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Chapter Text

September

"Clark!  Clark, ten minutes until school and you still haven't done your chores!"

Clark Kent rubbed his eyes in response to his mother's shout from downstairs.  "I'm up, I'm up," he called back.  He lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to muster the energy to get up and at 'em.

The mental energy.  Physical energy had rarely been a problem for him.

"Eight minutes, Clark!" his dad yelled.

"Coming!" Clark called back, sliding his glasses on.

In a flash he was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth and hair, applying deodorant, and other necessary morning tasks.  Another flash and he was in his room, dressed for the day.

It was a carefully crafted disguise.  Loose, worn jeans.  A baggy flannel shirt hid the thick muscles of his arms.  A slouching slump of his shoulders concealed how broad they and his chest were.  His hair was carefully careless, looking ragged and unkempt.  Finally, the glasses.  Made of Kryptonian materials, the lenses dimmed his unearthly blue eyes to an ordinary blue, the thick frames broke up the lines of his face, dropping him from "strikingly handsome" to "average."  A check in the mirror confirmed he hadn't made any mistakes getting dressed at super-speed, that the alien Kal-El was perfectly concealed behind the mask of human Clark Kent.

"Forget the chores, Clark, they're taken care of," Jonathan Kent hollered up the stairs.

Clark frowned.  His dad couldn't have taken care of them, certainly not in the time it had taken Clark to get ready.

He rushed downstairs.  Sitting at the table, a huge plate of eggs, pancakes, toast, and bacon in front of her, a small smirk on her face, was a lovely young blonde in glasses.

"Keira!" Clark said happily.  "When did you get here?"

"Just flew in," she said.

Her disguise was as carefully thought out and meticulously executed as his.  No surprise, since she'd come up with them.

"Will you be staying long?" Clark asked, grabbing some toast for himself.

"Maybe.  I have an interview for an internship later today, and if it pans out I'll be close to home for a while."

"In Smallville?" Martha asked.  "Where?"

"It's nearby, yeah," Kiera replied.

"Where?" Martha asked again.

"They've got some really interesting projects cooking, I think it could give me a chance to apply some of my. . . special knowledge.  It'll be really impressive to the professors at Met U, and count towards my doctorate programs."

"Keira Kent," Jonathan said sternly.  "Where is it?"

Keira looked sheepish.  "The Luthorcorp plant."

"Keira!" Jonathan said.

"I know, Dad.  I know how you feel about the Luthors.  But if half of what I've heard they're working on is true, this could be my chance to make a real difference!  Slip some of. . . my family's research and knowledge in.  Improve quality of life everywhere!"

"And line the pockets of Lionel Luthor," Jonathan said scornfully.

"No one else is as far out on the cutting edge as Luthorcorp.  No one else could make use of what my father left me."

"Would your father want you shaking hands with the Devil?  Would he want his knowledge in the hands of someone like Lionel Luthor?"

" That's why I need this.  I need to see if I can do this responsibly.  Maybe Lionel isn't as bad as you think."  Jonathan snorted.  "Maybe his company can do better.  Maybe I can learn enough to do the science and business on my own.  I have to take the chance."

"And what if Lionel figures out you're his golden goose?" Jonathan asked.  "What if he figures out why you're such a brilliant scientist?"

Keira looked at Clark, smiled fondly.  "I won't let that happen."

"Keira–"

"Dad, trust me.  Please."

Jonathan searched for a way to respond.

Clark and Keira perked up their ears.  "Bus," Keria said.

In a flash, the black-haired boy and golden-haired girl were gone.

"Our kids," Martha said with amusement.  Then she looked at her husband.  "Jon, you know how careful Keira is.  Especially when it comes to Clark.  She won't risk anything that might get him hurt."

"It's not him I'm worried about."

"She'll protect herself because that means protecting him.  But she has to make something for herself.  She can't be Clark's protective big sister forever."

They'd just made it to the bus stop a moment before the ugly yellow monster came into view.  Clark stepped aboard as the doors opened for him.

"Just remember everything I taught you, and you'll be fine," Keira said, quietly enough that only he could hear her over the engine noise and growing distance.  "I love you, Kal-El."

"Thanks," Clark muttered, knowing only she would hear him.  "I love you too, Kara Zor-El."

Clark winced as a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.  He sagged his shoulder with the blow, making it look like he'd been affected by it.

"Hey, Kent," Whitney Fordman said, false smile in full force.  "Joining the football team this year?"

"Uh, no," Clark said timidly.  "I don't think I'm cut out for it."

"What, you too good for football?" Louis asked.

"Yeah, you think football's some kind of game for morons?" Jim added.

"You don't like good, all-American football?" Whitney asked.  "You un-American, Kent?"

"I think football's a great game.  Just don't think I'd be any good at it."

"Well, that's why we practice, Kent.  We work hard to be our best.  Don't you want to be your best?"

"I just don't think it's a good idea for me to take a spot from someone with real talent."

Whitney's hurt expression was as insincere as his earlier smile.  "You think our team has no talent?"

The bell rang, letting the kids know it was time to get to class.

"See you around, Kent," Whitney said.

Keira parked her car in the Luthorcorp plant parking lot.  She pulled down the sun visor, using the mirror within to confirm she was presentable for her interview and her disguise was in place.

Gel in her hair darkened it from its natural lustrous gold to dirty blonde, and kept it tight in a basic ponytail.  A loose blouse under a sweater vest and a long, billowing skirt concealed her figure.  In tighter and more revealing clothes, she'd be stunning, a shoe-in for a men's magazine cover model.  In these clothes, only a keen student of the female form would guess that there was a sexy body beneath, and even they'd underestimate just how much Kara was hiding.  Her glasses dulled the lambent blue of her eyes, so much like her cousin's, and disrupted the structure of her face.  Without the glasses and in less shapeless clothes, she knew she was gorgeous.  With them, what compliments she got tended to peak at "pretty," and "cute" was far more common.

Satisfied all was in place, she headed for the front door.  The security guard at the desk checked her in, another showed her up to an office for her interview.

Behind the desk in the office sat a young man, only a few years older than Clark, though his complete baldness made him look older.  He nodded pleasantly as Keira entered.  "Hello, Miss. . ." He took a folder off his desk, reading the label.  "Kyra Kent."  He motioned to the chair opposite his desk.

"Keira," Keira said, smiling, taking the offered seat.  "Like Major Kira from Deep Space Nine , just with an E.  Not, like, a silent E, but I guess it's kind of silent because she doesn't have an E but says it the same.  But not a real silent E because those come at the end of a word and make the whole thing sound different."

A pause.

"You know what, Kyra is fine."  Another facet of her disguise, affecting a nervous but cheerful and bubbly personality.  An exaggeration of certain aspects of her regular self.

"Keira," the man said.  "It's. . . a pleasure to meet you.  I'm Lex, I'll be conducting your interview today."

Keira gasped.  "Lex. . . Luthor?  You're Lex Luthor?"

"Guilty as charged."

"Wow.  Um, I didn't. . . Wow."  Keira crossed her legs under her long skirt, beaming an awestruck smile.

"I gathered," Lex said.  "So, Miss Kent.  Why do you want to work at Luthorcorp?"

"I've been reading the reports of what this plant is working on, research wise, and there's, like, a stunning chance for just insane improvements across, like, the entire board of human endeavor.  And I'd just really love to be a part of that."

"A lot of people would.  Why should we choose you?"

"I think I have a lot to bring to the table.  I just really love science, and I have some great ideas and hypotheses that could really contribute to your projects.  And I'm really good at thinking outside the box."

"We're here to get these projects running, not to be a free-for-all for ambitious grad students to experiment."

"Oh, I know.  I wouldn't dream of misusing any of the resources here.  Just that I really think, if given a chance, I could be a huge boost to your team."

Lex sat back, considering a moment.  He took a remote off his desk, clicked a button.  On a screen over his shoulder, a complex chemical formula appeared.  "What do you make of this?"

Kara studied it for nearly a minute, picking it apart and reorganizing it.  It was a good formula, a real breakthrough, complex but elegant and astonishingly useful.  But it wasn't quite right, not yet.

Kara scooted her chair forward, grabbing a sheet of paper and a pen off Lex's desk.  He raised an eyebrow.

"Uh. . . may I?"

"By all means, Miss Kent.  Dazzle me," Lex said, clearly expecting her to do nothing of the sort.

She began writing, drawing a diagram of revisions to the formula, noting alterations and difficulties and proposed solutions.  She had to work hard to check her enthusiasm. . . even if she wanted to be seen as brilliant and promising, licking this in minutes would be terribly suspicious.  If she was reading Lex's formula right, this was something her father might have helped her whip up for the Kryptonian equivalent of a middle school science project.

She hid a smirk, remembering Jonathan insisting she absolutely could not build a miniature phantom drive for Smallville Middle School's science fair.  Her display on the Periodic Table of Elements still won, but the phantom drive would have been way more impressive.

She slid the paper across the desk to Lex.  He took it, an amused smile on his face.

The smile vanished as he looked at it.

He continued to read.

His eyes widened.

His eyebrows raised.

He looked at her.  "You came up with this all on your own, just now?"

"Well, not just now," Keira said, shifting awkwardly.  "I've been thinking along similar lines, and doodling the odd idea here and there.  I thought it'd just remain hypothetical until, I dunno, I got a huge grant or something.  But. . . well, I think this is helpful for what you're working on?"

"It is at that."  Lex smiled.  "Now that's impressive, Miss Kent."

Clark strode outside to enjoy lunch in the warm late summer/early fall air.

"Heads up, Kent!"

Oh, for crying out loud!   The football Whitney had whipped at him moments before his shout was coming at Clark's face in slow motion.  He could have easily caught it, could have thrown it back with the force of an artillery shell.  Instead, Clark reached up clumsily, the ball bounced off his middle two fingers.  Probably would have broken them, if they could be broken.  He snatched for the ball with his other hand, knocking it into the air again.  He awkwardly and "unintentionally" juggled the ball for a good fifteen seconds before it tumbled to the ground.  The students of Smallville High got a good laugh.

"C'mon, Kent, let's see your arm!" Whitney called, motioning Clark to throw the ball.

Sighing internally, Kal picked up the ball.  This was the hardest but most important thing Kara had taught him:  making it look like you were giving something your all when, in fact, you were putting in only a fraction of a percent of a decimal to the effort.

It worked.  To everyone else, it looked like Clark Kent gave the ball the mightiest throw he was capable of.  The ball flew about ten feet, and not in anything close to a straight line.

Whitney doubled over laughing.  "Good try, Kent, good try.  We'll work on it."

Clark continued on his way, only to hear the football arcing at his head again moments later.

Good grief, give it up, Whitney.   Clark jumped and turned, arms flailing as if he'd been startled by a bug. . . and his forearm smacked into the football, knocking it aside to tumble across the ground, narrowly missing Dawn Stiles and her girl posse.

Clark looked apologetically at Whitney.  "We've already established I can't catch the ball, please stop throwing it at me?"

As Whitney retrieved his ball, Clark took a seat next to his best friend.  "Dude, why do you let them push you around like that?" Pete Ross asked.

"They've never pushed me," Clark replied.

Pete rolled his eyes.  "That's not what I mean.  You gotta learn to stand up for yourself.  Stop letting them walk all over you."

"They–"

"I swear to God, Clark, you say 'they never stand on my body' I will pour this–" he brandished his soda bottle– "all over your head."

Clark smiled innocently at Pete.  Pete started laughing, Clark let out his own laughter.

"But dude, seriously, it's junior year .  You've got to clean up your act, get yourself in the game."

Clark shook his head.  "I've been trying to explain to Whitney, football is not my sport."

"I don't mean that game, I mean the game ."

"I don't follow."

"Dude," Pete said, shaking his head mournfully.  "Check it out."  He gestured, Clark followed the motion to look at what Pete was pointing out.

"Lana Lang?"

"Looking real good," Pete said.

Clark couldn't disagree.  Lana had always been lovely, flawless skin and shimmering red-gold hair, but as high school had arrived she'd begun to fill out in most. . . aesthetically pleasing ways.  "Yeah," Clark said, turning back to Pete.  "And?"

"And?  That's all you got for me is 'and?'  Man. . . you looked in a mirror lately?"

"This morning."

"You got some looks to you.  Jaw that can crack walnuts, bright blue eyes, and I've seen you working on your dad's farm, I know you're built .  Run a comb through that mess on your head, ditch the Coke bottles, lose the baggy flannel, girls like Lana would be drooling for you."

In other words, Clark reflected, forget everything Kara and I have carefully crafted to ensure we don't stand out.

"Thanks, Pete," he said.  "But I'd rather a girl like me for who I am."

"They will!  You just gotta make them notice who you are."

"Maybe someday," Clark muttered.

The first day of high school junior year was. . . a day.  Clark rode the bus home, already lamenting that super speed would be of limited use in clearing the mountain of homework he already had.

Jonathan was outside mending the fence when Clark got off the bus.  "Hey, Clark!" he called.  "How was your first day?"

"It was a day," Clark said, walking up to his dad.  "Whitney's already harassing me about joining the football team."

Jonathan sighed.  "Look, Clark–"

"I know.  My abilities are too dangerous, and it wouldn't be any kind of fair.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about what it'd be like to be a high school sports legend, but our low profile is more important."

A loud whoosh passed by overhead, aimed for the house.

"And that'd be your sister," Jonathan muttered.  "For the one who thought up this 'low profile,' she sure is good at flaunting it."

They headed inside to see how Keira's day went.

They were confronted with a kitchen full of boxes, containing cakes, pies, cupcakes, cookies, and other confections.

"Keira, what–"

Keira held up her hands.  "Okay, I may have stopped at a bakery in Metropolis on my way home."  She paused.  "And in Star City."  She paused again.  "And National City."  She paused again.  "And Gotham."

"Gotham?" Martha asked, entering from the living room.  "You went to Gotham ?"

"Okay, yes, it's a rotten cesspool of humanity, but Quinzell's has a chocolate pecan pie that is to die for."

"Literally," Jonathan said.

"Please, Dad, I'm bulletproof."

"You've tested this?"

There was a pregnant pause.

"You're gonna be mad either way, so let's just say 'yes' and move on."

"Let's not move on.  When did–"

"Wait."  Keira slung a slice of pie on a plate and handed it to Jonathan.  "Just try it."

Begrudgingly, Jonathan stabbed the pie with the fork and shoveled a bite into his mouth.  His expression changed instantly, he made appreciative noises.

"See?" Keira said.  "No one can be angry with Quinzell's chocolate pecan pie in their mouth."

"Try me," Jonathan muttered, still chewing.

"I got the internship!" Keira announced.

"Keira," Jonathan said, and he did indeed sound angry even with Quinzell's chocolate pecan pie in his mouth.

"We're really happy for you," Martha said diplomatically.  "We're just worried."

"I know, but. . . ooh, that looks like a really chocolatey bit, try that."  When Jonathan had slipped the bit Keira identified in his mouth, she continued.  "My interview was with Lex Luthor."

"Keira!" Jonathan exclaimed.

"I know!  But he seems really nice, and really invested in doing good work.  I think he's going to be a great boss, exactly the kind of person who can help me bring some of my dad's work to humanity!"

"Keira, shush," Martha said, suddenly concerned.  It wasn't common for the Kent household to have unannounced visitors, but it wasn't unheard of.  Discussion of all things Krypton had to be handled delicately.

"Sorry.  I'm just so excited.  This could be the start of changing and saving the world ."

"I wouldn't trust Lex," Jonathan said.  "He's his father's son."

Keira crossed her arms.  "Have you met Lex?  Or Lionel?  Do you actually know either of them well enough to make that judgment?"

"I know all I need to know," Jonathan replied evasively.

An evasion Keira wasn't buying.  "Uh-huh.  Aren't you always saying how important it is to choose to see the good in people?  Especially people everyone else says are bad?"

Jonathan ate another bite of pie.

Martha sighed, putting her hands on her daughter's shoulders.  "Just. . . be careful, honey."

Keira smiled, putting her hands atop her mom's.  "I will."

Clark sat in the loft in the barn, a nice private study space his parents had built for their adopted kids.  The desk was sturdy and spacious, the couch old but comfortable.  It was the latter Clark used now, reading his Algebra II textbook painfully slowly.  Reading at super-speed was dicey, especially if he wanted to really retain as dense a subject as this.  He and Kara might have actual eidetic memories, but there was still a chance to miss something critical.

He heard Keira long before she arrived.  As she climbed the last few steps up to the loft, he looked up from his book, grateful for the distraction.

She joined him on the couch, leaning against him.  "Enjoying?" she asked, looking at the textbook.

"No," Clark replied bluntly.

"Math is the language of science.  Though I'll admit, I think Kryptonian notation is a lot more elegant."

"You really think your new job is promising?"

"I do."  She brought her hand up, running her fingers through his black hair.  "I think I'll really have a chance to make a difference.  Your father, my father, they were both great scientists.  They left us an astonishing wealth of knowledge.  We can use that to make the world better."

"You're not worried about it falling into the wrong hands?"

"Of course I am.  Which is why I'm going to be careful.  Nothing they couldn't have figured out for themselves until I'm sure I'm in the right place.  Even then, no weapons technology.  Humanity doesn't need to be more destructive than it already is."

"I wish I could join you, instead of spinning my wheels here for two more years."

"You're not spinning your wheels, Kal."  Kara drew her cousin closer, cradling him against her.  He was growing big and strong, she remembered a time he fit entirely in her lap.  "You're learning, and living as one of them.  That's valuable.  Earth is our home now, its people are our people.  We have to understand them, be like them, empathize with them."

"I know, Kara.  I just. . . I feel like there's so much more I could be doing.  We could be doing."

"We will, Kal.  One day, we'll tell the world who we are, where we're from, why we're here.  We'll show them there's so much more out there than they ever dreamed, we'll help them light the way to a better tomorrow.  But we need to make sure they're ready, and that we're ready.  We can't be their gods, their saviors, their rulers.  We can help them discover the tools, but they have to chart their own path and choose to walk it.  And we have to be able to accept that."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means we need to understand them.  Which means you need to finish high school, and probably get at least some college under your belt."

Kal made a face.  "Great.  More algebra."

Kara laughed.  "Need some help?"

"No, I can get it.  I just don't want it."

"Want me to leave you alone?"

"No."

Kara nodded, and cuddled up with her cousin as he returned to his textbook.

They were Kara Zor-El and Kal-El, cousins from the House of El, last survivors of the planet Krypton.

They were Keira and Clark Kent, adopted siblings.

What more they might be in the future remained to be seen.

Chapter Text

December

Clark stomped his feet on the mat to knock the snow from his boots, grateful his solar energy reserves meant he didn't really feel the cold.

The security guard at the desk watched Clark as he approached.  "Hi, I'm Clark Kent, I'm meeting my sister here for lunch?"

"Name?"

"Keira Kent.  K-E, I-R, A."

Clark had to hand his ID to the guard, wait patiently while he was checked into the system and a temporary pass printed for him, then the guard called Keira to the desk to meet her guest.

She arrived quickly, but not suspiciously so.  Clark smiled as she gave him a hug.  "Glad you could make it.  The commissary is surprisingly good, follow me."

A few minutes later, they were seated at a table, Clark with a big cheeseburger and fries, Keira with chicken strips, tater tots, and a grilled cheese sandwich.

"Enjoying the job?" Clark asked.

"Mm-hm!" Keira replied around a mouthful of chicken.  "I can't really talk about. . . anything we're working on, but it's all hugely exciting!"

"Glad to know the employees are motivated," a voice said.

Clark turned to see a young man in a sleek, expensive business suit standing at their table, tray in hand.  He smiled pleasantly.

"Uh," Keira said.  "Clark, this is my boss. . . well, like my boss' boss' boss' boss, Lex Luthor.  Lex, this is my brother, Clark."

"Clark," Lex said, extending his hand.  "Pleased to meet you."  Clark shook Lex's hand.  "Your sister is an amazing scientist, we're lucky to have her."  Lex slid into the seat next to them.

"Aw, thanks, but I'm not sure I'm all that," Keira said, affecting a blush.

"And I'm sure you are.  What about you, Clark?  Are we looking at the next locally-grown genius?"

Clark shrugged.  "I don't know.  I love science, I'm just not sure I speak its language."

"He's still struggling with Algebra II," Keira said.

Lex shrugged.  "I always found math extremely comforting.  Imposing order and logic on the chaos of the universe."  He raised a spoonful of stew, then stopped.  "I'm sorry, am I intruding?  Did you two want to have some family time?"

Keira shook her head.  "No, not at all, you're welcome to stay."

Lex smiled.  "You're not just saying that because I sign the paychecks?"

"No, no, absolutely not no."

Lex nodded, taking a bite from a cracker.  "So, Keira and Clark Kent.  Adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent sixteen years ago."  He pointed at Keira.  "You were about eight."  He pointed at Clark.  "You were about one.  Do you know if you're actually blood relatives?  Because I have to say, I do see a certain resemblance."

The Kent siblings looked at each other.

Lex winced.  "I apologize, that sounded a bit sinister, didn't it?  It all came up in your standard employment background check, Keira.   I'm not spying on you."

Keira giggled, just a bit awkwardly.   "I didn't think you were."

"So, are you two related by blood?"

"I'm not sure it matters," Clark said.  "Keira's my sister, my best friend, my guide and mentor.  I can't imagine my life without her in it."

"Must be nice," Lex said.  "Still, I see a resemblance.  Mostly in the eyes.  Take off your glasses, let me look."

"Uh," Keira said.

"That's. . . we. . ." Clark spluttered.

"Astigmatism," Keira said.

"Myopia," Clark said.

Lex held up his hands.  "I seem to be doing a lot of apologizing today.  My father is a big believer in 'knowledge is power.'  I sometimes forget not everyone plays his way.  Forget I mentioned it."

Clark cleared his throat.  "I'm sure he only wants what he thinks his best."

Lex smiled sadly.  "Clark, I'm under no illusions.  My father is an asshole.  Self-centered, self-absorbed, selfish, only capable of thinking about himself."

"I'm sure he cares about you," Keira said.  "Maybe just in his own way."

"He cares about his name.  The Luthor legacy, and I'm the only one he sees as capable of carrying on that legacy.  So long as he's in charge, I may have to play by his rules. . . but I'll play my game."

"So what is your game?" Clark asked.

Lex smiled.  "My father sees Luthorcorp as a way to try and leave his mark on the world.  Preferably, by putting his name on every square inch of it.  I think we can leave something better behind, genuinely help make the world a better place.  That's why the projects your sister is working on are so important.  We're looking at the big picture, what effect we'll have a hundred years from now, when the three of us are ash and dust."

Clark smiled at Keira.  "Exactly what you've been looking for your whole life."

Keira nodded.  "My father would be so proud."

"Jonathan Kent has a passion for science?" Lex asked.

Only Clark saw the momentary freeze, the slight widening in his cousin's eyes as she realized she'd slipped up.  "Uh, not really, particularly, so much.  But, uh, Dad always says that the only way things get better is if everyone steps up and helps as they can, so, um, yeah, he'd be proud of the work we're doing here."  It was mostly true.

"Good," Lex said.  "I hope more people will start to see the Luthor name as standing for more than what we can take for ourselves."

After lunch, Lex insisted on taking time off from his duties to help Keira show Clark around the plant, even getting him into a few of the restricted areas to show off some of the projects they were working on.  New strains of crop seeds to be resistant to disease or thrive in more inhospitable climates, the kind of thing a lot of research was going towards these days.  After the tour, Lex and Keira walked Clark to the door.

"Nice to meet you, Clark," Lex said, shaking Clark's hand again.  "I hope you'll think about joining our team someday."

"Let's see if I can lick algebra first," Clark said.

"Even if you don't," Lex said with a grin and a clap on Clark's shoulder.  "We could always use a gofer."

Clark chuckled.  "Thanks, I'll keep it in mind."

As Lex released him, Keira stepped up and gave him a hug.  "I'll see you at home."

"Yeah."  Clark released her, and looked at Lex.  "Go easy on her, Mr. Luthor."

"Lex, please."

Clark nodded, waved, and left.

Lex entered his office to see a pair of long, shapely legs resting on his desk.

"Lena," he said.  "To what do I owe the. . . ‘pleasure’ is not the right word. . ."

Lena Luthor stood up from Lex's desk chair.  "We had a meeting set for two hours ago, and yet you're gallivanting around the facility with an intern and her guest ."

"Sorry," Lex said, sounding not at all like he meant it.  "Must have slipped my mind."

"And you haven't been returning my calls or e-mails.  You're avoiding me, Lex."

"Unsuccessfully, it would seem."

Lena scowled.  Even the ugly expression couldn't rob her face of its classical beauty.  "The board has concerns about your project lineup.  Nothing here is what was recommended for development."

"What was recommended for development was pointless."

"No, what was recommended for development was profitable ."

"For now," Lex said.  "A new smart watch with two more features than the ones everyone already has, instant hair dye, a new hangover remedy.  It's all pointless, Lena.  I'm looking at the next century, not the next quarter."

Lena ground her teeth.  "You will start up the recommended projects."

"No."

"No?"

"Means no.  I believe HR covered that at the last sexual harassment seminar."

"Father will hear about this."

"We both know he already has, and he sent you to tow me back into line because, frankly, this isn't important enough for him to bother with.  So until it is, I'll just keep running my projects my way."

"Are you trying to destroy this company?"

"No, you and Dad are doing a great job of that.  I'm trying to save it."

Lena snatched up her briefcase.  "This isn't over, Lex," she said, storming out.

"It never is," Lex replied.

Kara climbed the steps up to Kal’s barn loft sanctuary.  “You didn’t mention lunch with Lex over dinner.”

Kal looked up from his reading.  “Neither did you.”

Kara smiled.  “Yeah, that’s something I don’t think Dad really needs to know.”

Kal frowned.  “You slipped, though.”

Kara winced.  “Yeah, I did.  I just get so excited!  What Lex wants to do, what we’re working on, it’s exactly what our fathers would have wanted!  Helping Earth learn from the mistakes of Krypton, so it doesn’t suffer the same fate.”  She sat next to Kal on the couch, leaning her head on his shoulder.  “Rao, they would have loved Lex. I can see them now, nine hours into the night, talking superstring manipulation and quantum gene encoding over gramaya and blorul .”

Kal smiled sadly.  He sometimes envied Kara for having real memories of Krypton, their parents.  He’d seen images of them, but it wasn’t the same as actually having known them.  “You really like the new job, don’t you?”

“I love it,” she said.

“I’m glad.”

“And there’s an office Christmas party coming up.  Want to be my plus one?”

“Surely there are other guys you can take.”

“Can take?  Sure.  Want to take?  Not so much.”

Kal smiled.  “Sure.  Could be fun.”

Their disguises changed only slightly.  Clark wore a fairly nice suit, though it was still two sizes too big and he still carried himself in a way to make his muscles look like fat.  Keira wore a flowy dress, still downplaying her curves.  The glasses were in place as always, and Keira wore minimal makeup, just enough to make it look like she was wearing none at all.  They looked nice, but didn't dare push past that.

"It's called Lasik," Lex said as he approached them.  "Or contact lenses."

Keira made a show of blushing and adjusting her glasses.  "No, that's. . . well, that's. . . not really us."

Lex shrugged.  "Suit yourselves.  Glad you could make it."  He looked at Clark.  "And glad to see you again.  Algebra treating you better?"

"Maybe," Clark replied 

"Good."

"It's a lovely party," Keira said.

"Then enjoy it.  Mingle.  I can introduce you to some people."

"Lex!" a voice hissed, quietly but urgently, closing in.

"Speak of the devil," Lex muttered as a coldly beautiful woman in an elegant purple and black dress approached.

"Lex!" she hissed again.

"Lena, this is Keira Kent, the intern responsible for the amazing progress we've been making, and her brother, Clark.  Clark, Keira, this is my older sister, Lena."

"Charmed," Lena said in a tone that made clear she was nothing of the sort.  "Lex, the investors have some questions for you."

"It's a party," Lex said.  "Business can wait."

"Business is the reason for parties."

"And that's why you're still single."

Lena gasped, threw an enraged and humiliated glare at the Kents, then turned an icy one back to Lex.  "Lex, follow me."

"No.  I'm talking with my friends, the Kents, right now.  If you want to be part of that conversation. . ."

Lena plastered on a broad fake smile, and said through gritted teeth, "Lex, you are trying my patience."

"Testing our limits builds character.  Don't you agree, Keira?"

"Oh, well. . . uh, I think that. . . um. . ."

"Nobody move!"

Everyone's attention was drawn to the shout from the door.  Two men in black clothing had entered, both holding handguns.  One kept the guard at the desk covered, the other approached Clark, Keira, Lena and Lex.  Lena fiddled nervously with the golden watch on her wrist.

"Lex Luthor," the man said, pressing the barrel of his gun right in Lex's chest.  "Your priority access keycard.  Now."

"If it's money you want, I'll happily pay you gentlemen whatever amount you care to name."

"I want your access card, Luthor."

"Don't give it to him, Lex," Lena said.

The man pressed his gun more firmly into Lex's chest.

"There's no need for that," Lex said.  "We can work out a solution that works for everyone."

"Yeah, we can," the man said.  "I count to three.  You give me the card before I finish, or I shoot you and take it.  Your call, Luthor."

Lex said nothing.

"One."

Kara tilted her glasses down a fraction of an inch, eyes rolled toward the ceiling.  She focused in a particular way, and tiny beams of heat emerged from her pupils.

The sprinklers sprang to life, spraying water everywhere.

"What?" the man asked, looking dumbly at the water raining down around them.

"That's the fire suppression system," Lex said.  A strident beeping filled the lobby.  "And that's the fire alarm.  Emergency services are on their way."

The phone at the front desk rang.  "Answer it and die," the second robber said.

"If I don't answer, they'll assume something's wrong."

"Don't touch that phone!"

The ringing stopped.  Almost immediately, a voice blared from a megaphone outside.  "This is Luthorcorp Central Security, responding to an emergency alert.  Confirm situation under control or we're coming in."

"Call 'em off!" the second robber said, still pointing his gun at the guard.

Kara focused again.  A window made a loud pop as it suddenly expanded from too much heat.

The second robber whirled at the noise, and Kara focused a third time.  The polymer frame of his weapon would have melted under her heat vision, as would the steel slide, eventually.  But with a smaller, more precise application of heat. . .

The robber yelped as his gun inexplicably went off in his hand.  Unprepared for the sudden discharge, he fumbled and dropped the weapon, giving the guard enough time to spring to his feet, draw his own gun to cover the man, and yell into his radio "Code Red, Code Red!"

The robber threatening Lex had turned to watch the drama at the desk, and now turned back to Lex, clearly enraged at his scheme unraveling.  Kal barreled into him, knocking him to the ground, reaching for the gun.  It went off.

"Clark!" Lex shouted, surging forward and delivering a brutal kick to the robber's face, knocking him cold.

Clark stood.

"Clark, don't move!" Lex said.

"It's okay, I'm okay," Clark said.

"You got shot!"

"No, I didn't.  He missed."

"At that range?" Lena said.  "Impossible."

"No, he did."  Clark opened his suit coat, showing his unblemished white shirt.  "See?  I'm fine."

Lex looked at Clark, astonished.  "Incredible," he said.

The doors burst open and squads of security guards arrived, weapons drawn.  Seeing the two robbers dealt with, they settled everything in order as EMTs, firefighters, and police arrived.  Lex and Lena moved off to supervise their efforts.

" Did you get shot?" Kara asked, quietly enough for only her cousin to hear.

"Technically," Kal responded, pulling his right hand out of his pocket.  In it was a flattened bullet.  His palm had a large, angry bruise in the middle.

"You caught it?"

"Couldn't afford a bullet hole in this suit.  For lots of reasons."

Even as quiet as it was, pride beamed in Kara's voice.  "Smooth.  Well done."

Clark slipped the bullet back in his pocket as EMS came to check them out.

Clark and Keira sat at the back of an ambulance, thick blankets wrapped around them to protect their wet clothes and bodies from the chilly December air.  Neither needed them, but refusing would only be suspicious.

Lex and Lena approached, also wrapped in blankets.  "Even if it missed, Clark, you took a bullet for me today.  I won't forget that."

"That was a very brave thing you did, Mr. Kent," Lena said.  "Incredibly foolish. . . but brave."

"Don't take it personally, Clark.  My sister is not easily impressed."

Keira screwed up her face, looking at the hordes of Luthorcorp security.  "How did your people get here so fast?"

Lena smiled and held up her left wrist, twisting her arm to jiggle the golden watch.  It glinted in the lights of the emergency vehicles.  "Emergency alert beacon, transmitting directly to Luthorcorp security."

"Wow," Keira said, impressed.  "That's. . . that's a thing."

"You can never be too prepared, only unprepared," Lena said.

Lex smirked.  "Paranoia doesn't just run in our family, it gallops."  He placed his hand on Clark's shoulder.  "But I'm serious, Clark.  Words can't express how grateful I am for what you did tonight.  If I can ever do anything to repay you, just ask."

Lena cleared her throat.  "Lex Luthor is not speaking in his capacity as a representative of Luthorcorp, and that is not admission, endorsement, statement of liability or debt on behalf of Luthorcorp.  Furthermore, should a similar incident arise, Luthorcorp will not be held liable for any actions you, Clark Kent, take that result in injury to yourself or others."  Lex rolled his eyes and scoffed.  "Off the record. . . thank you, Mr. Kent."  Lena extended her hand.

Clark took it.  Her grip was surprisingly firm, and he winced.

She turned his hand over.  "That's a nasty bruise," she said.  "How did you get that?"

"I'm not sure," Clark replied.  "Maybe the guy jabbed me with the gun while I was trying to get it away from him."

"It doesn't look that fresh," she said.

Clark pulled his hand back.  "The paramedics already took a look, they say it's nothing to worry about."

"I'm sure it isn't," Lex said.  "But still, if you need anything–"

"We'll let you know," Keira said.

A sheriff's deputy approached, waved at Clark and Keira..  "You two are clear, free to go.  You might get a call in the next few days if we need more information."

"Of course," Keira said.

"Mr. and Miss Luthor, we still have some questions."

"Certainly," Lex said.  "Take care, Clark.  I'll see you soon."

Kara took a look at Kal's bruise as soon as they got home.  He squirmed as she probed it with her thumb.  "It should fade in a day or two, especially if you get some sun."

"I'm just glad I'm as tough as I am."  He winced again.  "Though a little tougher would have been nice."

"Your skin will keep getting stronger, it just takes time.  A few more years, you'll be as bulletproof as I am."

"And how bulletproof is that?"

Kara shrugged.  "I wouldn't want to get hit with a Coluan plasma blaster or Winathian lightning cannon, but there isn't much on Earth that can hurt me."

"How do you know?"

"I test it in the Fortress from time to time.  Monitor the growth of my powers, so I can help you prepare for yours."

"Speaking of. . ." Kal said.

Kara put her hand on his cheek.  "Soon.  We have a lot to catch up on."

Chapter Text

January

"Clark and I are taking another camping trip this weekend."

Jonathan and Martha paused, forks halfway to their mouths.  Seemingly oblivious, Keira dug into her scalloped potatoes.  Clark cut into his pork chop, trying not to notice the sudden tension.

"Are you sure this is a good time?" Jonathan asked.

Keira nodded.  "We haven't. . . gone camping in ages.  There's still a lot to learn."

"It's not exactly camping weather," Martha noted, looking out the kitchen window at the January snows.

"Cold-weather camping is a thing," Keira said.

Jonathan cleared his throat.  "This won't be a problem with. . . your new job, will it?"

"I'm free on weekends, and I'll be back at work Monday morning."

"I'm more concerned about your bosses."

Keira sighed.  "Dad, Lex has been nothing but pleasant and friendly.  Lena's a bit cold, but she's rarely even in the state.  I've never even seen Lionel, let alone met him, and he wouldn't bother with a lowly intern.  There is nothing to worry about.  And there is nothing at all odd about Clark and I going camping together."

"It is a little odd," Martha said.  "Most brothers and sisters don't go off camping by themselves."

Keira shrugged.  "Okay, a tad odd, but not alarmingly so.  Adopted kids, wanting to maintain their special connection."

"I'm just worried it's not the best time," Jonathan said.

"Dad, this is important."

"I understand how much these trips mean to you–"

Keira interrupted him.  "No, Dad, you don't."  She lowered her voice.  "Our whole world is gone.  We're all that's left.  We have to remember, or they really will be gone for good."

"I understand, Keira, but–"

"Dad.  I'm not asking permission.  I'm letting you and Mom know where we'll be."

Jonathan pursed his lips.  Keira rarely put her foot down like this, but when she did, it was for something she believed in wholeheartedly.  And Jonathan and Martha knew there'd be no stopping her. . . and not just because of yellow solar radiation.

"Just be careful," he said.

"We will," Keira replied.

"And you make sure to get your homework done," Martha said to Clark.

"I will," he replied.

"Ready?" Keira asked, stepping into Clark's bedroom.

"Ready," Clark replied, shrugging his backpack strap over one shoulder.  A few changes of clothes and some toiletries were all either of them were bringing.

Keira led the way into the cellar beneath the barn.  In a dim back corner, she removed the tarp that covered the small small spaceship she'd arrived in, just on the tail of her baby cousin.  She leaned in and manipulated the crystal controls.  A deep thrum began to sound as she stepped away.  The sound built, then with a crack a swirling vortex of energy appeared.  It was oval-shaped, hovering next to the ship, its bottom only a few short inches above the floor.

Kara smiled.  "After you."

Kal nodded, entering the gateway.  Kara had repurposed her pod's phantom drive into a wormhole projector, connecting it to the only other wormhole projector on the planet.

Like stepping between two rooms, Kal-El was whisked from Smallville, Kansas to the North Pole.

He breathed in the cool, crisp air, marveling again at the beauty of the Fortress of El.  Raised by Kara a few years after their arrival using Kryptonian crystal technology stowed in their pods, the Fortress held living spaces, workshops and labs, and an interactive database of all of Krypton's knowledge.  It was their second home, a small fragment of Krypton preserved on Earth.

Kara stepped through the portal behind him.  There was a faint pulse as the Fortress' sensors scanned them.  "Welcome, Kal-El and Kara Zor-El," a warm but mechanical voice sounded from everywhere.

There was a faint whirring sound, and a hovering robot approached.  Its voice was different from that of the Fortress', but just as warm.  "Good to see you again, Master Kal-El, Mistress Kara Zor-El.  Do you require anything?  Refreshment, perhaps?"

"No, thank you, Kelex," Kara said.

"As you wish, Mistress Kara.  Let me know if you need anything."  With that, Kelex flitted off.

They both stowed their backpacks in the bedrooms they'd long since claimed for themselves, then met back in the main chamber with the crystal control console.

"Hmm.  I think this will do for now," Kara said, sliding a crystal out of its holding slot and into a reader slot.

A hologram appeared of a lovely woman with dark hair.  Kal smiled, feeling the familiar swell and pang in his heart.  He fully appreciated how lucky he was to have this much of his parents remaining, but simultaneously felt sorrow that he'd never really have the chance to know them.  He loved Jonathan and Martha, no doubt, but couldn't help but wonder what his life would have been if Krypton hadn't been destroyed.

"I am Lara Jor-El, wife of scientist Jor of the House of El.  Before I married, I was Lara Lor-Van, daughter of magistrate Lor of the House of Van."

Kal's mother smiled.  "The tradition of Kryptonian naming conventions has a long history in our culture.  In ancient times, a daughter was literally property of her father until she was married and became the property of her husband.  As our society and culture evolved, this custom evolved.  A code of ethics and honor grew, detailing what a woman owed to the man whose care she was in, and what a man owed to the women in his care.  Most often, this is his wife and daughters, but can extend to sisters, cousins, even his aunts and mother if they have lost the men who cared for them."

Lara's face grew grim and sad.  "This was not always universally accepted.  Faora-Ul defied the convention by not only taking her father's House name, but by murdering him and every other male in the House to get it.  Her killing spree did not end there, and some 87 Kryptonian males died at her hands before she was apprehended and banished to the Phantom Zone."  Lara paused, seemingly forcing herself to move past the memory.

After a few moments, Lara's hologram looked directly at Kal and smiled warmly.  "Kal-El, my son, I am pleased that Kara Zor-El has accompanied you to Earth, that she has served as your guide and protector.  As the Last Son of Krypton, you owe her, the Last Daughter of Krypton, respect and honor.  Not just as your cousin, but as a Kryptonian woman under your care.  Support her in her desires, encourage her talents.  Give her whatever you can, whatever she needs, to become the best version of herself, and help her discover who that is.  But do not dictate to her.  Allow her to choose for herself, and respect the wisdom of her choice. "

Lara paused.  "I shall now recite the codes, restrictions, rules, exceptions, caveats, duties, and principles applied to Kryptonian gender dynamics.  One:"

The hologram paused as Kal touched a control.  "That's really not the way humans do things," Kal said.

"No, it isn't," Kara said.  "Well, in some places."

"Show this to some of the girls in my high school, they'd pitch a fit."

"It's the way we do things, Kal, the way that worked on Krypton.  Earth is. . . at a volatile time.  Lots of people – not just women – sick of being treated as less-than, and pushing back hard against it.  Some afraid of change, either in the world or within themselves, pushing to keep those people down.  Our civilization is much older, we moved past those struggles, that strife, and found a way that works for us."

"So. . . you think we should try and sell Earth on the Krypton solution?"

Kara shook her head.  "No.  Humans deserve the right to figure out the right way for them.  It may be our way, something similar, something completely different.  But it has to come from them, be discovered and forged and made to work by them .  We can't do it for them, Kal."

Kal-El nodded.  It was the longest-running discussion between him, Kara, and the specters of their respective parents.  With all the fantastic abilities they had under Earth's yellow sun, combined with all the scientific and technological knowledge of Krypton, he and Kara could remake Earth into anything they wanted.  Solve every single problem.

Or rather, every single thing they thought was a problem.

While whatever world they chose to make would be hailed as a utopia by everyone who agreed with them, to everyone who did not, it would be an unbearable dystopia ruled by power-mad alien gods with no hope of change.  To presume their power, or even the advanced knowledge bequeathed to them by their parents, gave them the right to mold Earth's future was nothing but arrogant hubris.

The same arrogant hubris, in fact, that had brought them to this planet.

They could help out, provide a gentle nudge – as Kara was trying to do with her work at Luthorcorp – but to do more would be to deny humanity the right to self-determination.  Humans had to decide for themselves who they wanted to be, how they would be perceived on the galactic stage when the time came.  Kal and Kara could nudge them away from the wrong paths, but couldn't force-march them down the right one.  Humanity would have to choose that path and walk it themselves.

But not alone.  Because the Last Son and Daughter of Krypton would walk with them.

Kal chewed on this, as well as the actual lesson.  "So," he said after a time.  "Do you consider yourself. . . to belong to me?"

"Not as property, no," Kara said.  "But as your cousin, as the last woman of our House and you the last man of our House, yes, I'm yours.  Like Aunt Lara said, right now I'm your guardian and mentor, your teacher and protector.  When you no longer need me to be those things, I'll be whatever you need me to be.  We're the last of our people, Kal, and we should always be there for each other."

Kal nodded, and put his arm around his cousin, pulling her into a tight hug.  Kara squeezed him close, noting how quickly he was growing.  Her aging had begun to slow considerably, the yellow sunlight suffusing her cells keeping her in her physical prime, and Kal was nearing that age himself.  A few more years, and it would be impossible to tell which of them was older.

They broke the hug, and Kal unpaused Lara's recording, prepared to absorb the knowledge his mother had to pass on.

The lessons took most of the weekend.  Sunday evening, Kal and Kara packed up their backpacks, activated the Fortress-side wormhole projector, and stepped back into the barn cellar on the Kent farm.  Stowing their bags, they were just in time for Sunday dinner.

"Good trip?" Jonathan asked.

Clark nodded.  "Yeah.  Always."

"What did you learn?" Martha asked.

Clark blushed.  He normally appreciated how much Jonathan and Martha tried to be supportive and understand his and Keira's Kryptonian heritage, but this lesson was a tad awkward, he felt.

A feeling Keira didn't seem to share.  "Gender dynamics on Krypton.  Why I'm Kara Zor-El instead of Kara-El."

"Yeah, that's always confused me," Jonathan said.  "So?"

Clark sipped his water.

"It's a custom dating from ancient times on Krypton," Kara said.  "When daughters were property of their fathers until they became property of their husbands."

Martha's eyes bulged.  " Property? "

" Ancient times, Mom," Kara said.  "It wasn't like that for thousands of years before. . . before."  Old enough to remember seeing Krypton shatter into pieces when it exploded, Kara understandably didn't like to talk about it.  "The custom stuck around, a whole code sprung up around it going both ways, and it worked for us."

Jonathan cleared his throat.  "But, you understand, that's not–"

"Not how things are done on Earth, yes."  Kara smirked.  "But let's be honest, Earth hasn't figured out how things are done on Earth."

Jonathan and Martha shared a glance, having to admit that Keira had a point.

"So. . . what's that mean for the two of you?" Martha asked.

Clark shrugged.  "Nothing, really.  We're still looking out for each other, still going to be there for each other.  Krypton didn't have to teach us that, you did."

Martha smiled.

Clark approached Lana Lang at her locker.  His knees were shaking, his heart pounding, a blush burning on his cheeks.  He could hurl his father's tractor across the county, he was nearly bulletproof and growing more so, he could freaking fly , how was it possible this was so scary?

"Hi, Lana," he said breathlessly.

"Hi, Clark," she replied, a genuine smile on her face and in her eyes, open warmth in her voice.  She was always so nice, so friendly.

"I. . . uh. . . was wondering if. . . um. . . you wanted to. . . get a movie sometime?"

Her smile widened.  "Clark Kent, are you asking me on a date?"

A hand landed on Clark's shoulder.  "Yeah, Kent, are you trying to ask out Lana Lang ?"  Whitney's voice carried through the hall, drawing all eyes to Clark's predicament.  "Because," Whitney clicked his tongue.  "Gotta be honest, I do not see that going well."

Clark took a deep breath through his nose, then turned.  "Sorry, Whitney, but I don't see how that's any of your business."

Whitney shook his head.  "Scram, Kent."  He shoved Clark's shoulder.

For the first time, Clark didn't go with the force.  He let Whitney's hand slide off his shoulder, unmoved.

Whitney tried two more times, the second a double-handed shove to the middle of Clark's chest.  Whitney staggered back several steps, Clark remained immobile as a wall.

"Trying to have a conversation here," Clark said.  "Kindly butt out."

Glaring, trying to restore his big man on campus dignity, Whitney walked away.

"That was impressive, Clark," Lana said.

Clark flushed and looked embarrassed, neither of which required any acting at all.  "Well, you know. . . farm chores."

"Mm-hm.  For the record, even if Whitney hadn't come along, I would have said this."  She held out her hand.  "Phone."

Clark pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her.

She typed in her name and number, then handed it back.  "Text me."

Clark grinned wider than he ever had before, and turned.

"Clark?"

He turned back.

"Text me now , so I know it's you?"

Sheepishly, Clark typed out "hi its clark" and sent it to Lana's number.

She looked at her phone as it chirped, and saved the contact.  "Text me later," she said.  "And we can pick a movie."

"Yeah.  Yeah, sounds good.  Yeah."

Lana smiled and waved, closing her locker and heading to class.

Clark walked away, feeling so good he checked five times to make sure he was actually walking down the hall instead of floating.

"Walking on air" definitely matched how he felt, but for him was a thing he could actually do.

Chapter Text

May

Keira groaned in frustration as her car refused to start.  It wasn't a huge deal. . . Dad was pretty good with cars.  She could fly home and give him the heads up, they could call a tow truck or she could come back at night and just carry the car back to the farm.  Still, it was annoying.

"Need a lift?"

Keira looked up to see Lex standing by her car.  "Oh, uh. . . no, that's fine, I can. . . call an Uber."

Lex smirked.  "I know what we’re paying you, Keira."  He jerked his head towards his car, an expensive and sporty convertible.  Very nice, but very not practical for Kansas roads in winter.  Luckily, winter had passed, and it was just warm enough to justify taking the car's top down.  "Come on, it's no problem."

Keira ran the angles in her head.  Dad would probably be home, and he did not like Lex.  But maybe meeting Lex would warm him up.  Or Dad would be belligerent and cost Keira her job.  And she really didn't need a ride home, but getting too insistent about that wouldn't be wise, especially with what she and Clark had done at the party.

"Uh, sure, okay," she said, stepping out of her car.

As she slid into the passenger seat and buckled herself in, Lex had the car call the front desk.  "This is Lex Luthor, there's a blue car in the lot.  It belongs to an employee, don't have it towed."  He paused and looked at Keira.  "Unless you want to have it towed somewhere?"

"No, that's fine."

"We get a discount keeping the towing company on call."

"It's fine."

"Okay.  Yeah, leave it," he hung up and put the car in gear.  "So, where am I headed?"

Clark was driving wooden posts into the dirt with his bare hands when he heard the car engine in the distance.  Sighing, he zipped off to grab the post hole digger from the shed.

His Dad, tacking up the barbed wire to the posts Clark had driven, looked up.

"Someone's coming," Clark said.

"Your sister should be home soon."

"Doesn't sound like her car."

Ten minutes later Clark was halfway through digging the hole – the human way of doing things was so slow! – when the approaching car became visible.  A flashy, spendy, silver-black sports car pulled into the driveway.  Not many in Smallville owned cars like that, it would have been easy to guess the driver even without the personalized plate reading "LEX."

Keira stepped out of the passenger seat as the car shut off, and Lex soon emerged from the driver's side.  Jonathan scowled as Keira approached.  "Hi, Dad," she said, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  "Hi, Clark," she said, giving him a hug.  "My car won't start, and Lex offered me a ride home.  Lex Luthor, this is my dad, Jonathan Kent."

"Mr. Kent," Lex said, approaching and extending his hand.  "It's an honor to meet you.  Your daughter is an exceptional scientific mind, absolutely brilliant.  We're extremely lucky to have her."

Jonathan looked at Lex's outstretched hand just long enough to make clear that not shaking it was a deliberate insult.  "Yes," Jonathan said, looking Lex in the eye.  "We're all very proud of Keira's talents.  If not where she chooses to employ them."

"Dad," Keira said.

"I see.  Mr. Kent, let me assure you, I intend to hold Luthorcorp to a higher standard than it has exhibited in the past, and the projects I'm supervising, that your daughter is helping with, are intended to benefit all humanity, to truly make the world a better place."

"Every company man says that."

" I really mean it."

"Every company man says that, too."

"Dad!" Keira scolded.

"It's alright," Lex said.  "I'm quite used to people I've never met having strong opinions about me.  Mr. Kent, I know my father built his company on the broken backs of people like you, I know our family name has a bad smell on it.  I get why you might hate my father, but let me assure you, I know him well enough to really hate him.  I have no interest in me or Luthorcorp following his legacy.  I only want the chance to prove my good intentions and be judged for who I am, not who my father is."

Jonathan shrugged.  "I can't deny you that.  Everyone gets the chance to define who they are for themselves.  Don't squander yours, Mr. Luthor.  Just don't be surprised if people like me keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Dad!" Keira hissed.

Clark could see Lex fighting to keep calm.  He did, but it was a near thing, and when he smiled, it was fragile.  "Please, call me Lex.  Mr. Luthor is my father."

Jonathan nodded.  "Thank you for driving my daughter home. . . Mr. Luthor."

Keira gasped.  Clark thought Lex was actually going to take a swing at Jonathan, and Jonathan looked quite ready for him to.

Lex nodded curtly.  "Have it your way, Mr. Kent.  Keira, see you at work."  He got in his car and backed out.

The car vanished from sight.  "Dad!" Keira yelled.  "How dare you be so rude! "

"It's Lex Luthor!"

"No, he's my. . . like, boss times five!  Rao, I'll be lucky to have a job tomorrow!"

"You can do better than Luthorcorp."

"No.  I.  Can't."  Kara let out a strangled cry of frustration, and in a whoosh was gone, straight up into the sky.

"Keira!" Jonathan yelled after her.

Clark put his hand on his dad's shoulder.  "I'll go after her."

"Obviously," Jonathan said.  "But wait, Clark–"

But Clark was gone, too.

Jonathan Kent looked at the unfinished fence, that without either of his adopted kids to help with meant a half hour's work was now three hours' work.

"Ah, hell," he muttered.

Up in the mesosphere it was calm and cold.  Kara would freeze quickly were it not for the abundance of yellow solar radiation suffusing her cells.  That same radiation kept her from suffocating in the almost non-existent atmosphere.  The curvature of the Earth itself was visible, reminding her how very small and fragile her adoptive homeworld was.

As fragile as Krypton had been.

Only the yellow sun enhanced sensitivity of her ears let her hear Kal as he floated up beside her.  "Dad was rude."

Kara scoffed.  "He was being a–" she let out a string of profanity in a wide array of languages.  Zor-El knew only that his nephew was being sent to Earth, not precisely where, so had outfitted Kara's pod with a Kryptonian flash-learning device to teach her a hundred different Earth languages, to cover all the likely bases.

When she was finished, Kal sighed.  "Look, for what it's worth, I don't think Lex is going to fire you.  He's too nice."

"Even nice guys have limits," Kara said.  "Like you with Whitney."

Kal winced.  "You heard about that."

"I'm not mad.  I meant for us to blend in, go unnoticed, not be bully magnets.  I'm glad you got him off your back for a while.  Though if he tried to make it a fight. . ."

"He wouldn't.  His football scholarship is too important."  Kal scoffed.  "Football scholarship.  How does no one else see the oxymoron?"

"Physical pursuits can be worthwhile too."

They were silent for a time, looking at their world from a vantage few got to see.

"Are you alright?" Kal asked eventually.

"No!  I know Jonathan hates the Luthors, and I know he's got some good reasons too, but Lex isn't like Lena or Lionel, and treating him like he is isn't fair!  But if I really want to be the dutiful Kryptonian daughter I should respect his wishes and cut ties with Luthorcorp, but then I'm betraying my duty to Zor-El as his daughter, carrying on in his name, and there's just no right answer and I want to scream!"

Kal wrapped his arm around Kara's shoulders.  "If Dad was being the dutiful Kryptonian father, he'd be supporting you in your duty to Zor-El and what you want to do with your life.  But he's human, and. . . I think he thinks of us that way, too.  It's hard, seeing a different culture than yours.  Hard having one foot in two different ones."

Kara smiled, leaning into Kal's side.  "When did my baby cousin get so wise?"

Kal smiled, giving her a squeeze.  "I learned it from you, obviously."

Kara chuckled, wrapping an arm around her cousin's waist.

"Ready to go home?" Kal asked.

"Not yet," Kara said, nuzzling her head against his shoulder.  "It's so quiet and peaceful up here."

Kal nodded, and they hung there, just below what most would consider space, drinking in the fragile beauty of their home.

When Keira was called to Lex's office, she was sure she was going to get fired.

"Mr. Lu- Lex," she said, catching herself as she entered.  "I am so sorry about yesterday."

"It's alright, Keira," Lex said with an easy smile.

"No, it's. . . my dad isn't usually that rude."

"I said it's alright.  I honestly don't blame him, I'd hate me too based on how my father and sister behave.  But this isn't about that."

"Please, Mr. – Lex, I really love this job and really want to keep doing it!"

Lex actually chuckled.  "Relax, Keira, I'm not firing you.  Something of the opposite, actually.  I have a puzzle I think you can help me solve."  He motioned further into the office.  On a table sat a piece of equipment.  "What do you make of this?"

Kara winced internally; she knew exactly what it was.  An electronic temperature sensor, the kind linked to an automatic fire suppression system.  Like the sprinklers in the main lobby of the Luthorcorp plant.

Her fears were confirmed when she saw the melted pit her heat vision had made.

"Uh, well, um, I. . . I don't know, but is it broken?  Looks broken."

"This is one of the sensors from the lobby linked to the sprinklers.  I thought it odd that in the middle of an armed robbery, the fire system should suddenly go off for no reason.  Turns out there was a reason."  He pointed at the melted pit.

"An electrical short?  Heating up and melting the stuff around it?"

Lex shook his head.  "The pattern indicates heat moving from outside in, not inside out.  Like someone shot it with a high-energy laser."  He pointed to another object on the desk.  "Similar markings here.  One of the robbers discharged their firearm, but dropped it in the process.  Except now it looks like that discharge was unintentional, caused by another influx of heat to the firing chamber, making the round cook off."  He picked up another object.  "That's the casing of the bullet from the man's gun.  The primer is intact, no dent from the firing pin."

Kara swallowed nervously.  "So, what are you saying?"

Lex shrugged.  "Well, the robbers certainly didn't have high power lasers, and had no reason to foil their own robbery.  It looks like someone at the party that night was trying to thwart them while being very subtle about it."

Kara laughed.  "Really?  I mean, wouldn't everyone have noticed someone shooting off a ray gun or something?"

"How well do you know your brother?" Lex asked casually.

"Cl-Clark?  All his life!  I mean, so far.  You don't think Clark –"

"Unlikely, I admit.  I just can't shake the image of him tackling that robber down, the gun going off as they hit the floor.  I just can't see any way it could have missed him."

Kara laughed again, a little more forced.  "Wait, wait, you think Clark – my baby brother Clark – has, what, some kind of invisible ray gun and bulletproof force field?  That's ridiculous!"

"Of course.  Not to brag, but if anyone was going to invent such astonishing personal defense technology, it would have been me.  But as a wise man once said, once you've eliminated the possible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."  Lex shrugged.  "There's still probably a simpler explanation.  I'm hoping you can help me find it."

Kara nodded, looking again at Lex's collected evidence.

How, by great fiery Rao, was she going to get them out of this one?

Clark looked up from his homework as Keira entered the loft.  "Got a minute?" she asked.

"Always," he said, putting aside his book.  "You weren't at dinner."

"I skipped dinner," Keira said, sitting next to him on the couch.

" You skipped dinner?"

Kara nodded.  "I was at the Fortress," she said, pulling out a small box.  "Making these."

Clark opened the box.  Inside was a bracelet with blue gemstones.  "What is it?"

Kara sighed.  "Blue Kryptonite," she said.  "Most of what followed us down in the meteor shower was Green, but there were two or three meteors with this.  It's low-penetration radiation, only works if it's touching your skin.  But if it is, it cuts off our access to our solar energy reserves completely.  No abilities.  Makes us basically human."

"Why?" Kal asked.

Kara sighed again.  "Lex found some evidence of my heat vision at the party.  He thinks someone was trying to help out and be subtle, and has a wild suspicion it was you, because he can't understand how you didn't get shot."

Kal winced.  "I'm sorry, I just couldn't think of anything else."

"It's alright, you did well.  And Lex admits his suspicion is really unlikely."

"But it's true ."

"No.  He thinks you did everything, not that we were both involved.  And he wants me to help him find a more rational explanation.  Which I will, as soon as I come up with it.  But, if you or I need to do more than appear human for Lex, or anyone else, we'll have these."  She showed her own bracelet on her wrist.

"Anyone else?" Kal asked.

Kara gave him a knowing grin.  "How are you and Lana doing?"

Clark swallowed.  "Good."

"Just good?"

"Lana's a good girl."

"Never meant to imply she wasn't.  But I remember teenagers, Kal.  Very confusing time, lots of drives and urges and competing forces telling you how to act or not act on them."

"We haven't. . . acted."

"I know.  She's still in one piece."  At Kal's stricken look, she put her hand on his shoulder.  "Kal, you know we have to practice to control our abilities, especially in new circumstances.  Until I can train you, if nature takes its course, you have this."

"Wait, train me?"

"Well, really we'd train each other."

Clark blinked.  "You're not. . . are you. . . you're saying. . ."

"Kal, who else ?"

"You're my cousin!  My sister! "

"And?  Let's work this logically, the Kryptonian way.  Yes, we're related by blood, which is a reason not to.  But, we're also the last two Kryptonians in existence.  If either of us wants children, we're all we've got, and the Fortress can at least ensure they'll be healthy."  She paused.  "Back on the first hand, the Fortress might be able to make us compatible with humans, or probably more likely, them compatible with us, but I'd need a lot more data and to run some serious simulations to have an idea what a Kryptonian-human hybrid would even be."  Clark's head spun.  "But, back on the other hand, first thing I did when puberty hit was fabricate a rashklok implant.  As long as it's active, I can't get pregnant, from you or anyone else, so no risk.  Which brings me to the next point, we're the only ones who can teach each other to control our strength and speed during sex."

"How?" Clark asked.  "I mean, if we're both indestructible?"

"Same way I taught you, and we taught each other, in every other way.  Carefully, with lots of observation and communication, and with awareness through Torquasm."  Kal winced, Kara narrowed her eyes.  "You have been practicing, right?"

"Well. . ."

"Kal-El!"

"I've been busy!"

Kara sighed.  "It's important to develop awareness and control, especially for our powers.  Which brings me to the final point:  if we ever want to be with anyone else, we have to figure this out between us first."

Clark shook his head.  "I. . . I don't know.  This is. . . it's a lot."

"I know.  And you don't need to decide anything now.  We have time.  When you're ready, whatever you choose, I'll be there for you, Kal."

"How are you so calm about this?"

Kara smirked.  "Well, I've been thinking about it since I was your age."

Clark's eyebrows shot up.  Combined with some other things she'd just said. . . "You mean. . . you. . . you've never. . ."

Kara shook her head.  "Not so far.  Don't feel bad," she said off the look that crossed his face.  "It's not like I was saving myself for you.  If I'd really wanted to, I'd have figured out how."  Of that, Kal had no doubt.  Little could stop Kara when her mind was set on something.  "It just wasn't important enough for me to worry about.  But if Lana is that important to you, I'll help you find a way to be with her."

Kal nodded numbly.  This was all a lot for his teenage mind to take in.  But Kara was gorgeous, no denying that.  And my cousin.  And hot.  And my sister.  And stunning.

Kara pulled him into a hug, and it was just as warm and supportive and caring as every other hug they'd shared.

"So. . . do I have to wear this all the time?" Clark asked, indicating the box with the Blue Kryptonite bracelet.

"You can if you want, but you don't have to.  I'd keep it on you, though, in the event of sudden 'prove you're human.'"

"Because that isn't a chilling thought."

Kara laughed.  "Maybe I've just been hanging around too many Luthors."

"Don't let Dad hear you say that."  Clark buried his face in his hands.  "Ugh, Mom and Dad.  If they knew what we were talking about, if we actually did it , they'd go ballistic."

"Yeah, not an easy thing to explain.  I picture another camping trip, to hide it from them.  And every seismologist in the Midwest."

Clark turned to look at her, eyes wide.  "It can't be like that."

"Oh, Kal. . . you have no idea what we’re capable of when we cut loose."

Clark swallowed nervously.  Neither he nor Lana were ready, he knew that. . . but there had been times where some significant heat had passed between them, and a few times their hands had gone places that would have made Mr. Lang furious if he knew.  The thought that he might hurt her. . .

Clark slipped the box with the bracelet into his pocket.  For the foreseeable future, it would live on the nightstand next to his glasses.

Chapter Text

June

Clark and Keira shared a "birthday," June 18th, the day their ships had landed – for a given value of "landed" – and they'd been found and taken in by the Kents.  Kara had crunched the numbers, correlating the calendars of Earth and Krypton to pinpoint what Earth dates corresponded to their Kryptonian birth dates.  But the differences between orbital and rotational periods between the two planets, different means of tracking time, and the fact that birthday celebrations weren't a part of Kryptonian culture meant Clark and Keira largely ignored their floating Kryptonian birthday.

Today, Clark was turning eighteen, ahead of entering his senior year of high school.  Keira was turning twenty-five, marking only one more year of university studies before obtaining her doctorates, if she kept excelling as much as was her habit.

Jonathan was grilling up thick, juicy t-bone steaks for dinner with sweet corn and baked potatoes, Martha had baked chocolate chip cookies and a birthday cake.  Lex had sent a box of a dozen gourmet cupcakes each, with the note "Know you have a sweet tooth, assuming Clark shares it.  Enjoy."  Jonathan had glowered momentarily, but said nothing.

Pete and Lana came over to spend the day.  Pete gave Clark a gift card, Keira a nice set of bath products.  Lana gave Clark a copy of her favorite trilogy of fantasy novels.

During the afternoon, Clark and Lana managed to slip away to his barn loft.

"I do have another present for you," she said quietly.  "Close your eyes."

Clark obliged, feeling his heart race.

Lana put her arms around him, he returned the embrace.  Her lips met his, soft and warm and tasting faintly of strawberry.  They'd kissed a handful of times before, but usually quick and relatively chaste.

Her lips parted, her tongue caressing his lips.  He moaned softly, opening his mouth, and her tongue darted inside.  They began kissing in earnest, young and inexperienced but very enthusiastic.

Lana's hand glided past his belt, lightly caressing the curve of his butt through the fabric of his jeans.

Clark's eyes shot open in surprise.  Prickling heat rose quickly, it felt like a blast furnace trapped between his eyes and glasses.

Oh, crap .  Kara had warned him about this, the first uncontrolled manifestations of heat vision.

Clark broke the kiss, squeezing his eyes shut, fighting down the heat rising within him in more ways than one.

"Clark, are you alright?" Lana asked.

"Yeah," he said, breathing deep.  The heat was withdrawing from his eyeballs, he tentatively opened them.  Seemed okay.  "Just. . . wow."

Lana smiled.  "I wanted to give you something special, birthday boy," she said, sauntering closer.

"And I appreciate it, really.  But we should get back.  If Mom or Dad come looking. . ."

"Right," Lana said.  She kissed him again, quickly, then headed down the steps.  Clark followed, trying hard not to stare at her behind swaying in her tight jeans.

He found Kara nibbling on a cupcake outside.  "We have a problem," he said quietly.

"I heard," she replied.  "Heat vision?"

"Yeah."

"I'll teach you.  For now, try not to let Lana get you too worked up.  Or put on your bracelet."

Kal nodded, heading up to his room and slipping the Blue Kryptonite on his wrist.  He doubted Lana would be satisfied without another "special present" before the day was out.

The next day, at midmorning, there was a knock at the door.  Jonathan opened it, and smiled.

"Jerry, Eliza, come in!  Clark, Keira, company!"

Clark and Keira rushed forward as Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers, along with their daughter Alex, entered the Kent home.  Hugs were exchanged all around.

"My, Clark, the high school girls must be swooning over you!" Eliza said, taking in how big the boy had grown.

"Eh, not really," Clark said.

"But he does have a special young lady," Keira said.

"I don't doubt it," Jeremiah said, producing a wrapped bundle from behind his back.  "For the both of you."

Keira tore the wrapping paper off, revealing a brand new and quite dense book about the latest in cutting-edge science.  Clark made a face.  "More for her than me."

"Math's kicking his ass," Keira said.

"No problem," Jeremiah said.  "We can always make you an agent."

"I'll think about it," Clark said.

Jeremiah Danvers, at the time an agent for the NSA, had come to Smallville in the wake of the unusual meteor shower, and noted that two meteors behaved in a manner inconsistent with the others, not being superheated by atmospheric friction and mysteriously vanishing from their craters.  It hadn't taken him long to discover that those meteors were, in fact, the ships of Kal-El and Kara Zor-El, and that Jonathan and Martha Kent had taken the ships and the aliens who had arrived in them.

When he'd confronted them, Kara had explained the tragic fate of Krypton, and why Jor-El had sent his son here, and why her father had sent her to follow.  The last hope of a doomed people, armed with the knowledge of the mistakes of their old home and the hope they could help their new home avoid repeating them.

Moved by her story, Jeremiah had hidden the existence of the Kryptonians, and helped arrange for Jonathan and Martha to legally adopt them.  Analysis of Kryptonite samples revealed there were extraordinary things in the stars, and eventually Jeremiah had been given directorship of a new agency, the Department of Extranormal Operations, officially charged with monitoring any extraterrestrial threat to planet Earth.  Unofficially, the DEO kept tabs on and assisted a handful of aliens, like Kal and Kara, who posed no threat, and might one day be a benefit.

The Danvers family kept their friendship with the Kents quiet, but visited when they could for important events.  Their daughter Alex, about the same age as Kara, was considered practically an honorary cousin.

"So, what's new with you two?" Jeremiah asked.

"Kal's heat vision manifested yesterday!" Kara said, grinning.

"Kara!" Kal yelped.

"Oh, really?" Martha said.  "This wouldn't have anything to do with you and Lana Lang mysteriously vanishing for thirty minutes, would it?"

"So her name's Lana," Eliza said.

"Nothing happened," Kal protested.

"Uh-huh," Jonathan said.  "Clark, we remember Keira getting her heat vision, we know what triggers it."

"We were fully clothed the entire time," Kal said stiffly.

"Lot of things you can do fully clothed," Eliza said.

"Ugh, Mom!" Alex said.

Eliza shrugged.  "Just saying."

"Clearly, whatever they were doing was really good, if it got our boy hot more than under the collar," Jeremiah said.

"Argh!" Alex cried, grabbing Kal and Kara's hands.  "We're gonna go have a mature conversation, let the kids talk among themselves."

Jeremiah chuckled as Alex led Kal and Kara out.

In the barn, she turned to face Clark.  "Okay, Kalley-Way, spill."

Kal couldn't help but grin at the childish nickname, even as he protested his innocence.  "Nothing happened."

Alex looked at Kara.

Kara shrugged.  "I didn't see, but I heard enough to fill in some gaps."

Alex arched an eyebrow at Kal.  "Well?"

"Okay, okay.  Lana and I snuck out here. . . actually, up there," he indicated the loft, "so she could. . . give me a special present."

"We talking Hallmark special or Frederick's of Hollywood special?"

Kal blushed.  "We kissed.  It was. . . nice."

"More than 'nice,'" Kara said.

"Yeah, deadly eye lasers take more than a kiss," Alex said.  "Unless. . . do you mean a kiss, or a kiss ?"

Kal looked down, shuffled his feet.

Alex nodded.  "Okay, more the latter.  Wait. . . on the lips, or–?"

"Yes, on the lips!" Kal shrieked, affronted.

"Alright, alright.  What else?"  Kal didn't respond, Alex crossed her arms.  "Come on, Kalley-Way, don't hold out on me."

Kal cleared his throat.  "Her hand may have, kind of. . . touched my butt."

Alex's eyebrows rose.  "Okay, second base.  Good for her.  And that's when. . ." Alex mimed something shooting out of her eyes.

"Yeah."

"Don't worry, Kal," Kara said.  "I'll teach you to control it."  She looked around.  "In fact, we could probably get a start on that, if you want."

Kal nodded, hoping maybe it would distract them from teasing him.  "Yeah, sure."

He should have known better.

Kara set up some logs of firewood in the field behind the barn as targets.

"Okay, Kal," she said, standing near him.  "The start of learning to control it is turning it on, so letting it turn on by itself.  Remember how you felt with Lana, or anything else that gets you going, and just let it happen."

"We could make out, if it helps," Alex added.

Kal scoffed.  "You and me, or you and Kara?"

"Whatever revs your motor, big guy," Alex smirked.

Kal shook his head, turning to face the logs.

"Kal?"

He turned back to Kara.

She tapped the frames of her glasses.

Sheepishly, Kal removed them and stuck them in the breast pocket of his flannel.  Fabricated in the Fortress with Kryptonian materials, they’d block his heat vision, and dulled a few of his other abilities.

He looked at one of the logs, filling his mind with thoughts of Lana, particularly from yesterday.  How she'd felt, how she smelled, how she tasted. . . the way she touched him, the invitation that touch implied–

Heat surged through his eyes, fire engulfed the log.

"Woo!" Alex cheered.  "Go Clark!  You show that wood who's boss!"

"Alex," Kal sighed.

"That was good, Kal, very good," Kara said.  "Now, focus more on the physical sensations as it starts.  Learn to divorce. . . one type of heat from the other."

Kal nodded, and looked at the next log.

Kara grunted as she hit the grass.  Alex smiled down at her, extending a hand.

Kara took it, and Alex hauled her to her feet.  "For the record," Kara said, "if I could super-speed, you wouldn't have touched me."

Alex shrugged.  "And if I could super-speed, it wouldn't matter."  Alex brought her fists up again.  Kara did likewise, the Blue Kryptonite bracelet snug on her wrist.

Alex threw a few probing punches, Kara blocking awkwardly but effectively.  "Better," Alex said.  "If you'd whipped those bracelets up years ago, I could've taught you so much."

"Why are you studying four different martial arts, anyway?" Kara asked.

"Why are you making us? " Kal added.

"Don't tell Dad," Alex threw out a combo that almost caught Kara, but the blonde kept her guard up.  "But I want to apply to the DEO as a field agent."

"Why?" Kara asked.

"The agency's filling up with people who have no idea what aliens are.  Either underestimating how powerful they can be, or assuming they're all evil.  I want to try and balance that."  Another flurry of blows was batted aside by Kara's arms, then Alex ducked and swung her leg out, catching Kara's ankles in a sweep kick.  Kara hit the ground.

"As for why I'm teaching you, you guys may have fantastic power, but what happens if you meet someone just as powerful?  Or lose your powers, have them suppressed or something?  Ridiculous strength will only take you so far unless you know how to apply it."

Kara grinned, and when Alex launched her next attack, Kara moved and flowed with it, and Alex was the one who hit the grass.

"Not bad, Kara-mel," Alex said, accepting Kara's help to her feet.  "What was that?"

"Torquasm-Rao.  Kryptonian martial arts."

Alex grinned.  "Show me more."

The Danvers family left late in the evening, after another round of hugs and birthday well-wishes.

Alex hugged both Kent siblings/Kryptonian cousins tightly.  "I'm gonna miss you two!  Message me constantly, tell me all the stuff."  She pulled back, pointed a finger at Clark.  "Clark, I want pictures of you and your lady friend."

"I don't know that Lana's into that, but I'll ask."

Alex scowled and swatted his chest, ignoring that it felt like hitting a concrete wall.  "I mean cute high school couple pictures, not whatever you've got in that diseased boy brain of yours."

Clark chuckled.  "Love you too, Alexandra."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Okay, that's enough 'mature conversation' for one night," Jeremiah said.  "We really need to get going.”

Jonathan shook Jeremiah's hand.  "Don't be strangers.  You're welcome any time."

"Stay safe," Jeremiah said, a special look at the children of the House of El.

Kara nodded.  "We will."

As the Danvers car vanished into the night, Clark saw his parents giving him important looks.  "So, Lana," Martha said.

"We'll get it under control, don't worry," Kara said, resting a hand on Kal's shoulder.

"Heat vision isn't what we’re worried about," Jonathan said.  "We're sure you have that handled.  Do we need to have the talk?"

"Depends what you mean by 'the talk,'" Clark said.

"The 'you're a teenager, you're still in high school, this is a small town and people talk, you're an alien, and the last thing you want is to be the center of attention' talk," Jonathan said.

Kal knitted his brows.  "Still not sure where you're going with this."

"Look, Clark," Martha began.  "We're not foolish enough to expect you to try and be some pure, perfect angel.  But some people around here are.  You and Lana can make your own choices, we just want you to carefully consider the consequences."

"Of all of them," Jonathan added.  He opened his mouth again, paused, sighed.  "This is a lot more complicated than the average father talking to his son about sex.  You're different , Clark, Lana doesn't know how much."

Martha's eyes widened.  "She doesn't know, does she?"

Kal shook his head.  "No, she doesn't."

Jonathan nodded.  "Okay.  But if you do choose to tell her, that's complicated.  It won't just be sharing your secret, it'll be asking her to share your secret, to keep it.  Asking her to. . ."

"Live like us?" Kal asked.  "Being careful, second-guessing everything you say?  Don't tell someone I'm an alien, easy."  He smiled ruefully.  "Don't tell anyone I'm an alien, a lot harder."

Jonathan nodded.  "Exactly.  It's a lot to carry."

"I think she can," Kara said.  "Lana's great."

"She is," Jonathan agreed.  "But it's still a burden she didn't ask for, Clark, and you need to think about that.  Your mother and I, we knew what we were getting into when we took you both out of that field."  Kara scoffed.  "Okay, we didn't know exactly , but we understood enough."

"But if you don't tell her," Martha said.  "And you two. . . become close, you'll be hiding a large part of yourself from someone you're supposed to trust completely.  If you keep your secret from her, will she be choosing to sleep with you , or just the only part of you you're willing to share?"

Kal shook his head.  "I don't get it, what are you telling me to do?"

"We're not telling you to do anything," Jonathan said.  "Just trying to point out that you have some choices to make.  But Clark," Jonathan put his hand on his son's shoulder.  "We trust that whatever choices you make, they'll be good ones."

Chapter Text

July

Lana wanted to go to Crater Lake.

That was complicated for Clark on a few levels.  For one, it got the name from the meteor shower that occurred as he and Kara arrived, which meant there were some substantial chunks of Kryptonite at the bottom.  For another, the clothing – or lack of same – associated with swimming stripped him of much of his disguise.  Finally, the prospect of Lana Lang in a bikini sorely tested his control over his recently-emerged heat vision.

Kara had helped him learn to trigger it without tapping his libido, and to turn it off without needing to turn off , but he hadn't quite mastered either lesson yet.

Still, the possibility of a lazy summer day spent by the water, lounging with his friends, and his girlfriend soaking wet in a skimpy swimsuit was enough for Clark to decide the risks were worth it.

Clark wore baggy trunks with a black t-shirt, under the excuse he had sensitive skin that burned easily and didn't respond well to sunscreen.  When he picked her up at her house, Lana was wearing an attractive sundress, and when they got to the lake she left it in his truck to reveal the bikini underneath.  The swimsuit wasn't scandalous, but it wasn't modest either, and Clark had to fight down the prickling heat rising in his eyeballs.

Lana was splashing in the water with some friends, Clark content – for now – to rest on the beach and watch, when Pete ambled over.

"Clark," he said, holding up a fist-sized rock.  "What do you make of this?"

Clark looked at the rock and immediately froze.

Pete continued, oblivious to Clark's discomfort.  "Looks like a meteor rock, but I've never seen that color before."

Pete was right.  Clark had seen plenty of green, and relatively recently encountered blue, but he'd never seen red before.  He relaxed as he realized it wasn't making him sick like the green did.  "Me, neither," he said, making a note to mention it to Kara.  She'd done the Kryptonite research in the Fortress, and if she hadn't warned him about this type, it was probably harmless.

"Hey, Clark!" Lana called from the water.  "You coming?"

"You bet!" he shouted back, springing to his feet.  He yanked off his shirt as he ran into the water to join the sexy ladies, the Red Kryptonite completely forgotten.

It didn't take long for aquatic frolicking to carry Clark and Lana away from the others, and for their relative isolation to encourage an intense makeout session.

"Woah, easy," Lana said as Clark's fingers slipped under the edge of her bikini bottom.  "We're not quite there yet."

" I'm there," Kal replied.

" I'm not," Lana said, pushing against his hand.

For a moment, Kal was tempted to see her reaction if he refused to permit her to move him, but quickly relented, letting her move his hand to more neutral territory.  "Sorry," he said.  "I just. . . I really like you, Lana."

"Well, good," she said.  "Because I really like you, too, Clark."

She slithered out of his arms and began swimming for shore.  "Come on, I'm hungry."

Kal grinned.  "I'd follow that ass anywhere," he said quietly.

Whitney and his group arrived just as Clark, Lana, Pete, and the rest were finishing lunch.

"Hey, Kent," Whitney said smugly.  "Up for a game?"  He tossed his omnipresent football up in the air and caught it.

"Buzz off, Whitney," Lana said.

"Actually," Kal said, grinning.  "That sounds like fun."

"Clark, you don't have to," Lana said quietly.

"If I thought I had to, I wouldn't," Kal replied cheekily, getting up.

Lines were drawn, and it wasn't long before Whitney, on the opposing team, whipped the ball straight at Kal, clearly hoping to embarrass or injure him.

Kal grinned, caught the ball effortlessly, and charged forward.  Whitney tried to block, and Kal barreled through him like he wasn't there.

"Dude!" Louis yelled, kneeling next to Whitney.  He'd hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him, and was cradling his hand, outstretched to try and grab Kal when Kal had hit him.

"Relax," Kal said dismissively, scanning Whitney's hand.  "It's not broken."

"What's your problem, Kent?" Whitney demanded, panting for breath.

Kal shrugged.  "A bone-headed jock douchebag too dumb to know when to leave it alone," Kal replied.  "Looks kinda like you."

Whitney surged to his feet.  "Big talk, Kent."

"Sorry, do I need to use smaller words?"

Whitney stepped forward, getting right in Kal's face.

"Go ahead," Kal said.  "You try and hit me, I promise you really will break your damn hand."

"Clark," Lana said, grabbing his arm.  "Let's just go."

"Yeah," Kal said.  "This place sucks."  Still holding the football, he squeezed until it popped, then handed the deflated husk to Whitney.  "You guys have fun."

"What's gotten into you, Clark?" Lana asked as they walked to Clark's truck.

"I'm just sick of Whitney always acting like such a big shot.  He needs to learn some manners, stop acting like such an asshole."

"Clark. . . you're acting kind of like an asshole."

Kal shrugged as he started the truck.  "If it's the only language people understand."

They were silent the rest of the drive home.  As Lana got out, Kal leaned over to talk to her out of the passenger window.  "So. . . are your parents home?"

"Yes," Lana replied.

"Pity," Kal said, and drove off, leaving Lana wondering what the hell was going on.

Kal parked at the farm, decided he had absolutely no interest in another round of chores.  Whether they took him thirty minutes or thirty seconds, there were far more fun things he could do with all the amazing power he had.

He felt amazing, liberated, free .  How had he ever let Kara talk him into this hiding and blending in bullshit?  They could do anything and no one could stop them.

The thought of Kara, and especially her offer from earlier, made him smile.  He would definitely have to take her up on it.  But for now. . .

"Crap," he said, rooting through his closet.  "Crap, crap, crap, ultra crap, unbelievable crap.  God, is there no fashion sense on Krypton?"  He finally settled on another black t-shirt and a pair of jeans that didn't too desperately scream "poor farm boy."

Jonathan and Martha looked at him in surprise as he came downstairs.  "Uh, Clark, you look. . ."

"Good, for once?  Thanks.  Going out, don't wait up."

"Out?" Jonathan said.  "You still have chores."

"Not today!" Kal said.

"Clark, wait–" Jonathan began, but Kal was already out the door, and as soon as he cleared the front porch, he was up in the air and away.  "Clark!" Jonathan called after him.  "Clark Joseph Kent, I know you can still hear me, get your butt back here now !"

The tiny dark dot that was their son vanished from sight into the late afternoon sky.

"What just happened?" Jonathan asked.

Martha already had her phone out.  "I don't know."

Keira picked up her phone as it rang.  "Hi, Mom."

"Keira, Clark's acting weird."

"Weird how?"

"He just. . . took off.  Said he was going out, wearing just a t-shirt and jeans, no glasses, wouldn't stop to do his chores, then. . . took off."

Keira sat up.  "Define 'took off.'"

"Like only you and your brother can," Martha said, carefully and with emphasis.

"I see," Keira said.  "I'll absolutely take care of that."  She hung up and got up from her desk.

"Late lunch?" Lex asked as he saw her heading for the lobby.

Keira grimaced.  "Uh, I forgot I have an appointment."

"An appointment?"

"Yeah.  Um. . . girl stuff."

Lex held up his hands.  "Say no more."

"Gladly."

She rushed out.  With Lex sniffing around a mostly-correct hypothesis about Clark, she couldn't afford to add any more suspicion, hence not naming Clark as the one responsible for the emergency.  And, galling as it was, she'd have to drive her car home instead of fly, which would get her there faster.

Moments after Keira left, Clark arrived.

"Clark.  Keira just left, if you're looking for her.  Doctor appointment."

"I was actually looking for you," Kal said with a grin.  Lex was struck by the change in the young man's demeanor, confident and cocky, as well as how startlingly blue his eyes were without his glasses.  "I got to thinking, you must know all the best hot spots.  What say we get out of here, go tear things up?"

Lex frowned.  "Clark, I'm still in your debt, but I have no intention of being your ambulatory VIP ticket."

Kal grinned.  "Not what I meant at all.  You can show me what the world outside Smallville is really like, and I bet I can show you some things that'd put hair back on your head."  Lex's eyes widened, few were impertinent enough to directly address his baldness.  "C'mon, Lex, you and me.  We'd be unstoppable."

Lex was trying to figure out how to respond when Lena walked up.  "Mr. Kent, excuse me."

"You're excused," Kal said without missing a beat.

Lena elected to ignore the snark.  "Lex, we have an emergency call with some investors, they have questions about–"

"Lex has more important things to worry about," Kal said.

Lena's eyes narrowed, she turned a practiced authoritative glare on Clark.  "Mr. Kent, while I appreciate Lex has found friends, it is simply inappropriate for you to think–"

"Oh, shut up , you self-important bitch."

Lex and Lena looked at Clark, both stunned into speechlessness.

"I beg your pardon!" Lena said, recovering first.

"Pardon denied," Kal said.  "You're a smug, self-important bitch who just can't be happy unless you're making everyone else miserable, and I got no time for you.  Run along."

"Clark," Lex said, and his voice was cold and dangerous.  "I'll be the first to admit there's little love between me and my family, but they're still my family .  I'll advise you to take care how you speak about them around me."

Kal scoffed.  "Like you haven't wanted to say the exact same thing to her face."

Lex looked at Lena, who was schooling her face back into its controlled mask.  He looked back at Clark.  "That would be between me and my sister, and none of your business."

"Whatever," Kal said.  "Thought you'd be more fun, Lex."  With that, he turned and walked away.

Lex looked at Lena, wanting to offer an apology, knowing she'd only take it as another insult.  "Give me a minute, I'll get to the meeting as soon as I can."

"The meeting can wait," Lena said, spinning on her heel and storming off.

Kara hit the answer button on her phone.  "Hello, Lex."

"Keira, Clark was just here, acting very strange."

"Yeah, uh, Mom and Dad called while I was on my way out, let me know.  We're, um. . . we're working on it."

"How can I help?"

"Gee, thanks, but. . . I think we've got it under control.  I'll keep you posted."  She hung up.  "Cythonna freeze your blood, Kal, what's gotten into you?"

Once back on the farm, she immediately went to her ship and opened the portal to the Fortress.

"Welcome back, Kara Zor-El," the Fortress said.

"Scan Earth for Kryptonian life signs."

"Two Kryptonian life signs detected.  You are in the Fortress of El.  The other, presumably Kal-El, is flying towards Metropolis."

"Full biologic.  Scan Kal-El for anomalies."

"Anomaly detected."

"Display."

A holographic representation of Kal's brain appeared in the air, and Kara sucked in a breath.  "That's bad.  Analysis, cause?"

"Radiation poisoning.  Consistent with but distinct from Alpha Kryptonite and Beta Kryptonite."

"File under designation Gamma Kryptonite.  Full analysis."  Kara watched as the data came in.  There wasn't much, only having the effects on Kal's brain tissue to study.  "Kelex," Kara called.

"Yes, Mistress Kara?"

"Stealth mode.  Wormhole to Smallville, retrace Kal's steps, bring me a sample."

"Yes, Mistress Kara."  Kelex warped and vanished, an EM distortion field bending light around him.

Kara tracked Kal's location as best she could, formulated hypotheses and potential treatments, and paced furiously while she waited for Kelex to return.  An hour later, he did.

"This bears an anomalous Kryptonite radiation signature," Kelex said as he placed the meteor sample in a shielded containment sphere.

"Fortress, full analysis," she commanded, peering at the rock.  The crystalline veins of Red Kryptonite were visible beneath more ordinary minerals.  "Notation, Gamma Kryptonite is red."

"Confirmed," the Fortress said.  "Analysis complete."

Kara looked at the readout of the radiation emitted by the red chunk.  "Hmm.  That's good news, at least."  She looked at the map showing Kal's rough location.  "Broadcast ultra-high frequency dissonance tone, maximum power.  That should reach Metropolis."

"That frequency will cause Kal-El intense auditory discomfort."

"I know."

"Hey," Kal said, firmly grabbing the hot redhead's ass.  "Ditch this loser, come dance with me."

"Let go!" the woman squealed.

"You heard her," her date said, getting off his barstool.  "Get your hands off her."

"Make me," Kal challenged, grabbing the woman again.

The man shoved Kal, Kal didn't move.  "See?  He's a pussy."

The man tried another shove, to equal lack of effect, then punched Kal full on the jaw.  There was a sharp crack, and the man fell to his knees, holding his wrist and screaming.

"What are you?" the woman asked, panicking.

"Sweetheart, I'm the man of your dreams."

A heavy hand landed on Kal's shoulder.  "Time for you to leave."

"Nope," Kal said.  "You can show him out, though."

The bouncer tightened his grip.  "You're leaving."

Kal sighed.  "Your hand.  Move it or lose it."

The bouncer grabbed Kal and tried to spin him around.  Kal waited just long enough to demonstrate how little effect it had before turning and shoving the brawny man away.

Two more bouncers grabbed him, one on each arm.  Kal effortlessly brought his arms together, slamming the men into each other, then spun, hurling them away.

"Anyone else want a piece of me?" he demanded.  Then he doubled over in pain as an intense whine hit his ears.

Looking around, realizing it was affecting no one else, and regaining enough control to pinpoint its source, he snarled.  He rushed out of the seedy nightclub, took to the air, and flew north as fast as he could, the terrible screech echoing in his ears.

Mercifully, it stopped as he entered the Fortress through the exterior door, muffled by the Kryptonian construction.  "Kara!" he yelled.  "Fortress, turn off that damn noise!"

"Cancel tone," Kara said, stepping out from one of the halls.

"Tone canceled," the Fortress replied.

"What's the big idea?" Kal asked angrily.

"Kal, you're not well."

"Never felt better.  At least, until you blasted something worse than Mariah Carey at me."

"This isn't you."

"Oh, it isn't?  Just because, for once in my life I'm not doing exactly what you and Dad and Mom say, suddenly I'm sick?"

"Yes.  You encountered–"

"Already I'm bored."  Kal turned to leave.  The door didn't open.  "Open the door."

"Negative," the Fortress replied.  "Kal-El's command privileges revoked due to altered mental state."

"Open the door!"  When the Fortress didn't respond, Kal rounded on Kara.  "Open the door."

"No, Kal.  You're–"

He grabbed her by the arms, painfully hard.  "Open the door."

"Kal, you're hurting me."

"I will if you don't open the damn door!"

"Kal, I'm your cousin .  I love you."

"Open.  The damn.  Door."  When Kara didn't respond, Kal punched her in the mouth.

Under Earth's yellow sun, they were fantastically tough, but just as fantastically strong.  Kara tasted blood, felt some teeth lose.  They'd heal, but it was a bad sign.  Kal was far gone enough to get violent with her.  He was taller and bulkier, she was older, her powers more mature.  If it came to a fight, there was no telling who might win.

It wouldn't come to a fight.

Kara whipped her hand out from behind her back.  In a lead case fitted to her hand was a chunk of Blue Kryptonite.  She pressed it to Kal’s face.  Purple light surged outward.  Kal screamed, then crumpled to the floor.  Kara followed him down, keeping the Blue Kryptonite pressed against his skin.

"Kal-El's vitals are stable," the Fortress said.  "Access to solar radiation reserves suppressed."

"Red K radiation levels?" Kara asked.

"Fading."  Several seconds passed.  "Gamma Kryptonite radiation dispersed."

Kara removed the chunk from Kal's face.  He snapped awake.  "Ugh," he groaned, squeezing his eyes open and shut and shaking his head.

"Are you okay?"

"Splitting headache," Kal said.

"To be expected.  It should clear up quick."

Kal could feel his strength returning, now that the Blue K was no longer in contact with him.  "What happened?"

Kara stood, offering Kal a hand.  He took it, she hauled him to his feet.  "Over here."  She led him to the containment sphere holding the Red Kryptonite sample.  "Look familiar?"

Kal nodded.  "Pete showed it to me at Crater Lake.  I thought it was Kryptonite, but I didn't feel anything."

"It doesn't affect our bodies, but our brains.  On Krypton, exposure to a piece this size would fry your brain in a few hours, leave you a vegetable.  On Earth, with the healing and resilience from the yellow sun, it manifests as a loss of inhibitions and suppression of the logical, decision-making parts of the brain, and an overstimulation of. . . well, let’s just say the more primitive parts.  Fortunately, the radiation signature is an inverse to that of Blue Kryptonite, so exposing you to that canceled out the Red."

Kal swallowed.  "I felt. . . free.  Liberated, like I could do anything ."  He paused.  "Like I would do anything."  He looked at her swollen lip.  "Oh, God, Kara, I'm so sorry."

She smiled.  "It's alright, Kal.  It wasn't you."

"What if it was?  What if it's who I am, deep down?"

She touched his cheek.  "It wasn't you.  I know you, Kal, and I know you'd never hurt me, or anyone else."

"Oh, God," he moaned again.  "Lana, Lex, Lena. . . I owe a ton of huge apologies.  How are we going to explain this?"

"I'm working on it."

Kal looked at the Red Kryptonite rock.  "How much more of this is out there?  How much danger are we – is everyone around us – in?"

"Probably not much.  It was pretty rare even on Krypton, this may well be the only piece that made it here.  And now that we're aware of it, we can avoid it.  It's another low-penetration radiation, requires very close proximity.  I'd give any other chunks we find a few feet to be safe.  See one, call Kelex to pick it up and lock it away."

Kal nodded, squeezing his eyes closed again.

Kara rubbed his shoulder.  "Go lie down in the solarium.  You'll feel back to normal in no time."

Clark looked at the crimson rock again, real fear burning through him.  "It'll take longer than that," he said.

Keira sat in Smallville's only coffee shop, watching Lana Lang try and process what Keira had just told her.

"Let me get this straight," Lana said, shaking her head.  "You accidentally exposed your brother to nerve gas ?"

Keira smiled meekly.  "Well, I wasn't trying to make nerve gas.  Something completely, totally different.  But I mixed up some proportions, grabbed a few wrong ingredients, and didn't expect Clark to wander into my lab without protective equipment.  Believe me, we will be having a long talk about lab safety protocols, you bet."

Lana shook her head again.  "And that's what turned him into a dick?"

Keira nodded.  "Yeah.  Thankfully, we just had to get him home and have him sleep it off.  He’s still got a bit of a headache, but he'll be fine in a few days."  Keira gave Lana her best sincere face.  "He really does feel awful, and hopes you aren't terribly mad at him."

"Did this nerve gas also include steroids?  The way he handled Whitney. . ."

"Well, you know, farm strength."

Lana nodded.  "Clark is. . . a lot more fit than I thought."

Kara smiled, pleased Lana was buying the story. . . and sad she and Kal had to lie to her.

"Miss Kent."

Keira smiled, looking up from her computer.  "Ah, hi, Lex."

"There's a disturbing story going around town, I'd like you to shed some light on it."

"Ah, right, uh, that.  Well, um. . . yeah, it's, uh, true."

"You were experimenting at home and accidentally brewed a nerve agent that had a negative effect on your brother's personality?"

"Um, yes, that's. . . that would be a thing.  That I, uh, did."

Lex looked disapprovingly at her.  "That's not the kind of responsible behavior I expect from my employees, Miss Kent.  I trust there will be no recurrences of this sort of event."

"Oh, definitely not, absolutely, no.  Cross my heart."

"Good."  Lex turned, paused, turned back.  "You wouldn't happen to have any notes or samples from this accident, would you?"

"Uh, no, no I don't."  Keira hesitated.  "You'd want them?"

Lex shrugged.  "Accidents can sometimes be incredibly informative."  He smiled and walked away.

Lena Luthor didn't often work out of the Smallville plant, but her role as liaison between it, Lex, and Luthorcorp necessitated her having an office there.

She looked up at the timid knock from her open door.  "Mr. Kent," she said icily.  "Can I help you?"

Clark entered the room, nervous and flushed.  "Miss Luthor, I wanted to apologize, I. . . I shouldn't have talked to you that way."

"No, you shouldn't have."

Clark winced.  "I. . . I know this probably isn't very impressive, and doesn't come close to making it right, but. . . here."

He drew his hands out from behind his back, displaying a basket full of gifts.

"What's this?" Lena asked, genuinely confused.

"I'm sure someone like you is used getting really expensive and extravagant gifts, and this probably doesn't mean much, but Mom grows the best sweet corn," he pointed at a half-dozen ears, "the Langs have the best apple orchard," he indicated several luscious looking apples, "Mr. Woodman's bees make the best honey," he held up a plastic bear bottle, "and Mrs. Greer's hand-knitted stuffed animals."  He held up an adorable, brightly colored knitted kitten stuffie.

For a moment, genuine joyful surprise crossed Lena's face, before her cool corporate mask descended again.  "That's. . . very thoughtful, Mr. Kent.  Thank you."  She took the basket.  "Apology accepted."

Clark nodded and smiled.  "Thank you.  I. . . I really am sorry.  I don't know what came over me."

"Keira's special blend of nerve gas, right?"

Clark nodded.  "Right, yeah.  That.  Um. . . take care, Miss Luthor."  Clark turned to leave.

"Mr. Kent?"  Clark stopped, turned back.  "Do you. . . really think. . . I'm a. . ." she let the question hang.

"I think you're a very driven person who wants to succeed, and I think your determination is very admirable."

"My determination," Lena said, noting what the young man said. . . and what he didn't say.  "Thank you, Mr. Kent.  Good day."

"And you."  Clark left.

Lena set the basket on her desk, went back to her report.  It shouldn't bother her what Clark Kent, or anyone else, thought.  There was exactly one person on the whole of planet Earth she needed to make happy.

And unfortunately, Father is clinically incapable of being happy.

And Clark Kent – the entire town of Smallville, really – was just creepily nice.  No one was so polite unless they wanted something.  It was almost a relief to see there was a rude, mean person lurking under that earnest farm boy exterior.

And yet, for that earnest farm boy to think of her like that. . .

Lena looked again at the basket.  Clark had been wrong, she wasn't used to receiving expensive gifts.  Every expensive item she'd ever been given had, on some level, been a bribe.  Men trying to buy her time and attention with gold and jewels, executives and board members trying to buy influence or support with favors and expenses.  This humble basket of Smallville kitsch might be the first sincere, genuine gift she'd gotten in her entire life.

She plucked out one of the apples and bit into it.

It was, indeed, delicious.

Chapter Text

September

Kara slid a crystal into the reader port at the Fortress console.  "Let's begin prototyping a new fabrication project."

"Yes, Kara Zor-El," the Fortress replied.  The holoprojector warmed up, the database coming to life.

"Start with. . . basic Kryptonian military undersuit."

"Negative.  Military fabrication restricted to members of the military class.  The House of El is of the science class."

"Override."

"Negative.  Restrictions enforced by the High Council of Krypton."

Kara raised an eyebrow.  " Status of the High Council of Krypton?"

"Deceased."

"In the absence of the High Council, identify remaining highest Kryptonian authority."

A pause.  "Override confirmed, Kara Zor-El."

A skin-tight garment appeared, projected holographically but looking totally real.  It was a slate gray color, included functional knee-high boots, and a blank space on the chest where individual, House, or unit crests could be added.

"Add the symbol of the House of El."

"Negative.  The House of El is science class, adding their sigil to a military uniform is prohibited by–"

"Override."

"Confirmed."  The House of El symbol, a five-sided diamond shape containing something very much like the English letter S, appeared on the suit's chest.

Kara considered the projection.  Something was missing.  "Add science-class adept cape."

"Negative.  Combining elements of science and military dress is prohibited by–"

Kara sighed.  "Make me say 'override' one more time, Fortress, and I'll realign your matrix with a blunt spoon.”

"Confirmed."

A flowing cape draped along the suit's back, attached at the shoulders.

"Better," Kara said.  "Apply the colors of the House of El."

Kara winced as the suit changed.  The bodysuit became yellow, the cape, boots, and part of the shield blue, with a smidge of red in the shield.  "Exchange primary and tertiary color."  The suit turned red, the backing of the shield became yellow.  "Exchange primary and secondary color."  The suit became blue, the cape, boots, and shield foreground red.  "Darken four steps."  The colors became muted.  "Brighten two."  They became more vibrant.  "Brighten one-half.  There, that looks good.  Save for Kal-El, fabricate based on his measurements."  She smiled.  "Begin modifying a second for me."

"Confirmed."

Kara eyed the suit critically as it altered slightly to fit her form.  That would work fine, but. . . "Shorten legs."  The legs of the suit from just above the knee down vanished.  "Shorter."  The legs now ended mid-thigh.  "Shorter."  There were now no legs to speak of, just very short shorts.  "Shorter."  The bottom now looked like a not particularly risqué but not particularly modest one-piece swimsuit.  "There.  Add a skirt."  A blue skirt appeared.  "In secondary color."  The skirt turned red.  "Shorten skirt."  The length decreased significantly.  "Lengthen slightly."  The hemline dropped.  "Add pleats."  The volume of fabric increased.  She nodded, pleased.  "Shorten cape slightly.  Remove sleeves."  She considered again.  "Remove tertiary shield color."  The backing of the shield became slate gray.  "I meant remove the fabric."  There were now open gaps between the diamond border and the S, through which her cleavage would show.  "No, too much, restore tertiary."  Yellow fabric returned.  "Perfect.  Save, size to me, fabricate."

"Pardon me, Kara Zor-El, but this design seems undignified for a daughter of the House of El."

Kara shrugged.  "I want to look nice.  It's my body, I can show it as I choose.  And if people look at me in this and think I'm just a girl, dismiss me because of long legs and big boobs, they underestimate me and give me an advantage."  She smirked.  "Besides, don't tell me no one is going to be admiring how Kal fills out his tight suit."

"Point taken."

Keira watched nervously as Lex and Lena looked over all the data and analysis of her completed project.

Finally, Lena flipped the folder shut.  "Looks promising."

"Promising?" Lex said.  "This could revolutionize cancer treatment.  It's only two steps shy of an outright cure."

"Fine, it looks very promising."  Lena smiled.  "And profitable."

"Um. . . hmm, eh, sorry."

Lex and Lena turned to look at Keira.  "Something to add, Keira?" Lex asked.

"It's just, this could help so many people, is profit really the first concern?"

"Luthorcorp is a business," Lena said.  "We do have to make money."

"I mean, I don't disagree," Keira said.  "But, what if, yeah, you take a loss on this, but show people Luthorcorp out to help them, to make the world better not just for itself."

"Goodwill is worth cultivating," Lex said thoughtfully.

"Goodwill won't raise the stock price," Lena countered.

"It can, if people see us as worthy of investing in, because we're investing in them ."

"Father will never go for it."

"Dad won't, but the board might."

Lena threw up her hands.  "You want to tilt at windmills, Lex, be my guest."

Lex smiled.  "I'm just a Sancho Panza."  He smiled at Keira.  "Up for slaying a giant, Don Keira-ote?"

Keira gaped.  " Me? "

Lena stared at Lex.  " Her? "

"You have passion, Keira.  Speak from the heart, and you have a better chance of convincing the board than I do."  Lex stood.  "The meeting is tomorrow in Metropolis, I'll pick you up, we'll fly out, be back in Smallville before curfew."

"I. . . wow, I don't know what to say!"

Lena scowled.  "I suggest you start working on that."

"Lex Luthor is flying you to Metropolis?" Jonathan asked incredulously.

"He wants me to address the board, try to convince them to make a new cancer treatment I've been working on more widely available than profit demands."

"That sounds very noble," Martha said.

"I really think you're wrong about him, Dad," Keira said.  "He really does want to do good."

"Or he wants to watch the Kansas farm girl humiliate herself in front of a bunch of corporate fat cats."  Jonathan sighed.  "But if anyone could find a Luthor's hidden light side, it's you, Keira."

The men in the boardroom all wore expensive, well-tailored dark business suits that gave them a severe and intimidating air.  There was only one other woman besides Lena, and they both wore similar dark, harsh clothes and seemed actively trying to look more severe than the men.  Even Lex's demeanor changed, becoming colder and more aloof.  Keira, in her butter-yellow blouse, robin's egg blue sweater vest, and long floral skirt, couldn't have looked more out of place in Tamaranean battle armor.

Lex nodded as one man entered the room, tall, with long wavy hair and a full beard partly hiding an angular and heavily-lined face.  "My father," Lex whispered to Keira.

Keira nodded.  She'd seen pictures of Lionel Luthor, but the man's presence was something else, relentlessly intimidating even as he'd apparently utterly failed to notice Keira sitting next to Lex.

Keira noted the shrouded looks everyone else gave Lionel when he wasn't looking.  Everyone, even Lex and Lena, were terrified of him and utterly loathed him.

The meeting was called to order, and points were addressed.  Keira tried to follow along, but was soon hopelessly lost.  She'd gone to college for science, not business, and the jargon and terminology was as alien to her as Daxamite royal courtesy.

Finally, her project came up, there was more discussion she couldn't quite follow, but everyone seemed impressed and excited.  Then Lex stood.

"I do have a counter to offer," he said, then turned to Keira.  "This is Keira Kent, the intern at our Smallville facility who perfected this technology.  She has a proposal regarding it I think should be heard."

Lionel sat back in his chair, stony face giving away nothing.  "The chair recognizes Miss Kent of Smallville."

Keira stood nervously, smiling weakly.  "Uh, hi.  Thank you for hearing me."  She cleared her throat.  "This process could be extremely profitable, but it could also be unbelievably beneficial if Luthorcorp were to offer it not for profit.  Now, I get it, the company needs to make money, but there are plenty of places and ways to churn profit, and imagine how people will look at Luthorcorp when it's responsible for saving their lives , for adding years to spend with their loved ones.  Picture people looking at a Luthorcorp logo and seeing not just another greedy corporation, but a friend .  Money is great, but the benefit of being a hero is. . . well, incalculable."

Keira paused, then awkwardly sat down.

"Quite a speech, Miss Kent," Lionel said.  "Full of the sort of youthful naivete and rural simple-mindedness I would have expected.  Quite simply, people respect money and power, not charity and kindness."

"You're wrong."

Lionel fixed her with a glare.  "I'm sorry, Miss Kent, I don't believe I heard you correctly."  Everyone in the boardroom squirmed, knowing that was Lionel speak for "tell me what I want to hear, or else ."

Everyone, that is, except Keira.  "You're wrong.  People do respect kindness and charity, and the truest strength is the strength of togetherness."

"You're confusing respect with sentiment."

"And you're confusing respect with fear."

Lionel's eyes widened momentarily in surprise, then narrowed.  "Fear is respect, Miss Kent.  For instance, I neither fear nor respect you enough to hesitate to have you ejected from this meeting.  Your proposal has been heard and denied."

"Not yet," Lex said.

"Excuse me?" Lionel said.

Lex shrugged.  "There's a proposal before the board.  It has to be voted on."

"Only if there's a second."

Lex smiled.

"Oh, very well.  All in favor of Miss Kent's simplistic notion?"  Lex raised a hand, after a moment, to Keira's shock, Lena did too, along with one other board member.  "All in favor of running this company responsibly?"  The rest of the hands went up.  "Motion denied, Miss Kent.  Now, I suggest you spend the rest of this meeting as silent as a church mouse.  Understood?"

Keira said nothing.  Lionel narrowed his eyes, seeing exactly what she was doing. . . literally obeying his instruction to be silent to not acknowledge his question.  He knew she was being deliberate, she knew he knew, and he knew she knew.  There was, indeed, an understanding between them.

In the jet back to Smallville, Lex handed Keira a flute of champagne.  "From my personal stock," he said.  "Enjoy."

"Why?" Keira asked, accepting the flute.  "We lost.  Champagne is for celebrations."

Lex smiled as he sat in the seat opposite her.  "Seeing someone take my father down a peg is always a cause for celebration."

"I didn't do anything," Keira said, taking a sip.  Wow, this is really good!

"Don't let him fool you.  I've been around Dad enough to know every blow you struck hit the mark.  The rest of the board saw it, too.  You may not have made him look a fool, but you said out loud things we all know to be true.  And if there's one thing my father hates , it's being forced to confront the truth, especially about himself."

"He can't be that bad."

"Keira, you're a very intelligent and perceptive young woman.  You saw how everyone acted around him.  My father is a truly exceptional individual:  one who genuinely doesn't give a shit if everyone hates him.  In fact, I think he considers it a badge of honor."

"How are you so unlike him?"

Lex shrugged.  "I may not have had a good example, but I had a horrible warning.  I figure if I ask myself 'what would Dad do' then do the exact opposite, I'm good."  He sighed.  "Lena, on the other hand. . ."

"She's not so bad."

Lex smiled.  "Your brother is the kindest and most open person I've ever met, and even he thinks she's a bitch."

Keira blushed.  "That, uh, that wasn't really Clark."

"I know, nerve gas."  Lex lifted his flute.  " In vino veritas ."

Keira smiled.  " Credat Judaeus Apella, non ego ."

Lex grinned.  "Well, you are full of surprises.  Do you speak Latin, or are you just a fan of Tombstone ?"

"Little column A, little column B."  Keira knew so many languages derived from Latin that she'd just sort of picked up Latin itself without even trying.

"But now you see what I'm fighting against.  What I want to change to turn Luthorcorp and the Luthor legacy into something better."

Keira nodded.  "Your Dad's a big obstacle."

"He won't live forever.  Sooner or later, the company will be mine."  Lex smiled.  "And there are ways to hurry that along."

Keira stared at Lex, wide-eyed.

Noticing her look, he chuckled.  "I meant forcing him out, not assassinating him.  I'm not a monster, Keira."

"I didn't think you were."

"And when I have the power to effect real change in Luthorcorp, I'll need your help.  Not just with R&D.  You have a shining moral compass, Keira, and I cannot overstate how valuable that is to me."

Keira blushed again and chuckled nervously.  "That’s. . . really something.”  She cleared her throat.  “So, you. . . you never talk about your mother.”

Lex drained his flute, refilled it, took another large draught.  “She died a few years after I was born.  Cancer.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“No, but. . . well, there’s a reason I was adopted by the Kents.  I’d do anything to keep what happened to my parents from happening to anyone else’s.”

Lex smiled thinly, raised his glass.  “I’ll drink to that.”

Kara clinked her flute against his.

Chapter Text

November

Lana set the textbook down on the table in Clark's barn loft, leaning forward and rubbing her temples.

"C'mon, Lana, you got this," Clark said encouragingly, looking up from his own unenthralling calculus book.

"I know," she replied.  "Just need a break."

Clark slid closer to her on the couch, began massaging her scalp.

"Mm, that feels good," she said.

After a few minutes, she turned, leaning close to Clark, and kissed him.  He kissed back, and they wrapped their arms around each other.  She slid into his lap, straddling him.  The necklace he'd gotten her last month for her eighteenth birthday glinted in the light.

"Break over?" Clark asked when they came up for air.

"Not yet," Lana said, kissing him again.  "Maybe not for a while."

Her hands slid under his shirt, nails scratching along his skin.  Clark shuddered and pulled her closer.

"Clark," she whispered against his lips.  "I'm ready."

Clark's eyes shot open.  "You. . . you're.  . . are. . . really?"

Lana nodded, staring at him with unmistakable bedroom eyes.  "If you are."

Clark pulled her close again, kissing her passionately, his arms crushing her to him.

She moaned against his lips, then the timbre of moan changed.  Her hands, formerly caressing his chest beneath his shirt, pushed against him.  Clark loosened his grip.

"Ow," Lana said.

"God, I'm sorry!"

She smiled and stroked his hair.  "It's okay, Clark.  Just be a bit more gentle."

Clark sighed, slipped out from under her, and began to pace.

"Clark, if you're not ready, it's okay."

"It's not that.  Except, it kind of is."  Clark grunted in frustration.  He had to make a choice, except it was really no choice at all.

Or rather, not just his choice.

He sighed, stopped, turned to face her.  "Lana, before we go any further, I have to tell you something.  And it's big, I can't even explain how big, and once I tell you you can't ever, ever tell anyone else.  It's a huge burden and. . . and if you don't want it, I. . . I understand."

Lana stood, rushed over to him, took his hands in hers.  "You can tell me anything, Clark.  I. . ." she met his eyes.  "I love you," she finished quietly.

Clark smiled, and kissed her tenderly.  "I love you, too."  He sighed, released her hands, and stepped back.  "It'll be easier to show you."

"Show me wha–" Lana stopped as Clark seemed to grow taller.

No. . . he wasn't growing, his feet weren't touching the floor .

Jaw slack, she walked around Clark, looking for wires, a harness, some way the illusion was being pulled off.  She couldn't see it.  Clark was hovering two feet in the air, unsupported by anything.

He turned to face her, still hovering, then floated backward, forward, side to side, then finally touched down.

"How–" Lana said, finally finding a word.

"Just watch."  Clark grabbed an old shovel hanging on the wall.  He removed his glasses – Lana was again struck by how blue his eyes really were – and looked at it.

Red beams emerged from his pupils.  On the dirty, rusted shovel blade, a red spot appeared.  It grew brighter, the metal started to run like water.  The beams snapped off, the metal began to cool.  Clark grabbed the blade, and folded it in half like a piece of paper.  Finally, he stabbed the folded metal into his stomach.  Lana gasped, but while his flannel and t-shirt tore, his skin was unbroken, and the shovel head crumpled like foil.

He held out the ruined tool.  Lana took it, touching the metal.  It was steel, as unyielding as any she'd ever held.

"Clark. . . how. . ."

"My birth name is Kal-El.  I was born on a planet called Krypton, a long way away, less than a year before it exploded.  My parents, Jor-El and Lara, built an escape pod for me and sent me here.  My body absorbs energy from Earth's sun, giving me incredible power."  He hesitated.  "My aunt and uncle, Alura and Zor-El, sent my cousin Kara to guide and protect me."

Lana's eyes widened.  "You mean. . . Keira ?"

"Kara Zor-El of Krypton, actually."

Lana whirled to see Kara floating up the loft steps.

"Keira!  I thought you were at work!" Lana cried.

"I was."

Kal smiled.  "We can hear for hundreds of miles, and we're really fast, especially in the air."

Lana blushed.  "You could hear us?"

"I wasn't listening in, per se.  But once I heard Kal starting to explain, I had to come."

"Wow," Lana breathed looking between the two of them.  "I. . . God, you must be so lonely.  Your. . . your whole planet?"

Kal nodded.  "I don't remember it. . . but there are times I wish I did."

"I remember Krypton," Kara said quietly.  "And I miss it, and my parents, and Uncle Jor and Aunt Lara.  But Mom and Dad have been so good, and. . . well, we have friends."

Kal gave Kara an agreeing nod, looked back at Lana.  "Most of the time, I feel like just a farm boy from Smallville, and no more an alien than anyone else."

Lana looked between them, then drew them both in for a hug.  "I'm so sorry," she said.  "But so glad you ended up here, I got to know you."

The Kryptonians smiled and hugged her back.

"And I won't tell anyone, ever," Lana said.  "I promise.  Clark. . . Kal, thank you."

"Thank you, Lana."  He cleared his throat.  "But. . . uh, you see why I had to, before. . . we could."

She smiled and stroked his cheek.  "Clark, I don't feel any different than I did before."

"It's not just that," he said, looking at the crumpled shovel.

Lana looked at it for some time before getting what he was implying.  "Wait," she said.  "You mean. . . but, Clark, we've hugged, we've kissed, we've. . ." she trailed off, blushing furiously as she threw a glance at Kara.  "You haven't hurt me."

Kara cleared her throat.  "It takes some time and experience to adjust our abilities to new circumstances."

Lana's eyes widened.  "Oh."

"That's why I really had to tell you," Kal said.  "Before we can. . . before we can, I need to train, to practice."  He swallowed.  "With. . . Kara."

Lana's eyes grew even wider.  "Wait, what? "

Kara put her hands on Lana's shoulders.  "We're the only ones who can teach each other how to be safe.  We're both all but indestructible and incredibly strong, anyone else. . ."

Clark stroked her hair.  "And I won't just go behind your back, Lana.  It's just wrong."

Lana nodded.  Then giggled.  Then began to laugh.

Kal blinked, looked at Kara.  "Not the reaction I was expecting."

"I'm sorry," Lana said.  "It's just, you're kinda leaning hard into the 'rural farmer' stereotype.  Your sister, who's also your cousin, and you have to sleep with her?"

Kal couldn't help but smile.  "I guess so."

Lana stroked his cheek.  "I was. . . just really looking forward to being each other's first."

"There is a way," Kara said.

"Right," Kal said.  "Be right back."  In a whoosh, he was gone, Lana's red hair flying in the turbulence of his departure.  She gasped in awe.

Kara smirked.  "Like Kal said, we're fast."

Lana immediately had an impure thought regarding that speed, and her knees went weak.  The sensation had barely started when Kal returned in another rush of air, holding a small box.

"Kara made this," he said, opening the box to reveal a bracelet with blue gemstones.  "It's Blue Kryptonite."

"Blue. . . what?" Lana asked.

"Kryptonite," Kara said.  "A radioactive mineral from our homeworld."

" Radioactive? " Lana asked, taking several rapid steps back.

"It's harmless to humans, especially this form," Kara explained.  "Green is the most common, and really hurts us."

"This kind just neutralizes our powers," Kal finished.  "Makes us all but indistinguishable from humans."

Lana regarded the bracelet.  "So. . . you'd wear this, and. . ."

"I'd be completely ordinary.  No chance of hurting you.”

Lana looked at the bracelet for a long time.  Then she stepped forward, and closed the box.  "No, Clark.  Or, Kal.  What should I call you?"

Kal smiled.  "Whatever you like."

Lana nodded.  "Clark, I love you, and I don't want you to ever have to pretend for me again.  I want you , all of you.  Dorky Clark from the Kent farm and. . . Kal-El from Krypton."

"So, you're saying. . ." Kal asked.

"I'm saying. . . I'm saying I need to think."

Kal nodded.  "Of course."

Lana looked up at him, and could see he was anticipating her thoughts going in the worst directions.  To try and assuage his fears, she kissed him again, long and slow and loving.  "I meant what I said, Kal.  I love you ."

"I love you, Lana."

Quietly, Lana gathered her books and walked home.

Two days later, Clark looked up as he heard soft footsteps up to the loft.  "Hi."

"Hi," Lana said.  She stood awkwardly for a moment before nervously sitting on the couch.  "So, um. . . I've been thinking."

"Yeah," Clark said.

"And I've been thinking. . . I do really love you, and because I love you, I want to be your first and you to be mine.  And then I've been thinking we could do that with that bracelet, but then I've been thinking it wouldn't really be with you, not all of you.  But then I've been thinking that you and Kara could. . . train, but then I've been thinking I still won't be your first, and then I'm thinking should that really matter, and that yeah, it kinda does."  She blushed deeply, her face going redder than her hair.  "Then I think it can still be special and a thing between us if I'm. . . like, there, while you two. . . and then I think about how horribly awkward that would be and then I'm right back to thinking about that blue bracelet."

Clark sat next to Lana, letting her get out her word vomit and processing it.  "So, how can I help?"

Lana sighed.  "I guess. . . what do you think is the best option here?"

Clark took a deep breath.  "That would depend on you."  Lana grunted, and Clark hastened to add, "If you think it'd be easier if. . . if Kara and I just went off and. . . took care of it, then quietly ignore it happened, that would work."

Lana shook her head.  "But I can't just ignore it, and we'd be willfully lying to each other, pretending things aren't what they are."

Clark blew out a breath.  "Then, if you think it would be best to be. . . involved. . ."

Lana blushed scarlet again.  "And I picture you and Keira and it just seems awful .  Like. . . not that you two are awful, but everything would be. . . ugh, I don't even know what I'm saying."

"I'm sorry for putting all this on you, Lana."

She smiled.  "Clark, no.  I'm so grateful you trusted me with this.  I love that you care enough to be this honest with me."  Her smile turned rueful.  "Even if it is giving me an ulcer."

Clark tilted his glasses down and looked at her belly.  "Your stomach is fine," he said, resetting his specs.

Lana raised an eyebrow.

Clark grinned.  "X-ray vision."

Lana crossed her arms over her breasts.  "X-ray?"

"It doesn't work like that.  It could , but it would take a lot of focus, and I would never."  He tapped his glasses.  "Besides, these block it.  Kryptonian materials."

"Right."  Lana relaxed, then slumped.  "Sounds like we need a third opinion.  Is. . . is Keira around?"

"Kara?"  Clark tilted his head, nodded.  "She's coming."

"That is freaky cool."

Minutes later, there was a whoosh as Kara arrived in the loft.  "Lana," she said, leaning down to give the eighteen year old a hug.  "Coming to a decision?"

"Maybe," Lana said.  "So, sounds like both Clark – Kal – and I agree the bracelet is right out.  And I really feel like knowing the two of you. . . went and had sex is just too much for me to bear.  So. . ." Lana took a deep, shuddering breath, let it out.  "I was thinking, what if, when you. . . train, I was. . . there."

Kara put an arm around Lana's shoulders.  "Would that make you more comfortable?"

"I think it would make me profoundly un comfortable.  But. . . I think it might be the only way Clark and I can be okay being together after."

Kara looked at her cousin.  "Kal?"

"I'll do anything for you, Lana, you know that."

"And I'll do anything for both of you," Kara said.  "If this is what you want, Lana, I'll do everything I can to make you as comfortable as possible."

Lana hugged Kara.  "You are amazing."  After a few moments, she pulled back.  "So. . . um. . . I guess we need to plan when and where?"

Kal grinned.  "We have the where, and you won't believe it.  As for the when. . . free this weekend?"

Lana nodded.

Kara smiled.  "Then we're going to go camping."

Lana blinked.  "Camping?"

"It's a code word," Clark said.  "What we actually do is–"

"Kal, don't spoil the surprise."

Clark nodded.  "Lana, stay for dinner?  We should tell Mom and Dad."

Lana's eyes widened.  "That you two. . . that we're. . ."

"That Kal's let you in on the secret because you two care about each other so very much," Kara said.  "And that we're taking you camping as part of that.  They don't need to know exactly what we’re going to do while we're there."

Lana nodded.  "Okay."

The Kents had always been lovely to Lana, especially after she and Cark started dating, so were ecstatic to have her over for dinner again.

During a lull in dinner conversation, Clark cleared his throat.  "Uh, Mom, Dad, we. . . um, we have something to say."

"Oh?" Jonathan asked.

Clark nodded.  "I. . . uh, I told Lana my secret."

Everyone froze.

"Clark, you mean. . ." Martha said tentatively.

Clark nodded.  "Kal-El, Krypton, everything."

Jonathan smiled, resting a hand on Lana's shoulder.  "Welcome aboard."

"You're not mad?" Lana asked.

Martha smiled.  "We always knew he couldn't keep it forever, and we knew when he chose to tell someone, he'd be right to do so."

"And I can't imagine someone better for Clark to share this with," Jonathan added.

Lana smiled.  "Thank you, I. . . I'm really glad he told me, and I'll keep it."

"We know, Lana," Martha said.

"On a related note," Kara said.  "We're taking Lana camping this weekend."

"You mean. . . camping ?" Martha asked.

"I mean," Kara said.

"And does Lana know what camping means?" Jonathan asked.

"No, but it's a surprise."

Lana looked between the Kents.  "Okay, I'm starting to sense that your definition of camping doesn't involve tents, sleeping bags, and s'mores."

Kara grinned.  "It does not."

"It'll be fine, Lana.  Trust us."

"Of course I trust you, Clark."  She took his hand, and they smiled at each other.

Jonathan and Martha shared their own smiles, and if they had their suspicions about what this camping trip was really about, they kept them to themselves.

Chapter Text

November

While the Kents and Langs were technically next door neighbors, on the outskirts of Smallville that still put them a fair distance apart.  Friday evening, Clark drove up to Lana's house in his beat-up old pickup truck, and Lana climbed in with her backpack filled with what she'd need for the weekend.

Well, what Clark and Keira had assured her she'd need.  "You're sure this is enough?" she asked.

Clark nodded, backing out of the Lang driveway.  "Absolutely.  Nothing to worry about."

A few minutes later they were back on the Kent farm.  Clark rushed inside, then he and Keira came out with their own backpacks.

"This way," Keira said, heading towards the barn.

She opened the cellar door and descended the steps.  "After you," Clark said, motioning Lana forward.

Lana took the steps down into the dim basement, Clark following.

"Okay, Lana," Keira said, leading them toward a shadowy back corner.  "You're about to see something few humans have."

Keira pulled back a tarp, and Lana gasped.

Privately, she'd wondered if Clark and Keira hadn't been pulling some kind of elaborate prank, despite such a thing being completely out of character for them and the evidence of their superhuman powers.  It just seemed far more logical they weren't actually aliens from a distant planet.

Now that she was looking at a spaceship, the last of her tiny, lingering doubts vanished.

It was a sleek silver shape, smaller than the average car, a flat body around an ovoid bulge that was the cockpit, if that was the right word.  In the compartment were strange, crystal-like controls, and Keira began to lean over and manipulate them.

"Okay," she said.  "This was my ship.  Kal's is a bit further back."  Lana squinted in the darkness, and could just make out another silver shape, similar in design but smaller.  "I repurposed the phantom drive into a wormhole projector."

"The what into a what ?" Lana asked.

"From the faster-than-light drive for the pod into a stable gateway between two points," Clark said.

Keira finished with the controls and stepped back.  There was a loud crack and a swirling vortex of energy appeared, making Lana jump.

"Wormhole projector," Keira said proudly.

Lana stared at the glowing swirl for some time.  "Is it safe?  I mean, for me?"

Keira nodded.  "We haven't actually brought a human through it before, but by all my calculations, the dimensional stresses should be negligible.  You probably won't feel a thing."

"It's alright, Lana," Clark said, and stepped toward the portal.  "Trust me."  He stepped in, and was gone.

Lana swallowed, and took a tentative step forward.  She took a shuddering breath, and stepped closer.  She steeled herself, and stepped into the vortex.

She'd expected blinding pain and gruesome death at worst, or at least strangeness or discomfort.  Instead, she felt nothing at all.  It was as if she'd stepped through an ordinary door.

An ordinary door that led to a place she couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams.

It was formed of glittering white crystal that seemed grown, and working purely on 45 degree angles.  This one room was huge, and beautiful, in a cold, sterile way.

"Over here," Clark said, beckoning her a few feet away.  "Give Kara some space."

"Unauthorized visitor detected," a voice rang out.

"It's alright, she's with me."

"Confirmed.  Welcome, Kal-El."

Lana numbly walked over, partly from sheer impressiveness of the structure. . . partly from its atmosphere.  "Jesus, it's freezing !"

Clark looked embarrassed.  "Oh, sorry.  Fortress, adjust climate, comfortable for average human."

"Confirmed, Kal-El."

Immediately, the air warmed to ideal room temperature.

"Kara and I don't really feel the cold," Clark said.

"What is this place?" Lana asked as Keira arrived and the wormhole shut down.

"The Fortress of the House of El," Clark said.  "Kara made it through Kryptonian crystal construction technology when she was. . . what, twelve?"

"Around that, yeah," Keira said.

Lana's eyes grew huge.  "You built this when you were twelve ?"

Keira smiled.  "Yes, but it's not as impressive as you're thinking.  Jor-El encoded the instructions for this place in a seed crystal he placed in Kal's pod, Zor-El figured he would and placed a data crystal in my pod to interface with it.  I just had to plant Jor-El's crystal in an appropriate spot, it then used the surrounding material to build the Fortress."

"Where are we?" Lana asked.

"Close to the North Pole," Clark answered.

"So this is made from ice ?"

"Not precisely," Kara said.  "The crystals transmute local matter using a. . ." she paused.  "Actually, words don't exist in English to explain.  But it alters matter on the subatomic level.  The protons, neutrons, and electrons in the ice the seed crystal was planted in are changed to. . . things that aren't protons, neutrons, and electrons, but form atoms and molecules in the same way, with the resulting matter having completely different physical properties."

"Uh. . . okay," Lana said, able to follow Keira’s explanation only to a point.

Clark smiled, and put an arm around Lana's shoulders.  "Come on, let me show you around."

He showed her the hall that led to his and Kara's bedrooms, as well as extras for any guests.  He showed her the solarium, in the highest part of the Fortress, where special crystals absorbed, stored, and enhanced the light of Earth's sun.  He showed her several other rooms, bare and waiting to be furnished, and the labs, equipped with Kryptonian devices whose purposes Lana could only guess at.

"This seems like so much," Lana said as they returned to the main chamber.

"Jor-El didn't really know what would happen to me here.  He hoped the Kents would find me."

"He did?"

Clark nodded.  "Yeah.  He'd been on Earth when he was younger, studying the effects of yellow solar radiation on Kryptonian physiology.  He met Grandpa Hiram, and when the time came to send me away, knew someone like him could be trusted to look out for me.  But there was no guarantee, so he prepared this place to be anything I might need."

"Wow," Lana said, again feeling overwhelmed.  "I. . . I can't imagine."

Clark smiled, and pulled a crystal out of the console, sliding it into a different port.  "Father?"

The image of a handsome man appeared, and Lana immediately saw the resemblance in the black hair, brilliant blue eyes, and strong jaw.  He wore white robes with a flowing cape, a black diamond containing an S on his chest.  "Yes, Kal-El?"

"Father, this is Lana Lang, she's. . . a friend.  Lana, this is my father, Jor-El."

"Your father?" Lana asked.

"After a fashion," Jor-El replied.  "While Kal-El's parents were atomized in the destruction of Krypton, these crystals contain encodings of their memories, knowledge, thoughts, and feelings.  We are here to guide and educate Kal-El."

"Uh. . . it-it's good to meet you, sir."

Jor-El smiled.  "And you, Lana Lang.  You must be very special to my son for him to bring you here and share this with you."

Lana blushed.  "Thank you."  She paused.  "How. . ."  She turned to Clark.  "Do you mind if. . . if I ask. . . how your world died?"

Clark smiled sadly.  "Answer her, Father."

"Krypton's science and technology was eons advanced over that of Earth.  One of our most incredible breakthroughs was creating synthetic elementary particles.  We could rearrange matter from the smallest particle up, reprogramming it to have whatever properties we wished."

Jor-El sighed.  "This led to our downfall.  As we altered the material of our world to suit our needs, the changes propagated past the crust, into the mantle, eventually down to the core.  These new materials with new properties interacted poorly with the heat and pressure, and Krypton grew increasingly unstable."

Jor-El scowled.  "The High Council of Krypton ignored my warnings that our planet was doomed, that careless use of our technology had destroyed it.  They rejected my plans to build a fleet of ships to relocate our people."  Jor-El smiled.  "I was only able to build one small pod for our son.  I launched him into space, headed for Earth, where the yellow sun would make him all but invulnerable.  Mere minutes later, the forces at work in Krypton's core tore it apart, and the planet exploded."

Lana shook her head.  "I'm so sorry.  But. . . wait. . . that matter rearranging, is that what made this?  The technology that destroyed your world?"

Jor-El nodded.  "That is correct.  And to answer your next question, yes, if this technology were to be used carelessly on Earth, it would suffer the same fate as Krypton.  That is why I have included all the accumulated knowledge of Krypton, that Kal-El can help your people avoid the mistakes that doomed mine."

"That's enough Uncle Jor for now," Keira said, approaching and removing the crystal.  Jor-El's hologram faded.  "He's a bit gloomy."

"Having your whole world destroyed would do that," Lana said.  "I can't even wrap my head around it."

Keira sighed.  "It sucks, no two ways about it."  Then she smiled.  "But we have a new home, family and friends, and everything we could ever need to help make it the best it could possibly be."

"How are you so chipper?" Lana asked.

Keira shrugged.  "I've had a lot of time to deal with it, and I prefer to think about the good instead of dwell on the bad.  And I have Kal to look after.  Speaking of which. . ."

Kal cleared his throat.  "I think we might need some time before any of us are in the mood."

"I'm sure.  So we'll have a seat, talk, and get comfortable."

Lana nodded.  "That sounds good."

They'd all dumped their backpacks in Clark's room, reasoning that the weekend plans left little point in sleeping separately.

Lana was struck by how like an ordinary bedroom it was, yet the differences were stark.  The light fixtures were hexagonal crystals extruded from the walls emitting soft yellow light, the bed was similarly a hexagonal pedestal, but well-padded.  The sheets were smooth and comfortable, the pillows very much like any other, soft but supportive.  There were even nightstands on either side of the bed, smaller flat vertical hexagons.

They were all on Clark's bed, Lana and Clark cuddling against the headboard, Keira laying on her side at the foot, talking animatedly.

"And when Aunt Lara saw the mess, she just gave this full-body eye roll and said 'Kara, how is it you can stabilize a quantum graviton field but can't change a diaper?'  All I could do was stand there, looking forlorn."

Lana laughed, Clark blushed.  "I really don't think Lana needed to know that."

"Oh, I definitely needed to know that," Lana said.  Clark pouted, and she smiled.  "Aw, don't worry.  I still think you're amazing."  She leaned in and kissed him.

That kiss led to another, which led to more, which led to a long, slow, passionate one.

"Ah, we're warming back up again," Keira said.

Lana blushed as she broke off from Clark.  "Sorry."

"Don't be.  That's why we're here, more or less."

"Right," Lana said, face getting redder.  "So, uh. . . how do we. . . how should we. . . go about it?"

"Well," Keira said, turning her lay into a sexy slink up towards Clark.  "I was thinking. . ." she leaned closer, bringing her and Clark's faces close together.

Clark didn't pull away.

Lana watched.

Keira closed the gap, their lips touching.  Slowly, hesitantly at first, they kissed, the kiss growing in intensity remarkably quickly.

"Mm," Keira said, pulling back.  "You're an amazing kisser, Kal."

"Isn't he, though?" Lana said.  As strange as it was watching her boyfriend kiss his sister/cousin, it was encouraging having someone else who appreciated Clark's skill.

"Hm, that was. . . weird.  Not bad," Clark hastened to add.  "Just. . . different."

"Well, I'm a different girl," Keira said.

"True."

Keira looked at Clark, an intensity burning in her startlingly blue eyes.  They'd both removed their glasses not long after arriving at the Fortress.

And Keira looked ready to remove something else, her hands going to her blouse.  "I think it's time," she said quietly, undoing a button.

Clark looked at Lana.

Lana hesitated.  This was all very strange, unbelievably so, yet now that the moment was here, she found herself curious what it would be like, and enraptured by the potential of what she and Clark could be after this.  She nodded, giving him a thin, nervous, but genuine smile.

Kal looked back at Kara, and began unbuttoning his flannel.  He was definitely feeling better, more enthusiastic, about the prospect of having sex with his cousin.  Maybe it was residue from the Red Kryptonite, when he'd only been able to think about how hot Kara was.  Maybe he'd just needed to get used to the idea, maybe accepting the logic of it let him let go and enjoy it.  Maybe he was just a horny teenage boy, and his hormones didn't care how he and Kara were related, just that she was sexy and willing.

It didn't matter.  He was ready to have sex with her, and once he'd mastered control, have sex with Lana.

Lana watched as they undressed with increasing speed.  Keira pulled off her blouse and Lana gasped.  Keira's boobs were huge, barely contained by a heavy-duty bra.

Clark likewise froze.  He knew Keira's clothes downplayed her body the same way he did with his, but he hadn't really appreciated just how much she was hiding.  For a second, he didn't see his cousin, just a gorgeous woman he desperately wanted to have sex with.

His fingers had barely resumed moving when Keira removed her bra, and he again froze.  Her breasts were full and firm, no doubt from the strengthening and regenerative properties of Earth's sun on Kryptonian physiology.  Large, dark areolas and long, hard nipples all but begged for attention.  Kal hadn't seen all that many pairs of breasts, and certainly none in person, but a more perfect pair he couldn't picture.

He couldn't do anything but stare at them.  He certainly couldn't contain the heat rising within him.

Kara's hand shot out, intercepting the blasts of heat vision that burst from his eyes.  She grunted in pain.  "Kal, focus.  Switch it off."

Kal closed his eyes, fighting down the heat.

"What was that ?" Lana cried, alarmed.

"Heat vision," Kara said.  "Concentrating the solar radiation we absorb and focusing it through our eyes as basically high-intensity lasers.  It can happen when we get. . . excited."

"Oh," Lana said, voice timid and fearful.

"See why it's important we train each other?"  Kara smiled.  "And actually, I think this is a teachable moment.  And I think you can help," she finished, looking at Lana.

"Me?  How?"

"I think we can help Kal refine control over his heat vision, and give you two kind of that first time you wanted.  If you're both up for it."

Kal and Lana looked at each other, nodded.

"Good," Kara said.  "First, Kal needs to finish getting undressed."  Kal nodded, removed his flannel and t-shirt, then wiggled out of his jeans.  "Now, sit here," Kara patted the edge of the bed.  "Legs over the side."  Kal swung his feet to the floor.  "Lana–"

Lana smiled shyly but eagerly.  "I see where you're going with this."  She stood, started to move, stopped.  "Clark?  Look at me."  When he did, she began lifting the hem of her shirt.  Clark grabbed his glasses from the nightstand and slammed them on his face.

Lana brought her shirt up, exposing the gentle curve of her belly, then farther to show the purple lace of her bra.  She'd worn and packed the sexiest underwear she owned for this trip.  She pulled the shirt off, tossing it aside, then unclasped her bra, letting it fall down her arms and onto the floor.  She was unable to resist a self-conscious glance at Keira.  Her boobs were less than half the size, she hoped Clark liked them half as well.

Judging from the way his gaze was fixed to them and the red glow behind the lenses of his glasses, he did.

She unfastened her pants, sliding them down her long legs, letting Clark get a good look at the way the purple panties clung to her crotch and ass.  Then she hooked her thumbs under the waistband, slid them down.  She stepped out with one leg and gave a showy kick with the other to send them flying away.

Kal squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, then opened them again, drinking in every line and curve of Lana's luscious body.  "You are gorgeous," he breathed.

Lana smiled at the compliment and the sincerity in his voice.  Even the red glow fading from his eyes was, in a way, complimentary, it meant he was struggling for control.

As frightening as his power was, Lana couldn't help but want to see that control crack, at least just a little, thanks to her.

She slowly sank to her knees in front of Clark, his breath grew rapid and shallow.

Kara slid up behind him.  "Focus, Kal," she said quietly.  "Switch it off, but don't switch off.  I believe in you."  She gently slid his glasses off.  "Whenever you're ready, Lana."

Lana looked at Clark's member, throbbing and bobbing in time to the beat of his heart before her face.  She was no connoisseur of male anatomy, but to her it looked delightfully massive and charmingly beautiful.

Clark gasped as she touched it, lightly, just the pads of her fingertips, getting a feel for the silky softness and turgid hardness.  No wonder they called it a boner, it felt totally solid.  Though maybe that was because Clark was so solid.  Still, the incredible stiffness of it filled her with awe.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, looking up at him.

Clark shook his head.  "No," he moaned.  "Feels good."

Lana smiled, running her fingers along it, loving the feel of it and the way Clark gasped and squirmed.  "I mean it being so hard."

"Only if it's pinned down in tight clothes," he said.  "And I have to be careful it doesn't. . . stop being pinned."

Lana nodded, then looked up, concerned.  "This is safe, right?  We won't have to worry about. . ." she trailed off, blushing again, but when neither Clark nor Keira seemed to get what was bothering her, she blurted "supersonic semen."

Keira laughed.  "No, nothing to worry about there.  Not all our muscles are so powerful.  Otherwise we'd destroy the toilet every time we went to the bathroom."  She paused, looking thoughtful.  "Though I suppose, with exercise, I could strengthen my vagina muscles, probably enough to crush–"

"Kara," Clark said warningly.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt you ," she said.  "But an ordinary guy might–"

" Kara! " Clark snapped.

"I'm just saying," she said.

Lana giggled.  "Boys can have some fear about girl parts," she said to Keira.  "I'll show you Teeth sometime, that'll explain it."

Clark groaned, not in a pleasured way.  "Not helping, ladies."

"Aw," Lana cooed, smirking.  She leaned forward, and lightly pressed her lips to the underside of the tip.  Clark gasped, this time definitely in pleasure.  "Kiss it and make it better?"

Clark swallowed, chest heaving.  "God, yes, please."

She kissed his manhood again and again.  Soon, her lips were parting, her tongue darting out to taste his skin.  She pulled back, swallowed, took a deep breath.  She'd heard of this, obviously, and seen a few not-necessarily-educational videos, but this was to be her first attempt.

Her first time giving, and Clark's first time receiving.  No matter what, that was something they'd always share.

She opened her mouth, leaned forward, and slipped the smooth rounded tip of his prick between her lips.

"Oh, Lana!" Kal cried out, clutching the edge of the bed, throwing his head back and squeezing his eyes closed.  This was not to contain his heat vision, it was because it felt so amazing he had to move.  He opened his eyes, and the fire was all down below, so he tilted his head back down to look at her.

The sight of Lana's lips wrapped around his member very nearly brought him to his peak.

Then she began to suck, cheeks sinking as she applied suction.  Her tongue moved, caressing the sensitive underside.  She slid more of him in her mouth, bringing friction and the warmth of her saliva, then retreated, a shock of coolness as the exposed wetness began to evaporate.

"Gah!  Oh!  Ungh!" Clark groaned and grunted unintelligibly.  He smashed his fist against the bed, and Lana felt the blow through the floor shooting up from her knees.

So much power. . .   And yet, knowing that he was barely keeping it contained lit a fire in her.  She quickened her pace, sucking harder, tongue lashing, trying to find the spots he liked best.

"Ungh. . . Lana. . . Close. . . Gonna. . . Argh. . ."

She didn't let up.  Her eyes were fixed up at him, wanting to see Clark Kent, Kal-El, come undone, and know that it was her doing.

Clark cried out wordlessly, and his member flexed in her mouth.  Hot, thick, salty fluid flowed across her tongue, and still she didn't let up, wanting to prolong his peak as long as possible.  When it was finished, she pulled back, made sure Clark was looking down at her, and swallowed.  She'd heard guys liked it when girls did that, and judging by Clark's reaction, he did.

She'd also heard guys liked painting a girl's face, and Lana was entertaining the notion of giving that a try sometime.

"Oh. . . God. . . Wow.  That was. . ." Clark took Lana's shoulders, pulled her up.  His strength was incredible, but his grip gentle despite that.  "I love you," he said, then kissed her deeply.

"Clark!" she squealed as they broke the kiss.  "You just. . . you just shot in my mouth!"

"So?" he asked, genuinely confused.

Lana couldn't help but laugh.  She'd heard guys thought it was gross to kiss a girl after she'd given head; but leave it to Clark to not know that.

"Seems like you both enjoyed yourselves," Keira said.

"Absolutely," Clark said.

"Yes," Lana agreed, looking at Keira.  "Thank you."

"Of course.  And not a trace of heat vision.  I think you have it mastered, Kal."

Clark's gaze roved over Lana's bare body, returning to meet her gaze with a heat that had nothing to do with superpowers and made Lana's knees weak and lower regions clench.  "I think you're right," Clark said.

"And I think it's our turn now."

Clark chuckled.  "Uh, I need a few minutes."

Keira rested her head on his shoulder, looked down.  "Not what it looks like to me."

Clark looked down at his still proudly pointing pole and laughed.  "The flesh is willing, the spirit is weak."

"Alright," Keira said.  "Have a bit of a lie-down."

She got out of the way, and Clark slid back on the bed, laying back.  Lana slid in next to him, molded her naked body to his, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.  Her hand rested on his chest, she could feel the strength and power in him.  She liked it, it made her feel safe.  Maybe that was a bit old-fashioned, wanting a strong man to hold her, to feel protected and cared for, but in that moment, Lana Lang didn't care if she was a little old-fashioned.

"Don't fall asleep, now," Keira said, sliding off the bed.  "This is just starting."

Kal opened his freshly-closed eyes at Kara's admonishment, watched her stand up.  She was still bare from the waist up, and he still couldn't decide if Lana or Kara was more beautiful.  He mentally shrugged.  It didn't matter, they were both equally stunning, just in different ways.

And he loved them both, in different ways.

Kara unbuttoned her skirt, then let it fall into a puddle of fabric on the floor.  She slid off her panties and socks, then climbed back up on the bed, crawled towards Kal.  "Enjoying yourself?" she asked huskily.

"Very much," Kal replied.

She leaned down, kissed him.  Lana watched from close up as the kiss went from one siblings or cousins might share to one they absolutely wouldn't.

Lana experienced a very complex emotional reaction.  Part of her suddenly felt violently jealous, wanting to shove Keira away, jump on Clark, claim him as hers .  The reaction was so visceral it frightened her, and not just because trying to get physical with Keira would be hopeless.  But knowing they were doing this for her, that only they could teach each other the control necessary, made her sad and filled her with gratitude to both of them.  And seeing the love and passion build between them, as it had flowed between her and Clark just minutes earlier, warmed her heart. . . and other, lower areas.

Kara pulled back, staring deep into Kal's eyes.  "Ready?" she asked softly.

Kal cleared his throat, nodded.  "Yes," he said quietly.

Kara turned to look at Lana.  "You might want to give us some space, I don't know exactly what's going to happen."

Lana nodded, reluctantly letting go of Clark and getting off the bed, standing back.  She could only imagine what would happen if one of them swung a limb out with no concern where it was going.

Kara and Kal kissed again, moaning into each other's mouths as they ground their bodies together.

Kara broke the kiss, throwing her head back and arching her back.  Kal took advantage, grabbing her breasts and quickly guiding one of her nipples into his mouth.

Kara moaned.  "Mm, yes.  Oh.  Ow, not quite so hard."  Kal immediately relaxed his grip.  "Oh, yes.  Yes."

Again, Lana felt a spike of jealousy, wishing she were in Kara's place, wondering how Clark's hands and mouth would feel on her body.  Wondering how long before it would be safe for her and Clark to be together.  But they were both so gorgeous, the sounds they made so erotic, she found herself increasingly enraptured just watching them.

In the blink of an eye there was a heavy thud, and their positions were reversed, Clark above Keira, her stretched out beneath them, the two almost, but not quite, joined at the groin.  Lana gasped at the display of speed and power she hadn't even seen.

Kara looked up at Kal, nodding.  "Go ahead.  I'm ready."

Kal looked her up and down.  His sister, his cousin.  The only blood relative he had left, the only person like him in the whole universe.

The only one who could teach him to control his powers.  The only one he could be with like this safely, for now.

A beautiful woman, breathing hard, skin flushed, body ready and waiting for him.

Kal nodded.  Then he gripped himself, aimed, and slid slowly inside.

Kara shrieked as she felt him parting her folds and filling her up.  Kal cried out as he felt his member gripped tightly by warm, wet walls.

Kal started with long, slow, deliberate strokes, but it didn't take long before his passion and pleasure overwhelmed him, and he slammed his hips back and forth with increasing speed and force.  Kara seemed to approve, writhing and gasping beneath him.

Lana stared in shock.  A few tremors had built into a steady rumble, like the bass you could feel from your toes to your heart at a too-loud rock concert.  Kal's hips were a blur, seeming simultaneously as far out and as far inside Kara as he could go.  Kara was a blur as well, her hair a golden cloud around her head as it whipped back and forth, her arms seeming to just blink into new positions as she thrashed beneath her cousin.  It was a terrifying demonstration of why they needed to be so careful.  Yet Lana stared longingly at Clark's blurred hips, imagining the feeling of him thrusting in and out of her so fast it was like he was everywhere at once, and her body surged with lust.

Kal slammed forward one last time, screaming as he climaxed.  Kara's arms were suddenly wrapped around him like steel, crushing him to her.  She screamed too, in the throes of her own peak.

They slumped, smiling, drained emotionally but not physically thanks to the yellow sunlight stored in their cells.  Kara stroked Kal's cheek, he leaned down and kissed her.

"That was amazing," she whispered against his lips.

"Yeah, it was," he said.

"Deal me in on that," Lana said, clearing her dry throat.  "That was. . . well, terrifying, but also. . ."  She blushed and looked down awkwardly.  "What do guys say?  I have a very confused boner right now?"

Kal and Kara laughed.  "Lana," Clark said with exaggerated patience.  "Women don't get boners."

Lana grinned.  "Shut up!  You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do."  Kal shifted, and Kara winced.  "You okay?"

"Yeah.  Just a little sore.  You?"

Kal shrugged.  "I feel fine."

Kara smiled.  "You suck, Kal."

Lana cleared her throat again.  "Uh, no, that was me."

Kara laughed.  "Well, just you wait, I'll get my turn."

Kal spluttered.  "Uh, you don't have to. . ."

"No, I don't," Kara agreed.  "Still going to."  She sat up.  "We should check the monitors."

"Monitors?" Lana asked.

Kara nodded.  "I set them to record this to get some readings."

Lana's jaw dropped.  "You filmed us?"

"No," Kara said.  "I collected necessary data on the forces at work."  She stood.  "Come on."

"Aren't you going to get dressed?" Lana asked.

"Why?  Just us."

"And the Fortress, and Kelex," Kal added.

"Kelex?" Lana asked.

"Robot helper," Kara answered.  "And neither of them will care or tattle."  Kara sauntered out.

Kal shrugged, got up, and followed her.  Lana did enjoy watching his bare butt ripple as he walked.

After a moment, Lana followed, also not bothering to dress.

The console in the main chamber projected racks of glyphs that were utterly incomprehensible to Lana.

"What is that?"

"Kryptonese glyphs," Kara said.  "Condensed scientific notation of what happened.  Easiest way for us to absorb the information, since it's our native language and well-constructed for this sort of thing."

" Her native language," Kal corrected.  "Takes me a bit longer to parse."

"If you'd study your Kryptonese like you promised ," Kara admonished.

"You just have a skewed perception about easy languages are to learn, Miss Speaks A Hundred And Four Of Them."

"A hundred and eight," Kara said.  "Close to 109."

"What?" Lana asked.

Kal sighed.  "Zor-El, Kara's father, knew my pod was going to Earth, but not precisely where.  So he hooked up a Kryptonian flash-learning device in Kara's pod, taught her a hundred Earth languages to cover the bases."  He scowled at Kara, but there was warmth to it.  "Which makes her an insufferable polyglot."

"Am not," Kara said.

"Are too," Kal said.

"So, what's it say?" Lana asked, motioning at the projected glyphs.

"Better than I thought," Kara said.  "We weren't really trying to control ourselves, but still. . . we can easily, and quickly, learn to copulate safely with humans."

Lana stared at the glyphs.  "So. . . if Clark and I. . ."

Kara looked at her.  "Do you really want to know?"

Lana hesitated, then nodded.

"You probably wouldn't have survived.  If you did, you'd never be able to walk again or have kids."

Lana swallowed.  "I see."

Clark hugged her gently, and Lana felt safe and loved in his arms.

"Well, what do you think?" Kara asked, shutting down the holo.  "Ready to really start practicing?"

"I think we should eat first," Kal said.

Kara nodded.  "Yes, food!"

"Do you even need to eat?" Lana asked, following them to the kitchen.

"Not as such," Kara said.  "The solar radiation in our cells can sustain us, but the more we make it do that, the less there is for everything else.  Hence, food."

The kitchen was as familiarly unfamiliar as the bedroom.  A table and chairs, oddly shaped but functional, appliances recognizable in purpose but alien in design.

"I had the Fortress fabricate some useful things we didn't have strict analogues of on Krypton, like a microwave," Kara said.

Lana opened the fridge and blinked.  "Tubs of frosting, cookie dough, soda, mini donuts."  She opened the freezer.  "Ice cream, chocolate bars, peanut butter cups, frozen pizzas."  She opened a cupboard, now expecting what was inside.  "Mac and cheese, peanut butter, crackers, cookies.  You guys eat like eight year olds."

"Yeah, I guess we do," Clark said, reaching past her to snag a tub of chocolate frosting.

"Aren't you worried about your weight?"

"Not on this planet," Keira replied with a grin, sliding next to her and grabbing a tube of chocolate chip cookie dough.

"Yeah, yeah, yellow sunlight."  Lana turned.  "You know, it's really unfair that this is our sun, but you two get so much more out of it."

"Krypton was a pretty harsh world," Kara said.  "Local life had to draw every erg of energy they could, so we evolved to draw on sunlight as well as everything else."

"Earth's sun has more energy and puts out more in the yellow spectrum than red, so our bodies are supercharged here," Kal added.  He pulled a frozen pizza out of the freezer.  "Good?"

Lana nodded.  "But if we're going to be doing this routinely, I'm bringing my own groceries."

"Works for me," Kal said, grabbing another one.  He peeled off the wrapping and put them in the oven.

Lana had four slices, two more than she'd planned on, but was surprised by how hungry she was.  Kal and Kara finished off the rest of the pizza, and their frosting and cookie dough.

After chatting and digesting for a bit, they returned to the bedroom.

As a special bonus, proof Clark Kenting really works:

Chapter Text

November

They reclined on the bed, gradually moving closer and closer until Lana and Kara were touching Kal, and he was touching them, hands roaming all over each other.

"I, uh, really want to practice something," Kal said nervously.  "If you two don't mind."

"What?" Lana asked.

Kal smiled, kissed her, then turned to face Kara, grabbing her breasts.

Kara smiled.  "Mm, seems he likes them."

"I do," Kal said, rubbing, stroking, caressing, and squeezing them.  "Not too hard?"

"No.  You could go harder, a bit."

Kal nodded, and continued for a few moments.  Then he stopped, ignoring Kara's pout, and turned to Lana.

She arched her chest out, even as she blushed and gave an apologetic, embarrassed smile.  "I'm sorry they're not as big."

"You're perfect, Lana," Kal said, and Lana smiled, knowing Cark didn't have a dishonest or insincere bone in his body.

He gently took hold of her breasts, and Lana moaned at the feel of him touching her, her desire spiking.  He was so careful, his touch so soft, it reminded her exactly why he was being so tender, and how much he cared for her.

He petted her chest for some time, slowly gaining more confidence in using precisely the right amount of force, and Lana learned she liked a little bit of force.

Then he gently pushed her back on the bed.

"Clark?" she asked, alarmed.  "I thought–"

"Shh," Clark said, kissing her tenderly.  "Trust me?"

"Always," Lana said.

He kissed her again, then kissed his way down her neck, over her breasts, down her stomach.  Down her crotch. . .

"Clark?" Lana questioned.

He looked up at her, brilliant blue eyes blazing.  "I've come twice.  Kara came once."

"Three times, actually," Kara said.

"You've been very patient, but it's your turn."  His lips touched her skin again.

"Ohhhh, Clark!" Lana groaned, pleasure soaring through her.  She'd heard a lot of guys weren't keen on going down on a girl, even if they were all about getting head. . . but again, it should have been no surprise that Clark was an exception to that rule, too.

His lips and tongue worked against her folds, carefully mapping the spots that got the best reactions from her.  His grip on her hips was firm, but not painful, holding her steady so his mouth could work its magic but willing to release her if she asked.

His tongue found her clit, Lana squealed, and he stopped, jerking his head up.

"Oh, don't you dare stop, Clark Kent," Lana said breathlessly.

Clark grinned and dove back in, tongue seeking that nub again.  Soon, he had Lana singing a chorus of erotic cries.

Thinking how it had felt when Lana took his length in her mouth, he tried the same with her.  It was rather difficult, the two parts constructed differently, but he got it between his lips, applied suction, wiggled his tongue–

Lana bucked so hard he had to quickly slacken his grip to avoid hurting her, her scream of pleasure would have hurt his ears if her thighs hadn't slammed shut over them, muffling it.  He tried to hold on, keep pleasuring that magic button, but he had to let her go to keep her safe.

She collapsed on the bed, slowly looked up at him with lidded eyes.  "Holy.  Fucking.  Shit.  Clark." she panted.

"That's no way for a young lady to talk," Clark teased, smiling, moving up to her.

She grabbed his head loosely, then kissed him.

Then broke off, making a face.  "Ew.  I see why guys don't like doing that."  She rolled her tongue, trying to get the taste of her own juices out of her mouth.

"I don't mind it," Clark said.

"Good for you," Kara said sardonically.  "Be a good boyfriend and get her some water."

"Right."  In a rush that was starting to become familiar to Lana, Clark vanished then reappeared with a bottle of water.

"Thank you."  Lana swished the flavor out of her mouth as best she could.  Clark zipped to the bathroom to clean his own mouth and chin.

"That was very impressive, Kal," Kara said, pulling him down on the bed with her.  "But we still need practice."

"Yes, we do," he agreed.

Clark woke to the warmth of Kara and Lana snuggled up against him, and Lana's piercing green eyes gazing deeply into his.

"Good morning," he whispered.

"Good morning," she replied.  She kissed his chest, then continued kissing lower and lower.  Her hand wrapped around his hardness.  "I wanted to wake you up like this," she said, kissing the tip.

Clark stifled a moan.  "Why didn't you?" he asked.

She smiled and giggled.  "You were unconscious , Clark.  No consent."

Clark smiled.  "Oh.  Well, for what it's worth, in the future, you have my permission to do anything you want with my unconscious body."

"Really?" she asked, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Within reason," he amended.

"That go for me, too?" Kara asked, stirring.

"Sorry we woke you," Clark said.  Lana released Clark's erection, making him whine.

"Carry on," Kara said.  "I'm not here to come between you two."

"Well, technically," Clark began with a grin.  He was silenced and the grin vanished as Lana once more took him in her mouth.

He sighed, confident enough in his control now to reach down and stroke her hair.  He liked the feeling, being connected to her by more than mouth and manhood.  She looked up at him, and began slowly drawing him into her mouth, tongue caressing him sensuously.  It was languorous and deliberate, an attempt to draw out the pleasure of the act itself instead of race to the finish, and Clark greatly appreciated it.

Lana, for her part, was surprised to find she really liked giving blowjobs. . . or, at least, she really liked giving blowjobs to Clark.  Partly, she knew, it was as much as they could do for each other for now.  But she also loved watching him writhe and twitch, hearing him moan and gasp, feeling him throb and pulse between her lips, against her tongue.  He was a superman, invincible and with unlimited strength, and the right twist of her tongue against the right spot of his shaft made him whine desperately.  A man of steel became a man of clay once she started sucking his dick.  There was a heady sense of power to that, but also a tenderness.  Because beside of everything else, the simple fact remained:  she loved Clark and wanted to add joy to his life.  In any and every way she could.

So she took her time, exploring him as thoroughly and deeply as she could.  Too deep, as it turned out; she gagged and coughed as she tried to push him down her throat.

Clark immediately raised his torso up, looking down at her with concern.  "Are you okay?"

"Fine."  She coughed, took a shuddering breath, coughed again.  "Gag reflex."

"You don't–"

She silenced him with a blazing look, and by taking him in her mouth again, her eyes fixed on his.  She was doing this, because she wanted to, no arguments.

Clark smiled, petted her hair.  "I love you."

She smiled as best she could with her mouth full.

Despite her attempts to draw the experience out, despite the number of times Clark had peaked since yesterday evening, he was still young and building up endurance.  A bit sooner than Lana would have liked, he again announced he was nearly there.  Lana briefly debated pulling off, decided this was probably the wrong position for it, and kept him in her mouth.  And again, once she was sure he was done filling her mouth, she swallowed.

He stroked her hair.  "You don't have to do that for me," he said softly.

"Do you like it when I do?" she asked.

Clark blushed.  "Yeah."

"Good, because I like doing it."

Kara sat up.  "Sometimes, Kal, being a generous lover means letting your partner do things they enjoy.  If you enjoy them, too, then just relax and let her do it."

Kal nodded.  "Right."

Kara grinned, and slunk down the bed.  "And now, my turn."

"Kara you don't have to–"

She fixed him with a glare.  "What did I just say ?"

Kal nodded.

"Besides, you may not need to practice safely getting head, but I need to practice safely giving it."

Mentally, Lana reversed roles; her the super-strong invulnerable alien, Clark the squishy human, and shivered at the thought of the kind of damage she could cause with just lips and tongue.

Lana moved a bit and rested her head on Clark’s stomach  to give Kara some space, but still watched from up close as she began to kiss and lick Kal's still-slick shaft.

"Um, you can come back up here, Lana," Kal said.

"I've got a good view from right here."

"Oh.  Uh, good."  A long pause, during which Kara's tongue swirled around the head of Kal's shaft.  "Uh, I don't."

Lana turned, and realized she was rather blocking his line of sight.  "Well, if it's all about you ," she teased, kissing his hip.  Then she slid up the bed to snuggle against him, her head resting on his shoulder.  Staring down the length of his body, to where his proud prick bobbed and throbbed against Kara's lips, Lana could see why guys found the sight so hot.

Startling blue eyes fixed up at her cousin, Kara opened her mouth and let him slip between her lips.  She immediately took him as deep as she could, cooing as he gasped in pleasure.

Lana was getting hotter herself.  She wondered how it felt for Clark, if there was a noticeable difference between how she sucked him and how Kara did, if he preferred one or the other.  What did it feel like, lips and tongue on the silky head, the smooth shaft?  Did it feel anything like when Clark had eaten her out, or were the sensations completely different because the parts were completely different?

Kara moaned as she licked and sucked her cousin's manhood, relishing the taste and feel of it.  She was paying attention to not going too hard. . . but much less than she would have if this wasn't Kal.  She still didn't want to hurt him, but felt no great need to restrain herself on her first time.

Kal writhed and groaned, alternating between looking at the surprisingly erotic sight of Kara giving him head and staring at the ceiling or the inside of his own eyelids.  He'd make eye contact with her, then a spike of pleasure would send his head back and his eyes rolling up.  As with their physical attractiveness, he made no attempt to decide whether Lana or Kara were better at this.  They were different, but he loved them both.

"Kara. . . I. . . I'm. . . Ohhhh. . ."

Not thinking it a competition but still not wanting to be outdone, Kara followed Lana's example and let Kal empty his balls in her mouth, then swallowed.  She could see why Lana enjoyed it.

"Okay," Kara said once they'd all recovered.  "Breakfast."

"I think you both have had," Kal said mildly.

Kara smacked his stomach.  "Just for that, you're cooking."

Kal set about making scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, toast, and pancakes.  Lana had a short stack of pancakes and two slices of toast, while Kal and Kara loaded up their plates.

"I can feel my arteries hardening just watching you two."

Kara grinned, crunching down on fully a half a strip of bacon.  "So, today's plan.  First, Kal, we should spend some time in Torquasm-Vo."

Kal nodded, shoveling a fork full of eggs into his mouth.

Lana laughed.  "Spend time in what ?"

Kara finished her first strip of bacon, picked up a second.  "Torquasm – wipe that smirk off your face, Lana Lang, it's T -or- QUA -sm – is a Kryptonian martial art."

Kal cut into his pancakes.  "Toquasm-Vo is a mental aspect, Torquasm-Rao is a physical aspect.  But they're interlinked, Vo meditation helps develop the awareness and precision of Rao."

"More like Vo provides the awareness that permits precision through Rao."  Off Lana's confused look, Kara shrugged.  "It's kind of like Tai Chi."

"Okay," Lana nodded.  "So. . ."

"So, now that we have some practical experience and hard data about how our abilities influence sexual activity, some Vo meditation will help us apply Rao techniques to control our bodies and those abilities to a safe level."

Kal smiled.  "If we're successful. . . then mission accomplished."

Lana raised her eyebrows.  "You mean. . ?"

"I don't want to promise anything," Kara said.  "But it's possible that you and Kal could go all the way as early as this afternoon."

Lana smiled.

"I'd also like your help with something, Lana," Kara added.

"What?"

"I'd like to run a full atomic scan on you."

"An atomic scan?"

"As in a scan down to your atomic structure, not a scan involving atomic forces."

"Why?"

"Well. . . I don't want you to get the wrong idea, this is just to be prepared and start gathering data.  But. . . well, Kal and I are the last Kryptonians left.  If there are ever going to be any more, either Kal and I make them together. . . or. . ."

Lana blinked, taking in what Kara was saying.  "You want to see if you're. . . compatible with humans?  If Clark and I could. . . have kids?"

"There'd almost certainly need to be modification, if it's even possible.  Maybe of us, maybe of our human partners, maybe both.  I just don't have the data, and this is a chance to get it.  You don't have to say yes, Lana.  If you don't want to, that's fine, and if you decide to later, that's fine, too."

Lana looked at Kal.  "Clark?"

He reached out and took her hand.  "It's up to you.  We'd obviously have a lot to talk about before deciding if we want kids, but. . . no harm in collecting some data, right?  But it's your decision."

Lana thought about it.  She certainly didn't want to get pregnant right now , but maybe – probably – someday.  And at least for right now, she couldn't picture anyone but Clark being the father of her hypothetical children.  But she hadn't really thought through all the realities of him being an alien from another planet, such as the fact they were likely genetically incompatible. . . if Kryptonians even had anything like genes in the same way humans did.  For all their amazing powers, Clark and Keira looked so much like ordinary humans that she still didn't fully comprehend that they weren't human.

She nodded.  "I'll help however I can."

Kara smiled.  "Thank you, Lana."

The Fortress also had a gymnasium, though it had little in the way of workout equipment, since the power Kal and Kara were imbued with made most workouts impossible.

It did have an open space perfect for the moving meditation of Torquasm.

"Torquasm is fundamentally about awareness and control," Kara explained as the three, still naked, entered the gym.  "At its most basic, it's a tool for us to be aware of our bodies and the forces we're applying with them.  At higher levels, Torquasm-Rao can induce a theta state, allowing us to absorb and process information even faster than we normally do, and we're normally very fast.  Advanced states of Toquasm-Vo can shield the mind from mental influence, detection, or alteration, potentially even reflecting the techniques back on the attacker.  The physical discipline of Rao feeds and enhances the mental discipline of Vo, and the mental discipline of Vo increases the precision of the physical aspects of Rao."

Lana nodded.  "Can humans learn it?"

Kara smiled and nodded.  "Of course.  It won't be backed by our yellow sun powers, but you could develop some pretty amazing abilities through intense Torquasm study."

"Mind if I join, then?"

"Not at all," Kal replied.

Kara lined them up facing the same direction, Lana between Kal and Kara.  "Okay, the motions should be fluid and deliberate.  You don't need to copy us precisely, Lana; the point is to be aware of your movements, know that each one is intentional , ride that awareness of your own body simultaneously deeper into your own physical being and up into higher states of consciousness."

"That. . . doesn't make sense."

Kal smiled.  "It will."

They began.

Lana mirrored Kal and Kara as best she could, sweeping motions of arms, precise formations of hands and fingers, deliberate shifts of stance, placement of legs and feet.  She focused on the movements and awareness of movement, how her muscles flexed and relaxed to move her limbs, how this muscle linked to that one linked to the next.  She grew more aware of her breathing, the rhythm and pace, the expansion of chest and belly to permit air in, the tensing to expel it.  The tiny tremors her breathing caused in her bare breasts.  She could feel her heart in her chest, beating steady and strong.  Blood pumping through arteries and veins, carrying oxygen and nutrients to her tissues and cells.  She felt the cool air on her naked skin, her hairs standing up.  She could smell the sterile air of the Fortress, and the specific scents of Clark, Keira, and herself.  She could hear their bodies moving, almost but not quite in sync.  She could see small details in the crystalline structure of the Fortress walls.

She could feel her nerves feeding this information to her brain, her brain processing and storing it, other nerves carrying instructions to her body to make the deliberate, intentional movements of Torquasm.

Of course.  Deeper into my physical body and into higher consciousness.  It's so obvious.

Emotions, memories, and sensations of this weekend were scattered messily in her mind, like photos and stickers and flair waiting to be pasted into a scrapbook.  The identity she'd constructed for herself over eighteen years of life was that scrapbook, and she could consciously choose how to integrate the mess in an orderly fashion.

She was jealous that Clark and Keira got to be each other's firsts, a privilege she'd been mentally reserving for herself since she and Clark had their first date.  But they were so kind and generous, working so hard to make this experience good for her, being jealous wasn't fair to them.  It wouldn't help her and Clark's growing relationship.  She didn't enjoy feeling it.  So she crumpled it up and threw it in the garbage.

She was ashamed.  She was a good girl from rural Kansas, or at least she presented herself as one.  Being in the room watching two people have sex, someone else in the room watching her sort of have sex, wandering about naked, the two people she was with being related – these were not things good girls from rural Kansas should be doing.  She certainly shouldn't be enjoying it.

But underneath the shame was that truth:  she did enjoy it.  It was wild and different, but freeing.  She liked that she, Clark, and Keira were just comfortable with no clothes on.  She liked that they were working so hard so she and Clark could truly, fully, be together.  And she liked watching them together, partly for the promise of what it might be like when it was her turn, partly because she just enjoyed watching them have sex.  So what if they were related?  Being the last two of their kind in existence and having such incredible power was the mitigating factor to end them all.  And they loved each other.

As with the jealousy, the shame served no purpose and brought her no joy, so she discarded it.

Then she set about carefully and deliberately putting the new things she'd learned about herself into their places in the scrapbook of her soul.

Kal focused on his time with Kara, aware of himself hardening as he brought the memories to the fore.  A natural and expected reaction, not relevant to the task at hand.

He pulled in other memories, his benchmarks for how durable humans were, what forces they could withstand.  He allowed both sets of memories to exist in his mind, let his awareness of body and brain analyze and compare, contrast and dissect, understand and comprehend.

Yes.  Yes, I can do this.  Thank you, Kara.

Kara finished first.  Kal took a bit longer.  They both watched as Lana went another half hour.

"Oh.  My.  God," she said when she finally ended the movements of Torquasm.  "That.  Was.  Incredible."

"Mind expanded?" Kara asked playfully.

"Like, from a. . . I don't even know!"

Kal chuckled.  "Torquasm will do that."

"I saw–"

Kara shook her head.  "You don't have to tell us, Lana.  It's your consciousness."

"Yes, I do."  She rushed forward and hugged Clark tightly.  "Clark. . . I'm sorry.  I was jealous of you and Keira, and it bothered me, but I saw it in my head during the torque thing and you don't deserve it, neither of you do, and I don't want it either so I threw it away!"

Kal blinked at the rush of words.  "Uh. . . good?"

"Very good."  She leaned up and kissed him.  "I'm sorry for feeling that way."

"No, you have a right to.  You wanted something special between us, and this is not what you had in mind.  It's totally okay if you feel jealous, or. . . strange."

"Yeah, this isn't what I pictured, but it's what you need, and I want to support what you need.  I don't want to be jealous, I don't want to feel weird about this, and I don't.  Clark," she turned and smiled, "Keira, I'm enjoying this weekend, and now I'm okay with that."

Kal looked down at her, a confused yet hopeful expression on his face.  "You. . . you mean. . . that. . . you. . ."

Lana smiled.  "Yes, Clark.  I enjoy watching you and Keira bone."

Kal smiled awkwardly.  "Not to the point of skipping your turn, I hope."

"Ooh, just try and make me, mister."

"Good.  Because I had my own little breakthrough."

Lana bit her lip.  "You mean?"

Kal's answer was a very sensual whisper.  "Whenever you're ready."

Lana squeezed his shoulders.  "Bedroom.  Now ."

Chapter Text

November

Kal grinned, picked Lana up in his arms – making her gasp in delight – then super-speed ran from the gym to the bedroom.

Lana again gasped as the world around her seemed to transform into an incomprehensible white blur, then suddenly slam back into sensibility.

"Wow," she breathed.

Another whoosh.  "Patience is a virtue, Kal," Kara said with an amused smirk.

"She said 'now,'" Kal replied.

"Yes I did," Lana said.  "And I meant it."

Kal laid her down on the bed, climbing on top of her.  He seized her lips in a kiss, the two of them breathing hard as passion and desire thundered through them.

Clark looked down at her, his brilliant blue eyes smoldering.  "Are you ready?"

"Clark, I've been ready for a week ."

He grinned.  "So. . . we should wait?"

She glared, emerald eyes flashing.  " Don't .  You.  Dare ."

He smiled and kissed her again, hands grabbing her hard, but not too hard.  She could feel his strength and power and precise control, knew he'd only ever use that power to protect her.  She moaned and writhed beneath him as he settled himself closer to her, closer.  "Mm, Clark, please ."

One of his hands left her body.  His hips spread her legs.  She felt the tip of him brush her moist lower lips.  "Mm, Clark ," she whined.  Then she gasped as he slipped inside, only just starting to fill her the way she was desperate to be filled.

He slowly slid deeper, gently, letting her adjust to him penetrating her.  She gave throaty, lusty groans as she appreciated each and every inch that probed her depths.

"Oh, God, yes ," Lana gasped.

"Lana," Clark moaned as the skin of their groins touched.

He continued a steady pace, thrusting in and out, both of them gasping and panting.

"Mm, Clark," Lana said, looking up at him and biting her lip.  "Could you. . . um. . . do the super-speed thing?"

He gazed deep into her eyes.  "You sure?"

"You'll slow down or stop if I ask?"

"Of course!"

"Then I'm sure.  Full speed."

He nodded, then continued at a slow, steady pace, drawing back until just the tip of him was within her, then forward until their flesh kissed.  Again and again, almost all the way out, almost all the way in.  Lana was just about to ask again when Clark moved , and she screamed .

She could feel every part of him in every part of her all at once, such intense friction and sensation it was like her womanhood exploded in pleasure.  An orgasm ripped through her so powerfully she was never able to figure out if it was one or multiples happening simultaneously.

"Cl-cl-cl. . . S-s-s," was all she could get out.

He stopped immediately, his hand cupping her face.  "Are you okay?"

"Oh.  My.  Fucking.  God ."  She panted, out of breath from the intense ecstasy and the scream it had torn from her throat.  "That was amazing ."

"Do you want to stop?"

She shook her head.  "No, just. . . need a minute.  And," she looked at him apologetically.  "Can we go slow again?"

Clark nodded.  "Of course."

"I'm sorry.  I want you to be able to be yourself ."

"I am ," Clark replied.  "If I was a regular human, would you want me to go as hard and fast as I could every time?"

Lana smiled, shaking her head.  "No."

"Slow and gentle is fun, too."

She nodded, and Clark took that as a sign to resume.  Lana's sigh as he began thrusting again, slowly and tenderly, told him he was right.

Kara watched, smiling, as Kal and Lana made love.  She was so happy they had all been successful, that this hadn't become an awkward, uncomfortable, emotional mess.  Now, the two of them could be together. . . and Lana's comments seemed to indicate she didn't mind if Kal and Kara continued as well.

Clark added a roll to his hips, stirring his length within her.  Lana moaned, her hands clutched his chest, fingers digging into his impervious skin.  He leaned down and kissed her.  "I'm close."

Lana opened her eyes, looked to Kara.  "Do we need to worry?"

Kara shook her head.  "Different species."

Lana nodded, and smiled up at Clark.  "Fill me up, please."

Clark smiled back, kissed her again, and kept going.  Soon he was moaning into her mouth, body shuddering, hips flexing as he reached his peak.  Lana moaned back, savoring the feeling of his length flexing within her, the rush of warmth and wetness within that was the manifestation of his desire for her.

He rolled off her to lay on the bed at her side, pulled her to him.  She snuggled against him happily.

"Did you. . . ?" he asked, looking at her with concern.

"Not at the same time you did, but that's okay.  I'm honestly still reeling from the super-speed, trying to figure out if it was one really big one or a whole lot of still pretty big ones."

Kara climbed onto the bed and cuddled up with them.  "When you're ready, Kal, on your back."

He craned his neck to look at her.  "Really?  Aren't we. . . done?"

"We don't need more training, no," Kara admitted.  "But I like having sex with you, Kal, and I think you like it, too."  Kara smiled at Lana.  "And your girlfriend likes to watch."

Lana nodded.  "That's true."  There was a faint blush on her cheeks, but no shame or embarrassment in her emerald eyes.

Kal looked between them.  He'd agreed to this for the logical reasons that only he and Kara could teach each other this kind of control, and they had.  That had been enough to override the objection to having sex with a woman who was both his blood cousin and adopted sister.  But he had enjoyed it.  Kara was gorgeous, and while it was no difficulty now controlling himself with Lana, with Kara he didn't need to.  While part of him felt it was so repugnantly male to want to keep having sex with both of them, if they both enjoyed it, and he did too. . .

"Lana?" he asked, looking at her.

She nodded, stroking his cheek.  "I do like sharing you, Clark, and I'm okay with that."

He nodded.  "As you wish," he said, then leaned down and kissed her deeply.  When he broke the kiss, he rolled over on his back.  "All aboard," he said with a grin at Kara.

"Such a charmer," she replied with a wry grin, swinging her leg up and straddling him.  Kal's hands went to her hips, then caressed up her body to grab her breasts.  Kara moaned as he fondled them.

Kal turned his head to look at Lana.  "I said all aboard."

She smiled and kissed his cheek.  "You two have fun.  I'll get the next one."

Kal smiled back, then moaned as Kara gripped his shaft.  She shifted, aimed, then sunk down on it, making him groan.  "Oh, Kara."

"Mm, Kal."  She started moving up and down, rolling her hips.

Lana watched Clark's hands massage Keira's large breasts, his length vanish into her folds, licked her lips, and let herself enjoy the show.

"Is this going to hurt?" Lana asked.

"You won't feel a thing," Kara answered.  She touched a control.  A beam of light swept Lana's naked body, there was a brief hum, then nothing.

"That's it?" Lana asked as glyphs once more appeared above the console.

"That's it.  Thank you, Lana."

Lana stepped out of the scanning area and leaned against Clark, putting her arm around his waist.  He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed.  Leaning against him, both of them still naked, felt good.  Maybe, if and when they got their own place, they should enforce "clothing optional."

Kara studied the Kryptonese glyphs.  "Looks good.  Same chemical basis, at least.  It's going to require a lot more study and simulation, I don't want to make any promises, but from this first impression, I think it's plausible that, if you two want kids someday, I can make it happen."

Lana rolled her head on Clark's chest, looking up at him.  "We'll talk?"

"We'll talk."

Kara smiled.  "In the meantime, have all the unprotected sex you want."  She paused.  " Kal can have all the unprotected sex he wants.  Even if Earth diseases were compatible with Kryptonian biology, the solar radiation suffusing our cells would burn them out.  We can't even be carriers.  And no chance of unplanned pregnancy, so share Kal all you want."

"What about you?" Lana asked.

Kara brought up an image of a small device, glowing red.  " Roshtek implant, standard birth control on Krypton.  I can deactivate it–" the image turned blue, "–and activate it at will."  The image turned red again.  "If I ever decide to have kids – with Kal or someone else – I'll turn it off.  Until then, I'm safe."

Lana looked at the image.  "You made and installed that a while ago?"

Kara nodded.  "Yes."

"Even knowing there was only one person on the planet that would be a risk to have sex with?"

Kara shrugged.  "Well, I wasn't positive until recently.  And I assumed Kal and I would do this sooner or later."

Lana nodded.

Clark made six boxes of Mac and Cheese for lunch.  Lana took about an eighth for herself, Clark and Keira split the rest.

"Definitely bringing my own groceries next time," Lana said.

"I could wormhole back and hit the store," Clark offered.

"No, Kal," Keira said.

"A half hour, tops."

"And how will you explain dropping by the store when we're supposed to be out camping?"

Clark shrugged.  "I hiked."

"And you'll hike back with how many bags of stuff?"

Clark frowned.  "Okay."

Keira smiled at Lana.  "I'm sorry, we should have thought of this when we invited you."

"It's okay.  One weekend of junk food isn't going to kill me."  She lifted a fork full of radioactive-orange pasta.  "Probably."

Kara looked at Lana.  "Can I ask you a personal question?"

Lana smiled.  "I think we're all a bit beyond that."

Kara grinned.  "Point.  I was wondering. . . do you like girls at all?"

Lana paused.  "I hadn't really thought about it.  Why?"

Kara blushed.  "I. . . might.  And. . . if you're okay with it. . . I'd like to. . . practice."

Lana thought about it.  She didn't find Keira repulsive, that was certain.  She was a beautiful woman.  Lana looked at her, her lovely face, full lips, striking blue eyes, muscular but soft and curvaceous body.  Yes, Keira was beautiful, but Lana didn't feel the same desire she felt when she looked at Clark.

But, if Keira was half as good at oral as Clark was. . . and logically, as the actual owner of a vagina, she should be even better. . . assuming human and Kryptonian parts were the same, which at least so far seemed to be the case. . .

Lana nodded.  "We can give it a try."

Clark coughed.

Keira smiled, clapping his back.  "Easy, Kal.  Breathe."

"Trying," he choked out.  After a few more coughs and a hearty draught of soda, he was okay.  "Sorry.  Just. . ."

"Oh, you are a guy after all," Lana teased.  "The thought of two girls getting it on gets you going?"

He smiled sheepishly.  "Yeah."

They returned to the bedroom, and Lana stretched out on the bed.  Keira climbed up next to her, Clark sat on the bed close to them.

"Tell me to stop at any time, if you're just not liking it," Keira said.

Lana nodded, then looked over at Clark, smirking at the flush on his skin and the visible pulse between his legs.  "Enjoying the show?"

Clark smiled nervously.  "Would it be terrible of me to say yes?"

"No."

Keira leaned down and kissed Lana.  It was nice – Keira's lips and tongue were soft, and she was a good kisser – but Lana didn't feel the thrill of passion she got from kissing Clark.  But it felt good enough she felt no desire to call a halt.

Keira kissed her way over Lana's jaw, and Lana moaned lightly as Keira's large breasts swayed and brushed her much smaller ones.  Keira kissed down Lana's neck, and Lana could feel the other woman's hard nipples dragging on her skin.  That was a different, and pleasant, sensation.

Keira continued to walk her mouth down Lana's body, and while Lana found it pleasant, the memory of Clark doing the same was far more thrilling.

Then Keira kissed Lana's lower lips, and Lana gave herself over to pleasure.

Clark had been eager and attentive, and even if he learned fast he was inexperienced.  Keira seemed to know exactly what Lana's body wanted and needed, even better than she herself did.  She gently teased and primed Lana, then drove her relentlessly upwards, then kept her just below her peak for entirely too long before sending her headlong over that precipice.

As Lana came down, gasping and panting, Keira smiled.  "Well?"

Lana grinned.  "Not gonna say I'm into girls. . . but not gonna say I never will be."

Keira nodded.  "You want to try?"

Lana blushed and shook her head.  "Not ready.  Maybe, later?"

Keira nodded.

Lana looked at Clark, laughed.  "Clark definitely needs some attention, though."

"You relax," Keira said, pushing Clark back to lie on the bed.  "I've got this."

Lana and Kara didn't have sex with each other again that weekend, though they did both work Clark over with their mouths at the same time twice.  They ate, they practiced Torquasm, with Lana learning a very few rudiments of Torquasm-Rao, and they had lots of sex.

Sunday evening, they returned to Smallville.  Lana declined an invitation to dinner with the Kents, feeling it would be impossible to act normally around Jonathan and Martha.  She was still, strangely, getting used to wearing clothes again.  Clark drove her home, returned to the Kent farm for dinner.

If Jonathan and Martha noticed anything different about their adopted kids, they didn't mention it.

Chapter Text

November

With Smallville possessing only one real coffee shop, pretty much everyone wound up hanging out there at some point.  So it was that Lex Luthor, vanilla latte and brownie in hand, spotted Clark Kent sitting at a table studying, and decided to join him.

"Morning, Clark," Lex said.

"Good morning," Clark replied.

"Math treating you better?"

"Kind of," he said.  "I mean, I get it, I just don't want it."  He closed his book.  "How are things with you?  Keira says the projects are all coming along."

"They are."  Lex stopped, looked at his young friend, smiled.  "Congratulations."

"Um, what?"

"You and Lana.  A round of mattress tag?"

Clark flushed.  "Uh, I don't. . . really, there's. . . nothing. . ."

"Clark, every man who gets his V-card punched gets a certain, specific grin that doesn't really fade for about a week.  You're wearing it right now.  Ergo, you and Lana."  Lex raised his coffee cup, paused.  "At least, I assume you and Lana."

"Yes.  Lana and I."  That wasn't technically a lie. . . he just chose not to mention him and Kara also .

"Good.  She seems like a great girl, Clark.  Treat her well."

"Of course."

"If you ever want to do something special for her, let me know.  I could set you up with a night in Metropolis.  Five-star hotel, five-star restaurant, balcony seats at the Siegel Playhouse."

"Thanks, but I'm not sure Lana would really be into that."

Lex shrugged.  "Trust your judgment, Clark.  My own experiences with the fairer sex are nothing to write home about."

Energies surged and lashed, impacting an impenetrable barrier.  With a flash and crack that barrier gave, and a hole was ripped in the fabric of space, closing almost as soon as it opened.

But not before a naked figure fell through that hole.

She stood, blinking, looking around.  This place was utterly alien to her, completely different from her home, and nothing at all like where she'd just been.  What had happened?  Where was she?  What was this place?  It was dark, there were stars and a single moon in the sky, but the constellations made no sense to her.

There was light and a noise.  She turned to see a ground vehicle of unfamiliar type, bright lights shining from its front, stopping near her.  Another sound, a being emerged.  He looked like a man of her people, but something about him was off.

He spoke, and his language was unintelligible, a primitive and simplistic dialect.  She focused on parsing his words, beginning to learn the language of this strange world.

"Ma'am, are you alright?  Do you need help?  Is there someone you want me to call?  I have a blanket in the truck you can cover yourself with."

She struck out with her hand, intending to incapacitate him with a blow to the kresh-tok pressure point in his neck.  Instead there was a loud crunch, his head moved at an impossible angle, and he crumpled to the ground, dead.

Were the beings on the planet truly so fragile?

She approached the dead man's ground vehicle.  As primitive as his language, it at least possessed a sturdy steel structure.

The handle ripped from the door as she tried to open it.

She looked up in the sky again.  Even on this planet's night side, she could feel the energy of its sun being drawn into her cells, enhancing and strengthening her body.  Giving her a might she'd never dreamed to possess.

She walked in the direction the man had come from.  The ground vehicle was on a road, and presumably even these primitives were smart enough to realize that roads should lead somewhere.

"Good God in heaven, would you look at that ?"

Sheriff Turner looked at his deputy's slack-jawed, wide-eyed expression, looked over his shoulder. . . and his jaw went slack, eyes bulging wide.

A stark naked woman, slender and muscular, with short black hair was walking down main street.  The morning sun highlighted her pale, naked skin.  It was unseasonably warm for November in Kansas, but a person should still have some layers to keep warm.

"Uh, mornin', miss," Turner said as he approached, working hard to look her in the eye.  "Uh, I'm afraid I'll have to insist you make yourself decent."

The woman stopped, looking at him.  If she registered his words, she gave no sign.

"Public indecency is still a crime here, miss, but I'll overlook it if you get yourself clothed right quick."  She still didn't speak.  "Are you in trouble?  Do you need assistance?"

Her gaze fixed on the sheriff's badge on his chest.  Her hand reached up for it.  Turner pulled back.  "Hands to yourself, if you please, miss."  She advanced, still reaching for his badge.  "Stop that."  He continued to withdraw, she continued to follow.  "Ma'am, I'm warning you, knock it off!"  Turner put his hand on his gun.

She lunged forward and grabbed his badge.  He drew his gun and fired.

She glared, her eyes glowed red, and Sheriff Turner saw no more.

"Stop right there!" Deputy Miller yelled, drawing his gun.  He could not believe his eyes, the Sheriff's head had exploded in fire from the naked woman looking at him!

She turned, and Miller saw a bruise in her belly.  That couldn't be from where the Sheriff shot her, could it?  "On the ground, hands behind your head!"

The woman smiled, and walked towards him.

Deputy Miller emptied his magazine into her chest.  Bruises blossomed on her pale skin, but she didn't stop, didn't bleed, didn't die.

She grabbed his gun, and the steel slide crumpled like paper, the polymer frame shattered like toothpicks.  She punched him in the chest and his ribs buckled, caving inwards, leaving him gasping and dying slowly on the pavement.

The few people up and about this early in the morning had their phones out, some calling 911, others recording the naked woman who'd just killed two men.

The woman approached a storefront, looking at the mannequins in the window and the dresses they wore.  She punched the window and it shattered, an alarm sounded from the building, but the only law enforcement within a dozen miles was already dead.  She yanked a silver dress off a mannequin and slipped it over her body, then pinned the sheriff's badge to it.

Then she began to walk away, utterly unconcerned about anything that had just happened.

Lana sat in Clark's lap.  Their arms wrapped around each other, they kissed passionately.

"We – should – get back – to studying," she said as their lips and tongues dueled for supremacy.

"We should," Clark agreed, kissing her back.

"We really should," Lana said.

"We really should," Clark agreed.  His hand slid down her back, gripped her ass, squeezed.

"Mm, Clark .  If you don't stop, we'll never get back to studying."

"I should stop."  He squeezed her ass again.

Her fingers knotted against his pecs.  "You're not stopping."

"Neither are you."

"Okay.  We – really – should –"

Suddenly Clark released her, head turning, staring off into space.

"Clark?  Are you okay?  What's wrong?"

"The Fortress.  An alarm."  He looked at her apologetically.  "Lana, I'm sorry–"

"It's okay," she said, climbing off him.  "Go."

Clark nodded, and in a rush of air, he was gone.

Kal opened the wormhole from the cellar of the barn to the Fortress and stepped through.

"Welcome, Kal-El," the Fortress said.

"Kara!" Kal hollered.

"Kara Zor-El is not present."

Another crack and flash of light.  "Welcome, Kara Zor-El."

"Why did you sound the alarm?" Kara asked Kal.

"I didn't, I thought you did."

"I sounded the alarm," the Fortress said.  "Kryptonian life sign detected."

Kara rolled her eyes.  "Yes, we're here ."

"Clarification:  Third Kryptonian life sign detected."

Kara rushed to the console.  "Display."

A holographic map of Earth appeared, narrowed down to North America, then the United States, then Kansas, then a few towns over from Smallville.

"Audio-visual recordings available through this planet's computer data network," the Fortress said, and cell phone videos uploaded to the internet appeared, showing the naked woman killing Sheriff Turner and Deputy Miller.

"Oh, shit," Kara breathed.  "It's Faora."

"Faora-Ul?" Kal said.  "The mass-murdering misandrist Lara warned us about?"

"The very same.  How the hell did she get out of the Phantom Zone?"

"Anomalous energy surge detected immediately prior to the detection of the third Kryptonian life sign."

"Display," Kara said.  Glyphs appeared describing the energy pulse.  "Yeah, that could crack the dimensional wall of the Phantom Zone.  Shit!"  She sighed.  "Okay, Kal, time to suit up."

"Are you sure?" Kal asked, following Kara towards the storage units for their Kryptonian garb.  "Is this the time to reveal ourselves?"

"Probably not," Kara said, already stripping off her regular clothes.  "But we're certainly not chasing after her as Clark and Keira Kent.  And watch yourself , Kal.  Faora is a master of Horu-Kanu , a deadly martial art.  Backed by yellow sun strength, she could incapacitate, maybe even kill us with pressure point techniques."

"Okay," Kal said.  "But do we have a plan beyond fly in wearing capes and hope for the best?"

"Nope."

"Okay," Kal said, unfastening his pants.  "How about this?"

Another primitive ground vehicle screeched to a halt in front of Faora, and a half dozen men wielding archaic chemically powered projectile weapons jumped out.

"Alright there, missy," the leader said.  "This here's a citizen's arrest.  You just come along quiet-like, and we'll take you to see the police."

Faora smiled.  She was becoming more and more accustomed to her powers under this yellow sun, and she rushed forward in a blur.  With precise strikes, the men were all dead or dying in less than a thrib .  (AN:  That's about a second on Earth.)

It was a pity her martial skill didn't really come into play.  The people of this world were constructed a bit differently from hers, the nerve clusters and pressure points weren't in all the same places.  But as strong as she was, it didn't really matter.  "I think I'm going to like it here," Faora said to herself.

"Faora Hu-Ul!" a voice rang out.

Snarling at being addressed by her slave name , Faora-Ul looked towards the voice, and saw a man floating in midair.  And his costume, the cape, the emblem, all set her teeth on edge, a bastardized collection of Kryptonian iconography.

"I am Kal-El, Last Son of Krypton," the man said.  "For crimes against the people of Krypton and the people of Earth, you are under arrest."

His Kryptonese speech was stilted, as though he didn't speak it often.  Faora hoped he knew the language well enough to know when he was being insulted.  "Earth, is that what you call the place?  Not when I'm through with it.  Tell me, Kal-El, are you related to Jor-El?"

"He was my father."

"Was?  Then he's dead?  Good.  That means I just need to kill you ."  Reasoning that if Kal-El was from Krypton and could defy gravity under this yellow sun, then she could do the same, Faora rose into the air towards him.

"Surrender, Faora," Kal said.

"Never, not to a male ," she snarled, then rushed towards him.

Kal slipped to the side.  She had speed, and she could fly, but either she hadn't absorbed enough solar energy to do both or she hadn't figured out how to yet.  Either way, for now, Kal had the advantage, and he intended to make use of it.

His foot shot out, catching Faora in the back, sending her careening out of control through the air.  He flew after her, dipping slightly to hit her again from below, knocking her upwards.  He checked his bearings, then hit her again, throwing her north.  He chased after her, drawing back for another blow.

She spun in midair as he closed, already committed to his punch.  She grabbed his arm, slammed two fingers of her other hand into his armpit.  Kal screamed as pain shot through his trunk and arm, the whole right side of his body stopped listening to his brain.

Faora made a half-fist, knuckle of her middle finger pointed like an arrowhead, and punched for his neck.  A Torquasm-Rao forearm block intercepted the blow, but his left arm was now completely numb.  Kal summoned up his heat vision and blasted her in the face, knocking her away and buying some space.

She recovered quicker than he would have liked, flying back at him, fists extended.  Kal shot away from her, heading north.

He looked over his shoulder.  She was still following, not gaining but not losing ground, either.

Perfect.

They crossed into Canadian airspace, then back out of it.  The endless white of the arctic stretched beneath them.

From that expanse of blankness a colorful blur shot up, and Kara slammed both fists into Faora's stomach.  She tumbled through the air, wind knocked out of her.

"It's over, Faora," Kara said.  "Krypton is gone.  We're all that's left.  Stand down, give up, and we can discuss a pardon."

Faora got control of her tumbling flight.  "It's really true, then?  Krypton was destroyed?"

Kara nodded.  "I'm afraid so."

"And who are you?"

"I'm Kara Zor-El."

"No!" Faora snarled.  "No you're not!  Don't bow to the objectifying traditions of men who've been shattered into dust!  This is a new world, Kara-El, and we can make it into whatever we wish."

"No, we can't.  We can guide them, help them, but we can't rule them."

"Yes we can!"

"Fine.  We won't ."

Faora turned to look at Kal.  "Then my work is almost complete.  Just one last male left to kill."

"No!" Kara shouted.

"You'll thank me when it's done, Kara-El.  Once you're free from the only male who can control you, you'll see I'm right."

Faora rushed toward Kal.  He met her attacks with his best defenses, but he was still inexperienced, especially against someone who legitimately wanted to kill him.  Hits snaked through, then more and more as his ability to defend himself was compromised.  But Faora was unused to her powers, and her reflexes were trained at fighting opponents bound by gravity.  A blow to his left thigh locked his knee joint, a crippling strike if he couldn't fly.  A blow to his chest made it agony to breathe, but with yellow sunlight suffusing his cells, he didn't need to breathe.  Hits to his arms made his blocks slower and less precise.  But while Kal was hurting, Faora wasn't making much progress in injuring him.

And what progress she was making was undone, as the solar energy he’d built up over his whole life healed the damage almost as fast as it could be inflicted.

He pivoted in the air, bringing his legs up and kicking her away.  He blasted her with heat vision, she responded in kind.  The beams met in the middle, and gradually, Kal's were forced back, closer and closer to his face.

Then Faora's beams sputtered and died.  She slipped in the air, then started to fall.

Kara dove down and caught her, and bound her wrists with cuffs lined in Blue Kryptonite, fabricated in the Fortress just for her.

"What happened?  What did you do?" Faora demanded.

Kal smiled as he touched down.  "You probably figured out our bodies process yellow solar radiation differently.  You probably also figured out that the more yellow sunlight we absorb, the more powerful we get.  What you apparently didn't figure out is that the reserves aren't infinite; we expend the energy if we use strength or speed beyond what we would have normally, if we take hits that would injure or kill us without it, as we defy gravity.  And as we fire our heat vision.  Fun fact:  heat vision depletes our solar energy reserves faster than anything else we can do."

"You've been on Earth less than a day.  We've been here seventeen years.  We've got a lot more stored up than you do."  Kara pulled on Faora's cuffs.  "And these are lined with Blue Kryptonite, which shuts off our ability to access solar energy reserves.  No more powers for you."

"In short," Kal said, still smirking.  "You fell for the rope-a-dope."

Faora screamed in impotent rage as Kal and Kara took her by the arms, and flew her the rest of the way to the Fortress.

"How's that Phantom Zone projector coming?" Kara asked as they entered the Fortress.

"Nearly complete, Kara Zor-El," the Fortress replied.

"No," Faora said.  "No!" she screamed, thrashing in Kal's grip.  "Not that, anything but that!  Please!"

"It's the only safe place we can put you," Kara said.  "I'm sorry."

"No!  You don't understand, there's nothing there.  No matter, no energy, no time, nothing!  You exist in a formless, frozen eternity!"  Faora thrashed some more, then twisted around to look at Kal.  "Please, Kal-El, mercy.  I. . . I. . ." Faora swallowed hard.  "I beg you," she finished quietly.

Kal looked at Faora, stunned, then turned to Kara.  "Kara?"

"What else can we do with her, Kal?  No prison on Earth can hold her."

"We have Blue Kryptonite."

"And how do we explain that she can never be allowed to take it off?  How do we ensure it never gets taken off?  Because it will , and then we'll be right back where we started.  Worse , since Blue K only prevents access to solar energy, it doesn't stop her from collecting it.  As long as she's on Earth, she'll keep getting stronger.  The Phantom Zone is the best we can do."

"Kill me, then," Faora said.  "I prefer death to the Zone.  Execute me if you must, just don't send me back there."

Kal swallowed heavily.  "We can't."

Faora sneered.  "Typical weak-willed male .  You, sister, you give me the honor of a clean death."

"Kal's right, we can't."

"I'm as fragile as any human in these cuffs, there are a thousand ways to kill me instantly with your bare hands under this yellow sun."

Kal and Kara shared a look.

"Fine, then," Kal said.  "We won't."

"Phantom Zone projector fabrication complete," the Fortress said.

Kara drew the device from the fabricator.

"This is no mercy," Faora said.  " This is no mercy! "

"Never said it was," Kara said solemnly.  "Just the best of bad options."

"Wait!" Kal said.  "The DEO!"

Kara shook her head.  "She's our problem, Kal.  Our people, our planet, our ancestors who discovered the Zone and began using it as a prison.  We can't pawn her off on someone else."

"We can offer mercy."

"And give the DEO the means to subdue and contain us ."

Kal raised an eyebrow.  "You really think Jeremiah hasn't already figured that out?"

Kara chewed her lip.  Kal was right. . . Jeremiah might love them and be almost an honorary uncle, but it was his job to contain or eliminate extraterrestrial threats, and Kryptonians were about as big as an extraterrestrial threat could get.  He would definitely have figured it out.

"Alright," Kara said.  "Your call, Faora.  Human justice, or Kryptonian."

"Anything would be better than the Phantom Zone."

Kal sighed in relief.  "Fortress, call Jeremiah Danvers."

Jeremiah listened to Kal and Kara explain about their Phantom Zone escapee.  "Well, that's certainly an interesting problem.  And yes, I think we can help you out with that."  He cleared his throat.  "This would be the naked woman who left nearly a dozen dead in rural Kansas today?"

"That many?" Kara breathed, suddenly reconsidering.  The Phantom Zone was exactly what Faora deserved.

"A motorist in the middle of the night, a Sheriff and Deputy early in the morning, two men who tried to stop her shortly after, and a six-man posse trying to hunt her down and bring her in.  At least we're counting the motorist as hers, the evidence is circumstantial, but compelling."

"Yeah," Kal muttered distastefully.  "That'd be her."

"Can you bring her to Site 9?"

Kal nodded.  "Site 9" was a DEO airfield twenty miles north of Smallville, giving them access to the only confirmed extrasolar material so far discovered – Kryptonite.  "We can be there within the hour."

"We'll have transport ready to take charge of her."  Jeremiah paused, and they could hear the smile in his voice.  "Good work, you two."

Kal and Kara arrived at Site 9 carrying Faora between them.  Her stolen dress had been reduced to tattered scraps in the fight, so they'd fabricated a basic Kryptonian bodysuit for her, light gray with no chest emblem or other decoration.  It was also not made of even simple Kryptonian metamaterials.  Such a garment would be impressive body armor, even without its wearer having yellow sun powers.  This suit would provide Faora no unusual protection.

Jeremiah was waiting for them, along with a tall black man.  They watched Kal and Kara descend from the sky and touch down on the tarmac.

"Well, that's certainly a fashion statement," Jeremiah said, taking in their Kryptonian garb.

"Her idea," Kal said.  "But. . . it's growing on me."

"And this is our prisoner?" Jeremiah asked, looking at Faora.  "Faora Hu-Ul?"

"Faora- Ul , you small-minded male ," she replied with venom.

Jeremiah raised his eyebrows.  "Charmed."

"We have her in cuffs lined with Blue Kryptonite.  It suppresses her ability to draw on her solar radiation reserves, but–"

"Not her ability to draw it in, meaning even now she's getting stronger, she just can't use it?" Jeremiah interrupted.

"Yeah," Kara said.

"We can deal with that.  An underground cell lit with lamps mimicking the red sunlight of Krypton.  It'll drive the yellow sunlight from her cells, keep her depowered."

Kara's eyes widened.  "How do you know the spectrographic measurements of Rao?"

Jeremiah smiled.  "Kal-El, Kara Zor-El, I'd like you to meet my top agent, John Jones."  He motioned to the tall black man.

"My Earth name.  I am properly called J'onn J'onzz. . . and I am familiar with Krypton."

John's appearance shifted, and he morphed from a tall, handsome human to a tall, green-skinned, exotically reptilian looking alien.

"A Martian ?" Kara gasped.  "But I thought they. . . uh," she paused, embarrassed.

"We very nearly are," J'onn said sadly.  "As far as I know, I am the last survivor of Mars."

"I'm so sorry," Kara said quietly.

Kal nodded.  "You have our sympathies, J'onn.  If we can help in any way, just ask."

"Thank you," J'onn said, morphing back into his human disguise.  "My condolences on your world, as well.  I know of Krypton, where to look for its sun, and how to get the readings to replicate it."

Kal tilted his head at J'onn.  "I don't understand.  You're an alien, and you work for a group dedicated to protecting Earth from aliens?"

J'onn shrugged.  "You're aliens, and you're turning one of your own over to that same group.  We all want the same thing:  to protect the only home we have left.  We're no threat, but we all know there are aliens out there who are."

Kal nodded.

Jeremiah touched his earpiece.  "The DEO as a whole doesn't know, and I'm about to call out some agents to help with the transfer.  So, anything else we need to discuss amongst ourselves?"  When Kal, Kara, and J'onn shook their heads, Jeremiah activated the earpiece.  "We're ready."

From the windowless plane, six agents exited, two of them pushing a gurney with a large steel box, not unlike a coffin.

They brought the box up, tilted it upright, and opened the lid.  The inside glowed with red light, and Kal and Kara immediately felt their solar energy reserves draining, as their bodies preferentially soaked up the sunlight they were evolved for, even if it made them weaker.  It would take more intense and prolonged exposure to remove their powers, but even this limited contact was not pleasant.

"Step into the box," Jeremiah ordered Faora.

She sneered.  "You mean to transport me in a coffin to a cage buried in a cave?"

"We can still send you to the Phantom Zone if you prefer," Kal said.

Faora scoffed, entered the box, turned around.  Jeremiah looked at Kara.  "Mind if we keep the cuffs?"

Kara and Kal shared a look.  Kara shrugged.  "I guess not."

Jeremiah nodded.  The lid was closed and locked, the box tilted back to horizontal, and the agents wheeled it back aboard the plane.

"Thanks for your help," Kal said, shaking Jeremiah's hand.

"Any time," Jeremiah replied, shaking Kara's hand.

"Though it's a bit concerning how confident you are in your ability to keep her restrained," Kara said.

Jeremiah nodded.  "Red sun cell, no natural light on the whole level, reinforced walls and doors."

"And I'm a match for a Kryptonian, even empowered by the yellow sun," J'onn added.

"And if worse comes to worst, we have Kryptonite," Jeremiah finished.

Kara crossed her arms.  "I don't like it."

Jeremiah winced.  "I know.  I honestly believe neither of you will ever be a threat, but we have to consider it and prepare for it.  And good thing, since while it wasn't you, we did need to contain a Kryptonian."

"I agree with Kara," Kal said.  "But I also understand your point."

"You could have just put her back in the Phantom Zone," Jeremiah said.

Kal shuddered.  "No, I couldn't.  You didn't hear her talk about it.  She begged for anything else."

Jeremiah's eyebrows shot up.  " She begged?  I've only known her for two minutes, and I can tell she's far too proud to beg."

"Not when it comes to the Phantom Zone," Kal said.

"Still," Kara said.  "Don't underestimate her.  She's still incredibly dangerous."

Jeremiah nodded.  "We won't."

As the transport crate was secured for takeoff, Faora-Ul, bathed in artificial red sunlight, smiled.

Escape from the Phantom Zone had been a fluke, unlikely to ever be repeated.  While it was a living hell, she much preferred her odds of escaping here than there.

Even if these humans were clever enough to strip her of the powers this planet offered, Faora was certain she could outwit these barely-sapient halfwits.  No matter how good their countermeasures were, they would make mistakes she could exploit.

It was only a matter of time.

"We've all heard the urban legends of the Bat of Gotham, the fishmen of Atlantis, and the Warrior Princess of World War I, but now it seems like a new one is cropping up right in America's heartland.

"Stunning video footage captured this morning shows what seems to be a woman possessing extraordinary powers killing two police officers in a small town in Kansas.  Unconfirmed reports pin nine other murders in the area on this same unknown female.  There are also unconfirmed reports of two other individuals with extraordinary abilities engaging this assailant, before all three vanished.

"Details remain sparse, and we will keep viewers updated on this situation as it develops, but as always we urge our viewers to remain calm and await real facts, and not put stock in misinformation or speculation.

"This is Snapper Carr, WBGS news, reporting."

Lex closed the news tab in his computer.  He had a few more details to work with than any news agency.  Luthorcorp computers were capable of searching for and compiling all the video captured of the strange woman.  Normally, looking at video of a naked woman on a work computer would be grounds for termination, or at least a very awkward meeting with HR, but this was valuable research.

Luthorcorp assets also had slightly more tracking data on the strange woman and the mysterious figures who'd attacked her.  Lex still had no idea where they'd ultimately gone, but he had some of their battle.

Keira's report on the evidence from the Christmas robbery had been thorough and compelling, except now Lex was looking at verifiable evidence of someone who could do everything that evidence suggested.  Not just one person, three people.

Lex leaned back in his chair, going over the facts.

Fact one:  the meteor rocks of Smallville were made up of materials not found in this solar system.  Thus, they were evidence that some extremely strange things could be found in the wider universe.

Fact two:  someone at the Luthorcorp Christmas party had exhibited at least two of the demonstrated abilities of these three exceptional individuals, emitting high-energy lasers and being impervious to conventional harm.  Lex was increasingly certain Clark hadn't been involved; at the speeds this mystery woman and her assailants were capable of, whoever was at the party likely could have moved faster than the eye or security cameras could follow, especially once the sprinklers activated and obscured vision.

Fact three:  Luthorcorp had been running an experiment on the unusual radiation the Smallville meteor rocks emitted, which resulted in a terrifying energy surge and a hasty abort of the experiment, and hours later this woman was killing cops in a small town only a few miles away from the Smallville plant.

Fact four:  it was statistically unlikely for a large amount of extrasolar material to make it to Earth, unless it had been guided there.

Speculation:  wasn't one of the best ways to attack an enemy on another planet to hurl very big rocks at extremely high velocity?

Had the Smallville meteor shower been a first strike by an extrasolar enemy, a relativistic kinetic kill vehicle that had somehow failed?

Lex was vaguely offended by the idea that an alien species could be advanced enough to attempt such a thing and incompetent enough to screw it up.

But perhaps they hadn't.  Perhaps the meteor shower hadn't been an attack, but a seeding of resources.  Perhaps the material and its strange radiation permitted a more advanced form of travel.  That certainly seemed to be the case, with the strange woman seemingly appearing out of nowhere after his experiment with meteor rock.

Perhaps the shower had been guided.  Perhaps some shepherds had been on Earth since then, working quietly to establish their beachhead.

Then why attack their comrade?  Fear of exposure?

Lex shrugged.  It was all pretty far-fetched, he'd admit, and firmly in the realm of speculation.  But people too often misapplied Occam's Razor, boiling it down to "simple things are true," when in reality it was "the simplest hypothesis that adequately explains the phenomenon is more likely to be correct."  There was material from outside Earth's solar system and people with abilities impossible for a human.

Aliens were real, and at least three of them were on Earth.

And if they were a threat – and given their powers, how could they not be? – someone should look into neutralizing that threat.

Lex smiled, and opened a new secure document.  He had lots of experimental methodology to plan.

Chapter Text

December

Smallville's lone coffee shop wasn't usually the site of an irate customer, but there were rare exceptions.

The man cut to the front of the line, shoving his way to the counter.  The barista's eyes widened.  "Uh, sir, I'll have to ask you to wait in line like everyone else."

"No, large latte."

"I really need you to go to the back of the line and wait your turn."

"No!  How hard is that to understand?  Just make my damn coffee!"

"Not until you wait–"

"Are you stupid?  That peroxide leaching into your brain?  Make my coffee, I'm not waiting in any line!"

A hand landed on the man's shoulder, turning him around.  He faced a woman several inches taller than his own average height, with black hair and glittering blue eyes.  If he hadn't been so angrily self-absorbed, he would have been struck by how beautiful she was.

"You're being quite rude, sir.  I suggest you wait in line like the rest of us."

"I didn't ask your opinion, bitch," the man snarled, turning around.

The woman turned him right back.  "There's no call for that kind of language.  Now I insist you wait in line like this nice young lady asked you to."

"Get your damn hands off me!"

"Wait your turn, sir."

His eyes narrowed.  "I'm not afraid to hit a woman."

"I wouldn't recommend trying it."

The man's fist shot out at her face, but she was already in motion, grabbing his arm and wrenching it behind his back, spinning him around to face the stunned barista.  "Now, apologize."

"Fuck you, cunt!  Let me go!"

The man couldn't see it, but the woman's face darkened.  She yanked on his arm, he yelped.  " Apologize .  To both of us."

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!"

The woman looked at the barista.  "Do you still wish to serve this man his coffee?"

The barista folded her arms, glaring.  "Not really, no."

"So,” the woman said to the unruly man.  "Will you leave quietly, or will I show you out?"

"Get your goddamn hands off me!"

"Show you out it is."  The woman marched the man out of the coffee shop, then went to the back of the line.

The customer ahead of her stepped aside.  "You were here before me."

"I left my place."

"Take mine, I insist."

"So do I," the next customer said.

"And me," the next one said.

"Mine, too," the next one said.

The woman was back at the counter.

"What can I get you?" the barista asked.

"Large hot chocolate, please."

The barista punched it in.  "On the house."

The woman already had her billfold out.  "You don't have to do that," she said with a warm smile.

"My pleasure," the barista said.  "Name?"

"Diana," the woman replied, dropping a twenty dollar bill in the tip jar.

Lana was wiping down tables as she reached the back corner where the black-haired woman – Diana – sat, sipping her hot chocolate.  The woman looked up and smiled as Lana approached.  Lana smiled back.  “Thanks again for helping with that guy,” she said.

“My pleasure,” Diana said warmly.  “I just can’t fathom how some people can be so rude to complete strangers.”

“And yet it happens,” Lana replied.  “Though not usually in Smallville.  I haven’t seen you around before, are you new in town?”

“Just visiting,” Diana said.  “You’ve lived here your whole life?”

“Well, not yet,” Lana answered with a grin.

Diana smiled back.  “Ah, of course.  You know the area pretty well?”

Lana shrugged.  “As well as anyone, I guess.”

Diana leaned forward.  “So you’d know about any local legends, tall tales, bizarre occurrences, or strange beings sighted nearby?”

Lana froze, and tried not to let her surprise and concern show on her face.  “Uh. . . that’s an. . . odd question.”

Diana smiled, and popped open a slender silver case.  “I’m sorry, I forget to explain myself.”  She handed Lana a business card.  “Professional interest.”

The card proclaimed she was Doctor Diana Prince, Professor of Literature, Mythology, and Folklore at Metropolis University.

Lana shrugged, handing the card back, but Diana waved her to keep it.  “Well, I don’t know about anything like that in Smallville.  We’re a pretty boring town.”

“Nonsense,” Diana replied.  “Every place has its own stories.”

“Then I guess we’re exceptional in being thoroughly unexceptional.”  She waved vaguely with her towel.  “I should really get back to the tables.”

“Of course,” Diana said.

Hours later, Diana smiled as she saw the lovely redhead leave the coffee shop at the end of her shift.  It had been obvious to her the young woman had been lying about there being nothing strange at all in Smallville.  So, holding back far enough the redhead wouldn’t see or notice her, but well within Diana’s ability to keep tabs on her, Diana followed.

The girl returned to her home, a light went on in an upper-floor window.  Probably changing out of her work clothes.  Diana was not tempted to peek through the window.  The young woman was certainly gorgeous, and Diana certainly wouldn’t mind seeing her, but only if the woman wished her to see.  A few minutes passed, then the redhead left the house, cutting through fields towards a farmhouse a mile away.

Diana kept far enough to be unobtrusive, close enough to see and hear.  Her quarry didn’t enter the farmhouse, but the nearby barn, and Diana listened to her footsteps climb wooden stairs.

“Clark?” the woman said.

“Lana,” a young man’s voice replied.  Diana smiled as she heard the rustle of fabric and soft, wet sounds as a tender embrace and loving kisses were exchanged.  Ah, young love.

“Clark,” Lana said, pushing away from Clark’s lips.  “Something weird happened today.”

“Oh?” Clark asked, squeezing Lana fractionally tighter.

Lana nodded.  “There was this woman at the coffee shop.  She booted a line-cutting belligerent out.”

“Good for her,” Clark smirked.

“I was talking with her later, and she asked about anything weird in town, myths or legends, or. . . strange beings.”

Clark nodded, concern shadowing his features.  “What did you tell her?”

“Nothing!” Lana protested.  “Smallville’s completely boring, I just told her the truth.”

Clark winced.  “Well. . . even Smallville has its moments.”

“All of which point back to you .”

“True,” Clark replied.  “Did you get her name?”

Lana nodded.  “Diana Prince, Professor of Mythology at MetU.”

“Hm, maybe that’s it.  A Professor on sabbatical looking into local legends for some kind of research project or something.  Maybe it doesn’t have anything to do with us.”

“But wouldn’t a harmless kooky professor be exactly the kind of cover someone sinister would use to investigate someone like you?”

Clark grinned.  “You watch too much TV.”  Still, it was a valid point.

“What do we do?”

Clark shrugged.  “What we always do.  Act normal.  Pretend we blend in, don’t draw attention.  Sooner or later, this Professor will get bored and move on if she doesn’t find what she’s looking for.”

“And if she does?”

“I already did.”

Clark and Lana spun, seeing the woman from the coffee shop standing at the top of the loft steps.

“Who are you?” Clark asked, shocked that he hadn’t heard her approach.  “How did you get here?”

“I followed her,” the woman said, waving at Lana.  Then she smiled.  “And I mean no harm.  I am Diana, Princess of Themyscira, daughter of Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons.  I came seeking you, because I believe an Age of Heroes will rise again, that exceptional individuals will protect and inspire all the people of Earth, guiding them into a new era of peace and joy.”

Clark blinked.  “So. . . you’re, like. . . a crazy person?”

Diana chuckled, and slowly opened her trenchcoat.  She drew a coil of yellow rope from within it, stretched it taut between her hands.  The rope lit up with a golden glow.  Clark and Lana stared.  “This is the Lasso of Hestia.  Anyone bound in its coils must tell only the truth.”  Diana wrapped a length around her right forearm, then extended her hand to Clark.

Clark hesitated a moment, looking at the glowing rope – obviously something as strange as he himself – then at the woman’s face.  Her expression was open, honest, and kind.  Paranoid as he was about his secret being revealed, he could find no cause to feel wary of this strange woman.

So, finally, he gripped her hand.  Just as Diana was starting to wrap the rope around his wrist, Lana’s hand landed atop theirs.

Diana looked at Lana, raised an eyebrow.  Lana stared back.  Diana smiled, and wrapped the rope around both Clark’s wrist and Lana’s.

“Who are you?” Diana asked Clark.

“Clark Kent, also Kal-El, Last Son of Krypton,” Clark said without hesitation, then his eyebrows shot up.  “How did you do that?”

“The Lasso of Hestia compels anyone bound in its coils to tell nothing but the truth, I explained that,” Diana replied.  “What is Krypton?”

Being bound by Diana’s Lasso was a strange sensation.  The idea of lying simply didn’t occur, there was no reason not to tell nothing but the truth.  More than that, Clark could feel that Diana’s words were just as true as his, and Lana could feel the unvarnished honesty in both Clark and Diana.

“My homeworld,” Clark answered.  “It was destroyed.  Who are you?”

“Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons,” Diana replied.  “Why are you here, Kal-El?”

“My parents sent me, to save me from my planet’s destruction.  Why are you here?”

“I left Themyscira for Man’s World to guide and protect it, when war again finally found our shore.”

Lana gasped.  “You’re the Warrior Princess of World War I.”

Diana smiled and nodded.  “I was, yes.  I helped save the world a hundred years ago, and I believe the world still needs help.  From people like me, and people like you, Clark.”  Her gaze shifted to Lana.  “And you, Lana.”

“But I’m no one special,” Lana protested.

Diana furrowed her brow.  “Then who fought with you?” she asked Clark.

“That would be me.”

Diana turned, and saw a very angry blonde woman floating above the loft stairs.

“Get away from my cousin,” Kara snarled.

“Kara, wait-”

But Kara was already in motion, heedless of Clark’s protest.  She darted forward, flying too fast for the human eye to see, with force no human could resist.

And with near equal speed and force, Diana spun, her left arm coming up to redirect Kara’s momentum away.  Kara spun through the air, recovering barely before she would have smashed through the loft’s wall.

“I mean you no harm,” Diana said.

“It’s true, Kara,” Clark said.  “It’s alright.  She’s okay.”

Kara glared at Diana, unconvinced.

Diana gripped a loose cord of her Lasso in her hand.  “Please.  Let me prove it to you.  Trust me.”

Grudgingly, Kara placed her hand with Clark’s, Lana’s, and Diana’s, allowed Diana to wrap the glowing golden rope around her wrist.  Diana explained again about the Lasso, and being an Amazon princess, and her belief that the world needed heroes.  Kara could feel that every word was the complete truth.

She looked at Kal.  “It’s not exactly what we had in mind regarding changing the world.”

Kal smirked.  “You designed that Kryptonian garb for a reason,” he replied.

Kara tilted her head, conceding the point.  She turned to Diana.  “How did you find us?”

“The news.  Two exceptional individuals battling a third in this area.  Then it was just a matter of tracking strange stories to their source, and that source was Smallville and its meteor shower.”

Kara nodded, a bit perturbed Diana had put it all together so easily.  “So what do you want?”

“I want to help you, guide you.  I want to teach you and learn from you.”  Diana smiled.  “I want us to be friends.”

Kal and Kara looked at each other, the look speaking volumes.  Finally, Kara turned back to Diana.  “Excuse us a minute, we need to talk.”

“Of course,” Diana replied, releasing the coils of her Lasso.  The golden rope stopped glowing, slid off Kal and Kara’s wrists.

In a rush of air, they were gone.

Diana smiled in awe.  “Amazing.”

Lana looked awkwardly at Diana.  “So. . . you really thought. . ?”

Diana smiled.  “You and Kal-El are very close.  You love each other deeply.  I can feel it.  You’ve chosen to give your hearts to each other.”  Diana smirked.  “And your bodies.”

Lana blushed.  “So, that made you think I was someone special?”

Diana shrugged.  “You wouldn’t be the first to be joined in battle and bedroom.”  She regarded Lana carefully.  “But I think you were wrong, about what you said earlier.”

Lana laughed nervously.  “Isn’t your Lasso supposed to make us tell the truth?”

“Self-delusion can be tricky.  When someone believes something false, there’s usually a part of them that knows they’re wrong, that is what the Lasso forces them to confront.  But you genuinely believe there’s nothing special about you.”

“There isn’t,” Lana replied.

“Oh, Lana,” Diana reached up, cupped Lana’s cheek in her hand.  “You have captured the heart of a god .  Even knowing as little as I do, I know Kal-El’s powers are extraordinary.  He could go anywhere, do anything, be anything.  And he has chosen you .  You still don’t think that makes you special?”

Lana could see Diana’s point, yet at the same time spotted a flaw in her reasoning.  “Kal-El is special, no doubt.  But Clark is just a guy from Smallville, and that’s who I fell in love with, and who fell in love with me.  There really is nothing special about Clark Kent and Lana Lang.”  She smiled.  “Maybe we’re exceptional by being un exceptional.”

Diana smiled, her thumb stroking Lana’s cheek.  “You are a very wise woman, Lana Lang.”

Lana’s smile grew, her heart inexplicably buoyed by Diana’s praise.

“But now I see Kal-El and Kara together, and I understand,” Diana said, letting her hand drop.  “They love each other, too.  And. . .” Diana frowned, looking at Lana again.

Lana nodded, embarrassed at explaining the situation in words to a relative stranger.  “They. . . well, their abilities, they’re so powerful. . . they had to. . . before Clark and I could. . . they had to practice.”

Diana nodded in understanding.  She’d faced no such difficulties, but her powers were different, from a different source.  And she’d had thousands of years of Amazon training.  “That does not bother you,” Diana stated.

Lana shook her head.  “I thought it would, at first,” she admitted.  She didn’t know why she was sharing such personal details with a stranger, but Diana was surprisingly easy to talk to.  “But it was necessary for Clark and I to be together, and Keira was so helpful for both of us, and. . . I finally just realized, I enjoyed it, and should be okay and let myself enjoy it.”

Diana smiled and nodded in understanding.  “He has so much love to give, more than enough for you and everyone else.  And you like seeing him share his love.”

Lana nodded, something fluttering in her chest.  “Yeah, that sounds exactly right.”  She looked Diana up and down, nervousness building, but she cleared her throat and steeled her courage.  “And you?”

Diana’s eyebrow raised, one corner of her full-lipped mouth quirking up.  She took Lana’s meaning.  “I would not say no.”  Behind her glasses, a gleam entered Diana’s blue eyes.  “To any of you,” she added quietly.

Even if she wasn’t attracted to women, Lana could admit Diana was stunningly gorgeous. . . and Lana was not entirely certain she wasn’t attracted to women.  And she knew Keira was at least curious. . . “I think we can work something out,” she said.

Diana smiled, then tilted her head.  “They’re coming.”

Moments later, in another rush of wind, Clark and Keira were back.  “We’ve talked,” Keira said.  “And. . . friends sounds good.”

Diana rushed forward, hugging the Kryptonians.  “I’m so pleased,” she said.  “I want to learn everything about you both.”

Clark nodded as Diana broke the hug.  “We have a place for that,” he said.

Chapter Text

December

It wasn’t nearly as hard to sneak Diana into the barn basement as Clark and Keira feared, Diana could be surprisingly stealthy.  They weren’t ready to admit to their parents that someone had found them out, that there was another super-powered person on the planet who had taken an interest in them.

They had swiftly arranged another “camping trip,” with Lana tagging along with bags full of groceries carried by Clark.

Diana followed Clark and Lana through the wormhole to the Fortress of the House of El, and stared in wonder.  “This is amazing,” she said breathlessly.  “A grandeur to rival the palaces of Mount Olympus.”

Kara followed them, and the wormhole snapped off.

“Okay, the tour,” Clark said.  “Starting with the kitchen.”  He hefted Lana’s groceries.

Clark set the bags down, and he, Kara, and Lana started putting things away.

“I see why you insisted,” Diana said, looking in one of the cupboards.  “How do you eat like this?”

“Our bodies are supercharged,” Kara said.

“Your powers?” Diana asked.

“Partly.”  Kara explained the basics of Kryptonian biology, the effect of Earth’s yellow sun on their bodies.  It wasn’t that their bodies demanded more calories because of their powers, but that because of their powers, they were fit and healthy no matter what.

They finished putting the food away, then Clark led them through the Fortress, showing them the bedrooms, the main chamber with its crystal computer console, the solarium, and finally the gym.

“Ah, this is perfect,” Diana said, walking to the center of the open space.  “I’m quite eager to see what you two are really capable of.”

“How?” Clark asked.

Diana smiled at him.  “Some light sparring.”

Clark looked at Lana and Keira, then back at Diana, shrugging.  “Sounds good.”

“Excellent!  Shall we begin?”

“Sure.”

“Wonderful.”  Diana’s hand went to her blouse, started opening buttons.

“What are you doing?” Clark asked, alarmed.

“We’re going to exercise,” Diana said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  “This is how exercise was done in Ancient Greece.”

“We’re not in Ancient Greece,” Clark observed.

“And?”

Clark to Lana and Keira for support, spotted a small smirk on Lana’s lips.  He narrowed his eyes, looking closer.  Lana noticed, and her smirk widened, and she winked.

You little minx, Clark thought.  “Lana?” he asked warily.

Lana shrugged.  “Last time we were here, it was clothing optional.”  Her hands went to the hem of her shirt, began to lift it.

Kara giggled, and Kal raised an eyebrow at her.  “Kara?”

“When in Rome,” she said, then frowned.  “Or, when Rome comes to you.  Or when Greece comes to you.”  Kara began unbuttoning her blouse.

Kal looked back at Diana, who had her blouse mostly undone, exposing the lacy black bra that struggled to contain her bountiful bosom.

He sighed.  This was a fight he couldn’t win – and didn’t want to win, if he was being honest with himself.  “Alright,” he said, unbuttoning his flannel.

He tried to keep his composure as Diana pulled the tails of her blouse out of her slacks, tossing it to the side.  Her breasts jiggled pleasantly as the bra struggled to contain them, jiggled even more pleasantly when she unfastened it.  She discarded her bra and they hung free, large and full and looking deliciously soft and welcoming.  By now he had his flannel and undershirt off, and had the satisfaction of seeing Diana eye him as approvingly as he was no doubt eyeing her.  A tease on her lips and glimmer in her eyes, she opened her slacks and pulled them down her long, toned legs.  Her panties followed.

Kal finished removing his clothes, then unabashedly drank in Diana’s nude body.  The hard muscles of her shoulders, back, arms, abs, and legs were just as gorgeous as the soft well of her breasts, hips, and butt.  Desire for her thundered through him, he had to force it to the back of his mind because it was impossible to banish completely.

Diana’s eyebrow quirked and a hungry smile graced her lips.  “Don’t get distracted, now,” she said, her eyes firmly fixed on Kal’s manhood, throbbing to hardness.

“Same to you,” Kal said, noting her interest.  He took a look back at Kara and Lana, both now naked as well, and saw restrained glee on Lana’s face.  She nodded at him encouragingly; she was going to enjoy this.

Kal approached the center of the gym, drawing closer to Diana.  A few feet away, he stopped, taking up a defensive stance.  Diana settled into her own fighting posture.  They stared each other down.

Diana moved first, surging forward and fists extending in less than the blink of an eye.  Kal reacted, batting aside her first attacks.  He recognized them as weak probing strikes, but was still taken aback by the power he could feel behind them.  Diana was strong .

Getting his measure, Diana ramped up, her strikes no longer probing but aimed at connecting solidly.  Kal’s defenses were sorely tested trying to keep ahead of her, so he struck back, his leg arcing up, aimed at her midsection.  In an impressive show of speed, flexibility, and balance, Diana brought her own leg up, caught Kal’s kick on her shin, kicked out to knock his leg away from her, then she dipped, putting weight back on her blocking leg, her formerly weight-bearing leg sweeping out, knocking Kal’s ankles out from under him.

But she’d forgotten that Kal was not constrained by gravity.

He turned his fall into a sideways flight behind Diana’s rising body, grabbed her arms by her wrists and pinned them behind her back.

Diana smiled, a thousand ways to break his hold flicked through her mind.  One immediately rose to the top.  It would be fun.

Her fingers reached, stretched, touched Kal’s manhood, curled, tickling the turgid tip.

Kal yelped, his grip slackened slightly, but enough for Diana to yank herself free, spin, and send her foot arcing towards his face.

He caught the blow on his forearm.  “No fair!”

“All’s fair in love and war,” Diana retorted with a mischievous grin.

“I doubt we’ll learn anything if we don’t set some ground rules.”

Diana nodded.  “Fine.  I’ll play nice.”  She smirked.  “For now.”

For two hours, Kal and Diana sparred, then Diana called a halt, dismissed Kal, and brought Kara up.  Lana was astonished neither of them were so much as breathing hard.  For another two hours, Diana and Kara tested themselves against each other.  Finally, the group retired to the kitchen, still naked, so they could all get some food and water and Diana could hand out her evaluations.

“Kal-El is nearly as strong and fast as I am,” Diana said, licking her spoon.  Kal and Kara had grabbed a tub of ice cream each, Diana had taken a few scoops.  Lana had made herself a salad and sandwich while Kal baked two more pizzas, of which Diana had eaten two slices, Lana had declined any, and Kal and Kara happily finished off the rest.  “Kara’s stronger and faster than I am.”  Diana smirked.  “But I’m a much better fighter.”

“You’ve had how many years of practice?” Kal asked.

Diana smiled.  “Many.”

“Kal’s abilities are still maturing,” Kara said.  “A few more years, he’ll be on my level.  I think I’ve hit my peak, but I’m not really sure.  Uncle Jor theorized that there may be no true upper limit to the amount of solar energy we can absorb, or the powers we can unlock at higher concentrations.”

“Wonderful.  It's been a hundred years since I had anyone who could keep up with me.”  Her smile was warm, mysterious, and full of promises.

“So, wait,” Kal said.  “Are you saying that on Thermo. . . Thyma. . .”

“Themyscira,” Diana supplied.

“Right.  Are you saying you all work out like this?”

“Four hours a day, every day,” Diana confirmed.

“And there are only women like you there?”

Diana smiled.  “Yes.”

Kal shivered.  The idea of an island full of women as gorgeous as Diana, all exercising, sparring, wrestling, completely nude. . .

Kara giggled.  “I think you short-circuited his brain.”

“Can't say I blame him,” Lana said.

Kal's head whipped around to look at her, his eyes wide.

“What?” Lana said defensively.  “ Look at her, she's a goddess .”

“Demi-goddess, technically, but thank you.”  Diana gave Lana an intense look.  “You are a rare beauty yourself, Kal-El is a most fortunate man.”  That intense look shifted to Kal.  “And you are a most fortunate woman.”

Kara noted the hunger in Diana’s gaze, how it seemed not to discriminate between Kal and Lana.  She cleared her throat.  “So, Diana. . . you, I mean, do you. . .”

Diana laughed.  “What part of ‘island full of nothing but beautiful women' are people having trouble comprehending?” she asked playfully.

“So you play both sides,” Kara said.

“I love men and women,” Diana agreed.  “Hell, I love everyone .”

Three pairs of blue eyes and one pair of green eyes flickered back and forth among each other, sharing heated gazes.

“Okay, cards on the table,” Lana finally said.  “Does everyone in this room want to have sex with everyone else in this room?”

“Absolutely,” Diana said without hesitation.

“Oh, yeah,” Clark said breathily.

Kara smiled at Diana.  “I’d certainly like to have a go at my old Lit Prof.”

Diana smacked the table.  “ That’s where I know you from!  It’s been bugging me.”

Clark’s eyebrows raised.  “You’ve met?”

Kara nodded.  “At MetU.  It took me a bit to recognize her.”  She smiled at Diana.  “Guess our disguises really work.”

“It’s surprisingly effective,” Diana said.

“I took one of her classes freshman year for an easy credit.”  Kara frowned.  “She did not make it easy.”

Diana grinned.  “I never do.”

Clark frowned.  “Kara’s still a student at MetU.”

Diana shrugged.  “I haven’t seen her since she passed my class.”

Kara nodded.  “I’m off-campus studies now, finishing my thesis work.”

Diana nodded.  “Minor ethics violation, not really noteworthy.”

Clark shrugged acceptance.

Kara looked at Lana.  “I know last time wasn't your favorite. . .”

“Last time?” Diana asked.

Lana nodded.  “Keira wanted. . . practice, and. . . I was here.”

Diana pouted slightly.  “You don't like women?”

Lana squirmed.  “I mean. . . I don't think I do, but I don't know I don't l?”

Diana reached across the table, gently took Lana's hand.  “It's okay.  I can steer you around the curves.”  Diana’s warm, friendly loving smile was back, full of both calm comfort and tempting promise.

Lana shivered.  She still didn't feel the desire for Diana that she felt for Clark, but Diana’s smile provoked desire in her nevertheless.  It was very confusing, but not precisely unpleasant.

“Okay,” she breathed after a time.  “Order of operations?”

Diana’s gaze fixed back on Clark.  “I’ve never been with a man equal to me, and I can’t wait to try it.”

“That sounds like dibs,” Kara said, smiling.

Clark looked at Lana, cheeks flushed, eyes bright.

Lana smiled back, stroked his cheek.  “It’ll be fun,” she said, assuring him that she would enjoy him and Diana together as much as he would.

Clark smiled, leaned forward, and kissed Lana tenderly.  “I don’t deserve you.”

“Yes, you do,” she said softly.

Kal looked back to Diana.  “Okay, I guess we’re. . . going to. . .”

Diana’s smile was confident, even cocky.  “I’m going to fuck you stupid, Kal-El of Krypton.”  She looked at the table.  “If we’re done eating?”

Ice cream was quickly shoved back in the freezer, half-eaten slices of pizza left on the table.

The beds in the Fortress were built for two, and because of their hexagonal shape had no trouble accommodating three, but four was starting to get a bit crowded.

Diana wasted no time pushing Kal down on the bed, climbing atop him sensuously.  Lana knelt to the side, feeling the thrill rise in her as she watched Diana devour Clark’s body with her eyes, the subtle change in her movements that showed she was anticipating how delightful it would be to have sex with him.

Lana smirked to herself.  Oh, sweetie, you are in for a treat .

Diana molded her naked body to Kal’s, pressing their naked flesh together.  Their lips met, and they kissed, at first tentative and probing, soon with more urgency and passion.  Kal’s arms wrapped around Diana’s torso, squeezing her to him.

In a flash, with a thud Lana could feel through the bed, Diana pushed Kal’s arms off her, pinning them over his head.  He pushed back, but she refused to let him up.  Her face was only inches away, she gazed deep into his eyes.

With that gaze, Diana communicated her intentions to Kal.  She was going to take control, she requested his open, willing submission to her.  She was going to take what she wanted from him, and give him only what she chose.

But she would make certain he enjoyed it, and he could cancel or alter the dynamic at any time for the asking.  She would not harm him, would not abuse him, would not violate him.  She wanted him to choose to surrender to her, and find joy in that surrender.  If there was no joy, then together they would seek and find it.

Kal saw all of this, and indicated his assent by ceasing his struggle against her.  He willfully surrendered to her, exactly as she wanted.

Diana smiled, leaned down, moving her face closer to his.  “There’s my good man,” she whispered.  Kal lifted his head, seeking her lips, but Diana pulled back, keeping her kiss so tantalizing close but beyond his reach.  Until his head dropped back, then she surged forward and favored him with the taste of her lips and tongue.

Lana watched the brief struggle for dominance, and Kal’s surrender brought a thrill of heat and a surge of wetness to her core.  Her breath hitched.  She knew how powerful Clark was, how strong he was in both body and will, and that power was part of what made her so hot for him.  Diana effortlessly contained and overcame that power, turning Lana’s superman into a pliant plaything.  How incredible was she, to so easily conquer such an incredible man?

Keira slid behind Lana, wrapping her arms around Lana’s waist.  Lana hesitated, then leaned back into the embrace.  It felt good, even if it lacked the flush of desire that coursed through her when Clark held her.

And there was more than enough to stoke Lana’s desire white-hot already.  Diana broke the kiss, shifted her body upward, moving her full, firm breasts in front of Clark’s face.  But as with the kiss, she held them just out of his reach, teasing him with them, literally dangling their promise in front of his face.

Kal again craned his neck forward, but the way Diana had him pinned meant he could not reach those mesmerizingly soft orbs of flesh.  He groaned and whined in frustration, sending another thrilling spike through Lana.  Diana shivered, showing her appreciation for his predicament as well.

Finally, she lowered her torso just enough to start grazing the smooth, supple skin of her breasts over his face.  Kal’s mouth was open, tongue out, trying desperately to capture one of those hard, sensitive nipples, but Diana denied him.  Kal could feel the diamond-hard points of skin on his forehead, his nose, his cheeks, everywhere but where his lips and tongue could attach to them.  He groaned again, and Diana let out a long, low moan as she felt his hardness flex against her.

She raised herself up, and with exquisite skill and control, began slowly rubbing her velvet wetness across Kal’s unyielding hardness.  His hips twitched and jerked, instinctively seeking the opening to sheathe himself in, but Diana just kept teasing him with the long, grinding kiss from her lower lips.

Lana watched enraptured, heat spiking in her, heart pounding, wetness surging between her legs, a thrill of pleasure drawing a ragged gasp from her lungs, skin tingling with– Oh my God, did I just come?

Diana noticed, turning her head to look at Lana, and the weighty heat shining in Diana’s blue eyes froze the breath in Lana’s breast.  “Enjoying yourself, sister?” Diana asked huskily.  “You like seeing me claim and conquer your man, take for myself what’s rightfully yours?”

Something strange and powerful bubbled up from Lana’s heart, and she returned Diana’s cocky smirk.  “I like knowing that when you finally stop screwing around, my man is going to ruin you.”

“Is that so?”  Diana’s hips raised, and she pressed her clit right against the head of Clark’s cock, grinding their two most sensitive bits against each other.  Diana let out a breathy, contented sigh, Clark whined in needy want.  “Let’s find out,” Diana said, and shifted her hips.

Kal yelped as his hardness finally slipped inside Diana’s welcoming wetness, his body shivered and convulsed, muscles straining beneath his skin.  Diana still held his arms pinned in her hands, she looked down on him with domineering confidence as she slowly sank, letting more and more of him into her.  Kal was in constant ecstasy, the sensations as his manhood was slowly taken deeper and deeper ripping through him almost violently.

Diana finally came to rest on Kal’s pelvis, all of him buried in all of her.  Kal took a deep, ragged breath, the stimulation both too much and, somehow, not nearly enough.  He looked up at Diana, eyes pleading, but still accepting her control.  She smiled warmly, reassuring him that she wouldn’t hurt him, that he was safe with her.

“Please,” he grunted.  “ Move. ”

“Not yet,” Diana teased.  She drank in his desperate whimper, let it hang for several more seconds, then rolled her hips, stirring him in her.  She thrilled at the ragged moan the sensation drew from his lips.

She kept on like that, holding still for a time before briefly moving, teasing and tormenting him with pleasure.  She sensed his desperation, his self control teetering on the brink, and she ever so slightly loosened her grip on his wrists, reaffirming he could take control back whenever he wanted.  Kal remained pliant beneath her, giving permission for her to continue.

But the decision was not his alone.  “Kal,” Lana whispered as quietly as she could.  “Show her your trick.”

Lana had hoped Diana couldn’t hear her, but had been wrong.  “Oh?” Diana said, arching an eyebrow at Kal.  Her tone was playful challenge.  “You have a ‘trick?’  One you think can compete with my three thousand years of experience in the arts of love, with blessings bestowed by the goddess Aphrodite herself?”

Kal smirked.  His hips punched upward, raising Diana several inches higher.  Then they were a blur, moving so fast Diana had no time to start falling back down before the next thrust raised her up again.  Lana’s nethers clenched, remembering how it had felt for her, and this time there was no doubt.  Without any physical stimulation, she’d climaxed, if only a small one.

Diana’s head whipped back, her long, black hair thrashing behind her.  She forgot her grip on Kal’s wrists completely, and he yanked them free and seized her hips to hold her in place.  Her breasts jiggled with the tremors shooting through her body from Kal’s impossibly fast thrusting.  The only sound she made for several seconds was a raspy whine, until it finally exploded in a full-throated scream.

Her arms flailed, her torso thrashed, she lost her balance and tumbled backward off the bed, landing heavily on the floor.

In a flash, Kal was up, looking over the foot of the bed where Diana lay in a tangled heap.  “Are you okay?”

Diana gasped, struggling to regain her breath.  “Holy.  Hera,” she panted.  “That. . . that was. . . incredible! ”

Kal reached down, lifted Diana back up on the bed.  She lay there limply, body trembling as aftershocks of orgasms rumbled through her.  Kal lay back, a faint but unmistakably self-satisfied smirk on his face.  His cock was still hard, throbbing in time to the beat of his heart, glistening with Diana’s fluids.

Lana pulled out of Keira’s embrace, climbed over Diana’s limp, panting body, straddled Clark’s hips.  She molded her naked body to his, kissing him long and slow and lovingly.  Her hand reached back, feeling the sticky-slick residue of Diana on his hardness.  She aimed it, slid back, and gasped as he filled her once again.

Clark wrapped his arms around her, one hand in her smooth, fine, red-gold hair.  He moaned his passion, love, and lust for her into her mouth, and Lana drank it down and returned it with a moan of her own.

Lana levered herself up, getting a better angle to bury him in her.  “Mm, Clark ,” she moaned, shivering as she felt her inner walls caress and ripple against the silky, fleshy rod within her.

“Lana,” Clark breathed, his hands roaming up and over her body, caressing her flushed and feverish skin.  Every touch was a lightning bolt of pleasure through her, but none so much as his long, thick hardness ensconced in her core.

Diana sat up, leaned over.  “Thank you, sister,” she said, stroking Lana’s hair.  “For sharing.”  She leaned forward, kissed Lana’s lips.  Lana kissed Diana back.  The kiss itself didn’t heighten her passion, but she knew it would turn Clark on, and that affected her, hardening her nipples even more and making her womanhood clench against Clark’s unyielding manhood.

The kiss was broken as Kara gripped Diana’s shoulder and pulled her back.  “My turn,” she said, and her voice was low, and husky, and demanding.

“Of course, sister,” Diana said, and met Kara’s lips with hers.  Diana guided Kara back onto the bed, her hands roaming over the blonde’s curvy body, exploring and showing Kara all the points of pleasure only another very experienced woman could know.

Lana watched Clark’s eyes dart back and forth, drawn to the sight of Diana and Kara, then up to Lana’s writhing body, then back to his cousin and the goddess of lust they’d invited in.  Lana stroked his cheek, then gently pushed, turning his head towards Kara and Diana.  She laid herself down on him, her head against his, also turned to the display next to them.  “It’s okay, Clark,” she whispered, her hips still moving to stir him within her.  “Watch them.  See how beautiful they are, how sexy.  How good they feel.”  Her breath hitched as Diana’s hand slipped between Kara’s legs, and something she did with her fingers made Kara convulse .  “That’s your sister, your cousin, and she looks so hot .”

Diana kissed her way down Kara’s jaw, over her collarbone, up the slope of her breast, and finally captured Kara’s nipple in her mouth.  Kal and Lana couldn’t see what Diana’s tongue was doing, but they saw the effect it had on Kara, and it was certainly an effect .  Kara let loose a keening wail, high and sharp, eyes closed and head thrown back, blonde hair scattered across the pillow.  Diana’s other hand groped and fondled Kara’s other breast, while her main hand still worked between Kara’s thighs.  Under assault by irresistible pleasure, Kara gave in, letting Diana push her to glorious peak upon glorious peak.

Lana shivered, her hips still moving to keep Clark’s length moving within her.  This was amazing, the press of their bodies together, her soft breasts against his hard chest.  It was intense and erotic, and only became more so with the sight of Diana heaping pleasure on Kara only a foot away.  She could feel the heat building deep within her, feel Clark quivering against her.  They were close.  It wouldn’t be long.

“Hng!  Hng!  Hng!”  Kara’s wordless grunts and the rhythmic pulse of her body told them she’d beaten them there, but Diana was relentless, drawing out and heightening Kara’s ecstasy.  When Kara finally crashed, she opened her eyes to see Diana’s warm, loving smile, and the two women shared an intense kiss.

“Gah!” Clark cried, and Lana felt him surge within her, his rigid shaft pulse and throb , and that was all she needed to tumble over the precipice herself, her core clenching down hard against the flexing shaft buried within her.  The warm, wet feeling of Clark’s release flooding her was just an added thrill to the explosion of pleasure that tore through her body and mind.

Clark and Lana turned to face each other.  They needed no words, their long, slow, gentle kiss said more clearly, more certainly, more completely than anything else how much they loved each other.

Chapter Text

December

Lana had cuddled up to Clark’s right side, Diana to Kara’s left, so Diana and Lana’s backs were pressed against each other.  Lana could feel the hard, solid muscles beneath Diana’s smooth skin, the softness of the curve of her ass.  It still didn’t thrill her the way contact with Clark’s naked body did, but it was certainly pleasant.

Eventually, Lana felt Diana shift between her and Kara.  Diana levered herself up, turned.  A muscular arm draped over Lana’s torso, Diana’s hand falling into the groove between Lana and Clark’s bodies, against Lana’s ribs, below her breasts.  Lana felt Diana’s lips against the back of her ear.  “Would you like a turn, little sister?” she asked softly.

Lana thought about it.  Diana was gorgeous, no denying it.  And three thousand years of experience, Lana could only imagine how good she must be at everything, including sex.  She’d watched Diana turn both Clark and Keira into helpless puddles of pleasure with her touch, and couldn’t deny she was curious what Diana could do to her.  And she was certain Clark would enjoy watching her and Diana go at it.

That was what tipped her over.  She looked up at Clark, saw him looking at her, and his loving gaze almost beamed a message straight through to her brain.  You don’t have to do this for me, if you don’t want to.   He would support her if it’s what she wanted, but if she didn’t, he’d support that choice, too.

Lana smiled and gazed into Clark’s eyes, hoping her own message was just as clear.  I want to do this.  For me.  For you.  For us .   Then she turned, looking over her shoulder at Diana.  “Sure.”

Diana smiled, leaned over, and kissed Lana.  It was a tender, soft, caring kiss that did send a flutter of heat through Lana.  Lana kissed back, and she and Diana shifted to press their naked bodies together more fully.

Kal watched, heartbeat spiking as Diana and Lana made out with ever-increasing sexuality.  A small part of him felt guilty at how much he enjoyed it, but he remembered Lana’s words.  She loved watching him with others, and didn’t disapprove of him enjoying watching her.  It was okay for them to like what they liked.  So he banished the guilt, and let himself enjoy the scene, the small gasps Diana was drawing from Lana, the contrast of Lana’s slender body against Diana’s voluptuous, muscular one, their lovely breasts and hard nipples gliding against each other, the curves of their entwined legs.

Until Kara spoke.  “Kal, come here.”  Kara had left the bed, standing at the edge.  Her naked body was on full display, and Kal could see how hard her nipples were, the flush to her skin.  She was enjoying this, too.  He looked back at Lana, who broke her kiss with Diana just long enough to give him an encouraging nod.

So Kal stood, and walked around the bed to his cousin.  She took him in her arms, he wrapped his around her, and they kissed, deep and wanting.  Kal pulled her closer, moaning softly at the feel of her full breasts squashed against his chest.  Kara broke the kiss, turned in Kal’s arms, and bent over, resting her hands on the bed, pushing the soft, fleshy curve of her ass against Kal’s crotch.  Kal groaned, running a hand up and down his cousin’s back, drinking in the feeling of her skin.  Then his hand glided over her round behind, and she moaned under his touch.  On an impulse, he slapped one cheek lightly – by their standards, at least.

“Ooh,” Kara cooed, looking over her shoulder at Kal.  “Feeling ornery?”

Kal smiled.  “A bit.”

Kara smiled back, rubbed her ass against him.  “Go for it.”

Kal spanked her again, getting another appreciative sound, then looked over at Diana and Lana.

Lana writhed under Diana’s touch, gasping and moaning, carried away on waves of pleasure.  Diana’s fingers were magic, unerringly finding all the spots that shot ecstasy through Lana’s body, even ones Lana herself had been unaware of.  Feather-light touches beneath the swell of Lana’s breasts, long, slow strokes up the sides of her belly, gentle presses on her thighs.  Diana’s mouth was just as amazing, kissing, licking, and gently nibbling spots on her neck, collarbone, and behind her ear.  Lana was dripping, gushing in arousal, her womanhood clenching, desperate for sensation.

Kal groaned at all the erotic sights before him, his girlfriend putty in the hands of a goddess, his cousin grinding against him, moaning at his every touch.  He reached down, gripped his hardness, ran the tip along Kara’s velvet folds.  He could feel her wetness, the quiver of her against him, her body longing for him.  She groaned wordlessly as he teased her with his tip.  “Kal. . .” she whined.

Diana’s hand had been drawing nearer and nearer Lana’s core, but never quite touching the desperately sensitive lips.  Lana’s clit was hard and prominent, begging for attention.  Lana was seriously considering begging herself, when Diana kissed her again, driving all thought from her mind.  When Diana broke the kiss, Lana stared up into the Amazon’s brilliant blue eyes.  “Are you ready, little sister?” Diana asked huskily.

“Yes,” Lana breathed.  “Please.”

Diana smirked.  “You threatened your man was going to ruin me.  I should get you back for that.”  Diana’s fingers brushed, so tantalizing close , to Lana’s core.  “Shall I ruin you, little sister?”

Lana recognized Diana’s teasing, and the opening for Lana to set the tone going forward.  She could request Diana go easy on her, or submit to whatever this wonderful woman wanted to do to her.  Lana made her choice, nodded.  “Yes. . . sister.  Ruin me.”

“As you wish,” Diana replied, kissing Lana again.  Her hand slid up, fingers finally brushing Lana’s sensitive, swollen outer lips, but still only teasing and tickling.  Lana wanted more, needed more. . .

Kal pushed himself into Kara’s folds, and the Kryptonian cousins both moaned, loud and long and so intensely erotically.  Kal slid all the way in, then began to thrust, slowly at first.  One hand held his cousin’s hip, the other brushed up her body, around her ribs, then gripped one of her full, firm breasts, squeezing gently.

Lana writhed and shuddered beneath Diana as the Amazon’s touch on her nethers gradually grew more intense.  Diana slowly but surely drove Lana upwards, though not all at once.  Lana was lost in an ocean of pleasure, waves raising her up sharply then lowering her back down gently, steadily growing more intense, washing her higher and higher, but not pushing her closer to crashing on the shore of a spectacular orgasm.  She thought about asking, begging, pleading Diana to make her come, but the neverending waves felt so good she never wanted to leave, even as she was desperate for the amazing, mind-shattering peak that loomed on the horizon.

Kal slammed in and out of Kara, the sound of their flesh smacking together filling the room along with their grunts, groans, and moans.  “Oh, yes. . . oh, Kal. . . Oh, Rao, I love you, Kal!” Kara whined.

“Ung. . . Kara. . . ah. . . God, I love you!”

Lana barely registered any of this, it was just a distant storm on the ocean of pleasure she floated helplessly in.  Diana’s words, however, cut through it all, commanding her attention.  “Do you want it, little sister?” she asked Lana in a sensual whisper.  “Do you want to soar to the peak of pleasure?  Do you want me to guide you to your ultimate release?”

“Oh, yes,” Lana groaned.  “Please, please make me come, please!”

Hearing Lana beg for release sent Kal over the edge, and he gave a strangled cry as he buried himself all the way in Kara, flexing and pulsing inside her as he emptied himself into her.  Lana’s words had a similar effect on Kara, with the added benefit of feeling her cousin shooting within her, and she squealed as her own climax overtook her.

Diana expertly brought Lana over the edge, and Lana screamed as her body was finally permitted the release it craved.  But Diana didn’t relent, and before Lana’s first orgasm fully faded another crashed over her, then another.  She thrashed beneath Diana’s touch, lost to mind-shattering bliss.

Diana observed all three hitting their peaks within moments of each other, felt the joy and love and pleasure they all shared, and felt her own brand of bliss.  It wasn’t an orgasm, wasn’t sexual per se, but it was good, and powerful, and made her feel happy.

As Lana went limp, Diana gathered her up in her arms, cuddling the blissed-out young woman.  Kal and Kara slid onto the bed, holding each other.  They all lay there for a time, simply basking in the warm glow of joy.

Finally, Lana stirred in Diana’s arms.  “Unbelievable,” she sighed.

“You enjoyed?” Diana asked.

“ Obviously ,” Lana replied.

Diana smirked.  “Do you think you like women, too?”

Lana considered that a moment, then shrugged.  “Ask me tomorrow.  But good God, you are incredible .”

Diana giggled, and kissed Lana’s forehead.  “And I haven’t even shown any of you what I can do with my mouth yet.”

Kal, Kara, and Lana simultaneously shivered.

They lay quietly for a while longer, until Kal spoke.  “S’getting late.”

“Yeah,” Kara agreed, shifting between Kal and Lana.  “And I don’t think this is going to work, not for a whole night.”

“It’s a bit crowded,” Lana agreed.

Kara slipped out from between Kal and Lana.  “Diana, can I show you to your room?”

Diana levered herself up, resting on one arm, suddenly striking an effortlessly sexy pose.  “Oh, please, I don’t think I can sleep alone in such a strange place,” she said plaintively, batting her eyelashes at Kara.

Kara laughed.  “Fine, I’ll let you sleep in my room.”  Diana gave a small squeal of joy as she hopped out of bed.  “You two have a good night,” Kara added, winking at Kal and Lana.

“Goodnight, Kara,” Kal replied.  “Goodnight, Diana.”

“Goodnight, Keira, Diana,” Lana added.

“Goodnight, Kal-El.  Goodnight, Lana.  Goodnight, John-Boy,” Diana said.  Off their confused looks, Diana laughed and shook her head.  “Old TV show.”

Kara regarded Kal’s room.  “Maybe I should reformat a master bedroom with an orgy-sized bed,” she said thoughtfully.

“Goodnight, Kara,” Kal said, a bit more firmly.

She smiled, and she and Diana left for Kara’s room, leaving Kal and Lana alone.  He pulled up the covers over them, they snuggled close, and fell asleep to the warmth of their naked bodies pressed tightly together.

Clark awoke to warm wetness on his hard member.  Opening his eyes, he saw Lana sliding him back and forth between her lips, licking and sucking.  He groaned, and she looked up, freeing him from her mouth with a wet pop.  “You said I had permission,” she said.

“So I did,” Clark replied, then moaned as she returned to giving him a blowjob.  He reached down to stroke her red-gold hair, hips writhing beneath her lovely face.  “Mm, come here,” he said, inviting her up so he could make her feel good, too.

Lana slipped his manhood from her mouth.  “No,” she said.  “In fact. . .” she slid off the bed to kneel on the floor.  “ You come here .”

Clark smiled, and shifted to sit on the edge of the bed.  Sometimes, being a generous lover means letting them do as they like , he reminded himself as Lana moved between his legs and began sucking him again.

“Mm,” she moaned around him, then pulled back.  “I love your dick,” she said, slightly hesitant but with conviction.  She licked up the bottom of his shaft to the head, making Clark groan.  “The taste.”  She took him back in her mouth, bobbing her head up and down, her tongue lashing.  “The feel, so big and round and hard .”  She took him in again, pushing him as far down her throat as she could manage, making him gasp.  “I love the sounds you make when I suck your cock,” she moaned.  “I love the taste when you shoot your load in my mouth.”  She swirled her tongue around his tip, making him whine.  “But I want you to come on my face this time.  I want you to cover me in your sperm.”

Clark whimpered, and Lana grinned.  She loved doing this to him, loved doing this for him.  She loved being his , provoking his lust in a way Kara and Diana couldn’t, and she wanted him to mark her for himself, to wear his seed as a symbol of her place as his woman .

She loved him being hers , knowing that even as much as he enjoyed Kara, and now Diana, he loved her, would always come back to her .  He was her man , and if she asked, he’d forsake all others for her.  She shared him because she enjoyed it, but in every way that mattered, he belonged to her, and she to him.

She licked and sucked and bobbed, feeling Clark’s growing arousal.  She looked up at him, saw the heat in his gaze, the waves of pleasure rolling over him from her lips wrapped around his dick, her tongue lashing against it.  She moaned along with him, hers muffled by the glorious fleshy rod filling her mouth.

“Oh, Lana,” he groaned, and she recognized the pitch in his voice.  She pulled off, stroking his cock.

“Come for me, Clark,” she breathed.  “Come all over me.  Paint my face.”  The tip of her tongue wriggled against the underside of his tip.

“Lana!” Clark cried, and his cock flexed powerfully in her hand, ropes of pearlescent white shooting forth.  Lana caught them on her face, one closing her right eye, another streaking her forehead, another across the bridge of her nose, one on her right cheek, one on her left.  Parts of the streams fell in her open mouth, and she moaned to taste him again.  She kept tugging on his dick, milking every last spurt onto her face.  Some landed in her hair, some dripped down to land on her modest breasts.

When Clark finished, he looked down at her, seeing her face streaked with his jizz.  “ God ,” he moaned.  “You are so sexy.”

Lana wiped just the bit out of her eye, looked up at him.  “Mm, so good,” she said, showing him what had landed in her mouth, then swallowing.  “Yum.”

He bent down to kiss her, but she put a hand on his chest to stop him.  “Just wait,” she said, standing up and moving for the door.

“Keira and Diana are up,” he said.

“I know,” Lana replied with a saucy smile, then opened the door.

She walked to the bathroom, Clark following.  Inside, Kara and Diana had just arrived, having had their own wake-up encounter.  They stopped and stared as Lana walked in, Clark’s seed dripping down her face.

Kara broke the silence first, her mouth lifting into a grin.  “That’s a good look for you, Lana,” she said appreciatively.

“Thanks,” Lana replied casually.

“Yes, very nice,” Diana said, sauntering forward.  Lana stood her ground, and Diana approached, then kissed Lana’s cheek, licking slightly to collect a small portion of creamy white.  “Mm,” Diana said, then looked over Lana’s shoulder at Clark.  “Tasty.”

“I’m going to take a shower,” Lana said, looking Diana in the eye.  “If you want any more.”

Diana’s gaze flicked between Lana and Clark.  “Maybe later,” she said, looking at Clark.  Lana suppressed a shiver, imaging the oral skills Diana must possess turned on him.

She stepped into the shower stall, Clark joining her, and the two took their time cleaning each other up.

Over breakfast, they plotted out their day.  Diana was curious to learn as much as she could about Kal and Kara, their powers and how they worked, so they agreed to show her their Torquasm-Vo meditation.  In the afternoon, Diana would teach them hand-to-hand combat.

Once that was figured out, Diana turned a curious gaze on Lana.  “You told me to ask you tomorrow.  It’s tomorrow.”

“Huh?” Lana asked, confused.

Diana leaned forward, smiling.  “If you like women, too.”

Lana blushed slightly as she remembered, less embarrassed at the question than the fact she hadn’t given it all that much thought.  She looked carefully at Kara and Diana, letting her eyes trace the curves of their bodies.  They were both absolutely gorgeous, no question.  But then she looked at Clark, and felt her heart race, breathing quicken, skin flush and tingle, and a pleasant quiver between her legs.

“I don’t think so,” she said apologetically, turning back to Diana.  “I mean, there’s no denying you and Kara are unbelievably beautiful, but,” she looked back at Clark.  “I look at Clark, and I just want him.”

Clark looked at her with an expression that somehow managed to be shyly embarrassed, surprised, and insufferably pleased with himself.  Lana thought it was adorable, so leaned over to kiss him.

“Hm,” Diana said thoughtfully as Lana pulled back from Clark’s lips.  “Are there other men you look at and just want in the same way?”

Lana thought about that.  The girls at Smallville High would chatter about this hot movie star or that hot rock star, gossip about which guys from the football, baseball, or swim teams were hottest.  And while Lana could certainly understand and appreciate the handsomeness of some of those men – Whitney was only hot until he opened his mouth – she’d never understood it when other girls talked about wanting to see their penises, imagining having sex with them.

She shook her head.  “No.  I mean, I can appreciate a guy is handsome, but. . . honestly, I never understood why everyone our age thinks sex is such a big deal.”  She looked shyly at Clark.  “Not until our first date.”  She smiled again at his shy-surprised-pleased expression, then looked back at Diana.  “Sorry, guess I’m just weird.”

“Oh, little sister, no,” Diana said, reaching across the table to take Lana’s hand.  “You are who you are, and there is nothing wrong with that.  You and Clark are in love, and make each other happy, and that is all that matters.”

“I mean, I am still weird,” Lana said.  “It’s not normal to like watching your boyfriend have sex with other women.”

Diana squeezed Lana’s hand.  “Listen to me very carefully, little sister.  There is nothing wrong with you .  What gives you joy, what makes you and Clark happy, so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, is okay.  More than okay, it is beautiful and wonderful.  Never, ever be ashamed of who you are.”

Lana nodded, appreciating the support, and the genuine care she felt from Diana.  “But I don’t think I know who I am.”

Diana smiled.  “You’re young.  You’ll figure it out.  Maybe you only like specific men, maybe you like specific men and specific women, maybe you’re just still growing into it all.  But it’s your journey, Lana.  No one gets to tell you how to make it, or where to end up.”

“Thank you,” Lana said, quietly and sincerely.

“Of course, little sister.”

Diana pursed her lips thoughtfully as the four of them finished a session of Torquasm-Vo.

“Interesting,” she said.  “I can see how it is useful to you, for controlling your powers.”

“Meaning it’s not useful to you?” Kal asked.

Diana shrugged.  “Not particularly.  I’ve never had an issue in that area.”

“Jealous,” Kara muttered.

Diana laughed.  “My powers are different, from a different source.  Control is something we Amazons train for, but in a different way.”

“Different how?” Kal asked.

“We were created by the gods, our enhanced abilities are a gift from them.  We hone and strengthen them through our own kind of meditation, and constant practice to be at our peak.  Training, education, focus, discipline, these are all important, but at the end of the day. . . we’re magic.”

Kal and Kara looked at each other, primed to debate, but Diana’s glowing golden rope that compelled honesty was a big point towards Diana being right about magic.

“What kind of meditation?” Lana asked.

“It is very different from, yet remarkably similar to, this one,” Diana answered her.  “The details are less important.  The goal is to seek, find, and open up the core of feminine power that exists in all women, to grow and tap that power.”

“All women?” Lana asked.

Diana nodded.  “Amazons are not precisely human, but all women have the seed within them.”

Lana hesitated.  “Could you teach me?”

Diana considered for a long time.  Finally, she nodded.  “I will show you, little sister.”  She looked at Kara.  “But not you.  At least, not right now.  Perhaps someday.”

“Can I ask why?” Kara asked.

Diana smiled apologetically.  “You already have your power.  And no matter how much you look it, you’re not human, I’m not sure what effect it will have, if any.  Lastly, Amazons guard their secrets closely.  Technically, I shouldn’t even teach Lana.”

Lana frowned.  “You don’t have to,” she said.  “I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

Diana turned to Lana and smiled warmly.  “It’s quite alright.  I am the Princess of Themyscira, after all.  I’m certain my mother will agree with my making an exception for you.”

“But why?” Lana asked.

“Because I still believe you are special, little sister.”

Lana smiled shyly.

Diana took Lana’s arm in hers.  “Come, let's find somewhere to practice.”

They found one of the Fortress’ many empty rooms; walls, floor, and ceiling completely bare.  “This will do,” Diana said, guiding them to the center of the space.  It was a bit larger than the average bedroom, either in the Fortress or an Earth home.

Diana sat down on the floor, her legs crossed beneath her.  “Now, as I said, the details are less important.  The goal is to reach within yourself, find and tap into your core of feminine power.  How you get there is up to you.”

Lana nodded, sitting opposite Diana.

“Close your eyes,” Diana said, and Lana obeyed.  “Reach within yourself, seek the part of you that is a woman .  It is not about your vagina, your uterus or ovaries, your breasts.  A woman is so much more than that.  It is not a strength of body, though it can be.  It is more a strength of spirit, of soul.”

“Men can have strong spirits,” Lana said, thinking of Clark.

“Of course,” Diana replied.  “But it is different.  Not superior, not inferior, not better or worse.  Just different.  We seek the strength unique to us, and it is as strong as we choose to make it.”

Lana tried to reach within as Diana instructed, but wasn’t making much progress.  “Is it okay if I stand up?”

“Certainly.  How you get there is up to you.”

Lana stood, took a deep breath, and began practicing her Torquasm-Vo.  She focused on Diana’s instructions, looking within herself for. . . honestly, she still wasn’t sure precisely what.

“It is different for all of us,” Diana said, and her voice seemed distant, but also piercing, like a route traced on a map.  Lana began following it as she focused on the precise, controlled movements of her body, her awareness of her whole self.  “Just as men are not all the same thing, women are not all the same thing.  It may be passive or aggressive, warm and caring or cold and hard, all of them at once or none of them.  But you will know it when you see it, Lana Lang.  You can always recognize yourself.”

And she did.  It was like a small, warm glow deep inside her, passion and compassion and love and intelligence.  It was the core of who Lana Lang was as an individual person, the foundation that everything else she was hung off of.  So small and fragile, yet so incredibly strong.  “I see it,” she whispered.

“Reach out to it,” Diana said.  “Breathe energy into it, feel it grow and strengthen within you, and find the path that reaches into it to tap the growing energy you give it.  If such a path does not exist, carve one.”

Lana couldn’t find such a path, so considered how best to carve one.  She decided to be careful, delicate, like carefully threading an extension cord to keep it, and everyone around it, safe.  She felt that warmth within her grow as she plugged into it, feeding it and it feeding her in turn.

She opened her eyes, relaxed her body out of the Torquasm pose she’d fallen into.  “That’s. . . very interesting,” she said, slightly stunned by what she’d found within herself.

Diana smiled.  “Aren’t we all?” she asked.

Chapter Text

December

Clark, Keira, and Diana were sparring in the gym, Diana schooling them in hand-to-hand combat.  It had been fascinating to watch, Diana being nearly on par with Clark and Keira, seeing their speed and power nearly unrestrained.  They were being careful not to hurt each other, but were still tossing around forces that would have pulverized Lana.

Thus, after about half an hour of watching, Lana simply got bored.  “I’m going to take a look around,” she said during a lull in the fighting.

“Okay,” Clark said, zipping over to her to give her a kiss.  “If you need anything, Kelex can give you a hand.”

“Okay,” Lana replied, and left the gym.

Most of the rooms in the Fortress were empty, others contained equipment whose purpose she couldn’t even guess at, let alone how to operate it.  The only thing that kind of made sense was the console in the main chamber, and only because she’d seen Clark and Keira use it.

Even so, it was a near-complete mystery to her as she looked over the bewildering array of crystals.

“Can I be of service?”

Lana jumped at the voice of the hovering robot that had silently glided up to her.  It had a squat oval for a head, a longer, more slender oval for a body, and two spindly, claw-like arms.  “You must be Kelex,” Lana said breathlessly, her heart pounding at the sudden surprise.

The oval head bobbed once.  “I am, Mistress Lana Lang.  May I be of service?”

“You want to help me?”

“Indeed.  Master Kal-El has added you as an authorized visitor.  May I be of service?”

Lana looked back over the crystal console.  “Clark – Kal – had shown me a recording of his father on this.”

“Yes.  Interactive AI matrices implanted with the memories and personalities of Jor-El and his wife Lara, Zor-El and his wife Alurra, are present as part of the Fortress database of all Kryptonian knowledge.”

“I thought. . . maybe I should spend some time getting to know more about – Kal.  But. . .”

“The console is completely different from computer technology currently in use on Earth.”

“Yeah.”

“You do not know how to operate it.”

“No, I don’t.”  She looked back at the small, floating robot.  “Could you teach me?”

“You are an authorized visitor, but do not have system access privileges, and I cannot grant them.”

“I see,” Lana replied.

“So we will ask one who can.”  Kelex’s spindly, clawed hand removed a crystal from one slot, placed it in another.  The hologram of Jor-El appeared, Lana recognizing him by his strong resemblance to Clark.

“Hello again, Lana Lang,” the hologram said, smiling warmly.

“You remember me?” Lana asked.

“Of course.  My son introduced us not long ago.”

Lana was more surprised that the recording could remember, but was gathering this was far more than a recording.  She suddenly felt self-conscious, standing before Clark’s father completely naked, almost moved to cover herself.  But the hologram made no mention of her state of undress, didn’t look at her any differently than when she’d first seen it.  Did it not really “see” her, but perceive her in some other way, and so didn’t notice she was naked?  Was clothing, or lack of same, just not one of the inputs it was programmed to respond to?  Did Kryptonians have different modesty standards, and Jor-El thought it perfectly normal for Lana to be walking around naked?  Or did he know, or suspect, what her and Clark’s relationship was, and so was not surprised she’d be in the Fortress nude?

Lana decided he couldn’t really see her naked, so chose not to worry about it.  “It’s good to see you again, sir,” she said.

“And you, Lana Lang.  Where is Kal-El?”

“He’s with Keira – Kara – in the gym.  They–” she paused, trying to think how best to phrase it.  “They met someone, someone with extraordinary abilities, like them.  She’s teaching them to fight.”

Jor-El smiled.  “Ah.  In my research on Earth, I had encountered some evidence there might be other exceptional individuals on the planet.  I’m glad Kal-El and Kara Zor-El found one, that they are no longer alone.”

Lana nodded.  “Me, too.”  Though it was a bit intimidating, how far above her Clark, Keira, and Diana were.

“But what of you, Lana Lang?  What brings you here?”

“Well. . . there’s not much I can do while they’re busy, so I thought. . . maybe, I should learn more about Kal and his people.”

Jor-El smiled.  “And you needed me to authorize access to the Fortress database.”

“Yes.”

“You understand that much of the information in the Fortress humanity is simply not ready for?  That it would be extremely dangerous and destructive in the wrong hands?”

Lana nodded.  “Of course.  And. . . well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in super-advanced science and technology, but. . . I really just want to get to know Kal better.”

Jor-El nodded.  “Then I shall grant you limited access, and guide you in learning about Krypton’s culture and history.”  A crystal in another port lit up.  “I think we should start here.  Remove this crystal from its holding slot, place it here.”  Another port in the console lit up.

Lana carefully slid the crystal out of one hole, inserted it in the other.  The hologram of Jor-El vanished, to be replaced by one of a lovely dark-haired woman.

“Hello,” she said.  “You must be Lana Lang.”

Lana nodded.  The holographic woman also gave no reaction at all to Lana’s nudity, so she stopped thinking about it.  “I am.”

"I am Lara Jor-El, wife of scientist Jor of the House of El.  Before I married, I was Lara Lor-Van, daughter of magistrate Lor of the House of Van.  The tradition of Kryptonian naming conventions has a long history in our culture.”

“Learn anything interesting?” Keira asked.

Clark, Lana, Keira, and Diana were eating dinner, the three having come to collect Lana at the console after they finished sparring.  Lana had explained that Kelex had helped her access Jor-El, who had granted her permission to study Kryptonian history and culture.

Lana nodded and smiled at Keira, feeling a slight flutter in her chest as she answered.  “Yeah, actually.  Jor-El first pointed me to a crystal with Clark’s mom.”

Clark smiled.  “You met Lara?”

“I did.  She taught me about–” Lana cleared her throat.  “Kryptonian names.”

Keira laughed.  “Of course Uncle Jor would start with that one.”  She smiled at Lana.  “He knows what you and Kal are getting up to, alright.”

Lana blushed.  “I, uh. . . did wonder, since. . .”

“Since you were talking to your boyfriend’s dad stark naked?” Keira asked.

Lana blushed harder, nodded.

Keira waved her hand.  “Don’t worry about it.  Technically speaking, they knew you were naked, but they aren’t really self-aware.  They’re very sophisticated programs, but that’s all they are.”

Lana breathed a sigh of relief.

“Lana,” Clark said, taking her hand.  “I know about the Kryptonian way of doing things, but I don’t expect that from you.”

Lana looked up at Clark.  “Okay.  But. . . what if I’m okay with it?”

Clark’s eyebrows shot up.

“I believe I am missing something,” Diana said.

Keira nodded.  “Kal is Kal-El, I’m Kara Zor-El.  Zor-El was my father.  On Krypton, a woman doesn’t get her own last name, but takes the name of her father, then later, her husband.  It’s an old tradition, from ancient times when women were property.”

“There’s a whole code that goes with it, evolved over millennia,” Clark added.  “But, Lana. . ?”

Lana nodded.  “I. . . kind of like it.  The idea that I’m yours.”  She smiled shyly.  “And you’re mine.”

“I am yours, Lana.”

“And I’m yours, Kal.”

Diana smiled and cooed.  “Aw, so sweet.”

Clark looked over at her, flushing nervously, clearing his throat.  “I, uh, bet that, being from an island of all women, you have some. . . strong opinions about this.”

“Quite strong,” Diana agreed.  “But they are just that:  my opinions.  I have no right to enforce my beliefs on either of you.  Lana, if the idea of belonging to Kal-El makes the both of you happy, then I am happy for you.”  She fixed a stare at Clark.  “But, Kal-El, if you dishonor her, I will have words with you.”

“I would never,” Clark said.

“Good,” Diana replied.

Lana smiled.  She had, of course, idly thought about becoming “Lana Kent.”  Now, she thought about being “Lana Kal-El.”  It didn’t sound like much of a difference, but it felt different.  Not just becoming his family, like taking his human last name, but becoming his .  His woman.

“I am curious, though,” Diana said.  “Did homosexuality not exist on Krypton?”

“No, it did,” Keira said.

“Then how did same-sex couples fit into these arrangements?”

“Not neatly,” Keira admitted.  “House was an important thing on Krypton, it was vital that everyone know which House you belonged to.”  She smiled at Clark.  “Hence, Kal-El, instead of Kal El or something.  If, say, Kal would have fallen for a Kryptonian male named Seg-Ek, and married into his House, Kal could just start going by Kal-Ek, Kal Seg-Ek, or Kal-El Seg-Ek.  But if, say, Zora Seg-Ek married me, into my House, we’d probably end up going by Kara-Zora Zor-El and Zora-Kara Zor-El.”

Diana shook her head.  “That seems needlessly complicated.”

Kara shrugged.  “Nobody’s perfect.”

After dinner, they made their way back to Clark’s room.  Clark and Lana were holding hands, leaning against each other pleasantly.  Keira and Diana were kissing, groping, and giggling their way down the halls.

When they arrived, Diana heaved Kara up, set her down on the bed.  “I promised to show you what I can do with my mouth,” Diana said.  Kal, Kara, and Lana shuddered at the reminder, and the anticipation, based on what she’d already been able to do to them.

Diana began priming Kara for her, her lips, tongue, and hands moving against all the pleasure spots on Kara’s body.  Kara relaxed under Diana’s attentions, writhing sensuously under her touch.  Clark and Lana sat on the bed next to them, watching, Clark’s powerful arms wrapped gently around Lana’s slender, hot body.

Diana kissed her way down Kara’s body, moaning and humming as Kara herself gave voice to the thrills of joy Diana was giving her.  Diana’s lips walked across Kara’s stomach, paused to lap at her navel, continued down.  They paused right before they would plunge over the edge to fall down between her legs, and Diana looked up at Kal and Lana.

“Kal-El, I have need of you.  If my little sister does not mind.”  Diana arched her back, her hips in the air, and wiggled her ass invitingly.

Lana moaned at the sight, and what she imagined Diana had in mind.  “Go get her, Clark.”

Clark kissed her cheek.  “I love you.”  He slipped out from behind Lana, positioning himself behind Diana.  She raised her hips even higher, definitely inviting him now.

Her head dipped, lips and tongue moving down to Kara’s folds.  Kara gasped.  At the same time, Kal pressed the head of his length against Diana’s lower lips, rubbing it against them to moisten both, and because it felt good.

Then Clark started to push into her, and a low, powerful groan rumbled from his chest.  Something Diana did with her lips and tongue on Kara’s slit made Kara cry out, and Lana whined.  They were so beautiful, so sexy , she couldn’t take it.  Her left hand went up, squeezing her breasts and pinching her nipples, her right glided down her front to between her legs, tickling and rubbing her aching nethers.  She couldn’t help herself, they were so hot .  She smiled as she remembered she didn’t have to worry.  They were enjoying themselves, she could enjoy herself.

Kal began to thrust into Diana in earnest.  Putting himself under her power had been an incredible, intense experience, one he was still wrapping his head around.  But giving over to his base instincts, grabbing Diana’s hips and plowing her, was also amazing.  Even more amazing was looking up and watching his sexy, gorgeous cousin writhing in ecstasy under Diana’s tongue, or looking over at Lana and–

Clark stopped, stunned.  Even his hips froze mid-thrust.  Lana was on her knees on the bed next to them, legs spread, one hand shamelessly groping her breast, the other fingering herself furiously.  She saw him, smiled, and moaned as she rubbed her clit with the pad of her middle finger.

Clark swallowed, a fresh surge of potent lust ripping through him.  Something about it was so hot that his brain was momentarily frozen in a loop, thinking only My girlfriend is fingering herself watching me have sex with another woman.

He was jolted back by a sway of Diana’s hips.  “Don’t be a tease, Kal-El.”

“Sorry,” he said, and began moving again.  Diana moaned into Kara’s pussy, and Kara squirmed in delight.

Lana groaned, feeling an intense rush of pleasure and power.  As sexy as Keira and Diana were, as much as Clark was clearly enjoying pounding Diana’s pussy, she could still make him stop dead in his tracks, thinking of her.

Kara moaned and writhed under Diana’s lips and tongue, swept away on waves of bliss.  Every touch was perfection, Diana’s mouth effortlessly playing Kara’s pussy like a fine-tuned instrument.  Slow, teasing build-up, a sudden shock of sensation that made Kara gasp, a slow de-escalation that made her groan and promised greater heights on their way.  Kara had never felt so good, never wanted to come so badly yet be perfectly content to stay forever in this sea of ecstasy.  “Oh, you’re going to ruin other women for me, aren’t you?” she said breathlessly.

Diana lifted her head from Kara’s lower lips, making her whine, and smiled.  “On the contrary, sister.  Imagine how grateful the next woman you’re with will be for what I’m teaching you.”  Diana dove back in, and Kara cried out.

Kal pounded back and forth into Diana, drinking in the sights and sounds.  He’d long since gotten more than comfortable with the idea of seeing his cousin, his sister, naked and sexual.  It was hot, she was hot, and he was okay with that.  And whatever Diana was doing to her was incredibly hot, making Kara groan and moan and squeal and writhe in ways that drove Kal relentlessly towards his peak.  He made a mental note to ask Diana for some pointers later.  For now, he just enjoyed the feel of her womanhood around him, Kara’s erotic noises, and the sight of Lana fingering herself as she watched.

Lana thought about trying to pace herself, to hold out, then thought Ah, the hell with it, and rubbed herself in exactly the way she knew she liked.  She cried out, gasping and moaning, body shaking, before toppling over on her side, spent.  Clark looked at her in something like wonder, and she smiled lazily and pursed her lips, lightly blowing him a kiss.

The sight sent heat surging through Kal, and he knew he couldn’t hold on much longer, especially not when Kara started to scream and thrash, hips bucking against Diana’s mouth as her climax overwhelmed her.

“Oh, Diana. . . I’m. . .” Kal groaned.

In an amazing display of flexibility, Diana raised her torso up and turned, reaching back to draw Clark’s face to hers.  She kissed him, Kara’s wetness still smeared over her lips, cheeks, and chin, and Kal kissed back, grunting into her mouth as he emptied himself in her.

Kal thudded onto the bed, rolled slowly over onto his back.  “Wow,” he breathed.  He looked over at Kara, near-catatonic from the amazing orgasm Diana had given her.  “What did you do ?” he asked.

“Just wait your turn,” Diana said playfully.  “I still have to attend to my little sister.”

Lana shifted nervously as Diana crawled over Clark and poised herself above Lana.  Lana bit her lower lip.  “Uh, just. . . go easy on me?”

Diana smiled, stroked Lana’s hair, petted her cheek.  “Of course, little sister.”

Clark’s hand found Lana’s, squeezed.  “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he said.

Lana nodded, looking at him.  “I know.  I want to.”

He squeezed her hand again, smiling supportively.

Lana turned her attention back to Diana as Diana began to gently kiss and caress her way down Lana’s body.

Diana was incredible, there was no doubt about that.  Before her lips even touched Lana’s lower ones, she had Lana sighing softly and writhing gently in pleasure.  The touch of her lips against Lana’s nethers, the feel of her hot breath on Lana’s skin, sent shivers through her.  And when Diana’s tongue began to gently lick, Lana groaned.  She tried to examine what Diana was doing, commit certain spots and movements to memory in case she ever wanted to be on the other end, then gave up, and gave in.

As she had with her fingers, Diana brought Lana up and down peaks and valleys of pleasure effortlessly, but the sensations of her mouth were different, far more intense.  In a way, Lana was fascinated at the differences between her fingers, someone else’s fingers, and someone’s mouth.  But exactly how and why things were different was impossible to focus on as intense, electric ecstasy flowing from her groin straight up her body to explode in her brain.

Diana’s tongue swirled dexterously over Lana’s lower lips, flicked back and forth over her clit so fast it almost vibrated, circled the small, pleasurable nub.  Diana’s lips gently cupped it and she sucked.  Her lips peeled back, the flats of her teeth rubbing over Lana’s sensitive flesh, providing a different kind of sensation.  Then her tongue dove deep, questing within for sources of ecstasy.

Diana did, indeed, go easy on Lana, teasing her for a relatively brief period of time before shooting Lana’s pleasure upward, and an intense orgasm made the world wash away.

As Lana came back to her senses, she saw Diana’s face smiling down at her.  “Easy enough for you?” she asked teasingly.

Lana reached up, grabbed Diana’s face, and kissed her.

Then made a face as she pulled away.  “Blech.  Still not a fan of that taste.”

“I think you taste wonderful, little sister.”

Lana did her best to smile, rolling her tongue around in her mouth to scrape away the flavor of her own emissions.

Diana turned to look at Clark.  “And you’ve been so patient, Kal-El.  I think it’s time to reward you.”

“Uh, I mean, if you insist. . .”

Keira laughed.  “Real smooth, Kal.”

“Yes,” Diana said, running a hand over Clark’s chest and stomach.  “Very smooth.”  Her hand brushed lower, heading towards his hardening shaft.

Lana cleared her throat.  “Diana?”

“Yes?” Diana asked, look at Lana.

“Forgetting something?”

Diana smiled.  “Oh, little sister, may I please have the honor of orally servicing your amazing, wonderful man?”

Lana giggled.  “Oh, I suppose.”

“So gracious, thank you ever so much!”

Clark cleared his throat.  “So, do I get a say in this?”

Kara laughed.  “As if you’re even thinking about turning her down.”

“It’d be nice to be asked,” Kal replied.

“Yes, it would,” Diana agreed.  “So, Kal-El. . . would you like to ask me if I would deign to give you a blowjob?”

Kal rolled his eyes.  “Shoulda kept my mouth shut. . . please, Princess Diana of the mascara, can I have oral sex?”

“Themyscira.”

Kal grinned.  “That too.”

Diana winced playfully.  “You. . .”

“Clark,” Lana said, shaking her head.  “Never, ever be mean to a woman who wants to suck your cock.”

“I’m not being mean.  I’m being difficult .”

“Don’t be that, either,” Lana said.

“Well, this is my last chance at it,” he said.

“He’s not wrong,” Diana said, her hand sliding down and wrapping around his shaft.  Her hand twisted, her fingers flicked, and Clark let out a shuddering breath, eyes rolling back.  Diana kissed down Clark’s body, hand still moving on his hardness, drawing pleasured sounds from him.  Then she kissed the tip, and he whined.

Lana cuddled up to Clark’s shoulder, looking down his body, keen to see what Diana was doing.  Kara did the same on his other shoulder.

Diana’s tongue flicked and curled over the tip, her lips parted and she drew him in.  Clark gasped, long and ragged.  Then Diana really went to work.

Lana and Kara watched, stunned, as Diana effortlessly took all of Clark’s length down her throat.  Her head moved, not just up and down, but rolling and twisting around his cock.  They couldn’t see what her tongue was doing, but from the way her mouth moved it was doing lots of things.  And Clark was gone , all of him focused only on the amazing sensations Diana was inflicting on the most sensitive part of his body.

Both Lana and Kara had firsthand experience with Clark, and neither of them had ever been able to get him in such a state, nevermind so quickly.  It was incredibly hot, and more than a little intimidating.

Clark couldn’t believe how incredible it felt.  He loved Lana, he wouldn’t trade her for anything, but if he did , it would definitely be for the impossible pleasure Diana’s mouth was giving him.

All too soon, his orgasm was upon him, so fast and so hard he’d been unable to warn her.  But Diana had apparently known, somehow, collecting all his seed in her mouth, swallowing once his climax had concluded.

“Mm,” she hummed, licking her lips.

“Greedy,” Lana said.

“ You get to have this whenever you want, little sister,” Diana retorted.

“True.  But sharing is fun.”

Diana licked the tip of Clark’s hardness.  “Yes, it is.”

Kara reached out, grabbed Diana’s arm.  “Come here,” she said.  “I want to test out what I’ve learned.”

Diana smiled.  “Well, if you insist.”

Clark and Lana watched unabashed as Diana rode Kara’s face, and when Clark was fully hard again, Lana mounted him, gasping at the pleasure of being filled again by her man .

They did, eventually, get some sleep.

The next day, after some wake-up sex and breakfast, they returned to Smallville.

Diana gave each of them a warm, tight hug.  “I hope we can see each other again soon.”

“You know where to find us,” Clark observed.

“As do you.  You and Lana will start college next year, yes?”

“That’s the plan,” Keira said.

“Thinking of Metropolis University?” Diana asked.

Lana looked at Clark, nodded.  “We are.”

Diana smiled.  “Then I hope you’ll take some of my classes.  Even if you don’t, you can always come to me, for anything you need.”

Clark nodded.  “I appreciate that.  It’s nice to know there’s someone like us out there.”

“Indeed it is,” Diana replied.

“Speaking of which,” Keira said.  “I can think of a couple of other people you might like to get to know.”

Alex was grateful another lecture was behind her as she strode out onto the paths of National City University.

“Alex Danvers?”

Alex stopped at the strange voice, seeing a lovely black-haired woman in elegant clothes and glasses smiling at her.  “Who’s asking?” Alex said suspiciously.

“I’m Professor Diana Prince, Metropolis University.”  The woman approached, lowered her voice.  “I’m a friend of Kara and Kal.”

Alex froze.

Chapter Text

January

A high school keg party in the woods wasn’t usually where one would expect to find Clark Kent and Lana Lang, but both agreed it could be fun, and more importantly, keep up Clark’s facade of an ordinary Kansas farm boy.

Even if they were standing at the fringe of the party by themselves.

“Should I get us drinks?” Clark asked.

Lana paused as she suddenly wondered something.  “Would it even affect you?”

Clark shook his head.  “Not even a little bit.”

“Oh.  No, thanks.”

“You can, if you want.”

“I’m good.”

“Okay.”

They stood for a while, watching the other teens of Smallville high carry on and have fun.  Clark was just considering asking Lana to dance – at least, as much as anything anyone was doing could be called dancing – when Louis staggered over to them.

“Hey, Lana!” he yelled, despite the lack of need for it.  “Come on!” he grabbed her wrist.

“No, thank you,” she said, trying to pull her hand from his grip.

“Let’s dance!” Louis shouted back.

“No,” Lana said more firmly.

“It’ll be fun!”

“She said no,” Clark said, grabbing Louis’ arm.

“Buzz off, Kent!”

“Let her go, she doesn’t want to dance with you.”

“I said GET OFF OF ME!”  Louis’ other hand balled into a fist, striking Clark in the jaw.  Clark spun and hit the ground on his stomach.

“Louis!” Lana shrieked.  “What the hell!”

“Louis!” another voice called before Louis could respond.  “Leave her alone.”

“Whatever,” Louis muttered, dropping Lana’s hand and storming off.

Clark turned over on his back, to see Whitney Fordman standing over him, hand extended.  “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Clark replied, taking Whitney’s hand.  Whitney hauled Clark to his feet.

“You sure?” Whitney asked.  “It sounded like he clocked you pretty hard.”

“What do you care?” Clark asked.

Whitney sighed.  “I may think you’re a tragic loser, Kent, but Louis was out of line.  You sure you’re okay?”

Clark nodded.  “Yeah, I’m good.  Thanks,” he added sincerely.

Whitney nodded, and he and his football posse blended back into the party.

Lana looked worriedly at Clark.  “So, you were just going with it, right?  Making it look good, so no one would guess your secret?”

“I was not,” Clark replied.

The party suddenly the last thing on their minds, Clark drove Lana back to the Kent farm.

“Have a good time?” Martha asked as they entered.

“Not really,” Clark said.  “Louis hit me.”

“Is he okay?” Jonathan asked.

“That’s the thing,” Clark said.  “He hurt me .”

Jonathan and Martha stared at each other for an instant, before Martha rushed to Clark.  “Are you alright?” she asked, looking at his face.

“I’m fine.  It healed up quick, didn’t even bruise.  But it hurt , and he knocked me down.”

Lana shifted awkwardly.  “I thought Clark was just pretending, you know, keeping the secret.”

“How could that happen?” Jonathan asked.

“I don’t know,” Clark said.

“Call Keira,” Martha said.

“I’ve thought about it,” Clark said.  Keira was in Metropolis, some kind of convention or something with other Luthorcorp R&D scientists.  “But I want to handle this on my own.”

“Clark, you and Keira are supposed to look after each other,” Martha said.

“I know that.  But I can’t go running to my big sister every time I have a problem.”

“This isn’t just some bully, Clark,” Jonathan said.  “This is someone who’s apparently as strong as you are.”

“I know that!  I can handle it.  And if I can’t, Keira will be the first one I call.”

“Louis!” Clark called, approaching the football player’s locker.

“Buzz off, Kent.  I’m not apologizing.”

“Oh, right, no problem.  No hard feelings.  I’m just. . . you seem a lot stronger than you look.”

“It’s called exercise, Kent.  Get some.”

“You also seem. . . I don’t know, kind of troubled?  Morose?  Maybe a little. . . angry?”

Louis turned, fixing Clark with a glare.  “You implying something, Kent?”

“No, I’m just concerned.”

“Don’t be.  And get out of my face.”  Louis turned away.

Clark grabbed his shoulder.  “I’m just–”

Louis whirled, and punched Clark in the stomach.  Clark gasped as the wind was knocked out of him, he flew back four feet to land in a heap on the floor.  The whole hallway went silent, gaping at the sight.

“Mr. Turner,” the vice principal said sternly as he approached.  “You’re suspended for one week.”

“What?” Louis said.  “You can’t–”

“I can.  You attacked another student.  Keep arguing and it’ll be two weeks.”

“But my scholarship –”

“Two weeks it is.  Want to go for three?”

Louis glared, his gaze finally landing on Clark as Lana knelt beside him and helped him up.

“Clark, are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” he said, still getting his breath back.

“Mr. Turner,” the vice principal said.  “Are you going to leave school grounds, or do I have to have you escorted out?”

Louis shot one last glare at Clark and Lana, then stormed off.

The vice principal approached.  “Mr. Kent, are you okay?  Do you need to go to the nurse’s office?”

Clark shook his head.  “No, that won’t be necessary.  I’m good.”

The crowd broke up, Lana sticking to Clark’s side as they headed for class.

“I think we have a problem,” she said quietly.

“Yeah,” Clark replied, a churning in his gut only partially due to the powerful punch.  “I think we do.”

“I’ve got to talk this over with my father,” Clark said.

Lana sighed, shifting her phone to her other ear.  “I know.  I just. . . I can’t help feeling a little nervous, with both you and Keira. . . occupied.”

“It’ll be fine,” Clark assured her.  “Anything happens, you even think something’s going to happen, call.  I’ll hear you.”

“I know.”  Lana sat down on the edge of her bed.  “I just. . . I want you to be careful, Clark.”

“Back at you,” Clark said.  “I’ll just pop out, get the ball rolling, and pop right back.  You won’t even know I’m gone.”

“Let’s hope,” she said.  “I love you.’

“I love you, too.”

Lana hung up her phone, walked to her window to look across the fields at the Kent farm.  It was late, and far away, but if she really strained her eyes, she could just barely make out Clark, exiting the farmhouse and entering the barn.

Down to the basement, to take the wormhole to the Fortress, to ask Jor-El how a human could suddenly be strong enough to hurt him.

Lana shivered.  Clark’s power had never frightened her, because she knew he’d only ever use it to protect her.  It made her feel safe, being loved by an invulnerable man with unlimited strength.

But the thought of someone else with Clark’s power, especially someone like Louis Turner, who’d seemed so belligerent, so angry . . . and he’d seemed to have an unhealthy interest in Lana herself.

She took a deep breath, feeling the awareness of her own self she’d started to develop thanks to Torquasm.  She was scared.  Scared of what Louis could do, and what he might do.

Her heightened awareness let her hear the thud.

She opened her eyes, and before she could react, Louis was at her window, punching through it to grab a handful of her shirt, yanking her to him.  She screamed as he leapt off the roof outside her window, carrying her off into the darkening night.

Clark stepped back through the wormhole to the Kent farm, immediately focusing on locating Lana’s voice, just to put his mind at ease.

He heard it, and his blood froze.

“Stop, Louis– let me go!”

“Shut up!”  Louis’ voice.  “It’s all your fault, yours and Kent’s!  My life is ruined because of you two!”

In a flash, Clark was gone, running full-speed out of the barn, then in the air as soon there was open sky, racing towards where he heard Lana and Louis.  An isolated bit of woods, not far from where the party had been.

He slammed to the ground in front of them.  “Let her go!”

“Kent!” Louis cried, alarmed, pulling Lana tight against him.  “How the– nevermind.  This is your fault, Kent!  Yours!”

“Then I’m right here.  Let Lana go, I’m the one you want.”

“Nah.  I want you both!”  He yanked Lana harder against him.

Clark studied the angles.  Lana was between him and Louis, if he charged Louis, Lana would almost certainly get hurt.  He could try to run or fly to a different angle, where he could grab Louis and haul him away from Lana, but he didn’t know how fast Louis’ reaction time was.  If he had Clark’s strength, he might have Clark’s speed, too.  And even if he didn’t, if the surprise didn’t make him let go of Lana, and Clark carried them both off. . .

Lana felt fear surging through her.  It was a warning, like pain, that the body was in danger.  Lana knew she was in danger, so pushed the fear aside, trying to think.  Clark couldn’t rescue her, not with Louis holding her so tightly with such strength.  She had to break free, but what could she do?  He was strong, tough, how could she fight him?

She felt it blossom within her, the core of feminine strength Diana had shown her, the path to it Lana had carved lighting up.  She felt that power move into and through her, and aware of it and her body, she made that power flow into her left hand.

She straightened her hand like a blade, and brought the edge of it down in a chop on Louis’ thigh with all the strength she could muster.

“Gah!” Louis yelled, shocked by the sudden hit that hurt.  His grip on Lana slackened, she slithered out of it and plastered herself to the dirt.

In the blink of an eye, Clark was soaring over her, fists grabbing Louis’ letter jacket, shooting him away from her.  Clark shoved Louis into the dirt, dragging him several feet before punching him hard in the head.  Two more blows and Louis was finally unconscious.

“Clark?” Lana asked.

“I’m fine.  What happened?”

Clark and Lana looked at her hand, glowing with golden light.  It seemed to come from within her, highlighting bones and blood vessels.  “I don’t know,” Lana said.  She focused, and could feel the energy she’d summoned up swirling in her hand.  Somehow, she knew how to draw it back.  She did, and the glow in her hand faded.

“O-kay,” Clark said slowly.  “We’ll deal with that later.  For now, I have to get Louis to the Fortress.”

“You want to take him there?” Lana asked incredulously.

“I have to.  It’s the only place we can figure out what happened to him, and hopefully reverse it.”

Kal may not have Kara’s scientific acumen, but he knew how to run the Fortress systems.  He got Louis sedated and secured, scanners running, then texted Kara.

trouble with camping equipment.  urgent.

Two hours later, the wormhole snapped open, signaling Kara’s arrival.  “Kal, what’s wrong?”

“Take a look,” Kal said, motioning to the scanner and the arrays of data displayed.

“Is that Louis Turner?” Kara asked.

“Yeah.”

“But what’s wrong with– oh.  Oh, this is bad.”

“Figured that part out for myself.”

Kara touched the displays.  “Is that kryptonite radiation?”

“Confirmed,” the Fortress replied.  “Alpha kryptonite radiation has altered subject’s cells, resulting in extraordinary density of bone, skin, and muscle tissue.”

“But kryptonite doesn’t affect humans,” Kara said.

“Apparently, it does,” Kal said.

Kara flipped through more readouts.  “It looks like some kind of abnormal exposure,” she said.  “Some kind of intense energy interacting with kryptonite and its radioactive signature, bombarding his cells with energy.  They were forced to adapt.”

“And did so by becoming dense enough to fight it off.  It made him strong enough to hurt me, tough enough it took three hits to knock him out.”

Kara looked at Kal.  “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“We have to fix him,” Kara said, turning back to the readouts.  “Reformat his cells back to their natural state.”  She began working at the console, programming it for the task.

An hour later, Kara joined Kal in the kitchen, where he was picking at a tube of chocolate chip cookie dough.

“How goes it?” he asked.

“Fine,” Kara said, sitting down and breaking a chunk of dough off, popping it in her mouth.  “This kind of ground-up cellular reconstruction isn’t difficult, just time-consuming.”

Kal nodded.

“The hard part is going to be blanking his memory.”

Kal sighed.  “I know we have to. . . I just don’t like it.”

“It’s better for everyone.  He can claim he wasn’t himself when he was carrying on with superpowers, which is true enough.  He won’t hold a grudge against you or Lana, and he won’t remember you being tough enough to go toe-to-toe with him.”

“I know.  Honestly, a part of me wants to do worse.”

“Kal–”

“ He threatened Lana. ”  Kal’s hand clenched into a trembling fist.

Kara put her hand on that fist to calm her cousin.  “I get it, Kal.  But she’s fine, you're fine, Louis is going to be fine.  It’s all okay.”

“Yeah.”  Kal took a deep breath, let it out, trying to banish his anger with it.  “But, on that subject, there’s something about Lana we should talk about.”

“Oh?” Kara asked with a smirk.

Kal chuckled.  “None of that .  It’s. . . well. . .” he went on to explain about how Lana had struck Louis, hurting him, and how her hand had glowed.

“That is interesting,” Kara said.  “Maybe something to do with us teaching her Torquasm?  Or that Amazon stuff Diana showed her?”

“Both?” Kal asked.

“Could be.  Bring her back to the Fortress soon, run some scans.  I have to get back to Metropolis before I’m missed.”

“Yeah.  Sorry for interrupting your conference.”

Kara shrugged.  “It’s pretty boring anyways, and when it isn’t it’s because some guy twice my age is trying to flirt with me and doing a bad job.”

Kara smiled, and Kal smiled back.  “Thanks, Kara.”

“Any time,” she replied.  She snatched another chunk of cookie dough.  “Everything’s all set, the Fortress will handle it.  It’ll let you know when he’s done, and you can drop Louis back in Smallville.”  She stood up, and headed for the wormhole.

The memory alteration didn’t entirely take.  Louis remembered white crystal rooms, machines working on him.  But no matter how much he insisted, no one really believed that he’d been abducted by aliens.

Clark tried not to smirk as the rumor circulated.  It was fundamentally true.  Clark was, after all, an alien, and had, in fact, abducted him.

But he felt bad that Louis’ crazy story damaged his college applications.  Clark might sneer at the idea of sports scholarships, but he didn’t like making anyone’s life more difficult.  He tried to ignore the small part of him that was deeply satisfied that Louis wasn’t getting off scott-free for attacking Lana.

Lana shivered as she stepped out of the scanner.  It hadn’t hurt last time, and she hadn’t expected it to hurt this time, but she was still glad when it was over.

“So,” she asked, stepping next to Clark.  “What are we looking at?”

“I’m not really sure,” Clark said, looking at the Kryptonese glyphs on the displays.  “I think I’ll need Kara to take a look.  But it doesn’t seem like there’s anything wrong.”

“Do you need another with me. . . glowing?”

Clark considered a moment, shrugged.  “Couldn’t hurt.”

Lana stepped back into the scanner, summoned up the power she’d felt when Louis had her captive.  She channeled it into both hands, both lit up with golden light.  Clark took another scan, and Lana let the power flow back into its container.

“I don’t see a real change,” Clark mused, comparing the scans.  He turned to look at Lana.  “Does it just go to your hands, or can you move it around?”

“Let’s find out,” Lana said, bringing the power up again.  She could move it, though it took focus, but tapping into her awareness of self from Torquasm made that easier.

The golden glow concentrated in her left breast.  Clark smirked at the glow peeking through her shirt.

Lana arched her chest out towards him.  “Hit me.”

“Lana, no, I’m not going to hit you!”

“Just a little,” Lana said.  “For science.  I hit Louis hard enough to hurt him, didn’t really feel anything.  Does it make me strong, or tough, or both?”

Clark sighed.  It was something that should be tested, but. . . “Okay, fine,” he relented, making a fist and tapping it against Lana’s glowing breast.

“Harder, I didn’t even feel it.”

Clark hit again, with a little more force.

“Are you even using human strength?”

“Not really, no.”

“Put a little super on it.”

Grimacing, Clark hit again.  A heavy thud echoed through Lana’s chest.  “I felt that, but it didn’t hurt.  How much was that?”

“Say, two percent Kryptonian.”

“More.”

Clark ramped up again, and again, and again, until finally Lana winced.  “Okay, that hurt a little.  Just a little,” she said off Clark’s concerned look.  “And I asked for it.  How much was that?”

“Maybe fifteen percent?” Clark said.  “It’s hard to gauge when we don’t really know what our upper limit is.”

“So, still let you and Keira do the fighting,” Lana said.  The glow slid out of her chest, down her arm, to her hand, which she clenched in a fist.  “But, if anyone else like Louis shows up, I’ve got a fun surprise for them.”

Clark nodded.  “Do you know how you’re doing it?”

“Kind of?” she said.  “I mean, it’s not like flexing a muscle, but it kind of is?”

“I meant more the source.  Where this energy is coming from.”

“I think it’s a combination of the Torquasm stuff you showed me and the Amazon stuff Diana showed me.  That core of power she talked about, and Torquasm letting me tap into it.”

“Is there a limit?”

Lana shrugged.  “I don’t know.”

“We should try and find out.  Our solar energy reserves aren’t infinite, we can run out if we spend too much.  You might have a limit on how much you can tap at one time, or how much energy is there for you to draw on, meaning once you spend it all, it’s gone.  And we don’t know where it comes from, or how you replenish it.”

Lana nodded.  “I should call Diana.”

“Probably a good idea.”

Chapter Text

March

Lena and Lex stood in front of their father’s desk like kids called into the principal’s office.

Lionel closed the folder and tossed it on his desk, where it made a loud slap against the glass top.  “Well, this is a total and complete disaster.”

Lena cleared her throat.  “Yes, Father.  But we–”

“I am not interested in excuses, Lena.”  Lionel looked at Lex.  “And you?  Do you have anything to add?”

Lex shrugged.  “It didn’t come out of my plant.  It has nothing to do with me.”

Lionel sat back in his chair, pursed his lips.  “Tell me, Lex; whose name is on the outside of this building?”

“Yours,” Lex replied.

“ Ours ,” Lionel corrected.  “Yours and mine.  Luthor corp, our legacy to the world.  A legacy you will be responsible for carrying on someday.  That is your name on the building,” Lionel picked up the folder, held it up.  “And on this product.  That makes it your responsibility.”  Lionel threw the folder down again, making another loud slap on the glass desk top.

“And yours,” Lex said.

“Which is why I am deeply disappointed.”

“Father, I have–”

“Lena, I am talking to your brother.”

Lena ground her teeth, but remained silent.

“And what do you want me to do about it, Dad?” Lex asked, his tone of voice a mixture of challenge and resignation.

“There’s nothing to be done,” Lionel said.  “We’ve issued the recall, insurance will cover the damages, lawyers will ensure the damages are as small as possible so our premiums don’t rise too much and our stocks don’t fall too badly.”

“Is that our best course of action?” Lena asked.

“It’s our only course of action, Lena,” Lionel replied.

“But shouldn’t we take responsibility–”

“Absolutely not!” Lionel said.  “ Responsibility equals liability , and we cannot afford that in either our reputation or our bottom line.  We’ve done what’s legally required, and that’s all we’ll do.”

“I just think–”

“Do not think , Lena.  Do as you are told .”

Lena ground her teeth again, her eyes flashed, her fists clenched, but she nodded.  “Yes, Father.”

Keira looked up in surprise as Lena Luthor appeared over her desk.  “Uh, hi, Miss Luthor.  Can I help you?”

“I hope so.  Join me in my office.  Please.”

Keria got up, and followed Lena up to her office.  Lena shut the door behind them before sitting at her desk.  Keira took the chair opposite, waiting for Lena to speak.

It was a surprisingly long wait.  Keira had never known Lena to appear anything other than cool and confident, yet now she seemed nervous, even afraid.  Finally, Lena spoke.

“Did you hear about the problems with our KX-1758-Omega?”

“I. . . don’t think so?” Keira replied.

“It was a new GMO corn hybrid.  Some flaw in the development process resulted in the crops, when grown in the wild and exposed to certain conditions, building up toxins.”  Lena paused, took a deep breath, visibly collected herself.  “Hundreds died before we issued a recall.”

“That’s terrible!” Keira said.

Lena nodded.  “We have insurance and lawyers to handle the damages, but. . .” Lena trailed off, shifted in her seat.  Looked at her nervously fluttering hands.

“But what?” Keira asked, when it seemed Lena was unwilling to continue.

Lena sighed.  “But I worked on that project.  I was in charge of it.  I did my best, but it wasn’t good enough.  And. . . and now my father wants to just pretend it never happened, let it. . . let it all just blow away.”

“And you don’t?”

“No.  I. . . I want Luthorcorp to take responsibility.  I want to take responsibility, I want people to know that. . . that I’m sorry.”

Keira leaned forward, put her hands on Lena’s trembling ones.  Lena looked up to her.  “How can I help?” Keira asked.

Lena smiled thinly.  “Your speech to the board about your cancer treatment was amateurish and simplistic, but heartfelt.*  I think. . . I think if we work together, we might be able to present an argument to the board that will force my father to do the right thing.”

Keira smiled, and Lena smiled back.  “Then let’s get started.”

*Back in Chapter Seven.

Once again, Keira was at the main Luthorcorp building in Metropolis, attending a board meeting.  This time, she was Lena’s guest instead of Lex’s.  Lex looked at them curiously as he entered, but said nothing.  The other board members ignored her as they took their seats.  Finally, Lionel entered, and if he noticed or remembered her, he gave no sign.

Again, Keira couldn’t really follow most of the discussion.  Instead she sat back and waited for the topic she and Lena had worked so hard on to be raised.

They eventually came to it, the KX-1758-Omega that had killed so many people.

Lena stood.  “I have something I’d like to say.”

Lionel stared at her.  “No, Lena, you don’t.”

Keira winced.

Lena stood her ground.  “Yes, Father.  I do.”

Lionel sighed.  “Very well.  The chair recognizes Lena Luthor.”

Lena cleared her throat.  “I worked on the KX-1758-Omega project.  I was in charge of it.  I oversaw the tests and trials and approvals.  Somehow, we missed the flaw in our product, and that led to deaths.  I recognize that we have done everything legally required of us, but I believe we can, and we should, do more.  I think we should take responsibility – not liability – by issuing a formal apology.  I think we should launch an investigation into our testing procedures, to see if we could have prevented this, and if we could have, take steps to ensure something like this never happens again.  If it truly was just an unavoidable accident, then we should admit that.  If it wasn’t, we should explain what happened and what steps we’re taking to fix the problem.  We should win back trust, restore faith in our company and our products, and demonstrate we understand that these are not just numbers on a spreadsheet, but real human lives.  Lives that we, like it or not, are responsible for.”

“Very touching,” Lionel said coldly as Lena sat.  “But also terrible business practice.  We do not take responsibility, we do not admit fault, we do not coddle our customers.  People may be angry now, but people are goldfish .  In a week, they’ll be angry about something else, and no one will remember or care about our error.  Unless we draw attention to it, unless we beg forgiveness, cap in hand.  If we do that, then we show weakness, and Wayne and Queen and Ferris will descend on us like vultures to pick clean our bones.”

Lena ground her teeth, tore her gaze away from her father to look at the board.  “Do I have a second?”

Lex raised his hand.

Lionel sighed again.  “Very well.  All in favor of ripping out our bleeding heart?”  Lex and Lena raised their hands.  “All in favor of behaving exactly like every other successful company?”  The rest of the hands raised.  “Motion denied.”

The mood was dour as Keira, Lena, and Lex rode the jet back to Smallville.  Lena sat in one of the seats, staring dully at nothing.  Lex and Keira exchanged a few nervous looks before Lex finally spoke.

“You did the best you could,” he said.  Lena didn’t stir.  “It was a good argument, a compelling speech.  Dad just has everyone too scared of him.”  Lena didn’t move.  “It was a valiant effort.”

“We tried, Lena,” Keira said when Lena remained silent and unmoving.  “And we’ll do better next time.”

“Next time?” Lena said, finally drawn from her stupor.  “I hope to God there won’t be a next time.”  She turned to look at them.  “We. . . we failed .”

Keira was stunned.  Lena’s voice had been thick and anguished, sounding like she was choking back tears.  Keira had never seen her like this.

Neither had Lex.  He studied her curiously.  “Don’t take it so hard,” he said.  “We rarely win fights with Dad.  This should be a familiar feeling.”

Lena glared at him.  “Shut up, Lex.”

“I just don’t see why this matters so much to you.”

“Because it’s my fault!” Lena yelled, and Keira gasped.  Not at the words or their volume, but the raw emotion in Lena’s voice, and the glittering in her eyes as tears began to fall.  “It was my project, I was in charge.”  Lena folded, put her head in her hands, one great sob wracking her body.  “I killed those people.”

“Oh, Lena, no,” Keira said, getting up to sit next to Lena, putting a comforting hand on her back.  “It was a mistake, an accident–”

“It doesn’t matter!” Lena said.  “It was my responsibility, and I failed!  Those deaths are my fault.”  She looked at Keira, eyes red, cheeks stained with tears.  “I’m a murderer.”

“Now that is completely false,” Keira said.  “You didn’t intend to kill anyone, and intent is required for actual murder.”

Lena scowled.  “This isn’t a joke, Miss Kent.”

“I’m not joking,” Keira said.  “You were trying to do a good thing.  You were trying to help.  It doesn’t make it easier, but you never wanted anyone to get hurt, and you did everything you could to make it right.”

“It’s a costly lesson,” Lex said.  “But it’s just that:  a lesson.  A reminder to do better next time.”

“Hundreds dead isn’t a lesson,” Lena said.

Keira wasn’t entirely comfortable with Lex writing off hundreds dead as just a lesson.  They weren’t, as she and Lena had concluded, just numbers on a spreadsheet.  But to see Lena taking this so hard, so wracked with guilt and pain, was no good either.  “Lena,” she said quietly.  “Empathy and compassion is good, but torturing yourself isn’t.”

Lena sighed.  “I. . . I’m not sure I can keep doing this.”

“You have to,” Lex said.  “Who else is going to even try and turn Luthorcorp into a responsible company?”

“But hundreds are dead because of me.”

Keira sighed.  “And who’s going to take your place if you quit?  What happens to the next project, overseen by someone who doesn’t have your experience?”

Lena shook her head.  She covered her face in her hands again, and began to cry.

Keira shot an intense look at Lex.  Jerked her head at Lena.  The message was clear.  Get over here and support your sister.

Lex looked at Lena, then at Keira.  He shrugged helplessly.  I don’t know how.

Keira’s hand on Lena’s back wrapped around her shoulders.  Keira pulled Lena in, hugging her.  “It’s okay,” she said quietly.  “You’re okay.  We’re here.  You’re alright.”

Whether she was too tired to object, or her emotions were so high she wasn’t thinking clearly, or because Keira’s comfort was so good, Lena let herself relax in Keira’s embrace and let it all out.

By the time the jet landed, Lena had herself put back together.  She insisted on giving Keira a ride home.  Keira gave the address of the Kent farm to Lena’s driver, and the two sat in the back seat.

Lena blushed as she looked at Keira.  “I’d appreciate it if you could keep my outburst on the plane to yourself.”

“Of course,” Keira said.  “But. . . you know it’s no shame to cry, right?”

Lena smiled thinly.  “Spoken like someone who’s never set foot in the Luthor household.  Or anywhere else in the real world.”

Keira tried not to look hurt.

Lena sighed.  “Keira, you don’t know what it’s like out there.  I have to be twice as good as anyone else, and still get summarily dismissed more often than not because I have the wrong set of reproductive organs.  If I show my emotions I’m a crazy bitch, but if I don’t show emotion then I’m a frigid bitch.  It’s. . . fucking impossible.”

“It can’t be that bad.”

Lena glared.  “When Father found out about the failure of KX-1758-Omega, all he cared about was how it reflected on the Luthor name.  Specifically, his and Lex’s Luthor name.  The company, the family name, that’s his legacy.  How I factored into it was not even mentioned.”  She turned to stare out the window.  “To Father, I have so little value I may as well not exist.”

Keira clutched Lena’s hand.  “You do have value.”

“I know.  I just. . . I’m so damn tired of having to prove it every minute of every day, and that somehow still not being enough.”  She turned to face Keira, smiled.  “I don’t know why I’m laying all this on you.  I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.  I’m here if you need me.”

Lena seemed to consider that, then relaxed.  “Thank you.  I’ve never had a friend like you before. . . I’ve never had a friend before.”

“That can’t be true.”

“It is.  When you’re a Luthor, there are two types of people in the world:  those who want to use you, and those you can use.  There is no third category.  That mindset is not conducive to forming genuine friendship.”

Keira smiled, held up her hand.  “Friends?”

Lena smiled back, and leaned forward to hug Keira.  “Friends.”

They arrived at the Kent farm, and with one last, warm hug, Keira got out.  Jonathan, Martha, and Clark came out as Keira walked to the door, and Lena watched as the family shared warm, tight hugs, smiling as they welcomed Keira home.

Lena felt a sharp stab of pain in her heart.

“Drive,” she said, forcing herself to look away.

Her driver put the car in gear, and Lena was carried away from the light and warmth of the Kent farm and into the cold, dark night.

Chapter Text

April

“Engineering?” Clark asked.

Lana nodded.  “I’ve always liked seeing how stuff is put together, I think it’ll be fun to learn that, and how to do it myself.”  She looked at Clark and smiled.  “Plus, you and Keira have all that. . . stuff.  Keira can dream it up, I can build it.”

Clark grinned.  He’d always known Lana was smart, but hadn’t expected her to pick a STEM career for her higher education.

“What are you thinking?” Lana asked.

Clark looked back at his own college paperwork.  “I’m not sure.”

“Time’s running out,” Lana said.

“I know that.  It’s just. . . I know I’m not cut out for science, not the way Keira is.  And, apparently, you are.  Most other stuff. . . with my abilities, it’d be like cheating.”

Lana ran through the careers she could think of that didn’t involve math or science, and had to admit Clark had a point.  “You could be a teacher?” she suggested.

Clark made a face.  “I didn’t like dealing with kids when I was one.”

Lana nodded, conceding the point.  “Well, we’ll have to think of something.  You should–”

She broke off as Clark’s head jerked up, staring off into the distance.  “The Fortress,” he said quietly.  “Lana, I–”

Lana nodded.  “Go.”

In a whoosh, Clark was gone.

“Fortress, what’s going on?” Kal asked as he stepped out of the wormhole.

“Kryptonian energy signature detected, this solar system.”

“Display,” Kara said, arriving on Kal’s heels.

The holographic monitor sprang up, showing a model of the Sol system, highlighting a ping moving rapidly towards Earth.

“Can you show us the object?” Kara asked.

The display changed to a field of stars.  It zoomed in, finally showing an orange crystal tumbling through space.

“Identify,” Kara said.

“Unknown,” the Fortress replied.  “The energy signature is unlike anything in the readily-accessible database, but the composition is unmistakably Kryptonian.”

“Is it going to hit Earth?” Kal asked.

“Confirmed.”

“ETA?”

“One hour.”

Kal and Kara shared a look.  Kal rushed off to change into his Kryptonian suit, Kara began the process of setting the Fortress to poking about in the more esoteric portions of the database for any information on the incoming object.

Forty-five minutes later, Kal and Kara stood outside the Fortress in their Kryptonian garb, awaiting the object’s arrival.  It had changed course slightly, and would make landfall somewhere within a mile of the Fortress.  That alone had Kal and Kara worried.

The Fortress sounded an alert.  With their enhanced hearing, they could hear it even from outside.  “The object collided with a satellite.  It is continuing on course.  The wreckage is not behaving in a manner consistent with de-orbiting debris.”

“I see it,” Kal said, focusing his eyes on the distant space above his adopted home.

“It’s coming this way,” Kara said.

A flaming streak shot across the sky, impacting a half a mile away from them.  Kal and Kara were there in a flash.

A smoldering crater marked the snow where the object had fallen, water, ice, and burning and melted debris strewn about.  There was a creaking groan from the crater, the sound of metal and plastic warping and shifting.

Then a form breached the lip of the crater.

As the wind shifted, blowing the smoke away, Kal and Kara got a good look at it.  It looked like a man, but a man made of metal.  A complex construction mimicking the human form, many moving parts that seemed to grant it at least the same range of motion as a person.  Its face was generic, but unmistakably human – or Kryptonian.  An articulated mouth and gleaming yellow metal-and-glass eyes surveyed them.

And on its chest, forged from the metal of the destroyed satellite, was the symbol of the House of El.

“Kryptonian lifesigns detected,” the thing said, its voice flat, robotic, unemotional.  “Kryptonian technology detected.  Kryptonian life must be protected.”  It paused, seeming to survey the barren Arctic landscape.  “Non-Kryptonian lifesigns and technology detected.  Non-Kryptonian life must be eradicated.”

“Woah!” Kal said, holding out his hands.  “No!  This is our home.”

“Krypton is gone,” Kara added.  “We’re all that’s left.  Identify yourself.”

“Processing.  This planet is home to the last Kryptonian life and technology?”

“That’s correct,” Kal said.

“Then it must be made safe for Kryptonian life.  Non-Kryptonian life must be eradicated.”

“No!  No eradicating!” Kal said.  “This is our home, and we will protect it!”

“Stand down,” Kara said.  “Come inside, and let’s talk about this.”

“Processing.  I must fulfill my primary objective.  You wish to stop me.  Explain.”

“We love this planet, and its people,” Kal said.  “We have friends here, family.  We won’t let you kill them.”

The strange artificial being looked at Kara.  “Confirm?”

“Confirmed.”

“That which is true Kryptonian must be protected.  That which is non-Kryptonian must be eradicated.  That which is corrupted by non-Kryptonian influence is not true Kryptonian.  That which is not true Kryptonian is non-Kryptonian.”  The robot raised its hands, palms out.  “You are corrupted.  You are not true Kryptonian.  You must be eradicated.”

Beams of brilliant yellow energy shot from the thing’s hands, slamming into Kal and Kara.  They both winced as they were knocked back by the powerful energy beams, strong enough to hurt them, if mildly, even with the power of Earth’s yellow sun.

“Stop!” Kara shouted.  “Shut down!  Deactivate!  Halt!”

“ Klaatu barada nikto! ” Clark hollered.

“Seriously?” Kara asked.

“Couldn’t hurt.”

“Commands from that which is not true Kryptonian rejected,” the robot said.  “Eradicate.”

“Split!” Kal said.  “Full evasive!”  The beams were only hurting them slightly, but they were hurting, which meant just standing there and letting the thing blast them was not a swell idea.  Kal and Kara took off, moving in opposite directions, dodging as the thing kept firing at them.

It had two targets, but it also had two hands.  The yellow beams tracked both Kal and Kara, coming uncomfortably close.

Kara scanned the thing for weaknesses.  Her X-Ray vision let her see the orange crystal embedded deep in the thing’s chest.  “Kal?”

“I see it,” he said.  He focused, firing a blast of his heat vision, intending to cut the thing’s torso apart and separate the crystal.

The red beams were absorbed millimeters away from the thing's shiny skin.

“Some kind of force field!” Kara said.  “We’ll need to overpower it!”

“Eradicate,” the thing supplied helpfully.

Kal and Kara tried to catch it with a sustained burst of heat vision, but the thing was quick and nimble, and they still had to evade its own energy blasts.

“I’ll pin it,” Kal said.  “You get through that shield and get that crystal!”

“Right,” Kara said.

Kal flew at the robot with all the speed and power he could muster, catching it from behind.  He wrapped his arms around it in a full nelson, his arms under the robot’s arms, hands clasped behind its neck, holding the robot’s arms uselessly out to the side and its head bowed towards its chest.

Kara swooped in, grabbing at the metal breastplate, but the shield repelled her fingers as much as it had her heat vision.  But with Kal holding it reasonably still, she could aim and fire at one spot, gradually burning into the remarkably strong energy field.

“Hurry!” Kal said, the robot’s strength weakening his grip.

“Trying!” Kara said.

Kal decided to help by firing his own heat vision at the thing’s head.  The shield began to buckle.  Kara’s fingers crumpled the metal chest, tore it like paper.  She reached in, tore out the glowing orange crystal.

The robot collapsed into scraps of useless metal.

Kara painstakingly set up a safe partition through which she and the Fortress computer could analyze the crystal.  It took several hours sifting through the memory crystals left by Jor-El and Zor-El, but Kara eventually had their answer.

“It’s called the Eradicator,” she said.

“No surprise there,” Kal observed wryly.

“An artificial intelligence program encoded in an energy crystal, designed to interface with anything it comes in contact with, construct itself a body, then carry out its primary mission.”

“Which is ‘eradicate,’ I presume?”

Kara nodded.  “Centuries before the establishment of the High Council, Krypton was being attacked by extrasolar threats seemingly every other week.  A distant ancestor of ours, Kem-L, created the Eradicator as a defense.”

“But?” Kal prompted.

“But. . . well, Kem-L wasn’t exactly the shiningest example of what the House of El should stand for.  He had ideas, not even really in vogue in his time, of what constituted ‘true’ Kryptonian.  And to ensure the Eradicator wouldn’t be confused by enemy tricks, he programmed it to only obey his definition of a ‘true’ Kryptonian, and to kill anything that didn’t fit that definition.”

Kal smirked ruefully.  “Let me guess.  The next attack came, they activated it, it stopped the invasion, then went on to massacre every Kryptonian it found because none of them were ‘true’ enough for it?”

“Not quite, Kem-L and the few like him were safe.  But they were a very small group.  Thousands died before the Eradicator was subdued, then shot into space.”

Kal shook his head.  “Guess our homeworld needed Babylon 5 .”

Kara shot him a questioning look.

“Season One episode, ‘Infection.’  Aliens built something similar for similar reasons, programmed it only to obey ‘pure’ members of the race, then defined ‘pure’ so narrowly no one met the standards, and it wiped out their entire civilization.”

Kara smiled.  “You are such a dork.”

Kal grinned back at his cousin.  “Hey, Krypton could have used that lesson, I’m just saying.”  He regarded the orange crystal again.  “But why shoot it into space?”

Kara shrugged.  “They were getting invaded every other week.  They didn’t want the Eradicator anywhere near them, but if it landed somewhere else and sterilized the planet, to their minds, that was just one less potential enemy out there.”

“And it eventually made its way here.”

“Deliberately, I think,” Kara said.  “Homing in on the only Kryptonian signals it could find.  Ours.”

Kal nodded.  “So.  How do we destroy it?”

Kara looked at him aghast.  “Kal, we can’t!”

The Fortress piped up.  “The structure of the crystal is robust, but generating sufficient force to shatter it is well within capabilities.”

“Fine, I can’t.  Kal. . . this is a piece of Krypton, one of the very few left.  Our ancestor built it, it’s almost like family.  And so much has been destroyed. . . our people, our family, our culture, our whole planet.  All that’s left is you, me, and the Fortress.”  She looked at the orange crystal.  “And now, this.  Please, Kal.  We can’t just destroy it.”

“But it wants to eradicate everything.  Including us.”

Kara nodded.  “I know.  But what if I can reprogram it?  Find the faults in Kem-L’s code and fix them?”

Kal arched an eyebrow.  “Can you?”

Kara sighed.  “I don’t know.  It’s ancient, the programming language is archaic. . . but I have to try.”  She looked at him, pleading with her eyes.  “Please, Kal.”

Kal pursed his lips and sighed.  He didn’t feel Krypton’s loss as keenly as Kara did, he had been too young to remember anything but growing up on Earth.  Kara had watched as Krypton shattered behind them, watched everything and everyone she knew and loved die in violence and fire.  It was a pain he couldn’t truly comprehend, no matter how much he tried.  To him, the Eradicator was a threat to his home, to the people he cared about.  He just couldn’t understand how Kara could see it as a piece of their home worth preserving.

He couldn’t understand it, but he could accept it.  He could order her to destroy it, and she would.  He could choose to destroy it himself, and she wouldn’t stop him.  But it would wound her deeply, cause her great pain.  And Kal wouldn’t do that to her.

So he nodded.  “Okay.  Just, please, don’t create Krypton’s answer to Skynet?”

Kara smiled, darted forward to hug him tightly.  “Thank you, Kal.”

Kal smiled, and hugged her back.

Then Kara left his arms, and began working on the Fortress console, beginning the arduous task of translating the Eradicator’s ancient code.

Chapter Text

June

That year, Clark and Keira’s birthday was a combined birthday/graduation party.  Clark had finished high school the week before, and Keira had finished her PhDs in biology, materials science, and theoretical chemistry.  Lex had given her what he called an early birthday present, a promotion to Research Project Lead, letting her start up and control her own research.  Pending approval by the Luthocorp board, of course.

The day after their birthday, as usual, the Danvers family dropped by to celebrate.

“Doctor Kent!” Jeremiah said, hugging Keira warmly.  “We’re so proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Keira said, switching to hugging Eliza.  “I’m so excited!”

Clark held back, letting Keira’s well-deserved well wishes run their course.  When they had, he cleared his throat.  “Uh, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.  This is Lana Lang.  Lana, Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers, and their daughter Alex.”

“Hi,” Lana said.  “Clark’s told me all about you.”

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow.  “ All about us?”

Lana nodded.  “NSA, spaceship, adoption papers.”

Jeremiah smiled.  “And we’ve heard nothing but good things about you.  Lovely to finally meet you.”  He gave Lana a hearty handshake.

Eliza gave her a warm hug.  “So happy for you two,” she said softly.

Alex scrutinized Lana for several seconds, making her feel inexplicably nervous, before smiling at Clark.  “She’s hot.  Good pull, Kalley-Way.”

Lana grinned, looking at Clark.  “Kalley-Way?”

“Thank you, Alexandra,” Clark sighed.

Alex grinned, grabbing Lana and Keira’s hands.  “Come on.  I need to know everything.”

She dragged them out to the barn, Clark following.  “Okay,” Alex said, rounding on Lana.  “You’re in on the big secret?”

“Clark is Kal-El of Krypton?  Yeah.”

Alex beamed.  “Great!  Someone else to talk to.”  She looked intently between Clark and Lana.  “And I’m guessing you two. . .” she made a suggestive gesture.

The blush and shuffling Clark and Lana put on confirmed her suspicion, and Alex’s smile widened.  “Woo!  Good on you!  Come on, I want the juicy details!”

“I don’t know,” Clark said, folding his arms.  “You aren’t really playing nice to earn them.”

Alex pouted.  “Come on, Kalley-Way, don’t hold out on me!”

“Clark?” Lana threw Clark a questioning look.

“Alexandra’s an. . . acquired taste.”

Alex stuck her tongue out at Clark, then grinned and looked at Keira.  “Bet Keira knows all about it.”

Keira smiled enigmatically.  “I may or may not have privileged information.”

“I knew it!  Spill, Kara-mel.”

“Hold on,” Lana said.  “This is my experience you’re digging in.”

Alex smiled at Lana.  “Oh, sweetie, who else are you going to girl-talk this with?”

“You’d be surprised,” Lana said.

Alex nodded.  “Right, that Amazon you sent to talk to me.  I want to know her story, too.”

“Well. . . they’re kind of. . . linked,” Keira said.

Alex’s eyebrows raised.  “Okay, now I have to know.”

Clark, Lana, and Keira shared a look.  Eventually, Lana nodded.  With that, they went into a compressed version of their first “camping trip” with Lana, then meeting Diana a few weeks later, and their “camping trip” with her.

Lana had worried that Alex would react badly to the news of Clark and Keira having sex.  If anything, Alex seemed excited to hear about it, and Lana and Clark finally getting together.

But what really seemed to intrigue her was Keira “practicing” on Lana, then Diana educating the two women.

“So,” Alex said, once the three of them had finished their story.  “You don’t like girls?” she pointed at Lana.

Lana shrugged.  “Jury’s out.”

Alex nodded, then pointed at Keira.  “But you do.”

Keira nodded.  “Pretty sure I’m full bi.”

Alex grinned.  “Good, ‘coz I’ve wanted to do this for three years.”  Alex rushed towards Keira.  Keira didn’t move out of her way.  Alex took Keira’s head in her hands.  Keira didn’t resist.  Then Alex leaned forward and kissed her, and Keira kissed back.

Clark and Lana watched in surprise.  Finally, Alex and Keira came up for air.

“Mm,” Alex said.  “Thank you.”

Keira nodded.  “My pleasure.”

“Alex?” Clark asked.  “You’re. . .”

“Gay as the day is long,” she said.  “And your cousin is hot .”  She smirked at Clark.  “But then, you already knew that.”

Clark blushed and looked down, looked back up.  “Do Jerry and Eliza know?”

Alex nodded.  “Brought a girlfriend home for summer break last year.  Broke up first semester.”

Keira playfully shoved Alex’s shoulder.  “And you didn’t tell us?”

Alex shrugged.  “Didn’t come up.  And I didn’t want things to get awkward, since. . . well. . .” she gave Keira a long, appreciative look up and down.  “But you’re cool with it.”

“Alex,” Clark said, resting a hand on her shoulder.  “We would have been cool, no matter what.”

Alex smiled, put her hand on Clark’s.  “I know, Clark.  Thank you.”

Keira smiled at Alex.  “So. . . you just wanted to kiss me?”

Alex smiled back.  “I had to, just once.”

“Just once?”

Alex shrugged.  “Well. . . I wouldn’t say no to more.”

Keria took Alex’s arm.  “Let’s talk.”  The two walked away.

“Are they. . ?” Lana asked.

“Just talking,” Clark said.  “I hope just talking,” he added with concern.  “I don’t want to think about how awkward this could get if the adults stumble on them.”

Lana wrapped her arms around Clark.  “As awkward as if they stumbled on us?”

“At least,” Clark replied with a grin.

“You know. . . the Fortress is only five seconds away.”

A tempting thought, but Clark knew things would be just as awkward if they vanished from the Kent Farm entirely for an hour or two.  “Later,” he said quietly, kissing the top of Lana’s head.

Clark and Keira had grabbed their Blue Kryptonite bracelets, and the four young adults sparred in the field of the Kent Farm, teaching each other new techniques.  Alex from her continuing and expanding martial arts classes, Clark and Keira the lessons they’d learned from Diana.  But it was Lana’s slowly but steadily growing facility with Torquasm that really made an impression.

“How did you do that?” Alex asked, springing up to her feet from where Lana had thrown her.

“I don’t know,” Lana answered.  “I just. . . I knew exactly what you were going to do, and what I needed to do to stop you.”

“Theta state,” Keira said.  “Advanced levels of Torquasm-Vo can put your brain into a state where you process information extremely quickly.  I think you just did unconsciously, Lana.  If you can tap into it consciously, it’s. . . well, kind of like Matrix bullet-time.”

“That’s how it is for us,” Clark amended.  “But, we pretty much live like that anyway.”

Lana raised an eyebrow.  “Waiting ten minutes for the movie to start?”

“ Torture ,” Clark said.

“Everyone else is so slow ,” Keira added.  “We’ve really worked hard at cultivating patience.”

Clark grinned at Alex.  “But that’s not even the most exciting thing Lana can do now.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, smirked playfully.  “Do I want to know?”

Clark blushed.  “It’s not like that,” he said.  He nodded to Lana.  “Show her.”

Lana smiled, pleased to have someone else to share her secret with.  She raised her hand, clenched it into a fist, summoned up the pool of energy Diana had taught her to reach and Torquasm had opened up for her.

Even in the bright afternoon sunlight, the glow in Lana’s fist was easy to see.

“The fuck?” Alex asked in awe.

“It’s a combination of the Torquasm Clark and Keira showed me and the Amazon meditation Diana showed me.  She says it’s not anything she’s heard of before, but fits with how I’ve learned to tap into and use my core of power.”

“What does it do?” Alex asked.

Clark smiled.  “Limited enhanced strength and durability.  Nowhere near what Keira and I can put out or take, but a huge improvement over even human maximum.”

Alex smiled.  “Show me,” she said, holding up her hand as a striking target.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Keira said.

“Come on,” Alex said.  “Controlled force.  Just a taste.”  She punched her open hand.  “Come on, Lana.”

Lana had only just met Alex Danvers, but knew she wasn’t one who took no for an answer.  Sighing, Lana aimed at Alex’s open hand, let out a light punch.

Alex cried out and backed off, shaking her hand.

“Are you alright?” Lana asked.

Clark and Keira slipped off their blue bracelets, scanned Alex’s hand with their X-Ray vision.  “It’s not broken,” Clark said.

“Maybe bruised, but not bad,” Keira added.

“Ow,” Alex said, flexing her hand.  It felt like she’d tried to catch a fairly serious baseball pitch bare-handed.  “Yeah, I’m okay, it’s not bad.  But wow!”  She looked at Lana in admiration.  “Can you teach me that?”

Lana shuffled uncertainly.  “I don’t think so.  I mean, Diana said she technically wasn’t even supposed to teach me, I don’t think she – or maybe, her people – would approve of me passing it on.  And without Torquasm. . .”

“I know Torquasm,” Alex said.  “Well, a little.”

“Still,” Lana said apologetically.  “It’s not my secret to share.”

Alex nodded.  “I understand.”  Then she grinned.  “Guess I need to talk to that unbearably hot professor again.”

The Kents prided themselves on being good hosts to their guests, and setting a good table.  Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers insisted on being good guests and bringing something of their own.  Dinner was huge, Eliza bringing rolls baked from her grandmother’s recipe and a chocolate pecan pie, Jeremiah bringing his family’s chili.  Jonathan made barbecue beef brisket on the grill, Martha baked an apple pie and Jeremiah and Eliza cut up, seasoned, and baked potato wedges.

Lana thought it was entirely too much food, then remembered Clark and Keira’s unearthly appetite.  Indeed, they devoured more than any three of the humans put together.

“So,” Jeremiah asked after all the requisite compliments to the cooking were out of the way.  “You two are going to college in the fall?”

Clark nodded, swallowing down a huge bite of brisket.  “We’ve both been accepted to MetU.”

“That’s great!” Eliza said.

“What are you studying?” Jeremiah asked.

Clark winced.  “I’m. . . not sure yet.”

Eliza smiled.  “That’s okay.  Alex didn’t know what she wanted to do, either.”

“Yes I did,” Alex replied.  “I just also kept my options open.  Nothing wrong with a broad education.”

“You’ll figure it out,” Jeremiah said warmly.  “What about you, Lana?”

Lana blushed lightly.  “I’m thinking. . . engineering.”

Eliza smiled.  “I knew there was more to you than meets the eye.”

“What drew you to that?” Jeremiah asked.

Lana shrugged.  “I’ve always liked seeing how things work, and I think it’ll be fun to learn more, make new things.”  She looked at Keira.  “And with what Clark and Keira have access to, who knows what I can build?”

Jeremiah nodded, looking between Keira and Lana.  “You two could make a good team.  We could use–”

“No,” Keira snapped.

Jeremiah shrugged.  “I’m just saying–”

“I know, but we’ve had this conversation.  No dangerous technology, and definitely no weapons.  We have to be slow and cautious, lest Earth meet the same fate as Krypton.”

“I understand your reasons, Keira.  I just think you and Clark could do so much more, with everything you have and can do.”

Clark and Keira shared a look.  “Actually,” Clark said, turning back to all the members of his family.  “We’ve kind of reached the same conclusion.”

“Really?” Jonathan asked, raising an eyebrow.

Clark nodded.  “Well, Kara did make us those Kryptonian suits.  And with everything we can do, we might be able to help a lot of people by. . . getting more directly involved.”

“Involved how?” Martha asked, concerned.

Clark shrugged.  “I’m not really sure yet.  But certainly there are times and places where we can help when no one else can.”

Martha cast a stern gaze between her two children.  “And whose idea was this?” her tone that of a mother finding her kids in the center of an ungodly mess.

“Hers,” Clark said.

“His,” Keira said at the same time.

“Kara designed the suits,” Clark said.

“Kal’s been taking charge the couple of times we have gotten involved,” Keira said.  They’d had to explain about Faora after the encounter had made the news.  Neither Jonathan nor Martha had been pleased, but they’d understood.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Martha asked.

Clark shrugged.  “No.  But. . . you taught us we have to help out where we can.  That people have to do right by each other.  And Kara and I, we can help out in ways no one else can.”  He looked to Jeremiah.  “If a threat does come, we can help defend against it.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Jeremiah said, looking at the Kents.  “But I wouldn’t want to put you two in danger.”

“We’d hardly be in danger,” Keira said.

“And even if we were,” Clark said.  “If it’s dangerous for us , it’d be. . . ludicrously more dangerous for anyone not us.”

“I don’t know how I feel about this,” Jonathan said.

Clark nodded.  “We’re not going to do anything right away,” he said.  “The world’s done fine without us so far.  Just. . . if it looks like it won’t, we have to try.  Right?”

Jonathan and Martha looked at each other.  Both were terrified of their children putting themselves in danger, and not just from whatever threats they might face, but from the very people they wanted to help.  At the same time, both recognized their own ethics and morals in Clark’s arguments, and were proud of him taking their lessons to heart, and knew he and Keira could do so in a way far more amazing than they could dream.

Jonathan looked back at his son, nodded.  “I’m proud of you, son.”

Clark and Keira smiled at their parents.

Chapter Text

August

In her apartment in National City, Alex Danvers writhed in her bed, sweat beading her skin, eyes rolled back, mouth open, gasps and moans escaping her lips.  Her fists clenched and knotted in the sheets, her legs bent and straightened erratically.

Between her legs, Keira’s lips and tongue danced across her most sensitive spots.  Alex was too consumed by bliss to see, but Keira’s piercing blue eyes looked up Alex’s body, glee glimmering in them as she appreciated the results of her work.

Alex was in heaven .  Keira’s tongue was incredible, plunging deeper than Alex thought possible, then gliding over the exterior, then swirling and probing with dexterity and determination.  She’d be slow and sensual one moment, hard and fast the next.  Then Keira would engage her super-speed, turning her tongue into a moist, fleshy vibrator that had Alex crying out in ecstasy.

Alex was close, so very very close.  Keira’s tongue slid back out, caressing her folds languidly, then the tip of her tongue curled around Alex’s clit.  Alex gasped, the sensation pushing her another notch closer.  Then Keira’s tongue went into vibrator mode again, shoving raw sensation right into the sensitive little nub.

Alex screamed as she climaxed, slamming herself onto her bed again and again in a seizure of pleasure.  Eventually, she recovered enough to look down at Keira with glassy eyes.  “Fuck,” she panted.

Keira smiled and crawled up to her, lips and chin glistening with wetness.  Alex thought she looked too damn sexy, so summoned up what strength she had to grab Keira and kiss her, savoring the taste of herself on Keira’s lips.

When Alex flopped back on the bed, exhausted, Keira smirked.  “So, I take it that was okay?”

“Fuck you, Kara-mel,” Alex breathed.  “That’s enough to make me give up my search for a meaningful relationship.”

Keira giggled.  She and Alex had agreed to hook up just out of curiosity and. . . well, an exchange of information, so to speak.  They knew they loved each other, but also knew they didn’t love each other.  Keira stroked Alex’s sweat-soaked brunette hair.  “Hope I didn’t ruin you.”

“Oh, you did,” Alex said.  “But only in the best way.”

Keira smiled and laid down next to Alex, pulling the slender woman to her.  Alex cuddled up, her head pillowed on one of Keira’s large breasts, a hand resting on the other.

“Mm,” Alex said after a time, squeezing Keira’s breast.  “You know, there are times I really wish I had your boobs.  Then I think about how my back would feel lugging these boulders around all day, and I’m happy with what I’ve got.”

Keira shrugged.  “Not a thing I’ve ever had to worry about,” she said.

Alex frowned and slapped Keira’s boob playfully.  “No fair, you and your superpowers.”

Keira smirked.  “You weren’t complaining a minute ago.”

Even the memory of Keira’s tongue vibrating against and in her made Alex shiver.  “That’s not fair, either.”

“All’s fair in love and war.”

Alex scowled at Keira, and pinched her nipple as hard as she could.  Keira smiled.  She could feel the pressure, but Alex was nowhere near strong enough to cause her even a little bit of pain.  “Trying to accomplish something there?” she asked mildly.

Alex gave up and wriggled against Keira.  “You suck, Kara-mel.”

“Sometimes,” Keira agreed.

Alex laughed, cuddling closer to Keira.  She was so warm, so soft, but beneath that softness was the steel of Kryptonian body enhanced by Earth’s yellow sun.  It was an interesting combination.

“How’s the job hunt going?” Keira asked.

Alex smiled.  “Really well.  I’ve got interviews lined up that should get me on the DEO’s radar, and I’ve got the education to be really attractive to them.  I’m specifically targeting Coast City, since the director of the branch office there doesn’t really know Dad.  I don’t want anyone going easy on me because of who my father is.”  Alex made a face.  “I don’t want anyone going hard on me because of who my father is, either.”

Keira nodded.  “But he’s going to find out eventually.”

“I know.  I just want to prove I belong there for who I am, first.”

The fatigue of her incredible orgasm began to fade, and Alex felt desire stirring within her again.  Her hand began to gently caress Keira’s breast.  She nuzzled the one she rested on, soon turning her head to kiss the smooth skin.  She began to kiss and lick and knead with more determination, fingers and lips finding and working Keira’s nipples.  Keira moaned softly, petting Alex’s short, dark hair.

“My turn,” Alex said, kissing her way down Keira’s belly.

Keira smiled and spread her legs.

Alex looked up Keira’s gorgeous, sexy body as she began exploring with her lips and tongue.

Lana bounced in Clark’s lap, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms clutching his body and head to her.  Her fingers twined in his short black hair as he kissed her neck and shoulder.  His arms wrapped around her, strong but gentle, his hands caressing her back and bottom, helping her move herself up and down on his shaft.

“Oh, yes, Clark!  Clark, yes!” she moaned.

She loved this feeling, her soft body pressed against his hard, muscular one.  Pressing their flesh as close together as possible, as if trying to push themselves into each other and become one.  But as much as she enjoyed this, she enjoyed something else as well.  So she started to lean back, Clark relaxing his grip on her back to let her pull away from him.  She kept her arms around his neck and shoulders, arched her back.

Clark took the hint, and his mouth descended, capturing one of her nipples, licking and sucking.

“Yes!” she cried, continuing to bounce herself in his lap.  He throbbed within her, she clenched around him.  Her sweat-streaked red-gold hair whipped as her head thrashed in pleasure.

She stopped bouncing, instead grinding her hips to his, stirring him inside her.  She groaned at the feel of his entire length resting inside her, the way the roll and writhe of her hips made that glorious shaft hit every place that sent shocks of bliss jolting through her.  She started bouncing again, they were close, so close. . .

Clark’s tongue flicked her nipple at speeds impossible for a human, a wet, silky vibrator in his mouth latched to her breast.  That surge of sensation was all Lana needed, and she squealed as her body clenched like a fist before snapping open in surging climax.  Clark felt her bear down on him, and that pushed him over his edge, and he emptied himself inside her.

Clark gathered Lana in his arms and lay back on his bed in the Fortress, holding her close as she shivered out the aftershocks of her orgasm.

“You’re so good to me,” Lana moaned, nuzzling his neck.

Clark grinned.  “Well. . . it’s not like I don’t get anything out of this.”

Lana laughed, wrapping her arms more tightly around him.  She sighed in contentment, feeling his warm, hard, strong body.  As fun as their times with Keira and Diana had been, she also enjoyed having Clark all to herself.

Clark tightened his grip on Lana, just enough to let her feel the super strength she so enjoyed, not enough to hurt her.  He loved these times when they could be together, just the two of them.  He appreciated Lana’s desire to share him, and certainly enjoyed the time he got with other beautiful women, but Lana was all he really needed.  He couldn’t picture himself asking her to let another woman into their bed. . . but he also couldn’t imagine turning down anyone Lana chose to invite.

“Sucks we can’t get our own apartment at college,” Lana murmured.

Clark sighed, he’d looked into it.  “They aren’t available unless you’ve been there two years.”

“I know,” Lana whined.  “There are off-campus apartments.”

Clark snorted.  “An apartment in Metropolis?  Ridiculously expensive.  Plus, it’d be a long commute.”

Lana poked his side.  “As if you care about distance.”

“You do,” Clark said.  “I can’t carry you to school every day.”

“You could,” Lana suggested.

“Yeah, because that wouldn’t look suspicious at all .”

Lana sighed, knowing he was right.  “I just wish we didn’t have to retreat to your snow fort every time we want to be together.  I like sleeping with you.”  At Clark’s rumbling chuckle, Lana groaned.  “Fine, in both senses.  I like falling asleep and waking up beside you, and I like you plowing me like a corn field.”

Clark nuzzled the top of her head.  “I like being with you, too.”

“Maybe we could arrange sleepovers in our dorm rooms.”

“That would depend on how accommodating our roommates are.”

Lana groaned again, nuzzling Clark’s shoulder.  “Ugh, roommates.  I’ve been trying not to think about it.”

“Worried?” Clark asked.

“I’ve heard horror stories.  Hopefully we get cool ones.”

“Hopefully,” Clark said.  He was less concerned about a potential roommate, he was confident he could get along with anyone.  What was really worrying him was that he still didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life, and college was too expensive to waste much time figuring it out.  Especially since the Kent farm wasn’t exactly making money hand over fist.

“Clark?” Lana said.  “You have worried face.”

Clark sighed.  “Just. . . still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.”

“You’ll figure it out,” Lana said with quiet certainty.  “I believe in you.”

“But what if I don’t figure it out fast enough?  What if by the time I do, I can’t afford college anymore?  What if I think I’ve got it figured out but I’m wrong?  What–”

Lana silenced him with a kiss.  “You’ll be fine, Clark.  You’re my superman.  You can do anything .”

Clark nodded, forcing himself to smile.  If Lana believed in him this much, the least he could do was honor her choice by believing in himself.

Chapter Text

September

It was check-in day at Metropolis University.

Clark and Lana in his beat-up old pickup truck, Jonathan and Martha in their slightly less beat-up, slightly newer pickup truck, and Keira in her small economical car had finished the long drive from Smallville to Metropolis, navigated the barely-contained chaos of the MetU campus to parking spaces, and had queued up with all the other students starting their college adventure and all the other parents seeing their kids off on that adventure.

They reached the head of the line, and the volunteer at the check-in table took them in.  Two obvious parents, three kids of probably college age, but Keira was wearing her MetU Alumnus pin on her sweater vest.  The volunteer looked at Clark and Lana.  “Names?”

“Clark Kent,” Clark said.

“Lana Lang,” Lana said.

The volunteer checked for their names on his list, confirmed their check-in, then handed over thick folders with all the documents and information they needed.  “Okay.  Step on over there, and we should have a new tour group forming up shortly.”

“I can take them,” an approaching voice said.

The volunteer’s eyes widened.  “Uh. . . that’s. . .”

“It’s okay,” Diana said, approaching.  “I do know my way around.”  She looked at Clark and Lana.  “Mr. Kent, Miss Lang, welcome to Metropolis University.”  She looked at Keira, smiling slightly.  “Miss Kent, good to see you again.”

Keira returned the smile, nodding.  “Likewise.  Mom, Dad, this is Professor Diana Prince, I took her Lit class my first year.  Professor, these are my parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent.”

“Charmed,” Diana said, shaking Jonathan’s hand, then Martha’s.  “Shall we?”

“Professor, you don’t have to,” Jonathan said.  “I’m sure you have more important things to do.”

“Not really,” Diana said.  “I’m pretty well set.  And this is always a busy day, so I’m happy to help out.  This way?”  Diana began leading them through the sprawling MetU grounds.

Martha leaned close to her husband.  “Close your mouth, dear, before something flies in.”

Jonathan clapped his jaw closed, struggling to remember his manners.  He managed not to stare at the gorgeous Professor guiding them through the campus.  Too much.

Diana showed them around the campus, the paths and routes between various buildings, which buildings housed which sorts of classes, the student shops, other important features.

She smiled as they came to where a path divided to wind around a large pond.  “Shuster Pond.”  She pointed.  “As you can see, a pair of swans has decided to call it home.”

Indeed, two white swans were floating lazily in the water, long necks occasionally twitching as they took in the sudden flock of humans appearing around their territory.

“We call them Tyler and Liz,” Diana said.  “They nested here ten years ago, and have become a fixture of the campus.  It is strictly against the rules for students to try feeding them, since they’d tend to try and give them things that are bad for them.”  Diana leaned forward conspiratorially, and added quietly, “But it is said that if a couple does try to feed them, and they accept, that couple will be together forever.”  She threw a significant look at Clark and Lana.  “Swans mate for life, after all.”

Kara smiled, and looked longingly at the swans.  She’d missed them in her time away from campus, had always enjoyed watching them.  They reminded her of the nightwings of Krypton, similarly majestic birds who also mated for life and had a prominent place in Kryptonian cultural symbolism and mythology, much like swans did in human culture.  Seeing them had always been a bittersweet joy for her, a pleasant yet poignant reminder of the home she’d never see again, but a symbol of all the beauty and life her new home possessed.  And why she and Kal had to protect it.

She looked at Kal and Lana, who were sharing an intense look.  Kara resolved to tell them both all about nightwings at the earliest opportunity.

Diana continued the tour, pointing out important buildings and efficient paths between them.  She finally brought them to Donner Hall, containing the dorms Clark and Lana had been assigned.  The parking lot was a frenzy of activity.

“And here we are,” Diana said cheerfully, then turned a charming smile on Mr. and Mrs. Kent.  “Tell you what, why don’t you two go and get your car?  We’ll save a space for you.  Then you can save a space for Clark and Lana to get theirs.”

Jonathan nodded.  “Sounds like a good idea.”  He and Martha wandered back to the parking lot they’d left the trucks in.

Diana turned to Clark and Lana, moving far enough away from the stream of people going in and out to not be overheard.  “Just so we’re clear, while you two are or have the potential to be my students, we’ll have to suspend our private times.  Ethics violation.”

Clark nodded.  “Of course.”

Lana nodded in agreement.

Diana smiled.  “A reason I have to look forward to you two graduating.”

Jonathan and Martha returned, Clark and Lana retrieved his truck, and then they began unpacking.

Clark, being the dutiful boyfriend he was, took Lana’s heaviest box first, as she grabbed some smaller items.  Donner Hall had four floors, boys on floors one and two, girls on floors three and four.  Lana’s assigned room was 346.  She slid her student ID keycard into the electronic lock, it beeped and clicked.  Lana opened the door and walked in.

She stopped, looking at the young woman already in the room.  The woman stopped and looked at her.  An awkward beat passed.  Then the woman smiled.  “Hi, guess we’re roomies?”

“Guess so,” Lana said.

“I’m Sarah Blake.”  Sarah was tall and fit, slender, dark hair and skin of indeterminate ethnicity.

“Lana Lang.”  She motioned over her shoulder.  “This is my boyfriend, Clark.”

“Clark Kent,” Clark said, grunting softly.  “Can I come in?  This is heavy.”  It wasn’t, at least not for him, but feigning strain and fatigue was something he’d mastered long ago.

“Oh,” Lana said apologetically, playing along, moving aside to let Clark set the “heavy” box down next to the unclaimed bed.

As he straightened, he nodded and smiled at Sarah.  “Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Sarah said, then looked at Lana.  “Not even the first day and you already have a boyfriend?  You move fast.”

Lana blushed and shook her head.  “Clark and I came here together.  We’ve been dating for almost two years.”

Sarah’s eyebrows raised.  “High school sweethearts?”

Lana nodded.

“Spiffy.”  Clark wasn’t sure if Sarah meant that positively or not.

“Uh. . . need anything else, Lana?”

“Not right now.  I’ll come find you when more heavy stuff needs to move, okay?”

Clark nodded, gave Lana a kiss on the cheek, and headed back to his truck to grab some of his stuff and find his dorm room.

Sarah grinned at Lana as Clark left.  “Damn, girl.  Your boyfriend’s a hunk .”

Lana blushed and shifted, knowing that Clark could definitely still hear them.  “Uh, thanks.”

Sarah misinterpreted Lana’s awkwardness.  “Oh, don’t worry.  I don’t poach.”  She gave Lana a teasing grin.  “But they say college is a time for experimentation, and if you two are ever in an adventurous mood, I wouldn’t say no.”

Lana tried to keep her face neutral, even as she smiled to herself inside.  Sweetie, you have no idea.

Clark grabbed a few boxes of his stuff from his truck, and made his way to his room, 149.  Checking to make sure no one was paying attention, he casually shifted the large boxes to one arm, then unlocked the door with his ID.  As the door swung open he heard someone inside, so began grunting and struggling to sell the awkwardness of opening the door while carrying heavy boxes.

As he entered the room, he turned and looked at the young man in it.  The man looked back at him.  He had dark skin and long, curly hair.  After a moment, Clark cleared his throat.  “Uh, hi.  Guess we’re roommates?”

“Looks like,” the man said, smiling.  “Jimmy Olsen.”

“Clark Kent,” Clark said, setting his stuff down.  It looked like Jimmy had claimed the left side of the room, leaving the right for Clark.

“Pleased to meet you, CK.”  Jimmy extended his hand.  Clark shook it.  “This okay?”  Jimmy motioned to the left side of the room where he was unpacking his stuff.  “We can switch if you want.”

“It’s fine,” Clark said.

There was a knock on the door, and Jimmy got there first.  “Uh, hi,” Lana said.  “I’m looking for Clark?”

“Right here,” Clark said, stepping to the door.  “Lana, this is my roommate Jimmy.  Jimmy, my girlfriend, Lana Lang.”

“Charmed,” Jimmy said, shaking Lana’s hand.

“Likewise,” Lana said, then looked at Clark.  “Turns out I could use your help again.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there.”

Lana nodded and headed back for the truck.  Jimmy turned and gave Clark a grin.  “Wow.  Lucky you.”

Clark couldn’t help but smile.  “Oh, yeah.”  He left the room to follow Lana to his truck, and Jimmy followed to get more of his own stuff.

Outside, Jonathan, Martha, and Keira were waiting by the two pickup trucks.  As Clark approached, he motioned to Jimmy.  “This is Jimmy Olsen, my roommate.  Jimmy, my mom and dad, and my sister Keira.”

“Jonathan Kent,” he said, shaking Jimmy’s hand.

“Martha,” she said.

“Mr. and Mrs. K.  Good to meet you.”  Jimmy grinned at Keira.  “James Olsen.”

“Keira Kent.”

Lana indicated a couple of boxes she wanted Clark to move for her.  As he lifted them from the truck, making it look like far more of a struggle than it was, Jimmy retrieved another box from his car.  As they entered Donner Hall again, Jimmy leaned over to Clark, whispering.  “Dude, please tell me your sister is single.”

Clark shrugged, concealing a grin as he knew Kara could hear them.  “Not sure.”  He really didn’t know exactly what arrangement Keira and Alex had going.  It wasn’t his business, they’d let him know if they wanted to.  “But she’s eight years older than me.”

Jimmy shrugged.  “She like younger guys?”

Clark shook his head and chuckled.  “No idea.”

Jimmy looked thoughtful as he veered off toward their room.

Chapter Text

October

Lana’s roommate Sarah was on the Metropolis University swim team, and since she and Lana had become fast friends, Lana wanted to go support her friend at the swim meets, and wanted Clark to come along.  Clark, being a good boyfriend, readily agreed.

Though he did reflect privately that watching fit, slender women in very tight swimsuits knife through the water with great athleticism was hardly a burdensome chore.

This first meet of the season was against Gotham University, and Clark watched with enjoyment as the Metropolis swimmers in their blue and white lined up with the Gotham swimmers in their black and yellow.  The starting signal sounded, and the ladies dove into the water and began cutting through it with efficient strokes.  Almost immediately, a clear frontrunner emerged.  The swimmers reached the opposite end of the pool, flipped and kicked off the wall in that elegant maneuver Clark had always admired, and made for the other side.  The frontrunner’s lead grew.  The end horn sounded as she came to a stop, gripping the edge of the pool under her starting platform.

“And we have a winner!” the announcer called.  “Lori Lemaris of Metropolis University!”

Lori Lemaris levered herself out of the pool, toned muscles on her arms quivering.  Water streamed down her lithe body and light brown skin.  She stood on the tile and stretched, the swimsuit tugging against her modest breasts, flat stomach, and tight behind.  As she removed her swimming cap, long black hair smacked wetly against her back.

Lana and Clark waited as the meet ended.  The swim team, still in their swimsuits and dripping with water, many wrapped in towels, approached.

“Great job!” Lana said enthusiastically to Sarah.

“Not great enough,” Sarah replied, looking with playful scorn at Lori.

Lori shrugged.  “What can I say?  I like the water.”

“It likes you, too,” Clark said.

Lori smirked.  “Careful, Clark.  Flirting in front of your girlfriend.”

“I wasn’t!” Clark said.  Then his brow furrowed.  “How’d you know?  We haven’t met.”

Lori shrugged again.  “Sarah’s mentioned you.”

Clark looked at Lori, Lori looked back.  Her eyes were lovely, brown, but that word didn’t seem to fit.  They were too bright, too vibrant to merely be “brown.”  Amber, maybe?  Clark scratched his head, an odd feeling in his skull.  Like a tickle in his brain.

“Coming out with us?” Sarah asked Lana.  “We’ve got to celebrate our victory.”

“Sure,” Lana said.  “Clark?”

“Yeah.  Sounds fun.”

The swimmers moved for the locker room to shower, dry off, and change.  Clark watched them go, particularly Lori Lemaris.

“Clark,” Lana said very quietly.  “I know we have an arrangement, but you really shouldn’t ogle other girls without checking with me.”

“I’m not,” Clark said, not quite as quietly.  Lana didn’t have his super-hearing.  “There’s just. . . there’s something about her.”  He scratched his head again, the tickle in his brain still bothering him.  Lori looked over her shoulder at him, a curious expression on her face.

Lana shifted closer to him, her body tensing.  “Something. . .” she let the word hang, the implications between them obvious.  Dangerous?  Alien?  Super?

“I don’t know,” Clark said.  Lori looked away, entered the locker room, and the unpleasant tickle finally subsided.  “Something.”

The swim team went to one of the campus’ nicer restaurants, ate and laughed and swapped stories.  Clark and Lana participated as well as they were able, and tried to relax and enjoy themselves.

It was a task made somewhat difficult by Lori Lemaris, and Clark trying to figure out what was up with her.  Not helping his vague feeling of strangeness about her was the way he’d sometimes catch her looking at him, as though she was trying to figure him out as much as he was trying to figure her out.  And that itch-tickle in his brain was back, especially when he caught her looking at him intently.

At some point, through people shifting around to join other conversations, Lori ended up sitting across from Clark and Lana.

“So, Clark,” she said companionably.  “Where are you from?”

“Smallville.  Kansas.”

“Never heard of it.”

“Well, it’s called ‘Smallville’ for a reason,” Lana said.

“Hm,” Lori hummed.  “And what’s your story?”

“Nothing much,” Clark replied.  “Grew up on the farm with my parents and older sister, did school and farm stuff, graduated high school, came here for college.”

“Right,” Lori said, and her tone left no doubt she didn’t believe a word that had come out of Clark’s mouth.  “And you?” she asked Lana.

Lana shrugged.  “More or less the same.  Smallville’s pretty boring.”

“Something interesting must have happened somewhere in your lives.”

Clark shook his head.  “Nope.”

“Uh-huh,” Lori said, again indicating through tone she wasn’t buying a single syllable.

“What about you?” Clark asked.  “Where are you from?”

Lori hesitated.  “South,” she finally said.

“Just ‘south?’” Lana asked.

“For now,” Lori said.

“It’s okay,” Clark said.  “You can trust us.  We’re friendly.”

“Are you?” Lori asked with surprising seriousness.

“Well. . . I mean, yeah,” Clark said.

“Hm,” Lori said.

Two days later, Clark was alone in his room studying when his phone rang.  The screen read “Lana Lang” and a picture of his girlfriend replaced his lock screen.

Clark answered.  “Hello?”

“Clark?” Lana said, and there was a tinge of fear in her voice.  Then there was a sound over the phone, one Clark’s keen ears could identify as someone grabbing the phone and taking it for themselves.

“Hello, Kal-El,” a new voice said.

“Who is this?” Clark asked, shooting to his feet.

“Lori.  We’re at the pool.  I’d like us to have a conversation, so–”

The door to the swimming pool slammed open, Clark framed in the dim light from the hall.

“Well, that was fast,” Lori said, hanging up the phone, giving no indication she was surprised at Clark’s alacrity.  Lana stood warily next to Lori, and Lori took a long step away from her.  Lana hesitated a moment, then rushed to Clark.  Lori made no move to stop her.

“Are you alright?” Clark asked, his gaze fixed on Lori.

“Yeah,” Lana said.

“Good,” Clark said, and the threat in his tone was directed solely at Lori Lemaris.

Lori tossed Lana’s phone to Clark, who caught it and handed it to Lana.  Lori raised her hands, fingers spread.  “I only want to talk, Kal-El.”

“Start by telling me how you know that name,” Clark said.

Lori smiled.  “I’m a telepath.  I can read minds, I know that you’re Kal-El from Krypton, your sister is actually your cousin, you and Lana have both slept with her – kinky – that you have fantastic abilities, and more importantly, fantastic technology .”

Clark narrowed his eyes.  “Who are you?”

“Lori Lemaris.  Of the Atlantean Royal Marines.  Because of my telepathic ability, unique among my people, I was selected to infiltrate the surface world and gather intelligence in advance of a possible Atlantean invasion.”

Clark smirked.  “No, seriously.  Who are you?”

Grinning, Lori turned and dove into the water.  The pool surged, and in an eyeblink Lori was on the other side, leaping out of the water in a spray.  She landed heavily on the tile, clothes soaked, then turned and dove in again, arriving back near Clark and Lana in another leap and spray of water.

“Atlantean.  Adapted to the conditions on the ocean floor.”

Clark and Lana gaped.  Finally, Clark found his voice.  “Okay.  What’s this about an invasion?”

Lori’s lip curled.  “Humans.  Flooding our oceans with plastic, pollution, oil, junk, warships.”  She glared at Lana.  “Do you have any idea what it’s like down there?”  She stepped forward, craning her neck.  Looking close, Clark and Lana could see small lines, like faded scars, on her neck.  “How painful it is when a chip from a plastic bottle gets in our gills?  How it hurts to breathe because of all the crap you flush into our ocean?  How many Atlanteans have died because you treat our home like a fucking toilet? ”

Lana stared, aghast.  “I-I’m sorry,” she stammered.  “I-I didn’t know.”

“No,” Lori said.  “But my people are gearing up to clue you in.”  Her gaze shifted to Clark.  “But, Kal-El.  You have access to all that wonderful Kryptonian technology.  You could fix everything.”

“I can’t,” Clark said quietly.

“Yeah, you can.”

“No, I can’t.  I can’t force humanity to do what I think is right, and I certainly can’t just give them the tools to fix all their problems.  Best case, they’ll stop trying, counting on me to do it all for them.  Worst case, those tools get perverted into weapons.  People like Lionel Luthor decide profit is more important than anything else, start mucking about with things they don’t understand, and then Earth suffers the same fate as Krypton.”

Lori ground her teeth.  “You can save our world .”

“If we’re not careful, we’ll only end up destroying it.  You think things are bad now?  Krypton exploded because my people didn’t use their technology wisely.  Your home may have problems, but they can be fixed.  At least you have one .”

Lori glared.  “If you don’t help, there will be war.”

“Why?” Clark asked.  “Why does there have to be a war?”

“Because we’re mad as hell at your precious humans for ruining our home!”

“But we don’t even know you exist,” Lana said.

Lori laughed humorlessly.  “Yeah, by design.  If you’re this awful to us when we’re just a myth to you, what the hell would you do to us if you knew for a fact we were there?”

“We’d try to help,” Lana said.

Lori glared.  “No you wouldn’t.”

“Yes, we would,” Lana said sincerely.  “Okay, yeah, there are jerks who don’t care, but they’re massively outnumbered by ones who do.  Show yourselves, show people what they’re doing to people like you, people like them , and people will band together to try and help.”

“Humans are destructive by their very nature,” Lori said.

“Are they?” Clark asked.  “Things have been getting better.  Even up here, people think everything’s getting worse, but it’s just getting more connected.  We can see the suffering that exists more clearly than ever, but it’s always been there.  But now we can see the problems, and once we see them we can start fixing them.  If something as simple as sending bars of soap to dirty, poverty-stricken slums can cut mortality rates in half, what can happen if people become aware of your problem and commit to fixing it?”

Lori shook her head in disbelief.  “You’re living in a dream world.”

“Am I?” Clark said.  “Look around.  Really look.  Compare the numbers from twenty years ago to today.  Yeah, things don’t get better for every single person on the planet in every single square foot of the planet every single second of every single day, but you know what it would be if it did?  A miracle .  But things are improving, for everyone, everywhere.  It’s just gradual enough people don’t see it, and the backslides make better news stories.  You, your people, you can be part of that.  We can help you, and maybe you can help us.”

“What ‘us?’” Lori asked.

Clark shrugged.  “You’ve read my mind, you know I have no memories of Krypton.  I consider myself human.”

“Then you’re our enemy.”

“No, no I’m not.  I don’t want to hurt your people, and I do want to help them.  But I can’t just hand you, or humanity, the solutions.  You have to work for them.”

“Then it’s war.”

“And how many will die in this war?  Lots of humans, but how many Atlanteans?  When it’s all over, will you really have saved your people, or will you have destroyed them?  How many Atlanteans are there?”

“Enough,” Lori said cagily.

Clark remembered Diana’s – Professor Prince’s – lectures about the Trojan War, in myth and what historical evidence had been discovered.  So much violence, so many dead, over a woman, it seemed stupid.  But Professor Prince had pointed out the war wasn’t really fought over a woman, it was fought over honor.  The drive to save face, to redress a perceived wrong, to prove strength against an enemy, because the perception of weakness would be a signal to enemies, within and without, that Greece was vulnerable and ripe for the taking.  The Atlanteans might want war, but how much of that want was for honor’s sake?  If given the chance to back out honorably, how ready might they be to take it?  “And what’s your endgame?  What’s your victory condition?”

“Complete capitulation or eradication of the surface world.”

Clark nodded.  “Okay.  ‘Enough’ Atlanteans. . . against seven billion humans in a war of extermination.  Putting aside the complete evil of such a thing:   how many humans would each Atlantean have to kill?  A hundred?  A thousand?  How many human beings would every single one of your people have to murder just to break even?”

Lori’s eyes flashed angrily, but Clark could see he’d struck a nerve.

“I am Kal-El of the House of El of Krypton.  The meaning of our family crest doesn’t translate well, but the gist of it would be ‘hope for the future comes from the strength of togetherness.’  You have to know that war will not serve your people, not near as well as accepting help.  That’s what you wanted from me, right?  Help?”

“Yes,” Lori admitted.

“And I want to give it, but not in the form of a magic wand to wave away your problems.  I can’t fix this today.  But your people and mine, working together, can fix it for tomorrow.”

Lori was quiet for a time.  Then she sighed, and looked at Clark.  “You’re really good at this.”

Clark smiled.  “I try.”

Lori shook her head.  “I’ll have to send a report.  The final decision won’t be up to me, but. . . I think there’s someone who’s going to want to meet you.”

“Who?” Clark asked.

“The King of Atlantis.”

Chapter Text

November

It took some time to arrange everyone’s schedules for a meeting, the arrangements conducted through Lori playing messenger back and forth from Atlantis to Clark.  But finally, a time was agreed upon when everyone necessary would be available.

So Kal and Keira flew out from the Fortress one Saturday morning, carrying a large heavy metal crate between them, heading for a small island in the Atlantic ocean.

It was a tiny speck of land, little more than a sandbar.  As they descended towards it, they saw Lori standing near five figures.  Lori and three of the men wore what looked like an odd combination of wetsuit and armor, white with gold trim.  Those three men carried what looked like advanced energy weapons.

Two of the five men stood out.  Both also wore the armored wetsuit, but much more elaborate, and carried tridents.  Both men were tall, one more broadly built, the other more slender but still muscular.  The bigger one had dusky skin, long dark hair, and a thick, long beard.  His armor was an orange-gold scale mail top and rich emerald pants and boots.  The slender one’s armor was purple and silver.

Kal and Kara touched down, set down their heavy crate, and approached.

They stopped a short distance from the five men, Lori standing between them to the side.  She nodded and smiled to Kal, then turned to the Atlanteans.  “Your Majesty, may I present Kal-El and Kara Zor-El, late of the planet Krypton.”  She turned to Kal and Kara.  “I present to you His Royal Highness, Ruler of the Seven Seas, King Arthur Curry of Atlantis, the Aquaman.”  She indicated the man in green and orange.  “And the King’s royal advisor, Prince Orm of Atlantis, the Oceanmaster.”  She motioned to the man in silver and purple.  The other three apparently didn’t rate introductions.

Kal and Kara bowed slightly.  “Thank you for agreeing to meet with us,” Kal said.  He wasn’t entirely sure what forms of address to use.  It felt somehow wrong for him to greet Arthur as “Majesty,” and Clark didn’t think he could address him as “King Arthur” with a straight face.

Arthur planted the butt of his trident in the sand, and stormed up to Kal and Kara imperiously.  He looked Kal up and down, gave a dismissive snort.  “So, you’re the alien who presumes to tell my people what’s best?”  His voice was rich and deep, a slight roughness to it.

“It’s not that,” Clark said, taken aback by the man’s forcefulness.  “We want to help, but we can’t just–”

“You presume to know what’s best for Atlantis?” Arthur demanded.

Kara spoke.  “We’ve seen what–”

Arthur glared dismissively at her.  “Silence, woman.  The men are talking.”

Kal winced, and Kara’s jaw went slack before she glared right back at Arthur.  “I am Kara Zor-El, of the House of El, Last Daughter of Krypton, and will not be dismissed by some self-important blowfish!”

Arthur stared at her, Kara stared back.  Then his face broke into a grin, and he laughed.  “Good one!”  He held out his hand to Kara.  She looked at him with confusion, then slowly extended her own hand.  He clasped his hand around her forearm.  “Arthur Curry, call me Arthur.  Pleased to meet you both.”  He dropped Kara’s arm, took Kal’s.

Kal gave Arthur a quizzical look as they clasped forearms.  “You always begin diplomatic negotiations this way?”

Arthur shrugged.  “My first time.  But, well, rile someone up, see how they deal with their anger, get a good measure of who they really are.”  He looked over his shoulder, still grinning.  “Right, Orm?”

Orm shuddered, but nodded.  “As you say, Majesty.”

Arthur turned back to them, still smiling.  “So,” he said, “Lori’s told me your whole Prime Directive deal, but I’d like to hear it in your own words, if you don’t mind.”

Clark couldn’t help but grin at Arthur’s choice of phrase.  He looked at Keira.  “You know it better.”

So Kara explained about Krypton’s crystal technology, the ability to re-arrange matter, and how that had ultimately resulted in their world exploding, Kal and Kara the only survivors.  How the allegedly most intelligent minds on the planet had been unable or unwilling to see the danger, even as Jor-El and Zor-El warned them of it, how they had continued to disbelieve until their world came crashing down around their ears.

“As Kal said,” she concluded, “best case, this world becomes totally dependent on us to fix their problems, and we steal from them their right to live and grow into what they choose to be.  Worst case, we lose another home.”  She fixed Arthur with a steady, solemn gaze.  “We will not permit that to happen.”

Arthur nodded.  “Makes sense.”  He peered over their shoulders.  “So what’s in the box?”

Kara smiled.  “Question for you, first.”  She waved at the three guards.  “Are those plasma pulse rifles?”

Orm bristled.  “You’re asking about classified Atlantean weapons technology.”

Kara peered more intently at the weapons, analyzing them with her telescopic and X-Ray vision.  “Hydrodynamic magnetron optimized for underwater operation.  Nice.”

Orm spluttered.

Arthur grinned.  “That’s what they are?  I just know they blow things up good.”

Kara nodded.  “And that’s representative of Atlantis’ technology base?”

Arthur shrugged.  “There’s some pretty amazing stuff down there.  I don’t pretend to understand half of it.”

“Alright.”  Kara and Kal went back to the crate, lifted it and carried it over.  Kara opened the lid.  “This is a programmable selective matter barrier.  Given enough energy, it can create a field several miles in diameter, into which only selected matter can pass.  Set it up correctly, it can filter out most common pollutants from reaching Atlantis.”  Kara stood, shrugging.  “I admit it’s little more than a Band-Aid, but call it a peace offering.”

Arthur nodded solemnly.  “It’ll be a tremendous help.”  He motioned to two of the guards, who slung their rifles and moved to pick up the crate.  Clark couldn’t help but grin as they were barely able to budge it, requiring the help of the third guard to stagger back to shore with it.

This was not lost on either Arthur or Orm.  Orm narrowed his eyes at them, Arthur looked at them in surprise.  “You two handled that just fine?”

Kal shrugged.  “We’re pretty strong.”

Arthur held up his hand, elbow crooked, fingers spread.  “Show me.”

Kal stepped forward, wrapped his hand around Arthur’s.  Arthur applied his strength to forcing Kal’s arm back, Kal met it, holding them at neutral.

“Oof,” Arthur said, grinning.  “That’s a challenge.”  He put more power against Kal’s arm.

Kal kept it even for a minute, then began pressing back.  Arthur doubled and redoubled his efforts, but his arm slowly bent back under Kal’s might.

Finally, Arthur gave, relaxing his grip and clapping Kal on the shoulder with his free hand.  “Woo!  Not a lot can do that to me.”  He grinned broadly.  “Alright, war’s off.”

“Your Majesty–” Orm gritted.

“Orm,” Arthur said sternly.  “You know it was a bad idea to begin with, and with these two up here to defend humanity, I really don’t like our chances.”  He turned back to Kal and Kara.  “I’d much rather work with them than against them.”

“As would we,” Kara said.

“We can accomplish more as friends than as enemies,” Kal said.

Arthur nodded.  “I agree.  I’ll start working on opening diplomatic relations.”  He rolled his eyes.  “You wouldn’t believe how slow things can move in a monarchy.”

“We’ll do whatever we can to help,” Kal said.

“I might take you up on that,” Arthur replied, shaking Kal and Kara’s hands.  “Take care of yourselves.”

“And you,” Kara said.

The Atlanteans walked into the waves.  Lori cast one last strange look at the two of them before wading into the salt water.  The Atlanteans’ heads vanished beneath the waves, and they were gone.

Clark and Keira flew back to the Fortress, changed out of their Kryptonian outfits and into their regular clothes, then took the wormhole back to the Kent farm.  Clark sent Lana a text letting her know he was back and everything was alright, then waited for sunset, to fly back to MetU under cover of darkness.

Sarah was away working on a project for her class, so Clark and Lana had her dorm room to themselves.

“It went okay?” Lana asked as she opened the door for Clark.

“Surprisingly so,” Clark said, sitting down on the loveseat Sarah and Lana had shoehorned into their room.  Lana sat next to him, snuggling up.  Clark wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  “Kara got a look at their weapons tech, and they’re advanced enough we can give them a little bit of help, and they seemed amenable to making peace, not war.”  Clark chuckled.  “Actually, it seemed to me like Arthur was looking for a reason not to go to war.”

“Arthur?” Lana asked.

Clark sighed.  “There’s a bit to explain, and I’m not fully sure I grasp it all yet.”  He grinned.  “But I do think I know what I want to do with my life.”

“Really?” Lana asked excitedly.

Clark nodded.  “I just keep thinking about Lori being convinced everything was circling the drain, and she’s not the only one.  How many people think the world’s coming to an end.  And how people have been thinking everything’s so much worse ‘these days’ than they were ‘in their day’ since. . . I dunno, forty years after the beginning of time?  But so much good is happening in the world, but no one knows about it, because no one talks about it or writes about it.  And. . . and I think I want to talk about it, write about it.”

Lana grinned.  “Sounds right up your alley, Mr. Kent.”

Clark chuckled.  “Yeah.  I think I want to get into journalism.  Tell people the good stories, not just the bad ones.  Point to the rays of hope that are getting buried because despair earns clicks.”

“I think I like that,” Lana said, snuggling closer.  “You, me, and Keira, out to save the world.”

Clark smiled.

“So, you think it’ll all work out?” Lana asked Clark as they walked to their Intro to Classic Literature class.

“I think so,” Clark said.  “Arthur is. . . odd, but he seems an effective king.  I think there’s some tension in the court, but I believe he can handle it.”

Lana shook her head.  “I just can’t get over that you met an actual king.”

“Seems weird, yeah.”

“I’m just glad we’re apparently done with Lori Lemaris.”

Clark nodded.  “How did. . . I mean. . . ?”

Lana sighed.  “I was stupid.  She asked me if I would help her study, said she thought best at the pool.  Liked the smell of it.  I went with her there, it was all empty, and before I could do anything she had me grabbed tight and told me she wouldn’t hurt me, she just needed to get my boyfriend’s attention.”

Clark wrapped his arm around Lana’s shoulders.  “It’s not your fault.”

“No, but. . . I guess I better keep up my practice if this is going to be a regular thing.”

“It won’t.”

“Are you sure?”

Clark frowned, knowing he couldn’t promise that.

“Anyway,” Lana said, forcing a smile.  “It’s all good for now, and no more Lori.”

Clark grinned.  “No more Lori.”

They took their seats in the lecture hall, waiting for class to start.  All of the sudden, someone plopped down next to them.

“Did you guys do the reading?” Lori Lemaris asked.  “I was kind of busy, hoping one of you could give me the CinemaWins version.”

Clark and Lana stared.

Lori sighed.  “Don’t tell me neither of you did the reading, either?”

“What are you doing here?” Lana hissed.

“Taking Intro to Classic Literature?” Lori said slowly, as if it were obvious.

“We mean,” Clark said, voice lowering.  “Uh, your. . . mission, thing. . . is done.”

Lori grinned.  “And throw away all that tuition money?  No way.”  She looked about quickly, then lowered her voice.  “Besides, with everything else, the King thought it would be a good idea to have a way to quickly get in touch with you.”

Clark had to admit that made a kind of sense.

“Unbelievable,” Lana muttered.  “You kidnapped me, and now you want to be study buddies?”

“I didn’t. . . well, okay, technically I did, but I was never going to hurt you, Lana.”

“Well, that makes it okay then!” Lana hissed.

Lori smirked meaningfully.  “I could make it up to you.”

Lana blushed.  “What does that mean?”

Lori’s smirk widened.  “Telepath, remember?”  She gave Clark an appraising look.  “I know what you’re into.”

“If we’re all done with our conversations?” Professor Prince said from the front of the class, tossing a pointed look at Clark, Lana, and Lori.

The three withdrew, but not before Lori whispered “And I know you can explain to me why I can’t read her mind.”

Chapter Text

January

Lana had been wary of Lori – the tension of their first real alone time made that rather inevitable.  But slowly, gradually, Lori’s dogged determination wore down Lana’s determined resistance, and she slipped into being friends with Clark and Lana.  Lori was nice enough, and Lana was just too Midwestern polite to tell her to take a hike.

And there were certainly things about Lori that Lana liked.  She was intelligent and insightful, though Lana supposed being a telepath helped with that.  And while Lana admitted to a certain discomfort knowing Lori could read her mind, Lori was generally good about not probing without permission.

“It’s always there,” she’d explained when Lana worked up the courage to ask about it.  “Like being in a crowded room with everyone having their own conversations.  If you want, you can focus on one voice, or a few, and eavesdrop on that conversation, or you can just tune it all out, leave it so much background noise.”

“So you can’t turn it off?” Lana asked.

“No more than you can turn off your ears,” Lori replied.  “But I can focus on something else.  Earbuds and an audiobook are good for occupying my attention away from it.”  She shrugged.  “Sometimes, something pierces through.”  By amazing coincidence, a shriek of feminine delight pierced the air in the middle distance.  “Like that.”

Lana looked confused.  “How do you mean?”

“That verbal shriek was accompanied by a mental one.  Cut through the background noise.”

“What happened?” Lana asked.

Lori shook her head.  “Not our business.”

“But you know.”

Lori smirked.  “Just like I know about you and Clark.  You wouldn’t want me talking about that for the asking, would you?”

Lana had to admit that was a fair point.

She’d also noticed, as Lori slowly but inexorably pushed her way into Clark and Lana’s presence, that she was different around just them.  In the same way Clark was one way around only those who knew his secret, another around everyone else.  They knew who she was, what she could do, why she was here.  Lori didn’t have to pretend around them.  And Lana was, again, too Midwestern polite to tell Lori to get lost and deprive her of that sole refuge.

And as Lana got to know Lori, she grew to like her.  Lori had strong beliefs and was passionate about them, but wasn’t incapable of hearing a different perspective.  Lana found herself agreeing with Lori about several ways in which, en masse, human beings sucked, but Lori was receptive to Lana’s opinions that her species could, and was, improving.  There were many a stimulating intellectual debate between Lana and Lori, Lori and Clark, or all three.

By and by, and Lana couldn’t pin down precisely when it had occurred, she came to think of Lori as a friend.

And as Lana got more and more comfortable with Lori’s presence in their lives, Lori got more and more comfortable dropping hints that she would very much like to be made part of Lana and Clark’s “arrangement.”

It happened a few days after the return from the long winter holiday break.

Clark and Lana had gone to meet Lori at the pool, where she was allegedly practicing for the next swim meet.  Lana did admit to feeling a bit weird knowing Lori provided an extremely unfair advantage to the MetU swim team, but there just wasn’t anything she could do about it without opening a gigantic can of worms that would get all over her and Clark.  So she held her tongue as Metropolis University dominated in women’s swimming in a way it never had before.

Lori levered herself out of the pool, water streaming down her toned body, her tight swimsuit hugging her body.  She walked towards them, hips swaying, squeezing her long, black hair with a towel.  Then she looked at Clark and smiled.  “Why, Mr. Kent.  You’ll make me blush.”

Lana looked at Clark, who was suddenly staring at his feet.  “Clark?” Lana prompted, amused.

“It was nothing,” Clark said.

Lori looked at Lana.  “Clark was just thinking he’d really like to know what I look like under the swimsuit.”  She grinned at Clark.  “Then thought he could really find out, if he wanted.”

“Oh?” Lana said, looking at Clark and folding her arms.  “You were just going to ask her to take it off?”

“No, of course not!” Clark protested.

“Yeah,” Lori said, wickedly amused.  “He wasn’t thinking of asking me anything.”

Lana tossed a confused look at Lori, then the penny dropped.  “Clark!” she scolded, looking back at her boyfriend.

“Just for a split second!” he said.  “I was tempted, but I didn’t do it, and I never would!”

“But for you, a split second is, what?  Ten minutes?” Lori said.

“Lana,” Clark said, turning to look at her seriously.  “You know I would never, ever use my X-Ray vision for that.”

“I know,” she said quietly.  “But you wanted to.”

“No, I didn’t want to.  I was tempted to.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Guilt,” Clark said.  “I want to be better than that.  I’m tempted to use my powers for lots of things, but I want to use them in. . . for. . . I want to make the world better, not worse.”

Lori scoffed.  “Peeping a girl isn’t going to make the planet explode.”

Clark turned to her, arching an eyebrow.  “Yeah.  She’ll never know, what’s the harm?  I could look into dorm rooms and sorority houses, see what’s going on.  No harm, right?  Look in Professor Prince’s desk for the answers for the next test.  She’ll never know.  Look in on the files in the admin office, see everyone’s personal information.  Find people’s credit card information, account details, social security numbers.  They’ll never figure out it was an alien with X-Ray vision.  Peek into a General’s briefcase, into that file marked Top Secret–”

“Okay,” Lori said, holding up a hand.  “I get your point.”

Lana frowned at Lori.  “But, isn’t that exactly what you were going to do?”

Lori shrugged.  “We were going to war.”  She hummed thoughtfully.  “And actually, I have the sneaking suspicion King Arthur sent me here to avoid a war, not gather intelligence for one.”

Clark nodded.  “I think so.  Hoping you’d come to understand humans enough to think working with them is better than attacking them.”

Lori nodded.

Lana turned to Clark, again amazed by the strength it took to be him.  To have all the incredible power he did, and choose not to use it.  “I love you,” she whispered.

Clark smiled, and Lana kissed him.  Their arms wrapped around each other, holding each other close.

Their kiss was broken by a gagging sound from Lori.  “Ugh, you two are so sweet I want to puke.”

Clark shuffled his feet and looked embarrassed, but Lana glared archly at Lori.  “Right.  I know how much you want to be me right now.”

“I really don’t,” Lori said.  She smirked, and continued “I want to be you last night, at around eight-thirty.”

Lana blushed.  Jimmy had still been on his way back to campus, so Clark and Lana had had Clark’s dorm room all to themselves, and wasted no time taking full advantage of the fact.  They’d kissed and caressed and undressed each other, then slid into Clark’s bed, where Lana had again requested super-speed.  She’d struggled valiantly to endure the incredible onslaught of ecstasy as long as she could – a whole 96 seconds, Clark had later informed her.  The assault of pleasure her body and mind had never been designed to withstand had left her in a sex coma, staring vacantly as she shivered with the aftershocks of orgasms more powerful and more plentiful than she’d ever been built to handle.  When her mind had finally started working again, and she realized Clark’s needs had not been fulfilled, she’d repaid him with the most languorous, sensual, intense blowjob she could.  Kneeling at the side of his bed, Clark sitting on it, she’d worshiped his manhood with her mouth until he’d anointed her face.  She’d intended to scrape it off with her fingers, then lick and suck them clean, letting Clark enjoy the sight of her enjoying the taste of him.

And then Jimmy had returned earlier than expected, pausing for a handful of seconds as he entered the room, blushing furiously, before stammering apologies and backing out.

Clark and Lana had started, stunned, for a few seconds before laughing and getting dressed, Lana using one of Clark’s dirty t-shirts to clean her face.

The memory – the sex part, not Jimmy’s bad timing – made Lana’s knees quiver, along with another part of her slightly higher up.  She felt her nipples swell to steel hardness, certain they were visible even beneath her shirt and bra.  Still, she glared at Lori.  “Not cool.”  Sometimes it sucked being friends with a telepath.

“Remember when we talked about screaming?  You’re a screamer.”  Lana had to admit that was a fair point.  “And we both know you’ve thought about it.”

Lana had, at that.  Sometimes in response to Lori’s hints.  Lana knew Lori was a telepath, and had gotten pretty good, she thought, at guiding her thoughts away from tracts she didn’t want to share when in Lori’s presence.  And more than once, Lana had permitted herself to consider bringing Lori in, and decided to let the thoughts play even if Lori might pick up on them.

But something in Lori’s attitude still bothered her, and while Lana was considering it. . . okay, had considered it, and already made her decision. . . she still wanted more control over this than Lori was implying she had.  An idea began to form. . . 

“I approve,” Lori said.

Lana scowled.  “That kind of undermines the point.”

Lori shrugged.

“Do I get a say in this?” Clark asked.

“Of course,” Lana said.  She leaned over and whispered her idea to Clark.  No real point to that, Lori already knew it, but it felt right to at least pretend to conceal it.

“That seems kind of. . . mean,” Clark said.

“Only in a good way,” Lori said.

“You’re cool with this?” Clark asked her.

“They say college is a time for experimentation,” Lori said.  “I’ll be Lana’s test subject, if it ends with you pulling that trick of yours on me.”

“Okay,” Clark said slowly, trying to reign in his own racing desire.  “So, I guess we need to figure out–”

“As it happens,” Lori interrupted.  “Though an entirely random quirk of the dorm assignment system, I have no roommate.”  Her smirk and playful tone made it clear this had in no way been random or quirky.

“Let’s go,” Lana said.

Lori laughed.  “You really that desperate you want me to walk to my dorm room in January dripping wet in a swimsuit?”

Lana considered how appealing that might look for a moment, before deciding that even if Atlanteans could endure the cold – bottom of the ocean and all – it would still be something of a dick move on her part.  “Go change.  But be quick.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lori said mockingly, then padded to the locker room, a bit more sway in her hips than strictly necessary.

Clark and Lana both watched her rippling behind, reflecting on the old joke of “hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave.”

They reached Lori’s dorm room, in a hall some distance from where Clark and Lana had their rooms.  Entering to look around, Clark and Lana noted that not only did Lori not have a roommate, but her room was also noticeably bigger than theirs.  There was a couch aimed at a TV, a couple of chairs, a desk with her laptop computer, and of course. . .

“Your bed?” Lana asked, waving at it.

“Obviously,” Lori replied with amusement.

Lana took Clark’s hand, walked over to it, guided him to sit on it, then cuddled up behind him, her head on his shoulder.  She looked at Lori.  “Okay.  You, strip.”

Lori grinned, her hands grabbing the hem of her shirt.

Clark watched with excitement and no small amount of nervousness.  He wasn’t completely sold on Lana’s plan, but both women seemed to be enjoying it.  He could go along, and keep an eye to make sure nothing got out of hand.

Lori dropped her shirt on the floor, unhooked her bra and let that drop, exposing her small but prominent breasts.  She then slid her jeans down her long, toned legs.  She half-turned as she slid her panties off, letting them get a look at the curve of her ass.  She stepped out of her panties and socks, and stood before them, stark naked.

“Not bad,” Lana said.  “Don’t you think, Clark?”

“Uh, yeah,” Clark said.  “She’s. . . really pretty.”

Lori rolled her eyes and chuckled, Lana smiled and kissed Clark’s cheek.  Then Lana nodded at the rolling chair set by Lori’s computer desk.  “Sit.”

“One moment,” Lori said.  She went to a closet, got a towel, placed the folded towel in the seat of the chair, then rolled it near the bed and sat down.  “Don’t want to ruin my chair,” she said.

“Fair enough,” Lana replied, disengaging from Clark to stand in front of Lori.  She bent down and picked up Lori’s socks.  She used them to loosely tie each of Lori’s wrists to the armrests of the chair with a simple half-knot.  Lori arched an amused eyebrow at Lana.

“Yeah, we both know that’s not going to hold you,” Lana said.  “But that’s not the point.”  She leaned forward.  “Be a good girl, stay right there and keep your hands where they are until I say otherwise, and you’ll get a treat.”

Lori craned her neck to look around Lana at Clark.  “I didn’t know your girlfriend was this kinky.”

“Me, neither,” Clark said.

“Hey, you took me captive,” Lana said to Lori.  “I’m just returning the favor.”

Lori sighed dramatically.  “I suppose I deserve this,” she replied with a grin.

“Damn skippy,” Lana replied.  She returned to the bed, settled herself in Clark’s lap, and began to kiss him with all the passion she possessed.

Their lips and tongues slid against each other, smooth and moist and warm, growing hot as they inflamed each other's desire.  Lana’s hands were unbuttoning Clark’s flannel, his were under her shirt, pushing it up her back.  They had some experience undressing each other in this way, but were always eager to polish their skills.

Lana pushed Clark’s flannel off his shoulders and down his arms, Clark lifted Lana’s shirt over head and tossed it away.  She yanked his t-shirt up and off.  Clark looked over to Lori, saw her staring at them intently, hands still on the arms of her chair, but her skin flushed, nipples hard, breathing heavy.

Lana drew Clark’s face back to hers, kissed him savagely.  Clark unfastened her bra, Lana threw it away, moaning as her small, soft breasts squished against Clark’s firm, muscular chest.

They opened each other’s pants, Lana pressed her hands to Clark’s chest.  He lay back and she yanked his pants and boxers off, he helped by levitating his hips slightly.  Lana yanked her own pants off, then dove on the bed, grabbing Clark’s throbbing member in her hand.  Her lips parted wide, and she gulped it down as far as she could.  Clark groaned.

“Damn,” Lori said.  “Girl loves giving head.”

Lana pulled herself off of Clark’s turgid shaft.  “Quiet,” she said to Lori, then swallowed it again.

“Yes, Mistress Lana,” Lori said sweetly.

Lana worked Clark with her mouth, letting herself drift away on the joy of the taste of him, the feel of him so hard and hot in her mouth.  He was more than hard enough, and it only took a few minutes for her to be more than wet enough, but she kept going a bit longer, enjoying herself.  She knew how much Clark could take.

And she wanted to keep teasing Lori for a little while.

When she was ready to move on, she released Clark’s shaft from her lips, letting it press against her chin, then climbed his body slowly.  She kept herself low, letting his spit-slick tip glide across her skin, between her breasts, down her belly.  Only when the tip grazed over her smooth-shaven mound did she lean up, shuddering at the feel of the velvet head slipping against her silken folds.

Clark’s hands went to her breasts, squeezing and caressing them in the ways he’d learned she liked as she slid herself down, moaning long and low as he filled her up.  She savored the sensation for a few moments, then began to move, up and down, back and forth, side to side, in sensual circles, using every part of her to stimulate every part of him and be stimulated in turn.

Lana looked at Lori, smiled as she saw the other woman’s state.  Her hands clenched and unclenched, her hips shifted, she squirmed in the chair.  From the glisten between her legs and the wet spot on the towel, she was beyond ready.  Exactly where Lana wanted her.

She looked back down at Clark.  “Show her what you can do,” Lana whispered.

Clark took her meaning, nodded, then grabbed her hips, holding her steady at exactly the right height.

Suddenly, once again, Lana felt the amazing sensation of all of him everywhere in her all at once, impossible friction bursting through her, irresistible pleasure exploding within her.  She couldn’t have fought it even if she’d tried, and she didn’t want to try.  She threw her head back and gave voice to the pleasure, unbelievable ecstasy making mush of her mind.

She held herself in that state as long as she could, but soon toppled over, bouncing lightly as her body hit the bed.  Limbs and trunk still twitching from the aftershocks, she managed to mumble “‘S yur turn, Lury.”

Clark had barely started to move when Lori yanked at the socks holding her wrists, the half-knots coming undone easily.  “Fuck me,” she said as she darted to the bed, looking at Lana in her sex coma.  Then her amber eyes fixed on Clark, blazing with desire.  “Literally.”

Clark grabbed Lori’s toned arm, and she slid on top of him on the bed, their bodies grinding together as they kissed and groped and fondled and explored each other.

Lana regretted missing much of their play.  By the time she could focus enough to pay attention to them, Clark had turned the tables.  Lori on her back on the bed, Clark on top of her, one hand gripping one of her breasts, her other breast at his mouth, his lips and tongue working her nipple.  One of Lori’s hands was clutching his head to her, the other glided down his back, squeezed his ass.

Lori moaned.  “Ungh, I want that D, Kent.  Give it to me.”

“Go get her,” Lana said.

Clark raised himself up, aimed, shifted his hips.  Lori gasped as he entered her, moaned as he thrust and rolled his hips.

“Oh, fuck,” Lori sighed.  “All the right spots. . . damn, you are a lucky woman, Lana.”

“Don’t I know it,” Lana replied with a smirk.

Lori laid back, writhing as she savored the sensations for several more minutes before speaking up again.  “Do the super-speed thing.”

“You sure?” Clark asked.

Lori nodded.  “Please.”

Clark nodded, paced himself carefully to get his measure, then his hips became a blur.

Lana grinned widely as Lori screamed in ecstasy.

“Fuck,” Lori said for the fifth time.

Lana smiled.  “You keep saying that.”

“I do not think it means what you think it means,” Clark said.

Lori wriggled against Clark’s body.  “Good reference.”

“Thank you.”

Lana snuggled closer to Clark, sighing contentedly.  They were still in Lori’s bed, still naked, cuddling as Lori tried to process how mind-blowing sex with a Kryptonian could be.

“Fuck,” she said for the sixth time.

“Yes we did,” Lana said.

“Well, we didn’t,” Lori said.

Lana frowned as she tried to sort through her thoughts and explain them.

“Just an observation, not a suggestion,” Lori replied.

Lana nodded, then another idea struck her.  She let it blossom in her head, unfolding in a vivid mental image, and invited Lori to examine it.

“I like it,” Lori said.

“What–?” Clark began, then stopped as Lana and Lori shifted against him.  One white hand and one brown hand wrapped the base of his mostly limp member.

It began to harden as a very familiar pair of lips kissed it delicately, a very familiar tongue darted out to taste it.

It hardened faster as an unfamiliar pair of lips also kissed it, an unfamiliar tongue curling to sample the new flavor.

Lana and Lori worked him over with their mouths, his arousal throbbing in their hands, against their lips, along their tongues.  Twice they shared hesitant kisses over his hardening shaft, but neither found them as enjoyable as Clark did.  So they focused on him, on his hardness as it swelled to full.

Clark tried to think of an appropriately polite response to having such lavish attention showered on him, then gave up, lay back, and lost himself in the feel of two warm, wet, willing mouths devouring him.

Chapter Text

May

“So,” Professor Prince said to her class.  “I’m sure many of you are wondering:  what does any of this have to do with me?   Why should I care about words written thousands of years ago by doddering old men?  Anyone have a thought?”

Clark spoke up.  “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it?”

“Close, but that’s more the province of Professor Glover and his history class down the hall.”  There were some light chuckles from the students.  “Anyone else?”

“Understand a people by understanding the stories they told?” someone guessed.

“Warmer,” Professor Prince replied.

“To experience the stories ourselves, see how they make us feel?” Lana asked.

“I like that, that’s good.”  Professor Prince nodded in Lana and Clark’s direction.  “Stories may not be fact, but they can be truth .  Gods and heroes and magic and monsters may or may not be real, the events may or may not have happened as told, or at all, but the stories still reach for that which is true.  We can read about Odysseus, or Theseus, or Achilles, or Hector, and experience their lives and trials.  What about them helped them to succeed, and what about them led to their downfall?”  Professor Prince smiled out at the class, several of the boys sighed, eyes riveted to her.  “I’m sure a lot of you think that reading something specifically for analysis sucks all the fun out of it, and what I’ve been having you read isn’t fun in the first place.  But the point isn’t for you to find the hidden conclusions academics have been spouting for centuries.  It’s for you to learn how to think about the stories and characters you read or watch.  Star Wars has been analyzed and picked apart and dissected and rebuilt endlessly since May 25th, 1977.  That doesn’t detract from its fun as a story, but adds to the engagement of the audience with the story.  You can look at Luke Skywalker and his journey, the qualities that make him a hero, the flaws that hold him back.  He’s not a hero because he’s a great warrior, he’s a hero because he’s a son who loves his father, and believes in the love of a father for a son.  Harry Potter isn’t a hero because he knows awesome and powerful magic, but because he’s brave, loves his friends, and is selfless.”

“A little too selfless,” someone said.  “He could stand to be a bit more selfish once in a while.”

Professor Prince grinned widely.  “Yes!  That’s it exactly!  Think about these characters, examine them critically.  No one is perfect, everyone has flaws.  We look to stories to teach us, as I said, not fact , but truth .  We can learn to identify the strengths that make them admirable, the weaknesses that make them human .  And we can then identify the strengths we want to cultivate in ourselves, and minimize the influence our weaknesses have over us.”  She paused, looking out at her class, making eye contact with each and every student.  “People will tell you now is the time in your life where you become the person you’re going to be for the rest of your life.  But I believe it is never too late to recreate yourself, to cast away that which does not serve you and empower that which does.  I am not teaching you dusty old stories about long-dead gods and heroes who may never have existed in the first place.  I’m teaching you how to decide what kind of men and women you will ultimately become.”  Her eyes met Clark’s, and she smiled.  “Because those men and women have the power to change the world, to be gods and heroes of stories that will echo for the next thousand years.”

“I can’t thank you guys enough,” Jimmy said.

“It’s no problem,” Clark replied.

“Happy to help,” Lana agreed.

Jimmy had, unfortunately, put his final photography project off until the last minute, and asked Clark and Lana in a panic if they’d be his models.  Working with what he had, Jimmy had decided to make his project about capturing the essence of young love.

“This is good,” Jimmy said, as they reached one of the older, more picturesque areas of the MetU campus.  “Sun’s getting low, perfect.”

“Shooting for golden hour?” Lana asked.

Jimmy made a face.  “If I’d planned this weeks ago like I should have, sure.  As it is, we’ll make do.”  Jimmy waved to a path lined with trees, an old, almost Gothic building in the background.  “Can I have you two walk down that path towards me, kinda. . . couple-like?”

Clark raised an eyebrow.  “Couple-like?”

Jimmy shrugged.  “Like you would if I wasn’t here photographing you.”

Lana and Clark looked at each other, and strolled down the path away from Jimmy, then back towards him.  He snapped several pictures, but they could tell as they approached him he wasn’t getting what he wanted.

“Uh. . . more couple-like?” he asked.

Lana shrugged.  “Well, we’re not always hanging off each other.”

Jimmy nodded.  “Fair.”  He considered a moment, looking down the path.  He’d seen a glimmer of something as they’d walked away, something he thought his camera could capture.  “Okay.  Can I have you hold hands, walk down the path to where it branches, then turn and come back, still holding hands?”

Clark looked at Lana, Lana smiled at him, then nodded at Jimmy.  Clark moved his arm towards Lana, she took his hand.  Their fingers slid between each other.

“And, uh, CK.  Can you stow the glasses?”

Clark shook his head.  “Not really.  I’d be stumbling all over the place.”

“I’m worried about the light glinting off them badly,” Jimmy said.

“Well. . . you’d have to shoot around that at some point, right?” Lana asked.

Jimmy reluctantly nodded.  “Okay, we’ll give it a try.”

Clark and Lana turned and walked down the path, away from Jimmy, who snapped pictures at what he felt were the right moments.  Clark and Lana turned back, and headed towards him.

“Why did you want pictures of us walking away?” Clark asked.

Jimmy scrolled through the screen of his digital camera.  “Because of this,” he said, turning it to face them.

Clark looked at the picture, smiling as he thought he saw what Jimmy was talking about.  Lana looked at the picture, frowned.  “We look sad.”

“No, you look great,” Jimmy said.  “The rest of the picture looks sad.  Like. . . like longing, I guess, for what you two have and are, and sadness that that idea is moving farther away.”

Lana nodded, the feelings she had making more sense now.

“Okay.  Can we do that again, but with linked arms, like an old-timey couple?”

Lana giggled, Clark smiled and held his arm out to Lana.  She linked her arm through his, rested her other hand on his forearm.  Again, they walked the path away from Jimmy, then back to him.

“Nice,” Jimmy said.  “Now. . . Lana, hold on to Clark’s hand with both of yours, kind of lean into him?”  Again, they took Jimmy’s pose advice and did their walk to and fro.  “Great, I think just one more.  However you two are comfortable holding each while walking.”  Clark put an arm around Lana’s shoulders, she put an arm around his waist, and they did a final walk.  Lana didn’t realize until she saw the pictures later that she’d snuggled into Clark as much as she was able without hampering their ability to move.

Jimmy moved them to a slightly different location to get more shots.  The two of them sitting facing each other and talking, leaning on a stone rail side-by-side watching the slowly sinking sun, Clark holding Lana standing or sitting his lap, both of them facing the camera head-on.  Then some shots of them kissing; chaste delicate kisses, tender loving kisses, wild passionate kisses.

“Okay,” Jimmy said when he’d finished that sequence.  “If the wind and sun cooperate, there’s one last thing I’d like to get.  You two just looking deep into each other’s eyes, faces real close, with the wind blowing Lana’s hair so the sun catches it.  You have really pretty hair, Lana.”

“Thank you,” Lana said kindly.

After a few minutes holding the pose, the breeze did kick up enough to swirl Lana’s hair, the gold-red light of the early evening dancing in her red-gold locks.  Jimmy had flipped his camera to auto, snapping a dozen shots in a few seconds.

“Awesome!” he said, scrolling through a few of the pictures.  “I think that’s everything!”

“Let us know how it turns out?” Clark asked.

“Absolutely!  Thank you again, I really appreciate it.”

A week later, Jimmy burst into his and Clark’s dorm room.

“I’m a hit!” he exclaimed.  “Well, we’re a hit.  Lana around?”

Clark immediately called Lana to come down and hear Jimmy’s news.

“Solid A!” Jimmy said as Lana entered the room.  “The prof loved it!  Check it out.”  He held up the album he’d placed the photos in after printing them.  The note tucked in the inside cover showed his passing grade, followed by some commentary from his professor.  “Excellent subjects, captured well.  Technical aspects all solid, but there’s always room for improvement.  Astonishing artistry.  You have an eye for capturing the emotion of a moment in your camera lens.  I particularly liked photo 12, where one subject seems to be thinking about nothing but the love she has for the other, while the other doesn’t even seem aware she exists.”

Clark and Lana exchanged a worried glance at that, and Clark flipped to photo 12.  It was one of the ones of Lana leaning on Clark’s arm as they walked, her head not quite resting on her shoulder, Clark staring off into space.

Lana raised an eyebrow at him.  “I was thinking about looking good while I walked,” Clark said, and Lana understood what he didn’t say.  Focused on looking good enough for Jimmy’s project, but not too good.  Making sure the picture would be of Clark Kent, not. . . whoever he would ultimately be when he wore the crest of the House of El on his chest.  “You?”

“I was. . .” Lana blushed.  “Remembering. . . camping.”

Clark smiled.

“Camping?” Jimmy asked.

“Inside joke,” Clark said.

Lana flipped through more of Jimmy’s album, gasped when she came to the last picture.  The one with her and Clark looking at each other, the breeze blowing Lana’s hair.  “Wow,” she said quietly, handing the album to Clark.

He took it, studied the photo.  “Incredible,” he said.  The setting sun was perfectly poised behind them, the wind carrying Lana’s hair out, the light shining through it and reflecting off it making it look like a halo of fire streaming out from her head.  The lines of light and shadow on their faces made them both look amazing.

“Can we get copies of these?” Clark asked.

Jimmy smiled.  “I’ll e-mail you the link.  You can download and print whichever ones you want.”

“Thanks, Jimmy.”

“No problem, CK.”

Clark and Jimmy were relaxing in the student lounge, their final exams for the year done, when Lana and Sarah entered.  Lana walked up behind Clark, put a hand on his shoulder.  “We’re ready.”

Clark smiled at her, stood.  “See you later, Jimmy.”

“Where are you two going?” Jimmy asked.  Sarah took a seat near him, also looking at the couple questioningly.

Lana blushed slightly and smiled at Clark, Clark smiled back, then looked at Jimmy and Sarah.  “You can’t tell anyone,” Clark said.

Jimmy grinned.  “Hey, if you’re slinking off to. . . be alone , ‘nuff said, CK.”

“It’s not that,” Clark said.

“Not precisely,” Lana said.

“So, what is it?” Sarah asked.

Lana smiled shyly, pulled a bag out of her back pocket.  “We’re going to try feeding the swans.”

“Okay,” Jimmy said slowly.  “Why?”

Lana blushed a bit brighter.  “Well. . . on our orientation tour, Pro– our guide mentioned that it was against the rules to feed the swans, but if a couple does, and the swans accept, then they’ll be together forever.”

Jimmy grinned.  “Nah, I heard you had to walk around the pond three times in complete silence.  Showing you can communicate without talking, or something.”

Sarah also smiled.  “I heard you had to walk around the pond three times without stopping talking, to show you’ll never run out of things to talk about.”

Lana and Clark looked at each other.

“All three?” she asked.

“Couldn’t hurt,” Clark replied.

“Have fun!” Jimmy called as they headed out.

Lana had done a lot of research, what swans liked to eat, how to behave around them, and so on.  They walked down the path to the pond, and Lana carefully took out the bag filled with birdseed and special “swan and duck” pellets she’d bought her last trip off-campus and into Metropolis proper, as well as bits of oats, carrot, potato, lettuce, corn, and peas.  She made soft, cooing noises to attract the birds’ curiosity but not make them defensive, and as they approached, delicately tossed a handful of the mixed stuff onto the surface of the water.

The birds looked down at the floating food, then up at Lana, staring at her blankly.

Lana waited, not making eye contact, smiled without showing her teeth, and looked as non-threatening as possible.  Clark followed her lead.

Eventually, one of the swans nosed at a floating piece of potato, pecked it a few times, bobbed it up and down in the water, then snapped it up.  The other scooped up a few floating niblets of corn.

Lana smiled, and tossed another handful out.  The swans pecked at a piece here and there.  She offered the bag to Clark, and he gently tossed a few chunks towards them.

The swans took a few more bites, then haughtily swam away, deciding they were done wasting time with the strange humans.  Clark and Lana looked at each other, shrugged, and began walking the path around the pond.  They hadn’t discussed their plans in advance, but both agreed to do the first three laps in silence.

The third time they crossed their start point, most of what they’d attempted to feed the swans having sank out of sight, Lana opened her mouth.  “So, how’s journalism coming?”

“Okay,” Clark said.  “I have most of the prereqs done.  Since I didn’t know what I wanted to study, I took a broad selection this year, good foundation to go in a few different directions without locking me into anything specific.”  He made a face.  “If I’d known I wanted a communications degree last year, there are some classes I should have taken this year that I’ll have to take next year.  But I’m pretty confident I can catch up without too much hassle.”

Lana smiled.  Clark had explained to her how his super-speed wasn’t as useful for finishing schoolwork as you might think, but he admitted that didn’t mean it was useless.

“How’s engineering?”

“So far, so good,” Lana replied.  “Still not sure if I’m double-majoring in mechanical and electrical, or picking one, and if so which one.  I know I at least want one masters.”  She frowned.  “I’m still undecided if I want to shoot for a doctorate in one or both.”

Clark nodded.  “Yeah.  I could shoot for a doctorate in communications, but general consensus seems to be that a bachelor’s is fine, a master’s is great, but a doctorate only matters if you want to teach, or really want people to call you ‘doctor.’”

“Yeah.  Part of me thinks it’d be really cool to be a ‘doctor’ alongside Keira, but then I think about all the extra work and I really want to settle for a master’s.  But then I think about everything Keira is doing and how I want to help with that, and I feel like I’d need a doctorate to be even close to her level.”

“Don’t feel intimidated,” Clark said.  “Keira was. . . well, her early education was very different.”

Lana nodded.  Kara had talked about her schooling on Krypton before it exploded, and how it, especially as a daughter of the House of El, had been leaps and bounds beyond what even Lana was learning in college.

“Still, I. . . I don’t know, but I’ve got time to decide.  We’ll see how I’m keeping up with Keira once I start getting into actual engineering classes, that’ll help me firm up my choices.”

They continued to talk, chatting about their classes this past year and what they were taking next year, their hopes and dreams and plans for the future.  Never once, in their final three laps around the pond, did they fall silent for more than a handful of heartbeats.

As they left the path circling the pond to head back to their dorms, Clark wrapped an arm around Lana’s shoulders, and she snuggled into him as well as she was able to and keep walking.  That was how they were when they bumped into Diana.

“Hello,” she said pleasantly, smiling at them.

“Hello, Professor,” Clark said.

“Hi,” Lana said.

Diana shared a conspiratorial look with them.  “Feed the swans?” she asked quietly.

Lana nodded.  “And walked around the pond three times in silence.”

“And three times talking constantly,” Clark added.

Diana’s smile grew radiant.  “Congratulations.”  She seemed to evaluate them.  “See you next year?”

Clark nodded.  “I think I have a few more lit classes to get under my belt.”

Lana shook her head apologetically.  “I have to start working up the engineering ladder.”

Diana nodded and smiled.  “Well, I’m sure I’ll see you around.  Enjoy yourselves.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Clark said.

Diana winked, leaned in, and all but whispered.  “Goodnight, Kal-El.”  Her gaze shifted.  “Lana Kal-El.”

Lana flushed brightly, a giddy smile rising to her lips as her heart thudded in her chest.  “Goodnight, Professor Prince,” she replied.

“Goodnight,” Clark added.

They resumed their course, Lana feeling such a thrill it almost made her dizzy, those words echoing in her head.

Lana Kal-El.

It would probably never show up on any official document, never be how she was known publicly or could introduce herself, but if the friends and family who knew the secret eventually came to know her that way, that would be enough.

Chapter Text

June

In the Fortress, there was a brilliant flash of light.  As it faded, a figure stood there who had not been there before.

“Intruder alert,” the Fortress said.  “Intruder alert.  Unauthorized presence detec–”

“Priority override,” the figure said, then rattled off a string of alphanumerics in Kryptonese.

“Override accepted,” the Fortress replied.  “Priority command access granted.”

The figure, a slender young woman, approached the console.  Dextrous fingers danced over the controls with certainty, and perhaps familiarity.

Screens and holoprojections lit up.  “Where are you hiding?” the woman muttered to herself.

Clark looked up as Lana stormed up into his barn loft.  “Parents are the worst! ” she cried.

“Uh-oh,” Clark said.  “What’s wrong?”

Lana sighed.  “Okay, well, nothing wrong , but. . . they’re just all ‘oh, we haven’t seen you in months!’ and ‘you see Clark all the time at school.’  Yeah, I miss them and want to spend time with them, but not every second of every day for the whole summer!   I want to see you , too.”

Clark shrugged.  “You could say why you want to spend time with me.”

Lana looked up, giving Clark a “You are so dumb” look.  “Yeah, right.  ‘Sorry, I need to go to the Kent farm so my boyfriend can take me to his alien palace in the Arctic where he can make me cum so hard I see Jesus.’  There is no version of that conversation that ends well.”

Clark snorted.  “I meant that we’re still in a relationship, and those take work, and we need to spend some time together to do that.”  He gave her a playful look.  “I am more than my penis.”

Lana grinned.  “I know, and I love all of you, Clark.  But right now, I really need your penis.”

They left the loft for the basement, and the wormhole that would take them to the Fortress, where they could be alone.

As the wormhole snapped off behind them, they saw that they were not alone.

“Who are you?” Clark asked, alarmed, moving to put himself between Lana and the interloper.

“Shit!” the young woman exclaimed.  “You’re not supposed to be here!”

“No, you’re not supposed to be here,” Clark said.  “Who are you, and where did you get that?” he nodded at her outfit.  It looked almost like a one-piece swimsuit with arms, done mostly in blue, with a cape, and the shield of the House of El on the chest.

“No, you’re supposed to be. . . oh God, please tell me he hasn’t already changed something.”  She turned back to the console, operating the controls.

“Explain yourself,” Clark demanded, stepping towards the woman.  “And stop what you’re doing.”

“I can’t, either of those.  Just. . . just please go, I’ve got this.”

Clark grabbed her arm.  She yanked, and he was stunned by the power she had, nearly pulling free.  He had to bear down with all of his strength to keep a hold of her.

“Who are you?” he shouted.

“I can’t. . . stop. . . Dammit, Dad, let me go! ”

As her words and the reflexive ease with which she spoke them registered, all three of them froze.

“Dad?” Lana squeaked.

“What?” Clark gasped.

“Ah, hell,” the young woman muttered.  “This isn’t. . . you weren’t even supposed to know I was here!  Querl is never going to let me hear the end of this.”

“Who?” Clark asked.

“Forget I said that,” the young woman said.  “Forget I said anything.  Forget you ever saw me.  I was never here.”

“No,” Clark said, refreshing his grip on her arms and turning her to face him.  “You are going to explain yourself.”

She sighed.  She’d never been able to argue with her dad.  “I can’t, not much.  I shouldn’t say anything, but you have to understand.”  She sighed again.  “I’m from the future.  I was sent back here to stop a bad guy from wrecking the future.  Which is why I can’t say anything else, because if I tell you anything, I might destroy the future I came back to save.”

Clark looked at her, knew, somehow, he could trust her.  Her eyes – big, soft, and brilliantly violet – were open and earnest.  Looking close, he thought he could see traces of his own face in hers.  He felt connected to her in some inexplicable way.

But time travel?  Yeah, he wasn’t taking that on a stranger’s say-so.

“Fortress, scan,” he said.

A beam of light swept over the two of them.  “Complete,” the Fortress said.

“Analysis of the intruder’s DNA.”

“One-half Kryptonian, one-half human.  Kryptonian DNA match found, to Kal-El of Krypton.  Human DNA match not found.  Searching.”

“Belay that!” the girl said.

“Why?” Clark asked.

“Because I can’t tell you about your future!”

“Including who your mother is?”

“ Especially not that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m trying to save my future, not wreck it, and if I tell you what’s supposed to happen, by the very nature of you knowing it’ll change how you react, and things will happen differently or not at all!”

“That’s not how time-travel works,” Lana said.

The woman leaned around Clark to look at Lana.  “And you know?”

“Well, I’m no expert, but. . . doesn’t quantum mechanics state there’s a multiverse, and changing the past doesn’t actually change the future, but. . . instead, like, shunt you into the universe where things already happened the way you changed them?”

“No,” the woman said.  “It’s. . . well, it’s really complicated, and I don’t exactly understand it myself, and I couldn’t explain it to you even if I did because of the whole Sound of Thunder butterfly effect thing.  But some of it involves the exact mechanism by which someone creates a closed timelike curve, if they can interact with the past and change things, or if they’ll start moving tracks in the multiverse.  It’s not as simple as parallel overlapping timelines and hopping from one to the other, the tracks of time aren’t linear paths, but more of. . . a. . . um. . .”

“Ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff?” Clark asked.

The woman nodded, blushing.  “In so many words.”

Clark sighed.  “And you’re sure your time travel ‘expert’ actually knows what they’re talking about?”

“Of course!  Querl is the–” she frowned at Clark.  “Stop that!”

Clark sighed.  “What’s your name?”

“No.”

“No?”

“No.  I’m not telling you any more than I already have.”

“Well I’m not going to call my daughter ‘hey, you’.”

“You don’t need to call me anything, Dad.  Just. . . just please, let me handle this.”

Clark shook his head.  “No.  We’re in this now, like it or not, and I am going to help.”

“Ugh, Dad, this is not the time for you to go all Superm–” she clapped her hands over her mouth, glared at him.  “Stop that!”

Clark looked at her steadily.  Raised an eyebrow.  Stared into her violet eyes.

The girl finally rolled her eyes and sighed.  “My Kryptonian name is Cir-El.”

Clark raised his other eyebrow.  “Cir-El?  Not Cir Kal-El?”

Cir-El smiled, shaking her head.  “No, no way.  Mom said she would–” she caught herself, scrunched up her face and stomped her foot.  “Stop it!”

Clark looked at the Fortress console.  “What are you looking for?”

“Bad guy,” Cir-El said simply.

Clark rolled his eyes.  “I gathered that.  Who, what, where, why, how?”

“Look, Dad–”

Clark was getting annoyed.  “Don’t you ‘look, Dad’ me, missy.  You tell me what’s going on this instant!”

Lana giggled.

Cir-El sighed.  “He calls himself King Kosmos.  A despot from. . . from a far future Earth, he was defeated and overthrown, so decided to travel back in time to when Earth would be a bit easier to conquer.  His first attempt was. . . not far back enough, so he went even further back, to now.  The Le– some friends from the less-distant future saw what he was up to, and the Just– it was decided I was the best one to travel back here and stop him before he could muck anything up.”

Clark nodded.  “So what are you doing?”

“He’s got super-advanced future tech, including cloaking tech.  But the Le– friends from the future – I mean my future, your future future – gave me stuff to neutralize his tech.”  Cir-El sighed.  “But Kosmos isn’t an idiot, so may have modified his tech to defeat my tech.  I’m doing future shit with the Fortress computer to try and find him, and get an analysis of his tech and any modifications to compare to my tech so I can figure out if I need to modify my tech to defeat the modifications to his tech he made to defeat my tech.”

“Clear as mud,” Lana muttered.

Clark nodded.  “Okay, do your thing.  Fortress, call Kara.”

“Calling.”

“No!” Cir-El said.  “Don’t call Aunt Kara, I can handle this!”

Clark just looked at her.

Cir-El turned back to the console, muttering.  “Aw, dammit Dad. . .”

“And watch your language, young lady.”

Lana followed Clark to the storage unit for his Kryptonian suit, pausing a moment to admire Clark as he stripped out of his regular clothes to don the tight red-and-blue suit.

Then she just had to address the elephant in the room.  “She’s not my daughter.”

Clark looked at Lana, confused.

“Cir-El.  She’s. . . there’s no resemblance to me.  She’s not mine.”

Clark shrugged.  “She has my hair.”

Lana nodded.  “But whose eyes?”

Clark paused.  Cir-El’s eyes were big, vivid violet, very little like Clark’s piercing blue eyes, nothing at all like Lana’s emerald green eyes.

“Well. . .” Clark began slowly.  “I mean, we don’t know how human and Kryptonian genetics can interact, maybe the gene combination gave her those eyes.”

“She’s curvier than I am.”

Clark smiled.  “You’re both beautiful.”

“Clark,” Lana said firmly.  “The Fortress has my DNA on file.”

Clark stopped, stunned.  “And it couldn’t find a match for Cir-El’s mom.”

Lana looked up at him, green eyes glistening.  “Clark. . . what happens to us?”

“Lana,” Clark said, rushing over and scooping her up in his arms.  “Nothing happens.  We are going to be together forever, I feel it in my bones.”

“You can’t know that.”

“I can.  No power, on this Earth or beyond, will take me away from you.  I promise.”

“But then where did your daughter come from?”

Clark smiled as warmly as he could at her.  “Well, we do have an arrangement.”

Lana blinked.  “Her mom. . . and you. . . and me?”

Clark shrugged.  “I don’t see things playing out that way, but. . . well, who knows what the future holds?  All I know is, no matter what happens, I’ll be with you.  It just seems like maybe I’ll be with someone else, too.”

“But. . . no mention of me?  Of our kids, her brothers or sisters?”

Clark shrugged.  “She’s deliberately withholding details, and I get why.  She could have dozens of siblings.”  Lana glared at him.  “Sorry.  I just mean. . . nothing she’s said precludes the idea that we’re still together where she’s from.  In fact, I think that’s why she’s so jumpy.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, like you pointed out, her existence implies we’re not still together.  But maybe we are, but if we see her and assume we aren’t, break up due to her interference, then her future changes.”

“But what if we’re meant to break up, and stay together because of her?”

Clark shook his head.  “We could go crazy trying to double, triple, and quadruple guess this.  All we can do is live like we would have if we’d never met her.”  He smiled.  “And I have no intention of living my life without you in it, Lana.”

She smiled, and hugged him again.  Her hand traced the crest of the House of El on his chest.  “I’ve never seen you in this before, in person.”  She looked up at him.  “Looks nice.”

He smiled, and kissed her tenderly.

Kara stepped through the wormhole of the Fortress, looking at the young woman at the controls.  “So.  You’re my first cousin once removed.”

Cir-El rolled her eyes.  “Dad, Aunt Kara’s here!”

Kara raised an eyebrow.  “Aunt?”

“Yeah,” Cir-El said.  “Technically, we’re cousins, but you and Dad are basically siblings.”

“So we’re close,” Kara said.

“Spoilers,” Cir-El replied.

“It can’t be that bad,” Kara replied.

“It’s that bad,” Cir-El said.

“No.  Current theories and models of closed timelike curves indicate–”

“Shon-El’s fifth hypertime postulate.”

Kara’s eyebrows shot up.  “No, no way.  Really?”

“Really.”

Kara shook her head.  “No, Shon-El’s fifth postulate is irreconcilable with Kal-Ur’s superstring vibration proofs.”

“Until you factor in Zor-El’s eleventh fifth dimensionality hypothesis.”

Kara frowned.  “My father never finished his dimensionality hypotheses.”

Cir-El smirked.  “You’ll figure it out.”  Then she scowled.  “Stop that!”

Kara sighed, rolling her eyes.  “Where’s Kal?”

Cir-El waved towards where their Kryptonian suits were stored.  “Changing into his costume.  And I think having a moment.”

Kara grinned.  “Good for him.”

“Ew,” Cir-El replied.

Smirking at the other unintended bit of information Cir-El had just given her, Kara exited the main room and into the room where their suits were stored.  Kal had, indeed, changed into his, and he and Lana were hugging tenderly.

“Hi,” Kal said as she entered.

“Hey,” Kara said in reply.  “Lana. . . could I have a moment with Kal?”

“Sure,” Lana replied, giving Clark another quick kiss.  She walked away, her hand still in his until their arms hit extension.  Their hands separated, their arms dropping back.  Lana left the room.

“So,” Kara said, looking at Kal, making no move to change into her Kryptonian garb.  “A daughter?”

“Looks that way,” Kal said.

“Are you sure?”

“The Fortress scanned her.  She has my DNA.”

Kara scoffed sarcastically.  “Because that can’t be faked.”

“Can it?” Kal asked, half sincere, half challenging.

Kara thought about it.  “Well. . . for starters, they’d need to get your DNA.”

“Which isn’t as easy as one would think.”

“But still possible.  Then. . . meld it with human, grow the result. . .” she trailed off, already knowing where this was going.

“And that’s not possible on Earth right now.”

“No, it isn’t,” Kara admitted.

“So we’re right back to time-travel.”

“Or alien.  Which I admit, doesn’t explain how she can operate the Fortress so well, or why someone would go through all this in the first place when we’ve barely done anything yet.”

Kal nodded.

Kara frowned.  “It’s just. . . are you sure, Kal?”

He nodded again.  “I am.  There’s. . . there’s just something about her.  I know it’s right.”  There was utter certainty in his voice, a belief that made Kara want to believe him, to believe in him.

Kara smiled at him then, but it was somehow a sad smile, yet also with admiration and pride.  “You’re changing, Kal,” she said quietly.  “Growing up.  Pretty soon, you won’t need your big sister anymore.”

Kal smiled at her, walked up to her, put his hands on her shoulders.  He was struck by how much taller than her he was.  He’d noticed it before, certainly, even celebrated quite annoyingly when he’d pulled even with her his sophomore year of high school, gotten an inch on her before the year was out.  But now he really noticed it, couldn’t not notice.  He had a solid three inches on her, he loomed over her.  She’d always been his big sister, but now he was the big one.  He could feel his world shift uncomfortably.  Shunting the disquieting feeling aside, he said “You’ll always be my big sister, and I’ll always need you.”

“No you won’t.  Kal, I was sent here to guide and protect you until you grew up, and here you are.  You’re doing the guiding and protecting now, not just for yourself, but for both of us.  You’ve taken charge, and done it well.  You don’t need me looking over your shoulder.”

“Kara. . . I. . .” Kal swallowed, suddenly nervous.  “I. . . I don’t. . .”

“It’s okay, Kal.  Science is my gift, but you have your own.  Embrace them, put them to use, like I do with mine.  It’s your time, Kal, to lay out your own course and follow it.  I can’t lead you anymore.”

Kal looked at her, feeling an enormous, terrifying pit of sadness open up within him.  “But. . . you’ll still be with me, right?”

Kara smiled, drawing her little brother, her baby cousin, her grown man of the House of El into a tight hug.  “Of course, Kal.  Always.”

They stayed like that a long time, reassuring each other that, while their relationship might change, it would always be there, and they’d always be there for each other.

“So,” Kara said when they eventually, reluctantly, let each other go.  “You trust her?”

Kal nodded.  “I do.”

Kara nodded, pulling off her sweater vest and unbuttoning her blouse.  “Okay, let’s do this,” she said, walking to her Kryptonian suit.

Lana went back to the Fortress’ control room, saw the young woman still working the console.  “Hi,” she said.

“Hey,” Cir-El said back.

An awkward silence descended.

“So–” Lana began.

“No.  Sorry, I can’t say anything else.  I’ve said too much already.”

“But isn’t that just it?” Lana asked.  “I mean. . . we already know things we’re not supposed to know.”

“And telling you more can only make things worse,” Cir-El replied.

“Can it?” Lana asked.  “I mean, I already know you’re not my daughter.”

Cir-El stiffened.

“I’m right, aren’t I?  What happens–”

“I can’t tell you!” Cir-El said, turning to face Lana.  “Anything I say might change things!  I can’t take that chance!”

“Why not?  Isn’t it better if you explain things, so we can understand?”

“No.  I mean. . . okay, say I tell you that you and Dad break up in five years.  How long are you going to put effort into a relationship you know is doomed?  How much are you going to be looking out for ‘the thing’ that ends it?  But the time you do spend together might be critical, and the precise interactions of where, when, why, and how you two break up might be necessary.  Or maybe I tell you you’re still together, but gloss over a time where you did break up, and that was good because you both needed some time apart to live and grow, but because I said you’re still together you stick it out until the faults that could be fixed get too big.  And I see what you’re thinking now, I could lay the whole thing out for you, but then you’re just going through the motions, following the path I set.  You aren’t living , making your own choices and mistakes, and all of that is crucial to the life and family I want to get back to.  Please, Mom, please , don’t ask me anything, don’t make me tell you anything.  I need my family to be there when I get back.”

The emotions were surging so high as Cir-El spoke neither she nor Lana noticed the slip of her tongue that gave away a huge spoiler.

But Lana did notice something, as she saw how distraught Cir-El was, and moved in to give her a hug.  “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Lana said.  The young woman accepted Lana’s hug, hugged her back, and it felt. . . right.  Good and natural, as if Cir-El was familiar to Lana in some fundamental way she couldn’t name.  “I didn’t mean. . . I just. . . I’m sorry.”

“I know.”  Cir-El sighed, seeming to shrink in Lana’s arms.  “I shouldn’t be here.  I shouldn’t have come.  I should have made them send anyone else.”

“Hey,” Lana said, pulling away just enough to look Cir-El in her piercing violet eyes, brushing a lock of black hair away from her forehead.  “I think you’re exactly where you need to be.”

Cir-El smiled, and just for a moment, Lana saw a glimmer of herself in the young woman.  Nothing physical, no resemblance that spoke of Cir-El being of her blood in any way, but something deeper.  Something that told Lana, with complete and utter clarity, that she had contributed in a meaningful way in shaping the young woman who stood before her.

Clark and I are still. . . something.  I don’t know what, but I don’t need to know.

Cir-El smiled thinly, but warmly.  “Thanks,” she said quietly, eyes glistening.  Lana knew in that moment she’d do anything for this girl, anything to make sure the home she returned to was the same as the one she’d left.  Including doing her best to ignore everything she’d just learned and let the future unfold.  She was momentarily terrified, feeling the weight of the pitfalls and possibilities pressing down on her like an ocean of time, all the terrifying choices she and Clark would have to make between now and. . . whenever it was Cir-El had come back from.  It was a scary gulf of potential, but she soothed herself with the thought that if Clark was with her, she could handle it.

No , she thought firmly, steeling her nerve.  I can handle it.  Clark helping me is a bonus, but I can do this on my own if I have to.

She decided it was okay that she didn’t want to do it alone.  Wanting her life to be with Clark was fine.  Needing her life to be with Clark was. . . not fine.

Clark and Keira entered the main chamber, dressed in their Kryptonian suits.  Cir-El and Lana broke off their hug, Cir-El returning to the console and her work, but not before smiling at Kal and Kara.  “Haven’t seen those in awhile.  Looking good.”

“Thanks,” Clark said, then looked again at Cir-El’s costume.  “Though we might need to discuss what you’re wearing.”  The amount of leg the outfit displayed, as well as the way it clung to her hips, behind, and groin, was not something Clark was sure he wanted his daughter wearing.

“We did,” Cir-El replied.  “Mom’s on my side.”

“Is she now?” Clark asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, she said–” she glared at Clark.  “Stop it.”

Clark shook his head, wondering again who Cir-El’s mysterious mother was and what she was like.  Especially if she was okay with their daughter going out in public in that outfit.

The Fortress console dinged, and Cir-El whooped.  “Got him!  Finally pierced his modified cloaking tech.  He’s. . .” she trailed off, pinpointing his location with the Fortress’ sensors.  “Starfish Island, of course!”

“Where?” Clark asked.

“Totally abandoned little speck of land in the Pacific,” Cir-El said.  “Perfect place for him to start.  No one’s there, it’ll be two years before Ollie–” she threw another look at Clark.  “Stop that.”

“Okay,” Clark said.  “So he’s holed up there doing. . . what, exactly?”

Cir-El shrugged.  “Getting his tech in order to start his quest for global domination.  I can deal with that.”  She looked at Clark and Keira.  “You two stay here.”

“No way,” Clark said.  “We’re not letting you fight a time-traveling conqueror alone.”

“I’ve got this, Dad.”

“Then there’s no reason we shouldn’t come along,” Clark countered.

“One of his main goals is going to be eliminating both of you!” Cir-El said.

“Then we can predict his actions and give you an opening to. . . do whatever you’re going to do.”

“Dad–”

“We’re coming, young lady, and that’s that.”

Lana and Kara shared a grin, recognizing Jonathan Kent’s tone in Clark’s voice.

Cir-El rolled her eyes and groaned in that way unique to teenage girls when losing an argument with their parents.  “Okay, fine,” she said, then looked at Lana.  “We’ll be right back.”

Lana nodded.  “I don’t doubt it.”  And she didn’t.

The three Kryptonians took to the air, exiting the Fortress.

Starfish Island was indeed small, and King Kosmos was easy to find.  A golden, ziggurat-style fortress was being erected in the jungle through some kind of matter reorganization technology, similar to but distinct from the Kryptonian version that had raised the Fortress of El.

The man himself sat on a hovering throne, decked in golden armor, supervising the construction of the base from which he would conquer Earth, and from there, the cosmos.  Sensors in his throne alerted him to incoming enemies, and the throne pivoted to face them as Kal, Kara, and Cir landed in the jungle near him.

“You,” King Kosmos said distastefully.  “Thought I’d have a few more years before I had to worry about your meddling.  No matter,” his finger poised over a button on the arm of his throne.  “I’ve got time for this.”  King Kosmos chuckled at his own joke.

He pressed the button.

Nothing happened.

Confused, he pressed the button again.  And again.  And again.  Confusion began to turn to alarm.

“Yeah, no,” Cir-El said, holding up her arm.  Something seemed to phase into existence over her right forearm, a high-tech metallic device with some simple controls.  “Not gonna make it easy on you.”

“What?” King Kosmos said.  “How?”

“The Coluans send their regards,” Cir-El said, pressing a button.  The hovering throne switched off, slamming to the ground and spilling King Kosmos out in a most unkingly manner.  Cir-El hit another button as he struggled to his feet, there was a flash of light, and he was simply gone.

“What happened?” Clark asked, alarmed.

Cir-El shrugged.  “Sent him back to– the future,” she said.  “Some friends have a vault to keep all his high-tech toys secure, and a nice comfy cell just for him.  Without all his far-future gadgets, he’s just a jerk with an ego problem.”

Cir-El hit a few more buttons, and Kosmos’ throne vanished, along with a few other chunks and bits and devices.

“Okay,” she said, smiling.  “We’re done here.”

“We are?” Clark asked, waving at the quarter-finished gold fortress.

“Oh, yeah,” Cir-El said, looking over her shoulder at it.  “That’s supposed to be here.”

“It is?” Kara asked incredulously.

Cir-El shrugged.  “Shon-El’s fifth hypertime postulate.”

“Huh?” Clark asked, confused.

Kara smiled, patted her cousin’s shoulder.  “I’ll explain when you’re older.”

When they arrived back in the Fortress, Lana greeted them all with warm, joyous hugs.  Once they got done explaining the frankly anti-climactic confrontation with King Kronos, Cir-El blew out a long, nervous breath.

“Okay,” she said, raising the device on her arm.  “Moment of truth.”

She activated a control, a beeping whir came from the device.  “Timeline scan in progress. . . in progress. . . target date reached. . . scanning. . . variance 0.00%!  YES!”  She slipped into the air, making a tight loop, then pirouetting victoriously, pumping her fist as she settled back down to Earth.  “I did it!  I did it!”

“Did what?” Lana asked.  Though she felt she understood, she wasn’t certain she did.

“My timeline didn’t change!  Everything, everyone I knew is still there!  I didn’t fuck anything up!”

“Language,” Clark scolded.

“Oh, Dad,” Cir-El grinned, rushing to Clark and hugging him tightly.  Clark hugged her back, surprised at how right it felt.  “I love you, Dad,” she said.

Clark smiled.  “I’m proud of you, sweetcorn.”

Cir-El smiled, feeling warmth at the pet name her father would call her in the years to come.

She broke the hug.  “I’ve got to go.  But. . .” she darted forward, hugging Kara.  “I’m glad I met you all.”

“Us, too,” Kara said.

Cir-El hugged Lana.  “Take care of my Dad.”

“I will,” Lana said.

Reluctantly, Cir-El pulled away.  “Oh!” she said, pointing at Kal and Kara.  “Happy birthday!”

“In two weeks,” Clark replied, confused.

Cir-El smiled.  “I know.”  Then she triggered the device on her arm again.  There was a brilliant flash of light, and when it was gone, a figure that had been there before was no longer there.

The Future

“Mom?” Cir-El called as she appeared back in the Fortress in a flash of light.  The device Querl had given her might have said everything was the same, but her mind wouldn’t be at ease until she confirmed it with her own senses.  “Mom?  Mom!”

“Hey, you’re back,” her mother said, entering the main chamber.  She was average height, dark hair, a very curvy build, and had the same violet eyes as Cir-El.  “How’d it go?”

“Mom!” Cir-El cried, rushing forward to hug her.  Her mother laughed as she wrapped her arms around her daughter.

“Hey, take it easy!”

“Dad,” Cir-El said.  “Where’s Dad?  Dad!”

“Coming,” Clark said, also entering the main chamber.  “Where’s the fire?”

Cir-El grinned wide, seeing her Dad looking exactly like he had before she left, and almost exactly as he’d looked in the past she’d just left.  Her heart soared to see him again, soared even higher when she saw who accompanied him into the chamber.  “Dad!” she shrieked, rushing forward to hug him tight.  “Mom!” she shrieked again, yanking the redhead into the hug.  Cir-El let them go, looking around.  “Jonathan?”

Jonathan Kent, his light brown hair sticking up, his eyes a shade somewhere between piercing blue and emerald green, entered the room, scowling at her.  “Hug me, and I laser your face.”

Cir-El ignored the warning, zipping forward to wrap her brother in another tight hug.  “Oh, I’m so happy to see you!” she said.

“Alright, alright, get off me you freak,” Jonathan replied, but there was a smile on his face and warmth in his voice.

“Mia,” Clark said, voice stern but amused.  “Is there something you want to tell us?”

Cir-El turned.  “Yeah, when I went back, I was only alone in the Fortress for a little bit, then you and. . .” she trailed off, looking closely at her father’s face, the small smirk on his lips.  “You knew? ” she cried.

“The look on your face,” Clark laughed.  “When we walked in, I thought you were going to have a heart attack.”

“I almost did!” Cir-El cried.

Cir-El’s mom sighed, rolled her eyes.  “You’re a dick, Smallville,” she said, walking over to her daughter and putting an arm around her shoulders.

“Sorry, Lois,” Clark said.  “But everything worked out exactly as it was supposed to.  If it hadn’t, I wouldn’t have let you go in the first place,” he said to Cir-El.

“Not cool, Dad,” Cir-El pouted.

“Gotta agree with Mia on this one,” Jonathan’s mom said.  “It wasn’t fun having the possibility of our break-up literally staring me in the face.”

“Sorry, Lana,” Clark said.  “But I meant what I said then, just as much as I mean it now.”

Lana smiled, and kissed Clark.

“Ew,” Jonathan said.  “Get a room.”

“We have one,” Lois said casually.

“Ew,” Jonathan and Mia said together.

“But seriously,” Clark said, looking at Cir-El.  “It had to happen.  Just like you couldn’t say anything, neither could I.  And I meant what I said.  I am very, very proud of you, Mia Kent.”

“Mia Lane ,” Lois corrected, smiling at Clark.  Clark smiled back.  Their private joke.  Legally, Cir-El may be a Lane, but in actuality she was a Kent, and an El.

Clark beckoned Lois and Mia, and they approached, Lana and Clark and Lois and Mia twining arms in a group hug.  Clark looked at his son.  “Come on, Jon-El, bring it in.”

“Do I gotta?” he sighed dramatically, but walked up, and joined his unconventional family.

The Present

The hour was growing late in Kansas, so Clark and Lana reluctantly left the Fortress for home, Lana vowing that she would get away as early as possible tomorrow, and she and Clark would return to expend their pent-up energy.

Kara stood before the Fortress console, eyes roving over the crystals.  At last, she took one out, slid it into the reader slot.  A hologram appeared, a handsome man, looking much like Kal, except with a neatly-trimmed beard and slightly longer hair.

Kara smiled.  “Hello, Father.”

“Kara,” Zor-El smiled as he looked at her.  “How may I help?”

“I. . .” Kara trailed off, the stew of emotions bubbling up that she hadn’t had time to realize were there, let alone process.  “I miss you so much ,” she said, tears welling in her eyes.  She’d met Kal’s daughter, her. . . her niece, basically.  Seen proof that the House of El would survive in the future, that Krypton would live on.  That made her happy, but also abundantly sad.  So much had been lost, so much would never live again.  Krypton would live on, in Cir-El, and who knew who else.  But the Krypton Kara had known, the one she’d been born on and raised on for the first eight years of her life, that Krypton was gone, and could never be brought back.  By necessity, the Kryptonians on Earth had to change and adapt, and nothing could ever be the same as it had been before.

That was the sad, terrifying truth of all life.

“I miss you too, Starshine,” Zor-El said.

Kara’s breath hitched.  She wasn’t sure if she preferred this, or would have preferred just a cold, logical database that only looked like her father.  This wasn’t Zor-El, just a computer imitation, a digital specter, an AI ghost.  He couldn’t feel her pain, couldn’t empathize with it, couldn’t hold her and make her feel better.  He could only emulate some of those things.  But small comfort as the AI personality matrix was, it was still a comfort.

With effort, Kara reigned in her emotions.  “I wanted to ask you about something.”

“Of course,” Zor-El replied.

“Your eleventh fifth dimensionality hypothesis.”

Chapter Text

October

It had been well over a year, but Kara still smiled when she saw the sign on the door of her office that read “DR. KEIRA KENT” and below that “RESEARCH PROJECT LEAD.”

She was in her office now, working on a new formula.  Back on Krypton, it had been a true panacea, a medical cure-all for any and all ailments.  Trouble was, the formula relied on some components that only existed thanks to Kryptonian metamaterials science, and Keira was definitely not ready to share that.  She hoped that using only naturally-occurring elements would yield something viable, if not nearly as effective.

That, and as much as they might look like humans, Kryptonians were very different biochemically.  Compensating for those differences was one of the most engaging and satisfying challenges Keira had thus far faced.  She was also learning things that had applications for her side project for Clark and Lana. . .

There was a knock at her door.  “Come in,” she said distractedly, not looking up from her work.

“That must be one really intense game of solitaire,” Lex Luthor said.

Keira looked up from her screen, mouth open in surprise.  “Lex!” she stammered.  “Uh, no, not. . . I’m working on a. . . well, it’s. . . not quite ready.”

Lex smiled, holding up a hand.  “Relax, I was teasing.  But I can come back if this is a bad time.”

“Not at all,” Keira said, turning fully away from her desk.

“I want to show you something,” he said, motioning to the door.

Keira saved her work, slept her computer, and stood.  “Okay.”

Lex led her to an elevator, then down into the Smallville plant’s sublevels.  They exited into a concrete corridor, then through an intimidatingly thick door.

“There’s a project I want to get underway, and I can’t think of anyone better to lead it than you,” Lex said as he led her through the huge door.

“What is it?” Keira asked.

Lex smirked.  “It is, quite literally, out of this world.”  He opened another reinforced door, and led Keira into an observation room, thick glass between them and the next chamber.  Keira recognized the signs of heavy radiation shielding between them and what lay beyond.

She also recognized what was in the next room, and fought valiantly to stifle her shock, surprise, and fear.

“You’re probably aware, but there was a meteor shower in Smallville several years ago.  Around the same time you and Clark were adopted by the Kents, actually,” Lex said.  Kara struggled to betray no reaction.  Does he know?  He can’t know, he couldn’t possibly know.  But what if he does?   “Many of the meteors were hauled away by the government, but many more are still here.  We’ve been collecting and running tests, and the initial results are. . . well, beyond promising.”

Kara swallowed, reminding herself she was meek, excitable Keira Kent.  “What do you mean?”

Lex smirked.  “Well, for starters, we can’t identify the elements these meteor rock samples are composed of.”

“That’s not possible,” Keira said, knowing full well it was possible and how it had been done.

“No, it isn’t.  Yet here it is,” Lex waved at the thick, radiation-shielded glass window, beyond which lay dozens of samples of Kryptonite, their green glow suffusing the room in sickly light.  “Matter that doesn’t fit on our periodic table, because as far as we can tell, its atoms are not composed of subatomic particles we’ve categorized.”

“I don’t understand,” Keira said, understanding all too well.

Lex’s smirk grew into a wide, excited smile.  “These meteors didn’t come from our solar system.  They’re from somewhere else .  The least exciting option is that they come from somewhere out there in the universe where the fundamental laws of physics and chemistry as we understand them don’t apply.  They might be debris from some advanced civilization that understands chemistry, subatomic physics, and quantum mechanics to a degree we can’t even speculate on.”  He looked at her, his gray eyes shining with glee.  “They could even be from a different universe.”

“That’s. . . a lot of speculation.”

“It is, but it happens to fit the facts, and the facts are that, by all of our understanding of science, this material shouldn’t exist.  But as amazing as that is, our preliminary studies of the radiation these meteor rocks produce is very encouraging.”

“Radiation?” Keira asked with feigned alarm.

Lex smiled.  “Don’t worry.  Near as we can tell, the radiation is completely harmless to humans.  Still, we’re taking no chances.”  He tapped the thick glass.  “But if our preliminary calculations are correct, this material has astounding potential as an energy source.  Limitless clean energy, Keira.”

Kara swallowed.  Kryptonite could, indeed, be a source of power.  It had been used that way on Krypton, reactors powering all of her homeworld’s advanced technology, an energy demand thousands of times higher than Earth’s was today.  From memory, even with the materials available on Earth, Kara could probably slap together a Kryptonite reactor a hundred times more efficient than the prototype designs Lex likely had in mind.

But was humanity ready for that kind of power?  Should she help them along in this, give them the gift of limitless energy?  Or should she drag the project down, carefully steer it away from success?  Because there was as much destructive potential here as there was constructive potential.

“Uh. . .” Keira stammered.  “Sounds. . . neat.”

Lex chuckled.  “Neat?  Yeah, I guess that’s one way to put it.”

“So. . . um. . . what do you want?”

“I want you to lead this project, Keira.  I want you to research and design a way to harness the power of these meteor rocks, to solve all of this planet’s energy problems forever.”

That’s where she’d been afraid he was going with this.  And now Kara was stuck in an impossible situation.  This was exactly the kind of thing Keira Kent should be desperate to work on, a project aligned perfectly with her goals of improving the human condition though the application of science and technology, and it was within her training as a doctor of materials science and theoretical chemistry.  But she simply couldn’t be associated with it.  If humanity was ready for it, they had to figure it out for themselves.  She couldn’t help or hinder them, not in this.

There was also the small matter of safely handling Kryptonite, the one substance in all the universe (so she believed at the time) that could harm, even kill her.

The risk, personally and for the whole of humanity, was too great.

“I’m sorry, Lex.  I can’t.”

“What?” Lex asked flatly.

“I. . . I just. . . I can’t.”

“Keira,” Lex said, and his tone was slightly pleading, but also slightly angry.  “This is exactly in your wheelhouse.  This could do so much good for the whole world.  And I don’t think anyone else at Luthorcorp can make this work.”

Kara pretended to consider, then shook her head.  “I’m sorry.  Really sorry.  I’m just. . .” she looked through the window, let out the shudder she’d been suppressing since she first saw what lay beyond.  “I’m not brave enough to work with alien radioactive material.”

Lex looked at her, and Kara fought back another shudder.  His look was flat, disappointed, unhappy.  Anger kept in check, but still affronted.  There was an undercurrent of danger in that look Kara definitely didn’t like.

“You’re sure?” he asked, his voice hard and cold.

Kara nodded.  “I’m sorry.”

“Very well.  That will be all, Dr. Kent.”

Kara nodded, and nervously left the room.

Two days later, there was another knock at her office door.  This time, the person entered before waiting for Keira to invite them in.

“What do you mean, ‘no?’” Lena Luthor asked.

Keira blinked.  “Um. . . in what context?”

“Don’t play games with me, Keira.  You turned down the meteor rock energy project?”

“Oh, yeah, that.  Uh, yeah.  I, I did.”

“ Why? ”

“I. . . I just didn’t think. . . it was a good fit for me.”

“It couldn’t be a better fit!  I thought this is what you wanted, changing the world for the better!”

“It is, Lena.  It’s just. . . I. . . I can’t.  Not that project.”

“But why? ”

Kara bit her lip.  She hated lying to Lena.  Since they’d become friends, she’d wanted so many times to let Lena in on the secret, to have someone she could be herself with, the way Kal had Lana.  But, much as Kara liked Lena, even loved her in a way, she had to admit Lena was still very much Lionel Luthor’s daughter, relentlessly chasing her father’s affection and approval.  Even if it was clear to everyone, and no one more than Lena herself, that he could never and would never give them.  Kara honestly hoped Lex and Lena could both break free from their father’s influence, become their own, full, complete people, following the good in their hearts Lionel hadn’t been able to crush completely.  But the simple fact was that Kara could only trust Lena to a point.

“I just. . . I can’t explain it,” Kara said.  “I just can’t do it.”

Lena’s face softened, and she crossed behind Kara’s desk, knelt down, took Kara’s hands.  “Keira. . . you know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I know,” Keira lied.

“Then talk to me.  We can work it out.”

“I. . . I don’t really understand it myself,” Keira lied again.  “I just. . . I just know I can’t do this.  Not that project, not what Lex wants me to do.  It’s better off in anyone else’s hands.”

“Keira,” Lena said, pushing a lock of Keira’s dirty blonde hair over her ear.  “You’re brilliant .  There’s nothing you can’t do with that amazing mind of yours.  You’re a superwoman .  You can accomplish anything .”

“Maybe that’s what I’m afraid of.  Unlocking something we’re not ready for.  Oppenheimer and the A-Bomb.”

Lena stared at her, stunned.  “You really think it’s that dangerous?”

“I don’t know,” Kara said, lying again.  “I just. . . if it is, I don’t want to be the one who opens that particular Pandora’s Box.”

Lena was quiet for a moment, thinking hard.  “But if that’s the case, isn’t it better for you to be involved, instead of the runner-up?  Someone who might not respect what they’re working with, unleash it by accident?  Or deliberately?”

That was a good point, and Kara almost allowed herself to be swayed, but shook her head.  “No.  No, if we really are ready for it, someone else will do just as well as I could.  If not, they won’t be able to figure it out, either.”

Lena sighed.  “I really can’t change your mind?”

Kara shook her head again.  “No.  I’m really sorry, Lena.”

“It’s okay,” Lena said, stroking Kara’s hair again.  “I trust you.”

Kara smiled.  “And I trust you,” she lied.

As soon as the sun set, Kara called Kal to say she needed to speak with him in person.  Kal flew from Metropolis to the Kent barn loft under cover of darkness, where Kara filled him in on the latest development.

“Lex has Kryptonite,” Clark said.

Keira nodded.

“ Lex has Kryptonite ,” Clark said again.

Keira nodded again.

Clark was silent for a moment.  “Lex has–”

“Clark, we’ve established that,” Keira interrupted.

Clark sighed.  “I just. . . why?”

“He thinks it can be used as an energy source.”

“Which it can .”

Try as she might, Keira couldn’t quite smile.  “Look at you, actually paying attention to science lessons.”

Clark shook his head.  “This could be real bad.”

“It. . . yeah, it could.  It could also be good.  Or both.  Or. . . I don’t know.”

“That’s why you refused to work on it.”

“That, and being terrified of exposure to Kryptonite radiation.  Aside from the health risks, we can’t afford having people ask why I respond to this radiation that’s supposedly harmless to humans.”

“Except we know it’s not harmless to humans,” Clark said, referring to Louis Turner’s bout of super-strength.

“And I can’t share that, either, not without inviting some really awkward questions.”

“This is bad,” Clark said.

“Lex seems to be taking lots of care with the project.  And the stuff’s been littering Smallville for over twenty years, with only one incident.  I think we’ll be okay.”

“Think, or hope? ”

Keira winced.  “Well. . . hope is kind of our thing.”

Keira deliberately didn’t mention the flash of danger she’d seen in Lex when she’d refused him, and how much that had scared her.  Lex was still Clark’s friend, and Keira had to believe that she and Clark were positive influences on Lex and Lena.  She dreamed of a day where there were no secrets between the Luthors and Kents, hoped for a time when Lex, Lena, Kara, and Kal applied all their gifts to the betterment of humanity.  She chose to still see Lex as a good man.  Anyone could have a bad day, that didn’t change who he really was.

Hope was, after all, what the House of El was built on.

Chapter Text

February

Feeling the mounting pressure of their more advanced classes, Clark, Lana, Jimmy, Sarah, and Lori decided to take an evening for themselves.  There was great buzz about a magic show that was on campus that week, and it was decided that would be an acceptable way to relax and have some fun.

They took their seats in one of the smaller auditoriums, the crowd murmuring eagerly as they waited for the show to start.  Soon, the lights went down, the stage lights came up, and the audience quieted.

They went silent as she stepped out onto the stage.

She wore a tuxedo jacket with long tails, but not a tuxedo with it.  Instead, she wore a white shirt-vest with vague tuxedo stylings, including buttons and a bow tie, and black panties.  The costume hugged a figure well worth hugging, in Clark’s opinion, all buxom and voluptuous curves.  Her long, gorgeously shapely legs were encased in fishnet hose, with very high stiletto heel shoes highlighting their length and tone.  Her lips were full and ruby red, her eyes big and midnight blue, her hair black beneath the top hat perched jauntily atop her head.

“Dream on, Clark,” Lana whispered, though she couldn’t help but think how much fun it might be watching Clark go to town on the gorgeous magician.

“Back at you,” Clark replied, with a blush and small, loving smile.

Lana smiled back and kissed his cheek.

“Hello!” the magician said cheerfully, her voice projecting well to the audience.  “I am Zatanna Zatara, and yes that’s a mouthful, and no you can’t call me Zee.”  She shrugged.  “But I guess I won’t know if you do, so go for it.”  There were a few polite chuckles.  “Now,” she flicked her wrist, and a stage magician’s magic wand, black with white tips on either end, seemed to appear in her hand.  “Let’s get this show on the road!”

She held up both arms dramatically, one holding the wand, then paused.  “Uh. . .” she looked around the stage.  “Sorry, hold on a sec, I think I forgot something.”  She looked around again.  “Okay, bear with me here.  Don’t need you yet.”  She threw the magic wand into the audience, it landed near someone’s chair.  “Hold on to that for me,” she said absently to the person the wand had landed near, pulling one side of her coat out and rummaging in an interior pocket.  “Okay, where is it. . .” she pulled out the classic string of multicolored handkerchiefs.  “Keep meaning to get rid of those.”  The stream finally ended, creating a multicolored pool on the floor.  “Come on. . .” she dug more in her coat, pulled out a rubber chicken.  “So that’s where that went.”  It hit the stage with a dull squeak, and the audience laughed lightly.  She pulled out a sword , looked out at the audience, winced.  “Someone’s having a bad day.  He probably needs this.”  More laughter, heartier this time.  She pulled out a pair of glasses.  “Ooh!”  She slipped them on her face, looked out at the audience, frowned.  “Yeah, not mine.”  She took them off and tossed them casually aside.  “Wait, what the. . .” she pulled out a rabbit by the scruff of its neck.  She sighed dramatically, rolled her eyes, and stared the bunny down.  “Why do you never read stage directions!”  More laughter from the audience as she set the rabbit down on the stage and reached back into her coat.  “Ah, here we go!”  She reached deep, half her arm seeming to vanish into her coat, then triumphantly pulled out–

Clark and Lana blushed, some in the audience shifted uncomfortably, others laughed uproariously.  Zatanna looked out at their reaction, then at the object in her hand.  The slender, tapered pink object with a black plastic dial at the bottom.

“Uh. . .” Zatanna said, holding the vibrator aloft awkwardly.  “I swear it’s not mine.”  She tossed it aside.

She continued to dig in her coat, pulling out handcuffs and a length of chain (“Escape artist stuff!” she declared defensively), a men’s magazine (“For the articles”), three smartphones (“I keep losing them”), and, finally, a handful of lint (“you wouldn’t believe what drycleaners charge me”).  Then she looked at the stuff strewn on the stage, and sighed.  “I could have sworn . . .” she trailed off, looking at the mulitcolored handkerchiefs strewn at her feet.  She smiled, declared “My wand!” and thrust her hand out while dramatically stomping her foot.

Nothing happened.

She repeated the gesture, looking a little more stern and a little more embarrassed.  Still nothing happened.  She did it a third time, and again nothing happened.  She jerked her head back, subtly at first, then more commandingly, curled her fingers in a few times, and finally made a broad beckoning gesture.  Finally, the young woman who was holding the wand got up, walked to the stage, and handed it up.  Zatanna bowed down to take it from her.

“Thank you kindly, dear,” she said sweetly as she took the wand.  Then, as she straightened up and the woman turned to return to her chair, Zatanna said “I’m docking your pay.”  Then put a hand over her mouth, eyes wide, looking out at the audience in an exaggerated “Did I say that out loud?” gesture.  There was more laughter.

Zatanna took the wand, began waving it over the puddle of handkerchiefs.  It rose then flopped back to the ground, again and again, in a slightly suggestive manner.

“Performance anxiety,” Zatanna said.  “I swear this has never happened to me before.”  The audience laughed.

With a great flourish of the wand, the handkerchiefs rose, draped over a hard-edged shape.  Zatanna whipped the handkerchiefs away, revealing a metal table.  The audience applauded.

Zatanna picked up the clutter from her coat scattered across the stage, stowed on the bottom shelf of the table, then placed the bunny on top.  “Stay put this time,” she said, then rolled the table off to the side, still in full view of the audience.  “Now, I need a volunteer from the audience.”  She surveyed the crowd, the hands that had gone up.  “Hmm, eenie meanie miny. . . YOU!” she pointed dramatically at Clark.  Who hadn’t had his hand up.

“Uh,” Clark said, as a spotlight swiveled to single him out.

Zatanna smiled.  “Oh, it’s okay.  I won’t hurt you.  Unless you ask nicely.”  The audience laughed again.

Clark looked at Lana, who shrugged back at him.  Clark nodded, and somewhat hesitantly got to his feet and stepped up on the stage.

“So, what’s your name?” Zatanna asked.

“Uh, Clark.  Clark Kent.”

“Pleased to meet you Uh Clark Clark Kent.”  The audience chuckled, Clark winced.  He wasn’t going to be living that down anytime soon.  “Ever been part of a magic show before?”

“No, first time.”

“Oh, lucky me.  Now, Clark,” Zatanna took off her hat, held it out to him.  “What do you make of this?”

At her encouraging nod, he took the hat and looked it over.  “It’s a hat?”

Zatanna stared out at the audience for a beat.  “Well, there’s a college education well spent.”  The audience laughed.  “Are you an authority on hats, Clark?”

“Not really.”

“Oh, well.  But, given your limited knowledge in the field of millinery, would you say that this is an unremarkable example of a hat?”

“Looks that way.”

“Nothing unusual about it at all?”

“Not that I can see.”

“Okay.  Do me a favor and reach in there.”  Clark’s hand disappeared into the hat.  “Farther.  Keep going.  Deeper.”  Clark’s entire forearm had vanished into the hat.  “Bet you don’t hear that often,” Zatanna said with a smirk, and there were woos and catcalls as Clark blushed.

Then he looked Zatanna in the eye.  “You’d be surprised.”  The audience laughed, there were more oohs, Jimmy called out “My man!”

Zatanna’s smirk grew.  “Ooh, got some spark to you.  Good.  Keep going, you’re almost there.”

Clark’s entire arm was in the hat now, he had no idea how.  His hand groped around, touched something–

He yanked his hand back, surprised.

“What?” Zatanna asked, shoving her arm into the hat.  “You were supposed. . .” she pulled her arm back out, again holding a rabbit by the scruff of the neck.  The audience gasped and paused, then as one shifted their gaze to the table.

The rabbit was gone.

“That wasn’t your cue!” Zatanna scolded the rabbit.  “Read the stage directions!”  The audience laughed and applauded as Zatanna handed Clark the hat back, then marched the rabbit back to the table, setting him down again.  “ Stay put this time, I mean it.”  She walked back to Clark, shaking her head.  “They say never work with children or animals. . . Okay, let’s try this again.  Oh, I forgot.”  Zatanna reached behind her, her hand disappearing into her coat at the small of her back.  She pulled out a black disc, thwacked it with her wand, and it popped out into another top hat.  She perched it on her head, then nodded to Clark.  “Okay, get back in there.”  She smirked at him.  “Real deep and hard.”  Some more laughter from the audience.

“Please don’t upset my girlfriend,” Clark said, putting his hand back in the hat.

“All part of the show,” Zatanna said, shifting her gaze to Lana in the audience.  From their closeness and shared looks, she’d already gathered they were a couple.  “You like a show, right?”

Lana decided to get into the spirit of things.  “Sweetie, you have no idea.”  The audience laughed, Lori laughed hardest.

Zatanna smiled.  “Ooh, I like her.  Okay, Clark, you’re almost there.  That’s it.”  Clark felt something soft and fine, grabbed with his fist.  “Ow!  Gently.  Pull.”  Clark did, and felt some resistance.

Zatanna’s hat began to fall farther down her head.

As Clark’s hand came out of the hat he held, his fingers were twined in locks of black hair.  Zatanna’s hat was on her shoulders, her head entirely within it, and it still somehow moved down her body without being big enough to do so.  Clark continued to pull, and Zatanna’s head began to emerge from the hat he was holding.

“Okay, this is the tricky part,” Zatanna said as she continued to emerge sideways from the hat Clark was holding.  “Please don’t drop me.”

Clark shifted his grip, grabbing Zatanna’s shoulders instead of her hair, and continued to pull her out of the hat, as the hat she wore continued to slink down her body.  He couldn’t keep himself from blushing as he tried to hold her in the least provocative manner possible.  Finally, her high-heeled shoes emerged from the hat, Clark dropped it to keep her from tumbling out of his arms onto the stage.

“Ta-da!” Zatanna said, and the audience applauded.

“How. . . how did. . .” Clark stammered.

“Now, Clark,” Zatanna said.  “There are two things you never ask a magician, and three things you never ask a woman.”  She shifted in his arms, and he tilted down to set her back on her feet.

She picked up both hats on the floor, studied them both a moment, then put one on her head, tossing the other out into the audience like a frisbee.  “Souvenir for you,” she said to the person who caught it.  “Now,” she said, turning back to Clark.  “Okay, Clark, I have something else I need your help with.”  She reached into her coat again, Clark braced himself.

Zatanna drew out. . . a deck of cards.  Clark breathed a sigh of relief.

Zatanna fanned the deck out expertly, displaying each of the 52 cards.  “Pick a card.”

Clark grinned, slightly confused, then reached for one.  Zatanna lightly slapped his hand.  “Pick, don’t take.”  Clark pointed to the Queen of Hearts.  “Okay,” Zatanna said, folding the deck back together, not looking at the faces.  She shuffled it quickly in her hands, then squeezed the deck in one hand, causing the cards to spray up in an arc to land in her other hand.  The audience clapped at the display of dexterity.  Zatanna mumbled something Clark didn’t catch, as he was focused on the shifting, spraying cards.  She shuffled again, then fanned the deck out.  “Point to your card.”

“Uh,” Clark looked at the fanned cards intently, but couldn’t see–

There was a squeak of surprise in the audience.  Clark recognized Lana’s voice.

Clark and Zatanna looked out at her.  “Oh, do you have something?” Zatanna asked.

Blushing, Lana reached into the collar of her shirt, pulled a card out of the cup of her bra.

“Ooh,” Zatanna said.  “What card is it?”

“Queen of Hearts,” Lana said.

“Queen of Hearts,” Zatanna repeated, her voice projecting for any in the audience who hadn’t been able to hear Lana.  “That your card, Clark?”

“Uh. . . yeah.”

Zatanna smiled.  “How romantic.  Come on up here a sec.”  Lana got up and approached the stage.  Zatanna squatted down, took the card, produced a pen from her coat, signed the card, and handed it back to Lana.  “You two hang on to that,” she said as she stood.

She looked back at Clark, smiling, as a puzzled Lana returned to her seat.  “You’ve been great, but I don’t think I’m quite done with you yet.  So, tell me, Clark. . . can you fly?”

“Uh, not that I know of,” Clark lied.

“I think you can.  I think I can make you.”  She held up her wand.  “Okay, focus on the wand.”

Clark peered at the white tip.

Zatanna’s eyebrows raised.  “Hm, that usually takes a few tries.”  She arched her back, thrusting out her bosom, and giving a little shoulder shimmy.  There were a few wolf-whistles from the audience.  Zatanna looked at Lana again.  “This one’s a keeper.”

Lana smiled back.

“Okay,” Zatanna said, returning her attention to Clark.  “Keep your eyes on the wand.”  She began moving it, slowly at first then faster, Clark did his best to follow it.  “On three.  One, two, three. . . kralC tneK nac ylf.”

On the last word, she rapped the wand against Clark’s forehead, and he felt something strange enter him, some force he couldn’t comprehend.  Then he was shooting back and up, into the air, his ability to defy gravity under Earth’s yellow sun totally out of control.  Try as he might, he couldn’t influence his direction or speed at all.

Zatanna had also gone flying, spinning through the air in a way that would have made most people very nauseated.  “Okay, that wasn’t supposed to happen,” she said, and Clark heard genuine surprise and concern in her voice.  The audience just laughed and applauded again.  “lecnaC lleps.”

Instantly, the force Clark had felt vanished, and his ability to fly was back under his control.  Zatanna fell to the ground hard, Clark let himself appear to fall almost as hard.  “Are you okay?” he asked, rushing up to Zatanna.

“Of course,” she said, standing up and straightening her hat.  “All part of the show!” she said, turning to the audience and holding out her arms.  They clapped and cheered, but Clark saw the nervousness in Zatanna’s face up close.  That had not been what she’d intended to happen.

“And let’s have a hand for our volunteer, Uh Clark Clark Kent!”  Zatanna turned to Clark, splaying her arms wide to present him to the crowd.  They clapped and cheered, Clark blushed and took a small, deliberately awkward bow.  “You were great, thank you so much.”  She leaned and gave Clark a quick kiss on the cheek.  “I now return you to your lady friend, none the worse for wear.”

Clark stepped off the stage and took his seat again, Lana immediately leaning into him.  He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Zatanna wheeled the table back to center stage, and performed a few more tricks, including a quite crowd-pleasing finale.

“Okay,” Zatanna said, having cleared the steel table.  “Every night should end with a relaxing drink, but me–” she placed two cardboard tubes on top of the table.  “I find things just taste better with a little bit of magic to them.”  She raised one of the tubes, revealing a bottle of wine.  “You have to get a good vintage, obviously.”  She set that tube back on the table, lifted the other to reveal a wine glass.  “And the right glass.  There’s actually a very important reason wine glasses are shaped the way they are, to maximize the air in contact with the wine and collect the aromas, which are an important part of the wine drinking experience.”  She lifted the first tube, and another bottle of wine was revealed.  The audience gasped, Zatanna didn’t seem to notice as she placed the tube over the first wine bottle.  “There’s also a lot of debate about the best way to pour wine, but I think my method is the best.”  She placed the second tube over the wine glass.  “With just a bit of magic, you’ll see the wine glass is now filled perfectly.”  She lifted the tube over the glass, but the bottle was there instead.  Setting the tube down on the table, she lifted the other tube, and the glass was where the bottle had been but still empty.  “Huh.  Okay, let's try that again.”  She lifted one of the tubes, revealing another bottle, and placed it over the glass.  Then covered the first bottle with the other tube.  She lifted the tubes, and the glass and bottle again changed places, but the glass was still empty.  As she lifted the tubes to try again, another bottle appeared, making four on the table.  Zatanna finally seemed to notice the extra bottles, sighing at them in dismay.  “Oh dear, that’s not supposed to happen.  Okay, this is getting complicated,” Zatanna said as she continued to move the tubes around, faster and faster, the glass continually changing places with assorted bottles and more and more bottles appearing seemingly at random, until there were twenty bottles of wine, all with apparently the exact same label, littering the table.  “Ah, screw it,” Zatanna said, picking up the glass and one of the bottles, pouring a liberal amount of wine.  She set them back on the table, covered them with the tubes again, lifted them again, and the bottle and now-full glass again switched places.  Then she lifted the tubes off the table again, revealing two more wine bottles.  She stared out at the audience blankly for a moment.  “I need a drink,” she grumbled, picked up the glass, and drained it one gulp.  The audience cheered and clapped, Zatanna smiled and bowed.  “I am Zatanna Zatara, thank you all for coming, and have a good night!”  The audience stood and clapped and cheered and hooted their approval.

As people filed out of the auditorium, the crush and press of so many people moving caused Jimmy and Sarah to get separated from Clark, Lana, and Lori.  Mostly due to Lori’s subtle but insistent influence.

“She was using real magic,” Lori whispered in Clark’s ear.

“What?” Clark asked.

“Zatanna.  Some of that act used real magic.  Like trying to make you fly, and putting that card in Lana’s bra.”

“Wait, magic? ” Lana asked.  “You believe in that?”

Lori smirked at her.  “You think natural evolution is responsible for these?”  Lori motioned to her neck, at the thin lines, easy to miss, easily mistaken for old, faded scars if you did see them.  The lines that could open up into gills when Lori was underwater.  “And why, when I mention magic, do you start thinking of Professor Prince?”

“So, she was using magic as part of a stage act,” Clark said, getting Lori off that train of thought.  It wasn’t their secret to tell.  “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know,” Lori said.  “But I think we should find out.”

Clark frowned as he reached into his pocket, feeling something that hadn’t been there.  He pulled out a card, adorned with elegant calligraphy.  “You are cordially invited to join me backstage.  Zatanna Zatara.”

Lana looked at Clark as she reached into her own pocket, pulling out a similar invitation.  “Seems she’s curious about us, too,” Clark said.

“So, CK,” Jimmy asked, turning around.  “How did–” he paused, realizing the other three were nowhere to be seen.  “Now where did they go?”

Sarah sighed, well past the point of questioning the oddities of Clark Kent and Lana Lang.  “C’mon, Olsen,” she said.  “I’ll buy you a chili dog.”

Chapter Text

February

As Clark, Lana, and Lori approached the backstage hall that led to Zatanna’s dressing room, the campus security guard scowled at them.  Clark and Lana held up their invitations, the guard surveyed them, then glowered at Lori.  “I see two invitations, but there are three of you.”

“Uh, I think if Miss Zatara is interested in talking to us, she’d be interested in talking to our friend.”

The guard seemed to consider that, then relayed that three people were here to visit Miss Zatara through his radio.  Zatanna’s voice came back.  “It’s okay, send them through.”

The guard didn’t seem pleased by this, but nodded and stepped aside to let them pass.

They reached the door, with a simple plaque reading “Guest Performer,” and looked at each other, each uncertain of what precisely to do.  Finally, Clark shrugged, and hesitantly knocked.

“Come in,” Zatanna’s voice rang through the door.

Clark turned the knob, opened the door, and entered, Lana and Lori following close behind.

The dressing room was fairly cluttered, props and costumes for Zatanna’s show spilling from drawers and a wardrobe.  Next to the makeup table with its big mirror and bright lights was a TV tray on which rested a cage.  Inside was the rabbit from on stage, Zatanna poking big leaves of lettuce between the bars and cooing to the creature as it munched happily.

She stood and turned as Clark, Lana, and Lori entered.  She’d already changed out of her stage outfit, wearing a fluffy terrycloth robe.  “Excuse my attire,” she said.  “The costume looks great, but it’s dreadfully uncomfortable.”

Lori and Lana nodded in womanly understanding.

“So. . .” Clark said, hesitant.  “You. . . asked to see us?”

“I did.  Well, two of you.”  Zatanna cast a significant look at Lori.  “And you are?”

“Lori Lemaris,” Lori replied.

Zatanna nodded.  “And that would make you?” she asked Lana.

“Lana Lang.”

Zatanna smirked.  “And which one is really the girlfriend?”

“Me,” Lana said.

“But I’m a friend who is also a girl,” Lori added quickly.

Zatanna’s smirk grew, quite apparently reading the subtext.  “Collecting women with matching initials, Mr. Kent?  Should I be worried?  Or do you just have a thing for the letter L?”

“Well, uh. . . it wasn’t exactly planned,” Clark said.

“Right,” Zatanna said.  “Interesting as that is, it’s not why I asked you here.  Who are you, Clark Kent?”

Before Clark could speak, Lori butted in.  “Who are you , Zatanna Zatara?”

Zatanna’s eyes narrowed as she fixed Lori with a look.  “Who are you , Lori Lemaris?”

“Atlantean Royal Marine, on deep cover assignment to the surface world.  Also a telepath, so thanks for answering my question.”  As Zatanna’s eyebrows raised, Lori turned to Clark.  “She’s a homo magi , subspecies of humans with a connection to mystical forces and the ability to draw on magical energy.”

“A. . . who. . . how. . . wait, what?” Clark stammered.

Lori rolled her eyes.  “She’s a wizard, Harry.”

Zatanna shrugged.  “That’s close enough.”  She looked at Lori.  “Telepath, really?”

Lori nodded.

Zatanna grinned.  “Oh, we could put together one hell of a stage show.”

“You use actual magic as part of your magic show?” Lana asked.

Zatanna nodded.  “How else did I get that card in your bra?”  She looked at Clark.  “But that still leaves my question unanswered.  Who are you, Clark?  I’ve never had a spell backfire on me like that before, but you have zero magic to you.  You couldn’t have reflexively or unconsciously resisted it, so how. . .” she trailed off, then smiled widely.  “You really can fly, can’t you?”

“What?  No, I. . . I. . .”

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Zatanna said, growing more excited.  “You really can fly!  So when I said ‘Clark Kent can fly’ backward, my magic tried to make real what was already reality, so the spell went haywire!”

“Backward?” Lana asked.

Zatanna nodded.  “It’s how I focus my magic.  Pretty much, if I can phrase it words backward sentence forward, I can make it happen.”

Lana shook her head.  “I’m not sure I believe–”

“anaL gnaL sah evlewt sregnif.”  (AN:  And if you’re wondering why Zatanna and Lana never meet in the comics, here’s why.  A highly specific case of Unfortunate Name.)

Lana gasped at the strange sensation in her hands, looked down, and saw that each hand suddenly had an extra finger.

She looked at Zatanna, awed, and more than a little frightened.

Zatanna smiled back.  “lecnaC lleps,” she said, and Lana’s extra fingers vanished as suddenly as they’d appeared.  “So back to my question:  who are you, Clark?  Don’t make me ask it again backwards.”  She grinned, adding a joke to the potential threat.

Clark looked at Lori, who nodded encouragingly.  If the telepath decided someone was trustworthy, that had to be pretty solid.  Clark smiled, nervous, but still happy to get to share that part of himself with someone new.  “I’m Kal-El, Last Son of Krypton, sent here as an infant by my parents to escape the destruction of my homeworld.  Raised in Smallville, Kansas by my adoptive human parents and my cousin, Kara Zor-El.”

“A real life alien?” Zatanna asked, and Clark nodded.  “Who can, at least, fly?”  Clark nodded again.

Lori grinned.  “He’s also pretty much indestructible, has unlimited strength, moves faster than the eye can see, and can shoot laser beams from his eyes.”

“Wow,” Zatanna said, thoroughly impressed.  “Indestructible flying man, telepath, and actual magician.”  She grinned again, excited laughter bubbling up within her.  “We really need to get a stage show going, we’d be unstoppable!”

Clark shook his head.  “Sorry, I’m really invested in keeping a low profile.”

Zatanna shrugged.  “Change up your look.  The right costume, people wouldn’t even notice your face.”

Lori and Lana giggled.

Zatanna deflated.  “You’ve already got one.”

“And I. . . well, I think I’ll be using it for something more than entertainment.”

“And what’s wrong with entertainment?” Zatanna asked archly.

“Nothing!” Clark said hastily.  “No, nothing at all.  I just meant. . . I mean, if we can help people. . .”

“Entertainment does help people, Clark,” Zatanna said seriously.  “I’ve gotten letters, e-mails, social media messages from fans thanking me for helping them through a rough patch, giving them strength to go on when it feels like they can’t, show them there are things in the world worth sticking around for.  The mind and spirit are just as important as the body.”  She shrugged.  “And I do use my magic to help out more directly, when needed.  Ever hear of Etrigan?”

“No?” Clark said.

“Exactly,” Zatanna replied.

Clark blinked, not entirely sure what that was supposed to prove.

Zatanna looked between the three of them again.  “So. . . flying invincible alien, telepathic mermaid. . . then what are you?” she asked, looking straight at Lana.

Lana shrugged.  “Just a farm girl from Kansas.”  She looked adoringly at Clark.  “Who got really lucky.”

Clark smiled, obviously as smitten with his girlfriend as she was with him.

“Aw,” Zatanna cooed.

“Yeah,” Lori said distastefully.  “They’re so wholesome it’s gross.”

“They’re adorable,” Zatanna retorted.  Then she took a longer look at the three of them, their banter, their interactions, how relaxed they were.  Much of her training as a stage magician was studying people, to pick good marks for the right tricks.  “But you three are very close.”

“It’s not like that,” Lana said.

“It’s not not like that,” Lori said.  “I mean, Clark is kind of our boyfriend.”

Lana put her hands on her hips and turned to Lori.  “I don’t recall being party to that decision.”

“Me, neither,” Clark added.

Lori raised an eyebrow.  “ How many times have you two slept over in my dorm room?”

“Ooh, now this is getting interesting,” Zatanna said.  “Please, continue.”

Lana sighed as Lori smirked at Zatanna.  “Lana likes to watch.”

“It’s not like that,” Lana said.

“It’s not not like–”

“You, zip it,” Lana shot at Lori, then turned to Zatanna.  “Well, yeah, I do, but it’s. . . Clark is so amazing, he has so much to give, and I. . . I like, with the right person, seeing. . . that.”

Zatanna hummed thoughtfully.  “And what, to you, makes someone the right person?”

Lana shrugged.  “I mean, I don’t have a list, but. . . I know when I see it.”

Zatanna nodded.  “So.  See anything you like?”  She cocked her hip and shifted one bare leg so it poked out from the folds of her robe.

Lana’s eyebrows raised.  “You?  You’re. . . interested?”

Zatanna nodded.  “Very much.”

“But you’re a celebrity!”

“Only a little bit.  Besides, how many women can say they got to have sex with an alien!”  She paused, looked thoughtfully at Lana.  “How many women can say they had sex with an alien?” she asked seriously.

“Four.”

“Three,” Lori said.

“No, four,” Lana said.

“ She’s an alien too, so I don’t think that counts.”

Lana paused thoughtfully, looked back at Zatanna.  “Three or four, depending on how you count.”

Zatanna nodded, her sultry smile growing.  “Five is a magically powerful number.”

Lana looked at Clark.  “Clark?”

Clark grinned.  “Oh, so now you’re asking me?” he asked playfully.

Lana smiled back.  “Well, you made such a stink about it the last few times.”

Clark looked between Lori and Lana.  “You are both beautiful, and I really, really like you both.”  He turned his head back to Zatanna, who had somehow done something with her posture to make the terrycloth robe look like the sheerest, sexist lingerie.  “But damn .”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Zatanna said.  She looked intently at Clark and Lana.  “And I think, Clark, Lana, if you’re both willing, I can help Lana fulfill her fantasy in a way more complete than either of you can imagine.”

“How?” Lana asked warily.

“I’ll need you both to trust me, open yourself up to me and my magic.  This won’t work if you don’t accept it.”

Lana and Clark shared a look, Clark again letting Lana know she was in control, it was her decision to make, and he’d support her whichever way she chose.  Lana looked back at Zatanna.  “Okay.”

Zatanna nodded.  “anaL gnaL, eb nihtiw kralC tneK.”

Clark felt a jerk and a jolt as Lana vanished.  As he blinked in confusion, Lori reeled.

“What the hell? ” Lori asked.

“Wow,” Clark said.

“Did it work?” Zatanna asked.

“I think so,” Clark said.  “I can. . . kind of feel her.”

Lana tried to blink, but couldn’t.  She wasn’t in control of her eyelids.  Or rather, she didn’t have eyelids anymore.

She had Clark’s eyelids.

She was inside Clark’s body, a passenger in his brain, feeling and experiencing everything he was as it happened.  It felt so incredibly different, not just his taller, broader, more muscular body, but the reserves of solar energy coursing through it, the powers all there, ready to be tapped.  The endless strength, the inconceivable speed, the fire waiting to be unleashed from his eyes, the ability to defy gravity at will.  It was overwhelming.

But not so overwhelming that her attention wasn’t drawn swiftly between Clark’s legs.  He already had quite the hard-on, and Lana could feel it throbbing with want, feel the sensations rippling through it to shudder through the rest of his body.  Every shift of motion, every thread of his boxer shorts rubbing across that sensitive shaft, and especially the head, would have made her shiver helplessly if she had her body.

How can he just ignore it?  God, if he doesn’t get to plunge that thing in something wet and warm soon, I’m going to go insane .

“Lana?” Zatanna asked, looking closely at Clark.  “How we feeling?  We good?”

Clark considered, nodded.  “It’s like. . . I can kind of feel her.  Not thoughts precisely, but like. . . a general intent?  She’s. . .” he blushed, shuffled his feet.  “Somewhat excited.”

Somewhat excited? Lana thought.  Clark, I don’t care who, but I need you to fuck someone, now .

“She’s okay,” Lori said, gripping Clark’s shoulders, and that touch made Lana want to groan in desperation.  “I can still pick up her thoughts, but. . . it’s like they’re muddled, her and Clark together in a jumble.  Like they’re talking over each other.”  Lori shivered as she picked up on Lana’s amazement at the sensations of Clark’s body.  “But we better get a move on.”

“Gladly,” Zatanna smiled.  She untied the belt of her robe, opened it, and let it fall to the floor.

The sight of her glorious naked body, her large breasts, flat stomach, and long gorgeous legs made Clark’s heart speed up, his cock throb in his pants.  Lana wanted to scream at how good it felt, but how far it was from how good it needed to feel.  The sensations were all terribly confusing, but Lana tried to dissect them, to understand what Clark was feeling, and remember, so she could put that knowledge to use in the future for his benefit.

Clark drank in Zatanna’s naked body with his eyes, savoring the sight of her, permitting himself to drift away on the pure enjoyment of appreciating her beauty, her sexiness.  He could feel Lana appreciating his appreciation, but also her desperation to feel his needs met.  He kept half his attention on that sensation of her within him, alert for signs of distress.  He hadn’t fully appreciated just how much difference there must be between them, that sensations Clark was used to and could dismiss unconsciously were overwhelmingly powerful for Lana.

Zatanna approached as Lori’s hands slid down Clark’s chest to his waist, glided to the front, and began opening his belt.  Clark raised his hands as Zatanna reached him, held them there, looking at her questioningly.

Zatanna smiled, grabbed his hands, and guided them to her breasts.

Lana would have gasped and groaned if she’d had a throat.  The feel of Zatanna’s breasts under Clark’s hands didn’t do anything for her as such, but the way Clark reacted most certainly did.  She felt how much he enjoyed their full softness, the silky texture of the skin, the feel of her nipples hardening against his hands.  She felt Clark’s desire rise even higher, his heart flutter and his cock surge in his pants.  She knew Clark loved her and thought her incredibly beautiful, but damn , did she wish she had boobs like Zatanna, or Diana, or Kara.  Breasts to drive Clark wild with lust.

Clark sensed the general trend of Lana’s thoughts, and brought to mind memories of their times together, Clark’s reactions at seeing Lana naked, even after he’d become long accustomed to the sight.  How he still desired her the last time as much as he had the first, how he felt she was perfect just the way she was.  He certainly enjoyed Kara’s, Diana’s, and now Zatanna’s larger breasts, but he’d never touch, never even look at another pair as long as he lived, if that would make Lana happy.

Lana took a moment to appreciate how much Clark loved her, and to reassure him that she got just as much out of their sharing as he did.  Then she lost herself in the sensations as Clark continued to play with Zatanna’s breasts, and Lori finished opening Clark’s belt and jeans, letting them hit the floor, then pulled his boxers down, finally freeing his steel-hard shaft.

Zatanna pulled Clark in for a kiss, and Lana would have whined at how good the silk of their lips and tongues felt against each other.  Clark wrapped his arms around her, and Lana would have shuddered at how good the smoothness of her skin felt.  She could feel the power in Clark’s arms, the careful control, even as was losing himself to passion, the precise force he had to apply to hold Zatanna without crushing her, how aware of every move and twitch he had to be to avoid hurting her.

A world and people made of glass , Lana thought.  Every move precise and calculated, can’t lose control for even a moment, or he’ll break everything.  And everyone.  Oh, Clark, my poor, poor man. . .

Zatanna pulled back from the kiss, and Clark let her go, Lana again astonished by how much power he had, and how much restraint not to use it.  Of course, he did have an incentive, as Lori was sliding his flannel down his shoulders and working his t-shirt up his body, and Zatanna was sinking to her knees.

Clark hissed in a breath of anticipation as Zatana settled herself on her knees, her face inches away from his throbbing hardness.  If Lana could have moved his body, she would have grabbed Zatanna’s head and pushed it onto that shaft.

Through luck, improvisation, or unspoken agreement, as Lori pulled Clark’s shirt over his head, eclipsing his view, Zatanna reached out and grabbed the base of Clark’s manhood.  Clark gasped at the sensation, Lana would have orgasmed if she’d had a body of her own.  Then he felt something warm, and wet, and soft, and nimble touch the incredibly sensitive tip.  Her tongue .  Clark gasped again, and Lana wanted to scream in frustration at all the teasing, even as Clark seemed to relish it.

Then the shirt vanished.  Lori hadn’t finished pulling it off, Lana could still feel it over Clark’s face.  She felt a tingle in Clark’s eyes, and realized he was using his X-Ray vision to peer through the shirt, to watch as Zatanna’s ruby red lips parted.  She had removed her costume, but her stage makeup was still on.

For now, Lana thought.

Lori finished removing Clark’s shirt, then stepped back.  Lana noted Clark hearing the rustle of clothing as Lori stripped, but Lana paid it no mind.  She was enthralled with the feeling of Clark’s cock sliding into Zatanna’s mouth, the sight of those full, shiny red lips stretching around his girth, those midnight blue eyes staring up at him with lustful desire.  The sight alone sent a surge of ecstasy through Clark, but the sensations of Zatanna’s mouth around his most sensitive part were exquisite .  No wonder Clark liked getting head so much, and Lana was very pleased she enjoyed doing it for him.  Lana tried to focus on exactly what Zatanna was doing, what sent the biggest spikes of pleasure shooting from Clark’s groin to his brain.  With his super-speed trick, Clark could render Lana an incoherent mess in less than thirty seconds.  Lana now wanted to be able to get him to the same place with her mouth in less than a minute.

New life goal unlocked , she thought distractedly.

Lori returned, molding her naked body to Clark’s back, her hands caressing his chest.  The feel of her breasts against his back sent another thrill of pleasure through him, and temporarily disrupted Lana’s focus from Zatanna’s oral attentions, but Zatanna quickly brought it back with a flick and twist of her tongue that made Clark groan as Lana desperately tried to commit the precise motion to memory.

Then Lori spoke.  “No, keep going.  He also has unlimited stamina.”  There was a cheeky grin in her voice.

Her words had apparently been directed at Zatanna, because something twinkled in her eyes, and something in her technique changed.  Lana recognized it a split second before Clark did.  This was no longer foreplay, no longer ensuring everyone was ready to move on to the main event.

Zatanna now intended to bring Clark to orgasm with her mouth.

And bring him she did, after a few more minutes of much more serious sucking, Clark groaned “Uh, oh, almost there. . .” then grunted powerfully.  Lana was astonished at the feeling of Clark’s orgasm.  She’d felt him flex within her, in her mouth, in her hands, but feeling it from Clark’s perspective was a whole new level of wonder.  And the waves of sheer bliss, each surging in time with a pulse of sticky white from his crown, washing away everything except the most intense pleasure.

Almost everything.  Even in the throes of his orgasm, part of Clark remained focused and aware of his whole body, each move and motion.  Lana had never thought to wonder why Clark went so still when he came.  Now she knew.

“Don’t swallow,” Lori said, releasing Clark and kneeling down next to Zatanna.  Zatanna pulled herself carefully off Clark, making him groan again in an orgasmic aftershock, and smiled at Lori, her mouth obviously full.  Then the two women kissed, strands of pearly white visibly shifting between their mouths.  The sight sent a new surge of arousal through Clark, and Lana would have come if she could.

The two women broke their kiss, swallowed, and Zatanna turned back to Clark, eyes going wide as she saw his manhood, still as stiff and hard as when she’d first slipped it between her lips.  “Oh, my,” she said, greatly impressed.  “Lana, you are a saint .”

“Isn’t she, though?” Lori said.

Lana couldn’t decide which woman she wanted Clark to bury himself in, then thought that with his speed and coordination, he could probably manage both.  She pictured how it might work in her mind.

“Uh,” Clark said.  “I have an idea. . . at least, I think it’s my idea.”  He looked around the room.  “But I don’t think we can do it here.”

“Why not?” Zatanna asked.

“No bed.”

“Hold that thought.”  Zatanna pulled the chair away from the makeup table, dragging it to the center of the room and kicking or shoving aside a few things to make space.  “eB a deb.”  The chair transformed into a plain but serviceable double bed.

Clark grinned.  “You’re handy to have around.”

“And mouthy,” Zatanna said with a smirk.  Her lipstick was smeared from the blowjob and sloppy kiss with Lori, but not as much as Lana thought it should have been.  Have to ask her what she uses.

“Okay, Clark,” Lori asked cheekily.  “What’s this plan of yours?”

Clark smiled.  “As if you don’t already know.”

“Oh, I do.”  Lori smirked back.  “But I want to see if you can get it out without stammering.”

“Both of you on the bed, hips at the edge, one on top of the other.  Which is which I leave to you.”

“Impressive,” Lori said, then looked at Zatanna.  Or more accurately, Zatanna’s breasts.  “Those look mighty comfortable.”

“They are,” Zatanna replied, laying down on the bed, her ass just barely on the edge.  As she laid back, Lori climbed on top of her.

“Spread your legs,” Lori said.

“I think I know what he has in mind,” Zatanna replied as the two women tried to arrange themselves to both be comfortable and give Clark access.  “A lot of guys think about it, but I don’t know of any who can actually pull it off.”

“Clark’s not like most guys,” Lori said.

“Touche,” Zatanna replied.

Clark approached, savoring the sight of Lori and Zatanna stacked and spread open before him.  “Not gonna lie,” he said.  “Never tried this before.  It’ll probably take some doing.”

“I believe in you, Clark,” Lori said.

“I don’t,” Zatanna said, then bent her head around Lori’s to smile up at him.  “But I’m eager for you to prove me wrong.”

Clark grinned, took the last step, and brushed his head over Zatanna’s silken folds.

Then he stopped.  “Uh. . . so, I’m an alien, and my powers would burn anything out of me even if I could catch it.  But. . .”

Lori shrugged.  “Atlantean.  Doubt we’re compatible.”

Zatanna sighed.  “oN sITS.  That should cover it.”

Clark pushed in.  Zatanna gasped as he slowly filled her up, Clark groaned as her silken walls caressed his steel-hard shaft.  Lana metaphorically thrashed within Clark at the incredible sensations.  Lori sensed all the pleasure around her and sighed in arousal.

Clark took several slow, careful, deliberate thrusts, getting used to Zatanna’s body.  Then he pulled out, shifted up, and slid into Lori.  She groaned and moaned atop Zatanna, the two women began caressing each other.  Clark refreshed his familiarity with Lori, then slid back down into Zatanna again.

It took ten minutes of practice, but Clark became confident in his stroke and stride.  He applied his speed and precision to rapidly shifting from one target to another, thrusting into Zatanna, then into Lori, then back, at a pace almost equal to that of just paying attention to one of them.

Lana was lost in a whirl of sensation.  She could feel the subtle differences between Lori and Zatanna, the shock of coolness when Clark pulled out followed by the moist warmth as he sheathed himself back in one or the other of them.  It was intense, incredible, and Lana wanted to come so bad.

“This is nice,” Zatanna said after a time.  “But at this pace, I don’t think I can come.”

Lori smiled at her.  “Don’t worry.  Clark can bring you whenever he wants.”

“Really?” Zatanna asked, in a tone that indicated she felt Lori was at least slightly exaggerating Clark’s proficiency.

Lori looked over her shoulder at Clark.  “Show her.”

Clark looked Zatanna in the eye.  “You sure?”

Zatanna nodded.  “I’m curious to see if you’re all your not-girlfriend sells you as.”

Clark nodded, keeping pace in Zatanna for several more strokes.  Then he engaged his super-speed.

Zatanna screamed like a banshee.

It had never occurred to Lana to think about what it felt like from Clark’s perspective.  The impossible friction was still there, but he was able to process it more effectively.  He wasn’t precisely built for it, but the way yellow sunlight empowered everything else about him allowed him to experience the sensations in a different way than Lana did.  It still felt indescribably good.

Lana also realized she had been somewhat selfish asking Clark to do this to her so often.  It required a heightened sense of control, to maintain depth and power while ramping up speed, forced Clark to focus more on his precision.  It was demanding, difficult.  Lana had thought it was her way of showing Clark that she loved and accepted all of him, that she wanted him to be free to be himself around her.  But for Clark, it was a reminder how much more he was than everyone else, how careful he needed to be at all times, even – especially – when using his incredible abilities.

People made of glass , Lana thought again.  I am so sorry, Clark.

It’s okay , Clark thought back.  I like doing this from time to time, especially for you.

The whole introspection took four seconds, which is how long it took for Lori to speak up.  “Okay, that’s enough,” she said.  “Miss Zatara has gone bye-bye.”

Clark stopped and pulled out of Zatanna’s quivering, clenching wetness.  Zatanna’s eyes were rolled back into her head, her body shaking from entirely too much pleasure.

“She’ll be alright,” Lori said, rolling off Zatanna to lie on the bed.  “My turn.”

Clark smiled, sheathed himself in Lori, and again went full speed.  Knowing Lori was much more durable than a human meant Clark didn’t have to hold back as much, but he still felt the need to be very delicate.  Lana appreciated his dedication to his partners.

Seconds later, when Lori was reduced to a quivering, stammering mass, Clark pulled out and surveyed his handiwork.  Lana would have laughed at the sheepish yet smug, self-congratulatory feeling that rippled through him.

“Oh.  My.  God,” Zatanna breathed.

“Yeah,” Lori replied, which was all the response she could muster.

Zatanna stirred, propping herself up to look at Clark.  “And he’s still hard.”

“Yep,” Lori agreed, still limp on the magicked mattress.  “I think Lana deserves the honor of finishing him off.”

Zatanna nodded.  “anaL gnaL emoc kcab.”

There was a pop, Clark reeled, and Lana stood where she had been, still in her clothes.  She sagged and clutched her head.  “Ugh, God. . .”

“Lana?” Clark asked with concern.

“I’m alright,” she said, and she. . . kind of was.  It was incredibly strange.  She had gotten so worked up, so aroused , being in Clark’s body while he’d had all kinds of amazing sex.  But her body hadn’t been there, hadn’t even existed – or had it?  Either way, while her mind was incredibly turned on, her body wasn’t, none of physiological reactions, none of the chemicals had been released into it.

But now her mind and body were reunited, and her body was struggling to catch up to the fever pitch of horniness her mind existed in.  It was weird, and extremely uncomfortable, but it slowly began to pass.

As soon as Lana had enough control over herself, she began yanking off her clothes.

“Lana, you don–”

“No, Clark.  I need you .”

Clark nodded.  As soon as Lana was naked, she launched herself at him.  He caught her, and they fell back on the bed Zatanna had conjured up.

Zatanna and Lori watched as Lana fucked Clark like a desperate, wild thing.

Lana, Lori, and Clark got dressed.  Zatanna lay on the bed, still naked and utterly comfortable with that.  “Well, that was an adventure,” she said.

Clark smiled.  “One word for it.”

Zatanna looked at Lana.  “Have a good time?”

“ Very ,” Lana said.  “Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure.”  Zatanna flicked her wrist, and a card appeared in it.  Clark couldn’t imagine how she’d done that.  It was one thing to do sleight-of-hand with nothing up your sleeve, another to do it completely naked.  He cast a glance at Lori.  She shrugged; she had no idea, either.

“My card,” Zatanna said.  “Give me a call if you ever run into any mystic mumbo hoodoo jumbo.”  She shrugged as Clark took the card.  “Or just want to fuck me so hard I can’t see straight.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Clark said.  He hesitated, then leaned down and gave Zatanna a kiss on the cheek.  She smiled, grabbed his hair, and gave him a kiss on the lips.

As Clark pulled back, Lori stepped up, and kissed Zatanna straight on the lips.

When they broke off, Zatanna quirked an eyebrow at Lana.

Lana hesitated a second, then shrugged and approached,  Leaning down, she kissed Zatanna’s full red lips, squeaked in surprise when Zatanna’s tongue darted out.

Lana pulled back, and the three made their way to the door.  “Goodnight,” Zatanna said.

“Goodnight,” Clark, Lana, and Lori replied.

Their last sight of Zatanna, before closing the door, was her rolling back on the bed, completely naked, stretching languorously, content as a cat.

Chapter Text

June

As usual, the Danvers clan visited the Kents the day after Clark and Keira’s birthday, for a more private celebration.  This year, however, everyone could see a distance and tension between Jeremiah, Eliza, and Alex, even as they tried their best to hide it.

Jeremiah was all smiles as he handed Clark a bottle of fairly high-end Scotch.  “Happy twenty-one, Clark.”

Clark took the bottle, though not without some confusion.

Keira rolled her eyes.  “You do remember we can’t get drunk?”

Jeremiah nodded.  “But still, he’s legal now.  It’s important.”

“It is?” Clark asked.

Jeremiah nodded.  “Absolutely.”  He pointed at Lana.  “But none for you, young lady.  Not until. . . what, October?”

Lana nodded.

Everyone stood, trying not to be awkward.  Which, of course, just made things awkward.

Predictably, it was Jonathan who took the elephant in the room by the tusks.  “Alright, which of you has what burr under their saddle?”

“Her,” Jeremiah said, pointing to Alex.

“Him,” Alex countered, pointing to Jerry.

Behind them Eliza rolled her eyes and pointed at both of them.

Jonathan looked between the two of them.  “Well?”