[Chapter 3: Child]“You have something to show me?” Lois asked as she followed Clark across his apartment and to the open window.
“Yes,” he said, looking back at her with a sly smile before spinning in place at super speed.
He stopped, his normal clothing replaced with red and blue. His cape slowed behind him as she laughed.
“Well, I haven’t seen you do that before, but I don’t think that’s what you wanted to show me?” she said questioningly.
He chuckled. “No, I want to take you some place,” he said, holding out his hand.
“Alright,” she said, taking his hand as she moved forward.
He reduced the gap between them, pulling her close to him. “Hold on,” he said.
They disappeared in a blur, and before she knew it they were somewhere high above the Earth in the night sky. She looked down to see the glow of civilization among blotches of darkness and then looked up to see the Milky Way against the backdrop of space.
“Wow,” she breathed. “This is amazing.”
“Yeah.”
“If I could fly, I’d come here every night,” she said, gazing back down at the city before lifting her eyes back to one of the grand masterpieces of Creation.
"I might be able to arrange that," he said with a grin.
She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "You can teach me to fly?"
"If I could, I would,” he said as he took his cape and wrapped it around her with his free arm.
“Thanks,” she said. It wasn’t terribly cold, but it was a little brisk. “Do you come up here often?”
“I used to come here all the time. Not so much anymore though,” he said.
“Oh?” she asked.
“I have you now.”
Lois’ breath caught, deeply touched.
“I used to drift,” he said, his eyes scanning the horizon. “Not part of the stars, not part of the Earth, not really knowing where I fit in. My being a P.I. and becoming a military officer helped, but I didn’t feel complete until I met you.”
“Oh, Kal. I love you too,” she said, embracing him tightly.
After a moment, they pulled back.
“So, I should let you know, Perry, my boss, knows I’m dating now. It’s a funny story actually,” she said.
Clark smirked.
“After completing the article on that little project you and Klein have started, I just offhandedly said I had a date Friday night and the moment I did everyone just stopped talking and stared at me. You’d think I had said that I was pregnant by immaculate conception or something,” she said.
“Is the idea of you dating really that hard to believe?” he asked.
“It’s been years since I've had anything I would call a date. I’m sure there were many who believed I had sworn off men forever,” she said. "But anyway, Perry asked me who the lucky man was, so I told him, Clark Kent.”
“And?” Clark asked curiously.
“He was pleased,” she said, pinking up. “But anyway, what have you been up to at your work?”
“Oh, I’m working on a missing person case. Denny Milner. His brother, Jack Milner, hired me,” he said as they continued to just drift in each other's embrace.
Lois nodded, wondering how hard that must be. She couldn’t imagine Lucy going missing.
“Cold case?” she asked.
“Actually, it’s fairly new. He went missing two weeks ago.”
“Does that make things harder or easier for you?” she asked, too absorbed in their conversation to pay much mind to their change in flight trajectory.
She had flown with him enough times to trust he knew what he was doing and that she would likely enjoy the destination.
“Usually easier. I have a few leads already in this case, but every case is different and leads can lead to dead ends,” he said as they cut across the sky. His cape and his bodyheat protected her from the coolness of the night air.
“I hope you find him soon, and that it’s a happy ending,” she said softly.
“Me too, but nothing is guaranteed. In the end, sometimes the truth is all I can give,” he said, resigned as they slowed down.
“Sounds like being a P.I. is harder than being Superman at times,” she said.
“Both have highs and lows, but it’s work worth doing," he said.
“Yes, it is,” she agreed, before looking back to the stars as they rotated about and slowly descended.
They touched down and Lois quickly recognized the Kent Farm.
“What are we doing here?” she asked curiously.
“I wanted to show you my favorite spot as a kid,” he said, walking over to the massive, Sycamore tree before them. Its branches were large and crooked, spreading out and up as if reaching to touch the stars. Lois could just make out the nearly-white bark with thin greenish-brown sheets peeling off. This was truly a king among trees.
"I thought your favorite spot was your fortress? Your treehouse?" she asked, confused.
"That was where I went when I wanted to be alone. But this place, this is where I hoped and dreamed as a child, and where I still do," he said.
She looked around them and then focused her attention on the multitude of stars gleaming against the blackness of the night sky.
"Because of the view?" she asked.
The Kent farmhouse was in the distance and really did look picturesque under the Milky Way. Due to the lack of city or traffic lights, one could see so much more of the heavens.
"Not just the view," he said before indicating the tree and pointing at the trunk.
And there, etched into the tree at chest level, were a list of names. Couples, starting with:
Mary Kotts & William Kent 1859
The names continued, each line carved in a slightly different writing style.
Elizabeth O'Neill & Thomas Kent 1887
Margaret McDaniel & Walter Kent 1910
Lillian Forks & Jerome Kent 1932
Martha Clark & Jonathan Kent 1957
Lois’ eyes widened. “Wow.”
“My dad showed me this when I was seven. He told me that, one day, my name could be placed underneath his. My powers were beginning to develop beyond just strength, and this gave me something to look forward to, something to imagine for myself that wasn't scary."
Lois approached the carved names and touched the scarred wood.
"I just wanted to share this with you, because this is where I first started to seriously think about my future," he said.
Lois took a slow breath.
"When I was seven, I was more concerned with trying to impress my father than anything else. Show him I was just as good as a son. And then as I grew, the thought of having a life like my mother's made me leery of even hoping for anything beyond a successful career," she said softly.
She looked at him.
"I'm glad you showed me I don't need to dread the possibility of something else. That I can actually look forward to it," she said, smiling shyly.
Clark, still in the red and blue, quickly closed the distance and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her as he slowly floated them up.
O o O o O
Leigh-Anne Stipanovic really hoped they would respond, assuming they had even read the whole letter and didn’t immediately throw it out.
She wondered how many people wrote in, claiming to be pregnant with Superman’s baby or some other such lunacy. But she hadn’t claimed that. She had just asked for help, outlining the abilities her son was displaying and her fervent hope of obtaining assistance from the Foundation. Hopefully they were as kind as they led the world to believe. Superman certainly was, as he had already saved her son earlier that year by preventing a plane crash.
She forced her thoughts away from that time. She had just managed to get full custody of her son after a long, drawn out fight with a man she had initially thought would be with her to stardom and beyond. Unfortunately, all he had done was destroy any hope of her having an acting career and had almost taken her baby away from her after releasing a criminal amount of slander against her. It could not be overstated that she was grateful that man was out of their lives.
She got up, wondering what her son was up to now. At least she didn’t really have to worry about him getting hurt anymore.
She entered his bedroom. There were a few crushed toys scattered about, but he seemed to be doing a little better with that - although there was another imprint of his foot on the floor. She inwardly winced. How was she going to explain that to the landlord? She wasn’t sure if it was better to have them on the floors or the walls. Well, at least he hadn’t broken through the floor. Or worse, a wall.
How did Superman walk across the street without pulverizing the pavement under his tread?
She looked to Jesse’s bed, finding her son levitating a foot or so above the mattress, clearly concentrating before weakly sinking back down to his blankets.
“Good job, you didn’t crash this time,” she praised.
He beamed.
“Well, honey, do you think you’d be up to going to the store with me?” she asked.
They really needed to get groceries but she wasn’t about to ask her sister to watch him more than absolutely necessary. Her sister watched Jesse for her when she was at work, but she didn’t want to abuse her sister’s kindness. Their relationship had been rocky before Jesse and really only began to mend after she had swallowed her pride and asked for help when Jesse began displaying abilities.
“Yeah,” he said, though she could see his hesitance.
He wasn’t stupid. He knew they needed to keep his abilities a secret. She had told him so soon after things began happening, and then when they had had to move after he accidentally ran through a wall in their last home. . . .
She wished she hadn’t cried in front of him, but she supposed it was better that he understood how serious this was than to not.
“Just let me know if you feel we need to leave, and we will immediately,” she said. “You can do it. You have before,” she said.
He nodded, growing brave for his mom.
She smiled while hoping the Superman Foundation would respond soon. She wasn’t sure how much longer they would be able to cope without serious help. Super help.
Leaving her son's room with him in tow, the phone suddenly rang.
O o O o O
Mav smiled as he finished reading that morning's article.
'Superman Foundation Begins Work on First Memory Crystal, Kryptonian Technology,' by Lois Lane.
If successful, the memory crystal would not immediately replace the current technology of the world, as it was actually fairly limited in capabilities at the moment, but it was a good first step: A small sampling of the technology from a world now gone, a world that had succeeded in sending their last son across the galaxy to a habitable world.
He knew the world governments and corporations would soon be clamoring for more information, in hopes of expanding on what Kal-El and Dr. Klein would likely demonstrate as possible. Data storage in a crystalline structure. The advancements in the digital world that could follow were astronomical. Mav could hardly wait.
“Mav.”
He looked up from his desk to find Julie Heinz, the Foundation’s Coordinator, holding out a letter for him.
“I think one of us should call this woman. Call it mother’s intuition, but I think she’s genuine,” Julie stated seriously.
Mav frowned and quickly took the letter. His eyes scanned it.
Dear Superman or Foundation Representative,
My name is Leigh-Anne Stipanovic and I need help. A few months ago, my son, Jesse, began doing superhuman things. Things only Superman can do. I have no idea why this is happening, as his father is undeniably human and, before three months ago, he was like any other child. But now, even though he’s only four, he can pick up our fridge with ease and even hover in midair.
Please, we need help. Controlling what he can do is very hard for him. He’s breaking his toys and he’s even accidently run through a wall! I’m afraid what will happen if the police or the city finds out. I can’t lose my son and pray you can help him learn control and maybe even figure out why this is happening. I’ll do whatever you say, even move to Metropolis. I don’t know how much longer we can do this on our own.
..
Mav passed his eyes over the woman’s phone number and address provided beneath her desperate message.
“Go and call her. Arrange a flight for her and her son as soon as they’re available. I know Kal will want to see Jesse if this is legitimate. Private jet if the airlines are full. Murray can help you with the specifics if needed,” he stated, agreeing with Julie’s assessment as he handed the letter back. “Once things have been arranged, let me know and we’ll update Kal.”
She nodded and quickly left with the letter in hand.
O o O o O
Leigh-Anne hugged her son tightly as he dutifully kept his arms at his sides, afraid he would squeeze too hard if he hugged her. But that was okay. They would be getting help very soon.
Julie Heinz, the coordinator for the Foundation, had just called her and arranged for them to head to Metropolis the very next morning. It was a prayer come true! Sure, Mrs. Heinz had gently but directly warned her that if this was a hoax the Foundation would not stand for it, but Leigh-Anne had expected that and couldn’t blame them.
Oh, she was so glad she had taken the chance and reached out!
“Alright. Let’s go to the store and just pick up dinner, alright?” she said, pulling back.
Jesse smiled happily at her, no doubt also relieved to know things would soon be getting better.
They went to the store and Jesse carefully climbed into the large basket portion of the cart since he was too big to fit in the child seat. He kept his hands in his lap as she quickly pushed the cart through the store, picking out the ingredients to his favorite meal, spaghetti.
Less than ten minutes later they were in the check-out line, and Jesse had relaxed enough to help place a few items onto the conveyor belt as she got out her checkbook.
She was waiting for the checker to scan the last item and tell her the total cost when the sound of bending metal came to her ears.
Looking over as Jesse dropped the package of noodles onto the conveyor belt, her eyes spotted his little hand clenched around the crushed metal of the cart wall. His face snapped to hers, horrified, and the next thing she knew was movement as her grasp on the checkbook slipped.
Jesse was crying as she suddenly realized they were standing by her car. Fortunately, her purse was still over her shoulder as she quickly opened the back door for him before she clamored into the driver’s seat and immediately started the car.
“I’m sorry, mom! I’m sorry! It just broke!” he cried.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” she assured, while knowing it wasn’t okay as she sped out of the parking lot and drove home as fast as she could.
O o O o O
Kal-El stood in front of Mav's desk as the news played on the television sitting on the dresser against the left wall.
"I'm glad you were already in contact with her," Kal stated as the news station replayed the scene captured by a parking lot security camera.
There was a blur from the store's front to a car near the middle of the parking lot where a woman and distraught child seemingly materialized before they piled into the car and sped away.
"I’m glad she called us again as soon as she made it home. She and her son are in the hotel near the private airport now and we'll have someone drive them directly from there to the plane tomorrow morning," Mav said. “I imagine the press will find out where she’s living before the end of the day, especially since she told me she had dropped her checkbook during their . . . departure. Fortunately, it had her previous address, but the press will figure it out before too long.”
Kal nodded, but looked pensive. "I wonder if I should just go pick them up directly."
"It would likely be best for you to keep your distance. Keep it a Foundation issue where you are acting in the capacity as Superman alone. The press is already making assumptions," Mav stated as the news anchor came on the screen soon after and immediately proved his point.
‘If I hadn’t seen the surveillance video, I don’t think I’d believe it, but since I have, could this boy be . . . the son of Superman?’ the anchor asked.
A photo of the grocery cart was then displayed, zooming in on the area clearly crushed by a small hand.
Kal-El looked up to the ceiling, exasperated.
“Shall we give a statement?” Julie asked.
“No, I’ll talk to the press directly once Ms. Stipanovic and her son arrive tomorrow,” Kal stated. “I feel this needs to be delivered bluntly and with irrefutable force. Witnessing my interaction with her and her son in their view near the same time as my statement will likely bring about the right amount of shock and awe.”
“You have an idea of what you want to say then?” Mav asked.
“An idea, yes, although I’m not clear on specifics yet. I just know I must nip this cleanly, otherwise this will get out of hand.”
Mav and Julie couldn’t agree more.
O o O o O
As Mav had foretold, the press had surrounded Leigh-Anne’s place of residence before the sun had set the previous day, and now, the next morning, over a dozen news stations were around the Superman Foundation as well. However, building security was keeping everyone a fair distance back while police helped to keep the road clear.
Handling the calls to the Foundation that morning had been a bear, but it seemed they had somewhat been appeased by the promise of Superman giving a statement later that morning directly to the public. And then, at 9:30 am, an SUV turned onto the street and made its way to the front of the Foundation.
The press pressed forward as much as they could as a security guard opened the back passenger door once the vehicle had stopped in front of the entrance. As Leigh-Anne and Jesse emerged, microphones were shoved in their faces and a torrent of voices with numerous queries rained down on them.
“Ms. Stipanovic, is your son the son of Superman?”
“Are you Superman’s girlfriend? Where did you and Superman first meet?”
Leigh-Anne did her best to ignore the shouted questions and gently guided her son forward as he kept as close as he could against her right leg, careful to only clench his fist around the loose fabric of her blouse.
“Ms. Stipanovic, do you have anything you wish to say?”
“Jesse, how strong are you?” another asked as the crowd beyond began to get even more excited.
“Did Superman leave you to care for your son alone?”
“Ms. Stipanovic, we spoke to your previous landlord. He said a child-sized hole had been made through an exterior wall. Is your son dangerous?”
“That’s enough.”The entire street froze as the voice cut through it all like a lightning strike on a clear, rainless day. No one knew when the Man of Steel had appeared, but at that moment none of them cared, for none of them had ever seen him so displeased.
“Clear a path for Ms. Stipanovic and her son,” he stated, his cape listlessly waving behind him as he motioned the mother and child forward. “Ms. Stipanovic and Jesse, please go inside. You don’t need to answer anything.”
“Thank you, Superman,” Leigh-Anne said, tears in her eyes as Jesse stared at him from around his mother's legs in absolute awe.
Superman didn’t move or say anything else as they went past him and entered the building. Only once the door shut behind them did he shift his stance.
Everyone in the crowd was too afraid to break the silence as they waited, hoping Superman would get behind the podium to give a statement and then hopefully answer some questions.
Unfortunately for them, he had his own plan.
Crossing his arms, he gave his statement right there, his voice loud and strong enough to not need the microphones on the podium behind him. His voice just carried.
"I don't know if Kryptonian and Human biology are compatible, but even if they are, it is impossible for me to have fathered this child simply because I have never been with anyone in that way,” he stated, ignoring the stunned reactions that admission instantly caused.
"Also, assuming I would ever abandon a child and leave the mother to cope on her own is downright insulting. If I were to ever father a child here, you can be sure I would love and raise them. Due to my Kryptonian parents and my adopted human family, I could and would do no less. So I'd appreciate it if such accusations and attacks on my character would cease.” His expression was stoney for a long moment before returning to merely firm.
"But that aside, I am personally looking into this, as the abilities the child has displayed are Kryptonian in nature and thus, in that regard, my responsibility to see that he receives all the attention and training his mother wishes me to provide. She reached out to the Foundation through a letter and we just received it yesterday and had actually contacted her before the incident at the store,” he explained flatly. “Now, I’m going to go and meet with them and see what I can do to help. Good day.”
He turned around and entered the building at normal, human speed.
No one asked any questions.
O o O o O
Superman ignored the press and crowd watching through the windows from the street as he went to Ms. Stipanovic and Jesse who were standing between Mav and Julie.
Kal could hear Jesse’s little heart hammering away just like his mother’s as he stopped less than six feet away from them.
He smiled, trying to put their minds at ease. It worked somewhat, as Ms. Stipanovic returned the smile and Jesse gave a nervous wave.
He knelt down to the four year old's level, his cape fanning out along the floor on either side and behind him.
"I understand you have some abilities like I do, Jesse?" he asked, taking note of how Jesse was not holding his mother's hand. Instead, he tightly gripped the bottom edge of her shirt while she kept her hand on his shoulder.
Jesse nodded frantically in answer to his question, his hair flopping back and forth before looking at him directly, no longer shying completely behind his mother.
Superman stilled, his eyes tracing the boy's unobscured face as his mind instantly did what it had been doing for over a decade. Memorize and, if possible, recall.
He recognized this boy. He had seen this child before.
He closed his eyes for several seconds, pulling at his memories before zeroing onto the exact moment he had seen this face. And he remembered. It was during a rescue that had quickly become unusual. Opening his eyes, he glanced up at Jesse’s mother who, like everyone else, was a little confused by his actions before he looked back at Jesse.
"So, Jesse, do you remember being on an airplane I helped land during a storm?" he asked. "You were sitting right by the window over the wing."
Jesse grinned, “Yeah! I remember!”
“Did you know, I got struck by lightning during that rescue?" he asked, keeping his attention on Jesse although his words were also for the adults around them.
“You were?” Jesse asked, his eyes wide.
“I think that might be why you are so strong now. Some of my powers must have moved to you when that bolt hit me because I had been so close to you. If I'm right, which I have no reason to believe otherwise, you are like this now because of me,” he said, deciding to be direct and honest.
Jesse blinked. “Oh.”
“I’m sorry. I know how hard it is to have these abilities. I know how scary they can be. How they can even make you afraid of yourself,” he said, his eyes soft. “But now that you’re here, I can teach you how to control them. You won’t ever need to be afraid of them again.”
Jesse’s form abruptly disappeared in a blur, dashing into Superman’s welcoming arms as those around jumped in surprise. However, soon they were desperately trying to maintain their composure as the little boy just bawled on Superman’s shoulder, his little arms hanging stiffly at his sides, too afraid to return the hug he was now receiving.
“It’s alright. You can hug me. And soon you’ll be able to hug your mom again,” Superman said.
Jesse then clung to him, holding onto Superman as tightly as he could.
Still holding him, Superman stood up, still aware of the audience outside.
Although they couldn't hear what was being said, the visual was pretty clear.
"Let's continue this upstairs," he said as Ms. Stipanovic hurried to her son to reassure him, although it seemed he was content in Superman’s arms.
“Dr. Klein is upstairs. He’s Kal’s - Superman’s - personal physician. Would it be alright for him to look at Jesse?” Mav asked Leigh-Anne as they began making their way to the stairs.
She nodded, although she was looking curiously at Superman. “You remember saving Jesse?”
Superman smiled softly. "I remember every face I see and, if I come across them again, I can recall where I had last seen them.”
“And you can teach him to control it all?” she asked, her voice cracking with tearful hope.
“Yes. I learned how to control many of my powers as a child, and I didn’t have anyone who knew what to expect. I suspect he will have an easier time of it than I did for that reason, that, and he is doing a fine job of controlling some of it on his own already,” Superman answered as they made it to the stairwell.
O o O o O
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