Chapter 17 – Miracles Do Happen

The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.
Lord Macaulay, review of Lucy Aikin, 'Life and Writings of Addison,' 1943

"Here is a test to find whether you mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't."
Richard Bach, from Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Racing into the sky at an ever increasing speed Lord Kal-El cradled his head in extreme pain. Icy fingers seemed to scratch at his nerve endings in his head and neck making him oblivious to all else except the pain. Racing away had no impact since the source of the pain was coming from deep within. "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"Daddy, Daddy you're scaring me, please stop, Daddy." Jason cried between loud sobs as he continued holding on with both hands to his father's ankle as they skyrocketed ever higher.

Kal-El, who had been focusing solely on remembering the most intense forms of pain and willing it towards the nerve endings in the back of his own neck and around his eyes suddenly became aware of his son's tear filled screams. He had been isolating himself away from the pain in an attempt to reclaim what was rightfully his. The childlike screams at first seemed like mere echoes of the past but as the protective father in him woke up he was no longer able to deny what he was hearing. He had to make his move, ready or not he had to force his way back into an equal if not dominate position with Lord Kal-El's consciousness which meant he too would experience the pain he was directing at Lord Kal-El.

Feeling a tug on his ankle Kal-El came forth softly at first, "No, no Jason, you should not be here!" He looked up screaming to whoever would hear, "Der Motin, you promised to keep him safe and return him to his mother. I demand you do it now!" Taking control he stopped the upper momentum and ignoring the pain looked down at Jason with bloodshot red eyes. "Jason you can't stay with me please let go, you'll be alright."

Jason let go of his father's ankle and floated up under his own power to meet him at eye level. "Daddy, I don't want them to hurt you anymore and I don't want us to be sep-rated any more…" Before he could say another word and before Kal-El could answer he was caught by a white beam and disappeared.

Kal-El hesitated briefly as a tear fell down his cheek. He looked up into the sky at the ship overhead as he braced himself and was once again caught in the painful grip of the green beam of light. The pain was evident on his features as he began to fall from the sky losing the ability to fly almost instantaneously. He sighed softly to himself too soft for anyone to hear, "no not there, not there. They shouldn't have to see me die like this."

He was too weak to control the fall and his words went unheard as he fell towards earth once again sealing his consciousness away in the deep recesses of his mind. The beam was cut when he was about 100 feet from the ground but he continued downward landing hard in an uncontrolled fall.

Seeing him fall near the barn Lois, General Lane, Martha, Kala and Ben ran to the spot as he hit the ground. "Clark, Clark, are you alright, where's Jason. Where's my son!" General Lane and Ben held Lois back as she became more hysterical by the second at receiving no response.

Lord Kal-El managed to get up and staggered to his feet moving towards Lois with menacing red eyes. After several seconds he screamed and once again brought his hands to cradle his head in intense pain. "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH, Stop! Kal-El stop, the pain is intolerable. You're killing us. There's no reason we can't just co-exist." The voice was coming from Superman but seemed alien to his loved ones who had taken steps back away from him while watching in fear.

The voice changed in tone, weakened but nonetheless one they knew and loved, "Leave me now or we both die, I will never even consider sharing my life with you. LEAVE now and avoid even worse pain that is yet to come!" as he spoke the words he tore at the large LK emblem on his chest with his fingernails ripping the fabric and badly clawing his own chest in the process.

"No, I am Lord Kal-El I will not leave…AAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKkk… you're killing us." He once again grabbed his head just as the green beam hit him at full force compounding the pain from within. "AAAAAAhhhhhhhhh!" He fell onto his hands and knees then slumped face first into the dirt as his skin began to take on a green hue and his struggling and moans became weaker.

Lois struggled to get free from her father and Ben as she screamed, "Stop you're killing him. Stop, oh please God no!"

Kala had buried her head in Martha's arms as they both held back tears not wanting to stay but unable to leave.

The green beam continued for many long seconds after Clark had stopped all movement and his skin had taken on a darker hue of green. When it finally vanished Ben and General Lane released Lois allowing her to fall to the ground a few feet from the lifeless form of the man she loved. She crawled to Clark as her father kneeled nearby and turned him over onto his back searching his neck for any sign of a pulse. Finding none his eyes expressed the sorrow he felt as he shook his head.

Lois screamed as she fell onto Clark hugging herself to him. After a moment she rose up and began brushing the dirt from his face noticing how cold he felt. She was no longer able to hold her tears back and they fell onto his face as she cried uncontrollably. Martha joined her kneeling next to the son she had loved so dearly as Ben tried to comfort Kala.

The day had been winding down and the shadows were deep so when a bright sunbeam suddenly played across the yard heading towards them they all stopped and looked up to the source. The Trprian ship had descended low to the earth and was reflecting the waning sunlight directly at Kal-El. A separate beam appeared emanating from the ship as the beam touched the ground Jason and Mer Kaper appeared.

"Jason you know what to do. Please, everyone move back let the sunlight hit them. There is little time." Mer Kaper gently pushed Jason towards Clark as she motioned for everyone else to move back.

Not knowing weather to trust but knowing it was indeed the only hope they did as instructed. Jason ran to his father and fell across his chest placing one small hand at the back of his father's neck. He placed his second hand on his father's chest as he softly cried "Daddy, I'm here please come back. Daddy, we need you, please don't leave. I don't wanta be brave anymore, I want my Daddy back!"

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Kal-El felt free of pain, it seemed strange since just the second before pain had filled his entire world. He felt at ease as he floated up towards a bright golden sky. Looking down he saw a group of people standing near a small boy who was draped over a body, calmly he realized it was his own. He seemed detached beyond the touch or pull of their pain. Looking up again he saw two men, men he knew offering their hands to him. He grabbed hold and as he did he was standing among a large group of people many he recognized instantly as people he had known who had died. He smiled at the three closest to him the two men who had offered their hands, Jor-El, the father he had never truly known, Jonathon Kent the father who had raised him and lastly his mother, Lara.

Still feeling the unusual peace and calmness that had washed over him he simply asked, "Am I dead?"

Lara was the one to answer, "You are at a crossroads, the choice is yours to make weather to live or die. Choose wisely for once you make the choice it cannot be rescinded and your choice will impact many others who love you."

"What do you mean the choice is mine? I don't understand, either I'm dead or I'm not. Am I just dreaming or hallucinating this?"

"No, my son" Jor-El spoke, "it is not a dream or hallucination. Your body is indeed dead but not to the point where it cannot be revived. Know if you do return your trials will continue for such is your fate in life. Strong men, men of strong character demand strong trials. Your Mother and I are so very proud of the man you have become. Stay with us if you will but know you will be leaving much behind."

Kal-El turned to the third person who stood with his arms open shaking his head. Clark joined him in a warm embrace, "Clark, as much as I would love to say stay, you are still very much needed in life. Time here is meaningless. Go back to your loved ones we'll be here watching and waiting just like now. Go back you have too much life yet to live. You're needed there by so many. People you haven't even met yet."

"But I feel such peace and calm here. The pain there has become more than I can bear. How can I go back now after knowing this place?"

Lara once again came to him embracing him as he had never known in life, "Kal-El there is always pain to bear in life but there are also great joys. One you missed out on is coming your way again. Don't miss it this time for fear of pain. You are stronger than the pain. You have proven that time and again and will continue to do so in the future if you give yourself that future. You will not remember what happened here or think it but a dream. Go and return to us when your life is truly complete. We will always be watching over you and waiting for your return."

Kal-El looked around at all the other people surrounding him immediately recognizing several who were smiling at him warmly. "I don't understand how can you greet me so warmly when I failed each of you?"

The group continued smiling and speaking as with one voice he heard them say. "It was not a failure on your part it was just our time. That you cared enough to try and save us makes you special. We are all at peace may that peace envelope you as well."

Feeling warmed he turned back towards his parents wanting to speak with them more before making a decision only to find them gone. Turning to the group of people he realized they were gone as well and he was alone once again floating above his body. He had been left alone to make the decision and with no time for reflection. He heard the words as his young son cried.

"Daddy, I'm here please come back. Daddy, we need you, please don't leave. I don't wanta be brave anymore, I want my Daddy back!"

As Jason spoke the light intensified becoming so bright the bystanders had to cover their eyes. As the intensified sunlight hit Jason he began to glow ever so slightly and as he did the energy seemed to be transferred from son to father as a glowing energy field grew in size to encompass them both.

Kal-El made his decision without regret and felt himself fall back into the lifeless body as his world went dark.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Clark inhaled sharply as Jason raised his head up off his chest in astonishment and relief.

"Daddy, come back to us." his tears were falling fast as he spoke the words.

Clark took in several more ragged breaths as Lois and General Lane tried to run to his side. Mer Kaper held her arm up holding them back. "Let him have just a little more of the healing light before you approach him."

Jason sat up to look at his dad better and as he did they could see the deep scratches on Clark's chest where he had torn the emblem off start to fade. He began coughing as his eyelids fluttered open. The bright beam of light faded as Clark's breathing normalized.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

As he started to regain consciousness his breathing was at first forced and painful followed by a coughing fit as he tried to open his eyes. Everything was hazy and unfocused at first with a bright almost blinding light that became more tolerable as the seconds passed. The light died down and he was able to see that several people were standing around him. He saw a strange woman standing over him, with a weak barely discernable halting voice he asked, "What… happened… who… are... you?"

TBC in a few days.