Young Justice

"Bonding 2"

Summary: Superboy moves in with Superman. Sequel to 'Bonding'.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

YJ~YJ~YJ~YJ~YJ~YJ~YJ

Clark Kent opened the door to his apartment and stepped through.

Following right behind him was a sixteen year old boy who looked exactly like him.

Dressed in a plaid shirt and blue jeans, his glasses firmly on his face, he looked just like the farm boy he'd been raised as.

"Well," he said to the boy, smiling. "Here we are. 'Home Sweet Home', as they say."

The boy, Conner, looked around. "It's nice," he said, quietly.

"It's small," Clark said, shrugging. "But there's enough room for you and me."

Conner nodded, reaching up to push his own glasses up on his nose.

He'd just gotten them today and he was trying to get used to wearing them.

"Are these really necessary?" he asked Clark, curiously.

"They are if you want to have a life outside of Mt. Justice," Clark told him, firmly.

"I still don't see how people still think you and Superman are two different people?" Conner told him, honestly.

Clark smiled.

"People tend to see what they want to see," he explained. "To most people, Clark Kent is a mild-mannered, easy-going, nice guy from Kansas. On the flip side of that, Superman is a larger than life figure who flies in and saves the day on occasion."

"So I've got to act differently than I do as Superboy?" Conner asked, curiously.

"It'll be easier for you," Clark assured him, reaching out to touch his arm. "Not very many people have seen Superboy up close. So long as you don't use your powers, everybody will simply think you're a normal teenager."

Conner nodded. "I'll start school tomorrow, right?" he asked, hesitantly.

Clark nodded.

"Yep," he said, smiling. "We have a meeting with your principal before school to get you registered."

"And you're going to tell him I'm your son?" Conner asked, curiously.

"I am," Clark told him. "Our story is a simple one, if not exactly original: Boy meets girl in college, boy and girl fall in love but go their separate ways after graduating, girl has baby, and boy finds out sixteen years later when the girl dies suddenly…"

"Oh, okay," Conner said, nodding. "So, where do I sleep?"

"Right this way," Clark said, beckoning him to follow him.

He led him down the hall and opened another door.

"This will be your room," he told him, stepping aside so that the boy could enter. "Mine is right next door and the bathroom is across the hall next to the linen closet. The door at the end of the hall is where the washer-dryer combo is."

Conner nodded, going over and placing his duffle bag onto the bed.

"Can I fix it any way I want to?" he asked, curiously.

"Of course you can," Clark told him, chuckling. "Just try to keep the scantily clad girls to a wall calendar, okay?"

"Huh?" Conner asked, clearly baffled.

"Old joke, sorry," Clark told him, patting him on the shoulder. "How about I go fix us some lunch while you unpack?"

"Okay," Conner said, unzipping his bag.

"Since it's just the two of us, you don't have to wear your glasses," Clark told him, removing his own as an example.

"Thanks," Conner said, relieved to take the stupid things off.

"You're welcome," Clark told him, smiling. "Give a holler if you need any help."

With that, he exited the room—giving the boy some time to unpack and more than likely collect his thoughts, as well.

Conner looked around his new room.

There wasn't much to it at the moment: a bed, two small tables, a dresser, and a desk sitting underneath the window.

Going over to the window, he peered out.

He had pretty good view of Metropolis—especially of The Daily Planet.

He smiled, but then sighed.

It felt so odd not to be at Mt. Justice…but then again it had felt just as odd not to be at Cadmus.

It had been a week since Superman had surprised him and they'd bonded while playing basketball.

He'd met Grandpa and Grandma Kent, and they'd had a picnic lunch.

He'd been given his real name…or names, rather.

Not only was he now Superboy, but he was also Conner Kent, son of ace reporter Clark Kent.

He also had a Kryptonian name: Kon-El, son of Kal-El, grandson of Jor-El and Lara.

And now he had a real home.

He'd still be staying at Mt. Justice on the weekends, just like everybody else on the Young Justice team.

Throughout the week, though, he would come here.

Conner smiled. He thought he rather liked it here.

It was quiet, being so high up, yet there was clearly a lot going on in the city.

He was going to be starting school tomorrow, so he had a feeling that would keep him busy, too.

A knock on his door had him glancing toward it. He found Clark standing there.

"I've made some sandwiches," he told him, but then glanced at his untouched bag. "They're on the table whenever you're ready."

Conner grinned and then used his super-speed to unpack the few possessions he'd brought with him.

"Done," he said, once he was through. "Let's eat."

Clark chuckled. "Sure thing," he said, clapping him on the shoulder. "C'mon."

Together, they made their way to the kitchen where they proceeded to enjoy a lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches, barbecue potato chips, and soda.

"So," Clark said, after they'd both consumed three sandwiches each. "What do you think?"

Conner smiled. "I think it's great to be home," he told him, truthfully.

Clark smiled at that.

"Anything you want to do on your first day?" he asked him, curiously.

Conner thought a moment. "Can we go to the park?" he asked, hopefully.

"Sure," Clark told him. "There's a pretty nice one not too far way."

Deciding since his son had used his powers to finish unpacking, he could do the same to clean up lunch.

Using his super-speed, everything was either thrown away or put away within a millisecond.

"Show off," Connor told him, laughing.

"When you got it," Clark told him, winking. "Flaunt it."

Laughing, father and son headed out of the apartment and walked a couple of blocks to the park.

"It feels kinda strange," Connor admitted. "Not being at Mt. Justice…"

"I know what you mean," Clark told him. "When I first left Ma and Pa to go to college, it felt weird too. You'll get used to it."

Connor nodded.

"Is there anything you like to do when you come here?" he asked him, curiously. "Besides walk, I mean."

"Actually," Clark told him, smirking. "There is…c'mon!"

With that, he led him over to a baseball diamond.

Picking up a bat, ball, and glove from a nearby bin, he glanced at the teenager. "Up for some baseball?"

Connor smiled. "You pitching?" he asked him, smirking.

Reaching into his blue jeans, Clark pulled out a quarter.

"Flip you for it?" he said, tossing the coin high into the air. "Call it!"

"Heads," Connor said, smiling.

The coin landed in his father's open palm and Clark looked at it. "Heads," he told him, tossing him the ball.

Connor smiled, going over to the pitcher's mound.

"Ready?" he asked, tossing the ball up in the air a couple of times.

Clark glanced around, making certain no one was watching. He hefted the bat into position.

"Ready," he told him. "Let 'er rip!"

"Here she comes," Connor told him, winding up and delivering a perfect curve-ball.

Clark watched the ball sail toward him, swung, and knocked it clear out of the atmosphere…literally!

"Wow," Conner said, watching the ball fly. "But won't people notice there are balls missing?"

Clark grinned. "I make a habit of donating gear every once in a while," he told him. "Especially extra balls…"

Conner laughed. "That's kinda cool," he told him. "Can I give it a try?"

"Certainly," Clark told him, handing him the bat. "But you better watch out, kid. I throw a mean pitch."

"I'm sure I can handle it," Connor told him, smirking. "Let her rip, Pops."

"Pops!" Clark said, feigning indignity. "Oh now you're really gonna get it, Squirt!"

"Bring it on," Conner said, hefting the bat into position.

"Here she comes," Clark told him, winding up the pitch and letting it fly.

Like his father, Conner eyed the ball all the way to him, swung, and knock it out of the park…literally.

Clark used his super-vision to follow it, just to make certain it didn't hit anyone and hurt them.

It embedded itself inside a brick wall on the other side of town.

He let out a whistle. "Not bad," he told his son, patting him on the back. "Not bad at all!"

Conner smiled. "Thanks," he told him, handing him the bat. "It didn't go as far as yours, though."

"Give it time," Clark assured him. "And don't worry so much about comparisons. You're your own person, remember?"

"Yeah," Conner said, shrugging. "I know. It's just…"

"Cadmus," Clark said, darkly. "Yeah, I know. They've got a lot to answer for."

Conner swallowed.

"Do…do you wish they'd never have created me?" he asked him, anxiously.

Clark reached out and lifted his chin so they were looking each other in their glasses-dulled blue eyes.

"I might regret how it came about," he told him, seriously, "but I don't regret having you, son. Cadmus used us both, and that was wrong."

Conner smiled. "Thanks, Dad," he told him, wrapping his arms around his father.

"Your very welcome, son," Clark said, returning the hug. "Ready to head home now?"

Conner smiled. "You bet," he told him, nodding. "Let's go home."

Clark nodded, wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders as they made their way from the baseball diamond.

Together, father and son headed out of the park and back towards home.

The End