Covenant – Thirty-Eighth Chapter
It was a normal night for the Kent family – they sat in the living room, talking after dinner as usual. Perfectly normal.

Until there sounded a knock on the door – a knock that would literally change the world.

"I'll get it," Clark said, getting up. He was still smiling when he went to the door and opened it. The smile disappeared as soon as he saw the person there.

A strange blonde girl stood there. She was beautiful, and smiled at him mysteriously. That wasn't what shocked Clark, however.

She was completely naked.

"Hello, Clark," she said, still smiling. "My name is Tara. I'm from Krypton."

Clark stared at her in shock.

"Clark?" Rory called. "Who's there?"

"Uh," Clark began, turning towards them then back to the girl. "Rory, could you maybe grab some clothes?"

"Why?" Rory got up from the couch and came to the door. She saw the girl and her mouth dropped open.

"Hello, Rory," the girl said to her cheerfully. "My name is Tara, and I'm from Krypton."

Rory's eyes widened. "I'll go get you some clothes," she said in a strangled voice.

She turned and ran up the stairs. Clark tried desperately not to look at the girl as he waited for Rory to return.

"Here," called Rory, running down the stairs. She had an old flannel shirt and a pair of denim shorts.

She came towards them, handing Tara the clothes as Jonathan asked, "What's going on?"

"Hang on," Clark said to them, looking at them to avoid seeing Tara again.

"She's decent," Rory said. "Come on in."

Rory pulled Tara into the living room, sitting her down on the couch.

"Mom, could you make some tea or something?" Clark asked.

Jonathan and Martha got up to do just that.

Rory sat down next to Tara, while Clark remained standing.

"Tara," Rory started gently, "I don't know where you heard about Krypton, but an astronomer told us that it was destroyed."

"Its physical form is gone," Tara said mystically, "but it lives on through us."

Martha and Jonathan returned. Martha handed Tara a mug full of steaming hot tea.

"Here, this will warm you up," Martha said warmly to her.

Tara took the mug, staring at it in confusion.

"It's hot tea," Martha told her.

Tara smiled at Martha, almost patronisingly, and put the mug down on the coffee table in front of her.

"Young lady," Jonathan took charge of the situation, "I'm sure that your parents are very worried about you. Why don't you let us call them?" he suggested.

"There's no one to call," Tara said. Her smile had not left her face since she'd arrived.

"Well, you can't sleep out in the field," Martha decided. "You'll stay with us tonight."

"Thank you," Tara replied. "I heard you were very kind."

"How exactly did you get here?" Clark asked suddenly.

Tara looked up at him and said, sounding honest, "I came through a passage in the cave wall."

"A passage from where?" Clark asked.

Tara alternated between looking at the twins as she said, excited, "A place where all your questions will be answered, where you don't have to hide your true selves."

"Look," interrupted Jonathan, sounding irritated, "if you really are from some different planet, why don't you do us a favour, huh? Give us a display of all your special abilities," he spat the last few words.

"Dad..." Rory tried to stop him.

Jonathan walked around the couch, getting closer to Tara and Rory.

It had not escaped his attention how alike they looked – both had hair the same colour, the same length, the same thickness and straightness. They were both beautiful, and there was some inexplicable similarity in their features.

"Rory, you and Clark already told me how Pete's being harassed by the FBI," Jonathan pointed out, ignoring his fears for the moment. "How do we know this isn't some sort of ploy?"

Tara stood up, her smile finally leaving her. She spoke with authority as she said, "Jonathan Kent, you have no place in this conversation. I will show Kal-El and Kara all they need to see in due time."

Rory stood next to her, panic crossing her face before she mastered her emotions. "Where did you hear those names?" she asked quickly.

Tara turned away from Jonathan and looked at the twins, her expression softening. "They were the names given to you at birth," she replied.

"Why are you here?" Rory heard herself ask, and her voice was filled with a sort of void that she had never been sure how to fill.

Tara smiled, taking her hand. "To take you home," she said gently.

Rory stared at her in shock.

Without warning, there was another knock at the door.

"Rory? Clark?"

"Lex," Rory whispered, pulling away from Tara and walking to the door quickly, standing between him and the living room.

She kissed him on the cheek and smiled, "Hey."

"Hey yourself," he replied, running his hand down her arm. "Can I talk to you and Clark for a second?"

He peered into the room.

"Ah, Lex, this is..." Clark trailed off as he realised that Tara had vanished. "...good a time as any."

Rory found it hard not to take Lex's hand. They tried not to show too much affection in front of others, especially since the press had found out about their relationship only a few weeks ago.

"I thought you'd be celebrating," Clark said, interrupting her musings. "Your dad's finally behind bars."

"Where he belongs," Rory added.

Lex shook his head. "My father has a battalion of lawyers more powerful then Caesar's army. He'll be out on bail in less than 48 hours."

"I don't think the judge is going to let a murderer back on the streets," Clark disagreed confidently.

"Clark, the only way he'll be denied bail is if there's evidence at his bail hearing that he's an imminent threat to society," Lex explained angrily.

"What about Chloe's voicemail?" Rory suggested. "The one with your dad's confession on it. That could be pretty damaging."

"It will be for the grand jury," Lex pointed out. "But in order to deny him bail, they need eyewitnesses, people who have seen my father actually inflict harm."

"But everybody who's seen him in his darkest moments is dead or… unwilling to come forward," Rory realised.

Clark lowered his eyes guiltily. After a moment he looked back at Lex.

"I'll come forward," he said strongly.

"I appreciate the support Clark, but they need an eyewitness," Lex reminded him.

"We- I, I saw him at Belle Reve," Clark said uncomfortably. "I saw him order the doctor to increase your electroshock voltage. Even when the doctor said it could turn you into a vegetable."

Lex's eyes widened imperceptibly. He remained calm as he said, "How could you have seen that?"

"We snuck in to try to save you," Rory told him sadly. "We were too late."

Lex looked from one to the other, looking angry. "You knew all along that my father murdered his parents, didn't you?" Rory looked away and Lex said heatedly, "And you never told me."

"Lex-" Clark tried to say.

"I always assumed there was a tacit agreement in all healthy relationships to share that kind of information with each other," he said bitterly.

"Not when it could have gotten you killed," Rory burst out.

"She's right," Clark agreed. "Lex, your father threw you into a mental institution and fried your brain."

"If you found that out all over again, we thought he might kill you," Rory explained pleadingly. "And we couldn't live with that."

She took a step towards him. "I couldn't live with that."

Lex looked at her for a long moment, then up at Clark. He put his hand on Rory's arm and smiled.

"Thank you," he murmured. "Clark, if you tell the judge what you just told me, my father will be exchanging his Armani for an orange jumpsuit."

"What about me?" Rory asked.

"Rory," Lex hesitated. "Everybody knows now that we're dating. Your confession - while it should stand up legally - the jury will be less likely to believe you. They'll think that you're lying to protect your boyfriend."

"And the age difference won't exactly help there either," Rory finished with a sigh.

"We'll be there, Lex," Clark told him, smiling. "Count on it."

The twins escorted him outside. Rory kissed him goodnight as Clark stood by uncomfortably.

Lex got into his car and drove away. They stood there, watching him leave in silence.

"You shouldn't involve yourselves with them," a voice broke the silence.

They turned to see Tara standing behind them, a frown on her face.

"Lex is our friend," Clark said to her. "We want to help him."

"You can't trust him," Tara said confidently.

"And you don't know him," Rory shot back acidly.

"I don't have to," Tara replied archly. "It's human nature. It's just who they are."

"They happen to be the people that we care about," Clark told her staunchly.

"Which is why it will be so much harder when they betray you," Tara prophesised. "I can understand why you're so scared. This is all you know," she said quietly.

"But you were not meant for this world, Kal-El, Kara."

The twins winced at their names and Tara continued, "You were meant for mine."

"Then why are there prophecies from two different cultures saying that we're meant to be here?" Rory asked acerbically.

"The future is not set in stone," Tara replied.

"Yeah, and I like the future we're currently headed for, thank you very much," Rory responded cuttingly.

"Exactly. Why should we believe anything you say?" Clark asked irately.

"Because it's the truth," Tara told them innocently.

"Really?" Clark asked disbelievingly.

"Why don't you start by telling us where you've been for the past fourteen years?" Rory inquired just as innocently.

"If you join me, all your questions will be answered," Tara promised, her face full of hope.

"That's not good enough," Clark said shortly.

"Wait," she said, stopping them walking away. "You need to know what you're capable of. Both of you."

"What do you mean?" Rory asked, not showing her fear.

"You have no idea how powerful you two will become," Tara said softly.

Clark looked between them, his sister and the stranger, noting – just like Jonathan – the similarities between them.

The moon shone over them, illuminating their matching fair skin and blonde hair. They looked almost angelic in the silver lighting.

But he also noted the differences. Tara looked calm and peaceful, while Rory looked obstinate and a little afraid.

Tara turned to look at him. He nodded and took Rory's hand.

Together, they supersped after her.

Kawatche Caves
"This fissure wasn't here last week," Clark noticed, touching it. Rory stood next to him, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"It opened to release me," Tara said serenely. "It'll open again when we go."

"What makes you think we want to leave?" Rory asked, still restless.

"I can sense how sad you both are," Tara said sympathetically. "Not a day goes by when you don't feel like outsiders."

Rory looked away and Tara continued sincerely, "Even those closest to you will never truly understand you. But it doesn't have to be that way."

Rory couldn't take standing so close to her and backed away. Clark turned away as well.

He thought of something completely unrelated to ask her and went with it. "You've been down here ever since the meteor shower?"

"Yes," Tara replied. "Waiting for the time when he knew you'd be ready."

Rory stiffened and Clark winced. All the same, he was curious. "He?"

"Your birth father," Tara clarified. "Jor-El."

"He died on Krypton," Rory said loudly, hoping it was true.

"Yes, but his spirit and will live on inside these walls," Tara responded, unruffled.

"We should've known," Clark muttered furiously.

"He's not the monster you seem to think he is," Tara said, anger highlighting her tone. "He saved you both from certain destruction."

Rory spun to face her. "Yes, to turn us into something we never wanted to be!" she cried, irate.

"You may think you know you and your brother's destiny, Kara," Tara said just as loudly. "But you have no idea what greatness lies ahead of you."

"Then why don't you tell us," Rory demanded icily.

"I'm only here to help you two with your transition," Tara avoided her question. She looked over at the wall and said, "Everything you want to know lies through there."

She looked up at Clark and said softly, "But it has to be your choice."

Clark turned to look at his sister. She was staring at the wall in fear.

Rory looked up at him, indecision all over her face.

"Come with me, Kal-El, Kara," Tara murmured quietly.

"I can't do this," Clark said desperately after a pause. "Neither of us can."

Tara smiled at him and said, soft and understanding, "Just know. When you're both ready, I'll be waiting for you."

Kent Farm, next day
"She hasn't eaten anything since she's been here," Martha said worriedly to the rest of her family.

"Martha, right now her appetite is the least of our problems," Jonathan said sternly.

"I think she's for real," Clark interrupted quickly. "I think Jor-El sent her."

"Are you sure?" Martha asked.

"How else do we explain her powers?" Clark pointed out.

Rory stood by silently, glancing nervously at Tara every so often.

"Clark, this is Smallville," Jonathan disagreed. "Kryptonite's given a lot of people special abilities."

"She knows our birth names," Clark argued. "She knows everything about us."

"She doesn't know any more about you then Dr Swann," Jonathan replied resolutely.

"Do you think Swann sent Tara?" Martha asked him.

"I have no idea what the man's agenda is," Jonathan said severely.

"Maybe he doesn't have an agenda," Rory suggested quietly.

Jonathan looked at her for a moment then continued, "But wherever this girl is from, I just don't trust her."

There was a rush of air and Tara stood right behind Jonathan. Rory gasped and Jonathan turned.

"You're the one who cannot be trusted, Jonathan Kent," Tara said harshly. "You broke the covenant. Jor-El gave you many warnings, but you chose not to listen to them."

"What is she talking about, Jonathan?" Martha asked in bewilderment. Clark and Rory listened quietly.

"Tell Jor-El's children what you did," Tara ordered mercilessly.

"What kind of deal did you make, Dad?" Clark asked nervously.

Jonathan didn't say anything for a while.

Then, he took a deep breath and spoke. "I promised Jor-El that if he gave me the power to bring you two back from Metropolis, that one day I would return you to him."

"Jonathan, you didn't," Martha gasped in shock.

"Martha, I had no idea it was going to be this soon," Jonathan tried to explain.

Rory hugged her arms around herself tightly as Martha moaned quietly, "No…"

"I told you, Kal-El and Kara," Tara addressed the twins. "They'll always betray you. Even the man you call your father."

"I did not betray my children," Jonathan said irately.

"Quiet," Tara snapped. She turned her head towards the window. "Someone's listening."

"What are you talking about?" Jonathan asked. Rory tilted her head and listened for thoughts. Jonathan and Martha's whirled through her head before being replaced.

She recognised the tenor of his mind; it was the FBI agent who had threatened Pete.

Rory gasped and Tara was gone.

She ran outside and saw Tara standing in front of his car.

The man inside yelled, panicky, "Get out of the way!"

Tara slammed her hands onto the hood of the car. Orange energy began to spread from her hands.

"No!" Rory screamed at the top of her lungs.

But she was too late. The energy spread over the car and vaporised it, leaving no trace of the car or the man inside.

She supersped over to Tara.

"What did you do to him?" Rory exclaimed furiously.

"That man feared you and your brother, Kara," Tara said coldly as Clark joined them. "He wanted to exploit you."

"So you killed him?" Clark asked, just as livid as his sister.

"He didn't feel any pain," Tara said emotionlessly, as though that excused it.

That afternoon
Rory leaned on the doorframe, watching as Lana pulled up and talked to Clark.

Ever since Metropolis, their friendship had been strained. That did tend to happen when you threatened your best friend with death, of course.

Then there was Adam. When Rory had gone to thank him for taking care of Lana and become his friend, she hadn't realised that Lana was interested in him too, which only complicated things further.

Plus, she'd discovered recently that Chloe was much easier to be around than Lana. Lana was all about honesty and not keeping secrets and blah blah blah.

Chloe had become much more relaxed about that kind of thing lately. So Rory had been spending most of her time with Chloe, not Lana.

Lana's car driving away interrupted her thoughts. She watched Tara walk over to Clark and talk to him, standing far too close for Rory's liking.

Rory scowled, not noticing a delivery van pull up.

"Hey," called a young man's voice.

Rory glanced over and saw a delivery guy standing there.

"You," he paused to check the package, "Aurora Kent?"

Rory nodded.

"This is for you and, uh, Clark Kent," he said, showing her a large envelope.

"Who's it from?" Rory asked.

"A Mr. Lionel Luthor," he read off the package.

Rory took it from him and he left. Clark supersped over to her.

"What's that?" he asked her.

"It's from Lionel Luthor," she told him, surprised.

Rory ripped off the top and, holding it over her hand, began to shake it. A key fell out and into her hand.

She held it up for them both to examine.

Lionel's prison, night
Rory and Clark were led into the prison cell that held Lionel Luthor by two guards. The guards then stood on either side of the door and watched them carefully.

"What is this?" Rory started the questioning with the obvious.

"A key," Lionel said calmly, his back to them. "Unfortunately, not the one we're all looking for."

"If you want to play games, we'll leave," Clark threatened.

"Clark," Lionel began, standing. "My lawyers tell me that your name has appeared on the prosecution's witness list."

Lionel turned and walked towards them. He paced back and forward in front of them as he said, "I can only assume Lex has you buying into his version of our Oedipal struggle."

"Buy into this," Rory laughed humourlessly. "You're a murderer and Lex is our friend."

"You can drop the charade, Aurora," Lionel snapped. "I know that you and my son are... seeing each other," he said each word with distaste. "But, you see, I am not worried about my son in this case, Aurora, but you."

"What do you mean?" Rory asked despite herself.

"Lex is an expert at lies and subterfuge," Lionel told them. "That key you're holding. It opens a door."

"Really?" Rory asked sarcastically. "Golly gosh, I never would have guessed that."

Lionel ignored her comment. "Third floor, east wing, Luthor mansion," he said quickly. "You'll be fascinated by what you find."

"I'm not walking into some kind of trap, or letting my sister walk into one," Clark spat furiously. "Last time I listened to you, I became a lab rat at Summerholt."

"Clark, I don't want to harm you or your sister," Lionel said, a fanatic gleam in his eyes. "Far from it, I want to enlighten you. You want answers?"

Rory stiffened and Lionel said, smiling madly, "You're gonna find them. Answers you won't believe."

The next day, Luthor Mansion
"Clark," Rory said nervously, glancing around. "I don't like this. I don't want to do this."

"Come on, Rors," Clark said convincingly. "We'll go in, look around, then we'll leave. Lex won't know. There's probably nothing in there anyway."

The door clicked open and he pushed through it. Rory followed him after one last look around.

She walked down the stairs just inside the room, shock saturating every part of her.

The room was dimly lit. One wall was completely taken up by two huge, framed pictures; one of her and one of Clark. Several marbles attached to strings hung nearby, presumably representing planets.

On another wall, there were enlarged versions of some of the cave drawings. In front of them was a computer screen with a rotating image of the octagonal key.

Rory glanced to her left and saw another computer screen with a computer generated image. She gasped. It showed a car fishtailing around on a bridge then hitting a person.

That day on the bridge, she thought, not quite taking it all in. Oh, Lex, how could you?

There were more pictures of her family on the walls. Rory was staring at them when suddenly she felt sickness strike her like a physical blow.

"Kryptonite," Clark grunted. "Let's go."

They walked towards the door, Rory on the verge of tears.

Clark stopped suddenly and Rory almost ran into him. She looked up and saw Lex standing at the top of the stairs.

"Before you jump to conclusions," Lex said. "Clark-"

"You told me you stopped investigating us," Clark interrupted furiously.

"I did," Lex said quietly.

"Then what the hell is all this?" Clark gestured frantically at the room.

Lex walked down the stairs and Rory shuddered. She hated them fighting; wanted to let Lex explain, but knew that Clark was beyond excuses now.

"I understand how you can think this is all about you," Lex said, almost sounding tired. "But in fact, it's about me."

"More lies," Clark hissed.

"There's so much of my life I can't explain," Lex said thoughtfully, examining the room with a detached air. "I've survived countless brushes with death and it all started with that car crash."

He stared at the screen showing what really happened that day. "If I'm guilty of anything, it's that I've inherited my father's eccentric curiosity for the unexplained."

"You've inherited his dishonesty," Clark spat acerbically.

Lex turned to look at Clark and walked towards him. Rory stayed behind her brother.

"Clark, look me in the eye and tell me you don't have any hidden places of your own where you keep your deep, dark secrets," Lex argued strongly.

Clark stared at Lex grimly for a long time. Suddenly, he spoke, bitterly.

"Ever since we met you, we've been defending you, making excuses for you, to people like Pete, like our parents," Clark said resentfully. "Telling them, 'You can trust Lex Luthor. He's a good guy. He's nothing like his father'."

Clark stepped away and Rory moved back also. "We were wrong," Clark finished harshly.

Clark turned and ran up the stairs. Rory remained behind, looking up at Lex with teary eyes and a heartbreaking face.

"Rory," Lex said, reaching out to her. "Please."

"Lex, I believe you," she whispered. "Or I want to, I don't really care which. But-but I can't be with somebody that Clark doesn't like. And I promised my parents…"

She turned her face away, unable to look at him any longer. "I'm so sorry," she finished, running up the stairs and outside.

Lex stared after her, his face crushed.

A/N Aww, poor guy. So that's the end of that. I'm writing as fast as I can, don't worry, I desperately want to get this episode finished!
Happy New Year everyone!