The Memoirs

Lex had refused to wither under Jor-El's angry glare at him, and that had probably been what had earned him at least the chance to finish speaking, if not Jor-El's respect.

"And, that's how we came to find ourselves with Kal and CK. We've seen this red variety of Kryptonite before, but it's the first time it's had this effect, but we're fairly sure about the results and the time limit."

Jor-El just shook his head, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Without having seen this substance, there's no way for me to tell you anything about it, but there was nothing on our world like this; most forms of what you call Kryptonite was created when the remains of our planet passed through the gaseous clouds inhabiting the space between Krypton's location and Earth's. Other than that? Until I can access your labs, your studies, and a sample of this rock, then I can offer nothing else."

Kal just stared. Couldn't help it. Gobbildygobildy sample rock gook. Didn't understand a damn word. But he sat there, comfortably, CK snuggled up next to him half asleep, and his fingers were gently moving through his hair as he listened to Lex and Jor-El talk. He didn't think he'd be forgetting Jor-El's expression when he and CK walked in at all, because damn that had been funny.

CK gave a huge yawn. He was so tired, and Jor-El and Lex were talking, and it was late. Had he mentioned it was late? He was a sleepy guy here, but he didn't say anything, just cuddling in to Kal's side and sighing against his chest, legs drawn up cozily on the wide, thick couch.

Lex sighed. "I didn't expect you to offer answers, Jor, just to be told what was going on. Both of these men, they're your son."

Jor-El pierced Lex with a vicious glare. "I know precisely what they are, Oakenep-El, and it both pains me and gives me great joy to see them both sitting there, knowing that together, they are the visual symbolization of everything that was lost to me with the death of Kon-El and seeing what could have been," he hissed in a quiet whisper. "Do not patronize me, Kenep-El."

Kal snickered. "Bus. Ted." But he gave Lex a grin over CK's head. "See? That's how it feels when a dad gets on you and makes you feel guilty as fuck. Jon's got it down to an art form." He glanced at Jor-El, giving him a crooked grin. "I thought of Kon, too. CK's sweet as all get out though, so hey. But dude, listen, have you got any of the up and up on if we're gonna be able to mush up like we split apart?"

Lex didn't bristle in anger, just accepted the rebuke even as he glared at Kal. "My father has quite a bit of that talent too, though his resides less in guilt, and more in making you feel precisely one inch tall."

Jor-El gazed at his son, and despite the strange phrasing, he understood the essence of the question. "As I told Kenep, I have no reason to find fault with his theories, however I can offer none of my own as I have not had the moments to study it for myself."

"Oh. Well, hey, anything I can do, aces. Though I'm craving that cheesecake Ms. Bird promised me." Kal added as an off-thought, biting his lower lip. "So you can ask me anything until she finishes, and then, all bets are off. Whatever you can get outta me while I'm chowing down. Hey, Jor, you're a hot dude, anyone ever tell you? I bet all us El folks were, huh? Damn I got good genes."

Lex just buried a snort at that. "Kal? This is your father, you know."

Jor preened a moment. "No, Kenep, he is quite right. We do have... good genes, as you say, Kal. All of the Els were gifted with these genes, as they have been passed down through our heritage."

And speaking of her cheesecake, Ms. Bird was in the process of pulling the cake out of the oven as they spoke. She hummed softly to herself, German lullabies that she knew by heart as she preened over the uncracked surface. On the stove simmered home-sugared cherry topping, and she stirred that after sitting the cheesecake down, and she was about to start slicing it when the great doorbell rang.

She pulled off her apron--not her favorite pink one, because Herr Kal had not returned it yet, but a blue one with white gingham, and tossed it over the chair as she plodded down the hall and opened the door.

Then narrowed her eyes and huffed. "Chu! Vhat are chu doing here at five o'clock in de morning?" she glared, putting her hands on her hips. "Are chu not civilized, Mister Vayne?"

"Hello, Ms. Bird." Bruce was just so tired, but he couldn't bring himself to be rude to the poor woman. All he had was his briefcase, as he had donned the top coat in the colder part of the night, and he looked at her quietly for a moment. "I'm sorry for disturbing you and your family, but could I please have a word with Lex? Wake him up, if necessary."

"Hell yeah we do." Kal grinned at Jor and winked. "I wish I could see pics of my ancestors. I bet we've all got these stunning good looks."

"You're the most handsome." CK whispered, then blushed fire engine red and meeped, hiding in Kal's arm at his own daring.

She scoffed. "Chu, come in," she said, hurrying him in. "Sit. Eat cake, have coffee. Dey are all in de library; come vith me."

Jor-El smiled. "There are some holographic representations available, of our family from Jor-El the first, my four times great grandsire. And yes, we do all have the similar dark looks that you and I share."

"Bitchin." Kal grinned at him, even as he caught Lex's little smirk, and he glared at him a moment before..."Oh, no fucking WAY!"

Bruce stopped in the doorway Ms. Bird was holding open. He just...completely froze, and he had to blink a few times at the... the two... Jesus. Sometimes, he wondered, if things could get any worse, and then they did. He had to stop wondering. He pinched the bridge of his nose, thanked Ms. Bird with a nod, and stepped in.

As soon as CK had seen Bruce he had leapt to his feet, and he was growling like a caged lion at him, snarling darkly. He was surprised by his own moxie but he didn't care. "What are you doing here? Get o-out!"

Lex shot up to his feet as well, coming to stand between CK and his best friend. "CK, it's all right. Bruce isn't here to hurt anybody. You know he wouldn't do that; this is Bruce, remember?"

Ms. Bird just smiled broadly. "I hef coffee and cake vith cherries, und dere is enough for all."

Jor-El knew, from the bonding with his son, who and what Bruce represented, and he came to stand by CK, hand on his son's shoulder. "I will help defend your aushna's honor, my son," he said softly.

"Forget this shit. Cheesecake awaits. See ya." He gave a wave to the four of them. "I'll be in the other room if you need me, aces? Nice seeing ya, Brucey." He clapped Bruce on the shoulder and smiled charmingly at Ms. Bird, offering his elbow to her.

Bruce sideglanced the young man who was Clark, but distinctly not, before putting his eyes back on the pissed off alien and the man who he looked remarkably like. "Hi, Lex."

"D-Don't… Don't..." Stuttering? Didn't care. "Y-you talk to him! Like you k-know him! You...get o-out!"

Lex nodded; "We'll call you but don't go far; we may need your help with CK." And that was all he was going to say, even in front of his best friend. But? He also knew that the last thing they needed was Kal's hot temper in the middle of this already incendiary situation.

Ms. Bird just merely grinned at Kal. "Perhaps chu can tell me what happened to my epron."

Jor-El glared imperially. "Speak. Disclose why you have come to the house of El."

Lex put one hand on CK's shoulder, and one hand on Jor-El's. "Easy, both of you. Bruce isn't the enemy." He took CK's arms and wrapped them firmly around his waist, and then kept his hands on top of CK's wrists. "Bruce? Not that I don't always love to see you, but a five AM visit never bodes well."

Bruce looked at the tall man beside CK warily. "Bruce Wayne, sir. I don't think we've had the pleasure of being introduced." But he just didn't feel like going beyond that small pleasantry, as he looked at Lex. "I came to ask you a favor, but I see you're having a… full house."

CK bared his teeth at Bruce, gave one more snarl, before wrapping his arms around Lex and sniffling softly, hugging him tightly and nosing his throat, licking at it possessively before snuggling him close.

Kal turned a bright flush of red, glancing at Lex with a look that said, if you need me, scream, and took Ms. Bird with him out of the room.

Lex nodded, and waited until Kal was out of the room before he relaxed. Slightly. "Bruce, this is Clark's father, Jor-El. Jor-El, this is Bruce Wayne--Cades-Se--and my best friend." He tightened his grip on CK's hands, and turned his head slightly to accommodate the possessive snuffles and touches, returning them gently in kind.

"I know who he is, Kenep," Jor-El said softly. "And he has yet to speak of why he is here."

Bruce really didn't want to know how Jor-El was here, despite the insane curiosity that nearly swallowed him whole. He nodded at the older man and shook his head softly. "Id like to talk to Lex about it alone, if I--"

"You can't." CK snarled, turning and glaring at him as he squeezed Lex's waist again and snuggled against him possessively. He all but wanted to strip him and mark him where they stood, and would have if his dad wasn't standing there beside him. So instead he just glared and ran his fingers over Lex's backside in an obvious statement of mine.

Bruce would have rolled his eyes, if this wasn't a crazy psycho alien.

"I agree," Jor-El said. "You cannot. And you will not." He took another step forward, so that he stood slightly in front of, but not blocking, Lex. "You will not harm my son nor his mate, so long as I exist."

"Jor-El!" Lex called sharply. "Bruce is a friend; he wouldn't come with the intention to harm me. Stand down." His voice demanded obedience. He squeezed CK tightly. "Talk to us all, Bruce. You know that what you say, I will share with CK. You know this."

Bruce was an intensely private person, and he hated that these two men were making him quiver in fear. "I need five minutes of your time. That's it." And that was that, goddammit. He didn't want to talk about what he had to in front of these men, he wasn't completely stupid.

"NO." CK roared then, fiercely, and let go of Lex, advancing on Bruce. "You will not get near him, you won't get next to him, you g-get out of here, right NOW!"

"CK!" Lex roared, interposing himself between Bruce and the advancing CK. "Stop. Dec'krah." He put his hand on his aushna's chest. "He is my friend; he has my trust. Give me yours; I will not let him harm me, or you." He looked over his shoulder and glared at Bruce. "Bruce? Dammit, talk." He loved Bruce dearly, but this was not the time to be stubborn.

Jor-El said nothing, and made no attempt to restrain CK. Instead, he moved around the room so that Bruce was boxed in between the two of them.

CK winced and whimpered at Lex's roar of anger, and immediately stopped moving. He glared at Bruce from over Lex's shoulder and backed up a step or two, but... only a step or two. And glared.

"I would rather not." Bruce said, very calmly. "I need to speak to you alone. Five minutes is all I ask for."

"And you'll not have it," Jor-El said softly. "Kenep, is your friend so unintelligent that he does not grasp this?"

Lex glared. "Jor, please." He brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Bruce... you can either say it in front of Jor-El and CK, or I can repeat it thirty seconds after you tell me. It's up to you."

He had had a long night, and the last thing he needed was to be insulted by some alien bastard. His pride was a very very fragile thing, and he kept it close, like a blanket. He was not going to ask Lex for help in front of these two men. More and more, however, despite that he didn't say anything, he was grateful Wally was in Smallville. The situation with Lex and Clark had escalated, and Bruce didn't know how much more he could stand before he went insane and kidnapped Lex off to some distant island where he would be safe. It also stung, in a way, that Lex wasn't trying harder to talk to him alone. He rarely, if ever, asked for quiet council with Lex, but like everything else in his life, it wasn't too much of a surprise. "I'll see myself out."

"Don't l-let the d-d-door hit you on the b-butt on the way out." CK muttered.

"Jesus fucking Christ. Nothing is ever easy." Lex looked at CK. "Do you trust me?"

CK looked from Bruce to Lex, and the words weren't out of Lex's mouth before he was nodding.

"Then give me five minutes to find out what is going on," he said softly. "He wouldn't be here if there wasn't some kind of emergency." Lex's glare back to Bruce said he hoped that's what it was. "If anything happens, I will call you."

CK didn't like it. At all. And his little muttered snarl said so. He sniffed, and gave Lex's neck another lick in possession, before nodding and stepping back shyly and nervously. "I-if you need, call."

"You know I will." He turned and stroked back over CK's chest, waist, hips, and thighs. "I will call you."

Jor-El still blocked the door. "You will not pass."

"Do you challenge me in my own home, Jor-El?" Lex's voice was quietly strong.

"No," Jor-El answered after a long moment of studying his son's mate.

"Then stand aside."

Oh yeah. Bruce didn't like this at all. He turned and opened the door behind Jor, waiting for Lex. he shut it behind himself and waited by the stairs, looking down at the handle of his briefcase... his father's briefcase. It was still like new... Bruce wondered, idly, if Alfred cleaned it at all.

Lex looked up at Jor-El with a silent plea to keep CK calm, and he closed the door as he left the room, and met his friend at the bottom of the stairs. "Just... don't ask, please," he said, tapping Bruce's shoulder. "Come on. The bar is open down the hall."

Bruce didn't say anything, just nodding and following Lex down the hall. He sincerely didn't want to know, so he kept silent. Silence was easier, sometimes. It was a weapon, as well as a defense, and he was battling with himself for which he was going to use right at the moment.

Lex pushed open the door to his office, and went directly to the small sideboard. "Brandy? Scotch? Vodka?" He filled a scotch glass for himself, and waited for Bruce's order. "Who's dying, Bruce?"

"Nothing, thank you." Aside from a bottle of tequila he had planned for his mini vacation next week, if he survived the weekend. "Strange assortment you have there. How did they split?"

Lex waggled his finger. "I told you not to ask; I have a sincere feeling the explanation of the details will take far longer than the five minutes we'll have before CK busts down the door and makes sure you haven't carted me off." A pause. "And don't think I don't know you thought about it," Lex said softly. "Don't do it. I wouldn't forgive you." He took a deep drink of alcohol. "We were out at a club. They'd redecorated, and the red beads in the curtain were made with red meteor rock. It caused the split. CK in there? Is Clark's... well, his alien half. Powers and all, and the alien part of him sees you as a threat because you've threatened to take me away, and he knows that he can't hurt you because I won't stand for it." A pause. "Just as I won't stand for you hurting him."

Alright. Bruce wasn't in the mood for chit chat, he wasn't in the mood for pretending they were still close, and he wasn't in the fucking mood to be patronized too. So he was blunt. "I need Clark to join the Justice League and take down the guy I'm sure you've heard on the news about, Bane."

Lex just nodded. "I figured, but why is he gunning for you? And do you seriously think I'm going to let him go out when he's split into two? Hell, CK doesn't even like you, what the hell makes you think he's going to work with you?"

"None. Which is why this trip was wasted." Bruce didn't even bother to sit. "I wouldn't come and ask you unless I had no other choice."

"Sit the fuck down," Lex said quietly. "I know your feelings are hurt. God knows you've got the right, but for Christ's sake, sit down. Explain to me what the hell is going on so I can make CK understand." Deep sigh. "After the wedding this weekend, I'll come up to Gotham. Alone. And we'll talk. All right?"

"No, thank you." But to what Bruce was refusing, it wasn't clear. "Vincent Bane." he set his briefcase on the tabletop and took out the two reports and the pictures he had, handing them to Lex. "Part of Bird, Bane and Trogg, from two years ago. Surely you remember?" He shook his head and went on. "Five minute run down, he offered himself for scientific experimentation, and the military turned him into a one man killing machine. He has a serum pouch attached to the base of his spine that contains Venom, which is like a super-steroid... he turns into six times of what he was." He pointed to the second picture. "I've already come across him."

Lex peered at the pictures and hid the shiver of distaste. "I remember him," Lex said, shifting in the chair. "I remember Venom too; the doctors in Santa Prisca tried to get LuthorCorp to cook this shit up for them, but my father refused; Don't know why, though." He turned to the laptop. "Let me see if we've still got the file; if nothing else, it might give you some extra information to work on." Lex started paging through the stored bid history for four years ago. "I see why you need Clark's help. Dammit. This timing couldn't be worse."

"I agree." Was all Bruce said, as he closed his laptop shut and waited for Lex to find the file. "I wouldn't have come if it weren't an emergency, Lex. I'm sorry to have intruded. I would leave, if--" We didn't need Clark this badly. "People wouldn't get hurt at this monster's hands."

"My turn to pony up the information now." Lex set the auto-search function and sat back in his chair. "Clark split into two people. CK, and Kal. Kal is human; he left with Ms. Bird. CK? Is... as far as I can tell? Completely Kryptonian, just like Clark. The thing I mean about the timing is this." Lex looked at his watch. "They'll only be split for about forty-eight hours," he said softly. "And if CK's not back here in time for the merge? I don't know what could happen. I could lose him." He looked again. "The merge happens tonight, Bruce. You're... asking me to decide between Clark... and the lives he could save."

Bruce didn't say anything to it. He could give a rats ass if the piss ant croaked or didn't, but he knew how much it would devastate Lex. "I know that. There is no possible way you can chance it."

"There's also no way I--or Clark--could live with ourselves knowing that we'd cost people their lives, either," Lex said, rubbing his hands over his scalp. "Christ."

Bruce didn't say anything about that. "Talk about it with him. Get back to me. I'm going to catch the flight back to Gotham, and then we're headed for New York city."

"Stay. There's no way he can catch up with you in time to do anything of value if you leave now without him. Fucking hell." He dragged his hands over his scalp again. "You have to look out for him, Bruce. CK... he's everything alien in Clark, but... he's a kid. Please... promise me you'll look after him."

"I look after all of my team mates." Bruce said quietly. "I need to go. I promised Dick I would be back. Time is precious and very little." He looked at the door.

"Tell CK what you've told me," Lex said quietly. "Tell him you're offering him a spot, not asking him for help. Makes him feel important, and you're not putting your pride aside to ask him for anything." A chirp from the laptop as the file started copying to a CD. "Got it, and I'll bring the CD to you soon as it's copied."

Bruce almost grit his teeth.

Almost.

"Thank you. Do you think it prudent to speak to him now?"

Lex nearly slammed the laptop lid down. "I thought it was prudent to speak to him when you got here, Bruce. You were the one who wanted a private chat." He sighed. "Are we still friends, Bruce? Because if we're not? Somebody needs to let me in on that, because I was under the impression that we still were."

"I thought it wise to ask you before I talked to him. As you tend to fly off the handle when I go over you." Bruce said calmly. "This is not the time to be talking about this."

Bruce was right, and Lex just swallowed down the rest of his questions. "Go talk to him. I'll bring you the CD."

"Thank you." He closed his briefcase with a snap and stepped outside. He buried everything, as he always did, and walked back to the room CK and Jor-El were waiting for them both. He opened the door and stepped inside, calmly. "Cla--...CK, I need to talk to you."

CK looked up with a gentle snarl as Bruce came into the room, and he wished that his father had not left to check on Kal. Instead, he just bared his teeth and glared. "Where is Kenep?"

"In his office. I don't have time for your anger or your pride, so you are going to have to listen to me." He sat down on the couch opposite the younger man, and spoke as carefully worded, and as quietly, as he could. "I want to offer you a place in the Justice League."

CK sat down warily and looked at Bruce distrustfully. "Why?"

"Bane. He's a monster, and four of us isn't enough. So what do you say?" He tipped his head. "You would be going into the fight, as in, now. As soon as possible. He's rampaging across New York City. Its the Spiders city, but as cunning and devious as he is, he can't take this one down. And neither could I, when I encountered him." Hardest. Words. Ever.

CK couldn't help puffing up, just a little. "And now you have to ask me for help."

Fucking bastard. "Yes." He grit.

"Okay," he said, simple as that. With someone else it might have been more complicated, but for CK? No. It wasn't. People needed help, he could help, and that was all he wrote. "We'll go."

"There's the problem about... Kal, is it? He can't come. He's mortal, he doesn't have your powers, CK."

"What?" CK blinked. "Kal has to come. I can't go without him. He's my other. He has to go!" His voice took on a note of panic. "Kal has to come!!"

Bruce thought for a moment. "Unless you ask that he be put into harm's way, CK, I strongly suggest not."

"KENEP!!!" CK went and banged on the door that connected the library to the study, and through the study to the office.

Lex was just putting the CD into a jewel case when he heard the bellow of his name, and he barely picked it up off the desk before he ran through the adjoining doors. "CK!"

"He says I can't take Kal but he has to, Kenep, I can't go without Kal!!" CK squeezed Lex's ribs hard, panicking.

Bruce just... he leaned his elbows onto his knees, and his face in his hands, rubbing it as he tried like the damned to wake up a little. "This is like General Hospital. I swear." He muttered to himself, not even bothering to look at the two of them. He was at the end of his very frayed, very, VERY frayed rope, and right about now he would have rather told them all to take a fucking hike.

Lex hugged CK back. "Hush. He's right. CK, listen, what if Kal got hurt, what then? He's not like you; he's like me. He can be hurt." He held his hand out. "Bruce, let me see the pictures."

"Whats all this about Kal not getting hurt?" Kal muttered around his mouthful of cake, though it sounded more like 'Whash ald dis abo' Ka' no' gedinng 'urd?'. He saddled in, Jor-El in tow--as well as half the cheese cake for CK-- and didn't blink as he plunked down on the couch next to Bruce.

Bruce gave his seat meat an incredulous look… shook his head, and let his gaze travel back up to CK and Lex.

"Yes, I too would like to know what this is about Kal not getting hurt." Jor-El swept into the library behind Kal, and settled not on the sofa with Bruce, but on the one across from him, and crossed his arms over his chest in an obviously challenging gesture.

"CK is going to go with Bruce; there's a man--creature--named Bane that's destroying everyone and everything he comes in contact with. Kal, you can't go with him. It's far, far too dangerous, because you don't have the gifts that CK has." He still hand his hand out, waiting for the pictures. "Bruce, let them see."

Bruce gave Lex the set of pictures, then Jor-El the second set, without saying anything.

"Fuck. No." Kal said quietly, but fiercely. "I'm not... no. I'm not going anywhere, and CK isn't going anywhere, without me. No way. No fuckin way. I'm going with him, you can't make me stay here!" He roared it, as fury spiked through his whole body. "NO. FUCKING. WAY!"

Jor-El looked at the pictures with surprising impassivity, but when he spoke, his voice was so heavily controlled it was almost toneless. "Oakenep-El, you would send your aushna' into this fate?" he asked softly, looking from CK to Kal.

Lex just tightened his grip on CK. "Does it look like we have a choice, amadol? Were there another way, don't you know that I would do it? But we can't. You know that your son would never stand for people being harmed when he could help, and Bruce believes he can. I know Bruce; I trust Bruce. I trust Bruce with my aushna's life, because I know he will watch for CK as I would." And here he turned his gaze on Bruce. "Do not fail me, Bruce," Lex pled softly. "My life ends if he does." He held tightly to CK, who was crying in his shoulder. "Kal, you know I'm right. He has to go. And you can't."

CK refused to look at the pictures, just keeping his face buried in Lex's shoulder as he sobbed. He did, he did have to help, but he couldn't without Kal, and he couldn't let Kal go and get hurt.

Bruce, in that instant, wanted to say that it was alright, that he'd take care of it.

He fought with himself for a moment.

"Lex... this isn't that serious. perhaps coming here was a mistake... its obvious you're having problems with Clark being split in two, and I understand what has happened. We can take care of it, don't worry." He shifted anxiously, then, very uncharacteristically, and rubbed his fingers through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry to have come and bother you all with this."

Lex let his fingers keep stroking through CK's hair. "Bruce, if you're here, then it is that serious," he said softly, pressing soft kisses to CK's cheeks. "Kal? Tell me that you honestly believe that Clark wouldn't go in a heartbeat."

CK was nodding his head against Lex's shoulder even as Lex asked.

Kal was a thick mixture of emotions in that moment. parts of him were incredibly sad... others were soft and understanding, and another part of him yet was completely and totally furious of how things were going. He just snarled at the four of them, shaking in his anger. He only had a few hours left with CK, and they were being taken from him, just like everything else in his life was fucking taken from him!

Bruce let his brows crease. "I think you have enough problems here. My adding to them isn't right."

"And my best friend dying is?" Lex asked softly. "Losing the last few hours I have with the both of them before they're gone forever is? Bruce, tell me one damn thing in this fucking equation that is right." He looked over CK's shoulder at Kal, and motioned him over. "Kal, please. Come here."

Jor-El put his hand on Kal's shoulder. "Stay where you are, my son," he said softly. "Kenep, you will not do this."

"It's not my choice to make, Jor-El," he said softly. "And even if it were, I wouldn't have one. This is CK's choice to make."

Kal was still shaking with fury, but he nodded at his lover and obediently went to him, even if he was snarling and snapping. He shifted from foot to foot for a moment before he reached forward and hugged him tight, burying his face in his aushna's neck and clenching his waist tightly.

Bruce swallowed helplessly, and finally sat back down on the couch, running his fingers through his hair.

"Listen to me, Kal," Lex said softly, burying his face in Kal's throat, even as he hugged CK just as tightly as he could. "You saw the pictures. You'd go if you could, but you can't. This is something for CK alone to do." One hand came up to grip Kal's shoulder tightly. "I can't even go with him."

CK choked softly. "I don't wanna go without you," he keened softly, reaching for his other. "But I don't want you to get hurt either. You have to stay here and be safe. Keep Kenep safe."

Kal nodded, softly, as the anger kind of whooshed out of him to be replaced with unspeakable sadness. He deflated, his throat tightening painfully, his eyes quiet as he hugged CK gently. "You'll come back to me, CK?"

CK just let out a quiet sob and transferred his monster grip onto Kal, letting go of his aushna' for a brief moment. "Course I will. Always come back to my other." He buried his face in Kal's shoulder and gave a keening little sob.

As soon as CK let go, Lex dropped onto the couch behind him and cradled his head in his hands, raking his fingers roughly over his bare head.

"Shut up, alright? With the crying. Things will be okay. This is an adventure." Kal gave his other a very tiny reassuring smile, even as he squeezed his waist gently. "You get to go out and be Super, man. So go and do it. Go have fun, and be careful. Kay? its all cool, I'll have the bed warm for you when you get back." Another reassuring smile, this one much bigger, as he squeezed CK's arms gently.

CK just shook his head. "I'll be back." Plaintive look at Lex. "How do I think without my other, Kenep? How do I know what to do?"

Lex stood back up at that, and turned CK so that he could stare at Bruce. "Listen to Bruce," he said softly. "If you're having trouble, listen to him. He will tell you what you need to do, and don't be afraid to ask him, okay?"

"Yes, I will." Bruce gave him a smile too, as much as he was capable of. "I'll help you. So will Dick, and Wally, and Diana. We'll take care of you, Clar--CK."

"See? Wally is going too. You know him. Stay close to Bruce and Wally. They'll both look out for you, but you have to look out for them too, okay?"

CK just nodded, and slowly let go of Kal. "Kenep, can't you and Kal come?"

Lex slipped his fingers through CK's outstretched hand, even as he used an arm around Kal's waist to steady himself. "We can't, CK. We would if we could, but we can't. You'll be all right, I promise. And I don't lie to you. You will be all right."

"We would if we could." Kal repeated softly, as he gently stroked CK's lower lip with his thumb, and let go. "I love you, baby. Go, get your things. We'll wait for you here." An encouraging smile at his darling over, and he motioned him on. "Don't forget your toothbrush and a pair of underwear." He added, as he pressed him on.

Lex nodded, his throat thick. "It's okay, CK. Go on. You and Bruce have got a long way to go." Lex rubbed his aushna's shoulder gently. "If things get too bad, then call me. I'll be listening through our link; I know it's not what it used to be but I'll hear." His hand tightened. "I'm proud of you. You're doing a good thing."

CK just shook his head a little bit, and swallowed hard so that he'd stop crying. "I'll be okay. Don't worry. Be back before you know it." Firm little nod that he absolutely did not believe in, and he rubbed his hands on his pants as he looked over at Bruce.

Jor-El gave Lex a withering glare. "I am disappointed in you, Oakenepel." For the first time, he made no attempt to distinctualize the last syllable of Lex's name, disavowing by his speech that Lex had any connection to the El clan.

Lex tightened his grip on Kal's waist, using everything his father had taught him to hide the flinch of pain and anger that Jor-El's disowning had just given him.

"Oh shut the fuck up, you old bastard." Kal shot back at him, snarling. "You should be fucking proud of your son and his chosen aushna', instead of getting all high and damn mighty because we're doing something you don't like. Guess what, pops? I didn't have you before, and it'd be easy as shit not to have you around now. You think CK's doing a bad thing, by giving today, today up for Bruce and humanity? Do you know how many lives he could save? Do you know how worthy it makes him and Lex for allowing it? Fuck you and your self righteous ideals, and fuck you for trying to tell me aushna' he isn't part of this family. He is my family. So shut. The fuck. Up."

Alright. Why wasn't Clark like this all the time?! Bruce stared at him in something akin to respect, not daring to say a word as the silence following Kal's snarls echoed in the library.

Jor-El turned stony eyes onto his son. "He knows that what he is doing is endangering you and your other both," he replied softly. "He himself has admitted that he does not know what will occur if CK is not here when your... time has expired, nor does he know what will happen if, and I say only if because I do not believe it can happen, if CK is killed or injured. He has no idea of the effects on either of you, or on himself, or on me through our bond, and yet he is willing to sacrifice yours and your other's well being. I am disappointed in Oakenepel, and that will not change, no matter how many hard words you throw at me."

Lex pulled Kal back. "Not until CK has gone," he said softly, and didn't say anything else.

"No." Kal yanked away from Lex, and he looked at CK, then. "Go get your things, CK. I have to talk to… our father."

Lex's cheek ticked, but he didn't say anything else. "Come on. Bruce, CK, come on. I'll help you get what you need and see you off."

CK tugged gently on Kal's hand. "Don't be angry," he pled. "I don't like when you're angry."

"I'm not angry, baby." Kal turned, and pressed a kiss to CK's cheek. "Go on. Alright? I'll be right along."

"Okay." CK squeezed Kal's hand tighter again, and then looked at Lex and Bruce. "I'm... ready? I think. As I will ever be." He straightened his shoulders a little bit, and sniffled once as he locked his fingers through Lex's. "What all do I need?"

Jor-El said nothing, merely remained in stony silence, watching.

"I have everything you need to fight with. Just pack a few necessities… as Kal said." Bruce said, quietly, as he rose to his feet. "Some clothes, mostly. You won't be gone long." Not long at all.

Kal watched Jor-El. "Please go upstairs." He said, to Lex, sideglancing him.

Lex nodded, and started steering CK out of the room. "I saw these suits before," he said on his way out, voice fading. "They're damned good. And I think you'll like the colors, too." He made sure Bruce was out the door behind him, and then kicked the door shut.

As soon as the door was closed, and the voices had faded, Kal turned his eyes on Jor-El. "How dare you. How dare you say those things about Lex. You're telling me you'd rather let innocent people, including Bruce, die? You're willing to sacrifice their lives, because you're scared?"

"You--and CK--are the last of our people, Kal," Jor-El said softly. "I would not see that die out simply because of humanity's inability to take care of their own problems, and I would have expected Oakenepel to set his aushna's well being at a higher regard."

"Stop... saying his name like that. Just because he chose something you don't like doesn't mean you have to... like, fucking disown him! He does set us at a higher regard, but you don't understand. Bruce is like, the proudest person on the fucking planet. He wouldn't be here begging for help if it wasn't some deep shit. And look, I know you think that we should protect ourselves, and we are. But we're also here to help people. Clark made the decision months ago, and ever since, Bruce has been making him his armor and shields and weapons. Clark's gonna fight, alongside Bruce, its just a matter of time. If he needs us now, then dammit, we're there."

"When Oakenepel has proven to me that he is the man I believed him to be, I will recognize him again," Jor-El said calmly. "I care nothing for Bruce, as he is nothing but a hindrance, and a source of irritation and upset for my son when he is whole and as you saw, for CK now." Jor-El sighed. "I price my son's survival above all other things, for that is why you were sent away. So that you could live."

"Yeah. You did. But what you don't understand, Jor, is that having a life and living are two different things. CK is living now. I'm not going to take this away from him, not now. I'm so proud of him I could explode. He's helping his fellow people, he's giving a damn about whether they live or die." Kal looked at him for a long moment. "I would have thought you'd be proud your son isn't a cowardly, selfish person."

"But CK's living right now could result in the deaths of both of you. The circumstances are far, far too unknown and mysterious for me to feel anything other than terror and disappointment in my son's chosen mate that he would allow this. Were I sure that no harm would come to either of you and that this could merely be accomplished by a few moments' pummeling of this evil creature, then yes, I would be proud of CK. But this situation precludes it."

"So all this shit comes back full circle. You're scared silly, and you're taking it out on Lex. Ever stop to think that if CK didn't want to do it, he'd have said no?" Kal glared, darkly. "That's something that everyone here, and now I guess you too, don't understand. Clark, me, CK, we're adults. We have been since Mar died, and even before that we were. We can make our own decisions. We're not fucking damsels in distress, and I'm sick and tired of people treating us like we should be taken care of and petted. We are warriors. So fucking... stop trying to rule me with your emotions, cause I'm a sick sap! And stop, stop blaming this on Lex."

"Yes, you are warriors, descended from a proud line of warriors that begins almost as far back as our world's conception. Your ability--or inability--to make decisions is not in question for me, my son, but your judgment is. Your judgment, your thought processes, your feelings, they are impaired. Oakenepel and yourself, you have both said so, as has CK. You are not whole without each other, and you cannot make a safe, balanced decision without him, and he cannot without you. And yet, these decisions you make now are being accepted as fact, without hesitation, without thought."

"You're ignoring my entire fucking point, Jor-El. This isn't about being impaired, this isn't about being separated, and this sure as fuck isn't about not being called on our judgments. You, you are my father, you gave birth to me." He touched his chest. "Why don't you just trust me for once? Trust CK, and trust the person we have found to give our lives to? Why don't you just trust us, and stop trying to make this seem like its a horrible mistake? I don't need anyone to tell me this situations gone from bad to worse, but I can't, and won't, sit here and listen to you, you of all fucking people, tell me and my aushna' that following our hearts and doing the right thing is wrong."

"This may not be a mistake, Kal, but it is dangerous. And none of your words, nor mine, will make that simple fact untrue. This is dangerous. It is dangerous for CK, for you by default as you are part of him, and for your aushna'. Right or wrong, it is dangerous, and I will not hold my peace."

Kal let out a long, low hiss of breath, and rubbed his face, suddenly, rubbing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I love you, you know. I barely know you, but I feel things for you that I haven't ever felt for anyone else. Not even my earth parents. You're a part of the old world, and I'm a part of you. Because of you, I'm here. Trust your son to do the right thing. Trust your tolkinta nam'en, father. Please."

Jor-El shook his head, his hair rippling down over his shoulders and he tossed it impatiently back. "I do trust you, Kal. You are nam'en f'caltha, only son of my body. But with that, comes worry and fear, and that will sometimes anger you but it will not go away."

Kal nodded, quietly, and oh, guilt now. "I'm sorry I yelled. I was just angry...I just wanted you to see." He twisted his hands before him, slightly. "I understand that worry and fear. I just wish you could understand mine. You are my father… but Clark has to live his life. He's going to do things that anger you, or upset you."

"I do see, Kal, perhaps more than you realize. But the distinction is this; Clark as a single entity has both parts of you inside of him; strength, anger, wisdom, power, everything in you exists in Clark but tempered by what exists in CK. Together, I would not worry half as much, but with the two of you, I worry twice that."

"You sound like Lex." Kal murmured, as he plunked backwards against the couch and closed his eyes tightly, rubbing them softly. "Wanna go get something to eat? The cheesecake ran through me. I'm ready for eggs."

"At the moment, I am not sure if that is a compliment or not." But he shook his head. "No, thank you. I am not hungry, but by all means, feed yourself."

Kal shook his head. "Nah. I'll wait for you."

Jor-El shook his head. "Do not wait, Kal; I had a meal several hours ago, and do not require further nutrition at this time."

"Whatever, then." Kal muttered, and he climbed to his feet and left.

 

-fin-

go on to the next part