Capítulo 34: Chapter 33: Aftermath.
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-Jon's P.O.V-
The glow of the Boom Tube lingered in the warehouse even after Connor and Robin disappeared through it. With a mental prod directed at the Motherbox in my hand, the portal closed.
For a moment, serene silence reigned.
I breathed in, body and soul light even as the weight of everything we'd just done pressed down on me.
"It's over...its really over."
Raven said lowly, a smile of relief coating the usually cold face.
"Will it hold?" I asked.
She didn't look at me immediately, just stared at the spot where the Boom Tube had been. "The memory wipe? Yes. But it's not traditional mind manipulation."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
Raven sighed, her voice carrying the exhaustion of what she'd done. "I didn't alter their memories. I… swallowed them. It's like taking a tiny piece of their souls—the part that held the last two hours of their memories."
The explanation hit harder than I expected. "And… they'll be okay?"
"They'll be fine," she reassured me. "A little rest, maybe some weird dreams, but their souls will heal. I hope."
I wanted to believe her, but something in her tone made me hesitate. "And you?"
Raven's lips curled into a faint smirk. "You worry too much, Dagger. I'll be fine."
"I know. Believe me."
A similar smirk took over my lips as I found myself lost in her purple eyes.
"Welp, I guess it's time to say goodbye then."
I cleared my throat and activated another Boom Tube, the explosive portal blooming to our side.
It was Raven's turn to leave. Normally she could create her own portal but I knew she was exhausted despite her efforts to hide it.
As she stepped toward the portal, I hesitated, my mouth opening to say something—but the words caught in my throat.
She noticed, of course. Raven always noticed. She paused, her hood falling back slightly as she turned to face me. "What is it?"
I shook my head, forcing a small smile. "Nothing. Just… take care of yourself, Rae."
Her eyes narrowed, and a playful smirk tugged at her lips. "Coward."
Before I could process what she meant, she stepped forward, grabbed the collar of my blazer, and pulled me into a kiss.
My brain short-circuited.
When she finally pulled away, I could only stare at her, wide-eyed and speechless.
"You're adorable when you're flustered," she teased, stepping backward into the portal. As the energy began to engulf her, she blew me a kiss. "See you at our next magic lesson."
And then she was gone.
For a long moment, I just stood there, staring at the now-empty space.
My hand unconsciously touched my lips.
"She stole my first kiss," I muttered to no one in particular.
---
The flight back to the farm both felt long and short at the same time.
The quiet night offered plenty of time for reflection, which was the main reason I hadn't used a portal. My thoughts kept drifting back to Raven and the kiss.
But as I approached the house, those thoughts shifted to something more immediate—Mom.
Landing on the porch, I silently pushed the door open, trying to sneak upstairs quietly. However, Ma was waiting for me in the kitchen, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.
"24 hours, Jonathan," she said, her voice calm but firm. "24 hours with no calls, no messages. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
I lowered my head, guilt washing over me. "I'm sorry, Mom. I've been… dealing with a lot."
Her expression softened as she stepped closer, placing a hand on my cheek. "I know. And I understand. But this tension between you and your father—it has to stop. Tonight, you're going to work things out."
I wanted to argue, but the look in her eyes told me it wasn't a suggestion. "Yes, ma'am," I muttered.
Satisfied, she kissed my forehead and headed upstairs, leaving me alone in the kitchen.
Connor was asleep and I didn't feel like going up to my room, so I decided to wait for Dad out on the porch.
A few minutes later, he arrived, floating before me with his cape fluttering in the air behind him.
We stared at each other for a bit and then he asked,
"Ever been to the moon?"
---
We landed in a crater, the Earth glowing brightly above us. The silence stretched for a while, neither of us willing to be the first to speak.
Finally, Pa broke the silence, using his Bio-electric aura to transmit his voice. "I'm sorry."
The words surprised me. I turned to him, frowning. "..."
No sound came out of me. I copied his trick with Bio-Aura and spoke," Sorry? For what?"
"For not being the father you needed," he admitted, heavy with regret. "I've been so focused on being Superman that I've let being a dad take a back seat."
I didn't know what to say to that. The frustration and anger I'd been carrying for weeks felt like it was clashing with something softer, something I wasn't ready to name.
"You've made mistakes," I said finally. "And I've made plenty of my own. But Connor and I? We're not problems you can fix or ignore. We're family."
Clark nodded, his gaze steady. "You're right. And I want to do better—for both of you. But I need you to trust me, Jon. To believe that we're on the same side."
I wanted to argue, to push back against his naive approach to saving the world, but something about the sincerity in his voice stopped me. Or maybe I was just too tired with the fighting.
"I'll try," I said quietly.
It wasn't a perfect resolution, but it was a start.
---
A few days later, I stood in the Watchtower before the Entire League, the golden glow of Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth wrapped around my wrist.
Across the table, Batman's gaze was sharp, dissecting my every word. "Where were you after escaping Mount Justice?"
"I spent time with Raven," I said evenly. "Clearing my mind. I needed space to figure things out before going home."
Wonder Woman narrowed her eyes but remained silent.
Batman's eyes narrowed. "You expect us to believe that?"
Superman's voice cut in, firm but calm. "Batman. Enough."
Batman ignored him. "You manipulated your team into helping you escape custody, and now you expect us to believe you weren't involved in Luthor's assassination?"
The rest of the League looked uncomfortable with the borderline aggressive questioning.
I sighed. "I didn't kill him, I don't know how many times I need to say it. I wanted to put him in the Phantom Zone. That's it. But the League made it clear they wouldn't let that happen, so I walked away."
Batman's frustration was palpable. He stood up, slamming his hands on the table."You're lying. Let Manhunter read your mind—"
"Bruce!" Dad's voice was sharp now, cutting through the tension. "He's telling the truth. Diana?"
"The Lasso of Truth cannot be deceived. Even if Jon believed his own lies, the Lasso's power would force out the real unbiased truth."
Wonder Woman spoke.
Batman's scowl deepened, but he didn't press further.
By the end of the interrogation, it was clear I'd burned too many bridges and officially lost Batman's trust.
They gave me a chance to come clean or add whatever details I may have forgotten to mention.
"First, I want to point out the League's own questionable behavior in holding a minor captive without due cause. My family was worried about me and I had to talk my mother out of a law suit once she found out everything."
Looks of shame came over everyone present and heads turned down.
"However, I recognize my recent Misconduct has strained and actively hurt your trust in The Team. As a result of this, I'll step down as the Leader. Effective immediately."
It hurt more than I expected. But it had to be done to ensure a future for Young Justice.
(General P.O.V)
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, orange glow over the Kent farm.
On the roof of the barn, Connor sat quietly, staring out at the horizon.
His knees were drawn up to his chest, and his hands fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. The tension in his shoulders made it clear he was lost in thought, burdened by emotions he couldn't shake.
Above the roof of the farmhouse, Jon floated while invisible, bending the light around him. He was watching his brother.
The evening was quiet, but Connor's posture spoke volumes, and Jon could sense the guilt rolling off his brother.
He was about to head down and join him when a familiar figure, walked out onto the rooftop.
"I see I'm not the only one feeling guilty." Clark spoke.
Connor flinched, startled by the sudden arrival, and turned to face him. "Superman?" he asked, confusion and hesitation evident in his voice.
Clark chuckled softly. "Just call me Clark. Or Pa, if you want," he added with a small smile. "Mind if I sit?"
Connor blinked, his surprise evident, but after a moment, he nodded. "Sure."
In the air, Jon paused, his brows raised in surprise.
The urge to join them tugged at him, but something held him back, something that recognized this was a conservation that needed to happen solely between the two of them. So instead he listened, his enhanced hearing picking up their conversation.
At first, the exchange was stilted and awkward. Connor was hesitant, unsure of what to say, while Clark struggled to find the right words. But as the minutes passed, their voices grew softer, their words flowing more naturally.
Pa began telling stories about his own childhood, recounting the struggles of growing up with powers and how he often felt out of place.
Connor listened intently, his initial wariness fading as he opened up about his own fears—about being a clone, about feeling like he didn't truly belong anywhere.
Their laughter broke through the quiet night, a sound that brought a small, bittersweet smile to Jon's face. Without a word, he floated down and entered his room.
---
A soft knock on the door startled Jon from his meditation.
He turned around to see Lois standing at entrance, a folded blanket draped over her arm and a plate of sandwiches balanced in her hand.
"Thought they might be hungry," she said with a knowing smile.
"Let me help."
Jon offered.
Jon grabbed the thermos of hot cocoa Ma had made and together, they climbed onto the roof, where Clark and Connor sat in quiet conversation.
"Evening, boys," Lois greeted warmly as she covered Connor with the blanket.
"Pa, something to warm you up." Jon said with a smile, offering a cup as he took a seat.
The four of them settled in, passing around the sandwiches and cocoa as the stars began to fill the night sky.
Clark pointed out constellations, his voice calm and steady as he shared their stories. Lois added her own playful twists, drawing laughter from Connor that felt lighter than anything Jon had heard in days.
Jon stayed quiet for the most part, simply soaking in the moment.
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