"I beg your pardon, sir?" Clark asked a little confused.
"You are respectful enough, you seem to love my daughter, and your mother is a U.S. senator. Those are all facts in your favor. I've suspected this day was coming from my daughter's enthusiasm when she spoke of you and I've done some checking into your background and frankly, young man, it's suspicious."
"What do you mean?" Clark asked, he could hear and feel his own heartbeat picking up speed.
"You were found during Smallville's first meteor shower, weren't you?"
"Yes," he answered slowly, not liking where this question was going.
"My concern is that you were found in the midst of it with no parents. You could have a defect in your genetics, as many from your town seem to have, and those defects could be passed onto my grandchildren. People rarely seem to be able to handle the defects, do they?"
"Sir, this is a ridiculous topic of conversation. I can't help not knowing enough about my background to—if you'll just—"
"I'll tell you what I will do. Find out who your parents were or find a way to prove to me that you don't possess such powers and I will consider giving my consent."
Clark didn't know what else to say but, "Yes, sir."
sss
"Lois was quite infuriated," Bruce said. Clark and Bruce were still in Lois' apartment but Lois and her father were gone.
"To say the least," Clark agreed. "I think it's good that they went out to talk about it. Who knows? Maybe she can talk him into changing his mind."
"That's doubtful. General Lane is a stubborn man, but I imagine she won't have a problem defying her father. She is as equally stubborn, if not more."
"I don't want her to do that. I don't want there to be contention between them because of me."
"There was contention between them long before you came along."
"Believe me, I know that, but surely there is a way to keep from making the problem worse."
"Would you like me to check into your background for you?"
"No," Clark answered, probably a little too quickly.
"Well, then perhaps you could get a good physical and—"
"I'll think of something," Clark assured him. "Would you like a drink?"
"That would be fine. Lois doesn't mind?"
"No, she makes herself at home at the farm and I make myself at home here. I guess it was logical that we make a home together. I just hope I will find a way to do that with her father's good wishes. What would you like? Water? Milk? Tea?"
"Tea would be fine."
In the process of making Bruce's tea, Clark's watch had become undone and slipped to the floor without him realizing it. It was a new-looking, silver watch. Clark went back to the kitchen to get Bruce a spoon to stir his tea. Bruce picked the watch up for him, and he couldn't help but notice the inscription. 'To the Blur. I'm proud of you. Cousin Kara.'
When Clark came back over, Bruce calmly exchanged the watch for the spoon. Clark gulped. Bruce spoke first, "So you're the Blur?"
"It was just a private joke between my cousin and myself," he said, trying to come up with a small laugh.
"Don't worry. I don't intend to tell anyone, but you should be more careful with that watch. You're fortunate that it was a friend and not an enemy that discovered your identity. Does Lois know?"
"I tried to tell her, but I was sidetracked," he confessed, knowing that it was too late to try and convince Bruce that he didn't have another identity.
"So you do know about your background and how a physical would go?"
"Yes."
"That makes it very tough. Is your cousin your biological cousin or your cousin from your adoptive family?"
"She is my biological cousin. She also has the same powers I do because we come from the same planet."
"Have you asked her about your situation? She may have some helpful advice for you."
"I haven't exactly told her yet that I'm dating Lois. I've told her that I come to Metropolis to work, both at the Daily Planet and as the Blur. I have also told her that I consult and advise another superhero to cover up my lengthy stays away from home."
"Why did you do that?"
"My cousin is an inquisitive person, who thinks I should have gotten with Lois much sooner. I would hear no end to how she was right that Lois was trustworthy and I should have started dating her a long time ago. I do realize that I will have to tell her sometime, but I'm putting it off as long as possible."
"I'd like to meet this cousin of yours," Bruce said, looking thoughtful.
"Trust me, you wouldn't. She's a little—I guess the expression is full of life. Not really your type. It would also be difficult to explain to her how you found out my secret, and I don't want her to have any inkling of what happened tonight until it's settled. She would get involved in it and that couldn't be a good thing. I hear some trouble. If you should see Lois on your way out, tell her I went home, but I'm going to call her later tonight."
Clark left in a hurry and Bruce was already concocting a plan to meet Kara.
TBC