Before you read this you should know that this story deals with topics such as immigration, racism, speciesism, and critiques of the American Legal System. If you want escapism and an easy love story, this is not for you.
Enjoy.
Smallville, Kansas July 4th, 1991
Martha Kent sits on the porch swing, her legs crossed, and takes a sip of fresh tea. It is hot in the Midwest, especially during the Summer. Yet, there is a light breeze, and the temperature will drop once the sun dips below the horizon.
Today was like any other day, quiet. They tended to the animals, rotated the crops, and finished repairing the roof of the barn. That was actual good and honest work rather than the stuff they were employed to do. But Martha didn't bother thinking about that work, a few more years and then they could buy this farm again and live out the rest of their days.
The swing moves as Johnathan takes a seat next to his wife, yawing and his arm stretching out to wrap around Martha who leans in. He places a kiss on her temple and Martha smiles, leaning into her husband's embrace.
"I'll never get tired of this view," Johnathan says, bringing a beer to his lips. "The old man and I used to sit out here all the time."
Johnathan remembers growing up in this house with his fathers. From learning to plant corn in the morning to chasing fireflies until dawn, this farm held a special place in Johnathan Kent's heart. It made sense that when they got to pick their assignments, Johnathan chose to return home.
"When this is all over, we'll come back here," Johnathan says, looking down at Martha. "Raise a few cows, hens, maybe even a little Kent or two."
Martha pulls away from Johnathan's grasp and looks at him. "Are you sure, John?" Martha questions. "You know we'd have to—"
"—adopt, I know," Johnathan says, not wanting to bring up the reason why they can't have biological kids. "But we're close, baby," Johnathan says to Martha, his hands holding her cheeks. "We've earned this, like everything else in our life."
Martha nods, leaning in she meets her husband's lips, and they solidify their promises with a kiss. In the distance, the first of many fireworks are set off, illuminating the sky. Martha breaks the kiss and smiles, turning to the sky and watching the celebration. It was these mundane things that the two wanted more than life, and they were so close to getting it.
As the fireworks sound off, one ball of fire does not explode, in fact, it grows bigger, and the pair soon realize that it's not a firework but a ball of fire hurdling towards them. The pair get up and quickly run inside the house, Johnathan throwing himself over Martha as the object makes contact with the ground, shaking the house.
After a few minutes, Johnathan gets off Martha, both checking the other to make sure they're okay. Johnathan then checks the blinds, looking out to see the field on fire while Martha grabs the two handguns hidden in the kitchen drawers. Johnathan then grabbed the fire extinguisher and raced out the door to the fire, Martha following after him.
In the burning fields, e metal ship is surrounded by flames. Martha searches the area making sure it's clear while Johnathan puts out the fire.
The pod hisses, a bright light blinds both of them and the door opens, a woman dressed in black rests on the ship. Johnathan looks back at Martha who hands him his gun. The two then inch closer, their guns raised and ready for any aggression that figure might throw at them. The woman groans, pushing on the ship and trying to stand. The woman finds her balance, her eyes trying to lock onto her surroundings, and then she faints to the ground.
Johnathan closes the front door as he walks in. Martha stands above the woman who is sprawled out on their couch. Neither has spoken a word since they carried the stranger into their house. Their minds were racing, trying to solve this mess before the government got involved. It was their duty to turn over this woman, it's the reason why they were stationed in the Midwest.
However, nothing ever happened for them to report it to their superiors. Now, well there was a woman who no doubt was not from earth.
"She's stable," Martha says, breaking the silence. "I can't pierce her skin to run an IV, she isn't bruised at all, no signs of head trauma…" Martha trails off and then turns to look at her husband.
"I tried to move the ship, but it weighs a ton," Johnathan sighs, resting his hands on his hips. "We'll move it to the shed morning, and I'll burn the wheat say we got a bad yield."
Martha and Johnathan don't think twice about coming up with a story, it's in their second nature.
As the couple is lost in conversation, the woman comes to. Her eyes open slowly, and she feels them burning. Quickly, she shuts her eyes not wanting to cause any more damage. The woman then sits up, the room spinning and her ears ringing.
Johnathan quickly runs to the fridge and grabs a bottle of water, Martha bends down and tells the woman to lie down. Martha was positive the woman didn't understand her but from Martha's time in the military, she learned that distress was a universal language.
"Am I—am I on Earth?" The woman asks and Martha looks at Johnathan who is handing the woman a bottle of water.
"You speak English?" Johnathan questions, taken back by the woman's perfect grasp of the language.
"I speak many Earth languages," The woman says taking a sip of water and making a face. "Your water still tastes like acid rain." The woman begrudgingly takes another sip. "My ship is here, no?"
"Yes," Martha replies. "But it's damaged and we can't let you leave."
The woman scoffs and takes another sip of water before standing up. "I don't need permission, especially from the life forms of a backwater planet." The woman says pushing past Martha and walking towards the door. Johnathan somehow beat the woman to the door, standing in front of it. "Move." The woman orders Johnathan, her eyes glowing read. "Or I will move you."
"Look, we just have a few questions," Johnathan says.
"And once I answer them what will you do?" The woman asks folding her arms.
That is the question that neither had an answer to. In truth, the couple was stalling, trying to figure out their next course of action. Protocol demanded that the military be informed, and the woman taken, no doubt being experimented on. However, this was the Kents' first encounter, and they don't want that fate for this woman.
Yes, they worked for the government, but it didn't mean that they trusted them one hundred percent. Working within the military branch, both had seen how the government treated immigrants, minorities, and those who were seen as different, those seen as threats. They could only imagine what would await the alien that lay on their couch.
"We will let you go," Martha says, meeting Johnathan's eyes and he nods. "We are curious that is all—our line of work revolves around extraterrestrials, and we never thought they existed."
"The universe is large." The woman says turning to look at Martha. "Forever expanding and forming—to think that you are the only ones is-is very—"
"Egotistical," Johnathan says, finishing the woman's sentence.
"I was going to say small-minded, but science has already proven that." The woman replies and the couple isn't offended at the comment. "Fine, I'll stay and answer your questions."
"Well, then that went a lot smoother than I thought." Johnathan holds out his hand to the woman. "Jonathan Kent and this is my wife, Martha Kent."
"House of Kent…interesting." The woman comments, looking at the man and woman. "Lara of House El." The woman shakes Johnathan's hand.
"So, you've been to Earth before?" Martha asks, handing Lara a cup of hot chocolate and sitting on the couch.
Lara takes a sip and groans; they had nothing this sweet on Krypton. "Yeah, Earth used to be this undeveloped backwater planet," Lara says, taking another sip. "I mean, it's still not as advanced as other planets but you've made it to the moon and placed a flag. Don't know exactly how the Moon People are going to feel."
"There are moon people?" Johnathan asks.
"She's messing with you, John," Martha says taking another sip and looking at Lara who bites her cheek, trying to stifle a laugh. "You're messing with him, right?"
"Of course, I am," Lara says, shifting in the chair. "They moved on years ago."
After a long conversation about what exists and what is fiction, Lara calls it a night. The Alien Queen sleeps in the guestroom upstairs while Johnathan and Martha clean up. They work in silence, making sure to scrub any trace of Lara's DNA from their house for they know trouble is coming.
They haven't warned Lara yet, they don't want to frighten her. In truth, they hope to have enough time to explain to Lara about Earth and its customs, more importantly, their work in society. Lara mentioned working in the military before she became Queen of Krypton. Her adventures were broad and fascinating, neither could picture the things Lara had seen, the places she traveled to nor the people she met.
Johnathan didn't believe in aliens perse, but he wasn't small-minded to believe that humans were the only life forms out there. Yet, he didn't think he would meet them in his lifetime. Maybe, if he's lucky, he could travel to Krypton with Martha, just to see something outside of his world.
He's too lost in his thoughts that Martha's touch all but startles him at first. Then, John falls into his wife's touch, her arms slipping around his waist and her lips on his shoulder.
"Lara has the right idea." Martha sighs, resting her head against Johnathan's back. "It's late, let's go to bed."
"You can sleep knowing we've got an alien inside our house?" Johnathan asks, turning around to look at his wife.
"We can't exactly put her in a motel, John."
"I know but…" Johnathan sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We can't keep her here. Not that I don't want her here, but we're supposed to turn her in and I—"
"Johnathan, we agreed—"
"Stop cutting me off and listen for a minute, Martha." Johnathan scolds his wife who squints her eyes. "I was going to say that maybe we can make a place for her. Let Lara stay long enough to fix her ship and then she moves on."
"Lara said it wouldn't take that long, John." Martha reminds her husband. "We don't need to build her a condo."
"No…but you heard Lara," Johnathan says. "This isn't her first time on Earth and a lot of Aliens pass through Earth, some make it their home. Maybe we were put in this position to do some good."
Martha ponders Johnathan's idea. It wasn't a bad idea—it was a terrible idea. They worked for the military, specifically the one dealing with threats far beyond their planet. Their cover was space exploration, but it was more Global defense in the realms of other worlds and species outside Earth's atmosphere. Nonetheless, any action they took would garner the presence of the military body coming in.
But Lara didn't pose a threat to them, nor did she seem to pose one to earth. In fact, Lara wanted nothing more than to get off this planet and return to her husband. Martha wasn't naive enough to believe that this was the will of every alien that landed on this planet, but different cases call for different actions.
"You want us to be an Alien Motel?" Martha questions.
"I was thinking something a tad bit catchier." Johnathan teases, moving a stray strand of strawberry blonde hair from his wife's face. "It's a risk but maybe we can put some good back out into the world—or universe rather. Not that what we're doing isn't good but…"
"No, John, I get it," Martha replies, not wanting to think about the two naive humans who took this assignment to come back home, not thinking that it would bear any fruit such as aliens. "We'll talk about it in the morning, alright,"
Johnathan nods and places a kiss on Martha's forehead. The two then finish cleaning up and retire for the night not aware of the problems awaiting them in the morning.
Smallville Kansas July 5th, 1991
The next morning starts off well. Lara gets up early the next morning and makes breakfast for Martha and Johnathan. They were impressed that Lara knew how to use a stove but was highly amused when she'd broken their coffee maker. Nonetheless, they'd had a simple earth breakfast as Lara simply put it.
As Johnathan gets up to collect the dishes, he sees military trucks speeding down the street. "Lara, get upstairs."
"Huh?" Lara questions, to which Martha gets up from the table and looks out the window.
"Johnathan, the ship." Martha reminds him.
"We ain't got time, get Lara upstairs." Johnathan hisses.
"Don't speak to me like that," Lara shouts. "Now, what in the—"
"Lara, listen to me very carefully." Martha chides. "There are people outside. If they find out you are here, they're going to take you away and—"
"I'm not scared of—"
"Martha," Johnathan warns his wife, peaking out the blinds to see about five trucks coming down his driveway.
"Hide," Martha commands and in a blur, Lara is gone. "I hope all Kryptonians aren't as stubborn as her."
"I know a few things about handling stubborn women." Johnathan teases, even if it isn't the right time, it at least lightens the mood. Martha rolls her eyes and walks toward her husband at the window. Five military trucks surround their house, once parked, soldiers armed with their guns head to the field surrounding Lara's ship.
"She's gonna want it back." Johnathan sighs. "I'd hate to fight her for it."
"Hopefully she won't have to," Martha says though they both know it's a lie.
Martha and Johnathan then take deep breaths and open the door. There stands General Samuel Lane with an officer on each side. "Officer Johnathan Kent, Officer Martha Kent, good to see you." General Lane says, greeting the couple.
"Sir." The couple says, standing to salute the General.
"We got word that an object landed on your property around 6 last night." General lane recounts, not looking at the ship that was slowly being picked and probed at. "Want to tell me why you didn't report it."
"The chamber was empty, General." Martha quickly responds, Johnathan has to remind himself to act normal and not make a scene even though he knows his wife is lying. "Whatever was in the object is long gone."
"You tracked it?" The General asks further, raising an eyebrow.
"I tracked it, Sir," Johnathan responds, giving Martha a break for lying but also incriminating himself. If they were going down, then they'd do it together. "Ran through the farm, picked up speed. Made no sense to get into my truck and run after it."
"You didn't call for help." General Lane asks, tilting his head.
"Didn't want to alert the two," Martha interjects. "Hard enough to explain the sound of crashing metal and the fire. No doubt the military trucks you drove in will draw attention to what we're doing here."
"We'll take care of it." Officer Jones says.
"Right." General Lane says, changing the subject. "My men are securing the perimeter and we'll check the house."
"Right this way," Martha says, stepping aside and letting the General and two officers enter.
As the officers look through the house, Martha fights to reach for Johnathan's hand. Both of their nerves are shot, minds racing and praying to God that Lara was good at hiding, that she didn't have that Kryptonian pride and stubbornness to confront the military, it wouldn't end well for them.
They then travel upstairs to where their room is being taken apart. Martha reminds the General that their guns and paperwork are in the room as protocol insists. After their room is cleared, they then check the guest room. Johnathan gulps as he thinks about the change of clothes Martha had given Lara, no doubt Lara's clothes were thrown around somewhere in the room. To Johnathan's relief, the room was clear.
As everyone files at the room, Martha turns to see Officer Jones standing in the middle of the room, staring at something. Martha stays behind, doubt creeping up her spine as she thinks of Officer Jones finding Lara and taking them all in.
After a beat, Officer Jones smiles and looks straight ahead. "I see why you like this place."
Martha lets out a tense chuckle and leads Office Jones out of the room. The agents do their final rounds and load the ship onto the back of the truck, covering it with a tarp. The General then says goodbye and they drive off.
"You let them take my ship!" Lara shouts, running down the steps.
"Lara I—"
"How am I getting home?" Lara hisses, her eyes glowing red and the couple takes a step back. "I should have come out and fought—"
"And they would have taken you along with the ship, Lara." Johnathan reminds the angry Queen. "Then you would have never made it back to your people. This is a small price to pay for your life."
Lara stays silent for a moment. She could find her spaceship; it wasn't that hard to do. But doing so would expose her to humans. She saw from the bedroom window how they approached her ship with their weapons, not even taking the time to examine the object. Not only that, but Lara would also put the Kents in harm's way which wasn't a good idea. They went through the trouble of lying to their government for her, the least Lara could do is sit and wait. So, they all wait for someone to find her.
Smallville, Kansas December 25th, 1992
They wait for what seems like ages for someone to come for Lara. It's about six months in Earth time but Lara could feel the changes on Krypton as if the planet was in her very blood. Time moved differently there, six months on Earth was six years on Krypton.
Six years without their Queen, a wife without a husband. Lara didn't worry about Krypton too much; her husband and the council had ruled Krypton before her existence was ever thought of. Lara knows they have not forgotten about their Queen, nor had her husband forgotten about her. Their love had been something that shaped Krypton, pushed it into the future, an age of scientific revolution if you will. Above all, they had brought Krypton a century of peace after a millennium of fighting.
With the stability of Krypton comes the necessity to look to the future and the people who will one day live in the world they've fought so hard to build. Thus, the idea of children is pushed upon the rulers, especially in times of peace. Lara and her husband had given their DNA with the hopes of having a child of their own. They weren't too keen on using the birthing pods, fearing they'd be too detached from their offspring. But there was good reason to not birth children, Kryptonian women were known to die during childbirth and have complications with the mother and child during pregnancy. But, with their innovation of technology, they could try again and birth a new generation.
"Lara?" Martha calls to her, the Queen looking up from her hands and to Martha. "You all right?"
"Yes," Lara mumbles, shaking her head. "Sorry, I was just thinking about Krypton."
"I know we aren't your people, and this isn't your home," Johnathan says, sitting next to Lara on the floor as they surrounded the Christmas tree. "But I'd like to think that over the past few months we've become friends."
"I'd say roommates but sure, friends." Lara teases.
Lara never really had friends. She had work colleagues, servants, and family members, but friends were something Queen didn't have the luxury of having. But here she was, the Queen of Krypton on a farm in Christmas pajamas with humans to whom she'd grown close.
As they exchanged gifts, Lara inwardly cursed at herself, she hadn't gotten the couple a gift. Granted, she couldn't exactly leave the house unattended, nor did she have any money. Yet, Lara wanted to thank the Kents for keeping her, for going through the trouble of risking not only their jobs but their lives for her.
It was a debt that she would repay.
Lara opens her mouth to speak until she hears the clicking of a certain sound. Lara then blurs out of the house, too fast for Johnathan and Martha to catch. Lara stands int eh field looking at the sky, the Kents following her, armored with the various guns they stashed it the house.
"Lara!" Martha shouts. "What are you doing?"
"Get in the house, it's cold." Johnathan chides.
Lara ignores them as she looks at the sky. In an instant, a ship hovers over the farm. Martha and Johnathan cover their faces from the wind that blows as the ship lands. The machine hisses and out comes six figures and Lara bolts towards the ship, tackling the seventh figure that didn't have the chance of escaping the ship before his capture.
The Kents hold their weapons to the side, waiting for the signal to attack and protect Lara. As the two figures stand up, Lara clings to the figure, a man who grasps Lara tightly. Johnathan looks at Martha who makes an eye towards this gun and they quickly put them away.
Lara then turns to look at the Kents who look confused, rightfully so. Lara steps towards the Kents when the man grabs Lara's arm, stopping her. The Kents grab their guns and the six soldiers hold what the Kents can only assume are guns at them.
Lara then says something in another language, and it seems as if they're arguing for a second. Martha and Johnathan look at each other and then back at the…couple…they assume as much.
"Put your weapons away," Lara says, and the soldiers respond quickly. Lara then takes her husband's hand and walks toward the Kents. "Johnathan, Martha, this is my husband, Jor of House El. Jor-El, these are the Kents."
"Thank you for keeping my wife safe," Jor-El says calmly. "She has a tendency to run off."
"They took my ship."
"And you couldn't get it back, it's the—"Jor-El stops speaking as he hears the Kents snickering at them. "Have I said something to laugh about?"
"No, it's just interesting." Martha shrugs. "Even other species have marital fights."
"We weren't fighting." Jor-E corrects the humans.
"Yes, you are rather bad at those," Lara interjects. "And I always win them."
"I am not ba—"Jor-El takes a deep breath. "Thank you for keeping my wife out of trouble, we must be going."
"Now?" Lara, Johnathan, and Martha ask in unison which pulls an odd look from Jor-El.
"Lara, it's been six years." Jor-El reminds his wife. "You don't want to come back?"
Martha and Johnathan look at each other. Lara had mentioned that time flowed differently but she didn't explain the exact time. For them, it had almost been six months with Lara. Had they known it was six years that their planet went without its Queen they would have helped Lara return home. The Kents stay quiet, this isn't their battle to fight.
"I do, of course, I do," Lara says. "I've thought about home every day." Lara looks at the Kents and then back at her husband. "But I cannot deny that this place has felt like home as well. I know I must return but…what is one more day here?"
"A month," Jor-El answers matter-of-factly.
"Krypton has lasted that long without me." Lara reminds her husband.
"Life here is slow, Lara."
"Yes, and it is simple," Lara whispers. "Can I just have one more day of that? Then I will fulfill every vow I've made to you and Krypton."
Jor-El takes a deep breath and looks at the Kents who don't seem to mind. Jor-El then turns to the soldiers standing behind him. Jor-El says a few words and the soldiers take off their helmets and begin to walk towards the front door.
"One day of simplicity won't hurt," Jor-El says and Lara can't contain her squeal which has Jor-El puzzled and he wonders what happened to his wife, what life she led to not wanting to leave this simple farm.
And as time went on, the humans and Kryptonians ate, drank, and laughed, shared stories of their travels near and far until the clock struck twelve and it was time to depart.
"This is where we part my friend," Johnathan says, pulling Jor-El in for a hug, the king still not used to being touched so informally. Jor-El doesn't protest, instead, he pats the man's back, gaining a groan from the man.
"Next time you come back, I hope to see a little Prince or Princess," Martha says, giving Lara a container of food for the flight home.
"Martha." Johnathan chides the woman which has Jor-El smiling.
"I do not have anything to repay you with, House Kent," Jor-El says and reaches into his pocket pulling out a device with a button in the center and hanging it to Johnathan.
"Is this a ship?" Johnathan asks.
"No, I can't give those out for free," Jor-El replies. "But if you ever happen to be on our side of space or want us to visit, you hit that button and we'll be in touch."
"It'll glow when we're nearby so you can get the Inn ready." Lara teases.
The couples laugh, say their goodbyes, and then the Kents watch the Els fly amongst the stars.
Smallville, Kansas February 29th, 1994
A bright light illuminates the Kent farm, yanking Martha out of her sleep. A beeping sound shocks Johnathan from his slumber, the Kryptonian tracking pad growling green. The couple quickly gets dressed and rush down the steps, neither sure why Jo and Lara have arrived to late or rather early.
As they open the front door, dashing towards the field, the doors of the ship open, Lara holding an object close to her chest while a little girl grips her hand tightly.
"Lara!" Martha shouts, running towards her. "What's wrong."
"I am so sorry to ask this of you," Lara says, looking at what Martha can now distinguish as a baby. "But I must ask for another favor."
"Anything," Johnathan replies.
"You must keep them with you," Lara says frantically. "We will come back for the children, but Krypton is not a place for them, not now."
Anyone else would question Lara but neither kid did. Throughout the years of knowing the Els, the Kents knew that they never asked for favors lightly, always knowing that a debt would be repaid. It is not a question when Lara asks the Kents to take the children, protect them, and raise them as their own. The Kents and Els were family, bonded by something thicker than blood.
Johnathan then knees down and holds his hand out waiting for the young blond girl tucked behind Lara's legs to walk towards him.
"You can come with me," Johnathan tells the little girl. "I will keep you safe."
"You promise?" The little girl asks.
Johnathan then says an oath, one ancient and lost to many people of Krypton, only passed down between members of the royal family. Because he knows this, the little girl knows that she will be safe with this man, in this world.
The little girl then runs towards Johnathan, and he holds her tightly. Lara then walks to Martha, handing her the babe wrapped in a blanket.
"His name is Kal-El and the girl is Kara Zor-El," Lara says, her voice shaking. "Please take care of them."
"Without question," Martha says, looking down at the sleeping child. "Take care, my friend."
Lara then presses a kiss to Kal-El's forehead, then bends down and hugs Kara, pressing a kiss to her forehead as well.
And then she is gone, and the sky is dark and lonely once more.
Updates for this story will be very sporadic. Titan in the Mist is my main priority. This story is kinda like my fun little escape away, though this story is angsty and tragic. But, there is a happy ending.