Chapter 10

He had never felt desperate before but without his powers his ability to search for the key for the entrance to the kawatche caves was imperative to returning to the fortress and figuring out his unfathomable situation.

In a burst of anger he thrusted the contents of his table in the barn balcony on the ground.

He realised there was a small yelp of fear from behind him when he turned around he noticed Shelby whining at his sudden outburst.

"Come here girl…" he knelt down and the dog immediately replied and sat beside him as he stroked behind her ear which he remembered she loved.

He then looked at Shelby and said softly.

"I need you to help me find the key Shelby…can you help me find my key"

The dog quickly scurried off down the stairs and out the barn. Kal-El thought nothing of it and continued to search the attic looking for the fortress key.

A minute past and his faithful companion returned and noticed immediately that Shelby had something in his mouth.

Kal-El knelt down once more.

"What you got there Shelby…the key?"

He held out his hands and the dog approached and dropped the item in his grasp.

He turned the item over to reveal what Shelby had retrieved.

His breath hitched in his chest as he saw her face embedded in the photo frame in his hands.

The feelings that threatened to surface before immediately returned to the forefront of his mind as he looked deep into her hazel eyes.

Maybe Shelby is right after all…

He tried to shake off his subconscious but it was now a beacon that could not be extinguished.

Maybe the key has been right in front of you this hold time…

He could hear the remnants of Clark Kent clawing the way to his surface.

"I am Kal-El of Krypton…I am Kal-El of Krypton…"

You are nothing without her…

He sat there for a moment as he truly had no response to the last statement.

"Clark?"

Without his super hearing he did not feel her presence to the very last minute as Lois walked up the stairs.

Lois looked at the mess that had been made across the floor and back to the kneeling form of Clark on the ground with Shelby standing guard but when seeing Lois he immediately went to her side and licked her hand which she gave a reassuring scratch behind the dog's ear.

"Hey Shel…"

Kal-El watched the interaction and the kindness in her expression as Shelby's tail whipped happily.

It was when Lois eyes met his was when the feelings from before intensified as she was standing before him.

He was actually speechless he didn't know what to say to her.

She now knelt down next to Shelby her eyes still focused on him as she spoke calmly.

"I don't know why…but I knew you were here…it was like this voice inside me told me that of all the places you would go…here you would be"

It took a moment but the words left his mouth before he could realised the implications.

"I'm sorry I left…"

Lois was surprised by the sudden apology when it took her a moment to puzzle together a reply.

"Erm…Its ok…we were worried about you…"

But her heart quivered and she concluded without thinking.

"…I was worried about you…"

Kal-El felt his heart beat quicken and decided to carry on with the task at hand as he continued looking through the attic.

"What are you looking for?" Lois said after observing him for a moment.

Kal-El momentarily stopped as he saw the book that he was relieved to see as he opened it and there was the hexagonal disc that he hoped could solve all the problems but he noticed Lois still awaiting his answer.

"This disc…" holding it up in front of her as he concluded "…could be the key to restoring my powers"

Before he knew it Lois had snatched the disc from his grasp and studied it thoroughly for a moment.

"Wow it looks like a nifty paperweight to me…"

But before the both of them knew it the moment the key touched Lois fingertips it began to glow as a huge light enveloped Lois.

"Lois!!"

Kal-El went to reach out toward her but as he did she vanished into thin air.