HOLDING OUT pt9

Pairings - Not sure yet, Clark and Chloe most likely
Spoilers - It would help if you've ever Watched Smallville
Disclaimer - As much as I'd like to, I own nothing and will in no way make profit from this piece of fiction from the depths of my imagination.

NOTE – Sorry again for the length of time between posts being so random. I'm entering a very busy time. Between the wedding from before, finishing up rehearsals for the play I'm launching Wednesday night, wrestling, work and Gym schedules I STILL need to make time for the Mrs. Because she's demanding and stuff. Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I think the momentum of this tale is about to pick up. I'm done with the reveal, now it's time to get things into gear.

Hold on to your hats!

September 27, 2013
1:57am
The Fortress of Solitude

"Chloe, what's wrong?"

I am such an idiot.

"Clark, it's your mother." Her hands started trembling against his biceps. Shelby continued her excavation of the brown bag for more food. Clark's face remained impassive, and calm.

"What about her?"

"I don't know. But … As I was trying to make it to you … to the Caves." He's never going to forgive me! "I was being followed … By InterGang … It's all my fault, Clark. I think your mother's dead."

His lips tightened at her final words, his grip on her shoulders tightening fractionally. Chloe closed her eyes, willing the tears to stay away. If I've doomed Martha …

"I guess I'm ready," he muttered softly. His hands disappearing from her shoulders. Chloe unconsciously flinched, her eyes snapping open. At the sight of his back walking away from her, she lurched forward to grab at his arm.

"Clark, you have to believe how sorry I am. I never meant …"

Without stopping his forward momentum, he continued his pace until arriving at the bank of crystals in the center of the room. Shelby's lip smacking became less frequent as she reached the end of the food. "I know you, Chlo'." His hands fluttered from one crystal to the next, each one readjusting position at his touch. "I have no doubt that whatever trouble you're in is for a very good reason." He touched three more crystals, producing a grating noise behind them.

Both of them turned to see a hidden chamber reveal itself across the hall. A large piece of the wall seemed to rise into the air under its own power, revealing what looked like a hidden wardrobe. Striding purposefully towards the chamber, Chloe found herself following helplessly.

"But Clark. I went to your mother for help. And now she's …"

Stepping into the wardrobe, Clark ran his fingers softly over a chest high platform against the back wall. Like everything else it appeared to be made of ice, but the whole room was warm.

"If anything has happened to my mother, it happened because of who she is, Chloe. You were as much one of her children as I ever was. And she would have done anything for you." He turned his head towards her and smiled softly. Removing his hand from the platform, there came a pulse of soft white light that seemed to have no origin, only making the whole room brighter and warmer. The top of the platform began to open outwards, revealing a storage facility within.

What the … "Clark … This is … Amazing. But, we've got to go. We've got to find out what happened."

Clark smiled again, reaching into the platform. "We will." First he withdrew a dark piece of crystal that had a large, flat side that was perfectly smooth. And reflective.

A mirror?

"Clark, this isn't the time to fix your makeup. We have to go."

He chuckled softly. "No worries, Chlo'. I haven't gone all vain." He reached back into the platform. "But one thing I've learned from all of my training is that the world doesn't want Clark Kent to be their savior." Withdrawing his arm, he was holding a soft red material.

Chloe reached out her hand and touched the material. Silk? She looked up at him quizzically. "Then who do they want?"

"You'll see."

Raising the mirror-crystal in front of his face, his eyes narrowed. Flinching back at the sudden rush of heat, Chloe watched in astonishment as Clark's beard was systematically removed from his jaw line with a continual stream of his heat vision.

Holy!

"So tell me what's going on. From the beginning."

Somewhere in Metropolis

2:07am

"I won't lie to you Senator. You were a definite inspiration to me."

Martha rolled her head forward, trying to meet the female silhouette in the eyes. The bright light refracting around her frame made her eyes water. The rusty taste of blood in her mouth wasn't making her comfortable either. But the recent slaps across her face just added more bruising to her already battered body, and the added pain wasn't likely to make her anymore talkative than she already was.

Keep the voice level, Martha. Be strong.

"You say that in the past tense?"

Firm, perfectly manicured fingers gripped her jaw tightly, grinding her teeth together painfully. Tilting Martha's head up, the woman leaned forward until some of the features on her face became visible.

"I never thought that a woman in your position would be so stubborn."

"You never dealt with my husband. Now he was stubborn."

"And now he's dead. If you don't play along, you could be joining him very soon."

Martha forced herself to smile. "Now there's a threat. Please, whatever you do, don't re-unite me with my beloved Jonathan. I beg you."

The grip was released. Followed immediately by another slap, this time from the left.

Her head rocked, sending still more sharp electrical jolts of agony up into her brain. The tension increased on her bonds and tears began to form again in her clenched shut eyelids.

"Boss." That was John. "Maybe we should just dump her off. Cut our losses."

Turning her head forward, Martha peered up at the female before her.

Silence.

"Maybe," she conceded finally. "But not yet. Let's redouble our efforts, try to find out Sullivan's location. Quietly put out the word as to the Senator's disappearance, and see if that shakes her loose. Failing that …"

A sudden rush of air blasted through the room. Martha's hair fluttered in the breeze, before settling in front of her eyes.

Oh my God, she thought. Hope swelling within her chest.

Off in the shadows, Martha could almost make out the three men in the room, swiveling in every direction. One looked like he had a weapon drawn.

"John, what's going on?"

"I have no idea boss. Someone try to get …" His voice was cut off with a loud, fleshy smack. This was immediately followed by the sound of the other men shouting. First in surprise, then in agony. More air was displaced, and the men's cries got fainter.

"What's going on?" The woman cried, withdrawing a pistol from her suit jacket. "I can't see …"

With another flash of wind and air, the woman's gun disappeared from her hands. Barely having the time to glance down at her fingers in shock, she shrieked in surprise and pain before being hauled rapidly into the darkness. By the back of her pants.

I can't take it anymore.

"Clark!" Martha screamed. "Clark, is that you?"

The sudden rushing of air swirled around her body. Abruptly her hands, and feet were untied and two strong hands were resting on her shoulders.

Titling her tear streaked face upwards, Martha blinked away the tears and quickly brushed the hair out of her eyes. "Clark?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Folding his red-clad arms across the lightning bolt symbol emblazoned across his chest, Bart began tapping his foot impatiently. "I mean, really Mrs. K. First Chloe-licious goes all I hope you're not wearing flannel, and now you're all …"

"Bart?" Ignoring the crushing feeling of disappointment and putting up a smile. "Thank goodness, Bart. I don't think I could've taken another slap."

Bart sighed, tucking a thumb under his mask and letting his curly brown hair flop out. Planting a grin on his face, he helped Martha to her feet. "We'll take it slow getting out of here, Mrs. K. I know you're not up for the Lightspeed Express just yet."

Slowly, with one arm around his surprisingly broad shoulder, Martha made her way across the warehouse floor. Her eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness. All around her were pallets, loaded with big steel drum barrels. Forced to guess, she would have assumed it was one of the city-block sized warehouses. And going by the smell of brine, she knew they were near the docks.

"Have you found Chloe?"

Bart looked at her oddly. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Martha froze. "She really hasn't been found?"

"No. Why? Do you know something that I …"

Something slammed full force into the barrels and pallets to their immediate right. Barrels collapsed in upon themselves on impact, splinters and shards of wood were hurled into the air.

Bart covered Martha's body with his own. Debris hammered off his red suit and he grunted in pain.

Looking back over their shoulders, Martha saw the woman shedding her business coat and striding towards them implacably. Without breaking stride, the woman picked up a nearby barrel with one hand and hurled it in their direction.

The world shifted in a massive rush. Suddenly they were outside in the open air, out in the middle of the docks. Placed down on her feet, Martha swayed unsteadily.

"Mrs. K. this is not the time for puking." Sliding his mask back over his face, Bart scanned the area around them quickly. Behind them, the front steel doors of the warehouse made horrible, screeching sounds before being physically torn off their hinges.

Casually holding one of the doors over her head, the woman stalked down the dock towards them. Her face hidden in shadow.

"Who is this broad?" Martha grabbed his arm before he could take off.

"Bart, get me out of here. This isn't the time for a fight."

He smirked. "Oh I think I can handle the steroid queen over there, Mrs. K."

"I have no doubt." At least none that I'll admit to." But the sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can find Chloe."

The moonlight overhead suddenly went dim. Startled, Martha looked up in time to see the steel warehouse door angling down from the sky.

Another lurching. Then she was slammed back to reality by the freezing cold of water.

Struggling to get air into her lungs, Martha urged her battered body to the surface and tried to gauge her surroundings.

What was left of the dock were fragmented splinters, jagged strips of plywood and the steel and cement support posts. Standing on edge where the dock ended was the top third of the warehouse door. At the edge of the dock stood the woman, no silhouetted by the moonlight as she stared out into the water.

"Nowhere left to run, Senator."

Looking left and right, Martha gasped in surprise.

Three meters to her left, a red suited body was floating facedown into the water.

2:11am

The Fortress of Solitude

"… and then I slammed the key into the portal in the caves. The light flashed and Shelby and I were on your front porch. Freezing our butts off."

Clark put the reflective crystal back into the platform, and removed a pair of red boots before closing the doors. Turning away from the platform, Clark gathered the material and boots in his arms and walked back towards the crystal bank.

What is he waiting for?

"Not to put too fine a point on this, Clark. But your mother might be in danger. We need to go now."

"I just need a moment." His face now devoid of those hippie length whiskers, the hair off his broad shoulders and closer to its regular farm boy shag. If it wasn't for the thicker neck and unbelievably square jaw, I'd say he looked exactly like I remembered. "To talk to my father."

"Your father?"

"Yeah."

Stopping in front of the podium where the crystals were located, he hesitated for one brief moment. Then he pressed down on one specific crystal in the very center.

A bright red column of light erupted from the floor and engulfed Clark's body. Yellow spirals of energy coursed around him as well, enveloping him caressingly. Lovingly.

Shelby barked loudly and rushed over to Chloe's side, barking fiercely at the surprising light. Chloe dropped to her knees and hugged the dog close, not wanting her to get in the way.

Kal-el, my son.

"Father."

Your training is complete. You take with you all the knowledge and forbearance that I have to give.

"I thank you."

Know this my son. Though I may not have any more to teach you, that this will forever remain your Fortress of Solitude. When the trials you face on this Earth grow too wearying for your shoulders, this place will be here for you.

"I understand. But I have other people, other places I can go as well. I don't know when I will be able to return."

No one ever knows what their future holds, Kal-El.

Clark smiled. "I suppose not."

I see the human known as Chloe Sullivan is here. Once again, she arrives to take you home.

Chloe glanced up in surprise.

"Chloe has always been good at that."

During your training, I saw many times that your thoughts revolved around this woman, Kal-El. Your feelings for her are deep.

"They are."

They are?

She has proven over the years her loyalty and affection for you as well, my son.

"Uhm … yeah." Clark glanced towards Chloe, visibly embarrassed. "Anyways, I'd better get going."

Not all of my advice need be of galactic importance, Kal-El. Know that your emotional well being is as important to me as your physical.

Clark faced forward again. "Then again I thank you."

Be well. My son.

The light swirling around Clark grew more intense, and even brighter. Within seconds it became too painful to look at. Crying out, Chloe buried her face into Shelby's neck while the dog barked excitedly.

Moments later, the light behind her eyes faded away. Blinking rapidly, Chloe stood up wobbily and rubbed at her eyes while turning. "Are you finally ready to …"

Well, at least I know what the material is for.

Clark stood before her in the most blatant use of primary colors she had ever seen. From the red boots and trunks, to the skin tight bodysuit and flowing red cape. With the huge S-shield decaled across his broad chest he should've looked like an absurdly attired piñata.

He looks …. Epic.

Striding forward confidently, with his hair somehow groomed smooth with one stray curl swirling down over his forehead. His cape flowed behind him softly and a smile snaked across his lips.

Chloe visibly tried to form a sentence three times before finally speaking. "Well then … Who is the world ready for Mr. Kent?"

He smiled, scooping Shelby under one arm and offering his other out to her. Stepping forward carefully, Chloe accepted his single armed embrace and pressed herself against his torso tightly, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Hold on tight."

"Way ahead of you. Are you sure you can run with me and Shelby? I mean, I can wait if you want to drop her off."

Clark quirked an eyebrow. "Who said anything about running?"

Chloe blinked rapidly a few times.

Why aren't my feet touching the ground?

Stealing a glance downwards caused her to yelp in fright and tighten her grip even further against Clark. For a frantic moment she even attempted to latch her legs around him.

He laughed. "Just hang on, Chlo'. I won't drop you."

END of Pt9