"I don't think I have to remind you, if you can't find anything, we move on."
"Chief, we have an obligation to our public to keep them informed!" Abby implored, hastily shifting through the stack of folders on her lap. "I'm sure if we have a little more time we can figure something out!"
"You've had plenty of time." Perry looked at both she and Clark. "I don't want to hear any more whining. The story is on hold for right now, there's just nothing else to go on. Right now I want you to drop everything and head to the shore."
"What's at the shore?" Clark asked, trying to seem engaged while listening in on a hostage situation.
"A woman says that she's located chunks of the continent Superman lifted into the air. I want a statement, and I've already sent Jimmy down to get pictures. I want this for the evening edition, so I expect it finished in two hours. No buts." Dread welled up in Clark's stomach as he looked at Abby, who shrugged and stood, resigned to leaving their story alone. As soon as the doors closed behind them, she turned to him with concern.
"What are we doing looking at a bunch of rocks?" She hissed, rolling her eyes and pushing her hair out of her face. "Why aren't we on the serial killer?"
"Perry will forget about banning us from the story as soon as we finish this article."
"It shouldn't take long."
"No, it shouldn't." All I have to do is figure out how to develop an immunity to the kryptonite before we get to the rocks, so you don't figure out I'm Superman, and everything is hunky dory. Other than the fact that it's going to be impossible for me to get within five feet of those rocks and not pass out…
"Good. I'll meet you at the elevator." They parted ways and Clark found himself smiling at Jason, who resumed coloring his picture with such concentration his tongue was sticking out. "Almost done?"
"Nope. I have to go get my other crayons."
"I've got to go for a while." Clark reluctantly picked up his jacket, really not wanting to leave the office.
"Okay."
"You're going to go and draw with your mother?"
"No."
"Are you going to stay here?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Jason looked up with slight annoyance before reaching for his yellow crayon. "I'll sit here, and not move." He said as if he's been asked to promise this before.
"Uh… okay. See you later." Jason shook his hair out of his eyes and watched his father leave the office.
> > > > >
> > > > >
"You're not too thrilled with this assignment either, are you?" Abby asked as she attempted to straighten up her hair. Clark blew the long strands out of his face and shrugged.
"Not really."
"Yeah. I feel like a damn failure for not spotting any clues to this stupid killer." She looked out the window as the scenery passed by. The back of the cab was cramped with her, her pocketbook and Clark. Actually Clark took up most of the space.
"We'll figure it out, I'm sure of it. Like I said, the Chief really doesn't care what we do if finish the articles he gives us." Okay, panic was really starting to set in. What in the world was he going to do without giving himself away?
"I'm not dressed for the beach." Abby looked down and groaned, unbuttoning her jacket and rebuttoning it. "How long was that going on? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?" He looked at her with a blank look on his face, and she shook her head.
"Nothing. Never mind."
"Okay." Clark looked at her as she stared out of the window. "How's your car?"
"It's going to take a moment to fix, so I'm stuck to the taxis for a while. That's not necessarily a bad thing."
"And how are you doing?" Abby shrugged and didn't look at him. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I think that is the last thing I want to do about it, the first forgetting all about it." She smiled a bright fake smile.
"Okay…"
> > > > >
"Clark, could I borrow… Jason? That's where you've been. I thought it was a bit too quiet around here." Lois put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "What are you doing here?"
"Mr. Clark said I could color here, and I wasn't bothering him. He said I wasn't." Jason defended himself, not wanting to leave.
"Well, where is he?"
"He left."
"Oh. Don't touch anything." She said, rooting around his desk for the stapler.
"Are you touching something?"
"No."
"Oh."
"Hush." Lois smiled to herself as she stapled a few documents and looked down at the broken keyboard in front of the monitor. "What happened here?" Jason looked up and shrugged.
"Something dropped on it."
"Something dropped? What?" Jason shrugged again. "Really…" She picked up the broken pieces and stared. "He's such a klutz…I'll be at my desk when you're ready for lunch."
"Okay."
> > > > >
> > > > >
"We're not dressed for beach walking." Abby groaned again as she sank into the sand with her pumps. "If I had realized we were going to be out in the field, I would have dressed for the occasion."
"Well, let's make the best of it; at least it's not as cold as it could have been." Clark shrugged and realized the overcast sky was a sure sign that winter would be coming a little earlier this year. "There's Jimmy."
The photographer waved, next to a beach house with a small crowd in front of it. There was a sign, and Clark frowned as he read the words. "Are you serious?" Abby asked, smirking. "Does Superman get a cut of the profits?" She asked as they made their way over.
"No, and he wouldn't want them." The sign read 'Come see the rocks from the continent that Superman launched into space! Admission 10 dollars' "This is what the Chief wanted us to cover? Someone selling views of pieces of the continent?"
"That was about a year ago, what's to say these are genuine?" Abby smiled as Jimmy jogged over.
"Hi Clark, Abby. I've already got some great pictures." He said, looking over his shoulder. "People really want to see what Superman sacrificed for."
"Jimmy, the chances of those rocks actually being parts of the continent are slim to none." Clark fidgeted, hoping against hope that he was right.
"You look at them, and tell me what you think. I'm going to get these photos to the Planet." He waved and made his way back to his car.
Abby picked up a rock and looked at it critically. "How do you know what this is? It's a rock; it looks like any rock you can find in the park." It was snatched out of her hand and placed back in the collector's box.
"It's not."
"How do you know?" Clark tried to stay in one place since he'd already broke a vase and tripped over a tool box left on the floor of the garage.
"I'm a geologist at Metropolis University. The rocks were compared to a sample recovered while Superman was in a coma. They're identical." He looked up from his notes, trying to quell his alarm.
"Did they find anything else?" Abby looked over at him curiously. There was tightness to his voice she couldn't place. Why was he so worked up?
"That falls under my confidentiality agreement. I can't comment on that."
"So why are you selling admission?" The good Dr. Bern wasn't far from drop dead gorgeous, so it couldn't be for attention; the beach house had to be expensive, along with the furnishings ruled out financial need… it didn't add up.
"This is a great opportunity! And I could make some money on it. I've already made two grand and I'm booked up until the end of the month." He smiled. "Fame. When my paper hits the scientific community, it will advance everything we know about crystals and how we use them, how we expect them to react. And I will be the foremost geologist in the world."
"Based on that?" Clark looked up at Abby's comment. The tone of the man's voice, the smug smile… something else was coming.
"Of course not. But I'm not showing the two of you! You're reporters, and will probably have it confiscated."
"Dr. Bern, please. I'm not here to turn you in. I'm just curious." Clark winced as he realized that came out sharper than he intended.
"Alright, fine. Everyone will find out sooner or later." He walked over to the shelf on the far side of the garage and pulled down a small lock box. Clark lowered his glasses and tried to glance into it, but the box was lined with lead, and before he could even step away Dr. Bern opened the box and his nerves were on fire.
Abby leaned over the rock, appraising it. "I've never seen kryptonite in person before. I thought it would be more impressive if Superman's as strong as they say."
"I think examining this specimen more will give us unprecedented information into the genetic makeup of Superman, and if we're able to understand everything we find, we might be able to reverse engineer the abilities he has."
"And who would decide who gets to have those abilities?" She asked, unsettled with what she saw down the line if anyone were able to do that.
"I don't know, I'll make a fortune and retire at forty." He nodded and closed the box. "You're awfully quiet Mr. Kent, don't you have any questions?" Dr. Bern and Abby turned to find Clark not there. "Where did he go?"
"I think he went outside. Thank you for your time, the Daily Planet appreciates you granting us an interview."
"You just make sure that your paper runs the picture that captures my best side." He said seriously. Abby looked at him briefly before walking away. She found Clark walking away from the beach house, towards the city.
"Clark! Clark!" He turned after deciding he had put enough distance between him and the kryptonite. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just don't feel well." He stammered, old feelings washing over him not unlike the waves pounding the shore. "I'm sorry if I left you."
"You definitely left me, but it's no problem. The doctor was just money grubbing. I can't believe you got him to shut the "museum" down while we took a look. That was smart."
"Just doing my job." Abby struggled to keep up in the sand, but she noticed the hard look on his face.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You keep saying that, and I still don't believe it."
"I just don't like the ocean." The excuse was lame at best, and he wished he could think of something better, but his mind was elsewhere.
"Ah. You are from the Midwest. Of course, why didn't I think of that?" Abby smacked her head theatrically, still glaring at Clark. "If you don't want to tell me, fine."
"Okay."
"No, it's not okay." She looked down at her bag as her phone went on. "Hold on." He stopped as she leaned against him to take off her shoes and pull the phone out of her purse. "Hello? Mom! No, I am happy to hear from you." Clark disengaged his arm and lagged behind, trying to give her privacy, but he couldn't help but hear the conversation as Abby became agitated. "Yes, he called, and I hung up. I don't want to talk to him right now. If he knew what was good for him, he'd leave me alone for a while. Yes, I still have the ring; no I'm not giving it back. I shouldn't have to. I'm not being petty!"
Clark smiled and took a glance over his shoulder. Dr. Bern was standing before a small crowd, oblivious to anything around him but his "public". Pulling down his glasses, he used his x-ray vision to find the locked box… and then a very thin laser and a few seconds later he ran to catch up.
Abby glanced over at him as she hung up the phone. "Do you love your mother?"
"Of course!" he replied, surprised.
"I love my mother too. I just can't stand her."
"I'm sorry. I love spending time with mine."
"Of course you do, your mother is perfect." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry; I'm not trying to insult your mother. I'm trying to insult mine."
"I'm sure everything will be fine."
"No, she wanted me to get married at twenty five. She got married at twenty five, and her mother got married at twenty five. She thinks I'm a failure." Clark was at a loss at what to say to that comment and decided that silence was better while his friend blew off steam. "I'm sorry, I'm just so upset." Abby smiled halfheartedly as they made it up to the road and she put her shoes back on. "And never again three inch heels in sand."
"That probably would be a good idea." She stuck out her tongue and flagged down a taxi.
"What are you doing tonight?"
"I don't know." I'm going home, where I'll be interrupted from doing nothing by someone or something needing to be rescued, and when I get back I'll pretend that I'm having a normal evening. A normal, boring evening by myself. "Why?"
"Do you want to have dinner with me?"
"Really?"
"Of course. I have been itching to try out a recipe, and it's also to show I really appreciate you indulging me while I'm sorting out my life." She smiled and wiped some sand off of his jacket. He looked down at her and blushed. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." The cabbie beeped his horn, breaking the spell between the two of them. "I think we should get back to the office." Clark cleared his throat and adjusted his tie.
"Of course."
> > > > >
> > > > >
Jason was eating lunch when he watched his father walk in with Aunt Abby. She looked happier, and so did his father. Good. He didn't know how long that would last with the man sitting at Aunt Abby's desk. "Mommy?"
"Hmm?" She asked, typing out an article.
"Aunt Abby is back." Lois jumped up and pulled off her glasses, wincing as she realized she wanted to keep an eye out on the door so she could intercept her friend. Pulling her shoes back on she walked over towards the door and slipped her arm through Abby's.
"Hi, can I talk to you for a second?" She asked, not waiting for a response before pushing over to the supply closet.
"Wait… what are you doing?" Abby pulled her arm away, looking at Lois as if she were crazy.
"I'm trying to warn you. Derek is here."
"Derek? My Derek?" She shook her head. "That's impossible. He never does anything before thinking it over, planning for it, or calling first. What?"
"He came to the Planet, asked for you and Perry sent him to the waiting area. He overheard Richard and I talking about you and he asked where you worked… Perry overheard and he introduced himself, and he told Derek he could wait at your desk, since he was your fiancé."
"Oh, did he… I will have to have a little talk with Mr. White, won't I?" Abby ground the words out, rubbing her temples. "I don't want to do this here."
"I'll call security." Lois offered, secretly pleased to be able to do so. Abby really became a friend since she moved, and she didn't want to stand for anything that would make her unhappy.
"No! Please. I can't create a scene. I'll just send him away." Abby smoothed her hair and checked her jacket and skirt for sand. "How do I look?"
"Fine."
"Good." She opened the door and took a deep breath before catching Clark's eyes at his desk. Smiling tightly Abby walked to her desk and tried not to frown. "Hello Derek."
"Abigail, hello. I've been trying to reach you for a while." His deep voice carried without assistance, and various women looked up, trying to catch the owner of the voice.
"I know, I haven't been answering my phone. What's the big deal? Why are you here?"
Derek smiled and looked around briefly. "Why don't we do this somewhere else? Perhaps my hotel room?"
Abby shook her head. "No, you decided to come here, so why don't we do this now?"
"We will not cause a scene, will we? I don't want to tarnish your working relationship with these… people." He leaned in and brushed back a lock of hair. "You know I like it better with your hair up. It's more professional."
Abby found herself in that place she swore she wouldn't go back to. Anxiety made her hand shake as she put her handbag down and slipped out of her blazer. "Derek, why are you here?"
"You're not glad to see me?"
"We had words last time we spoke, or do you remember?" She asked sweetly, nervously adjusting her desk.
"Yes, I do, and I need to talk to you about that. Why throw away a relationship for a petty argument? It can be resolved, every disagreement can be resolved." He sighed and gently pulled her towards him. "Have dinner with me."
"I have plans tonight. Work." She said quickly, not looking him in the eye. Derek nodded and let her go.
"I'm sure. I guess I can't ask you to drop everything since I've arrived… although I can't say I'm not disappointed." Derek picked up his coat and kissed her on the cheek. "Perhaps I can ask for a moment of your time tomorrow?" He whispered in her ear, and Abby tried not to react.
"…sure…"
"Until then Abigail." She watched him walk out of the bullpen, and collapsed quietly into her chair.
"Oh god…"
"Something wrong?" Clark asked as he watched Derek wait for the elevator. Not once did he look back.
"I'm fine."
"You're shaking."
"I'm slightly upset." Abby sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.
"You don't have to meet with him." She looked up at him curiously.
"How do you know that's what he asked me?" Clark sputtered slightly.
"It stands to reason he would want to get you back. He didn't look like the type who would want to put his business where everyone could see it." He shrugged.
"Well, you're right." Abby groaned. "He always does that." Clark looked down to see Jason standing beside him.
"I don't like him Aunt Abby." He said, shaking his head to emphasize his point. Abby smiled weakly.
"You don't know him." She reminded gently.
"It doesn't matter. I still don't like him." Clark nudged him quickly. It didn't matter that he felt the exact same way. He just had to keep telling himself that.
> > > > >
> > > > >
Daniel laughed and pulled his dog back away from the pond. "I'm sure it's his loss." The vision in red before him shrugged and sighed.
"You're nice to think so. Thank you, I've been in a funk all day."
"For making you smile, do I get a reward?" He asked, really enjoying the way her German Sheppard stayed exactly where she told him to. Discipline was key.
"My name is Komura Lee."
"Come to dinner with me."
"You work fast." She said, pulling her crimson jacket closer as the wind picked up. Her ruby lips complimented her pale complexion.
"Your beauty blinds me, as the finest porcelain dolls from China." Komura blushed and pulled out her card.
"Why not? I could use a pick me up. My boyfriend and I just broke up a few days ago, and I'm looking forward to never looking back."
"Chez Dumont sounds like the place to toast to such an occasion."
"I love that restaurant. What a coincidence!"
"Not a coincidence, but divine intervention." She laughed again as he kissed her hand and his heart leapt.
"If you say so. Call me, okay?"
"With pleasure."
> > > > >
> > > > >
Abby took another swallow of wine and laughed. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"I am. I had to pick it all up!" Clark chuckled as he pulled the napkin from out of his collar, thankful that Abby suggested it, or half the spaghetti sauce he dropped would now be on his shirt. He was actually enjoying himself. They were only interrupted twice (once a phone call from Abby's mother, and the second he feigned a bathroom break but actually had to put out a fire in California), but once the night became quiet they became quite comfortable around each other.
"You never cease to amaze me Clark." She said.
"What do you mean?"
"You're one of the kindest people I know, you're modest and you're alone… what's up with that?"
Clark opened his mouth and closed it. "I guess luck of the draw." He supplied lamely.
"Are you gay?"
"…no…"
"Just asking." Abby laughed and stood. "Whoops…" She said as she reached the ground and swayed. "I think I drank too much."
"I agree. Let me help you with that." Clark smiled as he was waved away.
"No. It's not that bad. I'll bring out desert; you go into the living room." She picked up their plates and went into the kitchen. Clark took his glass of wine and wandered into the hall, where Abby had left her cell phone on the table there. It started to ring, and he looked at the caller id. Derek. He pushed a button and it stopped ringing, and he only felt slightly bad about it. "Was that my phone?" She called from the other room.
Clark turned around and shook his head. "I didn't hear anything."
"Oh. Sometimes that happens. I'll swear my phone is ringing and it isn't. Hope you like Cherry pie." Abby teased as she walked past him into the living room.
"Um…" Something in his hearing caught his attention. Doggone it! "I have to step out and make a call, but I'll be right back, okay?"
"Sure, but you could always use one of the bedrooms." She offered, walking back past him to retrieve a knife.
"It's okay, I'll step out. See you in a moment."
"Alright."
>
"I will kill everyone in this room if my needs aren't met!" The gunman screamed, eyes wild as his gun hand shook. "I know how to use this!" He turned around to see The Man of Steel standing before him. "Who called you?" He yelled, backing away.
"I don't have time for this. Release the hostages!"
"They're my only-" Superman really really really didn't have time to hear it. He choked off the rest of the sentence and took the gun, walking the man out of the bank and pushing him in front of the line of police.
"Here you go guys, I'm sure you can handle the rest." Before anyone could respond, he flew off into the air.
"Think he has a hot date?" A cop asked, looking at the confused bank robber and back up at his partner.
"Has to be something. Never seen him in such a hurry."
"You've never met him before!"
"You know what I mean."
>
"It was good."
"You ate half the pie."
"I know. I'll buy you a new one."
"Don't you dare, this was an appreciation dinner. You act as if you've never had one before."
"Once; a long time ago."
"Back in Smallville?"
"Yes. A friend of mine appreciated me getting her out of a jam, so she invited me for dinner. It ended up being our first date." Abby smiled and tucked her leg underneath her as she sat sideways on the couch facing Clark, who was so relaxed he had his feet on the coffee table.
"What's her name?"
"Lana Lang."
"Sounds pretty."
"She was very pretty."
"Sounds like the two of you were serious." Clark shrugged before nodding.
"We were."
"Ah."
"Now enough about me, what about you and Derek?"
"Thank you for spoiling the evening."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"I'm kidding. I've had too much fun to really get upset now." He turned, mimicking her position.
"Well, what's the story?"
"We met in high school."
"Wow. You two have been together that long?"
"Not quite. We didn't officially start dating until my sophomore year in college. He was so… epic about everything." She rolled her eyes and made big gestures. "I think part of me was attracted to someone with such lofty goals. He said that the two of us could change the world. At that time my major was psychiatry."
"I didn't know you wanted to be a psychologist."
"I didn't. I was going to be a detective like my father, but my mother had a breakdown. She didn't want to lose me like we lost my father." Abby pulled her hair back and sighed. "Derek and I had such a fight over my decision to change my major. He thought I was selling myself short."
"He doesn't like journalists too much, does he?"
"He's just..." She shook her head and laughed. "He's been very supportive, up to a point."
"The point being moving to Metropolis?" Clark guessed.
"That's right. He wanted me to snap out of this phase I was in, concentrate on our impending marriage, the kids that would follow, and being a doctor's wife."
"That sounds a bit…dated."
"If I wasn't going to be a doctor too, then I would be the perfect doctor's wife."
"So why are you meeting him?"
"Because we have over ten years of history together. If I hadn't had cold feet we probably would have been married ages ago."
"Why did you have cold feet?" Abby shrugged.
"I don't even remember now. But lately… it's getting harder and harder to imagine myself as his wife. That's not a good sign."
"As long as you do what you feel is best." She looked at him briefly.
"Do you follow your own advice?"
"What? How is this back on me again?"
"Because you left yourself a target. What do you expect, we both interview people for a living." Clark held up his hands and sighed.
"Fine, fine. What are you referring to?"
"The fact that you're obviously perfectly comfortable with Jason, more so than most people. He adores you and you adore him. Why don't you have a girlfriend, a wife, and kids?"
"Because it wasn't meant to be. I already answered that question."
"No, you gave me that lame excuse. Seriously Clark. I've bared my soul to you; it's only fair you do the same to me." He looked at her and briefly contemplated telling her everything. Yes… everything.
"I had a chance once… and it slipped through my fingers."
"Why did you let it happen?"
"Most of me didn't want to do it. My work always came first and she couldn't handle it. It was causing her pain, and I didn't want to do that." He whispered. "So I made the decision that we would have to end it. Had to have been the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
"Telling yourself something is over, something that you've worked hard for, longed for… is hard. That took a lot of strength." Abby took his hand. "I'm sorry you had to do that."
Clark looked at the clock and sighed. "It's two in the morning." She looked up at the wall and gasped.
"How did that happen?"
"I guess we were wrapped up in our conversation. I'm going to go." Clark rose, helping Abby off of the couch. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, don't worry about me. I'm going to sleep it off." She reassured him as they walked to the door. "I had a nice time; we'll have to do it again."
"Yes, I haven't relaxed like that in quite a long time." Clark leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek, surprised as Abby turned her head and planted a quick kiss on his lips.
"Goodnight Clark."
"Goodnight."
> > > >
> > > >
Twirl…
Twirl…
Twirl…
Twirl… Jason rested his chin on the top of his dad's chair, watching the adults around him. People were funny, when they didn't know they were being watched. Four people liked to pick their nose and Mommy said it's a disgusting habit.
Twirl…
Twirl…
Twirl…
Mom was out of the office today, her and Aunt Lucy were at a restaurant, getting 'sister time' as his father explained. He was in his office, reading. He was always reading. At least he could sit wherever he wanted when his mother wasn't here. Climbing up onto his father's desk, he watched Aunt Abby work. She was talking on her cell phone to someone that made her laugh, and she was spinning in her chair as well.
The doors opened and he smiled as his dad walked through. He was also on the phone, walking towards his desk. That meant he would have to climb down soon. Aunt Abby looked up and rolled her eyes, hanging up the phone and standing, pretending to hit his father on the shoulder. Interesting… It was nice to see his father laughing. He didn't do that too much, which was kind of sad. Mommy said that you should laugh, because it keeps you from crying. Whatever that really meant…
Clark smiled at his son as he waved, putting down his jacket and throwing him gently into the air. The squeal of laughter was payment enough, and when Jason came down he threw his arms around his neck and gasped for breath. "Do it again."
"You didn't have enough?" Jason opened his mouth to speak, but closed it and frowned over his shoulder. Now, he could see why. Derek walked through the door, a carton holding four coffees in his hand a smile on his face, with eyes only for Abby.
She hadn't seen him yet, head bent over the desk as she looked over an article due in a couple of days. It really wasn't any of his business that his…friend was being visited by her ex fiancé. Jason squirmed in his arms and he put him down, not really paying attention because he was too busy listening in.
Abby looked up and gasped, dropping her pen on the floor. "Derek!" She hissed, reaching down to pick it up, wishing she could do the same for her mood. "What are you doing here?"
"I seem to recall asking for a moment of your time today." He said patiently, putting down the coffee and pulling her close for a hug. "How was your evening working?"
Abby almost groaned. She didn't like lying, but she didn't… she didn't know what she wanted. "It was fine."
"Interesting. I called, but no one answered."
"You should have called my cell phone. I don't answer my desk phone after eleven."
"I did." Abby shook her head.
"I didn't get the call then. What are you doing in Metropolis?"
"I came to patch things up with you. What do you think?"
"I don't know what to think." He frowned and rolled his eyes.
"You're being dramatic." Abby stepped away, trying not to make a scene.
"I am not. What am I supposed to feel, after you told me you have no interest in moving to Metropolis?" She asked, crossing her arms.
"I'm sorry; you just caught me at a bad time, although that's not an excuse for my horrible behavior." Abby sighed and dropped her arms.
"Derek, what are we doing?"
"I'm trying to make you my wife."
"I love you Derek, I really do, but everything needs to be done your way." She smiled softly. "That can't always work."
"I am just trying to groom you for the great things I know are coming." Derek frowned and looked down at someone pulling on his pant leg. "Why is this child here?" He asked Abby, bewilderment on his face.
"This child is named Jason, and he's Lois and Richard's son. Jason sweetie, I'm talking to my friend right now, so why don't you come back later?" She asked, kneeling down and smiling. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to do something fun together."
Jason barely spared her a look. "You're making my Aunt Abby mad." He said, frowning all the way up at Derek.
"Am I now?" He asked, a patronizing tone causing the six year old to blush. "Why don't you go and play somewhere else, where adults aren't talking?" Derek smiled expectantly, but neither he nor Abby was expecting what came next. Jason's foot lashed out and she jumped at the sound of bone breaking. Jason ducked behind Abby as Derek fell to the ground, whimpering in pain and clutching his leg. "My leg! What in the hell did he do!"
Abby picked Jason up, turning to see Clark right behind her. "What happened?" He asked, looking down at Derek without surprise.
"Jason… kicked him." Richard was making his way over as Clark leaned around to her desk and dialed for an ambulance.
"Jason, what has gotten into you? You're not supposed to kick people!" He said, pulling him out of Abby's arms and trying to apologize to Derek, who was hearing none of it.
"That child broke my leg! How did he do that?" He gritted, trying not move his leg. It was already starting to swell through the leg of his pants.
"Calm down Mr. Mathis, the ambulance is on its way." Clark suddenly had a headache. His son just broke someone's leg. How does a parent handle that? He looked over at Jason, his face buried against Richard's neck as he calmed him down.
> > > > >
"What are we doing here?" Lucy asked as they pulled up to a beachside cottage. Lois glanced at her sister before opening the door.
"None of your business."
"If you don't want to tell me, all you have to do is say so." She leaned over the seat, glaring at her.
"I don't want to tell you."
"So, what are we doing here?" Lois shook her head and pulled off her pumps, throwing them in her bag as she walked down the sandy hill. There was no one around as she knocked on the door, and after five minutes she had to consider the possibility that no one was home. Turning back towards her sister's car, she heard the door open behind her.
"Yes, can I help you?"
She whirled around and smiled. "Dr. Bern, hi. I'm Lois Lane from the Daily Planet."
"I know who you are. I have a television." He opened the door and smiled. "What can I do for you? Came to see my display?"
"Yes, yes I did. I was told there were crowds here waiting to see it themselves. What happened?" She asked bluntly, following him to his garage.
"I called off the tour for now. The main thing people came for was the kryptonite." Dr. Bern lifted the garage door and walked over to a table that had a misshapen mass in a bucket of water.
"What is that?" Lois asked, unable to identify it at all.
"That was my kryptonite display. I held it in a locked box, and when I came back… it was this. I couldn't open it and I have a few people coming to see if they can pry it open, but it's been superheated to the point where they told me I'm probably not going to be able to separate the two without shattering it into a million pieces." He sounded dejected, and she couldn't help but feel relieved. No matter what she felt about Superman right now, she couldn't afford to have anything happen to him again.
"Well, that's too bad. What do you think caused it?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Dr. Bern pointed to the wall, where two small holes were burned through the cinderblock walls. "What happened to respecting other people's property?"
"And how would you feel if someone insisted on carrying something around that could kill you."
"I'm not a fan of guns, but I don't vandalize people's houses and take them, or render them inoperable, now do I?"
"But you're not the only one that can be killed by bullets." Lois shook her head and leaned over the bucket, where the water was still steaming slightly. "I can't say that I'm sorry."
"Well, I wouldn't expect you to be, now would I?" She looked up at him and smirked. "Good day Ms. Lane."
"Same to you Dr. Bern." Lois practically whistled as she made her way back up the hill, and smiled at her sister as she put her shoes back on and slid into the car.
Lucy looked at her and shook her head. "What's gotten you so happy?"
"Nothing. Come on, I've got to get back to the-" Lois pawed through her bag until she found her phone. "Hello? Richard, I'm on my… he did what? Oh my god, is he okay? Are you serious? I'll be there in a minute." She hung up the phone and turned to her sister. "Drive!"
"Yes ma'am." Lucy grunted and put the car into gear, heading back to Metropolis.
> > > > >
> > > > >
It was an interesting thing, to be caught between horror, laughter, and pride. Clark pulled his keyboard out of the back of his CPU and replaced it. He would need a working one if he was going to pretend to work today. Jason was no longer crying, but sitting in Richard's office, staring at the wall. He wanted to pull him into his arms, and tell him that this would probably be only the first of many times that he would make a grievous misstep with his strength.
Clark watched as Jason's little legs swung on the edge of Richard's desk, eyes dejected as Richard knelt in front of him and dried his face, reassuring the little boy that everything will be okay. The elevator opened and Lois stepped through, eyes wild and heart beating a mile a minute as she searched the office for her son. Their son. His son.
Jason looked up as well, jumping down from the desk and jumping into his mother's arms as soon as she opened the office door. It was heartbreaking to see the three of them together, and the only person who truly knew what he was going through was sitting and watching, eavesdropping on a scene that was rightfully his to participate in.
'That's not helping anything.' Clark admonished himself, turning forcibly back to his monitor to watch the monitor, not really concentrating. With no effort the screen in front of him faded away, and he pulled his focus away, zeroing in on Abby's desk. She went with Derek to the hospital, telling him who knows what, because he could tell she didn't know exactly what happened either.
Picking up his jacket, Clark stepped out of his cubicle and almost ran into Jimmy. "Sorry!" He said, straightening up a small stack of photos for him.
"Thanks Clark. Where are you headed for?"
"I'm going to get some air."
"Insane about what happened to Derek, isn't it? But he deserved it. Jason should definitely play football, with a kick like that he'd be a hit." Clark smiled tightly and nodded.
"Sure should. I'm going to go get that air now, okay?"
"Sure thing." Jimmy frowned as he watched him bump into various people and objects on his way out of the office. In his years of knowing the man, he had rarely seen him so shaken. Wonder what was eating him?"
> > > > >
Bruce put down his paper and reached for his orange juice, looking up as a shadow crossed the table. "What's wrong?" He asked, pouring another glass of juice as Clark pulled out the chair and sat down.
"I just need to talk to someone."
"Trouble with women?"
"That's not the half of it."
> > > > >
> > > > >
Daniel wiped his brow and sighed. What a waste, what a disappointment. What a spectacular failure. But it wasn't his fault. Smiling over his collection, he adjusted the vase that was now Komura and shook his head. She really was beautiful. Pulling his favorite shovel off of the wall, he whistled as he practically skipped back up the steps.
> > > > >
"State your name for the court."
"Alexander Joseph Luthor."
"Mr. Luthor, this hearing was called by your defense team because new evidence in your case was brought to this court's attention. Councilor, is your client well aware that his appeal is not for many years… stress on many?"
"Yes, your honor he is. But as you said, new evidence has been admitted, and per due process, should be allowed to impact the sentence."
"Well said. Proceed."
> > > > >
> > > > >
Lois paced back and forth in the backyard, trying to allow the tranquil sound of the water soothe her nerves. It wasn't working. Richard was reading the fourth story to Jason, in efforts to minimize any bad dreams. She would have done it, but her brain was working overtime. Anytime you need him, he's not around. The flutter of wind behind her made her heart race, and she turned to see him floating a few feet above the ground, face cautious. "It's about time. I called for you ages ago."
"I'm sorry. Tidal wave."
"Right." Well, that was a way to chastise her. "I know you've been zipping around the globe, unable to really see Jason lately, but he… he…" Superman sighed and landed in front of Lois, wanting to pull her into his arms and tell her it would be okay.
"What did he do?" Cursing the game he had to play, but he would play it as long as he had to.
"He kicked someone and broke their leg." Lois shuddered as she released the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Is it supposed to be happening this early?" She whispered, pulling her coat closer around her lithe form.
Superman thought briefly before pacing as well. "I told you, it would be nearly impossible to know what would start to manifest and what wouldn't. Is it safe to say he was excited when he kicked this person?"
"Richard says he was. He didn't like a friend of a coworker of ours… so he kicked him."
"Well, we're going to have to teach him to have a tighter reign on his temper."
"We? No, Richard and I will have to do that. You're just going to pop in when he's supposed to be sleep and that will make everything okay." He winced at the venom in her words, and wished he could tell her that he does see Jason more than she knows. "Besides, he's six! How am I supposed to explain that he needs to suppress his anger? Maybe I should leave that up to you, since suppression seems to be your cup of tea."
"Maybe not suppress… more like understand that he simply cannot react as other children…"Even to Superman that sounds absurd. A child is still a child. "Look, I don't know what I'm doing."
"Obviously."
"But I'm trying."
"Only when it's convenient for you, when you're done saving the world, maybe you'll come by and see your son." Lois took a deep breath and shook her head. "I'm trying, I really am. Richard told me to see it from your point of view… but I can't. I'm his mother and I'm scared of what this means for him. I don't know enough to help him, and if you're not here… if you're not here enough, I worry where he'll get the answers from."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"Will you go up to see Jason before you go, or have I sufficiently chased you off?" Lois asked ruefully.
"You could never chase me off." Superman rose into the air again. "Good night Lois."
"Goodnight." She watched him float into the bedroom window before she allowed herself to cry.
>
Richard looked up and tried not to be angry. He had just calmed Jason down enough to go to sleep, but with Superman here, he would be excited, and he just didn't have it in him for another four chapters of Treasure Island. "Superman."
"Thank you Richard. I appreciate you more than you know." That one compliment knocked all of the anger out of him, and he didn't know quite what to say.
"Jason, are you going to be okay?" There was a ghost of a smile on his son's face for the first time since the incident, and it pained him to know that it took Superman to put it there. Leaning over, he kissed him on the forehead and smoothed his hair. "I'll leave you two alone. Not too late, okay?" Richard felt he should say something parental before he left.
"Of course. Thank you." Superman watched the door closed, and continued to watch Richard until he made his way downstairs. Jason didn't move from under the covers, turning slightly so he couldn't see his face. "Jason, what's wrong?"
"You're mad at me, aren't you?"
"What? What for?"
"For hurting Aunt Abby's friend." Superman shook his head.
"No, I'm not mad. Do you now understand what I meant by being careful? You can't hit someone when you're angry. When you have control over your strength it will be easier, but for now, when you're upset… just walk away."
"I didn't like that man."
"Neither did I." Jason smiled and looked at his father through his hair.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good." He climbed from out of the covers and stood up on his bed. "Can we go flying?"
Superman laughed, pulling his son into his arms. "Not tonight. Your mom and dad wouldn't be too happy about it."
"So come back when they're sleep."
"You look like you're going to be sleeping in a minute yourself." Jason shook his head, trying to hide the yawn but in the end it was too big for him.
"No… I'm awake."
"Sure you are."
"I am!" Jason put his head on his shoulder, nuzzling his face on his cape. "No flying?"
"Not tonight."
"Okay." Superman listened to the sound of his son's heartbeat until it slowed, finally deep asleep. He closed his eyes and tried to block out all sound but the heartbeat within the little one he held. If time could just stand still… if things could have turned out differently so he could be a father full time… He pulled back the covers and laid Jason down, tucking him in and laying a kiss on his cheek. His son shifted and flopped over onto his stomach, and Superman smiled. He really needed to go… With one more look at Jason he slid gently out of the window and rocketed to the other side of the world.