Lois sat watching Clark's chest rise and fall. She couldn't bring herself to leave his side for a second. She hadn't been there for him before, and now she felt she could never leave him again. He had been in so much pain and torment. He had been put through things no one should ever have to face, and he had to find a way to live again.

She picked up the bowl of water on the table and dabbed the cold flannel on the cuts and bruises on his face. Sighing with regret she placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

His eyes flew open and he stared up at her in terror. He scrambled off of the sofa, falling hard onto the floor, but managing to pick himself up and crawl to the dark corner of the living room. Here he brought his knees up to his chest and covered his face in his hands.

Lois let the tears fall freely as she approached his shivering form slowly. 'It's okay,' she said softly. She tried to touch his hand but he yanked it away and cradled it like it had just been burned. He looked into her eyes and she begged silently for him to see the love and comfort she was trying to provide. His eyes squinted and for a moment he seemed to recognise that this was the woman he loved. But a cold and dark cloud passes over his eyes and he began to shake his head. 'No no no no…' he repeated closing his eyes and banging his head against the wall.

Lois turned away. It was like there was nothing left of him.

*********

One week earlier

"I'm sorry Lois, I'll try and be there as soon as I can," Clark said, hanging up the phone.

Lois sat alone in their favourite restaurant, 'The Blue Palm.' It was one saved for special occasions, and tonight was their anniversary. Lois had even bought a gorgeous shoulder strapped blue dress that fell slinkily down her petit form. She knew it'd knock him out if he were here. But he wasn't. Her plate was empty, and she knew she'd have to leave soon or people would really start to feel sorry for her… or think she was insane sitting alone all dressed up. It only took her a while because she still had hope that maybe he'd show up in time for dessert and it could still be romantic. But she was being stupid. She knew this night would go the same as most, and she'd be asleep by the time he got home. She always told him to just wake her up, but he never did. He thought it was chivalry, she thought it was cowardice.

It was hard to ever be mad at Clark, but then she never really was. Just sad. Sad about their life and the situation they had to, no she had to put up with. Disappointment had become a regular thing in her life. And they couldn't even talk about it because it would never change. He would tell her he would try to make more of an effort, but every time he went off to save someone it's not like she could complain.

She sighed, wiped her mouth with her napkin, and finished off the last of her wine. She told one of the waitresses that if Clark Kent showed up, to tell him she had gone home. She hoped that would be enough.

***********

Clark's heart was pounding as he flew over metropolis. That had been a close one. A few seconds later and all those people would have been crushed by that building. As it was, everyone had managed to get out of the hotel safely and superman had managed to clear up the wreckage so that the area was safe. The police investigate the cause or the structure falling down, and the paramedics would be able to treat anyone with minor injuries. Clark could finally go and find Lois and have a nice romantic night. If she even wanted to anymore. He wouldn't tell her but every time he came back and she looked at him with that sadness in her eyes as though she had just spent the last hour trying not to cry, it just killed him. He knew something had to change. He just didn't know what. If only there wasn't just him to do the job. But this was his responsibility only, and he had to continue with it. But Lois' shouldn't have to go through this. She deserved to be with someone all the time. To have a dinner on their anniversary and be adored.

He touched down in an alley he knew was near the restaurant. It was 11, he knew he was too late, but he wanted to indulge a little. He still hoped. He whizzed out of his costume and did up his tie a little, making sure he was totally Clark Kent before he left the alley.

Clark took two steps and then stopped. Had he just heard a footstep that wasn't his own?

He turned around and scanned behind him. There was a women there in the shadows.

"Who's there?" He said in his most demanding voice.

The women giggled but didn't move out of the shadows. Clark started to move towards her when two fairly strong men grabbed his arms. He knew he could throw them off in a second but didn't want to give away his identity yet. They can't have seen him change or they wouldn't think holding his arms was an effective idea.

The women started to come forward.

"Hi, Mr Kent," she said in a sickly sweet voice. He knew she was attractive, even through the unkempt hair and days old make up. She wore ripped jeans and a baggy long sleeved t-shirt. In a strange way she had the same features as Lois, though Lois was much more beautiful.

"What do you want?" He asked, trying to seem more scared than he was.

"I want you to join my club. It won't make sense yet. It will in a week or so of torture. We've all been through it. Some of us because of you, some of us just because. But you're a prime candidate, cause we can see you have a lot to loose to. And that's the only way it works. You have to know."

Clark had heard enough. He kicked one of the men in the shin and through the other one over his shoulder, with just the strength he thought he ought to have if he were powerless.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to report you three to the police," he said matter of factly, as he drew out his phone and began to dial 99… he got so dizzy he couldn't see the screen anymore. Then he was on the floor and the men were kicking him. In the chest, stomach, back, face. He felt a tooth split and wondered how, and then that blood smell came up from all around him, invading his nose, shocking him with the knowledge he was bleeding before he passed out.

***********

Lois woke up alone the next morning. Just another disappointment. She checked the tv news, but nothing about superman. Maybe he just had to save a cat from a tree. She got dressed for work, made coffee, toast and climbed into the car, all the time wondering how long she could put up with the loneliness. She just hoped Perry had a good story for her to work on today.

**********

"I'm telling you there is something in this," Jimmy exclaimed in frustration. "Anna's sister was kidnapped when she was a kid, tortured, and now she's gone again. I did some checking, and the last 7 missing persons had traumatic experiences in the past. Domestic violence, rape, even prison bullying so bad they lost an eye. And they are all gone again. Except…"

"Except what? If you want me to put someone on your girlfriend's case, you gotta tell me everything," Perry said. He didn't seem too impressed. It all seemed a little unconnected.

"Well the really weird thing is, some of the missing people told friends or family that they were being stalked. Said they were being asked to join some club. And they all described this women," Jimmy said, pointing at a picture of an attractive brunette. "She went missing from a mental institution a month ago. She's been in there since she was 17. Chief, she was kidnapped by a psychopath, and they kept her as a play thing for 2 years. Her parents died while she was gone. Her boyfriend married someone else," Jimmy looked like he was about to freak out.

"Look calm down. Okay, I will put Lois on this case."

"Jimmy's face lightened completely. "Thank you chief, thank you."

**********

Clark started to regain conciousness on a cold hard floor. When he opened his eyes he flinched. A man with one eye was laying down next to him with a sick grin on his face.

"Hello Superman," he said, and lifted Clark to his feet, where he tried shakily to keep his balance. His hands were tied tightly together behind his back with rope, and he could feel the occasional drop of blood falling from his wrists. Panic swept through him when he realised what the man had just called him.

"I… I'm not Superman, I'm just a friend of his, I…" Clark was cut off with a punch to the stomach, he doubled over, winded and the man grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up a little. Clark struggled to regain his breathe between coughs.

"Funny really isn't it, that it took a bunch of insane people to figure you out. But when I'd got out of jail something inside me had clicked you see, and I saw everything clearer, and weirder or course," The man babbled at him. But then Clark realised there were a few others in the room. It was like a hostel or something. People of various ages sat on old broken chairs and ripped sofas, just watching, expressionless.

"And then when Sandi found me, and explained to me that we were free. The torture had set us free. We were the only people with our eyes open, and that made us better. And we should find others and make others, because this was how the world was supposed to evolve. It just all fell into place." There were murmurs of enthusiastic agreement.

"Why am I here?" Clark breathed.

"Personally I just wanna see you burn for what you put me through, sending me to jail," the man said, dropping him and turning away. The woman from earlier approached them. She put a hand on the one eye and said softly, "But you have ascended. You should thank him, just like he will thank all of us when he is done and sees what we see. I chose him because he is the strongest man on the planet, and we need him on our side. We need him turned." She strolled straight up to Clark and held his face with one hand.

"And please stop trying to pretend your not Superman," she said sharply, ripping half his shirt open to reveal his suit.

"His mother made it for him, witch, witches that dance at night in circles of black, like the stars dance in the sky, fucking witch!" screamed a very skinny pale blonde, who was soothed by a petit red headed girl.

"Sit anywhere you like, Clark. This is your home now." Said the woman he assumed was Sandi. And with that she went and joined the two girls on the sofa. They had a little Tv that was playing some soap, and all of them were absorbed. The men of the group were all guarding the door. The didn't seem very sane either. One was wearing pyjamas, and one was muttering to himself. The man with one eye stood in the middle of them just staring at Clark, chewing on something that could have been his own tongue. They were however, all armed.

Clark tried to go through his options in his head. He had no idea where they were. There was just this one room, so anything he did would be seen. Just one door, no windows. In fact it could be a basement. The walls were peeling and mouldy in the corners and there was a metal sink in the corner of the room with a very dusty mirror.

With shock, he realised he didn't know what to do. Lois would know… Oh god Lois, was she alright. Had they hurt her? He was too scared to speak to one of them. They were all crazy. They unsettled him all on mass in a room together, planning god knows what for him. He had to get out of there. How? Clark sat down and leaned against a wall, as far away as he could.

This wasn't like anything he had been through before. Luthor had kidnapped him to kill him. People had tried so many times. But there was something about the way they just continued to watch TV that scared him so much he couldn't think straight. This wasn't simple like saving Lois or escaping death. They didn't seem to want to do anything but keep him there. They weren't angry with him. In fact the two girls seemed to have no interest since the outburst, and he wasn't even sure if that was much. He felt completely hopeless. He knew he had to talk to them.

"What do you want from me?" He asked loudly, hoping Sandi would know he was talking to her.

She turned and looked at him, "Everyone knows Joni should have married Jack, not Dean," she said, as though it answered his question completely.

He sat back in silence now. The one eye man continued to glare at him.

**********

"Yes Jimmy, I will solve this case, jeez don't you have any faith in me," Lois exclaimed. "Have you seen Clark? He's not checked in with me all day, I'm getting worried."

"No sorry, I haven't, but you could ask Perry," Jimmy suggested.

"Yeah, okay."

Lois wandered over towards Perry's office, but stopped by Clark's desk when she saw a bunch of flowers and a card addressed to him. Knowing she probably shouldn't she opened the card, just too curious at who would be sending her husband flowers.

It read:

Dear Clark,

Thank you for an amazing night. You really are a fantastic lover.

Must do it again soon.

S

Xxx

Lois' brain went dead for two second before she went storming into Perry's office.

"Have you seen Clark," she yelled a little too loudly.

"No honey I haven't," he hesitated, "Are you okay?"

She shoved the note at him and when he'd read it and looked at the murderous expression on her face he made her sit down.

"Now this could all be a horrible mistake. Don't go jumping to any conclusions until you see him. I can't believe he would ever cheat on you, he loves you."

Lois' eyes watered. "He didn't make it to dinner, he didn't come home and he hasn't been in to work. What else could it be," she said, a lot calmer now.

"Well I don't mean to make things worse, but you two do seem to get yourselfs into a lot of trouble," at the panic on her face he quickly said "Or maybe he is going to walk through those doors right now, with a perfectly reasonable explanation."

She didn't look too hopeful.

*********

Clark was bruised, bleeding, hands bound, sitting on a cold floor in a room with only one lamp and no other light, being stared at by an escaped mental patient with one eye. But he worried about Lois. Did she even know he was missing yet. He had no idea how long he had been out. In fact how did he pass out. How was he bleeding? They must have kryptonite. Which was making the chances of him escaping even slimmer. He had to do something now.

He stood up and moved slowly towards the door. No one even flinched. In fact when he was standing right next to one of the 'guards' the man closed his eyes and said 'Not listening, not listening,' before wetting his pants. It was the man with one eye he was more worried about.

Trying to get into their frame of mind, Clark said 'I need to go get a change of clothes,' and started towards the door. The one eyed man stuck his gun in Clark's back. "No, you don't." He said simply.

Clark took a second and then threw himself into the one eye. Sandi shrieked at this and her attention caught everyone elses. They all ran at him, knocking him over and piling on each other. There was no sense in their attempt to bring him down but it had worked, and Clark was completely pinned. The one eyed man picked himself up, and the gun and bashed Clark in the head with it's butt. He was out again.

********

Lois sat at home awake hugging a pillow. It was 2 in the morning and still no sign or word from Clark. The suspision rose in her like bile. Was this the real reason for his constantly running off. Did he lie to her sometimes. Pretend it was to save someone when actually he was having an affair?

But no… it didn't feel right. He was Clark, her Clark… she had to trust him. If he couldn't be trusted then no one in the whole world could. God she wished he were here right now, to hold her and tell her everything was alright. Where was he?