Atticus just stared at the wall as he laid down in his bed with a lot on his mind. And with a lot on his mind, he didn't notice the crystal spikes that were around his room.
"What am I going to do?" Atticus sighed. "What is my purpose?"
"To be my heir." Sombra's voice said.
"Huh?" Atticus asked as he sat up, looking around. "Who said that?"
"Have you already forgotten about me?" Sombra's voice asked.
Atticus looked around.
"It's me... Your favorite Uncle Sombra~" Sombra's voice chuckled.
"Uncle Sombra..." Atticus repeated.
"Ah, so you do remember me." Sombra's voice smirked.
"Of course..." Atticus sighed. "Look, I'm in a lot of trouble right now, so you might wanna get away from me."
"Now is that anyway to treat your uncle who saved your life from dying prematurely?" Sombra's voice smirked.
"Well, I am..." Atticus replied. "Clark's pretty steamed with me, and Cherry told on me."
"That girl causes nothing but trouble..." Sombra's voice replied. "You shouldn't have been friends with her in the first place. All she does is cause you trouble."
"Yeah, I guess she can cause trouble." Atticus said.
Sombra soon knew the one thing that would get Atticus to possibly join his side. Atticus soon came to the window, he didn't climb outside of it, but he stared out of it.
"It's tough not fitting in, isn't it?" Sombra's voice asked his nephew.
"You have no idea." Atticus sighed.
"Too bad we don't have a spell to go back in time to before your family died." Sombra's voice smirked.
"...What?" Atticus asked.
"I guess we could check, but what can that do, hmm?" Sombra's voice replied. "Oh, well, I guess I better just leave you alone."
"Wait! What was that about a spell?" Atticus asked.
Sombra hid a small smirk as that was exactly what he wanted. "Well... It's a spell that can take you back in time~..." he then informed. "You could see the family you once had."
"And p-possibly save them from dying?" Atticus smiled.
"You know what? With that spell, you probably could." Sombra smirked as he appeared.
Atticus flinched from the bright light, but looked over to his uncle.
"Depends on how bad you want it though." Sombra teased.
Atticus frowned as he did love Clark as his adoptive father, but his birthday was just going to become a reminder about how his family he never knew wasn't alive to be with him. "Where can we find the spell?" He asked Sombra.
"No worries, I was hoping you'd choose wisely..." Sombra replied before taking out an ancient book.
"A book!" Atticus smiled.
"But of course," Sombra nodded. "But there's something you should know; there is a page missing and it is in Atlantis thankfully the pages are water proof."
"Atlantis, eh?" Atticus replied. "I didn't think that was a real place."
"Oh, it is, and where you can be able to get there," Sombra told him before giving him a map. "Follow this map while on you're mission today and you'll be able to find it."
Atticus took the map and looked it over as he began to look inspired and calmed down a little.
"I know you'll make the smart decisions, my boy." Sombra coaxed.
"I will." Atticus nodded.
"And I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about our little meeting." Sombra smiled.
"Um, sure, Uncle Sombra," Atticus replied. "This'll be between us. Not that anyone else would understand anyway."
"Thanks, I knew I could trust you; we are family after all." Sombra said before teleporting.
"Yeah... Family..." Atticus repeated while he held the map and watching as Sombra faded away until next time. He soon heard Clark knocking at bedroom door, and where he soon hid it behind his back as he opened the door slightly.
"Atticus, can I come in?" Clark asked.
Atticus looked down a bit before sitting on the map on his bed to hide it away. "I suppose so..." he then said with a small sigh.
Clark soon came into his adoptive son's bedroom, and where he saw what was from the crystal spikes as they had vanished once Atticus had calmed down.
"I see you've simmered down a bit." Clark said.
"Yeah, I guess I was just thinking and had to blow off some steam," Atticus shrugged. "And I'll try to, um, not to smoke or drink again."
"Mind telling me why you were smoking or drinking in the first place?" Clark asked as he sat next to him.
"Well, these guys wanted me to join them in their fun and said that they would be my friends if I didn't tell anyone." Atticus replied.
"Then they're not really your friends," Clark said. "Atticus, I never took you to be the one to give into peer pressure."
"Well, it's not exactly easy to be a star player while trying to find real friends who won't be my friend just because I'm on the football team." Atticus sighed.
"Well, what about Cherry?" Clark replied. "She's known you a long time, hasn't she?"
"...Yeah, that's true..." Atticus said. "She always helped me out before we met you and the others."
"So then why did it matter to have more friends?" Clark asked.
"Everyone at school started to think we were more than just friends and I'm meaning in the smooching way." Atticus said before shivering out of disgust.
"Smooching, huh?" Clark replied.
"I love Cherry, but not in that way." Atticus mumbled.
"Ohh, so you thought that if you had more friends, then everyone would stop thinking you two were a thing." Clark said, now understanding.
"Yeah, and where it seemed as though my choice in my new friends wasn't a smart one." Atticus said sheepishly.
"No offense, Atticus, but it was probably the dumbest thing you've ever done." Clark said with a small smirk though, ruffling up his hair as they weren't mad at each other anymore.
"And I promise I'll start getting my grades up," Atticus smiled before whispering to himself. "And hopefully I can find that missing page before my birthday."
"I like the sound of that." Clark said, not hearing the second part.
"I'm really sorry about the way I acted..." Atticus replied. "Friends?"
"No," Clark said before smiling. "Family."
Atticus smiled back, although it was softly.
"Uh, you want some ice cream or something?" Clark suggested. "I thought you could use some comfort food after the powwow we just had."
"Yeah, that sounds nice." Atticus smiled.
"All right, you wanna come down, and get some or should I bring it up?" Clark suggested.
"Um, could you bring it up?" Atticus asked.
"All right, I'll be right back," Clark said. "Vanilla, right?"
"Right." Atticus nodded.
Clark soon left the bedroom to get the ice cream. Atticus waited for him to come back before taking the map out again as he looked determined about heading for Atlantis as soon as possible.
After a short time, Clark came back with ice cream. Atticus looked over as he put the map in his desk while lying on his bed.
"I wasn't sure if you wanted whipped cream or not, so I put some on," Clark smiled. "I hope that's okay."
"That's okay." Atticus smiled back.
Clark soon gave him the bowl and spoon.
"Thanks..." Atticus smiled as he began to eat some ice cream which helped make him feel much better. "So how have things been with you and Diana?"
"Fine, thank you for asking," Clark replied. "You don't mind that we're going out, do you?"
"Not at all," Atticus said. "She's a great person."
"I just didn't want it to bother you, but... I really like her, Atticus." Clark smiled about Diana.
"I had a feeling you did when you were glaring at me when I smirked at her as I complimented how strong she was when we first met her." Atticus smirked at Clark.
"Little goofball," Clark smirked back, playfully ruffling his hair. "I'm glad you accept though."
"So when are you two going out on your date?" Atticus asked.
"Maybe later this week, we'll talk about it since you're in a better mood now," Clark said. "That is, if you promise to behave yourself a little bit better from now on and keep your grades up in school."
"I promise," Atticus said. "Although I'll try."
"See that you do," Clark replied. "I'm sure you can make some new friends too."
Atticus continued to eat the ice cream until he suddenly dropped his spoon.
"...You okay?" Clark asked.
Atticus soon cupped his mouth and ran to the bathroom, throwing up since he had been drinking a bit that night before Clark brought him home. After some time, Atticus came out of the bathroom as he wiped his mouth clean.
"I guess you can't hold your liquor." Clark teased.
"Very funny," Atticus muttered. "I'm sorry I was drinking and smoking, I don't know what came over me."
"It's alright, just don't do it again, alright?" Clark asked.
"Alright." Atticus smiled.
"Good boy..." Clark smiled back as they finished up some ice cream before it would be time for bed.
And where thanks to the ice cream, it would be easy for Atticus to sleep.
"Good night, Atticus." Clark said.
"Night..." Atticus replied with a yawn as he got into bed.
And where he was so tired that Atticus forgot about the map still in his desk. Clark soon went to get some sleep himself as Atticus slept all night long that night, but would wake up with a horrible headache. However, this would not be a good thing the next day once it would come.
Atticus woke up and groaned as he held his head, wobbling out of bed as he had dark circles under his eyes now. "Why is my head hurting so much?" He groaned as he wobbly made his way out of his room.
Clark was soon making some breakfast for him and Atticus that morning.
"Morning." Atticus replied wobbly as he wobbly made his way to breakfast.
"Morning." Clark said as he helped Atticus.
"Ugh... I feel like I just ran my head into an anvil." Atticus groaned.
"That would be a hangover." Clark told him.
"So this is what a hangover feels like." Atticus groaned.
"Eat some greasy bacon," Clark said. "It's said that it cures hangovers a bit quickly."
"Thanks," Atticus replied as he ate his breakfast. "Mm... Delicious as always, Dad."
"You're very welcome... Son." Clark smiled as he always loved it whenever Atticus called him 'Dad'.
After eating breakfast, Atticus felt better.
"Better?" Clark asked.
"Much," Atticus replied. "Uh... I didn't say anything stupid last night, did I?"
"Let's not worry about it too much." Clark suggested.
"Alright." Atticus said.
Clark smiled as he soon ate his own breakfast.
'Remember our promise.' Sombra's voice said in Atticus's mind.
'Yes, Uncle Sombra,' Atticus's voice replied in his head so not to divert Clark before he soon stood up. "Well, I better get my shower over with." He then said.
"All right, try listening to some music." Clark suggested.
"No problem," Atticus replied. "Thank you so much."
"No problem." Clark said.
Atticus soon went to start the day with a shower as he learned a valuable lesson last night, but now found himself thinking about Atlantis and his long-lost biological family, and where he was going to find out how to find the underwater city. Clark soon cleaned up after Atticus went to take his shower. After some time, Atticus was done with his shower.
It seemed to be a normal day so far for Atticus and Clark where nothing could go wrong.
"Seems like a normal day." Atticus smiled as he got the map out of his desk and hid it well in his coat.
"Have a good day, Atticus." Clark wished.
"I will!" Atticus replied innocently. As Atticus left the house, the calendar fell down to Clark's feet, showing what day it was.
"I better get that," Clark said as he picked up the calendar and saw what day it was today which made him gasp. "It's Atticus's birthday!" He soon began to panic as he had completely forgot about his adoptive son's birthday.
Diana soon called.
"Hey, Diana." Clark greeted.
"...Clark, are you okay?" Diana asked, sensing something wrong. "You don't sound like yourself."
"Oh, sorry, Diana," Clark frowned. "No wonder Atticus is so mad at me, I forgot that today is his birthday!"
"I'm sure that's not the reason." Diana said.
"Well, I forgot..." Clark frowned. "I can't believe I let myself forget, and we have a date coming up."
"We can move our date to tomorrow night." Diana said.
"Thank you for understanding," Clark said to her. "I just hope he'll be in a much better mood today, he seemed fine this morning."
"He'll probably be in a good mood." Diana smiled.
"So far so good," Clark smiled back. "I'm sure I can get him something special as long as he stays away from those so-called new friends."
"And after last night, I'm sure he will." Diana smiled back.
"Thanks, you're the best." Clark smiled.
"I know I am," Diana playfully giggled. "Anyway, I'll let you get to getting everything ready; which for you, won't be a problem, being the Man of Steel and all."
"Oh, you can count on that," Clark chuckled. "I'll talk to you later."
"Much later, bye for now." Diana smiled before they hung up on each other.
Clark soon took off at super-speed to get everything ready for Atticus's birthday.