Superman A.S: One Engagement and a Funeral
Summary: Fourth story in my Superman A.S series. 6 months after Lois learned the truth about him Clark is trying to work up the nerve to propose to her but little does he know that his Doomsday is approaching.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters I use in this story.
Author's Note: Yes I'm back to my Superman A.S series. I'll point out that I started this series a while back during Smallville's 7th season so it doesn't follow everything that has happened on the show since. Anyway here is that death of Superman story I promised at the end of my third instalment of this series.
He's been thinking about it for weeks but he just can't think of the right way to do it. He's certainly going to do it differently to the way he proposed to Lana, he has to unless…would Lois be impressed by him crushing a lump of coal into a diamond?
Clark thinks about that. Why had he done it that way for Lana? He had wanted to show her what he was capable of doing but he doesn't need to do that for Lois. Maybe he should buy a ring this time but isn't him making one himself more personal? Oh he really needs some advice.
"Honey" his mother speaks. Clark is visiting her in Smallville. At this moment he's sitting in the barn.
"Hey mom"
"Are you alright?" she asks him. She can always tell when he is troubled.
Should he ask his mother about his problem? "I have a lot on my mind" he answers her with.
"Have you talked to Lois about it?"
"No because this has to do with Lois" he takes a breath. "I'm going to ask her to marry me"
Martha breaks out into a huge smile "Oh honey that's wonderful." She sees Clark isn't smiling "What's the matter?"
"I don't know how to do it or when to do it or where? I mean I should know shouldn't I?"
Martha shakes her head "Clark you're trying to think up some perfect scenario, it rarely works like that"
"I know. After what happened on that day I erased and me and Lana I really should know but this is Lois. I just want it to be perfect for once"
Clark had told Martha all about that day. "Don't force it honey. You'll find that the perfect moment will just come along"
"I should probably get a ring first"
Martha takes her right hand and pulls the engagement ring off her left hand. "Here"
"No mom. That's the ring dad gave you. I can't take that" Clark protests.
"Clark, your father thought of Lois like a daughter. Besides Clark this is my engagement ring, I still have my wedding ring. Your father would want to see you happy." Martha holds out the ring and Clark reluctantly takes it.
"Thank you mom. That doesn't seem adequate"
Martha hugs him "You don't need to thank me just remember to invite me to the wedding"
"That goes without saying" Clark tells her.
Chloe watches Lois pace around her apartment again. How many times has she had to endure this? Every time Lois and Clark have an issue here her cousin is wearing a hole through the floor. "So what is it this time Lois?"
"I think Clark is going to propose to me"
"How do you know that?"
"Because I can read him like a book"
"So what are you going to say then?"
"Well yes obviously. I love him"
Chloe was very confused "So what's with the pacing?"
"I'm not wife material" she says while she bites her nails.
Chloe shakes her head "Lois you've been living together for months now. You're married in all but name"
"Something will go wrong. Something always ends up interrupting our special moments. I mean Lana showed up on our first date and then Metallo showed up after our first night together"
"Hey you never told me that" Chloe says sounding hurt.
"Oh please Chloe. Don't put the act on. I know Kara told you about it" Lois says reprimanding her cousin.
"Well I didn't get all the details" Chloe points out.
"And you're not going to. I am not discussing our sex life with you Chloe"
"Oh that bad huh?" Chloe teases.
"For your information Clark happens to be a very thoughtful and caring lover once we got over his initial nervousness." In fact if Lois was going to be truthful Clark was probably the best lover she had ever had but she knows it is wrong to compare him to anyone else.
"Afraid he would hurt you" Chloe remarks at the nervousness comment.
Lois stares at Chloe shocked "He talks to you about stuff like this!?"
Chloe shrugs "Who else is there? It is a very unique problem"
"Was. Was a unique problem. We resolved it"
"Yeah that explains the goofy smile he has most mornings when he gets into work."
"Hey is it my fault I happen to be that good? I think not and oh my god I can't believe I'm talking to you about this"
"Ok I'll stop but just think you're the woman that actually lives out the fantasy of every straight woman on this planet except for me. I have Jimmy."
"Fantasy?" Lois asks.
"Sleeping with Superman" Chloe points out.
"Oh right. Sorry I stopped thinking of him like that. He's just Clark to me and you know I hate those tabloid rags that speculate what Clark is like in bed. I mean honestly don't they have better rubbish to write about"
"You would only know that if you actually read them Lois" Chloe points out to her.
"Erm well. You see one of the interns brought it in and I couldn't stand listening to her gossip about Clark, Superman so I grabbed it off of her and I may have read it. It was completely off the mark anyway"
"What? Clark can't make love for hours on end?" Chloe asks continuing to tease her cousin.
"Of course he can." Lois snaps back at Chloe causing a smug grin to appear on Chloe's face. "Chloe!" Lois warns her after she realises what Chloe did there.
"Ok I'll stop this time. I promise. Lets get back on subject. So when he proposes you'll say yes. Therefore you are here wearing a hole in my rug why?"
Lois thinks about it and shrugs "I don't know. Why am I nervous? I mean I love him. I love him like no-one I have ever loved before. God what is wrong with me Chloe? I should be dancing about with happiness"
"Nothing Lois. Trust me I was nervous before Jimmy proposed and I saw that coming a mile away just like you did this. I think it is a woman's prerogative to be nervous. Or you could just ask him instead"
Lois actually smiles "No. I may not be a traditional woman in many ways Chloe but I want Clark to be the one to propose to me"
"That's actually kind of a sweet sentiment Lois. So when do you think he'll work up the nerve to do it?"
Lois shakes her head "Who knows. This is Clark Kent we are talking about. The man who took 2 years to ask me out even though he was madly in love with me"
Chloe hits Lois across the back of the head.
"Hey! What was that for?" Lois asks while she rubs her head.
"You ignored him for those 2 years and you were the one who asked him out" Chloe reminds her.
"Technically yes but he was about to ask me out anyway. I just got there first and I did not ignore him for those 2 years. I gave Superman my full attention. He just didn't have the guts to tell me he was Superman"
Chloe rolls her eyes and sighs disapprovingly "Lois we are not having this discussion again are we?"
Lois shakes her head "No we're not. Yes I know. Superman is what he can do and Clark Kent is who he is but in my defence it was spending time with Clark that got me over my Superman infatuation and my Superman infatuation only lasted a year, 18 months tops"
"Ok fine. I'll concede that but you didn't exactly encourage him did you?"
"No I guess not. It is just I had this image of who I thought I would end up with and Clark wasn't on it, at least not at first. I always appreciated his friendship though and can I say one more thing?"
Chloe nods.
"When he left for those 5 years I was a little hurt and angry at him. It took some time before I forgave him"
"How much time?" Chloe asks.
"Erm for about a week after he got back. I just can't stay mad at him. It must be his other super power" Lois comments.
The next day at the planet Clark is sitting at his desk fiddling with the ring in his fingers. How does he ask her? He peers at the time. 8.57. He gives Lois another hour at least. She is never in on time especially when he isn't around to get her up. Superman was busy last night after he left his mother's and he never had time to get back home or get any sleep whatsoever. It is going to be a long day.
"Morning CK" Jimmy greets him.
"Morning Jimmy" Clark responds.
Jimmy notices the ring in Clark's hand and bursts out into a smile. "Is that what I think it is?"
Clark nods. "I'm going to propose to Lois"
Jimmy gives Clark a congratulatory slap on the back and then wishes he hadn't at the pain his hand is now in. Geez is CK built or what? "Congratulations. Have you decided how and where?"
Clark shakes his head and now Jimmy understands the forlorn look on Clark's face. "It's ok. I had the same problem before I proposed to Chloe."
"My mother says that I shouldn't force the moment, that'll it come by itself"
"That's good advice. Your mother is a wise woman"
Clark with a small smile "Yes she is"
"Oh you better hide the ring" Jimmy tells Clark.
"Is it Lois?" Clark asks looking up.
"No. Much, much worse"
Clark then cottons on as he sees the Planet gossip columnist Cat Grant walk in from the elevator. He quickly stuffs the ring into his pocket. He so doesn't need to be in the Planet's gossip column.
"Morning Clark, Jimmy" Cat greets them.
"Morning Cat" they both say in chorus.
Cat eyes them "Alright what is going on?"
"Nothing" Clark and Jimmy say together.
"Don't give me that. You sound like long lost twins and where are your other halves?"
Clark shrugs "Probably at home. I was visiting my mother last night" he tries to say as nonchalant as possible.
"Chloe should be here in a minute. I needed to get in early to work on some pictures" Jimmy says in response to Cat.
Ok Cat will buy Jimmy's answer and well Clark's as well. He would never lie about visiting his mother. He is such a mother's boy.
Lois gets into the Planet, late. Damn. She missed Clark last night but from the news this morning she can see he was busy so she'll forgive him. She steps off the elevator to find him working away. God he looks so adorable when he's concentrating on a story. She makes her way over to him. "Morning"
Clark spins round at near superspeed. He hadn't noticed her arrival for once. "Morning Lo" he says with a smile at seeing her for the first time today.
Lois bends down and kisses him briefly. "So what you working on?"
"Superman" Clark says with a smirk.
"Ah yes. I heard he was busy last night"
"Yes he was. Sorry" Clark apologises for not getting home to her.
"It's fine. How's your mother?"
"She's good." Clark looks Lois over. She always looks so beautiful.
"What?" Lois asks him.
"You look lovely. That's all"
"Thank you" Lois says with a smile.
Juts then Perry sticks his head out of his office "Kent! Lane!"
"Yes Chief!" the both say together.
Perry shakes his head unamused at the chief remark "Stop flirting and get down to the bank robbery Superman stopped last night"
"Which one?" Clark asks back. He had stopped 3 after all. What the hell was going on last night he has no idea.
"All of them" Perry tells them.
Lois mutters something before she answers "We're on it Chief! Come on Smallville. I can't believe we're getting reduced to this. Us. What about our investigation into Lex?"
"There's always plenty of time to investigate Lex Lois. He is always up to something, usually involves trying to kill Superman which I do not appreciate I might add"
"Neither do I." Lois answers back as they make their way to the elevator. They move a few floors down and then it stops. "Oh come on. You were working fine when I was getting up here" Lois says to the elevator.
"Lois you are talking to the elevator" Clark tells her.
"I know. Come on then" she gestures at him.
"Sorry?" Clark asks.
"Get us out of here" she tells him.
"No" is his response.
"What? Why? We have a job to do."
"And how would we explain how we got out of here Lois?"
Lois hated to admit it but he had a point. "Well Superman…" she begins.
Clark cuts her off "No. Superman would not come to help us because we're stuck in an elevator Lois. It is not exactly a life or death situation. Now stop procrastinating and use the emergency phone"
Lois mutters a few insults at him and picks up the phone "Oh you're aware of the problem…how long!?…hey buddy I have a living to make…oh I am so sorry if we happen to be so far up…yeah, yeah…thanks for nothing" Lois slams the phone down.
"Bad?" Clark asks.
"It is not just this elevator. It is all of them. I mean what are the odds and because we're the highest up we're last on the list. Typical. It could be a few hours. Perry is going to kill us"
Clark rubs Lois' shoulders "Relax honey. I'll protect Perry"
Lois turns and looks at him strange "Huh?"
"It is just when Perry tries to kill you you'll defend yourself and I wouldn't wish that on anyone, well except Lex"
Lois smiles at him "You know you're almost sweet sometimes"
"Thanks I think" Clark says as she sits himself down.
Lois sits next to him "You sure Superman can't save us?"
"Very sure."
"What if you're needed out there?" Lois asks him.
"I'm listening. There's nothing too unusual. Certainly nothing the emergency services can't handle by themselves and besides that is why I joined the Justice League. They are plenty of others who can handle it. Last night was just odd"
"Yeah. Do you think someone is up to something?"
"As in all that happened last night was a distraction?"
Lois nods "Yep"
"Wouldn't be surprised. Not very original though"
Lois chuckles "I think you've been at this too long. You're criticising your enemies tactics now"
"Blame Bruce for putting these ideas in my head. It has nothing to do with me. I would swear that man is paranoid except he always seems to be right"
"How is Bruce?" Lois asks haven't seen him in a while.
"Fine. I still can't believe you dated him once."
"Hey Superman wasn't paying me any attention and he did. Forgive me if I like some attention lavished on me now and again"
"I'm sorry about that. I was trying to get you to pay attention to Clark so I was giving you the cold shoulder as Superman"
"I forgave you for all that Clark. How is everything with the League?"
"It seems to be fine. We're discussing expansion of the membership"
"That's good. Anyone I know?" Lois asks.
"They want to start by asking Diana to join full time"
"Diana?" Lois asks.
"Wonder Woman" Clark clarifies. She was only a part time member. She claiming her ambassadorial duties take up too much of her time to be a full time member. Clark had found her perfectly pleasant during the times they worked together. He would go as far as calling her his friend.
The fact that Clark seemed to be so friendly with that woman got Lois' ire up "You're on a first name basis with her!?"
Uh-oh. Clark knows that tone of voice. "Lois. We are friends. Nothing more"
"Does she know your name?" Lois asks him.
"She knows it is Kal-El but if you mean my human name, no. She does not know about my secret identity"
Lois is now glaring at Clark "Why did you tell her your name?" she demands to know.
"Because she told me hers and I wanted to be polite. Seriously Lois I promise you she is only my friend and you know I would never lie to you"
Lois takes a breath. He's right. He would never lie to her. "Ok I'm sorry. It is just, she is this perfect specimen of a woman and on top of that she has powers that match yours. How can I compete with that?"
"You don't. As far as I am concerned there is no-one who can compete with you Lois. I'm not going to insult you by saying I don't see how attractive she is but my heart only belongs to you"
God that man is so sweet. Lois leans over and kisses him. "I love you, you great big dumb alien."
"I love you too, you impossibly stubborn woman" Clark replies. Then it clicks. This is his moment. He stands up and pulls Lois up as well.
"What are you doing?" she asks him.
"I need you to be standing" he answers.
"Why?"
"So I can do this" he replies as he gets the ring out of his pocket and drops to one knee. "Lois Lane. Will you marry me?"