Hello and welcome!

The idea to this story came while writing the now abadoned story 'The shame of El', which is set free for adoption.

It is some kind of worst case story, what would happen if Jonathan and Clark are not able to mend their relationship, or Clark continues to not include Jonathan in his life more. An actually sad story, with a kind of happy end for Clark only.

Set around 20 years in the future, in a real excisting Alaskan city.


There was this silence in the car. This tensing silence that was awkward and upsetting at the same time. Nobody spoked during the ride home. Mother and son just sat in the car in silence…

The boy expected his mother to be mad when she was called to school. After his fight with the other boy. And after the scene he made. He was glad to hear how she defended him. But the situation itself was very strange. Instead of suspending him, or giving him detention for the rest of the month everyone just wanted to know how he did it? How did he did what he did? 17 other kids, including the boy he was fighting with, and a teacher who tried to separate them witnessed it and everyone was astonished, if not shocked…

When his mother and the mother of the other boy had their argument in the principal's office, he could hear the other kids talking about it. He could hear them talking threw the closed door, as if they stood right next to him. They stood in the corridor and talked about it. It was weird, awkward… he created some new school gossip, and everyone will talk about him. Not only in school, but also here in their town. His mother was aware of it, too.

They arrived in front of their house. The boy opened his seatbelt, while the automatic garage-door opened, so his mother could park the car inside while he was waiting on the driveway. After she left the car, locked it up and left the garage, she and her son walked up on the porch of their house to get inside. Out of the cold. There they put off their jackets and their shoes, and the mother led her son to the couch in the living-room.

"Sit down!" she said. Her voice was very emotionless. Which was very uncommon for her?

Now the young boy expected yelling, scolding, reprimanding, and grounding. Well, he kind of deserved it. No matter if the other boy began the fight, or his friends called him brave and awesome that he defended himself or that other boy that got attacked… he was the one who made a scene today…

The boy sat down on the couch, the mother standing in front of him, kneeling to face her son at eye level. He knew his mom. He knew whenever she was mad or else. But the boy was not able to make out her current mood. She looked more concerned than mad.

"Show me your hand!" she ordered her child.

The boy lifted his hand. There was no visible injury. After inspecting the boy's hand, the mother took a deep breath…

"Wait here!" she said and left the room.

She left the living-room, went up the stairs and into her bedroom. There she opened the wardrobe, took a box out of its hideout, and took a photo-album out of it. With a loud moan, she held the album against her chest and took a deep breath…

"Gosh… he is so young… too young…" she said, a tear running down her face.

She had no other choice! After what happened today, she had to do it now. The situation made it absolutely essential. She never expected to do it when he was so young. If she, or his father (the lord has mercy to his soul) would have the choice, they would never bother him with this. Or tell him when he is old enough to handle it… gosh, the boy just got eight a month ago! In her opinion it was too young.

Her whole body was trembling, while she was walking down the stairs again. The sun was shining outside. Normally a perfect day to spend it outside. They probably will later… if the boy won't spend the rest of the day (or his life) hiding in his room from the sun.

The boy looked on his mother. Waiting for the telling-off…

"Mommy, I swear…"

"It's okay! Everything is okay!" she said, showing her son that she was not mad. "I know you only defend yourself and that it was not your fault. Eighter the fight… nor… the other thing…"

"I… I didn't want it… It was an accident… I don't know… how…" the boy wailed. He had absolutely no clue how it happened.

"I know!" the mother said. Receiving a confused look from her son. She took a seat right next to him and put the photo-album on her lap.

She knew that she couldn't wait with it anymore. If the boy's father would be here, he would agree. No matter how much he wanted the boy to never learn about it. To never live with the same struggles, he had to live with. Or with that burden of this world-shattering secret. But there was no other choice… this is it. She just wished that his father would be with her now. So, she does not have to handle it alone.

"What happened today… well… I am sure you have a lot of questions about it! Or you are surprised how it could happen?! I tell you now a secret. I am sure you will be very surprised, but it will help you to understand what happened. But… and this is very important… nobody, and I mean really nobody is ever allowed to know this. And no matter what happens, you can't tell anybody. Not your friends and not even your grandparents. Did you understand?"

The boy nodded. His mother nodded, too. Slowly she opened the first page of the photo-album. She knew, if his father would be here, he would close all curtains and would keep sure that all doors and windows were securely closed. But she didn't care… It would be better with the sun shining in… it made the atmosphere in their house much better.

"Your father and I… we honestly never wanted to tell you! Not because we don't trust you or don't love you. And believe me I love you so deeply and your father truly loved you with all his heart… We didn't want to bother you with this… We were afraid, you could be angry, or see your father or yourself differently."

"Why?"

"Because… Oh, my gosh… I don't know how to explain it without sounding mean…" she truly didn't know. "…ehm… it is… a long story…"

She presented him the photo of a young man of around 17 or 18. The photo was not the best and the man on it was visibly upset that someone photographed him.

"This is your father! This was taken on the day we met for the first time. Your grandfather invited him to a barbeque to thank him for his hard work in the community center. Your father… is not from here! You know that?"

"Yes! He is from Chicago!" the boy responds.

"Well… that is actually not true. You know, your father… he wasn't from Chicago! He told it to everyone because he didn't want the people to know who he really was!"

"Why?"

"Because… well… your father had a huge secret! A secret, he couldn't tell anybody. He didn't even tell me until shortly before I got pregnant with you!"

She suddenly remembered how mad he was when she told him that she thinks that she is pregnant. Not because he didn't want a child. No, they were talking about adoption. But because he told her that he is sterile, and he didn't want a child that has to deal with being different. After a long cold night, he spent alone in the nearby forests, he returned and told him under tears the shocking truth…

"Your father came to our town when he was only 17! He was alone! He had no friends and no family. And no home! He was travelling with the ferry and was caught without a valid ticket. He had no real destination. He was just looking for a new home."

"What happened on his old?"

"Well… Your father… had a huge fight with his parents. But to understand this, you need to hear the whole story…" the mother explained and went to the next page. "Your father… was actually born in Metropolis!"

"Metropolis?"

"Yes, Metropolis! He lived there until he was 14! Then he moved with his parents to Kansas!"

"Kansas? Why? Metropolis is way cooler! Superman and Superboy are living there!"

"Yes, I know! But… you know… your father's father… your grandfather, grew up in a small town in Kansas. In Smallville! That's a town, a bit bigger than ours, surrounded by plain land…"

"Do they have mountains there, too!"

His mother tried to imagine mountains in the plain Kansas landscape. "No!"

"Or lakes and rivers?"

"No… No, it's… nothing compared with our town."

Threw the window she was able to see their town. Here in Southeast Alaska, with the mountains and rivers, it was not like in the middle of Kansas. She had to think about her late husband again. He was a big city boy. Normally doesn't liking places and towns like theirs. But he felt so great and so free here. He loved this town… It became his home. Here he was free and being able to just be himself.

"It is… different! Your father didn't like to talk about his past. He was very secretive about those things."

She showed him other photos of the young man. The boy's father… a man the boy only knew from photos and stories…

"It was obvious that he went through a lot in his life. When he came to this town, he tried to get his own life under control. He got a job, was able to finish high school, got a better job… Everyone was convinced your father was a troubled runaway who will leave as soon as something happens. But he managed not only to adapt, but he also became a very valued member of the community."

She showed him all the other photos of all the things his father achieved… his work for the community, the people he helped, the positive effects his acts had in their town.

"He never liked it when someone took a photo of him! Not even when he won the town's man-of-the-year-award… aww… but there was something he was hiding. From everyone…"

"Mommy, what does it have to do with… what I did?"

The boy knew the story. He knew that he was the son of one of the most respected men who ever lived in this town. And his mother was from a highly regarded family, too. But he was still pretty confused.

"I just… before I tell you, I wanted to show you what your father did. I wanted to remember you that he is still the same person. I was afraid, you could see him differently. Or yourself."

"Mom, you're scary…"

"I don't want to scare you. I just… aww… gosh, I never expected you to figure out this way." The mother said, going to the next page. "Your father… well there was some tension in his family. With his parents and… later even with his brother! Your… your uncle?"

"Uncle Jim?"

"No… Uncle Jim is my brother! No, your father had a brother, too! And… A father and a mother. Your other grandparents! You never met them before!"

"And why?"

"Because… your father didn't want. I already told you that… there was a lot of tension in their family. He was once very close with his brother. They are even twins! When your father was 14, he figured out a secret about your grandfather. A secret that… he never ever told someone. Only me, and only after we thought that I became pregnant with you. And because he was afraid… ehm… Afraid that it will affect you, too. And obviously… it does!"

"What? Am I sick?"

"No… I wouldn't call it sick! It has more to do with… where your grandfather comes from. Your grandfather is… not exactly from here!"

"From Kansas?"

"No! Much… much farther away…"

The mother put the photo-album on the coffee-table to grab her smartphone, that was laying there and opened the Google-app to show the boy a photo of his grandfather and his uncle…

"Your grandfather… comes from a place called Krypton!"

There was a long silence after that sentence.

"Krypton?"

"Krypton!"

"Where is that?"

"I don't know where it once was! But… it isn't existing anymore!"

"What happened with it?"

"It exploded!"

"Like… Krypton? Isn't… isn't Krypton… the planet Superman comes from is named Krypton!"

Suddenly the boy understood what his mother was going to tell him.

"Your grandfather… comes from Krypton… He is Superman!" showing her son a current photo of Superman from the Internet.

The boy looked on his mother with big eyes. Not knowing how to react to this. His father's dad is Superman? So, he is the grandson of Superman? Does it mean that Superboy is his uncle? But it would mean that his dad… is Superman's other son?

There was a tensing silence in the room that became worse with every passing second. The boy's mother was awaiting the boy's reaction. Will he be mad? Shocked? Euphoric? After what happened today, she knew that she couldn't hide it from him anymore. She had to tell him to keep sure he is careful and does not do it again or does not try to hide it from her in fear. With worry, she looked on her son, who stared on her like he just got slapped for nothing.

"D… Does it mean… I am an alien?"

"Oh, no! You are a human!" she said, comforting her son immediately. "Your father was a human, too and I am human. That makes you to a human, too. You belong here on Earth! It's just that you apparently… have some connections to another planet!"

The boy looked on his hand again. The hand he crushed threw the wall, during his fight with the other boy, not even an hour ago. It had not even a scratch…

"Ehm… my grandpa is Superman?"

"Yes!" she was waiting for the boy to freak out.

"And Superboy?"

"Superboy… is your uncle!"

"And dad? Superboy is my uncle? And… who was my dad?"

"Your father is still your father!"

"Who was he?"

"Your father was just your father! He was my husband, he was… just himself…"

"But ehm… ehm… Superman and Superboy… they can fly, and they are super strong, and they have laser eyes. They are super cool and… super...?"

"Yes, because they are Kryptonians!"

"And dad? I mean…"

"Your father was human!"

"How?" now the boy was confused.

"I know it's complicated!"

Tears ran down her face. She had no clue what her late husband would say now in this situation. He had a harsh and strict opinion on that matter: Humans! No Kryptonians! He was human and the others were Kryptonian.

"Ehm… Did dad… did he have powers, too?"

"No! He always said he has none! His twin brother got all the powers!"

With that sentence she confused the little boy much more.

"That was unfair!" he responds.

The mother was just able to shrug. Happy that his father hadn't had to hear this sentence. He would have freaked out. But it was not a surprise. The boy is still a child, and he hadn't gone through the same as his father, of course he sees things differently.

"It is… a long story…" the mother began. "…you know, your father figured out that his father is Superman when he was 14. And just a few hours later, his brother got super-powers. Your father… your father said he never achieved any of them."

"Why? Was he sick?"

"No! I think… he never liked to talk about it, but I think he just got a bit more from his mother. She is from Earth, you know! A human like me! And you!"

"But… How could he be powerless when he was the son of Superman? And… Superboy is Dad's twin-brother? But Superboy does not look like Dad!"

"Not all twins look the same! And about the powers… I don't know! He didn't know, too. And we will never figure out why your father had no powers… Your grandfather… you know, he never tried to figure out why your father was powerless. He never ever even took him on a flight with him."

It's what he told her. But it was a long way to that point…

"Sounds unfair!"

"Oh, yeah. I admit it really sounds unfair! I met your father and saw that he was struggling. He had this… mysterious thing about him! That was kind of fascinating! I never dared to think that he was actually the son of Superman!"

"Does it mean… Superman is from Kansas?"

"Well… Superman… your father's father, he was born on Krypton. He came to Earth when he was just a little baby. He was adopted by a friendly couple in Kansas and grew up as… as a human…"

She almost said Clark Kent! She wasn't ready for this to go that far…

"…Superman grew up on a farm, you know!"

"Superman is a farmer?" it was hard for the boy to imagine that.

"Well, he grew up as one. But he moved to Metropolis, met your father's mother and they got your father and his brother! And when he was 14 and his brother got powers, they moved to the farm his father grew up on to help him to adjust to his new powers."

"And Daddy?"

"Your father and his brother where always very close. He supported him in everything. So, he helped him to deal with it. But… the move to S… to Kansas had also some negative effects on your father. In Metropolis your father had… well… let's your father had a difficult time in Kansas. He not only had to deal with the fact being the son of Superman or having a brother with powers he also lost his friends; he couldn't play football anymore and… a lot of other things…"

Things the boy was way to young to hear now and would have to wait until he is old enough to understand it.

"Why did Daddy leave?"

"Because… your father was… he felt not home. He thought, his parents love his brother more because he was the one with powers and he just the human one. And your grandfather was too busy. Too busy training his other son. And your father was… ehm… he got disappointed by his family too often. He needed a fresh start. Away from all of them and… it…"

She asked herself if she told the story a bit too fast. Maybe she should give the boy some time to handle the news that his father was Superman's infamous powerless son, first.

"But… but… ehm… I…" the boy was obviously overwhelmed.

The boy got a lot from his father. His mother saw it. Not only these brightblue eyes, she loved to call 'Kryptonian-blue', in her minds. But a lot of other good traits. But his father was also carrying around his demons. Regulary seeing a therapist in town. Not even her he could tell it.

She remembered the day; they were watching TV together and saw the infamous interview. The first time the people saw Superman being sad. It was an interview, together with Superboy and it was an interview that surprised the world: Superman confessed to the world that he had actually two sons. And that one of his sons was powerless and felt left out sometimes… he was so upset after that interview. Especially since Superman told under tears how much he misses him…

She always knew that he had secrets. But she respected his privacy. But he also was bothered by the fact that he was not fully honest to her. Over the years he opened a little bit. Telling her more details about his life… but not everthing…

Then came the day she bought a pregnancy test because she was feeling something odd. It was a mean and loud fight. He burst out in tears. Confessing that he wasn't sterile. But afraid that the child will be like him… he ran away. She thought it was one of his psychotic seizures. Over the years there were times, he sometimes needed a day or two just for himself alone. The test was negative. He came back the next day and confessed her everything…

That he was the powerless son of Superman, the world was gossiping about. How the relevation and the move to Kansas turned his life upside down. The loss of so many things he loved. The many times he felt left out, being unheard, or got disappointed. How he even took the infamous super-drug X-K, just to keep up with his brother and how bad he felt after, with his disappointed parents and how his brother always had to safe him, while he felt weaker and weaker and more and more worthless.

After a crisis about a cult-leader, his father promised to be there for him more, but rather spend time with his powered son or do Supermanning. And his earlier X-K abuse was still haunting him. The people in town tried to blame him for everything, acting like he was the only one who took it. And instead of some help, or at least emotional support, Jonathan was once again left for his own. The rift between him and the rest of his family became bigger as well as the hostilities from the town. And about the conflict he was in: He was happy for his brother to overcome his issues, but for that felt more and more isolated himself.

Instead of helping him after a violent attack, his father preferred to teach his brother the Kryptonian language. A dead language, in her opinion. He said, he would have considered it, but his father didn't even feel it necessary to ask him if he wants. That… and a lot of other things, led him to the decision that it would be better to move out.

Without his parents' permission, he left to move in with his aunt Lucy in Metropolis. But his aunt was mentally unstable. Still suffering under the betrayal of a cult-leader she trusted but was only lied to from. When his aunt was taken into psychiatric treatment, Jonathan was told to go back to his parents.

But Jonathan, who was sure he ruined to much and will be killed by the town as soon as he returns, decided to punish his parents by ghosting them.

After a summer of travelling threw various states, he somehow ended up on a ferry of the Alaskan Marine Highway. He got caught without a ticket and was taken of the ferry here in their town. He was not able to pay the fee for his act and start to work it off. Despite everything, he felt welcomed. The town welcomed him with open arms like Smallville never did. He went to school again, adapt, made friends and after a few months, it was like he never lived somewhere else.

He married, became one of the most popular people in town, living a picture-perfect life, despite his inner demons, he decided to fight against. He decided to not to let his life being in the shadow of a man, who never even dared to ask him if he wants to see his fortress, meet his grandparents, go on a flight, or learn the Kryptonian language. And even if he lived under a wrong name, he was free. And he agreed that he felt much better after telling her the truth. And she loved him for who he was. He wasn't different just because his father and his brother are no humans. He was still the same guy.

After his existence was confessed by his father, he was terrified. The Internet was full of theories. Humiliating stuff, turning him (his past self) into a laughingstock. Or people discussing how it must be to be powerless while your father is the most powerful being in the universe. But the event led him to contact his parents at least.

They met once or twice a year. Every time in a different town in Canada. They were always too late… He didn't tell them about his marriage, or about the birth of their grandson. He feared that they would prefer the grandchildren Jordan will give them, as everyone will expect them to have powers. And he was still mad on his father for telling the world about his existence and allowing them to make jokes about him. And he was convinced that their son would be just a human. Powerless like him. A normal human like him.

His wife was believing him. But she could also see those traces that he had latent powers and hidden Kryptonian traits. But once when she told her husband him that she saw him floating an inch over the couch while he took a nap, he just told her that she must have imagined it. Or all the other little things she saw or guessed.

He told her his real name one day: Jonathan! He didn't want her to bother with the secret identity of his father. She figured out the rest of him and his family with a lot of time on Google and the conclusion that such a pair of glasses was a better disguise than she could have imagined. But she accepted his wish and never talked about it.

At some point, he agreed to at least talk about the 'possibility' that their son could show Kryptonian traits. For 'Connor', their little boy was a normal human with no need of that knowledge. But he agreed that, in the unlikely event of a power or another Kryptonian trait showing up, to tell his father about the boys' existence.

But destiny had other plans…

It was a thrown away cigarette… laying there in that tiny chamber in the trash-bin. Nobody knew who was so reckless, or ever figured out. But the fire came quickly. There were some canisters with gas, for the community-center's gardening tools stored in the room. When 'Connor' smelled the fire he pulled the lever for the fire-alarm and yelled to everyone present to leave the building. He went to the room to look if it was handleable. But as soon as he opened the door, and the oxygen got inside, there was a flashover. The fuel cannisters exploded, engulfing him in flames. Those flames, and the green Kryptonite he collected over the years and hid in the room gave him no chance to survive…

Powers or not, she was convinced that the Kryptonite he was collecting against her will, was the true reason he didn't survive the fire. The fire itself was not even that worse. Only the chamber and parts of the corridor were damaged. The building itself remained intact. But his burned body was literally spiked with the green crystals. Not even Superman could have survived that.

Clark Kent and Lois Lane and their son Jordan showed up on his funeral. She never figured out, or asked, how they figured out about the death of their son. She guessed he spied his son out like he did in the past. They didn't make a scene. They didn't ask for his body to bury it in Smallville. They accepted his wish to live his own life and therefore allowed him to get buried under his new name. And she saw they were literally devastated and barely able to keep their emotions under control.

Clark Kent came up to her, offered her a handshake and told her his condolences. She denied making a scene, telling him that she knows who he is and order him and the rest of the Kryptonians to stay away from her and her son… who had a flu and was therefore not with them that day. But he seemed to know about that she knows! It was evident when he gave her a little device, of the size of a lighter. Telling her to press it if 'they' need something or just want to talk.

That was five years ago… And she never dared to contact them. Seeing no need in it. She had her son, her family, and her friends. She didn't need some people; her husband was convinced only care for people with powers… well… at least until today… when her son's principal called and told her that her son just made a hole into the wall. With his fist!

In fear the mother looked on her son, who glared on her like he got the biggest shock someone could get. And in fear she realized that she didn't wait for his reaction but just told him everything and all of this, without giving him a break or waiting for his reaction.

"So, Superman is really my other grandpa?"

"Yes!" his mother answered ashamed.

"And Superboy is my uncle?"

"Yes!"

"And… I could have powers?"

"Maybe! Maybe not!" she hoped that whatever happened today was just a fluke.

"Do they know about me?"

"No! No… your father never told them. He was afraid you could experience the same! They… only know about me… But… I think they figured out about you, by themselves."

And she was always afraid, Superman could prefer the grandchildren, his powered son gave him, too. They both wanted to spare him from the possible disappointment. Or the disappointment that could be if he wants powers but doesn't get them. Her husband always said he was not disappointed with being powerless. More disappointing was that it meant his father won't even ask him how he feels with it.

Otherwise, was she sure that those presents, greeting cards and other stuff, that arrived regularly by mail for the boy, were from them. All in all, her mother-in-law is still one of the best investigative journalists in the world… and they really fought for their powerless son to earn back his trust…

She took her son into a tight hug. The boy was scared. She could feel it. He was afraid to hug her back because he feared now that he could hurt her. And that made her much sadder. Because this was exactly what they wanted to spare him from.

"I… I think… aww…" the woman was fighting against her tears. She didn't dare to say it out loudly, but she had no other choice. She and his father had an agreement. And she felt like she was betraying him. Breaking his trust! But he would agree that they would need advice now. Help, he would urgently need. "…I think… it's time… Time to… meet your grandfather and your uncle…"

The boy looked on her with big eyes… Was he really going to meet Superman and Superboy? The boy was still too stunned to freak out loudly, as he would normally do. He had obviously a shock!

And so, his mother took the ELT, her father-in-law gave her 5 years ago, handed it to her son, and together they pushed the button before she began to talk…

"Mister Kent… I am… your daughter-in-law from Alaska! There is something I… ehm… we need to tell you!"


I hope you liked it.

I personally hope that something like this never needs to happen. That Clark sees one day that Jonathan needs him more than ever, and not only when he gets powers. And I belong to the group of people who wants him to get powers, too.

Keep well guys! And comment!