The Prologue doesn't give anything away at all, so I decided to post it and Chapter One at the same time to get you guys into the story.

Chapter 1

There was only one person who could truly make him believe that brute strength could bow to intelligence and cunning. That could teach him that there was more to emotion than just raw anger. That could show him that a bond between two people could be the strongest thing in the entire world.

"Remember," He would say. "We are not the law. Just because we have power does not mean that we can do whatever we like. We are not justified in taking the lives of our enemies. We need to show people that there is always another way, and that we can bring out the best in even those who are the worst."

And Conner would listen with open ears and wonder in his eyes. How could a man so big and important, almost God- like, think himself equal to those around him? He was wise, and Conner, who had never known such wisdom in anyone else, had great respect for it.

But nothing he said did Conner value more than this: "I know we had a rough start, but no matter what happens I'm here for you now." And then he would put his hand on his shoulder and smile.

And Conner actually believed him.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Sphere beeping beside him. Conner looked to his left, where Sphere was, and then at Wolf, who had raised his head in curiosity. Conner placed his hand on Sphere's cold, hard shell.

"I'm fine, just zoning out." Wolf whined. "Seriously, I'm fine." The wolf put his head back down and closed his eyes while Sphere went of rolling around the meadow like usual, doing who knows what.

Conner leaned back and looked at the warm June sun. Even in his meadow in Montana, it was the same warm sun that beat down on him in the big city. Conner was a big time city boy, no doubt about it, but even he could appreciate the beauty and serenity of the meadow.

It was like something out of a landscape painting, something so beautiful that it could make you cry because you want to go there so badly but you know that it isn't real. It's just a figment of the painter's imagination and that's all it'll ever be. But Conner's field was real. It had tall, golden grass that swayed delicately in the wind with flowers scattered around in the perfect spots. The few rocks in the field were smooth and sturdy, perfect to sit on, though Conner mostly preferred the grass. The meadow was surrounded by trees, tall and richly green, scurrying with animals that had not a worry in the world. But Conner's favorite part was the view. If you got up and went to the edge of the meadow, it sloped down into a field where a lake reflected the setting sun so beautifully it put you in a trance. That's why Conner loved to come to his meadow and draw.

But he didn't draw the landscape.

Conner liked to draw people. He drew his friends the most, though sometimes Wolf and Sphere. He had thought Robin was on crack when he suggested Conner take up a hobby, "like art", but he was surprisingly good and found himself sketching random people all the time. He didn't know if it was people he saw on the street and remembered later, or if he just put together random features, but Conner enjoyed it, and that was all he cared about. He didn't even give Robin a hard time when he told Conner he should take up a musical instrument as well. Conner enjoyed playing his guitar as much as drawing.

Conner suddenly looked up from his work and quickly glanced around him at his meadow, a habit he got into long ago, then back at his drawing. It was his masterpiece. On a large and pleasingly thick paper was a detailed drawing of himself with Clark beside him. Conner had been working on it for the longest time, putting all of his time and good pencils into this one drawing. But lately, he hadn't been able to focus on it as much.

Finally, Conner sighed loudly and tossed his pencil down. He couldn't focus on it any more. Every day it got harder and harder. He was sitting on the ground, but moved so that he was now on his knees. He looked around again. It was so easy to feel serene here, like you didn't have any stress, but now even this place couldn't hide all of Conner's anxiety. He had been a teenager with raw anger once, and although it had died down since New Year's Eve a year ago, it had been coming back in a flood lately. He and Clark had finally gotten comfortable with each other, which is why they could argue without Conner having to worry about if Clark would change his mind about mentoring him. At first, their arguments were small, usually about important things like grades and superhero work, but it had gotten worse. Now they picked fights at tiny things like behavioral issues and manners. Conner knew that Clark would pick fights with him because he knew that Conner wasn't too fond of Lois, Clark's fiancée. Conner knew that it was really Clark's fault, though; he was the one who made big deals out of small things.

Conner watched the sun slowly go down as he tried to make his stress wash away with the light of the sun. He listened to animals in the trees, birds chirping, winds blowing, Wolf's snoring and Sphere's beeping, which was unusually loud.

With a start, Conner realized that it wasn't Sphere beeping, but his watch. 8:30, it read.

"Dammit!" Conner shouted, jumping up. He had gotten there by four, as always, and tended to leave by six. Time had gotten away from him today.

"Wolf, Sphere, we have to go! Curfew is in half an hour, and if we're late again Clark's going to skin me!" Conner used to say that just for fun, but nowadays it seemed like Clark would really do it.

Sphere rolled over, beeping loudly and transformed into the Super Cycle. Wolf hopped in the passenger's seat while Superboy hurried to pick up all of his supplies. He dumped them into his seat and hopped in, commanding the Super Cycle to go. Almost instantly, they were flying through the air at full speed, hurrying toward Metropolis. Usually, Conner would marvel at the sights below him that only he had the privilege to see from such a vehicle, but all he thought about was how pissed Clark would be when Conner arrived past curfew. He would probably be waiting right inside the front door.

One Hour Later

Conner slowly and quietly turned the doorknob and opened the door a few inches. He peeked in, but didn't see Clark there waiting for him like he thought. Conner raised his eyebrows in surprise. He decided to seize the opportunity and slid inside, Wolf trotting in behind him. Conner, relieved that he wouldn't have yet another argument with Clark, turned around and quietly closed the door. Conner turned back around and jumped a foot in the air.

He had spoken too soon.

Clark had appeared right in front of him without a sound, glaring down at the boy through the glasses that he always wore, even at home.

Conner stared at him, breathing heavily from the shock, then instantly got mad.

"You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"You're late," was all Clark said in response. His tone was low and cold.

"Yeah, by like five minutes." Conner said, trying to go around Clark and to the sanctity of his bedroom. Clark responded by grabbing Conner's shoulder and pushing him back in front of him.

"Try half an hour, kid. I told you that if you were late again you wouldn't be allowed out anymore and I meant it." Clark was getting mad and Conner heard his light southern accent slipping out as he spoke.

"Come on, Clark, you know I didn't do it on purpose. And don't call me 'kid.'" He said. Conner's own anger was slipping out as he spoke.

Clark's face darkened. He had been getting less and less tolerant of Conner talking back to him, and while Conner usually found it amusing, he knew that soon Clark would start picking fights about that as well.

"I will call you whatever I like, young man. Now, must I remind you of our agreement?"

Conner moaned loudly. "The fact that you have to keep holding that over my head-"

"And I will keep 'holding it over your head' until you get it into your head!" Clark said rather loudly. Conner scowled. When Clark starts yelling, then so does he, and that's usually how they get into arguments.

"Now, Batman and I agreed that he would only let you live here if I laid down a set of rules and you followed them, which is what you said you'd do. However, it seems as of late your new mission is to break every single one of those rules!"

"Here we go." Conner said.

"First," Clark said, ignoring Conner, "you must do what I say, when I say it. Second-"

"Second," Conner cut in with a droning voice, "I must help around the house. Third, I have to call you every few hours so you know where I am and when at all times. Fourth, I am not to engage in any battle with a villain, super or any kind, without you nearby. Fifth, I must behave myself. Sixth, I must keep Wolf clean and well behaved if he is to stay here with me. And seventh, I must be back in the house by 9:00 pm sharp, no exceptions."

Clark frowned. "Well, I don't understand why you can't follow the rules when you know them that well."

Conner sighed. "Whatever. I'm going to bed." Conner attempted to get past Clark again, but the man grabbed his arm.

"We are not finished here." He said sternly. Finally, Conner turned on him.

"Look Clark, I have finals this Friday, not that you would know that, so I would like to go get some sleep." When Conner started yelling, Clark knew that the smart thing to do was to keep calm.

"I would know if you just talked to me for once." He said in a controlled voice.

Conner stared Clark in the eyes for a moment, then sighed and turned around.

"Just forget it." He said quietly.

Conner pulled his arm loose from Clark's grip and Clark let him go.

Later That Night

Conner sat alone in his room, the only light coming from the lamp on his dresser, illuminating his sheet music. He gripped his guitar and stared into space as he quietly listened to what Clark was saying to Lois on the phone. So far, Conner did not like one bit of it. At all.

"Lois, I honestly have no idea what has gotten into him lately. We got along so well, and now we can't even have a conversation without it escalating into an argument."

"Just talk to him about it, Smallville, communication's important." She responded.

"I've tried, Lois, but he just won't listen to me. It's been getting worse."

"Worse than talking back and not doing every single thing you say?" She asked sarcastically.

"He's flunking history and tells me that his teacher has it in for him, he practices his guitar loudly at night when I tell him not to, and he disappears for hours every day and won't tell me where he goes. He was half an hour late for curfew, and if something happened I wouldn't have known where to find him!"

"Alright, first off, a 9:00 curfew for a junior is ridiculous. He's passionate about his guitar, and it's good that he's into something. And who cares if he isn't good at history, he's good at lots of other stuff. And so what if he doesn't do everything you say, he's a teenager."

"But what about his constant disappearances?"

"Sit him down and ask him like a human being for God's sake!"

"How come you're taking his side?" Clark asked her.

"I am on no one's side! And there shouldn't even be any sides, Clark, you two are supposed to be a team!"

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. I just… I don't know what to do."

"Be patient. It's probably just a phase, it'll pass. I'm sure that behind all of that teenager-ness, he knows that you do what you do because you care." Conner frowned. Yeah right. Or maybe he just doesn't want his peers to know that he has a moody teenager. Cause that's something the world's never seen before, a teenager with an attitude. Besides, Lois is only saying that stuff because she's trying to get Clark to think she likes me. What a load of bull!

Clark sighed. "Thank you, Lois."

"Aww, don't mention it, Smallville."

"You know I love you, right?"

"That's why we're getting married on Sunday."

Conner could hear the smile in Clark's voice. "Can't wait for the wedding."

"I can't wait for the night of the wedding." Lois said in a flirty voice.

"Lois!" Clark chastised, even though he was laughing.

Conner took that as his cue to tune of this now X rated conversation. He propped up his guitar and started to play it. He was about half way through 'When I'm Gone' when Clark opened his door.

"Conner."

Conner continued to play.

"Do not ignore me." Clark said impatiently.

Conner 'ughed' then stopped. "What?" He snapped.

Clark scowled.

"I mean 'yes, Clark, whatever do you need?'" Conner said in a mock polite voice.

"It's after nine and you said you were going to study, not play your guitar."

"I said I had finals on Friday. I didn't say I was coming in here to study for them."

Conner grinned triumphantly when Clark groaned and face palmed.

"I'm not even going to deal with this right now, Conner-"

"What do you mean 'deal with this'?"

"Conner, just go to bed."

"Clark, I need to practice!" Conner said angrily. He always played better at night, which is something Clark clearly did not understand since they had this argument most nights.

"Conner, it is late, and there are other people in this building who have school and work tomorrow-"

"In case you've forgotten," Conner said coldly as he stood up, "My concert at the Metropolis House of Rock is this Friday night, and this may be my only chance to impress the owner!"

Clark's tone got louder to match Conner's. "You can practice right after school when no one around here is sleeping. Tell you what; I'll even make sure you get enough practice then so you won't have to practice at night anymore. How does three hours straight right after school sound?"

Conner glared at Clark. While he did not like his mocking tone at all, there was really nothing Conner could do about.

"Thought so." Clark said. "Now go to bed, you're getting up extra early tomorrow. And I don't want to hear any complaining."

"Whatever." Conner got up and went to put his guitar away in its case when he noticed that Clark was still at his door. Conner glanced at him questioningly.

"Conner…." Conner raised an eyebrow.

"Um… yeah?"

"Uh…. Good night." Clark quickly closed the door and exited down the hallway in a fast pace, leaving Conner alone with his guitar and dim lamp.

"Good night." He whispered to no one.

Later

Conner stared up at his dark ceiling in the direction that he had taped a picture he drew of him and his friends huddled together, smiling. He sighed and grabbed one of his pillows and pressed it into his face.

Didn't Clark get it? This concert was a once in a lifetime thing. He had only been the second choice and got in after the first guy dropped out. Different aspiring rock singers would come and the band at the House of Rock would play there songs. It was nonstop playing for hours, and Conner needed his practice. It wasn't his fault he played better in the dark.

He rolled over and sighed. It was a quirk and Clark… Clark just didn't get it.

Clark… he was getting tired of Conner's attitude.

I'm not the one with an attitude, he just keeps making big deals out of nothing, and it's really pissing me off!

It's because he cares. Besides, you can do to be a little more tolerant. He's trying, and it's not like you're making it easy.

He just yells at me.

He doesn't know what to do. He's still new at this. Furthermore, your recent behavior is making him worry.

I haven't done anything wrong!

You're being difficult to get his attention.

I am not! It's because he's being unreasonable.

Well, you'd better be careful. One of these days, Clark will get to the end of his rope, and then who knows what he'll do with you.

What, like, send me somewhere? He wouldn't….

He might.

Conner pressed his hands to his ears so hard that he thought he might crack his own skull.

Suddenly, he felt something warm and wet touch his cheek, and he knew that Wolf had sensed something was wrong and had come over to comfort Conner.

Conner moved over to the other side of his bed and patted the area he was just on.

"Come on, boy." Wolf jumped up on the bed and Conner threw one arm over his warm fur for comfort.

He was asleep within minutes.

At least someone around here gets me.

AN: And so it begins. Tell me what you guys think!