Part 51
"AC!" Lois explained as she threw her arms around her friends neck. It felt good to see another familiar face in this mess, but she couldn't help but feel sadden for him. She knew how much he loved his wife and son. How much he would always love them. It was the same for her about Clark. You never forgot a love like that. And what AC, Mera and little AJ had was special. Something that could never be replaced. "You have no idea how good it is to see you."
"Oh I may have an idea," he answered with a smile as they pulled away. He took a moment to look at her face. She was just as he remembered her, beautiful as ever. He would be lying if he said he had never wonder what it would have been like had he stayed in Smallville. What could have happened between them, because for a while he had wondered. But then she ended up hooking up with Oliver and eventually Clark and he would find his way to Mera. In truth once Mera was in his life he never wondered what could have been, but before he had always wondered. Lois was one of a kind, anyone would be lucky to have her heart.
AC's eyes then fell onto two sets of wondering blue eyes. Blue eyes he knew all to well. Blue eyes that had ripped his heart out and destroyed everything that had ever mattered to him. He forced a smile not wanting to startle the boys. It wasn't their fault they had the eyes of a murderer. "And who are these handsome studs?" His eyes glaring at the blue K necklaces they wore around their necks.
"I'm Jon."
"And I'm Kal."
Lois smiled. It felt good introducing her sons to Clarks teammates and friends. She wanted them to have family. People they could count on to be there for them when things got tough. She placed her hands on the boys shoulders. "Boys this is your Uncle AC, one of mine and you daddy's oldest friends."
"Is he the one that lives in the water?" asked Jon. His mother had told his brother and him all about her friends and what they could do. Jon then looked up at AC with excitement. "You think you can take us there sometime?"
"I think that can be arranged," AC answered with a smile.
"Cool!" exclaimed Kal happily. "I want to see all the fish. I've never seen a real fish before."
Lois laughed. Her sons for the first four or so years of their life had grown up underground. They had been isolated from everything and only had her as their windows to the world above. They had missed out on so much, but she be damned if they missed out on any more. "And on that note. It's time to go back to bed," Lois exclaimed as she started to lead her boys away from AC.
"Ah, but mom I'm Uncle AC just got here," whined Kal.
"Yeah, I'm not done asking him questions," added Jon.
"There will be plenty of time for that in the morning," Lois answered as she led the boys away. She looked over her shoulder towards AC. "I'll be back in a few AC." Lois wasn't even two foot from heading down the hall to where the boys room was when she heard AC call out to her with very troubling words.
"I'm sorry Lois," he announced his voice was very direct, but there was almost a hint of remorse in his voice, as if he were apologizing for something terrible.
"Sorry?" Lois questioned. What would AC have to be sorry about? He had done nothing wrong? "For what?" she answered as she turned around to face him and saw the reason for his sudden apology. There standing before her and her defenseless blue kyrptonite equip sons was AC pointing his magical glowing trident. "AC what the hell are you doing!" She quickly pushed her frightened sons protectively behind her as she tried to make sense of what her friend was doing.
"I'm sorry Lois," AC announced as he started approaching closer to her and the boys. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. I really do, but fair is fair."
"Wh-what the hell are you talking about?" she cried having no idea why AC would ever want to harm her and her innocent boys. "You aren't making any sense."
"Mommy, I'm scared..." cried Jon as he clung close to his mother feeling his heart race against his chest.
"Why is Uncle AC being mean..." cried Kal as tears ran down his neck. He thought his uncle was a good man.
"Please..." Lois begged she would do anything to protect her sons. "AC don't do this. We can talk about whatever is going on..."
"It's too late for that," AC announced as he pulled his trident back preparing for the killing blow. "I promise, it'll be quick. You wont feel a thing..."
Lois with tears falling from her face closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her boys and prepared for death to come to her, but she would fight for her boys till her dying breath. She would do what ever it took to keep them safe. Then she felt a gust of wind brush against her face and heard a loud screeching scream. Lois opened her eyes and there several feet behind AC was a young twelve year old boy clutching onto a little girl who looked to be the same age as the boys. And that when she saw it the reason behind the loud scream. "Bart!" Lois exclaimed when she realized that Bart had taken the blow.
"You fool!" exclaimed AC as he pulled the trident out of Bart and no sooner did he do that that he felt the pounding of Conner tackling him to the ground and disarmed him. Conner then forced him to his feet and bound his hands together.
"Don't move!" Conner forcefully exclaimed, otherwise he would show AC what happens when you don't listen.
Bart pressed his hand against where AC had stabbed him. He lifted up his hand and saw it was covered in blood. His blood. It was pouring out fast, as the world around him began to spin in circles. Seconds later he healed over onto the ground no longer having any control over his body. He could hear Lois's voice calling out his name telling him everything was going to be fine. He then heard another voice calling out to him. He looked up trying to make out the face it was Oliver and he was vaguely aware of Sam kneeling on the other side of him.
"Bart?" Oliver called out to him. "Can you hear me Bart?" Oliver head fell when he saw Sam shake his head telling him there was nothing they could do. He was already gone. Tears filled Oliver eyes as he clutched Barts hand and looked him right in the eyes. "I'm sorry Bart..."
"...D-don't be," Bart managed to say as he felt it getting harder and harder to breathe. "I did this to myself, wh... didn't choose you." And with his final breath he looked Oliver in the eyes hoping that one day he would grant him the one thing he wants most in this world. "...Forgive me..."
"Bart..." Oliver cried out. "Bart," he called out again, but there was no answer. He looked to Sam whose only words were 'I'm sorry, son. He's gone...' Oliver felt a lump in his throat. He had lost friends before, but it never got any easier. Not even with Bart. Someone who hasn't exactly been on his list of friends. He always thought there would be time. Time to work things out. Time to talk. Time to forgive. Time had ran out.
Oliver angrily got to his feet and started towards AC who was being held by Conner so he couldn't escape or hurt anyone else. "Dammit Arthur!" exclaimed Oliver.
"No damn you Oliver!" AC exclaimed angrily as he tried to free himself from Conners grasp, but unlike all those years ago when the two last stood off against each other in the middle of the Atlantic he wasn't surrounded by a body of water.
"Just tell me why!" Oliver exclaimed as he took a moment to look over his shoulder to make sure Lois and her boys were unharmed. "Why'd you do it?" AC had pulled a lot of stunts over the years, but Oliver never thought that AC would be capable of harming three innocent people, especially children.
"He took everything from me!" AC roared as he struggled to free himself from Conner hold. "I was just returning the favor."
"You think you're the only one who has lost someone?" Conner roared as he tightened his hold on AC. Yes AC lost his family and had every right to be angry with Clark and want revenge, but he too had someone he loved taken from him because of Clark. And while his heart ached and wanted to get back at his brother for it. He could never take his anger and pain out on Lois or her children. They were innocent in all of this.
"Oliver what is he talking about?" asked Lois. She had no idea why AC, who had been one of her good friends would ever want to harm her or two innocent little boys. It didn't make any sense. What could have happened that would have caused AC to want to kill?
"You haven't told her!" laughed AC not surprised. "That's just like you. Keeping everyone in the dark." He looked Oliver hard in the eyes. He wasn't about to let Oliver get off easy, not this time. "Go on tell her! Tell her what that bastard did! Tell her what a murderer he has become! How many lives he's taken!"
"That's enough!" Oliver shouted into AC face. This wasn't how he wanted Lois to find out. This wasn't the way and not at the expense of Barts life. "For, Gods sakes AC, Barts dead." He looked into AC eyes hoping to find the man he once had known. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"Bart is just as guilty as he is. I did the world a favor!" AC replied coldly not feeling one ounce of remorse for the life he had just taken. "If you think you can protect her from this, then you are a fool Oliver..."
"Protect me from what?" Lois asked as she walked closer to Oliver. She wanted to know what the hell was going on here. What could have been so bad that would have turned the team against each other? "Oliver..."
Oliver signed heavily. He had wanted to protect her from the truth, but that just wasn't possible. She had to know the truth. No matter how painful it would be. He looked to Conner. "Get him out of here."
"With pleasure," exclaimed Conner as he shoved AC down the hall where he could place him in a room until they decided what to do with him.
"Oliver!" Lois asked again when he didn't answer her. She wanted answers. She wanted to know what was going on. Who was AC talking about? "Oliver..."
"Lois I..." he started to say.
"Dad..."
Oliver turned his head around and saw that two others had witnessed the altercation that had just taken place. He hadn't noticed the boy and little girl until just now. Where had they come from? But the more he looked into the boys face the more he started to recognize those eyes. His heart skipped a beat. "Robbie?
"Yeah, it's me," Robbie exclaimed.
Oliver rushed to his son and threw his arms around him. Tears were running down his face, he was over joyed of having his son back. And in that moment all was forgotten. All that mattered was Robbie. "I've missed you and your mom so much..."
"Us too," Robbie answered as he pulled away.
Oliver took a moment to look at his son. He had grown, he was no longer that small little boy he once knew. He was almost a teenager. It was hard to believe. So much time lost. He was about to say something when Robbie became distracted by the small form pulling at his legs.
"Whose this?" Oliver asked looking down at the blond hair girl.
"Dad this is Olivia, your daughter," Robbie told him.
Daughter? Oliver played the word over and over in his mind. He had a daughter. Chloe was pregnant when she went into hiding. No one knew. Oliver took a deep breath and knelt down on his knees to face his little girl. "Hi there," he said in a small kind voice.
Olivia clung onto his big brothers legs. Unsure of the man before her, but that wasn't what really scared her. Her eyes wondered over to Bart who was lying on the ground where Sam was just finding a large sheet to cover up Bart. Oliver followed her gaze and sighed heavily.
"It's going to be okay sweetie," Oliver told her. "I'm going to send a friend to get your mommy." Oliver got up and turned to Lana, he pulled off the wrist watch and tossed it to her. "Lana, I need you to go get Chloe and Zan."
Lana likely would have argued with him at bit more before subjecting herself to Prometheus all over again, but given everything that's happened. She didn't have it in her. She felt Lois's wonder gaze. Lois knew she knew something. "I'm so sorry Lois," she said before putting the watch on and felling the surge throughout her body. It had been many years, but she could feel the powering empowering her. Then she sped away to bring Chloe and Zan back with her.
"Oliver," Lois announced. She hated to interrupt his reunion with his children, especially one he never knew existed. But she wanted answers and it was just killing her not knowing. She didn't know what it was but she felt like since the moment she has gotten hear everyone has been walking on egg shells around her.
Oliver sighed heavily. Thanks to AC, Oliver knew he could no longer keep the lie going. Lois needed to know the truth. No matter how hard it will be to tell her. Oliver looked Robbie in the eyes with a faint smile. "Robbie, I need you and Olivia to go with your Uncle Sam and your cousins. He'll show you where you can get some sleep."
"Oliver maybe I should be-" Sam started to say thinking that perhaps he should be the one to tell Lois about Clark. He was her father it should come from him.
"No Sam," Oliver sighed heavily. "It should come from me. You have already given her enough bad news for one lifetime." Oliver knew it hadn't to have been easy for Sam to have told Lois and Lucy two little girls that their mother wasn't coming home. He couldn't ask Sam to be the one to tell Lois about Clark. After all it was him started this whole lie. Sam had just went along with it.
Oliver then would lead Lois to a room where they could have some privacy. There he would tell her the truth, a truth that has weighed on his heart for the last five years. He had wanted to protect her, but in the end he may have just ended up hurting her more, because as he should have already known. Sometimes the best of intentions are the worst kind.
"You bastard!" she exclaimed as she slapped Oliver across his face after he had finished telling her the truth. That Clark was alive and that Clark was the Kryptonian he had been talking about all along."How could you have not told me?" She was angry, angrier than she has ever been with him. How dare he not tell her the truth about Clark. She had every right to know the truth. Clark is her husband, the man she loves with all her heart. Not a day has gone by that she hasn't thought of him in the last five years.
"Because I knew you wouldn't be able to handle it," Oliver replied as he rubbed his cheek where she had slapped him. It had stung, but no where close to the sting he has been feeling every day for the last five years. "I knew you would never be able to accept the man you love, the father of your children ever being a monster."
"Not Clark!" Lois declared firmly with her eyes welling up with tears waving her finger at Oliver. "Clark could never hurt anyone, let alone kill them..."
"Really?" exclaimed Oliver looking her hard in the eyes. He knew this very conversation and his actions that would follow after would likely cost him their friendship, but he didn't have the luxury to worry about something like that. There were things far more important than sparing hurt feeling ...even for Lois. "You really believe that he could never kill anyone?"
Lois could feel Oliver staring down on her and she knew exactly where he was going with this. He was talking about Tim Westcott, a young man who back during Clark's senior year of High School had murdered Alicia Baker, Clarks one time girlfriend. Clark was extremely upset over Alicia's untimely death and her being Lois made the mistake in telling Clark who she thought the killer was based on a conversation she had with Tim earlier that day. Clark had gone after Tim wrapping his hands around Tim neck preparing to crush the young mans windpipe. That is until she pleaded with Clark to stop and for whatever reason he listened to her. "That was different," she answered softly not wanting to accept that was the moment, the turning point that may have set the path to Clarks willingness to kill. "He was upset, he was hurt, ...he..."
"Lost control," Oliver finished. He had seen first hand of Clark losing control. It will be a day he will never be able to erase from his mind.
Lois shook her head. No! She refused to believe what Oliver was telling her. There was no way that her Clark could be a murderer. He was kind and gentle. The sweetest man she had ever known. "No," she exclaimed. "There has to be some other explanation ...another red k episode!"
"Believe me Lois, if that were the case. I would have put a stop to it from the beginning," Oliver told her, his heart breaking with every agonizing second.
"I want to talk to John or Kara..." she cried.
"You can't..." Oliver answered with a heavy sigh. He hadn't really gotten around to telling her what had happened with either Kara or John.
"And why the hell not?" she demanded.
"Because they're dead Lois!" Oliver exclaimed angrily. "Clark killed them..."
Lois heart sunk. She shook her head, refusing to believe what Oliver had just told her. "No..." she gasped as she backed away from him. "I-I don't believe you..." she cried.
Oliver sighed heavy, he hated seeing her in pain. He hated having to put her through this, but he couldn't protect her. She needed to know the truth. She needed to accept that she wouldn't be able to have the life she had been waiting for, for the last five years. She needed to accept the Clark she had been waiting all those years for was gone. "You don't have to," he answered painfully. "I still have the footage with Kara..." Not that he was suggesting she watch it, but perhaps then she would have no choice but to accept what was before them.
She didn't want to believe it. She didn't want to accept it, but she knew in her heart that Oliver wouldn't lie to her about something as big as this. It tore at heart heart, she thought she had been in pain before, she was wrong. There could be nothing more painful than accepting the truth. "How could this have happened?"
"...After losing you, Metropolis, being tricked into causing the destruction. Everything ….everything just all went to hell," he answered with a heavy sigh. "He was never the same, none of us were..." That day had changed them all and not for the better. They had failed as a team and lives were lost because of it, lives they couldn't get back. In truth a piece of all of them had died that day.
Lois struggled to stay in control of her tears, but she couldn't keep them at bay. She wasn't that strong and after today she didn't think she would ever be again. "How many?" she cried.
"Lois... I don't think..." answered Oliver knowing what she was asking.
"How many!" she exclaimed firmly, her eyes now red with tears.
"Lois..., I-" Oliver struggled with his words.
"Fifty?"
"A hundred?"
"A thousand?" she continued on, but Olivers face only continued to turn more painful right into into the millions. He of course told her a vast number had been Parademons, rapist, and murderers, but it didn't take away what she was feeling in that very moment. Her Clark, her wonderful kindhearted Clark had killed and not just the wicked, but several who had been their friends, their family. People they both had loved and would do anything for.
It was a lot for her to take in. The worst thing imaginable had happened. Clark had fallen from grace. Lois thought back to years ago when one of Lex's clones had strung her up in the corn field with the intentions of killing her. He told her that her death would break Clark. She had never wanted to believe it, but deep down she had always feared Lex was right. She took a few moments to gather her words, because she feared what the answer would be. "Wh-what are you going to do?"
"Lois we don't have to talk about this now," Oliver told her. He didn't want to burden her anymore than he always has. "You should get some sleep..."
"No," Lois firmly shook her head. "I need to know what you're planing on doing to my husband. I know Lana is a part of it, because you somehow managed to get Prometheus back into her." She looked right at Oliver through her tear filled eyes. "Are you going to kill him?"
Oliver didn't answer at first. He could barely look her in the eyes and as much as he rather not discuss this with her. She deserved to know the truth. Clark is her husband, the father of her children. She had every right to know. "I-I don't know," he answered with a heavy sigh.
"What do you mean, you know!" Lois exclaimed angrily. "Either you are or you're not!"
"It's up to him Lois. I have enough Gold Kryptonite to strip him of his power for good, but if I can't get a clean shot. Then..." He couldn't even bring himself to say the words to her. ",,,,then we may not have any other choice."
"Wh-what if Darkseid has been controlling him all this time?" Lois exclaimed. She would do anything within her power to save Clark. She had to think of every angle, every possibility.
"I don't think it's that simple Lois," Oliver answered with a heavy sigh as much as he wanted to believe that was true. He didn't. "Darkseid may have did some pushing, but I know Clark has been in full control of everything he has done." He could see that wasn't what she wanted to hear, but he couldn't give her any false hope. He needed to be straight with her. It was the only way that she would ever be able to move pass this one day. "I'm sorry Lois, I am so so sorry..."
Oliver Secret Base
Outside
A little over an hour later Oliver found himself outside of his base staring up at the night sky. The time was drawing near to when they could take their plan into motion. Tomorrow night would be the World Wide Viewing of the execution of all those who had helped them over the years. It crushed Oliver that they hadn't been able to do more to protect them. He just hoped his time in the remains of STAR Labs would not have been in vein. They would do everything they could to stop the execution, but there were no guarantees. Oliver heard the sound of a door closing and footsteps walking up behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Lana had gotten back with Zan and her soon after he told Lois everything. They didn't exactly have the reunion they had hoped for
"How is she?"
"About what you'd expect," Chloe answered with a heavy sigh. "She's sound asleep now. All the kids too."
"Good," Oliver answered not able to look her in the eyes. He would thought he'd be overjoyed to have her back, but with everything that's happened and the promise he had made to her all those year ago still lingered on his mind. He took a deep breath knowing he needed to face her sooner or later. "I'm sorry Chloe, I tried to do what you ask, but it just wasn't enough."
Chloe could see Oliver truly was torn up inside. He felt like he had failed her. "I know you are and I know you did the best you could," she told him with a faint smile as she grabbed a hold of his hand. "I don't blame you Oliver."
"You have no idea how that makes me feel to hear you say that," he answered relieved as he placed both his hands on her face and kissed her gently on her foreheads. "And speaking of kids, I guess were a two kid family now? ...I had no idea."
"That makes two of us," Chloe answered with a smile. "I didn't know until at least two month in."
"Chloe, if I had known, I-"
"I know you would have,"
"A hum..." coughed Zan, causing both Oliver and Chloe to turn to him. "Sorry to interrupt, but Conner needs to speak with you right away."
Oliver sighed heavily. He hated to leave Chloe just when they were rekindling their relationship. "I'll see you later,"
Chloe nodded her head. "I'm just going to stay out here a while longer and head to bed."
"Okay," Oliver answered with a light smile. He kissed her goodnight and followed Zan back inside.
Chloe sighed heavily when she heard the door closed behind her. She looked up at the night covered sky. There was so much on her mind. Today should have been the best night of her life, but instead it was one of the worst. She had learned her best friend was a murderer, that Bart had died moments after getting her son and daughter to the secret underground base and Olivia had saw the whole thing. She had been overjoyed to hear that Lois was alive, but all that changed the moment she saw her and saw how broken up she was.
Chloe's hands began fiddling with her wedding ring as her eyes weld up with tears watching as shooting star passed her by. She made a wish just as she would when she was a child, but somehow she didn't believe her wish was going to come true.
Arctic
Fortress of Solitude
Outside
Elsewhere... Someone else too had watched the shooting star, but they made no wishes. They had stop making wishes a long time ago. When there whole world had come crashing down and ever sense have been trying to put the pieces back together again, but it didn't seem to matter what they did or how hard they thought. There would always be those who stood against you. Who wouldn't understand. Who would never understand.
He was still angry at Andrea for what she had done to Alec, but he understood why she had done it. Clark knew there would be no changing Alecs mind to have him see things to way he does. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made and he vowed that Alecs would not be in vein. He would ensure the world would be safe for all so no one known the pain of losing their family, their home.
"Victor said you wanted to see me," Andrea-Darkseid announced as she walked up behind Clark brushing her hand around his shoulder forcing him to meet her face to face staring into his blue eyes and giving him one of the most seductive smiles she had ever given.
"Yes," Clark answered being very serious with her. "I am still angry about what you did, but I understand and forgive you."
"Oh Kal-El, you have no idea how that makes me feel," Andrea-Darkseid exclaimed happily as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him heavily on the lips, but unlike the many times before Kal-El was not returning the jester. His lips, his tough were unmoving and uninvolved. She pulled away and looked him in the eyes questioningly.
"I'm sorry, I'm just not feeling it right now," Clark answered as he back away from her hold on him.
"Of course," Andrea-Darkseid forced a smile, not needing Clark to see through her displeasure. "You have a lot on your mind with tomorrow nights event."
"Thank you for understanding," Clark answered.
Andrea-Darkseid started backing away. "I will leave you to your thoughts." Once back inside the Fortress of Solitude, Andrea's eyes began to glow red and she clutched her fist together tightly as a dark energy began to emerge out of it.
Unbeknown to her someone had been watching her...
To Be Continued
