The Not Quite Justice League in... The Bee's Pleas!!!

[stands_for_hope]

[continued from here]

Finishing his article, clearing everything with Keith, those things took time. That was why it took a few hours before Clark was ready to make his usual call to Lois that night. He had worried that he might not make the time window that she cleared every day to talk to him and the others, but he was proud to say that he'd left himself an even half an hour as long as everything was to schedule.

After the fifth time she didn't pick up (didn't so much as text or ping him), it became clear that things were very much off schedule.

Clark made his way back to the main floor where everyone seemed to congregate and headed straight for Tony, holding up the phone to him.

"I know we're all tired and we've certainly had a long day, but... can you find out where Lois's phone is from the number here?"

In all the madness of the day, all the fighting and the close calls and the weakness brought on by the proximity of kryptonite, he'd lost track of her heartbeat. Usually, it was simple enough to pick up over the phone once again, a steady pulse that he could find his way back to once the phonecall had ended.

He couldn't hear her. He couldn't tell where she was. And she wasn't answering her phone. She always answered her phone. He didn't want to think anything was wrong, but he wasn't naive enough to discount something like this. Not after today. Not after they'd pulled out kryptonite weapons.

Comments

[secondtry]

"Mmh..." He gathered Sandy close again, curling around him just a little to murmur, "That's part of what amazes me about you. 'Cause... 'Cause Karr was locked up like you. Awake, but not able to tell anyone, but he ended up..."

Twisted. Warped. Willing to twist and warp anyone he came in contact with, and break them to be his, the way Mike had been.

"And you... You're so different."

[granularity]

"I was lucky. Wes made a mistake, but overall, he was a very good man," Sandy explained. He leaned into the embrace, happy to allow Mike to hold him.

[secondtry]

"The people who made Karr were good people. I... just think that you were so different from Karr going in..." And here was the difference. He smiled, gave him a gentle squeeze. "Just proof, I guess, that I'll always get along better with silicon than with carbon."

[granularity]

"I wanted to be a hero from as soon as I was old enough to think about it," he admitted, leaning back against Mike, tipping his head up to smile at him. "I worked like a loon, exercising and boxing, learning all kinds of information so I could be helpful. I was... well, I was the first kid sidekick. And, for the longest time, the last."

He tipped his head to nuzzle a little against Mike.

"I guess I always wanted to make things better for people. It started that simple and... it's kind of stayed that simple, for me at least."

[secondtry]

"Mm... And here, all I ever really wanted was to survive," he sighed, kissing the corner of Sandy's smile. "That's as far as my thoughts ever went. Survival."

And then, with a laugh, he shook his head. "That makes me sound so pathetic. Like I grew up in some war-torn country, afraid of bombs falling on my head..."

[granularity]

Sandy reached up and stroked his cheek with one hand.

"There's a lot of ways to make a home unsafe for a child," he said, running his thumb across Mike's cheekbone. "And unsafe is unsafe. The fact that you made it... I'm grateful. And proud."

[secondtry]

"Worst part?" He laughed weakly. "Right when it was looking like she and I could actually... reconcile a little? Some guys shot her right in front of me."

[granularity]

Sandy slipped an arm against the bedding, up and around to hold Mike in return.

"I'm sorry. So very sorry."

Though there was a chance it could still be possible. He'd have to discuss the matter with Kent, see if he'd be willing to look into the spirit realm, see if Mike's mother was around and interested in seeing her son. Once he knew what was possible, he'd see how Mike felt about it, but it was best not to even mention it. Something to keep in mind.

[secondtry]

But he shook his head. "It's okay. Mom... still remembered me like I was. She never knew me as I am now, and if she did, she... she wouldn't like it."

Nobody liked it. ...Except Kitt and Sandy. All the more reason to stay with them.

[granularity]

"If there's one thing I learned over the years, it's that no matter how you change or how odd you think you are, there's always someone out there you'll fit with. Sometimes, a few someones."

He leaned up against Mike.

"There's nothing wrong with family you choose."

[secondtry]

"That's..." He smiled. "That's why I have Kitt. And you. And why I ... I want to reconcile with my father. I wished for him so much when I was little, and he's... Seriously, talk to him sometime. He's a ray of sunshine."

And the thought made him smile. Made him laugh. "I... He's too good."

[granularity]

"You're good too," Sandy said as he looked at Mike, met his eyes, meant every word.

"I'm sure we'll get to know each other, your father and I. I plan to stick around."

[secondtry]

"Just wait 'til he starts asking your intentions toward me." Mike raised an eyebrow in Sandy's direction before breaking out in a smile. "There's a lot of him I like. It's... just kind of hard for me to believe anybody's going to stay."

The smile faltered. Fell. And he shrugged.

[granularity]

"That's why I aim to prove it," he said, and if there was any worry in his face, it was for Mike, not his doubts. For the pain they caused them, not that he had them. They were understandable. And Sandy wouldn't belittle them by trying to say the right thing.

He'd prove it. He'd live it.

Wes had told him to let himself be open, to let himself find happiness. Wes had told him when he had, he'd best not let go. He didn't intend to.

Like he'd said: Wes had been a pretty good mentor for the most part.

[secondtry]

"I'm gonna show you into the Kitt-cave sometime. Four-story shaft, straight down, underneath a hangar. Should be easy for you to find." He grinned. "Especially since it's in an empty part of town. It'll be great, sneaking my boyfriend in."

A light squeeze to Sandy's waist and he teased, "It'll be like being a teenager again, only better."

[granularity]

"If it's underground, I can probably get there pretty easily. There's a reason I tend to do recon."

He leaned up for a kiss.

"If I didn't mind missing a minute with you, I'd say I should try and find it on my own. After all, I've got pretty good incentive."

[secondtry]

"Mmmm..." Smiling, he leaned in and kissed him, slow and warm. "We might have to switch back and forth between the cars on the way out there. My dad's Kitt is actually faster than mine, but he gets bored easier."

[granularity]

"We'll figure it out," and he was content to start the kissing again. The kissing wasn't nearly as complicated.

[secondtry]

And with a contented sigh, he happily sank back into it, feeling... warmer. More relaxed. Easier. This was what he wanted. And he'd work to keep it.

[granularity]

"You should know," he said softly, in between kisses, "I'm... due another nightmare tonight."

[secondtry]

"S'okay," Mike murmured. "Anything special we need to do?"

[granularity]

He looked over at Mike.

"If I leave... it's because the dream told me something I have to go do. Something like what brought me here. I'll be back as soon as possible, or I'll let you know what's going on so we can meet back up."

He took Mike's hand.

"I'm not trying to get away from you."

[secondtry]

He threaded his fingers with Sandy's and brought them up to his lips to kiss. "Okay. Leave me an email or something if you're gonna be gone for a while. ...I'll give you my phone address."

[granularity]

His lips quirked in a lopsided smile.

"Hopefully, it'll be something I can call Alan about and let him handle it. I've... pretty much done nothing but build up vacation time since I came back from that trip I mentioned."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, holding it out for Mike.

"Before we forget. Load anything you can think of in there."

[secondtry]

Mike took it - and then pressed a finger into his ear before saying, "Hey, hot stuff, got a phone in my hand. Put my stuff on it, please? You know I can't remember all those numbers." And a few seconds later, after the phone's screen had moved between address books and contact lists faster than a human could manage, he said, "Perfect as always. Thank you."

And he clicked his earwig off, holding Sandy's phone back toward him. "And here you go, sexy."