No Surprises There

T just to be safe.

Disclaimer: In no way or shape, except this form

Lois Lane plays her cards close to the chest. It takes a lot for people to get close to her, for Lois to let others see her. A lot of time, a lot of trust. Richard knows this personally, was warned about it by Perry, and later by Lucy. And by now, Richard is pretty sure he knows who's on her list. There's Jason and himself, though he knows he'll never understand all of what he sees. There's Perry, who's known Lois the longest, and Jimmy, the younger brother she's never been sure how she ended up with. Lucy and their parents get an abridged version; less of the Bulldog Lane. The rest of the world gets the investigative-not-afraid-of-anything-reporter. Richard knows Lois, and while she'll bewilder him on occasion, there isn't a lot left to surprise him.

In the weeks after New Krypton, Lois surprises Richard almost every day. Or rather, Lois and Clark surprise him. For a man Lois apparently forgot the moment he left, Clark seems to know Lois better than anyone. Richard dictionary goes back on its shelf, Clark's is never on his desk. They share a by-line more often than not, and Richard can't think why they hadn't won a Pulitzer before. He knows when to bring her coffee and when to send her home. The bullpen thinks nothing of it when they argue, or answers each others phones. No one else finds it strange that Lois is perfectly comfortable discussing Jason's latest accomplishments with Clark's mother. Richard's not sure she's ever met Clark's mother. What surprises Richard most is that Clark gets to see mummy-Lois.

It's exasperated-mother-hen-Lois who flattens Jimmy's hair, who reminds Perry about his blood pressure. It's mummy-Lois who, on a wet morning, just a few days after Superman woke up, sent a feverish, soaking wet Clark home, had Richard drive him home. It's mummy-Lois who makes sure Clark eats more than vending machine food and it's mummy-Lois who straightens Clarks tie, almost standing on his toes to be able to reach. The look on Clark's face doesn't surprise Richard at all. There's indulgence and affection and longing, all rolled in to one and Richard doubts Clark even realises it's there. But it is. Richard knows he would be worried if it were anyone but Clark. Because there's one more thing that Richard has learned, that doesn't surprise him at all. Clark Kent is at least as big a boy scout as Superman. And he just wants Lois to be happy.

The End.