First of all, apologies for the long delay between updates. I've been distracted by real life again. Thank you so much for the feedback and the nudges.
From last time:
"I was thinking about that earlier," Lois said. "I can't imagine what it must be like, losing everyone who knows your language, your habits. Especially at such a young age."
"And today he lost everyone he knows again, when that Lex Luthor brought him to the future." Martha shuddered. "I'm so glad we have him back. Thanks to you, Lois."And now...
"I couldn't let that madman have him. I was so scared. I didn't know who had raised him right, but I knew exactly how warped Lex could make him. Of course it would be you two. You're wonderful parents. I can tell how much Clark loves you."
Martha beamed. "He's our boy. If the universe gave him up, we get to keep him." She looked down at the recumbent figure in her arms. "Isn't that right?" One of Kal's eyes peeped open, only to snap shut again.
"I think he blocked out everything from before he came to us." Jonathon bumped a finger against Kal's nose, trying to tease him into opening his eye again. "Maybe it was too painful to remember. By rights, he should recall something. People have memories at age four. And his memory's always been much better than most." This time he bumped his nose and made a honking noise. Kal giggled, but didn't open his eyes.
"That's so sad--his heritage destroyed, and he doesn't even get to keep memories of home. How lonely."
"Oh, it's not quite as dramatic as all that. His home is right here, on Earth. I know Clark's been curious about his roots, especially after his powers first appeared, but he's never been alone. We're his family." Martha caught Lois' eye. "That includes you, you know."
Lois' surprise quickly turned to anger. It was cruel, really, to make a comment like that when Clark had just proven he'd never thought much of her at all. He had acted like her friend! Pasted that gorgeous smile on his face as both Clark and Superman, without hesitation. Leading her on as Superman, only to grumble at Lois's affection for the hero as Clark. Acting like she was his closest friend as Clark, only to stay aloof and distant as Superman. It had to be some sort of sick game.
"I mean it," Martha continued at Lois' torn expression. "You should hear the way he talks about you."
"Martha," Jonathon chided.
"Oh, hush, like Clark's feelings are such a mystery. I remember the way he looked at you when we were here last. There's no mistaking that look. I thought he was besotted before, but that clenched it."
Lois shook her head. "You're wrong, Martha. In case you couldn't tell, up until a moment ago, I didn't even know Clark was Superman. He gladly kept everything about himself from me."
"Everything?" Martha looked dubious.
"Everything important! He'll prattle on about his travels and gush about his childhood on a farm, but yet the space odyssey bit never comes up?"
"Oh, honey. Clark didn't know anything about his origins until fairly recently. When you published that interview with Superman about his home planet, that was only about two weeks after he found out himself!"
"What? How is that possible?"
"That's my fault." Jonathon looked a bit chagrinned. "When we first resolved to keep Clark, we didn't want anyone following his trail, figuring out where he came from. Martha and I agreed to destroy his spaceship. I went back to the crash site to do it, in the dead of the night, before ol' Shuster got out there to see what it'd done to his wheat crop. Heh."
He shook his head. "But when I saw it there, I just couldn't go through with it. It was a piece of Clark's heritage. Like you were saying, Lois, every other bit of it was destroyed. I didn't know that, but I knew it was all
we had. All he had. How could I take that from him? I buried the ship instead. It wasn't until this year that I told anybody. Clark dug it up--sure enough, it was just where I left it. Funny, took him a lot less time to dredge it up that I remember it took to dig that big ol' hole."
Jonathon smiled, but it seemed forced. "I've always been the one telling Clark to hide his powers. Just like that ship, I tried to bury every part of Clark that made him special."
"Oh, Jonathon! That's not true," Martha chided.
"Now, let me finish. I told Clark as a kid, that if he ever showed anyone his powers--let anyone know he was different--that someone could come and take him away from us. Take him off to a lab somewhere and dissect him like a frog. I was afraid he'd show off to his friends, or get careless and give something away.
"Clark's smarter than that. He's never told anyone--
anyone, Lois--about his abilities. I think all I succeeded in doing was scaring him witless. When he came up with the idea for Superman, I was dead-set against it. I thought the people of Metropolis would chew him up and spit him out. Be afraid of him. By that point I was pretty sure nothing could hurt him physically, but Clark's got a good heart. He tries so hard to make his life as normal as possible. It would devastate him for people to treat him like, well, an alien."
"But Metropolis loves Superman!" Lois cut in. "The mayor even gave him the key to the city last month." Okay, so the occasional person had been timid of him at first, but by and large, Metropolis had welcomed Superman with open arms. And after Nightfall, his reputation was untouchable. He was amazing.
An amazing liar, the angry part of her groused. But her thoughts lacked the bite they'd had earlier. How hard must it have been, to grow up in constant fear of being ostracized? Fear of being treated as no more than an animal in a lab? To hide all the wondrous things you could do?
"I know they love him." Jonathon continued. "I was wrong, I'll be the first to admit. Clark's really found a home here. A place he finally feels he belongs."
"But it wouldn't be that way without you, dear," Martha added.
"It was your first article about Superman that colored so many people's perception of him for the better. You welcomed him with open arms. Thank you." Jonathon smiled widely, honestly now.
"But not just as Superman." Martha gave Jonathon a quick glance. "Clark talked our ears off about his reporting partner long before Superman showed up."
"Oh, no," Lois groaned. "What did he say?" Lois knew she hadn't treated Clark very well when they were first assigned together, and she hated to recall how she'd behaved.
"He thought you were so feisty and full of energy. He'd talk about how you really wanted the world to own up to its actions, become a better place. He admires you, you know."
Two chocolate brown eyes caught hers. Kal was looking at her with a timid, but sleepy, expression.
"Hello there." Lois smiled at him. "Nice to see those eyes again."
Martha glanced down. "Oh, good. I knew he'd come around eventually. It's his personality. He sees so many horrible things as Superman and they can make him terribly depressed. But he always bounces back in the end, ready to subject himself to the worst of the world again and again." She patted her baby's back. "He's a fighter."
"I admire him too, you know."
Martha gave Lois an appreciative smile. "Try not to beat him up
too badly over not telling you before. I know he's wanted to for a while now. He talks about it all the time."
"I'm glad you know, Lois. From what I've seen, you're a good friend, and a good person. We trust you." Jonathon took Martha's hand.
"I'm glad you know, too." Superman appeared in the doorway to Clark's bedroom. He gave a tight smile. "I'm so sorry."
Lois shook her head. Words of forgiveness were on her lips, but when she opened her mouth, they stuttered on her tongue. "Did you find the guy who attacked us?"
Clark nodded. "I took him to a nearby hospital. His burns don't look to bad, but he appeared to be in a lot of pain." A guilty look glanced across his face. "I told the police what happened, so they could arrest the guy after he's released from urgent care. Henderson was not happy to hear your name come up. Getting into trouble lately?" He raised an eyebrow, trying to make his tone a light joke.
It just didn't work coming from Superman. Lois floundered again. This would take some getting used to.
Kal peaked his head over his mom's shoulder to see who Lois was talking to. "Jor-El?" His voice sounded excited as he jumped out of Martha's lap and ran around the couch. He stopped short of the imposing figure in blue and red, staring up dubiously. "Jor-El?”
