*reference to Lois' mom's illness and chest scars
Chapter 17
By the time they had made it back to the fortress there was a group waiting in the hall entryway, a mass of white robes that blended into the walls, ready to take Kal-El. They were swift with their actions, hands grabbing every appendage as they began to lift him and walk together in a formation that was reminiscent of a cathedral funeral walk. All that was missing was the choir singing "Amazing Grace" as his still body was brought to a resting place.
"Wait," Lois called out as he left her grasp. "I want to go with him!"
A shorter woman she didn't recognize with a bob of raven hair approached her, standing in between her and the group hauling her husband away, his left arm dangling off the side. Lois hated the way it looked lifeless and wanted nothing more than to hold it as they brought him to a new location, but she wasn't able to get through. The raven placed both hands up in the air to block her, her eyes darting to try and anticipate any moves Lois could suddenly make.
Nevermore.
"Under the directive of the House of El you are in violation of following orders. Lois Lane of Earth. Kara Zor-El. You are both hereby detained until further notice."
Two more white robes descended upon them front the background.
"What?" Lois gasped. She was under arrest by the House of El? She started to pull at the guard. "I want to be with Kal-El! Kara!"
She fought the hold as burly arms moved her down the hallway in the opposite direction. Both women were escorted away and held in separate rooms. To Lois' surprise she wasn't taken to a sterile white cell, but to her bedroom. When she tried the door, it was locked from the outside. She examined it for a while. She had joked to Kara before their escapade, wondering if she'd be locked in her room as a trick. She had said to herself that if that had been the case she would have been able to get out, as she had done previously under the General's watch. Her Houdini powers had seemed to run out as she couldn't figure a way to hack the door. It had been hard enough have to watch Zod hurt Kal-El, but it was just as torturous as she was kept from him with out any updates.
It seemed like she had been in the bedroom for hours and she had even started to braid long pieces of her hair to pass the time. As she unraveled the latest strand, the waves and frizz blossomed out. Her mind ping-ponged back and forth over the day's events with every braid and unravel. She thought about Raya and the sacrifice she made so they could all get away before Zod's men caught up to them. She hadn't known the woman that long, but it stung. She always lived under the rule of "no man left behind", but was also well aware of the sacrifice a soldier makes to save their unit. She had seen enough of that on Earth. It seemed to be no different on Krypton.
She looked down at her hands and realized just how dirty she was from being underground and roaming tunnels. What she wouldn't give for a long hot shower. But if she did that she might miss something crucial. They couldn't leave her in the dark. She knew that by leaving the fortress she and Kara had ignored what was decreed, but Kal-El was saved. It was for a greater good. That had to count for something.
It was also a common excuse on her behalf. The greater good.
Suddenly, Lois started to think about times in her past when she had been held, mostly because she had trespassed while trying to find information for a story that was for the good of the people. Usually it was Whitney or Tess that bailed her out of those situations.
She sighed at the images in her mind.
Tess Mercer. Her best friend.
She started to feel guilty that she hadn't thought about her as much as she should have. She really could use her advice at that moment. Her legal mind could get her out of messes on Earth, whether the law was concerned or not, but give her a few hours and she'd be an expert on Kyrptonian laws, too.
While the two of them could get into trouble themselves, she relied on her best friend to be a sounding board for logic. Not that her sister or Whitney couldn't do that, but her relationship with Tess was different. They butted heads in the beginning when they first met and didn't like each other much, then grew to see that they had more in common than they realized.
She started to chuckle to herself. It was like she was describing her relationship with Kal-El.
How she wished she could gush about him. Tess had been the first person she had told when Oliver had proposed to her. That reveal had been mundane. The way she felt now, her heart wanting to burst, she wanted to explain everything about him in great detail. Elaborate on the level of protection she felt with his presence, in his arms most of all. How she fought to protect him with everything she could.
But, she sat alone. No word on the state of her husband. She didn't care what happened to her, what punishment might be laid down because she defied orders–with the help of her mother-in-law, she reminded herself. She wasn't afraid of that. What she feared was that Kal-El's injuries were worse than first thought, internal wounds that her eyes couldn't pick up on.
What she wouldn't give for a little x-ray vision.
The door to the room hissed open and she watched as Jor-El slowly entered. She was alarmed by the red splatters and streaks on his white tunic. His expression gave nothing away as he stared at her. It never did. It was incredibly frustrating.
Her hands clenched and unclenched as her breathing picked up. "How is he?"
"He is recovering," he replied, flatly.
"That's not answering my question," she told him firmly.
"His injuries have been tended to. He is in stable condition."
Straight and to the point could be the motto of Krypton. His words were so concise and precise. They cut at her like the scalpel of a surgeon.
"I want to see him."
Jor-El crossed the room. "There are other matters at hand to deal with."
"Look, Judge Jory, you want to lay down a sentence for me? Go ahead. But I want to see him!" A tear streamed down her cheek, her voice strained as she urged, "I need to see him."
"This is a fragile time. Zod is a formidable force. It was reckless what you and Kara conspired to do," he explained.
She was angry at him. He had been the one to institute such a stupid rule. A rule that his own wife, Kal-El's mother, disagreed with. She wasn't going to throw Lara under the bus, though. Lois had made her choice, as had Kara. There was no regret for what she had done. She knew there could be consequences, but even inmates got to see family under supervision.
"I understand that. And I know I'm not from here. I have a million strikes against me. I've made mistakes. But this…this wasn't one of them. So, if you're looking for an apology you won't be getting one from me."
"An apology is in order," he nodded, "but not from you. Or from Kara. It is from me." He sat down on the chair by the desk. "I know my wife helped you. She was forthright in telling me after you three made your escape."
"You knew about Raya."
He let his head hang and nodded. "She assisted me when I planned for Kal-El to leave this planet before his birth. It seemed fitting she placed herself on that mission. She will be missed. Her efforts will not be in vain." He looked up at her. For a second, his eyes reminded her of Kal-El's. "You believed that my efforts were not enough and I'm sorry. There is a drive as a Kryptonian, and we sometimes can focus on matters so much that it takes another pair of eyes to make us see the piece we are missing. Lara has been my eyes many times."
"She's Kryptonian, though."
"She is, but with her comes the balance. She is my partner, my companion. Just as Kal-El is yours." He clasped his hands together. "I know the words of the prophecy. But I trust more in her words."
Lois dropped her hands to her sides and eased her shoulders. She was genuinely surprised.
"Your entrance into our family for protection has seemed to have flipped, for you have returned the gesture in protecting Kal-El."
"It's what I vowed to do."
"It is more than that."
She simply nodded. It was more. She was glad he recognized that.
He bowed his head as he told her, "Thank you."
"I'm sorry that I misjudged you. I know that you care about your son. That you love your son."
"And I know that you love him as well. As he does you. It's that fierceness that is admirable…but also reckless."
"I would do anything for him."
"You must remember that you said that."
It was haunting the way he said it, like an omen.
"And you have my gratitude for going after my son."
"It's bad isn't it? That's why you won't let me see him," she surmised.
"He requested that we wait until the wounds were tended to." His face was in despair as he probably thought about what he witnessed. She nodded. Of course her husband would have asked that.
He was tortured, just as she was. She could see now more than ever how Jor-El felt about his son.
"I'm sorry."
She was saying it again. To a father in anguish over his injured offspring, his only offspring.
"Yes, I have a heart. You are not the first to perceive or question otherwise," he sighed. "I've been protecting him his whole life, maybe to the point where it seemed I was devoid of emotion and controlling. I regret that in the face of almost losing him."
"He should know that," she stressed.
"I told him as much in the infirmary. I hope he remembers."
"Keep showing him."
"I will do just that. An echo of what he receives from you daily."
She wanted to continue that support and love. She had much to give to him. She pleaded once more, "Can I please see him?"
With a resigned sigh, unable to fight her persistence, he broke and said, "Follow me."
Lois perked up and quickly shuffled behind him, keen to get to Kal. Jor-El opened the door to the private room and she got her first look at her husband since helping to carry him in. He was the only one in the room and she briefly wondered where Kara was before focusing back on the still body in the center of every piece of medical technology Krypton could offer.
Kal-El was hooked up to monitors and lying on a flat table with crystals surrounding him. The white glow illuminated his body and she wondered if this was how they healed on Krypton. Whatever the means for them, he didn't seem to be in distress or pain and she was thankful.
She was hesitant in her movements, not wanting to disturb him. She thought she would be fine just seeing him, that watching him from afar would be enough to satisfy her need. But she yearned to touch him, to make sure he wasn't a vision or holographic image.
She crept closer, leaving Jor-El in the doorway before hearing his footsteps disappear completely, and she could feel the moisture building behind her eyes. The closer she got, the more visible his wounds became. She didn't want to focus on those details, but her trained eyes and astute observation skills were more powerful. She cataloged every cut and bruise. The gauze and tape on his chest, covering the carved flesh, but his dog tags prominently stood out. She seethed internally, rage bubbling just beneath the surface.
She closed her eyes and told herself to breathe. There was nothing she could do at the moment other than curse at Zod and hope that karma would get him.
She needed comfort, but she wanted to give it more than to receive it. She took Kal-El's hand in hers and raised it to her lips.
"Lois?" he croaked.
"Mmhmm." she mumbled against his hand.
He opened his eyes and smiled. She still couldn't believe that even in his state that he could smile at her like there was nothing wrong with him.
They stared in silence. She didn't find it to be uncomfortable, though. There were no words that needed to be said. It had been another hurdle to get through and they had made it. Proof yet again that they were a strong unit, able to weather the mightiest of storms.
Though, lingering in the background was a question she didn't want to ask.
What if the worst was yet to come?
It had been a week.
Recovery had become bothersome to Kal-El, even if Kryptonian technology was superior and sped up the process that would take weeks or months on Earth. The minute he had strength back he wanted to be up and walking around. She couldn't fault him. She had been in that position many times herself. When he was cleared for minimal activity, it excluded anything dealing with the lab or composing data on Zod. She could sense his frustration, but she also understood why they would put distance between him and the mission. His mind was clouded, revenge probably on his brain. Those emotions could be detrimental.
She knew he was frustrated. He had resigned himself to the Resource Room for most of the day. She wanted to give him space, let him have a place of solitude to continue to heal, body and mind, but she also felt he was avoiding her, too. Though he would kiss her temple when he woke and stroke her body gently with his hand before he left the confines of the bed, there was resistance on his part to pursue anything more that had never been there before, except before their marriage.
It was troubling to feel him put up walls around her. She knew he loved her, she could still feel in his touch, but he was also regressing back to when she had first met him. She had gotten through the walls back then, as he had gotten through hers. She was confident she could do it again.
She stood in the doorway of the Resource Room, watching him as he read. He was focused and hadn't heard her enter. She began to second guess her intention, but before she could turn around he looked up and saw her.
Surprised, he said, "Hi."
"Hi," she said, finally walking in.
"Is everything okay?"
"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing."
"Just reading," he said, holding up the book in his hands.
She caught a glimpse of the cover and saw that it was The Scarlet Letter.
"Where are you in the book?"
"Chillingworth suspects the minister, and sees a symbol of shame on his chest. And Dimmesdale goes to the square, tormented by his guilt."
Lois closed her eyes. There it was. She was beginning to piece it all together.
She tried to recall details of the book, it had been a college assignment that she read the CliffsNotes on. However, there were interesting parts to the classic story she picked up on, which spurred her to actually read the book in its entirety. She wrote a paper for her freshman English course and it was one of the first times she enjoyed putting her spin on a piece. The rest was history for her.
"Since you told me you've read everything in here, then you've read this before and know how it ends. And no need for the spoiler alert, because I remember it, too."
He grimly proceeded to say, "He dies after confessing, some seeing the letter on his chest and others denying it. He started pure, but then was corrupted. Shame dominates in the lines of the book."
"Okay…but you're missing the other theme of the story."
He looked at her with curiosity.
She smirked thinking about her class. "I might balk at some reading but there are things that stick. I got my first college 'A' on my essay, thank you very much." She saw the slightest grin on his lips and knew she was getting through to him, so she continued, " Like in this book, you're focused on the minister and losing sight of the woman, Hester. She goes into solitude wearing the letter every day. She didn't conform to society and she didn't compromise what she believed. She continued to help people, because she knew that was right. That letter she wore changed in meaning as time went on. It wasn't condemning and it wasn't going to hold her back. In the end it showed her strength."
Kal-El nodded. "I do recall those symbols, but I guess my focus isn't clear."
"Maybe you just needed another pair of eyes to help you," she said, quoting her father-in-law.
She saw the tiniest glimmer return to his eyes. "That is how my father has described my mother. Did he say that to you?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "He might have mentioned some parallels."
"Your relationship with him seems to be in repair if you are using his words to me."
"Well, he and I might have gotten off on the wrong foot, but we came to a common understanding. That seems to be the running theme with your family."
"I've yet to do the same."
"It takes time."
"Time is fleeting," he sighed. He had a distant look again and she needed to bring him back.
"Wow, you're really philosophical right now. Is Neitchze next on the syllabus?" She walked toward him. She needed him to be open with her. She wasn't going to force him, she would never do that. But she wanted him to realize that she would never judge him and just wanted to help. "If you want to bury yourself in books, that's fine with me. I will gladly sit here and watch you read or you can read aloud to me, whatever you want. But when you're ready to talk about it, whatever is tormenting you and dimming that light inside of you, I'm here."
He shook his head, "It's nothing."
"You don't have to be macho with me."
He thumbed at the woven blanket that hung over the rung of a ladder against the wall. "I'm not."
She placed her hand on his, causing him to look at her. Her hand slid up his arm, grazing his shoulder and landed on his hard chest where the embroidered symbol of his family was. She watched him wince, but she knew it wasn't from physical pain.
"Lois…" he warned.
"You are not wearing a scarlet letter. On these clothes or under them."
He stared at her. "The marks are healing, but I still feel them. What he did, he did it with purpose. He never wanted me to forget even if my skin erased it. I'm…" he paused, barely getting the words out. "I'm damaged."
She shook her head. "No. Kal, you are not damaged."
Exasperated, he questioned, "How can I not be?"
He went to move her hand but she refused him.
"There may be some imperfections left behind, but that does not mean you are anything less than what you are. What he did, the bastard that he is, was a mistake."
"A mistake?" he asked, confused by her meaning.
"He used your own symbol. So what's here on this piece of cloth, the shield that you wear that displays your family crest, is the shield that is healing over your heart. A red badge of courage."
"Courage?" he scoffed. "It's mocking me."
She took a deep breath, digging deep to memories and emotions within herself that she hardly ever shared, even with those she was closest to.
"Do you remember when I told you about my mom, how I lost her when I was little."
"I do."
"Well, she had scars on her chest, too. They showed her courage and bravery, even if she didn't think so. She left us too soon, but with time I think she would have embraced them. If you take the time, whether they heal completely or not, you can embrace it, too. Because of what it means. The scars aren't physical flaws. They aren't mental flaws. They're reminders of strength, because you survived. They tell a story, as difficult as it is. But they are a part of you, and they're beautiful." Her hand trailed down. "You're beautiful. Inside and out. Don't let him poison your mind and diminish that."
He just stared at her. His ocean eyes filled with moisture.
"What?" she asked, wondering if her words had gone too far and triggered something.
"I already knew, but I understand all over again why you are such a talented writer. You inspire."
"So do you."
He quickly moved his head, his lips on hers. Home. He kissed her passionately for the first time since returning back to the fortress. There was a force that had returned to him. He had been down low and she was able to bring him back up, reestablishing the balance.
However, she was the one becoming unbalanced, but in the best of ways. She had one hand on his shoulder and one on the rung of the ladder to keep her upright. She parted from his mouth to catch her breath. Feeling steady, her hands were drawn to his body and worked quickly to disrobe him. There was still a part of him that was tentative about her eyes seeing him, but she tried to ease his worry as her fingers brushed against his skin, her lips following the trail they created. She kissed the fading lines and bumps of the crest on his bare chest. She traced the "S" and smiled thinking that it stood for something superior. He looked like a man, but he was more. Beyond any human being. He was the embodiment of Nietzsche's theory. He was a Superman.
She wanted him to reinvigorate him, make him believe what she saw with her eyes. To rediscover himself and overcome the pain because he held the power to do so. The crystals may have been working their healing magic, but she hoped her lips were more magical.
She could feel and hear his heart beating. The thumping was intense, due to nerves and desire. She moved lower, wanting to release him in various ways for he had held himself in durance for too long.
He stopped her, though, bringing her back up on her feet. Her body shifted backward, knocking into the rack with the blanket. She then shifted and hit the wall, his form towering over her. The material of her dress was already bunched in his hands and in seconds was over her head and discarded on the floor. She was exposed to him. With a gleam in his eye she saw the confidence returning. It flooded his pupils, widening in his eyes until they turned black with desire.
With a husky voice, he told her, "My turn."
Her fingers dug into the back of his head, threading through his hair as he graced her chest with direct attention, kissing and nibbling, his tongue peering out to soothe, in the same direction and shape as she had.
He wasn't alone. For she wore the same shield over her heart, branded invisibly on her skin. It was a mark she would carry with her and never forget for as long as she lived.
As the couple began to find normalcy as best they could, a continued attempt to restore balance, it was apparent that just because they needed rest didn't mean the outside world had stopped to allow them. There was commotion in the halls and labs, private meetings obviously occurring, but what was being discussed remained behind those walls. It was a means to not disturb the healing process, but keeping Kal-El in the dark about the latest news concerning Zod also meant that Lois was being kept in the dark, too. Her instincts were going haywire that something important was going down. She wasn't able to sleep, no matter how worn out she should have been by pleasurable distractions.
Kal-El was asleep on his stomach as she glanced over at him. She quietly slipped out from under the covers and found her clothes, tossed on the chair by the desk. As she dressed she admired her husband's slumbering form. She was happy he was able to finally experience ease after everything he had endured.
Leaving the bedroom, she kept her steps quiet as she made her way to the lab. The door was open and the lights were bright. When she poked her head in however, the room was empty. She scanned from corner to corner, trying to find any indication of surveillance or the formation of some kind of plan in the works. There was nothing out in the open, but there were plenty of cabinet doors and drawers that might hold some answers to the questions she had.
She was two steps in when she heard the clearing of a throat behind her.
She turned to see Kal-El leaning against the doorway with his arms folded over his bare chest. An outline of the fading scar remained, but it looked as if it belonged, like a birthmark that had always been there.
"I was wondering how long it would take before you snuck in here."
"So you weren't asleep?"
"I was…" he drawled as he took a step forward, "but the moment you left I woke up."
"I'm sorry. This is just my nature and I thought maybe I could piece together something so that we knew what was going on."
He nodded. "I know."
Her eyes narrowed. "You know that's my nature or you know what's going on?"
"Both," he revealed.
Her eyes blinked rapidly in surprise. "You know and you didn't say anything?"
He sighed and she realized that the news he had learned had to be grim.
"What is it?"
Kal-El walked further into the room and over to the empty white table. He waved his hand over the surface and a hologram appeared showing the planet of Krypton from a distance, as if they were floating in outer space.
"My father's data about the fate of this world might have been skewed years ago, but he feels he has accurately predicted it now."
"Meaning?" she pressed.
"Watch."
Her eyes stayed on the image. The turning planet began to shake, cracks beginning to form in multiple places until it finally exploded into pieces drifting into the darkness of space.
"Oh my god," she whispered.
Kal-El was stoic as he watched, the image starting to repeat. She wondered how many times he watched it on its loop.
"Krypton will see its demise because of Zod's actions. His war will destroy us all."
Lois shook her head, unable to accept the fate of the planet as the trajectory displayed. "Is there a way to stop this from happening?"
"Win," he stated simply.
"And you're still their number one draft pick as quarterback."
He looked down at the ground, unable to speak, but answering all the same.
"Why does Zod want to destroy this world? "
"I don't think he means to destroy it, necessarily. It will be a by-product of his deceit and destruction. His quest for power will take its toll."
"So, then he wants to jump ship to Earth and do the same? I mean, now that I know about life on other planets, isn't there some other place he can bother? Some vacant planet he can rule over?"
"Earth is special."
"Why?"
Kal-El waved his hand again and the image of Earth replaced Krypton. Areas of the globe began to glow, the center of the United States being one of them.
"Why is the Midwest glowing? Why are any of these glowing?"
"It's a map."
"Not helping in the understanding department. I know geography and it's still not explaining it."
"My father put this together with my help. Over the past few days we have been going through diaries of those who completed their rites of passage. In essence, Kryptonians hid things on Earth."
"So, this is a scavenger hunt?"
He grinned. " That's one perspective." He rounded the table and pointed at the location she had mentioned in the midwest. "My father is included."
"What did your father hide?"
"A book."
"Something tells me he didn't drop a copy of Catcher in the Rye in a field of corn."
"No. The Book of Rao."
"Rao," she repeated. "Is it like a bible?"
"It's important. Important enough that Zod cannot get his hands on it, especially where Earth is concerned."
She knew he wasn't telling her specifics, maybe it would be too complicated to understand. The simpler terms were better in this regard. The contents of the book or its power were dangerous in Zod's hands. That was all she needed to know-for now.
It was the other other glowing spots on the map that interested her. Northern Africa, Central America, and East China emitted yellow, blue, and red hues, respectively.
"You said others left things. What else is on Earth?"
"Crystals. Ones that harness great power once they are united."
"Why leave them on Earth?"
He sighed. "Because of the prophecy. In the event of Krypton no longer being viable, the knowledge of the galaxies was hidden there. "
"Wait, so information is downloaded onto back-up crystals and scattered across Earth and that's part of the prophecy? How many segments are there to this thing?"
"I don't quite understand it myself." he confessed.
"Look, I get you didn't want to tell me about the whole 'woman you're destined to be with' part. And you don't need to know about all the players on the board to play the game, but maybe some more background would be nice so I know how to help you."
He nodded in agreement. "The prophecy foretells a battle in the darkness and a love in the light," he began.
"So, fighting evil by moonlight and winning love by daylight? You're a regular Sailor Krypton." she joked.
"I do not understand. The prophecy does not include information about a boat."
"That's not…" she laughed. She shook her head and asked, "What else does it say?"
He sighed. "The last part of the prophecy was the woman the savior was destined to be with, would bear with her a sacred stone that could bridge the gap for the savior."
"What kind of stone? Because if that's me the earth rocks in my shoes are long gone."
Kal-El waved his hand again and the image changed to show a sparkling diamond shape of a mix of turquoise and sapphire. It was very familiar.
Her eyes widened. "Diamonds are a girl's best friend on Earth and Krypton?"
He tilted his head. "Are they?"
She had once again made a reference that he couldn't identify. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."
"That is not true. I am a gentleman and I prefer you." He said as his hand brushed her chocolate colored hair back.
She smiled. "It's a movie with a famous song about diamonds being a girl's best friend. And just so you know, for a time I was blonde."
"Your hair color doesn't determine my preference."
"It just made me stand out so I wasn't confused with the other brunettes mingling around," she told him with a wink.
"You stand out all on your own. I don't know how anyone could mistake you for anyone else. You yourself are like a diamond. You shine brilliantly."
She was melting to his words when her mind suddenly looked back at the image of the stone. Not just any stone, either, but similar to the ring she had been given by Oliver that had not one, but two pieces that looked identical to the one being shone. One had dulled to just turquoise since she had arrived and the other still reflected brightly. Oliver had told her when he proposed that they were "one of a kind".
If one changed after getting to Krypton and the second was still intact, if she were to go back home would the last of the set change?
If the woman in the prophecy brought with her stones that bridged the gap between worlds, then wouldn't that mean they were actually….
"The key," she whispered.
"What?"
Her eyes snapped to Kal's. "My ring. There are two stones and before I got here they were like any other shiny jewel. But after getting here I noticed that one of the settings had changed and the other was still the same." She started to pace. "Your father said a while back that I was key and what if he's right on the money? What if it's my ring? There's one good stone left."
"And it opens the door to Earth from the portal."
She nodded.
Kal-El bowed his head down in thought. "I never wanted the prophecy to be true, but all of these elements are lining up. Which means…"
"The battle is coming." she finished.
He slowly lifted his head back up, his eyes meeting hers. "Yes."
She placed her hand into his. "Then we fight it together."
"You have no hesitation, do you?" He smiled.
"No when it comes to you. I've got your back."
He pulled her close, letting go of her hand to wrap his arms around her.. "You are by my side."
She placed her head against his chest and promised, "Always."
It was only a couple days later that Lois was passing the lab where she saw Kal-El and his father intently staring at the holographic images. She saw the resemblance in their furrowed brows and the light shining making their eyes bluer against it.
"They mirror each other, don't they?" Lara said behind her, making Lois slightly jump.
"They do." she agreed.
"They are both determined to save their world."
"Kal-El has been tossing and turning."
"He thinks of the battle. The pressure that is on him. To.. terminate Zod," Lara paused and sighed, "It is on us all. Kara returned out into the field in preparation."
Lois had noticed how sparse she had seen of Kara, the woman she had recently found common ground with. She actually mildly missed her presence. She felt she could get more of the truth from Kara than some of the others. She sighed and turned to her mother-in-law, hoping that she would give her the information she needed.
"How was he trained as a soldier when it came to that?" she asked, referring to the means of terminating the enemy. She refrained from using a Terminator reference.
"Kal-El always found other ways."
Lois thought back to the arena, how Kal couldn't kill the other prisoner. He had the force and might, but only harmed someone when absolutely necessary. He would immobilize them, but not kill. Even with the person Zod was, he still couldn't come to grips with taking his life.
"What other option is there?"
"That would be the Phantom Zone." Jor-El said aloud, acknowledging their presence.
"What's that?" Lois asked from the doorway.
"A desert like prison for him to spend eternity as a phantom." Kal-El answered.
A desert prison? She suddenly saw images of Jafar from Aladdin getting imprisoned into a magic lamp and dropped into the deserts outside of Agrabah. She would enjoy seeing that.
"How do you get him there? I don't think you can lure him with a fake brochure or a genie wish."
Jor-El pointed to the machinery with laser technology cutting into what looked like glass in the shape of the family's crest. The thickness of it alerted her that it was like the other objects that she had seen used as of late, and that literally surrounded her every day.
"A crystal. Of course." So, the Krytonian version of a magic lamp.
When the lasers disappeared Kal-El reached inside of the box and then pocketed the object.
"Does the 3D printer only make one or does the whole family get a set?" she quipped.
He focused his eyes on her and seemed to be one second away from wagging his finger as he said, "It's not a toy."
"I wasn't planning on decorating the Barbie Dream Fortress with them. I just figured if it was for protection…"
Kal-El walked directly to her and firmly stated, "I am your protection."
"Look, I'm happy that you've got your eye of the tiger crystal energy giving you your confidence back. But we're in this together and I want to have your back, too. You know that."
There was a flinch of his face. If she had blinked she would have missed it, but he recovered just as quickly.
"I know. I'll make sure that you'll have what you need to protect me."
"Thank you."
He turned and looked at his father and was met with a simple nod. She knew something was communicated, but the meaning of their facial cues escaped her. She looked behind her and Lara only grinned before joining Jor-El in the room.
"I need to get out of the lab, would you like to go with me somewhere?" Kal-El asked.
"Oh, we get a date night?" she joked.
He looked at the ground shyly and then back at her. "Something like a date."
"Okay. Do I need to dress fancy or bring anything?"
"Why don't you go grab the blanket from the Resource Room. I need to get something from our room."
She narrowed her eyes. "What do you have planned?"
"I'm going to keep the mystery, Miss Lane."
She felt herself shiver. He had never referred to her that way. She had been formally addressed while on Krypton, and usually by Jor-El, but coming from Kal-El was very hot in the frigid space. She could only imagine what it would sound like coming from his mouth if he were addressing her back on Earth while she was at work instead of the interns.
Following his suggestion, she left to get the blanket in the Resource Room. She had become attached to it. There was a familiarity to it, like it was made and passed down in her own family. She felt the care that went into it with her fingertips. Whenever she was wrapped inside of it she felt warm and secure. But it was also probably that way since Kal-El's arms were also wrapped around her along with the material. It was connected to them. The K in the corner could be for Kal-El or Krypton or kismet. She threw it around herself like a shawl and walked out.
She was about to meet her husband back at their room, when he caught her in the hallway.
"So, what did you need to grab?"
He shook his head. "You have no patience."
"Not a newsflash."
"No, it is not," he said, taking her hand.
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere private."
"The bedroom is that way," she said tilting her head backward.
"Yes, but our getaway is out there," he said pointing toward the outdoors.
She was intrigued. He hadn't stepped foot outside the palace since being kidnapped. He hadn't even gone on perimeter duty just outside the walls. She had tried to lure him once, reminiscing about the time they sat in the snow, but he hadn't shown interest in leaving the confines of the fortress. She respected his hesitancy, but with all the talk about Zod, it was inevitable that he would have to venture out again.
"Are you sure?"
"You'll protect me, right?" he asked, his ocean eyes glimmering with enthusiasm.
She smiled. "Always."
She walked with him into the cold and pulled the blanket tighter. They went a familiar route and soon they were in the caves, heading to his secret spot. She loved that he shared it with her and no one else. She knew the routine and soon a small glowing heat source ignited.
She looked up at him, her hands sliding up his arms and gripping his biceps.
"I feel like this is some abandoned oasis, like our secluded romance room."
He didn't say anything, he just stared into her eyes and then let them trail down to her lips. Her breathing started to pick up and she knew his was, too. She could feel his arm muscles vibrating beneath her touch and she wanted to make him feel that way all over.
"This used to be a place where I would go to be alone and I can't see it without you here."
Her voice was low, almost a whisper, as she said, "Thank you for sharing it with me."
He kissed her hard and fast. She gasped in recovery when his lips slid across her cheek and attached to her neck. His hands were all over body and she almost believed he had more than two.
He left a peck on her ear lobe, and with a deep sensuous voice breathed, "I want to share everything with you."
She certainly wanted him to. She could feel him against her. She bit her bottom lip and then lightly nipped his shoulder. She craned her neck back around, causing their foreheads to lean against each other.
"Tell me something I don't know," she mumbled against his lips.
He stopped and stared at her, his face contorted in thought.
He took her words literally. "You know everything about me. You see through me. Completely."
"It's one of my powers."
His brows jumped up to his forehead. "Did you finally attain powers on Krypton?"
She laughed. "No. Just something special and only for you."
"You make me feel special."
She smiled brightly. She felt a light course through her veins, like she was glowing on the inside from her toes to her head.
"Me, too."
His hand was on the back of her head, massaging through her hair with his fingertips. "I sometimes can't stop myself from imagining that alternative world, you and I on Earth."
She closed her eyes momentarily and moaned with the pleasurable feeling before saying, "You mean instead of a cave, we have the roaring fire in a fireplace and we're out on my balcony staring up at the stars?"
"I would tell you all about the stars. Give you a tour of the galaxy Earth resides in."
" A tour of the galaxy? Seeing stars before you make me see stars?" she sighed as she hugged him close.
"You put the stars to shame," he whispered into her hair as he placed a kiss in the same spot.
"Kal…" she breathed.
"Clark," he corrected her.
She pulled back and looked him in the eyes, entertained by new thoughts. She wondered what other kinks he had in his toolbox.
"Oh, Earth roleplay. Do I still get to be Lois?"
"Of course," he said seriously.
She couldn't help but laugh again. If he saw her closet full of costumes his poor Kryptonian mind would probably explode. He almost didn't make it when she found the Amazonian get-up in the depths of the Resource Room the week before.
"Kiss me…Clark."
With a growl, he did. A powerful kiss that required them to inhale air through their nose up to the point they were forced to exhale deeply until their lungs ached. There was a raw passion she felt in his touch, along with a tremor she couldn't quite place. Maybe it was part of the act, how Clark was shy and conservative on the surface, but beneath his clothes was an Adonis that many didn't get to see. Two halves of the same person. Two halves she could love. A triangle for two. But she was special-it was for her eyes only.
She slid her hand against his pectorals, the muscles active and jumping as a reflex. His eyes were closed, his body still, letting her do whatever she pleased. But she stood before him mesmerized by his body's reaction to her faint touches. It felt like the first time all over again. Her nerves about solidifying the bond between man and wife, the pressure of performing an intimate act to formally join the House of El came rushing back. She hadn't been sure she could go through with it. That was until she realized that the man she pledged herself to in a life union didn't resent her.
He loved her.
He would do anything for her.
He would move mountains. Swim through rivers. Over waterfalls. Storm castles.
He would bear pain internally and smile outwardly just to not cause her concern.
He would do whatever she asked.
"Do you love me, Clark?"
With a shaky breath, he responded, "Yes."
"Will you show me?"
His eyelids slowly fluttered open as he focused on her. It was her turn to let out a shaky breath. In an instant she felt a cold breeze against her skin. She was visible to him. She was always visible to him. She bit her bottom lip as he scanned over her body intently, his eyes lighting up as if he had just Xeroxed the image into his brain. Maybe it was a Kryptonian ability she was just learning about. Maybe it was the glow behind him bouncing off every surface and catching in his irises. And just like that the cold that had made her shiver was replaced with a burning heat.
Soon she was in his muscular arms and he gently led them to the floor lined with a fur covering and the blanket she brought with her in a puddle with their clothes. His biceps caged her beneath him. He braced his weight, hovering over her like he almost had the ability to fly. Her hands expanded on his bare back and she pressed firmly, bringing him down closer to her, the cold metal of the dog tags landing in the valley of her chest. The friction of their bodies caused a spark. Both gasped at the sensation.
His mouth was on hers, a duel lasting for minutes before his lips retreated and landed back on her throat. Every time her pulse pushed against her skin his tongue was there to greet it. She tugged at him and he shifted as her legs parted. His hands were on her thighs, steadying her.
Readying her.
He dragged his lips back up to her mouth and kissed her sweetly. He looked down at her and the edges of his mouth began to curve upward into a grin.
Gone was the shyness and the uncertainty. His touches were deliberate, knowing which buttons to push to get an array of sounds from her. It was all premeditated to get to this position, the gradual building in the beginning before the rhythm would start to pick up speed. However, the playful torture backfired. A desire that could no longer wait, a movement of hips was all that was needed to fill and ease the ache.
He had hungry eyes and she was sure that hers matched his before they rolled into the back of her head as he gently slid forward.
It was a delicious feeling. And she let him devour her, like it was the first time.
Like it was the last time.
With a content sigh, Lois played with Kal's wild hair. She curled a stray piece over his forehead around her index finger and then let the spiral go. It was a pleasurable escape, one she never wanted to end, but something deep in the pit of her stomach gnawed at her. She couldn't ignore it. No matter how much she wanted to.
"Not that I don't mind the secret rendezvous - slash- something like a date, but shouldn't you be devising a plan right now in the war room?"
"I have a plan."
"Is it a covert operation or can you share it?" she asked, clutching the crocheted blanket close to her bare skin.
"Why don't you get dressed and we'll take a walk. I'll tell you all about it."
It was an interesting suggestion in light of everything going on.
"Is it safe to do that around here?"
"It'll be fine." he assured her.
"If you say so. You're lucky I trust you."
Lois let the blanket fall and could feel Kal's eyes on her. She put her garments back on and he rose up to do the same. Once finished he grabbed the blanket and felt his pockets. They slowly exited the cave out into the open air. It was cold and snow was still on the ground. She started to shiver and Kal wrapped the blanket around her.
They started to walk, and with all the foliage, Lois began to lose direction. Her arm was looped with her husband's as she let him lead the way, trusting that he knew the area best. It had been where they first met, where he had rescued her-from Zod, but also from an unfulfilled life. Knowing him and loving him completed her in ways she never knew possible.
"So, when do you divulge the big plan? Is there a special carving in a tree or something?"
His silence suddenly made her question their reasons for risking being out in the open. It was one of those moments she commented about, when the silence was too uncomfortable to bear.
She stopped in her tracks and pulled Kal-El to look at her.
"What's going on?"
His eyes were watering. She could see deep into them. His heart and his soul revealed everything. She looked around again and beyond the next set of trees was the altar.
She shook her head. "No."
"You have to. Please," he begged.
She pulled the crocheted blanket closer around her and took a step back in shock.
"But, you're going to save this place. I believe in you! You're going to save your world!"
"You're my world," he stressed.
By sending her away, he was saving her, he had rationalized. But she couldn't leave that easily. She wanted to be with him no matter what the end result was.
"No, I choose you! I want to be with you! In-in a civil war or arctic tundra or sand blown purgatory, I want to be with you!"
He took her shoulders into his hands. "You don't belong here. You belong on Earth, living your life away from this chaos. I can't fight unless I know you're safe. He will not only destroy this world, but he will destroy Earth, too. I have to keep him here, go down with the demise of Krypton if I have to. I won't let you fall with it."
"God! Why didn't you say something?" she sobbed.
The last time they were in this position had been pure agony saying goodbye, but she knew it was happening. But she had gone against it by the end and fought the call to Earth, to stay with the one she considered her home. Now it felt even more excruciating the second time around. It felt more final.
"Because I knew that you would argue against it, you would come up with the reasons why you shouldn't go, and I wouldn't be able to do it." He buried his head in his hands and sucked in a sharp breath.
It was tearing him apart.
She reached out for him. "Kal-El."
"NO!" He shook his head, trying to gain back his resolve. "You have to go. Please. I love you. Always. Go!" Before she had even processed it, he had slid her old engagement ring onto her finger.
Her mouth opened to argue when a rustling sound pulled her focus away from him, her tears flying when she whipped her head around.
"Please, do finish. I am in agony over what will happen next," a voice said from the darkness.
Out of the bushes walked the figure, the light of a moon revealing his face to them.
"Zod," Kal-El seethed, his lip curling.
"You look well, son of Jor-El," he smirked. "Like any prize fighter the scars from yesterday will not hold back the will for tomorrow."
"Go to hell," Lois barked at him.
"This planet is on a course for just that. I plan to skip that cataclysmic event and move straight into paradise."
Kal-El stood in front of her, shielding her from Zod. He turned over his shoulder and said firmly, "Go. Now."
She took one step back and she felt as though her heart was beginning to shatter. Every step was like a piece breaking off and disintegrating. By the time she reached her destination there would be nothing but a vacant space, a deep void left in its place.
"You will not stop me, Kal-El."
He stood his ground, his formation displaying his readiness.
"Try me."
"Oh, I plan to."
A fight ensued between the two men. Zod had no back up and it was just the two in the frozen arena, the trees and herself the only spectators. Lois wanted to do something, help him in some way, like jump on Zod's back so he could get a free punch in, but she knew there was nothing she could do as they physically fought. Hand to hand combat, fists formed. It was like the All Valley Tournament. Zod was aiming for "no mercy" before Kal-El could get his crane kick in.
The only thing she could do was what she balked at all along-follow orders.
She backed up, keeping her eyes on the men. Her thumb felt the ring with the lone stone that was projected to be the key back to her world. But as her husband has so clearly declared, and she reciprocated, her world was no longer a floating blue globe in the Milky Way galaxy. Her home was fighting for his life right in front of her.
The battle of his life. The prophecy. Good vs. Evil.
A battle where she joked he fought evil by moonlight and won love by daylight. She was supposed to be the light, the sun. How could she leave? How could she, the sun, set on him at the most imperative moment, when he needed the strength the most?
He looked over his shoulder, a fresh wound on his cheek, and gave her a nod before focusing back on Zod.
He was assuring her that the strength was still with him. That she didn't have to worry.
She reluctantly turned and let the pull of the altar bring her forth. She raised her hand over the Kryptonian symbols and it began to glow. The wind started to pick up, her hair flying along with snow from the ground.
"It is time for you to die, Kal-El. I promise to keep your wife company on our new Earth."
A loud growl erupted, "No!"
The fight and scuffle continued, but it was getting closer to her. Zod was pulling the fight back toward the altar, to where the bridge to Earth would be. She tried to move away, to sever the connection, but she seemed frozen to the spot she was in.
Kal over took Zod, throwing him to the ground and placing him into a hold with his arm around his neck. Zod started to lose consciousness and it looked as if Kal was winning and on the edge of being victorious. Relief sprung within her.
Kal leapt to his feet and stalked over to Lois.
"You have to go. Now!"
"What if I never see you again?" she cried.
He lifted his dog tags over his head and brought them down over hers. He grabbed the chain and pulled, their foreheads touching.
"You will."
He dipped his head down and kissed her with everything in his being. His hands then dropped and held hers, caressing the ring on her opposite hand that he gave to her, that signified their matrimonial bond. He then held her other hand up over the altar, the one with Oliver's ring with the prophesied stone, and placed it directly on the surface. A blinding light appeared and a portal stretched out from mid air and lengthening.
He let her go and took a step back. "I love you."
"I love you."
She would do anything for him. And he needed her to leave for her own safety.
He smiled at her and she started to match it, when it suddenly fell with her eyes becoming wide. Zod appeared through the blowing snow behind him, the blade of a knife catching the light from the portal.
"Goodbye, son of Jor-El."
Before Kal could turn to stop him, Zod stabbed him from the back, Kal's mouth dropping in pain, a cry emitting from his lungs.
"NOOOOOOO!" She screamed as the abyss sucked her in, her arms outstretched trying to reach for him.
It was the last image she saw, Kal-El falling to the ground with eyes watering as he stared at her, through her.
Then it was all just white.