Chloe was awakened by the knock on her door. She climbed out of bed and grabbed her pink satin robe. She walked out of her bedroom and into the living room. The knocking on the door also awakened Lois.
"Who the hell comes by at 2 o'clock in the morning?" Lois complained.
"I'm the editor of the ledger and if something big happens I have to know." Chloe explained.
"Something "big" like a mass cow tipping?" Lois said.
"Lois go back to sleep." Chloe said. Lois was about to but she wanted to know what it was coming a ruining her dreams. Chloe looked through the peephole and saw Clark standing at on the other side of the door. She unlocked the door and opened it.
"Sorry I came by so late but I need to talk to you." Clark said.
"Sure, Lois I'll be back." Chloe told her cousin.
"Yeah, like I said cow tipping." Lois said then she went back to sleep.
Chloe led Clark outside the apartment, down the hall and then up a small flight of stairs to the roof of the Ledger. She opened the door and walked on to the roof. The cold night air quickly went through her sheer robe. Clark took off his red jacket and wrapped her in it.
"Thanks, so what up?" Chloe asked.
"I had a dream it was odd. I saw flashes of everyone I know and care about. Then there was blurs of two people I never knew and then there was flashes of lights and explosions." Clark explained.
"Was that it?" Chloe asked.
"No, it all ended when Jor-El said, "It's time"." Clark said.
"Wow that sounds intense." Chloe said.
"What do you think it means?" Clark asked.
"Clark, I don't have a answer for you." Chloe said.
"So I'm just going to have to live with this?" Clark said.
"Clark what don't you go and ask Jor-El what he meant." Chloe suggested.
"Your serious right?" Clark asked.
"He always said that he was your father maybe it's time for him to act like it and give to you the answers you what and deserve." Chloe said.
"Your right thanks Chloe." Clark said.
"Hey what are friends for." Chloe said.
"Can you meet at about four tomorrow at the caves?" Clark asked.
"Not in the afternoon." Chloe said.
"In the morning, I'm going to leave tomorrow morning." Clark said.
"Sure I'll be there." Chloe said.
"Thanks again Chloe." Clark said.
The next morning Chloe and Clark met at the caves.
"You ready?" Chloe asked.
"I'm not going through the cave." Clark said.
"Then what are we doing here." Chloe asked. Clark reached into his pocket and handed her the key disc.
"Clark I can't take this." Chloe said.
"You always said that it was way to easy for people to get the key and find the Fortress, now it's safe." Clark said.
"You don't even know where the Fortress is how are you going to get there." Chloe said.
"Don't worry I'll find a way." Clark said.
It was then when Chloe notice the tears welling in Clark's eyes. It was then that she knew he was leaving. All of the things that they had been through came flooding back to her. All the smiles and laughs they shared, and the tears, and fights and the adventures. The tears began to fall. The day she found out about Clark's powers she knew that he was meant to do something great and now here he was about his journey.
"Don't you ever forget me?" Chloe said.
"I could never forget you Chloe." Clark said.
"You want a ride home?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah you could take me to Ben Hubbard's." Clark said.
"Let's go." Chloe said.
Martha woke up at her usual time. She showered and headed down stairs to start breakfast for her and Clark. When she got down stairs, she went to the kitchen and started the coffee and then went to fridge to make breakfast.
"Clark, time to get up." She called. She took out the eggs and bacon and then reached for the milk.
"Come on Clark get up" she called again. It was then that she noticed Clark standing out in the field. She knew what it meant it was time for him to go. She wiped a tear away from her eye and then headed for the door.
Clark heard his mother walk up behind him. She took Clark's hand and held it.
"I have to leave." Clark said.
"I know, we both knew." Martha said.
"You did?" Clark asked.
"Yes, your father somehow knew that he would…die before you left. He made me promise that when the time came I would let you. Do you know where you're going?" Martha asked.
"North to get some questions answered." Clark said.
"By Jor-El?" Martha asked.
"Yes."
"You just be careful." Martha said.
"I will." Clark said.
"Do you want me to make you something to take with you?" she asked.
"No. I talk to Ben Hubbard, he said that he would be happy to help out from now one." Clark said.
"Don't worry about that." Martha said.
"Would you talk to Lana for me? Tell her…"Clark said.
"I will, just don't forget us son." Martha said.
"Mother." He said. Then he hugged her. Martha still countuined to fight back her tears. Clark let his tears flow.
"You are the greatest thing that ever happen to us. Now you go do what ever it is you came here to do.' Martha said.
"I'll be back I promise." Clark said. He kissed her gently on the head and then started to walk down the road. She watched him walk until she could no longer see him. Then she began to cry.
Some how she was able to get some work done around the farm along with Ben's help. She felt that she needed to do some cleaning so she went up to the attic. She started with some old boxes that Jonathon had been hanging on to forever. She opened the box and smiled when she saw what was in it. She reached into the box and pulled out Jonathon's old high school letter jacket. She went through boxes for what seemed like hours. She was about head back done stairs when she noticed one more box in the corner. She knelt down near the box, written on the box were the words" Clark". Martha opened the box.
Inside the box were Clark's blankets, there was a blue one and a yellow one, and along with the red blanket that Martha had wrapped Clark in when they found him. She could still remember the first time Clark smiled at her. Martha wiped a tear away from her eyes. She was startled by a knock on the attic door. She turned at found Lana standing at the doorway.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Kent I can come back later." Lana said.
"No, that's okay, come in. I was just going through some things and I found Clark's blankets." Martha said.
"Really?" Lana said as she knelt down next to Martha.
"This blue and yellow ones are thee one that were in the ship when we found Clark. This red one was the one I wrapped him in." Martha said.
"Maybe that's why he wears blue red and yellow so much." Lana said.
"You know, for the first three years that we had Clark, he would wear red and blue." Martha said.
"He does look very good in those colors." Lana said.
"Yes he does." Martha said.
"He's not here is he?" Lana asked.
"No sweetie he left. He went to figure out what his destiny is." Martha said.
" I tried to prepare myself for this. But I guess I wasn't ready." Lana said.
"Neither was I. But he wanted me to tell you that he loves you very much and to live your life and he would come back." Martha said. She could see that Lana was going to break down; she reached out and held Lana as she started to cry.
Clark stopped to and took in the large structure that stood before him. He had been her before but each time he came, he was amazed by it. The Fortress of Solitude, his last connections to Krypton ad to his Jor-El. He took a deep breath and walked toward the Fortress.
When he entered he went to the console of crystals. A medium sized crystal floated out of the console and hovered in midair. Clark took the crystal.
"Kal-El, my son why are you here?" Jor-El said.
"I need to ask you something before I do this." Clark said.
"Ask my son?" Jor-El said.
"Where you responible for my father's death?" Clark asked.
"As you know someone's life for was to be exchanged for your. He was to be selected; however he died before his life force could be exchanged. I'm sorry for your loss." Jor- El.
Clark was now sure that Jor-El was on the up and up. Clark knew that now was the time to get all his answers.
"Now, why have you come here?" Jor-El asked.
"I need answers. Who am I? What happened to Krypton and why did you send me here?" Clark asks. Clark waited for his answer.
"You say that you're my father, not give me the answers please." Clark said.
"Your name is Kal-El. You are the only survivor of the planet Krypton. Even though you've been raised as a human, you are not one of them. You have great powers, only some of which you have as yet discovered." Jor-El said.
To Be Countuined…