Panic Beneath the Sky
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this story belong to DC comics; they do not belong to me, I only wish they did.
Summary: This is an alternate version of the old iconic episode, 'Panic in the Sky', from the 1950's series The Adventures of Superman. In it, Superman must save the world from an asteroid but loses his memory in his first attempt to knock it off course. However, in this version, Superman doesn't have time to change back into Clark Kent after he returns to earth before someone comes across him.
A/N: This episode has been tweaked and altered countless times by other writers. It was even reused in later Superman series, including Lois and Clark, the New Adventures of Superman in the episode 'All Shook Up' and in an episode of Smallville. As such, it's perhaps the number one favorite plot idea Superman-fanfic authors love to play with. Well, now it's my turn. I adore the original, but like all episodes, there are elements that could have been done better or nagging 'what-ifs' that must be answered. I hope I do it justice.
A/N nu 2: Some of the dialogue within has been taken from the original manuscript of the episode, but not much of it will be verbatim.
The ground came up quickly, but he managed to slow his decent enough to merely stumble forward before landing on all fours, exhausted and dazed.
What had just happened to him? Where was he? Why did he feel so weak?
He forced himself to stand, something urging him to get up and move. To where though, he had no idea, but before he could simply follow any instincts that might help, he spotted a truck coming down the road he had only just realized was there.
He barely managed to keep himself from swaying when the truck stopped beside him, a blond headed woman in the driver's seat with sacks and a mound of hay in the truck's bed behind her.
"Well, I'll be!" she bellowed, far more excited and thrilled than he had expected someone to be after finding a man on the side of the road. "Superman! I can't believe it! Oh, I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am! You went zoooom, like this, and then, whack, there it went!" She paused in her arm flailing and unabashedly looked him over. "Would you care for a ride? You look like you could use a breather, which, considering what you did, I can't say I'm surprised — even if it is you! Hop on in and I'll take you wherever you want to go! It's the least I can do." She leaned over and popped the passenger door open for him.
He had honestly stopped trying to understand what the rambunctious woman was saying after her first exclamation. His head was pounding, so when the door opened in front of him he didn't ask any questions and climbed in, barely managing to keep himself visibly steady.
"So, where will it be? Metropolis?" she asked.
"Yes, Metropolis, thank you," he said. He was on autopilot. If she had said Mt. Fuji, he probably would have said 'yes, Fugi, thank you.'
"You look like you need some shuteye. Would I be correct in saying you'd like to avoid any fanfare for when we enter the city limits?" she asked as they drove along the dirt road.
Fortunately, she had lowered the volume of her shrieking voice — granted, perhaps it was his headache that had made her loud voice seem like a shrieking one.
"Yes, if possible," he said, not knowing what else to say.
Fanfare? What on earth was this woman on about?
"It's not much, but there's a bag of clothes right behind you that you can have," she said, nodding to the sack just behind his seat. "It'll cover your red uniform a bit at least."
He reached over and got the bag. Opening it, he found a pair of pants, a trench coat, and a smashed, stinky hat.
"Those clothes used to be my brother's, but he's grown out of them," she said, pulling over so he could put them on.
He hummed his understanding as he wrestled himself into the pants and coat before climbing back in; all the while he couldn't help but wonder how big her brother was to have grown out of the mangy clothes. He was certain they were at least two sizes too big for him. Ah, well, beggars can't be choosers. And it was certainly better than just wearing the long underwear and the bright red . . . cloak, cape?
"Thank you. These will do fine," he said as he put the hat on, fighting back rising fatigue. His hands were almost shaking from it, and his neck and shoulders were throbbing.
What was wrong with him? Surely this wasn't normal.
"You're still recognizable, but considering everything, this will probably be enough to help you get to wherever you want to go before you decide to fly to wherever it is you sleep."
What?
He blinked, and suddenly they were on a busy street with buildings around them.
"Alright, where to now?" she asked, oblivious to his space out.
He spotted a sign, and for some reason something in the back of his head said 'go'.
"Left up there," he directed, having to force his mouth to form the words.
He gave a few more quick directions before they arrived in a quieter area of town and in a parking lot behind some buildings. It felt right at least.
"Here is fine," he said.
She came to a stop and he swung his door open. It felt like the heavy door of a bank's vault.
"Thank you, Miss. . . ?" he said, manners defying his exhaustion.
"Brooks, Audrey Brooks. And there's no need to thank me. I'm just glad I could help. You've done so much for everyone; it's time someone did something for you."
He smiled politely, at this point too tired to care about what she was talking about as he turned and made his way between two of the buildings. Apartments? A moment later he heard her leave, and only then did he pull back out of the alley and enter one of the buildings across the way through its back entrance, trusting his instincts to guide him.
O
Jimmy Olson stared at the morning paper, worried as much as he was thankful.
SUPERMAN SAVES CITY
Beneath it was a string of accompanying headlines, such as 'Citizenry Grateful to Hero' and 'Heavenly Body Hangs Suspended in Space'. Things were chaotic to say the least, and while the world celebrated the diverted disaster, the location of their savior was quickly becoming their new concern.
The scientists at the observatory hadn't been able to see what had happened to him, only that his efforts had saved them from catastrophe — at least for the moment.
Jimmy got up from the chair, certain he had heard something. Hoping it was Clark Kent, he hurried to the door, only to be disappointed. The hall was empty.
Mr. Kent had been AWOL for over twelve hours and no one knew where he was or where he had gone. And now that Superman was missing . . . Mr. Kent had certainly picked a fine time to disappear.
Jimmy shook himself. No, that was unfair. Mr. Kent must be gone for a reason. Maybe he was out looking for Superman? He was the only one who almost always knew where to find Superman, after all.
Suddenly, the knob of the front door jiggled. Jimmy shot out of his chair and swung the door open, certain Mr. Kent would be on the other side.
He startled, for a moment not recognizing the man standing before him, but then the color red caught his eye. Between the opening of the matte brown trench coat, a portion of the unmistakable letter 'S' was visible.
"Superman!" Jimmy jumped back, motioning him in. "Well you're a sight for sore eyes! There's gonna be a lot of people who are going to be relieved to hear you're alright!"
He watched Superman enter and it wasn't hard to see how exhausted he was. It was practically ebbing off of him.
"Are you alright, Superman?" he asked, closing the door.
Superman seemed to nod a little as he walked further into Mr. Kent's apartment.
"You look tired," Jimmy noted, unable to help himself.
"Tired. I am tired," Superman answered, taking off the dingy hat.
It unnerved Jimmy a bit that the hero would actually admit to feeling tired, but he decided to remain upbeat.
"Well, it's no wonder, after what you did!"
Jimmy remained still as Superman walked further in, his steps slow and meticulous. Jimmy tried to think about what he might be able to do to help.
"I'll tell you what, why don't you wait here? I'm sure Mr. Kent won't mind. That's why you came here, ain't it? To see Mr. Kent? Well, no one knows where he is but hopefully he'll be back soon. In the mean time, I can go get you something to eat if you like."
Jimmy was actually relieved when Superman nodded. He wanted, needed, to do something, even if it was something simple.
Superman shrugged off the trench coat and draped it over the nearby chair, leaving an odd sight. He had pants over his uniform. However, his slouched shoulders and tired face prevented Jimmy from asking questions.
"Maybe a shower will help too. You look exhausted, if you don't mind me saying so," Jimmy said, not liking the rising silence.
Superman slowly exhaled a breath thick with fatigue, making Jimmy remember the horrible evening when the hero had been exposed to kryptonite.
"A shower. That's a good idea. Thank you," he said.
Jimmy shook his head good-naturedly. "Really, Superman, it's me and everyone else who should be thanking you. Now, what kind of sandwich would you like?"
"Hm? Oh, anything will be fine."
"Alright. I'll be back right away, Superman."
Jimmy closed the door behind him, hoping a shower and some food would be just what Superman needed.
O o O
"I'm back!" Jimmy called, carrying the bag in and closing the door behind him.
The water to the shower was off, so he assumed Superman had just finished. His assumption was confirmed when he heard the master bathroom door open.
"I have the sandwiches and the coffee out here, Superman. I'll set it up on the table for you once I call the Chief and let him know you're—"
CRASH!
The crash was instantly followed by the sound of shattering glass. Jimmy didn't hesitate and rushed into the bedroom, not sure what he would find but never expecting the sight before him.
Superman, in nary a pair of kakis, lay unconscious beneath Mr. Kent's dresser with the glass from the dresser's mirror all over him and the floor.
"Superman!"
Jimmy heaved the dresser aside, rotating it about so it was no longer on Superman but facedown beside him. Carefully, he knelt down, putting his hand against Superman's neck and leaning forward to try and hear anything.
He was breathing, which was a relief, but it was shallow and slightly labored.
"Superman, if you can hear me, don't move."
Jimmy worked quickly, removing all the glass he could find before pulling Superman away and up onto the bed. He never appreciated how large Superman was, but after maneuvering him off the floor, he would be hard pressed to ever forget.
O
Mr. White was not a patient man, and now that Superman was missing along with the man who had a knack for always finding him, he was grumpy.
With a firm hand, he knocked on the door to Mr. Kent's apartment with Ms. Lane right behind him.
"This had better be important," he stated, wondering what was taking Jimmy so long to open the door.
Finally, it opened.
"Alright, now what is this all about? What could you not tell us over the phone?" White asked loudly as Jimmy stepped aside to let them enter.
"Shhh, Chief, please, keep it down," Jimmy said, before quickly adding, "He's resting."
White narrowed his eyes, but before he could say anything Lois stepped beside him.
"Who's resting?" Lois asked as Jimmy closed and locked the door.
"Superman," Jimmy said, once again motioning with his hands to keep it down. "He showed up here less than an hour ago. He was so tired I went ahead and went out to get him some food because it seemed like a good idea. I had planned on calling you all as soon as I got back, honest, but just when I was about to, he collapsed."
White, who was no longer upset, felt something heavy settle in his gut. "Collapsed?" he asked.
"He passed out, Chief. Must have tried to use the dresser to catch himself, but it ended up on top of him. It took me a while to get him into bed. He's heavier than you'd think."
"Why didn't you call us for help?" White asked, instantly frustrated. Sometimes he didn't know about Jimmy.
"But, Chief, I couldn't just leave him on the floor—" he said, before being cut off.
"Never mind what should've been done. How is he now, Jimmy?" Lois pressed fretfully.
"Come and see," Jimmy said, leading them to Mr. Kent's bedroom.
Superman was sound asleep in the bed, dressed in a simple button up pajama top with his uniform neatly folded on the side table that had barely been missed by the fallen dresser. Beside the bed on the floor, of course, was the broken dresser with much of the shattered glass piled onto its back; however, shards of glass could still be spotted here and there.
"How long has he been unconscious?" White asked.
"About twenty minutes, but he did wake up enough to drink some water just before you knocked. Nothing more than that, though," Jimmy answered.
"Any visible signs of injury?"
"No. Not a mark on him, which, considering all the glass, proves he's still at least somewhat invincible," Jimmy said.
"What should we do?" Lois asked, her voice a little shaky.
White straightened, but before he could think about what to do, Superman stirred. They quickly gathered beside his bed.
"Please, I'm alright," Superman said, shaking unseen cobwebs away as he tried to sit up. He blinked up at them, confused. "What happened to me?"
"You don't know?" Lois asked.
"Well, no. Not since I opened my eyes, I'm sorry."
"Are you alright, Superman?" Jimmy asked worriedly.
"What? What did you call me?" Superman asked, shifting himself forward slightly as if he wasn't sure he heard correctly.
"Superman."
"Who?" Superman asked, bewildered.
White and Jimmy looked at each other in shock while Lois covered her mouth with her hand in alarm.
"What's wrong? Don't any of you know me?" he asked.
"Superman, you mean you don't remember who—" Lois started, only to stop when White lifted his hand.
"What's the last thing you remember, son?" White asked, leaning forward and placing his hand on Superman's shoulder.
Superman frowned in thought. "Well, flashes of things. It's confusing. Fire. Darkness. I'm not even sure how I got here, sir."
Lois stifled a gasp, causing Superman's attention to shift to her.
"Who are you all? Am I supposed to know you?" he asked.
Lois blinked back tears as she looked pleadingly at Mr. White.
"Yes. I'm Perry White, Editor of the Daily Planet — a newspaper. This is Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane. They work for me," White explained.
"Oh. And my name? It's not really Superman, is it?" he asked.
"We're sorry, Superman, but no one knows your real name," White answered gently. "We suspect you might have a secret identity, as one of my other reporters seems to always manage to get a hold of you when we need you, but seeing as he's missing. . . ."
"Please, wait a minute," Superman said, raising a hand, unable to keep up. "A secret identity? Why would I need one of those?"
"You really don't remember anything, do you?" White said softly before taking a deep breath. "You have abilities. Special ones. You having a secret identity is actually a good idea, a necessity really. It's why I haven't seriously looked too much into you, to be honest. For a long time, I've understood that it's part of how you can do as much as you do for Earth. If someone, myself included, were to discover your identity and publicize it, it would do a huge disservice to humanity."
Superman slowly nodded. Mr. White wouldn't be surprised if Superman was fighting a headache. He was.
"What do I do? I mean, you said Earth. Am I really that important?"
"Son, you just stopped a five mile wide asteroid from landing on Metropolis, and that's just one incident where you've saved us. We owe you our lives several times over," White said firmly. "So yes, you really are that important."
Superman looked down, clearly troubled. "I don't remember anything."
"We'll figure this out, though I wish Kent would get back from wherever he's disappeared to," White said.
"Kent?" Superman asked. "Who is he?"
"Clark Kent," Jimmy answered. "He's the one who's always able to find you, and this is his apartment. He knows more about you than anyone."
"'Clark Kent' . . . that name does sound familiar," Superman admitted.
Jimmy suddenly perked up. "Part of you must have remembered him, which is why you came here."
"Which might mean he can help me," Superman said, swiftly sitting upright before promptly swaying.
"Jimmy!" White cried, grabbing hold of Superman's arm as the hero began to topple over the side of the bed.
Jimmy surged forward, barely managing to help White ensure Superman was eased back onto his pillow instead of off onto the floor.
"Easy, easy. Alright there?" White asked, mentally agreeing with what Jimmy had said before. Superman was heavier than one would think.
Superman didn't answer. He was too busy trying not to throw up.
"Lois, some water," White ordered.
"Yes, Chief."
Lois returned seconds later with a damp cloth and a fresh glass of water. Weaving around Jimmy and White, she dabbed the cool cloth on Superman's forehead and around his neck.
"Better?" Lois asked uncertainly.
"Mm-hm. Sorry," Superman managed, his eyes half open.
"Quite alright, Superman, but I think it's clear you need to rest. We'll find Kent for you and get a doctor," White said.
"A doctor, Chief? Would they be able to help him?" Jimmy asked.
"I don't know, but unless Superman objects I don't see why we shouldn't try. I'll contact Henderson and see if he knows anyone trustworthy who might be able to help. He needs to know about what's happening anyway," White said before turning back to Superman. "Superman, still with us, son?" he asked, gently giving his shoulder a shake.
Superman blinked up at him.
"I'm going to find you a doctor. Is that alright with you?" White asked.
"If you think it'll help, Chief. I trust you," Superman said.
White nodded and watched him drift off to sleep, too touched to feel annoyed that yet another person had the audacity to call him 'Chief'.
O
Henderson closed the door of his office and sat down behind his desk, having been told Mr. White was waiting on the line for him. Hoping against hope that it was good news, he picked up the phone.
"Henderson here. Mr. White?" he answered.
"Yes, Inspector, it's me. Are you alone right now?" Mr. White asked.
Henderson straightened in his chair. "Yes, I'm alone. I take it you have some news for me?"
"Yes. We found him, Inspector, but he needs a doctor, preferably one with in depth knowledge of head injuries — namely concussions. I hope you know of someone trustworthy?" White answered, not beating around the bush though not mentioning any names.
Henderson instantly knew who he was talking about.
"How bad?"
"I'd rather not discuss it over the phone, but I will say he's in no condition to do anything at the moment."
"Alright. I do have someone in mind. Where shall I bring them?"
"Clark Kent's place."
"Alright. I'll keep everything as quiet as I can and will do my best to get them to Kent's before the day is out."
"Thank you, Inspector."
"I'm just glad I can be of some help, Mr. White. And I'm extremely relieved he's been found."
"Yes, so am I. Good bye."
O
Superman opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of everything he could actually remember. None of it made much sense, although any doubts he had had about having special abilities were gone. He could sometimes hear things going on beyond the bedroom, even in the street outside. It had been jarring at first, but at least he knew it was normal — or at least normal for him. He just wished he could control it.
Jimmy and the others left him alone for the most part, clearly expecting him to sleep, which he did, but one could only sleep for so long. Fortunately, the unwavering fatigue had finally left him, but he didn't want to risk getting out of bed. He decided he had better wait until the doctor arrived.
The odd pressure returned to his ears, and he was suddenly aware of people talking in the living room just outside the bedroom.
"Has he been up since I left?"
He instantly recognized Mr. White's voice and could hear two other people come to a stop behind him, likely just entering the apartment with him.
He found it remarkable that he was able to differentiate the sounds so easily, even with the constant headache.
"No, but he did eat the meal I got for him earlier," Jimmy answered.
"That's good to hear, thanks, Jimmy. Now, this is Dr. Davis. If he asks for anything, get it for him," White said.
"I will, Chief," Jimmy said as White huffed at being called Chief. "So, do you really think you'll be able to help him, doctor?" Jimmy asked.
"I hope to, but I think I need to see this mysterious patient before I'll know for sure," Davis said. "All I know is that he collapsed earlier this morning after suffering some kind of head injury."
"I'm sorry, Jack, but I couldn't risk anyone overhearing at your office," another man said.
"It's alright. You told me this is important, which is why I agreed to come. I know you wouldn't leave me in the dark for no reason," Davis said.
"Well, there's definitely a reason, doctor. I'm sure you'll understand once you meet him," White said, moving toward the bedroom door. "In here."
The door opened and Mr. White led the other men in with Jimmy coming in last. Lois wasn't with them.
Superman looked at them all, partially propped up on pillows. The two men with White were completely unfamiliar to him — not that that was a surprise.
"I understand your caution," Davis stated, staring for a long moment before catching himself.
"Superman, this is Dr. Davis and Inspector Henderson," White introduced. "You've worked with the Inspector a number of times, but as far as I know have never met Dr. Davis."
The Inspector startled, looking at White in surprise. White nodded grimly.
"He doesn't remember anything before the asteroid. We even had to tell him about himself, which, unfortunately, isn't a whole lot beyond his abilities. We hope Kent will be able to help with that once he reappears," White explained.
"I see," Davis said, walking over to the side of the bed. "Well, Superman, I'd like to ask you some questions first, and then we'll go from there. If that's alright?"
"Yes, that's fine, Doctor," Superman answered.
"We'll wait outside," White said, ushering the others out.
"Thank you," Davis said as the door closed behind them.
"Are you friends of Mr. White?" Superman asked.
"I'm friends with Inspector Henderson, who is friends with Mr. White as well as Mr. Kent," Davis supplied, pulling up the little stool Jimmy had been kind enough to place in the room before his arrival. "Now, I was told you collapsed earlier today. Do you remember that?"
"Not really. I only vaguely remember walking into the apartment and seeing Jimmy. The next thing I remember is waking up in bed with Mr. White and the others around me."
Davis nodded. "Don't worry, that's not uncommon with concussions. How are you feeling right now? Please include any discomfort, no matter how slight." He leaned forward intently, as all good doctors seem to do.
"Well, mostly tired. My neck and shoulders hurt a bit, but not as bad as before, and I have a headache."
Davis hummed, pulling out a penlight. "Any dizziness or other uncomfortable sensations?" he asked, passing the light over his eyes and watching for how they reacted.
"If I move my head too quickly I get dizzy, but it seems to be getting better. I'm not as nauseous either. I have been hearing things though."
"Hearing things? Like a buzzing or a whine?" Davis asked, knowing such sounds were commonly heard among concussed patients.
"No. Voices and other things. I actually heard you all come in a little bit ago. And I've been hearing things outside off and on as well, like cars going down the road and even cats meowing. From what Mr. White and the others told me, I suspect it's one of my powers, but I don't remember how to control it," Superman explained.
"Ah, your super hearing," Davis said understandingly as he took out another gadget. "May I check your ears?"
Superman turned his head so he could look in his left ear.
"Hmm. There seems to be some swelling behind your eardrum. Your friends were right in suspecting a concussion. And considering your memory loss, it seems to be a severe one. I'm glad they've had you rest." He motioned to see the other ear. "Do you have any pain in this ear?"
"No, although my headache is worse on that side."
"I see traces of dried blood deep in the ear canal. Your eardrum seems fine, but I don't know how quickly you heal from injuries. You either suffered a ruptured eardrum and it's since healed, or you had a brain bleed. I would take you in for an x-ray, but I doubt we would get a helpful picture, even if you were like any other patient."
"What would a brain bleed mean?" Superman asked.
"We'd need to watch for certain signs indicating the bleeding hasn't stopped or is pooling somewhere and putting too much pressure on your brain. For anyone else, I would then take them to the hospital for surgery to relieve the pressure, but for you, we would need to manage the pressure another way. However, I haven't detected any worrying signs that that's the case," Davis assured. "You're coherent, your symptoms are improving, and your speech is completely understandable."
"That's a relief, but I wish my memories were returning. I still don't remember anything. Before the flashes of fire and darkness, it's completely blank. Quite disconcerting, let me tell you," Superman said with a frown.
Davis pursed his lips. "But the fact you can recall anything at all, even if it is right after the collision, is a good sign. And I understand that you got here on your own? Even though you cannot consciously remember your friend, Mr. Kent, part of you still recalled that you would receive help here. That is very encouraging. Try not to get too frustrated. From what I can see, your memories are still there, just buried under the trauma you suffered. Give yourself some time. You may be Superman, but you're not a god."
Superman smiled. "You know, that's actually good to hear."
"I'm glad. Now, do you feel up to standing? There's a few more things I'd like to check."
Superman nodded, slowly easing himself up off the bed.
O
Lois and Jimmy sat down at the living room table after they had finished dinner. Superman was sleeping again, which was normal and good according to the doctor.
"I wish we could find Mr. Kent. I mean, I just don't understand where he could have gone," Jimmy said.
"I looked everywhere and called everyone I could think of, even some of his contacts he doesn't know I know about. Nothing."
Jimmy sighed. "If he was here, I'd bet he could help Superman remember."
Lois leaned forward and frowned before glancing at the door. "That's just it, Jim. Maybe the reason why we can't find Clark is because . . . he's already here."
Jimmy blinked, utterly confused. "What?" He shook his head, slowly beginning to follow. "So, after all this time, you really think you could have been right before? That they're . . ."
"The same person," Lois finished, very serious. "It's the only explanation."
Jimmy went very still. "He did fit into Mr. Kent's clothes very well. And it explains why he somehow knew to come here, if he lives here."
"You see?" Lois said.
"I think you may be right, Ms. Lane," Jimmy stated.
"I'm certain I am, but what we need to do now is help Superman remember, and soon. If we've figured it out, chances are White or Henderson will too if Clark doesn't show up with a convincing reason why he was missing," Lois said.
"So how are we going to do that?"
"If we could find a spare pair of Kent's glasses and have him put them on—"
"There's a spare in the dresser. I saw them in the top drawer when I was putting it back up earlier with the Chief," Jimmy answered.
"Very good," Lois said, standing up with her purse and going toward the bedroom.
She raised her hand to the door and hesitated, but then she gathered her nerve and knocked, knowing it would wake Superman/Clark.
"Come in," Superman called.
Lois and Jimmy entered as Superman turned on the lamp by his bed.
"What is it?" he asked, a little concerned.
"Um." Jimmy looked uncertainly at Lois before turning on the room's main light.
"We've figured out who you are and want to help you remember," Lois explained, deciding to just say it.
Superman's eyes widened. "Alright."
At that, Lois promptly went to the broken dresser and pulled out the spare pair of glasses Jimmy had said were there.
"Try these on," she said, holding them out for Superman to take before digging in her purse to retrieve a small mirror she used to help touch up her makeup.
Although confused, Superman obliged and put them on his face. Jimmy stared, mouth agape.
"Here, Superman, look at yourself," Lois said, her voice thick with emotion.
He looked down at the mirror.
"Superman?" Jimmy asked when he had yet to move or speak.
"I'm. . . ." Superman frowned, his eyes staring distantly.
Jimmy looked worriedly at Lois, but then Superman smiled slightly.
"Do you . . . do you remember?" Lois asked hopefully, desperately.
"A little. Things are still hazy, but. . . ." He nodded to himself and closed his eyes. "I know who I am again."
Lois beamed, ecstatic, although her relief soon fell back to worry when Clark opened his eyes again, looking troubled.
"What is it?" Jimmy asked.
"I've been missing for over twenty-four hours. Clark Kent that is," he said before looking at them. "Can you tell me as much as you can about me? I think when Henderson and the others return tomorrow, they should find that Superman has left and Clark has returned."
"We'll tell you as much as we can before morning comes," Lois agreed.
O
Clark opened the door for Mr. White and Inspector Henderson just as the sun was beginning to rise.
"Kent! Kent, where on earth have you been?" White bellowed.
"It's a long story, Chief, and I was just about to call you," Clark began as Henderson looked around.
"Where's Superman?" Henderson asked, for some reason quite alarmed when he only saw Lois and Jimmy behind Clark.
"He left earlier this morning. I arrived late last night," Clark said, motioning them to sit down. "I had been waiting for him at a rendezvous point, but when he didn't show up I went looking for him—"
"Kent, as interested I am in hearing where you've been for the past 36 hours or so, we need to find Superman," Henderson stated.
Clark and the others frowned.
"What's wrong?" Lois asked.
"The scientists have discovered that the asteroid won't remain in orbit as they had originally thought. It's going to hit the earth unless it's destroyed soon," Henderson said gravely.
"Where's Superman?" White asked. "Why did he leave?"
"Clark spoke to Superman a bit after he learned about the memory loss, Chief," Lois explained.
"Yeah, and something Clark said helped him remember a bit," Jimmy supplied.
"After that, Superman told us he had to leave to take care of something. He didn't elaborate," Lois finished.
"Kent, we need you to find Superman," White said. "He needs to go to the Observatory. The scientists there have made a plan with the military, but they need him to make it happen."
Clark stepped around them and into the doorway.
"I'll tell him right away!" Clark exclaimed as he dashed out, the door slamming behind him.
O
He landed just outside the Observatory and was quickly spotted.
"Superman!"
The scientists rushed over, so focused on the current emergency to even think about asking where he had been for the past few days.
"I know we haven't much time. What do you need me to do?" Superman asked.
The center scientist took charge, motioning him over to a large metal box resting behind them, while another scientist held out a sheet of paper with an image of the asteroid.
"We need you to set the bomb here and then set it off," the scientist said while pointing to the left side of the asteroid in the photograph. "It has a fifteen second delay. Will that give you enough time to distance yourself from it?"
Superman nodded his head. "Will the bomb destroy the asteroid?"
"It'll force it away from the earth and alter its trajectory enough to ensure it won't be a problem again," the scientist explained.
Superman nodded before taking the bomb and flying away.
O
Clark stepped into his office and wasn't surprised to find Jimmy and Lois waiting for him.
He closed the door securely behind him.
Jimmy and Lois both looked relieved at seeing he was alright.
"We just heard from the scientists. You did it!" Lois said while Jimmy was grinning from ear to ear.
"And you didn't have any trouble this time!" Jimmy added, before hesitating. "Right?"
"This time I let explosives do the work," Clark assured.
"And your memories? Have they become clearer?" Lois asked.
"Crystal. I believe I have them all back," Clark answered confidently.
"That's wonderful news!" Lois beamed.
Clark nodded, although it was clear he was concerned about something. It wasn't hard for Lois and Jimmy to figure out what.
"We won't tell anyone, Mr. Kent," Jimmy promised.
"Yeah, and if you want, from this point on, we won't act as if we know — even in private," Lois said.
"That might be best, Ms. Lane," Clark said, slipping into his Superman persona.
Lois nodded understandingly. "But if you ever need help, just let us know. Especially if you need one of us to cover for you where the Chief is concerned."
"I'm glad you understand how important this secret is," Clark said, relieved, before giving them a soft smile. "And I very well might ask for your help in the future. I think recent events prove that sometimes even Superman needs help."
"Well, we're here for whatever you might need," Lois promised with Jimmy nodding in agreement. "And that doesn't just go for Superman."
"I appreciate that, you two, I really do," Clark said sincerely, even as the reality that two people now knew his secret truly began to sink in.
Superman was no longer the insurmountable entity he had been to Lois and Jimmy, but as he looked at them, he couldn't find it within himself to mind.
~The End~