Chapter 3 [Arctic Fortress]

Lex clamored to his feet while brushing the snow off of his parka and glaring at his adversary. For some strange reason he didn’t understand, the purple distortion effect had protected him. “See, Clark? Even your world’s technology favors me.”

“Go…fry ice, Lex,” Clark whispered from his hands and knees. Despite the destruction slowing the process down, the energy continued to sap his remaining strength and willpower. At that rate, he’d fall under the spell completely in a few more minutes.

“Defiant to the end. Glad to see I taught you something!” Lex mock-praised.

As he stepped toward Clark, he found Lana standing in his path. “Lana? What?”

“Get away from Clark, Lex! It’s over!” she directed.

“Not when I can do this!” the billionaire disagreed while pointing past her.

The purple energy increased in intensity once again.

Clark screamed in agony. “Please!”

She looked between the two men, weighing her thoughts and trying to keep a tight rein on her emotions. Drawing upon what she’d learned during the marriage to Lex, she glared at him coldly. “You were always a heartless bastard!”

“He took you from me. Fine. You can mourn him when he’s my puppet,” Lex retorted.

“Not yet he isn’t!” She feinted with a quick kick to his right which he avoided.

He delivered a backhanded slap that knocked her backward into the snow next to Clark. “You are pathetic!” He pulled out a gun and aimed it at her. “Maybe I should just kill you both. Too bad you both had to betray me. I gave you everything!”

She grabbed onto Clark’s hand. “And you take everything! I love Clark! You could never understand that! That’s why I’m here with him now! You’ll have to kill me to get to him!”

“Fine.” He clicked off the safety on the pistol and aimed it at her head. “You die for real this time.” His finger tightened on the trigger.

But as it fired, the gun and his hand were twisted skyward.

“Nobody’s dying, Lex,” Clark informed him before tossing him across the wreckage strewn room.

“Amazing! You shouldn’t be able to move!” Lex scoffed while pulling himself to his feet.

Clark moved across the room with great effort; his love for Lana struggling with the controlling effects of the cylindrical object in the crystalline display. With as mighty of a tug as he could manage under the circumstances, he ripped the offending item loose and destroying it against the wall. As the purple distortion effect faded, he gasped, “Wow!”

“You…destroyed it! You alien monster!” Lex snapped.

“Ahem!” As Lex turned, she delivered a spin kick that sent him flying against the far ice wall and knocked him out for the count. “You’re the only monster here.” She wiped the blood from her lip caused by his earlier backhand.

“Some…kick,” Clark stammered while struggling to get back across the room. “Thought…you were gone….” He collapsed to the floor; the effort from that encounter finally draining him completely.

“Clark!” In a heartbeat, she was at his side. She cradled his head in her lap while checking him over frantically for signs of life. “You have to be okay! I’m sorry I lost faith in us!”

He will be all right, Lana Lang. You justified my faith and redeemed yourself in other’s eyes. As we discussed, you have my blessing, Jor-El informed her while appearing. Relax. Soon we will be back in Smallville.

Once again, she vanished in a flash of white light…however this time, her love was under her watch….

…and she’d never desert that post again.




Chapter 4
[Dark space between dimensions]
[A/N: This chapter’s dedicated to Prolific Peggy for our shared vision on things….]

Lex opened his eyes and rubbed the back of his head. “What hit me?” He glared around at the inky blackness surrounding himself. “Where am I now? Figures that those two would do something like this! Hey! I know you’re both here some place!”

“No, Alex, they aren’t,” a familiar voice disagreed. From the darkness, Lillian emerged.

“Mom? This has got to be a dream then,” he dismissed.

“It is no dream, Alex. I am here to help you begin your redemptive journey. As Clark indicated, you have caused those around you a great deal of pain. You are at a crossroads. Either you give up the anger and hate or you will suffer by yourself,” she explained. “The choice is yours.”

“Crossroads? Mom, you must really be crazy if you think I can trust those two,” he disagreed.

“Granted they have hurt you. However you hurt them in return. Your heart still aches for love and companionship. Do not deny them, Alex.” She floated closer to him.

“WHY? All I ever got for covering for you was PAIN!” he snapped. “Why should I care?”

“Because we love you!” Beside her, his younger self appeared. “We’re not totally evil! Don’t do this! We can love and be loved!”

Lex glared at them.

“Come on!” the boy protested; his tears falling down his cheeks. “Reach out.”

“We’re alone! What’s out there beyond the pain?” Lex groused.

“Your pain created this place, Alex,” she pointed out. “Either stay here or move beyond it. The choice is yours. And you are never alone. Have faith in that.” She stretched her hand out to him. “My sweet boy. Take my hand.”

Lex struggled for several minutes with the notion. On the one hand, he wanted power and ambition. On the other, the old pull of his friends as they once were before the darkness consumed them and Smallville overwhelmed him.

“They’ll never accept me that way again,” he mourned.

“It will take time. You will need to prove yourself to them again. Beyond that, all you can do is have faith. And it starts with one key person,” she continued.

“Take her seriously,” his younger self advised before disappearing.

Lex reached out slowly and grasped her hand.

“Thank you, Alex. I love you,” she assured him while kissing his brow.

Once more, the brilliant white light flooded his consciousness before he blacked out.


****


[Luthor Mansion—Two hours after the events in the Arctic]

Lex felt something cold and wet wiping his brow. “What?” he whispered.

“About time you’re up, Lex,” Chloe told him. “I still can’t believe this.”

He sat up and looked around to find himself back in the mansion’s sitting room and propped up on the massive couch therein. “How’d we get back here?”

“Would you believe an angel dropped you off?” she sighed. “Dark hair and white robes. If I wasn’t a believer before, I am now. Talk about ‘Wall of Weird’.”

“That was my mother, Chloe.” He slumped back against the couch. “Figures she’d sic you on me.”

“Someone’s got to keep you straight, Lex. Don’t think this just wipes the slate clean between us though. I’ll be watching you,” she admonished.

He focused, trying to piece events together from the previous few months. However, he found them all fuzzy for some reason. Moreover, he felt no reason to do so either. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He managed a tired smirk, realizing he had met his match after all…and it wasn’t a brunette either.

“Glad you’re taking this like a man, Luthor,” she indicated. “Rest now. We can talk later.”

After she left, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. For the first time in years, his dreams were peaceful and not full of ambition. Instead, he was content to have what he had.

And that was a good thing…..




Chapter 5 [Kent Farm]

As the sun rose over the Kansas prairie, Lana stood at the back door of the Kent home looking through the wire mesh. She admired the simplicity yet pristine beauty of the familiar surroundings. She could smell the clean light aroma of the air following the previous night’s rain. To think I gave this up. I truly have received a second chance.

She heard the tea kettle whistling on the stove. Meandering over to it, she poured two cups of tea and allowed the bags to steep in their ceramic cups. “Sometimes the simplest is best.”

“But it isn’t necessarily for you either, Lana,” a female voice advised.

She turned to find a near twin of herself albeit with shorter length hair watching her. “Aunt Louise, right?”

The visitor nodded. “Joe told me of your decision to come back. I just wanted to let you know how glad I am. You both belong to each other.”

“I know. I still wonder how I fit into every thing though. Clark can do all of these amazing things. He has a big destiny…bigger than all of this. I don’t have the strength,” Lana doubted.

“I beg to differ. Lana, Clark is fated to be a hero for the hearts of millions. However, every man needs a strong woman beside him. That is your destiny. For all that he could do without you, he is a thousand times stronger with your love inspiring him. The empire you built through the Isis Foundation enables you to do that,” Louise urged.

Lana had to concede those points to her aunt. Still the farm was what she and Clark both wanted. “And why can’t we have this?”

“You said it yourself. Destiny says otherwise. At least you’ll have each other. Smallville will always be special for you both. Your future is elsewhere though. Back in the present, however, he’s waking up and needs you,” Louise reminded her before disappearing into the early morning light.

This keeps getting weirder and weirder. She inspected the steaming cups with satisfaction before bringing them upstairs. Through the ajar door, she could hear the bed creaking. She peered inside to see him staring at the ceiling. “Clark?”

“Lana? You really came back? Where are we? It looks like home,” he indicated.

“We are home. Good morning,” she greeted while brushing her lips softly across his. “Jor-El brought me back.”

“He what?” he gasped while sitting up in bed. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“Other than a lecture on priorities, he didn’t do anything to me. Clark, he let me see into your heart. I know how you feel about me. That’s why I went to that Fortress place. I couldn’t let you face Lex alone,” she assured him.

“You couldn’t? What about what you said in the message?”

She bowed her head, feeling ashamed. “I felt…overwhelmed by things. I hope you can forgive me. I still believe that you’re destined for bigger things.” She turned toward the window, looking onto the sunwashed prairie once more. “I understand now that I have a role too. I can help you with Isis and in another way if you’ll have me.”

He made himself get out of bed and walk over to her side. “You really want that?”

She gazed into his eyes. “Despite all of my fears and hesitations, I’ve never wanted anything more. Just be patient with me.”

He grinned at her. “After all of the times you’ve saved me? You got it.” He kissed her. “Thanks for coming back, Lana. I mean it. The question is what to do about Jor-El.”

“What about him?” she asked. “In return for me helping you, he’s given us his blessing. Just promise me one thing, Clark. Don’t treat me like I’m a glass princess anymore. I’m your partner. I may not be near-invulnerable like you but I’m tougher than I look. If something happens, it happens. But this is how I want to live. Helping you to help people. Loving you. That’s life. Got me?”

He felt the familiar fear washing over him. For a brief second, the urge to push her away again consumed him. However, the purpose in her eyes put that feeling out like a dying ember. “If it’s what you want.”

“It’s what I’ve always wanted, Clark. Just accept me for me. All right? Let me stand by you. Let my strength be yours,” she pointed out.

He nodded. “All right. If you do one thing for me….”

“Anything, Clark. You know that.”

He walked over to his dresser and pulled open the top left drawer. Fishing around in there, he found the small velvet case that had rested there since his father’s death two years earlier. “Maybe you might try this on?” He popped open the case to reveal the engagement ring inside.

She nodded enthusiastically; her eyes watering. While she wondered how he’d have a ring especially in such a dusty case waiting for her, she wasn’t about to question it. Rather than spoil the moment, she held her right hand out. “Yes! I want that too!”

He slid the ring slowly onto her finger, letting them both savor the moment. Then he sealed it with a kiss. “Mom’s going to be so happy.”

“And so are we. That’s my promise to you, Clark Kent,” she vowed. “Now have your tea, okay?”

“Yes, Dear.”

“I like the sound of that,” she cracked, letting her eyes sparkle into his.

He just drank the tea, knowing not to say anything else. They had their moment. Best not to ruin it.



****


[Hours later]

After a restful morning together, the reunited couple finished the chores around the farm and took a pleasant horseback ride around the property. With the sun shining bright overhead and the warm May breeze billowing from the west, summer wouldn’t be far behind.

They sat on the porch in a pair of wicker chairs eating chicken salad sandwiches and drinking lemonade. For the first time in years, they could sit and laugh at bad jokes. They shared little intimate secrets and fears. They gazed into each other’s eyes and saw the warmth reflected therein.

About 2:00, Chloe’s red bug drove up the driveway.

“Hey, guys!” the reporter greeted after getting out of the car and rushing over to greet them. “Now this is a sight for sore eyes! Everyone happy. No Brainiac or any threat lurking around the corner.”

“Hi, Chloe. No threats here…other than the Kent insecurity complexes, that is,” Lana replied while teasing her fiancée.

“For both of us,” Clark clarified.

Lana rolled her eyes while conceding the point. “Fine. For both of us. But that’s behind us now. Look what he gave me this morning!”

Chloe stared at the engagement ring glistening on her friend’s hand. “Wow! I…uh…can’t believe you were ready with that, Clark.”

“I’ve had the ring for a while, Chloe. Sorry it couldn’t be any more between us than friendship,” he apologized.

Chloe shrugged. “Hey, I knew about these things for a while now, Clark. Sorry but you’re not the only fish in the sea.” She put her best mask on over the lingering disappointment there. “Besides you might say I have a new purpose in life. Caretaker and reporter. Go figure.”

“Excuse me?” Lana asked in confusion.

The blonde reporter sat down in a third chair. “This is going to sound so weird. Bear with me, guys.”

Clark and Lana exchanged almost knowing looks before she assured their friend. “It’s been that kind of day. Try us.”

Chloe took a breath and then recounted, “Okay, I was down in the Planet’s bullpen putting up with Lois and Jimmy’s harping about Brainiac and Veritas. Then the entire place goes dark. A dark haired woman in white shows up. Get this guys, she said her name was Lillian.”

“Lex’s mother,” Lana remembered. “Go on.”

“Right. Well she did this vision thing. I saw the whole deal between you both and Lex up in the Fortress.” Chloe shook her head. “That was amazing! Glad you made it through that. Anyhow, she asked me how I felt about things. I admitted that I loved my job at the Planet but wanted more. She offered me that if I’d look after Lex.”

“Look after….? Chloe, we can’t trust him!” Clark protested.

“I know, Clark. Believe me; I didn’t want to trust in that either. But Lillian said his memories of the past two years are gone. He doesn’t remember the Planet, the Fortress, Veritas or who you are,” Chloe insisted.

“Sorry, Chloe, I can’t believe that,” Lana doubted.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised or upset at that. Just take some time and think on that. Hey, maybe without Lionel or your father around, Clark, maybe we can steer the Billionaire Boy right this time. For me, it’s no worse than holding Jimmy’s hot and cold attitude at bay.” Chloe made a face at that thought. “It wasn’t easy to walk into the mansion and see Lex lying there on his couch a free man either. But there’s something else to him I saw.”

“And what’s that? Chloe, the man can charm the skin off of a snake,” he pointed out.

“I saw the vulnerability. Clark, remember how he was freshman and sophomore years at SHS? That look was back. He actually chose to redeem himself. Can we walk away from that? I won’t. I don’t expect it to be easy. But he needs us!” Chloe continued.

Lana bowed her head, fighting back her own indignation. “I’ll have to see it for myself, Chloe. However, we all received second chances today. I guess he should have one too. Just understand that it’s going to take a while to get over that ordeal last year.”

“Fair enough,” Chloe conceded. “Well I need to be getting back. I don’t want to leave Lex too long. Part of the arrangement with Lillian.” She looked at the others. “Who did you run into?”

“I didn’t see anyone…well other than you both,” he reported.

“Jor-El and my Aunt Louise,” Lana admitted. “They reminded me of my responsibilities in certain regards and to a certain special person.” She squeezed his hand.

“We certainly got the Heavenly advice beat going, didn’t we? All the more reason to listen. Meantime, you both better keep me in mind for wedding duties,” Chloe insisted.

“Maid of honor good enough?” Lana supposed.

“Sounds awesome to me,” Chloe agreed. “Again, congrats you two.” She hugged them again happily before heading back for the car and driving off.

“You really think Lex can change?” he asked Lana.

She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “My head says no. However, given what we’ve been through today, who knows? Besides, we owe it to Chloe to try. Let’s do it but be careful.”

He wanted to disagree but once again saw the purpose in her eyes. “If you willing to try then so am I.” He hugged her shoulders with his right arm.

“Now that we’ve decided that, we had a romantic day going, didn’t we?” she reminded him.

He smiled. “That we did. Come on.” With that, they headed back into the house and toward their dreams.





Conclusion [A Year Later—Isis Foundation]

Lana sat in her chair monitoring the surveillance screens in front of herself. While formidable before Brainiac’s break in, Lex had donated a hefty sum to upgrade the foundation’s systems to peak levels.

Now the coverage was worldwide. If a cat meowed in a tree in Shangri-la, the system knew about it.

This is what Aunt Louise was talking about. She mused about the cases she, Clark and their friends had solved together. Some old threats reared their heads courtesy of Belle Reeve escapes and lurking meteor freak remnants. Zod had returned from the Phantom Zone only to be beaten back there by Clark, Kara and the new Isis League.

More importantly, she and Chloe each had their guys. Beyond the crime fighting and making the world a better place shtick, they had married Clark and Lex in a small private ceremony. At some point, they’d have something more but other responsibilities remained.

Still how better to save the world than as a family?

“Hey, Lana!” Chloe chimed in from the other side of the room.

Lana whirled around in her chair to see her friend typing away on a supercomputer. “Find something?”

“Yeah. That creep, Doctor Day, entered our air space in Sector 35. What do you think?” Chloe informed her.

Lana walked over, biting her lip as she did so. The first time the League faced that villain, he nearly handed them their lunch despite their combined powers. “You know what we have to do. Clark will pull them through it.”

“Yeah I know. Leave it to the Farm Boy,” Chloe jabbed reassuringly while pressing a red button on the console. “Meeting’s in five.”

The two women headed down the hall toward the conference room. There, they found the Isis League members waiting for them. Cyborg, Aquaman, Green Arrow and the Flash sat at the table. With them, the mysterious female Vigilante, Miranda Arighatto and Byron Moore awaited their cue.

Most noticeably though, Lana noticed Clark and Kara’s matching new costumes sporting red accessories and capes over blue leotards and the large red and yellow symbol of their family heritage on their chests. While she had thought they looked ridiculous at first, she had come to see the uniforms differently. And those names? Superman and Supergirl? Oh come on!

“What’s up?” Clark asked, breaking her reverie.

“Sorry, guys. Chloe and I have a fix on Doctor Day,” Lana noted.

“Finally! That creep slithers out from his rock!” Cyborg noted.

“Where’s your intel say he is?” Green Arrow asked.

“Sector 35 and approaching the Rowald Center quickly,” Chloe pointed out.

“Clark, Kara and I can engage him first,” Flash volunteered. “Give you all time to get there.”

“Sounds great. Remember this guy’s dangerous. No unnecessary chances,” Green Arrow reminded the initial trio.

“Kara and I can bring Cyborg and Byron with us,” Clark volunteered.

“Let’s go,” Kara agreed. “See you there, Clark. Come on, Victor.” She took off into the sky holding on tightly to him.

“Remember what Oliver said, Clark. No unnecessary chances,” Lana echoed.

“None.” He kissed his wife.

“With poetic musings like that, how can we go wrong?” Byron admired while watching.

“That goes for you too, Byron. Lana and I don’t want to have to explain to Sandra what happened,” Miranda quipped.

“On that note, up, up and away!” Clark announced before hefting Byron and following Kara’s earlier path.

Minutes later, Oliver’s newest transport—the Flying Arrow—streaked away to allow the remaining members to support their cohorts.

“Still can’t believe we’re all part of this, Lana,” Chloe remarked.

“You and me both. This is what Aunt Louise, Jor-El and your mother-in-law meant. We are destined to be bigger than just normal people,” Lana indicated. A broad smile spread onto her face. “And I am so proud to be a part of this.”

“Just think what we almost missed out on,” Chloe supposed.

“A few fears might have cost us. Well it won’t now. Come on; let’s keep an eye on everyone. They’re relying on us too, you know,” Lana informed her.

“Meantime, Clark can rely on us to come up with a new take off phrase. Lex is willing to patent it when he does.” Chloe arched her brow incredulously. “Up, up and away?”

“I just deal with it. It’s Clark. Come on,” Lana laughed as they headed toward the observation deck once more.

And in such ways, the larger destiny was fulfilled. Love, legacy and obligations were omnipresent. In such ways, the world and personal needs are both served for mutual benefit.

And isn’t that what’s important for all things?



THE END

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