Chapter Thirteen

Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane

Maxima sat in her throne room, her aides looking on nervously at their Queen from the sides of the room unsure of how she will react at any given time. That was always a threat to all who lived under her rule, that Maxima's temper and emotions were so volatile that it was hard to tell what sort of mood she can be in from one day or another. But this was different, now she had returned rejected and embarrassed, in short she had been defeated something that Maxima was not used to.

"My Queen, is there anyway that we can please you oh most powerful one?" one of her aides Sazu asked humbily.

"Yes, you can bring me the head of Kal-El!" Maxima snapped angrily slamming her fist down on the arm of her throne before standing up and storming forward looking for something to hit, something to do battle with. "That man! How dare he reject me?!"

"How can anyone reject you my Queen?" one of his aides asked humbly bowing their heads as if the mere notion was thoroughly insane to even think of such a thing.

"He did. The nerve," Maxima shrieked grabbing one of her aides and throwing her clear across the room, the other looked unnerved as the girl crashed to the ground. "How dare he challenge my rule? He thinks because he fought Darksied that he knows best. He lets his people run riot and gives them freedom. He does not have the iron will to keep his people in order! I'll kill him!"

"That's good cos I think I can help you there," a voice echoed from... her throne. Maxima turned aghast as she saw the man sat there. "My name is Maxwell Lord," he introduced himself sitting off the chair, in fact leaping off the chair, "and I, your majesty, am the answer to your problem."

"You dare sit on my throne," Maxima snarled glaring at the man as he walked over her.

"I only dare when I know I'm going to win," Maxwell replied with a shrug, "but let's get down to business. I can help you destroy Superman."

"And what would you want in return?" Maxima asked suspiciously.

"Oh, just access to your technology, nothing too major," Lord replied then holding out his hand, "so do we have a deal?"

Maxima paused looking at him suspiciously.

"I'll let you kill him slowly," Lord added to sweeten the deal. With that they shook hands forming their partnership.

Clark sat in his apartment trying to get to grips of what had just happened; he had been used, he had been manipulated all by a strange alien from the stars. He had been used as a weapon something he had always feared happening and worst of all he used against his friends. He had stood looking at the wreckage he had brought on the League as they recovered, some of them quicker than others.

"It wasn't your fault," they had each said as he made his apologise but at the same time he still felt an overwhelming wave of guilt at what had happened that could not abate. He had been stupid to fall for Maxima's tricks, he had been niave and utterly stupid. No one else would have fallen for that.

Batman was right. He was too trusting, he thought as entered his apartment upon returning from the Watchtower. He couldn't stand to be near them anymore, seeing what he had done. He just wanted to be alone. Where he couldn't hurt anyone. Afterall, he'd faced, everything he had seen he had still not learnt that not everyone could be trusted and not everyone wanted to help their fellow man. Some people just want use and step over people.

Knock knock!

Clark turned sighing upon hearing the knock on the door. Lois. He wasn't really in the mood for company at the minute, much less a date. He moved towards the door cracking it open to see Lois stood there dressed... well beautifully. She was dressed casually with a jeans and jacket combo, but there was something different something in her eyes that made him near swoon.

"You're not ready?" Lois said upon seeing Clark in the door frame, "come on Smallville, what are you a sixteen year old girl?"

"Listen, Lois I'm errmmm not really up for going out," Clark asked dully yet somewhat conflicted upon seeing her, "I've had a bit of a bad day."

He turned and walked away without even closing the door rubbing the back of his neck. Lois opened the door walking in looking at him with concern. "What's the matter?" Lois asked with concern as she saw Clark, his shoulders more slouched than usual.

Clark didn't say anything for a moment before turning to say something he need answering at that moment. "Am I too trusting?" Clark asked turning to face Lois, "am I an idiot for seeing the good in people?"

"Clark," Lois said shocked by the question and wanting to get to the bottom of it, "what happened?"

"I-I don't want to talk about it," Clark said waving his hand dismissively unable to really explain what he meant to Lois since well she didn't know he was Superman. "Well? Am I too trusting?"

"Yes," Lois said simply.

"Oh, great," Clark replied dimly sitting down on the arm of the chair dejected.

"But, that's what makes you unique," Lois said slowly, with an assertiveness that meant she wasn't just saying it to be nice or back track. This was what she thought. "We live in a cynical world, Clark. You and I know that more than most, we in the front lines of it, bringing the news on every terrible thing that happens and yet every other person would look at that and play on it, make sensational news on every terrible thing or be jaded by the entire world. But not you," she moved forward placing a hand on his shoulder, "you look for the best in people and throughout this cynical world you marvel at the moments in which people show that there's more to this world than the hurt and terror."

"You really think that?" Clark asked surprised about Lois had just said. He had no idea she thought like that.

"You kind of grow on people, Smallville," Lois winked at him smacking him on the arm. She cleared her throat yet Clark noticed the tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Now toughen up and don't care what anyone says. We got enough people being cynical, we don't need any more. What we need is..." she paused for a moment as though wanting to say something. Clark looked at her curiously. She smiled as though thinking it didn't matter, "we need coffee."

Clark chuckled at that. "Is that your cure for everything?" Clark joked lightly knowing full well about Lois' inherited addiction to coffee.

"I haven't smoked in nearly four years sometimes you have to take one addiction and add another," Lois shrugged.

"You know, they have chewing gum for that?" Clark replied with a smile looking down at her as she tried to justify her coffee addiction.

"And they taste like feet," Lois replied with disgust. "And you wouldn't want my breath to smell like feet, now would you Smallville?" she added with a wink before turning and walking to the door, "now, get your coat and come on. I don't want to stay here telling you how great you are all night."

With a chuckle Clark did that putting his coat on and leaving with Lois, the weight of today not quite off his shoulders, but loosened just a bit.

Lex Luthor took a sip of brandy as he looked out at the new solar tower ready for its unveiling tomorrow. It stood towering over Metropolis as golden spire shining in the night, shining in the day, a beacon 24 hours a day for the entire city to see. The entire world to see it for what it was soon. Very soon.

"Beautiful isn't it?" a voice echoed behind him. It was a smug and arrogant voice of a man he had known only briefly for the past few months and neither trusted nor liked, but he need him non-the-less. If what he had told him was true, they would all need him. For now anyway.

"Very," Lex said turning and passing a drink to Maxwell Lord, his 'business partner'. "The unveiling will commence tomorrow. How long until the plan is executed?"

"Once that insufferable Boy Scout is out of the way we'll be all set," Maxwell said as he took a sip, his voice less floaty and fickle and more venomous as he spoke of Superman. "Then, my friend we'll be the true saviours of this world." He looked up at the sky and scoffed with derision, "look at them. Ruling on high above us in the stars, playing god and playing hero, when really they are nothing of the sort."

"My sentiments exactly," Lex replied dryly taking a sip, "is the team ready?"

"Nearly," Maxwell replied, "we just need one more member. Is he ready?"

"In a manner of speaking," Lex replied through gritted teeth hating the fact that in someways who they referred to was a failure. But a failure that will serve its purpose. "What of the girl? Is she... safe?"

"In a manner of speaking," Maxwell smirked with glee as he took a drink smiling as he gulped the drink down, "Buffy Summers won't be bothering us. Not where she is anyway."

Earth-111

It had been nearly nine months since Buffy Summers had been transported to this world and it had not been fun she can tell you that. Firstly, she didn't know she had actually gotten here, last thing she remembered was being hit by whatever blast old rockface had hit her with and next thing she knew she was in some parrellel universe were the entire Justice League are evil. Evil counterparts are always fun. Especially when they capture you keep you imprisoned for months on end.

The first month had been a series of routines for Buffy as she sat in her dank cell trying to find some way of escaping and in between that being tortured for answers by The Martian Manhunter. He used as much mental projection and tricks to mess with her head, but what he didn't know and what she wouldn't let him know was that she had gone through enough mental and physical torture through her life to be able to last long. She continued to fight and keep on trying to escape, but the chances had been very slim now due to the torture ceasing, which confused her because she had not given them any information. It had just ended but her imprisonment hadn't, it meant she was forever caged and imprisoned.

She continued to plan and continued to plot for her escape until finally it happened.

BOOM! The wall of her cell exploded. She dived out of the way as rubble flew every where. She could hear commotion from outside as the guards came to investigate. She turned to look up at the figures stood at the hole in the wall; a tall dark haired man stood in the middle masked and completely in black a blue bird like symbol emblazoned on his chest, a orange flame haired girl in purple floated behind him alongside a red and gold glad young man with red hair and lastly, a dark haired woman of what looked like eighteen in a red skin tight suit with silver stars streaking her side.

"Quickly, we don't have much time!" Nightwing cried as he held out a hand for Buffy.

"Okay, who and what are you guys?" Buffy cried with exasperation at seeing another group hovering over her in the past nine months.

"We're the Titans," Nightwing said taking her hand, "and we're here to save you."

Author Note: So, Clark has his work cut out for him; Lex Luthor, Zod, Maxima and Maxwell Lord and this so called team also coming after him. However will he cope? Luckily he now has Lois. But wait! Buffy's alive! Well if you read the end of the last story you already knew that, yes Buffy is lost on Earth 111 (named after the date and month 'A Better World' came out 1st November) and is trapped with the Justice Lords world and the Titans as her allies apparently; What will happen to Buffy? Will she stop the Justice Lords? Will she make it back to our Earth? Find out next time in: The Lord's World