Lionel Luthor was at the Luthor family cabin in Montana. And so was the presidential plane, Air Force One.
As Lionel was preparing to leave Montana and return to Washington, he was told by the pilot that they would not be able to take off right away...
"May I ask why?" Lionel asked in a testy tone. The cabin had not been as relaxing to him as it had been in previous years. Then again, he had a lot on his mind. Lex and Lana's marriage was in a shambles! Not that he blamed Lana. His son's cowardly behavior was inexcusable and unmanly. But still, the two of them needed to hold it together.
"A Kryptonian is keeping us from taking off." the pilot said quietly, just as Kal-El made his way into the plane. The pilot slunk off and Lionel stood up.
"Kal-El. It's been a long time. How are you?" Lionel asked, holding out a proffered hand.
Kal-El ignored his hand.
"Not well, Lionel. Not well at all. You see your name keeps coming up in association with a some filthy rumor about myself and Ella Lane. I was hoping you could shed some light on this once and for all." Kal-El said coolly.
"Yes. Lex told me something about that." Lionel said.
"Lex told you?"
"Yes. I warned him about spreading gossip..."
Kal-El now outright grinned at him!
"You're going to tell me that Lex made up these lies? You're actually going to let your son take the fall for this?"
"I heard it from him. What else can I say?"
"Ella Lane told me it was you."
"Oh." Lionel sniffed. "Well I heard it from her. She was the one that said she slept with you. Then when I pressed her, she admitted that it was someone that looked like you. From the back. What does it matter? I doubt very much anyone would care even if they did see the recording." Lionel said.
"Yes, about that: I want to see this video."
"I don't have it!"
"You don't have it. Does Ella have it? Or does this recording even exist?" Kal-El asked suspiciously.
"Lex is the one that has it. Now if you don't mind, I need to get the president's plane back to Washington."
Kal-El's response to that was to walk past Lionel and punch a hole through the plane wall! The wall fell off into the runway and crashed! The plane's crew slowly eased out from wherever the hell they had been. Kal-El kept his eyes on Lionel.
"The President has no plane. Everything on this planet is now Kryptonian. You might want to find another way home, in addition to getting me this recording. You have one day. And if you can't get it to me, then I'm going to assume you lied, Lionel Luthor. And that will cost you your life."
Lionel cleared his throat and looked at the crew.
"Why don't you all leave? I have something to discuss with the Kryptonian 'gentleman' here."
The crew didn't need to be asked twice! They gathered their things and left the plane. The stairs were still attached. Once they were gone, Lionel ignored the rush of air that blew into the plane and sat back down, looking surprisingly relaxed.
"Kal-El, I actually like Lois. She has drive and spunk and will go far in this world. I was the one that told her about your father deceiving her mother. I have been her source this whole time. That is why when I learned of her being raped by you..."
"Excuse me?!" Kal-El almost barked. "I suppose you have been spreading that lie around as well?! Lois and I are in love. We belong together and we will be married. You should prepare to die now. I will allow you to say goodbye to your son."
Lionel stood up again.
"Kal-El, I know for a fact that Darkseid will never give up wanting the child Lois is carrying. For a human woman to carry a full blooded Kryptonian child is rare. You know that and I know that. And other people besides Darkseid are aware of this child. Those forces will never stop trying to come after your son or daughter."
Kal-El folded his arms. The air blew his hair slightly.
"You speak as if you know of other specific threats. Tell me who these beings are?"
"Kal-El, it would be better if your child was raised among humans...their powers hidden. Lois would not want her child in constant danger. Your lulling her into some kind of permanent relationship is unfair and wrong."
Kal-El's eyes swept over Lionel with utter contempt!
"What are you talking about, Lionel?! You know nothing about Lois and I. And I believe you know as much about these 'threats' as you do about the 'video'. Now I AM going to kill you. Say your goodbyes to Lex-NOW! Call him!"
Kal-El's own phone rang at that moment. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw that Lois was calling him. Instantly, he felt as if something was wrong, but he did not know what. He looked at Lionel.
"I have to take this. Since your death will be slow, for daring to interfere in Kryptonian business, I will find you and kill you later." he said. He then stepped out of the hole he made in the plane and flew off. Kal-El spotted a gas station below and landed there. Two cars sped off at the sight of him!
While next to a pump, Kal-El called Lois back.
"Lois? What is it? Is everything alright?"
There was a silence.
"Lois, what's wrong? I can tell you are there."
"Yes, Kal-El. 'Someone' IS here." Chloe said. Kal-El took the phone away from his ear for a moment, then hit the speaker.
"Chloe, where have you been? And why do you have Lois's phone?"
"Lois had an accident. She 'accidentally' became small." Chloe said blithely. Kal-El frowned.
"I do not follow you. What has happened to Lois? And why do you sound happy about it?"
"What's happened, Kal-El, is that it looks like this Lord Darkseid gave me powers. Lord Darkseid and your unborn child. Now, I can shrink things. Lois is now small. Your baby is now small and so is Bruce Wayne. I bet they are having a swell time together. The three of them..."
Chloe, who was actually calling from one of the study's inside of Wayne Manor, smiled when Kal-El, having used his super speed, appeared before her looking quite angry! Chloe slowly patted her hair in place and faced him.
"You will explain your presence here and what you told me, this instant!" Kal-El demanded. But before she could speak, Davis appeared in the room and hurried to stand by his sister's side!
"Kal-El, listen to me! Chloe is not herself!" Davis begged.
Kal-El looked from Davis to Chloe.
"Is that correct, Chloe? Are you not yourself?"
Chloe answer to that was to wave her hands towards a grand piano in the room. It shrunk to the size of a peanut! Kal-El gaped down at it, then moved towards her!
"What. Have. You. Done? You are telling me that Lois is that size? That my unborn child is..."
"The child is fine, Kal-El!" Davis blurted out. "But Lois and Bruce were accidentally shrunken. We found a doll house for the two of them to live in until we can correct this situation."
Kal-El felt as if he were going to explode! Lois was 'living' in a doll house with Bruce Wayne?! His eyes fell on Chloe again, who returned his stare. She waved her hands at the tiny piano and it returned to it's proper size.
"Leave us." Kal-El told Davis. He was beginning to understand that Chloe had no reason to be here, if she could very easily return Bruce and Lois to their correct size. Clearly she wanted something from him before she performed this task.
Davis eyed Kal-El warily before turning to Chloe.
"Come back with me and restore Bruce and Lois to their normal size. He is not worth it."
Chloe dragged her eyes off of Kal-El and looked at her brother.
"I think you should do as Kal-El asks."
"But Chloe..."
"Oh for the love of Krypton!" Kal-El snapped. "She can shrink me if she feels threatened, Lor-Zod! Now do as I ask and leave!"
Davis took a deep breath, fighting the urge to transform into his monstrous image and smite Kal-El. But he forced himself to relax and turned to leave the study. Once they were alone, Kal-El walked up to Chloe.
"What do you want? What do you want, to make things right again?"
"That depends on what you consider 'right'? Do you mean what do I want to restore Lois and Bruce..."
"I do not care WHAT you do to Bruce Wayne! I only care about Lois. Lois and our child."
Chloe forced herself not to visibly react to the desperation she heard in Kal-El's tone. She continued voicing her thoughts.
"If you mean that I restore Lois back to her normal size, she then in turn falls into your arms and you both live happily ever after...well...that would not be what I consider 'putting things right'."
Kal-El turned away from her and walked over to the bar to fix himself a drink. He turned to offer her one, but Chloe shook her head. It was better to keep a clear head when dealing with Kal-El. She could lose herself just staring into his eyes.
He took a sip, then turned back to her.
"I take it that you envision another scenario then?" he asked calmly.
Chloe did not answer that directly. She began to walk around the room, taking in all that was Bruce Wayne's. She ran her hand across the fireplace mantle before speaking again.
"Do you remember the first time we met, Kal-El?"
Kal-El was slow to answer. But he eventually did.
"Yes." he replied.
"What do you remember about it?" Chloe pressed him. It was all Kal-El could do not to roll his eyes!
"Chloe, there is no time for this! What is it that I need to do, that will get you to restore Lois to her full size?"
"It was that dinner party, Kal-El. The one that Aunt Ella put together to kind of mend fences. Her divorce from Uncle Sam kind of tore apart our family. And my uncle was left for an alien, no less. Lois was barely in the room that night, that's how much she hated both Jor-El and yourself! It was clear that Lucy really liked you...more than she should. We ended up talking most of the night. I understood where Lois was coming from but I thought you were just...just...incredible. And I know you felt something for me too."
"I am not denying that we had a connection, Chloe. I would never deny that. I was lonely in my own way, though Lucy showed me plenty of attention. I was annoyed with my father for this distraction and in my own way, upset at his disloyalty to my mother. But my father always insisted that the marriage was almost a 'scientific experiment'. He wanted to know what Earth women were like since we would eventually rule them. But...Chloe...you cannot fight chemistry. And I felt that instantly with Lois. That and...well...I am drawn to women that profess to hate me. It just makes me want them all the more." Kal-El admitted solemnly.
Chloe gasped!
"You're telling me that you fell in love with Lois because she hated you?"
"Well, she appeared to hate me. I honestly cannot imagine ANY woman hating me. Chloe, I am sorry things did not work out between us. I don't know what you want me to say."
Chloe smiled wanly.
"You don't have to say anything, Kal-El. I want you to release my mother from your detention camp."
"And?" Kal-El asked knowingly.
"I want to be your wife." Chloe said with steely resolve. "And I think that when you hear me out, you'll agree that our marriage will be mutually beneficial to us both."
"In what way?" Kal-El asked, unable to comprehend Chloe's reasoning.
"I will help you keep all of us Earthlings in line, Kal-El. I could easily shrink all of you. You'd be out of power. Or I could help Bruce Wayne and mankind destroy you. Which is it going to be?"
Kal-El said nothing as his mind raced! Yes, Chloe's powers were a threat. One that his people should have under their thumb. But what if they were only temporary? Kal-El shook his head.
"I would never consider leaving Lois to care for our child alone."
"Lois wants to be a journalist! I am sure that she would be more than willing to give the child to us, Kal-El. I am ready to be your partner, lover, wife and mother to your child. I can help the Kryptonians keep power. You just have to give what we had, another chance." Chloe almost begged.
"Allow me to think about it."
"Fine. But Lois doesn't get returned to her normal size unless you make the right decision." Chloe said, then turned to walk past him and out of the study. Once Kal-El could hear that she had left, he pulled out his phone. He was not marrying Chloe. And unfortunately, she may just have to join her mother in that detention center. She was too dangerous not to be contained.
But how to do this, and get Lois and his unborn child back to him, was a feat Kal-El did not know how to achieve alone. He was going to have to inform his father and Zod of this new development.
Davis didn't return back to the League headquarters right away.
He went to the detention center where Moira Sullivan was being held. Their mother was the only one that could get through to Chloe now. More than a few Kryptonians had choice words for him, taking him to task for what they perceived was his treachery against his own kind.
But their words did not bother him.
What did was the sight of his father, walking down a hallway towards him, and informing him that he might want to join a private meeting he was having, with Jor-El and Kal-El. Considering the fact that Davis had just left Kal-El with Chloe, he knew she had to the subject of this gathering. He followed his father into a room to discover that Jor-El and Kal-El were indeed in there!
Davis focused on Kal-El.
"Have you imprisoned my sister here? I knew I should not have left her with you!"
"Please!" Kal-El snapped. "I think you know full well that Chloe is hardly a victim. Not with what she can do."
"Lor-Zod," Zod said with authority, "what are you planning on doing about this? Because if you do not handle her, we will."
"Meaning?" Davis asked.
"Meaning," Jor-El answered, not looking at everyone in the room, "that maybe Chloe's proposal is not such a terrible one."
Davis did not know what Jor-El was referring to but Zod did. And Kal-El looked appalled!
"Father, you are not suggesting that I actually marry Chloe? Tell me you aren't!"
"What?!" Davis snapped. "What are you talking about, Kal-El?"
Zod looked at Jor-El, then over at his own son.
"Let us leave. Jor-El and Kal-El have a lot to discuss."
But Davis wasn't having it!
"Where are you coming up with this marriage thing? Is this your idea, Kal-El? If you marry Chloe maybe you can control how she uses her powers?"
Kal-El said nothing, He turned away from them all and walked towards a window. Davis stared at his back, then looked over at Jor-El.
"Haven't you all done enough to my family? The both of you? My aunt is alone now. My mother has no one to love. Kal-El has been through all three of my cousins, impregnated one and now is planning on what? Dumping Lois? While she has amnesia and is carrying your child? You are beneath repulsive..."
Kal-El suddenly turned around and faced Davis!
"Chloe is the one that wants this marriage. And if I don't agree to it, Lois stays small. My child might not even be born! She cannot manage the power she has alone. And she will indeed have to be managed."
Jor-El and Zod looked at one another. It sounded to them as if Kal-El had already made up his mind that he was indeed going to marry Chloe Sullivan.
DOLLHOUSE-
Lois slowly rocked in the miniature rocking chair, in the attic of the dollhouse. She could not believe that Chloe had done this to her! And yet, she was kind of unsure that Chloe HAD been the one that shrunk her. Chloe didn't have powers! When did she get powers? Had Alfred known she had powers and not told her? She would not have stepped foot over here with Alfred, if she had known Chloe was going to be here AND have powers!
Additionally, her theory that Chloe would 'come around', was shot to hell and back! That girl was good and pissed off about Kal-El! Had Kal-El known she was that angry?
Lois leaned back in the chair. What did it matter? SHE should have known. She did know. Her mind went back to everything Chloe said to her at the Kent farm. But things had taken place so fast. Chloe's anger, Chloe's...whatever that was that had happened to her. Then Chloe's disappearing.
And Aunt Moira was a piece of work as well! She had been just as angry as Chloe. But Lois didn't know if Moira was angry on behalf of Chloe or just angry in general?
Lois looked over when she saw Bruce Wayne's head peak up through the hole into the attic. Lois turned away and continued rocking. He must of ticked off Chloe too at some point.
Bruce stepped into the attic and looked around. He walked over to a lamp and tried to turn it on. But of course it did not.
"You didn't really think that was going to work, did you?" Lois asked sarcastically. She stopped rocking.
Bruce did not answer that. Instead, he pulled what looked like some sort of coffee table, over towards Lois and sat down on it.
"I am sorry that this has happened to you."
"It didn't just happen to me." Lois replied.
"I know. But Chloe will turn us back. She doesn't know how to control her new powers, that's all."
"Do you really believe that? That what she did to us was an accident? I know why I am now the size of an ant. But why are you?"
"Because I asked her to turn you back. Lois, we don't know that her new powers haven't affected her mind. But I assure you, we will not stay like this forever."
Lois said nothing but nodded. She began rocking again.
"So, Bruce Wayne, tell me about us?"
Bruce stood up from the coffee table.
"Alfred didn't say anything?"
"Alfred doesn't gossip. And I want to hear it from you. How did you end up being the target of Kal-El's wrath?" she asked, smiling.
Bruce sat back down on the coffee table.
"For the longest time, I did not want to face the fact that there was an 'us', Lois. My life is...complicated. And there is no room for anyone else. Or there never was before. With the exception of Alfred. He was all I had after my parents were murdered."
Lois stared at him. She suddenly realized what it was about Wayne Manor that didn't feel right to her.
It was clearly someone else's home. And long ago a family lived there. That family was gone but there was a vibe opulence and pain left behind. Lois realized that it was the pain that somehow called out to her.
"Alfred is a good guy to have by your side." Lois said, smiling wanly at him. Bruce smiled back.
"He is. And I know he wants more for me than this. Than what I've been trying to do. I just want to make sure than no one suffers needlessly like I did and..."
"Hey, hey!" Lois said, reaching out and grasping Bruce's hand. "You can't end all of the suffering in the world. And I think it's noble and cool that you'd want to try. That you ARE doing something. But it sounds like you've let it eat you alive. And yes, you deserve more. I mean you're a good looking guy. You have a lot to give some nice girl. That house I'm living in is yours. You could make your parents proud by carrying on the family name. They wouldn't want to see you tear yourself apart like this. And they wouldn't want to see you live in darkness...like we are right now! Damn! It is getting kind of dark in here, isn't it?"
Bruce nodded and squeezed her hand back. He smiled.
"There is a part of me that knows that now. I knew it when I met you. And you are the one that I want to have a family with, in our home. I just haven't been able to seal the deal, you know? Not with Kal-El around." he said wryly.
Lois didn't know what to say to that. She was carrying another man's child. It didn't seem like there was much in the way of hope for the two of them. That and she didn't remember being involved with him. Though she could see it, she guessed.
She was about to say something, when Dr. Hamilton's eyeball peered in at them, freaking Lois out! She squeaked and pulled away from Bruce! Bruce looked over and stood up.
"Well? Did Davis find Chloe?" he asked.
"Davis isn't back yet and he's not answering his phone. Dinah brought some doll clothes and cut some of them up for blankets. You may have to spend the night here."
"We may have to live here if Chloe stays mad." Lois said ruefully. She went back to rocking in the chair. There was nothing they could do but wait.
Chloe somehow knew that Kal-El would return to Wayne Manor.
Kal-El somehow knew he'd find that Chloe had returned to the same study they had been in before. She had been sitting on a sofa, sipping a drink, when he appeared. She set the drink down and stood up to face him.
"Well? I know you must have went to see your father. Will my mother be freed?"
"Yes." Kal-El said shortly, moving past her to fix himself a drink as well. Chloe clamped her lips together, before speaking again.
"And the other thing?"
Kal-El turned back to her.
"The marriage? Yes, I will marry you. On one condition."
"I didn't offer any 'condition's Kal-El."
"No. I am offering...demanding... it. This marriage is going to have a time limit on it."
"What are you talking about?"
"I will marry you, Chloe Sullivan. But you have until my child is born, to make me love you. And if I don't love you by the time Lois gives birth to our child, then we will end our marriage and I will be with the woman I should be with."
Chloe sighed. He was going to be difficult about this. Then again, this was a difficult situation.
"Alright. But I want a fair chance."
"You will get one."
"No. That's not what I mean. I mean that once we are married, you don't see Lois again. You give me a real chance to make you see that I am the woman for you."
Kal-El didn't especially like what she was asking. But he decided that he would get around it someway, somehow.
"Fine. I will agree to that. I want you to restore Lois to her full size. I also want you to give ME the chance to tell her what will be happening between us."
Chloe nodded.
"Fine. Agreed." she said and closed the distance between them, to clamp her mouth over his in a brief, sensuous kiss that Kal-El responded to briefly, before he ended it abruptly and looked into her eyes.
"We are leaving now to return Lois to her full height. If anything has happened to my child because of this, your mother will die for what you have done. Are we clear?"
Chloe took a deep shaky breath, but nodded, wondering for the first time if she was making a mistake?
No, she told herself. She wasn't. And to ensure that Kal-El kept his word about staying away from Lois, she would indeed restore Bruce Wayne to full height as well.