AN: Sorry that I took so long getting this uploaded. Real life gets hectic around this time of year.
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Superman.
General Zod sat in his cell, staring at the same spot he had for the last few years. He wondered at the fate he had been dealt. The immeasurable time he spent in the Phantom Zone, followed by a brief respite of freedom. Now he was stuck in this human jail, sentenced to fester inside these walls, never to see the yellow sun of this world, to feel its power surge through his body.
In the Phantom Zone there was no time, no change. It was as if he were assigned to live out eternity in Purgatory with no promise of release, into either another realm, or oblivion. On Krypton it was known as a living death.
But for some reason Fate had released him, and his closest followers, Ursa and Non. He had been sent here for a purpose: there are no coincidences. He, Dru Zod, had been sent to the sanctuary of the heir of the one who had betrayed, and sentenced him to eternity. He had been spared, when all life on Krypton ended.
Kal El was but a child when he was sent to this world. He would have no memory of the world of his birth, his heritage. There were cultures on this planet that were proud of their past, true. But theirs was an older, wiser society. The people of this world were still very primitive. Any society that puts possessions before relations, that seeks power without honor, knowledge without wisdom, is destined to fail.
These people, as Jor El would continually preach to the counsel, have great potential, they only lack someone to lead them. He would be that one. But he must either befriend, or remove Kal El. For whatever reason, these humans trusted him, even after he had abandoned them for several years. Perhaps he could use that trust.
Ursa had been the first to note his weakness; he cared for the humans. He cared so much, he picked one of them to be his mate, to bare his heir. How can I use this? How can I affect him?
Zod smiled as he removed a piece of green crystal from a secret compartment in his cell. It amazed him at how easily fooled some humans were. When his personal affects were confiscated he convinced the guard to allow him to keep the crystal, telling him that it was a piece of his destroyed homeworld. It actually was a communications device that was genetically keyed to Kryptonians. Each house had a specific frequency that they alone could receive. He hoped the crystal would allow him to target a very young and malleable Kryptonian-Human half-breed, to begin to train him to be a true Kryptonian.
Dru Zod, General of the Security Forces of Krypton, one of the greatest strategic minds in the twenty-eight known galaxies, had began to plan his assault against his last foe. This would be his greatest battle, one he could not afford to lose. Tomorrow his battle would begin, one that would bring down the House of El, and establish control of this world to the House of Zod.
Morning came to the Lane-White household, and with it one very content Martha Kent. Martha had gone back to her hotel room with the full intention of sleeping, but found slumber to be an illusive beast. All night long she indulged herself in the memories of raising Clark, and conversing with her long dead husband, Jonathan. He would be so happy for their boy. She knew that Jonathan, had he lived, would be upset that their son had fathered a child out of wedlock, but she also knew that the anger would be short lived. One look into those intense blue eyes of their grandchild would have melted his heart, as it did hers.
"Mornin' Mom," Clark greeted her as he joined her on the front step.
"Oh, Clark," Martha gasped, placing her hand over her heart. "You startled me. I didn't expect you to sneak up on me like that."
Clark gave his mother an amused smile, and glanced at a box sitting to the side of the door. "Superman went to the farm to pick up a few things he thought you might like to share with Jason. I thought that they would be more special if you gave them to him," Clark explained, his eyes sparkled with happiness.
Martha looked at the box, and noticed that it contained some of Clark's favorite toys. Well, the ones that survived his sporadic bursts of strength. She smiled as she reminisced the days of her son's own childhood. She hoped that his son would have as many carefree days as his father had, and that they would be able to build as many happy memories.
"You know, Clark, just because you missed his early years, doesn't mean you missed out on everything, and it doesn't mean he won't love you. You don't need to give him stuff to get his affection," Martha reminded him gently.
"I know that, Mom. It's – just, I know that I won't be there all the time. If my job at the planet doesn't keep me away, my responsibilities as Superman will," Clark explained, stepping up to the door. Just as Clark lifted his hand to knock, the front door opened, revealing a frazzled Lois. "Clark! Martha! I was wondering when you were going to get here. Jason has been driving me crazy all morning wondering when you'd be here."
"Gramma, Clark!" Jason shouted as he ran to greet his grandmother and father, coming to a halt as he saw the box that Clark had carried in. "What's in the box?" Jason asked, hopping excitedly.
"Well," Martha said, "you shared some of your favorite stories with us last night, so your um, Clark," Martha said hesitantly, noticing that they boy hadn't referred to Clark as his dad, "and I thought that we should share some of his favorite things with you."
Clark placed the box of toys on the floor so that Jason could look at the contents. Inside was a miniature John Deere tractor, just like the one Jonathan had used to cultivate the fields; a baseball glove that was still a bit big for the lad; a couple wood puzzles, some books and a real leather tool belt, complete with child sized tools. Martha remembered how excited Clark was when he was given the tools for Christmas when he was five. He was ready to go out to the barn to help Jonathan on every project he could think of after that, thinking that he was all grown up.
Jason took the tool belt out of the box and was already pulling the little hammer out looking for something to hit. Clark kneeling to Jason's level gently took the hammer from him, "Jason, with these tools come great responsibility. You can use them to make many wonderful things, or fix things when they are broken; but you can also hurt yourself or somebody else with them. I want you to be very careful with them. Will you be careful with them?"
Jason nodded to Clark. "I'll be really careful with them," he promised, taking the hammer and running off with his prize to show Richard.
"Why do I get the feeling that the tool belt speech has more than one meaning?" Lois asked, crossing her arms.
"My dad told me the exact same thing when he gave me those tools," Clark replied.
"Jonathan's father said the same thing to Jonathan when he was given them," Martha added. "Those tools have been used to teach many important lessons, the first is responsibility. They have been handed down to several generations of Kent men."
Martha recalled the countless hours her two men would spend in the barn, working on different building "projects." She remembered how Jonathan would give Clark a board and some nails to hammer into it, until he learned how to hit them gently, not bending the nails or destroying the board in the process. As Clark grew, the time they spent on different building projects became some of their most important bonding experiences. Smiling, she also recalled some not so spectacular creations, such as a birdhouse that looked more like something from a Dr. Suess book than a birdhouse.
"So Kent, are you bribing the kid with weapons of mass destruction?" joked Richard, as he and Jason joined the others, Jason looking sheepishly at Clark. "He already thought that a hammer would make a great fly-swatter and tried to hit a fly that was on the kitchen window," Richard said, as he ruffled his son's hair.
Martha smirked as she saw her son look at Jason with exasperation. Lois simply walked over to her son, giving him the look. "Jason, you told your father that you would be careful with the tools. I don't think that hitting a window with a hammer is very careful, do you? And you, Mr. Kent, I don't think that it was very smart to give a five year old a hammer as a toy."
"The hammer isn't a toy," Clark replied. "It is a tool. When we get back from our appointment with Zod, I'll teach him how to use it properly, how to hit nails with the proper force. "
Lois glared at Clark, "Maybe you should have waited until you have the time to teach him how to use it to give it to him."
Martha walked over to Jason, put her hand on his shoulder and asked if he would like to share some more of his books with her, removing them both from what appeared to be the beginning of another storm between Lois and Clark. Lois gave Clark an irritated look, mumbled something under her breath, and followed Martha and Jason into the living room.
"I've been with Lois for five years, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone frustrate that woman more than you." Richard said with a smile in his voice. "It really amazes me that she never went after you with a Kryptonite club."
"Give her time, Richard, just give her time," Clark mused. Both men knew Lois and her temper, but they also realized that she was more bark than bite when it came to those closest to her.
"So," Richard said, changing the subject, "are you ready?" Richard noticed a slight change in Clark's stance, marking his obvious discomfort with the day's agenda.
"I'm ready," he replied, resignation clear in his voice.
Lois, Martha and Jason walked back into the entryway, "We have to get a move on if we are going to make our flight. Not that it matters one way or another," Lois said looking at the two men that could, at any point in time, fly her to any destination she desired.
Richard winked at Lois, "Yes, but we all know the pencil pushers at the Planet frown on me using my plane for business travel. And who knows how they would react if they ever found out Clark doesn't even need one."
At that Richard picked up Jason to give him a big hug. "When do I get to teach you to fly, kiddo?" He said, swinging him around while tickling him. Jason laughed loudly.
"You told me you'd teach me when I can reach the control pedals. I'm getting bigger, so maybe tomorrow?" Jason asked hopefully.
"We'll see, son," Richard said mournfully, thinking that the boy would more likely learn to fly under his own power before he had a chance to teach him his style of flight. Placing the boy back on the ground, then ruffling his hair bidding him good-bye.
"You be good for your grandma," Lois admonished taking her turn to hug her son. Then turning to Martha she added, I left a list of his medicines on the fridge, there is also a list of foods he can handle. He'll try and sweet-talk you into things like egg-rolls, and peanut butter cups."
"I'm sure I can handle this little imp," Martha said with a twinkle in her voice, "after all, I did survive his father."
Clark blushed at his mother's comment. He kneeled down to eye level with Jason, "You call out to me if you start hearing that sound again, okay?"
Jason nodded back to his father.
"Jason, I love you very much, and you know what? I can hear your heart, yours, your mother's and you grandmother's. I listen for you. If you need me, call me, okay?" Clark hugged his son tightly, kissing the top of Jason's head. Clark then stood up, turned to his mom and hugged her. "I love you mom. Thank you."
The three reporters walked out the door, leaving Martha and Jason to their own devices.