Chapter 60: Growing Up (Sand – Epilogue)
Disclaimer: All things Supergirl/Superman and Batman belong to DC. No infringement is intended.
"So it's just... sand?" Batman asked.
Kara nodded.
"I've run it several times, using Earth-built and Kryptonian instruments, and double-checked it with my own vision powers. It's just sand, nothing but sand."
Following the battle in Metropolis Stadium, the League had collected every single grain of sand that had comprised the strange doppelganger that had almost succeeded in killing and replacing Superwoman. Now it seemed, though, that the effort had been for naught.
"So the thing might be gone forever or it might be back any second now, is that it?"
Kara sighed. "I wish I could give you a definite answer to that, Bruce. My working theory is that the actual entity is made of pure energy. The sand was basically just a medium, a way for it to have a physical presence in the world. Though how it managed to reshape simple sand grains into a perfect copy of me…"
"Well, not a perfect copy, Karen," Batman said, almost smiling. "It did miss some of the most important aspects of you, after all."
Kara smiled back at him. "Why, Bruce! I do believe you are trying to make me blush!"
Turning back to the screen, Kara hit a few keys. "But back to the topic. Seeing as energy can not be destroyed, I can see but two alternatives. One, the entity somehow phase-shifted again and returned to its place of origin, the Phantom Zone. Or two, it's still here somewhere, assuming it can survive in our dimension without an anchor for any length of time, and might try to assume another physical form."
"Do you think it will try and copy you again?"
"I don't think it could, even if it wanted to. I believe that, when it was brought here and the Phantom Zone Projector exploded, the phase-shift was still in flux. When the energy field came in contact with me, it basically created a duplicate right down to the quantum state and used the sand I was laying on as raw material. That's why it was capable of shifting aspects of me to itself. At the quantum level, we actually were one and the same person at that time."
"And you think that, with the sand now being inert, this binary existence at the quantum level has been resolved?"
"I hope so, yes," Kara said. "I am none too keen to see myself beating up my friends and my own children again anytime soon."
"They are both allright, I gather?" he asked.
Kara nodded. "A bit banged up, but nothing some rest and sunlight won't cure. Also, grounded, both of them, though I have to wonder how much it will really achieve."
Batman gave her a look. "Well, I do believe their mother was supposed to stay out of that battle as well, and yet..."
Feeling somewhat chagrined, she looked over at her friend. "Do you think I am a bad role model for them, Bruce?"
"Quite the opposite, actually. It seems your children are developing a knack for knowing when to follow the rules and when to disregard them. Which I believe is an essential skill for life in general and our kind of life in particular."
This time Kara did feel herself blush a bit.
"No trace of Lex Luthor, I assume?" she asked to change the topic.
"Adam and I went over the robot drone he used," Bruce told her. "The basic design is a Lexcorp armored suit from a few years back, but someone has extensively modified it. Someone smart enough to install a kind of deadman's switch. The moment the drone was disabled, the transmitter array that was used to control it remotely melted down into slag. No way to trace where the signal was coming from."
"I hate that man," she muttered.
"I fear for now we can only remain on the lookout for him," Bruce concluded. "Have you decided what to do about Supergirl having been caught on camera yet?"
"I have one or two ideas," Kara replied, smiling.
"Thank you for coming over, Lois," Perry White greeted her, gesturing for her to come into his apartment.
"Well, I'm supposed to start working at the Daily Planet in a few weeks," she replied, shrugging off her jacket. "Thought I probably shouldn't piss off my future boss before my first day."
"Smart thinking," he replied. "Drink?"
"No, thank you."
"I think you'll need one before the evening is done," he replied, smiling, and handed her a drink regardless.
Lois Lane was well aware that, if the circumstances were even slightly different, she would probably have cause to worry. A young woman like herself, invited over into her much older boss' apartment with the only vague clue being that it would be good for her future career? But this was Perry White they were talking about here. The man who had survived General Sam Lane's ire at introducing his daughter to journalism. The man who had gracefully endured the hyper-active 14-year old intern she had once been. Who had offered her a job at the Planet despite her still being in college. She would rather believe that Lex Luthor had renounced his ways and volunteered at an animal shelter before believing that Perry would have any dishonorable intentions towards her.
She was still very curious why he had called her here, of course.
"Why am I here, Mr. White?"
He sat down, his own drink in hand, and motioned for her to do the same.
"Lois, almost nine years ago I was already a seasoned reporter, had a name in the business, all that. I didn't really need that big break that just fell into my lap on that day – you know what day I mean, right?"
Lois nodded, how could she not. She had been 12 years old at the time and after seeing a flying young woman lift an airplane over her head, her world had never been the same again.
"Anyway, I didn't really need it, but it still opened a lot of doors for me, pretty much ensured that I would become editor-in-chief. I knew I had gotten lucky. I mean, I keep telling people that it was instinct that led me to that airfield that day, but let's be honest: it was mostly luck."
"Why are you telling me this, Mr. White?" Lois asked, rather confused by now.
He chuckled. "Because, Lois, I figure that it's someone else's turn to get lucky. Someone who isn't already a seasoned reporter with a name in the business. Someone who can really use a big break."
"I have a name in the business," Lois protested. Granted, she was mostly known as that girl who called herself Superwoman's Pal, but still.
"I'm trying to do you a big favor, girl, so say 'thank you, Mr. White!' and smile!"
"Thank you, Mr. White," she dutifully parotted and gave a forced smile. "But what kind of big break do you..."
Her voice trailed off and her eyes went past Mr. White. Two people had just emerged from the apartment's kitchen. One was a teenage girl, blonde, who wore Jeans and a black T-shirt with a Superwoman symbol on it. Some part of Lois' mind registered that this was the super-powered girl who had appeared at Metropolis Stadium yesterday, the one who had fought alongside Superwoman and Superboy.
The largest part of her mind was busy, though, because the other person entering was Superwoman herself.
"Hello, Lois," Superwoman greeted her, smiling. "It's been a while. Glad to see you followed up on your dream to become a reporter."
For what felt like hours Lois had no idea how to react. Some part of her that still was and always would be a Superwoman fan girl wanted to sqwee in delight. Another part of her wanted to blurt out that she had figured out that Superwoman was also Karen Kent, CEO of K-Solutions. Yet another part wanted to scratch Perry White's eyes out for the obvious delight he took in seeing her so shocked and flustered.
"I... thank you, Superwoman, I... it's great to see you again!"
God, she hoped that didn't sound as pathetic outside her head as it did on the inside.
"Lois, this is my daughter, Supergirl. She was kind of accidentally caught on camera yesterday."
"Hi!" the girl waved.
Lois just stared for a long minute, her brain refusing to compute. She had seen the footage of the battle yesterday, of course. Had seen the pictures of the girl, who ended up in a loving embrace with Superwoman and Superboy. One would have to have been blind not to see that those three were family, and that was without factoring in that she was the spitting image of her mother. But it was entirely different to meet her in the flesh, never mind getting the first official confirmation that she was in fact Superwoman's daughter.
"Uh… hi!" she finally replied, waving back. Then she remembered the drink in her hand and quickly downed it in one gulp. She had no idea what it was that Mr. White had handed her, but the burn in her throat helped clear her head a bit.
"I figure a smart girl like you, Lois, will have no trouble figuring out why you are here, right?" Mr. White said, sipping his own drink with a smile.
"You... you want me to write about Supergirl?" Lois asked.
"Well, Perry recommended you," Superwoman said, sitting down on the couch besides the man. "And he has yet to steer me wrong when it comes to relations with the press."
"Wow, I... I don't know what to say."
"Your 'thank you, Mr. White' already covered it, Lois, don't worry!" Mr. White replied. When exactly had he gotten to be such a wise ass? Was he getting some late payback in for all he'd had to endure with her as his intern?
"The thing is," Superwoman began, turning serious, "we hadn't planned to unveil her to the world already. We wanted to wait..."
"YOU wanted to wait," Supergirl interrupted her, though a second later she blushed, seemingly regretting opening her mouth.
"WE wanted to wait," Superwoman continued, looking just the tiniest bit annoyed, "until she was at least as old as Superboy was when he went public. That plan kind of went out the window yesterday."
"Eh, one question?" Lois raised her hand. When Superwoman nodded, she continued, looking at Supergirl. "You were one of the two girls with the Teen Titans during that storm, right?"
The girl nodded. "Yeah, she's right. The plan kind of went out the window on that day, not yesterday."
Superwoman just shook her head and Lois had to suppress a smile at the look of loving frustration she could see on her face. For a moment she felt incredibly home-sick, remembering this exact look on her mother's face when she and Lucy had gotten up to some mischief or other. She really missed her family.
"Anyway," Superwoman said, "Supergirl is not going to be a full-time superhero anytime soon, but she will help out if there is a crisis brewing. So we want to get her story out there before the media starts making up things on their own."
Lois nodded. She figured there were already some of her less scrupulous colleagues out there, composing some ridiculous stories about Superwoman's mysterious half-human, half-alien love child.
"So," Lois said, turning to look at Supergirl. "Let's start then. Where you born on Krypton as well?"
The girl took a moment to share a look with her mother, than sat down opposite Lois. "No, I was born here on Earth. In a laboratory, to be precise. Some mad scientists wanted to create their own Superwoman. So technically I am half-human, half-alien."
Lois mouth dropped open.
"You're welcome, by the way," Mr. White remarked, lighting up one of those disgusting cigars of his.
"Hey, you're still up?"
Kara looked up to see Martha walking out onto the patio. The sun had set long ago and she could easily hear the even breathing and steady heartbeats of both Kona and Clark in their respective rooms. Rao, how she had missed being able to hear that sound.
"Too wired to sleep," she replied, stretching her arms above her head. "A lot has happened within the last 24 hours."
Seeing a reflection on Kara's right hand as she stretched, Martha walked closer.
"You are still wearing your Legion ring?" she asked, sitting down beside her daughter.
"Yeah, I might not need it to fly anymore, thank Rao, but... I don't know, it just felt good to put it on again, you know?"
"You miss your friends from the future?"
Kara nodded, looking a bit wistful. "Yeah. Don't get me wrong, Diana and Bruce, J'Onn and Adam, Shiera, they're all great friends. But the Legion were the first real friends I had, the first time I felt I could really just be a teenager among others. Seeing them again, regaining my memories, that was great."
"Don't you have any way to visit them again?" Martha asked.
"Not really, no. I could travel forward in time using relativistic flight, but that's terribly imprecise. I'm kind of waiting on the Flash getting a handle on his time travel powers, but I fear that might take a few years yet."
"Well, once that happens, maybe you can convince some of your Legion friends to come visit our time. You have told me so much about Imra and the others, I would really like to meet them one day."
Kara smiled. "Yeah, that would be cool. I'd love to introduce you to them. I'd also like them to meet Kona."
Martha frowned. "What about Clark?"
Kara laughed, waving her off. "Oh, they've already met Clark. Or they will. I'm not sure how it works. Silly boy thought I didn't see him in the Time Institute in the 30th century."
"Clark has been to the future?" Martha asked, looking astounded.
"Not yet, I don't think," Kara replied. "I only caught a brief glimpse of him, but he did seem a bit older than he is now. Time travel gets awefully confusing sometimes."
"I can see that," Martha just said, trying to wrap her head around it.
The two women fell silent for a while. Kara was just gazing out into nothing, a look Martha knew only too well.
"What's on your mind, sweetheart?" she finally asked.
Kara chewed on her bottom lip, a clear sign that she was trying to get her thoughts in order.
"Do you think it's weird that I've grown so close to Kona in so short a time?"
"Why should it be weird?"
"I mean... like just now, when you asked why I wanted to introduce Kona to the Legion, but not Clark. I... don't want anyone to think that I'm neglecting Clark or... or preferring Kona in some way."
"Why would anyone think that?" Martha asked.
She sighed, clearly having problems articulating her worries. "It's just... when that sand thing tried to replace me, when Clark and Kona arrived to defend me... I was terrified. Not for myself, but... when I saw how it hurt them and I couldn't do anything... Rao, I have never felt so useless and scared. I would gladly have given my life to protect them, but... but when that thing hurt Kona, I... I completely lost it. I rushed forward, knowing full well that I wouldn't be able to do anything, but still."
"You would have done the same for Clark," Martha reminded her.
"Yes, of course I would have, but I've been Clark's mother for more than half my life now. I've known Kona for just a few months. Isn't that... weird?"
Martha scooted closer to her and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "Honey, there is no minimum time requirement for letting someone into your heart. I know that because I completely and utterly fell in love with that alien teenager who fell from the sky fifteen years ago and it happened on that very day. When you sat down with us and you were so sad and I took you in my arms... on that day you became my daughter and I knew I would do anything in my power to keep you safe and make you smile again."
Kara leaned into her, closing her eyes.
"I just... sometimes I feel like I'm doing Clark an injustice. I needed so long to... to truly think of him as my son, to love him as my son. I mean, I loved him the very day he was born, but it was different. He was family, sure, and I would have done anything to protect him, but it took years until I was really, really in a place where saying 'I'm his mom' didn't feel... weird anymore. Isn't it unfair that I needed just a few months to feel like Kona's mom?"
"Kara, honey, you were thirteen years old when we decided to make Clark your son, still a child yourself. You had just lost your home, your people, and you were in an entirely new world, never mind suddenly gaining super powers. Frankly, it is a testament to your strength and fortitude that you were able to function at all. You needed time to grow up, to settle into your new life. And I promise you, Clark never felt anything but loved by his mother."
"Thank you, mom," Kara replied, snuggling closer into Martha's side. "I'm just so scared that I won't be able to protect them."
"I believe every parent worth the name shares that feeling, honey. And most of us don't have super powers to make the job easier."
"I don't know how you do it," Kara confessed. "I was powerless for just a week and it nearly drove me insane."
"You were never powerless, Karen," Martha reminded her. "Maybe you briefly lacked the strength to juggle tanks, but you were still Clark and Kona's mother and you still protected them, just in slightly different ways. Sometimes all you can do is be there for them and offer a shoulder to lean on and an open ear."
Kara chuckled, her cheek still resting on Martha's shoulder. "Fortunately I have a master of those skills I can learn from. Thank you!"
Falling silent, the two women just kept looking out into the night, secure in the knowledge that, at least for tonight, everyone they loved and cared for was safe and happy.
End Chapter 60
Author's Note: Well, this wraps up the Sand storyline and brings Lois Lane back into the fray and closer to the Super Family. A lof ot talking and very little action here, but everyone needs a bit of a rest after everything that happened in the last few chapters and it was time for more Kara/Martha bonding time, too. Will the sand thing / doppelganger return? We shall see. But given how many reviewers ended up calling it "Sandy", I will probably have to bring it back in order to actually call it that. For reference, the scene Kara refers to about spotting Clark in the 30th century took place in chapter 33.
Up next: a bit more levity as we ponder: what joke begins with a bunch of superheros, a psychiatrist, and a clown entering a bar? Or rather: what happened when Superwoman and Hawkwoman went out for drinks?