The Crossroads PostEppie: Reckoning

by DJ Dubois

What would have happened had Clark confronted Lex on the bridge? Worse, what happens when JorEl gets involved too? Read and review!

The Crossroads (Post-Eppie to "Reckoning")

DJ Dubois

January 2006

Notes: Spoilers: Goes without saying, everything through the first 100 eppies particularly Skinwalker, 1961/Relic, and Reckoning.

Pairings: Martha/Jonathan, Clana, Lexana (implied) and Jorouise among others

Dedication: This one goes out to everyone who wanted things to continue on as they had in the first half of "Reckoning". There is more tragedy involved at first but old love helps the "new".

Preface [Fortress of Solitude]

Jor-El, the last guiding spirit of Krypton, speaks…..

As you Earthers like to say, those who do not heed time's lessons are doomed to repeat them. My father, Hes-El, sent me to Earth to demonstrate how raw emotions run one astray and only through duty to one's house and predetermined path can one have order. I learned much on my journey through your world during that hot season forty-five of your solar cycles ago. I saw what my father said happening around me: that emotional chaos can lead to tragedy.

However, there is balance. In Smallville, I encountered Louise McCallum who taught me about love and passion. When she died in my arms, I grew cold and mechanical in order to protect myself. I returned home and accepted my duty. I married Lara and we had our son, Kal-El, whom we sent away for his and duty's sake.

But Fate and Destiny, as I have often told my son, are immutable. The strands binding our lives together have extended to our families as well. The agricultural collective which would have offered me sanctuary did so for Kal-El. The one known as Jonathan Kent, Hiram's son, raised him. The descendants of Lochlan Luthor, the one who fired the projectiles at me, lurk at the edges threatening everything I would put forth.

And then there is Louise's descendant, the one known as Lana Lang. Kal-El has loved her since they first met. But I have tried to keep them apart. Again, I didn't want him to go through the pain of losing her the way I lost Louise. However, I also was willing to allow him to join with her as long as she accepted our purpose. Given Louise's outlook, I would have given the girl a chance.

But history repeated itself in your present as it did long before. Lochlan's descendant, Alexander, undid everything on an icy cold nocturnal period. It forced me to a decision: my duty as a father or to Kryptonian tradition?

This is what occurred…..

Chapter 1 [Luthor Mansion]

Lex watched Lana storm out of the study, hurrying quickly to her car. With everything that had happened that night with the election loss, he figured that she would console him. Accordingly, he called her over there and decided to pour himself a drink while he waited.

And then another….and another.

Their conversation, although starting as the soothing balm he thought it would be, quickly went downhill.

He noticed strange things about her: her distant expression, the insistence that there was no longer a problem between her and Clark.

Most irritating of all, the diamond engagement ring glared at him, announcing another devastating defeat at a Kent's hands.

They argued—rather he yelled and she stood her ground. After one decidedly pointed crack about parentage, she turned and left.

In a fit of rage, he threw the brandy goblet into the fire, watching it flare momentarily. How could she do this to me? After everything I've done for her! HOW? He paced about the room, trying to cool off. However, whether it was jealousy, rage or a combination of the two, his rage consumed him as the fire had the brandy. He opened his desk drawer, seeing a pistol and a small leaden box. Unlocking the latter, he considered the glowing green contents inside. Then he loaded the gun.

Throwing his coat on, he hurried out the door toward the garage. He would give Lana one more chance. Failing that, he knew what he would have to do.

If he couldn't have her then nobody would. Especially not Clark Kent.

[Route 40—Five miles away]

Lana pushed her Explorer's accelerator as fast as she dared to. While she knew she should have stayed at the victory party with her fiancé and his family, she also felt obligated to Lex. I wish he'd understand! He knows that Clark and I love each other! She thought back to the argument in the mansion, shuddering at his jealous rage and uncontrollable desire to get at Clark's Secret.

Worst of all, despite not saying anything, she realized that he knew something. Somehow Lex knew about Clark. He also knew that she knew. How did I give it away? I didn't say anything! She looked around the landscape, recognizing the field to the right of her. I'll be at the Talon in five minutes! Then I'll be safe.

Then she saw two headlights closing in on her like a hungry vulture pursuing its prey.

No! Knowing instinctively who it was, she dialed her cell phone. Come on, Clark!

"Lana?" he answered. "Where are you?"

"Clark, I'm on Route 40 heading toward town. I'm sorry. I didn't say anything! Clark, he knows!" she told him frantically.

Behind her, a horn honked insistently.

"What's going on?"

"Clark, Lex knows! He's chasing me!"

As she said that, the Porsche pulled up beside her. Lex demanded, "Lana, we need to talk!"

"No! I'm done with that!" she yelled back, trying to pull away from him.

However, his car could more than make up for her Explorer's acceleration.

"Lana! Talk to me!" Clark implored.

"He won't go away! Clark, I…."

In front of them, a school bus sped toward them; its lights glaring a warning as they sped toward them.

"CLARK!" she screamed.

The driver saw the two vehicles too late. He veered to avoid the Porsche only to hit the Explorer head on.

The Explorer turned over and over, finally coming to a stop.

Inside, Lana didn't move, lying deathly still. "Clark, I didn't….betray you…Love…you." Then her eyes closed.

Chapter 2

[Talon]

Meantime, Clark tried to get a read on Lana's situation over the cell phone connection. With the party's noise going on behind him, that was no easy task. "Lana! What is it! LANA!"

Over the phone, he heard her scream and the crash.

"LANA!" he screamed.

At that, everything stopped around him and the party goers stared at him.

"Son, what is it?" Jonathan asked, as he and Martha ran over to him.

"It's Lana. Something's happened. Sorry but…" Clark replied, trying to keep himself composed despite what felt like dozen of meteor shards sticking in his insides.

"She's part of this family. That's what's important," his father insisted. "Martha, stay here. We'll be back. Chloe, follow us."

As the reporter rushed out the door, she saw Clark speed off, hurling with desperate velocity down Main Street and west on Route 40 toward the scene. Come on, Speedy! Get there in time!

"I knew Lex was bad news," Jonathan grumbled, jumping into his pickup and flooring the accelerator in pursuit of his son.

What have you done, Lex? She didn't want to know the circumstances. Right now, her friends needed her. She pushed her car as fast as it would go as well.

[A/N: Okay, brace yourselves. This is where it *really* gets ugly.]

Seeing the crash, Lex slammed on the brakes, skidding across the road and turning his car completely around as he stopped. "LANA!" He didn't want this. He had only wanted to talk, not to hurt her.

But the overturned crumpled wreck seemed to confirm his fears.

He ran over, wanting to revive her.

As he did so, he felt a breeze blow up out of nowhere. What the Hell? His eyes went wide as he saw the blur approaching.

And then Clark appeared between him and the crash. "LANA!"

So he can do that! After the initial surprise wore off, Lex's eyes narrowed. They were both lying to me!

Paying no one any attention, Clark ripped the door off of the Explorer and removed his fiancée from it. "Lana, talk to me! Come on!"

But there was no answer. Only the blood soaking the blacktop under her hinted at her condition. "Lana, no! Lana!"

At that moment, Jonathan stopped the truck beside the bus. "What's going on?"

"Man, that accident jarred my head. I could have sworn I saw that guy over there speed out of nowhere," the driver reported.

Seeing his son holding Lana the way he was, his mind immediately thought the worst. "You'd best have that looked at." He ran over to his son's side. "Clark, come on! There was nothing you could do!"

"I didn't save her, Dad. I couldn't keep her safe!" Clark protested.

The farmer felt the tears blurring his vision. "You did everything you could. You have to accept that."

As they pulled away, Clark saw the blood on his hands. His mind swum, trying to keep control.

Before Jonathan could say anything, Lex demanded, "What was it, Clark? Why was she running? You caused this!"

"He wasn't chasing her," Jonathan retorted, getting right in his political opponent's face. "You know what your problem is, Luthor? You don't know when to take no for an answer. Leave us alone!"

"Don't give me that!" Lex pushed the farmer aside. "After all of the things I've done for you all, you take everything from me!"

"She wasn't yours!" Clark growled; his eyes still fixed on Lana's dead face and the blood. He shuddered as his mind seized.

The red blood and anger…..

….working like the red meteor…..sweeping him away…

…and allowing the Kryptonian to take hold.

Kal snarled. "I'm sick of you, Luthor! Time to beat some sense into that bald head!" He stood, letting the others see the red pallor in his eyes and the vindictive expression. "Father said there's a balance. I'll take you!" He grabbed Lex and flung him against the Porsche. Seeing the latter scramble to his feet, he bellowed, "Come on! You wanna know about me?"

"I've seen enough!" Lex hissed, taking out the pistol. "You've stuck the knife in my back for the last time!"

"Clark, Lex, stop!" Chloe yelled.

"Deal with you later, Sweets!" Kal dismissed while advancing on his former friend.

"Not this!" she protested, looking to rush into the fray. She recognized Kal's M.O. from that summer in Metropolis well enough. As Jonathan restrained her, she yelled, "Let me go!"

"They'll kill you," the farmer protested. "You know that."

She shook her head and her eyes grew wide.

Meantime, Kal grabbed Lex again, pinning him against the car. "I'm going to squish you like a grape, Luthor. Teach you what pain really means!"

Lex pushed the gun into his assailant's gut. "Not if I do it first."

"Please! You can't hurt me with that toy," Kal ridiculed.

Lex smirked ferally. "No?" He pulled the trigger, sending the bullet into Kal.

The Kryptonian staggered. "What?"

"I had them specially made for you," Lex explained. "Now you two can have each other."

"Da…mn you!" Kal staggered away toward his other's fiancée. He dropped to his knees beside her. "Tried,…Father." With that, he allowed Clark out.

Clark gasped for breath. The bullet burned, allowing his blood to flow, mixing with hers.

"CLARK!" Jonathan yelled. "Son!"

"Dad. I'm sorry…." Clark whispered. Putting his hand on Lana's, he added, "Make sure we're together. Th…ank Chloe too."

"Don't you dare do this, Clark! Come on!" she protested, her eyes watering as she shook him.

With his last act, Clark weakly brushed his lips across Lana's; he cuddled up against her. "Love…you." Then he went silent.

Jonathan held Chloe closely against him. "He's gone." He felt his heart tighten.

She broke free from him and started toward Lex; the hazel fury clearly sparking in her eyes…..

Chapter 3

[Arctic—Fortress of Solitude]

Half a world away, all seemed quiet under a blanket of freshly fallen snow. The Fortress loomed over the landscape as it had for the past six months, standing as a sanctuary for its planet's last surviving inhabitant.

Within the structure, a lone spirit waited and watched telepathically the events going on farther south. While he had wanted his son to stay apart from Earther emotions, Jor-El clearly understood the attractions of a certain female line. As he had loved Louise McCallum, so had his son fallen for the latter's great niece. After a great deal of consternation, he allowed his son to propose a marital union with the Earth female, hoping she would feel the same as his love had.

She will exceed my expectations!

Then he felt pain through his link. Kal-El! What?

The events leading up to Lana's death played out in his mind. Then he saw his son trying to save her.

Kal-El kneeled over his dead love….

…much as he had with Louise in the barn on that horrid night long before….

With that, he felt the slightest touch of raw emotion surge through him, disrupting his mechanical thought patterns.

That was followed by his son's transformation, allowing Kal to surface.

Then he felt the shot. Earth projectiles shouldn't do that! What?

He heard Lex's words and saw the twisted expression. "I had those specially made for you. Now you two can have each other."

He saw the face….

…much like the one sent to kill him for loving Louise.

He saw the green specks glowing in his son's stomach, feeling the latter's last moments.

He saw his son die on the roadside.

NOOOO! He screamed, shaking the structure with his fury. After everything, not again! NOT AGAIN!

You know what we have to do, Joe, a voice told him in his mind.

The ghost saw his Earth love materialize in front of him. Louise? We can't….

We can't what? Joe, your son and my great-niece are gone. We have one chance to save them!

They're dead. With them, our hopes are with them! He smoldered with rage.

Just like on us, you'd give up on them! I can't believe you! GO! She argued, pointing to the south. I'll wait for you here.

The spirit shuddered. For the first time in forty Earth solar cycles, his emotions spun out of control. His eyes flared like twin crimson flares. In a flash, he disappeared.

Bring them back, Joe. Let's do for them what we couldn't for ourselves. Louise bowed her head, trying to deal with being with her love again. As with Jor-El, she had seen the whole drama from Heaven and had been sent back to help deal with it.

[Caves]

Jor-El appeared in the hidden chamber. After making sure he was in the right place, he concentrated, making the room fill with light.

When it subsided, he appeared as he had in 1961. "Joe" glared at the place and then sped off in pursuit of his son.

[Accident Scene—Route 40]

Lex frowned as he tossed the gun back into the car. He knew the paramedics would be there soon and the police with them. I need to get out of here.

As he turned to leave, Chloe grabbed him. "Uh uh, Luthor! Think again!"

"Beat it, Chloe!" he growled, pushing her aside.

"Damn it, Lex! You just killed our friends! Why?" she demanded, shoving him against the car. Seeing the smug smirk, she slapped him hard across the face. "You bastard!"

"Get in line," he growled. "Isn't that right, Mr. Kent?"

Jonathan glared at him. "I'd like nothing better." He rose to his feet. Despite the tightening in his chest, he was going to have satisfaction for the losses in his family.

Before anyone could do anything else, they saw the blur once more and Joe appear.

"What? I knew you were something, Clark! But this is beyond anything I could have dreamed!" Lex declared.

Recognizing the combination of the Clark look-alike, the late 50s clothes and the medallion around his neck, Chloe stared. "It can't be! It's the Drifter—Joe. But he looks like Clark!"

"I'm his father. His birth father!" Joe retorted while grabbing Lex. "You called me the Drifter. Let that suffice." Telepathically, he sent the other flying, skipping him across the pavement like a rock across a pond. "Your foul breed has cost me enough. Tonight, it ends!"

"Joe…Jor-El, stop!" Jonathan interceded. "We need him to stand trial. We need justice!"

"This one's lineage has avoided your pathetic Earth justice, Jonathan Kent. Let this serve notice!" Joe announced. With a wave of his hand, he made Lionel appear. "That one seeks to control you and our son."

Lionel looked around in confusion. One minute, he had been waiting for Jonathan at the latter's farm. Now he was here in the midst of an accident scene. He saw Clark and Lana lying dead. But somehow, Clark was also advancing on Lex while Jonathan and Chloe Sullivan tried to stop him. "NO!"

"I haven't forgotten about you," Joe growled, telepathically yanking his victim to Lex's side. In a heartbeat, he stood over them again.

"Can't we talk about this?" Lionel offered desperately.

"The way your father talked. The night he shot me and killed my love? No. Tonight, you find the answers you sought along with true justice!" Joe growled, grabbing both Luthors' right shoulders and flooding them with energy, disintegrating them both.

"Y…you just…d…disintegrated them!" Chloe stammered incredulously.

"I did. They won't bother either of you again." The Drifter sped back to Clark and Lana. "This was unnecessary. Now our hopes are gone..." He caressed the lovers' foreheads. "As they wished, so shall they be." In a flash, he disappeared with them.

Jonathan leaned against the truck, gasping. With all of the amazement, his heart ached.

"Come on, Mr. Kent, relax. Take a seat," she advised.

"Gotta get to the caves," he whispered weakly in her ear.

"He's somewhere else," she disagreed, guessing Joe was at the Fortress by now. Whatever he has up his sleeve, let's hope the Drifter can do it!

Chapter 4 [Heaven]

Clark blinked and raised his hand to block an intense light. "What? I thought I died."

"You have, Clark," a familiar voice indicated. "We brought you here."

His eyes went wide as he saw Alicia Baker standing by the bedside. "Alicia? B…but. …you're…."

She rolled her eyes. "Even here, your head's denser than your skin! Yes, I'm dead. And so are you!" She turned toward the window. "Can you believe him?"

"Being such has cost all of us, Alicia."

He stared at the brunette standing at the window. "Kyla?"

The Native American skinwalker nodded. "Yes, Clark. You need to open your eyes. Come, there's someone waiting to see you."

He rose cautiously. "Someone? As in?"

Alicia replied, "You'll see….." She took her companions' hands and teleported them away in a green flash.

Lana felt something soft beneath her. Jerking herself to a sitting position, she found herself on a blanket in the midst of a giant meadow whose grass billowed as far as the eye could see. A gentle breeze billowed through her hair. The puffy clouds blew through the sky.

As she moved to take this all in, she knocked a small box over, spilling crayons all over the place.

"What?" She found the scattered colors there…on top of a coloring book and a familiar journal.

"Silly! Now you made a mess!" a voice chided.

Lana's eyes went wide as she recognized its source. In front of her, she saw a brunette girl in a white blouse and blue coveralls licking what looked like a vanilla ice cream cone. "Emily!"

"Course it's me, Lana. You're with us now. Now we can play all we wanna!" her friend insisted.

Recalling the encounters with the little girl's clone, the former cheerleader backed away slowly from the spirit. "I…is it you?"

The youngster pouted. "You're being stupid! Course it's me! Not those creepy ref'ections!"

She turned to run but found another face from her past there: Adam Knight. "Adam?"

"Hello, Lana," he greeted emotionlessly. "It's okay. You're safe now."

She backed away from the duo until hitting something hard. She found herself up against a giant oak which had appeared out of nowhere. "Safe? Safe from what? For whom? You both want to take me to Lionel!"

He shook his head. "Lionel's gone. So are Lex, Clark and you."

"Gone?" She did another visual sweep of the backdrop as well as the two companions and realized, "We're dead!"

"You are good, you know that?" he cracked sarcastically; the smug grin forming on his face.

"What did you do to Clark? Tell me! Is he here?" Lana demanded.

"Course, Silly!" Emily affirmed. "We wanna talk first!"

"Talk?" Lana asked hesitantly.

His right brow arched and he sighed, trying to keep his patience. "Yes, Lana, talk. Don't worry. The Others wanted to say it themselves. He motioned over his shoulder toward the couple approaching.

Lana stared incredulously. This was just too much for words. "I…really am dead."

Adam shrugged. "Yeah. You are."

Chapter 5 [Smallville Regional Medical Center—twenty minutes after the accident]

What had started as a quiet night at the med center quickly turned into a media circus.

Even before the ambulance pulled into the back, the local news hounds had already descended on the facility, looking to confirm the Senator-Elect's condition and the crazy stories from the bridge west of town.

The doors banged open, allowing the EMTs and Chloe to push Jonathan into the facility. During the trip, the patient had struggled to breathe; his heart spasming from the latest attack as his life hung in the balance. "CODE BLUE! OPERATING ROOM STAT!"

Unfortunately, the media mass blocked the way in a mass of rambled questions, flash bulbs and insisted attitudes.

Faced with the options, Chloe shook her head. I can't believe I'm doing this! "Hey! Move it! We can do interviews later!"

"No dice, Sullivan!" Roger Wilkins from the Ledger bellowed. "The Planet's not getting this exclusive to itself!"

Chloe stared incredulously. "This isn't about a damn exclusive! This is about Mr. Kent's life!" She started toward the mob.

[Front]

Meanwhile, Lois sped into the parking lot, pressing the pedal right to the floor and pushing her car for all it was worth. Since the two ambulances had rushed past the Talon, everyone inside knew the worst had happened.

As was her nature, she had taken charge, dismissing the group and escorting Martha to the vehicle.

"We're here, Mrs. Kent!" she declared, pulling a hairpin turn and just avoiding the curb before screeching to a halt. Seeing the trembling passenger beside her, she reiterated, "We're here!"

Martha nodded numbly, undoing her seatbelt and opening the car door slowly.

Lois helped her out of the car and shut the door. "He's going to be all right. He's really going to be fine."

"I…I hope so," Martha sighed as they walked through the front door.

The younger woman nodded as they headed up to the Admissions Desk. Seeing it empty, she yelled, "Hey! We need some info now! It's an emergency!"

The security guard rushed by her. "You'll have to wait! Sorry, Miss, but there's a situation with….." Seeing Martha, he stopped. "You're Martha Kent!"

"That's right, Buddy. What's going on? We want answers and we want them NOW!" Lois demanded.

He looked at Martha anxiously.

"Where are my husband, son and his fiancée? Tell me!" the desperate wife insisted.

"The media circus is blocking them in the back. Some feisty blonde's ramming their way through but they're giving her trouble and….," he started.

"Chloe!" Lois looked at her companion. "Stay with him. I'm going to help her!" Without missing another beat, she took off down the hall, sprinting for all she was worth.

"Hey! Stop! You can't…." He shook his head. "I hope she knows what she's doing."

"She does," Martha concurred. "Can you get me there?" She hung on by a thread but determined not to break down at that point.

"You sure? Can I get you something?" he offered.

She shook her head. "Thank…you but I need to make sure my husband's okay."

"Right this way then, Mrs. Kent," he agreed.

[Back hall]

Meantime, Chloe managed to clear a path through the media at least as far as the door but it was going way too slow. "You want to be responsible for this man's death? Come on!" Clark, I wish you were here right now! The thought of him made her remember the other situations and her dead friends. "No story is worth a man's life!"

But the reporters weren't giving ground either.

She looked back at Jonathan who was holding steady by some miracle. However his vital signs remained dangerously low. Then she saw her cousin rounding the corner. "You might want to give up now, guys."

"Hey! Let them through!" Lois ordered.

The Ledger reporter shook his head. "We're not moving, Toots. What are you going to do? Have us arrested? We're doing our jobs!"

"Funny, killing a senator wasn't there last time I checked, was it, Chloe?" Lois countered sarcastically. She took out her cell phone. "You're sure you're not going to move?"

"The sheriff and the cops couldn't do it. The army might be next, Sweetie," the woman from Granville shot back.

"Now that he's an elected official, absolutely," Lois concurred, pressing the speed dial on the phone.

"What's she doing?" the EMT asked.

"Calling in the cavalry," Chloe answered, judging from Lois' facial expression. "He's going to be so pissed."

[Fort Smithson—Regal, KS]

Even as the crisis developed to the southwest, General Sam Lane returned to his barracks, looking for some much deserved r and r. After returning from Europe and another fruitless search for his daughter, Lucy, he was really wired. "Stupid dumb asses!" he growled, slumping into his favorite easy chair and stuffing one of his fat Cubans into his mouth. Lighting it, he started to relax.

Then a frantic knocking came from the door. "General Lane! Sir!"

He rolled his eyes, recognizing his anal subordinate, Lieutenant Carlos Quinones. "Yeah? Get in here!" When the other nervously entered, shut the door behind himself and saluted his superior, Lane growled, "This has better be the President dying, Quinones!"

"Just about, Sir," Quinones told him while turning on the television and cueing up the broadcast. "It's from Smallville."

"Smallville?" The general frowned so hard that he broke his cigar in half.

The news anchor summarized, "…To recap, everyone. Tragedy hits Smallville tonight. An accident on the Route 40 bridge west of town claimed the life of Lana Lang, the fiancée of Senator Kent's son, Clark. From witness accounts, Lex Luthor fatally shot the younger Kent and caused his political rival to have a heart attack. Then another man appeared with Lionel Luthor, the noted billionaire businessman. This other man murdered both Luthors execution style before disappearing with the bodies of Clark Kent and Miss Lang." Then she listened to her ear piece. "We have an update from Smallville Regional Medical Center. Jeanne, are you there?"

"Yes, Samantha, I am." The medium built sandy haired reporter replied, "I'm here at Smallville Regional where Senator-Elect Jonathan Kent is hanging on. We're trying to get a comment from him but two women are keeping us away…."

"Two women?" Quinones asked.

Lane shook his head. "Lo-Lo." As the camera cut to the standoff, he saw Lois and Chloe, trying to guide the Senator-Elect through the mass of media. "Damn it!"

The reporter quipped, "The taller one's calling someone. Heck of a time for a call, isn't it? Wonder who she's talking to?"

On cue, the phone rang in back of the two officers.

Quinones went for it but the General shook him off, grabbing it. "Yeah?"

"Daddy, it's Lois. I hate to call but…."

"What the Hell's going on down there?" he snapped.

"Chloe and I are trying to get Mr. Kent to the OR but we have a situation. The media aren't responding to us. If we don't get help, the Senator's going to die." He heard her hesitate before asking, "I know you're busy but…Chloe and I…can't deal with this." She started to slip.

Despite the outrage he felt over the situation, he was even angrier over the media spectacle.

And that wasn't counting the joke they were making over Lois and Chloe's efforts.

He had reasons enough to be angry with Lois. But that was between them. Nobody made a fool out of his daughter or niece.

Finally, there was the fact that the man in question was a Senator-Elect and someone to whom he owed a debt.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Tell Chloe not to do anything stupid. That goes for you too, Young Lady. Understand? That's an order!" he affirmed.

"Yes, sir," she agreed. "Thank you, Daddy."

"You're welcome." With that, he hung up and put out what remained of his stogie. "Quinones, fire up the chopper and get me the Governor on the phone. We'll talk in route! Move it!"

The other rushed out the door, knowing better than to even remotely get in General Lane's way at that point. Those news people are toast. Glad it's not me!

The General pulled his boots on and growled low. Marching out the door, he slammed it behind him.

To their credit, his men already had the helicopter blades twirling and building up speed. In addition, they had a cell phone waiting for him.

Two minutes later, the copter lifted off of the ground, speeding through the night toward Smallville and his fresh meat.

Someone was definitely going to pay for this farce. You could count on that….

Chapter 6 [Smallville Regional—12 minutes later]

As promised, the transport landed in the parking lot in record time. Due to his call to Governor Granger, the General saw the police cars from Granville already there with backups on the way from Dodge City. In addition, the governor gave him authority over the whole situation until the former and Smallville's mayor could get down there from Topeka.

As Lane jumped out of the copter, he stomped over to the few Smallville officers and their Granville counterparts. "Who's in charge here?"

"We are, sir. We just arrived, General," the Granville sheriff replied. "The Smallville officers are dealing with the accident victims out on Route 40."

Lane shook his head. "Meantime, you have a US Senator dying in there! Have you spoken to Granger?"

"Yes, General Lane. You're in charge. What's your plan?" the sheriff inquired.

Lane growled, "The plan? Think! Bust a path through those idiots!"

"But the negative publicity…."

"Screw the publicity! We move in! NOW!" the General bellowed. He pointed at the officers. "You six, around back! You four are with me! MOVE IT!" He led the others through the door, heading for the standoff.

Rounding the corner, he saw the media circus still milling around. "All right! Break it up!"

Lois and Chloe looked at each other with relief as they backed out of their relative's way.

"Name's General Sam Lane. Anyhow, the Governor's put me in charge here until we get this cleared up. Right now, Senator Kent is being operated on. Anyone who gets in the way finds themselves in my stockade ASAP! Got it?" the General informed the group tersely.

The reporters parted, allowing a path.

"Get him into surgery now!" the General ordered. After the EMTs rushed him down the hall, he wheeled around to face the cousins. "Okay, you two. I want the full brief and I want it now. Follow me. Quinones, nobody else gets in here. Got it?"

"Yes, General."

The General led the two girls into an empty room and shut the door behind them. "Okay. Give it to me straight. What's going on here?"

Lois looked to Chloe. "You were on the bridge."

Chloe took a deep breath. "We were at the Talon for Mr. Kent's celebration party. Clark took a phone call from Lana. He was pretty upset and took off for….the site. Mr. Kent and I followed. When we got….there, Clark had Lana in his arms. Lex was provoking him. Then they confronted each other…."

"By they, you mean Clark Kent and Lex Luthor?" he insisted.

Chloe nodded. "They were both upset. Mr. Kent held me back." She trembled; the tears flowing from her eyes. "Lex shot Clark. I confronted Lex but that didn't make a difference. He and Mr. Kent argued. Then that mystery guy showed up along with Lex's father." She quivered.

Lois tried to assure her cousin while motioning to her father to back off.

He asked, "And then this mystery man killed the two Luthors and disappeared with Kent's and Lang's bodies, right?"

"Right. He disappeared into thin air. Sorry…." She broke down. "Sorry, Uncle Sam."

His expression softened while embracing his niece. "It's all right, Chloe. Can you track down Martha Kent? I'll need to speak to her next."

"S…sure," Chloe agreed before heading out.

As soon as they were alone, Lois winced. "I tried to help Chloe and I fouled it up."

"Can it, Lo-Lo," he retorted, shutting her up. "The rest of these yahoos fouled it up. For once, you did exactly the right thing. I gather you got Mrs. Kent here?"

"Yes sir."

"And you didn't touch any of those reporters out there?" he inquired.

"Hands off like you taught me," she informed him. "I told them to back off then I called you. With Sheriff Adams' death, I didn't know else to do. Mr. Kent needed help."

He took out a stogie and ripped off the end. "Give me a light."

"Daddy, this is a hospital."

He glared at her. "You see any oxygen in here?"

"No."

"Then give me the damn light already! I know you have that stupid lighter in your purse. Hell, you might as well light up yourself. You're ready to have a full-blown nicotine fit," he insisted.

"Sorry but not for me. I'm really trying to quit," she declined, lighting the cigar for him. While she knew he shouldn't be doing that, she was too shaken up to argue the point. Even so, she wasn't about to welch on that bet with Clark….not even under these circumstances.

"It's going to be okay, Lo-Lo," he reassured her before puffing on his cigar. "Let's hope we got Senator Kent into surgery in time. Otherwise, there's going to be Hell to pay."

"Just keep Mrs. Kent and Chloe out of it. Do whatever to me," she asserted.

"I think Chloe knows more than she's saying but her story matches what I saw on the tape," he noted gruffly. "You and Martha Kent aren't even on my list." Seeing Chloe at the door with Martha, he motioned them inside. "Mrs. Kent?"

"General, I'm sorry. I must be a sight," Martha apologized while entering the room. She trembled noticeably and her eyes were blood shot.

He switched gears, going from interrogator to official in a second. "Mrs. Kent, it's quite all right. You have my sympathy about your son and Miss Lang."

"Thank you," Martha expressed. "Anything on my husband?"

"I ordered them to take him to the operating room. They're doing what they can for him. Meantime, Governor Granger and Mayor Wilson have put me in charge until they get back from Topeka. Would you like something?"

She shook her head. "General, can I say something?"

"Of course."

Martha sighed. "We owe Lois a great deal of thanks for getting this situation under control."

"I know but I appreciate hearing that, Mrs. Kent. Meantime, you should rest. I'll have the doctors wake you when there's news. Lois, can you help her?" he indicated.

"Right." She helped the older woman out the door. "Shut it?"

"Yeah. Thanks." He looked crestfallen at her.

Lois knew that look. He needed space and post-haste. "Come on, Mrs. Kent." She quickly ushered the other out to where Chloe waited for them. Then she closed the blinds and secured the door.

He took out his wallet and looked at the picture inside of his deceased wife. Seeing Martha in that state brought the pain back to him again. While he wouldn't show weakness in front of his men, he had to deal with it. "Chloe and Lo-Lo did us proud, Maggie." With that, he put the wallet away and reapplied the gruff persona.

Time enough for that stuff later. Right now, he had a crisis center to manage.

Chapter 7 [Fortress of Solitude—an hour earlier]

Louise floated back and forth while waiting for Jor-El to return. Due to the connections from the Other Side, she sensed that he had intervened and was in the process of returning.

In a flash, he appeared with Clark and Lana's bodies. Placing them on an ice platform, he looked at them. "What do we do now?"

"First, change back. That will tax you, Joe," she asserted.

He did so, reverting to his spiritual self. How can we save them?

Through our love. She took his hand and gazed into his eyes.

Louise, we can't. There's Lara…and then, there's your mate.

She rolled her eyes. We were forced to marry them! When I died, I was freed from Dex. Lara can't help us now.

He sighed, facing a quandary over this situation. Unlike Earther vows, Kryptonians stayed constant in their thoughts. Still, he knew that Lara had only stayed with him out of duty. While their son had brought happiness to them, Kal-El was the only bond between them. She never loved me the way you did. He floated closely to her. I never forgot you.

I know. She smiled warmly at her lover's spirit before kissing him. And I love you. Now your son and my niece need us! She took his hand in one of hers. In the other, she grasped Lana's left one and put it on Clark's right one. Your turn, Joe.

Jor-El copied her actions, taking her hand and holding his son's left one. Live, Kal-El, for Krypton and our love!

The two spirits focused on the love between them, for the teens and between the latter.

The spiritual triangle lit up the chamber, working magic on who knew what scale…..

Chapter 8 [Heaven]

When Alicia's green smoke effect cleared, Clark and the others found themselves in a large chamber with black marble floor tiles, white pillars and several torches lining the walls.

"Where are we now?" he asked.

"This is the consultative place you might say," Kyla informed him. "We ended up here right after our passing as well. Here, we find out what our issues are and are advised."

"So you two have been here already?" he wondered.

Alicia and Kyla both nodded.

"This is kind of like our penance, Clark. We're allowed to help those we love," the teleporter explained.

"Alicia, I'm sorry about what happened…and that I didn't trust you. Kyla, I should have trusted you and your grandfather when it came to Lex. He was right," he apologized. As he said it, a tear fell from his right eyes, running down his cheek and falling onto the floor.

In that spot, the tile disintegrated, revealing a bare patch of ground. A rose bush sprouted forth, producing fragrant red, white and pink blooms.

"How did that happen?" he queried.

"Love is noted here, Clark," Alicia indicated.

"In this case, your admission, contrition and our friendship made the bush grow. It's a good thing," Kyla added.

Then a short robed figure entered from the shrouded area at the chamber's front.

"That's the Judge," Alicia whispered.

"Judge?" Clark asked in disbelief.

The Judge stood before the trio. "Clark Kent, step forward. Alicia Baker and Kyla Buckwater, you may go."

The guides vanished into thin air.

The Kryptonian looked around anxiously before he approached, stopping about three feet in front of the other figure. "Uh…what did I do or what can I do?"

The Judge considered the teen before continuing, "You have tried to help others with your gifts rather than assert your dominance. You strive to uphold truth and justice. You are a loving family member and friend. There is only one thing I would call into question."

Clark gulped. "Which is?"

"Your placement of trust. While such things are learned, your choices have had consequences. I realize that your parents instilled a reluctance to share your true nature. However, you still trust those you shouldn't and don't trust those that you must."

"What do I do? Before this, I was trying to deal with that," Clark pointed out.

The hooded figure nodded. "Indeed you were. And there is the contrition you showed right here. The consequences of that misplaced trust sent you here. Now you will have to pass a test before you can return to Earth and your life."

"Test?"

"Yes. Your test. In this case, you will be placed into a situation where you will have to exercise trust and judgment. Do you understand?"

Clark nodded. "Yes."

"Then step through the curtain and wait for instructions."

Clark took a deep breath. Then he walked firmly through the curtain.

Now he was on a narrow ledge, almost stepping off into what seemed like a bottomless abyss below. "Whoa!" Looking back over his shoulder, he saw that the curtain had disappeared. "Terrific." Seeing no other option, he leaned back against the hard surface and waited for what would happen next.

Chapter 9

[Green Field—Heaven]

Lana still tried to take in everything going on around her. Besides the fact that she was dead, supposedly in Heaven (or some place just like it) and surrounded by old acquaintances was hard enough.

Now her parents were walking toward her.

"Mom? Dad?" she asked, smiling. She ran toward them, hugging each in turn.

"Yes, Sweetie, it's us," Laura indicated while kissing the top of her daughter's head. "We've been watching, you know."

"I know," Lana replied happily before kissing her father's cheek.

"You've done admirably for someone in your position, Lana. Still you are here," Lewis indicated.

"I'm here? Where is that?" the daughter insisted. "And where's Clark?"

"You've been badly scarred by everything, Lana. Come, there's someone we need to see," her mother directed.

"As for Clark, he is close and yet far. Follow us," Lewis added.

"I guess," Lana agreed albeit cautiously. She turned back toward Adam and Emily. "Thank you for being here."

"Our pleasure," he indicated with a touch of sarcasm.

Emily pouted. "Wanna play!"

"Emily," Laura admonished gently. "He wants to see Lana. We'll play later."

When the little girl had returned glumly to her coloring, Laura explained, "Put the situation with the other Emily out of your mind. This one cares more than anything for you."

"I know. Can I tell her?"

Laura nodded. "We can make time for that."

Lana walked back over to her small friend and stooped over. "Emily?"

"If you wanna go, go!" the little girl insisted.

"I will. I just wanted to thank you for your sacrifice. I'll always love you as a best friend," Lana expressed, hugging the other.

"Really? Thank you." The big dark eyes looked up into the adult's. "That makes me feel good."

"Some day, I'll return. I promise," Lana vowed while kissing her on the forehead. Then she stood up and looked around. "Where's Adam?"

"He's served his purpose," her father indicated. "Follow us now, Honey. Time grows short."

"All right," she agreed, tailing them into a dense thicket of trees.

"Gotta believe, Lana," Emily admonished to the trees before returning to her coloring and the doll lying beside her.

[Marble Chamber]

Lana followed her parents into the marble chamber. She looked around and felt much the same way that Clark did earlier. "What is this place?"

Her mother replied anxiously, "The place where we're judged and are assigned our test."

"Test?" Lana's eyes flitted around the area.

"Yes. Your test." The Judge reappeared. "Your parents may go. This is between us."

"Good luck, Sweetie," Laura wished as she and Lewis vanished.

"Mom! Dad!" Lana called. She turned on the hooded figure. "Where did they go?"

"As I said, they're no longer needed. They have returned to their rest. Step forward, Lana Lang," the Judge explained.

Her eyes narrowed as she did so. "What is this about? And where's my fiancé?"

"Clark Kent is near and waiting for his test as we speak. As with him, you have accounted for yourself well for the most part, surviving constant crises and changes. However, there is still the problem of belief."

She stared incredulously in him. "Belief? Belief in what? The only thing I can't believe is you! Clark and I died! That I believe!"

"Yes, you can believe in that. What you don't understand though is that things aren't always black and white. You need to understand shades of grey. There are levels of belief. Consider your relationship with Clark."

"Excuse me?" She glared at him.

"You've always known that he loves you. Yet you never accepted that he had a reason to keep a secret. The secret you now know," the Judge continued.

"He could have told me! I would have protected him! Didn't I prove that with Lex? Isn't that why I called to warn Clark? I love him!" she countered vehemently.

"But your all or nothing approach has caused issues for both of you. Because of it, he didn't tell you until now. Consider your situation with the Countess Isobel. You could have shared the information sooner. The facts that you did share that information and allowed him to accompany you to China do count in your favor however," the other pointed out. "I have been instructed to test you on your belief. If you pass, you will return to your life. If you fail, you will stay here."

"And Clark? What about him?" she wondered.

"He is under the same conditions. Pray that he trusts enough to pass his way. Pray that you believe enough to pass yours," the Judge asserted. "Pass through the curtain. Time grows short."

"What's through there?" she wondered.

"The test. Everything will be made clear to you there," the hooded one affirmed, pointing to the curtain.

She frowned. No other way out! Clark, I love you. I'm doing this for us. She hustled past the Judge and through the curtain. As with Clark, she found herself in a large expanse standing on a narrow ledge with a chasm looming in front of her. "What? What about the instructions?" When her entreaties met only with silence, she groused, "Terrific!"

Chapter 10 [Dark Chamber—A While Later]

As time on the edge of their precipices meant little in that darkness, the teens sat wondering about their situation and what they had done to provoke it. Both asked themselves about self-doubt. Both reflected on the previous four years.

And then the answer came. Amazingly, it was Clark who realized it first. "I know!"

"What would that be?" the Judge's voice echoed.

Hearing the two voices, Lana called out, "Clark! Where are you?"

"Answer me, Clark Kent."

Clark stared at his accuser. "I need to trust her with everything that I am." He took a deep breath. "I have to trust that she's strong enough to stand alongside me. I can't protect her from everything and everyone no matter how hard I try." He took a deep breath. "I trust in both sides of my heritage—Earth and Krypton."

"Indeed. There is, however, one more thing that you're missing," the Judge told him. "Can you answer me that?"

"What else can I trust in? I mentioned everything!" Clark protested.

"What indeed? The most important factor. You need to tell me what that is."

Clark closed his eyes and ran back through his memories.

In particular, he recalled how his lack of trust and overprotectiveness had cost himself and those around him dearly. In particular, he remembered the conflict with Jor-El at the end of his sophomore year. While done with the best of intentions, he now realized how destroying the Ship, leaving Smallville and his life in Metropolis had put them all in danger.

"There's more," the Judge declared. "Behold."

Clark saw the standoff in the barn with Morgan Edge's men once again…but after he was out cold. As the scene played out, he saw Lana fighting with their captors, defending those she cared about.

He saw the sadness in her eyes and the blood on her hands after the last gangster hung impaled on the pitchfork's tines.

Then he heard Chloe's voice from Metropolis—from the day she found him and Kal in the penthouse—chewing him out over the whole episode. "Do you know what you're doing to us? To Lana?"

Next, he heard Virgil Swann's voice, "It's you who have brought this down on yourself, Kal-El. When I revealed your heritage to you, I thought you were ready. Apparently, I was mistaken…."

Finally, his mother's voice from after his return from Las Vegas the year before: "You do such incredible things every day…and then you turn around and do this? I thought we taught you better than that! Marriage is sacred, a commitment! You showed an incredible lack of judgment."

As then, the tears burned his eyes. "I need to trust myself, my abilities and my instincts. I need to show better judgment."

The figure clapped its hands overhead. "You have passed the first part of the test. Soon, you shall receive the last part. I shall return." With that, it faded away.

"Last part? HEY!" he yelled. "Come back!"

Lana shivered in the dark, trying to think of everything she could to answer the Judge's question. Everything she had experienced and her losses, they had consumed her. "Mom, Dad, Aunt Nell, Whitney and Adam all taken from me. I can never be happy. Why do I keep doing this?"

"Why indeed?" the Judge asked her. "I have not abandoned you, Lana Lang. Rather, I let you consider the question in front of you."

For some reason, she saw the Time cover picture of her in the fairy princess costume again. "I've never let go of that day. People moved on but I haven't." She exhaled, shuddering. "It feels like I'm trying to hold onto sand but I lose more than I grip."

"Go on. I'm listening."

"Anyhow, I guess that because of my past, I want to control everything. Demanding that everything is either black or white, I guess, is that." Her eyes watered. "That's why I drive everyone away. I can't accept them if they lie to me." She slapped her forehead. "And in running from Smallville and Clark, I fell right into Isobel's clutches! If only I believed in him then!" She looked at the cloaked figure. "Everyone has secrets, don't they?"

"You have secrets. My face is concealed, isn't it? Yet you have gone along with this."

"I'm going along with this because of Clark! Because I love him and want to see him again!" she insisted. "You have a secret and that is your reason. Therefore, I'm going along with it…for now!"

"You see the grey now, don't you? And in the worst of times, how much would you believe in him and yourself?"

She replied without hesitation, "I shouldn't have doubted him. I won't make that mistake again." She looked at the figure. "If our love is to have any meaning, I have to believe in him. You're saying that if my life's to have meaning, I have to trust what's happening and deal with it."

"Yes indeed!" The figure clapped its hands overhead. "You have passed the first half of the test, Lana Lang. Soon, the last part will be on you." It floated over the abyss. "Now let there be light!"

Suddenly, the area flooded with a bright yellow light, blinding her.

"Lana? LANA!" she heard him call to her.

As her eyes blurred into focus, she saw her love across the chasm, looking back at her. "Clark! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. You?" he yelled.

"Same here. Did you pass your test?" she called.

"Part 1. I know you passed yours," he told her.

"Did it tell you?" she queried.

"I trust in you, Lana," he replied almost as much to their examiner as to her.

"And my belief in us got me through too. Clark, I'm sorry that I got us into this by going to Paris. Because of that, I brought Isobel into our lives and the problems," she apologized. "If only I had believed in your reasons for keeping the Secret from me. Now that I know what it's like, I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

"It's okay. I didn't trust that you were strong enough to keep it or accept me for who I was. As I said in the Fortress, there are so many times I wanted to tell you." He scratched his head. "Remember when you were talking how people see you differently once they see the other side? In your case, after Isobel came out, remember where I was?"

She shrugged. "Not really. I do know though that when I woke up, you were right there. And you stood by me." She realized, "You fought her, didn't you?"

"I fought for you…and for us," he indicated. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that sooner."

She sighed, "We've hurt each other a lot, haven't we?"

He nodded. "Too much."

She looked out over the chasm between them. "We've caused this. Your lack of trust. My lack of belief."

"I believe in us. I hope you trust me when I say that," he indicated.

She smiled. "I believe in you. Of course, I trust you."

The Judge stepped back in. "And with that…." It waved its hand.

The two precipices shook and creaked. Slowly, they moved toward each other.

"Express yourselves! Stretch out!" the Judge insisted.

Clark stretched out toward her with his right hand. "Come on! You can do it!"

She ground her teeth and did the same with her left hand but couldn't reach him. She looked down into the darkness. She looked at the Judge. "We're here because I didn't believe in him. I do now." She told Clark, "I'm coming to you."

"But…." Then he remembered. "All right. You'd better believe I'm here."

"When I need you. Trust that I'll be right there," she agreed. As she stepped into the abyss, her foot landed on an icy film supporting her weight. "Wow!"

The Judge informed them, "Your mutual feelings formed that."

She looked at her fiancé and let her eyes sparkle at him. "Coming! Catch me?"

"You bet," he agreed, flashing the Kent grin.

She rushed across as fast as she could, not wanting to keep him waiting any longer.

As they met on his side, they embraced tightly, savoring the contact. They kissed passionately.

"Thank you for believing that I was there," he told her.

"Thanks for believing that I could do it, Clark," she replied.

The Judge clapped its hands again, returning them to the marble chamber.

There, Alicia, Kyla, Emily and Lana's parents awaited them.

"You're all back! Yay!" the little girl cheered.

"We are," Clark agreed, rubbing his fiancée's arm. "Thanks to all of you for helping us realize what we were missing."

"Somebody had to, Clark," Alicia jabbed with a warm grin. "You both have something special. Enjoy it."

"We wish that we could be with you. Our place is here," Laura noted.

"We are keeping an eye on you though as is he," Kyla assured the engaged couple.

"You bet," the Judge agreed. "But I always told you to trust each other, didn't I?" He pulled down his hood to reveal his face.

"Ryan!" Lana gasped.

"I should have known you'd be there to steer us in the right direction, Buddy," Clark surmised, smiling. "Can I…are you allowed?"

Ryan grasped both of them in a tight hug. "Sorry I had to come down so hard on you both. Had to do my job, you know."

"We know. Next time though, skip the robes and hood, all right?" Lana requested.

"Sure."

Then they all felt the air pulling at them.

"It's time for you to go. Guys, we'll miss you," Ryan advised them.

"And you," Clark agreed as they said their good byes.

"Be happy," Kyla instructed.

"Take care of each other," Alicia added.

"Come back and play some day," Emily requested sadly.

"We will," Clark promised. He went up to Lana's parents. "I hope you approve."

Lewis smiled warmly. "Of course. Take care of her, Son."

"Welcome to the family, Clark," Laura indicated, kissing his cheek.

He looked back to see Lana's eyes shining at the scene, feeling happy that the last barriers had been overthrown.

With that, they felt themselves being pulled even harder. Grasping hands, they supported each other while disappearing from view.

Behind them, the spirits watched as long as they could. Then they vanished, leaving the chamber empty in their wake.

Chapter 11 [Fortress of Solitude]

Despite Clark and Lana's long journey, only a few minutes had passed in the Fortress. The structure continued to shake and glow under the stress of the process going on below.

Jor-El and Louise continued to pour their energies into Love's triangle, linking them with their descendants below. With each passing second, their efforts weakened them. Still, their mutual feelings sustained them through the pain.

Live! He implored them.

Have faith, Joe! She reminded him. Then she noticed the other couple's fingers twitching. Did you see?

They live! He watched them carefully. Kal-El?

Clark groaned while opening his eyes. "Jor-El?" He looked around. "We're back in the Fortress!"

"We are?" Lana queried drowsily. She sat up and looked at the two spirits. "Who are you both?"

Our apologies, Lana. Her great-aunt changed into her solid form, resembling the younger woman's near twin. "I'm your Great Aunt Louise. And this is Joe, the one you call the Drifter."

Her eyes went wide. "How did you do this?"

"Anything is possible when one's children are at stake, Lana," Jor-El explained. "Kal-El loves you."

"Kal?" She looked at Clark. "Who's this Kal-El?"

"That's my birth name, Lana. This is Jor-El, my birth father," Clark declared.

"We finally meet," Lana commented. "You approve?"

Jor-El held Louise's hands and looked into her eyes warmly. "You are so much like Louise, how could I not? Stand together always." They changed back into their spirit forms. Our bringing you back has a price though.

Louise informed them, We sacrificed ourselves so that our love could live on through you. Remember us.

Thank you, Clark expressed.

"We love you," Lana added.

The two spirits nodded in affirmation before dissipating like fog on the morning wind. And we, you….

"They're gone," she declared.

"It's weird. For so long, I hated Jor-El for being around. Now I miss him," he assessed.

She smiled. "I'm sorry we didn't get to know him better, Clark. Still, I feel blessed. This is a one of a kind place and you're special too."

"I feel the same. I hope you don't mind if we spend the rest of our lives exploring how special it is," he hoped.

"That's what I had in mind," she agreed. "Come on; let's go home."

"Sounds great," he concurred, sweeping her up in his arms. Then, he looked at the key. "Let's take the Express." Balancing her on his left arm, he touched the disc with his right hand, teleporting them away in a flash of light.

Chapter 12

[Smallville, Kent Farm—Dawn]

With Lois and General Lane watching things at the hospital, Chloe drove Martha back to the farm. With Jonathan hanging in there following his latest surgery, the two women decided to deal with the chores, get a few hours of rest and then head back to the hospital.

Chloe looked over at her passenger. "You don't have to do all of that. I can help you and then head home."

Martha shook her head. "Chloe, you've stood beside us all night. For that and helping with the chores, you get a hot meal and a nap. I appreciate everything that you, Lois and your uncle did last night."

The younger woman waved it off. "Mrs. Kent, after everything you and Mr. Kent have done for us, it's time we did something for you."

Martha smiled. "By keeping Clark's secret, you do that every day, Chloe. You, Pete and Lana have supported us and been patient with Clark when he needed to deal with his issues. Believe me, it goes both ways." At the mention of the two missing teens' names, she began to quiver again. "I…I…can't believe they're gone."

"Mrs. Kent, we'll find them. One way or the other. Seriously, between a US Senator and a three star general, I don't think anyone's going to argue. Then you have Lois and me pushing the bushes."

Knowing how determined that quartet would be, Martha nodded. "Thank you, Chloe."

As they hit the last mile before the house, the sun rose over the eastern horizon.

"Sun's up," Chloe indicated, trying to stay upbeat. As with the older woman beside her, the mourning swoon was crashing against her psyche. I won't break down yet. No, I can't.

Seeing the water welling up in the driver's eyes, Martha assured her, "It's okay. I know how much they mean to both of us."

"Let's get to the farm first," Chloe retorted, hitting the gas in a race between her emotions and resolve. She turned the corner into the driveway and hit the brakes. "Safe," she sighed. Then she put her head against the dashboard. "S…sorry."

"Let it out," Martha advised; her maternal instincts overriding her own grief. She hugged the teenager. As she rocked her younger friend, she noticed the lights on the kitchen and barn. "What?"

"What is it, Mrs. Kent?"

"The lights are on in the house and barn. They were off when we left last night."

Chloe frowned. "Somebody's about to get a load of me!" In full-blown Hazel Fury mode, she wiped the last of the tears away and stormed toward the house.

"Wait! We should call the police or your uncle!" Martha indicated.

Chloe ignored her, going into the house. What she saw made her stop dead in her tracks. "MRS. KENT!"

[Ten minutes earlier]

After ending up back in the Caves, Clark and Lana rushed back to the farm, looking to let everyone know that they were all right. Upon arriving, they saw that everything was uncharacteristically dark.

She looked at her watch's lit face. "It's quarter of five. Shouldn't they be up?"

"You'd think," he indicated, feeling concerned. "Stay here." He sped into the house and searched it before doing the same for the barn. "Nobody's here. The chores haven't been done. This isn't like Mom and Dad."

"Maybe they're out looking for us?" she suggested.

"That is if Lex hasn't done anything to them," he worried.

She sighed. "We're going to have to do something about him. The question is how."

He shook his head. "We'll worry about him later. Right now, I want to make sure everything's okay here first. Can you go in the house and call the Talon? Maybe Lois might know something. I'm going to make sure the basic chores are done. Dad and I can deal with the rest of them later."

She almost disagreed with him but then remembered Ryan's message about trust and belief. Besides, he was right. Their disappearance was causing chaos for sure. By taking some responsibility and not running away from it, they would justify their friends' faith. "Okay."

He rushed into the barn and surveyed the situation. At super speed, he changed the animals' hay and filled their troughs with feed and water. Then he milked the cows, making sure not to hurt them in the process. "We can strain this later." He put the lid on the milk pail and hustled back to the house. Walking in, he found her listening to the receiver intently.

She set the phone down. "No answer at the Talon or the sheriff's department. I don't get it. There can't be that many people out looking for us."

"Something else is going on," he suspected warily. Seeing the sun rising, he added, "Someone should be up in town. Maybe we should check the medical center."

She sighed, recalling the crash she and Lex had caused on the bridge. "Hopefully the people in the bus are all right."

"We'll find out soon enough," he replied. "As soon as we eat something, I'm heading back for town. Lana…."

"I'll stay here just in case. I'll be fine," she agreed. Seeing the instinctive doubt forming in his eyes, she reminded him, "Clark. Trust, remember?"

"Right." Opening the cabinets, he removed a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter and rapidly made himself a sandwich.

While she knew about his abilities, she still stared as he went through the motions. "I've heard of breakfast on the go but wow!"

He shrugged. "Time crunch." He embraced and kissed her. "If I hear anything, I'll call you on your cell."

But before he could leave, the door swung open, admitting Chloe.

The teary-eyed yet determined reporter stared in wonder; her jaw just about hitting the floor. "MRS. KENT!"

Martha rushed to her side and stared at the revived couple. "Clark? Lana?"

"Mom!" he cheered, running to hold her tightly.

She returned the embrace, grasping him tightly against herself. "I can't believe it! Your father said you both died."

From where she and Chloe did the same thing, Lana explained, "We did."

"It's a long story," he declared.

"Knowing you, Farm Boy, I'm sure," Chloe interjected. "You know your second revival act's made the news?"

Clark and Lana looked anxiously at each other. "It did?"

"The medical center was a media feeding frenzy. Lois had to call in her father," his mother reported.

"The General?" Clark asked, wincing, recalling the last time he and Lois' father had crossed paths. "Where's Dad? Is he okay?"

Chloe sighed. "After Lex shot you, Clark, your two fathers confronted him." She took a deep breath and started over. "First, Mr. Kent was going to confront him and had a heart attack. Then the Drifter showed up. Somehow, he made Lionel appear there." She winced.

Lana shook her head. "What did he do?"

"He…murdered Lex and Lionel right there, disintegrated them in plain sight. Then he disappeared with you both." Chloe looked at him. "The driver saw you, Clark, and everyone watched Jor-El. That's why the reporters mobbed the hospital last night. They wanted the Truth. You can thank Lois and me for holding them back."

"Great," Clark lamented.

"Count your blessings," Chloe told him. "The General dispersed them before we had to reveal anything. The driver had a bad concussion so he's not going to say anything. Still, you do need to be more careful."

"I know. Thanks," he expressed. "Can Lana and I see Dad?"

"Take the Speedy Express. You don't want to get caught in town by anyone," Chloe noted. She grinned and shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe I'm helping you to avoid being interviewed. Unbelievable!"

"As I said before, you understand the magnitude of what's going on, Chloe," Martha assured her. "Clark mentioned that he had told you, Lana. How are you doing with the Secret?"

Lana shrugged. "It was a little much at first, Mrs. Kent, but then, I realized how special Clark really is. Besides, now I don't have to wonder what's going on. Also, that's why I called him. I won't ever reveal his Secret." She looked into his eyes. "I'd rather die first."

"I knew you'd handle it like that," Martha indicated while hugging her. "Welcome to the family. Now you two get to the medical center. Just be careful."

"We will be. What room is he in?" Lana queried.

"221. Up the stairs and to the right," Chloe noted. "Lois is watching him so be careful."

"Right." He picked Lana up in his arms. "Ready?"

"This is going to take some getting used to," she replied before they streaked off into the early morning toward town.

"Every time I see that, I think it's amazing," Chloe revealed.

"He is amazing but so are all of you. Let's fix breakfast," Martha told her guest while heading for the kitchen.

[Smallville Regional Medical Center—6:02 AM]

Much to the night shift's relief, General Lane and the police had quieted things down around the facility. While still animated from the activity, eventually the patients did drift off to sleep.

In his room, Jonathan slept soundly. Beside him, the monitors beeped away steadily and a half-full cup of water sat waiting for his next bout with thirst. While he was still considered critical, the doctors had taken him off of the respirator a couple of hours before.

Lois sat half-awake by the door, peering at the patient. Besides the fact that the General had ordered her to man the post so to speak, she felt an obligation to the new Senator-Elect. After all, despite her less than stellar attitude around the farm during the previous year, he had been very patient with her, instilling a great deal of advice and direction into her—in addition to a roof over her head.

As such, nothing hostile was coming through that door. No way. No how.

Then she heard the knob turning and the door creak open. Now what? She shook herself awake before doing a double take as Clark and Lana tip toed into the room.

"How do you think he is?" Lana whispered while keeping an eye on the hallway. "I hope nobody catches us up here."

"Too late, Lana," Lois informed her. "I see Clark's been teaching you his so-called sneaking skills. Not bad, Smallville. You did get past my Dad's security again."

"Hi to you too," he retorted, not really feeling up to verbal judo with her at the moment. He looked at his father. "He looks okay."

"We got him into surgery in time. What a circus downstairs," Lois detailed. "Speaking of circuses, how'd you pull this resurrection number off, Clark?" She arched her eyebrow.

"We had a near death experience, Lois," Lana explained.

"At the hands of that Drifter guy from what Chloe said." Lois looked back at the patient before whispering, "We should discuss this later."

"It's…'kay, Lois," Jonathan murmured while opening his eyes.

"Dad!" Clark exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

"You're back and you brought Lana with you," the Senator-Elect whispered. "That's another time we've cheated death, Son." His eyes watered as he looked into his son's eyes. "Lana, come closer."

"Sorry, Mr. Kent, I wanted to give you and Clark your family time." She sighed uncomfortably.

"Lana, it's our family time. You're…going to be my daughter-in-law. Besides, I'm proud of how you…stood up to Lex last night. When I…get out of here, we'll talk about that…wedding." He looked at his former campaign manager. "Talk to Lois….Sorry, need to sleep."

"You do that," Lana agreed while kissing his cheek. She smiled in relief. "He accepts me."

"Of course he does," Lois agreed, not getting the full implications of what was being said. "Anyhow, sorry to be like this, but the General's on his way and…."

"He's here," Clark clarified, wincing as Lois' father entered the room.

"I need a word with you three downstairs if you don't mind," the General growled.

"General," Jonathan rasped.

"Senator Kent, you're awake!" the officer realized.

"Go easy on them. They've had it rougher than we have…." He took another breath. "I appreciate it…."

While he wanted to press the two teens for the entire story, he didn't want to risk stressing the patient out by harassing the latter's son and future daughter-in-law. "Fine. Lois, Captain Brown's outside. Let's go."

The trio followed the General to his makeshift "command post," the commandeered hospital room.

"Close the door behind us, Mr. Kent, and take a seat." The elder Lane planted himself in the chair behind a folding card table and produced a stogie. "Lois, do you mind?"

Lois sighed, not wanting Clark to watch her waiting on anyone. "Don't worry, Clark, I haven't touched them."

He took a couple of puffs of the cigar and scrutinized the revived duo. "While I appreciate your concern for her welfare, Mr. Kent, we have the bigger matter in front of us." He opened the file in front of them. "According to my niece, you were both dead at the accident scene. Yet here you are not even…" He studied his watch carefully. "…twelve hours later, alive and standing in front of me. Care to explain how you managed that?"

Lana squirmed while feeling the heat of his stare shoot through her. Despite that, her increased self-belief and reliance enabled her to think on her feet. "The last thing I remember was being in my car. Then I woke up beside Clark right outside of the Caves just before dawn."

Clark concurred, "Except for being shot, that's my story too, sir."

The General squinted menacingly at them, wanting to squeeze them as much as his teeth worked the cigar over in his mouth. "And the man who took you both from the site? You didn't see him, did you?"

The two teens shook their heads. "No, Sir."

"He was long gone by the time we woke up," Clark added.

"Hrumph! He's wanted for the murders of Lionel and Alexander Luthor. Too bad you two didn't have any information." The General shook his head while leaning back in his chair and studying the duo again. Does everyone have something to hide in this blasted town? Just like with Chloe, they know something. He locked eyes with them. "You will tell me if you see him. Won't you?"

The teens nodded.

"Good. Fortunately for you two, you were both the victims here. I hate hoaxes and sideshow stunts on my watch! That's all. Dismissed," the elder man retorted.

"That means you can go," Lois added.

Her father glared at her. "I think it's pretty clear what 'dismissed' means, Lois."

Clark had to fight not to roll his eyes. "Thank you, General."

"We appreciate your concern, Sir," Lana expressed.

"Just doing my job, Miss Lang. Still, you should be more careful when you're driving. Am I clear?"

Lana nodded. "Right."

"Excellent. By the way, congratulations are in order. That's a nice ring," General Lane commented.

"Thank you," Clark told him. "Well, we need to be getting home to check in on Mom and Chloe."

"I'll drive you," Lois insisted. "Don't want you doing anything else, Clark."

He frowned but Lana accepted, "Thanks, Lois. We appreciate it."

"Take care of them, Lois," her father instructed before the trio left. Afterwards, he shook his head and went back to his paperwork, preferring to focus more on the bigger picture than on two lucky teenagers.

Chapter 13 [Later that Afternoon]

[St. Patrick's Cemetery-Granville]

After grabbing a six hour nap, Clark and Lana were back on the road again. This time, they had friends to reassure and remember. Giving his legs a rest, they rode in Jonathan's truck across the county line and into Granville. After a stop at Sam's Flowers in the town center, they arrived shortly thereafter to visit their three friends there.

First, they stopped by Kyla's marker. Judging from the neatly trimmed area around the stone and the fresh violets lying at its base, her grandfather had been there recently.

"Hi, Kyla," he greeted. "We wanted to say thank you for what you and the others did for us. We know you'll be watching us." He laid a mixed arrangement of wild flowers and roses beside the violets.

"Those are from both of us." After setting down the two pots of flowers she still held, Lana held out her wrist to show the bracelet. "Not that I need to but I wanted you to see that you won't be forgotten. Thank you."

They stood silently there for a minute before moving on to their next stop. Reaching Alicia's stone, they found it largely unkempt with tall grass and a few weeds around it. Obviously, her mother hadn't been there in quite a while.

"Clark, this is so sad. I mean, I know she tried to kill us once but…." She bowed her head.

"But she made up for it in the end," he completed the thought. "Just a minute." He looked around to make sure he was clear. Then he sped back and forth with a bag of lawn tools. "Landscaping or flowers?"

"Flowers," she noted, setting one pot of lilacs in each of the base's holders. "You think she'd like that?"

"They were her favorite flowers," he indicated while cutting away the weeds and reducing the grass to a respectable length. "There!" He grinned. "A lot better. Hope that's okay, Alicia. I promise I'll get over here more often. I know what it means to be alone and…to well…to have to hide who I am from the world. But you cared about me for who I am. I won't forget you."

"We won't forget," Lana agreed. "I'm sorry I couldn't see that you were trying to change. Chalk it up to jealousy or whatever. I don't know. For what you did to help us, I hope you're resting easier now." A few shame-filled tears drizzled down her cheeks.

He embraced her. "She knows but I think she'd appreciate what you said. That took a lot for you to say, Lana."

"Part of believing in others, right?"

"Right," he agreed as they gazed upon the marker again. "She died trying to change. By the way, she's the reason Chloe knows about me."

"I wondered about why you were so open around her. Alicia told her?" she supposed.

"She set me up, wanting to force me out into the open. Fortunately, she underestimated Chloe's integrity. In the end, it's worked out, Lana. I'm glad that you and Chloe both know about me. That's another gift that Alicia gave us." He traced the deceased's name with his fingertips.

She nodded silently, musing over what he had just said.

"Sorry we have to go but we'll be back, Alicia. Thank you for everything." He kissed his fingertips and planted the gesture on her stone. With that, he led her from the area toward the last stop toward the back of the cemetery.

As they arrived at Emily's stone, they found the deceased girl's adult clone waiting for them.

"Surprised to see me?" the clone supposed almost sarcastically.

"After the way our day's been going, not really," he replied almost wearily. "We just wanted to say thanks for your help earlier." Seeing the angry expression on the other's face, he held up his hand and pointed to the ground. "Actually, her help. Sorry, Emily."

"Grownups said you were dead!" she snapped.

Lana patiently explained, "Yes, we were dead. We went somewhere where I saw my parents and our friends. The other Emily helped us there."

"Oh. And those pretty flowers are for her?"

"And for you," Lana added, handing her a flower.

"Thanks, Lana. I appreciate it. I'm glad you both are back. See you around," Emily concluded before streaking away from them.

"That was really strange!" Lana exclaimed while setting the flowers down and making sure everything was in order.

"That's Emily." He shrugged. "At least, she didn't start a fight or anything. Let's be grateful for that."

She nodded. "I guess. Sorry, I still remember that whole ordeal from two years ago." She took a deep breath and kneeled on the ground. "Hi, Emily. Clark and I wanted to thank you for talking to us before. You were a big help. You'll always be a best friend to me." She stood up and looked around. "I hope she understands that."

"She knows we care about her. That's really what she wants to know," he noted caringly. "We need to be getting back to Smallville. I want to see the others before we visit Dad."

She smiled. "Sure thing, Clark. Lead on."

[Smallville Cemetery—An hour later]

After making the trip back to the Smallville Cemetery, the duo inspected and thanked each of their friends and family in turn. In each case, the experience helped to complete the healing process, enabling them to move forward.

In Lana's case, her talk with her parents really set her mind at ease. It had been so long since she had visited there much less had a heart to heart talk with them. She felt better in letting them know that she didn't take them for granted.

For their ultimate stop, they headed for a flat ground marker set off to the very back corner of the cemetery. As with Alicia's grave, Louise's spot had been neglected with tall grass surrounding it so that one barely even knew she was there.

"How could the McCallums do this? Surely, Uncle Dexter's folks would have seen to this," Lana supposed.

"They probably never knew her. To them, she died young and cheated on him with Jor-El," he presumed. "Still, someone should've taken better care of her plot."

"We can do that from now on, Clark," she indicated. "We owe that to her and your Dad."

"Owe what?"

The duo turned to see Chloe standing behind them. "Chloe!"

"Sorry. I really wasn't sneaking up on you." The reporter squirmed anxiously. "I was on my way to the medical center and saw the truck out in front. So while you two were in the Twilight Zone, you met her?"

"She worked with the Drifter to bring us back," he explained.

Chloe scanned the area to make sure nobody was listening in. "So where did you go anyhow?"

"This arctic place," Lana commented.

"Oh. That place Clark's Dad made. Okay. That makes sense," Chloe rationalized. "The two of them revived you. Then what? What happened to them?"

"They're us now, I guess," he surmised. "After they recharged us, they vanished. Jor-El talked about a balance. To bring us back, they sacrificed themselves."

"And what about Lex and Lionel then?" Chloe supposed.

"Jor-El was never slow about dealing with potential threats. Remember that FBI agent that worked with Lex to bring Lionel down? He was disintegrated too." He sighed. "Still, I didn't want Lex dead."

"We know that, Clark," his fiancée assured him. "Maybe now, he's able to be the guy we knew and worked with. Maybe not as dark. Hopefully he's with Julian and his Mom right now."

"I hope so. I know that I'll be praying for him," Chloe declared sadly. "The funeral was today by the way. Lots of business people and that sort of thing. Very dry and boring. I waited until the service was over before I paid my respects."

"We should do that, Clark," Lana pointed out. "Despite what's happened with the Teagues and Isobel, Lex was still our friend."

"We'll go this weekend," Clark agreed. "Let the dust settle a bit first." He turned back to Louise's plot. "Be right back." He sped back and forth with the landscaping gear again. "Let's get this straightened out."

The two girls readily agreed and they set to work, showing their gratitude for the loving sacrifice of the deceased in their regard.

Conclusion

[A year later—St. Mary's Cathedral, Topeka, KS]

Lana stood in front of the mirror, frowning at her appearance. Despite Chloe's reassurances, she felt less than satisfied with her appearance. Her mother's dress fit her perfectly, needing only the smallest of alterations. The best stylists and makeup people had worked on her all morning. "I wish I looked better."

"The Senator's daughter—or soon to be daughter—is unhappy about being fixed up by the elite salon outside of Metropolis?" Chloe grinned. "Better get used to it, Lana."

Lana shrugged. "They can do this. Clark and I are running the farm." She smiled warmly. "You know how many times I stood in his Loft and dreamed of this?"

The matron of honor sighed, "Yeah. We both did." Then she smiled. "At least, I have someone standing by me…or rather opposite me."

Lana stared at her. "Really? You and Pete?"

Chloe nodded. "He's always loved me. I guess I was so busy competing with you for Clark that I never saw it. We'll see how it goes…."

Lana agreed, "I think that'll be great. You know if there's anything Clark and I can do…."

"Yeah we know." Chloe heard a knock at the door. "Yes?"

Pete stuck his head in the door. "Hey, Chloe, I hate to rush you but he's about to have a heart attack downstairs."

Both ladies giggled, imagining how Clark was reacting at the moment.

"You two are evil," he told them with a smirk. "No guy, special or not, can deal with that."

"Really? Careful, Mr. Ross, I'll have to try that sometime!" his girlfriend teased, giving him a kiss. Then she noticed Jonathan standing by the door. "Mr. Kent, we're ready."

"Almost," Lana agreed, putting on her veil and train. "I hope I'm good enough. We've both waited long enough for this day."

"You're perfect, Lana," Jonathan assured her, hugging her. "Never worry about what we think of you. And by the way, from now on, it's Dad. Got it?"

Lana chuckled anxiously. "Okay, Dad." She grinned as she embraced him tightly. "I've never heard of a father of the 'both parties'."

"Guess we'll have to make that one up, won't we?" he supposed. "Follow me, Kids. Pete and Chloe, head on downstairs. We'll wait outside for our cue.

The two couples headed down the stairs. As the Kents waited outside, Chloe and Pete headed into the cathedral's service area. There, the seats were packed with political and familiar well-wishers.

Clark talked with his mother in front when he saw them approaching, "Is everything okay?"

Pete and Chloe looked at each other and grinned.

"Now, Clark, be patient," she advised.

"As if you could ever wait for a surprise, Chloe," Clark retorted.

"True," she admitted. "But this one is worth it." She raised and lowered her eyebrows saucily while getting into position.

"Deep breaths, Smallville," Lois advised from the front row.

"Can't resist, can you?" Clark rolled his eyes.

"Somebody's gotta make sure you don't die up there," Lois retorted.

"That's my job," Pete noted, guiding his anxious friend to their spots. "How ya doing, Clark?"

"Trying to believe this is really happening," Clark replied.

"Dude, relax. Everything's as it should be," Pete insisted, rubbing his friend on the back. He and the priest exchanged nods.

The latter cued the organ.

A minute later, the doors opened.

With surprising grace for two people so nervous, Jonathan guided Lana down the aisle toward the front.

Reaching the priest, Jonathan put her hand in his son's. "Take care of her, Son."

Clark took a deep breath and smiled, feeling his heart soaring. He leaned close to his bride. "You're beautiful."

She blushed under the veil. "Thanks. You look handsome too."

With that, the priest opened his Bible, joining them in a bond approved by both Heaven and Earth.

And in such ways, faith and belief were rewarded for all…..

THE END