Close to Home - epilogue

[iesika]

Close to Home

Epilogue

Justine finished reading the article out loud and folded up the paper. She tucked it under the edge of Alex's lunch tray. "Poor kids," she said, her pretty face twisting into a frown. "Conner's so sweet. He came to check on you, and he was such a mess. He was trying to reassure me, though."

"He's a good kid," Alex agreed. They all were, really. He turned his head as far as the neck brace would allow and looked at the row of cards and vases that stretched along the window ledge. Funny thing, you never knew how popular you were until everybody thought you were dying. "I can't believe he's dating a celebrity," he said, and chuckled. "Small town boy made good, I guess."

"Hasn't sent a card, yet," Justine said. Lorelei tugged at her pant-leg, so she bent and lifted her up onto the bed to sit between Alex's feet. "There's one from that woman - his aunt, you said? She sent jam or something, too. Something in a jar."

Alex made a face. "Why didn't you tell me that before I ate that awful meatloaf? I'd have sent you down for extra rolls, or something."

"Hey."

Alex looked down the bed at the girl who was, for all intents and purposes, his stepdaughter. Her mother had pulled her hair back in a ponytail today, and it shone like copper in the sunlight. "Yes, sweetie?"

"Can I eat your jello?"

Justine snorted and pulled the rolling tray-table toward her daughter. "Have at, kid," she said, sticking a spork in her hand.

Lorelei's little face lit up, and she dug into the quivering green mass with great delight.

"You know what that's made of?" Alex said, smirking.

"Cow feet and pig bones," she said, sounding bored. "You told me already. But it still tastes good."

Alex chuckled, wincing a little at the pain in his ribs. "I find your pragmatism most admirable, young lady," he said.

Lorelei slurped jello through her teeth at him.

Someone knocked on the door, and then one of the nurses poked her head in. Alex hoped it wasn't a bad sign that he couldn't remember her name. "You've had another delivery," she said.

Justine exhaled and looked around. "I don't think there's room for more flowers. You think they're expecting bonus points in return, or what?"

"It's not flowers," the nurse said. She stepped into the room with a small, flat, brown box. "Little package."

"Maybe it's more cookies!" Lorelei said excitedly.

"You've already got jello," Justine said absently as she took the box. It was stamped 'FRAGILE', so she refrained from shaking it. "Want me to open it?"

Alex held up his hands, which were still loosely bandaged over his burns. "I think you'd better."

"No, me," Lorelei, said, reaching, but her mother pulled it out of her grasp.

"Honey, it says ‘fragile’. That means there's something in it that could break." She slid her nail under the packing tape, and then stopped, looking down at the box with a sardonic expression. "Alex? Have you been sending off letters to supermodels?"

To..."What?" he asked.

"The return address says ‘Kory Anders’."

Kory Anders? What? Alex tried to sit up, only to be fussed at by both his girlfriend and the nurse. Justine helped him raise the bed a little, and held the box out in front of him as she opened it. Inside, there was a card with a picture of a cartoon scientist on it, and a small, framed photo of Anders in a bikini under a waterfall, signed and bearing a lipstick print. Alex was already grinning at the thought of the comments he'd get from his students with that on his desk.

"Oh, that's tasteful," Justine said, dryly, and pulled the photo out to shove it under a blanket before Lorelei could see. The box rattled, and Dalton looked down to see there had been two little vials under the picture.

Justine lifted them out for his inspection. One was full of thick, dark, vibrantly orange liquid, and the other contained a curl of reddish-brown hair.

"Oh my god," Alex said, his breath coming quick. "They're samples."

"What?" Justine asked. "Hold on!" she scolded as he fumbled for the card with his painfully swollen fingers. "I'll read it!"

The card didn't have a printed message in it. Instead, it bore a few lines of delicate, loopy script in purple ink.

"’Dear Alex’," Justine read out. "’I've heard an awful lot about you from a friend of mine, and I just wanted to express my wishes for your speedy recovery. My friend thought you might have enough flowers, so he asked me to send along something a little more personal, with his regards. Best of luck, Kory Anders. PS, I'd love a copy of the paper when you're done with these. You can pass it on to Conner.’ And then she kissed the paper. You'd think the picture would have been enough."

Alex's fingers twitched under the bandages. "Oh my god," he said again. He turned to the nurse quickly. "Was the package at the desk for long? I need to know how old that blood sample is." His heart sank. "The mail must have come hours ago."

"Didn't come with the mail," the nurse said, taking the card from Justine to look it over. "This kid delivered it to the station just now. I barely even saw him, he disappeared so fast."

"Can you get me some ice? Dry ice, I mean. And an insulated box. You've got to have them in the phlebotomy and histology labs-"

"Mr. Dalton," the nurse said suddenly. "Calm down. You're sending your monitor haywire."

Alex took a deep breath and forced himself back against the pillows. "But can you get the ice?"

"I've got a friend downstairs," she said. She stepped forward and adjusted his IV. "I'll go call him, but you've got to stay calm, okay?"

"Right," Alex said, trying very hard to control his breathing. "Calm. Okay. Honey, can you call Charles? Tell him he can co-author if he'll let me use his lab. Oh, fuck. I can't even use my hands."

"Alex!" Justine snapped, clapping her hands over her daughter's ears.

He fell silent, feeling suddenly sheepish.

Justine sighed and gave him a fondly exasperated look. "They won't let you out of here if you give yourself a heart attack. I'll call Charles. Just calm down, okay?"

"Yes, dear," Alex said, but his mind was racing.

Alien DNA. Alex grinned. Oh, that was much better than another potted mum. What a thoughtful boy!

Index

Comments

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for writing this - it was most excellent and lovely and OMG I got all flaily and at one point I made a noise and woke up the dog. Just, I want to hug them all -- even CLARK!

[frantic-reader.livejournal.com]

This ending -- so awsome. With the samples, I loved it.

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Oh, Kon...

I enjoyed this a lot.

[drmellifluous.livejournal.com]

I cruise through fandoms intermittently, mostly because I have a love of long fanfics and those accumulate slowly, especially since I'm picky and read mostly slash. So when I dipped back into the DC slashfic pool looking for good stories and found this I thought I was lucky to have happened upon such a long story that seemed so well received.

The truth was I had no clue what I was in for. This story was more than I expected, more than I hoped for, it reached a quality and level of substance I feel is decidedly uncommon in fanfiction. In fact I would go so far as to say I think you might want to consider adapting this story into an original work and trying to get it published. I say this because not only do you demonstrate a clear and capable ability to keep cannon characters in character, but you actually made OC's that are organic to the story and have their own unique voices.

It didn't hurt that Jake and I share a name and he got Superboy kisses. I feel as though I ought to go on, only I wouldn't want to seem too gushy =P But seriously, there is a wonderful juggling of pace and plot and rhythm here and I fell in love with each of the characters without feeling like the story was in any way fluffy. And one of the more impressive feats in writing, or so I think, is keeping humor and drama in proportion without impugning upon the other, which you manage *very* well.

I've seen in comments you've hinted at more writing could be in store within this story 'verse. I would support such endeavors with my VERY SOUL, because to be completely honest I've read this story 3 times already over the course of this week and am probably going back for a fourth round tomorrow.

[arkennes.livejournal.com]

omgogogmgomgomgom I STAYED UP TO 4AM READING THIS AND I HAVE AN EXAM TMRW AKLDJSSDF
freaking AMAZING!!!! I can't. Please tell me you have a sequel *begs shamelessly* sooo much left unanswered!

I especially love your original characters, they're all developed really well and I love everyone in the LGBT club, especially JAKE! Poor Jake needs to get over Kon :( I HOPE HE FINDS SOMEONE JUST AS AMAZING!

Tim in his Tim Wayne act made me choke. I was feeling so much second-hand embarrassment for Kon. And the epilogue. I love Dalton. He's so cool, why aren't all biology teachers like that?? I also love the touch of the newspaper article and the fanart by sammage? Beautifulll...

Feel so mindblown and incoherent atm o_o

[aneko-ariyohou.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to know you're considering a sequel for this, because you DEFINITELY didn't do enough about the relationship between Cassie and Kon.
(side note: I love how you refer to him as "Kon" in your writing, and how he thinks of himself as Kon and not Conner. I can't explain why really, I just do.)
Back on subject, Cass and Kon. I didn't like how after she called him and he realized she was mad at him, there's no mention of what happened. Ma Kent brought her up, Kon said he would call her, and then nothing. I dislike loose ends like that, ESPECIALLY since Tim's now sort-of dating Kon. (I'm as confused as Kon about what they're actually doing, but that's okay.) So, since I know there's a planned sequel, I don't have to be so annoyed that Cass didn't get the time she deserves to be (rightfully) angry that her sort-of boyfriend(?) both has the hots for their mutual friend and went on a date with him.

Other than that detail, I enjoyed reading this story both times I've read it thus far. Your writing lends to suspense and gripping characterization, which is important. Kon was adorable, and I thoroughly enjoyed his journey through this comparatively small yet so important crisis. Made me happy that Smallville means SO MUCH to him that he'd run himself ragged to protect its people. One of my favorite scenes is his patrol around Smallville, simply because he's pushing himself and doing what I don't think he totally understood when he was in Young Justice; protecting the people because each small life is equally important. Clark gets that, but I didn't get the feeling Kon got it in the beginning.
And oh my god, Tim during the date. I wanted to punch him so bad because that's DEFINITELY not Tim. It was amusing (and his kisses were scorching!), but no, not Tim at all. Not that I could describe to anyone who Tim Drake(Wayne) really is...
Yeah. Tim's my favorite Robin.

The epilogue, with Kory's letter and everything? Pure adorable epic win. Thank you for that slice of "meanwhile". It's good to know such an awesome guy like Mr. Dalton managed to survive through the touch-and-go parts, and that he gets to answer a question Kon brought up in the first chapter.
Which also reminds me; Kon's text to Tim after that class made me laugh for a minute at least. Just the way he phrased it and Tim's reply was hilarious for some reason.

Looking forward to the sequel, thank you for the great read!
-Tega

[(Anonymous)]

THIS
had to be the best thing i have read in a LONG time:)
everything was perfect!!!:D I love it!!!<3
i was laughing and burying my face in my hands and everything!!:D
awesome job!!:)

[ciaan]

This was excellent. I would totally read a sequel because there's a lot that wasn't entirely resolved. I loved the plot and how much feeling there was to it. The OCs were great. And Bart whipping out the law knowledge.

And Kon! Everything. Him using his TTK on the ground and the plants and feeling so connected and proud, him patrolling Smallville and listening to protect everyone, his interactions with Clark, him thinking about Conner Kent in third person, all of it.

When Tim pulled up for the dance and Kon was amazed that Tim was HIMSELF, that was great. And then Tim wasn't really himself, and oh... Crazy bats.

<3

[northern]

I just re-read this. <3333333 you!

[saaski-moql.livejournal.com]

I have mixed feelings now that I'm at the end. Because on one hand yay amazing story that I have just read! On the other hand it's over and I have so many more questions. Like what was Tim's underlying motivation for brining Tim Wayne into it, since it means that he's got to keep the story going afterwards. Why? And what about Cassie? What about the team in general, because I can't imagine drama would take this all lying down. And, of course, Batman.

But that all aside, I enjoyed this a lot, especially the focus on it being a Kon story, because he's a cool character too who isn't dumb (now), just (as previously mentioned) not as smart as Tim. Tim is just ridiculous.

Sort of banked on it being Baumhauer since the kid got introduced, but that's mainly because I was using the Scooby-Doo logic brand of detecting XD I'm sort of glad it was though, because the other options weren't people I really wanted to be bad. The religious-spew was uncomfortable but expected and unfortunate and real. Unfortunately, there's plenty of inspiration for that.

Loved the OCs too, for the most part (I AM SO GLAD DALTON IS OKAY). That's the right way to do world-building! Oh Jake, I hope you find someone nice forever. And I'm going to be grinning for a while over the gift of Kory DNA.

All in all, Yay, amazing story that I have just read. thanks for sharing it.

(Icon is from a hilarious youtube comment. Seemed all sorts of appropriate.)

[a-big-apple.livejournal.com]

I'm just recently discovering all the great fic there is about Kon and Tim, and just found this a few hours ago, and read the whole thing wanting to hug Kon like there's no tomorrow and laughing my head off and squealing toward the end there. I feel bad for Kon when he finally has to talk to Cassie, though! XD

[teabag-soup.livejournal.com]

Okay, just got into comics and then I saw this in some site for dc comics fanfics (I can't remember where 'cause I just read this entire thing in about 2 days and OH MY GOD IT WAS AMAZING. My brain feels like its melted... but in good way hence the super long brackets) You really feel like you get to know the characters and I felt as if so much was left unsaid and there was so much between the lines and UGH it was wonderful. And not waaaaay too confusing for a newcomer like me. Pretty please with sugar on top write more.
Also do you mind if I Friend you?

[mommy]

One of the things that really sang to me in this story was the use of older canon. I saw Knightfall and Contagion from the Batbooks and Kory's modeling career from the Titans. There's just something comforting about seeing references to old storylines.

Another thing I liked was how the various characters got along. Bart plays video games with Kon and pops over to Smallville High if Kon takes too long to finish a text. Bruce maneuvers Perry into sending Clark to socialite events just to have someone to talk to. Martha has friends in her community who she actually interacts with. I particularly like that Lois and Tim are on friendly terms.

This was a solid story that covered a serious topic while staying heartwarming. Thank you for sharing this.