A STEP AT A TIME

Disclaimer: Sigh nothing changes, still don't own anything to do with Smallville or Superman™ or anything to do with the CW. And yep I am still just a poor writer and student ... no money to be made here.

AUTHOR'S NOTE 1: Sorry it has taken so long to update, sometimes Real Life sucks big time...

AUTHOR'S NOTE 2: Big thanks to those who have reviewed and I am sorry that I haven't had a chance to personally answer them. BIG HUGGLES TO YOU ALL

AUTHOR'S NOTE 3: This is a shorter chapter but it is quite deliberate coz I wanted to get a lot of set up done so the next one will be pretty much full on.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER 3 Questions Unanswered and Ignored.

Clark opened his eyes and stared around blearily, his head felt like it was about to explode, he tried to lift a hand to scrub at his sleep-filled eyes when he found he couldn't blinking furiously he stared down at the ropes tied around his wrists and ankles. An overwhelming sense of fear filled him and he started to hyperventilate, he didn't understand what was happening.

'Nice to see you awake finally.' The voice from earlier startled him.

'Who are you? Where am I?' Clark demanded trying to sound a lot braver than he felt, like big Clark would be.

'First I do apologise for the crude restraints and oh by the way the reason why you cannot snap them is because they are embedded with Kryptonite; the longer you have to be restrained the weaker you will become.'

'I don't understand.' Clark felt the tears start to well up and got mad with himself big ten year old boys don't cry.

'How old are you Clark?'

'Ten.' Clark admitted grudgingly, 'why what's it to you?'

'Ah I like the attitude the bravado so ... human.'

'Who are you? Why did you say that?'

'Say what? Human?'

'Yeah.' Clark squinted up at the shadowed man, 'do I know you?'

'Kind of.' The man cocked his head. 'Clark do you know where you came from?'

Clark opened his mouth to speak when a stabbing pain in his head made him gasp, his shoulder felt like it was on fire, and the flames licked at the nerve endings along his spine igniting the pain in his head. 'Hurts, ahhh make it stop.' Clark cried out, 'don't want this anymore I want my Mommy.'

'Clark what is it?'

'No, hurts please stop it, I promise I'll be good just ahhh.' Clark squeezed his eyes closed but that made the burning worse opening his eyes he blinked and stared at the wall, heat flared from his eyes and he watched as flames scorched the stone wall.

'I want my Mommy.' He screamed terrified as more flames shot from his eyes.

'Calm down Clark.' The stranger ordered but it was too late sobbing hysterically he squeezed his eyes shut and pressed himself harder against the wall.

'Clark calm down it is alright now.' The stranger spoke in a gentle low voice not to startle the traumatised young man any further.

'No, no I want my Mommy, I don't like you.' Clark sobbed, 'my hands hurt.'

'That's enough Clark Kent.' The man snapped angrily, his anger startling the youth enough to blink up at him his lower lip trembling. He didn't see the hand slicing through the air, the impact hard and stinging on his face making him cry out in pain. before he realised what was happening the man hit him again, this time he could feel the blood trickling from his lips.

'No please no more.' Clark begged sounding like a terrified toddler, 'I's sorry.'

'You have to be taught a lesson Kal-El.' The man hissed grabbing Clark by the shoulders he dragged him up, 'you have been a naughty boy Kal-El.'

'I's sorry.' Clark whispered, confused and hurt he tried to focus on the face floating in front of his eyes, 'you big like me?'

'Bigger and stronger Kal-El.'

'No my name is Clark.' Clark said trying to push his tormentor away.

'You are Kal-El of Krypton and you will obey me and no one else.' The stranger roared dragging Clark over to a large rock he pushed him facedown over it, fastening his ropes to a ring protruding from the wall, 'you have been a naughty boy and need to be punished.'

'No, no, no.' Clark struggled but the kryptonite enriched ropes leeched at his strength.

He screamed in surprise and pain as he felt a sharp stinging pain across his bare back ... bare back? He didn't even feel the clothing ripping away from him, but then another sharp pain flared and blocked all thoughts from emerging. Sobbing he screamed with each lash across his back, his nearly healed wound from the phantom creature broke open and blood and puss spurted out. 'Please no more.' He begged weakly.

'Who are you?' the stranger hissed in Clark's ear.

'Clark Kent ... Kal El.'

'Where are you from?'

'Let me go.'

'Where are you from?'

'Let me go.' Clark screamed his anger surging through his battered body, snapping the bonds around his wrists he pushed himself off the rock and swaying unsteadily rocked back on his heels. 'No more!'

'Ah good to see you back Kal-El I thought we had lost you.'

'Who are you?'

'My name is unimportant.'

'Tell me.'

'Oren we met when you were a prisoner along with myself and a few others.'

'The phantom zone?'

'Yes I suppose that is what you could call it.'

'Why?'

'Why what?'

'Why are you here? Why are you doing this to me?' Clark blinked, 'if you can handle kryptonite then you can't be...'

'No I am not Kryptonian but I lived there until your father imprisoned me for crimes against the house of Jor-El.'

'I-I don't understand.' Clark shook his head making his dizziness worse, 'the creature?'

'One of my pets, do not worry the venom is not lethal it is just toxic.'

'Why do I feel so strange?'

'The toxins are still in your system that combined with the effects of the kryptonite well let us just say you are not yourself just yet.'

'I – I was a child?' Clark blinked darkness started to encroach on his sight, determinably he tried to stay conscious.

'Just a side effect the confusion should clear and you will be back to your twenty-one year old self.'

'What did you do to my father?' Clark ground out internally fighting a battle against the darkness and losing.

'All in good time, now Clark listen carefully, under my tutelage you will become who you are meant to be. I will make sure that you are fulfilling the destiny I put into place all of those years ago on Krypton.'

'I-I don't understand.' Clark sagged against the rock stained with his own blood.

Oren smiled coldly and lifted Clark effortlessly cradling him against his chest, 'sleep now Kal-El sleep and rest.' He said softly watching Clark's eyelids flutter and then drop. Stepping into another small cave, he pressed a set of crystals in a particular order and then stepped into a beam of white light.

-------------

Martha stepped into the Talon and gazed around, wishing that she could go back in time when Clark and his friends were easily found here, no dramas and no sadness.

'Mrs Kent?' Chloe got up from the table she was sitting at and went to the side of her best friend's mother. 'Has Clark?'

'No not yet I was wondering if he had ... he hasn't been here either has he?'

'No, would you like me to come and help look for him?' Chloe said wrapping her arms around Martha she gave the older woman a hug.

'How's your head Chloe?'

'Fine, honestly it would take a lot more than a simple bang on this hard head to do any damage.' Chloe grinned, 'so where do you want to start looking?'

'The caves.' Martha said simply, 'whenever Clark needed to think he would often go to the caves.'

'Well let's go, want me to drive?'

'Thanks Chloe it means a lot to have you helping.'

'No probs Mrs Kent, how about I get us a coffee to go?'

'Ah a tea for me please.' Martha smiled 'thanks Chloe.'

'I'll be right back.'

'Hey Cuz how is she?' Lois asked glancing over at Martha, 'the senator looks wrecked.'

'Clark's missing.' Chloe whispered, 'he's in a bad way.'

'What can I do to help?' Lois said placing the two take away drinks on the counter in front of Chloe, 'I can get help from the General.'

'Thanks Lois but I think that Mrs Kent wants to keep it low key, and under the Luthor radar.'

'Let what go under the Luthor radar?' Lana asked startling both of the young women.

'Ah Lana didn't see you there?' Chloe stammered 'haven't seen you in a while.'

'I've been away, Paris and Amsterdam.' Lana nodded, 'I ah needed a break after losing the, the baby.'

'Lana I ...'

'Hey it's okay Chloe I'm dealing with it in my own way.' Lana said frowning, 'but you didn't answer my question.'

'What was that again?'

'Let what go under the Luthor radar?' Lana asked again.

'Chloe are you ready?' Martha called when she saw Lana join Lana and Lois.

'Coming Mrs Kent.' Chloe called her relief evident in her tone, 'I'll catch up with you soon Lana.'

'Chloe?'

'I have to run, but honest I will come and see you soon, you can tell me all about your trip.' Chloe said as she stepped away carrying the cooling drinks. 'Thanks Mrs Kent.'

'I had a feeling Lana might ... not that I don't trust her but...'

'While she's married to Lex yeah I know Mrs Kent I kinda feel the same way.' Chloe chimed in as she unlocked the car doors. 'So off to the caves we go.'

-----------

Lana watched the two women get into Chloe's car, Lois managed to disappear before she could ask her what was happening, and where was Clark in all of this? Coolly she stepped out of the building and was soon following Chloe's car in her own, just far enough back to make sure that she wasn't seen. Her curiosity piqued even further when they pulled off the road and headed towards the caves. Taking her cell and locking her bag in the boot of her car she followed them, determined to find out what they were hiding and why they didn't want the Luthors to find out about it.

TBC