Author's Note: So I am finally being pulled out of this weird funk I've been in for a while. I am going to be updating this story faster now and I'm finally back on track. I always get excited when I get emails letting me know that I have new story followers and favorites. Thank you guys for sticking with me and this story because it's going to get good soon. I appreciate the feedback you guys give me and reviews are always welcome. On to the story!
I stayed at the Fortress of Solitude for a whole week. Those seven days were spent exploring all the rooms and 'ooing and ahhhing' and all the amazing pieces of work, from the giant statue of Lara Von-El and Jor-El holding up the planet that was the height of my apartment building to all the artwork that Clark had somehow wrangled up over the years. He told me some of them were donated to him after saving the pieces. I even got to see the infamous zoo that was filled with all sorts of dangerous and creepy looking aliens. There was one that kept following me around behind the glass. It was purple and long and had spikes all around it's body but it had a tubular head and a circular mouth full of razor sharp teeth. It was probably the most ugly thing I had ever seen but it definitely had a funny personality.
I really didn't want to leave this fantasy world and face my reality again. My boss was not happy on me skipping so much work and Clark insisted that I had to lie to him so I fudged the truth a little and told my boss I was in an accident. I didn't give him too many details but my boss definitely demanded to see a doctor's note, which Superman was easily able to get. I thought of Cobalt and was so excited to see him again, luckily my mom was able to watch him, she was the only one I was able to tell the truth to.
I sighed as I jumped back into Superman's arms and he wrapped his cape around me and clutched on to me tightly. I had to stare at his chest again to not get serious motion sickness. I felt him jump up and my stomach lurched. I don't think I could ever get used to this and I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. The cold artic wind whipped against my face and I'm pretty sure I would get windburn after this little trip. The minutes felt like seconds but we there we were back at my apartment and it was definitely sad to see the familiar place. I really hated reality.
"Was that trip a little easier?" Superman asked me as he sat down on my couch.
"Yeah it was. When am I going to see you next?" I was devastated to see him leave especially after such a fun weekend with him.
"I'm not sure. Would you want to come to my place for dinner Friday night?" He asked hopeful.
"Sure! What are we going to do now?" I saw confusion flicker over his face.
"What do you mean?" I joined him on the couch and sighed when I realized I was back at home.
"Well I know your secret now. Am I supposed to not acknowledge what you do in your spare time? Am I supposed to pretend I don't know your superhero friends? I don't think I can feel the same after finding out the truth. Knowing that you're in danger all the time? I'm going to be a nervous wreck!" I heard my voice raise a few notches and Superman looked at me nervously.
"Okay calm down, Jo. First of all I'm hardly ever in danger. Second, we can't go back to how we used to be and yes you can acknowledge my friends. They sure know about you so it's only fair you know about them as well. Third, of course you can acknowledge my 'past times'. It would be kind of hard to try and ignore that fact." He wrapped his arms around me and I just rested my cheek against his muscled chest.
"Okay I can do those things. This is just really strange. I mean this is every girl's dream but I don't think any of them planned this far into the imaginary relationship, I know I didn't." I just knew he was looking down at my head questioningly.
"Girls fantasize about this? YOU fantasized about this?" I laughed.
"Every girl fantasizes about this. I don't think you really grasp how wanted you are. It amazes me because we have had this conversation before. Of course I've had this little fantasy. What else do you think I do at work?" I scoffed.
"Um I don't know, work?" I laughed so hard at that.
"Hardly. I space out at work more often than I'd like to admit." He chuckled and his arms squeezed me.
"Okay Jo I have to go, Batman is calling me into Gotham… and it sounds like you have a visitor." I looked up at him questioningly and he nodded at the door three seconds before there was an actual knocking. I was surprised that he could hear that but I needed to get used to the fact that he had super powered everything. Superman started to pull away but not before I pulled him down for a goodbye kiss. I watched walk up to the window and fly out and I realized I don't think I could ever get used to that sight. More pounding on the door brought me back to reality and I yelled that I was coming. What I found on the other door surprised me.
"Ken what are you doing here?" He looked frantic and before I knew what was happening I was being pulled into a different man's arms.
"I saw the news! They didn't release the name of who was captured by that monster but I definitely know what you look like. My god Jovilette what happened? I've been coming here every day since the accident and you haven't been answering! You haven't been answering your phone either!" Awwww shit I had not prepared for anyone to recognize me on the news and I don't think Superman did either otherwise he would have prepped me on what to say.
"Ummm, come in. I'll try my best on what happened." I slid away from his tight grip and invited him in with my arm. I watched him stand right where Superman was standing just a few moments ago and it made me want to laugh at how different they were.
"Explain. Now." He looked kind of mad and scared at the same time; it was definitely an expression I wasn't used to seeing. Now I had to figure out a way to explain how I was targeted without giving away any important information.
"Well okay so I was on the bus and these creatures just started pulling people off of the bus and the big one picked me up and said he wanted bait for Superman. He wanted to use a woman so Superman would feel obliged to come to him." Ken just looked at me incredulously.
"So he chose you at random? Man that sucks you have terrible luck Jo. I guess he just wanted the prettiest woman he could find on the bus. That's the only thing that makes sense." I paused.
"Yeah I guess so." I shrugged my shoulders, hoping he wouldn't question anymore but that just wasn't the case.
"So why haven't you been here?" Crap.
"I uh was with my mom. She watched the news and demanded I come home immediately. So I've been staying with her to ease her worries. And as for the phone calls, I have had it turned off because I keep getting people calling and asking for a story. Sorry I worried you Ken." At least the phone calls weren't a lie. I watched him and he just looked relieved.
"That's all I did was worry. I'm glad you're okay though. You're uh boyfriend know what happened?" I saw the hope in his eyes. He wanted me to tell him my boyfriend and I broke up, but really this incident just solidified our relationship, unfortunately for Ken.
"Yeah he knew immediately what happened. He was worried too but everything is okay." I walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water and I heard Ken follow me there.
"You know by now how I feel about you, don't you Jo?" I slowly turned to him and I saw the sadness there.
"Yes." I took a big gulp of water and watched him wearily. Where was he going with this?
"I just, don't want to see you hurt Jo. I really care about you and I wished you were with me but if I have to wait until you and this Clark guy are done, then so be it." This guy has no idea what competition he was up against.
"Ken, I really treasure our friendship and it's not like you're in the friend zone or anything but Clark treats me really well and I don't like the idea of dating a coworker anyways. You mean a lot to me and I don't know where I would be without you but you have to understand this might not ever happen. I don't want you waiting on me. You deserve better Ken and I know a lot of girls are fawning over you; you just have to pick one. Please don't wait on me, it's not fair for either of us."
He weighed my words heavily and I could see the wheels turning in his head as he thought of what to say next. I took this extremely awkward pause to take another gulp of water. I probably looked like an idiot but I didn't know what else to do.
"Well I will consider what you said but you will always be on my radar. But I will get you one way or another." He walked out the door and I raised my arms up in disbelief when I saw it shut. I wasn't some sort of prize to win! What an arrogant asshole. I mean yeah he was a close friend but I definitely wasn't anything to own. I would sure hope Clark didn't regard me as property. I don't think he would but so many people think of their partners are property it's ridiculous and scary. Yes I am in this relationship but no you do not own me. I am my own person, thank you very much. Superman or not, I'm no one's property. I walked over to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine. I had to lie down on the couch and sort through everything that happened in the past few days. The plushness of the couch felt like heaven.
First off I was kidnapped by some alien freak and in result found out Clark's true identity. I was mad that he kept such a big secret from me and I can't help but feel that this relationship was faked on some level because he hid part of himself from me. Was it necessary? It might have been but it hurt that he didn't tell me sooner and he wasn't the one that told me about it. It would take a while for the hurt to subside but I can see Clark's thinking in this situation.
Secondly, because of the alien thing I now have rock hard skin. I didn't even want to start thinking about how that happened because it just hurt my brain. This kind of thing only happened to heroes and I wasn't going to be a hero. It's bad enough I was a freak to society before this began but now? I may as well belong in a zoo. Although it was about time Clark wasn't as fragile with me.
The only thing that scares me now is the fact that since Darkseid, who was from another planet, was able to figure out I was dating Superman it is possible more of his enemies are going to come out of the woodworks to come looking for me. Superman and I talked about this and we both discussed the dangers that possibly could come for me but I'm not as worried as he is because now they have a lesser chance of hurting me than before. But the idea that they could just snatch me up was a little overwhelming. I definitely wasn't about to be a damsel in distress but it was nice knowing your boyfriend was playing in the league of heroes.
I tipped the rest of my glass back and set the glass on the table beside the couch. No matter how many mental pep talks I gave myself, I was never going to be prepared for this life. Would I ever be? I wasn't sure but I had to keep trudging on to see what was waiting for me on this path I found.