The resounding snap of cartilage and bone reverberated throughout the train station. Kal heard the crack of bone play repeatedly in his mind. He watched Zod's eyes flicker, the red, devilish light quickly fading, the smoke quickly dissipating. Zod's corpse fell into a crumpled heap on the cracked and ruined marble floor. Kal's legs became weak. The man of steel felt feeblish, he dropped to his knees, surveying the actions he unwilling just took. He had killed another soul, another human being. He had killed his own kind, the last of his kind. He looked down at his hands, looked across the room to the distraught family hurrying away from the hell they just witnessed. Kal stared at Zod's body and screamed bloody murder. He was a monster, he was no better than Zod. What would his father have thought? Would Jor-El have approved of what was necessary? What if his sweet mother had witnessed this ghastly sight?
Kal felt his mind unravel, countless thoughts swirling around in his head. Damage. Chaos. Fear. He had stopped Zod, he had stopped the world engine, stopped his fellow race's brutally homicidal plan. But at what cost? The damage to parts of the city were horrific, something morbidly out of 9/11. He turned his head and unexpectedly saw HER. Lois, the woman who had gone through this ordeal with him, the woman who had trusted him and his secret, who had canned a story that would have erupted her and him into the spotlight. All because she had believed in him, believed in what he was capable of.
Lois watched Clark apprehensively. Physically and mentally the man was an utter mess. She eased closer towards the disarray and rubble, and saw the lone tear stream down Kal's face. Lois's heart crumbled to pieces at the sight of this strong and seemingly indestructible man falter. But even the most invulnerable being still had feelings, still could be crushed emotionally. Lois didn't know what it was. Pity? No, it wasn't pity. She simply felt this undeniable urge to grab onto Clark, hold him near her chest, and comfort him. Clark swiftly latched on, clutching at her army air jumpsuit. She caressed her hands through his curly gelled hair, trying her best to calm him down, to let him know everything was okay, even if it wasn't. Her slow but steady breaths both soothed them. The two felt connected, their body's pressed against each other created a heat, an emotional bond. Kal's mind slowly drifted away from the death and destruction that surrounded him. He blocked out the ghastly sights and instead focused on this moment, on her. He closed his tired crystal blue eyes, and regulated his breathing, focusing on nothing but her.
The amount of time that past before Kal opened his eyes was unknown to him. He let out a deep breath of air and gently released his grip on Lois and turned his head up to gaze at her. Her face was hesitant, but full of hopefulness. She patted down his hair, and ran her hands down to his shoulders. She wasn't ready to let go of him, not yet.
Kal broke the silence.
"I…killed him…I'm a-"
"You are a hero Clark. You did what was necessary."
"I could have flown him away, it didn't-"
"Zod was never going to stop. Never. Don't beat yourself up Clark. You did the right thing"
"Lois…so many people…dead because of ME."
Lois swiftly knelt down to his level grabbing his face in her hands, his stubble scratching against her soft skin.
"Listen here and listen good Clark, cause I damn well will not be repeating myself. You stopped him, you saved us. You may be this Superman, you may have powers beyond belief, but not even you can save everyone Clark. You can try your absolute best, but you cannot save every single person in peril. It's about the good you inspire, about that hope you were telling me about back in the integration room."
Clark beheld the inspiring radiance she emitted. Her hair was a haggard mess, and she needed a good eight hours of sleep, but she was still ravishing, still absolutely beautiful inside and out. He smiled meekly and took her words to heart. He would improve; he would get better at being this so called "Superman", this superior being that he was currently viewed as.
"Are we clear Clark?"
Kal is shaken out of his daydreaming thoughts about her. He nods his head and flashes a weak smile.
"Thank you Lois, thank you for believing in me."
"Start by believing in yourself Clark."
Kal kissed her on the forehead and slowly stood up. He extended his arm and helped her up.
The two gazed into each other's eyes. It was peculiar yet undeniably fulfilling how they could get lost in each other without uttering a word. Kal felt such a sense of serenity when he was with her.
The sounds of panic and helplessness were bombastically brought back into his attention as Kal opened his ears up to the city.
"Lois, I have to go and help survivors. I-"
"Go, we'll talk later okay?"
Kal nodded, smiling, and was off, up, up, and away.
