Chapter 3: Here Without You

Journal Entry 6

Tuesday June 28, 2005

I am a monster. Clark told me not to do it, but I did it anyway. Because I loved Alicia. He told me many things, but after I blew up those helicopters, I reached my limit. Now, not even Clark Kent can stop me. I have become a monster. If Alicia were still alive, I don't think she'd love me anymore. Vivid images of her run through my mind every day, her shining blonde hair, and her dazzling smile have me missing her more and more. When we first made love, most of it, I wasn't there. I was looking at Clark's memories. I only saw Alicia twice in my life, with my own eyes. When we both climaxed, Clark's eye color changed, and I saw her, in all her radiance. The second time I saw her, she was being held in Clark's arms, just as she and our baby died. She calls out to me in my dreams. She reaches out, trying to hold my hand. I reach out also, but every time, she's too far for me to reach her. Jesus, I've become the one thing Clark hates... a villain. I miss her so much... I wish I could die, just so I could be with her. I love her so much, that I would do anything for her, and I did. But, it was the wrong thing to do.

The world didn't understand what Alicia and I meant to each other. That to them, our love was wrong. The world thought we were freaks, mutants, abominations. Sometimes, right before I fall asleep, just hanging between reality and dreams, I can see her. I think she can see me too. She looks at me, with her blue green eyes, tears falling down her face. Her warmth and radiance shine through me, and for a split second, all my troubles are gone. Last night, when I almost fell asleep, I saw her again. She was smiling at me, and she held a baby. A one year old, a boy with blackish blonde hair. That was our child. He had Alicia's eyes, they both watched me as I was embraced by Alicia's beauty. All I wanted was for Alicia to be with me again, to be with Clark, and so we could raise our child. The boy smiles at me, his dark curled hair moves in some force of wind I can't feel. Alicia waves, holding the child to her chest, both smiling. I reach out, trying to join my family, but they are too far out again. Suddenly I hear voices, the sweet voice of Alicia, holding our baby.

"Hello, Clark. I missed you, baby."

Tears run down my face, as I try to reach for her again.

"I missed you too, Alicia."

The little boy, my son, watches me, and holds Alicia close.

"Mommy, who's that man?"

Alicia smiles, tears falling down her face again, and points to me.

"That's your Daddy, Alex. He wants to be with us."

"Why can't we let Daddy be with us, Mommy?"

"Because it's not his time, baby. He still needs to do some things. To right some wrongs."

"Alicia... what am I supposed to do?" I ask, more tears leaving my eyes.

"You have to save us, Clark. You have to save Alex and I. We died prematurely."

"What do you mean?"

"Time itself has been thrown out of loop, Clark. You must find a way to fix this. You and I are supposed to be together. I love you with all my heart."

"I...love you too, Alicia. And I love you, Alex."

Alex smiles, and sits in Alicia's arms.

"I love you too, Daddy. Why are you still crying?" Alex asks.

"Because I miss you and Mommy so much."

"We miss you too, Daddy. Don't we, Mommy?"

"Yes, We both miss you, Clark. Please save us..."

"How am I supposed to save you?"

"I cannot reveal all the answers. Talk to Swann. He has the answers you are looking for..."

"Bye Daddy!"

The light around Alicia and Alex starts to dim, the energy hitting Clark weakens, and they wave goodbye. Still crying, Clark waves goodbye, as he starts to awaken to reality.

Metropolis: Same Day

The massive heat vision torrent that erupted from Kal stops, leaving two smoldering helicopters. Several military corprals watch as the pile of broken pavement and cement stops moving. The remainder of the police have surrounded the pile of rubble, and the mutant's hand is shown sticking out of the rubble.

"God dam, what was this guy?" asks one of the cops, the others shrug, and investigate the scene.

"I wouldn't mind having his powers, though. I'd be a big time superhero, like Spiderman, or sumthing." says another cop, as a WCGN news team arrives on the scene. A blonde reporter runs out of the van, followed by a cameraman.

"Jesus Chief, what the hel happened here?" Asks the reporter.

"There was this...mutant, or something. He was destroying cars, and killing people. He could lift cars, and shoot fire from his eyes."

"And he could run at superspeed. He was saying he'd rule this planet, but I think the military killed him." Says another cop, shuddering at the power the mutant had.

"Well, what about the-" The reporter starts, but is interrupted by a red farm truck that stops in front of them. A woman and a man walk out, and run up to the pile of destroyed pavement.

"CLARK!" The woman screams, sobbing uncontrollably. The man holds her in his arms, tears falling down his eyes.

The reporter walks up to the couple, moving her microphone in front of them. The man tries to move it away, but the reporter persists.

"Did you know the mutant?" the reporter asks.

The man looks at the reporter, tear stains down his face.

"He's not a mutant. He's my son. And I-" The man states, but is interrupted by the sudden movement of the rubble.

The hand starts to clench into a fist, as more rubble falls down the sides of the pile. The broken rock and pavement moves as two hands reach out of the rubble. A man stands, his black robes covered in soot and dust, his hood ripped apart, and his eyes glow an eerie purple. He watches the crowd, who stare in shock at how this man could stand after being bombarded by bullets and missles. Kal tries to push the recent dream away from his mind, trying to shut it down, hoping to hide it the same way he did with Clark Kent's personality. With no such luck, Kal sees the vivid images of Alicia, and Alex. They both wave, Alicia's shining smile, and Alex's smile, his blue-green eyes, both a mix of Clark's and Alicia's and his dark blondish hair, holding on to Alicia, both standing in their light, from what seems like heaven.

Johnathon stares in shock, the transformation of his son, into the monster he sees before him.

"Clark...what happened?" Johnathon asks.

"I AM NOT CLARK KENT! I AM KAL-EL OF KRYPTON! YOUR CLARK KENT IS DEAD TO THE WORLD!" Kal says, forming tears in his eyes.

Kal walks down the rubble pile, and stands in front of Johnathon and Martha. They watch him, eyes staring at him waringly. No one notices the green rock Johnathon pulls out of his pocket. No one except Kal, who feels the pain immedietly overcome him. As the deadly radiation hits Kal like a ton of bricks, he sees another vivid image, Alicia's body, him holding her, as she speaks her last words to him.

I ...love...you, Clark...and I will always be with you...

Kal looks at Johnathon, his glowing purple eyes watch him, fearful of his next move. Martha pulls out a small lead box, and holds it out in front of her.

"You're not my son. I want Clark back. I want my son back!" Martha screams, opening the box.

An eerie purple and black glow creeps out of the box, and inside, sits a small piece of Black Kryptonite. Kal stares in horror as Martha throws the box at him.

NO! THE VOID ELEMENT! Kal screams inside Clark's head.

The Black K flys straight at Kal, and impacts him in the chest. It explodes into a brilliantly bright black and purple light, temporarily blinding all of Metropolis. In all the light, No one saw a split person, two people standing where Kal stood, holding each other by their necks, one man with bright purple eyes, and the other, Blue eyes, tears falling down his face.