"The Return"

Ryanna caught her breath as Jonathan closed the box containing Lionel Luthor's frozen head. She closed her eyes and tried to meditate to calm herself. She felt dizzy but she tried to focus her mind."

Jonathan asked, "Anna, are you OK?"

Ryanna said, "I will be. Why is Lionel's head in the box?"

Jonathan said, "How did you recognize that as Lionel Luthor?"

Ryanna's face grew colder and harder and she said, "That stupid farm girl! Lionel's experiences will be transferred to a body more suited to a man destined to rule the planet -- and his loving daughter will be the first thing he sees when he's reborn!"

Ryanna's face grew softer again. Her eyes widened and she resumed screaming.

Jon grabbed her upper arms, looked into her eyes and said, "What's wrong?!"

Ryanna whimpered, "Alexis woke up ... and she wants her body back. She is whispering nasty things to me and I can't shut her out. She's so angry. She's so strong!"

Jon said, "Fight it!"

Ryanna said, "I can't for long. It's her body. I don't have fair claim to it."

Alexis snarled, "Damn right you don't!" Tears started streaming from Ryanna's eyes, but it was Alexis who was saying, "Stupid little wimp!" She turned to Jon and asked, "Where's Mommy dearest. I want to let her know that I'm home. I want to give her a big hug." Then she laughed and looked down through the floor. "There she is. Pregnant, huh? I'll do something about that. Jon, I didn't know you had it in you. It's good to know you still have some life left in you. It's been a while since I've gotten any and I'm anxious to end my dry spell, but, ladies first." She pushed Jon aside as if he were made of air and headed for the door, but her footing was awkward and she began to convulse. Alexis screamed, "No, let go of ME!" and fell to the floor.

Ryanna whispered weakly, "Daddy, I'll have to leave soon. I can't stay where I don't belong. You'll need some help to handle her." Alexis put two fingers in her mouth and silently whistled for Clark.

Jon lifted Ryanna carefully. The package was taking up too much room on Ryanna's bed, so he carried her into his bedroom and laid her on his bed. He said, "Anna, honey, hang on! You've got to fight her!"

Alexis answered, "Why, Jon! You've gotten me into your bed! Couldn't wait until I was done with Martha, huh? Go ahead, get on top of me. I might even let Ryanna wake up a bit so she can share the ride."

Jonathan pulled back in horror and bumped into Clark who had just entered the room behind him.

Alexis smiled coldly at Clark and said, "Hello Kal. Come back to earn another $100,000.00? You'll have to wait until Daddy is finished with me. First come, first served."

Clark asked his Father, "What the He11 is going on!"

Jon said, "She got a box from somewhere. It has Lionel Luthor's head in it. I think the shock brought Alexis Luthor back."

Alexis shouted, "Hey, that little b***h has been spending my money! Well, I'll take her precious NuStart apart piece by piece."

Ryanna said, "NO! Clark, please stop her! Take care of her now, while I hold her down! PLEASE! She'll kill Mommy and Daddy and the babies ... and you too!"

Tears of frustration and worry came to Clark's eyes and he said, "I don't know how to stop her."

Ryanna said, "KILL HER! Don't think about me. I don't mind. Really. Hurry! PLEASE!"

Clark stammered, "I ... I can't."

Ryanna said, "I have to go now. This place isn't mine anymore. I have to go to a new place." After spending a few moments in silence, Ryanna blushed a deep red and looked at Jon, "Oh, Dad! I'm sorry about the bedding. I couldn't help it." A red stain spread between the legs of the body now shared by Ryanna and Alexis. The stain spread to the bed. Ryanna said, "Clark, hold her like I held you. Bind in Earth's magnetic field. I know you can do it. I will take a lot of her energy with me when I leave, but she'll be strong again fast. Grab her now. I have to let go of her so that I can leave."

Clark said, "Don't go. We'll find a way to fight her."

Ryanna said, "I already found a way out. This isn't my place. It never was. I have another place to go to now. Please grab her so I can let go!"

Clark picked up her body and levitated into the air. He concentrated until he felt bound to the Earth.

Jon shouted, "Why is Anna bleeding?"

Clark said, "She shed what was inside her reproductive system. Instead of growing an egg -- a half cell, she made something containing enough genetic material to make an entire new person. Its DNA is almost identical to Alexis's."

Jon said, "What are you talking about? In English this time."

Clark said, "Ryanna is pregnant. She made herself pregnant."

As Clark and Jon watched, the belly of the shared body swelled. Martha came into the room and looked at the scene in shock. She shouted, "What's going on!"

Jon said, "Alexis came back. Ryanna is trying to fight her."

Alexis screamed, "GET THAT THING OUT OF ME."

Clark said, "Her water broke, she's in labor! Mom, she's giving birth. Catch the baby!"

Martha rushed over just in time. The newborn fell into her arms. Clark's eyes flashed and the umbilical cord was severed. Martha looked into the baby's face. The baby's eyes twinkled. The baby smiled a toothless grin at Martha and said in an indistinct voice, "Mommy, I'll protect you."

Martha almost dropped the baby in shock. She said, "Ryanna?!" The baby winked at her. Martha carried the baby into the bathroom and started the bath water to wash Ryanna.

Alexis said, "She's gone, but her days are numbered. Let me go, Clark!"

Clark said, "I'll hold you forever if necessary."

Alexis answered, "You don't understand. You've been tricked! I'M Ryanna! Your mother just walked off with Alexis. She'll kill her, Clark. We've got to keep that from happening."

Clark considered her words for an instant. His concentration faded just enough for Alexis to break free. As her felt her repeated blows breaking his ribs, he heard her say, "That's the last mistake you'll ever make, farm boy." Then as he began to lose consciousness, Alexis hit him with a blow that knocked him through the wall and halfway to Metropolis. The she turned to Jon and said, "Weren't we about to do something when tall, dark and alien interrupted us? Prepare for a workout because it's been nearly 2 years since I've had a man. It will be good. I promise you that. You know what that say about who
makes the best lover -- it's all relative!" Alexis laughed.

Jon said, "You wouldn't!"

Alexis said, "I will, who could stop me." In an instant she had Jon's hands bound with his own belt. She lifted him by the belt and hung him on a bed post.

As she looked into his face so she could enjoy his discomfort, Alexis slowly unzipped his pants. A tiny voice behind her said, "Leave my Daddy alone!"

Alexis turned and saw no one -- until she tilted her head down and saw a 3 foot tall naked little girl standing there with clenched fists. Alexis laughed. Then she laughed harder. Soon she was laughing hysterically. Then a small, flying, living projectile hit her in the stomach with amazing force. Alexis found herself being pushed through the air by Ryanna. They impacted in the field that was the roof of the gymnasium. Their bodies continued through the dirt and the cast concrete ceiling and made a small crater in the gymnasium floor. Alexis was being pummeled mercilessly by well-placed blows from tiny fists, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Alexis threw Ryanna off her and got to her feet. Is that the best you've got little girl? Because if it is, it isn't nearly good enough! Ryanna ran sideways to approach Alexis from a different angle then ran at her at top speed. Alexis simply flipped Ryanna over her head. Ryanna somersaulted through the air and landed on her feet next to a wall panel. She quickly punched in a code and the room began to glow with a red light.

Alexis laughed a gain. She said, "Stupid, stupid girl! With your powers, the difference between us was insignificant. This move has put you at a distinct disadvantage." The two resumed their battle. Ryanna's martial arts training wasn't enough to help her. Her body was new and didn't react instinctively like the old one had. Without her powers to help her, she didn't stand a chance. Soon Alexis had her pinned to the floor and began slapping her. Alexis shouted, "You think that you know pain? You know nothing! Let me show you something my brother Lex showed me. Alexis punched Ryanna in the stomach a few times, then stood and began to kick her. Ryanna lay on the floor taking the punishment and groaning as she recited the Lord's Prayer. Alexis had to laugh. "I should have known you could handle a lot of pain. I shouldn't underestimate myself. You are me, aren't you?"

Ryanna said, "NO! No, I'm not."

Alexis said, "Well, we've only begun. You haven't seen anything yet."

Ryanna cried, "Mommy!"

Alexis said, "Your Mommy isn't here, little girl. She doesn't care about you and just like she didn't care about me. Or are you are calling me "Mommy?" You did come out of me after all. I like what the pregancy did to my breasts too!"

Ryanna repeated, "Mommy!"

Alexis said, "I told you, she isn't here."

Martha Kent's voice shouted, "She most certainly is here. Now leave her alone." Ryanna spun to see Martha holding Hiram Kent's shot gun. It was aimed right at Alexis's head. With fire in her eyes and in her voice, Martha repeated, "Leave my daughter alone or so help me God, I'll shoot you dead where you stand. I'm a good shot. At this range, I can't possibly miss"

Alexis said, "Mom. I'M your daughter. I don't know what she is. Maybe she's your grand daughter."

Martha said, "I don't know who or what you are, but the little girl on the floor is the daughter of my heart and the daughter of my soul. I don't want to hurt you. I understand what you've been through but touch Ryanna again and I will kill you. I swear."

Alexis said, "You don't know anything about what I’ve been through, B***h. You know. I could crush her head like a melon before you got off a shot."

Martha said, "You wouldn't."

Alexis said, "You have no idea what I am capable of. And that tiny voice of conscience that wanted your love and affection -- it left me when Ryanna separated from my body. Nothing constrains me anymore. NOTHING! My kingdom will soon be at hand. Drop that gun now before I squash your precious Ryanna's head and add yet another body to that burial plot you mourned at for all those years."

Martha thought about it and let the gun fall to the floor. Then Martha just stood there. Her shoulders drooped and she lowered her head. Alexis walked towards her and said, "I had planned on doing the mother daughter thing a little later, but Ryanna can wait. She can watch while I perform a 2nd trimester abortion on you." Alexis reached out for Martha. Martha spun quickly in a move Mr. Chan had taught her and landed her foot heavily on the side of Alexis's head. Alexis dropped like dead weight.

Martha ran to Ryanna and cried when she saw the cuts and bruise on her face and naked little body. Ryanna said, "Don't cry Mommy. You saved me! Now help me up and go get Daddy. I need him."

After Martha managed to get Jon down from the bedpost, they returned to find Alexis's hands and feet bound with towels. A small lead box was sitting near her unconscious body. A heavy power cable Ran from near Alexis to the generator that powered the red solar field. When Ryanna approached him wearing a towel, Jon was shocked to see the little girl and angered by the dark bruises on her face.

Jon asked, "Is that really you Anna?"

Ryanna answered, "Maybe not. You told me I was "Anna" because I was your first daughter and that "Re-Anna" would be if I came back a second time. Well, I came back again, so I'm Re-Anna now. But you can still call me Anna if you want to."

A tear came to his eye and he says, "That's my little girl."

Ryanna said, "Now take the piece of kryptonite from that box. Put it in Alexis's hand and hold the kryptonite hard against her skin." Jon did as she asked. The confidence in her voice made him obey her without question.

When Jon did as he was told, Ryanna limped over to the security panel and punched in a code. The red glow in the room faded. Alexis's eyes snapped open. In a blur, Ryanna ran to the generator and threw a switch. Then she ran to the exposed end of the power cable and near Alexis and held it to Alexis's skin. Alexis and Jon convulsed from the shock. Both screamed. Alexis cut the power. Jon watched his hand react to the kryptonite in his hand. The pain from the green rock was agonizing so he threw it to the far side of the gymnasium. Ryanna ran over to her father, threw her arms around his neck, pulled him close and said, "I'm sorry, Daddy. It was the only way. I couldn't let Alexis keep her powers and I couldn't risk Mom's pregnancy by having her do what you just did -- and God wouldn't have wanted me to kill Alexis."

Ryanna pulled back a bit and Jon saw the cuts and bruises on his daughter's face disappear. Ryanna watched as the years melted away from Jon's face. Martha came over and Ryanna lept into her arms and wrapped her legs around Martha's hips. As Martha held her, she felt Ryanna get heavier. She rubbed her daughter's head and felt the short blond hairs that had begun to grow in. Ryanna looked at her Mom and said, "I'm going to stop growing for a while. I want to look my age and big boobies are a pain! Maybe I can even take some classes at the Smallville Middle School. I still have my pierced ears but I'm going to look a little more like Daddy now. I'll wear a wig so I can have hair color like yours. I wanted to look more like you like I used to but I messed up. Maybe Jor-El could fix it."

Martha said, "You don't have to change a thing! None of that matters, you're still my little girl. And I'm sure Fforde will get used to your new look -- eventually. Hey, go knit yourself something to wear. We have to go find Clark and make sure he's OK."

They found Clark in a crater halfway to Metropolis. He was a little groggy but he was healing fast. He was concerned that his eyes had gotten damaged because Jon looked strangely younger. He kept staring at the girl that came with them and the little girl stared back at him and smiled. Clark whispered to his Dad, "Who is she. She's going to be some heart-breaker when she gets a little older."

From fifty yards away, Ryanna shouted, "Thanks Clark, you're cute too."

Jon said, "That's Ryanna."

Clark looked around and said, "Where's the truck. How did you get here?"

Jon said, "We ran here. Your Mother insisted on coming, so I carried her."

Clark said, "Dad, I'm really sick. I'm hallucinating or something."

Jon said, "You're fine Clark. I'll explain when we get home. Now that we know you are OK, just meet us at the farm." Martha gave Clark a big hug then Jon picked her up and disappeared in front of his eyes.

Clark looked over and a short girl with barely any hair was standing next to him. She said, "Clark, thanks for coming when I needed you. Can I fly home with you?"

Clark said, "Sure, ... Ryanna."

When they got back to the farm Alexis was gone -- along with Jon's truck and the box from Ryanna's room.

THE END