Different

A/N: This next chapter, which is my write-up of the S9 finale, but not all scenes though just the ones I thought were highlights of the episode. In this chapter, Martha reveals a secret, Lois and Clark say their awkward goodbyes, and Clark faces Zod and his followers. I enjoyed this episode so much that I wanted to write people’s thoughts, just for the fun of it, and of course, it is pivotal to my story. I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review. Thanks, everyone!! Read on!



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Chapter 5: Betrayal



Previously:



After ordering coffee and sitting down to drink, Lois had something to show him, hoping he would be able to help her. She decided to get right to the point. “I know you’re going to think I’m crazy, but there are aliens among us Mr. White. Here, take a look at this,” she said and showed him the symbol of Rao.



She definitely got his attention. Perry also pulled out an almost exact copy of the same symbol.



They both smiled.



~o~o~



Meanwhile, back at the farm:



After watching Clark struggle in his relationship with Lois and everything else he was dealing with, Martha had decided to tell him the truth and to help him in any way that she could, but before she could even get to the bottom of the stairs, he had something to say to her.



“You heard?” Clark said as he approached her.



“Yes, Clark, I heard. I’m sorry things are … strained between you two. I know how much you care for each other.”



“We do, but … it’s complicated,” he said and turned to go into the living room.



“Clark I have something to tell you,” Martha said.



“You’re the Red Queen?” Clark asked as he turned to face her.



“How did you find out?” Martha asked surprised.



“I realized the Red Queen was trying to protect me, and then I thought of you and you may want to ease up on the kryptonite,” Clark replied.



Martha smiled. “I have something to show you, son,” she said and showed him the Book of Rao.



“The Book of Rao? Where did you get this?”



“From Tess,” Martha replied, then she began to pace. “I told myself the world needs Clark Kent even more than I do. The truth is I was afraid of loosing you,” she said becoming emotional.



“You’ll never loose me. I’ll always be here for you,” Clark said.



“You don’t understand. The Book of Rao can be used to transport the Kandorians to another plain of existence.”



“That may be the answer we need,” Clark said relieved.



“Clark, if the Book of Rao is used to send the Kandorians away, all Kryptonians will be exiled from Earth … including you,” Martha said as tears sprang into eyes.



Clark was stunned speechless. I’d have to leave Earth too? His mind couldn’t fathom it as thoughts of never seeing Lois again swirled inside his brain.



~o~o~



The Daily Planet bullpen, 2013:



Lois Lane exited her editor Perry White’s office, editor in chief of the Planet with a purpose, but there were entirely too many distractions going on around her. A copyboy was holding up a giant flower display under her nose as he rambled on about her trip to Washington, Clark’s need to know if she wanted pastrami or something else for lunch, but she had her mind on other things. The copyboy had no choice but to follow her.



As she entered the elevator and opened the current issue of the Daily Planet newspaper, a diamond sparkled on the third finger of her left hand, she then read the headline: “Lex Luthor Announces Run for the Presidency.” Mumbling obscenities, Lois exited the elevator, now in a foul mood, snapped the paper closed and slammed it down on her desk, and noticed that Clark’s glasses sat on his desk and his chair was swirling as if he had just left in a hurry.



Suddenly, someone hollered that the news plane had lost power and was out of the control headed toward the Planet building. Lois immediately headed for the catwalk, as everyone else headed in the opposite direction trying to get away from the plane. She looked up at the sky and smiled, because there shadowing the Daily Planet globe was a man streaking across the sky in colors of red and blue grasping the plane and leading it away from the Planet. A strong voice spoke then: Your fate is utterly blinding. You will lead this generation as Hawkman once led ours.



Clark came awake with a start, stunned by the dream. As he stood up trying to get his bearings, he noticed a box and an envelope with his name written in script he recognized. The note inside read: If you decide to stay, Mom. He opened the box, and as he held it up, a reflection appeared in his eyes. It was the El symbol, not in black and silver, but red and gold sitting on a field of blue.



~o~o~



The Watchtower, a few hours later:



Clark entered the tower and he had heard everything that was being said and his plan for the Kandorians was not the same. He announced to his friends without ceremony that he knows what should be done. He had the Book of Rao that Zod and the Kandorians would be leaving the Earth forever peacefully without war, and that he would probably be going with them. He informed them that it was a war they couldn’t win. Far too many people would die. He encouraged his friends to continue to protect Earth, but without him. They all agreed they would do just that.



Clark had also decided not to tell Lois he was leaving Earth. He thought it would be less painful that way for both of them.



The Daily Planet, the next morning:



After meeting with the Blur, Lois was more determined than ever to prove him wrong about Clark. She decided to do a little snooping at his computer, and there in a special folder marked the Blur was a picture of the one person she felt she could believe in …The Blur. He had told her the truth. Her heart froze still not believing it.



She had to have more proof, so she headed to the farm and searched Clark’s belongings in the loft and to her dismay, she found a book of symbols and there toward the back of the book was the Rao symbol she recognized. She was stunned and she thought she could actually feel her heart breaking.



“Lois!” It was Clark and he was coming up the stairs to join her. She quickly closed the book, put it back in the chest and waited for him.



“Hey,” Lois said and she could see he had something to say. “I was hoping we could talk.”



Clark was so distracted by the speech in his head; he hadn’t noticed her guilty expression. “Me too,” he said. “I know things have been strained between us, but I wanted to tell you something, Lois. It’s important.” He slowly walked toward her. "My whole life has been full of relationships that have ended too soon. And when I went away last fall I... Lois, I felt so lost. When I came back to the bullpen, you were there waiting for me. You jumped out of your seat, you threw your arms around me, and the way your eyes sparkled when you smiled. I just.... I knew. I just knew you were the one I always needed, and I needed you to know that," he said rambling on trying to make things right between them. He tried to read her reaction, but sensed she wanted to say something. “What is it?”



Lois was truly touched by his confession, but she had to tell him everything. “Perry White has offered me a job at the foreign desk in Kenya.”



Clark was stunned. She can’t leave now. He turned from her wondering what more he could say to her to make her change her mind. He knew he couldn’t tell her the truth, not now, when he probably wouldn’t be seeing her again, maybe not ever. He stiffened his back and turned to face her. “That’s great. Congratulations,” he managed to say, as he felt has heart constrict with the pain.



“But I’m not sure I’m going,” she said not believing for a moment he wanted her to go.



“Your career is so important to you. What would make you stay?” He asked hoping and praying he was enough for her … enough to stay with him.



“For you! I would stay for you. Clark, as important as my career is, you’re more important. I would give up Africa to be with you, but … only if we stop keeping secrets from each other.”



Clark swallowed as his eyes averted her face. “I don’t know what you mean, Lois,” he said hating having to lie to her again, especially now when they were finally opening up to each other.



“Yeah you do, Clark.” He was silent. “Come on. I need you to be honest with me,” Lois pleaded with him.



Clark wanted so badly to tell her the truth, but he couldn’t. “The best thing for you is to leave,” he said as his heart broke. He gave her a hug to hide his face. “Just know that wherever you are, I’ll be watching over you,” he said hoping to give her a clue.



Lois stared at his face trying to see the truth. “I’m sorry, I should go,” she said and turned to leave so he wouldn’t see her tears.



Clark watched her go. Goodbye, Lois. I love you.



~o~o~



Later that evening, somewhere in downtown Metropolis:



Clark left the Watchtower and went to the crow’s nest to put the Book of Rao disk in the slot, but it was gone. It wasn’t in his pocket. He realized Lois must have taken it.



Lois’s heart was shattered into a million pieces, but she went to her meeting with the Blur to give him the Book of Rao. After listening to him go on and on about Clark, Lois was beginning to think he was right about Clark, but she still loved him, even though he had broken her heart. Then the Blur touched her shoulder and she touched him, and then she knew the truth. She turned to face him and told him she didn’t have the book, but she had hid it in their special place.



The imposter realized Lois knew the truth about him, but he was in no mood for games, so he shoved her and she left the ground and flew toward the telephone booth. Clark arrived a moment later and punched Zod in the face and he flew into the sky. How dare he put his hands on Lois?



Lois tried to cover her head to protect herself, but then she felt strong arms around her, and then she knew nothing else. When she awoke, she was alone. She sat up, looked around trying to understand what had happened, hoping to see the real Blur and then she saw him.



He was standing in the shadows waiting for her. She approached him shyly. “Can you forgive me for believing he was you?” She asked coming closer hoping he would answer her, but of course, he never did. She held up the disk. “Please say something, anything,” she pleaded softly. Will he speak to me now, just this once?



He touched her hand taking the disk from her, and then he pulled her close to him. Lois stumbled a bit as her eyes were closed. She was unprepared for his move, but he caught her easily. Is he going to kiss me? He kissed her trying to show her how he felt. She tried to think, but it as impossible. He coaxed a response from her and then when he turned her and kissed her so sweetly, as if they he had done it before, she knew who it was, who it had always been. Her Smallville … his taste his smell … it was him! When she opened her eyes, he was gone. Lois was a bit woozy from their kisses, but she knew the truth now. “Clark?” And then she smiled.



~o~o~



Clark returned to the crow’s nest more determined than ever to finish this once and for all. Once Zod’s followers knew the truth about him, they wouldn’t follow him, not anymore. Clark watched Zod and the Kandorians fly through the air and land before him. He couldn’t help but be impressed by them. They were something to see, but they didn’t belong here.



After listening to Zod and Clark bark at each other trying to gain the upper hand with them, the Kandorians heard the one thing Zod couldn’t deny. Zod was furious with him for bringing that up now. He slammed Clark against the wall and growled in his ear. “Faora was a traitor. Do you think I wanted to kill my own child?”



The Kandorians heard every word and knew the truth. Their leader was a cold bloodied murderer. He had killed Faora and his child. The Kandorians all turned against Zod. Kal-El knew what was best for them. Krypton would live again. “Kal-El, take us home.”



Clark inserted the Book of Rao and the Kandorians all disappeared into the sky one by one, but just as Clark was about to descend into the sky with the others, it started to rain and yellow glow was no more. He wondered what had happened. Zod had pulled out a blue kryptonite knife which had been hidden from him. He removed its cover and showed it to Clark.



They fought, each without their powers, each wanting the Earth but with very different plans for it. Clark was suddenly cut across the chest and it was painful. He rarely felt pain. It was not a pleasant experience. He then removed his coat and wrapped it around his arm for protection. It was a fight to the death. Clark realized that and tried to save his own life, but he also realized that Zod would still be here if he died. Zod would regain his powers in time and if he wasn’t there to stop him, all of this would have been for naught.



“Unlike you, I will lead from a throne, not from the shadows. Every human including the woman you love will kneel before Zod,” he growled in Clark’s face.



“You already destroyed my first home. I won’t let you take this one,” Clark growled right back. He then made a decision. He shoved the knife into his side hoping it would miss any vital organs. It was just as he had hoped. Without the blue kryptonite knife exposed, Zod was pulled into the sky by the Book of Rao.



Clark felt content as he fell off the ledge and prepared to die.



TBC!



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A/N: Wow, what an incredible finale! I’m still blown away by it! Next up, we have my take on what happens next. I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks for reading! Reviews are love!