Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He came to an abrupt halt in the darkened field.

Enhanced vision was one of the few powers he was still waiting for and Jordan found himself squinting as he readjusted to the dim light.

A moment ago, he’d been up in his room staring at a game on his television screen.

But then he’d heard it.

A strangely familiar humming sound that had instantly put him on high alert. With the briefest of explanations to his brother, he’d abruptly sped to the field just outside of town.

In the few seconds that had taken, he’d heard the distinct sound of metal colliding with the earth. He’d known before he arrived that there was some sort of wreckage awaiting him and, while he hadn’t had time to fully realize it, he’d known there was a reason he’d latched onto the sound.

He’d heard that buzzing before.

Once.

On the day that he’d pulled back a dusty tarp and life as he’d known it had changed forever…

His pulse quickened as he took a step towards the deep crater that now marked the empty field.  There was smoking rising from it, and he knew he should probably call his dad before he got too close.

If he hadn’t been in Europe helping with a disastrous avalanche, he probably would have. But a brief scan told him that his father was in the thick of it, and he tried to tell himself that he could handle…whatever strangeness this was. He was seventeen, after all, and he’d made his share of saves over the years.

Jordan knew he couldn’t back away. He couldn’t wait.

Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on had drawn him here and, on some level, he knew this was important.

He knew that he was supposed to come.

He took a breath, stepping forward at human speed and finally peering over the side of the ditch. Even in the darkness, he could make out a distinctive shape. The pointed metal vessel was like a larger version of one he’d seen before.

One that secretly lay beneath the barn floor.

In an instant, he knew exactly where it had come from and the shock and anticipation grew as he inched towards it. It was almost unbelievable and yet, there it was— a very real remnant of a planet he sometimes yearned to see.

There was no doubt in his mind that this ship was Kryptonian.

The hum of its cooling engine filled his ears. And, as he focused, so did the distinctive sound of a slowly beating heart from inside…

Someone was there.

Alive.

Someone else had come.

This time, he sped forward as if struck by a bolt of energy. His own rapid heartbeat pounding in his ears.

He reached out, watching with familiar awe as the metal rippled beneath his touch. Everything else around him seemed to fade away.

He was transfixed.

Consumed.

Excited and wary and stunned.

He had never expected to come across a sight like this and yet, here he was. Perhaps a little less alone than he had been before.

Part of him knew he should still call for his dad, but he was unable to stop and wait. This was a discovery too big to turn away from, even for a moment.

The metal began to fade— he caught the fist glimpses of a shadowy figure inside.

But then, seemingly out of nowhere, there was a violent flash of green.

It surrounded him.

It made every fibre of his body cry out in pain.

The pain was the last thing he remembered before the world disappeared.

Chapter Text

A soft groan escaped his lips.

There was a frustratingly recognizable pounding behind his eyes and he raised a hand to his forehead, rubbing it in a futile attempt to force the pain away.

It didn’t work, of course, but he slowly made himself open his weary eyes anyway. After a few moments of confusion, what he had just witnessed came rushing back.

There had been the sounds and the ditch.

The ship.

And then there had been the terrible green flash.

Now, he was…somewhere. Laying on a firm surface and willing his surroundings to come back into focus. Even as he stared up towards the dark ceiling, he could tell that everything was suddenly cast in a reddish hue. That realization caused a wave of fear and adrenaline. Despite the aches radiating through him, he forced himself to sit up and frantically survey the scene.

Jordan had no idea how he’d gotten there or what was going on, but a series of unsettling revelations hit quickly.

He was in glass box within a dark cavernous room. Red lights lined the perimeter of his enclosure and as he focused on his own body he could tell that the sensations he’d become accustomed to over the past several years were no longer present. He felt tired and weak. He was sore from both the residual Kryptonite and the uncomfortable position he’d just woken up in.

Clearly, his powers weren’t working— that was unsettling enough in itself. But the fact that someone knew how to weaken him was even more unnerving.

These were red solar lamps. Designed for Kryptonians. And, if his suspicions were correct, this was probably the same sort of government facility that had once held Tal-Rho. He hadn’t seen a place like this before, but he’d listened to his father’s description after his brief capture a few years ago. The thought of a cell specifically designed to weaken someone like them had sent a chill through him back then.

Now that it was suddenly a stark reality, the fear was magnified ten-fold.

Jordan took in a sharp breath, vaguely registering that the comforting chill in his throat was suddenly gone.

Every inch of him felt weird and wrong. His body prickled with an oppressive dullness that was steadily making his panic surge.

Was this what it felt like to be human? He couldn’t help but wonder as he forced himself shakily to his feet.

At some points over the last few years, when things had gotten hard, he’d secretly wished that’s all he was. But this felt so incredibly wrong.

He just wanted to be himself again. And he definitely wanted to get the hell away from here.

Now that he was off of the cold metal floor, he looked around the enclosure again. There was a bookshelf, and a few pieces of furniture.

On the far right he could see a bed and, as  his eyes landed on it, he abruptly realized that he wasn’t alone.

There was a stirring figure laying across the narrow mattress. From his vantage point, he could only see her back. She was wearing a long blue dress of some sort, and the back of her dark hair was tied into surprisingly elaborate braids.

He had no idea who it was, or why they were here together. But, since they clearly were, he took a few strides forward. Listening for signs of consciousness before realizing that he couldn’t latch onto any with his abruptly average senses.

If this woman was in here with him, did that mean she was Kyptonian too? It made sense, even though he’d never seen her before.

The logical conclusion was that she had been the person inside the ship and that, somehow, the government had found the crash site and locked them away together.

He couldn’t believe his own recklessness and stupidity. Why had he run there without even telling anyone where he was going? Surely Jon had told their parents that he was gone by now, but it was too late to avoid a huge mess.

He’d been caught. And he’d been taken here with whoever this mysterious new arrival was.

He had no idea how long he’d been unconscious for and it was entirely possible that the crash— and his face— had already been splashed all over the news? Had he ruined his entire life with one fool-hearty investigation? He couldn’t bare the thought and he did his best to push it from his mind for now.

If this was the work of the DOD, his grandfather might be able to pull some strings. He’d retired again, but he still had clout. And there was no way his parents would stop searching for him.

Eventually, he’d be found. He had to believe that.

But there was no telling how much damage would be done before then…

The other figure twitched slightly on the bed and Jordan found himself taking a surprised step back.

He was pretty sure that whoever it was was about to wake up and he had no clue what he was going to do when she did. And, he realized uncomfortably, the horror of his capture was now mingling with the fear of the unknown.

If a mysterious new Kryptonian really had landed on Earth, there was no guarantee that she had come in peace. He liked to think that most inhabitants of that lost planet had been decent people— but there was no doubt that some had not been. His Uncle’s subjects had been proof enough of that.

At least they were both powerless in this situation.

Hopefully he could figure out who she was and what her intentions were. Then chose a course of action from there.

Jordan did his best to steady himself as he watched her slowly shift against the mattress.

“H…hello?” he said, sounding much less confident than he would have liked.

The sound of his voice must have startled her. The figure turned abruptly, suddenly much more awake than before. He took another step back as she sat up, blinking towards him with surprise and confusion.

At he looked back towards her, it felt as if his heart was seizing in his chest.

In one shocking and life-changing moment Jordan realized that some of his assumptions had been wrong.

She wasn’t a stranger.

He knew that face.

He’d seen it countless times— albeit never so tangibly, and never like this.

She was real.

She was alive.

And she was right in front of him.

He took in a sharp breath, the shock radiating through his body as he gaped in disbelief.

“Gr…Lara?” he stammered out.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Forty-Four Years Earlier

xxxxxxxxxxx

The crumbling planet shook around them.

There were only minutes left— perhaps less.

It was hard to believe that it had truly come to this. Despite everything they had done to talk sense into the council and avoid this fate. And yet, here they were.

At the end.

Her only solace was that Kal had a chance. She yearned to hold her precious boy to her chest but she knew their decision had been the right one.

Her son deserved a chance.

He was their last hope. And she could only pray that her final moments would be filled with memories of his precious face as Jor-El held her close.

She wanted to stop.

She wanted him to place his arms around her now as the suffocating heat rose up and the city crumbled to dust. Yet he was still running, her hand clutched in his.

Even now— even when their fates were sealed— Jor-El did not want to stop. She loved him for his resilience but it felt as if it was finally time to rest.

The fight was over, and they had lost. All the could do now was be together as the final darkness took hold.

“My love, there is no where to go.”

The truth of that sent a chill through her, but she knew it was true.

This was it.

Soon, there would be nothingness— and a tiny streak of hope darting through the depths of space.

Her husband stopped, turning back towards her with a frantic flash in his eyes.

“Lara— of the council chamber has been abandoned, there may be a way to—“

“No, Jor. We won’t make it. There is nowhere to run.”

She could hear screams in the distance. Coupled with the terrifying sounds of buildings crumbling. The shaking was almost unbearable, and she wondered if they would be crushed before the final explosion erupted.

It was hard to say which fate was worse.

“They had pods. If I can get—“

“We’re out of time,” she cut him off again, eyes filling with tears as she tried not to let herself crumble at that thought.

For a time, she’d had such a beautiful life. She’d found a man she truly loved and fought to be together. They’d defied convention and she’d carried a son. Kal had been perfect, and he had been theirs.

If the council had listened to the warnings, perhaps that happiness could have continued.

But she knew that there were only moments left now.

Lara stepped towards the man who had once saved her from a miserable existence. The man who she loved so deeply and so fully.

“Let’s stay here,” she said, the tears finally falling as she pressed herself against his broad chest. “We have done all we can.”

She felt him tense before finally returning the embrace. “I love you.”

“I love you too. And I love the time we had, even if it wasn’t enough.”

The hot tears steamed down her cheeks as another horrible rumble welled beneath them. There were more cracks. More fissures as the plant literally tore itself apart.

She could feel the heat building around her. The air seemed thick.

It was harder to breathe.

She could tell that the world was dissolving into a dangerous haze.

It was harder and harder to stay awake. She could tell that consciousness was steadily slipping from her grasp.

Perhaps things were better this way…

She thought of Kal.

She thought of Jor.

The last thing she remembered was the warmth of his strong arms— and a determined whisper.

“Hold on, my love. There is always another way…”

Chapter Text

“Where am I? Who are you? How do you know my name?”

It only took a few seconds for the rapid string of questions to flow out of her.

After two years of frequent visits to the Fortress, her voice was so incredibly familiar. There was a comfort in that. But the reassurance mingled with shock and confusion too.

How had she gotten there?

Was it really her?

According to every account he’d ever heard, his grandparents had perished with Krypton’s destruction. Only their crystals had remained— the technology was a beautiful comfort to a lost son, but not nearly as real as the person who now sat in front of him.

His throat felt dry as he stared ahead, trying to convince himself that what he was seeing was real. It had to be real, right? She was clearly there. Breathing and in the flesh. Now that she had turned he could see the recognizable ‘S’ crest embossed on her long blue dress. And everything about her face was a perfect mirror of the woman he’d gotten to know in AI form.

“Who are you? What is this place?” she repeated again, her clear blue eyes (a perfect replica of his brother’s) surveying the small chamber they were currently trapped in.

As she spoke the second time, Jordan realized that she wasn’t speaking English.

In his shock, it hadn’t quite registered at first— he’d understood her perfectly, but that was only because he’d mastered the Kryptonian language during the past year.

It had come easily to both him and his brother, much to their father’s delight. Learning it from Lara had become an unexpectedly fun way to pass time at the Fortress and he was proud he’d taken it on.

Right now, he was more grateful than ever that he had.

The AI may have been programmed to converse in any tongue, but the real Lara had probably never learned an Earth language. Why would she? She’d clearly never expected to end up in this place.

Pulse still racing, he cleared his throat. Swallowing thickly before finally mustering a reply in Kryptonian.

“I, uh, I don’t know where we are,” he began weakly, still transfixed on the sight of her. She was as elegant as she’d always seemed in the projections. And as young as she was there too. Even though many years had passed, and she’d presumably been hurling through space, she’d obviously been in some sort of stasis.

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

He wasn’t sure if she would trust him enough to answer. As familiar as she felt to him, the confusion in her gaze made it apparent that she had no memory of him. That made sense, of course. The version of her he knew was now a separate artificial consciousness. It was so bizarre to realize that they were technically meeting for the first time again, even though he’d also known her for years.

Jordan knew he had to fight against the sudden compulsion he felt to hug her. He knew who she was, and he yearned to reach out towards a family member he’d thought he’d lost. But before there was any hope of feeling his grandmother’s embrace for the first time, he knew he had to figure out a way to explain.

There was a pause before she decided to reply.

“Our planet was crumbling,” she said slowly, rubbing her head as her brow furrowed. “I was with my husband, we were…we were running and we stopped. I remember that it was getting hard to breathe. And then…” she trailed off, looking around the strange room again.

After another moment, her eyes fell back towards him. He felt her studying him, and he tried not to falter under her gaze.

He had no idea what she was thinking, or what he was supposed to stay. He wanted to blurt it all out— but that was daunting. Would she even believe him?

Was telling her who he was and where she had landed too overwhelming for someone who had just emerged from decades of stasis? This was not a situation he’d ever expected to find himself in and his mind raced as he tried to figure out what to do.

“But I’m here,” she said, more to herself than to him this time. “We must have found a safe place,” she appeared to contemplate that for a moment before adding. “Do you know my husband? Have you seen Jor-El?”

Jordan felt his stomach tighten.

She didn’t even realize that Krypton was actually gone.

She must have been unconscious by the time she’d been put in that escape pod and she had no idea how far she’d come. The glimmer of hope he could feel filled him with a strange guilt, even though nothing was his fault.

He had to tell her. Somehow.

He took another breath, deciding that all he could do was launch in.

“I…I’ve heard of him, but he’s not here. He’s gone,” Jordan replied reluctantly, biting his lip. Everything about this was so incredibly bizarre, but he knew he had to keep going.

There was a chance they’d have to work together to escape and he needed her to know. As hard as some of the news would be, he hoped she’d be able to find comfort in some aspects of it.

She still had a family.

He was her family.

He hoped he wasn’t a disappointment to her. He was suddenly nervous, despite feeling a closeness to the version of her he’d come to know. Suddenly, that didn’t feel as real as it once had.

“Look, this isn’t an easy thing to say,” he started again, still in the exotic language that only a handful of people on this planet spoke. At least if they were being monitored by whoever had captured them, they would have no idea what was being said.

“Somehow, you must have escaped Krypton. It’s gone now. It’s been gone for a while. And you’re on Earth. I think you, uh, just landed.”

“Earth?” her body stiffened with surprise as she repeated the word. It obviously hadn’t been what was was expecting and she clutched the side of the bed, knuckles turning white as her head snapped back and forth. “I…how…” she looked up at him, taking in a sharp breath “but you— you’re here. And you speak as one of our kind.”

Her eyes seemed to grow impossibly wide as she looked at him. Then, she abruptly bolted up from the bed, striding forward with impressive steadiness for someone who had been through her recent ordeal.

The next thing he knew, she was in front of him. Her hand extending out to gently cup his cheek.

His eyes welled with a surprising amount of emotion as he felt his grandmother’s touch. He’d never imagined that this moment would come. Never dreamt that it was even a remote possibility.

And yet, despite the otherwise horrible circumstances, he was finally seeing her for real.

She was actually there. The moment was so much more striking than any that had come in the Fortress before.

“Kal, is that you?”

Jordan felt a flutter of discomfort as he realized what conclusion she’d just reached.

It was logical— he was trapped in here with her and speaking the language of her home planet. She had known where her son was sent, but had no idea how much time had passed since then.

Jordan could feel the hope and relief radiating off of her and he silently prayed that the truth wouldn’t bring too much disappointment.

“You look so much like your father at your age— and you have his eyes. I should have known right away, I could sense that there was something familiar about you…”

“No,” Jordan cut her off quietly, shaking his head as he took a small step back.

“I’m not your son,” the painful disappointment was palpable. The sight of it made him freeze before he could say more.

“But you’re a Kryptonian. On Earth,” she paused, trying to make sense of what was undoubtedly confusing an overwhelming.

“Yeah,” Jordan managed to choke out, offering a shaky nod. “I mean, sort of.”

He swallowed, the discomfort bubbling up. He usually avoided labelling himself, and her confident assertion of what he was felt a little weird. It was more complicated than that.

Then again, now that he was locked in a red solar cage and feeling the deep loss of his usual powers he seemed more undeniably Kryptonain than he ever had before.

Whoever had brought him here probably saw him as an alien threat, no matter who his mother was. Why cling to anything else?

“You bear a resemblance to my husband.”

Jordan nodded numbly again. Hating how hard it was to simply get it all out there.

He took a steadying breath.

“Yeah, I’ve been told that before. Because I’m— I’m actually,” he did his best not to look away and avoid her reaction, “Kal-El is my father.”

There. He’d done it.

He’d never called his dad that before and it felt weird on his lips, but it was the best way to make things clear.

He kept watching her closely as her eyes widened in surprise again. She was as quick as the version of the woman he’d come to know, and she obviously pieced it together.

“You’re my grandson.” She reached out again, this time grasping his arm gently. There was disbelief in her tone, but he was pretty sure there was some joy and relief too. At least, he hoped so.

“Yeah. Hi Grandma,” he whispered out— it was a greeting that was repetitive to him, but completely new to her. That was a strange thought.

“Then…Kal survived, and created a life here,” Lara said, taking it through as she processed it all. There was no doubt that she was floored by the many quick revelations, but he could definitely see a flicker of a smile now as well. “He found a match,” she continued, still grasping his arm, “more of our people made it to this planet too. My son did not grow up alone.”

Jordan understood why she’d reached that conclusion (like most people, she probably didn’t think hybrids were a viable option).

He flinched a bit before offering some clarification.

It was clear her hopes had risen at the thought that multiple Kryptonians had survived the destruction. Frankly, it was something he sometimes wished for too. It would have been nice to feel less alone and less unique. But he’d forced himself to accept that their family was all that remained.

At least now, there was one more to add to their number.

“No, he actually was the only one like him for awhile,” he corrected softly, “and I’m half-human.” For whenever reason, he felt himself flushing a bit at her look of surprise. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before adding, “my dad married a human and then my brother and I came along. We were an unexpected surprise but we exist…so, um, it turns out Kryptonians are compatible with the people here.”

He felt Lara squeeze his arm gently before letting her hand fall to her side.

He was used to a more confident version of his grandmother who nodded serenely and always seemed to have the answers. But this version was clearly trying to swallow a lot.

He didn’t envy that. He could only imagine what it would be like to wake up on another planet— locked in a cage with a stranger who claimed to be family.

It was a miracle that she seemed to be believing him. He supposed the family resemblance was to thank for that.

“I have two grandchildren,” she breathed out, blinking several times as that began to sink in. “My son found happiness.”

Both of those things were true so he nodded again.

“He did. And I’m Jordan, by the way.”

It was so weird to introduce himself to someone so familiar, but it occurred to him that this version of his Grandmother still had no idea what his name was. The look of ongoing surprise on her face drove that home even more.

“Jor-Dan?” she questioned, separating the syllables as she shot him a perplexed look. “Surely you are an El.”

She gestured towards him, as if the sight of him was all she needed. Perhaps it was.

Jordan shifted again. It wasn’t a name he’d really used before. And meeting Jon-El from that other universe had certainly dampened it for both boys. But as his eyes fell to the family crest she was wearing he couldn’t deny that he had a connection to it.

He hoped to wear that crest one day too. His father always said that it belonged to them as well.

“I— I’m an El. Technically,” he said, trying to swallow back the weirdness he felt. “But we can’t exactly use that name on Earth. We have human names here, to blend in. Jordan is a human name— the closest thing my parents could find to Jor-El.”

Lara nodded slowly, contemplating this for a few moments before asking.

“The people here,” she began questioningly, “do they not accept you as you are?”

Jordan let out a long breath as he let his eyes survey their current surroundings. The conversation had been a distraction, but her question seemed to bring their currently reality back to the forefront.

Since he’d learned the family secret— and learned who he truly was— he’d known that he’d always have to hide part of himself. It wasn’t always easy, and it definitely didn’t feel fair.

But the fear of being exposed and carted away was enough to keep him in check.

The was was exactly the sort of situation he’d dreaded since that fateful day on the lawn. Someone clearly knew something, and it didn’t appear that they were being treated with any sort of acceptance or trust.

They’d been found…and locked away.

“It’s complicated,” he said honestly, clenching his hands at his sides and wishing he knew how to get them out of this terrible place. “But basically, no. It’s not safe to tell people that we’re different. We try to blend in,” Jordan paused, looking around once more, “I think your landing must have attracted some attention, though. I don’t really know where we are, but whoever brought us here knows how to keep us contained. The red lamps have totally drained my powers and—“

“Your powers?” she cut him off with another surprised question. “The hypotheses about our people was correct?”

Jordan wasn’t entirely sure what she meant by that but, before he could answer, a loud creaking sound from across the chamber distracted them both.

He turned abruptly, watching as a crack of light grew in the distance. Someone was opening a the heavy metal door and he could make out two shadowy figures standing in the threshold.

His chest clenched as he exchanged a worried glance with his grandmother.

He had no idea what to expect or what fate awaited them next.

But whoever had brought them here had clearly decided to make an appearance…

Chapter Text

He hated the sense of hopelessness he felt as two sets of footsteps echoed through the chamber.

It was undeniably ominous.

The transparent walls felt even more oppressive than they had before. He was trapped and powerless— and whoever these people were clearly knew some of his closely guarded secrets.

They probably wouldn’t have locked a normal teenager in a red solar cage (that probably wasn’t legal). Somehow, they’d figured things out…and deemed him alien enough to be held here without explanation.

Even though he wasn’t looking forward to whatever came next, perhaps he’d finally have some answers. And, with luck, it wouldn’t be too much longer before his dad found them. Jordan didn’t know how long he’d been there, but surely his parents knew something was up by now. They’d definitely be searching and it was (probably) just a matter of time.

After exchanging a worried look with Lara he squinted back into the darkness. It wasn’t a huge surprise to realize that the two new arrivals were dressed in military fatigues. As they came closer, he could see that they were a man and a woman in late middle age. Neither was familiar, but they both looked quite official and carried themselves with an air of importance.

They were silent as they approached, buzzing themselves through the chain link security fence that lined the cage before finally stopping their trek a few feet in front of the glass.

Jordan could feel his pulse pounding as the two sets of eyes scanned him appraisingly. It was extremely degrading to feel like an animal on display and he wished there was somewhere to hide. There wasn’t, though.

The clear walls had been designed for easy monitoring. If their captors wanted to gawk at them, there was nothing he could do.

Jordan stiffened uncomfortably as he waited. He contemplated saying something (should he ask for a lawyer? Or was that just something people did on TV?)

But his throat was painfully dry and, before he could come up with anything, the man finally spoke.

“As I reported, General Hardcastle,” he said, gesturing in the direction of the enclosure. “One male and one female. Both located with our sensors near an extraterrestrial vessel just outside of Smallville, Kansas.”

The woman eyed him for a second before giving a curt nod. Her tidy chin-length hair barely moving as she did.

“And you’re certain they’re Kryptonians?” The general replied. Jordan could see her eyes fall to the iconic symbol on Lara’s dress before moving to him. With his trademark grey hoodie and jeans, he certainly didn’t look the part.

Unfortunately, however, an outfit wasn’t going to be enough to get him out of this.

“Absolutely certain,” the man said confidently.

As he angled his body, Jordan could finally make out his name tag. General Thompson, it read in block capitals. He’d never met the guy, but he’d listened to his dad and grandfather enough to know that this man was the new head of the DOD.

According to his dad, the guy was generally amenable— and far less challenging than Anderson had been. But this situation still didn’t feel positive. Things would never be as simple as they had been now that his grandfather had stepped back down. And, apparently, the DOD had taken it upon themselves to scan and detect people like him.

He was guessing the new General hadn’t shared that with Superman…

“They were both standing near the crashed vessel. And the Kryptonite flash bomb easily incapacitated them.”

Hardcastle nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. She seemed oddly wary, and she shot the captives a sideways glance before continuing.

“The woman is wearing the same symbol as Superman,” she pointed out curtly as she shifted from foot to foot, “this may need to be handled delicately.”

There was a pause before she took another step forward, angling her head up towards the confused looking Lara.

“Do you have a connection to Superman?” the general asked, addressing Lara directly.

While Jordan understood the question his grandmother clearly didn’t. Instead of answering, she turned to him.

“What is she saying? Who are these people?” she asked in Kryptonian, eyes wide with worry.

Jordan let out a shaky breath before replying in the same foreign language. “They’re humans that work for this country’s military,” he answered, his phrasing making him feel even more detached from the people who had put them there.

He wasn’t like them. That felt clearer than ever before.

“She’s asking you if you know…my dad. They recognize the family symbol,” he finished. He hadn’t yet had time to explain  the whole Superman thing. But this would have to be enough for now.

“They’ve just landed, I think they can only understand their native tongue,” Thompson piped in from behind his superior.

Jordan’s head snapped back in his direction, and he instantly wanted to blurt out that he most certainly understood English as well.

But before his annoyance could get the better of him he thought twice.

From the conversation so far, it seemed like these people assumed he and Lara had just landed together. Weird as it was to think about, he realized that was actually better than them knowing that he spent most of his days as a student at Smallville High.

They clearly assumed he was a bonafide alien invader.

It was uncomfortable, but it was also safer than the truth. Maybe his old life wasn’t completely compromised after all.

He bit his tongue, glaring at the two generals through the glass.

Hardcastle stepped back with a tight sigh.

“I assume you haven’t been in touch with Superman yet,” she said, receiving a short nod from Thompson in response. “We’ll need to think of a way to spin this before he finds out. We obviously need to know more about these new arrivals before we come to any sort of decision about their risk to national security. But we also have to be careful about severing ties. I imagine he won’t be—“

“Good afternoon, Generals.”

A blur of speed and the sound of a new voice stopped Hardcastle mid-sentence. Jordan watched with satisfaction (and extreme relief) as she looked up with wide-eyed fear.

“S—Superman.”

Indeed, the iconic hero himself had suddenly appeared in the room, folding his arms across his chest as he gazed sternly towards the two military officials.

Jordan had never been more relieved to see his dad.

Suddenly, the hope surged within. Even though they weren’t quite out of the woods yet.

Thompson, who looked as worried as his superior, eyed the main door with surprise. It had been left open a few inches ever since they’d arrived and Jordan wondered if that had been an unintentional mistake.

Perhaps the room was lined with lead (it often seemed like places like this were)— what had once been closed off to the Man of Steel now clearly wasn’t.

They’d been found.

His dad turned towards the cage for a moment, catching Jordan’s eye with a look that seemed to say ‘hang on.’ Then, his gaze moved towards Lara…

Most people probably couldn’t have detected his carefully schooled shock at the sight of his mother, alive and well. But Jordan could see it. He nodded at his dad a couple of times, confirming things were just as they appeared.

His father stood stiffly, clearing his throat as he turned back to the two officials.

He was a carefully controlled professional and he knew how to work past his surprise. Even at a time like this.

“Superman,” Hardcastle repeated, regaining her composure as quickly as she could. “We have made an unexpected discovery and were planning to reach out shortly.”

That wasn’t exactly true, from what Jordan had just head. He suspected his dad had heard it too, but he didn’t call her out on it.

“I see,” his father replied instead, raising a careful brow.

It was amazing how easily a small gesture could make two seasoned military professionals balk. The light was dim, but Jordan could tell how pale they’d both become.

“You have come across two more of my kind and have imprisoned them here,” he stated factually, “is there due cause for this?”

Hardcastle swallowed thickly. “”Well— I…it is protocol to contain unknown alien elements until a threat level and course of action can be determined,” she reported, far more nervous than she’d sounded a few minutes ago. “They are currently unidentified.”

His father nodded, briefly glancing back in their direction.

“Perhaps it will put your mind at ease if I identify them for you,” he said smoothly, his composure and confidence shining through despite the circumstances.

Jordan felt a ripple of nerves. He trusted his dad— surely he wasn’t actually going to expose him. He had to believe that he had another plan.

“These individuals are members of my family. People I once thought I’d lost,” he stated, keeping it sufficiently vague. Then he took a long breath, eyes drifting to Lara whose hands were now pressed against the glass as she watched in confusion and worry.

Jordan was pretty sure she’d pieced together who the new arrival was and she was watching him, transfixed.

It certainly wasn’t the ideal way for a mother to be reunited with her long lost son but, with luck, they’d be away from there soon.

“Your…family?” General Thompson gaped, clearly shaken by that revelation.

Both officials seemed to feel the weight of that proclamation and Jordan could sense that they were even more worried than they had been before.

Alleged alien threats or not, they both knew how important it was to have Superman on their side.

“Yes,” the iconic hero confirmed brusquely, “so unless trouble has been caused I would like them released into my custody.”

Hardcastle opened her mouth but, before she could reply, his father continued.

“Our relationship is about trust, is it not?” He said pointedly, “I am asking you to trust me, Generals. And I trust that you will both use discretion on this extremely personal matter.”

The officials exchanged a look, wide eyed and stunned. A long silence hung over the room.

It was amazing how his dad could somehow be so compelling and earnest without making his words sound like a threat. There was no doubt where the true power lay, however.

Jordan’s hoped surged when Hardcastle finally offered a shaky nod.

“Yes, of course,” she said, stepping towards the enclosure and flicking open a small panel. “We were simply following protocol and were unaware of the connection.”

Jordan watched as she entered a few codes and flicked a few buttons.

Slowly but surely, the red lights began to fade and he felt relief flooding into his cells. He flexed his hand in front of him. He could tell that his full strength wasn’t back instantly, but he already felt better.

More like himself.

He turned to Lara, offering her a slight smile and a quick explanation. “They’re letting us go,” he said in Kryptonain, his voice a whisper.

He could see her visibly relax at the news.

His father also seemed understandably relieved. But, as always, he kept his carefully schooled expression in place.

“Thank you, General,” his dad said curtly, knowing the importance of keeping up the niceties.

Hardcastle took a step back, straightening  herself before adding. “Perhaps once your family is settled, we can discuss enlisting their aid as well.”

“If this arrival remains discreet, then perhaps we can,” his father replied stiffly.

Jordan wondered if he’d really follow through on that, and what his responsibilities might be now that at least two high ranking military officials knew about his existence. But all of that was secondary at the moment.

The door to the cage clicked open.

They really were getting out.

“Until next time, Generals.”

His dad offered a short goodbye before taking off in a burst of speed. Next thing Jordan knew, his father’s arm was around him and they were taking to the open skies.

It was all a blur, and his eyes struggled to readjust to the sudden brightness. There was no way to deny how good it felt, however. He could feel the sun seeping into every inch of him with overwhelming force.

It was a shock to the system after time spent locked away under the red lights. But it was also a huge relief to finally feel like himself again.

Moments later, they landed on the lawn with a small thud and Jordan stumbled back. He could feel his body pulsing with energy and he found himself blinking away a flash of red as he reoriented himself.

“Take a breath, you’ll be okay in a second,” his dad’s calming voice said, giving him the reassurance he needed.

He released a small puff of frost, revelling in the comforting tingle, before turning back towards the other two figures.

Now that they were in a familiar spot, the new reality seemed even weirder than it had before.

Lara Lor-Van was standing there.

Solid and real.

In front of the house that had become their home.

She looked shaken, and her hand had flown to her chest as she took everything in. Jordan found himself looking on as the proper reunion unfolded before him.

“Mother,” he heard his dad whisper, turning towards the surprised woman now that Jordan had stabilized.

“Kal? Is that truly you?”

His father’s eyes had grown glassy and he managed a quick nod before being pulled into a deep embrace.

It was a heart warming sight, and Jordan felt his own emotions welling at the unexpected reunion. There wasn’t much time to dwell, however.

The screen door flew open a moment later and his mother and brother dashed out onto the porch.

“Jordan!” His brother proclaimed with palpable relief at the sight of him.

“Thank god,” his mother added, rushing down the steps to pull him in for a hug of his own.

There really was no substitute for a mother’s embrace, and he was glad his father could unexpectedly experience that now too.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Your father said he heard you at the DOD base in Nevada.” His mother spoke quickly, as she often did when she was worried. Jordan did his best to offer reassurance.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said as his brother walked towards the crowd too, looking back and forth between the two sets of mothers and sons in confusion and surprise.

“I know it was reckless but I heard a crash and when I went to investigate…” he trailed off, turning back to face the new arrival who was no smiling at his father’s side. “It was grandma. She’s here. Like, actually here.”

It still didn’t seem real and he found himself blinking in her direction, as if willing the news to sink in. It probably would eventually.

But it would take more than one crazy day to fully process it.

“Holy crap, that’s really her.”

No one reprimanded Jon for his language as he gaped at the new arrival, just like Jordan had back in the cage.

Lara had pulled apart from his dad and was looking at his brother and mother now too. Jon offered a tentative wave in her direction.

“Hi Grandma. I’m, uh, I’m Jon.”

Lara looked at Jordan, brow furrowing a bit.

“The AI can use English but she doesn’t actually know it,” Jordan clarified as the realization dawned on his brother’s face.

“This is my mom and my brother,” he added in the other language.

Jon introduced himself again, this time using Kryptonian too.

It instantly brought a smile to the woman’s face.

“Come closer. Both of you,” she requested gently, “let me take a proper look.”

The twins exchanged a glance before obliging. The next thing he knew, they were standing in front of her as the yellow sun shone down on them all.

This was a moment he had never anticipated.

It was weird and wonderful and overwhelming.

And, despite everything they’d just been though, it was perfect.

“My grandsons,” she whispered, shaking he head in disbelief as she took them in. “I never thought such a day would come.”

She looked up, giving their father a watery smile before pulling both boys in for a very real hug.

Jordan melted into it. Feeling her arms around him for the first time.

Even though she’d travelled a great distance to be there, he hoped this would somehow come to feel like her home.

Home was together, after all.

And home was right here.

Chapter Text

It would definitely go down as one of the strangest evenings of Jordan’s life.

After the initial round of emotional introductions, the family had made their way into the living room where the long and proper reunion had gotten underway. It was a definite relief to be back home and away from prying eyes. But now that the immediate panic caused by their capture had faded, he faced the task of letting this new reality truly sink in.

It was so incredibly surreal to see Lara sitting on farmhouse the sofa. He was used to one version of her within the confines of the Fortress. And being locked up at the DOD with the recent arrival had somehow seemed more fitting too. But this…it was as if two worlds had literally collided and it felt like a lot to reconcile.

There was no doubt that she was still processing everything as well— as she told them with a stoic sadness, her last memories were of being with Jor-El as Krypton crumbled around them. Even though decades had technically passed, that was all very fresh for her and it would obviously take time to grieve what she had lost.

Thankfully, however, the joy of finding her son alive and well seemed to trump all else for the time being. Though that had some intense weirdness to it as well. In her mind, she had said goodbye to the newborn a mere two days earlier and now here he was, thriving on a planet far from where he’d begun. The stasis she’d been under during her journey meant that she barely looked older than Jordan’s parents, and she had no choice but to face the fact that her ‘baby boy’ was suddenly forty-three years old.

And married with a family of his own.

Overall, Jordan had to say that she was taking it all rather well. After sharing her account of her final days on Krypton she’d asked his dad countless questions about his life here. He’d shown pictures of his adoptive parents and recounted his happy childhood on the farm. Then, he’d told her about creating the first Fortress and meeting Jor-El. He’d explained his public persona, and given a very sentimental account of meeting Lois and starting a life together.

The boys piped in a bit, especially when it came to the parts about Metropolis and their last few years in Smallville. She had questions for them too, of course— many of which he’d already answered for the AI version of her. It was strange to go through it all again, and he had to remind himself a few times that he hadn’t actually told her these things before.

She’d listened with rapt attention, smiling proudly at certain parts. Even though she’d technically just met them, he was pretty sure she felt a quick connection. He did too— though it was hard to say how much of that was due to her actual presence, or to the year he’d spent getting to know the AI version.

That was probably going to be confusing for a while. And while it felt like an odd betrayal of the “other” Lara, he had to admit that there was something special about seeing her like this and being able to literally reach out in a way he’d never thought possible.

Maybe it was because he had a pretty small family and so much had been lost amongst the stars— but sitting across from his actual flesh and blood was very meaningful.

There was no doubt that his father felt the same thing even more strongly.

His dad had been glued to Lara’s side the entire evening, transfixed by her every word. Unsurprisingly, his emotions had gotten the better of him a few times during the long discussion and, while she didn’t know most of what was being said, their mom had been there to hold onto for support.

Clark and the boys had done some translating for Lois during the pauses in conversation, but it had probably been pretty hard for her to follow along. The fact that Lara could only converse in Kryptonain for now made things even weirder. Sure, Jordan had mastered it and sometimes practiced at the Fortress, but he’d never used it as much as he had that day. And he’d certainly never sat around the farmhouse speaking an alien language for hours on end.

It felt strangely out of context, just like the woman who’d still been dressed in full Kryptonian garb.

But, as that day had made clearer than ever, there really was no separation in his strange life. This was a huge part of who he was (to some, like the generals at the DOD, it was all he was…)

Maybe it was actually time to stop compartmentalizing things. And maybe having Lara there would create a more tangible link to that side of himself. Yeah, his dad had crash landed on this planet too but, culturally, Earth was his home.

It was still early, but Lara seemed to view earthly things with both confusion and fascination. She didn’t get speak a local language. She hardly knew anything about human customs.

Outside of the Fortress, that was more apparent than it had ever been before.

In short, she was even more “alien” than his elusive uncle and yet she was also his biological grandmother. (Which meant he was pretty alien too).

It was hard to think too far ahead right now, but Jordan knew they’d all help her adapt. But even then, she’d probably be his biggest reminder yet of his ties to another place.

Finally, just before midnight, he and Jon had made their way upstairs. The adults were still talking, but Jordan couldn’t deny he felt some residual tiredness from the Kryptonite explosion that had knocked him out. Plus they needed to set up an air mattress on his floor for Jon, who had graciously offered his bedroom to Lara for now.

After a bit of digging and rearranging, they got things sorted. Neither of them really minded the arrangement. Sure, it was tight, but they’d shared a room before and were surprisingly good at making it work.

There was still a lot to figure out— like where their grandmother would stay long term— but this seemed like a good enough set up for now.

After everything, it was a relief to flop down onto his bed as the comforting sound of his twin’s steady heartbeat echoed in his ears.

He heard Jon let out a similar breath of release. He wanted to sleep soon, but that seemed like an impossible feat without talking things out. Having Jon there to rehash their strange experiences always helped.

“Well, this has certainly been a day,” Jordan mused, shaking his head as he started up at the ceiling.

His brother, of course, didn’t disagree.

“You mysteriously disappearing for five hours definitely sucked,” he mused at his side, “and I totally didn’t expect it to end with you and dad coming home with Grandma,” the other teen let out a dry laugh, “just when I thought our lives couldn’t get any weirder…”

“Yeah,” Jordan agreed with a small smirk. “I guess there is no cap on weirdness around here. Sorry man.”

Jon snorted again. Thankfully, even without looking, Jordan could tell that his brother didn’t actually mind. A couple of years ago, he might have become more withdrawn and detached in situations like this. But going to the new Fortress and the emergence of his powers after their sixteenth birthday had brought Jon much further along the road to acceptance.

He didn’t make attempts to deny things anymore, and he’d been as open as possible as they’d listened to their Grandmother that night.

They’d both need some time to readjust to the new reality, but they’d both get there. Jordan had no doubt about that.

“I still can’t believe it’s actually her,” Jon mused again. “I think dad is in total shock.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Jordan agreed, remembering the wide-eyed gaze their father had displayed for most of the night, “he’s definitely thrilled, though. And obviously this is a good thing. She survived— and she’s here. With us.”

There was a brief pause before his brother replied, voice softer than before.

“I realize we sorta know a version of her already and we’ve known the truth for years…but, this kinda makes everything more real, y’know?”

Jordan did know, and he quickly affirmed those feelings. Glad, as he often was, that it wasn’t just him.

“Yeah, it makes it insanely real. Our biological grandmother just finished a forty-year journey through space and is super Kryptonian in every way,” he agreed, “she’ll probably get powers soon too. That’ll be strange.”

There hadn’t been much time to discuss that, but it had been clear that she hadn’t experienced an immediate burst of power that day.

She’d asked them about their abilities, and had talked about how such things had only been theorized back on Krypton. It had been a good reminder that the traits most associated with their people on Earth hadn’t been a reality for most of their history.

Their dad had said that they’d check things out at the Fortress once she adjusted a bit. It had taken him six years to gain powers under the yellow sun, and the boys hadn’t developed theirs until their teens. It was hard to say how long it would take a fully grown adult Kryptonian. Lara admitted to feeling a strange tingle during her first exposure to the sun, and Jordan suspected it wouldn’t be that long.

They’d soon have someone else like them in their midst and they’d be able to help her adjust, just like they had.

“We can help her though it, no matter how quickly it comes on,” Jon said, letting out a long breath. He was clearly thinking along the same lines, and perhaps recalling how rapidly his own abilities had manifested. Within six months, he’d acquired everything but hearing and sight. Strangely, flight had been his first (which had proven to be quite the adventure).

Jordan nodded in agreement but before he could reply an unexpected yawn escaped his lips.

It was unusual for him to actually feel tired nowadays, and he didn’t generally sleep more than three hours or so. But he suspected the events of the day had taken it out of him.

“Weird,” he muttered, stretching out on the bed. A moment later, he yawned again.

His brother snorted from his spot on the air mattress.

“Stop fighting it and just sleep,” the other teen urged with a hint of amusement.

“I’m probably still feeling the Kryptonite and solar lamps a bit,” Jordan admitted, frowning as thoughts of the DOD came back to mind. With everything else going on, his capture seemed pretty secondary.

It had been scary, though.  And there might still be some fallout even though they hadn’t exactly figured out who he was. That would have to wait for another day, however.

For now, Jon was right. He just had to give in and sleep.

“Sure you don’t want the real bed? We can swap if you want?” he offered sleepily, feeling as if it was the right thing to do. Jon quickly declined, just like he had earlier.

“Nah man, you need it more than I do after today,” there was a short pause before he added, “besides, it’s not like either of us spends much time on the actual mattress nowadays. This will be a decent enough landing pad when I wake up. It’s probably good to have something with less bounce, actually.”

Jordan gave a snort of amusement as he pulled his blankets up around him.

Sleep floating had become a weird reality for both of them in recent months. Their dad said they’d outgrow it, just like he had. But, for now, they spent most of their nights three feet above their beds rather than in them.

It was weird, but it was also out of their control.

“Good point.”

Jordan wished his brother goodnight before finally drifting off for some much needed rest.

He had little doubt that tomorrow would be another day of strange readjustment but he also knew that he was more than willing to face it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Clark led his mother up the stairs, quietly pointing out the room where Lois had laid out some clean pyjamas before heading off to bed a little while earlier.

He was pretty sure he wouldn’t sleep that night— he never needed much anyway, and his body felt like it was still pulsing from the emotion and shock of this unusual day— but he could tell that his mother was growing tired. Neither one of them had really wanted to stop the reunion for the night, but it was probably for the best.

She’d had an unbelievably harrowing experience and there was no doubt that she needed time to unwind and adjust.

Perhaps a few hours of quiet contemplation would help him process things too.

When he’d finally heard Jordan’s heartbeat inside the DOD prison, he’d done his best to brace himself for what lay ahead. He’d been worried sick about his son, and he’d had no idea what had happened to him during the hours he’d been gone.

There was probably nothing that could have prepared him for what he’d found, however.

The mixture of fear and shock and joy had nearly been too much to handle and he wasn’t entirely sure how he’d kept his usual composure around Thompson and Hardcastle. Seeing his son trapped in a solar cage would have been enough on its own— but catching sight of his very real and very alive mother at his side was almost inconceivably overwhelming.

Yet, somehow, he’d gotten through.

And now the woman who he’d thought he’d lost forty three years ago was suddenly part of his life.

She was no longer just a ghostly figure confined to the perimeters of the Fortress— she was in his house, living and breathing and able to hold him close.

Clark knew that he’d have to sort through some of the complicated feelings her sudden arrival brought up but (was he somehow betraying the beloved mother who had raised him by opening his heart so quickly? Was it selfish to want her to quickly adapt to this planet and take on a motherly role?)— for now, however, he simply wanted to be happy.

He was pretty sure that Lara was happy too.

Her warm smiles and the way she looked at him and the boys felt like the strongest indication of that.

“You can use Jonathan’s room for now,” he whispered as they reached the darkened landing, gesturing towards the door on the end. “Lois set it up for you, and the boys have settled into Jordan’s room for the night.”

Lara nodded gratefully. “I hope my unexpected appearance will not cause too much of an imposition.”

“No, of course not,” Clark replied quickly, unable to stop himself from giving her arm a reassuring squeeze.

He wondered how long it would be before he fully accepted that she was real. That night, he’d found himself reaching in her direction often— as if he was afraid she might fade from his grasp after all.

He knew it was foolish, but it couldn’t be helped. Not after a lifetime of feeling her loss.

“We’re thrilled that you’re here.”

Lara smiled graciously again. “You’ve built a beautiful life for yourself, Kal,” she replied with another warm smile. “Lois is a wonderful woman, and your boys are truly a marvel. I could not be prouder to see Krypton endure in them.”

Clark felt a familiar swell of pride too as he thought of his sons. Of course he felt the same, and he was so impressed with how they’d handled all of the surprises that night.

“I’ve made my mistakes,” he confessed softly, “but they’re growing into extraordinary young men.”

“They most certainly are.”

His mother nodded, eyes flickering towards the door nearest to them. They could both hear the soft breaths from the other side.

Even though it was something he’d generally stopped doing many years ago, Clark suddenly felt compelled to open the door a crack and check in. Despite everything else, the fear brought on by Jordan’s disappearance was still fresh. He wanted to see them both safe and sound, and he had a feeling his mother was eager for one more glimpse of the boys she’d quickly developed an affection for.

After exchanging a glance he carefully turned the knob and inched the door open.

Lara took a quiet step forward and they both peered in.

There was an undeniable comfort that came from seeing them sleeping peacefully— and he wasn’t surprised to see them both bobbing a few feet above their beds with their blankets hanging down. The sleep hovering had become a regular occurrence in recent months and Clark had undergone a similar phase at their age. For virtually anyone else, it would have been a truly bizarre sight but the father smiled contently, revelling in the knowledge that they were safe and sound.

After a few more moments, he pulled the door shut once more, then turned to see the contemplative look that had crossed Lara’s face.

He wondered if he should have braced her for the involuntary display of powers. It had only been one night, but he did find himself forgetting that this was something his mother was not yet used to.

While he knew there was more to it,  his Kryptonianess had always been tied to his powers and he needed to consciously remind himself that, despite being very Kryptonian, Lara’s experience was not the same.

“This is normal?” she asked, perhaps registering his own lack of surprise at the sight of his floating sons.

Like her AI version, he’d noticed that his mother was someone who often got right to the point.

“For our kind, yes,” he replied just as plainly. “I experienced the same in my teenage years.”

Lara nodded, eyes fixed on an unidentifiable spot in the distance as she seemingly took that in.

“Their lives are quite different, aren’t they?” she mused, part question and part statement, “as is yours.”

They’d delved into a lot that night, and he’d detailed his powers and public work as Superman. But it was definitely going to take more time for her to grasp the scale of things.

“Yes, but I’ve adapted. And I’m helping them adapt now too.”

He swallowed, trying not to let the guilt he sometimes felt about all of that take hold.

He knew the boys didn’t resent him (miraculously) and he was truly trying to embrace their growing optimism when it came to these things.

“You must adapt and hide here,” she mused again, voice softer than before, “I am glad you have found a way, Kal, but I must admit that I’d hoped your path would be easier. And that you’d be able to live more openly.”

Part of him had often wished for that too, but he’d long known the reality he faced.

It was far newer to her than it was to him.

“Those humans at that facility today,” she continued with a small frown, “they were wary of us. And they were willing to confine a child.”

Clark felt a ripple of anger and discomfort at that thought. He’d had to fight to quell his rage at the DOD but he knew the importance of maintaining trust, no matter how difficult it might be. It seemed more important than ever now that their family had suddenly grown.

“Alien life is still new to them, and they often react with fear,” he admitted with a soft sigh, “it is trying at times but, as Superman, I work hard to build trust. I hope, one day, things might become a little easier. I try to hold onto that hope.”

He glanced at the bedroom door again, thinking about the boys and the future they faced. He tried not to dwell on it, but he had a sneaking suspicion they’d want to help in the same ways he did one day.

They were becoming more like him by the day and there was no doubt that the world would see their differences above all else.

That made it all the more important to prove himself. He wasn’t just carving out a place for himself— he was paving the way for them too.

He saw his mother look towards him for a long moment before taking a step and reaching up to cup his cheek with her hand.

“I see so much of your father’s optimism in you Kal,” she said with an emotional quiver in her voice.

Clark swallowed thickly, thinking of the man he had now lost twice. And of another man whose optimism had shaped who he was today too.

“It saddens me that we can never go home and live as we were meant to under Krypton’s sun,” Lara added, that place still a recent memory for her in a way it never could be for him. “You and the boys would have had nothing to hide there.”

“I wish we could have seen it, mother,” he replied honestly, “but this is home.”

He smiled sadly, looking around the place that filled his earliest memories, and the place he’d always feel like he belonged.

“You’ll find a home here too, I promise,” he added, hoping those words were true.

He’d found a way, but this was all he’d really known. He knew it had been far harder for Tal who had come later in his childhood. How would it be for her? Even more difficult, he assumed.

She knew very little about this planet, she didn’t speak the language, she’d soon be coping with powers of her own and a body that changed away from its natural home.

But, with her family there, he was still pretty sure that she could make it work too.

Lara nodded, offering one last warm smile before letting her hand fall down to her side.

He couldn’t resist pulling her in for a tight hug before they said their final goodnights and he found himself wiping a stray tear as he turned and walked towards his own bedroom.

There was so much swirling inside of him— joy, uncertainty, shock, disbelief, relief, guilt, worry…the list went on, and he knew it would be a whole before things resettled within.

Mostly, though, he felt like a lost boy who had found his mother. The emotion and vulnerability that came with that was a lot, and he found himself grateful to crawl under the covers as a small reprieve.

Perhaps he did need to rest after all.

Even though he’d been fast and quiet, Lois stirred as he settled in at her side. He felt bad for waking her, but he was secretly glad when she reached out and wrapped her arms around him with a soothing hum of affection.

“You okay, babe?” she whispered, nuzzling into his chest as she often did.

She fit perfectly, and Clark found himself relaxing against her. Grateful, as always, for the amazing woman he had at his side through thick and thin.

“Yeah. Today has been a lot,” he admitted, giving the top of her head a brief kiss.

It certainly had been.

And tomorrow undoubtedly would be too.

There was still so much more to figure out, and so much more to say. Plus he was determined to track down his elusive brother and share the news, which would inevitably lead to another emotional reunion.

“This is going to take time,” he added quietly. “I still can’t really believe it.”

Lois nodded sleepily into his chest while he absently stroked her hair. As overwhelmed as he still felt, this quiet moment with the woman he loved m was exactly what he needed to ready himself for whatever came next.

“We’ll figure everything out as a family,” she said, somehow full of the conviction he’d always admired (despite her current fatigue).

“Yeah,” he found himself agreeing as his eyes slid shut, apparently more ready than he’d thought for a bit of rest, “as a family.”

There was nothing better than that.

Chapter Text

Jordan made his way downstairs a little later than usual. Miraculously, he’d managed to sleep past sunrise for the first time in over a year. He’d clearly needed the rest after yesterday’s ordeal and he’d even allowed himself to stretch out lazily in the beams of light that had trickled on to his bed for a few minutes before finally getting up.

The sun had soothed him, as it always did, and he felt more-or-less back to normal by the time he walked into the kitchen just past seven.

He wasn’t too surprised to see that his mom was already up, a cup of coffee in hand. It was weirder to see that his grandmother was there too (it hadn’t been a dream after all). Lara was sitting at the table with a plate of untouched pancakes in front of her.

Jordan blinked a few times as he took it all in and reminded himself that this was the new normal.

In grey pants and a sweater that were clearly on loan from his mom, Lara did look a little less out of place than she had in the Kryptonian attire she’d arrived in. Though her stiff posture brought an air of discomfort to the scene and he could tell that she was feeling some degree of hesitancy.

His mom, meanwhile, looked towards him with a relieved smile. Next thing he knew, she was at his side, affectionately brushing his hair out of his eyes and pulling him in for a tight morning hug.

“Hey mom,” he greeted, trying to keep his annoyance at bay as he hastily readjusted his hair and hoodie. She didn’t usually rush over for a hug like that but, after his capture yesterday, she seemed more relieved than usual to see him there.

He tried not to let his teenage pride get in the way.

“Jordan, I’m glad you’re awake,” his mother replied, eyes flickering to the table where Lara was still sitting quietly. “Your dad had to run to help with some flooding in Asia, and then he’s going to try to track down Tal,” Jordan nodded and she continued, “I whipped up a few pancakes but, uh, I’m not entirely sure if she likes them. She hasn’t touched them yet. Can you ask her if everything is okay?”

“Oh, yeah. Sure,” for some reason, Jordan felt a slight discomfort at the reminder that his mom and grandmother couldn’t actually communicate themselves at this point.

He obviously didn’t mind translating, but it was odd to realize that he was one of the very few people on the planet who could. And that his very human mother wasn’t really able to talk to her.

It seemed to highlight his status as someone perpetually stuck in between.

But he gave his mom a brief smile before clearing his throat and easily (too easily?) switching to a language his grandmother could understand.

“Good morning grandma,” he greeted first, instantly eliciting a relieved smile at his use of the familiar words, “my mom is wondering if the pancakes are okay,” he paused, “we can probably find you something else to eat if you don’t like them.”

Lara looked down at the untouched plate before looking back up at him.

“Pan-cake,” she said, experimenting with the English word she’d clearly never heard before that morning.

He realized that he had no idea what people had eaten back on Krypton. Whatever it was, it obviously hadn’t included this.

“Yeah, uh, they’re pretty good,” he offered somewhat awkwardly.

“And I am meant to drink this brown liquid with it?”

Jordan was confused for a moment before he realized that she was referring to the jug of maple syrup his mom had placed on the table too.

Weird as it was to explain something so simple to an adult (who also happened to be a prominent Kryptonian scientist), Jordan did his best to keep a straight face.

“No, that’s not for drinking, you’re just supposed to drizzle a bit on top of the pancakes. Then eat it with a fork,” he surveyed the table before adding. “You can drink the orange juice, though. And there’s lots of coffee if you want some of that.”

“Coff-ee?” she said the word in the same broken way she’d just said pancake. Apparently, coffee wasn’t a thing on Krypton either.

“Does she want coffee?” his mother piped in, already reaching for a mug in the cupboard. She’d understood that word, and was trying to be as helpful as she could.

Jordan shrugged.

“I don’t think she’s ever heard of it before,” he replied in English.

After a few more exchanges, Lara gave his mother a small smile and decided to accept the drink. Then she watched Jordan carefully as he prepped his own plate of pancakes, drizzled some syrup, and took a bite.

It was all kinda strange, and certainly not the type of day-to-day moment he’d ever had with the AI version of his grandmother. In the Fortress, she was confidently on her own turf. He’d never pictured her in a situation like this or thought about how she’d be.

Apparently, even during something as simple as breakfast, she was going to need time to orient herself. She was out in the world now, and it was a world she knew almost nothing about.

“Ah yes, that is quite pleasant,” his grandmother noted, eyeing the maple syrup bottle after swallowing her first bite. “Though I must admit, I have surprisingly not awoken with any hunger this morning.”

Jordan could see that his mom was listening and, while he probably should have translated again, he found that he didn’t really want to in this case. Everything was already weird and (while he knew she fully accepted her family’s oddities) he wasn’t really in the mood to highlight them. Sometimes he felt uncomfortable reminding his mother of the ways he was less and less like her.

Instead, he just offered Lara an explanation in Kryptonian.

“Yeah, dad says we get most of what we need from the sun,” he explained, briefly noting his own lack of hunger in that moment. He knew that most teenage boys were supposed to be ravenous, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually needed food. He didn’t love dwelling on that. “We don’t have to eat much. But it’s good to blend in and keep up the routines.”

He took another unnecessary bite as Lara nodded from across the table.

“There is much to adjust to on this planet,” she noted before taking a second bite of her own.

Jordan informed his mom that Lara liked the food but, before he could say anything else, there was a blur of speed and a breeze that the ruffled the papers on the counter.

Apparently, Jon had decided to make a quick entrance now that he was done in the shower.

“Jonathan, you know the house rules,” their mom reminded him with a hint of exasperation.

Lara, meanwhile, had turned towards his brother with a wide-eyed stare. She was clearly taken aback, and it occurred to Jordan that she hadn’t really seen a display of speed before.

He was still getting used to the fact that she seemed very Kryptonian yet found the powers a strange novelty. Unlike the AI who had been designed as a calm source of knowledge for them, this version was still getting a sense of the unique things her family faced.

Jon shot their mom his winning grin then fixed himself a plate of pancakes too. He didn’t seem to notice Lara’s surprise until he settled down into his chair.

“Is that how you are most accustomed to moving?” their grandmother questioned in that same evaluative tone.

Jon blinked, finally realizing that Lara had become transfixed by the brief display.

“Oh, uh, not really,” he answered after taking a swig of his juice, “it’s just nice to go faster sometimes. It feels good. But we obviously can’t do that outside of the farm— we have to blend in and be normal. Or as normal as possible, I guess.”

His brother was noticeably a bit uncomfortable as he spoke and Jordan offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. Jon really had come a long way in the past year and he wanted him to know that he definitely wasn’t alone. He totally got the struggle between what felt natural, and what they had to do to keep the secret.

Lara seemed to consider things for a moment, her eyes bouncing back and forth between them.

“It seems as if this sun has had more of an impact on our biology than I theorized,” she noted. There was a hint of sympathy in her voice, as if she felt like this was somehow her fault.

Jordan shifted in his seat. He didn’t want to be pitied, and he certainly didn’t blame her in any way.

He was glad she’d sent their dad here, of course. They wouldn’t exist if she hadn’t, and he couldn’t imagine things any other way.

Apparently, however, she could.

“As I expressed to your father last night,” she continued with a sadness in her gaze, “you would not have faced such developments in our rightful home and I am certain that would have made your lives far easier.”

The boys exchanged an uncomfortable glance and Jordan was pretty sure they were thinking along the same lines. It was super weird to hear her refer to a place other than Earth as their “rightful” home— while he knew his cells would have functioned more ‘normally’ there, he also couldn’t wrap his head around spending his life anywhere else.

He looked up at his mother for a second. She was watching curiously— unable to understand. The unsettling flutter he felt was undeniable.

“Well, we’re from Earth, and being a bit different isn’t so bad. We’re used to it,” he said as confidently as he could, “besides,” he added as an afterthought, “we’d have still been half-alien on Krypton. It’s kinda impossible for us to totally belong anywhere.”

It wasn’t a comforting thought exactly. But strangely, it did help. Knowing that he wouldn’t been normal there either made him yearn for it less.

And there really was no point in yearning for a place that no longer existed.

He couldn’t exactly read Lara’s expression and she didn’t give a clear response. Instead, she suddenly reached out and squeezed each of their hands in turn.

He was willing to bet that she still saw things quite differently.

The ‘home’ that he found exotic and hard to conceptualize was a very recent reality for her. It was no surprise that she could easily envision them there, he supposed. No matter how weird it was to him.

“Alright guys, it’s almost time to finish up. The bus will be here soon.”

His mother’s voice snapped him away from the other conversation and he turned again.

Yeah, it was Monday. But frankly, he was a little surprised that they were still being shipped off to school on the wake of all this.

He’d kind of assumed they’d be spending the day at home as a family. Apparently, Jon had too.

“Wait, really?” his brother asked, barely suppressing a groan. “We have to go today? But Grandma is still settling in.”

Their mom took a sip of coffee before setting them each with a pointed look.

“Guys, you’ve already missed way too much school this term,” she pointed out. That was definitely true, thanks to the random power-related ‘sick days’ they’d both had to take for various reasons.

Jordan had already missed four days earlier that month because of a surge of strength.  And Jon had missed an entire week a little while before that because of his uncontrollable onset of speed.

He hated to admit it, but but his mom had a point.

“Urgh, fine,” he said, already dreading the torturous round of double algebra that lay ahead. It was mind numbingly easy, and it always seemed to stretch on forever.

He noticed Lara’s perplexed brow and he quickly filled her in.

“We have to go to school soon,” he translated with a small sigh.

“Ah,” she replied, now understanding the exchange she’d just witnessed. She paused, eyes lighting up with a glimmer of excitement before she added, “are you both enrolled in the local science academy? I assume you have both secured places of honour in your advanced studies. That has long been a proud tradition in the house of El.”

The twins both shifted in their seats and Jon let out an awkward cough.

“We, uh, that’s not really a thing here,” his brother admitted with a shrug.

Neither one loved seeing how quickly her face fell.

“We just have general schools. Like, with all the subjects. Nothing too advanced,” Jordan explained.

“Surely you must find the lack of academic challenge demoralizing,” Lara remarked with a shake of her head, as if she could not quite believe that her grandsons spent their days at such a mundane place.

Once again, this did not seem to be what she was accustomed to.

The truth was, school had become far too easy for both of them. A science academy did actually sound like way more fun. But that definitely wasn’t an option in Smallville.

“Yeah, it’s not a challenge and we get pretty bored. But,” he hesitated before adding another admission, “it’s mostly about the whole blending in thing, I guess. We have to go, and we try to pretend that it’s hard sometimes.”

Lara pressed her lips together and let out a soft hum. It was hard to know exactly what she was thinking, but there seemed to be an undercurrent of disappointment and disapproval.

Jordan did his best not to dwell on that as he took a few more bites of breakfast.

Jon changed the topic to the weather and they made a bit more small talk before the boys dashed upstairs to gather their school stuff.

Maybe a boring day wouldn’t be the worst thing ever. They could keep settling in (and navigating the weirdness) when they got home. It wasn’t like Lara was going anywhere, after all.

Her options were going to be pretty limited until she could figure out Earth communication and transport. Jordan had a feeling she’d be staying on the farm for a long while.

Before he knew it, he was on the bus and starting his strangely normal day. It was such a stark contrast to everything that had just happened— he was pretty sure no one else at Smallville High had found their alien grandmother and been briefly captured by the government that weekend. Sometimes, he felt like an actor walking amongst his peers, pretending that he was just like them. Those feelings were very strong that day.

At lunch, he and Jon filled Nat and Sarah in. As always, it was nice to have trusted people to confide in when life got weird (as it often did). The girls had lots of questions about the new arrival and they were both keen to meet her whenever she was ready for visitors.

As predicted, double algebra definitely dragged, but he managed to use that time to get that week’s homework assignments done. By the time they were heading back home, he felt good about the fact that his evening was free. He wasn’t quite sure what awaited them next, but he didn’t want to be holed up in his room if he could help out in any way.

He and Jon walked through the front door a little after three-thirty and he quickly latched onto the sound of multiple voices in the den.  After swapping a glance and hastily dropping their stuff, the twins rounded the corner.

Even though he usually laid low and didn’t often come to town (for obvious reasons), it wasn’t a surprise to see that their Uncle had arrived at some point during the day.

He was sitting on a chair near their dad and grandmother and his eyes flashed with delight when he caught sight of them. He offered them his usual jovial greeting, and Jordan could sense an air of child-like excitement from the former billionaire.

He still didn’t know his uncle that well (he’d spent nearly a year in an alternate universe, and now only saw them occasionally within the confines of the Fortress)— but he often found that a surprisingly youthful enthusiasm could burst out of him. It wasn’t what one might expect of a former businessman turned super villain turned ally, but it was there nonetheless.

Perhaps his tragically stunted childhood had made these things emerge later in life.

“Nephews!” he exclaimed happily, jumping up from his seat and gesturing them into the room. “It is high time you joined us!”

Their dad smiled too as he surveyed the suddenly crowded room— and their Grandmother looked similarly pleased to see them back home.

It was certainly a scene he couldn’t have fathomed a few short days ago, and yet here they were.

Tal gave them each jovial pats on the back as he gestured towards the two remaining chairs.

Jordan made his way towards one of them. He could definitely sense that the reunion had been going well, and it truly was nice to see his three family members so happily together.

They were an unusual family, but a family nonetheless.

Both his dad and Uncle kept glancing back towards their mother, as if they both thought this was too good to be true. Lara, meanwhile, had that familiar proud smile as she sat surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

It was weird to think that what remained of a once thriving planet was now within these four walls.

And even weirder to think that he was so firmly tied to it. Now more than ever before.

There was no doubt that another evening of speaking Kryptonain and discussing their unique situation lay ahead.

“How was school guys?” their dad asked as they both settled in.

“Same old,” Jon answered with a shrug.

“Nothing special,” Jordan added.

Their Uncle let out a snort of amusement as he perched himself back in his spot. After exchanging a look with Lara, he shook his head with a slightly dramatic flair.

“I don’t see why you make your sons fritter away their time at that ghastly human institution, Kal,” he noted, eliciting a predictable frown from their dad. “Their days would be far better spent acquiring the knowledge of their own people.”

“We’re not discussing this again, Tal,” their dad replied tersely. Jordan hadn’t been aware of it but, apparently, it was a conversation they’d had before.

For his part, Tal seemed to ignore the comment. He turned back to Lara instead.

“I offered to oversee their education at the Fortress, mother, but my dear brother is too set in his midwestern ways to hear sense,” he said, pride and annoyance both filtering in.

“Tal, that conversation is over,” their dad reiterated in a way that sounded more like his business-like Superman tone. “Lois and I will decide how the boys are educated.”

The other man finally seemed to relent, but Jordan didn’t miss the fact that Lara reached out to give Tal’s hand a gentle pat.

“You need to respect Kal and Lois’ decision,” she said, sounding very much like a mother mediating between her two sons, “but that was a very kind offer, darling.”

Pleased, Tal gave a vindicated nod.

Apparently, she approved of his efforts.

It was all a bit weird, and Jordan suddenly wondered if his Uncle and Grandmother were more on the same wavelength than the rest of them.

It hadn’t really occurred to him at first (probably because of his uncle’s dubious past)— but it actually made sense.  They were the only two that remembered Krypton, and it seemed to mean that they shared a shared longing for that place…and a belief that it was preferable to where they currently were.

Jordan shifted in his seat, unsettled by the thought.

He knew where Tal stood, of course. He even understood the reasoning behind it (his arrival here hadn’t exactly been warm or pleasant— he was probably never going to love Earth or it’s inhabitants). But he wanted to think that his grandmother could still grow to like her new home.

She needed time to mourn, and their brief capture hadn’t been an ideal start— but there could still be silver linings, right?

“It’s really nice outside today!”

The words burst out of him before he could really think it through and he flushed a bit as four sets of eyes turned to him with a bit of surprise.

His dad and brother could probably sense his forced tone. And his uncle and grandmother probably found it an odd change of topic.

But Jordan cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders, pressing ahead.

“I mean,” he started again at a more standard volume, “it’s really sunny today and it feels great,” he looked around the small room, “maybe we can head outside together and enjoy it for a bit?”

It did feel like a shame to be cooped up in there with the curtains drawn. As always, he yearned for the soothing rays beyond these walls.

Plus he was pretty sure that Lara hadn’t actually ventured out since their brief trek from the DOD to the farm yesterday.

Perhaps it was silly, but maybe feeling the wonderful light of the yellow sun would help her understand that it could actually be great.

So far, she seemed to see it as a burden and a curse.

But Jordan felt very differently about it.

He wasn’t sure if Jon was fully following his motivations, or just wanted some refreshment too, but it was nice to hear him second the motion.

“Yeah, it’s a pretty awesome day,” his brother agreed, “we could hang out on the porch. Or maybe go for a walk out back before dinner.”

“I’ve been wanting to show you around the farm a bit more, mother,” their father chimed in, nodding happily.

Tal looked less enthused about a farm tour but, with a soft sigh, he pulled a pair of glasses out of his pocket and slipped them on. A clear indication that he was willing to adopt the family disguise and venture outside (there was little chance of anyone spotting the former businessman on the property but, after everything, it was better safe than sorry).

Jordan hopped up, watching with slight amusement as both his father and uncle extended their hands in unison to help their mother up.

Lara chucked softly, looking back and forth between her sons with obvious affection.

“Such gentlemen,” she said, full of pride and amusement, before reaching out to take both of their offers of help at once. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see the men my boys have become.”

“Thank you, mother,” Tal remarked as he helped her to her feet.

“We’re just grateful that you’re here with us now,” their dad added.

The older set of brothers were both beaming, their smiles making the family resemblance even clearer than it usually was.

The happiness and lingering disbelief was still palpable as they all made their way towards the back door.

The late afternoon sun, it seemed, was as strong and wonderful as ever.

Jordan felt it sinking into him the moment he emerged onto the steps and he allowed himself a few seconds to simply bask in it before turning back towards the others.

There was a definite contentment that came from stepping into the light, and he was pretty sure he could sense it from everyone.

What he’d once believed was normal was actually a unique experience only they could share.

Today, he was most fixated on Lara’s reaction.

He watched her closely, noting how she looked down at her outstretched hands before angling he head towards the clear sky, letting the sun hit her cheeks.

After a pause, she let out a long breath.

He was pretty sure she was feeling the soothing and empowering quality of the light. Even if her abilities hadn’t yet had time to set in.

Jordan couldn’t resist the desire to pipe in.

“Days like this are the best,” he remarked wistfully as he took a few backwards steps, facing his family.  “I love when there are no clouds to get in the way.”

“Makes flying a bit riskier,” Jon noted with a quiet snort, “but yeah, it’s pretty epic.”

His dad reached out, clapping him on the shoulder, a wide smile on his face too.

“There is nothing quite like it,” he agreed, eyes flickering between his two teenagers.

Even Tal nodded, though he didn’t offer an immediate statement of his approval.

“You feel it too, right grandma?”

Jordan couldn’t stop himself from asking. He felt strangely nervous as he waited for her answer— as if so much hinged on this.

It probably didn’t. And he knew that.

But still, he wanted to know that she was experiencing something positive from this planet too.

“It is indeed remarkable,” she noted, lowering her hands to her sides. She didn’t gush with enthusiasm (that didn’t really seem to be her thing, in any form)— but it was a definite affirmation.

Jordan felt his hopes build.

“You experience this sensation daily?” she asked, addressing the question to all four of them.

“For quite some time now, yes,” Tal answered first.

“Ever since I arrived in these fields,” their dad added.

“It’s all we know,” Jon said next, exchanging a look with Jordan, “we just didn’t know it wasn’t normal until kinda recently.”

It had been a slow realization, and one they’d discussed at length during the past year. Looking back, Jordan realized that he couldn’t remember anything else. Even before the powers. And talks with Sarah, Nat and their mother had confirmed that the ‘energizing tingle’ wasn’t really a thing for non-Kryptonians.

His alien DNA had been a fundamental part of him his entire life— it had been something that shaped and defined his experiences— he just hadn’t realized it.

It would define Lara’s experiences here too. But it definitely wasn’t all bad.

And it didn’t even feel that isolating when he was surrounded by his unique family.

“Let’s enjoy it,” he said, still riding the wave of optimism that had been bubbling up inside. “Dad, could we show grandma the creek? And the chicken coop we’ve been working on?”

His dad gave another warm smile.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Jordan turned and began leading the way, satisfied to hear the footsteps crunching behind him as he set off down the path between two of the fields.

His brother zipped in front of him with a playful blast of speed, which Jordan quickly matched. A short back and forth race broke out and their dad reprimanded them half-heartedly (he was obviously secretly amused by the antics). Tal remarked that he should let them stretch their legs ‘properly’ and Lara affectionately noted that they’d cleared honed their powers quite admirably.

Perhaps the legacy of Krypton on Earth was a bit different than what she’d envisioned from afar, but Jordan had a feeling her contentment would grow over time.

She smiled at her sons and grandsons.

They smiled back.

The yellow sun shone down on them all.

And in that moment, it felt as if the worlds had collided in the best possible way.