AN: I am soooooo sorry that this is what I ended up posting today but it just wouldn't leave me alone this weekend. This takes place somewhere either right before or during 'Targets.' I was thinking about Conner's name and was like hmmmm... that was a good suggestion. And at the same time was mad at myself because I had intended on making the JLU!Superman more open-minded toward Supey (see: my other story 'Through the Mirror'), but then I thought back to how the other Cadmus-clones were kind of a touchy subject in the JLU!verse and blah blah blah. So I was all like 'hmmmm... maybe Superman could ask J'onn to make that suggestion, and maybe he was trying to take the first step... still a lame first step more like... I digress.' So I thought up this.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Really nothing, in fact see my note at the bottom to see exactly how little I own


"Uh... J'onn?"

The Martian turned from the transport control. "Yes, Superman?"

The large spandex-covered man fidgeted. "You're heading down to Mt. Justice to wish M'gann and Superboy well on their first day of school, right?"

"Correct." J'onn gave his teammate a long look. "Was there something else you required?"

"Has Superboy chosen a human name?"

"I do not believe so. Why do you ask?"

The larger man sighed and dropped his gaze to the floor. "Would you suggest that he uses my last name if he asks for help choosing one?"

"Superman, if you wish to name the boy, why do you not come with me? I am sure he would be thrilled to see you and have you acknowledge him."

"I know. But I'm still not sure I'm comfortable around him and I'm not sure what's worse.

"Between what?"

"Me being there clearly uncomfortable or me not being there at all."

"I would say the latter."

Superman sighed. "Well, would you pass along my suggestion?"

"Yes, but I will not tell him where it came from."

"That's fine."

"But you do see the irony? Offering him your human family's name? And yet you want to maintain that you're not his father?"

Clark rubbed his eyes. "No, I've accepted that the boy will continue to view me as his father no matter what I say and no matter how I react to him. I just can't face him yet. I want to but it's still confusing."

"Imagine how he feels." Superman jumped while J'onn simply looked over at Barry. "The kid is dealing with the fact that he's on a team full of people whose mentors are very close. J'onn, Ollie, and I are related to our proteges, Bats adopted his, and even Orin treats Aqualad like a son. Whereas you have barely ever spoken to him, even though you are literally the only person in the universe who can teach him how he's supposed to live. What he can do, when it's supposed to develop, and how he's supposed to do it." Barry shook his head at his teammate and ran off. A moment later he was back. "And that's on top of all the normal teenager problems like girls for instance." He gave J'onn a knowing smile.

The Martian smiled back at his friend. "Yes, there is also the fact that he is technically only a little over six months old despite his apparent age. This part in his development means that he skipped over key developmental periods for humans and even Kryptonians."

Clark just sighed and walked out of the room.

Barry again shook his head. "Sometimes I think it would've been better if the kid looked as old as he actually is."

"Why is that?"

"The big guy can easily ignore the abstract emotional needs of an angry teenager, but would his soft heart be able to ignore the concrete physical needs of a six-month-old baby?"

"We may never know."

But in Barry's head, his question kept spinning around and around. What would happen if the Big Blue Boy Scout was confronted with a smaller, cuter, less angry Supey?


AN: So Flash's answer to J'onn was inspired by (read: taken from) a Batman line from Kizmet's story 'Nobody's Child.' I am so sorry if you take offense to this but it was such an awesome line.

Yeah so this is the end. I think. It's very open-ended. I could possibly be convinced into continuing it. Eventually! Most definitely not anytime before I finish 'Through the Mirror.' But yeah... I don't like Superman that much right now so it would probably end up being a lot of WHUMP!Superman. Good times, huh?

~S.