Fortress

When Clark came through the front door to his apartment, he found Chloe sitting on his couch, looking concerned. As for Lois, she was pacing back and forth restlessly, like a wild cat that had been caged. Since that particular analogy lead to a very unpleasant mental image – that of Lois mauling the first person who crossed her path – Clark cleared his throat and reminded himself that he should keep his distance for the time being, just in case.

He saw Chloe turn gratefully toward him at the noise, and she smiled in relief. That didn't bode well. Jumping to her feet, she hurried around the couch to stand by his side, though he suspected it had little to do with a desire to be near him as it was to have a convenient barrier between herself and her cousin, should the need arise. His suspicions were confirmed when she greeted him warmly and deftly took a half step behind him as she said, "I was hoping you'd get here soon. Lois and I think we've discovered something… Actually, I have no idea what we might have discovered, but she seems to think there's something to it." Glancing towards Lois, Clark realized she hadn't missed a beat in her pacing, and he heard Chloe sigh beside him. "She's been doing that ever since, so I guess it's up to me to tell you what you've missed, and then maybe you can tell me why she doesn't seem to be very happy about it."

Quickly, Chloe filled him in on the details of the previous half hour, her voice never rising above the undertone in which she'd greeted him. The entire discussion of EMPs made little sense to him, though he supposed he understood enough to get the basic idea of what she was trying to say. Finally, she finished with, "Does the name Joe Rell mean anything to you? Lois said it, but it doesn't sound familiar to me."

Startled, Clark's gaze shot towards Lois, but she was still engrossed in her restless back and forth movement across the floor. "Jor-El?" he repeated in a voice that was embarrassingly close to a squeak of dismay.

That caught Lois's attention, because she whirled on him. "Yes, Jor-El. And why am I not surprised that it all comes down to him? You know, I'm beginning to think that I have to be the most galactically stupid woman on the planet, not to have realized it sooner. After all the times he's messed with your life, it didn't even occur to me that it was high time he messed with mine!"

Clearly confused, Chloe stepped forward. "I'm sorry. I must have missed something. Who's this Joe person, and why would Lois's coming here have anything to do with him?"

Shifting uncomfortably, Clark ran a hand nervously through his hair. "He's…he's my biological father," he explained awkwardly. "I was adopted. And he…um…"

"Likes trying to tell Clark how to live his life," Lois broke in. "At least, he used to, in my reality. Apparently, he's still doing the 'father knows best' shtick here, which is something I was really happy to think we'd gotten past, if you want to know the truth."

Glowering, Clark snapped, "Do you think I'm happy about it?" Of course, he understood why she was so upset; he wasn't any happier than she was to think his father was behind all this. On the other hand, that didn't give her any cause to look at him as if he was ultimately to blame for his father's actions.

He saw her hackles raise, but Chloe interjected before they could descend into a bout of petty bickering. "Okay…but if your dad was behind all of this – your biological father, I mean – how'd he do it? And how could you be so sure it was him? You even said it yourself, Lois; that EMP goes out into the middle of nowhere. How do you know –?"

"Let's just say I know him, and I know he's capable of doing this sort of thing," Lois said, beginning to sound uncomfortable herself. Obviously, she didn't have any better idea how to explain this situation to a bystander than he did.

"He can blur the line between different realities?" Chloe demanded, sounding highly skeptical. "Oh, come on, you two! I'll grant you that you guys definitely know Clark's dad a lot better than I do, but I think you might be giving him a little too much credit. I mean, just think about the level of technology we're talking about alone, here!"

Clark winced. He had no trouble believing that bringing Lois from her reality to this one was something his father was fully capable of doing. Still, he wasn't quite up to trying to explain the situation to someone who wasn't already aware of his secret. He could just imagine it now. 'Oh, no, really, he has the technology. You see, he's an alien. And so am I, if you want to know the truth. I came here in a spaceship when I was a baby, and now I have this fortress, I guess you could say, in the Arctic. It's a little cold up there, but the fortress was grown from a crystal, so I can't exactly complain about where my dad wanted me to set up house…" Yeah. That would go over really well, he was sure.

Thankfully, Lois took charge of the conversation, removing the necessity of him explaining anything at the moment. "I know it sounds crazy, and maybe you're right and he had nothing to do with this." No matter what she said, Clark didn't believe for a minute that she had any doubts as to his father's culpability. "But I think Clark and I really should go talk to him and make sure, before we discount the possibility entirely."

"Okay," Chloe said slowly, still looking at the two of them as if she thought they were seriously deluding themselves as she stooped to grab her purse. "I'll get the car."

"Ah," Clark interjected, stepping forward to forestall her exit. He threw a desperate look Lois's way, but she was way ahead of him already. As usual, it seemed.

Laying her hand on Chloe's arm, she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Chloe, but you can't come with us. It's…a little hard to explain…" Chloe opened her mouth to object, but Lois cut her off. "You've been absolutely amazing so far, and I know I couldn't have done this without you. And I wish I could explain, I really do. But…there's just…there are things that are…they're not really easy to explain."

"There are things you can't tell me," Chloe said, sounding hurt.

"It's not that we don't trust you! Where I come from, you're one of the few people we do trust. But it's…there are secrets, and they aren't all mine, but I know they always easy to accept, either. I wish we could tell you everything; believe me. But it's just…it's complicated."

Nodding slowly, Chloe sighed and said, "Okay. If Clark's got a mad scientist in the family, I can see why you wouldn't really want that sort of information to get out." She gave her head a quick shake, as if she was trying more than succeeding at accepting the reason why she was suddenly being shut out. Still, she did manage to sound more or less resigned when she said, "I should probably stay here, anyway. Uncle Sam's probably hitting the roof by now. Someone should probably do something before he calls in the National Guard and has the town put under martial law while he goes door to door, looking for you." She was joking – kind of.

Quickly, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Lois's neck, pulling her in for a tight hug. "Give me a call when you get a chance, and I'll let you know if he's called for a national state of emergency yet. I'll do what I can to calm him down, but…you are going to have to talk to him. You know that, right?"

"We'll deal with my side of the family tree once we're finished with Clark's," Lois hedged, returning the hug. "I'll call you as soon as we get back. Done!" she corrected herself quickly.

Looking both startled and confused, Chloe said her goodbyes and left, while Lois turned a sheepish look on Clark. "Sorry about that. You'd almost think I haven't had years of practice, covering up your secret."

"No, I know you're not used to having to hide all this from her. She really knows about me, the Chloe you know?" he asked, more for the chance to keep the conversation going than out of curiosity as he grabbed a couple of warm coats for them both – they would definitely be needed – and escorted Lois out the door.

With a wry laugh, she answered, "She's known longer than I have, in fact." When she saw his raised eyebrows, she nudged him in the ribs. "I told you, the two of you have been best friends for years."

When they reached Clark's truck, silence fell between them, and they didn't speak at all as they made their way to the caves. Out of the corner of his eye, Clark could see Lois glance anxiously out the window, and he knew she was preoccupied, looking for her father. He wasn't going to be able to do anything to relieve her mind, unfortunately, since he was anxious as well, thinking about what they might find once they reached the Fortress.

Of course, the thought had occurred to him earlier, that Jor-El might have something to do with Lois's sudden appearance in his life. He had, however, discounted the idea. He couldn't think of one good way in which his father had interfered in his life in the past twenty years; it seemed unlikely that Jor-El would have been benevolent enough to have brought Lois to him. Besides, Clark hadn't heard from Jor-El in a very long time, not since giving up his abilities, and he couldn't imagine why his father would be choosing to contact him now. No, maybe it was wishful thinking, but he really didn't want to believe that Jor-El had anything to do with this.

Plus, if his father was really behind it all, Clark knew Lois was going to be livid. Call him a coward, but he really didn't know if he was up to withstanding her ire if she thought he was even peripherally to blame for the fact she had been separated from her fiancé.

It was only after he finally pulled up in front of the caves and killed the engine that Lois turned to face him and met his eyes. "You okay with this?" she asked, surprising him with the question. "It's just that I suspect that you've never really come to terms with the relationship you have with your father, and I don't want to make you confront him if you don't think you're ready to do so."

"You would actually agree to walk away from this?" he asked skeptically.

On a laugh, she replied with a wink, "No. I'd just agree to go without you."

Chuckling – if a bit nervously – Clark shook his head and opened his door. "Thanks, but I think I can handle it." Then he stepped out of the cab and walked around the front of the truck to take Lois by the arm, walking with her into the entrance of the caves. They moved slowly, both out of trepidation for what was about to happen (on his part) and caution due to the rocky terrain (on hers). He could have told her that he had taken this route many times and was confident of his ability to keep from falling and injuring himself, but he secretly liked the realization that she was thinking of him. Plus, any chance to forestall the inevitable confrontation between Lois and Jor-El was a good thing, in Clark's mind.

As they walked into the empty chamber, Lois took his hand and smiled reassuringly at him, and once again, he was amazed by the woman at his side. He knew there had to be so many things running through her mind right now, but, even so, she had still stopped long enough to worry about him, to be concerned over how he might handle the inevitable upcoming confrontation.

She was remarkable, and somewhere there existed a Clark Kent who was a very lucky man.

Shrugging on their coats, they stepped up to the large stone slab in the middle of the cave's hidden chamber. Clark grabbed her hand and took a fortifying breath. He almost asked if she was certain she wanted to do this, but he knew what the answer would be. So, without another word, he pulled the medal disc out of his pocket and slipped it into place.

Bright light surrounded them, and then an icy wind so sharp it cut into his bones and took his breath away. Huddling into the warmth of his coat, he kept hold of the hand still tucked in his and glanced over at Lois to make sure she was okay. Her reaction, however, was one he had not expected. "You know, I always seem to forget how beautiful this place is," she breathed in awe as she stared at the crystalline structure in front of them.

"Come on," he urged, pulling her towards the entrance. It was awkward, slogging his bad leg through the almost knee-high snow, but he gritted his teeth and tried to hide his discomfort. In an odd way, though she had been nothing but understanding of his condition, the very compassion she exhibited towards him made him less comfortable with the thought of letting her see his weakness.

Whether or not he managed to fool her, she didn't comment on the difficult time he was having as they made their way inside. Once there, however, she disentangled her hand from his and stepped forward, gazing around at the darkened interior of the structure in disappointment. "I don't understand," she murmured, turning to him, and he winced. He had forgotten that she had no way of knowing that the Fortress had gone quiet, a long time ago.

Stepping forward he reached for her, feeling as if he owed her an apology for having wasted her time. Perhaps his father was the cause for all her troubles, somehow – even with a dead Fortress, Clark never discounted Jor-El's abilities, and heaven knew he had sufficient cause. But it was clear that, even if Jor-El had managed to pull Lois out of her reality, it was unlikely that she would find answers she searched for within this silent monument to a planet and a people long-dead.

However, just when his fingertips brushed against the fabric of her coat, the eerie silence inside the Fortress was broken, and he startled at the sudden sound. "Good evening, Miss Lane." The voice, at once oddly comforting and strangely disconcerting, disembodied as it was, washed over the two of them. "I had hoped I would be given the chance to speak with you."

"Jor-El," she spat, her eyes flashing furiously as she strode forward, moving even further out of Clark's reach. "You couldn't possibly think I would have missed my chance at this reunion – particularly not since you clearly took the trouble to bring me here. So, do you want to do me the favor of letting me know just what the hell it is I'm doing here, anyway?"

"I would have thought you would have discovered your purpose in this reality by now, Miss Lane."

"That's Lois. Or Mrs. Lane-Kent, soon enough. You are aware that I'm supposed to marry your son in just a couple of days, right?" As she spoke, Lois crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head in that particular way that Clark was beginning to realize heralded an imminent explosion. She was about to lose her temper, which would probably not be the best idea. In an attempt to forestall the inevitable, he walked up behind her and put his hand on her arm, but she shook him off and stepped forward.

Clark didn't know if it was the tone or merely its disembodied nature that made it seem cold and impersonal as it replied, "The Kal-El of your reality is no concern of mine."

Beside him, Lois spluttered, "You…! You know, it's been so long since you thought it necessary to try to tell Clark how to live his life, I almost forgot what an arrogant ass you could be!" Clark jerked at the words and sucked in a shocked breath through tightly gritted teeth; he couldn't believe she'd had the audacity to say such a thing. Rolling her eyes, she turned her head to look over her shoulder at him and demanded, "What, do you think he's going to zap me right where I stand for talking back to him? I'd like to see him try!"

"Well, but…" Clark began helplessly, but Lois turned back to the empty room before he could formulate a more coherent protest.

As if their words were of little concern to him, Jor-El continued, "Miss Lane, whether or not you choose to accept it, your actions over the last few days serve a purpose. You must help my son embrace the destiny he once rejected."

Clenching her fists and dropping her hands to her sides, she braced her weight and yelled defiantly into the empty air, "No, I don't have to help anyone do anything! You think this world needs a Superman, but what it really needs is someone who wants to be Superman, who knows that being a hero is difficult and chooses to do it anyway! How is it that you've never understood that crucial distinction? He has to decide which path he wants to follow, and whatever you think his destiny should be, you have to let him choose for himself!"

He was also standing right behind her and beginning to feel a little insulted at being discussed as if he wasn't present.

Regardless of Clark's opinions on the matter, Lois's words didn't seem to be having any effect upon his father. "You must realize that your destiny is inextricably linked with Kal-El's. You know the path he must take; you can help him find his way."

"You don't understand! That's not what I do! I never made him put on the tights and cape; I just tried to be there for him when he needed the strength to keep on doing it! And you can talk as much as you want about how I'm supposed to help Clark find his destiny," her voice was dripping with sarcasm as she said this last word, "but it's all crap, and you know it! She's dead, the Lois of this world! Whatever it is you think she was destined for, she died on a mountaintop very far away from here! In my mind, that pretty much negates the argument that she was destined for anything!"

"Miss Lane's death was unfortunate," Jor-El replied calmly. "It was never supposed to happen."

"I'll be sure to pass on your condolences to my father," she snapped.

Ignoring her, he continued, "But that changes nothing. It was her destiny to stand beside my son as he embarked upon his journey, just as it was his to stand as the world's protector. That these things were meant to happen is irrefutable. However, on occasion, our choices or actions intervene and change the course of destiny. Her destiny changed when she died; his changed when he chose to embrace his mortality. The universe adapted to these changes, but, since your arrival in this world, it has been trying to restore the balance."

"Well, that certainly helps explain why the universe seems to be ganging up on me all at once. It really is. And why doesn't that make me feel any better?" Clark heard her mutter under her breath as she raised a hand and rubbed the back of her neck in frustration. Then, in a dark undertone that Clark imagined would send most people running from cover, she growled, "So you're saying that I can't get home unless I turn Clark into Superman?"

A telling silence followed this remark, and Lois whirled on her heel to give Clark an assessing look. He watched a series of emotions play across her face before her shoulders slumped in defeat. Shaking her head slowly, she offered him an apologetic smile, but he couldn't understand why. "I'm sorry; I can't ask you to do that."

"Look…maybe I could do it," Clark offered, though he knew he sounded dubious at the prospect. "Maybe I could be Superman."

She shook her head. "No. I'm not going to make you into something you don't want to be." Tilting her head back, she yelled, "Do you hear me? I'm not going to do what you want me to do!"

"Then I am afraid, Miss Lane, that there is little chance you will be returned home until you change your mind."

Lois whirled around so quickly, she almost lost her balance. "You send me back!" she screamed, her voice breaking as her words echoed throughout the icy chamber. "You brought me here, you SEND ME BACK! I have done everything I can – or am willing – to do; I've shown him that he has a choice at a different life! I'm not going to hold his hand while he decides! So I've been a good little girl, and I've done my job. Now you send me back where I belong!"

A long silence followed her remark. Finally, Jor-El spoke once more. "Miss Lane, I am afraid you do not quite understand. I have been merely attempting to explain your purpose here. However, I did not bring you to this world, nor do I have it in my power to return you to the one in which you belong."

Growling deep in her throat, Lois demanded sarcastically, "Oh, yeah? Then who does? If you didn't bring me here, who did?"

"My son."

Clark's eyes grew wide with shock, and he turned helplessly to Lois just as she whirled on him. He could tell she wasn't in the most helpful of moods, however, as she demanded, "What?"