The only thing that seemed to help was tilling the land. And that is precisely what Jonathon Kent did. His son missing. Chloe missing. What were they suppose to do. Martha was beside herself with worry as was Gabe. All he could do was drive the tractor in the farthest field and wait. The last person to see them had been the janitor at the school. He let them out and they drove off. There was no sign of them anywhere.
Something caught his eye about a football field away. A shimmering golden light with a rippling water effect appeared. A familiar car shot out and came to a halt in the field. A tall figure followed and immediately ran to the passenger side of the car. When Jonathon's brain reconnected with the rest of him, he grabbed his cell phone and walkie-talkied his wife.
"The kids are home. Join me in the field and bring a chain."
He did not wait for an answer. He put the tractor in gear and met the car head on.
"Clark? What's happened?" Jonathon looked at the person laid out in the grass. He did a double take. The strange and unusual were common place in his life. Anytime you raise an alien as your own, strange stands by your side and lifts the tractor over his head.
"I'm not your son; he is." CK faced Jonathon and pointed down to Clark. CK swallowed hard. Facing the man he had- no, Kal-El had killed- was harder than anticipated.
Jonathon dropped to the grass and checked his son over. Clark took that moment to open his eyes and draw a lung-full of air. CK sighed in relief. The sun was working its magic.
Martha Kent pulled up to the field seething at her husband. 'Kids are home? Kids are home!' she thought. How do you call up and state so calmly that your missing son and his friend are home. Then he hung up. Hung up! Bring a chain. What the heck did that mean?
But she had brought the chain. Knowing how weird things happened around Clark, she followed orders. She looked out the windshield. Jonathon and Clark were kneeling next to someone. A fourth was standing next to the car. She squinted, "Pete?" After getting out of the truck, she ran over the group.
Seeing the mess that was Clark's face, she nearly lost it.
"Oh dear God! What happened? Where have you been?" She looked around, "Where's Chloe?"
Pete answered her, "Chloe's in the car. I'm sorry Mrs. Kent; it's all my fault. I needed Clark's help."
Martha finally looked down at the person on the ground. Her hand shot to her mouth and she did her own double take.
"I'm CK, that is your son Clark. He saved my life."
A moan came from the ground. "Mom? Dad? My leg!"
Blood flowed fresh from the leg wound. Clark grasped his thigh and grimaced.
"The bullet's coming out!" He cried.
"Mrs. K. can you help me with Chloe? She's waking up," Pete called out.
"Go ahead honey, we've got him. She needs your help," said Jonathon.
Martha steeled herself to leave her son and help Chloe. She jogged to the other side of the car. Looking in the backseat, Martha saw Chloe trying to sit up.
"It's OK Chloe, you're home," said Martha as soothingly as possible. She grabbed the young woman's hand and moved her to the front seat.
Chloe looked around, "Clark?"
"His dad and …CK are with him. He's going to be fine," said Martha softly but firmly.
"He will heal now; you're back in your universe," said Pete as Martha gave him a very confused look.
Chloe nodded and then Chloe cried.
On the other side of the car, Clark continued to moan as the bullet worked its way out. He was trying his best to not scream.
"Can you rip the pants leg?" Jonathon asked CK.
Without answering, CK ripped the denim fabric. The bullet crowned like a metallic bald newborn. Jonathon plucked it out and examined it.
"This is a regular bullet." Confused, Jonathon looked back down at his son. The wound was closing as were the others he had noticed earlier. This was going to be a great if not horrific story.
Clark's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he passed out once again. This was definitely a doozy of a story.
"As I said, he saved my life as well as others. He stood toe to toe with Kal-El and won." CK looked between Clark's parents, "I…I…"
Martha let go of Chloe who had also fallen asleep. She walked over to CK and placed her hand on his face. She then drew him into a hug and beckoned Pete over to join them.
"You're dead in my world. I haven't had time to mourn you yet," whispered CK as he returned the embrace.
Jonathon stepped up and placed his hand on CK's shoulder. "Would you help me get him in the back of the pick-up?"
CK broke from the embrace and nodded. He picked Clark up and gently placed him in the bed of the truck. Then he placed Chloe next to Clark.
"Clark is a natural leader. We could not have saved CK without him. You should be proud." Pete smiled and walked away from the group. "We have to go, lose ends to take care of."
CK took one last look at the Kents. "Know what ever happens, he loves you."
With that Pete opened the portal and both young men walked through.
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To be concluded.