Chapter 29

One hour later…

Smallville, Kansas

Clark stopped at a crossroads in Smallville and luckily there was no one around so he walked a few minutes until he arrived at home. The long pebbled-laced driveway with a large wooden fence secured and locked. Over said fence was a wooden engraved sign that read Kent Farm. Clark took a quick glance around the area with his x-ray and super vision to make sure that there was no one around and there wasn't so he removed his hat, his jacket, and his glasses before he unlocked the fence and walked down the driveway to his home.

The Kent Farm was a staple of Smallville, Kansas. One of the many family farms that settled in the area years ago and eventually helped to consolidate and form the town of Smallville. Belonging to the Kent family for three generations, making it the oldest in Lowell County, Kansas and was adjacent to the Smallville cemetery which creeped out Clark growing up. The farm consisted of the Kent House, the barn, two grain silos, a windmill, a well, and a storm cellar which is where Clark's spaceship was hidden. The farmhouse has been remodeled and fixed since it was first built in the 1860s and was now a nice two-story home painted a lovely yellow with a wraparound porch, and a white picket fence making it the perfect house for a family which it was.

The Kent Farm wasn't just a comfortable home but a resilient one as it survived tornadoes, snow storms, and even the great Dust Bowl. Sure, things were damaged, and some things need to be replaced or completely rebuilt like the barn after a bad lightning strike burned it down, but the Kents were tough, and they rebuilt it with the help of friends and family. The farm grew all sorts of produce from corn, wheat, oats, grain sorghum, potatoes, to tomatoes, squash, berries, herbs, and even flowers. The farm even had a small apple orchard. There were animals on the farm including dairy cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, and workhorses. It was a lot and with the size of the farm it would take a dozen farmhands to keep it running efficiently which it had over the years but in the 30s when things got tough with the Dust Bowl Jonathan Kent had to lay off some of his workers which was heartbreaking. Normally that would spell doom for any other farm, but the saving grace came in the form of Clark himself. He had been working on the farm since he was 10 and while a normal ten-year-old could only do small jobs like tending to the chickens or feeding the animals, Clark wasn't a normal ten-year-old. Even as a child he was able to life a wagon over his head or pull a plow with the same force an ox or run faster than a horse, so he was able to do the work of five men in half the time. He ended up being a saving grace as he and his dad would be able to do the work to keep the farm in the green while saving them more money. And given Clark's origins Jonathan couldn't hire other work hands since it would risk Clark's identity, so the father and son worked the farm together. As Clark got older, he got faster and stronger so by the time his father passed away when he was 17, he was able to keep the farm running by himself. Jonathan's Will left the farm to Martha and Clark so the two ran it together and Clark's powers made it so he could run the farm and tend to it by himself and save them money. When Clark joined the army and later SSR, his mother was in control of the farm but kept it running with the help of other farmers in Smallville. With the war, the farm kept in business as the government bought produce and animals for food and his mother's letters kept him informed of what was going on but now that he was back, even if only for a day he wanted to surprise her.

Martha Kent, the heart and soul of the Kent Family was tending to the garden by the house. This was the garden where they grew their own personal food they ate as well as supplement whatever else they had and considering the size of their farm the garden could be huge but with just Martha there only smart parts of it used. Growing food for one didn't require as much garden use but she used some of it to help grow food she could give to others in Smallville who were struggling. Like Jonathan, Martha was as kind, generous, and wholesome as he was. She wasn't a day over 42 yet still looked like she did in her 30s. Her red hair was tied up in a bun as she had a sunhat on her head to shield her eyes while she worked. 

She removed a few potatoes from the ground that had grown to size and put them in a basket before checking on some carrots and other green vegetables. Nearby was the Kent's family dog Shelby, a very beautiful, affectionate, and cuddly golden retriever. Shelby was sleeping on the family porch, his favorite nap spot, when his ears perked up. Shelby woke up and picked up his head, looking toward the road before barking several times and ran down the porch to the driveway. Martha looked up to see what was going on and what got Shelby all worked up when she saw a man walking down the driveway to the house. He was wearing a suit, but the jacket was tucked in his hands along with his hat. Martha watched as Shelby rushed over and happily jumped at the visitor and as he got closer, she recognized that it was Clark.

"CLARK!" Martha shouted in joy as she took off her gloves, removed her hat and went over to hug her son. Clark smiled and hugged his mom back, spinning around and placing her on the ground just glad to be home. "What are you doing here?"

"I was brought to Washington DC for a day, and I had some time, so I wanted to come home and surprise you." Clark told her while he pet Shelby on the head.

"Well consider me surprised and this is a great one." Martha gave him another hug and a kiss on the cheek before checking him over. "Are you ok? You look a little thin, have you been eating enough?"

"I think we both know that I'm not thinner mom. That's not possible." Clark reminded her.

"Well, any injuries?" She asked, looking him over but his skin was blemish free as it was when she found him.

"Mom, I'm fine. I've gotten some cuts and bruises along the way but now they're gone. See? No marks." Clark showed her his face and there were no scars or bruises.

"Cuts and bruises? Clark, I've seen you get your hand caught in the tractors plow blades without so much as a scratch. What could have cut you?" Martha asked.

"Well, that's a long story." Clark replied and walked with his mom back into the house with Shelby following them. They settled in the kitchen and sat at the table where the two were able to talk. Martha, being the ever-doting and caring mother that she was, immediately tried to push food onto Clark like some biscuits she had made earlier in the morning or whip him up some eggs. It took a lot of pleading from Clark to get his mother to stop so they could just sit down together and talk over some nice coffee. With the war there was rationing going on as most of the priority foods were needed for the war effort with coffee being one of them. It affected other foods like sugar and meats and the Kent farm was no different even though they were a little better off as they were able to grow most of their food and tend to livestock like chickens. But Coffee was one of the things affected, so many people had to get creative. Luckily for Martha Clark came bearing a gift. He stole a bag of coffee from the hotel on the way over, so she had coffee again.

"I can't believe all that happened." Martha said in disbelief after hearing what Clark had done and fought against when he and his team retrieved Mussolini. "And Kelex has no idea what caused the change?"

"No but we've got a possible target for the base where it originated from so hopefully, we can stop the Germans from making more of those." Clark replied, taking a small sip of coffee. "Safe to say that my team will be busy when we get back to Italy."

"You sound like you almost miss it." Martha remarked.

"Not the violence and the war, no. Even now I don't think I'll ever get used to it but using my powers to help end this war sooner? Fighting to protect people and end things feel's right. I mean, even if this war continues on for years…if I can end it sooner, even just by one day I should do everything I can right?"

"Of course, but what Clark?" She asked.

"But what if I don't know what the right thing is anymore?" Clark wondered. "This war just keeps going and going and with everything I see and hear…it feels like soon I'll be met with a scenario where I'm not sure what the right answer is."

Martha could see this was really weighing on Clark's mind. She had no idea what he had experienced and seen but Martha had seen what war has done to people. She and Jonathan had seen what the Great War had done to some veterans in Smallville who fought. What they experienced and how it affected them when they got home was a harsh reality of war and something that even Clark wasn't immune to. Even with all his powers, he had doubts and there would be many obstacles he would struggle past. This was but one of them.

"I remember the first time your father and I found you. I'll admit that we were worried and beyond nervous but once I saw your smile, held you in my arms for the first time I knew that you were special. Your father and I prayed for years for a miracle, and you were it. Your father and I always trusted you to do the right thing when the time came. You are an amazing young man, Clark. You make life and death decisions every day and we couldn't be any more proud of you, Clark. Your strength, integrity, and compassion. You have the biggest heart out of anyone I have ever met." Martha told him.

"Yeah, but I remained hidden on the farm for years. Ever since I figured out how to join the war a part of me has always blamed myself for not getting involved sooner. Maybe if I did, I could have stopped things and people wouldn't have died." Clark pointed out.

"You're not god, Clark and no one knows what really could have happened. Maybe you could have changed things or maybe things would have gotten worse but instead of remaining hidden you found a way and are using your powers for good. A long time ago, your father and I realized that you weren't just our blessing. With what you could do, someday we would have to share you with the world. You could do so much good but until you were ready, protecting you was our greatest responsibility. And now you are. Even if you don't have faith in yourself, I will never lose my faith in you." Martha stated.

Clark sat there and let her words sink in. His parents always knew what to say when Clark was confused or unsure of what to do. They were his rock for years, molding him into the man he is now. Despite everything, his mother still had faith in him, and he wouldn't let that faith be for nothing.

"Thanks, mom. Guess I just needed to hear it from you." Clark said to her. Martha reached up and cupped his cheek, giving him her best smile.

"And don't you forget it." She winked and patted him on the cheek. "Now enough with this dour talk. Tell me about you and Peggy. I hope you two are staying strong."

"We are." Clark answered. "I'm really able to be myself around her, like a giant weight has been lifted from my shoulders. She is amazing, mom and you'd love her."

"Well, from what you've told me about her it sounds like she all but walks on water." Martha pointed out.

"Well, with Peggy I wouldn't be surprised. I wanted to bring her here to meet you, but it was an hour long run back here and I wasn't sure what moving at that kind of speed for an hour would do to a regular human." Clark explained and Martha understood that. Clark could handle the force fine and if it was for a short distance or time, he could carry a human and the worst they would get was likely a bad cause of whiplash or motion sickness like when he used it on his team. Going from DC all the way to Kansas could be too much for a human to handle. "Hopefully after this war is over, she can come and visit."

"Good. I think it's about time I meet her. I can tell that we'll get along great and it's only right that I get to know my future daughter-in-law." Martha said and Clark did a spit take by accident. Clark coughed up a bit and looked at his mother. "What? I want to meet her first, obviously but I don't think I'm getting ahead of myself here. You love Peggy, don't you?"

"Of course…but I guess I haven't put much thought into marriage with everything going on." Clark pointed out.

"Well, hopefully when this war is over you can and make Ms. Carter Mrs. Kent instead." Martha suggested before letting out a chuckle at Clark's blushing face. He may be the man of steel, but Clark's mother always had a way to get under his skin.

Gala Dinner, Washington DC

After Clark's reuniting and time spent with his mother, he had to head back to DC for the Gala dinner. Again, dressed up in his Superman suit, he and his team were taken to the White House for the banquet dinner. Being invited to the dinner was a huge honor but it was honestly kind of horrible for Clark. As soon as he and his team entered, he was bombarded with politicians and guests who wanted photos with him, his backing for their own political campaigns or people who wanted to discuss his team and the possibility of getting their sons and or relatives working with him for their own fame. They bombarded him one after another or all at once and was honestly pushing how far his restraint would go as he was tempted a few times to send them all flying away with a punch. Especially some bullheaded senators who were less then polite or couth as they should be.

With the attention on him, his team was left alone which was fine as it ensured that they weren't harassed but some still got dirty looks. Colonel Phillips and Peggy did their best to help but for every politician they were able to get away from Clark, two more would appear and Howard was absolutely no help as he was flirting with some female White House Aids and even made advances on a Senator's wife. And the President was busy so for two hours Clark's restraint was tested like never before. He eventually managed to sneak away for a moment of peace to himself, slipping through a side door and exiting the building. Everyone else was inside enjoying the open bar, dancing to the music being played by the band or engaging in conversations about their own political advances.

Some Secret Service members on duty saw Clark step out but he just told them he needed a moment away from the banquet, so they left him alone. Clark stood outside the banquet room where he enjoyed the night breeze and the quiet serenity of the gardens and a nice fountain nearby. He closed his eyes and tuned out all the excess noise he picked up so he could just focus on the shuffle of the flowers caused by light breezes of wind and the quaint creek of water coming from the fountain. Clark's super hearing was a powerful ability but had its downsides as he could hear vast varieties of sounds ranging from the human pitch of audio to ranges of ultrasonic to infrasonic. Luckily, after enough training on the farm and with his parents' help, he learned to control what to hear and how to hear it, so he wasn't constantly being bombarded by noise. A moment like this was when he could truly relax and have a moment to himself.

He just stood with his eyes closed and super hearing adjusted, for 15 minutes of peace which was the most he's had in a long time. He perked up when he heard nearby footsteps, so he opened his eyes and turned to see someone he wasn't expecting to see. It was a man, roughly mid 40s wearing a typical black-tie suit and jacket but Clark knew him.

"Sorry to bother you but I figured now that we had a moment alone, we can talk in private…Clark." The man said with a smile on his face. "Almost didn't recognize you at the White House when I saw you standing up there at the podium but the second you started talking, I knew it was you."

"Good to see you too, Senator Jennings." Clark smiled.

"I know it's been a while but what happened to Uncle Jack?" He asked as he walked over and the two hugged.

"Doesn't seem fit for someone who's on first name basis with the President." Clark pointed out.

"Guess it takes one to know one. Then again, it's not really your name now, is it?" Senator Jennings pointed out but raised his hand to stop Clark before he could speak. "Look, Clark. I know that clearly a lot has changed but I know that you wouldn't give a fake name for no reason. Probably looking out for your mother so whatever reason you have…your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you, Uncle Jack." Clark said and Jennings nodded. "So, how are things?"

"Good. Keeping things stable here at home while you and others are fighting. We read and hear about what you boys are facing but what you and your team did? That's something else. It's all anyone wants to talk about and many think that the war's practically over." Jennings told him.

"If only that were true." Clark wished.

"I know. I'm on various committees for the Armed Services so I'm aware of what's going on and I'm doing the best I can to get everyone what they need. Doesn't help that politicians will be the first to speak up about these things to gain traction with their supporters but will be the last to actually donate money." Jennings remarked. "But I can promise that the SSR will have another supporter here. It may not mean much but hopefully it'll do something."

"You don't need to do that, Uncle Jack, but thank you." Clark told him.

"Please, it's the least I can do and it's what your father would expect me to do. You know what he told me when I first made the run for a congressional seat?" Jennings asked and Clark shrugged. "He told me to use my position to really help people. And not just my supporters but those that didn't have a voice for themselves and no one to stand up for them."

"Someone in a position of power has the responsibility to all, not just few." Clark added. "He told me that as well."

"I'll admit that I didn't fully appreciate everything he tried to drill through my thick skull until he was gone. It remains my biggest regret but one that I'm working to fix and part of the reason I came out here to find you. I've been mulling over some very important decisions and felt that it was something we could talk about."

"What is it?" Clark asked.

"About doing more like you said during your speech. You were talking about why we're fighting in this war and how things should change but I also think you were talking about changing things for the better back home." Jennings suggested and Clark nodded. He may not have said it outright, but the Senator was right that the spirit of Clark's speech inferred that. "I can see you definitely inherited a lot from Jonathan. His penchant for good and poignant talks being one of them."

"Helps when I'm talking about something I believe in, and feel is right." Clark added and Jennings agreed.

"Your father always had some pretty big expectations for the people around him. Me, especially. He was the one man I never wanted to disappoint." He admitted.

"Try being his son." Clark pointed out and Jennings nodded. "But the thing I've come to realize…no matter how much he laid on, he never expected more then what he expected from himself."

"And if he saw you up there, I think he would agree with everything you said and he's not the only one. Guess you were just the first brave person to actually say what we're all thinking." Jennings praised. "I'm just ashamed that I never had the courage to stand up like you did."

"But the fact you're trying now means everything. The only way the world stops changing is if people like us give up." Clark stated. "Jonathan Kent was never a quitter."

"And neither is his son, apparently." Senator Jennings smiled. The duo continued talking about future political collaborations together. For the past few years, Clark has remained very much against getting involved in the politics of this war especially with politicians like Senator Brandt. But getting involved for the right reasons with people he trusted? That could be something that changes his viewpoint going forward.

The banquet soon ended, and the guests began to file out one by one so Clark and his team headed to their hotel to get some sleep. The next morning, they were up bright and earlier to catch their Trans-Atlantic flight back to Europe but before they did that Clark made a quick pitstop at the USO office. Leaving behind a letter with a suggestion for Captain America to do a tour for the soldiers overseas.

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