Chapter Twenty Part One
Lois stared at the empty desk while chewing on the cap of her pen when a voice startled her and she turned around to see Perry standing, "Sorry chief." She scrambles to make herself presentable.
"You seem distracted." He had noticed her behavior change days ago when Clark had asked for time off, "Is this about Kent?"
She cast a glance towards the empty desk then looked back at her boss and gave a silent nod, "Then maybe you should pay him a visit." He said giving her a wink before turning back and headed back towards his office with a small all knowing smile on his face.
Clark paced back and forth while he awaited the results of the facial recognition results to come in, "If you keep pacing I'll be forced to sedate you with kryptonite." A deep voice called out from upfront causing the kryptonian to pause as he watched the chair spin around and Batman to give him a deadly serious look, "Just try to relax."
"That's easy for you to say Bruce." He almost started the pacing again but the look Batman was giving him made him stop, "This guy knows about Maggie. He's going to come for her and anyone else associated with Superman."
Bruce didn't how to ease the hero's worries so instead the chair spun back around keeping the conflict hidden from view, "Its not easy is it? Trying to have a life and be a hero at the same time."
"I've survived this long and I'm going to stop this guy before he ever lays a hand on my daughter." He stated with strength that Bruce secretly admired when suddenly the computer beeped with a response and a photo popped up of a man that Clark instantly recognized, "That's him!"
After typing in a few things more files and photos began to appear on the large monitor, "His name is John Corben." A perplexed look crossed the masked hero's face, "He's a war corresponded with the Daily Planet."
Clark appeared almost immediately at Bruce's side at the mention of his workplace, "He was investigating a murder shortly before his disappearance." Crime scene photos soon fill the screen and cause Clark to turn his head in disgust, "Her name was Rebecca Corben."
"Did they ever catch who murdered her?" A mug shot of a criminal appeared next to the picture of Rebecca Corben and a sickening feeling entered Clark's stomach, "I know this man. There was an accident during a prisoner transport and he escaped during the commotion." He paused when the sickening realization hit him, "I'm the reason this girl's dead."
"You tried to do what any normal person would've done Clark but it wasn't you that put a knife in that man's hand and it wasn't you who told him to end a life."
The pieces began to fall into place as the picture became clearer with each passing minute, "They caught the guy meaning his revenge wasn't fulfilled so now he blames me for her death. That's why he told me to treasure my last moments with the people I love."
"That's interesting but I think the bigger picture here is who's responsible for turning this man into a killing machine." They looked back up at the image of John Corben and knew it was a matter of time until he made good on his promise to make Superman suffer.
The bright light faded allowing Clark's feet to touch the snowy ground and shake off the queasiness he felt after a marathon training session with Jor-El, "Your progression has exceeded my expectations." The loud voice spoke echo around the large crystalline structure, "Perhaps I underestimated your determination."
Clark just smirked while he walked over to the bassinette and spotted his daughter slumbering, "Then again the love for a child is strong." He smiled at the comment and turned back to see the empty fortress but didn't feel alone.
"Are you sure the cold isnt affecting her?"
"This fortress is designed to adapt to every and all your needs. The little one will never be harmed as long as this place stands." Jor-El's voice responds as Clark back to watch over his sleeping child, "Have you thought of a kryptonian name yet?"
"Honestly I hadnt thought about it." He trails his finger across her smooth baby cheek, "Her name is Margaret so how about Mara Kal-El." There is silence that causes Clark to look around confused when a sudden light shoots out from the console hitting him square in the chest sending him to fall to his knees gasping for breath.
"Kal-El?" a soft voice calls out causing the kryptonian to look up and see Lara standing there dressed in a white gown and a smile he had seen before in the picture he kept in his steamer trunk, "My son."
He smiled and went to her only to have his body phase through her form, "H-How?" he looks stunned as he walks back around to face her, "How is this possible?"
"Many things are possible. Your father stored my image into one of the crystals in case of a moment like this." She loooked over his shoulder at the bassinette and smiles but there is sadness in her eyes, "I am sorry that we can not be there for you and your child. Were we not seperated this wouldve been a joyous day, the naming of a child is special." Her image disappears and reappears at Maggie's bassinette, "There is a saying we use to pass along our wisdom to our children." She looks back at him, "You must say those words to her and she must never forget that no matter where she goes that we will be there alongside her in spirit as we have been with you." She gives him one last smile before the image faded.
"Goodbye mother." He stares at the empty space and walked over towards the slumbering child, "Life is never easy especially for people like us but I promise you now and forever that I will never let anything happen to you."
Vibrations awoke him from his deep slumber. He tried to wipe the lack of sleep from his eyes while he looked around Maggie's room before rising up from the chair he had dragged into the room and walked out so he didn't wake her up.
The door shut quietly behind him and quickly flipped open the phone to see that he had missed a call from Lois and immediately pocketed the phone not checking to see if there was a message.
The lack of sleep was evident on his face and by the slow movement of his legs as he carried himself towards the couch where he collapsed ready to go back to sleep when an annoying buzzing caused him to look towards the door.
He takes his time getting to the intercom near the door and answers in a low voice, "Who is it?"
"Its Lois" he pressed his head against the wall and let out a sigh, "Can I come up? I brought a six pack." He smiles, "Please Clark. Don't shut me out, not now." He takes a step back and presses the button which buzzes signaling her entrance into his home.
When the elevator doors opened Clark plastered on a smile and accepted the six pack which he set off to the side making sure to keep his back to her, "I'll get us some glasses." He walks away unaware that Lois was close behind.
He placed two glassed down and grabbed two of the bottles from the six pack to fill the glass to the brim with the foamy beverage then used his artic breath to chill them but when he turned around he was surprised to see Lois standing there.
Before he could say anything she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, "Lo-" she presses her finger to his lips silencing him and just shakes her head to him with her arms still wrapped around him.
They stand there for a few minutes when a sudden feeling overcomes the stoic kryptonian almost like all the feelings he had bottled up were pouring out with this one act of kindness from his partner.
Clark's grip finally tightened around her form and he buried his face into her neck letting her scent engulf him as they just stood there wrapped in each other's arms giving the nearly broken man some much needed comfort.
TBC
Side note: Several reviewers pointed out that female kryptonians often have their father's name as their last name (i.e. Kara Zor-El) so I changed it so that it's more authentic.
I'm gonna be honest. This chapter was very hard to right and kept having to rewrite it to figure out what I wanted to do with it and I think I did okay. Also I've been meaning to give Maggie a kryptonian name so it would bring the whole thing full circle.
So what did you think?