Avenging Justice 3:

To Infinity and Anti-Life

Part XX

Earth, Delaware, Metropolis

"Look, I'm just not interested," a very downcast looking Kara said. Her companion, while older, wasn't seeming to listen.

Carol went on, "I'm telling you, let's take a swing around the galaxy. It'll do you some good to get away from those perverted reporters and patriarchal institutions always making you upset. Trust me, the one thing this world does not like is a woman with power."

"They don't seem to mind Wonder Woman," Kara shifted her eyes. "People seem to be responding well to Starfire, and I've seen more Black Widows this last Halloween than I have in a long time."

Carol waved her hands, "Have you seen her 'armor'? She might as well be fighting in the buff. And Black Widow's costume just happens to accentuate all the right parts. I blame that on the media, you've see the artists renditions haven't you? I'm surprised she can flip with those huge melons they gifted her with."

"That's not helping," Kara continued to walk away. "I don't need this right now, I just need…."

Carol got in front of her, "What you need is to quit hiding. Show this world what a person worthy of wielding the power of a Kryptonian can do! They don't like it, who cares? You are a powerful woman and shouldn't need their validation."

Deep within, Kara felt rage boiling over, and her eyes turned red. She didn't see it, but even Carol began to feel the heat coming off the eyes. Then it was cut short. A simple call, a familiar voice talking to her. Someone that she trusted, because he trusted her. She turned to see Lois Lane quickly coming over.

"Stop! Both of you! I swear, you are bound and determined to prove all your critics right!" Lois made it over to Kara and started to pull her away. "Did either of you stop for a few moments to collect yourselves or just go off halfcocked?"

Carol's eyes went to slits, "You're starting to sound like my Kree captors."

"Yeah, I'm sure. They wanted you to learn control so they could control you," Lois shot back. "I want you to learn control and some humility, because this world has lost enough heroes."

Kara shrank, "I'm trying, Lois, I'm trying… Look I'm not him.."

Tenderly Lois touched her cheek, "I know, and we don't need you to be him. Come, let's grab some lunch and we can talk, woman to woman."

"That's what I was trying to do, get her mind off of things," Carol sighed.

Lois turned swiftly, "Then it is a good thing I found you both. I think you have some business to attend to, Kara and I will be just fine."

"Fine, listen kid, I'll be back later," she said to Kara. "We can take a cruise around the solar system, let you stretch your legs." Then she disappeared into the Metropolis crowds, leaving Lois and Kara alone.

"You know, I think we're near Bibbo's place," Lois said. "He's got some good food."

Moments later Kara was sitting in a booth, surrounded her family's crest and pictures of her cousin, everywhere. She felt the emotions boiling up, and she just pushed them back down. She didn't need to cry now, she couldn't lose control, she had to remain emotionless. Somewhere in the back of her mind the question was, why?

In front of her was the biggest cheeseburger she'd seen in a while, along with a huge bucket of fries and a soda. Looking over to Lois' plate, she was surprised to see most of the food on her plate was gone. Even more surprising was how little care Lois had in that. She wasn't hiding it, though she was cleaning her mouth, but she didn't seem to care about what the other patrons would think of her.

"You going to eat?" Lois asked. Then sensing Kara's unasked question, "When you grow up as a military brat, you learn a few things. One of those is to eat when you can, and the other is to do so quickly. You never know when your, in my case Dad, would be called away, or when you'd have to be ready to leave."

Kara lowered her head, "How many homes have you had?"

With this Lois laughed, "Only one home, but I've lived practically everywhere. See, 'home' is more than a place, it is people. Right now, the closest thing to that is at the Planet. Jimmy, Perry, Cat, and Clark, they're my family. Even Ma and Pa, back in Smallville, they're family. Wherever they are, that's home."

Kara felt the tears come, but she held them back still, "I lost mine. I was sent to take care of Kal-El, but he grew up without me. I am all alone."

"You and Carol looked very chummy," Lois took a drink from her cup as she observed this. "Though it looked a little heated there."

The young woman tried to hide her pain, unsuccessfully, "I thought so, but ever since he fell, she's been pushing me. I want to grieve my cousin, but all she can say is that the world should respect me. That they should give me the same respect as him. I just…I just…I'm not sure…."

Lois put a hand on Kara's clenched fist, "Go ahead, you're safe here."

Kara pulled back, "Why did you bring me here, to remind me of him?!"

"Maybe a little, but not for the reason you think," Lois answered. "You can hear every conversation going on in here, you can read those notes under the pictures of Superman, and you can smell every smell for blocks I'm sure. What do your senses tell you?"

The young woman crossed her arms, "They're talking about how much they miss him, how much the world has gone to Hell since he left. They're afraid and they've lost faith."

"You're not wrong, but dig deeper," Lois sat back in the booth. "This world spun on before him, but he did change something."

Kara listened, but soon was overwhelmed. There was the scent of tears, the jovial remembrances and solemn toasts. She heard people that were inconsolable, others that were angry and shouting at the sky. Still there was something else, those who were making other utterances. Things about continuing making the world better, in his honor.

This hit her hard, and she tried to move away from it by focusing on the board with pictures. Except there were heartfelt notes, promises to be better people, to grow. One in particular seemed to admit that they didn't think they could live up to his example, but they'd spend every day doing so. It was all too much and Kara could feel the dam ready to burst. She tried to fight it, but all it took was one warm touch.

Lois gently squeezed her arm, and Kara let it all go. The crack in the dam started small, but soon it was spreading. She vaguely felt herself being moved, and looked up to see she was walking with Lois out of the restaurant. Behind them a very loud, brusque, and yet kind voice popped up behind them. She wasn't sure what was said, but it sounded nice.

"Ms. Lane, you come back anytime," Bibbo said. "Take care of her, we all are taking Superman's absence hard. But he'll be back, I know it."

Kara was ugly crying, and by the time she was done, she was back at Clark's place. She recognized it from the decorations, and pictures of Smallville hung everywhere. It didn't escape her notice that most were done by Jimmy Olsen. She smiled at that, and despite feeling completely drained, a warmth filled her.

"It was good for you to get that out of your system," Lois said. She brought back a glass of water. "You know, he had days like that too. There was a time when he did all he could to save a young couple. He was successful at first, got them out of trouble. What he didn't know, at least till he scanned them with his x-ray vision, was they had been given a lethal dose of radiation. They hadn't even known either."

"How?" Kara asked.

Lois got up, "They were inspectors for a government agency. One of their colleagues was on the take, and poisoned them on their inspection trip. It was by pure happenstance that something happened and that Superman came to rescue them."

"That's horrible," Kara shook her head. "Why are people so awful to one another?"

Lois shrugged, "Before I met Clark, I was thinking this was humanity's fate. That we'd spiral into self-destruction. However, this young reporter from Nowhere, Kansas, came in one day with all his optimism and belief in people. I thought he was an idiot, but something in that hopefulness spoke to me, despite myself. Then we had a hero swooping in to save people, clad in blue and red, and never asking for anything in return."

"Superman," Kara smiled. "I heard you named him."

Lois gave her a little playful push, "Well yeah, he had a big 'S' on his chest and flew around. It just kind of fit!"

"It's his parents' house crest," Kara instantly said, then regretted it. "Of course, you know that already."

Lois didn't seem to mind, "It's yours too. The thing is, as he did his thing, things started to change. I started to change. Some of that optimism that Clark has, well it just kind of seeped in. I started to see what the world could be, instead of what it showed up. Then before I know it, I'm joining the rainbow farts and unicorn squad of glass half full."

Kara's head dipped down again, "How can I live up to that?"

"The world has a Superman, he may be missing right now, but they have one. What they need is a Supergirl, or Superwoman, if you're looking for a name change. The events and people that made Clark who he is, that was a once in a billion chance. He tried to give you what he had, but those events, those people wouldn't be the same for you. Believe it or not, he makes mistakes, but they all stem from him wanting to help."

The young woman looked back up, "You're kind of amazing too, you know that? Here you are with me, and you barely know me. What for?"

Lois sat down, putting a comforting arm around the young woman, "Because he would. The world claims his greatest powers are his strength, heat vision and invulnerability. However, his greatest ability is he cares, about everyone. He cares even for Lex Luthor, the guy who's always trying to kill him."

Kara laughed, "I'm not sure I can live up to him."

"He wouldn't want you to, he'd want you to find your own way," Lois quickly shot back. "I believe you care too. I've seen you when you go out there. The question is, what matters to you? Being the strongest, being the best, the smartest, or even his replacement?"

Kara went quiet, "The world needs him, and he's not here."

"There will be time for the world, fine one thing and protect that," Lois said. "Then keep going, protecting and fighting for what you love. Then learn when you should fight and when you shouldn't. When you should allow those you love to fall, pick themselves up, and find their own way."

Kara smiled, "You know, Lois, you're going to be a good Mom one of these days. I will."

"Good, now if you'll excuse me a minute," Lois hurried to the apartments bathroom.

She winced in pain, and bent over from it. She put her hand over her abdomen. The pain passed, and she stood back up smiling. She felt two more sensations before they went away. Looking back in the mirror, Lois fixed herself back up and then looked at herself in the mirror. Rubbing her abdomen again, she reveled in the feeling that came from it.

"You keep kicking, Little One," She whispered. "Daddy will come back, and then I'll give him the best present ever."