AN: I'm so glad there are a few of you who are enjoying the way I'm torturing Jason and Superman! I knew I couldn't be the only one questioning this "what if" scenario! I was thrilled even more to see a rec in Nautica7mk's author's notes! If you haven't read Unmasked, I highly recommend it.

Once again, thanks to the betas, Hellish Red Devil and htbthomas for fixing the bad typing and assuring me that I wasn't going too far. I was worried about this chapter that just maybe Jason pushed too hard, but I think he really needed to say some of the things I let him say. Remember…he's NOT Superman! SO just because it wouldn't be in Superman's character to get verbally abusive, it could very well be in Jason's character. Be warned, it gets a little harsh…and I don't plan on letting up just yet!

I hope you like the chapter. I PROMISE that you'll see some real action in the next chapter. PROMISE!

Chapter Three

I darted down the stairs as quickly as I could, putting as much distance between the roof and me as possible. When I reached the fifth floor, I headed down to Kate's office expecting to find her still hunched over her work. I needed to see a friendly face and calm my nerves, and there wasn't anyone better suited to that job than Kate. But when I reached her office, she wasn't there. I checked my watch, surprised to find that nearly an hour had passed since I had last seen her. How had that happened?

I exhaled sharply and resumed my fast-paced trek back down the stairs and out of the building. Masson's Deli was just a few blocks away. I could make it there in no time if I…well…'sprinted.' No need to keep Kate waiting longer than necessary. My feet sped over the sidewalk, carrying me down the street, around the corner, and landing me face-to-face with Clark Kent.

I jumped back in surprise. "What the hell?"

"I wasn't done talking to you," he said in all seriousness.

"Well, I was done talking to you." I walked around him, not wanting any more guilt disguised as conversation.

"Jason, will you just listen to me for a minute. Please. And then I'll leave you alone."

I stopped, but I didn't turn around. "You have one minute."

There was a pause as silence passed between us.

"Time's ticking away," I called over my shoulder.

"I – I just want you to be careful."

I snapped around to glare at him. "What?"

"With Kate," he added. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

Slowly, the humor of the situation hit me in the gut and I started laughing full out. "Are you kidding me?"

"It's not funny, Jason."

"No, I think it's very funny." I continued to laugh. "You…giving me relationship advice? That's rich!"

His eyes shifted behind those fake glasses he wore. "I just worry for you…and for her."

"You worry?" I said in disbelief, all laughter vanishing in an instant. "Why?" I said harshly.

"Believe it or not Jason, but I do worry about you."

"Well, thanks, but I don't think you're even remotely qualified to give me advice on how to treat a woman."

He looked up at me with that honest expression I hated so much. "On the contrary, I think I'm very qualified in this instance, and I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did."

I sneered at him. "Don't worry. I won't. I happen to know what a condom is."

The color drained from his face as he felt the full weight of my meaning. "Jason," he whispered. "I didn't mean you."

I wanted to get rid of him. I'd had enough of his lies. Time to go in for the kill. "Really? I would think that a bastard child would be at the top of your mistakes list."

"Don't," he warned, and I could almost feel the anger rising behind those blue eyes of his.

"Don't what? Don't make the same mistake? Well, I won't. And even if I did…it wouldn't matter. I want to marry Kate. If she came to me tomorrow and told me she was pregnant, it wouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't run away."

I continued on my way toward the deli, satisfied and finished talking about the past, but apparently he wasn't finished yet.

"Does she know?" he asked, his voice hard.

I stopped. "Know what?"

"Does. She. Know?" he repeated, saying each word slowly, as if I were ignorant.

I understood what he was asking. It was the same thing Mom had asked the other night. And yet I still wasn't ready to answer the question. Not to him, at least. I didn't have to answer to him.

"I'll take your silence as a no," he quipped. "You have to tell her, Jason."

"Why? You didn't," I spat.

"No, I didn't." There was a cold edge to his voice I hadn't heard before. "That's the mistake I was talking about, Jason. If you love Kate, you owe her the truth. All of the truth, no matter how much you want to deny it. And if she loves you, it won't matter."

I slowly turned to glare at him over my shoulder. "Are you giving me permission to spoil your precious little secret?"

His jaw was hard, and for the first time in my entire life I saw the power in his eyes that so many men feared. "I don't care what you tell her about me, so long as she understands who you are."

I couldn't resist. "And who am I?" The door was open. All he had to do was say it. I dared him to say it.

A siren sounded in the distance, drawing both his and my focus away from the tension between us and over to the danger a few blocks away.

"Go," I ordered. "Go save some stranger."

He held my gaze, but I knew he wouldn't last long. The sirens were growing in intensity. It would only be a matter of seconds before someone would call for his help.

"Tell her the truth, Jason."

And just like that he was gone. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply and willing my heart to stop pounding so hard against my chest. I shook off the aggression I was feeling and tried to mask it with a smile as I entered the deli. Kate was already sitting down at a table at the far end.

"Where were you?" she asked with concern.

"Oh, you know," I said with a wave of my hand. "I just lost track of time." I should have known she wouldn't be satisfied with that answer. Kate was the type who made a career out of asking questions.

"But where were you?" she asked again.

"I was…in the practice room…working on my music." I knew before I even finished talking that I had been caught in a lie.

Her eyes hardened and her mouth turned down in a frown. "Jason, I went to the music building. Professor Bolyard said he hadn't seen you since you left your lesson."

Damn it. I had to do some quick thinking. I shifted in my seat uncomfortably until the perfect idea hit me. "Right," I sighed. "Okay, you caught me. I was um…picking up your birthday present." It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. What I had discussed…or rather, fought about, with him this evening did involve her birthday and the fact that I wanted to propose.

Her face softened. "My present, huh?" She nudged me with her shoulder. "Does this gift happen to sparkle?"

I smirked at her. "Maybe."

"And is it something I can wear?"

I nodded my head, playing along with her.

She bit her bottom lip. "You know, you don't have to wait to give it to me on Saturday. You could just give it to me now. I could wear it tonight."

"Hum…tonight, huh?"

She leaned into me, brushing her lips over mine in that way that drove me crazy. "Tonight."

"Yeah," I said, kissing her back. "I would love to see you in a sequined and rhinestone-studded bra."

She sat up, her mouth hanging open. "Jason!"

I stifled my laugh. "Is there a problem? It sparkles and you can wear it."

She hit my shoulder and turned away from me. As usual, when someone hit me, I pretended to feel it, rubbing the spot and saying, "Ow!"

"If that's how you want to play, fine. I guess you don't want me to come over tonight."

"Now wait a sec! That's not what I said!" I tried to pull her closer to me, knowing she was teasing me.

She jerked away, trying to keep a straight face. "You'll start singing a different tune when your privileges are taken away!"

"Privileges?" I mocked.

"Well…benefits," she corrected.

I nearly snorted. "I think it's a lot more than just benefits." I leaned over and took her hand in mine.

"How much more?"

I kissed her knuckles. "Ask me again on Saturday."

She shook her head at me. "You are rotten, you know that?"

"Yeah, but you love me for it."

"I do love you."

Our eyes locked and again we leaned towards each other for another kiss. The whirl of a siren and loud voices out in the street interrupted our moment. Everyone in the deli turned to watch what was happening outside. A few people even walked out onto the sidewalk to get a better view. A small crowd was gathering, filling with wide-eyed onlookers amazed at what they were seeing.

Superman.

He stood in front of a car that looked as if it had seen better days, holding it in place with his bare hands. The two people in the car were shouting swear words at him, one of them waving a gun. Two police cars screeched to a halt, surrounding the car. The cops immediately jumped out of their vehicles and aimed their weapons at the men in the old car. Superman walked to the passenger side, and the man holding the gun knew his game was over. He let Superman take the gun from him, sneering and tossing out a few more choice words for everyone to hear.

"Maybe prison will teach you some better manners," Superman said. "Officers. Can you take it from here?"

One of the officers nodded. "Thanks, Superman."

"Glad to be of help." As was his tradition, he waved to the crowd of people and flew off into the sky.

"Oh my God, he is SO dreamy!" one of the girls at the table next to us sighed, fanning herself.

Kate rolled her eyes and made a face as if she were about to vomit.

I looked down at my hands in embarrassment.

"It's just sick," Kate growled. "The way they worship him like he's a god or something. I hate that."

"I know," I mumbled under my breath. "It's as if he can do no wrong."

She looked over at me. "I mean, really. What did he do just now that a human couldn't have done? Granted, he did it faster. But still, the police could have taken them down. Sometimes I think Superman only helps people so he can get the attention. Show-off. I bet if he had stayed on Krypton, he would have been a big nobody. Take away his powers and…well…there's not much there but blue eyes and teeth so perfect they look like they've been capped." She grimaced and clicked her tongue in disgust.

Something in my stomach lurched. As much as I hated him for the way I had been brought up, it somehow didn't feel right talking about him behind his back. I had said mean and vicious things right to his face only moments ago…and yet now I found it difficult to agree with Kate that Superman wasn't all he was cracked up to be. Was I going insane?

"You all right?" Kate's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"I dunno. You look…."She tilted her head at me. "Is it Superman? I know you don't like him."

"No, I don't," I mumbled.

She smiled. "Let's get out of here. Away from the awe-struck spectators." She held out her hand to me as she stood up, and I gladly took it.

"Yeah."

I forced my face to smile and appear happy, but the feeling in my gut didn't go away. All evening long, I felt as if something were looming over me, threatening the peace Kate usually brought to my life. I couldn't shake off the fact that no matter how often she said she loved me, I would always doubt the verity of those words, so long as she didn't know the truth about my parentage.

That night, as she slept with her head resting against my shoulder and her arm draped over my chest, my mind raced through the possibilities of just how she would react were I to explain that I was…that I wasn't exactly…human. She would freak out, that much I knew for certain. She'd tell me she didn't love me anymore and that she hated my alien nature. Worse than that, she'd look at me in that way that made me feel so small and worthless, like I didn't belong on this planet.

I tired to convince myself that it didn't matter. She didn't really need to know. What good would it do to tell her, anyway? It wasn't as if I could really do anything spectacular. Telling her would only make things difficult between us.

And yet I knew in my heart that I wouldn't be able to keep this a secret forever. Someday she would find out. And what then? If she found out after we were married, would she hate me even more for duping her into fusing her life with an alien? And if we had children…would they be like me? Would they be freaks with just enough power to make them inhumanly odd, but not enough power to ever make a real difference?

Kate stirred in my arms, sighing and looking up at me with sleepy eyes. "You're awake?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry if I was bothering you."

"What's wrong?"

"I just…" was wondering if you would still love me if you knew I wasn't one hundred percent human. "It's nothing."

Her fingers traced circles over my bare stomach. "If it's keeping you awake at night, then it's not nothing." She kissed the center of my chest and laid her head back down on my shoulder.

My heart thumped madly, telling me that I should explain to her now while she was relaxed. I opened my mouth to speak, but my brain shouted at me, warning me that it was very wrong to use an intimate moment like this to drop a bombshell on the woman you loved.

"You're so warm," she breathed against my neck, sending a shiver through my entire body. "Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm always running a temp," I muttered, reminding her of the lie I had used for years to explain my unusual body temperature.

"I know. You just feel warmer than usual."

My eyes closed slowly as I allowed the lie to sink deeper. "It was a hot day today." Damn the sunlight.

She hummed and pressed her body more fully against my side. "Jason, whatever is bothering you…you can tell me."

"I'm just preoccupied. You know…with the contest." I hated myself for how easy it was to lie to her.

She yawned. "Well, if you are worried at all about Saturday…and if I might like my birthday present…"

How did she know?

"Don't worry about it, Jason. I promise you…it's what I want." Her eyes fluttered closed as she whispered the last comment, leaving me lost in the turmoil I had created by my half-truths.

As much as I had struggled to be different from him…it hurt too much to realize that I was just like him.