A/N: Only three chapters to go everyone. In this next chapter, members of the League journey to Krypton with the help of Clark's father, and the family suffers another crisis. Read and find out. I hope you like it. Read on! :D

Chapter 18: Return to Krypton

Previously:

"But you and Mother, aren't you coming with me?" Kara asked suddenly terrified.

Alura smoothed Kara's hair away from her face and turned her to face her. "No, Kara, your father and I will be here trying to convince everyone that we can't wait anymore. Your survival is what matters to us, Kara, nothing else."

Kara knew inside that arguing would not do any good. They had been preparing her for this day for a few years now. She was ready to go. "I understand and I'll wait for you to join me on Earth as soon as you can," Kara said determined to show her parents how grown-up she was in spite of the terror she was feeling inside. She tried very hard to be strong but she was just a little girl. Her father sensed her fear and sighed, held up his arms, and Kara went into his arms wondering when she would get to hold him again.

Alura and Zor-El glanced at each other so proud of their daughter, they had no words.

~o~o~

The Watchtower space station:

Once all the members were assembled, Clark was the first to speak. "It's possible there could be more explosives planted around the city to kill all of us. We have to be very careful in our search from now on."

"The task seems impossible at this point, Clark. Edge is leading us on a wild goose chase. We don't know where to search next. He could have tossed it into the sea for all we know," Arthur said.

"Edge wouldn't do that. Its way too valuable to him," Bruce said.

"Maybe there's some other way to connect Edge with Darkseid without the transmitter. I just wish I knew what that was," Diana said thinking out loud.

Clark stared at her also thinking another direction and another plan may be needed. They were running out of time. Bruce, Diana and J'onn needed to plan their trip through the interdimensional wormhole. Time was running out for the Kryptonian survivors.

Clark stared at his friends coming to a decision. "Bruce, Diana, J'onn, I'll leave it up to you. Our search for the transmitter will take longer than we had hoped. Are you ready to go?"

"Go, go where? What's going on?" Arthur asked.

"Bruce, Diana and J'onn will be entering the wormhole again to try and make contact with survivors on an unnamed planet not far from Krypton. We're hoping they won't be too late to save them. Apparently, the planet is unstable and leaking kryptonite radiation. I won't be going, not because it's too dangerous, but I made the decision days ago that I would stay here with my family. I won't be going on this trip."

"Wow, guys, are you sure about this?" Bart asked. "It sounds pretty dangerous. What about Darkseid? It's possible he could become aware of what's happening and come after you."

"We won't be there that long," Bruce said. "Once we arrive, the first thing we'll do is make contact with the survivors, let them know they're not alone, and we want to help them in any way we can. Clark's father will help with communicating with them."

"But how large is your spaceship anyway, Bruce?" Arthur asked.

"Large enough to hold about 30 survivors, no more than that," Bruce answered him.

"But what if there are more than that? What will you do then?" Arthur asked.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I imagine the women and children would be the first to leave, but then we can't be sure."

"You should start your preparations now, Bruce. Let us know when you're ready to go," Clark said.

"We should be ready to go in the morning, Clark," Diana said.

"We'll all be here before your departure to see you off and we'll be here when you get back. If all goes well, how long will you be gone?" Clark asked.

"I can't say for sure," Diana said looking to Bruce for answers.

"I'll let your father answer that one Clark. Jor-El, could you give us any indication how long this trip might take?" Bruce asked punching in a few codes.

"Barring any unforeseen emergencies, we should be able to contact the planet and return with survivors in a matter of few days," Jor-El said.

"Days, really?" Clark replied stunned. It had taken him five years to get there and back. It was mindboggling.

Bruce smiled at his friend's reaction. He too had felt the same way when he and Jor-El had gone through the calculations. "Wormholes are an amazing discovery, Clark. Years and years ago, they were thought of as fantasies, completely impossible to believe. When wormholes were first discovered, scientists thought that time travel were their initial purpose, but they have also found that space travel could be reduced significantly if the wormholes could be manipulated."

"I'm still amazed at the entire phenomena, Bruce. I've only experienced it twice and I admit it's something that I'd like to know more about," Clark said still in awe at Bruce's words.

"And this coming from someone from another planet," Bruce said chuckling and shaking his head.

"Hey, I don't know everything, but I'm always willing to learn," Clark said chuckling. "Anyway, I can't thank you enough, all of you ... thank you," he said getting emotional. He went over to Bruce, Diana and J'onn and shook their hands. "Be careful out there and when you get back, we'll have that transmitter in our hands, and soon after that, Edge and everyone in his circle will be behind bars. Count on it," he said.

"Can we quote you, Clark?" Diana asked chuckling.

"You can bet on it too," Clark said smiling.

~o~o~

Deep space, not far from where Krypton exploded:

The next day, Bruce, J'onn and Diana exited the wormhole on the other side of the galaxy in a different time light years away from Darkseid.

J'onn was checking his calculations and something was not right. "Jor-El, am I reading this correctly?"

"Yes, J'onn, it appears we have miscalculated our time position."

"What is it, J'onn, what's wrong?" Bruce worriedly asked.

"It appears we were correct in our destination, but the time was not right. The planet we were looking for ... is gone," J'onn said not believing it.

"Oh no, we're too late? They're gone?" Bruce asked stunned by the news. "Jor-El, can you figure out what happened here?"

"One moment," Jor-El said as he appeared to be calculating what happened. "The planet exploded several days ago, but a small vessel was launched hours before the planet exploded, and a lone life form was on board. Its destination ... Earth!"

"Are you sure about that, Jor-El? There's only one person on board and the ship is headed for Earth?"

"Yes, the ship will land on Earth in approximately ... three Earth years," Jor-El said.

Diana, Bruce and J'onn stared at the empty space where the planet had exploded, all thinking the same thing. How will we tell Clark what happened?

~o~o~

Somewhere in Suicide Slum, Metropolis:

Morgan Edge paced back and forth in his office as he could feel himself panicking. After watching the late evening news of the explosion in the underground tunnels, he knew exactly what had happened. He also knew what Superman was looking for. The transmitter was safely hidden away, but he was worried that he would get his hands on it before he could move it again.

He had a map of Luthor's hideouts and there were still plenty of them out there and most of them were lead lined, but it was only a matter of time before Superman found them all. Maybe I should destroy the transmitter. It is my only connection to Darkseid and he didn't take care of Superman like I had planned. Both Superman and the League had returned in a matter of days not months like I had hoped. The drug shipments will be stopped now; there's no way around it. All my plans have gone up in smoke and for what? The city will take years to recover from Darkseid's rampage, not to mention Lane and Kent's recent articles and their constant meddling in my affairs. He suddenly yelled for Frank.

"Yeah, what is it boss?" Frank was worried too. Edge had been quiet for the past few days, and when Edge was quiet, it didn't bode well for anyone.

"What do you know about Lois Lane? I know she's married to Kent, but what do you know about her?" Edge asked his lackey.

"Well, she has a kid," Frank said absently.

"A kid?" Edge asked sounding thrilled.

"Yeah, why?" Frank immediately regretted telling him about the kid.

"No reason," Edge sobered as he pondered this information. Leverage, that's what I need, leverage.

~o~o~

Lois was running late again. She had finished her final edits to the follow-up article on Edge and Intergang and had given it to Perry, now she was headed to Jason's school to pick him up. She pulled up in front of the school and there was no one there. Ms. Johnson, Jason's teacher came out the front door and locked it.

Lois looked around and her son was nowhere in sight. "Ms. Johnson, where's Jason? Did my husband pick him up?"

"I don't know, Mrs. Kent. The children were let go about a half hour ago. I assumed you had picked him up."

Lois's heart began to pound, as she pulled out her cell and called Clark. "Clark, is Jason with you? He's not at the school."

"No, Lois, I'm at the Watchtower. What did his teacher say?" Clark asked, heart pounding, as he immediately took to the skies and headed to the school.

"Oh, no," Lois took a shuddering breath trying to calm down. "She said the children were let go thirty minutes ago. Clark, where is he?"

Clark landed behind the school two minutes later, changed into his work clothes, and went to his wife's side. "I'm here, honey. We'll find him, don't worry. Ms. Johnson, I was in the neighborhood," he said. "Please tell me exactly what happened today."

After listening to the teacher tell him the same thing she had told Lois, he told her to call the police, that he was taking his wife home with him, and to send the police to his residence as soon as possible.

Ms. Johnson did as she was told. Clark took Lois's arm and brought her to her car and they drove down the road for a few miles. Lois stopped the car and Clark got out. "Go home honey, I'll find him, don't worry."

"But Clark, I have to look for him. I have to. Please don't tell me to go home and wait. You know I can't do that."

Lois's cell phone rang just then. She didn't recognize the number. Clark told her to put it on speaker.

"Lois Lane-Kent, here, who's calling?" Lois answered the phone.

"Mrs. Kent, I have something that belongs to you," the caller said.

Clark's jaw went rigid. Lois's eyes filled with tears.

"Please, please don't hurt him," Lois pleaded.

"I won't hurt him, if you do as I say," the caller said.

"Yes, anything," Lois managed to say.

"I want you to give Superman a message," the caller began.

"Superman, but ..." Lois said staring at her husband.

"Tell Superman to stop looking for it," the caller said.

Clark knew who was behind this and Edge would pay. If it was the last thing he did, Edge would pay for this. He wanted Lois to try and get more information from him. He made a swirling motion with his hand knowing she would understand.

"Did you hear me Mrs. Kent?" The caller asked getting inpatient with her.

"Please just let me speak to my son. I need to know he's alright," Lois said trying to stall.

"You have thirty seconds," the caller said.

"Mom," Jason's voice came out of the phone.

"Jason, sweetie, are you alright? Did they hurt you?" Lois asked trying not to loose it.

"No, I'm ok," Jason said.

"Your Dad and I will be there soon, sweetie. Everything will be alright. We love you, sweetie," Lois said barely holding it together.

Clark squeezed her shoulder, about to loose it himself.

"Times up," the caller said. "Once you talk to Superman, call me back on this line and I'll let you know where you can pick your son up. You have twenty-four hours to call me back, if not, say goodbye to your son," the caller said, then the line went dead.

"Oh, my god, this can't be happening," Lois said staring at the phone. "Clark? Please, you have to find him. He said twenty-four hours; you have twenty-four hours to find him. Please, please," Lois practically screamed at him.

Clark climbed back inside the car, grabbed his wife and held her tightly stroking her back. "I'll find him, Lois, I promise. Now, I have to go. The League can help us. Please go home, call Richard and Lana, they'll come to be with you. Please honey, go home. Tell the police about the call, the school, everything, please," he pleaded with her, kissed her cheek and exited the car.

"Clark wait, here take this number, it may come in handy." With shaking hands, Lois wrote down the kidnapper's number that had come up on her cell and gave it to him.

"Thank you, honey," Clark said. He touched her cheek, looked around, twirled into the suit and took off.

Lois took deep breaths, tried to see past her blurred, tear-filled vision, said a few frantic prayers, and drove home.

Clark felt as if his heart was about to burst, he was so terrified for his son. This happened because of me, all because of me. You will pay for this Edge. He called the League and told them what happened, but for them to stay put for a few minutes, and that he had a plan to get his son back.

~o~o~

Jason White was consumed with fear, but the one thing his father had taught him was that it was nothing to be ashamed of, and not to let it take over everything. He took deep breaths trying to stay calm. The man who had taken him had left him alone in a room with a very small window. He had him tied up to a bed, his mouth was stuffed and covered with cloth, but he could hear water outside, boats and people around, and the kidnapper talking to someone over the phone. He lay still listening to all the different sounds coming into his head.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came to him. Jason closed his eyes and listened trying to tune out everything else like his Dad had taught him. It really was his father speaking to him inside his mind. He calmed down even more, as smiling to himself, so happy to hear his father's voice. He silently answered his father's question. "Yes, I'm alright," Jason silently responded. "I can hear water and I think I'm on the top floor. I remember climbing stairs. Please hurry," he silently pleaded to his Dad.

Superman immediately flew to the waterfront and listened for any incriminating conversations when he picked up Edge talking to the kidnapper. He followed the kidnapper's voice and then he spotted the small window Jason had told him about.

He then called Watchtower and said to contact the police, to collect Edge and confiscate his cell phones. He had the number of the kidnapper and he would probably have the same number on his phone, and it would be the evidence they needed. Then he instructed them to have the police come to the waterfront. He had a feeling he knew exactly where to find his son.

The warehouse window was very small, but Jason could easily fit through it if he had to. Then Clark saw his son. He was tied up on a bed, but he was alright. His heart finally left his stomach and he could breathe again. He silently spoke to him. "Jason, release the bonds now. You can do it son."

"Alright, I'll try," Jason responded in his head. He pulled on the knot as hard as he could and it came loose. He pulled the cloth from his mouth and went to the window. His father was hovering just outside waiting for him. Clark quietly lifted the window out, lifted his son into his arms and shot straight up into the sky. They both hugged each other tightly as he flew faster toward their home.

"You can speak now, son. Are you alright?" Clark asked aloud.

"I'm good. It really worked, Dad, we did it!" Jason exclaimed excited they were able to use their special gift.

"Yes we did, son," Clark said. "I'm so proud of you," he said pulling him closer. "I have a quick call to make to the League and then we'll head home." He called Flash and told him where to find the kidnapper and he also told him to hurry before he realizes Jason was gone. Seconds later, Bart was at the warehouse and the kidnapper was in custody before he had even hung up the phone. Clark shook his head at his speedy friend. I thought I was fast. "Thanks, Flash," he said and hung up.

"Now, Jason, when we get home, we have to tell your mother what happened and how I found you," he said.

"Can I tell her? I want to tell her," Jason asked getting even more excited.

"Sure, son, but remember it will be hard for her to understand at first, so we'll take it slow."

"Ok, Dad, I understand," Jason said.

Clark smiled and shook his head at his son, as he suddenly realized how much Jason had grown up since their awkward first meeting in the bullpen all those months before, not only in the way he had accepted his powers but emotionally as well. He has been through a lot, but his recent trials have made him a stronger person.

~o~o~

Meanwhile, at Riverside Drive:

Lois had just hung up the phone with Richard and Lana, when a knock came at the door. It's probably the police, she thought. She opened the door and there standing on the doorstep was Jason and Clark looking no worse for wear.

"Jason, honey, you're home, come here," Lois pulled him into her arms and kissed his check, so happy to see him. She ran her hands all over his arms his head and down his legs.

Clark watched his wife and couldn't help chuckling. "Lois, are you looking for something?" He asked amused.

"I'm just checking to make sure there are no injuries. Are you alright, honey? They didn't hurt you did they?" Lois asked wanting to make sure he wasn't hurt.

"He's fine, Lois," Clark said. "Actually, Jason has a few things to tell you about what happened to him."

"Mom, here, have a seat," Jason tugged his mother by the hand and sat down next to her.

Lois's mouth dropped open. Clark couldn't help but grin at his son. "Go ahead, Jason, it's alright," Clark said.

Lois squeezed his hand. "Are you sure you're ready to talk about it? I'll understand if you need time," she said knowing it must have been traumatic for him.

"I don't mind, Mom. You see, Dad and I ... we umm, we ..." He hesitated.

"Go ahead son," Clark encouraged him.

Jason forged ahead with his story. "Dad and I can talk to each other ... with our minds," he said hoping his Mom wouldn't freak out.

Lois was stunned speechless. She shook her head not believing it. "Do you mean telepathically, without speaking?" She asked turning to her husband.

"Yes, Lois, it's true," Clark said and sat down next to her. "The first time it happened was by accident. I thought at first that I had imagined it, but then it happened again in Vegas."

"When was the first time, Jason? I want to hear about it," Lois asked turning to face her son again.

"The first time was when Dad and I talked about what happened on the island, remember Dad?" Jason asked his father. Clark nodded and smiled. "I asked you if you could read minds, and you said no, you couldn't," Jason said smiling.

"I was pretty shocked by it, son. I didn't think we could do it, I mean both of us, having a conversation in our minds. I'm still in shock actually," Clark said chuckling.

"But Clark, I don't understand why you didn't tell me about it. Today would have been so much easier if I had known," Lois said realizing they had kept this from her.

Clark took her hand. "Lois, we've never had a real conversation between us until today. Jason spoke to me telepathically but he didn't realize he had done it. The second time happened in Vegas. I called to him in my mind and he heard it. It took me totally by surprise. And then when Jason was taken, I had to see if it wasn't a fluke, that we could really communicate, and it worked." He squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I didn't want to get your hopes up, honey. Do you understand now why I never mentioned it?"

Lois thought about it and it did make sense that he hadn't told her. "And you've never done this kind of thing before?"

"No, I haven't. It's not possible to do it, unless the other person is Kryptonian. Jason is half-Kryptonian, but I never for a moment thought we could connect on that level."

Lois was so amazed at this new ability and just a bit jealous. "You're right, Clark. I would have been even more devastated if it hadn't worked, so I suppose I can understand your reasoning, but what really matters is that it did work, and you're home, honey, you're home," Lois said giving Jason another hug.

Father and son shared a look over her shoulder. They both smiled.

TBC!

##

A/N: My Muse works in mysterious ways. I realize that now. This telepathy 'gift' between Clark and Jason has been in the back of mind for a while now. I pulled those prior scenes together hoping they could use their gift just in case and it just so happened they did need it. If my 'younger' readers have never heard of this 'gift,' on the L&C television show, Clark had the ability to 'speak telepathically' with other Kryptonians after they arrived on Earth. I decided to give it to Jason because his abilities have come in pretty early for him, and it's highly likely they'll loose this connection as he gets older. I don't read comics, so I don't know if it's in the comics or not, but the television show used a lot comic canon. I hope you liked it. Only two more chapters until the end! *sniffles* Thanks for reading. Reviews are love! :D