Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Power/Glory of Love
Chloe stared at her computer screen. She read and reread all the material that Emil had sent to her. He had done it; exactly like he had discussed with her. He had manipulated the system at Watchtower to track the Woman in Black but then he had stumbled onto something else. His scientific intellect and curiosity for time travel had made him dig deeper. The deeper he dug the more the ideas started to flow from him to her. Then he had sent her the e-mail she couldn't pull her eyes away from. The email that she had responded to, but had quickly put back on her screen.
Chloe-
I think I may have uncovered important information concerning Callie. I believe I have found a way to make it possible to get her home. Let her know that I need to see her as soon as possible.
-Emil
Chloe knew she should feel elated that something Callie had longed so much for was finally within her grasp. However, all she could feel was sadness. After a night of being able to feel as if she were free from gloom, having fun for the first time in a real long time, the melancholy that had surrounded her returned.
Callie was going home. Callie was leaving 2009. Callie was leaving them. Callie was leaving her.
She had grown so used to having the teenage girl around, injecting her whimsical attitude into her life. She had been a factor in bringing Clark Kent back from the dead and in some respects, like after the adventure they had had, she had brought Chloe Sullivan back as well. Thinking that she would no longer be around was hurting her heart. It was yet another person important to her that would soon be gone.
'But will she really be gone? She's going to the future. You'll see her again.'
"Or will I?" She questioned. "What am I saying? Of course I will."
Pulling out her phone she quickly called Callie's phone number. She knew it was the middle of the night, but it was important. She knew that Callie would want to know about this immediately, no matter what time it was. When she didn't pick up she sent a text instead.
Chloe started to drum her fingers on the desk. She watched the clock and just as a minute passed by she heard the double doors of Watchtower open up.
"You rang….and texted…"
Chloe heard her voice and took a deep breath. This was it. She rolled in her chair and stood up, looking tentatively at Callie. She looked like she had been woken up and Chloe felt bad, but this was important.
"I talked to Dr. Hamilton."
She noticed that Callie's eyes were wide and focused on her. She was fully awake now.
"So you found her?"
Chloe took another breath and said, "Actually, the news is a little better than that."
She tried to be cheerful, but she couldn't tell if she had pulled it off.
Callie shook her head in disbelief, "Better? What's better than finding the woman that put me here?"
Chloe pursed her lips and stared Callie in the eyes. This was the news she had been waiting for. Chloe had to keep reminding herself that.
'Just rip the band-aid off. Just tell her. She needs to know.'
"We found a way to send you home."
She waited a moment and studied Callie's face. She was essentially a deer caught in headlights. Then, suddenly, Callie projected herself at Chloe and wrapped her up in a tight hug.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me." Callie's voice cracked.
Chloe slowly brought her arms up to hug Callie back. She was happy for her, she honestly was, but Chloe was still overcome with sorrow. She could feel Callie's bright smile and even a tear or two falling on her shoulder, but Chloe's face just remained blank as she stared at the open doors. Perhaps Callie felt what she was feeling because when she backed away and broke from the hug her smile had faded.
"But this means I'll be leaving soon." She stated.
Chloe nodded.
Callie looked at the ground then back up to her.
"Don't let anybody know, yet. I want to be the one to tell them."
Just then the intercom started to beep indicating that there was an incoming message on the screen. Chloe moved to the computer and accepted the communication. The email that had been on her screen disappeared and an image of Emil popped up.
"Chloe," then his eyes found Callie in the room as well, "Oh, Callie, you're there. Excellent! I've been studying the data obtained from the days with the time rips and I think I may have a solution for you. When this woman time travels she creates a tear in the universe, but leaves excess energy before it repairs itself. By my calculations, we can manipulate that energy."
"And that's how you'll send me back?" Callie questioned.
Emil nodded on the screen. "I'm working on a device at the moment, that when programmed to a previous rip, should take you back home through the rip you came through. There may be some risks involved, but if we can make it precise there should be minimal problems. I should be done soon; I just need to perform some last minute touches and obtain some information needed from you. Also, we'll need to keep monitoring so we can find this woman's whereabouts. The rip only stays open for a short amount of time."
Chloe's eyes bounced from the screen and back to Callie.
"What kind of information will you need from me?"
"I'll need the exact time and date that you left in order to program the device."
Chloe watched as a fearful expression came over Callie's face. "But what if I don't know the exact time?"
"Don't worry, I have a technique that should help you to retract that information, but we'll have to meet tomorrow, or I should say today. How is the morning for you?"
"Fine, I guess." Callie answered awkwardly.
"Good. I'll see you around 10 am."
Callie's eyes met Chloe's then she shifted them back to the screen.
"Okay. I asked this of Chloe and I'll ask this of you, too. Let's just keep this under wraps for now. I'll call a meeting for the afternoon and brief everyone on what is going on."
"Sounds good. Good night, Callie." Emil then turned to Chloe and nodded, "Chloe."
Then the video disconnected and the email popped back up. Chloe could tell that the atmosphere had definitely changed once again. It was all changing so fast.
Callie turned to Chloe. Her eyes were a bit glassy, but Chloe could tell that Callie was giving it her all to keep a brave face.
"I guess I'll see you again later."
Chloe nodded. "Are you going to be okay? Telling Clark and Lois about this, I mean."
Callie shrugged, "We all knew this day would come. I'll just have to have faith, I guess."
The word faith and tone used rang in Chloe's ears. Before she knew it, Callie had disappeared and she was alone in Watchtower once again. Chloe turned back to her computer and stared at the e-mail. Taking a breath she exited out of it and focused on watching the city.
~/~
Callie walked through the side door and into the kitchen. After leaving Watchtower she had come back to the farm but hadn't gone back into the house. Instead she had lain on the couch in the loft of the barn and had stared at the repaired hole in the roof she had fallen through about a month prior. She wanted to go home so badly and when she was told that there was a way her whole body had burst with joy, but then she realized that it wouldn't be so easy to just leave. 2009 had become her second home. She didn't know how she was going to tell them. She loved them, all of them, and she didn't want to make them sad. However, it had to be done.
She had finally mustered up enough strength and had made it into the house. The sun had begun to rise and she could hear someone awake already up the stairs. She carefully walked up to the second level and her ears perked up when she heard the shower running. She slowly walked toward the bathroom door and could hear a muffled voice through the running water. As she got closer she heard a male voice singing.
"…I don't wanna lose you. I could never make it alone… I am a man who will fight for your honor. I'll be the hero you're dreaming of. We'll live forever, knowing together that we did it all for the glory of love..."
Callie cupped her hands around her mouth as she muffled the laugh that was desperately trying to get out.
"You'll keep me standing tall. You'll help me through it all. I'm always strong when you're beside me. I have always needed you. I could never make it alone…"
Callie started to mouth the chorus and began to dramatically move in the hallway, arms flailing, her fist to the ceiling and then clutching her chest. Shelby trotted up the stairs and just stared at her. She then pointed to the dog and continued to mouth the words as she serenaded him.
She waited for the next part, but, unexpectedly, she heard the shower shut off. She was highly amused by what she had just stumbled upon. She knew from prior occurrences that her dad sang in the shower when he was extremely happy. Her smile started to falter when she remembered that he had been out with her mother the night before. Whatever events happened that made him that happy she didn't want to know about.
Just that minor thought triggered a memory. She cringed remembering a time, not too long ago, when she was looking for a sweater in her mother's closet. She had been on her way to the movies with Helena and found something startling.
Callie moved the hanging clothes and dug deeper into the walk-in closet.
"I know the purple sweater is here somewhere." Callie said, shuffling through more clothes.
She was on her mother's side of the closet and had almost reached the end.
"We're going to be late." Helena said coming into the space.
"No, we're not. It's in here and then we'll get to the movie in a flash."
Callie moved a few more items out of the way then stopped when she spotted a French maid costume and a Metropolis PD uniform all the way at the end.
Her head tilted sideways as she mumbled, "What the-?"
"What? Let me see!" Helena moved in closer and nudged her out of the way. "Halloween costumes?" She suggested.
"Halloween costumes are in the attic." Callie stated directly.
"Oookay. Undercover costumes?"
Callie liked that idea. Yes, she liked it very much. It was much better than what her mind had been currently stuck on. No, she did not even want to think about that and wanted to rid her mind of it completely.
"That must be it. It's undercover stuff. It has to be. Not used for anything else. Nope." She shook her head.
"Gives new meaning to the 'officer 'interrogating' the French maid.'" Helena said, wiggling her eyebrows.
"OH MY GOD WHY WOULD YOU EVEN SAY THAT?" Callie exclaimed.
"Have you met your parents? Besides, you told me about the time you walked in on-"
Callie placed her hand over Helena's mouth. She extended her index finger from her free hand and pointed it at Helena.
"You swore that you would never utter any of those stories ever again. Now, I am going to remove my hand from your mouth. We are going to exit this closet, forget we even saw those outfits, forget all about the purple sweater, and go catch our movie. Okay?"
Helena nodded and Callie removed her hand.
"…them doing it." Helena finished. "Hey, do I see a bunny costume, too? Your parents are kin-ky."
Callie scowled and her eyes flashed red, but she suppressed her anger. She pushed Helena out of the closet and then exited herself, slamming the door shut as if something were to attack her.
"I hate you." Callie growled through narrow eyes.
Callie rolled her eyes and then cringed again. That could have been the moment that Callie's love for bunnies ended, but she liked to keep that memory tucked deeply in the depths of her mind.
"I don't want to know." She whispered and ran back down the stairs. "I don't want to know."
She walked over to the cabinets, pulled down a bowl, and a cereal box. Then she opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk, placing each item on the island. As she poured the cereal and milk into the bowl she muttered once again, "I don't want to know."
"Don't want to know what?" Clark's voice abruptly asked, surprising her.
"Why those damn kids won't just let the bunny have the Trix." She said pointing to the box and then slammed it back on the counter behind her. "I mean, stupid kids. What do they know? I mean, it could just be a bunny. They don't have to go and dirty the bunny up." She snapped, throwing her spoon harshly into the bowl.
Clark wore a perplexed expression on his face as he asked, "Is something bothering you?"
Callie realized how crazy she must look to him and worked to collect and calm herself.
"No, I'm fine. Nothing my future therapist can't handle."
His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her again. "Therapist?"
'Damn. Why did I have to say that?'
"It's just anxiety and some other issues. Not bad issues, well depending on who you ask, but issues nonetheless that I've experienced in my life that, of course, I'll just be told to blame my parents on and, to be truthful, it is their fault in some ways because I mean, come on, there is a time and place for you to do that and it certainly isn't lunchtime when your kid might happen to want to just visit her parents at their office, and yeah, I should have knocked, but still…"
She glanced up at Clark, whose eyes were very wide once again. She closed her mouth quickly. She really had to learn how to not babble.
"But I digress." She picked up her bowl of cereal and put some in her mouth, hoping that would shut her up.
Clark still kept his quizzical expression but then moved past her in the kitchen. She hoped that meant that he was going to quietly sweep her little rant under the invisible rug.
"So, I was thinking that since you missed dinner last night, that maybe Lois and I could take you out to lunch. And I promise it won't be like the lunch you babbled about just a few minutes ago." He said as he poured coffee into his mug.
Callie stopped chewing and hesitantly looked back up at him.
"Well, I doubt you'd be able to top my parents."
Clark held a slight grin on his lips. "Probably not. So, what do you say?"
She could see in his face how much he wanted to do this. She hated the words that were going to have to come out of her mouth.
"Actually, there's something that I need to talk to you about."
The light that was shining in his eyes began to dim. She could tell that he knew he was about to be informed of news that he might not want to hear.
"There are some things I want to bring up with everyone and I'm planning on holding a meeting at Watchtower this afternoon."
"Is everything okay?" He asked with concern.
She nodded. "Everything is fine, but it's important…"
He looked like she had hit him in the stomach and she hated herself for it, but there was nothing she could do. She didn't want to just blurt it out in the kitchen, no, that would be worse. She wanted to tell everyone together, but she didn't want to hurt them. She couldn't bear that.
"But what about after?" She offered.
"Absolutely." He smiled tenderly.
"Good."
That seemed to put him a little bit at ease and she sighed having gotten the first part over with.
Clark then began to hum as he went over to the counter and started to pour coffee. Callie started to feel the sadness peel away.
"So, I uh, didn't ask you last night how things went after you caught, what did you call us, the A-Team?"
She could see that he was trying to hide his own gigantic smile and failing miserably.
"It was great."
She nodded and, again, thanked him silently for not divulging why it was so great (she still did not want to know). As she moved around the kitchen she could faintly hear him humming again.
'Must…resist…mocking…' Her mind strained.
"You know, I had the strangest dream last night." She blurted out.
"Oh yeah? It wasn't another nightmare, was it?"
"No." She shook her head and assured him. "There was this guy and he was fighting for my honor. This hero that I was dreaming of, he told me that we were going to live forever…"
Clark stopped drinking his coffee and his eyes were piercing as they looked at her.
"Oh and there was one more thing. He," she placed her bowl down and suddenly exclaimed into song with her arms open, "did it all for the glory of love!"
Clark spit his coffee and began to cough. She couldn't hold back her smile any longer and snorted when she looked at him.
"I wanted to stop myself, I really did." She laughed. "Another issue I need to work on."
"Your therapist will have his or her work cut out for her." He quipped as he brushed the droplets of coffee that had gotten onto his shirt.
"Ha. Ha. But, that is true." She confirmed as she picked up her bowl again. "I get it. It's just that the power of love is a curious thing. It'll make one man weep, make another man sing…"
Clark looked at her strange, like he had heard her words before but couldn't place them. Again she tried to keep herself at bay, but she didn't know how much time she had left to bust Clark of 2009's chops. She was going to take every opportunity handed to her.
"I mean, it's strong and it's sudden. It can even be cruel sometimes. But it…" she pointed at him and bopped her head, "might just sa-ve your li-fe. That's the power of love!"
She danced her way back towards the stairs and when she looked up saw Kara staring down with a perplexed face.
"Can't you feel it?" She inquired as she looked up at Kara.
"Feel what?"
"The power of love." Callie replied.
She glanced at Clark who did not look amused.
"Or not." She giggled.
She turned back Kara, a serious expression clouding over her amusement. "I have something important to discuss at Watchtower at noon, you think you could be there?"
"Sure." Kara nodded as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Awesome."
Callie stepped around Kara. She began to walk up the steps but then turned around again.
"One last thing." She said as her eyes landed on Clark.
"Callie…" he growled as he leered at her.
"No, this is serious."
She watched him ease back and listen to her.
"With you and Lois…" She looked down and cleared her throat then once again burst into song, "They say that all in love is fair. Yeah, but you don't care…" She pointed to him, "But you know what to do, when it gets hold of you…" She reached to the ceiling then brought her arms into her chest.
"Callie, get up there right now!" Clark demanded and pointed up the stairs.
"Okay, okay. Sheesh. You try and sing and this is what happens. What happened to freedom of speech? Does that not include freedom of song? Does that only exist in the shower?" She called back while trudging up.
"In my house!" He called back.
Her mouth fell open as she leaned on the railing and looked down at him.
"Way to suddenly be the parental unit!" She complained.
Even though she was amused with Clark acting the way she was used to in the future it was still annoying, as well. She just hoped her accusation of him acting like a parent didn't affect him much. Though, when she turned away from him she missed the biggest smile yet on his face.
~/~
Lois reorganized her desk for the third time. She didn't know why, but she was antsy and needed to put her hands to work. When she had gotten to the Daily Planet basement bullpen she immediately started to type up the rest of her current articles and work towards finishing them before the her surprise she had accomplished that goal. However, a call had come in about a ten car pile-up on the freeway, detaining any free time. Thankfully, no one was gravely injured.
She made her way to the scene and got her quotes from various onlookers, but on her way back to the Planet she heard of another crash on the Metropolis Bridge. A car had hit something in the road, which ranged from a man to Big Foot when she called her source in the police department, and spun into the rail where it had been tipping over the edge. Miraculously, the car was pushed back onto the road and a red and blue blur had been seen. Lois had smiled to herself about that the whole ride back.
Once she arrived back in the bullpen she dedicated herself to organizing her desk. Even though she liked the organized mess she usually had there was nothing else to do. Her eyes traveled over to the empty desk across from her. She was waiting for him. She knew that much. She needed that other end of the conversation, that banter they had, and those ocean colored eyes staring back at her. But he was out saving the world and that made her heart beat faster. She bit her lip then shook her head and went back to her desk.
Sighing, she asked herself, "What am I doing?"
Instead of neatly putting away the folders she plopped them back on the desk.
"If he comes in and sees my desk all nice and neat he's going to ask me what's wrong."
So, she spread out her papers, leaned back in her chair, and tried to curb the feeling in her gut. She didn't even know what it was about. She knew it wasn't about Clark, or at least all about him. It was something else.
The phone on her desk began to ring and she quickly picked it up, hoping it was another story to occupy her mind.
"Lois Lane, your choice for fabulous reporting at the Daily Planet."
"Hey, Lois, it's Callie."
Lois was surprised to hear Callie's voice, but delighted as well. She was still entertained with the thoughts of dinner the night before. That girl was one of a kind and she again began to feel proud. If anyone's kid was going to come up with a plan like that, executed in a covert, militarized manner, it was certainly going to be hers.
"Now, is this secret agent Callie or regular Callie?" She asked with a grin.
"My double 'O' days are done for right now, so, it's just regular Callie."
"Well, for what it's worth, it was nice what you did, for whatever reasons you did it and I won't ask, but it led to a very nice night and I'm grateful to you for that."
"I just, I really care about the two of you. I wanted to make sure everything was okay."
"Well, to put your mind at ease everything is better than okay. So, not that I mind the chat, but I have the feeling there's another motive for this call." Lois pried.
"And you would be right. Good career choice with the whole investigative journalist thing."
Lois could hear the nervousness in her voice. Whatever she was calling about must be important if it was making her that flustered.
"Getting back to the point, I'm sort of holding a little meeting at Watchtower at noon and was hoping you would be there."
"Of course. Is everything okay?"
Lois felt her gut turn again. Now, she knew what it was that had been bothering her that morning. She didn't know how she could have known it, but maybe it was her motherly instincts kicking in. Now, she could hear it in Callie's voice. Whatever news she had was the kind of news that was going to change everything.
"Everything's great. So, you'll be there?"
"I'll be there." She managed to say.
"See you at noon."
"See ya."
Then she heard the click of the dial tone and placed her phone back on the receiver. She stared at it for a few moments while her mind tried to figure out what it was that the meeting was going to be about. Her mouth fell open a bit as a sad thought came to her mind.
Before she could dwell on it something else stirred inside her. It was a familiar feeling, one of warmth, and her eyes widened a bit. She turned to her left and saw him walk in. She bit her bottom lip in response as he ran his fingers through his hair, walked through the threshold of the doorway into the bullpen, and placed his messenger bag down to the ground next to his desk. Their eyes met and he smiled at her.
"Hello." He said with his blue, with a hint of green swimming in there, eyes staring at her.
She smiled wide, got up from her desk and went for her fifth cup of coffee.
In a low voice she replied, "Someone's had a busy morning."
"It seems like the city is trying to keep me engaged." He said from behind her.
Suddenly she felt his hand grasp her arm and she was turned so she was facing him. Her cup of coffee almost went splashing but Clark's quick reflexes prevented that from happening and he placed the cup gently on his desk. Her hand, now free from the coffee, crept its way up his chest and started to fiddle with his tie.
"The city is going to have to learn how to share."
He smiled again as he watched her hand on his tie.
"I missed you this morning."
"I missed you, too. It's boring when you're not here. There's no one to tease from across my desk when I'm working."
"Is that all you like me for? To tease me so you can be amused?" He asked as his expression changed to a playful sad.
"That and so I can have some eye-candy to look at." She smirked.
"So, I'm your entertainment and eye-candy?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Maybe a little bit more." She said as her hand inched up.
He inched closer and held in a gasp. "I'm listening."
"You help me with my spelling."
"Well, you do spell simple words incorrectly at an alarming rate."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"And you always have that nagging way of doing the right thing and having it rub off on me."
"I try." He drawled in a deep voice that sent a shiver up her spine.
"And then there's that whole thing where you want to protect the world."
"And you." He added.
"Well, this Earth girl can take care of herself." She whispered.
"That won't ever stop me." He said in a firm voice.
She found herself biting her bottom lip again.
'How could one man be so sexy without even trying? He truly is an alien.' She thought.
She could feel his large hands on her hips and her eyes darted around them. Exactly how far was it from their desks to the copy room? Would anyone notice if Clark supersped them away? How the hell was his chest so rock hard underneath her hand?
"Lane! Kent! Mayor called a press conference in an hour about the recent accidents in the city. I want you two on it!" Randall yelled from his office.
Lois and Clark jumped back from each other and found some balance. Both released deep breaths and looked toward their editor's office. Randall peeked out his door and eyed the both of them.
"You got it." Clark said after clearing his throat.
Lois nodded in his direction and once he was at ease he went back into his office. Lois then grabbed her bag as Clark grabbed his notepad. They walked together to the elevator, bodies close but not touching, and she pressed the button.
"Callie called." She said, making careful conversation.
"About the meeting?" He inquired.
"Yeah." She breathed. "Any idea what it's about?"
"She wouldn't say. She said she wanted to tell everyone when we were together."
"I think that-" She began.
"I know." He cut her off.
She glanced over at him and he gave her an encouraging smile.
The door to the elevators opened at the bell went off signaling for them to enter. She walked in first and Clark followed. Her left hand hung at her side but suddenly she felt Clark's right hand envelope it with warmth. He entwined his fingers in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. Whatever was coming they would face it together. They would support each other, no matter what the news was. They were no longer alone. With those thoughts swimming in her mind, Lois couldn't deny the smile forming on her lips as the doors closed.
~/~
Callie stood in front of the double doors of Watchtower. It was just about 10 am. Her heart was pounding as she yet again thought about what was to come. These were the steps to getting her home. She was elated, ecstatic, but terribly nervous. She was nervous for herself, for her family back home, for the people that were her family in 2009, whether they knew it or not.
Taking a breath she closed her eyes and listened to the voices of those close to her in her head. Words of support swarmed her mind. The voices were telling her that she could do it, that everything would be okay.
Opening her eyes she pushed the doors open and saw Chloe and Emil waiting for her.
'Let's rock.' She thought.
~/~
Chloe looked at Emil as he prepared for Callie's arrival. She felt like all she had been doing all morning had been staring at the clock. Of course, that wasn't true, Metropolis had had some suspicious disturbances that she was keeping an eye on, but her attention always seemed to travel back to the clock. When Emil had come into Watchtower he hadn't uttered anything to her about the "procedure" he was going to do on Callie. She was a bit alarmed about that. The times she wanted to ask him seemed to be the prime moments he was concentrating on something. Usually, Chloe would still speak her mind, but she held back, keeping faith that the good doctor wasn't going to something that would harm Callie.
She glanced back at the clock. It was a quarter to ten. It was all going to be happening soon. While she was minimizing the programs that kept a watchful eye on the city for its heroes, Emil started to move the couches and roll them out.
"What are you doing?" She asked as she sat up from her chair.
"I need to make room for what I plan to do."
'Well, since he brought it up…' she thought.
"You still haven't told me what that is."
Just then the double doors opened and Callie came strolling in, determination marked all over her face, her body straight and tall.
"Help me, Emil-wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."
Callie seemed calm and in control. Chloe wished that she felt that way or, at least, looked that way. She kept telling herself that she trusted Emil and whatever he was going to do, but parts of her still worried.
'Worried for Callie or worried that it'll work?'
Chloe shook her head. She had to stop thinking that way. She couldn't be selfish about this.
Emil extended his arm toward the couch he had rolled out towards the center of the room.
"Have a seat."
"Is my therapy finally starting?" Callie beamed and jumped to sit on the couch, then leaning back with her hands behind her head.
"I'm sorry, Callie. I'm not licensed for that."
She moved her arms back down, then, motioned one in front of her chest like a hook, saying, "Darn. Maybe one day."
Chloe suppressed a chuckle. Callie always was able to use humor in any situation. She admired that about her. She still seemed so brave. She gave her a lot of credit; actually, she gave Lois and Clark a lot of credit for raising someone as incredible as she was.
Hearing commotion by the computers, her eyes shifted to Emil who was typing away at the keyboard.
"In order for my device to work, and get you home, I need to know precisely what happened the day you left your timeline. More specifically, the exact time you left it."
"I think someone is a little sleep deprived because I already told you that I wasn't exactly keeping track when it happened."
"I understand, but the mind, especially the Kryptonian mind I'm learning, is very advanced. We may not be able to remember things right away but the information is secreted deep in our subconscious. We just need to dig it out."
Suddenly, memories of Summerholt came to the forefront of Chloe's mind. She recalled their work on memory retrieval and the different tactics that they had used. Kryptonite had been utilized in order to infiltrate a person's mind. She turned her head in every direction trying to spy any equipment Emil might have that mimicked Summerholt in any way and any containers that might be made out of lead that he may have brought in.
'Don't see anything, but I have to be sure.'
"You're not thinking about doing something to her like the doctors at Summerholt, are you?"
"While I have read work from that institute, what I plan on doing is safer than that." He answered.
"Which is?" Callie pressed.
"Hypnosis."
"Hypnosis?" Chloe and Callie asked in unison.
"What are the risks?" Chloe asked immediately.
"Chloe, it's okay." Callie said in an assuring tone.
"Emil?" Chloe asked again, disregarding Callie's words.
"Minimal things, like, a slight headache or dizziness. We're not going back too far in her memories so there's nothing to be concerned about with age regression or creation of false memories. I'll be careful. I've done this before."
"So it can alter my memories?" Callie asked cautiously.
"It can, but I assure you that it won't." He pointed to the couch and said, "Now, if you could relax and get comfortable."
"You know, you said you didn't have a license to be my therapist but you have a license for this?"
"I've had my training, yes, and I have done hypnosis on patients."
"Well, as long as you don't make me 'bawk' like a chicken, I trust you."
"I promise there will be no suggestive thought of the kind. My purpose is for you to concentrate intensely on a specific thought, namely the day you traveled through time, while blocking out distractions." Emil tapped at the keyboard again and said, "Chloe, if you would please look away from the monitor that I have designated for this session and Callie I want you to continue looking at it."
Chloe looked away and tried to undo the knot that her stomach had formed. She stamped her lips together tightly as she stared at the opened doors. She could hear Emil's voice, talking in a gentle, soothing tone. She almost hoped for someone, anyone really, to come walking through, but instead she stared into the emptiness ahead.
"Don't worry so much, Chloe. Everything will be okay." She heard a voice whisper into her ear. It was a familiar voice that seemed to haunt her dreams. It belonged to a smile that blinded her eyes in them almost every night.
"Jimmy?" she cried softly.
"Chloe, you can turn back around now." Emil directed.
Chloe turned and pushed away the thoughts and feelings that had begun to stir within her. Her eyes fell on Callie, whose face was blank as she stared forward. Soon her heavy looking eyelids fell over her blue eyes.
"Callie, lie back on the couch."
She witnessed Callie obey the command; her eyes were shut as she lied back on the couch, breathing evenly.
"Emil, she will be okay, right?" Chloe asked him.
"Right now, she's in a trance-like state. She has heightened focus and concentration." Emil pulled the chair that was by Chloe's desk over to the couch. He sat down and pulled a small notebook and pen from the inside pocket of his jacket. "I'm just going to start with some general questions. What is your name?"
"Callie Kent." She answered.
"Where were you born?"
"Metropolis."
"When is your birthday?"
"June 26."
Chloe walked behind Emil and observed the session, unsure what information Callie was going to give them about her life in the future.
"Good, Callie. Now I want you to stay relaxed and really think. I want you to go back to June 26th, the day that you came to 2009. I need you to concentrate. Take me back to exactly what you were doing prior to the woman in black arriving."
She watched as a small sigh came out of Callie's mouth and a tiny grin came upon her lips.
"I woke up to the smell of pancakes…."
~/~
The images in Callie's mind began to jumble until everything started to fall into place like puzzle pieces. The image was clearer and she was upstairs in the farm house, exactly the way she remembered it from her time. There was a different variation of paint colors, furniture, and pictures. She then realized she was moving. She was walking down the stairs in her bunny slippers. It was as if she was trapped in her own body. She was reliving the memories with a front row view in 3-D.
Once she reached the bottom she walked through the living room and saw her grandmother in the kitchen with various ingredients out on the counter.
"Morning, sweetheart."
"Morning, Grams." She yawned.
"Go sit down at the table. I have special birthday pancakes for you." She smiled.
Callie clapped her hands and danced her way to the dining room table.
"I-get-birth-day-pan-cakes—" She sang.
"Someone woke up with energy." Her grandmother mused.
"It's the big 1-8, Grams. I'm officially an adult." She said with pride.
"Well, you're still my little granddaughter." She said placing down the plate of pancakes, in the shape of a bunny face with one round pancake to serve as the head, another to form two ears and a bowtie, then two blueberries for eyes, a cherry for a nose, a little cut up strip of bacon for the mouth. She then put a glass of orange juice next to it.
"Thank you. It looks perfect." Callie smiled.
Callie reached for the glass and took a sip of the juice. She noticed how silent the house was. It was only herself and her grandmother. The table was set for everyone, but using her superhearing the house was empty except for them. It was very odd.
"Speaking of becoming an adult, did my family abandon me already? How come it's so quiet? It's my birthday." She pouted.
Deep down she was actually starting to get worried. This wasn't like them, but her grandmother didn't seem to be showing any signs of worry so she didn't press on.
Just then a sudden gust of wind blew past her sending her hair up into the air. Any residual anxiety melted away. A smile was soon grazing her lips.
"Maybe they thought they had a few more minutes before the birthday girl woke up." Her father's voice rang from behind her.
Callie craned her back around and saw her parents smiling at her.
'I miss you guys so much.' She thought, looking at their faces. She could feel waves of love come over her. There was so much love for her family. She was drowning in it and she welcomed it. It revived her. It was restoring strength and confidence. It truly was a glorious power to be surrounded by love, especially the type of love she got from her family. She was lucky. She wanted it back.
"Happy birthday, Callie." Her mother said as she kissed her cheek.
"Thanks, Mommy."
She looked at her father and both of their mouths curved into mirroring half grins.
"I don't like this." He stated.
"Like what?"
"You growing up."
"Sorry, Dad," she said with a shrug, "unless you can stop time or go to the past you're just going to have to deal."
Inwardly, Callie forgot she had made that comment. How ironic, or was it coincidental, that was.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it." He leaned in and kissed her cheek as well. "Happy birthday."
Callie smiled happily and took another bite out of her bunny pancake. Her smile fell a bit when she noticed someone was still missing.
"Where's the little squirt?" She asked.
She had noticed that morning that C.J. had been missing. Although they had their moments where they annoyed each other, she had a special bond with her little brother. It was weird that he hadn't been in the house she had woken up or, at least, with her parents when they had come back.
"Playing baseball. He'll be back later for our little party." Her mother answered.
"Ah, yes. My party." She sighed, putting down her fork and focusing on the positive. "I don't know where you hid that unicorn you got me for my 18th, but it's a good spot."
Her father shook his head. "Every year it's the same comment."
"And every year I don't get one! I figured you were saving it for this momentous day!"
Her father rolled his eyes as her mother smirked. They both retreated into the kitchen to get some breakfast. Her grandmother, who had disappeared for a few moments, reappeared at the table holding a box wrapped in blue paper and a red ribbon.
"This was left behind at the house for you." She said placing it on the table.
"Mom, we're not giving gifts until later." Her father called out as he closed the fridge.
"Oh, but, Dad, just one! Please!" She begged looking over at him.
She saw him relent in his facial expression and then say, "Just this one."
Callie hopped up from her seat and dove for the box in her grandmother's hands.
"Presents! Presents! Presents!" She sang as she threw wrapping paper on the floor.
She opened the box and pulled out the note card above the tissue paper.
"For the most annoying girl in the world. –Logan."
She shook her head and muttered how much of a jerk he was. While doing that she missed the inquiring looks her family gave her. Focused on the present, she tore through the tissue paper and pulled out a folded dark T-shirt with a silhouette of her favorite band. It was the shirt she had wanted but hadn't told anyone about. She smiled softly at it.
'Sometimes he knows me so well…'
"You like it?" Her grandmother asked.
"Yeah, I'll have to thank Logan when he comes back."
"Callie, go forward. What was happening right before the woman in black struck?" She heard Emil's voice interrupt.
She was startled by him but the images began to fade and blur her sight as everything seemed to fast forward and pass by so quickly before her eyes. When everything stopped she was still in the dining room, only she had on her new shirt and the room was decorated with streamers and balloons, of course in the colors of red, yellow, and blue.
"I think we should just cut the cake without him." Callie said.
"Callie…" Her mother warned.
"He's been playing baseball for hours…on my birthday!" She exclaimed. "I want him here, but I think I want cake more."
She saw her parents exchange glances but she was too miffed to wonder what it was about. If her brother wasn't going to cut baseball short for her birthday, she was going to cut the cake without him as a point.
"How about you open another gift and I'll put the cake back into the fridge until C.J. comes back." Her grandmother handed her a card before retrieving the cake.
Callie ripped the envelope open. The cover of the card read, "To my granddaughter—" with a picture of a country setting. It seemed very fitting.
Opening the card up the inside was digital as a poem faded into view.
A granddaughter brings much happiness.
She's a joy from the start.
Watching as she grows,
Reaches deep within your heart.
She is caring and giving.
A real joy to behold.
Watching her as years pass,
As her talents unfold.
She leaves memories and contentment,
Throughout her years,
And these memories quite often
Will bring happy tears.
I love you.
Love,
Grandma
To the left there was a tiny flap that held two strips of paper. She pulled them out and read them. Her grandmother had given her concert tickets to a show in Metropolis.
"Grandma!" She shrieked. "You're the best!"
"Now you have another place to wear that shirt." She said as Callie grabbed her into a big hug when she returned.
Callie let her grandmother out of the embrace and sat back down as she played with the tickets in her hand. She then tucked them back into the card, afraid she would lose them.
"This is from Bruce." Her father said, handing her another card.
She brought the card to her forehead and closed her eyes. She snapped them open wide and called out, "A million dollars?! Thanks, Bruce!"
"I wish…" Her mother mumbled while her father rolled his eyes playfully.
Callie opened the envelope and pulled out the card. This card was a stark contrast to the country setting of the last one. This cover depicted a cartoon version of Batman and Superman standing on a tall building overlooking the city, the bat signal shining in the sky and her name blinking under it. Then across the bottom it read, "You're the superhero today."
When she opened it up the text said, "Have a great birthday!" with Superman and Batman soaring through the air. She had to chuckle at this, because it didn't seem like Bruce's style. Yet, sure enough there was some cash. That was Bruce's style.
"Look at that, Bruce had a sense of humor for my birthday." She commented as she closed the card, the cash still inside.
"That must be the real gift." Her father quipped.
"Good one, Dad." She said placing the card on the table.
She watched as he moved around the table and toward her.
"I have a surprise for you." He then passed her and went for the side door in the kitchen.
"My unicorn is here!?" She exclaimed in excitement.
She got up to follow him outside but he stopped her immediately in her tracks. "Ah-ah. You stay here. I'll go get it."
She playfully pouted as she eagerly waited while he exited the house. She bounced up and down on her feet a few times before she turned back to the women in the room.
"So, what is it?" She asked her mom.
"You'll have to wait and see." She said coyly.
"It must be something so BA that you made this much effort to hide it from me."
"You have a nose for presents like I do. So, you bet we took extra caution with this."
"Best nose ever." She stated.
"You know it." Her mother smiled.
She drummed her fingers on the table. They waited a few more minutes in silence. Questioning glances started to go between each of them. Callie's attention then diverted out towards the window when a shiver went down her spine. A loud rumbling shook the house. It was all happening again. The same feelings were bubbling in her stomach from the awareness that he had been gone way too long. She looked to her mom and grandmother and quickly super-sped outside. That was where she had seen the mysterious woman in black for the first time. And again was the image of her standing over her father's red and blue pain ridden figure.
"Oh my god," she whispered under her breath.
She sped to his side and experienced once again, in motion, using all her strength to push the woman away. The woman went flying through the air and out of eye sight. She knelt down next to his injured form.
"Are you okay? Please…please be okay!" She cried.
Inside Callie was cringing as she saw him in this state again. She had had nightmares about the way he had looked in that moment. And, yet, she was living it again. She could only hope this would make her stronger somehow.
'You have to. You have to do this.'
The color started to come back to his face and his wounds started to heal as the sun hit his skin.
"You need to get back inside. I'll take care of this." His voice strained.
"Oh, come on. I just found you in pain in front of the barn, completely helpless, and you're telling me to get back inside? I can help you, why don't you ever let me?"
Callie recalled the words and the feelings. She still had them, they had even gotten her into some trouble when Zatanna had shown up not too long ago, and she wondered what the consequences to being sent back in time would have on the dilemma. Would it project her forward or set her back?
The feeling of her father taking her shoulders jolted her back to the memory. She was looking straight into his eyes. "If anything ever happened to you I wouldn't forgive myself. You don't have to have this life. You can be normal. This is my job."
As she was about to say something back, the woman returned at lightning speed. Callie still couldn't believe how fast she was. She desperately wanted to figure out who this woman was, why she had all these abilities.
"That wasn't very nice." The woman said.
"Yeah, well, I'm usually not so pleasant to people who attack my family." She snarled
The woman smirked and glowed green. It was blinding, yet again, and Callie could feel the headache just as she had the day it happened. She held her head in her hands but the pain was put aside as she saw the woman about to strike.
"I don't think so." She said with her teeth clenched in order to try and keep away the pain.
She remembered the fight. She had used all her strength and hit the mysterious woman first. It didn't do much damage. She wasn't as strong as usual due to the blast of green light. The woman instead had hit her and she went flying into the vast amount of corn growing in a field about a mile from the farm.
"What a biznatch."
All the feelings she had within started to overwhelm her. She felt the yearning to get back to the farm, to get back to him. She hadn't known what the woman could have been doing to him in the minutes she had been detained from being thrown into the crops. Then the feelings of wanting to help and being unable to because her father had halted those efforts crept back in as well. The need to prove to him that she could was what gave her strength to get back. It was devastating her reliving the feelings.
"Up, up and away," she had said under breath as she flew towards the farm. She swooped down and picked the woman up before she could strike a blow at her father. She remembered not really having a plan as she soared up high above the farm, just the urgency to get the woman away from her father.
"I think you and I need to have a little talk." She said holding her grip on the woman and flying over the barn.
"Is that so?" The woman replied with a smirk.
"Callie, I need you to freeze this image in your mind." She heard Emil's voice cut in again.
The image was still and it seemed like she was the only one that was moving.
"What now?" She asked, surprised that she was in control.
"I need you to find any way to see what time it is."
"I'm not wearing a watch." She said distraught.
"Look around."
Callie looked around while she was still suspended in the air. She saw that the woman in black, still frozen, had a pocket watch hanging from her hip. Lifting it up she saw the word 'Tempus' inscribed on the front.
"Tempus?"
She had heard that word before, numerous times, especially from the woman in black herself.
"What do you see, Callie?"
"I see a pocket watch, I think. It looks old and has the word Tempus on it."
"Can you open it?"
Callie pulled back a bit from her grip and opened the watch. The time was frozen at 2:09.
"2:09. The time is 2:09."
"Perfect. That's very useful information."
Callie closed the watch and looked again at the face of the woman in black. Was Tempus her name?
"Callie, you can wake up now."
The images then started again and she saw a flash of green light engulfed her before she opened her eyes to the real world.
~/~
Chloe heard Callie gasp as she awoke from the hypnosis. She sat up and blinked her eyes a few times as she was adjusting from coming out of the hypnosis. Chloe quickly went over to her and bent down beside the couch.
"Are you okay?"
Callie nodded and muttered, "Tempus."
Chloe tilted her head. "You said that before. That's Latin for time. Didn't you also hear it in a dream a while ago?"
Callie nodded and explained, "I think that's her name, the woman in black. I think her name is Tempus."
Emil nodded and went to the computer. "I'll get right on that."
"But what if she is just from the future? How will you find her?" Chloe questioned as she straightened her legs and stood up.
"A woman who can time travel? Hopefully she will have left us some bread crumbs."
Chloe nodded understanding what he meant but her focus then went to Callie.
"Are you okay?" She questioned again. Chloe hadn't gotten a response to it and she was fearful that the hypnosis had endangered Callie somehow. She would never forgive herself and she didn't even want to think about the possible reactions of Lois and Clark.
Callie nodded again. "I saw them. I was there again and they were there."
Chloe recalled the feelings she was having while Callie described what was going on. It was so vivid and the emotion in her voice had hit her to the soul. Hearing about the world she lived in was incredible. While, some things weren't in as much detail as others, like who Bruce was or what his card was about—other than it being funny—Chloe felt like she was a part of those moments.
"And you will be again." Chloe assured.
Callie went in for a hug and Chloe hugged her back. Callie seemed to be alright but was deeply affected by seeing those moments. Chloe couldn't blame her since she had been affected by them, as well. The emotions were finally settling in and Chloe was beginning to accept what she should have in the first place:
Callie didn't belong with them. Not yet.
~/~
Callie twirled in the chair while she, Chloe, and Emil waited for everyone to arrive. While Chloe had gone off to retrieve something in the corner, Emil had asked her the exact year she had come from. In confidence she told him 2032 and that had been the end of that. Now, she was twiddling her thumbs while they all looked at each other.
The doors to Watchtower opening made her stop mid-motion. Oliver and Kara walked through the threshold and eyed the three of them.
"I can tell already that this is going to be one hell of a meeting." Oliver spoke dryly.
They all stared at each other once more, an uncomfortable silence blanketing over them. Callie couldn't take it.
"I heard Clark singing Glory of Love in the shower this morning." She blurted out quickly.
Suddenly the silence that had once filled the room was replaced with snorts and thunderous laughs. Oliver, especially, couldn't contain himself. He was bent over the railing of the spiral staircase, his head hanging over as he roared in laughter.
"That's what this morning was about?" Kara asked at the tail end of a giggle.
Callie sheepishly nodded. She felt bad that she had let that information slip out, but the silence had been killing her. Everyone then started to calm down and catch their breath after a few minutes.
"Thank you, Callie. I thoroughly enjoyed and needed a laugh like that." Emil commented.
"No problem, Emil. I'm here all week."
Callie then abruptly shut her eyes at that sentence.
"You alright?" Oliver asked.
"I'm fine."
The sound of the doors opening again made her get up from the chair. Clark and Lois walked in, hand in hand, with slightly goofy grins on their faces. Callie wanted to smile brightly at their intimate gestures, but she bit her lip to keep it in. Her glance then went to Oliver who was desperately trying to suppress a laugh as he looked at Clark. She noticed everyone was in their own way as they stared at the couple.
'They're going to get the wrong idea.' She thought and somewhat let her head fall in guilt.
"What?" Lois asked, annoyed.
"Nothing." They all said at the same time.
Lois narrowed her eyes and Clark's eyebrows rose.
Callie quickly moved to the middle of the group and decided that she had to take charge of the situation before it got off course.
"I'm glad you all could make it. I have something important to share with all of you."
She looked at Emil then looked back to the four pairs of curious eyes on her.
'Rip off the band-aid, Cal. Just rip it off.'
"With the help of Dr. Hamilton, I have a way to get home."
Everyone was still. Their eyes gutted into her. There was a mixture of emotions in each of them and each pair that she looked into made her want to crawl under the desk. She swallowed back as she felt nervousness swim around in her stomach.
"Huh, crickets? I didn't expect that." She tried to joke as she leaned into Emil, "Remind me not to open up with that line the next time this happens to me."
Emil grinned and looked back to the crowd.
"How?" Clark was the first to croak out.
"This woman, when she time travels, opens a rip in time leaving residual energy. We can use that energy, and the rip before it closes, to send Callie home. I'm already working on a device. I've actually been quite enamored with time travel that I have modified what I was already working on." Emil explained. "The problem is it can happen at any time that the woman in black, or Tempus as we may have figured to be her name, shows up again. When she does it is imperative to get Callie to the area with the device on hand."
"So, it can happen at any time." Lois repeated.
"Yes." He confirmed. "I actually should head back to the lab in order to finish it up." He turned to Callie, "I'll need to speak with you again once it's done."
"Right." She said.
Emil nodded at the group and left Watchtower. Callie stood in front of everyone and was struck with the feeling one might get when having to speak in front of a huge crowd. She had never felt that way before. All eyes were on her and her mouth was dry. She started to shift her feet a little then glanced down at the floor then back up at them.
"How about them Sharks…" she said awkwardly as she bounced on the balls of her feet.
~/~
Lois couldn't take her eyes off of Callie. This was what she had feared she was going to hear at the meeting. She knew that it was inevitable that Callie had to go home, but to hear it confirmed made it more real. The worst part was to hear that it could be at any time. It wasn't fair to her, to any of them really. Would there be enough time to say goodbye?
"How about them Sharks…" Callie said awkwardly to them.
Her heart went out to the girl, her daughter. She was trying so hard to be strong and she saw so much of herself in Callie in that moment. Callie was nervous in front of them, whether it was from the information she was giving or the reaction she was going to receive, or both, Lois didn't know. What she did know was that Callie's unease in silence was something she got from her.
'She can't stand awkward silence either, can she?' she thought.
"Hopefully they can pick themselves up this season. Feel like sharing some future tips about them?" Lois asked, giving a helping hand to end the quiet.
She watched as Callie seemed to relax a bit and gave her a grateful grin.
"Sorry, that's against future info sharing policy."
"Don't want a Back to the Future II scenario, huh?" She winked.
She saw Callie cringe a bit then looked back at her. "No. Definitely don't want that."
"So, I guess we have you as a limited time offer, now." Oliver chimed in.
"I guess you can put it that way." She took a breath and some pain was visible in her eyes. "I feel really bad springing this on all of you, the fact that it can happen suddenly, but," she shrugged, "it is what is."
"We understand." Kara said.
"I knew you'd have to go, but I just thought that we'd have more—" Lois began.
"Time." Callie finished. "I know. I also feel really bad that this is happening so close to your birthday."
"My birthday…Right."
Lois had almost forgotten about her birthday. With everything that had been happening her birthday hadn't even registered in her mind. It looked like beer pong with Oliver would have its challenges and perks.
'You have Clark now, too. Whatever happens, you have each other.'
As if he had heard her thoughts, she felt Clark's hand squeeze hers gently. She hadn't even realized that she had still been holding it the entire time. It felt so natural and right and that squeeze was exactly the reassurance she had needed. She loved how he knew her like that.
"We should do something, or, at least, try." Clark said.
"You don't have to." She countered. She wasn't so sure she was up to celebrating her birthday but she knew that would be thrown back in her face knowing Clark and Callie. She scowled a bit at the thought.
"No, he's right. I want to. I want to do this for you, so that's what we're going to do." Callie pleaded.
"Really, it's not necessary." She said again, but deep down she knew that if the both of them were teaming up she wouldn't be strong enough to say no.
'Damn Clark. Damn Callie for being the two of us combined. It's like I'm battling two of him and one of myself.'
"Hey, I didn't think it was necessary to celebrate my birthday, but I remember someone stubborn forcing me to celebrate mine." Clark argued.
And there it was. She rolled her eyes at his stubborn comment, even though it was right because she was stubborn. Knowing that she was wearing thin she let out a defeated sigh.
"Fine." She huffed.
"Great, then we'll have a party." Chloe said adding herself to the conversation.
She looked at her cousin. She was a bit worried about her since she knew Chloe was trying to mask certain emotions. She knew her cousin well enough to know that something was bothering her and she had an inkling that it ran deeper than just Callie returning home. She would have to pull her aside later and get to the bottom of it.
"But how do we know when to have it?" Lois asked.
"What about tomorrow?" Kara asked. "Is that too soon?"
"No, I think it's perfect as long as everyone else is on board." Callie said.
Lois nodded along with the others. So, it was settled. They were having a party the following night, but Lois was going to make sure that the party wasn't going to be just about her. She, and everyone else, was going to give a proper goodbye to Callie. Her daughter deserved it and as her mother it was her job to see that it got done.
~/~
Clark kept silent as some plans about the party were being discussed. He could see Callie fidgeting and he slowly shifted from his spot to stand closer to her and lightly tapped her arm.
"Hey." She smiled as she turned to look at him.
"Are you okay?"
"Define okay."
He chuckled under his breath, "I know what you mean."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just thought it would be easier to say it once to everyone than keep repeating it."
"Right." He nodded.
Clark could tell that Callie was trying to stay focused on the objective of getting herself home, but she was still feeling the residual effects of telling the group. He couldn't imagine how it must be for her, but if he knew anything about her and the look in her eyes it was that there was guilt swimming in them. She got that from him for sure. In fact, he saw a lot of himself in her when she was addressing the group and even as he was watching her choosing the right words to say to him.
"Because if I keep repeating it then it becomes more real and, while, this is something I want, I know that we—I mean we've had our—."
"I know." He said comfortingly. He extended his hand and placed it on her shoulder.
She nodded as she looked at the floor again. He knew they were both feeling the same way. He wanted to pull her into a hug but he didn't want to do it when everyone was around. He decided he would get his chance later.
"This conversation looks like a rager." Lois said as she walked over.
"How about we go out to lunch?" Clark suggested as his hand fell from Callie's shoulder.
"Lunch sounds good." Lois smiled.
Clark couldn't help but smile back at her as he felt Lois slip her hand back into his all on her own. He liked it, them being open about their relationship. It gave him more confidence and strength every time she was near and touched him. How he had lived so long without it he would never know. He certainly was going to make sure in the future that he would never be without it.
His eyes glanced over at Callie while she just watched them.
"What? No 'get a room'?" Lois teased at Callie's reaction.
"No, it's nice." She said in a low voice.
He saw that Lois was taken aback but her eyes shifted back to Clark. Silently they corresponded with their eyes and decided that her reaction was a good thing.
"So, where are you treating us ladies?"
"I don't know," he turned to Callie, "any suggestions?"
"Pizza?" She shrugged.
"Pizza sounds good to me. Smallville?"
He grinned while looking at Callie and Lois. He would try to push the sad thoughts trying to encroach on this moment. It was domestic and normal. It was pizza, but it was pizza with Lois and Callie. His heart fluttered at the thought. Another feeling he was enjoying. His heart had been fluttering all morning. He didn't want to even analyze the meaning and rather live in it. He would keep this with him, this feeling, and bask in it at the very moment he knew he would feel parts of himself shatter. The moment Callie would leave them.
The song 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' began to play from Lois' bag. He knew he was done for then because he was even enjoying listening to the music. He certainly had been spending too much time with her. He felt her hand leave his as she pulled her phone out of her bag and groaned as she glanced at the name.
"Ugh, it's Randall. Let me see what this is about and then we can bon appétit."
She then turned to Chloe, Oliver, and Kara.
"I'm going to kiss my boyfriend now, so you can all gawk or look away. Your choice."
His heart fluttered again, more intensely this time, at her use of 'boyfriend'. His eyes even widened a bit. This was all certainly becoming too good to be true.
Lois lifted herself up on her tippy toes in her high heels and brought her lips to his a quick savory kiss that he wished would never end. Then like a light switch she answered her phone, "What'cha got for me, Randall?"
Without realizing it his smile had become even wider as he watched her exit Watchtower, her ponytail swaying as she focused on her call.
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day."
Clark turned at Oliver's comment.
"See what?"
"PDA from you and Lois. By the way, for the record, I called this relationship between you two a long time ago."
"Good to know your perception is so good." Clark said in a dry tone.
"Actually, there is something else I perceive. That goofy look on your face and that glow you have going on. It's just like…it's just like…" Oliver snapped his fingers as if trying to recall the words he wanted to use.
Clark raised his eyebrow as Oliver then extended his arms out wide and slid across the floor towards him as he belted out into song.
"Just like a knight in shining armor from a long time ago! Just in time I will save the day!
Take you to my castle far awaaaaaaay!"
Clark's mouth went dry as his eyes immediately fell on Callie. She refused to look at him as her brown hair shielded her face. He could tell by the movement of her head that she was laughing. And she wasn't the only one.
"I'm sorry, man. I had to." Oliver managed to gasp out between laughs.
"So is the Fortress a castle now, Kal-El?" Kara asked as she chuckled.
There were a few more muffled laughs from the group after her comment.
"Very funny, you guys."
The sound of high heels across the hard floor turned his attention back to the Watchtower doors. Lois looked a bit annoyed as she put her phone back in her bag.
"Well, that was a meaningless phone call." She looked at him and then to the rest of the group. "What did I miss?"
Kara, Chloe, Oliver, and Callie started to laugh again. Lois' eyes then fell on him.
"What?"
He closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Let's go."
He walked over to her and placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her out. He looked over his shoulder and glared at all of them, yet a hint of smile still formed on his lips as he held onto Lois and walked her out, Callie quietly trailing behind.
*/*
"Singing in the shower, Smallville?" Lois smirked before she bit into her pizza.
They were sitting at a table outside the pizzeria and he slightly got embarrassed as people were walking past them.
"Is that a crime, Miss 'I take two hour long showers'?"
She shook her head and finished chewing.
"Don't try to use my shower time against me, Buddy. All I'm saying is that it's not something I imagine you doing in the shower."
He worked his eyebrow up at her statement. "You think about me in the shower?"
Lois coughed as her cheeks started to turn a crimson color and she reached for her drink. Clark smiled at her as she looked at him through narrow eyes. He loved teasing her. He loved her expressions and responses. He loved—
"Child present." Callie called out as she raised her hand and reminded them of her presence. "And she's trying to eat."
Clark gave an apologetic look. It was always nice to get lost in the world where it was only he and Lois. He should have known Callie would have reacted that way even if she had been okay with them in Watchtower before. He couldn't blame her. While it had been nice at times to see the affection between his parents, it still became uncomfortable to think of them in certain ways and, judging from her rant that morning, there may be many more times to come in the future where he and Lois would get lost between themselves.
"How many slices is that now." Lois asked, calming down from her coughing fit.
"Five." Callie stated as she bit into the crust.
Clark shook his head. Callie's appetite never ceased to amaze him.
"What?" Callie asked him. "I get indecisive when I look at menus sometimes. I can't help it if they have so many different kinds of pizza to choose from. Their fault, not mine." She defended.
"I still don't know where you put it,' Lois commented.
"Hello, hi," she waved, "I'm Callie. The girl who can lift tractors and run faster than a speeding bullet. Super workouts burn a super amount of calories in no time."
"Right—and don't be smart."
"Sorry. Habit." She finished the crust of her pizza then asked, "So, what do you want for your birthday?"
"Nothing." Lois stated adamantly.
"Oh, come on. You're getting a gift. I know how much you love gifts." She emphasized. "Ripping it open to peek then rewrapping it."
Clark's eyes snapped to Callie then to Lois. It had been another unintentional slip of the tongue on Callie's part. They both looked at Callie but she didn't seem to realize what she had done, so they subtlety communicated with their eyes that they would let it go.
The Def Leppard ring tone could be heard coming from Lois' bag again. With a grunt she pulled it out quickly and glanced at the screen.
"My guy down at the station." She said to him. "Hello." She picked up.
His curiosity was slightly peaked. There had been a lot of activity in Metropolis in the past week and especially during that morning, which Chloe was logging. He wondered if something else was going on currently. He extended his superhearing to the city but heard nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that the local firefighters and officers couldn't handle themselves.
"Mmhmmm…Yeah…That's interesting…Thanks for the tip…bye…"
"Something up?" He asked.
"Just a tip that aerial footage from a camera on the bridge showed an object similar to a man being in the road before the car swerved, so some of the eyewitness accounts might not have been looney tunes. I'm going to go back to the office and see if I can dig up some more information from their statements."
"Do you need any help?"
"Nah, I'm okay. It's as easy as pie."
"Oh, can we get pie?" Callie piped in.
"You just ate almost an entire pizza pie." He countered.
"Your point? I like all kinds of pie. Pizza pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, but not so much Life of Pi because I can't take it when animals die even though you find out they were just symbols in the story." She said then smiled.
"Looks like you're stuck with pie duty, Smallville." She laughed.
"Lucky me."
Lois stood up from her chair and he quickly got out of his so he was by her side.
"Aw." Lois leaned up and kissed him. She pulled back and smiled. "Better?"
"A little."
Clark then grabbed her arm and pulled her close. He dipped his head and captured her lips again. He could faintly hear her moan as he deepened the kiss, his lips sucking on her bottom lip. He heard the sound of a chair dragging across the sidewalk but he didn't focus on it.
"I'll just wait over there. In the dark alley. Where one cannot see or hear this... Except for me because I have powers that allow me to do so. I suck so much right now." He heard Callie say.
"Whoa." Lois breathed as she broke their kiss.
"Just something to remind you." He commented.
"Mmmhmm."
"And if you need any help when it comes to those images on the bridge maybe give Watchtower a call. Chloe keeps tabs and can gain access."
"Trying to edge into the byline?"
"Would you let me?"
"I'll think about it. See you later, Smallville." She winked at him and maneuvered her way out of his arms. "And I'll see you later, too." She said to Callie.
"Bye Lois. Go win a Pulitzer!"
"You know it."
They both watched as Lois crossed the street. Lois turned to look at them once more and smiled at Clark. He could feel his heart flutter again. He let out a tiny sigh and saw her retreat around the corner and out of view.
"You guys are adorkable." Callie commented.
"Adorkable?"
"Equally adorable and dorky. It's positive and let's just leave it at that. Okay?" She smiled, shrugged her shoulders, then turned around and began to walk.
"Okay." He said under his breath and walked to catch up with her. "So, I was wondering if you could help me out with something before I had to head back to work."
"Help with what?"
"Well, you brought up something at lunch, a gift for Lois. Since the time table to get her something has been moved up, I was hoping you could help me pick something out."
"Shopping?" Her eyes lit up.
He smiled at her joyful expression. He spotted the jewelry store and walked over to the display window.
"Do you have anything in mind or are we starting with a completely blank slate?" She asked standing next to him.
"Maybe. I don't know." He pointed to the necklace with a key dangling from it. "What about that. It looks pretty."
He could see her face contort in the reflection of the glass. "I hope you're not planning on doing the 'key to my heart' crap." She remarked. "I mean, not that there is anything wrong with that, it's just," she looked up at him, "unoriginal."
"So, I have to think outside the box?"
"Yeah, and I know you can. Come on." She grabbed his arm and dragged him into the next store.
"Ooh, maybe we can find some stuff in here." She commented as her fingertips glided across various items on the counter.
He looked around and couldn't quite see anything that jumped out at him and exclaimed "Lois". His eyes then drifted back to Callie who was examining a rack of glasses. He watched as Callie picked up black framed glasses and put them on her face. She tilted her head and smiled.
"Do I look different to you?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Different?"
She snorted. He was confused at what she found so amusing. She took the glasses off and put them back on the rack.
"They're the perfect disguise you know."
"The perfect disguise?"
He wasn't convinced of that. A pair of glasses? Who could be fooled by those?
She nodded and said, "Someone I know uses them that way." Her mind seemed to trail off and he knew she was thinking about the future.
"Those glasses?" He pointed and questioned.
'How could those glasses disguise anyone?' He thought again.
"No, the glasses with the fake nose and mustache. Yes, those!" She laughed. "Forget I even said anything."
"Consider it dropped."
"I don't think there is anything in here. Let's try another place."
Together they exited the store and turned down the sidewalk. They walked by another store and he peered in trying to assess what they sold.
"This is so frustrating." He said.
"Because you're making it that way." She commented.
"How am I making it that way?"
"You're trying too hard. Lois doesn't have to be this hard to shop for."
"I don't know about that. Maybe in the past," he shrugged, "but, not really. I just want to…I want…"
"To find the perfect present, I know."
He looked down at her and saw the sympathy she had for his troubled state.
"Think of it this way, for Lois it's not about the big and extravagant. It isn't like that for you either, right?"
"No." he said.
"It's about from the heart. Sometimes the gifts that come from the heart are simple, but they have meaning behind it. Try and think of something that has meaning to her or to the both of you. You find that then you find your gift."
Clark smiled to himself as he let those words sink in. It almost sounded like something his parents would have told him. The words were true though. His hand traveled down to his pocket and when he placed inside his fingers curled around a small ring, the mood ring that Lois had gotten him for his 'birthday'. He still kept it, not because he was conflicted about feelings anymore, but because it had come from Lois and that's what made it special to him.
"That's some good advice."
They continued to stroll by the shops.
"Came from a good source."
"How about in here?" He said pointing to another store.
"Sure."
They walked in and he scanned the entire inventory. He looked down at the table and found an old, worn, leather bound journal. It reminded him of something he had and then an idea twisted together in his mind. A smile formed on his lips as he thought of the perfect gift—simple, but meaningful.
The sound of sirens caught his ear as he tilted his head. A crane had collided into a building. He could hear the comments from the people and from the radios signaling the police and firemen. A mysterious figure had been seen apparently but the worst part was that there seem to be workers trapped. This was a situation that was going to require some extra help from The Blur.
His eyes found Callie's. He knew she'd heard it, too.
"I'm sorry, but-"
"Go. If you need help…"
He nodded as he went off in search of a secluded place where he could speed off. Focused on saving lives but slightly worried on how many times simple things like shopping with his family, his daughter, would be interrupted.
~/~
Feeling a bit awkward in the shop, Callie decided to leave and just take a walk instead. She didn't have a destination and just decided to walk the streets of Metropolis. Taking in the sites and walking along the park, the scenery soon became a blur. It was just her and Metropolis. She walked naturally until she saw a man with a long tan trench coat, hair slicked back and dark framed glasses poking out from the side of his face. Her stomach quaked as the familiar feelings were triggered. It was the feeling of love. It was the feeling of home.
"Dad?" She whispered.
She followed him up and down the streets trying to catch a better glimpse of him but not wanting to be too obvious. Moving through the rush of people, trying to weave in and out of traffic coming and going, walking up and down streets and around corners, she had managed to keep him in the corner of her eye until her shoulder had collided with a metal pay phone, denting it. That distraction, as she made sure no one noticed her pop the dent out, caused her to finally lose him. It was like he had disappeared into thin air.
'I'm losing my mind.' She thought.
Looking around she knew exactly where she was, though. At this end of the street were brownstone houses. She walked up further to the commotion of people outside one in particular. Her breath got caught in her throat.
She had avoided this street for a reason through her entire stay in 2009. Never once had she even flown over this part. This was home. She may have lived in the luxury apartments that had not been built yet, but after her brother had been born and her dad had come back they moved to the farm for quiet and reflection, then once her dad's superhero sabbatical was over they moved to this brownstone. This was home, but not yet.
She saw the 'Open House' sign and decided to let the curiosity building within her win. She told herself to bite the bullet and just go in. She walked up the steps and the real estate agent smiled at her while standing as she opened the door. The woman then handed her a flyer.
"Hello and welcome. Are you here by yourself?"
"My parents are on their way. I just got here first." She lied.
"Oooh. Well, take one of these and have yourself a little look around. My name is Delores."
"Thanks, Delores."
Callie took the flyer and walked in through the little foyer. Everything was bare and empty. Straight ahead were the stairs, while to her left was the large living room, with the fireplace that would roar on cold winter nights. In her mind she filled the room with the upholstery, furniture, and photos she was used to, but as her eyes blinked again it was empty once more.
She could hear her footsteps over the hardwood floors. Her hand trailed along the railing that bordered the stairs leading to the downstairs family room and glanced into the kitchen and dining room. She let out a breath as she squeezed her eyes shut.
'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.'
Turning around she started towards the front door when she heard footsteps running up the stairs. They sounded so familiar. She looked up and saw a boy in a red t-shirt and jeans, but he wasn't just any boy, he was her brother. He was standing at the top of the stairs, a smile on his face as he looked down at her.
"Callie, come on." He waved as ran down the hall and out of her sight.
Before she knew what she was doing, she was running up the steps and turned right as she followed him. Walking down the hallway, past the empty room to her left that she called her own, she saw a red blur run into the room that was her brother's, or would be.
Once she made it to the doorway she was met again with bareness. Why had she envisioned him? Maybe it was a side effect of the hypnosis. First her 'father' had led her here and now her little brother had brought her to this room. She walked in further and leaned against the wall to look out the window. It was then she realized why she was there.
In the street staring up at her was the figure of a man with a mild smirk on his face.
"Zod." She breathed out.
She only blinked once but when she focused her eyes he was already gone.
"Zod, honey?"
Callie was startled by the voice and turned to see the real estate agent, Delores.
"Um, sod. The yard in the back, is it sod? My dad likes to know these things." She casually lied.
"I'm not sure. I think it might be."
"Good to know, I'll pass that information along to him." She said as she moved past the woman and out of the room.
She moved down the stairs, stairs she had gone down thousands of times, and yet it seemed to be taking forever. She made it to the front double doors and walked down the front steps. The wind started to pick up and she stared at the spot she had seen Zod standing only moments before.
A gust of air blew through her hair, sending it flying backwards. Briefly, she swore that she could hear her name being whispered in the wind. It was then she knew. She could feel it in her gut. It was only a matter of time.
