Welcome back!

This chapter was written entirely a few days ago, before the latest episode aired. I plan to not let this story to get to much influenced by the season despite the fact that this is kind of a future-fic that plays around the end of season 3. Most of the plot is my own prediction for the series.

Jonathan is my favorite character of the series. And his situation (being powerless in a Superhero-family) has so much potential that is wasted by Jonathan being pushed aside and his storylines being ended with open ends. Like the never resolved barn-scene, XK, the fight-suit he was supposed to get from Natalie and much more. Instead of showing how Jon can be a hero on his own, even without powers, or showing him how to accept himself the way he is, they just portray him as a side-character. If I would live Jonathan's life, I would be so pissed and already a case for the psychiatric-ward.

He is like Norman from 'Norman Normal'! That was a German-French cartoon-series that aired from 2000 to 2003 in two seasons with 52 episodes. It was about a 13-years old boy who is the only one in his family who does not have Superpowers. Even the dog has powers there! And mostly he is left out by the rest of his family and gets ignored by them, which causes sometimes trouble for him or other inconvenience.

Back then (I was in Elementary School) I loved that show. Today, when I think back, I think how unfair everyone was to him and how much it is like Jon's life in Superman and Lois. The show is aviable in German and French on Youtube.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

The panic rose inside of Clark when he realized that something terrible must had happened.

He just found Jonathan's truck abandoned in a forest. 8 hours after the boy stormed out of the house in fury to stay with a friend in Metropolis. Unlocked and with the keys left behind.

Clark used his vision to check the whole forest again. Jonathan would never leave his truck behind.

What the heck happened here?

With his hearing, Clark reached out again. Maybe Jonathan ran out of fuel and left to get help? But the keys? And the not closed door? Did he run into the forest and got lost? Did he fall down somewhere and got hurt and needs help now? Or did someone… No! Clark didn't want to think about it! But was it possible?

Clark wanted to grab his phone to call Jonathan again to hear if it was close. But that's when he realized that it was still laying on the coffee-table in the living-room. But what about Jonathan? Did he got kidnapped maybe? Did someone figure out about him or does someone try to use him because he is Lois Lane's son?

Thanks to the latest crisis and some kind of 'competition' between Bruno Mannheim and Lex Luthor, the world figured out things about Superman, that they were not supposed to know. Like the fact that Superman has children. And that one of them is powerless…

The world was gossiping a lot about Superman's kids now. Especially about the 'supposedly powerless one'. Worse enough that the DOD asks too many questions and demands answers. But Clark didn't want to expose Jon to the DOD or the public, too. To protect him from any more trouble and stress.

Jordan had no problem with all the gossip. As the world was hyping about 'Superboy' he kind of enjoyed the positive respond to his existence. And Jonathan brushed off everything. At least they thought so, until today… when he yelled the crap out of them after he returned from School and Clark and Jordan from the fortress. The same fortress they promised, they would take him to today, too… but forgot him again… when he needed them here in Smallville!

Clark landed back next to the truck to investigate it closer.

When Clark opened the door, he noticed the light inside not turning on. The headlights were set to on, but they were not working, too. The battery was empty! So the truck won't even start!

Maybe that's why it was left here? Maybe Jon had a breakdown and he parked here to get help? But that still didn't explain the left behind keys.

Clark looked around again and asked himself ever and ever again what happened here. And where is Jonathan?

"JONATHAN!" Clark yelled into the darkness again. "JONATHAN, WHERE ARE YOU!"

Clark used his hearing to hear the world again to find a trace of Jonathan. There were some hares and other small animals in the forest. Jonathan was not here. And in the surrounding fields were only insects. But he could hear the phone in the farmhouse ringing again…

"Clark, pick up the phone!" Lois tired voice moaned. The phone in the living-room woke her up.

Clark speeded back to the farm to pick up the phone. Hoping that it was Jonathan, Clark entered the house again to take the horn.

"Hello!"

"Mr. Kent!" it was Timmy Tanner again.

"Timmy, did you find Jonathan?" Clark asked worried.

"No! But I have to go back home now. I talked to the police and they told me that they can't do anything because Jonathan is not missed for 48 hours but… Mr. Kent if you hear from Jon, could you…"

Clark didn't listen anymore. Suddenly a cold shiver ran down his back again. He speeded out of the house again without hanging off. The horn fell on the ground while Clark searched the surrounding area again.

"Mr. Kent? Mr. Kent!" Timmy yelled through the phone…

Upstairs, Lois and Jordan both mentioned the noise from the living room and that Clark was talking with someone. Thinking that it could be Jonathan who had called, both came down to find the phone laying on the ground when Timmy hung off.

"Hello!" Lois said when she picked up the horn to listen. But she only heard the dial tone.

In Metropolis, Timmy Tanner looked on his smartphone and on the various worried messages he wrote to Jonathan over the past six hours. Something terrible must be going on, he thought while he looked up to the cloudless sky and watched the full moon.

"Timmy, come on!" his mother said from inside her car. "I know you want to help your friend! But waiting here all night is no solution! Let's go home!"

Timmy looked over to his mother, who was wearing the uniform of the airline she was working for here at the airport. When Timmy told her what happened and that Jonathan wanted shelter for the night, Timmy joined her on her ride to her workplace to drive with Jonathan back home in his truck from here.

He heard Jonathan's desperation. His anger and his sorrow. He could imagine why Jonathan was so upset. After everything he heard and what he figured out by himself, it was not an easy time for Jonathan ever since moved with his parents to that awful Podunk town.

He heard what happened there during the Morgan-Edge-crisis. He knew what happened there during the Ally-Allston-disaster. And the recent Intergang-Bruno-Mannheim-incident not only confirmed his own theories he had about the Kents.

The shift of Timmy's mom was over for today and she drove him back home by herself now. She felt sorry for her son, knowing that he was pretty worried about his friend. They passed the big famous painting on the main road from and to the airport. Superman, with stretched out arms flying over the shining skyline of Metropolis. 'Superman welcomes you to Metropolis!' was written in big red-yellow letters over the Superman painting.

Timmy always loved this painting. But now, when he looked at Superman's self-confident smile in that one, he only felt anger. And pity for Jonathan!

"Timmy, I am sure your friend is fine! Maybe he went to someone else?" his mother said encouragingly.

"Aww… Mom, I know! But don't get out of my head that something is wrong! Gosh… I shouldn't have told him…"

Suddenly Timmy could imagine that he scared the shit out of Jonathan when they talked. Why the heck did he tell him this over the phone? Why the heck he didn't wait for Jonathan to arrive and to be at his place? There they would have been able to talk properly! Alone and in private! Where nobody would listen to them?

"What shouldn't you had told him?"

"Oh my god… What if it is my fault?"

Timmy realized that he caused Jon to be even more upset when he revealed it to his friend! Or did he humiliate him even more? Is it his fault? Is that the reason he didn't come? To avoid him, too? Does he think now that he wasn't honest to him, too?

"How can it be your fault? Timothy Gabriel Tanner, I prohibit you to drive yourself crazy about it! When he does not call, we can report him as missed! But until then, it doesn't help to brood about it permanently! And… most missed people appear again after a few hours. Maybe your friend went to someone else?"

"Mom… Jon told me he is alone! He has nobody to rely on! He does not have any place to go else! He even told me to not to call his father but I did!"

"And that was the right thing to do! Mr. Kent must know if something is wrong! And maybe he has an idea where Jon could be?"

Timmy looked out of the window and saw another big painting with Superman. They were pretty popular in Metropolis.

"You have no clue, mom!"

Timmy couldn't tell her what he knew! Or the true reason why Jonathan was so upset. Or that he knew things, not even Jonathan knew until a few years ago! Something he could not just tell others. Because it was bigger than anything else. Even Timmy should not know about it! And he just learned that he knew it way longer than Jonathan, which was an offense to Jon.

With a loud moan Timmy leaned back in the seat and tried to relax. Maybe Jonathan was really just upset about Timmy's reveal over the phone and is now a bit too upset to face him now. But he still wished that he would at least know that everything was okay!

He was sure, he wouldn't find any rest tonight…

Clark meanwhile flew back and forth the whole way between Smallville and Metropolis multiple times to see if he finds Jonathan somewhere. In a train? In a bus? Maybe he hitch-hiked after his car's battery failed and is now in another town? But the keys and the not closed door didn't get out of his head. What if he got kidnapped?

While flying and searching, Clark noticed the stark differences between the pulsing city of Metropolis and the sleepy Smallville. Metropolis was a city that never slept. It was past 1 AM but in Metropolis were still many shops, bars, and other locations open. And many people were out on the streets and there was still traffic.

Smallville on the other side, looked as if was in coma. The roads were empty. Everything was closed! And it was so quiet, that everyone who doesn't know the place would think it is a ghost-town. Clark remembered the times, in that even at that late hour, people would walk around the main street and have fun.

All attempts to bring more life to Smallville again were ruined by three villains and their mastermind-plans to takeover the world and leaving behind a town that recovered not as fast as they hoped when they moved here.

Clark landed near the Irons' home in a dark alley, where nobody could see him and walked over to the door. The light was still on, which meant that eighter John-Henry or Natalie were still awake. And Clark knew that Jonathan had a good relationship with both. And he shared their high interest in technology and that kind of stuff with them! Maybe he came here?

Ever since the latest crisis, John-Henry had a very advanced security system at his home to protect himself and Natalie. And Clark was one of the registered users that was not only welcomed openly, but that also got announced by the A.I. So it was no surprise that John-Henry opened him, before Clark even got a chance to knock…

"Hey, Clark! Is everything okay?"

"Is Jonathan with you?"

"No!"

"Did you hear from him?"

"Not since he stormed away to yell the crap out of you all!" John-Henry told.

"Gosh, you know that?" Clark could literally feel his face becoming red. "Did Lois tell you what happened?"

"Everyone is talking about it. After that humiliation today! I got that info from the guy in the gas-station." John-Henry said what let Clark feel even more embarrassed. "You were right about small towns: the gossip spreads here quicker."

"I know. I am sorry for it. If Jonathan shows up here, would you please call me!"

"I thought he is staying with a friend in Metropolis?"

"His truck stands abandoned 15 miles away from here but Jonathan is gone!" Clark explained. John-Henry understood immediately the reason for Clark's worries. "Please just call me, okay!"

John-Henry nodded before Clark flew back to the farm to see if there were any calls. Jordan was back in bed, but Lois was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea in her hand.

"Did Jonathan call?" she asked without looking on him.

Lois got stronger and stronger again with each passing day. But Clark was unsure if he should tell her now or maybe tomorrow after she slept a few hours. So far, he had no proof that a real crime happened. Jonathan was maybe still too mad on them and too pride to come back and went to someone else and just forgot to call Timmy in Metropolis.

"Lois, you should go to bed again."

"Was it Jonathan who called?" Lois asked, this time looking on Clark with her infamous death glare. "Tell me!"

Clark was still determined to help Lois through her recovery and spare her from any more stress than she already had during the whole Bruno-Mannheim-mess. She lost a lot of weight over the past months and was pretty pale. She looked a bit older than she actually was. And her once long hair was gone. Her hair was growing again, but most times she wore a headscarf. At least until her hair was long enough again. She was too pride for a wig.

She was on the best way to recover completely. Chemo was successful and the tumor was removed completely in the surgery. But Clark had still trouble to just let her go on like she usually does. Especially after everything around Bruno Mannheim. But Lois, the stubbornness in person, was way too upset after today's events to sleep anyway. Clark could feel her harsh glare in his gut and knew that lying was no option. She had to know the truth. She was already mad on Clark. There was nothing that could make her angrier.

"Lois, … I talked to Timmy Tanner!"

"At that time?! Is everything all right?"

"Not exactly!" Clark responds. Now Lois could hear that her husband was upset.

Clark used his supervision to check Jordan in his room. His other son was still in bed and tried to find some rest. And he was wearing the headphones again to don't hear the world to be alone with his thoughts.

Clark knew that he had to tell Jordan sooner or later, too. But for now, he had to handle Lois first…

And so, he began to tell his wife everything Timmy Tanner told him and what he figured out by himself.

About Jonathan's truck he found abandoned in the forest. About the fact that neither he nor Timmy were able to reach him and about that there was so far no prove for a real crime, but it bothered him because there was no trace of Jon.

"I can't believe he is doing the ghosting trick?!" Lois said upset.

"What?" now Clark was more confused than worried.

"Clark, remember when I was forced to tell the boys about how I used to ghost my father for a week when I was their age. He is using the same procedure like I did! I am sure he is sitting somewhere with a friend and laughs about us! And I am sure Timmy is involved!"

"But the truck…" Clark interfered.

"Clark, that's part of the trick! And to be honest… after everything you did today and how you, I, Jordan and my father offended him… I would have done the same!" Lois said with a sheepish smile and took another sip of tea. "The boy is definitely a member of the house-of-Lane! I would had done the same."

"You mean, Timmy fooled me?" Clark asked.

"I know Timmy Tanner much better than you Clark! Eight hours are enough time for Timmy to come here and pick him up, drive back to Metropolis and trick you. Or why do you think, Jordan hasn't stormed down here and is making a panicked scene? I am sure he is upstairs, listens to us and laughs about you now." Lois said before taking another sip from her cup. "You know that Jordan is on Jonathan's side!"

"He is wearing his headphones and linked out of anything!" Clark responded.

Lois looked on him with big eyes and her 'you-spied-again-face'.

"Woah… Okay… So, you use your superpowers, to spy out our son, who is already so mad on you that he threads to laser you." Lois said and lift to leave for the kitchen to put the cup into the sink and to go upstairs again. "For that you can sleep on the couch next night, too!"

Clark looked after Lois with open mouth and was shocked about his wife's behavior. Jonathan was really a lot like his mother…

Lois meanwhile put the used cup into the sink and went straight upstairs again to her room. She stopped by Jonathan's room and risked a short glimpse inside…

She was crying the whole evening. Jonathan was so mad when he left. And she felt guilty. There was a chaos in the room after Jonathan put some of his trophies and his football stuff into the trash bin in anger. And the room itself felt so empty and cold without him. She missed him so terribly.

Lois went inside, kneeled next to her son's bed, and put her hands on the blanket. Imagining Jonathan laying in front of her and sleeping peacefully like a baby. Wishing him to be the boy he was before they moved to Smallville again. Her little baby, she carries around and that she is able to protect and to care for.

Suddenly she thought about Jonathan's supposed ghosting again. She knew her son better than Clark. That was always evident! But after everything she figured out today, and what happened in the past two years, she was not so sure about it anymore. She knew she won't be mad on Jonathan when he comes back. And Clark wouldn't eighter. Jonathan had a very rough time. Like all of them. And nobody really got a chance to get a true break in-between the latest crisises.

Their lives were so crazy. Sometimes, even Lois thought that they were too crazy. So this would be just a logical consequence.

Full of sorrow, Lois put her head on Jonathan's bed again and hoped that her son wasn't exaggerating with this act. And hoping that her guess that he is just ghosting them is true. And that wherever he was now, that he is well! But also thinking about her own words and about what she did and didn't do for Jonathan ever since they moved and about how things developed for him. Knowing that she made mistakes, too.

Lois knew, if this was really Jonathan's plan to scare them, he will call at latest by midday the next day. In the morning they would go and get Jonathan's truck out of the forest and they would talk about how to make amends to him while waiting for his call.

But by midday Jonathan didn't call. Eighter them, nor his friend Timmy…

I hope you liked it!

Timmy Tanner has turned into my favorite OC. And other characters from my older stories will make their appearances, too in later chapters.

Watching the latest episode-clips on YouTube, I hope Sam finds a way to bond with Jon, too! But I think he is only spending time with Natalie to recruit her again.