Author's Notes: Thanks everyone for your continued support and all the other things in between. My apologies for the delay. was funky this morning, it wouldn't upload right and I was on a business trip since Wednesday so things have been a bit hectic for me lately. This story will be completed.

Chapter 8

She took tentative steps up the wooden stairs of his loft. As she ascended higher and higher she could see Kent staring aimlessly into the sky, the sun rising overhead. Something told her that whatever questions he had in his mind, he'll find the answers out there.

"Breakfast's ready," Lois announced.

Kent didn't acknowledge her presence and thought maybe she should leave him alone.

Fortunately, she didn't because this world she apparently lived in has a way of making all Clark Kent's brood.

When he returned from the fields last night without Clark, she and Mrs. Kent knew immediately what may have happened. Mrs. Kent kept herself as busy as possible the moment she woke up, cooking them breakfast that could feed an entire platoon. She wasn't ready to acknowledge that her son could be truly gone.

"It wasn't your fault."

Another wave of silence flew between them.

"I'm here," she started, stopping in between her thoughts. "If you need me." She paused again. "I don't mind listening." She was rocking on her heel now, waiting. "You can yell at me if you want, it'll get some of that anger out. I've done it myself – not to me of course – anyway, it's cathartic."

Kent chuckled.

Even when things looked bleak and the world felt like it was fighting against you, Lois always knew how to make him smile.

Lois's eyes darted away briefly before looking back at him, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"What?" she asked.

Kent shook his head. "Nothing. I love it when you babble like that."

"I don't babble," she said flatly.

"Are you kidding? You're a brook."

Lois's eyebrows narrowed.

"A what? I'm a what?"

Kent smiled. "Thank you."

Lois shrugged. "Any time."

Lois woke up to the side of an empty bed. She left Clark's room and headed downstairs to see Mr. and Mrs. Kent having coffee together in the kitchen.

"Where's Clark?" she asked.

Martha smiled weakly before facing her husband.

"He's been at the barn all morning," Jonathan revealed. "I tried talking to him but he seems afraid to be around me. I'm not really sure why though."

Lois inhaled deeply, reality calling forth for her to charge into the barn loft and deal with whatever is happening head on.

"I'll check it out," she said, exiting the kitchen before Mr. or Mrs. Kent had time to protest.

By the time Lois reached the loft, she found Clark on the ground trying to piece his old telescope together.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she took in the scene before her.

Clark tried not to focus his attention to her in fear he'll get lost in the dream all over again.

"What happened to this?"

"I took it apart," she answered.

It definitely hit a nerve because now his head snapped up and looked at her with unfamiliarity.

"Why?"

"I got bored yesterday so I decided to clean your optics. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. I was gonna put it back together."

Clark sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind."

"I can tell."

It's been a long time since he put together a telescope from mere pieces before, and without the instructions, it made it even harder for him. All he could do now is piece it back together like a puzzle in hopes the piece fits. And in the back of his mind, he hoped he didn't look like an idiot in front of her.

He could feel Lois's grinning smile.

Frustrated when two pieces won't connect, he dropped it and sighed.

"You're better at this than I am," he confessed.

Lois laughed disjointedly. He was the one who taught her how to take it apart and put it back together in the first place.

"Are you okay?" she asked seriously.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be," he said avoiding eye contact.

"You've been pretty distant all night, and from what your parents can tell, all morning too."

"It's nothing."

"You were gone for almost a week, Clark," she reminded him, setting them both back down to reality.

"I know," he lied.

This is new for Lois. She's not used to her boyfriend hiding from her. Even when they first met, he expressed how he felt about her very openly. Their flirting, as Chloe described it, was that of a 'fireworks variety.' And while it took her a while, she finally found the courage to take that leap of faith so many romantics love to talk about.

And she fell in love with him.

Now he's being broody and stubborn and she can't have that. She could only handle one thing at a time and last she remembered, being stubborn was her forte.

"You can talk about it, you know."

"I'm sorry. I'm not ready."

Lois nodded and decided to take another approach as his third attempt to put his telescope together failed, she kneeled down besides him and handed him the part that connected the two together.

"Thanks," he said, slightly embarrassed by his own ignorance.

It's becoming pretty obvious that he wasn't going to budge on the subject so Lois let it go just this once. She just hoped that whatever it is, he would be comfortable enough to share it with her.

That's all she could hope for.

When Lois headed back into the house, her cell phone began to ring. She saw who it was on the screen and immediately answered.

"Talk to me, Chlo."

"It's a long shot, Lois, but it's the only theory I have."

"I'll take anything right now if it would make him happy again," she admitted much to both ladies surprise.

"Lois," Chloe started with that tone of hers.

Lois sighed.

Who was older here?

"You're not still flirting with him, are you?" her younger cousin inquired.

"Not intentionally."

"Lois!"

"I'm kidding – sort of. Anyway, that's not what you should be focusing about right now. About those theories of yours, what have you got?"

Chloe sighed and decided to get on with it. The reason she was being so uptight over the idea of Lois falling for Kent was because the other day, Clark had speeded to the Daily Planet and hesitantly revealed to her that Lois of the other world was Kent's girlfriend.

If she could fall in love with Kent over there, it was more than likely that Lois would share similar feelings here in their world.

She didn't want her to get hurt over someone – in a way – she already had.

That was confusing.

"Both storms hit on a Saturday night, so I'm thinking…"

"That it'll happen again this Saturday," Lois completed. It can't be that simple. A five year old could've thought of that possibility.

Chloe sighed. "It's all I got."

Lois sighed as well. She wondered maybe if there was a university out there that taught inter-dimensional theory and how it could possibly occur. She won't hold her breath but after today, she might right a book about it and sell the movie rights for a hefty price.

She shook those thoughts away.

No time for joking at a time like this.

Day Two.

Clark speeded off and stopped by the Kawatche Caves. He made excuses to stay away from the Farm as much as possible, but not long enough that it'll cause them to worry.

He couldn't allow himself to divulge in a life that truly didn't belong to him.

He couldn't do that to Kent.

Inside the caves, he wondered what his life would be like if never fell into it. Would his father still be alive? Would he and Lana have ever gotten together? Would he have ever met Lois?

Those questions plagued his mind.

Who would he be if he hadn't found it?

Clark positioned his hand on the wall and it slowly opened. He sighed in relief. Everything remained the same.

He found the key hidden safely in his room and placed it in the slot, the familiar blinding light engulfing him until he wasn't in Kansas anymore.

Standing inside the Fortress of Solitude, he felt strangely connected to it. A feeling he's never felt before in the Fortress of his world. This place made him feel safe but that couldn't be.

He hated this place and everything it represented.

"Kal-El," a voice said, startling him.

He didn't recognize it because of the tone he used.

It was… soft.

Completely unfamiliar to him.

"How can I help you, Kal-El?"

And near. The voice felt so near it's as if he was speaking right in front of him. It didn't boom across the room as it normally would, or that he was normally used to.

Normal?

Nothing about his life was normal.

Clark turned and stared into the face of a man he didn't recognize. He stumbled back, tripping to the floor as he did so.

"Who – who – who are you?"

"I am Jor-El," the holographic-like man answered automatically.

"Jo – " Clark's mouth gaped open.

It couldn't be.

"Father?"

He wasn't the cold looking man he had envisioned him to be all these years. He was an imposing figure dressed in clothing he could only surmise as Kryptonian, but there was something in his eyes that showed something different.

Sadness.

Compassion.

Love.

It couldn't be, he told himself over and over.

He's not real.

"I am Jor-El."

"Are – are you my father?"

"I was once," he answered as if he had gone through this before. "I'm a holographic representation of the man that was Jor-El."

"Who am I?" he asked, choking back tears.

"You're name is Kal-El. And you're the only surviving son of the planet Krypton. Your mother Lara and I sent you to a planet called Earth in the hope that you would be given a chance at life. A life we couldn't give you."

"You don't want me to rule?"

Jor-El looked confused by the question but continued nonetheless.

"You were raised by humans but you're not one of them." Clark held his breath at what was about to come. Fear that this version, no matter how kind looking he is, was the same as the figure he knew back home. "They're a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be, but they lack the light to show them the way. For this, above all, I send them you. My only son."

At this, Clark began to show his tears.

Jor-El softly added with a sadness reflected in his son's eyes. "My only hope beyond our deaths is that your home doesn't befall the same tragedy as Krypton's."

Then he suddenly disappeared, as if it was turned off.

"Who are you?"

Clark turned and faced Lois Lane at the control section looking back at him with a mixture of wariness and anger in her eyes.

"I'll say it again. Who are you?"

End of Chapter 8