. Right about the time Kara got her memory back. Okay. I could handle that. Lana's mind hadn't been deep-fried yet. Which meant that I had time to get Clark away from her before she was turned into levrage.
And with no further ado, I stood up, left the park, and hailed a taxi. "Take me as close to Smallville, Kansas, as I can get on eighty dollars," I said to the cabbie. The guy nodded, and put the pedal to the metal. Whoa. Metro cabbies really COULDN'T drive. I'd always thought that was an exaggeration. This was WAY worse than the cab drivers in Chicago.
Two and a half hours and 84 later, I was standing on the highway, staring at the sign 'Welcome to Smallville: Meteor Capital of the World'. It was nearly identical to the one on the TV show. How was that even possible? Did Miles Millar have some kind of psychic link to another dimension?
I had no idea where to go from here. Okay, so I was in Smallville. Where did I go? Did I just go walking up to the Kent farm and barge in the door? Or should I just hang around town hoping to find him? The second idea seemed more logical. This was NOT something I wanted to blow. I had to get it right.
After walking the remaining mile into town, I wound up at the Talon and spent my remaining three dollars on something loaded with sugar, highly caffeinated, and wonderful. Staring around, not even allowing myself to believe that I was seriously HERE, at this place I'd seen so often on the tube, I caught a glimpse of a familiar face. Lois Lane- LOIS LANE- had just walked past me. It took all my willpower to keep from jumping up and begging for her autograph.
I know, I know... I was like a starstruck little girl. It was kind of sad, actually. Life Lesson #5: It's not a good idea to spit coffee all over when you first catch a glimpse of the girl who's the soon-to-be girlfriend of the most powerful man on planet earth. Or planet ANYTHING, for that matter. Thank god she didn't turn around to stare.
After loitering around nursing my beverage for about three hours, I was THIS close to giving it up as a dead end. Maybe he didn't come in here as often as one might think. This was a waste of time. I should just hitchhike to the Kent farm...
And then he walked in the door. Clark Kent walked in the door. I am not kidding. I stood up, as casually as I could, and walked toward the door as if my only intention was to leave. I didn't stare at him, but I didn't avoid looking at him either- it would have seemed weird to make a point not to look at him.
Then, as I passed him, I 'accidentally' bumped my shoulder into his chest, and fell to the ground. Life Lesson #6: Don't walk into a Kryptonian when they're not expecting it. They will not accomodate you, and you will fall down. And it will hurt. "Ow!" I said. "Oh crap," I heard him hiss as he knelt down beside me. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, and looked over at him.
My stomach did this strong-gravity thing when I met his eyes. He was WAY hotter than he looked on TV! And, oddly enough, he didn't look as much like Tom Welling as you'd expect. I mean, there was a really strong resemblance, but the real life Clark's eyes were blue, not green, and his nose was thinner. If that were possible, he was even more handsome than his TV counterpart.
He offered me a hand up. "Sorry about that," he said. "No, it's my fault," I responded, "I'm Dianne." He smiled. "Nice to meet you. I'm--" "Clark Kent," I interrupted. "I know who you are. I was actually hoping to bump into you... if you'll pardon the expression." He looked confused. "Um... how do you know me? Have we met before?" I sighed. "Look, this isn't the time or place to discuss this. It's not something you're likely to want to talk about in front of a room full of witnesses." Suddenly, there was a flash of terror in his eyes. I knew. And he knew I knew. And he didn't know me. It was understandable.
Ten minutes later, we were sitting in the kitchen of the Kent's farmhouse. Clark was sitting at the kitchen table, looking deeply concerned, as I sat down next to him with a sigh. "I assume you know that I know you know I know about you?" I said, then paused, having confused myself. "Okay, hang on, let me rephrase. I know your secret... Kal-El."
He blinked. I guess he thought I was yet another random meteor-freak or whatever who'd stumbled onto his powers. He hadn't expected me to know his name. "How do you know that name?" he asked softly. His blue eyes stared intensely into my green ones.
Just as quietly, I said, "I'm from another dimension." He looked confused. "I don't really understand how I got here. One minute I was tooling around in Chicago, trying to get to my friend's house, the next..." I related, fragmentedly, my encounter with Mystery Dude and my charge to help him.
"I guess I'm just supposed to... you know... help you fulfill your destiny. Sort out your life- which, by the way," I couldn't help interjecting, "Is a real mess as of... oh about three weeks from now if you don't take my advice. I think I have to more or less take up where Raya left off." There was a sudden look of pain in his eyes when I mentioned Raya's name and I immediately regretted bringing up that particular point of reference.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have--" I tried. "No, it's okay. I just... haven't visited her grave in awhile," he said, "Maybe I should go this afternoon." I nodded. "Well, look Kal-El, I'll just get out of your way. But I'll be around. I'll pop back in from time to time to... you know, give you a nudge in the right direction." I picked up my bag and headed in the direction of the door, knowing exactly what was coming.
"Dianne? How about you stay? I mean, we've got plenty of room. I don't think Kara would mind terribly sharing a room with you." I turned around. "No, Kal-El. I shouldn't intrude." "No. I want you to stay. I mean, I have a lot of questions about... well, this whole thing." I smiled. "Yeah, that makes sense. I guess I would too. You're sure Kara and Lana won't mind?"
"No, not at all," he said with that five-year-old grin that had endeared the character to me so much in the first place. I put my purse back down on the counter and sat down next to him again. "Alright. Fire away," I said.
"Okay... first off, how do you know me? Who I am... what I am... all these details about my life?" I smiled. "Where I come from, you're known all over the world, but just as a character... a work of fiction. Comic books, movies, TV shows... I don't know exactly how we even know about you at all, but the story of Kal-El, the Last Son of Krypton has been around for like eighty years." He blinked at that. Clearly not what he was expecting. "Seriously?" I shrugged. "Yeah. If you can figure out how that works out, you really ARE your father's son." He frowned. "What does that mean?" I sighed.
"Look, Clark... how much do you actually KNOW about Krypton, about your parents? I mean, I know you've spoken to Jor-El... met Lara, but how much do you know about them as people?" It was just as I expected- he looked pretty stumped. All the times he had rebelled against the disembodied voice of Jor-El, he'd never taken the time to just THINK, to understand his father and why he asked him to do what he did. Yet another reason I had frequently wanted to throttle the guy sitting in front of me.
"Clark, Jor-El was the kind of scientific genius that would make Einstein look stupid. He was possibly the most brilliant man anywhere. Ever." I sighed. Did he seriously not know this stuff?
Clark nodded, a strange look on his face. "Revelations are never easy..." I said quietly. He nodded. "Tell me about it." After a moment, he continued, his eyes incredibly somber.
"And secondly, what exactly are you supposed to be helping me with? Why is it so important that my life get straightened out? I mean, I'm just a farm boy--" "A farm boy from another planet," I interrupted. "A farmboy with incredible powers FAR beyond anything or anyONE else on earth. Clark, don't you know? You're probably the most important person in the entire Milky Way Galaxy. You're destined to be a... hero." I didn't want to give away too much, too soon.
He sighed, a sad, faraway look on his face. "It doesn't seem to matter what I want, does it? This destiny--" He spoke the word with contempt. "--just seems to drag me along no matter what I want."
Thinking of all the times I had been pulled from foster homes because the family had difficulties of their own, or simply lost interest in me, I nodded absently. But that word- destiny- sparked something in me. I thought of each one of those families I'd lived with- they had always seemed to genuinely care about me... at least at first. I thought of the invisible barrier that had always seemed to exist between me and the rest of the world, the barrier that kept me separate, alone. That prevented me from making any close friends, any real connection to anyone.
Ironic, I thought. The girl who nobody would miss was the one who was stolen away to come do this- confront this man who wasn't even supposed to exist. I was the perfect one for the job, as Mystery Dude had said...
And suddenly it clicked. "Of course..." I whispered. "Of course. That's it. That's my destiny. This is what I was made to do, what I was created for. I was made to be your guide, and help you through the early stages of your destiny!"
By the time I'd finished speaking my voice had risen nearly to a shout. Clark was staring at me like I'd lost my mind, but there was still that spark of eternal kindness in his eyes.
Regaining my composure, I brushed an escaped strand of hair from my eyes and said, "Sorry, it's just... I had something of an epiphany. I realized- I could stay in this place forever if I chose to. There's nothing to go back to and no one to miss me at home. The only person who'll even wonder what happened to me is Samantha, and we honestly weren't that close..." I trailed off.
Life Lesson #7: Having one of those 'self-realization' moments when you're trying to focus on someone else's problems is most likely a bad idea.
On Clark's face I saw that familiar saddened, pitying look that I'd seen turned on all kinds of Smallville strays. I never, never thought it would be directed at me. "Don't give me the pity stare, Kal-El. It's not a bad thing, not to be missed." I said. "Makes it easier to move on with my life."
After a moment of thought, I continued, "And anyway, I'm not the important one here. That's you. You've got the power to save us all- to save everyone from ourselves. Right now you're wasting it. And if everything I know is true, you can't keep on like this. You're screwing the entire world over, Clark Kent."
I grinned awkwardly to take the skin out of my remark. "Look, now's probably not the best time to dive into this stuff. Right now I should probably go and strategize, figure out how to point you in the right direction without completely messing this up."
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to be directed?" he said, a hint of sarcasm tinging his voice. "Yes. You've made it painfully clear in the past. But I'm not going to stand by and let you let the entire universe go straight to hell," I said firmly.
And with that, I picked up my purse, and marched upstairs to my new room. I just hoped my superpowered roommate wasn't in right now. Because I really didn't think I could deal with Kara right now on top of everything else. Right now, all I wanted was to lie down and try to find a way to work out everything that had happened to me.