Clark and Lois - Hope Realized - Matchmaker Chronicle Volume 5 07/25
By Ken Janney
Rating PG-13
Disclaimers: The characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros. No Copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
(#) footnotes
/ denotes telepathic communication/
[ playback of a recording or TV Commentary]For reference purposes the following will hold true throughout.
Universal Locator Designation
Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 - Canon Lois and Clark universe also called – Prime
Alpha 023 x Gamma 025 x Tau 036 – Canon Alt Clark universe also called – Alt 1
Alpha -120 x Gamma 255 x Tau -190 New universe called Alt 2
As always comments are welcome. (ken.janney@kjanney.com)
Clark and Lois – Hope Realized - The Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 5
Previously:
“I don’t. This mission was specifically for you … and … me. I need to tell you about … us. Do you feel a tingle like an electrical current where we are touching?”
“Yeah, I felt it with Clark too. I never was able to figure it out.”
“You don’t need to. I know what it is. It’s the soul mates connection.”
“Soul mates connection, what’s that?”
“Let me explain. Do you acknowledge the existence of the soul?”
“Yes, everyone has a soul, don’t they?”
“Yes, they do, but there are some that are special. The soul is eternal and at creation at least some of them were split into two parts. Those two parts cannot rest content until they have been reunited. Our souls, yours and mine are two parts of a whole. That tingling sensation is an indication of the connection our souls share. We were not only meant to be together, we were never meant to be apart. That is why the death of one of us hits the other so hard. Half of our soul has been removed.”
“Even though we are from different universes, our souls are recognizing each other. Even though we only met a few hours ago, I … I can’t help loving you. You complete me, the way no one else can. I’ve felt this connection with each Lois I’ve encountered, but it has only been this strong with my Lois. It’s probably because their Clark’s were still there. This has to be because your Clark is dead. It’s like two like signals interfering with each other. In this case the interfering signal has been removed.”
“Usually, when one of us dies, our soul passes to another vessel. On rare occasions when the body dies, the soul dies with it. That is what happened with my Lois. When it happened, I almost didn’t survive it. The same thing almost happened to you. We timed our arrival so that I arrived before you could experience the full depth of the loss.”
“Now, you expect to just walk in here and take his place, is that it?”
“No, I could never do that the same way you could never just take my Lois’ place. There’s a place in your heart that is reserved for him and in my heart for her. You are a different person from her as I am different from him. There are bound to be similarities though and I would hope that we could build on those to create a new relationship with each other. I’d like to try, if you’ll let me.”
Thinking about what he had said she replied, “You know, I *have* been grieving with the Kents. They lost their son, you know.”
Gently, Clark said, “Yes, I know you felt grief. But it is like a pit that gets deeper the longer you are alone and without him. Trust me, it’s better this way. I almost didn’t make it. It was only the thought of you that kept me alive.”
Startled she asked, “Me?!?”
“Well, you, but, not you in particular, you as in Lois, you see, I knew that there were other Lois Lanes out there. You didn’t know that there were other Clarks.”
“In Brazzaville I had two friends, twin girls, who worked at the local Daily Planet office with me. After the twins nursed me back to health, one of the things Suzanne said struck a bell. She said something like, ‘Maybe there’s another woman out there that you could love.’ That got me to thinking about the possibility of another Lois. From that point on, having that goal sustained me. It was my reason to continue living.”
With a tone of wonder in her voice she said, “Wow, you went through all of that. When Clark was killed, I felt him die. It was an empty feeling and I almost tumbled into those depths you were talking about, but, it didn’t last too long. That must have been when you arrived. Since that point I’ve been grieving but it hasn’t been the soul shattering grief you have described. I guess I am grateful to you for sparing me that experience. I guess it’s at least partly due to that that I was able to find and bring in the perp.”
With a somber tone Clark said, “Really, you do need to go through the grieving process. You need to deal with your loss, before you can move on. I have dealt with my loss. You have yet to completely deal with yours. In many respects we have followed the same pattern. Immediately after my Lois died, I was able to function in such a way that I interfered with Lex Luthor’s machinations in the Congo. In your case you were able to bring in the bomber. I liked the way you handled locating Clark’s killer and extracting that confession from him. But, it really wasn’t until the funeral and actual burial that the grief finally really hit me. Perhaps, if you were to have a funeral for Clark?”
Lois asked, “How can we? I can’t take the chance of his body being examined and have them find something unusual in his body chemistry.”
Clark suggested, “Perhaps a ‘private’ funeral. It would probably help his parents as well.”
“I’ll need to talk to Jonathan and Martha about that.” You could hear the surprise in her voice as she continued when she asked, “You saw that?”
“Yeah, like I said, I got here shortly after Clark was killed so I was able to follow you around. Did you find out who was responsible?”
“I think I know. From the description I got from the bomber it was Lex Luthor’s butler that set up the hit. The bomber said that Clark was ‘in the way’. In the way of what I don’t know. I found out that shortly after I left for California, he must have gotten a call because the phone was still in his hand when I found him. It must have been a trap because while he was on the phone the bomb went off. If he had still had his powers it wouldn’t have been a problem.”
“How did he lose his powers anyhow?”
“We aren’t sure as to the motivation, but, he was attacked by a couple of women using a laser which used a Kryptonite crystal. The crystal they used was a blend of red and green and when he was hit by the beam; his powers were transferred to me, permanently. We went to see Bernie Klein and he did a genetic study. My genetic structure became Kryptonian while his became Earth human.”
“You said you would need to ask Jonathan and Martha. His parents are still alive then?”
“Yes, they are.” When she said this she observed his reaction. She had a hard time determining just what it was however, so she asked, “Why do you ask?”
“I’m really sorry that they have had to go through this.”
Lois, with her reporter’s instincts sensed that this was not all that there was to it and asked a follow-up question, “How do your parents feel about you being away so much on this mission?”
Her instincts were confirmed when she saw the look that came over his features, infinite sadness. She gave him some time to compose himself.
He finally answered, “My parents were killed in an auto accident when I was ten years old. I saw it happening and just like with Lois, I wasn’t fast enough to save them.”
Lois once again took him into her arms to comfort him. She asked, “Would you like to meet Clark’s parents?”
“I don’t think that would be right, I mean, so soon after he died.”
“I think I know them well enough to know that they won’t have a problem with it. In fact, when they find out that you were orphaned twice, they will want to do whatever they can to help.”
“You really think so?” Clark asked. Clark had met several Jonathan and Martha Kent couples while on his missions. He felt he knew their nature, but in this circumstance he couldn’t be sure how they would react. He was surprised and pleased that she seemed to believe that they would be so generous.
“I know so. Come on; feel up to a little flight? I’d like to introduce you to them.”
“As long as you don’t think I’d be imposing.” He looked a little unsure and then answered decisively. “Okay, I would like to meet them.”
They both stood up and Lois spun into her Superwoman uniform and Clark spun into Superman, they walked to her back window and took to the air. Moving too fast to be tracked or seen they headed for Smallville. When they landed behind the barn they spun back into regular clothes and Lois said, “Let me go in first. I’ll call you when they are ready.”
“Okay and … thanks, I appreciate it, but, perhaps you should discuss the possibility of a funeral first.”
With a look of compassion she reached out and put her hand on his arm and said, “I’m glad I can do this. Maybe a funeral for him will help and then your presence will be healing for all of us and meeting them will help to heal the old wounds of losing your parents when you were so young. ” Lois walked around the end of the barn and disappeared from view.
And now:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chapter -6 – Meeting the Kents
February 21, 1994 - One week after Clark’s death
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Universal Locator Designation
Common name – ALT2
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Clark was apprehensive about this meeting. Sure Lois had said it would be okay, but people can be unpredictable and it might be too soon after their son’s death. There really was no way to predict how they would take his presence. Not able to take the suspense he tuned in with his super hearing.
Lois had just entered the house. She called out, “Martha? Jonathan? Martha?” Then she heard a response from the kitchen and then the door was opening and Martha came into the living room followed by Jonathan. Jonathan helped Martha to a seat on the couch and then settled down next to her in preference to his favorite easy chair so that he could comfort her.
Lois settled down on the other side of Martha and put her arm around her before saying anything else.
Jonathan beat her to the punch and asked, “Did you manage to take care of that problem in Florida?”
Lois responded, “Yes, as a matter of fact I finished that a few hours ago. I had to respond to an earthquake in Japan after that.”
Martha spoke up, “You’ve been one busy lady.”
Lois was cautious now as she said, “You know, it has been several days now and I’ve been thinking about it and I think that perhaps we should have a funeral. I mean, a private funeral, a very private funeral. We can’t take a chance on somebody finding something unusual with his body. There really is some need for closure so I think that he should have a decent burial. Is there a portion of the farm that could be set aside as a private cemetery?”
Jonathan and Martha thought about it for a few seconds, then Jonathan spoke up, “There’s a small clearing in the middle of a small copse of elders on the back section. Because of the trees it isn’t plowed and planted.”
“Would you want to bury Clark there?”
Martha said, “Yes, that would be a fitting location. He always liked that area. He had a tree house there. He called it his ‘Fortress of Solitude’.”
Jonathan agreed, “Yes, that would be a fitting location.”
After thinking about it for a few seconds, Lois said, “Yeah, I think he’d like that. The problem is, though, he hasn’t been embalmed. Listen, I … I brought someone back with me, someone that I’d like you to meet, if you feel up to it. He may have a solution to this problem.”
Jonathan asked, “Is he a friend of yours? How did you meet him?”
“I just met him today but I am sure I can call him a friend and I think that you will too. I met him while I was on a rescue. If you don’t mind, I’ll call him.”
Martha said, “I’m not really that presentable. I’ve been crying and I probably look a mess.”
“Oh Martha, I don’t think he’ll mind that one little bit. In fact I think that he’d be happy to see you in any condition you may be in. Let me tell you something about him. He was an orphan, just like Clark and was adopted by a loving couple just like you and Jonathan, but, he was orphaned a second time when they were killed in an auto accident. Do you want to meet him?”
Martha’s heart had gone out to this man that Lois had been talking about because of his being twice orphaned and looking at Jonathan for approval turned back to Lois and said, “Yes, we’d like to meet him.”
Lois said, “Alright. I’ll call him.” Martha and Jonathan were both surprised that she continued in the same conversational tone of voice, “It’s alright, you can come in now.”
A couple of seconds later there was a knock on the door and Lois said, “Come on in.”
When the door opened, because of the light behind him, Jonathan and Martha couldn’t see more than a silhouette. They thought that it looked familiar somehow, but, no it just couldn’t be, but the similarity was unmistakable.
Lois spoke up, “Martha, Jonathan, I’d like to introduce Clark Kent.”
They both jumped to their feet and shouted, “Clark!” and rushed to his side. Martha threw her arms around him and was weeping uncontrollably. Jonathan had one arm around Martha and the other around Clark. Clark just stood there dumbfounded. Lois came over and put an arm around Martha then she and Jonathan led her back to the couch.
Clark came over and stood by. When Martha calmed down some she looked at Lois and asked accusingly, “Why did you tell us he was dead? Why all this talk about having a funeral?”
Lois replied, softly, “Martha, this isn’t your Clark.”
To which Martha replied, “What do mean ‘this isn’t our Clark’? I have two eyes! I can see that this is Clark. Who else could he be?”
Lois said, “This is going to be hard to explain … “
Clark interrupted her at this point, “Perhaps I should try.”
With a relieved sigh, she said, “Go ahead. You’ll probably do a better job anyhow.”
Clark addressed the elder couple, “Mr. and Mrs. Kent, my name *is* Clark Kent, however, I am not from here, I’m a visitor. I’m from another dimension or universe, an Earth parallel to yours. I have been going on a series of missions oriented toward saving either the Clark Kent or the Lois Lane of the universe in question. I actually came here because we knew that your Clark was going to die in that explosion. You see there is a strong concern that the fundamental course that the history of this universe should follow has been disrupted by his death and yet it was unavoidable. I can only guess how you must feel, especially with me here. I’m sure it only brings your loss home to you all the more. That is yet another reason to have a proper burial for Clark.”
Clark continued, “I am aware of the problem and I think I can handle that. I can have a special chamber made which is air tight and we can purge it with nitrogen. That should prevent decay. I think that as Superman I should be able to have one prepared within just a few hours. Why don’t we do this, I’ll go have the chamber prepared while Lois goes and retrieves Clark from the arctic. We can meet back here. I will bring a bottle of nitrogen for the purge and we can do that just before we bury him.”
Lois asked, “What’s the purpose of the nitrogen purge? Why not just allow the normal decay process to occur?”
“Since we are not going to bury him in a regular cemetery, if for whatever reason a search were conducted, cadaver dogs would alert on the scent and we don’t want that. It’s the same thing I did with my Lois.”
All were in agreement, so Superman flew off to acquire the special coffin, which was in actuality a chamber used in scientific experiments. The wood and metal coffin local Clark was currently in would fit inside.
After he left, Martha asked Lois, “What did he mean ‘with my Lois’?”
Lois took Martha’s hand and said quietly, “He lost his Lois in his universe. Just like I lost my Clark in this one.”
An hour later they all gathered at the site. Alt Superman had dug the grave. He and Lois placed Local Clark’s coffin inside the chamber and Alt Superman hooked up the nitrogen and purged all of the air out. He and Lois lowered the chamber into the pit and each said their goodbyes. Jonathan gave an eloquent eulogy and then read a passage from the bible. Lois, Martha and Jonathan each dropped some soil into the grave along with some tears, leaving the rest for Clark to fill.
They spent some time at the grave side comforting one another and allowing themselves to vent their grief. Clark felt something like an outsider as he looked on, but, he could sympathize having gone through this process with the death of Lois. When they were finished they all returned to the house.
Their grief having temporarily been spent at the grave side, Jonathan returning to their previous conversation spoke up, “Let me get this straight, you are from a parallel dimension and you have been going on missions to save Clark Kent or Lois Lanes but you came here to try to save our universe and make sure it follows a certain path?”
“Yes sir, that is correct.”
“Just what would that path be?”
“That would be the path to a utopian society brought about by his descendants.”
Jonathan thought about that for a second and then asked, “If you’ve been able to save other Clarks, why not our boy?”
With a look bordering on despair, Clark replied, “I really wish I could explain it better, but, as I understand it he had to die because in the future of this world he is dead. I wish Herb was here, he could explain it better.”
Changing tracks, Jonathan asked, “How did you get here?”
“A friend of mine brought me here using a device which is able to cross the dimensional barrier. His name is Herb Wells. I just mentioned him.”
“How long will you be here?”
“The plan is for me to be here for three months.”
Martha, who was not completely understanding asked, “Why are you doing this, why are you going on these missions?”
“Actually, in this case, I was looking for a universe where Lois is alone. You see, my Lois was killed while investigating illegal gun shipments into the Congo and Herb thought that if I could find a universe where there was a Lois and no Clark, perhaps we could then get together. My previous missions have actually been oriented toward rescuing the Clark or the Lois of that universe from a situation which could result in death. This is about my thirteenth mission and in each of my previous missions I have been able to rescue Clark or Lois and actually facilitate the relationships between them. In one case I was able to be best man at their wedding. I can’t express my sorrow and I weep with you at the loss of your son.”
Martha spoke up, “Will we see you after today?”
“Hopefully, I will be staying here, permanently. The purpose of my presence is to see if I can establish a relationship with Lois. I would like to also establish a relationship with you, if I may. If you want to see me again, I’m sure I can be here.”
Martha responded, “It might take some time, but I think we’d like that. You do remind us of our son. How are you able to go on these missions? You said that your Lois had died, but what about your parents?” Clearly, in her grief at the loss of her son Martha had forgotten some of what Lois had told her.
Clark, at this question got a very sad expression on his countenance as he replied, “My parents … uh, I think Lois told you that my parents died when I was ten years old. They were killed by a drunk driver.”
Martha and Jonathan both gasped at this repeated revelation, suddenly remembering what Lois had told them and Martha simply stood and reached out to him. Putting her arms about him she, with obvious grief in her tone said, “Oh, that’s right, she did, I simply forgot that with all that’s been happening. You poor boy, to lose your parents so young. What happened to you after that?”
“I was placed in the foster home system until I was eighteen. Wayne Irig was made executor of the estate.”
Jonathan asked, “You even had a Wayne in your universe? What about Nellie?”
Clark replied, “Wayne was a widower in my universe. Nellie died in childbirth when I was a child.”
Martha had been observing Lois while all of this had been going on and she turned to her and asked, “He’s very much like our Clark, isn’t he?”
Lois mutely nodded her head in response. She was starting to feel more than a little guilty about what she was feeling. She could feel an attraction to this man. She knew that he wasn’t her Clark, but he was so much like him that she at times forgot that he wasn’t the same man. To say the least, she was conflicted. There was an unaccountable attraction, well maybe not unaccountable; he was, after all, identical to her fiancé. Seeing how Martha and Jonathan had taken to him was making it even more difficult for her to separate them.
Lois excused herself, “If you’ll excuse me for a bit, I have some things I need to sort out. I’ll be back.” She turned and as she was exiting the door she spun into her uniform and took off.
Clark said, “In view of this situation, maybe it would be best if I returned to my apartment.”
Jonathan asked, “Just how long have you been here?”
“I’ve been here for almost a week. I arrived shortly after the bomb exploded. I’ve been living at the Apollo in Metropolis under the name of Charles King. Please tell Lois that I’ll meet her here in a couple of days.”
Jonathan asked, “Could you come by each day, at least for a while? We’d like to get to know you better.”
Clark replied, “I’d like that. Sure, I’ll come by. Please tell Lois that I’ll see her tomorrow some time.”
“Okay, I’ll do that.”
Martha spoke up, “You could join us for dinner.”
With a grin, Clark replied, “How could I turn down a home cooked meal? I’ll be here.” Clark took off for the Apollo. As he flew he was thinking about Lois and what she was going through.
comments go here To be continued in Chapter 07 – Let’s Talk
