Eris let out a sigh as she heard the telltale sound of her father's truck working its way down their driveway.
She turned as she heard the front screen door open and smiled as Jordan bound down the steps and right into Lois's arms in a hug.
Lois let out a squeal as she squeezed the boy back.
Eris smiled at the sight before catching something coming down the road over Clark's shoulder. Clark turned and frowned as he watched Sam's SUV approach.
Eris cringed and gave Clark a hesitant smile. "Ah, yeah, he messaged while you were gone, said he was gonna stop by."
Clark heaved a sigh, shoulders slumping. "He has his game face on."
Ellie frowned. She didn't want to be around for this.
"She raised her hands up and smoothed out his coat's fluffy collar before standing on her tippy toes for a kiss. She loved him in this jacket. Plaid looked great on him.
"I'll take Jordan, and we will go with Lois. We'll pick Jon up on the way back. Jordan doesn't need to hear about some crazy person stalking his dad." She spoke quietly.
Clark smiled sadly and leaned down to press a warm kiss to her lips, pausing for a bit to soak in her presence.
As she pulled back, she let her thumbs run over his jaw, fingers faintly brushing against his stubble. She gave him one last kiss before pulling away and approaching her sister and son.
"Why don't we go with you, Lois. I need to get out anyway. We can pick Jon up after we are done. Maybe get some ice cream." Eris spoke as she threw her arm around Lois' waist, giving a squeeze before pulling away as Jordan latched onto her sweater.
"Yes! Can we please get ice cream?" Jordan begged.
Eris smiled widely. "Of course. If you behave." She spoke fondly and ruffled the top of his head as she helped him into the back of the Camaro.
She hoped this meeting wouldn't be too crowded. If so, she and Jordan will stick to the back and stay by the door, letting Lois do her thing. She really didn't want Jordan to have an episode. Not right now.
But he seemed to be a bright ball of energy right now. His trip with his father had really brightened his mood today.
"Behave!" Clark called out to Jordan as Eris slid the front seat back into place, and Jordan shot his dad two thumbs up, which made both parents chuckle.
Lois got into the driver's seat shortly after Eris shut her door and buckled in.
Eris turned to tell Jordan to buckle up and smiled as the boy sat in the middle of the back seat, already buckled in and bouncing in his seat with a large smile.
She turned back and caught sight of her sister stroking the interior or the car.
"Don't you wanna take it out to dinner first before fondling it?" She teased, and Lois snorted.
"Hey. This is the fanciest car I have ever been in, let alone about to drive. Let me bask."
Eris chuckled and held her hands up in surrender.
It was crowded. Eris had Jordan up in her arms, and she took his weight with pride. Though he was getting too big for this, and some parents were shooting her weird looks, she didn't care as long as she could comfort her baby. Lois made her way towards the front and stood to the side as she waited.
Eris sat down in the back row and adjusted Jordan on her lap. He curled into her; face half buried into her neck. His curiosity of the bustle around him outweighs his fear.
Jordan jumped a bit as Sarah slid into the seat beside them, legs swinging back and forth as she popped a sucker into her mouth.
Jordan shyly looked over at her and gave a small smile.
The girl reached into the side pocket of her dress and held a cherry sucker out to the boy, wanting to help him feel better.
Jordan shyly reached out for it, and Eris helped him unwrap it. His fingers were shaking. He popped it into his mouth and smiled around it.
Sarah beamed and turned back to face the front, legs swinging as she swayed in place to a tune no one but her could hear, a song from a tv show stuck in her little mind.
Eris smiled fondly and turned to face the front as well, rubbing her hands up and down Jordan's back and side as he turned sideways on her lap to look around.
Eris spotted Lois sitting down behind a woman with a bob cut and began talking to her, but she could hear the conversation from here.
The sound of a microphone turning on sounded, and Eris looked and saw Kyle sitting at the table at the front, right next to the mayor.
"Let's get this thing started." she rolled her eyes as he introduced the mayor, and Mayor Dean made a speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Morgan Edge." Mayor Dean began clapping, and the room followed suit as a man strode into the room, nodding and smiling at people as he made his way down the aisle.
His gaze locked onto hers and he faltered for a moment before continuing on.
Eris frowned.
Kyle was hooting as he clapped, and she rolled her eyes. The fool idolized this man. Morgan Edge. Something about him rubbed her the wrong way.
Clark made his way down the front porch, hands in his pocket as he followed after Sam, wanting to be respectful to his wife's father and see him off.
Sam's head swiveled as he gazed around. "Sure is quiet out here." All that could be heard were the crickets and the sound of the grass blowing in the wind.
Clark gave a small chuckle and nodded. He was really liking it here.
"Simple." Sam finished as he turned to face Clark. He watched the dopey smile Clark had as he continued bobbing his head as he gazed around the farm.
"Still looking for the simple life?" Sam asked, causing Calrk's face to drop and turn his gaze to look at his father-in-law.
"Cause those days are gone, Clark." Sam shook his head once. "Long gone."
Clark eyes Sam for a moment, his gaze resigned. It seemed like he and Sam just couldn't see eye to eye. He began to turn back to go inside. "Let me know when you find the ship -"
"Why did you move the family way out here?" Sam questions, cutting Clark off.
Clark sighed, chin falling to his chest as he heaved a sigh before turning back to Sam.
"You took Eris away from where she needs to be." Sam said, gesturing off into the distance. "Jonathan's chance with his friends." He shook his head in disappointment. "And Jordan's got no chance of fitting in here. Especially with other kids. So, you must have had a hell of a reason." His voice got louder at the end.
Clark gazed through Sam, getting lost in his thoughts, with lips parted and brows furrowed. He inhaled and looked up as Sam slowly stepped closer. It dawned on Sam then.
"You told the boys you were Superman, didn't you?"
Clark's expression hardened slightly. "I couldn't lie to them anymore."
Sam looked pissed, his eyes hard. "You sure as hell could."
Clark heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head as he looked away. "Sam..." He said before resting his gaze on the angry man once more to continue, but Sam kept going.
"Do you have any idea what you just did? You ruined their childhood, Clark." The man's eyes were suspiciously wet, but the anger won over the sadness he felt over the loss of his grandchildren's childhood.
Clark nearly rolled his eyes, head turning as he held back, looking away from Sams harsh gaze.
"I have seen the toll this life has taken on Eris over the years. She never says anything to you, but I know." Sam said, shaking his head.
Clark's mouth snapped shut, and his jaw clenched as he held back, not wanting to release his anger.
"Now you are going to put the boys through that same hell." He spat out.
Clark shook his head once, taking a step forward as he held his ground.
"This is going to keep my family together." Clark ground out, determination making his voice sound.
Sam just shook his head. "No, Clark. It's gonna tear it apart."
Clark looked at Sam in shock, mouth opening slightly, wanting to speak but had no clue what to say to that.
Sam's phone began to ring, and the man sighed as he turned to pull it out.
"What is it?" He spoke into the phone. Clark tilting his head to listen in.
"Mongolia?" Sam sounded confused.
Clark was gone the second the country's name left Sam's lips and the man turned to find Clark had vanished.
Eris leaned back in her seat as she listened to Kyle and Morgan Edge go back and forth. Talking about the different types of jobs and entry levels the man promised to provide if this proposal was approved.
600 job opportunities. She scuffed quietly, chest heaving as she took a deep breath. Yeah right.
"So." The mayor began. "If there are no more questions-"
Lois stood up, cutting him off. "I have a question." Lois spoke, gaining everyone's attention. "That jobs number you spoke is an estimate?"
Morgan Edge smiled. "That's right, Miss Lane. It's difficult to predict an exact figure."
Lois shook her head slightly as she spoke. "So, is there a number that is more feasible? Because I would hate to have had what happened in New Carthage, to happen here."
Eris frowned. So, Lois did manage to find other places he has tried this mine operation at.
Morgan looked confused and for a second, if Eris hadn't known any better, she would have believed he was being genuinely confused.
"Such as?" He asked.
Lois smirked faintly. "Missing job-creation targets by nearly fifty percent, paying way below living wage. You know. That kind of thing."
Morgan smiled as he turned slightly to talk to the mayor, keeping his eyes on Lois. "Here's the thing I love about Lois Lane. If she smells a story, she goes after it with everything that she has." His gaze drifted back and locked onto Eris and Eris froze, a shiver going down her spine at the unplaced look in his eyes.
"Even if it concerns her ex-boss." He smirked. People began to chuckle and laugh, and Lois frowned.
Eris bit her lip, seething internally. How dare he try to humiliate her sister!?
"I thought those mines would be fruitful," he shrugged and moved his hands as he spoke. "I was wrong. But what I promised those people was that I would take a risk with them when no one else would." Lois rolled her eyes as he continued on.
"And that is exactly what I came here to do. A chance to save this town and improve its residents' lives." He said, pointing his finger out towards the crowd as he finished.
People began clapping and Eris looked down. Lois tried and somehow Morgan Edge had turned her words around in his favor.
She closed her eyes as he finished his speech, causing the townsfolk to become uneasy and weary of Lois.
"But perhaps you are right, Miss Lane. Perhaps Smallville isn't the place to take a risk right now." Lois stared at the man, face unreadable.
Morgan Edge locked eyes with Eris once more and she glared. "I certainly wouldn't want to cause any harm to this community. Maybe that is something you'll have to discuss further."
Loud murmurs fill the room and Lois sat heavily into her seat.
Eris' eyes couldn't leave Morgan Edge as he walked past her, their eyes locking once more before he left.
"He knew my history, my weaknesses... He even had Kryptonite.'' Clark was upset. His arms crossed as he gazed out the window. Eris stood behind him, hands wanting to reach out and comfort him.
"So, he's from another planet?" She asked and Clark turned to face her, brows raised as he nodded. His arms dropped and his posture sagged.
"That's what he said. He blames me somehow for his planet's destruction." He frowned. He put one hand on his hip and the other on the back of a dining room chair.
"We'll figure it out, Clark. You've taken on guys like this before." She said as she stepped closer, she came up to his side as he shook his head, gazing off as he spoke.
"This is the worst time for someone like this to be showing up." He looked down with a sigh.
Eris let her hands rest gently against his side as she leaned into his arm.
"Right as you moved your family to Smallville, and you promised me and the boys that you would be dad of the year?" She finished for him softly as she began rubbing his hip, trying her best to comfort him.
He gave a small nod and looked over at her, his hazel-green eyes locking onto her face, and he fell in love all over again. Her eyes looked up at him as she worried her lip between her teeth. She was beautiful.
He let out a sigh and lowered his head once more.
"Your dad knows... That we told the boys." He spoke.
Eris let her head thump against his shoulder and she groaned.
"He figured it out last night." He turned, forcing Eris to step back a bit, but still stayed close enough to touch, her hands never leaving him.
Her hands drift to his hands as they clasped onto his.
"What did he say?" She asked, dreading the answer, knowing she wouldn't like it.
"Oh, you know, just that we are making the biggest mistake of our lives." He shrugged.
She gave his hands a light squeeze and grinned softly. "Now I know we are doing the right thing." She exclaimed as she sat down on a chair and Clark laughed.
"So, Morgan Edge was at the City Council meeting last night and he was sprouting all of this BS. Lois thinks he is up to something, and I think she might be right." Eris said. Clark frowned and tilted his head up as he listened.
He could hear Lois upstairs, typing away on her laptop.
"She's onto something?" He asked and watched as Eris nodded.
"Yeah, and he was giving me the creeps. Kept looking at me." She shivered in disgust.
Clark's brows pinched and he glared at the thought. "What-"
"Mom?" Jordan's voice came from their right and they both turned to see him shuffling in place, schoolbook held tightly in his hands. "I need help with the math questions. I don't get it." He frowned cutely down at the book as if it had offended him.
Eris smiled and giggled behind her hand as she stood up.
She leaned close to Clark to whisper in his ear. "After practice tomorrow, you should take Jon flying. I think he might be feeling left out, what with you spending time teaching Jordan things about his powers." Clark gave a nod and a small smile. Flying with Jon. That would be fun.
She pressed a quick kiss to Clarks lips before guiding their son back into the living room to continue his schoolwork, catching sight of the calendar on her way out. Tomorrow, she had back-to-back interviews for the staffing of her store.
She smiled and turned her attention fully to her struggling son. In a few hours, Clark would be bringing Jordan to the fortress for some tests. For now though, Jordan needed to get his schoolwork done.
"Just leave me alone!" Jordan cried as he burst in through the front door.
Eris dropped the dish she was washing and rushed into the foyer, hands still covered in soap. She wiped them hastily on her sweatpants.
"Jordan!" Clark called as he caught the door from hitting him in the face.
Jordan stood on the bottom step of the stairs as he turned wet, tear-filled eyes to his dad.
"What is going on!?" Eris frowned as she caught sight of her son crying, his face red with snot running down his face.
"Grandpa Jor said I wasn't special, that me surviving those pipes and my eyes hurting was a fluke!" He sobbed.
Eris frowned and looked over at Clark. He reached for Jordan, but the boy pulled away.
"Jordan, he said it might take a while, not that you weren't special or a fluke. We can go back tomorrow, do more tests. The power is there, it just might take a while for them to come in fully." Clark tried to calm the boy down.
"What has Jordan so upset?" Jon asked as he came down the stairs in confusion, face pinched in concern as he watched his brother wipe at his eyes with the sleeve of his winter jacket.
"Jordan?" Jon asked as he came down the steps.
"Go away!" Jordan cried as he rushed past his brother, shoving him to the side as he ran for his room.
"Hey, woah!" Clark was at Jon's side instantly, the boy rubbing at his sore shoulder as he was shoved into it as Jordan rushed past. "You okay?"
Jordan stood frozen at the top of the stairs, shocked that he had hurt his brother. His tears stopped instantly, and he gazed at his brother with wide eyes.
Jon gave a shaky nod and Clark looked down at his wife.
Eris sighed sadly.
"Jordan, baby. Come here." She waited patiently as all three of her boys came back down and stood before her, Jordan rushing into her side.
Eris smiled sadly and ran her fingers through his hair. "I am sorry the fortress trip didn't turn out the way you expected." She pressed a kiss to the top of his curls.
"We came here to be a family and we are going to this barbecue as a family." She said firmly. "Now I want you all to go get cleaned up. Jordan, wash your face and everybody… Get dressed." She said with finality and pushed Jordan towards the stairs as she walked off back into the kitchen to finish the dishes before getting dressed herself.
Both boys gazed after their mom before looking at Clark. He shrugged. "You heard your mother."
Lana opened her door with a wide smile and a happy greeting.
"I am so glad you guys could make it! Make yourselves at home! Enjoy the snacks and food. Kyle makes a killer barbecue." She said as she rushed off to greet other guests.
Sarah bound into the room, latching onto Jordan's hand and taking off, Jon laughing and following after them.
Eris smiled. She knew if it got to be too much, Jordan would find her.
Clark gazed out the kitchen window and out into the back yard watching Kyle and a few of the neighborhood guys laughing and having fun in front of three large grills.
He turned his head to gaze at his wife, she was beaming up at him. "One hour?" He asked and she grinned.
"At most."
The two of them made their way outside and into the backyard. They approached the drinks table and Eris let out a small cheer as she spotted a two liter of Sprite. "Yes!"
Clark shook his head fondly. "You and your sprite."
Eris gave a dramatic gasp, hand flying to her chest. "Clark! I swear, it's not what it looks like!" She giggled as he smiled at her, and she couldn't continue pretending to be serious.
Clark turned and picked up a wine glass before shaking his head and setting it back down for a plastic see through cup. He picked up a bottle of red wine and poured himself some with a small smile.
He looked up and caught sight of Eris wandering off toward the desert table and he shook his head. Her sweet tooth was worse than the kids.
"Hey!" Lana spoke as she popped up in front of him.
Clark jumped and smiled. "Hey!" He greeted his best friend brightly. She was so lively and happy right now that it made those around her happy as well.
Lana examined his face and grinned, wagging a finger at him. "Ooooohhhh. You have the same look on your face as you did in high school. " She grinned. Clark smiled in confusion, head nodding in agreement before shaking.
Lana turned to grab herself something to drink. "Like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders."
Clark smiled slightly as he raised his cup and took a drink. She had no idea.
He chuckled. "I-uh. I'm just wondering if we are gonna fit in here." He spoke semi-honestly.
Lana shook her head, large smile in place as she poked lightly at his shoulder with a finger. "Well don't even think about leaving, alright? Cuz, I just got you and Eris back, and I don't wanna lose my best friends."
Her smile was contagious, and he found he couldn't stop smiling either.
"You know, it might take a while for everyone to get used to it before everything starts to feel normal here. You grew up here, Clark. Your family didn't. So, it's kinda up to you to make them feel at home." She teased but also spoke from her heart.
Clark's gaze drifted away from Lana and toward his wife. She stood by the dessert table talking wildly with her hands as she and an elderly lady spoke.
His gaze wandered and he spotted his boys and Sarah playing in a sandbox near the small jungle gym Lana and Kyle had. His face softened and he gazed back at Lana with a nod. "You're right. As always."
She raised her cup and backed away with a smile, leaving him by himself once more. He chuckled and raised his cup for a drink.
Eris made her way to Kyle, plate in hand as she munched on a cookie.
She came to a stop by his side, plate held out as she grinned up at him. "Ribs please!" She begged, eyes sparkling and mouth salivating at the smell and sight of the glorious meat. One of her favorite things to eat.
Kyle chuckled as she eye-balled the meat and slapped a healthy heaping onto her plate. "Enjoy!"
She skipped off and met Clark at a picnic table as she sat to eat. He himself had a BBQ chicken breast to enjoy.
As he finished off the last bite, his head tipped as he heard Sam's ELT go off.
Eris paused in her eating and looked up at him with a small frown. "Now? You've gotta be kidding me."
Clark sighed and shook his head. "It's your dad. Mystery man is at the DOD."
Eris frowned in worry. If this man was really as dangerous as he seemed, her dad needed Superman. "Go. I'll feed the boys, and we'll head home. Be safe. Please."
Clark pressed a kiss to her lips before rushing towards the house so he could find a way to take off without being seen.
"You have Kryptonite!? Why didn't you tell me?" Clark demanded. He was pissed. This man came here, took out everyone at the DOD except the general and tried to warn Sam to stop protecting Superman. But why?
Sam scuffed. "I don't tell you lots of things."
Clark looked betrayed. "How much do you have, Sam?"
Sam looked smug. "Let's just say we are the reason the world is in such short supply."
Clark glared. "Why?"
Sam stood up from leaning against his desk to face Clark head on. "So no one gets their hands on it and uses it against you."
Clark frowned and shook his head.
"When are you going to realize? Everything that I have done since the day that you married my daughter has been for your protection." Sam tried to stress.
Clark took a step forward. "Then find this guy!" He growled. "So I can finish this and get back to my family." He glared once more before he took off.
