As a response to the biggest reader request– Clark's POV
LEGION LESSONS
Kent Barn, same day
Inside the barn was dark and quiet as Clark moved around the broken pieces of wood that littered the dirt floor. He was still in shock from the events of the past few hours. In a matter of minutes he'd lost two of the most important people in his life.
One was lying in a hospital bed unconscious, while the other had simply disappeared.
How had his life- and the lives of his friends and family- gotten so completely out of control?
All he'd wanted to do was to get through to Lois … break down the walls she'd put up since the Fortress. First, she'd told him it was her "destiny" to love him and then she'd pushed him away in anger. Confused and scared, he'd confronted her and now she was in the hospital unconscious.
Reaching into his pocket, Clark pulled out his phone and checked his messages, her pale face foremost in his mind. His heart sank at the empty screen. No word from Chloe. A message from Chloe meant news… no message, no change.
His heart filled with guilt as he thought of his reaction to Lois' explanation for the way she'd been behaving lately. He should have known she was telling the truth but he'd been upset and jealous. He could admit that now.
Excuse? I'm telling you what's been happening-
Afraid of losing her, he'd reacted badly. Now he couldn't shake the idea that he was responsible… that he'd pushed her too hard. All he'd wanted was a response. He couldn't stand her pulling away from him. In just a couple of days he'd come to miss her so much.
I've been honest with you, Clark. Let me ask you, have you been as honest with me?
Alone in silence, he shook his head as if she was standing there with him. He hadn't been honest with Lois, not because he was trying to keep things from her but because… well, he'd never been honest with himself. It was so simple. His feelings for her were stronger than he wanted to admit. He'd been hanging onto their friendship, afraid of losing her if they became more...
With shaky legs he started up the stairs to look at the damage to the loft, Lois' words echoing in his head.
I know you don't want me, so leave me alone!
She was wrong. He'd been scared but not wanting her wasn't possible.
Half the time, he was so busy fighting his attraction for her that he couldn't speak coherently. No other woman had ever tempted him so physically. Even fighting with her this afternoon stirred his senses until he wanted to simply throw her over his shoulder and carry her away to some place where he could touch her.
He'd meant it when he told her that actions speak louder than words.
But she'd heard about Lana's powers somehow and just assumed that Clark would go back to his former love. Well, if actions speak louder- his head hung down in shame and stopped about halfway up.
Based on his past actions, he could understand why Lois would make that assumption. In fact, he had considered trying again with Lana. After all, she was what he'd wanted for so long. Then he spent time with both Lana and Lois and ended up comparing the two, despite his best intentions. A couple of weeks ago he'd begun to realize that what he really wanted with Lana was closure, but then she'd made herself powerful for him. He'd spent most of this week trying to decide if that made a difference.
In the end it was his mother's words that helped him make up his mind. This was her choice and you're not bound by it. You need to think about how you feel. If you let guilt influence you, you'll make a mistake.
Unfortunately, guilt seemed to be a constant in his relationship with Lana, frequently leading him back to her and he'd let the emotion delay him. He was pathetic, still doing the same things and following the same patterns.
Even when he tried to take a stand and make a choice, disaster struck. His hands fisted at his sides and he leaned against the rough wall on the side of the stairs. The problem was that he may have waited too long. Afraid of ending up alone, he'd tried to keep both women in his life, not wanting to hurt either, and had ended up hurting both in the end.
He could see Lana's face as she stood in the doorway earlier this evening, her eyes on the pale woman in his arms. Her hurt and resigned expression told him that she'd seen him kiss Lois before she collapsed.
"Clark, what happened?"
"I don't know," he told her, looking down at Lois' pale face. He was speaking to softly to the woman in his arms and rubbing her palm with his thumb, but those things weren't working. He started to panic. Nothing was happening.
"Lois, come on. It'll be all right; I promise," his voice broke on the last word.
"Clark, is this related to what happened before?" Lana was standing at his shoulder now.
"I' m not sure," he told her, his voice sounding lost even to his own ears. The longer it was taking, the more jumbled his thoughts were becoming.
Before he could say anything else, Lana looked at him pointedly, "Clark, just go. Get her to the hospital-"
He nodded, feeling his brain starting to clear- the hospital.
Just as he'd planned to super speed away, Kara appeared in the barn door, her startled glance going from him to Lois to Lana and back. Clark was ready to ignore his cousin and let Lana explain, but the strange white light appeared in the loft, followed by a crashing sound that startled them all.
Opening his eyes, Clark pulled away from the wall and surveyed the damage, not ready to climb to the loft just yet. A few hours ago, the barn stood strong and solid as it always had. He blinked slowly as he realized how fast everything had gone horribly wrong.
In a flash of yellow and blue, Kara was up the stairs followed by another crashing sound and a shout from his cousin, "Hey, what are you doing?"
At the panic in her voice, Clark started forward but Lana put her hand on his arm and looked at Lois. "I'll go," she said quietly, speeding up the stairs.
She didn't speak until she reached the top of the stairs, then he heard her cry out, "Kara, watch out!"
There was the sound of splintering wood and his cousin shot through the loft wall and landed on the floor a few feet from Clark. Focused on her wide eyes he was shocked when an axe-wielding hulk jumped through the debris and followed her to the first level.
Frozen for a minute, Clark could only take in the attacker's size. He looked like a giant; his arms and legs were like tree trunks, his rough metal mask covering everything but a pair of beady eyes. Clark hadn't seen the like since going up against Titan a couple of years before. Some part of his mind wondered if the man was a Zoner but then the massive arms swung a rough-hewn axe with a roar and Clark forgot about his origins as he rushed forward to help.
What he was going to do with his arms full of Lois was a mystery but, before he could even try, Lana jumped down from the second level onto the giant's back. Taken by the surprise, the axe missed Kara's head by inches.
From her position on his back, Lana tried to reach for the weapon but the attacker turned his back sharply, swinging the smaller woman into Kara. Both fell to the floor and the giant continued circling the axe around in just in time to connect with his cousin's arm.
Clark heard the crunch before he saw the blood, shocked that the weapon worked. Kara staggered back in surprise as Lana rose to her feet, reaching under the large man's arm to hold the axe. As they wrestled for it, Kara moved forward with a roundhouse kick to the giant's stomach. "Let go," she cried to Lana, who released the axe as soon as Kara's foot hit their assailant. The man in metal went flying through the air, and a couple of support posts, before landing up against the barn wall.
He twitched a little and the blond stalked over to kick him again, jerking the weapon from his fingers. "I'll take that," she told him, looking more closely at his hand. "Hey, look at thi-"
Those were the last words Clark heard from her. In a brilliant flash of white light, Kara and the man completely disappeared.
"Lana," Clark choked out.
"I'm on it Clark," she answered. "Go; take Lois," she added before speeding away to look for his cousin.
Straightening, Clark looked around the barn, still reeling from everything that had happened. He needed to clean up but couldn't make himself do it. All the damage, all of the losses were just too fresh, too new. Checking his phone one more time to confirm no messages, he used his super speed and took off, running in a northerly direction, hoping to find his lost cousin- and make things right- somehow.
Metropolis, December 5, 2008
They were back in the warehouse with the truth or dare murderer, the jeweler moving between them like a mad scientist, adjusting knobs and talking all the while.
Across from him Clark could see just see Lois tied to a post with chains, electrodes practically covering her body. The jeweler was speaking but he couldn't hear the words through the pain. There was so much pain… and nausea… and sweating. Everything seemed to be covered in a green mist. Then Clark saw the Kryptonite at his feet and on the jeweler's wrist.
"Oh, yes," the jeweler told Clark. "I knew that you were the one, the one who cared, the one who needed to be honest with her," the jeweler paused and even his eyes seemed to glow green. "But you haven't been honest, have you? Don't you know that you'll never truly have her love unless you're truthful with her?"
Out of the green mist Lana appeared standing next to the jeweler with her hair long like she had it in high school. "You've always had a problem with honesty."
His head hung down in shame.
The jeweler turned his green eyes to Lois. "If he saves you … you're more important to him than you realize."
Suddenly Kara appeared out of the mist, standing next to Lana. "You didn't save me, Kal-El. Am I not important to you?"
He tried to speak, to tell Kara that she was special- of course she was- she was family but he couldn't say a word.
Then Lois seemed to glow brighter and he realized with a start that he was losing her… her head hung down and her body grew completely still. He could almost see her spirit leaving….
Struggling against the chains that bound him, he tried to call out but the words wouldn't come. He continued to fight the chains but nothing worked. He knew the exact moment she was gone.
Then, there was only pain.
His chest was on fire and tears streamed down his cheeks. He looked down and saw that there was Kryptonite, right where his heart should be. He tried to scream but, again, there was no sound.
Slowly, the green mist dissipated and the warehouse was bathed in white light. Shapes became visible at the same time Clark realized he was free. He walked toward one of the shapes and recognized a platform.
He was in the Fortress. Somehow he knew without looking that he was completely alone. The pain in his chest returned and, for a minute, he couldn't breathe. That's when he saw her. She was walking toward him looking around like she was searching for something.
"Lois." Clark called out, his voice echoing in the empty silence of the Fortress.
"Smallville," she turned to him with a smile, but it was tainted with sadness and resignation. Somehow he willed her closer and she placed her hands on each side of his face. The pain in his chest eased. He waited to hear her words.
He needed to hear the words.
"I know I'm not important to you…" Her smile faded. "You didn't save me."
His heart stopped; those weren't the words. "No, that's not true. I love-"
But she was gone in a flash of white.
"Nooo, Lois…."
"Lois…."
"Lois!" Clark started awake with his heart pounding in his chest so hard that it hurt.
He'd fallen asleep at his desk again. Carefully, he sat up and looked around the newsroom. No one seemed to be paying him any attention. Unobtrusively, he straightened his tie and rubbed his hands over his face. He felt the moisture there and frowned. Every time he fell asleep it was the same dream, always the same, and every time he woke to sweat and tears.
Discreetly he made his way to the men's room and used the sink to splash some cold water on his face. He was surprised that the face that looked back at him appeared so normal. He should be grateful that his outer appearance didn't reflect what was going on inside. He'd probably look like some sort of crazed Jekyll and Hyde. That's certainly how he'd felt since Lois was hospitalized.
He walked back to his desk carefully, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead, making an effort not to look at the empty desk across from his own.
"Hey, C.K.," Jimmy's voice reached him as he was about to sit down. He stopped and forced out a tight smile.
"Uhm, you going to the hospital tonight?" The other man asked.
Clark nodded, not trusting his voice to work.
"Okay, well… we'll see you there, then," he said with a sympathetic pat to Clark's arm.
"Right," croaked Clark. "See you there." He ran his hand over his tired eyes as Jimmy walked away. When he opened they travelled involuntarily to her name plate. It seemed to mock him.
You need me, Smallville.
After days of hearing her voice in his head, he had to fight the childish urge to stick his fingers in his ears. Even when she was unconscious, she was lecturing him, prodding him to let it all out.
The impact of her absence was still a shock to him. He'd expected to miss her… knew that he would worry and want her to get better. What he hadn't expected was this crushing sense of loss that left him feeling angry, frustrated, guilty, lonely, afraid, wretched, and needy. Somehow, the woman with the energy of speeding locomotive had become his rock. Without her, the pressure of maintaining his dual identity seemed unmanageable.
It was an effort to keep things normal but he went through the motions. He arrived at work on time, sat down at his desk and nodded at a few co-workers. Sometimes, he typed a few words. More often than not he blurred away to save those in distress. The extra effort was necessary without Kara around. At lunchtime, he forced himself to eat and tried not to look at the empty desk across from him. Afterwards, he typed a few more words and made a few more rescues.
When the loneliness, fear and want would overwhelm him, he'd stuff his feelings deep inside, telling himself that everything would be fine. The easiest way to keep those emotions at bay was to keep things normal… to work, rescue, and eat. He was used to pushing those emotions deep.
It was when his feelings vacillated from manageable to overwhelming frustration and anger that he became afraid. He wasn't sure how long he could continue with such emotional instability. He wasn't meant for excessive emotions, not with his powers.
He preferred feeling numb, even if his mother and friends wanted him to "let it out." Didn't they understand how dangerous that could be? He often wondered if his ability to keep his emotions at bay was based on practice or simply a sign of his alien nature. Either way, he was ready to discard all emotion.
Was his Kryptonian side evolving?
If so, then he felt like he was coming to grips with his destiny.
My destiny is to love you.
The voice of his partner was so clear that he actually turned his head to look for her. When he realized that it was all in his mind, he shut his eyes tight and fought the urge to beat his head against the desk. Every day that he grew emptier, Lois' voice in his mind grew stronger, as if she knew he was slipping away.
Behind closed lids, he could see her face clearly as she faced him, warmth and caring in her expression. She stood so close that he could see the brown and green in her almond-shaped eyes and feel her breath on his face. He held still as her hands reached up to clasp his face between her palms but then her lips touched his and he was achingly alive in her kiss. Lately only she had the power to make him feel so real and alive.
Clark bit back a moan and slammed his hands onto the surface of the desk, pushing himself away. He had to get out of there. Ignoring looks from some of his co-workers, he strode to the stairwell where he blurred into his red and blue and took off into the night.
A couple hours and a few saves later, he was at the hospital, trying to temper the emotions that had been released by his adrenaline, feeling guilty for extra bumps and bruises the bad guys had experienced at his hands tonight.
He stood at the window in her room, fighting the urge to smash his hand through it. The numbness was so much better than this. No one could handle it if he let go of everything he was feeling right now. It was always other people who made it hard for him to pretend he was okay.
Another reason why he was trying to bury his emotions. Too bad she wouldn't let him.
On the other side of the room, Dr. Hamilton was telling Chloe the same thing he'd told her the night before, and the night before that. It was the same discussion they'd had every night since Lois was admitted. Clark tried to tune them out.
"Couldn't this be related to the PTSD? You said her brain waves seem normal-" Chloe asked.
"It's possible but that doesn't leave us with many options in terms of treatment," the doctor responded carefully.
It was always the same. Chloe argued with Dr. Hamilton, while Jimmy looked on uncomfortably and Clark kept silent. He couldn't understand why his friend did it. She knew what was wrong with Lois; they both did. Still her cousin seemed compelled to engage in the same useless exercise.
Clark took a deep breath and tried to control his frustration. It didn't matter what Dr. Hamilton suggested. Traditional medicine was not going to work. Lois was infected by Brainiac and there was no way to remove it. The Phantom Zone crystal- the one treatment that might have worked- was gone with Kara and her attacker.
Despite his efforts, his frustration continued to build as he thought about what he'd learned that first night in the hospital. After looking for Kara, he'd returned to find J'onn waiting for him in Lois' room.
"I saw her last night and suspected something was wrong," he told Clark and Chloe, turning his head to look at Lois' still form. "She had an unnatural animosity to any mention of…" He looked at Clark.
"Me," he finished bitterly, nodding for his friend to continue.
"I took her hand before I left and I could feel its presence in her."
"Its… what?" Chloe asked, her eyes going from J'onn to Clark and back again. "What 'it' are we talking about?" Clark watched as the light went on. "No, not Brainiac," she gasped, staring at Lois' pale form and then glaring at Clark. "How could that happen?" The fire faded as realization struck. "The Fortress…"
Clark stood quietly with his hands in his pockets, not defending against the accusation he could see in Chloe's eyes. What could he say?
"I think we can remove the Construct." J'onn told them.
"How?" Chloe took her eyes away from Clark to focus on the Detective. "How do we get rid of that thing without the help of the Fortress?"
Having her glare focused on him seemed to take the Martian by surprise. His eyes went wide. "Well, Kara has the Phantom Zone crystal and we've talked about how to use it to remove the infection from the Fortress-"
"Kara isn't here," Clark interrupted flatly, closing his eyes when he realized the full impact of his cousin's disappearance. Was it coincidence? Probably not. "She was attacked earlier in the barn by some giant with an axe… and then they both disappeared."
His friend's dark eyes looked at him questioningly and Chloe's were filled with disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" She demanded. "How did I miss this?"
Clark's knew his tone was frustrated but he didn't care. "She touched the giant's hand after he went down… there was a white light and she was gone. Lana and I have been looking for her but we haven't had any luck so far."
"Then I'll join Ms. Lang in the search," J'onn told them determinedly. "Tell me what you can about this attacker." He turned to Clark.
A worried Chloe stepped over to the bed while Clark was explaining and he found his eyes drawn to the woman lying there. His words drifted away.
J'onn leaned in and placed his hand on Clark's arm. "Lois is strong, Kal-El," he said. "If anyone can survive the Construct, she can."
Clark nodded, looking at the pale figure on the bed. She was one of the strongest people he knew but she was only human…
Five days later and they were all going through the motions without any real results. J'onn and Lana were still looking for a vanished Kara. Clark had traveled to the Fortress with both of them in an attempt to use the some of his equipment but it was still infected. Clark had even called Oliver's team to help but no one had any other ideas.
For Clark it was like facing Ryan, Alicia, and his father all over again. What good were his powers if he couldn't save his friends and family? His hand flexed just a little toward the window and he shoved both fists into his pockets. It was best if he kept his hands to himself tonight.
He continued to look out the window until Davis stopped by. By then, Clark needed to leave before he ripped off the other man's head. Thankfully, the paramedic didn't stay long and Clark returned with some coffee for Chloe.
The waiting was interminable.
Finally, at the end of visiting hours, Jimmy spoke up, just like clockwork. "Come on, Chloe. We should probably go."
He turned to Clark. "Coming, C.K?"
He nodded absentmindedly, holding in a sigh of relief and avoiding Chloe's pointed look. She could be suspicious if she wanted. He didn't care. Making his farewells in the parking lot, he walked around the building before super-speeding back to Lois' room.
He sighed at the quiet. This was his time and he didn't waste it, wrapping his larger hand around her smaller one, feeling the bones and sinews, the strength and life still there. It calmed him somewhat and he felt his body relax for the first time all day.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
No one can guarantee my safety, Clark. You can't be the hero every day, all day long.
"Still, I should have told you …"
Tell me what's in your heart. That's what matters
Just like the past four nights, he pulled up the chair and talked to her about his day, about falling asleep at his desk and dreaming about her. He teased her about finding a way to lecture him even when she was unconscious and then he confessed about the guys who'd borne the brunt of his anger that night.
When he'd run out of things to say, he leaned back in the chair, keeping his hand around hers and let the feeling of relief and hope wash over him. Once he started these one-sided conversations, he couldn't seem to stop. They kept him sane.
Promise, I'll never leave you.
Rubbing soft circles in her palm with one hand, he used the other to open the drawer to the bedside table, pulling out his dad's copy of Tom Sawyer. Turning the dog-eared pages to the place he'd left off the night before, Clark started to read softly, "Tom was a glittering hero once more - the pet of the old, the envy of the young." He looked up at her face, always expecting to see a smile or a smirk, turning back to the book with a heavy heart when her eyes remained closed.
"His name even went into immortal print, for the village paper magnified him. There were some that believed he would be President, yet, if he escaped hanging.…"
Her heart rate slowed at the sound of your voice- tell me, have you brought her out of these before?
After the first night, he'd remember Dr. Hamilton's words and he'd been reading to her since. Even if this wasn't the same he couldn't help trying…
He had to keep trying.
The dawn was breaking when he stopped, marking the page and tucking the book out of sight. Off in the city he could hear a cry for help. Leaning down, he gave a quick kiss to the woman lying there and whispered a final reminder before speeding away, "You promised," he said, his voice rumbling next to her ear, talking to her- talking- just in case.
… tell me, have you brought her out of these before?
"Remember, you promised," he whispered again.
And then it was there- her voice in his head- sounding like she was right next to him.
Promise… I'll never leave you.
Kent farm, same morning
Clark sped into the barn ready to finish the chores before showering and heading into work. He stopped suddenly when he realized it was Saturday, not his day to go in. What was he supposed to do? He panicked, wondering what he could find to keep himself occupied.
Walking more slowly, he looked at the destruction to the barn and nodded. He'd just found a way to spend the day. If he didn't use powers, it should take him at least eight hours to finish the repairs.
"Hey, this is his jacket!"
Startled, Clark looked up. An unfamiliar young voice wafted down from the loft. "I saw this at the museum months ago…"
"Put that down, Garth-" Clark could hear another man's voice now.
"Oh, get the magnet out of your ass, Rokk," the young voice was interrupted as Clark sped up the stairs, stopping when he saw three strangers- two men and a woman- and a familiar figure.
"Kara," Clark choked out, rushing forward to hug his cousin. "Where have you been?"
Her lack of response seemed deafening. Clark pulled away to search her face.
"I… I can't really tell you that, Clark," she said softly, looking over his shoulder at the three strangers.
"No!" Clark shouted, wanting to shake her. "I won't accept that, not after… You've been gone for almost a week." He forced himself to take a deep breath and lowered his voice. "Please tell me what happened?"
One of the men behind him spoke up. "She's been with us, Kal-El," he said and Clark turned to the serious young man with brown hair and eyes. "She can't tell you much because- and I know this is going to sound unbelievable- we're from the future."
"How do you know that name?" Clark blurted out the first question that came to him, turning back to his cousin with surprise.
The grinning red-head holding his school jacket was the one that answered. "We know everything about you, man. One of these days you'll be famou-"
"Garth," the dark-haired man interrupted tersely. "You know better." He looked at Clark apologetically. "There are rules-"
"I don't care about your rules!" After the last week, Clark's patience was at an end. "My cousin's been missing; my… Lois is unconscious in the hospital. Just tell me what's going on."
The dark-haired man sighed. "The man who was in your barn- the Persuader- he stole a ring from us and traveled back in time. We think his purpose was to destroy the crystal-"
"But I had it on me," Kara interrupted, seeing the impatient look on Clark's face. "And when I grabbed the axe I touched the ring and we traveled forward. The Legion found me-"
"Legion… what kind of Legion?" Clark asked, studying the three strangers more closely.
"It doesn't matter," the dark-haired man answered. "Just know that we're friends-"
Wait a minute," asked the third stranger- a young blond woman. "Did you say Lois?" She looked at the other two men with concern. "Lois Lane is unconscious?"
Clark nodded, and the woman's look spoke volumes. "That shouldn't be possible."
"Well, she is- and has been- for almost a week," Clark told them, stepping forward, feeling his sense of helplessness turning to anger at the thought that these people from the future knew something about his partner. If they did, they'd better share… He let his eyes roam over each of their faces, and it was only their clear concern that calmed his hostility.
The dark-haired man spoke first, addressing the blond. "The protections…"
Something clicked in Clark's memory. "Jor-El mentioned that Lois' mind had certain protections," he said stepping forward, his hands itching to hit something again. "Are you the ones that put them there?"
It was only Kara's hand on his arm that stopped him from grabbing the boy and shaking the information out of him. "Why is Lois unconscious, Kal-El?" She asked him.
Clark looked at her and he knew the guilt was in his expression, "She's been infected by Brainiac."
In Kara's eyes he saw a quick flash of pain, reflecting her own experience with the Construct. He winced and heard the words from his nightmare.
You didn't save me, Kal-El. Am I not important to you?
He hugged his cousin tightly. "I'm glad you're back, Kara. We'll find a way to save her."
"I may have it, Kal-El," she told him, after returning his embrace. She pulled back to look at him and the others. "We should try the crystal on Lois first, before we take it to the Fortress."
"Wait," Clark was slow to process after his heart fluttered with hope. "You still have the crystal with you?"
At her nod, he grabbed her arms excitedly. "Then we need to get to the hospital right away. J'onn said he thought the crystal was the only thing that would work. Nothing else has… we need to go," Clark told her urgently, his heart racing at the thought of Lois awake and alive, returned to them, returned to him…
"Follow me," he told her, starting to race away.
"Kal-El," Kara said, stopping him at the top of the stairs. He turned to see her and the three newcomers floating above the floor, ready for flight. "We'll meet you there."
Of course they could fly.
He rolled his eyes at Kara, marveling at the level of Lois' influence. "Fine, I'll see you there… Room 207."
As he sped back into the city, he couldn't seem to calm his racing heart. When he entered her room, he watched as he cousin tried to place the crystal, only to be stopped by the other young woman.
She placed her hand on Lois' forehead. "She's in there but she's weak."
At her words, Clark wasn't sure if the sharp pain in his chest was from fear or hope. He watched anxiously as Kara placed the crystal on Lois' forehead- next to the woman's hand- and activated it.
Nothing happened.
The young woman shook her head. "It's not working."
"Why not?" Kara asked. "It should work; the concept is sound."
Before Clark could protest or comment, the red-haired man- Garth, was it?- grabbed Lois' hand and squeezed. "Come on … come on," he urged. "The great Lois Lane does not give up."
"Wait," Clark ordered. "What's going on here?" He stared at the red-head. "How do you know Lois?"
"Uhm…" The young man released Lois' hand and guiltily stepped back. "Rokk, a little help here," he urged the dark-haired man.
"That really isn't important right now," Rokk responded, turning to the women. "The crystal should work," he told them. "History tells us-"
"History's changed," the smaller blond asserted. "She's changed it and now…" The woman shrugged uncertainly.
"Still, the protections should have prevented this," Rokk commented.
"Oh, no," the woman remarked, closing her eyes as she concentrated moving the hand on Lois' forehead to her temple. "The Construct must have penetrated the protections we placed in her mind."
"What can we do?" Clark demanded. If these kids created the problem, as he was beginning to suspect, then they could certainly come up with some solutions.
"Imra," Rokk asked the young blond. "How long do we have?"
She shook her head. "Not long. We're losing her-"
"No!" Clark shouted before he even realized he'd spoken.
"We're going to have to take her with us," Rokk told the others, who responded with nods, although Kara looked uneasy.
Instinctively, Clark knew that he was being left out. "With you…" he repeated to Rokk, grabbing the young man's arm. "Where are you taking her?"
Kara came around from the head of the bed and placed her hand on Clark's arm. "Kal-El, we need to take her ahead to the future. We can help her there," she told him, eyes filled with understanding. "You need to let us do this."
Clark shook his head before she was finished. "I'm going with you."
"You can't," Kara shook her head but he could see the fear swirling behind her eyes.
"I will," Clark argued forcefully. "I can't leave her-"
"She's fading," Imra shouted out. "We need to go now!"
Kara abruptly turned from him and raised her fist in the air to meet three others. That's when Clark realized they were all wearing rings.
I touched the ring and we traveled forward …
Unwilling to be left behind, Clark reached for Kara's hand just as a white light started to glow. His cousin turned with surprise. "Kal-El, no … you can't-"
He didn't hear the rest. His senses shut down as he was surrounded by bright white light.
When the light faded, he fought against the feeling of disorientation and looked around at a dark- but familiar- room. He and Kara were still in Lois' hospital room except now it was quiet and dark. Clark listened and realized that everything seemed too quiet.
"Kara, where are we?" He whispered in the sudden and unexpected silence. "Where's Lois?"
"I don't know," she said looking around the room as if it would give her the answers. "I wasn't focused." Her voice was flustered. "We're in the future but as to when-"
Before she could finish, an explosion rocked the side of the building. The force of it threw them forward but both managed to keep their balance.
"What was that?" Kara exclaimed, shaking her head to clear it. "This doesn't look good, Kal-El."
Screams rent the air and Clark grabbed his cousin's hand. Wherever they might be, people were in trouble. They were needed. Running at human speed toward the sound of the blast, he was forced to stop suddenly when Kara planted her feet in the hallway, keeping a tight grip on his hand. He turned toward her in shock. What was she doing?
"Kara, people need our help-"
"We're not supposed to be here," she told him solemnly, her gazed tinged with fear. "We have to leave. This isn't right. I wasn't thinking clearly when you grabbed my hand." She leaned forward to emphasize, "I need to use the ring again if we're going to help Lois."
The name shot through his heart. He needed to be with his partner.
He took a step back toward Kara, but then he heard the sounds of screaming close by, punctuated by more explosions in the distance. Whatever was going on, it sounded like a war zone.
"Kara, couldn't we-"
"No, Kal-El!" His cousin seemed almost panicked now. "The more we see of the future, the worse we could make it, and if we interfere…" Her voice trailed away meaningfully.
While Clark considered her words another blast shook them both.
"It could get worse?" Clark commented, looking around at the damage. "Come on, Kara. Just for a few minutes; we can't leave things like this."
He pulled her along, listening for the loudest screaming, which seemed to be coming from the waiting room. Before they could reach it, his cousin stopped him a couple of feet from the intersecting hallway. Putting her finger to her lips, she pulled him forward slowly and looked around the corner.
Her gasp brought him forward but Kara turned, trying to block his view with her body while pushing him back at the same time. "We need to get out of here," she whispered.
By pushing back, Clark was able to just peer around the corner, and what he saw made him stay behind the wall. Through a hole in the side of the building he could see that the sky was colored red, not like a sunset, but a more permanent tint that seemed to permeate everything. Just looking at the red of the sun made Clark feel weak and disoriented, like he didn't have his abilities… and then he saw Lois.
She was with a group of people crowded into the waiting room, standing tall and looking alert. Hungrily his eyes searched her face, noting that she didn't look any older, only her hair was darker. If they were in the future, it was the near future…
Her voice carried easily down the hallway. "What makes you think you have the right to herd us in here like cattle?"
Clark's breath caught at the sound- so angry and yet so alive- and he felt almost giddy with emotion.
"What right?" Some woman in military gear scoffed at her. "We have the right of superiority. As a General's daughter, you should understand that, Ms. Lane."
Clark watched as Lois tried to cover her surprise but she wasn't quick enough. The woman smiled. "Oh, yes, we know everything about you," she taunted, something in her stance suddenly familiar to Clark. He tried to push further past Kara but she blocked him.
"Kara, who are those people?" He whispered close to her ear. In response, she shook her head and started to pull away, her eyes begging him to come with her.
"How is that possible?" Lois continued to resist, seemingly unfazed by the woman's superior attitude but Clark could see her fear. "You Kryptonians just got here!"
At her words, he pulled himself back and leaned against the wall, trying to think. What was going on? Kara was still pulling on his arm but Clark ignored her, looking instead at the calendar hanging on the wall in the nurses' station. According to the date- May 2010- they were only a year and half into the future.
How could things have come to this so quickly?
Before he could move, he heard Lois cry out and turned back to peer down the hallway. A man with military bearing was approaching with two others who were dragging a prisoner between them. His breath caught at the familiarity of the prisoner. Dressed all in black- ripped t-shirt, jeans and boots- his head hung low between the men. At Lois' second cry he lifted his head.
"Clark?" Lois whispered softly.
Around the corner, Clark felt his cousin stiffen at his side. All he could do was watch, stomach churning at the sudden bout of dizziness. He wasn't prepared to see himself in the future, let alone this version.
"Clark Kent is dead." The prisoner answered in a voice as emotionless as the blank expression on his bruised and battered face.
Those words, so cold and unaffected, seemed to break the proud and determined Lois. As he watched, her body wilted and she stumbled forward. Without thinking Clark moved, desperate to wipe the defeat from her face.
Kara tightened her grip, hissing at him. "You can't. If you run into yourself here, you could destroy time itself."
He forced himself to stop but continued watching and listening. "I'm sorry Ms. Lane." The leader's voice was filled with mock sympathy. "Let me introduce your precious Blur. Turns out he is one of us."
Lois looked surprised by the information- and Clark wondered about it- before she schooled her features. "He's nothing like you, General Zod," she spit out angrily, crossing her arms beneath her chest.
At the name, Clark felt his heart twist, wondering how Zod had returned to Earth and who was his host this time? It certainly wasn't Lex. This man didn't look at all familiar.
"Of course not," Zod told her, reaching out to kick the prisoner's legs. "He is nothing," he spat. "Certainly, not worthy of the once noble house of El. Of course, how could he be after being raised by one of you inferior humans." The general spit out the word with another kick. Prisoner Clark grunted in pain.
"Stop it," Lois ordered, running to kneel next to the prisoner. "God, Clark, why did you leave me… I mean… us?" She brushed his hair back softly. "You didn't have to face them on your own. Why did you turn your back on everyone?" When the prisoner failed to respond, Lois turned away in defeat and looked down the hall.
Their eyes met.
For a full minute Clark held her gaze, feeling the pull of the connectionhe'd missed so desperately.
My destiny is to love you.
Dragging his eyes away from hers, he studied the prisoner and realized that this version of himself wasn't responding at all. What had made him so resistant to this irresistible woman? One thought lead to another and suddenly Clark realized that this was the outcome of him burying his emotions and embracing his Kryptonian side.
His eyes met the confused ones of the future Lois and he understood.
You need me, Smallville.
The words didn't have to be said. They were reflected in the hazel depths of her eyes and written in the blankness of the expression of the man she was holding. Clark's emotional side had been discarded in the future and now humanity was paying the price.
Heart racing, pulse pounding in reaction, Clark barely felt it as Kara jerked him back into the adjacent hallway. She was whispering urgently now but he couldn't hear the words. All he could see were Lois' pain-filled eyes and all his could feel was the need to return to her.
Shaken by this new understanding, Clark let himself be pulled down the hallway, ignoring the shouting he could hear in the distance. Kara pulled him into one of the empty rooms and shut the door. Grabbing Clark's hand she looked at him strangely before activating the ring. With a start he realized that he was in pain, sweating and nauseous. It was as if he'd been exposed to Kryptonite… or to his worst nightmare.
Vaguely, he wondered if it was seeing himself or seeing the future that was making him sick. Then all of it disappeared in a flash of white.