"May I go home now?" It was an absurd question on many levels but Jor-El felt compelled to ask anyway. The small Asian woman who'd so dutifully given him his medication over the last week simply shook her head and continued to study his chart. "Please?" He asked again.
"Afraid not." She replied, her eyes never moving off the chart. Jor grunted in disappointment.
"Are you sure?"
"Yep. But I'll tell you what, I'll tell Dr. Klein that you're getting antsy and I'll have him look at your chart. If he thinks your ready then you'll be released soon." Jor nodded slightly as the woman let the room. He hated being alone in this place. It gave him too much time to sit back and think. Too much time for long buried and painful memories to resurface.
It was really stupid to ask to go home. What he should have said was 'May I leave now'. His home had long since been reduced to a few scattered asteroids and some twisted metal. Bitterly he wondered if anyone even remembered what happened, or had Krypton been reduce to the status of folk legend?
Lois and Clark came to visit him every day for hours on end. Sometimes Clark's parents came too, sometimes they stayed behind. But even with all that time occupied and all that distraction there was too many hours in the day left to fill and they were usually spent rehashing old troubles and remembering forgotten dreams.
He couldn't blame anyone else. It was him who unassumingly opened the floodgate. It was started when he tried to figure out how he ended up encased in a chunk of his planet. All he could recall was telling Lara to duck as a section of the roof of their home collapsed and nearly crushed them both. Lara. Amazing how a name so small could unleash such intense emotions. And of course once that can of worms came open his mind instantly went back to that argument in their bedroom.
Why hadn't he tried harder to convince her to go? Why did he give in and tell her to stay with him as all hell broke loose and their entire species was sent to meet their maker? He should have forced her on that launch headed for Artemis. But no, once again he had let those big brown eyes get under his skin and override his judgment. He'd craved plain and simple. And now he was sitting all alone wishing he could go back in time and beat the crap out of his past self.
He tried to hide his pain from Clark and concentrate on learning all the facts he could about his son and his life on earth. Kal. There's another thing to obsess over. He was so beautiful, so strong and so confidant, and kind.
Everything a man could ever hope his boy to be. Jor found himself wondering if he was a nuisance to his boy. After all, he was all grown up now. He had a job and a wife who obviously loved him dearly, but more then that, he had parents already. Parents he loved and respected and made him the center of their world. Which was good because that gave him the foundation he needed to survive in a world were everyone who different.
During the times Jonathan and Martha Kent had come to visit him, he had decided that they were wonderful people and he was proud to say they had raised his son. And yet he felt like he was in competition with them. How could he compete with the perfect all American couple? He couldn't, plain and simple. He was just a mourning widower who loved his only son and wanted to be in his life.
Jor-El closed his eyes and tried to clear away the panic his train of thought had created. There was no competition he knew that. Clark wanted to be with him, he knew that too. Everything boiled down to the fact that everyone was uncomfortable and nobody had a game plan. Jor decided to change all that. As soon he was out in the open he'd get accustomed to this planet and he'd initiate all those hard conversations that needed to be birthed. He'd do everything in his power to make everyone happy and glad he had returned. And if that failed, and he was eventually exiled then he's know it wasn't for a lack of trying.
He popped his eyes open when a soft tap sounded on his door. He called for the visitors to come in and his face instantly brightened when his son and daughter in law came in fallowed closely behind by the Kents.
"Guess who's going home today?" Lois teased. In the week he'd spent recovering he'd grown more and more fond of Lois Lane. She was intelligent not only book wise but street wise as well, and she loved Clark very much.
"Me?" Jor asked. Lois giggled when his face took on the expression of an excited little boy.
"Yep!" She replied.
"Jor, Jonathan and I were wondering if you might want to have dinner with us in Kansas tonight. I think it would be nice to spend time together as a family." Jor's smile brightened farther. But then his face grew troubled.
"I don't want to burden." He said.
"Burden? You're family!" Jor shifted his attention to Jonathan Kent who had remained silent.
"Is that okay with you?" he asked, locking eyes with the elder Kent.
"Of course, I think a lot of good would come of it." Jor turned back to Martha.
"I'd love to."
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
When the paperwork was filed and Jor was dressed the family walked out of Star Labs free to begin life anew. All eyes were on Jor as he studied the streets of Metropolis. He took a few deep gulps of air and stopped to give the grass a good look over. In all the excitement and the rush to get acquainted it was easy to forget that Jor was new to the planet. And for the first time that seemed to be the pressing issue.
After apparently getting bored with the grass Jor studied himself. His face was clean-shaven and his hair had been cut in a style similar to Clark's. He wore a baggy pair of dark denim pants and a maroon colored shirt that would have been too hot for the season had he been able to feel the temperature. He seemed satisfied and eagerly fallowed the family down the streets leading to Hyperion Ave.
Once at the house, he studied the layout meticulously. Scanning each room and picking up a few objects from time to time. The whole time he remained silent.
Martha and Jonathan packed their bags and Clark flew them home without Jor noticing. He came back moments later to grab Lois. It was then that he realized that he wasn't sure what to do with his father. Did he know how to fly? Of course he was capable, but did he know how to tap into that power?
"Dad, we're ready to go." Clark called up the stairs. Jor came down quickly.
"Lead the way." He instructed.
"Umm, well, I'm hold on to Lois, because well, she can't fly. Do you-" Before Clark could finish his thought Jor was hovering off the ground. Clark gazed at him in amazement.
"Do you honestly think that earth is the only planet with a yellow sun?" The older man asked.
"No, I mean, I never really thought about it."
"Well, now you know. Can we get going? I'm hungry."
The sky over Metropolis had two flying men that evening and both of them sincerely hoped it would stay that way.
…………………………………………………………………………
The farmhouse in Kansas was submitted to the same in depth study that the brownstone had been subjected too. As soon as Superman and Jor-El planted their feet on the front walk of the Kent residence Jor-El began to wonder. He took great care in his inspections, making sure not to disturb anything. He paid particular attention to the mantel over the fireplace in the living room, which was adorned with pictures of the family in various stages of their lives.
Clark watched his father pick up each picture one at a time, study it and then place it back down gently. As if they were pieces of porcelain instead of wooden frames. The first picture was of a newly married Martha and Jonathan Kent. There was a familiar giddiness that the picture captured. It was a feeling that Jor himself had felt long ago when his marriage to Lara was made official.
The second picture was of an a little boy who had fallen asleep on the living room floor while listening to the radio with his father. His haircut was like Mo from the three stooges and the same color. His eyes were puffy with sleep and his lower lip pouted out slightly. Jor turned his attention to the spot were the picture was taken so many years ago. He tried to imagine Clark as a boy of two sprawled out in front of the roaring fire with two people who loved him dearly watching him sleep. He wondered who took the picture. Was it Martha who'd gotten up to get the camera or Jonathan? So many questions to ask, so answers to hear. It was all so overwhelming and yet incredibly exciting all at the same time.
The final picture was of another newly married couple. Each with dark hair and eyes. They both appeared to have tears in their eyes. Jor studied the three pictures collectively for a moment and determined that this was the perfect arc of life. Couple gets married, couple has a son, and couple watches the son get married. He couldn't think of a more perfect way to spend ones life.
That was the first time Jor truly realized how much he had missed out on. The selfish part of his brain immediately went into self-pity mode. The more logical part of his brain reminded him of something Lara used to say. "Nobody can start over and make a new beginning, but anybody can start from now and make a new ending." How true was that? He missed out on his son's childhood and upbringing but he was here now and that's all that mattered. He should feel blessed for being able to spend any time with him son at all.
He felt the side door of the house open and a cool breeze came wafting in from the outside. Deciding it would be a good idea to pull himself together before supper he moved in the direction of the door. As he turned he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He realized that Clark had been watching him. A soft smile played on his lips as he opened the door and a gush of fresh country breeze met his face.
It was a good couple of moments before he realized that he wasn't alone on the porch. Sitting in a big rocking chair in the corner husking corn was Jonathan Kent. The two men locked eyes and acknowledged each other with a quick nod.
"I didn't mean to disturb you." Jor-El apologized, "I just was in need of some fresh air."
"Don't apologize. Actually, I'm glad you're here."
"You are?"
"Yeah, I was kinda hoping you and me could sit down and talk man to man." Jor nodded and sat on the porch swing to Jonathan's right. "I'm not good at this sort of thing, so I'm going to apologize in advance for sounding overly gruff. I have a few concerns."
"You're concerned that since I'm alive you'll somehow disappear from Clark's life. You're concerned that you might stop mattering so much to Clark and that I may encourage that separation." Jonathan stopped husking the corn and studied Jor critically.
"Exactly, how did you know?"
"Well, if the roles were reversed and I were in your shoes, then I'd worry about the same things."
"You would?"
"Of course. I mean you've spent thirty years loving and raising him. He may not be your blood but he's your heart and soul. It would be terrifying to think that a stranger would swoop in and destroy that bond."
"I just don't want to lose my boy."
"And I don't want to take him from you."
"You don't?"
"No." Jor released a deep sigh and rested a hand on Jonathan's shoulder. "I want to make one thing very clear to you, and I intend to make it clear to Clark as well, I do not want to change Clark's life. I simply want to be part of it. You and Martha have just as much right to claim Clark as your son as Lara and I do. I would never take him away from you."
"You really mean that don't you?" Jonathan asked. His eyes were moist and fresh tears threatened to fall. He blinked them back stubbornly.
"Yes I do."
"Good," He began, and to his dismay the tears defied him and were soon trickling down his cheeks. He shifted his eyes away, and as soon as he dared to look back he was shocked to realize that Jor was crying softly as well. "I, was so worried that you'd try to take my baby from me."
"I could never do that. If I did, Clark would be miserable and I just want our son to be happy."
"So do I." The two men rose from their seats and embraced. When they pulled back they wiped the tears away and it was Jor who broke the silence.
"So everything's okay, right. I mean there's no jealousy or competition going on between us, is there?"
"No. Just two very proud poppa's."
………………………………………………………………………………………………
"Hey mom, need some help?" Lois stood next to Martha and began grating cheese for supper. Martha immediately took the hunk of cheese and grater away from her and ushered her over to the kitchen table.
"No I'm fine and you need your rest."
"Martha-"
"I mean it Lois. In all this excitement everyone's been making sure Clark is okay, when we should have paid just as much attention to you." Lois sat down and took the glass of water Martha offered her.
"I'm fine, honestly. I just keep telling myself that our baby is safe and happy inside of me and that his daddy needs my attention right now."
"HIS daddy?" A broad smile crept across Lois's face. "Lois Lane, do you know something that I don't know?"
"Nothing official, I just know I'm carrying a son."
"That's well and good, but don't you think his daddy should know." Lois slumped her shoulders in defeat.
"I know. I just want to make sure that I do it properly. When we're both relaxed and can really focus on each other."
"Fine. Do it however you want. But do us all a favor and make it snappy, the anticipation is gonna give me a stroke." Lois slipped into a soft fit of laughter and then went upstairs to take a nap before dinner.
Martha was right, the sooner Clark found out about their son the better off everyone would be. The timing of her confession she knew would greatly depend on the outcome of the families first dinner together. If everyone got along then it would take a great strain off of everyone's shoulders and would provide the gateway for Lois to spill the beans.
Unfortunately Lois had a few nagging doubts about this evenings meal. Although both parties denied it, Lois could feel a bit of tension between Jor-El and Jonathan. From what she knew of both men they both very loving and kind, but it was only human nature for a competition to develop.
On one hand, there was Jonathan raising Clark as his own and putting every ounce of love and affection into him. And on the other hand there was Jor, the one who was actually responsible for Clark's creation. The one who'd sacrificed so much so that his son could have a better life. And now both men were trying to figure out how to be fathers without ruffling the other's feathers. It was bound to take some time to make the adjustment.
She was just hoping they'd get their act together before she went into labor.
