Title: Between Father and Son
Author: Dana
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Summary: The Kent's discuss Conner's recent problems.
Time frame/Spoilers: This is a missing scene from Teen Titans 26.
This spoils: Outsiders: The Insiders, just about everything until
Infinite Crisis.
Author's note: There will be a sequel to this called Sins of the
Father which will have enough Nightwing in it to give you a headache
I promise.

Conner Kent sighed as Krypto started to lick him again. Why didn't
the dog understand he just wanted to be alone? No one should touch
him. No matter what Raven told him, he was meant to hurt everyone.
He pushed the dog away.

"If I knew you were going to treat him that way I would have left
him in the cave."

Conner looked up to see Clark Kent standing there smiling at him.
His ma and pa were standing behind him. Martha Kent was smiling at
him but the look on Jonathon Kent's face wasn't a smile. They
probably discussed kicking me out. Conner thought.

"Sorry." He said.

"Let's leave the boys alone." Martha said to her husband. She
looked at Jonathon who followed her inside without saying a word.

"I've got a soul now." Was the first thing Conner said.

Clark was taken a back by that. "What do you mean you have a soul
now? You always had one."

"I guess but..." He sighed again. "I found out about who else I
was cloned from."

"Oh." Clark's answer confirmed what he had seen in his mind. He
did know. He couldn't help but wonder how long he had known.

"I attacked the Teen Titans. I could have killed them and I wasn't
strong enough to stop myself. I broke Robin's arm, tore Cyborg
apart, burned Beast Boy, and Cassie..." He gulped. "I hurt her the
most."

Clark sat down next to him on the porch. "I know." He said
quietly. "It wasn't your fault. It was a program that Luthor set
into motion. There was nothing you could do. No one holds you
responsible."

"Batman does."

"Batman...has his own issues right now. I won't lie to you, he's
worried you'll destroy everyone."

"I saw it." He whispered. "Robin took me to the Batcave right?
You came to get me and fought with him about me."

He really didn't remember much after Starfire grabbed him and Cassie
and ran. He remembered walking up in Kansas. Somehow it just came
back to him.

"We did. He just doesn't understand that you aren't just a clone.
You are my son."

"I don't know why you want to think of me as your son. I've got
Luthor's genes in me too." Conner said looking away.

"I once told you that genes do not make a hero and they don't make a
villain either. You make your own destiny. Which I think you were
doing while as a member of the Titans."

"I guess. What did Aunt Martha and Uncle John say? Are you here to
take me somewhere else?"

"This is your home boy." Conner turned around to see Martha
standing there holding the pie she had bought at the market. "You
belong here and nothing you can do would ever make us kick you out."

"But we do insist that if you don't plan to be with the Titans you
will be giving us a hand every day before and after school."
Jonathon said from the doorway. He still had a worried look in his
eyes.

"Thanks." Conner said standing up. Clark followed suit.

Conner didn't think things would ever be right again but at least he
had somewhere to call home. And he had a soul. That was something
no one could take away from him.

m