[Warning: Adult language ahead]

Chapter Four

Morning

Clark carefully dressed in the old suit-and-tie he used to wear when he worked at the Daily Planet, while Diana took her morning shower. The clothes almost felt strange to him, now that he wore overalls and boots for work around the farm, but today he had to go the bank, to try to negotiate an extension on the loan to keep the buisness afloat. He – and Diana –had made great progress, but even so, it was tough going, much tougher than he'd expected. Still, despite the terrible economy and the ongoing drought, he was optimistic.

After he finished dressing, he sat down at his laptop to check the messages. The first one he opened was the weekly Situation Report from the Watchtower. Bruce had sent it. It was terse and to the point, except for the very end, where he had added a single note:

And when you get tired of shoveling horseshit, both of you get back here and get to work.

This was definitely a change from his prior attitude when he and Diana had taken their "temporary leave of absence" from the League - Bruce had more or less had some sharp words for Clark's decision to go home, taking Diana with him. Bruce had not so much used "leave of absence" than "dereliction of duty." Clark had been surprised by his angry reaction, and by his equal hostile reaction to Diana's choice to accompany him (it didn't seem to help he'd also learned that they'd gotten married). At the time, unlike the other League members, Bruce had implied that it would be fine with him if they never came back – but now his tune was different. Maybe he had his hands full now. Well, Clark shrugged, he could shoulder the load for a bit longer, and see how he liked it for a change!

There was another email from Hal, and one from Barry asking how things were going. Clark's hands flashed over the keyboard, sending them quick replies. He scrolled down.

No message from Lois.

A Skype request came on. Clark saw whom it was from and quickly looked over his shoulder at the closed bathroom door. Diana was still in the shower, and would be in there for a few minutes more. He accepted the Skype request, and grinned widely as Jimmy Olsen's face appeared on the screen.

"Clark!" Jimmy said cheerfully. "Oh my god! What is that thing on your face?"

Clark laughed and rubbed his beard. "My new look!"

"You look like one of those survivalists on the Discovery Channel. Hey, when are you going to come back to Metropolis? It hasn't been the same here without you!"

Clark's grin faded a bit. "I'm still trying to get the farm running again. Dad was doing his best, but it was getting too much for him. He was on the verge of losing it when, when…he and Mom died."

"I'm sorry to hear that. But Clark, what if you can't?"

"I don't know," he said honestly. "I hate to think of losing this place."

Jimmy nodded. "Like when the Daily Planet closed. Poor Mr. White, I guess it was almost a blessing he passed when he did. I don't think he would have liked what happened!"

After Perry White died from a heart attack, the Daily Planet had become the Daily World, "re-imagined" as a celebrity-focused publication. Lois Lane had taken up a job as its editor-in-chief, a move that had upset Clark, who had viewed it as unworthy of her talents, especially for a serious journalist who had exposed crime-rings and traveled to war-zones. He had tried to tell her this, but somehow both had ended up exchanging hurtful words, and Lois had not spoken to him since then, at least several months. Clark was sure he'd handled it badly. Jimmy had gone to work as a paparazzi and was making five times the salary than he'd had at the Planet, enough to live on without a roommate, in fact, enough to put a down payment on a condo in the city.

Clark hesitated a moment, then asked: "How…how's Lois doing?"

"Oh, she's great! She just wrote an article for Ms." Jimmy rooted around on his desk, and then held up the issue. The cover was a photo of the Justice League's visit to the National Capitol, with Wonder Woman prominently featured, and the headline: "THE WORLD NEEDS WONDER WOMAN."

"Oh," Clark said.

"You know Lois, the article is not so much about Wonder Woman as about her," Jimmy chuckled. "A lot of stuff about how Wondy is important for girls' self-esteem and speaking up for truth, blah blah, so Lois goes on about her 'life's journey' and concludes that she now has to be true to herself too, so now she is out of the closet and a lesbian! Hah! I always knew it! She's dating some Hollywood A-list actress now."

"Um…"

"But don't worry Clark, she doesn't mention you at all! So I'm sure it wasn't your fault. But you can tell she's dying to get an interview with Wonder Woman. In fact, Wonder Woman is the thing for all the other photogs – to try to get a shot of her. Even better, to try to get a shot of her in the buff! The word on the street is that it could be worth over a million bucks! Jeez, if I could get that, I could retire," Jimmy remarked wistfully.

"Really."

"Anyway, back to you Clark: I know your heart's set on home, but think about coming back to Metropolis. I know you don't like this kind of journalism-"

"It's not journalism…" Clark muttered.

"But it pays really, really good! The Daily World is even going to get its own cable show. It's going to come out in the fall. Even if you only did this for a little while, well, maybe you could afford to buy another farm, or do something else."

Clark shook his head firmly. "I'm happy here."

"So, um…how's Diana? Is she still mad at me?"

"She's forgotten all about it, Jimmy. You should come out and visit us."

He shook his head. "Oh, hell no! I think she would shoot me if she saw me again. I know she's your wife now and all, but come on, you had some quickie wedding…"

"We had a handfasting."

"...To which you didn't invite me, your best friend! We never even got to give you a bachelor's party. And anyway, how long have you even known Diana? She seems so angry! How can you be sure she's not just some ex-stripper out for your money..."

"Jimmy, that's my wife you're talking about-"

"Ok, ok, it's just that I care about you, dude. You came off Lois and then right after that-"

"But Lois and I never were-"

"-you've up and married this mystery woman. You're my best friend and I just don't want to see you hurt, is all. I know you haven't had that much experience with the ladies, so…"

Clark heard the shower turn off and said hurriedly. "Jimmy, I've got to go…"

"See what I mean Clark, you're afraid of her too! Hey, whenever you need to talk I'm here for you and I mean it, Clark…"

"I'll talk to you later Jimmy," Clark's hand hovered over the keyboard.

"Remember what we guys used to say at the Planet!" Jimmy said loudly, just as the bathroom door opened and before Clark could delete the session. "Bros before hos, Clark! Bros before hos!"

The drive into Smallville was quiet.

Neither of them were frequent drivers but the feeling of traveling by car had the therapeutic effect of slowing down time, and their senses almost to a crawl. Sometimes that was exactly what they needed, to have some time to think, and to take a breath. Also, the sensation of riding in an open car during warm weather was very pleasant and calming, and the air wasn't as smoggy as Metropolis, at least. Clark's car was a BMW Z4, the only splurge he had made when he received his severance pay from the Daily Planet. They certainly couldn't fly into downtown Smallville.

Clark usually drove on their excursions into town. He paid close attention to the road, even though there was no traffic. Diana sat next to him, dressed in a light cotton blouse and shorts, with sunglasses on. The drive from their farm into Smallville took a half-hour, and for part of that time they said nothing to each other.

"I will repair computer, Clark," Diana finally said, breaking the silence.

"It's no big deal," Clark sighed. "But you shouldn't take what Jimmy says so seriously."

"Odious runt attempted violation and you still speak with him!"

"Diana, he didn't try to 'violate' you, he just…walked in on you. Sort of."

Clark vividly remembered the one time Diana had been in the small apartment he'd once shared with Jimmy Olsen. They had both been off duty, relaxing in a nearby nightclub, when a fight had broken out. Diana had suppressed it, but had gotten splashed with a lot of liquor in the process. She had returned to his apartment to clean up, and then Jimmy had returned from a party of his own, completely wasted. Clark had still been at the club, trying to calm tensions and talking to the police. Jimmy being Jimmy had simply walked in the bathroom, thinking it was Clark in the shower, and dropped his pants to take a whiz. Clark had returned just in time to see Diana whip back the curtain and Jimmy, his pants around his thighs, his "offending member" in his hands, goggling wide-eyed at a very naked and very angry Diana.

"Clark?" he'd gasped. "Oh, my God! Wha'-wha's happened to you…?"

He'd tried to spin around, but being drunk and tangled up in his clothes, he'd fallen virtually on top of her, passing out simultaneously. Clark was glad he'd been there before something exceedingly nasty had happened to his friend.

"And he thought I was you."

Diana looked at him, and then stared straight ahead. "He is lucky to retain fucking head!"

Clark started laughing.

She glared at him. "What?"

"Only that…our first fight is over Jimmy Olsen!"

Diana couldn't help but smile at Clark's good humor. "You have loyal friends," she said. "Perhaps that is all that matters."

Diana's restored mood dimmed slightly as they arrived in downtown Smallville. She knew Clark had a different view of it, but as Metropolis was the only place she'd really lived on her own, it was hard not to compare the munificence of the city – the ice cream and gelato parlors, the gourmet food trucks, the boutiques and clubs and theaters – with what she found here in the aptly-named Smallville: boarded-up and closed stores, dingy thrift shops, Goodwill, a scattering of Mexican taquerias to accommodate the migrant workers, and the solitary grocery store marked only by the sign FOOD. Clark's BMW stood out as he pulled up to the Smallville Home Diner and parked next to old and battered pickup trucks.

Clark turned the engine off. "I'm going to stop in here. Do you want to come in?"

Diana shook her head. He remembered she'd eaten here once and claimed to be sick for an entire morning.

"I'll get the gift for tonight while you eat."

Clark nodded, and they kissed before they separated. He watched as she crossed the street, then he entered the diner.

The diner was a longtime Smallville fixture, and although he didn't much need the food, Clark had fond memories of when he'd come here with his parents whenever they came into town on the weekends (which had been busier then). It was still busy inside the diner, but there was always a place to sit. He saw someone he recognized and smiled, sliding into the seat at the counter next to him.

'Old Man' Johnson was, as his nickname suggested, old, and a farmer – he'd been one of Jonathan and Martha's Kent's oldest friends. He was even a kind of elder in the town, although he'd been a long time retired from any public duties. Clark always remembered him as an old man too, almost like a grandfather figure when he was growing up. He owned the farm closest to the Kents, and still lived there, even though his own wife had passed away and his kids had grown and moved on years ago. His memory was failing, but he'd recognized Clark when he'd come back.

"Clark! Where've ya been boy?" the elderly man leaned forward and gave Clark a hug, which he returned as gently as he could, sensitive to his brittle bones. "I've been sitting here drinking this godawful coffee all morning all by myself."

"Why didn't you call? I would have given you a ride here."

"What? Ohhh no, once my kids find out I'm taking rides, they'll try to get my driver's license taken away, they've been trying to for years. They can pry my license away from my cold dead hands!" He coughed, his solid white mustache bristling. "You still takin' care of your Pa's place?"

"Best as I can," Clark took a sip of the coffee. "I need to see if I can get another loan."

Old Man Johnson snorted, then coughed into his napkin. "Good luck with that," he growled. "They're trying to drive all fam'ly farms out of business, families selling out because they can't manage any more, goddamn corporations..."

Clark barely heard him rambling, thinking of how tough it was going to be. He was afraid the old man was right. Smallville was dying and he was helpless to prevent it. Surely there had to be something he could do.

"…And another thing they're tryin' to do, doing some 'Historical District' idea, tourism, like any tourists would want to come here…"

"Maybe it could work," Clark rubbed his beard, thinking. Maybe he could start a blog about Smallville, touting its small town virtues, start writing and being a journalist again...

Suddenly, the old man gripped his arm in a surprisingly tough hold. Clark looked up in surprise.

"Dam' fools even thinking of turning the Red House into a tourist attraction! That place!"

Clark wasn't sure what he meant; he had only a vague idea that there were some old 1920s-era houses in the area, long neglected. "The Red House?"

"That accursed place!" Old Man Johnson's eyes suddenly grew dark and his prawn-like mustache trembled. "Your Pa and I always thought that it should have been bulldozed over! We should have dun it ourselves…" his words turned into inaudible mutterings.

"What?" Clark stared at him, feeling just the faintest pull of memory. His father? "What are you talking-?"

"Excuse me? Aren't you Clark Kent?"

Clark turned around, leaving the old man mumbling to himself, to see a tall, tough-looking man in motorcycle garb looking down at him, unsmiling. The man had a scar under his jawline, and a Marine high-and-tight haircut.

"Do you remember me?"

"You look familiar….wait, you're-"

"Staff Sergeant John Corben. 5th Marines Scout Sniper," the man smiled and held out his hand. "Oohrah."

[Thank you for all the reviews! I didn't expect so many already! This story is taking longer than I thought to write! I wanted to add a little marital tension here, in the form of the Single Friends. Hopefully I can get it done, or most of it, by Halloween. Almost, but not quite, gotten to the 'Red House' yet, although we'll get a better picture of it as Clark and Diana finally see it next chapter! Yes that is the John Corben, pre-Metallo. This is mostly a cameo appearance but he has a vital role to play later on].