Chapter 14: The Truth of the Matter
The sun was just beginning to set when Lois pulled her car up to the house. Instantly she noticed the For Sale sign put up by Seaside Reality, something she had been expecting. In the back of the car she heard Jason gasp for air, and as she turned around she saw his eyes widen. Lois had intended on telling her little boy about putting the house up for sale, but between work, making sure he was safe at school, and trying to dig and find out anything she could about Lex Luther, talking to Jason had somehow slipped into the back recesses of her busy life. "Jason," she said, but that was all she got in before he was out of the car. Lois watched as he ran to the sign and began to tug at it, and leaving her keys in the ignition she ran to him just as he managed to pull the sign out of the ground.
"No, this is my house," Jason said gasping for air, not caring that his Lungs were screaming for oxygen that they were suddenly being deprived of. When his mom tried to hug him, Jason pulled away from her and looked at her with anger in his young eyes. "You made daddy leave and you can't make me go because I won't do it," he said. When she reached out to touch him again, Jason turned to run but only made it a short distance before he had to stop.
Lois had never seen her little boy so angry or hurt, and she watched as he tried to get control over his asthma attack. Jason found his inhaler and took a puff, but shook his head when she tried to approach him. Her son was only five years old, but he had always been smart. When he was just 18 months old he had already been able to talk in four or five word sentences, and by two years old he had the comprehension level of a four year old. It was cold and Lois went to Jason in spite of his protests. She hugged him but he didn't hug back, not at first, and then slowly she felt his arms wrap around her waist. "Why don't we go inside," she asked as she knelt by him, while he regained control over his breathing.
"I won't leave," Jason said softly as he let go of his mommy. He waited at the door tugging at the hood on his yellow coat, and when the door was unlocked he ran down the four stairs leading from the foyer to the first floor and went to Lucky's crate. "Hi Lucky girl," Jason said seeming to forget about the sign in the yard out in back of the house.
From the top of the stairs, Lois watched as Jason let his puppy out of her crate, and managed to smile without him noticing as the growing puppy stood on his lap to reach his face for some kisses. As she watched him, Lois wondered how things had gone for Clark with his meeting at Bruce Wayne's Mansion. She shut the door and headed upstairs, walking to the left of the staircase to her bedroom. As she began to take of the professional looking attire she wore to work each day, Lois began to relax a little. She knew that leaving this house would be hard for Jason, but she was also ready for the change. Lois pulled a white sweatshirt with Metropolis University printed on the front in dark blue, out from the dresser drawer and put that on. After pulling on a pair of blue sweat pants which matched the sweatshirt, she went back downstairs and found everything rather empty. Lois shut her eyes and then walked outside onto the patio where she saw Jason dragging the For Sale sign to the water's edge. "Stop right there," she called out.
Still wearing his good school cloths, and his good winter Jacket, Jason froze in his spot, knowing that tone in his mother's voice. As angry as he was at having to move, he knew better than to push his limits, remembering the last time he had been naughty. That time she had grounded him to his room for five hours, not allowing him to go outside to play, and the only time he was permitted to go out was when he had to use the bathroom.
Lois thought about grounding her son, but after all she had put him through she decided against it. "Jason, even if you toss that into the water, it won't stop what will happen," she said as she walked over to him. She knelt down again, and he looked away from her. "Jason, please talk to me," she pleaded hating to see him so upset.
Jason missed his daddy so much that it hurt right where his heart was. He loved his new daddy, but Superman, Clark didn't know him the way his other daddy knew him. "I want to go to China and live with my daddy," he said and then he ran past her. Lucky followed him into the house, and Jason made it to his room without losing his breath.
Those words stung, and Lois felt defeated as she got up and took the sign up to the patio. She propped it against the house and went inside to the kitchen. There she grabbed the bag of gourmet coffee from the Island Counter, and a single filter and put it into the single cup machine. She put her coffee cup with the Daily Planets Logo under the spout and then leaned against the counter next to the sink and hoped that Clark was having an easier time with things than she was.
Five and a half years ago, Perry had called him into his office, and told Clark about the interview of a life time. When he was told of Bruce Wayne Clark was surprised when his boss chose him for the assignment, and then later he found out why. Bruce had called the Planet offering to let an interview occur, but only if Clark Kent was the man to do it. That day had been strange enough, and Clark couldn't help but wonder if he was the one who should give the interview. Almost a week later he found himself in Gothem watching from the sky as a man in a cape hung a cop dangling above the street far below. Eventually Clark found out Bruce's secret and Bruce seemed to already know his own. They both agreed that what was best, was for Bruce to handle things in Gothem, and Superman to handle things in Metropolis as well as the rest of the world.
Seated in a very lavishly decorated living room, Clark Kent could tell that the house had changed some what since his last visit. He had been sitting on the very comfortable tan sofa for nearly an hour when Bruce finally decided to make an appearance.
"I am sorry to be so late, I had some lose ends to tie up," Bruce said as he took a seat across from Clark. He looked at the young reporter dressed in a gray suit, and could easily read the worried look in his eyes. Bruce was surprised to see him here, but waited as Clark composed himself.
Clark looked Bruce in the eyes and began without a stutter. Bruce knew who he was and there was no need for his act, not here. "I have come here to ask you to help me. I assume you know about Lex Luther?"
Like everyone else, Bruce had seen the news casts of Superman falling from space, and had watched the people rallying outside of Metropolis General Hospital. "I was aware of his appeal being granted, and I guessed that it had something to do with you being away," Bruce said keeping his eyes trained on Clark, not willing to give him any sort of comfort. It was true that the two of them led almost identical lives; they were both into saving lives, and helping those who were run down by the bad people of the world. The difference between them was that Bruce had no questions, or felt any remorse or guilt if a criminal he came across suffered painfully before he was taken to prison by Batman.
Even though the expression in Bruce's eyes told him that this could all be over in less than a minute, Clark went on. "You and I both agree that there needs to be far less of the Lex Luther's of the world, but now it has become something personal for me," he said keeping his eyes on Bruce.
As he said that, Bruce thought of Rachel, and her commitment to Gothem as a prosecutor for the DA. She knew his secret better than anyone else, and had refrained from letting them get involved, and Bruce had respected her wishes, because he knew that any sort of relationship would likely harm her. Now as he looked at Clark he was beginning to realize why his companion in crime fighting was here.
"I will keep my ears and eyes out for any word on Luther and his activities here, what you choose to do with your life is your choice, and you made it clear the last time I saw you, which if I recall was the day before you left for Krypton, that we did things too different to ever be able to help one another out." Bruce stood up as Alfred walked into the room carrying a sterling silver tray with tea. "Alfred, please see our company to the door, and then make a call to Foxx for me regarding what happened last night near the Asylum." Bruce gave a nod to Clark before he left.
As he flew back to Metropolis, Superman thought about what had happened with Bruce. He remembered saving a criminal from Batman even though he was aware that the man had been involved in a shoot out in the slums of Gothem. That night Bruce had called him an overgrown Boy Scout, and told him that one day his way of fighting crime would not be enough. Bruce told him that he needed to show force, make people afraid. Superman didn't agree on that and knew that he would have to leave Gothem to Batman.
It was long past dark when Superman entered Jason's room. As he touched down on the floor, Lucky lifted her head off of Jason's chest and her little tail began to wag. Soundlessly Superman crossed to the bed and knelt down petting the dog who settled back down against Jason once she had gotten the attention she wanted. Jason was asleep on his back with the covers pulled up nearly to his chin. The light from the hall cast a dim glow in the room, but it was enough for Superman to see the tear stains on his little face. He heard Lois's door open from across the hall and heard her step behind him telling him that they needed to talk. Before he stood up, Superman leaned in and gave his son a kiss on the left cheek.
Lois led the way downstairs now dressed in a brown robe which covered the short sleeved shirt and sweatpants she wore underneath. When he sat down on the sofa, she walked to the doors leading to the porch and looked outside. Lois wasn't sure what she wanted to say, but then she remembered about Bruce Wayne, and decided that was as good a place to start as any. "Were you able to get Mr. Wayne to help you?"
By the fast beat of her heart, and other outward signs, Superman knew that the woman he loved was uncomfortable about something, but addressed her question first. "He will do what he can do from Gothem City," he replied waiting for her to say something.
Lois wanted to ask him about why he had gone to see Bruce Wayne, but after her night with Jason, and sitting on the edge of his bed as he cried, not for Clark this time but for Richard, her curiosity on that subject had all but run out. "Jason wants to go live with Richard," she said as she turned around to face him. She saw a fleeting moment of hurt pass over his face, and then it was gone. Lois knew that Superman had regrets about leaving them, and she didn't want to add to them, but at the same time he needed to know about this latest crisis in Jason's life.
As Lois began to pace she began to bite her finger nails. "I keep telling myself that all of this is what is best for Jason and me, but then I keep wondering if I'm not considering his feelings on all of this. I asked him tonight what he wanted, and do you know what he told me?" She asked as she stopped pacing and turned toward him. Lois watched as he shook his head. "Jason told me that he wished that we could all live here in this house. He told me he doesn't understand why both of you can't live here with us and we could all be a family." The tears burned hot trails down her cheeks but Lois didn't care. Before he could answer her, Lois turned back toward the French doors leading out onto the patio and let her shoulders fall forward.
Once long ago, or maybe not so long ago, Superman had seen her in this much pain, and then he did what he thought was right. He kissed her, tasting the sweet taste of her lips against his own while at the same time drawing out the memories that were hurting her so much. This time he knew he couldn't do that, but he wasn't sure what else he could do. Was this what it was to be a human man, to sit back on a couch and watch the woman you loved struggle with the very pain you promised yourself never to cause her. Superman stood up and in two steps he stood behind her. He reached out his arms and gently pulled her against his body, wrapping them around her small frame. "Tell me what I can do to help you two," he said as she wrapped her arms around his.
His arms were strong and comforting, and Lois wanted to spend every night held in his arms in their bed, but right now she knew that maybe it was time to look at things realistically. "I, we can't do this," she said drawing in the strength she would need to do what she thought was best. She felt his arms loosen around her and her heart began to ache horribly, but Lois pushed that ache aside. She was strong and had always been that way. "Superman I am looking for an apartment for Jason and I to live in. He still needs you as his father, but I think maybe for now at least we need to let things cool down," Lois said.
More than anything else Superman wanted to refuse this. He knew what she wanted, and he knew that going back and forth like this would only be harder for Jason. As he gazed into the brown depths of her eyes, he saw the pain there as well as the fear and uncertainty. "Maybe tonight isn't the best time to try and make that type of decision. Will it be alright for Jason to spend tomorrow night with me?" he asked. Tomorrow was Friday, and before all of this had gone on, he had planned on keeping his son with him at least through Saturday evening. When she nodded her head and before she could protest, he brought her back into his arms and just held her. He felt Lois take a deep breath and let out a shuttering sigh but she didn't move away from him.
It was close to 4am when Superman walked into his house and when he did he wore the same suit he had worn that day, as well as his glasses. After leaving Lois's house, he had flown over Metropolis keeping his ears and his eyes trained on the city, trying to hear the one voice that he wanted to hear. Somehow Superman knew that Lex had found someplace to hide that likely had lead based walls. He wanted to know what Lex wanted with Jason, and he was frustrated with his own inability not to find him, and also at how things had gone with Bruce Wayne.
As Clark Kent dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a white t-shirt, he thought about Mr. Wayne. He knew what Bruce had lost as a child, and knew that the loss is what drove him as Batman to get a gain back on Gothem City, but he could not condone the way the man did business with the criminals of that city. In his teachings at his Fortress, one of the many subjects his father had drilled into him was the importance to never do an act of violence. You must live your life in a way to serve the people, to be an example of what we as Kryptonians know is the right way to live. Violence will not teach them anything other than to be more hate driven in their ways… Clark remembered those words as he slipped into bed, and wondered if he would be able to hold to the ways of his Kryptonian parents should Lex Luther hurt either Lois or Jason.
As Clark pulled his red truck into the driveway he glanced to his right. Jason had on his yellow winter coat, and had not said a word since they left the Daily Planet. Lois had informed him that their son was not speaking to her either, and Clark hoped he could draw him out. When he turned the engine off, Jason got his seat belt off, and opened the door. Clark was about to offer to help him, but Jason got down off of the seat on the floor of the cab, and then sat down and scooted out to the ground.
Clark got out of the truck as Jason walked to the door, and followed him there. He reached around Jason and put the key to the lock and then opened it and watched as his son walked through the living room and down the hall to his room. Using his X-ray vision, Clark saw Jason shut his door and saw a smile on his face as Lucky greeted him.
Jason stayed in his room until dinner, and as they sat at the table, Clark watched as Jason pushed the snow peas around on his plate.
"Daddy?" Jason looked at his father and took in a deep breath. "Will you let me go live in China with my other daddy?"
There was a look of hope in his blue pale blue eyes, and Clark knew that in a moment his words would dash that away. "I think your mom would miss you," he tried.
Jason looked at his plate. "No she won't, she wants to move away to forget about daddy, and I don't want to forget."
His small voice quivered as he spoke those last words, and Clark was on his feet and at Jason's side in less than a second. He gently pulled the chair out, and then knelt in front of him. "Jason, your mommy doesn't want to forget that part of her life, and I don't expect her or you to forget what your daddy means to you," he said.
"Why can't we live together?" He asked.
When Clark saw the hurt etching Jason's face his own heart contracted, and he now knew why Lois wanted to back off a little bit. Clark stood back up and easily lifted Jason from the chair. He sat back down holding Jason so that he was sitting sideways on his lap, and then he wrapped his strong arms around his son, much as he had done with Lois last evening. "We can't live together like that Jason." Clark did his best to explain why in a marriage only one man and one woman could have that sort of union.
"But we aren't married daddy, and so we can live together," Jason said as he looked up into Clark's face.
Again Jason's eyes shown a glimpse of hope, and again Clark was left to try and explain why that wouldn't work. In the end all he did manage to do was to make his son cry again, and bring on another asthma attack in the process. By the time Jason was finally asleep, Clark carried him from the TV room where he had fallen asleep on the floor watching a DVD movie called Babe, to his room where Lucky was waiting. Clark laid Jason down in his old bed and Lucky snuggled up in his arms. For a moment the Man of Steel watched his son sleep, and then he walked out of the room shutting the door until only a small crack remained before he went to his own room.
Laughter rang through Clark Kent's house the next morning, as Jason tried to get away from the mean old Grizzly bear that had snuck up on his tent, made out of two kitchen chairs pulled slightly apart and covered up by an old blanket. As Clark crawled on his hands and knees growling at his son, Lucky was yapping and nipping at his heals, though her tail was wagging which gave away her ferocious sounding barks. As soon as Jason was on the soft carpet, Clark reached out and grabbed his leg and pulled him down to the ground. Jason's laughter grew louder as he began to nibble at his belly.
"Lucky help me," Jason said, and then laughed more as his puppy came to him and began to lick his face.
Clark nibbled Jason a few more times before he let him go, and as he sat up he was instantly tackled by the same little boy who had been on the ground a second ago. Clark fell backward purposely as he brought Jason with him and both of them laughed before Jason's head and most of his body rested against his chest. "How did you do that?" he asked. Clark knew how, but it was evident when Jason sat up and tried to get away that he was afraid. "Hey," Clark said as he sat up and held his son close. "You didn't do anything wrong just now."
"I hurt a man on the boat because he was going to hurt mommy, and the other ones were really mad at me too," Jason said feeling safe in his father's arms.
Clark had heard this from Lois but had promised himself not to bring it up unless Jason did. "What you did kept mommy safe," Clark said as he lowered his head pressing a kiss on the top of Jason's.
"Daddy, do I have to be like you and save people when I get big?"
Until Jason had asked that question, Clark had never thought there would be anything different for his son. He expected until now for Jason to one day save people just as he did. "No Jason, if you decide not to help people then you don't have too."
"You won't be mad at me?" Jason felt his daddy hold him closer and he felt all of his worries go away in that one moment.
"I could never find it in me to be angry if you decided to do something different." Realizing that it was almost 1pm, and that both he and Jason had not changed out of their sleep wear, Clark stood up taking Jason with him and carried his son to his room to get him dressed.
Despite the gloom of the day, as Lois approached the door of Clark's house she thought she heard laughing. She tried the front door and when it opened she stepped inside and found a site that she couldn't help but laugh at. Jason was wearing jeans and a red sweater and his favorite western boots, the ones he had gotten from Martha and Ben in Montana. He was seated on Clark's back holding the collar of his dad's shirt as he was galloped around the room. When Clark turned toward her and Jason saw her he climbed off of his daddy's back and ran toward her. Lois dropped her purse and managed to get on her knees as Jason ran into her arms.
"Mommy, daddy was a bear and then I knocked him down and he said I don't have to be Superman and Lucky licked my face and she bit daddy's feet to protect me and…"
Lois listened to every word Jason told her trying to keep up as Clark walked out of their son's room with Jason's bag in one hand and the squirming Lucky in the other. "If you want me too, I can fly her home," Clark offered. Lucky was a sweet puppy but she hated the car and howled most of the way to any place if given the chance.
"I want to go too." Jason said as he let go of his mommy. His daddy knelt down and Jason already knew the answer. He turned around to face Lois again. "May we go get pizza at Ducky Bills?" He half thought she would say no but when she did agree, Jason was ecstatic. After giving his daddy one last kiss, Jason went with his mommy to the car.
After watching them leave, Clark looked at Lucky who was still squirming in his arms and walked back inside the house. He put the dog down and a second later after he put on his other suit, Superman picked the dog back up and headed for Lois's house.
It was just getting dark outside when Lois arrived at the house. In the back of the car Jason held the bear he had won out of one of those coin operated machines, as he slept. He was in a much better mood, and as Lois shut off the car she was happy for that. Before she got Jason, Lois went to the back door of the house and got it open, and as she turned around she found Superman standing in front of her. "You could give a little warning," she said, but she wasn't angry. Last night she told him they should slow down, but now she really wasn't sure what they should do. Lois stood at the door as she watched him lift their son and his new bear out of the car, and after he walked inside of the house she followed him upstairs. Just outside of Jason's room, Lois heard the quiet whispered voice of her son, and then Superman. It seemed Jason had either accepted the impending move or forgotten about it during his time with his father.
After tucking Jason in and promising more flying once the weather outside improved, Superman walked out of his son's room and found Lois waiting for him. "I just wanted to see him before he went to bed," he said remembering what she had told him last night. He saw her shake her head and a moment later she walked up to him and reached her arms up standing on her tiptoes as she pulled his head down. Realizing what she wanted, Superman lowered his head and their lips met in a gentle searching kiss. A moment later, when they parted, he looked in her eyes and saw the pain hidden behind them. "Maybe its time to move forward," he said softly, mindful of their child asleep just a few feet away in his room.
As much as she hated to admit it, Lois Lane, the tough as nails reporter for the Daily Planet was afraid of moving forward. She loved Superman as much as she had years ago when they first met, and now that she was aware of what they had once shared, Lois wanted that back, but then she was also afraid of how jealous she would be when she would wake up at night and find his side of the bed empty. "I want," she began but she shook her head and shut her eyes. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest, and then she opened her eyes. "What I want is to stop being afraid and I don't know why I am," she admitted.
Superman reached out with his left hand and placed it on her right cheek. "We need to do this together Lois. I will find a way to do my job helping other people, but I won't let it get in the way of my commitment to Jason, or to you," he said resolved to do that. He wasn't sure how he would balance that and as he leaned in to kiss her again his super hearing picked up far away cries.
For a moment he hesitated and as he kissed her for a fleeting moment Lois wondered if she should encourage him to go, but then as he deepened the kiss and as his arms wrapped around her waist, any thoughts of pushing him away left her.
After sharing some needed time alone with Lois, Superman flew over a small city in the Midwest and honed in on the trouble. He saw two cars speeding along an empty stretch of road and further ahead he saw a huge semi truck speeding toward them without realizing the danger. Superman swooped down in back of the cars and caught them by their back ends. The cars stopped and he lifted them into the air one held in each hand and then he flew them off the road as the truck zoomed past them.
The people in the cars were young boys and when they saw him they tried to get away but in speeds faster than they could even think they found themselves tied up and on their way to the local law enforcement. As he tended to the young boys, he wondered if Jason would ever have such wild whims, and hoped that he and Lois could raise him to respect law, and to do what was right.
AN. As you can see I'm back, and ready to get this story back on track. I found out from sourses that Bruce and Clark don't always see eye to eye which is why the story went the way it did. Also I don't know all that much about Kryptonian law except that they did have a utopian like society before the sun went Supernova, so I kind of made up stuff about what Superman might have heard from his father onthe crystals. lastly thanks to all those who have read and reviewed this, I hope you like this latest chapter.