Summary: It's May 13th, 2021 - ten years to the day when Superman emereged from the shadows to save the planet. A day in the life of Chloe Sullivan. Much has changed, and not everything was the way it seemed, but one thing is for certain, the best is yet to come.
The sidewalks were close to impassible, but for once, being short came in handy and Chloe squeezed and pushed her way through the throng of parade goers that lined the main streets of Metropolis, cheering and waving banners at the elaborate floats that passed by celebrating the city, Superman, and the tenth anniversary of the day he saved the planet. This was the second year for the event and the first year the state observed it as an official holiday. Next year, Superman Day was going national.
Rumor said that the government mandated day off would have gone into effect this year if the Senate and House weren't still wrangling over the date. Sure, May 13 was the actual day the Blur stopped blurring and the world came face to face with Superman, but many in power were inclined to break up the monotony stretching between President's Day in February and Memorial Day at the end of May. Martha, now in her third term, and the brash, outspoken junior Senator from Kansas still led a strong contingent that favored the 13th, but a group in the House of Representatives was gaining momentum with their idea to combine Superman Day with Earth Day and observing both sometime in mid to late April.
Whatever the politicians decided, the public was sure to embrace. Chloe hadn't tackled the color commentary beat in more than five years, but today was special and seeing first-hand the uncynical excitement on the faces of the young and old, rich and poor brought a lump to her throat. The days when the Darkness polluted the citizens of Metropolis were long past. Violent crime was almost nil and the population of Metropolis had been voted "most optimistic" among comparative cities of its size for three years running. Why was not a mystery. Superman was an international treasure, but Metropolis was his home base and the city had enjoyed an economic rebirth of almost utopian standards.
Chloe smiled as she wound through the crowd. Her life had undergone a renaissance of its own. Ten years ago, she left thinking she'd never return to live in her beloved city again. She set off determined to forge a different path and make it succeed. Some things she naturally took to, like her return to journalism and search for budding superheroes. Both avenues let her exercise her true passions. Unfortunately, she learned the same did not apply in her marriage with Oliver. Four and a half years after it unexpectedly started, it ended and with almost as little fanfare.
Following her divorce, she took a post covering Southeast Asia and rekindled an old friendship. Apparently, she wasn't the only refugee from Smallville to move half way around the world. Singapore had been Lana's home since she became walking Kryptonite. The independent and lovely as ever Ms. Lang owned her own successful design business and while she dated frequently, her heart was now devoted to a very particular male. Chloe fell hard for him too and eventually she moved in with Lana and Lana's adopted son. During those years, she made peace with where life had led her and at times doubted she'd ever return to the States. She'd been back almost three years now and still she missed the nights she filled in for Lana and got to tuck Henry in with his favorite bedtime story. He was turning eight soon. Hopefully he'd like the ten-year commemorative 'Superman Battles Planet Apokolips' Lego set she express mailed yesterday.
Still, moving back to Metropolis had turned out to be a fantastic decision. During the past decade, the Justice League had grown considerably in scope and accomplishments. Many of the heroes she'd scouted now had vital leadership roles. Others, like a once removed cousin she found on Bart Allen's maternal family tree, worked as apprentices to the more established heroes. Some of them were making an appearance in the parade. Several more were in their street clothes, there to enjoy the spectacle and ensure it happened without incident.
Chloe paused to laugh and wave madly with the crowd as The Flash and his sidekick, Kid Flash, zipped off and on their boldly colored float, each time returning with a different proffered food item. She just shook her head when Wally made a foot long hotdog disappear in a second. He and Bart had a lot more in common than just their speedy abilities.
She still occasionally scouted heroes, identifying potential villains along the way, but since the League had become a household name, prospects more frequently came to them. Not every member of the League knew the secret identity of the other members, but she'd been entrusted with all of their secrets long ago. She conducted orientations, provided support and acted as a liaison when needed. Only she, the founding members and the current leadership had access to personal files, but the responsibility of keeping them updated fell to her.
At times, she joked about being a glorified Human Resources director, but no one else dabbling in HR kept an office on a secret space station. A technology similar to what had allowed Darkseid to send his minions across the galaxy had been adapted to operate as a short range telaporter from Earth. Chloe worked a couple days a week with the blue and white glow of earth filling her window.
Today, she enjoyed the sun's rays with her feet firmly on the ground. The clouds cleared out earlier in the week and the temperature hovered in that perfect range between comfortable and warm. The breeze gently toyed with the blond wisps of hair that had worked their way out of the coil she'd loosely secured at the nape of her neck. She touched her discreet earpiece and a second later Courtney Whitmore-Allen's cheerful voice answered.
"Hello Watchtower. Enjoying the parade?"
Chloe glanced again at the Flash's float as it slowly turned the corner. It looked like the boys had moved on to burritos and ice cream cones. "Tell Mrs. West to break out the bicarbonate. If her son doesn't come home with indigestion, consider it a miracle."
On the comlink, Stargirl snorted. "I'm sure she's prepared. I know I stocked up our medicine cabinet. Now what can I do for you?"
Chloe cupped her hand over her ear as one of the twenty-two marching bands began their rendition of some John Philip Sousa standard. "It's a lovely day. I'm really hoping our Luthor problem isn't going to spoil it." She heard Courtney sigh.
"Bruce is still working on that."
"Tell him to work faster."
"Hey, you're the one who goes where angels fear to tread, not me."
"Sorry. I'm just anxious for everything to go perfect today."
"From what I hear, the day is going to end on a high note no matter what happens." She squealed like the teenager Chloe remembered her being back when they first met. "I'm soo excited for you."
Chloe's smile broadened, but she kept her tone dry. "It's still supposed to be a secret. Who did you hear it from?"
"Well I got it from Bart, but Diana and J'onn were talking to Victor and …,"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Never mind. You would think a bunch of superheroes would be above gossip."
"Yeah, you would think…but what fun would that be?" Courtney finished shamelessly. Chloe couldn't help but laugh.
"Just keep me posted about that other matter."
"Will do. Stargirl signing off."
Still smiling, Chloe pushed aside her concerns and focused on the job she came to do. She twisted the globe shaped pendant that hung above her press credentials and activated a holographic screen and the accompanying virtual keyboard. This latest version of WayneTech's hottest gadget included all the bells and whistles including the new unrestricted global internet, unlimited cloud storage, and 3-D holographic video recording and even though the holographic platform had been on the market for several years, it still turned a few heads in the crowd. She rarely got a chance to use the sleek gizmo in her other line of work because of the open nature of the platform. The device was secure from most hackers, but not nosey MetroBrew customers looking over her shoulder. Privacy needs were probably what kept the old touch devices from becoming obsolete.
As she edged through the crowds, the warring odors of cotton candy, popcorn, tar, and sweat probably would have made her queasy, but the breeze kept the air from becoming overly stagnant. She stepped carefully in her red high heels to avoid sticky puddles from tearfully dropped ice cream cones or the occasional upturned slushy. Over the clash of cymbals and brassy swing of another marching band, she began drawing out answers from families and individuals about what the day meant to them.
She got the usual replies.
"Superman Day is a day for us to say thanks."
"I just wanted to show my support for all he's done for Metropolis."
"Dude is awesome! Awesome!"
"Oh my gawd! It's the only day I get to see those tights in person!"
She also got the usual range of unusual replies.
"Such a nice young man. My pound cake would have been ruined, ruined I tell you, if he hadn't run to the store for a dozen eggs. "
"It's a time to give back the love! Tell him to text me where at 555-5683 and I'll do it in person."
"As a citizen of Ultron, I thank him for paving the way for other peaceful inter-planetary visitors."
Then there were the comments she was really after.
When she asked a group of adolescent boys what the day meant to them, they answered in unison, "No school!" Before shouting and hooting at one another. She let them get rid of some of their raucous energy and then focused on a boy with a slighter build and a deeper intensity about him. She had a talent for spotting those with something to say.
She threw out a few warm up questions about his family and his dreams before repeating her original query. His articulate and vehement reply startled his friends.
"Superman Day is about more than just saying thanks to Superman. Superman can't save everyone, he does his best and most of the time that's epic, but it's up to all of us to keep helping each other even when shit keeps on happing. He doesn't give up and Superman Day is so he knows we won't either."
Capturing comments like that was the reason she'd specifically asked Perry for the street assignment. He'd wearily shaken his head at her request, but hadn't complained aloud. She knew he was privately expecting her to turn in more than just her assignment on the crowd. He'd come to know her well the last couple of years.
She got back her desk in the Daily Planet's basement just over a year ago. This time her goals were different. She loved the paper, loved the atmosphere, and even the occasional dull, dry city council assignment thrown her way, but then her status as an unambitious, second-stringer was better known among her co-workers than her first name. She enjoyed the anonymity working in the basement still offered. She and her husband enjoyed their privacy. For that reason, when Perry found out her secret, she wouldn't let him plaster her name on every uptown light rail station. For the same reason, she repeatedly refused his offer of an office among the Tiffany lights.
Three years ago, when she came back to Metropolis, she decided to leave all connections to Chloe Queen back in Singapore. She wanted to keep her newly acquired name out of the headlines and Chloe Sullivan hadn't officially existed in years, which meant again figuring out a new way back into journalism. Not too much time went by before the kind of digging she did best led to the kind of story she was incapable of ignoring. She could have used it to build a name for herself all over again, but she didn't want that kind of public scrutiny. Besides, the biggest thrill came from having her words read; the byline always was second to the truth, so she wrote the article and anonymously approached the Planet.
Not surprisingly, even with her offer to produce hard proof, they turned down the nameless freelancer, so she created her own news site on the net called The Watcher's Tower, went ahead and self-published her piece complete with her proof, and then made sure her article popped up prominently on the news sites of all the search engines. A few days later, the AP news feed picked up her story and reprinted it everywhere.
Since then, she'd built up her reputation with more exposes, insights, and the occasional editorial. People started looking at it as a whistle blower site and exclusive tips flooded in. She gained the trust of many government officials when she refused to publish what was merely scandalous but without any real news content, which boosted her trusted contact list beyond all expectations. For the past year and a half, she'd simultaneously published a bi-weekly column on line and exclusively in the pages of the Daily Planet. All done anonymously of course, but last year when she started pining for the real newspaper experience, she opted to take the low- level job in the Planet's basement publishing under her first initial and her husband's last name.
Almost immediately, Perry connected her to her alter ego's writing style. Only Perry the Pit-bull White would spot editorial similarities between a parks and rec meeting summary on renaming a site once dedicated to Lionel Luthor with the massive expose published by The Watcher's Tower, tying top staffers of the current President of the United States to the homegrown extremist group responsible for several Superman thwarted attacks on Metropolis.
Perry called her into his office, told her to name her terms and he would make it happen. She didn't deny what he'd figured out; she trusted Perry White to keep her secret even without taking into consideration the contract the Daily Planet signed to obtain her bi-weekly column which promised retribution on a Biblical scale if said party or employees of said party were ever to discern and reveal personal or business related information about any one or thing associated with The Watcher's Tower.
She thanked White, told him she was happy with the current arrangement and left the Editor and Chief's office. He immediately called her back and made his pitch all over again. She patiently listened; after all, she couldn't help feeling flattered by Perry's praise, not to mention an offer to increase her salary that would double her current combined income, but once more she turned him down. She liked her independence and unmasking the Watcher's Tower would garner too much fame. Too much outside attention was murder on relationships. She'd learned that when she'd been married to the Green Arrow and if she needed another example, she could look at what fame had done to Lois.
Lois's close association with Superman meant the kind of scrutiny reserved for future kings and self-destructive rock stars. Lois thrived on the attention and special treatment, but for Clark to have a private life, he needed to avoid being on display. That was what Superman was for. After seven years of missed ceremonies, postponed weddings, real and fake break ups, Clark and Lois took a hard look at their forced togetherness, realized they wanted and needed different things from life and called it quits. Two years ago, Lois rode her fame to a sweeping mid-term win of Kansas's second seat in the Senate. Four months later, she married her campaign manager and never again had to worry about coming second in the eyes of the most important man in her life.
Martha took Lois under her wing and Kansas was doing well with their combination of gracious and brash. Lois's switch in career hadn't surprised Chloe. Her cousin had always been more interested in making the news than reporting it and in the last ten years, she'd learned how to use the media to her advantage and more importantly, learned how to harness her own unruly mouth.
Chloe admired Lois's ease in the spotlight, but she wasn't ready to have its bright light shined her way. Perry hadn't taken her repeated refusals graciously. He still harangued her every week about squandering her talents and called her into his office so often for "mentoring sessions" that the bullpen rumor mill couldn't decide if he thought his newest part-time reporter was packed with potential or utterly hopeless. The question of nepotism did come up, but at least no one spoke of any hanky panky since White's on-going relationship with Senator Martha Kent was well known.
For Chloe at least, Perry was all bark and she enjoyed sparring with him. She took every assignment he gave her seriously and in the last year had even quietly earned a few awards for her writing, but she was small time enough not to warrant her picture in the paper and her by-line was easy to confuse with another more established journalist at the Planet. She liked it that way. One day, her anonymity might end, some secrets weren't meant to be kept forever, but right now, she enjoyed the freedom obscurity bought.
Today it gave her a chance to experience first-hand the excitement rippling through the crowd. The color commentary piece she would be turning in for the Planet would bring the festive environment to life, peppered with the banal, absurd and inspiring. The special editorial column going up later on The Watcher's Tower would requote that adolescent boy who well expressed the almost unconscious undercurrents buzzing through the crowd.
The population of Metropolis knew they were lucky; they wanted – no - they needed to do more. She had a list of worthy groups that could use an infusion of willing volunteers and a growing idea about tying the annual celebration of Superman with pledges to give, do, or be more so Superman would see he wasn't alone in trying to make the world a better place. Ten years later and the adulation Superman received still embarrassed Clark. He would love it if Superman Day could become something other than the ultimate in self- promotion.
As if her thoughts conjured him up, Chloe suddenly noticed Clark awkwardly twisting and turning his body as he tried to negotiate his way toward her. He progressed slowly since people in the crowd either were ignoring his continuous litany of "pardon me" and "coming through" or flatly refusing to move aside. She shook her head and smiled. She was sure Jor-El must have done something to make people look right through Clark. How anyone could fail to see the striking intelligence in his equally striking blue-green eyes, even when hidden behind his thick-rimmed glasses and clumsy mannerisms, baffled her, but then, she'd been baffled since the eighth grade that anyone could think he was just an ordinary, mild mannered, farm boy.
She touched a button on the globe hanging above her press pass and the virtual screen and keyboard winked out of existence; she'd gotten all the video clips and quotes she needed. She took a step toward Clark, thinking to meet him half-way, when her comlink activated in her ear. She cupped her hand on the side of her face and turned away from the parade going on behind her.
"Tell me you have good news Courtney."
"Absolutely! The Luthor problem is officially neutralized."
Chloe felt the tension go out of her shoulders. "Thank goodness. I thought the secret service was never going to back down."
"Gosh, yes. The real stuff happening wasn't enough. The League had to manufacture four more credible threats on the President's life before security was willing to override Lex about appearing with Superman at the parade."
"He's desperate for some of Superman's truth and justice to rub off on his decaying image. At least I hope that's all the last minute bid for attention was about. His bio still insists he never regained personal memories of his time living in Smallville, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"Another series like you ran two weeks ago and you won't have to worry about him anymore."
"I'll keep digging. The proof of what he's really up to is out there somewhere. Just glad he is out of our hair tonight."
"Speaking of tonight. Let Clark know that the League has him covered like he asked. Oh, and just so you know, J'onn plans on subbing for the whole weekend so you can add that good news around the same time you tell him…,"
"Got to go Courtney. Clark is here."
"Oops. Can't believe I almost spoiled the big surprise. It's just I think it is sooo amazing that after all these years you…," Chloe interrupted her again.
"Really got to go."
"Oops, almost did it again."
"Just tell everyone thanks. Goodbye Courtney."
"Stargirl, signing off."
Chloe turned to find Clark adjusting his glasses and looking at her curiously. She slid her arm through the crook of his elbow and tugged him toward the concession stands so they could talk without shouting over the parade watchers. She stopped behind the yellow and white striped lemonade tent and arched her brow.
"Cutting it kind of close, aren't you Clark?"
"Parade is longer this year. I still have a few minutes." A light sparkled in his eyes, but he compressed his lips into a mock frown. "I'm guessing you had something to do with President Luthor pulling out of the parade at the last minute."
"Me?" She pressed her hand to her chest and batted her eyes. "I've been far too busy mingling with the crowds." He crossed his arms, cocked his head to the side, and waited. Her laughter bubbled up. "Ok, I may have mentioned to a mutual friend how much better the day would be without Lex muddying it up."
Quick as a blink he slid his hands on either side of her head and softly kissed her. It was a short kiss, but when he pulled back, he didn't drop his hands, instead he gazed at her in wonder as his thumbs stroked her cheeks. "You…you constantly amaze me. My whole life, but these last three years...every year better than the last. I don't have the words to explain how happy I've been."
She clutched the front of his suit and blinked away the sudden moisture in her eyes. Lovingly, she studied her husband's dear face. "Believe me, I understand." She stretched up on her toes and Clark met her half way for another kiss, this one longer, more urgent. The spark they generated had only gotten stronger during their time together. Ten years ago when she returned to Star City, knowing that Clark was going to take to the skies, inspire mankind and fulfill his destiny, she never expected to be back in Metropolis again, let alone securely in the arms of the only man she'd ever loved with her whole heart, but life had a way of catching you off guard. For so long she had thought her youthful dreams had been laid to rest, but the unexpected reality turned out to be so much sweeter than anything she had ever imagined.
The sound of another marching band, this one playing a musical score written by John Williams that always made her heart beat faster, broke through their revere. She turned her head and pushed at Clark's chest. "You have to go. Go!"
He swooped in and captured her lips one more time. "I love you."
"I love you too."
He glanced back and shot her one his sweet boyish grins, the same smile that made her fall madly for him the first day they met, and then he faded into the crowd. Thirty seconds later, a change came over the parade and every spectator lining the streets and every performer on or near a float erupted into full throated cheers as Superman, with his slicked back black hair, smiling pearly whites and bold blue and red suit swooped down doing loop de loops and lazy spiral turns over the crowd.
Tonight, after all the hoopla died down, after they handed in their assignments, and once they arrived to claim their reservations at a cozy little café called Kismet, she'd let him know that a final piece to their happiness was coming. This year, that's what Superman Day meant to her. Tonight was her chance to have a night off and enjoy some uninterrupted time with her best friend, her husband, the man who loved her better than anyone and the now expectant father of her first child.
Clark would be surprised, over the moon, but surprised. A few months ago, they'd been talking seriously about adoption when Emil approached her. By his best guess, her latent meteor infection had already made the needed alterations to her DNA and he speculated that a special supplement of minerals could make the difference in conception. She'd said nothing to Clark at first, not wanting to raise false hopes, but the tests were in and as of next fall, the stork was coming.
Chloe took a moment to breathe everything in, absorbing the carnival of sights and sounds, reverently touching her Daily Planet badge and basking in the joy that now permeated her life. Today was a very good day in a city that also witnessed the darkest hours of her existence. So much had changed and now she was exactly where she needed to be.
That heart sore teenager who penned a secret letter to Clark, promising to let him go, could never have imagined how hard it would be to reclaim her dreams, but wiser words were never written. Some things were most definitely worth the wait.
And the waiting was over.