A/N: OKay, so this chap's nowhere near as long as that last one (whew, I meant to break it up better, but I just couldn't find a good split in that whole darn chapter. . . ) Anyways, this is just to let you know of one tiny little fact: THAT I DID NOT FORGET ABOUT RICHARD! *cough cough* ok, so I left him out of the first couple chapters, I really did mean to drag him in somewhere in the middle, but I couldn't find the right place where he would fit and I still wasn't decided on what I wanted for his relationship with Lois (poor Richard- I don't think there's anywhere he truly fits. . . he really is "a good man," despite the fact that I kinda sorta hate (and at the same time love) him, but oh well. He's almost too good a guy- he doesn't deserve the Superman universe to treat him so poorly. Why don't you go find Gotham, Richard? What? You're uncle's Perry White? I'm sure he'll understand. He sees the havoc you're wreaking on this movie franchise and he's frustrated that the controversy isn't selling more papers. . . .).

Disclaimer: I own the Superman Returns DVD, two disk edition. It has a cool, shiny plastic slip-cover-ish-thing that when you tilt it, the picture changes three times. . . i just spent about half an hour trying to look up what the "official" name for that was, but to no avail. Anyways, as far as Superman goes, that's about all I own. Oh, and some DC superhero capes that my family and I won down at Magic Mountain one time. It's great fun pretending to be Batman disguised as Superman when you layer up all the capes and do MEGA-REVEALS in the privacy of your own home. And yes, if you take me up on that idea, do that at home. I take no responsibility if you decide to take that stunt and perform it in public. :D

*****Chapter Six: Eyes Too Blue*****

The moment Richard heard about Lois- and then about Clark's death- he immediately caught the first flight home from Cairo. He contemplated everything in his mind as he practically ran up to Perry's office, cursing the elevator for being so slow.

He was concerned about his family- about Lois, about Jason. Even though he had just learned that they weren't really his family- Jason was Superman's son, and Lois had been growing more distant as the three weeks since he first came back. Gone for five years, left her with child, and she still had feelings reserved for the man. He shook his head, sobering his thoughts and consenting that no matter whose family they were, he was still apart of their lives, and he loved them regardless. Especially when tragedies like this struck.

As he approached the door to his uncle's office, smiling at his s- at Jason, he amended, he turned his thoughts to the other tragedy that had taken place just outside this office. His eyes turned to the section of the bullpen that had been roped off- both out of respect and for trace amounts of evidence. His stomach lurched as his eyes were drawn to the blood stains on the floor- the carpet had not yet been replaced, and it was terrible to think that one man doing the right thing had sacrificed his life in an effort to defend the innocent people around him, and try to talk some sense into a maniac the likes of Luthor.

And now he was dead. It was too bad- Clark had seemed like such a nice guy. To be gunned down in his own office by none other than Lex Luthor, for no apparent reason: it was barbaric. Even for Luthor. Sure, he understood kidnapping Lois, knowing as everyone did that she would be the best way to call Superman out. But Clark? What was his issue with him? After all, the man had only just returned from his five year trip around the world, and it seemed to Richard that he didn't have any connections whatsoever before he had left.

There was something to that line of thought, but Richard couldn't quite place his finger on it. That was when he realized his uncle had been speaking to him for a minute already and he hadn't caught a word of it. "I'm sorry, Uncle Perry. What were you saying?"

His editor-in-chief's features softened as he realized how abrupt he had been with his nephew. "Aw, Richard. I'm sorry. How you holding up with all this? Must be rough, your fiancee getting kidnaped and her friend and partner being murdered. . ." Perry paused, not sure if he should disclose Clark's secrets to his nephew. After all, it was an intensely personal matter, and he wasn't sure if Richard even knew about Jason's parentage yet.

"No, no. It's alright. It's just. . . a bit overwhelming right now, that's all." He gulped wondering if he should break the news about him and Lois splitting up. They had decided just last week- last week- to break off their engagement. They still took it slow, not wanting to stir up rumors about Superman or Lois, and that was why Lois still wore her ring and Richard had ran off to do the international news coverage in Egypt. But perhaps it was time his uncle knew, so as to handle some press control.

But Perry broke in before he could voice his thoughts. "You sure you're okay?"

Now or never. Richard sighed. "Yeah, Perry. It's just. . . weird. It's the second time Lois has been kidnapped in less than a month, and we're having a lot of. . . issues lately. . . mainly over-" he stopped himself, wondering if he should tell his uncle once again. Hey, that little boy in the corner over there is Superman's son, not mine. But he felt as if it wasn't his secret to tell. That was for Lois and Superman himself to disclose. "It's just," he decided to go with a somewhat honest response. "Lois and I aren't going to be engaged anymore, Perry." he had lowered his voice, as though concerned someone would hear him.

Perry White immediately understood, and nodded. "I figured as much," he muttered. "So," he added a little bit louder, but still quiet enough that no one beyond his office could hear, "You know then?"

Richard reeled, at a loss for words. His uncle had figured it out before he had. "Um, what do you mean?"

His uncle cast a meaningful glance over at Jason, playing in the office next door, and Richard knew it for sure now. "Um, yeah," he mumbled. "I found out about two and a half weeks ago. We were still trying to make it work then, but we decided before I left that it was pretty much over. I loved her, but Lois. . . she still had some. . . hang ups about the other guy. How long have you known?"

Perry looked at the floor. "I found out the day Luthor kidnaped Lois and shot Clark. But heck, even your eyes aren't that blue."

Richard nodded, glancing at the headline for the morning's paper, in an effort to avoid that bitter line of thought. No, his eyes are just a bit too blue for them to be mine. He forced himself to reread the headline, allowing the words "Reporter Killed" to guilt him out of thinking so selfishly. Then he thought of his poor uncle, understanding the turmoil his closest family member must have gone through that day. Everything must have been so shocking, and everything at once, too. His chest tightened as the words entered his mind once again, realizing what he'd just thought to himself: closest family member. Even his own subconscious had betrayed him. He had no son anymore. Not biologically, anyways. And he still didn't know what Superman would say to having him around or not.

"It's too bad. About Kent. He seemed like a nice guy," Richard threw out there.

Perry nodded. "He was the best reporter I'd ever had, second only to Lois Lane herself. And he was one hell of a typist. Sure, he was iffy on the deadline thing, but what he did ever turn in was never not worth reading." He laughed softly. "And he was an excellent speller. Unlike Lois."

Richard hadn't realized his uncle had cared so strongly for his now deceased reporter. Sure, he had heard many regaled tales of the infamous, Lane-Kent dynamic duo, but rarely anything about the man himself.

It suddenly struck Richard that perhaps he had liked it that way. He didn't seem to care a whole lot when no one spoke to him upon his return, he just slipped back into his place, operating at Lois and Jimmy's sides effortlessly. And for them, it was like no time had passed at all- it was like things had never changed. Nothing was ever said about Clark, about his personal life, only that he was a great reporter who worked with Lois Lane- and Lois was the best reporter, have you heard of her? And then Clark's name had once again worked its way out of the conversation, unnoticed, unspeculated on. Nothing. Richard felt guilty at never having gotten to know the man better. Did he have any family? Anybody to care for him? A home to go to?

It shook him that a man could be so well known and yet still remain invisible.

People around the office, despite the fact that they didn't really embrace Clark upon his return, obviously felt the horror of it, too. To think that an average guy like Clark who never did anything bad to anyone, ever, could be taken from them so swiftly and unexpectedly- the entire office was shaken to its core. Richard felt it even after midnight when everyone had already left. There was an eery silence that filled the room, even at their busiest time of day. It was strange how one loss could change so much.

He shook his head in an effort to change the topic. "Anyways, so, any news about the whereabouts of Lois and Lex Luthor? They can't have disappeared entirely. I mean, has Superman found anything out yet?" His voice was a little bit forced at the mention of Superman's name, but for Lois, and for Jason, he had to resort to every means possible.

Perry seemed taken aback for a moment, before recovering. "Uh, no. No he hasn't."

"I mean, there was no mention of him in the papers, and I haven't heard anything on tv to prove that he's even looking for her," his tone became bitter. "You'd think the guy would care that the mother of his child went missing."

"Well, maybe we don't know the whole story," Perry got a little defensive, which startled Richard.

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by a screaming noise coming from the adjoining office. Both men rushed in to see what was wrong.

"Jason? Are you alright? What happened, munchkin?" Richard grew panicked as he saw his son folded in half on the floor, gripping his head tightly and covering his ears. His eyes were shut tightly. "Jason?"

"Make it stop, daddy," he shouted in order to be heard.

"Make what stop?" His father had a genuinely confused look on his face as he held his little boy in his arms- even though he acknowledged the fact that he wasn't really his little boy anymore.

"STOP SHOUTING!" he screamed and pushed him away forcefully as he once again clamped down on his eardrums.

Richard was pushed a ways back, thankful that the blinds to this room were closed. Who knew what rumors would get started if anybody happened to walk into the Planet offices and saw a five year old boy push Richard away and across the room? Not to mention all the screaming would definitely set off some alarm bells. Even though he knew no one else would be there at this late hour. The only people who ever stayed this late were gone: Lois kidnaped, Clark dead, Jimmy sending his condolences to Mrs. Kent in Smallville.

The screams turned to sobs as his son began rocking himself back and forth in an effort to comfort himself. Richard looked at his son bewildered. Perry finally spoke up, softly. "Um, Richard? I think I know what's going on here."

"What? By all means, tell me."

"Superman has superhearing, correct?"

Suddenly it all flooded over Richard. He was hearing things, things no one else but one man on the planet could hear. Slowly, flabbergasted, he nodded.

"I think we're gonna need to borrow you're plane, son."

Richard looked at him quizzically, then realized that maybe taking to the skies they could find Superman- where was the guy anyways? He would be the only one able to help Jason cope with this.

The three of them walked out of the office casually, considering that it was near midnight and everyone else had pretty much left. Jason cried into his dad's shoulder as they called for a taxi to Richard's house- their house still, he reminded himself- and boarded the airplane.

The moment the three of them got into the air, Jason's cries turned into whimpers, the noise dying down as they got farther and farther away from the ground. He could still hear it all, plain as day, but at least it wasn't bombarding him like it had been in the office. He cried himself to sleep, and Richard smiled sadly as he cast a glance back at the huddled form of his five year old.

"Alright, Perry, where to? What would be the best place to take him you think? Probably not the city, somewhere out of the way where there wasn't as much noise- Perry?"

His uncle sat quietly, knowing what he had to do, but not wanting to do it, to reveal everything so suddenly. It would quite upset his nephew he knew, but it had to be done.

"Smallville," he finally replied.

Richard raised a quizzical brow at the man. "Smallville? As in Kansas? Where Clark was from?" Perry didn't comment on the fact that Smallville was not where he was from, but rather nodded, keeping to himself for the moment. Richard shrugged. "I guess it's as good a place as any. Maybe we could pay our regards to Mrs. Kent while we're there." Perry still refrained from responding. "And it's definitely in the middle of nowhere. Alright. Smallville it is."

And they flew for a while in silence, Perry not knowing where or how to begin, and Richard just zoning out. It was four am. No person in the world should be up at this ungodly hour.

And yet, Clark Kent was.

He hadn't been. In fact, he had been in a pretty darn deep state of coma when he'd heard the screams. Those screams, from thousands of miles away, had roused him from his coma, fighting to wake up for the sake of his son.

Jason. At first, Clark had woken up screaming himself, echoing his son's reaction. But as he realized why the boy was screaming, he relaxed- but only a little. He heard him say "make it stop" and his heart sunk. He was gaining his ability to hear. And once again, Clark wasn't there.

His mom and Jimmy both rushed into his room at the same time, both fearful at what would make him scream like that. "Clark, honey, what's wrong?" She snapped on the light and he shielded his eyes, groaning. The moment those lights came on he lost track of his son's voice. Sighing, he moved to sit on the edge of his bed, cradling his head in his hands. "Sweetie?" she added with concern. She noted with a mild amount of distress the scar on his side and the bullet wound in his shoulder as he sat there in only some pajama pants. She seethed with a silent rage for Lex Luthor and was overwhelmed by the pain she felt for her little boy.

"I'm fine now, Ma. Just. . . a bad dream," he decided to reply on the safe side.

"Don't you lie to me anymore, Clark Kent. Now what's wrong for real? You shouldn't have woken up from your coma for about anything. What happened?"

He bit his lip nervously. "I heard something. Jason."

Martha felt her heart drop and her hopes rise simultaneously: the first out of concern for her grandson- grandson, she reminded herself happily- and the latter out of hope for Clark regaining his powers. "Is he alright?"

"He was screaming. He's starting to. . . hear things. Like I can. He was begging to make it stop, and then he simmered down a little bit, and then you guys walked in, and I lost it again."

"But you could hear, for a little bit anyways, right?" Jimmy asked hopefully.

Clark nodded. "Yeah. It's been coming and going in random spurts- ever since I heard Ma sobbing to you earlier. This makes two times."

"Well, that's a plus. At least we know now that you're going to get your powers back- hopefully," Jimmy amended at the dubious glance Clark cast him. Clark himself was a bit pessimistic about the situation, but he decided to let Jimmy have his hope for now.

"Well, since all that's over with for the time being, Clark, you need to get back to sleep. You have to if you want to recover at all."

He nodded, his eyelids already drooping as he slid back under the covers with a slight shiver. "I know," he muttered as he allowed his eyes to slip shut, though his brow remained furrowed with concern. "G'night."

Jimmy walked away, satisfied that his friend wasn't dying again, but Martha Kent stayed for a moment, making sure his breathing slowed to a very low rate. If she didn't, she feared he would get up and begin roaming the house insteadm out of worry, and then he would never get better. She stroked the errant curl from his forehead gently as he sunk deeper into his coma-like sleep, proudly staring down at him with tears in her eyes. How many things did he have to sacrifice for the world? His family, his happiness- even his life. It was too much to ask.

Finally, she sighed, and she walked out the door, shutting off the lights as she went.

Little did they know that within a couple of hours or so, Perry and Richard White, along with Jason, would come knocking at their door.

*****Act Drop*****

A/N: Read. Review. Make my day. Save Clark's powers.