Chapter 10: Reconciling a Past Life
Kal soars upward above the clouds and into the unfiltered sunlight for the first time in several days. He embraces the sunlight letting it strengthen him. In his mind he can still see Diana standing there on that beach. They’ll see each other again soon. He knows it but first a change of clothes would be good and he shoots off towards his Fortress. That’s really why he’s going to his Fortress first, because he really needs to get out of this tunic.
When he gets to the Fortress and see the suits hanging there he can’t help but think that all these black and white suits he has just aren't right for him anymore. No definitely not, he needs something new. He grabs one of the suits for now so he can get out of this tunic. He looks himself over in a mirror. Yep he needs to come up with something that has more colour but he’ll do that a bit later. Once changed he checks his messages. Yep they are several from the tower in Metropolis. He opens a line and Barda appears on screen “Kal, where have you been?”
“Taking care of personal business.” he answers.
Barda eyes him “That was awfully Batman like.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Kal jokes.
Barda nearly dies of shock. She’s barely heard Kal make a joke in years. “Ok what’s going on?”
“Nothing Barda. I’m fine. Was there anything urgent you needed?”
“No not really. I was just checking up on you.”
“Well thank you for your concern.”
“Are you coming back to Metropolis anytime soon?” Barda asks.
“I have a couple of personal matters to see to first but in a few days I would think so, yes.”
“Well we’ll see you in a few days then.”
“Yes you will. Superman out.” Kal then closes the link and muses just how much Barda has mellowed over the years. Right he has things to do. First thing is to go to Smallville and do something he had put off for too long.
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Kal flies down to the cemetery in Smallville. Ok he can do this. He starts with what he hopes is the easiest one to start with, Lana. He walks over to her grave “Hey Lana it’s been a while and I’m sorry about that. I just came to say I appreciated our friendship over the years and that I miss you. I also have some news, I’m in love again. I know you would be happy for me and yes it is Diana. I know you always suspected that I had feelings for her and well a few days ago she came back needing my help and then it just sort of escalated from there and I’m babbling, I know.” Kal takes a breath “I always loved you Lana, perhaps not the way you wanted but I did love you and I want you to know that.” Kal places a single rose down on her grave.
Kal moves on to his parents’ grave next “Mom, Dad it‘s me Clark. I’m not sure what to say. I know I haven’t been to visit in a while and I’m sorry. I’m not sure if I ever thanked you for taking in this strange alien baby and raising him as your own and if I didn’t then thank you. I miss both of you a lot. I should tell you that I’m in a relationship with Diana and that I love her. I hope you would approve. I love both of you and always will.” Kal places two roses down, one for his mother and one for his father.
Kal moves onto the most difficult visit he is making. He looks on her grave. Lois Lane-Kent. It had been surprising to him that Lois actually requested to be buried in Smallville. “Hey Lois.” his voice is breaking. He clears his throat “I don’t know if that was really you or not that visited me in my dream. I hope it was. I really hope you are happy for me. I want you to know that I’ll always love you. That’ll never change but I need to move on. I can see that now.” Kal places the rose down and bends over and kisses the top of the headstone “Goodbye Lois.” he whispers.
Kal wipes the few tears that have run down his cheek but he’s not sad, not anymore. Those 4 people brought him happiness, each in their own way and he will cherish that for the rest of his life.
Before he leaves he looks at his own grave, well Clark’s grave, right next to Lois’. “Perhaps I buried you too soon.” he says to the empty grave. Diana had said the core of Superman was Clark and he was still Superman. If he was honest to himself Kal missed being Clark. Yes he had to pretend to be a mild mannered, slightly clumsy reporter but he loved being a reporter and he loved Metropolis and of course by doing that he met Lois. He had hoped to bury his pain when he buried Clark but that had failed miserably. It had been Diana that had helped ease his pain. He openly sighs. He can’t do anything about it now can he? Clark is dead and buried. “You know I really do miss you as well.” he says to the grave before he heads off.
Kal’s curiosity gets the better of him and he decides he has to visit the farm he grew up on. He flies up and is soon over it. He comes down to land in front of his house. It’s run down and falling apart. It seems that while the fields were absorbed into the neighbouring farms everyone forgot about the house. He wanders in and looks around. So many memories he muses. The kitchen where he practically ate his parents out of house and home. He can almost see himself as a child running through the house, hear his parents telling him how he has to be careful with his strength. He should never have sold it. Maybe, he thinks, maybe he can get it back but he’ll need money and an identity. And more than that an idea comes to him of what name he can adopt. A small smile forms on his face.
Kal had had Bruce move all his savings into an account for safe keeping. Well more accurately Bruce had suggested it in preparation for the day he would eventually have to fake Clark’s death. It should all be still safe. Kal will have to go see Terry about this.
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Terry had moved into the Wayne mansion with Dana and their children. When it was just Bruce living here the place seemed very empty but with the children around it seemed to come back to life. He buried Bruce, his father, well one of his fathers. He hopes Bruce is thinking he’s doing a good job in his absence. Well anyway he is down in the Batcave at the moment getting ready for his nightly patrol when he notices someone there. He spins on alert in a defensive position.
“Glad to see you haven’t lost it.” a voice from the shadows says.
“Superman? Is that you?” Terry asks
Kal steps into the light “How are you Terry?”
“I’m fine.”
“Dana and the kids?”
“They’re good too.”
“That’s great. I haven’t caught you at a bad time have I?”
“No not really. Where have you been? We’ve been worried.”
“Away.” Kal says very Batman like.
“Okay. So how can I help you?”
“I want to create a new identity for myself. I had left all my assets with Bruce and he had kept them safe.”
Terry thought over that “Right, right. I think I know about that.” He walks over to the computer and accesses it “Well he’s done more than that, he has left a virtually perfect fake background already set up.”
Kal chuckles “Yeah that sounds like Bruce.”
Terry smiles as well. Yeah that’s Bruce down to a tee. “Well all I’ll need is a name and then the information will be slowly added to all the databases over a couple of months so no-one notices. Of course you’ll need to memorise all this but of course that isn’t hard for you is it.”
“Perhaps. I’m not as young as I use to be you know.” Kal jokes.
Terry chuckles then it dawns on him Superman seems an awful lot cheerier than the last time they talked. “So name?” Terry asks.
“Oh that’s easy. Clark Kent.”
Terry turns and looks at him “You know your original name is not the best one to use.”
“Perhaps but this one will have an entirely different background and I promise to keep low key Terry. I’m not planning on becoming a famous reporter again.” Kal thinks about that for a moment “Then again I suppose I could. I do miss it.”
Terry eyes him wondering if he’s joking.
Kal notices Terry‘s look “I am joking Terry. I was thinking maybe about becoming a writer and using a pseudonym.”
“A writer really?” Terry asks.
“Yes. I actually took it up when I retired from journalism but I stopped when Lois died. I still have my work, somewhere.” Kal thinks about that. Now where did he store his writing? He’ll have to have a look around the Fortress. “Anyway…” Kal continues “it’s not like anyone who remembers Clark is really left and anyone that does would not believe for a second that he would look as young as I do.”
Terry considers that for a moment and has to say he agrees. He turns back to the computer. “Well like I said, it’ll be a couple of months before you are inputted to all databases. Once you are you can live your life however you want.”
“That’s fine Terry, thank you.”
“Terry!” Dana shouts as she comes down the stairs. “Oh you have a guest.” she says when she sees Superman.
“It’s alright I think we’re done here anyway.” Kal says.
“Yes I’ll let you know when you can start using your new identity.” Terry informs Kal.
“New identity?” Dana asks.
“I’ve decided to rejoin the world. I think I’ve been moping around in my Fortress for long enough.” Kal explains to her.
Dana looks at Superman, really looks at him. He had seemed so sad at Bruce’s funeral but she can see an obvious spark in his eyes that wasn’t there before. “Do you want to stay for dinner?” Dana asks. “If you’re not busy.” she quickly adds.
Kal thinks it over. Why not. “Sure I would love to.”
“Great.” Dana answers. “Is there anything in particular you want Superman?”
“No and call me Clark. It’s going to be my name again soon anyway. I need to get back in the habit of answering to Clark.”
Dana smiles and heads off upstairs. Wow Superman is staying for dinner is her thought.
Terry chuckles “You’re in trouble now. She’ll have you watching the kids before the night is out.”
“That’s ok I like children.” Kal’s face then saddens at the memory he and Lois didn’t have any. He would have loved to still have a piece of her alive. He drives the sad thoughts from his mind and heads upstairs.
Once upstairs “So Clark.” Dana says even though it sounds a bit strange to her calling Superman that. “Dinner will be a little while, make yourself at home.”
“Thank you.” Kal responds. He looks around “Where are Bruce and Barbara? Kal asks referring to Dana’s children.
She rolls her eyes “Getting into trouble if I know them. They’re worse than their father.”
Kal laughs and Dana joins him.
“Why Clark?” Dana asks suddenly out of curiosity.
“Because it’s my name or it was once. Clark Jerome Kent if you want the full thing but I never liked the Jerome part very much.”
“That sounds familiar.” Dana comments. “Your name.” she clarifies.
“Oh I was once a quite famous reporter.” Kal tells her.
Dana thinks then a realisation hits her “Yes now I remember. Lane and Kent.”
Clark smiles “Yeah that was us.”
Dana frowns “You’re dead.” she says at the memory of his obituary.
“I know after all I was the one that faked it. Had to really. I probably kept Clark Kent alive longer than I should have.”
“Why are you trusting me with this?” Dana asks.
Kal very honestly “Why not? Terry trusts you and that’s good enough for me. Besides secret identities are kept to protect our loved ones and everyone close to me is long dead.”
“Oh I’ve probably brought up some sad memories for you. Sorry.” Dana says almost embarrassed.
“It’s fine. A few days ago you would be right but I met an old friend recently and she’s changed my outlook on life.”
Dana arches an eyebrow “She?”
Kal actually blushes “Yes. She.”
Dana smiles at the blush. “She must be very special.” she comments
“She is.”
“Well I better get to that dinner and find those children of mine. Honestly the one problem with this place is that it gives them hundreds of places to hide.”
Kal chuckles “You know I can find them in about a second if you want.”
“Could you please?” Dana asks.
“Sure.” Kal scans the house. “Hmm.”
“Hmm what?” Dana asks.
“They’re not in the house which means…”
“they’re under the house.” Dana finishes for him. Dana heads back to the hidden staircase “Terry McGinnis! I know you’re hiding those children. You have 10 seconds to get them up here.” she shouts.
Kal tries to hold in a laugh so he doesn’t get on Dana’s bad side. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice them when I was down there earlier.” he says as they wait.
Dana waves her hand dismissively “Oh that’s alright. He’s always doing this.”
Kal can hear the groans as the 2 children are marched up the stairs.
“Don’t give me that.” Dana says as they reach the top. “We have a guest but you probably already know that don’t you.” Dana states as they were obviously listening in on everything down in the cave.
Bruce, a 8 year old spitting image of his father and Barbara, a five year old version of her mother bow their heads down. Kal is thinking it’s funny how genetics gave Terry and Dana miniature versions of themselves.
“Why do you always encourage them?” Dana asks Terry who is standing behind the children like a shield.
“I don’t encourage them Dana.” Terry says defensively.
“Oh please. You could stop them getting down there anytime you want.” Dana states the absolute truth there. She stares at Terry waiting for his response.
Terry is practically sweating under Dana’s glare. Ok he’s fought the Joker and Blight and Shriek and a host of other villains and Mad Stan, can’t forget him, yet his wife can inspire more fear than all of them put together.
“Never cross your wife.” Kal says after watching the silence. “It is the one golden rule of marriage and trust me I know I was married for over 60 years and you don’t even want to know what kind of revenge Lois was capable of dreaming up.”
“I do.” Dana says. “I could do with a few new ideas.” A wicked grin forms on her face.
“Oh Daddy, you’re in trouble.” Barbara says in reaction to Dana’s smile.
“Yes thank you honey, Daddy knows.” Terry says to his daughter.
“Right come on you 2, dinner will be soon.” Dana says to her children. The two of them dash past her. She turns her attention to Terry “We’re going to have a chat about this when you get back tonight.” she warns him.
Terry gulps audibly. “Sure Dana.” With that he heads off back down into the cave.
Dana turns to see Kal with a knowing look on his face. “What?” she asks.
“You’re not mad at him.” he states. Having been on the end of Lois’ wrath he had figured out how to tell when she truly mad and he could see Dana was not.
Dana smirks “Yeah but he doesn’t know that and you know it’s not fair that you are able to discern that. It’s suppose to be a women’s secret weapon.”
“Lois was not a subtle person. If she was truly mad, believe you me you could tell it. Of course it took me about 40 years before I managed to work it out but better late than never.”
Dana laughs. “Your wife must have be something.”
“Yes she was.” Kal’s face saddens a little
“Oh sorry.” Dana says at the look on his face
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. As I said my friend helped me work through a lot of that but I’ll never stop missing Lois or loving her.”
“Quite right too.” Dana states. “Well I really should get to work on that dinner.”
“If you want any help I can cook.” Kal offers.
“No thank you but your friend must be a lucky lady to have you.”
“I’m the lucky one.” Kal answers.
Dana watches a sparks of happiness alight in Superman’s, no Clark’s eyes. She’ll have to get use to calling him that. She’s glad he’s found someone that makes him happy. “Could you keep an eye on the 2 trouble makers for me?” she asks.
“Sure no problem.”
“Thanks.” Dana says as she walks off to the kitchen.
Kal goes into the lounge in hunt for them. There‘s no immediate sign “Bruce, Barbara you know I do have x-ray vision.”
They groan and appear from behind the couch. “That’s not fair.” Bruce complains.
“No it’s not.” Kal says not in the least bit apologetic.
Barbara has walked up next to Kal “Daddy says you know lots of stories about granddad Bruce.”
Kal bends down to look her in the eye “I do, we knew each other for a long time.”
“Will you tell us one?” she asks.
Kal smiles at the innocent enthusiasm in her eyes “Of course I will.” He then picks her up and goes and sits on the couch where Bruce sits next to him. “So is there any story in particular you want to hear about?” Kal asks them.
“Yes. How did you first meet Granddad Bruce?” Bruce asks.
Kal chuckles “Oh that’s a story, involves the Joker actually.”
Barbara’s face scrunches up “Oh I don’t like him.”
“Neither did I.” Kal admits. “Ok so it starts with the Joker stealing this ornate dragon that everyone thought was made of Jade but was actually made of kryptonite.” Kal goes on to tell how the Joker was planning to do away with him and how Luthor was willing to pay a billion to the Joker to do it. He goes on to how he met Bruce, well Batman and the rather embarrassing way frankly Bruce found out his secret identity. Honestly how could he not notice the tracer. Some super senses he has. Well of course next he has to endure the Joker’s attempt on his life and being saved by Bruce. Kal notices Bruce and Barbara do seem to like the bit where Joker is flying over Metropolis in Luthor’s flying wing. God he spent a week clearing up the mess.
“Dinner!” Dana shouts and Bruce and Barbara zoom off at near super speed with Kal trailing in their wake. He can’t help but be brought back to the thought, the wish that he had had children. Perhaps, he muses, it’s just one of those things that’s not meant to be.
