"There's a girl."

His congregation looked at him as if he had gone mad. They knew that he had suffered from breathing in the same air as humans. He wasn't used to it and it had made him weak for a few moments. He had been dragged back to the safety of a ship by some Krytonians who had been taken with him, but now he was rambling about some girl. He had demanded Faora and Nam-Ek to take care of Kal-El. He was stronger than Zod had thought. He honestly believed that beating Clark Kent wouldn't be that difficult.

But he was well adjusted to earth. He was becoming a thorn in Zod's side. He had seen Clark's deepest memories. He had thought that they had included the woman he had brought on board the ship, but that wasn't true. There was another one. Zod had seen Clark's thoughts. He knew all about him. He knew everything that Clark didn't want him to know about Elizabeth Rose Lowe.

"What does a girl have to do with anything?" One man questioned Zod. "Kal-El can easily be defeated. Faora and Nam-Ek will see to that."

"Kal-El is stronger than we had first thought," Zod snapped back. "They'll flee soon enough. I know that without a doubt."

They all said nothing as Zod looked around, wondering who he should pick to go and retrieve this girl.

"You two," he pointed to them.

A girl wouldn't be a strong opponent for them, even in her own city.

"The girl, Elizabeth Lowe, bring her to me."

"Where will you be, General?"

"I'm going to the ship which our dear Kal-El found in the Arctic. Don't be long about it. I imagine he will be with me soon enough."

...

Elizabeth ran as fast as she could, heading down to where James worked. She kept looking around her as people screamed for their lives, begging for all of it to stop. Lizzie had no idea if she could make it to James in time or not. Her heart was racing and her blood was pumping through her so loud that she could hear it in her ears. Looking above her, she saw a small ship move over the skyline. It most certainly wasn't from Earth, she could tell that much.

Rounding the corner, she bumped into a man running in the opposite direction to the left. Everyone was scattered, no one knowing the right way to go. It didn't seem as if there was any escape from any of this. She continued to move, looking behind her with every stop which she took, wondering how long it would be until the destruction reached her.

"Oh God," she grumbled. "Don't panic, Lizzie. Keep going...Clark...he...he'll be safe...he has to be...he's like no man in this city...he'll be safe..."

She fell to the ground after her muttering. It wasn't that she wasn't looking where she was going. Far from it, she knew exactly where she was heading. She looked up, the sight in front of her something which made her blood run cold. Two men towered above in her in strange looking suits, helmets covering their heads and their eyes glistening down onto her.

Their ship was parked down another alleyway as Lizzie moved back on her hands, trying to push herself away from the aliens before her.

"Elizabeth Lowe," one spoke, his voice deceivingly soft to her ears.

"No," Lizzie lied. "You've got the wrong gal."

The two of them looked to each other, smirks tugging at their lips as they did so. Lizzie continued to move away from them. She didn't get far as one grabbed hold of the ponytail in her hair. She screamed out in pain as people ran around her, not paying any attention. They knew that they couldn't help her. They could only save themselves.

"We somehow don't think so," one of them said, grabbing her to stand upright. She fought against them, trying to use her elbow against their thick uniforms. She seemed to be doing more destruction to herself that anyone else. She yelled out as one slapped her across the face, stopping her from protesting. She cried out, blood spluttering her lip as she spat in his face, refusing to be taken without a fight.

"I am sure Kal-El wasn't attracted to you for your pathetic strength," one of them laughed, slinging her body up against the wall. She groaned as her front made contact with the brickwork, loudly groaning in protest as a hand snaked around her neck, suffocating her slowly.

"No," Lizzie grumbled out. "Let...me...go..."

"No can do," he said. "Our General wants a word with you."

Lizzie continued squirming until unconsciousness finally came to her.

...

"How very nice of you to join the world again."

Lizzie peeled her eyes open, looking around her surroundings. None of it made any sense to her. She jumped back slightly, shaking her head as she did so. She pushed herself from the ground, her hand moving to her swollen lip as she finally saw a tall figure sat in a large seat. She knew that she definitely wasn't in Metropolis anymore. She didn't take to stand, too scared to contemplate that as she saw him watch her.

"So, you are the mysterious mortal," he snarled at her. "His precious Elizabeth."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Elizabeth whispered her lie back to him. "I have no idea why I am here."

"Oh, I am sure you do," he told her.

She tried to move her legs, only to find that she had been tied at the ankles along with her wrists. She pushed against the restraints, urging her body to move itself from the seat which the alien sat on. What else could she call him? He was an alien, but more than that, she was sure General Zod wasn't working with Clark at all.

"I thought that restraining you would be the best."

She looked at the material binding her. It felt like plastic as it dug into her skin, leaving its indentations in its wake.

"It isn't like I have any strength against you, is it?" Lizzie snapped back. "Your men proved that to me. You're all super powerful."

"Or you're super weak," he repeated to her. "Which one is it, Lizzie?"

"No idea," Elizabeth said. "Where am I?"

"On your way back to Metropolis," Zod said, looking out the clear pane in front of him. He was currently travelling over the ocean, the sight of the World-Builder something which astounded him. "I'm intending to destroy your planet and restore Krypton to all of its former glory."

"That's what the machine is?" Lizzie checked. "You're flattening the world! How can you do that? There are millions of people whose lives are at risk!"

"You sound just like Kal-El," he snidely replied. "Krypton's conditions differ to that of this planet's. We intend to take it, regardless of what anyone does."

Lizzie shook her head at him as he veered the ship to the right slowly, the sight of Metropolis something wonderful from miles away. He couldn't believe what was happening. Krypton needed to be reborn, and he would see to it that it would be.

"You seem to have everything planned out," Elizabeth replied. "I don't see any reason for me being here."

"You wouldn't," Zod said. "Are all you humans this dense?"

"I don't know," Lizzie replied in a snarky tone. "Are all aliens this rude?"

"Most," Zod said, not bothering to rise to her taunts. "At first we thought the other woman was the one to make Kal-El see to our bidding...and then I looked into his mind. I saw all of it, Lizzie. That's what he calls you, isn't it? His beloved Lizzie."

"You can't use me against him," Lizzie assured Zod. "Clark will never let you do anything to this world. Besides, he doesn't care for me as deeply as you seem to believe. I'm married, and not to him."

"Your status changes nothing," Zod said. "It does not change the way Kal-El feels. He is weak. He is like his father. It will be his downfall."

"Or it will be his making," Lizzie mumbled back, trying to pull her wrists from their restraints. She groaned at the contact, doing her best to get rid of the pain she was feeling.

"You will soon see that there is no escape," Zod said. "And when I have thrown your mangled corpse by his feet, I will soon see to it that he suffers the same fate."

Lizzie ground her teeth together, refusing to believe anything which Zod was saying to her. It sickened her more than she cared to admit.

"You'll never get away with this," she assured him. "Clark will see to that."

"So much faith in your adored Kal-El," Zod muttered. "I cannot wait for you to see that your faith has been misguided. Perhaps I shall kill you in front of him...then you can see his tortured face..."

"Shut up," Lizzie snarled as Zod chuckled, looking at the plane which threatened to stop him from carrying out his plan. He could see it clearly, Zod's eyes focused on destroying it. Lizzie turned her attention to follow his gaze, looking at him as he spoke.

"Target that aircraft." He spoke.

Lizzie knew that wasn't a good thing to do. She could tell instantly that he was making some form of a bad move. She tried to move to stop him, unable to do so as the ship suddenly shook. She screamed out as it tilted, her body sliding down to hit the wall as a blue light shone around where the ship had been destroyed. She lifted her gaze, pushing her hair from her eyes as she saw him stood on the floor, his eyes alight with fire and glaring at Zod.

She took in the suit for a few moments and the red cloak which flew behind him as he glowered at Zod.

"Stop!" Zod snapped. "If you destroy this ship, you destroy Krypton."

He took a moment to think about what he had just said, too intent on destroying Zod in front of him to notice Lizzie in the corner.

"Krytpon had its chance!" he yelled back.

Lizzie shrieked loudly as a bright reddish light came from his eyes, moving down the ship and cutting it with ferocity. Zod tumbled from his seat as the ship plummeted downwards, Lizzie crying loudly as she screamed for Clark.

"Clark!" she yelled out to him "Clark! Please!"

It took Clark no time at all to recognise who was calling his name as he stopped using his eyes and his gaze softened as he saw her stood sat there, unable to move. He rushed forwards, picking her up into his hold as she managed to open her arms wide enough to wrap around his neck. Zod had disappeared, nowhere to be seen as she yelled loudly at Clark, her ramblings incoherent.

He pressed his fist against the panel of the ship, smashing it away to reveal the open skyline of Metropolis. Lizzie kept hold of him, refusing to let go as he flew away as fast as possible from the ship, destruction entering its path as he moved from it.

"It's okay," Clark spoke soothingly to her as she shook in his arms. "You're safe."

"I'll agree when I'm on the ground," Lizzie promised him. He couldn't help but smirk softly at hearing her, finding a safe place amongst the rubble to hide her until he came back for her. He set her down on her feet, untangling her arms from his neck and keeping an arm around her waist to hold her upright.

"When did Zod take you?" Clark asked her, snapping the material from her wrists with ease. He pulled the ones on her ankles off too. She kept her hands on his shoulders, steadying herself as she took a moment to think, her mind completely askew.

"I don't know," she said. "I was...that thing had come...I was running and bumped into two of his henchmen or something. And then I was there...he said he was going to keep me and use me against you. I did warn him how stupid that was." Lizzie said, her voice on the verge of hysterical as Clark held her by the waist again, feeling her body shaking due to adrenalin.

"I didn't know that this would happen," Lizzie whispered. "I told him that I was only a friend. He wouldn't listen to me. He's going to kill you, Clark."

Clark forced himself to smirk at hearing that come from her lips. He moved his finger to wipe away the dried blood on her plump bottom lip. She winced as he caught the cut on her mouth, shaking her head back and forth with haste, unable to believe that any of this had happened to her.

"I'd like to see him try," Clark spoke. "You're going to be safe, Lizzie. I'll see to that."

"I know," Lizzie promised him.

He took in her appearance for a moment, looking at the pink uniform which she wore. It was covered in dust; her pale legs had cuts on them and were smudged in dirt. Her hair was hanging loosely from its bobble and her face was also covered in dirt. She looked an absolute mess.

"Hey," Lizzie suddenly whispered to Clark. "Is that an S? It's an S, isn't it?"

"No," Clark drawled as she pointed to his chest. "It's a symbol of hope, Liz."

"It isn't," she protested. "It's an S. Don't tell me that you're calling yourself Superman."

"I'm not, others are," Clark replied to her.

"I should have patented that," she grumbled to him.

He couldn't help but smile despite what was happening around him. He brushed some dirt from her face as he heard a plane come near. He knew that impact was imminent. He had to do something to help. He couldn't just stand there and hold Lizzie to him.

"Stay here," Clark warned her. "Don't you dare move from safety."

"Is it safe here?" Lizzie wondered from Clark, looking to the skyline as she grabbed hold of his hand. He began to hover above the ground, his hand still in hers. "Clark-"

"-Do as I say," he interrupted, a bossy side coming out to him. Lizzie frowned at that side. "Stay here, Lizzie. I'll be back for you."

"Be careful," she urged him, watching as he began to hover above the skyline.

"When am I not?" Clark wondered from her.

She watched him fly faster then. He reached the machine which towered above the skyline, a large blue light escaping it as Lizzie could do nothing but stand and watch.

Her thoughts were soon moved away from the unfolding events in the sky as she looked to the side. A large piece of building had been moved from the ground, flying over her head. Lizzie screamed loudly, ducking down onto the floor, scratching her bare skin as she heard it impact with a building which was still intact. She looked around her, wondering what the noise was before she saw him emerging from the rubble.

She didn't care that Clark had told her to stay still; she was not going to hang around and wait for him to get to her again. She rushed forwards, jumping over any bricks which stood in her way as she heard his breaths catch up with him. She had barely made it twenty metres before he took hold of her wrist, stopping her from going anywhere.

"I don't think so," he snarled at her as a loud crashing came from the sky.

His attention turned back up to his World-Builder and he watched as the light shrouded it. His face fell as he realised that Kal-El had destroyed it. He had destroyed their last chance at building another Krypton. Zod felt his rage boil to the surface then as he dragged Lizzie through the rubble, going too fast for her to stand on her feet. She fell behind him, being dragged on the ground as she heard her body knock on anything in its path. She groaned out, too drained to scream at the pain.

He pushed her to the floor as he came to a large clearing above where the World-Builder should have been. He could see Kal-El in the distance, his sight making him out with the figure of a woman. His lip curled upwards as he saw her move closer to Kal-El, her hands on his neck as he did nothing.

"Look what we have here," Zod sneered. "Now this you have to see."

He hovered over the ground, grabbing Lizzie and dragging her closer towards the scene. He stopped a safe distance back, keeping quiet as he pushed her to the ground. She moved her gaze over to the scene, her eyes widening as she saw Lois wrapped in Clark's hold.

She was moving closer to him, Clark doing nothing to react.

"See what we have here," Zod said, bending down to whisper into her ear. Zod refused to be beat. He refused to let Kal-El get away with this. He could see that he wasn't moving. She was the one who was initiating the movement. He was simply frozen.

"He's found someone else to move on to," Zod whispered, bending down to whisper in Lizzie's ear. "Perhaps the guilt will eat him up when I present your deformed body to him...perhaps I will tell him how you sat here and sobbed over the sight...tell him how you saw all of it."

Lizzie didn't bite the taunts which were being fed to her. She knew that she couldn't. She had to be stronger than what Zod was making her out to be. She didn't say anything, knowing full well that her denial would do nothing to change the General's mind.

She had James. She had found someone else. Clark could do the same. It shouldn't hurt her. It shouldn't hurt her when her life was being threatened. But it did hurt. And she couldn't deny it for fear of openly cracking in front of the Kryptonian.

"We need to get his attention somehow," Zod spoke simply and raised his hand to slap Lizzie across the face, making her tumble to the floor and scream loud enough for Clark to hear.

...

Clark held Lois softly as she stood in front of him, her body shaking after what had just happened. He continued to ask if she was alright and safe as a moment of peace descended around the pair of them. He had his hands on her waist, steadying her as she kept her hands on his shoulders. She weakly smiled up at him, moving her hands to rest on his neck.

Clark couldn't help but stiffen at that contact.

"Thank you," she whispered to him, her breathing hitting his cheek. "You just saved my life, Clark."

"Well...I suppose so," Clark admitted.

"You did," Lois said, moving closer to him.

What was he doing? Why was he not pulling back from her? He shouldn't be letting this happen. But he found himself unable to do anything but stand still as she finally pressed her lips against his. She held him tightly as he remained still, his mind clouding with a few seconds of guilt. And he knew why he was feeling guilty.

Because she was the one who he wanted. She would always be the one who he wanted.

But she was married. She had moved on from him. But her marriage was in trouble. Clark technically shouldn't feel guilty. That didn't stop him though. He pulled back from Lois after a few moments, her face one of content as he looked to the side. She followed his gaze as she arched a brow, unable to hear anything.

"What is it?"

"Zod," Clark said again, looking to the distance where he stood with a woman lay on the ground in front of him. "He's got Lizzie again."

Lois nodded at that, stepping out of Clark's grip. "Go and save her."

He began to hover in the air, slowly moving towards Zod and Lizzie for the final time.

...

A/N: Thanks to anyone taking the time to read this and I do hope you will let me know what you think so far. I intend to keep writing after Man of Steel because I have many ideas to go on. Until the next update, thanks for reading!