Chapter 45: All Good Things

“Why the gloomy face, sis?”

Megan looked up from her phone. Kevin was standing in the door to the family room, munching on a cookie.

“I just got a call from Kara.”

“So?” asked Kevin. He headed towards the TV to turn on his Xbox.

“She and her parents plan to head back to their dimension, or whatever it is, this week. Maybe on Monday.”

Kevin stopped and stood still for a moment. “Oh.” He stared at the cookie as if he weren’t sure what to do with it.

“I wish she could stay longer. I mean, I wish she could stay forever, but I know she wants to go home to the rest of her family and her friends, and not have everyone know she’s Supergirl. I just wish…”

Kevin was subdued. “Yeah.”

Megan looked sorrowfully at her brother. “Kevin… I’m sorry.”

He looked back, surprised. “You figured it out?”

Megan rolled her eyes. “Duh.” She sighed. “I’m sorry she doesn’t like you that way. At least we all got to be friends with her while she was here.”

“I guess.” He’d known, but kind of hoped he was wrong.

“Anyway, she’s going into school on Monday with her parents, and they have to get Emily and Caitlin straightened out. But after that they’re going home. From our garage, I guess, unless Mr. Kent moves their time machine thingy.”

Kevin nodded.

“You know, it’s exciting that she’s a real live superhero and comes from another planet in another dimension and everything, but,” Megan’s face clouded, “I think I’d miss her just as much if she was just a normal girl who grew up in Milford and moved away.” Tears started to trickle down her cheeks. “We won’t even be able to call each other, or write.”

Kevin sat down heavily in a chair. He sat in silence as his sister wept quietly.

• • •


“We have to leave Delaware?” asked Caitlin plaintively. “I’ve lived here my whole life.”

“I’m sorry, honey,” sighed Emily. “There are a very limited number of places we can go. It has to be a city able to handle the press and the security, and there has to be a hospital willing to hire me.”

“Can’t we live in Wilmington? I liked Wilmington!”

Emily shook her head. “Unfortunately not. There isn’t a job there for me, and the police department says they don’t have the budget to deal with us.” She shrugged. “Apparently we’re ‘high profile VIPs.’” She made air quotes.

Caitlin folded her arms. “So where can we live?”

“Mr. Douglas says they have situations lined up in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington. Boston is a possibility; they’re still looking into it.”

Caitlin looked doubtful. “New York and L.A. are huge, aren’t they?”

Emily nodded. “Yes, but large cities can be lots of fun. Seattle isn’t as big as New York or L.A., but I liked it there. New York, L.A., and D.C. all have tons of things to do. The weather in California is really nice, too.”

Caitlin looked to Lois and Clark. “How about Metropolis? Is it a big city, too?”

Clark nodded. “Yes, it’s only a little smaller than New York or L.A. Nearly eleven million people.”

“But is it… weird?” asked Caitlin.

“‘Weird’?” echoed Lois.

“You know… giant robots rampaging and destroying buildings, mutant creatures running through the streets, supervillains poisoning the water supply?” She shivered.

Lois raised an eyebrow. “You have a vivid imagination.”

Clark shook his head. “Nothing like that, though I won’t deny that once in a while… unusual things might happen,” he admitted. “Crazy people do come after Superman occasionally. And the first few years, there were threats to the city as a whole, but the last incident like that was years and years ago.”

Lois spread her hands. “If Metropolis were that dangerous people would be leaving in droves. No one would want to raise their kids there. It’s actually considered one of the nicest places to live on the East Coast.”

Caitlin tilted her head and thought about that.

“I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” agreed Clark, “but if you come with us you don’t have to live in Metropolis. There’s New York, L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and lots of other cities and towns. Even Wilmington.”

Lois added, “Though if you’re worried about Metropolis, I’d steer clear of Gotham City.”

Clark protested, “It’s gotten a lot better, honey.” Lois just smirked.

“I wish we were just anonymous again; then we could live anywhere,” said Caitlin wistfully. “I hate people watching every single thing we do. I hate feeling like a zoo exhibit.”

“Some celebrities manage to lead pretty private lives,” argued Emily. “Look at Neil Armstrong.”

“Neil Armstrong doesn’t have to go to school,” countered Caitlin. “And I want to have friends, and not worry whether the things I tell them will wind up on TV, like what Sandy did. I don’t want to feel like a prisoner in my own home. I don’t want to have a bodyguard with me everywhere I go, even if they’re really nice like ours. I don’t want to have a bodyguard on my first date!” She was sniffling. “I really don’t want to live like this. And we will, won’t we? No matter where we move, we’ll have to live like this?” Lois and Clark looked on sympathetically.

“Yes,” sighed Emily as she put her arms around Caitlin. “Yes. Things may calm down some in a few years, but we’ll need security for the rest of our lives.”

“Maybe we should go with Kara and her parents?” wondered Caitlin. “Maybe that would be easier?”

“If we do, we’ll be anonymous again, but… it’s not our world. I don’t know how different it is. I worry we’d have trouble adjusting.” She looked to Lois and Clark. “Does it seem different to you? Our world? Does it seem weird, uncomfortable? Could you live here?”

Clark squinted in thought. “Aside from the fictional person thing, nothing stands out, but we’ve only been here a few days and we haven’t done much research.” He turned to Lois. “Honey?”

“Well, your political situation is worse, the press has serious issues, and I’ve noticed a few other minor differences.” She folded her arms. “But as Clark said, we’ve only been here a few days. What about Kara? She’s been here almost two months.”

Emily frowned. “She was homesick, of course, but she didn’t mention anything else. Then again, kids are pretty adaptable.”

“Is there anything in particular you’re worried about?” asked Clark.

Emily hesitated. “Well… maybe I’m just being silly, but I’m really worried about… history. Culture. Kara says we have things in common, but I’m wondering if we’ll get there, then realize we’ve lost some part of ourselves forever. I don’t know, like… what if I realized I could never read Steinbeck again… or Jane Austen… or Tolkien? Or watch Shakespeare, or Singin’ in the Rain, or hear Beethoven’s symphonies or the Beatles? I’d be heartbroken.” Lois was nodding thoughtfully.

Clark leaned forward. “No… I don’t think that’s silly at all. There’s a book… To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. I’d be heartbroken if I could never read it again.”

“We have it, and a movie version with Gregory Peck.”

“Us too. And everything else you mentioned; we’ve got all ten Beethoven symphonies—“

Emily blinked. ‘Ten’?

“—but you’re right, there could well be things you love that we don’t have.” Clark shrugged. “After all, we don’t have Superman movies or comics. At least not the kind you have here.”

Emily nodded, deep in thought. She hoped that was all, but there was only one way to find out. “You really think you can set us up with new lives in Metropolis? You think we’ll be all right?”

“I think so,” said Clark. “Regardless, I promise we’ll bring you back here if that’s what you want. I wouldn’t feel right taking you with us otherwise.”

Emily put an arm around Caitlin again, and pulled her close. She thought about all the stress they’d been under, especially Caitlin. She thought about living the rest of their lives this way. Though lots of celebrities did it, lots of celebrities self-destructed, too.

Moving to Metropolis would be like emigrating to a new country as a refugee. That was a story as old as humanity. Often, though, refugees had to leave things behind in exchange for a better life. Sometimes that was painful.

Emily didn’t know how hard it would be for her, but she was pretty sure Caitlin would be fine. It would be far better for her little sister than staying here. And they did have a way back if it didn’t work out. “What do you think, sweetie?”

Caitlin bit her lip. “I think… Wait!” She sat up straight. “Do you guys have baseball?”

“Of course we have baseball,” said Lois. “Though with the Meteors and the Monarchs both eliminated from the playoffs this year, some people in Metropolis might dispute that.”

Caitlin nodded uncertainly. “Then… I think… I’d like to go. At least try it out?” She looked up at Emily, questioning.

Emily stared off into space for a minute, then nodded slowly. “Yes… I think so. If you’re sure you don’t mind, Lois, Clark, I think we’d like to take you up on your offer.” She closed her eyes momentarily. “We’ll give Metropolis a try.”

• • •


Kara looked up as her parents entered her room. She’d wanted to be in on the discussion, but Mom had gently explained that the Jordans were already going to have a hard enough time deciding without her in the room influencing them.

So she’d sat upstairs and waited, and cried for the good friends she already knew would be left behind. Emily and Caitlin weren’t friends: they were family, and saying goodbye to them forever would break her heart.

Mom smiled sadly. “Emily and Caitlin are coming home with us, honey.”

“Oh,” said Kara, and looked down, overwhelmed by her feelings.

Her parents looked at each other, then sat on either side of her on the bed. Mom stroked her hair. “I thought you’d be happy about that.”

Kara looked up. “I guess. I mean I am. I mean, I’m really glad I’ll get to see them, but I feel like I totally wrecked their lives. It’s my fault they have to come with us.”

Mom pulled Kara into her embrace. “It isn’t your fault, sweetheart.”

“But if I hadn’t become Supergirl…”

“You all did what you had to. As much as I hate to admit it, Emily did what I would have done.”

Dad reached over and put his hand on Kara’s shoulder. “I don’t think anyone’s happy with how it turned out, sweetie, but they don’t regret taking you in, or letting you do what you needed to.”

Kara pondered that. “Do you think they’ll be happy back home?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Dad, “but we’ll do our best to help them adapt. And we’ll bring them back here if that’s what they want.” He hesitated. “About going home…”

Kara looked up, questioning.

“The reason they’re coming with us is to get away from the public attention. You know that when we go home, the family secret is a secret again, right? Not even Laura can know.”

Kara hadn’t thought about that, but rolled her eyes anyway. “I know, Dad. I won’t tell anyone, or give it away.” A thought struck her. “What are we going to do about Supergirl?”

Mom exchanged glances with Dad. “Sweetheart, we don’t know what’s going to happen to your powers when we go home. You may keep them, or you may be like Jordy and your father and get them back gradually. Even if you keep them Dad and I would rather you spend your time being yourself instead of Supergirl. You need to focus on school, and making friends, and having fun, and growing up.”

“Yeah,” said Kara, crestfallen. “I just got to like helping people, is all.”

Her mother smiled knowingly at her father.

Dad squeezed Kara’s shoulder. “We know it’s hard to turn your back on that. We’re just not sure how you can do it in a way that’s good for you. And there’s your brother, too; if we allowed you to be Supergirl, we’d have to allow him to help. He’s been asking us to let him help since… well… since he was your age. We are thinking about it.”

“OK.” At least they were thinking about it.

Kara was silent for a while, and her thoughts drifted back to where they were before her parents came in. “Dad?”

“Yes, Kara?”

“Am I ever going to see Bailey, Megan, or Kevin again?”

“Is that why I heard you crying earlier?” Kara nodded. “I don’t know, sweetheart. Traveling here is dangerous, but not impossible. We can’t come here very often, that’s for sure. It’s like having friends on the other side of the world. You can get there but it’s hard.”

“Not for you, Flyboy. Two minutes, tops.”

“OK, it’s a bad analogy for those of us who can fly. You know what I mean.”

“And there’s no way to talk to them or email or anything, either?”

“Not that I know of. We can ask Mr. Wells when we get home.”

“I’m sorry, honey,” said Mom, hugging Kara tight.

“I’ll miss them so much,” sniffled Kara. “Why do all my friends have to go away? First Jessica Loeb moved and now I’m losing my friends here. At least I can talk to Jessica.”

“You’ve had bad luck, sweetie,” said Mom. “I’m so sorry. I’m sure you’ll make friends at Larson. You’ve only been there a couple of months.”

Kara realized with a start that the time that had passed here hadn’t passed back home. She’d be returning right to when she left, or nearly. Speaking of which… “Not if Paige has anything to say about it.”

Mom pulled back and smiled. “Does Supergirl really need to worry about the likes of Paige McArthur?”

Kara thought that over. “Supergirl doesn’t, but I might have to.”

• • •


Kara ended her tenure at Milford Middle School by doing something she hadn’t done in weeks: walking to school. This time it was with her parents.

Mr. Douglas had officially released her back into their custody. The government felt that with Superman there, Secret Service protection was no longer needed.

Even though it was on the outskirts of town the government house was only about a mile from the school. They slipped out the back door and under the noses of the press, zipping past them too fast to be spotted.

Her parents had borrowed some slightly nicer clothes, feeling that visiting her school in outdoor clothing was inappropriate. Her dad had on a sports jacket but no tie, and her mom slacks and a nice blouse.

The walk gave Kara plenty of time to reflect on the weekend just past. There hadn’t been much needed in the way of preparation to go home, as Kara wasn’t planning to take any of the things the government had given her. She didn’t have any idea what they were going to do with all of it.

Emily and Caitlin had paid a last visit to their father’s grave, and returned quiet and red-eyed. They weren’t bringing much either, since they hadn’t had much to begin with and there was little room in the time machine for luggage. The most important cargo was their small collection of memorabilia.

Mom had spent Sunday writing an editorial about the problems she and Dad saw in this world’s press. She had no idea if it would do any good, but as always if she saw something she felt was wrong she had to write about it. It was to be published in several major papers worldwide after they left.

Dad had spent part of Sunday helping out as Superman. The flooding in Thailand was mostly under control already but they were grateful for his assistance. He’d traveled around the globe, looking for opportunities to help, performing rescues and stopping crimes.

He’d asked Kara if she wanted to come with him and observe, but she’d passed on her last chance to be Supergirl in this world to spend the day with her friends.

To her surprise, there’d been laughter to go with the tears: they’d managed to have some fun, reminiscing over the nine weeks they’d spent together. Megan in particular had been upbeat. Kara would see them one last time after school when they left in the time machine, though no one else knew that. They hadn’t shared its location with anyone, including the government.

By the time they arrived at school the press had found them out; cameras flashed as they walked up the school steps. They were early, so the school was mostly empty as they walked the halls to the office.

Kara would miss this place. She had no second thoughts about going home, but still wished she could go to school here instead of Larson. Wizard Howl’s magic door would be just the ticket.

• • •