*Occurring in the original Superman movie universe, continuing from the conclusion of Superman 2. I have altered the timeline, storyline and ending a little bit (a lot). Your comments are welcome, this is my first piece of writing so I hope you like it.*

Changes to the Movie-verse.

- The story is now set in modern times (2000's)

- Lois doesn't know about Clark Kent's dual identity

- Lex Luthor is free from prison and back in charge of LexCorp

- Lex had a wife throughout the series (unnamed at this point)

- Ursa and Non are dead

- Zod has dialogue after a defeat by Superman and before entering the Phantom Zone

- Superman is aware of his Kryptonian family and heritage

Prologue:

It had been 7 weeks and 4 days since Superman left. Lois kept thinking it was longer, but it didn't matter because she had work to do.

"A Metropolis without Superman, that's something I never thought I would see", she wondered aloud.

Then 6 weeks ago to the day, the man she loved also left. Clark Kent left Metropolis to cover the War in Afghanistan, he has not been heard from in 5 weeks. Missing, presumed dead was the letter that the Kent's received from the U.S. army. I don't know how his parents are so calm about it, as soon as they told me I couldn't hold myself, I burst into tears and just hated everything. At that moment nothing else in the world mattered, not the loss of Earth's mighty defender, not the Pulitzer Prize ceremony and not even the baby she was carrying. I had to tell them.

"I didn't …. know how to tell …. him", I struggled between sobs, "Clark and I spent a night together 3 months ago." The look of horror on the Kent's face was indelible, but I continued, "I'm carrying his child!"

The Kent's weren't happy, nor were they sad, from what I could gather they didn't even hear what I said. They just sat there with an incredulous look on their faces. Suddenly Mr Kent spoke.

"Martha, I just remembered I have to set the combine today, I think you should have some time alone with Lois," he said while he stared at my stomach like it was a time bomb.

I stood up ready to leave, I couldn't believe how rude it was that they were doing this right now, after everything that's happened. I was at the front door when Martha, with seemingly superhuman speed closed the door before I could leave …

"Lois, there's something Clark would want us to tell you," she said with the most serious face I had ever seen.

Lex stared out over Metropolis, pondering. He couldn't believe how wrong he was about Superman. The alien he viewed as a threat this whole time kept this city from disintegrating under its own horrible population, and worse still there was no way to fix what he had done. He was viewed by his peers as a lunatic, his wife had left him, he had nothing left but his money and company. Yet with all of this he still felt so poor.

"I need Superman" Lex exclaimed, "He is the balance in my life. In a way he is part of me."

The Man of Steel wrought so many emotions in Lex, he hated him for taking the spotlight from him, the intellectual saviour of the World. He didn't understand why the alien had chosen earth as his home, or why he felt the need to defend it. It seems like a primordial instinct came alive within the man, he was unnervingly good, there never seemed to be anything malevolent or cunning about him. He was an alien but he was more human than anyone on this earth.