I'm Always Around

Set before the Lex Luther's "new landmass" idea

Disclaimer: I don't own any of Superman's wonderful movie that I most gratefully borrowed for this fic.

Ch. 1

Lois Lane sat in front of her desk, mulling over everything Perry just said. "The news isn't the blackout, it's Superman!"

How could he leave her just like that, not even bothering to say goodbye. Then Lois thought about Clark's explanation about it being to hard for him. She thought about it so long and hard that she started to believe it, but then she remembered if he would have just said something to her, anything at all, she would have been perfectly content … or she thought.

But wait; was it even anger in her heart? Of course it was. She was focused and determined to make Superman pay for his actions of leaving and not telling a soul about it. But the thing that hurt her the most, not even leaving her pregnant with a half alien fetus growing inside her, was the fact that she was not really angry at all.

Instead, she was frustrated and sad, but when she looked into his deep blue eyes after she was rescued from the burning plane plummeting to the earth, by none other than the super babe himself, she felt relieved that he was alive and well.

"Where's Jason?!" She shook out of her daydream at the sound of Richard's panicked voice.

She searched the Daily Planet for her five year old son. There he was, right next to someone she never thought she'd see.

"Jason, there you are! Oh, hi Clark! I haven't seen you in a while," she said before giving him an awkward hug, because he kept moving from left to right. "So I guess you met Jason."

"Yeah! We were just talking." You could barely hear him over Richard's relieved voice.

"There you are sport," he said while picking Jason up.

"Clark, this is Richard. Richard, Clark," Lois introduced, "and, oh, I'm sorry you guys, but I have to leave. Perry assigned me to a new Superman article of joy," Lois spat sarcastically.

"Alright honey, we will be right here when you come back," Richard assured her while handing Jason on to his mom.

"Bye Clark." And she put Jason on the ground.

"Bye Lois," but she had already gone in the direction of the elevators. Leaving both men in an awkward silence.

"Well I have some work to do, but If you need anything, my office is right over there," Richard said while pointing his finger at a roomy corner office. "Nice meeting you Clark." And with that, Richard, with his big hand in Jason's little one, walked toward his office.

Ch 2

Lois searched hours on end looking for the caped wonder. After about the fifth increment of sixty minutes with no luck, she gave up hope and decided that six in the evening was long enough for a wild goose chase. It was time to head back to the Planet and help Clark with the blackout story that she was just itching to start researching.

She arrived at her office and began working with Richard, Clark, and the great photographer, Jimmy Olsen. When Richard saw the frustration and exhaustion that radiated from Lois, he decided it was time to eat.

"Jimmy, Jason, let's go get these intrepid reporters something to eat."

Clark saw this time to talk to Lois alone, but was once again rejected when she was darting for the elevator. "I'll just be a minute, Clark. I have to grab something from down stairs," and then she was gone behind those steel doors.

This would have proven to be a problem if your goal was to watch a girl you have had a crush on for the last fifteen years, give or take. But not for Clark, a.k.a. Superman. He just used his x-ray vision and watched Lois hit the button and take off for the roof. With a sly smile, he was off.

Lois had just put her cigarette into her mouth, and activated the little red switch on the lighter, when a freak gust of wind blew it out. So she tried again, and for a second time "wshhh" went the flame.

"You really shouldn't smoke, Miss Lane," the long gone, but not forgotten, Superman whispered playfully.

"Well look who it is," Lois shot back sarcastically. Unfortunately, Superman, could not sense the sarcasm because it was covered by Lois's annoyance.

"I know there are a lot of questions now that I'm back. I thought now might be the best time to talk to an excellent reporter." Superman tried his best to be apologetic, and at the same time be truthful.

"Fine! Lets start with, where were you?" The anger in Lois's voice had still not ceased. But at least now she is talking not just retorting, Superman thought.

"To Krypton. And before you ask, no, I did not lie when I told you it was destroyed. When astronomers said they had found it, I had to check it out for myself." As he said this last part, he could have sworn that he saw the frustration in Lois's eyes melt away, but only for a second.

"Well you're back, and everyone seems pretty happy about it." As Lois said this, he was sure her fury had turned to sadness, with a hint of relief.

"Not every one," he saw her eyes lift, while he walked slowly toward her, "I saw the article..."

"Well so did a lot of people," she said before he could finish, "Its winning a …"

"Why did you write it?" He had asked the question. The same question she had asked since the day she had handed the freshly written copy into Perry.

"How could you leave us like that?" She asked more of a rhetorical question, because she knew if she stopped to let him answer, she would break down on the spot. "I moved on. So did the rest of us. The world doesn't need a savior. And neither do I." The last of this explanation was said with tears in her eyes, but there was no way she was going to let them fall.

The way he moved and turned around showed how hard those words bit down on him. The look on his face was almost enough for Lois to forget all her anger, and take back all that she had just said.

After a moment, he turned his body around and looked her in her eyes, and asked the one question she was dreading to hear.

"Lois, will you come with me?"

"Why?"

"There's something I want to show you," his eyes danced with hope as he pleaded, "please?"

Lois turned around and considered the pros and cons. Oh, how she missed flying with him, just his arms around her, no seatbelt holding her down. But then again, he left the world and supposedly the one woman he loved for a deserted piece of rock, for five long and confusing years.

After hearing his quiet plea, she decided that it couldn't hurt anything, could it?

She walked over to him with all restraint she could muster up. "I can't be gone long."

"You won't be," he promised.

She gently kicked off her shoes and lightly touched his forearms. While he carefully wrapped his arms around her. So she would not fall while they were in flight. She stepped upon his red boots and could not help but be angry, when remembering. She told him in the most annoyed tone she could, what Clark had said about it being to unbearable to say goodbye to the woman he so called loved.

All he said was "Clark?" and had a confused look on his face, when she remembered not telling who this mysterious advise giver was.

"Just a guy I work with. But personally I think it's a load of crap," she explained.

"Maybe Clarks right."

With that Lois's face housed a small smile, but that lasted merely a minute.

"You know my, um, Richard…" Why was she not telling Superman the whole truth about Richard? Lois was definitely not still in love with Superman, was she? "He's a pilot, he takes me up all the time," she said this in a way, that she hoped would make Superman jealous.

He seemed unphased by this, and just retorted with, "not like this."

After a second of processing and realizing what was just said, she glanced down to the world below and quickly latched to his warm body.

"I forgot how warm you are."

Still he did not stop flying. But went in a slow circle around the globe atop The Daily Planet building, never taking his eyes off of hers.

They glanced at the world around them with smiles engulfing their faces. Until they were high enough where people looked like specks, Superman stopped and looked around and then asked softly, "what do you hear?"

"Nothing," and then Lois looked back into Superman's eyes before he turned his head to look into the night sky.

"I hear every thing," and looked back into her eyes, "you wrote that the world didn't need a savior, but everyday I hear people crying for one." He said the last part looking down at the world that knows him as the protector of the Earth. Then Lois too looked down and thought about what he was saying.

"I'm sorry I left you Lois."

She stared into his eyes and felt her anger and any other feeling she was feeling melt away. She was about to forgive him, so she shook her head, but before she could say anything he spoke first.

"I'll take you back now," and once again held her close, but this time it was in the opposite direction, so she could look around as he flew her back to her office and former life.

He flew slowly enough for her, so she could enjoy the sights. Superman flew over the river/lake that was right next to her and Richards's house. Lois let her finger touch the water slowly, enjoying the feeling of the cool water and air on her body.

Lois glanced at her house and then to her hand that was tightly intertwined with her man of the past and instead of pulling away, like Superman thought she was about to do, she held them in front of her just like what he did on his super fast flying expeditions. She did not mind his right arm around her waist, in fact, she put her hand top of it as they flew off the body of water and into the town of Metropolis.

They soared around the tall buildings of the city with out even saying a word. When the couple reached the top of the Daily Planet, Superman gently circled his way to the stone tile flooring, and slowly placed her down in the exact place they left from.

Lois stood up on her tippy toes and leaned in to a kiss. Right before their lips meant she stopped and stepped down. Still in the same embrace, she could not look into his gorgeous eyes, but she started to explain. "Richards a good man," she looked back into his eyes, "and you have been gone a long time."

"I know." Superman said this with so much sorrow and understanding.

He started to walk away when she stuttered. "I... I... so will I see you around?" Lois said this laced with the hope for a positive answer.

"I'm always around."

And with that Superman was about to take off into the starry night when Lois's body desire took over.

"Wait!" He looked down at her with hope in his eyes.

Lois walked over and kissed him, with all the longing that she had bottled in for the last five years. She was extremely pleased when she felt him kiss back, but before things got to heated she pulled away and looked him deep in the eyes. He understood, gave her an affectionate nod and soared away.

Lois dreaded the elevator trip to her level, not that she didn't love Richard in any way, but after her action packed evening she needed some time to find out where her heart lied.