Covenant – Thirty-Ninth Chapter
"Everything you said has come true," Clark whispered in grief, leaning on the rail in the loft.
"I take no pleasure in you or Kara's grief, Kal-El," Tara said quietly from behind him.
"I know that you both have great feelings for these people, and they will miss you when you're gone."
"Ever since the meteor shower we've brought them nothing but pain," Rory said listlessly from the couch.
Tara went to Clark and put her hand on the back of his head, trailing it down his back.
"Come with me, Kal-El," she murmured. "She will ease you and your sister's suffering."
"She?" Rory asked, still disinterested.
"Your birth mother," Tara replied with a small smile.
"Lara?" Clark asked hopefully. Rory raised her head and hope glimmered in her eyes also.
"She's missed you both so much," Tara said expressively.
"But how could she?" Rory asked painfully. "She died."
"Her love lives on and will embrace you all the days of your lives," Tara said, lifting Clark's chin to look at her. She kissed him on the forehead.
Clark looked at Rory. Rory stood and said, for both of them, "We're ready."
Kawatche Caves
Clark, Tara and Rory stood in the caves, holding hands. They stood before the split in the wall.
They raised their joined hands into the air. The split began to open, releasing a beautiful but blinding golden light into the caves.
A strong wind that Rory didn't call began to gust through the caves.
Clark and Rory looked at each other over Tara's head, nervous. Tara opened her eyes and smiled at them each in turn, completely self-assured.
"Clark! Rory!" called a familiar voice from behind them. "Wait!"
The twins let go of Tara's hands and turned to face Jonathan.
"Her name is not Tara," he shouted over the wind. "Her name is Lindsay, and she's not from Krypton."
"Dad, what are you talking about?" Clark yelled back to him.
Tara grabbed his hand and said firmly, "Ignore him, Kal-El."
Jonathan held up and envelope and shouted, "Chloe matched her fingerprints to a girl who was arrested for shoplifting 16 years ago."
Jonathan pulled a piece of paper out and handed it to Clark. Rory looked over his shoulder and saw a newspaper article with a picture of Tara. She looked exactly the same as she did now.
The headline read "Woman Killed in Smallville, Daughter Missing."
The golden light continued to illuminate the caves as Jonathan told Tara, "Your name is Lindsay Harrison."
"My name is Tara!" she screamed back at him.
"You were driving with your mother on the day of the meteor shower," Jonathan yelled. "Your car got a direct hit on Route 8. That's right here near the caves."
Tara glared at Jonathan in rage.
"Clark, Rory," Jonathan turned his attention back to them. "Lindsay's body was never found."
"You haven't aged a day!" Rory said in disbelief, looking from the article to Tara.
"Because I've been waiting for you!" she screamed in frustration. She looked at the wall and yelled, "In there!"
"No, Lindsay! Jor-El used you!" Jonathan corrected her at the top of his voice. "He stole away your life, stripped you of your humanity, all so he could lure Clark and Rory to him! You three have to come with me, now."
"Go with Tara, my children," bellowed Jor-El's voice from the wall.
"We're not going anywhere!" Rory shrieked furiously.
"We'll never be who you want us to be!" Clark agreed, just as angry.
There were several flashes of bright white light and Tara disappeared.
"What did you do to her?" Clark roared.
"She served her purpose," said Jor-El coolly. "As has Jonathan Kent."
A yellow-orange rope of fiery energy burst from the fissure and wrapped itself around Jonathan's neck, pulling tight.
"Dad!" Rory and Clark cried simultaneously.
"Leave our father alone!" Rory shrieked at the wall.
"Come forward or he will die," Jor-El's voice echoed with finality.
Rory and Clark both looked from one end of the cave to the other, from one father to another, from one destiny to the other.
"Come to me, my children," Jor-El urged them.
"No!" Jonathan cried. "Jor-El can do whatever he wants to me so long as you two are free!"
"We'll never be free," Clark whispered.
"He's right," Rory said loudly.
They looked at each other as they decided.
"I love you Clark," Rory said brokenly.
"I love you too, Rory," Clark replied sadly.
He offered his hand and she took it. He pulled her into his arms and they hugged fiercely as a force tugged on them, yanking them into the wall violently.
Everything went black.
When Rory 'awoke', she was in a misty, shimmery place. Clark lay nearby, curled up next to her.
"Kal-El, Kara, my children," crooned a voice.
She raised her head, looking around a little. She was completely naked as was Clark.
"Now you shall be reborn," said the voice, satisfied.
Kara let her head loll back as darkness claimed her once more.
A/N Short, I know, but I just had to separate them. :o) And now, ladies and jellybeans, the moment you should have all been waiting for… the fourth season begins! You have no idea how happy I am as I write this.