THE YOUNG MAN had flown to Clark's fortress. He stood by the entrance, looking out into the setting sun and letting the light hit his face.

It was a calming feeling. The absorption of the yellow sun rays always gave him a slight tingling sensation that he couldn't explain. It was way stronger when he was little and Clark could attest to it too during his younger days. Nowadays, after years of exposure to the sun, it was a feeling they ignored and considered second nature.

Y/N kept staring out, wallowing in his thoughts. He recalled the conversation from earlier with his parents and younger brothers. It was such an eventful encounter for all of them. The twins found out that their father was Superman...and that their older brother was adopted. What stuck to him most was his exchange with Jordan...

"Don't take your anger out on Mom."

"Mom? How can you even say that when you're not even hers?! Or even related to us?!"

He shut his eyes and let in a deep exhale through his nose. He understood his brother's state of mind and emotions...and that added to his current mental health. It was an outburst, and Y/N shouldn't think of it as anything more. Still, his words stung more than it should've.

Suddenly, he heard a faint ringing in his head. It was a sound he often would hear in the background of his dreams, which became more prevalent after turning eighteen. Y/N knew of its origin and who was calling to him...

Y/N turned around and entered the fortress. Looking through the storage, he found the sunstone...the one that came with him in his birthing pod. He was surprised that Clark still hadn't destroyed or hid it in deep space.

He then went to the console in the middle of the room and inserted it, awaiting the AI of a certain Kryptonian.

"Lor-Zod." The hologram of General Zod spoke moments after appearing. "My son."

"That is not my name," Y/N said sternly. "And you are not my father. Just a stranger."

"So you are committed to the name that coward gave you. Y/N." He replied with a mocking tone. "Or was it given to you by his earthly slut?"

Y/N glared and rebutted rather quickly.

"You don't speak of her that way! Her name is Lois. She is my mother and is ten times the person you have ever been."

Zod was stricken by his words, his smirk now turning into a scowl. He folded his hands behind his back and continued standing all-powerfully.

"Look at you. If Ursa could see you now...she'd be disgusted. You are not the what she envisioned."

"Give Kryptoni-mom my regards."

"But..." Zod added. "What she envisioned isn't what I envisioned."

Y/N arched a brow. Zod continued.

"I've always foresaw an heir with potential. One that will be greater than me. Greater than those up high back on Krypton. The ferocity of Faora but with the intelligence of Jor-El. A champion of Rao. You can still be that, my son."

The young man stood quiet. Zod spoke again.

"You can be a God."

"I don't want to hear any of that."

"Then...why did you summon me?"

Y/N shook his head. "Because of that stupid ringing in my head. Something you probably put in me."

"That ringing was just a one-time thing, child. For you and me to be first acquainted when you reached adulthood. What you're hearing now...is all you."

Y/N did not want to believe it, but Zod was correct. The doubts he had about himself...the knowledge of being Zod's...the fear of losing the people he loved, it all manifested in that sound in his head. Like a form of enhanced Kryptonian anxiety.

"You wanted someone to talk to, and deep inside...you thought of me. Your father."

"No." Y/N closed his eyes and shook his head. "No."

"You've had dreams—"

"No."

"And I know of them...because they are mine."

He started hearing the faint ringing in his head again.

"Stop." He said lowly.

"Of conquest. Victory. Power."

"Stop it."

"You're not a coward like your so-called father, Kal-El. You have everything within you to be greater than him."

"Stop!"

"You know what you have that he doesn't? That one trait from me that far exceeds the will of any other Kryptonian and the House of El?!"

Y/N screamed. "Shut up!"

There was silence. Zod smirked and stared right at the mentally exhausted boy. He finished.

"Wrath."

Y/N immediately reached out to the console and pulled out the sunstone. With a bellow, he crushed it with his hand.

"Argh!"

He held the shards in his palm and let it fall to the floor. Zod's AI stood there for a moment. Still, with his smirk, he wasn't angry or shocked that his sunstone was irreparably destroyed. He slowly dissipated.

The room was silent, the sound of the ringing in his head slowly deafening as well. If anybody else were present, they'd be able to hear the thumping of Y/N's heart. He swore that if Clark honed in on his hearing, he'd be able to know of his current state.

Y/N stood by the console, grasping the sides and leaning against it as he took in a breath. The words of Zod jumbled around his head...and they'd stick with him for days to come.

With a boom, Superman landed in the middle of the decommissioned nuclear plant. There was nobody there, and it was eerily quiet.

Clark entered a massive dark hall. He gazed around.

"I found your message." He spoke. "I know you're here."

Suddenly, a voice responded.

"And I know you can't see me."

Superman used his X-Ray vision to try to see through the walls for the voice, but he couldn't. From his point of view, it was pretty much all static.

"Lead encasements." The voice said. "You can't see through lead. One of your few weaknesses."

"That's why you're choosing nuclear facilities. You can watch me without me knowing." Clark replied.

"And see how good you really are, Kal-El."

Clark was somewhat stunned that this stranger knew his birth name. He stood there for a moment.

"How do you know my name?"

"I know everything there is to know about the Last Son of Krypton. Where I come from, let's just say the two of us have history."

"And where is that, exactly?" Clark asked.

"Nowhere now. My world was destroyed. But somehow, I managed to survive. I eventually arrived here, where I learned you were here too."

As Clark listened, he kept using his X-Ray vision and surveyed the room. Finally, he was able to spot a flickering shadow through the wall. He immediately used his super speed to crash through the wall and fly toward him.

But before can land a punch, the stranger grabbed Superman and held him by the throat. He was a behemoth, sporting dark, thick metal armor and a mask.

"Not as fast as I thought." He taunted.

The stranger threw Clark across the room, where he crashed through the wall and landed outside the plant. He rolled across the floor before looking up and seeing that the stranger had flown out of the facility. Superman immediately flew upward and chased after him.

Lois was alone at home. Since the twins were out spending time at the bonfire and her husband was doing his hero duties, she decided to take some time to make some calls about the situation with Martha Kent's property. What she heard about the loans earlier that day seemed fishy, and it piqued her curiosity. Of course, the investigative reporter in her wanted to get to the bottom of it.

She paced around in the living room as he dialed another of her contacts. As she did, she heard the faint sound of a boom outside, and she wondered if it was her husband or her eldest son.

Upon gazing at the window, she saw that it was the latter. Lois let out a breath of relief, as she had been wondering where he had been for the last hour or so.

Y/N came into the house and saw Lois in the living room. She immediately put the phone down and looked at him. For a moment, no words were said as the eighteen-year-old stood there with his hands in his coat pockets.

Lois walked toward him, opened her arms, and brought him in for a hug, which he reciprocated. Finally, she broke the silence.

"You know they still love you, right?" She said, mentioning his brothers.

He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I know."

Y/N already knew Jordan didn't mean what he said, and Lois understood that Y/N wasn't going to hold a grudge about it. Still, she felt she needed to reassure him it was just a heat-of-the-moment remark. He was not a stranger to them and was still their older brother.

"And I will always love you." She added. "I told you already..."

Y/N knew that, too. Lois loved him despite his adoption and considered him her son no matter what. He didn't need reassurance, as he understood that her love would be everlasting.

"I know." He replied. "I love you too, Mom."

They stayed in the embrace for a moment before parting. Y/N sighed and wondered where everybody else was.

"Your dad is out helping mine with that nuclear facility stuff," Lois told him. "Your brothers are at the Shuster Mines."

"Right. The bonfire." Y/N said. "Lena told me about it yesterday."

"Oh. So she's there too?"

He shrugged. "I guess so."

Lois nodded. She stepped back, put her hands on her hips, and looked at Y/N from head to toe.

"Well, I'd say look set and ready to go."

Y/N chuckled. He knew that Lois knew of his crush on Lena. Of course, she did. She was his mother, and mothers know everything, especially if your mother was Lois Lane.

"Do I take an Uber, or do I...?" Y/N asked, making a whoosh sound and making a plane gesture with his hand.

Lois arched a brow. "What?"

"You know..."

He did it again. Y/N's antics brought a chuckle out of her.

"Why are you speaking in code?" She asked. "No one else is here."

"I don't know. It's just sometimes I feel that you feel some time of way when I use my powers when I don't really need to. Like...aren't you still kinda mad about what Sam said?"

She knew he was referring to his saves in Fawcett City, saves that Sam at the D.O.D had to hide because he still wasn't a known figure to the public. There was also news about the saves during the pileup on the Skyway Toll Bridge in Chicago the day before. Lois knew it was her son's doing.

"Come on." Lois gestured toward the couch. "Sit."

Y/N let out a sigh. Once again, it was time for a talk with his mom. He sat down while Lois took the spot beside him. There was a beat before Lois began.

"I remember the day your dad told me about his powers. Of course it came as a shock, finding out that he was Superman and all. But then, I was grateful. I was grateful that he trusted me with that secret. And that cemented it for us. There was going to be nobody else for us but each other."

Y/N nodded as he listened. She continued.

"For as long as I've known, Superman was invulnerable. There was nothing he couldn't do, and I believed it. But once I found out he was Clark, for some reason...there was now a bit of worry. Superman wasn't just this icon who could fight all day, save every life, and come out unscathed every time. Now, he was my husband. The love of my life. A person. Someone who can get hurt."

The young man never really saw it that way. To the world, Superman was this immortal and indestructible hero who saved lives and flew from one catastrophe to the next. They didn't know the other side of him: Clark Kent, the man who came home after every save and catastrophe, the one who held the constant burden of being there for not only the people of the world but also for his loved ones.

"With you, you were my son first," Lois continued. "I saw you grow and experience all the things a child does. And with you having powers...knowing your dad was Superman...I knew that you'd want to follow in his footsteps."

Y/N nodded. He leaned forward and adjusted his glasses. Lois continued.

"And I knew when the time came, I wasn't going to be able to stop you. You have Clark's heart. You two are Boy Scouts. You're like him in more ways than one."

The young man chuckled. "Yeah."

Lois reached out and grabbed his hand. Like she said, there was always going to be a part of her that worries for Clark whenever he's out there as Superman. It was going to be no different with Y/N whenever he decided to go out and help people using his powers. She just wanted him to be careful.

"I'll never nag you for using the gifts you were born with. I just want you to understand the gravity of having them. What you do will dictate how you're seen...and you will be seen."

Y/N listened to her every word. She continued.

"Having that power comes with its responsibilities. Clark knew that, and you have to know that as well. Do you?"

"I do, Mom," Y/N replied sincerely. "I do."

Lois softly smiled as she rubbed his hand. Y/N looked down at it momentarily, thinking of what she had just told him and taking it in.

The lesson taught to him was one he vowed to live by. He thought back at what Zod told him in the fortress, about how he was destined to use his power to conquer those on Earth, restore Krypton, and be a God. He was not going to do that. He wanted to use his powers for good...for justice...like his father, Clark.

Y/N nodded as there was a beat. He touched Lois's hand before abruptly speaking again.

"Did...you just give me a great power comes with great responsibility speech?"

Lois laughed and let go of his hand, and she then got up from the couch.

"You always did like Spider-Man growing up." She remarked, to which Y/N chuckled.

She went back to the phone on the table and picked it up. Before returning to work, she spoke to her son, who was still sitting on the couch.

"You should go to the bonfire. Uber, fly, super speed, whatever." Lois said. "Just make sure your brothers behave."

"All right." Y/N nodded as he got up. "It might end up being fun."

"And you behave too," Lois added sternly but then changed to a teasing tone. "And tell Lena I said hi."

He smirked. Y/N bid his mom farewell before leaving the house. Lois stayed inside, and the faint sound of a boom let her know that her son had flown away.

At the lowest level of the mines, a large group of Smallville teenagers mingled around a blazing pit of fire, it being the only thing lighting up the area beneath the night sky. Music blared from a stereo nearby.

Jordan went over to an ice keg to grab a drink, but Sarah came over and grabbed his hand.

"Maybe you shouldn't." She said. "Beer and benzos don't really mix well."

He turned to her. "How'd you know?"

"I saw you take one back at the funeral reception."

Jordan looked down and sighed.

"But you're not the only one." Sarah quickly added. "You know, on something, so..."

"You?" He looked back up at her. "For what?"

"Are we really gonna do this now? Go full Euphoria on each other?"

She stepped away and sipped her drink. Jordan followed her.

"We don't have to. I..."

The two stopped. Jordan stammered a bit as they faced each other once more.

"You're just kinda the only person I know around here." He finished.

Sarah looked around a moment. She turned back to him and softly smiled.

"No, it's cool."

Jordan smiled back. The two then started walking together and continued their conversation.

Nearby, Y/N watched as his younger brother mingled with Sarah. He also saw Jonathan speaking with some other people by the bonfire.

He had arrived not that long ago but had kept his distance from his younger brothers. He still wasn't sure what to say to them after what had just happened earlier that day. Either way, it was probably going to turn out awkward.

Y/N stood around by himself. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice call his name. He turned to his left, where he saw Lena waving him down.

"Hey!"

His heart seemed to skip a beat upon seeing her. She was as stunning as ever, even in her fall attire. As if he was drawn to her, he walked over to where she was.

"Lena." He greeted.

She smiled. "You made it!"

Lena went to hug him. Since she had a cup in hand, doing so was somewhat awkward as he tried to avoid spilling it, but they ultimately embraced. He parted and fixed his glasses.

"You thirsty?" She asked.

"Uh..."

"Let me go get you a drink."

She was about to go to the keg nearby, but he stopped her.

"I—I could get it." He said.

"Then come with me. I was gonna get something too anyways."

Lena smiled. Y/N smiled back and walked with her. They passed by groups of Smallville townies who chatted with each other amidst the blaring music.

As they walked, Y/N looked around with his hands in his pockets. He seemed out of place and timid among the people there. Lena noticed.

"Not your crowd?" She asked.

"Um...not sure." He leaned closer. "Never been to a mine before."

She chuckled.

"Aren't they supposed to be scarier? Like in My Bloody Valentine."

Lena laughed again. "Forgot how much of a cinephile you are. Didn't we see that movie once over at your house?"

"Halloween when we were 11." He replied. "We weren't supposed to see it but my dad left the TV on the STARZ channel."

It was a fond memory of his as well as Lena's. They always loved watching movies together when they were kids, and it didn't have to be Star Wars for them to enjoy it. In the case of that Halloween, it was the first time Y/N watched a horror movie in its entirety. Although he had powers and knew nothing could hurt him, the feeling of suspense, dread, and jumpscares was quite the experience.

"Well, the mines are kind of a landmark here in Smallville," Lena said. "They have this bonfire every year. The kids love it and are so friendly. So you won't have to worry about a pickaxe-wielding maniac."

"Good to know. I feel better already."

They made it to the keg, and Lena served her friend a beverage. She handed it to him, and he looked down at the booze.

"You good with that?" She asked as she refilled her cup.

"Not much of a drinker, honestly. Mostly because I rarely go to parties." He gazed around. "Or stuff like this."

"No crazy high school parties in Metropolis?" She asked as she drank.

"Not much."

"Not even after your big wins, basketball star?"

Y/N chuckled and just shook his head. He took a swig of his beverage, taking in the wheaty taste of the beer.

His experience drinking beer was never fun. Since his Kryptonian physiology allowed him to metabolize alcohol faster, he was never going to experience the effects of being drunk. He'd prefer the water, juice, or soda options if he had a choice. Maybe wine or cider if he was feeling fancy.

"And you?" Y/N asked. "Were you a party animal?"

"Were?" She held up her cup. "Still am."

She laughed along with Y/N. Lena quieted but kept her smile.

"Semi-joking." She admitted. "Yeah, I went to a few. Were never really much tho."

Y/N nodded. Lena nudged his shoulder.

"You probably would've made it way more interesting." Lena added.

"You think so?"

There was a beat. She still smiled as she stared at Y/N, and he looked back at her hazel eyes. As always, they seemed to put him in a trance. Lena also seemed to find herself looking deeply into his.

"Yeah." She finally answered.

Again, there was a pause. Y/N continued looking at her features and wanted to comment on them. Maybe even be honest and say what he was feeling at that moment. But before he could...someone called out and interrupted their moment.

"Lena!"

At that moment, a young man with dirty blonde hair joined them. The stranger had a fair build and was an inch taller than Y/N, who stood at 6 feet himself. He smiled at Lena.

"I've been looking for you." He said it in his English accent, then looked at Y/N with a smile. "Who's this?"

"Oh." Lena reacted and began to introduce them to one another. "Colin, this is Y/N. Y/N, this is...my boyfriend Colin."

The revelation stunned him, but he didn't show it. He stood still momentarily as he watched Colin hold his hand out for a shake. Y/N shook it a second later and feigned a smile.

"Uh, nice to meet you." Y/N said.

"New to Smallville?" Colin asked. "Haven't seen you around before."

Portrayed by Will Poulter

"I'm from Metropolis." Y/N replied.

"We actually grew up together there," Lena added. "But his family is from Smallville. His dad is Clark Kent."

"Kent?" Colin asked. "You related to Lois Lane?"

"Yeah. She's my mom." Y/N answered.

"Dude, she's awesome. I'm sorta majoring in journalism, so I've read a lot of her stuff."

"Colin moved from England recently since his parents have to work here in the States." Lena cut in. "He just enrolled into Central Kansas A&M."

"Yeah. And I'm looking to play some football. Or maybe basketball." Colin arched a brow. "Do they allow walk-ons?"

"Basketball? That's cool." Y/N said. "I played a couple of seasons in high school."

"Really? That's dope, man. And in a Metropolis school, too? I heard that's crazy competitive."

Y/N simply nodded. He barely noticed that Colin had put an arm around Lena as they spoke. Y/N wasn't sure if that was on purpose as a way to show possession or if he had just done that absentmindedly. Either way, he felt a tightening in his chest.

He wasn't able to dwell on that, though, as he suddenly heard the familiar ringing in his ear. He picked up chatter nearby from Jordan, Sarah, and another kid.

"Hey!"

"Sean!"

"That's my girlfriend!"

Meanwhile, Jordan had just kissed Sarah during a tender moment in their conversation on a log. Sarah's boyfriend, Sean, caught sight of this and went up to confront him. He ended up pushing Jordan to the floor.

"Sean, what the hell is your problem?" Sarah exclaimed.

"The hell you doing with this guy?" Sean butted.

"It doesn't even matter." Sarah got in between him and Jordan. "Relax. Relax."

Jordan got up. "Girlfriend?"

"I would've gotten around to it, but you sorta kissed me first." Sarah admitted.

Sean tried to get past Sarah and get to Jordan, but she kept pushing him back.

"It's not that big of a deal!"

Suddenly, Jonathan came out of nowhere and shoved Sean. It came as a surprise, and Sean was knocked off his feet and landed on his back.

"Back off!" Jonathan shouted.

The scuffle got everybody's attention, and they murmured. Sean's buddies went over to help him while Jonathan stood beside his twin brother.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jordan asked, not even knowing that he had been there.

"You know how many townies I had to randomly DM to find out where this party was?" He replied.

Sean got up and went directly at the brothers.

"Out of the way." He told Jon.

He shoved Sean again. "Back off!"

Sean stood his ground and scoffed. Jonathan also didn't back down and stared directly at him.

"You really don't want to get in my face right now." He threatened.

Immediately, Sean attacked Jonathan, but the latter was able to tackle him. They fought on the ground while another teenager joined in and tried to grab Jon.

Jordan shouted. "Hey, hey, hey!"

Suddenly, someone tackled Jordan, too, and started punching him. The other teenager pulled Jonathan off of Sean and threw him.

Before he can start kicking Jonathan, the guy was grabbed from behind by Y/N. He was thrown just like he did Jon and rolled across the floor.

"Y/N...?" Jonathan groaned from the floor.

"Jon—"

Another guy immediately pounced on Y/N. He stood his ground and was unmoved. Moments later, another teenager jumped on him, too, but they still weren't able to bring him down.

"Stop!" Sarah cried out.

Nearby, Lena was watching in shock as well. She couldn't believe that the high school football players were fighting the Kent twins along with Y/N. Colin looked on...thinking.

There were shouts among the teenagers as the scuffle ensued. Jonathan tried getting up but was brought down by Sean and another teenager. The one teenager was still on top of Jordan and continued punching him. Y/N tried getting the two guys off him without seriously hurting them.

Another high school football player surprised Y/N and tackled him, too, and the trio finally got him on the floor. They started to hit him, but even with Y/N rolling with the punches, to them, it felt like they were hitting a thick sandbag.

As he was being attacked, Y/N suddenly heard the high-pitched sound in his head...the same one that had drawn him to Zod's sunstone and what he had been hearing in his nightmares. Along with the sound, he felt the tightening in his chest...and a feeling of rage.

Wrath.

He gritted his teeth. All he could think about was springing up to his feet, throwing the guys off of him, and blasting away at the bullies hurting his brothers. It would be so easy. Everything would be over in an instant. They would all be dealt with. All these strangers would be...conquered.

His chest got tighter, and his head pounded. Little by little, his eyes began to emit the red glow of his heat vision.

The wind howled as Superman chased the stranger across the ocean and into Tokyo. They soared through the city and past skyscrapers, catching the attention of workers who looked on in awe.

The stranger ended up making a fast turn that even Clark couldn't catch up to. He made the same turn but saw no sign of who he was pursuing. Moments later, he was hit from the side, and Clark was launched into the streets below, where he crashed into a shop.

People around screamed and ran off. The dust cleared, and Superman walked out of the now-dilapidated store. He apologized to the man nearby before flying back up with a sonic boom.

Superman rocketed up and up, bursting through the cloud cover and into the thermosphere. He hovered, desperately scanning the skies for the stranger. It was eerily silent, and all Superman could hear was his own heartbeat.

Immediately, the stranger crashed into Superman. The two fighters struggle in the space between the atmosphere and space itself.

Jordan kept getting hit. Suddenly, Sarah came in and pushed the guy off of him.

"Get off of him! What's the matter with you?"

The bully still tried to go after Jordan, but Sarah got in his way. Jordan groaned, holding his side.

Superman and the stranger continued their fight. He grabbed the hero's throat and tried to choke him as they spun around like a spin cycle.

Clark emitted beams from his eyes but couldn't get a clean hit on the armored man.

"Aren't you curious how I know so much about you, Kal-El?"

The stranger punched Clark a few times, hits that even the invulnerable Superman could feel. Clark used his freeze breath directly at his masked face to no avail. He once again tried his heat vision, but it could not burn through the armor.

"Like me, your home was destroyed."

The stranger punched him again and then head-butted Superman. He grabbed his throat once more.

Jonathan was being kicked while on the floor. Jordan still lay on his side, seeing his twin being beaten up along with his older brother being piled up. As this was happening, Y/N was trying his hardest not to snap.

"You were sent here as an infant to a world where you'd spend your whole life trying to prove your worth, convince yourself you were one of them, but you're not!"

Y/N's glowing eyes started to get brighter and hotter. At any second, he was going to cry out and force the teenagers off of him. He was very close, but suddenly, one of the guys on him was kicked off, and another was dragged away.

"Enough!" Colin yelled as he tossed the kid he had away.

Y/N was able to get the third teenager off him. Meanwhile, an enraged Jordan still laid on the floor...but his eyes began to glow bright red...

"You're still that scared, lost child, desperate for the love of people that will never accept you!"

A beam shot out of Jordan's eyes, hitting the bonfire like a thousand gallons of kerosene and causing it to explode. People nearby were thrown onto their backs, and the scare immediately stopped the ensuing fight.

"And the only remnants of your real home..." The stranger held up a small green dagger. "Kryptonite—make you sick."

He stabbed Clark in the chest with it.

The hero groaned in pain, and the stranger snapped the handle off, leaving the shard of rock embedded in his pec. Immediately, Clark felt weak and was on the verge of blacking out.

"Dust to dust...Superman."

The stranger let the hero fall back to Earth as he floated in the atmosphere.

Back at the Kent farm, Lois was still hard at work. She was on a call and had the small TV on in the kitchen. She walked back in.

"Yeah, have you still got those contacts at HUD? I need you to check Smallville Community Bank for any unusual activity in the last five or..."

She turned to the television and saw a breaking news report about an explosion at the Shuster Mines.

"...injuries are a concern. This is a volatile situation for firefighters."

Lois knew all her sons were there and worried for their safety. She needed to let Clark know.

"Maxy, I gotta go." Lois said and immediately ended the call.

She quickly went for the ELT device in her purse and toggled it, emitting a metallic ringing only Superman could hear. Lois then spoke in a soft tone.

"Clark..."

Clark continued falling toward the Earth. He was going in and out of consciousness, and all the while, he was being hit with flashes and images of his life before that moment...

His pod opening before Jonathan and Martha Kent.

Meeting Lois at the Daily Planet.

The day he found the infant Y/N.

When he proposed to Lois.

The birth of Jonathan and Jordan.

A memory of the family spending time together at home.

Lois comforting him at Martha's wake.

He and Y/N having that heart-to-heart about their origins.

And once again...Lois's face.

Clark slowly opened his eyes. He could suddenly hear Lois's echoing voice.

"Clark..."

But then, he heard the voice of his mother, Martha.

"Come home."

He finally opened his eyes fully, now aware of where he was and his descent. He grabbed the shard of Kryptonite embedded in his pec and pulled it out, letting out a grunt.

Clark continued falling and was about to hit the Tokyo street below. He halted himself and floated just a mere foot above a cab. The driver braked hard and saw Superman outside his windshield. In his shocked state, all he could do was wave.

Of course, Superman waved back.

He heard the metallic chirping again and knew Lois was using the ELT to call him. With a sonic boom, he soared back into the sky.

Upon hearing the commotion at the Shuster Mines, Superman went straight to the scene. He landed behind a fire truck and quickly changed back into his civilian persona. Clark walked past a couple of firemen and into the smoky area, where he saw a few people being tended to.

"Dad!"

Clark looked ahead and saw a dirtied Jonathan walking up to him. He was relieved to see one of his sons.

"Jonathan!"

The two embraced. Kyle walked past them and spoke.

"The other one's pretty shook up. He's with Y/N." He said. "Twice in two days, Kent. Luckiest family I know."

"Kyle," Clark called out, and Kyle turned back around. "Thank you."

Kyle nodded and went back to his duties. Clark turned to Jonathan and grabbed his shoulders.

"Are you okay?"

"Dad—"

"What happened?"

"Dad. I—I I'm okay. I don't know what happened. Jordan..."

He looked to his right and Clark turned as well, seeing a trembling Jordan sitting on a log beside Y/N, who was giving him words of reassurance. Jordan looked up and locked eyes with his father, and that was all Clark needed to know what he was dealing with.

"So you saved your brother." Lois said.

The family was in the dining room. Jonathan sat at the table, holding an ice pack to his face as Clark and Lois stood behind him. Y/N leaned against the wall nearby and had his arms crossed. Jordan was against the island, calmly explaining everything.

"I wasn't sure what happened," Jordan replied. "That's why I didn't say anything."

He further explained what happened in the barn a couple of days ago when the pipes fell onto him and Jonathan. What was first believed to be Jon saving Jordan was actually the other way around. He had rolled on top of Jonathan and kept the heavy material from crushing him.

"All I knew is, when I fell, I felt something come over me. It was a strength I've never had before. I felt...control. I—I don't know. It's hard to explain."

"What's gonna happen to him?" Jonathan asked his parents.

"I'm not sure yet," Clark answered. "Jordan's powers are manifesting very differently than mine did. Even Y/N's."

"But we're gonna help you get through this, okay?" Lois reassured Jordan.

"Yeah, it's probably like learning to drive a car, you know?" Jon said. "If cars were indestructible and had giant death lasers as headlights."

Lois and Clark did not appreciate his flippant remark. Jordan seemingly did not react to it.

"Yeah. Thanks."

Jordan walked out of the dining room and then out the back door. Y/N looked at Jonathan, as he was also not fond of what he said.

"Dude..."

"Sorry." He said.

Lois held his chin and forced Jon to look up at her.  "Apologize to your brother."

"I know. Too soon. I know."

Jonathan sighed and left the dining room as well to follow Jordan. This left Clark, Lois, and Y/N in the room. The eighteen-year-old adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

"I should go talk with him too. You know, since we have something in common now."

They did not stop Y/N as he left. The adults stayed where they were, with Clark sighing and leaning on the chair.

"You were right. I should've told them a long time ago." Clark sighed. "Jordan could've killed someone tonight."

"We just gotta be on the same page going forward." Lois said.

He turned and looked up at the wall at a small framed tapestry his mother had put up years ago.

As he gazed at it, he could hear Martha's voice.

"These are the important years, Clark."

"Life's a little different in Smallville."

Clark looked forward and thought. Lois could tell he was pondering something by the look on his face.

"I think I know what my mom meant when she said to come home," Clark said as he stood straight and turned to his wife. "She knew how busy we are in Metropolis, how absent I've been. I've tried convincing myself that the boys would be fine and that it was okay for me to be gone so much, but...I was wrong."

"You think your mom wanted us to move to Smallville and live on the farm?" Lois asked.

"It's a simpler life. More time with each other, be part of a community, and now this? I think she felt like this family needs Smallville."

"As much as the world needs Superman?"

He softly chuckled. Clark went up to Lois and held her waist.

"Look, I know. I know it would be a huge, huge change."

"Yeah, it would..." Lois said and paused for a bit. "But I think she was right."

Her agreement honestly took Clark aback. "Really?"

Lois nodded with a smirk. The two of them laughed, and a satisfied Clark immediately kissed her.

Meanwhile, Jonathan was on the porch bench apologizing to Jordan about what he had said earlier. Y/N approached them, standing by the railing with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey."

They both looked at him and greeted him back.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You guys still hate me?" Y/N asked. "Just so you know, whoever hates me the least will be the godfather to my future kid."

Jordan chuckled. "If you even have one."

"Uh...ouch."

Jonathan snickered as well. This eased the tension and let Y/N know that they didn't really hate or think of him differently after the revelation of his true lineage earlier that day. They still had that brotherly bond and weren't strangers to one another.

"Um, back there...at the bonfire..." Jonathan began. "That was cool of you to jump in and help, man. Thanks."

"Dude, I wasn't gonna let you do it alone," Y/N replied. "I'll always have your backs. No matter what."

Jonathan grinned. Even Jordan cracked a smile.

"That's...what brothers are for," Y/N added, then became somber and honest. "If...you'll still have me."

The two brothers caught what he said. They knew he still felt terrible for earlier and that Jordan's words had affected him. Jordan had honestly regretted it ever since then and felt there was no better time to apologize than now.

"I...I'm sorry about what I said. That was a dick move by me. I shouldn't have said that. You grew up here. Mom and Dad raised you with us. I—I...we looked up to you growing up, and we've been through a lot together."

"And nothing is going to change that." Jonathan added.

Jordan nodded. "You'll always be our brother."

Those words meant a lot to Y/N. All the doubt seemed to have dissipated in an instant. Once again, he felt accepted and loved, and that brought a smile to his face. He sat down on the bench beside Jonathan.

"That means a lot. Really. You guys mean the world to me."

Jon reached out and hugged Y/N, and Jordan joined in, too. The three embraced before parting, and Y/N pat Jonathan's back. He looked at his older brother and patted his knee.

"So, since I wasn't a total dick...can I be the godfather?"

Jordan had stayed outside, sitting on the porch steps while everyone was in. Clark eventually came out and joined his son on the steps.

"You know, I think about my dad a lot." He began. "How he was just heading off to church one day when a meteor crashed in his front yard. And just like that...he was a father."

Jordan didn't respond and kept looking forward, but he listened. Clark continued telling the story with a smile.

"I didn't know it back then, but...but he had no idea what he was doing."

Jordan ended up cracking a smile as he turned to his father.

"Ah, it didn't matter," Clark added. "'Cause he was always there."

Still, Jordan didn't reply. He wasn't really sure how to. Clark did not mind at all and just wanted his son to listen. He gripped his shoulder reassuringly.

"You were right," Clark said. "I haven't always been there for you. But I promise you, from now on, I will be."

Hearing that from Clark meant a lot to Jordan. Growing up, he had always thought his father preferred Y/N and Jonathan over him because of their participation in sports and other things, while he had mostly been an introvert. But now, he understood that he had the burden of being Superman along with helping Y/N control his powers. He was just trying to be a father while also tackling the ever-growing responsibility of being the world's greatest superhero.

Jordan hugged Clark, and the two firmly embraced on the porch steps. He kissed the side of his head and rubbed the kid's arm.

• • •

LANA CAME BY the property the next day to discuss the terms of the potential sale of the farm. She sat at the table with Clark and Lois with the papers out in front of them.

"I pulled some strings, got you $2,100 an acre, which is well above market value in Rice County."

"Wow, that-that's very generous," Clark said with a chuckle, glancing at Lois. "Um. But we decided we're—we're not selling."

Lana was surprised. "You're not?"

"We're thinking of reopening the farm. Run it the way my folks and I used to back in the day."

"So you're staying."

"Well, we're talking it over, but a change might be good for this family." Lois replied.

"Okay," Lana said and grabbed some other papers. "Then let's go over the pre-negotiated terms for taking over the loan."

"Before we do, Lana..." Lois interjected. "I was wondering if you knew that a couple months before those reverse mortgages were offered, a company had secretly acquired your bank."

Lois continued digging through the night and found something strange about the whole loan situation. She wanted to bring it up to Lana.

"No, I didn't know that." She replied.

"Galaxy Holdings, whose majority shareholder is Morgan Edge." Clark added.

"Why would someone like Morgan Edge be interested in a bunch of family farms in Smallville, Kansas?"

"That's a very good question." Lois replied.

And it was a question Lois was determined to find an answer to.

Moments later, Y/N came downstairs. He saw his parents with Lana and greeted their family friend.

"Hey, Mrs. Cushing."

"Hi, Y/N."

"Oh." He stopped and pointed at them. "Did I interrupt some super secret deal?"

"No, we're just going over some things for Grandma's farm." Clark answered.

Y/N nodded. He still wasn't sure what was going to happen to it, whether it would be sold or not. He didn't use his super hearing to eavesdrop on the conversation earlier.

"Okay." He adjusted his glasses. "I'm gonna go get some air."

The young man went outside and let his parents and Lana continue discussing the terms. He stood outside and let the wind hit his face, where he turned and saw his brothers by the tree speaking with Sarah.

"How's everyone doing after last night?" Jordan asked her.

"Tag Harris broke his arm. Other than that, nobody else got hurt."

"Anyone say what caused the explosion?" Jonathan asked.

"My dad said it was probably just a methane pocket."

The boys simply nodded. It came as somewhat of a relief that nobody was killed and that no one suspected Jordan in any way.

"Look, I should've never kissed you last night." Jordan abruptly confessed.

"Wow." Jonathan immediately reacted. "That is awkward."

At that moment, Y/N had also arrived and was behind Jordan. He heard what he said and commented as well.

"Oh, yeah. That's my queue to go."

Y/N turned around and walked back. Jonathan decided to go with his older brother.

"Good luck." Jonathan said with a pat on his shoulder.

He stepped away with Y/N, but the two stopped only a few yards from where Sarah and Jordan were talking.

"It's not your fault," Sarah said. "You didn't know about Sean, and I'm just really sorry about how it all went down. I just wanted to hang out with you. You were so sweet that summer that we met, and then yeah, I saw you take that pill at the funeral...I just thought that if someone like you had issues, then someone like me wasn't so messed up."

Jordan chuckled. "I think maybe it means we're both just a little messed up."

Sarah chuckled as well. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

Jordan smiled. Sarah got off the bench she was sitting on.

"Do you think that you can keep it a secret?" She asked, mentioning the story about her incident a year ago. "Uh, one person finds out, and then everybody knows, and it's just..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," Jordan reassured her. "Your secret's safe with me."

The girl smiled. "Thanks."

She then heard the shout of her mother, who had just come out of the house with Clark and Lois.

"Sarah!" Lana waved her down.

"I'm sorry—"

"It's–it's all right." Jordan said.

Sarah grabbed her bag. "See you around."

"Yeah."

Sarah jogged off to join her mother. Jordan turned around and walked up to Y/N and Jonathan, who was standing nearby.

"Well, that didn't look like a total disaster." Jon remarked.

Y/N chuckled. "You finally kissed a girl?"

"Yeah, yeah, look." Jordan got serious and spoke to Jonathan. "Um, Jon, about the powers, uh..."

Jordan thought that his twin felt left out since he was now the only brother without powers. Jonathan knew where he was going with it and wanted to shoot down that notion. 

"It's all good." He replied.

"Huh?"

"Yeah. Powers are overrated anyways." Jon nudged Y/N on the arm. "I mean...it ain't get big bro any girls yet, has it?"

Jordan and Jonathan snickered. Y/N scoffed.

"Low blow, man."

"Plus, this just confirms what I've known to be true all along..." Jon added.

"Yeah?" Jordan replied.

"Yeah." He lightly punched Jordan in the chest. "My skills on the field are legit."

The three chuckled. Jonathan stepped away and called out to his brothers.

"Come on."

They followed Jon. Y/N still had something to say about his comment moments ago.

"Hey, I've had girlfriends. I can get one again."

They caught up with their parents. Y/N, Jordan, and Jonathan stood beside Lois and Clark as they watched the Cushings drive away. They then went back inside the house.

"I still can't believe you kissed her." Y/N remarked as he walked into the dining room with his brothers.

"What's so hard to believe?" Jordan asked.

"He doesn't think you have rizz." Jonathan commented.

"What the heck is rizz?"

"Hey, boys," Clark called out as she entered the room with Lois. "What would you guys think about staying here a little longer than any of us planned?"

The brothers stopped and turned around.

"Like a couple days or something?" Jordan asked.

"More like permanently." Lois replied.

"Uh, I mean, I—I have school," Jonathan said. "Practice, the team."

"We know, we know. It's a big conversation." Clark replied.

"Yeah, we'll have it tonight at family dinner," Lois added. "We just wanted to give you both some time to process what this would really be like before we do."

Jonathan looked at his brothers and nodded. "Okay."

"Well, until then, you three, follow me out to the barn." Clark told them. "I wanna show you a few things."

Jordan's eyes lit up. "Like Superman things?"

"Like how to attach a plow to a tractor." Clark clarified.

"What?" Jonathan reacted.

Jordan cringed. "Seriously?"

"Hey, the barn is cool!" Y/N told his brothers and stepped forward. "I always was fond of farmer duties whenever I visited Grandma. Those fields aren't gonna plow themselves."

"That's my boy." Lois said and rubbed the back of his head.

Clark smirked and started walking out with Y/N. The twins immediately called out as they went after them.

"Okay, but Dad, we have questions," Jonathan said. "We just found out our dad and older brother are Supermen."

"Yeah, like, thousands and thousands of questions..." Jordan added.

Clark laughed with Y/N as they stepped outside and headed to the barn.

• • •

A FEW DAYS LATER, Y/N was up in the morning and getting ready to leave. Not back to Fawcett City...but to his first day at Central Kansas A&M.

After some conversations, Y/N felt it was best to stay close to their new home and his family in Smallville and attend school there. Fortunately, it wasn't too late for him to register, and he got in fairly easily.

It was going to be a change not only for him but for everybody else, too. Jonathan and Jordan were now looking to attend high school in Smallville, while Lois and Clark had to find a job there. Nevertheless, they were going to get through it together.

Y/N had his backpack over his shoulder and walked outside, where the rest of his family waited by the truck. Lois was so happy and rubbed her son's shoulder.

"I'm still in awe. Off to college..."

She kissed him on the cheek. Y/N chuckled.

"Mom...you did this last time."

"And I'm going to do it again and again and again until the day I die."

Like Lois said, she kissed him again. He adjusted his glasses and looked at his brothers.

"Why are you taking the truck, Dad?" Jonathan asked. "Can't he just...you know..."

Jon made a plane gesture and a whoosh sound. Lois was flabbergasted.

"You boys can't just say fly?" She asked. "It's in your vocabulary."

"You never know if TMZ is around." Jonathan replied.

"Out here? Really? In Smallville?"

"You never know."

Clark chuckled. "Either way, I wanted to drive Y/N there. At least for his first day. Then, from there, he could fly, drive, whatever."

"Can Y/N even drive?" Jordan asked. "I don't even think I've seen him behind the wheel before."

"I can drive, man. I have a license." He looked to Clark. "That's a good point, though. When am I getting a car?"

Clark quickly moved on from the subject.

"All right, let's not be late on your first day now."

He went over to the driver's side. Before getting in the car, Y/N also bid farewell to his mother and brothers. The young man let out a breath upon getting inside.

"You okay?" Clark asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Just...the usual first-day jitters is all."

"I get it. This is a big step in your life. You know...I wasn't really able to go through the usual college route straight out of high school. I had a lot of things to sort out personally. So, it makes me happy that you're able to."

Y/N nodded. Clark pat his son's shoulder.

"I'm proud of you, Y/N. Not sure if I say that enough."

The young man smiled at his father.

"You do, Dad. Even when you don't...I know."

Y/N had just come out of his first class, which was World History. He walked out of the building, where he stood by the steps and looked out onto the courtyard that teemed with other students.

"Taking in the sights, huh?"

Y/N looked to his left and saw the stranger who had just spoken. The red-headed young man held his laptop in his left hand and slung his bag over his right shoulder.

"Yeah," Y/N replied. "You could say that."

The fellow freshman held out his hand. "I'm Simon. Simon Valentine."

Y/N shook it. "Y/N Kent."

"Kent? That actually sounds cool. Never met a Kent before. I'm calling you that from now on."

All Y/N could do was laugh. Simon chuckled and gestured forward.

"They got this small cafe on campus with outside seats and everything. Wanna check it out?"

"Sure, man."

The two ended up walking together through the courtyard to the spot Simon mentioned. During their trip, they sparked a conversation.

"You from Smallville?" Simon asked.

"I grew up in Metropolis, but my dad was from here." Y/N replied as he fixed his glasses.

"Dope. I've been here all my life. A Smallvillan through and through. If...that's how you categorize us. I still don't have a townie name for us."

The two laughed. Simon also mentioned that he was a science major, and Y/N told him he was a journalism-slash-witting major. He mentioned that his mother was Lois Lane, and Simon understood then why he was following that career path.

They made it to the cafe on campus called Jerry Joe's. The name was quite interesting and rolled off the tongue well.

Simon and Y/N sat at an empty table outside the small shop, putting their stuff down. Simon clapped his hands together.

"I was reading a bit about this place. They got some bomb iced coffee, and I've been dying to try it. What do you want?"

"Oh, you don't have to. I—I can buy my own..."

"No, dude, that's fine," Simon interjected. "Smallville hospitality."

Y/N nodded. He appreciated his kindness and was starting to like Simon even more. This was surely going to be the start of a great friendship.

"All right, then. Uh, surprise me."

"Spontaneous." Simon snapped his fingers and pointed. "I like that."

The redhead left and went up to the counter. Y/N sat there alone, looking down at his hands and fiddling with his fingers.

He looked up and, in the distance, saw a familiar face: Lena. She was walking with some other students and chatting with them. While he saw her, she didn't see the young man.

Y/N remembered the bonfire a few days ago and how she introduced her boyfriend, Colin. It still hurt a bit knowing that the girl he liked for a long time was with somebody else. But he'd just have to deal with it and move on just like anybody else.

The young man sighed and looked down. Then, he noticed some stains on the table he was at. He didn't just want to sit there and do nothing about it while Simon went out of his way to buy his drink, so he took it upon himself to clean it.

Y/N got up to get napkins but at the same time, he had inadvertently bumped into somebody who was walking by. The impacted caused their books to be knocked down as well as Y/N's glasses.

"Oh!" Y/N reacted and immediately bent down to help. "I'm so sorry."

"It—It's fine." The girl replied, getting on her knees too. "I should've seen where I was going."

"No, no. You did nothing wrong. I have horrible awareness."

"Don't beat yourself up."

Y/N handed her a couple of books and added them to the small stack she already had in her arms. She also took his glasses from the floor and held them out for him. It was then that they finally got a good look at one another.

The blonde girl smiled and let out a soft chuckle as she handed the glasses to him.

"Here."

"Oh..." He chuckled, too. "Thanks."

He took them and put them back on his face. They stood back up, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Again, I'm sorry." Y/N apologized.

"It's fine." She reassured him.

"No, that shouldn't have happened. I'm just a stranger who's supposed to be aware of who's around and such..."

She softly laughed, finding his constant apologies and humbleness rather cute. She held her books close and tilted her head.

"If you're so sorry...how about you make it up to me, then?"

"Hmm. How?" He asked.

"A brownie from the shop. I've been craving that lately."

"Deal." He grinned. "I'm...Y/N Kent."

The blonde smiled back.

Portrayed by Madelyn Cline

"I'm Cassandra Sandsmark. But you can call me Cassie."