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A shrill, piercing scream tore through the warm, still Kansas night.
Clark and Kon flew, literally, out of their respective beds towards the sound. Clark’s newest foster had only been staying with them a few short days. He was secretive and quiet in ways that no teenager should have to be.
Clark had cried on Bruce's should about Danny more than once. Bruce had told him that Jason had been the same way and to give him time and space. That Danny would come to him when he was ready. Apparently, Danny’s nightmare forced everyone's hand.
Unfortunately, both Clark and Kon had been called away, more than once, on hero business. Clark didn't know how Bruce did it before he'd told his kids about Batman.
Of course, Bruce had Alfred. Clark didn't have an Alfred. He had a Lois, who was currently eighteen hundred miles away with Ma, Pa, and four-year-old Jon, in the Redwood National Forest, where he was also supposed to be if he hadn't received the call for the emergency foster placement for Danny. Kon just happened to be at the farmhouse when Clark had received the call and brought Danny home.
That was a week ago.
They hadn't made much progress in finding out anything about Danny. Where did he come from? What was his full name? Why was he covered in bruises? Why did the color white induce panic attacks?
Even more mind-boggling was the new tentative hero that had recently appeared and was still on probation. Phantom. He was even more taciturn. While he worked well with any team he was placed on, and took orders he was given like a fish to water, getting him to talk was like pure, unmitigated torture. Like someone pulling out nails from the nail beds without anesthesia.
Clark and Kon noiselessly floated into the guest room where Danny was staying. Both of them dropped to the ground in a jumbled heap at the sight that greeted them. Toxic green eyes stared at them from underneath Danny’s bed. Clark gasped as he untangled himself from Kon. Because he’d seen those exact eyes before. On Phantom.
“STAY BACK!” Phantom's ghost speak screeched through the air. Kon moved to cover his sensitive ears, but Clark merely sat down and scooched closer so that he was at the edge of the bed but not touching it.
“Danny. How about I send Kon to get us some apple pie, and some of that sun-made iced tea that my Ma made? And then I think it's time the three of us had a long talk. But I can promise for as long as you're here, you're safe. Kon and I won't let anyone or anything hurt you.”
“YOU CAN'T PROMISE THAT!” Danny/Phantom shrieked.
“If you come out and talk to us, you'll understand,” Clark reassured the boy under the bed. He suddenly had a much better understanding of his friend and knew why both Bruce and Batman were so fiercely protective of his kids, even if Bruce/Batman were person.
Reluctantly, Danny crawled out from under the bed. If he used a tiny bit of his powers to help him accomplish that, Clark didn't comment on it. He led Danny to the rickety table where Kon had set out the apple pie, ice cream, and tea. Without asking, Kon poured the tea into three glasses and plated the warmed up apple pie and the still cold ice cream.
They sat there in thick, uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Clark sat his fork down. Kon followed his example. Danny refused to meet either of their eyes and obstinately continued eating.
Clark looked at Kon, who nodded. Because if Clark revealed that he was Superman, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Kon was Superboy. Clark nodded to himself.
“Danny, do you know who Superman and Superboy are?” Danny tentatively nodded, as if unsure where this conversation was going. “That's us. I'm Superman, and Kon is Superboy.”
Danny snorted as he thought he was being pranked. “There's no way a pair of glasses and sunglasses keeps the world from knowing your secret identities,” he said in disbelief.
“People see what they want to see. The glasses are a part of it. My personality is just different enough. There are several other things,” Clark patiently explained.
Danny processed those words for a few minutes before slamming his hands on the table and jumping up. Kon and Clark jumped. “Wes was right! Holy shit! Wes was RIGHT!” Danny slumped back into his chair before a sort of manic laughter took hold of him.
Clark didn't know whether to scold him for the language or to pull him into a hug as tears started streaming down his cheeks. He decided on the latter. Danny clung to him with a force that if he hadn't been nearly indestructible, his ribs would have cracked.
“That rat bastard, Vlad, and those GIW assholes can't touch me.”
“I'll make sure of it, even if you are Phantom,” Clark promised.
Danny sucked in a breath and pulled back. “How did you know?”
“Your eyes glowed when you were under the bed. That, and you used ghost speak.”
Danny laughed weakly. “Vlad has money, you know.”
“I know someone who has more money than even he knows what do with. And Lois has already gotten her teeth into the Anti-Ecto Acts. Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter are having a field day pressuring the UN and Congress,” Clark stated.
Danny started to perk up, and then he jerked like he'd been shot. “Wait a fucking minute! If you're Superman, then that means you're an alien!!” Danny exclaimed, floating slightly out of his chair.
Kon snickered at his new brother. “Yep,” he drawled. Danny turned his starstruck eyes on the bigger boy.
“And you know Martian Manhunter?” Both Kon and Clark nodded, as if Phantom hadn't been seen haunting the Watchtower within the Martian's vicinity. “And you can introduce me so I can get his autograph?” Another nod.
“Don't you want my autograph?” Clark teased, glad his foster son was feeling better.
“That’s different. You were practically raised on Earth. Sure, you're still an alien. But Martian Manhunter…he only came to Earth after he was fully grown.”
As he spoke so animatedly, he began to float a few inches off his chair. And his normally black hair began to fade into Phantom's signature white. While his blue eyes flashed that same green from earlier. Clark had seen some of Hood’s Pit Rage episodes, but had never personally experienced them. And as such, he didn’t have the same trauma associated with the eyes as Bruce and company did. So, seeing his foster son so freely express himself filled his heart with joy.
Yawns soon filled the air, and Danny’s head began drooping. Kon used his TTK in an open show of powers to begin clearing the table. Clark would have chastised him since Ma didn’t particularly like powers being used in her house. But Ma wasn’t here, so Clark excused it this once. Danny’s eyes went wide for just a moment.
Clark figured that was something they could address tomorrow when everyone was more awake. Clark also realized why Bruce was a serial adopter. He already considered Danny his, and he could see that Kon was quickly getting attached too. And he had no doubt that as soon as the rest of his family returned from their vacation, they would claim the teenager just as much as Clark had.
Danny’s head clanked against the table, and Clark gently scooped him up. He walked him upstairs. He whispered for Kon to finish the clean-up, knowing that even in the faintest of whispers, especially in the same quiet house, Kon would be able to hear him. Clark briefly considered taking Danny back to his guest room, but somehow that didn’t feel right. He continued on to his and Lois’s room and laid Danny down on the king-sized bed.
Danny grumbled unhappily at being set down and tossed and turned as if beginning to fall back into a nightmare. Clark debated just a few moments before climbing into bed with Danny. Danny sighed contentedly and then unexpectedly, snuggled closer to Clark’s radiating heat. Danny sighed again as he sank further into sleep.
And Clark laid there for a moment just listening. He listened to Danny breathing. For the first time since Clark had gained custody of the boy, Danny was truly relaxed. Clark listened to Kon downstairs humming softly as he cleaned Ma’s kitchen, knowing that Kon would likely call Tim later. Then, Clark stretched out his hearing and listened to Ma and Pa and Jon and Lois.
And for a brief moment, all was right in the world.