• July 05, 2017 •

There had been no development in establishing contact with the Daxamite warship. But it was not attacking either, just hovering in space as if waiting. Mon's eyes flickered towards the clock that was ticking. The very little time he had bought from his parents to reconsider their offer was running out and he knew he had to take a decision.

His parents had assured him that Daxam had not exploded but was reduced to a wasteland. However, they intended to reinhabit and establish their rule once again and for that, they needed their Crown Prince to be at their side.

But after seeing a different sort of life on Earth, he did not want to go back to his past. He did not want to return to a meaningless life of luxury and ignorance while the rest of the people suffered.

True, he had never wanted to be a hero and still didn't but after seeing how much difference it could make to step in and help someone out, he did not want to leave it all behind. His time on Earth had made him want to be a better person and he didn't want that positive change in himself to go to waste.

No matter what he decided, he would have to leave Earth so he chose to pay his second family a last visit. The Kents had been more like a family to him than his own parents could ever be and he could not leave without properly saying goodbye to them.

Especially little Jon who adored him a lot and he had a fair idea it would be the hardest to bid farewell to the angelic boy.

Clark, Lois, Connor and Jon had accepted him as their own so letting him go was hard for them too.

"Mon, can you not stay here?" Jon was tugging at his wrist, trying to persuade him to stay, "I'll ask Dad to talk to your parents to let you stay with us. I'm sure they'll agree."

"I don't think my parents would listen to Clark," he ruffled his head, "I'll have to leave anyway, with them or without them."

"That's not fair," he frowned, adorable features set in an imploring look, "we had just become such good friends. I love to have you around."

"I do too, buddy. I... I'll miss you."

Jon had rushed to hug him tightly and he returned the gesture. For the first time ever, he felt sad at parting with someone. Never before had he built that connection with people to make him sad upon leaving them. As far as he knew, he had always been the one who left. The one who had always ruined things, who ran away because he was a coward, who left his own planet while it was on the verge of destruction. But even at that time, what he felt was in no way comparable to his current feelings.

What he felt right then was a different type of sadness. He did not feel guilt or remorse for leaving but he felt the loss of letting go of a loving family, trustworthy friends and his second chance at living his life as a better person.

Lois wished him well and as Clark wasn't there, he thought of waiting for him to return. He had checked his phone several times for any message from Tim as he had asked the boy to keep him updated if the warship sent any message.

Right then, he was sitting on the steps that led out to the garden when he felt someone approach him. He was surprised to see that Kara came to sit beside him, though she was the last person he would have expected to show up. He didn't know whether he should be glad that Kara had approached him to talk or be skeptical about it.

The garden in front and both of them sitting on the steps together reminded him of the time he had blurted out that he was falling in love with her. 

"Mon-El, I forgive you," she spoke up and hearing those words made some of the burden lessen from his heart. "I know if you had any idea that your parents would attack, you would not have kept us in the dark."

"But still..." He lowered his head, guilt lacing his tone again, "what they did was due to my decision of not answering. And it made so many people suffer. Even... Even Zach..."

"Zach knows and he doesn't blame you for his injury," she chose to tell him just so he would stop feeling that guilty, "in fact it was him who made me realize that you aren't to be blamed. It wasn't something you could control."

He was surprised and shocked to hear that. True, he might not have interacted with Zach much but listening to Kara and recalling all he knew about the boy from Connor and Ava, he felt as if Zachary Smith was truly an exceptional case.

And that was what made Mon think that Zach truly deserved to be with Kara. There was no way he could compete with that level of compassion and rationality.

"No matter what decision you take, we will all support you with it," she remarked, shaking him out of his thoughts, "and if you have to leave, just know that our doors will be open for you whenever you come back."

"Thank you," he smiled, feeling a lot easier now that he had heard her reassure him, "all of you are too kind."

"If what you say about being a shitty person before coming to Earth is true then you have also come a long way and are much kinder yourself as well."

He sighed, a reminiscent look glazing his eyes, "you know what... I used to think I had finally found a place I could call home. I had almost started to believe that this was my place, my time. All of you made me want to be a better person and gave me a second chance. And even though I am leaving much sooner than I want to, I will never forget that."

"So you have decided to leave?"

He nodded, "my parents told me Daxam did not explode and they intend to reinhabit it. I feel like this might be a chance for me to change things around if only they would agree. I don't want to go back to that life but being the Crown Prince comes with power and authority and that's the only way I can use it to make a difference for the rest of my people. By reforming how things had been in the past."

"Oh..." Kara did not know how to respond to that. She felt glad that Mon was taking responsibility and was trying to make things better but deep down she felt that he would be met by a lot of opposition.

And for him to tackle it all on his own would prove to be difficult too.

Mon looked as if he was about to say something more but stopped, detecting a flicker of blue ahead in the garden. "Kara, stay here. I think I saw something."

"Wait, what?" She stood up as well, ready to intervene if something harmed him.

He cautiously walked towards the source of blue light and found a similar orb to the one he had received earlier. In it was the flickering image of his bodyguard who had helped him escape the planet earlier.

He looked wounded and Mon's face was masked with worry upon seeing the message. However, he needed to go to Mount Justice to decode it and he had to hurry.

"We have to go to Mount Justice. Right now," he turned towards her, his face paling, "I have to decode this message."

***

Tim was about to call Mon as the warship had sent out signals but before he could do so, Mon and Kara had turned up themselves.

"Hey, Monnie, I..."

"Sorry Tim, this is urgent," he dashed past him to decode the message.

"What happened?" He turned to Kara, "I was just going to tell him the warship sent out a message."

"Yeah, he received a message as well," she replied, "let him decode this one and then we'll tell him about the message from the warship."

Mon was able to decode the message but it only sent him into further panic. His bodyguard had received a fatal injury and the last thing he had done was send that message before undoubtedly getting killed.

"Prince Mon-El, don't agree to your mother's terms," the words had started to form, "the king... Your father... Is no more... Queen Rhea... Will stop at nothing to... To take you away. Don't fall for it. Stay away... From Daxam."

Mon had replayed it, trying to make sense of what was being said. The rest of the YJ had come to the lab as well, waiting for an explanation. It seemed that Queen Rhea was the mastermind behind that attack and was further threatening their safety. But what the bodyguard had mentioned about the king made him anxious.

He turned to face the rest of them, eyes shifting in conflict, "did you receive another message?"

Tim nodded, "yes we did. The warship finally responded."

"I want to hear it."

Tim let him decode the message received from the warship and it was from Queen Rhea telling Mon that his time for deciding was up and if he didn't choose to come to his parents, he would be responsible for the consequences.

"Establish connection with the warship right now. I have to speak to them," he spoke up and the look in his eyes was determined.

Richard spoke up, "what are you intending to do?"

"I have to make sure that I don't take a wrong decision. I trust Zuphail more than I trust my parents, he would never lie to me and definitely not when his own life is at stake."

"Alright, go ahead."

Mon saw that the warship had accepted their request to establish a connection and spoke up first, "this is Mon-El of Daxam. I wish to speak to my father."

"Mon-El," his mother's voice sounded through the signal detectors they were using to decode the message, "your time is up. We have waited for you long enough."

"I will only speak to King Lar Gand," he resolutely replied, "I will only let him know of my decision."

The silence on the other end showed that Lar Gand was not in the state to come and answer. It strengthened Mon's suspicion that Zuphail was right.

"Your father will only talk to you if you come to the warship," she replied, "we will open a portal for you and you must come alone. We have no intentions of harming you or any of your friends if you comply right now."

All of them knew something was off about that request. Connor caught Mon's gaze and shook his head, urging him to refuse. Kara could also see that it was a trap.

"Fine. I will relinquish myself."

"Mon, no," Kara spoke up, "it's a trap. Don't fall for it."

"I'II await your arrival, my son. Your father will be so glad to hear that you've finally taken the right decision." The connection got terminated shortly afterward and Tim had rushed off to the radar, seeing an array of mysterious signals spike up.

A portal was opening and Mon had to step through it in order to go to the ship.

"What about Zuphail? You said you trusted him more than your parents," Connor stepped in to stop Mon who was on his way to the top of Mount Justice, right where the mysterious portal was opening up.

"The only way I can make sure that Father and Zuphail are safe is by going there and checking myself," he replied, freeing his arm from Connor's grip, "this is my decision. Let me go."

"And if they aren't?"

"Then I'll make sure that no harm is caused to Earth. I will deal with this the best I can, I promise."

Kara's mind was spinning as she knew Mon was in danger and intentionally walking into a trap. When it came to him, she somehow always acted on instinct to keep him safe because he reminded her a lot of her own self and she didn't want him to come to any harm either.

Mon was right in front of the portal when he turned to bid them farewell. He held his hand up, an apologetic smile on his face as he stepped in.

Kara and Wally exchanged a glance and Wally nodded, understanding what she had silently conveyed. There was a flash of light and a red zap, distracting the others from the portal that was closing. Blinding yellow light spread everywhere and when it cleared, the portal had closed and Mon-El had gone.

"Where's Kara?" Megan spoke up, noticing that the girl was gone from beside her too.

Richard's eyes scoured the rest of the team members and landed on Artemis who looked shocked as well. Wally who had been standing with her was nowhere to be seen either.

"Fuck you, Wally," he cursed, "now we have another situation to deal with."

Tim, who had been miraculously silent at the entire ordeal, spoke up at last, "you know what, Dickie, this is what I call an abuse of speed force. Not that instance of Walls taking me to the amusement park."

***