Exodus – Twenty-Second Chapter
Storm Cellar, continuing straight on from the last chapter
Clark and Rory continued down the stairs, a strong wind blowing around them and the golden light shining straight into their eyes.

The golden light was coming from the ship. It was hovering in the air, and the voice spoke again – it was also coming from the ship.

"Fear not, Kal-El, Kara," it said.

Rory grabbed Clark's hand as he yelled over the wind, "Who are you?"

"I am Jor-El," the voice said gravely. "Your father."

"I thought you died!" Rory shouted.

"I am his memory, his will," the ship replied. It leaned forward until its tip was pointing straight down at the ground and continued, "I am to fulfil his promise and guide you all the days of your life. You are the last children of Krypton."

The wings of the ship folded in until all that remained was the egg shaped pod that had once held Clark and Rory on their journey to earth.

"When you travelled through the cosmos," Jor-El continued, "you carried all the hopes and dreams of your people. They now live through you, my children. It is time."

The pod morphed into a perfect replica of the Earth, the golden light replaced by a blue glow.

"Time for what?" Clark yelled.

"Time to accept your destiny." Jor-El's voice held no room for argument.

Anger flared in Rory. How could this Jor-El order them around as though he had raised them, as though he knew what was best for them? "I don't know what you have in mind for us, but-"

A shadow crept over the small planet, making it appear as though the sun was setting. Then the golden light shone out from behind it again.

"By the setting of the sun Sol," Jor-El's voice intoned, "you will return to me. Your destiny will be fulfilled."

Clark and Rory felt a sudden tug on their backs. They turned, to see Lana, Jonathan and Martha appear in front of them. The golden light bathed their faces as they smiled serenely, apparently not noticing the strangeness of the situation.

"Your thoughts are not a mystery to me, Kal-El, nor yours, Kara," Jor-El spoke sharply. "These people have served their purpose. It is time to leave them."

Clark looked at the Lana-apparition intensely, longing evident on his face. Rory watched the copies of her parents, suspicion in her face.

I think it's a trick.

It's a damn good one, then, Clark replied.

He reached out to touch Lana's face. It disintegrated under his hand, as did their parents.

The twins turned back to the ship, which had resumed its egg-like pod shape.

"Please!" Clark cried desperately. "Everything and everyone that we love is here! In Smallville!"

"You must let go of your past," Jor-El said. Rory could hear irritation as he went on, "I will guide you to your future."

"No, we don't want your guidance!" Rory screamed. "We want to create our own futures!"

"You have no choice, Kara, Kal-El," Jor-El replied with finality.

The pod started to spin until suddenly it exploded, sending out a bright white light. It shone up into the sky outside, then abruptly went out, leaving Clark and Rory in darkness.

"You okay?" he asked her quietly.

She nodded, then realised that he couldn't see her due to the darkness. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Everything's gonna be alright," he told her, trying to reassure himself as well as her.

"Yeah, I hope so," Rory replied darkly.

Next morning, Kent farm
Jonathan and Martha came outside to find Clark and Rory sitting on the front steps, obviously thinking hard about something.

"Well, you two are up early," Jonathan said, surprised.

"We never went to sleep," Rory said unhappily.

"Guys? What's wrong?" Martha asked.

Neither of them said anything for a few seconds, then Clark said, "We kind of met our biological father last night."

He looked up at Martha, who shared a worried look with Jonathan. Rory continued to stare at her bare feet.

Storm cellar
"When we heard his voice, it was coming from the ship," Clark told his parents as they walked down the stairs to the storm cellar.

"But it sounded like it was in my head, our heads, you know?" Rory said. "He said it was time."

"Said it was time for what?" Jonathan asked.

"To leave Smallville," Rory said quietly.

"And fulfil our destiny," Clark finished.

"He said that?" Martha asked carefully, trying to be strong for her children.

They walked towards the ship as Clark said, "We have until sundown today."

"Or what?" Jonathan questioned.

"I'm not sure," Clark said.

"He said we didn't have a choice," Rory told them. "Why is this happening now? Just when our lives are coming together? I mean, the farm's out of debt, I'm gonna be a big sister-"

"I'm gonna be a big brother," Clark said. "And…" he blushed, "Lana and I are finally getting together."

"You seem pretty 'gotten together' to me," Rory muttered quietly. Clark punched her lightly in the arm and she laughed for the first time since meeting Jor-El.

"Whatever your biological father may have in mind for you," Martha said philosophically, "they're his hopes and dreams, not yours."

"Clark, Rory, you choose your own destiny," Jonathan agreed wisely. "Nobody can decide that for you."

Clark and Rory looked at them seriously. Rory took a step towards them and said, "This is our home, and you are our parents."

Clark stepped forward also and said, "This is where we belong."

"And we're not going anywhere," Rory finished softly.

Kawatche caves, that afternoon
Clark and Rory entered the caves for the first time since Lionel Luthor had taken control of them.

There was metal scaffolding and electronic equipment including a stand holding a plastic tube focused straight at the octagonal groove in the wall. Encased in the tube was some advanced looking machinery.

They heard a switch flick, filling the cave with artificial light and Rory turned. Lionel was striding around the corner, his face a mask.

"I'm gonna have to put a stop to these unauthorized visits," he said calmly. His thoughts, however, were entirely different.

HOW did they get in again?! I thought they only got in because my dearest son let them, but here they are, when I specifically told the guards on the door not to let ANYONE past!

Rory winced and Clark said, surprised, "Mr. Luthor."

"What are you doing here?" he asked coolly.

"We were just curious," Rory said innocently, making her too-blue eyes big and wide.

Lionel laughed with not a trace of humour. "I suppose so."

He looked around at the cave and said openly, "According to poor Dr. Walden," his eyes flicked to Rory, "you're talked about quite a bit on these walls. Apparently," he emphasised the word, acting as though he didn't believe it, "you two are going to rule us all."

Rory kept her emotions hidden. "I'm surprised someone like you, Mr. Luthor, would put stock in anything he had to say."

"I know you worked closely with the man," he said, a flash of something like hunger visible in his eyes for a moment. "I'm sure there are insights that one of you could give me." Both siblings remained stoic, and he added, "It would be extremely helpful."

"He didn't tell either of us anything," Clark stated.

Lionel stared at them for a moment, then said in a tone that clearly spoke of his disbelief, "Hmm."

Distracting him from his sister, at least for the moment, Clark asked, "What's with all the machinery?"

Lionel looked around as he said, "I'm going to unlock the secrets hidden within these walls."

"Didn't you see what happened to Dr. Walden?" Rory asked, surprised. Lionel looked at her with his eyebrows raised and she blushed.

"She's right, it's dangerous," Clark said bluntly.

"Yes, but I have something he didn't," said Lionel, smiling triumphantly. "The key."

Rory and Clark exchanged a quick look.

But the key's back at home.

Shh, Clark, he'll notice!

"Once I insert that key into the slot," Lionel continued as though he hadn't realised anything (he had), "I'm convinced the answers will be revealed to me."

"I don't understand," Rory said clearly. Clark shot her a look that needed no translation – what the hell are you doing?

"I thought the key was stolen from your vault," Rory finished, and Clark relaxed almost imperceptibly.

Lionel stepped closer to the twins. "It was, but before it mysteriously disappeared, I had it analysed. The composition was," he paused, "unique."

His gaze flicked between the siblings, searching for the slightest hint of anything. "There's nothing like it on Earth, with one exception."

Neither Rory nor Clark betrayed any of their eagerness to hear what he had to say.

He stepped even closer to them. "The meteor rocks found here in Smallville," Lionel whispered, his eyes alight with excitement.

He walked away from them, saying loudly, "So I have fashioned my own key."

Lionel opened a small metal box and showed it to them. Rory stepped back quickly, realizing before Clark what was in it.

"It's identical in every detail," he told them.

Rory fought down nausea, trying not to show Lionel how horrible she felt – any sign of weakness he would jump on like a shark on blood.

Unable to help herself however, she took a peek inside the box. She had been right.

A key exactly the one in their possession lay inside, the only differences being that it was bright green and transparent.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Lionel murmured, sounding almost hypnotised.

Clark grimaced, stepping back with Rory behind him.

Lionel noticed and said, sounding concerned, "Clark? You don't look well. Neither do you, Aurora. Are you all right?"

No matter how many times she asked, almost ordered him to call her Rory, he called her by her full name. Rory wasn't sure if he did it to annoy her or just because he could.

Rory tugged Clark's shirt.

We should go...

Yes, he agreed instantly.

"I'm fine," he told Lionel, barely remembering his question. "Be careful."

"Lionel Luthor's never gotten anywhere in life playing it safe," he boasted. He closed the box and Clark almost sighed in relief. Rory leaned a little on him.

From where Lionel was standing, it looked very much like Clark was protecting his sister. But from what? he wondered. Careful not to let his thoughts show on his face, he instead looked at them excitedly.

"We should probably get home," Rory said. Her legs still felt watery from the effect of the meteor rock.

"Yeah, Mom and Dad might be worried," Clark agreed.

"Give my regards to them, won't you?" Lionel said.

Clark nodded and pulled Rory out.

Lionel watched them go, a calculating look on his face.

Sunset, barn loft
Clark watched the sunset from the window while Rory sat on the couch. He was tense, despite the beauty of the scene in front of him – brilliant orange and gold lit the sky.

"I figured this is where I'd find you two."

Rory turned to see the speaker, anxiety written in every line of her body. Clark didn't turn, knowing immediately who it was.

"Just watching the sunset," he replied, feigning calm. "I just hope it's not the last one I see from up here."

"It won't be, Clark," Jonathan assured him.

Rory sighed and stood up from the couch. She walked over to Clark, watching the sunset for a moment before turning and beginning to pace.

"Rory, if you're going to do that, you might as well sit back down," Clark said sternly.

Rory ignored him and Jonathan said, "Rory, it's just another sundown."

Jonathan looked out at the sun, which was slowly sinking beneath the horizon. Clark took a deep breath, bracing himself and Rory walked back over to him, lifting Clark's arm and putting it around her.

They watched with bated breath as the sun slipped lower and lower. It seemed to take forever, most likely just because of what was at stake.

Rory shifted her weight to her other foot and flicked her long blonde hair nervously. Clark didn't take his eyes off the golden orb which was just dipping over the horizon.

Finally they could no longer see it, even when the Kryptonian siblings strained their eyes. Jonathan smiled, slapping Clark on the back.

"Come on," he said to them jovially. "Your mother's got dinner ready."

Clark smiled back. "Yeah, we'll be there in a minute."

Jonathan began to leave.

"Dad?" Rory turned to look at him.

"Yeah?"

Rory smiled at him. "Thanks for always believing in me. In us."

"You're welcome, sweetheart," he said. He left.

Rory glanced one last time at the now-purple sky, her face breaking into a wide grin. "We did it!"

"It is time, Kal-El, Kara."

The happiness drained from her face as she stared at Clark, whose face had gone white.

"No," she whispered.

"Come to me."

Storm Cellar, 2 seconds later...
The ship hovered just above the ground. It was glowing a little.

"You will obey me, Kal-El, Kara," came the thought-voice of their biological father.

"You're not our father," Rory said defiantly. "You can't control us!"

The ship turned until its front was pointing at them. There was a white blast and Clark was thrown into the corner of the room. He hung upside down and screamed in pain, unable to move.

"Clark!" Rory cried, terrified, before another blast caught her, flinging her against the wall.

Clark pulled open his shirt, where a symbol was slowly being burnt into his chest.

Rory screamed and tried to go to him, to stop the symbol, but yet another blast flung her against the wall again.

The same symbol began to burn itself onto her abdomen. She thought she heard Jor-El say, "It must go there, for it would not fit over your chest."

She definitely heard the next one: "This is the mark of your ancestors. You cannot fight it, my children."

They continued to scream, the pain unbearable, as Jor-El went on, "At the zenith of the star Sol, you will begin your journey together."

The ship lowered and Clark fell to the ground, followed instantly by Rory. Still unable to move, echoes of pain rippling through their bodies, they heard the finality in their father's voice as he said coldly, "If you do not, you will hurt the ones you love most."

Clark tried to get up and fell onto his back, revealing the symbol on his chest which still glowed slightly. Rory turned herself just enough to be able to see it, and her eyes widened.

She looked down at her own body, hands shaking as she pulled her shirt up. The same symbol was burned onto her stomach. Its glow faded slowly as she looked at her brother, eyes troubled.

Next morning, Kent farm
Clark leaned on the fence outside the house, turning Lana's now harmless necklace over in his hands, watching the sun sparkle from its facets. Rory sat on the fence next to him, kicking her feet against it.

"This sucks," she said softly.

"Yeah, it really does," he returned, just as quiet.

"If only we could get rid of him! Or the spaceship, either one," Rory whisper-yelled.

"If we got rid of the spaceship, it would have the added bonus of removing the physical evidence that we're aliens," Clark said thoughtfully.

"Yes, but how? Does it have a weakness?" Rory asked just as their parents came out of the house, dressed in their wedding clothes.

"Clark, Rory!" Martha said, playfully upbraiding them. "Why aren't you ready?"

Clark slipped the necklace into his pocket as he turned to face them.

"The wedding doesn't start for a few hours, Mom," Rory replied.

"Exactly! It takes girls much longer to get dressed then it does boys, Rory," Jonathan replied laughingly. Like his wife, he was in a good mood. "Besides, your mother wants to get a good seat."

"I promised Helen I'd go early and check the flowers," Martha added.

"Well, I gotta pick up Lana, so I'll meet you there," Clark told them.

"What about you, Rors?" Jonathan asked.

"I'll just catch a ride with Clark," she shrugged. Beaming at Clark, she asked in a honeyed voice, "You don't mind, do you darling brother of mine?"

"Of course not," he responded dryly, smiling half-heartedly.

Martha looked at Jonathan, concerned.

"Clark," Jonathan said, happiness fading from his voice. "How's it going today?"

"Good," Clark replied.

Think they've guessed? Rory asked him.

I don't know.

"No voice?" Jonathan asked.

Clark hesitated and Rory said cheerfully, "No voice."

Happiness returned, Jonathan said, "Looks like you two are just gonna have to face the future the old-fashioned way."

"I guess so," said Clark, still sombre. "It's pretty scary."

Jonathan chuckled and said, "Yeah."

Martha and Jonathan began to walk towards the truck.

"Mom?" Clark said suddenly.

Martha turned back. "Yes, Clark?"

"You look beautiful today," he said seriously.

"Yeah, you do," Rory added wistfully.

"Thank you, sweethearts," Martha replied, smiling at them. Jonathan helped her into the truck and Clark looked at Rory, obviously distressed. Rory stared at the ground.

Storm cellar, not long after
Clark opened his shirt to show Pete the scar. He whistled, asking, "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore," Clark answered.

Pete looked at Rory. "Do you have one, too?"

She nodded and said, "On my stomach. Daddy dearest," she said the words as sarcastically as she could, "decided it wouldn't fit over my… chest."

Pete shook his head and asked, "You got any idea what it means?"

Clark looked over at the ship and said, "It's our biological father's way of telling us we have to do what he wants."

"We think that by noon, it'll control us," Rory finished for him.

"Your parents must be freaked out," Pete said.

Rory looked down, twisting her fingers together. It was Clark who answered him as he buttoned up his shirt.

"We didn't tell them."

"Why wouldn't you tell them?" Pete asked, shock evident on his face.

"Because, Pete, I know what we have to do," Clark said fiercely.

"You do?" Rory questioned in bewilderment. "I just didn't want to worry them."

"They'll never agree with me in a thousand years," Clark said. "I have to destroy the ship."

"Clark, we've been through this," Rory said, exasperated. "It must've travelled light-years through space – I doubt we could even dent it, much less destroy it."

"What if we had a kryptonite key?" Clark said with the air of a magician performing his greatest trick.

"Clark, this is whacked!" Pete said.

Clark pulled the necklace out of his pocket and showed it the two of them.

"Remember this?" he asked. "Lana's necklace."

"I could hardly forget, Clark," Rory said patronizingly.

"But what does that have to do with the ship?" Pete asked.

Clark scowled at Rory and said, "Everything."

When it was clear that Pete still didn't get it, Clark explained, "When Tina Greer tied me up down here, it nearly killed me."

"You had to remind me," Rory complained. Clark ignored her.

"But before it could, the ship neutralized it."

"You said the ship was protecting you," Pete argued.

"What if it wasn't?" Clark said, again with his magician's air.

Rory gasped. "Think about it, Pete. We're from Krypton, and so is the ship, and what's the one thing that can kill us?"

"So you think that kryptonite can destroy the ship?" Pete asked sceptically. Clark just looked at him. "Clark, it's too dangerous. Do you hear me? You've never done this before. You don't know what will happen." When it was obvious Clark still wasn't convinced, Pete raised his voice and said, "It could kill you!"

Clark looked at Rory.

Understanding, she said, "It could kill Clark, yes. But me..."

Pete changed tack. "Besides, where are you going to get a kryptonite key?"

Rory looked up at Clark, her eyes shining with admiration. "Clark, you're a genius."

"Why thank you," he replied, smiling.

11:50am, same day, Kent farm
Clark and Rory exited the barn just as Chloe pulled up.

Rory turned to Clark.

"I'll get rid of her," he said, understanding the worry on her face.

"Clark, we have 10 minutes," she urged him.

"I'll be there, I promise," he reassured her. Rory shook her head and walked past him.

Chloe was just getting out of her car. "Hey, Clark, I'm glad I caught you before the wedding."

"Chloe, what are you doing here?" he asked bluntly.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, her journalistic instinct perking up. "I mean, I heard you were looking for me."

"Yeah, um, I was, but..." Clark trailed off, searching for something that would make her leave.

We don't have time for subtlety, Clark!

He looked towards the storm cellar and said, "I can't talk to you right now."

He started to push her back to her car.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked him angrily.

"Look, I promise I'll find you later," he assured her.

"Clark, I-" she managed to get out before he cut her off.

"Don't worry. I'll find you, okay?"

Chloe glared at his retreating back. "So how'd you decide? Rock-paper-scissors, coin toss, or did you just happen to draw the short straw?"

Clark turned. Puzzled, he said, "Decide?"

Chloe walked towards him as she said bitterly, "Who was gonna tell me that you and Lana are together."

Clark was shocked. "You know?"

"Yeah. I came over to the barn the other night to warn you about something."

Clark...

Hold on.

"About what?"

"You know, it doesn't matter now," Chloe said cynically. "The point is I saw you and Lana in a major lip lock."

"I-I didn't mean-" Clark stammered.

Chloe cut him off angrily. "Didn't what, Clark? Newsflash. You've always been in love with Lana," she said, starting to get a little teary.

That just made her angrier as she said, "I tried to deny it, thinking that maybe we could work something out, but it's like fate, Clark. Inevitable, but always surprising when it actually happens."

"I was going to tell you," Clark said apologetically.

"Really?" Chloe asked in disbelief. "Because obviously, it was at the top of your to-do list."

Clark shook his head and she continued, "You know, I can deal with the fact that you guys are together. It hurts, but I was prepared for it."

Anger rising inside her once more, she yelled, "But we just made a promise to be honest with each other, and you didn't have the guts to keep your word!"

"Chloe-"

She was tired of listening to his excuses. "Or was it just that it was too much fun making a fool of me that you couldn't reveal your secret?"

Chloe turned and walked towards her car. "Have a nice life, Clark," she threw over her shoulder.

Clark watched her drive away.

Clark, we've got two minutes.

He ran towards the storm cellar.

Jonathan and Martha
"Why wouldn't they have come to the wedding? Clark was - is - best man. Lex is one of Rory's best friends," Martha said anxiously.

"I'm sure they had a good reason," Jonathan replied.

The truck sped on towards the farm.

Storm Cellar
Clark went down the stairs. Rory stood at the bottom, waiting for him. She held the box containing the kryptonite key in her hands.

Neither of them said a word, with their minds or their voices. Turning towards the ship, Rory opened the box away from herself and Clark. Reaching in, using her superspeed, she touched the key, turning it off. She felt dizzy for a moment, then recovered.

"Go," Clark said softly.

Clark stepped back as Rory pulled out the key. Walking confidently towards the ship, she knelt, bracing herself.

She pushed the key into the octagonal groove – it fit perfectly, just as they'd known it would. She stepped backwards quickly, standing next to Clark.

The twins watched in awe and fear as the ship's surface began to fester and burn, the damage moving away from the ship. They took another step back as the ship rose into the air jerkily, still burning.

The metal began to screech, the burning surface glowing green, the ship shaking even more violently until finally it disappeared in a burst of white light.

Clark sensed something was wrong and grabbed Rory, throwing her to the ground. He covered her body with his as much as possible, knowing that he couldn't be hurt – but she could.

The door of the cellar sank into the ground as another flash of light burst through it, into the sky. A ring of white light expanded outwards, moving extremely fast and away from the newly-made hole in the ground.

Jonathan and Martha
They were nearly home when they first saw it.

A huge ring of white light, moving quickly towards them and taller than a nearby telephone pole.

Martha screamed as Jonathan swerved to avoid it, driving into a field as sparks showered down from the telephone pole. The truck tipped over and rolled a few times, landing upside down.

There was no trace of movement inside.

A/N Alright, I'm gonna end it there. Why? Because it's over 4,000 words long, that's why. I didn't realise how long it was, otherwise I would have posted it much sooner. Exam week is this week, so an update is unlikely. I am also going away to a little island about 2 hours away from Brisbane called New Caledonia from the 3rd of July to the 10th of July. So yeah.

Now, I got this idea from another fic, but it's a cool one: from now on in, I'm going to ask a question pertaining to Smallville or Supernatural (mostly Smallville) and a few random ones. If you have any ideas, feel free to PM me.

Question 1: If you had a choice between being a Kryptonian on Earth or a Kryptonian on Krypton, which would you choose? Kryptonite exists on Earth, by the way, but Krypton is still there.

Xx.maddy-sparx.xX