Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He's dying, he can feel it. He can feel the kryptonite-lined walls sucking out the life from his soul.

He's curled up in a ball. He wants out, he wants them to let them out. He’ll be good! He can be good! He won't yell, or cry anymore, he won't try and talk to Superman ever again.

He’ll listen to orders, he will be good.

Just let him out!

He's crying now Hiccups and sobs fill the room they locked left him in.he wants out but he's slammed and smacked at the door for hours and no one came to get him, No one let him out.

It hurts.

He's hungry he hasn't eaten in a while, a really really long while since he ate last. His lips are dry and cracked, his wrist feels broken. It was his own fault he got in the way, he deserves this punishment.

People say Superman is the nicest, kindest man in the world, and that he would do anything to help someone to save someone.

He heard stories of how Superman flew across the universe to save a little girl he didn't even know, he heard about how he held up the sky for a day so alas could walk his daughter down the isle.

If Superman liked everyone if he was kind to everyone then there must have been something wrong with him, something so wrong that the kindest man in the world hated him enough to lock him in here, to….

It was all his fault he keeps making mistakes he tries so hard to be good but he keeps messing it all up.

He's so tired he just closes his eyes and slips away and slips into a darkness, a permanent darkness.

~*~

It's quiet here. So so quiet, that it feels like he's flying, he loves flying. He wished he would get a chance to fly again.

oh child

Its soft soft voice sounds so kind so safe, he feels safe.

sweet sweet child.

It's warm. It's soft and suddenly the darkness is bright and beautiful.

im so sorry.

Sorry? Why? Why would they be sorry? They didn't do anything.

Your life was so short you so painful.

It was short, wasn't it?

im sorry, you didn't deserve this. no one does.

It was my fault. He says.

it wasnt.

It doesn't matter now, it's over.

it doesn't have to be…

What?

You will get to fly again. I promise.

~*~

The warmth is gone, it's been replaced by a thick coolness, There is something down his throat he can't bite down either every time he opens his eyes its purple and blurry There are murmuring voices too, it reminds him of something from so long ago.

There is a thick sort of slime, it's cold and thick. It's a comfort really his life has always been cold.

It's strange though he could have sworn he was dead and that the kryptonite had killed him.

He thought it was over.

Why would they save him though? Supposedly the Justice League did not kill people, but Superman made it clear he wasn't anything but a cheap copy of the original.

~*~

The cold slime is gone there's still a tube down his throat and a tube going into his skin, IVs if he remembers right. He can hear the voices better now, they're talking about him, they're saying he's too small, he isn't what they wanted. Well, that isn't new, is it?

He can see them f he opens his eyes he can see them in their white coats and tablets, their judging looks.

He can see Lex, he comes around sometimes, and he asks questions like why he isn't growing faster or if he has all of Superman's powers.

He remembers Lex, he remembers what the justice league always said about him, how he was a horrible person, a narcissistic asshole who didn't care about anyone or anything.

yet he offered him a place to stay, he offered him a name, and he offered to be a father. That is more than the Justice League gave him, it's more than Superman ever offered him too.

Lex is here now staring at him, a scrutinizing look that he knows so well, he has too enough people who have used it on him.

“Why is it so… small,” Lex is still staring at him. “It can't kill Superman looking like it's about to start Pre-K.”

“We can only force grow it so quickly, sir.” the scientist standing behind Lex admits.

“How long until it superman sized?” Lex asked tapping at the glass repeatedly, It made an awful sound rattle in his ears.

“Uhh right now it's about the same as a six-year-old human.” the scientist says. “It took six months to get it to that point.”

“You can't cook it any faster?” Lex asks finally looking away from him.

“No sir, this one is the only one to make it this far, Every time we force-grew the other clones any faster they destabilized.”

“Masters certainly never mentioned this when he gave me the research,” Lex said sounding unimpressed.

The scientist grimaces, “Mr. Master's research, while very impressive and helpful was not made for cloning Kryptonian DNA, and all of his clones destabilized as soon as they left their pods.”

Destabilization. He knows that word generously, Lex had threatened him with it before.

“Well what's the earliest we can let Project KR out and have it take a go at Superman,” Lex asks he sounds so amused it sends a pit to his stomach.

“Ten months as long as nothing happens. We’ve been trying to slowly feed information but it seems to have trouble taking it.” the scientist says.

“Well no one said it had to be smart,” Lex says before he turns and walks away.

~*~

He's out of the pod now.

The banging is loud. He finally pried the tube out of his mouth. His jaw hurts, his arms are covered in IV needles and it hurts to move them but the banging, he can't see through the door. Lead. But he knows, he knows who this is, its him.

Superman. Superman's come to kill him to- to-

He runs.

He hides. He tries not to trip on the IV lines and slip on the floor from the slimy goop drying on his feet and everywhere else. He squeezed himself between some equipment and the wall, he doesn't remember being able to squeeze into such tight spaces before.

He knows it's pointless Superman will find him, he’ll drag him out of his hiding spot and hurt him, he's done it before.

There's a loud noise like metal bending and stretching apart, it's so loud and it makes his ears and head hurt his ears ring.

There's a loud BOOM before he hears footsteps.

“What is this?” a voice, a distinct voice he knows, Superman.

“More cloning operations I assume.” That's Batman. “They may have found a way to stabilize the clones.”

“You mean they- they wanted to kill me- with... Me?” Superman asks if he sounds scared, Superman scared? If he wasn't so terrified he would burst into laughter.

“Why is it empty?” superman asks after a moment of silence.

It gets quiet.

really really quiet.

There's a shadow looming over him.

He's here

Chapter Text

Clark wasn't expecting to raid Cadmus today; he definitely didn't expect to find… this.

“What is this place..?” Clark asks, This place looks like something out of a horror movie.

There are multiple… pods? Lined in rows each with a more horrifying deformed… thing in them. It looked like whatever they were human or at least human-like, most of the pods looked like a stew of foggy water and organs, it isn't a nice thing to look at.

“Seems like a cloning operation,” Bruce says as he walks through the pods Clark follows him even though he really, really doesn't want to walk through the rows and rows of pods filled with organs and deformed beings, but he also definitely doesn't want to be alone in the room of scary pods, he might be a superhero but he knew horror movie rules.

“What exactly were they cloning?” Clark asks, his eye catches a pod filled with a particularly gruesome sight. “Or trying to clone?”

Bruce just hums a noise that Clark chooses to believe means Bruce has no clue what they were trying to clone and how it must have gone so wrong.

Bruce stops in front of a pod going still as one of the stone gargoyles of the Gotham rooftops, he's just staring at it and Clark can hear Bruce's heartbeat pick up.

“See for yourself,” Bruce says he sounds shaken which is terrifying because the man has faced down invasions alone and still sounds like a confident prick.

“Bruce?” Clark asks moving to stand next to Bruce, he looks into the pod Bruce is staring intently at.

At first, it's the same foggy yellow stew of organs until he sees a face hidden in the center of a rather twisted body, but it's not just a face, it's his face, Clark's face.

Clark feels like he's gonna puke, faint, or cry, Maybe all three because this- this is horrible, this is disgusting.

why?

Why would someone do this? Why would they do this to something- anything alive? Were the clones alive? Did they feel pain? Did they suffer before they became these horrible messes of organs and flesh? Clark can't imagine it, this was always one of his worst nightmares, of landing somewhere other than the Kent fall harvest, of growing up a lab rat…

Bruce is pulling him along away from the mess with his face, away from the horror.

“This isn't…” Bruce starts, he doesn't seem to know what to say because what do you say to this? “These aren't what my intel informed me of.”

Right, right that's why they were here in the first place because Bruce got some “intel” about Cadmus and by extension, its main investor Lex was developing a weapon to kill him, apparently they thought it had a pretty good chance of succeeding this time. So they were here, they were running through rows of failed clones of him.

After what feels like forever of running through rows of pods trying not to look at the ugliness of it all trying not to burst into tears and call Maand-

There's a large door, it has the EL crest on it.

“This is solid steel.” Bruce is at a keypad plugging it into his wrist computer trying to hack it. Clark is just standing there he feels so numb… his cheeks are wet. He's crying.

He's bawling like a baby, because how could this happen?

How did this happen? How could Clark let this happen? He was Superman, he should have known, he should have stopped this…

“This is taking too long,” Bruce says looking over to Clark expectantly. “Clark?”

“They… could they..?” Clark asks as he looks back toward the pods… “Did it hurt”

“I don't know, Clark, I need you to focus now,” Bruce says he in front of him now, hands off his shoulders grounding him there. “You can grieve later-”

Grief? Was that what this was? But he didn't know them. He didn't even know them.

“But right now there's something in that room being built to kill you.”

“I didn't know them- I don't-” Clark knows Bruce is right he needs to focus, The league can look into the clones later but now- now needed his attention. Furiously he rubs at his eyes until his cheeks are dry.

He would cry when this was over. When this was over he'd go home to Maand Paand he would tell them and then he'd cry. Because this was horrible and those clones alive or not deserved someone to cry for them.

“What do you need me to do?” Clark asked, determined and furious.

“Bust down that door.” Bruce orders.

~*~

Breaking through the steel door didn't take horribly long or too terribly difficult, but when they got into the room it seemed. Empty?

There's a another pod, and Clark braces the pit in his stomach to see what it is but there's nothing in it, just a pool of purple-blue sludge at the bottom.

“What is this?” Clark asks, he knows what this is it is another cloning chamber, but why would it be here? He's just confused how was this a weapon that could kill him?

“More cloning operations I assume.” Bruce says, unhelpfully obviously “They may have found a way to stabilize the clones.”

Oh oh they were going to- they wanted the clone to- the wanted Clark to-

Oh god.

“You mean they- they wanted to kill me- with. Me?” Clark asks the urge to curl up in a ball and vomit is back and stronger.

That's what they wanted the clones for? To fight Clark? To fight someone with his face and powers? They wanted Clark to fight himself? Were the clones him or were they different did they even know they were alive?

The questions spin in his head.

Clark has fought full-scale alien invasions, held up the sky for atlas, and flown across the universe to save a little girl that he could just barely hear. Clark is the man of steel hes Superman arguably one of the strongest people on earth and yet… and yet Clark has never felt so wholly powerless and confused.

badum

Clark hovers next to Bruce who is kneeling near the pod-

“Why is it empty?” Clark asks, suddenly noticing the absence of the thing that was meant to kill him.

badum thump thump badum

It's then that Clark hears it, a third heartbeat, thundering away from the corner of the room.

Clark signals Bruce to be quiet, he flies over silently so whoever is hiding can't hear his footsteps.

Who would be here though? The person that made the clone? A scientist left behind or someone who came to collect the leftover equipment maybe someone who knows where the clone is.

Clark narrows down the source of the heartbeat behind some equipment, Whoever they were, they were small, really small because they had wedged themselves between the wall and the equipment.

Clark was hovering near the equipment, student anger filled him. He grabbed the equipment and threw it across the room like it was a shoe, a terrifying feat of strength. His eyes spark with the familiar burn of his heat vision if he scared the person hiding he doesn't care, not now not in that moment, because they had done this, they cloned him they-

A scream rings in Clark's ear, For just a single terrifying moment Clark is happy, he's happy he's scaring them, but then he sees who is screaming.

It's not a scientist, doctor, or assistant, it's not even an adult it's- it's just a kid.

In some ways Clark was right they were tiny, curled up into a ball, big eyes filled with tears staring at him. The kid- boy he's just a little boy, he has big blue scared eyes, but the scariest detail is that the boy is covered in a layer of purple sludge.

The burn-in Clark's eyes is gone, he stops hovering over the boy and drops to the ground, the boy flinches, the boy squeezes his eyes shut and tears slip down his cheeks.

this was the clone? This little boy? This tiny boy who is crying in the corner? the little boy who looks like he should be starting his very first day of school?

Clark was expecting… Clark doesn't know what he was expecting, himself. A tall, broad-shouldered man with a stoic face? him with devil horns and a tail?

Not this tiny boy with wet curls that stick to his face and horribly heartbreaking sobs.

Clark doesn't know what to do, he reaches out for the boy, flinches, and shuffles back into the corner, because why wouldn't he? Clark just threw something across the room and nearly blasted him with heat vision, What six-year-old wouldn't be scared out of his mind by that?

Guilt is pooling in Clark's chest thick and heavy, The boy is murmuring something under his breath that Clark can't hear, there's a heartbeat thundering in Clark's ears louder and louder.

Bruce with his impeccable timing is there crouched down at the boy's height talking in that soft voice that Clark has only ever heard him use with children.

Clark can hear what the boy is murmuring now and it's…

“Im sorry, im sorry, im sorry,” the boy is pleading.

Clark feels like a monster, he feels like a horrible monster.

He doesn't know how to fix this…

~*~

Chapter Text

He doesn't know what the hell is happening, he expected superman to.. Well kill him, not fall to the floor and start crying and he certainly hadn't expected Batman to start cooing at him, no matter how many orphans he took in.

Kids?.. Did Batman have kids? How did he know that?

But either way he was very surprised to find himself sitting in the watchtower, hes… hes not sure how he got up here, or who changed him into a hospital gown either, since stepping out of the pod… it all feels like a blur.

He knows things or he thinks he does at least, he knows things he shouldn't be here, the justice league didnt like him… he thinks all his memories were like a dream hazy and unfinished details slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

He hadn't seen Superman since they got to the watchtower, so that was the same as what his mind said it should be.

Right now he was in a bed in the medical bay while someone… the flash? stuck tiny circular band aids across his arms, legs and back were the IV;s were. The Atom, Ray Palmer, was looking him over too, staring at him intently.

“Well, it looks like you're doing pretty good considering.” the flash said, yep that was him, sticking a final bandaid to the back of his shoulder.

He didn't say anything, just sat there gripping the fabric of the hospital gown in his hands.

“Not much of a conversationalist?” Palmer asked with a smile on his face.

He seemed disappointed when he just blinked at hmm.

“How's life in the free world been so far?” Flash asked, he just kept quiet.

Maybe if he was good, really, really good they wouldn't lock him up anymore, or keep him out of the watch tower and make him sleep on a park bench because he didn't have a bed anywhere else.

He just had to be good, it wasn't that hard, then again he'd tried to be good before and it never worked….

Don't cry; they don't like it when he cries. They were good to him, superman didn't have to take him from cadmus or lex.

They didn't have to keep him around as long as he did.

“I think we should go, Batman wants to talk,” Atom said, pointing with his thumb to the door.

Sudden dread filled his heart, he made a tiny noise that slipped past his lips. He didn't want to be alone, he didn't want to be alone. not again.

Please not again.

There's a hand on his shoulder, he flinches because he didn't mean to do anything wrong. he didn't mean it.

The hand is gone, but he curls in a ball.

“We’ll find someone to sit with you okay?” the flash says, before they both walk out the door of the med bay.

A few minutes have passed and no one has come back.

The smell of anesthetic burns his nose, the bright lights blind him, the sheets scratch his skin.

The silence fills his ears.

He’s alone.

He scoots over to the edge of the cot, he dangles his feet over the edge of the cot, the floor is icy cold on his bare feet when he finally builds up the courage to get off the bed.

It's really cold up here, was it always this cold? Probably.

He was smaller now.

he shuffles to the door, the gown he's wearing is too long for him, he doesn't want to trip on the floor.

He won't be a burden this time he can take care of himself.

He's not sure where everyone is… maybe he shouldn't have left his room. He's so stupid.

He wanders the halls for a few minutes taking turns whenever they come up, he hasn't run into anyone yet which is probably something he should add to the day's miracle list, right under superman hasnt killed me! Which will always be at the top of that list.

A few more minutes pass and he has no idea where he is.

The watchtower has always been a maze, always been daunting and hard to navigate and awe inspiring because it was a satellite in space. But this was ridiculous. He should have found something other than the hallway by now…

His chest begins to tighten up.

He's alone.

He didn't listen, why didn't he listen?

He was bad, when they found him- when they found him they woul put him back in the room-

He can't breathe! He can't breathe! He cant-

He's leaning against the wall trying to catch his breath-

he cant feel anything.

When they found him- he doesn't want to go back to that room-

hes so tired his eyes are so heavy it feel impossible to keep them open.

Hes curled up on floor again just like before- before-

he's dying.

He's alone.

~*~

Clark was sitting at a chair head in his hands because frankly the pounding in his head is too great to really pay much attention.

They brought the clone? Boy? Boy. he was a boy, up to the watchtower, Clark doesn't even remember getting up here.

He keeps his distance from the boy mostly because the boy seems terrified of everyone him, Clark has stayed far away from the medical bay for the boy's sake.

“We're almost ready, just waiting for everyone to get settled.” Bruce says a comforting hand on his shoulder.

settled by which he means Clark needs to pick up his marbles before he loses some.

“Thanks B.” Clark sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Is the…. Is he okay?”

“Barry and Ray are with him.” Bruce said, taking a seat next to him. “He's fine physically, but Barry is insisting on putting bandaids on every IV site.”

Clark chuckles, since Barry and iris took in their nephew he’d turned into such a mother hen when it came to kids.

“So he's healthy? No signs of whatever… Whatever happened to the others?” Clark asks, running his hands through his hair tiredly.

“Ray says he's as healthy as any six year old if not a little underweight, but Ray isn't a pediatrician”. Bruce's says,then adds, “Or very knowledgeable in clone biology,”

Clark doesnt know how to answer so he just sighs and leans back in his chair.

“We’re doing a genetic screening just to make sure he's really…” Bruce pauses looking for the right word before settling, “genetically related.”

“As if there was any doubt.” someone takes a seat in the other chair next to Clark, Diana “he is the spitting image of Kal at that age.”

Clark can't argue with that, the boy is like a photo from one of Ma’s pictures come to life, though Clark doesn't know how Diana knows that.

“How do you-” Clark begins to question.

“You mother and I are friends on photo share.” Diana says simply, “you were quite the cute baby, i enjoyed the ‘prom’ picture as well.”

Apparently Clark had to have a talk with Ma about sending pictures to his co-workers and burn every picture of him before the age of six.

“I am too.” Bruce admits, “I can't believe Martha let you go to prom with that haircut.”

Clark is going to die. He's going to curl up under the table and die, he can only hope captain marvel will take over protecting metropolis for him. It's quiet for a moment before all three of them burst out laughing, this was why they were his best friends because they knew him.

Clark still needs to delete Ma’s photo share account just to be safe.

“All right everyones here except Captain marvel, and hal.” Bruce told him with a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “Hal is going to sit with the boy so we can fill him in later, but I'll fill Marvel in when he gets back tomorrow.”

Clark lets out a sigh.

He’s glad the boy won't be alone or unsupervised, he wasn't sure how he felt about hal being a babysitter but it was better than the leagues resident potty mouth and third Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

Bruce explains the situation to the league, information Clark doesn't need to listen to because he was there and had gone over just about a billion times both with Bruce and in his own head, it doesn't stop the questions though.

“So how’d they get the big Guys' DNA?” Guy asks.

Clark has no idea it's not like he can bleed so much, hair? Spit? He doubts cadmus had people trailing superman looking for every hair that fell off his head or every time he drooled a bit on a late night flight, Clark is no batman but he would like to think he would notice someone tailing him.

“How is the- he doing?” dinah asks, concerned.

“He's healthy, all things considered.” Bruce answers for him.

“Not what I meant.” dinah says flatly, “emotionally how is he doing?”

“He seems really scared, jumpy. Really jumpy.'' Barry says sofly.

“It makes sense if he was released from the pod only hours ago, the sensory input would be overwhelming.” ray answers.

“How old is ‘e?” Guy of all people ask, he seems curious like all of them.

“Uhh well physically he's about six, maybe seven, but we doubt he was created very long ago.” Clark answers the first thing he's said the whole meeting.

“How do we know this isn't a trap?” ollie asks, “awfully convenient he was left there unguarded and already released.”

“What you're saying the six-year-olds a trap?” Dinah asked for clarification. “I expect this from Batman but you ollie? What's with the paranoia?”

“There are a number of ways this could bite up in the ass, the kid could have a tracker-” ollie started to explain.

“We scanned for trackers before we brought him up here.” Bruce said he sounding almost offended that someone suggest he didn't take the proper precaution before bringing a threat to their HQ.

“... or he could have some of that, what's it called programming in his brain? We’ve seen it in clones before.” ollie explained his thoughts, “what if he's programmed to spy on us? Or kill supes.”

“Have a little faith in the big Guy, jeez.” Guy mumbled.

Clark wanted to agree, he tried not to be offended by Ollie implying it would be a six year old that would do him in. or that the six year old was evil.

“If i may,” j’onn like the saint he was cut into the little spat the Guy and Ollie were in. “I have scanned the boy's mind, there was no additional programming aside from the standard american education.”

Ollie's arguments died rather quickly.

“You could have said that earlier, J'onn, I look like a prick now.” Ollie mumbled, crossing his arms and leaning back in the chair.

“What does standard education mean?” Bruce asked, ignoring Ollies pouting.

J’onn… cringed as if he didn't quite know how to explain. “He has all the knowledge of a middle school child who has attended school, he does not have any experiences, just the knowledge of what things are and how to do them.”

“So the kid knows pre-algebra?” Guy asked, ”freaky.”

It was… certainly something, Clark didn't quite know how to handle it, granted Clark still hadn't totaly wrapped his head around the whole ‘hey cadmus cloned you and now there's a six-year-old with your face!’ thing.

“He has the knowledge of how to do it, yes.” J’onn confirmed, “but he has the maturity of a six year old.”

So that was something for Clark to think about, along with everything else that happened today.

Clark could feel his headache warp into a migraine, a rare occurrence for him.

How does someone handle this kind of thing? Was there a book about how to treat your clone? A How to article maybe? Clark could live with a how to article…

As it turns out Clark wasn't going to get any more time to think because Hal poked his head into the door.

“Hey Guys..” Hal started.

oh. oh no.

“So you know how you told me to go sit with the kid?” Hal asked.

“What did you do?” Barry accused,

“Nothing.” Hal defended, “he's just… not in the room you told me he was in.”

You lost him?” Clark shouted standing up from his chair bracing his hands on the table in front of him.

“Unless there's a second med bay up here.” Hal admitted, then paused and asked, “Is there?”

“No.” Clark groaned, falling back in his chair and covering his face with his hands. “no there is not.”

He did not need this right now.

Clark closed his eyes and tried to listen, at first all he could hear was the heart beats around him, Bruce, diana, but then he heard it, the same tiny thundering heartbeat just a few floors below them.

Wordlessly Clark stood up from his chair and marched out the door, Hal was quick to move out of his way.

Someone yelled after him, Clark kept on walking down the hall.

The watchtower while awe inspiring and amazing was actually a horrendous mess of hallways and dead ends, it took Clark longer to navigate were the boy was then he might have liked, maybe he should have let j’onn find him, then again Clark couldn't ignore the clone-boy forever eventually he would have to face him.

The closer Clark got the louder the heartbeat got and the faster it seemed to beat, too fast to be any six-year-olds resting heart rate. But the boy was a clone of Clark so maybe it was a kryptonian child's resting heart rate? He would have to do some research at the fortress.

Clark found the boy curled against the wall, sobbing into his hands and breathing like he ran a sprint.

“Hey, hey,” Clark said, trying to get a handle on the ‘soft gentle voice’.

The boy looked up at him with big wide eyes. This was the first time Clark had gotten a good look at him.

Diana was right, the boy did look like Clark at that age, he had the same inky, black curls and pale skin, same almost too big, blue eyes-

Clark paused, the boy's eyes weren't blue, they were lighter Grey. Maybe that was a side effect of the cloning? Clark would add that to the list of things to research at the fortress, maybe he needed a list…

There were more differences not quite as major and probably just from his upbringing, Clark was pretty sure growing up as a Kansas farm boy and being raised in a tube were bound to give different results.

the boy was thin. Hadn't Bruce mentioned something about him being underweight? Clark could see it now, the boy's face was slim instead of chubby and round and his hair was grown down to his chin, ma would have never let it get that long…

“I'm sorry…” the boy sniffed, wiping at his eyes.

‘Im sorry’ was probably the only thing Clark had heard the boy saw and something sad settled in Clarks chest at the thought.

“You didn't do anything wrong,” Clark promised, the boy just hugged himself tighter.

“mind if I sit?” Clark asked, pointing to the spot next to the boy.

The boy blinded. Once, twice, three times.

The boy nodded before shuffling over and making room for Clark to sit.

Clark plopped down next to the boy and let out a deep heavy sigh, the boy looked at him almost confused like he didn't quite know why Clark was there.

“It's been a long day huh?” Clark commented rubbing at the back of his neck, was this how you made conversations with six year olds?

“... yeah…” the boy answered.

“I'm sorry if i scared you earlier, i didn't mean to i promise.” Clark apologized, and looked flabbergasted.

“Oh- um.. It's okay! I was scared anyway.” the boy said almost eagerly as he gripped the hospital gown he was in.

that for some reason did not make Clark feel any better.

“Are you doing alright?” Clark asked, the boy curled in on himself hunching up his shoulders to his ears.

“Mhm.” the boy hummed quickly, fidgeting slightly with the gown tears pricked at his eyes. ”I just… I don't know…”

“Its okay..” Clark attempted to soothe but he couldn't quite build up the courage to touch the boy . “You're okay

The boy didn't answer, just hid his face in his knees and made a small sound.

“You okay?” Clark asked, finally placing a hand on his back.

The boy lifted his head and scrubbed at his eyes with his fingers. “I don't wanna go back in the room…”

The realization hit Clark life on a bus, and he would know he'd been hit by a bus and on many occasions, that the med bay looked an awful lot like a lab.

“Oh.. no-”

“I'll be good!” he pleaded desperately, “I promise i'll be good!”

“Its okay!” Clark said louder than he wanted he quieted his voice “Its alright we’ll find a new room for you to stay in.”

“...really?” The boy looked at him like Clark was lying.

“Really.” Clark assured, “I'll make sure we get you a new room.”

“Oh- okay.. Umm thank you….” the boy whispered soft thanks, rubbing his hands up and down his arms.

“Are you cold?” Clark asked, “you have goose bumps.”

“Umm… a little…” the boy whispered hoarsely.

That.. made sense, J’onn lived on the watchtower full time and was more comfortable at a low sixty degrees, which was apparently as hot as it got on mars, and since the martian lived up there full time and every private quarters had its own thermostat Clark wasn't going to complain.

“Oh yeah is a bit chilly huh?” Clark said and stood up and offered the boy his hand. “Let's get you settled down for the night, yeah?”

The boy didn't say anything, just stared at the hand and clumsily stood on shaky legs. Clark took a step forward and watched the boy tentatively follow him. Clark walked slowly the boy followed tripping on the hospital gon he was drowning in as it dragged on the floor. He debated picking the boy up but considering how timid and shaky the boy was that didn't seem like the best course of action.

The boy kept staring at him or rather his hand, Clark stopped and offered his hand to hold again, the boy looked at his hand like it would bite him in the face but right as Clark was about to pull his hand away the boy snatched it, he held it in a tight grip like Clarks hand would disappear any moment, god the boys hands felt like ice he was definitely gonna get this kid a blanket.

The walk back to the lounge was silent except the sound of tiny patting feet on the watch tower floor.

Bruce and Guy were waiting for them thankfully they were the only ones the last thing Clark needed was the whole league bombarding the kid.

Bruce gave Clark a look that said he needed to talk. Clark crouched down to the boy who was still holding his hand.

“Hey, I need to talk to Batman really quickly, okay? Can you hang out here? I'll be right over there you'll still be able to see.” Clark explained, the boy got a worried look in his eye but slowly let go of Clarks hand.

“I'll be right back.” Clark promised standing up to walk over to were Bruce was standing.

“What's going on?” Clark asked quietly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You need to leave.” Bruce demanded.

“What?” Clarks voice comes out flat.

“You need to go. Things are happening too fast, you've been up all night, go home get some see-” Bruce started.

“If i recall it was certain bat-themed vigilante who woke me up and demanded we go on a midnight cadmus raid.” Clark interrupted.

Bruce was quiet for a moment, “things are happening too quickly, you need time to process this and you can't do that with the boy right there.”

“I can't just-” Clark started to argue, he couldn't just leave and abandon the boy, the boy was his clone he was Clarks responsibility he-

“Go home, Clark, it's been nearly twelve hours, you were running on four when we started this, go home, get some sleep, then come back rested and ready to judge the situation rationally.” Bruce countered which was actually a good point f Clark was being honest, he could feel exhaustion seeping into his limbs, his head felt heavier than ever and-

“Fine Ill just sleep here after i find somewhere-”

“No, you are going to go home and sleep.” Bruce demanded

Why did Bruce want him out of the watchtower so badly?

Clark sighed, “i can't just leave him here..”

“You won't, right now things are calm, nothing going on. It's the best chance you'll have to go home and sleep,'' Bruce explained, then whispered under his breath. “You put the boy on edge. I want to see how he reacts when you aren't on the watchtower.”

“You think he's a spy?” Clark realized, “didn't J’onn debunk that theory?”

“You and I both know J’onn has missed these things before.” Bruce answered, “It's just for a few hours.

Clark huffed, frustrated this isn't a battle he would win.

“He doesn't want to be in the med bay. I told him I would find another place for him to stay.” Clark explained.

Bruce smiled ever so slightly. “What did you have in mind?”

“My room?” Clark offered.

“That can be arranged.'' Bruce said looking over to the boy who was climbing up on the couch that was probably as tall as him, the boy was tiny.

“I don't want him alone.'' Clark said, casting a look at the Guy, why was he?

“Guys going to be staying with him.” Bruce flatly.

That did not make Clark feel better, at all. His face must have twisted into one of confusion.

“Hey, big blue have some faith, jeez.” Guy said he sounded offended, Clark hadnt meant to offend him, it was just… “you just don't seem like a kid…”

“Yeah well Jordan, already lost the kid.” Guy muttered and walked off toward the boy.

“Are you sure about this?” Clark asked Bruce in a hush tone.

“Yes,” Bruce answered, then explained, “Guy used to do social work.”

“In? there's different kinds of social work." Clark asked dryly.

“Mostly paroles,'' Bruce grimaced when he said the first part, " yeah not the best example, “and children with special needs.’

“Hmm i didn't know that.'' Clark said, rubbing the back of his neck, a little embarrassed at his lack of knowledge of team mates, especially one who had been on the league roster for almost a year.

“You wouldn't, unless you have access to all of his files.'' Bruce said.

“I'm gonna go talk to him.” Clark said, walking off back where the Guy sitting next to the boy on the couch arm stretched over the back of the couch.

“Hey.” Clark said crouching down to be at the boys level, “I'm sorry but I have to go.”

The boy looked hurt, he looked like he was going to burst into tears.

“O-oh.” the boy breathed, “t-thats okay.”

It didn't seem okay at all, and Clark did not like that the six year old was trying to put on the brave face already.

“You sure? I can stay.” Clark assured.

“Mhmm.” the boy nodded lips pressing into a thin line.

“..okay, you won't be alone my er… friend Guy is going to stay with you until I come back. Is that okay?” Clark explained.

“Yeah.” the boy squeaked quietly, lips quivering slightly.

“Alright then.” Clark smiled softly. “I'll be back tomorrow, I promised.”

Clark stood up, grabbed the Guy's arm and pulled him off the couch and to the side. Guy yelped and Clark let go of his arm.

“Somethin’ you gotta tell me?” Guy grimaced, rubbing his arm.

“Look he's scared.” Clark explained.

“Yeah I kinda got that impression.” Guy said.

“Look, just get him in my room, turn up the heat and get him a blanket. His hands are ice.” Clark listed off.

Guy snorted, and patted Clarks shoulder. “hah! Look at you dad already!”

Dad? No no he was just doing what anyone would do when they had a six year old clone.

Probably. What monster would turn a six-year-old away? Not him.

But a dad? If caring was all a dad had to do then Pa was going overboard.

“Don't worry Blue i'll take care of-” Guy paused, like he was trying to remember something, “whats the kids name again?”

Oh. that was actually a good question, calling him ‘the boy’ or ‘the clone’ was getting pretty old already.

Did… did he have a name? Clark doubted it…

“I… i don't think he has one..” Clark admitted, Guy didn't seem satisfied with that answer because he scowled.

“Well.” the Guy said unimpressed, “someone better give him one, or I will.”

Guy turned on his heel and marched off before turning back to Clark and shouting, “and no one should let me name a kid!”

Clark cringed the boy- god Clark had to find a name for him!- had most definitely heard that.

Clark stood there for a moment unsure of what to do, did he bring the boy to his room before leaving? How far did that go? If Clark brought the boy to his room was he obligated to tuck him in? Clark didn't think he was ready for that just yet.

Reluctantly Clark turned and made his way to the zeta tubes. He'd have to tell Ma and Pa about the boy and lois but first he'd have to tell her he was superman and that-

Maybe he would just tell Ma and Pa.. they were experts at unexpected children falling into their lap. Maybe they could give him some advice…

Clark didn't feel right leaving the boy alone- no he wasn't alone he had some of the most skilled warriors staying with him he was in good hands.. Bruce was right he needed time to process all this, and a bed. definitely a bed.

Chapter Text

The boy was so, so confused.

Not only did Superman not yell at him… he talked to him, he sat with him.. Held his hand when he walked him back to the lounge… It made absolutely no sense. He expected anger, rage, a punishment for getting lost and making Superman come find him, unstead… instead Superman just seemed tired and kinda sad.

Superman hated him. Superman didn't want to share the same air as him most of the time, much less talk to him or at least not yell at him.

Holding hands with Superman sent a fluttering feeling in his chest and he could barely keep the smile off his face.

This was something the boy resigned to his dreams, Superman holding his hand…. This must be a dream… the flutter in his chest was still going fast even after Superman let go of his hand, lt go not slapped away..

Superman said he'd find him a different room that he wouldn't have to go back to the kryptonite room, he believed him.

But now he's starting to think he was still being punished because Guy Gardener is sitting next to him on the couch talking about… something, he's not really sure he's talking so fast.

Superman was talking to Batman before he turned a look that he admittedly couldn't recognise on his face.

“Hey.” Superman said crouching down to be at the boy's level, “I'm sorry but I have to go.”

No. no, no he couldn't leave him here-

“O-oh.” The boy breathed the flutter in his chest, frozen and shattered.

“t-that's okay.” he lied, it wasn't okay, he didn't want Superman to go, to leave him there.

“You sure? I can stay.” Superman asked.

No. Please stay.

He couldn't be a burden, he wouldn't make Superman angry, he was on thin ice already.

“Mhmm.” the boy nodded, pressing his lips together tight.
so he didn't say anything wrong, didnt beg Superman to stay and not leave him because he could be good he really could.

“..okay, you won't be alone my er… friend Guy is going to stay with you until I come back. Is that okay?” Superman explained softly.

“Yeah.” he said, it came out squeaky and high pitched.

“Alright then.” Superman smiled.

Smiled? At him? Why? Superman didn't like him, why would he smile?

Maybe Superman was pretending to be nice? That sounded right. Superman was pretending to be nice to him…. He ignores the icy feeling spreading through his chest.

“I'll be back tomorrow, I promised.” the boy almost believes him, for just a split second he believes Superman really will be back tomorrow, but Superman is just pretending…

He could pretend to….

~*~

He’s decided being left with Guy Gardener really was some sort of alternative punishment.

He's definitely more annoying than he remembered, then again the lanterns except maybe Hal Jordan weren't even in earth's solar system that often so he really didn't know Guy.

Hopefully somewhere with a bed because he was so tired. He hadn't realized how tired he was until his eyes got really heavy while he sat on the couch and he almost fell asleep.

Guy came marching back muttering about… names?

Guy was weird, he decided and left it at that.

Guy made him follow him, and he made sure he stayed close so he didn't get lost. Again.

“You're in for a treat baby K.” Guy said, “Big blue’s room gets the best sun.”

sun?

He loved the sun. It was too bad he was in the room so often. The room didn't get any sun…

Even when he wasn't in the room he was only allowed a few hours of sun every day….

“Perfect for a baby kryptonian.” Guy declared as they stopped at a door and popped in a code on a keypad so easy it was like it was his room.

“Don't tell Blue but we all know his key code.” Guy said, holding a single finger to his lips and winking at him. “It's his Ma's birthday.”

He didn't know how to answer that so he just kept quiet and fidgeted with the gown he was wearing.

The room is nice, really nice actually. Everything about it is big, there's a king sized bed, a nice flat screen TV and best of all a HUGE window.

the sun, big and beautiful and amazing. It's a big bright yellow ball of flames against the dark void of space and it's amazing.

There's a tingling sensation under his skin, he pads over to the window to see better, he has to stand on his tiptoes to peek over the edge.

The tingling sensation has turned into more of thrum, it feels so amazing.

Guy is standing next to the window with him he smiles at him for a moment
Before frowning. He doesn't care, he's still too in awe to care what Guy is doing.

Suddenly Guy presses a button next to the window and the whole thing gets dim.

He lets out a shocked panicked sound.

“Hey, hey easy.” Guy soothes.

He looks up at the lantern who has so cruelly ripped away the sun after he just got it back.

what did he do wrong? How did he screw it up already

He whimpered and sucked in a breath.

“You're alright…” Guy coos at him running a hand through his hair, “i just turned the sun shield up.”

Oh. right, the sun wasn't gone that was stupid. The window wasn't even completely dim, he could still see the sun and the sensation under his skin was still there just not as strong.

Stupid.

“Sorry…” he whispers softly.
“Its fine, i'll turn it up after you sleep okay?” the Guy offered, his hand was still running through his hair… feels really nice actually.

He changed his mind, Guy was great.

“O-okay then!” he says trying not to squeak like before, he looks around.

Suddenly he was picked up and plopped on the bed with a yelp.

Guy walked around to the other side of the bed and pulled the covers back, “to sleep you go kiddo!”

He scurried over and crawled under the covers he laid there for a moment watching Guy tuck the covers in around him, when Guy was satisfied he went and sat down in a recliner in the corner.

“Sleep tight kid, I'll be here when ya wake up ‘kay?” Guy assured me.

That– Guy didn't seem like he was pretending. He believed him.

His eyes got heavy and before he slipped into the darkness he silently prayed this wasn't a dream.

~*~

Guy kept his promise, or at least he was there when he woke up, sprawled out in the recliner.

He's not really sure what to do, so he just stays in the bed, its not hard the sheets are so, so soft and the bed is too. His old bed was all springs and he had the same scratchy sheets as the Med bay cots. Its really nice.

Hes not sure how long he sits in bed staring out the window at the sun.

Guy ends up waking himself up with snort.

“Oh hey… how long have you been up?” Guy yawns sitting up in the recliner.

“Just a little while…” he says, rubbing his eyes.

There's an odd gurgling sound from his stomach, he hadn't realized how hungry he was.

“You hungry” Guy asked.

He just nodded a yes, he didnt want to admit to needing to eat it always bothered others.

“Okay then let's go get you some breakfast yeah?.” the Guy asked, stretching his back.

He moved to get off the bed and yelped at the sudden drop, then tripped on the overly long gown he was wearing.

“On second thought-,” Guy started

oh… he changed his mind.

“How About you shower and i go find you some clothes that fit, then breakfast.” Guy offers.

The mention of a shower reminds him of how gross he feels, reminds him of how much grime is stuck to his skin and how his feet are black from walking on the bare watchtower floor.

“Okay.” he says, stumbling up to his feet.

Guy leads him to a door that turns out to be an en suite bathroom, there's a shower, a toilet and a sink.

“You know how to take a shower on your own right?” Guy asks, eyebrows furrowed worriedly.

“Yes sir.” he says on instinct. That's how he addressed everyone before.

Guy cringes. “Okay just checking.”

“Okay you shower, I'm gonna go find some clothes.” Guy says leaving him the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

He gets to work quickly, slipping off the long gown and unsure where to put it, fold it up and put it on the closed toilet lid.

He can thankfully reach the facets to turn on the water, on his tip toes, he might add.

Being short was starting to suck. A lot.

and sets to work on scrubbing his body. The purple gel from the pod mostly absorbed into his skin but it left behind a sort of grimy shine on his skin. He scrubs at his scalp with shampoo and conditioner.

His hair is much longer than before, they used to keep it in a short crew cut, uniform and orderly.

He hears someone come into the bathroom then leave just a minute later.

When he deems himself clean enough he turns off the water and finds a towel hanging on the rack next to the shower that went there before he dries off with it. On the toilet lid, were he left the gown was a stack of clothes.

He sighed and picked up the shirt on top of the stack and unfolded it, he froze.

It was a Superman shirt. It's a bright blue with red crest and there's a pair of blue fleece pants to match. Pajamas.

Was he allowed to wear this? Maybe there was a mistake and he was given the wrong clothes?

Superman didn't like it when he wore his symbol… his old suit, his first suit that was made by lex corp had the symbol on it, but one day it went missing and the league replaced it with a plain black suit. He had asked them to add it to his new suit, but they refused.

He's not sure if he's allowed to wear it, but he didnt see another shirt and he was really hungry.

If Superman someone didn't like it then he could ask for a new shirt, this Superman seemed more patient or pretended to be, maybe he would listen if he explained that Guy didn't give him anything else to wear.

Maybe he could just ask the Guy for a new shirt. The Guy seemed nice enough to try and find him another shirt. The pants are just plain blue so it was probably fine to wear them.

Hesitantly he pulls the shirt on, then the pants and walks back into the bedroom where Guy is waiting for him.

“Well look at you decked out in Superman merch.” the Guy smiles, “sorry they're pajamas, I couldn't find anything else in your size.”

“It's okay,” he said, frowning down at the shirt. “Am I allowed to wear this?”

Guy frowned at him, “why wouldnt ya be?”

“He won't get mad?” he doesnt mean for his voice to sound so small.

“Who? The big Guy?” Guy asks.

He gives a very small nod, assuming ‘the big Guy’ was Superman.

“If Supes got mad at everyone who wore those shirts he'd be pissed off at every person in the metropolis.” Guy states. “He won't mind trust me, i'm pretty sure he got Bats one for christmas last year.”

“Really?” he asked a little shocked Superman wasn't one to give gifts and batman was… not friendly with anyone, much less Superman.

“yeah , i think diana got a picture of his face too- or y’know the bottom half of his face.” Guy rambled, while he opened the door. “Let's go get something to eat.”

Guy gestured to him to follow and he held open the door for him.

The walk to the cafeteria was by no means quiet, Guy could talk enough for both of them, mostly telling dramatic stories about how he pranked the other lanterns on Oa.

“Then BOOM! John and Hal had glitter on their uniforms for weeks!” Guy cackled, “I'm pretty sure Jordan is still picking it out of his a- ah I probably shouldn't say that in front of a kid.”

He laughed because the idea of Guy Gardener trying to watch his language around a six year old was hilariously funny for some reason.

“I heard from J'onn, you're pretty smart, eighth grader smart?” Guy asked.

Did he? He didn't feel any smarter than before… he just nodded.

“Okay smart Guy what's…” Guy stopped to consider a question, “whats eight times two?”

“Sixteen.” he answered, did the Guy think that was a difficult question?

“Okay, how ‘bout… six times four?” Guy smirked as if it was a hard question.

“Twenty four,” he answered.

Guy looked just a little shocked before looking down at his fingers and muttering as he counted. “Huh.”

“It's not that hard.” he pointed out trying not to sound too smug or cocky, he knew where that got him.

“For you it isn't.” Guy waved…

The rest of the way to the cafeteria was mostly Guy asking him random questions, like ‘who was the first U.S president?’ or ‘what's the powerhouse of the cell?’

It continued like that until they were in the ‘cafeteria’ rather than being an actual cafeteria like it was in his old…

It wasn't like it was before was the point he was trying to get at, instead of a busy room that resembled that of a public school cafeteria but with superheroes, it was a rather large kitchen with two fridges and a few industrial ovens.

I was by no means shabby or bad but it wasn't like before.

He walked ahead taking it in, and..

Walked right into someone's legs, knocking him to the ground with a thud.

He's so stupid, why isn't he paying attention? Maybe they would let him explain, or get food before they chased him out, or called Superman to tell him-

“Ooops!” someone was hoisting him onto his feet.

“I am sooo sorry about that!”

He looked up to whoever was apologizing to him and froze, going stiff as a board.

The bright red uniform should have given it away, or the long white cape that flowed down to the floor.

Captain marvel.

Captain marvel had always been kind to him before, had always waked or greeted him with a smile, at first it had confused him, especially when the Captain joined him at meals when no one else wanted to join him, which was always.

But then Marvel requested him to help him for tasks that he could have easily done on his own,
Or simple missions he would definitely not need back up for.

You could say they were close, or you could say that marvel had been the only one he was close with, some might just say they were friends and call it a day rather than analyze it so much.

It was Marvel who had taken him flying for the first time, showed him how to land without crashing into something, or how to hover in place.

Marvel would talk Superman into giving him lesser punishments.

Marvel would bring him on missions, just to get him out of the watchtower, just to show him the world he spent so much time orbiting, just to get him some of the sun that he had confessed he loved so much…

Then one day Marvel was removed from the justice league roster, the League publicly disowned him, his code removed from the zeta tubes, and he was ordered to never make contact with him again. He didn't know why and no one would tell him either.”

He had to get used to eating alone again.

…

“Hey buddy? you okay?” marvel captain marvel asked, he was crouched at his height.

He blinked surprised to feel how wet his eyes felt.

He gave Captain Marvel a stiff nod.

“Sorry about knocking you down, really! I'm still not used to being so tall-” Captain marvel caught himself “- i'm sorry i didn't see you.”

“It's okay..” he said quietly, fidgeting with the shirt.

“Hey Cap!”

He looked behind him, Guy and the Flash were standing next to the kitchen island.

He doesnt think just sprints over to them, he hides behind Guy's knees and stairs out at Captain marvel who hadn't even finished standing up, blinking confused at the spot he was standing in just two seconds ago.

Actually Guy is looking around too, startled.

“I-” Guy starts, “where did he?”

“Behind you.” the flash says, taking a sip of his coffee.

Guy glances back behind him and tries to cover his surprise with a smug smile. “Jeez kid, you might need a leash or something.”

“You gonna put a leash on him?” The flash asks concern, lacing his voice.

“Yeah sure, might as well Jordan already lost the kid.” Guy shrugs, then the ring on his right hand glows and there's a harness around his torso with a tether leading to the ring.

“See, he likes it!” Guy says.

“Who is that?” Captain marvel asks, blinking still in confusion.

“Supes kid.” Guy shrugs, like that's public knowledge, like it's just a common fact.

Superman's kid? The idea was laughable, Superman didn't want him to be his anything much less claim him as a son. Still…

Still that warm flutter feeling is back and rising in his chest and his stomach, it makes his face feel warm.

“Superman has a kid!?” Captain marvel asks shocked, “since when?”

“Since last night.” Guy says, smirking at the confusion on the captain's face.

The captain's face goes flat and his nose crinkles in more confusion.

“Thats… thats not how that works…” captain marvel states sounding unsure.

Guys smirk grows evil, and one could swear they see devil horns sprout out his head. “Actually for Kryptonians-”

The flash luckily shutdown Guys little game quickly. “He's a clone captain, Guy is just being a-”

“Ah, ah, ah,” Guy tuts pointing at him. “Tiny impressionable ears.”

“-jerk…” the flash corrects.

“That's better.” Guy says, turning to him. “So baby K, you ever had pancakes before?”

He shakes his head.

“Well then you are in for a treat!” Guy clapped a hand on the flashes shoulder. “Barry here makes the best flapjacks in the league!”

“Do I now?” the flash mutters.

“Give me a break bar, I've got a perma ban from the kitchen and I'd prefer the kids' first meal be edible.” the Guy mutters back.

“Hello?” Marvel asks, the two men turn to look back at the hero. “Clone?!

“bats will brief you,” the Guy waves off. “For now Barry is going to make pancakes.”

Chapter Text

Pancakes are great.

Thats what he thought after eating them. He didn't get food like this before.

He hadn't seen Superman yet, but really he hadn't expected Superman to actually keep his word.

He didn't. He really didn't, the pain in his chest was always there.

“So how are you enjoying life so far?” Black Canary asked from her arm chair across from his.

He shrugs.

After they finished the pancakes, Guy had been called to a meeting, so Guy left him in the care of one Black Canary.

He actually didn't know Canary that well before, not that he knew anyone well before. They just never interacted much, he went on a mission or two with her but aside from those they hardly interacted.

He wasn't really sure how to interact with her, before Canary had offered to give him some training, but Green Arrow cornered him and threatened him with an kryptonite arrow to chest.

This Canary seemed nice she brought him to her office, gave him some water and offered him coloring books.

Thats how he got here, sitting in her cozy, house plant infested office flipping through a disney characters coloring book. He didnt know who any of these characters were, he didn't watch many movies, Marvel let him watch some with him before… before…

The ache in his chest began to burn and his eyes started to sting, thinking about Marvel before seemed to do that though. Hes thankful that Captain Marvel left before the pancakes were done, he doesnt think he could handle seeing him much longer without his chest cracking open

“How are you liking the watchtower?” she asks, grabbing a colored pencil from the case resting on the arm chair.

“It's cool.” he says, flipping the page of the coloring book to some frogs. Canary frowned clearly and she wanted a better answer. “It's got some cool views, the stars are cool.”

In all honesty he had lived on the watchtower his entire life, it wasn't anything new, the new thing was the League seemed to want him to talk more, they were always pushing for it and then making sad disappointed faces when he didn't.

The League before never wanted to hear him talk, he was to be seen not heard. He was to listen to them, to follow orders, not make conversation.

“Guy hasnt been cursing too much has he? He's a bit of a potty mouth.” canary asks using a blue colored pencil on her page.

“No, hes been good, he told me how to make a glitter bomb.” he says, and flips to yet another page, huh that was… huh.

“He taught you what?” a worried smile on her face.

“Why is Green Arrow in the coloring book?” he asks, there's a fox wearing clothes with a tiny hat and a wicked grin on the page he turned to, so not really green arrow but his costume.

“What?” Canary looks confused.

He holds up the coloring book infront of him so she could see it better, canary leans forward squinting.

“Oh! No honey that robin hood." Canary says amusement lacing her expression.

“Then why does it look like him?” he asks kinda curious he always wondered why Green arrows costume looked like that.

“Well Ollie was inspired by robinhood when he started as a vigilante.” Canary explained, “he took some of the elements from robin hood's costume.”

“So thats why he has the tiny hat?” he can feel his face screw up.

Canary snorts. “Yep, every member of the league has tried convincing him to drop it but he says it's ‘ingrained in his identity.’ he won't get rid of it”

Really? That's why he wore the stupid hat? That was kinda disappointing.

“Oh that's… wow.” it's all he can muster. “Have… has anyone told him how silly it looks?”

“Everyone has told him how silly he looks but hes a stubborn basta— aa-'' Canary cuts herself off.

“Man. he's a stubborn man.” Canary corrects.

He snickers; he never expected Canary to slip up and almost curse in front of a little kid.

“Umm anyway…” canary says trying to change the topic. “What do you wanna talk about?”

He doesn't know, he doesn't know what to talk about because e dent even know how to talk well. He looks around the room trying to find something to talk about, his eyes land on one of the dozens of plants littering the office.

“Do you like plants?” he asks looking around the room looking at the leafy thing.

Canary lips curve into a fond smile. “What gave it away?”

“Its on youre coloring book.” he points out.

Canary looks down at the coloring book in her lap. The cover is some leafy green shrub.

Canary blinks. “Well aren't you observant.”

He tenses, he hadnt meant o get smart with her, he hadnt meant any disrespect he hadnt-

“Im sorry.” he say immediately. Its instinct, its reflex its what he needs to do.

Canary gets a look he can't quite decipher on her face.

“It wasn't a complaint.” She sounds sad. “Its a compliment.”

“O-oh.” he… doesn't know what to do with that.

He turns around in the arm chair and looks at some more of the plants.

One of the plants catch his eye, its kinda purple…. Could plants be purple?

“You can get a closer look.” Canary offers.

He looks over his shoulder, Canary is giving him a gente smile.

He shuffles off arm chair, and wanders towards the potted plants.

They all kinda look the same, green with leaves, but they're nice, he likes them.

“Y’know,'' Canary says, standing up from the chair. “I think I need some help watering them.”

hes quiet when Canary hands him a small watering can and directs him to a section of plants in the corner.

He pours water into ever plant he can.

Theres an odd sensation, it feels like his head is flooding through his ears. He can hear a buzzing and murmuring he just doesnt know were ts coming from.

“You have a lot of plants.” he points out, trying to distract himself from the discomfort in his head.

“Hah you should see my house! We have to hook up a hose to the sink just water them all, im trying to convince Ollie to build a green house on the roof but like i said hes a stubborn- uh guy.” Canary says moving a leaf aside to pour water into its pot.

“Why is that plant purple?” he asks pointing over to the weird plant general direction. “Is it sick?”

Canary looks over to were hes pointing, she puts her watering can down and walks over to the plant an plucks it out of the sea of leaves and vines.

“Its a coleus.” canary says crouching down and waving him over. “It has different pigment in its leaves, it makes them this purple pink look.”

“Oh thats cool.” he says, “are they hard to take care of?”

“Mmm not when you only have one of them. But i have close to four hundred plant at home. Ollies considering hiring a gardener for all of them.” she tells him shes looking at the plant fondly.

“Coleus like sun light.” canary explains.

“I like the sun too.” he says more to himself then Canary or plant.

Canary gets this soft smile on her face, she nestles the plant back were it was and they keep watering for a few minutes, the buzzing is louder now, but now the murmurs are full sentences from people he can't see, there's wind too even though there isn't a breeze in the room. His head is pounding with the rhythm of a heartbeat, probably because he can hear Canarys heartbeat.

He cant take it, he cant, his eyes sting theres water dripping down his cheeks.

He's crying.

~*~

“Hes what?” Clark asks almost to loudly.

Bruce had called him to the watchtower after he got the boys test results Clark had expected.. He didn't know actually but this was not it.

“He's not a direct clone of you.” Bruce says, “he has human DNA.”

“Why would someone-” Clark begins, leaning forward in his chair, Daina is sitting next to him looking equally confused.

Bruce hold up his hand and grunts, a grunt Clark and most of the League has come to know as his ‘let me finish.’ grunt.

Clark stops talking and leans back in his chair, dian puts a hand on his shoulder, a comfort Clark is thankful for.

“It seems that cloning pure kryptonian DNA proved unstable, from what i can gather from these records i downloaded at cadmus,” Bruce pulls up a chart on the holo screen. “They diluted your DNA with an unknown human donor, enough to stabilize the cloning process but not enough to affect his strength or powers.”

“How much human DNA was used?” Diana asks for him because Clark doesnt know if he can muster words right now.

“Maybe twenty percent or less.” Bruce says, taking a seat at the table from where he was standing at the holo screen. “And I know why he's so small. Apparently the forced growing process of growing the clones in a reasonable amount of time caused some of even the more stable attempts to destabilize.”

“So they don't force grow him?” Clark asks, how long had cadmus been going on for months? Years? How blind did Clark have to be to not notice the large scale cloning operations?

“No they did.” Bruce explains, “they just did it slower in total the boys full creation took about a year, they simply grew him slower than the others if we hadnt found until next year, he would be about twelve.”

“But the speed growing process is over right? The boy can age normally?” Diana asked worried.

What if he couldn't? What if the boy kept growing at the rate he did in the tube? Would he mature or would he stay mentally the same? The questions had Clarks head spinning.

“It doesn't seem like he’ll age as quickly as he was before, but I don't know if he'll grow normally either. We would need a more indepth test, a test specialized for Kryptonians.” Bruce answered.

“Could we consult the fortress of solitude?” Diana asks, turning to him.

“Umm yeah probably, i was there before Bruce called me up here, i didn't get much of a chance to look for any information about clones though.” Clark sighs.

Diana just hums softly sitting back in her chair.

“Well have you decided?” she asks.

Clark doesn't have to ask about what shes talking about, she wants to know if hes going to keep the boy.

“I- no.” Clark says rubbing at his eyes, hed barely gotten four hours of sleep.

“You look tired.” Bruce points out.

He just groans.

He is tired, how was someone supposed to sleep when everything like this happens? Was there a how to article on this? ‘Ten things to do when you have a child clone of yourself.’ Clark could use one.

“ i just… i don't…” Clark cant think of any words the frustration is bubbling in his blood. “Ugh!”

“You dont know what to do with him,” Diana has a soft look on her face. “This only happened yester day Clark, there is no need to decide today.”

“He can stay here, thee watchtower has the room and people who can take time to decide.” Bruce said, “or we can, i know that this must be violating situation, its understandable that wuld feel some negative emotions.”

“What? No its not that!” Clark didnt- how could he hate the boy? He didnt hate the boy it was something else entirely.

Diana looks confused, Bruce's frown is deeper.

“Then what is it Clark?” Diana asks, sitting forward.

“I dont really…” how did Clark put it into word?

Theres a frantic knock a the door. Everyone turns as the door sides open, its Ollie panting heavily.

“What's going on?” Bruce asked, jumping up from his chair and crossing the room to Ollie in just a few strides, Diana is close behind him, always quick to assess a situation and follow Bruce's lead.

“Its he kid,” Ollie pants, “hes in Dinah’s office.”

Clark is down the hall in an instant he doesn't remember getting up much less leaving the meeting room.

He's at Dinah's office door before he can realize how fast he's been going.

The boy is curled in on himself on the floor clutching at his hair and sobbing. Canary seemed to be trying to comfort him but…

Why is it everytime he sees this boy hes in some form of emotional distress?

“What happened?” Clark asked, crossing the room and crouching down next to him. Was this what happened to the other clones? Was the boy destabilizing?

“I don't know, he was fine or he seemed fine, then he said something about a noise, a buzzing i think?” Canary explained hands hovering just over the boys rapidly rising back. “I thought it was a panic attack at first-”

Buzzing? What-

The boy was hearing the electricity running through the watchtower. The boy had super hearing.

Luckily super hearing while it felt overwhelming and scary was not lethal, Clark would know es ha if for almost eight years and he hadn't died from it. He'd gotten very close to bashing his head in from it but it was only ever uncomfortable.

Still it must have been incredibly overwhelming for someone literally born yesterday.

“What is going on!” Bruce asks barging into Dinah's office voice calm as always. It must be booming in the boys ears because he curls in on himself more.

Clark puts a finger to his lips and whispers quiet as he can. “Super hearing, he can hear everything on the watchtower right now.”

“Is it… hurting him?” Dinah asks softly matching Clarks quiet voice.

“No, i don't think so its just…” Clark cant really put it into words.

“Hes being overwhelmed by the sensory input.” Bruce finishes

“Sensory overload.” Dinah concludes, “is there a way to stop it?”

Clark thinks for a moment, he isn't sure how he learned to turn off his super hearing, when he first developed his super hearing it had come in waves of hearing everything for miles, he learned how to focus, to drown out all the meaningless noise, he isn't sure how to explain that to a six year old though, much less a six year old in experiencing super hearing for the first time.

“Im not sure hes going to be able to focus enough.” Clark says putting a hand on the boys back, if the boy is bothered by it he doesn't show it, his back keeps up it rising and falling in that horribly rapid pace. “i'd rather not introduce him to kryptonite.”

“We could use the red solar room.” Bruce suggests.

That… was why Bruce and Diana were in charge of the justice league and he was mostly muscle.

“Thats a great idea.” Clark said scooping up the boy in an arm an marching out of the room brushing past Diana who was standing in the doorway.

“Im getting quite tired of you rushing out of rooms Kal-EL.” Diana said following close behind him.

The boy… Clark hadn't realized how tiny the boy was, or well he did but he hadn't picked him up before, he was too scared when they found him and he walked last night… The boy was gripping his cape, his sobs still ringing in Clarks ears.

The red sun room was mostly there if, for whatever Clark needed to recover without his powers or imprisoned because he was brainwashed and… there were a lot of reasons really but the main one was to not not die of kryptonite poisoning, he's never been more thankful for it then now.

Clark walks through the door of the red sun room, at first it's just like a normal room aside from the giant window and the fact that there were no lights on. He sees Bruce and Diana fiddling with the controls of the solar lamps, Cant have a brain washed him turning off the lights keeping him from killing his friends.

Theres a sudden flash of red, and then the world goes quiet except for the boys sobs.

Clark can feel the power and energy draining out of him.

The boy sags against him, he hasn't stopped crying and he's still gripping his cape, but it's all quiet and slower.

Clark sighs and falls back on a bed block in the room.

The boy has buried his head in his shoulder. A few minutes pass before the boys sobs begin to die and turn into whimpers.

Clark moved his hand to the boys back and starts to rub small circles into the boys back.

~*~

It's been almost an hour under the red solar lamps, and Clark is certain that the boy fell asleep, and honestly Clark is pretty close falling asleep to.

Theres a soft knock at the door, Dinah pokes her head through the door shes holding a blanket.

“I see Superboy is doing better.” Dinah smiles softly.

“Superboy?” Clark asks.

“Marvel came up with it,” Dinah explained. “he said calling him ‘the boy’ or ‘the kid’ was getting old after five minutes.”

Clark rolls his eyes fondly. ”It has huh?”

“I think if we call him Kid anymore hell think that's his name.” dinah deadpans, holding the blanket out for him.

Honestly Clark did have to come up for something to call him. “Any suggestions?”

Dinah shrugs unhelpful. “Sorry, never did think about what id name a kid.”

Clark lets out a heavy sigh as he takes the blanket.

“I have to go, Ollie made us reservations for lunch.” dinah says pointing towards the door.

“We'll be fine, honestly i might fall asleep.” Clark says tucking the blanket over the- Superboy.

The name suits him…

~*~
Clark actually did fall asleep. When he woke up however there was a noticeable lack of boy in his arms.

Clark sat up head whipping around looking for Superboy.

He heard a sniffle from the corner, Superboy was balled up in the corner of the room.

“Hey… you're right.” Clark… Clark isn't sure how he said it really.

Superboy seemed to flinch.

“I'm sorry.” he said in a small, hoarse little voice.

“Are you okay?” Clark asks softly .

“Let me out… please.” he whimpers. “I'll be good… just let me out…”

What? What was going on here? Did he… think this was a-

“I- this isn't… you're okay, this isn't a punishment.” Clark said crouching down next to the boy and putting a hand on his shoulder, the boy flinches like Clark is burning him.

“This isn't a punishment I promise. Your super hearing kicked in.” Clark explained, “that buzzing you were hearing, that was the electricity.”

The boys head popped up from were it was tucked between his knees.

“I heard electricity?” he asks, he sounds kinda amazed then frowns. “I cant hear it anymore.”

“That's the red solar lamps, the radiation makes us… it takes the powers away.” Clark says, pointing up to the ceiling.

“You can make sun lamps?” Superboy cocks his head. “How?”

“No clue, that's Batman's department.” Clark shrugs.

Clark moves to sit down next to the boy.

Clark swears they've done this before.

“You feeling better?”Clark asks, trying to put on a gentle smile.

“I don't know…” Superboy says tucking his head back between his knees.

Oh well… ugh! Clark didn't know how to talk to kids1 the youngest kid he knew was Dick and the boy was nearly sixteen, so actually Clark didn't even really know any kids.
“Thats alright…” Clark says, maybe he needed to relate to him? Kids were just tiny people right? “I don't know how I feel most of the time either.”

“..really?” Superboy asks in that tiny hoarse voice, he moves his head to rest his chin on his knees.

The boy looks at him with big gray eyes, its like he expects Clark to take the words back.

“Really.” Clark assures, offering his hand for Superboy to hold because he seemed to like it before.

Its quiet for a second before tentatively almost carefully grab his hand, like he was afraid Clark would take it back.

Theres a low grumble coming from the boys stomach.

“Are you hungry?” Clark asks, had the boy eaten anything today? “Have you eaten?”

“Yeah. Guy enslaved Flash for pancakes.” the boy answered. “Someone should check on that.”

“What?” Clark asks, voice flat. The boy said it so seriously he was caught off guard.

Clark can't hold back the snort. Or the laugh.

The boy smiles softly.

Clark didn't know the kid could joke, he needed to spend more time with the kid.

…

That wouldn't be a problem though because Clark knows what to do now.

“Lets get you some…” what time was it? “Food.”

The boy blinks at him.

“How do we get out?” Superboy asks.

“The door.” Clark says a bit confused.

The boy eyes land on the door. “Isn't it locked?”

“What?” Clark asked.

Oh. the boy thought it was a punishment, of course he thought the door was locked, had he not tried to leave?

“Oh no, sweetheart the door is open.” Clark soothes. Sweetheart? Really?

The boy didn't look any more willing to leave.

“Are you sure I can leave?” the boy asks, shoulders learching up to his ears.

“Of course you can.” Was the boy scared? Maybe he didn't think his super hearing would stop. “You shouldnt have any problems with your super hearing for a while.”

“Ok.” the boy agreed.

“Perfect!” Clark grined leaning down and swooping the kid up into his arms i one swift movement, the boy squeaked, “you okay?”

The boy just nodded into his shoulder.

~*~

“You're keeping him!” Diana cheered excitedly.

“Yes im keeping him.” Clark confirmed.

“Ouch.” hal whispered. “Sorry Guy, you'll have to withdraw the adoption papers.”

Guy rolled his eyes. “Oh shut it Jordan, I'm just happy it worked out.”

Clark didn't miss the fond smile on Guy's face.

“I have a Nephew!” Diana grinned.

“Nephew?” Ollie asked an eyebrow raised on his unmasked face.

Diana looked confused for a moment like Ollie was being ridiculously stupid. “Well yes Clark is my chosen brother, hence his son is my nephew.”

“Aww thats really nice…'' Captain Marvel said, something almost sad crossed his face.

“What does that make Dick?” Clark asked, hes fairly certain this nephew thing was new.

Diana gets a sour look on her face. “Bruce will no longer allow me to bring him out anymore.”

“If you keep taking him out, people will think we're dating.” Bruce stressed. “Again.”

“I am still angry.” Diana makes the closest thing to a pout hes ever seen on her.

Clark smiles, he knows what he was feeling now.

He cares about that boy so much it scares him.

“So if you're keeping him,” marvel asked, “what's his name?”

“Ooohhh question of the hour!” Hal smiled wide.

That was… an over sight. Apparently that showed on his face because everyone at the table groaned.

“Clark.” Guy said looking more serious then Clark had ever seen him which. “You cant procrastinate on something like this. It how kids end up with names like… what the name of the blue chick from avatar?”

“Neytiri?” Ollie supplied.

“Of course you know that.” Hal jabs.

“The point is,” marvel says getting there attention. “That he needs a name.”

“Okay so… how do you name another person?” marvel asks.

The whole table went quiet.

“You could give him a family name?” Bruce offers.

A family name? Like name him after his dad? Jonathan? Did the world need two jonathan kent’s?

“Uhh i dont know if Jonathan suits him…'' Clark says.

“What about the name of a family friend?” Diana asked.

Clark thought about any friends of the family… he had an ‘uncle’, a friend of Jor-El’s Kon-zor, a man who Jor-el considered a second brother, a doctor who helped deliver him, a man who helped design his pod so he wouldn't die on the way there..

Clark supposed he owed the man something.

Kon. Konner. That… wasn't a bad name. Konner kent, Kon-el.

“Konner.” Clark said. “His name is Kon-el.”

Chapter Text

“Conner?”

His head snapped up from the picture he was coloring.

The name still caught him off guard even after a week.

He had a name! He did, he really did!

He didn't have a name before, no one ever gave him one, he was just, ‘clone’ before. He was pretty sure Marvel had tried to give him one, but he left before he….

He had a name!

It has been a week since… Clark had given him the name, and he still wasn't used to being called something other than clone or kid.

He hadn't expected Clark to keep coming back either.

He had settled into a routine in the last week. He would wake up, someone mostly Guy would bring him to get breakfast, he would help Black Canary water her plants and then he would watch movies and cartoons with Guy, who seemed to be more interested in the Cartoons that he was. Then some time after lunch Superman- Clark would show up and spend time with him, which was mostly coloring or watching movies while they talked.

He hadn't thought superman would keep coming back to the watchtower much less spend his time with him, there had to be better things for him to do than color pictures and watch disney movies.

He liked it though, he was nice, he talked to him about his day and told him about whatever story he was writing.

Right now they were watching a disney movie and coloring the characters from the movie, something about a kid in college with a marshmallow robot doctor.
“Are you hungry?” Superman- Clark asked picking up a red crayon.

“Oh.. no.” he said, he needed to find another green crayon he snapped this one in two…

“So Conner,” Clark said. “There's something I need to talk to you about.”

Conner stilled, What did he do? Did he mess something up? Was he in trouble? He better apologize now.

“I'm sorry.” Conner apologized.

Clark frowned.

“You aren't in trouble.” Clark assured, smiling gently. “I just wanted to ask you something.”

“Oh ok…” Conner agreed softly.

“I wanted to ask you if you would want to go somewhere with me.” Clark said. “As a… outing.

What?

“Outing?” Conner asked, He hadn't left the watchtower since he got there, and he never left the watchtower before unless there was a mission…

“Uhhh spend time outside of the watch tower.” Clark explains, “like what we do here.”

“Oh… where?” Conner asked, that was a good question, he didn't know many places… There was the park in the metropolis that he had been to once or twice, the batcave which had only happened because he was being tested for his reactions to kryptonite… not one of his greatest memories…. And last and least the fo-

“Do you know about the fortress of solitude?” Clark asked.

Fortress of solitude.

He'd only been there once during a literally world ending scenario where Superman needed a blood transfusion. Superman wasn't happy when he woke up and found him in his ice castle.

“The ice cave?” Conner asked, castle might have been a bit of an exaggeration; it was more like an ice cave.

“I mean it's more like a hollow iceberg…” Superman admitted, then mumbled. “You don't have to make it sound so unimpressive.”

Oh no. he disrespected him… apologize.

“I'm sorry.” Conner whispered.

“It's fine you haven't been there before you wouldn't know what it looks like.” Clark responded, “that's why I want you to come with me to visit.”

“Why?” The world wasn't ending as far as Conner knew and Clark seemed healthy so he probably didn't need blood.

“I want you to get to know me better.” Clark smiled gently, it was the kind of smile he had always dreamed of Superman gave everybody but him, its weird to have one directed at him.

Conner shrugged. “Okay whatever you want.”

Clarks smile faltered a bit, “okay we’ll go tomorrow after breakfast.”

“You’ll be here?” Conner asked, trying to tone down the excitement surprise in his voice. Clark hadn't been there for breakfast before.

“Yeah, tomorrow's saturday.” Clark answered.
Superman had not eaten any meals with him before.

Just Marvel.

Just Marvel…

He keeps finding himself jared by the thought of Marvel, it didnt help that Captain Marvel was at the watchtower rather often.

The differences were kinda striking, physically they were nearly the same. Aside from the way they wore their capes, but… they acted different, Marvel was always loud making an entrance, The Captain, as the league called him, was more relaxed, still there still making his presence known just… different.

“Does that sound good?” Clarks voice pulled Conner from his thoughts.

He should probably pay attention to what Clark was saying. He didn't want to make him angry, he figured out a kryptonite room but there were other punishments that hurt almost as much.

“Ummm…” Conner said. “Yes.?”

“Okay great.” Clark said, his eyes drifted to a digital clock on the entertainment center. “Its getting late, let's clean up and get you some dinner.”
~*~

Clark stood in the doorway waiting for Conner to wake up, there wasn't any rush to wake the little boy up and Clark didn't want him to be grumpy when he took him to meet his hologram father.

Conner was so tiny, Clark is pretty sure he's said that before but in was true and it kept amazing him how tiny a human being could be, or rather a kryptonian child could be.

Conner stirred, little murmurs in his sleep, that couldn't really make out.

Clark walked over to the bed and sat at the edge, Conner was snoring softly, his inky black curls falling into his face.

Clark resisted the urge to brush them out of his face.

Suddenly Conners breath hitched and he jolted up.

Conners eyes were wild darting around the room for a few seconds before settling on Clark.

“Hey Conner.” Clark soothed gently, “good morning.”

Conner blinked at him a few times. “What are you doing here? Did I miss breakfast?”

“No you didn't miss breakfast, do you remember what we talked about yesterday?” Clark smiled softly.

Conner was still blinking the sleep out of his eyes, even letting out a little yawn.

“Ummm…. It’s saturday?” Conner mumbled.

Clark smiled a little brighter. “Yes it is.”

Conner seemed a bit more alert now, “you here for breakfast?”

“I'm here to eat with you, yes, and then we're going to the fortress after this.” Clark reminded him softly.

“Oh, right sorry…. I forgot…” Conner apologized curling in on himself.

It was something he seemed to do quite a bit. It made him remember a conversation he had with Dinah…

~~~
“Have you noticed how Conner acts?” Dinah asked him in the privacy of her office, well private from everyone but Clark, Guy and herself.

“Like he's always expecting the other shoe to drop?” Guy asked.

Dinah frowned before softly nodding, “you can tell he wants to act like a kid, there are moments were he’s talking and laughing and asking questions and then…”

“He catches himself and shuts down?” guy offered.

“Its like he's…. I know.. It's like he realizes he's the one talking and just stops talking he goes quiet and gets really timid.” Dinah ranted.

“Maybe its because of how young he is?” Clark asked, “hes only three days old.”

“Right.” Guy agreed, which had been the most shocking part of Clarks day. “Trying to socalize with downloaded instructions on how to do it must be… wigin’ him out.”

“Wigging him out?” Dinah asked. “You need to stop spending time with dick and wally.”

Guy scowled.

“Im just sayin’ hes still technically a newborn and hes only ever talked to us.” Guy said, “i'm sure he'll be fine in a few months, especially once the Big guy gets him into school.”

“Right.” Clark said, he had forgotten about getting the boy enrolled in school. “Hell be fine, but ill keep an eye on it.. Just in case.”

“Just in case.” Dinah sighed.

~~~

“Do I need to get ready now?” Conner asked, breaking Clark from his thoughts.

“Oh uh yeah.” Clark said he was suddenly wishing he had asked Guy about Conners routine since he was the one who had been spending his mornings with Conner.

“Do you… need to change into your clothes?” Clark asked, he really needed to ask guy about that.

“Oh ummm…” Conner mumbled, his eyes drifted to the window. “I…”

“Do you do something else in the mornings?” Clark asked softly.

“I take a shower and a guy finds me something to wear…” Conner said gripping at the blankets.

“Okay lets do that then, ill find you something to wear and you go shower.”

Conner just nodded and scooted over and off the edge of the bed and walked over to the bathroom.

Clark sat there for a moment before he began to look for something appropriate for Conner to wear to the Fortress of solitude.

All of Conners clothes seemed to be justice league themed pajamas, there were a few superman shirts, and a couple of green lantern themed shirts.

Clark frowned, he wasn't sure how well fleece pajamas would hold up at the fortress. He kept rifling through the dresser drawers, then he found a pair of sweats and… a Captain marvel T-shirt.

Clark snorted, the Captain had been active for two years and when people first started making merchandise of him the demigod was beyond flustered.

It was entertaining to say the least.

Clark grabbed the shirt and t-shirt along with a pair of underwear, then wasn't sure what to do…

He was pretty sure Guy left them in the bathroom for him…

Clark reluctantly made his way into the bathroom, the clothes Conner was wearing were folded up neatly on the toilet lid.

What six year old folded their dirty clothes?

Ma was gonna love him.

Clark swapped the dirty clothes for the clean and left Conner to his shower.

It took a few minutes before Conner emerged through the bathroom door, hair still damp.

Okay let's get your shoes and then we can get breakfast.

“I don't have shoes…” Conner said.

“You don't?” Clark asked, actually a little shocked.

Conner shook head. “I don't go anywhere.”
Right.

~*~

Clark got the shoes figured out.

It pays to have a friend with super speed and his own brand of footwear.

All praise Barry Allen.

Now Conner was rested, clean, fed and was now dawning size six flash sneakers they were ready to go to the fortress of solitude.

After of course getting Conner a Zeta code…

But they were ready now!

Conner had a belly full of pancakes and they were going to the fortress of solitude.

Still for some reason Clark felt like he was forgetting about something…

Clark was quickly reminded of what that something was when a white ball of fur attempted to barrel into him and Conner as soon as they stepped out of the Zeta tube.

Krypto.

Clark had kinda forgotten about Krypto… which sounded horrible but Clark had still come to see him every day. It was just that he was a bit preoccupied with the Clone thing… And his new suprise son.

He had found Krypto almost a year ago, or rather Krypto had found him… ten thousand feet in the air while he was “redirecting” a meteorite. It had been a shock at first really, Clark had actually assumed it was marvel's dog at first.

He had tried to bring Krypto into his civilian life, they were both refugees from Krypto it seemed right at the time, but everytime he left Krypto alone in his apartment he broke out.

Through the window.

Clark couldn't exactly risk one of his neighbors seeing Superman's dog flying out of his window, so Krypto lived here in the fortress when Clark was taking him out on patrols. And Krypto was also huge like a great dane sized massive beast dog big, add in his super strength and abilities to fly and it wants a great combination with civilians...

He listened perfect when he was with Clark though.

“Krypto! Gentle.” Clark scolded, grabbing Kryptos' collar.

Conner was hiding behind his legs whimpering just under his breath.

Oh.

Conner had never seen a dog before, especially not a dog as big as krypto….

Krypto’s tail was quite literally waging a mile a minute and he desperately whining wanting to meet Conner.

“Conner, meet Krypto, Krypto meet Conner.” Clark said jokingly pulling Krypto back a bit because at this point Conner looked like he might start crying.

Conner’s big gray eyes were filled with tears, and he was sniffling.

“Oh, Conner… i'm so sorry,” Clark apologized. “He's just excited to have visitors, he's super sweet I promise.”

“Krypto,” Clark commanded, Kryptos head snapped in his direction, ears perking up. “Down.”

Krypto slid his front paws on the floor of the fortress until he was lying down, attention darting between Clark and Conner.

Clark knelt down on one knee to stroke Kryptos fur, he waved at Conner to come over. “You can come and pet him if you want, or I can put him in another room if he's being too much right now.”

Conner eyed Krypto skeptically, Krypto was still laying down but his feet were shuffling around and he was whining like… well like a puppy who desperately wanted to be pet.

Conners eyes softened a bit. “He… he won't hate me?”

Clark could feel his heart physically break into pieces.

“No i don't think he can hate anyone.'' Clark said that was a white lie, Krypto despised Luthor but Clark did too… like owner like dog?

Conner took a few tentative steps forward.

“I didn't know you had a dog…” Conner said softly, reaching hand out to gently brush the top of Kryptos head, Krypto for his credit had toned down the excitement and was sitting still long enough for that to happen.

“Really? The News loves this guy.” Clark said, patting Kryptos' side.

Conner shook his head.

“Huh.” that was… odd if Conner was made to… defeat Superman why wouldn't he be educated on Krypto? Krypto had to have been something worth noting right?

Conner went to sit on the floor still petting Kryptos head.

They sat like that for a few minutes petting Krypto, making idle dog related small talk.

At some point Krypto had wiggled his head into Conners lap while Conner scrated behind his ears.

“I think he likes you more than he likes me.” Clark joked… sort of.

“So Conner i actually wanted to tell you something.” Clark said.

It was probably time to tell Conner he was moving in with him. Dinah had suggested he bond with him while Bruce made him an actual existence on paper. And who was Clark to argue with the licensed therapist?

But now Bruce was mostly done with the paperwork and Clark was telling his parents and.. Lois about Conner tomorrow. He was actually going to tell him about it yesterday but… he really chickened out.

He wondered distantly if he could borrow the courage of Achilles from Captain Marvel.

Conner stiffened a bit and stopped scratching Kryptos ears for a second.

“So…” Clark started, why was he so nervous about this? It felt when he first asked Lois out. “I was wondering, if you would want to come and live with me?”

Conner blinked at him like Clark had just asked the most ridiculous question ever. Conner looked around the fortress.

“Here?” Conner asked in disbelief.

“Oh no!” Clark clarified, “I have an apartment in a metropolis, you'd come live with me there.”

Conner looked down at were Kryptos head was in his lap.

“Why?” Conner asked.

“Why what?” Clark asked gently, maybe Conner didn't want to live with him…

“Why do you want me to come live with you?” Conner asked, running a hand over eyes.

“Because, you're my responsibility.” Clark said, Wait! That wasn't how he thought it would sound! “I care about you and I want to get to know you better.”

Conner sniffled, Kryptos ears perked up, he lifted his head and started to lick at Conners face.

“It's… not nice to make fun of people.” Conner said.

Where did that come from?

“I'm not making fun of anyone Conner..”

“Yes you are!” Conners voice was the closest Clark had heard the boy to shouting. “You're making fun of me!”

“I'm not making fun of you Conner.” Clark assured. “Why would you think that?”

“You dont… you dont want me to…” Conners voice was back to usual quiet bordering whisper. “You don't want me to live with you.”

“I do Conner, I really do.” Clark assured, carefully putting a hand on Conners shoulders.

Conner was quiet for a minute.

“Will you give me a chance to show you?” Clark asked softly.

Conner just nodded. “Do you still want me too?”

“Yes, yes I do.”

“Because you care about me?” Conner asked, he looked so hopeful.

Clark smiled and softly nodded. “Yes I do.”

Conner smiled softly to himself looking almost giddy. “okay.”

“Thank you Conner.” Clark pressed a kiss to Conners forehead. “I promise you'll love it there.”

Chapter Text

Conner was for the millionth time incredibly confused about what was happening in his life.

Su- Clark- wanted Conner to… Live with him?

It was one thing to spend time with him, another to give him a name or bring him to the fortress and not let Krypto attack him, but to live with him? It was… weird.

This superman- Clark had a secret identity?

Conner had… he had always though that superman was just Superman, Conner had alway though that he lived in the fortress, but Superman was Clark, and Clark had a civilian job,
an apartment in metropolis, a close friends, and human parents.

Did the old Superman…

Was the old Superman Clark to..?

Did the other superman hate him enough to hide an entire part of his life?

Why did Clark not? Why did Clark want him in that part of his life then?

It was all so confusing.

~*~
“So… they made another you?” Maasked, pouring herself a second cup of coffee.

Clark swallowed, he had been a bit worried about telling the people in his life about Conner- mostly about how this would affect his relationship with Lois , but there was also the creeping fear that his parents wouldn't take it well too.

Clarks parent were two of the most important people in his life, Clark didn't know what he would do if they didn't care about Conner as much as he did.

“And hes a six year old?” Pa clarified by sipping his Sweet tea.

“Yes, they cloned me, yes he is technically six.” Clark answered.

His parents were taking the news of there surprise grandson, but Clark wasn't sure how he thought they would react considering they took in a baby that crashed into their field.

“And you're gonna keep him?” Pa asked, putting his glass of tea on a coaster.

Clark nodded. “He needs a father.”

Maand Pa were quiet for a moment.

“Well.” Masaid putting her mug on the table and folding her hands, “do you have any pictures of this grandbaby of ours?”

Clark felt his shoulders relax and he sighed a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

“Yeah i do, the rest of the leagues been blowing up my phone with pictures.” Clark said pulling his phone out of pocket and bringing up one of his favorites.

He should have some of these printed after all they were the equivalent to baby pictures.

Clark handed Mahis phone, the picture was just Conner eating pancakes, he was pretty sure barry had taken it the first day Conner was at the watch tower.

“Oh, he is just Darlin’ isn't he John?” Maasked turning the screen to Pa who was leaning over to get a better look with a fond look in his eyes and a smile on his face. “He looks just like Clark!”

“And how long have you known about him?” Maasked.

“About a week-” Clark started.

“Clark! You've had him for a week and you haven't brought him for dinner?” Maasked clutching his phone like a string of pearls.

“I- Bruce-we wanted to make sure he was healthy, and y’know i didn't want to just show up with a kid and blind side you.” Clark explained.

Majust huffed. “Is he healthy?”

“Yes he's okay but Bruce says to keep an eye on him.” Clark explained, “i'm still getting everything in my apartment set up for him.”

“well then, i guess hell just have to come to dinner saturday night.” Masaid standing up and waling off towards the kitchen before turning back to Clark. “Whats this baby’s name?”
Clark smiled. “Conner, Conner kent.”

~*~

Clark fidgeted nervously tapping his feet against the floor of the restaurant.

“Its nice to see you again smallville, i haven't seen you alot this week.” Lois said reading through the restaurant menu.

Right, Conner was taking up a lot of his time after work, and the two days Clark had taken off when the first found conner.

“Uhh yeah, about that.” Clark started. “We should talk before we order anything.”

Lois ’s eyebrows drew up in a way they did when she found something to write about.

“Okay.” she said skepticaly, puting the menu down slowly. “Whats going on Clark?”

This was is, Clark just had to list off the very detailed cover story Bruce came up with.

“So… about a week ago i got a call,” Clark started, “and it turns out.”

“Are you about to tell me you have some terminal illness? Because if so we should have gone somewhere nicer.” Lois joked but Clark could see the worry in her eyes.

“What? No i just… as it turns out i have a…” Clark said.

“Erectile dysfunction?” Lois offered sitting up straighter more confident. “Is that why i haven't stayed the night yet?”

“No!” Clark squeaked, scandalized, he could feel his face go bright red.“can we stop making assumptions?”

“Then talk faster smallville youre freaking me out!” Lois defended. “Serously Clark, whats going on?”

Clark took a deep breath.

“I have a son.” Clark announced, maybe slightly louder than he had wanted to because the rest of the restaurant got quiet.

Lois blinked at him, face blank, her shoulders dropped a bit.

“I- how..?” Lois asked. “Did you….”

“When i was a in collage i had a… thing.” Clark started to explain.

“A thing?” Lois asked interupting, Clark sighed. “Sorry keep going im listening.”

“I had a ‘thing’’ Clark air quoted, “with a senior, at a party i had a bit to much to drink and we… had relations..”

“Relations? Clark you're twenty six just say you hooked up.” Lois sighed.

Clark felt his face heat up more.

Clark swallowed hard. “But then we broke up.”

Lois gave him a small nod skeptical eyes boring into him.

“And she was umm.. Pregnant and she didnt tell me and then she just dropped out of collage and moved back to washington and no one i knew saw her again.” Clark explained.

“Okay.” Lois said, “so what did she just call you a week ago to tell you or?”

“Ummm no…” Clark answered.

Okay his was the part of the cover story Clark had felt slightly uncomfortable with, actually he felt really uncomfortable with.

“She actually died six months ago.” Clark lied straight thrugh his teeth, it didnt feel good he didnt know how Bruce did it so much.

Lois ’s face morphed to shocked horror. “Oh shit.”

“Yeah.” Clark agreed. “Its been a busy week.”

“Im… im sorry i didn't…” Lois said shifting in her chair a bit.

“Its fine- or well its not good its just i-” Clark stumbled. “I barely knew her, im kinda ashamed to admit that i forgot about her until about a week ago when the state called me about Conner.”

“Conner? Your son?” Lois asked looking a bit confused.

“Yeah that's his name, its uh family name from my understanding.” Clark confirmed.

“Its a good name.” Lois agreed.

“I- didnt know he existed until the state called. Apparently I was listed as his father and i just never knew.” Clark explained trying to focus on not breaking the table into splinters. “Uhh hes coming to live with me now.”

Lois just stared at him with.. Astonishment? Confusion?

Blankness.

“Im sorry it all happened so fast and… it was al happening so fast.” Clark apologized. “I should have talked to you before i made a decision like that but… im all he has left.”

Lois nodded softly.

“What does that mean for us then?” she asked quietly.

“That why i asked you here, to tell you and talk about it.” Clark explained. “I don't expect you to to want to stick around while i raise a kid that isnt yours.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

Lois asked softly he voice wobbling slightly.

“It doesnt matter what I want, this decision is yours.” Clark explained.

“I want to know.” Lois said sternly.

“Yes.” Clark admitted. “I would love for you to stay, but Conner is going to change things, i wont have as much time for things, i don't want to neglect you.”

“I wont feel neglected, besides you can bring the kid along, or i could go to youre place to hang out with you two.” Lois said picking up the menu. “We can still spend time with each other.”

“Lois -” Clark started.

“Clark. I love you. I love you a lot and if spending time with a… how ever old the kid is, if spending time with him is what it takes to keep loving you then i can do it.” Lois explained. “Besides if the kid is anything like you im sure hes an absolute sweetheart.”

“He is.” Clark agreed. “ a sweetheart i mean.”

Lois smiled, then something heart wrenching crossed her face like a shadow.

“So hes moving into yure apartmen? That were youve been all week?” Lois asked.

“No ive been filling out paperwork.” Clark had admitted.

That last part was true, as it turns out theres quiet a bit of paperwork involved in making a secret identity of his clone baby.

Lois scrunched up her nose “i do not envy that.”

Clark felt himself smile softly.

“all right we should order now, ill pay since you have a kid now.” Lois explained. “But you are going to explain to me exactly how this happened.”

Clark nodded holding back a laugh. “okay Lois .”

~*~

Chapter Text

~~~
”i dont think im understanding the issue here.” Marvel is standing in front of him his arms are splayed out to the sides, between him and the Big three.

He isn't sure what Marvel thinks his arms will do, maybe he thinks the universal sing of peace will redirect Supermans rage, maybe he thinks it will block him from batman's gaze, maybe he thinks he can grab Wonder Woman when he inevitably lounges at him out of anger.

Maybe he's just nervous.

Either way hes hiding behind Marvels back preparing for the Captain to step aside and leave him to Superman’s the Trinity’s wrath.

But he doesn't, he never has, not without a fight at least.

“He took down a building.” Superman snarled stated.

It feels like an announcement, like Superman is laying his failure out for everyone to see.

It wouldn't be the first time…

“Actually a robot threw him into a building and it collapsed.” Marvel retorts, a brave move for a man staring down the leaders of the Justice league.

“He was impulsive!” Wonder woman adds angrily, “people could have gotten hurt!”

“The building was condemned, it was scheduled for demolition in like two days anyway!” Marvel argued. “I dont see why you care anyway, Its not like it happened in Metropolis, or gotham.”

“He needs to learn.” Batman grunts.

“What?! What does he need to learn?” Marvel demands. “He does everything you ask of him? Hed face down Darksied alone if you asked!”

For a second, a split second, something in Batmans posture faulters.

“This was my mission.” Marvel announces. “If you want blood, i'll take responsibility.”

Superman makes something akin to a growl.

“Watch yourself Marvel.” Superman says brushing past him, “you're place here isn't permanent.”

“Is that a threat? Superman?” Marvel asks standing strieght staring strait into the eyes of the man of steel.

The air is thick with tension, as it would be when two of the world most powerful people are having a stare down.

Superman huffs a breath turning his gaze towards him.

Its a nasty thing the way superman looks at him, its not a new experience, no it had happened plenty before but it never fails to make him shrink in on himself.

He swears he can see Superman's lips twist into a grin at his fear.

~*~

He jolts awake, cold sweat drenching him.

His muscles feel stiff and cold.

For a few seconds his eyes dart around the room, looking for the faint green glow of the room, for the man that makes his heart race so much it feels like hes dyeing.

But the room is dim and dark, hes laying on a soft bed.

Theres a tinted window were he can see the Sun.

they had never let him have a room with a window before.

His terror morphs into confusion.

It takes a few moments for him to remember where exactly he is but when he does…

His eyes begin to sting, he kicks off the blankets and sheets and shuffles off the bed.

He feels sick like his stomach is too full and too empty all at once.

He rushes into the bathroom, he leans over the toilet seat and… and nothing, nothing happens the too full, too empty feeling is still there, his head feel too hot and dizzy.

He curls up on the floor.

And then he sobs.

Hes curled up on the bathroom floor, something quiet in his mind whispers something about germs or bacteria but hes too…

He cant seem to muster the energy..

The bathroom floor is cool, it feels nice pressed against his hot skin, he tries to breathe.

Hes not there anymore, hes not with Superman hes with Clark, even if Clark is pretending to be nice to him, even if he isn't serious, Clark has never hurt him.

Eventually the cold bathroom floor and his sweat soaked shirt has made him a bit too cold and he painstakingly gets to his feet.

The room is quiet and dark and empty.

He really doesn't want to be alone.

He cautiously looks towards the door.

Hes never left his room without someone.

He grabs a blanket from the bed and wraps it around his shoulders, its warm and a welcomed weight grounding him to the floor.

He manages to open the door while holding the blankets closed with one hand,

The hallways are much brighter than the room is, its bright and harsh on his puffy eyes.

Hes walked too and from the room with Guy and others enough that he can find his way to the lounge easy enough.

It reminds him of his first night there, when he got lost in the halls of the watch tower and Clark had to come and find him. Much like that night he doesn't see another person walking through the halls.

They were probably in a meeting… he's pretty sure that's where Guy was going after he put him to bed.. He kinda wishes Guy had stayed with him like that first night.

The couches in the lounge are uncomfortable but it's right outside of the meeting room, so he's almost hoping someone will bring him back to his room and not be too angry with him.

He curled of on the uncomfortable couch, head propped at an awkward on the hard arm of the couch.

His eyes get heavy and its getting harder to open them and keep them open.

He closes his eyes but this time he cant seem to open them again.

~*~

“So,” Clark starts. “I got the packages you ordered, Does Conner really need sippy cups?”

When Bruce offered to take on the extra expenses for getting Clarks apartment set up for Conner to come live with him Clark had expected his friend to go a bit over board, what he hadn't expected, was to get home from work and not be able to see his door through the mountains of packages that were delivered.

The league was having a late meeting and like most of there meetings recently the topic had drifted to Conner.

Hal laughs from across the table. “Unless you hate your couch.”

Barry who is sitting next to him jabs Hal in the ribs. “Says the Guy who spilled his milk on the rug last week.”

Hal grumbles something about tripping before going quiet.

“Seriously Bruce.” Clark continues, looking at Bruce. “I'm pretty sure you bought him a better mattress then i have.”

“Jealous Kal?” Diana quirked one of her eyebrows at him.

“Kinda.” Clark admitted a grin cracking across his face

“So… Conner is meeting the Ma and Pa kent saturday?” Ollie asked. “Its finally happening?”

“Yes,” Clark smiled. “Its finally happening.”

“I'm surprised your mother hasn't skinned you for not bringing him sooner.” Diana says.

“She nearly did.” Clark laughs. “Pa too.”

“So whens he moving in?” Barry asks.

“Saturday night, after dinner with my parents.” Clark answered.

Dinah looks worried. “Is youre apartment ready?”

“Im going to assemble everything tomorrow.” Clark says, he wasn't really getting the worried looks on the others faces.

“Are you sure it will all get done in time?” Barry asks doubt clear in his voice.

“Lets get on to the bigger issue here.” Guy says. “The kids outfits are limited to whatever leftover pajamas we have laying around.”

Most of the eyes at the able drift to Bruce.

Bruce noticing the attention on him seemed to decipher the question.

“I… didnt buy him anything to wear i was just going to give Clark my card and let them go out tomorrow…'' Bruce admits plucking his phone from his utility belt. “Ill have alfred pick something up for him.”

“You should get him some toys too.” Barry says. “He doesnt have any he just colors or watches TV.”

Hal laughs. “Clarks raising an Ipad kid!”

“Ill tell alfred to pick up something thats popular with children his age.” Bruce says tapping at his phone.

“Nonsense.” Diana states swiping Bruces phone from his hands, an act only achievable by a trained amazon warrior.

“I will bring my nephew out shopping tomorrow, we will get everything he will need to meet the kents.” Diana announces, shes griping Bruces phone so hard Clark is sure she’ll crush it.

“Are you sure? Conners really shy and what if he gets overwhelmed? We've seen how sensitive his hearing is.” Dinah explains.

“The kid is moving to metropolis, hes gonna have to get use to crowds and loud noises.” Ollie argues.

“Im with ollie on this one.” Guy says, “The kid has got to get down here.”

“Besides, if he gets overwhelmed, I can always bring him back here quickly.” Diana waves. “We have zeta tubes after all.”

Dinah seems satisfied with the solutions as she nods.

“So Diana is bringing Conner out tomorrow, while Clark puts furniture together?” Bruce asked. “Will you need my card?”

“I own a law firm Bruce.” Diana says tossing Bruces phone back to him.

Bruce catches his phone effortlessly, pocketing it safely back in his utility belt. “Im aware.”

“So is that it?” Hal asked. “meeting over?”

“Yes you can all go home, we’ve officially covered everything.” Bruce said standing up from the table.

“Good… i think Cap fell asleep.” Hal says looking to the other end of the table. “Have we eer seen him sleep?”

Captain Marvel was leaned back in his chair eyes closed, he looked dead asleep, maybe more dead than asleep.. If Clark couldn't hear the man's heart beat he would be a checking for a pulse.

“Im not asleep, im resting my eyes, i think they froze.” Marvel said one of his eyes opening. “I cant sleep in this form anyway.”

“What do you mean this form.” Hal asked, “never mind we can talk about this next time it's too late to worry about your weird god quirks.”

Hal stalked out the door of the meeting room, only to pop his head back into the room a few seconds later his finger pressed to his lips in a shushing gesture.

“Someone kid is asleep in the lounge.” Hal wispeared pointing out the door with his thumb.

Clarks eyes rose.

Why would Conner sleep in the lounge? He had only ever slept in his room.

Clark hovered above the ground to the doorway so Conner wouldn't hear his footsteps.

Conner was balled up on the couch with a blanket using the couch arm as a pillow.

Clark cringed, those couches were not comfortable, he had been trying to get Bruce to change them to something more comfortable, and Conner's neck was bent at an awkward angle wedged against the armchair.

Clark sighed softly, and hovered over to were Conner was sleeping and scoped him up.

When Clark turned around he found that apparently he had an audience as most of the league were in the doorway of the meeting room smiling like idiots.

Clark sighed turned and slowly flew down the hall towards Conners room.

Clark sat Conner down softly on the bed pulling the covers over him and tucking him in.

Clark hesitated, before leaning back down and pressing a kiss to Conners forehead.

“Sleep tight you have a big day tomorrow.” Clark whispered, before turning off the light and closing the door behind him.

Chapter Text

He woke up in bed, he's not sure how he got there, he was pretty sure he fell asleep in the lounge after he woke up, but that might have just been a dream…

how else would he get back to bed unharmed?

He sat under the covers to comfortable to crawl out from under them.

“Alright buddy its almost eight thirty, time to get up and face the morning!”
Right, Guy had been there trying to convince him to get out of the bed.

He wasn't very convincing.

“Come on i know you had a bit of an aventure last night but we got to get you ready.” Guy said, suddenly the blankets he was cuddling into were torn off of him.

He yelped rolling over to try and pull them back over himself. Once he realized the blankets wouldn't be coming back he sat up and rubbed at his eyes.

“Yeah I know mornings suck.” Guy chuckled, folding the blankets up, “but you have a big day.”

He blinks.

Big day?

Were they sending him on a mission? He didn't think… they wouldn't.

Missions were… complicated.. He wasn't allowed out of league sanctioned locations unless he was on a mission… and missions were stressful, they always ended with him doing something wrong, being blamed for something even when he did missions with marvel, superman or Wonder Woman always found something to blame him for…

But clark had brought him to the fortress a few days ago, he called it an outing.

Was he going on another outing…?

He didn't want to ask to many questions though… he would just have to wait and see… maybe he wasn't going out at all maybe Guy was just saying that to get him out of bed.

He sighed, it probably the last one, hopped off the edge of the bed and padded off to the bathroom to take a shower.

~*~

Guy had dressed him in a red Captain Marvel hoodie, the shoes he wore to the Fortress and jeans that hes pretty sure he didn't have before.

“Seriously Guy?” the flash asked taking a sip out of some fountain drink he brought with him as he leaned over the back of the couch.

He hadn't known the flash before, he wasn't cruel to him, but he also didn't try to stop his punishments. If he had a problem with the way Superman treated him, he didn't speak up about it.
“What? They're going to the Fawcett mall, it’s appropriate.” guy defended.

“Its not the hoodie, i thought the point of Diana bringing him out was to get him a new outfit,” the flash said taking a sip from his drink. “What's with the jeans?”

“What? I was supposed to send him out into the world in sweats?” Guy said, “It's like seventy three degrees out in Fawcett right now.”

“So you went out and bought new pant for him?” Flash asked. “Why not just buy him a whole new outfit?”

Conner shrunk down as the conversation continued; he really didn't know what was happening now.

He was going to fawcett? He'd been before, Marvel had taken him on ‘missions’ before though he was pretty sure those were just an excuse to fly around and show off to the citizens.

people deserve to know how awesome you are!

There was a loud humming noise before an announcement rang out.

“Incoming! Wonder Woman 03!”

The two men stopped their conversation to look over to the ‘zeta bay’ one things for sure the league was far better at naming things.

Kon turned to peer over the back of the couch, he had expected to see Wonder Woman in her regular uniform. What he saw was not that.

Wonder Woman, if that was her though he was having serious doubts about that now, was wearing a large cream colored sweater that drowned her usual powerful and intimidating form, her raven black hair that was always tied back in a ponytail was down and falling around her face.

She looked so… civilian.

He wasn't really sure what to make of it exactly, she was still recognizable if you knew who you were supposed to be seeing, but if you didn't know it was Wonder Woman under the sweater you would probably assume she was just another civilian, a very tall civilian but still.

“I am ready to go!” she cheered walking around the couch and spreading her arms wide as if to show off her outfit.

“Hey Diana, you look great as always.” The Flash complimented politely.

“Yeah its nice to see ya’ in some civilian clothes.” Guy commented.
Wonder Woman- Diana? Her smile seemed to strain a bit.

“Is my nephew ready to go?” she asked staring at-

Staring at him.

Nephew?

What?

“He could use some lunch.” Guy said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “But he should be fine for a few hours. Right Conner?”

“Ummm…” he wasn't sure what to say.

Guy frowned and his usual attitude seemed to falter.

Guy leaned in close. “Look buddy you dont got much to wear when you go meet the kents, and all of us guys don't know how to dress ourselves much less kids-” guy gestured to flash who looked mildly offended, “and the ones that do have kids don't do much better, i mean you should see what robin wears on patrol.”

Diana? Snickered covering her mouth with her palm.

“Diana here’ is the only one who has any sense of what to wear, as you can see by her lovely outfit, so you are going to go shopping with her and she’ll make sure you look good for the Saints that raised the Big guy yeah?” Guy asked patting him on the back.

That, was a very big ask.

Shopping? He didn't know anything about shopping! He'd never been in a store before!

And with Wonder Woman? She hated him almost as much as superman did! Sure clark was different but… but… Wonder Woman was different.

Superman couldn't stand to be around him long enough to make a cup of coffee so there was no way he could train him in combat, at least not without killing him… so the job of training him was given to Wonder Woman who.. Took sparring very seriously… she seemed to enjoy hitting him until he was bruised and sore.

But that wasn't even the worst part, Wonder Woman seemed to flip a switch when she interacted with him, one moment she would be screaming at him punching him hitting him, the next she would be talking to another league member like she hadnt just tried to put him through the wall.

Wonder Woman hated him

“Okay.” he agreed he wasn't sure why, but he also really didn't want to upset them. What if they told Clark and he decided that Conner was just too much trouble to bother with?

He really didn't want that.

“Excellent!” Wonder Woman beamed.

He tried to pull on a smile but he felt his lips quiver with the strain.

“Hey don't be shy kiddo,” the flash said, “Dianas got a bank account to rival bruces.”

Wonder Woman's smile grew proud. “And I earned every dollar myself.”

The flash smiled back. “If he comes back with half as much as Wally does then this kids gonna need a bigger closet.”

“I'm sure we will return with an appropriately sized wardrobe, and a sizable amount of toys as well.” Diana nodded.

Guy leaned down to whisper in his ear. “Good news kid, you won the lottery in aunts and uncles, lots of millionaires on the league.”

“Shall we get going?” Wonder Woman asked him, holding out a hand.

Tentatively he took it and slid off the couch cushion to the floor.

The woman's eyes landed on his hoodie and her smile grew wider. “Well isn't that appropriate.”

“I told you!” Guy shouted, the flash though Conner couldn't see his eyes that well seemed to roll, before he sped away in a blink.

~*~

The sun blinded him as he stepped out of what seemed to be an old phone booth.

That familiar tingling sensation was back but for some reason it felt a thousand times stronger than it did on the watchtower.

“Alright! Are we all set!” Wonder Woman cheered, swinging a small brown purse over her shoulder. “Where should we go first?”

“I don't.. I don't know Wonder Woman.” he admitted, she had preferred her full title before maybe it was the same sill?

Apparently not because Wonder Woman cringed. “Lets- just call me Diana, or aunt Di as Wally and Dick have taken to calling me.”

“Oh…” Conner said, well at least he had something to call her other than Wonder Woman. “Okay Diana.”

Wonder- Diana smiled softly and took his hand. “Now i believe we should start with the mall, if i recall correctly its just a few blocks away.”

Diana began to make idle chatter while she lead them down the street.

“Fawcett city is very safe, ts why we are shopping here instead of metropolis” Diana said, her eyes scanning the skyline as if expecting something. “The captain does a very diligent job.”

Conner nodded, it felt odd to be walking the streets of fawcett, it felt even odder to be in Fawcett without marvel…

“I swear he patrols day and night.” Diana said before stopping in front of a painted mural on a brick wall of Captain marvel. “And it's clear the Fawcett residents appreciate him deeply.”

Conner was quiet for a moment before they started walking.

“Uhh… weres Sup- Clark?” he asked, right civilian identities.

“He is just getting everything ready for you.'' Diana said, rubbing her thumb over the top of his hand. “He is very excited for you to come and live with him.”

Clark was excited? He was exited that Conner was going to live with him?

A very warm feeling floated in his chest and he felt heat rise in his cheeks turning them pink.

Clark was excited about him!

~*~

As it turns out, shopping was not very entertaining.

They had been wondering the store of childrens clothes and were not finding anything except a few pairs of jeans.

“Do you enjoy dinosaurs?” Diana asked pulling a few shirts off the rack with various dinosaur silhouettes.

“I don't know.” Conner answered fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve.

Diana hummed and put the shirts back on the rack.

He was really trying not to be difficult, he was! He didn't want to cause her any inconvenience, she was already being more than patient with him.

“I'm sorry.” he apologized

Diana looked confused.

“wasting your time.'' Conner whispered maybe she would just give up and bring him back to the watchtower. He’d be a disappointment but at least he wouldn't keep wasting her time. “I don't know what to pick.”

Sadness flashed across her face before she stilled her expression.

She crouched down beside him.

“You are not a waste of time.” she said, grabbing his shoulders, “I would not do this if I did not want to, we can take as much time as you need.”

That.

What not at all like Wonder Woman.

Wonderwoman was not a patient woman, he could do everything at super speed and it still wouldn't be fast enough. When he did something wrong in training she’d yell that her time was important and that training him was a shameful waste of it.

“You should never let someone tell you that you are not worth their time.” Diana said, standing back up. “Whoever made you feel this way is a fool.”

Conner giggled, he wasn't sure why maybe it was Diana unintentionally in saluting herself, maybe it was that she had no idea what a colossal waste of time he was, he wasn't really sure.

Diana smiled. “Now shall we continue?”

Conner nodded tightly.

Diana turned back to the rack skimmed through the rack of shirts before pausing and pulling a tshirt off the rack.

“What about this?” Diana offered the shirt for Conner to see better.

It was a black shirt with metallic blue block letters that spelled, ‘littlest rockstar!’.

That… actually looked… interesting, he liked the shiny letters.

“I like it.” Conner agreed.

Diana smiled at him. “Something we can work with.”

~*~

They didn't find much of anything other than a few more shirts and a pair, but Diana didn't seem to be bothered by it.

“It's noon, what would you like for lunch?” Diana asked as she swiped her card at the register.

A good question really, he was hungry but his diet had never been that varied… Most of his meals before had been protein bars, or plain salad from the canteen.

Now most of his food had been pancakes and boxed mac n’ cheese, not than he minded, mac n cheese was much better than protein bars.

“I like mac n’ cheese.” connor answered softly as Diana took the bag of clothes from the cashier.

“Im sure we can find something like that at the food court.” Diana smiled and offered her hand to him.

Conner was starting to get used to the Hand holding thing.

The Mall was busy tons of people passing by and not bothering with a second glance in their direction.

It felt odd being around so many people he didn't know, he’d seen crowds before, on missions, from afar.

The justice league didnt like it when he was around civilians.

Aside from the people the stores were interesting, Daina was explaining what most of them were.

“I can carry that.” Conner said ponting at the bag in her other hand.

He could carry it, he could be useful, he wouldn't be a burden.

He couldnt be.

Diana blinked at him before smiling softly and offering the bag to him. “If its not to heavy.”

The bag was heavy really, it was just a rather large bag awkward to hold and carry when he was so tiny but not heavy, he'd carried more on mission clean ups.

~*~

The food court was a bit more crowded than the rest of the mall, and there were a lot of smells, and the noise.

The noise was loud, a hundred voices milled together into one unidentifiable sound.

Diana hummed beside him, he looked up at her, her expression curved into a thoughtful frown.

Maybe she was realizing what a bad idea this was.

“Alright little one.” Diana said crouching down to his level, he appreciated that his neck was sore from all the looking up. “Do you know what you want?”

Conner shook his head no.

“Alright, a new experience.” Diana whispered, eyes skimming the food court, “have you had chicken before?”

Conner shook his head no again.

“Would you like to try some?” Diana asked.

Conner thought for a moment, if he had learned anything from the last… two weeks? Was that food could taste sooo much better than stale protein bars and withered salad. But he also knows that things cost money and what if he didn't like the food? Could he still choke it down?

“What if I don't like it?” he asks softly, just to feel out what the consequences were if he didnt like it.

He knew exactly how badly she could hurt him.

“Then I will get you something else that you do like.” Diana says, she says it like it was the simplest explanation.

Conner is quiet, if chicken tastes as good as mac n’ cheese and pancakes then he would really like to try it.

“Okay.” he says, Diana smiles and then gently takes the bag from him.

It was a bit of a relief, the bag was awkward to hold and walk with.

Diana grabs his hand holding the shopping bag in the other, and Diana leads him through the crowd of people in the food court.

It goes well at first, he thinks. They were weaving through the people in the food court doing there best to avoid bumping into anyone or mowing down unsuspecting families.

It goes well, but then theres a light buzz from Diana's pocket and… dian let go of his hand to shift the shopping bag to her other hand and grab her phone.

The action takes less than a second, but in that second Diana and her stupidly long legs manages to get ahead of him, and Conner with his stupidly short, stupidly useless legs cant catch up before Diana slips into the crowd and disappears.

He freezes.

His eyes dart around at people walking by him searching for Diana's raven black hair, the cream sweater, the brown purse.

He doesn't see her, the people walking by dont seem to care about his current dilemma, they keep walking by but this time there isnt an amazon standing next to him to shield him from people walking into him.

The people keep moving.

Conner stumbles through the crowd in the direction he thinks Diana was going.

He still doesn't see her.

He feels like hes in a city, the people passing by him towering skyscrapers that block his view.

Hes too short.
He really, really, really, hates being short.

He keeps going doing his best to slip through the crowd without taking a random strangers knee to the face.

He doesn't do a very good job of it.

He pops through on the other side of the crowd confused, slightly disoriented and tired. There aren't as many people now and he thinks he's in the clear of stray limbs when he walks right into the back of another person.

The other person yelps.

“Oh my- im so sorry! I should have been watching were i was stand-”

Theres silence.

Conner risks a glance at the stranger.

Hes a young boy, he couldn't have been much older than eight, maybe nine, his hair was a greasy matted mess, he had a bright red, well worn hoodie.

But the most striking feature were the faint marks on the boys palms and neck peaking out from the collar of his T-shirt. Squiggly, twisting, thing white marks.

He also kinda smelled, but Conner was sure that would be rude to say so he was choosing to ignore it.

“Umm hi.” the boy said crouching down a bit, not much he wasn't that much taller than him.

Conner was pretty sure talking to strangers were how civilian children were kidnaped, so Conner just blinked at him.

The boy's head turned to the crowded food court scanning the crowd before his eyes lit up in… recognition?

The boy grabbed his shoulders gently but suddenly turning him to the crowd and pointing. “Diana’s over there.”

Conner followed to were the boy was pointing and finally saw Diana.

Relief flooded through him and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

He was so relived he hadnt noticed what the boy had said next.
“Be careful Super- Conner, don't get lost okay.” the boy said patting his shoulder before disappearing.

Conner couldn't find it in him to care all that much, he rushed through the crowed towards Diana.

Why had he been so scared?

Diana was spinning around looking scared, eyes wildly skimming the crowd.

“Diana!” he shouted, what else had she said to call her? Didi? “Didi!”

Diana's head jerked in his direction and when her eyes landed on him her face melted in relife and ran to meet him halfway.

“Conner! Are you okay?” Diana asked, looking him over. “I'm sorry, i hadnt meant to let go of you.”

She was apologizing? Why? He was the idiot who got lost?

“Im okay!” he tried to cheer or at least not sound like he was on the verge of breaking down.

Diana smiled softly before pulling him into a hug.

A hug.

Hugs weren't uncommon now Clark especially was always holding onto him like he would slip away if he didnt, and Guy had hugged him a few times.

Diana's hug was tight, and Conner heard Diana take a shuddering breath next to his ear.

In the end the did manage to get Both chicken and mac n’ cheese from a place called… something something chicken.

Conner decided he really liked fried chicken, it was warm and it tasted good and it made him feel full. The mac n’ cheese was really good too.

“Barry recommended I try this place.” Diana said as she swallowed a bite of chicken. “I had my doubts but i should no better than doubt barry allen when it comes to food.”

Conner hummed as he scooped a forkful of mac n’ cheese into his mouth.

“Of course it isn't to be compared to Ma kents cooking.” Diana said off handedly.

Conner froze.

Everyone had been very excited about him meeting the kents, his ‘grandparents’ according to Guy.

Clark talked about them a lot, he loved them Conner could tell.

He was just…

He knew he was supposed to meet them tomorrow for dinner but…

Clark loved them, everyone seemed to have great respect for them.

What if they didn't like him?

What if they saw exactly what Superman from before had? The thing that made him so horrible and unloveable.

If they hated him, if they didn't like him, Clark would surely rescind his offer to have Conner live with him.

Conner really didn't want that.

“Conner?” Diana asked breaking him from his spiraling thoughts.

“Hmm?” Conner hummed looking at her.

“Are you alright?” Diana frowned her a soft look in her eyes.

Conner didn't answer he just stared at the fork in his hand.

“Are you worried about something?” Diana asked.

Conner just nodded.

Diana smiled softly. “What are you worried about?”

“What if… they dont like me?” Conner whispered, rubbing at his wrist nervously. Superman he had broken it once while on a mission, it had healed in a day or two so it didnt matter anyway.

“Who? The kents?” Diana asked.

Conner nodded softly, again.

Diana's lips cracked from a sad frown to a soft but still kinda sad smile.

“You will not have to worry about that.” Diana said, reaching over the table to grip his hand. “I do not believe the kents have had negative feelings towards anyone.”

Diana smiled wider, something warm in her gaze as she looked him over. “And hey love you so much already.”

~*~

Chapter Text

Children were such interesting creatures, not to say Diana didn't see them as people but their actions, their behavior it was all so… alien. Though in the case of her nephew that was probably more accurate.

Before Diana left Themyscira she had never seen a child aside from herself, Dick and Wally were the first that she had repeated interactions with, but even then they were nine and had a sense of maturity about them, they were sidekicks of two of the founding justice league members they had to.

It didn't stop them from having fun when she brought them shopping. Or juming off escalators to stop a shoplifter. She heard Bruce had a fun time covering that up.

Diana watched as Conner gnawed away on his last piece of chicken, the small empty bowl of Mac n’ cheese abandoned to the side. She had finished her portions nearly fifteen minutes ago but she wasn't going to rush him; they had plenty of daylight left.

She remembered Barry being concerned about how small Conner portions were, though the man was use to his nephew clearing nearly six normal sized potions in mere minutes.

Conner seemingly finished the piece of chicken to grab a napkin from the pile in the center of the table, or he tried to, the six year old had rather short arms but he was making a valiant effort at it.

Diana grabbed a napkin from the pile to hand it to him.

“Thank you.” Conner said quietly, taking the napkin from her to wipe at his face and hands.

That was something she had noticed about Conner since Clark found him, he had very nice manners. Wally and Dick did when she first met them and when she brought them out for the day, they were still polite yes but she had also watched them both try to burp their Abc’s the last time she brought them out. Conner would thank someone for anything and would apologize to anyone for anything, he had apologized to her multiple times just today even though he'd done nothing wrong.

Perhaps that was because of the programming J’onn had mentioned, would it make sense to program a weapon to apologize though?

A small noise broke Diana from her questions. Conner, who was gathering his trash from the table into a small pile, had paused and was staring at her. It was then she realized that she had most certainly been staring at him.

She sent him a gentle smile “Have you finished?”

Conner nodded, seemingly the boy's favorite form of communication.

“Well then, let us continue our day.” Diana said as she began to gather the trash onto the try provided to carry the food.

She grabbed her purse, the bag of clothes and the tray of trash.

“Where should we go next?” Diana asked, walking to the trash can with Conner following close behind, luckily the food court had cleared out so there was no risk of losing the boy. Again.

“I'm not… I don't know.” Conner said softly.

Diana hummed, Conner didn't seem to have opinions on much, it made shopping complicated, though Conner was less than a month old she supposed no one month old would, and it wasn't like Conner knew the names of any stores either.

Barry had mentioned something about an Ipad didn't he? Toys? She saw no reason Conner couldn't have both.

Books perhaps? The boy had the Intelligence of an Eighth grader. Surely he could read something more advanced than regular childrens books.

There was both a toy store and a bookstore on the other side of the mall. Diana put the tray on the top of the tray return and turned back to Conner standing at her legs.

“That's alright.” Diana assured, grabbing Conner's hand.

~*~

Conner looked around the room seemingly stunned at the shelves filled with toys fidgeting with his hands, he looked lost, eyes wandering the colorfully packaged toys.

It wasn't a new thing to see, the first time she brought her other nephews out…

Wally didn't have any toys before he went to live with Barry, his arm was still in a cast, broken from his fathers misplaced anger. When Diana gave him free rain on the toy store in Central he didn't believe it, he just stared at her skeptically.

Dick was from the humble origins of the circus and he had just lost his two loving parents, he was stunned never seeing so many toys in one place.

But Conner… Conner, much like Wally, looked at them like he wasn't sure why she had brought him there, or like he wasn't sure what he was to do with the situation.

“You can get anything you want.” Diana told him.

Conner looked around again before he met her eyes again. “I don't need anything.”

Diana tried not to frown. “Want and need are not the same, you can still have something.”

Conner went quiet looking around nervously like the toys surrounding them would come alive and attack him.

Diana felt doubt building in her, was this a bad idea? She’d already dragged Conner across the mall, perhaps he'd become overwhelmed.

Before Diana could suggest they leave Conner had wandered towards a display.

It was a shelf filled with justice league action figures the main focus being Captain Marvel, wich made sense they were in Fawcett.

Daina grinned, pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the Display, Captain Marvel always got flustered when he saw merch of himself; it had become tradition to tease him with that weakness.

“They really like him.” Conner stated softly.

“Yes they love the Captain” Diana said, slipping her phone back into her pocket. “And for good reason.”

Conner gave her an awed look.

Diana smiled down at him, and Conner's smile fell into a frown.

“Do you and the others like him?” Conner asked softly.

Diana considered the question.

The Captain was incredibly friendly, and Noble and deeply respectful, the whole league enjoyed his company and membership in the league,

“Yes, we all love having the captain.” Diana answered.

“No one is mean to him?” Conner confirmed.

Diana personally had never heard a bad word about the Captain even though Gordon Godfrey seemed short on insults for him. Why would Conner ask something like this? Had someone said something? Had the Captain upset Conner? Diana couldn't imagine that, the Captain was great with young children, he acted like one himself sometimes.

“Why do you ask?” Diana felt unease settle in her gut.

Conner just shrugged.

~*~

They spent a few minutes wandering the store looking at the toys but none of them seemed to catch Conner's interest, it occurred to Diana that Conner had never played with toys.

“May I make a suggestion?” Daina asked as she and Conner walked through an aisle of toy cars.

Conner looked up at her with his big gray eyes and nodded softly.

Diana hummed, she had some experience with toys thanks to Wally and dick, though she didn't know what Conner would like, but Conner also didn't know what he liked.

Maybe that was the fun part, letting Conner discover what he liked and donating the rest he didnt.

Conner was rather creative wasnt he? He was always drawing things perhaps art supplies?

Another thought accrued to her, what was the toy that wally liked so much? The one with the tiny pieces of plastic? Sheremembered the pain of stepping on one well enough…

LEGO’s right. Connr might enjoy those, at the very least a set would give him something to occupy his mind.

Diana turned down an aisle, being sure Conner was holding her hand.

~*~

There was an entire aisle dedicated to the small plastic bricks and Diana managed to get Conner to pick out a few sets to play with one an air plane and another a set of the Watchtower which in Diana opinion seemed a bit complex however she was sure someone could offer Conner some assistance in assembling it.

But they left after that, Conner seemed to overwhelmed to continue shopping, so they left the mall cutting through the Fawcett city park to give Conner a break from the crowded streets.

They pass an ice cream stand on the way down a walking path.

Should she get Conner some? She always got sweets with wally and Dick on their outings. Perhaps that was something that Clark wanted to do with him, a significant moment he wanted t share with his son.

It was then that she noticed someone following them.

Two large men with dark sunglasses were following them from a distance, staying at least twenty feet away at all times.

Diana looked over their shoulder to see that the men seemed to be creeping closer, one of the men pressed a finger to his ear, an earpiece most likely. The other man was advancing further, getting closer, the park was nearly empty, there was no one else around.

Diana considered her options, both her hands were full which would complicate things. Could Diana fight both of them while protecting Conner?

The second man was ten feet away now, his hand digging into his pants pocket.

Diana is ready, she whips around ready to confront them, to fight them, to protect Conner.

“Excuse me sir!” a voice shouts from above. “Is there a reason you're following this nice lady around?”

The man looks up into the sky above his head distracted.

Diana looks up to see Captain Marvel hovering above both their heads, looking down at the two men with a disappointed glare.

The man startles and makes a start to run away before Diana grabs him by the back of his shirt and throws him to the ground. his partner was already running down the path. Marvel doesn't wait in just a blink he's blocking the second man from running and grabs him.

“Usually innocent people don't run.” Marvel says sternly.

Diana sighs in relief before checking the corner over.

“Are you okay?” Diana asks him.

The boy just nods eyes drifting back to Marvel who is now holding both the men who are using some rather foul language towards the captain.

Two officers come running down the path most likely hearing the commotion. Marvel hand the men over to the officers before walking over to the both of them.

“Are you okay?” Marvel asks softly with worry in his face.

“We are both unharmed captains.” Diana assures him.

“Hi.” Conner piped up, he had been mostly quiet since leaving the mall.

“Hi, did you enjoy your lunch?” Marvel asks crouching down to the boys level.

“Umm… yeah we got chicken-” Conner paused a confused look crossing his face. “How did you know i got lunch?”

“Uh-” Marvel stumbles. “I just figured Diana would feed you.”

Conner doesn't seem satisfied with this answer, but he keeps quiet.

Diana isn't entirely satisfied with the captain's answers but at the moment she's more concerned about the two men following them.

“Captain. Did the men say why they were following us?” Diana asks.

“Oh!” the Captain says standing back up straight. “Umm..”

The Captain is staring at the Conner. “Maybe we should talk about this in private. I don't want to scare him.”

Diana hesitates before nodding. “I will bring Conner back to the tower and we will call a meeting.”

~*~

Clark doesn't expect to be called to the watchtower for an emergency meeting, he also didn't expect said meeting to be about Connersday with Diana.

“I'm sorry? What?” Clark shouts at the other League members across the meeting room table.

Marvel seems to flinch back a bit and makes like he's wincing.

“Some men were following Conner and myself through the park.” Diana explains again.

“What did they want? Did they do anything?” Clark demands more than asks.

Diana shakes her head. “Marvel intervened before they could.”

“They said they were being paid to take Conner.” Marvel explained.

Clark grips the arms of his chair and he can feel the material warp under his strength, he's having a very hard time keeping from ripping them off.

“So what? Cadmus wants him back? Then why hire two thugs to grab him?” Ollie asks a scowl on his lips.

“They weren't thugs, they were cadmus agents.” Bruce says as he walks into the meeting room.

Ollie rolls his eyes, “okay so Cadmus wants the kid back.”

“And enough that they would attempt to take him in public.” Bruce adds, “a bold move.”

“How did they even know where he was?” Clark asked, his eyes were prickling with a familiar heat.

Bruce grunted. “I scanned Conner again, it seems he has a.. a tracker, perhaps a chip. We scanned him the first night he was here but… it seems we missed something.”

Clark feels sick, they chipped him? Like a dog?

Clark grits his teeth focusing hard on not flying down they're and hunting down any and all cadmus personnel.

Bruce continued. “it most likely includes a GPS system that stopped sending out signals when he was on the watchtower.”

“Or it does but they have no way of getting up here.” Hal finished.

“How would our scanners miss something like that?” j’onn asks calmly. “They are anything if not thorough.”

“It's no bigger than a grain of sand.” Bruce explains.

“Our scanners do have some trouble picking up microscopic electronics, throw in the fact that it's in the living body already sending out electronic signals and…” Ray doesnt need to finish the league to get the picture.

Clark lets go of the arm chairs, hand print shaped dents left where he was gripping them. He was so angry and now he's just upset.

“So how do we get it out of the kid?” Hal asks, leaning forward on the table.

“If his skin is invulnerable we can not simply cut it out.” J’onn adds, horrifyingly nonchalant. “And I do not believe that is in Conner's best interest.”

“Yeah, let's not do that please.” Marvel Agrees, lips twisting in a cringe.

“Will this postpone him integrating with Clarks civilian identity? He was meant to meet the kents tomorrow.'' Diana asks a deep look of worry and disappointment.

Clark hadn't thought of that, Conner was supposed to meet Ma and Pa, come home with Clark, was that possibility gone now? Conner is not able to live with him anymore…

Clark feels his heart sink to his stomach.

“It might not be safe.” ollie supplies.

“He cant stay on the watchtower forever.” Dinah argues.

“Well he can't spend his whole life being chased by Cadmus either. What kinda childhood is that?” Hal debates.

“Could you disable it?” Bruce asked Ray most of the table turned to him.

“It depends.” Ray says. “It could be as simple as taking it out but it could be ingrained in his system.”

“Could you try?” Clark asked with desperation in his voice.

“Umm..” Ray looks slightly uncomfortable with all the eyes on him.

“Please.” Clarks not above begging especially not for Conner.

“Where is it located?” Ray asked Bruce in his chair.

“His right shoulder.” Bruce answers.

“Huh, that makes things much simpler.” Ray says standing up. “I can probably get that sucker out in like five minutes.”

“Well, I mean maybe take your time with it but that's great.” Hal says.

~*~

The whole thing really does take just a few minute, Ray shrunk down, Bruce loaded him into a needle and they injected him into Conners arm.

Surprisingly Conner doesnt make a fuss when they tell him he needs two shots before he could come and live with him, the boy just nods and goes back to listening to Guy Blabber about how he ‘totally beat J’onn at checkers once and no it was not because the martian let him.’

“That's it? I don't see a thing.” Dinah says squinting at the seemingly empty vile in Rays hand.

“Like Bats said smaller than a bit of sand.” Guy scowls.

“So that's it? They can't track him now?” Clark asks, it couldn't be that easy. How could a problem so big have such a quick and easy fix?

“That's it.” Bruce nods.

Clark feels like a weight is lifted off his shoulders and he sides down the chair he's sitting in.

“So will Conner still meet the kents tomorrow?” Diana questions.

“I don't see why not, they have no way of tracking him now, and the event at the park wasn't particularly striking news.” Bruce does the closest thing to a smile as he does while he's wearing his suit. “I think it would be best to continue on schedule, besides they expect us to keep him up here, they don't think to look at some reporter from a metropolis.”

Some reporter? Thanks Bruce.

“So aside from the nearly getting kidnaped thing how was Conner's day?” Clark asks, far more cheerful now that he knows Conner isn't at risk of being kidnaped, and now that the damn chip is no longer in his body.

“It was quite enjoyable.” Diana hums.

That's good at least Conner had a mostly good day aside from the attempted kidnaping.

“I quite enjoy having young nephews to spoil.” Diana smirks a teasing tone in her voice. “You two should have more.”

Bruce makes a mix between a huff and disbelieving laugh. “Not a chance, Dick gives me enough trouble, i turn my back for a moment and he's hanging of the chandelier like it's a trapeze.”

Diana makes a face close to a pout.

“I've spent a fortune reinforcing them.” Bruce grumbles

Clark laughs. “If Wayne manor ever falls the chandeliers will remain standing.”

“Why is Barry not being pressured to have more children?” Bruce accuses.

“I will be discussing this with him as well.” Diana giggles.

“Who is discussing what with me?” Barry speeds into the room next to them.

“Diana is advocating for us to have more children.” Bruce smirks.

Barry cringes. “Oh i don't know, if me and iRis did have more kids you're access would have to be restricted.”

“And why would that be?” Diana questions sounding slightly offended.

“Every time you took whally out you sent him back hopped up on sugar.” Barry snorts.

“She did the same with Dick.” Bruce agrees.

Daina rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

They continue talking for a few minutes but eventually some of the league has to leave including Bruce. Soon it's just Clark and Diana making idle chatter before Clark decides to go and see Conner.

“Kal? You may want to talk to Conner.” Diana warns.

“Why is something wrong?” Clark asks.

“Perhaps.” Diana sighs. “Conner confided in me that he is nervous to meet your parents. He fears they will not like him.”

“Why would he think that?” Clark frowned.

Diana shrugged. “Children worry about things that will not happen all the time.”

~*~

Cark finds Conner in his pajamas already even though it's only six o’ clock, putting together a lego set Diana got him on his bed.

“Hey buddy.” Clark smiles, Conner's head snaps in his direction and a surprised look on his face that he has every time he sees Clark.

“Ummm hi..” Conner cocks his head, putting his hands that are still gripping a few plastic pieces in his lap.

“Can I help?” Clark asks, pointing to the Lego pieces spread across the bed.

“Oh! Yeah.” Conner shuffled backwards to make room for Clark even though there's plenty of room on the queen sized bed and Conner takes up maybe ten percent of it.

Clark is careful when he sits on the bed, not wanting to knock the plastic bricks off the bed.

“Did you have a nice day?” Clark asks.

Conner hummed, scooping up an unopened bag of bricks and handing them to Clark. “There's instructions in the bag.

Clark nodded, opening the bag. “What happened in the park must have been scary.”

Conner paused his constructions, freezing still. “I'm sorry.”

“You didn't do anything.'' Clark frowned. “You don't have to apologize.”

“They were following me.” Conner argues.

Clark winces, they hadn't wanted Conner to know that. little boys shouldn't have to look over their shoulders for evil scientists. Little boys shouldn't be afraid of someone trying to take them.

They shouldn't apologize for it either.

“That isn't your fault, and it won't happen again.” Clark assures.

Conner peers at him through lidded eyes. “You, you're not mad at me?”

Why would Clark be mad? how could Clark be mad?

“No, no im not mad at you.” Clark assures again and again. “I'd never be mad at you if someone tried to hurt you.”

Conner nods but lark get the feeling Conner doesn't quite believe him and the thought breaks his heart all over again.

It's a battle Clark doesn't want to fight right now and clearly Conner doesn't either as Clark leaves it alone.

“You get to meet Ma and Pa tomorrow.” Clark tries his best to sound cheerful. “Are you excited?”

Conner doesn't say anything.

“Conner?” Clark asks. “Are you nervous?”

Conner is quiet for a few more moments.

“What,” Conner starts. “What if they dont like me?”

“They will, they're so excited to meet you.” Clark promises.

“What if they meet me and they change their mind? If they don't like me will you change your mind about me too?” Conner rambles.

“That won't happen, Conner. They already love you so much.” Clark will make Conner a million promises if Conner would just stop looking so sad.

“They don't even know me.” Conner states. “How can they love me?”

“Because I love you. And I've been telling them all about you.” Clark says sitting up on the bed from where he was laying.

Ma had already started making Conner a quilt, and he's pretty sure Pa was baby proofing the house and barn. Ma had demanded he send them pictures so she could have them printed and framed before Conner got there, asking about Conner’s favorite foods, colors and what sized clothes he wears.

Conner had no reason to worry. If Clark, if the league had it their way he never would.

“You love me?” Conner asks so quietly Clark wasn't sure he'd actually heard it.

“I do, I love you so much.” Clark promised and he thinks this one might stick. “And Ma and Pa will love you just as much.”

Chapter Text

Conner had noticed something about Clark, he was very touchy and affectionate and that he was incredibly warm.

That fact was only made more clear while Conner was hugged to the man's chest as they flew through the sky.

Conner had flown before, but he had never not been the one flying, he'd always flown alone, no one had ever carried him, unless you counted that time Marvel dragged him through the sky because Conner wasn't fast enough to get away from a demon at his own speed.

But this was different, Clark didn't seem like he was in any rush at all, just leisurely flying through the cloudless sky above the fields of kansas. The sun was setting but the sky was starting to turn orange casting this almost gold look over the fields and grass below.

Clark pulled Conner closer to him if that was possible, and Conner sat his head in the crook of his neck, because well it was a bit cold and Clark was warm and definitely wasn't tired.

Well actually he was a bit tired, he hadn't been able to sleep at all the night before, his nerves had kept him wide awake all night. He hadn't had much of an appetite either, he hadn't eaten much all day, the whole day had just been waiting for Clark to come and get him so he could go to dinner with his parents.

Superman's parents.

The thought still seemed unbelievable to him, before… before all he had ever wanted was to be good, to do what he's told and not mess anything up, maybe for superman to look at him without disgust or rage.

But this? Superman naming him? Superman letting him meet his parents, Superman wanting him to move in with him.

He was still getting used to superman not hating him.

“Okay Conner,” Clark whispered.

Conner's eyes snapped open, he wasn't sure when he had closed them, they weren't flying anymore, just floating in the air above a red barn and a small two story farmhouse. There was a breeze making Conner's long curls whip around in his face as he looked up to Clarks face.

“Are you ready to meet Ma and Pa?” Clark smiled a soft and hopeful look in his crystal, too blue eyes.

Conner propped his head on Clarks shoulder.

Conner wasn't sure if he'd ever be ready, he'd heard about them, Diana and the Flash, and even Batman had told him about them, about how loving they were and how they treated everyone who came into their home like family. But there was still that fear, that they would see the awful part of him that made him so… unloveable, that then Clark would see it, despite Clarks insistence that his parents already loved him because Clark loved him.

Clark loved him.

He didn't believe that at all, but if Clark wanted to pretend then Conner wouldn't stop him.

“Conner?” Clark asked again.

Conner looked up again. “Okay.”

“You sure?” Clark asked, a strong hand gently running up and down his back, it was more comforting than Conner wanted it to be.

Conner nodded, Part of Conner wanted to stay like this forever, floating up in the cloudless sky above the fields of Kansas, but that couldn't happen and stalling wasn't going to make the nervous storm in his stomach go away.

“Okay, let's go see Ma and PA.” Clark said before slowly both of them descended down.

There was a dusty rich smell in the air, as Clark touched the ground it felt like gravity had taken back over the wait back on his body.

Their were two people standing on the porch of the farmhouse. Clark put him down on the ground, and Conner almost wished he hadn't, almost wished Clark had kept holding him, but that was stupid so Conner didn't say anything.

One of the people, an older woman, rushed down the wooden steps of the porch, she had a purple dress and a white apron, her grayed hair was styled in a short pixie.

“Is that him?” she asked Clark with a delighted smile on her face.

Clark smiled brightly, “this is Conner.”

The woman, Ma smiled even brighter if that was possible, bending down and bracing her hands on her knees. “Well aren't you just precious?”

Conner wasn't sure what to say.

“Hi, I'm Conner.” Conner greeted, even though clearly she already knew that, and held out his hand.

His stupid gesture had not seemed to phase her.

“Oh and you're so polite!” she cooed, shaking his hand, “im Marath but you can just call me Ma everyone does, especially family.”

Conner nodded.

“And this,” Ma looked over her shoulder to the other person on the porch who was walking up to them, “is Jonathan, but you can just call him Pa.”

Conner Nodded again, Pa nodded back both hands tucked hin the pockets of his jeans.

Pa was tall and thin with a head of thinning white hair, he had the same hopeful look in his eyes as Clark did and the same smile too. It was hard to believe they weren't related.

“I like your shirt.” Pa said almost awkwardly.

Conner looked down, not sure what was so remarkable about what shirt he was wearing, it was the same light blue shirt Diana had bought him the day before with the metallic letters.

“Thanks! it's new.” Conner said, a little pride slipping into his tone.

“Its very nice.” Ma agreed standing up straight. “Let's go inside and get something to drink, then I'll start dinner and then Pa and your daddy can show you around.”

Conner froze a bit at that word. Daddy? Like a dad?

Conner felt his cheeks warm.

“You like sweet tea Conner?” Pa smiled down at him ripping him from his thoughts .

“I've never had any before.” Conner admitted quietly.

“Well then aren't you in luck,” Pa grinned, “Ma makes the best sweet tea in Kansas.”

~*~

Sweet tea was definitely sweet, and Cold.

He was sitting at the kents dining table next to Clark, on a pillow because without a pillow be couldnt see over the table.

Being this short was very inconvenient.

Ma and Pa had been asking him questions the whole time, some of them he wasn't sure how to answer.

“So how has Clark been to you?” Ma asked.

Clark seemed to stiffen in his chair, sitting up a bit straighter like he was nervous.

“Umm, he's really nice.” Conner offered, why did they care about that? Superman had always treated him however he wanted to and no one ever said a word.

Well, except Marvel and look what happened to him.

“Well that's good,” Ma smiled and turned to look at the Clock on the wall. “I better get started on dinner and get that pie in the oven, Jon will you and Clark show him around the farm?”

Pa nodded, “I'm certain I can.”

Ma smiled as she stood up and gathered their empty glasses, then walked off to the kitchen.

“Alright,” Clark said. “Ready to see some animals?”

“Be careful around Lucy!” Ma shouted from the kitchen.

~*~

“Alright,” Pa said as he and Clark rolled open the doors to the Barn.

The barn was kinda dark, there were six stalls, four of them housed cows.

“Come on in they don't bite.” Pa waved him in.

Conner hesitantly walked over to the barn, Clark offered him his hand and Conner took it walking further into the barn together.

The cows were brown with dark faces, they had big dark eyes. They didn't spend much time looking at the cows though because Pa led them farther to the back of the barn where there was a large steel trough with a lamp over it, there were little chirping sounds coming from it.

“I picked these up from the feed store yesterday,” Pa explained, getting down on one knee next to the through. “They're still cute.”

Clark encouraged him forward to the trough, and Conner had to stand on his toes to peer into it, there were tons of tiny yellow chicks squirming around on wood shavings.

Conner couldn't help the smile that came across his face at the sigh of them.

“You wanna hold one?” Pa asked.

“Can I?” Conner asked unsure, disbelief in his voice.

Pa nodded eyes scanning the trough before reaching in and scooping up a chick.

“Here,” Clark said, grabbing Conner's hands and shaping them into a cup. “Be careful, they squirm around alot.”

Conner nodded, and Pa put the tiny ball of feathers in the palm of his hands. Conner froze, still not wanting to frighten it by moving, but he couldn't help smiling as it flaps its tiny wings in his hands.

Clark still had his hands on his shoulders crouched behind him, and he said something Conner didn't quite hear.

“Usually i get meat chickens but some of our egg layers stopped laying so I went out and got these girls.” Pa explained. “This ones an easter egger so shell lay these blues looking ones.”

Pa squinted at the chick in Conner's hands then looked back at the trough. “I think I got a couple road island reds.”

~*~

“We used to have goats but they smelled so bad that we got rid of them and got some hogs instead.” Pa explained as he leaned on the fence of the pig pen.

The black and white pigs flopped on the ground asleep, their snores were almost as bad as guys.

“I don't know if I like these much more.” Clark commented.

“Alright then,” Pa sighed, “let's go see Lucy.”

~*~

The pasture was mostly empty except for the horse grazing in the distance.

Suddenly Pa grabbed him and lifted him up, for a second Conner was prepared to be thrown, but Pa just sat him on the top rail of the fence.

Clark put a hand on his shoulders to steady him and gave him a smile.

Pa let out a long whistle and one of the horses, a dark brown, lifted its head to look at them for a moment before going back to grazing.

Pa Sighed heavily before reaching down and ripping a handful of grass from the fence.

“Here.” Pa said, handing Conner half the grass.

Conner's face twisted in confusion as he looked to the grass, to Pa then to Clark.

“She’ll come over if she thinks you got somethin’ for her.” Pa explained before whistling again.

“But it's just grass.” Conner said confused as he gripped the grass in his hand.

“She doesn't know that yet, she can't see what you have.” Clark explained.

Of course there was another reason. He seemed to be saying a lot of stupid things today, he needed to learn to stop questioning people.

The horse raised its head again but this time it started to walk towards them in heavy strides.

The horse was… a lot bigger than he thought it was when it was out in the field.

“Hold your hand out flat, or she’ll get yer’ finger.” Pa said as opened up his hand flat offering his own handful.

The horse began to eat the grass out of Pa’s hand and Pa started to run his other hand down the horse's face.

“Her names Lucy,” Pa explained as Lucy finished eating the grass in his palm.

“And she Hates basically everyone.” Clark sighed. “even the cows.”

“Gets along with me just fine.” Pa argued.

Lucy turned her head to Conner, sniffing at his closed hand gripping the grass, Conner did what he was told and opened his hand up flat. Lucys soft nose brushed against his palm as she ate the grass, sniffing at his palm when she finished and snorting when she didn't find it anymore.

Another smile broke across Conner's face.

~*~

Ma called them in for dinner just a few minutes after he met lucy.

“I heard someone liked Mac n’ cheese.” Ma said putting down the last dish of cheese covered pasta.

Conner did his best to smile at her, Clark grabbed Conner's plate and piled a scoop onto his plate.

“Do you want something else too or just the mac n’ cheese?” Clark asked him.

Conner thought for a moment, he still hasn't really tried many foods, but Ma had worked hard to cook all of this, it would be rude not to at least try to eat something else.

Conner scanned the spread of food across the table, there were mashed potatoes, biscuits, and some sort of cooked meat.

“What's that?” Conner asked, pointing at the platter of meat that Pa was cutting into slices.

“Pork tenderloin,” Ma smiled, the kents seemed to do a lot of that.

“Can I try some?” Conner whispered to Clark.

Clark nodded and put a small slice on his plate.

~*~

By the end of dinner Conner had tried everything there was on the table.

He liked everything, except green beans, he did not like green beans. And then Ma had brought out a pie, Apple pie and he had two slices of it along with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream and by the end of dinner Conner was fuller than he had ever been.

But in the end, Clark gave him a satisfied smile, ruffled his hair and said he was proud of him, this really was like a dream.

After dinner they were in the living room watching a movie, tucked against Clarks side under a soft blanket.

Conner's eyes were heavy and there was a sting in his eyes from fighting to keep them open.

He kept drifting into sleep, only to jerk awake when his head started to fall.

He couldn't fall asleep yet, he just couldn't, because tonight he wasn't going back to the watchtower, he was going home with Clark.

It was a though he had been putting out of his head all day, had put it aside in favor of worrying about meeting the Kents, but know he had met the kents and they seemed to like him alright, but know it was late and he would have to go to bed soon, and Clark would take him back to his apartment.

Conner snaped his eyes open again, startled by the sound of a gun shot on the TV, Clarks arm, he had no idea when it had gotten wrapped around him, seemed to pull him closer against himself.

~*~

Clark barley held back a chuckle as he watched Conner fight sleep.

They were on the couch in the living room, Conner was curled against his side under a blanket on the couch, Ma was on the other side of the couch quitting he presumed to be something for Conner and Pa was in his recliner switching his attention from the western on TV to the half asleep boy on the couch.

Conner suddenly jerked awake again, before he could actually fall into a real sleep, Clark smiled softly and adjusted the arm he had around him so Conner wouldn't face plant off the couch. He seemed exhausted, Clark couldn't blame him, he had eaten far more than Clark had expected him too, and had tried a lot more than he had expected him too. An

He was so worried that Conner wouldn't eat anything because he hadn't tried many foods but Conner tried everything on the table and seemed to like everything except the green beans, but Clark wasn't too pressed about that he doubted anyone actually liked those things.

Ma had even brought out one of her famous apple pies and let Conner have two slices, even though she never let Clark have two slices at the same time unless it was a special occasion.

Clark supposed meeting your grandparents was a special occasion.

Conner seemed to twitch a bit before snuggling back into Clarks side.

Plus there was the whole thing with the attempted Kidnaping, though Clark was electing to not tell Ma and Pa about that bit. He didn't need Ma digging out her old shot gun from the closet.

“It might be time to get him to bed.” Pa suggested, a fond smile on his face.

“Probably.” Clark agreed to sit up on the couch, careful not to disturb the sleeping boy, before lifting him up in his arms and resting his head in Clarks neck. Conner snuggled in more.

“Enjoy the cuddles while they last.” Ma whispered, smiling at them.

“Yeah, one day hell move to the big city and start fighting crime in red trunks.” Pa smirked.

Clark rolled his eyes before smiling at Conner who seemed to finally settle into some kind of doze.

“I gotta get him home.” Clark whispered.

Home. Clarks apartment, Clark kept telling himself he was ready that he could do this, that Conner would love it there. But the fear that Conner wouldn't was always there, the Watchtower was all Conner knew, it was where he had lived his entire short life.

Ma nodded, putting her quilting project to the side she got up to open the door for them.

“Hes just about the sweetest little boy.” Ma beamed.

“He is.” Clark agreed.

Ma pressed her fingers to her lips then pressed them to the top of Conner’s head in an indirect kiss.

“You take care of my grandbaby.” Ma said sternly with a fierce look in her eye as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Clark nodded. “I will Ma.”

Ma gave him an approving smile before waving him out the door to the porch and shutting the door.

Clark stepped off the porch but his feet never touched the ground as he flew up in the air.

He took a second to adjust the way he was holding Conner, turned in the general direction of the Zeta tube and setoff in that direction, bringing Conner home.

Chapter Text

Clark walked through the door of his apartment feeling strangely alien, pun unintended.

It might have been the fact that Bruce left the lamp in the living room when he dropped off some of Conner's things from the watchtower, it might have been the six year old in his arms, either way Clark felt a bit lost standing in the entryway.

Conner stirred in his arms, mumbling something under his breath.

Right, he needed to put Conner to bed.

“Conner?” Clark coos, running his hands up and down corners back.

Conner stirred and grumbled in his arms before sleepy gray eyes blinked open and looked back at him.

“Hey bubba,” Clark says softly, lifting a hand to Conner's head to run a hand through his hair and Conner leaned into it, before he grumbled again and his head pulled back, already falling back asleep.

“I know you're tired, but once we get you changed out of your jeans and your shoes you'll sleep much better.” Clark soothed, as he sat down on the couch and began untying his shoes.

Conner rubbed at his eyes and gave Clark a sour look.

Clark smiled, “I know just hold on a minute or two.”

Clark pulled Conners shoes off his feet setting them aside, he would move them later, he peeled off Conners socks, holding on to them so he could toss them in the laundry hamper.

“Okay, let's go get you some Pajamas.” Clark said to the half asleep boy.

Conner just blinked at him before bobbing his head in a nod, Clark scooped him up and Conner seemed to sink into his arms as he made his way to Conner's room, tossing his socks in the hamper as he passed the bathroom.

Most of Conner's room was set up and while Clark had thought that Bruce had gone overboard when he ordered the things Conner would need in all actuality the room still felt bare and dull. The walls had been painted a light blue thanks to Barry and Wally, but aside from that there was just a bed with plain sheets, a dresser and an empty toy box in the corner.

He'd have to bring corner out shopping sometime because right now the room looked more like a prison cell than a little boys room.

Clark sat Conner down again so he could sort through the pajamas in the dresser, all of Conner's things had been brought down from the watch tower including his now vast collection of hero-themed Pajamas.

“Any favorites?” Clark asked Conner, who was still standing in the same place Clark had sat him down.

Conner shook his head.

Clark just chose something soft, a pair of captain Marvel pajamas would do the job.

Clark turned to Conner who seemed slightly more awake than before.

“Okay, so right across the hall is the bathroom,” Clark explained, handing over the pajamas. “You can change in there and put your dirty clothes in the hamper or you can change in here and i'll wait outside and take them when you're done.”

“Umm i'll change in the bathroom” Conner whispered as he took the pajamas.

“Okay, I'll wait right here.” Clark promised.

Conner takes a few minutes before he comes back to the room dressed in his pajamas.

“Okay,” Clark says as Conner climbs into bed. “My room is just down the hall, you can come get me anytime okay?”

Conner nodded sleepily as Clark pulled the covers over him.

Clark tucked him into bed pulling the soft confider over his shoulders and smiled down at him.

The room was pretty dark, would Conner be scared? Maybe he should get Conner a night light, was Conner too old for a night light? Even if he wasn't afraid of the dark i could help him see if he had too get up for the bathroom or just to come and find Clark…

Maybe he would wait until tomorrow to think about that.

Conner was practically asleep already snoring softly, Clark brushed his curls from his face and kissed his forehead, Conner didnt seem to stir or react to the affection. Maybe one day Clark would build up the courage to kiss Conner good night before the boy fell asleep.

“Welcome home Conner.” Clark whispered, a soft smile curving his lips. “Good night, i love you, and I'm so proud of you.”

Clark floated out of the room not wanting to risk the floor creaking and waking him up from his much needed sleep. Clark closed the door and sighed in relief not noticing how tired he was, and how much he wanted to crawl into bed.

“You've certainly fallen into fatherhood.” a voice called.

Clark cursed as Bruce stepped out of the shadows of the master bedroom, full suit and gear.

Apparently Clark had been so busy getting Conner settled that he missed the third heartbeat in his Apartment.

“Bruce!” Clark whispered. “What are you doing in my apartment?”

“Making sure everything went well.” Bruce answered, crossing his arms like it was Clark who had done something. “And it did, good job.”

Clark rolled his eyes. “Well then, you can go because I've got this handled.”

Bruce grumbled before striding into the living room towards the window.

“Shouldn't you be home, y’know with your kid?” Clark asked, hands on his hips.

Bruce began to unlock the window and- Where was the screen?

“Dick is having a sleepover with Wally, apparently they don't want me there to watch movies wit them anymore.” Bruce explained as he opened the window sliding it up.

“So you came to stalk me?” Clark probed.

“Monitor.” Bruce corrected.

Clark rolled his eyes. “Let me get this straight, two teenage boys kicked you out of their sleep over so you flew all the way here just to watch me and my kid?”

“Don't be stupid.” Bruce grunted as he climbed through the window. “The Batwing is far too noticeable, I drove in the batmobile.”

“So what?” Clark asked walking up to the window to shut it. “You're empty nesting?”

Bruce didn't say anything to the jab, just turned away from the window.

“Oh!” Bruce spun around suddenly and pulled out a piece of folded paper. “I almost forgot, here's the banking information for Conners college fund.

“College fund?” Clark asked, taking the paper. “He's six.”

“Exactly, he’ll be off to college in twelve years,” Bruce explained.

Clark opened the paper up and let out a long whistle at the balance of the account. Long story short it was enough to put Conner through any college ten times over.

“Bruce.” Clark scolded. “What is this?”

Bruce shrugged, SHRUGGED, as if he didn't just give a six-year-old hundreds of thousands of dollars. “Diana contributed half of it.”

Clark groaned as Bruce jumped into the night.

~*~

”see! I told you!” Marvel called from a few feet away. “You're a natural!”

Marvel always seemed to beam at him like he was something… he just always seemed happy to see him.

“What, what if i fall?” he asked trying not to look down at the ground so far, far, below them.

“Then ill catch you, don't be afraid fear weighs you down.” Marvel winked as him.

He smiles back, he was flying, flying in the air without any help, or well without someone holding him.

The moment is cut short by Superman flying towards them, him, a look of rage he's knows all too well.

“You,” Superman sneers at him. “Were suppose to report back to the WatchTower nearly an hour ago.”

“I, umm, i-” he stumbles, he, he didn't know, he doesn't have a way to tell.

Superman won't wait for an answer.

“Woah, woah, woah,” Marvel says, putting himself between him and Superman's angry gaze. “That's my bad, I wanted to do one last sweep of the area and it took a bit of time.

This seems to satisfy Superman because he just fumes as he turns away from them. “Don't let it happen again.

~*~

he blinks and suddenly he's not flying through the sky anymore, he's at the cafeteria on the watchtower with the uncomfortable benches and the sticky table and a bowl of dry salad in front of him.

”you know,” Marvel says poking at the grayed mush on his tray with a plastic spoon. “You’d think we could spring for some junk food, but noooooo we get protein mush and salad.”

He stays quiet, Marvel is the only one he knows, not that he knows many, to dare criticize the league, but he would never dare be caught speaking ill of the league.

”like seriously, i’ve found better food in a dumpster.” Marvel cringes.

Marvel spirals into a story about something he isn't really paying attention to, hes just enjoying the company, enjoying not being alone, he knows that Marvel will go home, were ever that was, and that he will still be here floating above earth in a bunk room…”

~*~

hes standing in front of the trinity but this time, this time there's no Marvel to save him.

“Captain Marvel has been removed from the league.” Superman scowls sharp eyes boring into them and he swears he can feel his skin burn under it. “You are not to contact him, interact with him or allow him in any justice league facility, is that clear?”

He tries not to cry, tries not to let the hurt in his chest climb his throat in the form of a sob.

“What- why?” he mutters out.

Superman looks ready to break something but Wonder Woman stepped in.

“You are in NO position to question our authority, Captain Marvel has been removed from the Justice League roster, you do not need to know more than that.” she sneers.

The room begins to spin and the walls swirl into dark steel withbright flecks of glowing green.

There's burning.

There's crying.

He's alone.

He's all alone.

His skin begins to burn, his head spinning on his shoulders.

He's dying-.

~*~

He shoots up from bed, a loud blaring noise rings in his ears.

He was dying, he was dying, he was dying again.

He can't breathe, he can't breathe, he can't-

He wasn't there anymore he was, he was- where was he?

He whips his head around the dark room but it isn't- he doesn't-

…

He tries to breathe tries to take in a breath of the stuffy air in his bunk room, but he-

He's not in the watchtower, the air is too fresh, his bed is soft and there's an even softer blanket covering him…

The realization washes over him like ice water, refreshing and terrifying at the same time.

That was right, he wasn't there, he was here.

He was with Clark, Clark wasn't Superman or well he was Superman but he wasn't Superman .

The blaring, the noise!

He can't focus, can't think, it's so loud!

He sobs and cries and- and-

He had to - had to- had to-

He has to…

He wants Clark.

He pushes out of the bed onto a soft carpeted floor, it's not the cold steel of the Watchtower…

He fumbles in the dark hands held out in front of him as he searches for a door.

His hand brushes the cold metal of the doorknob, he grips it and half expects it to be locked but it's not, it clicks open to the dark hallway.

His feet pad against the hardwood floor of the hallway, the blaring making his ears ring, He is getting dizzy so dizzy he nearly walks into a door frame,

he finds the door to Clark's room, he thinks, he didn't exactly get a tour but it's the only other door in the hall.

He wants Clark. He doesn't know why, doesn't know why he wants to see him so badly.

He wants to open the door, to ask Clark to fix the noise, but he stops himself from freezing with his hand on the doorknob.

What if Clark got mad at him? He was probably sleeping…

He didn't need Clark, he was being stupid, he should go back to bed, Clark didn't give him permission to roam his apartment…

Reluctantly Conner lets go of Clark's door and turns to go back to the room he woke up in.

Suddenly there's a click and the hallway floods with light blinding him.

“Conner?” Clark asks, he sounds… angry? Tired? “Is something wrong?”

Conner doesn't turn around to face him, and doesn't want to see how angry he must be for waking him up for something so stupid… he makes to continue down the hall to his room, maybe Clark would forgive him if he just went back to bed without being asked…

There's more blaring noise, it's so loud, so sudden it brings Conner to his knees.

“Conner?” Clark asks again, more alert he's at his side rubbing his back with a gentle large hand. “Baby what's wrong?”

Conner misses the nickname.

What was he supposed to tell him? There was so much wrong…

He's done it, he messed up his only chance, Clark would realize, would see the bad part of him and stop pretending to love him, and he'd tell Ma and Pa, and Guy, Diana, Barry and they would stop pretending to and he'd be alone.

He was going to be all alone.

“It's loud….” he breaks into a pathetic sob, he doesn't know why, crying wouldn't save him, it never did before.

“Oh Conner,” Clark coos, scooping him up. “It's okay.”

The word offers no comfort and he sobs into Clarks chest the blaring gets louder and louder.

“Shhh” Clark soothes rubbing his hand in small circles on his back. “Just focus on something, anything just focus on one thing okay?”

Conner tries but he can't hear much of anything except the blaring and Clark's voice and the thumping in Clarks chest-

Clarks heartbeat.

He can hear Clarks heartbeat, its repetitive beating strong and quick, as powerful as the rest of Clark.

He rests his head against Clarks chest, his t-shirt soft against his cheek, it takes a moment but the blaring is- not gone but more like a lighter buzz in the background but that was always sorta there.

At Least it was until a sudden car horn from the street below made him flinch.

“Easy, you're okay.'' Clark says, it's then that Conner realizes that he's sitting in Clarks lap in Clarks room on Clarks bed. “Wait a second, I think I have something.”

Clark moves him out of his lap and onto the bed, before moving to the closet and begins to riffle through it.

Clark makes an accomplished sound before turning back to him with a smile and a pair of headphones.

“Here.” Clark says plopping the headphones on Conner's head but the earpieces dangle down to his chin.

“Opps, hold on let me..” Clark adjusts the headphones gently shoving the pieces up to corner ears.

It hits Conner that now, with the headphones on, he can only really hear Clark, his body goes lax with the absence of the loud noise and the constant annoying buzzing that always seemed to bother him.

His eyes are heavy again, eyelids drooping shut in slow blinks.

“Better?” Clark asks softly, quietly.

Conner nods, rubbing at his eyes to chase the sleep away.

“Good, do you want to go back to bed?” Clark asks.

Conner…

Conner doesn't know, he doesn't want to be alone, he wants Clark, but he doesn't want to bother Clark…

“Do you wanna sleep in here with me?” Clark asks, sitting down next to him on the bed.

That sounded nice, it sounded really nice right now actually…

Conner nods.

“Okay.” Clark smiles.

Clark stands up and pulls back the covers on the other side of the bed, Conner crawls over to the other pillow and lays down.

Clark crawls back into the bed pulling the pillows up over them and pulling Conner a bit closer to him up against his chest, and tucking connor in the covers for a second time that night.

“Just wake me up up if it gets too loud again, okay?” Clark yawns so hard Conner can feel itt in his chest. “I'll take you to the watchtower… and you can go back in the room..”

Conner tries not to panic at the last part but he still goes stiff in Clarks hold even as sleep takes him into unconsciousness.

“I love you so much…” he hears Clark say just before the darkness takes him.

Maybe, just maybe he won't have to be alone like that again.

~*~

Chapter Text

Clark sighed contently, sunlight streamed in through the blinds and curtains on his window. Clark had woken up almost two hours ago but he hadn't gotten up yet, he didn't want to disturb Conn who had snuggled up in Clarks arms. Clark brought a hand up to brush some of Conner's curls away from his face, he'd been staring at Conner, which sounded very weird when he thought about it for more than a few seconds…

Was this what being a dad was? Spending hours stare at your sleeping children in disbelief because you found them unbelievably perfect and beautiful? Because if so Clark was nailing it.

Conner was absolutely perfect with his dark curls and sweet, sweet smile.

He was still wearing Clarks old noise canceling headphones but they aren't exactly on the boy's ears anymore instead they've shifted around and sat lopsided on his head. Carefully Clark pulls them off and sets them on his bedside table deciding to keep them close in case Conner needs them again.

Conner's eyes fluttered for a moment before settling closed again. Clark smiled at him for the millionth time that morning.

Conner's eyes fluttered open again but this time they stayed open.

“Morning.” Clark smiled.

Conner blinked tiredly at him, he didn't seem very interested in starting the day, luckily Clark didn't have any plans for that day it was going to be a nice quiet day for him and Conner to settle into. It was going to be a quiet six weeks actually, he'd taken six weeks off of work, paid because there were perks when your best friend owned the building you work in, and he'd been excused from all league activities for the next two.

Dinah and diana insisted that he take Six weeks of for paternity leave, or as diana called it ‘bonding time for mother and baby, or in this case father and clone son’ Clark had not taken up the six weeks for league activities even though Bruce offered to work it out, he couldnt leave his duties like that but Diana insisted on at least two weeks.

Conner stirred in his arms.

“Are you ready to get up?” Clark asks softly.

Conner makes what Clark thinks is a shake of his head with a soft groan.
That's fine, Clark thinks he could sit like this with Conner for hours if Conner wanted him to.

Clark didn't think before he pressed a kiss to the top of Conner's head. Conner blinks at him wide eyed and shocked.

Oh, maybe he should… should he not do that? Ma and Pa kissed him all the time but maybe Conner didn't like it? Maybe he should-

Conner sits up and looks around as he presses his palms to his eyes, and turns to look at him. “Im hungry.”

Clark’s racing thoughts freeze up.

“Oh, yeah we, I can make you something to eat, yeah.” Clark says almost rolling out of bed. “C’mon we’ll find something to make for breakfast.”

Conner nods softly and jumps off the bed and for a moment Clarks heart stops at seeing his son throw himself off the bed and land on his feet.

~*~

Breakfast is easy to come up with, Pancakes of course, bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy, Ma would be proud.

Conner had taken a shower and was sitting on the couch in a fresh pair of flash Pajamas as he watched cartoons while Clark finished cooking.

Clark poured more pancake batter into the skillet trying to think of things he could do with Conner, movies were a good bet but he's pretty sure Conners watched every Disney movie there is with his time on the watchtower. They could just play with the legos Diana got him but Clark wasn't sure how long the three sets would last them.

Either way he would think of something, it was going to be a quiet, calm Sunday for Conner after the last two crazy days his boy has had.

At Least that was what Clark was thinking before a gust of wind hit his back and knocked a roll of paper towels off the counter.

“Heeey uncle Clark!”

Wally.

Clark loved his nephews, he did, he especially loved Wally, he was a real sweetheart when he was little but Clark wasn't exactly planning a nephew day and he didn't have nearly enough food to properly feed a speedster.

And Conner had not met the boys either, Clark was always planning on it but Conner had such an eventful few days and meeting his cousins were pushed to the back burner.

Clark turned around to see his nephew sitting at his table leaning his chair back so it stood on two legs. The boy was out of costume, his bright red hair was gelled and spiked up ridiculously high as was the teens apparent fashion.

“Wally.” Clark greeted turning back to the stove to turn off the burner because he could tell this would take a while.

“I'm here to see the baby!” Wally cheered.

Clark chuckled and nodded his head to where Conner was nervously peering over the back of the couch.

“Ooh,” Wally sped over to the couch and Conner looked like he was about to throw himself off the couch. “Hey buddy.”

“Wally,” Clark said, pulling the two teens from his argument as he walked over to the couch and scooping Conner up in his arm. “I love you but what are you doing here?”

“I told you I'm here to see the baby.” Wally gestured to Conner.

Conner mumbled something about ‘not being a baby’ before tucking his head on Clarks shoulder.

“Does Barry know you're here?” Clark asked.

“I mean well, sorta, he knows I'm out.” Wally answered.

“Does he know that you're halfway across the country?” Clark clarified, “without permission?”

Wally got what could only be a pout on his face. “No.”

Clark sighed and patted Conners back. “Stay here, I'm calling your aunt and uncle.”

“What? You're calling aunt iris!” Wally cried, “c’mon uncle Clark i thought i was your favorite!”

Clark rolled his eyes and put Conner back on the couch.

“Watch him please,” he told Conner.

“Uncle Clark.'' Wally whined as Clark went to find his phone.

~*~

“Why does your hair look like that?” Conner asked Wally who was pouting next to him on the couch.

“I gelled it.” Wally answered a smirk on his lips.

“You look like a porcupine.” Conner said honestly.

“Harsh.” Wally winced.

~*~

Clark sighed, turning his stove back on to resume making breakfast, Barry had already come and whisked his nephew away back to Central city.

Maybe next week when Conner was a bit more settled he would set up a sort of play date for Conner to meet some of the other younger kids, but for now he just kind of wanted Conner for himself.

Quiet lazy sunday started now.

~*~

Clark started as he watched Dick clad in his robin costume, attempting to jimmy open the window on his fire escape.

It had been hours since Wally made his impromptu visit, so long that night had fallen over metropolis and Conner was wrapping up his last movie and was about to take a shower to go to bed.

Dick knew Clark could see him; he just didn't care and kept trying to open his window.

“Who is that?” Conner asked nervously.

“That is your cousin,” Clark answered, his gaze boring into the window as much as he could without activating his heat vision.

“I thought Wally was my cousin?”

“You have a lot of cousins.” Clark decided.

“oh.”

Finally Dick managed to squeeze through the now open window a goofy grin on his face.

“Heeyy uncle Clark.” Dick grinned wider.

“Baby Clark.” Dick nodded at Conner.

“I'm not a baby…” Conner muttered under his breath.

Mm Conner really didn't like that, he would have to make sure everyone was careful with what they called him.

“He's not a baby,” Clark corrected his nephew gently.

Dick sighed.

“Dick, what are you doing here it's not even,” Clark turned his head to check his clock. “Ten.”

Ten already? That was a bit late for a six year old right? He should get Conner to bed.

“Bruce sent me to check on you guys make sure you too were settling in okay.” Dick shrugged.

“Oh really? Because Bruce was here last night and I told him to stay away for a bit.”

“Umm well you know B, always paranoid.” Dicks said, sitting down on the window seal.

“And he sent you because?” Clark asked.

“He said you wouldn't send me away.” Dick sighed.

Cark rolled his eyes. “Go back to the Batmobile, and tell Bruce i'm gonna call him later to talk about his latest habit.”

“But I just got the window open!” Dick whined. “I can't believe you locked it on us!”

“Go,” Clark insisted. “I have to get Conner to bed.”

Dick groaned but made his way back onto the fire escape.

“Thank you.” Clark said. “Be sure to close the window behind you.”

~*~

“And these will be right here if you need them,” Clark said showing Conner where he had stashed the noise canceling headphones. “But if you ever want to, can you come to my room okay? For anything.”

Conner just nodded as Clark started to pull the blankets back over him, still felt like something was bothering Conner though.

“Are you okay?” Clark asked brushing a curl out of his face, Conner was gonna need a haircut soon.

Conner was quiet for a moment before whispering. “Can they just get in here?”

“Who?” the kidnappers? Was Conner more bothered than he seemed? Clark knows he's still bothered by that and he wasn't even nearly kidnapped.

“My cousins.”

“You're- oh Wally and Dick yeah they come over all the time.” Clark answered.

“Do they- does Dick always come through the window?” Conner fidgeted with one of his blankets.

“I yeah most of the time, your uncle Bruce does too.” Clark nodded.

“They just, they just come in?” Conner looks scared.

“I yeah they do..”

“Oh…” Conner hummed curling in on himself.

“Do you not want them to?” Clark asked.

“I don't, they just come in without asking.” Conner's eyes were wide with nervousness.

Conner was scared, Conner was scared that people could get into the apartment unnoticed, that they could get in without asking.

“Ok, i'll tell them to start knocking, they'll only come in if i tell them they can.” Clark said, pressing a kiss to Conners temple.

Oops he forgot about that he'd have to watch himself better.

But Conner just blinked for a moment, pressed two tiny fingers to his temple and smiled a little curled up under the covers.

~*~

“You can't be serious.” Bruce said over the phone.

“I'm not.” Clark grinned as though Bruce could see him. “You have to knock now and I have to open the window to let you in.”

“This is ridiculous.” Bruce groaned

“This is his home now too Bruce, you're freaky bat routine was fine when it was just me but now.. This is his home now, he deserves to feel safe.” Clark smiled. “And he cant feel safe knowing his uncle could come crawling through his window in his goth furry cosplay.”

Clark can almost feel Bruce roll his eyes on the other end of the phone.

“And stop sending your kid to spy on me just because you know i wont yell at him.”

“What are you talking about?” Bruce sounds surprised.

“Dick was here earlier, he said you sent him?” Clark offers.

The other end of the phone goes silent for so long Clark thinks that Bruce hung up the phone.

“He said he was going to a mathlete's meeting.” Bruce groans.

~*~

“He kicked you out too?” Wally asked, sitting on Dicks bed and taking a bite of the pizza Dick ordered for them, or him really.

“Yeah man, I mean having a kid sure has made him up-.” Dick started.

“Dick! What were you doing at Clarks apartment tonight!” they hear Bruce shout from down the hall.

Wally speeds out of the manor in the blink of an eye abandoning Dick to face the consequences of his own actions on his own.

~*~

Chapter Text

first bit i actully made for this fic while I was drawing chapter four? I think. For the first pick I tried to make it seem like conner was wearing a costume with like the printed waist band and the not shiny gold but you can't even see marvels costume that well. Rip Clark's fingers I know his pain.

Chapter Text

Conner was trying to adjust too living in the apartment, and he was doing pretty well… well he thinks? It was hard to tell in ways it was the the same as the watchtower he watched movies, he colored pictures, and played with legos. But now Clark was there all the time and it was… odd.

Conner winced as his fingers snagged against the tangles in his hair and pulled on his scalp, his hair had gotten kinda long compared to before, it was down past his shoulders now. It was nice in a way, before he had to keep his hair in a short buzz, it was nice but now it was a matted tangled mess.

Clark chuckled behind him from the couch staring at his phone and smiling.

“What?” Conner asked tentatively from his spot on the floor were he was building the last lego set diana had bought him. was Clark laughing at him? Was this funny?

“Hmm? Oh no Conner not you, Ma sent me something funny." Clark smiled.

“Oh…” well at least Clark wasnt making fun of him, he hated that, he espescaly hated it when his “cousins” made fun of him.

He was not a baby.

Conner frowned at the thought of the two sidekicks. He thought he had known them from before but… everyone else looked the same as before and this robin and this “kid flash” were so different looking.

Before the “kid flash” hadnt even been called kid flash, hed gone by impulse and he had fluffy brown hair and from the very few times Conner had been in the same room as him was very, very hyper active. And although the kid flash from a few days ago was only there for a couple minutes before the flash came to take him back to central he could tell that they wearnt nearly as hyper, plus they had very red hair.

It probably didn't matter though, the impulse from before had died just a few months after he… arived from the future… taken out by a evil clone. It hadn't exactly helped Conners case back then, superman seemed to watch him with an even harsher cautious gaze after that happened.

Maybe this kid flash was the flash from before? He heard that the flash use to be Barry allen but he had died before Conner had been… discovered. And then someone else with red hair had taken the flash name and costume. Conner mostly heard about Barry allen in stories or on files he probably wasn't supposed to read or have access to.

The robin was less different, he had the same black hair, he seemed taller but well everyone seemed taller now. There had been two robins before, or well three but Conner hadn't known he first one, hed known the second for a few mounths before he… also died.

A lot of kids seemed to die back then…

But Batman had come back a few months later with a new robin who looked about the same as before, actually he'd looked so much like the old one some suspected that Batman had cloned the old one.

Conners hands stop fidgeting and he pulls them into his lap.

Did they replace him too? He knew there was a supergirl. She had showed up just a month before he… theres an icey feeling building up in his chest and he brings a hand to his eyes to try and rub away the wetness.

Dont cry.

Supergirl hated him almost as much as superman, sent him awful glares across the room, whispered to superman in kryptonian right in front of him.

Don't cry.

An abomination. A disgrace to the house of El. a disgrace to Superman.

Dont cry.

A disgrace to Clark.

Faster than he can stop, hot tears escape his eyes falling from his cheeks and he tries to strangle a sob-

Someone pulls him into their arms, up against their chest as they begin to rock him back and forth, shushing him softly and rubbing circles on his back.

He wants to stop crying, and wants to stop sobbing into Clarks chest like a child. Wants to tell Clark that he didn't use to act like this, he didnt use to cry so much before.

He wants to tell Clark how sorry he is for being such a coward.

i have no pity for cowards. Dia- Wonder Woman, had said once.

No pity, no mercy for someone who cant face there problems. No mercy for someone who lays crying on the floor.

No mercy for someone who needs someone else to save them.

There's a hand carding through his hair, or trying to but it keeps getting snagged in tangles and it's more painful than comforting.

Conner can't seem to bring himself to speak, cant seem to muster any noise other than the sobs ripping through him.

Clark shushed him, and kept pressing brief kisses to his head.

They stay like that for a few minutes rocking back and forth on the living room carpet, Conners sobs drifting into whimpers and then into soft sniffles while Clark soothed him and whispered soft promises in his ears.

Conners blinked open his eyes, they felt puffy and it feels like he’ll teeter over the edge and start breaking into pieces all over again.

He wants to apologize to Clark, tell him how sorry he is for being such an abomination to the world, for disgracing him and his family, and want to apologize for being here at all for taking up everyone's time and attention.

He doesn't though he just keeps quiet and lays curled up as a tense ball in Clarks arms.

“We need to get you a haircut.” Clarks says softly before pressing a kiss to his head, it makes Conner's chest warm and fuzzy.

“Are you okay?” Clark whispered to him even though they were the only ones there.

Conner nods against Clarks chest.

“Oh my sweet boy.” Clark sighs, he sounds sad. “It’ll be okay son.”

"a genetic relation does not make you my son.”

“You're okay.”

”it sure as hell doesn't even make us family.”

“I love you so much.”

”how could i possibly love something made to kill me.”

Conner hiccups another sob.

Not again he couldn't cry again.

“What's wrong?” Clark questioned, a concerned, determined look on his face like if Conner told him what was wrong he could make that thing go away.

How could he tell him? How could he explain that?

“You're wrong..” is all that Conner can really muster, his voice is thick and wobbly like was about to start crying again.

Clark is quiet for a moment.

“What do mean?”

Conner doesn't know how to answer instead more frustrated tears well up in his eyes.

“i- “ he sniffs and wipes at his eyes desperately. “Dont, i don know..”

“That's okay..” Clark assures tone whisper soft as he brushes the hot tears off Conners face. “You dont have to know, you can just cry.”

That…

Thats enough for Conner because he just keeps crying, and crying, until his voice is raw and hoarse and his cheeks are sticky with his tears.

~*~

Clark sighs as he rubs his now sleeping six year old back in an effort to keep him asleep.

He didnt know what happened, wasnt sure what set him off into this…

Calling it a tantrum wasn't right, breakdown? What would cause six year old to have a break down?

He sighs runs a hand through his hair and runs through the events of the day.

Hed woken up a bit before Conner, made breakfast like usual then they'd settled down and Clark browsed his phone while Conner played.

And then.. Hen hed just started sobbing, horrible wails that shattered Clarks heart into billions of peices, hed only heard children cry like that on the field, on humanitarian missions or after invasions when they lost everything and sometimes everyone.

But why would Conner cry like that?

He didn't seem to be in any pain, at least not physically…

Maybe thats what had led Clark out to his fire escape and up to the roof of his building, maybe thats why he called Dinah and Bruce keeping a year out incase Conner startd to wake up.

“He just started crying?” Dinah asked concerned on the phone.

“Yeah… it was awful, he was fine one minute and the next he was just bawling.”

“Was there anything that could have sett him off? A disturbing scene on TV? A loud noise?” Dinah asks.

Suddenly theres a flash- no pun intended, and Barry is standing a few feet away almost out of breath.

“I heard something wrong with the baby?” he huffs bracing against his knees. “I came as soon as Bruce texted me.”

“Barrys there isn't he?” Dinah asks in a flat tone.

“Yeah.” Clark smiled, Barry came running at even the slightest hint that there was a child in need, and for a man who wan run as fast as Barry that meant there were few of those in central city, especially after he and Iris took Wally in a few years ago.

“Put me on speaker.” Dinah demands.

Clark obeys not one to argue with the woman who could blow his eardrums out with a single cry.

“Okay so what's going on with the kid?” another third voice asks and Clark turns to see- Guy? Dropping down onto the roof of the apartments.

“Guys there too?” Dinah asks, confused.

“Yeah.” Clark and Barry say in unison.

Clark can hear Dinah sigh from her office in Star city.

“Okay so what happened exactly?” Dinah asks.

Clark repeats his story, Conner was fine and then he wasn't and now he's freaking out.

“I don't know what to tell ya big blue.” Guy shrugs. “Sometimes kids just cry.”

“He's right, when Wally first came to live with us he cried all the time.” Barry nodded with speed that made his face a blurr.

“Not the.. Best example.” Guy cringes.

Its really not, in fact the idea that Conner could have gone through anything like what Wally went through makes Clark tense and a heat sparks in his eyes.

Wally… Wally's father had beaten him and his mother horribly, had killed his wife and broken Wally arm he needed two surgery’s to fix it even with his healing after his accident.

“Well, i mean i guess but still im sure Dicks cried before.” Barry added.

“Dick lost both his parents in a double homicide.” Dinah corrected.

“Okay so maybe none of our kids have had normal lives but that doesn't mean that kids who did, don't cry.” Guy jumped in.

“But-” Clark started.

“Clark, its odd that seemingly nothing set it off but honestly I think he's just had a stressful-” Dinah started.

“Life?” Guy offered.

Dinah continued. “And it just caught up to him, children don't have the skills to express their emotions the same way adults do so if hey feel angry or stressed they express it through crying.”

“And the kids had a lot of stress, i mean his dad is superman, he met his grandparents, was almost kidnapped and i heard Wally and Dick broke in.” Guy lists counting his fingers for every reason.

“They did not break in.” Barry argues. “At Least Wally didn't.”

Clark sighs.

“Look Clark having a kid is scary, they could do the most normal thing and it'll feel like the end of the world.'' Barry assured me.

“Hey Clark, I gotta go. I have a client coming in like a literal minute.” Dinah said. “If this keeps happening let me know and we can talk about getting him set up with me ‘kay?”

Clark sighs for what must be the billionth time that day, but this time it feels like some weight goes with it.
“Yeah I will, thanks Dinah, tell ollie I said Hi.” Clark smiles.

“Oh! Wait Barry?” Dinah speaks up before Clark hangs up the phone.

“Yeah?”

“Wally has therapy in thirty seconds.”

“OhshitIgootagobytellthebabyIsaidhi,igottagetmybabytotalkabouthisfeelingsseeya.” Barry says too fast for Clark- or anyone to decipher and speeds away in a blink.

Dinah must have hung up already because the line is dead, leaving Clark and Guy alone on the rooftop.

“So…” Guy starts.

“So.” Clark repeats.

“You good now or..” Guy asks fighting with his ring on his finger.

“Uh yeah im, im good now it just freaked me out.” Clark said rubbing the back of his neck.

“Yeah kids crying is kinda terrifying and im not being sarcastic i mean my first day workin’ was… quite the day…” Guy trailed off. “well im gonna go.”

“Yeah uh see ya around.” Clark nodded and smiled as he watched Guy ascend up into the sky.

Chapter Text

Clark knew Lois was coming today, kinda, they had scheduled for her to come over today, to meet Conner, and go out and spend some time together, he hadn't seen her in almost two weeks. But between taking care of Conner and get him settled in and laundry, so much laundry he had kinda forgotten about it…

Well he had until she texted him to ask were they were bringing conner.

Clark considered canceling since conner had cried his eyes out just a few days ago but at the same time canceling and hour before seemed rude, besides conner probably needed to get out of the apartment. So clark rushed to get them both ready and was just getting out of the shower when lois knocked on the door.

“Hey smallville.” lois smiled when he opened the door.

“O-oh hey- i- we aren't ready just yet- you look nice.” he rambled and felt his face heat up pulling the sweats he pulled on up a bit more. It didnt matter how many times he saw lois she always stole his breath away. He must be staring at her.

“I umm.. Come on in, I just need to get dressed real quick.” clark breathed stepping out of the doorway

“I don't know smallville, i don't think anyone would complain if you went out like that,” lois smirked and gave him a heated look.

A small noise came from the couch drawing lois’s attention to the little boy peering at her from the couch with nervous cautious eyes.

“Oh, umm hi kid.” lois said awkwardly, turning to the boy who seemed to shrink up under the attention.

Conner seemed to do that a lot, curl into a tiny ball when every anyone cast a second glance his way, like if he curled in on himself enough he could disappear. Clark use to do that too after he found out his origins he always thought that if someone looked at him long enough they'd see right through him, it broke his heart that conner would feel like he had to do that.

“Lois Lane, nice to meet you.” lois holds out her hand, like she does with everyone she meets, but clark can hear her heart beat, its quicker, shes nervous. He hears conners too, his tiny little heart thundering away like always.

Conner takes her hand hesitantly.

“Im conner.” he says, in the softest of whispers.

“Conner huh? Nice name.” lois gives him a slightly less awkward smile and conner nods.

Lois grins, the curous gaze clark knows so well sweeping over conner like a breeze. “Jeez you look just like youre dad dont you? I mean really you coud be his clone!”
Conner stiffens and sends clark a desprate looks between lois and himself. Clark can feel the same panic in his own chest spinning around like a tornado.

“Oh he gets that a lot!” clark chuckles nervously, “but thas imposible, the kent genes are just strong, y’know how it is!”

Lois looks unimpressed and sceptical, but smiles. “Uh, yeah sure.”

Clark sighs in relief, he probably made a bigger deal out of that then truly nessesary.

“So unless you wanna walk around the city flashing youre…” lois makes circleing gesture at his bare chest. “Chesticles. You should go get dressed.”

“Chesticals?” clark laughs.

“I heard Kat call them that!” lois shouts blush creeping on her cheeks.

“Sure, ill go-” clark paused should he leave conner? Should he bring conner with him? He trusted lois wouldnt do anything, but her to feel bligated to spend time with him alone, of course if their relatoin ship was going to work she would have to at some point-

“Go, we can be without you for five minutes.” lois waved making her way around the cuch to sit down.

“Are you sure?” clark asked carfully.

“Yeah we’ll have a blast,” lois said and turned to Conner. “You wanna see your dad’s baby pictures?”

“How do you have those?!” clark asked his face turning a shade between blazing red and holly embarasment.

Lois grined wickedly, “youre ma.”

Dang it Ma!

~*~

Lois lane was not an idoit, she was a renowned investigative jurnalist, which is why she knew clark was superman even before they started dating. The first day she met the guy he fell twenty feet hovered for a few seconds and rambled about somthing related to strong wind currents!

And even if that first encounter didnt give him away, the fact that she found his suit in his washing machine the first time she stayed over early on in there relatoin ship was pretty damning evidence.

That or clark had a serous cosplay hobby he neglected to share with her.

But the fact that Clark was superman didnt stop her from falling in love with him even before she knew for sure. Stupid feelings! It did however keep her from believing that this kid was from a collage fling. She does this for a living did clark really think she couldnt tell he was lying to her? Shed be insulted if she didnt know how oblivous he was and the fact that he probably did indead believe he was fooling her.

Serously, Clark fainted the first time he saw her in a mildly revealing outfit, those were not the actoins of aman who cashed in his card in collage.

At first she thought the kid might have been from krypton, some long lost refugee that got to earth late, a kid clark was taking in becouse he was the only one left.

Now though, as she looks at this tiny boy, she wasnt so sure. Thier was no doubt the boy was clarks, it was uncany! Still there was something up, the kids eyes were the steel gray, and there was something so… reserved, nervous, like the foster kids she and clark interviewed in fawcett for a fluff peace. The boy was too young to look so scared, to young to be so wary of the world.

It didnt really matter were the boy was from though did it? Becouse Clark was clearly already in love with faher hood, she can see it on his face, she knows that he loves this boy more than her, and shes actually fine with it, becouse honestly? She might love this boy too. It was hard not to, with his long dark curls, and his sweet round face,

She wasnt really sure if he could have kids with clark what with the whole alien biology being compatible with human biology thing, this boy might be the closest thing she get to a child with clark. She’s determined to make the most of it.

~*~

Conner wasnt sure he knew who this woman was.

Well he knew, Clark talked about her often, about how they met, about how much he loved her and most of all how important it was that she never found out that he was superman, or that conner was a clone atleast not until he could tell her himself.

Conner got the feeling that she knew more than she let on.

~*~

“so kid, what do like to do?” lois asked almost akwardly, she wasnt really sure what to talk to a six year old about.

“I color sometimes.” conner said.

“Thats nice.” lois said softly as she eyed the absolute rats nest on the boys head, he had the clarks curs but aparently Clark didnt know how to brush a kids hair.

“You wanna look at the picture youre grandma sent me while i fix up youre hair?”

~*~

Clark got ready quickly and walked out to the liveing room a bag of thing that conner might need or want, snacks incase he didnt like the food at a resturaunt, the headphones, the ipad diana bought him and sent oer a few days ago- they were going to dinner Conner would need something to do.

When he waked out he found both of them sitting on the floor, as lois brushed through conners hair as Conner did somthing on his phone..
“Really smallville?” lois asked from the rug. “You were gonna let him go out with his hair in a rats nest?”

Right conners hair.

“He didnt want a hair cut.” clark tried to explain.

“That doesnt mean you cant put it up!” lois said exasturbated. “Get over here ill show you how to do youre kids hair.”

Clark smiled and he felt some of his worrys about him an lois not getting along slip away.

“Whats he wearing?” conner asked holding up lois’ phone.

Clark froze on the screen was a very embarasing picture of him dressed up a easter bunny.

Okay, maybe they would get along too well.

Chapter Text

“I think that went well.” Lois smiled as she took the mug Clark offered her.

Clark smiled back at her as he sat on the couch next to her, Lois leaned into his side.

They'd gotten back from dinner an hour ago and Conner was already fast asleep in bed. Dinner had gone well. Lois was good with Conner, she was patient and calm and helped him fill out the coloring sheets the restaurant gave them.

“I've missed you smallville.” Lois hummed as she took a sip from her mug of hot chocolate.

Clark felt a pang in his chest, he hadnt meant to neglect Lois for as long as he had since he brought Conner home he'd barely talked to her, it was a stark change from Lois practically living here.

“Im sorry, i hadnt meant to get so caught up, its harder than i thought it would be.” Clark said before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“I’m not mad Clark, i just missed you, besides you weren't doing just anything you're trying to get settled into being a dad.” Lois explained and put her mug on the coffee table. “Conner a sweet kid, hes definitely yours.”

Clark felt a smile shoot across his face as he nodded in agreement. “He really is.”

“Being a dad suits you, “ Lois laughed, “you had the snacks and the tablet, i mean you had the whole damn bag.”

Clark rolled his eyes. “I wanted to be prepared.”

“If that was for a three hour dinner, I fear the day you go on a vacation.”

“I didn't bring that much stuff.” Clark argued.

Lois gave him a knowing look. “You packed a whole extra outfit.”

“I was worried he would spill something on himself.”

“God smallville,” Lois laughed even harder, collapsing into Clarks side in a fit of giggles.

Clark just took a long swig of his drink as her laughs filled the living room.

Eventually Lois’s laughs died down into a little giggle before she whispered. “You're a great dad smallville”

Clark smiled, he hadn't expected someone saying that to make him so happy, he felt like he was making so so many mistakes. “thanks Lois.”

“Anytime.” Lois grinned.

“Are you staying the night?” Clark asked, putting his mug down on the coffee table next to Lois' mug.

“I don't know. I don't want to intrude-” Lois started to argue.

“You're not intruding, your family.” Clark assured me, “Besides, my apartments are closer to the planet anyway.”

“I guess half my wardrobe is here anyway.” Lois sighed.

Clark smiled, pulling her into a kiss.

~*~
Conner woke up with a sharp breath, he sat up in his the bed and looked around the room at the bright blue walls and the toys and the open closet door with all his clothes inside.

He wasn't there, he wasn't there, he wasn't there.

And would never be there again.

He would never-

Conner shook his head trying to get the gear that had settled in his cest to go away.

He dreamed of the room again, the bare Kryptonite lined concrete, the stone, emotionless face of whoever locked him in there and threw away the key. He dreamed of choking on his own, of dying all over again. Of dying all alone.

Conner shuddered before falling back into his pillow and curling up in the blankets again.

He tried to go back to sleep, but the images, the feelings haunted him everytime he closed his eyes.

With a grumble he pushed himself out of bed, he was thirsty he could get something to drink from the kitchen, Clark wouldn't mind, he knew Clark wouldnt, he got drinks out of the fridge all the time, still caution edged all of Conner's movements as he creeped out into the hallway. he knew there were waters somewhere-

Conner froze in place as he rounded the corner of the kitchen to find Lois standing in front of the stove cooking.

She was wearing different clothes than yesterday, pajamas and an oversized ‘smallville high marching band’ t-shirt. She must have stayed the night. Clark hadn't told him she was going to stay the night. Clark didn't have to tell him, this was Clark's apartment if he wanted his…. Wife?

Was Lois Clark’s wife? He knew superman had a wife before, maybe Lois was Clark's wife now?

Eitherway this was Clark's home if he wants Lois to stay the night he dint have to tell him, Clark didn't even have to let Conner live here, he just did, and Conner still wasn't sure why entirely, Clark said that he loved him but… that couldn't be it, or at least not the only reason.

Lois turned her head to look at him, her face lighting up a happy smile. “Hey, little man! You're up early huh?”

“Umm,” Conner fidgeted with his fingers and his feet shuffled in place under him. “Yeah.”

“You like bacon? I raided your guys fridge. I hope you don't mind.” Lois smiled as she flipped something in the skillet.

“I, i don't.” Conner said, looking down at his feet before pulling out a bar stool. “Did you stay the night?”

“Sure did, you don't mind do you?” she asked, scooping food onto two plates and turning off the stove.

“No, you're nice.” Conner said, climbing the barstool.

Lois smiled even brighter and put a plate down in front of him. “What got you up so early? Bad dream or are you just an early riser like your dad?”

Conner stared at her for a second, he hadn't told anyone about his nightmares before, really he wasn't sure that anyone knew about them.

“Thirsty.” Conner settled on it, it was the reason he was here.

“Ah.” Lois nodded in understanding. “What do you want ill pour you a glass. You like chocolate milk? I know were smallville keeps the good syrup.”

“He won mind?” Conner asked shyly.

“I doubt, I use it for my coffee sometimes.” Lois assured as she opened the fide and riffled through the drawers.

“Okay then.” Conner picked up a piece of bacon from his plate.

Lois put a cup of chocolate milk in front of him a few minutes later the brown syrup was still in swirls.

“What smells so good?” Clark sked and Conner nearly jumped out of the stool.

“Bacon, eggs, there's coffee in the pot, and i'm gonna let you handle the pancakes considering my history with them.” Lois said, pulling a cup to her lips.

“Yuck, black coffee?” Clark said jokingly as he opened a cabinet and pulled out a mug.

“I just actually like coffee, not milk and creamer pretending to be coffee.”

Cark rolled his eyes as he poured a cup of dark brown coffee from the pot.

“I can drink black coffee.” Clark argued before taking a sip from his mug, his face scrunching up in disgust before spitting it back into the mug.

Lois laughed, as Clark opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of creamer from the fridge.

“So what are my two favorite people doing?” Clark said, leaning on the counter.

“Just loading the kid up on chocolate milk before I leave.” Lois winked at him and Conner couldn't help the grin that crossed his face as he drank his chocolate milk through a straw.

“Oh you tried chocolate milk huh? Clark asked, sipping his mug.

Conner shook his head, “I had it before with Guy.”

Lois paused an eyebrow quirking up. “Who's that guy?”

Clark choked on the coffee.

“Guys um…” Clark fumbled. “Guy is, was Conner's social worker.”

“Oh.” Lois nodded.

~*~

Lois kissed Clark on the cheek, now dressed and about to leave.

“Alright you two take care, love you.” Lois said and walked out the door.

Clark sighed and closed and locked the door behind her.

“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything about the guy..” Conner said guiltily, tears pricking in his eyes.

Clark turned to him.

“No no its not your fault buba.” Clark assured before scooping him up in his arms and kissing his cheek. “I should have told you what Lois knows about, it was gonna happen eventually.”

“But…” Conner could have ruined everything, cold have given away Clarks secrets with just a sentence, he could have-

“But nothing you didn't do anything, you just said a name and there was an easy excuse,” Clark said, running a hand through Conner's freshly brushed hair.

Lois had brushed his hair before she left, no more tangles or nots to get caught on.

“You're okay,” Clark said, pressing a kiss to Conner's forehead.

“Hey,” Clark said and Conner looked up at him. “Do you wanna go see Krypto?”

Corner nodded his head. Krypto! He loved Krypto!

“Go get dressed.” Clark said and put Conner back down, “dress warm okay?”

Conner nodded before turning on his heel and running down the hall to his room.

~*~

“Why did you keep me?” Conner asked as Clark buttoned up his jacket.

Clark paused. “What do you mean? I love you, why wouldn't i?”

“But if you didn't love, would you still keep me?”

“Where is this coming from Conner?” Clark asked but Conner kept quiet. Clark sighed a bit before smiling. “You're a part of me, Conner, whether I liked it or not you're my responsibility.”

Tentatively Conner asked. “What if I wasn't you're clone? What if I was just a human cone would you still take me away from cadmus when you found me?”

Clark looks sad, so so sad.

“What if I was Lex Luthor's clone?” Conner asked, he remembers when before, when superman found out, how angry he got.

if you weren't so dangerous i would have left you in that lab.

“Of course i would have, no one deserved to be treated like that, ever.” Clark assured, “Conner is my job, my responsibility to make sure that people are safe even if I don't like them. Even if you were a clone of lex, I wouldn't leave you there.”

“Okay.” Conner nodded the reassurance making his heart feel lighter. “Can we go see Krypto now?”

Clark still looked worried but he smiled and nodded. “Sure kiddo, let's go see Krypto.”

~*~

Conner laughed as Krypto rolled over on his lap, tongue out and tail wagging a mile a minute.

“Hi Krypto!” Conner giggled rubbing the space dog's belly.

“he missed you.” Clark smiled, kneeling on the floor next to them patting Kryptos ribs softly.

“Has he been all alone?” Conner asked, suddenly worried.

“No, dianas been taking him out and he has an automatic feeder that Bruce made for when i'm away.” Clark explained.

“Why doesn't he live with you like i do?” Conner asked sadness, darkening his light mood.

“Krypto can't control his powers like i can, he could hurt someone or break something by accident, besides the fortress has more room for him to run around and play.” Clark says, “and he can watch over Jor-el while im away.”

“Oh… if i can't control my powers will i come stay here to?” Conner asked softly.

Would Clark lock him up if he couldn't control his powers? The fortress was a lot nicer that the room and if Krypto and jor-el’s AI was here then Conner would probably like it here especially if Clark ever came to visit him.

“I mean.. If you wanted to then yeah you could, if not i'm sure we could find another solution,” Clark said unsurely, “but let's not worry about that, you only have super hearing for now and i didnt get anything else until i was a few years older than you.”

Conner stayed quiet as Krypto wiggled around excitedly.

“You're coussins want to formally meet you.” Clark said, sitting down next to him. “They wanna know if you want to go out this saturday.”

“My cousins? That climbed through the window?”

Clark laughed. “Yeah and the one that came racing through the door.”

Conner thought for a moment.

“You're uncles would come too, if only because I would never be able to handle both of them on my own, the only one with that title is Diana and she would let them get away with murder, then help them hide the body.”

“Okay, will Diana be there?” Conner asked, he liked diana.

“I'm sure she's planning too tag along.” Clark smiled.

Conner nodded. “Okay!”

“Great, there so excited to meet you Conner.” Clark pulled him into his side.

“I have met them.” Conner argued.

“When they aren't breaking and entering.” Clark added.

Conner giggled.

He accepted that he probably didn't need to worry about Clark anymore, Clark wouldn't hurt him. Clark didn't want to hurt him.

Conner was safe.

~*~

Chapter Text

The first thing Conner remembers is screaming.

He remembers screaming, screaming until his lungs were raw and he couldn't breath, he remembers someone pulling trying to soothe him telling him shush, and pressing a million kisses to his forehead.

He remembers fighting to get away but he doesn't know.. Know what he's trying to escape from or who.. He is just so scared, so he hits and he screams and he cries. Put the arms don't let him go, they don't yell, they just pull him even closer and whisper kind words and promises into his ears begging him to calm down.

He can't breathe, he can't breathe, he can't breathe.

He doesn't know what to do, doesn't know who to call out for, no one would come to save him, no one cared enough too even Marvel left him all alone- Clark, Clark cared. Clark would save him.

He yells for Clark, screams for Clark to come and save him from whatever is trying to hurt him.

“I'm right here, i'm right here,” a voice whispers and Conner sobs voice raw and hoarse from all the screaming. “You're okay baby, i'm right here, I'm not leaving.”

Conner's head is tucked under someone's chin and the arms start to rub his back, soothing him into a lulled silence, and Conner breathes, he can breathe because the arms, the voice is Clark, Clark saved him and he didn't have to yell anymore.

Clark presses a kiss to his hair and shushes him once again. “I'm right here, i'm not going anywhere, i'll be right here.”

Conner believes him even though every bone in his body calls Clark a liar he believes him and Conner shuts his eyes and drifts into a peaceful empty darkness.

~*~

Conner sat at the table finishing off the last of his bacon as Clark combed his hair back with a brush Lois got him.

‘If he's going to keep his hair that long you have to brush it.’ she said as she handed Clark the brush.

“Okay, sixth times a charm yeah?” Clark said as he gently gathered some of Conners hait up in his hands. Clark had given up on trying to do a full pony tail after his second attempt and was now just trying to keep Conner's hair out of his face.

Clark had offered him a haircut, but… this was the first time he was allowed to grow out his hair, the first time he'd been given the choice to cut it or not. Before it was kept short, really short buzzed down to scalp with clippers on a weekly basis, once during a particularly busy month his hair cuts fell to the wayside and it had grown out quite a bit. It was Marvel that seemed to notice it, saying that longer hair suited him, his hair cuts resumed the same day and he was punished for trying to protest it.

But now his hair was down to his shoulders, and Clark had only asked him if he wanted it cut once and when Conner didn't answer he took it as a no, kissed him on the head and said something about learning.

“Aha! Mission accomplished!” Clark cheered, throwing his arm up in the air in a celebration.

Conner raised a hand up to his hair that had been pulled into a half sort of ponytail, it was a bit crooked actually but it got the hair out of his eyes and Clark looked so proud of himself.

There was a sudden knock on the door and Conner almost jumped out of the chair he was sitting at.

“That must be Bruce and Dick.” Clark said and went to open the door to- a very odd looking blonde man with sunglasses...? And a very embarrassed looking teenage boy with black hair.

“What are you wearing?” Clark asked through a laugh.

The teenager shoved his way past Clark and made a b-line for the couch flopping over the arm backwards.

“Its a,” the boy paused to do air quotes with his fingers. “Disguise.”

Clark chuckled, and opened the door wider inviting the man in. “it- uhh, looks…”

“Embarrassing? Ridiculous? Ugly?” the teen offered sitting up on the couch to look over the back disapprovingly. “He can never pick a normal disguise, it's so embarrassing to be seen with someone dressed like that!”

The man just grumbled as he walked, and offered Conner a book that he had tucked under his arm. Conner took it, almost dropping it because he didn't expect the book to have so much weight.

‘Gotham academy entrance exam prep.’

“You got my kid homework?” Clark asked, standing behind him and eyeing the book skeptically.

“Yeah, you're not winning this competition you have with Diana.” the teen sniped disapprovingly.

“Gotham academy?” Clark asked, raising an eyebrow at the man.

“It's one of the best schools in the country.” the man explained pulling out a chair to sit at the table. “plenty of parents without super speed commute to bring their kids there.”

“Still…” Clark said, taking the book from Conner's hands to flip through it.

The man said, pulling away the blonde wig revealing a head of black hair.

“How does it make more sense to send him to gotham?” Clark asked as he flipped through the book.

“Alfred can pick him up if there's ever something that keeps you caught up, Dick can pick him up and wait with him, his school is just across the street-”

“Oh can he?” the teen asked loudly,

“If he wants to keep his credit cards yes.”

“Plus they have a killer gifted program.” the boy on the couch suddenly very interested in the conversation.

“Gifted program?” Clark asked.

“He has middle school level knowledge, its common for children with advanced intellect to get board and disruptive in class.” the dark haired man- he was probably Bruce- explained.

“Hey are you gonna tell us were the he-” Dick asked.

“Language.” Clark and Bruce chided in unison.

Dick rolled his eyes, the sunglasses he was wearing falling off his face.

“Fiiiiine Eee.” Dick said pulling off the sunglasses. “Will you finally tell us where we are going?”

Bruce stayed silent.

“Really?” Dick asked unimpressed.

“Its a surprise.” Bruce shrugged leaning back in the dining chair.

“You hate surprises.” Clark argued, putting the prep book down and crossing his arms with a smirk.

Bruce grumbles “I'm trying to branch out like you and Diana are always telling me too.”

“Yeah right, you're just trying to be the fun uncle for once.” Dick snarked standing- standing on the couch.

“Dick got down from there, we just got your brace off!”

~*~

“Were are they?” Clark asked after a few minutes.

Conner was on the couch now his breakfast eaten and gone and was now sat next to his cousin who was setting cross legged with his shoes showing him cat video.

“You know speedsters.” Dick sighed, “fastest things on earth with the worst time management skills on earth.”

There was a blur of motion, two gusts of wind and suddenly there were two more people standing in the living room.

Barry Allen and Wally West, probably, unless he had another speedster cousin Clark hadn' told him about.

“You're late.” Bruce scolded. “By half an hour.”

“I told you.” Wally whispered harshly.

“Its not the end of the world.” Barry waved nonchalantly. “Besides, Diana isn't here yet either.”

“Diana’s gonna meet us later,” Dick said, pocketing his phone and standing up. “something something league duties.”

“Oh yeah real professional.” Wally dead panned.

“Alright were are we going?” Barry asked.

~*~

“The metropolis mall?” Barry asked.

“Its the second biggest in the country, theres a whole aquarium.” Bruce argued.

“Well yeah.” Barry said.

“Plus like six different toy stores, and a play area, a food court with two mcdonalds for some reason.” Dick went on.

“Huh.”

“Alright boys.” Bruce announced. “There will be no, scheming, scamming, shenanigans of any sort, this will not be another rollerblade incident.”

“Oh come! How long are you two going to hold that against us?” Dick groaned.

“Yeah!” Wally argued offended, “that happened ages ago!”

“It happened six months ago.” Barry clarified, unimpressed.

Conner squeezed Clarks hand.

“Tell me that when you pay to replace a city street.” Bruce said, reaching into his wallet and pulling out a card. “Don’t cause any property damage, be nice to Conner, Clark, Barry and myself will meet you at the food court in.. two and a half hours.”

“You could just say noon- oh sweet the big one!” Dick cheered, snatching up the tiny plastic rectangle.

“Hold on!” Clark asked. “Wally and Dick are taking Conner? Alone?”

“Yep!” the boys nodded proudly.

“You need some adult time Clark.” Bruce argued, and Barry nodded in agreement. “The boys wil take good care of him, right boys?”

The two boys snapped to attention from were they had been whispering amongst themselves,

“OH- yeah uncle Clark you got nothing to worry about we’ll take care of youre kid.” Wally grinned confidently.

“Yeah nothing to worry about.” Dick agreed.

“Consider it a trail run for future baby sitting opportunities.” Wally added.

“Yeah that.” Dick nodded.

“Im not sure, hasnt Wally tried to-” Clark started.

“That was one time, and this is nothing like that.” Wally interrupted.

Clark didn't seem sure about this, Conner wasn't sure about this, his cousins weren't sounding like the most responsible people right now. Clark scooped him up.

“You okay this?” Clark asked.

Was he? He wanted to stay with Clark but, what if Clark got sick of spending so much time with him? He shook that thought off quickly, Clark loved him.

“Ill be okay.” he assure trying his best to put on a brave smile.

“Okay.” Clark smiled and kissed his forehead. “Be safe, an remember if they try to ride a cart down the escalator backwards come find me okay?”

Conner nodded, that was vague, who would do that?

~*~

“So how has it been?” Barry asked siping on some kind of smoothie he got at a juice bar.

“what?” Clark asked. .

“How has dad life been treating you?” Barry asked.

They'd been walking around the mall for a while, Bruce had run off too the bathroom, so Barry and Clark were waiting for him, talking about life and journalism and anything else, but Clark couldn't stop worrying about Conner, not because he was alone with Wally and Dick, or well not completely anyway- he knew his nephews, despite the chaos they got up to together wouldn't put Conner in any real danger.

No his worry was Conners seemingly terrifying nightmares, they had been happening almost every night this week, Conner would scream and flail around calling out for him but Conner never seemed to completely wake up or he wasn't aware enough to realize that Clark was there, all Clark could really do was try to lulled him back to sleep.

It was exhausting, and the worst part was that Clark couldn't do anything to stop it

“Oh uhh…” Clark yawned. “Its umm…Conners been..”

“A handful?” Barry offered.

“No no, Conners an angel, when hes awake.” Clark clarified.

“When hes awake?” Barry asked. “What does he sleep walk?”

“No hes been… i dont know haveing these really intense nightmares.” Clarks sighed running a hand down his face. “He’ll just start screaming and crying and i cant wake him up. Its happened every night this week and he doesn't even remember it in the morning.”

Barry hummed and sipped the smoothie.

“Sounds like night terrors,” he said simply.

“Night terrors?” Clark asked horrified.

“Relax, they sound scarier than they are, they're basically just really bad nightmares that you can't wake up from- actually maybe they are as bad as they sound- iris and Wally have them sometimes.”

“But nothing bads happened to him aside from the attempted kidnapping and that was weeks ago ” Clark whispered.

“sometimes these things happen, nothing bad has to happen to you, you just have night terrors sometimes.” Barry shrugged. “But if they've happened every night it might be stress related, they happen more when you get stressed or you don't get enough sleep.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah.” Barry nodded. “Last year, during finals Wally was so stressed out and was up every night cramming and after finals we decided to go on a camping trip so he could relax, well the first night he had this god awful night terror and then it turned into sleep walking and he tried to fight this bear-”

“What?”

“It was a statue, don't worry.” Barry waved and took another sip of smoothie, “anyway took all night to rangle him back into the tent and come morning he doesn't remember a damn thing.”

“Conner hasn't done that, thankfully.'' Clark sighed, and mentally marked off camping as a potential vacation idea.

“Look Clark this isn't your fault, but if you're really concerned you could have Conner talk to Dinah? Worked for Wally; he barely has them anymore.”

Clark nods. “Ill call her tonight.”

~*~

As it turns out his cousins were the ones that would try to convince him to go down an escalator in a cart.

Luckily Dick abandoned that mission in favor of meeting Diana at the entrance of the mall when she texted him.

So they were sitting at a bench while they waited for Diana to meet them.

Conner stared at Dick with caution, he couldn't for the very life of him figure out which robin he was, he knew there was more than one of them he just couldn't tell which one he was because both the robins were short and skinny with black hair.

Conner tugged the boys hoodie carefully getting his attention from his conversation with Wally.

Dick flashed him a smiled. “Whats up little man?”

“Are you the second or the third robin?” he asked, it was probably one of them.

“What?” Dick asked confused.

“Are you the second or the first?” he asked again, what was so hard about the question?

“Im the only robin?” Dick said unsure.

Wally laughed, doubling over “dude youve been the same hight for the six years ive known you, lex probably thinks Bruce switches kids out like pokemon cards once they outgrow those stupid shorts!”

“Thats not funny!” Dick hissed and turned back to Conner. “Im the original, first and last, only robin.”

“Oh. ok.” he nodded, well that was good to know, it hadn't occurred to him that Dick could have been the first robin, then again Wally was just a side kick so that made sense.

“I trust you three are being kind to each other.” a voice said from behind them, Conner whipped around.

“aunt Diana!” Dick cheered and hopped over the back of the bench to hug her.

“Hello nephews.” Diana hugged Dick on her side. “I'm sorry I'm late. I was covering monitor duty at the tower.”

“It's okay.” Wally said and Conner nodded in agreement.

Diana smiled. “What shall we do first?”

“Oh build-a-bear!” Dick, pleaded grabbing his hands together and making his eyes go big.

“I recall buying you many of those stuffed animals, do you two not have all of them?” Diana asked, confused.

“Well yeah, but Conner doesn't, and getting a build-a-bear is like tradition when you get adopted into the family.” Wally argued.

“Plus they came out with Axolotls!” Dick cheered.

~*~

Build-a-bear was fun, a little odd to pick out the skin of a stuffed animal and fill it with polyfill but still fun.

“Not bad for your first time at build-a-bear, huh?” Dick asked as Diana payed.

“Why do you like this place? Aren't you sixteen?” Conner asked as he hugged the bunny.

Conner got bunny, the lady at store made him name it, so he named it Didi, after Diana though he didn't think anyone knew.

Wally got an otter he called odin with an eyepatch, and Dick got an axolotl named ally that he shoved into a dress.

Dick shrugged, “it's the first like real bonding experience I had with Diana, and then Bruce and Barry figured out you could record messages in them so they got us one every time they went off on a deep space mission.”

“Space mission?” Conner asked.

“Yeah,” Wally sighed, “the league goes on long missions sometimes, and of course we never get to go, but Barry and Bruce use to get us build-a-bears with little recorded messages to make it easer on us when they were gone.”

“Clark will probably get you one when he goes on them.” Dick noded.

Conner felt his heart drop. “Clarks leaving?”

Diana perked up to the conversation.

“Not in the foreseeable future.” she assured me.

“Yeah, not for a while, besides they'll probably try to keep him home as much as possible now that you're here, Cap will probably step up if Clark offers to patrol Fawcett for him while he’s gone.” Wally offered softly.

Dick nodded. “Yeah, caps always up to cover for someone, Bruce hasn't worked a single monitor shift on hanukkah since he joined.”

Conner nodded and hugged the bunny closer to his chest.

“Its almost time to meet your fathers at the food court.” Diana announced picking Conner up.

“Ooo, can we get ice cream?” Dick asked.

“We will see.” Diana smirked.

“That a yes!” Wally cheered.

~*~

Clark groaned as he flew through the chilly air of Fawcett city.

Hed come to find captain Marvel, now that the clone was gone hopefully hed be more cooperative, but apparently when Bruce united him back a few weeks ago, after the clones destruction, the Captain had become rather angry and demanded the bat leave. Hopefully now that he had a few weeks to cool off he would be able to see the reason behind it all.

It didn't take long to find mightiest mortal, and the newest sidekick, captain Marvel Jr. perfect he could invite them both to the league or bac to league and finally be done with all the media speculation as to why the Captain was removed from the league, he's sure Bruce was already thinking up a way to explain it all away and sweep this whole thing under the rug like he was already doing with the clone, erasing the clones pitiful existence like it never existed.

“Hello Captain.” he greeted brightly.

The captain looked surprised to see him, before turning to Captain Marvel junior and telling him to leave. Unfortunately, Clark could find him later, along with uh… Marcy was it? Something like that it would be good for kara to have girls her own age around.

“What are you doing here, Superman?” Marvel asked in his voice.

“Ive come to invite you back to Justice league, i know we've had our.. Scuffles but that's water under the brid-”

“Scuffles? You guys killed him.” Marvel snapped.

Clark sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, there he went again calling the clone ‘him’ like it was just his copied, stolen DNA. sure the clone seemed have some consciousness but it wasn't a person, not even old kryptonians believed clones were people or at least not equal to the original source and according to Kara the word for them meant the same as abomination which spoke for itself.

“We didn't kill it-” Clark started.

“You guys killed him, you can call it whatever you want but you still killed him, you killed a child.” Marvel seared. “I've fought a lot of bad guys, but you- youre no better than Black Adam.”

“Watch your words, Captain.” Clark scowled, giving up the smile. “Adam is a dictator, he lies to his people, he thinks of himself as a god-”

“But Adam doesn't claim to be a good person, never has the things he's done haunt him. But you… smile at the camera and accept the title of the man of tomorrow, you don't feel bad about a damn thing.”

“If you feel that way, why not stop me? You have the means.” Clark smirked. “You might be the only thing in the universe strong enough to kill me with your bare hands.”

“Because I won't stoop that low.” Marvel turned to leave. "You get to live with what you people did. You get to live with the fact that you killed a child, you meant everything too.”

Marvel turned his head to meet Clarks gaze. “I hope you treat your son better than that, because he's the same as that boy, no matter how you try to twist it.”

Chapter Text

“So? What do you think of Conner?” bruce asked as they finally entered gotham city limits.

All in all the day was a beautiful success, the dick and Wally got to meet Conner under more normal circumstances then ‘home invasion’ as bruce called it, dick got the new Axolotl plush from build-a-bear and there was no property damage done to the mall, or at least not any major property damage.

Conner was sweet, a bit of an awkward duck, a bit shy but in this family dick was sure that the kid would find his voice quickly and given the bit of sass he gave them at build-a-bear dick figured that the voice would be loud.

“Hes pretty cool for a kid ten years younger than me, i doubt we’ll ever be as close as Wally and I but hes chill.” dick shrugged adjusting the plushie in his lap.

“Mm thats good.” bruce nods taking a hand off the stirring wheel to run it through his hair.

“You're regretting the wig now huh? Alfred told you it would be hot you should have gone with the baseball cap.” dick smirked, the ‘i told you so.’ was left unsaid when bruce did something mistakable for a pout, but it wasn't a pout because Batam would never do something so ridiculous.

There was something nagging at dicks mind, pulling on strings that hurt and seeped to bleed a heavy darkness into his mood.

‘Are you the second or the third robin?’

The second or the third? What did that even mean?

The thought settled uneasily in his stomach, robin going to another person? Bruce wouldnt do that, would never do that, bruce knew what robin meant to him knew what robin was.

Robin was all he had left from his life before bruce, robin was born from the circus, robin was the little boy that died with his parents that night, the hope, the innocence, the light that dick believed in the world and robin spread that hope across the dark city of gotham every night, or every night that dick isn't grounded or injured.

Robin was dicks, bruce wouldn't give it to someone else even if something happened to dick bruce wouldn't do it.

“You would never…” he finds himself start to ask, it gets bruce's attention his eyes drifting off the road to dick in the passenger seat, Alfred wouldn't approve.

“Never what?” bruce asks softly.

“Give robin to another kid? Life if i ever like stopped being robin you would never give it too some other kid right?” dick asks looking out the window to the dark streets of gotham.

“Are you thinking of stoping?”

“No, not really… i just got to thinking and stuff.” dick huffs, bruce always interrogates.

“Well don't hurt yourself.'' Bruce jokes.

“Hey, I think plenty!” dick argues. “I do mathletes.”

“I know chum, I have the trophies.” bruce spiles softly and stares out onto the road. “I promise.”

“Promise what?” dick asks a bit confused.

“Not to give robin to someone else.” bruce says, “i promise chum.”

Dick smiles. “Thanks dad..”

~*~

Its Clarks first day back on active justice league, which meant he was back to going to the meetings and doing patrols of metropolis, it was also Conners first session with dinah which was why he was sitting out in the lounge with Wally while dinah was in said league meeting.

“-and theft in Gothams has risen by six percent.” john finishes, sighing and sitting back down in this chair.”

Diana smirks as she turns to bruce. “I was not aware selina was back in gotham? A shame i was not aware we could have had lunch.”

Bruce groans. “Not this again!”

“Wait.” Marvel says confused. “Is Selina the one that dresses like a cat and fights him?”

“I thought selina was the scary assassin lady that lead the creepy shadow cult.” Hal adds.

“No that as a different woman, Selina is the one that dresses up like a cat and robs him. Talia runs the league of shadows.” Barry corrects.

“Haven't they both tried to kill him?” Marvel asks nervously.

Barry nods. “Yeah, but thats bruces poor judgment.”

Theres a noise of someone clearing there throat and the whole table turns to the end of the table.

Its Dr.Fate, helmet and all, floating at the end of the meeting room table. Its a shock to say the least, Fate never showed up unless there was something wrong, or something was about to go wrong.

Marvel stiffens in his seat, his more relaxed posture turning stiff and straight, the calm, cheery smile falling into a thin line and his hopeful eyes going sharp.

It wasn't known why but Marvel didn't seem to get along with Fate all that well, but for Marvel that just meant he wasn't quite as friendly. Plus no one liked Fate all that much. Still the man never seemed relaxed when the lord of order was in the room. Maybe it was because Marvel was lder, maybe they had a history, they'd probably never know though because both the Captain and Fate were very, very private deities.

Still Clarks fucus was more on the fact that the lord of order was there in the meeting room presumably to drop some word ending magic event on them.

“Fate.” Diana asks aways diplomatic. “What do we owe the, pleasure?”

“There is an oddity in our reality.” Fate says, “it disturbs me greatly.”

“Well im sorry something making you uncomfy but we got league business to attend to.” guy snarks crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.

“This is more than just my personal comfort. This disturbs the order of our realm.” Fate argues.

“I haven't sensed anything.” Marvels adds, “if it was something dangerous the rock would have picked it up.”

“Rock?” Hal whispers under his breath.

“Im sure you have noticed something.” Fate pries.

Something in Marvels face changes, something Clark cant recognise or read.

“I really haven't but if you're really that concerned you can come by the rock later and i can look a little further.” Marvel offers.

“What rock?!” Hal asks.

Clark doesn't thing the lord of order is al that satisfied but almost as quickly as he appeared he was gone in a flask of gold light.

“What was that about?” Barry asked nervously.

“Oh you know lords of order.” Marvel waves.

“No, no apparently we dont.”

“What rock?!”

~*~

Conner was helping Wally do a word game on his phone while they waited in the lounge.

“Get used to this Conner.” Wally sighed as he connected another word on the screen. “They never let us kids in there.”

Conner nodded. Truthfully he didn't want to know what went on in the meetings, he could listen if he wanted, he'd gotten really good at using his hearing, he barely had to wear his headphones anymore! But he didn't want to.

He was more nervous about his visit with Black Canary, and a little excited, she was nice to him before when he first came here, she gave him coloring books and let him look at all her plants, maybe she would let him look at them again-

The doors to the meeting room opened and the members began to flood out, the first being Marvel who holding back laughter and was chased by Hal.

“No! Cap you cant just leave without giving some context, how the hell can a rock sense something?” Hal asked stepping in front of Marvel to block his path.

Marvel snorted before sidestepping the lantern and continuing off.

“Cap!” Hal shouted and continued after him.

“What's up with uncle Hal?” Wally asked standing up to greet Barry who was walking up to meet him.

“Oh, Fate showed up and said something weird.” Barry sighed, “Are you ready to go? Iris will kill us if you're late again.”

“Yeah lets go, see ya Conner.” Wally waved and in a blink both the speedsters were gone.

~*~

“So Conner,” Canary started. “how have you been sleeping?”

“Okay.” he answers almost immediately.

“Clark says you've been having some pretty scary dreams.”

Conner paused from where he was coloring. How did Clark know that? Conner could barely remember the dreams, actually a lot from before has gotten… foggy. Conner still had nightmares but Clark shouldn't know about them.

“Clark is worried about you Conner,” Canary continues. “He says you've been waking up in the middle of the night screaming for the last few days.”

He did? He vaguely remembers being afraid of someone trying to comfort him, but he thought that was just a dream. He didn't mean to worry Clark or wake him up in the middle of the night.

“I don't remember that… I didn't mean to make Clark mad.” he says putting his crayon down.

Canary frowns. “Clark isn't mad at you, he wants to make sure you're okay.”

Conner nods, that sounds like Clark.

“Is there anything you're worried about?” Canary asks, brushing her blonde hair out of her eyes.

Conner shakes his head.

“No, Clark is nice, Lois is nice, she makes chocolate milk, and Clark took me to the farm yesterday and I helped Ma make a pie!” Conner babbles.

Canary smiles. “That must have been fun.”

Conner nods, “Clark says ill stay with them for the day when he goes to work so they can watch me.”

“Does that scare you? I know you were nervous about meeting them at first.” Canary asks.

Conner shakes his head again. “No, they're really nice, Ma made me a quilt.”

“That was nice of her.” Canary agrees. “Conner, have you had bad dreams before?”

“Umm.” Conner had’nt told anyone about his dreams, but no one had asked before, and he was suppose to answer Canary’s questions, Clark told him to be honest. “Sometimes.”

“Do you know what they're about?”
Conner isn't sure what he's supposed to answer with, partly because he couldn't remember what the dreams were, there was superman-

A shiver runs down Conners spine. He doesnt want to think about him.

“I dont remember..” he lies, sort of.

“Thats okay.” Canary assures and her eyes drift to the paper Conner was coloring on. “Can I see you're drawing?

Conner nods and hands his picture over to her across the table.

Canary looks at it for a moment and frowns. It must not be a very good picture…

“Hey Conner can i hold onto this?” Canary asks.

Conner shrugs, hes not sure why she wants it if it's not good but she can keep it.

Clark kept putting his pictures up on the fridge.

~*~

“Did you have fun?” Clark asks after his session with Canary is over.

“Yeah i got to color a lot, and she asked lots of questions.” kon nodded.

Clark smiles and presses a kiss to conners cheek. “Do you want ice cream?”

Conner nods.

~*~
Conners picture:

Chapter Text

Time had passed since Conner had arrived.
Clark had gone back to work as both a hero and reporter, so he spent most of his time at the farm with Ma and pa.

It feels like his life before was slipping away, like grabbing sand the details were sleeping through his fingers and were lost in the rest of the sand at his feet. He remembered big things, like the room and Superman and how robin two died, but he couldnt remember certain things like his raining with Wonder woman.

But Conner didn't care, he was so, so happy now.

If someone had told him before that one day he would spend his days on a farm in kansas he would call them a lair.

if someone told him one day he would have a name, much less that superman would give him one, he would think they were trying to be mean to him.

But Conner does have those things.

He has a name and grandparents, and Clark loves him. He spends his days on the farm whale Clark is working and he makes pies with Ma, and rides around in the tractor with Pa.

They go to the lake when it gets hot, and Clark taught him how to swim so he can go in the deep parts, and sometime Krypto gets to come along and when he gets out of the water he spells like the lake.

He sits out on th porch swing with Clark and eat Pie and Bomb pops, Pa was teaching him to bottle feed a calf and he was learning to bake cookies.

He sits on the fence and feeds Lucy carrots and Pa says that he’ll teach him how to ride lucy if he can dig out her old saddle.

Conner is so happy and nothing could ever ruin it.

~*~

“You have to tell her Clark.” Ma says as she sets up the table.

Conner had been with Clark since early march, it was mid July now, Conner had passed the Gotham academy entrance exam with flying colors and would start next month in august. It feels like the time is flying away, it feels like its too soon, he just got Conner and now he was sending him off to school.

Conner spends the day with his parents unless he had a session with Dinah. and then Clark will bring him back to the apartment at the end of the day.

Its nice, its so nice, Conner seems so happy and bright, and its almost perfect.

Theres just one problem lois still didnt know that he was superman.

“I know Ma.” he sighs as he setts down the pot roast Ma made for dinner at the center off the table, one of Conner’s new favorites.

“You cant keep this from her, shes your partner Clark, shes helping you raise your son.” ma continues setting out the silverware.

“I know Man i'm going to, i was going to tell her months ago but then i found Conner and…” Clark starts. “Things are good now.”

“I know baby, but think how much better they’ll be when she knows the truth.” ma smiles.

“What if she leaves?” Clark asks, he loves lois, he cant loose her or worse watch her turn he back and betray him like that, hes sure bruce has a contingency for it btu Clark would rather not see that happen.

“She wont, she might be angry with you but she loves Conner to much to walk away.” Ma smirks. “You baby trapped her.”

Clark burst out laughing, “ma! Thats not what that means!”

“Well its true, she loves Conner to much not to stay, besides, something tells me she knows more than you think.”

~*~

Clark fidgeted as he stood in front of lois on the coach with a bag of her favorite chips and dip.

He could do this, it was just two words, ‘im superman’.

Conner was already in bed fast asleep, it was the perfect time to tell lois his secret.

Fear and anxiety spun in the pit of his stomach swirling together in his insides like when you flushed the toilet.

Clark took a deep breath and tried not to puke on his girlfriend.

It was fine, it was going to be fine.

It was all going to be fine.

“So, theres something i need to tell you,” Clark stated, locking his hand together. “And its really important and i hope you wont be mad for not telling you sooner.”

Lois looked unimpressed. “Clark i know youre superman-”

“Im superman- What!” Clark shouted.

Lois shrugged.

“How-”

“Clark, ive known you for years, and not once have you sweat, not even once.” lois stated popping a chip into her mouth.

“Okay but-” he started.

How could lois know? Hed been so careful.

“The first time i stayed the night i found your suit in the laundry, youre kid comes and tells me about his day with your parents in kansas Clark, Kansas.” lois said setting the chips aside.

Clark stood there mouth open wide in shock.

“Smallville?” lois asked. “You need to sit down?”

~*~

It took a minute or well fifteen but Clark had finally wrapped his head around the fact that lois knew, lois knew the whole time.

“How long?” Clark asked. “Since the first time you spent the night or..?”

Lois stoped chew the chips she had never actually started eating, her face taking a thought full expression.

“I guess i always thought there was something up with you, the suit in the laundry was pretty damning evidence though.” she shrugged.

“And you're okay with it?” clark asked.

“I mean, i worry but yeah.”

“Why didn't you ever say anything?” Clark asked soft leaning into lois.

“I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me yourself, plus it was so early on in our relationship… i didn't want you to feel trapped with me if things didn't work out, i didnt want you to stay just because i knew.” lois admitted softly.

“Lois…” Clark started and kissed her head, “thank you.”

“Mmm you're welcome, i hope you know how bad you are at keeping this secret, ive been covering for you for years.” she said, kissing him back.

“What you mean?” Clark asked, he wasn't that bad at hiding it!

Lois gave him a look. “One of your excuses when Parasite attacked was ‘I have to go water my turtle.’ you don't own a turtle.”

Okay so Clark needed to work on that.

“Just so you know i tell people that you have IBD.” lois mentioned. “Everyone just thinks that you youre embarrassed about it.”

“Is that why Steve keeps making those jokes?” Clark asked.

Lois laughed.

Chapter Text

The day had started well, great even Clark had dropped him of with Ma and Pa at the farm he had a second breakfast with them because Ma said he didn't eat enough, then he went to the feed store with Pa and they got Lucy a new halter because her old one was well, old.

It was around lunch when his head started to hurt.

“Are you not hungry baby?” Ma asked when he didn't touch the sandwiches on his plate.

Conner shook his head. “I don't feel good.”

Ma frowned and pressed a hand to Conner's forehead. “Mmm i can never tell if you or your dad have a fever you always run hot.”

Conner whimpered and rubbed at his eyes.

“Your tummy hurt?” Ma asked brushing his hair out of his face.

He nodded. His stomach felt uneasy like it would tip over and spill out all over.

“Oh sweetheart,” ma cooed, “go lay down on the couch with Pa ill bring you some sprite and saltines, okay?”

“Okay,” he got out of his chair and Pa walked him over to the couch.

Conner pulled of his shoes, he was suppose to help Pa fix the old tractor out in the barn.

“The tractor can wait, you just take it easy bub.” Pa smiled covering him up with a blanket He hadn't realized how tired he was until he was falling asleep.

~*~

Clark opened the door to the farm house, he came as soon as ma called asking what qualified as a fever for Kryptonians.

Clark had always run warmer than the average human, the amount of times he was sent home from school because the nurse checked his temperature and found him to have an outstanding fever was too many.

Still, Clark came as soon as Ma called, it was almost the time he usually picked Conner up anyway.

Ma was standing in the kitchen and Pa was at the table doing a word search.

“What's wrong?” Clark asked. “Is Conner sick?”

“Hes not feeling to well.” ma explained. “He didn't eat his lunch and hes slept the whole after noon away.”

“Were is he?” Clark asked.

“Over on the couch.” Ma waved. “I tried to check if he had a fever but i can never tell with you two, you always so warm.”

“Its okay ma.” Clark reassured b-lining for the coach.

Conner was curled up on the coach shivering despite the blanket he was tangled up in, there was a plate of untouched crackers and a glass of flat soda on the coffee table, Ma’s remedy to settle a upset stomach.

“Conner?” Clark whispered softly, brushed a hand through the hair that was stuck to Conners forehead, he was warm even by kryptonian standards, he definitely had a fever, how severe Clark wasn't sure. “Wake up sweetheart.”

Conner groaned, sleepy dazed eyes blinked open and he groaned turning his head into the pillow his head was on.

“Bubba, I need you to get up.” Clark smiled and started to rub Conners back trying to coax him into facing the world.

“No!” Conner whined, swatting at Clark's hand.

That was concerning, Conner was good kid, cooperative he didn't throw tantrums he barley ever talked back bout anything except about getting his haircut too short and even then it was just a quiet protest. Conner must not be feeling good if he was this fussy.

“I know you don't feel very good.” Clark coed. “But I need you to get up so we can go home.”

“No.” Conner grumbled and rolled onto his back. “I'm tired.”

“I know sweetheart, i’ll get you home and into your pajamas.” Clark said and started to peel Conner out of the blanket and sit him up.

“Im tired.” Conner repeated and threw his head back in protest as Clark picked him up. He wasn't sure where Conners shoes were but he didn't really have to worry about that right now he just needed to get his boy home.

~*~

Lex luthor's apartment is… modern, its sleek and empty like the watch tower but the lights are warmer, softer than the bright harsh lights of the watchtower.

He shouldn't be here.

He really, really shouldn't be here.

But he was here, in Lex Luthor's penthouse, at Lex luthor's island with a steamin mug of coffee sitting in front of him.

Superman was going to be angry with him.

Besides Lex was a liar, a conniving monster that had made superman’s the leagues life hell. He did numerous thing to hurt people made weapons of mass destruction, including but not limited to him

Lex Luthor is standing in the kitchen with an odd look on his face, bored? Unimpressed maybe?

“So hows hero life?” Lex asks the fake charisma he used to address the media.

He stays quiet and stares at the… the super villain in his bathrobe and slippers, he doesn't look like a man who manufacture weapons of mass destruction.

“I've heard,” Lex says, grabbing a glass and a bottle of liquor. “You're little, friend, uhh Captain marvel was… expelled from the justice league.”

Theres a sharp pain in his chest at the mention of the hero of his…. I doesn't matter that he has orders to avoid the man, he hasn't left the watchtower for months anyway so- so Marvel doesnt mater the hurt in his heart doesn't even matter.

Lex grinned at him.

“Do you regret it?” Lex asks, sipping his drink. “Choosing them?”

“No.” He says quietly after a moment but turns his head away so the CEO doesn't see his face falter under the lie.

Lex must still be able to tell.

“You could have had such a good life with me.” Lex sighed disappointedly before downing the rest of his glass.

“You're lying.” he accuses.

“Didn't they?” aLex argues back.

He shuts his mouth, his lips squeeze into a thin line.

“You still could.” Lex says simply. “You could say here, they cant get you.”

What?

Why would Lex luthor want that?

Why would he want that?

“Youre part of me.” Lex huffed. “So I suppose im responsible for you in some way.”

He blinks at Lex, once, twice, three times.

“Well don't just sit there! I'm being a responsible parent, at the very least I could do a better job than them." Lex rolled his eyes. “I haven't claimed to be a good person in day but even i know you don't lock kids up in rooms doused in deadly chemicals.”

He can feel his heart stop can feel his blood freeze in his veins. “How do you know about that?”

“Oh please,” Lex waves as he pours another glass of alcohol. “That isn't important.”

This was a waste of time, he gets up turns to walk out to the balcony.

“Think about it.” Lex says from behind him and he turns to catch a last look at the man “coming to stay here, at the very least…”

Lex downs another drink. “I could never imagine treating a kid as bad as they treat you up there.”

He turns agan without a word and flys off back to the nearest zeta tube, but Lex’s words echo in his mind. Stay with Lex luthor?

‘I could never imagine treating a kid as bad as they treat you up there.’

If Lex was as bad as the league said he was then why would he care? It didn't matter because Lex was nothing but a lair.

~*~

Clark had kept his promise, he got Conner home changed him into a Stitch onesie that Diana bought him and let Conner go back to sleep.

“How long has he been out?” Lois asked from beside the stove where Clark was cooking.

“A few hours.” Clark sighed. “Im gonna wake him up and see if he'll eat something.”

“And if he doesn't?” Lois asked cautiously.

Clark frowned,”ill take him to the fortress to see how bad it is.”

“See if you're hologram dad will give you kryptonian nyquil?” Lois smiled playfully.

“If only, what i would give for an allergy medicine that actually worked.” Clark huffed.

Lois rolled her eyes before taking the ladle Clark was using to stir the food on the stove top. “Go wake him you know he wont eat if hes to drowsy.”

Clark smiled, pressed a kiss to her cheek and made his way down the hall.

Conners room had changed since he first moved in, it looked less like a bare room and more like a little boys room, with the biggest difference being the unbelievable amount of stuffed animals piled up on a saucer chair in the corner, the League had learned about Conners fondness for them and Ran with it and now Conner had a stuffie from every leaguer. His wall now had a picture wall with a bulletin board and a thousand pictures that Ma had taken of him over the past few weeks, and they were still printing more.

According to Ma, she needed to make up for the lack of baby pictures.

Conner was under his covers his hair was soaked in sweat when Clark ran a hand through it and Clark could feel the heat wafting off Conners tiny body. That was not good.

“Conner, baby wake up.” Clark said gently rubbing Conners shoulder. “Lois is making dinner, Ma says you haven't eaten since this morning.”

Conner jolted awake with a yelp, nearly hitting Clark in the face with his fore head, and then he started to quietly sob into his palm.

Clark frowned, another nightmare, Conner had not had one in a few days and Clark had thought hopefully that they had stopped, at least this one seemed less… intense.

“Oh baby,” Clark coed pulling Conner into his lap, hed learned that a softer voice helped Conner settle down or atleast go back to sleep. “Are you okay?”

Conner kept quietly crying into Clarks shoulder.

“Did you have another bad dream?” Clarks kissed the top of Conners head, probably not the best idea since Conner seemed so sick but Clark would face it if it meant Conner would get to feel any better.

Clark felt Conner nod into his shoulder and Clark hummed his sympathies as he patted his back and Conner-

Conner puked on him.

Clark was right, the corner really wasn't feeling good.

~*~

Clark ended up giving Conner a bath after he puked, usually Conner took his own shower without assistance, but Conner was to lethargic to actually shower properly and was tired enough that Clark was worried Conner might fall asleep if he sent him into take a bath alone. And Clark was right in his worry because Conner did fall asleep halfway through the bath while Clark washed his hair.

But now Conner was clean, and his fever wasn't quite as high because the bath was cool, and he was in freshly washed Captain Marvel Pajamas.

Clark had taken the hint that Conner probably wasn't going to eat, Lois had bought some flu medicine for Conner, normal human medicine which would hopefully work on Conners clearly not yet super immune system.

Clark walked out of the bathroom Conner snuggled up in his arms, Lois was sitting in a bar stool at the island.

Clark wasn't expecting Conner to suddenly jolt in his arms with a whimper and start making a grabby motion to Lois with his hands.

“I- i want mom!” Conner cried, a glassy look in his watery eyes.

It was a shock for them if anything, Conner had always just called them by there name and Clark couldn't help the jealousy that spiked up at Lois getting called mom before he got called dad.

Lois perked up at the island, and hoped off the bar stool and down the hall towards them.

“You heard him,” Lois smirked, taking Conner out of his arms, and Conner melted into her hold. “He wants mom.”

And with that Lois marched off with the corner to their bedroom.

Clark gets puked on and Lois gets called mom?

~*~

This isn't happening.

This wasn't happening.

This couldn't be happening.
He stared at the screen, at the smoking remains of LexCorp in shambles on the ground.

LexCorp was gone, Lex’s penthouse was gone.

Lex picture on the screen with ‘LexCorp CEO dead after building collapse.’

Lex was gone.

“Did you think we didn't do any checks?” someone asks and he's too afraid to turn around. “Did you think Manhunter didn't check your mind for betrayal?”

They’re angry with him.

When is someone not?

“I told you we shouldn't have trusted him.” another voice says.

~*~

Conners eyes snapped open and he jolted awake, his face wet.

“Hey sweetheart,” Clark soothed running his hands through Conner's hair, and Conner melted into it.

Another night terror, two in one night. Clark had woken up to Conner thrashing in his sleep silently

“You're okay.” Clark soothed again pulling Conner up onto his chest.

Conner sniffed and sobbed into his chest quietly for a few minutes, and Clark thought it would go how it always had he would calm Conner down and Conner would fall asleep again.

But that didn't happen Conner just mumbled something softly into Clarks chest.

“Dont send me back..” Conner pleaded. “Please, please don't send me back.”

“Send you back were baby?” Clark asked confused.

“To before, don't send me back to before.”

~*~

Clark tapped his fingers on the table as he stared at the pictures on the table.

Pictures Conner had drawn, horrifying pictures spread across the table.

“What-” Clark starts. “What are these?”

“They're… Conner drew these during our sessions.” Dinah says carefully.

“Why?” Clark asks slightly terrified. Bruce, Canary and J’onn are in the room with him.

He’d- he hadn't thought bringing up what Conner said last night would lead to this.

“Im, J’onn will explain,” Dinah says shucking off the conversation to J’onn who clearly wasn't expecting this.

“I,” J’onn starts carefully. “Believe that these are leftover memories from a mental simulation.”

“What?” Clark asks, confused, he hadn't expected that.

“Let him explain.” Bruce interrupts.

“I believe,” J’onn says. “That Cadmus implanted simulated memories to… prepare him for his intended purpose.”

“Killing you.” Bruce explains.

“Thanks, I almost forgot.” Clark deadpans before turning back to J’onn. “So they?”

“It is similar to the implanted knowledge he has, i believe cadmus implanted these memories so that Conner would Harbor negative feelings towards the justice league.” J’onn explains further.

“So they gave my kid night terrors?” Clark asks.

“From what I could recover from the memories left-” J’onn starts.

“Left?” Dinah asks.

“I- his mind has begun to repress the memories from the simulation.” J’onn says.

"Repression." Dinah whispers.

“From what I can tell from the memories left.” J’onn repeats with something close to a huff. “The justice league in the simulation heavily abused him.”

Clarks world fell out from under his feet.

Abused? Heavily abused?

“but it wasn't real?” Bruce clarifies. “it was a simulation.”

J’onn paused. “It felt real to him, and that is what matters.”

“So what all happened?” Dinah asks tentatively.

Clark isn't sure he wanted to hear it, he felt nauseous and hes pretty sure he hasnt caught what ever Conner had over the last few days.

“There was not much left.” J’onn muses. “Just feelings, of helpless ness and heart break and-”

fear

“That's enough.” Clark snaps.

The room goes quiet.

“But hes? Hes okay now right? Hes not- not afraid?”

“He has repressed most of his memories from that simulation.” J’onn nods. “from what i can tell from his mind, children's minds are quite chaotic.”

“But hes happy?” Clark asks again.

J’onn nods softly with a smile. “He is very very happy with you.”

Chapter Text

“Alright kid,” Dick announced, standing up from the coach. “Time for bed.”

“What?” Conner asked, confused looking up from the legos he was playing with as well as the other toys scattered around the living room floor.

“Bedtime,” Dick repeated, making finger guns in the direction of Conner's room. “Lets get this show on the road!”

“Show on the road?” Conner asked skeptically, “that's your word choice here?”

Wally snickered from the armchair in the corner of the living room.

Dick looked down at him and pouted. “Well haven't you gotten sassy.”

Conner shrugged. “Don't say weird things then.”

“You did say he would grow into his personality.'' Wally laughed, slipping his phone into his hoodie pocket. “C’mon kid clark told us to get you to bed.”

“At eight thirty, its seven thirty,” Conner pointed to the clock on the microwave. “Im being conned here!”

“Pun intended?” Dick grinned, Conner ignored the comment.

Wally nodded, eyed the stove and sped over to change the time on the microwave and stove.

“Hey, that's cheating!” Conner yelped, throwing an accusatory finger at Wally who was standing smugly in the same place just a moment before.

“No it's not.” Wally smirked. “I sped up time that's all.”

“You cant do that.” Conner argued. “I asked uncle Barry if he could do that and he said no.”

“Well im not barry, and i can do that.” Wally shrugged before shooting Conner off in the direction of the hallway.

“You aren't that cool.” Conner spat as he stomped off down the hall.

“Ouch.” Dick hissed. “Burned by a six year old.”

Wally sent him an unamused glare.

~*~

Conner had been in bed for ages, well it had been fifteen minutes but still, his ‘babysitters’ had sent him off to bed an hour early, an hour in a half actually since he didnt go to bed until nine on the weekends.

Conner liked his cousins. They were cool but they were also so, so uncool when they watched him all alone even if this was their first time watching him.

Mom and dad had to go to a party without him stating that fancy ‘galas’ were for adults and big kids like Wally and Dick, and then Dick assured him that fancy parties weren't all that much fun anyway. Still Clark promised he would be home by eight thirty to get him ready for bed and kiss hi goodnight and if Conner fell asleep now he would miss it because Clark never woke him up if he was already asleep.

And he couldn't even call Clark because- well he could call Clark all he had to do was say his name and Clark and Lois would come home immediately but Lois was really excited for her ‘date night’ and Conner didn't want to ruin it.

It wasn't fair! Conner was a good kid, everyone always told him that so why couldn't he go to the party? It wasn't fair! Everyone else on the justice league was going to party too so Conner couldn't even call anyone to tell them how mean Wally and Dick were being-

Everybody on the league was going except Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel wasn't going to the fancy party because, well Captain Marvel never went to any of the fancy parties.

Wally and Dick would listen to Captain Marvel, and Captain Marvel would make sure that they knocked it off and let him stay up until his actual bedtime, and then Conner wouldnt make Lois come home early and everyone was happy!

Problem solved!

~*~

So there was a problem.

Conner wasn't sure what he was meant to do, standing in front of the subway map in his shoes and pajamas as the realization that Fawcett city was in philadelphia. Metropolis was not in Philadelphia so he couldn't walk there. So he thought that since he couldn't fly like Clark, that he would take the train to go to Fawcett city.

Conner fiddled with his fingers as he stared at the map; the colorful lies crossed over each other and he couldn't tell which one would bring him to Fawcett city; he also didn't have any subway tokens.

What was he gonna do now? Did he go home? Did he know how to get home?

Another realization struck him like lightning.

He was lost. He didn't know how to get back to the apartment window he had clambered out of, he didn't even know how he had gotten to the subway in the first place. Was he gonna be lost forever? No, he could just call Clark, but Clark would be… not mad at him, he was never mad at him but he did sigh and look kinda sad and Conner really didn't want to take him from the party.

He was so stupid coming out here all alone.

So stupid.

“A bit late to be taking the train.” a voice said from behind him. He whipped around to face the man behind him. He was scruffy with a thick full beard.

The man smiled bright and big. “A bit young for a solo ride on the train. Were you planning to go?”

Conner blinked at the man in his basketball shorts and his stained t-shirt. Maybe he knew which train to take to get to fawcett? But Lois always told him to stay away from strangers so he probably shouldn't ask him. But how else would he get home?

“Umm…. im trying to get to fawcett city.” Conner mumbled shrinking in on himself.

The man whistled low and long. “Fawcett city? Thats a long ways to travel, you got family down there?”

Family? Was Marvel family? Clark always said the whole league was their family.

Conner nodded.

The man smiled softly again. “Well then, youre gonna want to take the next train that comes through.”

“I don't have a token.” Conner said softly. “I think i should go home.”

“Is that the only thing keeping you?” the man asked kneeling down. “A token?”

“I dont have one.” Conner repeated.

“Well then you're in luck,” The man nodded knowingly and began to dig through his pocket.

“Because i have an extra.” The man pulled out a shiny brass coin and pressed it into Conners palm. it didnt look like a subway token but then again Conner had never taken the subway before.

Conner flipped the token in his palm, it was warm and heavy but even more incredible was the stamp of a lightning bolt on one side and the house of el crest on the other.

Conner paused, why would Clark's crest be on a subway token? Conner looked up to ask but there was a roar from one of the tunnels and a red and gold train swept into the station.

“There's your train you better get going to see the Captain.” the man said and clapped him on the shoulder.

“How did you know-” Conner started looking up at the man.

“Don't worry about getting back, the token’s a round trip.” the man winked and then like magic he was gone.

~*~

Conner sat on the seat of the train looking out the window as the walls of the tunnel sped by, kicking his feet.

The train lurched forward tossing Conner off his seat to the floor of the train with a thud, frost began to crawl up the windows.

Conner covered his ears, piercing voices ringing in his ears. Conner feels panic crawl up his throat and he wants to scream as he curled up on the floor of the train, and as quickly as it started it stoped.

There was a soft ding and the doors of the train opened, Conner poked his head up fro between his knees. Conner stood up on shaky legs and tiptoed to the edge of the doors and stared out past the door.

It was a… Cave? Was the Fawcett city station cave? Conner took a hesitant step out of the train stumble and fell onto the floor of the cave, Conner rolled onto his back with a whine and screwed up his eyes, this mission was turning out to be harder than he thought, and the worse part was that it was probably his bedtime now.

Conner opened his eyes to see the high ceilings of the cave, he had come this far already. He
huffed a breathe and pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around the.. Not a cave but a… dungeon? Castle? Did Fawcett have a castle? Was he even in fawcett? Was the man wrong about which train to get on? Maybe that's why you shouldn't talk to strangers… Conner got up to his feet, the least he could do was walk around and try to find Marvel.

The ‘station’ was cold with torches lining the towering gray stone walls, there were stone stairs leading up to a sprawling archway with giant wooden doors. Conner climbed the steps to the doors the lit torches hanging beside them flickering as his fingers brushed against the bronze handles, suddenly the doors swung open and a blast of air dosing the torches and blanketing the station in darkness.

Conner nervously stepped through the door was to long hallway of even more cold dark stone.

There were more statues on the left side of the hallway, tall, scary, crumbling statues twisted in unnatural poses with horrible unfriendly looking expressions.

the seven deadly enemies of man.’, was above there heads in a rusting plaque. Conner shied away from the horrible statues that seemed to watch him and walked on the other side of the hall.

“You have had months to deal with the anomaly, champion.” a voice boomed through the hall.

Conner ran and ducked behind one of the pillars lining the hall.

“Don't call him that.” another voice said calmly, a voice he knew. “He has a name.”

Marvel.

Conner peeked out from behind the pillar and caught a glimpse of Marvel standing in the middle of a large corridor, talking to a man in a gold helmet and a navy blue suit. They didn't sound very happy to see each other… he doesnt think hes ever heard Marvel unhappy to see someone.

“The anomaly’s name is unimportant.” the man in the helmet said. “It is-”

“Not important? Youre talking about banishing him from reality!” Marvel snapped.

“Not banishment, relocate him to his original reality.” The helmet man repeated. “He is a threat to this reality’s ‘timestream’ as you hero’s call it.”

“He has a life here! People will notice that hes gone, his family will notice.” Marvel argued.

“You should have dealt with the anomaly when you first noticed it as is your duty, you're new host seems to have made you soft.” the helmet retorted.

Marvel went rigid. “You leave Billy out of this, Fate.”

“The anomaly needs to be dealt with-” the man in the helmet continued.

“Conner stays.” Marvel said sharply.

A pit fell in Conner's stomach, a chill crawled up his neck and he couldn't help the whimper that creeped past his lips.

Marvel and the man in the helmet turned there heads to the pillar he was hiding behind and Conner ducked back behind the pillar curling into a ball crewing his eyes shut tight and hoping they didn't see him.

They were going to send him away! Marvel was going to send him back!

He couldn't go back, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't.

“Conner?” a voice asked gently.

Conner peaked up to Marvel coached next to him.

“What are you doing here?” Marvel asked softly, smiling gently.

Conner sniffled and wiped at his nose.

“I- I had a token and- Wally changed the time on the microwave!” Conner rambled, unable to string together the night's events that lead him to this moment.

Marvel's gentle smile turned confused. “I'm sorry…?”

“Am I going away?” Conner sniffed again and his eyes burned with hot tears that threatened to spill on his cheeks.

Marvel was quiet for a moment. “No, you're not going anywhere but back home.”

“with- with Clark?” Conner asked as he wiped at his eyes.

Marvel nodded. “I’d never dream of sending you anywhere else.”

Relief washed over Conner in a wave and he nodded in agreement.

“The anomaly needs to be dealt with.” the man in the helmet said, Conner and Marvel turned to face him. “We should deal with it while its here.”

“Like i said , Fate,” Marvel stood up and took a step to stand in front of Conner who was still in a ball on the floor. “Conner isn't going anywhere but back home to his family.”

Conner can't see the man's face but he's sure he was fuming.

“You have a duty to peace, that is your purpose.” the man, the god protested.

“Peace isn't always orderly.” Marvel said quietly, his eyes staring daggers into the man. “That doesn't mean it isn't peace.”
For a long moment it was achingly silent and tense.

“What is going on here?” a new voice called, and a man, the man from the station waltzed in. “No one told me there was a party! I would have set up the table!”

The man in the helmet seemed to sigh. “The champions guide.”

“That's my name.” the cheered.

“Tawny?” Marvel asked surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“I don't know if you knew this,” the man, Tawny? smirked, leaning against the man in the helmet. “But I live here.”

“Well yeah…” Marvel started.

“What is the problem now? Date only shows up when he wants something unreasonable.” Tawny asked trotting over to stand between the man in the helmet and Marvel.

“Fate wants to send Conner… uh” Marvel trailed off, eyeing Conner. “Away.”

Tawny nodded and hummed before turning his attention to Conner who was hiding behind Marvel's legs.

“You want to send the kid back and… what? deal with the backlash? Erase and rewrite the memories of everyone who’s ever interacted with him?”

The man in the helmet didn't answer.

Tawny sighed. “You make things too difficult.”

Tawny kneeled down on one knee and waved Conner over to him, and Conner tentatively made his way out from behind Marvel over to Tawny.

“Tawny winked at him and smiled. “You found what you were looking for?”

Conner nodded, Tawny smiled wider.

“You remember before, right?” Tawny asked softly.

Conner looked down at his feet, and gripped at the hem of his shirt.

“Just, just a teeny bit.” Conner whispered.

“Ah,” Tawny nodded. “Are you happy here? Now?”

Conner nodded.

Tawny grinned, “its settled then.”

Tawny ran a hand through his hair and settling at the top of his head.

“You're gonna stay right were you are.” Tawny said.

And then Conners world went black.

~*~

Conner jolted up in his bed with a cry.

“Conner?” Daddy opened his bedroom door the light from the hall shining into the dark room and stinging his eyes.

“Whats wrong?” daddy asked walking over to Conners bed and turning on the lamp next to his bed. “Did you have a bad dream?”

Conner shook his head. “I dont know…”

“Its okay.” daddy cooed and pulled him up into his lap and rubbing circle into his back.

“I wanna,” Conner started curling into daddy's chest. “I wanna sleep in your bed with you and momma.”

Daddy paused for a moment before kissing his head. “Okay sweetheart.”

“Wally and Dick made me,'' Conner yawned into daddy's shoulder as daddy carried him to his room. “Made me go to bed early.”

“I know,” daddy hummed. “They were watching a movie they weren't supposed to, so they sent you to bed so you wouldn't tell on them.”

“Wally changed the time on the stove.” Conner complained. “And the microwave you’ll be late for work.”

“I know, mommy’s fixing it.” daddy nodded, pressing a kiss to Conner's cheeks.

“Good.” Conner yawned again. “That was a dirty trick.”

~*~

“Was that really necessary?” the Captain asked arms crossed over his chest meaning against the wall.

Tawny sighed. “If you want the realm walker to stay then yes, hed forgotten most of everything anyway, wiping his memories from his past reality is for the best.”

“How did he even get here?” the Captain asked.

Tawny hummed. “The veils between realities are thin after death its not uncommon for a soul to slip.”

The Captain nodded silently.

“It's pretty rare.” Tawny continued. “I've only ever met a few,”

The Captain still didn't say anything.

“He remembers everything from this reality, except his visit to eternity of course.” Tawny shrugged.

“Of course.” the Captain nodded. “i still cant believe Fate went for that.”

“Hes not exactly an agreeable lord of order is he?” Tawny joked.

“Are there any?” the Captain grinned.

“I haven't met one yet.” Tawny shrugged. “But really a bit of advice, lord of order like the most orderly option, and despite Fates fits and insistence letting the boy-”

“Conner.” the Captain corrected.

“Conner.” Tawny nodded. “Letting Conner stay here was easier than sending him away, too many spells to send him back and make people forget he was ever here.”

“He’ll be okay now?” the Captain asked the eyes of his host shining through.

“He should, not remembering his old reality will help him settle in.” Tawny nodded.

“And he’ll never remember?” the Captain asked unsure.

Tawny shrugged “who knows?”

Chapter Text

“What?” Clark asked.

“School, Clark.” Bruce repeated. “It's August, Conner starts school in less than two weeks.”

That couldn't be right, that wasn't right that was way too soon.

“You forgot, didn't you.” Bruce accused putting his fork down on the table.

They were at their dinner the one they had been going out to since they leaned each others identities, they were still waiting on diana but she got wrapped up in robbery so that was going to be a minute before she got there and apparently Bruce was taking the chance to ambush him about a subject Clark had been trying to avoid acknowledging.

He hadn't forgotten that Conner was starting school soon, actually the knowledge loomed over his head constantly. It just wasn't fair! Most people got years to spend with their kid before sending them off to school. Clark hadn't even gotten six months with Conner; he wasn't ready to send him off to school all alone, much less to a school like Gotham academy.

“Clark he has to start school.” Bruce sighed as he sipped his coffee. “It's going to be fine.”

“What if something happens?” Clark asked “like if one of your rouges decide that a bunch of rich kindergartners are the perfect pawns for their next scheme?”

Bruce gave him a look. “You have super hearing Clark, you could be there in a microsecond.”

Clark frowned and picked at his eggs.

“Clark, that boy has the whole justice league backing him, I think he can handle kindergarten.” Bruce dead panned. “Besides you and I have a meeting with the gotham academy dean on monday.”

“Dean?” Clark asked.

Bruce shrugged, “it's the fancy word for principle.”

~*~

Clark tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair in the dean's office.

“You need to calm down.” Bruce said, scrolling through his phone.

“Why do they wanna meet with me about this? And why are you here?” Clark asked, fidgeting with his tie.

“Because I'm covering Conner tuition,” Bruce pointed out.

“I told you you didn't have to do that, i could have paid.'' Clark argued.

Bruce gave him a look before looking back at his phone.

“Not with your salary.” Bruce muttered.

“You pay my salary.” Clark pointed out.

Bruce started to say something before a woman in a suit walked in with a binder and sat down at the desk.

“I am so sorry I'm late,” she said, opening up the binder and flipping through it. “Traffic has been insane since Mr.freeze burst some of the water pipes, there's road work everywhere to repair them.”

“Really?” Clark asked, baffled.

The woman, the dean, tilted her head at him.

“He’s from a metropolis.” Bruce sighed.

“Ah” the dean nodded. “So, Mr.Kent we called you and Mr.Wayne in because of Conners test scores as well as getting some clarification on his paperwork.”

“Is there something wrong?” Clark asked sitting forward, had they found something wrong with the paperwork Bruce had made for Conner? Realized the boy hadn't existed until a few months ago.

“Oh no its just that he has quite a few people listed as his emergency contacts?” she explained.

“Is that a problem?” Bruce asked.

“No, we just want a bit of clarification as to who these people are?” she said nervously.

“I see.” Bruce nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Ah well we know about Alfred Pennyworth, and Mr.Wayne,” she started. “And I assume that Martha and Jonathan Kent are the grandparents?”

“That's right.” Clark nodded.

“Okay, but then we get to Lois lane?” she asked.

“That's my-” Clark started.

“Fiance.” Bruce interrupted.

Fiance! Lois was not his Fiance! He wanted her to be, and of course they talked about it and Conner had been very pushy about them getting married so he could be a flower boy, but Clark had not formally proposed to her.

“Oh congratulations!” she smiled.

“Um thanks.” Clark said, giving Bruce the side eye. “It's a new development.”

“Of course,” she said looking back at the binder. “So Lois is one of Conner's legal guardians?”

“We’re working on getting the paper finalized.” Bruce answered.

“Wonderful, so there's also a Ms.Prince?” she asked.

“She's a close family friend.” Clark smiled.

“Alright and then there's a Guy Gardner?” she raised an eyebrow at them. “Another close friend?”

“Actually that's Conner's old social worker.” Bruce answered. “He had one briefly after his mothers accident there shouldn't be a reason to call him but we had to put that down per regulation.”

“Oh yes we did talk about that i apologize,” she nodded. “Alright, that's it for the emergency contacts, and any of those people are allowed to pick him up if you can't?”

“Most likely he would be picked up by Alfred or myself since Mr.Kent works till five.” Bruce answered.

“Alright ill make a note of that.” She smiled and marked something in the binder. “So about Conners test scores.”

“Was there an issue?” Clark asked.

“Well he scored very high, so we wanted to know if you were interested in placing Conner in the gifted class?” she explained.

“Gifted class?” Clark tilted his head, he felt like he needed to be taking notes.

“We have a gifted class for every grade, they focus on more advanced subjects and reading.” she plucked a pamphlet from a stack on her desk and handed it to Clark. “We think Conner would be good fit but we need your permission to do so.”

“They still do everything that the other classes do right? Recess, lunch, class parties?” Bruce asked looking over the pamphlet in Clarks hands.

“Of course they still interact with other kids there age its just a slightly more advanced curriculum,” she nodded, “they do take more field trips to museums, libraries that sort of thing.”

“And this would be good for him?” Clark opened the pamphlet in his hands ad skimmed over the words.

“In our experience if students get board they can become rather disruptive.” she explained.

“Well i guess it wouldn't hurt him.” Clark decided.

“Perfect!” she beamed. “Ill let our gifted teacher know, she’ll be so exited to have another boy in the class.”

“Another boy?” Bruce asked.

“The gifted class is a bit smaller than the regular classes right now the gifted class is mostly little girls aside from one boy.” she explained. “That wont be an issue?”

“I dont think so.” Clark shook his head.

“Wonderful, we look forward to having Conner attending this semester.” she said closing the binder.

~*~

“Aww, look at you!” Lois cooed, snapping a picture on her phone.

Conner was standing in the living room blushing as Lois gushed about how cute he looked in the gotham academy uniform, Conner grumbled and pulled at the collar of his school uniform.

“Do I have to wear this everyday?” he asked, looking at Clark.

“Only on Mondays and fridays.” Clark nodded.

This didn't seem to help Conner's opinion on the uniform.

“Are you excited for your first day of school.'' Lois asked, swiping through the pictures on her phone picking the best ones to send to Ma and Diana.

Conner smiled, “mhm, wally said i would make lots of friends with my attitude.”

He was pretty sure Wally was being sarcastic when he told Conner that, but either way Conner was taking it as encouragement. “Wally's right, you'll make so many friends.”

Conner's smile got bigger and brighter, “you think so?”

“I know, you're the nicest boy I know.” Clark grinned and pulled him closer to kiss his hair and Conner's nose wrinkled.

“Whos the second nicest?” Conner asked, climbing up into Clarks lap.

Clark pursed his lips in pretend thought. “Captain Marvel.”

“I knew it.” Conner whispered.

Clark laughed.

“Hey you know what?” Lois said standing up.

“What?” Conner asked.

“I think we need to celebrate.”

“Celebrate?” Clark raised an eyebrow.

“Yep, its not everyday your little boy starts kindergarten.” Lois grinned. “Let's get ice cream.”

“I am not little.” Conner argued offended.

~*~

He rubbed at his tired eyes, Daddy had woken him up early too early, the sun was just beginning to rise.

He held onto daddy's hand, there were other people there, other kids holding onto their parents hands, some were crying and clinging to them.

Conner gulped as he looked up at the school. It was so big, so so big. He always argued back when people called him little, or a baby, but… but now as he stared up at the big school he felt so so small.

He griped daddy hand a little more and daddys hand gave a soft squeeze of reassurance.

“Okay ill bring you to your class but then i have to go, okay?” daddy asked.

Conner gulped again and nodded silently. He hadn't realized that going to school meant that he would be going alone. He would be all alone.

“And then at the end of the day dick is going to wait with you until Alfred comes to get you okay?” daddy continued, they'd covered this a million times in the week leading up to now.

“And then we’ll go see Grandma and Grandpa?” he looked up.

Daddy smiled. “And then we’ll go see Grandma and Grandpa.”

“And we can have pie?” he asked hopeful.

“And we can have pei.” daddy laughed. “Are you ready?”

Conner nodded softly, “I think so.”

~*~

Daddy kept holding his hand.

If kids weren't crying before they were now, clinging to their parents in the classroom with hiccuping sobs.

Conner didn't, he stood tall even if his bottom lip wobbled ever so slightly.

He looked around the colorful room, at the parents, some trying to comfort their kids, others whispered hushed demands to let go and stop crying as they tried to pry their grabby fingers away from their pant legs or dress shirts.

But there was one boy standing off to the side all alone holding onto the straps of his backpack, he was the only other boy there aside from Conner.

Where were his parents? Had they left already?

Conner adjusted his tie nervously.

“You must be Conner!” a sweet voice said behind him.

Conner looked up behind him, there was a woman with dark brown hair tied up into a neat braid, and a nice maroon dress.

Conner nodded.

“Im Ms.ross,” she said offering him a hand. “I'm gonna be your teacher this year!”

“Its nice to meet you.” he said softly.

“Im sure youre a bit nervous about today.” she smiled.

Conner nodded. “A little bit.”

“Don't worry, everyones a little bit nervous.” she assured me. Before leaning in conspiratorially. “But do you think you could do something for me?”

Conner nodded.

“Do you see that boy over there?” she whispered.

Conner looked over to the same lonely boy who had moved over to the corner of the room, a mop of black hair hiding his face as he looked again.

“Yeah.” Conner said softly.

“He could really use a friend.” she said softly.

Conner nodded. “I can be his friend!”

Ms.Ross smiled. “That would be wonderful, do you want me to take your bag while you go say hi?”

Conner let go of daddy's hand and slid his bag off his soldiers.

“Thank you!” he said, handing it off to her, before bounding off to the other side of the room. “Bye dad!”

“Hi!” Conner cheered, waving his hand, the boy looked up through his hair, big watery blue eyes looked at him.

“I'm Conner!” he said.

The boys eyes looked around like he wasn't sure Conner was talking to him.

“Where are your parents?” Conner asked. “I came with my dad, my mom wanted to come but she had to go to work early.”

The boy blinked. “I my nanny dropped me off…”

“You have a nanny?” Conner asked.

The boy nodded. “My parents are archaeologists- they dig up old stuff-”

“Like dinosaurs?” Conner asked.

“No,” the boy shook his head. “Stuff from ancient civilizations.”

“Like ancient greece?” Conner asked, Marvel was from then right?

“I think so? They’re in Romania digging up a church I think.” the boy shrugged. “What do your parents do?”

“There journalist!” Conner beamed. “They right stories for the planet.”

“Thats cool.” the boy nodded.

Conner wanted to ask more but he realized that he didn't know what his name was.

“What's your name? I'm Conner Jordan Kent.” Conner smiled and held out his hand.

The other boy smiled and shook Conner's hand firmly. “Im Timothy Jackson Drake, but you can just call me Tim.”

Chapter Text