The Return of Ultra Woman
Chapter 5
We're supposed to be out on a date tonight. Who ever heard of spending a date on the roof of a high-security lab standing by the secret entrance? However, by Lane and Kent standards, maybe this should qualify as a typical date.
Lara is with Mom and Dad. They love the chance to fill the role of grandparents together when babysitting Lara, and they’re always our first call when looking for that service. There are definitely some benefits to the fact that they're in on Clark's secret. We can do things like go to Paris for dinner and not have to make up flimsy excuses about what we really did any given evening. Even those little lies add up and weigh on you. Given the naturally honest nature of my husband, I just don't see how Clark did it all those years.
We're still trying to figure out how to tell them what has happened to me. I guess that part of the problem is that we never did get around to deliberately telling them about Clark. I'm still nervous about the fact that they know Clark is Superman, but that Christmas thing just happened so fast. For good or bad it did happen, and one of the results is that we never had to think of a good way to bring them in on the secret. Now that we have a new secret, we need to deal with that sort of thing again. I'm sure I'm not going to wait very long, but I want to do it my way. Clark has threatened that if I don't tell them within a month, he'll do it himself.
We've been on the roof of Star Labs for less than a minute when Bernie lets us in. His greeting is cheerful as always. "Lois, Clark, how are you this evening? How is Lara?”
“We’re all fine. Lara is doing well. She’s with her grandparents,” Clark answers.
“It’s always nice to see you but I gather that this isn’t a social call,” Bernie says.
We look at each other for just an instant before Clark nods ever so slightly as a signal for me to go ahead. “Bernie, I’ve decided that I’m going to have Ultra Woman return.”
I expect a strong reaction but he only raises an eyebrow slightly. “I guess I can’t say that I’m too surprised. May I ask what prompted this decision?”
“There were a couple of things. You know that Clark and I both feel that having these powers carries a certain responsibility. Well, after that disaster last week, I decided that I have to be ready to help the next time something big happens that Clark can't handle alone.”
Bernie looks very concerned. “I had guessed that accident was hard on both of you. But I’m sure you aren’t here just to tell me that Ultra Woman is about to make a return.”
Clark addresses this. “Actually, that is a major part of it. You're our friend and the only non-family member that knows our secret. Since you already know about Lois, we don’t want you to find out that she has entered the um… ‘family business’ by seeing a news report.”
A blush colors Bernie's face. “Thank you both. I’m touched that you would think to include me.”
I reach out and put my hand on his shoulder. “You know we think of you as part of the family. But you're right. We would have just invited you over for dinner if that was all there was. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to work up a testing program for my abilities. I’d like to be extra sure that I’m ready for using the powers the way that Clark does. It’s one thing to use the powers for flying with Clark or to get dressed at super speed. In those situations, if the powers were to falter, the only negative would be to me. You told us that the powers were actually fading the whole time that I was Ultra Woman. Knowing that has left me wanting to be extra cautious.”
As I’m saying those words, his expression is changing from a neutral smile to one where he is grinning like the Cheshire Cat. I need to remember this moment next time Bernie needs cheering up. The idea of developing a set of tests of my powers seems to have gone over well.
“Lois, that sounds like a great idea. We can start with some detailed biofield scans. I already have a blood workup from just a few days ago but it would be great if we could get another sample. A matching set of scans and blood work will probably give us everything we need to start. I can spend the next few days developing a plan for testing that will allow us to establish a baseline to see if your powers are changing in any way.
The rest of that visit consisted of measurements and samples. I’ve gotten more used to that awful Green Kryptonite needle that he uses to draw blood, but I’m sure I’ll never like it. After about an hour, we finish up with the tests that Bernie can think of as a starting point. The last thing we do is discuss having him over for dinner one evening within the next week or so to go over the plan for monitoring my powers. With that, we leave Star Labs and decide to spend the rest of the evening having a real date. After all, we already have babysitting taken care of. What parents of a one-year-old would pass on a chance for a romantic dinner out?
***~~~***
There is a special joy of soaring at 1000 mile per hour in the open air. I don't even know how to describe it. Up until Clark, no one knew this feeling. Now it's something we share, and I am so looking forward to flying with Lara when she acquires this power. For now I’m flying just below Clark. He’s carrying Lara who’s sleeping in her daddy’s arms. Since he’s flying with her, he’s wearing the red and blue suit.
We struggled with how to handle the family flights between Smallville and Metropolis. When Lara was a baby we never worried. I would carry her and Clerk would carry me. Now it’s different. She’ll be talking soon, and we would rather avoid having to explain why she keeps talking about the times she flew with her parents. For now, we’re trying to keep three rules. Rule number one is to always start with her asleep. We can make the trip so fast that she probably won’t wake up until we are there. Rule two is that Clark always carries her wearing the suit. That way if she does wake up, any memories will be of being carried by Superman, not by her daddy. And finally, the newest rule, don’t let her see me fly. Although, if Ultra Woman does come back, I could probably fly with her as long as I’m in uniform. When she gets a little older, these trips will have to stop. Even being friends with Superman, it would be hard to explain why we have Superman and Ultra Woman fly her to her grandparents house for weekend visits.
This is to be a family meeting in Smallville to let Martha and Jonathan know that I am going to be Ultra Woman on a part time basis. Clark and I have talked twice more in the week since the bridge collapse. I'm glad that Clark has been here to help talk these things through, but by the second day after the incident, I was certain about what I was going to do. Having these powers is a great responsibility. I would like to think that even without Clark to have shown the way, I would still feel that having these powers means that there is a responsibility to use them in a certain way. I just don't know what I would have done had Clark not already set the example. What I do know, is that I've seen what Clark does as Superman. Having lived that through him and as myself as Ultra Woman the first time, I can't just stand by.
Recreating Ultra Woman is going to be a difficult balance. When it became clear how serious I was, Clark started going on about how the role can take over your life. He reminded me of all the difficulties we had when we were getting close and, even though he knew that his disappearances were hurting my feelings, he kept running off to be Superman anyway. I know he means well but I won't let that happen. I reminded him that I'm several years older than he was back then and I have a much better support system in place to remind me of my priorities.
As we near Smallville, Clark pulls in along side me and we fly silently side by side. He turns toward me and says, “She’s not going to wake up now.” I can see that she looks to be in a deep sleep in her father’s arms. He pulls in closer so that we’re actually in contact while flying. At times like this, I wonder which is better, flying on my own or being carried by Clark? Flying is wonderful, but there’s a special feeling to be in the arms of my husband. I felt it that first time when he carried me back from the space center and I’ve loved it every time since then. However much I love flying alone, I miss that sense of connection and completeness that comes from being in his arms.
After only a few moments of that, we’re over Smallville. It’s after dark so there’s no danger in us making a gradual descent to the farmhouse. Shortly thereafter, we’re all seated in the living room. Martha is holding Lara, who is still sleeping blissfully.
“How are you two doing? What’s news in Metropolis?” Jonathan asks.
“We’re fine. I guess the big news is still the aftermath of that bridge collapse,” Clark replies.
At this, Martha looks up and Jonathan’s expression turns very somber as he continues. “Yeah, I figured that would be on your mind. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really,” Clark replies. “Right at first, I was distraught about what happened. But I had to learn a long time ago that even Superman can’t do everything.” He squeezes my hand before continuing. “I just don’t know how I got through things like that before I had Lois to lean on.”
I have to cut in here. “Honey, you always had me to lean on. I remember some times from those first years. I didn’t know why you would be so depressed some days but even then I could tell that my partner occasionally needed a little extra support.”
He flashes that devastating smile at me. “True, but it's been so much better since I can talk about what’s really bothering me at times like this.” He turns his attention back to his parents and continues. “So after the incident, Lois came home and found me sitting in a dark room. Well, like always, she got me straightened out and I’m ready to move on as best I can. However… Well, Lois, why don’t you tell the next part?”
How can this make me so nervous? “Well, Clark isn’t the only one that was shaken up by what happened. Have you seen the news reports?” I pause as they both nod. “Because of the way Clark was holding up the bridge, he was looking right at the damaged section at the far end. When it collapsed, he used his special vision to watch the accident.”
“Lois, I swear…”
I raise my hand to cut him off, and then continue. “I guess it was the anxiety of the moment or something but one instant I was standing in the newsroom at the Planet and the next I have a vision of zooming in on the collapsing section of the bridge. When it fell, Clark was looking at those people that didn’t get away. Thanks to that Kryptonian telepathy, when it happened I was looking through his eyes.”
Clark squeezes my hand. “Honey, I’m really sorry. I would never have done that to you on purpose.”
“I know. But I think the whole awful experience just accelerated the process. I suspect that we would have ended up here before too long no matter what.” I turn back to Martha and Jonathan. “As you’ve probably already guessed, after seeing what happened to Clark and considering my own feelings, we’ve decided that Ultra Woman will make a return.”
Jonathan looked mildly surprised but Martha barely batted an eye. “What about Lara and your career?” she asks. “I seem to remember that we went over all this recently in this very house.”
“You’re right Martha. What’s changed is that I’ve come to realize that I can’t just sit on the sidelines even if I want to. I believe in what I said before, and Lara definitely comes first. Most of the time, Clark handles things just fine without any help. It’s only because he almost always finds a way on his own that I think this may work. However, there will be times that I can make a difference because Clark is either busy somewhere else or just plain needs help. Now I know that I have to be ready when that time comes again. I guess that what’s really changed is that when we had this talk last week, I was thinking about being Ultra Woman the way that Clark is Superman. That’s a full time job and it wouldn’t work for all the reasons that we talked about before. Now we're talking about a part time job where I would only appear when I was really needed. It’s going to be a hard balance but I feel like I have to try to find a way to make it work.”
I pause for a moment to see what their reaction will be. Finally, it’s Jonathan that breaks the silence. “As soon as you appear, there are going to be questions. You’ll need to think through the answers carefully ahead of time. Some of those reporters are awfully smart.” He’s looking at me in a way that tells me just what smart reporter he’s thinking of right now. I love being a member of this family!
“Clark and I have already talked about all that. We actually have several reasons for making the trip here tonight. First, we wanted to tell you in person about the change in plan for Ultra Woman. Second, we wanted to bounce some ideas off you about that exact back-story. And finally…” I turn to Martha and have to fight down an attack of nervousness. “Martha… I, um… Well, I really like the Ultra Woman costume but I was wondering if we could do it again.”
Martha seems amused by this. “You know I’d be happy to make more copies of your uniform.”
“Well – what I’d really like is something a little different. Clark and I have been talking, and if I’m going to do this I want a uniform that is more – well me.”
“I can understand that,” Martha replies. “So just exactly what are you thinking?”
“Well, there are three things. First, no more hot pink. Second, I want to do something different with the mask.”
I pause for just a second. So far so good. Martha doesn’t seem bothered by these changes.
“And…” Martha asked.
“And, no cape.”
We spent much of the rest of the evening convincing the master tailor that, with the right design, a cape was not necessary. It was a long discussion.
TBC
Bob
