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viking-raider · 4 years

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Of Truth and Justice - Part II

Summary: Clark tries his best to convince Calea into helping the Justice League in defeating Steppenwolf and saving Earth. The League works on gaining more information on the Mother Boxes.

Pairing: Clark Kent/Superman x OFC

Word Count: 8,866

Parts: I

Rating: PG-13 - Justice League!AU, Language, Fluff, Angst, PTSD, Anxiety

Inspiration: Something that’s been on my Muse’s brain after watching Justice League a couple of times.

Author’s Note: TY to the amazing @wondersofdreaming for being a stellar Beta! Tell me what you think!

Tag List: @jennylovelyheart, @peakygroupie, @jessevans, @rosie-loves-things, @ohjules, @mary-ann84, @omgkatinka, @the-freak-cassie-131, @wardl0w, @agniavateira, @cap-barnes, @romyr4, @michelehansel, @kaatelyyynn, @badassbaker, @mrsaugustwalker, @authentic-bish-face, @rizeandvibe, @severuined, @supernaturalvikingwhore, @bellastellaluna, @wondersofdreaming, @thisisntmyrightera, @michelle-1185, @winchwm, @royallylazy, @sofiebstar, @worldicreate, @agniavateira, @fantasygirlsuniverse, @witches-of-discovery-a, @xuxszx, @ayamenimthiriel, @keiva1000, @fantasygirlsuniverse, @itsreigns, @constip8merm8, @scorpionchild81, @mylifefallingupthestairs, @onlyhenrys, @luclittlepond, @ellixthea, @lebguardians, @geralt-yennefer-jeskier, @cherrybloomn, @p3nny4urth0ught5, @iloveyouyen, @hollydaisy23, @mcuimagination, @psychosupernatural, @sweetlybigdragonn, @whitewolfandthefox, @moviemonzy, @the-soot-sprite, @hell1129-blog, @trippedmetaldetector, @captaingothgirl1996, @dont8mind8me8eue, @peaky-marvel, @desperate-and-broken21, @monstersnmoney, @dancingwendigo, @redhot-mystacism, @thereisa8ella, @black-ninja-blade, @oddduckthatgirl, @rosewinx, @henrythickcavill, @tinabean37, @hnryycvll, @msblkfire84, @romangenesius, @emelinelovesjc, @strangerliaa, @lovieebby, @pinksdaydream, @fanfictionaddiction99, @seb-owns-these-tatas, @oh-for-fic-sake, @sauvage-et-libre, @mis-lil-red, @angreav, @crazyandanonymous4u, @the-mighty-jellybean @henrycavell, @jimmypagesandbrianmayshair, @iam-laiya, @worshipping-skarsgard, @thetruthandotherstories, @ruthoakenshield, @lostinaseaoffictionalbliss, @theonetheycallhannah, @nina-skyee, @thatgirly81, @inanna999, @suueeeeeee, @spideysimpossiblegirl, @x-wingwarriorbbpoe8, @beckster07890, @daddys-littlewhitegirl, @magic-and-the-macabre, @stxphmxlls, @radaofrivia, @lostinaseaoffictionalbliss, @starstruckkittyangel, @heartfelt-pen

“Ouch.” Clark hissed, pulling away from Calea. “That keeps happening.” He frowned, watching teeny blue bolts of electricity jump from the top of her hand to the pads of his fingers.

“It happened, when I touched you in the--”

“Sol-Gel.” Calea replied, watching two more sparks jump from him to her, even with their hands centimetres apart. “It's like, super advanced Human Stem Cells.”

“It's the same as the Genesis Chamber, in the Fortress of Solitude.” Clark nodded, understanding. “Why does it keep happening though?” He asked, frowning at her.

Calea frowned at him. “Not to be untoward.”

She opened his brown leather hoodie and pushed her hand up inside his shirt, feeling the downy trail over his abdomen, half smirking as his muscles spasmed under her warm touch and the teeny sparks their skin continued to generate between them. Her hand skimmed over the pectoral muscles of his chest and met his eyes, through the glass of his black frames. Taking a deep breath, Calea rested her hand over his heart, fingers spread and pads pressed into his skin. Both of them gasped as a painful jolt of electricity passed between them, a bright blue tinge coloring both of their eyes for the briefest of moments.

Calea gasped and ripped her hand away from his chest and stumbled to her feet.

“What is it?” Clark frowned, getting to his own feet.

“Nothing.” She replied, turning away from him. “It just hurt, is all.” She lied, running a hand through her hair, fingers shaky.

“Can I do anything?” He asked, fretting.

“No, I'll be fine.” Calea replied, taking deep breaths and calming down her heart. “How does it feel to be alive again?” She asked, changing the subject.

“Itchy.” He chuckled, rubbing his arm. “Loud and bright.”

“Do you prefer it?” She asked, turning to look at him again. “Being alive or dead.”

“Being alive is nice.” Clark smiled. “Especially, since I get to see my mother again.” He took a deep breath, the air cool and fragrant in his lungs. “Why is it, you prefer to be asleep in the Sol-Gel, than being out here?”

“Other than Ryder, I have no reason to be here. No connection or bond rooting me in place.” Calea explained to him, glancing up at the dimming sky. “All I have is a reminder of what I lost and will never get back. Now, all that is for not, with Steppenwolf in possession of the Mother Boxes.”

“The pouring of salt in a never healing wound.” She sighed.

“So, if Calea is the only Selian left in the universe,” Barry started around a mouthful of cereal. “What are you?” He asked Ryder.

“I am a Coteran.” Ryder replied, rubbing his face at Barry's four hundredth question. “An ally to the Selians. Many of us train to become elite servants to the Selians. I was one such.”

“Are your people still around?”

“It's most likely.” Ryder answered with a shrug of his shoulders. “I haven't encountered one since we arrived here on Earth. I also haven't looked for any, I'm kept busy watching over Calea.”

“How hard can she be to watch, when she's in a tub of goo?” Arthur laughed.

“It's not as simple as that.” Ryder huffed at the Atlantean. “I have to maintain the temperature of the Sol-Gel, to make sure it stays fresh and active. Maintain her vital signs and comfort, make sure no one finds us and tries to harm her. I also have to keep her up to date on what's going on in the world.”

“How the hell do you do that?” Arthur rasped, lifting a brow at him.

Ryder looked at Arthur and narrowed his eyes. “Painstakingly.”

Clark and Calea stepped into the house and Ryder moved to her side, looking her over and making sure she was all right.

“I'm fine.” She sighed, patting him on the cheek. “Why don't you make them dinner, I'm going to lay down, I still have a lot of re-acclimating to do.” She told him softly, and turned to the rest of them.

“If I don't see you in the morning, it was a pleasure meeting you all.”

“Wait!” Bruce snapped, jumping up from his chair. “You're not going to help us?”

“I don't know how.” Calea told him, shaking her head. “Or, if I even can. By the time I try and learn how to, it will be far too late.”

“But, we need you.” He tried to argue.

Calea smiled at them, chuckling. “No, you do not.” You told him, meeting their eyes. “You have each other.”

Then, with a bow of her head to them, she went upstairs to her room.

“You have to convince her to help us.” Bruce said, looking over at Ryder. “You're the one that brought us here.”

“I am also the one that said you would have to convince her of it. I can't, or anyone for that matter, force Calea to do anything she doesn't wish too. Many have tried, and died, in the attempt.” Ryder replied, pushing up the sleeves of his shirt.

“Great, so we wasted valuable time.” Arthur groaned, rolling his eyes.

Clark touched his chest and frowned up the stairs. “Perhaps not.” He whispered. “She's just woke up with the bad news that one thing her people were trying to hide and protect, has been found and taken, by the very thing that wiped her people out. I can understand her reluctance to face that, if it wiped out your whole race before, killing you shouldn't be so hard.”

“I had the same qualm with Zod.”

“Do you think you can convince her to help us?” Diana asked, frowning up at him.

“I don't know.” Clark sighed, he had felt a connection with Calea, an understanding about something only someone in the same boat would understand and know how to shoulder. “I can try in the morning.” He said, stifling a yawn.

Calea whimpered in her sleep, it had been decades since she had slept unaided by the monitored and controlled Sol-Gel. Instead of well placed memories of a happier life, she was tormented by the memories and nightmares of things she couldn't stop or change. Growling, she sat up, tugging the bunched up blankets off her legs and got out of bed. She went to push open the double doors leading out to the balcony off her room, when the quickening of a heart somewhere in the house, started pounding in her sensitive ears. Sighing, Calea pulled on a robe and stepped into the hall, closing her eyes and swiveling her head to catch what direction it was coming from.

Honing in on it, Calea followed it down the hall to one of the guest rooms. Quietly opening the door and stepping inside, her eyes rested on the sleeping form of Clark, laying on his stomach and breathing hard, his handsome face pinched. Frowning, Calea's bare feet silently crossed the floor and she sat on the edge of his bed, her head tilting at him and her fingertips drifted down the length of Clark's back, small bolts touching each of his vertebra as she passed over them.

“Clark.” She whispered, hearing his soft whimper and rested her hand between his shoulder-blades.

Gasping, Clark jerked up, his pupils glowing red as he reacted to her touch.

“Clark.” Calea snapped, cupping his face in her hands and leaning forward.

Clark blinked, his heat vision cooling as he pulled away from her. “I almost hurt you.”

“No.” She shook her head. “You're all right.”

“What are you doing in here?” He frowned, running a hand through his hair.

“I heard your heart rate pick up.” She replied, heaving a sigh. “I just wanted to check on you.”

“It was just a nightmare.” He replied, turning to sit next to her. “I'm sorry for waking you.”

Calea chuckled, smiling softly. “I was already awake.” She assured him. “Nightmares of my own. What were you dreaming about?”

“The same dream I've had since coming back to life.” He sighed, licking his lips. “Dying all over again. Being trapped in my coffin. A deafening darkness.”

Calea narrowed her eyes for a moment. “Walk with me?” She asked, lifting a brow at him as she stood.

Clark stared at her for a moment, then stood up, pulling on his shirt and followed her out. They tiptoed downstairs and out the door, Calea smiled at him, slipping off her robe and walked barefoot into the forest. Tilting his head, Clark curiously followed after her, they didn't speak for a long time, just walking through the quiet darkness of the trees, a light and cool breeze stirring around them, making the tree branches rustle and wave at them as they passed underneath.

“I'm sure you're a good jumper?” She asked, turning to him and smirking.

“You can say that.” He smirked back. “What are we jumping to?” He asked, looking around.

Calea winked at him, crouched and sprang up, vanishing above the trees. Not sparing a moment, he pushed up and followed after the sound of her heart and found her sitting on a plateau, her feet swaying back and forth over the edge.

“I used to come up here, when I needed absolute quiet and I couldn't sleep. It's nearly impossible for anyone, but me, to get up here. So, it's perfect for solitude.” She explained as he sat beside her.

“How did you die?” Calea asked, curiously.

“Bruce and I didn't like each other, when we first met.” He answered, scanning the horizon in front of them. “We didn't see eye to eye on things. I felt his 'brand of justice' wasn't right and attempted to expose him through my job as a Journalist, at the Daily Planet. Bruce already had an issue with me, being an Alien and Superman, he worried that I would turn and try to take over the world. Like some, dark god.”

Calea snorted and shook her head. “Such is the will of Humans. Always worrying about someone, from Earth or otherwise, wanting to be supreme overlord.” She said dramatically, making Clark laugh.

“It is.” He nodded. “Well, we met up as Batman and Superman and nearly leveled half of the city. While in the process, another Human, Lex Luther, managed to break into a scout ship General Zod crashed and raised a Kryptonian monster, he named, Doomsday.”

“Appropriate, if unoriginal.”

Clark snorted, looking down at his hands. “After Doomsday was unleashed, Bruce and I put aside our dislike for each other, with Diana's help, and worked on trying to stop him together. But, everything we and anyone else did, the creature only grew stronger. Since Luther created him in the Scout Ship's Genesis Chamber and his own blood, it was nearly impossible to kill him without..”

“Kryptonite.” Calea nodded, resting back on her elbows.

“You know about it?” Clark frowned, looking at her surprised.

“I'm well over five thousand years old, Clark Kent.” She teased him. “There aren't many Races and their history I don't know about.”

“I've only been around for thirty-four years. So, you've got all that on me.” He replied, laying back with her. “Have you met any other Kryptonians?”

“You're the third Kryptonian, I've ever met.” She answered, staring up at the stars. “I really liked one of them, Zall-Ba, he was part of the Kryptonian Science Guild. He would come to Selion periodically to confer with our scientists, and my parents would host him.” She smiled, recalling him fondly. “I loved listening to him talk about the different sciences with my father. Such spirited and good natured debates.”

She turned her head and looked at him. “You're the last one, the last Kryptonian?”

“I am.” Clark nodded, solemnly. “It blew up, almost forty years ago now.”

“That really sucks. Have you met any other Kryptonians?”

“Oh yeah.” He laughed, his body shaking. “Zod was a Kryptonian General. He had been exiled from Krypton for trying to do a hostile takeover with the rest of his exiled crew. They wanted to kill me and turn Earth into a new Krypton. So, I..” He sighed and rubbed his face. “I had to kill him. He was the first person, whose life I took, and whose body Luther used to help create Doomsday.”

Calea wiggled her body closer to him. “You see that purplish dot?” She asked, pointing up at the sky.

“Mmhm.” Clark nodded, tilting his head towards hers, as he looked up at it.

“That's Selion.” She smiled at him. “That's my home planet. Now, if you go out a few dots,” she moved her finger across the inky and sparkling sky. “That faint red dot, is the star Krypton used to orbit.”

Clark blinked, his body relaxing as he stared up at that teeny, but beautiful, dot. No one had pointed it out to him before. Then again, there hadn't been anyone around that could point out where his birth planet had once been. Now that Calea had, he felt more grounded to where he was in the world. Now, when he was feeling lost and out of place, he knew where to look to bring himself back.

“Thank you.” He whispered, turning his head to look at her.

“You're welcome.” She smiled at him. “It's nice to be able to see home, even if you can't go back.”

“What scares you about trying to help us stop Steppenwolf?” He asked her, suddenly.

Calea sighed and looked back up at the stars. “I don't know.” She whispered, biting her lip. “Losing myself.”

“Losing yourself, how?” Clark frowned.

“I've fought this dark part of myself that wanted to scour the universe for wherever Steppenwolf went, after his defeat, and kill him in the slowest way possible. I want to kill him in a way that would take him years to die from.” She told him, her face and eyes hardening, as the anger she had kept pent up inside for so long, surfaced.

“I want to punch my hand through his chest and slowly squeeze that black hole heart of his, until it's mush in my palm.” She added, making Clark blink at her. “Sorry.” She cleared her throat, catching the look on his face from the corner of her eye.

“I can't say I blame you.” He replied, giving her a soft expression. “I would want to avenge my parents, if I could, had they died like that.” He empathized with her, his hand touching hers as they rested between them.

“I guess you can say, I'm afraid of losing myself, in the attempt to stop him, and not being able to find myself again.”

Clark bit the inside of his lip and nodded at her, he could understand that. “But, you won't know, until you try.” He pointed out to her. “You have to be willing to make that leap of faith.”

“True.” She sighed, pressing her lips together. “I don't know, Clark. But, I'll think about it.”

The Justice League left that morning, without Calea and Ryder, much to their frustrated and dejected dismay.

“I can't believe we wasted all that time.” Arthur rasped as they all entered the Hall of Justice.

“I totally thought she was going to come with us!” Barry said, who was, as usual, stuffing his face with food. “Doing that 'edgy, hold them in suspense' thing. Telling us, she'd come at the last moment.” He mumbled.

“Well, she didn't.” Bruce grunted, running a hand through his hair. “We need to look to other sources for stopping Steppenwolf, since Calea isn't going to help. Victor, do you have anything?”

“Steppenwolf hasn't activated the Mother Boxes, yet.” Victor answered, pacing the room. “But, it's all a matter of time until he does.”

“Do we have any ideas on where he would take the Boxes to activate them?” Diana asked, looking at him.

“I've been actively searching every place and keeping an ear out for any changes, but so far...” He trailed off.

“Nothing.” Bruce sighed, dropping into a chair and rubbing at his face. “He has to show his hand at some point.”

The team broke off to their own areas to work on various things, Steppenwolf related and otherwise. Victor was searching a globe mainframe and scanning all the possible pathways he could for any sign of Steppenwolf and his Para-Demon. Diana went to the training area of the Hall, needing a distraction, Barry found his way to the kitchen, while Bruce talked to Alfred about Wayne Industries and anything he's found about Steppenwolf, and Clark sat down with his laptop to start working on the article he was supposed to have turned into Parry the next day.

“Guys!” Victor yelled out. “I found something!”

“What is it?” Clark asked, setting his laptop aside and joining the team around Victor.

“There's a huge blip of activity here.” He touched a spot on the map and it blew up between them, showing a flashing red dot. “From the readings I'm getting, it has to have something to do with Steppenwolf and his horde.”

“Where?” Diana asked, getting ready.

“Romania.” Victor replied, heading towards the jet. “I'll fly us there.”

“I'll meet you there.” Clark said, all suited up and heading out.

Clark landed a little distance away from the scene that was swarming with Para-Demons, they were all agitated and flapping around one area of the forest, but Clark couldn't pinpoint what it was they were so frantic to get their hands on. His ear twitched, hearing the sound of the League's jet landing several yards behind him and turned around to join them.

“They're looking for something.” He told them, as they stepped off the jet.

“What more could they possibly be looking for?” Diana frowned. “They have all three of the Mother Boxes.”

“I don't know, but they are whipped up into a frenzy for it.” Clark replied, shaking his head. “Shall we get the bug spray out?” He asked, smirking and making the team chuckle.

“Let's do this.”

The team ran and flew through the trees towards the thicket of Para-Demons. It took a moment for the heavily distracted Para-Demons to notice their guests, but after Clark used his heat vision to melt three in half and Diana sliced through another two, the full intensity of the swarm's focus was on the Justice League and a full blown battle commenced.

Bruce used his grappling gun to grapple a Para-Demon, swinging him in a wide arch and swatting several other Para-Demons out of the air, Arthur stabbing them through with his trident. Barry used his speed to push Para-Demons into Diana's sword or Clark's heat vision. Punching a Para-Demon square through the chest, Clark picked up on a muffled sound and scanned the area around him, identifying the opening of a mining shaft. Glancing at his team, Clark zipped into the mine, finding three miners trapped inside and cornered by a pair of Para-Demons, who were drawn by the thick scent of their fear.

“Hey, bug boy.” Clark called, catching their attention. “That's right.” He smirked.

The Para-Demons screeched at him, dragonfly-like wings beating furiously as they took off at Clark.

“Run!” Clark barked at the miners in Romanian, as he deflected one of the Para-Demons.

Not needing to be told twice, the miners tore out of the mine shaft, like bats out of hell. Clark ducked the clawed swipe of one of the demons and shoved the second away from him, pushing him into one of the mine's support beams. The already strained wood buckled and splintered, before collapsing as the Para-Demon recovered and jumped on Clark's back. He grunted as they gave him a front to back assault, but managed to snap the neck of the Para-Demon in front of him and tossed him away, inadvertently breaking another support beam as he reached behind him to grab the last Para-Demon. The rough dome ceiling groaned and crumbled on top of Clark and the Para-Demon, burying them under a massive amount of stone.

It didn't hurt Clark, a mountain swallowing him whole, but it did stun him. The sudden crash of falling rock ringing in his ears, the screech of the Para-Demon being crushed flat, the vile smell and feel of its radioactive green blood oozing all over the back of his black suit and down the side of his neck; the uncomfortable press of rock crushing him down to the ground. But, what got to Clark, was the pitch black darkness, not even his sensitive eyes and heat vision could penetrate it, he could just barely hear the faint and muffled sound of the rest of the Justice League still fighting at the surface, probably unaware of his current situation.

Had this been four months ago, Clark would have easily blasted his way out of the rubble, through the mountain top and into the clear blue skies above. But, his heart started to race and his chest tightened, panic setting in as his mind flashed back to the dark quiet of death and his coffin. He had only been six feet under the first time he was buried, now, he was easily miles below ground. The team would never find him, he'd be trapped there, forever. He would never see his Ma again, never turn in another piece for the Daily Planet. They would all wonder what had become of Superman and Clark Kent.

Had he left them, tired of being their hero and supposed god?

Had he died all over again?

Or was the supposed resurrection of Superman a complete lie, a hoax to garner who knows what?

There was nothing Clark could do, laying there, paralyzed to run darker and darker scenarios in his mind; breathing hard, chest tight and his heart clenched like a hard hand was wrapped around it. Then, a soft sound came to him, he wasn't sure if it was coming from around him or just in his head, but it was there. So soft he couldn't make it out, but it raced down his spine and crackled throughout his limbs, popping in the base of his brain, clearing away all the anxiety that had been washing over him.

His muscles tensing, Clark rocked through the almost endless feeling layers of rock, bursting out the top of the mountain and taking a deep lungful of fresh air as he did.

“Where have you been?” Arthur asked as Clark landed beside him.

“Rescuing some trapped miners.” He replied, not willing to talk about what truly happened. “Did we discover what they were looking for?”

“No.” Bruce replied, appearing out of the treeline, his suit covered in flakes of Para-Demon blood.

“There has to be something.” Diana added in, looking around for any clues.

“Victor, are you picking up on anything?” Bruce asked, turning towards him.

“Nothing.” Victor answered, shaking his head. “Whatever reason they're here, it must be why Steppenwolf hasn't activated the Unity with the Mother Boxes.”

“It's the only thing that makes sense.” Clark commented, frowning. “Let's go back to the Hall, and compile what we know.” He said, and shot off into the sky.

“What happened to him?” Barry asked, looking around the remaining group.

“No idea.” Bruce rasped, concerned, as he watched Clark disappear.

“Clark, are you all right?” Diana called, opening the door to Clark's room in the sleeping quarters of the Hall of Justice. “Clark.” She called softer, as he jerked and twisted in his bed, trapped in a night terror.

Frowning, Diana rested her hand on his tense back, only for Clark's thick arm to fly out and swat her across the room, and nearly through the wall. Clark rose up, body still tense as he turned to face her, his eyes glowing red hot. Diana tensed, ready to defend herself, but the door flew open and a blur moved past Diana. Grabbing Clark by the shoulders and twisting him around, they ducked, as Clark unleashed the beams of his heat vision, through the bedroom window.

“Clark, wake up!”

“Calea!” Bruce's voice yelled from the door, as he and the others ran in, hearing the commotion. “What are you doing here?”

“Clark, no!” She barked as he turned to him and growled.

Calea grasped Clark's arms tighter as he tried to move towards Bruce, snarling at him. Dropping down to a squat and throwing herself backwards, Calea tossed Clark over her body and through the wall, sending him skidding across the back lawn of the Hall of Justice grounds.

“What are you doing here?” Bruce asked, looking at her astonished.

“Well, I came to tell you, I changed my mind and want to help.” Calea answered, panting. “But, I heard a crash and came to investigate, finding Clark had thrown Diana into a wall and about to mel-” She tried to explain, just as Clark came jetting through the hole his body made and collided with her.

Both of them spiraled through several walls, before Calea was able to gain traction and push back against Clark, slowing him down considerably. Their muscles strained against each other, she groaned and took deep breaths, just barely holding him back, teeth gritted. Releasing enough of her push against him, Calea drove her knee into his stomach, driving him back again, both of them dropping to the floor, feet first.

“Clark, please.” She begged him. “You're having a waking nightmare, Clark. Whatever you're thinking, it isn't real.” She tried to reason with him, holding a hand out to him.

Growling, Clark drew in a deep breath, his bare chest swelling.

“Please, don't do this, Clark.” Calea pleaded with him. “Please, don't do this.”

Clark let out a blast of cold breath, that would have made Antarctica feel like Hawaii. Calea gasped, doubled over to shield herself, her warm breath coming out in a frosty mist. She squeezed her eyes shut and her hands into fists, the lights around the hall, and even out on the street, flickered and blinked rapidly, several bulbs popped and shattered. Calea stood up straight, her eyes glowing bright blue with crackling bolts of electricity around the corners of her eyelids. Bending her arms at the elbows, hands up and her open palms faced out towards Clark, she sent out a strong bubble of energy towards him, stopping the flow of his frosty breath and sent him staggering backwards several steps.

Snapping forward, Calea grabbed Clark by the face, her face and body returning to normal as she whispered his name. “Kal.”

“He won't let me rest.” Clark whimpered, brow creased.

Calea's eyes rose to Bruce as he and the rest of the group stood in one of the gaping holes they left behind. She brought her mouth close to Clark's ear. “I'll let you rest, Kal-El.” She cooed to him, stroking the nape of his neck and hairline.

His arms snaked around her waist and his head dropped heavily on her shoulder, his breathing light and even against the skin of her neck. Bruce and Arthur picked their way through the rubble to help Calea get Clark back to a room that was still all in one piece.

“How did you do that?” Bruce asked, standing next Calea as she sat beside Clark's bed. “You stopped him. You almost matched him.”

“I'm a Prime Selian.” Calea sighed, rubbing her tired face. “It's--” she shook her head, trying to find the words. “It's my people's version of Superman.” She gave in. “A tortoise is always a turtle, but a turtle isn't always a tortoise.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Bruce frowned, shaking his head.

“Prime Selians are always Selians, but Selians aren't always Prime.” She groaned, too tired to give the Human a history lesson. “We never understood what caused it, but some Selians, when they were born, were far more advanced and enhanced the rest of us; stronger, more stamina and endurance, so on. You know your child is a Prime Selian in only one way.” She said, standing up and removing her jacket.

“Their markings.”

A line of blue runes lit up and raced over Calea's arm to her shoulder. Bruce studied them, reaching out and carefully touching them, he could feel the hum of power in them, charging Calea's body up with power; he found it fascinating.

“I am a Royal Prime Selian, which is basically an Alpha, in terms you would understand.”

“What is it that makes you more different?”

“The Royal Blood of Selion is pure.” Calea replied, sitting back down. “Was pure. Not like other Selians that might fall in love and have kids with other Races around the galaxy. There were two Royal houses of Selion, my mother's and my Father's. They were never related, but they would marry one another and have kids.”

“How does that even work?”

Calea laughed. “I matured, when I turned a thousand years old, Mr. Wayne.” She smiled. “I've looked just as you see me now, for the last four thousand years. The 'peak' of our lives, unlike Humans and many other Races, never changes, only we change. Only we decide we no longer wish to produce children. So, my mother's parents, who looked no older than you,” She snorted at him, teasingly. “kept producing children. As did my father's parents, and when a pair of them reached maturity, they would marry and so on.”

Bruce looked blankly at her.

“I know, it's horribly complicated and there's always an easier way, but that's the way they chose to do it. For thousands of years. While still managing to keep track of the line of succession. I was the first Prime Selian, in almost two hundred years, I'm the only female Prime Selian ever known to our history.”

“Not to mention the only Royal one.” He laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

“Especially, then.” She smiled back at him, her eyes drifted back to Clark as he started to fuss in his sleep again.

“I should go.” Bruce said, shifting uncomfortably. “I'd rather him see your face first, than mine. He's less likely to punch it, and I have a mess to clean up.”

“I am sorry about that.” Calea frowned at his back.

“It's all right.” He smiled, turning back to her. “I'm rich, it just looks like a scratch to me.”

Calea snorted as Bruce went out, then slid herself and her chair closer to Clark's bedside. “Hey, you're all right, Clark.” She cooed at him, squeezing his hand and rubbing his forearm. “Whoa!” She gasped, when Clark shot up in bed.

“It was just a dream.”

“Calea?” He gasped and frowned at her, brows furrowed. “What—am I?”

“You're awake and alive.” She smiled at him.

“What happened?” He groaned, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed. “Why are you here?”

“To the latter, I changed my mind and want to help.” She told him, softly. “To the former, you had a night terror.”

“A what?” Clark sighed, shaking his head and glanced around.

“You were having a nightmare, a waking one. You nearly sent Diana through a wall.”

Clark's head snapped back to Calea. “Is she all right?”

“She's fine.” Calea assured him. “Typical Diana and all.”

“I hope I didn't make too much of a mess.”

“Well,” She snorted, looking down at her feet and smirked. “We made a mess.” She replied. “You tried melting her with your heat vision, then you saw Bruce and started after him, so I..uh..threw you out a window.”

“You threw me out a window?”

“You're not that heavy.” She chuckled, brushing her hair behind her ear. “But, you did pay me back for it. I'm not entirely sure how we didn't level the whole building.” She commented glancing around, expecting it to suddenly collapse on top of them.

“Your frost breath is extremely cold, by the way.”

“I'm so sorry.” Clark sighed, raking a hand through his disheveled curls.

“What happened, Clark?” She asked, concerned for him.

Clark rolled his shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck. “We found a swarm of Para-Demons in Romania. They were looking for something, we didn't find what it was they were after. But, a couple of miners got trapped inside a mine by a pair of Para-Demons, so I went into the shaft to save them. I knocked out the support beams and the shaft fell in on me.” He explained to her, his mind flashing back to it.

“It was--” He closed his eyes. “Dark and quiet, cool. Like, when I was dead. I was crushed more by the anxiety of being trapped in another coffin, than I was by the thousands of tons of mountain on top of me. I couldn't move and could barely use any of my powers to free myself, convinced I was going to die there, and no one would find me or care that I was gone.”

“But, you got out.” Calea cooed at him, soothingly.

“Because of something I heard.” He replied, he could still hear it in his mind. “A small sound and all the anxiety went away, allowing me to free myself.”

“You have PTSD.” She replied, lightly.

“I'm an Alien.”

“And?” Calea countered, brows drawn down and eyes wide. “PTSD is a mental and emotional state. Anything capable of thinking and feeling, is more than unfortunate in possibly suffering from it.”

“And you speak from experience.”

“I do.” She nodded. “For a very long time. You said the Para-Demons were looking for something in Romania.” She asked, sensing Clark's need for a change in subject.

“Yes, but we don't know what or why.”

“Hm.” Calea hummed, frowning.

“We think it's why Steppenwolf hasn't unleashed the Mother Boxes yet.” He explained.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

“Not to intrude.” Barry said, a hand pressed over his eyes.

Calea and Clark looked at each other, smirking, and rolled their eyes at him.

“What is it, Barry?” Clark asked, lifting a brow at him.

“Victor has something he wants us all to see.” Barry replied, peeking through his fingers at them.

“We'll meet you down there.” Clark told him, standing up.

“Nice to see you again, Calea.” Barry said, smiling and blushing at her.

“You too, Barry.” She smirked, chuckling as he blushed even harder. “What do you think it is?”

“I'm not sure. But, I am sure, it's related to Steppenwolf.” Clark answered, showing her the way down to the labs.

They joined the rest of the team and saw what it was Victor had to show them. Trapped inside a protective cell and beating its hands against the thick glass, was a Para-Demon. Screeching so loud, that everyone winced. Victor had managed to capture the creature and content it in its current jail. Beams of multi-colored lights scanned all sides of the tube, reading as much information they could about the creature; various monitors flashing and beeping in unison with them.

“You captured a Para-Demon.” Diana said, in disbelief. “How?”

“It wasn't easy, believe me.” Victor replied, smirking at her. “I thought, if we could get our hands on one and run some tests on it, we could find out more about Steppenwolf and his plans.��

“Any luck?” Bruce asked, folding his arms over his chest as he squinted at the creature.

“Nothing so far, my scans just started.”

“I have something that I want to see how it reacts too.” Bruce said, moving over to a work table and picked up a chunky black device. “I found out a few weeks ago, after encountering a Para-Demon on the top of a building in Gotham, there's a high frequency sound that agitates them. It came off a building's security alarm.” He explained, stepping closer to the encapsulated creature with the device.

Bruce flipped the device on and a loud wailing and whirling screech filled the room, making everyone grimace and plug their ears. The Para-Demon screamed along with the siren-like noise, withering in agony as it desperately tried to escape its cell, obviously to no avail. Calea whimpered, her ears felt like they were bleeding. She shook her head, trying to lessen the pain throbbing through her skull, the Para-Demon's screeches pulsed through her brain, making her eyes hurt and blur.

“D-De-” A sketchy and raspy voice clawed at Calea's brain, like scrapping steel wool and red hot pokers. “De-Defas Se-vit.” The words echoed in her skull.

“Defas Sevit.”

“Help me.” Calea whimpered back.

“Defas Miresa.”

“Help us.” She echoed back.

“Calea?” Clark groaned, grasping her arm as she stumbled. “Turning off!” He snapped at Bruce. “Turn the damn thing off!” He hissed, maneuvering Calea into a chair.

Bruce quickly switched the device off, the silence more deafening than the sound it made. They crowded around Calea, Diana sent Barry zooming out for a glass of water, as they tried to make sure she was all right.

“Help me. Help us. Help me. Help us.” Calea kept repeating, pressing her fists to her temples.

“Who, Calea?” Clark frowned, kneeling beside her and shook his head. “Who needs help?”

Calea shook her head hard, trying to dislodge the voice in her head. “I don't know.” She panted, taking the glass from Barry and downing it in one go. “I don't know.” She gasped, pressing her fingertips into her throbbing and watering eyes.

“I don't know.”

“It's all right, just relax.” Clark replied, rubbing her arm.

Victor looked between Calea and the Para-Demon, calculating. “You heard it.” He said, suddenly. “You actually heard the Para-Demon.”

“That's impossible.” Diana shook her head at him.

“There's only one way to find out.” Arthur commented, lifting a brow.

“Absolutely not.” Ryder's voice boomed from the doorway. “You are not putting her through that again.” He hissed.

“I'm starting to wonder if I should just forego the security systems in my buildings.” Bruce sighed, shaking his head.

“How did you find her?”

“It's my job to keep track of her.” Ryder growled, moving over to Calea and checking her out. “Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?” He chided her.

“I don't need your permission to do things, Ryder.” She replied, rolling her eyes and shaking him off.

Standing up, Calea moved to stand in front of the trapped Para-Demon, unflinching as it gnashed its sharp teeth at her, going wild against the tempered glass. She pressed her hands and forehead to the glass.

“Lusnet uda ecto.” She whispered, holding the creature's eyes.

“What is she saying?” Barry asked, looking around the room.

“I can hear you.” Ryder translated. “It's Solean, Ancient Solean, at that.”

The Para-Demon's screeches faltered for a moment, before recovering and going wild again. Sighing, Calea turned around and looked at the group. “Turn it back on.” She said to Bruce. “It's the only way for it to answer me.”

“I don't think this is a good idea.” Diana protested, shaking her head. “We saw what happened the last time we messed with something we didn't understand.”

“Clark nearly wiped the entire planet out.” Arthur agreed.

“Yeah, but as bad as that was, he ended up just fine.” Barry argued.

“Barely.” Victor huffed.

Growling, Calea shot forward and snatched the device from Bruce's hand, turning it back on as she refocused on the Para-Demon. “Let's see what you got to say, bug boy.” She hissed, gritting her teeth against the sound.

“I can hear you. Tell me what you know.”

The Para-Demon shook its head, pressing its back to the other side of the cage. “Help me. Help us.” It hissed in agony.

“How?” Calea whined back, a bubble of pain in the base of her skull made her feel cold. “Tell me!” She yelled, eyes glowing blue.

The air in the lab changed, the hairs on everyone's bodies stood erect and on end, the Para-Demon snapped forward, colliding with the grass in a dull thud, but Calea still didn't move or change, their eyes only the thickness of the glass apart.

“Princess Calea Stormborn of Fallborn.” It spoke in a slurping hiss, that echoed in her mind.

“You know me?”

“Of course, I was once Kulas of Everhaven.”

“You were a Selian.” She let out in a startled gasp.

“We all once were.” He choked, head twisting and jerking to the side with stomach turning crunches. “Steppenwolf's most advanced Para-Demons were all once Selians. He turned us into his most perfect and effective soldiers, as a penalty for not giving over the Boxes.”

“And now, he has them.” Calea sighed, shaking her head. “What is he looking for in Romania?”

“The--” His head smashed against the glass, startling Calea back a step. “My bloo-” He rasped, pounding his forehead against the glass several more times, neon green blood dripping down his ashen face and splattered on the cracking glass. “Will tell you.”

With one more solid smash, the Para-Demon's neck snapped and he felt limp to the bottom of his cage. Ryder snatched the still screaming device out of her hand and smashed it against the wall, ears ringing. Looking around, Calea spotted a small, half empty bottle of Tropicana apple juice and grabbed it, unscrewing the lid and dumping it out on the floor.

“Hey, that was mine!” Barry protested, his mouth dropping open. “Rude.” He pouted.

Calea squatted down and held the empty bottle under the cage, catching the green ooze as it dripped from the grated floor. Almost full, she stood back up, looking at it at half an arm's length, curious how it would tell her anything about what Steppenwolf was searching for Romania. That was so important, it would delay his plans for the Unity of the Mother Boxes.

“Oh, that is so gross.” Barry grimaced, swallowing.

“He said, his blood would tell me what Steppenwolf was looking for.” Calea said, ignoring Barry and still staring at the container of blood.

“We can run it through a couple of my scanners.” Victor said, stepping up to one of the control consoles and hurriedly typed on its keyboard. “Put some of it in right there.” He told Calea, pointing to a centrifuge-like device.

Calea poured some of the Para-Demon's blood into the device's chamber and closed the lid. It started out slow, but eventually spun at a fast rate, the compounds of the blood separating into different chambers and making a variety of glowing lights flash around it and on the monitor in front of Victor.

“There are dozens of isotopes in this creature's blood, some that can't even be identified.” He said, shaking his head. “There's almost zero plasma as well. But, I don't see anything that can be a clue or hint to what Steppenwolf is up to.”

“Whoa!” Arthur snapped, grossed out as Calea touched the bottle to her lips.

“Calea, no!” Ryder barked, but it was too late, she had already started chugging it down. “What have you done!”

“Something stupid, I'm sure.” She replied, smacking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, the thick metallic and bitter taste of the blood on her taste buds.

“This girl's nuts.” Arthur laughed, grinning. “I dig it.”

“Oh.” She groaned and grunted, doubling over as sharp pains spiked through her chest and stomach.

“Stupid in-fucking-deed.” Ryder hissed, resting his hands on her.

“Stop babying me.” Calea hissed back, eyes glowing a blue-green color.

“Oh shit, the blood is affecting her.” Victor gasped, shocked.

“Calea.” Clark panted, watching the change come over her, her body shivering in pain and the blood's affect.

Her mouth fell open and she gasped, eyes going huge. Making a choking noise, Calea's eye rolled into the back of her head and she fell limply to the floor. Clark nearly shoved everyone away from her and picked her up into his arms.

“Her heart is slowing.” He frowned, scanning her.

“She's dying.” Diana whispered, astounded and horrified.

“No.” Clark whimpered, hugging her tight against his body and rocketing out of the Hall.

“Why couldn't he have just used the door?” Bruce groaned, as they glanced up through the massive hole he left behind.

“Where's he taking her?” Ryder demanded, snarling at the League.

“How are we to know?” Arthur huffed back at him. “Aren't you the one that's supposed to be keeping track of her?”

Clark landed in front of Calea's home in the forest, her heart even slower than it was at the Hall. “Hold on, Calea.” He murmured to her, carrying her inside and down the lift to the Sol-Gel chamber.

He carefully laid her down and grabbed the black mask that helped her breathe in the Sol-Gel and put it on her, before gently easing her into the Gel. Clark didn't understand any of the equipment that maintained the whole system of Sol-Gel, so he wasn't at all sure how to make it work, or tell if it was working already. He stood beside the chamber and glanced at the back of his hand, turning it over to look at his palm, an idea striking him. Biting his lip, Clark plunged his hands into the Gel, pushing up the sleeves of Calea's jacket and gripping her bare upper arms, the electric current that always sparked between their skin made the hair all over Clark's body stand and charged the Gel.

Calea's heart suddenly started to beat stronger.

Relieved, she'd be all right, hopefully. Clark pulled away from her, wiping the Gel off of his arms and paced the room. He felt agitated as he moved around the room, touching things, picking them up and putting them back down, trying to calm himself and reassure his nerves that she would be more than fine now that she was back in the protection of the Sol-Gel. But, Clark wasn't completely satisfied or comforted by that fact.

So, he did something that was more than likely, irrational.

It was an amazingly beautiful day in Selion, the native mint sparrows twittering and zooming about, trying to catch flying insects. The rays of the white sun shielded by a few puffy clouds, letting out a pleasant warmth. The air was a buzz with bees lighting on wildflowers, that gave the clear and fresh air an alluring and soothing fragrance.

Calea could feel the soft blades of wild grass under her bare feet and closed her eyes, nothing felt better than being back home, especially when you've been homesick for thousands of years. She paused and dipped her cupped hands into a small babbling stream beside her, lifting them to her lips and took a deep drink, the clean and cold water tasted sweet and refreshing to her taste buds and senses. Glancing around, Calea made her way through the streets towards home and smiled seeing it, shining in the high afternoon sun.

“Mama!” She called out, voice echoing in the grand halls. “Papa?”

She received no answer, but she could hear the echo of voices, and followed it. The sounds led her into the banquet hall and her blood ran cold before she even entered the vast room. A group of hissing and screeching Para-Demons stood menacingly behind, none other than, Steppenwolf. Her mother and father stood in the hall with several of the house's servants cowering on the floor.

“No!” Calea screamed and ran at them, but she skid through them, like a ghost.

“Where are the Boxes!” Steppenwolf growled, pointing his Electro Axe at them.

“We will never tell you!” Her mother, Solea, hissed back at him.

“Oh, I think you will.” Steppenwolf grinned, raising his Axe and striking one of the servants, taking their head clean off. “I will either kill every Selian on this planet or turn them into my Para-Demons, until you tell me where you've sent the Mother Boxes.” He threatened.

“Then, that is what you will do.” Calien replied, standing strong.

Steppenwolf roared in fury and hacked his way through the servants, several turning into Para-Demons, while others had a more fortunate fate in death. He brought in more and more people into the banquet hall, giving the King and Queen countless opportunities to tell him where the Mother Boxes had been sent, but Calien and Solea never budged or spoke up, watching Steppenwolf ravage their people. It wasn't long though, that one of the Selians brought into the Hall spoke up.

“Please, please!” They begged, slipping on the massive puddle of blood covering the floor. “I don't want to die! I have a family! I'll tell you where the Boxes are.”

“Finally, someone with a shed of intelligence.” Steppenwolf smirked. “Tell me where they are.”

“They're no longer on the planet.”

“Adas!” Calien barked, veins bulging in his neck.

“Then, where are they?” Steppenwolf asked, ignoring the enraged King.

“They've been taken off of the planet.” Adas trembled, looking between Calien and Steppenwolf.

“Is that so?” Steppenwolf rasped, eyeing Solea and Calien.

“They've been taken to--”

A scream rang out in the hall and a crackling bolt of electricity struck Adas, his body trembling as the massive surge coursed through him. Calien released the flow of electricity with an exhausted gasp, shoulders slumping as his energy drained. Solea wrapped her arms around her husband, supporting him as Adas's body dropped to the floor; dead. Steppenwolf shoved everyone aside, grabbing Calien by the throat and holding him off the ground.

“I will find everything for my Mother Boxes, with or without your help, Selian.” Steppenwolf rasped, tightening his hand around Calien's throat more and more. “And your planet will be the first of many to crumble.” He said, letting out a rumbling laugh.

“Papa, no!” Calea cried, watching as Steppenwolf killed her father, tears streaming down her face.

Laughing, Steppenwolf turned on his heels and left the hall. Solea cradled Calien's head in her lap, rocking back and forth as she wailed and sobbed. One of the servants crawled across the bloody floor towards her Queen, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and rocking with her, crying into her neck.

“He will never find what he seeks, never.” Solea wept, stoically. “I thank the gods my sweet girl is safe away from this place.”

“What is he looking for?” The Servant asked.

Solea seemingly met Calea's eyes as she answered the question.

Ryder barged into the house with Bruce and Diana, it was the only conceivable place for Clark to take Calea in the condition she was in when he took her from the Hall of Justice. The ride down in the lift felt longer than the flight from Gotham, and their mouths dropped open, when they finally got off the lift.

“He's taken the Sol-Gel Chamber.” Ryder growled, picking up a chair and sent it crashing into a wall. “He's not only taken Calea with her life in danger, he's stolen the Sol-Gel. Where could have gone with them?” He hissed, getting into Bruce's face.

“I don't know!” Bruce snapped, taking a step back.

“Ryder, calm down.” Diana sighed, pressing her hand against his chest. “If Clark has taken the Chamber, then it means he's put Calea in it, to try and save her.”

“How!” Ryder roared, face beet red. “All the equipment that controls the Gel is still here and even if it wasn't, he doesn't know how to use it.”

“Clark wouldn't do anything to harm or endanger her.” Bruce growled at him, offended by Ryder's disrespect of his friend.

“Oh yeah?” He replied, throwing his arms out and motioning around the room. “The one place she was the safest, he's taken her from.”

“We'll find them.” Diana told him, trying to cool off the situation before Bruce and Ryder came to blows.

-- Part III --

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