''You know, I always imagined you'd be a dad eventually,'' Kara admitted, as the woods around them grew darker. ''Not like this though.''
''It surprised me too,'' Clark said readily. ''But you're right. I had always wanted to be a father, I was just always...busy, so I never had the opportunity.''
''Well, if you didn't tell me I wouldn't have even known he was your kid, to be honest,'' Kara said. ''He looks like you, but he acts, well, nothing like you.''
''That might be true, but he is my son, not my clone.''
''Right.'' She said and looked up into the stars. ''Must be a pain though. He seems like a lot to deal with.''
''I won't say that he can't be. But.'' He said but did not go any further.
''But?''
''It's difficult to put into words, but whenever I look at him I feel something that I don't think I have felt before.
She raised an eyebrow. ''That's pretty vague.''
He smiled. ''It is, but if you ever have children I'm sure you will understand then. That's what my father told me a long time ago, and it's only now am I starting to understand.''
Kara just shook her head. ''I like kids, but I can't ever imagine someone like me as a mother. I'm just not sorted for that type of thing.''
''That isn't true,'' Clark said, and meant every word. ''You would be a good mother. I just know it.''
Kara shot him a look, before diverting her eyes. She stopped, lips tightening into a firm line. ''Wait, do you hear that?''
Following suit, Clark stopped too, and even without his super-hearing, he would have heard it.
A girl's voice rang throughout the forest.
''Someone help, someone, bloody murder, bloody murder!''
The two of them shared a look before they swerved around the trees, but at a very human, mundane speed, and there she was.
It was a young girl, who couldn't have been much older than Harry. Hysterical, and darting about.
Kara reached out for the girl, her hand looping around her shoulder. ''Wait, wait. Just calm down for a second. What happened?''
The girl stopped but didn't calm down. ''A monster! You need to get out and tell someone, the police! Come on, a monster. They need to know, they need to know, come on!''
''Just take deep breaths,'' Clark said, his voice soft as butter. ''You are safe. No one can hurt you here.''
This seemed to have worked somewhat. She breathed in and out, but her hands still trembled.
''But could you tell us what happened?'' Clark asked, bending down so he was eye to eye with the girl.
''It was a monster.'' She said, eyes to the floor. ''I was lost, and I-I saw this dead body and this thing attacked us.''
''Us?'' Kara asked. ''Where's your friend then?''
''He wasn't a friend….but he wasn't normal. He was able to pick a tree up and hit the thing with it!''
''Could you tell us his name.'' He asked immediately, already knowing the answer.
''I don't know his name…he — he had dark hair, and…''
''A hat,'' Kara said. ''Was he wearing a hat?''
The girl looked her up and down. ''Yeah….how do you know?''
''Just a guess. But about this monster, what did it look like?''
She shrugged. ''I don't know…it was just a monster. It was really big, I think it had red eyes, with spikes and stuff.''
''Spikes?'' Kara said, almost yelling. ''Was it….grey?''
''Why does that ma-''
''Can you just answer,'' Kara cut her off,'' Was it grey?''
''Kara,'' Clark whispered, but he must've understood.
''Was it grey?''
''I don't know…I think so. But why does that even matter.''
Kara ran a hand through her blonde hair. ''Shit.'' She moved over to Clark and made sure her voice was a whisper.
''Red eyes. Spikes. Grey. You know what that is right?''
''I know what you are thinking, Kara, but that is impossible. It's dead.''
''Oh, come on. Things have come back to life before.'' Kara mumbled. ''It has to be Doomsday. I just know it.''
The girl shot them a look. His voice lowered to a whisper.
''That's an if,'' Clark said, but his expression was one of worry. ''But if you are right...''
''Then things have just headed south really quick,'' Kara said. ''Even if he's like us, he's still just a kid. He-''
''I know Kara.'' He said, his voice shifting to steel. ''I only won last time after giving everything I had, but even then I almost died.''
''Then we need to leave,'' Kara said. She spun around, remaining rooted in the ground. ''But what about her?''
''I don't know,'' Clark said, looking at the girl in the corner of his eye, who looked as if she wanted to say something. ''I don't want to leave her here alone.''
''I don't want to either, but we don't have much choice.''
''You are right. Let me talk with her.''
Kara made no disagreements, as he slowly made his way over to the girl.
''Do you know your way out.''
''No.'' She mumbled. ''Do you?''
''Luckily I do.'' He said and pointed south. ''If you walk straight down that path, you should return to the countryside…''
''Oh okay. But why are you telling me this….''
''Because we're going through a different route.''
''What?'' She said, her eyes widening. ''No, no. You're going after it, aren't you?''
He shook his head. ''No. We are just going down a different route.''
''You are, aren't you!'' She gasped. ''Are you insane!''
Clark simply smiled. ''No, we are not insane. But if you head that way, you will be safe. I promise.''
It took some convincing, but the girl finally gave in, but only after saying.
''I still think you're insane. If you go that way you're going to die.''
''We won't,'' Clark said, smile intact. ''I can promise you of that.''
When she disappeared down the trail, he turned to Kara and ripped his shirt, the S insignia poking out.
''Let's go, Kara. We need to find Harry before it's too late.''
The edge of the forest was no longer a forest, but a battleground. The splintered soil was painted with blood, and the trees around had all been broken, shattered as if fragile as toilet paper.
Crows watched from overhead, only to be scared off by the roars from below.
Harry Evans was unrecognisable. His clothes were torn, with lacerations that covered him whole, one in particular bad enough that it started from his shoulder, and only ended at the elbow.
The creature launched towards Harry like a missile, a clawed hand taking his face whole, until it covered everything but his eyes, and slammed him down through the dirt.
''Let Me Go!'' Harry roared. ''I Said Let Me Go!''
A ray erupted from his eyes, shooting into the creature's own. Its grasp slackened, and the roars grew into a demonic screech. Harry didn't let up, he grabbed the creature's waist, jumped into the sky and slammed it down to the ground. Still atop of it, he plunged two thumbs into scarlet eyes and didn't stop even as claws tightened around his wrist. A roar rang out, but this time it came from him.
''Just die!'' He roared, as blood dripped from him. ''Die! Die! Die'' His fingers plunged deeper, until the creature had enough, and retaliated.
A giant, spiked hand swung about wildly, before finding his throat, and hurling him away, through the air and half a dozen trees. But Harry paid it no mind. Like nothing had happened, he bolted across the forest, towards it.
The creature followed suit.
They both hurled their fists back, Bare flesh against a massive spiked fist.
There was a loud snap and Harry's right arm bent, contorting grotesquely.
''I'm going to kill you!'' Harry screamed and used his arm as a battering ram, but it was caught, so he used his good arm next. That was caught as well. Given no other choice, he bit into it, teeth clipping against spikes. ''I'm going to''
The creature hurled him about, through grass, through mud. Harry rolled across the ground, before stopping, and all he could do was stare up into the clouds.
The creature had jumped into the sky and was rapidly falling, down towards him.
Was this it? He thought, sobering slightly. The blind rage had departed until all that was left was the taste of blood, and something dull filling his stomach. Looks like even after all this time, I haven't changed a bit.
A figure dove down from the sky like a god, and a cape fluttered in the air.
Superman's back was to Harry, protecting him from the death blow. His arms were formed into an X, which was enough to block the strike completely. He launched a punch of his own, hard enough to send the creature stumbling back.
''Are you okay, Harry?''
''Fine.'' He mumbled, and stood up, or at least made an attempt. His knees buckled and he would have toppled if it wasn't for her catching him.
''I don't think you're going anywhere right now.''
Even in this situation, irritation filled him. ''Yes, I think I can.''
Superman looked at him for a moment but could do no more before the creature went for him.
''Kara, get Harry out of here!'' Superman held the creature back, and a violent gust of wind shook the forest around them.
''What, are you joking?'' Harry asked angrily. He freed himself from Supergirl's grasp, and took a step forward, before dropping to one knee and coughed hard enough that the leaves were coloured in blood.
''Yeah, you aren't going to do much right now.'' Supergirl held Harry by the shoulders and jerked him to his feet. ''But I'm not just leaving you to face Doomsday on your own.''
''I'll be fine!'' Superman said, pushing the creature back with all his might. ''I have beaten Doomsday once before, and Harry isn't in good condition.''
She looked at Superman, and then back at Harry, who was no longer coughing, but trails of blood still ran down his lips.
''Damn,'' She muttered, before taking Harry into her arms and flying into the sky. ''I'll be back in a minute.''
''Hey, what are you doing?'' He demanded. ''Just-''
''Don't.'' She said, but kept her eyes in front. ''You can barely walk right now.''
''I can walk. I can-'' Pain silenced Harry. A jolt ran through him, and it was as if he had been lit on fire.
''I'm sure you're feeling it now the adrenaline's starting to wear off.'' She said, softer than before. ''You aren't in any shape to fight right now. If you stayed down there then Clark would just have to protect you.''
''Are you calling me useless?''
''Right now you are.'' She said bluntly. ''Just look at yourself. Even if you're a Kryptonian, you're not going to take much more before you break like a twig.''
''Kryptonian?'' Harry asked, and could've sworn he heard that term before.
''Yeah, Kryptonian.'' She finally looked down at him, icy blue eyes taking him in. ''Clark didn't tell you much about where we're from, did he?''
''Well, I know he's an alien.'' He said, clenching his fist as the cuts on his arm grew. ''But that's pretty much it.''
''I see.'' She said, ''Well, we're from a place called Krypton.''
''Krypton, huh?''
''Yeah.'' She said cooly. ''It was called that anyway.''
It took a moment. ''What?''
''You heard me. it was called that. It was….destroyed.''
''Oh.'' He mumbled, not sure what to say. ''So you're saying it's only us?''
''Well, there's me, Clark, and, you too now.''
''So what was it like?'' He asked. ''Krypton, you know.''
''I don't know how to explain it, it was just home, I guess. A lot more advanced than Earth too.'' She said, ''Look. I don't think now is the best time to talk about it. We can when all this is over.''
''Forget I asked.'' He clipped out coldly.
She just shook her head and said. ''Sure. We're nearly there anyway.''
The Kent farm was within sight and cows, pigs and horses peered up at them. Supergirl floated down as if having done this a thousand times before.
''Going to let me down now?''
''Well, can you walk?''
''Of course, I can.''
Harry dropped down to his feet, and his knees wobbled, but it was his right arm that had been mangled, not his legs.
''Are you sure? Maybe I should have dropped you off at the hospital...''
''I said I was fine.'' He said. ''I heal quickly anyway.''
She sighed. ''If this was Krypton then you would be fine in a few hours. Come on.''
He didn't follow after her.
''You're going after him, right?''
''Of course, I am.'' She said and didn't give him time to reply. ''And no, you're not coming. I didn't bring you all the way here for no reason.''
''I didn't ask you to carry me, okay? I said I'm fine, and I am. I'm coming.''
She rubbed the bridge of her nose. ''No, you aren't. Even if you were in better shape, there is no way you're fighting Doomsday. He's the ultimate killing machine. You aren't fighting him.''
''Stop treating me like a kid.'' He hissed. ''I can tear mountains apart with my bare hands, not some stupid kid who needs help. Plus, I had a plan.''
''And he can tear about planets. Look at what happened last time.'' She flicked his arm. It was a simple act, but Harry desperately swatted her arm away and held onto his ''See? If a flick does that, what do you think Doomsday is going to do? You can barely stand straight. Just rest now.''
''I can stand straight.''
Supergirl looked as if she was going to say something to him, but suddenly looked over his shoulder. ''Well, we did find him.''
Harry turned, to see Martha's face poking through the door, face whitening as she took his condition in.
''What on earth happened?''
''Nothing to worry about. He just got into a fight. Me and Clark will deal with it.''
''And m-''
Before finishing, Kara flicked his arm and Harry hissed. ''Cut that out.''
''I will when you stop trying to get yourself killed.'' She said, ''Look, Clark's already dealt with Doomsday before. It's going to take a lot more than that thing to put him down. He's fought worse. Just don't try and get hurt any worse than you already have.''
He wrinkled his nose and as if knowing what was going to come out of his mouth, she fell by his ear, her voice a whisper.
''I'll tell you what. If I'm wrong, I'll let you take a swing on me.''
''What?'' He asks, and unlike her could not keep his voice as a whisper. ''You'd let me punch you?''
''If I'm wrong, sure.'' She said, unperturbed. ''Look, you've done everything you could do, and sometimes you just need to accept help.''
''Well, I didn't need help. I had it covered.''
She shot him a look, and Harry smouldered on the spot for several seconds. ''Fine.''
She patted him on the shoulder. ''He'll be fine.''
''Yeah, I know.''
And then Supergirl flew off through the clouds, and Harry could do nothing but watch.
''Well, come on in then.'' A wrinkled hand held onto his shoulder. ''We'll need to get you fixed up, won't we?''
The mirror reflected a gruesome image, and it was understandable why Martha tried to bring him to the hospital.
A cut face, torn clothes and a mangled arm. He had cleaned the blood from him, from his nails and hair, and put on the bandages that had been given to him.
Just getting up here was a struggle. He tripped a few times and fell once. But made it, without a lick of help.
Still, Harry would not be going to the hospital, nor would he again.
In all his life, he had been there once. ''He was being silly and mucking about, so he fell down the stairs.'' Vernon's words, not his. And the experience there was bad enough that he promised himself that he would never go again, and he intended to keep that promise.
No matter what.
Eventually, Harry returned downstairs with his ''Grandparents'' and sat silently, hot-red anger pulsing through his veins as he lay his bad arm over his lap.
''Maybe we really should take you to the hospital,'' Martha said.
''I said I'm fine.'' He grumbled. ''I'm a Kryptonian. We heal quickly.''
The truth was he wasn't even sure if Kryptonians healed quickly, but he did when he willed it.
''Well, at least change.'' She said, still nagging. ''Your clothes are ruined.''
''Don't have any other.''
This time it was Jonathon who answered. ''Well, that ain't a problem. We still should have Clark's old clothes. They should fit you.''
It was more curiosity than anything that made Harry agree. He got up, trailing behind the two adults.
''Do you need help?''
That is what Martha asked.
''I said I'm fine,'' Harry responded and he was, he just staggered with a slight limp, on his way to the attic, which was filled with dust and old boxes.
''It's been a damn long time since I last came in here,'' Jonathon admitted. ''Just look around. Some should be too big, but there should be some clothes here for someone your age.''
So that is what Harry did, look through the boxes, but there was just one thing that met his eye.
An outfit that looked similar to Superman's, only smaller, scruffier and without the S insignia.
''Oh, so you've found that'' Jonathon said, peeking over his shoulder.
''Yeah.'' Was all he said.
''Oh, that. I remember knitting it years ago.'' Martha admitted. ''It was your father's first costume.''
''His first costume?'' He asked, not taking his eyes away from it.
''That's right,'' Jonathon said.
''That brings back memories.'' Martha continued for him. ''I think it's only fair that it's yours now. I'm sure Clark won't mind.''
''I don't want it.'' He said and put it back. ''I'm not a Hero.''
''Neither was he at the time.'' She said, ''He was just a boy with powers.''
''I still don't want it.'' Harry persisted. ''It just doesn't suit someone like me.''
The world trembled. Clouds splintered and cracks fractured against the surface, rumbling, the beginning of an Earthquake.
What looked to be a shooting star pierced through the air, but it was no shooting star, but a man in red dragging a creature through the clouds.
It clawed at him with razor-sharp spikes. Doomsday was a creature with unrivalled might, a berserker that would fight until death. But Superman held on, only hurling it into the sand, once they had soared into an empty desert.
But it did little to deter Doomsday. There was a roar, as dust picked up, clouding the creature.
Superman came down and fought it head-on, and they were equals. One punch that was landed from him, Doomsday would retaliate viciously. However, he drew blood, and his opponent didn't, or wasn't able.
However, that was just the start. They battled through deserts, over a range of mountains, where snow lay heavy and Doomsday smashed him through a mountain range, so Superman sent him back with a blast of heat vision.
But eventually, their fight drew them to a place that could spell trouble for him, an Island surrounded by sea, where the population was bustling.
Superman barged into Doomsday, in an attempt to push it into the ocean, but it just staggered, skating by the edge. There were screams from the residents, attracting its attention.''
''Everyone evacuate now!'' Was all Superman could say. He bolted for Doomsday like a missile, and pushed hard, who just bit into his arm in return, fangs sinking deep. ''This is only going to end one way.'' He murmured. He tightened his other fist and clocked Doomsday hard enough for him to finally fall, but that was only temporary.
With his arms, one that was bloodied with a nasty gash, he spread them apart, using them as a shield. ''Everyone evacuate now!''
His words fell on deaf ears. Everyone was frozen, staring at the scene in front of them. Superman, knowing he had little choice, grabbed Doomsday with all his might and flew away, but that was an almost impossible task.
The creature was having none of it, drew its head back and cracked him between the nose, and the two of them crashed back down into the island.
Blood ran down his nose and the taste was clear, metallic and foul. The world seemed to spin around him, but the screams woke him up.
Doomsday was halfway across the island, that Superman could see, through half a dozen houses, and was approaching a young man.
Superman flew fast enough that gusts of wind swished around him. He soared through building after building, leaving massive holes in his wake.
By the time he had approached, the man was a bloody mess on the floor, but Doomsday continued pounding away.
''Doomsday.''
Coming from behind, Superman attacked. A punch hard enough to clip his spikes and send him into the sky, but that was only the start. He flew around it, pouncing at at every angle. He took Doomsday by the leg and hurled it into the ocean.
''Looks like you didn't need any help anyway.''
''Kara.'' He said, staring up at his cousin, who was standing in the air. ''Where is Harry?''
''He's fine. I dropped him off at the Kent's,'' Kara answered, and both he and her looked down at the ocean, which was bubbling. ''Let's deal with this thing once and for all.''
Doomsday sprung up from the ocean but was promptly sent back down, from the blasts of heat vision from two different angles.
The ocean calmed and was no longer bubbling.
''Wait.'' She said, ''Do you hear that?''
Superman narrowed his eyes. ''I do.''
There was a blazing flash of light, blanketing the ocean, and his vision was good enough to tell that, ''Doomsday is gone.''
Nonetheless, she dove into the ocean, to come back empty-handed.
''How?'' She asked. ''Because I know for sure he can't teleport.''
''I don't know,'' Superman said. He kept his eyes drawn to the ocean. ''But I don't think that was his doing.''
''You think he had help?'' She said and sighed. ''Of course, he did.''
''That could be the case.'' He admitted but was almost certain.
''Well, we just need to find that thing now.''
''We will.'' He said and began to fly back down to the island. ''But first I need to see something.''
She followed, and the two of them surveyed the island, which was more of a wreckage than a home now.
Buildings had been torn apart, with massive craters and children clinging to their parents, but there was just one sight that was worse than them all.
The man from behind, crowded around a group of onlookers, lay in the mud, mangled and bloodied, and most importantly, no longer breathing.
''I thought I would be strong enough to defeat Doomsday.'' He said. ''But it seems that I am not strong enough to save everyone.''
''It's not your fault. It's mine. If I came earlier than maybe-''
''Don't blame yourself, Kara.'' He said softly. ''All we can do now is stop Doomsday, so he will be able to rest in peace.''