Chapter Four
Chaos
Diana made no threatening gestures since revealing her weapons. She watched as Chloe shook her head in bewilderment at her statement and was at an obvious loss as to what to say.
Martha Kent, having spent a significant amount of time in the U.S. Senate, was not one to be caught by surprise anymore. "Daughter? Chloe Kent? There must be some mistake … Chloe?"
Chloe looked to Martha. "I … I … we used … intended …"
Martha saw Chloe go pale as the blood rushed out of her face. "Chloe," she said as she pulled a chair out from the table. "Sit down, you're about to pass out."
She dropped to the chair abruptly and stared at Diana. "How?"
"You did not know you were with child?" asked Diana.
Chloe bordered on the edge of panic. "No!"
In the interim Martha handed Chloe a glass of water. "Drink this. Catch your breath." And then to Diana she continued. "How, exactly, do you know about my son and Chloe and more importantly a baby?"
Diana unbuckled her harness and set her weapons aside then calmly sat across from Chloe at the table. "You offered coffee, Madam. I will begin my tale."
0
"I was raised in a hidden valley in Georgia near the Black Sea known to my people as Themyscira. My people have been known by several names over the millennia; most relevant are Sarmatian and Amazonian. We were and still are a warrior people though it has been just over half a century since our last conflict."
Chloe's color seemed to be returning due to the distraction of an interesting tale.
"We are a gifted people: art, philosophies, sport, but underneath in the core of our soul is the desire for conflict." She paused to sip at the cup, grimacing at the bitter taste.
"Sugar, cream?" Martha offered.
Diana accepted and continued. "We have worshiped at the temples of the gods, our ancestors. And we have …"
Chloe stopped her there. "Wait a minute. You say you are descended from actual gods?"
Diana nodded. "As are you Chloe Kent."
She shook her head again. "You called me that before. My name is Sullivan. Clark and I are not married … um … sorta," she said as she covered her face with her hand and moaned. "Can you wait here for a minute?"
Diana sipped at her coffee again as she watched Chloe move to the living room to relative privacy.
Chloe lifted her silver bracelet close to her mouth. "Jor-el I need to speak with Clark."
"Chloe Sullivan, Kal-el is involved with his studies. Did we not have this conversation already concerning interruptions?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Jor-el do you want to be the one to tell Clark that you are going to become a grandfather or would you like me to do it?"
A noticeable silence stood over the com link before the voice of her intended responded. "Chloe, what's wrong. All the crystals in the Fortress just turned … I think it's pink."
"Clark," she tried her best not to sound worried. "I need you to come home right now."
"Chloe?"
"Clark, I need you. Hurry," she whimpered.
"Hold on, baby, I'm on my way."
With that she broke the link. Martha stood by the entryway and then moved to bring Chloe into a hug.
Chloe sobbed into Martha's shoulder. "He's coming."
Diana stood and looked out the screen door and then back to the women in the living room.
"How do you know?" Chloe demanded in an anguished cry. "How do you know that I'm …"
Diana closed to her and placed a hand on her head. "Chloe, you are a child of Demeter. Look within yourself and tell me if I am false?"
Diana's hand grew warm on her forehead seemingly releasing something inside. Just then a loud BOOM shook the house. As soon as it happened it was gone and all three of them heard, "Chloe!"
Clark slammed open the screen door and sped into the living room. "Chloe?"
She let go of Martha and almost jumped into his arms. Again she felt tiny once more, but the feeling of safety overwhelmed anything else in her mind.
"Chloe, baby, what's wrong?" Clark pleaded. "Mom, what happened?"
Before she answered he noticed a third person in the room and directed a considerable amount of anger into his voice. "Who are you? Did you hurt her?"
Diana backed away. "I did not physically hurt your beloved; however I seemed to have inadvertently …"
"Clark, take me to the loft," asked Chloe in her tiniest voice.
His face set in determination, he glared at Diana when he lifted Chloe into his arms and sped away. A moment later he set her down on the couch in the loft and knelt by her side slowly running his hand through her hair in soothing motions.
Worry filled his voice. "Chloe, you're scaring me. What's wrong?"
She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Clark's neck. "I – I just found out something – something that might change the way you feel about me."
He chuckled lightly. "You're nuts. Nothing's going to …"
She never let him finish and hit him sharply on the back. "Clark, I need you to do something for me."
He retreated out of her embrace. "Anything, you name it and it's yours."
She looked into his eyes and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I need you to listen to me. I mean listen to my body and tell me what you hear."
Clark's brow furrowed in confusion. "What …"
"Just do it for me, okay?"
He turned his head to the side and concentrated, focusing his hearing as Jor-el taught him at the top and moved his way down her body as she asked. Blood flow to the brain sounds normal, lungs are labored but well within normal limits considering she's upset, heartbeat rapid, but again normal, digestive system – stomach normal …
His eyes widened at what he heard next. A faint rapid beating under her midsection right near – no right at … He turned his head and his X-ray vision delved into Chloe.
"You can see her, can't you?" asked Chloe tentatively.
He was almost speechless but uttered a single word. "Her?"
Chloe nodded. "According to Diana we're going to have a baby girl."
Clark cut off his X-ray vision and looked up into her eyes. He was struck dumb trying in vain to know what to say, what to feel, until he looked into her eyes. He saw the uncertainty, but most of all he saw the fear of how she thought he was going to react.
"Chloe," he spoke straightly.
"Yeah," she croaked.
"Are you thinking silly thoughts?" he smiled directly afterward.
She saw his face and the acceptance and mischief that she always loved. Rolling her eyes upward she jumped into his arms and choked out a laugh. "Yes!"
Clark lifted her up in his arms. "We're having a baby!"
She giggled into his neck and squeezed him as hard as she could. "I love you."
He dropped her to her feet on the couch and she looked eye to eye with him. "I love you too."
Clark picked her back up and sped just outside the barn door. "I'll be right back. I've got to go get something. Will you wait for me?"
Chloe nodded and waited for him to speed away.
Clark smirked. "You calling me like that. Well, you scared the heck out of me and something kinda kicked in."
She followed his train of thought to its obvious conclusion. "No -- way!"
"Way."
Clark crouched down when he noticed his mother opening the screen door. With a broad smile he leaped upward and shot off into the air. At the height of his leap he turned ninety degrees toward the direction of Metropolis and a loud BOOM sounded again as he broke the sound barrier.
Martha ran from the porch with a worried look on her face. "Please tell me that Kal-el hasn't taken him over again."
Chloe clasped her hands together almost want to clap with happiness. "He can fly!"
Martha looked back up into the sky in a vain attempt to see her son. "He's full of surprises today." Then she turned to Chloe. "Is what Diana said true?"
Chloe, not wanting to take her eyes away from where she last saw Clark, looked down. "We're going to have a little girl," she said simply.
"Well, you have been busy."
Chloe looked back at Martha. "We're not married. Don't worry I wouldn't take a wedding away from you." She paused for a second. "And if I know Clark we might be setting a date when he gets back."
Martha set her hand against her chest. "Oh good, I thought he was going back to Jor-el."
Chloe shook her head. "He asked me to wait for him. And I know he wants to see you." She laughed. "I also know he's been missing your cooking … your pies really."
Martha laughed. "Well I guess I better get busy then."
They walked together up to the porch and Chloe, with a small smile on her face, sat on the swing looking at the clear blue sky waiting for her intended.
0
Dr. Williams attached the last of the electrodes to various portions of the unknown man's head and checked the settings on the equipment that they were attached. "I'm going to set it for half gain, Maxwell. Are you ready?"
Maxwell breathed deep and let it out slowly and then nodded.
Dr. Williams pushed a final button and Maxwell closed his eyes.
0
After returning briefly to the Fortress Clark flew to Metropolis and made one of the biggest and most important purchases he had ever made. A smile stood as a constant on his face the entire way.
The saleslady smirked at the easy prey. "Excited?"
Clark nodded but didn't look up, distracted by all of the glittering jewelry in the glass display case. "That one," he said. "Third row, second from the left."
The saleslady's eyes sparkled. "Do you know the size?"
"Six," answered Clark without a second thought.
She turned around and rummaged around the cabinet behind the counter and returned a moment later setting a display stand on the counter and a polishing cloth to the side. After removing any remaining dust or fingerprints she placed it on the stand and turned it around for inspection.
Clark stared intently, turning it side to side. "I'll take it."
"Excellent," replied the saleslady.
Clark reached into his backpack and retrieved the necessary cash to make his purchase when he was struck with an occurrence he had never experienced before, a headache.
"Sir?" the saleslady said with concern. She made a motion to her nose.
Clark winced and wiped away at his face. Pulling his hand down he saw blood on his fingers. He stepped back somewhat alarmed and took advantage of the box of tissues the saleslady offered.
"It's the cold you know," she said matter-of-factly. "All the dry air messes with sinuses."
Clark nodded thankful for the excuse and concluded the purchase as quick as he could.
0
Maxwell frowned with frustration. "I can't get him; too much resistance."
Dr. Williams nodded and turned to the control panel. "I'm taking it up to seventy-five percent. Try again."
0
On the flight home Clark tried to put the unexpected nosebleed out of his mind; he had more important things to think about. The farm came into view and he slowed to a landing in the driveway in front of the barn. Turning, he saw Chloe sitting on the swing and watched as it stopped suddenly.
A very nervous look appeared on her face, but Clark noticed it was rimed with shining eyes and a mouth that was trying desperately not to break out in a grin he loved so much. He gripped the plush box in his hand and blew out in resolve.
"Here it goes," he said to himself.
He strode confidently up to the porch and saw Chloe was gripping the arm of the swing with white knuckles.
"Hey," he said like he does everyday when he walks into their bedroom after lessons.
"Hey yourself," she replied in kind relaxing somewhat.
"Sorry it took so long."
Chloe thought about the possible double meanings of that statement and grinned in response. "I knew you'd grow into me sooner or later."
Clark's brows furrowed for a moment and whisked it away as Chloe's dry wit. He knelt down on one knee and brought his head up. He watched as his Intended caught a sharp breath.
"This is it, isn't it?"
Clark grinned in questioned response.
She swallowed. "This is the moment I'm going to remember for the rest of my life."
He didn't answer right away. "Chloe, I've been running this through my head for the last few months, ever since we had that talk about … well about being my Intended."
She nodded slightly and he saw how her eyes were welling up, threatening to spill over any second.
"I need you to know how important you are to me. How much you've changed my life for the better. I've tried to find a way to do this ever since."
Chloe ran her left hand tightly down her jeans to her knee and gripped.
"I could have easily given up to Jor-el anytime over the last few years. I could have become what he wanted me to be." He looked down. "But see, all I've wanted to do for the last year is be the person that you wanted me to be. That's why I came for you, Chloe. I can't live another minute with any semblance of sanity and not know if you'll be mine forever."
He looked back up into her eyes. He saw the trails of tears loosed onto her cheeks and the smiling eyes behind them.
"Would you be my wife?"
He cracked open the plush box and presented the diamond solitaire.
Chloe couldn't take it anymore and bounced into his arms. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
She found his lips in less than a second and they christened their engagement with much fervor. Less than a minute later she backed away and held out her left hand spreading her finger. "Put it on, slacker! Put it on!"
Clark got caught up with her excitement and did as she commanded only the moment he had the ring at the tip of her finger his head exploded in pain.
"AAaaaarrrgggghhh!" he yelled as he gripped the sides of his head in agony.
The ring immediately forgotten, Chloe screamed, "CLARK!"
He fell against the railing and Chloe watched as blood poured out of his nose down his face. She grabbed his shoulders and tried to lay him down. The pain and worry ran in her voice. "Clark! What's happening! What's wrong?!"
He lay withering in agony rocking back and forth.
0
Maxwell shuttered in concentration and grit between his teeth. "I…need…more."
Dr. Williams once again turned to the control panel. "One hundred percent!"
Maxwell redoubled his efforts.
0
Martha Kent dashed out of the door. "What happened? Oh my God, Clark!"
She saw the blood flowing down his face and almost panicked. "Clark, can you hear me?"
Diana stood close to the door looking on at the fallen symbol of her quest and concentrated. Her eyes widened a moment later and she yelled, "Get back, get back!"
Martha flinched backward but Chloe hung on trying in vain to help her fiancé.
Diana stepped inside blocking Martha and grabbed Chloe by her arms. "I may be able to help your beloved."
Chloe looked up in desperation.
"You have to back away and let me help him," Diana pleaded.
She let go of him and stumbled back when she saw Clark grab onto Diana's arm and growled out in sudden calm, "Let her go."
Diana swung her head back and her eyes widened. "Oh no."
Clark didn't wait and deepened his grip tearing her away from Chloe and flinging her out into the yard. "I said get away!"
Diana landed on her back with a resounding THUMP!
Clark was to his feet in less than a second. "I told you to stay away from her!"
Diana turned around in the dirt and scrambled to her feet bracing herself for what was to come. Clark's fists clenched and he sped to face his enemy. "NOBODY THREATENS HER!"
He swung his left fist and it was blocked away by Diana as her right arm connected with his with a loud grunt sounding deep within her chest.
Diana's face hardened. She tried to grapple with his arm hoping to swing him into a more submissive hold only she didn't see him bringing up his right fist in a thundering uppercut to her jaw. The shockwave from the swing smashed the windows in the front of the house and blew Chloe and Martha to the floor of the porch. Diana flew into the air and out of sight into the tree line almost a mile away.
He turned and saw Chloe on the floor of the porch making her way back up with Martha beside her.
"YOU!" Clark screamed as he saw Martha holding Chloe. "I told you to leave her ALONE!"
Chloe's eyes widened as she watched Clark speed up and grab a hold of his mother. "CLARK, NO!"