Disclaimer: I only own the characters not normally seen on the show…

Summary: "Clark, in case you haven't noticed, Hell is pouring down on Kansas right now--."

(--)

"Welcome to Wayne Enterprises, Senator," Bruce said, his arms extended outwards like he was embracing his company. Martha was impressed by the sheer size of the building. She had passed it a few times in her rare trips into Gotham, but had never ventured inside. Now she was speechless.

The lobby was decorated in a sleek modern design but with some less menacing attributes: a fountain, although made of square-cut marble stone, produced a calming lull in the room that took away from the Goliath-monstrousness that gave Martha a feeling of being out of place. She was just a farmer's widow, a small-town woman suddenly thrown into the large, cruel world of billionaire conglomerates. Not that she was a stranger, she had worked for Lionel Luther for several years, but still, she always felt like a minnow in the ocean.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lucious Fox asked, stepping to her shoulder.

"Oh, yes," Martha agreed. It was beautiful; Martha had always appreciated the minimalist-style architecture, but she still preferred the quiet comfort of her farmhouse home. Memories seemed to bounce off the walls here, never sticking. Her house was laden with memories that seeped from the walls.

"Of course, it's not home," Bruce commented on the look Martha hadn't realized was on her face.

"No, Mr. Wayne, it's not," Martha granted. She also appreciated good character, and she was beginning to think that, despite his layers of mystery and lies, Bruce Wayne had good character.

"Please, we'll go up to my office," Bruce held out an arm toward the elevator, allowing Martha to lead the way. She nodded politely and walked toward the stainless steel doors.

She waited in the elevator a moment before Bruce stepped in next to her. She frowned when Mr. Fox did not join them. She recalled the Bruce had said he was the President, Martha assumed that meant he would be joining them at the meeting, but the doors closed and Lucious remained on the other side.

"Mr. Fox is an excellent member of the board, but he has other plans this evening," Bruce answered her unasked question. Martha nodded and smiled.

"Mr. Wayne, I believe I made myself clear on the plane that I won't have my time wasted," Martha said.

"That you did," Bruce consented.

"This is merely a preliminary meeting."

"Mrs. Kent, this is hardly even a meeting," the elevator ding-ed and Bruce held the door for Martha, "this only drinks between two people hoping to better acquaint themselves with one another in hopes that they may become friends."

Martha looked at the man who was almost half her age. He knew she was afraid of her political opponents getting wind of their meeting. Though she knew nothing inappropriate was taking place that evening, the tabloids and newspapers would not necessarily print the truth. But Bruce Wayne could dismiss the problem with a wave of his hand and well-issued statement.

She was impressed as she took a seat in one of the chairs that decorated the board room. Bruce did not, as she had expected, sit down at the head of the table, instead he sat down in the chair at her right hand. She realized, with some motherly pride, that Bruce Wayne was not going to be like anything she had expected.

"Now, please don't misunderstand me, Senator, I would like to show you my proposal but I understand the political scrutiny you are under as well," Bruce began.

He stopped when an elderly gentlemen appeared from the shadows dressed in a butler's uniform. He looked rather old but Martha sensed a youthful spirit, solidified by the twinkle in his eyes. She was slightly surprised by the look he gave Bruce, one that Martha knew well, it was exactly how Jonathon had looked at Clark; the paternal pride that had made her heart swell.

"Alfred, will you please get the Senator a drink," Bruce asked. It wasn't an order, it was merely a question. Martha was impressed by the way Bruce talked to a man who was his servant. It reinforced the belief that Alfred was more of a father than a butler to Bruce.

"Senator?" Alfred turned to her.

"A soda will be fine, Alfred, thank you."

"A Coke, madam?" Alfred further inquired.

"Yes, thank you," Martha replied.

Alfred turned to Bruce, "Master Bruce?" Bruce glanced sideways at Martha before looking back to his manservant.

"I'll have a Coke as well, Alfred, thank you."

"Very good sir." Alfred excused himself with a bow and disappeared into the dark recesses beyond the light's glow. Martha looked at Bruce with a faint smile, a sentiment which he returned. Somehow, although he was nothing like him, Bruce reminded her of Clark.

Martha and Jonathon had always tried to give Clark a home and family and normal life, but despite their efforts, Clark was not normal, and neither was Bruce. Martha imagined that Bruce's parents must have known that their son was not going to be normal either. It was different, of course, Thomas Wayne didn't have to worry about his son sneezing the house down, but Bruce would live as a different outcast. A child of money was always set apart from the world, often viewed as insensitive and arrogant, they were made into careless philanderers.

It was the way Bruce was often portrayed: careless, the complete opposite of his father, a boozy billionaire who had once burned down his house while in a drunken stupor. Martha had done plenty of research after Bruce had called her. She had found every article ever written about the man, learning his tortured history filled with death, and loss. Martha felt akin to the young man: losing Jonathon was the hardest thing she had ever been through, but unlike the mysterious billionaire, Martha had the unyielding love of her son, and even of people like Lois and Chloe, who were both like daughters to her.

Poor Bruce had only his butler to suffer through the difficult times.

"You remind me of my mother," Bruce said suddenly, in a moment of true honestly. Martha had gotten the feeling, since meeting him, that although Bruce promised her honesty, he had been playing more to his tabloid image than the one Martha was seeing now.

"Your mother was an amazing woman, I'm honored to be bestowed with such a compliment," Martha replied truthfully.

"Thank you; she was, you're right, she was an amazing woman," Bruce agreed straightening in his seat.

"You seem quite close to Alfred," Martha commented.

"He raised me after my parents died. He's really the father I remember," Bruce replied.

"You don't talk about your family often do you?" Martha inquired gently.

"Would you?" Bruce stared at her. His eyes were dark and she was sure that he wasn't really seeing her. She felt that perhaps his mind was drifting back to a time before, when a different Martha would chastise him about honesty and a loving father was not also his butler. Her heart went out to the young man, he was tortured far more than Martha had thought.

"Master Bruce," Alfred's voice broke through the silence of the past. He was carrying a tray with their sodas. He handed Martha her drink and placed Bruce's on the table.

"Thank you, Alfred," Bruce said absently.

(--)

She couldn't sit still. It was bad enough that she was panicking like a crazy person but she even keep herself in one spot for more than a second. She was walking back and forth in the same small 5x5 area at Fort Thomas, Shelby following every movement. Her mind was racing. She'd already called Chloe to make sure her cousin was okay but the call had done nothing to calm Lois' nerves.

Several military personnel walked past her, shuffling people in and out of the room. Many refugees had sat down in a corner or against the wall, exhausted and scared, refusing to move any further. The soldiers were getting annoyed, Lois could tell by their forced tones. She wished that she could be like those people, just sit down, no panicked pacing, no labored breathing, just relax: Clark was going to be fine.

"Lois!" The General's voice echoed through the room and Lois turned to face him, "You need to calm down, Lo, I taught you how to survive in situations like this. What's the first rule?"

Lois rolled her eyes, she really didn't need a drill sergeant right now, she needed a father. "Don't panic," she recited.

"Affirmative and you are panicking, soldier," her father snapped.

Lois had enough. She threw her hands up in the air, "Oh, god! I'm not one of your mindless soldiers!"

"Don't you take that tone with me, Lois," he waved a finger at her.

"I'll take whatever tone I want, General!" She pronounced the 'General' with such disdain is practically leaked with sarcasm.

"You will respect my authority, Lois," the General stated. It left little room for argument, but Lois was her father's daughter, she wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Your authority…sure, I'll respect it, when you deserve it!"

The General froze, rooted to the spot. He was used to Lois' rebellion, her insubordination, her pointed remarks but she had never questioned his say-so. His eyes blazed: not only was Lois being defiant but she was embarrassing him in front of several of the refugees who were looking to him for leadership; now his own daughter was treating him like a private.

"Lois Lane, if you continue this disobedience--!"

"If…oh, Dad, you can bet I'll continue."

General Lane felt his chest constrict in anger.

"Some father you turned out to be. Jonathon Kent was more a father to me than you ever were! They were my real family."

The pain in his chest was getting worse. It was like Lois' words were a clamp on his heart, squeezing tighter with every insult. The feelings were moving through his body now, his fingers were tingling: he wanted to hit her. He raised his arm but the pain suddenly became more intense than anything he'd ever felt. He cried out as the world swam and he collapsed on the floor.

Lois gasped as her father yelled in pain, clutched at his chest and collapsed onto the cold concrete. She forgot everything she'd been saying and threw herself at his side. He was still breathing but it was labored and uneven. She checked his pulse, placing her fingers at his throat. His heart beat twice quickly and then one at bit later. Heart attack, her mind flashed to Jonathon Kent; it was how he had died.

"Someone get help!" she yelled. People, some soldiers, some refugees, had surrounded them when the General had fainted, but none of them were moving.

"Call an ambulance!" Lois said again, this time looking at the people around her. They seemed to break from their trance and scurry in different directions. Military officers were radioing for a bus; a woman gave Lois her coat to put under the General's head.

Everything started happening slow motion: Lois felt herself falling away backwards as people started taking care of her father for her. EMTs arrived in a moment with a stretcher and lifted the General onto the bed. They pulled the stretcher toward the door as a Captain pushed Lois after them. He informed the EMTs that Lois was the General's daughter.

Lois felt herself sit down beside her father but she wasn't connected to the world around her. She wasn't connected to her body; there was some angry voices as Shelby leapt into the ambulance as well; he jumped onto the seat next to Lois and rested his head in her lap. Absently, Lois placed a hand on the dog's head, more for her comfort than his.

The doors closed and Lois stared into space at the wall across from her. She felt the ambulance start to move and caught the sight of snowflakes falling rapidly out the window beside her head. She distantly heard the voices of the EMTs; she wasn't sure who they were talking to.

The ambulance stopped with a jolt. The nearest EMT opened the door and jumped out, followed closely by Shelby. He held out a hand for Lois. Her muscles felt like lead as she took his hand and hopped down into the foot of snow that had piled on the driveway. She looked up at the brightly lit Metropolis General Hospital. It felt like Christmas; but as lightning lit up the black sky, Lois saw that the frightening clouds had not moved.

She realized with some unease that there were dozens of people around her, including camera crews and a reporter from the Channel 6 news. She wasn't sure if they were trying to talk to her, but it didn't matter, she couldn't hear them anyway. She couldn't hear anything besides her own breathing.

The EMTs pushed her inside as they wheeled the General out of the snow. Nurses rushed to the side of the gurney, assessing the damage; Lois still felt like she was watching the whole scene from somewhere outside her body. Someone was talking to her again, but didn't hear them. She just stood there, watching as nurses and doctors wheeled her father away from her. She wondered briefly if this was how Clark felt when his father died--like everything and nothing was happening at the same time.

"Excuse me, Miss," the voice sounded far away.

"That's the General's daughter," said one of the EMTs.

"Oh," the triage nurse covered her mouth with her hand, "Is she okay?"

"Shock, I think," replied the EMT.

"Well, okay," the nurse moved closer to Lois; she placed her arms around Lois' shoulders and moved her over to a nearby chair, "darling, I'm going to get you some coffee, okay? You just sit here with your dog and relax, okay, Sweetie?"

Lois felt herself nod. The chair underneath her was uncomfortable but it didn't matter. She felt Shelby jump up beside her and nestle his head in her lap once more. She smiled faintly when she didn't sneeze.

Lois took the cup of coffee the nurse handed her but didn't drink it or speak. She just held it. She saw the nurse hesitate and then sit down beside her without really seeing anything. The nurse took the coffee out of her hand and placed the cup on the floor. Then she held Lois' hand between hers.

"Is there someone I should call? Your mom, maybe?" the nurse asked. She was fishing for something, some response, but the young woman next to her wasn't taking the bait.

"Chloe," Lois whispered softly.

"Chloe? Is her number in your phone?" the nurse asked. Lois nodded still keeping her eyes plastered on the double doors where her father had disappeared. The world was crashing down around her. Her father was in the hospital and Clark was not there to protect her, to hold her hand and tell her everything was going to be all right. She felt herself start to cry.

She covered her face in her hands as the nurse put her arm around Lois' shoulders and squeezed them tightly. Lois sobbed harder. She heard the nurse cooing in her ear, trying to calm her down. Lois suddenly wished Martha Kent was there: Martha or Chloe, someone to take care of her for once; and she desperately wished Clark would come back.

(--)

"Master Bruce," Alfred appeared out of the shadows again.

"What is it Alfred?" Bruce asked looking at the old man. Martha glanced up from Bruce's proposal.

"Master Bruce, I believe there is something the Senator would like to see," he pressed the 'Power' button the remote in his hand and two panels on the opposite wall moved apart to reveal a television set into the oak paneling. The T.V. flickered on to a news anchor standing in the snow.

"I'm Katie Licota, reporting live from Metropolis General Hospital where hundreds of people have been brought after the horrific thunder storms today. Injuries have ranged from broken bones to severe burns and other, more fatal, injuries." The picture changed from the anchorwoman to an ambulance unloading an EMT and a very familiar Golden Retriever. Shelby. Martha's breath caught in her chest as Lois climbed out followed by someone who looked like General Lane lying on a stretcher.

Bruce was watching Martha intently, only half listening to the report. She really did remind him of his own mother. He felt himself grin as he thought of Martha taking care of her family like his mother had done. He glanced back at the television set. The picture of the young woman and dog were gone, and the reporter was back talking about how much snow had accumulated in the last few hours. Martha Kent's face had not changed: she seemed to be silently panicking.

He knew that his proposal meant a lot to the Senator, but she didn't care about a billionaire with a few unusual ideas, especially not when her family may have been in danger. He looked at Alfred; his old friend knew exactly what was running through his mind.

"Alfred, get the Jet ready," Bruce said, breaking the silence in the room. Martha Kent looked at him, surprised.

"But…?"

"Your family needs you," Bruce replied. He got to his feet and turned to Alfred, "Make sure they're ready to leave in ten minutes; we have somewhere we have to be."

"Very good, Master Bruce," Alfred replied disappearing once more. Bruce stood and held out his hand for Martha.

"Thank you," she said softly, taking his hand and rising from her chair.

"Anytime," Bruce responded. He placed a hand on the small of her back as they walked back toward the elevator.

Bruce's private jet was no longer comfortable and relaxing, now Martha felt like she was in a tight box with little or no air left. She was beginning to panic again. She had seen Lois on the television, but no Clark. Where the hell was he? Why wasn't he with Lois? What had happened to Sam? Was Chloe all right? Martha felt her heart rate increasing rapidly.

She reminded herself to breath: that panicking was not going to get them to Metropolis any faster. She sat back in the chair and stared out into the dark August night. It wasn't snowing in Gotham but Martha still could not see the stars: they always brought her the strangest kind of comfort. She wished that they could do so now.

(--)

Chloe rushed through the halls of the swamped Daily Planet. For the first time in a very long time, Chloe didn't recognize the face of the reporters she saw every day. The building was packed with people who had been evacuated from their homes, haggard-looking employees who, like Chloe, were trying to help, and the military who was doing their best to keep things orderly.

The building had gotten power back thanks to some dedicated Metropolis Light and Power technicians but it didn't make the scene anymore comforting. Chloe had been inconspicuously searching the faces of the displaced hoping to see Lois and Clark among the rescued but so far she'd had no such luck.

General Lane had stopped in to see that she and Jimmy were okay in the heaviest part of the storm. Chloe told him that Lois and Clark were at the farm watching movies on their day off. The General had muttered something under his breath which Chloe had assumed was about Clark before telling Chloe not to panic that he was heading out with a team to retrieve Lois and Clark from the farm.

That had been hours ago and there was no word from any of them. Chloe was busy using what little medical skills she had to patch up a woman's bleeding hand when Jimmy ran up beside her. She gave him a quick smile and told the woman that she was going to be just fine.

"Chloe, Lois is at the hospital," he said quietly but with a serious look. Chloe's heart stopped. Her breath caught in her chest.

"What?"

"Yeah, apparently your uncle had a heart attack. They brought him to Metropolis General to do a bypass. A nurse just called your cell phone," as Jimmy explained this Chloe remembered leaving her phone on her desk when the phone had gone out. She couldn't believe she hadn't had it on her, what if Lois or Clark had try to call and couldn't get a hold of her.

"How's Lois?" Chloe asked.

"She's fine physically, but the nurse says she's freaked out. She wants you to come down," Jimmy answered.

"Yeah, okay," Chloe started back to her desk to get her bag, Jimmy close on her heels.

"I'll drive," he said taking her keys that were dangling from her fingers. Chloe didn't argue but let Jimmy take her hand and pull her through the DP building. They took the elevator down to the parking garage and Jimmy led them to Chloe's car. He took a minute to put the convertible top up as Chloe climbed into the passenger side.

Gunning the engine, they sped from the garage out into the snow in the direction of Metropolis General. Chloe watched the flakes falling around the car as they drove through the crowded streets. She silently begged Jimmy to drive faster but she knew that with the weather of the day the roads were far more than just a little icy. So she kept her mouth shut and prayed that everything was going to be all right.

As they approached the hospital, Chloe couldn't help but notice how many people were standing around it in the freezing cold. Jimmy honked the horn a few times but people wouldn't move. He looked at Chloe.

"You go, I'll try to find a parking spot and I'll meet you upstairs," he said. Chloe smiled and kissed him. She jumped out of the car and pushed her way through the hordes of people to the main entrance of the hospital. People around her started gasping and pointing at the sky, drawing Chloe's attention away from the revolving doors of the hospital. She saw what seemed to be a helicopter landing on the roof of the building. It wouldn't have drawn her attention but the chopper didn't have the usual red-cross on it, nor was it military.

Chloe let the thought fall away like the flakes that were still drifting around her head. She pushed her way through the remaining people and finally laid her hand on the door.

"Hold on there Miss," a deep, gruff voice said by her ear. She looked up to see a machine gun pointed directly at her nose, "Unless you're bleeding you're not getting in there."

"My cousin is inside, my uncle had a heart attack, you might know him, General Samuel Lane," Chloe snapped. The officer straightened and gave her a short salute before opening the door for her. Chloe stepped inside the brightly lit lobby of the hospital and smiled to herself. Lois tricks really did work.

She felt bad for the soldiers who had to keep people from swamping the warmth of the hospital. It must have been a terrible job to judge who had the right to enter and who did not, but Chloe understood: it wouldn't help anyone if all those people came inside and bombarded the nurses.

She scurried up to the counter and asked where the Cardio-Wing was. The young man directed her to the fourth floor. Chloe pulled her cell phone from her pocket and hit Lois' speed-dial button. After a moment, Lois' voice cracked over the line. Chloe couldn't help but notice that her cousin did not sound good. She sounded far worse than tired or worried.

"Hey, Lois, it's me. I'm at the hospital in the Cardio-Wing, where are you?" Chloe asked, searching around corners as she spoke.

"Just after the nurse's station on the left," Lois explained. Chloe sighed when she saw Lois sitting in one of the misleadingly comfortable-looking chairs. Lois gave Chloe a relieved smile as she hung up her phone and embraced the blonde tightly.

Chloe nearly laughed when she saw Shelby sitting in the seat next to the one Lois had vacated. Since when did they let dogs into the hospital? But she brushed the question aside, just glad that Lois had some company while she waited here.

"Where's Jimmy?" Lois asked.

"He's trying to find someplace to park," Chloe replied.

"Good luck," Lois commented as she and Chloe sat down in the chairs, "I heard the nurses talking about how the entire garage is filled up and the streets are packed."

"Yeah, it's crazy out there," Chloe agreed, "They almost didn't let me inside. I had to pull a 'I'm here for General Lane' thing before the officer would let me in. So how is he?"

"My dad? He's still in surgery, they haven't told me anything yet," Lois explained.

"But it was a heart attack?" Chloe confirmed. Lois nodded, "How did it happen?"

"Well, I was panicking and then we started arguing and then he just kind of fell down," Lois answered.

"Jesus, that must have been terrifying."

"Not at first actually, but then I started freaking out. It was like an out-of-body experience. Nothing felt real."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"It's okay, I had Shelby." Lois smiled and scratched behind the dog's ear.

The pair fell into silence. Neither wanting to bring up the question they knew Chloe was dying to ask. Fortunately, Jimmy came bursting through the doors at that moment. Lois and Chloe were on their feet as Jimmy pulled at the hospital scrubs under his coat.

"Question: What's with the outfit?" Lois asked.

"They wouldn't let me in. So I found a male nurse taking a smoke-break out back and paid him fifty dollars to let me wear his uniform," Jimmy explained, "he's got my clothes on right now."

"That's my guy," Chloe said, laughing slightly. Lois smiled as well.

"So where's Clark?" Jimmy asked his hands in his pockets.

(--)

Martha couldn't help but laugh a little at the whole evening as Bruce Wayne helped her out of the helicopter and onto the Hospital's roof. She was completely worried, of course, she had no idea where her son was, her surrogate daughter was at the hospital with her father, an apocalyptic storm had hit Metropolis and Smallville but Martha was shocked by the attitude of this multi-billionaire.

Not only had he ordered his jet to fly her and himself back to Metropolis but then he had requested that a helicopter take them directly to the hospital. He had even called ahead to find out where Lois was waiting and the current condition of the General. Impressed was hardly the word to describe Martha's impression of the young man.

Bruce pushed the door to the hospital open and led Martha down the stairs. She waited while he asked one of the nurses where the Cardio-Wing was. He ran back to her and pointed down the hallway.

"She said it's this way, five floors down," he told her as they moved swiftly through the packed hospital.

"Hold the elevator please!" he called to a man wearing a woolen coat and mitten. The man held the door as Bruce and Martha squeezed into the small elevator.

"Thank you," Bruce said to the man. The man nodded and then gave Martha a surprised look.

"You're Senator Kent," the man said.

"Yes," Martha answered giving the man a quick nod.

"I voted for you," the man continued.

"Thank you," Martha replied. She thanked god when the elevator's opened to the Cardio-Wing and she could get off. She liked being a Senator but she didn't want to be one now: she just wanted to be a mother. Bruce once again ran up to the nurses' station and asked where the OR was.

"Come on," Bruce said, he and Martha hurried down the hall for only a moment before Martha saw Lois, Chloe and Jimmy standing by a row of chairs.

"Mrs. Kent!" Lois exclaimed when she saw the older woman. Martha embraced the young girl tightly. Lois felt so much worry just melt away as Martha hugged her. When they pulled away, Martha briefly embraced Chloe and Jimmy as well.

"Everyone this is Bruce Wayne; Bruce, this is Lois Lane, Chloe Sullivan and Jimmy Olsen," Martha introduced. Bruce and Jimmy shook hands as Chloe gave him a little wave and Lois nodded with a forced smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Bruce said kindly; Martha noticed that the false charm was back in place.

"Have you heard anything?" Martha asked.

"No, he's still in surgery," Lois replied.

"Where's Clark? Is he okay?" Martha asked. Lois' eyes shifted toward Bruce. He was clearly getting the 'This is not a loop I'm part of' vibe, and he shifted a little uncomfortably on his heels.

"How about some coffee?" he suggested.

"That would be wonderful, thank you, Mr. Wayne," Chloe smiled.

"Please, call me Bruce," he replied, sweetly.

"Bruce," Chloe repeated with slight annoyance, "Jimmy, why don't you go with him."

"Okay," Jimmy answered. He and Bruce headed back toward the nurses station and down the hall. Chloe thanked god that Jimmy didn't question why he was being sent away as well. She hoped she would eventually tell him about Clark but until then, she would have to be thankful that Jimmy knew when he wasn't supposed to hear something.

When the two men were out of earshot, Lois turned to her cousin and Mrs. Kent, her voice low, "He went to see his Jor-El."

"What?" Martha's face paled. She recalled the last time Clark went to see Jor-El during a crisis like this one. He nearly didn't come back.

"Yeah, he said something about thinking Jor-El had something to do with the storm," Lois continued.

"Oh, god," Chloe breathed.

"You haven't heard from him?" Martha asked.

"No, it's been a few hours too," Lois answered.

Chloe turned to Martha, "You don't think Jor-El…" she could finish. The thought of Clark not coming back was too much to bear.

"I think it's too early to tell. We need to be patient," Martha stated, showing the younger girls her calm resolve; problem was it was cracking: Clark was with Jor-El which was never a good thing, and Martha could do nothing to help her son beside have faith in him. She prayed that he would do what he knew was right.

"Excuse me," a high voice cut into the deep thoughts of the three women. Martha looked up to see a doctor in pink scrubs, carrying a clipboard, wearing a facemask around her neck, and standing just outside their circle.

"I'm Dr. Morton, which one of you is Lois?" the doctor asked. Lois raised her hand.

"Okay, Lois, the surgery went very well. Your father did great. Barring any further complications I would say that he's going to be absolutely fine. We would, however, like to keep him here for another night or two, just to make sure that he's good enough to go home, okay?"

Lois was smiling faintly, she nodded. Dr. Morton placed her hand on Lois' arm and smiled widely.

"He's gonna be great. He's asleep now, but we can come and get you when he wakes up," she said.

"Thank you," Lois replied, she was on the verge of tears again.

"You're welcome," Dr. Morton responded, walking away from them.

"Thank god," Chloe sighed, sitting down beside Shelby.

"What happened?" Bruce and Jimmy walked up carrying four coffees and a bottle of water under Jimmy's arm, "Here you go, Lois, Senator." He handed them the coffees, "We weren't sure how you took them," he reached into his pocket and pulled out dozens of sugar packets and tiny half-and-half containers, "So we left them black and figured you could pick."

"Thank you very much," Martha said sincerely, pouring a packet of sugar into her Styrofoam cup.

"Any time," Bruce replied, sipping slowly on his own coffee.

"So, what did the doctor say?" Jimmy asked, tightening the cover on his water bottle.

"The General's gonna be fine. The surgery went well," Chloe explained.

"That's great," Bruce declared.

Lois nodded, "Yeah," she got to her feet, "I think I'm gonna go get some air. Come on Shelby." The dog leapt off the chair and followed her down the hall. Chloe gave Martha a worried look but the older woman didn't respond; she merely watched Lois walk away.

Lois slipped out a side door near the Emergency Entrance and sighed slightly. She leaned against the side of the building and for the first time in quite a while, she wanted a cigarette. Thankful that she no longer carried one stashed in her purse, Lois whipped out her cell phone and flipped it open.

She took the time to search through her contacts list and find Clark's name. Her finger hovered over the 'Call' button for only a moment before she pressed down and held the phone to her ear. It rang for several moments before she heard Clark's voice over the line.

"Hey, this is Clark; leave a message." The phone beeped once.

"Hi, it's me…again. Dad's out of surgery and it went and he's gonna be okay. And I thought that you should know because I don't know…because you haven't answered any of my calls. And I know that you're with your father and I know I said you should go but this is bigger than that and it seems like you should be here or call me back, I mean, it's my dad and he's had a heart attack and…it's not okay….you know, it's not okay." She hung up the phone, letting her eyes slide closed, as she sunk to the ground next to Shelby.

(--)

The caves were exactly as they had always been. Clark heard the wind howling outside and through the deep holes in the earth but it didn't effect him. It was far colder where he was going. He stepped into the cavern that housed his one and only transport to the Fortress of Solitude.

"You're my father," he spoke to himself, "Talk to me."

He had said the words before, during the second meteor shower: the last time Jor-El had called to him. Clark slipped the key from his pocket and let it fall into place on the stone table. He was bathed in the familiar brilliant yellow light. He took a deep breath and let himself be pulled away from everything he loved.

The caves were suddenly quiet despite the wind that raged outside. The cavern was likewise rather silent. The only noise was a quiet beep that occurred every few seconds. The beep was coming from a cell phone sitting at the bottom of the stone table, blinking:

THREE NEW VOICE MAIL

(--)

When he opened his eyes again he was standing in what was once the frozen wasteland that now housed his crystalline palace, the only replicate of the home he had never known. He saw the familiar crystal panel and realized it had been quite a while since he'd last been here. It didn't bring him comfort.

"Did you send the storm?" he called, angry at his biological father.

"My son, I was unsure you would return," the voice of Jor-El replied, echoing around the cavernous place.

"Did you send the storm?" Clark asked again. Jor-El had taunted him these last years and he was through with taking the disembodied voice to anything serious.

"Fate has been twisted, it is balance."

"No, no cryptic crap. People are dying, Lois is in danger, my mother, Chloe! They don't deserve this! I'm here, you can stop the storm now!"

"I cannot control the Fates, my son. Things will be right again."

"How!?"

"You must embrace your destiny." Clark couldn't help but roll his eyes: Jor-El had been telling him the same thing for so many years that it had lost all meaning.

"I don't want my destiny! I don't want anything to do with it!"

"My son, you cannot deny your heritage. You are a son of Krypton, you are destined to be more than you are."

"More than I am? I'm happy with who I am!"

"You cannot stay here. You must continue your training."

"My training, but you said that would take years!"

"Yes, you must embrace your true identity, Kal-El."

"But Lois, I won't leave her!"

"Then she will die."

"What?! That's a lie!"

"No my son--."

Clark felt a wave of nausea wash over him as he felt himself falling backwards very slowly. Pictures flashed across his mind's eye. It was Lois: she was holding her side and her hands were covered in blood. She fell to the ground, still clutching her wound. She was gasping for breath. Clark heard himself screaming but there was only silence as he hit the ground. His vision swam back to him as the tops of the crystals above his head came into focus.

"It is the truth, my son."

Clark held his head as he slowly got to his feet, "You have to stop it."

"I cannot stop what is already in motion. If you return to her, Kal-El, she will die."

The memory of Lois' pale face flashed across his mind. Clark felt sick again. He didn't want to believe that what his father had shown him was the truth. He couldn't bear to think of Lois dying, let alone by herself in that dingy place. His heart ached and the pain was becoming too much.

"Okay," he whispered; silent tears were beginning to form at the corners of his eyes; he looked up into the crystal palace, "Fine! I'll stay!"

"Then it is done."

Light appeared from nowhere, pulling Clark into. He felt his body let go of him. This was the only stage of his training he had ever been through, he was being taught. There was nothing; he saw nothing, felt nothing, heard nothing: The only thing that reminded him he was still alive was the faint picture of Lois' in his mind's eye, and the memory of the joking promise he had made to her.

Five years…

(--)

A/N: End of Part One! Yay! I thought I'd never get here! Anyway, the next installment will be a little crazy and if you have trouble following just drop me a line. I hope you like, R&R please!