The discussion prior likely seems like a simple one. Heck, it’s even positive overall and foretells good news. However, there’s another side to receiving more information of what awaits in his future, and it’s starting to feel heavy on his shoulders. He’s coming to realize that he’s the heart of all of this. The core of the nexus. With Brainiac time traveling to disrupt the past, that a mistake on his part can potentially bring this possible future to an end. His body tenses up at the though and his hands shut to form weak fists. The concern behind Cassandra’s voice when she utters his civilian name does little to help calm his nerves, especially when she echoes the sentiment that what they’ve seen is something to look forward to - something he needs to make sure comes to be. His features adopt a scowl. Not out of anger, but frustration and worry. Should he be mapping out a plan right now? Does he take what Lance is showing him as sufficient proof? Is this all truly his obligation and role in life?

  The myriad of questions eventually rile his anxiety just enough to make him clench his fists tightly. That is, until he feels Wonder Girl’s hand upon his shoulder.

  His hands loosen as his head whips to look her direction, a sense of uncertainty and worry present on his face visible on his features. A show of his inner weakness. In disgust of looking at her with such a pitiful state, he tightens up his expression and turns his head away. Though, he does acknowledge her concern for him by lifting a hand to rest it atop of hers. "... Everything is fine, Cassie. I’m glad... For this. Supergirl and Superman will be more happy to hear about this." He assures nonchalantly.

  Afterwards, his attention shifts back to Lance, who’s walking out of the memory to join them out in the hallway. "I just want to check one more thing. Do you have a memory of a family get together? Particularly one with Kal-EL and Kara." He asks.

  "Oh. Yeah, I do! Last year’s Christmas! C’mon, I’ll take you to it." The boy enthusiastically informs before taking off into a sprint down the hall. At his own walking pace, Kon-EL follows behind. Soon enough, the boy reaches the door he has in mind and opens it. Kon-EL enters after Lance and finds himself within a cozy house with holiday decorations all around, as well as ten people within it. As he treads further inside, he realizes that out of those ten people, there’s two in particular he’s never seen before. An older blonde and a middle-age ravenette. "Huh? Who’s that lady sitting on the arm of the couch beside me?" Kon-EL questions while pointing toward the woman with short black hair.

  "You don’t know? That’s Grandma Jol-EL." Lance answers. He earns nothing short of a heavily skeptical frown.

  "Grandma? That’s not even possible... I don’t have parents and I’m almost sure that’s not Wonder Girl’s mom." He informs. Though, he does spare a moment to look over his shoulder to ask for clarity.

  "...Is it?"

  She discerns Kon’s eyes dedicating it’s focus on the two individuals sitting next to each other. Tracing to and from, Cassie approaches whilst listening to his question of concern arise from behind. The girl wonder scrutinizes the woman with sure intensity, unsure whether this was her mother or not.

  "Mom never did sport the short hair, it was always long and pin straight. But I can’t exactly tell. A matter of fact, I can’t really tell who anyone is... apart from you, Kon." Her gaze fashionably circles back to Superboy, regrettably unable to offer an answer. "I feel everyone is completely new to me."

  Instinctively, she brushes her fingers against the woman as it phases through what still appears to be a digital form. "It’d be the first to see mom gathering for Christmas like this. As far as I can remember, she wasn’t really there. Work and all, you know. Gotta keep the bills paid!" A timid chuckle breaks free, veiling those moments where Cassie would spend Christmas alone. "But hey, the team back home makes it worthwhile! It’s all good!"

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  It’s quite fair that Wonder Girl wouldn’t know everyone in that cozy home. Yet. But there are at least familiar faces indulging in the festivities of Christmas spirit - those being Kal-EL, Kara, Conner, herself, and the two children of theirs. The rest? A much older Jon, Lois Kent, Kara’s mom, and the mysterious woman whose name is ’Jol-EL’. The last being the most attention-grabbing mystery of them. Especially when Cassie informs Conner that there’s little to no chance that the woman is the blonde’s mother.

  "I see." He answers to acknowledge the analysis given. Then his eyes shift toward the boy again. "You said her name was ’Jol-EL’? Is she a Kryptonian, too?" Conner prods.

  "Yeah, she is. She tells us stories about how she used to be Superwoman back in her old world. You call her ’mom’, too. Do you... Really not know who she is?" Lance questions in turn after providing an answer. Though, the boy’s choice of phrasing puzzles him a bit. Well, THAT and the mention that the woman holds the alias of ’Superwoman’.

  "Her old world? Do you... Know what she meant by that? Did she explain anything about it to you?" He counter questions.

  "She told us that you and her are from a different place and got separated." The boy answers. Such a response makes Kon-EL’s eyes perk up as potential realizations begin flooding in. Of course he internally questions what he’s being told, but he has to concede - to remember that he awakened to a world that doesn’t know his name with amnesia. Is this the missing link to his elusive past, he wonders. That woman very well can be his actual mother. There’s similarities that he can see between her and his future self while they sit beside one another.

  "Huh... Is that... How I knew my name was Kon-EL? And why no one knew me?" He ponders out loud while pressing his right hand thumb under his chin and his finger vertically under his lower lip. He wonders if this suggests that she comes looking for him at some point? Will that been soon, even? The possibility instills some uplifting hope inside of him. Though, he tries not to fall victim to naivety.

  "Okay. I’ve seen enough. Let’s go back to the real world again." He announces. With a nod from the boy, the psyche plain relieves their minds and returns all three of them to their senses. Back to the cafeteria within the Hall of Justice.

  "Ugh..." The sudden shift gives Kon-EL a slight sense of whiplash that he has to shake off. Along with it comes a change of heart. Once he’s aware of his surroundings again, his attention shifts over to Korra, who’s been watching them idly stand around, and beckons the girl over with a hand.

  "C’mere." He instructs. Though taken by surprise, the girl does approach him, even if sheepishly. With the two siblings now in front of him, he speaks his thoughts to them both. "...I’m sorry. I’m sorry I made you two cry." He apologizes with a just as apologetic look on his face. In the next moment, Korra lunges forward to hug him tightly.

  "I’m sorry I made you angry, papa." His daughter sincerely apologizes in turn.

  "Yeah... Sorry, dad." Lance gives one of his own and joins his sister in embracing their father. And top it all off - the hammer that smashes the thinning ice around his heart - is the further affection Korra gives by peppering several kisses against his cheek and then hugging him even tighter.

  "Haaah..." A heavy breath escapes Kon-EL’s lips as his emotions swell up. His wraps an arm each of them and embraces them in kind. He shuts his eyes, seemingly basking in the moment, but inside he’s struggling.

  "Goddamn it, Kon-EL... Don’t cry... Don’t you dare cry." He scolds himself internally. The display brings newfound smiles of approval onto Kal-EL & Kara’s faces.

  After a long warm moment, Conner secures his hold on the two kids, allowing his forearms to serve as seats for them, and rises to stand at his full height again. "Let’s go hang out and talk for a bit before it’s bedtime." He proposes. Then, he turns toward Cassy. A brief moment of silence creeps in, but he eventually finds the nerve to ask her the question on his mind.

  "Do you wanna come, too?"

  ~~~~~~~~

  To see them cheerful within a loving embrace, it cushions the girl’s heart — conveying the most sincere but lighthearted smile in response.

  ’Remember, these... are allegedly my kids, too? Kinda weird but... cool.’

  Cassie became that much more bashful the moment Kon-El aims to connect her attention to his. She only stood a few feet away, but she did not want to intrude in their moment. It was wholesome, it’d practically be criminal to intercede! But Kon-El did exactly just that, extending an invitation for Wonder Girl to join in on their next adventures.

  She sheepishly points at herself, "Oh, you mean me? Are you sure! I don’t mind meeting up later! Have your moment!" No, she wants to go. She really wants to. "I mean, yeah?" A whiplash response, one she was not aware of being completely audible. "Y-yeah! Sure! I’ll come! Why not, right!"

  ’Stop being weird, Cass.’

  She saunters over, hands clasping together whilst they rest over her chest. "Let’s go then, together." Eyes finally meet closely, content and welcoming.