AUTHOR NOTE:

Sorry it's been so long.

It's not an S – Chapter 20

"Are you ok Miss?" Clark answered as soon as he came into the holding room, handcuffs tightly fastened on his wrists. That was a joke.

He was making out like we didn't know each other, like he'd heard the government had some poor defenceless, female reporter in custody and he was just showing general concern. To everyone else that's how it appeared, I however spotted the giveaway signs straight away. He was tensing his jaw, a sign of anger. His eyes were darting over every inch of my body, a sign of concern and his speed in sitting down at the table as close to me as he could get without giving himself away, a sign of wanting to comfort me.

I'm not exaggerating when I say it took every ounce of my will power not to jump right over the desk and pull him into arms. Well, pull him into my arms and then slap him upside the head. He still had time to think this through, to work out a way around this. He should never have given himself up for me.

"I'm ok," I said with a shake, worry starting to consume me.

"Are you sure?"

"Certain."

"You let them handcuff you?" I asked suddenly, hoping that the soldiers watching us wouldn't notice that for a few moments we were just staring at each other.

"It wouldn't be much of a surrender if I resisted," a half smirk making its appearance on Clark's lips. No time for jokes Kent.

"It'll make them feel more secure I guess. They might not need to carry the guns now."

"They had guns around you?" Clark asked, his posture stiffening and his brows furrowing.

"I don't think they were intended to be used on me."

Clark didn't respond to my answer. He just turned his head, stared at the two way mirror and then took the opportunity to voice his unhappiness.

"Dr Emil Hamilton?"

"How did you know I was here?" A voice asked from behind the glass.

"I can see your ID in your breast pocket, along with half a roll of winter green life savers." You go Clark.

"I can also see your squad of soldiers in the next room preparing a tranquiliser gun." What?

"Trust me, you won't be needing it."

"You can't expect us not to take precautions."

"You also won't be needing the rifles you have pointed towards us. Put them down now before it gets out of hand. I don't like the way you have treated Miss Lake."

"We didn't have a choice, Sir." Wow, Doc. Is that the best you could come up with?

"If he was really going to cause trouble, do you think he would have turned up in the first place?" These people were an absolute joke, pointing the weapons at the wrong people. Clark is about to give himself up to god knows who. I might never see him again, our lives might be ruined forever, and all they can focus on is the threat that Clark causes. They're worrying about the wrong guy.

"With all due respect Miss La..."

"Don't with all due respect Miss Lake me. You dragged me away, scared the lady that I was staying with and shoved me into this room. Now you're willing to tranquilise the person who has voluntarily handed himself over in order to save the entire planet. What the hell is wrong with you people?"

"We have legitimate security concerns," the voice of General Swanwick shouted through the speakers.

"Let's put our cards on the table General," Clark cut in, clear that he was fed up and just wanted to get on with things. He stood up with purpose, held his hands up in front of him and pulled his handcuffs apart. They may as well have been made with silly string. My man was showing them whose boss.

"You're scared of me because you can't control me. You don't and you never will." He practically had his nose pressed up against the mirror, looking through directly at them. God, I wish I could see their reactions to him. Shame I don't have x-ray vision too, huh.

"That doesn't mean I'm your enemy."

"Then who is? Zod?" Swanwick questioned with calm. I bet he was really freaking out inside.

"That's what I'm worried about."

"Be that as it may I've been given orders to hand you to him." I don't think so.

"Do what you have to do General." What the hell Clark?

After that it all happened so quickly.

The doors burst open and Clark was led out, not before taking a fear filled glance at me before he went. He could put on a front, act the hero. I could tell though, tell he was petrified about what he was to face. It broke my heart. I just wish there was something I could do.

I trailed behind as Clark was taken to a clearing just outside the base, a huge desert landscape that stretched out as far as the eye could see. He was walked out, told to stand in a specific spot and then await the arrival of Zod. The soldiers that escorted him out then turned away and walked back towards the safety of the base. Clark stood there all alone. I couldn't allow that to happen.

"Did anyone even thank him for what he's doing?" I asked Swanwick and Dr Hamilton as they stood there and watched on.

"There was no time," the General answered devoid of emotion.

"Bullshit. There is always time. I'll do it." Yes, I finally had an excuse to talk to Clark without being overheard. They'd never be able to hear us if I walked out to him.

"It's not safe out there Miss Lake," Dr Hamilton voiced.

"Neither was taking me at gun point, but you didn't voice your concerns then."

Without giving anyone a chance to stop me I started walking out towards Clark, the lonesome figure that I loved more than anything.

"I'm scared Clark," was the first thing that I said when I reached his side, tears immediately coming to my eyes when he turned to look at me, all the pretence of not knowing each other completely gone.

"It's ok now. Zod won't hurt anyone," he said, taking my hand in his and not caring that everyone was watching.

"I'm not scared of Zod. I'm scared of what he's going to do to you. I'm scared of never seeing you again. I'm scared of not being with you. I can't lose you Clark. I just can't. Not again."

"You hadn't lost me before. We were just taking different paths for a while. It was always going to come back to us. I knew it. Thank you," Clark smiled with sadness, reaching up with his free hand wiping an escaped tear off of my cheek.

"Thank you for what?"

"For believing in me, for loving me."

"I'll always love you Clark, even if you can be a hard headed idiot sometimes," I laughed in between the sobs.

"I love you Lauren."

"I know you do. Clark promise me something?"

"What?" He asked, edging closer to the point where I could feel his breath on my face.

"We can't kiss now, not with them watching, but when you get back, and you will get back, I want you to kiss me like you've never done before. I need that to look forward to. I need to hold on to that"

"I promise."

In the distance a massive booming noise from above made itself known, it was time.

"They're coming," Clark confirmed, resigned to his fate.

"Clark, I can't let you go. How can I let you go?" I was falling apart right there. He could be going off to his death for all we know. I can't willing let that happen.

"Baby, you have to. I'm not worth the safety of the planet."

"YOU ARE TO ME," I screamed through tears. This can't be happening.

"Lauren, you have to go back. I don't want you near them."

"Clark, please..."

"Trust me. Everything will be alright. I promised you that kiss remember? Just go back for me...NOW."

The way he looked at me then it was clear that he was done, finished. If this is what he needed me to do in order for him to carry on then I'd do it. Even if underneath I felt like I was being ripped apart.

Dragging my feet I stepped away from Clark and made my way back to the base, my eyes not leaving his once. I don't know how I'm going to survive this.

Moments later a huge craft appeared from the sky, landing with fluid motion right in front of my Clark. It was jet black, clearly some kind of other worldly metal framing it and had almost the appearance of a giant scarab. Clark stood steadfast, strong and unfaltering. He gave nothing away, the only sign of discomfort being a clenched fist.

Steps opened up on the underneath of the vessel and almost immediately two cloaked figures made their way out on the ground. They matched the craft in colour and were humanoid in shape. The smaller of the two ventured closer to Clark whilst the other held back and removed their facial cover, some kind of breathing apparatus. She just looked like a girl, an average human girl. Looks can be deceiving though. Clark proved that to me.

She shared a few words with Clark and then continued to walk, right towards us. Panic immediately engulfed Clark's face, both of us sharing an unsure glance as she got closer. I'm pretty sure Clark didn't plan on this happening.

"Are you the ranking officer here?" The girl questioned when she came to a stop in front of us.

"I am." Swanwick answered.

"General Zod would like this woman to accompany me," the woman ordered and then pointed at me. What the fudge?

"You asked us for the alien. You didn't say anything about one of our own."

All I could do was look over at Clark. What do I do?

"I'll go. It's ok." I was braver than I thought.

Clark was not happy, in fact he was fuming.

I had to go. I was glad that I got to in a way. It meant that I got to stay with Clark. We'd go through this together, just like we have everything else. It was meant to be this way. Didn't mean I wasn't shit scared though.

I followed the woman back in Clark's direction, eventually reaching his side and feeling the tension and fear radiating off of him. Now he was scared.

"You don't have to do this," he whispered as we were ushered forward.

"We don't know what the consequences would have been had I not. It wasn't worth the risk. If you can be brave enough to give yourself up to them, so can I."

"Be careful ok? Don't leave my side."

"I never wanted to in the first place."

Ideally I would have wanted this chapter to be slightly longer but it isn't lol! I want to do the scene on the ship as a separate thing and this was the only way to do it. I was contemplating whether or not to send Lauren off as well as Clark, because I didn't want to risk the comparisons to Lois again. I felt I had to because so much information comes to light in the scene on the ship and seeing as it's in Lauren's pov she kind of has to be there. Don't worry though. It's not gonna go the way it does in the movie. I'm going to mix things up a bit. I hope you're enjoying it.

If you could take a minute and follow me over on wattpad that would be great. Just search LondonaLozzy on there too. Love ya xxx