Lois entered the house and was able to hear that the TV was running…
"I am back."
"Hello, Ms. Lane! How was your day?" the babysitter asked.
Lois just began to work again after her miscarriage but was more happy to be home again. "Fine! How are the boys? Did you placed them in front of the TV?"
"No, I was just watching the news!" the babysitter said while putting on her jacket. "Everything is fine!"
"Thank you!" Lois said, giving her 5 Dollar.
The babysitter left and Lois walked to the living-room to find her quirky little, 20 months old boys sitting on the carpet in front of the TV, playing with their toys. Happily, Lois walked over to them to give them a hug, before leaving to get them something to drink. When she returned with their cups with water, she saw that Clark (as Superman) was on air.
"Dada…"
In shock, Lois dropped the cups…
Did Jonathan, her 20 months old son, just called Superman 'Dada'? Daddy? Did he recognize his father in his Superman persona? A 20-month-old boy?
In shock, Lois watched her son crawling closer to the TV, watching his father on the screen in awe and with a fascination, she never saw before. It was a photo of Superman, with stretched out arms, flying over the crowd. Little Jonathan, who just began to stand and walk a little bit a while ago, stand up and raised his arms like his father would do when he flies…
"This is so cute!" Lois cried with tears of joy in her eyes. No matter how scared she was, that one of her little babies just recognized his father in TV and could bust them all. She had to film this…
And so, she took the camera from the table and filmed little Jonathan how he tried to imitate his father's flying pose…
"Aww… I must show this to Clark. And I need to take a photo of his face when he watches it… Aww… Little Jonathan wants to fly like Superman!"
It is so cute… a bit scary, but mostly cute…
"NO!"
"YES!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
Hearing that noise, Clark arrived annoyed to find his two four-years-old sons in the living-room.
"What is going on here?" he asked. "And what are you wearing?"
With open mouth Clark saw that his sons were wearing red towels as capes and blue t-shirts to look like Superman. Even when the T-shirts were way too big for them…
Both start to scream and talk wildly. It sounded like they were accusing each other of something…
"Boys… QUIET!" Clark said, now too distracted by their appearance. "Now… You know you not allowed to play with the towels! And are that my shirts…? Okay… now tell me one by one what's going on!"
"Jordan tells crap!" Jonathan yelled.
"No, Jonathan tells crap!" Jordan yelled.
"Watch your words, boys!" Clark said now harsher. "So, what?"
"Jordan said, Superman's most awesomenest power is laser-vision. But that's not true!"
"IT IS!"
"NO!"
"YEAH!"
"NO!"
"Boys… stop… Jonathan, what do you think is Superman's coolest and most awesome power?" Clark asked. It was honestly a bit awkward.
"It is flying!" Jonathan said happily, raised his arms and jumped up a little bit.
"Oh, well…" Clark blushed. "…everyone has his own opinion. There is no need to argue. Superman… has a lot of awesome powers."
"What is yours?" Jordan asked.
"What?" Clark asked.
"What is your favorites Superman's power?" Jordan asked.
"Oh… well…"
"It is flying!" Jonathan said.
"Laser eyes!" Jordan yelled.
"FLYING!"
"LASER EYES!"
"FLYING!"
"LASER EYES!"
Clark turned around annoyed, deciding to wait for the boys to get tired of it and this phase to end as soon as possible.
"It's definitely not super-hearing…" he murmured quietly.
"Are you going to interview Superman today, Mommy?" Jordan asked.
"Aww… you know Superman has other things to do, instead of just coming to me to get interviewed." Lois explained while she packed their lunch-bags.
Her now five-years-old sons were now old enough to understand that it was really their mom who interviewed Superman, wrote articles about him, and knew him in person. Now asking her at least three to four times per day when she will meet him today, if they can come with her next time, if he ever comes to visit, and a lot of other things. They sat in the kitchen and had breakfast.
"Superman is always very busy, you know!" Lois explained. "And when he has to say something to the world, he shows up and tells the people!"
"Do you have his phone number?" Jonathan asked.
"Pah… please, you act like I have a hotline connection to him!" Lois said and blushed. Carefully she put her purse with the ELT inside away to hide it from the boy's views.
"You two seem so eager to meet Superman?" Clark said, trying to sound not to flattered and instead tried to sound a bit jealous, while he grabbed a cup and walked over to the coffeemaker. "Boys, I am sure Superman would really like to meet you some day. But he is so busy saving the world, that he does not have time to talk to everyone who wants to meet him!"
"But we would love to ask him so many questions!" Jordan said.
"And what?" Clark asked with a raised eyebrow, while filling his cup with coffee. A bright smile appeared on his face. "Let's pretend Superman is right here. What would you ask him?"
"I would ask him, how he became so cool!" Jordan said.
"Nice!" Clark said. It was nice to hear that his son thinks that he is cool. Even if it was his alter ego. "And you Jonathan?"
"Okay… I would like to ask him if he can teach me to fly!"
Clark, who was just about to take a sip of coffee, start to cough and spit out everything he already had in his mouth. Smearing coffee all over his shirt, his trousers and even on Lois' blouse.
"Oh, Clark…" Lois yelled shocked.
"Daddy?" Jonathan was confused about his father's reaction.
Clark coughed one more time, before he grabbled a kitchen towel to clean his face. It was a slight shock that his son wanted flying-lessons! This was too awkward. Even for Clark, who expected situations like this with the boys growing up.
"Sorry… cough… I… I didn't expect the coffee to be that hot!" Clark said, relying on his typical 'Clark-Kent-clumsiness' to safe the situation. "That's… nice! Really, I am sure a lot of boys want to learn to fly from Superman, too… Would you please excuse me, I need to change!"
Clark left the kitchen to go upstairs and change into clean clothes. Lois followed him and found Clark sitting on their bed, with a bright smile and closed eyes. He was obviously daydreaming!
"Clark?"
"Lois… I know the tests in the fortress said that the boys won't develop powers. But I am imagining now flying side by side with both. And I have to admit, that I love that thought." Clark said, closed his eyes again and enjoyed that thought. "Aww… Flying lessons with the boys!"
"And I love the thought about asking my father for parachutes!" Lois murmured sarcastically and left the room again…
7-years-old Jonathan had never ever so much joy in his life. He was high over the ground. Hold by Superman and got a flying lesson…
"You're doing really good, Jonathan!" Superman said.
With stretched out arms, Jonathan was flying toghether with Superman who was smiling on him and praising every of his movements.
"Woah… this is so cool, Mr. Superman… I can fly…" Jonathan yelled happy. "…that is…"
Suddenly a loud Crash. A scream…
Jonathan's eyes shot open and he was sitting upright in his bed, while his brother had one of his panic attacks in the room next door… it was just a dream.
He could hear his parents in the corridor, walking over to look after him. Jonathan felt sorry for his brother to live with those nightmares but right now he was only sad that his flying lessons were intrerrupted that abruptly.
8-years-old Jonathan was not very happy when his parents said that he will join his brother and their mutual friend Timmy Tanner to the annual Metropolis Video-Games-Convention! But he agreed… His brother's mental state was not so good over the past few weeks, and he needed some fun. And their friend Timmy was going to move with his parents to Germany in a couple of weeks. So, it would be one of their final chances to do something together.
His parents said, they would go with them but had to cancel due to 'work'. So, they were watched by Timmy's mom. After walking around a little bit and watching various stands of video-game-developers and their latest games, Jonathan was the first one to spot something he was really interested in…
And so, he, Jordan, and their friend Timmy, watched in awe the latest invention of a local developer.
"Ladies and Gentlemen… we're presenting the very first Superman-simulator in the world! Experience a unique VR adventure that will let you fell like you are the man-of-steel!" a man with a microphone said, presenting and explaining the device.
The player was laying down on some kind of hammock with his arms stretched out. Special, into the gloves inserted controllers, allow the player to use special attacks like laser eyes and freeze breath, or to speed up or fly slower. Thanks to the VR-glasses, the player will feel like he is flying. And thanks to motion sensors in the hammock, the player can also steer in flight. It was a big bulky device, that was way to big for any normal arcade, and way too big for every standard home. But as it was still a prototype and in development, there was chance to make it suitable for the masses. And according to the high amount of interested people it was an invention with future…
"Who wants to be the first one to feel how it is to fly like Superman?" the man asked.
"ME!" Jonathan and around thirty other kids around them yelled. Including Timmy! Jordan just smiled, but shyly lift his hand, too. A bit surprised about his brothers huge interest in being Superman.
"Oh, wow… what an interest! Let's see… ehm…" the man looked around the interest was bigger than expected. "…oh, one by one please…"
The queue was so long, that it went from one end of the convention-center to the other end. And despite their efforts to get a good place in the queue they had to wait more than two hours before they finally reached the point, their hopes got crushed...
"Oh, I am sorry. You are to a bit too small!" another man from the stand said.
"What? Says who?" Jonathan asked offended.
"Superman!" the man said, walking a step away to reveal a life-size cardboard-cutout of Superman, who hold his hand on a specific height and had a big comic book speech bubble next to his head: 'You need to be at least this tall to fly!'
And according to this flat Superman, Jonathan was one and a half inch too small to fly!
"That's not fair! I want to fly!" Jonathan said offended and embarrassed.
"Sorry, but would you like to have a Superman-cap, instead?"
Disappointed, Jonathan took the cap and left the queue. Hearing the bigger kids behind him laugh…
For Jonathan and his brother, it was the very first time aboard a plane. And the very first true 'family-vacation' they could remember. Even if this would be just over the weekend.
Their mom won a family ticket for Disneyland at a tombola at work. A nice price for her two, now ten-years old twins. And so, Lois, Jordan and Jonathan sat on board the plane to Orlando, waiting for departure.
Clark was 'on work-duty', but would pick them up in Orlando. At least Lois hoped that he is done with whatever he has to handle until they arrive.
"You will like it!" Lois said to cheer up the nervous Jordan and to entertain the excited Jonathan. "I fly regularly."
"Is it like flying with Superman?" Jonathan asked.
Lois had to laugh. "Oh… I don't know. But flying with a plane can also be very exciting. I fly regularly to meetings and interviews by plane."
"Will Superman be up there, too?" Jordan asked. His mood suddenly much better than before.
Lois shrugged while she discreetly pushed the button on her ELT to let Clark listen to what she says. "Who knows, maybe Superman will be up there somewhere while we are in the air and you can wink…"
Jordan felt not good these days and maybe a little glimpse of Superman will cheer him up. One of the perks of being married to him.
Full of excitement Jon looked out of the window while the plane was pushed back from it's gate and wondered how it will feel to fly. But after just a minute or two, after hearing the buzzing engines not really starting, there was an announcement.
"Ladies and Gentleman, for technical reasons we are forced to return to the gate…"
"What?" Jonathan said mad.
After spending an hour on a remote stand, waiting and waiting there was another announcement…
"Ladies and Gentleman, we have to to inform you that the maintenance was not able to fix the problem with our engine and we are forced to cancel the flight. Busses will bring you back to the Terminal…"
After leaving the Bus, and entering the terminal again, Jonathan let his frustration out…
"That was not fair. I want to fly."
"Oh, I am so sorry boys." Lois said while they walked back into the terminal. "We travel another time to Orlando…"
They passed a big photography of Superman in front of the Metropolis Skyline. 'Welcome to Metropolis, home of Superman.' Was written in big letters below and above.
Jonathan looked on Superman with big eyes and began to moan: "He never has to care about his flight being cancelled…"
14 years old Jonathan laid on the bed in his room, glaring on the ceilling and trying to understand what just happened…
His father just lift the farm truck, like it was as light as a feather and start to fly. His father can fly! Because he is Superman! His own father is Superman!
Jonathan felt like a cheater. Suddenly all his athletic achievements, everyone was always so proud on, felt wrong and like he never deserved them. His whole live was a lie. His parents think that all he achieved was because he inherited his fathers superpowers. He was just disappointed. That was everything he was able to feel now. No pride, no happiness, no excitement… only disappointment.
Jordan took it way worse. Suddenly figuring out that you are half alien was too much for him. Under tears he yelled something about Jon's future as Superboy before he stormed to his room, and smashed the door close to be alone a bit. And Jonathan had now some time to think about the new reality…
His father is Superman. He is of alien decent. And all the trophys he won in his life are just because of that. He is a cheater. A faking cheater, who does not deserve any of those victorys. His parents think he could have inherited powers…
After a while he stood up to look out of the window. He saw his father and his mother standing outside. His father looked sad, worried and disappointed. It was obvious that he was sad and disappointed by their reaction, himself. Maybe hoping that they would react differently or at least not that bad. They didn't mention him watching them. His father was brooding and his mother was comforting him. Than he saw his father looking away, as if he heard something, his mother nodding and then his father departing into the air and flying away with the speed of a rocket…
Jonathan looked up into the sky. His father was nowhere to be seen anymore. He was fast. He was flying… suddenly he remembered all those moments in his life he was raving about Superman's ability to fly. Gosh, that day he told his father that he wants Superman to teach him to fly and his father spit out his coffee… gosh, this feels so awkward now. So embarrassing…
Was that the reason he was always going into raptures about flying? Because he was born for it? Does his father know that he was dreaming of it, when he was younger? Is his father already preparing for the day to give him flying lessons? Because he will be able to do so some day? Thinking about it, flying was the only superpower he wouldn't be able to cheat with on the football-field.
Jordan called him Superboy today. But Jon was not feeling so 'super'. Remembering the anger and the disappointment of his brother, he realized that he shouldn't let him alone with that. And Jon didn't want to be alone, too now.
Jon knocked on the door and carefully opened it. "Jordan? Can we talk? I don't want to be alone and you shouldn't be."
Jordan was not in his room. He only found a note. 'I am with Sarah at the bonfire.'
"Oh oh!" was everything Jon was able to say. His brother alone on a party in a foreign town and just after getting the shock of his life, was not good. He had to get there before something happens…
Jonathan just opened the door of his mother's car when he heard that swoosh and saw his father flying away with his brother to show him his 'lair' or whatever that place was…
"How come he gets to fly with dad, and I have to go to school?"
His mother only smiled. "At least we have radio!"
Radio? How is a radio, that only receives the boring local stations that mostly play stupid country-music, better than flying with their dad? But Jonathan tried to avoid his frustration to show up. Today was his first day in the new school. And he had to handle the mess, after the bonfire (that was even more disastrous than expected) alone.
Lois drove him to school and Jonathan thought about the current situation. In truth it was his brother who inherited powers. Well at least it meant he could continue to play football! If he is allowed into the team after that 'incident' at the bonfire. And now their father took Jordan somewhere to check him and his possible 'other powers'. Jonathan was not eager to get tested but he was pissed off anyway!
Not because his father lied to him for years; not because he has no powers; not because he must deal with the fallout of Jordan's acts at the bonfire alone… He was just pissed off, because his father didn't even ask him, if he wants to come with them!
"Are you okay?" his mother asked after a while.
"Hmm… yeah…" Jon said.
But in truth, he was still upset: Would it have been so difficult for his father to just ask him? Honestly, he felt just left out, right now!
Since the reveal, his father didn't take him on a single flight. He not even ever asked him…
And Jonathan didn't expect his very first flight to be while he gets strangled by his possesed brother and he is fearing to die. Those red glowing eyes staring on him. And nobody nearby to help him. It was literally in the final second before he fainted away, when his brother was able to break free from his possession and they hugged each other. Slowly gliding down to the safe floor again…
They barely talked about it. His parents never asked, Jordan was too ashamed for almost hurting him and Jonathan didn't want to bother anyone. As always. He barely remembered how they got up anyway. He guessed Jordan is more Kryptonian than they thought. Or it was because of the eradication. The other eradicated people were humans and could fly, too…
He tried to forget it. But it didn't get out of his head. And thanks to the infamous Lane-stubbornness, he inherited from his mother, he was too proud to tell anyone that he was so terrible scared that it still bothered him. After several days he was able to open himself up to his brother. Jordan was in despair and felt terrible for what he did. And Jonathan had to reassure him that it was not his fault. Then he told them about their flight…
"I can't fly!" Jordan said with a shrug. "Well… not that I know!"
"Did you try already?"
"Not yet! Dad will kill me if I try to fly by myself!"
"He doesn't teach you that?"
"We're not even sure if I will ever be able to!"
"But you can more than hologramps predicted!"
"What if it was you?"
"What?"
"Yeah, Jon! What if you, when you tried to free yourself from my… ehm… from Zeta's grip that you involuntarily, raised yourself up and…"
"Pah, come on! That's ridiculous…"
"Who knows? You were the one who said that flying is much better than laser-eyes. I remember that terrible fight we had for weeks when we were four…"
"I am the human-one! Did you forget that?"
"We should tell dad!"
"No, Jordan! I am sure that I didn't fly! That was you! Aww… I mean Zeta! Sorry!"
"Okay, and for that… I really tell dad now!"
"No!"
"What should stop me?"
Jordan was barely able to finish the last sentence when they suddenly heard that loud, ear-piercing thunder from outside. They ran out on the porch to witness the arrival of their interdimensional-half-sister just in time…
Jordan took a deep breath. Maybe he was a bit too harsh to Jonathan. He should talk to him… Jonathan just moved back into his old room again. He was sitting on his bed and cried.
His father was still mad on him for taking X-K. His body was still aching from the attack of Candice's supplier. He felt bad for ruining Jordan's 'triple-date' with Sarah and that 'friend-of-her'. And he had the feeling that nobody cares for how he feels. Jordan could hear how their dad was scolding him for walking Candice home after work, instead of coming home directly after his shift. And when Jonathan came into his room to look after him, Jordan was not really friendly to him. Worsening Jon's sadness.
He knocked briefly and entered without waiting for a respond. Jon stopped crying immediately and put on a fake smile to pretend that he was fine. But Jordan could see it.
"Sorry again… for… ruining your date!"
"Forget it! I am sorry for being so rude to you before!" Jordan said. "May I come in? I want to talk to you!"
Jon made a gesture to the desk chair and Jordan closed the door after him so they could talk freely.
"Jon, are you jealous on me?"
"What? No! What for?"
"Because I am the one who got the powers?"
"No! Not again, please! I already told you that I am totally fine with that!"
"So why you were so pissed off when you figured out that grandpa is training me?"
"What?"
"Come on, Jon! I know you my entire life. Just as you can read in me like in an open book, so I am able to see your true feelings, too! You felt like you were left out, again! And thanks to the Lane-stubbornness you don't allow your feelings to come out! And I know what I am talking about, I inherited the Lane-stubbornness, too."
Jonathan was surprised to hear that, but he was right! "Yes! Yes… I felt left out again! But I kind of deserved it! After all that crap I did!"
"That was before we knew about the X-K!" Jordan reassured him. "And you know that I really meant what I said, while I thought that you got powers!"
Jon lowered his head ashamed. "Yes! And I am so sorry! I never thought that it means so much for you!"
"But it did! You know… the first night after, I thought that you finally got powers, too, I was dreaming that we fly together!"
Jonathan looked on his brother with big eyes. "Really?"
"Really! I was, seriously very happy for you. I know you always say that you are fine, but I can see that you feel sometimes left out. So… I thought we could train together with grandpa. And you know… I was thinking about what you said after our fight down there and… Grandpa should had offered to train you, too. Even if it's just self-defense but he should have considered that."
Jon sighed. "Since we moved here, I sometimes feel like I am invisible! Or the eternal damsel in distress, everyone needs to safe, because I am so useless! I don't blame you and I am not mad on you, or anyone else. You had to train your powers and I understand that. And I see that you are much better than back in Metropolis. You hated your life there!"
"And you hate your life here! Did you ask dad?"
"What?"
"The question you wanted to ask 'Superman' when you meet him? Back when we were five? To teach you to fly!"
"Oh my god!" Jon buried his face in his hand to hide his blushing. "You remember that?"
"Oh, some things I will never forget! Dad never flew with you, didn't he?"
"Please, Jordan! Not now!"
Jordan just shacked his head. He didn't understand why Jonathan was so embarrassed. "Jon you were always there for me! You supported me in anything. You said yes to the move without thinking about it. And no matter how bad it was here, or how much trouble you had because of me, you continued to support me. Please, allow me to be there for you now. And I really wanted you to get your powers. I still do!"
"What?"
"Yeah… Maybe, I was thinking about a little bet! Who is the first one to be able to fly, or something like that?"
"Definitely you!"
"Please, Jon… talk to dad! And tell him about how you feel… I you don't do it, I will…"
"Please, no! He will accuse me of sending you!"
"Do it Jon! As I said, you always put others first. Allow yourself to get something back at least once! You would tell me the same if you were the one who got powers and I would feel left out."
"And how? He barely looks at me! He hates me for what I did! He won't even listen."
"Then I will force him to listen to you!" Jordan said and lifted. "And don't tell me to don't do it. I imagined how it would had been if you were the powered one. You would do the same for me. Think about it!"
Jonathan spent the whole night thinking about it. And flying side by side with his brother sound nice. Actually, it sound wonderful! But he was right…
The next morning, he walked down the stair, thinking about his words when he suddenly heard his mother yelling…
"CLARK… LUCY FREED ALLY…"
The next he remembered was the familiar swoosh and his father was gone… pushing him out of his way in the progress… Full of sadness, Jon went upstairs again…
Jordan can fly. That was a thought that was struck in his head, after Jordan told him how he saved Mr. Cushing…
Jonathan was shocked about how quickly the powers seem to develop inside his brother. His father didn't tell him much about how his developed (this was a Kryptonian's only matter, humans do not have to care about). But it was quicker than everyone expected. Jonathan thought about that feeling his brother described. That feeling he always wondered how it is like. And he never dared to ask his father about.
Being the powerless one, Jonathan thought that he shouldn't bother his father with that kind of questions. His father was gone for over a month now. He will maybe never be able to get even with him again. He felt like he failed everyone. And the whole town was still gossiping about him. Candice aggreed to talk to his mother, to bring down her supplier. She felt bad for him getting so much trouble because of her. Jon was now on the way to her to pick her up to bring her to his mother.
While walking he looked up into the sky. Imagining his brother flying around in his father's suit, one day. Jordan deserved it. He didn't ruin anything. Then he passed a burned building, obviously the one Jordan made his first flight in. Thinking about how it must feel… to fly…
Clark didn't listen to Jon's final sentence. The previous one was still ringing in his ears… and that ringing honestly hurt…
"…at least there I have powers. Maybe then you'd actually listen to me…"
Jon left his own room. Clark thought about what happened.
When he saw Jon-El flying so many memories came back. But mostly he thought about Jordan and if he is already able to fly. He didn't think about the possibility that in this dimension both had powers or were just much further! His only thought was Jordan. Jonathan was flying and he only thought about asking Jordan back home if he can fly. But now, after Jonathan's outburst, he thought about Jonathan…
He really should had wait at least for his son to finish his sentence! Jonathan never does something without a reason. Lois didn't tell him anything. He wanted to hear from Jonathan first what he had to say about it. And he didn't let him finish. He remembered all the hate, Jon-El felt about his own father. He could barely imagine how many times he was disappointed. Was it with Jonathan the same?
Before he figured out that Jon-El was one of the bad guys, they flew together around the world. He was so overwhelmed by this… Thinking about doing the same with Jordan. But Jordan was not the one who was raving about flying when he was little. Clark once was dreaming about this. Back then when Jonathan was little…
Clark could hear in his son's breath, his heartbeat, and his voice that he was embarrassed. Not mad, not angry: Embarrassed! For what? For not being able to fly like his doppelganger?
Clark thought about Jonathan and about how he really thought that a merge would have been better. Only for him to listen to him? He should talk to him! But after he caught Jon-El and stopped Ally…
Jonathan meanwhile walked up and down in the living-room and couldn't believe what he just said. Did he really say that it was better to merge? For having powers? For being able to fly with his dad and to let him listen to him?
But he was disappointed. His father was gone for 33 days. 33 days in which his guilt was eating him. 33 days in which he thought that he never ever has the chance to get even with him. 33 days his father spent flying around with a superpowered version of him. And now he was back for an hour, and nothing had changed.
Gosh he was so embarrassed. Right now, he just wished that he was able to fly to get away from here and hide at the other end of the world… that's what his doppelganger would do… And his father didn't come to ask him how he feels…
Jonathan laid in the grass, behind the house and looked up into the sky… watching the clouds passing, and sometimes a bird flying over him…
The danger was over! His father and his allies managed to separate the both Ally's, close the portal, send Jon-El and the other arriving doppelganger's back, and set and end for the whole cult for good. And thanks to his mother, Candice statements and some others, they were able to free the whole state from X-K-inhalers. And it was a matter of time before the rest of the country gets it under control. Time for some family-activities together his father suggested…
But Jonathan was alone, again. He was allowed to go to school again and the guys from the football-team who continued taking X-K were forced to leave him alone. But he had officially no friends there and was a pariah. His mother was too busy, helping Aunt Lucy with her therapy and gaining her trust back after that huge betrayal. And his father, who promised him to teach him to drive the truck, like he did months ago, preferred to give flying lessons to Jordan, who was now able to fly on his own. And not only jump high, like he did before.
And so, Jonathan was laying in the grass behind the house, alone! No friends, no family… not even a therapist he could talk to about all the traumatizing things he experienced since learning that his father can fly…
His father took him aside, talking to him about his position in the family and promised to be there for him more. But that promise seemed already forgotten and Jonathan felt like wrong placed again. And so, he spent this sunny afternoon like every other day: mostly alone. Isolated like before. Not feeling better and only having his thoughts to accompany him. He spotted a bird, that was flying over the farm…
Freedom, weightlessness, carefreeness! That's how he imagined flying. And he was happy for his brother for experiencing it. He thought about that bird he saw and wondered, if it feels the same… when there was suddenly that swoosh…
"Jonathan!" he heard his father's voice saying and looked to the left to see his father standing there. Jonathan turned his head away again to look on the clouds again. Not saying a single word. "Oh, I am so so sorry. The driving-lesson… I totally forgot it!"
Jonathan showed no respond. He decided to punish his father with his silence.
"Mind, if I join you?" Clark asked. Once again no respond. "Oh, please say something."
Jonathan remained silent. Just glaring towards the sky. Clark laid down next to his son in the grass and joined him in looking into the sky. There was just a tensing silence from the boy.
"I used to do this often when I was young!" Clark began to tell while they laid here. "I spend a lot of days, and nights laying here… right at this spot. Looking up there and asking myself what I do here. Where I belong. I was asking myself where the place I came from was…"
Clark mentioned that his son made an annoyed face. Believing that this was an 'where-I-belong-story' or one of those stories, Jonathan felt no connection to.
"…what I meant to say is… you're just like me! We are 'brooders'. Brooding and brooding and brooding!" Clark said. "I am so sorry, Jonathan. I didn't mean to leave you waiting…"
"You could have asked!" came finally a respond form Jonathan.
"Asked… Oh, you mean… Well, yeah…"
"Do you even understand what I mean?"
"Sorry!"
"If you prefer to teach your successor flying, what should I say?" Jonathan said. "Why wasting your time with your boring, unspectacular human son? So, you could have asked before letting me wait in the truck for an hour?"
Clark felt his stomach cramp. "I was so focused on training your brother that I forgot that burden you must feel. I know you always say that you are fine with having no powers. And I believe you! But I really should had included you better instead letting you feel left out. Please, tell me the truth Jonathan: When I flew away with Jordan today, what did you think?"
"The same as usual!" Jonathan answered quickly. "The same I thought when you flew away with him for the first time! And every time, you two leave to do your thing!"
"Our thing?"
"Yes! Your thing!"
"Jonathan, your brother told me about how happy he was when he thought that you got powers. And I thought so, too. Not because of the powers. You don't need powers, to get my love, or my attention… you… aww… Our move here was supposed to get us all closer. To let us all, find ourselves."
"Jordan is much better here! This place is good for him."
"And you? I see you have your struggles till today."
"Why didn't you ask me?"
"Well, Jordan was floating and…"
"I mean when you took Jordan to the fortress for the first time!"
"Oh…" suddenly Clark remembered that he didn't even ask Jonathan if he wants to go there, too. "I… there is no excuse for! And there was absolutely no reason for not taking you there, too! You are my son, too. It's part of your heritage, too! I never introduced you to your grandfather or showed you all the things about Krypton. This is my fault… Why didn't you ever ask me?"
"What?"
"To teach you to fly! When you were five you wanted to ask Superman this question!"
"Gosh… you remember that?" suddenly Jonathan's face turned deeply red, and he start to groan. This was embarrassing. Clark just smiled amused. "Aww… Don't care…"
"Awww… Jonathan… I know this question comes way too late… and I would understand if you denied or feel offended… but… how about, instead of a driving-lesson, maybe a flying lesson?"
Jonathan turned to his father with big eyes. After everything what happened he dared to ask. This question came so late that it was offending! Seriously! But instead of denying, for some reason Jonathan let out a dull…
"Oh, yeah!"
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