KrissyKat91: Next chapter. Slightly shorter.

Ch. 2: Returning Home

Earth, 2009, twenty-one years later

Tranquility, Nevada

Clark Kent Witwicky took a deep breath as he stepped off the bus, hauling a large suitcase behind him.

It had been five years since his parents had told him the truth about how they'd found him; five years since he'd found the crystals which had led him to the Arctic, where they'd built a massive crystalline fort aptly named the Fortress of Solitude.

During his time at the Fortress, he'd learned more than he'd ever thought he would about his home world, the world he lived in now, and himself.

Thanks to the messages left by his biological father, Jor-El, he'd had no trouble in finding the extent of his emerging abilities, although he was still unsure of the limits on the amount of power he had.

But all that was in the past for now, and while he still intended to use the Fortress if the need arose, he was more than ready to go home.

Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, Clark hefted his suitcase onto his shoulder, crouched, then shot into the air faster than the human eye could follow.

Rising until he was sure no one could spot him, he glided until he was over his parents' house, then plummeted down almost as fast as he'd gone up.


In the Witwicky's garage, Ron Witwicky was attempting to change a flat tire without the jack, which had broken. He was just about to give it up as a bad job when a pair of hands effortlessly lifted the truck off the ground.

"Let me give you a hand with that, Dad," a familiar voice said.

A massive grin crossing his face, Ron gladly let his son change the flat. When he was done, Ron gave him a hearty slap on the back.

"Good to see you, Clark. Real good. Let's go surprise your mother."


Going into the house, Ron hollered, "Judy! Come see who I just found!"

Coming out of the kitchen, Judy Witwicky's eyes lit up when she saw Clark. "It's about time you came home," she admonished gently, hugging him. "Did you find anything out?"

Did I ever. Like where I got my tendency to ramble when I get excited about something. Aloud he said, "You bet. You wouldn't believe what Krypton was like!"

"'Krypton'?"

"My home planet. It was one of the most scientifically advanced societies in the galaxy."

"Why do you say 'was', son?" Ron asked.

Clark's expression fell. "It's gone. It exploded."

"Oh, honey," Judy said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. At least now I know why my birth parents gave me up. They did it to save me."

Giving himself a shake, Clark added, "Well, enough of that. I've been gone a long time, Mom, and I could really use one of your homemade pies."

She beamed at him. "Apple, blueberry, cherry, or blackberry?"

"Apple!" both men shouted.


Later, after polishing off the pie, Clark sprung his idea on his parents.

"Mom, Dad? Remember when I told you I wanted to use my powers to help people, but couldn't because I'd never have a normal life?

Ron and Judy glanced at each other and nodded.

"Well, I think I've found a way around that."

Standing up, Clark started to spin until he was just a blur of colors. When he stopped, he was wearing a skintight blue bodysuit that clearly defined his impressive muscles, a red cape, red boots, and what looked for all the world like a pair of red briefs with a yellow belt.

"C-Clark?" Ron squawked. "What are you—Is that underwear?!"

Poor Clark's face turned five different shades of scarlet. "No, this is not underwear! This is based on the uniform of the Kryptonian Elite Guard!" He grinned sheepishly. "I figured if I wore this, no one would recognize me."

Ron frowned. "I don't know about this. What do you think, Judy?"

"It needs something."

"Huh?"

"Right there," she said, tapping Clark on the chest. "It needs something right there." She thought for a minute, then her face lit up. "I've got it!"

Judy rushed out of the room, only to return a moment later with a red-and-blue bundle in her hands.

"This is the baby blanket we found you in," she told Clark, then shoved the blanket into Ron's hands.

"Hold this," she ordered.

The blanket unrolled, revealing itself to be blue with red trim. And right smack in the middle was a red, stylized "S" set in a red diamond on a yellow background.

"This," Judy said, pointing to the "S," "looks like some kind of iron-on. Think you can get it off?"

"Sure." Firing up his heat vision, Clark carefully heated the iron-on until it started to peel off.

"Okay, I think that's enough," Judy said. Grabbing the edges of the "S," she gently pulled it off. Turning, she centered it on the chest of Clark's costume, then pressed it on.

"There," she said, stepping back. "That does it."

"Judy, you're not really letting him do this, are you?"

"And why not? Clark's a grown man, Ron. He can make his own choices."

"But what if someone recognizes him?"

Clark smiled. "Do you remember what I was like before I left, Dad? I was skinny, clumsy, and had the social skills of a brick. I doubt anyone will recognize me now."

"...Point taken," Ron finally said. He suddenly grinned. "I'll tell you one thing, though. With a costume like that on, no one will be looking at your face."

"Dad!"

"Well they don't call 'em tights for nothing!"