Time for the moment of truth. Time for the reunion!

We arrived in Metropolis about one minute later. The moment that we arrived I noticed that something was wrong. Superman flying in a holding pattern throughout the city. His heart rate and respiration were elevated. He only stopped to examine a building before moving on. Then he would go to the next building. Of course, since he was Superman he was doing this at the speed of sound. Most people would not notice his erratic behavior. I am not most people. I could see him running around in a panic. Something that I never thought that I would see. It made me wonder, what kind of power does this child really have? How could she do this to Superman? I did not have much time to reflect on this. For his pattern changed almost immediately upon our arrival. He stopped for a second. Hung in midair. Then looked straight at us. His eyes opened wide in shock. A second later he landed right in front of us.

The little girl tugged at my hand. I think that she was trying to indicate that she wanted me to let go. Since I was supposed to deliver the girl I saw no reason to stop her. So I let go. The girl sprang forward into his open arms. She cried, "PA!"

Superman picked her up then kissed her on the cheek. "Martha-honey, you're alright." His voice was soft and gentle. It was a side of my father that I had never seen before. It made me even more jealous.

The girl pulled away just enough to talk to her father. "I was so scared. I was trapped. Mean people put me in a cage. Spoke in funny words. Wouldn't let me out. Even when I asked them nicely. They ignored me. Said bad things about me."

He gave her a puzzled look. "How did you know that they were saying bad things?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. Just figured it out. It just started to make sense. Kinda. Just a little. Not a lot. Wish that I didn't though. They were soo mean!"

The girl brightened up afterward. "Then Conner found me. He was sooo cool! He just ripped the door off the hinges. Like you can Daddy. Then he talked to me. He was all nice and stuff. Then he picked me up and got me outta there!"

"He did?" Superman asked her.

"Yup, He was sooo strong! His friends are nice too. Miss Martian can lift things with her mind. Kid Flash can run really fast! Aqualad does cool stuff with water. And Robin and Artemis can . . . uh . . . I don't know what they can do. They can do something! I'm sure that it's cool too!"

Somehow this brat that lightened the mood by rambling on and on. Superman relaxed and maybe even looked happy. Something I don't recall ever seeing in person. As for me, well, I don't know what I felt. I had never been praised by a child before. It felt odd. The things that she obsessed over made little sense to me. What I could tell was that she liked me. Which made me feel bad about how I had treated her. I was jealous of her. It was wrong. She had no control over the situation just like I did. She was a victim of circumstance just like I was. Only her circumstance was just a bit different, that's all. I couldn't hold a grudge against her for it. It just wasn't right.

"She talks a lot, doesn't she?" I found myself asking Superman.

He laughed. "Just like her mother. Lois never stops talking. Goes on and on about this thing and that. Has an opinion about everything. Constantly gets herself into trouble by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. It's so human. I wouldn't change them for the world."

Lois, the girl's mother was called Lois. That was more than I ever knew about his personal life. It was not in the information given to me by Cadmus. Just as it did not mention that he was a father. Or even what his name was. I felt . . . I don't know what I felt exactly. Joy and envy, I think. I was glad that he shared that much of life with me. But I wanted more. I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to know where I came from and who I was. I know that I was pushing things, but I had to try.

"So, her mother is human. Was she an experiment like me? Or did you somehow conceive her naturally?"

Superman pulled Martha to his chest. He ordered. "Watch your tongue. Remember that there is a five-year present."

"I don't understand. How is her age relevant? Is there a reason why she must not know how she was created? Shouldn't everyone know how they were born?"

He sighed. "Perhaps, but not now. I'll explain the birds and bees to her when she hits puberty. But not a minute before, got it?"

The last bit came out as a threat. It caught me off guard. I was surprised how protective he was over her. It made me wishful that he was that protective over me. Was this what a parental bond looks like? I still did not understand but I got the part where he did not want to talk about the topic.

"Got it."

His tone softened again. "Well, I suppose that I should be getting her home. Lois is beside herself with worry." He paused for a second. It seemed that he was mulling over something unnatural and uncomfortable. Finally, he managed to croak out. "ThThank . . . you . . . for saving her. I'm in your debt."

He was about to fly off when I heard her ask. "Can I play with him again Pa?"

There was another pause as he mulled over her request. "Maybe . . . I don't know. I'll think about it."

She snuggled up closer to him. "I love you, Pa."

He kissed her on the head. "I love you too, sweetheart."

Then he flew off towards a building in Metropolis. He did not indicate that I should follow. Something told me if I did then he would try to avoid me. So I went home instead. I can try to bridge the gap another day. For now, I would take my victory as is. I learned a little something about my father and I rescued 'my sister.' That was worth something, wasn't it?

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