"Damn it?"
Kara, who had just returned home, didn't care about resting or freshening up. She turned around and sat on the sofa next to Clark, pulled her younger brother to sit down, and asked with a curious look, "What trouble could he possibly cause? Dad trained him to be cautious."
Jonathan rolled his eyes, knowing she was accusing him of having been overly strict with Clark since childhood—keeping him from playing with other children until he could control his powers.
Clark's lack of friends growing up and his difficulty opening up to others were largely due to Jonathan's protective measures. However, those efforts were meant to shield Clark and were not without reason.
Martha interjected gently, "Kara, that's not a nice way to put it. Don't describe your brother like that."
Kara rolled her eyes in response. Mom, did you just call Clark a dog without realizing it? Am I the bad one here for pointing this out?
Jonathan and Martha began recounting the events leading up to this conversation, and Kara quickly caught up on what had transpired.
It turned out that just two days before Kara's return, a school bus Clark was riding in had an accident and fell into a river.
Faced with a life-or-death situation, Clark had used his super strength to push the bus ashore, saving everyone inside. However, two students witnessed his extraordinary feat, nearly exposing his secret.
Jonathan sighed as he explained, "During the investigation at the police station, the two kids said Clark saved them. But because what he did seemed impossible, they found it both incredible and frightening."
Jonathan worried about the possibility of Clark's and Kara's true nature being discovered. If word got out that they were aliens, humanity could panic, knowing Earth was not alone in the universe and that beings with powers far beyond their comprehension existed.
But Kara, unbothered, said, "Clark did the right thing, Dad. He's an adult and knows what he's doing. Saving lives is more important than staying hidden. If I'd been there, I'd have done the same thing without hesitation.
"If Clark hadn't acted, and he'd been the only one to survive, he'd face accusations for letting everyone else die. Do you really think staying hidden is worth that?"
Jonathan opened his mouth to argue but was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Jonathan? Martha? I know you're home. We need to talk," said a familiar voice.
It was their neighbor, Mrs. Ross. Kara recognized her immediately. She had a son around Clark's age—Pete Ross.
Clark shifted uncomfortably. At least two people had seen his rescue: Pete and another student, Lana Lang.
Kara smirked to herself. Lana Lang. Maybe Clark's first crush?
Martha opened the door, and in walked Mrs. Ross, a middle-aged woman with a warm but serious expression. She was accompanied by Pete, who glanced nervously at Clark.
"Clark, Kara, go upstairs," Jonathan instructed. "Kara, you can freshen up while you're at it."
As they moved to leave, Kara greeted their guest, "Mrs. Ross, long time no see."
Mrs. Ross smiled kindly, "Kara, you've grown so much! I heard you've been working out of town. You must be settling down soon, right?"
"Settling down? Why would I do that?" Kara replied with mock incredulity. "Work comes first, and besides, I doubt anyone's worthy of your humble neighbor's daughter."
Mrs. Ross looked taken aback by Kara's bold statement, while Martha quickly ushered her daughter upstairs with a resigned smile.
"Kara, go shower. We'll talk later. Also, your old clothes don't fit you anymore, right?" Martha remarked.
Kara raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean the sleeves are too short, or are you talking about the chest?"
"Both," Martha admitted with a grin.
As they went upstairs, Clark hesitated and looked back worriedly. Jonathan gave him a reassuring nod, so he followed Kara to the second floor.
Kara found her room untouched since she'd last been home. Though she'd been gone for years, even Clark hadn't moved anything. Her books, the furniture arrangement, even the bedding—everything was the same.
She realized her brother must have been maintaining the room for her return.
"Clark," Kara teased as she grabbed her things, "I'm going to shower. Don't peek."
Clark rolled his eyes at her joke and leaned against the wall.
Downstairs, the adults talked in hushed voices. Though Kara didn't care to eavesdrop, she caught snippets about Mrs. Ross telling Jonathan and Martha that Pete believed Clark was "special" or "chosen."
Her brother's growing frustration was palpable. She heard a faint whoosh and realized Clark had jumped out the window, unable to handle the pressure of their neighbor's words.
Kara sighed as she entered the bathroom. Clark, you can't run from this forever.