Previously on Soul Desire:
"Are you done yet?" Xena asked.
Ares enjoyed the sight for another minute, then breathed a deep , contented sigh. He pointed to the inferno. What was left of the Blazer disappeared from sight.
"You never were one to enjoy such destruction," Ares sighed. "Slaughter of epic proportions, sure. And don't get me wrong. A field of rotting bodies still gets to me too." He put his hand over his heart, as though moved to great emotion by the thought.
Xena shook her head. "You know that's not who I am anymore."
"And what a pity that is," Ares countered, though his light ribbing was only for show. He truly had fallen in love with the woman Xena had become, not the warlord she had once been.
"I think it's time that we went home," Clark ventured, before Xena and Ares could continue.
The others nodded their agreement, eager to be as far from the battlefield as possible.
******
Hours passed and everyone had regrouped back at Lois and Clark's house. Between Clark's flying and Hercules' car, they had finally gotten everyone out of the battlefield. The gods hadn't been of any help. They had needed to find the safe zone where the other Olympians had taken refuge. Olympus could not long survive without the gods to rule it. That had been a bit of a relief to Clark. He didn't exactly trust the gods, even if the Kent family were under Zeus' protection. Everyone sat in the now very crowded living room. Jonathan and Martha sat on one couch, digesting the entirety of the story that they had just heard. Michael, Hunter, and Rebecca sat on the floor, wide-eyed as they too tried to wrap their heads around the details. Rebecca was clutching her stuffed horse tightly. Lois, Xena, and Gabrielle were on the other couch, while Hercules and Clark occupied the floor on the other side of the coffee table. Ares and Aphrodite sat in chairs that they had both conjured into existence - a hard wood and metal, skull encrusted throne for Ares and an oversized fuzzy pink beanbag chair for Aphrodite . Clark had since changed out of the destroyed Superman suit and into his normal clothing - jeans and a navy blue shirt. Empty takeout containers littered the table. Clark fidgeted with his bottle of Cherry Pepsi.
A silence had fallen in the room after everyone had told their various tales from the previous two days. It had taken a couple of hours for everyone to tell their stories in their entirety, oftentimes stopping as someone else corrected them or threw in another detail or opinion. Jonathan cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him.
"So...gods," he said simply. It wasn't a question.
Aphrodite nodded. "In the flesh."
Jonathan shook his head. "In all my years, and of all the strange things that I've witnessed, I never thought I'd see the day that gods would walk among men. When Clark told us about what happened in ancient Greece, I was so sure that he was right about crossing into another universe."
"It is pretty unbelievable," Aphrodite admitted, shrugging. "You mortals stopped believing in us ages ago. We've been relegated to the stuff of myth and legend. And not always in a truthful way. I mean, making my son Cupid the icon of Valentine's Day? Exsqueeze me? I should totally be the one plastered all over the decorations. Cupid would be nothing if it hadn't been for me!"
Hercules snorted. "You think that's bad? Look at my story. Everyone reads about how Hercules went crazy and killed his family, when the truth of the matter is that Hera killed them."
"And all of that supposed incest going on up on Olympus," Ares complained. "The myths make us look so depraved."
"You gods are depraved, Ares," Hercules said, unable to resist.
"Not like that we aren't!" Ares defended himself.
"Clark, why didn't you tell us what was going on?" Martha asked, fixing her son with a look that spoke of her hurt and disappointment. It was as much to get information out of him as it was to stop the squabbling between the two half-brothers.
Clark shrugged, uncomfortable. It was rare that he saw that look on his mother's face, and even though he was a grown man with children of his own, it never failed to make him feel like a child again. His kids stifled their laughter as they realized that their father was in hot water. It always amused them to see the tables turned, and their father in that situation, as rare as it was. Clark also suspected that they got a kick out of seeing the strongest man in the world reduced to a sheepish, blushing human man.
"I guess...I really didn't fully grasp it all when I called you," he said after a moment of struggling to find the right words. "I hadn't really wrapped my head around it yet. Trying to explain it to you guys would have been impossible."
"We could have tried to help you, son," Jonathan said.
"I know. And I'm sorry. But I barely comprehended the enormity of what we were facing," Clark said, weakly defending himself. "I mean, I knew it was a bad situation. I just never imagined that it would turn out the way that it did."
Thankfully, his parents saw the weariness etched in his features. They let the subject drop. Another small stretch of silence fell over the room before Clark ventured the question that was foremost in his mind.
"I have to ask," he said, his eyes sweeping across the ancient gods and heroes. "I know that Alti is dead now. But...were we successful? Are we certain that Dahak was destroyed?"
Ares nodded as he lounged on his throne, one leg casually draped over one of the chair's arms. "Completely. I did some checking around after the battle. The small tear that Dahak was using to try and gain access to this world has already mended."
"Good," Lois said, relief flooding her features.
Iolaus smiled wryly at her. "You wield a pretty mean dagger. I'd hate to be against you in a fight."
Clark chuckled. "You have no idea what it's like to be on the receiving end of Mad Dog Lane's wrath." He turned his head and winked at his wife.
Lois only laughed. She reached down to where Clark sat beside her on the floor, and lightly swatted at his shoulder. He chuckled again.
"It was a good day's fight," Xena agreed, looking completely relaxed now that Alti and Dahak were no longer a threat.
"I just wonder where Alti got the Kryptonite from," Clark said, looking down at his hands on his lap. "I stopped by S.T.A.R. Labs after I dropped the Jeep off at the junk yard. They aren't missing any from their vaults, which means that there must be more out there than we imagined. And that worries me."
"I guess we'll never really know how much of it came to Earth along with your ship," Jonathan said.
"Or how far it might have scattered when it hit the Earth's atmosphere," Lois added.
Clark nodded, clearly troubled. The thought made a small knot of cold fear deep within his stomach.
"Aphrodite, I have a question," Gabrielle ventured. "I thought you were going to keep an eye on Clark's parents and kids. So how did Alti get to them and why didn't you warn us that she had them?"
The love goddess looked up from filing her nails, making the file vanish in a shower of heart-shaped sparks. "I would have if I had known. But unfortunately, I needed to check on things on Olympus first. You know how things get when the gods aren't around to balance the scales of things. Anyway, by the time I went searching for the kids, they were gone. I looked, but I couldn't find them until I happened to come across the battle."
"Balancing scales was more important than keeping my children safe?" Lois demanded, aghast.
"Without the gods to keep the world balanced, society crumbles pretty quickly," Xena explained, defending the goddess. "I've seen it myself. Ares once had his godhood stolen. Nobody could control their rage, except for people like me - people who had lived with their rage for so long, that it was just a part of who they were. It got very dangerous very quickly. It wasn't until he was restored to the role of god of war and balanced the scales of things that things went back to normal."
"Oh," Lois said, not completely okay with the goddess tending to other duties before looking out for her children. But what had been done, was done. Nothing could change the events of the day. And, she thought, it wasn't like she could do anything to the goddess. She was too drained to even want to try.
The clock chimed softly, alerting everyone to the passage of time. Precious hours had already slipped by since the end of the battle. It would not be long before Hades returned to claim Xena, Gabrielle, and Iolaus. Hercules regretfully counted the chimes. He had only five more hours with his friends. And then - who knew how long it would be before he was reunited with them once more. He was fairly certain that their next meeting would be in the Underworld if and when he finally died. He knew with certainty, however, that saying goodbye would not be easy. He'd been with Iolaus when he'd passed away, at the ripe old age of one hundred. That had torn Hercules' heart into shreds - as sudden as his friend's passing had been. Once day, Iolaus had been as healthy as could be. The next day, he had sickened suddenly and had been gone before the sun had set. For a long time after that, Hercules had wandered the globe, lost as to what to do next. He'd almost always had Iolaus at his side. Without his best friend, life had suddenly become very lonely indeed. With Xena, Hercules had been devastated when he'd run into Gabrielle and heard the tale of how they had both traveled to Japan, only for Xena to be killed in battle. And as for Gabrielle, she'd been involved in continuing the work that she and Xena had started. She'd been helping to defend a village from marauders when a arrow had pierced her heart, killing her instantly. Hercules and Iolaus had both been with her at the time.
Still, Hercules knew that this goodbye would be the hardest one yet. It had almost been easier to bear the sudden, unexpected deaths of his friends. Sitting and waiting for death to reclaim them was almost more than he could bear. Already, he could feel the chains of sadness squeezing around his heart. He sighed heavily and tried to push the dark thoughts from his mind. He didn't want to spend the remaining hours with his friends with his head clouded by grief. He cleared his throat.
"I have to hand it to you all," Clark said. "I don't think I would have survived this one without your help."
"Our pleasure," Iolaus assured him with a grin. "Personally, I haven't had that much fun in ages. I don't get to do much fighting in the Elysian Fields."
"Well, I definitely appreciate what you all did for me. And for my family."
"Really, it was nothing," Xena said. She glanced over at Lois and Clark's children. "I'm just glad that we were able to keep you all safe."
"And save the world," Lois reminded her.
Xena chuckled. "That too. But there is one thing that I've been meaning to say to you, Lois."
"Oh?"
"I give you a lot of credit. You aren't quite the same woman that I met years ago."
"What do you mean?" Lois asked, confusion written on her face.
Xena smiled gently. "The Lois that I met in the woods years ago would have been an absolute wreck these last couple of days," she explained. "Do you remember how panicky you were when Clark was taken by the gladiator traders? Do you remember how hysterical you were on the voyage to Rome? Or when you found out that Clark was most likely going to see the inside of the arena the day after we arrived?"
Lois nodded. "Of course I do. I had nightmares about that whole episode for weeks after that. I'd wake up in the middle of the night panicked. Thank God that Clark was always at my side when I woke from those dreams. If he'd have been gone on a rescue and I found his spot in the bed empty, I think I would have cracked."
Xena nodded. "Now, look at how you handled yourself this time. You kept a cool head even in the worst moments. You didn't panic. You stayed focused. I'm proud of you."
Lois smiled. "Thank you," she said, blushing slightly. "I guess that, over the years, I've had plenty of practice in dealing with scary situations. I guess I've learned how to better channel my fear into something more productive."
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad that you found a way to deal with it."
"Xena," Martha ventured, slightly overwhelmed by the events of the day. "I just wanted to thank you again. You saved my son's life today. Not just in fighting that horrible woman. But also in getting the Kryptonite out of his body."
Xena smiled. "You're welcome. After hearing about just some of the things that your son has done for the world, believe me, it was the least that I could do."
The room lapsed into another silence. Time ticked by, seeming to fly with all speed towards the midnight hour. Everyone seemed to be struggling with what to say next. Finally, Martha broke the silence.
"I'm sure you all have things that you'd like to say to one another," she said. "Jonathan, why don't we take the kids up to their rooms and get them all ready for school tomorrow?"
"Right," Jonathan said, rising from his chair. His movement was a little stiff, an indication that his bad back was giving him a some trouble.
Clark recognized the weariness in both of his parents and shook his head. "We'll do it. You guys look beat. Besides, I'm sure that Hercules and the others have some things they want to say in private, without Lois or me around."
Jonathan stifled a yawn and nodded. "Let's go, Martha. Clark's right. We should give them some space."
Martha stood, nodding.
"Oh," Lois said. "You don't have to go."
"Jonathan's right, dear," Martha said with a gentle smile. "You all need some time alone."
Michael, Hunter, and Rebecca stood to say goodnight to their grandparents. Hercules, Iolaus, Xena, and Gabrielle joined the Kent children in saying goodbye. Once again, the elder Kents profusely thanked the heroes for their part in saving their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. Finally, they made their way out of the house, leaving Lois, Clark, the kids, and their guests behind. The kids glanced at one another, and an unspoken message passed between them. They recognized the truth that their parents needed some time alone with their friends. For once, they didn't argue their bedtime. Instead, each of them approached one of the ancient heroes and hugged them tightly. They were a bit warier of the two gods, though they all knew that if it hadn't been for the deities, chances were great that Alti would have succeeded that day in killing their father, for they had been the ones to ensure that Hercules and the others had been there to protect Clark.
"Thank you," Hunter said, as he hugged Gabrielle.
"Thanks for saving my daddy," Rebecca said, as Xena gently enveloped the girl in her arms.
"Thank you for helping all of us," Michael said solemnly, shaking Hercules' hand.
The kids spent the next few minutes expressing their gratitude to each of the heroes, and to the gods. Then they filed out of the room and silently made their way up the stairs to their bedrooms. Lois and Clark promised to be up in a few minutes to check on them. Both were quietly shocked at how cooperative the children were being about their bedtime. A glance to one another told them both that they felt the exact same thing. Xena watched the children retreat from the room. She smiled.
"Your kids really are beautiful," she said. "You two are very lucky."
"Thank you," Clark said. "We've always felt extremely lucky to have them."
"They're lucky to have both of you too," Gabrielle added.
Lois blushed a little. "Thanks."
"Gods above!" Iolaus said, fidgeting in his seat, once everyone had gone silent again. "This is like torture, knowing Hades is coming to collect us. Better just to die in battle."
"I know," Xena agreed.
"Keep complaining," Ares smirked at Iolaus, "and I can arrange for you to go back early."
"Gee, thanks," Iolaus said, sarcasm dripping from his tongue. "Don't you have some animals to torture, or whatever it is that you do to amuse yourself?"
Ares snorted, crossed his arms, and gave the blonde man a look that seemed to say "I'm staying just to annoy you."
Hercules had nodded when Iolaus had first spoken of the difficulty in awaiting Hades' return. Only slightly more than four hours remained. And knowing Hades, he'd show up at exactly the stroke of midnight, not a second later. The thought saddened him immensely. Clark saw the demigod's soft sigh and took in his troubled eyes. Clark tapped Lois discreetly on her shoulder, then rolled his eyes to the ceiling when she looked at him. She nodded in understanding.
"Uh, we need to go check on the kids. It's never straightforward getting them all to bed on time," Lois said. "This was far too easy tonight."
"Besides, you guys need some time to talk," Clark added. "I mean, it's been centuries since you guys last saw each other, and you've barely gotten any time to talk alone. You've all been so busy saving my life and all."
"Thanks," Hercules said appreciatively. "That means a lot to me."
"No problem," Clark assured him with a half smile.
Lois and Clark rose from their seats, leaving Hercules and the others alone. They swiftly ascended the steps to the second floor. They found all three children already washed, in their pajamas, and with their teeth brushed. Rebecca was already in her bed, snuggled beneath the blankets and clutching an old stuffed bear that she'd long ago dubbed "Mr. Tuesday," seeing as Clark had won it at a carnival for her on a Tuesday night a few summers earlier. Clark gently tucked the blankets around her even tighter. He knew that she would never sleep until the ritual was completed. She yawned sleepily at him as he bent and kissed her forehead. Lois followed suit.
"You okay?" Lois asked, fretfully checking her daughter over once again, after leaning in and placing a kiss on her head. After all, the poor child had had a knife against her throat not long ago. But it was, perhaps, that the girl was showing signs of emerging invulnerability, or at the least, of rapid healing. Already, the small, thin wound on her neck had closed and healed. Not a trace of it remained.
"I'm okay," Rebecca said, nodding. "I was scared though."
"Us too," Clark said, playfully ruffling her hair. "But you don't have to worry. That lady will never hurt you ever again."
"Good," Rebecca said. "She was a terrible person."
Lois smiled and kissed her daughter's head again. "She was. Now, get some sleep. Okay? Dad and I will be right downstairs."
Rebecca nodded again. "Okay."
"Goodnight, princess," Clark said, kissing her brow and turning off the light as he and Lois exited the room.
"Night," she murmured, stifling another yawn.
They found Hunter and Michael in their own room. Hunter was flipping through an old, beat up comic book from Clark's youth, laying on his stomach with his feet on his pillow and his head at the foot of the bed. He scooted up and under his blankets as his parents entered the room. Michael was already beneath his bed sheets, a dog-eared copy of The Hobbit in his hands. He slipped a bookmark, shaped like the El family crest, into the book before setting it on his bedside table.
"Hey," Lois said softly. "We're sorry about how this weekend turned out. I know that we promised you guys something fun to do."
Michael shook his head. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault."
"We were just really scared for you guys," Hunter said, chewing his lower lip in his discomfort. It was a habit that he'd inherited from Lois. "I mean, we couldn't see what was happening. But we could hear it all. And then when we could see..." He shuddered and let his voice trail off, his eyes flickering with the memory of the horrors that he'd seen.
"I wanted so badly to help once Xena set us free. I wanted to do something to save you guys," Michael said. "But I was too afraid. I froze. Some hero's son I turned out to be." There was a world of self-derision in his voice.
"Hey now," Clark said, moving to sit on the edge of his oldest son's bed. He put his arm around the boy's shoulders. "We've already talked about this. It's not your job to take care of us. It's our job to take care of you. And being scared isn't anything to be ashamed of. It's natural to be afraid sometimes."
"But you aren't afraid of anything," Michael protested.
Clark smiled and shook his head. A soft laugh escaped him. "That's not true."
"Well, sure it is," Hunter said, coming to his brother's aid. "We've seen you fly right into burning buildings to save people. Mom's told us how you've swallowed bombs and how you flew into space to break up the Nightfall asteroid. You aren't afraid of anything."
"It's true that I have done things like that," Clark said softly. "But you can act bravely and still be afraid inside. You have to recognize that fear is nature's way of telling you that a situation could be very dangerous. You have to learn when it is right to ignore your fear and fight anyway, and when it is smarter to listen to that fear and flee. And I've been afraid plenty of times."
"Like when?" Hunter asked, his voice challenging his father to give him examples. Clark couldn't help but smile inwardly. Hunter's tone of voice was a perfect clone of the tone that Lois often took.
"Well," Clark said, thinking back over his life. "I was scared when the rest of Krypton's survivors came and asked me to go with them to save their world. I thought that I might die if war broke out. I was afraid that I might never come home again...that I might never see your mom again. I am afraid anytime there is Kryptonite around because I know that it can kill me. I was scared when red Kryptonite once made my powers go berserk. I thought that I might really hurt someone by accident. When I went to battle the Nightfall asteroid - both times - I was fearful that I wouldn't be able to divert it, and that it would wipe out all life on Earth. I grew up not knowing why I was developing such strange powers, afraid that I might hurt someone or be found out and be taken off to some lab somewhere to be dissected like a frog. And I was terrified today. I thought I was going to lose you guys. It was the most chilling moment of my life."
"Really?" Michael asked.
"Really," Clark said with a nod. He thought for a moment, then smiled conspiratorially at his boys. "And you know what else scares me?"
"What?" the boys asked together, eyes wide, ready for their father's confession.
"Your mom," Clark said with a wink.
The two boys erupted into laughter. Lois gave Clark a look of mock exasperation. She would have swatted at her husband's arm, but she was currently sitting on Hunter's bed on the opposite side of the room. She fought the urge to join in the laughter and lost. She tried to cover it with a stern expression that didn't quite work.
"What? It's true!" Clark said, laughing himself. "I was petrified when I asked her out on our almost-first date. And you haven't seen anything of your mom's anger until you hide the fact that you are really a superhero from another planet from her for two years."
"And then ask her to marry you before you tell her," Lois added, crossing her arms, but with an amused half-smile on her face.
Hunter and Michael exploded into fresh laughter as their father's face flushed. Even after all of these years, Clark still felt embarrassed over that, admittedly huge, mistake on his part. He grinned at Lois, despite the heat that was rising in his cheeks.
"Luckily for me, you found me irresistible!"
"Don't flatter yourself, Farm Boy," she shot back teasingly.
"Hey, you married me, didn't you?" Clark grinned, tasting victory.
"Because you couldn't live without me." Lois gave him a winning smile. Standing, she plucked the comic book from Hunter's lap and set it on top of his dresser as she stood. "You know what?" she said, after kissing the top of Hunter's head and moving towards Michael. "I'm glad that you boys didn't rush into the fight today. I'm glad that you listened to Xena and ran when she told you to."
"Really?" Michael asked dubiously and a little dejectedly.
Lois nodded. "Uh huh. I felt better knowing that you were out of harm's way." She kissed the top of her other son's head. "Now, get some sleep. You have school in the morning."
As usual, that brought a groan from the two boys. Clark smiled at them, then placed his own kisses on his sons' heads. They both hugged him extra tightly that night and for an extra long moment. Never before had they come so close to losing their father as they had on that day.
"Night boys," Clark said, shutting the light.
"Night," they said in unison.
Lois softly shut the door behind them as they entered into the hallway. Still wanting to give Hercules and the others some time alone, they padded quietly to their own bedroom. Clark closed the door behind them, then sank wearily onto the bed, sighing heavily. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, savoring the comfort of his bed and the relative silence. Lois climbed up onto the bed and got on her knees behind him. She wrapped her arms about his neck and rested her head on his sturdy shoulder. They both exhaled a relieved, tired sigh, then let out a shared chuckle.
"What a day," Clark groaned, feeling the energy ebbing from his body. He'd need a good, solid sleep and plenty of sunshine the next day to recharge his depleted body. He only hoped that no calls for Superman would wake him during the night. He slipped his glasses off, rubbed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, then replaced the frames onto his face. "I'm glad that that's over."
"Me too," Lois said. "And I forbid you from making any rescues tonight. You look like you need your sleep."
"Forbid huh?" Clark asked, amused.
"Mmm hmmm," Lois said in agreement. "I need you here tonight." She kissed his left cheek to emphasize the point. "I think we all need you to stay home tonight."
Clark fought to stifle a yawn and promptly lost. "You might be right. I'm exhausted." He shook his head as he thought back over the events of the day. "What a day," he repeated.
Lois dropped her arms from around his neck and came to sit alongside him on the bed. Her feet dangled over the edge and her eyes dropped to study the carpet.
"I've never been that terrified for you in all of my life. Not even when daddy had to put you into a coma to rid your body of that Kryptonian virus. We've had our close calls before. We've both looked death in a face a number of times; more than anyone has a right to and then survive. But God, Clark, you stopped breathing. Your heart stopped beating. I was so sure that I had lost you."
"For a moment there, I think you did," Clark admitted. "It's hard to explain, but for a minute or so, I wasn't sure if I was alive or dead. Then the next thing I knew, I heard you calling me back and I was suddenly back in the world again. So...thank you. You've always been my reason for fighting for my life, anytime things have gotten...well, like they did today. You and the kids."
"I'm just glad that you are all right," Lois said, snuggling into Clark's side even more. She drew comfort just from the close proximity to his strong, healthy body. "Promise that you'll never scare me like that again?"
Clark chuckled. "Oh, I promise," he said dryly, putting his hand up and making the Boy Scout pledge with his fingers. His lips curled into a brilliant smile. "Come on," he said after a few long moments. "Let's go back downstairs. We've only got a couple of hours before Hades returns."
Together, they rose from the bed and quietly went back down the stairs. The living room had gone silent, though it was clear to them that the ancient friends had been in deep, emotional discussions. Every eye was glazed over with a sheen of unshed tears. Even Ares looked bothered, and his eyes never left Xena. It was obvious that they had gotten a head start on the heart wrenching farewells that the night would soon bring. Clark's heart sunk a little as he realized that he would also be forced to say goodbye to friends who had become dear to his heart. The last farewells with Xena and Gabrielle had been much easier on him. Though he had grown fond of the women and had been indebted to them for saving his life and for keeping Lois safe, he'd barely gotten to know them before it had been time for him to return to his own time. But now it was a completely different story. Now he had come to really get to know all four of the heroes on a deep, personal level. The bonds of his friendships with them were as strong as his friendship with Jimmy, and he regarded Jimmy as the brother that he'd never had. Having to say goodbye this time was already quietly breaking Clark's heart. He knew that Lois must have been feeling the same way when she gave his hand a little squeeze.
Lois and Clark returned to their place on the couch. Clark saw Hercules covertly wipe at his eyes, trying to remove the evidence of the tears welled there. Clark quietly cleared his throat, at a loss for words. That alone was disconcerting to him. He rarely found himself speechless these days. Thankfully, Gabrielle's gift of gab did not fail, and she broke the heavy silence.
"Kids okay?" she asked.
Lois nodded. "A little shaken still, but otherwise okay. They're kind of downplaying it though."
"I wonder where they get that from?" Clark said, with a mischievous grin at his wife.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lois said, feigning ignorance.
The easy banter was enough to break the spell of sadness in the room. The conversation picked right back up, moving on to happier topics. And the hours flew by. It seemed that they had only just begun to speak when the clock began to chime and Hades appeared. As Hercules had guessed, the god entered the room at the very first stroke of midnight. Every heart in the room sank, even Ares'. Clark could see the emotion in the war god's eyes as he prepared to once again lose the woman that he loved. Clark's heart ached for the god. He'd seen the same haunted look in his own eyes years ago when he and Lois had broken up after he'd revealed his secret to her. He pitied the god of war in that moment.
"It's time," was all that Hades said, solemnly.
Xena and Hercules turned to one another and embraced, while Iolaus and Gabrielle turned to Clark and Lois respectively. Hades said nothing. He only watched the farewells with silent eyes. Clark glanced over only once at the god of the dead, but his expression was unreadable. At least he wasn't trying to hurry them along. At least he was giving them all a chance to say one final goodbye.
"Clark, I know I kind of gave you a hard time about you getting to go off on the quest instead of me. But thanks for keeping Herc safe," Iolaus said as he gave Clark firm handshake and a friendly slap on the back. "He's my best friend. You don't know how much it means to me that you were able to watch out for him when I couldn't fight at his side."
"Anytime," Clark said with a smile. "And thank you, for everything. You didn't know me from a hole in the wall, yet you risked yourself to fight on my behalf. You fought to keep Lois and our kids safe. You don't know what that means to me."
"I'm just glad that I could help," the shorter man said.
Gabrielle stepped over to Clark, and Iolaus moved to speak with Lois. The bard gave Clark a smile and hug that he gently returned.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "Once again, you put yourself out there for Lois and myself. And now our children. I owe you more than I can say."
"It was my pleasure to fight alongside you guys," the strawberry blonde assured him. "And it was good to see you two again. I just wish that I had more time to spend in your world. It's truly fascinating."
"I wish you all could stay longer too," Clark admitted. "And I'm glad that I got the chance to see you and Xena again. I just wish the circumstances could have been better."
"Clark," Xena said, striding over to join him. She leaned in for a hug, which Clark happily gave her.
"Xena," Clark began. He paused, searching for the right words.
"I know," she said.
He shook his head. "I'm not sure that you do. Three times now, you've saved my life. You've kept Lois safe when I couldn't. And now, you've rescued my children when I was powerless to do so. I don't know how to properly thank you for that. I am so indebted to you that even if I could spend the rest of my life trying to repay you, I don't think that I could."
Xena smiled and touched her hand to Clark's shoulder. "You owe me nothing," she assured him. "You're a friend and a good person. Knowing that I was able to help you out is more than enough for me."
"I wish there was something that I could do. To help you and the others...stay alive."
Xena glanced at Gabrielle and Iolaus, where they stood talking with Hercules. A slight, sad smile crossed her lips. "You know...I'm starting to think that this time, death won't be so bad. The company will certainly be a lot better. And it's been far too long since I've seen my own son. Just promise me one thing though."
"Okay. Name it."
"Take care of yourself. And never, ever forget how lucky you are to have your children. You're never really aware of what you have until it's gone. Believe me. I know." There was a touch of sadness to the proud warrior woman's voice.
Clark smiled wistfully. "Believe me, I know that all too well. Lois and I have been thankful every day to have not only each other, but all three of our children as well. We were never supposed to be able to have them at all. We were told that it would be impossible for us to ever have a child. Each of them...it was a miracle that they were ever conceived."
Ares cleared his throat and called to Xena. Xena favored Clark with another smile. "I should probably see what Ares wants."
"Hey," Clark whispered to her. "Do me one favor. Go easy on Ares. He does love you. I may not really know him, but I can see at least that much in his eyes."
Xena nodded. "I know that he does. And maybe...if things had been different...if he and I had been different...maybe things would have worked out."
She gave Clark another small smile and turned to speak with the war god. Iolaus and Hercules looked at one another. Clark could overhear them speaking, as they stood only a few feet away. Lois came to his side and hugged him about his waist. Clark leaned his head on hers and sighed before placing a kiss on the top of her head.
"Herc, I...I'm gonna miss you, buddy."
"I'll miss you too, Iolaus. I'm just glad that I got to see you again, no matter how brief it was."
"Keep thinking of us. The dead can hear the thoughts of the living."
"I know, and I will. I promise."
Iolaus nodded. "I know you will. It's hard to judge the passage of time in the Elysian Fields, but it seems like we can hear you at least once a day. I mean, Deianeira, the kids, Alcmene, Jason, and me. It's made our separation from you a lot easier."
Hercules nodded and swallowed around the lump that was steadily forming in his throat. "It's hard not to think of you guys. Tell them....tell them that I miss them. And that I love them. And maybe...maybe one day...I'll be coming home."
"Herc, you're not gonna..."
Hercules shook his head. "Of course not. But, just because I haven't died yet doesn't mean that I won't one day. I've come close a few times. Not long ago, a couple of blood clots nearly ended my life. So I'm pretty sure that one day, I'll be seeing you all again. For good this time."
Hades subtly cleared his throat. Clark felt his own throat constrict around a lump of emotion. Hercules pulled his best friend into a fierce embrace. The two slapped one another on the back, then pulled away.
"It's time," Hades repeated.
Xena nodded slowly. "I'm ready."
"Me too," Gabrielle added, choking back a tear.
"Yeah," Iolaus said, his voice breaking just a little. "Me too."
The three moved to stand by Hades' side. Clark, Lois, Hercules, Ares, and Aphrodite moved together to stand and face them. A look of regret crossed Hades' features. He looked at a loss, torn between wanting to give the heroes a second chance at life - a chance they had clearly earned - and being bound to his duties as the god of the dead. He clasped his hands before him, and the group began to shimmer as they started to vanish. Clark noticed the glimmer of a tear as it worked its way out of the demigod's eye and trickled down his cheek. The son of Zeus raised one hand in a salute, a gesture that the others returned.
"Goodbye, my friends," he said.
In the next instant, they were gone. A second tear fell from Hercules' other eye. Clark bit back his own tears, though he noticed that Lois had lost her own inner battle. Silent tears slid down her cheeks. He gave her a gentle, loving squeeze. Aphrodite sighed sadly and Ares looked positively miserable. The goddess of love turned to face them.
"I guess that's it then," she said, with a sad shake of her head.
"Yeah," Hercules said, his voice hoarse with his grief.
"I'm so sorry, bro," she added after a moment. "This whole thing majorly sucks."
Hercules snorted a little laugh at his sister despite himself. "Thanks," he said.
"Listen, if you ever need to talk, you know you just have to call for me," she said, offering him a smile.
"I know." He nodded once.
"Look, I'd love to stay and chat some more, but Olympus doesn't run itself. And since Zeus and the others haven't returned just yet, Ares and I really should go. Besides, we've got to get this dagger and stone someplace safe. Lois, Clark, I'm so sorry about the position you guys were put in. We totally owe you. If there's anything that I can ever do, just name it. If it's in my power to do it, I will."
Clark shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for. It's not like it was your fault. If anything, I'm grateful that you - both of you - were on my side. And Ares...thanks for postponing the war that you had planned."
"Like I said," Ares said, crossing his arms, "we're even, that's all. I stopped the war, you helped to destroy Dahak. Make no mistake, this doesn't make us friends or anything."
Clark chuckled and shook his head. "I never expected that it would."
"Good."
"Actually," Lois said slowly, her thoughts whirling. "There is something, Aphrodite. My sister, Lucy...she's always finding the wrong men, and I thought that maybe, since you're the goddess of love..."
Aphrodite clapped her hands gleefully. "I love match making. Now, let me think..." She paused for a minute, tapped her finger to her lips, and grinned. "You know, there is someone that would be good for her. And I wouldn't even have to have Cupid do his thing with the arrows. You just get her and your friend Jimmy in the same place at the same time, and nature should do the rest."
"That simple?" Lois asked with disbelief. "I don't know. They've never really gotten along."
The love goddess nodded. "They've both grown up a lot since they last met. Trust me on this. If I know anything, it's love. Although you two," she pointed first at Lois and then at Clark, "gave me a headache when you two were trying to figure out that you were meant for each other. It drove me crazy to watch."
"Uh, thanks," Lois said. "I'll see what I can do about getting Jimmy and Lucy together."
"You won't regret it," the goddess said. "I promise."
"I may be sick," Ares said with a grimace, pantomiming a gag. "A goddess gives you the right to ask anything of her and all you can think of is playing matchmaker. Pathetic."
With a flash, the war god disappeared. Aphrodite rolled her eyes and followed suit. Lois and Clark turned to face Hercules.
"Sorry about him," Hercules said with a sigh. "Ares is apparently allergic to manners."
Clark waved the demigod's concern away. "Don't worry about it. Look, Hercules, I just wanted to thank you again for risking your life for me and for my family."
"It's no big deal," Hercules said. It was his turn to wave away Clark's concern. "To be perfectly honest, it was actually kind of...nice. Not the danger to your family and the world, of course. But it was nice to be able to, well, be myself. To not have to hide anything. You know what I mean."
"I do." Clark nodded. "So...what now?"
"Now, I think I'll get going. I really should make an appearance on set tomorrow."
"Right. I'd almost forgotten about that," Lois said.
"Will we be seeing you again?" Clark asked.
"Of course you will," Hercules said with a grin. "How about lunch on Tuesday?"
"Tuesday?" Lois asked.
"Well, sure. The production team has the day off while the construction team converts the set over to the aftermath of the dragon rampage."
Clark chuckled and gave the demigod a wry grin. "You really want to see us again so soon? You're not sick of us?"
"Hey, I still owe you an interview," Hercules said with a wink and a laugh. "Besides," he said, sobering, "I'd kind of like to keep in touch. It's been nice having friends that I can be myself around. To not have to hide and lie about who I am. Who understand how frustrating it can be trying to lead a double life."
"I'd like that too," Clark said.
"Great," Hercules said with a broad smile. "I'll see you at noon then on Tuesday. Santoni's Cafe okay?"
"Sounds perfect," Lois agreed.
Together, they walked to the front door. Clark opened the door. Outside, a cool breeze had begun to blow, indication of the fall weather to come. In the distance, a car horn honked and a girl talked loudly on her cell phone as she walked her dog past the Kents' house. She waved at Clark as she caught sight of him. He recognized her as Anna, one of Perry's newest interns at the Planet. He waved back and once Anna had turned the corner, he turned to Hercules.
"Thanks again, Her...Kevin," he said, extending a hand that Hercules took. "We'll see you Tuesday."
"Goodnight. And thanks for everything," the demigod replied. His tone suggested more than just gratitude for keeping him safe in the labyrinths and for their hospitality. It spoke of his sincere thanks for the unspoken promise to keep his true identity safe.
"Night," Lois said, shaking Hercules' proffered hand. Clark followed.
Lois and Clark silently watched as the man got into his car and then drove off into the night. Stepping back into the house, Clark closed the door behind them and sighed in weariness. He looked at Lois and smiled a tired smile.
"Well, that was one of the weirder weekends that we've had in a while," he said, trying to inject a little humor to lighten the somber mood.
Lois suppressed a giggle and swatted his arm playfully. "Well, weird weekend or not, Perry is going to expect us to be firing on all cylinders tomorrow."
Clark tried to stifle a yawn and lost. "True. Come on, let's go upstairs."
He guided Lois up the steps. Once on the second floor, Clark took a moment to listen to the silence. Then he tuned in his hearing to listen to the deep, even breathing of his sleeping children, and their steady, rhythmic heartbeats. He smiled to himself, once again feeling calm and content. The latest threat to himself and his family had been vanquished. But it had also brought to light his greatest fear. Someone had figured out his secret and had used his children as bait to get to him. The very thought brought a shudder to his body and made his blood run cold.
"It's okay," Lois assured him, rubbing his arm affectionately. "You know that this was not a normal circumstance, right?"
Clark didn't answer right away. Instead, he opened the door to their bedroom and stepped inside. He wasn't surprised that Lois was able to read his thoughts so well. Sometimes, he felt that she knew him better than he did himself. He began to undress and change into a sleep shirt and pajama pants.
"Hey," Lois said, closing the door gently.
Clark sighed and sat on the bed. "I know it wasn't a normal situation," he finally admitted. "But that doesn't change the fact of what happened. I wouldn't care so much if it had only been my own life on the line. But having you and the kids in danger because of who I am...it's always been my worst nightmare."
Lois sat alongside Clark. She put her arm around him and rubbed soothing circles on his back. "I know."
Clark softly sighed, folded his glasses, and shook his head, as if in response to his own thoughts. "Maybe...maybe it's time..."
"Time to what, Clark? Hang up the cape? Stop helping people?"
"It...could be. I can't...I'd never be able to live with myself if being Superman caused me to lose you guys."
"Clark, do you honestly think for one second that you'd ever be able to sit back and hear the cries for help and do nothing?"
"I could try."
"And it would tear you apart," Lois said in a soft voice. "You can't just give up an essential part of who you are. And do you have any idea of how proud your children are of you? Do you have any idea of the cheers and the pride they have when we see you making some impossible rescue on the TV? Because I do see it."
"That doesn't excuse my putting this family in danger," Clark said, feeling utterly defeated in every way. "I just don't know what to do."
"Then I'll tell you what you are going to do," Lois said her voice quiet but strong. "You're going to continue being Superman. And you're going to stop worrying about this one lunatic who needed a god to tell her who you really are. Okay?"
"Lo-is."
Lois shook her head and her voice rose just a little. "Clark, if you are so worried about what kind of life our kids are going to live with you continuing as Superman, then think of this. What kind of world will they grow up in if Superman suddenly retires? Increased crime, more gang activities, natural disasters that take out entire populations of people. A world without hope. Is that what you really want?"
"No," Clark was forced to admit. "Why are you always right?" He allowed himself a small smile.
Lois grinned victoriously and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. "It's a gift."
Clark stifled a mild laugh. He was still uneasy, but Lois had made perfect sense. He slipped beneath the bed sheets and settled himself into his pillow. Lois went around the bed and climbed in from the opposite side. She settled next to Clark and he pulled her gently into his embrace. For a long while, he lay awake, listening to his wife's heartbeat. Eventually, the sound of it lulled him into a deep, restful sleep. When he next awoke, it was an hour before he needed to get the kids ready for school and head off to work. He groggily wiped the sleep from his eyes, trying to place what had torn him from his slumber. Then he heard it. The call for help. Without thinking, he spun into the suit and raced to the scene, where a young woman was being mugged. In seconds, he'd apprehended the thug and handed him over to the police. As he flew back home, he remembered what Lois had said the night before. Superman was too much a part of who he was and far too important to the world. Retirement was definitely not on the horizon.
The End.
Disclaimer: Lois' Jeep suffered irreparable harm in the creation of this story, and had to be put out of its misery. In lieu of flowers, it is asked that you take a moment to appreciate the cars in your life.
