Bloodlines

A Note from the Author

I always thought that it would be a wonderful opportunity for Clark to meet some people from his home planet, Krypton. I thought that maybe it would help him to understand his heritage, and put the last few pieces of the puzzle together. So when I saw the previews for the episode "Through a Glass, Darkly" I was very excited. That excitement soon died however, and I was left very disappointed. Instead of being a blessing, the people of New Krypton were little more then a curse for Lois and Clark. It didn't solve anything!! In fact, it just made things worse! It's bad enough that poor Clark felt like an outsider on Earth, now he was left feeling like an outsider to his own native people. That's just sad. No wonder many people choose to ignore those few episodes when they write fanfic. It's depressing.

So this story goes out to all of us who were left scratching our heads, and wishing things had happened differently.

In my story, Clark has never met another Kryptonian.

Before I get Emails about the inconsistencies in my story, let me say this. This story is a glimpse into my own little demented Lois and Clark world. Yes, I know I've overlooked certain things, or changed the facts, but isn't that was fanfic is all about?

I don't own the characters, plot line or anything from Lois and Clark. And I certainly haven't made any money from this story, so please don't sue me. I'm in debt as it is.

Feedback is more then welcome. If you want to chat I'm AzrielRoman on AIM.

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The room was small and hidden deep into the crust of the earth. Guaranteeing that 99.2% of Metropolis would never know of its existence. Even fewer people knew about the room it was sitting directly on top of. On one side of the room was a massive computer screen, an even bigger control module and a few standard type office chairs. On the counters that lined the other three walls sat beakers and test tubes, which hosted fluids of all colors.

Suddenly, the wall on the left of the computer module lifted up to reveal a stair case, then lowered again when three men entered the room. They were dressed in standard lab wear. White coats and slacks, pocket protectors and such. The man in the middle was carrying a clipboard and all three of them were studying its contents critically.

"Oh my word..." The man on the left gasped. His eyes fixated on the giant monitor before them. Two heads snapped up quickly, and six eyes dilated to the size of dinner plates. The man in the middle dropped his clipboard, and they all headed for the wall they just entered from. It opened and the three hurried bodies bolted up the stairs.

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"I am soooo looking forward to this vacation." Lois Lane let her declaration out in the form of a breathy sigh, the words lingering in the air.

"Mmmmm," was all her husband could mutter at first. Then after a few seconds he added, "me too."

It had been a ridiculously slow news day, and the fact that it was the last day before Lois and Clark's vacation wasn't helping. They'd done everything they could think of to pass the time. They played Monopoly, Checkers, every card game known to man, and when that failed Jimmy found a beat up version of the board game "Candy Land" in one of the many closets of the newsroom. How it ended up in a supply closet of one the world's greatest newspapers, nobody seemed to know. But they played it. Oh did they play it.

It was almost four o' clock, and the newly married Lois and Clark had decided very early on that they were going to call it a day at five. An hour. One more hour and they were free to spend the week with their loving family in Kansas.

A soft smile tugged at the corner of Lois' lips. It really was funny when she thought about it. Her, Lois "Mad Dog" Lane was excitedly anticipating spending a week with a "farmboy" in "nowheresville" Kansas. If someone would have told her this would be the case three years ago, she would have laughed until she cried, told them wear to shove it, and then laughed at that. Who would have ever guessed that she would find someone she felt safe with? Someone she could put faith into, someone she readily leaned on.

She walked the short distance to her husband's desk and wrapped her arms around his neck. Softly she nipped at his left earlobe with her teeth. In Clark's dreamy state he hadn't heard her coming (quite a rarity), but instantly relaxed at the sensation.

"mmmmm..." he groaned softly. A noise that could only be heard by his wife. "You know, sweetness, if you keep this up we're never going to make it to my folks."

"Would that be so bad?" Lois asked. Her voice was soft and sexy, taking on the intimate tone that Clark associated with moments of passion. The very sound of it was like a drug to him. If only they were home...

"Considering that my mother is, no doubt, cooking a meal the size of Texas, and my dad expects me to help with the harvest tomorrow, yes. Unfortunately, that would be bad." Just as Lois was preparing to playfully protest, Perry White lumbered out of his office. He eyed his best reporting team and noted their apparent lack of motivation. Clark sat at his desk, his chair pushed back and his feet up. His eyes were fixated on the clock, and his expression, Perry noted, was rather goofy. His wife on the other hand, was hard at work. The problem? She wasn't writing a story. Instead, she was latched onto her husband's neck and her mouth was holding his ear hostage.

Perry had to fight hard to keep from smiling. Secretly, he loved seeing his star reporting team like this. He considered it a hefty reward for three years worth of arguments, secrets, and near death experiences. But he had a reputation to keep up with. He was a man who was known to expect the best of his employees. Every single one of them. From the man who washed the floors all the way up to Lane and Kent, they all put in 110%, or else.

"LOIS! CLARK! What the HELL are you two still doing here?" He bellowed. Lois straightened quickly, releasing Clark's ear. For the second time in only a few moments Clark had been startled. This time he nearly fell out of his chair as a result. They stole a glance at each other. Each of them wore a confused expression.

"Did we forget an assignment?" Lois barely whispered. Of course Clark heard her. He shook his head slightly. Of course they hadn't. They wouldn't have been playing "Candy Land" with Jimmy had they had anything better to do.

"Are we supposed to be somewhere else, Chief?" Clark finally asked. Perry's eyes grew wide, his hands moving in exaggerated gestures.

"I'd say you damn well should be somewhere else, son," For a moment Clark tensed but just as soon as he had he relaxed again. Perry's voice was all business, but his eyes were all play, and Clark could swear he saw a smile brewing in the corners of the Chief's mouth. "Aren't you supposed to be taking this pretty little girl right here on vacation?" Perry finished, gesturing towards Lois who was now smiling happily.

"Yes sir, I suppose you're right." Clark let a wide grin spread over his face.

"Well then what in the name of Graceland are you waiting for, Kent? Take your wife and get the hell out of my newsroom!" Perry's resolve broke and soon his grin was as big as Clark's. Lois gave him a quick thank you kiss on the cheek, and soon the couple was gathering their things.

When he finally returned to his office a few hours later Perry propped his feet up on his desk in the same manner that Clark had done earlier. He wore a satisfied grin on his face as he traced the few pictures that were privileged enough to grace his desk. He immediately stopped on one in particular. It was of the most beautiful bride he'd ever seen (besides Alice, of course) and what appeared to be the happiest man on the planet. Both had tears in their eyes.

To Perry the hardest thing about getting Lois Lane and Clark Kent together was finding a way for Lois to let go of the demons from her past. That proved to be much harder then he imagined. It seemed like every time she finally started to open up, that damn boy would up and run off on her. This, in effect, reinforced all of Lois' old fears and insecurities, and she put her emotional walls right back up again. That's the way it went for the first year and a half, one step forward, two steps back.

Granted the boy did have a good excuse, Perry conceded. He was in fact saving the world on a daily basis. But couldn't he take a day off once in a while? Surly even Superman deserves a social life.

Of course Perry knew that Clark was Superman, he'd known ever since the Nightfall asteroid incident. Jesus, he didn't get to be editor and chief by yodeling Elvis' greatest hits, now did he? Come on, Clark gets amnesia, Superman disappears at the same time, it was too obvious. And don't even get him started on the glasses. One day he was going to have a serious talk with Kent about those glasses.

But that day, in all reality would probably never come. It was safer that way. Anybody who knew Superman was a target for his enemies. But beyond that, the more people who were known to be friends with both Clark and Superman, the closer the secret came to exposure. Clark, his parents, Lois, Dr. Klein, and now Perry, they were all known Superman cohorts. Pretty soon somebody would notice a trend there.

Perry was determined not to let that happen. Not on his watch. Not to somebody who did more good for this world then anyone in history. Not too a bright young man from Kansas who seemed to blossom before his very eyes. No sir.

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"That was awfully nice of Perry to let us leave that early." Lois said as her jeep was succumbed to a massive traffic jam. That was the one thing she liked about leaving work late, the traffic wasn't half as bad as it was now.

"What other choice did he have, Lois?" Clark chuckled softly, "it was either that or watch you attack me."

"ATTACK YOU?! I was ATTACKING you, was I, Kent? You sure as hell weren't saying that at the time! In fact, I believe your exact words were, 'mmmmm, if you keep that up Lois we aren't going to make it to Kansas'" Clark chuckled harder this time and rested his hand on her knee.

"Relax, baby, I was kidding, you know that." Lois blushed slightly, and much to her dismay she could feel Clark's gaze on her.

"I... uhh... I, I knew that... SHUT UP!" She giggled desperately, her cheeks growing redder by the second. Clark said nothing in response. He was content with staring out the window and giggling softly.

'This is what marriage is all about,' he thought 'moments like this.'

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Dr. Klein paced back and forth briskly. Every three seconds he checked his watch and shook his head.

"Where the hell are you Nul?" he muttered to himself softly. He checked his watch again. 4:52 PM. Nul said he'd be there at 4:45. He was late. Nul was never late. At the hurried sound of footsteps, Dr. Klein was immediately opening the door to his laboratory. Three men walked in swiftly. Their faces were stoic, but their eyes held an odd mixture of excitement and fear.

"NUL! I'm so glad you came! I got your message," Dr. Klein's face grew curious, "is it true? Have you really found him?" Nul-Zay eyed his friend tenderly. It was a glorious discovery and he was anxious to share the information with all those who had worked so hard to get this far. Unfortunately, he lacked much of the necessary information.

"Ree, my friend," he began tenderly, resting an unsteady hand on Dr. Klein's shoulder, "you must not get too eager. You and I both know that even if his body is found, he is probably dead. Nobody can survive in space that long."

"Of course. This is just so exciting." came the reply. Nul took a deep breath and calculated his words carefully; a soft smile brushed his lips.

"As you know, the tracking chip was sewn into his clothing." Dr. Klein nodded, "He was last seen wearing the clothing adorned with the chip, so in theory, where ever the chip is, so is he."

"Yes, and up until now, when ever you have tried to get a reading from the chip, he was too far out, the signal faded and no connection was made." Klein stated.

"Yes. That is, until a few hours ago." Nul-Zay's usually dark gray eyes began to twinkle softly.

"What happened?"

"Honestly, I am not sure, exactly. All I know for sure is that my assistants and I," Nul paused to acknowledge the two men who stood on either side of him, "descended to "the room" to check a few statistics, and there it was."

Dr. Klein's eyes grew wide. "You received a return signal? From his tracking chip?"

"Yes, and a strong one at that. He is not very far from here."

"Where, and how long, Nul?" Dr. Klein could not hide the excitement in his voice, nor did he try to.

"Somewhere off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. Less then two hours from now." Nul stated matter-of-factly.

"Does Kal know? He should really be made aware of this."

Nul nodded. "I was hoping that the two of us might intercept him together."

"In two hours, once everything is taken care of. You and I will find Kal-el, and tell him."

"It's going to be quite a shock, you know, Ree."

"I know, but this is too big, Nul. It's time."