"Clark..."
He glanced to his left. His mother was standing there, the screen door open behind her. She moved closer and hugged his side. He looked ahead at Justice One, coming in for a not-so-smooth landing with Linda at the controls. They'd all convened at the farm. None of them could land at the Kawatche Caves, not without gaining unwanted attention. It would be a drive to the caves, for those going.
"Are you sure?"
He shook his head. "I'm not sure of anything. All I know is that the ship neutralized kryptonite twice that I know of."
"But the ship was destroyed, Clark. We know of nothing else that..."
"Mom, I have to try." If he could get to the fortress... Jor-El had done it before. He remembered that summer. Chloe had been nearly dead, but Jor-El had healed her. More than that, her power had gone. The kryptonite in her body, the thing that had given her that power, had gone. Or maybe it hadn't gone. But it had lost its potency. It was the same thing the ship had done to Lana's necklace, to him and his mother. If the ship was a small piece of krypton's technology, the fortress was its hub on Earth.
"Clark, what if he keeps you again? I know you said..."
"Mom..." He weakly patted her shoulder. "I told you. I finished my training. I also told you that most of that was just a program. Now that I've..."
"I know." She nodded, her eyes moist. "I do. I guess I just still see your Kryptonian father as this merciless monster who wanted to take you away from us."
He squeezed her shoulder. "Mom, I'll come back. I know what I'm doing."
At least he hoped he did. As the chopper landed, the cold air hit him. He braced himself, knowing it would be nothing to the cold appraoching the fortress. The caves held a portal, but it didn't exactly drop him at the doorstep of the fortress.
Lois got out of the helicopter beside Murray, who was a bit green again. He'd heard Murray didn't travel well. Her eyes met his as they picked their way up the walk. There were questions there, that and something else he couldn't name. He knew this was unsettling, seeing the gang again. He wondered how much she remembered. He'd been ready to tell her the whole thing himself. He wasn't sure how he felt about that now. There were things she needed to know for her own safety. There were some things she may need to know for her sanity. He wasn't blind. He saw the way she'd been rubbing her eyes. She was in pain. Whether this pain was real or all in her mind, it was there. Sometimes it seemed as if telling her would take it away. Other times, it seemed like as if she would break apart at the mention.
She stopped in front of the railing below him as his mother came forward, collecting a shaky Murray with promises of peppermint tea. "Clark, I don't..." She looked down, then up again. "I just don't understand why we're here. You said there was something here that could..."
"Lois, do you trust me?" he cut in. Because he needed her to. He needed more than her trust. He'd need her help.
"Well, I..." She hesitated and it nearly broke him. "I trust you with my life," she finally said. It seemed empty, somehow. "But..." She glanced down, gesturing at herself. "I have about five pairs of clothes on here. I'm practically burning up and I don't know why. No one else is in eskimo mode and..."
"You'll see," he said, cutting off her questions. To be honest, he wasn't sure what to tell her. How could he explain about the caves that led to a portal that led to the arctic that led to... He was actually hoping Lois would just go with it.
"Truck's warmed up," Ollie said, rubbing his hands together as he came from the barn. He started up the porch and moved closer to Clark. He glanced at Lois as he came up next to him. "Hey, Lo, could you see what's holding Linda up? She's blocking the barn."
Lois glanced back at the chopper, then up at Oliver and folded her arms. "Yes. You are a full foot further away from it than I am, so... Sure. Great." Clark knew it was just a lame excuse to talk. Lois seemed to know, too, since she rolled her eyes before moving away from them.
"Clark, I don't know about this. You say you're going to go into some portal and walk across the snow and the only help you want is Lois?"
He smiled slightly. "Lois is a lot of help."
"She's also half your size and maybe one-ten soaking wet."
"She's also the only mortal who's been there." He shook his head. "I can't explain it, but... the fortress doesn't exactly welcome outsiders. It wasn't too sweet to her the first time she showed up, but... Well, there have been other times and..." He turned fully to Ollie. "It healed her, Ollie. A while ago, but it did. I think it can help me. I also..." He trailed off, hardly able to say it.
"You hope it can restore her," Ollie finished for him. "I guess we all hope for that." He felt Ollie's hand on his shoulder.
"Besides, I don't think I can make the walk alone."
"Are you sure you can make the walk at all?"
Clark stared at Lois, gesturing wildly at Linda. She pointed at the blades, then made a neck-chopping motion. He smiled. "I can do it for her."
They looked on as the chopper blades slowed. "... You. Are. Blocking. The. Barn," he heard Lois yell.
Linda jumped out of the chopper. "Jeez. Okay. You don't have to scream it."
"Apparently, I do. You didn't listen the first fifty times I said it. If I knew sign language, I would have..."
Linda pointed a finger at Lois. "You know what? I am technically your elder and I still know how to give a wicked Indian burn, so do not talk down to me."
"Oh, just get over the car, already." Lois started moving toward the house.
"I can't," Linda yelled, following her. "You left my Porsche in Evil Stepford. I should probably just write it off now."
Clark sighed, suddenly glad he'd ridden with A.C. and Diana and missed what must have started this.
Ollie stepped forward. "Girls, would you..."
"But out, Ollie," both said simultaneously.
Linda moved past Lois to the house. Ollie stopped her. "Aren't you going to move the..."
"Move it yourself," Linda grunted. "I'm using the bathroom."
Ollie stared at the slammed screen door. "What did I do?"
"It's not you," Lois sighed. "I got distracted and I drove my car back and left hers and..." Lois stopped, suddenly turning, staring past the house to the red barn.
"What's the matter?" Clark asked, staring hard at her. It was almost as if a sort of veil came over her face.
"Huh?" She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "Nothing. I'm fine. I just... need some air."
"We're outside," Ollie pointed out.
"Good, then. I'll just get some more." She turned away and then picked up speed, moving off the porch and away, toward the fields that were so empty in winter.
"Does this happen a lot? Because I've seen that look on her face a few times now."
"It's been happening more lately. I think she's fighting it and I want to help, but I just don't know how."
Ollie shrugged. "Have her go in the house, then. If the barn does that to her, then there should be a whole mess of things in there to set her off."
Clark closed his eyes. "I don't know if we should set her off at all. What if it's too much?"
Ollie patted Clark's back. "Let's just hope she doesn't need to use the bathroom, then." He moved toward the Bell. Clark looked past him to Lois. She stood at the edge of the field, her back to him.
"So you're off to your secret hide-out now?" He turned to see Linda, leaning in the doorway.
"I'll be back as soon as I can," he promised.
"With my cousin? In one piece?"
"I'm... almost a hundred percent sure."
Linda gave a humorless laugh. "Do not joke."
He wasn't sure he was joking, but he smiled anyway. He knew Jor-El wouldn't let him die from this illness. But he wasn't sure he'd be able to find the means to eradicate the rest of the infection. If Helen had been using his blood the way Lex had been using blood from the wraith... He didn't want innocent people to die. It could spread. It could get further than just this city. And there was no cure from Earth that could stop it. "Linda, I have faith that this will work." He did. But to what extent?
"Clark, I... I just want her to be reasonably happy."
He nodded as Linda stood beside him. They both stared at Lois' back as she stood at the edge of the fields, her breath visible around her. "And you don't think she could be happy with me?"
He felt a light slap on his arm. "God, would you stop with the mis-o-life stuff?" She squeezed the spot she'd just slapped. "I... I don't know, Clark. It seems to me that I can't keep her away from you no matter what. So... Maybe I should accept it." She let go of his arm. "You. Her. I... Fine. I wash my hands, but..." He found his arm grasped again. but hard this time, hard enough to hurt.
"Ow!"
She turned him to face her. "You will treat her like she is made of the purest gold. Do you hear me?"
"Okay, but just..."
Her eyes were nearly glinting with malice. "I don't want to hear about so much as a dirty sock on the floor or..."
"Actually, she's the one who's sloppy with..."
"Just say 'Yes, Linda,' or I will take back my blessing," she warned.
Clark glanced down at the nails digging into him even through his jacket. "This is a bless..." He winced as she squeezed harder. "Ow... Yes, Linda," he finally grunted out.
She smiled and released him. "Great!" She slapped him on the back. "Well... Welcome to the family, I guess." She leaned in. "But I kinda doubt it'll happen. I should tell you, she's feeling a little bombarded by you. She said she thought you needed something she couldn't give. I, of course, pointed out that I needed my Porsche, but she couldn't give that either and..."
"Hey, Ollie's got the truck out," he interrupted quickly, wanting this heart-to-heart over. Linda wasn't one to soft shoe and he was feeling less than eager for more pep talks.
"So it's time?" She bit her lip and glanced out toward Lois. "Are you sure..."
"Linda, I'll keep her safe."
She slapped his back. He winced. He'd never realized how hard her slaps were before. "Guess I can depend on you for that," she said, moving off the porch. He watched her stop as Ollie got out of the truck. She stepped up to him and grasped his face, kissing him on the lips. He was a little jealous. His eyes moved to Lois. He wondered what it would be like if he and Lois had the kind of relationship where they could... actually have one.
"Clark!" He tore his eyes from her back as Ollie called him. "Time's wasting."
He saw Lois turn as well, moving toward the truck. He moved toward it himself, but slowly. Murray had dosed him before they left the tower apartment, but the kryptonite still weakened him. He let Ollie help him in on the driver's side. He scooted to the middle as Lois opened the passenger door. "So... where are we going?"
He turned from her, glancing ahead as Ollie got into the driver's seat. "It's hard to explain."
****************************
Lois knew, even before they got there, where they were going. It had been only two days ago that she had traveled this way herself. She glanced at Clark, so pale and weak next to her. she wasn't about to tell him she'd been to the caves. He'd guess why, then Ollie would guess, too. From what she'd seen, Lex Luthor wasn't popular with the hero set. The way he'd been that day, she'd had an inkling why. There was something about him that was so... off. She'd loved to have shared some of this info with Clark, but she didn't want to hear the accompanying lecture.
"Wow," she breathed, trying to sound enthused. "What is this place?"
"The Kawatche caves," Clark said from next to her. She turned to him. He was staring at her, his eyes slightly narrowed.
She widened her eyes some more. She really had to get some acting classes in someday. "Gee," she said softly. She got out of the truck and glanced across the hood at Oliver, who seemed to be staring into the caves in genuine amazement.
"Clark, I've never been here," Oliver said. "Did your ancestors really..."
"No," Clark cut in. "The Kawatche people did most of what you see."
From the outside, they could only see colors. Lois tried to rack her brain, thinking of what someone would say if they hadn't seen this... and for real. "Can we... go in?" she asked. She really did want to get this over with so she could see whatever Clark wanted her to see and they could go. She hated lying to the good guys.
Clark's eyes softened as they landed on hers. "Go on," he said. She watched as Ollie came up to his side, shoring him up. "We're right behind you."
She saw them again, the same symbols she'd seen, but they seemed different today. Perhaps it was because she was with Clark and not Lex. She turned back to the mouth of the cave, to Clark. "What is all this?" she asked. And she meant it. She'd heard Luthor's version. She wanted to hear Clark's.
"It's the legend of Naman," Clark said. He put his hand in his pocket. "But we can save that," he said, digging out what looked like an octagonal piece of metal. "Lois... I need you to promise me you won't freak out."
Her eyes widened. "Um... that's not the thing to say if you don't want someone to freak out, just so you know."
He moved further in, supported by Oliver. "I want to tell you about these drawings, Lois. I will." He moved even further in, passing her, moving towards... a wall. It was the same one she'd seen Luthor staring at. He moved toward it, holding up the octagon. He placed it into this space that just... seemed made for it. She heard Luthor's words then. I feel as if... As if the walls will open and this bright light will shine through... She gasped as they did. They opened.
She gasped, feeling this unbelievable... bigness... That was the only word to describe it. It washed over her, bathing her in light and destiny and... pain. That was there, too. But it seemed to disappear when Clark turned back to her. "Come with me," he said, holding out a slightly shaky hand.
She stepped forward, taking his hand, moving with him toward a stone table, bathed in light that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere. It was the clearest moment of her life. She was supposed to be here, next to him, in this place. She felt a pressure on her left wrist as she stepped closer still, putting her right hand in his. He held the metallic octagon again as Ollie stood before them.
He stared at Clark, at her, at the cave walls, then stepped back. "I'll be at the farm. We'll wait for you."
Lois hardly understood. Why wasn't he coming, too? Where were they...
But her thoughts faded to nothing as the light grew stronger, a wind seemed to swirl about them and she looked down... The octagon seemed to almost leap from Clark's hand into a groove in the table. The light suddenly turned blinding as she dug her fingers into Clark's arm. It was the only thing that seemed real and solid as the light blinded her, the wind swirled around them. She felt nearly weightless....
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