Hatred and anger surged through Superman as he fell to his knees in horror. He felt the others trying to pull him back, to make him run. 

But he didn't want to run. He just wanted Kara back.

******

When Superman arrived on Earth, there was nothing for him. Sure he grew up on a farm, but he never felt like he had anything real to connect him to who he was. He remembered growing up alone in a whirlwind of emotions that he could never truly understand. He was constantly moved from school to school to compensate for his differences with the other students and his isolation only grew worse when the one father figure he had, died. 

Autumn was the season of change, and for Clark, change never came easy. He couldn't let go of what he had and he could never start anything he didn't understand. The fall was when Jonathan Kent passed, and for the coming years, the bright leaves would forever be dimmer. 

But Clark was an adult now, and memories of his childhood were locked away. He tried to forget the illusions of his past, but autumn was near again, and the chilly fall air had a death grip wrapped around his impenetrable skin. A winter like frost scratched at him with a blizzardy swiftness as the farm air he knew began to smell more and more like Ma's special apple pie.

Clark had come to visit Smallville on his free weekend. He knew he was a hero. He knew that heroes didn't get breaks. He knew that the press would scold him for being gone for one day and he knew that the people might not forgive him this time.

But Clark didn't care.

He sat on the icy porch steps gazing at the dirt road that led to the highway to town. He began to feel emotions he didn't even remember he had. A giant hole was beginning to bloom inside Clark's chest and he didn't know how to make it stop growing. The hole was eating him from the inside and weighed down his consciousness. The only thing Clark knew was that he was the last of his kind and no one could help him. He was alone, abandoned, and forgotten. Not to mention Jonathan was nowhere to be found. The Watch Tower wasn't built yet, so he felt that not even the newly formed Justice League was enough to fill his void.

Clark buried his face into his hands and let the world become nothing to him. The world didn't matter anymore. The legacy of Superman didn't matter anymore. The Man of Steel he once was only disappeared from his life when the growing sadness left a pool of guilt. The press might as well call him, "The Man of Murder."

Then Kara came.

Clark lifted his eyes out of his hands to hear a whooshing noise burst from the sky. Clark focused on the sound and saw a white shape falling to the ground that left a white trail of smoke behind it. The peaceful scenery then exploded with the sight of dirt and rocks far in the distance.

Clark didn't want to fight an alien.

Clark didn't want to move, but Superman wanted to win one last battle.

Clark slowly drew back his shoulders and stood. He focused onto the wreckage and debris. A long trench showed the shape's path from the sky to its new location. Clark saw an egg shaped pod at the end of the trench with steam and smoke rising from what looked like a door. Clark was about to investigate when he felt a warm touch on his shoulder. Clark turned to face his mother.

"I'm afraid I know what that is," her voice was smooth and kind with each word. 

Clark stared at her in surprise, "What do you mean?"

Mrs. Kent chuckled. "Well, I suppose you wouldn't remember." She glanced toward the scene of chaos. "I believe that it is someone like you my dear."

"What? But Krypton-" Clark's words were driven by anger and confusion.

"Well, if it's any consolation, I thought the same thing."

Clark glanced back at the trench. "I, I-"

"Just go dear. I need to tend to that pie." Mrs. Kent pat Clark's back and walked into the farmhouse. Clark swallowed and hurried to the pod.

As Clark got closer, he could hear a groan emerge from the door. Clark stopped in his tracks and readied himself for a fight. He didn't quite know what he was supposed to prepare himself for.

All of a sudden, the pod's door flew from its hinges and a small figure emerged. It's appearance was hard to tell with the smoke surrounding everything, but the outline of the figure looked human.

Clark held his breath and spoke with his voice of defiance. "Who are you?"

The figure's head looked at Clark and stared. The sound of a light female voice echoed through the landscape. It was bright and full of innocence. She had not seen the evils that Clark had seen. She gave a triumphant laugh that warmed Clarks ears. It was a laugh that Jonathan used to use. 

"I am Kara Zor-El. Daughter of Zor-El and Alura In-Ze. I mean no harm to your kind."

Clarks eyes widened as he realized the impact of what she said. Hope flurried in his stomach as millions of questions burst into his mind. "Are you from Krypton?"

Kara emerged from the craft and stood a few feet in front of Clark. She studied him carefully with clenched fists. 

"Who's asking?"

Clark was about to speak when Kara suddenly smiled with a joyous grin. 

"Yes, I am from Krypton! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you before," she paused and swallowed. "It is good to see you, Uncle." 

Kara stepped forward for an embrace, but Clark stepped back. His happiness washed away at the mention of his father. "I'm no Uncle."

With a hurt look, Kara crossed her arms. "Surely you are. You look just like Jor-El. Your jawline and hair and ey-"

"Stop talking," Superman said in irritation and clenched his jaw. He didn't need anymore memories right now.

Kara gave Clark the evil eye. "Who are you?"

"I am Kal-El, son of Jor-El, and I come from the same place as you."

She held her breath as her youthful eyes burst into tears. "Kal-El!" She hugged him and squeezed him with all of her might. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was supposed to be here for you. I'm sorry."

Clark was taken aback from her forwardness, but was relieved he got an answer from her. He wasn't alone anymore. 

"I'm okay," Clark whispered.

"I'm here now," Kara said, still clutching onto Clark's waist.

"I'll be here."

******

Superman finally let Manhunter pull him up of the ground. The monster roared and it reared up on its hind legs. Superman didn't pay it any mind. 

"Why did this happen?"

Manhunter grunted while pulling Superman away. "I believe you are asking the wrong question-"

Manhunter turned the two of them invisible as a paw from the monster swiped through them.

"Then what's the right one?"

"How do we move forward, Clark? We need to keep fighting. We can't give up and you can't either. So what will we do?"

Superman's careless emotions drove him to act on an impulse. "Let go of me."

"What?!"

"Let. Go." 

Manhunter did as Superman wanted and released him. Superman stood and faced the monster with spite and wrath. Superman let his eyes grow warm as the monster's piercing howls screeched at him. His sights grew a deep crimson as his eyes flamed into an inferno of his hatred. Superman's laser vision struck the beast in the heart and the beast began to collapse in a dead heap.

Superman stood still and just watched the body twitch until it was still. 

Flash ran in front of him and punched Superman's jaw. Flash let out a gasp of pain as he retracted his hand. He looked Superman in the eye. They were emotionless. 

"What the hell was that!?" Flash gestured to Hawk Girl's monstrous body.

"Us moving forward."

"But we could have saved her!" Flash felt like killing the world. Villain's had no mercy. Flash didn't want to have any either, but he knew that heroes always had mercy.

"We couldn't save Kara."

"God, Clark! Look at you! What's happened?!"

"Tempest happened."

"Well," Flash's words were cold, bitter, and full of contempt, "congratulations. You're just like her." Flash stepped back and faced the bloody battle, "You made us just like them."