Tales From the Cave-Cindermeg

Happy Birthday

The sun shone into the room as Lex threw back the curtains.  Conner groaned as he sat up in bed.  Ever since Lex had seized him and taken him to live in Luthor Mansion with him, his life had been nothing but rules and schedules.  Everyday, he had to dress up in fancy, uncomfortable clothes, and go to boring stuff like society tea parties and fancy gatherings.  He felt so out of place among these snooty billionaires and their spoiled, shallow daughters, who threw themselves at him.

He didn't like any of these ladies.  All they cared about was looking pretty enough to get a rich husband.  That's why they flirted with Conner.  None of them knew the real him.  They only wanted to be with him because his father was one of the richest people in the world.  Besides, there was only one girl he wanted to be with.

When he closed his eyes, he could see her—her green, heart-shaped face, her shiny brown eyes, her long red tresses.  Before Lex had taken him away, she had been his closet companion.  She had seen past the anger and seen a boy in need of love.  He had tried not to, but Conner had fallen in love with her.  The only thing he regretted was not telling her when he'd had the chance.  He missed M'gann so much.

"Happy birthday, son!", Lex called out.  Conner glared at him as he threw off the covers and got out of bed.  "If it is my birthday, why can't you let me sleep in today of all days?"  "Because I have a very important announcement to make at breakfast!", he said.  "And you must be at the table when I make the announcement!  Breakfast in in thirty minutes!"  He left the room.

Conner got into the shower and washed himself before getting out and drying himself off.  Then he reached into his closet and took out a white button-down shirt, black silk dress pants, and a dark blue satin jacket with red accents.  He slipped into black dress shoes and ran towards the dining room, not even bothering to comb his hair or brush his teeth.

He walked into the dining room, where all of the villains of the Light gathered.  Kaldur and Artemis were there, beside their fathers, Black Manta and Sportsmaster.  After it was revealed she had messed up a mission, Wally had gotten angry and called her " insecure and selfish", further insulting her by keeping the tracker she'd used as the mission souvenir.  He had no idea she'd done it to keep the Team from finding out she was related to criminals.  Feeling unwanted, she'd gone to her father after the Team split up, giving up hope that she would ever be accepted as a hero.  Kaldur, on the other hand, was on a deep undercover mission for Aquaman, fooling everyone else in the Justice Leauge.  It had broken his heart to find Artemis feeling so worthless, and Conner pining over Miss Martian.

Lex smiled when he saw his son enter the room.  "Happy eighteenth birthday, Conner!"  Conner just scowled as he sat in his seat, slouching.  "What did you call us all in here for?"  "I'm throwing you the biggest birthday ball money can buy!"  Conner groaned.  "Please tell me this isn't going to be one of your big social events."  "Oh, no no no!", Lex said, shaking his head and waving his hands.  "Just some close friends...and family...and every eligible young lady in the state of New York."

Conner stood up.  "What?!"  Artemis narrowed her eyes.  "Wait a minute...this isn't some sort of attempt to get Conner to meet someone so he'll get married and you can have grandkids, is it?"  Everyone looked at Lex,  who was whistling innocently and looking up at the ceiling.  He caught his allies' glares and let out a nervous chuckle.  "Ummmm...maybe?"

Conner made his way over to Lex.  "No way!  I'm not going to go through with it!  I'm way too young to get married!"  "But don't you see?  If you reproduce, the Kryptonian gene will be passed onto other children!  All we have to do is provide them with Shields, and I'll be responsible for a Meta race of super-humans!"  Conner shook his head.  "No way, Lex!  I'm nipping this whole thing in the bud, before you reserve anything or book a place or..."

He noticed Lex was whistling and looking at the ceiling again.  "You...already sent out the invitations, didn't you?"  Lex gave Conner a nervous grin.  "I got you a good DJ."  Conner slapped his palm over his forehead.