AN: For anyone reading, this doesn't have a certain time that it falls into. A lot of my earlier Superman knowledge was drawn from the TV show, Lois and Clark but more recently I've been comics from throughout Action Comics' and Superman's run. Therefore thanks for your understanding of any inaccuracies. Thank you for choosing to read.
Welcome Back
Chapter One – Who Am I?
Being in a room full of Kryptonite wasn't the best thing for Kal-El, son of Jor-El, known to his friends and family, including his wife, as Clark Kent. No, being in a room filled with Kryptonite wasn't the best thing and he had no idea how to regain control of his body. He was dying. After all of this time, he wasn't going to be himself anymore and he was losing grip of reality. He closed his eyes attempting to slow his breathing but it was useless. All of this was futile and help didn't seem to be coming. He closed his eyes one last time, brought his body down to the lowest energy needed to function and took a soft breath in.
"I love you, Lois," he whispered before his body couldn't take it and he fell out of the world. He had failed his biological parents in his ability to live a full and good life on Earth. He had failed his adoptive parents by not being able to get out of this situation. He had failed Lois who he had always promised to be there for. At least his last thoughts were of her.
Hopefully she would know, he sensed that she would know.
No, she would know that his last words were saved for her.
…
…
"Patient is regaining vital signs," a voice said and Clark looked up very confused.
Was he in the hospital? No, nothing would have saved him at that point. He took a labored breath and kept his eyes closed. He took another breath, his heart softly beating in his chest and stretched out a hand, moving his fingers.
He opened his eyes and the world felt so different.
There wasn't the strength and power that he had so often felt in his daily life. There wasn't the ability to hear whatever was surrounding him. He looked to the side of him to see where Lois was kneeling down and crying onto the sheets, her eyes were red but she looked up to him with such hope.
Why did this all feel so different? He felt weak. This was most likely because of the Kryptonite.
He should have known that Lois would be able to find him.
"Is there any family members that we can contact for your friend?" the doctor asked and Lois shook her head as Clark stared at her confused. Of course there was and why was Lois being called his friend. He didn't understand. He looked at her confused and she placed a finger over her lips trying to tell him to keep quiet and to just trust in what was happening around him. It was hard to trust when he didn't know.
However, he would trust her with his life.
"May I have some time with him?" Lois asked as she grabbed onto Clark's hand, squeezing it and then subtly kissing it. The doctors finished their treatment, hooked some things into his body, injected some needles and then wrote some notes before leaving.
Once Lois was sure they were alone, she went back to the bed, making sure the door was completely shut. Clark looked up at her confused and she came to sit nearer him. "Clark," she whispered as she kissed his forehead, "It is you in there, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?" Clark asked before finding his voice had taken on some kind of Southern Californian accent instead of his Kansas accent. This didn't feel right. He didn't feel well at all, he felt almost human. "Lois all I can remember is being trapped in that room. I…"
"What kind of room?" Lois asked as she watched him carefully.
"You know, the lab room, the Kryptoni-" Clark put a hand to his forehead as he remembered the pain and exhaustion that he had gone through. Lois had a few tears slip down her cheeks.
"We managed to save you but…there was a problem. We weren't able to use your own body to bring you back. We managed to create one…somehow, I'm not really sure the details about it, I think that Bruce might know a little more," she said trying to pick her words. "Your soul was separated from your body and you're not….you anymore."
"I'm not me?" Clark asked trying to sit up but Lois held him down.
"Please don't try to get up," she asked as she cupped his cheek lovingly. She reached into her purse for a mirror, "You're human and you're not Clark Kent on the outside anymore but I know that you are on the inside," she whispered as she softly kissed his cheek. Clark took the mirror and then stared at the guy staring back at him.
He looked more like a model than a reporter. He had more curvature in his face, he looked younger and he'd guess in his early twenties maybe the same age as a college graduate. He had sandy blond hair which looked a complete mess right now but was medium length. His green eyes were piercing and he looked like one of the top catalogue models. He put the mirror down trying to cope with the shock of knowing he wasn't himself and put a hand on his well defined chest.
At least he looked good but he had absolutely no idea who he was.
"Honey," Lois said as she placed a hand on his broad shoulder, careful of the wires. "I've told you this before, it doesn't matter what you look like or who people think you are. I love you. I have faith in you and we can work on this together," she attempted to promise him.
Taking his hand in hers, Lois lifted it to her lips and kissed him lovingly. She rested his cheek on his hand. "We can go wherever you want, start over, and -"
"Your job," Clark told her, the voice still sounding alien to him…well metaphorically, "You have your career here, we have to stay here, you have to deal with the loss of your husband."
"My husband is right here with me," Lois argued as she closed her eyes and the tears slipped down. "I don't care about superpowers and I don't care if you're not seen by the public as a Kansas boy. I care about how you make me feel, your loyalty, your bravery, your perseverance. I can get a job anywhere or work remotely. I can't find someone else who I will ever love as much as I love you," she said honestly.
"You love your work, I can't let you give it up," Clark argued and Lois shook her head.
"If you don't feel comfortable in this city, we don't have to be here. If asked whether I could give up my job or give up you then I pick you every time. I don't even have to think about it. It's not as if it's a tough decision," she put her hands in her lap. "When do you want to tell your parents?" she asked and Clark's face had a haunted look to it.
"They don't know?" he asked and Lois kissed his forehead.
"Not yet, we were more concerned about how you'd take waking up and forming a new identity. I've told them that we'd try and help you any way that we can and they know that Bruce would try to bring you back but they don't know that you wouldn't be coming back as Clark Kent," Lois closed her eyes. She really didn't care about this change in identity but it would take some time for him to find his footing with this new life.
He was just an average citizen now without an identity though the documents for that could be forged. The majority of Clark's money and possessions had gone to Lois with most of the remainder to his parents. He wasn't someone who had super powers. He wasn't someone who was known as a hero or protector of the city. He wasn't a member of the Justice League. He was just…a person, an everyday human.
The difference and change between the two ideals was going to be very difficult to cope with and Lois wanted to be there for him. He wouldn't have given up on her. She wouldn't give up on him. She placed a hand on his cheek, feeling the change and kissed him again.
"We'll work this out together," she promised as he smiled up at her.
It was going to be hard for her to cope with this but it wasn't as bad as losing him. She would make all the adjustments necessary. She just didn't want to lose him again.
