Disclaimer: I don't own Superman or the world of Superman. A bunch of people who have a lot more brains and money than I possess own it all. I'm not making any profit from this story, and it's purely for entertainment.

A/N I hope you enjoy my first foray into the world of Superman. Reviews and honest constructive (not destructive!) criticism welcomed with open arms.

-PROLOGUE-

"I got a splinter in my pinkie," Kitty Kowalski complained, trying not to whine but failing miserably. "I..." Anything else she was going to say came to an abrupt halt as her companion (boyfriend?) Lex Luthor gave her a cold stare. "Never mind," she mumbled, cuddling the Pomeranian close. The little dog whimpered, but didn't try to escape, instinctively knowing that he was far safer in Kitty's arms than he was roaming around this tiny island with Lex in his current temper.

Lex grimly picked up the next to last coconut, hefting it in his hand for a moment and studying it, as though imagining it were something else. Then he hurled it out into the ocean, where it landed at least 3 meters beyond where the previously thrown coconuts floated. Sand sprayed as he stormed back up the beach toward the remaining one.

Kitty eyed him for a moment, recalling his expression when she had asked him what they'd eat after the coconuts were gone, and got to her feet, with Pommy still tucked under her right arm. "I'm going to see if I can find a Band-Aid in the first aid kit," she announced. Who cares that she wasn't bleeding. Lex muttered something she was glad she didn't hear in response. She made her way over to the helicopter, the spikes of her heels leaving small indentations the sand.. Reaching out to pull the door open with a yank, she staggered suddenly as the sand shifted under her shoes. Pommy let out a strangled yelp as he was sandwiched between Kitty's body and the seat, and gasping with sudden fear for him, she twisted her body to the left to try to shift the brunt of her weight. Gracelessly, her feet flailing, she fell forward onto her left shoulder, and found herself staring at the first aid kit under the seat... and at the largest of the crystals that Lex had taken from that glinting console in Superman's Fortress of Solitude. Somehow, it must have fallen under there when she upended the velvet-lined satchel of crystals from the side of the 'copter.

Going still at the initial sight, Kitty shot a quick glance toward Lex, who, fortunately hadn't witnessed her mishap, and reached out with a trembling hand to touch the crystal. It was surprisingly cold, given the warmth of the helicopter's interior and the sun shining down on the island. Before she could change her mind, she grabbed it and slipped it into her coat pocket. Then, after taking a deep breath, she unsnapped the bungie cord holding the first aid kit in place and pulled it out. She regained her feet and strode back to the shade of her parasol, head held high as though she had nothing to hide.

She shrugged out of her coat again, carefully arranging it on the sand as a makeshift blanket, then took a seat and unlatched the first aid kit to peek inside. Rooting through it for a moment, she pulled out a small Band-Aid, and tossed the box down onto her coat as she worked to open it up and apply it to her pinkie.

"Hayughhh!" Lex shouted in fury as he threw the last coconut into the water. This time he didn't even watch where it landed before he stalked through the surf back toward the beach, and by default, toward Kitty. She stiffened, her gaze sliding away from the enraged man, and cuddled Pommy close.

He stopped right in front of her and spoke, his voice quiet and deadly. "Where did you get that? And why didn't you tell me you found it?"

Caught, Kitty started stammering, "I... I found it up under the passenger seat in the helicopter, I'm sorry Lex, I was going to tell you," as tears began to stream down her face. The Pomeranian yelped as her fingers tightened on him, and she buried a sob into his thick orange coat.

"You mean to tell me, this," he reached down to yank the bright orange flare gun out of the first aid kit, "has been under the seat in the helicopter this whole time?" he hissed, waving it in front of her nose.

Nodding, Kitty dared to look at his face, and then started, giving the flare gun a blank stare. It took a moment for her to realize he was referring to the flare gun and not the crystal she'd hidden away. "Uh... Yeah." A beat passed, and she added breathlessly, "I only just now found it... I was just about to tell you..." Somehow, she managed to avoid looking down at her coat and the secret it held.

He popped open the barrel, checking for charges, then pointed it directly at her, his expression grim. Kitty's heart stopped, and she ducked her head down over the little dog. Sure, it was a flare gun, but at this close range it was unlikely she'd come away without serious injury if he decided to fire it. "Don't worry mommy's going to take good care of her little boy," she reassured the Pomeranian, rocking back and forth.

A long moment passed, so Kitty dared to peek up at Lex again and found that expression on his face, the one that had drawn her to him in the first place. It spoke of power, confidence and of someone who had a Plan, and was unafraid to put it into action, no matter what the price.

"Mommy's little boy," Lex said, his eyes bright, lowering the flare gun in a slow deliberate manner. And then he plopped down on the sand beside Kitty to stare out over the water. Nervously, Kitty fiddled with the coat blanket, shifting the edges closer to herself and away from Lex.

"Yes, mommy's going to take good care of her little boy." Lex smiled grimly, as he reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew the remnant of the kryptonite shiv that he'd stabbed Superman with, holding it up to stare at it. Then he flashed Kitty his most engaging smile and looked westward toward sunset, waiting for the darkness he knew would come.