This is starting off as a solo piece but when I get time it will be the epilogue of my story.
The rating is pg13 because of the later stuff. It takes place after season 4 but in my world a baby didn't appear out of nowhere.
Disclaimer: I don't own the franchise (hence the empty pockets).
Read, enjoy and reviews, criticisms and thoughts are all welcome.
There was only her.
As he lay in bed with her snuggled up next to him, with one arm holding her as close as possible, a million things to do say and get done where on his mind. But right now none of them mattered.
There was only her.
Rain ran down the windows, blurring the view of the street outside. But he could see. He could look up through the roof, up past the grey storm clouds and into the darkness of space. But all he could see was how beautiful she is.
There was only her.
The cars outside and the rainfall created a hum of noise. But he could hear. He could hear music from a radio a mile away, the flapping of a butterfly's wing and a man proposing to his girlfriend in a diner just outside Metropolis. She said yes. But all he could hear was the steady beating of her heart.
There was only her.
He had saved her life countless times. If there was a bomb, he had flown it away or eaten it. If she had fallen or had been pushed, he was there. He caught her. Any threat to her had been dealt with. And in return she had saved him. Kryptonite bullets had been cut out, or warned about thanks to her big mouth. Even when his head was about to be cut off so a maniac could have his body, she had been there to save him. But she had saved him from something he had been fighting his entire life. Something even he couldn't beat. Loneliness. Together the two of them had something. They were soul mates. Destined to be together throughout time. Nothing could break them apart.
Because being with her, was stronger than him alone.
And he was Superman.
"You're doing it again." she said as she slowly opened her eyes.
"Are you saying I'm predictable?"
"Well you do have a habit of watching me sleep."
"Nothing wrong with that. I'm in love with my wife, that's all."
She snuggled up close to him, his arms closing round her, the warmth of her body comforted him in a way he couldn't explain. It was moments like this when he felt stabs of guilt. Although he wasn't needed at the moment, even though he was always needed in over a hundred places at once, he always felt the world could wait. I'm with Lois, he thought, there is nothing more important. But there was. The world needs Superman. But he couldn't do it without her.
The sun may power the Super, but she powered the man.
"So which cake do you want, the flying through the sky or the 'S' shield?"
"Lo-is, I told you, no cakes, balloons or anything. I don't know who's more stubborn, you, or all the people of Metropolis."
"Well it's a big event, you're 5 years old."
"Happy birthday dear Superman..." Clark sang. Lois tried to suppress a giggle but Clark felt her body shaking. Turning her to face him, he rolled on top of her and started to tickle her at super speed. Tears streamed down Lois' cheeks as she squirmed and squeaked, trying to escape. Stopping suddenly, Clark looked deep into her eyes. He brushed his hand over her cheek, wiping away the tears, and running his fingers through her hair.
"No cake then?" Lois said, trying to get her breath back.
Clark shook his head.
"But the city still wants to throw the party. Superman has been here for 5 years, that's a big thing. The Prometheus is being refitted so the crew are coming down here, all of whom you saved, remember?"
"I ate the bomb."
"You burped."
"I said 'excuse me'."
"You've always had good manners." She placed a hand on the back of his head, stroking his short black hair, as he leaned in and kissed her. They kissed for minutes that seemed like hours, drinking each other in, the whole world meaningless to them.
"You seem breathless, still a little tickle tired?"
"Well you take my breath away. But I have a little left."
"I'll see to that..."
About 2 hours later, Clark got dressed into jeans and a shirt and silently crept downstairs, being careful not to wake a now very exhausted Lois. Picking up the phone, he smiled. The thought that crossed his mind every time he did this would never go would it. Dialling the number he waited for a few seconds before the he heard a comforting female voice.
"Hello?"
"Hi mum."
"Hi sweetheart, just a sec," he heard a hand being placed over the receiver and his mum's voice calling out 'Jonathan, its Clark', "So how's Lois?"
"She's good, Supermans 'birthday' is getting her excited."
Martha Kent laughed, "You should have expected that honey, it is a big deal."
"That's what I hear."
The phone clicked as it was picked up by another voice from the farm in Kansas.
"Hi son, what's this big deal?"
"Hi dad, it's this birthday."
"Well it holds a lot of meanings in a lot of peoples hearts, son. It isn't just the day you saved the space station. You came into the world and look at you now. You're a symbol of hope for everyone, a sign that we're not alone."
"I guess. But Lois is wrapped up in this as well, that part I don't understand."
"Well she fell in love."
"Yeah with Superman."
"No Clark, with you," Martha said, reassuring her son, "She fell in love with the man, not the powers, and that man was you. She didn't love Clark at first but then she saw who you are. With or without powers, you are a Superman."
"You always know what to say." Clark said, feeling better.
"I'm your mother. That's my job."
"So are you sure you don't want me to fly you guys out?"
"We're sure. We want to relax and we can fly first class this time with the money you've saved us."
Clark laughed, "Well you do save a lot if your son is Superman. I'll be over tonight to get your stuff and then all you bring is hand luggage, ok?"
"Sounds good to me." Martha agreed.
"How are things in Metropolis?" asked Jonathan.
"Quiet," Clark yawned, "Supermans 'birthday' is the only thing on peoples minds."
"Clark honey," Martha said with concern, "Did you just yawn?"
"Yeah but it's ok."
"Clark what's wrong?" Jonathan asked, matching his wifes concern.
"It's nothing, honestly."
"Clark Kent, you can't lie to me, now what is wrong?"
Clark sighed. So much for not getting them worried. "I don't know mum. Lately it's almost like I'm losing it."
"What do you mean, losing it?" Jonathan asked, increasingly worried.
"It's like I'm running on empty. The fire at the docks yesterday, I flew down, rescued the trapped workers, put the fire out and flew off. But when I got back to the planet, it was like I had nothing left."
"But you still had your powers?"
"Yeah. But I was so drained for the rest of the day. I tried lighting a candle at the dinner table last not with my heat vision and it took a minute to do it."
"Could it be kryptonite?"
"No, I don't think so, it doesn't feel that way, red or green. Green would be an immediate loss, red would send them out of control but this is a more gradual thing."
"How long has it been going on?"
"About 2 weeks."
"Martha thought for a second and then realised, "That's when the solar flares began, and they say that the suns radiation has been a bit different since then. It might be that."
"No. I've been seeing Dr Klein about it and that's what he thought so he ran some tests but my body isn't affected by the change. I also flew up there to get some readings and take a look, just in case."
"In case of what? You think this might be intentional?"
"I can't rule that out dad. It's possible someone is doing this to drain my powers."
"Then you had better find this person now before your powers go completely."
Clark heard a faint noise above him. Using his x-ray vision, he looked up to see Lois stretching as she walked to the bathroom. Just before she closed the door, she looked down at the floor, looking right at the area Clark's vision was penetrating. She smiled, gave a little wave and blew a kiss.
'He's watching me' she thought.
'She knows I'm watching her' he thought. 'I am predictable' he smiled.
"I have to go, I'm going to get breakfast for Lois."
"Anything thing special?" asked Martha.
"Just some croissants." Clark replied.
"From Paris" Jonathan chuckled.
"They're the best. And so are you guys. I love you."
"We love you too." Martha told her son, "See you soon. Bye Clark."
"Bye mum. Bye dad."
"Bye dad."
Clark thought to himself for a minute before putting the phone down. Again the joke was in his mind. E.T had just phoned home.
Looking up again he could see Lois taking off her dressing gown, dropping it to the floor around her ankles. As she stepped into the shower, he fought the urge to fly up there and join her. But she would be hungry and he felt like eating. So it would be Paris now and shower with Lois later. Grabbing a note pad and a pen, he wrote at super speed where he was going but not what for, she would figure it out anyway. He also put the time he wrote the note. His speed had been affected as well and he was struggling to reach the speed of sound.
Turning his upper body to the side, he swung it back round and he began spinning like a tornado, his light jeans and shirt being replaced by a blur of red, blue and yellow. Coming to a sudden stop, Clark had vanished. In his place stood a man the world recognised as a symbol for Truth, Justice and the American way. A hero, an icon, he was the last son of Krypton, the man of steel.
Superman.
Stepping forward towards the window, he opened it and carefully made sure that no one was watching. Just as he was about to take off, the world began spinning. He put his back against the wall and slowly slid down it, unable to stand. He tried to maintain focus as his vision blurred, the colours of his apartment mixing. Gathering all his energy, he rose to his feet. Stepping away from the wall he could barely stand. Concentrating, he tried to will everything right but his heart was pounding in his chest.
Then as suddenly as it started, it stopped. His strength returned. Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, his vision slowly cleared.
'What the hell was that?' he thought to himself. 'Right, first Paris to get breakfast and to try to get rid of this grogginess, then I'm going to Dr Klein."
Checking once more that there was no one watching he took off, shutting the window behind him.
...
To be continued...