Never Say Goodbye

Chapter 5: Green Eyes & Conflicts

The next few days passed by quickly. Between Raya’s shocking arrival to the emergence of another zoner, Clark managed to stay busy.

Baern, the latest zoner, fed off radioactive energy. Clark managed to stop him but before he could, Raya ended up sacrificing her life to protect him. He could just be grateful that the young boy, the zoner possessed was okay.

However, Raya’s death hit him hard. His mom hadn’t been around when the situation was going on but he made sure to fill her in the minute she returned.

“Raya sounds like an amazing woman.” Martha commented, as the two of them took a walk.

“I wish you could have met her.” Clark said wistfully. “She loved this place, this whole world. She barely had enough time to discover it, before she gave her life to protect it.”

“Clark . . .,” his mother started.

But Clark cut her off. “Mom, I know how much you love me and how much dad . . .,” he couldn’t bring himself to finish that sentence. “But I've always felt different. Because I am. And Raya was the first person I ever met who could really understand that. And I don't think I ever really thought about what I'd lost . . . a family, a whole race of people who were just like me.”

His voice took on a determined edge. “For the first time, I'm ready to stop running from who I really am. From my destiny.”

“Your training with Jor-El,” Martha said, “You want to go?”

Clark nodded. “But I can't, not yet. Not until every prisoner that I released from the Phantom Zone is returned . . . or destroyed.”

His mother didn’t say anything and the walk home was silent. What he loved about his mother was that she was always there when he wanted to talk but seemed to understand when he needed his space.

After getting home, Clark headed straight for his loft. He felt safe there and it was the one place he could be alone and reflect. At least he hadn’t seen Oliver in a while, he couldn’t handle another encounter with the older man.

He was deep in thought, privately mourning Raya’s death, regretting the short amount of time he had with her. But he also was filled with a new resolve- he had to rebuild the Fortress. If not for anything else, he would do it for Raya.

It was when he was in the middle of making plans to go see Jor-El and check out the Arctic castle when he heard that voice coming from the steps.

“Clark.” His name yet from the person it was coming from, it seemed so much more meaningful. He turned and saw the one person he didn’t want to see that night. Oliver.

He gave the blonde a small smile. “Hey, Oliver.”

“Saw the light on.” Oliver said, taking a few steps toward him. “I was in the area and thought I would stop by. I had to talk to your mom but I finished with that and now I just came up to say hi.”

“Oh.” Clark replied, not knowing what else to say. Truth be told he wasn’t really in the mood for anyone’s company, least of all Oliver’s. Nevertheless, he scooted over so Oliver could sit next to him on the couch.

“So what’s new?” Oliver asked, trying to fill the now awkward silence.

“Nothing really,” Clark replied and were they making small talk? “How about you? Everything going alright?”

“Yeah,” Oliver said, nodding, “Business is going good, my other job . . . is working out and Lois and I are doing fine too.” Clark gave him a smile at this but he felt as if tiny needles were prickling at his heart, which was silly but he couldn’t shake the jealousy.