When Lois stepped off the elevator into the Daily Planet basement she was startled by the eruption of applause she received. She smiled and nodded in appreciation before she walked to her desk. She found it covered in flowers, cards, and small cuddly stuffed animals.

"Your desk was kind of a memorial to you when everyone thought you were..." Lois's intern began

"Dead," Lois finished fishing through her mind for his name, but she could still not recall it.

"Yes," he said looking at the floor.

"Well I'm not so...coffee," she ordered sitting down at her desk.

"Actually, Miss Lane, I don't work for you anymore. I am a reporter now. I sit in... I sit there," he said looking over at the desk opposite of Lois's. Clark's old desk.

"Oh," Lois replied trying to ignore the nagging pain that tore at her heart. They had already filled his position.

Lois did her best to move all of her "dead" gifts to one side of her desk. She was not exactly sure what to do with them. She was unfamiliar with etiquette in such situations, but she really did not want to take them home. The thought of being surrounded by flowers people had bought to morn her gave her the creeps.

When she finally had space to work Lois sat down at her desk. She had not been given an assignment from, or even met her latest boss. She stared at the blinking cursor on the blank screen. She sighed as she began to type something she knew she could never publish.

Clark Kent is a super powered being from another planet. Lois read her words and sighed. It sounded as crazy in writing as it had in her head. Clark Kent is the Red Blue Blur and I am so dense that I did not have a clue. I was transported to the future by a ring created by a "legion" of super hero's. Lois read her words and shook her head. This was the kind of stuff that could get her locked away.

I Keep thinking I am going wake up from this horrible nightmare and Smallville will be sitting at his desk waiting to annoy the crap out of me. Jimmy Olsen will be alive and well. I will not know things about my future that I would rather be oblivious to. And maybe...just maybe Chloe would not be moments from a nervous breakdown.

Lois read her words and sighed again as she highlighted the whole document and pushed the backspace button leaving her staring at the blank screen again.

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Daily Planet Reporter, Lois Lane, Found Alive.

Kal-el read the words over and over afraid that if he looked away they would not be true. The Daily Planet had been his one link to his old life. He had searched its pages everyday for the past six months hoping for any sign that she was alive. He had not been able to explain it, but something inside him told him he had not heard the last of Lois Lane. He had began to think that feeling was just the little hope he had left, and she had died at the hands of Doomsday. Then just as the last ounce of hope he had was about gone, there she was on the front page

For the first time in six months a smile spread across his face and a bit of hope dared to creep back into his heart. He tried to convince himself to stay away from her, but his feet moved out of the castle of ice and he was half way to Metropolis before his mind caught up with his heart. He reminded himself that he was no longer Clark Kent and that the friendship he had with Lois Lane was over. He would only check to see she was okay.

It was not until he saw her walking out of the doors of the Daily Planet wearing a black pencil skirt and red blouse that he realized how much he had missed her. His eyes filled with tears and he was frozen in place as he watched her wave goodbye to her co-workers. Her hair was longer, but still as silky and beautiful as the day she had gone missing. She was as fit as ever and just as gorgeous, though there were a few more worry lines on her face. It was those lines that made him wonder where she had been.

For a moment he contemplated stepping out the alleyway and walking up to her. Then as he stepped out of the shadow he saw a tall light haired man walk up to her. Lois smiled and hugged the man. She glanced over the mans shoulder right where Kal-el was standing. Kal-el sped back to his fortress of solitude. He paced back and forth running his hands through his hair. He had lived in solitude for six months without once considering a return to his old life. With a single glance at Lois Lane he had nearly given up his sacrifice. He had to stay away from her.

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Lois looked around as she stepped out of the dark basement of the Daily Planet onto the sunny Metropolis street. She felt as though someone was watching it, but shook it off as a bit of paranoia. That is when she saw him making his way toward her. She smiled as he wrapped her in a hug. Lois looked over Oliver's shoulder and for a moment she thought she saw Clark, but when she did a double take he was gone.

"I am so glad you are okay," Oliver said as he pulled back. "Where have you been."

"Um... I wish I knew," Lois smiled. She was getting good at this lie. She hated lying, but it was easier to lie to Oliver, who had lied to her their entire relationship, than it had been to lie to Chloe and her father.

"Lo, I may have been blind about a lot of things when we were together, but I did learn to recognize certain signs when you weren't telling me the whole truth," Oliver said as they made their way to the small cafe.

Lois looked at him and knew there was no use lying.

"I did not tell you this..."

"Our secret," Oliver agreed.

"I remember everyday of the last six months, but I cannot talk about where I have been," Lois admitted as they took a seat outside

"Are you in danger?" Oliver asked concerned.

Lois laughed at his question. "Well no more than I was when that beast was loose in the city."

"Lois, I am serious. If someone is threatening you I can take care of it," Oliver said looking at her soberly.

"I am not being threatened. Let's just say I have been away learning things to help me..." Lois paused trying to think of the right words. "to help me do my part in this world."

"Sounds enlightening," Oliver smiled.

"You have no idea," Lois said remembering the picture she had stumbled upon of her, Clark and their three children in a history book. "But I did not call you here to talk about me."

"I am assuming you are wanting to know if I've heard from Clark," Oliver said his face going sober once again.

Lois nodded. Her eyes pleading for good news.

"I know he is alive," Oliver began.

"How?" Lois asked.

"It is complicated," Oliver replied as the waitress brought them each a water and a menu.

"Just coffee form me," Lois smiled.

"Me too," Oliver replied.

Lois sat in silence annoyed. She knew she could not tell Oliver she knew about Clark and that was the only way she would get straight answers out of him.

"Do you know where?" she asked.

"No. He does not want to be found, Lois," Oliver said looking at the table.

"That is what Chloe told me, but I do not see why we are just letting Clark give up on himself when he would never give up on us," Lois said angrily.

"Lois it is-"

"Complicated?" Lois finished. "Oliver you have a million more resources than Clark and he would find a way to help you if you needed him," Lois yelled.

"Calm down, Lois. I am doing my best. I am not giving up on him," Oliver said calmly.

Lois did not know why she let herself get so angry. She knew there were probably things going on that Oliver was not telling her out of loyalty to Clark, but he did not know what she did. The Legion had informed her she was the one who brought Clark out of his "darkness." They had contemplated taking her memory of the time travel, but decided that it would be easier to ensure that she helped Clark if she remembered everything. Now she was feeling the pressure.