Well, thank you for all of your reviews, I really appreciate them. I don't know what's going on with me, but I have this drive, and I just want to write this story. I have big plans on it and I'm really excited, so that's probably it.

This is probably the longest chapter yet. Wow. That's awesome. I'm outdoing myself :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Superman, unfortunately.


Chapter 28 - Superman

The rest of the weekend passed as a blur. For Clark, at least. He was sure he hadn't slept in more than 48 hours, but he couldn't care less. There weren't any more people alive to be found, but that didn't mean that his job was over.

The families of the dead needed closure, and Clark sure as hell would give it to them, even if he had to be up for a week straight.

He's never pushed himself that much before – no sleep, no food, no water, no rest. Just job. And sunlight. With the occasional help of the other Justice League members.

The Justice League board decided that they would announce Clark, or rather, Superman, as the newest member of the team. But first, Clark had to reveal himself to the world, in more ways than just one.

Aquaman suggested an interview.

But with whom?

He needed someone who wouldn't take his words out of context, as well as send the message he needed to send to the people of Metropolis, and with that, the world.

An idea struck him. He knew exactly who he would give the interview to.

With that, he allowed himself a small smile. That smile quickly vanished, though, as he recovered yet another dead body. A young male, approximately in his early to mid-twenties.

Why did we have to pay a price so big? Clark thought to himself.

Sarah was really worried, even though she knew there was no reason to be. Okay, well, maybe there was – she hasn't heard from Clark since Saturday morning, and it was now Sunday evening. She saw the news, she saw him working on recovering the bodies, as well as helping with the repairs of everything that needed to be repaired.

She knew dating a superhero would be hard. A powerful superhero at that. Only now has she realized just how hard it's going to be. He will be torn between serving the people, and between spending time with her.

She didn't mind it, though. She knew he had the obligation to help. And she also knew how much he needed her support. Friday evening was a good example of that. She knew it would be hard, him seeing so much evil in this world. She saw the evil in this world. And she wished she could protect him from it all, even though she knew she couldn't.

With that thought, she quickly texted him, asking him if he was alright, and that he needs to rest at least a little bit. She didn't know if he had his phone on him, but she hoped he did. After all, he does have a belt on that supersuit of his.

Clark received the message from Sarah. And she was right, he had the phone in his belt. He checked the message.

Clark, I saw the news. You've been working nonstop for almost two days. You need to rest. And eat. I don't give a crap if the sunlight nourishes you, you need to eat. So, get your ass over here before I come to Metropolis and personally take you home.

Clark chuckled at the message. A few seconds later, his phone buzzed again, with yet another message from Sarah.

Sorry about that, I'm just worried about you.

He knew that. He understood that. Quickly checking the time on his phone, he saw it was 8:00 PM already. He needed to go home, take a shower, write the interview and get at least a few hours of decent sleep, even though he doubted he needed sleep anymore.

He delivered the last body to the paramedics, who took it from him. With a respectful nod, and one last look at the body, he rocketed up into the sky, creating a crack in the pavement in the process.

He was going to go home, but first, he needed to see her and assure her that everything was okay.


Sarah heard a gentle tap on her window, and as her bedroom was upstairs, she had an idea of what, or rather who, might be the source of the tapping.

Quickly getting out of bed, she didn't even register that she was only wearing a pair of short shorts and a tank top, she made her way over to the window and gently opened it. After she opened it, she saw her Kryptonian of a boyfriend in his full-suited glory.

The suit was dirty yet again, but she wasn't surprised. What surprised her more was the tired look in his eyes. She knew he wasn't tired physically. You couldn't tire him physically, which is something she will definitely enjoy in the future, but working 40+ hours and just recovering buried bodies.. well, let's just say that it probably wasn't the easiest job in the world.

„Clark, why are you here? You should go to sleep. You look tired," she said to him.

He got that little twinkle in his eye, and she knew he had something in mind. Before she was able to register anything, he swooped into her room, pulling her into his arms and giving her a passionate kiss. Not that she complained.

He tasted a little bit like ash, and she knew the reason why, but otherwise, he tasted just like he always did.

Great.

He licked her lips, and she parted them in response. Their tongues started fighting for dominance while Sarah's hands roamed over Clark's broad figure.

He broke the kiss a few seconds, minutes, maybe even hours later, she didn't know. She was completely dazed.

She looked at up at him, and he grinned at her. That warm, goofy smile of his. If she wasn't already in love with him, she was pretty sure she would fall for him right then and there.

„Yeah, exactly what I needed," he said, the smile still plastered across his face. Sarah vaguely noticed that she had smile like that on her face, too, but she didn't care at the moment.

She hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest, while Clark's head laid on top of hers, his arms automatically circling around her small frame, hugging her even tighter to him.

She could stay like that forever, with him, and she was sure he felt like this, too.

„I could stay like that forever, you know that, but I have to go," he murmured quietly into her hair. She just nodded.

He needed to shower, he needed to sleep, and he needed to eat. There was a lot of things he needed at the moment, excluding her.

She reluctantly pulled away, and looked into his eyes. Inhumane blue met silvery blue once again. They leaned forward automatically, not breaking eye contact, and with one last kiss, he was gone.

„I'll see you tomorrow, okay? We'll watch Lucifer, deal?" he asked, the smile in his voice evident.

„Deal," she said. „Good night, Clark."

„Good night."

And with that, he was gone.

„I need him to kiss me like that again," she mumbled to herself, knowing that Clark would hear her.

And he did. And he laughed.


„Ma, Pa, I'm home," yelled Clark as he stepped into the house. He was assaulted by his mother immediately.

„Clark, why didn't you call? Are you okay? Have you eaten anything?"

He chuckled. „Ma, I'm alright, I'm sorry. I guess I just got focused.. the bodies.. I memorized every one of them. Every face. Every name..." Clark didn't bother to finish the sentence. Suddenly, the air around them changed.

Martha just nodded at him, understandingly.

„Clark, I'm sure you heard it before, and I'm gonna tell you again. It was not your fault. You did everything you could. You revealed yourself to the world. You held up a skyscraper. You subdued Wonder Woman. You saved dozens of people with that alone. And don't get me started on how you found the pople in the rubble.

„You did your best. And we're proud of you. Stop blaming yourself, okay? It was not your fault."

Clark just nodded, and hugged her tightly. The hug from his Ma was different than a usual hug from Sarah, and yet they were the same. Comforting. Warm. Loving.

„You didn't answer my question," she said after a few minutes.

„No, I haven't eaten anything since Saturday morning," he chuckled.

He stopped laughing the moment she stepped away and looked at him. She was not amused. Not at all.

„Clark. Joseph. Kent. You get your bum into the kitchen this instant! I'm going to make you a big dinner, got it?" she yelled, though there was amusement in her eyes, for which Clark was grateful for.

„Yes, ma'am," he said with a mock salute.

He blurred into the kitchen and sat down. Martha rolled her eyes amusedly.

„Children," she muttered.

„I HEARD THAT," yelled Clark from the kitchen.

„Of course you did, honey, of course."


Perry was not amused. There was a new hero in the world, able to defeat Wonder Woman in combat, and yet.. none of his reporters knew anything about him.

The man himself helped with search and rescue, as well as with some repairs, and yet, no one managed to get a scoop?

Someone knocked on his door.

„Come in," he said.

He was surprised to see that the newest intern, Clark Kent, was the one to open the door.

„What do you need, Kent?" asked Perry gruffly.

„Uh, I think I got you a scoop. The new hero?" said Kent.

Perry's ears perked up at that.

„Come here," he said.

Clark made his way over to his desk and handed him a computer-written piece in the form of an interview.

Perry took it from him and started reading, his eyes growing wider and wider with each word. His jaw almost hit the floor when he read the word alien.

He looked up at Kent, who stood there, looking out of place, even in a button down with sleeves rolled up and black slacks.

He just shrugged. „I saw him helping with search and rescue, he seemed to have a break, so I approached him and asked if I could ask him so questions. He said that I might as well ask, since he knew that sooner or later, he would have to answer some questions," he said.

Perry thought about this and nodded. Something wasn't adding up, but he decided not to voice his suspicions. Yet.

„Kent, this is most likely the scoop of the century. An alien. Living among us. With the powers to dominate us all. I'm asking you again. Is this legit?"

Kent just nodded confidently.

„Good. OLSEN, GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE," he yelled.

A few seconds later, Jimmy Olsen came striding into his office, his signature camera hanging around his neck.

„Yes, chief?" he asked.

„Do you have any photos of the newest hero? The one wearing red and blue? S on his chest?" asked Perry.

Jimmy just nodded mutely and turned his camera on. After a few minutes of Jimmy's scrolling he gave Perry the camera, loaded with pictures of the hero.

„There are some pictures with him holding the skyscraper, but I also have one of him weeping next to the bodies downtown. It's really emotional," said Jimmy.

Perry scrolled through the pictures. He motioned for Jimmy to come to him. „I want you to use this one," he pointed at the picture of him holding a skyscraper with his bare hands, „and this one," he said after scrolling a few pictures to the right, and pointed at the one of Clark crying over the bodies.

„Alright, chief. To what article should I add it to?" asked Jimmy.

„The interview. Kent's got us gold. Alright, both of you, get out of my office," said Perry, although he was smiling.

Well, who wouldn't?

Batman. Probably, thought Clark to himself.

They both got out of the office, and Clark faintly heard Perry yelling at Jimmy not to call him chief.

Clark smiled to himself. This is going to be a good day.

He picked his phone out of his pocket and quickly texted Sarah.

You should buy tomorrow's issue of the Daily Planet, you'll be surprised at what you'll find there :)

He quickly hit send and continued with his usual work of making coffee and copying documents. The only difference now was that beneath his clothes, the symbol of the House of El was plastered across his chest.


Clark knocked on the door of the Wilsons' house. He was wearing just a t-shirt with the text It's LeviOsa, not LeviosA, and a pair of jeans. It was too hot, and he didn't want to stand out with his jacket, even though he could barely feel the weather.

He also had an apple pie in his hand, courtesy of Martha Kent.

The door opened, allowing him to see Sarah's uncle, Frank Wilson, who smiled at him warmly.

„Hello, Clark. To see Sarah, I presume?" he asked.

Clark nodded. „Hello, Mr. Wilson. Yeah, she's here, right?"

Frank chuckled. „Yeah, she is. She told me you'd be coming. And I told you countless of times, call me Frank," he said as he gestured for Clark to come in.

„Hello, Clark. How are you?" asked Sarah's aunt, Ria.

„Hey, Mrs. Wilson. I'm good. Uh, mom baked this pie. And, I, uh, helped. A little," he said sheepishly.

Ria stood up from her place on the couch and gave him a welcoming hug, which wasn't something extraordinary – she gave him a hug every time he came over. He didn't question it.

„I told you countless of times to call me Arianna or Ria, Clark. And thank you, that's kind of you," she said, as the took the pie from him.

Frank chuckled. „That's exactly what I told him 20 seconds ago."


After a small talk, which consisted of Ria and Frank asking how his internship is doing and why is he in Smallville when Metropolis is so far away, which Clark politely ignored, they told him that Sarah is in her room.

Clark excused himself and made his way upstairs to the room of his girlfriend. He gently knocked on the door.

„Come in," she said, her voice muffled by the door.

He opened the door, and he nearly choked on his own saliva when he saw her lying on her bad, wearing just a short pink shorts and a tank top.

She looked up at him, her expression concerned, and then, when she realized what happened, she started laughing.

Once Clark got his bearings, he smiled, too.

„Very funny," he said with a pout.

She stood up and came to him.

„Stop pouting, it makes me want to kiss it away," she said.

Clark's pout intensified. She knew exactly what he was doing, and she allowed it. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the lips, successfully kissing the pout away.

„Now, I believe I was promised a cuddling session with my boyfriend while watching Lucifer? I haven't seen the last.. hmm..," she pretended to think, her finger resting on her chin, „five episodes?"

Clark just chuckled and pulled her closer to him.

He leaned closer to her. „I'm here to fulfill the promise," he whispered into her ear, making her shudder.

Ten minutes later, they were lying on her bed, tangled in each other, Clark holding Sarah close, and together, they watched the TV show, with both of them laughing at something one of the characters did.

And for Clark, this was the ideal evening, the best he could wish for. With his girlfriend in his arms, both safe, both happy. Together.

They fell asleep like that a few hours later, and when Ria came to check in on them, she couldn't help but smile fondly at the pair.

When she came downstairs, she motioned for Frank to be quiet, for she didn't want to wake them.

„He's making her happy," Frank eventually whispered. Ria just nodded, with a big smile on her face.

„God knows she deserves to be happy, after everything she's been through. He's a good boy. I can see the way he looks at her when he thinks she's not looking. He's in love with her," she whispered.

„We didn't even see them together today, if you don't count them being asleep," whispered Frank.

Ria just smacked him upside the head gently, a smirk on her face. „I didn't mean just today, Frank."

„I know, I know, I was just kidding," he retorted.

Ria rolled her eyes. He wasn't kidding. She's been married to him for almost twenty years.


Sarah woke up to the sunlight hitting right into her face, making her squirm. She should've closed the curtains yesterday.

It was just then when she realized that she wasn't in the bed alone, and that a rather huge.. and muscular.. form was basically right under her.

She slowly opened her eyes, just to close them again when the sunlight hit her with full force. She gently opened them again, this time, her eyes adjusted, and she could finally look at Clark's sleeping form.

He looked so much younger when he was asleep. So innocent. And with the sunlight streaming into his face.. and arms.. it looked as if his skin glowed.

Well, it doesn't glow, if I want to go scientifically into it, his cells just absorb the sunlight directly, she thought. Nice way to ruin the romantic moment, though. Good one, Wilson.

Clark, as if sensing someone was watching him, slowly opened his eyes, only to meet face to face with an angel.

„Am I in heaven?" he asked groggily.

Sarah giggled, which was so unlike her, but this boy, this man, made her do things which were not liker her at all, and yet, she knew, that deep down, that with him, she was her true self. Without the abuse. Without the pain.

„No, you aren't," she said, her voice gentle and soft, which, when talking to him, was usual. She had a soft spot for him. More than one.

He then smiled at her and pulled her into a kiss.

„I should probably go, don't want to be late to the planet," he said.

She checked to clock on her nightstand and saw that it was 7:45 AM.

„When is your shift starting?" she asked him.

„It's not a shift, per se, but 8:30, why?" he asked.

„Because it's 7:45 already."

Clark's eyes widened comically and she had to suppress a laugh. He untangled herself from her, albeit reluctantly, and stood up.

„Calm down, Clark. You have the time. You can fly several times the speed of sound, you'll be in Metropolis in less than a minute at full speed," she said.

Clark just nodded at her. „Yeah, I know, I just have to go home and change and have breakfast or else mom will kill me and..."

She cut him off by gripping him by the back of his neck and pulling him towards her, pulling his lips onto hers.

„You were rambling," she said after they broke the kiss.

„Yeah, yeah, I know. Alright, I'll see you later," he said. With one last kiss, he was out the door.


Clark sped down the stairs to the front door, only stopping when he heard someone clear their throat.

Clark stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. In front of him stood an amused looking Ria and Frank.

„Why don't you stay for breakfast, Clark?" Ria said.

„I'd love to, but I can't. I'm sorry, I have to go. Maybe next time, yeah?" he said. Frank obviously noticed that Clark was in a hurry, and nodded at him.

„Goodbye, Clark," he called after him.

„Bye!"

Ria and Frank just chuckled and made their way over to the kitchen table. They were joined by Sarah a few minutes later. She looked at them weirdly.

„What?" she asked.


Clark quickly went home, dressed, brushed his teeth, combed his hair (somewhat – he adapted messier hair for his Clark Kent Daily Planet Intern persona) and made his way into the kitchen, where both of his parents were. They were reading the newest issue of the Daily Planet, and when they heard him coming, both of them looked at him.

„What?" he asked.

Jonathan just gave him the newspaper. On the front page, in bold, black letters read, SUPERMAN – THE NEWEST HERO. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW. IS HE FRIEND OR FOE?

And underneath it all read, Interview by: Clark Kent.

He looked up from the paper and looked at his parents, both of them looking surprisingly.. amused?

„Superman, Clark? Really?" asked Jonathan, who didn't bother to hide the amusement from his voice. He didn't need to. His grin would give him away, anyway.

„What? Sarah called me like that once. And the crest looks like an S.. a little. So, yeah. Superman. Kinda catchy if you ask me," said Clark.

Suddenly, Clark's phone beeped, notifying him of a new message.

He pulled the phone out of his pocket and looked at the message. The number was unknown.

Watchtower. 5:30 PM. Don't be late, Superman.

Clark's eyes widened. How could they figure out his identity?

Well, the glasses aren't the best disguise, you know? he thought dryly.

„How did you do it, Clark?"

„Hm?" Clark looked up from the copy machine at an angry-looking Lois, who held, unsurprisingly, the newest print of the newspaper in her hands.

„How did you manage to interview him? No offense, Clark, I like you a lot, but you're no reporter. Why would he give you an interview?" she asked him.

Clark just chuckled. „I am very well aware of me not being a reporter, thank you for the reminder," he said, and her eyes softened the tiniest bit, „and as for your question, I saw him in the city, he had a break, so I decided to ask him some questions, which he answered. Now, anything else I can do for you?"

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly and stormed off, giving him a little smile in the process, as if saying I'm not angry at you anymore.


After Clark's shift ended, he took off into the sky. Now that the people of Metropolis, well, most of them, knew who Clark was, or rather, knew who Superman was, he thought it would be a good idea to go to a little patrol.

It was 5:00 PM, so he thought he had the time. He'd make it into the Watchtower in less than 8 minutes even without the need to go at his fastest.

He heard a female scream not far away from him. He quickly flew into that direction in a red-and-blue blur. With his vision, he saw a pretty woman, no longer than twenty four, being assaulted by five men. Her clothes were ripped in many places, which made Clark's blood boil.

Rapists, thought Clark angrily.

He quickly began to descend in front of the terrified woman.

„Leave her alone," he said, his voice hard.

„Oh, yeah? And why would we do that, flyboy?" sneered one of the men.

Are they really as dumb as they look? thought Clark. One of the men tried to take a swing at him, which alone answered Clark's question.

He didn't even try to catch it. When the fist made contact with his nose, he didn't even feel it. The other one did, though. He cried out in agony. With a quick scan with his x-ray vision, Clark saw that he managed to break the bone.

Clark's eyes slowly started burning red.

„Now. Anyone else?" he asked, his voice threatening. Hard. Cold.

They scurried away immediately, but Clark memorized their faces. The moment he sees them again, he'll personally take them to the police station. Now, he had other matters to attend to.

He turned around and faced the woman. She had tears streaming down her face. She was in shock. Clark had limited experience with giving comfort – he only gave it once, to Sarah, when she told him about her parents. He decided to act on instinct.

He slowly pulled the cape out of his suit and gently wrapped her up in the soft, silky material.

„Hey, it's alright. You're safe. They're not going to hurt you again. What's your name?" he asked her.

The woman looked at him, her eyes terrified still, but she seemed to recognize him, and the tears finally stopped flowing down her face.

„S-Sandra," she managed to choke out.

„Okay, Sarah. I'm Superman. I'm going to get you to the police station, okay?" he said, trying to make his voice as soft as possible.

She nodded at him. He picked her up in his arms, and started hovering. He made sure not go to too fast.


When he finally reached the station with the woman in his arms, who was still wrapped in his cape, all of the officers stopped doing what they were doing and just looked at him.

„This woman is a victim of an attempted rape," he said, he spoke gently and quietly, but everyone heard him as if he was screaming right next to their ears.

A few seconds later, a detective stood up from his chair and made his way over to Clark.

„Detective Dan Turpin, Metropolis PD. Please, follow me," he said. Clark did as he was told, but first, he put Sandra down and told her to follow him. She stuck close to him, but followed him nonetheless.

He followed Detective Turpin into the interrogation room, where the said detective was already waiting for them with a sketch artist.

Clark gestured for the woman to sit down, and looked at the men in front of him.

„Can you tell me what happened, Ms.."

„Beauregard. Sandra Beauregard," she said, her voice much stronger than only moments before, in the alley.

„I was just walking home from work, when someone pulled me into an alley, causing me to fall. W-When I finally looked up, I saw five men with that.. hungry, predatory look in their eyes. I-I tried to.. to fight them, but I couldn't. They were too strong. When I thought that there was no way to escape, Superman showed up," she gestured to Clark. „He saved me."

She turned to look at him. „Thank you."

„It's the least I could do," he said to her and gave her a warm smile.

„Could you describe them?" asked Turpin gently. He obviously dealt with raping victims before, so he knew what to do.

„I-I don't remember their faces very well. They were all tall. Bulky, that's all I can remember," she said.

Clark decided to take his matter into his own hands. „I saw them all. I know how they look. May I?" he gestured to the notebook of the artist. The artist shrugged and handed it to him, along with a pencil.

Clark started drawing at super-speed, remembering the face of every one of the assailants. After a few minutes, he handed Turpin five finished sketches.

„One of them, this one," he gestured to the third sketch, „has a broken wrist and knuckles. He punched me. He failed. You should probably check the nearest hospitals," said Clark.

Turpin looked at him approvingly and nodded. After a few more details, Clark was ready to leave.

„Superman," said Sandra.

Clark looked at her, and she smiled at him and handed him his cape.

„I won't need this anymore. Thank you, Superman. You're my hero," she said, as she hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. Clark blushed. He was already used to kissing Sarah, and receive kisses from Sarah, but from other women.. well, he'll probably never get used to that.

„I'm just doing my duty. Have a nice evening, Sandra. Good luck," he said.

He shook hands with the detective and left the station. He checked the time. 6:00 PM. He was late.

With that, he rocketed up into the sky, breaking the sound barrier several times.


„You're late," growled Batman at Clark.

„Sorry," he said, „got a little held up at the police station. Won't happen again. I hope."

„Why were you at a police station?" asked Wonder Woman curiously.

Superman's face darkened, and his eyes started slowly glowing red. „Five men tried to rape an innocent woman," he said, his voice hard.

Wonder Woman's face darkened as well. She hated rapists. If she could, she would castrate them all.

Batman didn't miss the look Batman gave him when his eyes started glowing red.

„Okay, I want to know, Batman. How did you figure out my identity?" asked Clark once he calmed down.

„A pair of glasses. Really? I just ran your face through the software," said Batman, and if it's possible, there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

„It works.. usually. Okay. Why am I here?" he asked.

„We'll have a press conference tomorrow about you joining the Justice League. 2 PM, Hall of Justice in Washington, D.C. Don't be late this time," said Black Canary, a hint of amusement in her eyes as well.

„And by the way. Superman? Really? Superman?" asked the Flash, trying to sound serious, but he was laughing.

„My girlfriend called me that once. I think it was fitting. I even have an S plastered across my chest," said Clark.

„Your girlfriend called you Superman, eh?" asked Green Arrow while he wiggled with his eyebrows.

Black Canary smacked him upside to head, muttering something about dating a man-child. Green Arrow just grinned cheekily in response.

„Here," she said, as she handed him a familiar piece of technology. A comm-link.

„Have it close by at all times, even at night. You don't know when there'll be something happening and when we'll need you," she said. Clark nodded.

„Good. Now, if that's all, you can all go," said Batman, as he stood up and left.

„What's the matter with him?" wondered Wonder Woman.

„He doesn't trust him yet. But I think there's something more to that. Superman said it himself. He's only seventeen. That's when he started to train to become Batman," said Black Canary quietly, although Clark heard her.

„Oh," was the only thing Wonder Woman could say.

Clark stood up and made his way over to the landing bay. Before he left the room, he turned around.

„And by the way, we haven't gone that far.. yet," he said to both Flash and Green Arrow. With one last wink, he left the room, leaving a gobsmacked Green Arrow and Flash in his wake.

„Yet.." muttered Flash.

This time, it was Wonder Woman who gave a smack to a man-child.


Okay, I hope you liked this chapter. We finally have SUPERMAN. And I know, this Superman is very young, but that was my plan all along. I want to have young Superman.

If you noticed any grammar errors, wrong syntax in the sentence or something similar to this, please, let me know and I'll fix it.

See you next time:)