A/N: Thanks to Louise Daniel (1st half) and llk6165 (2nd half) for editing this chapter. Hug and flowers for both of you…

Spoilers: Superman Returns, 90's Lois and Clark and Smallville Crimson episode (just a little)

Chapter 3: Memory

"Mr. White, I'm Clark Kent from Smallville." He extended his right hand for a shake. The old editor-in-chief of the renowned newspaper looked at him straight in his eyes before he shook Clark's hand.

"Mr. Kent your submitted articles are all good. But they are not good
enough because this newspaper isn't The Inquisitor. We write news based on facts, not just gossip, or nonsense opinions. The Daily Planet is one of the most prestigious newspapers in the world. We strive for excellence." He paused for awhile and softened his expression. "But since I foresee that you have a future as a reporter, congratulations Kent you're in." He tapped
the shoulder of the young man. "So you should start now. For the meantime, Lois will accompany you until you familiarized with the ins and outs of journalism."

"Lois as in Lois Lane?" He didn't expect that Lois would be his trainer. Anyway, she was superior to him. He wondered how she was going to react.

"Yes. Don't worry she won't bite you. She's a little nicer than before. Anyway, she's already a mother." Perry sat on his swivel chair and took the papers he needed to sign. "Jimmy! Show Mr. Kent where his
table will be placed."

"Yes Sir." Jimmy answered his boss.

"Thanks Sir." Clark adjusted his eyeglasses and followed Jimmy.

"CK I have some shots here with Superman in them. I have to develop these photos. But before that, I should welcome you. Welcome to Daily Planet!" He smiled and hugged him.

"Thanks Jimmy." He had always liked Jimmy and he felt a little better knowing he had to work with him.

"That's your table, near Lois, our very stubborn friend." Saying very proudly of being able to call himself a friend of Lois.

As he approached Lois' table, he saw a picture of the little girl riding a donkey. She really looked like Lois. Another photo caught his attention; it was Lois with Oliver Queen. She looked so happy, smiling and holding her rounded belly. But staring closely at her, he could tell from her saddened eyes that she wasn't as happy as she seemed. Her smile didn't reach her
eyes. Moving his eyes to Oliver, he felt a sudden strike of pain within him
because he was holding her hand. How he wished, he was the one in that photo. The one who will always beside her and can hold her like there's no tomorrow. But his one last chance had passed. Realizing that he had stared at the photo longer than he should, he finally asked Jimmy. "Where's Oliver?" He sounded jealous with the way he spoke.

"Oliver Queen? He died about five years ago." Clark gaped at the
photographer with wide eyes. "Since he died, Lois hasn't gone on any dates, hasn't had any boyfriends. She spends all her time taking care of their child and focusing on her work." Jimmy declared. "But Lois hasn't dated since he passed away..." He continued while rubbing his chin.

"No wonder she's the Star Reporter of The Daily Planet." Clark added to Jimmy's statement. "She's really Lois. No matter what she goes
through, she manages to survive everything." Clark glanced back to Lois'
photo. He really needed to ask Jimmy about something. He didn't know how he found the guts but he managed to say it aloud.

"Jimmy, were they married?" He felt a deep fear creeping up his nerves.

"I don't know much C.K., with regards to that I found it best not to ask.
All I can say is what I knew. Lois stayed with Oliver in Star City. She had
a very difficult pregnancy and almost lost LJ in her eight-week stage. She needed all the medical attention that the greatest doctors could offer. On her
seventh month, she delivered LJ prematurely. We thought that the baby
wouldn't make it, but having a fighter Mom and the bloodline of Lane and Queen she managed to survive." Clark slightly nodded. Lois suffered much during the past years. No wonder she kept such strong defensive walls intact around her. He really admired how strong Lois was. He looked at Jimmy Olsen. He was surprised with the sudden change of aura around his friend.

Jimmy let a deep sigh. "That's about the same time that I lost Chloe."

"Chloe? Oliver? How? Tell me Jimmy." Since he came back from The
Fortress, he only paid his mother a short visit. He was too busy saving the
world; he never got the chance to ask her about what had happened after he left Smallville. And now, the truth could unfold. His best friend
died. How on Earth was he not able to save her? She was always at his side every time he needed her help, but he wasn't there, when she needed him most. "I can't believe it."

"Weird things happened after you left. Some kind of aliens came here…"
Looking past at Clark, Jimmy saw Lois walking towards to her table. She
drank her coffee and shouted at Jimmy. "Jimmy, we need to go!" She never gave Clark a glance.

Clark turned to face her. After the Smallville incident few days ago, this
was the first time for him to meet Lois as Clark Kent. Was she still the
Lois he knew back before? Maybe, or maybe not. He'd been absent for more than five years, he couldn't say that everything would be the same as before. Although she was a little older than the last time he saw her, it didn't hurt that much. It only made her more attractive. He blinked and smiled at her.

"Hey Lois, an old friend of ours is here. And now, our co-worker at The Daily Planet. Mr. Clark Kent. Do you remember him?" Jimmy was happily oblivious to the history between them.

With a blank expression on her face, she replied, "Yes, Perry told me. Mr.
Clark Kent, welcome to The Planet." Lois extended her right hand for
formality, which Clark blissfully accepted. She snatched it away as soon as she felt the sparks of electricity flowed between them when they touched. She tried to regain her composure by smiling a bit. "So Mr. Kent, want to help us in our assignment?" Clark was taken aback when he heard the formality. He adjusted his eyeglasses and shot a glance at Jimmy. The photographer shrugged then grabbed his camera.

With eyes round as a puppy dog's, Clark answered. "Sure." He didn't know what else to say, she seemed so distant. So out of reach.

At the dumpster…

"Jimmy where's the dessert? Did you eat it?" She threw a lethal glare to her photographer friend. He sat in the front passenger seat while Clark Kent in the backseat.

"Okay, I tried one. It's delicious, perfect for the taste of Bobby Big Mouth." Looking afraid of the Lane wrath, he remembered her yelling at him the last time he ate the sweets.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! That's my food." Said a tall and wide-mouthed guy as he entered the backseat of Lois' car. "Whoa, who's this guy? New in Metropolis?" Clark gave the newcomer a friendly smile.

"Bobby, this is Clark Kent, Daily Planet's newest reporter." Lois said to her source.

"He's an old friend of ours." Jimmy kicked in.

Lois rolled her eyes which made Clark hide a small smirk on his face. "Same old Lois,'' he thought. "She always looked her best while annoyed."

Trying not to pay too much attention to Clark, Lois continued, "Clark this is Bobby, one of my sources."

"Professional source." Bobby nodded to Clark. Directing his attention back to the food, he exclaimed with delight, "Oh, you brought wide variety of foodstuff. Hmmm… Lasagna… Cheeseburger… Apple pie… sliced pepperoni pizza… This is nice, unlike before, when you only gave me finger foods. This means I will give you additional information." He started to chow down on the pizza, then the lasagna. Jimmy, hungry himself, swallowed his own saliva while staring on the food seized by Bobby.

"So did you hear anything about the train incident?" Lois asked eager to get the story and the facts straight.

"Whoa, this is delicious!" Bobby said as he continued eating. "I heard that they planned this really intending to kill the Governor, with the election coming up and all. Ah, I saw a bald man, talking to a tall and skinny man, two nights before it happened." With a mouth full of food.

"Any idea who were those men?" Lois asked. As she watched bobby eat with his mouth full, she began to feel nauseous.

"All I can say as of now, the tall and skinny man's name is Bruno. By the way the car's plate number is LL 384." Grabbing the burger.

"Got it! Thanks Bobby." Jimmy said while wanting to have a taste of Bobby's cheeseburger.

Before their source stepped out of the car, he looked back at Clark and tapped his shoulder. "Welcome buddy to the real world. And next time remind her to bring me some water to drink."

Clark chuckled, "Yeah, I will." He was impressed at Lois's source.

Daily Planet…

"According to the database, Mr. Michael Stewart a.k.a. Bruno, is one of the most hired killer," Clark said. "Funny, but LL 384 isn't in the system. Jimmy, did you remember that the only person having this plate number is Lex Luthor?" He looked up at Jimmy.

"It has been five or six years since we last heard of him," Lois said. With her eyes fixed on her computer screen she added in a whisper "Just like you." Clark didn't notice the change in her expression, but caught the last three words with his superhearing.

"I think you two need some time to catch up. So, I have to go… and try to find this Bruno character." Jimmy excused himself and ran towards the elevator.

Clark focused his attention to the woman across him. He decided to speak up because he knew she hated uncomfortable silences. "How are you Lois?" He was eager to know more of the woman that haunted his dreams while he was away.

Lois looked at him. "I'm okay." She feigned a smile at him. Always proud of her daughter's achievements she added, "I have a brilliant kid."

"Sorry about Oliver." That's the only thing that he could say to her right now. Maybe that's the only thing he could do to let her know he still cared.

"Don't be." She smiled bitterly then she took a quick glance at her watch. "By the way, I need to pick up LJ. Bye Kent. See you around." She gathered her things and quickly headed towards the elevator. Gathering her stuffs to go.

"Bye." He waved his hand feeling bad for mentioning Oliver and making her run away.

As soon as Lois was inside the elevator, Clark used his x-ray vision to watch her freely. Her face was as gloomy as the last time he saw her. Those hazel eyes of hers had shown him so many emotions before, but now she only had cold stares for him. He missed her very much, but he deserved that kind of treatment. He really deserved it.

"It's still early to pick up LJ from school." Lois thought to herself once she was alone in the elevator. She really needed breathing space, [most] especially after Clark mentioned Oliver. Or maybe she needed to leave when she saw that Clark did not show any sign of emotion after she mentioned her daughter.

She drove to the cemetery. She walked slowly absorbing the serenity of the place. She came upon Chloe's gravesite tomb and kneeled before placing the bouquet of fresh flowers as she whispered a prayer. She let out a deep sighed, "I need someone to talk to and seems like there's no one available at the moment so I came here Chloe." She smiled bitterly and let tears fell on her cheeks. "I admit you're right. The love that I can't have lasts the longest, even if I don't want to. It feels the strongest and definitely hurts the most." She paused and stared on the grayish sky. "Why do you always seem so right?" She let a sob to express her pain. In short span of time, memories of the past played through her mind. It felt like it only happened yesterday.

February 14, 2007

People were partying. Lights were all on with slow music playing on the background. Even those who could not afford an expensive Valentine candle-lit dinner at the five-star hotel were welcome. On the stage, there was a live band playing with two lead vocalists wearing angel's wings to add the Cupid-like effect.

"What are we doing here Chloe?" Clark asked clearly uncomfortable with that kind of party.

"Don't worry. Jimmy's coming. He's a little bit late. Oh, come on… You have to pause for awhile; you work and study too hard. Just sit down and relax, okay." The petite blond-haired woman tried her very best to convince him.

"I can't be here, Chloe," Clark said in frustration. He wanted to be in the barn watching the stars through his telescope until morning

"No, I will not let you go right now. Just enjoy the party." Chloe said to her best friend in a louder tone.

At the front door of The Talon…

"Jimmy, this is a valentine's party, isn't it? I have to go." Lois said immediately. She was a little irritated with the scenery.

"Lois, even for an hour, please stay. Chloe is inside. Come on." Jimmy replied.

"Come on Clark, this isn't the end of the world. Lana is not the last woman on Earth. You have to move on starting right now," Chloe emphasized the last six words.

Clark just listened to her. He saw sparks light up in Chloe's eyes when she looked towards the newcomer.

"Oh, Jimmy's here already." Chloe stood up and was surprised to see her cousin standing next to Jimmy. "Lois. What are you doing here?"

"Hi Cuz!" Lois answered before turning to Clark, " Smallville, why you're here too? I can't believe that you like this kind of party." She smiled sarcastically to the blue-eyed farm boy in front of her.

"This must be you're type." Clark snapped back.

"Ah Clark…Lois. Could you excuse us for a minute?" Chloe took Jimmy's hand and guided him to the corner of The Talon.

"Jimmy, what are you doing? You knew that they're both broken-hearted right now. Clark to Lana. Lois to Oliver."

Jimmy smiled widely to his girlfriend, "That's right. I have a feeling that the two of them can be together. You know, just like us, they have chemistry."

Lois shifted nervously, "So I think we're being set-up by the two love birds." she said not looking with Clark.

"Looks like." He replied.

"This is crazy, We're like hot fudge and halibut."

"I'm take it I'm the halibut."

"Naturally."

"Excuse me," Clark stammered. " I have to get a drink."

"Go on, I'll stay here."

Lois's flashback was interrupted with a sudden downpour of rain. She ran towards her car and took a deep breath when she realized that LJ's classes ended. "How on Earth did I forgot that?" she asked herself shaking her head in frustration.

As the car left the cemetery, a man whose clothes were already soaked by the rain, approached the gravesite. Through the tears that filled his eyes, he followed Lois's car. He removed his glasses and raised his head towards the sky letting the rain wash away the his tears. After he left, everything changed, people… places… Chloe and Oliver gone. Lois was so cold and distant. He didn't know how to cope with all the changes. His long absence widened the gap between him and the only woman he loved. Just like before, he felt loneliness seep into the depths of his soul. The rain continued to fall on him as he stood alone before the gravesite. Alone and cold. By looking at his slumped shoulders, a bypasser would have never known he was the hero who gave hope and inspiration to the world. The man was no other than… Clark Kent.

o0o-o0o-o0o-o0o

TBC