Orokid: Hey! I just got done with this at 10:45 PM Florida time, since that is where I've spent my summer vacation for all this time. Lol. I got a little bored, and this seemed like a good fanfiction idea after reading the book (haven't really seen the movie yet… heh heh…) since I kinda read Lois's article (what they had the script or whatever, cause I don't really know how the Hell books are written from scripts) of "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman". That's exactly why I decided to write this- A World Without Clark Kent. Basically, this was my idea:

Clark knows that Lois doesn't really want him and knows that she's given up most of her hope on Superman as well. He thinks that he can get back the adoration of the world, of Lois, although he knows that he doesn't deserve it really, by being ONE personality rather than two. He knows that it might not work, but he's willing to make the sacrifice.

It didn't really work out that way, but you'll see why- and you might get the idea about what I may have planned- although please tell me, cause I don't really know what that is either. Lol.

Disclaimer: I do not own Superman or any of the characters mentioned in this fanfiction, although that WOULD be awesome. In reality, it belongs to two Jewish guys, and I really don't know what I am, so that is definitely not me. Lol. ANYWAY, please read and review my story, because I WILL love you forever and ever, and then maybe give you guys a cookie too!

A World Without Clark Kent

Chapter One

Death

To tell the truth, he hadn't known why he had come back to the Earth after all those years in space. At first, it had been the hope that the world would still need him after his absence, but Lois's article had shot down that hope. Next, he thought that his real self was needed to exist in the world, but all he had done was get his job back and start writing obituaries for people who hadn't even kicked the bucket yet- not exactly the job he had left at all. Lastly, he had thought that he had come back for the people who had loved him, but his mother was leaving for Montana soon with her boyfriend and Lois had birthed a son that she should be proud of with a man who was her fiancé.

So why was he back in Metropolis, donning the suit of the Man of Steel and writing death notes for those still alive? He didn't know, but he just figured that it was something he hadn't yet figured out, and he now had to so he knew just why he was still living amongst the humans of Earth.

It was true that he had nearly killed himself when he had shot New Krypton out into orbit, and even truer yet that he had stopped Lex Luthor from destroying the human race as they knew it. He had negated the hugest mass murder in the turn of the century, but there had to be something more than the red cape and blue latex, and the gold and red "S" that was found upon his chest.

At least, there should've been more. There should've been much more.

Ever since he had gotten back, the existence of Clark Kent, the bumbling fool who could write faster than just about everyone in the world, was waning in his subconscious. Of course, he wanted to live a normal life, but to have one meant that he had to be just like everyone else- normal, without powers and the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound. That, in itself, seemed to be an impossible feat for a man like him, born with the blood of a race that had been destroyed long, long ago, and finding even a particle of normalcy was more than improbable.

Flying high in the moonlit night, it seemed as though the world was sleeping under the watchful eye of God himself. It was true that he despised being called an overlord and such, as well as a "savior" (as Lois had so keenly put it in that award winning article of hers), but a single man flying high above the twinkling city he tried so hard to protect was a sight in itself, saying such things that he didn't quite like. But it was there that he made his decision, whether anyone had a complaint about it or not.

The unneeded man, as well as the unwanted hero, was to combine on this very night to create one being- someone he hoped more than anything would be needed somewhere in this world. It was the only way he could think up to make such a powerful emotion like loneliness go away, although he did know that it may or may not work to his hopes and dreams.

Tonight would be the last night he'd ever feel a sense of normalcy, and so he believed that a bottle of whiskey was needed- although he wasn't sure if it was a congratulatory one or not.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lois couldn't get to sleep that night, and she couldn't understand why, as the clock on the kitchen wall chimed four times to tell her what time of the morning that it was ((AN: 4 AM)). She had been hovering over her cup of coffee, which was now as warm as the night outside of her quaint little home, for so many hours now that she had forgotten at what time she had awoken.

All she remembered now, in the silence of the coldest night of the year, was the faint feeling of dread creeping up on her. Her first course of action, as a mother, was to check upon her four year-old son and how he was fairing up to the winter night. She had assumed, after she had found him fine and dandy in a blanket cocoon, that it had merely been because of her worries, and how wound up she had been for the entire last week- the ceremony for her award, the article deadline, Lex's millionth attempt to take control of the world and kill billions of human lives for the single purpose of making other's fear his wrath, etc. Made sense, right? At least, it did until she tried to settle back into the comforts of both her fiancé's arms and their bed. Obviously, since she could not fall into her well-needed dreams, there had to be some other issue that she had to deal with that she hadn't quite gotten to yet.

Her mind had been racing faster than it ever had in her entire life, and she could only think that it was because this had been the deepest feeling of dread that had come upon her in her thirty some years. She could figure that something big was going to happen, but it wasn't as though she knew whether this 'thing' would affect her or not. Deep inside, where that fear had manifested itself, she had a feeling that it would, although she couldn't prove it.

By the time the clock had chimed five times, claiming that it was near sunrise about then, her mind had gone to the one who had done so much for her. Sure, she had been at her angriest- a scary sight, she had been told- when she had written that article about why the would did NOT need a Superman to save them from every trouble, but that didn't mean that she was going to hold a grudge against him any longer than she had. Although she had been irritated and mad, there had been no way she could have exploded at him while he watched her with those sparkling baby blue eyes and smiled with the straight and perfect white teeth. As much as she had wanted to when he had saved her, as well as many other reporters (since that DOES tend to slip her mind from time to time), yet again from her inevitable death that it would've been on that spacecraft only a week ago, those captivating eyes and smile stopped the thought before it had even formed.

It was almost too easy for him to sneak past her defenses, and she hated it so much how he could do such a talent without her permission- but it was harder not to love him more for that same ability. And, because of that, she had to ask a question to herself whenever he tended to be around-

Why did he have to be such a contradiction to everything she had thought she had known, back when things made sense?

The answer to that question was as simple as snapping your fingers or riding a bike that had gotten training wheels put upon the back wheel, or even pointing at something strange. And this was it:

She loved him. She hated herself for it more than anyone could know, but she couldn't ever love anyone- not even Richard, who had taken his spot- as much as she adored him.

Sighing, she took a sip of her coffee finally, only to spat it out due to it's bitter cold taste. Why, oh why, did that taste seem familiar to her, when all she wanted to do was forget it?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was quite early in the morning when Lois had entered the Daily Planet, to her lonely desk that reminded her of what she had left at home, only to find that feeling of dread that had kept her awake all night bothering her once again.

It was true that it was a first that she had ever walked in without bothering Jimmy to photo this or that, or to get her a steaming cup of dark coffee, let alone the fact that she rarely ever walked through those doors earlier than ten or eleven. But, having no sleep for however long that had been, it had left her feeling restless. And that feeling returning only made that restlessness within her a bit more bothered than before. What was going to happen today, in this place she called home more often than the one in the suburbs?

Her eyes moved hastily about, and she noticed nothing out of the ordinary- other than the fact that Smallville, as she had so lovingly called him for much of their first year together in their certain workplace, was missing from his desk. He was known for his perfect attendance, and she was sure that it had been the same during his school-going years, and he wasn't known to miss a day of work. Sure, he disappeared from time to time, but always came back and acted as though nothing had ever happened, but there was something about this certain day or so that disturbed her.

As the man with the camera tried to walk past her without saying a word, obviously nervous about something or another, her hand had shot up to catch his arm, forcing him to stay around. His groan, like everything else, made her worry increase, and she knew she should because he only did that when there was a reason to kill him. "Where's Clark, Jimmy? He should be here, right?"

He shuffled nervously from side to side, biting down on his bottom lip, doing his best not to catch her eye- which didn't work, considering that was the moment she had taken a hold of his face and made him look at her.

"Where's Kent, Jimmy? You know everything- from calls to Perry to the addresses of where everyone lives- so you shouldn't have a problem answering me with this one."

He closed his eyes, a tear escaping his stronghold as he did so, only to look up at her with his bottom lip close to trembling.

Oh God, there's something wrong with Clark, isn't there? she thought to herself, doing her best to fight off the over-worrying. No, no. Something must be bothering Jimmy, because nothing can happen to Clark, right? He's just home sick, right? Right? He… He just has to be, because… well, Clark is… well… I don't know what he is, but he's a friend!

"C.K. is… is d-dead, Lois", he told her softly, another tear falling down his cheek, him unable to hold it back. "He… Something was happening with his mother, and he was going to see her in Montana, and… and… the plane he was riding in… well…" He started to sob, collapsing against her, and she could feel his heart breaking, as well as her own for some reason, at the news.

Well, there was a reason- he had been their friend and now… now he was…

"Superman was settling a fire in the everglades, and… and…" The man broke into pieces again, hugging her legs since they could not make her waist in his current position. "He didn't make it in time to- to…"

"Jimmy, stop. It's okay." She was trying to tell herself that as well, but, as much as she was sure it was working for him, it was working the same with her. She couldn't stop herself from shedding a few tears herself, but she was trying her hardest to hold them back from everyone's sight- she'd be damned to have her reputation of 'the woman that never cries for anything' ruined, even during such a tragic event as this. "You… you don't have to continue. I… I know it's hard, so… stop. Please."

Her chest seemed to tighten as she once again turned to look at his desk, soon to be emptied and trashed like they usually were in such situations like this, although she hadn't quite expected to find one ever again since the Man of Steel's appearance in Metropolis, but that didn't help her now- what happened had happened, and there was no way to reverse time to make it stop.

She wished so much that she could've though.

Holding one another, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen held onto one another and found each other sobbing, but they didn't judge, or care for that matter. Today, they would celebrate his life, for as long as he had lived it, and that was a promise.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, outside of the Daily Planet home office…

Superman's cool fingers touched the glass pane he had once found escape with over the years, and his forehead touched the building. It was true that he was hovering about twenty stories above the ground, but that didn't matter much right at that moment. All that mattered to him now was how everyone was taking the news, which he had settled into the information bank, all thanks to the hacking skills his friend had lent him at the last moment.

Sighing, he whispered three words before hovering off to another section of town-

"I'm sorry, Lois."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Orokid: what do you think? Does pure boredom do well with my A.D.D. mind? Lol. Jk.

Anyway, I would like to know what you guys think about it, cause that's exactly why I'm posting it. So, in other words, I'd like everyone who reads this (although I know you won't, cause barely anyone does anymore ((cries)) no matter how much I want them to…) to review my lovely, non-betaed fanfiction. That would be great. Thanks!

In case you don't know how, click purple-blue button below after- going to Write a Review (or whatever the Hell that's called, cause I don't remember all too well…), write what you think, and THEN click it. Thanks again! ((Grins))