Disclaimer: I do not own either Young Justice or its related characters. Such are the property of DC Comics, Warner Bros. Entertainment and Cartoon Network. I'm just borrowing them for some non-profit entertainment.

Tomorrow

Chapter Seven: That Drives You Insane

The Superman did not waste time after his conversation with the Commander on the roof of the old Wayne Tower building. He sped-off, back to the Fortress of Paradise the moment he'd cleared the limits of Gotham city's habitable zone.

Safe, back in the familiar Kent farmhouse, he stripped off his Superman uniform and exchanged it for a pair of ratty sweatpants and a T-shirt. He hid from the revelation the Commander had given him and the feelings such a disclosure stirred in him. Anger. It seemed like he was always angry whenever he thought about Tim anymore. Dismay. It was just one simple fact that he'd learned, but it was such a large fact and changed so much that Kon didn't really know what to think. Guilt. Above all else, guilt.

He buried his guilt and other roiling emotions in cornbread with butter. It wasn't as good as apple pie, but it was the best thing he could hope for.

Kon finished his slice of cornbread faster than he'd anticipated and picked at the crumbs despondently. He tried not to think about the Commander, about Tim, about the clone –their clone.

Kon felt sick.

He zoomed upstairs and vomited into the toilet.

The thing he killed wasn't his replacement, it was his offspring. Or rather, the closest approximation to an offspring that he'd ever have.

Kon always knew he was sterile. It said as much in his original Cadmus file (yes, they had tested that). It had bothered him a little while he was still with M'gann, she always wanted a big family with lots of children (though, even if he weren't sterile, there was still some question as to whether or not they could procreate with each other). When he was with Tana he never even thought about it at all. She was so career driven and independent, motherhood would not have suited her. Cass he hadn't been with long enough for the subject to come up. Neither of them ever thought about it, so they never discussed it, so Conner never considered it.

During those years of celibacy between relationships, he did think about it.

He watched Roy (clone-Roy) with little Lian, saw how happy the little girl made him and he envied the other clone. The Superboy silently demanded the universe explain to him why a purebred-human clone could have children, but a hybrid one could not. He helped Wally baby-sit for Dawn and Don Allen –the Tornado Twins. The speedster twins were exhausting, but he still enjoyed playing with them. Even when they asked difficult questions, the answers to which he would never give to anyone under the age of fourteen. Dick called on him a lot too, when Mar'i started flying and he needed a bit of help keeping his very headstrong and stubborn toddler grounded. Heck! He even sat for Artemis and Cameron's daughter a couple of times!

But never any children of his own.

The demi-kryptonian couldn't have children of his own.

But Tim had solved that problem. Then, he killed it. Killed him, not it.

Kon had lovers of all kinds. Aliens, reporters, demi-goddesses… 'Pansexual' was the term Red Robin used. He could be attracted to anything if he wanted.

He hadn't planned on falling for his best friend, it had just sort of happened. Pansexual. He could like everything if he wanted. Kon wasn't usually shy with his feelings –not once he was actually sure of them, at least. If he liked someone, he told them (in one way or another). Whether it was a kiss right after surviving a near-fatal undercover mission in a prison, or just simply talking to one another ('Cass, I like you and I think you like me to. We should stop dancing around this and just go out.'), he made his feelings know. But with Tim it had been different. With Tim he had been scared shitless. Because it was Tim! Overly analytical and emotionally repressed Tim.

And his best friend.

What if he ruined their friendship by confessing? He had been to the future and knew they weren't friends anymore. But then, he had also told himself why they weren't friends anymore and it had nothing to do with bromance.

Three times, Kon tried to explain his feelings to Tim. Not exactly 'confess' in the strictest sense of the word, just make it known that he was starting to want more out of their relationship. Three times he tried, and three times he failed to accurately convey his meaning to the Red Robin. Finally, as he had done with M'gann so many years before, at the end of a near-fatal mission, he simply grabbed the former Boy Wonder and mashed their lips together in a sloppy kiss.

Tim pushed him away.

Kon wasn't used to being rejected by his romantic interests. He was the Superboy, after all, and had one of the sexiest and most desirables bodies of anyone on the Team (even if said body was permanently stuck at the age of sixteen). Not to mention, he was a nice guy, liked to listen and actually did enjoy long walks on the beach at sunset. Wasn't that what people liked in a partner? None of his exes had ever complained.

Tim apologized and tried to explain. It wasn't because they were both men. He wasn't homophobic. It was because Tim just didn't have any interest in physical intimacy, one way or another. 'Asexual', he called it.

It figured.

The one pansexual on the Team just had to fall for the only asexual on the Team.

That settled it. The universe hated him.

And yet… Tim might be 'the one that got away'. The one romantic interest he never got with… But he was also the one to give Kon a child. Out of all his other loves, aliens, humans, demi-goddesses, enemy soldiers… Tim was the mother of his offspring. And he went and killed it –him.

'I've forgiven you for killing our clone. It took me sixteen years, but I forgive you.'

Oh, Tim. How could Tim forgive him? Fuck! How could Kon ever forgive himself?

He couldn't.

Plain and simple.

Kon was also sure that if he kept thinking about this, he was going to end-up puking his guts out again. He needed to do something else. Distract himself. Not think. Something mindless. Meditative.

The Superman stepped outside.

The ground under his bare feet was warm for the season. He'd have to say something to Clark-Peter about that. Temperature regulation was important inside the dome. He put it out of his mind for the moment and assumed tadasana, the 'mountain pose', the first pose in the Surya Namaskar yoga set. Taking a deep breath, Kon began circling his prana, focusing his energies inward towards self-awareness and meditation. Then he shifted into urdhva hastasana. The Superman ran through the Surya Namaskar three times before he started to feel calm once again.

It was funny. Tim was the one that had first introduced him to yoga. It was what helped him realize his tactile telekinesis. After the discovery of the new power, it was Tim that helped him understand and control his ability.

It was always Tim…

When Kon's kryptonian powers began manifesting (much to everyone's surprise), Clark tried to take charge. Tried to teach him how to use and control them. But it was Tim and all his not-experiments (they were totally) that helped Kon master the abilities. Tim completed him in a way that he didn't know he was deficient until he was improved and perfected. It was like, when Tim looked at him, he didn't see what he was, but rather, what he could be. Tim saw his potential. Tim nurtured that potential but never exploited it. (At least, never to the best of Kon's knowlage.)

He was thinking about him again.

Damn.

Kon flopped down on the bare ground in savasana, the corps pose. He stared up at the seemingly infinite blue sky of the Fortress of Paradise. It wasn't infinite, of course. It wasn't even a sky. It was the image of a sky projected on the dome. One perfect summer's day. The sky always looked the same inside Paradise. At least, the daytime sky did. For night it changed between summer and winter. Different stars were visible during each season and Kon made sure the techs that worked under Clark-Peter used the right projection during the right season.

That had actually been Tim's idea, too. Way back before he'd ever even built the Fortress of Paradise. It came up in a conversation about Clark's terrariums inside the Fortress of Solitude. The Fortress of Paradise was like one big terrarium. A bio-dome. It seems like all of Kon's good ideas actually stemmed from Tim. He was his better half.

Just… not in that way…

And, he was thinking about him again.

Heaving a dejected sigh, Kon did something he hadn't done in almost twenty years. He craned his hearing, searching through all the white-noise of the planet for that one unique heartbeat, that particular breathing pattern, that specific voice that was Tim. There was once a time when he always kept one ear crooked to listen for him. His pulse, his breath, his voice. If Tim needed him, Kon would know and be ready to rush to the Red Robin's aid at the drop of a pin.

But that was years ago. A little over sixteen years, actually. Almost twenty years. Kon hadn't listened for Tim since that night.

But he was listening now. He listened to the sound of two almost identical heartbeats, the only variation being that one had a slight heart-murmur that came with age. Two identical breathing patterns, one slightly more nervous than the other. Two voices, one older, one younger, but still reflecting each other like two parts of the same whole.

"Hell Spores. Remember that."

"I'll remember."

So, that was how Tim knew how to beat Apokolips. At the time, Kon had just thought it was because Tim was just that brilliant and clever. To use their own weapons and technology against them. To save Earth with the very same thing that was destroying it. There was a kind of dark poetry to it. But as it turned out, Tim wasn't all that brilliant, he told himself what he needed long before Darksied's Elite ever arrived. All his Tim did was figure out how to use it. (Which was still pretty clever and brilliant.)

"Okay, now listen. The last thing you need to know is about Kon."

If the Superman had been moving, he would have froze. Did Tim tell Tim? Did Tim know all along? And know, had still chosen too…? No. Tim was many things, but stupid was not one of them. Tim was going to say something else about him. Tell his younger counterpart some other mundane (or at the very least, less significant) detail about their past, the boy's future.

"One of these days, Kon is going to-"

The words were cut off sharply and suddenly before the statement could be completed. Kon sat bolt upright as both heartbeats spiked in alarm. Their breaths quickening with sudden nerves. Something had happened to prevent Tim from warning his younger self about them. With glittering horror, Kon remembered Tim's parting words on the roof of the Nest building not even an hour ago.

'I want you to forgive me, before I die.'

No! Tim would not die. Tim Drake was not aloud to die before Kon had the chance to fully forgive him for his part in their tragedy. And especially not before Kon could forgive himself! According to Kon-logic, Tim's continued existence (and good health) were essential for his own mental and emotional recovery. Within moments, the Superman had once again changed out of his sweatpants and T-shirt and back into his uniform, black and red S bold on his chest in its background of deep blue.

"I was hoping you'd give me a bit more time. At the very least, could you wait until he leaves? Children shouldn't have to see what we're about to do."

In less time than it took to exclaim 'Great Scott!' Kon sped from the Fortress of Paradise back to Gotham. He slowed down just outside of the habitable zone's limits. Even if his life was in danger, Tim would still bitch about him making sonic booms and scarring the people of Gotham shitless. Nag. Nag. Nag. But then, he wouldn't be Tim if he didn't.

"Tim! Get out of here. Don't look back, don't watch. Just go! There's a time machine in the old Gotham Gazette building. Have Kon fly you both there and go home!"

They were in a little used room on the top floor of the tower. Older Tim, younger Tim and Damian. Of course it would be Damian.

"We don't have to do this! Dick wouldn't want this."

Kon didn't listen for Damian's reply. All he heard was the SHEEING of a sword blade slicing air, the SPURT of blood, and the Superman knew he was to late. He burst through a window, just in time to catch the Commander as he fell backwards, an open would in his chest, blood flowing from it freely.

'I won't fall. You're here to catch me. You always catch me.'

'And I always will.'

Always. Kon did catch him. But it was to late to stop the Commander's fall.

"Tim! I don't forgive you!" He shouted, though his face was only inches from the other man's. He couldn't die until Kon forgave him. The Superman wasn't going to let him die until he forgave him.

'Promise me we'll still get each other's backs.'

"I've got your back!" Kon proclaimed.

"It was his front that needed protecting, you idiot!"

The Superman looked up at the Robin, as if just seeing him for the first time, or suddenly remembering that he was there. Tim's younger self. Tim's past self. At the age of fourteen, Tim had witnessed his own death!

"Tim… My god!" He gasped. "You knew this would happen!"

The older Tim's mouth moved, his chest convulsed with the effort to speak, blood spurted from between his lips. But no words came.

"Shh. Save your strength." Commanded the Superman. Then, to the younger, he said, "Tim, don't look. Just go! Go!"

And using his TTK, Kon pushed the time displaced Robin out the door and away from the room. The Commander was right, the younger Tim shouldn't have to see this. Oh, god! Forty years! For forty years he knew he was going to die tonight, and he said nothing! Nothing! If he had said something… if Kon had known… Would it have changed anything between them? What if and maybe. They were useless sentiments. They didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was this moment.

So much was left unsaid.

A clap of the Demon's hands drew the Superman's attention back to him. Damian. Bruce Wayne's only natural son… and the only one of them that was the least like the original Batman. "Wonderful performance." He said. "You'd fit in nicely in an Offenbach operetta. Now, sorry if I get your suit dirty."

Damian raised the sword to finish the kill.

"No!" With a burst of TTK, the Demeon was thrown to the opposite side of the room. His back impacted the far wall, knocking the wind out of him. "You will not touch him!"

The Superman lifted the bleeding and unconscious, half-dead Commander up into his arms. He enveloped Tim's body in his TK field, using his telekinetic power to hold the wound closed as best he could. When he was sure the speed of the flight wouldn't cause any extra stress or damage to the man's already frail body, he took off. Faster than a speeding bullet. Out of the city. Back to Paradise. The only think to announce his passing was the sonic boom as he broke the sound barrier.

"Tim Drake doesn't die today!" He informed the limp body in his arms. "You're not aloud to die. You don't get to do that!"

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tick-tock

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Outside in the corridor, the young Robin stood dazed for a moment. So much had happened so quickly. Even his mind was slow to catch up.

Tim pushed on the door, trying to get back into the room and offer what help he could to his future counterpart. But he couldn't even touch the handle. The Superman must have thrown up a force field over the door to keep him out. Stupid tactile telekinesis. Even forty years in the future, Kon was still the same obnoxious Kon.

'Just go!' Both himself and the future-Kon had said. Go get his Kon. There was a time machine in the Gazette building. Fly there and go home.

In a slight daze, probably suffering a bit from shock, Tim turned down the corridor and headed back to the main monitor room to find his Kon.

The Superboy was sitting at one of the smaller monitors, his feet resting up on the console, the screen displaying nothing but static. A small tag in the bottom left hand corner proclaimed 'No Signal…' in black and white text.

It was almost a surreal moment for Tim. To walk from so much action and violence, from the vision of his own death scene, and into the calm and mundane setting of Kon watching TV (or a close approximation to TV) on a monitor screen. All relaxed, as if he hadn't a care in the world. It created a disconnect. Made Tim feel like he was jumping between moments of someone else's life rather than experiencing his own in a more linear form. He leaned against the doorframe, suddenly disoriented.

Kon looked up from his static. "Hey, what'd future-you say?" He asked. "Anything about me? Tim…? Tim, are you okay?"

Seeing his friend leaning in the doorway, the Superboy leapt from his chair and crossed the room to him.

Tim waved off the demi-kryptonian's help. He wasn't injured, just in shock. In an attempt to calm his nerves, the Robin took a deep breath, held it in for the count of ten, then exhaled slowly. When he had enough control over himself to speak without shaking, he said, "I know how to get us home. C'mon, you can fly us out through the hangar."

The Boy Wonder turned back down the corridor, following the same path they'd taken to the monitor room when Batman first brought them to the Nest.

"Okay…" The Boy of Steel followed after him. "But what happened between you and the other you? You don't look so good. What did he say?"

"Not now, Kon!" Tim snapped.

When they got to the hangar, they found the woman Bart had called 'Nightstar' leaning over an unconscious Batman –his mask off. They froze. Tim drew his staff. Kon assumed a defense stance.

"What did you do to him?" They demanded.

Nightstar looked up, her cloud of bark hair wafting behind her. Her solid green eyes narrowed at them as she stood. "You look like Superman, but I recognize your colors from the Justice Crater. Who are you? How did you get in here?"

All three looked ready to fight at the first wrong answer spoken. But before any of them had the chance to, there was a rush of air and suddenly Impulse was standing on top of the batmobile, drawing everyone's attention.

"Whoa there!" Said the speedster. "I think y'all need to do some introductions! Nighstar, they're from the past. That's a younger Superman and your uncle."

"What?" She blinked.

"What? Uncle!?" Tim echoed.

"Superboy, Robin, that's Dick's daughter."

"What!" Tim repeated.

"Who's Dick?" Asked Kon.

Damn it, Bart! Stop blowing secret identities like they were balloons at a midway carnival game!

"Oh. That hasn't happened yet? Sorry. Dick is Nigh-"

"Alright! Alright! Alright! Everyone just hang on a minuet!" Tim stepped in before the Impulse could blow Dick's identity –again! "We don't have time for this! Superboy and I need to get back to our own time. The Commander said there's a time machine in the Gazette building. Are you gonna let us go or not?"

"The Time-Sphere." Nodded Dick's daughter. She sat back down next to the unconscious Batman. "Go. I guess this is why you've been having Mr. Hunter building it all this time."

"Thanks." Tim climbed into the Superboy's arms. "C'mon, Kon. Lets fly."

"Uh, right." The demi-kryptonian enveloped the Boy Wonder in his TK field and lifted up into the air. Shooting out of the open hangar bay doors, he flew over the crumbling tops of dingy towers of Gotham's cityscape. "Just tell me where to go."

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tick-tock

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