"So. Who wants to start?" Clark asks the assembled group after they had made their way into the house and into the kitchen.
"I do," Bart announces. "Chloe what are you doing snuggling up with old Supes when I'm available?"
Chloe smiles slightly. Same old Bart. She takes Clark's hand. "Sorry Bart. Clark is more my type."
"Damn," Bart mutters.
"Bart. Lets get off your failed love life and move onto how the heck Chloe is alive," Oliver suggests. He had been in total shock at seeing, well, A, Clark making out with someone. He didn't need that image in his head and then, B, the person Clark is making out with is Chloe Sullivan or was that still Olsen. So much for Clark being a role model. "So Clark care to explain?" Oliver asks.
Chloe answers. "Take that judgemental tone out of your voice Oliver. You have no right to judge anyone considering some of the things you did back in the day."
Everyone looks at Oliver intently. "I didn't…that was a long time ago…I was a different person," he tries to explain poorly.
"We'll be having a chat later Oliver," Bruce tells him in no uncertain terms. Hmm maybe he should have a chat with Chloe in private because she seems to know some things about Oliver even he doesn't know. He turns to Clark. "So when did you find a way to help her?" he asks Clark.
"Wait, wait," Dinah says interrupting. "You knew something about this?" she asks Bruce.
Bruce and Diana share a look. "We knew Clark had Chloe in stasis up at the Fortress," Diana says in answers to Dinah's question.
"You two knew?" Oliver asks.
"Only since Kal's birthday," Diana tells them.
Chloe leans over to Clark who she is standing next to. "Kal?" she queries whispering in his ear.
Clark whispers back. "I'll explain later."
Bart waves his hands in the air to get everyone's attention. "Alright, alright. Lets start from the what I know which is that Chloe-licious here died 10 years ago. What actually happened?"
Clark takes a breath and proceeds to explain what happened with Davis and how Chloe healed him and didn't wake up afterwards so he put her in stasis until he could find a way to help her. Then the day after his birthday how he found that she was alive and awake suddenly.
"Just like that?" Oliver asks somewhat sceptical. "She just wakes up alive and well?"
"Yes," Clark answers simply before adding, "And I took Chloe to see Dr Hamilton before you all think I'm being totally irresponsible and he gave her a clean bill of health."
"Why didn't you tell us she was alive Clark?" Oliver asks.
Chloe snorts. "What you mean is why he didn't tell you," she says seeing right through Oliver.
Clark takes another breath and repeats his well trodden explanation about why he did what he did.
"Hey I understand Clark. I wouldn't give up on Chloe either," Bart says in a rare moment of genuine seriousness on his part.
Well at least one of them is on his side Clark thinks to himself.
"So what now?" Oliver asks. "What are you planning to do now Chloe? You know about Lois and Jimmy. You remember Jimmy right?"
Chloe narrows her eyes at Oliver, ignoring the slight burning sensation behind them, as her temper rises. "I'm not planning to do anything because as far as they're concerned Chloe Sullivan is dead and is going to remain so and I swear Oliver, if you tell them I'm still alive, I will hunt you down and make you regret the day you were born."
Clark is not liking the way Oliver is antagonising Chloe. He decides to speak for her. "Chloe doesn't want to upset them by suddenly turning up and throwing their lives upside down. It took them a long time to come to terms with Chloe's death if you remember Oliver."
"Oh I remember Clark. I remember being here while you decided to take a trip round the world. I remember Lois' tears on every anniversary of Chloe's death."
"And what Oliver," Clark says forcefully. "I wasn't upset. My best friend, a woman I love sacrificed her life for me and you think I wasn't upset. You know I'm beginning to wonder which of us is the alien here because if you think I wasn't hurt, that I wasn't in pain then you're the one from another planet and, oh, don't think I don't know what you got up to all those years ago behind my back in case you want to try and use that against Chloe."
"I was protecting you," Oliver replies.
"Well good job," Clark says with sarcasm because as far as he is concerned the things Oliver did never made him any safer. Normally he overlooks those things. He leaves them in the past where they belong but Oliver was upsetting Chloe and he couldn't just stand by and let Oliver do that.
Bruce watches with even more interest. It seem there is quite a bit he didn't know about Oliver.
"I need some air," Chloe announces.
Clark's head spins round quickly. "You ok?" he asks concerned.
"Sure. I just need some space away from certain people," she says while shooting Oliver a glare.
Clark understands and bends down to give her a kiss. "I love you," he tells her softly.
"I know," she says back before she exits the house.
The remaining group all stand there in silence exchanging unhappy looks.
"Wow so glad I came to this meeting," Bart weakly jokes which is not appreciated by anyone.
Outside Chloe is taking a few moments to gather herself and to let the odd burning sensation behind her eyes subside. What was 10 years ago for everyone else in there was only a few months ago for her and even though she had let it all go she couldn't forget the virtual blackmail Oliver had used against her so she would cover up what he did in trying to kill Lex and at the time they both thought he had succeeded.
"Chloe?"
"Go away Oliver," she states bluntly.
"It's not that easy Chloe. Clark may overlook everything you did shortly before your 'death' but I think we know each other better."
Chloe turns to face Oliver, who has come up behind her, and glares at him, the burning sensation returning to her eyes. "What are you doing out here Oliver?"
"Trying to avoid Clark breaking every bone in my body. You missed the way he is looking at me. Haven't seen that look since the last time he fought Darkseid."
"Oh so you came to what? Apologise?"
"Well that was the general impression I gave Clark."
Chloe snorts. "Forget it."
Oliver takes a breath. "I know you may not believe this Chloe but I do regret my actions back then and I have changed but that took time."
Chloe cottons on to his hidden meaning there. "You don't think I've changed do you?"
"No."
"Well frankly I don't care what you think. I only care about what Clark thinks and he forgave me."
Oliver scoffs. "Clark would forgive Lex Luthor if Clark thought there was any chance of redeeming him."
"10 years Oliver. One moment I'm saving Clark and the next I find 10 years have gone by. Do you have any idea what that is like?"
"No I don't," he admits.
Chloe continues. "Do you think you have any idea what I have had to cram into this last month with coming to terms with that?"
"No."
"Well I'll tell you. It involved grief and anger and sorrow and then finally acceptance that I had lost everything I knew. Chloe Sullivan, the one you knew 10 years ago, is dead and all I am trying to do now is restart my life."
"With Clark as your new plaything," Oliver says acidly.
That is the last straw as far as Chloe is concerned and in the next instant before both she and Oliver realise what has happened, Chloe has supersped over to him and lifted him up by the throat as easily as anyone else would lift a feather.
"Chloe," Oliver chokes out as he pointlessly tries to break her grip. "Stop."
By now the others are at the door watching in shock at the small, blond woman lifting Oliver up by the throat while her eyes glow with rage. None more so than Clark who snapping out of his shock superspeeds over and grabs Chloe's wrist. "Chloe. Let him go," he tells her before she snaps Oliver's neck.
Chloe blinks at Clark's voice and her anger subsides along with her new superpowers as she drops Oliver, no longer able to hold him up. Oliver's hands go to his throat as he desperately tries to draw in some air and Dinah rushes to his side.
Chloe looks at Clark lost and confused and a little bit afraid at what she just did. "How did I…Clark…How did I do that?"
"I don't know Chloe but we'll find out. I promise you." He pulls her into a hug. "It'll be ok," he says trying to reassure her not noticing the uneasy look that the assembled group of heroes are giving the pair.
Well it was nice while it lasted Chloe thinks to herself. She had just gotten use to being normal again and in one instant it had been taken away from her. She is currently sitting on a bed in a med lab in the Justice League headquarters. Clark had told her about it but to actually be here was another thing. If all this new strangeness hadn't been occurring she would probably have asked a hundred questions by now. Dr Hamilton had been, taken more samples from her and went off to run tests on them. She looks down at her arm where a mark from the needle should be.
She says should be because the instant he withdrew the needle the mark healed over. Now super healing powers are neat and all but it leaves the burning question of what the hell is going on with her because the last time she showed any new superpowers was when Brainiac took her over and that wasn't the most fun few months of her life by a long way. She glances at the two way mirror and wonders who they left watching her. Not Clark. He was probably grilling Dr Hamilton as she sat here like the journalist he now is and he is a great journalist. During her 3 weeks of depression she had passed the time by reading Clark's work. He was really good.
Chloe lets out an audible sigh. She is bored. She hopes it isn't going to be too long because as terrified as she is of what is happening to her she also needs to know. She has to know if this is something that could drive her and Clark apart because if it is, she isn't sure how she could live without Clark. She isn't entirely sure if she can.
"How is she?" Dinah asks Oliver as she enters the room on the other side of the mirror where she could observe Chloe.
Oliver doesn't look at his wife. "She is just sitting there," he replies.
Dinah looks at Oliver. She knew he had done some questionable things in the past and she also knew or at least she thought he had come to terms with it and had made himself a better person so what in god's name had gotten into him that made him provoke Chloe like that. "So are going to tell me what happened Ollie?"
Oliver still didn't look at her. He wasn't quite sure how to answer her. When he first saw Chloe he was shocked. After all who wouldn't be. Yeah he knows in this line of work you see unbelievable things all the time but seeing Chloe produced a different kind of shock and when they told him that for her no time had passed at all the shock sunk deeper. He looks at her sitting there and then it strikes him what had gotten into him. She was a reminder, an uncomfortable reminder of what kind of person he had been 10 years ago. A person he had come to dislike, severely, and he took out his anger at himself on her. He bows his head before he turns to look at Dinah. "I'm an idiot."
Dinah smiles. "Well duh. Tell me something I don't know."
So Oliver does. He tells her about his sudden revelation. "I guess I should apologise shouldn't I."
"You won't hear any argument from me Ollie."
Oliver cups Dinah's face and kisses her gently. "Thank you," he says sincerely. "Thank you for loving me."
Dinah strokes his cheek. "Hey. I'm here for you and well forgiveness sort of comes as part of the marriage package so I guess I forgive you."
Oliver summons up the nerve hoping seeing her won't end up with Chloe snapping him like a twig. "Wish me luck."
Dinah kisses him. "Good luck."
Oliver knocks on the door and walks in to Chloe scowling at him as soon as he enters the room. "Look I know I'm not your favourite person right now Chloe so if you'll just let me say what I'm going to say and then I'll be gone."
Chloe gives a little nod of her head signalling Oliver to continue. She doesn't really want him here but she'll listen to what he has to say.
"I'm sorry," are the first words out of his mouth. "I didn't mean to say what I did. I was upset at myself and I took it out on you. I am not proud of myself or my actions back then and I hope one day you can forgive me."
Chloe doesn't feel like forgiving him. At least not right now. She has too much going on. "Oliver. This is not the best time for this."
Oliver nods sadly. "You're right. I'll leave you in peace," he says as he turns and heads for the door.
"Oliver," Chloe says stopping him.
"Yes Chloe?"
"When all this, whatever it is, is sorted out ask me again and I'll give you an answer."
Oliver smiles in acceptance and understanding and exit's the room leaving Chloe alone wondering just what the hell is going on with her now.
Meanwhile Clark is getting the Bruce and Diana show. He would much rather be with Chloe but they insisted on talking to him alone. "You should have told us Clark," Bruce tells him, the unhappiness clear in Bruce's voice and for a man who rarely showed his true feelings that was novel.
"Why?" Clark asks in all honesty. He frankly didn't see how this fell into League business. Chloe was his responsibility and his alone.
"She possess knowledge about us Clark," Bruce points out.
Clark looks at Bruce sceptically. "Actually she didn't know about who you were Bruce until you decided to show up tonight. I am not so irresponsible that I would reveal your identity without asking you first. She already knew about Oliver, Bart and Dinah and she knew everything about me since we were 18 which I had already told you. She wanted to stay hidden and besides I would have told you soon anyway."
"The secret identity you were inquiring about. It was for her," Bruce deduces.
"Yeah. She is getting a little stir crazy living on the farm. She wants to get back into the world."
Diana places her hand on Clark's arm in sympathy. She knew him well enough to know how fiercely he protects those he cares about. "I think I understand Kal but you could have trusted us with knowing."
Clark looks at her feeling a little guilty. "Yes I know but it just all happened so fast."
"Yes we saw," Bruce remarks.
Clark could have been mistaken but he is positive the tone in Bruce's voice was almost teasing there.
"Don't waste any time do you Clark?"
"Hey. It wasn't like that," Clark says defensively. "Besides do I criticise your love life?" he asks Bruce
Bruce's heart rate increases. Clark can hear it but his face remains unmoving. "What do you mean?" Bruce asks him.
Clark's smile turns evil. "Please Bruce. I hear stuff."
Diana looked on. "What stuff?" she asks.
"Oh just a rumour about Bruce and a certain female 'cat' burglar." Clark emphasises the word cat.
Diana stares at Bruce, almost wide eyed. "Bruce," she says disapprovingly. "She's a criminal. How could you?"
"Thanks a lot Kent," Bruce mutters. He hates when his private life becomes the subject of idle gossip.
Clark smirks glad he has managed to get the subject off him for a minute. He had hoped Bart would be here on his side but some crisis came up in Central City and Bart had to go deal with it. Luckily he is saved by Dr Hamilton's appearance. Clark sees him looking over what he knows are Chloe's test results. He hopes they can get to the bottom of what is going on because the glowing eyes looked a lot like his own and he knows from personal experience humans having his powers never ends well and if something happened to Chloe now, just when he has gotten her back, he isn't sure if he could deal with it. "So Dr Hamilton how is Chloe?"
Emil looks up at Clark and can see great concern on his face. "Well that is complicated. The superstrength you mentioned she showed seems to have vanished for now. She couldn't lift anymore than you would expect for someone her size. Her skin is a different matter."
"In what way?" Diana asks, not failing to notice the worry on Kal's face. He cares deeply for Chloe, probably even loves her. She'll have to make sure Bruce doesn't hassle him too much for his keeping this secret until they know for certain what is going on and Kal isn't as upset.
"Well we could only penetrate her skin with titanium needles. The same ones we use on you Diana and then the marks healed instantly."
Clark knew that bit. He had been watching and had seen the marks vanish. One of Dr Hamilton's assistants comes and hands him more results and Clark watches his face frown up in confusion. Bruce, obviously, notices as well. "What is it Dr Hamilton?" Bruce asks.
"I overlooked something when I previously performed tests on Miss Sullivan."
That makes Clark nervous. "Overlooked what exactly?" he asks.
"You remember the anomalies in both her blood and her DNA I mentioned."
"Yes," Clark says while resisting the urge to just take the test results and read them himself.
"I couldn't identify them because they didn't match anything else found in others infected by kryptonite."
"But now you have," Bruce deduces.
"Yes. Last time I didn't compare them to the samples we have from the various aliens we have encountered."
"What do you mean?" Diana asks.
Dr Hamilton hands the clipboard he is holding over to Clark. "You better look. I think you'll recognise them."
Clark takes it and reads it and his eyes widen.
"Kal?" Diana queries.
"The anomalies in her blood were Kryptonian antibodies. The same ones I produced last time I was exposed to kryptonite." What Clark is referring to is his last battle with Lex who tried to poison him with kryptonite. He was in a coma for a week and afterwards they discovered his body had actually produced antibodies that could burn the kryptonite out of his body. He wasn't immune to the stuff by a long way but he could now tolerate being near small pieces of kryptonite. Larger pieces still reduced him to a writhing mass.
"What does that mean?" Diana asks once more.
"It explains why there is no kryptonite in her body," Clark answers.
Dr Hamilton nods seeing Clark understands. "Yes."
Bruce can see there is a small piece of the puzzle missing. "How can her body produce Kryptonian antibodies?" he asks.
Dr Hamilton answers. "The anomalies in her DNA when I did the tests a few weeks ago were tiny, almost insignificant. They now compose 5% of her genetic structure."
"Are you saying her DNA is being rewritten?" Diana asks while being curious as to why Kal is so quiet during this. She can see him still studying the results intently like he is trying to work out what exactly is going on.
Dr Hamilton nods. "Yes and the new DNA strands are changing her into something that is not human."
"So if these new strands are changing me into something that is not human, what exactly am I becoming?" Chloe asks after being filled in by Dr Hamilton. Clark is here holding her hand as she tries to take in that her DNA is being rewritten.
Clark works up the nerve to tell her. "I can tell you Chloe because I recognise the DNA strands."
Chloe looks at Clark. "So what am I becoming then Clark?"
"The DNA Chloe...It's Kryptonian. You're becoming Kryptonian."