Arc 1 Chapter 2

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Chapter 2 introduces the city of Metropolis, debut of Clark Kent and Lois Lane

## VoxBox Archives: The Man in the Sky

**Metropolis, DE | October 8 2000 | 0732-2030 EST**

* **[Noisy Muttering]**
* Officer 1: Miss Regan... please move back inside the building so we can discuss this. We don't want to try and pull you inside. We're only asking you to cooperate with us okay? **[zzztt]**
* Civilian 1: Is she going to jump?
* Civilian 2: Hello Sir? **[TZttz** DON'T YOU DARE PUT THAT PHONE DOWN YAH HEAR ME! tzttz**]** Oh okay...
* Civilian 3: Felicity...Oh god... somebody help her please...
* **[Noisy Muttering]**
* Civilian 4: Look! Up in the sky!
* Civilian 5: Is it a bird?
* Civilian 6: It has to be a plane....
* Civilian 7: No... Look! Superman's here!
* **[WOOOSH]**
* **[Noisy Muttering] [Crowd Cheering]**
* Superman: Jumper?
* Officer 2: Yep, Felicity Regan.
* Superman: What happened?
* Officer 2: From what we can figure, she suffered from depression after she lost her mom. Unfortunately her therapist was late today... so she came here to end it.. poor kid must have thought that the therapist gave up on her.
* Officer 3: Don't suppose you'd like to go up there and grab her for us would you?
* Superman: No... but I'll try talking to her.

**[Above POV]**

* **[Light Breeze] [SWiiish]**
* **[Light whimpering]**
* Superman: Hello Felicity.
* Superman: I thought that we could talk for a bit. I understand that you've been going through a lot lately and--
* Felicity: NO! Don't you dare touch me! That's what you want right? Wait for me to drop my guard then you grab me and take me back down there by force! Be-Because you can! Because you're stronger than me! Because YOU know I can't stop you! **[sniffle]**
* Felicity: **[sniffle]** Somebody told me that when you give your word you never break it. Is it true? IS IT?
* Superman: Yes...
* Felicity: Then... I want your word. I want you to promise me, that you won't take me down there by force... a-and if I jump... if I choose to jump, d-don't try to catch me. **[sniffle]**
* Felicity: If you do that. I'll consider talking to you...
* Superman: ...
* Superman: I give you my word. I won't stop you and I won't take you back down by force either.

**[Below POV]**

* Officer 3: I thought he was gonna bring her down. What's he doing up there?
* Officer 2: Dude said he was gonna talk to her.
* Officer 3: About what? The view!?
* Officer 1: Ah come on, lay off guys... **[beep]** Shelly cancel that backup we're all good...
* "Shelly": **[Beep]** Copy that.

**[Above POV]**

* Felicity: **[Sniff]** A-after I buried my mom. I stood there, after everybody had left. I thought, is this it...I mean is this all there is? I've been working my ass off in college and pushed all my friends away just so that I can provide a comfortable life for her... **[sniff]** Is this IT? Is that what we're HERE for? What's the point? **[sniff]**
* Felicity: When I graduated high school, I thought-- WE all thought, we're gonna go and do great things... **[sniff]**
* Felicity: haha... If somebody said "Hey, you're going to pump gas for the rest of your life" or "Better get used, cleaning up for people, cause that's gonna be your whole life after this" we'd've laughed at them
* Felicity: **[sniff]** IT'S NOT FAIR! NONE OF IT IS FAIR! AND DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME IT IS!
* Superman: I-I won't. Because I think you're right. Many good people die, yet the most bitter and sinister ones still live. Life isn't fair, but it isn't unfair either. It just... is.
* Felicity: That's it? **[sniff]** That's the best you can do. "It's neither fair nor unfair, it just is--"
* Superman: Because that's the truth. You're right when you say that we all come out of high school thinking we're going to save the world... and sometimes we do. And sometimes--**[light sigh]**
* Superman: --sometimes we don't. So don't think about saving the world. But think about saving just one person...
* Superman: Because sometimes that's enough... All I know is that we have to try. That's what life is. We try. We try to push back against the darkness just a little. We--
* Felicity: ca-can we just not talk about this anymore... My head hurts. I-I just want to-- I just want to rest for a bit.
* Superman: Okay, I'll be here when you're ready to talk again.

* Felicity: can you have them turn that off? it's hurting my eyes...
* Superman: **[nods]** Officers! can you kindly turn the lights off!
* Officer 2: Oh uhhh... sure?
* **[Powering down]**
* Felicity: That's better. Thank you.
* **[Silence]**
* Felicity: Lots of people down there huh...
* Superman: Yes. I've seen countless people get splattered on the sidewalk before... Are you sure you want to to do that to them?
* Felicity: I-I don't know... I feel like I don't know anything anymore. I don't know what to do...
* Superman: can I make a suggestion then?
* Superman: A friend of mine, many years ago took her own life. She was terminally ill, everyday was agony for her. Then she decided that one day, without question that-- she would never experience a happy day again. And she well... guess you could say she checked out her cards early. I understood why she did it. But I didn't approve, still don't but I understood the reasoning behind it...
* Superman: If you honestly believe in you're heart that you will never, ever have another happy day again... Then step into the air. I'll keep my promise and won't try to stop you.
* Superman: However, if you think that there is still a chance-- No Matter how small--that there might be just ONE more happy day waiting for you out there. Then take my hand.
* Superman: But before you do it... I'll just let you know that your doctor really did get held up Felicity. He didn't abandon you... Life is never as bad as it seems. You're much stronger than you think you are...

* Felicity: **[slowly takes his hand]** guhh...
* Superman: It'll be alright. You're safe. You're safe now...
* Felicity: **[bawling her eyes out]**

* **[Felicity cried until midnight]**
* Felicity: **[sniffle]** I-I'm sorry for keeping you with me for so long **[sniffle]** I know that you have other places to be... **[sniffle]**
* Superman: No it's okay. Here I'll give you my number, just call or text me if you need anything. I'll be there right away, I promise.
* Felicity: **[sniffle]** O-okay...
* Superman: Officers take care of her for me.
* Officer 2: Got it, oh and uhh thanks.
* Superman: Anytime.
* **[WOOSH]**

**[At a nearby restaurant]**

* Clark: I-I'm so sorry that I'm late... there was this thing and...
* Lois: Why're you apologizing Clark? We've been dating for months now, I've gotten used to your whole disappearing act. Plus I know how important your other 'job" is...
* Clark: I'll make it up to you, I promise...
* Lois: Great! It's a date then.
* Lois: Oh yeah, I almost forgot Bruce called earlier. He said he wanted to discuss something with you...
* Clark: Uh-Huh, but I believe that can wait. I just want to spend some time with you right now.
* Lois: Sure, but this time let's just go home and order take out...
* Clark: R-right. Oh! how about Indian food?
* Lois: Anything's fine, just make sure YOU'RE paying for it this time... **[giggle]**

## [Trivia & Notes]

### Trivia:

* Most of chapter 2 were adapted from the events of *Superman Grounded #701* and *All Star Superman #10*
* Felicity Regan is a composite character of Felicity Rose and Regan from the respective issues that this chapter was based on.