Two days later Clark sat in the living room of the Kent farm with his parents and Larry.
"I'll tell you what Barry and Emil have worked out. "We're going to return Faora and Non to the Phantom Zone and seal the breaches caused by the Maelstroms. Emil now believes the storms came from the Phantom Zone, but he doesn't know how." Clark was resigned, and Martha patted his hand.
"That's good, isn't it? Maybe you can go back to Earth1 then?
Clark shook his head. "No, Ma, all the breaches will be sealed, or this won't work."
"Can you go back before they're sealed?"
"I have to be here to seal them. What I tell you now is confidential. Top secret."
Martha, Jonathan, and Larry nodded.
"Emil will need a Kryptonian to close the breaches, which is apparently how Zod somehow accessed them during the storms."
"Yeah," said Martha.
Clark was silent, then said, "Emil and Barry will use gold Kryptonite to power the seals. They calling the procedure Operation Close Sesame."
Jonathan said, "Gold kryptonite will remove your super abilities permanently, won't it?"
Clark looked at his father. "Yes, Pa. I'll be a man, not a superman."
Larry said, "Can't I do it? Then maybe I can go to Kandor." The teen's face fell, and he watched his brother, wanting to help him.
"No, Larry, it has to be a full-strength Kryptonian. Kara was weakened by green kryptonite, and is recuperating at the Lab. I'm back to full ability, and I'm the only one who can do it."
"Clark," said Larry, and fell silent.
"When is Close Sesame going to happen?" Martha asked.
"Tomorrow," said Clark.
"What can we do to help?" Marth asked.
"Afterwards, I'd like to move back to Smallville for a while," said Clark. "Maybe permanently. Perry White said I can work remotely, writing my column, maybe some editing. I've got another novel in mind."
"Clark, this is your home. We'd love to have you," said Martha.
"You're always welcome here, son," said Jonathan. The family talked, making plans for the future, and taking a long walk around the farm before Clark left.
He hugged his parents and his brother. "Larry, you're a good kid. I'm very glad you're my brother."
"I'm here as long as you need me, Clark," said Larry, hugging Clark again. "I'll see you soon, right?"
"Right. I love you all." Clark stepped back, shifted into his Superman suit, and with a rush of air, was beyond the horizon.
*
The next morning Clark, as Superman, entered the facility that housed the equipment that would seal the breaches in the Phantom Zone. The small piece of gold Kryptonite that would power the machinery, and remove Clark's super abilities, rested in a sealed box that blocked its radiation, harmless to everyone but Kryptonians.
Clark sipped coffee from the cafeteria and said, "I won't miss the coffee here, for sure."
"Really?" said Emil. "You don't like that wonderful brew?"
Clark laughed. "It's better than the coffee in the lounge, at any rate."
Kara Zor-El came in. She was on the mend but still pale and shaky from her exposure to green kryptonite. She hugged Clark hard, and held him for a minute. "I wish I could do more," she said.
"You will," Clark said. "Earth will need you after this."
"I'll be here," she said.
"Time," said Barry.
Clark threw his cup in the trash and walked onto the machinery platform. Kara retreated into an observation room to prevent exposure to gold kryptonite. Barry and Emil began the procedure.
"Gold kryptonite in the fuel tank," said Emil.
Barry moved the rock to the tank where it would power the machinery.
"Power," said Emil.
"On, 25 percent," said Barry.
"Kal, how do you feel," said Emil, watching a gauge.
"Same," said Clark-Kal-El.
"Power check," said Emil.
Barry and Kara watched gauges, Superman, the machinery.
"Power check," said Emil.
"Ninety-five percent," said Barry.
Clark took a deep breath. Operation Close Sesame was underway.
"Power check," said Emil.
"One-hundred percent," said Barry.
"Charge," said Emil.
"Charge full," said Barry.
"Fire on countdown of three," said Emil. "Three, two, one, fire."
Barry opened a control and pushed the button. "Fire." The platform vibrated, the room glowed gold, and returned to normal.
No one spoke. Clark looked around.
Barry said, "How are you, Kal?"
"Alright, but I can't fly. Did it work?
Emil checked gauges and monitors. "Yes. Operation Sesame is a success. The Zone is closed again." No one cheered the success of Operation Close Sesame.
*
Clark watched the news that night in his apartment on Clinton Street. Spaghetti and meatballs sat untouched on the plate and coffee, better that that of the Lab cafeteria, was cold. Several news anchors reported the disappearance of Superman, believed to be dead, in ending access between the Phantom Zone and Earth. Zod was no longer a threat.
Interviews with politicians, superheroes and ordinary people were aired where they gave their thoughts on the loss of Superman. Most of them mourned him, and praised his heroism. Mayor Luther came on Galaxy News, interviewed by Lois, praising the late Kryptonian, a thin veneer over his satisfaction. Lois seemed drained, but did her job stoically.
Clark left for Smallville the next morning, on a regular jet. He felt out-of-place, but not disoriented. This is your life now, Clark. Learn to like it. An average, ordinary life. So many people, like Lexy and Ma and Pa, have this only, and are happy. Lexy, I hope you're happy, beloved. He looked out the window, at the familiar sight of Earth below, with its roads, fields, and cities for a while, then closed his eyes and slept.
*
Lexy ate a tasteless dinner, aware of the empty place where Clark used to sit. She cleaned the kitchen, and went out. She walked for a while, then took a bus across town to a bookstore with a large selection of comics. She rooted through the offerings. One cover showed Superman flying with Lois in his arms. She winced and put it back.
Clark had carried her to the ambulance in Midtown Park when she transported there, but they had never flown together. She wondered what flying with him might be like, but actually missed walking hand in hand with him in the city, or sitting next to him as he worked on his novel while she read. She wanted to hear his footsteps in the apartment, and listen to his day, his ordinary life as Clark, and his activities as Superman.
She bought several comics, including some featuring the Justice League, one with Batman, another with Lois, Clark and a child. She returned home and read the comics, but couldn't remember what she read. The stories weren't quite the Clark she loved, and Lois wasn't the Lois she knew. The Kents were dead in this version, and there was no Larry. She put the comics away and went to bed, tossing and turning.
Lexy worked hard then next day, trying to get tired so she'd go to sleep early. At least she didn't miss Clark when she slept. At quitting time, she met Pris and Dex and a few of their friends, lawyers, managers and junior partners. One of the junior partners smiled at her. Pris said, "We're going out for drinks. Please take Bootsie to the vet tomorrow to have his bad nail removed. You can pick him up Monday."
"Sure." Lexy said. She'd have liked to join them for drinks, talk to the smiling junior partner, anything to get her mind off Clark, but the partners, lawyers, and management considered socializing with an office staff breaking ranks, unless the person was very attractive or rich. Pris had always considered her friends a cut or two above Lexy. "See you Monday." She walked to the elevators.
She heard Dex say something about her joining them, but Pris said, "She misses that guy she brought back. He went back where he came from. She's just needs time alone to get over it." The elevator door opened, Lexy got on, and pushed the button for the lobby.
*
Clark spent a week in Smallville, working on the farm, helping Larry as his abilities began to develop, waxing and waning erratically. Buttercup, the goat, followed the boy around the farm. Clark had had dogs, but Larry seemed happy with the goat. Clark spent evenings working on his novel, playing cards and games with the Kents and Larry, and talking about whatever came to mind. He went into Smallville, walking the streets of the town he grown up in.
STAR Labs wanted to keep Larry longer, and the Kents were happy to keep him. Larry was thrilled. He started Smallville High School, repeating his sophomore year to catch up on classes. Jonathan drove Clark to the airport in Dodge the next day.