A month later and Clark was right. Burying himself in work hasn't helped. Lois had been sympathetic. He had told her that the other Kryptonian he met had gone to Themyscira for training and she had tried her best to cheer him up and even though Lois could only elevate his mood for short periods he did appreciate the effort. Bottom line is that he misses Chloe. He misses talking to her and holding her in his arms. He had forgotten how much he had missed talking to her before she woke up.

"Morning Smallville!" Lois greets him unusually cheerfully as she comes up to his desk at the Planet.

"Morning Lois," he greets her back while trying to work out her mood. Uh oh. He knows that look. It is her too cheerful everything is going to be fine look when in reality she has news he isn't going to like. "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think anything is wrong?" she ask him back.

"Lois. We use to date. I can read your moods."

Damn. Lois had hoped he wouldn't notice. Clark has been miserable enough without her dumping this on him. "You're not going to like it," she warns him.

"So what else is new. Go on Lois I can take it."

"Well I don't know for certain but one of my sources heard from a guy who heard from a guy who heard from his brother…"

Clark cuts her off before she waffles on forever. "Out with it Lois."

"Lex is in town."

The pencil Clark is holding in his hand snaps in two at the involuntary twitch of his fingers. Great. This is just what he needs. To go another few rounds with Lex flippin Luthor. He takes a moment to gather himself. "Any idea what he is up to?"

Lois shakes her head. "No but we both know Lex. He no doubt has another plan to kill Superman. After all he wouldn't risk being in Metropolis without at least some kryptonite on him."

Clark rubs his eyes. "Lois I know I say this every time Lex is in town…"

Lois stops him before he goes any further. "Clark I am not going into hiding," she tells him. Clark always suggests that out of fear for her safety.

"Alright" he concedes. "But be careful."

"I'm always careful Clark."

Clark snorts a 'yeah right'.

"You have to be careful as well. He knows who you are," she reminds him.

"True but for Lex it has never been about exposing me. He could have done that years ago. No it's about power and as long as he keeps the knowledge of my identity to himself he has power over those who don't know it. Also he has some deluded notion that by destroying me he is somehow restoring humanity's destiny, like I took it away somehow."

"Yeah Lex always was totally deluded. Didn't he proclaim himself humanity's saviour or something last time you crossed paths?"

"Yep."

"Like I said. Totally deluded but with any luck we'll catch him this time and he can spend a nice few decades in jail."

"I hope so Lois. I'm getting a little tired of this rigmarole with Lex."

"So why exactly are we back in Metropolis Lex?"

"Patience Tess. You must learn patience," Lex tells his associate.

Tess resists the urge to say a snide comment back. It was times like this she had second thoughts about teaming up again with Lex. In fact she can't remember quite how he persuaded her to do it. After all she hated him after she found out he had attached a nanotechreceiver to her optic nerve. He had used her plain and simple and no-one, not even Lex Luthor, uses Tess Mercer. Of course if she was going to be honest he came to her at a vulnerable time in her life and vulnerable was another thing Tess hated being. He had promised her he could make her strong again. Yes that was what persuaded her to rejoin Lex. The promise of strength.

She looks around the dingy, abandoned warehouse they are in. A few days ago they had been in Europe living someplace a hell of lot nicer than this dump. "Remind me why we are here again Lex?"

Lex is currently searching the walls. "This warehouse once belonged to Luthorcorp," he informs her.

"So did a lot of warehouses," Tess points out. Before Luthorcorp had ended up sold to Oliver Queen it had owned a good majority of Metropolis.

"This one dates back to my father's time in charge."

"This has to do with that old diary you found," Tess realises. A few months back Lex had broken in to a Swiss bank and retrieved a deposit box belonging to Lionel. Inside was an old diary of Lionel's.

"Very good Tess," Lex comments before tapping on the wall and getting a hollow sound. "Ah here we are," he says before he pushes at the brick and it moves inward. The whole wall next to it then slides open revealing an elevator.

Tess rolls her eyes. "Not another underground hideout Lex. I've almost forgotten what the sun looks like."

"The sun is the source of our enemy's power. Never forget that."

How can she when Lex reminds her practically every day with one comment or another about the evil that is Superman. "Does the diary have some great secret on how to kill Superman? Is that why we are back in Metropolis?"

"That is not a discussion for up here where super ears might pick it up Miss Mercer," Lex tells her as he gets in the elevator and Tess follows. They end up in basically an underground apartment/workshop and since nothing looks like it has been sitting here for 10 years it is obvious Lex has had someone come here and fit it out recently. She wonders who.

After a good hour where Tess watches Lex construct his sound nullifying device he finally gets onto why they are here. Lex sits behind a desk in a study and pulls out the diary. "You see my father knew all about Superman's arrival long before he got here."

"Yes I know. Veritas. You've told me this before," she says in reference to the group Lionel was part of that awaited the arrival of the Traveller.

"Yes but what is in this diary is that my father found the Traveller or more precisely he thought he had."

"He obviously hadn't then."

"No. He found the creature destined to kill the Traveller although he didn't realise it at the time."

"Creature? Another Kryptonian."

Lex smiles cruelly. "Oh no. This creature is far more powerful than any Kryptonian. It is the Ultimate Destroyer. It is Doomsday."

Tess worries when Lex gets all theatrical. "So where is this creature?"

"You haven't worked it out yet ? I'm disappointed in you Tess."

"Forgive me but you won't even let me touch the diary, let alone read it."

"This creature was suppose to kill Superman."

"And?"

"Has it?"

"Obviously not Lex or he wouldn't be flying around saving the day."

"No need to be so testy Miss Mercer. The answer is obvious. The creature hasn't killed Superman because Superman has already dealt with it."

"What does that mean?"

Lex gets up and strolls around the desk. "It means that he imprisoned it and now we are going to free it."

"Lex. I'm not sure that is a good idea. If it is powerful enough to kill Superman as you believe then what will stop it killing us."

Lex strokes Tess' cheek. "Have some faith in me Tess. I've already come up with a way to control this creature because I know at one time it was as human as you or I and therefore driven by human needs. All we need to do is remind it of who it use to be."

Just then the elevator can be heard coming down. "Ah our new associate is here," Lex says.

Tess turns to face the elevator doors. Now she would see who has been outfitting this place. When they open what walks out is an albino gorilla.

Lex begins the introductions. "Ms Mercer this is.."

"The Ultra-Humanite. I know of him. Transferred his mind into a gorilla's body to stave off his death when his human body failed."

"Indeed. A pleasure to meet you Miss Mercer. It has been too long since I've had the company of a charming, beautiful woman such as yourself," the Ultra-Humanite says in a faultless polite, cultured voice.

"You're not here for that purpose," Lex reminds the Ultra-Humanite.

"Yes I know. I'm here because of my work on creating bridges between dimensions so you can release a creature from the Kryptonian Phantom Zone and then have it kill Superman and with any luck it will destroy the entire Justice League as well. Did I forget anything?"

"No that about sums it up."

"What you propose is difficult and will take considerable time, money and large amounts of power," the Ultra-Humanite points out.

"They are all things I will take care of. Now can you do what I ask or not?"

"With the data you provided on the construction and location of this Phantom Zone I believe so but they are no guarantees."

"Failure is not acceptable," Lex warns with an unmistakable malice in his voice.

The Ultra-Humanite nods in acceptance. "Since this may takes weeks shall we begin?"

"By all means. You already have set everything up. If you need anything else ask Miss Mercer and she will provide it for you. Won't you Tess?"

"Of course Lex," Tess replies.

"Good. Now go. I need to be alone," he tells them both. The Ultra-Humanite and Tess head off leaving Lex by himself.

Lex pours himself a drink. Soon he will finally be rid of Superman. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out an old, faded photograph of himself and Clark when they were younger back in Smallville. "This will be our final battle Clark and this time it will end the only way it could. It didn't have to be this way but we both made our choices long ago. If it's any consolation, Clark, I believe I will miss you my old friend," he says with the tiniest hint of regret in his voice at how all this will end.

"So Superman. Any news you wish to bring to this meeting?" J'onn asks as chairman of the Justice League. They were having one of their regular meetings where they discussed, well that depended on what was happening. It could vary from major world crises to whether the cafeteria was stocked with bagels. That was Bart's complaint about the bagels by the way.

Clark supposes he should mention Lex.

"I see," J'onn says with some concern. Lex Luthor was a dangerous adversary. "If you need help Kal," J'onn begins to say.

"Then I'll ask for it. I haven't forgotten how he poisoned me last time J'onn but at the moment it is merely a rumour. I'll keep my ear to the ground and let you know if I hear something."

"I think it is best that we will all do that," J'onn announces to the gathered group who all nod and murmur in agreement.

"Anyone got anything else to add?" J'onn asks. Superman had been the last person he had asked to contribute to the meeting. No-one says anything. "Well then I believe that I can say that this meeting is adjourned."

Everyone departs and Clark spies the person he wants to catch up with exiting the door. He near superspeeds after her. "Hey Diana."

Diana glances at him while still walking. "Kal. Let me guess. You want to know how Chloe is doing?"

"That obvious?" he queries.

"No but you ask me the same thing every time you see me," she points out to him.

"Oh sorry," he says unaware he had been that much of a nuisance.

"It's ok Kal," she says with a slight shake of her head. She isn't really mad at him. "What are you doing this weekend?" he asks her.

"Not much. There is no point in looking for Lex. He is too good at hiding from me. I'll just have to wait for him to make his move unless I hear something concrete. Why?"

"I was thinking that you could come and visit Chloe."

"I could?" he says excitedly before he gathers himself. "I could?" he asks in a more composed tone.

"Yes. I've talked to mother. She will allow you to come for the weekend."

"Why would she do that?" Clark asks a little perplexed. Diana's mother is not that fond of him.

"She likes Chloe and Chloe needs your help."

"Is Chloe ok?" he asks, worry evident in his voice.

"She is fine. She has started floating in her sleep."

Understanding dawns on Clark. "Oh I see. She needs my help to teach her to fly."

"There is that but she misses you too Kal." In fact Diana had more than once caught Chloe gazing into the distance. It doesn't take much to figure out what, or more accurate who, she was thinking about at those moments.

"Right then. Well unless some emergency comes up I'll meet you at the embassy on Saturday?"

"Yes that is fine"

"Great," Clark says with real cheer.

"Chloe is progressing well in her skills," Diana feels she should tell him. In fact Diana had been quite impressed at how eager and how quick Chloe is to learn the techniques she is teaching. If she was to guess she would say it is a Kryptonian trait because Kal too had been a very quick study when she had been teaching him.

"That's good to know."

"Oh I should add her physical appearance has continued to change."

"Taller?"

Diana nods. "By half a foot since you last saw her."

Whoa. Chloe had only gained an inch before she left. Half a foot! That makes her what…5'11 now. Clark is a little sad. He liked the way her head came to rest just under his chin so that when they hugged he could rest his chin on top of her head. Oh well he guess he could rest it on her shoulder or something.

During this whole time they have been walking towards the entrance if the League HQ and by now they are at the doors. They walk out and Clark looks up. "You know I hate it you can never see the stars," he comments. It is night time but the lights of the city always drown out the stars.

Diana looks up too. "I hate it as well Kal but there is little you can do about it."

"I know. I'm just venting," he mentions. "So what are you doing this evening?" he asks her.

Diana blinks rather surprised that Kal is asking her that. "I haven't really thought about it to be honest."

"Want to join me in a patrol of Metropolis? After all its been ages since we spent any time together."

As Diana thinks about it she can see Kal is right. It has been ages since they spent any time 'hanging out' as Kal likes to call it. Well she doesn't have anything urgent to do for once. "You know what Kal. I would love too."

Clark smiles broadly. "Great," he says as he floats up. "You coming?" he asks.

Diana floats up beside him. "After you," she offers which Clark accepts and accelerates skyward with Diana following on behind.

Saturday morning and Chloe wakes up as she has woken up all week; with her floating above her bed and then as soon as she realises that she crashes down. She groans. She is seriously going to have to reconsider her teasing of Clark's difficulties in flying because no matter how hard she tries she can't make herself do it willingly. It has given her a whole new understanding that it isn't as easy as Kara use to, and Clark does now, make it look.

She needs to get up, bathe and get dressed because Clark is coming to visit her today. That alone will make everything she has had to endure this last month worth it. She knew this training she agreed to would be hard but she didn't realise how hard or how much it would hurt. She had just gotten use to being invulnerable where nothing, and she means nothing, ever hurt but her first lesson with Diana had brought the memory of what pain felt like crashing home and when it isn't Diana it is Diana's teacher Phillipus and she is even stricter than Diana is.

Chloe knows it probably sounds like petty whining but considering a few months ago she was frozen solid in a block of ice and that her last memory before that was 10 years ago when she was a normal person/meteor freak she thinks she deserves credit for not completely flipping out. Well it beats being bored out of her mind on the farm not that she didn't love Mrs Kent keeping her company but back in Smallville there was only so much for her to do considering she was keeping a low profile.

Now…there were so many possibilities. Once she was done here she had a real life identity. She could do anything she wanted to now as long as that includes Clark. God she loves him. Being away from him has been torture. Well she'll see him soon if she can rouse herself from this bed she is still lying on. With what was once a supreme effort and is now no effort at all she pushes herself up with her super powered arms and heads off to bathe.

After she has washed she tries to find something to wear which is going to be along the lines of traditional Grecian clothing. She frowns at herself in the mirror. Now what about her hair. Up or down? What is good enough for Clark?

"Chloe!" A voice calls out.

"In here!" she yells back.

Diana's sister Donna enters the bedroom and finds Chloe trying to fix her hair. "Chloe. Clark will love you no matter how you look."

Donna had been nice enough to be Chloe's friend this last month and she had gotten good at judging her moods. "I know. I just want to look nice. He hasn't seen me in a month and well I do look different. I'm not sure how he will take it."

"Ah yes your new 'assets'," Donna says with amusement obvious in her eyes. "Well if Clark is like every other man on the planet I expect drooling."

"Clark isn't that shallow."

"Maybe not," Donna says as she comes up to Chloe and places her hands on Chloe's shoulders and makes her look in the mirror. "But look at yourself Chloe. To put it in the vernacular of the modern age you are smoking hot and even if Clark sees beyond the mere physical he also isn't going to completely ignore it either. Personally I don't think he will manage a single coherent sentence once he sees you."

"In Clark's case incoherent sentences are the norm so I'm not sure that will tell me anything."

Donna chuckles at the joke and so does Chloe. "Relax Chloe. You've told me how much you love each other. I don't think a few physical changes will affect his feelings for you," Donna says to assure Chloe.

"I guess you're right but I still want to look nice for him," she says getting back to trying to sort out her increasingly long hair. She was going to have ask Clark how he cut his because she had tried it once and the scissors snapped in two.

Donna shakes her head and then goes and takes Chloe's hair. "You just leave it to me Chloe. I'll have Clark drooling all over his red boots at the mere sight of you."

Clark, or to anyone who asks Superman, arrives with Diana on Themyscira. They walk past the guards at the portal and head outside into the city. He takes a deep breath. He loves the fresh air of this place. It makes such a change from the polluted air he has to endure in Metropolis.

"Come on Kal. Chloe's chambers are this way," Diana tells him and he follows her. When they get there they find Diana's sister waiting outside the door.

"Donna," Clark greets her with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. How about you Clark?"

"Never better. Is Chloe in?"

"Yes she is. Has Diana explained about the changes to her physical appearance?"

Clark nods. "Yes and you know it's fine. I'm in love with Chloe the person. Not her body."

"You see that is what I told her," Donna says with some pride at her evaluation of how Clark would react.

Clark goes and knocks on the door. "Chloe. It's Clark."

"Come in," she tells him and Clark opens the door and walks in, shutting the door behind him.

Donna presses her head to the door. "Donna," Diana chastises.

"Oh please like you're not curious about how Kal will react."

Diana says nothing but truthfully she is a little curious. Oh why not just this once she thinks and she too presses her head to the door so she can listen in.

When Clark walks in Chloe has her back to him so all he can judge so far is that she is taller and her hair is longer but at least it is still blond. "Hey Chloe."

"Hey Clark," Chloe says back while still working up the nerve to turn around.

"Diana says you have started floating in your sleep." he says hoping to start a conversation.

"Yeah I have."

"Chloe. Are you going to turn around please? I don't care what you look like."

Chloe takes a breath and turn around and Clark's jaw drops. Chloe was already beautiful and he thought cute but now she is radiant. Her skin is now flawless and on her exposed arms he can see how much muscle definition she has added and his eyes drift to her chest and…oh wow.

"Hey! Eyes up here Clark," Chloe tells him while point at her face.

Clark blushes and looks at her in the face. "Sorry. It is just…" he isn't quite sure how to say it.

"Yes. Yes. I know." What has gotten Clark's attention is that Chloe's cleavage has significantly increased in size.

"How did it happen?"

"Growth spurt like with my height," Chloe informs him. She had never been vain or wanted large breasts like some other women but now that she did have them she found she quite liked them. Ok it had been a shock at first and she was afraid they would get in the way or something but like everything other change that has happened to her lately she had just had to learn to cope with it. "You ok Clark?"

"I'm a little confused at how adsorbing a tiny portion of my DNA has caused all these changes."

"Well obviously said DNA decided that some of my physical traits needed alteration. I mean the blue eyes were a give away of that fact Clark."

"But your face hasn't changed. I look at you and it is still you," he says still not quite understanding how this has happened.

"You said yourself nothing like this has happened before Clark," Chloe reminds him. "We're in uncharted territory."

Clark realises that he is holding a distance from her. He said the changes didn't matter and he meant it. He strides forward and pulls Chloe into an embrace. "I'll love you no matter what," he says to reassure her and he can feel Chloe relax in his arms.

Chloe takes a second to appreciate Clark's words. She was worried he would look at her differently but he is holding her just as he did before. Hmm he doesn't seem quite so all encompassing now she is taller. Of course he is still a good 4 inches taller and where the hell are his hands going? "Clark. Are you feeling me up?" she asks as his hands make their way down her back towards her ass.

"That depends," he answers.

"On what exactly?"

"If you are going to hit me if I say yes."

Chloe chuckles. "I'll reserve judgement till later but you're not here to do that sort of thing with me Clark."

"Come on Chloe. I haven't seen you in a month. I miss you."

"I miss you too you great big doofus."

"Hey! Are you now feeling me up?" Clark asks as Chloe's hands suddenly slide down his back.

"You have a problem with that Kent?"

"Um no not really."

"Good."

Clark closes his eyes and enjoys the feel of her now very strong hands on him. Then just as suddenly she takes her hands away and he opens his eyes to see she has backed up a few steps. "Chloe?"

Chloe had to stop because she was in serious danger there of just ripping Clark's suit off. A month apart hadn't lessened her desire for him in the least but this is so not the place for that kind of thing. "Clark you came here to help me fly and I can't do that here. I'm a guest. I'll feel like I'm abusing their hospitality or something."

"Ok. I understand. Lets go outside and I'll teach you to fly." He offers his hand to her which she takes. They walk to the door and open it. Outside it are Diana and Donna looking decidedly shifty. "Diana I know you were eavesdropping on us," Clark informs his friend.

"I don't know what you mean," she pretends innocently.

"Uh huh sure. Lie to the man with x-ray vision and superhearing all you want. You know a more petty individual might just repaint your bedroom a lovely shocking pink colour when he leaves here."

"You wouldn't!?"

"10 seconds. It would take me 10 seconds." Clark then walks by her with Chloe in tow. "Think about it Diana. 10 seconds. One day you go to bed and then you wake up to pink everywhere."

Once they are out of range Chloe lets out the guffaw she has been holding in. "You're a piece of work."

Clark smiles. "I know. It'll give her nightmares for weeks."

They make their way outside. "So how do we do this Clark?"

"Well first lets get out of the city. Can't have you crashing through a building can we." Clark then wraps his arms around her waist and floats upward before flying them outside the city and over the ocean. "There we go. Now if you crash land you'll hit the water."

Chloe looks down at the ocean. "That's not very reassuring."

"Relax Chlo. I know I couldn't do this at the time you went to sleep but I've been flying for 10 years now. I completely understand how our flying ability works."

Chloe looks up at his face. "Ok. So how do I do this?"

"First thing you have to do is lose any human conception of gravity. It is not some irresistible force. At least not to us."

"I think I may need a more scientific explanation Clark. Defying gravity breaks the laws of physics."

Clark shakes his head with a cheery smile. "No it doesn't. We obey laws of physics humans haven't discovered yet but simply speaking it is to do with the EM field our bodies generate. You direct the energy flow to propel yourself."

"Ok. That actually makes some sense except how do I do that?"

Clark struggles for the correct words. "I'll have to teach you Kryptonian sometime. There isn't a proper translation in English but simply don't think you can fly. Know you can fly and your body will do the rest."

Chloe closes her eyes. "Ok I'll try."

Clark holds Chloe away from his body. "Free your mind Chloe. Shake off any conceptions that you are bound to the ground."

Chloe tries to free her mind. Clark then lets her go and she plummets straight down into the water. After she gets over the shock of hitting the water Chloe swims back to the surface. "That didn't go so well," she remarks unhappily.

Clark floats down and offers her his hand. Chloe takes it and Clark lifts her up and holds her again. Truthfully he didn't expect her to get it the first time. "You ok?" he asks her.

"Yeah…just…wet. Clark what do you feel when you fly?" she asks hoping it will help her.

"Like I said Chloe you have to feel free, unconstrained."

"When was the first time you flew?"

"After you died."

"I knew that," she says thinking he meant sometime after her death.

Clark sees she doesn't understand. "No straight after you died. Just after I put you in stasis. I stood there staring at you and then suddenly it hit me what I had to do. For the first time in my life my purpose was completely clear to me and that freed me."

"Oh," she says. She didn't know that.

Clark elaborates further. "After you fly for the first time something inside you changes Chloe. Flying becomes as natural as walking or running. It is so easy."

Chloe draws a breath. "Ok. Lets try this again." She closes her eyes and tries to clear her mind. Clark lets her go and she promptly plummets down once again. She pops back up to the surface and spits some water out of her mouth. She has a feeling this is going to a long day.

Author's Note: For those who don't know the Ultra-Humanite was the first villain Superman ever faced. He was originally meant to be Superman's nemesis but he was bumped aside after Lex Luthor's creation. I thought it would be nice to add him to the story since cracking open the Phantom Zone is no mean feat and 2 geniuses, including Lex, are better than 1.