Title: Impressions
Authors: htbthomas and jenn1
Summary: Lois and Clark's wedding – seen through the eyes of several of the people closest to them.
Spoilers: For Superman Returns and Déjà Vu.
Authors' Notes: This story is set a year after Déjà Vu, though reading that story first is not necessary to understand this one. Thanks to Mark C, Jen K and Georgia Kennedy for the beta.
– O – O – O – O – O – O –
Clark
Sprays of flowers tied in careful patterns, connected by white ribbon and greenery… Gleaming wooden pews, reflected in the polished floor… Late afternoon light filtering through the stained glass windows… Candle flames springing up one by one…
Clark drew in a deep breath and let it out in satisfaction, as he paused in the doorway of the sanctuary. He would never hear the end of it from Lois, he thought with a smile, but having a traditional church wedding ceremony in front of family and friends meant more to him than he could ever express.
Oh, he would never trade the impromptu wedding at the Fortress that he and Lois had a year before, but he had been waiting for this day – the day when he could openly declare his love for Lois and proudly be known as Lois Lane's husband. For some reason, it took seeing the fully-decked-out sanctuary to make him fully conscious of that fact.
Lois had just barely gone along with this plan – she had often suggested a trip to the courthouse – but her mother's shocked reaction was enough to make even the great Lois Lane pause. Ella Lane had been preparing for a wedding since Lois' engagement to Richard, and when that engagement had ended so suddenly… No way in hell would she be denied the second time around. And as for Clark's mother, Martha, even though she knew that he and Lois were already married… he suspected that going through with this ceremony was the only reason his ears hadn't been soundly boxed for leaving her out of the first one.
As the wedding plans got more and more chaotic, Lois would often turn her plaintive eyes on him, as if to say, "Save me, Superman!" It wasn't difficult for him to shrug helplessly and squeeze her hand with compassion, and let the craziness go on. It was worth it, even after each flash of fire in her eyes.
He shook himself from his reverie and walked purposefully toward the front of the church. The minister was flipping through his notes and the florist was putting some finishing touches on the floral arrangements. But the one person he was looking for – his best man – was nowhere to be seen. He stepped behind the minister, clearing his throat gently. "Excuse me, have you seen my best man? He's about this tall…" He indicated a height at his shoulder. "With reddish brown hair, boyish-looking…"
Before the man had time to even look puzzled, Clark heard a breathless shout behind him. " Clark! Clark… Oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry… there was a terrible traffic jam downtown… a big office building on fire…" Jimmy jogged up beside him, huffing, beads of sweat breaking out around his brow, bowtie askew.
"Oh?" he asked Jimmy, eyes wide. Of course, he'd just been there and back, after a brief argument with himself about whether he should go. He did not want anything to disrupt this special day, not with only an hour to go, but he was sure Lois would have his head if he ever purposely ignored a plea for help.
"Yeah, a big one – and I missed out on the photos, too, being stuck in my car..." He trailed off, grimacing at the way that sounded.
Clark placed a reassuring hand on Jimmy's shoulder. "Well, you made it, that's the important thing."
"Yeah…" Jimmy opened his mouth as if to continue, and then began to pat the pockets of his tuxedo – gently at first, then with increasing alarm. "Oh, no, if it fell out in the cab…!"
With a sinking feeling, Clark asked, "What's the problem, Jim?"
"You're not going to believe it, but I can't find the rings…"
Clark quickly X-rayed Jimmy's tux and found a pair of rings in the inner breast pocket. He was sure Jimmy had checked there already – something wasn't right… Come to think of it, Jimmy's heart rate hadn't even jumped…
"Uh, Jim, have you double-checked every pocket…?" he asked innocently, as the young photographer frantically emptied his outer pockets. "Even the inside ones? These tuxedos sure have a ton of places to hide things."
Jimmy stilled and placed his hand below his lapel, a mischievous grin stealing across his features. "Oh, there they are…" He suddenly burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, Clark, I couldn't help messing with you a little." He pulled the rings out, wrapped in a white handkerchief, and clapped Clark on the shoulder. "How could I possibly do that to you guys? I mean, I'm the best man at the wedding of the century!" he beamed proudly.
"I, uh, I knew you were the right man for the job," Clark agreed.
Jimmy smiled and re-pocketed the rings. "Is Jason with his mom?"
"No." Clark nodded toward the door to the church annex. "He's with Richard."
Jimmy's eyebrows rose as if to say, Richard's here? But instead, he said "I'll go make sure the ringbearer gets these, then. Give him a few pointers…" He gave Clark a short wave and walked toward the annex doors.
As the door opened, Clark saw Lois' head poke into the doorway. She was still not in her wedding dress and looking frazzled. " Clark!" she called in an exaggerated whisper, which surprised him since she should have known that the barest murmur would reach his ears.
He tried to respond with a goofy wave, but Jimmy practically tackled her backward. "What are you doing, Ms. Lane?!" Lois struggled against him futilely. "You know it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding!"
They moved out of sight and just before the door slammed behind them, Clark heard a distinct tenor yelp.
Chuckling, Clark turned to walk in the opposite direction, toward the waiting room for the groomsmen. He didn't even pause at Lois' furious muttering on the other side of the door. "If you know what's good for you, you'll come see me before the processional, Super-groom…"
The door opened again behind him, and Clark fully expected to hear Lois' pelting footsteps. But instead, he heard a voice he hadn't heard in far too long…
" Clark?"
