Family Relations: Part 2

At first, Connor looks slightly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people crammed into the relatively small shop, and I completely understand. I was surprised too, when I came here for the first time. But the place is knows at the best ice cream shop in all of Metropolis, so it's not really so weird. I just hope the line won't take forever. The good thing about this place is that it knows it's popular, and so it actually makes an effort to be fast and effective when serving customers.

The wait in line doesn't feel long, thankfully, because I busy the both of us with explaining the different flavors and which combinations are good. Connor looks clueless, the frown on his face making me smile because I can now picture exactly what my husband would've looked like as an annoyed teenager. Being around Connor is a.. strange experience. I'm all too aware of how much he looks like Clark, and yet how different they come off. Sometimes, it's exactly like watching my husband – only slightly shorter – but then he frowns or tenses up in a way that doesn't resemble Superman at all, and I suddenly remember that even though they share the same DNA, the two of them are vastly different.

When we arrive at the front of the line, Connor still has no idea which flavors he should order, and it looks like it bothers him. Like he knows this is something a sixteen year old should know. I hesitate for a moment, but then an idea enters my mind and I give him a reassuring smile before saying I'll take care of it.

"Two cones, one with three scoops and one with four." I tell the girl behind the counter, who smiles briefly at Lara before nodding at me and moving to prepare the first order. I get my usual: Strawberry, cookie dough and caramel.

Then, offering Connor a small smile and hoping this works, I place his order.

"One scoop of hazelnut syrup, one of salted caramel, one with pistachio and one with peach."

Connor looks oddly at me, but I just wink at him with a small shrug before accepting the two cones. We leave the shop shortly after and settle down at a table, thankfully equipped with a kiddie seat. I feed Lara ice cream with a spoon, to her utter delight, while keeping a close eye on Connor. He is unsure about the treat in the beginning, but after his first taste, his eyes seem to light up. The ice cream is gone in a matter of minutes.

"That was.. really good." He admits, giving me his first unguarded smile. I nod knowingly at him.

"I though it would be. It's Superman's favorite flavors too." I admit. It makes sense – if Connor really is a clone, then his taste preference should logically be the same as Clark's.

He looks surprised at the admittance before deflating slightly. "I wouldn't know." He mumbles and drops his hands into his lap, clenching his fists slightly. "He doesn't want anything to do with me."

My heart hurts for the poor boy and I reach across the table to clasp his shoulder in reassurance. I realize that this is the first truly informative thing he's said to me and I consider it progress. It's good that he already feels that he can trust me. "I know. I'm so sorry. I would've done something sooner, but I only found out about you this morning." I consider whether telling him that Clark has been keeping him a secret would be unkind, but I realize being honest with him might be the best thing to do. "Superman hasn't mentioned you at all. I think he's been keeping the knowledge from me because he knows I would want to meet you."

Connor looks up at me with hopeful and sad eyes. I can see that Superman's silence has hurt him. I offer him a reassuring smile.

"Look, Connor, I'm going to talk to my husband about this tonight. And I promise I'll do whatever I can to make him change his mind."

He nods once at me, his face serious. "I would really appreciate that." He admits. He sounds like he's trying to not get his hopes up, but also can't quite contain the feeling.

Once the ice creams are gone, we go for a walk. I'm not ready to let him go home yet, as I still feel I need to get to know him better. If everything goes as I want it to, I might very well be considered his mother at some point. Getting to know him before I make that decision is crucial. I take us to the nearest park and find a spot with a patch of soft looking grass, under the shade of a large oak. We settle down and I let Lara play by herself. Connor doesn't say anything, but I don't expect him to. When he sits down, it's with a straight back and perfectly crossed legs, as if, even while sitting down, he is a soldier awaiting orders, ready to spring into action at a second's notice.

Then again, Batman did tell me that Connor had been intended as a weapon. He was a soldier, trained to spring into action at a moment's notice. But not anymore. Now, he's a boy with friends and a future. He has a mind of his own. And I suspect he isn't entirely sure what to do with it yet.

Hopefully, if everything goes well tonight, he will also be a boy with a family. As I turn a smile at him and he stiffly tries to return it, I feel instinctual, motherly affection grow for him. He so desperately needs a family – it pours out of every line of his body. And I'm angry with Clark for not seeing it. Usually, he's too perceptive for his own good, but somehow, in this case, he has managed to be blind.

It frustrates me, but I know even someone like Superman is allowed their selfish and stupid moments. He's not perfect, despite what the Daily Planet likes to say. Then again, none of them live with him, so I suppose they wouldn't really know. They don't know that the Man of Steel is every bit as human as the rest of us, despite being an alien.

Lara crawls towards Connor and places her chubby baby hands on his knee, using it as leverage to get up higher. He looks uncertain, casting a glance towards me, as if fearing I will get angry and remove her, but I just smile encouragingly.

Part of me wonders if Lara has mistaken him for Clark, but I quickly cast aside the idea. She's a smart girl, and even though she can't really speak yet, she sees and processes much more than she lets on. It's more likely that she senses that he's sad, and wants to cheer him up.

"Go on," I encourage, a small smile pulling at my lips as Connor hesitantly puts the girl in his lap, looking unsure as she slaps a small hand on the front of his black t-shirt. "She's half kryptonian, so she's much more durable than your everyday toddler. You won't hurt her."

Lara giggles and grabs his arm, using it to rise on unsteady legs. She leans against his shoulder to not fall off and plays with his hair, small squeals of delight leaving her. Connor has a hand on her back to make sure she keeps her balance.

"See?" I smile at the two of them, happy that Lara seems to have accepted him right away. "You're a natural." Her instant draw to the teenager is a huge plus in my book. Lara is unusually good at judging people – one time, she refused to let a friend's boyfriend hold her, and later that week we found out that the boyfriend was abusive. Ever since then, I've allowed her to judge people for herself. I won't pressure her into being held by people if she doesn't want to. Not even Batman, who usually scares young kids, seems to intimidate her. As cheesy at it sounds, I get the feeling that my daughter sees and judges people by their heart and not their appearance.

Now, she seem at ease. In fact, she appears almost eager to gain and keep the attention of Connor. It's a good sign. It's rare that she comes across as downright eager to communicate with anyone. She's not shy, but she doesn't feel the need to put a lot of effort into meeting people. This time, however, she does exactly that.

I sit in silence and let the two 'siblings' get to know each other. For such a strong and serious boy, Connor is surprisingly gentle with the toddler. At some point, she gets bored of playing with his hair and makes to get down. He helps her, watching as she stumbles away on her short legs. He looks at me as if unsure whether she's allowed to run off like that.

"Don't worry." I say. "She likes to explore."

She only travels for a few feet before she comes back, grasping Connor's arm and tugging insistently.

"She wants you to join her." I explain.

Connor blinks at the small girl before getting up, accepting her offered hand. The two walk a slow round in the park, until Lara spots the simple playground. Then she shouts in delight and speeds up, dragging Connor to the swings.

I stay put underneath the large tree and watch the two of them. After a moment's hesitation, Connor lifts up the toddler and places her in the baby swing. Lara's hands slap against the front, her legs kicking furiously beneath her as she excitedly waits for him to start pushing. During their small walk, Connor has often looked at me as he silently asks for permission to do what Lara wants him to. Every time I respond with a smile and a thumbs up, and I do the same now. He slowly starts to move the swing and Lara lets out giggles immediately.

Biting into my bottom lip to suppress the smile that's threatening to split my face in two, I dig out my phone and snap a picture.

At some point, Lara's kicking gets a little too excited, and I hurry over before she has the chance to destroy the simple plastic swing. Usually, Lara, smart as she is, seems to be vaguely aware of her strength as an abnormality, and something she needs to control. But when she gets excited, she forgets herself. She's been known to ruin many of her toys. One of her ragdolls has stiches from the one time she ripped the leg clean off.

"I think we'd better get you down before you ruin this swing, isn't that right, sweetheart?" I tease her and she calms slightly and allows me to take her. I offer Connor a small smirk. "Super strong babies and breakable human objects. Doesn't always mix well."

He seems to understand. "I ripped a door off its hinges during my first week at the Cave." He blurts out, and then proceeds to look surprised that he'd spoken.

I keep in a small smile. My ability to gain the trust of superheroes is already working its magic. Clark's often said that he seriously thinks it might be a mind control thing that I'm unaware of. I know he's only kidding, but I don't mind considering my almost inhuman ability to connect with people far more powerful me, an actual super power. Being surrounded by super-powered beings near constantly can make me feel small from time to time, so it's fun to pretend that I also have a power.

My phone beep and I check it, finding a text from Diana. I decide to respond later, but as I look at the message, I notice the time as well. It's pretty late already. I need to get Lara home.

"Connor, it's been so nice to hang out with you. I promise we'll see you again soon, but we've gotta head home now."

He almost looks disappointed, so I offer to walk him back to the Zeta tube. I pass Lara to him and he holds her gently during the entire walk. Ten minutes later, we're saying out last goodbyes and I promise again that I'll talk to Clark tonight. He seems more hopeful than when I'd first promised it and it warms my heart.

As I walk home, I mull over how best to talk to Clark. I also consider Connor, now that I'm alone with my thoughts. (And Lara, obviously.)

He is a confused boy, but I sensed a lot of potential in him. With a guiding hand, he could become the sweetest young man this side of the galaxy. With the wrong guidance.. well, I also sensed a lot of frustration and anger in him. He's too powerful to leave without the proper guidance. Clark can't just close his eyes, cover his ears and pretend the problem isn't there. Because there is a problem. Or, at least, a problem can arise if we leave him to his own devices. Weed isn't going to stop growing just because you leave it alone – no, weed grows if you ignore it. It festers, the roots take proper hold, and it overpowers you.

With a sigh, I arrive home with Lara. It's late enough for me to start dinner – I'm trying out a casserole that needs to simmer for three hours – so I settle her on a blanket in the kitchen, with a small mountain of toys. She doesn't linger by the blanket for long, but she stays in the kitchen, so it's fine. Her mumbling that almost resembles words comforts me as she digs through all the cupboards she can reach. She's making a mess, but I can clean it later. Right now, I just focus on dinner.

Clark will be home in a few hours, and then we have to talk. Already, I start to wonder how he'll react to what I have to say. I suspect he'll be displeased that I saw Connor on my own, but I tell myself I don't care. Clark might be the most powerful being on Earth, but that sure doesn't give him the right to boss me around.

When Clark comes home that night, I've had hours to prepare what I'm going to say. I've practiced it in my head over and over. He's home late, so I'm in the middle of preparing Lara for bed, sighing at my soaked clothes as I bathe her. I'm sitting next to the bathtub, keeping an eye on her and letting her play by herself, my thoughts only half there.

"Georgia? I'm home." He calls from the front hall. He sounds tired. Not physically, because he never is, but like his day has been a challenge. I feel sort of bad knowing that I'm about to make his night a challenge as well. But I steel myself, knowing that I can't let Connor down in an attempt to spare a fight with Clark.

I hope it doesn't come to that, though. I hate fighting with him more than anything.

"We're up here." I respond, not raising my voice as I know he can hear me. Lara has heard him too, but she's wrapped up in playing with her rubber duck in the sudsy water, and so she doesn't react more than slapping her hand excitedly at the water once. Of course, it splashes my way and soaks my shirt even more.

He comes in a moment later, loosening his tie and taking off his glasses, which he leaves on the sink.

"Hey," he greets, bending down to kiss me on the lips before stroking the wet hair off Lara's forehead to kiss her as well. Clark looks at me and laughs quietly when he sees the state of my clothes. "You look like you're having a good time."

I snort and roll my eyes. "Yeah, I was thinking of just getting in the water myself. I'll probably need a bath after this anyways."

"Mhm," Clark sits down on the floor next to me and kisses the back of my neck. "You could wait until Lara's put to bed and then we can take a bath together."

I smile at the suggestion, and even though I'm still sort of mad at him, I lean back into his chest and let him wrap his arms around me.

"I left dinner for you in the oven." I say instead of answering. "Let me just finish up here and I'll come down."

Maybe he can sense something in my tone, but Clark hesitates for a moment before leaving the bathroom. I can hear his footsteps on the stairs and I keep myself from sighing out-loud because I know his sharp ears would pick it up.

I finish Lara's bath and help her into pajamas before putting her to bed. It's been a long day and so, she's thankfully tired and falls asleep easily. I only read a quick story for her, which, though she presumably doesn't understand much of, she listens quietly to. I think it's more the sound of my voice than the story that holds her attention. For a while, she just studies me, sucking on her pacifier, but eventually her eyes slip shut and she relaxes. I mentally thank her – it's as if she knows I really want to talk to Clark, and so she doesn't fuss. I sit, gathering my thoughts for a while as I watch her sleeping form. A warm feeling originates in my heart and pools from my chest and all the way into my toes.

I love her so much. This girl is the most beautiful and wonderful thing I've ever created. Helped create. I think briefly back to my pregnancy. I remember all the uncomfortable nights, all the nausea, all the haywire feelings. I remember giving birth to her – how painful it had been. All completely worth it. She would be worth walking on red hot coals for.

I close my eyes and remember this feeling of complete love. It's directed at both Lara and Clark. I latch onto this and tell myself that, no matter what happens tonight, he is still the love of my life, and this wonderful girl is still something we made together.

Feeling thus reassured, I make sure her night lamp is on, and then close the door behind me as I leave the room.

Clark is finishing up the dishes when I come downstairs. His back is to me, so he keeps drying the frying pan in his hands instead of acknowledging my presence.

"How was your day?" I ask, hovering by the door.

Clark sighs. "Long. Perry was in a bad mood."

I approach him and wrap my arms around him from behind, wishing I wouldn't have to make his day more shitty than it had already been. I can tell he's been excited to come home to his family after a bad day at the office, and now I'm going to ruin that too.

I tell myself to not care – this deal with Connor is more important. I inhale deeply, his scent calming me greatly, as always.

"I spoke with Batman today." I begin. My heart picks up speed and by the way he halts his movements, I know he has noticed.

"Oh?"

"He told me about Superboy." I shut my eyes and tighten my hold on him slightly, hating how he tenses immediately. Clark doesn't say anything. He just stands there like a statue, staring out the window. I know I have to continue, so I let go of him and take a step back. "I went and saw him, Clark. And he-he's such a wonderful kid. He was so gentle with Lara-"

"You let him hold Lara?" Clark sounds torn between betrayal, disbelief and anger, but he finally turns to look at me. His eyes are blazing and I can see that he is well and truly mad.

"Yes – of course I did. They're practically sibli-"

"He's not my son!" He exclaims loudly and I take a step back in surprise. Clark never raises his voice. Not in the three years we've been married and not in the time we dated before that.

I open and lose my mouth a few times as I try to get over the lightning in his eyes – I try to understand why the subject makes him so angry. In the end, instead of contradicting him, I take the argument somewhere else.

"How could you not tell me? About him?" I ask, keeping my voice low in an attempt to calm him and to not wake Lara. "You've known for months and you told me nothing."

Clark deflates and massages his furrowed brows. "Because I knew you would do this. I knew you would seek him out even though I don't want you to."

"Clark, he's made from your DNA. You can't pretend that he has nothing to do with you, that he isn't your responsibility."

"I didn't ask for that responsibility. I never asked for another child." He protests.

"You didn't ask for Jason either!" I shoot back sharply. "But you accepted him because he is your son."

"That's completely different!" Clark protests. "I created Jason with a woman I was in love with. He might've not been planned, but he was my responsibility because he was a result of my own, conscious actions. Superboy – he was made without my consent. Someone stole my DNA and used it without my knowledge to create a weapon."

"A weapon who happens to be a real person." I step up to him, wringing my hands as I try to make him understand. "Clark, he's a real boy with real emotions and thoughts. He has powers like you – he's so powerful. Sure, he has the body of a sixteen year old, but he's still so new to this world. He needs a good influence – he needs more than what the Team can give him. He needs a family. He needs a dad that can help him figure out his powers and his place in the world."

Clark sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He steps around me and throws the dishtowel at the counter, making for the living room in his attempt to escape me.

"Clark!" I go after him because I'm far from done. "You have to listen to me! Connor is a sweet boy, but I sensed a great deal of anger brewing under the surface when I was with him today. You – we – can't allow that anger to control him. He's powerful, and if he ends up turning that power against the world? Clark, he could be dangerous." I catch up to him and reach up to hold his jaw carefully, looking into his eyes with earnest. "You can't let that happen to him. He needs a family. He needs love and parenting and a normal life. It's our responsibility. I know it's not fair, I know we didn't ask for this. But it's happened. He's here, and now he needs us."

He finally meets my eyes, the blue orbs no longer angry, but still intense. I swallow and offer him a small smile. "When you first arrived, you were a baby with immense power. You were an alien. But Martha and Jonathan Kent still took you in and they gave you love and a moral compass. Their compassion and acceptance made you the great, wonderful man and hero you are today. Are you really telling me you wouldn't extend the same favor now?" I ask with a soft voice, stroking his cheekbone.

He closes his eyes and reaches up to cover my hand. His other arm wraps around my hip and pulls me close as he bends down to place his forehead against mine. I exhale as I feel the stress leaving my body, allowing myself to relax in his hold.

"You're right. Of course you're right – as always." He breathes. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

I smile and peck him on the lips. "It's okay. I understand."

"I was afraid – this is just another weird crap situation that's been spawned from me not being normal. And I didn't want to bring you into it." He admits, sighing deeply. "The truth is, the League is still unsure what to do with him – we can't know if he's safe to be around. Superboy was created by the enemy and grown in a pod, where they fed him information. Who knows what they've programmed into him? He could be acting all this time. You say that he could become dangerous if he doesn't receive the proper care.. but the truth is that he might already be dangerous. He might have programming he's not even aware of. Orders he's subconsciously carrying out. Or consciously. We don't know. And I couldn't bear the thought of you and Lara getting hurt because of him."

I smile softly at him, glad we finally reached the core of the matter. As usual, Clark has been spurred on by his fierce need to protect his family. I could never fault him for that, and I won't do so now.

"Clark.. I do understand. But we'll be okay. I truly believe he is his own person, and I truly believe the only right thing to do is to accept him into this family. I'm ready to take on that responsibility.. Are you?"

He tugs a tuft of hair behind my ear and reaches down to kiss me. I instinctively respond, grabbing hold of his tie to drag him closer.

"I'll give it a try." He relents. "Just promise that we'll take it slow, okay? He's not moving in next week."

"I promise I won't start decorating his room until next month." I nod, smirking slightly. "Maybe we should start simple. Invite him over for dinner or something. Oh, and maybe telling him your actual name would be a good idea, just so you won't have to dine in your superman suit."

He rolls his eyes at me and kisses me again. "I'll think about it. You need to promise me something, however." He fixes me with a stern look and I stand at attention. "If I give this a chance and I can feel that it's not working out, you have to respect it."

"That's fair." I shrug. "As long as you promise to give this an honest to god chance. Don't say 'hi' once and decide it's not going to work because he didn't respond the 'right way'."

"Hey, I've been called a lot of things in my life, but I'm sure nobody has ever accused me of being petty and unreasonable." He says, and I'm reminded of his usual generous and embracing nature.

"Never." I assure him. "So when will you talk to him?"

"I promise I'll approach him before the end of the week. I don't have any scheduled League meetings. So I have some free time after work." He smirks lightly at me. "However, I was hoping to use some of that time to ask this really pretty woman out. She's been flirting with me a lot lately, so I figured I might have a shot."

"Oh?" I waggle my eyebrows at him, "You sure you haven't misread the signs?"

"Nah, I think it's a done deal." His eyes dance as he speaks. "There's one snag: She already has a child. So we'll need a babysitter."

"She probably has a best friend of some sort. Or some parents who can watch the kid."

He nods seriously. "Perfect. Good thinking. Now which restaurant do you think she'd prefer? Italian, Greek or American?"

"Does the American one serve burgers?"

"The best in town, from what I've heard."

"Definitely American. She's been craving a good burger for days now."

He swoops down and pecks my lips. "Friday, I'll pick you up after work."

I fake gasp. "Oh my god, you've been talking about me this whole time?" I act scandalized. "Good sir, I'm a married woman!"

He rolls his eyes at me, but plays along. "I've already cleared it with your husband. He's going to be there too."

"Ouch. You really want to third wheel on my date with my husband? Awkward."

"Shut up," he laughs lightly and pecks my lips again. My heart feels all fuzzy again, same as it did when I had watched Lara earlier. I relish the fact that he still has this effect on me.

I reach up to kiss him again, simply because I feel so relieved. The conversation about Connor had actually gone better than I had imagined. I try to stop myself from picturing where we'll go from here. I have laid the responsibility onto Clark's shoulders, and he's promised to seek out Connor. Now, all I can do is let him do so at his own pace.

Clark sighs into the kiss and pulls me closer by the hip, running gentle fingers along my spine, from top to bottom. I feel excitement spark low in my belly. Pulling back, I rest my forehead against his.

"So, about that bath.." I whisper suggestively, waggling my eyebrows again.

"I'm on it." Clark swoops me up with a grin, kisses me thoroughly one more time, and carries me up the stairs

Yo! Hey guys! I know, it's totally crazy that I updated this thing, right?

This chapter is dedicated to my friend who is currently in the hopsital and whom I know has been waiting for the continuation of this story forever. I hope this cheered you up a bit!