[ Jack's breath catches slightly as Kal describes a nearly identical situation from the other side of what the spirit feels. And he'd be lying to say that a flash of anger didn't jolt through him, on Kon's behalf, that someone else had to go through the same thing-- only to be followed by a terrible, shameful relief that somewhere, Jack wasn't the only one who'd had to endure that.

Both gut reactions make him feel terrible, choke off his words for a moment.

That's twice now that Kal has said something extremely profound to Jack and he wants, so much, to latch onto it like he did last time... but he's wary. It didn't prevent him from screwing up this time, why would it be any different in the future? This will just happen again and again, exactly as Pitch predicted. He's been a lot more damaged by this whole incident than he lets on because it placed stress on cracks that have been skating below the surface for much longer than anyone realizes. ]

You can't speak for everyone, Kal-El. It's just better if I... don't. I can't ask anyone else to trust what I can do when I don't even trust it myself.