Chapter Thirty-One: Nothing Takes the Past Away Like the Future

Clark had never moved so fast in his life. Every muscle was in use as he strained to move even faster. He even thought at one point his feet hadn't been on the ground—that the wind was carrying him or maybe he was pushing against it. He didn't quite know and he didn't have time to think about it either. As fast as he had been, when he arrived at his destination and saw the damage to Lois' apartment he seemed to be in slow motion. The door had been completely blown through. The doors that led to the balcony were shattered as glass lay on the floor. The coffee table was in pieces as a dented tea pot was strewn in the mess.

His pulse was racing. They were gone. Zod had them. Oliver had been a message and a distraction. Zod had what he needed. He had Callie and Lois. While the capture of any one of his friends would cause him pain, the fact that it was the two of them…

He cupped his head into his hands. He needed a clear head if he was going to save them. He needed to save them. They were his family. If anything happened to either of them he would never be able to forgive himself. If he had been in a dark place two months ago who knew what he would spiral into if—No. He couldn't think that way.

He tilted his head up and looked for any clues. As he walked in further he felt something change within his body. He didn't feel normal. He went to use his x-ray vision and found that he couldn't. It was gone. He began to panic until his eyes caught something blue and glowing on the floor. He picked up the fracture of a stone and immediately identified it as blue kryptonite. Zod knew about it. He obviously knew what it could do. He somehow knew about Callie.

Shaking his head he dropped the stone, backed away from it, and headed back out into the hallway. As fast as he had made it to Lois' apartment he was back at Watchtower. He was going to find Zod and when he did he didn't know if he'd be able to hold back his rage.

"Clark!" Chloe screamed. As she examined his face her expression changed. "Please tell me that they're okay."

He shook his head solemnly. "Zod has them."

He could see Chloe breaking once more as her face contorted between anguish and anger. "This can't be."

He extended his hand to her shoulder for comfort. "I promise I will find them," he firmly declared.

Chloe nodded and turned back to her desk. Her hand slid across the flat surface and a map of Metropolis appeared before him.

"I'm casing all the cameras in Metropolis. It's taking some time because there's a frequency jam. I'm running diagnostic on that as well."

"You think it's Zod?"

"I think he's been planning this for a while and wouldn't put it past him. He's had time to study our technology. Study us. Krypton was more sophisticated than this. I don't doubt that he's capable of doing anything."

"How long?"

She was still and he didn't take that as a good sign. She turned her head slowly and looked at him over her shoulder.

"I don't know. It could be a few minutes to a few hours depending on if I hit any other roadblocks."

He let his head hang low. They couldn't wait that long. He knew that she knew that and he wasn't going to press it. There was so much going on in his mind that he couldn't concentrate. So many thoughts were moving faster than speeding bullets in his brain.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus on Callie or Lois' voice but couldn't hear anything.

"Then don't focus on her voice. Focus on her heartbeat." Callie's voice rang in his ears.

He remembered her saying that long ago. Holding on to her words, he closed his eyes once more and concentrated.

~/~

"Callie!...Callie!"

Callie groaned as she brought her hand to her face. Her cheekbone felt bruised and she winced a little when her fingertips grazed it. Her lids slowly fluttered open. She pushed herself up from the cold hard ground and recognized her surroundings immediately. They were on the Daily Planet rooftop.

"Callie?" She heard Lois whisper.

She looked in Lois' direction and caught her concerned appearance. Callie quickly made sure that her mother hadn't been harmed and as relieved to see she was fine. They both glanced over to Zod and Faora who were deep in conversation over some object she couldn't quite see. Her mother then inched closer to her.

"Are you okay?" she whispered.

"I am. You?" Callie asked double checking.

"I've been in worse situations."

Callie snorted at that. Lois' confused expression only furthered her grin.

"And what exactly is so amusing?" Zod's voice cut through the air.

She glared at him then softened her expression with a smile. "Just some girl chat." Then she sighed. "But who am I to try and hide something from you? So, I just want to know…would I be a total kiss ass if I said I got myself caught just so I could be closer to you?"

He smirked at her and inquired, "Got yourself caught?"

"Oops." She batted her eyelashes.

"Don't think your feminine charms will work on me."

"Ah, I see. No judgement here. Total support. But you're going to catch more guys with honey than with this psycho killer vinegar."

Zod marched up to her and raised his arm to strike at her. "Hey!" Lois called out as Faora held his arm back.

"You cannot let her blood be shed yet." Faora said in a low voice.

He seemed to deflate at her words and Callie wondered just what was in store for her. With a scowl he turned away from her and back to a silver ball. Faora stood guard in front of her and Lois.

"So, this is the dark side, huh? I was informed that you'd have cookies. False advertisement." Callie rolled her eyes.

"I think it would be in your best interest to keep that mouth of yours shut." Faora commanded.

Callie glanced at her mother from the corner of her eye and could see she was about to say something but lightly put her hand over hers to stop her. If anyone was going to be the pain in the ass in this situation it was going to be her. She had learned from the best after all and grinned inwardly.

"Can I just tell you something, woman to woman?" Faora's attention was on her. "The pants, not flattering. The camouflage ain't camouflaging those hips, honey, but I guess we know where all those cookies went…"

Faora tried to keep a straight face, but Callie knew she was getting to her. She needed to get to Faora. She knew she was trained to be a soldier, but Callie had her own training from the General. Faora turned to go back to Zod while still keeping an eye on them.

There was no way to escape with the both of them there and she couldn't risk putting her mother's life in jeopardy either. She recalled seeing blue before she was knocked out and used her x-ray vision on Faora. She had a box in her jacket pocket that she couldn't see through. Lead. If she had lead then that meant she had kryptonite.

'Blue kryptonite.'

If Callie got her hands on it then it would even the playing field and they might have a shot of getting the advantage and getting off that roof.

"I know you probably went to the Lois Lane school of being a hostage, but I don't think saying that's going to help right now." Lois whispered through the side of her mouth.

"It's distracting her. That's what I need."

Lois tilted her head in confusion.

"Do you trust me?" Callie asked.

"Of course I do." Lois stated.

Callie smiled. "Good."

Callie stood up and looked around. She spotted the camera and hoped against hope that Watchtower had locked onto their location and a cavalry was coming as back up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zod asked looking up at her.

She shrugged, "Just wondering why there are so many leaves on the roof if there are no trees this high."

"Sit down!" He barked.

She started to move back and looked at Lois.

"What is that you want with us exactly? You bring us up here and hold us captive, for what? A game of metal hot potato?" Lois asked, gesturing to what Callie now saw as an orb. A kryptonian orb.

Zod held the object up for everyone to see.

'Great, it's the orb that talks to people. Fantastic.'

"This lovely creation holds what is most dear to Krypton, its last city. Your former boss, Tess Mercer had it in her possession. She freed me and Faora, yet, the rest of my race laid dormant inside. I will rectify that."

"How?" Lois pressed.

"You will soon find out. And when they arrive they will receive their powers."

"What? You'll take them sunbathing?" Callie quipped.

Zod snarled at her. "Yellow sun did not give me my powers like it was supposed to. It wasn't until I was in a lab that was owned by Miss Mercer's company that I had been blessed in receiving them. She hadn't been willing to find the resources to help me fast enough so I decided to help myself. She had been hoarding debris and what looked like blood from the attack on the city weeks prior. Curiosity got the better of me and I was cut by glass that had blood on it. I felt the wound, yet then felt something powerful run through me. That's when I understood that there was someone else out there that was Kryptonian, that held the powers under the yellow sun. So, I sought out the information, which she also hadn't been too willing to give, and I found him. Then I found another resource." He said eyeing Callie.

"And the disco ball?" Lois asked.

"Was made by his father. I know Jor-El well. I know how he operates with his inventions." His face came closer to Callie. She swallowed back and tried to remain stoic.

'Way to still be a close talker, Zod.'

"That's where you come in. I could have gone after Kal-El, but you were the easier target." He smirked.

Callie could feel the anger building up. Easier target? No one called her easy. Not in any way, shape, or form. If they did, they better be ready to feel the consequences of it.

She felt her lip twitch up in anger, but then felt Lois' hand on her shoulder pulling her back.

"Let's not start the royal rumble right now." Lois said.

"Now's the perfect time."

Callie launched herself at Zod and tackled him to the ground. She felt Faora pull her off and she twisted to put her hand in Faora's jacket pocket pulling out a small metal box. She let Faora throw her to the ground. She grunted as she hit the floor hard, but also had to hide her smile as she gripped the box close to her chest.

~/~

Lois scooted across the wall right next to the fallen Callie. She kept an eye on Faora and Zod all the while trying to protect Callie any way she could. She glanced at the door and knew that they wouldn't be able to make it a foot without one of the soldier twins hightailing in front of them.

In her heart she called out for Clark. She prayed that Oliver was okay and that Clark had figured out what had happened to them. She closed her eyes and screamed internally to him to come and save their daughter. When she opened them back up and looked over at Callie. She spied the box against her chest. She must have swiped it from Faora before being thrown down.

'I probably taught that to her.' She smiled secretly.

Callie's eyes met hers and they were asking her to trust her again, that she had a plan. She communicated back, "What do you need me to do?" Callie tilted her head at Faora and signaled her eyes to the ground. She wanted Lois to take her out. But how?

Callie clutched the box and pursed her lips. She was indicating whatever was in the box would help. Lois nodded. She trusted her. If this was how they would get away then she would do it.

Her lips curled up into a mischievous grin as she started to clap her hands. This caught Faora's attention while Zod was still preoccupied with setting up the area for his own purposes.

"Why are you clapping?" Faora snapped.

"Because I'm happy and I know it. Want to see what happens when I'm pissed and I show it?"

"What is it with the both of you? If I can't touch her," she pointed to Callie, "then I'll enjoy taking my frustrations out on you."

When Faora was close enough Callie opened the lid and revealed a blue stone. It was the same stone that Faora had used on Callie to knock her out Lois realized.

"How about we flip that and I take my frustration out on you?"

Lois fisted her left hand and launched a punch right into Faora's nose. She punched her with her right fist and spin kicked her stomach. Faora stumbled back on to the ledge as her hand cupped her nose while hunched over.

'That's what a little Lane Kwon Do gets you.'

Lois noticed that Callie made sure she stayed close enough to Faora to make sure she was still vulnerable. Lois worried that this would make Callie vulnerable once again, but she also knew that Callie could handle herself.

"You owe me a new apartment, bitch." She said to Faora.

Callie lifted the blue stone out and hit it against the brick wall. She kept a piece for herself and threw a piece to Lois. Callie then hit Faora again in the face, knocking her out and placed the piece of blue stone in Faora's pocket.

"What is this stuff?" Lois asked.

"Blue kryptonite."

"Blue? How many different colors are there?"

"A lot. Watch out for the black. That one's a disaster." Callie hinted.

The sound of boots across the concrete was brought to both of their attention.

"You think you're clever."

"Well, I am 'Little Miss Know It All' seventeen years running." Callie said and then crossed her fingers on both hands. "Here's going for eighteen."

Zod stalked closer and Lois jumped on his back as she threw Callie the stone to get a better grip on him. He let out grunts as he tried and to swing her off his back. She punched him right in the shoulder just as Callie punched him in the face. Lois thought that would take him out, but Zod was still very strong without his powers. He was a military man, so he knew how to take pain. She understood that. They had been luckier in catching Faora off guard.

Zod stood erect suddenly, which sent her falling to the hard ground on her butt. He reached in front of him and pulled Callie to him.

"If you think I can be brought down by a silly stone you are mistaken."

"Not to go all Sunday school on you, but David beat Goliath with a silly stone."

Lois watched as Zod pried Callie's hand open. She fought him but he was able to get the stone from her. He threw it over the edge of the roof and pushed Callie down in the process.

"Don't you touch her!" Lois seethed.

Zod looked her way. "You're absolutely right."

Lois managed to get up, but was slammed into the steel door by Zod. The knob of the door hit her spine and she hissed in pain. Zod grabbed her arm roughly and dragged her to the other side of the roof and up the platform. Callie ran over to them but Zod held up his hand signaling for her to halt.

"You dare defy me?! You try to execute your own rubbish plan under my nose? You will kneel."

"Callie, don't." Lois pleaded.

"Never." Callie spat at him.

He chuckled. "Never? You earthlings have a saying don't you? Never say never?"

They moved closer to the edge of the roof until the upper part of Lois' body was dangling over the city street. Her breathing started to become erratic as her heart beat faster. Internally, she called out for Clark again.

"Don't. Please." She heard Callie cry.

"Alright. I'll take pity on you."

Zod stared at Lois and gave her the most evil smile she had ever seen in her life. She felt the force of a push of his arm and her whole body was tossed off the roof. She heard Callie's blood curdling scream. Lois was mute as she fell. She felt gravity pulling her down and a tear escape her eye. Images of all her loved ones flashed in her mind. The last image was when she was leaving the Kent farm for Metropolis after staying there after her return. Her mind recaptured the image of Callie and Clark waving after she had given her quick wave goodbye.

Goodbye.

'I love you both. I love you, Clark.'

And she closed her eyes and kept falling.

~/~

Clark reached out for the both of them. He tried to block out all the sounds of the city, which was proving to be quite difficult. With his eyes squeezed shut he let everything fall away and he just focused on the beating of one heart: Lois' heart. He could hear it. He could feel it. It was as if her heart was beating in his chest and it was crying out for him. It was erratic and begging for him to save them.

"Clark…"

"Lois?" He gasped as his eyes snapped open.

Chloe jumped up and ran to his side. "You heard her?"

"I can feel her calling out for me. Her heart is racing."

"Clark, where are they?" Chloe's large blue eyes pleaded.

"The Daily Planet." He stated with conviction.

Chloe ran back to the computer and started to tap fervently at the keyboard and sift through every camera that was in the building.

"They're not inside. Time to take a look outside."

Clark's eyes widened as he viewed Lois and Callie fighting Zod themselves. Lois was on Zod's back and had just been thrown off. He had Callie in his grasp. Clark could feel his blood boiling. He was about to dash off when Chloe stopped him.

"Chloe, I have to go now!" He shouted.

"Clark, hang on. What exactly is the plan here? I want you to save them too, but I also don't want to lose all three of you. Zod's probably expecting you bust through that door."

"Then I won't bust through the door." He said.

His eye travelled back to the monitor where he viewed Zod and Lois at the edge of the roof. They were slightly out of view, but he certainly saw the point where Zod let go of Lois.

"LOIS!"

He dashed out of Watchtower and felt the same sensation as when he had traveled to the apartment. His feet weren't on the ground. He guided his body through the air and in between buildings. He saw her form falling and sped up. He extended his arms underneath her and felt the contact when they collided. He held her close as he steered up and around the Daily Planet. Her eyes were still closed until, he figured, she noticed she hadn't hit the ground.

"Clark?" She whispered.

He smiled brightly at her. She looked around them and gripped him even closer.

"Don't worry, Lois. I've got you."

"You've got me? Who's got you?" She asked with wide eyes. She looked back up at him with a beaming smile. "You're flying, Smallville. Always doing the impossible."

He felt warmth and accomplishment run through his veins. He was flying and it felt incredible. Clark flashed another smile and focused on circling the building and landing on the sidewalk. He still held her in his arms for a brief moment, soaking in that he had saved her and she was alive, before he let her hop out of his grasp. Unable to let go of her too long he pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tightly before letting her go again.

"Lois, what happened up there?"

"He said he needs Callie to open some orb. He's talking as crazy as Tess was when she accused me of stealing that damn thing."

Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling, almost like thunder, in the air.

"Okay, I know I didn't eat dinner, but I'm almost positive that wasn't my stomach." She commented.

Then there was a blast and this time the earth shook beneath them. They both looked up and saw a massive yellow cloud materialize. Rain started to fall down on them hard.

"Callie!" He breathed out.

"Clark, she needs you. The world needs you. Go."

He nodded and said, "Stay here."

He knew she probably wouldn't comply with his plea, but he said it anyway. Looking up as the rain pelted his face he thought about his daughter and her need for him. Focusing on his feelings, his love for her and his fear for her, he crouched down and then launched his feet off the ground. He extended his fists in front of him and moved up, up, and away.

~/~

The moment that she had seen her mother disappear from sight she had screamed so loud she thought glass would shatter. She had launched herself to go over the ledge and attempt to save her, but Zod had pulled her back. She fought against him trying any maneuver she could but he wouldn't let her go.

He wanted her blood or whatever, right? Didn't he understand that throwing Lois off a building meant that she would die and in turn Callie would die? Zod would lose out. While the Zod losing out part was an upper, two lives being lost was the tragedy.

She still tried to get out of his grasp, but he threw her into the wall and held her against it.

"You can't save her."

She stifled a cry and closed her eyes.

'Mom! Mom!' she cried in her mind. 'Mom, I'm so sorry.'

She waited for the moment it would all end. The moment that she had failed for good. The moment where she had destroyed everything she had worked so hard to try and preserve. She waited. She waited.

She waited for the end.

Only, the end didn't come. She lifted one eyelid slightly and she was still alive. Everything was still in its place and hadn't imploded. She hadn't disappeared unless she really had died and her being stuck with Zod was hell. Which, hey, it could be, but she decided to be the glass half full kind of gal.

Her mother had been saved. She smiled inwardly at that fact. Her mother was still alive. But Zod had tried to kill her and that meant she was going to rip that smirk off his face.

She looked up at him and stomped on his foot. He held in his grunt of pain and pushed her back so he could get the orb.

"You try anything else, try to escape, and there are worse things I could do."

Zod began chanting in Kryptonese, she suspected. There was a loud boom that rocked the top of the roof. A light shot out from the orb and into the sky creating a large yellow cloud. The cloud grew larger and it began to rain. Zod slowly turned and faced her.

"And now for your blood. The blood of an El." He said as he pulled out a kryptonite knife that had been shielded with a lead sheath.

"Get away from her!"

Callie looked in the direction of the voice and viewed Clark hovering in the air with his arms crossed over his chest. Hovering. He was suspended in midair as it was raining and she could have sworn, just for a moment, that she was home in the future and her father was there to save her. She smiled up at him and caught the yellow post-it peeking out from his crossed arms. He had done it. He could fly.

~/~

Clark looked down below and sent a small smile to Callie. He could see the awe in her face as she looked up at him. He pursed his lips as he slowly descended and stared at Zod.

"Let her go." He ordered.

"My people, our people, are trapped. Jor-El used his blood to seal the door. It's time to open it back up!" Zod shouted angrily.

"And how exactly did you get out in the first place?" He inquired calmly.

"The blood of an El was shed."

That was a little more detailed than Tess' explanation of him fighting Doomsday and that allowing the orb to open. It was true, though. His blood had been shed. The orb had known? He seemed to think that he might never understand Kryptonian technology.

"Under the right circumstances the orb can be opened once more. And one way or another I will make sure it will be done!"

Zod began to walk toward Callie and Clark put himself in the way in between them. He fisted Zod's jacket and held him in place.

"Don't you touch her." He fumed.

"Offering your blood, now?" Zod smirked.

"You won't be getting either of us, so back off, Zod."

"Or what, son of Jor-El?" Zod walked further up to him. "I see the rage in your eyes. It's the rage when your family is in danger. And knowing how I threw the woman you love off the roof to her death doesn't help, does it?"

Clark didn't react. He just stared him down. He needed to put a stop to this and he wasn't going to let Zod try and manipulate him.

"I saved her, Zod. Just like I will save everyone on this planet from you. No more lives will be threatened by you."

Zod continued, "My family was sacrificed in Kandor when it was first lost. Yours will be sacrificed to bring Kandor back."

In the corner of his eye he saw Faora rise off the ground and toss something over the side of the building.

"Behind you!" Callie screamed.

Clark turned to stop Faora who was about to strike on him. This, or course, drew his attention away from Zod. He immobilized Faora enough to witness Zod going after Callie once more. She punched and kicked him, but he was determined to get her. When he had his hand around her neck, Clark snapped. He thrust Faora into the brick wall and hurried to Zod. Zod dropped Callie to the ground and two of them stood staring at each other.

Zod threw the first punch, which Clark dodged as he crouched down and tackled Zod to the ground. Zod managed to push him into the air. Had he not learned to harness his flight he would have gone over the side of the building. Fortunately, for him, he stopped himself and landed his feet on the ground.

Callie must have seen this as an opportunity and she went after Zod. He knew Zod probably had been waiting for that and instead he again got between them. The blow meant for Callie hit him instead.

Callie stumbled to the side, while he stumbled back. When he looked up, Zod had the orb in his hand, which was in the trajectory of connecting with his face. When the orb did hit him he felt something warm cascading down his face aside from the hard cold rain. When his eyes looked down droplets of red were mixing with the water.

Lighting strikes permeated the sky as the cloud began to move in a cyclical motion. A portal was beginning to open as the orb levitated and glowed pink. The glow became increasingly larger by the minute. Zod laughed maniacally as he looked at him.

"Your people thank you, Kal-El."

His blood. His blood had touched the orb and now Zod's army was about to arrive.

"Who would have known it really was bigger on the inside." He heard Callie say as she leaned into him.

He looked down at her as she looked up at him with worried eyes. They both looked at Zod who was basking in the glow of the orb. Faora was shuffling over to him.

Clark could feel an energy pulling him, almost dragging him towards the orb.

"Do you feel that?" He asked Callie.

She nodded and tried to back away, but was unable to. He watched as Zod then pulled out a long sheathed knife from his pocket once again and took the casing off, revealing that it was a radiant glowing blue. He and Faora easily stepped away from the glowing light and far enough away.

"Blue kryptonite." He gasped under his breath.

"Clark!" Callie exclaimed as she pulled on his arm. "It's a door, right?"

He nodded and his mind seemed to jump onto her thought train. "An exit or an entrance."

"So if they're coming out…"

"Then the energy is pulling us in…" He finished.

The tugging of the portal was becoming stronger. Callie grabbed his arm tightly and looked over her shoulder to Zod.

"We need to fight this and switch places."

The glow was enlarging and together they forced themselves against the pull. Zod held up the knife and exclaimed, "Either the orb pulls you in or you wait until my army comes out to defeat you."

"You love your army so much, how about you go say hi right now!"

Callie leaped to get the knife only to be pulled back by Faora. Faora, in turn, had her hair pulled and face punched by Callie for that. Clark stood in Callie's spot and his breathing became more rapid as he felt the tug of the field. The blue kryptonite seemed to alleviate the tugging. It seemed the blue kryptonite worked to keep them out of the orb.

'It was sucking us in when we had our powers.'

"Seeing as you love the humans so much let's see if you can fight like one."

He didn't have time to keep fighting Zod, but possibly if he could get their footwork right it could be possible to get Zod back into the orb.

Zod angled the knife diagonally, from low to high, cutting his chest and through the paper \S/ Callie had placed on there earlier. He growled in pain as he placed his hand over the wound. Clark grabbed at Zod's arm and pulled them both backward. The light was growing brighter and still increasing in size. He was almost in the middle of it. He had been distracted by trying to get the knife to fail to see that Callie and Faora were in the midst of their own battle. Callie grabbed onto Faora's hair again and began to swing her around.

"Swing your partner round and round. Pummel her face into the ground." She grunted as she sang, "Around and around Faora goes. Where she stops it really glows." And Callie let go and waved as Faora screamed. "Sayonara!"

Clark made sure to push himself and Zod out of the way so the blue kryptonite wouldn't affect Faora. She disappeared into the light and her screams dissipated.

The anger on Zod's face was immeasurable. "You think that will get rid of her? She'll be back. My whole army will be present before you in a matter of moments! Every human, including the woman you love, will kneel before Zod!"

Zod chucked Clark to the ground and flew on top of him to try and stab him with the knife. He struggled to keep the tip away from hitting his chest.

"You already destroyed my first home. I won't let you take this one." Clark strained.

Clark moved Zod's hand away and rolled out from under him, causing the tip to hit the concrete. Callie ran to them and kicked Zod in the leg. That was enough to make him lose his grip on the knife. but he soon gained it back and as he stood he slashed at Callie's arm. Zod pushed against Clark and punched him in the stomach. Clark doubled over, but found the strength to uppercut Zod in the jaw. While the hit seemed victorious, it had a consequence. The knife went flying out of Zod's hand and over by the door. However, now with the blue k far from them the pull returned.

"Let's send him back!" Clark yelled.

Callie nodded and winked at Zod. "Hey, Zod. Time for you to kneel before us."

She kicked up and hit Zod right in the groin. Even Clark winced when he saw that. He moved up as Zod fell to his knees and then she lightly tapped him in the forehead, sent him further back. The light swallowed Zod up.

"Don't mess with the 'S'!" Callie shouted.

However, their joy was soon clouded as they were still unable to get out of the trajectory of the light. It was too powerful. All the fighting, getting Zod and Faora back into the orb, would be for naught if they couldn't somehow stop the orb. Clark looked down and saw that the wound he had sustained before had healed. If his blood opened the door maybe then it could close it, too. But how was he going to bleed? The knife was too far away.

Their feet scraped across the ground. Dark forms were materializing beyond the light. They were going to be either going to be sucked in or the army was going to come out or both. Any of the choices seemed dismal.

He couldn't let this happen. He wouldn't let this happen. There was still hope. He just wished it would get there soon.

~/~

Lois huffed her breaths as she climbed the stairs of the Daily Planet. Whatever was happening on the roof had caused the power to go out and that meant no elevator to use. She climbed and climbed and climbed hoping that she would make it in time. Things didn't look like they were going too well from her view on the street and in her heart knew that they needed her.

Clark had told her to stay put, but they both had known that she wouldn't listen. As she climbed the last few steps, she reached the door to the roof and pushed it open. She was met with a blinding light. Her hand went up in reflex as she squinted to see two bodies situated in the middle of the roof, the light surrounding them.

"Clark! Callie!" She screamed.

"Lois!" She heard Clark struggle in the light. "The knife."

She looked in the direction of the voice in confusion.

'Knife? What knife?'

Her eyes began to scan the ground until she spotted a blue knife. She picked it up and began to try and bring it to him. She extended the weapon and Clark grabbed onto it, their fingers touching.

"Lois, don't get in its path!" She heard Callie's voice say.

She backed up and wanted nothing more than to just pull the both of them out, but that didn't seem possible. She heard Clark cry out in pain and her heart felt like it was in a vise. She couldn't watch them being sucked in. She couldn't do it.

Clark's form was moving closer to the orb, which she could faintly make out in the brilliance of light. Something was dripping from his hand. He touched the surface of the orb, but he was being pulled in and she cried out for him.

She watched as he pushed Callie out of the path and Lois caught her in a hug. The light seemed to be growing dimmer and the area in which it stretched was lessening. The roof started to shake and she witnessed Clark finally out of the trail of the light. He hurried for them, hurdling toward the wall where he huddled over and covered them. Something clanked to the ground. Then, she heard a small explosion and felt the roof rock once more.

When it was quiet, Clark moved off of them. He was at her far left as Callie was in the middle and she was on the right of her. The three of them still held on to each other as they all saw the orb in the middle of the roof, dormant and smoking. The cloud was gone, the rain had stopped, and all there was to greet them was silence.

At the same moment Clark and Lois both turned to Callie and started to check her for wounds or anything else that could have damaged her in some way.

"I don't see anything. You?" Lois asked, searching Callie's body.

"No, she seems fine."

"Good." She breathed in relief.

When they both looked up, Callie was just staring at them in wonder.

"You both know, don't you?" Was all she asked.

Lois and Clark looked at each other then back at Callie. Once again they both moved in the same moment, this time to confirm Callie's suspicion all with the nod of their heads.

~/~

Callie let out a deep breath as their nods confirmed her deepest suspicion. The one thing that she had tried to keep secret and thought she had succeeded in doing. There were so many signs though, things she had ignored just to keep thinking that they didn't know. But, they did know. There was a sense of relief and a sense of guilt battling within her.

She managed to speak. "How long?"

Clark spoke first. "Since you pushed me out of the Phantom Zone."

She shut her eyes. She knew she had taken a risk when she pushed him out with the words she had said to him and then the words in the letter she had written. The way he had acted after that had also been a clear indication. She opened her eyes back up and looked at her mother.

"And you?"

Lois licked her lips before saying, "When you were sick. I was so distraught and I found myself looking at that photo-strip we made and it all just clicked."

Callie nodded. She had figured that her mother would put it together. She actually thought it might have been before her father did.

"And neither of you said anything." She breathed out.

"You didn't want us to know." Clark replied.

"We wanted to respect that." Lois added.

"It wasn't that I didn't…"

"We know." He cut her off.

She just stared at their faces. They looked different now that she knew they knew about her. Her eyes traveled to Clark and she said, "Dad," then her eyes went to Lois and said, "Mom."

They looked taken aback that she referred to them with those labels and she had to grin at that.

"I know it probably feels weird to hear me say that to the both of you, but you have no idea how hard it has been not to utter those words to you. The times I had to hold back and the times I slipped and feared that you would figure it out. But you know now and I can say it and it feels so good."

She pulled them into a hug and held them tightly. "I love you both so much. Mom. Dad. I love you both so much."

Just holding them close after almost being sucked into a kryptonian orb let her forget, for just a moment, the world around her. They knew who she was and she could openly express what she was feeling inside for them. It was all understood in that one moment. A perfect moment of family, warmth, and love. It was what she was going to carry with her to get back home where she hoped she could greet her family the same way.

"We love you, too." She heard her father whisper. She felt her mother's head move in a nod and also whispered that she loved her. Callie never felt so defenseless against tears. Hearing them say that in the situation they were in, after knowing everything, meant the world to her. It didn't matter what time she was in. She could have fallen into 2004 and she knew she would get the same reaction. They were her parents after all.

Pulling back she caught the looks on their faces and she knew they felt the same. The guilt inside started to take over. They knew about her and they had just had the perfect moment, but they wouldn't be able to remember it.

She looked at her father and felt proud that he had been able to fly. "Someone finally thought those happy thoughts, huh?"

He smiled at her. "More like thoughts of making sure to preserve those future happy moments. Thinking about the both of you…that's what got me to fly. The future with you. Callie, helped get me here."

Callie shook her head. "Don't make your magical feather. You didn't need the feather to fly. You had it in you the whole time, Dumbo."

They all chuckled and still held on to each other.

"What do we do about the orb?" Lois asked.

"I'll have to take it back to Watchtower. We'll figure out what to do from there."

The phone in Callie's back pocket started to ring. She was surprised that the device still worked after being thrown down on the ground so many times. Reaching back she plucked it out and read the screen. Chloe.

"Speaking of Watchtower," she said hesitantly as her hand shook a bit.

She swallowed back and tensed up as she answered it. "Hello?"

"Callie…" Chloe's emotional rang on the other line. "I'm so happy you're all okay."

"Me, too, but something tells me that's not why you're calling."

"No. The computer found something. There's energy reminiscent to Tempus showing up on the grid. It seems to be at the explosion site of the geothermal plant."

"Of course it is." She remarked.

'Guess I'll be walking over the sleeping beast's grave.'

"I've sent the map containing her whereabouts anyway. We have a track on her so if she moves we'll inform you."

Callie could hear Chloe's voice trying to stay professional while they both knew that this was really it. This was the end.

"Thanks." Her voice quivered, "see you around?"

"See you around." Chloe confirmed.

Callie hung up the phone slightly beside herself then looked up to face her parents.

"So, this is it?" Lois asked.

Callie let a tear slip down her cheek and nodded silently.

"There's so much I want to say, but it looks like our time is finally up. I know that I gave this whole speech at the party, but there are really no words to describe what the two of you mean to me. And that's why I feel so bad."

"Feel bad?" Clark questioned.

"The device Emil made me will send me back to the exact moment I disappeared. Which means when I go back, get out Tempus' grip, and I defeat her, I'll prevent—prevent…"

"Prevent yourself from coming here." Lois finished.

Callie nodded as more tears slid down. "I could change the device, but you taught me about the past and what happens if it changes, Dad. You're in here. You're both in here." She said pointing to her head. "But I'm so sorry because I wish you could remember. I am so sorry."

They were all silent until Clark finally spoke.

"Maybe this is how it was meant to be. We weren't supposed to know. The knowledge we have of the future may not be the full story but it's enough to influence change."

She watched as his hand gripped her mother's hand.

"Callie, don't be sorry. I think in the back of our heads we thought that this could happen if you went back. Clark's right. I mean, don't get me wrong, this totally sucks, but this is a decision you had to make and the fact that you're using our future guidance in order to make such an important choice…I'm so proud that you're my daughter." She choked out.

"We understand." Clark confirmed. "I've been there."

Callie let a smile creep out. "I know you have."

"Right."

"Seeing the two of you and how far you've come, it's amazing. I knew the story, but to see it first hand...your story is one of legend. The two people who at first couldn't stand each other are now the two people who can't stand to be without each other."

She could sense their love for each other and their body language gave clear indications of how far they had come. Their hands were entwined and they stood so close together one might think they were joined. She also realized another reason they were holding on to each other so tight was the news she revealed to them. They said they understood and she believed them, but they clearly didn't want to let each other go. The closer they stayed the more it was possible, in their eyes, they wouldn't be separated.

'You won't be. I promise.' She thought.

"You made it." She breathed through the tears. "And if you made it without me the first time around, made it out of the dark period and into the light after Doomsday, then you can do it again." She began to cry, "I know it isn't fair and I could let you remember but…" Then she whispered, "I can't."

He nodded. "Everything will fall into place."

"Faith, right?"

He grinned and Lois' eyes sparkled as they gazed at her.

"I firmly believe that the two of you, no matter what year or alternate world I could have fallen into, are meant to be together. You find each other. Nobody messes with Lois and Clark." She looked to the sky and she felt it call for her. "And now I have to go."

"Before you go, just know that we're proud of you. We're proud of the hero you've become." Lois said.

"I'm not a hero, yet. Don't know if I ever will be." She shrugged.

"You tell him that I approve of it." Clark said.

Callie let more tears come down. She sniffed, "He and I have flown circles around that subject so many times. How will he know that you actually said it?"

"You tell him—you tell him that you could be the world's greatest hero or its most mild mannered citizen, but the only person who can write your story is you."

"I'll tell him." She nodded.

"And you also tell him that if he doesn't listen and consider it then I'll kick his bulletproof ass."

"Hey." Clark said, turning to Lois.

"Well, I will." She reaffirmed.

Callie let out a laugh. She quickly grabbed them for another hug and wiped her eyes as she let go. She walked over to the ledge of the roof and climbed onto it. She was perched above the city she loved, the city she needed to preserve.

"It's time for me to go." She saw the worry come over their faces. "Don't worry." She pulled out her necklace and revealed the \S/ shield that she wore every day. It was the necklace that had been her charm and connection to her family throughout this whole experience. "See, you're always with me. Close to my heart."

They smiled at her and she smiled brightly back.

"See you later alligator." Her father said.

"In a while crocodile." Her voice cracked. "I love you."

"We love you, too…"

She turned around to the city and prepared to soar into the atmosphere until she felt the need to turn back once more.

"See you in five years." She winked then took off into the sky and rocketed to Tempus' location.

*/*

Callie surveyed the area and walked over rails and broken glass. This was exactly the place she figured she'd find Tempus. She had seen into her nightmare, her fears, and knew what this place meant to her. It wouldn't discourage her, though. She had a mission. She glanced down at the watch built by Emil and kept walking.

She pulled out her phone and looked at the incoming text message.

Energy is waning. You'll need to find Tempus and wait for her to make another rip.

"Awesome" she whispered to herself. She looked up all around and tried to find Tempus.

"I'm here!" She shouted into the night. "You knew I'd come here! So, let's get down to this!"

She felt a gust as her hair whipped back. She stood still and felt the air around her change. It almost felt electric. The hair on the back of her neck was erect. She leant out her hearing and the buzz in the air indicated that Tempus was in the air behind her. She turned around and, sure enough, Tempus was floating but she didn't look well.

"Hello, Callista."

"Only my family calls me Callista and some teachers from the past, both on rare occasions. You're neither, you time traveling ass-hat."

Tempus laughed as her feet touched the ground.

"Are you sure you're up for this. It seems to me you've had a long night, a party and then Zod."

Callie's eyebrows rose. "You've been watching me."

"Of course. I needed to know the perfect time to execute my plan."

"You evil doers and your plans; it makes me look at organization in a whole new perspective."

She saw that Tempus was eyeing her wrist and Callie instinctively went to cover it.

"Nice watch."

"The better to tell time with."

Tempus' lip curled and she raised her hand, green energy emanating from it. It hit Callie square in the chest, which sent it to the ground. Her wrist fell under her and she heard a crack. Panicked, she looked at the device and the glass was split but the digital numbers were still visible, yet they were faded. She stood up and held her backside.

'What is it with these guys and pushing me down on my ass?'

Callie took a deep breath and blew cold air at Tempus. Tempus was soon frozen in front of her.

"Cold hearted biznatch."

Callie checked the device again and now the numbers were fading in and out.

"Damn it."

She lightly tapped on it, but before she could examine it further Tempus began to shine through the ice. The glow was so powerful that the ice that she had been encased in melted faster than anything Callie had witnessed before. It was intense and she realized that Tempus was once again unstable. She was breathing heavily and shook off the last of the ice, now water.

"Time is a fickle thing, my dear. My time is running out as you can see, but I've used it well. I've watched from afar and learned from other's mistakes. I know history. I know key moments when life has changed for certain individuals. That orb is meant to open. An army will be released. I'm going to make sure it does. Zod has plans for the Earth and I quite enjoy them and want to see them through."

"Why would you want to do that?" Callie questioned.

"Because, if I get to have a hand in killing Superman or cause him to align with Zod, then my life will be complete since I will have ruined his."

Callie's eyes narrowed in fury. Tempus laughed as the glow surrounding her intensified. Callie jumped onto her. They scuffled for a bit, but Callie hung on. Deciding that she didn't want this to happen in the city, especially over Doomday's resting place, she held tightly as they zoomed through the sky. She flew to where it all began the Kent farm.

They were high in the sky. Tempus still struggled, but she wasn't as powerful as she once had been. The glowing heated up her skin and caused her to be slippery with perspiration, though Callie wouldn't give up. She tapped the device on her wrist and it started to blink. It was still set and all she needed was for Tempus to make her move. The move she made, however, was to again glow that putrid green color, which sent Callie spiraling down to the ground with the woman in hand.

She recovered quickly and brought Tempus up with her.

"Your family will fall…" Tempus gasped between breaths.

"You think you're so smart. You say you've seen history, but know nothing of my family. It doesn't matter what you have planned or what you do. If anything happens we'll deal with it the same way we always have: As a family. We'll always find each other."

The glowing intensified and Callie knew that Tempus wasn't in control as she was about to cause another rip in time. This was it. This was her moment. She leapt them into the air and hit the button on the side of the device that was preprogrammed. Everything around them was a beautiful blaze of colors. The beauty of the colors was soon masked by a horrid pain that ran through her body. She felt as if she was being ripped apart. She screamed, but sound was short lived as she felt herself break into a mass of particles and spread throughout time and space.

~/~

Daily Planet Roof

They watched their future daughter fly off into the sky to save the world and return to her own. They were delighted in the fact that she was the best parts of the both of them, but it couldn't overpower the ominous ambiance that had been left. Everything they had experienced since Callie's arrival would disappear. The laughs, the tears, the breakthroughs, and truths expressed would all be reset.

They understood. They hadn't lied about that, but it still was iniquitous of the universe to do that to them. But as they both had learned in their lives everything happened for a reason, the world gave them only what they could handle, and this was a time in their lives that had been set for a purpose. It being taken away was also for a purpose. Maybe it would give light to a new world. Maybe the events that had happened would happen again. It may not be exactly the same, but their feelings wouldn't change. They had been there all along and would come out when the time was right.

As they both stared into each other's eyes in silence, their facial expressions spoke the loudest of volumes. They held each other. They would hold each other until the end, whenever that would be.

"Lois, I—." Clark began.

She knew what he wanted to say but was resistant to hear it at a time like this.

"Clark, tell me when the world isn't ending."

He shook his head, his heart busting to get out the words that he had been yearning to say ever since she had disappeared. The words that have been interrupted in dreams and in real life. No, he was going to say them. Even if they both already knew, he was going to finally say them out loud. He had to.

"Lois, I've been trying to say this to you and if this is my last chance before everything is reset then I'm going to take my chance."

Lois swallowed as she gazed into his beautiful eyes. She sucked in a breath and bit her lip. She had waited to say the words too, to hear them, and he was right. They both knew, but this was their final chance to express it.

"Lois, I love you."

"I love you, too."

He beamed as he smiled at and she matched it. Her smile faltered a bit, but she tried to stay strong.

"Lois, what is it?" He asked.

"There's a part of me that believes everything that Callie said about us, but there's another part that is wondering what if something goes wrong? What if I never see you again?"

He bent his head down to hers and brought his hand up to her face, cradling it.

"You will."

They closed their eyes and let their faith and love surround them. Their lips met and they savored the feel, the taste, the pace. Through closed lids they could tell that something bright had engulfed them. They held each other tighter as their kiss lingered. A kiss of I love you. A kiss of thank you. The light was strong but they were stronger. So, in their kiss they told each other one last thing.

Until we meet again.

~/~

Callie was floating in light. Once the light dissipated she was suspended in the air of a blue sky over the barn. She could see herself and Tempus embroiled in battle and recognized it as the moments before she disappeared in 2032. She was currently a transparent figure, as was Tempus, and they were both drifting toward their past selves. She felt the impact as she collided into the corporeal body. She could feel Tempus under her grasp and remembered what Emil said. She had to get away. She had to let go. And she did.

The time on the watch moved a minute later than when she had left. She had done it. She was about to smile when, to her surprise, Tempus grabbed her wrist with the device. She heard it crack again and her eyes widened as she looked into Tempus' now black eyes.

"We're not finished yet."

There was another flash. The bright blue sky disappeared and was replaced by a night sky, then a blue sky, a sun, then a moon, a sun then a moon, a sun then a moon, until finally the sky settled on darkness. They both fell to the ground and Callie looked around her. They were still on the Kent farm, but she didn't have a good feeling about this.

The device on her wrist failed to show any numbers and Callie felt her stomach contract.

"What did you do!?" She screamed.

Tempus' fist came into contact with her face and she felt the blood spew out of her mouth. When she looked up Tempus had a smile on her face as she looked at the blood that adorned her knuckles.

Tempus then disappeared into the sky. When Callie stood up she turned a violent circle trying to get her bearings straight.

"What?" She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Oh, come on. This can't happen again. How can I go through this again?"

She saw a streak of light across the sky and then it was gone. Then she felt a rumbling in the distance.

"You're still here?" Tempus' voice said behind her.

"Where did you go?" Callie demanded.

Tempus smiled through her clammy state. "It is done. When I had broken into the vault the first time I hadn't realized what was needed. But now, his entire army will reign and Superman will be destroyed."

Callie realized where they were. Tempus had blasted them back to 2009 again. She had opened the orb. There were flashes in the sky going in all directions and Callie suspected those were Zod's army members being strewn across the earth.

"NO!"

Callie jumped on Tempus. She was on top and her fist connected with the woman's face numerous times. Tempus was growing even weaker; she could feel it, but a slight jolt of green startled Callie. The dose wasn't as much as before, but it was enough to suspend her actions.

Tempus coughed and Callie regained her awareness, fisting her hands on the woman's black leather jacket. She flew them high up into the air above the farm. She could tell that Tempus was mumbling something and listened intently to her.

"As all the Heavens were a Bell, And Being, but an Ear, And I, and Silence, some strange Race
Wrecked, solitary, here –."

'She's reciting poetry?'

Tempus smiled and started to glow again, but this was different. This was more unpredictable than the other times she had seen it happen. She kept her grip and moved them closer to the farm. She could feel an incredible sense of déjà vu. Then it happened. It had become too much for Tempus to handle and she detonated.

The force of the explosion sent Callie reeling back. She heard a beep and saw that the chronosphere had lit up. She felt herself being sucked backwards. The force was too strong for her. She briefly looked down and saw she was hurtling toward the roof of the barn.

And then a Plank in Reason, broke,

Callie fell through the roof and hit a wooden beam.

And I dropped down, and down –

Breaking through the beam she felt herself falling further. She willed her flight to stop her still in the air, but her body would not comply.

And hit a World, at every plunge,

She broke through more wood, what she thought might have been a part of the loft, then down through the stairs. Once her back hit the ground, she felt debris rain down on her face as she groaned. Her eyes looked up through the hole in the ceiling and all she saw were a cluster of green.

And Finished knowing – then –

Then - there was darkness.


*Poem, Emily Dickinson's "I Felt a Funeral in my Brain."