[Chapter 7: Recoil]
Lois tried not to stare as she sat down on the couch beside Superman.
“Feeling better?” she asked, glancing over at him.
He seemed to be doing okay, though it had taken him way more effort than it should have to get up on the couch a few minutes prior.
He nodded. "Much better," he said, brushing his hand against his chest and forcing the torn flap of his uniform back against his skin. He looked down at it and grimaced. “My mom is not going to be able to mend this.”
“Is she . . . is she the one who took you from the . . . ship?” Lois asked.
Superman gave a nervous laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, she is.” He clasped his hands together and took a deep breath.
“I won’t tell anyone. All of it is safe with me,” she said.
“I know,” he whispered. He turned and faced her, giving her a tired smile.
“I’m . . . I’m really glad you’re okay,” she said.
"Thanks to you," he said. "How did you know how to help me? You seemed to know what to do and, clearly, it worked.”
Lois smiled shyly. “I went and spoke to that lady again, Star. I asked her if there was anything I could do if you or Clark were attacked. She told me I could try that. She wasn’t sure it would work, but. . . .”
Superman smirked. “But you made her tell you anyway.”
“Dang right, I did.”
“So . . . what exactly happened? What did you do? I sorta heard you talk to me a few times, but it was all really muddled. Are you okay?" Superman asked. "Whatever you did must not have been easy."
“I’m fine, really. As for what I did . . . well, Star said I could . . . anchor your soul to me during the spell. I think that’s why I was able to see . . . what you were seeing. Only, because the spell wasn’t aimed at me, it didn’t affect me the way it did you. I felt how you were feeling, but I guess since I was, more or less, an outside observer, they didn't physically affect me."
"I'm glad," he said, relieved.
"You know, I wonder if your fear being based on a memory of life instead of death made a difference," Lois thought out loud. "I mean, the other two men whose fears we know were based from memories where their lives had nearly ended, but yours, ultimately . . . wasn't–" She stopped with a wince, realizing she was talking about his memory that also included him leaving his world and his family forever. And all of his people had died. "I'm sorry. That was insensitive."
"It's okay. I think you might be right." He frowned, no doubt thinking about how he had left Krypton. How he had been spared from its fate. "While what had happened to me had been scary, even to a baby who didn't understand what was happening, every bit of it was my life being saved: being sent away by my parents, leaving Krypton's gravity, traveling through space, landing on Earth and . . . being found. All of it was me escaping death."
"Do you think Clark’s fear might be like yours? Like really based on life? I really hope so. That could explain how he's, thankfully, handled the attacks so well," Lois suggested. "Though maybe he doesn't really have a fear. He couldn’t really describe his."
Superman grew still, looking torn. Troubled.
"Lois, I. . . ." He paused, and Lois couldn't help but grow worried.
He got a far away look in his eyes as he tilted his head.
"Superman?" Lois questioned, concerned.
He closed his eyes, resigned and noticeably frustrated. "Sinking cruiseliner. I'm sorry. I need to go," he said apologetically as he stood up. "We'll talk later, okay? And thank you, Lois. You saved my life."
She smiled and was about to reply when he blurred out of her apartment, her window softly closing behind him as his sonic boom echoed forth.
"You're welcome," she whispered.
O o O o O
Lois hung up the phone, a little annoyed.
She had gotten a busy signal, which likely meant she had been correct about Clark calling his parents before checking his messages.
Well, at least she now knew for sure he was home.
She glanced at the clock, making a decision.
She didn't care if it was almost midnight. After what had happened to Superman, she was not going to have Clark be alone, especially since she doubted Superman’s hearing could reach Clark from wherever that cruiseliner was sinking. Sure, it was unlikely the Boker would try anything again so soon, but she wasn't going to bet Clark’s life on it.
She just hoped nothing happened in the twenty minutes it took her to get there. Fortunately, there was no traffic and she made it to his apartment in record time.
"Come on, Clark," she mumbled, knocking on his door. "Or I'll–"
She didn't complete her threat as his door opened.
"Lois! I was just about to call you," he said, stepping back and welcoming her in.
“Well, I decided to just come over. It’s better for everyone,” she said, entering and going down the steps into his living room.
“Oh?” Clark asked.
“I have a lot to tell you. Superman was attacked by the Boker while at my apartment! Fortunately, what I learned from Star worked, so he’s okay,” she said, sitting down on his couch.
She didn't give him a chance to comment on that news as she continued, though she did motion him to sit beside her.
He obliged, used to her gung-ho attitude and looking a little amused by her energy.
"I'm so glad I went to Star after you left to warn Superman. It really paid off, which is why I'm here now. I don't think you or Superman should be alone if it can be helped, so until we stop this Boker for good, how do you feel if the three of us stay here while we're not at work? You, me, and Superman? I mean, I get that Superman has to go on rescues and stuff, but I can teach you two what Star taught me–”
“Lois?” Clark asked.
“–So when Superman has to go, you can go with him and you two can cover each other, and while at work, I can cover you. Oh! Do you think Superman would be okay with hanging out with us at work until this is over? I can talk to Perry. Star said both of you can’t be cursed at once–”
“Lois?” He once again tried to interrupt.
“–And considering what we’ve seen, the trend seems to be one attack at night and one attack in the daytime so we have a little bit of time to figure it out.”
“Lois!”
“What?” she asked.
“Sorry, I just . . . I need to tell you something. It’ll actually make everything a lot easier, assuming you still want to be near me after I tell you, but I think–”
Clark cut himself off with a startled gasp.
“Clark?” Lois asked, alarmed.
Not again!
He couldn’t answer, but his eyes were wide and he reached out and grabbed her arm.
“Clark? Is it . . . ?” Lois questioned fearfully.
He nodded as his breathing quickened.
“It’s–it’s
different,” he rasped.
“I’m here, Clark. Whatever you do, don’t forget that. Focus on me. I’m right here,” she said, immediately sliding her hand up his shirt to press at the center of his chest as she placed her other hand on his forehead.
His eyes suddenly rolled up to the back of his head and he slumped against the couch, limp.
“Clark!” Lois cried.
And then she felt something . . . ripple forth.
Lois thought she was prepared, but Clark was right. The magic was . . . different. It was more hostile and volatile. It felt alive.
And then she was submerged in desperation and fear.
O o O
Clark's hands and feet were bound as Trask leaned toward him, and while he was immensely confused because he didn’t know how he had gotten there, he knew he was in trouble. He had none of his powers.
"Your situation grows desperate, Mister Kent. I now have your parents. What I want is Superman. You wish to save them, you'll tell me what I want to know. A trade," Trask stated.
Fear for his parents' lives flooded him. He knew Trask was capable of carrying out his threat. And he knew he couldn't do anything to stop him. He was helpless.
"You have to promise you'll let them go," Clark said, no longer caring what happened to him, even as he became aware of a strange sensation.
What was that?
It was emotion. Strong, determined, but—Trask pulled his attention.
"Oh, I do. I absolutely give you my word," Trask said, his crazed eyes locking with his own.
Clark swallowed. "I'm Superman," he relented.
But Trask didn't believe him and glared. "Are you now?" he asked, lifting his gun and pointing it directly at his face.
"No! Trask!" Clark bellowed as fear surged.
His chest clenched in pain, but a different pressure held fast.
Confusion whipped against him as a whispered voice cut through in the back of his mind.
:Clark. . . .:
:Lois?: he called.
:It's not real! Please, listen to me.:
In a blink, he was standing and panting in the middle of a pond. His fight with Trask was over. The insane man would be locked away and whatever followed he would–
"CLARK!" Lois cried.
He turned back toward Trask, finding the formerly defeated man with a weapon.
BANG!
His vision swam with a pulse of agony.
:Hold on, Clark, please.:
Pain receded.He held his breath. Everything was black, cold, void.
He had to save Earth. He was the only one who could stop Nightfall.
He focused. Nothing else mattered. He couldn't fail, even if it meant. . . .
He didn't want to die, but if he didn't do this, he and everyone he knew would be as good as dead anyway. No matter how scared he was, he was going to do this.
His eyes focused on the growing shape he was approaching. Nightfall.
Closer and closer, faster and faster, and then—
:Clark?! Oh, please, no! Don't do this! Stay with me! Stay with me! I'm right here!:
A hand rubbed up and down his chest, as if trying to rouse him.
What was happening?"Bars won't hold me, Luthor," he stated from behind the metal bars that had just landed around him.
"Oh? I think they will," Luthor countered confidently.
Pain pierced into him as green light gleamed from the bars. He crumpled.
"So I live in a fantasy world? Perhaps. But it's all about to come true," Luthor gloated before coming closer. “I love Lois, but she's much too independent, don't you think? Well, leave that to me.”
A different type of fear suddenly roared.
Lois. Lois would. . . .
Burning fury coiled around his frame.
:Lois. . . .:
:Clark, I'm here!:Where? Where was he?
Cold brick was against his back as sharp, prickling needles danced across his skin. The kryptonite was still affecting him even though he was behind the barrels.
He was in Luthor's wine cellar.
And then Luthor, tie askew, burst in, grabbing the ax off the wall.
"Sorry, Superman, I don't have time to chat. I'll just take my pound of flesh and–"
Did Luthor see him?
Awareness then jarred hard to the right.
This . . . this wasn't real, he realized. None of it was.
:Clark! Come on, focus on me!:Lois. Lois was with him. But what was happening?
And then he remembered.
Everything he was seeing was because of the Boker. Because of Baron Sunday.
Lois had saved him earlier that night, had been with him through his first fear, and she was with him now.
Power condensed around him, power not his own, and then a sensation of shattering glass vibrated through his entire frame.
A masculine scream echoed from somewhere, but it was too distant for him to determine anything more.
The sense of coming doom lifted.
Peace reigned.
"Clark! Clark, are you okay?" Lois asked.
He opened his eyes, finding himself on the couch and under Lois' concerned gaze.
O o O o O
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