10

When she entered in through the kitchen's backdoor, she found Martha finishing up two apple pies. One she knew was for Kal-El who would finish the whole thing off by himself. The other was for the three of them to split. After all, both of Martha's boys loved her cooking and her homemade pies best of all.

"How is he?"

Martha set down her rolling pin and gathered her up in a hug. "He's physically fine. Still a little whoozy but you know how Kryptonians are. They take a licking-"

"And can fly to China in five seconds afterwards, I'm aware," Chloe replied. "I mean, is he okay?"

"I think it's been hard for him. He apologized for running off. I don't think he was ever going to stay away forever. I don't think he could."

Chloe smiled. "I'd kill if he'd tried. He's ours."

Martha nodded and started kneading the dough again. "Yes, he is."

"Is he mad? About the Fortress and us? We only thought about asking it."

"You don't need to convince me. He's Kal-El. He's so scared of being replaced, Chloe. I don't know how to make him understand that even with Clark back, we'd never leave him. The best I could do was say I was sorry and hug him. I want both my boys under one roof."

Chloe blushed. "I don't. I mean, Kal-El can visit but there are certainly things we can do at the penthouse that we can't do here."

"Well, that aside, I want both boys to feel like they belong. They both do. They're my sons. They just need to learn how to deal with the split."

"Yes, that will be so simple. They've spent fifteen years locked together, whoever was the one in charge, and now they're both here. I don't think we're going to be sitting down to the perfect family dinner any time soon. Kal-El's so insecure and Clark's so…"

"Insecure?" Martha asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

She nodded. "They're so alike."

"It's probably why they butt heads. Lois and Lucy are like that. When you're both so stubborn it's what happens. I only saw your cousins together for three days and I could tell they were too enmeshed to really ever not be jealous of the other, you know?"

"Siblings are way too complicated," Chloe affirmed. "I'll go upstairs to check on him. Clark's with Jonathan and he'll be back soon. He just wanted to get in the father-son time."

"Is he okay?"

Chloe considered the question and wasn't sure how best to answer without alarming Martha. "He used to be all powerful and now he's just like everyone else. I think that's a pretty big adjustment to make."

"But he didn't want the power."

"It didn't make him any less impressive. He had all these abilities and now he could get a paper cut just like anyone else. I think that really has to mess with one's self esteem and worldview. He may not have thought he wanted his abilities but I have the worst fear he's going to realize being human's not all he wanted."

"You're biased because you've gotten immunity to sickness now."

"No, I know what it's like to be both and he's never had more than some bruised ribs that time Eric stole his powers. It's going to be very hard for both of them, and Jonathan is notmaking it better."

"Clark's father is thrilled to have him home."

"He could treat Kal-El better."

"It'll take-"

"He's had nine months. The way he treats Kal-El is inexcusable and now that he has his favorite son back? It's just going to get harder."

The older woman sighed and pushed a long strand of graying hair behind her ear. "I thought having Clark back would make it all fit. Both boys safe and we could all be happy."

"I hope so, but I'm not going to hold my breath on it," she finished before starting up the stairs.

Chloe hesitated outside of the doorway. She didn't want to knock, almost, to see him. She'd broken his trust as his counsel by even thinking of trying to use the black K again, by thinking of Clark ahead of him. They'd never gotten the chance even to ask the Fortress and if any possible solution had been dangerous, they never would have, but the intent was there and it was the intent that confirmed Kal-El's fears, at least to him.

"Sull-I-Van, I know that you are there."

"My heartbeat?"

"Always, please open the door and pass through it."

She laughed and came to stand just barely inside the doorframe. "You're so formal."

"Being shot is no reason not to be polite. Also, I must insist that I do not bite. Are you nervous?"

She nodded. "You could say that. I'm really sorry about everything. Martha and I, we never would have done anything to hurt you. We just wanted Clark safe. She had a dream on the serum-"

"So I have heard. That serum is still causing such trouble, even now," he said, sitting up and the covers fell low over his hips. She could see his scar, the ever present mark from the AI and she still hated it. It was slightly red and irritated, probably a lingering effect from the Kryptonite exposure. When he realized she was staring, he looked away. "It does not hurt."

"I didn't ask that yet."

"Sull-I-Van, you cannot heal it. It is merely sore after all I have suffered. It will be more than fine after pie."

Chloe laughed. "I knew you'd find a way to work in asking for dessert right away."

"Naturally," he replied reaching into the drawer in his night stand and pulling out a weathered tin box. It was bent and rusted but Chloe's heart caught in her throat. She knew what was contained inside. "I have to say something."

"Kal-El, please don't ask me if I love you. I can't say it. I thought we went over that after the serum."

He stiffened but still held the box in one large hand. "This is not about what you say. It is about what I need."

She frowned. "You need to hold a bracelet?"

"I need to place this on your wrist. That," he said, gesturing to the frayed leather band of the watch she wore. "Is not adequate. It does not show you how I feel."

"I know how you feel," she replied, crossing the room and slipping under the covers with him. He hesitated and tried to pull away from her touch. Sighing, Chloe let her fingers rest against the puckered skin of his collar bone. "I wish I could heal that for you."

"Your presence does ameliorate things."

She smiled sadly. "Why would any father ever do that?"

"I do not confess to understand the Fortress completely. I carry the symbol of my house as honorably as I can. It is what is asked of me."

Duty.

Kal-El took all of the traditions and expectations of his people so seriously. Some things he could argue with; she had certainly had a few choice words over the months for Jor-El.

"The bracelet means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

He nodded and opened the box. The jewelry there was breathtaking. It was a filigree band with a large diamond-shaped turquoise stone, except, of course, that it was a stone that had never been native to Earth. It was a marriage bracelet, older by far than the town of Smallville. "It does not mean what you think."

"Um, marriage bracelet?"

"No, I do not wish to give it to you because it is customary. I wish to give it to you now because I need you to understand."

"What?"

"The depth of my feelings for you. We take our abilities for granted. You and I believe because we heal as well as we do that we have decades or centuries to work things out."

"Sometimes, yeah."

"I did not die, but I certainly could have and I would have died without giving you the band. I cannot give you the one for my house for it was lost as Krypton is lost, but I want to give you this gift. You do not have to say anything. We have spoken of this and I know you are not ready. I know what Moira and what we have done to you."

She nodded slowly and leaned her chin against his chest. "I want to be."

"But you are not yet and I remind myself that I must accept this, but if something were to happen to either of us, I could not accept that you have never worn my gift. Please, Sull-I-Van. It does not have to be more than it is. I am showing you that I love you and you are showing me that there is hope."

She smiled and held out her arm. "I think I can do that."

Slowly, Kal-El slipped the bracelet on her left wrist. It contrasted with the large wrist watch on her right but both were equally hers. "I think that is most agreeable."

She nodded. "Were you there when Clark put on my corsage for the Spring Formal? Did that mean something to you?"

"I knew that he did not understand the gesture, that you could not. It did not thrill me any less," he answered, leaning down to kiss her. "Thank you."

"If I were a better fiancée, then I'd be able to actually say the l-word."

"I have time."

"What about 'we don't know what will happen tomorrow?'"

"We have some time, but I do not wish to have regrets, Sull-I-Van. I cannot dictate or understand what would leave you feeling regretful but for my peace of mind, I must see that on your wrist. Thank you for doing this for me."

She leaned up to kiss him again but paused before she did it. "I would always be your counsel, Kal-El."

"Then the Earth is most fortunate," he replied, pulling the covers up over them both as she kissed him.