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Be Not Echoes	By : Isabelle_Jennings Category: DC Verse Comics > Justice League Views: 3674 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: this story is non-profit, I don't own Justice League or any DC Comics characters

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
PART 10: WHERE YOU ARE
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--- CAT ---
She was sitting by the window and looking out at the city. She'd just got back from doing an interview, and Lori was stuck at a conference at the university and wasn't quite home yet. Now that they were engaged, Lori had kind of semi-moved in with her. It seemed like they really were going to go ahead with that whole buying a bigger place and rooming with J'onn and, well, whoever she ended up with--Clark or Erica.
The funny thing was, she was actually kind of rooting for it to be Clark somehow. Much as she knew Lori didn't really think much of the idea of it because Clark was a guy. She liked Clark; he was always so sweet and charming... and... somehow, she just had the feeling that he and J'onn would make a good couple. They just seemed to click together so well. And she felt she probably knew that better than anyone else; maybe even J'onn herself in this instance... Not that she thought J'onn and Erica were a -bad- match, just... not quite as good of one probably.
That wasn't what was troubling her though. What was troubling her was that J'onn had stopped taking her calls, or her phone was off, and she hadn't been home since yesterday. And when she'd come home yesterday... She'd never seen J'onn like that before; so closed off. She'd never once been closed off with her before--they were best friends after all--and yesterday J'onn hadn't been able to get out of the apartment fast enough... It had hurt, to be brushed aside like that by her. Hurt more than she'd care to admit, actually. But rather than being angry at J'onn, she was just worried--intensely.
She looked down at her cell phone and considered calling again, for all the good it would probably do.
Her hand clenched around the phone and she felt so frustrated and... scared, really. She got up and went to put her coat on and get her shoes. On the way out the door, she called Lori.
Lori picked up after one ring. "Hi love." Lori greeted her.
"Hi back... Um, listen, love of my life, I... I'm worried about her; about, um, Lois. She won't answer her phone, and how she was to us yesterday is just driving me crazy. I'm going to go out looking for her, okay?" She asked as she pressed the button for the elevator.
"I; of course... Maybe we can meet up later and I can help you look?" Lori asked.
Cat smiled. "I'd love that..." She replied back softly as the elevator opened and a blond woman with striking sky blue eyes met her gaze. "Um, Lori? I think I'm going to have to call you back. Kara-Ze's in my elevator..." She told her, hanging up the phone. She'd interviews Kara a couple of times, so of course she'd recognized her right away. They'd never socialized though, because Kara wasn't really known to socialize much. She was probably busy being the city's most famous citizen. All that adoration--probably got to be a bit much at times Cat would imagine, right?
"Hi Cat." Kara greeted with a little of a smile as she walked out of the elevator and they hugged briefly.
"Hi yourself." Cat replied. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" She asked, somehow guessing she might already know the answer to that.
"I was actually hoping to catch up to your roommate. But, of course she's not here, is she? You were going to go out looking for her? I have to admit, I eavesdropped on my way up..." Kara answered.
"I'd have thought you would have been able to tell she wasn't here from across town or something." Cat replied with a little of a smile.
"Oh, I could. But I thought I'd come talk to you anyway... Once we have, I'll help you look for her if you want?" She asked.
Cat had to smile a little at that. "Well, I guess things -would- go a little faster that way, wouldn't they?" She sighed. After all, it wasn't as if she could in any way shape or form prevent Kara--Power Woman--from looking for J'onn if that's what she wanted to do, so she considered it the better option to at least be there when it happened. "Okay, so, um, would you like to come in? I could get you something to drink?" She offered, going back to her front door and opening it for them.
"Do you have any carbonated mineral water? The kind flavored with fruit or herbs?" Kara asked hopefully.
"We do, in fact." Cat answered, going over to the refrigerator and bringing them both bottles of what Kara had asked for. "Mandarin orange or great fruit?"
"Oh, um, the Mandarin orange?" She offered, having gone to stand looking out the windows over the patio at the city beyond and the evening sky that was just starting to look like sunset might be starting soon. "Unless you'd like that one? Either one's fine." Kara corrected. "I like both kinds."
Cat smiled and gave Kara the orange one she liked. "I like both kinds too." She replied, coming over to stand with her by the window.
Kara sighed. "So... Lois Lane is secretly a very powerful alien, with some very powerful and dangerous enemies, and she's been dating my cousin, as I understand it?"
Cat had to smile a little ruefully at that. "All true, I'm afraid. I think they make a really nice couple, as a matter of fact."
Kara looked at her curiously. "Well, she's certainly been very good at keeping it a secret up until now. She's interviewed me at least ten times by now, and I had no idea. How long have you known about her?"
Cat shook her head. "It's not like that, actually..." She admitted softly.
"What's it like then?" Kara asked solicitously.
Cat met her eyes. "She should probably be the one to tell you most of it. But, you remember when Lois went missing a while ago for all of that time? I assume you'd have heard about that?"
"I did. Helena and I tried to find her, as a matter of fact. There wasn't anything to go on though... But then she just showed up again. She'd been in Russia, as I recall. Doing some very impressive work taking down a human trafficking ring." Kara answered.
Cat shook her head again. "That wasn't her--the Lois that came back."
Kara looked surprised at that. "...Who's the woman Kal's been dating then?"
"Her name is J'onn. She was a very good friend of Lois's, and she'd never given up on trying to find her. But, you know, like you said, whoever took her, they didn't leave a trace. Not even one someone like her could find. And believe me when I say, that's really saying something. So she decided to pose as Lois, hoping to draw her abductor's out." Cat told her.
Kara was looking at her with undisguised interest then. "Hmm... Well, that about figures then." Was all she gave in answer.
Cat laughed just a little at that. "Well, I guess a story like that would seem run of the mill if I'd had your life."
Kara smiled a very genuine smile at that. "That's definitely the truth." Her face became more serious then. "Do you trust her? J'onn?" She asked then.
"Completely. She's my best friend. And you can believe me, because I probably know her better than anyone else alive." Cat told her.
Kara regarded her thoughtfully. "Somehow, I think there's definitely a story there."
"There is. But... It's kind of private." Cat replied.
"I thought it would be." Kara replied. "Anyway, it seems as though I won't have to help you search for your missing friend after all. She's on her way up in the elevator right now, as a matter of fact."
--- J'ANN ---
Pressing the button to call the elevator, J'ann sensed someone watching her. It look less than a second for her mind to pinpoint the source and her eyes to meet Kara-Ze's through all the concrete, metal, and other such material separating them. She smiled a little ruefully and waved at her, feeling apprehensive. "I'll be up in a minute. I guess I do owe you a talk, don't I?" She spoke as the elevator dinged and began to open, knowing Kara would be able to hear her perfectly. There wasn't anyone waiting for the elevator with her to hear her and think she was a crazy person or something for seemingly talking to herself. A woman was in the elevator when it opened though--Janie Jenkins from the second floor; J'ann traded the elevator with her and then pressed the key for her floor.
"Anyway, it seems as though I won't have to help you search for your missing friend after all. She's on her way up in the elevator right now, as a matter of fact." She heard Kara say to Cat as the elevator doors started to close.
She spent the short time it took for the elevator to travel between floors trying to think of just what to say. She'd come home intent on apologizing profusely to Cat for being so rude to her before in her rush to leave... and to tell her that she was thinking of marrying Erica; or, rather, hoping to. And, honestly, she'd also simply felt like she needed her best friend right now. Clark's--Kal-El's--famous cousin wasn't what she'd bargained for. Especially because she was actively trying -not- to think of Clark at the moment. Or Lashina, or Artemiz, or any of it really.
The elevator arrived and she squared her shoulders and mentally braced herself before walking out to the hallway and down to her and Cat's place. Despite her misgivings, the part of her that had become so much like Lois Lane actually was kind of curious what Kara-Ze would have to say--call it a reporter's innate default mentality.
Cat opened the door for her and their eyes met. J'ann smiled a little helplessly and asked for forgiveness with her eyes, mentally sending her the Martian words for 'I'm so sorry my dearest friend, please forgive me?'.
Cat smiled and they hugged. "I'm glad you're back." Cat told her softly.
"I'm glad I'm back too." She replied.
Cat let her go and backed up to allow her inside. J'ann caught Kara's eyes and Kara was smiling a little to her. "Hi Lois. Or, J'onn I understand?"
"Either one's fine." J'ann answered softly, not seeing the point in correcting her guest on the gender affectation of her name. She walked further into the room; she and Cat going over to stand closer to Kara. "I suppose you've got some questions... or concerns, I'd imagine... How is he... she by the way?" She asked with a soft vulnerability.
Kara watched her curiously for a second, seeming to make a preliminary decision of some sort. "It's hard to tell, honestly..."
"I'd be surprised if it were otherwise." J'ann replied softly. "It's certainly not for me." She smiled a little. "Apokoliptians in general seem to have that effect, I'm finding..." She rubbed the side of her head tiredly. "I need a glass of water or something..." She told, turning to go to the kitchen and pour herself one.
"Do you have a lot of experience with them?" Kara asked, following her over, sitting on a stool at the kitchen bar across a counter from her. Cat passed Kara by and came around the counter to stand by her side.
J'ann took a drink of the water and sat it down on the counter, leaning against one of the cabinets that was at a right angle to Kara and meeting her eyes. "Munch more than I'd like, I'd say. But no; I've only encountered them one time before... what happened the other day. Once after as well, if you want the truth. So, three times, in total."
"Once after?" Kara asked, her curiosity, and concern, piqued.
"Um, excuse me, but would either of you mind telling what exactly's going on? When did Lashina come back? Is that what was on the news? Was that you?" Cat asked her.
J'ann closed her eyes and sighed, pushing off from the counter and stepping closer to her friend, gently cupping her cheek. "May I?" She asked softly.
"Of course." Cat agreed easily.
J'ann closed her eyes and sent her the mental images. Precise to start out with--full of sights and sounds and voices from her recent past: Her and Jimmy down by the docks. When the SCU made their move. When Intergang had counterattacked. When... When Jimmy died. When Kal-El showed up and she'd realized immediately he was Clark. When Clark had taken her away in his arms and they'd kissed. How startlingly happy she'd been...
Then, more distant impressions--very carefully filtered and chosen--just bare visuals with some speech and a bare scattering of her own impressions: The way the air vibrated and shook as the BOOM tube opened. Lashina and... Artemiz... The fight. The destruction. The cost. What had happened to Clark. How Artemiz had transformed and raped him. What she'd had to do to Lashina to stop the insanity Lashina and Artemiz had brought. Kara and her wife arriving. Taking the collar off of Clark... Leaving to rescue survivors--both because she was the most equipped for it and because she wanted to be anywhere else but there...
Then later, how she'd felt so raw and scarred that she couldn't even bring herself to share any of it with her best friend. How she'd gone to Erica's and slept in her empty bed, then woken to find Erica, Margot, and Aliki returned. How they'd made love. How much it had let her heal. Then... Kanto... and how she'd tore into him, and ripped him apart and sent him away; brought Aliki Marceau back from the dead with scraps of him. And finally how she and Erica had talked, and how J'ann wanted to be with her now.
She'd been careful to spare Cat as much of the pain that she'd suffered as she could, and she'd made damn sure not to give Cat even one tiny bit of what she'd gotten from inside of Artemiz's -or- Lashina's minds. Despite that though, tears were falling from Cat's eyes. J'ann wordlessly wiped them away with her fingers. "I'm sorry." She told her softly.
"Don't be." Cat smiled to her through her tears. "I'm glad you told me... I'm just... I'm really sorry you had to go through something like that, that's all..." Cat moved in and gave her a hug, which J'ann gratefully accepted.
When the hug broke, and J'ann's eyes met Kara's, Kara's eyes were full of enquiry, intelligence, and a certain sympathy. "Thought sharing, I take it?" She asked.
"Mm." J'ann nodded and hugged herself with her arms.
"It was an assassin; his name was Kanto--Aretmiz's brother..." Cat provided. "J'onn won, but... Artemiz is going to come for her--for Kal-El, for me, for everyone J'onn loves... You can't know how dangerous she is..." She finished.
"...Maybe you'd better show me then?" Kara offered.
J'ann met her eyes in surprise. "You'd... You'd trust me like that?" She asked, sounding more vulnerable than she'd have liked to have. Sharing herself with Cat like that had been something of a relief, yes, but it...It hadn't been at all easy for her either. She didn't know if she even -wanted- to show Kara-Ze any of these things; though she couldn't think of a good reason to refuse her...
"Logically, it's not much of a risk." Kara replied. "If you can overpower my mind, then you could do it whether I gave you my permission or not, I'd imagine. Though I've dealt with telepaths... a great deal before, and I do have certain... resources... On the off chance you were thinking of trying something untoward, I'd really recommend you didn't." She told her, actually with a little ice in her voice.
J'ann had to guess that some of those past experiences with telepaths were very bad ones, but she knew enough not to speak her guess aloud. "I swear to you on my life, I would never violate anyone like that... Not unless lives were at stake and there was no better way..." Was what she chose to tell Kara instead.
Kara smiled a little at that. "See? Then there's nothing to worry about... Besides... I somehow have a feeling I can trust you... Your eyes give you away."
J'ann had to smile just a little at that. She walked around the counter and stood before Kara, who stood up to meet her. Their eyes met then. "Likewise." J'ann replied, bringing her hand up to cup Kara's face. "Brace yourself; this won't be fun... for either of us..." She warned.
Kara's mind was so bright and so very fast that it took J'ann more than a few moments to acclimate herself to the experience to where she could do what she was doing safely and effectively. Still, once she'd adjusted, she felt herself unable to stop from smiling. Kara's mind was so completely beautiful... A lot like Clark's in many ways, she supposed (though she'd only ever brushed up against his a few times; nothing like this). She let go what would be called a mental sigh, and sent Kara the relevant memories... Her first meeting with Lashina where she and Joan Dale fought her together. Then the ship yard and the Intergang bust. Then Clark showing up. Him sweeping her off her feet, and their kiss. Lashina and Artemiz arriving. The battle. Her own feelings afterward. She skipped the more intimate parts of her night with Erica, Aliki, and Margot of course, but, of necessity, showed her all of her encounter with Kanto, and it's results. For good measure, she also showed Kara some of her experiences with Clark--that she'd been honest with him about seeing Erica as well, and she showed her enough of her feelings now and impressions of her feelings from the past so that Kara would understand where she was at right now, emotionally. She took nothing of Kara's feelings or thoughts in return, of course, beyond the broad impressions she couldn't help but get just from being inside her mind. It was a gesture of trust on her part--showing so much of herself without expecting any reciprocation--and she hoped it would be seen that way.
She closed her eyes and let her hand drop from Kara's face. When her eyes opened, they met Kara's curious and interested gaze. Kara smiled in a friendly way to her then and shook her head. "You really have been though a lot, haven't you?" She spoke. "...You held a lot back, but I couldn't help but tell..." She shook her head. "It's even worse that I thought though--what happened to Kal... Thank you for saving him... I know what it cost you. In part, at least..." She admitted softly, getting up from the stool she'd been sitting on. "I need to go find her... I'd ask you to come with me...?"
"That wouldn't be a good idea." J'ann replied. "I still have... What's inside me now could hurt her, and I'm not sure... If there's even a chance... She shouldn't be exposed to it... At least not until she's had more time to heal..."
"If she wants to see you?" Kara asked.
"If she wants to. But only if she wants to." J'ann replied firmly.
"...I understand." Kara agreed, bringing a hand up to cup J'ann's cheek as J'ann had hers had moments before. She dropped her hand. "I think I'll say goodnight to you both then."
They said their goodnights then, but on her way out the door, Kara paused and turned back to meet J'ann's eyes. "For what it's worth, I think you'd make a good couple..." She smiled a little, then left.
J'ann stared after her a moment, then smiled a little fondly and shook her head. She went over and leaned a hand on the counter. "I think I'm going to have a headache soon..." She admitted tiredly.
Cat came over and put her hands on her shoulders from behind. "Come on, come sit with me on the couch for a while?" She offered.
J'ann smiled. "Yeah, okay... Thanks." She told, turning around and kissing Cat on her forehead fondly for being such a good friend.
"Anytime." Cat replied, kissing her on the cheek and leading her over to the couch.
Before they could sit down though, a key turned in the lock and Lori came in. Cat went over to greet her fiance with a hug and a kiss and J'ann followed along and offered a hug as well. "What'd I miss?" Lori asked.
J'ann sighed. "I need to go lay down." She complained.
They ended up on the couch, J'ann laying down with her head in Lori's lap, Cat snuggled up to Lori's side, as Lori gave J'ann a head massage and used her telepathy to give J'ann's weary mind something of a healing massage as well... She sent soft waves of positive emotion and thought gathered from both her and Cat--It helped more than J'ann had words to express.
Cat told Lori all about Kara-Ze's visit, J'ann adding a word or two here or there. Then they watched the afternoon news on PBS for a while before J'ann got up and said she was going to go back to Erica's for the night.
She went and showered and got a change of clothes on. When she came out, Cat was there making tea; Lori back in her room, luxuriating in bed after a session of love-making, J'ann was sure. One that was probably going to continue once she was gone and they'd drank their tea. The thought did make her smile. Even if a part of her probably always would be a little jealous, she was beyond happy that Cat had found someone like Lori to be with; someone who could make her so happy.
"Will I see you at work tomorrow?" Cat asked.
J'ann smiled to her. "You know me. I'm suffering newsroom withdrawal even as we speak. And you -know- I've got a doozy of a story to write... I just have to find a way to spin it so I don't say too much..."
Cat smiled softly. "I was half afraid you'd stop; you know--now that's your cover's blown."
J'ann shook her head a little. "I like my life now, at least the part where I'm Lois... Not so much recent events, but, you know... I think I might have actually started to do what I set out to do anyway. I don't have any definite proof yet, but I think Lashina and Artemiz's people are the ones who took Lois. The next move has to be theirs though, unfortunately... But you can bet, I'll be as ready for it as I can be."
Just as she said it, there was a knock on the door and J'ann smiled. "Speaking of." She went over and opened the door, greeting her friend Joan Dale with a warm hug. "Thanks for this." She told her guest softly.
"Of course." Joan replied. "I more than owe you after all."
J'ann smiled a little. "I just hope you don't get the opportunity to pay me back." She answered softly.
"Heh-hem?" Cat interrupted curiously. "And who's this?"
"Cat Grant, this is Joan Dale. Joan, by best friend Cat." J'ann introduced.
"Joan... Miss America?" Cat answered.
"That's me. Until this is over, consider me your bodyguard, darling." Joan informed her with a smile.
Cat looked over to J'ann. "In case Artemiz tries to make good on her threat, I guess." She ventured softly.
J'ann nodded. "Besides me, she's the only one I know who can really fight one of them. Even Clark couldn't; not really. But I know she can; I've seen her. And if Artemiz does attack you, you have to know I'll be watching, and I'll be here in seconds. You and Lori will be safe, I swear."
"What about Erica? What about Clark?" Cat asked softly.
"Erica has a place... A sort of sanctuary. Somewhere I doubt even Artemiz will be able to find; at least, not at all easily. Margot and Aliki are already there. Erica's making sure her affairs can run themselves while she's gone, and I've been keeping an eye on her remotely as well. After tonight, Erica will leave too. As for Clark, her cousin's going to be looking out for her, and I'll be watching her too. And... once Artemiz does make her move, I'm going to end this between us. One way or another..." She told softly. "She's not giving me any other choice."
Cat met her eyes with sympathy. "Just make sure you win..."
J'ann smiled a little hesitantly at that. "I intend to."
"And I intend to make sure of it." Joan added. "Believe me."
After that, the three of them talked a little while. Lori came out, curious about what was going on, and Cat and Lori got to know Joan a little. As was typical for Cat, she made friends effortlessly, and it was evident that Joan was starting to like her friends in return too; which made J'ann happy--if for no other reason than she knew that Joan would try just that much harder to protect them if she liked them. It wasn't a particularly nice thought, perhaps, but she was scared for Cat--really scared. If there was one thing in the world that would break her spirit the most, it would be losing Cat; so she was bound and determined beyond anything else for that not to happen.
She was even tempted to stay and not go to Erica tonight, but she knew Joan was a match for even Artemiz, and she knew that she could be back here in under two seconds if she had to be, and she knew also that Artemiz probably wouldn't strike again so soon--She was probably still concerned with Lashina, and very possibly didn't yet know of Kanto's fate. Though, of course, she wasn't counting on that--hence Joan being here.
Before long, she was putting on her coat to leave, having said her goodnights. Lori and Joan were still talking over by the kitchen bar, but Cat broke away to come over to her.
"Guess I'll see you at work tomorrow?" Cat offered.
"Guess you will." J'ann answered, caressing Cat's cheek fondly.
Cat closed her eyes and touched J'ann's hand on her face before J'ann dropped it away. She sighed. "Erica... You know you don't really want to marry her, don't you?" Cat asked her softly.
J'ann looked into her eyes for a long moment, then looked away. She hadn't known that, or hadn't realized it might be true, not until Cat spoke it out loud for her. "Maybe." She finally admitted. "But if she asks, I still will."
Cat closed her eyes a moment then opened them and their eyes met again. "Just... Stay safe, alright?" She asked.
"Do my best." J'ann smiled in a way that was 100% Lois Lane.
Cat shook her head a little. "When you smile at me like that, you know it still makes me want to kiss you... just a little bit." She told her softly.
"Only a little bit? Huh, I must be slipping." She joked. "See you later... and you stay safe too. Stay close to Joan. You promise?"
"Promise." Cat answered.
J'ann smiled at that, but only half-heartedly, and left.
--- KAL ---
When he woke up the next day, Kal felt so much better... Like she was bathed in sunlight and everything would be alright somehow. She hadn't felt like that since... Since that kiss... She opened her eyes and realized she wasn't alone in bed. She glanced over and saw Sharon Vance's sleeping face on her shoulder, and then comprehension came. She wasn't a she anymore, he was his old self again. He remembered what had happened. The dance club. Kate Durant. And the explosion--the fire in her that Sharon had saved her from.
He sat up on his side and touched Sharon's face in a fond caress. "But why am I in bed with you?" He asked softly aloud. He and Sharon were old friends. They'd met on his world travels in Boston. Sharon's story was as unusual as his own. She'd grown up an ordinary girl with a fairly ordinary life, or so she'd thought, until she'd lost her memory and woken up in New York's central park--a being of blue and white energy. The press had dubbed her Strange Visitor. She'd stopped a mystical crisis in the city then. An ancient war of magic that had spilled over into our world. She'd met a woman there--Jean Loring from Ivy Town--and they'd fallen in love. They'd ended up moving back to Ivy Town together.
Sharon eventually got her memories back and found out that she never had been an ordinary girl, or an ordinary woman--She'd been the... well something between an avatar, a reflection, or a daughter of a cosmic goddess named Kismet, as far as he'd been able to understand it. Sharon herself didn't really profess to understanding it all either, in fact. She learned from Kismet that she'd been born to stop some threat or some great catastrophe from happening though; that it would happen years from now, and that she had to become ready for it.
That being said, perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise when 'happily ever after' hadn't been in the cards for her and Jean. An ancient, malevolent entity named Eclipso had taken root in Jean when Sharon had tried to stop it from spreading it's influence over the world. Sharon had had to fight her possessed lover. She'd won, but Eclipso had fled, still in Jean's body. Sharon had been searching for her since. And she'd caught up to her in Boston, where Eclipso had gotten the better of her by setting a trap. Clark had been there to help her though; to save her when she'd needed it. Jean had still slipped through Sharon's fingers then though. But Sharon was still bound and determined to get her fiance back. From what she'd said yesterday, when she'd paid Clark back for saving her before, she was still looking for Jean, even now.
Sharon was sound asleep though, so he figured he'd have to wait a while more to get his answerers. He certainly didn't want to wake her up--that seemed like a bad way to repay a woman for saving your life. So he lay back down and sighed.
One thing was for sure: He'd definitely missed his date with Bruce.
He felt kind of miserable about that. And Lois... He pinched the bridge of his nose.
Now that he was back to his old self, he felt he could really think about her again. Really think about what had happened to him... What had happened to them both. He still felt a lot more shaky inside than he'd like of course, but he figured it was going to probably take him a long time to really work though all of that. What was he going to do now, though? He was still in love with Lois, that he was sure of... He'd never stopped, really; not even through all that had happened to him... It had just been... He just hadn't been able to face it; hadn't been able to find his way free of what had been done to him... Until now...
He sighed and ran a hand though his hair--which was short again. Strange... He kind of missed being a woman, in a way... But, in larger part, he was just glad to be back to being a man again. Being Clark again, not... "Ella Lang... huh." He shook his head a little at that. He hadn't taken the last name Lang when the Langs had adopted him after Jonathan and Martha Kent had died, but he did consider them family of course... And Lana... He made up his mind then, that he'd have to go back for a visit sometime soon--He'd been away much too long...
Beside him, Sharon stirred towards waking. "Hey you..." He greeted, propping himself up on his side on an elbow and looking down into her face.
She blinked her eyes open. "Oh, hey Kal." She smiled sleepily. "Guess you're back to being all masculine again. That's good... I suppose?"
"Um, yeah... Definitely good. Feeling a lot more myself at least... Look, um, I'm not quite sure the right way to ask this. But um, why are we naked in bed together exactly?" He asked a little helplessly.
She smiled a little playfully at that. "What, you don't remember our night together?" She teased.
"I... We didn't... I'd remember..." He was a little scared, actually. That couldn't have really happened, could it?
She laughed. "Relax, Kal. Nothing happened." She kissed him on the cheek fondly and ruffled his hair. "I just needed to keep you close, that's all. You know, to keep healing you and all?" She sat up and hugged him. "I'm so relieved it worked by the way..." She offered.
He hugged her back. "Thank you..." He answered.
"Hey, anytime." She smiled, ruffling his hair again and moving to get up out of bed. She stretched her hands up over her head, energy rippling over her naked body. Kal had to admit, she was amazingly beautiful. "Not that I wouldn't mind a roll in bed with you, if you'd be up for it." She smiled at him over her shoulder, turning and sitting down on the edge of the bed. "It's... kind of been a while, you know?"
"You're not... I thought you were only attracted to women?" Kal asked.
"Hm? Oh, no. Gender doesn't matter that much to me. I guess I can't blame you for thinking that though. I've just... Well, when I woke up in New York and I met Jean, I've just... I guess I only had eyes for her back then. And it's only been her for me since then. But before that, I dated both men and women. And while I've been searching for her, I have to admit... I've indulged in a night or friendly love-making with whoever was available and appealing from time to time... It's just too lonely not to, you know? We're beings meant for finding connection, for experiencing love, and it weakens us if we deny that..." She offered softly. "It doesn't mean I've given up on getting her back."
"Of course it doesn't." Kal comforted her, laying a hand on her shoulder.
Sharon turned around and their eyes met. "So, how are you feeling?" She asked.
"Much better." He answered. "Almost... Almost back to normal, I think." He told more softly. "At least as far as my body goes. My head? My heart? I think they're going to take a while longer..."
Sharon moved over and kissed him with just honest wanting. It was such a sweet and uncomplicated gesture, Kal could hardly help but respond. "Maybe we can help each other then?" She offered softly.
The breath caught in his throat a moment, but then he ran a hand though her hair and smiled to her softly. "Why not?" He replied just as softly, kissing her back and letting himself be laid back on the bed.
Her weight and warmth on him was so welcome. The energy sparking from her skin felt like heaven. They just made out for a while, and Kal felt his sex become long and erect; he'd almost forgotten how good that could feel.
Her hand came down to stroke it, and he gasped just a little as they continued to kiss. He brought his hands down between them to her sex and stroked it's wet folds, causing her to shiver with anticipation, before he penetrated her with his fingers.
She brought her hand up and stopped kissing him long enough to wet it with her saliva and then brought it back down to his sex and started to really pleasure him in earnest. He arched his back as she continued to ride his hand and pump his sex. Her lips were on his neck, just below his ear, and when she nipped his ear a little, he cried out softly and reached his climax just as he heard her gasp and felt the answering flood of wetness over his hand.
She was kissing him then and he rolled them over onto their sides. "I so needed this." She smiled to him, kissing him again.
Privately, Kal thought he probably did too. At least, he was sure feeling a whole lot better--no more of those disturbing thoughts occupying his mind. No, all of his senses and attention where solidly in the here and now with the woman sharing her bed with him whom he was making love with.
She pushed him back onto his back and broke off their kiss, smiling serenely down to him as their eyes met. "I'm going down on you now." She told him, licking her lips. He felt a thrill go though him, and he arched his back and felt his sex strain as Sharon went down him and brought her lips to the head of his sex, beginning to lube his length, up and down.
He shuddered a little and closed his eyes a moment, before he opened them and realized her invitation. Her sex was braced invitingly over him, and he rushed up and took it to his mouth, rolling them over onto their sides. Neither of them had any particular need to breathe, and both had no shortage of stamina, so, of course, what followed were hours on end of love making that Kal was sure he wasn't ever going to forget.
Those long hours later, Kal had Sharon in his lap; her back to him, his butt raised up off the bed as he thrust up into her ass with his sex, stroking her sex with one hand and softly kneading one of her breasts with the other while he kissed her neck. Her back was arched and she was pleasing her other breast with one hand, her other over his hand on her sex. Energy was crackling off of both of them, mixing and curing between them. He felt like he was glowing all over as brightly as he ever had, and he knew he probably was.
She cried out her climax first, and that was all it took for him to go over after her, ejaculating into her and feeling so wonderful for it. He collapsed them onto the bed on their sides and spooned with her for a while, kissing her neck and holding her to him. She hummed happily and turned around in his arms and they began to kiss again.
They just made out like that for a while, neither in any hurry to stop, until finally Sharon sighed. "We're going to have to stop this at some point, you know." She told him with regret.
"I know." He replied. "We're... both in love with other people, after all." He offered the obvious observation.
She sighed again. "Don't remind me." She got up to sitting and ran a hand though her hair to order it.
He got up to and caressed her hair some as well. She smiled to him and ran a hand though her hair. "It's kind of a shame, you know. I wouldn't have minded doing this with the female you too. It'd be amazing if you could switch back and forth when you wanted. Your girlfriend or boyfriend, whoever that is, might like a choice like that too. In any case... He, or she, is very lucky." She smiled fondly, kissing the palm of his hand.
Kal smiled softly at that. "Her name is Lois..." He sighed. "And, as it turns out, neither of us knew the other nearly as well as we thought we did. We've just dated a few times really, and done this a few times." He smiled softly. "She's seeing someone else too though, so I don't even know if she'll choose me in the end... I want her to though... even with everything we've been though lately." He didn't mention Bruce, because, well, he didn't really know what he was going to do about that--they'd gone out on... Well, it was kind of a date, or almost one. And he did have feelings for him; he couldn't deny that in the least. But, well, he was also sure... That he wouldn't chose Bruce over Lois. So he'd spoken his truth, and simply hoped that when it came down to that same choice for Lois--him or Erica--that Lois would chose him too.
"...What exactly have you been through, Kal?" She asked gently. "I mean, I know what you told me before. That a goddess named Artemis turned you into a woman, and then a woman named Kate or Decay made you... explode... but, um, how about some specifics?" She asked.
"Her name's pronounced Artemiz actually; if she -was- here on Earth when the Greeks were worshiping their pantheon, I somehow doubt she would have been portrayed so benevolently." Kal responded a little ruefully, but also with a twinge of fondness in his voice that was disquieting. He tried not to think about it. "And well, specifically... Lois had, um, just discovered who I really was. We were on a roof... There was a kiss, and then... boom. Some sort of portal--louder than fireworks--just opens up, and these two women with these two metal dogs come out. There's a fight. Lois turned out to be an alien too, with abilities not that different than my own. I... didn't really have much time to marvel at the discovery though. Those women--Artemiz and Lashina--I've never fought anyone like them before. Even Eclipso doesn't compare... It was... The scale of them... I didn't stand a chance, not really. Not at all, I think. Somehow though, Lois did. She beat them back... I still can't even imagine how... It all seems... so impossible."
Worry was evident on Sharon's face. "And they're part of an entire race?" She asked. "An entire race of people with power like that?"
"Apparently..." Kal replied.
"Maybe... Maybe they're who I'm here to stop then?" Sharon asked.
"If they are, I feel sorry for you. Really I do." Kal told her in all honestly.
"...What did she do to you? ...I mean, I know what she -did-, but... What did she do to you?" She asked.
"I'm not... I don't even know if you could really call it rape. Or, it was... I know it was... It's just... It seems like such a small word..." She met Sharon's eyes. "She wasn't just in my head... It was like... all of me... Like she was in every cell of my body... every spark, every whisper of life... And she made me hers; made me want to be hers. She took me... She fucked me, and Rao help me, I wanted it as much... maybe more... than I've ever wanted anything... Or... that's how it felt anyway... I can't even tell how much was true, or... Or what I should feel--what I -am- feeling about it; about... her... I just, I don't know..." He finished softly. "I wish... I wish I could just forget... I wish it hadn't... I wish it never happened. That's what I wish..."
"I don't suppose you want me to tell you that forgetting isn't the answer? Or that wishing to change the past isn't either?" She offered.
He smiled a little at that. "I don't know; maybe I need to hear it?"
She smiled a little bit back. "Then hear this: Don't give up. Okay, Kal? If there's one thing that I know helps when... When something--when someone's been taken from you. When there's something that happened that you... You can't even bring yourself to think about; because it hurts too much sometimes. Then just... Keep going anyway. You'd... You'd be surprised how much that helps." She explained. "Reality won't change for you, but, I have to believe, you can change reality. If you want it badly enough."
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(to be continued)
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Be Not Echoes